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CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BEAVER COUNTY.
[1. Call to Order]
LIKE THE COURT TO ORDER THE MAY 3RD TOWN COUNCIL MEETING CHRISTIAN? ARE WE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT? YES, SIR.COULD YOU PLEASE MAKE THE ROLL CALL PLEASE? YES, SIR.
MR. BROWN HERE, MR. HARKINS, MR. AMES, MRS. BECKER, MR. LINUX, MR. STANFORD, MAYOR MCCANN.
WOULD YOU PLEASE JOIN IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE PLEASE?
PLEASE DO YOUR LOCATION TODAY.
WE'LL BE COMING TO OUR RIVAL AND THE WE WELCOME TO FASCINATE THEM FOR JOE, PLEASE.
THANK YOU FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GATHERED HERE TODAY, THAT CARES SO MUCH.
AND FOR THOSE THAT YOU HAVE ORDAINED TO LEAD THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY IN OUR RAPIDLY CHANGING WORLD, FULL OF UNCERTAINTY, I PRAY THAT THEY RECEIVED DIVINE WISDOM TO LEAD US INTO A FUTURE OF CONTINUED PROSPERITY AND STABILITY FOR THE GOOD OF ALL PEOPLE, AS DECISIONS ARE MADE, MAY THEY SLEEP WELL KNOWING THAT YOU ARE AT WORK IN ALL THINGS, BLESS THEIR RELATIONSHIPS WITH ONE ANOTHER, WITH BUSINESSES AND LEADERS IN OUR COMMUNITY AND COVER THEIR FAMILIES WITH YOUR LOVE AND PROTECTION.
MAY ALL THIS BE FOR YOUR GLORY AND OUR GOOD AND THE NAME OF JESUS WE PRAY.
[6. Approval of the Agenda]
WE HAVE, ADOPTION IS WRITTEN SECOND.[7. Approval of the Minutes]
ANY APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES, MOVE HER APPROVAL.ANY CHANGES OR ADDITIONS, PLEASE RAISE THEIR RIGHT HAND.
[8. Report of the Town Manager]
TOWN MANAGER.UM, MAYOR COUNCIL, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, JUST A FEW THINGS TO QUIET YOUR PHONE WHILE YOU'RE IN THE AUDIENCE.
UM, WE RECENTLY WENT THROUGH A CREDIT ANALYSIS WITH MOODY'S INVESTORS AND BASED UPON THE REVIEW OF OUR, OF THEIR FINANCIAL RESULTS PRACTICES AND THE STRENGTH OF THE ECONOMY MOODY'S HAS REAFFIRMED OUR AAA BOND RATING STATUS.
SO IF WE THINK BACK TO THE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC MOODY, PUT MOODY'S PUT A COASTAL COMMUNITY, ALL COASTAL COMMUNITIES ON CREDIT WATCH.
AND THAT WAS A, UH, AN INTERESTING TIME AND PUT EVERY COASTAL COMMUNITY ON A NEGATIVE OUTLOOK BECAUSE OF THE POTENTIAL IMPACT ON TOURIST FOCUSED COMMUNITIES.
AND AS A RESULT OF THE REVIEW, MOODY SAYS REMOVED THAT OUTLOOK, UM, FROM OUR, YOU KNOW, FOR OUR SPECIAL REVENUE HOSPITALITY AND BEACH BONDS, AND THEY WERE IMPRESSED WITH HOW WE WOULD STOOD THE TEMPORARY TURBULENCE ON THE COKE, CORONA VIRUS PANDEMIC.
SO, UH, UH, CONGRATULATIONS THAT COUNSEL, UH, A BIG THANK YOU AND CONGRATS TO OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR AND REALLY TO OUR COMMUNITY THAT CONTINUED TO STAY STRONG THROUGH, THROUGH, AND AS WE CONTINUE TO MOVE THROUGH THE PANDEMIC, UM, MOVING ALONG TURTLE NESTING SEASON HAS OFFICIALLY STARTED AND WILL CONTINUE THROUGH OCTOBER.
I KNOW THERE WAS A BIG EVENT THE OTHER DAY AND REACHED OUT TO AMBER AND WE HAD SOME STAFF MEMBERS THERE, BUT THEY RECENTLY HELD THAT AN OFFICIAL KICKOFF EVENT WHERE THEY DEDICATED THE FIRST NEST IN HONOR OF SCOTT LIGATE.
SO I KNOW A VERY SPECIAL AND MOVING MOMENT.
UM, I KNOW SCOTT'S FAMILY WAS THERE.
UM, AND THANK YOU TO SEA TURTLE PATROL FOR DOING THAT ON BEHALF OF THE COMMUNITY.
UM, FIRE RESCUE RECENTLY WORKED WITH EAGLE SCOUT CANDIDATE, PETER SHOE TO COMPLETE HIS EAGLE SCOUT COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECT.
IT INSTALLED, HE INSTALLED FLAG DROPBOXES FOR OLDER AND TATTERED AMERICAN FLAGS THAT NEED TO BE RETIRED CORRECTLY.
AND THEY'RE LOCATED AT THREE LOCATIONS, FIRE RESCUE HEADQUARTERS AT 40 SUMMIT DRIVE BEHIND FIRE STATION ONE OFF EXECUTIVE PARK DRIVE AND FIRE STATION NUMBER FIVE AT 20 WHOOPING CRANE WAY.
SO THANK YOU TO THE EAGLE SCOUTS AND PETER, AND TO FIRE RESCUE FOR HELPING THAT HAPPEN.
I'LL GET A GENERAL REPORT TO YOU THOUGH.
YOU HIT THE FAITH COMMUNITY IN ACTION AND IT OPENED AN ISLAND MUSIC AND ARTS COALITION WILL BE, WE'LL BE HAVING A BENEFIT AND SUPPORT OF THE EFFORTS FOR THE UKRAINE.
HILTON HEAD FOR UKRAINE WILL TAKE PLACE ON SUNDAY, MAY 22ND, FROM 12 TO SIX O'CLOCK AT THE LOW COUNTRY CELEBRATION PARK.
THERE WILL BE FOOD TRUCKS, AUTOGRAPH WA WIVE, CLASSICAL CHORUS AND
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DANCE PERFORMANCES FOR MORTIFICATION OF HOW YOU CAN DONATE TO THE CAUSE.PLEASE CONTACT H
THAT'S UM, IT'S REALLY A GREAT IDEA AND INTEGRATE IS THE UKRAINIAN FLAG.
SO I'M GOING NOWHERE WE'RE PUTTING FORWARD.
I ENCOURAGES ALL THE GOVERNOR.
[9. Reports of the Members of the Town Council]
EVERY GENERAL REPORTS BY MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.UM, I ATTENDED LAST WEEK, THE FUNCTION AT HILTON HEAD MIDDLE SCHOOL, WHICH WAS CALLED ART MATE'S HISTORY AND A GALLERY THAT CONSISTED OF A SERIES OF BEAUTIFUL MURALS, UH, THAT WERE PREPARED BY VOLUNTEER LOCAL ARTISTS.
AND THEN THEY WERE SUPPLEMENTED, UH, BY THE ARTWORK OF MANY OF THE STUDENTS THAT WERE THERE.
OUR OWN JEN MCEWEN LED THIS PROJECT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OTHERS.
AND I WANT TO SALUTE JAN FOR THE OUTSTANDING WORK OR EVERY CITIZEN.
WHEN YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO INTO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL TO SEE THIS OUT, IT TELLS THE HISTORY STORY OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
ANY OTHER GENERAL REPORT THAT? YES.
MR. MAYOR, UH, THERE'S A RIGHT OF ACCESS ISSUE, UH, NEAR THE, WITH THE CEMETERY NEXT TO A GRAND VIEW IN HILTON HEAD PLANTATION.
AND THE CEMETERY IS A NATIVE ISLAND CEMETERY, UH, THAT IS, UH, CONNECTED WITH A LOCAL CHURCH IN THE AREA.
AND, UH, THERE IS, UH, IT SEEMS TO BE SOME DELAY IN THE TOWN, UH, CLARIFYING ITS POSITION ON THIS MATTER.
SO I'M JUST REQUESTING THAT WE ROLL UP OUR SLEEVES AND RESOLVE THIS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
WE'LL FOLLOW UP THIS WEEK ON THERE.
ANY OTHER GENERAL REPORTS? OKAY.
LOCAL COUNTRY AREA TRANSPORTATION STUDY GLEN, NO REPORT ON THE SAVING IT COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS.
SO THE MOST INTERESTING THING THAT I, UM, WANTED TO REPORT IS THAT THE LOW COUNTRY, UM, EMPLOYMENT STATUS, UM, PROVIDED TO US ON APRIL 22ND, UM, THROUGH THE LOW COUNTRY COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS, UM, INDICATED THAT IN BUFORD COUNTY WE HAVE AN UNEMPLOYMENT RATE OF 4% AND SECOND, AND THAT THERE WERE OVER 4,000 JOB OPENINGS IN BUFORD COUNTY, BUT THAT WAS INTRIGUING.
INTERESTING INFORMATION AND THOUGHT I WOULD SHARE THAT TODAY.
SO LOCAL MET ON TUESDAY, APRIL 26TH, UH, AND HAD AN UPDATE ON THE REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST FUND, UH, LED BY ERIC GREENWAY.
JENNIFER RAY IS THE TOWN'S REPRESENTATIVE IN THAT EFFORT.
UH, THEN THE TOWN MANAGER OF JAMASZI PRESENTED 2022 GOALS.
LIKEWISE, EACH ADMINISTRATOR FOR JASPER AND BUFORD COUNTY, UH, UPDATED THE BOARD ON 2022 GOALS FOR EACH COUNTY.
DAVID, DO YOU HAVE WHAT ADVISORY BOARDS? WE DO HAVE A NEW REPORT.
THE AIRPORT TERMINAL PROJECT WILL BE ADVERTISED FOR BIDS THIS WEEKEND.
UM, THERE'S NO DATES SET FOR START OF CONSTRUCTION AND THEREFORE NO COMPLETION DATE, BUT AT THIS POINT IT'S MOVING FORWARD.
AND THEN SECONDLY, THE EXPANSION OF THE APRON, WHICH ACCOMMODATES THE PLANES WHEN THEY'RE ON THE GROUND IS ALMOST COMPLETE.
IT'LL BE LINED UP THIS WEEKEND AND THE USEFUL USED, UH, VERY SHORTLY.
YOU HAVE ANY SERVICE BILL? UH, THANK YOU, MR. MERRITT, THE HUB COMMITTEE WILL BE MEETING NEXT WEEK TO REVIEW EXISTING APPLICATIONS FOR POSSIBLE OPENINGS WITH OUR, UM, POINT CARD COMMISSIONS AND IN, UH, IN GROUPS OF MORE ON THAT LATER PUBLIC PLANNING COMMITTEE.
THE PUBLIC PLANNING COMMITTEE MET ON APRIL 28TH AND APPROVED FORWARDING THE E-BIKES ORDINANCE ONTO COUNCIL.
THANK YOU, MAYOR FINANCE COMMITTEE, MR. LINUX.
YES, JOHN, THE NEXT MEETING OF THE F AND A COMMITTEE IS TWO WEEKS FROM TODAY AT 10 O'CLOCK, APRIL 17TH IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
EXCELLENT APPEARANCE BY CITIZENS.
[10. Appearance by Citizens Citizens who wish to address Town Council must contact the Town Clerk at 843.341.4701 no later than 12:00 p.m. the day of the meeting. Citizens may also submit comments on agenda items via the eComment portal at (Town Council Meeting Information)]
KRISTIN.WE HAVE TWO CITIZENS THAT HAVE SIGNED UP TODAY TO ADDRESS COUNCIL.
YES, MA'AM PLEASE STEP TO THE PODIUM.
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CAN WE HAVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS PLEASE? UM, MY NAME IS JUDITH HILLIS AND I LIVE AT MARINERS CODE CLUB NUMBER 104.AND AS YOU MIGHT GUESS FOR MY ADDRESS, I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE BRIDGE.
UH, AM I FACING THE RIGHT WAY? YES.
UM, NEEDLESS TO SAY, I WAS SHOCKED ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF AGO TO SEE IN THE PACKET THAT, UM, TWO BRIDGES WERE UNDER CONSIDERATION INSTEAD OF THE ONE, UM, THROUGH THE YEARS I'VE ATTENDED AT LEAST THREE MEETINGS ABOUT THE BRIDGE, UH, WITH THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.
AND ONE MEETING WAS ESPECIALLY FOR MARINERS RESIDENTS AND AT NO TIME DID THEY DISCUSS, YOU KNOW, THE OPTION THAT WAS IN FAVOR AND THE ILLUSTRATION WAS SHOPPING BECAUSE THAT LITTLE WHITE SQUARE UNDER THE NEW BRIDGE IS MY HOUSE.
AND, UM, I'VE LIVED THERE FOR 32 YEARS THAT DON THE ISLAND SINCE 1970, WHEN THEY HAD A SWING BRIDGE.
SO I'VE SEEN A LOT OF CHANGE, BUT ANYWAY, I'VE BEEN THERE FOR 32 YEARS AND, UM, I WOULD SAY AT LEAST EIGHT OTHER WOMEN'S SINGLE OLDER WOMEN, UH, LIVE OUT THERE OUT OF THE 40 UNITS.
AND UM, MANY OF THEM HAVE LIVED THERE LONGER THAN I HAVE.
IN FACT, WE HAVE ONE THAT IS AN ORIGINAL OWNER SINCE 1973 AND WE LIVE OUT THERE BECAUSE IT'S QUIET AND IT'S SAFE.
IT'S A GOOD PLACE FOR OLD WOMEN AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT YOUR SAFETY.
UM, I LOST MY HUSBAND IN JANUARY.
SO THIS IS HOUSE REPRESENTS A LOT OF MEMORIES.
IT REPRESENTS MY STABILITY, MY SAFETY, UM, I'VE BEEN ANSWERING SITUATION, EVERYTHING.
I JUST HONESTLY I'M WONDER IF I WERE FORCED OUT OF MY HOUSE, WHAT I WOULD DO, WHERE I WOULD MOVE IN THE CURRENT HILTON HEAD SITUATION.
I'D PROBABLY HAVE TO LEAVE THE ISLAND.
UM, I DON'T KNOW THAT THE POWERS THAT BE COULD REIMBURSE ME FOR HAVING A, A WATERFRONT PROPERTY, WHICH I DO NOW ON THE INTERCOASTAL.
ANYWAY, I JUST WANT YOU ALL TO THINK ABOUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THOSE LITTLE WHITE SQUARES ON THAT ILLUSTRATION, THOSE WAS REAL PEOPLE IN REAL HOMES, THE REAL LIVES.
THE LAST, UH, CITIZENS SIGNED UP IS RICHARD ROSS, RICHARD ROSS, MR. ROSS, RICHARD HERE NOT SEEING HIM, SIR.
THAT CONCLUDES APPEARANCE BY CITIZENS.
ITEM NUMBER 11, THE CONSENT AGENDA.
[Consent Agenda]
OKAY.ANY QUESTIONS BY MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, ANY QUESTIONS BY MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE ON THESE TWO ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, HAVING NONE WE'LL COME BACK TO THE COUNCIL ALL IN FAVOR.
[12a. 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]
CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION, WHAT THE RIGHTS AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A HOME SAFETY AND REPAIR PROGRAM, INCLUDING THE EXECUTION OF A MEMORANDUM WITH UNDERSTANDING WITH THE LOW COUNTRY COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENT TO HANDLE THE CERTIFICATE INCOME CIPP CERTIFICATION, MOVE FOR APPROVAL.SECOND DISCUSSION OF AMENDMENTS BY MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL DISCUSSION BY MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.
CHRISTIAN, MAKE THE ROLL CALL PLEASE.
MOTION CARRIES SEVEN ZERO CONSIDERATION AND RESOLUTION
[12b. Consideration of a Resolution Authorizing the Implementation of a Sewer Connection Program Including the Execution of a Memorandum of Understanding with Deep Well, the Lowcountry Council of Governments, and the Hilton Head Public Service District]
AUTHORIZING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A SEWER CONNECTION PROGRAM, INCLUDING THE EXECUTION OF A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH DEEP WELL, THE LOWCOUNTRY COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS AND THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND, PUBLIC SERVICE MOVE FOR APPROVAL DISCUSSION BY NUMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.UM, DURING COMMITTEE, WE, UH, ASK STAFF THE QUESTION ABOUT THE ABANDONED, UH, SEPTIC SYSTEMS. I'M JUST CURIOUS TO KNOW IF WE GOT ANY WORD BACK ON THAT UH, YES SIR.
COUNCILMAN BROWN, SEAN COLLINS AND TOWN MANAGER.
THERE ARE NO REQUIREMENTS TO FILL IN OR, OR TO MODIFY THE SEPTIC TANKS.
UM, PROPERTY OWNERS CAN DO WHAT THEY WISH WITH THAT.
UM, A LOT OF TIMES THEY'RE BROKEN UP OR REMOVED,
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UH, BY THE OWNER.UM, BUT THAT'S, THERE'S NO DEACT REQUIREMENT TO DO THAT.
ANY QUESTION BY MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, BRINGING IT BACK TO THE COUNCIL OF KRISTA MR. BROWN, MR. HARKINS.
MAYOR MCCANN MOTION CARRIES, SIR.
THERE, LEMME SEE CONSIDERATION
[12c. Consideration of a Resolution Authorizing the Town Manager to Enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with South Island Dredging Association to Provide Funding Assistance for the Dredging of Harbour Town Yacht Basin]
OF RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING A TOWN MANAGEMENT TO ENTER INTO A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE SOUTH SOUTH ISLAND DREDGING ASSOCIATION TO PROVIDE FUNDING ASSISTANCE WITH THE DREDGING OF THE HOBBIT TOWN BASEMENT OF BASIN, MOVE HER APPROVAL DISCUSSION BY MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, DAVID.DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO DO ON ALEXA? GOOD AFTERNOON.
MAYOR MARK AND MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.
UH, EARLIER THERE WAS A QUESTION THAT HAD COME UP IN REGARDS TO THIS MATTER, UH, IN DOING SOME RESEARCH ON THE REQUESTS THAT CAME IN AND THE INFORMATION THAT CAME OUT OF COMMITTEE THAT'S PENDING BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING, WE THOUGHT IF IT WAS BE APPROPRIATE TO TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY AND CLARIFY, UH, THE AREAS THAT THE TOWN FUNDING WOULD BE UTILIZED TO PERFORM THE DREDGING ACTIVITIES.
AND SO WHAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU TONIGHT IS AN ARIEL THAT SHOWS BOTH AREAS THAT ARE REFERENCED IN THE DRAFT RESOLUTION THAT IS IN YOUR PACKET MATERIALS.
THE FIRST AREA IS THE HARBOR TOWN YACHT BASIN.
THE SECOND AREA IS BRADICK COV AND KRISTA, IF YOU COULD SCROLL DOWN, UH, WE'VE TAKEN BOTH OF THOSE AREAS AND WE'VE KIND OF ENLARGED THEM.
SO THIS IS THE HARBOR TOWN YACHT BASIN.
YOU CAN SEE THE EXTENT OF WHERE THE DREDGING WOULD OCCUR WITHIN THIS PARTICULAR PICTURE.
AND THEN IF YOU SCROLL DOWN ONE MORE, THIS HAS BRADICK COVE WITH THE SOUTH ISLAND MARINA BEING ABOUT THREE QUARTERS OF THE WAY DOWN ON THE LEFT-HAND SIDE.
SO WE WANTED TO TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY AND MAKE SURE THAT THERE WAS A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING AS TO WHERE THERE'S THE MARINA, UH, AS TO WHERE THIS DREDGING ACTIVITIES WOULD TAKE PLACE.
AND TO THE EXTENT THAT THERE WAS ANY CONCERNS, UH, WHAT WE WOULD PROPOSE IS THAT WE WOULD TAKE THIS INFORMATION, ATTACH IT AS AN EXHIBIT TO THE RESOLUTION.
AND THAT WAY THERE'S A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE THE TOWN'S FUNDING WOULD BE UTILIZED TO PERFORM THE DREDGING ACTIVITIES.
NO, I WOULD ADD TO THIS, THE FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE REVIEWED THIS REQUEST AND PROPOSED RESOLUTION IN DETAIL TWO WEEKS AGO AND RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL THAT THIS COME FORWARD.
HIS NAME'S JOSH, WHAT THE TOTAL COST OF THIS IS 5 MILLION.
BASED APPROXIMATELY APPROXIMATELY APPROXIMATELY.
YEAH, IT WAS THE ENGINEER'S ESTIMATE, I BELIEVE WAS 4.6 MILLION, BUT BY THE TIME IT'S COMPLETED, THEY ESTIMATE IT'S GONNA BE A TOTAL PROJECT COST OF FIVE.
I WAS CONFUSED BECAUSE IN ONE LETTER FROM SOUTH ISLAND DREDGING, THERE WAS A REFERENCE TO VAYNER CREEK AND 52,000 CUBIC YARDS.
SO IS THE 194,000 LESS 52? THAT'S CORRECT.
SO THE SOUTH ISLAND DREDGING ASSOCIATION IS GOING TO BE DOING MORE WORK THAN WHAT IS BEYOND WHAT THE TOWN PROVIDING FUNDING FOR.
AND SO THAT'S WHY WE WANTED TO JUST IDENTIFY THE AREAS WHERE WE ANTICIPATE THE TOWN FUNDS BEING.
DO YOU HAPPEN TO KNOW THE PROPORTION OR THE NUMBER OF CUBIC YARDS COMING OUT OF HARBOR TOWN AS OPPOSED TO RADIKO? I DO NOT.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE FROM SOUTH ISLAND, I BELIEVE WE DO.
I WILL DEFER TO HIM AND HE MAY BE ABLE TO ANSWER YOUR TECHNICAL QUESTIONS, SIR.
UH, I'M JACK BRINKLEY, I'M THE PRESIDENT OF SOUTH ISLAND THREADING RIGHT NOW.
THE ESTIMATE FOR HARBOR TOWN IS JUST ABOUT 40,000 CUBIC YARDS.
UH, THE HERON POINT, UH, PROJECT IS STILL UNDER STUDY, UH, AND THERE ARE, THEY HAVE ISSUES THAT HAVE, THEY HAVE TO RE RESOLVE THEMSELVES BEFORE THEY CAN PARTICIPATE IN, IN THIS DREDGE.
BUT THE BULK OF THE DREDGING, UH, IS FROM HARBOR TOWN, BUT ALSO FROM THE BRADDOCK CREEK, BRADDOCK CREEK IS A, A LONG, UH, CREEK THAT YOU HAVE TO OPEN UP, UH, TO GET TO THE PRIMARY POINT OF THE SOUTH BEACH OF, UH, MARINA.
WHERE IS HERON POINT? WELL, H HERON HERON POINT IS, IS THE CREEK THAT'S, UH, IMMEDIATELY, UH, SOUTH OF, UH, OF, UH, THE HARBOR TOWN MARINA.
THAT ANSWERS THAT, ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.
UM, AND MR. AMES, ONE MORE THING THAT I WOULD ADD
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THAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT FOR THIS DISCUSSION IS WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED IS THAT THIS FUNDING WOULD BE PROVIDED ON A REIMBURSEMENT BASIS, WHICH MEANS INVOICES SHOWING WHERE THE WORK HAD BEEN PERFORMED WOULD THEN BE USED AS BACKUP TO PROVIDE THOSE PAYMENTS.UM, I HAVE SOME COMMENTS I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE, AND I'M NOT SURE THAT THANK YOU, JOSH.
UM, AND I MAKE THESE COMMENTS, UH, NOT SO MUCH, UH, DIRECTED AT THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT, BUT TO MAKE A POINT, UH, GENERALLY, UM, FIRST OF ALL, I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, UH, THIS IS OUR, OUR VOTE TODAY IS BASICALLY, UH, CONSISTENT WITH SOMETHING THAT WAS PUT IN PLACE SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
AND I'M NOT TRYING TO CHANGE THAT.
UM, MY COMMENTS ADDRESS THE FUNDING OF FACILITIES BEHIND PRIVATE GATES AND THE NEED FOR THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND UNDER WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES THEY ARE JUSTIFIED.
THE $600,000 OF HOSPITALITY TAX ATTACHED TO THIS PROPOSAL COULD BE INVESTED IN HIGHER PRIORITY AREAS.
IF THE COUNCIL DEEMED IT APPROPRIATE IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN, THERE'S REFERENCES TO PROGRAM ANY MAINTENANCE AND ENHANCEMENT OF PUBLIC REALM.
AND SO YOU INSTANTANEOUSLY HAVE THIS CONFLICT BETWEEN INVESTING BEHIND THE GATES AND INVESTING IN THE PUBLIC REALM.
AND AT THIS TIME, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE CLEARLY EXPRESSED OR SPOKEN TO HOW WE QUALIFY THOSE INVESTMENTS BEHIND THE GATES.
I UNDERSTAND THE NEED AND BENEFIT FOR THIS.
UH, I HAPPEN TO LIVE IN BRADDOCK COVE A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO AND WAS VERY AWARE OF THE SILTY NIN AND THE NEED FOR PERIODIC DRESS, UH, DREDGING.
BUT AGAIN, THE QUESTION BECOMES, AT WHAT POINT DOES SOMETHING BEHIND THE GATE RISE TO THE LEVEL OF A CLEAR PUBLIC BENEFIT, BOTH IN THE CASE OF HARBOR TOWN AND SOUTH BEACH.
IT'S OBVIOUS THAT HARVARD TIME HARBORTOWN RISES TO A VERY DIFFERENT LEVEL OF PUBLIC THAN SOUTH BEACH MARINA AND BRADDOCK CO IN THE STATEMENT OF A LETTER, IT SAYS BOTH ARE USED BY THE PUBLIC FOR DOCKING SIGHTSEEING NAVIGATION AND PROVIDE ACCESS TO PUBLIC FACILITIES AND OTHER TOURISM RELATED ACTIVITIES.
I DON'T, I, I WOULD CHALLENGE WHETHER OR NOT GO POINT DOES OR WHETHER THE, UH, CAPABILITY FURTHER DOWN IN BRADDOCK COVE DOTS.
SO MY QUESTION IS, IS ACCESS TRULY PUBLIC.
IF A GATE PASS IS REQUIRED AND HYPOTHETICALLY, OR SHOULD THERE BE A REIMBURSEMENT FOR COMMERCIAL ESTABLISHED ESTABLISHMENTS OR FROM A COMMERCIAL ESTABLISHMENT TO HAVE FREE ACCESS.
SO I'M JUST PROBING HERE AND CHALLENGING OUR WAY WE ASSESS WHETHER OR NOT WE OUGHT TO BE PUTTING PUBLIC DOLLARS BEHIND GATES FROM A TRANSPARENCY STANDPOINT, THE TOTAL BUDGET IS 5 MILLION, APPROXIMATELY 142 OF THAT IS IN HARBOR TOWN, WHICH IS THE HIGHEST PRIORITY.
AND 100,000 IS GOING DOWN INTO BRADDOCK COVE, WHICH IS A LOWER PRIORITY FROM A TOWN STANDPOINT AND A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF THAT IS NOT SERVICING THE COMMERCIAL ESTABLISHMENTS THAT ARE THEORETICALLY THE JUSTIFICATION.
SO I RAISED THESE QUESTIONS NOT TO CHALLENGE THIS PARTICULAR PROPOSAL, BUT FOR COUNCIL TO CONSIDER THAT IT PROBABLY WOULD BEHOOVE US TO BE MORE TRANSPARENT AND, AND, AND CLEAR IN WHY AND HOW WE CAN INVEST IN BEHIND THE GATES.
COMMENTS MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, MR. BROWN.
UM, MR. AMES PROVOKED SOME THOUGHTS FOR ME ALONG THE WAY THEN.
UM, I REMEMBER WHEN I FIRST JOINED COUNCIL, WE WERE HAVING A, UH, STRATEGIC WORKSHOP.
UM, AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT RISING TIDES LOADING ALL BOATS.
