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[00:00:11]

6 0 4.

AND I'M GOING TO CALL TO ORDER THE, UH, TOWN OF BLUFFTON ACCOMMODATIONS TAX ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING FOR TUESDAY, MAY 17TH.

UM, AND TO ESTABLISH, WE HAVE A FORUM, I'M SAYING BRITAIN I'M PRESIDENT.

MY TRUCK IS CHRISTY PENSKE, TIM WOOD.

AND ALSO AT THIS TIME, I THINK IT WOULD BE A GOOD TIME TO WELCOME TIM WOOD AS THE NEWEST MEMBER OF THE TAX COMMITTEE.

WOULD YOU TO TAKE THE ELEVATOR SPEECH TIME AND TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THANK THE ACADEMY.

NO, YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

WELL, IT'S HONORED, HONORED TO BE PART OF THE COMMITTEE I'VE I'VE BEEN IN, UH, BLUFFTON, UH, SINCE 2004, UM, WAS A FOUNDING EDITOR OF BLUFFTON TODAY.

UH, I'VE DONE A LOT OF DIFFERENT COMMUNITY PROJECTS, A LOT OF MEDIA PROJECTS AND, UH, YES, FAMILY.

UM, TWO, TWO BOYS, TWO, UH, TWO DOGS, A LAB AND A POINTER MIX AND HAPPY TO BE HERE.

WELL, WELCOME.

SEE, AS USUAL, I DON'T FOLLOW THE AGENDA.

SO AT THIS MOMENT, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CAN I GET A MOTION TO ADOPT THE AGENDA SOME OF SECOND, SECOND, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY BY UNANIMOUS, SAME THING.

SO THE NEXT THING ON THE ITEM TO DO WOULD BE THE ADOPTION OF THE MINUTES FROM FEBRUARY 15TH, 2022, EVERYBODY HAVE A CHANCE TO REVIEW THEM.

CAN I GET A MOTION TO ADOPT? SO SECOND, SECOND, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.

AS UNANIMOUS NATALIE, YOU'RE UP.

ALL RIGHT, GOOD EVENING ATTACK.

THIS HAS POTENTIALLY MY LAST REPORT OF THE FINANCIAL REPORT TO YOU ALL, BUT I AM NOT FAR, UM, I'M OFFICIALLY PASSING THE BATON TO SHAQUILA AND TO JORDAN AND YOU ARE IN EXCELLENT HANDS.

UM, BUT IF I'M HERE, I'M NOT LEAVING.

SO IF YOU NEED ME, YOU KNOW WHERE TO FIND ME, BUT I'M HAPPY TO REPORT THAT.

UM, THERE ARE OVER $2 MILLION WORTH OF TAX FUNDS AVAILABLE AND SPLIT BETWEEN STATE AND LOCAL ACCOMMODATIONS TAXES SEEN BELOW.

WE HAVE THE DMO DOING THEIR ANNUAL PRESENTATION, UM, FOR THEIR MARKETING PLAN FOR THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON.

AND THEN WE HAVE SIX APPLICANTS, UM, THAT ARE REQUESTING A TOTAL OF $327 IN 80 30, OR SORRY, 80, 3830 $7.

I GOT IT.

THAT'D BE THE ANSWER.

ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE ON THE FINANCIAL REPORT OR THE, UH, IS THE REVENUE OFF? IT IS UP.

SO THIS QUARTER WE ARE UP, UM, BY ALMOST 31%, UM, COMPARED TO LAST YEAR, THE SAME QUARTER.

SO WE ARE STILL SEEING THAT AND HAVE WE, UH, ISN'T THERE USUALLY A LAG WITH THE STATE? ARE WE CAUGHT UP WITH THEM OR THEY JUST, WE D WE HAVE RECEIVED THEIR FUNDS.

UM, AND SO THERE ACTUALLY IS A NOTE ON THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT.

WE DID HAVE, UM, A PROPERTY THAT WAS INCLUDED IN OUR BLUFFTON AREA, BUT IS ACTUALLY IN UNINCORPORATED IN UNINCORPORATED BEAVER COUNTY.

SO WE DID AN ADJUSTMENT FOR THAT.

THE, THAT ADJUSTMENT IS REFLECTED ON THE, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

SO OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM WOULD BE THE, UH, COMMITTEE APPROVAL AND RECOMMENDATION TO THE TOWN FOR THE DMO PRESENTATION.

I'M ABSOLUTELY SURE THEY DO.

OKAY.

GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.

HOW ARE YOU? MY NAME, MY NAME IS ARIANNA BERNICE, AND I'M HERE TO REPRESENT THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND, BLUFFTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, UM, AND GIVING AN OVERVIEW OF WHERE WE'VE BEEN FOR 21 AND WHERE WE WOULD LIKE TO GO FOR, UM, FISCAL YEAR 23, GO THROUGH OUR PLAN, HOW WE CAN DO WITH THE ARROWS HERE.

SO AGAIN, THIS IS GOING TO BE A PRESENTATION OF OUR FISCAL YEAR 23 PLAN FOR THE TOWN

[00:05:01]

OF BLUFFTON DMO.

YES, GOT IT TO WORK.

SO HALF THE BATTLE WAS THE POWERPOINT.

UM, SO WE LIKE TO ALWAYS START WITH JUST WHERE WE AS AN ORGANIZATION HAVE, UM, OUR EYES FOCUSED AND IT REALLY, OUR VISION IS A WELCOMING WORLD-CLASS COMMUNITY, EMBRACING NATURE, CULTURE, AND ECONOMIC VIBRANCY FOR RESIDENTS AND VISITORS WITH A MISSION TO STIMULATE THE REGIONAL ECONOMY WHILE ENHANCING THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL THE ROLE OF THE DMO DEFINED BY DESTINATIONS INTERNATIONAL IS TO REPRESENT THE DESTINATION, HELP THE LONG-TERM DEVELOPMENT OF COMMUNITIES THROUGH A TRAVEL AND TOURISM STRATEGY.

SO WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH OUR COMMUNITY HERE IN BLUFFTON, MANY OF THE TOWN, LEADERSHIP AND LEADERS, AS WELL AS, UM, ALL OF THE STAFF AND TEEN HERE.

AND IT'S BEEN A WONDERFUL RELATIONSHIP, AND WE'RE VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THAT.

AND YOU LOOK AT THE ORGANIZATIONAL GOVERNANCE AS THE GMO, WE ARE GOVERNED CLOSELY BY OUR OF DIRECTORS.

WE ALSO HAVE OUR DMO CONTRACT IN PLACE.

THERE'S ANNUAL INDEPENDENT AUDITS FROM A GOVERNMENT STANDPOINT, THERE IS REVIEW BY S C P R T THE STATE TOURISM TURK TOWN COUNCIL, AND THE ATEC COMMITTEE.

AND THEN WE ARE ACCREDITED BY DESTINATIONS INTERNATIONAL.

AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE'D LIKE TO LOOK BACK QUICKLY BEFORE WE CAN LOOK FORWARD.

SO WE CAN LEARN FROM ALL THE EFFORTS THAT WERE PUT FORWARD, UM, AND, UM, CHART A STRONG PATH FOR THAT FISCAL YEAR 23, THOUGH, 20 AND 21 PRESENTED SOME CHALLENGES IN TERMS OF, UM, CHANGES AND DISRUPTION WITH COVID-19.

WE WERE ABLE TO, AS A DESTINATION, UM, REMAIN WELCOMING BECAUSE OF ALL THE PLACE, THINGS THAT WE PUT IN PLACE, SUCH AS OUR PATH FORWARD INITIATIVES, WE WORKED CLOSELY AS A COMMUNITY TO ENSURE NOT ONLY THAT WE WERE SAFE, THAT OUR BUSINESSES WERE SAFE, BUT OUR VISITORS SAFE, UH, FELT SAFE WHEN THEY WERE TRAVELING THAT WAS RECOGNIZED BY READERS AROUND THE COUNTRY.

UM, AS YOU CAN SEE HERE WITH TRAVEL AND LEISURE COUNTRY LIVING, UM, AND FORBES, THEY WERE ALSO INTERESTED IF THEY WEREN'T TRAVELING IN THAT MOMENT, THEY WERE THINKING ABOUT TRAVEL.

AND WE SAW THAT WITH THE WEBSITE NUMBERS THAT YOU SEE IN FRONT OF YOU, AS WELL AS SOCIAL, AND THEN ACTUALLY WHEN THEY WERE TRAVELING, PUTTING THOSE HEADS IN BEDS.

SO YOU HAVE YOUR WEBSITE VISIT.

NOW WE HAVE THE STANDALONE VISIT BLUFFTON.ORG WEBSITE, WHICH LAUNCHED MARCH OF 21.

UM, WHEN WE COME BACK TO PRESENT OUR Q4 FINDINGS OF FISCAL YEAR 22, WE'LL BE ABLE TO SHARE YOUR OVER YEAR RESULTS, BUT AS WE'RE STILL TRACKING TOWARDS THAT GOAL, WE CAN GIVE YOU, UM, THE YEAR IN REVIEW AS A STANDALONE NUMBER.

SO, UM, UH, FOR 21, THE WEBSITE VISITS OR HITS WAS THAT 119,000 AND SHAKES OUT TO PARTNERS, UM, WHICH WE ALSO REFER TO AS PARTNER REFERRALS IS THAT 48,000 PLUS, WHICH THAT WAS A REFERRAL RATE OF 6.4%, UM, IN SOCIAL MEDIA, WHICH AGAIN, IF WE'RE THINKING, LOOKING BACK A FEW YEARS AGO, BEFORE WE SET UP THE VISIT BLOG OR WEBSITE, UM, AS, AS A STANDALONE, WE USE THE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS TO REALLY DRIVE THAT ENERGY AROUND THE BRAND, RIGHT? SO WE WANTED A GREAT, GREAT TRACTION THERE, AND THAT WOULD HELP US CATAPULT THE WEBSITE AS A STANDALONE.

SO THOSE NUMBERS ON SOCIAL MEDIA CAN CONTINUE TO GROW FOR US.

AS YOU CAN SEE, COMPREHENSIVELY, WE HAVE OVER 31,000 FOLLOWERS, WHICH IS A GROWTH YEAR OVER YEAR OF 96% WHEN WE LOOK AT THE IMPRESSIONS.

SO THOSE ARE ALL THE EYEBALLS THAT SEE IT, SHARE IT LIKE IT, UM, COMMENT ON IT.

AND THAT WAS OVER 10.5 MILLION.

AND OUR AUDIENCE ON SOCIAL MEDIA, UM, REMAINS FEMALE-DRIVEN, UM, JUST DIPPING SLIGHTLY FROM 2020 TO 2021, BUT AGAIN, STILL A REALLY STRONG FEMALE AUDIENCE.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE HOTEL, UM, LINE HERE, YOU CAN SEE THAT REV PAR NUMBER, WHICH WE HOLD VERY CLOSELY AND WATCH VERY CLOSELY WITH THAT IS THAT $224 AND 60 CENTS, WHICH IS UP 114% OF THE YEAR PRIOR SOME NEW INITIATIVES THAT WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT.

AND, UM, WE WERE SHOUTING FROM THE ROOFTOPS, IS THAT WEBSITE, UH, AS A STANDALONE, WE ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT IT.

IT WAS A LONG TIME IN THE MAKING.

AND, UM, AS YOU KNOW, A LOT OF EFFORTS THAT WENT INTO GETTING US TO THE POSITION WHERE WE FELT AND HOLDING HANDS, THAT THAT WAS THE RIGHT TIME TO DO IT.

SO AGAIN, WE'LL BE REPORTING ON OUR FIRST ANNUAL YEAR, OVER YEAR AND JUST A FEW MONTHS, WHICH WILL BE EXCITING.

WE LAUNCHED AN, UM, A VIDEO SERIES AND IT HAS DONE EXTREMELY WELL FOR US.

WE'LL GET TO A SLIDE LATER ON, BUT OVER 18,000 IMPRESSIONS, AGAIN, PEOPLE ON YOUTUBE ARE COMMENTING, INTERACTING, LOVING THE, UM, THE FIRST, UM, SERIES THAT CAME OUT.

AND SO WE'RE LOOKING TO REALLY BUILD ON THAT AND KEEP SHOUTING, UM, THE LOCAL ASPECT OF THINGS, UM, FROM GOING FORWARD, I'LL GET BACK TO ECONOMIC IMPACT REPORT, BUT, UM, WE ALL HELD HANDS AS WELL WITH THE DEDICATED, OFFICIAL BLUFFED AND VACATION PLANNER.

SO WE HAD SUCH GREAT SUCCESS WE'RE IN YEAR TWO OF THAT.

UM,

[00:10:01]

BUT EXCITING THAT WE WERE ABLE TO NOT ONLY PRODUCE THIS, WE FEEL IT'S A GREAT REPRESENTATION OF THE DESTINATION.

YOU'LL SEE THAT AT THE HAYWARD HOUSE, UM, OUR OFFICE HERE IN BLUFFTON, THE SAVANNAH HILTON HEAD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT OFFICIALS STATE WELCOME CENTERS, IT IS FULFILLED AND DISTRIBUTED OUT, UM, FOR ANY EMAIL INQUIRIES WALK-INS OR PHONE CALLS, WE FULFILL THOSE AS WELL.

THE LAST INITIATIVE THAT WE WERE VERY EXCITED ABOUT TO SHARE WITH YOU TONIGHT WAS THE FACT THAT WE HAVE BUILT SUCH A FOLLOWING FROM A TOURISM PERSPECTIVE, THAT WE WERE ACTUALLY ABLE TO CONVERT THAT INTO AN ECONOMIC IMPACT REPORT STANDALONE FOR A TOWN OF BLOCK.

THEN WHAT DOES THAT DO FOR US? IT SHOWS YOU THE OVERALL IMPACT OF TOURISM TO THIS DESTINATION.

SO IT'S TELLING US ABOUT COMPREHENSIVELY, WHO ARE VISITORS? WHERE ARE THEY FROM? WHAT AGE ARE THEY, WHAT DO THEY LIKE TO DO? HOW ARE THEY SPENDING THEIR TIME AND THEIR MONEY HERE IN THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON? AND SO THAT IS, AND IT ALSO GIVES US MORE INSIGHT INTO THE OVERALL DEMOGRAPHIC, UM, OF WHO THEY ARE AS A VISITOR.

UM, SO THAT'S BEEN EXCITING AND YOU'LL SEE SOME OF THAT IN THE, UM, THE LARGER PLAN THAT YOU RECEIVED, AND IT WILL HELP US CHART FORWARD.

AS WE CONTINUE TO GROW TOURISM FOR THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON, IN TERMS OF PAID MEDIA PARTNERSHIPS, WE HAD A COUPLE OF GREAT INITIATIVES WITH SOUTHERN LIVING.

WE WERE IN THEIR, UM, ISSUE IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY ON THEIR ISLAND ESCAPES.

UM, WE ALSO DID THEIR SOUTH'S BEST ISSUE IN APRIL.

AND THEN WE DID A REALLY EXCITING BUY WITH GARDENING GUN FOR THE HISTORIC AT SURROUNDED THE HISTORIC ARTS AND SEAFOOD FESTIVAL.

SO IT, UM, IS REALLY A GREAT EXAMPLE OF HOW WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE ALL MEDIA PARTNERSHIPS, UM, GOING FORWARD, BUT IT STARTED WITH GARDENING GUN AND WE DID A LOT OF DIGITAL EFFORTS WITH THEM AND E-NEWS WITH THEM.

AND THEN WE BROUGHT IN AN INFLUENCER NAMED BENITA ASPEN, WHO IS SOMEWHAT REGIONALLY LOCAL WELL-KNOWN HAS NOW OFFICIALLY BEEN PICKED UP BY SOUTHERN CHARM.

VERY EXCITING NEWS.

SHE'S OFFICIALLY PART OF THE CAST.

SO HER, UM, FOLLOWER BASE WILL ONLY GROW FROM HERE.

AND SHE WAS ABLE TO JOIN US FOR THE FESTIVAL.

SHE ACTUALLY ENGAGED WITH MANY OF OUR BUSINESSES HERE.

SHE SHOUTED HER EXPERIENCES FROM THE ROOFTOP WHILE SHE WAS HERE AND SHE GAINED, UM, UM, SHE BROUGHT AWARENESS TO IT, BUT ALSO GAIN FOLLOWERS.

WE GAINED FOLLOWERS FROM THAT.

AND THEN WE ALSO FROM A TOWN OF BLUFFTON DMO PERSPECTIVE, PROMOTED THE EVENT IF ANITA'S TRIP RE RE POSTED THOSE.

SO, I MEAN, IT WAS A REALLY WELL THOUGHT OUT DYNAMIC PARTNERSHIP AND ONE THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO AS WE GO FORWARD AND KIND OF, THAT'S REALLY THE EPITOME OF WHAT A GREAT MEDIA BUY LOOKS LIKE.

SO IT WAS EXCITING.

AND YOU CAN SEE, WE HAD OVER REACHED OVER 5.2 MILLION ACROSS, YOU KNOW, GUNS PLATFORMS, WHICH IS REALLY FUN.

WE LAUNCHED SOUTHWEST SERVICE INTO THE SAVANNAH HILTON HEAD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.

THEY, UM, IN THEIR EFFORTS OF LAUNCHING, THEY WORK CLOSELY WITH THE COMMUNITY AND TRYING TO CONNECT WITH BUSINESSES.

SO THEY UNDERSTAND, UM, THAT THERE ARE SERVICES AVAILABLE TO CONNECT PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT PLACES BACK INTO THE LOW COUNTRY.

AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO HOLD A, UM, MEETING OUT IN MONTAGE, PALMETTO BLOCK WITH THEIR ELECTED LEADERS, UM, WITH ELECTED LEADERS AROUND FROM THE COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS THEIR VICE PRESIDENT OF, UH, BUSINESS DAVE HARVEY.

AND WE HAD AROUND 30 PEOPLE THERE, AS YOU CAN SEE, MAYOR WAS, UH, SOKA WAS THERE WITH US AS WELL AS MANY OTHER BUSINESS LEADERS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY, WHICH WAS A VERY GREAT, UM, AND WONDERFUL EVENT.

WE SUPPORTED JUNETEENTH, UM, WHICH IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER AGAIN.

AND THEN WE PARTNERED AGAIN WITH, UM, THE HISTORIC ARTS AND SEAFOOD FESTIVAL, UM, IN THE BENITA ASPEN PIECE.

BUT THIS, I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT AGAIN, THAT THAT WAS ANOTHER GREAT OPPORTUNITY.

FROM AN EVENT STANDPOINT, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE OFFICIAL VACATION PLANNER.

WE CONTINUE TO MAKE HEADWAY ON THAT, AND IT'S DOING WONDERFULLY FOR US.

WE'RE CONTINUING TO PROMOTE THAT AND PUSH THAT.

WE ACTUALLY HAVE AN ONLINE PROMOTION THAT'S AT REQUESTING PEOPLE TO REQUEST A GUIDE, WHICH IS A LOT OF FUN TAKING THAT, UM, ON THE DIGITAL SIDE, OUR BLUFFTON VIDEO SERIES THAT WE TALKED ABOUT WITH OVER 18,000 IMPRESSIONS, WHEN YOU LOOK AT PUBLIC RELATIONS IN THE URINE YEAR IN REVIEW, THERE WERE OVER 456 MENTIONS.

AND THAT SPECIFICALLY FOR BLUFFTON, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS REALLY GREAT FOR THE YEAR OF 2021.

AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE TOTAL IMPRESSIONS AND THOSE ARE, YOU KNOW, EYEBALLS, UM, TOTAL EYEBALLS, AND THEY COULD HAVE SEEN IT A FEW DIFFERENT TIMES, THEY SHARE THE COMMENT, THEY SAW, IT WAS PICKED UP, PEOPLE LOVED IT.

AND THAT WAS OVER 2.5 BILLION.

IF WE HAD TO GO OUT AND PAY FOR THAT, UM, RECOGNITION OR THAT AWARENESS, WE WOULD HAVE COME OUT OF POCKET, UM, CLOSE TO ONE, YOU KNOW, OVER $1 MILLION.

AND SO THAT'S THE GREAT POWER OF PUBLIC RELATIONS, RIGHT? IT'S THOSE RELATIONSHIPS THAT YOU BUILD WITH THOSE PUBLICATIONS AND THOSE OUTLETS THAT GARNER THOSE MENTIONS AND, UM, STORIES THAT HELP BUILD THE AWARENESS EFFORTS OUT IN THE OUT MARKETS ABOUT THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON.

SO IT'S A REALLY GREAT SYNERGY THERE, AND ONE THAT WE'RE EXCITED TO SHARE WITH YOU.

[00:15:02]

SO WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED IN ALL OF THOSE DETAILS? UM, WE'VE TAKE THOSE LEARNINGS.

WE PUT THEM FORWARD IN OUR T 23 PLAN THAT WE'D LOVE TO PRESENT TO YOU.

WE WORKED VERY HARD OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS WITH THE TOWN TO UNDERSTAND THE KEY AREAS OF INTEREST AND GROWTH THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE US FOCUS ON IN THOSE AREAS.

AGAIN ARE INCLUDING HISTORY, CULTURE, AND ARTS.

AND WE WANT TO REALLY FOCUS ON THOSE, UM, DISTRICT DESTINY, UH, DESIGNATIONS NATIONAL HISTORIC REGISTER, DESIGNATIONS INCLUSIVE, BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE CHURCH OF THE CROSS IN CAMPBELL CHAPEL AME, THERE ALL THE PARKS INCLUSIVE OF WRIGHT, FAMILY PARK, MARTIN, FAMILY PARK, GARVIN GARVEY HOUSE IN THE BLUFFTON, OUR COMPANY, AND ALL THE OTHERS THAT, UM, THAT WE HAVE IN OUR BEAUTIFUL TOWN, THE NATURAL BEAUTY MAY RIVER, THE GULLAH GEECHEE, CULTURAL HERITAGE CORRIDOR, PALMETTO BLUFF, AND MONTAGE.

