Apr 19, 2022 Town of Hilton Head Finance & Administrative Committee

[1. Call to Order]

[00:00:10]

ORDER THE TIME OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND, FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE MEETING OF APRIL 19TH, 2020 KRISTA.

ARE WE IN, IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT? YES, SIR.

WE ARE.

THANK YOU.

WOULD YOU CALL THE ROLL? CERTAINLY, SIR.

MR. BROWN, MR. HARKINS HERE, MR. STANFORD.

MR. LENNOX, ALL PRESENT, SIR.

THANK YOU.

WE HAVE

[5. Approval of the Minutes]

IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED SECOND, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

OPPOSED THE SAME.

THANK YOU, KRISTA.

[6. Appearance by Citizens]

WE DO TODAY.

MR. SKIP HOAGLAND IS SCHEDULED TO SPEAK TO COUNSELOR THE COMMITTEE.

MR. HOECHLIN, SKIP HOAGLAND WINDMILL HARBOR.

MR. LENNOX, WHY DO YOU ALL KEEP SAYING THE CHAMBER AND BILL MILES DOES A GREAT JOB.

PROMOTING TOURISM WOULD MILLIONS OF TAX FUNDS WHEN THIS IS A LIE AND FRAUD AND ZERO ACCOUNTING AND FOIL, AND YOU'RE IN FOIL VIOLATION.

FIRST, THE PRIVATE CHAMBER LOCAL BUSINESS LEAGUE IS NOT SUPPOSED TO DO A GOOD JOB, NOT SUPPOSED TO BE HIRED DMO TO PROMOTE TOURISM.

THAT'S AN AD AGENCY, A LOCAL MEDIA JOB, A LOCAL CHAMBER UNDER NATIONAL GOLD STANDARDS IS ONLY SUPPOSED TO SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESS MEMBERS LIKE ELECTRICIANS, PLUMBERS, BEAUTY SALONS, ET CETERA, NOT BEING BUSINESS WHATSOEVER AS A 5 0 1 NONPROFIT CHAMBER HAS ZERO TO DO WITH TOURISM.

SECONDLY, A HIGHER DM OWNER NATIONAL GOLD STANDARDS UNDER SOUTH CAROLINA, EIGHT TAX LAWS IS ONLY SUPPOSED TO USE EIGHT TAX FUNDS TO PROMOTE AND MARKET TOURISM AND NOTHING ELSE.

A TAX COMMITTEE RECOMMENDING FUNDING IS IN VIOLATION OF EIGHT TAX LAWS AND ILLEGAL USE OF NONPROFIT CHAMBER, LOW COUNTRY, UH, OF THE NONPROFIT CHAMBER, LOW COUNTRY GOLF OWNERS ASSOCIATION, EVEN THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB.

THEY CANNOT BE A TAX FUNDED CHAMBER, HIJACKED OWNERSHIP OF R D MOA TAX FUNDED APP AND WEBSITE.

AND IT MUST END TAXPAYER'S OWN THIS BILL, MILD SELLING ADVERTISING TO GENERATE HIS WHATEVER WE 500, 600,000 SALARY PAY PACKAGE IS INSANITY.

IT MUST END TOWN VIOLATION TO PROCUREMENT BIDS, ALLOWING BILL MILES TO ROB OUR COMMUNITY FOR 35 YEARS.

UH, FOR THE, AS A NEW, AS A DMO MUST END, WE MUST HIRE A NEW DMO, $1 MILLION PLUS GOING TO CANADA, UH, TO DEVELOP THE APP.

AND THE WEBSITE MUST END THAT THE TOWN ILLEGALLY USING TAX MONEY TO BECOME CHAMBER MEMBERS MUST END.

YOU'RE A MEMBER.

YOU'RE A CHAMBER MEMBER.

YOU USE TAX MONIES, MR. LENNOX, IT'S QUID PRO QUO.

THE TOWN VIOLATION OF SOUTH CAROLINA NONPROFIT CORPORATION ACT LAW WAS IN THE TOWN CHAMBER VIOLATION OF SOUTH CAROLINA.

CONSTITUTIONAL LAWS MUST END BILL MILES VIOLATION TO THE IRS 5 0 1 NONPROFIT TAX CODES AND UBIT AND TAX EVASION MUST END BILL MILES VIOLATION TO UNFAIR TRADE BUSINESS AND COMPETITIVE PRACTICES TO LOCAL MEDIA.

EVEN THE ISLAND PACKET MUST END BILL MILES, BRIBERY, CORRUPTED TAX RETURNS, MONEY LAUNDERING WITH, WITH, WITH RE DEAL.

FRAUDULENT AUDITS MUST END HARKINS MCCANN LENNOX COMMITTED CRIMINAL FRAUD BY CLAIMING THE SAW CHAMBER ACCOUNTING AT THE CHAMBER OFFICES.

YOU'RE A FRAUD AND A LIAR.

MR. MR. LENNOX, A DMO IS AN OLD FAILED BUSINESS MODEL.

AND NO MATTER WHO OPERATES IT, TOURISM IS GENERATED BY TECHNOLOGY FOR FREE LOCAL SEARCH, SOCIAL MEDIA, A THOUSAND FACEBOOK ACCOUNTS, LOCAL RESIDENTS, WORD OF MOUTH, FAMILY GUESTS, 70% REPEATS AND INDEPENDENT MARKETING EFFORTS OF LOCAL BUSINESSES.

NOT THIS DMO CHAMBER TAX SCAM.

THEY DON'T CREATE TOURISM.

IT'S A FRAUD.

THE FRAUD CHAMBER IS RUN AS A FOR-PROFIT CRIMINAL ENTERPRISE DISGUISES AS A NONPROFIT CHAMBER TO TRICK OUR COMMUNITY AND EVEN IRS BY COMMITTING THIS TAX EVASION, OUR COMMUNITY IS BEING ROBBED BLIND BY THIS EIGHT TAX COMMITTEE, THIS COUNCIL AND ALLOWING THIS CHAMBER TECH SCAM TO CONTINUE THIS HAPPY HORSE MANURE AND THEFT BY BILL MILES MUST END ALEX.

I HOPE YOU CAN DO SOMETHING.

I'M AFRAID THAT YOU'RE PROBABLY NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO, BUT SOMEBODY HAS GOT TO DO SOMETHING CRUSHED UP.

ANY OTHER CITIZEN COMMENTS? YES, SIR.

THAT CONCLUDES THE PARENTS BY CITIZENS.

THANK YOU.

[00:05:01]

[7a. Presentation of the 2021 Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce Destination Marketing Organization Industry Metrics]

UH, AFTER THIS REPORT, UH, WE ARE TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO TOWN COUNCIL, UH, AS TO THE ACCESSIBILITY OF THE PERFORMANCE VERSUS THE METRICS.

ARIANA, I THINK IT'S YOURS.

YEAH, NO PROBLEM.

OKAY.

AND THEN THIS IS YOUR POINT.

OKAY.

THANK YOU.

GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.

AGAIN, MY NAME IS ARIANA BERNICE.

I'M WITH THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND, BLUFFTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE REPRESENTING, UM, THE ORGANIZATION TODAY AND EXPLAINING THE DMO METRICS FOR PORT FOR 2021.

SORRY, GET MY PAPERS.

SO EACH OF YOU HAVE RECEIVED THIS DOCUMENT AND, UM, I HOPE YOU HAD THE CHANCE TO GO THROUGH IT.

I'M HERE TO WALK THROUGH KIND OF THE HIGH LEVEL AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, UM, FOR YOU AND I'LL GET THE POINTER AND SEE IF I CAN DO THIS.

THAT'S THE FIRST TEST.

HERE WE GO.

SO AS A RECAP, WE HAVE OUR 13 METRICS IN FRONT OF US AND THOSE ARE IN OUR CONTRACT, BUT LET'S DIVE A LITTLE DEEPER INTO WHAT EACH ONE OF THOSE REQUIREMENTS ASKED OF US.