AND IN THIS CASE, WE NEED TO DO A LITTLE DREADING TO GET THE BOAT TO FLOAT WITH THE TIDE RISING.
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UM, UH, BUT YOU KNOW, TRANSPARENCY IS ONE WORD THAT DID COME, UH, COME TO MIND HERE.AND EVEN AS YOU READ, UH, GENDA ITEM HERE, UM, IT READS PROVIDING FUNDING ASSISTANCE FOR DREDGING OF HARVARD TOWN YACHT BASIN.
BUT YET WE HAVE THE SOUTH BEACH AREA INCLUDED IN THIS PROPOSAL.
AND I KNOW THAT HARBOR TOWN IS THE HIGHLIGHT AND, UH, BRINGS THE MOST ATTENTION, BUT, UH, THAT TRANSPARENCY IS IMPORTANT, UH, TO OUR COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.
AND I WILL BE SUPPORTING THIS TO DAVE, UM, BECAUSE A COUPLE OF REASONS, NUMBER ONE, UH, HARBOR TOWN, ALTHOUGH IT'S NOT TOTALLY PUBLICLY KNOWN, BUT FROM A WATER ACCESS POINT, IT IS PUBLIC.
YOU CAN DOCK THERE ON A DAILY BASIS FOR FREE, THEY'LL EVEN CLEAN OUT YOUR WASTE FOR YOU.
UM, I DIDN'T LEARN THAT UNTIL I TOOK THE TOUR OF THE QUARTER DECK.
UM, BUT I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO KNOW THAT, UH, BOTH OF THOSE, UH, AREAS ARE, UH, ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC.
AND THE OTHER REASON IS THERE'S A LOT OF FUNDS THAT ARE GENERATED BECAUSE OF WHAT HAPPENS IN HARBOR TOWN IN SOUTH BEACH.
AND I'M JUST LOOKING FOR, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, ALL BOATS TO FLOAT BECAUSE OF THAT.
SO AS WE PAY ATTENTION TO THIS, WE ALSO NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO OTHER PARTS OF THE ISLAND OUT IN NEED OF FUNDING, PARTICULARLY WHEN IT COMES TO, UH, STORM WATER AS SUCH.
UH, SO THANK YOU MR. MAYOR, UH, FOR, FOR THE TIME.
ANY MORE COMMENTS BY THE COUNCIL CAMP COMMAS, MY MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.
HAVE YOU SEEN PUSH TO MAKE THE ROLL CALL PLEASE? MR. BROWN SUPPORT, MR. HARKINS, MR. AMES.
[12d. First Reading of Proposed Ordinance 2022-09, Amending Section 4-5-20 of the Municipal Code of the Town of Hilton Head Island, Extending the Expiration Date of the Real Estate Transfer Fee from December 31, 2024 to December 31, 2044]
AND IT'S 20 TO 2022 DASH 9 0 9 AMENDING SECTION FOUR OR FIVE 20 OF THE MUNICIPAL CODE OF TOWNSVILLE THAT I OWN EXTENDING THE EXPIRATION DATE OF THE REAL ESTATE TRANSFER FEE FROM DECEMBER 31ST, 24 TO DECEMBER 31ST, 2044.SO DISCUSSION BY MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
YES, JOHN, UH, I'D LIKE TO THANK THE HILTON HEAD, UH, ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS FOR DIVING IN ON THIS ISSUE AND HELPING US UNDERSTAND THE BEST WAY TO STRUCTURE, UH, THIS EXTENSION.
UH, THEY, THEY HAVE SUPPORTED THIS AND I THINK WE WOULDN'T BE WHERE WE ARE, UH, WITHOUT THEIR ASSISTANCE.
UM, I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS ONE.
UH, THERE'S A COUPLE OF WORDS AND THE FIRST WAY IS THAT I'M GETTING EXCITED ABOUT IT.
I JUST WANTED TO SHARE IT PUBLICLY.
UM, WHEN IT, WHEN IT TALKS ABOUT, AND BY THE WAY, THOSE THAT, UH, ADOPTED THIS WAY BEFORE OUR TIME, I'M GLAD THAT THEY HAD THE FORESIGHT.
UM, BUT IT TALKS ABOUT ACQUIRING LANDS FOR PUBLIC OWNERSHIP, MAINTAIN OPEN SPACE AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ACQUIRE, DEVELOPED LAND OR DEVELOP RIGHTS.
UM, I KNOW WE'VE HAD SOME DISCUSSION IN THE PAST AROUND DEVELOPMENTAL RATES AND MOVING THEM FROM ONE AREA TO ANOTHER.
UH, AS YOU START TO READ THROUGH THIS, YOU, YOU, YOU GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT IS POSSIBLE.
THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO DO THAT.
UM, SO I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
AND THEN IT GOES ON FURTHER TO SAY, UH, THAT WE SHOULD BE DOING THIS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TOWN'S CURRENT COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, NOT THE CONCERT PRINCIPAL PLAN FROM THEN, BUT THE ONE THAT WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US NOW, OUR PLAN.
SO, UM, AGAIN, I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE DIRECTION HERE.
UM, A SHOW OF MR. LANDO HAS MORE TO COME AS FAR AS DISCUSSION AROUND THIS.
UH, SO I'M, I'M READY TO MOVE FORWARD AND SUPPORT THIS ONE.
STANFORD, THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, THIS SOURCE OF FUNDING HAS GENERATED MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, WHICH THE TOWN HAS BEEN ABLE TO REINVEST IN MAKING OUR COMMUNITY BETTER.
A LOT OF IT HAS BEEN SPENT MAKING HIGHWAY 2 78 AS GREEN AS WE POSSIBLY CAN MAKE IT.
SO THIS HAS BEEN A VITAL ECONOMIC RESOURCE WHERE PEOPLE THAT ARE BUYING HOMES, A SMALL TAX THAT GOES INTO A FUND, WHICH IN TURN IS AN INVESTMENT IN THIS COMMUNITY.
WE ARE UNIQUE IN THE STATE HAVING THIS.
AND SO I CERTAINLY SUPPORT EXTENDING IT.
MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, ANY COMMENTS, BRINGING IT BACK TO THE ACCOUNT, MAKE THE ROLL CALL PLEASE.
[00:30:01]
BECKER.MAYOR MCCANN MOTION CARRIES SIR.
[12e. First Reading of Proposed Ordinance 2022-10 Amending Sections 10-9-10 and 10-9-30 of the Municipal Code for the Town of Hilton Head, South Carolina, Regarding the Billing for Ambulance Services]
PROPOSAL, 20 DASH 22 DASH 10 MENDING SECTION 10, 9, 10, OR THE MUNICIPAL CODE OF TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND REGARDING THE BILLING FOR AMBULANCE SERVICES.SO MOVED DISCUSSION BY MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL MENTIONED MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.
COULD YOU CALL THE ROLL CALL PLEASE? MR. BROWN.
[12f. First Reading Proposed Ordinance 2022-06 Amending, Title 10 of the Municipal Code of the Town of Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, by Adding Chapter 2 Entitled "Short-Term Rentals"]
20 DASH 22 OR SIX AMENDING TYPE AMENDING TITLE 10 OF THE MUNICIPAL CODE OF THE TOWN OF ELON THAT I ISLAND BY ADDING CHAPTER TWO, ENTITLED SHORT TERM RENTALS, MOVE FOR APPROVAL.GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNSELORS FOR THE RECORD AND SIREN, INTERIM COMMUNITY PLANNING MANAGER.
AND WE'LL TRY TO MOVE THROUGH THIS AS QUICKLY AS CAN, AS I CAN WHILE GIVING YOU THE INFORMATION THAT I THINK YOU NEED.
WE'LL START WITH THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION REVIEW THE PROJECT PURPOSE STATEMENT, GIVE YOU A BRIEF SUMMARY OF OUR INITIATIVE TODAY.
REVIEW SHORT-TERM RENTAL TRENDS, THEIR DISTRIBUTION AND COMPLAINTS ABOUT SHORT TERM RENTALS.
WE'LL DISCUSS INSPECTIONS, WHICH WAS A QUESTION THAT CAME UP DURING THE COMMITTEE MEETING.
UH, WE'LL DISCUSS THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE WITH THE REVISIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE, THE PROPOSED PERMIT FEE AND COMPARISON WITH OTHER COMMUNITIES FEES, THE OPERATIONAL PROGRAM TO MAKE THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL PROGRAM OPERATE AND NEXT STEPS.
AND THEN SUMMARIZE AGAIN WITH THE COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION, UH, MARCH 24TH, THE PUBLIC PLANNING COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED ADOPTION OF THE PROPOSED SHORT TERM RENTAL ORDINANCE TO TOWN COUNCIL, SUBJECT TO SUCH REVISIONS AS MAYBE AGREED UPON BY TOWN COUNCIL AT THE TIME OF THE HEARING AND THE REVISIONS OF THE ORDINANCES YOU NOTED IN YOUR PACKET, UH, WERE NOTED ON THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE, DOUBLE UNDERLINED AND START THROUGH.
AND WE'LL COVER THOSE AS WE REVIEW THE ORDINANCE, STARTING WITH THE PROJECT PURPOSE STATEMENT AGAIN, AS A RESORT AREA, HILTON HEAD HAS NUMEROUS SHORT-TERM RENTAL UNITS, AND I WANT TO STAY JUST AT THE OUTSET AT THE OUTSET, HOW IMPORTANT SHORT-TERM RENTALS ARE TO OUR ECONOMY, UH, EVERYONE ON STAFF AND EVERYONE, ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF SHORT-TERM RENTALS.
SO WHEN I KEEP THAT IN MIND, AS WE DISCUSS, UH, THESE REGULATIONS, BUT THE LACK OF AN ORDINANCE HAS LED TO AN IMBALANCE BETWEEN RESIDENTIAL RESORT DISTRICTS AND THE ELIMINATION OF SOME LONG-TERM SINGLE FAMILY NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING IS TO CRAFT A SHORT TERM RENTAL ORDINANCE TO DEVELOP A FAIR, PREDICTABLE AND BALANCED APPROACH TO MANAGE THESE IMPACTS THAT OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, THE ECONOMY, HOUSING STOCK, PUBLIC FACILITIES, AND THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF RESIDENTS AND THE EXPERIENCE OF OUR VISITORS.
NOW, THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE IS A STEP TOWARDS MANAGING THE IMPACTS OF SHORT TERM RENTAL IMPACTS ON NEIGHBORHOODS AND THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF RESIDENTS AND THE EXPERIENCE OF VISITORS ASIDE FROM IMPLEMENTING THE ORDINANCE AND THE OPERATIONAL PROGRAM THAT I'LL DISCUSS LATER IN MARCH, THE PUBLIC PLANNING COMMITTEE APPROVED A PRELIMINARY FRAMEWORK TO EXAMINE OTHER ISSUES RELATED TO SHORT TERM RENTALS, NOT DISCUSS THAT LATER IN THE PRESENTATION.
SO THIS IS ONE STEP, A BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INITIATIVE TO DATE.
THIS BEGAN IN SPRING OF 2021 IN RESPONSE TO INCREASING BLAINE'S AND CONCERNS ABOUT SHORT TERM RENTALS, TOWN COUNCIL DIRECTED STAFF TO DEVELOP AN ORDINANCE, UH, AS DISCUSSED IN THE PROJECT STATEMENT, UH, PROJECT PURPOSE STATEMENT, UH, STAFFERS IN THE RESEARCH ON OTHER COMMITTEES ORGANS TO THE PUBLIC PLANNING COMMITTEE AND RECEIVE FEEDBACK IN THE SUMMER, WE EXECUTED CONTRACT WITH THE CODING CONSULTANT AND DEVELOP A PROJECT FRAMEWORK, UH, STAFF AND THE CONSULTANT PRESENTED THAT FRAMEWORK TO THE PUBLIC PLANNING COMMITTEE IN THE FALL, THROUGHOUT THE FALL AND WINTER, WE EXCAVATED THE PROJECT FRAMEWORK, INCLUDING RESEARCH, GATHERING DATA AND EXECUTING AN EXTENSIVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PLAN.
SO WE HELD 13 STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS, THREE PUBLIC OPEN HOUSES.
WE HAD A SURVEY WITH A HUGE NUMBER OF RESPONSES.
WE HAD LOCAL MEDIA ARTICLES AND INTERVIEWS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE GATHERING AS MUCH INPUT AS POSSIBLE, MOVING THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND BASED ON OUR FINDINGS AND LEARNINGS TO DATE IN JANUARY, WE PRESENTED A, UH, AN ORDINANCE TO ADDRESS THE ORGANIZATION, CHARACTER EXPECTATIONS AND OPERATIONS OF SHORT-TERM RENTALS, WHICH IS THE ORDINANCE THAT YOU'LL BE REVIEWING.
UM, THE POLICY FRAMEWORK FOR THE ORDINANCE INCLUDED STANDARDS FOR PROPERTY MANAGEMENT, SAFETY, NOISE, TRASH AND PARKING WE PRESENTED A PROPOSAL, UH, THE ACTUAL DRAFT ORDINANCE WITH THE ELEMENTS OF THAT FRAMEWORK TO THE COMMITTEE IN MARCH.
UM, WE ALSO PRESENTED A LIST OF ISSUES FOR FUTURE REVIEW
[00:35:01]
TO THE COMMITTEE AND RECEIVE FEEDBACK.WE BROUGHT THAT REVISED ORDINANCE BACK TO THE PITY IN MARCH, AND WE'LL BE REVIEWING THE REVISIONS BASED.
THE COMMENTS HAVE RECEIVED THAT MEETING TODAY.
TAKING A LOOK AT SHORT TERM RENTAL TRENDS.
SO HILTON HEAD ISLAND, OBVIOUSLY, AS IT HAS, HAS HAD SHORT-TERM RENTAL, UH, RENTALS FOR DECADES, BUT RECENTLY THE NUMBER OF UNITS HAS INCREASED RAPIDLY.
WE ESTIMATE ABOUT A 31% INCREASE IN SHORT TERM RENTAL LISTINGS BETWEEN JULY, 2019 AND JANUARY, 2022.
UM, WE'VE ACTUALLY JUST CLOSED OUR BIDS FOR A SHORT TERM RENTAL MONITORING.
AND I'LL DISCUSS THAT AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE PRESENTATION, THAT'S GONNA PROVIDE US MORE DETAILED DATA AND TRENDS OVER TIME BY NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO WE ESTIMATED THE NUMBER OF SHORT-TERM RENTAL LISTINGS BY AVERAGING THE DATA FROM THREE SHORT-TERM RENTAL MONITORING SERVICES.
NOW WE ALSO HAVE DATA ON SHORT-TERM RENTALS FROM BUSINESS LICENSE APPLICATIONS AND FROM AIR DNA, WHICH IS A SHORT TERM RENTAL COMEDY THAT'S PRIMARILY USED FOR MARKETING PURPOSES, BUT IT DOES GIVE AN OVERALL, UH, UNDERSTANDING FOR US OF SHORT TERM RENTALS.
UNLIKE OTHER BUSINESSES THAT ARE EASIER TO IDENTIFY USING ADS WITH ADDRESSES AND PHONE NUMBERS, SHORT-TERM RENTALS ARE MORE DIFFICULT TO MONITOR.
UH, THERE ARE SEVERAL FACTORS IMPACTING THAT, INCLUDING THE ANONYMITY OF ONLINE HOST SITES LIKE AIRBNB AND THE FACT THAT SOME SHORT-TERM RENTALS ARE ONLY OFFERED FOR ENTERING A FEW WEEKS OR MONTHS DURING THE YEAR.
UM, ANOTHER IMPORTANT NOTE IS THAT UNTIL JANUARY OF THIS YEAR OWNERS WHO ONLY HAD ONE SHORT TERM RENTAL, WE'RE NOT REQUIRED TO HAVE A BUSINESS LICENSE.
SO USING THE DATA WE HAVE, WE ESTIMATE THAT APPROXIMATELY 10,000 SHORT TERM RENTALS ARE LISTED FOR RENT.
AT SOME POINT DURING THE CALENDAR YEAR, IT'S ABOUT A THIRD OF THE RESIDENTIAL UNITS THAT ARE ON THE ISLAND.
AS I MENTIONED, WE ISSUED A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR SHORT-TERM RENTAL MONITORING COMPLIANCE SOFTWARE.
UM, AND WE'RE REVIEWING THOSE BEDS.
NOW, THE SOFTWARE IS EXTREMELY USEFUL, ENSURING ALL SHORT-TERM RENTALS ARE LICENSED AND REGISTERED AND THAT THEY'RE REMITTING TAXES.
WHAT THEY DO IS REGULARLY SCRAPE THE DATA FROM SHORT TERM RENTAL LISTING SITES AND IT GEO LOCATES THOSE LISTINGS.
SO INSTEAD OF SAYING, GIVING YOU A PICTURE IN A GENERAL NEIGHBORHOOD, WE CAN ACTUALLY FIND THE SPECIFIC ADDRESS.
IT ALSO USES HUMAN VERIFICATION TO ENSURE THE LISTINGS ARE GENUINE AND THAT THEY'RE NOT DUPLICATED.
THAT DATA WILL BE CROSS-REFERENCED WITH THE TOWN'S BUSINESS LICENSE REGULATIONS TO ASSURE EACH LISTING IS A BUSINESS LICENSE.
IT WILL BE ABLE TO AUTO-GENERATE LETTERS TO NOTIFY OWNERS WITHOUT BUSINESSES, LICENSE, WITHOUT BUSINESS LICENSES THAT THEY NEED TO COME INTO CLIENTS.
UM, THE CONTRACT WILL INCLUDE SHORT-TERM RENTAL MONITORING, COMPLIANCE SOFTWARE, INCLUDING A PERMIT PORTAL, A COMPLAINT HOTLINE AND PORTAL.
AND I'LL DISCUSS THOSE IN A MINUTE.
ALSO, I'LL BE ABLE TO IMPORT THAT DATA INTO OUR GIS SYSTEM TO MAKE MAPS, SHOWING US THE EXACT LOCATIONS OF SHORT TERM RENTALS.
SO A LOT OF INFORMATION THERE ABOUT NUMBERS AND WHAT'S GOING INTO LOCATIONS.
SO AS THE DISCLAIMER STATES, THIS MAP IS A GENERALLY REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DISTRIBUTION OF SHORT-TERM RENTALS IN THE ISLAND.
SO EACH DOT REPRESENTS A SHORT-TERM RENTAL LISTING FROM ERIC DNA.
SO THIS THEY'RE NOT EXACTLY BECAUSE THEY HAVEN'T BEEN GEOCODED AND VERIFY BY HUMAN, BUT THIS GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF WHERE THEY'RE LOCATED.
UM, NOTABLY IN THE LARGER GATED COMMUNITIES THAT ARE ALLOWED IN
SO YOU CAN SEE IT COVERS ALMOST ALL OF NORTHERN SALVADOR'S BEACH AND FOLLY VALLEYFIELD AND HOLIDAY HOMES.
SO REGARDING COMPLAINTS, UM, SOME NEIGHBORHOODS, BOTH IN GATED COMMUNITY, NOT GATED COMMUNITIES HAVE REPORTED THE, A SHARP INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF SHORT-TERM RENTALS IN RECENT YEARS.
UM, IF YOU LISTEN TO THE STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS AND OPEN HOUSES, AND IF YOU'VE VIEWED THE COMMENTS IN THE SURVEY AND THE COMMENTS SUBMITTED INDIVIDUALLY, UH, YOU'LL HAVE SEEN THE COMPLAINTS FROM RESIDENTS ABOUT HOW THEIR FORMERLY QUIET NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE BEEN TRANSFORMED BY THE PRESENCE OF SHORT-TERM RENTALS.
UM, AGAIN, WHILE MANY SHORT-TERM RENTALS ARE WELL-MANAGED, SOME ARE A CONSISTENT OR EVEN INCONSISTENT NUISANCE, UH, DEPENDING ON HOW POPULAR THE PROPERTY IS AND HOW WELL MANAGED IT IS.
AND THIS GREATLY IMPACTS THOSE RESIDENTS QUALITY OF LIFE.
WE HAVE DATA FROM BEAVER COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, WHICH CONFIRMS THE RISE OF NUISANCE ISSUES LIKE PARKING NOISE AND GENERAL DISTURBANCE FOLLOW THE RISE AND SEASONAL VISITORS.
AS YOU'D IMAGINE SHORT-TERM RENTALS LIKE HOTELS ARE, UH, MORE OR LESS OCCUPIED BASED ON THE SEASON.
RIGHT NOW RDNA ESTIMATES AN OCCUPANCY RATE OF 81%.
IT'S CLOSER TO 60% IN THE WINTER DURING SOME HOLIDAYS, A HUNDRED PERCENT.
UM, CPI IS PROVIDED DATA SHOWING A RISE IN BOTH SHORT-TERM RENTAL PASSES AND CALLS FOR SERVICE, UH, WHICH I'LL REVIEW IN A MINUTE, THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE WOULD FACILITATE THE CREATION OF A SHORT-TERM RENTAL PROGRAM THAT WOULD AL ALLOCATE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO ENFORCEMENT AND PROVIDE ADDITIONAL ENFORCEMENT OPTIONS FOR NON-COMPLIANT PROPERTIES.
PROPERTY OWNERS, ASSOCIATIONS HAVE SOME OPTIONS TO RESPOND TO PROBLEMATIC SHORT-TERM RENTALS,
[00:40:01]
BUT THEY DON'T HAVE THE OPTIONS THAT THE TOWN HAS AS A MUNICIPALITY.THE TOWN HAS THE ABILITY TO ISSUE CITATIONS OR AN EXTREME CASE SUSPEND OR REVOKE SHORT TERM RENTAL PERMIT FOR AN INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY OR TO SUSPEND OR REVOKE A BUSINESS LICENSE.
THE TOWNSVILLE IS TO ACHIEVE VOLUNTARY, VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE OR EDUCATION.
UM, THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE ISN'T MEANT TO ALLOW OR ENCOURAGE THE TOWN TO ISSUE MORE CITATIONS.
UH, THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE HAS MEANT TO SET EXPECTATIONS THROUGH PERMITTING FOR HOW SHORT-TERM RENTAL SHOULD BE MANAGED.
UH, THE COMPLAINT HOTLINE AND PORTAL WILL ALLOW THE TOWN TO EFFECTIVELY MONITOR AND TRACK THE FEW SHORT-TERM RENTALS THAT ARE MISMANAGED IN THE CASE THAT A COMPLAINT IS UNRESOLVED, OR IF THERE ARE REPEATED COMPLAINTS, THE TOWN CAN REVIEW THE INFORMATION GATHERED BY THE SOFTWARE TO START A CONVERSATION WITH THE MANAGEMENT COMPANY OR THE OWNER.
OTHER COMMUNITIES HAVE REPORTED THAT FOR THE MOST PART, THEY DON'T ISSUE CITATIONS BECAUSE THE OWNER AND PROPERTY MANAGEMENT COMPANIES WORK WITH THEIR CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS TO FIND SOLUTIONS TO REPEATED COMPLAINTS.
LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE SHORT TERM OR THE DATA FROM SEA PINES.
SO THIS WAS PROVIDED BY, UH, CPI AND CSA, UM, AT OUR REQUEST AND WITH THEIR PERMISSION.
UM, YOU CAN SEE THE, THE CALLS FOR SERVICE, WHICH IS THE BLUE LINE RISES RATE ALONG WITH A NUMBER OF HER SHORT-TERM RENTAL PASSES, WHICH IS THE GRAY LINE ISSUED IN RECENT YEARS.
THE 40% INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF SHORT-TERM RENTAL PASSES, UH, BETWEEN 2019 AND 2021 TRACKS WITH THE TOWN'S TREND.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT HIGHER, BUT WE SAW THE SAME SHARP INCREASE FROM 2019 TO 2021 WITH A COMPLAINT HOTLINE AND PORTAL, WHICH I MENTIONED EARLIER, THE PURPOSE OF THOSE SERVICES IS TO DECREASE CALLS FOR SERVICE AND OTHER THIRD PARTY INTERVENTION LIKE TOWN CODE ENFORCEMENT SERVICES BY REQUIRING AN OWNER OR THEIR MANAGER TO BE THE FIRST POINT OF CONTACT FOR COMPLAINTS ABOUT SHORT-TERM RENTALS, THE HOTLINE, WHICH IS STAFFED 24 HOURS A DAY.
AND THE COMPLAINT PORTAL BOTH SERVE THE SAME PURPOSE THEY TAKE IN AND REPORT COMPLAINTS VERIFY THEIR REGARDING SHORT TERM RENTAL, UH, CONTACT THE OWNER OF THEIR AGENT TO NOTIFY THEM OF THE COMPLAINT AND FOLLOW UP THE COMPLAINANT TO ENSURE THE ISSUE WAS RESOLVED.
IF THE ISSUE IS RESOLVED, THE TOWN DOESN'T NEED TO INTERVENE, BUT IF THERE ARE ONGOING PROBLEMS OR PROBLEMS THAT AREN'T BEING RESOLVED, THE TOWN HAS THE BENEFIT OF DETAILED RECORDS OF THE PREVIOUS COMPLAINTS, UH, WHICH CAN INCLUDE EVIDENCE SUCH AS PHOTOS AND AUDIO VIDEO FILES WITH THIS NUMBER FOR CALLS, FOR SERVICE.
SO YOU CAN SEE HOW A COMPLAINT PORTAL AND HOTLINE COULD BE HELPFUL FOR BOTH NEIGHBORS AND PRIVATE COMMUNITIES BY REDUCING THE NUMBER OF TIMES THEY NEED TO INTERVENE WITH A COMPLAINT.
IN MOST CASES, THE ISSUE IS RESOLVED WITH A QUICK PHONE CALL OR TEXT FROM THE OWNER OR MANAGER TO THE GUEST.
SO I'LL DISCUSS ENFORCEMENT MORE WHEN WE REVIEWED THE, THE ORDINANCE.
VERY, I'LL TRY TO BE AS BRIEF AS I CAN.
I APOLOGIZE FOR TAKING UP TOO MUCH OF YOUR TIME REGARDING INSPECTIONS.
WE STAFF RECOMMENDS OPTION A OR OPTION ONE, EXCUSE ME, WHICH IS OUR ORIGINAL SUGGESTION, WHICH IS THE OWNERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR INSPECTING AND VERIFYING THAT THEIR PROPERTIES MEET SAFETY REQUIREMENTS, UM, FIRE RESCUE AND TOWN BUILDING INSPECTORS DO INVESTIGATE COMPLAINTS ON A COMPLAINT DRIVEN BASIS ABOUT SHORT TERM RENTALS AND ALL OF THE PROPERTIES WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
UM, WE'RE RECOMMENDING THAT A NEW INSPECTOR BE HIRED TO INVESTIGATE COMPLAINTS AND, UH, PERFORM SPOT INSPECTIONS ON SHORT-TERM RENTALS TO ENSURE SAFETY REQUIREMENTS ARE MET.
SO THE OPTIONS ARE OUTLINED IN THE MEMO BY CHIEF TATLOCK AND YOUR MATERIALS.
WE'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS OR COVER THAT FURTHER, BUT WE DO HAVE OPTION TWO AND OPTION THREE OUTLINED.
SO AGAIN, RECOMMEND OPTION ONE.
AND THAT WE REEVALUATE THE FEASIBILITY OF REQUIRING ANNUAL INSPECTIONS.
AS WE HAVE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT SHORT TERM RENTALS, MOVING ON TO THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE, AS A NOTE, AGAIN, THE CHANGES THAT WERE MADE SINCE THE MARCH 24TH PUBLIC CLINIC COMMITTEE ARE INDICATED WITH A THROUGH OR A DOUBLE UNDERLINE.
AND CRYSTAL, COULD YOU OPEN THE ORDINANCE PLEASE? SURE.
BEFORE WE BEGIN, I JUST WANT TO NOTE THAT, UH, CONCERNS THAT WERE PREVIOUSLY RAISED ABOUT CONFLICTS BETWEEN THE ORDINANCE AND STATE LAWS SPECIFICALLY RENTER'S RIGHTS, UM, HAVE BEEN, UH, THE COUNTY ATTORNEY HAS ASSURED THAT THERE IS NO CONFLICT BETWEEN THE ORDINANCE AND ANY KIND OF STATE LAWS.