SO NOW THAT WE HAVE OUR KEY AREAS OF FOCUS, WE WANT TO FOCUS ON WHO THAT PERSON IS, WHO WILL BE TRAVELING IN, AND BY HAVING THAT ECONOMIC IMPACT REPORT, WE'RE ABLE TO GLEAN SOME OF THAT INFORMATION.

AND SO WHO IS OUR TRAVELER TO BLUFFTON? WELL, SHE SKEWS FEMALE.

SHE'S OUR DECISION MAKER IN THE HOUSE SKEWS, 61% FEMALE.

THEY COME FROM AN AFFLUENT HOUSEHOLD, 150,000 HOUSEHOLD INCOME OR HIGHER THEIR UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE OR HIGHER AT 52%, ALMOST 53%.

THEY LIKE TO TRAVEL TWO TO FOUR TRIPS A YEAR, STAYING AN AVERAGE LENGTH OF FOUR NIGHTS.

SO NOW THAT WE HAVE WHO'S COMING, UM, AND WHAT WE WANT TO FOCUS ON AGAIN, WE WILL THEN TARGET THOSE MESSAGES BASED ON HOW THEY INTERACT WITH THE WEBSITE, HOW THEY INTERACT WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA, UM, AND TARGET TO THEM, FAMILY ORIENTED, ADVERTISING, ACTIVITIES, AND RECREATION.

SO ON AND SO FORTH.

WE'RE AT, WE HAVE THE CAPABILITIES OF REALLY BEING THAT LASER FOCUSED WHEN WE'RE SERVING UP OUR MESSAGING.

SO AGAIN, FROM A VISUAL STANDPOINT, WE CAST THAT BROAD NET, RIGHT TO THE QUALIFIED AUDIENCE THAT WE KNOW.

AND THEN WE START TO PULL THAT NET IN AND TALK TO THEM SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THEIR AREAS OF INTEREST.

AND AS WE PULL THEM IN THAT, THAT IN WE'RE QUALIFYING THEM, RIGHT.

SO WE KNOW THEY'RE INTERESTED, THEY'VE RAISED THEIR HAND, AND THEN WE PULLED THEM THROUGH.

IS THERE A LOT OF INTENT THOUGH, THEY WANT TO TRAVEL AND THEN WE WANT TO CONVERT THEM.

WHAT DOES A CONVERSION AGAIN FOR US, IT'S THAT HANDSHAKE OUT TO THE BUSINESS PARTNER.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE EXCITED TO SEE HERE.

SO I THINK THAT'S A GREAT VISUAL AGAIN, WE'RE PULLING THEM THROUGH THAT FUNNEL.

TODAY'S TRAVELER THOUGH IS KIND OF THAT ALWAYS ON MENTALITY.

AND I THINK COVID IS ONLY BROUGHT THAT A LITTLE MORE FORWARD FOR US.

SO EVEN IF WE THINK ON HOW WE INTERACT OR ENGAGE AS A CONSUMER, WE MIGHT HAVE A PHONE HERE.

WE MIGHT BE LOOKING AT A BILLBOARD, WE MIGHT HAVE SOMETHING ON THE RADIO.

AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE OUR IPAD ON THE OTHER SIDE OR TV IN THE BACKGROUND.

SO AGAIN, THAT'S ALWAYS ON MENTALITY YOU IN YEARS PAST.

I THINK WE HAD A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY TO BE KIND OF FOCUSED IN, ON ONE MEDIUM.

AND TODAY, REALLY THE OPPORTUNITY IS TO KIND OF THINK DYNAMICALLY AND BE KIND OF THROUGHOUT WOVEN THROUGHOUT SEVERAL DIFFERENT TOUCH POINTS AT ANY GIVEN TIME.

UM, TRAVEL IS TAKING BACKUP.

PEOPLE ARE TRAVELING AND WE WANT TO BE THEIR TOP CHOICE.

WE WANT TO BE WHEN THEY SEARCH FOR SOMETHING THAT TOWN OF BLUFFTON COMES UP FIRST, AT LEAST IN THE FIRST THREE OF THEIR RANKING IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY'RE SEEING AND BEING SERVED.

WE WANT THEM TO BE ENGAGED ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

WE WANT THEM TO SEE OUR BRAND.

AND I THINK WE DO THAT BY BEING THIS ALWAYS ON MENTALITY.

SO WE'RE BRINGING THAT THROUGH TO OUR 2023 FISCAL YEAR GOAL STRATEGIES AND TACTICS.

I MEAN, WE'VE DONE THINGS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY THIS YEAR.

OUR GOAL, WE HAVE ONE GOAL, RIGHT? THE OVERARCHING GOAL OF THE DMO FOR THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON IS TO DRIVE QUALIFIED VISITATIONS TO THAT WEBSITE, TO THE DESTINATION, TO OUR BUSINESSES, TO BUTT HEADS AND BEDS, TO PUT BELLIES THROUGH TURNSTILES KIND OF AN OLDER TERM, BUT THROUGH DOORWAYS.

SO THEY'RE PURCHASING THINGS, UM, WITHIN OUR STORES, EATING AT OUR RESTAURANTS, INTERACTING WITH OUR BUSINESSES AND BECOMING A PART OF OUR COMMUNITY WHILE THEY'RE HERE.

AND SO HOW WILL WE ACHIEVE THAT IN PARTNERSHIP, WE HAVE FIVE, FIVE STRATEGIES AND TACTICS THAT GO ALONG WITH THEM AND THE TACTICS ARE, THEY'RE NOT COMPREHENSIVE, OR WE CAN ADD ONTO THESE, BUT JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF HOW WE WILL APPROACH THESE, EACH OF THESE STRATEGIES.

SO THE FIRST IS BUILD BRAND AWARENESS AND SUPPORT QUALIFIED VISITATION TO THE DESTINATION AMONG OUR TARGET MARKETS.

SO AGAIN, USING THAT RICH INSIGHT THAT WE HAVE FROM THE WEBSITE, FROM OUR DEMOGRAPHIC ECONOMIC IMPACT REPORT, WE WILL LASER FOCUS IN ON THAT QUALIFIED AUDIENCE OF WHO IS, UM, HAS INTENT TO TRAVEL AND BRING THEM FORWARD.

AND WE'LL DO THAT THROUGH PR USER GENERATED CONTENT, SOCIAL MEDIA, TRADITIONAL AD PLACEMENTS, DIGITAL DISPLAY STRATEGY.

NUMBER TWO IS DRIVE DISCOVERY AND EXPLORATION OF THE DESTINATION.

WE NEED TO TELL DEEPER STORIES THAT VIDEO SERIES I BELIEVE HAS DONE SO WELL BECAUSE PEOPLE LOVE

[00:20:01]

A GOOD STORY.

THEY LOVE TO BE ABLE TO TIE INTO A COMMUNITY TO A DESTINATION THAT THEY'RE VISITING AND UNDERSTAND WHY YOU CHOSE TO DEVELOP YOUR BUSINESS, TO BE HERE, TO, TO SERVE VISITATION COMMUNITY, UH, THOSE VISITING THE COMMUNITY.

AND SO WE'RE EXCITED TO HELP TELL THOSE STORIES.

WE WANT THIS TO BE THE HEARTBEAT, YOU KNOW, BRING THAT HEARTBEAT TO LIFE THROUGH THESE VIDEOS AND, AND CONTINUE TO SHARE THOSE, THOSE OPPORTUNITIES WITH THE VISITORS STRATEGY.

NUMBER THREE, LEVERAGE A STRATEGIC MIX OF TARGETED, UH, METHODS TO IDENTIFY AND REACH MOST QUALIFIED USERS.

SO QUALITY OVER QUANTITY.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE THAT ARE, THAT WE ARE REACHING, UM, ARE QUALIFIED AND HAVE REALLY THE INTENTION TO TRAVEL OR WITHIN ARE INTERESTED IN THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON.

AND SO WE'LL DO THAT AGAIN BY USING SOME OF THAT INSIGHT THAT WE HAVE WITH, WE COULD OPTIMIZE ALL OF OUR SEARCH EFFORTS OR PAID SOCIAL MEDIA, UM, AND OUR PERSONALIZATION.

WE DON'T WANT TO SERVE SOMEBODY WHO PREFERS TO BE OUT ON THE WATER.

UM, SOMETHING ABOUT CULINARY.

IT MIGHT NOT MAKE SENSE.

SO WE WANT TO BE REALLY FOCUSED ON WHAT THEY, WHAT THEY WOULD WANT TO DO IF THEY WERE TRAVELING TO THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON STRATEGY, NUMBER FOUR, ENHANCED LEISURE AND GROUP BUSINESS THROUGH QUALIFIED VISITATION.

SO THIS IS A KIND OF A TWO-PRONG LEISURE, AGAIN, CONTINUES TO BE OUR NUMBER ONE OPPORTUNITY, BUT ALSO GROUP BUSINESSES COMING BACK.

AND WHAT IS THE RIGHT MIX OF GROUP BUSINESS, WHERE THIS DESTINATION, WE HAVE SEVERAL OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN OUR HOTELS, BUT ALSO JUST A HOST, YOU KNOW, IF THEY WANTED TO COME DOWN FOR THE AFTERNOON AND HAVE A DINNER OR A LUNCH AND TO CELEBRATE THEIR RE-ENTRY INTO TRAVELING FOR BUSINESS.

AND SO WORK CLOSELY WITH OUR HOTELS, WE'LL WORK CLOSELY WITH OUR VENUES TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE CAN HELP SUPPORT THEM WHEN WE'RE OUT AT TRADE SHOWS.

WE CAN PUT THAT OUT IN MEDIA OUTLETS THAT SERVE JUST THE TRADE, UM, PORTION, THE GROUP BUSINESS OF IT.

AND THEN OBVIOUSLY WE'LL FOCUS HEAVILY ON EMAIL MARKETING.

IT'S A NEW INITIATIVE FOR US IN 23.

UM, AND JUST AGAIN, LEISURE LASERING IN, ON LASER FOCUSED IN, ON THE PERSONALIZATION OF THOSE MESSAGES THAT WE SEND TO OUR LEISURE TRAVELER STRATEGY, NUMBER FIVE, CREATE AND UNDERSTAND, UM, AN UNDERSTANDING OF, AND RESPECT FOR THE DELICATE ECOSYSTEM.

UM, AND SO FOR TOWN OF BLUFFTON, WE REALLY WANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE VISITOR HERE IS CONNECTING INTO THE THINGS THAT WE VALUE SO MUCH AS RESIDENTS, RIGHT? WE WANT THEM TO, WHEN THEY'RE OUT ON THE MAY RIVER TO ENJOY THE MAY RIVER, BUT RESPECT AND UNDERSTAND THAT IT PLAYS A VITAL ROLE, UM, IN WHAT WE DO EVERY SINGLE DAY.

UM, AND THAT ARE LESS GREENERY IS IMPORTANT TO US AND JUST HAVE A RESPECT FOR THAT.

AND SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO, YOU KNOW, SHOUT THAT FROM THE ROOFTOPS THAT CREATE DEDICATED CAMPAIGNS AROUND THAT AS PEOPLE START TO VENTURE OUT AND WE HAVE NEW MARKETS THAT ARE TRAVELING TO OUR AREA, THEY MIGHT NOT UNDERSTAND THAT THOSE THINGS ARE IMPORTANT TO US, BUT WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT THEY DO WHEN THEY ARRIVE.

AND I'M A MOTHER HERE ENJOYING THEIR TIME.

UM, AND HOPEFULLY THAT'S WHAT BRINGS THEM BACK AS WELL.

THIS IS THE BUDGET HERE THAT, UM, WE HAVE PLACED IN FRONT OF ALL OF YOU AS WELL.

I KNOW IT'S A LITTLE BIT TINY.

I DO APOLOGIZE.

UM, BUT I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, HOLD ON THIS SCREEN.

UM, OR GO TO QUESTIONS, WHICH ARE THE NEXT SLIDE.

UM, ARIANA, HOW MANY MORE, UM, DIGITAL VIGNETTES ARE Y'ALL GOING TO MAKE THIS YEAR.

SO, YOU KNOW, UM, TARGETING FOUR TO FIVE AND WE WOULD WORK CLOSELY WITH THE TOWN AS WE DID IN THE FIRST SERIES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE RIGHT MIX OF BUSINESSES.

UM, AGAIN, IN THAT LIST HAS BEEN EXCITING TO BE ABLE AND TO GO OUT AND SEE THE ASTRONAUTS WE DID ABOUT FIVE.

WE HAD SIX ORIGINALLY.

WE WEREN'T ABLE TO BRING THAT SIX ONE AROUND, BUT WE'RE, HOPEFULLY WE'LL DO IT IN THIS ONE.

THE SEPARATION OF IT, THAT ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.

YEAH, IT IS SHARED, YES, WE SHARE THAT IT'S OUR FIRST YEAR DOING IT.

IT'S DONE BY THE COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON AND, AND YES, ABSOLUTELY START.

WE DO SHARE THAT.

SO ONCE THE PLAN IS APPROVED, WE WILL PUT THAT ON, UM, OUR THINK WEBSITE, WHICH IS WHERE ALL OF OUR RESEARCHES STORED.

UH, BUT ALSO YOU SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO ALL OF THAT BASED ON THE PLAN BEING SHARED, NATALIE, I BELIEVE THAT WAS IN THE BACK OF THE PLAN.

HOW HAS MARKETING GONE TOWARDS CORPORATE CLIENTS, MEETINGS, UH, RETREATS, ET CETERA, LIKE THAT? I WAS JUST INVOLVED WITH A GROUP THAT, UH, UH, ACTUALLY CAME TO HILTON HEAD.

IT WAS A SMALL, THIS LIKE 30 PEOPLE,

[00:25:02]

BUT FIRST TIME THEY WERE HERE IN A CORPORATE SETTING OF COURSE, WITH THAT MAYBE IN THE MORNING AND THEY HAVE THEIR MEETINGS IN THE AFTERNOON, YOU'RE FREE.

UH, AND OF COURSE THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE THEY GO BACK AND THEN THEY BRING THEIR FAMILIES BACK.

SO WHAT SORT OF PLANS, UH, DO YOU HAVE TO MAYBE TAP THAT MARKET? ABSOLUTELY.

IT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

SO WE HAVE THAT TEAM IN PLACE, SO THEY, THEY ARE WORKING HARD, UM, FOR THE DESTINATION AND THEY ARE OUT.

SO PEOPLE ARE TRAVELING AGAIN, THEY'RE GETTING BACK TOGETHER FOR MEETINGS AND GROUPS.

AND SO NOW WE'RE OUT AT THOSE TRADE SHOWS, MAKING SURE THAT THOSE THAT ARE PLANNING FOR THOSE EVENTS, WHETHER THAT BE THE SMALLER CORPORATE GROUPS, ASSOCIATIONS, THE SMALLER SEGMENT, WE HAVE THAT, UM, COVERED THROUGH THOSE TRADE SHOW AND OUTREACH.

AND THEN WE WORK CLOSELY WITH ONE OF EACH OF THE HOTELS AND THE DM DMC IN THE RMC GROUPS TO HIT, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE AWARE OF ALL THAT'S GOING ON AND HOW WE CAN HELP SUPPORT THEM WHEN THEY BRING THEM IN.

UM, BUT WE ARE OUT SHOUTING IT FROM THE ROOFTOPS AT THE LOW COUNTRY, TOWN OF BLUFFTON, UM, IS A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN AND SHOULD HOLD YOUR BUSINESS MEETING OR EVENT.

AND, UM, IT'S BEEN EXCITING TO SEE THAT PICKUP AFTER, YOU KNOW, UM, 20 AND 21, WHICH DIDN'T HAVE AS MUCH TRACTION ON THAT SEGMENT.

WELL, NOT ONLY TRADE SHOWS, BUT YOU KNOW, IF YOU GO AFTER THE TRADE ORGANIZATIONS, LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, MY DAUGHTER WORKS FOR, I TRIPOLI, SHE DOES PLANNING HERE, BUT OVER IN SOUTHEAST ASIA, IT'S JUST ANOTHER AREA.

YOU KNOW, IF YOU CAN BRING THAT TO PEOPLE, EVEN FOR THEIR SMALLER REGIONAL CONFERENCES THAT THEY PUT TOGETHER FOR, YOU KNOW, FOR SOME OF THESE PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS TRANSLATES, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, ALL THE PRINT STUFF, SOUTHERN LIVING AND EVERYTHING ELSE, BUT YOU KNOW, THIS BRINGS IN A MUCH LARGER GROUP.

AND ACTUALLY FOR, UH, LAST YEAR, UM, HAD A GROUP COME IN FROM IDAHO.

THEY WERE, UH, HERE AND THEY ACTUALLY STOPPED AT MY BUSINESS.

WE SET UP A LITTLE AFTER HOUR HOURS THING FOR THEM.

WE JUST ACTUALLY PICKED IT OUT RANDOMLY.

SO THERE'S PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT SAY, HEY, COME HERE.

YOU KNOW, YOU GO TO PEOPLE IN MINNESOTA IN DECEMBER OR JANUARY, YOU KNOW, COME HERE, IT'S 50 DEGREES, A LITTLE MORE TOLERABLE.

RIGHT? ABSOLUTELY.

SO, I MEAN, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ANOTHER AREA OF MARKETING I THINK THAT YOU NEED TO DO.

AND I UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, MAYBE IT'S NOT DIRECTLY TARGETED THE BLUFFTON, BUT TO KEEP IT IN YOUR WHOLE MARKETING PLAN FOR THE SOUTHERN BUFORD COUNTY, ERIC ABSOLUTELY GREAT INSIGHTS.

AND I WILL SHARE WITH NATALIE.

AND THEN IF YOU COULD PASS ON, ON MY BEHALF OF OUR ORGANIZATION'S BEHALF, THE LIST OF OUR TRADE SHOWS, BUT ALSO THE ASSOCIATIONS AND GROUPS THAT WERE ATTENDING AND A PART OF JUST TO, AND IF WE CAN ADD ONTO THAT, I'D LOVE TO GET THOSE INSIGHTS.

I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS WHERE I NEED TO ASK THIS QUESTION OR NOT, BUT EARLIER IN YOUR PRESENTATION, YOU SAID THAT YOU, UM, SOMETHING ABOUT THE AIRPORTS.

SO YOU DO, UM, ADVERTISING AT THE AIRPORT, IS THAT CORRECT? I HAVE THE OFFICIAL VACATION PLANNER THERE AND WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH THE AIRPORT TO PROMOTE THE AIR SERVICE INTO THE AIRPORT.

ABSOLUTELY.

YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU COME DOWN THE ESCALATOR AND YOU HAVE THE BIG WELCOME INFORMATION CENTER, SO THEY HAVE ALL THE BOOKS, LIKE WE HAVE OUR BOOK THERE, UM, AND IT GETS ASKED FOR ALL THE TIME, ALL THE STATE WELCOME CENTERS, UM, ALSO HABITS, YOU KNOW, THE ONE OFF 95 BEFORE YOU HEAD INTO GEORGIA OR HEAD BACK FROM GEORGIA, UM, THAT OUR BOOK IS IN THERE.

SO THE ADVERTISING ISN'T NECESSARILY ON LIKE THE ROLLING OR, UM, KIOSKS THAT YOU SEE THERE, BUT IN MORE SO IN THE BOOK AND THEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH THEIR LEADERSHIP TEAM TO PROMOTE YOUR SERVICE, BRING NEW AIR SERVICE IN.

UM, AND ONE OF THE LARGE STRAWS IS THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON.

THAT'S THE SAVANNAH AIRPORT SPENT A HILTON HILTON HEAD.

I'M SORRY, ANY, YEAH.

ANY, ANY EFFORTS IN TERMS OF THE, THAT THE HILTON HEAD AIRPORT AND JUST WITH THE INCREASES COMING THERE AND THE, THE, THE EXPANSION COMING THERE, THAT'S PRETTY CLOSELY WITH THEM AS WELL AND WORK ON AIR SERVICE RECRUITMENT, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, HELP SUPPORT THEM IN ALL OF THEIR NEEDS, HAVE OUR EFFORTS THERE.

SO WE WORK CLOSELY WITH BOTH AIRPORTS IN THAT REGARD, AND WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THEIR DEVELOPMENT AS WELL.

SO I JUST HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION ABOUT THAT.

UM, SO THERE WAS A GUY WHO CAME IN TO MY BUSINESS AND WAS TELLING ME ABOUT, OH, YOU SHOULD, YOU KNOW, ADVERTISE AT THE HILTON HEAD AIRPORT.

AND THEN I WAS TOLD THAT, UM, THAT THE CHAMBER HAD A WALL, UM, OF STUFF TO

[00:30:01]

ADVERTISE, BUT IT WAS ONLY FOR HILTON HEAD AND NOTHING FOR BLUFFTON.

SO WHAT I WAS JUST WONDERING IS LIKE, IS IT JUST A WALL OF THINGS FOR HILTON HEAD OR IS IT PEOPLE CAN ADVERTISE THERE AND GET A DISCOUNT BECAUSE IT'S THROUGH THE CHAMBER OR BECAUSE THE CHAMBERS SPONSORING IT.

IT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

AND THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THE AIRPORT THAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT, THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, THE SPAN OF HILTON HEAD.

SO THERE IS A PARTNERSHIP RIGHT NOW WITH, UM, UH, A RESTAURANT GROUP THEY'RE IN THE AIRPORT AT HILTON HEAD AIRPORT THAT WE ARE WORKING WITH.