AND, UM, WHAT'S FIRST, WE WANT TO START WITH THE RESIDENT SATISFACTION SURVEY.

THAT SURVEY WAS IN MARKET FROM, UM, JUNE 14TH TO JUNE 25TH OF 21.

THERE WERE NEARLY, UM, 3000 RESPONDENTS, BUT I THINK MOST IMPORTANTLY, WHAT WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY ENGAGE AND UNDERSTAND THE COMMUNITY, UM, AND THEIR, UH, RELATIONSHIP WITH TOURISM.

THIS IS OUR OPPORTUNITY TO DIVE DEEPER, TO BUILD A LASTING AND, UM, THRIVING RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR COMMUNITY REGARDING TOURISM.

AND THIS WAS OUR FIRST TOUCH BASE WITH THAT.

SO WE'LL HAVE A STRONG FOUNDATION.

UM, IMPORTANTLY, WHAT WERE THOSE FOUR PIECES THAT WE'RE GOING TO USE TO KIND OF DRIVE THAT, UM, OPPORTUNITY GOING FORWARD? AND SO WHILE WE LOOK QUICKLY AT THOSE FOUR, THERE'S THE DEEPER PRESENTATION, UM, WITHIN YOUR DOCUMENT.

SO WE'LL START HERE WITH THE FACT THAT THOUGH THEY KNOW, AND ARE KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT TOURISM AND ITS BENEFITS, THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO EDUCATE, UM, AND FURTHER ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY WITH ALL THE BENEFITS THAT SURROUND TOURISM THAT WE AS COMMUNITY MEMBERS, UM, HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE EVERY SINGLE DAY.

AND THEN WHILE WE, UM, WILL WORK HARD AND UNDERSTAND THE, THE RESIDENT, UM, OPPORTUNITY FOR EDUCATION.

WE ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE ARE, UM, KIND OF WAVERING UNDERSTANDINGS OF OUR, I GUESS, ENTHUSIASM, RIGHT REGARDING TOURISM.

IT PROBABLY FLUCTUATES WITH TIME OF YEAR.

AND, UM, WE ALSO HAVE, UM, THE FEEDBACK THAT THE RESIDENTS FEEL PRIDE OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND.

SO I LOVE THAT SENSE OF PRIDE THAT WE CALL IT HOME CAMPAIGN THAT WE HAVE OUT THERE NOW REALLY RESONATES WITH THAT.

AND THEY OFFER HIGH QUALITY EXPERIENCES, DINING AND SHOPPING.

WE AS RESIDENTS GET TO EXPERIENCE IT EVERY SINGLE DAY BASED ON THE, ON THE FACT THAT WE ARE OUR NUMBER ONE ECONOMY IS TOURISM.

UM, AND WITHOUT THAT, WOULD WE BE HAVE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES EVERY SINGLE DAY TO SHOP AND EAT AT SOME OF THE HIGHEST QUALITY RESTAURANTS AND RETAIL SHOPS.

UM, AND WE KNOW THAT THEY CONSIDER THE RESIDENTS CONSIDER, WE CONSIDER HILTON DENIAL'S LOCAL ECONOMY SO IMPORTANT.

UM, BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COMMUNICATE HOW IT EBBS AND FLOWS.

AND, AND AS WE PREPARE FOR RESIDENTS TO COME IN FOR THAT SUMMERTIME FRAME, HOW DO WE DO THAT TO THE, OF OUR ABILITY? SO WITH ALL OF THIS INFORMATION, WHAT DO WE DO, RIGHT? AND THAT'S WHY IN THE MASTER PLAN THAT YOU'VE SEEN IN OUR MARKETING GMO ANNUAL PLAN, YOU'LL SEE THAT THERE'S A HEAVY EMPHASIS ON COMMUNITY.

FIRST.

THERE'S A HEAVY EMPHASIS ON OUR, ON OUR COMMUNITY CAMPAIGN, WHAT ALL BUBBLES INTO OUR CORNERSTONE.

AND SO THAT CORNERSTONE PIECE FOR US IS OUR LEADING EFFORT.

WHEN IT COMES TO MARKETING THE DESTINATION, WE'RE ENGAGING BOTH THE COMMUNITY, LEADING WITH COMMUNITY STORIES, THE HEARTBEAT OF THE COMMUNITY, AND, UM, ENSURING THAT THEY'RE EDUCATED AND HAVE IN THEIR HIP POCKET, THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE POWER OF TOURISM.

AND SO WE'RE EXCITED TO HAVE THAT FOUNDATIONAL PIECE IN PLACE IT'S BEING LED BY THE CORNERSTONE CAMPAIGN.

UM, AND WE'LL CONTINUE FORWARD ON AN ANNUAL BASIS WITH THAT TO BE FOLLOWED BY THE VISITOR SURVEY THAT WE DO ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.

AND THAT AGAIN IS IN MARKET FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR.

WE SURVEY ON A ROLLING BASIS EVERY SINGLE MONTH AND BASED ON PEOPLE'S, UM, TRIP PREFERENCES ON WHEN THEY'RE GOING TO VISIT, WE'LL FOLLOW UP WITH THEM WITH AN EMAIL, UM, SURVEY ABOUT TWO WEEKS, UM, PRIOR TO WHEN THEY STATED THEY WERE GOING TO VISIT.

[00:10:01]

AND AGAIN, THIS ISN'T A DEEPER PIECE WITHIN YOUR BOOKLET, BUT WHY ARE THEY CHOOSING HILTON HEAD ISLAND? AND AGAIN, THIS IS KIND OF THAT INTERESTING TIMEFRAME, RIGHT? CAUSE WE WENT FROM 2019, WHICH WAS KIND OF OUR NORMAL EXPERIENCES AND PEOPLE UNDERSTANDING THE DESTINATION AS THEY ALWAYS HAVE.

THEN WE HIT 20, 20, AND THEN 2021 WAS COMING OUT.

AND WHAT DOES TOURISM LOOK LIKE AND HOW DID PEOPLE DIGEST AND INTERACT AND ENGAGE WITH OUR DESTINATION AND HOW WAS OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGING WITH VISITORS? SO THIS AGAIN IS SOME FEEDBACK BASED ON KIND OF THOSE LAST FEW YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, BUT WHAT WAS RESONATING FOR 21? SO THEY CHOSE HILTON HEAD ISLAND, THE VISITORS, BECAUSE THEY'D BEEN HERE BEFORE, BECAUSE WE'RE A BEACH, WE'RE AN ISLAND FOR BEACH DESTINATION, WHICH HAS WONDERFUL WORD OF MOUTH RECOMMENDATION.

WE'RE WITHIN DRIVING DISTANCE.

WE WERE SAFE, RIGHT? SO THAT PATH FORWARD CAMPAIGN, EVERYTHING WE DID AS A COMMUNITY TO ENSURE THAT NOT ONLY OUR COMMUNITY, OUR BUSINESSES, UM, OUR, OUR WORKFORCE WERE SAFE, BUT OUR VISITORS FELT SAFE AND THEY FELT COMFORTABLE COMING HERE.

SO THAT'S A HUGE, HUGE OPPORTUNITY FOR US.

AND ONE THAT REALLY, UM, PAID FOR IT FOR US AS WE KIND OF LED THE CHARGE FOR RECOVERY AND TOURISM AS A NATION FOR THE NATION AND OUT OF THAT, ALL THAT WERE SURVEYED 89, ALMOST 90% PLAN TO RETURN.

AND THAT'S, WE'VE ALWAYS HAD THAT REALLY STRONG CALL TO COME BACK TO THIS DESTINATION.

PEOPLE LOVE HILTON HEAD ISLAND, AND THEY FEEL PART OF THIS COMMUNITY.

IT'S PART OF THEIR DNA AND SOME, A FAMILY MEMORY THAT THEY'VE MADE AND CONTINUE TO MAKE.