UM, WE DID, AND, AND YOU CAN SEE IN THE WHEREAS SECTION HERE AT A TWO GENERAL WHEREAS STATEMENTS AND SCROLLING DOWN, DO I HAVE THE ABILITY TO SWIRL ALMOST CHRISTO I'M HAPPY TO DO, DOES THAT MEAN SCROLLING? NO.
[00:45:04]
WE DID ADD A PURPOSE AND INTENT STATEMENT.IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE ORDINANCE IS NOT INTENDED TO REGULATE HOTELS, MOTELS, HOSPITALS, OR INTEGRAL OCCUPANCY USES, WHICH ARE TIMESHARES.
SO THIS ORDINANCE WOULD NOT APPLY TO TIMESHARES.
UH, IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE ORDINANCE IS NOT INTENDED TO REGULATE SHORT-TERM LEASE AGREEMENTS, UH, THAT MAY ARISE OUT OF REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS.
SO THAT WAS A QUESTION THAT CAME UP AMONG THE REALTORS.
IF I SELL MY HOUSE AND I, UH, THE NEW OWNER LEASES IT BACK TO ME FOR TWO WEEKS.
AM I, AM I, DO I FALL UNDER THIS ORDINANCE? NO, NO, YOU DON'T.
UM, THE ORDINANCE WAS REVISED TO, UH, MAKE THE OWNER DEFINITION A LITTLE MORE THOROUGH.
UM, AND JUST TO NOTE THAT THE DEFINITION OF SHORT-TERM LEASE IS LESS THAN 30 DAYS, UH, REGARDING SHORT-TERM RENTAL AGENTS.
UH, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS WAS WHO CAN ACT AS MY AGENT, IT'S ANYONE WHO AGREES TO ACT AS YOUR AGENT.
NOW THERE'S NO LICENSING REQUIREMENT.
IT CAN BE A NEIGHBOR OR A TRUSTED RELATIVE, UH, ORIGAMI, A COMPANY, WHOEVER YOU PREFER.
UH, JUST A NOTE THAT THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL PERMIT IS AN ANNUAL PERMIT.
AND MOVING ON TO THE NEXT SECTION REGARDING SHORT-TERM RENTAL PERMITS.
AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THE TOWN IS REVIEWING RESPONSES TO OUR REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS, FOR MONITORING AND COMPLIANCE SOFTWARE.
UM, WE HOPE TO INSTALL, TEST AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC THIS FALL, THE PERMITTING PORTAL, SO THAT FOLKS WILL HAVE PLENTY OF TIME TO BE ABLE TO APPLY FOR THEIR SHORT TERM RENTAL PERMITS BEFORE JANUARY, JANUARY 1ST, 2023, WHEN ENFORCEMENT OF THE ORDINANCE BEGINS.
UH, JUST AS A NOTE, UM, THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL PERMIT IS DIFFERENT FROM A BUSINESS LICENSE.
YOU WOULD NEED TO OBTAIN BOTH A BUSINESS LICENSE AT A SHORT TERM RENTAL PERMIT, AND I'LL GO INTO THE DIFFERENCES.
AND THE BENEFITS ABOUT THAT LATER, THE APPLICATION FEE IS SET EACH YEAR BY TOWN COUNCIL.
JUST AS A NOTE, WE DID NOT INCLUDE THAT IN THE ORDINANCE SO THAT WE WOULD HAVE FLEXIBILITY TO RESPOND TO TOWN COUNCIL IF THEY WANT TO MOVE THAT UP OR DOWN.
AND THE APPLICATION REQUIREMENT FOR A SITE PLAN FOR A SINGLE FAMILY, DETACHED RESIDENCE WAS ADDED TO, UH, MAKE ENFORCEMENT EASIER.
UH, THIS DOESN'T NEED TO BE A SURVEYED SITE PLAN, AS LONG AS IT IS ROUGHLY TO SCALE.
IT CAN BE HAND DRAWN, BUT PRIMARILY IT'S GOING TO SHOW US WHERE THE PARKING IS LOCATED AT AND WHERE THE, UH, TRASH ENCLOSURE LOCATED ON A SITE FOR A SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE.
WE ADDED A SECTION STATING THAT, UM, THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL PERMIT CANNOT BE ISSUED FOR A PROPERTY WHERE THERE OUTSTANDING CITATIONS, OUTSTANDING, MEANING NOT ADJUDICATED CITATIONS.
THE NEXT SECTION WAS ADDED TO SPECIFY EVERY PERSON BUSINESS ENTITY, UH, SCROLL UP JUST A LITTLE BIT.
UM, WHO SUBMITS AN APPLICATION? THIS IS JUST TO CLARIFY IF AN OWNER WANTS TO HAVE THEIR PROPERTY MANAGEMENT COMPANY SUBMIT THE ENTIRE APPLICATION FOR THEM AND THEY JUST SIGNED CONSENTING, THEY CAN DO THAT.
UM, THEY CAN ALSO SUBMIT THE APPLICATION THEMSELVES, UM, SCROLLING DOWN TO SECTION FIVE, 10 TO 50.
UM, I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY, BEFORE I DIVE INTO THE SPECIFIC REGULATIONS, HOW OWNERS OR AGENTS WILL VERIFY THAT THEY MEET THE REQUIREMENTS, THERE'LL BE AN APPLICATION FORM STATING MY PROPERTY MEETS THESE REQUIREMENTS.
YOU'LL CHECK A BOX OR IN THE OCCASION WHERE YOU'LL NEED TO SUBMIT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION LIKE A SITE PLAN.
YOU'LL ATTACH THAT SITE PLAN TO THE APPLICATION FORM.
SO THAT'S HOW YOU'LL APPLY FOR SHORT-TERM RENTAL PERMIT, BUT PRIMARILY IT'S GOING TO BE A SERIES OF CHECKBOXES AFFIRMING THAT YOU MEET REQUIREMENTS.
SO IN TERMS OF OWNER AVAILABILITY, THE REQUIREMENT IS THAT THE OWNER OR THEIR AGENT SHOULD BE AVAILABLE AT ALL TIMES DURING THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL AND BE CAPABLE OF BEING PHYSICALLY PRESENT AT THE SHORT TERM RENTAL.
UH, WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO WITHIN AN HOUR, UH, TAKE A PHONE CALL ABOUT A COMPLAINT THAT GOES TO THE OWNER OR TO THEIR AGENT.
AND I MENTIONED THAT WE HAVE, UM, SHORT-TERM RENTAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT COMPANIES IN THE AREA.
I ACTUALLY JUST SPOKE WITH AN ENTREPRENEUR IN THE AREA WHO IS INTERESTED IN OPENING A BUSINESS JUST TO PROVIDE RESPONSE, UM, THAT WOULD BE THEIR PROPERTY MANAGEMENT BUSINESS.
SO THERE ARE A LOT OF OPTIONS AND THE OWNER DOESN'T HAVE TO HIRE SOMEONE THAT CAN HANDLE THIS THEMSELVES IF THEY'D LIKE, BUT EFFECTIVELY THE FIRST POINT OF CONTACT SHOULD BE THE PHONE CALL, UH, THE OWNER OR THEIR AGENT MAKES CONTACT WITH THE GUEST TO CONVEY WHAT THE ISSUE IS AND THEY CAN, AND THE GUEST, MOST OF THE TIME WILL TAKE CARE OF THE ISSUE, UM, IN THE RARE INSTANCE WHERE THE ISSUE NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED IN PERSON, THE EXPECTATION IS THAT THE OWNER OR THEIR AGENT WOULD BE ABLE TO BE AT THE PROPERTY WITHIN AN HOUR REGARDING, UH, BUILDING A FIRE CODE REQUIREMENTS, UH, SUCH AS THE SMOKE DETECTOR AND CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTOR AND ESCAPE ROUTES.
THE SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS FOR THE UNITS WILL BE GIVEN WITH THE APPLICATION MATERIALS.
AND SO WE DIDN'T WANT TO SPECIFY THAT
[00:50:01]
TOO SPECIFICALLY IN THE ORDINANCE, SO WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO UPDATE IT, UH, WHEN BUILDING A VERICODE REGULATIONS CHANGE.SO WE'LL PROVIDE ALL THAT INFORMATION IN THE SPECIFICATIONS THAT YOU HAVE TO MEET WITH THE APPLICATION FORMS. MOVING DOWN TO PARKING REGULATIONS A LITTLE BIT FURTHER DOWN, I THINK, AND, UM, SECTION FOUR.
SO WE MADE A NOTE TO, UH, MAKE SURE THAT OUR ALL COMMUNICATIONS RYAN, THERE WE GO.
UM, WE DID REMOVE THE EXEMPTION, UH, FOR SPECIFYING THE NUMBER OF PARKING SPACES FOR PROPERTIES THAT ARE WITHIN 24 HOUR, UH, PRIVATE SECURITY, UH, COMMUNITIES, UH, SUCH AS THE LARGER GATED COMMUNITIES, UM, THAT ENSURES, UH, EQUITABLE PERMITTING REQUIREMENTS AND ENFORCEMENT.
UM, BUT THE REQUIREMENTS REMAIN THE SAME.
YOU HAVE TO SPECIFY THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF PARKING SPACES.
THEY NEED TO BE NINE BY 18 FEET.
MOVING ON TO THE VIOLATION SECTION AND SECTION SIX, UH, WE JUST ADDED THE, YOU'LL SEE THE DOUBLE UNDERLINE, AND WE JUST ADDED THE NAMES OF THE SECTIONS FOR EASIER REFERENCE AND MOVING FURTHER DOWN TO SUSPENSION, REVOCATION OF BUSINESS LICENSE.
UH, THAT LAST SECTION SUBSECTION F WE REVISED TO JUST PROVIDE MORE CLARITY MORE THAN TWO CONVICTIONS, NOT CITATIONS, BUT CONVICTIONS OF VIOLATIONS OF MUNICIPAL CODE, UM, ARISING FROM ACTIVITIES ARE CONNECTED WITH A SHORT SHORT-TERM RENTAL COULD MAKE THAT A SUBJECT TO A CONSIDERATION FOR SUSPENSION OF THE SHORT TERM RENTAL PERMIT.
AND MOVING DOWN TO THE LAST CHANGE AT THE END OF SECTION NINE, IT'S THE EFFECTIVE DATE.
UH, WE JUST MADE A SLIGHT MODIFICATION TO THIS THAT SAYS THAT THE ORDINANCE IS EFFECTIVE UPON ITS ADOPTION.
UH, BUT THE ENFORCEMENT BEGINS ON JANUARY 1ST THAT ALLOWS THE TOWN TO BEGIN ISSUING SHORT-TERM RENTAL PERMITS THIS FALL, AS WE INTEND TO DO.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS I CAN ANSWER ABOUT THE ORDINANCE? YES.
UH, WHAT METRICS ARE YOU GOING TO USE TO EVALUATE THE EFFICACY OF THIS? I THINK THERE ARE A NUMBER OF METRICS THAT WE CAN USE.
WE'LL HAVE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF DATA.
UH, FIRST WE'LL UNDERSTAND HOW MANY SHORT-TERM RENTALS WE ACTUALLY HAVE, UH, TO A BETTER DEGREE.
UM, WE HAVE A GOOD IDEA OF WHAT THE ESTIMATE IS.
I WILL BE ABLE TO HONE IN ON THAT.
WE'LL BE ABLE TO HONE IN ON THEIR LOCATION AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO LOOK AT COMPLAINTS.
SO WHAT WE WANT TO SEE IS WHAT WE, THE PURPOSE OF THIS IS TO MAKE SURE THAT ONE, WE HAVE EVERYONE LICENSED REMITTING TAXES AND PERFORMING TO THE SAME SAFE SAFETY AND STANDARDS AS EVERYONE ELSE.
SO IF WE HAVE SOME UNLICENSED SHORT-TERM RENTALS, WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE LICENSED, THEY'RE OPERATING CORRECTLY.
UH, THE OTHER PURPOSE IS TO TRACK COMPLAINTS AND RESOLVE COMPLAINTS.
SO THAT'S GOING TO BE ONE OF THE BIG METRICS THAT WE LOOK AT.
UH, WHO'S COMPLAINING, HOW ARE THE OWNERS RESPONDING TO THE COMPLAINTS? ARE THEY RESOLVING THEM? IF THERE ARE PROPERTIES THAT ARE HAVING CONTINUAL COMPLAINTS, UM, WE, THAT GIVES US THE OPTION TO PURSUE FURTHER CODE ENFORCEMENT.
SO IN MY MIND, A LOT OF THIS IS TO HELP WITH THE RESIDENTS' CONCERNS THAT THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE HAS INCREASINGLY INTERFERED WITH BY THE RISING NUMBERS OF, UM, SHORT TERM RENTALS.
AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE MANY HOTELS WITH THE HIGH OCCUPANCIES.
EXPLAIN TO ME JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT HOW THE WEBSITE OR THE, THE SYSTEM WHERE YOU WOULD CALL IN TO MAKE A COMPLAINT.
AND THEN THE SYSTEM WOULD CALL THE OWNER OR THE AGENT TO RESPOND WITHIN AN HOUR.
AND IF NECESSARY THAT SOMEONE WOULD BE ON SITE AFTER THAT, HOW DOES THAT WORK? HOW DO WE KNOW WHETHER OR NOT THAT'S BEEN RESOLVED? THE OWNER CALLS UP AND SAYS, LOOK, I WAS OUT THERE, I MADE A PHONE CALL.
I TOLD THEM, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER THE ISSUE WAS TO RESOLVE IT.
UM, AND THEN WE'RE DONE WITH IT.
AND THEN LESS THAN ANOTHER COMPLAINT COMES IN THAT SAME EVENING, THAT TRIGGERS THE NEXT STEP.
HOW, HOW DOES THAT WORK? SO STAFF CAN MONITOR THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL COMPLAINTS THAT COME IN.
AND I THINK WHAT YOU'RE, IF I HAVE AN OVERVIEW OF THE SYSTEM IS WHERE THE COMPLAINTS COME IN, EACH COMPLAINT IS MONITORED OR RECORDED.
THE STAFF THEN VERIFIES THAT IT'S ABOUT A SHORT-TERM RENTAL.
SO THEY CHECK THEIR PERMIT, SAY, YES, THIS IS A SHORT TERM RENTAL PROPERTY.
THEY REACH OUT TO THE OWNER, AS YOU MENTIONED, OR THE AGENT THAT TO HAVE THEM RESOLVE THAT, UM, EACH COMMUNITY CAN SET UP THE SYSTEM AS THEY WOULD LIKE, UH, SOME COMMUNITIES HAVE A SYSTEM WHERE THEY S THE COMPANY CIRCLES BACK TO THE COMPLAINANT WITHIN AN HOUR AND SAY, HEY, DID YOU RECEIVE A RESPONSE? HAS THIS ISSUE BEEN RESOLVED? THE COMPLAINANT CAN SAY NO, IN WHICH CASE, THAT CAN BE FLAGGED IN THE SYSTEM.
AND TOM CODE ENFORCEMENT CAN FOLLOW UP ON THOSE.
[00:55:01]
JUST LOOK AT THE DATA WITHOUT BEING NOTIFIED OF IT OR FLAGGED.AND FROM A WEEKEND, FOR EXAMPLE, REVIEW ALL OF THE COMPLAINTS THAT CAME IN, YOU KNOW, THERE WERE, THERE WERE 12, YOU KNOW, THREE NOISE COMPLAINTS, UH, EACH NIGHT AT PROPERTY XYZ.
NOW THEY WERE RESOLVED BECAUSE THEY TURNED THE MUSIC DOWN, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE MIGHT LOOK AT WANTING TO LOOK AT AND HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THEM ABOUT.
UM, I WANTED THE QUESTIONS ON THE ORDINATES.
UM, ARE YOU GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT NEXT STEPS OR ARE WE GOING TO BE HALFWAY THROUGH ABOUT, OKAY.
UH, PROPOSED PERMIT FEE, UH, FOR CLARIFICATION.
AND BEFORE WE DIVE INTO THE CALCULATIONS BEHIND THE SUGGESTED FEE, I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY THE BUSINESS LICENSE, UH, ISSUE.
AND I CAN SPEAK TO THIS MORE IF THERE'S ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, BUT AGAIN, WE, AS OF JANUARY 1ST, ALL SHORT-TERM RENTALS ON THE ISLAND, WHETHER IT'S, UH, AN OWNER OF A SINGLE SHORT TERM RENTAL OR THE OWNER OF MULTIPLE MUST HAVE A BUSINESS LICENSE, UH, YOU CAN HAVE A SINGLE BUSINESS LICENSE WITH MULTIPLE SHORT TERM RENTALS ATTACHED TO IT.
UM, SO THAT IS PART OF THE REASON IT'S A LITTLE BIT, UH, DIFFICULT IN THE BUSINESS LICENSE SOFTWARE TO DETERMINE THE NUMBER OF SHORT-TERM RENTALS.
SO, AND THEY'RE ALSO GROUPED TOGETHER WITH LONG-TERM RENTAL.
SO, UM, BUT IN ANY CASE, UM, SO LIKE ALL BUSINESSES ON THE ISLAND, SHORT RENTALS ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE THE BUSINESS LICENSE AND THE REVENUE COLLECTED THAT COLLECTED FROM THOSE AS DIRECTED TO THE TOWN'S GENERAL FUND.
USUALLY MOST COMMUNITIES HAVE A FEE THAT GOES ALONG WITH IT FOR SHORT TERM RENTALS, BECAUSE IT REQUIRES AN AMOUNT OF REGULATION THAT'S NOT APPLICABLE TO OTHER BUSINESSES.
AND GIVEN THE SCALE OF THE NUMBER ON OUR ISLAND, IT MAKES SOME SENSE THAT WE WOULD HAVE, UH, ADDITIONAL RESOURCES THAT ARE REQUIRED FOR THAT.
SO WE'RE RECOMMENDING A $250 ANNUAL FEE, AND THE FEE IS GOING TO COVER THREE GENERAL CATEGORIES, WHICH I'LL GO INTO A MORE IN A SECOND SOFTWARE, UH, EQUIPMENT PERSONNEL AND SUPPORT SERVICES.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS OUR PROPOSED FEE.
TOM COUNCIL WOULD APPROVE THE, THE FEE, UH, ANNUALLY DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS.
THE SPEED CAN ONLY BE USED FOR PURPOSES RELATED TO SHORT-TERM RENTALS IT BY STATE LAW CANNOT BE USED FOR ANYTHING ELSE.
SO WE TRIED VERY HARD TO ESTIMATE WHAT WE THINK IS THE APPROPRIATE FEE, GIVEN THE AMOUNT OF SERVICES AND, UH, SOFTWARE VEHICLES, UH, PERSONNEL THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED.
SO JUST VERY BRIEFLY, AND I CAN GO INTO THIS IN MORE DEPTH IF YOU'D LIKE OUR LARGEST EXPENSE IS SOFTWARE.
UM, IT'S A PRETTY COMPREHENSIVE SYSTEM AS I DESCRIBED IT.
UH, WE WILL HAVE ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL, UH, PART OF, AND ONE OF THE THINGS I DID WANT TO NOTE IS THAT THEIR ENTIRE SALARY ISN'T NECESSARILY COVERED BY THE SHORT TERM RENTAL PERMIT FEES.
SO IF YOU SEE THE ASTERISK NEXT TO PUBLIC SAFETY DIRECTOR, THAT SAYS 50% OF THE POSITION IS FUNDED BY THOSE FEES FOR CODE ENFORCEMENT, WE'LL HAVE FOUR NEW PERSONNEL.
IN ADDITION TO THE TWO EXISTING PERSONNEL, 60% OF THOSE SALARIES OF THE SIX EMPLOYEES IS COVERED BY PERMIT FEES.
UM, SO JUST TO NOTE, UH, THERE IS, UM, A RECOGNITION THAT THE CODE ENFORCEMENT WILL BE DOING SHORT TERM RENTAL WORK AND OTHER ENFORCEMENT WORK ON THE ISLAND.
WE'LL ALSO HAVE A CONTRACT MANAGER AND THAT NEW INSPECTOR THAT I MENTIONED, WE ALSO NEED IT SUPPORT LEGAL SUPPORT.
UM, SOME OF THE FEES WILL GO TO PUBLIC SAFETY AND BEACH SURFACES, A SMALL AMOUNT AND WE'LL HAVE ADMINISTRATIVE FEES.
SO WE'RE VERY CONFIDENT THAT WE CAN, UH, GUARANTEE AT LEAST 7,000 SHORT TERM RENTALS.
UH, WE THINK IT'S A LOT CLOSER TO 10,000 WITH THE, UM, BUT WE WILL BE CERTAIN WHEN WE HAVE THE SOFTWARE IN PLACE WITH A RECOMMENDED THEATER HERE, $50 THAT GIVES US A RANGE OF 1.75 TO $2.5 MILLION A YEAR AGAINST OUR ANNUAL EXPENSES OF 1.5 TO 2.1, $5 MILLION A MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR.
UM, AS I SAID, THE FEES CAN ONLY BE USED FOR SHORT-TERM RENTALS AND THAT CAN BE ADJUSTED ANNUALLY.
SO IF WE GET INTO THE PROGRAM, IF WE FIND WE CAN LOWER THAT FEE, UM, I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE LOWER THE FEE.
UM, WE THINK THIS IS OUR BEST ESTIMATION BASED ON WHETHER COMMUNITIES ARE DOING, UM, WHAT WE THINK OUR EXPENSES ARE GOING TO BE.
UH, SPEAKING OF OTHER COMMUNITIES, ALMOST ALL OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT WE SURVEYED, UH, DO REQUIRE A SEPARATE BUSINESS LICENSE.
AND DO YOU A SHORT-TERM RENTAL FEE.
AND IF YOU AVERAGE THAT OUT, IT'S ABOUT $225.
AND I HAVE A QUESTION ON, SORRY.
UH, THOSE FEES ARE ON THE CALENDAR.
WHAT'S A YEAR, CORRECT? I APOLOGIZE.
I'M YOU SAID THAT WE WERE GOING TO ADOPT THE ORDINANCE, UH, AND MOVE FORWARD WITH IT.
UH, AND I THOUGHT I HEARD YOU SAY SO THAT PEOPLE COULD START PROCESSING THEIR PERMITS.
WHAT THE IDEA, THE IDEA, THE REASON THAT WE CHANGED THE EFFECTIVE DATE IS SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN OPEN THE PERMIT PORTAL AND HAVE PEOPLE START
[01:00:01]
TO APPLY FOR THEIR 20, 23 PERMITS IN ADVANCE OF THE START OF JANUARY 1ST, WITHOUT HAVING TO WRITE THE CHECK.THEY WOULDN'T HAVE TO WRITE THE CHECK THAT WE CAN COLLECT THE CHECK STARTING IN JANUARY.
I JUST WANTED THAT TO BE CLEAR.
UM, WE'RE ALREADY IN THE OPERATIONAL PROGRAM.
SO IF THE ORDINANCE IS APPROVED, WE WOULD SECURE THAT CONTRACT FOR A SOFTWARE IMPLEMENTING SERVICES OR REVIEWING THOSE, UH, RFPS NOW FINALIZE AND PUBLISH THE APPLICATION FORM THE SUPPORT MATERIALS THAT I MENTIONED, SPECIFYING WHAT EXACTLY YOU NEED FOR FIRE OR SAFETY EQUIPMENT, A GOOD NEIGHBOR BROCHURE, UM, AND WE'LL CREATE AND TEST OUR PERMITTING PORTAL.
UM, AGAIN, TO BEGIN ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS THIS FALL IN ADVANCE OF THAT JANUARY 1ST ENFORCEMENT DEADLINE, UH, WE'LL RECRUIT, HIRE, AND TRAIN NEW EMPLOYEES.
UH, THE PUBLIC SAFETY DIRECTOR, A CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, CONTRACT MANAGER, AND INSPECTOR WILL SECURE THE REQUIRED EQUIPMENT AND CLEANING VEHICLES.
UH, WE'LL CREATE AN EXECUTE AND EDUCATION AND COMMITTEE COMMUNICATIONS PLAN, WHICH WE UNDERSTAND NEEDS TO BE VERY ROBUST.
WE'VE GOT A LOT OF FOLKS, A LOT OF FOLKS WHO LIVE OUT OF TOWN AND A LOT OF FOLKS WHO NEED HELP WALKING THROUGH THE APPLICATION PROCESS.
SO WE, THIS WILL BE AN ONGOING AND ROBUST COMMUNICATIONS PLAN TO NOTIFY EVERYONE AND TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS WHAT'S EXPECTED OF THEM AND WHAT THE DEADLINES ARE.
AND JANUARY 1ST WE'LL BEGIN ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS AND INCLUDING ENSURING COMPLIANCE WITH THE ORDINANCE REQUIREMENTS AND SPOT INSPECTIONS.
SO AGAIN, THIS IS PHASE ONE TO ESTABLISH PERFORMANCE STANDARDS FOR SHORT TERM RENTALS OF THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL INITIATIVE.
THIS IS NOT THE END OF THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL INITIATIVE.
WE DO HAVE PHASE TWO, WHICH IS TO INVESTIGATE ADDITIONAL ISSUES AND MONITOR SHORT-TERM RENTAL NUMBERS AND TRENDS.
UM, WE MAY WANT TO CONSIDER A SHORT-TERM RENTAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
UM, WE DO WANT TO EXAMINE A HIGH SHORT SHORT-TERM RENTALS AND HIGH FLOOR AREA RATIO, SINGLE FAMILY STRUCTURES.
UM, THOSE ARE, WE CAN LIST THOSE ARE CONSIDERED THOSE TWO SEPARATELY.
UM, WE WANT TO CONSIDER OCCUPANCY LIMITS BASED ON THE NUMBER OF BEDROOMS AND A PILOT PROGRAM TO ADDRESS SATURDAY CHECK-INS.
UM, GENERALLY THE LAST BULLET IS TO EXAMINE THE IMPACTS OF THE INCREASING NUMBER OF SHORT-TERM RENTALS ON THE ISLAND AND THE IMPLICATIONS OF THAT TREND FOR THE FUTURE.
THERE'S A LOT, UH, CARRIED IN THAT AND A LOT IN APPLIED IN THAT, BUT THE DATA THAT WE'LL GATHER WILL GIVE US SOME GUIDANCE ON THAT.
ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THOSE NEXT STEPS? I WOULD JUST SAY NO.
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT, UM, AS I HAVE BEFORE, SOME OF THESE NEXT STEPS IN MY MIND REALLY SHOULD BE, UM, THINGS THAT WE HAVE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING ON.
UM, IT WOULD HAVE IN MY MIND, UM, BEEN A BETTER WAY TO GO TO INCLUDE SOME OF THESE STEPS INTO PHASE ONE.
I THINK THAT OVERALL THE TOWN HAS A LOT TO DO WITH ITS RESPONSIBILITIES FOR CREATING A COMMUNITY WHERE, UM, THE IMPACT ON RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS AND THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF THOSE WHO NOT ONLY LIVE IN THEM YEAR ROUND PART-TIME, BUT ALSO OUR VISITORS EXPECT, UM, HERE ON HILTON HEAD.
UM, AND SO WORKING TOGETHER, UM, IN BRINGING PHASE TWO FORWARD QUICKLY IN MY MIND IS, IS REALLY INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.
UM, SINCE IN MY MIND, IT'S LONG OVERDUE.
SO IN THE LONG RUN, ALL OF THIS COMBINED, UM, SHOULD HAVE THE GOAL, UM, AND THE, UH, SUCCESS RATE OF ENSURING THAT OUR RESIDENTS HAVE SOMEONE THEY CAN CALL WHEN THEY'RE BEING DISTURBED AND THAT THE MONITORING SYSTEM IS EFFECTIVE IN MAKING SURE THAT THOSE COMPLAINTS AND REPORTS ARE ADDRESSED QUICKLY AND THE PROBLEM RESOLVED, AND WE CAN MOVE ON FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE HOME THERE'S SHORT-TERM RENTALS OUT THERE.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S AN ISSUE, BUT FOR THOSE THAT THERE ARE, IT'S SUBSTANTIAL TO THEIR NEIGHBORS.