UM, THEY APPROACHED US, BUT WE'RE HAPPY TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING MORE ROBUST THAT WOULD LIVE A LITTLE LONGER FOR OTHER PARTNERS.

UM, BUT THAT WAS A ONE-OFF OPPORTUNITY THAT CAME TO US A FEW YEARS AGO.

UM, BUT THAT IS THAT SPECIFIC ONE, BUT THAT'S NOT TO SAY WE COULDN'T WORK WITH OTHERS IN THE COMMUNITY TO SEE IF THERE WAS OTHER ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES OR, UM, THAT ONE IS JUST SPECIFICALLY PROMOTING, UH, THE RESTAURANT AND RESTAURANT GROUP AND WE FILL THE OTHER HALF OF THE SOLVING WITH IT, SO OKAY.

BUT IT HAS WORKED AND WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE IF THERE'S MORE OPPORTUNITY IF THAT'S SOMETHING OF INTEREST.

ABSOLUTELY.

THANK YOU.

ARE THERE ANY BILLBOARDS IN GENERAL, IN THE MEDIA MIX IN TERMS OF, UH, THERE AREN'T WE HAVE IN THE PAST DONE THE BILLBOARDS, UM, THIS PARTICULAR, UH, SET IN THE AIRPORT IS A SMALL ACRYLIC FRAMED PIECE THAT HOLDS GUIDES, UM, AS WELL AS THEIR RESTAURANT BOOK.

UM, AND WE JUST HAVE A 50 50 SHARE ON THAT, HOWEVER, BILLBOARDS IN GENERAL, THAT YOU WOULD SEE, UM, THE VERY FEW THAT ARE ON THE 2 78 CORRIDOR.

AND THEN OUT ON 95 ARE NOT ONES THAT WE'RE PARTICIPATING IN IN TERMS OF OUR EFFORTS.

UM, WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT THAT LAW THAT 50% OR 50 MILES OR FURTHER AS WELL THAT WE NEED TO BE.

AND, UM, WE FEEL THAT THERE'S MORE IMPACT AT THIS MOMENT, UM, WITH OUR DIGITAL AND SOCIAL EFFORTS THAT ARE IN PLACE.

AND THEN WE MIX AND OUR OTHER, UM, OFFLINE EFFORTS AS YOU'VE SEEN WITH OUR PREACHER AND VACATION PLANNER.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I APPRECIATE IT.

UM, LET'S TRY IT THE OTHER WAY THAT WE DIDN'T TRY IT LAST TIME.

I DID THE TIME BEFORE, SO LET'S TAKE A MOMENT AND GO AHEAD.

AND WE'RE GOING TO VOTE ON THE APPLICANTS AS THEY COME UP THIS TIME IN THE PAST, WE'VE DONE IT DIFFERENT WAYS, BUT, UM, I MISSED A MEETING AND IT HAPPENED IN A DIFFERENT WAY.

SO NOW WE'RE GOING TO TRY THE OTHER WAY THAT I HAVEN'T BEEN IN PART OF.

SO AT THAT, WITH THAT SAID, UM, DOES ANYBODY WANT TO MAKE A MOTION REGARDING THE DMO APPLICATION? CAN I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE MASK OF A $500,000 TO THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND, BLUFFTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FOR OUR ANNUAL DMO? UH, I'LL SECOND THAT DISCUSSION GUYS.

I THINK THAT IT'S JUST NUMB.

IT'S JUST ACCEPTING THE BUFORD HILTON HEAD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AS OUR DMO, BECAUSE THAT MONEY FLUCTUATES DEPENDING ON THE, UM, HOW MANY, HOW MUCH, HOW MUCH IT COMES IN WITH.

AND ALSO THAT'S A, BECAUSE THE TOWN HAS DESIGNATED THEM AS DID YOU COME OUT WELL, THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ACTUALLY IN THAT THE AMOUNT OF MONEY WILL VARY DEPENDING ON WHAT THE, SO I THINK OUR, OUR GOAL WOULD BE JUST TO DESIGNATE OR AFFIRM THAT THAT'S WHO WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE AS OUR DMO.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION OTHER THAN THE WAY THAT MOTION'S WORDED? THANK YOU.

UM, SO TO CLARIFY FOR OUR END, YOU'RE, YOU'RE APPROVING THEM THE MARKETING PLAN THAT WAS PRESENTED.

OKAY.

W WE, IT SHOULD BE, SHOULD BE, MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MARKETING PLAN AS PRESENTED.

I WOULD SECOND THAT, UM, ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY, YEAH, I THINK THAT WAS UNANIMOUS CHRISTY.

SORRY.

SO UNANIMOUS.

THANK YOU.

OKAY.

SO NOW WE WOULD MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM, WHICH ARE

[00:35:01]

THE, UM, THE APPLICANT PRESENTATIONS, UH, AND THE FIRST STEP WOULD BE THE CELEBRATE.

YES.

AND THIS IS THE APPLICANT WHERE WE HAVE IN-PERSON AND THEN ONE IS ALSO ON VIA TEAMS. SO DO YOU, ARE YOU GOING TO PRESENT FIRST, THEN YOU HAVE SHEETS.

OKAY.

ALL RIGHT.

THAT'S COOL.

ALRIGHT, SO COURTNEY ON IS VIRTUAL COURTNEY.

CAN YOU HEAR US? HELLO? OH, THERE SHE IS.

OKAY.

CAN YOU HEAR US, COURTNEY? CAN YOU HEAR US? HELLO? CAN YOU HEAR US, COURTNEY? CAN YOU HEAR US SHAKE YOUR HEAD EVEN? CAN YOU HEAR US? CAN YOU HEAR ME? WE CAN HEAR YOU.

CAN YOU HEAR US? CAN YOU HEAR US MICROPHONE SWITCHED OFF ON THE COMPUTER? BUT MAKE SURE THAT'S ON MUTE MOMENT.

THAT'S UNTREATED NOW.

COURTNEY, CAN YOU HEAR US? I THINK THAT MEANS THAT IT'S MUTED.

NOW.

SHE SHOULD BE OUT OF HERE.

UM, I'M SORRY.

DO YOU HAVE HER CELL NUMBER THAT YOU CAN PUT HER ON TOO? I KNOW.

SO IF WE HAVE HER CELL NUMBER WHERE SHE CAN ACTUALLY, THAT'S THE ONLY THING I CAN THINK OF JUST TEXTED SOMEBODY RIGHT NOW, AND THEN PROBABLY IF WE NEED TO HAVE HER SPEAK, SHE CAN PUT THE PHONE CLOSE TO THE MICROPHONE.

SHE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GET YOU THERE.

SHE'S A WEEKEND.

CAN YOU HEAR ME? SHE WANT HER TO TALK AND THEN WE CAN PUT HER ON SPEAKER AND THAT MICROPHONE NEAR HER.

AND SHE SH YOU CAN HEAR US CHECK YET.

YOU HEAR US.

OKAY.

CAN YOU HEAR US AS THE COMMITTEE AT ALL? OKAY.

SO YOU CAN HEAR US NOT HE'LL THROW FOR THE BALL, BUT SHE COULDN'T HEAR US THROUGH TEAMS. SHE HAS HER OWN SPEAKER PHONE, RIGHT? SHE CAN PUT ON OUR SCREEN, I THINK.

ALL RIGHT.

SO I'LL HANG IT UP AND LET HER SPEAK AND THEN CALL HER BACK.

I DON'T.

AND THEN YOU CAN ASK SOME QUESTIONS ON SPEAKER THAT WORKS.

OKAY.

COURTNEY, YOU READY? CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? YEAH, I STILL CAN'T HEAR YOU.

ALL RIGHT.

YOUR CHAT WHERE WE CAN TELL HER,

[00:40:03]

AND CAN YOU LET HER KNOW THAT WE CAN HEAR HER FINE, LET HER DO HER PRESENTATION, AND THEN WE CAN ASK HER QUESTIONS AND YOU CAN RELAY THEM AS BEST WAY I COULD THINK THAT.

YEAH.

OKAY.

IS SHE DOING HER PRESENTATION? GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.

I CANNOT HEAR YOU, BUT I KNOW THAT YOU CAN HEAR ME.

SO IF IT'S OKAY, I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT WE ARE WORKING ON WITH THE BLUFFTON MLK COMMITTEE FOR THE UPCOMING JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION.

SO AGAIN, I HATE THAT WE HAVE THE TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES, BUT, UM, I'LL BE DIALED IN ON SPEAKERPHONE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, UH, FOLLOWING OUR BRIEF PRESENTATION.

SO, UH, WE ARE, I AM, MY NAME IS COURTNEY AND I HAVE THE GREAT PLEASURE TO WORK WITH THE COMMITTEE TO, UH, PROVIDE MARKETING SUPPORT THIS YEAR FOR THE COMING JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION.

UH, WE ARE SO EXCITED ABOUT WHAT IS TO COME HERE AND JUST A LITTLE OVER A MONTH.

UM, SO HERE WE GO.

UH, OUR PLAN INCLUDES, UM, SEVERAL LAYERS OF MARKETING, UM, THAT IT INCLUDES RADIO AND RADIO.

THAT IS BOTH, UH, UH, ANALOG OR REGULAR RADIO THAT YOU HEAR IN DIGITAL RADIO.

UM, OF COURSE OUR GOAL AND OUR PRIORITY IS TO BE ABLE TO STRETCH BEYOND THE, UH, THE 50 MILES THAT IS, UH, CLOSEST TO THE AREA AND TO BE ABLE TO DRIVE FOLKS TO THE AREA.

AND SO RADIO WAS ONE OF THOSE, UM, METHODS TO DO THAT.

SO WE'RE USING 32ND PROMOTIONAL ADS, UM, THAT WILL AIR ON THOSE STATIONS.

UM, STARTING IN JUST A LITTLE OVER A WEEK.

UH, THE NEXT STEP, WE WILL HAVE, UM, A NEW ADDITION TO, UH, THE MARKETING MIX FOR THIS PROJECT.

AND THAT IS, UM, STREAM THE STREAMING TV ADS.

UH, THE STREAMING TV ADS WILL RUN ON THE SPECTRUM NETWORK, UM, AND THEY WILL BE A 32ND PRODUCED AD THAT, UH, TELLS EVERYONE ABOUT WHAT WE ARE WORKING ON AND WHAT WE ARE, UM, AND WHAT'S TO COME.

SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT TV AD IN THE MIX.

IT'S JUST A SUPER BONUS TO BE ABLE TO REACH FOLKS AS THEY ARE PREPARING TO COME, THOSE THAT ARE STREAMING, UH, THEIR TV, THEIR, THEIR CABLE AT THIS TIME, WHICH, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF FOLKS WILL BE, UM, AND THAT THEY ARE, AND WE'RE EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO USE THAT AS A METHOD, ONE OF OUR TACTICS, EXCUSE ME, AND OUR MARKETING MIX.

UH, WE'RE ALSO USING, UM, SOCIAL MEDIA AND SPONSORED ADS.

SO YOU'LL SEE POSTS THAT HAVE ALREADY STARTED TALKING ABOUT THE UPCOMING EVENT ON THAT EVENT.

I MEAN, ON THOSE SOCIAL ADS, WE'RE ALSO ABLE TO RECOGNIZE, UM, AND ACKNOWLEDGE SOME OF OUR LOCAL SUPPORTERS AND PARTNERS WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WHERE TO STAY, WHAT TO DO WHILE YOU'RE HERE IN BLUFFTON, UH, PLACES TO GO AND THINGS TO SEE IN ADDITION TO COMING TO OUR EVENT, WHAT WE KNOW FOR SURE IS THAT, UM, OUR, OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY AND ECOSYSTEM MAKES UP THE BENEFIT OF, OF ALL THINGS THAT WHEN FOLKS ARE VISITING.

SO WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO MAXIMIZE THAT.

SO WE WANT THEM TO GO STAY AT OUR, STAY AT OUR PARTNER, HOTELS THAT ARE IN BLUFFTON.

AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY'RE NOT EATING WITH US, BE ABLE TO EAT AT SOME OF THE LOCAL RESTAURANTS AND, AND OF COURSE DO SOME SHOPPING.

UH, WE ARE ALSO, UH, HAVING, UH, I'M SORRY, WE'RE USING SPONSORED ADS, UM, TO SUPPORT THE SOCIAL MEDIA MIX THERE.

AND THOSE SPONSORED ADS ARE REALLY JUST AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO ENGAGE PEOPLE AS THEY'RE SEARCHING FOR WHAT TO DO IN THE AREA IS THEY'RE SCROLLING THROUGH AND THEIR NORMAL FEEDS, THOSE ADS WILL POP UP.

SO THEY'LL SEE, UM, A FEW VARIETIES OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.

SO THERE'S A FAMILY VERSION.

THERE IS A, UH, COMING AS A GROUP, UM, YOU KNOW, GROUP OF FRIENDS THAT MAY COME TOGETHER.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOME THAT, FOR THOSE THAT ARE IN A MORE, MORE MATURE AGE TO BE ABLE TO COME AND HANG OUT, SO WE WANT TO HAVE A GOOD MIX OF WHAT PEOPLE KNOW, UM, WILL BE HAPPENING.

WELL, ALSO, WE ALSO HAVE, UM, AS A PART OF THIS MARKETING MIX, UM, DIGITAL ADS THAT ARE RUNNING THROUGH OUR LOCAL IQ AND THOSE AS ARE, UM, ANYTIME FOLKS ARE SEARCHING BLUFFTON TODAY OR LOOKING AT THINGS TO DO IN BLESSED AND THOSE THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF THE LOCAL AREA.

UM, BECAUSE OF COURSE THOSE ARE RESTRICTED BY THE PARAMETERS THAT WE ADD TO THEM.

AND SOME OF THOSE PARAMETERS ARE BEYOND 50 MILES.

THEY HAVE AN INTEREST IN THE LOCAL AREA.

UM, THEY MAY BE INTERESTED IN HISTORY OR CULTURE OR FOOD OR MUSIC OR ART.

UM, THEY MAY HAVE A FAMILY.

THEY ARE, THEY

[00:45:01]

HAVE, UM, THEY COULD BE SINGLE OR MARRIED.

SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE PARAMETERS OF WHICH WE'RE USING TO GUIDE THAT, UM, TO GOD THAT INTEREST IN AND THAT TARGET AUDIENCE TO BE ABLE TO CONNECT TO THEM.

SO THOSE ARE THE, THE PRIMARY WAYS THAT WE ARE REACHING OUT TO, UM, TO VISITORS AND TOURISTS DELIGHT, TO BE ABLE TO COME BACK TO, UH, THIS ANNUAL CELEBRATION AND TO COME TO IT FOR THE FIRST TIME.

SO THAT IS, UM, A QUICK RUNDOWN OF WHAT IT IS.

I'M, I'M CERTAIN THAT YOU PROBABLY HAVE SOME QUESTIONS.

I'M VERY HAPPY TO ANSWER THOSE.

UM, IF YOU'RE OKAY, I'M GOING TO SWITCH TO PHONE.

SO THEN I CAN HEAR YOU, UM, TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT, AND I'LL DO THAT NOW.

OKAY.

DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY.

ARE YOU GOING TO, SO ARE YOU TELLING ME NOW SHE'S TELLING ME NOW.

YEAH, WELL, UM, THEY CAN HEAR YOU, YOU'RE IN A SPEAKER.

OH, EVERYONE.

BUT I THINK WE WANT TO MAKE SURE SHE CAN HEAR THE QUESTION.

SO MAYBE EITHER.

OKAY.

I CAN SEE, I CAN REPEAT THEM.

OKAY.

OKAY.

SO, UM, I READ OVER YOUR PACKET AND I UNDERSTAND THAT TAXES AREN'T, UM, FINISHED, BUT DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT YOU DID LAST YEAR? YOU MEAN FOR THIS EVENT, YOU NEED TO HAVE THE PEOPLE, OR, YEAH.

LIKE HOW, HOW MUCH YOU RAISED, HOW MUCH YOU DID AN EXPENSES, PROFIT.

OKAY.

YOU SAY HOW MUCH WE PAID LAST YEAR, OR, WELL, USUALLY IT'S PART OF THIS.

I DON'T UNDERSTAND.

IT SAYS THE P AND L WON'T BE DONE IN SPOTS OF YOUR TAXES AND THEY'RE NOT FINISHED YET, BUT USUALLY AFTER EVENT, YOU KNOW, THAT YOU MADE X AMOUNT AND, YOU KNOW, YOUR EXPENSES WERE X AMOUNT EVEN BEFORE YOU DO TAXES.

SO I WAS JUST WONDERING LIKE, LAST YEAR, I KNOW, YOU KNOW, I READ THIS, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT Y'ALL HAD A REALLY GOOD EVENT LAST YEAR.

I WAS JUST WONDERING, YOU KNOW, HOW WELL YOU ACTUALLY DID IN REGARDS TO FEES.

AND I'M SEEING ALL THE ATEC REIMBURSEMENT.

I DON'T SEE THE ACTUAL, I'M SORRY.

OKAY.

SO I'M JUST GONNA MAKE YOUR SUGGESTION.

SO LIKE, IF YOU LOOK AT YOUR, UM, YOUR 20, 22 BUDGET, UM, YOU HAD A 20, 21 BUDGET ALSO BECAUSE WE DID THIS LAST YEAR.

YES.

SO WHAT I WOULD HAVE DONE, OR WHAT I'M GOING TO SUGGEST IS I WOULD HAVE, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, LIKE MAYBE FOR NEXT YEAR IS YOU SAY, OKAY, THIS WAS OUR BUDGET FOR 2021.

THIS IS WHAT OUR BUDGET FOR 2022 IS, THIS IS WHAT WE'VE SPENT IN 2021.

THIS IS, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GONNA SPEND 20, 22 BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT THERE YET.

SO THEN YOU CAN SEE HOW SUCCESSFUL, OR WE CAN SEE HOW SUCCESSFUL THIS EVENT IS, BECAUSE THEN THE MORE SUCCESSFUL YOU ARE, THE MORE THEY'RE GOING

[00:50:01]

TO BE LIKE, YES, LET'S GO, LET'S MAKE IT BIGGER FOR NEXT YEAR.

IS THAT, IS THAT CORRECT? IS THAT FINE? YEAH.

SO WHAT WE'RE SEEING, JUST WE'RE SEEING YOUR REQUEST, BUT WE'RE NOT SEEING ANY, WHAT Y'ALL GENERATED, WHAT YOUR ACTUAL EXPENSES OUTSIDE WERE.

UM, MY BIG THING WAS WITH 2000 PEOPLE, ROUGHLY AS AN ATTENDANCE, UM, THERE WAS 3000 EAGLES FIELD WAS 2000.

SO WITH YOUR, JUST KIND OF, IF I KNOW IT'S HARD TO GET A S CB OUT THERE TO DO ANY KIND OF, UH, WHERE YOU FROM, BUT IT JUST A GENERAL SAMPLING, IT REALLY MAKES A DIFFERENCE.

SO FROM OUR POINT OF VIEW, WHAT YOU'RE ELIGIBLE FOR OR REIMBURSEMENT? YES.

UM, LAST YEAR WE DID THE, UM, WE HAD THE TROLLEYS, WE HAD SOMEONE ON A TRIAL, THESE TAKEN THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT WERE COMING ON.

AND DID THAT, DID THEY, DID YOU GET A, UH, A SAMPLING POLL OF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF, UM, TOURISM VERSUS LOCALS? WE HAD PEOPLE AS FAR AS ATLANTA, OKLAHOMA, UM, THE FARTHEST WAS THE CANARY ISLANDS AND SURROUNDING AREAS.

SO WHEN YOU ASK THEM, IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO THAT AGAIN, THIS YEAR FOR THE TROLLEY, ASK THEM TO TAKE A POLL OF, UM, OF THEM.

SO WE KNOW THAT WE HAD 10 PEOPLE FROM THE CANARY ISLANDS, WE HAD 50 PEOPLE FROM ALANA.

SO YOU CAN DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

AND THEN YOU CAN SHOW A LITTLE MORE THAN JUST SAYING WE HAD, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY, WE ACTUALLY HAD THIS, THIS WITH A PERCENTAGE OR A PERCENTAGE OF OUR TOTAL ATTENDANCE WAS 65% WERE WELL PAST, WE'RE DOING THE TICKETS.

SO WE'RE DOING RSU TICKETS FOR FRIDAY, SATURDAY, AND BRIDGE TICKETS.

SO THAT WAY WE CAN HAVE IT EXACT LOCATION OF WHO'S GOING TO BE WHERE WHO'S COMING FROM, WHERE, SO THE PERCENTAGE OF TERM OR TOURISM, I'M SORRY.

AND TO BE ABLE TO COLLECT THE DATA, TO BE ABLE TO USE THAT.

YEAH.

THE PERCENTAGE OF TOURISM DATA IS KIND OF IMPORTANT WHEN YOU'RE DOING THIS PARTICULARLY.

UM, THE MORE IMPORTANT WAS HOW MANY PEOPLE CAME HERE, GO SPEND THE WEEKEND.

THAT WAS, THAT'S A REAL IMPORTANT ONE.

SO, UH, WE WOULD APPRECIATE THAT ALONG WITH KIND OF A PROFIT LOSS STATEMENT OF WHAT, WHAT YOU'RE ACTUALLY GENERATING FROM THE EVENT.

AND OF COURSE, UM, WE KNOW WHAT THE, THE ASKS ARE FROM WHAT WE'RE DOING.

UH, AND THEN A RECIPE IS A RECONCILIATION OF THOSE, OF THOSE NUMBERS, UM, ON, ON YOUR REQUEST, I WILL NOTE, AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT GOT CORRECTED, BUT YOU HAVE A GREATER ASK THAN THE 50% LIMIT THAT WE HAVE.