SO THEIR BEHAVIORS, THEY ARE LOOKING FOR NATURAL BEAUTY, EASE OF ACCESS, QUALITY OF LODGING AND DINING AFFORDABILITY, DIVERSITY AND LODGING AND DINING, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THEY HAVE EASE OF GETTING AROUND THE ISLAND, BUT WHERE ARE THEY LOOKING WHEN THEY'RE LOOKING TO LAY THEIR HEAD, THAT LEADING THE CHARGES THAT VRVO PLATFORM, THE LOCAL VACATION RENTAL RENTAL MANAGEMENT COMPANIES, UH, AND THEN THE LOCAL RESORTS ONLINE BOOKING PLATFORMS, SUCH AS THE SEA PINES REWARD RESORT, PALMETTO DUNES.

THEY REALLY LIKED THAT OPPORTUNITY TO SEE WHAT THEIR, UM, OPTIONS ARE.

AND THEY DIVE RIGHT INTO, UM, FINDING THOSE HOME AND VILLA OPPORTUNITIES.

AND WHO'S LOOKING THE 3.8 AVERAGE GROUP SIZE.

THEY, THEY DO USE THEIR CAR.

AS WE KNOW, UM, AS WE WERE BUILT ON THIS OPPORTUNITY WHERE IT WAS A DRIVE TO THE DESTINATION OPPORTUNITY, WHICH IS GREAT.

UM, SO CAR STILL REMAINS, UM, A TOP FORM OF TRANSPORTATION WHEN THEY'RE STAYING IN A HOME IN VILLA IT'S ON AVERAGE 7.9 NIGHTS IN A HOTEL 5.5 AND THEN THE HOME AND VILLA CONTINUES TO BE THE MOST POPULAR CHOICE.

AND WE KNEW THAT JUST BASED ON OUR PORTFOLIO, RIGHT? SO REALLY GOOD FOUNDATIONAL PIECES.

AS WE CHART FORWARD TOGETHER IN THIS TOURISM EFFORT, HILTON HEAD ISLAND, LODGING PERFORMANCE, AS YOU SEE HERE, IT WAS ALL ARROWS UP IN TERMS OF YOUR OVER YEAR PERFORMANCE.

WE LOOK AT THAT TWO SOURCE REPORT, WHICH IS THAT LEFT COLUMN OR YOUR RIGHT COLUMN IF YOU'RE LOOKING FROM THE DIET.

UM, SO WE'RE UP IN REVENUE PER AVAILABLE ROOM 44.9% OCCUPANCY WAS UP 26.9%.

AND WE HAD, UM, OUR AVERAGE DAILY RATE AT 14.2%.

I REMEMBER LOOKING AT THAT, I CHOOSE THAT TO SOURCE REPORT IS KIND OF THE, UM, PIECE THAT THE COLUMN THAT WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT, CAUSE IT'S THE COMBINED HOME IN VILLA AND THE HOTEL REPORT TOGETHER GOING TO OF COURSE, YES, SIR.

GOOD MORNING.

GOOD MORNING.

YEAH.

I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT THE, THE ADR NUMBER, UM, WITH 2021 IS THREE 17 UP 8% AND YOU'RE IN 20, YEAH, 2020.

IT WAS 335.

SO I JUST NEED A LITTLE HELP WITH THE FORMULA AS TO HOW WE GET UP IN THAT SITUATION.

IF THE ACTUAL NUMBER IS DIFFERENT.

I'M SORRY, WE'RE GOING IN 20.

CAN YOU REPEAT THE NUMBERS THE YEARS YOU'RE LOOKING AT, SIR? I'M SORRY.

I'M JUST, YEAH.

THE 2020 NUMBER WAS $335 ON HOW MANY VELA, ONLY THE ADR AND WE SHOULD WANT 317 AS THE 2021 NUMBER.

RIGHT? SO THIS IS AN INTERESTING QUESTION AND I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLAIN THAT.

SO AS WE GO FORWARD THROUGH OUR OPPORTUNITY OF REPORTING, ALL NUMBERS ARE ACCURATE.

HOWEVER, THEY DO THE ORGANIZATION, IT WAS IN TOPIA DESTINED METRICS THAT IN THIS, FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS THAT WE REPORTED ON DID, UM, ALL OF OUR REPORTING FOR US THAT THIRD-PARTY.

AND, UM, WHEN WE REPORT IT AT THE TIME OF REPORTING, IT WAS ACCURATE AND THEN THEY RIGHT-SIDED THOSE NUMBERS OR ADJUSTED THEM BASED ON, UM, CLOSING OUT THEIR, THEIR NUMBERS FOR THE YEAR AND THEY ADJUSTED IT TO MAKE IT THE APP.

SO THERE WAS A SLIGHT ADJUSTMENT IN THOSE NUMBERS.

SO THE PERCENTAGE UP AND DOWN WILL WILL CHANGE.

BUT, UM, THE NUMBER THAT ARE SHOWING UP ON 21 AS UP 8% WAS ADJUSTED SLIGHTLY BASED ON SOME ADJUSTMENTS

[00:15:01]

SO WE WILL PROVIDE THOSE NEW NUMBERS FOR YOU, BUT AT THE TIME OF REPORTING, THOSE WERE ACCURATE.

THANK YOU.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

SO VISITOR SPENDING STUDIES ECONOMIC IMPACT WITH ALL OF OUR VISITORS HERE ON THE DESTINATION, WHAT WAS THE IMPACT THAT THEY BROUGHT FOR ALL OF SOUTHERN OR ALL OF BUFORD COUNTY, EXCUSE ME.

AND THAT WAS AN ECONOMIC IMPACT OF 2.8 BILLION, UM, IN TERMS OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND TOURISM IN 2021, UM, AS YOU CAN SEE THAT THAT NUMBER, UM, IS QUITE, IS SUBSTANTIALLY HIGHER THAN YEARS PRIOR.

BUT WHEN WE LOOK INTO THE REPORTING FOR, UM, 20, 20, 19, 20 18, THOSE WAR WITH NO SIGNIFICANT EVENTS THAT HAD HAPPENED IN TERMS OF WHETHER THAT BE A WEATHER EVENT OR SOME OTHER, UM, INITIATIVE THAT WOULD HAVE BROUGHT IN ADDITIONAL FUNDING.

AND SO WHEN WE HAD THE, UM, YOU KNOW, COVID-19 PANDEMIC, THAT WAS A GLOBAL PANDEMIC, WE DID RECEIVE ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THAT.

AND WITH THAT FUNDING, UM, WE RESULTED IN MORE MARKETING, MORE PEOPLE ARE HERE AND SO THE HIGHER IMPACT.

SO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE NOTED THAT.

SO IF WE BREAK THAT DOWN FOR EVERY DOLLAR, THAT'S INVESTED THE RETURN FROM THE VISITOR COMING IN, AND THAT IMPACT WAS FOR EVERY DOLLAR THAT WE, AS A COMMUNITY, AS A DMO INVESTED INTO MARKETING WAS $1.

THE OUTPUT OF THAT WOULD BE 38, 30 $8 AND 1 CENTS AS THE RETURN.

SO THE RECEIPTS WE REALLY TALK ABOUT IN THIS, UM, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE TOWN WE WANTED TO REPORT ON IN FIVE YEARS, WHICH YOU'VE SEEN THIS, UM, REPORT FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS IN TERMS OF THE FIVE-YEAR AND THE FOUNDATION YEAR THAT YOU SEE THERE AS YOUR BASE YEAR OF 16, THIS JUST SHOWS THE COLLECTIONS, UM, ACROSS ALL OPPORTUNITIES.

SO BEACH PRESERVATION, HOSPITALITY, LOCAL ACCOMMODATION, AND STATE ACCOMMODATION TAX.

SO FOR THIS, UM, PRIOR YEAR, WE WERE UP 60% IN ACCOMMODATION AND HOSPITALITY TAX COMBINED.