AND, UM, IN THIS WIPE OUT AS TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
SO PHASE TWO IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO GET STARTED ON AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
UM, I AT FIRST, LIKE THE THANK STAFF IN PARTICULAR, MS. SIREN FOR THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE THUS FAR, UM, YOU'VE BEEN VERY ATTENTIVE.
YOU'VE LISTENED VERY WELL AND YOU'VE PRESENTED VERY WELL.
I KNOW IT'S BEEN SOMEWHAT OF A LONG PRESENTATION HERE, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION IN MAYBE THE FIRST TIME FOR, FOR SOME FOLKS IN, IN, IN THE PUBLIC.
UM, AS FAR AS NEXT STEPS ARE CONCERNED, UM, I'M TRYING TO ANTICIPATE A POTENTIAL DISCONNECT HERE.
UM, WE HAVE NOT GOTTEN TO PHASE ONE IN A VACUUM.
AND WITH THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE BEING ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE NEXT STEP, I THINK THAT'S
[01:05:01]
CRITICAL BECAUSE IT CONTINUES TO ENGAGE WITH THOSE THAT ARE AFFECTED EVA AS A SHORT-TERM RENTAL PROVIDER OR A RESIDENT THAT IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE NUANCES.AND AS WE ALL KNOW, AS, UH, THINGS START TO GET DOWN THE ROAD, WE HAVE LESS AND LESS PARTICIPATION, UM, BECAUSE OF FATIGUE.
UH, SO I THINK THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE IS CRUCIAL TO US MOVING FORWARD AND IT REALLY RELATES TO THE ORDINANCE THAT IS BEFORE US ALSO, BECAUSE, UH, IF WE HAVE THOSE THAT ARE NOT FOLLOWING THE RULES EVENTUALLY COME BEFORE US AS A BODY TO MAKE A FINAL DECISION AS TO IF THEY'RE GOING TO STAY IN BUSINESS OR NOT, THEY'D ADVISORY COMMITTEE CAN HELP US TO MAKE A SOUND DECISION.
UM, I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
UM, ALONG THE WAY, UM, YOU HAVE EXPERTS FROM BOTH SIDES GIVING US SOUND INFORMATION.
UM, I THINK THE OCCUPANCY LIMITS ARE, ARE REALLY IMPORTANT.
UM, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY FOLKS ARE ACTUALLY WITHIN THE SHORT TERM RENTAL, UH, ESTABLISHMENT? UM, I THINK THE MORE PEOPLE YOU GET IN THE SMALLER SITUATION CAUSES MORE ISSUES.
UH, SO THAT, THAT PIECE IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.
UM, THE SATURDAY CHECK-IN PIECE, UM, I GUESS THAT'S A LITTLE STICKLER FOR ME BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW THAT GETTING OUT OF THE HILTON HEAD ON SATURDAYS IS SUCH A CHORE.
UM, AND IF WE COULD, IF WE COULD JUMP ON THAT, THEN MAYBE THAT HELPS WITH SOME OF OUR TRAFFIC ISSUES THAT WE CONTINUE TO DISCUSS OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
UH, SO I THINK THIS IS THAT'S A GRAND OPPORTUNITY FOR US.
UM, YEAH, THOSE ARE MY, UH, MY THOUGHTS AS FAR AS NEXT STEPS ARE CONCERNED AND AGAIN, NOT APPLAUD AND, AND, UM, ALSO, UH, COUNCILMAN AIMS AT HIS LEADERSHIP AT THE PUBLIC PLANNING COMMITTEE.
I THINK WE'LL GET TO A GOOD PLACE AT THESE TWO FAIRLY QUICKLY.
UH, SO W WE'VE GOT OUR SLEEVES ROLLED UP AND READY TO GO.
UM, AND, UH, I HAVE TO PUBLICLY SAY THAT YOUR LEADERSHIP IN THIS AREA, UH, HAS REALLY BEEN OUTSTANDING, UM, BECAUSE YOU HAVE BEEN HUMBLE IN YOUR PERSISTENCE AND, UM, YOU HAVE BEEN DOGGING AND GETTING THE INFORMATION THAT THE PUBLIC HAS REQUESTED.
MY ANTICIPATION IS THAT THERE'LL BE OTHER THINGS ADDED TO IT.
UM, NOW WHEN WE TALK ABOUT IMPACT OF SHORT-TERM RENTALS, IF WE HAVE USED THE NUMBER 7,000, IF THOSE ARE RENTED 13 WEEKS OF THE YEAR, WE HAVE ONE IMPACT.
IF THEY'RE RENTED 52, WE HAVE ANOTHER, UH, SO TOTAL NUMBER OF TOURISTS AND IMPACTS, UH, SOMETHING THAT WE OUGHT TO BE LOOKING AT.
AND THEN YOU HINTED AT OCCUPANCY RATES, UM, ANNUAL OCCUPANCY RATES OF SHORT-TERM RENTALS.
DO WE HAVE AN AVERAGE AT THIS POINT OR NOT? WE DO NOT AT THIS POINT, BUT WE WILL ANTICIPATE HAVING THAT.
UM, I THINK THAT AS WE TEASE OUT WHERE THE REALLY CRITICAL ISSUES ARE, I THINK WE'LL WE'LL KNOW WHAT THIS LIST REALLY OUGHT TO BE, BUT I WANT TO SAY, UM, THE EMPHASIS IN PHASE ONE, THE ORDINANCE AS ATTEMPTED TO BALANCE, UH, SORT OF RESIDENT INTERESTS, BIZ, UM, VISITOR INTEREST, UM, WE, AS A COMMUNITY OF RESIDENTS, I THINK SHARE SOME RESPONSIBILITY TO BE AMBASSADORS OF GOODWILL AND HOSPITALITY, BUT WE SHOULD ALSO BE EXPECTING OUR VISITORS TO COME INTO THIS COMMUNITY WITH SOME SENSITIVITY AND RESPECT.
AND SO HOW WE DO THAT IS ONE OF OUR SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES.
I THINK THAT THE PURPOSE IN MY MIND ANYWAY OF THE ORDINANCE IS TO ESTABLISH A STANDARD OF QUALITY, UH, TO, UM, HAVE CLEAR EXPECTATIONS FOR OWNERS OR RENTAL AGENTS AND FOR VISITORS AND TO THESE, TO THE DEGREE THAT WE CAN SUCCEED IN ARTICULATING THOSE EXPECTATIONS.
I THINK WE'LL BE A BETTER PLACE TO VISIT AND A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE.
[01:10:02]
MAY I HAVE SOME GENERAL COMMENTS? YES, SIR.FIRST OF ALL, I DON'T LIKE REGULATION ANY MORE THAN ANYBODY ELSE, BUT I SINCERELY BELIEVE THAT WE WERE FORCED INTO THIS ACTION BECAUSE OF TWO ADVERSE IMPACTS ON OUR COMMUNITIES.
THE FIRST WAS ADVERSE IMPACT ON WHAT WE CALL ISLAND CHARACTER.
WE DON'T WANT TO BE A RENTAL PARADISE.
WE WANT US TO BE A PARADISE AND WE NEED TO HAVE REASONABLE CONTROLS ON THIS.
THE SECOND HAS TO DO WITH THE ABUSES OF A FEW.
I KNOW THAT WE HAVE THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE OWNERS OF SHORT-TERM RENTALS IN THIS COMMUNITY AND THE MANAGERS WHO MANAGE PROPERTIES FOR OTHERS ARE RESPONSIBLE OR RESPONSIVE AND TRY TO DO THE VERY BEST JOB TO PROVIDE A QUALITY EXPERIENCE TO THOSE RENTAL, THOSE TENANTS AT THE SAME TIME, EXPECTING THEM TO RESPOND TO US AND HAVE GOOD ATTITUDES.
THIS ORDINANCE HAS BEEN UNDER CONSIDERATION FOR MORE THAN TWO YEARS.
THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE MEETINGS.
THERE'S BEEN A GREAT DEAL OF INPUT RECEIVED FROM VARIOUS COMPONENTS IN THE COMMUNITY, FROM THE MANAGEMENT COMPANIES, UH, FROM INDIVIDUAL CITIZENS, FROM VARIOUS COMMUNITIES AROUND UNDER AN EXCELLENT LEADERSHIP.
THIS INFORMATION HAS BEEN ASSIMILATED.
AND THEN A SECOND MAIN THRUST HAD TO DO WITH DRAWING ON THE EXPERIENCE OF OTHER COASTAL COMMUNITIES DEALING WITH THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL ISSUES.
SO WE HAVE EXAMINED STAFF PRIMARILY AS EXAMINED OF IT.
PLANNING COMMITTEE HAS ALSO EXAMINED THE ORDINANCES OF OTHER COMMUNITIES SEEKING TO REGULATE SHORT-TERM RENTALS.
AND I THINK WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS THE BEST ASSIMILATION OF THOSE USING THE BEST TOOLS BASED UPON THE EXPERIENCE OF OTHER COMMUNITIES FACING SIMILAR PROBLEMS. SO I DO SALUTE ANNE AND THE STAFF FOR AN OUTSTANDING JOB BEING DONE IN THE FULL VIEW OF THE PUBLIC FROM BEGINNING TO END.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL OF YOUR EFFORTS IN THAT REGARD.
AND WITH REGARD TO NEXT STEPS.
I AGREE THAT THIS IS JUST A START.
UM, I AM INTRIGUED WITH THE NOTION OF A CITIZEN ADVISORY COMMITTEE SO THAT WE'RE NOT HAVING TO DRAW ON PUTTING MORE WORK ON THE TOWN STAFF, BUT RATHER AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE THAT COULD GATHER DATA FOR US OVER THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR AND INTO THE FUTURE SO THAT WE CAN UNDERSTAND MORE OF THE DETAILS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM.
I RAN FOR THIS COUNCIL ON THE BASIS OF RESIDENTS FIRST.
SO I AM LOOKING TO THE RESIDENTS OF THIS ISLAND AND TRYING TO PROTECT THEIR INTERESTS AT THE SAME TIME, LOOKING AT FOR THE INTEREST OF OUR VITAL TOURISM COMMUNITY.
SO I THINK THIS IS A PROPER NEXT STEP AND I INTEND TO SUPPORT IT.
IS THERE ANY MORE QUESTIONS BY MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL? I WOULD JUST ADD THAT.
AND YOU'VE BEEN, UH, YOU'VE LED AN EFFORT THAT I THINK HAS BEEN CHARACTERIZED BY A HIGH DEGREE OF PUBLIC PARTICIPATION, A HIGH DEGREE OF FROM THE BUSINESS LEADERS IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT ARE IN THE SECTOR.
AND, UH, YOU'VE BEEN VERY TRANSPARENT IN THE PROCESS AND YOUR COMPETENCE HAS HELPED US A GREAT DEAL.
AND YOU ALSO DRAWN FROM THE COMPETENCE OF OTHERS IN THE SAME FIELD, UH, IN OTHER COMMUNITIES, UM, ON THE, ON THE EAST COAST HERE.
SO, UH, YES, THIS IS A GOOD START.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE WE'LL END UP HERE.
UH, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO, UH, AGREE ON SOME CLEAR VETRIX, UH, GOING FORWARD SO THAT YOU CAN START MEASURING AGAIN, HOW WELL YOU'RE DOING.
UH, WELL WE'RE DOING AND, AND, AND MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION THAT MAY AVOID THE, UH, THE NEED FOR MORE ONEROUS, UH, ACTIVITY IN THIS AREA.
IF WE'RE DOING, IF WE CAN PROVE TO OURSELVES WE'RE DOING A GOOD JOB, MAYBE WE CAN LESSEN THE REQUIREMENT FOR, UH, FOR OVERSIGHT
[01:15:01]
MAYOR.IF I CAN JUST TAKE TWO MORE SECONDS.
I BRUSHED INTO MY COMMENTS, WHICH I THINK ARE IMPORTANT.
AND I HOPE THAT, UM, I WAS GLAD I WAS ABLE TO SHARE, YOU KNOW, I'VE SAID IT BEFORE PUBLICLY, BUT I WANT TO HEAR AGAIN, SAY THANK YOU.
I THINK THE AMOUNT OF RESPECT, THE CALM NATURE THAT YOU'VE HAD THROUGHOUT ALL OF THESE MEETINGS HAS BEEN ABSOLUTELY, UH, REMARKABLY SENSITIVE TO THE ISSUES AND TO OUR RESIDENTS AND OUR VISITORS AND OUR BUSINESSES.
AND I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE TO GET US THERE.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE COMMUNITY I'M SHOCKED? YES, SIR.
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE GIVE US YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH LIMITED MICHIGAN, AND I'M ON PROPERTY OR PALMETTO DUNES.
YOU'RE LOOKING AT SOMEBODY WHO'S BEEN SUED OVER AUDIO LEVELS THAT HAVE COME FROM THEIR PROPERTY.
I HAD A NEIGHBOR WITH BAD INTENTIONS.
UH, AUDIO LEVELS CAN BE VERY SUBJECTIVE.
THIS PERSON SUED ME FOR THE AUDIO LEVELS COMING FROM MY FARM.
I HIRE A PROFESSIONAL SOUND COMPANY TO STUDY THE LEVELS OF SOUND COMING FROM MY FARM.
AND IT TURNED OUT DURING THE LAWSUIT THAT THOSE AUDIO LEVELS WERE THE EQUIVALENT OF ME HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH SOMEBODY STANDING AT THE PROPERTY LINE.
I DIDN'T GET MY $150,000 BACK DEFENDING MYSELF.
AND I'M JUST CONCERNED THAT SOMETHING AS SUBJECTIVE AS SOUND COULD CAUSE SOMEBODY TO LOSE THEIR ABILITY TO RENT THEIR PROPERTY, GIVEN A NEIGHBOR WHO MAYBE HAS BAD INTENTIONS LIKE MINE.
ARE THERE ANY AUDIO LEVELS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THESE COMPLAINTS THAT THEY HAVE TO BE SUSTAINED FOR A CERTAIN LEVEL OF AMOUNT OF TIME? I MEAN, HOW WAS THAT ALL DETERMINED? YES.
THE TOWN'S MUNICIPAL CODE INCLUDES A CHART WITH A DECIBEL LEVELS THAT ARE THE ACCEPTABLE LEVELS OF NOISE THAT'S PRODUCED.
WE ALSO HAVE A GENERAL STATEMENT THAT YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO DISTURB THE PEACE BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 10:00 PM AND 7:00 PM AND 7:00 AM.
SO THAT LEAVES SOME DISCRETION FOR THE TOWN, BUT ALSO MEASUREMENT, UH, TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE WITHIN THOSE LEVELS.
IT'S IN THE MUNICIPAL CODE RIGHT NOW, SIR? YES, SIR.
FOR THE NOISE AT THE BEGINNING, I'M DAVID, I'M A LAWYER HERE ON THE ISLAND AND HAVE OWNED A HOUSE DOWN IN NORTH FOREST BEACH, UH, SINCE 1990.
AND I READ IT NOW ON A SHORT-TERM RENTAL MARKET.
AND I GUESS THE THING THAT KIND OF CONCERNS ME ABOUT THIS ENTIRE DISCUSSION IS THE IMPLICATION THAT PEOPLE WHO RENT THE HOUSE, MY HOUSE, FOR EXAMPLE, AND IT COULD BE UP TO 20 PEOPLE WHO STAY IN THE HOUSE THAT SOMEHOW OR ANOTHER, THEIR ATTENDANCE AT THE HOUSE, SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY ARE SHORT TERM RENTALS, PUTS THEM IN A CATEGORY DIFFERENT FROM LOCAL CITIZENS WHO OWN SIMILAR TYPES OF HOUSES.
UH, WHAT I'M HEARING IS, IS, IS KIND OF AN APPLICATION TO PEOPLE WHO COME HERE TO THIS ISLAND TO VISIT.
I LOVE THE ENVIRONMENT THAT WE ALL LOVE ARE SOMEHOW MORE NEEDY OR MORE NEEDY OF, OF OVERSIGHT, UH, THAN, THAN ANYBODY ALONG THE LINE.
AND AGAIN, MAYBE I'M REPEATING MYSELF, BUT I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THAT RESIDENCE, WHICH MIGHT BE A SHORT TERM RENTAL FOR A WEEK WOULD BE TREATED ANY DIFFERENTLY FROM A LONG-TERM RESIDENCE OF A PRIVATE OWNER.
I MEAN THE SAME RULES FOR CONDUCT FOR NOISE, UH, WHATEVER IT MAY BE SHOULD APPLY ACROSS THE BOARD AND WHETHER IT'S A SHORT-TERM RENTAL OR WHETHER IT'S SOMEONE WHO LIVE HERE ALL THE TIME.
I DON'T SEE THE DIFFERENCE, BUT I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
I AM NOT A RESIDENT OF THE COMMUNITY, BUT PLANNING TO MOVE IN JANUARY, PROBABLY LIKE A LOT OF US, YOU KNOW, WE STARTED OUT VACATIONING HERE.
THEN WE BOUGHT SHORT-TERM RENTAL OR BOUGHT A CONDO, HAVING A SHORT-TERM RENTAL POOL AND THEN OBVIOUSLY BECOME RESIDENTS.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I, AND I'VE WORKED WITH THE, UM, READING THE VARIOUS PAPERWORK, YOU KNOW, FROM OHIO AND, AND FILING COMMENTS ON SHORT-TERM RENTAL LAST YEAR, ET CETERA.
UM, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WAS WONDERING IF ANYBODY DOES ANYBODY IN THE ADMINISTRATION OR COUNCIL OWNED SHORT-TERM RENTALS THEMSELVES, YOU DID.
[01:20:01]
SO YOU CAN SPEAK FROM EXPERIENCE AND HAVE OWNERSHIP.UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE PUTTING A HUGE AMOUNT OF INFRASTRUCTURE AND EMPHASIS WHEN WE REALLY DON'T KNOW ALL THE NUMBERS.
I MEAN, WE'RE GOING TO SPEND TWO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS NOW.
I KNOW PALMETTO DUNES, WHICH IS WHERE I HAVE MY SHORT TERM RENTAL.
THERE'S BEEN REGISTRATION FOR TWO YEARS NOW.
I WOULD THINK THERE'D BE SOME DATA THAT YOU'D BE ABLE TO RECEIVE.
AND I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT PALMETTO DUNES IS A SMALLER COMMUNITY, COULD AFFORD THE SOFTWARE IF IT'S HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO IMPLEMENT SUCH A THING.
SO I THINK THERE'S, I THINK THE COSTS SEEM WAY OVERBOARD FROM A PERMIT FEE AND A LICENSE FEE.
UH, YOU KNOW, THE OLD ADAGE VEGAS WASN'T BUILT BY WINNERS, YOU KNOW, IT WAS BUILT BY LOSERS.
I'D SAY THE SAME THING HERE IN THE COMMUNITY.
ARE WE, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S REALLY HELPED PROPERTY VALUES.
THE LAST NUMBER OF YEARS WHAT'S HELPED THE ECONOMY.
THE LAST NUMBER OF YEARS, YOU KNOW, WE ALL, I MEAN, I FOLLOWED THE WHOLE THING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, KIND OF SHUTTING DOWN HILTON HEAD AT THE BEGINNING OF COVID AND THE WHOLE MASS THING AND BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, REMOTELY.
AND IT WAS THE PEOPLE THAT WERE COMING DOWN HERE AND STILL VACATIONING THAT HELP KIND OF KEEP EVERYTHING ALIVE.
AND ARE WE, AGAIN, TRYING TO KILL THE GOLDEN GOOSE BY TIGHTENING UP ON STRS? AND IF WE DON'T EVEN REALLY HONESTLY KNOW THE PROBLEM, YOU, YOU REFERENCED CITED ONE SURVEY FROM PALMETTO OR FROM, UM, UM, UH, C PINES AND THEIR, AND THEIR PERMIT OR THEIR, YOU KNOW, DAY PAST PURCHASES.
AND ALSO THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA NOW REQUIRES A LICENSE AND A REGISTRATION.
SO THERE MIGHT BE ADDITIONAL DATA.
SO MAYBE WE'VE GOT THE CART WAY BEFORE THE HORSE, BUT BEFORE HAVING ALL OUR DATA ANYWAY, THAT'S MY COMMENT.
AND I'LL SEE YOU IN SIX MONTHS IN THE RIVER.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YES, SIR.
UM, MY NAME IS RICK ROSS AND IOWANS AND MY SHORT-TERM RENTALS IN THE POLITE FIELD AREA.
I JUST HAD, I JUST WANT TO MAKE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS ABOUT THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL ORDINANCE.
YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA, YOU KNOW, ENFORCE THE SHORT-TERM RENTALS TO ENFORCE THE PARKING, THE TRASH, THE NOISE.
AND I AGREE WITH THE ORDINANCES THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN PLACE TO TRY TO CURB THOSE PROBLEMS. UM, THE ONE THING I WAS A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT WAS THIS A NINE BY 18 PARKING SPOT REGULATION, BECAUSE IT DOESN'T SEEM VERY PRACTICAL OR VERY ENFORCEABLE.
UM, AND ANY ORDINANCE IT'S NOT FORCIBLE REALLY IS NOT A GOOD WAY TO PROCEED FORWARD.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU START TELLING PEOPLE HOW MANY CARS THEY CAN PUT IN THEIR DRIVEWAY, IT STARTS BECOMING LIKE A PROPERTY RIGHTS ISSUE INSTEAD OF A REGULATION FOR PARKING TRASH OR NOISE.
UM, JUST AN EXAMPLE IS, YOU KNOW, MY DRIVEWAY HOLDS FOR CARS.
IT HAS FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, I'VE OWNED IT, BUT WITH THE NEW REGULATIONS AND NINE BY 18, UH, PARKING SPOT, NOW IT SAYS THAT MY DRIVE, I CAN ONLY HOLD TWO CARS THROUGH THE TOWN.
SO IT DOESN'T SEEM VERY FAIR BECAUSE MY DRIVEWAY IS ONE FOOT SHORT OF 36 FEET THAT I NOW AM RELEGATED TO ONLY HAVING TWO CARS FOR MY GUESTS, BUT MY LONGTERM RESIDENT, NEXT DOOR, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE 10 CARS IN THE FRONT YARD, TWO BOATS IN THE FRONT YARD AND NO DRIVEWAY THAT'S PAID AT ALL.
SO IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT'S BEING VERY UNEVENLY APPLIED BETWEEN A LONGTERM RESIDENT NEXT TO ME, AND THEN MY GUESTS THAT ARE COMING.
SO I JUST THINK THE PARKING NEEDS TO BE APPLIED EVENLY BETWEEN SHORT-TERM RENTALS AND THE LONG-TERM RESIDENTS, YOU KNOW, DRIVING ELIMINATING IS GOING TO CREATE CHAOS AND CONFUSION EVERYWHERE FOR THE ISLAND GUESTS AND THE SHORT-TERM RENTALS.
UH, I'M GUESSING PROBABLY 30% OF THE SHORT-TERM RENTALS ON THE ENTIRE ISLAND CAN FIT FOUR CARS IN THEIR DRIVEWAY RIGHT NOW AND HAS DONE THAT FOR DECADES.
UM, BUT DUE TO THE NEW DRIVEWAY REGULATIONS, NOW THEY'RE ONLY GOING TO BE DEEMED TO BE ABLE TO FIT TWO CARS.
UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS DRAMATICALLY GOING TO CUT THE NUMBER OF GUESTS AND THE SIZE OF FAMILIES THAT CAN VISIT HERE.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE TOWN PROVIDES FOR NO LONG-TERM PARKING ANYWHERE ON THE ISLAND, UH, AND THEY DON'T PROVIDE A BIG AIRPORT WHERE PEOPLE CAN ACTUALLY FLY IN HERE AND NOT HAVE TO DEPEND ON CARS TO GET HERE.
SO YOU'RE CUTTING THE DRIVEWAY SPACES AND NOT PROVIDING ANY OTHER ALTERNATIVES FOR THE GUESTS, UM, OR FOR THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL OWNERS.
UM, YOU KNOW, AT ONE SATURDAY NIGHT DURING CHECK-IN IN THE SUMMER, THERE'S GOING TO BE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE THAT ARE VIOLATING THIS DRIVEWAY ORDINANCE BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO BE USED TO HAVING FOUR CARS FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS IN THEIR DRIVEWAY.
AND NOW THEY'RE GOING TO BE DOWN TO TWO BECAUSE OF THESE NUMBERS THAT ARE BEING IMPOSED.
SO IT'S GOING TO BE IMPOSSIBLE TO EVENLY, YOU KNOW, VIOLATE AND REGULATE EVERYBODY ON THE ISLAND ON, ON, ON THESE PARKING REGULATIONS FOR SIZES OF DRIVEWAYS.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE PARKING ORDINANCES IS GOING TO BE ROY ENFORCEABLE.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND AS FAR AS THE NOISE COMPLAINTS, UH, IS REAL QUICKLY THE NOISE COMPLAINTS, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GOING TO CALL THE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT COMPANY, THAT PROPERTY MANAGEMENT COMPANY MIGHT FAIL TO ANSWER THE PHONE TWICE.
THE ORDINANCE SAYS THAT THEY'LL REVOKE THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL LICENSE, AND THEN THE OWNER IS NOT REALLY AT FAULT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THEY HIRED A PROFESSIONAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT COMPANY AND THEY FAILED TO ON THEIR LEVEL.
SO, YOU KNOW, NOW THE SHORT TERM LICENSE IS REVOKED.
THE PROPERTY OWNER NOW SUES THE TOWN BECAUSE OF IT.
AND THEY SUE THE MANAGEMENT COMPANY, THE MANAGEMENT COMPANY SEES THE TOWN AND YOU CAN SEE HOW IT CAN TURN INTO A PRETTY LARGE DEBACLE, YOU KNOW, IN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
SO I JUST WANTED TO BRING UP THOSE, UH, UM, THOSE POINTS.
ANYBODY ELSE? ANY QUESTIONS? YES, MA'AM
[01:25:01]
GOOD AFTERNOON.I'M KATE MACULEAN RESIDENT OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND, AND ALSO WORK FOR A VACATION RENTAL COMPANY.
UM, SO YOU HAD ASKED FOR SOME QUESTIONS AND, UM, I'VE ASKED THIS BEFORE.
I WAS WONDERING HOW MANY VIOLATIONS EQUAL A CITATION.
SO IT'S VERY VAGUE IS ONE VIOLATION AS CITATION IS 10 VIOLATIONS AS CITATION.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO KNOW, ESPECIALLY IF TWO CITATIONS EQUAL SUSPENSION OR REVOCATION, AND THEN IS THE PERMIT BEING REVOKED OR THE BUSINESS LICENSE.
IF AN OWNER HAS ONE BUSINESS LICENSE, 10 PERMITS UNDERNEATH THAT LICENSE ARE ALL 10 VACATION RENTAL PROPERTIES IN JEOPARDY.
UM, SO THOSE ARE MY QUESTIONS.
I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THAT MR. ROSS JUST STATED.
I AM IN TOTAL AGREEMENT WITH THAT PARKING IS A HUGE ISSUE, UM, ON HILTON HEAD, ESPECIALLY NOW WITH SOME CONDO ASSOCIATIONS IMPLEMENTING THEIR OWN RESTRICTIONS ON PARKING, IT'S LEAVING A LOT OF THAT.
THERE IS NO OVERFLOW PARKING ANYWHERE ON THE ISLAND AND GUESTS.
UNFORTUNATELY, DON'T DO A GREAT JOB OF READING THE INSTRUCTIONS THAT WE PROVIDE TO THEM, AND THEY BRING DOWN HOWEVER MANY CARS THAT THEY WANT.
THESE ARE HUGE VEHICLES THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S JUST NOT ENOUGH PARKING FOR THEM, EVEN ON A SUBSTANTIALLY LARGE DRIVEWAY.
UM, I ALSO DO HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THE DESIGNATED DRIVEWAY SPACES.