IS THAT STILL TRUE? THERE ARE, THEY'RE REQUESTING 28, 400, BUT THEY'RE ONLY ELIGIBLE FOR HALF OF THE BUDGET OF 47.

IT WAS 25, 48, 21, 7 74.

UM, YOU'RE ELIGIBLE FOR 43, 5 48.

SO HALF OF IT AT THE 2177 JESUIT.

ALRIGHT.

SO JUST LET YOU KNOW.

SO, AND STAFF AT ATACS IS REALLY HELPFUL WHEN YOU'RE, WHEN YOU'RE PUTTING THESE TOGETHER, THEY CAN HELP YOU SHOW WHERE TO PUT THAT STUFF, HOW TO PUT IT IN THERE.

SOMETIMES SOME OF THAT STUFF ISN'T HIGHER OR LESSER PERCENTAGE, DEPENDING ON YOUR CARISM DRAW, BUT, UH, AND CERTAINLY WE HAVE, UH, AN INTERNAL CAP OF 50% OF YOUR TOTAL BUDGET, UM, THAT YOU'RE ELIGIBLE FOR, UM, THAT YOU CAN ASK ANYBODY.

I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION.

OKAY.

SO ON YOUR, UH, 20, 22 FINANCIAL STATEMENT, AND IT HAS YOUR GRANTS, YOUR, UH, THAT ASSETS AND EVERYTHING, AND THEN ALL OF THE FUNDRAISING EVENTS THAT, THAT YOU HAVE PLANNED AND HAVE HAD, UM, IT SAYS EXPENSE.

IT SAYS PERSONNEL.

AND NOW IS THAT LIKE PEOPLE ON PAYROLL OR IS THAT LIKE POLICE OFFICERS AND STUFF LIKE THAT? ANYONE ON PAYROLL? OKAY.

I WOULD PROBABLY CHANGE THAT WORDING.

JUST YOUR PERSONNEL WOULD PROBABLY CHANGE IT TO LIKE THE POLICE OFFICERS OR, OR SOMETHING ELSE OR ALL THE OTHER DIFFERENT THINGS JUST CAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE SOMEBODY IS ON PAYROLL AND THEY'RE GETTING PAID.

AND I ASSUME THAT, SO I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST MY QUESTION.

I'LL SAY THIS WITH YOUR, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST GETTING BACK TO WHERE EVERYBODY'S COMING FROM.

I MEAN, YOU KNOW, IT'S IMPRESSIVE.

SOMEBODY CAME FROM THE CANARY ISLANDS, YOU HAVE 3000 PEOPLE, THREE PEOPLE CAME FROM THE CANARY ISLANDS.

WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE PEOPLE IS THAT?

[00:55:01]

I THINK THAT WOULDN'T IN YOUR CASE, WHAT'S MORE EFFECTIVE IS IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO A SAMPLING IS EVEN IF I'M THE TROLLEY, HOW MANY PEOPLE CAME FROM 50 MILES AWAY, 50 MILES, HOW MANY PEOPLE CAME FROM A HUNDRED? HOW MANY PEOPLE TRAVELED TO STAY OVERNIGHT? YOU DO THOSE THREE QUESTIONS.

I THINK YOU'LL GET A BETTER INDICATION OF THE PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE TRAVELING TO HERE.

UM, YOU KNOW, THEN, YOU KNOW, JUST SAYING, HEY, CANARY ISLANDS, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S GREAT, BUT THERE'S THREE PEOPLE.

NO, NO, NO, NO.

THAT NOT ONLY GIVES US THE PERSPECTIVE IN TERMS OF HOW TO, LIKE YOU SAID, BETTER FUND OR, OR, UH, BETTER UNDERSTAND THE, THE FULL EVENT, BUT ALSO JUST TO KNOW WHERE TO PUT THOSE, THOSE MARKETING DOLLARS, THOSE, THOSE ADVERTISING DOLLARS NEXT YEAR, UH, QUESTION ON YOUR BUDGET, YOU GOT CASH SPONSORSHIPS.

SO THAT'S, UH, DONATIONS FROM PEOPLE SPONSORING THE EVENTS.

UH, YOU ALSO ON SATURDAY HAVE VENDORS.

WHAT ARE YOU CHARGING YOUR VENDORS FOR A VENDOR FEE? WE JUMPED VENDORS.

CAUSE WE BEING THAT, UM, WE DON'T REACH OUR VENDORS IS $60 FOR REGULAR AND A HUNDRED DOLLARS FOR FOOD VENDORS.

AND YOU'RE NOT SHOWING THAT AS PART OF YOUR INCOME.

THIS IS PART, I GUESS WE, UM, WE DO THE GULLAH MARKET EVERY MONTH.

SO THIS IS A PART OF THE GOLAN MARKET IN ADDITION TO THE GMC FESTIVAL.

OKAY.

AND YOU WERE ALSO DOING THE FOOD TRUCK EVENTS AND HOW MUCH YOU CHARGE IS FOOD TRUCKS, A HUNDRED DOLLARS UP ON THAT? HOW COME THAT, THAT MONEY IS NOT ENTERED INTO YOUR INCOME? UH, WE JUST STARTED TO DO, WE WAS BASICALLY TRYING TO FIND A VENUES AND WE WERE ABLE TO GET, UM, THE EAGLES FIELD.

AND SO WE'RE STILL TRYING TO GET THAT, UM, RIGHT, BUT ALMOST SAY IT'S PART OF YOUR BUDGET AND YOU'RE GOING TO ANTICIPATE 10 FOOD TRUCKS AT A HUNDRED DOLLARS A PIECE.

SO YOU HAVE INCOME OF A THOUSAND DOLLARS.

IT'S GOT TO SHOW SOMEWHERE, JUST CAN'T ALL OF A SUDDEN COME IN.

YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO FIGURE THAT INTO, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE'RE AT, AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH ELIGIBLE MONEY, YOU KNOW, YOU MAY, YOU MAY HAVE HOW MANY TOTAL FOOD TRUCKS ARE YOU LOOKING AT? UM, WE'RE LOOKING AT 10, ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? I HAVE ONE MORE ON THE VENUE.

UM, I NOTICED IT NOW THAT THE $10,000 NUMBER IS THAT FOR EAGLES FIELD.

AND WHAT'S THE BREAKOUT IN TERMS OF THE EAGLES FIELD COSTS VERSUS THE, OR INSURANCE DISTILLERY COSTS, THE EAGLES FIELD COSTS, UM, EAGLE FIELD CHARGES, I BELIEVE $500 FOR NON-PROFIT.

OKAY.

SO 9,500 FOR THE OTHER VENUE AND IT'S A THREE WEEK FOUR.

UM, BUT RENTERS DISTILLERY USING THIS TWO DAY TWO FOR TWO DAYS.

SO THIS BUDGET'S NOT JUST FOR JUNETEENTH, THIS IS FOR ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS.

GOOD.

THE JUNE TEEN FESTIVAL IS THREE DAYS.

THE BUDGET THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IN THE, IN THE PRESENTATION IS THAT YOU'RE FOR ALL THAT YOU DO, OR IS IT JUST A JUNETEENTH BUDGET? IT'S ALL EVERYTHING I MAKE THAT SUGGESTION.

SORRY.

YEAH, I THINK IT WOULD, I THINK IT WILL HELP JUST TO BREAK IT DOWN A LITTLE BETTER IS IF YOU HAVE TWO SEPARATE ONE FOR JUNETEENTH AND ONE FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION, BECAUSE WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR, FOR THIS IS SPECIFICALLY JUST FOR JUNETEENTH, NOT FOR THE WHOLE THING.

IF, IF YOU WANT THE WHOLE THING, THEN IT JUST NEEDS TO BE, I THINK, I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE WORDED DIFFERENT.

MY AM I THINKING WRONG ON THAT? WHAT WE, WHAT WE TRY TO EXPRESS, AND THIS IS FOR EVERYBODY.

CAUSE YOU KNOW, HEAR ME ANYWAY IS OUR GOAL IS TO HELP YOU HAVE THE GREATEST EVENT YOU CAN, WE WANT TO FIND WAYS TO DO THAT.

SO WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT A BUDGET, THAT'S JUST FOR THE JUNETEENTH EVENT, FOR EXAMPLE, INSTEAD OF EVERYTHING AND WE HAVE BETTER MATERIAL TO WORK WITH, OUR HOPE IS THAT WE CAN HELP YOU MAKE YOUR EVENT BETTER, BUT WITHOUT LIKE SPECIFIC TOURISM RATES WITHOUT THE WAR, LIKE SAY THESE GUYS ARE FANTASTIC AND PUTTING TOGETHER YOUR, YOUR PACKET, I BELIEVE ONE OF YOUR BOARD MEMBERS PROBABLY IS REALLY GOOD AT IT HELPING YOU THROUGH THAT PROCESS, BUT SHE USED TO SERVE ON THIS COMMITTEE.

BUT, UM, WITH THAT SAID, OUR

[01:00:01]

GOAL IS TO HELP YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENT AND THE MORE INFORMATION GIVE US SPECIFIC TO THAT EVENT.

AND THAT'S THE FINE TO THAT EVENT.

THE BETTER WE CAN DO OF BEING ABLE TO GET YOU TO THAT, THAT, THAT TWO WEEK EVENT.

YEAH.

SO THE, THE MAIN FOCUS IS THE JUNETEENTH ON SATURDAY.

THAT'S OUR MAIN YEAH.

UNDERSTOOD FOR, FOR THIS APPLICATION PROCESS.

BUT, BUT SEE, NOW WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS THERE SOME, SOME BLEED OVER FROM WHAT Y'ALL ON A MONTHLY BASIS, THERE'S SOME, UM, JUST THIS GOING GROW IN THE WHOLE APPLICATION PROCESS OF WHERE IT'S AT FOR US TO BE ABLE TO ACCURATELY TRACK THE, THE INFORMATION IN THERE.

AND SO WHEN YOU, WHEN, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU FINISH, YOU'RE GOING TO DO THE AFTER ACTION REPORT OR THE FINAL REPORT TO STAFF, THEY'RE GOING TO ASK YOU THESE SAME KINDS OF QUESTIONS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET UP FRONT SO THAT WE CAN MAKE A BETTER DECISION.

AND I BELIEVE THIS IS PROBABLY ONLY YOUR SECOND APPLICATION PROCESS, RIGHT? YES.

OKAY.

SO JUST WHAT WE CAN DO TO MAKE IT EASIER, BUT SOME OF THAT INFORMATION MISS MAKES IT SO MUCH MORE STREAMLINED FOR US TO BE ABLE TO GO FANTASTIC.

WE KNOW EXACTLY WHERE THINGS ARE FALLING FROM.

WE CAN ALSO MAKE SUGGESTIONS, YOU KNOW, LIKE YOU COULD DO THIS AND YOU COULD ASK FOR THIS MONEY OR, YOU KNOW, THAT TYPE OF THING TOO.

ALL RIGHT.

I'M GOING TO ASK MIKE TO MAKE THIS CAUSE HE'S DONE THE MAN.

IF YOU MAKE A MOTION, SURE.

I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE TO THE, UH, MARTIN BLUFFTON MLK OBSERVANCE COMMITTEE, THEIR BLUFFTON SEVENTH ANNUAL JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION, A FIGURE OF $21,774 FOR THEIR EVENT, THE MOTION DISCUSSION, AS IT WAS SAID, UH, IT'D BE GREAT TO KNOW WHAT LAST YEAR'S NUMBERS WERE AND THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, SHOULD THIS, YOU KNOW, COME, COME BACK TO US AGAIN NEXT YEAR.

UH, I WOULD EXPECT THAT WE WOULD HAVE AT THE VERY LEAST 20, 21 NUMBERS.

AND EVEN IF IT'S NOT FINALIZED IN YOUR TAXES, YOUR TAX, UH, REPORT, ISN'T DONE TO AT LEAST HAVE A PRELIMINARY, UH, P AND L STATEMENT, AS FAR AS, UH, YOU KNOW, WHERE ALL THE MONEY WENT FROM 2022, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT IT'S, IT'S NOT FINALIZED.

THIS IS ABOUT WHERE WE'RE AT.

YOU KNOW, WE TOOK IN $50,000 AND WE SPENT $50,000, HOWEVER IT NEEDS TO BE DONE, BUT WE KNOW WE NEED THAT INFORMATION TO MAKE A GOOD, A GOOD CHOICE.

ANY ADDITIONAL CONVERSATION? QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, JUST ONE QUESTION ON THE, ON JUST A CLARIFICATION ON THE VENUE IS, IS THAT THE, IS THAT A DISCOUNTED RATE FROM A NON-PROFIT RATE FROM BURNT CHURCH AS WELL? THE AND 9,500 FOR THE TWO DAYS? I'M NOT SURE WE'VE TRIED TO HAVE A VET THERE.

I WOULD THINK THAT'S DISCOUNTED.

YEAH.

JUST SAY, UH, SO WITH THAT, ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.

AYE.

AYE.

THAT'S UNANIMOUS.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

ALRIGHT.

THIS WOULD BRING US TO THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB IN THE LOW COUNTRY FOR BIKE AND BLUFFTON IS THAT PERCENTER HERE WHENEVER Y'ALL GOT GOOD EVENING.

MY NAME IS MOLLY SANDMAN AND I AM THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF BLACKBURN.

YOU GUYS HAVE ALL HEARD OF THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB, RIGHT? IT'S A LITTLE BLUE HANDS THAT GO LIKE THIS.

UM, WE'RE AN ORGANIZATION HERE IN THE LOW COUNTRY.

UH, WE'VE GOT SEVERAL DIFFERENT CLUBS, BUT WE'RE FOCUSED ON THE BLUFFTON CLUB.

WHAT WE HAVE DONE IN OUR COMMUNITY IS TRIED TO REACH OUT TO CHILDREN THAT NEED US THE MOST, THE KIDS THAT ARE BEHIND IN READING THE KIDS THAT MIGHT BE FROM SINGLE PARENT HOUSEHOLDS, THE KIDS THAT MIGHT JUST BE A LITTLE BIT BEHIND AND NEED A LITTLE BIT OF EXTRA HELP.

WHAT WE'VE DISCOVERED OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS IS THAT PEOPLE ARE KIND OF MOVING AWAY FROM THE BIG GALA EVENTS.

THEY LIKE THE ACTIVITIES, BUT LIKE JUNETEENTH, THEY LIKE A HUDDLE HILTON HEAD.

[01:05:01]

THEY LIKE DOING THINGS HERE IN THE HEART OF THE LOW COUNTRY.

AND SO IN BLUFFTON, WHAT WE'VE TRIED TO DO IS DEVELOP EVENTS, AKA FUNDRAISERS THAT ARE GOING TO BRING MONEY INTO OUR CLUB TO HELP SUPPORT OUR KIDS.

UH, WE ARE FOCUSED ON INCREASING OUR LOWER LEVEL DONOR BASE, GETTING THE NEWS OUT ABOUT WHAT OUR CLUB DOES PULL IN THOSE SMALLER DONORS, AS WELL AS PULLING PEOPLE FROM FURTHER OUT INTO OUR BEAUTIFUL COMMUNITY, UH, WITH SOME INSPIRATION AND SOME ASSISTANCE FROM OUR SISTER CLUB OVER IN HILTON HEAD, WE WOULD LIKE TO, UH, INITIATE A NEW EVENT INTO BLUFFTON CALLED BIKE BLUFFTON.

IT'S A CYCLING EVENT THAT WE HOPE WILL BE A GREAT FUNDRAISER FOR US, A GREAT SHOWCASE OF OUR BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL AREA AND BE SOMETHING THAT BECOMES A STAPLE OF BLACK MEN.

SO IN THAT VEIN, I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO MY COUNTERPART, BRUCE ANDRIS.

WHO'S GOING TO GIVE YOU SOME OF THE TECHNICAL DATA AND THEN I'LL CIRCLE BACK WITH YOU.

OKAY.

SO GOOD EVENING.

UH, BIKE BLUFFTON IS A DESTINATION CYCLING EVENT.

IT'S NOT A CYCLING RACE, IT'S AN EVENT.

UM, AND IT'S THERE TO, TO RAISE MONEY FOR THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB.

IT'S MODELED AFTER THE SUCCESSFUL, UH, EVENT THAT THE HILTON HEAD BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB HAVE HAD FOR THE LAST 50 THEY'RE IN THEIR FIFTIES.

THEY'VE JUST HAD THEIR 15TH, UH, UH, EVENT, UH, 15 YEARS AND THEY NEEDED $102,000 FOR THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF HILTON.

SO IT'S A VERY SUCCESSFUL EVENT FOR THEM.

THE, UH, JUST TO GIVE YOU SOME, SOME BACKGROUND ON HOW THERE THEY HAVE GROWN, YOU CAN SEE HERE THAT, UH, IN 2017, THEY HAD ABOUT 250 RIDERS IN 2022.

THEY HAD, UH, 600 PLUS.

SO THAT'S, THAT'S KIND OF INTERESTING, BUT WHAT'S MORE INTERESTING IS THAT 18% OF THE PEOPLE CAME FROM MORE THAN 50 MILES AWAY.

UH, LOCAL RIDERS REPRESENT ABOUT 38% AND THEN THE REST OF THE OUT OF TOWN WRITERS, WHICH WERE PEOPLE, UH, MANY OF THEM FROM THE BLUFFTON AREA, FROM SUN CITY, WHERE WE HAVE A LOT OF ENTHUSIASTIC BICYCLISTS, UH, ABOUT 44%, THE TOP MARKETS FOR THE WRITERS FOR PANEL HILTON HEAD WERE FROM CHARLESTON, CHARLOTTE RALEIGH, VIRGINIA BEACH, ATLANTA COLUMBIA AND ORLANDO.

AND THERE WERE ACTUALLY SOME, I BELIEVE FROM AS FAR AWAY AS TENNESSEE MIKE BLUFFTON IS, UH, IS SCHEDULED TO BE ON SUNDAY, NOVEMBER THE SIXTH.

IT'S A MULTI LEVEL EVENT FOR ALL RIDERS OF ALL ABILITIES, DIFFERENT ABILITIES, THEREFORE DIFFERENT RIDES, THE FIVE MILE FAMILY OR FRIENDLY RIDE ALONG WITH A 20 MILE RIDE, 40 MILE RIDE AND A 62 MILE RIDE.

IT CERTAINLY IT'S SUPPORTED BY THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON, THE BLUFFTON POLICE AND THE BUFORD COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

THE EVENT IS EXPECTED TO HAVE AT LEAST 250 PARTICIPANTS.

AND TO RAISE, WE'RE HOPING TO RAISE AT LEAST 35,000 FOR THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF BLUFFTON.

FIRST YEAR, THE ROUTES WILL INCLUDE, UH, PALMETTO BLUFF AS SUN AND SUN CITY, UH, AND USING THE, UH, UH, BASICALLY BLUFFTON PARKWAY AS, AS THE KEY, UH, WAY TO, UH, TO START THE RIDES.

WHAT WAS A GHOST CLUB OF BLUFFTON IS WE'RE SEEKING, UH, $10,000 IN A TAX CROHN'S TO BE USED FOR MARKETING EXPENSES FOR BIKE BLUFF, IVANKA THING.

UH, WE WANT TO PRESENT A PROFESSIONAL IMAGE AND MARKET IT TO THE SOUTHEAST FOR BRAND AWARENESS TO CREATE A BRAND.

WE NEED TO REACH PEOPLE MANY TIMES WITH THAT MESSAGE THAT WILL LEAD TO REGISTRATIONS.

AS I SAY, OUR GOAL IS TO GET AT LEAST 250 RIDERS IN THE FIRST YEAR OF THIS EVENT, A MARKETING CAMPAIGN WILL REACH 10 MILLION PEOPLE.

WE'RE HAVING DIGITAL, UH, THROUGH GOOGLE PAY-PER-CLICK CAMPAIGNS, RETARGETING CAMPAIGNS, EMAIL CAMPAIGNS TO PADDLE WRITERS, SOCIAL MEDIA, FACEBOOK, AND INSTAGRAM ACCOUNTS ADVERTISING ON FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM INFLUENCE CAMPAIGN INFLUENCER CAMPAIGNS.

[01:10:01]

AND THEN WE HAVE MEDIA AND PUBLIC RELATIONS NETWORKING WITH CYCLING CLUBS AND WRITERS, PRINT MEDIA PITCHES, PRESS RELEASE RELEASES AND EVENTS, AN EVENT CALENDAR AND MEDIA COVERAGE, RADIO, TV, AND PRINT.

HOW ABOUT BLUFFTON BENEFIT? A MARKETING PLAN WILL REACH OVER 10 MILLION PEOPLE IN THE SOUTHEAST FURTHER PUTTING BLUFFTON ON THE MAP, INCREASE TOURISM, JUST 38% RIDERS OF, OF PEDAL A LOCAL, THE REMAINING OR OUT OF TOWN.

AND WITHIN 50 MILES OF HILTON HEAD, WE EXPECT 40 TO 50 FEET OF BIKE LEFT AND RIDERS FROM OUT OF TOWN.

MOST WRITERS HAVE FAMILY MEMBERS SUPPORTING THEM FOR THE EVENT AND CREATING A DEMAND FOR ACCOMMODATION FOR ONE TO TWO NIGHTS IN THE BLUFFTON AREA.

AND THIS MEANS THAT THEY, THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO ENJOY OUR RESTAURANTS AND TO SHOP AT A LOCAL BUSINESSES.

THE BIKE BLUFFTON IS A PREMIER MULTILEVEL CYCLING EVENT IN BLUFFTON, SOUTH CAROLINA, TO RAISE MONEY FOR THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF BLUFFTON GRANDCHILDREN.

