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[1. Call to Order]
TO CALL A TOWN COUNCIL MEETING ON SEPTEMBER 20TH OF ORDER CHRIST.ARE WE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE FREEDOM INFORMATION ACT? YES, SIR.
COULD YOU DO THE ROLL CALL PLEASE? YES, SIR.
I'D BE HAPPY TO MR. BROWN HERE.
MR. HARKINS HERE, MR. AMES HERE, MRS. BECKER HERE.
MR. LENNOX HERE, MR. STANFORD, MAYOR, MAYOR MCCANN HERE, ALL OUR PRESENCE, SIR.
COULD YOU PLEASE JOIN US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, REPUBLIC INTELLIGENCE.
ALL TODAY'S IN VOCATION WILL BE GIVEN BY CHAPLAIN GLEN NE AND THE ATTITUDE OF PRAYER.
LET US FOCUS ON OUR GRATITUDE.
AS WE LOOK TO GOD'S MERCY AND HELP MOST MERCY FOR GOD.
WE ARE SO GRATEFUL FOR HILTON HEAD ISLAND, OUR HOME DAILY.
WE ENJOY THE BEAUTY OF OUR SURROUNDINGS, THE BEACHES, THE WATERWAYS.
YES, EVEN THE PEACEFULNESS OF OUR UNIQUE LOCATION.
WE ARE GRATEFUL TO THOSE WHO HAVE DRAWN, WHO ARE DRAWN TO THIS BEAUTIFUL LAND AND AREA TO JOIN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND FOR THOSE WHO COME AND CREATE A VISIT FOR US FATHER IN NICE SPIRIT OF HOSPITALITY, WE WELCOME NEW PEOPLE TO OUR BLESSED WORLD.
DEAR GOD, I AM GRATEFUL FOR THIS BODY OF LEADERS, OUR TOWN CONSOLE, WHO DEDICATE THEMSELVES AND THEIR DUTY TO THE WELFARE OF OTHERS AND OUR COMMUNITY.
THIS MEETING TODAY, AS IT IS WITH EVERY MEETING OF THE TOWN, CONSOLES IS A STEP INTO THE FUTURE FOR OUR LO LOVED ISLAND.
MAY WE NEVER FORGET THE VALUE IN THE NECESSITY OF YOUR GUIDANCE AND CONSOLE IN OUR TOWN COUNCIL'S WORK AS THEY ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF OUR PEOPLE AND OUR CON COMMUNITY AREA AS A WHOLE, WE PRAY FOR YOUR CONTINUED BLESSINGS OF THE JOYS OF DISCOVERY, OF WISDOM AND PROTECTION FOR THE LOVE AND KINDNESS OF ONE ANOTHER.
ALL BECAUSE YOU CARE FOR EACH OF US NOW BLESSED SPECIFICALLY THIS TIME SPENT TODAY GUIDING US WITH CONFIDENCE ON THE PATH THAT YOU HAVE SET BEFORE US FOR IT IS WITH GRATEFUL HEART, GOD THAT WE GIVE YOU.
WELL, I'M GLAD JOEL HERE THIS AFTERNOON AND I APPRECIATE THE COUNTY COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT ARE HERE.
AND WE ALWAYS WELCOME THE SHERIFF HERE.
[6. Report of the Town Manager]
YES, SIR.UH, AFTERNOON MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.
UH, FIRST ITEM SENATOR TOM DAVIS IS WITH US TODAY AND HE WILL PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE GREEN SPACE SALES TAX REFERENDUM, SENATOR DAVIS.
UH, THANK YOU, MR. AR ORLANDO.
THANK YOU, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.
UM, I THINK I'VE BEEN BEFORE YOU GUYS, UM, BEFORE WE GOT THIS ENACTED BY COUNTY COUNCIL, I KIND OF BRIEFED YOU ON AN INITIATIVE I HAD AT THE LEGISLATURE THAT WOULD GIVE THE COUNTY THE AUTHORITY TO SUBMIT TO THE VOTERS FOR APPROVAL, UM, A, A SALES TAX, UM, UH, COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS THE PENNY SALES TAX, ALTHOUGH YOU CAN USE, YOU KNOW, UH, FRACTIONS OF A PENNY, UM, FOR THE PURPOSE OF ACQUIRING OPEN SPACE AND GREEN SPACE AND AS A PRACTICAL MATTER, THE WAY THAT IT WOULD WORK AND THE WAY THAT COUNTY COUNCIL DISCUSSED IT WORKING WOULD BE, UM, HAD THE SALES TAX BE IN PLACE FOR A PERIOD OF TWO YEARS.
UM, COMMENCING, YOU KNOW, I THINK THREE OR FOUR MONTHS AFTER THE REFERENDUM ITSELF, I THINK WOULD BE IN APRIL OR MAY, IS WHEN THE SALES TAX WOULD START.
IT WOULD THEN RUN FOR A PERIOD OF TWO YEARS, UM, OR UNTIL THE SUM OF A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS WAS COLLECTED, WHICHEVER EARLIER OCCURS, UM, WHAT THE COUNTY WOULD DO, WHAT THEY SAID THEY WOULD DO.
AND, AND I THINK IT'S REASONABLE IS IF THAT WAS APPROVED BY THE VOTERS, THEY WOULD IMMEDIATELY GO INTO THE BOND MARKET AND THEY WOULD, UH, ISSUE A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF BONDS.
SO THEY'D GET A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS IN THEIR POSSESSION RIGHT AWAY.
AND THEN THAT HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS WOULD THEN BE AMORTIZED OVER A PERIOD OF TWO YEARS AS THE SALES TAX WAS COLLECTED.
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PURPOSES FOR WHICH THE, UM, UH, THAT A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS COULD BE EMPLOYED WILL BE TO ACQUIRE FEE SIMPLE TITLE, UH, TO OPEN SPACE, GREEN SPACE, CONSERVATION LAND, UM, CONSERVATION EASEMENT DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS.THE REASON DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS WAS ADDED IN THE STATUTE AS AN INVESTMENT OPTION IS BECAUSE, UM, A LOT OF AREAS, PARTICULARLY IN SOUTHERN BEEFER COUNTY AND EVEN MORE PARTICULARLY IN BLUFFTON ABOUT 90% OF THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON IS ALREADY COVERED BY DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS AND PLAN UNIT DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS.
SO THE, THE RIGHTS ARE VESTED.
UM, SO IT MAY BE THAT AS PART OF THESE, UM, THESE, THESE STRATEGIES, THEY MAY WANT TO PURCHASE DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS TO BUY DOWN DENSITY.
THE LANGUAGE IN HERE WAS, WAS ENCOMPASSING TO ALLOW THE COUNTY TO, TO HAVE GREAT LATITUDE.
UM, THEY WILL BE RESTRICTED, HOWEVER, BY A CITIZEN'S ADVISORY COMMITTEE THAT WILL OVERSEE THE PROCUREMENT THAT THEY RECOMMEND.
UM, THERE IS ALSO A REQUIREMENT IN THE STATUTE THAT THE DOLLARS, UH, BE EXPENDED IN AN EQUITABLE WAY THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
UM, AND, AND THEN I'LL WRAP UP MY COMMENTS BY SAYING THIS, THE REASON WHY I AUTHORED THIS LEGISLATION IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, AND THEN, UM, ADVOCATED FOR ITS PASSAGE BY BEAUFORD COUNTY COUNCIL TO SUBMIT TO THE VOTERS THIS NOVEMBER, UM, IS BECAUSE I THINK WE ARE AT AN EXISTENTIAL TIPPING POINT IN BEAUFORD COUNTY.
IF, IF WE SIMPLY ALLOW EVERYTHING THAT'S ALREADY BEEN APPROVED RIGHTS THAT HAVE BEEN INVESTED RIGHTS THAT ARE ON THE BOOKS TO BE BUILT, WE WILL MORE THAN DOUBLE THE NUMBER OF ROOFTOPS, UH, IN SOUTHERN BEAUFORD COUNTY.
UM, THE CONSTRAINTS THAT THAT WILL PLACE ON OUR ROADS, UH, THE IMPACT THAT WILL HAVE ON OUR ESTUARIAN SYSTEM, OUR RIVERS, OUR MARSHES.
UM, I, I, I SAW WHAT HAPPENED IN, UM, IN MARYLAND, WHERE I GREW UP WITH THE CHESAPEAKE BAY AND WHAT DEVELOPMENT DID TO THE CHESAPEAKE BAY.
UM, AND THEY'RE SPENDING HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS NOW TRYING TO CAPTURE ONCE THEY ONCE HAD WHAT THEY ONCE HAD, AND THEY'LL NEVER QUITE GET IT BACK.
WE STILL HAVE A WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY HERE, UM, TO DO SOMETHING IN, IN BEAUFORD COUNTY TO PREVENT THAT FROM HAPPENING.
AND, AND I THINK MOST PEOPLE CAME HERE.
I CERTAINLY CAME HERE AND I THINK MOST PEOPLE CAME HERE IF THEY EVER COME HERES, UM, BECAUSE OF THE NATURAL BEAUTY OF THIS PLACE, BECAUSE IT IS SPECIAL.
AND, AND ESPECIALLY THE PEOPLE THAT ARE FROM HERE, THEY'RE FROM HERES, UM, THEY WANT TO PRESERVE AND KEEP THE THING THAT, THAT MAKES THIS PLACE SPECIAL AS WELL.
SO THIS IS THE ONLY COUNTY IN THE STATE THAT IS DOING THIS.
IT'S A BRAND NEW LAW WITH SIGNED BY GO MCMASTER IN MAY.
UM, BEAUFORD COUNTY IS IN ONE SENSE, A PILOT PROGRAM BE DEMONSTRATING TO THE REST OF THE, OF THE STATE, HOW YOU CAN TAKE, UM, YOUR DESTINY INTO YOUR HANDS.
UM, SOME HAVE SAID TO ME, AND I'VE BEEN OUT THERE ON THE, HOSTINGS KIND OF MAKING THE CASE FOR THIS.
SOME HAVE ARGUED THAT THIS IS NOT A GOOD TIME TO BE IMPOSING A SALES TAX GIVEN THE ECONOMIC CONDITIONS THAT WERE WERE UNDER.
UM, WHAT I WOULD SAY THOUGH, UH, IN MITIGATION TO THAT WOULD BE THE SALES TAX WOULD NOT APPLY TO THE MOST REGRESSIVE TAXES.
IT WOULD NOT APPLY TO GROCERIES.
IT WOULD NOT APPLY TO GASOLINE.
IT WOULD NOT APPLY TO MEDICINE.
UM, HOWEVER IT WOULD APPLY TO OTHER THINGS THAT, THAT ARE, THAT ARE, UM, THAT ARE SOLD.
SO IT, IT IS IN SOME NATURE OF REGRESSIVE IN NATURE.
UM, AND SO I GET THE ARGUMENTS IN, IN OPPOSITION.
I WOULD SIMPLY ARGUE THAT THE BENEFITS IN THIS CASE FAR OUTWEIGH THOSE NEGATIVE POINTS.
UM, YOU KNOW, BEAUFORD COUNTY HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PUT ITSELF FORWARD AS A MODEL OF, OF HOW YOU CAN HAVE GROWTH, HOW YOU CAN HAVE DEVELOPMENT, HOW YOU CAN HAVE HIGH PAYING JOBS AND AT THE SAME TIME PRESERVE AND MAINTAIN AND PROTECT WHAT YOU HAVE.
UM, SO, UM, I'M GONNA SPEND THE NEXT MONTH AND A HALF MAKING THE CASE FOR THIS.
UM, I HOPE IT'S SOMETHING THAT THIS COUNCIL WOULD CONSIDER, UH, SUPPORTING, UM, BEAUFORT COUNTY VOTERS HAVE IN THE PAST, THROUGH OTHER REFERENDUMS SUPPORTED, UM, MORE MODEST PROGRAMS LIKE THE RURAL AND CRITICAL LANDS PROGRAM.
I THINK IN ONE INSTANCE IT WAS A 75 MILLION BOND.
ANOTHER WAS 50 MILLION, UM, VOLUNTARILY IMPOSING PROPERTY TAXES ON THEMSELVES TO AMORTIZE THAT DEBT, THOSE REFERENDUMS PASSED WITH 72 73, 70 4% OF THE VOTES.
SO, SO MOST PEOPLE IN BEAUFORD COUNTY UNDERSTAND THIS AND GET THIS.
UM, I RECOGNIZE THAT AS AN UPHILL BATTLE, IT ALWAYS IS.
UM, WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT AN ADDITIONAL TAX, PARTICULARLY IN THIS ECONOMIC CLIMATE, BUT I DO THINK THERE'S A GOOD CASE WE MADE AND THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT'LL BE MAKING THAT CASE.
UM, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE ABOUT IT.
IT'S, IT'S FAIRLY STRAIGHTFORWARD.
UM, UH, THE DOLLARS WOULD BE EXPENDED, NOT JUST IN THE COUNTY, BUT ALSO WITHIN MUNICIPALITIES.
UM, JUST SIMPLY BECAUSE AT THE COUNTY, UH, INITIATED PROCESS DOESN'T MEAN THAT THE DOLLARS ARE ONLY EXPENDED IN THE COUNTY.
IT ALSO HAS TO BE IN MUNICIPALITIES AND ACTUALLY IN THE LANGUAGE OF THE STATUTE, EQUITABLY DISTRIBUTED THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
THERE ANY QUESTION MEMBERS IN THE COUNCIL BILL? UH, YES.
[00:10:01]
DETERMINED? UH, THE SECOND QUESTION IS WHEN THERE'S CONFLICT BETWEEN THE SELLER AND THE, AND THE POTENTIAL BUYER, HOW IS THAT RESOLVED? AND, AND THIRD, WHAT, WHAT WOULD BE THE CRITERIA, UH, USED TO MAKE SURE WE ON HILTON HEAD WOULD GET A FAIR SHAKE.HAVING SAID ALL THOSE QUESTIONS IN PRINCIP, I'M A FAVOR.
WELL, YOU KNOW, THE, THE FIRST TWO, I THINK I CAN, UM, AND REMIND ME, SAY, SAY THE FIRST ONE AGAIN, UH, HOW IS VALUE DETERMINED IN THE FIRST AND SECOND ONE? I'LL ANSWER THE SAME WAY.
UM, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A WILLING BUYER WILLING SELLER CONTEXT.
SO, UM, THIS ISN'T A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLAR WAR CHEST FOR THE COUNTY THEN TO USE FOR IMMINENT DOMAIN PURPOSES.
SO YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO GO INTO THE MARKET.
YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO TALK TO LANDOWNERS, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO TALK TO DEVELOPERS.
YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO NEGOTIATE PRICES, AND YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ARRIVE UPON A, A PRICE THAT A BUYER IN THE SELLER AGREE UPON.
SO, UM, IT'S GOING TO VARY, I, I, I GUESS GIVEN THE CONTEXT, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE ARE GONNA BE SOME STRATEGIES, I THINK, UM, WHERE PURCHASING TRACKS OF LAND TO PREVENT ANY DEVELOPMENT WOULD MAKE SENSE IF YOU'RE IN WATERSHED AREAS, OR IF YOU'RE IN AN AREA THAT CLEARLY IS GOING TO HAVE ANCILLARY EFFECTS DOWNSTREAM, YOU MIGHT WANNA PURCHASE CONSERVATION EASEMENTS OR FEE SIMPLE TITLE.
I, I USE BLUFFTON AS AN EXAMPLE WHERE YOU'VE GOT EXISTING DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS THAT HAVE CERTAIN DENSITIES ALLOWED, MAYBE THE BETTER STRATEGY IN THOSE CASES WOULD BE BUYING THOSE DENSITIES UP.
SO THAT IS DEVELOPED IN A LESS, LESS INTENSIVE WAY.
UM, IN TERMS OF, UM, PROCESS, UM, THE STATUTE REQUIRES BAUER COUNTY COUNCIL TO PUBLISH IN THE NEWSPAPER, THE PROCESS WHEREBY THEY'LL GO ABOUT MAKING THESE ASSESSMENTS, MEANING WHAT ADVISORY GROUPS ARE THEY GONNA LISTEN TO? UM, ARE THEY GONNA USE THE INTELLECTUAL APPARATUS THAT'S IN PLACE OF THE RURAL CRITICAL LANDS? ARE THEY GONNA LISTEN TO THE COASTAL CONSERVATION LEAGUE? ARE THEY GONNA LOOK AT GREEN PIN PRINTS OR GREEN FOOTPRINTS THAT HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED BY DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES THAT IDENTIFY THE, THE VULNERABLE AREAS COUNTY COUNCIL, I THINK GAVE FIRST READING TO WHAT THAT PROCESS MIGHT LOOK LIKE LAST MONDAY.
SO THEY WILL, I THINK IF IN DECOR SECOND AND THIRD READING, THEY WILL HAVE IN A MONTH'S TIME, A, A DETAILED LAYOUT OF THE PROCESS, THEY HAVE TO FOLLOW IN EXPENDING THAT A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS.
UM, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE SPENT IN ITS ENTIRETY WITHIN THAT TWO WEEK, TWO YEAR WINDOW.
THE TWO YEAR WINDOW IS, IS TO RAISE THE MONIES NECESSARY TO AMORTIZE THE BONDS, THE A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS ITSELF, THE A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS THAT YOU GET.
THERE IS NOT A CONSTRAINT IN THE STATUTE SAYING THAT YOU'VE GOTTA SPEND ALL THAT MONEY WITHIN TWO YEARS.
OBVIOUSLY I THINK THERE IS SOME, THERE'S SOME URGENCY HERE BECAUSE DEVELOPMENT'S OCCURRING.
YOU, YOU SEE LARGE TRACKS OF LAND BEING CLEAR CUT.
SO I DO THINK THAT WHATEVER THE COUNTY PUTS IN PLACE, THEY DO NEED TO ACT WITH A DEGREE OF URGENCY, UM, BECAUSE OF WHAT WE'RE SEEING RIGHT NOW, MM-HMM
AND THERE IS A CITIZEN'S GROUP THAT IS APPOINTED TO OVERSEE AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COUNTY ABIDES BY THAT.
SO YOUR REMEDY IN THE EVENT, THAT THEY WERE SPENDING ALL THE MONEY IN A CERTAIN PART OF THE COUNTY, UM, TO THE EXCLUSION OF HILTON HEAD, YOU WOULD HAVE THE ABILITY TO FILE A COMPLAINT WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE, BECAUSE THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ARE MONITORING THIS.
BEFORE WE GO TO THE SECOND QUESTION, ANGIE, DO WE HAVE ANY EXTRA SEATS AROUND MAY ASK? YES.
IF YOU COULD APPRECIATE IT, GLENN, THANK YOU.
UM, SENATOR, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND FOR ALL THE WORK YOU DO FOR US HERE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
UM, I HAVE SOME EXPERIENCE WITH LAND CONSERVATION AND, UH, I HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH BOND REFERENDUMS AS WELL.
UH, AND I HAVE FOUND THAT YES, INDEED, THE CITIZENS OF BEAUFORT COUNTY SUPPORT LAND CONSERVATION MEASURES.
MY CONCERN HERE IS THE APPEARANCE OF DUPLICATION BETWEEN THIS AND THE ROLE AND CRITICAL LANDS PROGRAM ONE.
AND THEN TWO, I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE TO EDUCATE US AND TO TELL US WHAT IT'S ABOUT, BUT I DON'T SEE A BROADER EDUCATION PROGRAM ONGOING.
AND I THINK IT'S VITAL TO HAVE THAT SO THAT THE CITIZENS OF THE COUNTY UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY'RE VOTING FOR IN REGARD TO THAT LATTER, UM, MR. STANFORD, YOU'RE, YOU'RE GONNA SEE, AND MY CALENDAR FOR THE NEXT, UH, SIX TO SEVEN WEEKS HAS BEEN FILLED UP WITH SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS TO CIVIC GROUPS, UM, POAS, ANY GROUP I CAN GET BEFORE.
UM, I THINK YOU'RE SEEING SLIDE DECKS AND POWERPOINTS BEING PREPARED.
YOU YOU'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, OTHER ADVOCACY GROUPS AT THE CONSERVATION VOTERS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, THE COAST OF CONSERVATION LEAGUE.
UM, THEY WILL BE TAKING THE FIELD TO EXPLAIN THIS CUZ YOU'RE RIGHT, ANYTIME YOU ASK THE CITIZENS TO IMPROVE SOMETHING, YOU GOTTA MAKE THE CASE AFFIRMATIVELY
[00:15:01]
FOR IT.AND, AND THE BURDEN IS UPON US TO MAKE THAT CASE RIGHT NOW, IN REGARD TO WHETHER IT'S DUPLICATIVE OF WHAT THE RURAL AND CRITICAL LANDS DOES.
UM, I, I WOULD SIMPLY SAY THAT, I MEAN, I WANTED MORE THAN A HUNDRED MILLION, QUITE FRANKLY.
I, I WAS WANTING TO BE MORE AGGRESSIVE.
I WANTED TO GO OVER FIVE TO SIX YEARS AND TO HAVE ENOUGH MONEY RAISED TO AMORTIZE 500 MILLION WORTH OF BONDS, CUZ PERSONALLY I THINK THAT'S THE KIND OF SCALE THAT'S GONNA BE NECESSARY IF WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
UM, BUT, BUT SO TO ME, GIVEN, GIVEN THE FUNDS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT DUPLICATION, YOU'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT, INSTEAD OF, YOU KNOW, HAVING THE FUNDS THAT ARE AVAILABLE THAT WERE ON CRITICAL LANDS.
AND I THINK THEY HAVE, WHAT ABOUT 15 TO 20 MILLION JESSE? HOW MUCH, HOW MUCH IS LEFT IN, WERE ON CRITICAL LANDS NOW I THINK THAT'S ABOUT RIGHT.
UM, SO, SO IT'S STACKED ON TOP OF THAT, RIGHT? SO, SO IT JUST ALLOWS YOU TO SET ASIDE MORE SPACE FOR CONSERVATION.
SO IT'S NOT DUPLICATIVE, YOU'RE NOT BUYING THE SAME LAND TWICE.
NO, YOU'RE JUST CREATING A DIFFERENT REVENUE STREAM WITH WHICH TO ACCOMPLISH THE SAME OBJECTIVE.
I LOVE THE, THE CONSERVATION GOALS AND I CERTAINLY HOPE THE VOTERS APPROVE IT.
WELL, ONE OTHER THING I SHOULD POINT OUT IS, IS UNLIKE, UM, UM, A LOT OF REFERENDUMS THAT ARE SUBMITTED TO THE VOTERS FOR APPROVAL, WHERE YOU HAVE A LONG LIST OF, OF PROJECTS THAT ARE GONNA BE FUNDED SO THAT THE PUBLIC KNOWS WHERE THE MONEY'S GOING.
THAT'S NOT POSSIBLE IN THIS CASE CUZ TO MR. HARKINS POINT, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT LAND IS GONNA BE ACQUIRED.
IT DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU'RE ABLE TO NEGOTIATE OUT THERE IN THE MARKETPLACE.
AND SO IN RECOGNITION OF THAT, WE SET UP THIS CITIZEN MON MONITORING GROUP TO MAKE SURE THAT THE DOLLARS ARE EXPENDED EQUITABLY.
SO, SO THAT'S WHY THIS IS A LITTLE BIT MORE STRINGENT IN TERMS OF OVERSIGHT THAN A TYPICAL, UM, LOCAL OPTION SALES TAX, WHICH LISTS, UM, ALL THE PROJECTS.
UM, THE SECOND THING I WOULD SAY IS IT ALLOWS IT DOESN'T REQUIRE, BUT ALLOWS A COUNTY TO PURCHASE OPEN SPACE FOR CONSERVATION PURPOSES OUTSIDE THE COUNTY BOUNDARIES.
THE REASON THAT'S IMPORTANT IS BECAUSE A LOT OF OUR HEADWATERS ARE IN JASPER COUNTY.
AND IF YOU WANT TO HAVE A MATERIAL IMPACT ON THE RIVERS IN, IN BEAUFORD COUNTY, YOU'VE GOTTA GO TO THE HEADWATERS WHERE THE SOURCE IS.