I THINK THAT REALLY IS GONNA HURT, UH, DRIVEWAYS THAT COULD POTENTIALLY FOOT FOR CARS.
AND NOW IT'S REALLY ONLY FITTING TO WHEN IT HASN'T BEEN A PROBLEM BEFORE.
AND THEN ON PHASE TWO, I LOVE THE IDEA OF AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
JUST WONDERING WHO WOULD SERVE ON THAT? IS IT MANAGEMENT COMPANIES? IS IT RESIDENTS, IS IT OWNERS OF SHORT-TERM RENTALS? I THINK WE SHOULD REALLY HAVE, UM, A GOOD MIX OF PEOPLE.
SATURDAY CHECK-IN PILOT PROGRAM.
I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THAT MEANS.
IT'S VERY TERRIFYING FROM A SHORT-TERM RENTALS PERSPECTIVE WHEN GASTRO BOOKING 12 TO 16 MONTHS IN ADVANCE CHECKING IN ON A SATURDAY MEMORIAL DAY THROUGH LABOR DAY, IT'S EXTREMELY STANDARD.
YOU CHECK IN ON SATURDAY, EVEN IN APRIL.
SO THERE'S GOING TO BE A GIANT TRICKLE DOWN EFFECT.
SO WE WOULD NEED TO KNOW WAY IN ADVANCE OF ANYTHING THAT COULD POTENTIALLY CHANGE.
UM, THAT'S IT FOR NOW? THANKS VERY MUCH.
MY NAME'S CHRISTOPHER CLIFF HAD BEEN RESIDENTS SINCE THE END OF 2000.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY SO MUCH CONTROVERSY IS ARISING OVER THIS ORDINANCE.
I'VE HEARD SPEAKER AFTER SPEAKER SAY THE VAST MAJORITY OF SHORT-TERM RENTERS OR SO LAURA BINDING AND CONSCIENTIOUS AND COURTEOUS.
WHY SHOULD THIS ORDINANCE CAUSE SO MUCH CONTROVERSY? IF THAT'S THE CASE, SURELY IT'S IN ALL OUR INTERESTS TO REGULATE THE NON-COMPLIANT SHORT-TERM RENTER.
THE OTHER THING I'D LIKE TO SAY, IF YOU CHECK OUT THE DAILY ARRIVALS, THE VEHICLES AUNTIE IRELAND, AND I'VE GOT A FIVE-YEAR DATABASE BY DAY BY MONTH, SINCE 2018, YOU'LL NOTICE THAT THERE'S NO LONGER THE PEAK ON THE SATURDAY THAT EVERYBODY TALKS ABOUT THURSDAY IS A VERY SIGNIFICANT ARRIVALS DAY.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE PATTERN, THAT'S BEEN AN INCREASING PROPENSITY FOR SHORT TERM RENTERS, NOT SATURDAY TO SATURDAY LONG WEEKENDS.
YES, BUT ALSO THREE OR FOUR DAYS DURING THE WEEK.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF DATA AVAILABLE.
THAT'S NOT BEING CONSULTED BY PEOPLE.
AND THERE'S A LOT OF HER SAY, WHICH IS LEADING TO OPINIONS BASED ON FALSE OR LACK OF UNDERSTANDING OF THE DATA THAT'S AVAILABLE.
AND, AND HER TEAM HAVE DONE A MAGNIFICENT JOB.
AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY ON THIS ISLAND, WHY THERE'S SO MUCH CONCERN ABOUT THIS ASPECT OF THE HOSPITALS.
INDUSTRY, WHICH IS NOT REGULATED.
WHY NOT? THIS IS IN ALL OUR INTERESTS, THE AIRBNB AND THE VR BEO ISSUE HAS CREPT UP ON THIS WHOLE.
IF I GO BACK TO 2000, WHEN WE CAME HERE AND NOW LOOK AT IT, IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE IT'S THE SAME ENVIRONMENT.
NOBODY IS AGAINST SHORT-TERM RENTERS.
I MANAGE ONE FOR THREE YEARS FOR A VERY CLOSE RELATIVE.
PEOPLE ARE BOOKED FOR SHORT-TERM RENTAL QUITE OFTEN.
SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT OF CONTROVERSY BEING EXPRESSED BY PEOPLE
[01:30:01]
WHO HAVE A VESTED INTEREST IN CONTINUING UNREGULATED GROWTH.AND THERE'S A LOT OF RESIDENTS WHO ARE HAPPY WITH SHORT-TERM RENTERS HAVE SOME BAD EXPERIENCES, BUT DON'T PUT THE HEAD ABOVE THE PARAPET.
THIS ORDINANCE IS A DAMN GOOD ORDINANCE.
WELL-THOUGHT-OUT, IT'S A BABY STEP TO FALL REGULATION.
DON'T BE INTIMIDATED BY THE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT COMPANY.
THEY MAKE THEM MONEY, NOT THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY.
DREW BROWN, UH, CO-FOUNDER OF ISLAND TIME, HILTON, HEAD MANAGING PARTNER.
UM, THE OWNERS DO ACTUALLY MAKE THE MONEY.
WE MAKE A SMALL PORTION, SO LET'S GET THAT RIGHT OFF THE BAT.
UH, I APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S TIME AND EFFORT, UH, IN, IN DOING THIS.
UM, I DO AGREE THAT THIS IS A FIRST STEP.
I THINK THE FUTURE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT WE LOOK AT.
UM, AND WHEN YOU HAVE YOUR, UM, NEXT STEPS, I BELIEVE MR. AMES, YOU ASKED ME IF I WOULD TAKE THE LEAD ON THAT AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT WE HAVE, SO, UH, WE HAVE NOW CREATED A HILTON HEAD VACATION RENTAL ALLIANCE FUNDED BY EXPEDIA AND RENT RESPONSIBLY.
THEY'VE HELPED US WITH OUR ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION.
IT IS OPEN TO ALL VACATION RENTAL PROPERTY OWNERS, INCLUDING PROPERTY MANAGERS.
WE HAVE A BOARD MADE UP OF BOTH PROPERTY MANAGERS AND INDIVIDUAL OWNERS.
UM, WE HAVE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT, UH, ALL OF THOSE ISSUES.
UH, WE'VE ALSO COME UP WITH POSSIBLY A HYBRID MODEL THAT WOULD LOOK AT THE OCCUPANCY PER BEDROOMS, PLUS A RATIO.
UH, WE'VE ALREADY DISCUSSED THE DIFFERENCE ON DAYS OF ARRIVAL.
WE THINK THAT IS A VERY IMPORTANT THING TO DISCUSS, BUT WHAT I THINK I, I REALLY WANT TO TRY AND ALUMINATE TO YOU IS I STAND HERE TODAY, KNOWING THAT THIS FIRST READING WILL HAPPEN IN THE SECOND READING WILL HAPPEN, AND THIS WILL PASS.
AND YOU, YOUR NUMBERS, WE WOULD HAVE EXPECTED THAT WE WOULD HAVE BEEN IN THE MILLION FIVE, 2,000,007 RANGE OF NUMBER OF VISITORS IN TERMS OF NUMBER OF NIGHTS.
YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE THAT DATA TO, TO, TO COLLABORATE THAT.
BUT IF THAT MEANS THAT WE'RE SOLVING FOR A 1% PROBLEM, DID YOU RECEIVE 15,000 PHONE CALLS? SO IF WE'RE IN 99% OF COMPLIANCE RIGHT NOW, WHAT'S REALLY THE GOAL FOR THE FUTURE.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WILLING TO LOOK AT AS PROFESSIONAL MANAGERS, BECAUSE IT IS OUR LIVELIHOOD.
IT'S THE LIVELIHOOD OF THE SEVEN TO 10 PLUS THOUSAND HOMEOWNERS THAT WE ALL REPRESENT AND MIND YOU, OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THIS AS A COMMUNITY, WE ARE TRYING TO DO OUR FAIR SHARE.
AND OUR PART IN THE, THE ORDINANCE OUTLINED IS ACCEPTABLE, BUT WHERE DO WE GO NEXT? WHERE DO WE PUSH OUR COMMUNITY TOGETHER IN THE FUTURE? BECAUSE I THINK FOR US AS, UH, INDIVIDUAL RESIDENTS AND INDIVIDUAL BUSINESS OWNERS, IT'S BEEN A GOOD PROCESS, BUT IT'S ALSO BEEN ONE THAT WE'VE REALIZED THAT WE'RE IN A POSITION THAT WE CAN ALSO BE VERY MUCH TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF A TWO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLAR.
UM, START TO THAT BUDGET SHOULD BE VERY MUCH WELL FOR THE TOWN, UNDERSTAND THAT COMES OUT OF PEOPLE'S POCKETS.
THEY MIGHT HAVE TO COME OUT OF OUR POCKETS FROM, FROM A HOMEOWNER'S PERSPECTIVE IF THEY FIGHT.
SO WE JUST NEED TO CONTINUE THIS COLLABORATION TOGETHER.
THE HILTON VACATION RENTAL ALLIANCE IS HERE, UH, AND IS FUNDED.
SO WE WANT TO WORK TOGETHER, BUT UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, THE FUTURE IS JUST VERY CUTE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OUT THERE? COMMENTS OUT THERE? JUST ONE MORE QUICK QUESTION, MARK OR MICHIGAN.
I SAW THE, A WORD CONVICTION PROCESS.
MR. MAYOR MEMBERS OF COUNCIL I'M CURTIS COLTRANE, A CONVICTION ARISES WHEN A CITATION HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR SOME VIOLATION OF THE TOWN CODE, THE PARTIES APPEAR IN MAGISTRATES' COURT OR DON'T THEY DON'T APPEAR.
YOU'RE LIKELY TO BE CONVICTED BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T SHOW UP.
IF YOU DO APPEAR, THERE'LL BE A HEARING OF SOME SORT EVIDENCE BE PRESENTED.
JUDGE WILL DECIDE WHERE HE WANTS TO DO CONVICTION IS WHEN YOU ARE FOUND TO HAVE BEEN GUILTY OF WHATEVER IS CHARGED IN THE CITATION.
BUT THERE ARE NO OTHER QUESTIONS BY THE MEMBERS OF THE CITIZENS HERE, BACK TO THE COUNCIL.
ANY QUESTIONS BY MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL COMMENTS DAMNING? WELL, BECAUSE I CAN GUESS IT'S THE SAME QUESTION THAT I HAVE OVER AND OVER.
IT'S IT'S HOW WE GET FROM THE MONITORING
[01:35:01]
STATION, GETTING A CALL OF A COMPLAINT OR A CONCERN AND KNOWING AND, AND WHERE THAT GOES.SO THE MONITORING SYSTEM GETS A CALL.
THEY PICK UP FROM THEIR LIST AND THEY, SO THAT BELONGS TO, UM, OWNER X AND OWNER X HAS GIVEN A CALL OR HIS AGENT WHO, UM, AND THEY'RE ASKED TO PLEASE REMEDY THE SITUATION.
THEN THE MONITORING SYSTEM, THEM CALLS THEM BACK WITHIN AN HOUR OR SO AND SAYS, HEY, IS IT, IS EVERYTHING GOOD? OR THEY CALL BACK THE COMPLAINTANT.
UM, AND THEY ASK IS EVERYTHING OKAY NOW? AND IF EVERYTHING IS OKAY, THEN ALL IS WELL AND GOOD, BUT THERE'S A RECORD OF THAT CATCH.
SO WE KNOW HISTORICALLY HOW MANY OF THOSE FOR THAT PROPERTY, OTHER PROPERTIES ARE COMING THROUGH.
SO THAT'S GOOD NEWS, BUT THAT'S NOT A CONVICTION.
THAT'S JUST SO JUST GETTING TO THAT QUESTION.
SO A CONVICTION REALLY DOESN'T COME INTO PLAY UNTIL THERE'S ONE OF THOSE COMPLAINTS THAT AREN'T MANAGED PROPERLY THROUGH THAT, THROUGH THE MONITORING PHONE CALL AND THE OWNERS OR AGENTS RESPONSE, BUT THEN CONTINUES AND LINGERS.
AND THEN HOW MANY OF THOSE COMPLAINTS BEFORE IT'S DETERMINED THAT THAT'S A, UM, CONVICTION? WELL, NOT A CONVICTION, BUT SOMETHING A CITATION BECAUSE, AND THEN YOU HAVE TO CITATION AND THEN A CITATION AND A CITATION IS TWO, BUT THEN THE, ON THE THIRD CITATION COMES, WHAT MR. COLTRANE JUST EXPLAINED TO US, CORRECT.
HAS THERE BEEN A CHANGE IN THE ORDINANCE WHERE THERE IT CAME INSTEAD OF IN FRONT OF THE MAGISTRATE'S WORK AND THAT'S, IT COMES BEFORE COUNCIL AT SOME POINT? MY DID I MISS THAT? SO I BELIEVE IN, UH, CURTIS AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, THE PORTION INVOLVING COUNCIL IS THE CONSIDERATION OF SUSPENSION OR REVOCATION OF A BUSINESS LICENSE OR THE SHORT TERM RENTAL PERMIT, WHICH ARE TWO DIFFERENT OKAY.
SO I THINK THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE ARE CONFUSED ABOUT IF I'M STILL CONFUSED, BUT I THINK SO.
I THINK JUST EXPLANATION MIGHT BE HELPFUL.
SO WE GO THROUGH THE PROCESS, CURTIS JUST EXPLAINED, SO THE CITATIONS ARE WRITTEN, MAGISTRATES COURT MAKES THE CONVICTION MAGISTRATES' COURT GOES THROUGH THAT TWO TIMES AND THEN THERE'S A THIRD TIME.
AND THAT'S WHAT TRIGGERS THE ASSESS, THE POTENTIAL FOR SUSPENSION OF THE PERMIT.
AND IT'S NOT THE LICENSE THAT'S BEING SUSPENDED.
THERE ARE, I THINK IT'S CONFUSING BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF OPTIONS, WHICH IS INTENTIONAL.
SO WHEN WE GET TO THE POINT WHERE THERE ARE TWO CONVICTIONS, THAT'S OPENS ONE OF THE OPTIONS THAT WE HAVE, THAT THE TOWN COUNCIL HAS TO CONSIDER SUSPENSION OF THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL PERMIT.
UM, AND, AND THEN THE SHORT TERM RENTAL PERMIT ALLOWS FOR THE HEARING, WHICH COULD BE FOR THE REVOCATION OF THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL PERMIT BEFORE TOWN COUNCIL, UM, THAT EXISTING ALSO, OR THE EXISTING STATUTE OR THE EXISTING REQUIREMENTS IN THE MUNICIPAL ORDINANCE, WHICH ALLOWS FOR THE CONSIDERATION OF SUSPENDING OR EVOKING A BUSINESS LICENSE.
YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF, UH, TOWN COUNCILS, A LOT OF DISCRETION IN DETERMINING, UH, WHEN THEY WOULD CONSIDER SUSPENDING A SHORT-TERM RENTAL PERMIT OR A BUSINESS LICENSE.
I MEAN, THIS CERTAINLY IS MORE CLEAR TO ME AND THAT IF THAT'S MY BIGGEST QUESTION RIGHT NOW, THAT IS THAT CLEAR TO THE, I WANT TO KNOW IF THAT'S CLEAR TO EVERYBODY WHO IS GOING TO BE THE ONES SUBJECTED TO THIS, RIGHT.
UH, FOR THE MOST PART, I THINK THAT EVERYONE DOES THE RIGHT JOB MANAGING THEIR PROPERTIES AND THE REST.
AND WE ALL SAY THAT THERE'S THESE WONDERFUL PEOPLE EXIST BECAUSE THESE WONDERFUL PEOPLE DO EXIST.
THIS IS NECESSITY IS NECESSITATED BY THOSE WHO AREN'T.
AND SO IF YOU HEARD THOSE WHO ARE, THEN THERE SHOULD BE NOTHING AS MR. CHRISTOPHER HAD MENTIONED, UM, THAT ANYONE SHOULD HAVE ANY CONCERNS WITH.
UM, AND FROM THIS LINE OF EXPLANATION, IT ALSO SHOULD BE QUITE APPARENT THAT IT'S TAKES A WHOLE HECK OF A LOT TO GET TO THE POINT WHERE YOU, BEFORE YOU LOSING YOUR PERMIT OR POTENTIALLY LOSING A PERMIT OR LICENSE.
SO IF WE COULD ALL JUST WORK AS GOOD NEIGHBORS, IF THE, IT, WE WOULD BE SO MUCH BETTER OFF,
[01:40:01]
NONE OF THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN NECESSITATED, BUT BECAUSE WE HAD THE COMPLAINTS FROM OUR RESIDENTS AND FROM OUR PART-TIME RESIDENTS, AND ALSO FROM OUR VISITORS WHO COME HERE AND EXPECT TO HAVE A PEACEFUL, QUIET VACATION, UM, THAT IT, IT BRINGS US TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY IN TERMS OF THE PARKING.I COULDN'T AGREE WITH YOU MORE IN TERMS OF FAILURES ON THE TOWN'S PART.
WHEN WE DO, UM, IN OUR LMO, WHEN WE DO PERMITTING, THERE SHOULD BE A CHANGE IN OUR PARKING STANDARDS FOR NEW HOUSE PERMITS, UM, AND, AND SEVERAL OTHER THINGS FOR THAT MATTER.
AND THAT'S WHAT, UH, WHEN I REFER TO THE THINGS THAT IN PHASE TWO SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUT, UM, AS PART OF PHASE ONE, UM, I'M TALKING ABOUT THOSE ARE THINGS THAT TOWN NEEDS TO LOOK AT MORE CLOSELY, UM, AND QUIT SETTING UP THE SCENARIOS WHERE WE FALL INTO THESE, THESE DIFFICULTIES DOWN THE ROAD, CORRECT THEM BEFOREHAND.
AND WE WON'T HAVE SO MANY DIFFICULTIES LATER.
I DON'T LIKE REGULATIONS EITHER.
AND, UM, WHILE I DON'T THINK THIS ONE IS A GREAT ONE FOR A LOT OF REASONS, I DO THINK THAT WE NEED TO START PUTTING SOME, SOMETHING, SOME ARMS AROUND THE FACT THAT OUR RESIDENTS HAVE ASKED FOR OUR HELP.
AND THIS IS A FIRST STEP TOWARDS THAT END.
AND SO THANK YOU FOR THE EXPLANATION.
I HOPE FOR MY BENEFIT, BUT I HOPE FOR EVERYONE'S BENEFIT.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE CLEAR NOW, ANYBODY ELSE? ANY COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, KRISTA CALL ROLE MR. BROWN SUPPORT.
I THINK WE'LL TAKE A FIVE MINUTE RECESS NOW.
CAN YOU SET THE TABLE? DELL IS YOUR EMERGENCY.
LET'S BE IN THE MEETING BACK TO ORDER.
[12g. First Reading of Proposed Ordinance 2022-12 Amending the Budget for the Town of Hilton Head Island for the Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 2022 and Adopting the Budget for the Town of Hilton Head Island for the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 2023]
SIR.I WILL SAY, UM, AS I WAS SITTING UP THERE, I WAS ALWAYS SITTING IN MY CHAIR.
I LOOKED OUT AT ANN AND REALIZED, WOW, SHE'S A TOUGH ACT TO FOLLOW.
SO REMIND ME NOT TO GO AFTER AN EVER AGAIN.
I'M PROUD TO WORK WITH STAFF, UM, OF VAN'S CALIBER AND OTHERS.
SO HERE TONIGHT, OR THIS AFTERNOON TO PRESENT TO YOU THE FISCAL YEAR 23 PROPOSED CONSOLIDATED BUDGET.
SO JUST TO START OUT, THE PRESENTATION HAS CONSIDERABLE INFORMATION IN IT.
I WILL MOVE ALONG AS FAST AS I CAN.
AND AS FAST AS YOU ALLOW ME, SO I CAN PAUSE FOR QUESTIONS.
I CAN TALK TO YOU AFTER YOU'VE MADE YOUR MOTION.
UM, SCHEDULING FIRST READING TONIGHT, POTENTIALLY WORKSHOP SECOND AND FINAL READING IN JUNE.
SO KNOW THAT THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME, UM, WE'VE RELEASED PRESS RELEASES TO LET FOLKS KNOW THAT WE'RE NOT HAVING A FIRST READING TONIGHT.
AND EVERYTHING THAT I TALK ABOUT FROM HERE ON OUT WILL BE ON THE WEBSITE IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THIS MEETING, INCLUSIVE OF THIS PRESENTATION.
SO WITH THAT, THANKS FOR HAVING ME, UH, TALK A LITTLE BIT TONIGHT ABOUT OUR ISLAND'S ECONOMIC FACTORS.
WE HEARD ABOUT SOME OF THEM THIS AFTERNOON.
I ALWAYS SET OUT TO, TO REALLY PUT MY ARMS AROUND THE BUDGET
[01:45:01]
GOALS.YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE WE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH OTHER THAN JUST BALANCING A BUDGET? UM, I'LL PRESENT THE BUDGET TO YOU, AND THEN WE'LL TALK A LITTLE FURTHER FROM A TIMELINE STANDPOINT ABOUT YOUR REVIEW AND APPROVAL PROCESS.
SO IT IT'S, UH, IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE, BUT A YEAR AGO I SAT IN THE COUNCIL CONFERENCE ROOM AND PRESENTED TO YOU THE BUDGET THE FIRST TIME VIRTUALLY WHEN, SO A YEAR LATER AS I WAS GOING THROUGH LAST YEAR'S PRESENTATION WITH STAFF, WITH JOHN TROYER AND ERICA, THIS WAS IN THERE AND I LEFT IT IN HERE TO REMIND US THAT WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH, UM, QUITE THE JOURNEY WITH THE PANDEMIC.
AND SO I CMA REMINDED US THAT WE NEEDED A PLAN FOR SIX TO 18 MONTHS, AND I'LL FAST FORWARD MOODY'S CREDIT REPORT ON 4 26 INCLUDED THAT WE ARE THROUGH IT AND THEIR CREDIT QUALITY HAS WITHSTOOD THE TEMPORARY TURBULENCE.
AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT, UM, WE HAD A PLAN IN PLACE.
IT WAS CAREFULLY FOLLOWED AND, UH, THE DECISION-MAKING SUPPORTED WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
SO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR ECONOMIC FACTORS.
SO I'LL LET YOU READ THE LEFT SIDE OF THE SCREEN, BUT WE KNOW THAT THE ECONOMIC STRENGTH AND GROWTH THAT UNDERPINS OUR HEALTHY TAX BASE, UM, HELPS WITH OUR RELIABLE FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE, RIGHT? WE HAVE A TRIPLE A BOND RATING FROM MOODY'S THAT WAS JUST, UH, VERIFIED AND VALIDATED ONCE AGAIN.
AND WE HAVE A DOUBLE A PLUS FROM STANDARD AND POOR'S AS WELL AS FITCH.
UM, NOT MANY COMMUNITIES IN THIS COUNTRY HAVE THAT TYPE OF CREDIT QUALITY.
UH, WE HAVE A GROWING TAX BASE WHERE FISCALLY PRUDENT A GREAT FINANCIAL POSITION, AND WE HAVE MODEST DEBT.
AND I'LL EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT MORE OF THAT, BUT YOU SEE ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE SCREEN, UM, WHAT WE'RE MANAGING, UM, IN TERMS OF VISITORS, UH, SIZE OF OUR ISLAND AND HOUSEHOLD INCOME, LET ALONE THE MEDIAN HOME SALES PRICE THAT JUMPED OUT AT ME THAT WAS PROVIDED BY THE REALTORS ASSOCIATION 7 99, ALMOST $800,000 MEDIAN HOME PRICE BASED UPON RECENT SALES IN 2021.
SO BUDGET GOALS, FAR RIGHT SIDE OF THE SCREEN.
WE'VE SEEN THAT BEFORE IT CAME STRAIGHT FROM THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
SO AS ADOPTED AS THE, OUR, OUR PLAN, THE COMP PLAN WAS ADOPTED, AND WE'VE ALWAYS SAID, IT'S GOING TO GUIDE THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
AND THEN THE STRATEGIC PLAN WILL BE INFLUENCED BY MAKING SURE INFLUENCED BY THE ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET.
AND THE ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET WILL INFLUENCE THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
SO IT'S CART AND HORSE AT THE SAME TIME.
UM, AND THEN STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT.
SO I'VE SAID TO YOU, I WANT TO ESTABLISH ITS TOWN COUNCIL STRATEGIC PLAN.
WE KNOW WHAT THOSE DIFFERENT GOALS AND PRIORITIES ARE FROM PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE ON THE TOP LEFT AND DOWN TO THE BOTTOM, RIGHT, PARKS AND REC.
AND WE FOCUSED ON THOSE IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
UM, AS ANOTHER BUDGET GOAL, I'VE ALSO SAID THAT, YOU KNOW, TO STAFF, WE NEED A VERY LEAN OPERATING BUDGET AND WE CONTINUE TO REFINE IT YEAR OVER YEAR THAT WE ENACT THE TOWN COUNCIL COUNT COUNT COUNCIL PLEDGED TO REDUCE THE FIVE YEAR FIVE MIL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT MILLAGE THAT CUSTOMER SERVICE INNOVATION AND EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT ARE ALWAYS ENHANCED AND FOCUSED ON THAT.
WE HAVE INVEST IN THAT WE HAVE IMPACTFUL COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT, AND YOU'LL SEE IN THE, IN THE BUDGET WHERE I BELIEVE THAT ALIGNS AND THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST THAT WE HAVE A RESILIENT COMMUNITY AND THAT THIS BUDGET IS A CATALYST FOR EVERYTHING THAT WE SEE FROM, FROM OUR PARTNERS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE BUDGET.
SO TONIGHT I PRESENT TO YOU $119 MILLION $501,114 CONSOLIDATED BUDGET.
I'LL USE THIS A LITTLE BIT, SO YOU CAN SEE THAT GENERAL FUND INCREASES 10.5% IN DEBT SERVICES.
FLAT CIP CAPITAL PROJECTS IS UP 63%.
AND OUR STORMWATER UTILITY FOND IS INCREASED AT A 6.1% YEAR THIS YEAR, OVER LAST YEAR.
UM, SOME HIGH LEVELS IN A DIVE IN A LITTLE BIT, BUT SOME HIGH, SIMPLE EXPLANATIONS GENERAL FUND INCLUDES MORE USE OF EIGHT TAX STATE, A TAX IN THIS GENERAL FUND BUDGET THAN YEAR PAST, AS WELL AS IT INCLUDES THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL FEE.
WE TALKED ABOUT TODAY THAT ANT TALKED ABOUT, UM, AS AN EXPLANATION OR AT LEAST A RATIONALE FOR THAT 10.5% DIFFERENTIAL AND THE CIP, THE CAP PROJECTS, A 63% INCREASE THAT IS BECAUSE THE UNSPENT DOLLARS IN THIS FISCAL YEAR, WE'LL ROLL FORWARD INTO NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
SO MORE OR LESS THE SAME BUDGET FROM LAST YEAR, FROM A NUMBER STANDPOINT, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THOSE REVENUES, I'VE JUST EXPLAINED, AND WE CAN DIVE IN A LITTLE MORE, SO BUDGET REVENUES OVERALL, AND I WON'T GO THROUGH ALL THIS TODAY, BUT NO, THIS IS ON THE WEBSITE AND WE HAVE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO REVIEW IT.
[01:50:01]
AS A TOWN COUNCIL AND COMMUNITY, YOU'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR THE PERCENT CHANGE UP OR DOWN IN THE JUSTIFICATION AND THE BUDGET.YOU'LL SEE THIS, AN ENTIRE SCHEDULE OF OUR REVENUES, 119 MILLION, $501,000 IN REVENUES.
AND YOU'LL SEE THE DIFFERENT VARIOUS TYPES OF REVENUES DOWN THE BOARD TRANSFERS IN AND PRIOR YEAR ACTUALLY TRANSFERS IN ARE ITEMIZED ON THE RIGHT SIDE, BECAUSE THAT'S A LUMP SUM, LARGE NUMBER, UM, A $25 MILLION CHANGE, BUT THOSE ARE OUR
SO THEY'RE TRANSFERRING IN, IN THIS FISCAL YEAR.