AND FOR, UM, YOU GUYS, I WOULD JUST CLOSE BY SAYING THAT BIKE BLUFFED.

AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE PERCEIVE IS GOING TO BE A PREMIERE EVENT IN BLUFFTON.

THERE IS A LONG PLAY HERE, IF YOU'RE, IF YOU'RE PICKING UP ON IT AT ALL.

UM, WE'RE, WE'RE VERY, VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE DEVELOPED RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR SISTER CLUB AND HILTON.

HAD WE BELIEVE THAT THIS EVENT WILL TURN INTO SOMETHING VERY LARGE.

DO I THINK IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN THIS YEAR NOW? DO I THINK IT'S GONNA HAPPEN NEXT YEAR? DO I THINK IN FIVE YEARS, THIS IS GOING TO BECOME ONE OF THOSE EVENTS? I ABSOLUTELY DO.

I ABSOLUTELY DO.

AND THIS IS ONE OF THOSE SITUATIONS WHERE WE BELIEVE THAT WE'RE FIGHTING FOR THE KIDS.

THAT'S WHAT WE BELIEVE.

AND BIKE LEFT IN OUR EPIC HOUSE PARTY OR A GALA OR A GOLF EVENTS.

THOSE ARE JUST STUFF TO DO.

WE GET IT.

IT'S JUST STUFF TO DO.

THINGS LIKE THIS THOUGH, MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN KIDS' LIVES AND YOUR PARTNERSHIP WITH US IN HELPING US MARKET.

THIS, HELPING US GET PAST 250 KIDS.

MY GOAL IS ALWAYS MORE KIDS.

MY GOAL IS ALWAYS MORE KIDS IN THE CLUB.

I DON'T WANT JUST 250 WRITERS.

I WANT 600 WRITERS.

AND THEN I WANT US TO PARTNER WITH THEM AND HAVE A THOUSAND WRITERS AND THEN HAVE 2000 WRITERS.

THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO DO.

WE WANT PEOPLE COMING FROM ATLANTA, ORLANDO, NEW YORK, VIRGINIA, ALL OVER THE PLACE.

AND THIS IS WHERE IT STARTS.

THIS IS WHERE IT STARTS FOR BLUFFTON.

WITH THIS EVENT.

THIS IS GOING TO BE A NEW THING, HELP US DO THIS NEW THING HERE IN THE HEART OF A LOT OF COUNTRY.

WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

AND I'M GOING TO ASK FOR BRUCE WITH ANY HEALTH QUESTIONS.

DO YOU EVER VERY LUCKY? I KNOW AT LEAST THERE'S WAR TWO, VERY EXPERIENCED CYCLIST, RUSHMORE BETTER, BUDDY.

I HAVE A PARENT SOMEWHERE, YOUR ROUTES GOING TO BE ROAD ROUTES.

UM, THEY GOTTA BE, UH, FOR THE FAMILY RYAN'S STUFF BE USING, UH, BY BIKE PATHS INSIDE THE COMPLEX.

WE HAVE AN, A STONE AD I'M SURE FOR THE EXPERIENCED WRITERS THOUGH, IT'LL BE RUNNING WRITING.

AND, AND SO WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU, UM, TALK ABOUT PROJECT EXPENSES, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE CONTROL ON THE, ON THE INTERSECTIONS VOLUNTEERS WITH POLICE.

WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE THAT ON OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS IS TO STEPHANIE PRICE.

SO WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF AN END WITH THE BLUFFTON POLICE DEPARTMENT AND SHE'S HELPING US COORDINATE WITH THE BEAVER COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

ALL RIGHT.

AND I'M ASSUMING SUN, CITY'S GOING TO BE PART OF YOUR 62 MILE ROUTE.

YES, IT IS.

YES.

WE WILL HAVE BOTH VOLUNTEERS IN TERMS OF, UH, HANDLING THE, THE, UH, MAKING SURE THE ROUTES ARE SAFE, BUT WE WILL HAVE BOTH THE BLUFFTON POLICE AND THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

YEAH.

UNDERSTOOD.

NORMALLY VOLUNTEERS SHAY, WHICH WAY TO TURN AND PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU DON'T GET RUN OVER.

RIGHT.

SO I, I DID PEDAL FOR KIDS BACK BEFORE IT WAS WHATEVER IT'S CALLED THESE DAYS.

YOU'RE STUPID.

IT WAS TITLED FOR CHANCE.

AND NOW IT'S PEDAL.

YEAH.

SO, UM, JUST, UM, AND I I'VE BEEN A CYCLIST, YOU NEVER QUIT BEING, BUT YOU CAN'T TELL IT.

UM, I, YOUR, YOUR, YOUR MARKETING PLAN, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO HELP YOU DO.

UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW THE NUMBERS GET PUT OFF ON THE HILTON HEAD AS FAR AS THEIR PARTICIPATION FROM OUT OF TOWN, BUT I KNOW WHEN THEY HAVE IT, IS IT STILL LIKE LABOR DAY WEEKEND INTO THE, INTO THE SUMMER? WE HAVE OUR EVENT ON MAY 1ST JUST TOOK PLACE.

THIS WILL TAKE PLACE IN THE

[01:15:01]

FALL.

OKAY.

SO, UM, IT WAS IT'S LOCAL CLUBS THAT, THAT SHOW UP FOR IT.

UM, AND, AND PEOPLE HERE ON, ON STAY, UM, AS FAR AS GETTING PARTICIPATION, I DON'T KNOW.

UM, GO AHEAD, PLEASE SET UP, UH, CAUSE I'M, I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW THE BEST WAY FOR YOU TO PROMOTE I'M PART OF THIS TEAM.

PERFECT.

AND YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE THE ONE WHO WANTS TO GIVE ME THE ANSWERS.

LET ME PLEASE COME UP.

ABSOLUTELY.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT DIDN'T COME OUT IN HER PRESENTATION IS THE DATABASE FOR OUR HILTON HEAD EVENT IS OVER 7,500 PARTICIPANTS.

WE ALSO PARTNERED THIS YEAR WITH CAM EVENTS, C A M EVENTS.

THIS IS A COMPANY THAT RUNS 28 CYCLING EVENTS IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, MOSTLY, AND IN GEORGIA, THAT DATABASE CONSISTS OF 15,000 CYCLIST.

SO THAT'S OUR IMMEDIATE QUICK HIT TO GET THOSE PEOPLE FROM OUT OF THE REGION TO COME TO BLUFFTON, TO PARTICIPATE IN QUITE OFTEN.

GREAT.

AND SO WHAT I WOULD SAY IS TO YOU GUYS IS A 62 MILE RIDE FOR A CYCLIST IS TWO HOURS, TWO AND A HALF HOURS FOR CYCLIST ON AVERAGE, 30 MILES AN HOUR, 2025, AVERAGE 25 IN THE GOOD DAYS.

ABSOLUTELY.

NOW I'LL BE ON THE 20 MILE RIDE.

BUT WHAT I'M SAYING IS, SO IN YOUR EXPERIENCE, AND IF YOU'VE BEEN DOING THE, THE, THE BIKE HILTON HEAD, YOU KNOW, THAT YOUR LONG RIDE OR YOUR SERIOUS CYCLES, THEY'RE GOING TO GO OUT AND THEY'RE GOING TO HIT THEIR WORKOUT.

UM, RARELY DO YOU GET YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR, YOUR ARCH BIKES.

THEY'RE ALL DOING THE, THE OTHER SHORTER RIDES, BUT, UM, THE, THE LONG ONES.

SO WHAT MY, MY, I GUESS MY POINT WOULD BE, IS EVEN IF IT TOOK FOUR HOURS, LET'S MAKE LIFE EASY, 15 MILES AN HOUR.

UM, IT'S IT DOESN'T GEAR ITSELF TO, UM, A ONE DAY EVENT BEGAN OVERNIGHT.

IT'S NOT LIKE, UH, LIKE THE, UH, WHAT'S THE ONE FOR, UH, IT'S A TWO DAY EVENT.

THEY ALWAYS HAVE IT.

UM, IT'S FOR A LIGHT HEART ASSOCIATION.

I CAN'T, FOR SOME REASON I'M DRAWING A BLANK ON IT, BUT OVERNIGHT EVENTS PEOPLE.

I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT WE WANT TO MAKE IT A DESTINATION, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THAT LENDS ITSELF TO THAT WITH A ONE DAY EVENT OF A SHORT TIME, NOT TO SAY THAT PEOPLE WON'T COME HERE AND STATED TO ENJOY THE REST AND HAVE A REASON TO CYCLE.

UM, BUT WITH THAT SAID, UM, YOU'RE, YOU'RE, WE'RE KIND OF GENERIC IN YOUR MARKETING AS FAR AS, UM, IT'S ALREADY PAST THE SCREEN, THE NUMBER OF IMPRESSIONS AND PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO SEE YOUR ADVERTISEMENT BEING 10 MILLION.

IT WAS THAT RIGHT.

THAT'S THAT IS YES.

THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE.

WE'VE, UH, ENGAGED OLIVIA REGAN.

WHO'S A BALCONY, THE ANGUS, BUT SHE'S HELPING US IN TERMS OF PUTTING THE MARKETING PLANS TOGETHER.

UM, AND, BUT THE BASE THAT SHE IS LOOKING AT TOGETHER WITH THE, UH, THE PEOPLE FROM, UH, HILTON HEAD IS WE'RE LOOKING AT A 10 MILLION, UH, TOUCH INTO THE MARKETING.

OKAY.

UM, SO THAT WAS JUST MY CONCERN WAS THAT WE'RE, WE'RE TAKING A, HOW LONG DOES, DOES THE AVAIL HILTON HEAD TAKE FOR THE END OF THE DAY FIVE HOURS FROM START TO FINISH? WE HAVE STAGGERED STARTS THAT START AT EIGHT 30.

EVERYBODY FINISHES BETWEEN 1130 AND 1230.

AND THEN WE HAVE FESTIVITIES AFTER THAT.

THAT'S CORRECT.

BY FIVE TO SIX HOURS.

YEP.

START TO WRAP OUT.

OKAY.

ANYBODY ELSE HAVE QUESTIONS? YES, I DO.

SO I KNOW THAT YOU SAID THAT STEPHANIE IS ON YOUR BOARD.

UM, BUT THAT'S OKAY.

SO I'M, I'M LOOKING AT YOUR BUDGET HERE.

AND I WAS THINKING THE SAME THING THAT IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE 250 BICYCLISTS, I KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO BE ALL STAGGERED AND EVERYTHING, BUT YOU'RE STILL GOING TO NEED PLACE, UM, PERSONNEL TO HELP DIRECT THAT.

AND I JUST DON'T SEE ANY LINE ITEM HERE THAT HAS THAT IN IT.

I DON'T BELIEVE THE BUFORD COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE FOR THE LAST SEVEN YEARS HAS DONATED THEIR TIME FOR THE HILTON HEAD OF THAT AND HAVE MADE A COMMITMENT TO ALSO PARTICIPATE IN THE BLUFFTON EVENT.

I WOULD ADD THAT FEAR REPORT.

YES.

BECAUSE IT'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE A QUESTION.

SO THEN MY NEXT QUESTION IS, UM, AS RANCHERS, HOW ARE YOU, UM, MAYBE A REAGAN MARKETING? NO, FOR THIS ONE EVENT YOU'RE PAYING HER THAT GROUP $12,300 FOR THIS ONE EVENT THERE'S BEEN INITIAL.

YES.

UM, SO WHAT WE'VE DISCOVERED

[01:20:01]

IS THAT ANY EVENT THAT WE TRY TO DO, WE THERE'S AN EVENT THAT WE STARTED BRAND NEW LAST YEAR BECAUSE WE LOST OUR ABILITY TO DO OUR BIG GALA.

UM, AS I'M SURE YOU GUYS HAVE SEEN BRANDING MATTERS, RECOGNITION MATTERS, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE CAN LATCH ON TO IN LOGOS, APPAREL, CHAAT, SHE STOPPED TO PUT ON THEIR WATER.

UM, WE HAD ADDITIONAL MARKETING EXPENSE BECAUSE ALL OF THAT HAD TO BE DEVELOPED.

SO WE'RE, WE'RE STARTING AT GROUND ZERO WITH THIS EVENT, UM, GOING FORWARD IN FUTURE YEARS, THOSE EXPENSES WON'T BE THERE BECAUSE WE WON'T BE CHANGING THE LOGO EVERY YEAR.

SO THEY'RE THERE.

OUR MARKETING EXPENSES THIS YEAR ARE FRONT-LOADED.

DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? 100%.

SO ASK A QUESTION UP HERE.

STAFF.

UM, SO THIS $12,300 FOR LIBBY IS, UM, FOR BRANDING.

SO THEY'RE MAKING THEIR LOGOS AND ALL OF THAT.

SO BRANDING AND I COULD BE WRONG.

THIS IS WHY I'M ASKING WOULD BE A BUSINESS EXPENSE, NOT AN ADVERTISING EXPENSE IN ALL OF IT IS NOT FOR ALL OF IT IS NOT THE BRAND DEVELOPMENT.

UM, YOU MAY HAVE IT HANDY.

SHE HAS HER MONTHLY EXPENSES BROKEN DOWN, WHICH WE CAN PROVIDE.

AND IF THEY'RE NOT IN THERE, WE CAN PROVIDE THEM TO YOU.

ONCE YOU GET PAST THAT CERTAIN DATE, THREE MONTHS PRIOR TO OUR EVENTS, HER, ALL OF HER FEES GO TOWARDS THE BOOTS, THE ADVERTISING, THE VISUAL, THE SOCIAL MEDIA, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS, HER MAINTENANCE OF HER DOING THOSE PUSHUPS FOR US.

SO ALL OF IT IS NOT THAT THAT IS INCLUDED IN THAT.

SO I THINK THAT SHOULD BE BROKEN OUT.

OKAY.

UM, OR BEING ABLE TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE MONEY.

I MEAN, I'M, I'M A BIG SUPPORTER OF THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS.

SO I DON'T WANT YOU TO THINK I'M, YOU KNOW, NOT, BUT, UM, MY OTHER QUESTION IS THAT SINCE THIS IS A PURSE EVENT AND YOU'LL HAVE DIFFERENT DATA NEXT YEAR, WHEN YOU COME BACK, UM, IF YOU'RE GOING TO COMPARE EVERYTHING AGAIN, THAT'S JUST MY OPINION.

BUT IF YOU'RE GOING TO COMPARE EVERYTHING TO HILTON HEAD LIKE THE NUMBERS, THAT 102,000 PEOPLE, AND YOU HAD 600, UM, PARTICIPANTS, YOU KNOW, THAT'S $170 A PERSON THAT Y'ALL MADE.

AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S, UM, SPONSORSHIPS AND STUFF LIKE THAT, BUT IT'D BE NICE TO SEE WHERE THAT FREAKS OUT BECAUSE Y'ALL ARE TALKING ABOUT 35,000 AT 140 P I'M SORRY, 35,250 PARTICIPANTS, AND THAT'S 140 PER PERSON THAT YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE.

SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE OF WHERE THAT COMING FROM.

UM, OBVIOUSLY FOR NEXT YEAR, WE'LL HAVE THAT INFORMATION RIGHT UP YET.

WELL, AND THAT'S WHY I SAID NEXT YEAR YOU'LL HAVE DIFFERENT, BUT IF YOU'RE GOING TO COMPARE IT, THEN I WOULD PUT IT IN HERE.

SO YOU CAN SEE IT JUST TO GET, TO START ANOTHER EVENT.

SOME OTHER TIMES, THE QUESTION ON YOUR LOGO, LIKE BLUFFTON FOR OUR CHILDREN FOR A TAM SHOULDN'T YOU ALSO TIE IN BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB AND SORRY, THAT WAS JUST AN END.

THAT'S.

THAT WAS JUST A PRELIMINARY, AND THAT WAS THE LAST SLIDE.

BUT BY BLUFFTON, THAT IS THE LOGO WITH THE SUN.

AND IT WILL ALWAYS ANY TIME THAT APPEARS IT'LL HAVE BLUFF BLUFFTON BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB.

OKAY.

THAT'S THEN OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, THE STANDARD THAT SHOULD BE GETTING ANY TAX MONEY OR, UH, BLUFFTON, UH, LOGO, OUR COUNTRY HAS TO BE ON THERE WITH WHAT WE DID.

ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, COMMENTS.

I JUST WANTED TO BACK UP WHAT, WHAT SAM SAID, UH, IN THE LAST PRESENTATION AND, AND WHAT CHRISTIE WAS GETTING AT.

I MEAN, ALL THESE QUESTIONS, ALL THE, WE WANT TO SEE THIS GROW TO WHERE YOU WANT IT TO BE IN FIVE YEARS, YOU KNOW? SO IT'S, WE'RE JUST TRYING TO HELP YOU GET THERE.

WE APPRECIATE IT.

I MEAN, THIS IS OUR FIRST, THIS IS OUR FIRST SWING.

I MEAN, WE, WE, WE'VE NOT DONE THIS BEFORE EITHER TO MY KNOWLEDGE, I DON'T THINK SO.

[01:25:01]

SO EVERYTHING'S A LEARNING EXPERIENCE AND WE WANT TO HELP FACILITATE YOU HELPING US.

SO ALL OF, ALL OF THE INPUT IS GREAT AND APPRECIATED.

I MEAN, I'D LOVE TO SEE, I'D LOVE TO SEE THE BASKETBALL EVENT THAT, THAT COACH BRUIN DID GROW.

THAT WAS A PHENOMENAL EVENT.

YEAH.

AMAZING.

NOW, WHAT, WHAT I CAN TELL YOU, AND THIS IS JUST ON THE SIDE, AND THEN I'M GOING TO GET OUT OF YOUR WAY.

WE WE'RE, OUR LEARNING CURVE RIGHT NOW IS REALLY STEEP.

TIMES ARE CHANGING.

THINGS ARE CHANGING.

THERE'S NEW PEOPLE THAT ARE INVOLVED IN OUR ORGANIZATION.

AND SO WE'RE SEEKING PEOPLE THAT HAVE KNOWLEDGE THAT CAN HELP US UNDERSTAND HOW TO DO THINGS BETTER AND THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING WELL, WE NEED TO AMPLIFY AND THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO LEARN, HOW TO DO, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN ARTICULATE IT SO THAT YOU UNDERSTAND I'M A BANKER.

I GET IT.

BLACK AND WHITE.

THERE IS NOT GRAY.

IT IS BLACK AND WHITE.

YOU BOUNCED TO THE PENNY.

SO WE, WE GET IT.

WE, WE GET IT.

WE NEED YOUR GUIDANCE.

WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND HOW IT WORKS SO THAT WE CAN MAXIMIZE IT.

SO WE CAN BRING PEOPLE HERE SO THAT WE CAN MAKE THEM WANT TO COME ON FRIDAY NIGHT AND STAY UNTIL SUNDAY AFTERNOON, BECAUSE THERE'S JUST SO MUCH STUFF.

THE ALLURE OF OUR, OUR, OUR COMMUNITY IS JUST SO GREAT, BUT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO GET UP AT TWO O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING AND DRIVE FROM ATLANTA.

THEY'RE GOING TO COME ON SATURDAY MORNING.

THEY'RE GOING TO STAY FOR THE DAY.

THEY'RE GOING TO SPEND THE NIGHT, SATURDAY NIGHT, AND THEN THEIR BUTTS ARE GOING TO GET UP AND LIKE CRAZY PEOPLE RIDE A HUNDRED MILES OR WHATEVER IT IS THAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO.

THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO DO.

YES.

TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, WHILE YOU THINK PEOPLE ABOUT A HUNDRED MILES CRAZY, BECAUSE YOUR HEINIE CANNOT TOLERATE THAT YOU PRETTY MUCH ON RECORDS, CHAIRMAN SAYING THAT YOU'RE GOING TO WIN THE EVENT.

IF THEY GIVE ME FAST ENOUGH BIKE WITH A MOTOR ON IT, IT WAS 25 MILES AN HOUR.

YOU'RE DOING THOSE UPHILL BOTH WAYS.

YOU'RE TRYING TO, IF YOU DO EVER RIDE IN IT, YOU KNOW, THAT SOMEBODY IS GOING TO BE IN THERE WITH A TIMER.

SO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

BUT THAT SAID, DO WE, CAN WE GET AN EMOTION OR THIS I CAN TRY.

I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE AMOUNT MINUS THE BRANDING THAT WORKS THE WAY TO START.

OKAY.

NOW WHAT ARE THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB? OKAY.

I'LL SECOND THAT MOTION DISCUSSION.

UM, SO I THINK YOUR, YOUR INTENT CHRISTY IS TO MAKE THE MOTION AND MAKE SURE THAT WE TAKE THE BRANDING OUT OF THE, UH, SEPARATE THE, THE ADVERTISEMENT CALLS FROM THE, THE COST OF, OF BRANDING A, A PROGRAM.

IS THAT YES.

PERFECT.

ANYBODY HAVE DISCUSSION ABOUT IT? DO WE HAVE A SET AMOUNT OR TO, WE'RE JUST SAYING, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS.

YEAH.

SO I MEAN, THE HEALTH THAT COME BACK TO US AND SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, THE BRANDING WAS WHATEVER.

CAUSE SHE SAID THAT SH IF I'M CORRECT, YOU SAID THAT YOU HAVE IT ALL WORKED OUT OF WHAT IT IS AS YOU GET CLOSER TO IT AND ALL, ALL THAT.

SO IT'S NOT THE FULL AMOUNT.

IT'S JUST PART OF IT.

YEAH.

WE HAVE A BREAKDOWN BY MONTH.

AND WHAT WE CAN DO IS GO BACK TURN.