SO, SO IT'LL BE UP TO THE COUNTY COUNCIL TO DECIDE WHETHER TO DO THAT, BUT THE STATUTE ALLOWS THEM TO AND THAT'S BECAUSE REGIONALLY IS HOW WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE.
AND I KNOW THAT JAPER COUNTY IS THINKING ABOUT DOING SOMETHING ALONG THESE LINES AS WELL.
THEY CAN'T DO IT AT THE SCALE WE CAN'T IN BAUER COUNTY.
THEY JUST SIMPLY DON'T HAVE THE SALES TAX REVENUE THAT WOULD AMORTIZE THE BONDS THAT ARE NECESSARY.
MA'AM APPRECIATE HEARING ABOUT, UM, THIS REFERENDUM AGAIN, UM, AS SOMEONE WHO IS, UM, STRONGLY OPPOSED TO, UM, OVERDEVELOPMENT AND LOOKING FOR WAYS THAT WE CAN CREATE A MORE SENSIBLE PLAN HERE ON HILTON HEAD, UH, I WHOLEHEARTEDLY, UM, SUPPORT WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
I THINK THAT IT'S IN THE BEST INTEREST OF HILTON HEAD, THAT IT, WHEN WE LOOK AT THE OUTSIDE REGIONS, WHICH WE SEE THE DEVELOPMENT THAT'S GOING ON AND THE IMPACTS THAT THAT CAN HAVE ON OUR ISLAND AND OUR QUALITY LIFE FOR THE RESIDENTS, IT MAKES SENSE.
THANK YOU SENATOR DAVIS FOR BEING HERE.
THANK YOU FOR, UH, ALL THAT YOU DO.
UM, I, I AM DEFINITELY, UM, IN FAVOR OF, OF THIS DIRECTION.
UM, I AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN STANFORD, AS FAR AS THE EDUCATIONAL PIECE, I THINK THAT WE ALL HAVE TO PLAY OUR PART IN THAT.
UM, I'M KEENLY INTERESTED IN THE, UH, DEVELOPMENTAL RIGHT PORTION OF THE ACQUISITIONS.
UM, WILL, WILL THE STATUTE PROHIBIT THOSE RIGHTS FROM BEING USED ELSEWHERE? UH, OR WILL THERE BE ENOUGH LATITUDE THERE TO WHERE WE COULD MAYBE TRANSFER DEVELOPMENTAL IN AREAS THAT WE MAY NEED? UM, SOME HELP.
UH, I'M, I'M, I'M KIND OF THINKING ABOUT THE HOUSING, UH, INITIATIVE AS FAR AS AFFORDABILITY WITHIN THE, THE COUNTY.
UM, IS THERE ANY, UM, THE LANGUAGE OF THE STATUTE SPEAKS IN TERMS OF DECREASING OVERALL DENSITIES AND, AND IT REALLY IS PREDICATED UPON THESE DENSITIES OCCURRING IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT CAN'T SUPPORT IT.
UM, SO I, I, I THINK, YOU KNOW, IF WHAT YOU'RE ASKING ME IS COULD YOU PURCHASE LAND AND THEN ADAPTIVELY REUSE IT FOR A LESS INTENSIVE PURPOSE? I DON'T THINK SO.
UM, I DO THINK THERE'S AN ARGUMENT TO BE MADE THAT THE QUARTER POINT THAT YOU GUYS CHARGE ON THE SALE OF REAL PROPERTY, THAT THOSE FUNDS, UM, I THINK THERE IS A REASONABLE ARGUMENT TO BE MADE THAT THOSE REVENUES, IF YOU WANTED TO USE IT TO PURCHASE, DEVELOP PROPERTY, AND THEN WERE YOU TO EMPLOY THAT PROPERTY IN A LESS INTENSIVE WAY, BUT THAT'S AN ORDINANCE ISSUE THAT THAT'S CONSTRUING AN ORDINANCE, THE PER THE STATUTE DOESN'T GIVE THAT SORT OF LATITUDE.
UM, AND, UM, NOW THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN CERTAINLY TALK ABOUT GOING FORWARD AND, AND I KNOW ON YOUR AGENDA, UH,
[00:20:01]
AND SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE INTENSELY INTERESTED IN.I KNOW MR. LENNOX IS AS WELL IS AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND, AND WHAT WE CAN DO TO, TO PROMOTE THAT.
UM, I THINK THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT, THAT WE CAN DO AND I'M WILLING TO WORK WITH YOU ON, UM, ONE OF THEM BEING LOOSENING THE RESTRICTIONS ON ATAC AND H TAX DOLLARS, UM, SO THAT YOU CAN USE THEM IF TOWN COUNCIL WANTS TO USE THEM FOR PURPOSES, OTHER THAN, UH, DMO OR, OR, OR TOURISM OR DESTINATION ORIENTED THINGS, YOU OUGHTA HAVE THAT FLEXIBILITY TO ME, IF YOU'RE CONSISTENT WITH HOME RULE, YOU OUGHTA BE GETTING LATITUDE TO LOCALITIES TO USE THAT MONEY.
BUT I, BUT I THINK THAT'S THE, THAT THAT'S PROBABLY THE MORE FEASIBLE WAY OF GENERATING A REVENUE STREAM, UM, AMENDING THE STATUTES IN REGARD TO ATAC AND H TAX THAN THIS THAN THIS GREEN SPACE ORDINANCE.
MISS LENNOX, TOM, I THINK THE, UH, THE CHALLENGE WON'T BE WITH ACQUIRING LAND FEE SIMPLE, WE'VE GOT QUITE A TRACK RECORD OF THE ABILITY TO DO THAT.
UH, I THINK THE CHALLENGE, UM, IN PURCHASING DENSITY.
UH, AND THAT'S, THAT'S A NEW ROAD TO HO UH, AND PUTTING THE APPROPRIATE VALUE ON DENSITY RIGHTS IS SOMETHING THAT MAY BE REALLY DIFFICULT TO DO.
SO I THINK AS, AS WE GO FORWARD AT, AT THE COUNTY LEVEL, UH, THAT'S SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT BECAUSE WE CAN'T SPEND A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS BUYING LAND WHERE WE'RE GONNA SPEND THAT MONEY IS BUYING DENSITY RIGHTS.
AND, AND YOU MAKE A GREAT POINT IN, IN THAT A PROGRAM LIKE THIS, UM, WHERE YOU'RE PURCHASING UP OPEN SPACE, LARGE TRACKS OF LANDS, ACQUIRING CONSERVATION, EASEMENTS, BUYING DENSITIES.
IT'S ONLY GOING TO WORK IF THERE'S AN AGREEMENT BY THE MUNICIPALITIES IN THE COUNTY, THAT YOU'RE NOT GONNA CONTINUE CREATING SUPPLY BY, BY, BY BRINGING MORE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS IN PODS ON THE BOOKS.
RIGHT? CAUSE ON THE ONE HAND, YOU YOU'RE TAXING THE CITIZENS TO BUY UP DENSITIES.
AND ON THE OTHER HAND, YOU'RE GRANTING NEW DENSITIES.
SO, SO THERE'S GOTTA BE A COMMENSURATE AGREEMENT AMONG THE MUNICIPALITIES IN THE COUNTIES THAT THEY GOTTA STOP WITH THIS HEADLONG RUSH, CREATE MORE DENSITIES.
I MEAN, IT'S JUST, IT'S OTHERWISE IT'S NOT WORKABLE.
THE ONLY REASON I ADDED DEVELOPMENT, CUZ YOU'RE RIGHT, TYPICALLY WITH RURAL AND CRITICAL LANDS, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT BUYING UP OPEN SPACE AND LAND.
OUR PROBLEM IS THAT LAND HAS ALREADY BEEN, BEEN ASSIGNED VESTED RIGHTS, VESTED DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS IT'S UNDER DEVELOPMENTAL CAREER IT'S IT'S IT'S RIGHT.
AND SO THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN TACKLE IT AND THAT CONTEXT, BECAUSE I MEAN, CUZ THEY'RE VESTED RIGHTS.
YOU CAN'T TAKE IT AWAY WITHOUT, WITHOUT JUST COMPENSATION.
THAT'S WHY THAT WAS ADDED IN HERE AS A TOOL TO BE CONSIDERED BY, BY BEAUFORD COUNTY.
DAVID, I FULLY SUPPORT WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO.
I THINK IT'S ONE MORE WAY THAT WE CAN GET, UM, DEVELOPMENT IN OUR REGION UNDER CONTROL.
I THINK ENVIRONMENTALLY IT'S IMPORTANT AS WELL.
AND I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR, UH, LEADERSHIP AND WILLINGNESS TO HELP IN THE, UH, TERMS OF THE ATAC, UH, AND ALSO HOSPITALITY TAX AS YOU SEE FIT.
WELL THAT'S UM, AND, AND, AND I'LL DROP THOSE BILLS.
UM, BUT THAT'S GONNA BE AN AREA WHERE THE OTHER SIDE TAKES THE FIELD, RIGHT? CAUSE THERE'S, THERE'S A PAROCHIAL INTEREST IN THOSE DOLLARS BY CERTAIN STAKEHOLDERS.
UM, YOU KNOW, I WAS TALKING WITH THE MAYOR OF, UM, UH, OF MYRTLE BEACH AND, AND SHE WANTS TO DO THIS AS WELL.
SHE ALSO WANTS TO LOOSEN UP THE RESTRICTIONS ON THOSE DOLLARS BECAUSE THEY HAVE FLOOD MITIGATION PROBLEMS UP THERE.
SO YOU GOT ALLIES IN THIS EFFORT, BUT THERE'S ALSO GONNA BE THOSE TAKING THE FIELD ON THE OTHER SIDE.
ONE QUICK CENTER, RELATIVE TO ATEX, YOU'RE IMPLYING THAT THERE MAY BE SOME FLEXIBILITY OF THOUGHT IN TERMS OF EXPANDED USE OF ATEX, UH, TO IT, UH, HOUSING, WHAT, WHAT DO YOU NEED FROM US? SO YOU FEEL THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE BEHIND THAT.
AND, AND I HAD THIS CONVERSATION WITH SOME, SOME OTHER MEMBERS OF COUNCIL OFFLINE.
I THINK IT WOULD BE USEFUL FOR, UM, A RESOLUTION TO BE PASSED IN, IN SUPPORT OF, OF LOOSENING THOSE RESTRICTIONS.
UM, WORKING WITH THE MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION, MAYBE ON A TEMPLATE THAT COULD THEN BE ADOPTED BY OTHER MUNICIPALITIES AS WELL.
SO THAT WHEN SESSION BEGINS IN JANUARY, YOU'VE ALREADY GOT ALL OF THESE RESOLUTIONS FROM, FROM, FROM MUNICIPALITIES.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'RE PRIMARILY TALKING ABOUT MUNICIPALITIES HERE, UM, IN SUPPORT OF THIS AND, AND THAT I THINK WOULD BE A CONSTRUCTIVE THING TO DO, UM, TO MOVE THIS THING FORWARD.
MR. TO THAT POINT, UM, WE TALK A LOT DURING OUR, UH, A STRATEGIC PLAN AND WORKSHOP ON, ON THIS PARTICULAR TOPIC AND WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE TO FIND, UH, REVENUE SOURCES.
AND, UM, SINCE WE DO HAVE A TEAM WORKING WITH MR. ORLANDO ON THIS TOPIC, UM, I WOULD JUST RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT WE ADD THE RESOLUTION
[00:25:01]
REQUEST THAT SENATOR DAVIS IS PUTTING IT FORTH FOR CONSIDERATION.AND I THINK TO THAT POINT, UH, MR. BROWN, UM, A RESOLUTION, IF YOU WANTED TO, SHOULD ALSO CONSIDER REQUESTING THAT THE STATE SET ASIDE A GREATER AMOUNT OF LIE TAX LITECH TAX CREDITS, UM, THAT CAN BE COUPLED WITH THE FEDERAL TAX CREDITS, CUZ I THINK RIGHT NOW IT'S A 20, 20 MILLION, I BELIEVE YOU REALLY NEED TO GET TO $50 MILLION IN ORDER TO MOTIVATE DEVELOPERS TO GO AHEAD AND DEVELOP AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
YOU DON'T HAVE THOSE TAX CREDITS, THEY'RE GONNA GO A DIFFERENT DIRECTION.
UM, SO THERE'S A RANGE OF THINGS AND YOU GUYS ARE GONNA BE COMMENDED AT THE LOCAL LEVEL FOR YOUR TRUST FUND.
AND THEN I THINK THIS IS ANOTHER AREA WHERE WE CAN KIND OF SHOW AN EXAMPLE OF HOW DO YOU ADDRESS THIS WORKFORCE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
I KIND OF USE THOSE TWO TERMS INTERCHANGEABLY, ALTHOUGH I KNOW THEY'RE DIFFERENT.
UM, BUT I THINK A COMBINATION OF INCREASING THE, THE STATE LIE CREDITS FOR 4% AND 9% AFFORDABLE HOUSING, MORE LATITUDE WITH A TAX AND H TAX DOLLARS.
UM, I THINK THOSE TWO ARE THE MAIN THINGS WE CAN DO AT THE LEGISLATIVE LEVEL IN COLUMBIA.
UH, A NEXT PROGRAM, MISS C LU IS HERE.
SHE'S OUR COMMUNITY PLANNING MANAGER, MAYOR COUNCIL.
YOU REMEMBER, UH, SEVERAL MONTHS AGO YOU PUT IN PLACE A HOME SAFETY AND A REPAIR PROGRAM AND A SEWER CONNECTION PROGRAM.
BOTH OF THOSE PROGRAMS WERE, WERE PRIMARILY FUNDED INITIALLY FUNDED FROM THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT THAT WAS FEDERAL GRANT MONIES AS A COVID RECOVERY, UH, PROGRAM.
SO YOU PLEDGED $400,000 INTO HOME REPAIR AND YOU PLEDGED $200,000 INTO SEWER CONNECTION.
AND MISSY IS HERE TO GIVE A QUICK UPDATE ON HOW GREAT THESE PROGRAMS ARE GOING.
HELLO, MAYOR COUNCIL, MR. ORLANDO, THE C LUK COMMUNITY PROGRAM MANAGER.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE AN UPDATE ON THESE TWO PUBLIC ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS. UM, JUST TO UPDATE, UM, WHAT WAS PUBLISHED IN THE PACKET WERE TO, UM, PROGRAM UPDATES THROUGH AUGUST 26TH.
AND WHAT WAS PASSED OUT, UM, IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY WAS, UM, THE PROGRAM ACTIVITY THROUGH TODAY'S DATE.
IT'S ALSO ON THE TABLE BEHIND ME, NEAR THE DOOR, UM, WITH THE PROGRAM UPDATES THROUGH TODAY.
UM, SO TO START WITH THE HOME SAFETY AND REPAIR PROGRAM, UM, THAT'S AN ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, UH, FOR IT'S AN INCOME QUALIFIED PROGRAM FOR, UH, HOME SAFETY AND REPAIR, UM, UP TO $15,000, UH, PER HOMEOWNER.
UM, AND IT COVERS, UM, REPAIRS TO KEEP A HOME SAFE AND DRY DEMOLITION OF AN UNSAFE STRUCTURE AS WELL AS, UM, HAZARDOUS TREE REMOVAL.
UM, WE HAVE HAD AN ENORMOUS ACTIVITY WITH THIS PROGRAM.
WE'VE HAD 76 APPLICATIONS RECEIVED OF THOSE 47 OF THEM HAVE BEEN APPROVED ALREADY.
AND WE HAVE SEVERAL THAT ARE, THAT ARE STILL UNDER REVIEW.
UM, SO WE'VE HAD AN ENORMOUS, UM, UH, ACTIVITY WITH THE PROGRAM.
UM, WE HAVE NOT YET, UM, SOUGHT CONTRACTOR BIDDING YET, WHICH IS THE NEXT THING I'M GONNA UPDATE ON.
WE ARE STILL SEEKING CONTRACTORS TO HELP US GET INTO THESE HOMES AND MAKE THESE REPAIRS.
UM, SO WE ARE SEEKING QUALIFIED CONTRACTORS, UM, TO DO THE WORK, UM, TO COME INTO THE HOMES.
AND SO WE'RE LOOKING FOR GENERAL CONTRACTORS AND CARPENTERS AND ELECTRICIANS AND PLUMBERS TO HELP US DO THIS WORK, UM, IN HOMES THAT, UM, VERY MUCH NEED THE ASSISTANCE.
UM, I'M THE POINT OF CONTACT FOR, UM, THE APPLICANTS FOR BOTH THE SEWER CONNECTION PROGRAM, THE HOME SAFETY REPAIR PROGRAM, AS WELL AS THE CONTRACTORS, SO THEY CAN COME THROUGH COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, UM, TO ME AND I CAN HELP GET THEM, UM, IN THE QUEUE SO WE CAN, UM, EXECUTE THAT PROGRAM AS WELL, UM, TO MOVE ON TO THE SEWER CONNECTION PROGRAM, UM, WE'VE RECEIVED EIGHT APPLICATIONS FOR THAT PROGRAM.
UM, AND WE'RE WORKING THROUGH WITH PSD TO GET THOSE, UM, LINES INSTALLED.
THAT IS A COOPERATIVE PROGRAM THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH DEEP WELL ON.
AND I JUST WANTED TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY REAL QUICK TO READ, UM, AN EMAIL THAT I GOT FROM SANDY GILLIS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF DEEP WELL, WHO'S HELPING US WITH THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE PROGRAM.
UM, AND THIS IS, THIS WAS DATED A COUPLE WEEKS AGO.
SO THE NUMBERS, UM, ARE GREATER THAN WHAT'S INCLUDED IN THIS UPDATE, BUT SHE WROTE SINCE THE TOWN SEWER PROGRAM FUNDED BY ARPA DOLLARS, WENT LIVE IN JULY.
HERE'S WHAT WE'VE SEEN FROM AN APPLICATION ACTIVITY, SEVEN COMPLETED TOWN OF HILTON HEAD SEWER APPLICATIONS.
ONE OF THEM FROM AN APPLICANT THAT WAS DENIED BY PROJECT SAFETY TO HIGH INCOME, UM, AS WELL AS RENTERS WHO ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR PROJECT SAFE, AS WELL AS, AS EIGHT COMPLETED PROJECT SAFE APPLICATIONS.
UM, AND SO A TOTAL OF 15 COMPLETED APPLICATIONS IN LESS THAN A 60 DAY WINDOW, WHICH IS WELL AHEAD OF THE ACTIVITY THAT DEEP WELL SEES.
UM, AND CLEARLY THE PROGRAM THAT THE TOWN CREATED HAS ADDRESSED THE, THE LOOPHOLE WITH, UM, THAT PROJECT SAFE
[00:30:01]
DIDN'T, UH, SUPPORT RENTERS AND THE TOWNS PROGRAM WAS, UM, SANDY ADDS THAT THIS IS A WIN-WIN AND MANY MORE APPLICATIONS HAVE BEEN PICKED UP FROM THEIR OFFICE.AND SO MORE APPLICATIONS WILL BE ON THE WAY VERY SOON.
UM, AND I THINK THAT SUMMARIZE THE SUMMARIZES REALLY THE GREAT EFFORT OF BOTH PROGRAMS, WHICH ARE COLLABORATIVE PROGRAMS AND ARE MAKING THE IMPACT IN THE COMMUNITY, UM, TO MAKE THESE CRITICAL IMPROVEMENTS.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE IS IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS FROM ANY OF YOU, ANY QUESTION TO COUNCIL, THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH.
I DID WANT TO JUST MAKE ONE COMMENT.
UM, THIS, THIS PROGRAM REALLY SPEAKS TO COMMUNITY WELLNESS, BUT UH, ON A SIDE NOTE, I WANT TO THANK MISSY PERSONALLY BECAUSE WHEN FOLKS ARE IN NEED, THERE NEEDS TO BE A CERTAIN LEVEL OF COMFORT AND TRUST AS FAR AS HAVING CONVERSATIONS.
AND YOU'VE DONE A BANG UP JOB WITH BEING THERE FOR FOLKS.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THE HARD WORK THAT YOU PUT INTO THIS PROGRAM.
UH, NEXT UP MS. SHERRY, MENDRICK OUR FLOOD PLANE ADMINISTRATIVE AER TO GIVE A 2022 ANNUAL REPORT ON OUR COMMUNITY RATING SYSTEM PROGRAM.
HI, THANK YOU, MR. ORLANDO AND GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR THE RECORD.
I'M SHERRY MENDRICK THE TOWN'S FLOOD PLAIN ADMINISTRATOR, BOTH ITEMS E AND F ARE MINE.
SO IF IT'S OKAY, I'D LIKE TO TOUCH BOTH ON THE SAME TIME.
UM, ITEM E IS THE ANNUAL EVALUATION OF THE PROGRAM FOR PUBLIC INFORMATION AND ITEM F IS THE UPDATE FOR THE LOW COUNTRY, NA NATURAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN.
BOTH UPDATES ARE REQUIRED TO BE PRESENTED TO TOWN COUNCIL ANNUALLY FOR CONTINUED PARTICIPATION IN THE TOWN'S COMMUNITY RATING SYSTEM.
OUR PARTICIPATION IN THIS PROGRAM GETS ALL OF OUR CITIZENS, A 25% DISCOUNT ON OUR FLOOD INSURANCE PREMIUMS AND THE UPDATED DOCUMENTS ARE INCLUDED IN YOUR AGENDA PACKAGE.
I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
HOW ARE YOU? UM, I, I I'VE, UM, BEEN ABREAST OF, UM, SOUTH CAROLINA ENVIRONMENTAL, UH, CONTROL HAVING, UH, ROUND TABLES AROUND, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL SOCIAL JUSTICE.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF MONIES, UM, IN THAT ARENA.
UM, JUST CURIOUS TO KNOW IF YOU'VE TAPPED INTO THAT TO ANY DEGREE, UM, SO THAT WE CAN START TO THINK ABOUT LONG TERM PLANNING FOR MITIGATION WHEN IT COMES TO, UH, FLOODING ON, ON HILTON HEAD.
THERE IS A NEW INITIATIVE THAT WE HAVE ACTUALLY INCLUDED IN OUR PROGRAM FOR PUBLIC INFORMATION, ACTUALLY, YOU AND I HAD ATTENDED THE MEETING OUT AT ST.
HELEN ISLAND ABOUT SOME NEW, UM, UP AND COMING FEMA PROGRAM CHANGES.
UM, SO WE ARE WORKING THROUGH THAT PROCESS, UM, AT THE NEXT GALA GEI TASK FORCE MEETING, NOT THE NEXT ONE, BUT THE ONE IN NOVEMBER.
UM, WE'RE GOING TO START EVOLVING THAT PROGRAM AND BRINGING THAT TO OUR COMMUNITY.
THEY GIVE AN UPDATE ON THE CROSS ISLAND PARKWAY, UM, ON THE, ON THAT PROJECT THAT IS AT ADVANCES.
UH, MR MANAGER, MR. MAYOR, UH, TOWN COUNCIL.
UM, YEAH, I'M GONNA GIVE A BRIEF UPDATE ON THIS PROJECT.
THIS IS A D OT PROJECT AND I WANTED SOME VISUALS UP HERE TO HELP YOU, UH, REFRESH YOUR MEMORY AS WHAT'S OUT THERE.
UM, D O T PROJECT APAC IS THE CONTRACTOR.
IT WAS A DESIGN BUILD, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE CONSULTING ENGINEERS IS THE, UH, DESIGN ENGINEER OF RECORD, UM, PICTURE OF THE TOLL BOOTH AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE BUILDING.
UH, THE TOWN IS GONNA TAKE POSSESSION OF THAT BUILDING AFTER THE PROJECT.
UH, WE'VE BEEN IN WORKING WITH THE D O T FOR A FEW YEARS ON THAT.
UH, HERE'S A PICTURE OF MID PROGRESS IN CONSTRUCTION.
THEY HAD HOPED TO START EARLIER, BUT, UH, THAT'S WHERE WE LANDED.
UM, HERE'S A VISUAL IMAGE OF THE, UH, THE, BEFORE.
UM, YOU SEE NINE LANES, YOU SEE ALL OF THE ASPHALT, UM, YOU SEE THE STREET LIGHTS ALONG THE SIDE, HERE'S A, A RENDITION OF THE AFTER, UM, FOUR LANES.