SO NUMBER OF VISITORS, 3.1, 3 MILLION NUMBER OF VISITORS ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND, WE'VE BEEN AVERAGING AROUND 2.6 FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS.

THIS, THIS PAST YEAR FOR 21 WAS 3.1, 3 MILLION.

AND WE LIKE TO JUST PUT WHO WAS IT THAT WE WERE TARGETING THAT WE WENT AFTER AND WHO WE RECEIVED.

SO SHE SKEWS A BIT FEMALE, SHE'S AN AFFLUENT TRAVELER, THEIR UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE, OR HIGHER TWO TO FOUR TRIPS PER YEAR IN SEVEN NIGHTS ON AVERAGE LENGTH OF STAY.

SO WE, UM, USE OUR HILTON HIGHLAND.ORG WEBSITE AS OUR VIRTUAL FRONT DOOR.

AND OUR OPPORTUNITY IS TO CREATE HANDSHAKES TO OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES.

AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR WEBSITE VISITS, WE HAD OVER 3.4 MILLION TO THE WEBSITE IN 21, CONVERTING OR HANDSHAKES CREATIVE, OR 1.7 MILLION OUT TO OUR PARTNER BUSINESSES.

THE OTHER PIECE THAT WE'RE VERY PROUD OF AND THAT WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH OUR COMMUNITY ON IS THE MAIL FULFILLMENT.

AND THERE'S THE BOOK THAT TO YOUR LEFT, MY LEFT, YOUR RIGHT, WHICH IS THE, UM, OFFICIAL HILTON HEAD ISLAND VACATION PLANNER.

AND WE HAD OVER 68,000, UM, FULFILLED THROUGHOUT.

AND THAT COMES THROUGH THOSE THAT WALK IN THOSE THAT REQUEST IT VIA EMAIL TO BE MAILED TO THEM.

IT'S AT ALL OF OUR SOUTH CAROLINA WELCOME CENTERS TO AAA OFFICES.

IT'S TAKEN TO EVERY CONFERENCE THAT WE GO TO OR TRADE SHOW AT SENT TO OUR MEDIA POINTS OF CONTACT.

UM, WE LIKE TO KEEP THIS BOOK TOP OF MIND.

IT'S ALSO IN OUR HOTEL ROOMS WHEN PEOPLE, UM, ARE RESTING, THEY CAN SEE THE BEAUTIFUL BOOK THERE.

UM, AND THAT'S COMPLIMENTED ALSO BY THE GOLF GUIDE.

PEOPLE ARE TAKING NOTICE.

AND WE LIKE TO BRING THIS AGAIN TO YOUR ATTENTION BECAUSE IT'S NOT US SAYING THAT WE'RE NUMBER ONE, IT IS THE READERSHIPS AND, UM, THE COMMUNITY.

AND THE OUT-MARKET SAYING THAT WE'RE NOT, THIS IS JUST A SMALL HANDFUL OF THE ACCOLADES THAT WERE, UM, AWARDED TO THE DESTINATION.

AGAIN, TRAVEL AND LEISURE.

CONDE NAST TRAVELER COMMENTS FROM MSN IS 25 MOST POPULAR BEACHES IN AMERICA.

AMERICA'S BEAUTIFUL SEASIDE TOWNS.

UM, AND AGAIN, COMING IN AS FROM FORBES, SOUTH CAROLINA'S HAS TO UP AND COMING FOOD AND DRINK DESTINATION.

SO AGAIN, PUTTING SOME, A DIFFERENT TAKE ON ACCOLADES THERE, AND I LOVE TO SEE THAT, BUT WHAT DOES TOURISM DO FOR THIS ECONOMY? WE OFTEN SAY, IT'S OUR NUMBER ONE ECONOMY, BUT HOW ARE WE SEEING THAT IN NUMBERS? AND SO WHEN YOU PUT THAT IN TERMS OF NUMBERS AND JOBS, IT GENERATED FROM HILTON HEAD ISLAND, TOURISM FOR BUFORD COUNTY, 36,919 JOBS.

THAT'S KIND OF, IT'S 34% OF JOBS WITHIN BUFORD COUNTY.

AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THAT, WE'RE THINKING FRONTLINE, FRONTLINE MEMBERS OF TOURISM, RIGHT? SO IT'S THE PERSON AT THE HOTEL OR AT THE RESTAURANT, BUT IT ALSO COULD BE THE

[00:20:01]

IT COULD BE SOMEONE, UM, SECONDARY OR, YOU KNOW, THIRD IN LINE IN TERMS OF HOW IT TOUCHES TOURISM.

IT ISN'T ALWAYS JUST THE FRONTLINE PERSON TOUCHING TOURISM.

WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT IT COMPREHENSIVELY AND THAT, AND THERE IS A REQUEST FROM THE FRONT LINE THAT NEEDS A TOUCH POINT.

THAT IS 60, THAT ACCOUNTS FOR BEING TIED TO TOURISM, WE ARE PARTICIPATING AND WE ARE CONNECTING WITH OUR COMMUNITY AND WE DONE THAT IN 2021 WITH 70 PLUS IN-PERSON AND COMBINED VIRTUAL CHAMBER EVENTS.

AND WE DID OVER 50 RIBBON CUTTINGS AND GROUND BREAKING CEREMONIES, WHICH IS EXCITING, RIGHT? WE'RE BRINGING THAT OPPORTUNITY FORWARD.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ALL THE NEW BUSINESSES AND THE COMMERCE HAPPENING HERE, UM, LOCALLY, WHICH IS EXCITING, UM, TO BE ABLE TO, TO CELEBRATE THOSE WITH THE, WITH THE BUSINESSES AND THE COMMUNITY, CHARLIE CLARK AND HER TEAM ARE WORKING HARD TO ENSURE THAT OUR, UM, DESTINATION IS FRONT AND CENTER.

WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PLACES TO TRAVEL TO, UM, HER TEAM DOES A WONDERFUL JOB WITH OVER, UM, IN 21, 2,316 STORIES AND MENTIONS, AND THAT WAS IT.

AND THE DEEPER DIVE I WAS OBVIOUSLY IN FRONT OF YOU, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON HERE AND TAKE ANY ANSWERS, QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE.

THANK YOU, ARIE, UH, QUESTIONS, COMMENTS FROM COMMITTEE, BILL ARIANA, UH, FIRST, THANKS FOR THAT GREAT REPORT.

I APPRECIATE IT.

THE, UH, IF YOU LOOK AT THE AVERAGE, UH, TOTAL EXPENDITURE, AN INDIVIDUAL OR A FAMILY, UM, UH, SPENDS HERE, ARE WE ABLE TO TRACK WHERE THEY SPEND IT? UH, I KNOW OBVIOUSLY A HOTEL OR LODGING WOULD BE BIG FOOD WOULD BE BIG, UH, BUT IF I'M RUNNING A LITTLE BOAT TEAK OUT THERE, AM I, ARE WE ABLE TO CREATE EYE TRACKING? I WILL WORK WITH OUR, UM, COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON POINT OF CONTACT FOR THESE OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE SURE WE CAN BREAK FURTHER DOWN PAST A CATEGORY AND I'LL SEE HOW REFINED WE CAN GET WITH THE OPPORTUNITY.

I'LL MAKE THAT NOTE AND ASK THAT QUESTION BECAUSE IT JUST COULD BE SOME KIND OF A LITMUS TEST TO START TO SEE CHANGING TASTE, NO CHANGING TRENDS.

OTHER IF I MIGHT JUST, THE OTHER COMMENT IS, UH, WHEN YOU STARTED YOUR PRESENTATION, YOU, YOU SPENT, UH, I THINK INAPPROPRIATELY, SO TIME ON, UH, SHARING WHAT THE REACTION OF THE COMMUNITY IS TO THIS TOURISM ENGINE.