IF THERE NEEDS TO BE A SPECIFIC WHERE SHE IS ARTICULATING THAT BRANDING, I MEAN, IT'S LIBYA MARKETING, SHE'S A, SHE'S A PROFESSIONAL BUSINESS.

SHE'S GONNA, SHE'LL BE ABLE TO SEGREGATE IT OUT SO THAT YOU CAN TELL EXACTLY WHAT'S WHAT, AND I, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW.

I MEAN, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH THAT PIECE OF IT WAS, SO WE'LL GET, WE'LL GET WITH HER ON THAT AND WHAT IT'S WORTH IT WHEN YOU RE, WHEN YOU RETURN YOUR ADVERTISEMENT BILLS FOR REIMBURSEMENT, UM, STAFF WILL A LITTLE BIT THAT, AND JUST, WE JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE AMOUNT OF UP TO $10,000 TOWARDS YOUR ADVERTISING, IF THAT MAKES SENSE TO YOU, ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.

SO, JUST TO CLARIFY AND RECOMMENDATION TO TOWN COUNCIL IS THE AMOUNT UP TO $10,000 FOR THE ADVERTISING THAT CONTAINS THE LOGO? CORRECT.

OKAY.

DO YOU USE OUR RECOMMENDATIONS? THIS STAFF WOULD BE UP TO $10,000.

WE USED FOR THE ADVERTISEMENT OF THE PROMOTION.

[01:30:08]

WHAT A LONG NIGHT, HOW WERE YOU OFF? I AM GIOVANNI GLOVER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE BLUFFTON GULLAH HERITAGE CENTER.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME TONIGHT.

UM, SO OUR MISSION, UM, WE ARE A 5 0 1 C THREE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT IS FOCUSED ON CULTURAL AND EDUCATIONAL, UM, PROGRAMMING FOR THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON IN THE AREA OF GULLAH CULTURE.

UM, BASICALLY WHAT WE PLAN TO DO IS CULTIVATE COMMUNITY EXPERIENCES THROUGH EDUCATION AND PRESERVATION CELEBRATION OF THE REGION'S GULLAH HERITAGE, UM, IN HISTORY CONTINUOUSLY.

SO WE'RE NOT A ONE-TIME DEAL EVENT.

UM, LIKE SOME OF THE OTHER, UM, UM, ASK THAT YOU'VE RECEIVED TO MY, OR, UM, THAT YOU'RE USED TO RECEIVING THROUGHOUT, UM, THE YEARS WITH THE COMMITTEE.

SO WE WILL BE CONTINUOUSLY OPERATING AS A CENTER.

UM, WE ARE LOCATED OR WILL BE LOCATED.

WE HAVE NOT, UM, CHANGED OUR STRUCTURE YET OR DONE ANYTHING WITH OUR STRUCTURE YET, BUT WE ARE CURRENTLY GOING TO BE HOUSED ON THE GROUNDS OF, UM, WHERE THE OLD, UM, I DON'T, WELL, I'LL JUST SAY THE ADDRESS 1255 MAY RIVER ROAD.

UM, AND SO IT IS A HISTORIC SITE OR STRUCTURE.

UM, THE DEAR TOM BUILDING WILL BE UTILIZED AS OUR BLUFFTON GULLAH CULTURAL HERITAGE CENTER.

UM, SO HERE IN THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON, UM, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE ACTIVITIES THAT WE WILL BE, UM, SPONSORING, WHICH WILL IS WHERE WE LOOK TO BRING IN, UM, TOURISM, UM, TO THE AREA OF BLUFFTON, UM, IS THE, UM, HAVING SPEAKERS.

UM, SO YOU'LL SEE A COUPLE OF THE SPEAKERS THAT WE HAVE THAT ARE NATIVES.

JOHNNY JENKINS IS AN OYSTER MEN HERE LOCALLY.

UM, KIND OF GET PEOPLE INVOLVED WITH ACTUAL, UM, WHAT IT WAS LIKE OR WHAT IT'S LIKE NOW AS A OYSTER OYSTER MAN.

AND IF YOU WANT TO EXPERIENCE, UM, HOW TO SHUCK OYSTERS HERE FOR YOUR FIRST EXPERIENCE, IF YOU'RE COMING FROM OHIO AND YOU'VE NEVER DONE.

SO, UM, SO THIS, THESE ARE SOME OF THE SPEAKERS THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO APPLY TO EXPOSE, UM, TOURISTS, UM, TO THE CULTURE OF, UM, BLUFFTON IN TERMS OF GULLAH.

UM, SOME OF THE OTHER EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING THAT WE WOULD HAVE WOULD BE, UM, CANNING CLASSES.

SO IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THAT, THAT WOULD BE WHERE, UM, UH, YOU WOULD TAKE VEGETABLES AND PRESERVE THEM FOR THE WINTER MONTHS OR THE OPPOSITE MONTHS OF WHICH THEY GROW.

SO, UM, THAT YOU'LL HAVE ACCESS TO THAT.

WE ARE ALSO LOOKING INTO INDIGO DYING WORKSHOPS, CRABBING, UM, SHRIMP NET MAKING.

SO THE CULTURE THAT EXISTS THROUGH GULLAH GULLAH CULTURE IN BLUFFTON, WE WANT TO UTILIZE THE CENTER TO FACILITATE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING FOR, UM, TOURISTS AND LOCALS TO COME AND BECOME EDUCATED IN THE AREAS IN THAT AREA.

UM, SOME OF OUR CALENDAR EVENTS THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO, UM, IN AUGUST IS, UM, BLACK CHURCHES OF BLUFFTON.

SO KIND OF EDUCATING, UM, UM, THE TOURISTS ABOUT, UM, THE HAND-CLAPPING AND THE MOVEMENTS, UM, THE SONGS THAT ARE SELECTED AND SUNG OUT, UM, THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE BLACK CHURCH IN BLUFFTON, AND ARE CURRENTLY STILL ACTIVE TODAY.

UM, AND YOU CAN SEE THE BAND TWO BOATS, UM, REMEDIES AND CURES.

THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE USE HERE NATURALLY LOCALLY AS A PART OF THE GULLAH CULTURE FOR HEALING, OR, UM, AS DAILY SUPPLEMENTS.

UM, WE ALSO HAVE THE, UM, CULTURAL EVENTS, SO GULLAH CUISINE, UM, PLANTATION HISTORY.

SO, UM, WE HOPE THAT AS PEOPLE ARE COMING DOWN THE CORRIDOR, THE GULLAH CORRIDOR FROM CHARLESTON AT THE MUSEUM THAT IT'S THERE, THAT BLUFFTON BECOMES A SPOT.

IF THEY'RE ON THEIR WAY TO HILTON HEAD, THAT THEY'RE NOT JUST DRIVING THROUGH AND MAYBE GETTING GAS, BUT THEY'RE SPENDING THE WEEKEND AND ALSO INTERACTING WITH SOME OF OUR, UM, HISTORICAL SITES LOCALLY AS, UM, AND PARTICIPATING IN EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES

[01:35:01]

IN THE AREA RELATED TO GULLAH CULTURE.

AND SO WE WANT TO HOUSE THAT OR BE THE HOUSE THAT WELCOMES, UM, THE VISITORS IMPACT TO TOURISM.

LIKE I STATED BEFORE, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT, UM, HILTON HEAD HAS SEEN A LOT, OR HAS RECEIVED A LOT OF, UM, HITS AS FAR AS TOURISM GOES WITH PEOPLE WANTING TO BE MORE IN TUNE IN TOUCH WITH THE GULLAH CULTURE AND, UM, EVEN IN BUFORD COUNTY WITH, UM, WITH THE IMPACT OF THE GULLAH FESTIVAL THERE, UM, THE GULLAH, UM, PENN CENTER BEING THE FIRST SCHOOL, WE WANT BLUFFTON TO BE A PART OF THAT, UM, THAT TRAIL OF VISITATION OF PEOPLE COMING TO GET AND LEARN MORE ABOUT BLUFFTON AND ITS CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE GULLAH CULTURE.

UM, AS YOU KNOW, UM, THE GULLAH GEECHEE CORRIDOR STRETCHES FROM NORTH CAROLINA TO, UM, ABOUT ST AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA.

AND SO THE IN 2020, THE REPORT WAS THAT ABOUT $34 BILLION WERE SPENT WITHIN THE CORRIDOR, UM, JUST ON GULLAH, GEECHEE, TOURISM ALONE.

UM, I DON'T HAVE THE BREAKDOWN ON IF IT WAS MORE SO FOOD OR CLOTHING ITEMS LIKE THAT, BUT WE PLAN TO TRACK THAT INFORMATION WHEN WE HAVE THEM HERE FOR OUR EVENTS, UM, AT THE CENTER OF THEY'RE HERE FOR, UM, THE BASKET BV.

WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE KEEP A TRACK OF WHO'S PARTICIPATING WHERE THEY'RE FROM.

UM, SO WE ARE IN, AS YOU PROBABLY ALREADY KNOW FROM OUR PACKETS, SINCE WE ARE JUST BECOMING AN ESTABLISHED ORGANIZATION, UM, WE HAVE NO REVENUE AT THE TIME OF THE APPLICATION.

HOWEVER, UM, AS OF TODAY, WE HAVE ABOUT $75,000 AS A PLEDGE FOR CONTRIBUTIONS.

UM, AND WE ALSO HAVE A CAPITAL CAMPAIGN THAT WE ARE PROJECTING, UM, TO START WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH, UM, TO BE ABLE TO GENERATE FUNDS FOR THE, UM, OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE OF OUR FACILITY.

SO YOU'LL SEE THE CAPITAL CAMPAIGN AND HOW WE ARE, UM, HOPING THAT WE CAN GET DONORS TO BUY INTO CONTRIBUTING TO OUR ORGANIZATIONS.

SO OUR REQUESTS FOR FUNDS, UM, THE LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT YOU MAY HAVE RECEIVED IN THE APPLICATION, JUST BECAUSE WE WANTED TO, UM, WE KNOW WE WERE STARTING OFF AND BECAUSE WE DIDN'T QUITE KNOW WHERE I WAS BUDGET WAS GOING TO END UP IN THE END.

UM, SO, UM, WE ARE ASKING FOR MARKETING AND MARKETING WOULD INCLUDE, UM, ADVERTISEMENTS VIA, UM, RACK CARDS, UM, PRINTING ADS, DIGITAL CONTENT.

SO WE KNOW SOCIAL MEDIA IS A BIG PIECE.

WE WANT TO GET AS MANY HITS AS POSSIBLE FOR BLESSING, UM, AND DEFINITELY FOR THE CULTURAL CENTER HERE.

SO WE'RE GOING TO UTILIZE FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, TIK, TOK.

UM, WE I'M GOING TO WORK MY WAY BACK UP TO PRINTED ADS.

SO, UM, FAMILIES, WHAT WE FOUND IS THAT PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN CHARLESTON.

THEY'RE INTERESTED IN SAVANNAH.

WE WANT TO HIT THOSE ADVERTISEMENT OPTIONS THERE.

AND SO ANY PRINTED OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE AVAILABLE, WE DEFINITELY WANT TO BE IN THE AIRPORTS.

WE DEFINITELY WANT TO BE IN THE HOTEL LOBBIES.

UM, WE'VE ALSO, UM, VISITED SOME OF THE WELCOME CENTERS HERE IN BUFORD, EXCUSE ME, WITHIN SOUTH CAROLINA SO FAR TO SEE WHERE AND HOW WE CAN ADVERTISE, UM, FOR OUR VISITORS THAT ARE COMING IN OR OUTSIDE OF SOUTH CAROLINA AS WELL.

UM, AND THEN THE RACK CARDS IN THE LOBBIES OF AIRPORTS AND MUSEUMS AND WITHIN THE GULLAH GEECHEE CORRIDOR.

SO AGAIN, BETWEEN NORTH CAROLINA AND FLORIDA BEING ABLE TO ADVERTISE THAT PATIENTS, UM, RESTROOM.

SO WE ARE, UM, BECAUSE WE ARE A, A WEEK, WE ARE A WELCOMING CENTER FOR GULLAH GEECHEE CULTURE IN THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON.

UM, WE ARE ASKING FOR, UM, PUBLIC RESTROOMS THAT ARE TOURISTS MAY BE ABLE TO UTILIZE, UM, WHEN THEY VISIT, UM, IN THE AMOUNT OF $30,000, WHICH IS DIFFERENT FROM YOUR, UM, PROJECTION IN THE, IN, IN YOUR, UM, IN THE APPLICATION THAT WAS RECEIVED.

AND THIS IS ONLY 25% OF WHAT IS GOING TO BE, UM, THE REQUIRED MINT FOR A CONSTRUCTION OF THE ACTUAL RESTAURANTS.

SO WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR THE WHOLE AMOUNT, WE ARE LOOKING TO GET CONTRIBUTIONS FROM DONORS TO, UM, ALSO CONTRIBUTE TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF THAT.

I ALSO, UM, ADJUSTED THE ADA RAMP, WHICH WILL ALLOW THOSE WITH DISABILITIES ACCESS TO THE BUILDING, UM, DOWN TO $5,000 VERSUS

[01:40:01]

WHAT I THINK YOU HAVE 7,500 IN YOUR PACKET, UM, LISTED IN THE BUDGET, LET'S STATE THE OBVIOUS WHAT'S YOUR TIMELINE FOR ACTUALLY OPERATIONAL? UM, SO TIMELINE, UM, AT THIS TIME WE ARE, UM, LOOKING TO START OPERATING WITH LIKE GETTING CONTRIBUTIONS FOR MARKETING PIECES, UM, OR FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BUILDING.

WE ARE AWAITING, UM, SOME, UM, REVIEWS THAT ARE HAPPENING WITHIN THE TOWN FOR THE BUILDING AND USAGE ACTUALLY.

SO THREE MONTHS, SIX MONTHS NOW WE'RE LOOKING ON MORE THAN SIX MONTHS, FOUR TO SIX, THAT'S FOR, SORRY.

SO, UM, SO YOU'RE LOOKING AT A SIX MONTH TO THREE TO SIX MONTH PERIOD BEFORE YOUR OPERATION.

CORRECT.

UM, AND WHERE ARE YOU IN THE PERMITTING PROCESS? ARE YOU STILL ACTIVELY PURSUING PERMITS? YES.

AND THE DESIGN, I UNDERSTAND YOU'RE AT THE, UM, WHERE THE DEER TONGUE BUILDING WAS THAT YES.

SO THE DESIGN, UM, I WAS HOPING THAT I HAD IT AVAILABLE FOR YOU TODAY, BUT I DO NOT HAVE IT AVAILABLE, UNFORTUNATELY.

UM, BUT I CAN MAKE THAT AVAILABLE AS SOON AS IT IS GIVEN TO ME.

UM, BUT THE DESIGN WOULD, UM, INCLUDING MAINTAINING THE OUTSIDE STRUCTURE, UM, WELL, UTILIZING THE OUTLETS OUTSIDE STRUCTURE OF THE BUILDING, WHICH IS CURRENTLY IN EXISTENCE WITH OUR RENOVATED INSIDE STRUCTURE, IF THAT MAKES YEAH.

AND OUR CHILD MOVING THE CURRENT BUILDINGS LOCATION.

SO IT WILL BE ON THE SAME GROUNDS.

IT'LL JUST BE MOVED TO A DIFFERENT PORTION OF THE PROPERTY OR TO THE SUPPORTING STRUCTURES, LIKE THE OLD BAR AND THE LITTLE RESTROOM AREA THAT'S OVER THERE.

ARE THEY GOING TO BE GONE? SO YES.

SO THE RESTROOM THAT IS THERE NOW IS SUPPORTING YES.

SO THEY ARE GOING TO BE GONE THE BAR AND THE INSIDE.

WE'RE LOOKING TO REMODEL THE ENTIRE INSIDE AND UTILIZE THE OUTSIDE STRUCTURE OR THE OUTSIDE PIECES WITH THE NEW STRUCTURE.

I'M JUST GOING TO CLARIFY REAL QUICK.

SO ALL THE BUILDINGS ON THE, UM, ON THE PROPERTY EXCEPT THE BARN ARE GOING TO BE TAKEN AWAY AND THEN THE BARN IS GOING TO BE MOVED TO THE BACK OF THE PROPERTY.

IS THAT CORRECT? UM, SO MY UNDERSTANDING, YES.

OKAY.

I JUST, SO LIKE, THERE'S AN ADDITIONAL TRAIL, A PIECE ATTACHED TO THE BARN THAT IS GOING TO NOT BE A PART OF THE STRUCTURE THAT WE'RE UTILIZING.

I'M SORRY.

I WANT TO ASK STAFF SOME STAFF TOO.

RIGHT.

ARE THERE ANY WAY IN THE WORLD THERE'LL BE SIX MONTHS AWAY IN, IN EVEN PERMITTING? I CAN'T ANSWER THAT.

THE ONLY THING THAT I'M AWARE OF IS THAT THEY HAVE PRELIMINARY PRELIMINARY APPROVAL, BUT THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT STILL NEED TO BE CONDITIONS THAT STILL NEED TO BE MET.

AND SO THEY DON'T HAVE FINAL APPROVAL FOR THE SITE AS OF TODAY'S MEETING.

UNFORTUNATELY.

SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE UPDATE THAT I HAVE FROM THE STAFF LEVEL.

SO MY CONCERN IS IT'S HARD FOR US TO GRANT YOU SOMETHING FOR MARKETING THAT DOESN'T EXIST TO BE MARKETED THAT EVEN OUT THERE WITHOUT A TIMEFRAME OF WHEN THAT CAN ACTUALLY HAPPEN, I'M SURE YOU GUYS HAVE THIS SAME, SAME CONCERN.

UM, AND WITH US MEETING, WE'RE NOT LIKE SOME OF THE OTHER EIGHT TECHS THAT MEET ONCE A YEAR.

UM, I WOULD BE MORE INCLINED TO HAVE A BETTER, UH, COME BACK TO IS THAT AT, AT OUR NEXT MEETING OR THE FALL FOLLOWING WITH THE SAME PRESENTATION, BUT A DEFINED TIMELINE OF, OF NOW WE'RE, WE'RE BREAKING GROUND, WE'VE MOVED THIS, WE'RE GOING TO BE, SOMEONE'S GOING TO BE HERE, UM, TO DO THESE EVENTS, UM, THAT'S ME, BUT I'M SURE IF ANYBODY ELSE HAS QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS THAT THEY SHOULD ADDRESS THEM.

YEAH.

I MEAN, YOU'RE, YOU'RE LOOKING TO MARKET SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T EXIST, YOU KNOW, SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE A FLEX TO, AS SAM SAID, WE DON'T HAVE A TIMELINE AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, FOR US TO KNOW WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO EXPEND THAT MONEY.

THE OTHER THING IS, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE ALSO LOOKING FOR RENOVATION MONEY FOR SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE NO PLANS FOR, YOU KNOW, OTHER THAN, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY WHO SAYS, OH, IT'LL, IT'LL LOOK MARVELOUS.

UM, YOU KNOW, LIKE, AND I'M SURE IT WILL.

MY QUESTION IS ON THAT PARTICULAR PIECE OF PROPERTY YOU'RE GOING TO IS YOUR FOUNDATION, WHAT IS YOUR FOUNDATION GOING TO OWN? IS IT GOING TO OWN THE BUILDING AND LEASE

[01:45:01]

PROPERTY OR HAVE PROPERTY DONATED, OR ARE YOU GOING TO BUY A PIECE OF A PIECE OF THE LAND? WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE THOSE DETAILS? AND THEN THE OTHER THING IS, AS YOU SAID, PERMITTING, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I'M GOING TO ASSUME THAT THE ZONING IS CORRECT.

NO, BUT DO YOU HAVE FINAL APPROVAL THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT IT'S A PERMITTED PERMITTED USE WITHIN THAT ZONE? AND I SPEAK FROM BEING A FORMER ZONING BOARD CHAIR.

SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS YOU WANT TO FIND OUT, YOU KNOW, IT'LL LOOK GREAT, BUT HEY, THE TOWN DOESN'T REALLY ALLOW THIS, OR YOU NEED A VARIANCE.

AND THEN THAT ADDS TO YOUR TIMELINE FOR WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE.

I THINK WHAT WE NEED AS A, AS A COMMITTEE HERE IS WE NEED TO FUND SOMETHING.

WE WANT TO SAY IT, WE DON'T WANT TO, YOU KNOW, WE, WE DON'T THINK WE CAN FUND A WISHES, WHICH AT THIS POINT, NOT THE LITTLE IN THE LIST, BUT AT THIS POINT, THIS IS WHERE THIS IS AT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE STILL, YOU KNOW, WE STILL THINK IT'S GOING TO BE, YOU THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE $45,000 FOR THE RESTAURANT.

NOW YOU'RE AT 30, WHEN YOU'RE FINISHED, IT'S GOING TO BE 60.

YOU KNOW, SO, I MEAN, THERE'S, YOU KNOW, TOO MANY, UM, YOU KNOW, TOO MANY QUESTIONS UP IN THE AIR, WE NEED JUST A LITTLE MORE SOLID INFORMATION THAT COMES FROM.

SO MAY I ASK FOR CLARIFICATION? SO WE ARE LOOKING TO HAVE, UM, INFORMATION AS FAR AS THE PERMITTING OR, OR AT LEAST BEING APPROVED FOR PERMITTING BEFORE APPLYING FOR FUNDS FOR THE RENOVATION.

WELL, I, YOU KNOW, IN QUESTION IS CAN WE, CAN WE PROVIDE FUNDS FOR RENT, UH, FOR RENOVATION OR NEW, UH, THERE'S SOME LANGUAGE IN APEX FOR FUNDS, FOR FACILITIES THAT ARE DIRECTLY RELATED TO TOURISM.