YOU SEE THE LIGHTS ARE GONE, YOU SEE THEY'RE GONNA STABILIZE AND, UH, PUT BACK, UM, WHAT THEY NEED TO DO STABILIZE THE EARTH.
I WANNA MENTION THIS WILL BE PART OF THE CORRIDOR PROJECT FOR PALMETTO BAY ROAD.
WE'VE EXTENDED THE LIMITS UP TO MARLAND ROAD ON THE CROSS ISLAND PARKWAY.
SO AFTER THE STATE'S COMPLETED THEIR TOLL BOOTH REMOVAL, THE PAVEMENT RESURFACING, ET CETERA, UH, WE WILL BRING OUR, UH, YOU KNOW, DESIGN TEAM IN TO LOOK AT WHAT WE WANNA ADVANCE UP THE CORRIDOR UP TO MARLIN ROAD.
UM, AND I WANTED TO BRING THESE IMAGES IN THIS, TO YOUR ATTENTION.
[00:35:01]
STREET LIGHTS THERE.THEY WERE PUT THERE FOR THE PURPOSE OF SAFETY AS YOU APPROACH THE TOLL BOOTHS.
I UNDERSTAND FROM THE D O T THEY HAD LOOKED AT BRINGING THOSE TO CHARLESTON, TRYING TO REPURPOSE THEM ON ANOTHER PROJECT.
THEY DON'T MEET CURRENT STANDARDS.
THEY SAID, SO I KNOW THERE WAS SOME QUERIES EARLY ON ABOUT, UM, WELL, THOSE RO LIGHTS REMAIN, YOU KNOW, WOULD THEY SERVE A FUNCTION, ET CETERA, BUT THE D O T UH, HAS INFORMED US THAT THEY WOULD, UH, BE REMOVING THOSE.
UM, HERE'S SOME MORE FOR YOUR VISUAL APPRECIATION.
AND ONE OTHER THING, IF I MAY, UH, JUST BRING IT UP, I KNOW THERE'S PROBABLY A LOT OF INTEREST IN, IN THE ROOM.
UM, THE RED SEGMENTS, THERE ARE RESURFACING.
THAT'S GONNA TAKE PLACE BY THE D O T APAC.
THE SAME CONTRACTOR THAT IS DOING THE TO BOOTH REMOVAL WILL BE DOING THAT.
THEY HAVE TO BE FINISHED BY JUNE OF 2023.
AND SO WHAT I HEAR TODAY IS THAT THEY WILL START AFTER THE NEW YEAR.
SO THE COMPLETION DATE ON THE CROSS ISLAND IS, UM, THEY'LL BE FINISHED WITH PAVING OPERATIONS BY THE END OF OCTOBER AND SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION BY THE END OF NOVEMBER.
AND YOU SEE THAT GREEN SEGMENT DOWN THERE, THAT IS A PHASE THAT IS OUT TO BID RIGHT NOW.
THAT WILL BE A, A FUTURE PHASE.
UH, OF COURSE I THINK WE'D LIKE A, ALL TO DO IT ALL AT ONE TIME, BUT THAT'S, UH, THAT'S HOW THE D O T IS GONNA PROSECUTE THAT WORK.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR JEFF, UH, UH, JEFF WHAT'S THE, UH, EXPECTED, USEFUL LIFE FOR THE NEW PAVING OF THE CROSS ISLAND, UM, SHOULD BE 15 YEARS.
I'LL CONFIRM THAT WITH THE D O T MM-HMM
UM, BUT, BUT FOR THIS SECTION THEY'VE ADDED OUT THERE, THEY HAVE, UH, WHERE THEY'RE MILLING AND BUILDING BACK, YOU KNOW, THEY MILLED FOUR INCHES IN ONE DIRECTION AND PAVED FIVE, THEY MILLED THREE AND PAID FOUR IN THE OTHER, AND THEY'RE GONNA PUT TWO INCHES OF A NEW SURFACE COURSE ON TOP OF THAT.
SO IN THE END, WE WILL HAVE THREE MORE INCHES OF STRUCTURE, UH, IN LIFE ON THAT PAVEMENT.
BUT, BUT YEAH, I'LL, I'LL, I'LL LOOK INTO THAT AND CONFIRM WHAT THEY BELIEVE THE LIFE EXPECTANCY TO BE.
WHAT IS THE PROCESS FOR MEASURING THE DEPTH OF THE PAVING? I'VE HEARD SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT, ARE THEY PUTTING DOWN ENOUGH ASPHALT AND YEAH, THERE IS, UH, THERE IS A COMPANY THAT, THAT IS MONITORING AND INSPECTING THE JOB FOR THE D O T AND, AND THEY TAKE CORINGS, UM, WHEN THE ASPHALT'S PLACED, THEY'RE DOING MEASUREMENTS, ET CETERA, THEY'LL DO CORINGS AFTERWARDS, BUT ALL OF THAT IS BEING INSPECTED AND MONITORED FOR THE D O T AND YOU'RE COMFORTABLE, COMFORTABLE WITH THE WAY THAT PROCESS IS GOING.
ANY OTHER QUESTION, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL?
[7. Reports of the Members of the Town Council]
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, JEFF.REPORTS MY MEMBERS OF TOWN COUNCIL AREA TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM, COUNCILMAN STANFORD.
UH, THERE'S BEEN NO MEETING SINCE RMS COUNCIL MEETING, SIR REPORTED THE LOW COUNTRY COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS.
WE HAVE A MEETING LATER THIS WEEK, SO NO REPORT RIGHT NOW.
YOU THE REPORTS OF THE SOUTHERN LOW COUNTRY REGIONAL BOARD.
UH, SOLO MET ON AUGUST 23RD AND CELEBRATED THEIR FIVE YEARS OF EXISTENCE.
AND WE HAD PRESENTATIONS FROM TOM DAVIS AND OTHER LOCAL DELEGATION.
IN ADDITION, THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT THE PROPOSED MOU BETWEEN THE MUNICIPALITIES JAPER COUNTY AND BEAUFORD COUNTY FOR THE REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST FUND, WHICH IS AN AGENDA ITEM TODAY.
ONE OTHER, UH, GENERAL COMMENT, UH, MAYOR LAST WEEK, THE MA S C REGIONAL ADVOCACY MEETING OCCURRED.
AND, UH, MOST OF THE TALK WAS ABOUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED IN THE PAST, BUT SOME OF THE MORE STIMULATING DISCUSSION WAS WHAT ABOUT WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN FISCAL 23 AND, UH, MASC SCOTT SLOT MADE IT, UH, VERY CLEAR TO THOSE INDEPENDENTS THAT THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY WILL BE AGAIN, TAKING UP SHORT TERM RENTALS AND BUSINESS LICENSING.
AND WE SHOULD, AS A TOWN, BE VERY AWARE OF THAT IN THE UPCOMING YEAR.
THANK YOU, NEW COUNTY UP WITH, WITH MS. AMES.
THE BIDS, THE CONSTRUCTION BIDS FOR THE TERMINAL EXPANSION CAME IN HIGHER THAN THE ORIGINAL ESTIMATES AND THE COUNTY MADE THE DECISION TO REBID THE PROJECT IN PHASES WITH THE FIRST PHASE DETERMINED BY THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT IS ON HAND AT THIS TIME.
AND THEN SECONDLY, JUST BY WAY OF INFORMATION, THERE WERE FEWER COMMERCIAL FIGHTS THIS SUMMER, BUT THE, UM, OCCUPANCY OR, UH, PASSENGER LOADS WERE HIGHER.
SO IT'S STILL A STRONG DRAW TO THE ISLAND.
UM, AND, UH, THE, THE AIRPORT SEEMS TO
[00:40:01]
BE, UM, MOVING ALONG PRETTY WELL.THIS SUMMER, THERE WAS AN AMBASSADOR CORE OF VOLUNTEERS WHO MET, UH, PASSENGERS ANSWERED QUESTIONS.
I THINK THAT'S IN KEEPING WITH OUR HOSPITALITY ISLAND.
WE REPORTED THE PUBLIC PLANNING COMMISSION, MS. MS. AMES, THE PPC.
IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE ASKING? YES, SIR.
THE PUBLIC PLANNING COMMITTEE MET ON AUGUST 31ST TO HEAR A PRESENTATION BY THE SHORT TERM RENTAL, UM, VENDOR GOVE OS IT'S PRESENTATION DEMONSTRATED ITS COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO ADDRESSING MONITORING AND ASSISTING AND ENFORCEMENT OF SHORT TERM RENTALS.
AND FOR YOUR INFORMATION, GOV OS IS SPELLED CAPITAL G LITTLE O V CAPITAL O CAPITAL S GOV OS.
THANK YOU, MAYOR MR. LENNOX FNA COMMITTEE.
THE FNA COMMITTEE MEET MET THIS MORNING AT 10 O'CLOCK WITH, WITH THREE AGENDA ITEMS. THE FIRST WAS A PORT FROM SCOTT RIMAN OF THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF THE LOW COUNTRY, AND, UH, THEY HAVE DISPERSED THE SECOND $500,000 TRANCHE TO NONPROFITS INVOLVED IN SERVICING THE COMMUNITY THROUGH THE PANDEMIC.
UH, I GOTTA SAY THEY DID AN INCREDIBLE JOB AND VIRTUALLY ALL OF THE APPLICATIONS WERE FUNDED.
THE SECOND IS A RESOLUTION THAT HAS BEEN RECOMMENDED TO TOWN COUNCIL, UH, AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF AN AGREEMENT WITH MALDEN AND JENKINS LLC FOR OUR UPCOMING AUDIT.
UH, THEY'LL HAVE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE AUDIT, UH, FOR YEARS ENDING JUNE 30TH, 2023 THROUGH JUNE 30TH, 2027.
AND LAST WAS AN UPDATE, UH, BY JOHN TROYER OF TOWN FINANCES THROUGH THE SECOND MONTH OF THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING AUGUST OF THIS YEAR.
CHRIST YOUR APPEARANCE BY CITIZENS, SIR.
JUST A POINT OF ORDER BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD INTO APPEARANCE BY CITIZENS, IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING.
THERE WAS A POTENTIAL OF AMENDING THE AGENDA TO REMOVE ONE OF THE ITEMS OFF OF OPEN SESSION AND MOVING IT INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
THAT ITEMS RELATED TO ITEM AGENDA, 10 E.
WE HAVE A MOTION TO MOVED SECOND, ALL IN FAVOR OF THAT MOTION BASED THE RIGHT HAND, PLEASE DONE.
AND MR. ONE, WE SKIPPED OVER GENERAL REPORTS AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A COMMENT IF I COULD.
SO A NUMBER OF US, I THINK MAYBE ALL OF US HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE A TOUR THROUGH THE, UM, THEM, UM, VOLUNTEERS IN MEDICINE CAMPUS HERE ON, UM, HILTON HEAD.
AND I JUST WANTED TO CONGRATULATE THE PEOPLE WHO WERE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT ORGANIZATION.
UM, I WAS TREMENDOUSLY IMPRESSED BY THE, UM, LEVEL OF EQUIPMENT STAFF OPPORTUNITY FOR ASSISTANCE AND MEDICAL AND DENTAL THAT OCCURS THERE.
THE HYDRO GARDEN THAT THEY'VE EXTENDED, UM, AND NOW ARE PROVIDING FOOD SOURCE TO THE COMMUNITY AND, UM, CONGRATULATIONS TO THEM FOR ALL THAT THEY'RE DOING FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
[8. Appearance by Citizens]
MR. APPEARANCE BY CITIZENS.APPEARANCE BY CITIZENS TODAY, WE HAVE SEVERAL CITIZENS SIGNED UP, JUST A REMINDER.
EACH CITIZEN WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
UM, THERE'LL BE A TIMER UP ON THE, UH, THE SCREEN FOR EVERYBODY TO SEE.
OUR FIRST CITIZEN IS PASTOR JUNE, REVEREND, JUNE.
IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU ALL AGAIN.
UM, I'M SPEAKING ON THE, UM, JUNE WILKINS, I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF I I'M FROM CHRIST LUTHERAN.
I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE HILTON HEAD HOME COALITION.
UM, UH, JUST TO SAY, WE HAVE A HILTON HEAD ISLAND CANDIDATES, UH, CANDIDATES FORUM ON AFFORDABLE AND WORKFORCE HOUSING, AND THAT IS AT CHRIST LUTHERAN ON OCTOBER 4TH, SIX TO 8:00 PM.
ON SUNDAY, WE HELD A COMMUNITY MEETING OF THE HILTON HEAD HOME COALITION FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
WE HAD REPRESENTATIVES FROM MANY CONGREGATIONS ON HILTON, HEAD FROM NONPROFITS AND MANY OTHER CONCERNED CITIZENS.
[00:45:01]
GROUP KEEPS, UH, GROWING WITHOUT ANY EFFORT AND WE ARE WORKING ON, UM, INFORMING MORE PEOPLE ON THE NECESSITY OF WORKFORCE HOUSING IN OUR, IN OUR COMMUNITY.ONE OF OUR ATTENDEES USED ECCLESIASTES THREE TO SHARE HIS FEELINGS ABOUT HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND, FOR EVERYTHING THERE IS A SEASON AND A TIME FOR EVERY MATTER UNDER HEAVEN, A TIME TO BREAK DOWN AND A TIME TO BUILD UP A TIME TO KEEP SILENT AND A TIME TO SPEAK.
I DO THINK THAT WE ARE AT AN IDEAL TIME TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT AFFORDABLE AND WORKFORCE HOUSING, BUT THAT TIME COULD EASILY SLIP AWAY.
WE APPRECIATE THE STEPS OF THE COUNCIL THAT YOU HAVE ALREADY MADE AND TAKEN THUS FAR, INCLUDING ADOPTING THE WORKFORCE HOUSING STRATEGIC PLAN IN 2019, WHICH EVERYONE WHO WAS IN OFFICE AT THE TIME APPROVED.
WE APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR LEADERSHIP AND STEPPING UP AND VOTING TO MAKE A REAL PLAN AND FRAMEWORK FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
BY NOVEMBER 1ST, WE APPRECIATE YOUR CONTINUED COLLABORATION AND WILLINGNESS TO REACH OUT TO OTHERS AND HEAR OTHER VOICES.
AND WE ALSO WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT THE TIME IS NOW TO DO SOMETHING BOLD, SOMETHING FAR REACHING AND INNOVATIVE, SOMETHING THAT WILL ENRICH AND SUSTAIN THIS COMMUNITY FOR GENERATIONS.
SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE WILL LOOK BACK ON DECADES LATER AND SAY, THAT WAS GREAT.
THAT WAS A TURNING POINT FOR HILTON HEAD.
WE MIGHT NEVER HAVE ANOTHER MOMENT LIKE THIS RIGHT NOW.
THERE HAS NEVER BEEN MORE SUPPORT FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING ON HILTON HEAD.
THEN THERE IS RIGHT NOW THE CHIMNEY COVE CRISIS WHILE TEMPORARILY AVERTED IS STILL LOOMING ON THE HORIZON AND COULD HAPPEN TO THEM OR TO ANYONE ELSE.
THE NEXT SIX WEEKS ON HILTON HEAD ARE WHAT CHRISTIANS WOULD CALL A CHIROS MOMENT.
A MOMENT WHEN EVERYTHING IS ALIGNED, WHERE THE CONDITIONS ARE, RIGHT TO GET THINGS ACCOMPLISHED, DON'T LET THAT CHIROS MOMENT SLIP AWAY.
EVERYONE SEEMS DEDICATED TO PRESERVING OUR GREEN SPACE NOW IS THE TIME TO ACT AND MAKE BOLD CHOICES TO PRESERVE OUR CITIZENS AND OUR WORKERS AND TO BUILD OUR FUTURE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH NEXT, SIR.
WE HAVE MR. ERIC SUMMERVILLE, MR. SUMMERVILLE, PLEASE.
GOOD AFTERNOON, GENTLEMEN AND LOVELY LADY TERAN.
CONGRATULATIONS, MARKO REGARDING A WONDERFUL STRATEGIC WORKSHOP.
EVERYBODY I THINK VOTED TO HAVE YOUR BACK.
UH, MY CONCERNS ARE TWOFOLD TODAY.
ONE IS THE FIRST CONCERN FOR THE USE OF DEI AND OR C RT.
WHEN THESE TERMS GO BEYOND SIMPLE ENGLISH LANGUAGE SUBSCRIPTIONS, BOTH THESE TERMS HAVE BEEN INTERRELATED WITH A MUCH LARGER AGENDA AGENDA OF THE GLOBAL ELITES, SUCH AS BILL, UH, GATES AND UNITED NATIONS.
I'M NOT AWARE NOR DO I BELIEVE THAT ANY OF THE CURRENT MIX OF GULLAH GII COMMUNITY NOR TOWN OF HILTON HEARD PERSONNEL WHO ARE FULLY AWARE AND ACTING, UH, ON BEHALF OF A LARGER CONCERN, UH, IS TRYING TO CHANGE THE MODES OF BEHAVIOR TO BE ANYTHING OTHER THAN FULLY AMERICAN.
AND IF IT'S NOT AMERICAN CONSTITUTIONALLY BIBLICAL TEACHINGS, WE ALL SHOULD AGREE TO THE BASIC GUIDES.
AND THEN, UH, FOR OUR BEHAVIORS AT SUCH TIME, MY COMMENT WOULD NO LONGER BE TRUE.
I WOULD SUGGEST GOVERNMENT RESTRAINTS GOING BEYOND THE NORMAL ENGLISH LANGUAGE DESCRIPTIONS OF THESE TERMS. ITEM TWO, REGARDING THE STATUS OF ROUTE 2 78, OTHER THAN AN EMBARRASSING MESS OF GOVERNMENTAL BEHAVIORS.
UH, AT THIS TIME I WOULD AGREE TO ALLOW, UH, BEAUFORD COUNTY TO PROCEED IF, UH, CERTAINLY IF WE'RE UNABLE TO STOP 'EM, UH, AND THAT BECAUSE THE CROSS KEEPS GOING UP AS WELL EVERY DAY, HOWEVER, AT THE POINT OF THE BRIDGE ENTERING ONTO HILTON HEAD, UH, THERE NEEDS TO BE A CLEAR AGREEMENT AND RECOGNITION THAT THE NEW 2 78 BRIDGE MUST MATE PROPERLY WITH THE ROADWAY SPECIFIED BY THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND AT SUCH TIME.
HILTON HEAD ISLAND CAN SPECIFY SINCE WE HAVE AT LEAST TILL 2024, THE CURRENT ESTIMATE OF TIME OF START BRIDGE PROJECT AND CURRENT ESTIMATE STOPPING TIME OF 2028.
CURRENT ESTIMATE COMPLETION TARGET DATE SHOULD BE POSSIBLE.
UH, THIS SHOULD BE SUFFICIENT FOR HILTON NET OUT TO SORT OUT THE CONCERNS.
MY OPINION IS IF WE DID NOTHING, THE CURRENT TWO LANES WOULD SUFFICE AND WOULD BE FINE.
ALL THAT WOULD HAPPEN IS THAT THE NEW 2 78 BRIDGE WOULD BECOME A TRAFFIC JAM HOLDING AND HOLDING PEOPLE IN THEIR LOCATION, AWAITING TO MERGE ONTO TWO
[00:50:01]
LANES AND ALL THAT MAY BE VERY WELL FOR ENJOYING THE BEAUTY OF THE NEW 2 78 BRIDGE AND VIEW.THANK YOU, RICHARD BUSY, MR. BUSY, PLEASE.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. MAYOR TOWN COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS RICHARD BUSY AND MY, MY WIFE AND I HAVE LIVED ON HILTON HEAD SINCE 2004.
THE REASONS WE MOVED HERE WERE MANY, BUT THEY INCLUDED THE NATURAL BEAUTY OF THE ISLAND AND THE FACT THAT THE COMMUNITY WAS A COMMUNITY THAT RESPECTED NATURE.
I AM ONE OF THE NEARLY 10,000.
10,000 INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE SIGNED A PETITION ASKING THIS TOWN COUNCIL TO REJECT THE STATE'S PROPOSED PLANS TO TURN OUR IN FREEWAY INTO A CONCRETE JUNGLE.
THERE TRULY SHOULD BE AN INDEPENDENT REVIEW DONE TOO MUCH IS THAT STATE, THE TOWN COUNCIL SHOULD NOT BUCKLE UNDER THE THREAT OF THE COUNTY COUNCIL THAT THEY WILL PROCEED WITH OR WITHOUT THE TOWN'S COOPERATION.
IN SOME CIRCLES THAT'S DESCRIBED AS BLACKMAIL.
THE THREATS FROM THE COUNTY COUNCIL SHOULD BE IGNORED.
WE SHOULD NOT SURRENDER TO THE COUNTY.
THE STAGGERING COST AS YOU WELL KNOW OF THIS PROJECT MAY BE AS HIGH AS 500 MILLION.
WE CANNOT AFFORD TO GET THIS WRONG AND LET'S NOT OVERLOOK.
THE FACT THAT THIS TOWN COUNCIL WILL CHANGE SEVEN WEEKS FROM TODAY IS ELECTION DAY.
THE NEW COUNCIL SHOULD HAVE A SAY IN THIS HISTORIC ONCE IN A LIFETIME PROJECT, SENATOR DAVIS, AS YOU WELL KNOW, HAS OBTAINED THE FUNDING FOR AN INDEPENDENT REVIEW.
AND THERE'S NO LEGITIMATE REASON THAT IT CAN'T BE DONE.
WE NEED TO SEND A STRONG MESSAGE TO THE COUNCIL.
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH AND WE SHALL NOT AND WILL NOT RAISE THE WHITE FLAG OF SURRENDER.
THANK YOU, PRINCE MS. PRINCE I'M HERE TODAY REPRESENTING COIN THE COALITION OF ISLAND NEIGHBORS.
I'VE BEEN SPEAKING AND WRITING TO YOU SINCE THE ONSET OF THE 2 78 GATEWAY CORRIDOR PROJECT.
IN FACT, NEXT WEEK IS THE FOURTH ANNIVERSARY OF ME ADDRESSING COUNCIL.
ON THIS MATTER FOR ME, IT'S BEEN A FRUSTRATING AND IN MANY WAYS, UNPRODUCTIVE FOUR YEARS ON THE POSITIVE SIDE, WE DO HAVE GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR THIS PROJECT, WHICH YOU, AS A BODY ADOPTED, WE ALSO HAVE AGREED TO INSTALL THE ADAPTIVE TRAFFIC SYSTEM, WHICH WILL CONTROL SIGNALS BASED ON REAL TIME VEHICLE MOVEMENT.
AS I REVIEWED MY PAST COMMENTS, I RECOGNIZED MY MESSAGE HAS BEEN PRETTY SIMPLE AND CONSISTENT.
DO NOT COMPROMISE THE INTERESTS OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
THE MOU BEFORE YOU TODAY DOES NOT MEET THE GOALS YOU APPROVED AT THIS TOWN COUNCIL MEETING A MERE FOUR WEEKS AGO, YOUR GOAL, THE COUNTY AND THE TOWN MUTUALLY AGREE TO WORK TOGETHER IN GOOD FAITH TO ADDRESS THE FEASIBILITY AND MERITS OF RECOMMENDATIONS PREVIOUSLY MADE BY MK S K AND THOSE WHICH MAY BE MADE BY THE INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT.
THIS MOU PROPOSES A CONSULTANT SELECTION COMMITTEE CONSISTING OF THREE COUNTY AND TWO TOWN MEMBERS THUS BIASING THE COUNT, THE CONSULTANT SELECTION PROCESS TOWARDS THE COUNTY, AND FAILS TO ESTABLISH A PROCESS TO CONSIDER THE MERITS OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS, YOUR GOAL.
THE INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT WILL CONDUCT AN END TO END SIMULATION AND STUDY THROUGH AND BEYOND THE PROJECT LIMITS TO INCLUDE ADDITIONAL INTERSECTIONS, MATERIALLY CONSISTENT WITH THE SCOPE OF WORK TOWN COUNCIL SET FORTH, INCLUDING PROJECT IMPACTS AND A MITIGATION ASSESSMENT.