SO YOU SEE THAT, UH, TRANSFERS IN OUR MAJORITY OF OUR REVENUE IS WHY EXPLAIN IT THAT WAY.
PROPERTY TAXES MAKE UP 18% BUSINESS LICENSE, FRANCHISE FEES, 10% AND SO ON.
SO FORTH, DOWN IN THE CONSOLIDATED BUDGET, DEBT, SERVICE PERSONNEL, AND BENEFITS, PARK MANAGEMENT, ROADWAY MANAGEMENT, AND VARIOUS OTHER BUDGET EXPENDITURES MAKE UP, MAKE UP THE BUDGET.
BUT I HIGHLIGHTED THOSE, THOSE LARGER PERCENTAGE, UH, USES OF FUNDS IN OUR BUDGET.
AND SO YOU CAN SEE IT FROM A PERCENTAGE, UH, OVERALL, BUT THEN YOU WILL ALSO SEE IN THE, IN THE SPREADSHEET HERE ON THE PAGE THAT $119 MILLION PROPOSED BUDGET, UM, PROVIDES FOR PERSONNEL AND BENEFITS ALL THE WAY DOWN TO, UH, STORMWATER MODELING AND ANALYSIS.
SO I KNOW THAT THERE'LL BE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES AND I'M OPEN UP ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ON THESE SCHEDULES, BUT I'LL, I'LL MOVE ON FOR, FOR OUR SAKE TONIGHT.
I'VE PULLED OUT OF THAT, EXTRACTED SOME BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS, AND I'LL SHARE THOSE WITH YOU.
SO THE PRIORITY BASED BUDGET, WELL, I WOULD SAY THAT THIS BUDGET IS PRIORITY BASED, BASED ON OUR STRATEGIC PLAN.
AND I, AND I WANT TO MAKE A POINT THAT THIS BUDGET STARTED WITH AVAILABLE REVENUES RATHER THAN LAST YEAR'S EXPENDITURES AS THE BASIS FOR DECISION-MAKING INTO THIS BUDGET.
AND SO I TOOK THE STRATEGIC PLAN AND REALIZED THAT IF WE'RE GOING TO BE PRIORITY BASED THAT WE HAVE TO PRIORITIZE SERVICES, DO THE IMPORTANT THINGS.
WELL, THERE ARE SOME SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR PROGRAMS. ONE OF WHICH IS SIMPLE BEACH PARKING AND MONITORING, RIGHT? UM, QUESTION PAST PATTERNS OF SPENDING.
THERE WERE A FEW DEPARTMENT HEADS THAT SCRUBBED THEIR BUDGET THREE OR FOUR TIMES TO TAKE DOWN THOSE BUDGET LINE ITEMS SO THAT WE HAD DOLLARS TO DO OTHER THINGS WITH THIS YEAR.
AND WE'LL ALWAYS QUESTION THAT SPEND WITHIN OUR MEANS NO, THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS AND PROVIDE TRANSPARENCY AND FOCUS ON THE RESULTS.
SO WHEN I SAY PRIORITY BASED, WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A RULE BOOK AND SOME CHECKS, AND THE WAY WE THINK OF OUR BUDGET, UM, THIS IS A YEAR THAT REDUCTION OF PROPERTY TAX MILLAGE OCCURS THE FIVE, THE FIVE MILS.
SO FIVE YEARS AGO, THAT WAS IN PLACE.
SO MILLAGE REDUCES FROM 28.1 TO 23.1 AND 18% DECREASE.
OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR ADDED THE EXCLAMATION MARK IN THERE.
UH, THE BUDGET'S BALANCED WITH, YOU KNOW, RESPONSIBLE REVENUE PROJECTIONS, AMIDST OF V A RECORD HIGH REVENUE COLLECTION PERIOD, UM, THAT WE HAVE, UH, FUNDS IN THE BUDGET FOR ENHANCED RESILIENCY, PLANNING, PROGRAMMING, MAINTENANCE OF OUR PUBLIC SPACES, PARKS, ROADS, OPEN SPACES, STORM, WATER, CORRECTIVE, AND ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, AS WELL AS THE SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT IN CAPITAL PROJECTS.
UM, WE WILL CONTINUE TO INVEST IN OUR LONG RANGE, COMMUNITY PLANNING INITIATIVES, THE BASELINE ASSESSMENT, THE GROWTH FRAMEWORK MAP, AND THE DISTRICT PLANNING INCLUSIVE OF THE MID ISLAND DISTRICT.
AND BEYOND I'VE MENTIONED THAT WE'VE REDUCED VARIOUS LINE ITEM EXPENDITURES.
WE'VE INCREASED FUND BALANCES PRIOR, DUE TO PRIOR YEAR UNSPENT FUNDS.
AND THEN YOU'LL ALSO SEE IN THE BUDGET OF PROPOSAL TO INCREASE.
SO I WOULD SAY IMPROVE THE FUND BALANCE POLICY, KNOWING THAT WE CONTINUE TO INCREASE OUR UNSPENT FUNDS AND OUR FUND BALANCE.
THERE'S ENHANCED REVENUES WITH IN ALLOWING SOME GROWTH AND SOME IMPACT TO PAY FOR THAT GROWTH AND IMPACT.
ONE OF WHICH IS SHORT TERM RENTAL FEE.
THE OTHER, YOU JUST TONIGHT, UH, PASSED A FIRST READING EXTENSION OF THE TRANSFER FEE FOR REAL ESTATE TRANSFER FEE EMS RATE INCREASE.
AND OF COURSE, WE'RE CONTINUING TO COLLECT ECONOMIC BASED REVENUES, BUSINESS LICENSE, SHORT-TERM BUSINESS, LICENSE, HOSPITALITY TAXES, EIGHT TAXES.
I'VE ALSO PROPOSED THAT STATE AID TAX FUNDING BE INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET MORE IN GENERAL FUND AND CAPITAL PROJECTS THAN LAST YEAR.
AND I'LL SHOW YOU WHAT I MEAN BY THAT.
I PROPOSED SOME ADDITIONAL POSITIONS, FULL DISCLOSURE.
I'VE NEVER PROPOSED THIS MANY POSITIONS ALL AT ONCE BEFORE, BUT I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU THAT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO GET OUR ARMS AROUND SOME OF OUR PROGRAMS. AS YOU LOOK AT THIS, THERE AREN'T POSITIONS ALL OVER THE BOARD.
IT'S THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SAFETY THAT WOULD BE EFFECTIVE JULY ONE, SOONER
[01:55:01]
THAN LATER, IF WE ARE GOING TO IMPLEMENT AND IMPROVE BEACH PARKING SHORT-TERM RENTALS IN SOME OF OUR MANAGEMENT OF OUR, OF OUR EXISTING PROGRAM HAVE ASKED FOR FOUR ADDITIONAL CODE OFFICERS, THERE'LL BE A SEVEN DAY A WEEK PROGRAM.THERE'LL BE MODIFIED HOURS AT DIFFERENT TIMES OF THE YEAR.
UH, I'VE ASKED FOR THOSE POSITIONS TO EFFECTIVE IN JULY INTO EFFECTIVE IN JANUARY FOR OPERATING AND PROGRAMMING REASONS, AS WELL AS AVAILABILITY OR FUNDING, AVAILABILITY REASONS, A SHORT-TERM RENTAL BUSINESS LICENSE, CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGER, A CIP PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR, UH, AN OPEN SPACE PROGRAM COORDINATOR.
SO A LOT OF FESTIVALS, EVENTS, HERITAGE ENVIRONMENT, PARTNERSHIPS, OPPORTUNITIES, AND LOT OF PLANS THAT ARE BEING PUT IN PLACE THAT, UH, AN OPEN SPACE PROGRAM COORDINATOR ON BOARD WOULD HELP US TODAY MORE THAN THEY WOULD THREE YEARS LATER ARRIVING, UH, FACILITIES TECH, UH, FIRE RESCUE SUPPORT STAFF THAT THE FACILITY TECH IS SELF-EXPLANATORY THE RESCUE FIRE RESCUE SUPPORT STAFF WOULD BE FOR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
IT WOULD BE FOR ADDRESSING, AND IT WOULD BE FOR SOME OTHER SUPPORT ELEMENTS OF THE FIRE RESCUE DEPARTMENT IN INCLUSIVE OF, OF HELP WITH A NEW CHAPLAIN PROGRAM THAT THEY'RE, THAT THEY'RE BRINGING FORWARD.
UH, AS WELL AS THE STORMWATER PROJECT MANAGER, UH, THE PROGRAM INCLUDES INTERNS, AS YOU KNOW, I STRONGLY BELIEVE IN INTERNS AS WELL AS SEASONAL STAFF.
SO I HEAR IN THE PAST AND UNDERSTAND THE PAST, WE USED TO HAVE SEASONAL WORKERS, I THINK ARE SEASONAL WORKERS.
THERE'S SOME THAT ARE ON BOARD ALREADY WITHIN THIS BUDGET.
THIS CURRENT FISCAL HAVE ALREADY STARTED TO PAY DIVIDENDS FOR US.
THEY'RE PART-TIME UM, AND THE TRAINING HAS, HAS BEEN MORE ADVANCED AND QUICKER THAN WE ANTICIPATED.
IT CONTINUES TO SUPPORT THE FUNDS FOR BEACH AMBASSADORS, AS WELL AS SOME SEASONAL TECH OR SOME SEASONAL FACILITY TECHNICIANS.
AND THEN THERE'S SOME FUNDS IN THERE FOR STAFF CLASS AND COMPENSATION ASSESSMENT AND CALIBRATION MILLAGE RATES.
I THINK MORE FOR THE PUBLIC TO FIND THIS ONLINE, BUT YOU SEE THE MILLAGE RATE OVER TIME, HOW IT FLUCTUATE FROM 20.8, THREE AND 14 TO 23.1 TODAY.
AND YOU SEE THAT THE MILL VALUE GREW FROM 846,000 AND CHANGE IN 14, AND IT'S AS STRONG AS 940,512.
I WOULD ASSUME THAT BEFORE WE BLINK, THAT'S GOING TO BE OVER THE $1 MILLION MARK STRONG POSITION.
SO JUST REAL QUICK, WHAT DOES THIS MEAN TO A PROPERTY TAX BILL AND HOW DID THOSE REVENUES GENERATE FOR THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND? SO A PROPERTY TAX BILL BASED UPON A $500,000 HOME VALUE AT A 4% ASSESSMENT NETS, ABOUT $462 OF OPERATING COSTS IN OUR GENERAL FUND.
UM, AND SO I THINK IT'S ALWAYS IMPORTANT TO LET THE PUBLIC KNOW, YOU KNOW, W WE'RE DOING A LOT IN THE BUDGET, THE MILLAGE HAS A DECREASED, UM, AND YOU'LL SEE THE MILLAGE HERE DECREASE THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND, DISASTER RECOVERY, MILLAGE REMOVES.
I THINK THAT WAS ABOUT A HUNDRED DOLLAR IMPACT.
UM, BUT ALL, EVERYTHING ADDS UP.
SO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT STATING A TAX I'LL I'LL EXPLAIN IF YOU LOOK AT THE FAR, RIGHT.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE FAR RIGHT COLUMN, YOU'LL SEE THAT STATE A TAX SOUTH CAROLINA, A TAX A REQUIREMENT IS TO TRANSFER DOLLARS TO YOURSELF FIRST 25 K FIRST 5% OF A TAX, AND THEN TRANSFER 30% TO YOUR DMO, YOUR DESTINATION MARKETING ORGANIZATIONS.
SO YOU SEE, BASED UPON OUR CALCULATIONS OR PROJECTIONS, THAT'S A $3.6 MILLION TRANSFER THIS YEAR, AS BASED ON SOUTH CAROLINA CODE, THE NEXT IS, IS, IS UP TO THE TOWN, RIGHT? SO WHAT WE QUALIFY BASED UPON COLLECTION AND THOSE FORMULAS AND STATE CODE, WE WE'VE ASKED FOR, UM, THE USE AND I'LL, I'LL LOOK AT THESE TWO BOTTOMS FOR A SECOND, THAT WE TRANSFER $3.1 MILLION TO THE TOWN CIP FOR, FOR, FOR PROJECTS, UH, A TAX APPLICABLE PROJECTS, AS WELL AS $2.4 MILLION IN CHANGE TO THE TOWN GENERAL FUND FOR THOSE ELEMENTS THAT ARE IMPACTED BY TOURISM.
AND IT COULD BE ACROSS THE BOARD, I'LL EXPLAIN TO YOU THAT STILL LEAVES 2.9, $8 MILLION AVAILABLE FOR DMO AND COMMUNITY RELATED A TAX GRANTS.
RIGHT? SO TOWN COUNCIL AND ATTACK COMMITTEE IN 2021 HAD AVAILABLE 3.3 MILLION LAST YEAR BECAUSE OF PROJECTIONS.
THERE WAS 2.5 AND THIS YEAR IS STRONG AT 2.9.
AND I KNOW THAT'S A FURTHER DISCUSSION AT A LATER DATE.
UM, SO FOR CLARITY STATE A TAX 2.4 IN GENERAL FUND 3.1 IN CIP FUND, AND YOU CAN SEE WHAT'S WHAT I'M REQUESTING TO BE FUNDED UP HERE FOR GENERAL PUBLIC SAFETY
[02:00:01]
FACILITIES, MANAGEMENT, CULTURAL ARTS, AS WELL AS CAPITAL PROJECTS, PATHWAYS AND MAINTENANCE ENHANCEMENTS.AND I THINK YOU'LL SEE A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN, IN SOME OF OUR CAP PROJECTS AND SOME OF OUR PROGRAMS AS A RESULT.
AND OF COURSE, UH, A LOCAL, A TAX, UH, INVESTMENT STRAIGHT INTO OUR GENERAL FUND OF 4.7, ALMOST $4.8 MILLION.
SO THAT BEING SAID, OUR BUDGETS MADE UP OF FOUR DIFFERENT FUNDS, GENERAL FUND STORM, WATER, UTILITY FUND CAPITAL PROJECTS, FUND, AND DEBT SERVICE FUND.
WHILE IT'S A CONSOLIDATED BUDGET, WE MANAGE EACH FUND DIFFERENTLY AND SEPARATELY AND COMBINE THEM AS WE PRESENT THE BUDGET.
SO GENERAL FUND IS OUR OPERATING ACCOUNT IT'S PROPERTY TAX, BUSINESS LICENSE, A TAX PERMIT FEES.
AND IT'S OUR OPS FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, INTER-AGENCY FUNDING AND WHATNOT IN THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET, A REQUEST, LET ME DO THIS RIGHT.
FISCAL YEAR 23 PROPOSED BUDGET IS THAT THIRD COLUMN DOWN A $30 MILLION PROPOSED, OR I SHOULD SAY A $48 MILLION PROPOSED BUDGET, 48.6 MILLION.
YOU SEE THAT SALARY AND BENEFITS MAKE UP 62% OF THAT BUDGET OPERATING MAKES UP CLOSE TO 30% CONTRACTED PUBLIC SAFETY, 5.5.
AND YOU SEE OUR AFFILIATED AGENCY, UH, INVESTMENT $2.291 MILLION.
SO YOU CAN SEE FROM THE PIE CHART, SALARY AND BENEFITS ALWAYS IS.
AND IS THIS TIME THE MAJORITY OF A GENERAL FUND BUDGET, AND YOU SEE AFFILIATE AGENCIES ON THE OTHERS, UM, SO GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES FROM THOSE AFFILIATED AGENCIES.
THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR THAT WE HAVE THAT AFFILIATED AGENCY FUNDING REQUEST PROCESS IN PLACE.
RIGHT? THESE REQUESTS CAME TO FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE.
THEY WERE PASSED THROUGH COMMITTEE TO ME FOR INCLUSION IN THE BUDGET.
AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE FOLKS THAT PUT THOSE APPLICATIONS TOGETHER AND EXPLAINED TO THE TOWN WHY THOSE FUNDS ARE IMPORTANT AND TO THE FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE, MR. LENNOX, WITH YOUR LEADERSHIP, THAT PROCESS IS IN PLACE.
AND I THINK IT'S A MORE SOUND SECURE PROCESS LEADING INTO BUDGET, BUT FOR TIME'S SAKE, I WON'T GO THROUGH EVERY ONE, BUT YOU SEE THAT IN THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET, THERE'S A $2.291 MILLION ASK AND RECEIPT FROM THOSE AGENCIES ABOVE.
SO WHERE ARE WE SPENDING SOME OF OUR GENERAL FUND DOLLARS? AGAIN, I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO SAY A LEAN OPERATING BUDGET, UH, SOME PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR EMPLOYEES, LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT, PROGRAM, STAFF, TRAINING CERTIFICATIONS.
WE HAVE SOME FUNDS IN THERE, APPARENTLY SOMEONE'S BIRTHDAY THIS YEAR.
UH, IT'S HILTON HEAD'S 40TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION.
THERE'S SOME FUNDS FOR OPEN SPACE AND FACILITY MAINTENANCE, UH, AN ISLAND WIDE ILLUSTRATIVE MASTER PLAN AND GROWTH FRAMEWORK.
A LOT OF THIS STUFF SHOULD SOUND FAMILIAR.
IT IS IT'S IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO INCREASE OUR FOCUS ON COMMUNITY CODE ENFORCEMENT AS A PROACTIVE PARTNER IN THE COMMUNITY.
UH, IT, IT FUNDS THE OFFICE OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS AND WHILE THERE'S FUNDS EVERY DEPARTMENT, RIGHT? WHETHER IT'S FIRE RESCUE, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, FINANCE, HR, I WANT IT TO BE CLEAR THAT IT ALSO PROVIDING SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR CULTURAL AFFAIRS, FOR OUR LANTERN PARADE, THE CRESCENDO PRODUCTION, WHICH SEEMS TO GROW AND BECOME BIGGER AND MORE ADVANCED AND, UH, EVERY YEAR A FREE SYMPHONY AND OTHER COMMUNITY EVENTS.
AND THE ONE THING THAT I HAVEN'T MENTIONED YET, AND I WILL GIVE SO MUCH CREDIT TO STAFF HERE.
THIS BOTTOM LINE, I'LL SLOW DOWN ON IT.
AND I TALKED TO YOU EARLY ON IN THE BUDGET GOALS ABOUT INCREASING OUR LEVEL OF SERVICE FUNDING TO PROVIDE TRANSLATION SERVICES TO AND FROM MOST LANGUAGES.
SO TELEPHONE AND ON DEMAND, ZOOM ON DEMAND AS WELL AS IN-PERSON, IF WE CAN SCHEDULE AND WRITTEN TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENTS WITHIN A FEW DAYS.
SO THANK YOU TO ANGIE STONE, THANK YOU TO THE WHOLE TEAM THAT PUT THIS TOGETHER, UH, FOR CONSIDERATION IN THIS BUDGET, UM, GENERAL FUND BUDGET EXPENDITURE HIGHLIGHTS MORE OF IT UP TO 3% FOR SALARY BASED INCREASES EFFECTIVE JULY.
LAST YEAR, THEY WERE EFFECTIVE DECEMBER OF 4 0 1, UH, K RETIREMENT PLAN CONTRIBUTION FROM 11% CONTRIBUTION FROM THE TOWN TO 12%, A MED FLEX REIMBURSEMENT FROM $800 TO A THOUSAND, A NEW OPTION AND IS TO BUY BACK EARNED VACATION, TIME TO 25 HOURS PER YEAR.
WE OF COURSE HAVE TO COVER AND WE'LL COVER THE SOUTH CAROLINA UNFUNDED MANDATES FOR HEALTH INSURANCE AND FIRE RESCUE RETIREMENT, A PROPOSAL TO INCREASE THE ISLAND RESIDENTS STIPEND FOR BEAVER COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICERS FROM $350 TO $550 PER MONTH, AND SOME FUNDING FOR TOWN STAFF, CLASS AND COMP, INCLUDING FIRE RESCUE.
[02:05:02]
SO OUR REVENUES ARE, ARE PRETTY CLEAR.IT'S IT'S, IT'S SHOWING THE GENERAL FUND REVENUES AND YOU CAN SEE THE MAJORITY OF, OF THE REVENUES.
AND FOR AGAIN, TIME SAKE, I WON'T SHARE WITH YOU, BUT, BUT SOME OF THE MAJOR ONES LOCALLY TAX INCREASE THIS YEAR, UH, YOU KNOW, IF YOU LOOK AT FISCAL YEAR 21, ACTUAL AT 5.5, WAIT, A VERY CONSERVATIVE PROJECTION LAST YEAR DUE TO COVID AND THE ECONOMY CONCERNS.
SO WHILE IT'S SHOWING A 19% INCREASE, OUR PROPOSED THIS YEAR, PROJECTED 4.7 IS STILL LESS THAN THE LOCAL AID TAX ACTUAL IN, IN 21 BUSINESS LICENSE DITTO.
SO 10, FOUR, AND A 10, SIX BUDGET, UH, WHILE WE PROJECTED LESS LAST YEAR DUE TO COVID.
AND SO WE CAN GO DOWN THAT LIST, PERMIT FEES ARE UP 48.8%.
THAT'S INCLUSIVE OF THE SHORT TERM RENTAL PERMIT FEES IN HERE.
UM, AND YOU ALSO SEE SOME OF THOSE OTHER DOLLARS STATE AID TAX UP 44% IN THE BUDGET.
THAT'S AN EXTRA $750,000 OF TRANSFER IN.
SO FOR CLARITY, $2.4 MILLION OF STATE AID TAX PROPOSED IT TO THE GENERAL FUND.
SO SOME HIGHLIGHTS, A RECORD HIGH LEVEL REVENUE COLLECTIONS SHORT-TERM RENTAL PROGRAM.
WE TALKED ABOUT TODAY, UM, INCLUDES STATE AID TAX, UM, FUNDING, UH, AND WE REPLACED THE NEED FOR THE TOWN TO APPLY FOR A TAX GRANTS AFTER THE BUDGET ADOPTION.
AND I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT AND, AND AN EXCITING IMPROVEMENT AND THE BUSINESS LICENSE REVENUE INCREASE OUR HOSPITALITY TAXES ARE USED TO FUND THE LEASE OF THE FIRETRUCK.
THE PROPOSED RATE INCREASE FOR EMS SERVICES, AND WE ARE NOT USING ANY FUND BALANCE FOR THE PROPOSED GENERAL FUND.
SO, SO NO SAVINGS FOR RECURRING EXPENSES.
SO OVER TIME, AND JUST, I THINK THIS IS A INTERESTING TO TAKE A LOOK AT ON THE FAR LEFT 2019 ON THE FAR RIGHT FISCAL YEAR 23.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT OUR REVENUES CONTINUE TO, FOR THE MOST PART IN INCREASE AND WE ARE CAREFULLY AND ALWAYS MONITORING THEM.
I KNOW THAT OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR IS IN, IS IN REGULAR COMMUNICATION WITH OUR FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE CHAIR, MR. LENNOX, THANK YOU FOR ALL THE TIME YOU PUT INTO THIS, RIGHT.
WE, WE REALLY STUDY THE REVENUES MORE THAN WE JUST ALLOCATE THOSE EXPENDITURES.
AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THAT GOES THAT ALONG THE WAY, AND YOU SEE THAT GENERAL FUND INCREASES.
SO I MENTIONED THIS EARLY ON IN TERMS OF FUND BALANCE POLICY FAR LEFT SIDE IS OUR EXISTING POLICY.
AND THE RIGHT SIDE IS WHAT I'M PROPOSING THIS EVENING WITH A LOT OF HARD WORK FROM MR. TROYER.
OUR CURRENT POLICY ALLOWS US, UH, SO GENERAL FUND RESERVE POLICY LIMITS.
CURRENTLY IT'S A PERCENT OF YOUR BUDGET.
SO IT ALLOWS A RANGE FROM 35% TO 40% WE MUST HAVE, OR SHOULD HAVE BY POLICY, A GENERAL FUND RESERVE BASED UPON, UM, THE MATRIX, UH, OF GENERAL FUND.
SO WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING IS THAT THAT LOWER LEVEL AND HIGHER LEVEL INCREASE.
SO WE'RE RE I'M PROPOSING A 40% BASEMENT AND A 55% CEILING IT'S BASED ON OUR ACTUAL FUND BALANCE, UM, GROWTH.
AND SO YOU CAN SEE THAT THE GREEN LINE AS AN ACTUAL FALLS AT 52% CURRENTLY, AND IT'S WELL ABOVE A 35 MARK, RIGHT? IT'S IT'S IT'S WELL ABOVE THIS SIDE OF THE SCREEN, IT'S WELL ABOVE 35 AND IT'S WELL ABOVE 40.
AND SO I'M HERE TONIGHT TO PRESENT THAT, THAT DIFFERENTIAL.
AND I THINK THAT HELPS US LONG-TERM AND HELPS US WITH OUR CREDIT AGENCIES.
IT HELPS ME, IT HELPS JOHN AND, AND I THINK IT, IT PUTS IN PLACE A GOOD POLICY ARE DIVING INTO STORMWATER FUND.
WE KNOW THAT THE STORM WATER FUND ARE FOR STORM WATER RELATED EXPENDITURES, INCLUDING STAFFING OPERATIONS, INVENTORY MODELING, MASTER PLANNING, ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, AND CAP PROJECTS.
THAT'S A, THAT'S A, THAT'S A BIG PROGRAM AND IT'S MANAGED VERY WELL BY JEFF NAT SINGER WITH A LOT OF HELP FROM JEFF BUCKALEW AND AN ENTIRE GREAT TEAM.
UM, THERE'S AN OVERARCHING GOAL TO IMPROVE AND SUSTAIN OUR STORM WATER INFRASTRUCTURE.
IN ADDITION TO WATER QUALITY WITHIN ALL THE WATERSHEDS IN THE TOWN AND THE PRIMARY SOURCE OF REVENUE OR SIMPLE STORM WATER UTILITY FEE.
SO THIS IS PRETTY PRIMARY BUDGET, BUT I THINK THE FUNDS ARE SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO REALLY TAKE A LOOK AT.
AND YOU HAVE A DIFFERENT LOOK THIS YEAR THAN YOU DID LAST YEAR AT THE BUDGET, AS WELL AS THE PRIORITIES.
SO, UM, YOU SEE THE PERCENT CHANGE YEAR OVER YEAR.
SOME OF IT IS SKEWED BECAUSE I'VE MOVED SOME MONEY AROUND, WE BUDGETED THIS DIFFERENTLY IN THE PAST.
UM, BUT IF, IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THESE EXPENDITURES BY CATEGORIES, THESE ARE THE EXPENDITURES YOU'LL SEE SYSTEMATICALLY
[02:10:01]
AND ROUTINELY YEAR OVER YEAR IN THE FUTURE.SO SALARIES AND BENEFITS MAKE UP 10% OF THE BUDGET.
THEY HAVE REQUESTED AN ADDITIONAL PERSON, UM, OPERATING CAPITAL INVENTORY MODELING, AND YOU CAN SEE CORRECTIVE MAINTENANCE SYSTEMS MAINTENANCE, SORRY ABOUT THE TYPO THERE, UM, ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AND CONTINGENCY PUMP, STATION MAINTENANCE AND THE LIKE, BUT YOU, YOU ALSO SEE DOWN HERE TRANSFER OUT TO CIP.
SO WE STARTED TO DO IS STORMWATER UTILITY FUNDS INTO THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.
SO THEY CAN ALL BE MANAGED THE SAME WAY BY JEN RAY AND HER TEAM AS A, AS A TRUE CAPITAL PROJECT.
SO EXPENDITURES, YOU SEE PERCENTAGE OF USE OF OF COURSE, UM, SALARIES AND BENEFITS, 11% YOU START SEEING SOME STORMWATER BOND, YOU KNOW, INTEREST IN FEES AND PRINCIPAL AT A 23% USE.
BUT INVENTORY MODELING IS AT A 12% POA SYSTEMS, CORRECTIVE MAINTENANCE AT 11 PUBLIC SYSTEM, CORRECT OF AT SEVEN, UM, ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AND CONTINGENCY AT 12.