UM, I MAY HAVE MISSED IT, BUT I DIDN'T HEAR ANYTHING FROM AN EDUCATIONAL STANDPOINT THAT WE COULD SHARE WITH THE COMMUNITY, UH, IN TERMS OF WHAT POSITIVE IMPACT THIS INDUSTRY DOES HAVE, UH, ON THEIR TAXES.

THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

THERE IS A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF WORK BEING DONE BASED ON THAT CORNERSTONE CAMPAIGN, UM, THAT WE TALK ABOUT IN OUR MARKETING PLAN.

AND, UM, WE ABSOLUTELY HAVE THOSE PIECES IN PLACE REGARDING EDUCATION, THE BENEFITS OF TOURISM.

UM, AND WE'RE HAPPY TO SHARE SOME OF THAT DETAIL WITH YOU, UM, AS WE GET CLOSER, BUT THERE ARE STRONG BENEFITS OF HAVING OUR NUMBER ONE ECONOMY, TOURISM.

SO WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THAT DETAILED BACK TO YOU, BUT, UM, THERE HAS BEEN A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF MT OF EFFORT RE BEYOND, UM, YOU KNOW, EFFORTS OF, WE CALL IT HOME CAMPAIGN.

WE ARE MEETING REGULARLY WITH DIFFERENT GROUPS AROUND THE COMMUNITY TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE INFORMED OF THOSE DETAILS THAT, UM, SUCH AS THE BENEFITS OF TOURISM, BUT ALSO JUST HOW THE FUNDING IS GENERATED AND HOW IT FLOWS.

UM, SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO GET THAT INFORMATION OUT TO YOU JUST SO IT'S ALSO WITH YOU.

OKAY.

AND, UH, JUST ONE LAST QUESTION, ARE WE TRACKING THE AVERAGE, UH, INCOME OF THE PERSON OR FAMILY THAT COMES HERE SO WE CAN DO TRENDING? YES, SIR.

WE ARE DOING THAT.

AND HOW IS IT TRENDING? WE ARE TARGETING AND THAT HUNDRED AND $50,000 HOUSEHOLD INCOME, AND WE ARE RIGHT ON PAR AND WE'RE DOING THAT WITH OUR SURVEYING.

UM, AND IT'S A PART OF THE QUESTION WITHIN THE SURVEYS THAT WE ASK, UM, IN THE VISITOR PROFILE STUDY THERE.

SO THAT IS, WE ARE PITTING ON TARGET.

OKAY.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, SIR.

WELL, THANK YOU VERY ANA FOR A NICE REPORT.

UM, THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS WE'VE BEEN FOCUSING

[00:25:01]

YES, SIR.

IF I'M READING THE STATISTICS THAT I'VE SEEN IN THESE REPORTS CORRECTLY, ABOUT 25% OF THE TRAVELERS THAT COME HERE, FALL INTO THAT CATEGORY.

UM, I'M WONDERING WHAT WE HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY IN THE PAST YEAR, FROM IN THE PAST TO TRY TO DRAW THOSE, THAT TYPE OF FAMILY VISITOR HERE TO THE ISLAND.

THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLAIN IT.

SO OUR OPPORTUNITY HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO FOCUS ON THAT $150,000 HOUSEHOLD INCOME.

AND THEN WE DO THAT THROUGH OUR REFINED MESSAGING AND, UM, ENSURING THAT WE'RE TOUCHING ON DIFFERENT ASSETS THAT THEY MIGHT ENJOY, UM, STARTING WITH ACCOMMODATIONS FIRST AND FOREMOST, AND THEN GOING OVER TO EXCURSIONS OR EXPERIENCES.

AND THERE'S A WIDE RANGE OF THOSE.

UM, AS WE DEVELOP NEW TECHNOLOGY AND WE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO UTILIZE THAT TECHNOLOGY, IT ALLOWS US TO BE EXTREMELY LASER-FOCUSED IN OUR EFFORT TO REACH THAT TARGET AUDIENCE, AND WE SEE THEM CONVERTING, RIGHT? SO IT'S NOT ONLY JUST BRINGING THEM IN THROUGH THE WEBSITE AND TURNING IT INTO A HANDSHAKE FOR OUR BUSINESSES, BUT WE'RE ALSO CONTINUING THAT CONVERSATION WITH THEM THROUGH SEVERAL DIFFERENT TOUCH POINTS, WHETHER WE'RE ENGAGING THEM WITH EMAIL OR SOCIAL MEDIA, UM, OR AN ON ISLAND EXPERIENCE, THAT THEY ARE GETTING THAT CONSISTENCY THERE.

SO TECHNOLOGY ALLOWS US THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION AND FIRST AND FOREMOST REFINE.

AND SO WE ENSURE THAT WE'RE GETTING INTO THAT TARGET AUDIENCE THAT WE'RE, UM, THAT IS THE MOST DESIRED.

IT SEEMS TO ME THAT, UH, PEOPLE THAT FIT INTO THAT CATEGORY HAVE PARTICULAR INTERESTS IN LIFE.

GENERALLY THEY SUBSCRIBE TO CERTAIN MAGAZINES, WHICH MAY NOT BE THE SUBSCRIPTIONS FOR PEOPLE WITH LESS INCOME.

SO WHAT I'M GETTING AT HERE IS, IS THERE AN EFFORT TO TRY TO REACH THOSE PARTICULAR SOURCES ALSO OCCURS TO ME, UM, THE UNIVERSITIES, THE MAJOR UNIVERSITIES AND THEIR ALUMNI RELATIONS.

WHAT ARE WE DOING IN TERMS OF REACHING OUT TO THOSE SOURCES? ABSOLUTELY.

ANOTHER GREAT QUESTION.

SO IN TERMS OF THE MEDIA THAT WE'RE PLACING, WE HAVE THE DIGITAL OPPORTUNITY, WHICH AGAIN, IS LASER FOCUSED INTO THE LITERALLY THE HOUSEHOLD THAT WE DESIRE WE CAN GET INTO THAT GRANULARITY OF PRECISION.

SECONDLY, IT IS HAVING A STRONG MIX OF MEDIA PLATFORMS, WHETHER THAT BE A DEPARTURES, YOU KNOW, HIGH-END AMERICAN EXPRESS CARDHOLDER, OR WE ARE, UM, TARGETING MESSAGING WITHIN A BROADER REACH OF MEDIA, WHETHER THAT BE TRAVEL AND LEISURE OR GARDENING GUN.

SO YOU NEED TO, UM, WE TARGET READERSHIP BASED ON CONTENT, BUT WE ALSO TARGET MEDIA BASED ON THEIR CONSUMER.

CORRECT.

SO WE HAVE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES LAID OUT IN FRONT OF US AND WE, AND WE WORK WITH THOSE PARTNERS TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE GETTING TO THOSE.

WE ALSO WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS LOCALLY ON THEIR EVENTS TO ENSURE WHETHER IT BE AN ALUMNI ASSOCIATION, UM, OR A DIFFERENT FACET OF INTEGRATION OF, YOU KNOW, MAYBE IT IS A SORORITY OR FRATERNITY OR SOME OUTREACH IN THAT REGARD THAT WE'RE WORKING TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE THOSE TOUCH POINTS.

UM, AND THAT IS WHERE OUR, UM, WE'RE WORKING INTERNALLY TO REFINE THOSE AND HAVE THOSE CONTACTS.

AND SO WE'RE CONSTANTLY WORKING ON THOSE OPPORTUNITIES WHEN WE HAD A RECENT, UM, DERRIUS RUCKER INTERCOLLEGIATE EVENT HERE, WE WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH THAT PARTNER TO ENSURE THAT WE HAD THOSE OUTREACH OPPORTUNITIES TO ALUMNI, UM, PARTNERS.

UM, IN ADDITION, WE'VE WORKED ON OUR MEETINGS AND GROUPS SITES TO INVITE AND ENCOURAGE THOSE SORORITIES AND FRATERNITIES OR REUNION OPPORTUNITIES TO COME INTO THE DESTINATION TO, UM, CHOOSE US FOR THEIR, THEIR SPOT FOR GETTING BACK TOGETHER.