THIS MOU INCLUDES NO SPECIFIC SCOPE OF WORK.
I SAW THE RESULTS OF A POOR SCOPE FIRSTHAND.
WHEN I SERVED ON THE LAST INDEPENDENT REVIEW COMMITTEE, DILUTION OF THE SCOPE OF WORK TAINTED, THE PREVIOUS CONSULTANTS' WORK AND RESULTS WERE MEANINGLESS.
WE CANNOT REPEAT THAT FAILED PROCESS.
THE COUNTY NEEDS TO AGREE TO YOUR SCOPE OF WORK, DETERMINING BOTH PROJECT IMPACTS AND A MITIGATION ASSESSMENT.
YOUR GOAL, THE COUNTY AND TOWN WILL COORDINATE WITH S C D O T TO PERFORM A VALUE ENGINEERING OF THIS PROJECT SEEKING THE BEST POSSIBLE VALUE FOR LOWEST COST.
THIS MOU COMPLETELY IGNORES VALUE ENGINEERING.
GIVEN YOUR GOALS OF FOUR WEEKS AGO, I CAN'T UNDERSTAND
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HOW ANY OF YOU CAN SUPPORT TODAY'S MOU JESSE WHITE, MS. WHITE, THANK YOU.MY NAME IS JESSE WHITE ON BEHALF OF THE COASTAL CONSERVATION LEAGUE.
I WANNA FIRST JUST COMMEND THE TOWN IN ITS LEADERSHIP IN PURSUING THE MK SK RECOMMENDATIONS AND ENSURING THAT THOSE WERE INCORPORATED INTO THE FINAL PROJECT.
WE ARE VERY CONCERNED WITH, UM, THE LANGUAGE IN THE MOU THAT TALKS ABOUT SIGNING OFF ON THE NPA PROCESS.
THE ENTIRE PURPOSE OF THE NPA PROCESS IS TO TAKE A HOLISTIC REVIEW OF A PROJECT AND ENSURE THAT THE DIRECT INDIRECT AND CUBAN OF IMPACTS WILL BE MEANING GIVING, GIVEN MEANINGFUL CONSIDERATION.
IF IT, IT ALSO ENSURES AN INFORMED DECISION MAKING PROCESS.
IF THAT PRO IF THE NEPA PROCESS IS ALLOWED TO PROCEED WHILE THE INDEPENDENT REVIEW IS HAPPENING CONCURRENTLY, IT RAISES A QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THAT NPA ANALYSIS IS TRULY MEANINGFUL OR WHETHER IT IS ACTUALLY JUST A BOX BEING CHECKED.
IT ALSO RAISES CONCERNS ABOUT POTENTIAL VIOLATION WITH NPA, BECAUSE IT COULD BE PERCEIVED AS PROCEEDING TOWARDS A PREJUDGED OUTCOME.
THE PURPOSE OF NPA AGAIN, IS TO PERFORM THAT OBJECTIVE HOLISTIC ANALYSIS WITHOUT A PREDETERMINED DECISION IN MIND, IF THE INDEPENDENT REVIEW IS NOT GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THE RESULTS BEFORE THE NPA PROCESS MOVES FORWARD, THAT RAISES VERY SERIOUS CONCERNS.
AND WE JUST WANTED TO EXPRESS THOSE TO YOU HERE TODAY, AS YOU'RE CONSIDERING THIS MOU.
THANK YOU, MR. BEAR, STEVE BEAR.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE AGAIN.
I'VE ALSO BEEN AT THIS FOR FOUR YEARS.
UH, THIS PROJECT IS GOING TO DUMP HEAVY TRAFFIC IN THE TOP OF OUR TOWN.
CAUSE YEARS OF CONSTRUCTION IN MAJOR IMPACTS YET HAS NO PROOF THAT IT WILL SOLVE OUR CONGESTION PROBLEM OVER THE CRITICAL PATH A TO D AND A TOE.
AND THE MAP YOU'VE ALL SEEN BEFORE ANY ENGINEERING SCHOOL IN THE COUNTRY WOULD LOOK AT THAT MAP AND LOOK AT YOUR PROJECT AND SAY, THERE ARE MAJOR FLAWS.
WE ALL WANT A GOOD PROJECT, BUT WE NEED THE RESULTS OF THE INDEPENDENT REVIEW TO GET IT.
DO NOT SURRENDER THE KEYS OF THE TOWN BEFORE THEN IN RETURN FOR EMPTY COUNTY PROMISES, A NEW TOWN COUNCIL WILL BE ELECTED IN ABOUT SEVEN WEEKS.
CONSIDER HOW YOUR UNNECESSARY SURRENDER.
IF YOU DO IT TODAY, BEFORE THAT TIME WILL APPEAR TO CITIZENS.
THE COUNTY WARNS DELAY IN ALL THE THINGS THAT DELAY WILL CAUSE, BUT THE COUNTY IS THE MAIN CAUSE FOR THE DELAY.
IF THEY HAD NOT DELIBERATELY DERAILED THE INDEPENDENT REVIEW IN 2020 MR. RODMAN, WE HAVE WRITTEN PROOF OF THAT.
WE WILL BE READY TO START AT APRIL SENATOR DAVIS, GOD BLESSON NEGOTIATED TIME AND FUNDING FOR THE REVIEW FROM D O T AND FROM THE INFRASTRUCTURE BANK, GIVING US THE MEANS TO DO WHAT REQUIRED DUE DILIGENCE.
WHY IN HEAVEN'S NAME? ARE WE NOT DOING THAT? FIVE MONTHS LATER, WE WERE READY WITH A STATEMENT OF WORK AND A PLAN THAT WOULD'VE PRELIMINARY RESULTS.
BY NOW, INSTEAD FROM THE COUNTY, WE GOT AN ULTIMATUM AND THREATS INSTALLED THE REVIEW FOR FIVE MONTHS.
MAJOR NEW DELAY WILL EMERGE ALSO FROM ALMOST 10,000 PETITIONERS IN OTHER GROUPS, AS THEY CONVERGE ON NEPA AUTHORITIES AND POINT OUT ALL THE FLAWS IN THE PLAN THAT WILL FORCE CERTAINLY A LONGER NEPA REVIEW CYCLE, OR HOPEFULLY DELAY THE FONZI THAT THE FONZI THAT THE COUNTY WANTS THAT COULD ALL BE AVOIDED.
IF THE COUNTY IN TOWN DID THEIR HOMEWORK.
NOW BEFORE SUBMITTED A BUG RIDDEN PLAN, AN INDEPENDENT REVIEW OR RECESSION COULD ALSO LOWER TOTAL TOTAL COSTS, WHICH NO ONE HAS EVER PROPERLY COMPUTED.
NO ONE KNOWS THE TOTAL COST OF THIS PROJECT.
FOR TWO YEARS, THE COUNTY PREVENTED AN UNBIASED END TO END INDEPENDENT REVIEW THAT MIGHT REVEAL MISSING AND HIDDEN PARTS IMPACTS PERFORMANCE AND EXTRA COSTS.
WE HAVE FOUR YEARS OF EMAILS THAT SHOW THAT THERE ARE HIDDEN PARTS THAT WE HAVEN'T BEEN TOLD ABOUT THIS MOA.
IF YOU PASS, IT CONTINUES THAT PATTERN, IT PROMISES IT ILL DEFINED REVIEW
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WITH MAJORITY COUNTY CONTROL AND NO CITIZEN MEMBERS AFTER YOU SIGN AWAY OUR CONSENT.AND WE HOPE YOU DON'T SIGN AWAY OUR CONSENT.
THIS IS LIKE BUYING A USED CAR FROM AN UNTRUSTWORTHY AUTO DEALER WHO FORBIDS AN INSPECTION AND PROMISES TO SOME FIX ONLY THE PROBLEMS THEY AGREE WITH APPROVING THIS MOA FOR AN INCOMPLETE PLAN WITHOUT PROPER DUE DILIGENCE WILL EMBARRASS ANYONE WHO VOTES.
DON'T SURRENDER TO THOSE WHO SWEEP FACTS UNDER THE RUG, THE SOLA AND INCOMPLETE UNTESTED LEMON.
THANK YOU, GRACE SMITH PLEASE.
I WOULD FIRST LIKE TO CONVEY THAT MANY HILTON HEAD ISLAND RESIDENTS ARE VERY APPRECIATIVE THAT HILTON HEAD TOWN COUNCIL HAS TAKEN THE INITIATIVE TO INSTALL AN ISLAND WIDE STATE OF THE ART ADAPTIVE TRAFFIC SIGNAL SYSTEM.
WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING THE TRAFFIC FLOW BENEFITS THAT WILL ACCRUE FROM THIS NEW SYSTEM.
ADDITIONALLY, WE, THE RESIDENTS APPLAUD THE TOWN'S DECISION TO PROCEED WITH THIS SELECTION OF A NATIONALLY RENOWNED INDEPENDENT TRAFFIC ENGINEERING CONSULTANT TO ASSESS ALL ASPECTS OF OUR CURRENT TRAFFIC SITUATION AND PROVIDE TRULY INDEPENDENT AND OBJECTIVE RECOMMENDATIONS AS TO THE BEST MEANS TO SOLVE, OR AT LEAST MINIMIZE OUR PEAK TRAFFIC FLOW ISSUES.
CONTRAST THIS ENLIGHTENED AND RATIONAL APPROACH TO THE IDIOCY BEING ADVANCED BY THE TWIN MEGALOMANIAC OF COUNTY COUNCIL MESSERS RODMAN, AND PAMAN AT THE SEPTEMBER 12TH COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING CHAIRMAN PAMAN PROCLAIMED THAT AND I QUOTE, BEAUFORT COUNTY IS THE LEAD AGENCY FOR THE PROJECT.
TWO THIRDS OF THE COUNTY PROJECT CANNOT AND WILL NOT BE CHANGED NO MATTER HOW MANY ADDITIONAL STUDIES WE DO DIRECT QUOTE, THE FEDERAL GUIDELINES, WHICH PASSMAN MAINTAINS MAINTAIN MANDATE AN 11 LANE BRIDGE ARE NON-NEGOTIABLE.
BASICALLY, HE GOES ON TO SAY THAT THEY'RE GONNA DUMP OFF FIVE OR SIX EASTBOUND LANES AT THE DOORSTEP OF WINDMILL HARBOR.
AND WHATEVER HAPPENS FROM THERE ON IS YOUR PROBLEM, HILTON HEAD TOWN, GOVERNMENT, THIS OBNOXIOUS AND TOTALLY UNCOOPERATIVE ATTITUDE IS REPULSIVE TO THE RESIDENTS OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND AND SHOULD BE TO THE MEMBERS OF TOWN GOVERNMENT AS WELL AS A FINAL INSULT THE COUNTY COUNCIL IN THEIR REASONABLE MOU VERSION, EVEN ATTEMPTS TO REST CONTROL OF THE INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT SELECTION PROCESS FROM HILTON HEAD TOWN GOVERNMENT IN SECTION FOUR OF THE THEREFORES, THE COUNTY STRUCTURES, A SELECTION COMMITTEE THAT CONSISTS OF THREE COUNTY BUREAUCRATS AND ONLY TWO REPRESENTATIVES FROM HILTON HEAD TOWN, GOVERNMENT, THUS GUARANTEEING THEM THE MAJORITY RULE IN THE DECISION PROCESS.
HOW STUPID DO THEY THINK WE ARE? THEIR COLLECTIVE AUDACITY TRULY KNOWS NO BOUNDS PASAM AND THE COUNTY COUNCIL ARE ONCE AGAIN, ATTEMPTING TO BULLY TOWN COUNCIL INTO ACQUIESCING TO AND APPROVING THEIR TOTALLY ONE-SIDED COUNTY MOU VERSION.
THIS WOULD GIVE COMPLETE CONTROL OF THE PROJECT, SAVE THE AREA EAST OF, UH, WMI HARBOR TO THE COUNTY, A COUNTY THAT IS PERFECTLY CONTENT TO BUILD A GIGANTIC AIRCRAFT CARRIER DECK LOOKING UNI BRIDGE AS THE GATEWAY TO OUR BEAUTIFUL ISLAND AND DOING SO PRIOR TO ANY KIND OF INDEPENDENT ASSESSMENT OF WHETHER SUCH A MONSTROSITY WOULD HAVE ANY POSITIVE EFFECT ON TRAFFIC FLOW ONTO HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
THEIR PLAN IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE ON SO MANY LEVELS.
SO PLEASE SEND THE EGOMANIAC TO LEAD COUNTY COUNCIL, A RESOUNDING MESSAGE BY VOTING TO REJECT THEIR TOTALLY INAPPROPRIATE MOU PROPOSAL.
IF YOU CAN MUSTER A UNANIMOUS VOTE TO REJECT THAT WILL SEND AN EVEN STRONGER MESSAGE THAT HILTON HEAD TOWN GOVERNMENT WILL NOT COUNT OUT TO THE COUNTY COUNCIL BULLIES.
THANK YOU, HAROLD BENTON, MS. BENTON, NOT HERE.
UM, AND MR. HOLAND SKIP HOLAND BEFORE MY THREE MINUTE COMMENT BEGINS.
I'D LIKE TO SUBMIT THE STUDIES, SEE IF I CAN DO SO, PLEASE.
AND I'D LIKE TO READ THESE STUDIES OUT.
IF I MAY, UH, THIS WILL HELP THE PLANNING COMMISSION FROM THE TOWN COUNCIL, I THINK FUNCTION A LOT BETTER.
SO THESE STUDIES ARE ROLES OF A PLANNING, COMMISSION, BRIBERY AND CONFLICTS OF A PLANNING COMMISSION FIGHTING SMALL TOWN CORRUPTION, SMALL TOWNS FACING BIG CITY PROBLEMS. LOT TOURISTS RUINED THE PLACES THEY VISIT SHORT ON WORKERS, RESORT TOWN THAT STOPPED MARKETING THE TOURISTS, UNSUSTAINABLE TOURISM, CARING CAPACITY, SOUTH CAROLINA MASTER LAND PLAN COMMUNITIES AND CHECKING ISLAND MASTER LAND PLAN EXAMPLE.
SO I'LL PUT THESE RIGHT UP HERE, PLEASE.
[01:05:01]
PUT NOTHING BLOWS UP HERE NO MORE.I'LL JUST, I'LL PUT HIM OVER THERE IN A MINUTE.
MY NAME IS, UM, MY NAME IS SKIP POLAND.
I'M A 47 YEAR RESIDENT WINDMILL HARBOR, HONEST PUBLIC SERVICES APPRECIATED, BUT NOT DISHONEST CORRUPTION INSIDERS, A PERRY, STEVE BARNARD, ARNOLD AND KIM LICHENS ARE FACTUALLY CORRUPT.
AND I ENDORSE JOANNE ORSHAK FOR MAYOR.
NOW LET'S JUST FIX THE EXISTING BRIDGES AND STOP THIS INSANITY.
WE'VE NEVER HAD TO PREVENT FURTHER OVER DEVELOPMENT FOR THE CAPACITY OF ONE BRIDGE AND ONE ROAD ALL THE WAY TO I 95 AND INSIST ON A MASTER LAND PLAN FOR BLUFFTON HARDY VILLA AND BEAUFORD.
A SIX LANE BRIDGE WILL DO NOTHING BUT ACT LIKE A STINT FOR YOUR HEART.
INCREASING TRAFFIC ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
HOW MANY GOLDFISH CAN YOU PUT IN A BOWL? STOP MARKETING FOR TOURISTS IS NOT NEEDED.
PLUS IT'S AN ABSOLUTE WASTE OF MILLIONS OF OUR DOLLARS WITH TECHNOLOGY THAT GO DIRECTLY INTO THE POCKETS OF A FEW PRIVILEGED CHAMBER INDIVIDUALS WHO THEN USE THE MONEY TO FINANCE THEIR OWN PERSONAL INCOME STREAMS. THE CHAMBER IS THE BIGGEST VILLAIN OF THEM ALL IN THIS REGARD.
AND YOU ARE ALLOWING THIS CHAMBER TO WASTE AND STEAL MILLIONS OF OUR TAX MONIES.
UH, LIKE TOM DAVIS IS SUGGESTING A PENNY TAX, UH, TO BUY, TO BUY MORE LAND AND PROTECT LAND.
AND I ENDORSE THIS, BUT WE ALSO MUST USE OTHER WAYS LIKE CHAMBER A TAX FUNDS AS A NEW DIFFERENT WAY TO LET THE TOURISTS HELP US BUY MORE LAND AND USE HOSPITALITY TAX FUNDS AS WELL.
MAYBE ADD AN ADDITIONAL TAX ON CIGARETTES AND ALCOHOL, AND ALSO EXPLORE A, THAT TAX.
A HUNDRED THOUSAND LOCALS VERSUS 3 MILLION TOURISTS HAS AFFECTED ALL OF US THAT LIVE HERE.
WE ARE IN FIVE POUNDS IN A FIVE POUND BAG AND WE'RE HITTING TO 10 POUNDS.
MANY OF US DID NOT MOVE HERE FOR THIS BIG CITY LIFE WITH ITS UNCONTROLLABLE TRAFFIC AT INCREASED POLLUTION TO OUR WATERWAYS, POLLUTED OYSTERS ARE THE FIRST BAD SIGN WE HAVE DESTROYED THIS ENVIRONMENT IN 30 YEARS, IT TOOK MILLIONS OF YEARS TO, TO, TO CREATE.
WE MOVED HERE FOR THE CHARLES FRAZIER VISION OF A LOW DENSITY.
DESTINATION AND ISLAND IS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE UNLIMITED.
WE ALL ALLOWED THIS TO HAPPEN BY ELECTING AND HIRING KICK THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD.
OFFICIALS WHO PUT THEIR GREED AND SELF INTEREST ABOVE OUR INTEREST AND OUR ENVIRONMENT SOS.
THEY TOOK ALL THE TREES AND PUT 'EM IN A TREE MUSEUM AND THEY CHARGED THE PEOPLE A DOLLAR AND A HALF TO SEE 'EM NO, NO, NO.
DON'T IT ALWAYS SEEM TO GO THAT YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU GOT UNTIL IT'S GONE.
THEY PAID PARADISE AND PUT UP A PARKING LOT.
THESE WORDS BY SONGWRITER, JONI MITCHELL PROVIDE A WARNING OF WHAT MAY HAPPEN TO HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
IF WE, IF WE BECOME COMPLACENT, THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY OF MODERATING MODERATING, THIS IS TO PUT GOOD PEOPLE ON THIS COUNCIL AND VOTE THEM IN AND GET RID OF THE BAD PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE.
THAT CONCLUDES APPEARANCE BY CITIZENS, SIR.
MR. MAYOR, I, I HAVE A COMMENT, UH, TO CALVIN HOLAND'S COMMENTS, MR. HOLAND FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE SAID TO ME AND TO MY COLLEAGUES AND FOR ALL THE COMMENTS YOU'VE MADE ABOUT THIS IS THIS UNPRO AND MY COMMENT, MR. SIT DOWN, OR I'LL REMOVE YOU FROM THE CHAMBER.
IF HE'S GONNA ADDRESS ME, I STAND UP NOW, NOW ADDRESS ME, LET LET'S TALK FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE SAID TO ME AND TO MY COLLEAGUES AND FOR ALL THE COMMENTS YOU'VE MADE ABOUT ME AND MY COLLEAGUES.
AND I HOPE, AND I HOPE THAT YOU SOON FIND YOUR PEACE, MR. OX.
I DO NOT FORGIVE YOU BECAUSE YOU KNEW WHAT YOU DID.
YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE VOTED FOR THE ILLEGAL USE AND ISSUE OF MILLIONS OF OUR TAX MONIES.
I HAVE FACTUAL DOCUMENTATION ON ALL YOUR CORRECT, MR. HOLDEN, AND WE DON'T HAVE TIME TO TALK ABOUT IT RIGHT NOW.
I CAN TELL YOU, I TELL YOU, RIGHT? NO, NO.
DON'T PLEASE DON'T INTERRUPT ME.
LISTEN, HE, IF YOU'RE GONNA CALL ME OUT IN FRONT OF ALL THESE PEOPLE, YOU'RE GONNA GIVE ME A CHANCE TO RESPOND.
YOU MIGHT NOT LIKE IT, BUT THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE GONNA DO.
OKAY? YOU DIDN'T CALL THAT ANYBODY ELSE IN INTERRUPT.
NOW, LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING.
I HAVE FACTUAL INFORMATION ON EVERY ONE OF Y'ALL THAT YOU HAVE ILLEGALLY VOTED FOR THE ILLEGAL USE AND ISSUE
[01:10:01]
OF MILLIONS OF OUR TAX MONEY.ANYBODY THAT CAN PROVE ME WRONG ON THAT SUBJECT.
THIS MIGHT SOUND A LITTLE OUTRAGEOUS FOR EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM, BUT I CAN BACK IT UP.
YOU PROVE ME WRONG OF THE EVIDENCE THAT I HAVE ON THESE PEOPLE.
AND I'LL MAKE SURE THAT THE PEOPLE THAT WORK WITH ME WILL WRITE YOU A MILLION DOLLAR CHECK AND SEND IT TO YOUR POST OFFICE BOX OR YOUR ADDRESS.
THAT'S HOW I'LL PUT MY MONEY, WHERE MY MOUTH IS.
THESE PEOPLE HAVE ALL BROKEN THE LAW AND THEY NEED TO ACCEPT THAT AND THEY NEED TO STOP IT.
AND THAT, AND YOU'RE THE WORST VIOLATOR OF ALL MR. LENNOX, EXCUSE ME, MR. MAYER.
THERE ARE STILL THREE MORE CITIZENS.
I APOLOGIZE THAT I NEED TO CALL MS. SANDY WEST ON GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL MEMBERS, MR. MAYOR, UM, MR. ORLANDO, AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU TODAY.
SO MY TOPIC IS WORKFORCE HOUSING.
I'VE HAVE BEEN WATCHING TOWN COUNCIL DEBATE THE PERFECT WAY TO SOLVE WORKFORCE HOUSING ON THE ISLAND.
FOR SEVERAL YEARS, I CHAIRED THE VISION PROJECT MANAGEMENT TEAM AS A VOLUNTEER IN 2017, TWO THROUGH 2019.
SO I AM INTIMATELY AWARE OF THIS ISSUE AS IT WAS DETERMINED THEN, AND FRANKLY ACTUALLY IDENTIFIED DECADES BEFORE I'VE BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT THE LACK OF ACTION, ESPECIALLY SINCE OUR NEIGHBORS AT CHIMNEY COVE RECEIVED THEIR EVICTION NOTICES YESTERDAY, I SPENT SOME TIME REREADING THE WORKFORCE HOUSING STRATEGIC PLAN ADOPTED BY COUNCIL IN 2019 AT FRAMEWORK AND TIMELINE FOR THE ADOPTION OF THE PLAN EXISTS AND HAS SAT LARGELY UNUSED SINCE ITS ANNOUNCEMENT.
OUR COMMUNITY HAS NOT BATTED AN EYE AT THE NORTH POINT PROJECT.
NOW, ONE PERSON THAT I KNOW OF HAS PROTESTED THAT THIS PROJECT SHOULD NOT HAPPEN.
OUR COMMUNITY RECOGNIZES THAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS NEEDED FOR OUR ISLANDS WORKFORCE, FROM NURSES, TEACHERS, PHYSICAL THERAPISTS, TO DAYCARE WORKERS AND LANDSCAPE PEOPLE IN MY CAREER.
AS A CONSULTANT, WE OFTEN RECOGNIZE THE VALUE OF YES AND THE WORKFORCE HOUSING STRATEGIC PLAN RECOMMENDS ESTABLISHING A PUBLIC PRIVATE LOCAL WORKFORCE HOUSING TRUST FUND AS ITS FIRST STEP.
AND THAT'S THE YES, AND HERE'S THE, AND WHILE THE FRAMEWORK IS BEING CREATED AND FINALIZED, IT IS NEVER TOO EARLY TO HAVE A FUNDING SOURCE IN PLACE.
RIGHT NOW, WE KNOW THAT COUNCIL CAN INCREASE MILLAGE ONE POINT TO GENERALLY ROUGH THROUGH GENERALLY ROUGHLY $1 MILLION IN REVENUE.