I LIKE TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHERE WE USE OUR MONEY, NOT JUST IN THOSE, THOSE REVENUES.
SO IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE YEAR OVER YEAR BUDGET, YOU'LL SEE $5.8 MILLION OF, OF REQUESTS, 5 MILLION COME FROM STORM WATER, UTILITY FEES PRIOR YEAR FUNDS 769,000.
THAT'S PART OF THE TRANSFER INTO CIP.
SO WE'RE USING SOME PRIOR YEAR UNSPENT FUNDS TO TRANSFER INTO THE CAPITAL PROGRAM AND THEN SOME INVESTMENT INCOME.
UM, OUR RATE REMAINS VERY COMPETITIVE.
I THINK WE DO A LOT WITH OUR DOLLARS, YOU KNOW, COMPARED IN THE REGION OR OUR DOLLARS PER ARE THE HIGHEST.
SO IT'S NOTHING THAT I HAVE ASKED FOR NOR NOR WOULD I AT THIS POINT IN TERMS OF, OF CHANGING THAT RATE.
BUT I ALWAYS THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT OUR RATE BECAUSE THAT'S, WHAT'S GENERATING OUR REVENUES.
SO SERVICE DELIVERY, I THINK, UH, WE SHOULD BE CLEAR, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE THEY ACCOMPLISHING WITH THOSE DOLLARS ELMO COMPLIANCE AND MS. FOUR PERMIT.
THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THAT GOES INTO THAT MS. FOUR PERMIT AND THEN NPD E S UM, REALLY FEDERAL STATE MANDATE, SOME INVENTORY MODELING, ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, CHANNEL THREE SWEEPING POND MANAGEMENT, PUMP, STATION MAINTENANCE.
THERE'S FOUR OF THEM, CORRECTIVE MAINTENANCE AND OUR PUBLIC SYSTEM AND CORRECTIVE MAINTENANCE AND OUR PRIVATE SYSTEMS. THE MAJORITY OF FUNDS ARE PROGRAMMED FOR THOSE STRATEGIC PLAN PRIORITIES.
ONE OF WHICH IS A SWAT ANALYSIS OF OUR ISLAND RESILIENCY.
SO HOW ARE, HOW ARE WE BEING IMPACTED THAT SWAT ANALYSIS IS PLUGGED INTO THIS BUDGET, AS WELL AS THOSE ROUTINE AND CORRECTIVE MAINTENANCE AND CAP PROJECTS, UH, WE'VE REMAINED WITH THE SAME RATE STRUCTURE PROPOSAL.
NO NEW VEHICLES, VERY TRANSPARENT IS MY GOAL AND MY EXPECTATION MOVING FORWARD WITH WHERE WE'RE SPENDING OUR DOLLARS, UM, AND THAT THE EMPHASIS BEYOND CAP PROJECTS, AS WELL AS CORRECTIVE AND ROUTINE MAINTENANCE.
UM, AND THEN IN THIS BUDGET, SOME ONE TIME THE MONITORING MODELING AND ISLAND ANALYSIS, I THINK COINCIDES SO EXTENDED SERVICE, YOU SEE OUR PUBLIC SYSTEMS IN WHATEVER COLOR THAT IS.
UH, WELL, YOU CAN SEE HILTON HEAD PLANTATION, PORT ROYAL, INDIGO, RON, AND YOU SEE THOSE ARE PRIVATE SYSTEMS. WE HAVE 17 AGREEMENTS IN PLACE, AND SIX ARE PENDING THOSE AGREEMENTS THAT YOU PUT FORWARD AS A MODEL TEMPLATE ARE ALMOST COMPLETELY DONE.
AND THEN OUR PUBLIC SYSTEM, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? IT MEANS THE TOWN RIGHT OF WASTE THE TOWN EASEMENTS AND TOWN PROPERTY.
UH, WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE STATE DITCHES AND WE KNOW THERE'S COUNTY DITCHES, AND WE KNOW THERE'S PRIVATE PROPERTY.
SO THINGS TO WORK ON, WE HAVE 59 PROJECTS PLANNED THIS YEAR.
UH, AND I WON'T DIVE INTO ALL THIS, BUT IT'S FOR THE PRESENTATION.
YOU CAN SEE THE CAP PROJECTS, GUMTREE, JARVIS CORDELO MOONS, SHELL AND WEXFORD ARE OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO ADDRESS SEA LEVEL RISE AND CLIMATE ADAPTATION OF FISCAL YEAR 23 BUDGET OF $250,000 TO MEASURE A PROGRAM AGAINST THE CLIMATE ACTION GOALS TO DEVELOP AND APPLY INSIGHTS AND A DETAILED MONITORING OF FUTURE SCENARIOS.
ALL THAT MEANS IS THAT IT'S GOING TO ALLOW US TO ACCELERATE OUR INVESTMENTS AND ESTABLISH INITIATIVES TO ADJUST THOSE CHALLENGES.
WE'VE GOT A LOT OF GREAT WORK IN PLACE ALREADY.
I THINK THIS WILL PULL IT TOGETHER.
CAPITAL PROJECTS JUMPING INTO THE NEXT FUND.
UH, IT'S FOR THE FINANCIAL RESOURCES THAT ARE RESTRICTED AND THEY'RE COMMITTED ARE ASSIGNED FOR CAPITAL OUTLAY, INCLUDING LAND ACQUISITION, CONSTRUCTION OF FACILITIES AND OTHER ASSETS.
SO CAP PROJECTS BY DEFINITION ARE PRIMARILY NON-RECURRING IN NATURE.
SO YOU WON'T SEE ALL THOSE STORMWATER PROJECTS IN THE CIP PROGRAM.
[02:15:01]
TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY UNDER THE CATEGORIES THAT THEY'RE GREATER THAN $5,000, EXCEPT FOR ROADS BUILDINGS, COMPUTER SOFTWARE.AND THAT THRESHOLD IS 50 AND THERE'S A WHOLE BUNCH THERE'S SIGNIFICANT AND VERY STRATEGIC SOURCES OF REVENUE THAT ALLOW OUR CAPITAL PROGRAM.
I'M PLEASED TO PRESENT TO YOU THAT OUR CAPITAL PROGRAM I PRESENT TONIGHT, UM, IS FULLY FUNDED.
HOWEVER, HOW DID WE GET HERE? IT WENT THROUGH PRIOR YEAR PROJECTS INTO AN INTERNAL LIST AND OTHER SOURCES THAT WE WOULD IDENTIFY NEW PROJECTS.
SO AS AN EXAMPLE, WE NEED ADAPTIVE TRAFFIC SIGNALS.
WHERE DID THAT COME FROM? WELL, THAT CAME FROM A SERIES OF MEETINGS THAT CAME FROM STAFF RECOMMENDATION THAT CAME FROM SOME CITIZEN RECOMMENDATION.
I KNOW A LOT OF YOU HAVE, IF NOT, ALL OF YOU HAVE TALKED TO ME ABOUT THAT.
AND SO THAT WOULD BE ADDED TO A NEW PROJECT LIST FOR CONSIDERATION.
WE BALANCE OUR FUNDING AVAILABILITY AND ABILITY TO DO THE WORK AND THE PROJECTS.
UH, IT, IT WENT THROUGH PARKS AND REC COMMISSION FOR DISCUSSION CIP COMMITTEE FOR INPUT, AND THEN PLANNING COMMISSION MADE PRIORITY RECOMMENDATIONS BASED UPON THE SOUTH CAROLINA, ENABLING PLANNING, ENABLING LEGISLATION TO PRIORITIZE CAPITAL PROJECTS.
AND I'M HERE TO SHOW YOU TONIGHT WHAT THEIR PRIORITIES ARE, AS WELL AS SHOW YOU THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.
AND SO OVERALL, YOU'VE GOT A $45.6 MILLION PROPOSED, UM, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.
WE SEE THAT THIRD, THIRD COLUMN PERCENT OF BUDGET, BUT REALLY PERCENT CHANGE IS A LITTLE SKEWED BECAUSE WE'RE ROLLING THINGS FORWARD.
I JUST THINK THE NUMBERS ARE IMPORTANT.
BEACH MANAGEMENT, 2.8 MILLION PATHWAY MANAGEMENT, 4.7 MILLION ROADWAY MANAGEMENT, 8.1 MILLION PARK MANAGEMENT, 13.7, ALMOST 13.8 MILLION FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT MANAGEMENT, 6.3 MILLION FLEET MANAGEMENT, 8.1.
THAT'S INCLUSIVE OF THE FIRE FLEET THAT YOU APPROVED LAST YEAR AND SOME TIME AGO AS WELL, LAND ACQUISITION, 300, THAT'S A PLACE HOLDER.
UM, AND THEN HOUSING 1.3, ALMOST $1.4 MILLION MAKING UP A $45,671,933 CIP PROPOSED PROGRAM, UH, PERCENTAGE OF, OF USE.
I THINK IT'S ALL IMPORTANT, BUT THE PIE CHART, UH, QUICKLY TELLS US WHAT OUR PRIORITIES ARE IN THAT BUDGET OR SOURCES OF FUND ARE WIDESPREAD.
UH, I THINK YOU CAN TAKE A LOOK AT THOSE TO REALIZE THAT PRETTY MUCH EVERY SOURCE OF MONEY WITH THE EXCEPTION OF, UM, GENERAL FUND IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, UH, HELP WRITE TRAFFIC FEES, H TAX, UH, DIFFERENT INVESTMENTS, AND THEN THE TRANSFERS IN THOSE, THOSE ARE DEFINITELY, UH, IMPORTANT FUNDS FROM, FROM BEACH PRESERVATION FEES ALL THE WAY DOWN TO STORM WATER, UTILITY FEE.
SO PLANNING, COMMISSION PRIORITIES, UH, IT'S A LONG LIST.
I'M NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH IT ALL, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE CAN STATE THAT WHAT PLANNING COMMISSION HAS PRIORITY PRIORITIZE IS IN FRONT OF YOU FOR FUNDING.
AND THEN SOME RIGHT, THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE WANTED TO FUND.
AND, AND I THINK THAT WE'RE ALL DOING A GOOD JOB AS A TEAM, BUT, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE, THEY'VE PRIORITIZED FACILITIES, FLEET, LAND ACQUISITION.
UM, I WANTED TO BE CLEAR WHERE THE PROJECTS ARE.
SO, UH, THE LABELS HERE COINCIDE, YOU KNOW, IF, IF I'M SURE I DON'T HAVE TO EVEN TELL YOU, JEN RAY AND TAYLOR AND A FEW OTHERS PUT THIS TOGETHER.
UM, I'M SURE IT'S, IT'S PART OF THEIR BRAND ALREADY, BUT THEY HAVE A PROJECT IDENTIFIERS THAT COINCIDE WITH THE PROJECT LISTS.
SO I'M PLEASED TO SHOW YOU, UM, THAT OUR CAPITAL AND PRO PROGRAM IS INTENTIONALLY SPREADING OUT AND AS A PART OF, OF, OF OUR ISLAND AS, AS, AS IT'S KNOWN.
SO FOCUSING ON, UH, ON BEACHES AND ROADWAYS, AND I PUT THIS ON HERE ON PURPOSE, JUST IN CASE SOMEBODY ASKS, IF I PUT IT IN THE BUDGET, WE ACTUALLY EVEN HAVE A PICTURE AND DON'T THEY SAY A PICTURE'S WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS.
SO THAT'S THE ADAPTIVE TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT, UH, UH, CAMERA, UH, WE'RE FOCUSING ON THE SIDEWALKS AND PATHWAYS, HISTORIC MITCHELLVILLE, FREEDOM PARK HAS MADE A REQUEST FOR SOME FUNDING ASSISTANCE WHERE WE'RE PRIORITIZING OUR PARKS, WHETHER IT'S CROSSING CHAPLAIN AND DEFINITELY MID ISLAND WE'LL FUND THE FLEET AS WELL AS OTHER VEHICLES, WE'LL SPEND SOME DOLLARS AT OUR BEACH PARKS, OUR TOWN FACILITY AND OUR PATHWAYS.
THIS IS THE PROPOSED CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.
[02:20:01]
FOR THIS EVENING OR FOR THIS AFTERNOON IS THAT THIS BE LEFT WITH YOU.IT'D BE PLACED ON OUR WEBSITE FOR THE COMMUNITY TO VIEW IN IT FOR THE MOST PART FUNDS THE PROJECTS.
BUT THE WAY IT WORKS IS IS IF IT'S FUNDED IN 22 ADOPTED AND AMENDED BUDGET, WE WILL BE CLEAR.
IT'S CLEAR IN HERE, WHAT'S CARRYING FORWARD.
SO AS AN EXAMPLE, $200,000 OF FISCAL YEAR $22 ARE CARRYING FORWARD INTO THE A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS OF FISCAL YEAR 23 PROPOSAL TO MAKE FOR A $300,000 PROGRAM OR PROJECT.
I SHOULD SAY THIS YEAR, WE'VE BEEN VERY CLEAR AND I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR JAN AND SEAN AND A WHOLE BUNCH OF OTHERS THAT HAVE BEEN REALLY CLEAR TO EXPLAIN WHAT FISCAL YEAR 23 SCOPE IS, RIGHT.
I DON'T WANT TO PUT UP HERE 300 GRAND AND SOMEBODY THINKS WE'RE RENOURISHING THE BEACH THIS YEAR.
IT SHOULD BE VERY CLEAR ONGOING ACTIVITIES TO MANAGE THE BEACH, INCLUDING RESILIENCY, ENDANGERED SPECIES MONITORING, AND THEN WHAT HAVE WE ACCOMPLISHED AND WHAT WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED BY THE END OF FISCAL YEAR 22, I'LL PAUSE IN A COUPLE OF THESE, BUT AT THE END OF IT, UM, THEY ALL EQUATE TO THE PROPOSED CIP.
SO PARK IMPROVEMENTS, YOU'LL SEE SOME FUNDS AT DRIESSEN AND FOLLY FIELD BEACH AT ISLANDERS, BEACH, COLIGNY BEACH, AND SOME BEACH PARK MAINTENANCE.
I THINK THAT WE'VE HAD A LOT OF SUCCESS.
UH, I, I WILL ADD TO MY TOWN MANAGER REPORT NEXT MONTH AND DISCUSS WITH MAYOR A QUICK PRESENTATION TO SHOW YOU ALL OF THE ENHANCEMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE AT THE BEACH.
I MEAN, WE HAVE STAFF MEMBERS THAT WENT TO LOWE'S TO BUY LUMBER, TO FIX THE BOARDS.
UM, WE'VE, WE'VE COMPLETELY CHANGED THE FLOORING AND ADA, UH, UH, ELEMENTS IN SOME OF OUR BATHROOMS. AND I KNOW THAT ERIN AND MARK ROBSON AND KEITH AND EVERYBODY INVOLVED ARE HARD AT WORK.
SO I WANT TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU, BUT THERE ARE SOME MORE DOLLARS NEXT YEAR, HARBOR TOWN DREDGES.
WE TALKED TONIGHT ANTICIPATED IN THE BUDGET, UM, PATHWAY AND MAINTENANCE IMPROVEMENTS AND THE NEW PATHWAY SEGMENTS, SHELTER COVE, WOOD HAVEN, WILLIAM HILTON PARKWAY, EASTBOUND AND JONESVILLE ROAD, DIRT ROAD, ACQUISITION, AND PAVING.
UM, WE'VE BEEN SLOW THIS YEAR TO GET THIS PROGRAM IN PLACE.
I THINK THAT WE'VE MADE SOME RECENT MOVES.
UM, WE'VE THE WAY WE'RE GOING ABOUT OUR BUSINESS.
AND I KNOW THAT YOU WILL SEE A LOT OF ACTIVITY BETWEEN NOW AND THE END OF THIS FISCAL AND IN FISCAL YEAR 23, AS WE WORK TO PAVE MITCHELLVILLE, PINE FIELD, HORSE SUGAR, AND ALICE PERRY DRIVE FREDDY'S WAY AN ALFRED LANE, WILLIAM HILTON PARKWAY ENHANCEMENTS.
IF YOU WONDER WHY YOU'VE JUST RECENTLY BEEN INVITED AND I APOLOGIZE, IT'S A LOT OF MEETINGS, BUT IF YOU WONDER WHY YOU'VE BEEN INVITED 15 OR SO STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS THIS WEEK, IT'S TO KICK OFF IT'S TO KICK OFF THE PLANNING OF SOME OF THAT.
SO IT'S CROSSWALKS LIGHTING, TURN LANES, CURB, AND GUTTER, PEDESTRIAN VEHICULAR ENHANCEMENTS.
DEFINITELY OUR GATEWAY CORRIDOR IS SEPARATE AND ASIDE THE ADAPTIVE TRAFFIC SIGNAL MANAGEMENT IS, IS IN HERE AS WELL AS DILLON ROAD, RIGHT TURN LANE.
SO ANYTIME THAT WE WORK ON A ROAD, WE NEED A PLAN.
WE NEED AN ENCROACHMENT PERMIT, AND WE NEED TO WORK CLOSELY WITH BUFORD COUNTY AND DOD ON THAT.
SO A LOT OF THAT, THAT, THAT MEETING THAT WE'RE HAVING THIS WEEK IS SCOPING AND DESIGNING THIS.
I WOULDN'T SAY ALL AT ONCE, BUT IN SEGMENTS SO THAT WE'RE NOT ISSUING DIFFERENT CONTRACTS ON, ON EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE ELEMENTS WHERE WE'RE THINKING BIGGER AND WE'RE SOLVING, UH, THE, THE CORRIDOR ISSUE, NOT A PROJECT AT A TIME ISSUE.
YOU'LL ALSO SEE SOME DOLLARS IN HERE FOR STREETSCAPE ENHANCEMENTS ON POPE, PALMETTO AND ARROW, DITTO TO WHAT I JUST SAID.
ALSO ADAPTIVE TRAFFIC SIGNAL MANAGEMENT ON ALL OF THOSE INTERSECTIONS.
SO TO SUM IT UP, WE HAVE THE ADAPTIVE TRAFFIC SIGNAL MANAGEMENT PLANNED AND FUNDED.
WE'RE GOING TO APPLY FOR A GRANT.
UM, BUT IT'S FUNDED EITHER THROUGH A GRANT AND OR OUR FUNDS AND OTHERS.
100% OF EVERY SIGNAL ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND IS THE PLAN.
SO I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR ABOUT THAT.
UM, MAIN STREET, WE'RE CONTINUING TO WORK ON MAIN STREET.
I THINK WE'RE GETTING CLOSER SQUIRE POPE AND SOME OTHERS.
AND IN MID ISLAND, I'LL PAUSE AT SOME OF THIS.
WE HAVE SOME DOLLARS IN MID ISLAND AND YOU CAN SEE 1.7 PLAN LAST YEAR, 1.2, CARRY FORWARD 4 MILLION NEW FUNDS FOR A $5.2 MILLION INVESTMENT INTO THE MID ISLAND TRACT.
FOR NEXT YEAR, CHAPLAIN CROSSING SHELTER COVE.
I CALL IT PHASE TWO, CHAPLAIN LINEAR.
UM, WE'RE GOING TO CONNECT WHERE WE'RE LEAVING OFF RIGHT NOW, ALL THE WAY TO MATTHEWS.
AND I THINK THERE'S SOME CREATIVE OPPORTUNITIES THERE TO ADD SOME PEDESTRIAN ELEMENTS,
[02:25:01]
SOME PATHWAYS, SOME SAFETY OFF THE ROAD, AS WELL AS POTENTIALLY EVEN SOME REALLY CREATIVE OVERLOOK.AND I THINK IT ADDS VALUE, UH, PATTERSON, FAMILY PARK.
I THINK WE ALL KNOW WHY THAT'S TAKING A LITTLE BIT OF TIME ARTIFACTS ON THE SITE.
UM, WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT IT AND I THINK THERE'LL BE A GREAT PARK.
UM, WHEN WE TELL THAT FULL STORY TAYLOR AND BARKER FIELD, WELL THERE'S MONEY PLUGGED FOR BARKER FIELD FULL DISCLOSURE.
I WON'T SPEND ANY DOLLARS THERE IN LESS THAN UNTIL WE TRANSFER THAT PARK TO OUR, OUR ASSET, OUR ASSET LIST.
AND I'VE BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH MR. GREENWAY AT THE COUNTY TO, TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
I THINK I CAN JUMP THROUGH SOME OF THESE, BUT YOU SAW THEM THE ISLAND REC ASSOCIATION CAP, PROJECT REQUESTS, A PUBLIC ART PROGRAM, THE RECURRING FUNDS, 25 K GENERAL PARK ENHANCEMENTS, TOWN HALL, SECURITY, AND FACILITY.
WE PROGRAMMED SOME DOLLARS IN FOR TOWN HALL.
WE CONTINUE TO SPEND THOSE DOLLARS.
YOU WILL SOON START SEEING A DIFFERENT MAKEUP FOR YOU AS YOU GET INTO THE ROOM.
AS SOON AS I THINK WE CAN GET SOME OF THIS EQUIPMENT OFF THE BARGE, WHEREVER THAT'S SITTING, UH, YOU SEE THAT WE'RE GOING TO SPEND A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY ON TOWN FACILITY, SPRINKLER HEADS.
UM, WE DID, UH, WE DID A STRUCTURAL REPORT IN THE BUILDING AND WE HAVE SOME, I WOULD SAY PRIORITY PROJECTS JUST TO INVEST INTO THIS BUILDING FOR THE TIME BEING A SHELTER COVE B FOR COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, IT NEEDS A ROOF.
IT NEEDS SOME UPGRADES FOR DESKS, UH, EVIE CHARGING STATIONS AT OUR TOWN FACILITIES, UH, IMPLEMENTING OUR MASTER PLAN FOR PARKING.
WE JUST GOT THROUGH THE RFQ LAST WEEK, AND WE'LL BRING THAT TO YOU SOON, BUT THERE'S SOME DOLLARS IN HERE CONTEMPLATING AND ANTICIPATING MOVING FORWARD TO THAT COASTAL DISCOVERY MUSEUM.
I MENTIONED HISTORIC MITCHELLVILLE, FREEDOM PARK, A MOD CONTACTED ME AND ASKED FOR SOME FUNDS TO IMPROVE THE PARKING LOT.
AND I THINK THAT WILL GO A LONG WAY, ESPECIALLY WITH ADA SPACES AND PATHWAYS AND, AND THE LIKE, AND THE LEASE ALLOWS FOR THAT.
SO YOU'LL SEE SOME INVESTMENT THERE, UH, AS A PROPOSAL, IT EQUIPMENT, PUBLIC SAFETY SYSTEMS, EQUIPMENT SECURITY CAMERAS AT SOME OF OUR SPACES WHERE THERE'S GAPS, INCLUDING TOWN HALL, INCLUDING SOME PARKS, FIRE MEDICAL SYSTEMS EQUIPMENT.
AND YOU CAN READ THROUGH THOSE, UM, SOME WORK DONE AT MODERN CLASSIC MOTORS.
WE'RE WORKING CLOSELY WITH JOHN O'TOOLE ON THAT, UH, FIRE HYDRANT EXPANSION, UH, ARTS CAMPUS FEASIBILITY REMAINS IN THE BUDGET.
I THINK WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE'RE DOING.
AND I THINK WE'LL LOOK AT THAT A LITTLE CLOSER WHEN WE START THINKING OF GROWTH FRAMEWORK AND MASTER PLANS, SOME STORMWATER PROJECTS.
I MENTIONED THE STORM WATER PROJECTS IN THE STORMWATER FUND, UM, AS A TRANSFER SOME VEHICLE REPLACEMENT OF VEHICLES THAT ARE MORE THAN 10 YEARS OLD, AS WELL AS NEW VEHICLES FOR THE STAFF MEMBERS.
I ASKED FOR FIRE RESCUE APPARATUS AND VEHICLE REPLACEMENT, UM, AS WELL AS HOUSING.
AND WE TALKED ABOUT THAT, UM, LAST BUT NOT LEAST DEBT, AND I'M ALMOST DONE 20 MORE SLIDES, JUST KIDDING, LIKE FIVE.
UH, BUT THAT ACCOUNTS FOR THE ACCUMULATION OF RESOURCES FOR THE PAYMENT OF INTEREST IN PRINCIPAL, ON OUR LONG-TERM DEBT, UH, PRIMARY SOURCES, YOU CAN READ THEM PROPERTY TAXES, TRANSFERS IN BEACH FEES, AGE TAXES, SMOOTH FUNDS.
SO THIS YEAR, $19.3 MILLION REQUESTED, UH, WITH PRINCIPAL AT $16 MILLION IN INTEREST AT 3.2, IF I DO PAUSE IT'S HERE, WE HAVE IN THE LAST WE WILL IN 24 MONTHS PAY MORE THAN $30 MILLION OF PRINCIPAL OFF OUR DEBT.
SO CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYBODY INVOLVED.
I INHERITED A FERRARI IT'S, UH, IT'S FUN DRIVING IT.
UM, AND I JUST, I JUST THINK IT'S, IT'S TREMENDOUS, ESPECIALLY AS WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE PIE CHART AND TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHERE OUR REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES ARE BEING PLACED.
AND JUST FOR PUBLIC FULL DISCLOSURE, YOU SEE THE FINAL PAYMENT ON SOME OF OUR DEBT, 20 25, 20 24, 20 23, 20 23, 20 23.
SO WE'RE GETTING REALLY CLOSE TO PAYING OFF SOME, SOME SIGNIFICANT SOURCES OF DEBT, INCLUDING ONE, ONE MORE UNDER THE SPECIAL OBLIGATION BOND.
UM, SO, SO $15 MILLION DEBT REDUCTION IN 2116 THIS YEAR, NO NEW BONDS ARE PLANNED 50 YEAR IN A ROW, OR A NET DEBT DECLINED.
OUR BUDGET INCLUDES GEO AND SPECIAL REV BONDS.
AND OUR 23 BUDGETS VERY SIMILAR TO OUR, OUR LAST YEAR AND THAT WE'RE PROPOSING TO KEEP THE DEBT SERVICE MILLAGE THE SAME AND NO NEW BONDS ARE PROPOSED.
[02:30:01]
CONTINUE TO SEEK REFUNDING OPPORTUNITIES.I DON'T THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE AS SUCCESSFUL RIGHT NOW IN THIS CLIMATE, BUT WE ALWAYS MONITOR, WE'VE GOT A GREAT TEAM.
UM, THE TOWN WILL ISSUE THE LEASE FOR THE FIRETRUCKS UPON RECEIPT.
SO THAT'S COMING AND THEN STORM WATER PONDS ARE PAID THROUGH STORM WATER FUNDS.
SO ALL IN 119,000,500, $1,114 AS A CONSOLIDATED BUDGET TONIGHT, FIRST READING AT YOUR, AT YOUR DIRECTION OF COUNCIL BUDGET WORKSHOP ON MAY 10.
I KNOW THERE'S A HOLD ON CALENDARS AND THEN A CONTEMPLATION OF JUNE SEVEN FOR SECOND AND FINAL READING, AS WELL AS PUBLIC HEARING ON THE BUDGET.
SO A QUESTION IS MY MEMORY HIM IS THAT OF COUNCIL, MR. DAVID HANNAH PHONE.
AND I'M GLAD YOU GAVE CREDIT TO JEN AND TAYLOR AND SO ON BECAUSE IT REALLY WAS AN AMAZING, UH, WORK OF ART.
UM, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ME JUST TO SHARE WITH YOU SORT OF MY HIGH LEVEL REACTIONS.
UM, I, I'M VERY ENCOURAGED BECAUSE OF THE DIRECT ALIGNMENT BETWEEN THE STRATEGIC PLAN, UM, AND THE EXPENDITURES AND THE PRIORITIES.
UH, I FEEL THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS SOMEWHAT NEW AND IMPORTANT FOR THIS TWO-YEAR PROGRAM.
I ALSO THINK THAT YOUR COMMITMENT TO PLANNING IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT AND DRIVES WHERE WE'RE GOING TO INVEST IN ESTABLISH THE PRIORITIES.