I WOULD LIKE TO SEE CONTINUED REPORTING ON THAT.

OKAY.

UM, IN THE, IN THE RESIDENCE SURVEY, UM, I NOTICED ONE OF THE CONTINUING THEMES WAS OVERCROWDING, UM, AND TRAFFIC CONGESTION.

UM, THIS MAKES THE 2 78 CARTER PROJECT EVEN MORE IMPORTANT TO US, I THINK, BUT I'M INTERESTED IN, WHAT ARE YOU HEARING FROM OUR VISITORS ABOUT? IS THERE A PERCEPTION OF OVERCROWDING? IS THERE A PERCEPTION OF TRAFFIC INGESTION THAT IS TURNING PEOPLE AWAY? NOT IN OUR CURRENT, UM, EFFORTS, BUT WE'LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THAT AND ASK THOSE QUESTIONS AND BRING THOSE FORWARD AND, AND WORK WITH THEM REAL TIME ON THEM AS WE, AS WE SEE THEM.

EXCELLENT.

YES.

THANK YOU, MR CHAIR.

UM, AND THANK YOU FOR, UH, GOOD, UH, PRESENTATION.

DOES FOUR,

[00:30:01]

ARE YOU GOING TO TOUCH ON IT TODAY AT ALL OR NO, THE MARKETING PLAN? NO, SIR.

UM, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU'D LIKE, BUT I AM, WELL, SOME OF MY QUESTIONS AS FAR AS THE REPORTING, I THINK TIE BACK TO THE NEW PLAN, SO, OKAY.

ALL RIGHT.

AND, UM, MOST OF THESE MAY NOT NECESSARILY BE QUESTIONS.

I JUST WANT TO, UH, MAKE SOME, MAKE SOME COMMENTS.

IF YOU, IF YOU'VE GOT ANSWERS, THAT'S FINE.

UM, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO FIRST SAY THAT I'M, I'M VERY HAPPY THAT WE ARE, UH, WITHIN A CONTRACT WITH THE CHAMBER.

OKAY.

AND, UH, MOST, MOST FOLKS, UM, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT PARTNERSHIPS, THERE'S A CONTRACT IN CASH.

I'LL ADD ANOTHER SEAT TO THAT.

THAT'D BE CONVERSATION.

SO I'M KIND OF VIEWING TODAY AS A WORKSHOP.

OKAY.

SO BEAR WITH ME, MR. CHIA.

UM, AND I APPLAUD PRIOR COUNCILS TO GETTING US TO A POINT WHERE WE DO HAVE A CONTRACT IN PLACE.

I THINK THAT'S SO IMPORTANT IN ORDER FOR US TO HAVE SOME METRICS THAT WE CAN DIALOGUE ABOUT.

AND, UM, I ONLY ASK STAFF THAT MOVING FORWARD.

I KNOW WE'VE MENTIONED THE CONTRACT IN THE COVER MEMO, BUT, UM, THE COPY OF THE CONTRACT, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT.

OKAY.

PARTICULARLY BECAUSE OF THE TERMS, UH, AND WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL START TO SEE NEW MEMBERS OF COUNCIL COMING ON.

OKAY.

I KNOW THAT, UM, SOME MAY BE MORE KNOWLEDGEABLE THAN OTHERS AS FAR AS THE CONTRACT AND, AND WHERE WE STAND.

UM, THE, I GUESS ONE OF THE REASONS I ASKED ABOUT THE ADR, UM, WHICH IS A GOOD METRIC, UM, COUNCILMAN, UM, STANFORD KIND OF TOUCHED ON THIS A LITTLE BIT, YOU KNOW, SO MUCH OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH HERE.

UM, WE NEED HELP FROM OUR PARTNERS.

OKAY.

AND WHEN YOU START TALKING ABOUT CONGESTION AND YOU KNOW WHAT THAT REALLY MEANS, NOT JUST TO THE RESIDENTS, BUT ALSO THE VISITORS HELPS US MAKE DECISIONS, AND WE'RE GONNA NEED YOUR HELP IN TERMS OF IF WE NEED TO SHIFT IN THAT.

UM, SO THAT ADR, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT HOME AND VILLA THE INCREASE, AND THEN I LOOK AT THE INCREASE OF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF VISITORS AND TIE THAT BACK TO THE CONVERSATION WE'RE HAVING ABOUT SHORT TERM RENTALS, HE ON HILTON AT THE MOMENT, UM, I'M NOT QUITE SURE THAT WE'VE GOT THE SHIP SPEED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION THERE.

OKAY.

PARTICULARLY WHEN, UM, WE WANT TO ALWAYS, UM, INCREASE, UM, THOSE NUMBERS FROM A DOLLAR PERSPECTIVE, ABS.

ABSOLUTELY.

UM, BUT I'M NOT QUITE SURE THAT, UH, IT'S JUST A CAPACITY THAT WE CHASING.

OKAY.

INSTEAD OF MORE AND MORE AND MORE VISITORS, MAYBE BE MORE AND MORE, MORE, UM, AS MR. STANFORD HAS POINTED OUT, UH, THE QUALITY OF THE VISIT IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO SPIN WHEN THEY'RE HERE.

AND ALSO, I'D ALSO LIKE TO THROW INTO THAT IS, UM, HILTON IS MORE THAN JUST BEACH IN GOLF, IN A PLACE TO VISIT, RIGHT.

IT'S A PLACE TO LIVE.

ALSO THAT DATA, THERE'S A HUGE COMPONENT OF OUR ECONOMIC BASE, OUR TAX BASE THAT COMES FROM THOSE OF US THAT LIVE HERE, THOSE OF US THAT CHOOSE TO COME AND LIVE HERE.

AND I THINK, UH, YOU ALL ARE THE VOICE AS FAR AS, AS CONCERNED.

UH, IT WAS NOT PRETTY SHINY FOR SOMEONE TO PICK UP OUR CARPETS, A PLAN OR STRATEGIC PLAN.

OKAY.

BUT WHEN THEY LOOK AT STUFF THAT YOU ALL HAVE PUT OUT, I THINK IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE ATTRACTIVE.

OKAY.

SO, UM, GIVEN OFF THE, THE SENSE OF, YOU KNOW, BE AT A PLACE TO LIVE, WORK AND PLAY, I THINK IS DEFINITELY IMPORTANT.

UH, THE $2.8 BILLION ECONOMIC IMPACT GAIN TO THAT.

UM, YOU KNOW, I'M REALLY CURIOUS IN THE METRIC OF HOW WE, HOW WE SAY THE DESERT, IMPROVING OUR QUALITY OF LIFE HERE ON HILTON HEAD.

OKAY.

AND, UM, I'M NOT SURE I CAN PULL THAT OUT OF THIS REPORT AT THE MOMENT, BUT IN THE FUTURE, I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE, THAT WE HAVE THAT, UM, COUNCILMAN HARKEN ASKED THE QUESTION ABOUT HOW THIS TRICKLES DOWN.

I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT ALSO.

AND PART OF OUR, UH, ATTRACTION HEALED HILTON HEAD IS OUR ARTS AND CULTURAL COMMUNITY.

RIGHT.

AND I'M JUST CURIOUS AS TO HOW THOSE BUSINESSES ARE REALLY, UH, FLOURISHING BECAUSE OF ALL, UH, ENHANCEMENT OF THAT PARTICULAR AREA.

UM, ON PAGE 19, IT TALKS ABOUT AT 34% OF THE JOBS IN BUFORD COUNTY.

AND, UH, I THINK IT ALSO, UM, PICKS UP SOMEWHERE IN YOUR DRAFT MARKETING PLAN THAT WE HAVE THIS PUBLIC RELATIONS EFFORTS THAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH.

UM, THE QUALITY OF SERVICE HERE ON HILTON HEAD IS SO IMPORTANT.

OKAY.