PREVIOUSLY, THE HOSPITALITY COMMUNITY EXPRESSED SUPPORT FOR AN INCREASE IN THEIR HOSPITALITY TAX.
IF THE PROCEEDS ARE DEDICATED TOWARD MITIGATING WORKFORCE HOUSING ISSUES.
SO PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS POSSIBILITY.
AND A THIRD OPTION COULD BE A CREATIVE USE OF ACCOMMODATION TAX FUNDING, WHICH WOULD BE A VALUABLE TOOL ACROSS THE REGION, DELIBERATE AND AGGRESSIVE LEADERSHIP BY THE MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL ON THESE POTENTIAL REVENUE STREAMS ARE CRITICAL FOR KEEPING OUR ISLAND QUALITY OF LIFE.
I URGE YOU TO ACT NOW, PLEASE.
THANK YOU, MS. PETERSON, PEACHES PETERSON.
COUNSEL, MR. MAYOR AND MR. ORLANDO.
THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME SOME TIME TO SPEAK.
I WILL BE SPEAKING ON THE WORK FOR FIRST WORKFORCE HOUSING ISSUE.
UM, I AM A 13 YEAR RESIDENT OF ON THE ISLAND, BOTH MY HUSBAND AND I MOVED HERE AND RETIRED HERE.
COLEMAN WAS AN EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT AT WALMART FOUNDATION AND WE MAKE THIS OUR HOME WE'VE MERGED OURSELVES IN THIS COMMUNITY.
I SEE MYSELF AS A NON-PROFIT BABY I'VE SINCE LIVING HERE, I HAVE VOLUNTEERED IN MANY NONPROFITS ON THE ISLAND.
MITCHELLVILLE IS MY BABY IN MY HEART, BUT IN ADDITION TO MITCHELLVILLE, I'VE, UM, VOLUNTEERED AND WORKED ON THE ART ART CENTER BOARD, UH, WOMEN IN PHILANTHROPY, COASTAL DISCOVERY MUSEUM, UH, LSC WHITE SCHOLARSHIP FUND, AND THE COMMUNITY'S FOUNDATION WHERE I SERVE AS GRANTS.
I'M GLAD THAT YOU LIKE OUR WORK.
UM, COLEMAN ADDITIONALLY SERVES ON THE WALTON FAMILY FOUNDATION AND ADVISES MANY, UM, FOUNDATIONS AS A CONSULTANT AND WILL HE DOES PRIVATE CONSULTINGS FOR VARIOUS, UM, PRESIDENTS AND CEOS OF MAJOR FOUNDATIONS.
COLEMAN ALSO GIVES TO THIS BACK TO THIS COMMUNITY, AS HE SERVES AS
[01:15:01]
CHAIRMAN OF VOLUNTEERS IN MEDICINE, I'M GLAD YOU LIKE THEIR WORK.UM, THROUGH OUR FOUNDATION WORK, WE KNOW THAT AFFORDABLE AND WORKFORCE HOUSING IS NOT AN ISSUE UNIQUE TO THIS ISLAND.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS A CONCERN ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
HOWEVER, WHAT IS UNIQUE IS OUR ABILITY TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE WITH THE RESOURCES THAT ONLY HILTON HEAD CAN PROVIDE.
SIMPLY PUT, WE HAVE RESOURCES HERE THAT MANY COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY DO NOT HAVE.
THAT IS THE GENEROSITY OF OUR RESIDENTS, OUR ROBUST NONPROFIT COMMUNITY AND THE REVENUE, OUR HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY GENERATES.
THOSE ARE ALL NEW, NEW ATTRIBUTES WE HAVE THAT WE NEED TO UTILIZE FOR HOUSING PRODUCTS.
THIS IS THE PATH I BELIEVE TO SOLVE HOUSING ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
THE LACK OF HOUSING IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO GRAB HOLD OF.
IT IS AN IMP IMPEDIMENT TO OUR COVETED ISLAND LIFESTYLE.
AND IT IS OUR JOB AS RESIDENTS OF THIS COMMUNITY TO TAKE CARE OF PEOPLE WHO ARE TAKING CARE OF US.
ALL OF US, ESPECIALLY YOU AS ELECTED OFFICIALS HAVE BEEN TASKED WITH THE GUARDIANSHIP OF THIS SPECIAL PLACE.
IT IS OUR TASK TO ENSURE THAT OUR AMAZING COMMUNITY WILL CONTINUE TO THRIVE FAR AFTER WE'VE GONE.
WHAT WE DO NOW, OR WHAT WE DON'T DO IS GOING TO BE A LEGACY.
IT IS NOT ABOUT BUILDING APARTMENTS.
IT'S ABOUT BUILDING OUR COMMUNITY, BUILDING OUR COMMUNITY WITH LIFELONG RESIDENTS WHO WILL CONTRIBUTE TO OUR NURSING STAFF AT HOSPITALS, OUR, UM, AIR CON AIR CONDITION TECHNICIANS, OUR TEACHERS AT OUR PRIVATE AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
THE PEOPLE THAT DELIVER OUR MEALS, INCLUDING THEIR SPOUSES AND FAMILIES.
BUILDING A LIFE HERE ON BUILDING ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND IS IMPORTANT.
WE NEED A DEDICATED REVENUE STREAM TO FUND OUR HOUSING SOLUTIONS.
MR. MAYOR AND COUNCIL, OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS YOU TO TAKE BOLD ACTION AND VOTE A FUND TO, TO REVENUE STREAM FOR WORK HOUSING SOLUTIONS, WHETHER THROUGH THE MEAL, HOSPITALITY, RES REVENUE OR OTHER SOURCES, THIS SHOULD NOT BE LEFT TO REFERENDUM.
IT CAN BE DONE WITH LEADERSHIP AND A VOTE.
ALL OPTIONS SHOULD BE PUT ON A TABLE AND COUNCIL CAN AND SHOULD TAKE ACTION.
AND LASTLY, SIR, AS MR. ADVOCATE, DIETRICH ADVOCATE, TOM COUNCIL, MR. MAYOR, UH, MARK.
UM, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE THE LAST ONE SPEAKING HERE, UH, THIS THIS AFTERNOON.
UM, UH, I GREATLY APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE OVER THE YEARS, AND I THINK THE MAYOR'S 21 YEARS OF PUBLIC SERVICE AND MY HAT'S OFF TO YOU.
UH, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT, FOR THOSE WHO ARE, ARE LEAVING THE TOWN COUNCIL.
UM, SO I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THE 2 78 CORRIDOR.
I, I HOPE I'M NOT GONNA REPEAT MYSELF.
UM, BUT, UM, YESTERDAY I WENT TO, UM, THE, UH, BEAUFORT COUNTY, UH, PUBLIC FACILITIES COMMITTEE MEETING AND I WITNESSED THE DOG AND PONY SHOW, UM, UH, ON THE 2 78 CORRIDOR WHERE THE CHAIRMAN WAS ALMOST RUNNING OUTTA SNAKE OIL TO SELL TO HIS OWN TOWN OWN COUNTY COUNCIL WITH ARGUMENTS THAT WERE THROWN OUT THAT ARE COMPLETELY UNBIASED AND UN, UH, UH, UM, UNFUNDED, UH, THROWING THINGS OUT LIKE THE LABEL COST US MILLIONS IT'S.
THESE ARE NUMBERS THAT ARE, UH, UM, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THEY COME UP WITH IT'S VERY CLEVER TO THROW THAT OUT, BUT IT PUTS THE FEAR INTO PEOP OTHER COUNCIL COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
AND IT'S, IT MAKES THEM VEER TOWARDS DOING WHAT, WHAT THE CHAIRMAN WANTS TO DO.
AND, UM, SO, UH, IT GOT ME THINKING AND I CAME UP WITH, UH, UH, THE, THE, THE BOB DYLAN SONG THAT WE MAY ALL KNOW, WHICH IS, UH, YOU GOTTA SERVE SOMEBODY, EVERYBODY SERVE SOMEBODY.
AND SO YOU WONDER, UM, OUR MAYOR, UH, STARTED THIS MAYORSHIP BASED ON, UH, BEING THERE FOR THE RESIDENT AND THAT'S VERY MUCH APPRECIATED.
UM, BUT THEN YOU WONDER, WE ALL KNOW WHAT THIS PROJECT IS ABOUT.
AND WE ALL KNOW WHERE THE, WHERE THE, UM, THE FRICTION IS ON ISSUES THAT NEED TO BE RESOLVED.
UM, BUT WHEN I CONSTANTLY SEE THE COUNTY STAYING ON THIS SAME TRACK AND NOT LISTENING TO, TO RATIONAL ARGUMENTS, I JUST WONDER WHO THEY SERVE.
WHO IS IT? DO THEY SERVE? DO THEY SERVE THEIR OWN EGOS?
[01:20:01]
DO THEY SERVE A HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY, A CHAMBER IT'S, IT'S JUST BEYOND BELIEF.SO I HOPE THAT IN YOUR HEARTS, UM, YOU WILL SERVE THE, THE COMMUNITY AND THE RESIDENTS AND THAT, UH, RATIONAL THINKING WILL, UM, WILL PREVAIL.
AND THAT THE, THE INTENT AND THE SPIRIT OF THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE COUNTY AND THE TOWN IS THAT WE SHARE ON AN EQUAL BASIS AND THAT WE MOVE FORWARD IN A VERY CONSTRUCTIVE WAY TO BUILD THIS BRIDGE.
ITEM NINE, UH, UNFINISHED BUSINESS
[9a. Consideration of a Resolution of the Town of Hilton Head Island, Authorizing the Execution of a Revised Memorandum of Understanding with Beaufort County Outlining the Critical Path of the William Hilton Parkway Gateway Corridor Project Including an Independent End-to-End Analysis and Simulation of the Corridor]
CONSIDERATION RESOLUTION BY THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND AUTHORIZED THE EXECUTION OF RISE, MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN BEAUFORT COUNTY, A CRITICAL PATH FOR THE WILLIAM HILL AND POPWAY GATEWAY AND AN INDEPENDENT END TO END AUDIT SEAN THEOR.GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR TOWN MANAGER, COUNCIL, UM, TWO THINGS.
I'M NOT SURE I HAVE ENOUGH WATER TO GET THROUGH.
UM, AND I'VE GOT BOB DYLAN AND JONI MITCHELL SONGS RUNNING THROUGH MY HEAD.
AND
UM, YOU KNOW, BEFORE WE LEAD IN, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE ONE, I, I WANNA MAKE SURE THIS IS A COOPERATIVE EFFORT.
I THINK WHAT'S BEING PORTRAYED A LOT OF TIMES IS THIS IS ONE SIDE VERSUS THE OTHER, AND THAT'S NOT, UM, THAT'S NOT THE INTENT HERE.
I WANNA SAY THE PURPOSE OF THE MOA IS TO DEF DEFINE THE STEPS AND INFORMATION THAT'S NEEDED TO PUT BOTH THE TOWN AND THE COUNTY IN POSITION TO ADVANCE THIS PROJECT.
NOW, WHEN WE GO THROUGH THESE STEPS AND WHAT WAS OUTLINED WITH COUNCIL WEED INFORMATION ON THIS END TO END ANALYSIS, TO LOOK AT TRUE IMPACTS BEYOND THE DEFINED PROJECT LIMIT, THAT WAS PART OF, UM, THAT'S CURRENTLY PART OF THE PROJECT, AND THERE'S BEEN A COMMITMENT TO DO THAT.
OUR MOA, UH, AND SCOPE OF WORK, UH, INCLUDED EXTENSION ALL THE WAY TO C PINE CIRCLE, UM, IN ONE DIRECTION AND THROUGH TO HOOPING CRANE WAY, AND THEN TOGO RUN IN THE OTHERS.
UM, SO WE NEED TO CONFIRM NEED EVALUATION OF FULL IMPACTS, INCLUDING UP AND DOWNSTREAM IMPACTS AND FACTORING IN THE BENEFITS OF THE ADAPTIVE TRAFFIC SIGNAL, UH, BENEFITS THAT WOULD RESULT FROM THE, FROM THAT SYSTEM AND OTHER IT, UH, INTELLIGENT TRAFFIC SOLUTIONS THAT MAY OR TRANSPORTATION SOLUTIONS THAT MAY PRESENT THEMSELVES.
WE ALSO NEED TO UNDERSTAND A FULL PATH, FULL IMPACT ASSESSMENT AND IDENTIFICATION OF MITIGATION OPTIONS TO CONSIDER ABOVE THOSE THAT ARE ALREADY OUTLINED IN THE EA THAT HAS BEEN DRAFTED.
SO I JUST WANTED TO LAY THAT FRAMEWORK OUT, AND THEN I'M GONNA WALK THROUGH, AND I'M GONNA ASK JARED, FRAK MY COUNTERPART WITH THE COUNTY TO COME UP HERE, CUZ I THINK THE, THE THERE'LL BE MORE BENEFIT.
AND THE TWO OF US TRYING TO GO THROUGH AND EXPLAIN WHERE WE ARE WHEN WE, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE TERMS AND JARED, I'M GONNA DRIVE FOR JUST A FEW MINUTES AND, UM, YOU HAVE, AS LONG AS IT TAKES FOR ME TO DRINK THAT WATER TO RESPOND.
SO, UM, WE'RE NOT FOCUSING RESOLUTION.
THIS IS JUST THE MOA THAT WAS IN FRONT OF COUNSEL IN AUGUST.
AND THIS, WHAT WE'VE DONE HERE IS TRACK CHANGES.
THIS MOA WAS MOA THAT WAS PRESENTED LAST NIGHT AT THE BEAUFORT COUNTY PUBLIC FACILITIES COMMITTEE.
SO IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WAS OUTLINED IN YOUR PACKET.
UM, BUT WE'RE GONNA MOVE THROUGH, THIS IS, THIS IS THE MOST CURRENT, UH, THE, THE BEAUFORT COUNTY PUBLIC FACILITIES COMMITTEE APPROVED THIS TO ADVANCE TO THEIR COUNCIL AND IS SCHEDULED TO BE BEFORE COUNTY COUNCIL.
NEXT MONDAY, I WILL COVER EVERYTHING BECAUSE I WANT EVERYONE TO UNDERSTAND THE CHANGES THAT ARE BEING MADE.
WE CALL IT THE WILLIAM HILTON PARKWAY, PROJECT GATEWAY CORRIDOR PROJECT, THE COUNTY, BECAUSE THAT'S THE WAY IT'S IDENTIFIED IN THE PROJECT TITLE THROUGH THE SI APPLICATION, OTHERS, THEY HAVE IT AS IDENTIFIED AS THE US 2 78 CORRIDOR PROJECT.
UM, AND THEN THERE'S BEEN SOME
[01:25:01]
MINOR WORDING HERE TO THE TRAFFIC SIGNAL AND ANYWAY, BUT THEY DRAFTED IT AS THE COUNTY, A COUNTY MOA TO THE TOWN CHANGE OF DATE, NOT GONNA WORRY ABOUT THIS.WE GO THROUGH ALL THE RECITALS AND I JUST WANNA FOCUS ON, UM, A COUPLE KEY POINTS.
THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF DIFFERENT WORDING THAT WE SAID THAT IT IMPACTS THE CITIZENS AND VISITORS TO HILTON HEAD, THE COUNTIES, REVISE THAT TO SAY, UM, THE PROJECT WOULD PROVIDE SAFER TRANSPORTATION TO THE CITIZENS AND VISITORS.
I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO TOO MUCH WORDSMITHING, BUT WHERE THERE'S MATERIAL CHANGE, LET'S FOCUS IN THOSE AREAS.
THE NEXT WHEREAS CLAUSE THE COUNTY IS AT ADDED.
UM, THE STEP THAT WAS TAKEN BETWEEN THE TOWN AND COUNTY TO DO THE, UM, THE INDEPENDENT REVIEW, THE HDR CONDUCTED A COUPLE YEARS AGO, JARED.
SO IT'S A RECOGNITION OF THAT EFFORT.
UM, AND I DON'T WANNA DEBATE WHETHER IT WAS INDEPENDENT OR NOT, BUT IT'S, IT WAS PART OF WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THE PROCESS.
UM, THE, THE, THE NEXT, UM, WHEREAS IS JUST A RECOGNITION THAT THE TOWN COUNCIL 26 RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, IDENTIFY THAT WERE IDENTIFIED, HELPED MODIFY THE PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE THAT WAS SHARED, UM, PUBLICLY THROUGH THE PUBLIC MEETING THAT WAS HELD ON MARCH 3RD.
UH, THE NEXT ONE AGAIN, UM, UH, I WOULDN'T SAY ANY SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES, UM, JUST SOME MINOR WORDING, UM, TO TALK ABOUT THE COMMENTS THAT WE ALL HAVE RECEIVED BOTH AT THE TOWN AND COUNTY LEVEL, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE LOOK AT THE IMPACTS OUTSIDE OF THE INTEN OR THE CURRENT SCOPE OF THE PROJECT AND TO EVALUATE, UM, THOSE IMPACTS DOWN DOWNSTREAM, UM, AND ALSO LOOK AT OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WOULD ENHANCE THE PROJECT, UM, BEYOND WHAT TOWN COUNCIL HAS IDENTIFIED.
I THINK THE END TO END IS GONNA GIVE US SOME RECOMMENDATIONS THAT I, THAT WE SHOULD CONSIDER BEFORE THE PROJECT IS FINALIZED.
AND THEN THE, THE ONLY MATERIAL CHANGE FROM THE RECITALS, UH, FOR ME IS THE TOWN COUNCIL APPROVED THE MOA, UM, OR THE RESOLUTION WITH THE MOA.
AND IT INCLUDED A, A SCOPE OF WORK AND COUNCIL AUTHORIZED THE TOWN MANAGER TO, TO WORK WITH THE COUNTY TO EXECUTE THAT MOA MATERIALLY CONSISTENT WITH THAT SCOPE OF WORK.
AND SO, YEAH, I CAN DRESS THIS.
AND, UH, APPRECIATE THE HAIRCUT.
SO I DIDN'T KNOW WE WERE GETTING THE SAME HAIRCUT.
UM, SO THIS ONE, THIS ONE, ISN'T A, ISN'T A BEAUTIFUL, UM, TERM IS JUST THE FACT THAT IT, FROM OUR STANDPOINT FELT MORE THAT THIS WAS A, THE FORCE STATEMENT THAN A WHEREAS STATEMENT.
SO, UM, THIS IS ADDRESSED IN THE FORCE AS WE TALK ABOUT THE INDEPENDENT REVIEW, THIS SECOND INDEPENDENT REVIEW THAT WE WE'RE ALL TALKING ABOUT.
SO THAT WAS, THAT WAS REALLY THE, THE REASONING BEHIND THAT CHANGE.
UM, SO THAT'S, AGAIN FOR ME THAT, AND THE RECITALS, THAT'S THE, THE ONLY MATERIAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO, OTHER THAN SOME MINOR WORDSMITHING.
UM, I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE A COMMITMENT TO EXECUTE THE END TO END, UM, ANALYSIS MATERIALLY CONSISTENT WITH THE SCOPE THAT WE HAD DRAFTED.
UM, AND I KNOW I'VE, I'VE TALKED WITH JARED AND, AND, UM, WE'RE, WE STAND READY, UM, BASED ON THE ULTIMATE WILL OF TOWN AND COUNTY COUNCIL TO DO SO.
UM, UH, AGAIN, NO NOTHING MATERIAL THERE.
LET ME SCROLL DOWN A LITTLE BIT, SEAN, YOU WANT QUESTIONS AT THE END OR AS YOU GO? YEAH, I THINK, LET, LET ME GET THROUGH THE TERMS AND THEN I'LL TAKE, I THINK AT THAT POINT, UM, I THINK CAUSE JARED AND I ARE GONNA TRY TO EXPLAIN WHILE WE WILL EXPLAIN WHAT WAS REQUEST, WHAT WAS REQUESTED BY COUNSEL, THE CHANGES BY THE COUNTY.
AND THEN WE WILL GET TO, I BELIEVE, UM, UH, A POINT TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS.
AND THEN I, I'D LIKE TO GET TO A POINT WHERE WE CAN RESOLVE SOME OF THIS AND PROVIDE INPUT OR THE OUTPUT OF THIS MEETING WILL HELP THE COUNTY IN REVISING THEIR MOA BEFORE THE COUNCIL MEETING ON MONDAY.
SO THESE WERE THE TERMS THAT WERE INCLUDED IN THE MOA REDLINED, UM, TO SHOW THE CHANGES BETWEEN THE TOWN'S VERSION AND THE, AND THE COUNTY'S VERSION.
THE RED, THE, THE TEXT STRUCK THROUGH WITH RED IS TOWN TOWN LANGUAGE THAT HAS BEEN REMOVED.
AND THE, AND THE BLUE UNDERLYING TEXT IS WHAT'S BEEN ADDED, UM, BY THE COUNTY.
SO YOU CAN SEE OUR VERSION SAID, WE'D ADVANCE A PROJECT THROUGH EQUAL PARTNERSHIP, ALL DECISIONS AND APPROVALS CONCERNED PROJECT SHALL BE MADE IN WRITING BY AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVES OF TOWN AND COUNTY RESPECTIVELY.
THE, UH, THE COUNTY'S VERSION SAID THE TOWN AND COUNTY AGREED TO ADVANCE A PROJECT IN A COOPERATIVE MANNER.
AND SO TO ADDRESS THIS ONE, THIS IS NOT
[01:30:01]
SO MUCH, UH, UM, DESCRIBING THE 50 50 PARTNERSHIP.I KNOW THAT'S KIND OF A LITTLE BIT OF THE INTENT THAT WAS REQUESTED HERE.
UM, THE APPROVALS CONCERN, THE PROJECT, UH, I THINK WE CAN ALL AGREE.
WE'VE, WE'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT ON BOTH SIDES OF THE COUNTY AND THE TOWN, UM, TRYING TO EVEN GET THIS AGREEMENT IS RESOLVED.
SO THE FACT THAT WE'RE MOVING IN ADVANCE IN A PROJECT AND EVERY DECISION POINT AS A, UM, HAS DUALLY WRITTEN AND SIGNED AND AUTHORIZED BY BOTH COUNCILS, IT'S A ARDUOUS TASK.
UM, SO IN THE SPIRIT TO ADVANCE THE PROJECT, UM, THAT WAS THE INTENT BEHIND THIS CHANGE IS THAT WE ARE WORKING HERE, WE'RE HERE TODAY.
SO THE INTENT IS THAT WE'RE GONNA WORK TOGETHER AND BUILD THIS AS STAKEHOLDERS.
UM, BUT THE, THE STRIKETHROUGH WAS JUST FOR THE, UM, THE AUTHORIZATION OF EVERY DECISION POINT.
SO, SO IT DOES CHANGE A LITTLE BIT OF THE, UM, UM, THE LANGUAGE THERE.
UM, LISTEN, I THINK THE TOWN NEEDS TO REMAIN INVOLVED, UM, AND WORK COOPERATIVE COOPERATIVELY WITH THE COUNTY FOR THE ENTIRE LIFE CYCLE OF THE PROJECT, FROM WHERE WE ARE TODAY THROUGH THE END OF CONSTRUCTION AND THEN BEYOND.
UM, BUT THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE CHANGE THAT'S BEING PROPOSED BY THE COUNTY.
AND THANK YOU, JARED, FOR THAT CONTEXT OF WHY THAT CHANGE WAS MADE.
UH, THE, THE SECOND ITEM RELATES TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT TOWN COUNCIL APPROVED AND SENT TO THE COUNTY.
UM, THEY WERE, UM, COMPLETED WITH, UH, TOWN DIRECTLY WITH TOWN COUNCIL STAFF ASSISTANCE AND OUR EXPERTS OF MKS K, UM, AND TO IN GOOD FAITH ADVANCE THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, TO PURSUE IMPLEMENTATION.
AND THE CHANGE FROM THE COUNTY IS, UM, THAT THERE'S A PROVISION IN HERE THAT TOWN COUNCIL WOULD THEN AGREE THAT THIS WILL BE ONE BRIDGE, THERE'LL BE ONE BRIDGE, UM, DESIGNED AND BUILT AS PART OF THE PROJECT.