SO MY, I GUESS MY CLARIFICATION CLARIFICATION TO YOU WOULD BE WITHOUT MORE INFORMATION THAN WHAT YOU ALREADY HAVE GIVEN US A CONCRETE, STARTING DATE, A CONCRETE EXECUTABLE PLAN.

I DON'T KNOW THAT WE COULD, EVEN AT THIS POINT, MAKE A, A RULING ON YOUR REQUEST, JUST BECAUSE THERE'S, IF WE GAVE YOU $20,000 TO START YOUR MARKETING FOR SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN FOR ANOTHER YEAR AND A HALF, UH, OUR SIX MONTHS FROM NOW OR SEVEN MONTHS, THE QUESTION WOULD BE WHY DIDN'T WE WAIT SIX MONTHS TILL YOU HAD A DEFINED PLAN TO MOVE FORWARD WITH, BUT THAT'S MY, AND WE CAN DO IT ANY WAY WE WANT TO, BUT I JUST DON'T SEE THAT THERE'S A, A CONCRETE ENOUGH, UM, PLAN IN YOUR, ON YOUR SIDE OF, OF WHERE YOUR HEAD AND HOW YOU'RE GETTING THERE, THAT WE COULD EVEN LIKE IT.

LIKE I SAY, EVEN LIKE, I BELIEVE THE PART OF WHAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING, IT'LL BE FANTASTIC.

IT'S JUST, I DON'T KNOW THAT HOW WE CAN FUND IT UNTIL SUCH TIME AS THERE TO FIND ORGANIZATION WITH A, WITH A BUSINESS PLAN MOVING FORWARD.

AND I ADD TO THAT REAL QUICK, WHAT CAN I ADD TO THAT, TO WHAT YOU JUST SAID? CAN I ADD SOMETHING? ABSOLUTELY.

SO IN YOUR PRESENTATION AND YOU HAVE YOUR MARKETING ON WHAT, ALL THE THINGS YOU WANT TO DO, YOUR RACK CARDS AND ALL OF THAT.

UM, I WANT TO GIVE YOU A PLUS, THAT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE BEST PRESENTATIONS FOR MARKETING, BECAUSE YOU ANSWERED EVERY QUESTION THAT I HAD ABOUT YOUR MARKETING.

SO I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU, THAT'S GREAT.

I THINK AS SOON AS YOU, UM, GET PERMITTED AND, UM, GET YOUR DESIGN OF WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO AND WHERE IT'S GOING TO GO AND ALL OF THAT, I THINK YOU'LL HAVE GOING FORWARD.

COULD, COULD WE GET A COPY OF THIS DOCUMENT? WELL, NOT ONLY ASSETS OF THE PRESENTATION.

YES, YES.

IT'S FINE FOR YOU TO SHARE.

YEAH.

CAUSE I, I BACK, I ABSOLUTELY CHRISTY SAID I HAVE A PHYSICAL COPY.

I CAN GIVE TO YOU GUYS.

NOW, THIS WAS FANTASTIC IN TERMS OF THE BREAKDOWNS AND THE GIVING THE HISTORY AND, UH, GAVE A LOT MORE IN TERMS OF THE IDEA IN GENERAL CLEARLY IS A GREAT IDEA.

UM, I DID HAVE ONE QUESTION JUST ON WHAT YOU PRESENTED, UM, THE EVENTS THAT YOU DISCUSSED IN THE FALL ARE THOSE, ARE YOU LOOKING TO HOLD THOSE IN THE CURRENT BUILDING ON THE GROUNDS, ON THE GROUNDS? OKAY.

SO I WOULD MAKE A MOTION THAT WE, UH, WHEN WE APPROVE THE SQUAT HOPE REQUESTS THAT IT REQUIRE WE REQUIRE BUILDING PLANS.

UM,

[01:50:01]

SO I'M, I'M GONNA, I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER THAT I'M GOING TO TELL YOU WHY I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THEM IS BECAUSE I KNOW THIS BUILDING VERY WELL AND IT ALREADY HAS, UM, RESTROOMS IN IT.

SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE WHAT UPDATING TO THE BARN, UM, FOR THAT MONEY.

I MEAN, SO THAT, THAT PORTION OF WHERE THE RESTROOM IS, IS NOT A PART OF THE HISTORIC BUILDING.

IS IT PART OF THE TRAILER? THAT'S WHAT I WAS WONDERING.

THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO SEE IT WHEN YOU GO IN THERE'S THE WALKWAY, EVERYTHING PAST THE, THE, THE WALL THAT WALL IS SO THAT IT'S TOTALLY SEPARATE SIDE, SEPARATE FROM THE ACTUAL HISTORIC BUILDING.

SO THAT STILL DOESN'T ANSWER MY QUESTION.

I CAN ANSWER SOMEBODY BETTER THAN ME.

YOU PROBABLY CAN ANSWER THIS FROM TOWN, BUT THERE IS A FULLY DEVELOPED PLAN FOR THE WHOLE RESTORATION PROJECT AT THE, UH, AT THE PSYCHOPATH.

UM, AND OUR, OUR ASK AND GIVE TO THAT WAS TORCH, UM, SLOWING DOWN, SO SHORING UP.

SO THEY WERE ABLE TO BEGIN THAT PROCESS, BUT THERE'S A, HERE'S ME, THERE'S A FULLY DEVELOPED PLAN FOR THE FULL RESTORATION, NOT JUST NOT THE PART, BUT THEN HOUSE.

IT WAS A FULLY DEVELOPED PLAN NOW.

YES.

MY QUESTION IS WHAT WAS THAT PLAN IN PLACE WHEN THEY REQUESTED FUNDS? YES, THERE WAS A WHOLE, I BELIEVE THERE'S A WHOLE PROJECT PLAN FOR THE SQUIRE POPE COTTAGE THAT, UM, BUT I CAN, I WILL DEFINITELY CONFIRM THAT FOR YOU.

OKAY.

WHAT'S YOUR, WHAT'S YOUR CONCERN? THAT WAS MY QUESTION.

IT WASN'T APPROVED PROJECT FOR THE TOWN THROUGH THEIR CIP.

SO, SO IT'S ALREADY BEEN VETTED AND TOM COLLEEN, TO MY KNOWLEDGE IS A FULLY DEVELOPED PLAN TO COMPLETELY RESTORE THAT, THAT PROPERTY ALONG WITH FUNDING POOL FOR ALMOST ALL OF IT, BUT THAT'S INTO TOWN, UM, INFORMATION, ANY MORE QUESTIONS, DISCUSSION.

SO I WOULD, I WOULD MAKE A MOTION THAT WE TABLE THIS REQUEST UNTIL SUCH TIME AS THE APPLICANT'S ABLE TO COME TO GIVE US A MORE DEFINED TIMELINE AND, UM, A PLAN OF PROCEDURE OF HOW THEY'RE GOING TO GET TO WHERE THEY WANT TO GO FOR A SECOND.

ANY DISCUSSION, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.

AYE, AYE.

UNANIMOUS.

THANK YOU.

OUR APOLOGIES THAT WOULD BRING US TO THE HILTON HEAD SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA REQUEST.

MY NAME IS ALAN JORDAN.

I'M THE PRESIDENT AND CEO HAD SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA AND I CAME LOW TECH TONIGHT.

AND I'M GOING TO TRY AND GET YOU CAUGHT UP A LITTLE BIT ON YOUR AGENDA SCHEDULE, BUT I THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.

DURING OUR RECENTLY COMPLETED 20 21, 20 22 SEASON, WE ARE PLEASED TO REPORT THAT THE SUCCESSES IN BLUFFTON LAST OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER HAVE LED US TO MOVE FORWARD WITH MORE ASPIRATIONAL PLANS FOR THIS COMING FALL.

WE ALSO HOPE THE EFFICIENCY OF A SINGLE APPLICATION FOR BOTH EVENTS IS AS WELCOME AND APPEALING TO YOU AS IT WAS TO US WITH SUCCESSFUL EVENTS IN 2021, AND DECREASING CONCERNS ABOUT PERSONAL HEALTH ISSUES.

WE ARE ABLE TO PUT PLANS IN MOTION MUCH EARLIER AND ARE WORKING IN GREATER COOPERATION WITH OUR PARTNERS AT THE HISTORIC LOFTON ARTS AND SEAFOOD FESTIVAL AND ST.

GREGORY THE GRACE.

WE ARE ALSO ADDRESSING SOME OF THE PITFALLS EXPERIENCED DURING THE LAST SEASON STAGE EQUIPMENT COSTS DRAMATICALLY INCREASED, AND WE ARE LOCKING IN ON RATES BEFORE ADDITIONAL INCREASES CAN BE LEVIED.

WE ARE AFFECTING BETTER WAYS OF CAPTURING DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION FOR ALL OF OUR AUDIENCE, NOT JUST THOSE WHO PURCHASE TICKETS, BUT ALSO THEIR GUESTS AND MORE COOPERATIVE AND ADVANCED MARKETING EFFORTS WITH THE FESTIVAL WILL INCREASE OUR REACH TO NON-RESIDENTS SO THAT THEY KNOW OF OUR CONCERT BEFORE THEY MAKE THEIR TRAVEL PLANS.

[01:55:01]

ONE OF THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS AT LAST DECEMBER'S HEARING MADE A COMMENT ABOUT OUR FREE CONCERT, AND I WILL PARAPHRASE HERE THAT IT WAS SOME OF THE BEST A TAC MONEY SPENT.

IT IS OUR GOAL FOR YOU TO FEEL THAT SAME WAY ABOUT HHS EVENTS EVERY YEAR.

AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND WELCOME YOUR COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU.

UM, ANYBODY HAVE A SPECIFIC QUESTION CONCERN, AND MAYBE I'M JUST A LITTLE BIT BEHIND ON THE TIMES, BUT IT WAS A SAINT GREGORY ANNEXED INTO WHERE THE 10TH.

OKAY.

I SOMETIMES I'M SHELTERED.

MY ONLY QUESTION WAS FOR, I GUESS, US IS THAT I'M ASKING FOR TENTS AND STAGE THAT WE'RE ALLOWED TO PROVIDE HELP WITH THAT FACILITIES.

IT'S A, IT'S AN APPROVED IT'S WHAT'S NEEDED TO HELP THE PROJECT OR THE, YEAH.

IN, IN THE PAST WE HAVE REIMBURSED FOR TENTS FOUND ENLIGHTENING, AND I SHOULD SAY IT'S TENSE AND STAGING.

THAT THEN IS THE SAME FACILITY IS USED BY THE SEAFOOD FESTIVAL FOR THE WHOLE WEEKEND.

I HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTION.

OKAY.

YEAH.

NO.

OKAY.

SO THIS, UM, THE TENT AND STAGE THIS 20,000 IS FOR THE SEAFOOD FESTIVAL.

NOT FOR BOTH OF THEM.

WELL, IT STRESSED OUR COSTS.

WE ALLOW THEM TO USE IT FOR THE REST OF THE WEEKEND.

I UNDERSTAND THAT.

SO, BUT YEAH, THAT, THAT IS JUST FOR THE SEAFOOD THAT DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH ST.

GREGORY.

OH, NO, THAT'S CORRECT.

YEAH.

WE WON'T NEED ATTENDED ST.

GREGORY.

I DON'T THINK THEY WON'T WANT ANYTHING.

WELL DONE.

WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

WE CAN GET CAUGHT UP.

THANK YOU.

CAN WE GET EMOTION? I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE, UH, REQUESTED AMOUNT FROM THE HILTON HEAD SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA OR THEIR, UH, 2022 BLUFFTON CONCERTS IN THE AMOUNT OF $38,784.

THAT'S THE RIGHT NUMBER? I JUST NOT MY 93, 3 74.

I GOT 38, 3 75 38.

I'M SORRY.

I'M I LOOKED AT THE REQUESTED A MINUTE 38, 30 $8,374.

SECOND EMOTION.

ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.

AYE.

UNANIMOUS.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

OH, UM, I DO NOT HAVE A POWERPOINT PRESENTATION, SO I HOPE I DON'T BORE YOU TO DEATH, BUT I'M JUST GOING TO REVIEW KIND OF WHO I AM AND, UM, WHAT I'VE BEEN DOING AT THE HISTORIC BLUFFTON FOUNDATION.

SO MY NAME'S KATE, UM, I JOINED THE, UM, FOUNDATION AT THE HAYWARD HOUSE MUSEUM AND CENTER BACK IN DECEMBER.

AND SINCE THEN I HAVE ASSUMED THE INTERIM DIRECTOR ROLE.

UM, I'M ALSO THE DIRECTOR OF EVENTS AND ADMINISTRATION.

SO I'VE PLAYED A PART IN COMPOSING THIS APPLICATION.

I HOPE I'M ABLE TO ANSWER ALL OF YOUR QUESTIONS TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY.

UM, BUT AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, THAT, UH, THE HISTORIC LEFT AND FOUNDATION, THE MISSION IS TO PROTECT, PRESERVE AND PROMOTE THE HISTORY AND CULTURAL HERITAGE OF THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON.

UM, THROUGH EDUCATION MARKETING, HANDS-ON PRESERVATION OF BUILDINGS AND SITES MAINTENANCE OF THE CALDWELL ARCHIVES AND THE OPERATION OF THE HAYWARD HOUSE MUSEUM AND WELCOME CENTER.

WE ARE ASKING FOR $175,000 TO COVER, UM, THE CA COSTS SUCH FOR THE WELCOME CENTER, SUCH AS SALARIES, UM, BANK FEES, INSURANCE UTILITIES, PROGRAMS, AND ADVERTISING, UM, CLEANING SERVICES, LANDSCAPING, PEST CONTROL, WHAT WE NEED TO OPERATE AND FUNCTION ON A DAILY BASIS LAST YEAR, UM, WE HAD AROUND 7,500 VISITORS AND THAT, THAT, UM, OUT OF THAT 85% OR OUT-OF-TOWNERS OF COURSE WE ARE REIMBURSED BASED ON OUR, UM, WHAT WE CALL IMPACT VISITORS, WHICH ARE THOSE THAT ARE OUT OF TOWN

[02:00:02]

TODAY.

AS OF THIS WRITING, WE'VE HAD OVER 10,000 VISITORS AND WE ARE PROJECTING TO HAVE OVER 11,500 IMPACT VISITORS TO DATE FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR.

WE'VE HAD NEARLY 6,006, 600, AND WE PROJECT TO HAVE AT LEAST 7,600, UM, BY THE END OF THIS FISCAL YEAR.

SO JUNE 30TH, UM, ONE OF OUR BIGGEST INITIATIVES RIGHT NOW IS LEARNING HOW TO BECOME MORE SUSTAINABLE, UM, MONETARILY.

AND SO WE ARE CURRENTLY IN A LEARNING CURVE, UM, BUT WE'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF STUFF BEHIND THE SCENES.

SO A FEW KEY THINGS THAT ARE WITHIN THE APPLICATION ARE SELF GUIDED TOURS.

THAT'S GIVEN US THE ABILITY TO GET MORE PEOPLE THROUGH OUR DOORS, AND IT'S ALSO GIVEN US THE ABILITY TO PLAN AND HAVE THAT TIME.

WHILE WE'RE AT THE HAYWARD HOUSE, WE'RE BRINGING BACK SCHOOL FIELD TRIPS.

THAT'S GOING TO NOT ONLY COVER THE HAYWARD HOUSE, BUT IT'S GOING TO COVER, UM, THE, A SMALLER PORTION OF THE WALKING TOUR OF LOFTON FOR KIDS AND THE GARVIN GARVEY HOUSE.

UM, WE'RE BACK ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

THERE IS A NOTE I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET INTO THE NEW AND IMPROVED, UM, FACEBOOK.

UM, I'M NOT TECHNOLOGICALLY SAVVY, BUT I DID EXHAUST I THINK EVERY OPTION POSSIBLE.

SO RIGHT NOW, UM, ONE OF OUR NEWER BOARD MEMBERS AND I ARE WORKING ON A SOCIAL MEDIA PLAN, I'VE BEEN TRYING TO POST AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE TO PROMOTE NOT ONLY THINGS HAPPENING WITH US, UM, BUT THINGS HAPPENING WITH THE TOWN, LIKE THE SYMPOSIUM, WHICH IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, UM, ARE WE BROUGHT OUR NEWSLETTER BACK.

SO IF YOU DIDN'T RECEIVE IT, I WOULD BE GLAD TO ADD YOU TO OUR NEWSLETTER CHAIN, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME BECAUSE COMMUNITY OUTREACH IS HUGE AND, UM, WE WANT TO BE, BECOME A BETTER, A BIGGER PART OF THAT IN OUR COMMUNITY.

WE HAVE A NEW MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM NOW.

UM, WE WILL BE DETAILING THAT AT, UM, THE HISTORIC SYMPOSIUM.

WE ARE ALSO CON I'M ALSO CONSULTING A COMPANY FOR DONOR SOFTWARE THAT WILL HELP US, UM, WITH STREAMLINING OUR, UM, JUST EMAIL BLAST FUNDRAISING INITIATIVES, UM, AND BEING ABLE TO HAVE A DATABASE TO MONITOR ALL OF OUR MEMBERSHIPS EVENTS.

SO REVENUE BASED ON THE NUMBERS IN 2019, UM, EVENTS BROUGHT IN AROUND 20,000, OUR BIGGEST GENERATORS, THE PEANUT FESTIVAL.

SO WE ARE, UM, PLANNING FOR THAT THIS YEAR ON SEPTEMBER 24TH.

UM, THAT AVERAGE IS FIVE TO 10,000, BUT WE ARE ALSO GOING TO BE DOING A MEMBER DRIVE.

THIS ISN'T IN THE PACKET.

THESE ARE DEVELOPMENTS THAT HAVE HAPPENED SINCE I SUBMITTED THIS.

UM, SO MORE NEWS ON THAT AS WE GET THAT GOING.

UM, BUT WE ALSO WANT TO BRING BACK THE OYSTER ROAST AND THAT SORT OF THING THAT HAVE BEEN DONE IN YEARS PAST AND DUE TO COVID AND THIS, THAT, OR THE OTHER IN THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS, IT JUST HASN'T HAPPENED.

UM, OH, AND WE'RE DOING LUNCH AND LEARNS.

SO THERE IS A BLURB IN HERE.

WE DID A LUNCH AND LEARN AT HAMPTON HALL.

UH, THERE WERE 147 PEOPLE WHO SIGNED UP 142 SHOWED UP SINCE THEN.

THEY'VE HAD TWO SPEAKER SERIES UNRELATED TO THE ONE THAT WE DID.

UM, THIS IS SOMETHING THEY DO FREQUENTLY AT HAMPTON HALL AND ONLY AROUND 60 PEOPLE HAVE SHOWED UP.

SO WE, WE BROKE A RECORD WITH OUR SPEAKER SERIES ON THE HISTORY OF BLUFFTON AND WE'RE TRYING, WE ARE GOING TO, AND WE'RE WORKING ON DEVELOPING MORE LUNCH AND LEARN SERIES.

SO WE CAN START ENGAGING WITH SCHOOLS, UM, OTHER BUSINESSES AND NOT JUST TALK ABOUT THE PRE CIVIL WAR AND CIVIL WAR ERA BLUFFTON, BUT THE ECENTRIC BLUFFTON, THE REALLY FUN PART OF BLUFFTON, THE LOCAL ARTISTS.

SO TWENTIES THROUGH, YOU KNOW, THE NINETIES AND NOW, UM, AND THIS WOULD BE AN EVENT THAT WOULD BE TICKETED, AND THAT WOULD BE, UM, A WAY TO GENERATE REVENUE AND ALSO ENGAGE WITH OUR COMMUNITY.

UM, I THINK THAT, THAT IS MY SPEECH FOR NOW.

WHAT QUESTIONS DO YOU HAVE FOR ME? ALSO, MY BOARD MEMBERS HAD TO LEAVE.

THEY HAVE, THEY HAD TO GET BACK TO THEIR KIDS.

SO IT'S JUST ME.

WELL WELCOME.

THANK YOU.

YEAH, DON'T BE NERVOUS.

WE'RE HERE.

IT'S OKAY.

I'M GOOD.

OKAY.

WELL, YOU KNOW, I HAVE QUESTIONS.

SO, UM, I'M A NUMBERS PERSON.

YES.

SO IN YOUR BUDGET, YES.

UH, 2122.

UM, IF YOU LOOK AT YOUR 2021, YOU HAVE LIKE THE GIFT SHOP SALES IS 8,000 AND YOU'RE APPROVED BUDGET FOR 22 IS 1500.

SO I WOULD JUST ASSUME THAT YOUR STUFF WOULD START GOING UP AND NOT GO DOWN.

AND THEN, UM, IT HAS TOUR PROGRAMS, UM,

[02:05:01]

FOR 2021 WAS 18,004 22, IT'S SEVEN, THEN SPECIAL EVENTS FOR 2021 IS 7,000 AND YOUR 22 IS 7,000 AND THE 22.

OH, OKAY.

I SEE WHERE YOU ARE NOW.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S A, YOU KNOW, A TYPING ERROR OR IF THESE ARE REALLY TRUE NUMBERS, BUT I'M GOING TO SAY THAT THEY'RE REALLY LOW COMPARED TO WHAT 2021 WAS, ESPECIALLY SINCE YOU HAVE SPECIAL EVENTS AND MAYBE THIS IS NOT PART OF THIS.

SO THIS IS KIND OF WHERE I'M GOING TO IS THAT, UM, THE, YOU KNOW, Y'ALL ARE RENTING OUT THE OUTSIDE FOR LIKE EVENTS AND WEDDINGS AND EVERYTHING.