UM, I'LL BE A LITTLE BIT BIASED HERE BECAUSE

[00:35:01]

AND, UH, WHEN YOU COMPARE HOW YOU TREATED OR HILTON HEAD VERSUS HOW YOU TREATED IN JAMAICA, THERE WAS NO COMPARISON.

OKAY.

UH, HILTON HEAD IS TOP OF LINE AND I THINK WE NEED TO STAY THAT WAY.

UM, BUT I THINK WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR LOCAL GROWN TALENT.

UM, A LOT OF FOLKS, UM, HAVE DECIDED TO STAY ON HILTON HEAD AND MAKE CAREERS ON HILTON HEAD BASED ON THE BRAND OF HILTON HEAD.

OKAY.

IF IT'S A REAL ESTATE AGENT, IF IT'S MANAGING A RESTAURANT, WHATEVER IT IS.

OKAY.

UM, BUT YOU KNOW, AS A YOUNG ADULT, THEY MADE THE DECISION TO HERE.

I'M JUST WANTING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE STRENGTHEN THAT CONNECTION OVER TIME THROUGH YOUR, YOUR PUBLIC RELATIONS STRATEGIES.

I THINK THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT.

UM, I HAD IN MY NOTES HERE TO ASK YOU ABOUT, UH, OUR RESOLUTION TO, UH, STAND UP A HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORATE CORPORATION.

UH, BUT I'M NOT LOOKING FOR YOU TO ANSWER THAT.

I'M JUST SAYING THAT OUT LOUD IN RUMSON MR. MILES, AND I CAN HAVE THAT CHAT LEAD ON.

OKAY.

UM, IN THE LAST ONE, UM, I WOULD JUST SAY TO OUR PARTNERS IS, UM, I THINK THE METRICS THAT WERE PUT IN BEFORE US AT THE MOMENT ARE GREAT.

UH, BUT AS I GO THROUGH THAT DRAFT OF A MARKETING PLAN, UM, I THINK I'M INTERESTED, UM, IN LETTING THE COMMUNITY KNOW HOW THOSE STRATEGIES ARE TYING BACK TO THE HILTON HEADS, OUR PLAN STRATEGIES.

OKAY.

IT TALKS ABOUT BRANDING IN THERE.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GOING IN THE SAME DIRECTION, HOW WE TIE THE TWO TOGETHER, I THINK IS ULTIMATELY VERY IMPORTANT TO US.

UM, AND WHAT ARE THE METRICS WE CAN PUT BEHIND THE STRATEGIES, PARTICULARLY THOSE THAT ARE ON PAGE 49 OF, OF THAT, UH, MARKETING PLAN, UM, HOW WE REPORT BACK ON GOALS IN THIS ANNUAL REPORT, I THINK IS VERY IMPORTANT.

UH, IT HELPS US, IT HELPS YOU ALL, UH, IN A GAME.

I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE IN A LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIP HERE.

UM, JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO IMPROVE IT, UM, IS, IS, IS MY TAKEAWAY ON TODAY'S DISCUSSION.

SO THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.

GOOD.

ERIC.

GOOD, GOOD REPORT.

I THINK I'D LIKE TO MAKE TWO COMMENTS AND BOTH COMMENTS PERTAIN TO, UH, THE EVOLUTION OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE ISLAND, VISITOR AND THE RESIDENT, AND THE ROLE THAT YOU IN YOUR ROLE AS GMO AND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HAVE IN THAT EVOLUTION.

UH, ALMOST TWO YEARS AGO, UH, THE CHAMBER BROUGHT INTO ONE OF THEIR, UH, UH, TELECONFERENCES OR POWER HOUR, PETER GREENBERG, UH, A WELL-KNOWN EXPERT IN THE FIELD OF TOURISM AND VISITOR RELATIONSHIPS.

AND HE SAID, UH, IT'S ABOUT PROCESS, NOT PRODUCT.

UH, AND I THINK YOUR COMMENT AREA WAS A GOOD ONE.

UH, PEOPLE OBVIOUSLY FELT SAFE COMING TO HELP HIM HEAD ISLAND AND THOSE NUMBERS SUPPORT IT.

UH, AND I THINK THE COMMUNICATION THAT THE CHAMBER HAD THROUGH THE, UH, TELE TOWN HALLS AND THE POWER HOURS AND OTHER S UH, SIMILAR TO THAT WAS VERY, VERY EFFECTIVE IN DELIVERING THE MESSAGE, UH, TO THE COMMUNITY, BOTH RESIDENT NON-RESIDENT, UH, HOW IMPORTANT THE PROCESS ON HOW IMPORTANT PUBLIC SAFETY IS ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND.

AND I THINK YOUR NUMBERS, UH, SUPPORT THAT.

SO MY FIRST COMMENT IS YOUR LEADERSHIP ROLE DURING THE PANDEMIC STANDS TALL.

AND THE NUMBER OF SUPPORTIVE SECOND COMMENT, UH, IS THAT, UH, THE RESIDENTS SURVEY, UH, THAT YOU DID FOR THE FIRST TIME WAS MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE THAN I EVER ANTICIPATED.

THE NUMBER OF RESPONSES THAT YOU GOT WAS OFF THE CHART AND GIVES US ALL A VERY GOOD DATABASE FROM WHICH WE CAN WORK.

UH, AND THE FOUR INSIGHTS THAT CAME OUT OF THAT SURVEY, UH, ARE EXTREMELY CRITICAL.

AND I THINK AS YOU LED WITH YOUR PRESENTATION, UH, WITH THOSE FOUR INSIGHTS, I THINK WE'VE GOT TO KEEP THOSE FRONT OF MIND AND YOU VERY EFFECTIVELY, UH, TIED YOUR DMO CORNERSTONE PLAN TO THREE OF THOSE FOUR.

UH, AND I THINK THAT'S ALSO APPROPRIATE.

AND THAT REPRESENTS REALLY A CHANGE FROM THE RELATIONSHIP THAT WE HAD AS A TOWN AND VENDOR FIVE YEARS AGO.

WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT.

WE DO NOW.

AND I LIKE IT.

I THINK IT'S GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE EFFECTIVE.

UH, AND I THINK THOSE ARE REALLY GOOD PRIORITIES AND, UH, QUESTIONS OR COMMENT

[00:40:01]

COME UP, PLEASE.

I ALSO HAVE COMMENTS ON THE TOWN ACCOUNTING WITH YOUR TEXT, TEXT STUFF, AND I'LL SPEAK ON THAT LATER.

MOST OF YOU, MY AGE, UH, HAVE NO CLUE WHAT'S GOING ON.

YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT DMO LAWS, TECHNOLOGY, AND HOW WE'RE ALL BEING SCAMMED BY THIS CHAMBER.

YOU JUST DON'T HAVE A CLUE.

WHAT YOU DO UNDERSTAND IS YOUR FAILURE TO DEMAND THE FOLLOWING IN FULL TRANSPARENCY.

YOU OUGHT TO BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELF, ESPECIALLY A BANKER.

I'M GLAD I DIDN'T BANK WITH YOU.

I CAN TELL YOU THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU UNDERSTAND FULL ACCOUNTING, FULLY TAX ACCOUNTING FIRM, BILL MILES REQUIRES INVOICES AND MATCH AND MATCHING RECEIPTS.

HE NEEDS TO SHOW US WHERE HE'S DEALING WITH ALL THIS EIGHT TAX MONEY, ALL THIS MILLIONS THAT YOU PEOPLE JUST KEEP ON, HANDING HIM WITH NO OVERSIGHT.

NO, NO, NO, NOTHING.

YOU JUST HAND THEM THE MONEY AND YOU JUST SIT HERE AND JUSTIFY IT.

HOW HAS OVER 1,000,008 TAX FUNDS BEING USED IN CANADA AND STILL GO INTO CANADA AND YOU PEOPLE JUST ALLOW THAT TO HAPPEN.

JUST LET IT ALLOW THIS MONEY TO LEAVE OUR COUNTRY, NOT EVEN SUPPORTING LOCAL BUSINESSES.