SO AGREE ON THE MK SK, A LOT OF THE ITEMS THAT WERE PRESENTED OUT, MK SK HAVE ALREADY BEEN INCORPORATED INTO THE MODIFIED PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE THAT WAS, UM, THAT WAS PROVIDED AT THE PUBLIC INFORMATION IN MARCH.
UM, SO THE ONE BIG THING OUT OF THE MK SK WAS THE TWO BRIDGES VERSUS ONE BRIDGE.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S ONE POINT THAT THE COUNTY STANDS FIRM ALONG WITH D O T IS, UM, THAT THE ONE BRIDGE OPTION IS THE MOST EFFICIENT AND COST EFFECTIVE.
UM, SO THAT WAS THE CHANGE THERE AND THE INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT, WE GET FURTHER INTO THAT.
UM, SO THAT WAS THE REASONING ON THE STRIKE THROUGH, ON THAT NEXT KIND OF LINE OR TWO.
AND WE'VE BEEN IN SEVERAL MEETINGS, UM, ATTENDED BY BOTH TOWN AND COUNTY COUNCIL, UH, SOME MEMBERS, UH, HERE AND, UH, UH, BEAUFORD COUNTY.
UH, THE COUNTY'S BEEN PRETTY CLEAR ON THEIR POSITION, UH, RELATED TO THE ONE VERSUS, UH, TWO BRIDGES.
AND SO THIS ISN'T A SURPRISE TO SEE THIS AS A TERM, UM, IN THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT COUNCIL SUPPORTED WAS TO FOCUS ON, UH, THE DESIGN ELEMENTS AS IT RELATES TO THE PROJECT GOING FORWARD WITH, WITH SPECIAL ATTENTION GIVEN TO THE BRIDGE.
AND SO I THINK THAT OBVIOUSLY THAT RECOMMENDATION IS STILL, UM, SOMETHING TO, TO WORK THROUGH FEASIBILITY, UM, AND OPTIONS FOR IMPLEMENTATION.
[01:35:06]
OKAY.UM, THE TERM NUMBER THREE FROM THE, THE TOWN'S MOA, UH, WAS THAT THE TOWN WOULD RETAIN THE INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT.
I WANT TO BE CLEAR ABOUT ONE THING, INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT DOES NOT MEAN THE TOWN INDEPENDENT OF THE COUNTY AND I'M I'M, AND I'M GONNA, I'M SORRY IF, IF SOME FOLKS THINK THAT THAT'S WHAT IT NEEDS TO BE, WE CANNOT ADVANCE THE, THE PROJECT WITHOUT COORDINATION AND COMMUNICATION WITH THE COUNTY ON THIS PROJECT.
UM, AND THE INDEPENDENT PORTION AS OUTLINED IN THE CORRESPONDENCE FROM SENATOR DAVIS AND OTHERS, WAS THAT THEY COULDN'T HAVE A, A CURRENT, UM, RELATIONSHIP OR CONTRACT WITH SC D O T BECAUSE WE NEED THE RESULT OF THIS.
THE CONSULTANT SELECTED TO HELP US WITH A POSITION, UM, TO ADVANCE OP OPTIONS FOR IMPROVING THE PROJECT.
AND DON'T WANNA HAVE THAT CONFLICT WITH A CONSULTANT THAT HAS THAT RELATIONSHIP WITH D O T.
SO IT'S NOT ABOUT INDEPENDENCE FROM THE TOWN AND THE COUNTY INDEPENDENT FROM EACH OTHER.
UM, SO THE TOWN SAID WE WOULD, WE WOULD PROCURE AND RETAIN THE INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT TO DO THE END TO END ANALYSIS, UM, AS OUTLINED IN THAT SCOPE OF WORK THAT I REFERENCED EARLIER, THE COUNTY, UM, THE, THEIR VERSION OF THE MOA SAYS THAT WE SHOULD DO THAT TOGETHER.
I THINK THAT WE SHOULD, THE TOWN SHOULD PROCURE.
UM, AND WE'LL GET TO THE NEXT STEP W WITH COORDINATION ON THE COUNTY.
AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE, THE SELECTION COMMITTEE, BUT THAT'S THAT, THAT'S MY THAT'S MY PREFERENCE IS THE TOWN WOULD PROCURE, UM, AND SELECT THE CONSULTANT WITH, WITH ASSISTANCE FROM THE COUNTY, BUT IT WOULD BE UNDER OUR, UM, OUR SELECTION PROCESS.
SO, UM, TO, TO WHAT YOU SAID THERE, SEAN IS IF WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER IN A COOPERATIVE MANNER, AS MENTIONED IN, IN THE PRIOR ITEM, UM, THEN, THEN THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE WORK TOGETHER WITH TOO.
UM, SO THE INDEPENDENCE IS INDEPENDENT OF D O T INDEPENDENT OF COUNTY, INDEPENDENT OF TOWN OPERATIONS.
SO THIS IS, THIS IS A CONSULTANT THAT NOBODY IN THE REGIONS WORK WITH, WHICH, UM, THAT'LL BE, UH, IT'S OWN CHALLENGE, FIND THAT CONSULTANT AND ATTRACT THEM TO, TO A PROJECT THAT THEY'RE NOT EVEN ON THEIR RADAR.
UM, BUT THAT WAS THE THOUGHT PROCESS THERE MM-HMM,
AND AS WE SOLICIT THAT, UM, CONSULTANT, SO THAT WAS THE REASONING FOR THAT SCRATCH.
ALL RIGHT, MOVING ON TO THE NEXT STEP.
UM, I, I CAN ADDRESS THIS ONE THAT MOSTLY A RED LINE.
UH, SO THIS ONE IS, AND, AND THIS, UH, POINT THAT WE CAN DISCUSS WHETHER WE WANT TO ADD IT OR NOT, BUT IN THE SPIRIT OF BEING INDEPENDENT OF D OT, UM, THIS IS BASICALLY TAKING ALL THE D O T DATA THAT HAS BEEN DONE AND WORKED UP SO FAR FOR THE PROJECT AND HANDING THAT TO THE INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT THAT'S SELECTED.
IF THAT'S COMFORTABLE WITH EVERYBODY, THEN WE CAN DEFINITELY LEAVE THAT IN THE THOUGHT PROCESS BEHIND THIS IS, IF WE'RE GOING TO SAY IT'S TRULY INDEPENDENT, THEN THAT INDEPENDENT FIRM NEEDS TO ALSO CREATE THEIR OWN DATA.
HOWEVER, UM, THAT, AGAIN, WE'RE, WE'RE UP FOR EITHER WAY, IN MY OPINION, DATA IS DATA.
UM, SO I DON'T SEE IT AS AN ISSUE, BUT THAT WAS THE REASONING BEHIND THE STRIKE IS IF WE WANT THEM TO GO TO GET THEIR OWN TRAFFIC COUNTS, THAT WILL TAKE LONGER AND, AND, UM, COSTS MORE MONEY AND TRAFFIC COUNTS OR TRAFFIC COUNTS.
SO I, AGAIN, I'M COMFORTABLE, UH, AND THE COUNTY'S COMFORTABLE WITH HAVING THAT STATEMENT STAY IN THERE, BUT THAT WAS THE REASONING.
IF WE WANT IT TO BE INDEPENDENT, THEN THEY CAN, THEY CAN OBTAIN THEIR OWN DATA.
AND, AND IN THE, THE, UH, DRAFT SCOPE OF WORK, THERE WAS VERY DETAILED, UM, REQUIREMENTS FOR THE, YOU KNOW, FOR MODELING AND OTHER EFFORTS THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED OF THE INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT.
AND SO SOME OF THAT, AGAIN, REQUIRES SOME DATA, I THINK THAT WAS AT THE AVAILABLE THROUGH COUNTY OR, OR E D O T, BUT THE METHODOLOGY, THE VALIDATION, THE OUTPUT WILL BE DRAFTED AND GENERATED BY THE INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT TO GENERATE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WOULD IMPACT, POSSIBLY IMPACT THE, UM, THE PROJECT.
UM, AND SO THAT WAS KIND OF THE INTENT THERE, BUT WE CAN ADD IT THAT THAT'S MORE OF A, UM, UH, HOUSEKEEPING PART OF THE RELATIONSHIP.
UM, THE NEXT PART, THE, THE TOWN MOA, UM, DIDN'T INCLUDE A, A COMMITTEE
[01:40:01]
TO HELP, UM, TO SELECT OR OVER HAVE OVERSIGHT OVER THE, UM, OVER THE CONSULTANT MM-HMMUM, AND SO WHAT THE COUNTY IS PROPOSED THAT THE TOWN AND COUNTY WOULD CREATE A COMMITTEE AND UNDER THE WAY IT'S CURRENTLY WRITTEN FROM THE COUNTY, UM, AS, UH, MS. PRINCE POINTED OUT, THERE ARE THREE MEMBERS IDENTIFIED THAT WOULD REPRESENT THE COUNTY AND TWO AT THE TOWN.
UM, I THINK, AGAIN, HAVING THIS COORDINATION THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT, IT, IT MAKES SENSE TO HAVE PARTICIPATION.
I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT IT BE EQUAL PARTICIPATION WITH THREE MEMBERS, UH, ON EACH SIDE.
AND SO WE WOULD ADD OUR, UH, OUR TOWN ENGINEER INTO THIS MIX, UH, ALONG WITH, WITH, UM, WITH MYSELF AND THEN A DESIGNEE FROM MARK TO BE DETERMINED BY MARK.
AND I, I DON'T THINK THAT WOULD BE ANYTHING ON THE COUNTY THAT WOULD DISAGREE WITH, UM, THEN 10 YEARS.
I THINK MOST, EVERYBODY HAS AN ODD NUMBER OF COMMITTEE, OUR COUNCIL.
UM, HOWEVER, I DON'T SEE THIS AS A, AS A COMMITTEE, THAT'S GOING TO BE IN DISAGREEMENT.
WE'RE GOING TO COME TO ALL RESOLUTION BEFORE WE PUT OUT THE SCOPE, WE'RE GONNA COME TO RESOLUTION ON WHO WE SELECT.
SO I DON'T SEE IT BEING AN ODD MAN OUT.
SO WHETHER WE, WE GO DOWN TO FOUR, WE GO UP TO SIX.
UM, I THINK THAT'S A LITTLE BIT OF SEMANTICS, BUT I DON'T THINK THERE'S A BIG ISSUE EITHER WAY.
UH, THE NEXT PROVISION THAT WAS IN THE TOWNS MOA WE'RE WE LISTEN, WE'RE FINE.
IT WAS A TOWN ACTION REGARDLESS, AND WE DON'T NEED A COUNTY'S AGREEMENT TO DO THAT.
UH, BUT WE WERE TRYING TO INCLUDE WELL, AND, AND I CAN EXPLAIN THE THOUGHT BEHIND THAT.
SO AGAIN, IN THE MODIFIED PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE, THAT'S BEEN PRESENTED, UM, MOST OF THE ITEMS FROM MK SK, THE, THE MONETARY ITEMS HAVE BEEN INCORPORATED.
SO, UM, THE, THE ONE BRIDGE IS THE, IS THE ONLY THING.
AND, AND THAT'S ACTUALLY A SUBTRACTION VERSUS ADDITION OF COST.
UM, THE MEANDERING ON JENKINS ISLAND.
UM, THE LEFT TURNS, A LOT OF THOSE THINGS HAVE ALREADY BEEN INCORPORATED.
SO, UH, WE CAN GET THE OPINION OF COST, BUT THOSE COSTS ARE KIND OF ALREADY BAKED INTO WHERE WE ARE AT THIS POINT IN THE PROJECT.
DIDN'T WE, AT ONE TIME WE GOT THOSE ESTIMATES FROM HD.
ON, ON, UM, ON SOME OF THOSE KEY HIGH DOLLAR, THE, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE BRIDGE ONE VERSUS TWO BRIDGES, AND THEN THE, UH, THE, THE JENKINS ISLAND, UH, UH, ALIGNMENT MODIFICATION THAT WENT FORWARD ALSO THE COST OF THE, UH, THE RESPITE OR BULB OUTS, FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM ON THE BRIDGE FOR THE PEDESTRIAN BIKING AND PEDESTRIAN PATH.
THAT WAS PART OF THAT, THAT WAS PRESENTED TO COUNCIL, UM, LAST FALL, AND THOSE ARE INCORPORATED ALREADY.
THOSE TWO, UM, THE NEXT ONE, UM, IS ALREADY BEEN COVERED.
WE, AND THERE'S NO CHANGE HERE THAT THE TOWN COUNTY MUTUALLY AGREED TO WORK TOGETHER TO SEEK NECESSARY FUNDS IMPLEMENT THE OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS ARISING FROM THE, IN, FROM, UH, INDEPENDENT REVIEW, UM, AND MK SK THAT ARE RELATED TO THE PROJECT.
UM, THIS NEXT ONE THERE'S, I DON'T KNOW WHY IT SHOWS UP THIS WAY.
THE ONLY ADDITION TO THIS NEXT PROVISION, UM, WAS THAT THE COUNTY ADDED AND LATS, WHICH MAKES SENSE, THEY'RE OUR REGIONAL METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION.
THE RECOMMENDATION FOR THIS CORRIDOR AND BRIDGE HAS BEEN IN THE LONG RANGE, TRANSPORTATION PLANTS SINCE 2015.
AND SO ADDING THEM IN JUST FOR CLARITY IS, AND THE, UM, THE FIBER TECH CONNECTIVITY.
SO ADAPTIVE SIGNALS IS ONE COMPONENT, BUT IT'S ONLY ONE TOOL IN THE TOOLBOX, REALLY THE THING THAT'S GOING TO HELP SYNCHRONIZE THAT ENTIRE SECTION IS FIBER.
SO HAVING THAT QUICK ACCESS OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE SIGNALS IS INTEGRAL.
UM, SO AGAIN, ADAPTED SIGNALS IS PART OF THE EQUATION, BUT NOT ALL OF US.
SO THIS WAS AN IMPROVEMENT, I BELIEVE OVER THE LANGUAGE THAT, UM, THAT I HAD LED IN DRAFTING, UM, FOR THAT CLARITY, UM, NUMBER SEVEN IS AGAIN ON THIS PAGE AS PART OF A, A PREVIOUS ONE.
UH, AND THEN THE FINAL ONE AS PART OF THE AGREEMENT, BOTH, WE DIDN'T HAVE A PROVISION IN HERE.
THIS IS WHAT THE COUNTY IS INCLUDED IS THEIR LAST, UM, AS PART OF THIS AGREEMENT, BOTH THE COUNTY AND THE TOWN, AGREE TO MOVE THE PROJECT FORWARD THROUGH THE NEPO PROCESS.
AND I'M GONNA ASK JAR TO EXPLAIN WHAT THAT, WHAT THAT MEANS.
UM, I KNOW THERE'S BEEN SOME CONCERN ABOUT, IS THIS, IS THIS A SORT OF BACK DOOR TO THE, THE TOWN PROVIDING MUNICIPAL CONSENT.
AND, AND MY ANSWER IS NO, BUT I'D LIKE HIM TO EXPLAIN WHAT THIS MEANS ABOUT ADVANCING THROUGH NPA.
SO, SO THIS IS NOT MUNICIPAL CONSENT.
SO NPA WHERE WE ARE AT THE CURRENT PROCESS, WE'RE IN THE PRELIMINARY DESIGN, THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, THE IMPACTS, UM, WE HAVE A, A, A, UM, DEVELOPED PACKAGE READY TO SUBMIT OR CLOSE, READY TO SUBMIT.
UM, SO THIS WOULD ALLOW THE, THE PROJECT TO MOVE FORWARD TO
[01:45:01]
SUBMIT THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY SO THEY CAN REVIEW THEIR REVIEW PROCESS.UM, IN DOING THIS, UM, THE, THIS DOES NOT STOP THE INDEPENDENT REVIEW.
THE INDEPENDENT REVIEW COULD WORK CONCURRENTLY WITH THE PROCESS THAT, THAT THE, UM, THAT FEDERAL HIGHWAY WILL BE REVIEWING.
UM, AND THEN MUNICIPAL CONSENT COMES LATER IN THE PROJECT.
AS WE MOVE INTO FINAL DESIGN, BEFORE WE GET TO FINAL DESIGN, USUALLY AROUND 60 TO 70% DESIGN PLANS IS WHEN WE GO RIGHT AWAY AND WE START THE RIGHT AWAY ACQUISITION PROCESS.
SO THAT'S WHEN MUNICIPAL CONSENT WOULD BE REQUIRED BEFORE.
UH, WE START REACHING OUT TO LANDOWNERS AND ADDRESSING ACQUISITIONS THAT'S WHEN MUNICIPAL CONSENT.
SO, UM, THIS WOULD ALLOW THE PROJECT TO MOVE FORWARD, STILL TIME FOR INDEPENDENT REVIEW, UM, CONSULTANT TO DO THEIR WORK, AND THEN TOWN COUNCIL CAN, CAN MAKE DECISION AT A LATER DATE IN THE PROJECT.
UM, I'M OPEN TO, UM, TAKE COMMENTS, UH, FROM TOWN COUNCIL AT THIS TIME, DAVID, A LOT TO ABSORB FOR MY FEEBLE MIND.
UM, I APPRECIATE YOUR, UM, EFFORTS TO WORK COOPERATIVELY.
UM, I'M HAVING SOME DIFFICULTY ABSORBING IN, UM, THE IMPLICATION OF THIS LANGUAGE CHANGE.
I JUST HAVEN'T HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO THINK ABOUT IT THAT MUCH.
UM, WHEN WILL THE END TO END STUDY BE COMPLETED? THE ESTIMATED TIMEFRAME, UM, THAT WE GOT FROM, UH, TALKED TO SEVERAL, UM, NATIONAL TRAFFIC ENGINEERS IS ABOUT SIX MONTHS TO GET SOME RESULTS, BUT WE DON'T HAVE IT OUT TO BID.
SO IT'S PROBABLY ANOTHER SIX WEEKS IF WE GOT IT ON THE STREET TOMORROW TO GET THREE, NINE MONTHS AND NINE MONTHS.
UM, WHAT OCCURS IF THIS COUNCIL DELAYS SIGNING THIS AGREEMENT FROM THE COUNTY STANDPOINT? SO, UM, ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF AGO, I HAD TO GO TO COLUMBIA, UH, TO MAKE A PRESENTATION TO THE STATE INFRASTRUCTURE BANK ON THE STATUS OF THE PROJECT.
UM, FOR THE MOST PART, THAT STATUS UPDATE WENT WELL.
HOWEVER, I DID GET BEAT UP PRETTY SIGNIFICANTLY BY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD ON THE STATUS OF THE PROJECT AND THE DELAYS.
THEY OBVIOUSLY READ THE NEWSPAPER AND GET THEIR UPDATES, AND WE SEND THEM QUARTERLY UPDATES, BUT THEY'RE VERY INTERESTED.
UM, THEY HAD THE IMPRESSION THAT THIS WAS A SHOVEL READY PROJECT, AND THAT'S THE REASON THAT THEY PUT THEIR 120 MILLION CHECK AND INVESTED IT INTO OUR PROJECT.
UM, SO THEY HAVE NUMEROUS OTHER PROJECTS ON THE BOOKS THAT THEY'RE READY TO PUT FUNDS TO.
AND, UM, FORTUNATELY D O T CAME TO OUR SIDE AND, AND, UH, SPOKE TO OUR BEHALF AND SAID, HEY, LOOK, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE COUNTY AND THE TOWN, THEY'RE DOING THEIR DUE DILIGENCE.
WE'RE CONFIDENT THAT THEY'RE GOING THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
AND, AND, UM, AND THAT'S SUFFICED, BUT THAT THAT'S FROM THE COUNTY STANDPOINT, THAT'S THE CONCERN IS OBVIOUSLY THERE'S CONCERN IN RISING COSTS AND INFLATION.
THAT'S A KIND OF UNKNOWN NUMBER, BUT A KNOWN NUMBER IS THE $120 MILLION THAT THE C HAS CONTRIBUTED.
UM, AND IN THEIR OPINION AT THE TIME WAS A VERY GOOD RETURN ON INVESTMENT.
SO, SO THE COUNTY'S POSITION AT THIS TIME IS THAT NINE MONTHS JEOPARDIZES THE, UM, INFRASTRUCTURE BANK MONEY.
SO I, I DON'T KNOW A SPECIFIC TIME PERIOD WHEN THEY SAY, OKAY, APPRECIATE YOU WORKING WITH US, BUT PLEASE GIVE US OUR MONEY BACK.
I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW THAT DATE, BUT, UH, I DO KNOW THAT I WAS VERY AGGRESSIVELY, UM, ASKED ABOUT THE TIMING AND WHY IT'S TAKEN.
HEY, CAN I DROP YOU ONE SECOND? SENATOR DAVIS, COULD YOU MAKE ANY COMMENTS ON THAT? SURE.
ABOUT HAVING THAT CONVERS MR. MAYOR? UM, I WOULD CONCUR WITH WHAT, UH, JARED JUST SAID, THAT'S CONSISTENT WITH THE CONVERSATIONS I'VE HAD WITH SECRETARY HALL, UH, THE D O OT, UM, AND THE COMMENTS THAT SHE APPARENTLY MADE ARE CONSISTENT WITH THE COMMENTS SHE'S MADE TO ME.
SHE UNDERSTANDS THE COUNTY AND THE TOWN ARE WORKING TOGETHER.
SHE UNDERSTANDS THAT THE COMMUNITY IS ENGAGED IN THIS PROCESS.
SHE UNDERSTANDS THAT THIS IS PART OF THE PROCESS AND SOMETHING TO BE.
UM, I THINK LAUDED RATHER THAN CRITICIZED.
I MEAN, WE HAVE CITIZENS GROUPS INVOLVED.
WE HAVE, UM, ORGANIZATIONS CONCERNED ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT INVOLVED.
UM, WE HAVE OUTSIDE CONSULTANTS COMING IN TO MAKE THE PRODUCT BETTER.
[01:50:01]
UM, ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE CONTEMPLATED TO OCCUR WITHIN THIS, WITHIN THIS PROCESS.AND SO WHAT SECRETARY HALL HAD SAID TO ME IS THAT THE CRITICAL POINT SHE'S LOOKING AT IS WHEN CAN SHE REQUEST THE RECORD OF DECISION FROM THE CORE OF ENGINEERS? THAT'S, THAT'S THE NEXT CRITICAL STEP ON THE PATH FOR HER? SHE SAYS THAT SHE WILL SUBMIT THAT RECORD, UH, REQUEST FOR A RECORD OF DECISION ONCE THAT DELTA, UH, AND I DON'T HAVE MY NOTES IN FRONT OF ME, BUT IT'S THAT 40, 45 MILLION SHORTFALL BETWEEN, UM, DOLLARS IN HAND FROM VARIOUS SOURCES AND THE UPDATED ESTIMATE FOR THE PROJECT, WHICH WAS GOOD AS OF TWO WEEKS AGO, I HAVE SPOKEN WITH THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE, UM, AND HAVE EVERY REASON TO BELIEVE THAT THE EXECUTIVE BUDGET IS GOING TO INCLUDE A RECOMMENDED APPROPRIATION FOR THAT DELTA ONCE THAT EXECUTIVE BUDGET IS ISSUED IN JANUARY, THAT IS WHEN SECRETARY HALL WILL REQUEST THE RECORD OF DECISION.
UM, IT DOES NEED TO BE AN APPROPRIATION FROM THE GENERAL.
SHE SAID, IF THERE IS A RECOMMENDATION IN THE EXECUTIVE BUDGET, THAT'S SUFFICIENT FOR HER OF IDENTIFYING ALL THE FUNDING SOURCES.
UM, YOU KNOW, IN REGARD TO, TO THIS, THIS, THIS LAST STEP THAT WE'RE TAKING.
AND, AND, AND, AND I CONFESSED TO A BIT OF FRUSTRATION HERE BECAUSE WE ALL SAT COUNCIL MEMBERS WITH COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBERS IN APRIL.
AND I CAN REMEMBER THIS CAUSE I TOOK A DAY OFF FROM THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND WE CAME DOWN HERE AND WHAT WE AGREED UPON AT THAT POINT IN TIME, EVERYBODY NODDED THEIR HEADS AND SAID, YES, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS PRECISELY WHAT THIS AGREEMENT CONTEMPLATES.