AND I CERTAINLY SUPPORT, UH, WHAT APPEARS TO BE THE ACCELERATION OF CAPITAL INVESTMENT FOR THE ENHANCEMENT OF BRAND AND FOR THE GENERAL QUALITY OF THE COMMUNITY.
I LIKE IT WHEN YOU USE THE WORD PROGRAMMING, MAINTENANCE AND ENHANCEMENT OF THE PUBLIC REALM, INCLUDING FACILITIES, ROADS, PARKS, AND OPEN SPACE, PUBLIC REALM IS IN MY OPINION, PERHAPS THE MOST IMPORTANT AREA FOR, UH, OP AN OPPORTUNITY FOR IMPROVEMENT TO SEND A MESSAGE, NOT ONLY TO RESIDENTS, BUT ALSO TO OUR VISITORS.
SO I THINK THAT PRIORITY IS, IS GOOD.
UM, I LIKE THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE RECOGNIZED THAT RECRUITING AND RETAINING EMPLOYEES IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT AND THE COST OF LIVING HERE ON THE ISLAND, NECESSITATES SOME, UH, ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.
I WILL NOTE AS A, AS A, UH, SORT OF TANGENTIAL THOUGHT, THEN ONLY 34% OF OUR EMPLOYEES EITHER CHOOSE TO OR AFFORD, UH, TO LIVE ON THE ISLAND.
IF WE WERE TO GO UP TO 50%, WE WOULD HAVE TO BUILD HOUSING FOR 90 DWELLING UNITS.
40% WOULD BE 60 DWELLING UNITS.
IT SURE SEEMS TO ME THAT AT SOME POINT WE OUGHT TO RECOGNIZE OUR EMPLOYEES AND WORK TOWARDS INCREASING THAT PERCENTAGE FROM 34%, WHICH I THINK IS UNFORTUNATELY LOW.
UM, YOU ALSO MENTIONED ENFORCEMENT IN THE BUDGET, AND I THINK THAT'S A STRONG INDICATION OF WHAT WE AS A COUNCIL HAVE BEEN HEARING NOW FOR A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME, UH, ENFORCEMENT IN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT AREAS.
AND I'M, I'M GLAD TO SEE THE PERSONNEL, UH, AN EMPHASIS THERE FINALLY, UM, THE, THE STRATEGIC DIMENSION OF THE BUDGET IS IMPRESSIVE, BUT I ALSO WANT TO CONGRATULATE YOU AND THE STAFF THAT THERE IS AN OBVIOUS APPRECIATION OF THE IMPORTANCE OF DETAILS, THE ATTENTION TO DETAILS.
AS I DRIVE OFF OF 2 78 ONTO NEW ORLEANS ROAD, MY TIRES USED TO HIT THE THREE HOLES.
EVERY TIME I TURNED THAT CORNER TODAY, THERE WERE FILLED.
I TRULY APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT THE TOWN IS PAYING ATTENTION TO THAT LEVEL OF DETAIL.
IT WAS THE LENNOX, THE JOB MARKET.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE COMMUNITY TO KNOW THAT THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME WE'VE SEEN THESE NUMBERS.
UM, MARK HAS MET WITH MARK AND JOHN TROYER HAS MET WITH EACH ONE OF US INDIVIDUALLY AND GONE OVER THIS SAME PRESENTATION AND GAVE US THE
[02:35:01]
OPTION AND THE OPPORTUNITY AT THAT TIME, UH, TO ASK FOR MORE DETAIL AND ASK ANY QUESTIONS, WHICH WE ALL DID, UH, SUBSEQUENT TO THAT WE HAD, UH, WE HAD ACCESS TO BOTH MARK AND JOHN, UH, FOR FURTHER QUESTIONS.AND I ASSURE YOU, THERE WERE MANY, MANY HOURS, UH, POST THAT FIRST PRESENTATION WHERE WE INTERACTED WITH EITHER OR JOHN AND MARK, UH, SINCE THE PANDEMIC HIT.
UH, ONE OF OUR BIGGEST CONCERNS WAS, UH, SINCE WE HAVEN'T EXPERIENCED ANYTHING LIKE THIS IN THE HISTORY OF HILTON HEAD, WHAT IMPACT WILL THE PANDEMIC HAVE ON REVENUE? WE DIDN'T KNOW.
UH, JOHN TROYER CAME TO FINANCE COMMITTEE, UH, ARMED WITH MONTHLY FINANCIAL STATEMENTS WITH EMPHASIS ON REVENUE.
THE TOWN HAS TRADITIONALLY BEEN VERY EFFECTIVE IN MANAGING EXPENSES.
WHAT I WAS WORRIED ABOUT, HOWEVER, WAS WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TO REVENUE IN A PANDEMIC.
WELL, I THINK YOU'LL SEE BY, UH, THE FISCAL YEAR, 20, 20, 20, 21 AND SOON 2022, THIS ECONOMY IS ENORMOUSLY RESILIENT, UH, AND THE BUSINESS OWNERS AND THOSE THAT DO BUSINESS ON THE ECONOMY AND ON THE ISLAND, FIGURED IT OUT.
THEY WERE ABLE TO MAINTAIN A LEVEL OF REVENUE IF MEASURED BY THE ACCOMMODATIONS TAX, HOSPITALITY TAX, UM, BEACH RENOURISHMENT FEES THAT WE COLLECT AS A TOWN, IF MEASURED BY THAT, YOU LOOK AT FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND YOU DON'T SEE A PANDEMIC.
AND I THINK THAT WE ALL OUGHT TO TAKE RATE, BREAK COMFORT, UH, AT LEAST IN WHAT WE'VE BEEN THROUGH SO FAR.
AND IT'S THE GREAT RECESSION BACK TO BACK TO BACK HURRICANES AND NOW TWO AND A HALF YEAR PANDEMIC THAT THIS ECONOMY IS RESILIENT.
AND I FEEL GOOD ABOUT THAT CIP $45 MILLION.
HOW LONG WOULD IT TAKE YOU TO SPEND $45 MILLION ON PROJECTS? DON'T THINK FOR A MINUTE, EVEN THOUGH THE CIP IN THIS BUDGET HAS 45 MILLION IN IT, HALF OF THAT IS ROLL FORWARDS FROM PROJECTS THAT WERE APPROVED AND FUNDED IN 21, 22, UH, THAT ARE YET TO BE COMPLETED.
UH, IT WOULD TAKE US GIVEN THE CURRENT STATE OF THE LABOR MARKET.
UH, IT WOULD TAKE US TWO OR THREE YEARS, UH, TO BUILD $45 MILLION WORTH OF CIP PROJECTS, ALTHOUGH IT'S IN THERE, UH, IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.
WHAT I REALLY FEEL GOOD ABOUT, HOWEVER, IS THAT 45 MILLION IS FUNDED.
IT DOESN'T MAKE THAT LIST UNLESS THERE IS AN IDENTIFIED SOURCE OF FUNDING FOR IT, VERY AGGRESSIVE.
AND I THINK IT'S, IT'S IN TANDEM WITH OUR STRATEGIC PLAN.
LASTLY, UH, YOU'LL NOTICE THAT, UH, RESERVE BALANCES ARE BUILDING, UH, MARK AND STAFF HAVE ELEVATED THE REQUIRED, UH, RESERVE LEVELS FOR THE GENERAL FUND, UH, UP APPRECIABLY.
AND IT'S NOT OUR BUSINESS TO GENERATE REVENUE FROM THE COMMUNITY TO BUILD RESERVE FUNDS, NOT AT ALL.
HOWEVER, IF YOU RECALL MATTHEW AND IRMA, UH, MATTHEW COST US ABOUT $55 MILLION, AND THAT WAS A BABY STORM THAT GAVE US A GLANCING BLOW.
IT COST US $55 MILLION JUST TO CLEAN IT UP, THAT WASN'T TO RECONSTRUCT ANYTHING THAT WAS THE CLEANING IT UP.
AND GIVEN TODAY'S DOLLARS, JOHN IS THAT NORTH OF 70, UH, AND THAT'S ONLY A CATEGORY ONE STORM.
SO I THINK, I THINK, UH, AS I LOOK AT, UH, THE, THE, UH, CREATION AND ACCRUAL OF THE RESERVE FUNDS, UH, I THINK THAT'S PRUDENT RISK MANAGEMENT IN THAT IF WE GET HIT AGAIN, UH, WITH A SMALL STORM LIKE MATTHEW, IT'S GOING TO COST US MORE.
IF WE GET HIT WITH A MORE SUBSTANTIAL STORM, IT'S GONNA COST US A LOT MORE.
[02:40:01]
MONITORING REVENUES FOR TWO AND A HALF YEARS, THIS IS A VERY CONSERVATIVE APPROACHED, UH, TO REVENUE.UH, AND I RELY HEAVILY ON THE TOWN MANAGER AND TOWN STAFF TO MANAGE THE EXPENSE SIDE.
IF THAT HAPPENS, I THINK THIS IS DOABLE.
I WAS GETTING A LITTLE NERVOUS BECAUSE, UH, WONDERED ABOUT YOU TAKING NOTES, BUT YOU HAVE GIVEN THAT DIRECTIVE TO MR.
CAUSE I FORGOT MY, I FORGOT MY PEN UP THERE.
I DIDN'T WANT TO INTERRUPT JOSH.
I, I SAY THAT DELIBERATELY BECAUSE I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THAT YOU, UH, VERY ATTENTIVE TO OUR CONCERNS AND THE PUBLIC'S CONCERNS.
UM, AND I'M, I'M HAPPY THAT WE WILL BE MOVING INTO A WORKSHOP TO SPEAK TO THIS A LITTLE BIT MORE INTIMATELY, UM, THE, UH, FINANCIAL POLICIES THAT YOU'VE INCLUDED IN YOUR MEMO.
UH, MEASUREMENT, UH, FOCUS IN A BASIS ON ACCOUNTING.
IT ALSO TALKS ABOUT ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL REPORTING.
AND I GOT TO THINKING ABOUT THOSE AND IT'S ALMOST LIKE COMMENTATING, UH, A SPORTS GAME.
RIGHT? YOU GOT THE STATISTICIANS IN THE BACKGROUND GIVING US THE NUMBERS, THE NUMBERS MATTER.
BUT ULTIMATELY UNDERSTANDING WHO'S GOING TO WIN OR WHO'S GOING TO LOSE IS MUCH MORE EXCITING TO US.
UM, SO, UM, THE WAY THAT YOU ARE PRESENTING IS MORE SO IN A WAY, NOT TOLD NUMBER BASE, BUT UNDERSTANDING WHERE WE'RE MOVING AS A COMMUNITY AND I APPLAUD YOU FOR THAT.
AND THEN WE'LL CONTINUE TO GET BETTER AT THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
UM, THE, UH, THE ONE THING I WANTED TO SAY, CAUSE THIS IS OUR FIRST TIME TOGETHER, UH, WHEN IT COMES TO DISCUSSION.
UH, SO I DID WANT TO SAY OUT LOUD, UH, IN SUPPORT OF WHAT, UH, COUNCILMAN AINS MENTIONED ABOUT, UM, THOSE THAT WORK FOR THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD AND THAT LIVE IN THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD.
AND, UM, I HAD 40% AS FAR AS TOWN EMPLOYEES AND 33% FIRE AND RESCUE.
I THINK THAT WE NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO, UM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE NEW NUMBER SHOULD BE, BUT IT SHOULD BE HIGHER THAN THOSE.
UM, UM, I'M IN SUPPORT OF US GIVEN, UH, ADDITIONAL MONIES TO THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
UM, BUT I MUST SAY THAT WHEN IT COMES TO THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, WE HAVE TO MAKE A CALL MOST TIMES TO SEE THEM WHEN IT COMES TO OUR TOWN EMPLOYEES, WE WALK IN THE DOOR, THEY'RE HERE AND THEY'RE READY TO GO.
AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE RECOGNIZE THAT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY OF OWNERSHIP OF OUR COMMUNITY IF THEY CHOOSE TO LIVE SOMEWHERE ELSE, THAT'S FINE.
BUT IF IT'S A COST THING, WE NEED TO START LOOKING AT FILLING THAT GAP TO SOME DEGREE.
UM, THE, THE, THE, UH, THE LAST ONE AND MY GOT SHUFFLED HERE A LITTLE BIT.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THIS, UH, THIS HOLIDAY SCHEDULE WAS A PART OF THE BUDGET OR YES.
WELL, UM, THERE'S ONE THAT'S MISSING.
AND I THINK THAT'S UP FOR US TO DISCUSS AND HOPEFULLY ADD TO OUR SCHEDULE, UH, WITH HILTON HEAD BEING THE HOME OF THE FIRST PLACE OF FREEDOM IN AMERICA.
I THINK IT'S ONLY APPROPRIATE THAT WE ADD JUNE TEAM TO OUR HOLIDAY SCHEDULE.
I HAVE LISTENED TO TENTATIVELY.
I HAVE ATTEMPTED TO GO THROUGH THE ELABORATE DOCUMENTS THAT YOU HAVE PRESENTED TO US.
AND MY CONCLUSION IS WE'RE HAVING A $20 MILLION INCREASE IN THE BUDGET OVER THE PREVIOUS YEAR, A TAX CUT.
THE TOWN IS HEALTHY, THE COMMUNITY IS HEALTHY.
WELL, UM, FOR YOU, I'D LIKE TO SAY, UM, THANK YOU.
AND THANK YOU TO STAFF WHO PUT THIS ALL TOGETHER AND FOR THE MEETINGS AND ANSWERING ALL OF THE QUESTIONS.
I THINK THE, AS MR. STANFORD CORRECTLY POINTED OUT THE STATE OF AFFAIRS HERE IN HILTON HEAD ARE BRIGHT AND WE'RE IN GOOD SHAPE.
UM, I'M PROUD TO BE PART OF THIS COMMUNITY.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THIS IMPLEMENTED, UM, IN THE COMING YEAR.
I THINK MR. UH, LENNOX SAID MOST OF EVERYTHING THAT I COULD HAVE POSSIBLY EVER THOUGHT OF SAYING, AND I APPRECIATE
[02:45:01]
HIM HAVING DONE.SO YOU DID TAKE THE TIME TO GO OVER THIS WITH US SO THAT WE WERE CLEAR.
I THINK I HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE BUDGET THAN I EVER HAVE.
AND, UM, THAT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR EACH ONE OF US TO HAVE THAT CLARITY.
UM, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF DETAILS THAT I'M STILL WAITING FOR.
UM, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO RECEIVING THOSE.
I'M NOT GOING TO REPEAT ALL OF THE POSITIVE COMMENTS.
WHAT'S BEEN SAID, UH, A COUPLE OF POINTS.
UH, I'D LIKE TO EMPHASIZE IS I THINK, UH, CLEARLY, UH, ON THE, UH, FINE BALANCE CEILING, UH, MOVING FROM THE 35 TO 40 TO 40 TO 50 SMART, UH, I HOPE THAT'S CODIFIED AS A POLICY FOR THE FUTURE.
UH, BECAUSE AS WE'VE ALL SAID, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE FUTURE IS GOING TO BE, BUT, UH, PEOPLE IN WALL STREET THAT SELL US MONEY OR GET US MONEY AS CHEAPLY AS POSSIBLE.
UH, YOU'RE RUNNING YOUR STAFF AT A VERY FAST PACE.
UH, AND, UH, THE ONE ISSUE THAT I SEE HERE IS THE VACATION POLICY, UH, VACATIONS ARE FOR REJUVENATION REBIRTHING, UM, GETTING THAT CREATIVITY GOING, UM, HAVING PEOPLE HAVE THE ABILITY TO ACCRUE AND ACCRUE AND ACCRUE WHEN THEY SHOULD BE SPENDING TIME, RENEWING, RENEWING, RENEWING, UH, IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK OF, UH, YES, SIR.
UH, THE, UH, I CAN'T EMPHASIZE ENOUGH SIP BEING FULLY FUNDED, UH, FANTASTIC.
UH, I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE LANGUAGE MEANS HERE IN TERMS OF INVENTORY AND IN MODELING.
I THINK I KNOW WHAT IT MEANS, UH, AND VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.
IT'S A KEY UNDERGROUND ASSET, AN ASSET THAT NEEDS TO BE REVIEWED ON AN ONGOING BASIS AND NURTURED IN, UH, REHAB W WHEN, WHEN NECESSARY, UH, NEW HIRES, UH, H I P SHOULD NOT BE APOLOGETIC ABOUT NEW HIRES.
YOU'RE NOT CRYING TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT YOU NEED TO ACCOMPLISH IN SOME OF THE NEW FOCUSED AREAS WITHOUT PEOPLE THAT CAN HELP EDUCATE, UH, AND THEN THE CA CAN HELP EVALUATE, AND IN SOME CASES ACTUALLY CAN FORCE.
SO I, NEW HIRES ARE IMPORTANT.
AND THE LAST THING IS, UH, THE DIRECTION WE'RE HEADING NOW AND, UH, WITH THE CAPITAL MOMENTUM BEHIND IT, UH, WE NEED TO TELL OUR STORY BETTER, AND I KNOW YOU'RE DOING IT NOW MUCH MORE SO THAN WE'VE EVER DONE BEFORE.
UH, BUT TO THE CAPITAL MARKETS, UH, THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT ARE LOOKING FOR GOOD INVESTMENT, UH, PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES ARE OUT THERE.
UH, AND I THINK MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION, YOU KNOW, ONE PLUS ONE CAN EQUAL THREE OR FOUR.
SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO START THINKING IN A VERY DELIBERATE WAY, UH, TO THE DEVELOPMENT WORLD.
UH, WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS IT IS A GOOD STORY AND THAT GOOD STORY WILL BRING MORE CAPITAL HERE IN A VERY SMART, SENSITIVE, AND CREATIVE WAY.
COMMENTS, MY CITIZENS IN THE COMMUNITY.
HELLO? ALICIA RAISED YOUR HAND.
IT'S GOING TO BE ON, ON THE WEBSITE TONIGHT.
YES, THEY HAVE LATER ON TONIGHT AFTER THE YANKEE GAME.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OUT THERE? WELL, THINKING BACK HERE BEFORE THE VOTE, UM, I SEE MARK ANGUISH FOR THE LAST TWO WEEKS ON YOUR CHANGING WORDS, CHANGING SENTENCES, AND, YOU KNOW, CREDIT HIM TAKING ANY OF MY SUGGESTIONS CAUSE TO COME OUT VERY, VERY WELL WALK.
AND I THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH.
UM, BUT WORKSHOP, I NEED TO KNOW MARK, YOU KNOW WHAT YOU WANT TO COVER IN THE WORKSHOP? OH, MR. MAYOR, I'M GOOD TO GO.
I MEAN, I PERSONALLY DON'T NEED ANOTHER WORKSHOP.
YOU DON'T NEED ANOTHER WORKSHOP.
NO, I MEAN, I'M SPEAKING FOR MYSELF AND I'M PREPARED TO, TO MOVE THIS TONIGHT FOR FIRST THREE,
[02:50:01]
THEN WORKSHOP.WELL, I THINK THE ADVANTAGE TO A WORKSHOP IS THAT ONCE THE BUDGET IS PRESENTED TO THE PUBLIC, I'M CERTAIN THERE WILL BE THOUGHTS AND COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS.
AND I WANT TO HEAR THOSE AND BE ABLE TO PRESENT THEM AS APPROPRIATE.
MR. GLENNON, I THINK, UH, TAMMY'S POINT IS, IS WELL-MADE.
AND THAT IS THAT WE WILL BE HEARING FROM THE PUBLIC, I ASSUME IN THIS.
AND AS WE HEAR FROM THAT, WE NEED TO BE PREPARED TO RESPOND TO THOSE COMMENTS IN A PUBLIC FORUM.
IF WE DON'T GET A LOT OF COMMENTS, THEN, UH, YOUR EDUCATION TO US HAS BEEN THOROUGH AND COMPLETE AND UNCOMFORTABLE.
SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A WORKSHOP, BUT WHAT I NEED FROM EVERYBODY HERE IS WHAT THEY WANT TO COVER IT, THAT WORKSHOP, I DON'T WANT TO WALK TO GO OVER THE SAME THINGS WE WENT OVER TODAY.
I DON'T WANT TO KEEP ON GOING OVER AND OVER AND OVER SAME THOUGHTS.
WE FIND SOMETHING WRONG WITH IT.
EVERYBODY'S GOING TO LEAVE HERE AND READ WASN'T TO PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY STATE.
WHAT ABOUT THIS? WHAT ABOUT THAT? I THINK THAT'S THE WORKSHOP IS FOR, SO IF WE GIVE THEM ALL TO INFORMATION, WHAT WE WANT TO COVER THAT WILL MAKE FOR A BETTER WORKSHOP, RATHER THAN JUST GOING IN HERE AND WASTE A LOT OF TIME THAT OKAY, SIR.
UM, SO FIRST I NEED A MOTION, SO I'M CONFUSED.
I CAN, I CAN SAY THAT I AM VERY PLEASED TO MOVE FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE 2 0 2, 3 PROPOSED CONSOLIDATE THE BUDGET ON ITS FIRST READING.
OKAY, KRISTEN, THANK YOU, MR. BROWN SUPPORT, MR. HARKINS, MR. AMES, THIS IS BECKER.
WITH THE CAVEAT THAT I AM STILL WAITING FOR A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION.
I HOPE TO GET THAT AND WE'LL BE ALL GOOD.
MAY I CLARIFY WHAT THAT INFORMATION IS? IT IS, IT IS.
AS I GOT INTO THE STRATEGIC PLAN, I MENTIONED THAT 100% OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN IS FUNDED.
SO AS WE LOOK AT OUR DOCUMENT, YOU'LL SEE ELEMENTS IN THERE THAT OUR FISCAL YEAR 21 STARTS FISCAL YEAR 22 STARTS AND FISCAL 23 STARTS.
AND AS DIRECTED AS YOU ADOPTED THE STRATEGIC PLAN, I WOULD FUND THOSE FISCAL 23 ELEMENTS.
WHEN MS. BECKER HAS ASKED FOR IS THAT WE SLOW DOWN AND MAKE SURE WE'RE SCOPING THE PROJECT.
SO THIS PROJECT SCOPE IS VERY CLEAR BEFORE WE JUST RUN DOWN THE STREET AND SPENDING DOLLARS SPENDING TIME, BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH OF IT.
WHAT THE MAYOR AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT IS A STRATEGIC PLAN YEAR UPDATE.
UH, WE PLANNED THAT FOR JULY, THAT SAME DATE IN JULY, IT WAS AT LEAST A HOLD FOR IS THE MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE IN, I BELIEVE IT'S IN CHARLESTON.
SO WE HAVE TO WORK ON A DIFFERENT DATE, BUT I FULLY INTEND TO WORK WITH YOU TO SCOPE THOSE FISCAL YEAR 23 PROJECTS FOR CLARITY.
MY ROLL, MS. MRS. BAKKER, WHAT WAS YOUR BOAT AGAIN? I'M SORRY.
AND WE'LL DO A JOIN THE MEETING.
THE COUNTY CHANNEL IS ALSO AVAILABLE ON VIDEO ON DEMAND.
GO TO BUFORD COUNTY, SC.GOV, SCROLL DOWN TO PUBLIC MEETINGS.
CLICK WATCH NOW, AND THEN CLICK THE VIDEO ON DEMAND BUTTON AND SELECT YOUR PROGRAM FROM BLISS CALL TO ORDER IF YOU'D LIKE A DVD OF THIS PROGRAM, CLICK ON THE LINK ON THE RIGHT AND FILL OUT THE ORDER FORM.
AND THANK YOU FOR WATCHING THE COUNTY CHANNEL.
THIS IS LARRY ROLAND, AND THIS IS A BUFORD COUNTY MOMENT.
ONE OF THE EXCITING ASPECTS OF COLOGNE, THE COLONIAL SEA ISLANDS WAS THE ARRIVAL OF NUMEROUS FREEBOOTERS
[02:55:01]
AND PIRATES IN THIS AREA.THE PIRACY AND THE CARIBBEAN WAS ESSENTIALLY ENDED IN 1713 WITH A TREE BETWEEN SPAIN AND ENGLAND.
BUT THE PIRATES WHO, UH, HAD INFESTED THE SPANISH MAIN FOR A HUNDRED YEARS, MOVED NORTH MANY, MOVED INTO THE PAMAS MANY MOVED INTO THE SEA ISLANDS OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA COAST AND INTO THE OUTER BANKS OF NORTH CAROLINA IN THIS AREA, THE COMMON PIRATE HANGOUT WAS THE COAST OF NORTH CAROLINA, WHICH WAS LESS POPULATED IN LESS DEFENDED THAN EITHER OF THE SEA ISLANDS OR THE NORTH COAST OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
SO IN 17, 19 SOUTH CAROLINA, SENDING FLEET TO NORTH CAROLINA, WHICH CAPTURED STEVE BONNET AND SANK.
HIS VESSEL DROVE BLACKBEARD'S NORTH INTO BEAUFORT, NORTH CAROLINA, WHERE VIRGINIANS CAPTURED HIS VESSEL AND KILLED A BLACK BEARD.
AND HIS VESSEL WITH QUEEN ANNE'S REVENGE IS BEING ARCHEOLOGICALLY RECOVERED OFF OF BEAUFORT, NORTH CAROLINA, AS WE SPEAK, UH, SOUTH OF CHARLESTON, THIS PLACE BECAME A VERY ACTIVE CENTER FOR A PRIVATEER WAR IN THE 1730S AND 1740S.
THAT WAS ESSENTIALLY A CONTEST BETWEEN THE SPANISH AND ST.
AUGUSTINE AND THE ENGLISH AND CHARLESTON DURING THE 1740S SPANISH PRIVATEERS INFESTED THIS COAST AND VIRTUALLY STOPPED THE MARITIME TRADE FROM PORT ROYAL, NEAR BUFORD AND FROM CHARLESTON HARBOR.
THE MOST NOTABLE OF THOSE SPANISH PRIVATEERS WAS FRANCISCO LORENZO.
HE CAPTURED MANY SOUTH CAROLINIANS IN HIS VOYAGES, CAPTURED 56 ENGLISH VESSELS OFF THE COAST OF SOUTH CAROLINA IN THE SINGLE YEAR OF 1741.
BUT ALL OF IT, HIS PRISONERS, HE TREATED WELL WHEN HE WAS FINALLY CAPTURED BY SOUTH CAROLINA NAVAL FORCES IN LATE 1741, HE WAS TAKEN TO CHARLESTON AND THE POPULATION ASSEMBLED AND CHEERED HIM WHEN HE CAME TO SHORE BECAUSE HE HAD BEEN SUCH AN HONORABLE PIRATE.
IF THERE IS SUCH A THING, OTHER PIRATES, FRENCH AND SPANISH CONTINUED TO INVEST THE COAST FROM 1742 TO 1744.
AND THEN AGAIN FROM 1748 TO 1751, THE LAST SPANISH PIRATE DON JULIAN DE VEGA, UH, WAS HERE AS LATE AS 1760.
AND HE WAS CAPTURED BY SPANISH GUARD, KOSTAS, NOT ENGLISH COAST GUARDS.
DURING THAT TIME, THE BEAUTIFUL TONY ANS AND THE CHARLESTONIANS BUILT TWO INLAND GALLEYS ROWED GALLEYS WITH HEAVY GUNS THAT COULD PROTECT THE INLAND WATERS FROM THE SPANISH AND FRENCH FREE BOOTS.
BUT BETWEEN 1739, WHICH IS THE BEGINNING OF THE WAR OF JENKINS EAR AND 1763, WHICH WAS THE TREATY OF PARIS THAT ENDED THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR.
THIS WAS AN ACTIVE AREA FOR PRIVATEERS AND PIRATES AND THEIR COUNTER FORCES, THE GALLEYS OF SOUTH CAROLINA AND JORDAN.
THIS HAS BEEN A BUFORD, UM, TO SEE MORE BE FOR COUNTY MOMENTS, GO TO THE BUFORD COUNTY LIBRARY HOMEPAGE AND CLICK ON THE LOCAL HISTORY TAB.