I MEAN, IT'S JUST, YOU JUST COMPLETELY IGNORED IT.

AND HOW DO YOU ALLOW THIS CHAMBER TO CLAIM THEY OWN THIS APP AND THIS WEBSITE VERSUS THE TOWN, THE TOWN TAXPAYER OWNS THIS WEBSITE, HOW MUCH ADVERTISING IS BEING SOLD ON THIS WEBSITE IS BEING DEVELOPED IN CANADA BY THESE CROPS, RAY BILL AND BILL MILES.

IT DOESN'T GET ANY MORE CROOKED THAN THESE GUYS.

HOW DO YOU DO THIS? HOW DO YOU THE COMMITTEE? NO, NO.

I'M GOING TO DRESS.

YOU KNOW, I'M GOING TO DRESS WHO I WANT TO DRESS.

I'M GOING TO DRESS WHO I WANT.

THERE'S NO RULE THAT SAYS I CAN'T TALK TO THE PUBLIC.

THIS IS, THIS IS NOT GOOD RESTAURANT CLINIC.

THIS IS NOT YOUR HOUSE.

THIS IS OUR HOUSE.

THIS IS A TAXPAYER'S HOUSE.

YOU WORKED FOR ALL TAXPAYERS.

SO PLEASE JUST GIVE ME RESPECT AND JUST SIT THERE AND LISTEN TO WHAT I HAVE TO SAY.

NO, I'M NOT GOING TO LISTEN TO YOUR RULES.

NO, I'M GOING TO DRESS WHO I WANT.

OKAY.

NOW YOU, YOU WANT TO SIT HERE AND DEBATE THIS FOR, ARE YOU GOING TO LET ME FINISH? YOU DON'T THINK THE POLICE ARE GONNA REMOVE ME BY POLICE FORCE D YOU DON'T THINK HE'S GOING TO ACTUALLY DO THAT.

HE'S NOT, HE'S NOT THAT STUPID.

IS THIS THE WAY YOU WANT TO USE YOUR TIME? OH, THIS IS THE WAY I'M GOING TO SPEAK.

AND I'M GOING TO SPEAK THE TRUTH.

AND I'M GOING TO TELL YOU WHAT YOU NEED TO DO, BECAUSE YOUR CORRUPTION, YOUR LIES AND YOUR FRAUD IS OVER.

IT'S OVER HOW MUCH ADVERTISING IS BEING SOLD ON THE APP, APPLE, THE WEBSITE BY THESE TWO CRIMINALS.

HOW MUCH, WHERE IS IT? HAVE YOU SEEN THAT MONEY? LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING.

THE IRS HAS ALREADY STATED THAT BILL, THAT BILL MILES, RAY DEAL, WHO WAS LAUNDERING THIS MONEY AND COMMINGLING THIS MONEY WITH THE PRIVATE PROFITS AND THE TAX MONIES WE ALREADY KNOW AHEAD.

HOW DO YOU THINK BILL MILES MAKES 500,000? WE DON'T KNOW WHAT HE'S MAKING.

WE DON'T HAVE MUCH HE'S STEALING.

WE KNOW WHEN THE IRS FORM NINE 90 GET SHOWS AND MAKING 350,000 A YEAR.

MY GOD, THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF THE GOVERNOR OF SOUTH CAROLINA HAS ONLY MAKES 104,000.

WE DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH HE'S GOT OUT THERE STEALING BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T SEEN THE INVOICES AND THE RECEIPTS AND THE ACCOUNTING, THE REST OF THIS STUFF YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT.

AND THIS FRAUDULENT PRESENTATION BY AREA AND PER NIECE IS JUST RIDICULOUS.

IT'S JUST NOTHING BUT SMOKE AND MIRRORS THE STEAL MONEY.

AND Y'ALL GO, Y'ALL HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT.

I THINK ALISON UNDERSTANDS THAT QUITE FRANKLY, THE ONLY ONE OUT OF ALL OF YOU, I THINK ALEX UNDERSTANDS IS.

SO THE FACT IS THIS DMO NONPROFIT 5 0 1 DASSI SIX CHAMBER CHA IS IN VIOLATION OF IRX NONPROFIT TAX CODES.

AND THEY'RE VIOLATING UBIT.

UBIT STANDS FOR UNRELATED BUSINESS INCOME TAX.

WHEN YOU SELL MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ON A WEBSITE AND POCKET THAT MONEY TO PAY $500,000 PAY PACKAGES, SALARIES, WORLD, TRAVEL, ENTERTAINMENT, IT GOES ON AND ON AND ON.

YOU HAVE TO PAY TAX ON THAT MONEY AND YOU SHOULDN'T BE IN THAT BUSINESS.

A NONPROFIT, THE TAX CODES ARE VERY SPECIFIC.

A NONPROFIT SHOULD NOT BE IN ANY BUSINESS THAT'S CARRIED ON BY A FOR-PROFIT COMPANY.

AND THERE'S A REASON FOR THAT BECAUSE FOR-PROFIT COMPANIES, THE ISLAND PACKET, OTHER MEDIAS PAY TAXES, THEY'RE TAXPAYING COMPANIES.

HE'S NOT PAYING ANY TAXES THAT HE'S IN VIOLATION.

I IMAGINED THAT RAY DEAL AND BILL MILES ONCE INVESTIGATED, AND THIS COUNCIL THAT MANY OF YOU ARE GOING TO BE ARRESTED.

THE HANDCUFFS ARE COMING.

I CAN, I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT?

[00:45:07]

WE ARE REQUIRED TO REVIEW THE METRICS WHICH WE HAVE DONE INDIVIDUALLY AND COLLECTIVELY, UH, AND PASS ON WHETHER THE PERFORMANCE FOR 2021 IS ACCEPTABLE.

AS WE HAVE DONE IN THE PAST, I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION PERTAINING TO THE 2021 METRICS IT'S CHAIRMAN.

I WOULD MOVE THAT THE COMMITTEE, EXCEPT THE METRICS REPORT AS PRESENTED BY THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AS OUR DMO AS ACCEPTABLE.

YES.

IS THERE A SECOND, SECOND, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION KRISTA, PLEASE CALL THE ROLE.

CERTAINLY SERVED MR. BROWN SUPPORT.

MR. HARKINS.

OH YES.

MR. STANFORD, MR. LENNON'S MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.

THANK YOU, ARIANA.

AND BILL AND RAY ITEM

[7b. Consideration of a Resolution Authorizing the Implementation of a Home Safety and Repair Program Including the Execution of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Lowcountry Council of Governments to Handle Income Certification]

OKAY.

THANK YOU, SIR.

MR. CHAIRMAN COMMITTEE MEMBERS, MY PLEASURE BE IN FRONT OF YOU THIS MORNING.

UM, AND JUST A MOMENT I'M GOING TO, UH, PRESENT TO YOU A HOME SAFETY AND REPAIR PROGRAM.

UH, BUT I WANT TO REMIND THE COMMITTEE, UM, THE, THE CROWD HERE AND THOSE WATCHING THAT THIS IS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PREVIOUS ACTION THAT THE, THAT THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL AND COUNCIL AUTHORIZED.

UH, WE RECEIVED SOME ARPA MONEY, UM, AS RELATED TO THE PANDEMIC.

AND, UM, WE'VE HAPPILY USED A CATEGORY.

ONE ADDRESS, NEGATIVE ECONOMIC IMPACTS CAUSED BY THE PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY IN A DISTRIBUTION TO COMMUNITY FOUNDATION.

UH, THEY PRESENTED TO YOU THEIR FIRST ROUND OF GRANT AWARDS, AND I THINK THEY'RE ON YOUR AGENDA FOR NEXT MONTH TO PRESENT.

UM, I THINK THEY'VE, THEY WILL HAVE DISTRIBUTED ALL BUT $35 OF THE 500,000 PROGRAM FOR THIS YEAR.