I DON'T KNOW WHY WE'RE FIVE MONTHS DOWNSTREAM FROM THAT APRIL AGREEMENT TO THIS.
AND THEN WE GET PRESENTED WITH THE SPECTER OF, WELL, IF WE DON'T DO SOMETHING FAST, WE'RE GONNA LOSE 120 MILLION.
THAT HUNDRED 20 MILLION IS GONNA BE ON ME.
THIS PROCESS THAT WE'RE UNDERGOING RIGHT NOW, THIS INDEPENDENT REVIEW, OKAY, IS GOING TO HELP FACILITATE THIS PROJECT.
BECAUSE IF YOU DO NOT DO THIS, IF YOU DON'T HAVE A PROPER STUDY, YOU'RE INVITING CHALLENGES TO THIS COLLATERALLY FROM THIRD PARTIES, WHICH ARE GOING TO COME.
WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT DOING RIGHT NOW IS STALLING.
THE POSSIBILITY OF THOSE DELAYING THINGS.
AND MOREOVER, YOU'RE DOING THE RESPONSIBLE THING.
YOU'RE PUTTING YOURSELF IN A POSITION AND MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION.
AND NOW IN REGARD TO THAT PARAGRAPH EIGHT, UM, IF THIS ISN'T MEANT TO BE MUNICIPAL CONSENT, AND IF THIS ISN'T MEANT TO BE ANY SORT OF WAIVER BY THE TOWN IN REGARD TO WHAT ITS OPTIONS ARE, I THINK THAT OUGHT TO BE DECLARATIVELY STATED IN, IN, IN PARAGRAPH EIGHT, BY SAYING THIS, THIS INDEPENDENT STUDY IS THE LAST THING WE'RE GONNA DO.
THIS IS THE DATA SET WE'RE GONNA GET.
AND THEN BASED ON THAT DATA SET, WE'RE GONNA MAKE A DECISION.
UM, WHEN I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH ERIC GREENWAY, THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, THAT WAS WHAT HE SAID TO ME.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS PROCESS IS GONNA COME TO A CONCLUSION AT SOME POINT, HOW ARE WE GONNA BE ASSURED THAT THERE ISN'T GONNA BE SOME OTHER FURTHER STUDY DOWN THE ROAD ONCE THIS IS DONE.
AND I RECOMMENDED WHAT YOU SAY IS IN THIS MOA, THIS IS IT.
THIS DATA IS GOING TO PUT US IN A POSITION TO GIVE A EITHER YES OR NO ON MUNICIPAL CONSENT OR B YES OR NO IN REGARD TO THE EA SUBMITTED FOR THE FONZI FINDING.
AND, AND I THINK THAT IF THAT'S THE INTENT THERE SIMPLY DECLARATIVELY STATE THAT, I MEAN, I THINK, I THINK THAT TAKES CARE OF THAT ISSUE.
THE OTHER MATERIAL THING I WILL SAY IS THE SCOPE OF WORK THAT THAT WAS, THAT WAS REALLY KIND OF SPECIFICALLY WORKED ON BY THE TOWN WITH THE CITIZENS THAT NEEDS TO BE INCORPORATED INTO THIS MOA, BECAUSE IT PROVIDES GUIDANCE IN REGARD TO HOW YOU'RE GONNA BID THIS THING OUT.
AND IT GIVES INSTRUCTION TO THE INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR ON THE FRONT END.
WHAT'S EXPECTED JUST SOME VAGUE LANGUAGE ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO AGREE UPON THAT.
SO WHAT I WOULD ENCOURAGE THIS COUNCIL TO DO, I MEAN, IN TERMS OF, OF, OF A CONSTRUCTIVE PATH FORWARD, AND I, AND I CONGRATULATE THE COUNTY FOR, FOR ENGAGING ON THIS, I THINK IT'S EXTREMELY MORE PRODUCTIVE THAN SIMPLY SAYING WE'RE GONNA GO FORWARD AND BIFURCATE THE PROJECT, WHICH I THINK INVITES A WHOLE HOST OF OTHER PROBLEMS. AND BY THE WAY, GUARANTEES YOU LOSE THAT HUNDRED 20 MILLION THE DAY AFTER YOU DO THAT BIFURCATION, THE 120 MILLION IS GONE.
I TELL YOU THAT RIGHT NOW, THIS ISN'T GONNA DO THAT.
THIS ISN'T GONNA JEOPARDIZE 120 MILLION.
UM, THIS IS A MORE CONSTRUCTIVE RESPONSE THAN WHAT WAS DONE A COUPLE WEEKS AGO WHEN THEY SIMPLY SAID, WE'RE GONNA, I WOULD SEND THIS BACK WITH INCORPORAT WITH ALL THE CHANGES THAT, THAT, THAT SEAN HAS GONE THROUGH, AND THAT JAR HAS GONE THROUGH.
I THINK MOST OF THEM ARE STYLISTIC.
I THINK SOME OF THEM ARE GREAT, IT'S FINE.
BUT, BUT FROM MY STANDPOINT, THERE ARE TWO MATERIAL THINGS THAT I THINK NEED TO BE DONE.
THE SCOPE OF WORK NEEDS TO BE INCORPORATED INTO THIS MEMOR OF AGREEMENT AS AN EXHIBIT.
FOR THE REASONS THAT I SAID, AND SECOND OF ALL, BE DECLARATIVE IN PARAGRAPH EIGHT AND SAY, WE REALIZE WE GOTTA BRING THIS PLANE IN FOR A LANDING.
OKAY, WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND MAKE OUR DECISION AS A TOWN, UM, BASED ON THIS DATA AND MAKE A COMMITMENT IN THIS MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT THAT THAT'S
[01:55:01]
GONNA BE IT, YOU'RE NOT GONNA ASK FOR A FUTURE STUDY, BUT, BUT TO TRY TO, TO, TO BAKE INTO THIS AGREEMENT, SOMEHOW THAT YOU'RE GONNA GO FORWARD WITH A NEPA PROCESS IN REGARD TO A FONZI FINDING, OR SOMEHOW THERE'LL BE SOME SORT OF IMPLICIT MUNICIPAL CONSENT, WHICH I READ FROM THIS, UM, I THINK IS PREMATURE.THE REASON YOU'RE HAVING THIS INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT ENGAGED TO BRING DATA IS TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS IN REGARD TO THOSE TWO THINGS.
AND TO THE EXTENT THAT YOU DO IT NOW AND THEN SAY, WELL, WE CAN THEN DO THE INDEPENDENT REVIEW TOO.
WELL THEN TO WHAT PURPOSE ARE YOU DOING IT? OKAY, SO, SO I, I, I, I MEAN, THIS IS A, A LONG ANSWER TO A SIMPLE QUESTION, MR. MAYOR, BUT WHAT SECRETARY HALL APPARENTLY SAID YESTERDAY TO SI IS THE SAME THING SHE'S BEEN SAYING TO ME, WE REALIZE THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING YOUR DUE DILIGENCE.
WE REALIZE THAT THE COUNTY AND THE TOWN ARE TALKING BACK AND FORTH WITH EACH OTHER.
WE HOPE THEY COME TOGETHER AND, AND BE UNIFIED.
AND I HOPE THAT'S WHERE WE END UP BEING ON THIS.
I MEAN, I DON'T WANT TWO, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT LOCAL GOVERNMENT BODIES THAT ODDS OVER THIS, A LOT OF PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE HERE.
AND I GIVE CREDIT TO SEAN AND THE JARRET FOR, FOR, FOR GETTING US THERE.
I THINK YOU'VE GOT GOOD WORK PRODUCT HERE.
I THINK THE TWO CHANGES WOULD BE IN CORPORATION OF SCOPE OF WORK AND A DECLARATION IN PARAGRAPH EIGHT, THAT THIS IS IT BASED ON THIS INDEPENDENT STUDY, WE'RE GONNA MAKE A DECISION BASED ON THAT DATA FOR BETTER OR WORSE.
THE TOWN'S GONNA MAKE A DECISION THAT THAT WILL BE MY COMMENTS, MR. MAYOR, TOM, BEFORE YOU LEAVE TOM.
UH, WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SECRETARY HALL AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE BANK? EXTRAORDINARILY GOOD.
UH, ONE OF THE REFORMS THAT CAME ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO, OR FOUR YEARS AGO WHEN WE INCREASED THE, UM, THE GAS TAX.
UM, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I PUSHED FOR WHEN I OPPOSED THE INCREASE IN THAT GAS TAX WAS THAT THE STATE INFRASTRUCTURE BANK AND THE D O T INTEGRATE THEIR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS PLANS, AND HAD THE SAME OBJECTIVES AND THE SAME CRITERIA.
THEY HAVE AN EXTREMELY GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP, BOTH CHAIRMAN WHITE AND SECRETARY HALL HAVE EXTRAORDINARILY GOOD RELATIONSHIP.
AND I CAN TELL YOU THIS, I'LL MAKE THIS REPRESENTATION AND PUT MY CREDIBILITY ON THE LINE.
IF THE TOWN AND THE COUNTY REACH A MEMORANDUM AGREEMENT ALONG THE LINES THAT I'VE SUGGESTED, AND YOU SIGN THAT AND THAT'S DELIVERED TO THE SI AND DELIVERED TO THE D O T THEY'RE NOT GONNA SEE AN AREA IN DISARRAY.
THEY'RE GONNA SEE A COMMUNITY THAT'S UNITED.
THEY'RE GONNA SEE A COMMUNITY THAT'S COME TO, TO, TO AN AGREEMENT IN REGARD TO WHAT DUE DILIGENCE LOOKS LIKE.
AND THAT 120 MILLION IS NOT GONNA BE JEOPARDIZED.
I'LL MAKE THAT REPRESENTATION TO YOU.
ALL RIGHT, BECAUSE THAT IS CONSISTENT WITH WHAT I, I HAVE BEEN KEEPING SECRETARY HALL OF BRIT OF THIS LAST TWO, TWO YEARS.
UM, NOW I DO EXPRESS SOME FRUSTRATION.
I MEAN, THIS PARTICULAR CONVERSATION WE'RE HAVING NOW OUGHT TO HAVE TAKEN PLACE LAST MAY OR LAST JUNE.
THAT'S WATER UNDER THE BRIDGE.
BUT I THINK YOU'RE AT A POINT NOW WHERE YOU CAN BRING THIS THING IN FOR A LANDING YOU'RE ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE TO BOTH SI AND THE D O T THAT YES, THE TOWN AND THE COUNTY HAVE NOW AGREED TO THE CRITICAL PATH FORWARD.
THEY'VE AGREED THAT AFTER THIS IS DONE, ALL THE DATA WILL BE IN HAND IN ORDER FOR WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN HAPPEN, WHETHER OR NOT THERE'S A, UH, AN EA SUBMISSION IN REGARD TO A FONZI FINDING WHETHER OR NOT THERE'S MUNICIPAL CONSENT IN REGARDS TO THE MODIFIED PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE.
I THINK THAT'S A CLEAR MESSAGE TO THEM.
UM, BUT I DO AGREE THAT THAT IF THIS THING CONTINUES ON, AND IF SOMEHOW THE TOWN OF THE COUNTY CAN'T REACH AN AGREEMENT HERE, AND IF THE TOWN OR THE COUNTY THEN FOLLOWS THROUGH WITH WHAT IT HAS SAID, IT'S GOING TO DO THE ALTERNATIVE BEING.
AND IT WAS SAID TO ME RECENTLY, IF THERE ISN'T AN MOA WE'RE GOING FORWARD AND BIFURCATING THIS THING THAT HARD, $20 MILLION, I PROMISE YOU, CUZ YOU GOTTA GO THROUGH THE NEVA PROCESS ALL OVER AGAIN TO DO TWO SEPARATE S YEAH.
WE INTERRUPTING YOU DAVID FOOT.
UM, I WOULD SUPPORT WHAT SENATOR DAVIS JUST PROPOSED, BUT LET ME A COUPLE OF DETAILS AND THANK YOU, TOM.
UM, DETAILS REALLY, UH, JUST TO UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE MK SK SITUATION.
MY IMPRESSION IS THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT WE CAN INCORPORATE AN SC DT IS NOT GOING TO ALLOW US TO INCORPORATE OTHERS.
UM, YOU MENTIONED JARED THAT A LOT OF THEM HAVE BEEN INCORPORATED IN THE PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE ALREADY.
UM, AND YOU MENTIONED A COUPLE OF THOSE ITEMS, UH, ADT, UH, I'M VERY INTERESTED IN HOW THIS PROJECT IS GOING TO BE LANDSCAPED IN ITS FINAL.
IS, IS THERE A BUDGET LINE ITEM IN YOUR WORK ORDER AT THIS POINT? SO, NO, AND, BUT I, SO, UM, LANDSCAPING, HASN'T BEEN A BUDGET LINE.
[02:00:01]
THERE'S NOT A BUDGET LINE ITEM AS FAR AS HOW MUCH CONCRETE, HOW MUCH STEEL, THE, THE BUDGET AT THIS POINT, WE'RE STILL AT, AT 50,000 FEET.WE'RE NOT DOWN TO 10,000 FEET YET.
IF THE BUDGET AT THIS POINT IS BASED OFF LANE MILES AND COST OF CONSTRUCTION ON COMPARABLE PROJECTS.
SO AGAIN, WHERE THIS LANDS IS A, A TRUST ISSUE THAT WHAT'S IN MY MIND.
AND I, I HAVE AN EXPECTATION OF WHAT WAS RIGHT FOR THE ISLAND IS GOING TO OCCUR, BUT WE DON'T KNOW THAT YET.
SO IT'S THE COLLABORATION, COOPERATION THAT GETS US THERE IS THAT, YEAH, I THINK THE MOA GETS US THERE.
OBVIOUSLY IT'S NOT WRITTEN EXPLICITLY, DOESN'T GET INTO LANDSCAPING, BUT THIS IS NOT A ONE AND DONE RELATIONSHIP, A ONE AND DONE PROJECT.
WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER AS STAFF AND AT COUNCIL LEVELS, UM, THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRETY OF THE PROJECT.
UM, ALSO WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT IN THIS REFERENCE AS MKS K, WE'RE GONNA WORK ON, UH, THE FEASIBILITY OF FUNDING.
SO, UM, SAY IF WE HAVE A DIFFERENCE INITIALLY, OF OPINION OF WHAT THAT LANDSCAPING LOOKS LIKE, WELL, WE'RE GONNA WORK TOGETHER AND FIND A HAPPY MEDIUM, SO WE CAN BE PROUD OF THE LANDSCAPING THAT'S INCORPORATED IN THE PROJECT.
IF THAT'S GREATER THAN WHAT WE HAVE IN THE FUNDING BUCKET, THEN WE WILL WORK TOGETHER TO SEARCH FOR FUNDS TO BRING THAT FRUITION.
I, I JUST, UM, ONE, ONE LAST ITEM.
UM, AND AGAIN, I EMPHASIZE TRUST IS SO IMPORTANT.
UM, AND WE HAVE A LACK OF TRUST BY A SEGMENT OF THE POPULATION REGARDING DATA.
AND SENATOR DAVIS HAS INTERCEED TO PROVIDE A WAY FOR THAT FOR DATA TO BE GIVEN MM-HMM
SO JUST, JUST, UH, SO THAT WE DON'T FIND OURSELVES IN THE SAME PLACE DOWN THE ROAD, I WOULD MAKE THE SUGGESTION THAT, THAT CITIZEN GROUP OPINE ON WHETHER OR NOT WE SHOULD RECEIVE THE DATA FROM S C D O T OR NOT.
I'D LIKE TO HEAR THEIR OPINION.
IS IT DONE? I HAVE NO REASON TO BELIEVE I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE.
I HAVE NO REASON TO BELIEVE, UH, THAT C D O T UH, WOULDN'T BUILD A CORRIDOR, UH, WITH THE COMMUNITY'S BEST INTEREST IN MIND, IN MY JUDGMENT, THE LAST TWO PROJECTS, ANYWHERE CLOSE TO THE SCOPE, UH, WERE THE CROSS ISLAND AND THE FLYOVER.
AND IN MY OPINION, D O T IS TWO FOR TWO.
AND I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO BE THREE FOR THREE, ESPECIALLY, UH, IN BLUE OF WHAT THIS PROCESS IS TELLING US AS I GO BACK THROUGH THE, UH, PROPOSED AGREEMENT.
I, I THINK THE SCOPE OF WORK NEEDS TO BE A PART OF THAT.
AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE CONCERNS THAT I HAD, UH, I DON'T FOR A MINUTE, JARED, UH, FORGET THAT THE APPLICANT AND THE IGA IS WITH THE COUNTY, THE IGA BETWEEN THE STATE AND THE COUNTY MAKES NO MENTION WHATSOEVER, UH, OF THE TOWN.
SO I RECOGNIZE THAT MUCH OF THE MANAGEMENT OF THIS PROJECT ONGOING IS GOING TO FALL ON YOUR SHOULDERS.
UH, AND I'M CERTAIN THAT WE WILL TRUST THE RELATIONSHIP THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE WITH YOU, UH, TO PROVIDE INPUT AS, AS NEEDED.
UH, I AM ABSOLUTELY OKAY WITH THE IDEA OF ONE BRIDGE.
I NEVER, FOR A MINUTE THOUGHT THAT INDEPENDENT MEANT ANYTHING OTHER THAN INDEPENDENT OF A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE STATE AND THE COUNTY AND THE TOWN.
UH, I THINK I KNOW WHAT, UH, THE ANSWER TO, UH, DO YOU WANT NEW DATA OR WILL YOU TRUST THE EXISTING DATA WILL BE? UH, AND, UH, I, I THINK I NEED NOT SAY ANYTHING MORE THAN THAT.
I THINK YOUR SUGGESTION OF THREE AND THREE ON THAT COMMITTEE, UH, IS A GOOD ONE, UH, AND ADDING LATS INTO THE EQUATION.
UH, AND FOR THE FIRST TIME, JARED, I UNDERSTAND NOW, UH, WHERE THE MUNICIPAL CONSENT, WHICH IS REALLY OUR LEVERAGE TO THIS PROJECT, UH, COMES IN AND IT COMES IN PRETTY FAR DOWN THE PROCESS AT THE TIME WE'RE LOOKING FOR RIGHT AWAYS AND LAND
[02:05:01]
ACQUISITION.SO I AM COMFORTABLE, UH, WITH HOLDING THAT IN ADVANCE, UH, WHILE THIS INDEPENDENT REVIEW, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE ANALYSIS OF WHAT WE FIND FROM THAT REVIEW TELLS US I'M PREPARED TO MOVE FORWARD.
JOHN DAVID, IF I MAY, I'D LIKE TO MAKE ONE COMMENT THAT TOM TOM TRIGGERED THOUGHT, UM, HAS TO DO WITH ONE OR TWO BRIDGES.
UM, I MADE THE SUGGESTION PROBABLY FIVE MONTHS AGO, SIX MONTHS AGO, WHENEVER IT WAS THAT IT, I THINK I EVEN WROTE A LETTER TO THE EDITOR, UH, SAYING WE REALLY OUGHT TO HAVE TWO BRIDGES BECAUSE OF THE SCALE ISSUE.
AND, AND, UH, THERE WAS A, SOME, AN ASSUMPTION IN MY MIND AT THAT TIME THAT THE SEPARATION BETWEEN THE TWO BRIDGES WOULD BE LARGE ENOUGH THAT IT REALLY WOULD APPEAR AS A NARROWER BRIDGE AND NOT A DOUBLE BRIDGE WHEN THE, EITHER SC D O T OR FEDERAL HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT SAID, YOU CAN'T CHANGE THE CORRIDOR AND MAKE IT WIDER TO ACCOMMODATE TWO BRIDGES IN, IN MY MINDS, WHAT TWO BRIDGES WERE GONNA PLAY, THEN YOU GET DOWN TO IS A THREE FOOT OR SIX FOOT SEPARATION, REALLY GOING TO MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE AT ALL MY BACKGROUND, WHICH IS VERY VISUAL CONCLUDES, NO WILL NOT.
SO I HAVE COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT WE ARE SADDLED WITH ONE BRIDGE AND WE HAVE TO DO OUR DARNEST TO MITIGATE THE IMPACT OF THAT EXPANSIVE CONCRETE ACROSS THE, ACROSS THE BRIDGE.
AND, UH, I, I APPLAUD OUR, UM, FIRST OF ALL, COMMUNITY FOR STAYING ENGAGED IN THIS PROJECT.
AND, UM, IT'S GOOD TO SEE OUR COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBERS HERE IN ATTENDANCE, AND IT'S, UH, VERY PLEASING TO MY EYES THAT SEAN AND JARED ARE HERE TOGETHER, MAKING THIS PRESENTATION WITH THE SAME HAIRCUT.
UM, I GOT A, I GOT A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS AND THEN I'LL, I'LL MAKE SOME COMMENTS TO THE, UH, TO THE AGREEMENT.
UH I GUESS THE FIRST ONE IS FOR YOU, JARED.
AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER, THAT'S FINE.
BUT WHO TOLD THE C THAT THE PROJECT WAS SHOVEL ALREADY? THAT I DON'T KNOW.
AND I WOULD'VE LOVED TO KNOW BECAUSE, UH, LIKE I SAID, I GOT, I GOT A LITTLE HAMMERED FOR THAT.
UM, I WAS NOT AT THE PRESENTATION WHEN THAT WAS MADE TO C.
UM, SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WAS A STATED SUBJECT.
IT DEFINITELY WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE APPLICATION.
IT SHOWED OUR SCHEDULE, UM, THAT WE'RE STILL IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL PERIOD AND WE WOULD START CONSTRUCTION IN 2024 AND BUILD OUT TILL 20, 28.
SO I'M NOT SURE WHERE THAT WAS STATED.
UM, OF COURSE THAT WAS A POINTED QUESTION.
UH, THE, THE SECOND QUESTION, UH, HAS THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION ISSUED THIS FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT? NO.
SO THEY WOULD NOT ISSUE THAT UNTIL THE, THE NEPA, THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT DOCUMENTS ARE SUBMITTED.
THOSE HAVE NOT BEEN SUBMITTED YET.
SO IN THE SPIRIT OF US PRODUCING A PROJECT THAT IS BEST FOR ALL OF US AND I, AND, AND CLEARLY IDENTIFYING THAT WE HAD A SIGNIFICANT FLAW FROM THE BEGINNING, WHICH IS NOT TELLING THE TRUTH ABOUT IT, NOT BEING A SHOVEL READY PROJECT, WE SHOULD BE OFFERED MORE TIME.
AND I'M NOT PUTTING THAT ON YOU.
I'M JUST MAKING A VERY STRONG POLITICAL STATEMENT HERE.
UM, THEREFORE, UH, I DO HAVE SOME, SOME ISSUES WITH THE WORDING IN THE AGREEMENT.
UM, IN THE BEGINNING IT TALKS ABOUT THE COUNTY AND THE TOWN NOT NECESSARILY BEING EQUAL.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THE TOWN, THE COUNTY'S GOT ITS NAME WRITTEN ALL OVER THE ORIGINAL AGREEMENTS, BUT THE WAY I VIEW THIS IS WHEN YOU START TO TALK ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF THE PROJECT, WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT BOTH WAYS OFF ISLAND AND ON ISLAND.
BUT WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT THE IMPACTS, PARTICULARLY THE NEGATIVE IMPACTS, THAT'S A ONE WAY STREET.
AND IT, AND THERE'S NO WAY THAT WE CAN SAY THAT WE'RE NOT EQUAL PARTNERS WHEN WE ARE ABSORBING ALL OF THE IMPACTS.
SO THAT PART, I THINK, NEEDS TO BE CHANGED.
[02:10:01]
SAFETY AND IT STRIKES THROUGH IMPACTS.AND I DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S FAIR BECAUSE THE WAY THAT THIS BEING PRESENTED, YOU CAN'T HAVE THE SAFETY THAT WE WANT TO ENJOY WITHOUT IMPACTS BEING ASSOCIATED.
AND THAT HAS TO COME TO A HEAD.