SO MY ASSUMPTION, I WAS KIND OF SURPRISED HOW LOW THE NUMBER WAS CONSIDERING Y'ALL ARE PRETTY BOOKED.

GREAT.

WHICH NUMBER ARE YOU TALKING? OKAY, SO I'M LOOKING AT THE 20, 22 REQUESTED BUDGET, AND I HAVE APPROVED BUDGET APPROVED, BUT APPROVED BUDGET FOR 22, 23 OR FOR WHAT? IT'S THE LAST ONE? I DON'T HAVE A 22, 23.

I ONLY HAVE A 2120.

IT LOOKS LIKE THIS IT'S IN THE IT'S ON PAGE 20, PAGE 20, NOT WITH ALL THE OTHER ONES.

IT IS.

SO I HAVE THIS PAGE.

THAT IS THE, THE PAGE 20.

YES.

PAGE 20 HAS OUR OPERATIONAL BUDGET.

THEY APPROVED OPERATIONAL BUDGET.

SO IT HAS AS OF FEBRUARY 20, 22, OUR YEAR TO DATE ACTUAL THIS FISCAL YEAR'S PROJECTION, OUR TOTAL BUDGET.

AND SO IT HAS THAT BREAKOUT.

ALSO.

I WANT TO LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT I HAVE NEVER DONE ONE OF THESE APPLICATIONS BEFORE.

SO I HAD LAST YEARS TO REFERENCE AND THAT'S REALLY ON MY HEAD.

I'M SORRY IF THINGS AREN'T IN A SPECIFIC ORDER.

CHRISTIE, I BELIEVE I HEARD HER SAY THAT THEY HAD LITTLE OVER 20,000 FOR RENTAL REVENUE.

THAT WAS IN 2019.

THAT'S UH, THAT'S THE NUMBER I HAVE.

SO THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN FOR 1920 FISCAL YEAR.

LAST, IT SAID, AND IT'S IN THE APPLICATION.

THE, LIKE THE BULL PEANUT FESTIVAL WAS UP TO THE MINUTE THEY DIDN'T HAVE AS BIG OF A TURNOUT BECAUSE THE BOLT, THAT WAS RIGHT.

WHEN I THINK, I CAN'T EVEN REMEMBER WHICH VARIANT IT WAS, BUT THIS IS ALL INFORMATION I'VE GATHERED FROM OUR FORMER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WHO ONLY HAD A COUPLE MONTHS WITH YOUR BUDGET RUNS JUNE TO JUNE RUNS JULY ONE TO JUNE 30TH.

SO I'M JUST TRYING TO GET, I'M TRYING TO FIND, UM, PUT EYES ON THE QUESTION THAT, ABOUT THE BUDGET THAT CHRISTIE HAD THE EXACT NUMBERS.

SO YOU HAVE ALL THIS STUFF IN THE BACK.

IT'S THE LAST PAGES THAT YOU'RE ALL THE SAME FORMAT.

SO YOU HAVE 20 19, 20, 21, 22.

SO THAT'S WHY I WAS CONFUSED.

I THOUGHT THAT WAS THE LATEST ONE.

SO 20 IS TOTALLY A DIFFERENT THING.

I'LL LOOK AT THIS.

DO YOU HAVE THE, DO YOU HAVE THE TABLE OF CONTENTS? BECAUSE THAT'S, THAT WAS JUST HOW I WAS REFERENCING THAT IT SAYS EXACT SAME THING I WAS TALKING ABOUT.

RIGHT.

BUT I THOUGHT YOU WERE ASKING ABOUT IN COMPARISON FOR THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.

OKAY.

OKAY.

I WANT TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.

YEAH.

I JUST DON'T UNDER, I GUESS I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT THE, HOW THIS IS, BECAUSE I MEAN, LIKE, THIS IS ALL THE APPROVED BUDGETS, WHICH IS BEFORE ANYWAY.

SO I GUESS I'M PROBABLY NOT ASKING THE RIGHT PERSON ANYWAY.

YEAH.

AND IF IT'S, IF IT'S COMPOSED, IF EVERYTHING'S PUT TOGETHER A CERTAIN WAY, I LITERALLY WENT OFF OF THE TABLE OF CONTENTS FROM LAST YEAR'S APPLICATION.

SO IF IT'S, IF THAT'S WHY, IF THE ORDER, UM, UM,

[02:10:10]

THESE NUMBERS ARE MUCH HIGHER THAN THE OTHER NUMBERS.

SO WELCOME CENTER FOR 2223 WELCOME CENTER BUDGET.

I HAVE $8,000 FOR SPECIAL EVENTS WELCOME CENTER BUDGET.

ONLY FOR THIS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR FOR SPECIAL EVENTS IS $3,500.

THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING AT.

YEAH.

I MEAN, I CAN SEE YOUR NUMBERS HERE.

THEY'RE DIFFERENT THAN THE ONES IN THE BACK.

SO THAT'S, SO I WOULD SAY THAT THE REASON BEING WOULD BE BECAUSE WE WEREN'T ABLE TO HAVE AS MANY SPECIAL EVENTS IN THE LAST YEAR, I DIDN'T CREATE THE BUDGET.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WAS PASSED DOWN TO ME, HONESTLY, I WASN'T ASKING THE RIGHT PERSON ANYWAY, SO IT'S FINE.

SO AT SOME POINT IN, IN THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF, YOU GUYS HAVE REALLY REVAMPED YOURSELF JUST BY NECESSITY.

YOU HAVE STAFF, THE REVAMP HAS HAPPENED IN THREE MONTHS.

YEAH.

AND SO YOUR PLANS ON CONTINUED GROWTH, UM, ARE YOU, WHAT STAFF ARE YOU BRINGING BACK ON? CAUSE AT ONE POINT, YOU KNOW, YOU HAD K E SO KATIE APPS IS ON OUR BOARD.

NOW SHE'S AT PALMETTO BLUFF.

SHE WORKS FOR THE CONSERVANCY NOW.

UM, IT'S ACTUALLY, I'M SORRY.

I JUST DON'T UM, IT'S ME.

UM, IT'S ME AND ONE OTHER PERSON.

YEAH.

UM, CURRENTLY DOING ALL THE WORK.

UM, AND THEN WE HAVE OUR BOARD, WHICH IS GREAT.

UM, WE HAVE ANOTHER PART-TIMER, BUT HE'S NOT REALLY EVER THERE.

SO CURRENTLY IT IS MOSTLY ME.

AND THEN EVAN IS OUR DIRECTOR OF TOURS AND, UM, OPERATIONS.

WE ARE ACTIVELY TRYING TO FIND SOMEONE TO HELP AT THE GARVIN GARVEY HOUSE.

CAUSE THAT IS IN OUR BUDGET.

THAT IS WHAT WE SUPPLY THE PERSON.

BUT, UM, HAVEN'T REALLY HAD MUCH LUCK WITH THAT.

SO WE HAVE A TEAM OF DOCENTS, UM, AND THEY'RE HELPING US WITH OUR TOURS AND THAT SORT OF THING, YOUR GOAL WOULD BE TO STEP.

SO OUR GOAL WOULD BE TO HAVE AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.

SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS, WHERE TO TRYING TO DEFINE WHAT THAT ROLE IS.

UM, THAT'S WHY I'M THE INTERIM.

YOU'RE DOING FINE.

YOU'RE DOING FINE.

YOU'RE DOING GREAT.

WE'LL GIVE YOU SOME BACKGROUND.

UH, THE HEYWARD HOUSE HAS BEEN JIM FOR THIS TOWN AS FAR AS OUR WELCOME CENTER.

UH, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE GONE THROUGH SOME ROUGH PATCHES.

UM, MY WIFE ACTUALLY WAS ON THE BOARD FOR, I REMEMBER YEARS, UM, AND, UH, ALWAYS PULL THROUGH AND A LOT OF PEOPLE WITHIN TOWN IS, HAVE HELPED THEM PULL THROUGH, UM, YOU KNOW, SO, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT IT DONE, DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT.

WELL, AND I THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M LEARNING AND, UM, I HAVE 10 YEARS EXPERIENCE AND THE EVENT PLANNING INDUSTRY.

AND SO, UM, THAT'S SOMETHING, I DON'T KNOW IF I JUST DID THAT.

UM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'M TRYING TO BRING TO THE TABLE, BUT THERE ARE OTHER THINGS THAT HAVE TO HAPPEN FIRST.

UM, AND SO IT'S JUST A MATTER OF FIGURING OUT A WAY TO MANAGE ALL OF THAT.

UM, AND LIKE I SAID BEFORE, COMMUNITY OUTREACH IS REALLY BIG FOR ME.

UM, AND SO THAT'S WHY I'M TRYING TO KIND OF HONE THAT BACK IN BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE IT'S JUST BEEN KIND OF STALE LATELY.

UM, THE HAYWARD HOUSE IS ONE THING AND THEN IT, IT KINDA WAS JUST THERE.

AND NOW ONE OF MY BIGGEST GOALS IS TO MAKE IT WHAT IT SHOULD BE.

UM, THAT'S A GREAT, COOL, THANKS.

YEAH.

ONE BITE AT A TIME, JUST REMEMBER THAT YOU MENTIONED THE, UH, THE FACEBOOK'S ISSUES.

I WOULD JUST SAY TO YOU, UH, I, I RUN THE WHAT'S HAPPENING IN BLUFFTON GROUP AND MODERATOR ON THE ASK AND ANSWER GROUP.

THAT'S THAT'S 40,000 MEMBERS, RIGHT THERE, LEAN ON US, WHATEVER YOU NEED TO GET THE WORD OUT, LEAN ON, LEAN ON US BECAUSE WE'LL HELP YOU GOT THE OTHER THING I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT THE DOUG DOUG CORE CORN IS, IS THAT, IS THAT NEW? IS THAT NEW OR IS THAT SOMETHING YOU GUYS ARE LOOKING TO PROMOTE IN THE NEAR FUTURE? OR SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I WANT TO DO A LOT OF THINGS WITH.

I HAVEN'T HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET HIM WITH, UM, ONE OF MY COWORKERS.

I WAS THE ONE THAT WAS KIND OF FACILITATING

[02:15:01]

THAT, UM, RELATIONSHIP AND DIGITIZING THE ART.

AND THEN I NEED TO CIRCLE BACK TO THAT.

UM, BUT WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN PERMISSION BY DOUG TO PRINT WHERE HE'S DONATED 300 PIECES OF ART.

UM, BUT TO USE, WE WERE USING IT FOR OUR NEWSLETTER, BUT THEN TO ALSO HAVE, YOU KNOW, PRINTED MATERIALS TO SELL IN THE GIFT SHOP, UM, A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT THINGS.

THE, I DON'T WANT TO THROW ANYONE UNDER THE BUS, BUT, UM, WE ALREADY KNOW.

OKAY.

YEAH, YOU DO TO STOP.

THE REASON I BROUGHT UP THAT I THAT'S, UH, PUT MY MEDIA HAT ON.

THAT'S A PHENOMENAL STORY JUST IN TERMS OF THE DONATION AND DOUG, DOUG AS A COMMUNITY RESOURCE, UH, THAT IS, I WILL PROMOTE THE LIVING POOP OUT OF THAT.

YEAH.

I AGREE WITH YOU.

DEFINITELY.

I MANAGED TO, AND WE'VE GOTTEN LIKE MOST OF YOUR DOCENTS BACK REALLY? OH YEAH.

THAT'S BEEN A WHOLE NOTHER ISSUE.

SO, UM, NOT ISSUE.

I MEAN, IT'S, THEY'RE VOLUNTEERS AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT ALL OF OUR VOLUNTEERS DO FOR US, BUT WE LOST ABOUT HALF OF THEM.

YEAH.

I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE STILL A LITTLE GUNSHOT AS FAR AS INTERACTING WITH PEOPLE, THINGS LIKE THAT.

YOU KNOW WHAT WE DO IN, IN MY BUSINESS, WE GET PEOPLE COMING IN AND WE'LL TAKE THE OLD TOWN MERCHANTS MAP AND WE'LL SEND THEM OVER TO BARBIE BARBIE HOUSE.

WE'LL SEND THEM OVER TO CHURCH TO CROSS.

AND THEN WE ALSO SAY, HERE'S OUR WELCOME CENTER.

MAKE SURE THAT YOU HIT THERE IF THEY HAVEN'T ALREADY.

UM, JUST BE NICE TO KNOW IF THEY'RE, UH, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE BACK ON, UH, GIVING TOURISTS.

CAUSE I UNDERSTAND, UH, YOU KNOW, FROM WHEN YOU WORKING WITH JARED GESTURE A LITTLE BIT, UM, THAT YOU WERE GOING TO GO BACK TO TOURS WAS, WAS AN APRIL I HAVEN'T SEEN.

AND WE REOPEN OUR DOORS ON MARCH 7TH AND I DID A PRESENTATION TO A TOWN COUNCIL.

I THINK IT WAS LIKE THE DAY AFTER THAT.

UM, BUT YEAH, WE'RE BACK IN ACTION DOING TOURS.

UM, THAT'S THAT WAS IN OUR NEWSLETTER.

THAT'S BEEN POSTED ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE, UM, IT'S ON OUR WEBSITE WITH THE UPDATED HOURS AND EVERYTHING, SAME WITH GARVIN GARVEY BECAUSE WE WEREN'T ABLE TO HONOR THE ORIGINAL SCHEDULE BECAUSE THE DOCENT THAT WE HAVE WHO'S VOLUNTEERING CAN ONLY VOLUNTEER ONE DAY.

AND THE OTHER DOCENT THAT WE HAD THAT WAS COVERING ANOTHER DAY, BROKE HER ARM.

SO IF YOU MAKE A LITTLE PAPER OR I DON'T KNOW, AND SAY THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR THAT, I WILL PUT IT IN MY RESTAURANT.

AND I HAVE LOTS OF OLDER PEOPLE WHO ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO DO, AND YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO GET, AND THERE'S A COUPLE OF THE PLACES I WOULD SAY ON CALHOUN STREET THAT YOU COULD DO THAT, WHICH IS STILL IN THE SAME VICINITY AND YOU CAN PROBABLY GET A LOT MORE HELP AND AWAY FROM ALL THESE OTHER STUFF THAT'S HAPPENED.

IS THERE ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS REGARDING THE REQUEST FROM THE HEYWARD HOUSE APPLICATION? I CAN GET THAT ANSWER FOR YOU TOO, BY THE WAY, CAN WE GET A MOTION? YEAH.

MOVE THAT WAY THAT WE APPROVED TO THE HISTORIC BLUFFTON FOUNDATION OR THE WELCOME CENTER AT THE HAYWARD HOUSE, THERE A REQUESTED AMOUNT OF $175,000.

WE'RE CONTINUING OPERATIONS, ANY DISCUSSION THIS GOES ALONG WITH, UH, AS FAR AS OUR, UH, YOU KNOW, WHAT OUR DMO, UH, DOES, AND THIS IS A, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS IS ONE OF THE GEMS THAT WE HAVE HERE.

UM, AND BEFORE YOU LEAVE, I JUST HAVE AN IDEA MAYBE FOR, UH, FOR, FOR FUNDRAISING, YOU MENTIONED THE CORCORAN, SOMETHING THAT I DON'T WANT TO SAY.

THIS IS HOW WE DID IT UP NORTH, BUT ALL AS A FAVOR OF PROVING THE MOTION, RAISE YOUR HAND, SAY HI, THANK YOU.

SO WE WOULD BE FOR SOBER SOMEBODY, YOUR OLD FRIENDS, UM, I'M MARIANNE BERGESON, AND I'M THE PRESIDENT OF SOBA HAVE BEEN FOR TWO YEARS AND LIKE A CRAZY PERSON I'M RUNNING FOR A THIRD YEAR AS PRESIDENT.

[02:20:01]

UM, WE'VE MADE A LOT OF IMPROVEMENTS THIS YEAR.

WE'VE SEEN OUR TOURISTS COME BACK.

UM, WE WERE CLOSE OF COURSE FOR A WHILE FOR COVID AND WE'RE STILL PLAYING CATCH UP WITH, UM, WHAT WENT ON.

THEN WE HAVE A WHOLE NEW MARKETING TEAM AS OPPOSED TO JUST ONE PERSON WHO IS HANDLING OUR MARKETING.

NOW WE HAVE, UM, BEEN ADVERTISING IN STATEWIDE MAGAZINES AND PUBLICATIONS.

WE WERE JUST PART OF A MAGAZINE THAT, UM, OH, WHAT DID THEY VACATION PLANNER FOR BLUFFTON, THAT'S IT.

AND, UH, WE BOUGHT ADS IN THAT AND I UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S GOING IN THE, IN HOTELS IN ADDITION TO THE AIRPORTS.

SO I THINK WE HAVE, UM, WE'RE SPENDING OUR ADVERTISEMENT MONEY WISELY.

UM, WE ARE VERY HEAVY INTO SOCIAL MEDIA.

WE HAVE TWO DIFFERENT, UM, FACEBOOK, SOCIAL MEDIA OR FACEBOOK, UM, SITES FOR SOBO.

ONE IS FOR THE PUBLIC AND ONE IS FOR THE MEMBERS AND WE POST, UM, SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK IN THOSE AND GET, UM, 400, 500 HITS.

WE HAVE, UH, A FOLLOWING OF, UM, I DUNNO, LIKE SEVERAL THOUSAND, MANY THOUSAND, UM, IS DOING WELL.

SO BOOST REMAINS THE ONLY NONPROFIT, UM, ART COMMUNITY IN BLUFFTON AND, UM, OUR TOURISTS.

WE HAVE LOTS OF GOOD FEEDBACK, UM, FROM OUR SALES AND FROM OUR, ON THE FACEBOOK PAGE AND GOOGLE.

UM, WE'RE HEAVY INTO GOOGLE NOW AND GOOGLE MAPS TO FIND, UM, SOBA.

SO WE HAVE, UM, APPRECIATED YOUR SUPPORT IN YEARS PAST.

AND, UM, AND WE WOULD APPRECIATE IT AGAIN.

I I'M, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

I THINK MY, UH, WHAT I LAID DOWN IN THE APPLICATION WAS AND EXPLAINED OUR MISSION.

UM, WE ARE TEACHING CLASSES, MANY CLASSES NOW, EVERY YEAR WE GET MORE AND MORE CLASSES FOR CHILDREN.

WE HAVE TOURISTS FROM, UM, IN DIFFERENT PLACES IN THE COUNTRY CALLING TO ASK IF THEY CAN, THEY SAY, WE'RE COMING TO, TO, UH, HILTON HEAD OR WE'RE COMING TO BLUFFTON, UM, FOR THE MONTH OF JULY, WHAT DO YOU HAVE FOR CHILDREN? SO WE'VE GOT, UM, ENROLL KIDS IN OUR KIDS PROGRAM FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.

WHEN WE HAD OUR, UM, JUDGED ART SHOW, WE HAD ENTRANCE FROM ALL OF THE, ALL OVER THE SOUTHEAST.

SO WE'RE, WE FEEL LIKE WE'RE DOING OUR BEST TO, UM, SPREAD THE BEAUTY OF BLUFFTON AND SPREAD THE REPUTATION OF BLUFFTON.

AND, UM, AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT.

THANK YOU.

THEY MIGHT HAVE SPECIFIC QUESTION OR EVEN GENERAL QUESTIONS THAT CAN'T BE TRUE.

NO, IT IS.

LET ME GO HOME AND EAT AND WE GET EMOTION.

MAN, MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE, UH, THE AMOUNT OF, UH, $16,063 TO THE SOCIETY OF BLUFFTON ARTISTS TO PROMOTE ARTS IN THE LOW COUNTRY AND BEYOND ANY DISCUSSION.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY, AYE.

THAT WAS UNANIMOUS AGAIN.

THANK YOU ALL.

UM, ONE THING I WOULD THINK I HAD TO SAY, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

MOTION TO ADJOURN.

SO I HAVE TWO THINGS REAL QUICK.

I'M SORRY.

UM, SO NATALIE, SINCE YOU'RE LEAVING, UM, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE.

YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE.

UM, BUT MY OTHER THING IS I JUST WANT NEW STAFF TO REALIZE, OR KNOW IF YOU DON'T ALREADY THAT IN JULY, WE HAD A WORKSHOP TO CHANGE OUR APPLICATION AND OUR RULES REALLY, REALLY ADJUST.

WE DO THAT BECAUSE OUR, BUT, UM, THAT WOULD BE MY, MY THING.

MY SECOND QUESTION REQUEST, SORRY, IS THAT WHEN THEY'RE THIS BIG, LIKE I'M CRAZY BUSY AND IT TOOK ME LIKE STAYING UP VERY LATE TO LOOK AT ALL OF THESE AND SIX DAYS, IF WE COULD HAVE MAYBE A LITTLE MORE TIME IF POSSIBLE, THOSE ARE MY TWO AND THAT WAS OUR GOAL.

AND THAT WAS OUR GOAL.

I'M HANDS DOWN.

THAT WAS OUR GOAL BECAUSE WE KNEW HOW BIG AND LARGE THIS PACKET WAS IT JUST SO IN AND OUT TO, TO ADDRESS YOUR FIRST POINT

[02:25:01]

WAS THE STUFF THAT WE TALKED ABOUT BACK IN JULY OF LAST YEAR.

THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE FINALIZING THAT UP ANYTIME SOON, RIGHT? FOREVER.

SO, YAY.

THAT'D BE GREAT PROGRESS, MR. CHAIRMAN, OUR NEXT MEETING IS I WILL NOT BE HERE.

I'LL BE LEAVING ON A JET PLANE AFTER THREE YEARS OF NOT SEEING MY GRANDKIDS.

I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO ADJOURN THE MEETING SECOND, ALL IN FAVOR, ROCK AND ROLL.

ALL RIGHT.

HAVE A GREAT WEEK.