I'M SURE THAT THE COUNTY HAS NOT GOTTEN TO A POINT WHERE THEY FULLY UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENS IF A FULLFLEDGE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT IS ISSUED.
WELL, IF, IF THAT COMES ABOUT, WE GOTTA DEAL WITH IT RIGHT NOW, WE'RE RUNNING FROM IT.
AND I THINK EQUALLY, WE NEED TO BE PREPARED TO DEAL WITH THAT.
I AGREE THAT THE SCOPE OF WORK, AS FAR AS THE INDEPENDENT REVIEWS SHOULD BE INCLUDED.
UM, IF NOT, WHERE ARE WE GOING? UM, I ALSO AGREE THAT WE NEED TO HAVE EQUAL REPRESENTATION ON THAT SELECTION BOARD AND OVERSIGHT BOARD, UM, AT THE END OF THE DAY.
UM, AND, AND BY THE WAY, FOR THE PUBLIC'S, UH, KNOWLEDGE, THE, THE DOCUMENT THAT WE'RE VIEWING HERE TODAY IS NOT THE DOCUMENT THAT WAS IN OUR PACKET.
SO WE'RE KIND OF UNDER THE GUN A BIT HERE.
BUT THE LAST STATEMENT THAT I'M GOING TO MAKE IS WHEN I FIRST READ THIS LAST NIGHT, I HAD SOME EASE THAT THE MUNICIPAL CONSENT WAS REMOVED.
BUT THEN AT THE VERY END, IT'S SOMEONE SOMEWHAT IMPLIED.
AND IT DOES NOT IMPLY THAT WE ARE EQUAL PARTNERS MOVING FORWARD IN THIS.
SO I THINK THAT THERE'S SOME WORDSMITHING THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
I THINK THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME TIME FOR US TO REALLY DIGEST AND PROCESS THIS.
UM, BUT ALL IN THE SPIRIT OF US WORKING TOGETHER COLLECTIVELY, I THINK WE HAVE GOTTEN SO FAR FROM WHERE WE STARTED, WHERE WE WEREN'T EVEN ABLE TO TALK TO EACH OTHER.
BUT LET'S NOT LOSE THE MOMENT.
BECAUSE THERE IS TIME AND OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO IMPROVE THE SITUATION.
SO AGAIN, I THINK PARTICULARLY Y'ALL'S TWO EFFORTS.
AND FOR THE POLITICIANS, LET'S CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER VERSUS AGAINST ONE ANOTHER IN THIS PROJECT.
UH, MY FIRST POINT IS THAT, UH, I AM VERY PLEASED TO SEE A SIGNIFICANT COUNTY REPRESENTATIVE PUBLICLY WORKING TOGETHER WITH US.
I'M VERY PLEASED TO SEE A SIGNIFICANT COUNTY PRINCIPLE HERE BEFORE US IN A COOPERATIVE SPIRIT, WORKING TOGETHER WITH US.
UM, AS SENATOR DAVIS SAID, YOU KNOW, I'M PARAPHRASING, BUT I THINK IF WE HAD DONE THAT A LONG TIME AGO, WE WOULD BE MUCH FURTHER AHEAD THAN WE ARE TODAY, BUT THAT'S WATER UNDER THE, UNDER THE DAM.
UM, BUT THE, UH, IN TERMS OF THE INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT, UH, I TOTALLY SUPPORT, I THINK THAT'S GONNA ADD VALUE, UH, TO THE ULTIMATE PRODUCT.
UH, I'D LIKE TO HAVE CLARITY OF LANGUAGE TO, AS, TO, TO WHOM THAT PARTY REPORTS TO THAT WOULD BE BOTH.
SO TOWN STAFF AND COUNTY STAFF, AND THEN OBVIOUSLY THE COUNCIL'S RIGHT HERE, THE REPORT.
SO ON A, ANY LANGUAGE CLEANUP, PLEASE, PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT IT'S THERE, THERE, UH, I LIKE, UH, MOVING TO BALANCE ON THE COMMITTEE.
THE THREE, THREE MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.
UM, I DON'T KNOW WHY AN ALTERNATIVE WAS ADVANCED, BUT IT, UH, THAT SHOULD BE REMOVED.
UH, THE INCLUSION OF LATS MAKES SENSE.
UH, THE, I THINK THE, UH, I'M PREPARED TO SUPPORT THE, UH, THE CHANGES THAT, UH, YOU AND SEAN HAVE ADVANCED.
WE HAVE A BETTER DOCUMENT FOR THAT.
I THINK, UH, THAT SAID, UH, ADDING THE, UH, SCOPE IS, IS VERY IMPORTANT.
AND I CAN'T THINK OF AN ARGUMENT WHY YOU WOULDN'T WANT TO DO THAT.
UH, AND, AND LASTLY, THE, UM, IN TERMS OF POINT NUMBER EIGHT, UH, THE DECLARATION THAT THIS IS IT, I THINK SAYS, THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, IN, IN FAN ITEM, THERE'S, THERE'S AN END POINT HERE.
SO, UH, I'M READY TO SUPPORT THE DIRECTION THAT, UH, I THINK NOT, NOT DO I THINK, BUT, UH, THAT SENATOR DAVIS SAID MUCH MORE ELOQUENTLY THAT I'M SAYING, AND I THINK WE, UH, SHOULD ASK FOR SOME GOOD LANGUAGE TO SUPPORT THAT.
[02:15:01]
UM, Y'ALL'S PRESENTATION FIRST.I WANNA SAY THAT WHAT I DID HAVE IN MY PACKET, I MAY NOT BE THE SAME THING.
GOT IT MAY NOT BE THE SAME THING.
HOWEVER, WHAT I DID HAVE TO READ WAS NOT LEGIBLE.
UM, I WEAR GLASSES TO READ AND I FOUND STRONGER ONES AROUND TO READ, AND THERE WAS NO CHANCE THAT THAT WAS GOING TO BE ABLE TO READ AND TO MAKE SENSE OF THIS.
SO, UM, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME ANY OF US HAVE EVEN HAD A, AN IDEA OF WHAT'S BEING PRESENTED AND FOR THAT REASON ALONE, UM, WE NEED SOME TIME TO REVIEW IT, ANALYZE IT AND MAKE SENSE OF IT AND TALK TO THE RESIDENTS, UM, ABOUT IT.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU MIGHT NOTICE, AS I MENTIONED, RESIDENTS, IS THAT THESE ROOMS, BOTH COUNTY AND HERE IN HILTON HEAD ARE NEVER FILLED WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE STANDING UP SAYING, WE WANT THIS BRIDGE.
IN FACT, JUST THE OPPOSITE, 10,000 THEREABOUTS PEOPLE WHO HAVE SAID ADAMANTLY, TAKE YOUR TIME, DO IT RIGHT.
MAKE SURE THAT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN IT HAPPENS IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE RESIDENTS OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
I UNDERSTAND THE FRUSTRATION OF SOME WHO MAY WANT TO SEE GET THIS DONE, BUT AS THE RESIDENTS ADVOCATE HERE, I'M GONNA STAND IN THE WAY OF THAT.
AND I'M GONNA ASK MY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO BE REASONABLE AND, AND DO THE SAME THING AS WE LOOK TO THE END TO END STUDY, WHICH WILL INFORM US ABOUT WHAT IT IS WE'RE ACTUALLY DOING.
YOU HEARD FROM JESSE THAT THE NEPA PROCESS, WITHOUT HAVING A SENSE OF WHAT WE'RE ACTUALLY DOING IS, IS MEANINGLESS.
IN FACT MAY HAVE TO BE DONE AGAIN.
SO HOW DOES THAT MAKE SENSE TO ANYONE THAT WE WOULD PROCEED WITHOUT HAVING AN IDEA ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING? JUST THE MONDAY, WHEN THE COUNCIL COUNTY COUNCIL WAS HERE ON THE ISLAND, I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO A NUMBER OF THE COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBERS AFTER THE MEETING.
IT WAS DIFFICULT FOR ME AT THAT MOMENT BECAUSE TWO MEN THAT I RESPECT WERE GIVING ME TWO DIFFERENT IMPRESSIONS ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH REGARD TO THE BRIDGE.
WE TALK ABOUT THE BRIDGE AND WE SEE SIX LANES, 12 LANE, 12 FEET, EACH FOUR BREAKDOWN LANES, 10 FEET EACH, AND A SIDE PIECE FOR BY COMPETI, WHICH IS 12, 14, WHATEVER THAT PIECE IS.
BUT I HEAR THAT THERE'S SOME OTHER OPTIONS THAT MAY BE ABLE TO TAKE PLACE.
AND THAT MIGHT VERY WELL BE TRUE.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO TAKE A LISTEN TO THAT, THAT VIEWPOINT.
AND THAT'S GOING TO BE INFORMED BY WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE END TO END STUDY THE SCOPE OF WORK THAT'S INCLUDED.
AND I'M GONNA THROW IN MY PERSONAL FAVORITE BECAUSE IT HITS TWO DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO THE RESIDENTS ON HILTON HEAD AND THAT'S TRANSPORTATION THAT WE'VE LONG TALKED ABOUT AS BEING PART OF THE SOLUTION TO THE TRAFFIC ONTO OVER THE BRIDGE COMING ONTO 2 78.
AND WE'VE REFUSED TO ADD THAT IN AS A MEANINGFUL COMPONENT.
AND IT IS, SO THAT SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE SCOPE OF WORK.
WE SHOULD IDENTIFY HOW THAT TRANSPORTATION, SOME OTHER TRANSPORTATION OPTION ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BRIDGE WOULD IMPACT THE NECESSITY OF 130 THEREABOUTS FEET OF CONCRETE.
I'M TOLD IN THAT CONVERSATION BY ANOTHER MEMBER THAT IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS, THAT THIS IS A FEDERAL MANDATE, WE MUST HAVE 11 LANES COMING ACROSS THIS BRIDGE PERIOD OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN AND SAID, OKAY, I BUY THAT.
I BELIEVE YOU, YOU, BUT WHAT I WANT IS I WANNA SEE SOMETHING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TELLING ME EXACTLY THAT YOU HAVE IT.
I ASKED FOR THAT INFORMATION A WEEK AND A HALF AGO.
NOW I'VE FOLLOWED UP TWO TIMES.
SO UNTIL I GET THAT, THE PERSON TELLING ME THAT WE MUST HAVE AN 11 LANE BRIDGE HAS NO BASIS FOR DEMANDING THAT OF THE CITIZENS AND THE RESIDENTS OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
AND ASKING ME AS A COUNCIL MEMBER WHO REPRESENTS YOU, REPRESENTS
[02:20:01]
YOU TO TAKE ACTION FOR THAT.IT'S A SIMPLE REQUEST I ASK FOR INFORMATION I WANTED.
I ALWAYS HAVE, AND I WILL CONTINUE TO WANT THE INFORMATION THAT MAKES MY DECISIONS HERE.
THE BEST DECISIONS MADE FOR YOU.
SO THAT'S A HUNDRED, A HUNDRED PERCENT IN THIS DOCUMENT, SUCH THAT YOU'VE OUTLINED IT.
AND I'VE FOLLOWED IT AND I'VE TAKEN NOTES, BUT A HUNDRED PERCENT IN THERE IS AN IMPLICIT CONSENT FROM THE TOWN OF HILTON, HEAD TO THE COUNTY, NOT GIVING IT UNTIL WE GET THE INFORMATION, A, THE FEDERAL INFORMATION I ASKED FOR, OR THE INFORMATION WITH REGARD TO THE END TO END SCOPE OF WORK UNTIL THAT'S DONE.
THERE'S NOWHERE THAT WE CAN GO, THE MONEY IS SAFE.
THE LEADERSHIP IS HERE ON THE ISLAND.
WE NEED TO MAKE EVERYONE CLEAR ON THAT.
WE DO SUFFER THE IMPACTS OF THIS BRIDGE, AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO US THAT WE GET IT RIGHT? SO ONE OTHER THING, THIS COMMITTEE, WHETHER IT'S FIVE OR WHETHER IT'S SIX, THIS COMMITTEE MUST REPRESENT THE CITIZENS.
I DON'T RECALL A COMMITTEE IN THIS TOWN EVER BEING PUT TOGETHER WHERE WE DIDN'T INCLUDE A CITIZEN REPRESENTATIVE ON IT.
WE HAVE A WORKING COMMITTEE WHO HAS PUT MORE EFFORT INTO THIS TO TRY TO BRING IT TO WHERE IT IS TODAY AND WITHOUT THEM, AND WITHOUT THE EFFORTS OF SENATOR DAVIS.
AND WITHOUT A LOT OF MY HARD WORK, WE WOULDN'T HAVE THIS DISCUSSION HERE TODAY.
I EXPECT THIS COMMITTEE TO BE LIKE EVERY OTHER COMMITTEE AND TO HAVE RESIDENTS WHO HAVE WORKED THAT HARD ON THAT COMMITTEE, THAT FIVE PERSON, SIX PERSON, SEVEN PERSON COMMITTEE.
I DON'T CARE ABOUT THE NUMBER, BUT I WANT OUR CITIZENS SITTING THERE.
SO FOR ALL OF THESE REASONS AND MANY MORE THAT I COULD GO ON ABOUT, BUT I THINK I'VE MADE MY POINT.
THIS IS NOT THE RIGHT TIME FOR US TO BE MAKING A DECISION.
I WANNA SEE SOMETHING THAT ISN'T ALL MARKED UP, THAT I CAN READ CLEARLY, THAT I CAN ANALYZE AND THAT I CAN DIGEST BEFORE THERE CAN BE ANY DECISION MADE.
AND IT NEEDS TO INCORPORATE THE THINGS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT HERE AND KEEP IN MIND.
HEAD IS GOOD FOR THE COUNTY AND IS GOOD FOR THE STATE.
AND SO WE STICK TOGETHER AND WE MAKE SURE THAT THIS BRIDGE, WHATEVER IT IS, IS THE BEST IT CAN BE FOR OUR RESIDENTS, PERIOD.
I WANT TO SAY, JARED, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION.
UH, YOUR OPEN MIND IN THIS AND SEAN, OBVIOUSLY WE SUPPORT YOU IN ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK.
THAT'S GONE INTO THIS SENATOR DAVIS' INPUT INTO THIS HAS BEEN WHAT HAS SAVED THIS PROJECT.
AS I SEE IT, I THINK THAT IF WE WERE CONTINUED HAVING MORE AND MORE AND MORE AND MORE STUDIES, THE CB WOULD INDEED HAVE PULLED THE MONEY, BUT NO, HE'S PROTECTING US ON THAT.
NOW I REMEMBER, I DON'T KNOW, IT WAS THREE YEARS AGO OR FOUR YEARS AGO, WE HAD A TAX.
WE HAD A PENNY TAX THAT WAS PASSED AND THE CITIZENS RESOUNDINGLY APPROVED THAT THAT PENNY TAX WAS GOING TO NOT A BRIDGE, BUT A CARD, A PROJECT.
SO THE CONCEPT THAT CAME TO US A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO ABOUT BIFURCATING THE PROJECT AND DIVIDING IT IN HALF WAS NOT ABOUT A CARD.
IT WAS ABOUT SOMEONE THAT WAS TRYING TO BUILD A BRIDGE.
I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF THAT AT ALL.
THIS WHOLE PROJECT NEEDS TO RISE AND FALL AS A CARTER.
NOW THE CONCEPT OF THE INDEPENDENT REVIEW, WE'VE ALL BOUGHT INTO THAT.
UM, I SINCERELY REGRET, AND I CAN'T EXPLAIN WHY IT HAS TAKEN MONTHS AND MONTHS TO GET TO THIS POINT, BUT IT HAS.
AND AS SENATOR DAVIS SAID, THAT'S THAT'S WATER UNDER THE BRIDGE.
NOW WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS.
THAT BEING SAID, I'M NOT PREPARED TO VOTE, TO APPROVE, OR TO DENY THIS AGREEMENT TONIGHT.
I WILL BE AFTER AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW, UH, THE DOCUMENT NOW THAT WE HAVE THIS INPUT AND I'LL BE PREPARED TO DO THAT AT THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING.
UM, HOWEVER, THE MAYOR AND THE TOWN MANAGER MAY MOVE THAT FORWARD.
[02:25:01]
THE DELETION OF THE CONCEPT THAT IT WAS A PARTNERSHIP.IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A PARTNERSHIP.
IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN TREATED AS A PARTNERSHIP.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THE COUNTY IS THE LEAD APPLICANT FOR THIS.
I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THE COUNTY, THAT THE TOWN CAN'T BE A PARTNER IN THAT I'M WILLING TO ACCEPT THE AGREEMENT THAT IT BE COOPERATIVE.
I AM NOT WILLING TO ACCEPT 60% OF THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE BEING FROM THE COUNTY AND 40%, UH, BEING FROM THE TOWN.
UM, WE HAVE ALSO A SCOPE OF WORK THAT'S BEEN DEVELOPED.
UM, AND I BELIEVE THAT THAT SCOPE OF WORK SHOULD BE INCLUDED INTO THIS AGREEMENT.
UM, THE SUBMISSION FOR, FOR APPROVAL TO THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY NOW MAKES NO SENSE TO ME WHATSOEVER, BECAUSE IT IS LIKELY THAT THE PROJECT WILL CHANGE IN SOME WAY AS A RESULT OF THE INDEPENDENT REVIEW.
AND SO AS SOON AS WE DO THAT, WE HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND SEEK ANOTHER REVIEW.
THIS SHOULDN'T BE SUBMITTED UNTIL WE HAVE THE PROJECT FINALIZED.
SPEAKING OF FINALIZING IT, I AGREE WITH THE CONCEPT THAT THIS AGREEMENT AND OUR UNDERSTANDING SHOULD BE, THIS IS THE END OF THE ROAD.
WE'LL DECIDE UP OR DOWN BASED UPON THE INDEPENDENT REVIEW AND THE ANALYSIS THAT WE DO OF THAT.
FINALLY, I SUGGEST THAT WE ADD TO PARAGRAPH EIGHT OR WHEREVER WAS DEEMED APPROPRIATE.
THIS AGREEMENT SHALL NOT BE DEEMED MUNICIPAL CONSENT BY THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND WITH THOSE TERMS IN THERE.
AND WITH THOSE CONCEPTS INCORPORATED IN THERE, I AM WILLING TO ACCEPT ONE BRIDGE.
I SAY THAT HESITANTLY, CUZ I DON'T WANT ONE BRIDGE.
I THINK IT WOULD STILL BE BETTER THAN WHAT WE, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE.
BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT THAT THE BRIDGES ARE NOT WITHIN THE TOWN LIMITS OF HILLHEAD ISLAND.
SO WE DON'T HAVE MUCH JURISDICTION OVER THAT.
AND SO I'M WILLING TO ACCEPT THAT AS A CONCEPT.
SO WITH THAT, MR. MAYOR, I'LL SAY AFTER WE'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THIS REVISED AGREEMENT, WE SHOULD DRAW A LINE IN THE DIRT.
AS YOU HAVE SUGGESTED DOING MANY TIMES THAT AT THE NEXT MEETING, WE WILL APPROVE THIS AGREEMENT OR NOT.
THANK YOU ANY COMMENTS BY SITTING.
NOW, ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS BY CITIZENS PLEASE? UH, THANK YOU.
BUT CHRISTOPHER CLIFF, I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT SINCE THE END OF 2000.
UM, IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS HAS SPENT AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF TIME ON THIS PROJECT.
TO THE EXTENT THAT MY WIFE FOR 53 YEARS IS BEGINNING TO ASK WHETHER MARRIED TO IT OR HER SAY, NOW WE ALL KNOW THAT IN THE NEXT SIX, SEVEN WEEKS, I'LL BE IN MY 54TH YEAR OF MARRIAGE AND I'LL STILL BE HERE, BUT THREE OF YOU WON'T AND MAYBE FOR WHY THE HASTE IN 2015, I BELIEVE ONE OF THE TOWNS TRANSPORTS, UH, COMMISSIONS RECOMMENDED THE ADOPTION OF ADAPTIVE TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.
THE COUNCIL HAS HAD PLENTY OF TIME TO IMPROVE TRAFFIC MANAGED ON THE ISLAND FROM WHICH WE WOULD'VE GATHERED MUCH MORE VALUABLE, INFORMATIVE INFORMATION FOR THE S C D O T.
IF I LOOK AT THE REVISED MOU, IT DIDN'T HELP THAT I HAD TO WORK OUT MY OWN UNDERLINED, UH, COMPARISON.
MY WIFE WAS NOT VERY HAPPY ABOUT IT.
I HEAR TONIGHT THAT WHAT I'VE ACTUALLY SPENT SO LONG WORKING ON IS NOT WHAT YOU'VE PRESENTED IS SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
YOU'D BE ABSOLUTELY BONKERS TO BE ACTUALLY ACCEPT THE MOU WHEN MARKLAND ARRIVED.
ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS HE DID WAS RENAME THE PROJECT WHAT'S HAPPENED.
I'LL TELL YOU WHAT'S HAPPENED.
WHEN YOU WERE GOING TO TAKE A LEADING POSITION ON THE FURTHER INTO THIS PROJECT TO BECOMING A VESSEL.
THIS MOU PROPOSES YOU DO WHAT THE COUNTY TELLS YOU TO DO.
YOU'VE ABANDONED THE NAME AND WE'VE GIVEN UP ANY CONCERN THAT WE SHOULD BE OF AN EQUAL LEVEL.
THE JOE PATMAN PERSONAL STATEMENT WAS A LITERARY FAILURE
[02:30:01]
AND FULL OF FACTUAL ERRORS AND ITS BONKERS TO SUGGEST THAT SOUTH CAROLINA WOULD JEOPARDIZE PUBLIC SAFETY OR THE ECONOMIC DYNAMIC FUTURE OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND.AND IN AN ELECTION YEAR MACMASTER WOULD JEOPARDIZE 33% ELECTRICS OF THE ELECTRICAL AND HILTON HILL ISLAND IN NOT PORTING THEM.
YOU'D BE ABSOLUTELY BONKERS TO SIGN THIS THING OFF.
YOU'RE GONNA REDUCE YOURSELVES TO A VESSEL.
IS IT HOME RULE OR ISN'T IT OKAY.
STAKE IN THE GROUND? NO MORE OF THIS NONSENSE.
I'M FED UP AND LOOKING AT THE SAME THING TIME AND TIME AGAIN.
HI, MY NAME IS TERRY JOHNSON AND I AM HERE ON BEHALF OF TOM CLEARY WHO IS DOING OR HAS DECLARED MAYOR OF, UH, CANDIDATE FOR MAYOR OF HILTON HEAD ON BEHALF OF TOM CLEARY, WHO IS A CANDIDATE FOR MAYOR OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
I URGE THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND TOWN COUNCIL TO NOT SIGN THE MOA WITH BEAUFORT COUNTY, WHICH WOULD PROVIDE HHI MUNICIPAL CONSENT FOR THE 2 78 CORRIDOR PROJECT.
MY ENTIRE CAREER HAS BEEN ABOUT SOLVING PROBLEMS. UNDERSTANDING THE ACTUAL PROBLEM IS AN UNDERAPPRECIATED TASK AND IN A SUCCESSFUL PROBLEM SOLVING OUTCOME.
MY THANKS TO SENATOR TOM DAVIS, WHO HAS SECURED FUNDING FOR AN INDEPENDENT TRANSPORTATION REVIEW THAT WILL TELL ISLANDERS THE ACTUAL PROBLEM.
I SUPPORT THIS AS THE NEXT STEP AS MAYOR MAINTAINING, IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR CURRENT ISLANDERS WHILE PROTECTING OUR NATURAL ENVIRONMENT IS PRIORITY.
NUMBER ONE, ANY GROWTH SHOULD BE VIA SMARTER USES OF EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE AND ISLAND RESOURCES, NOT VIA THE TRADITIONAL GROWTH APPROACH BY ADDING ROADS AND RESORTS THAT FILL OUR ISLAND ROADS TO CAPACITY.
AS A TOWN EXHAUSTION OF SMARTER SOLUTIONS TAKES PRECEDENCE OVER NEW CAPACITY SOLUTIONS.
YOU ARE THE VOICE OF THE CONSTITUENTS.
ALMOST 10 THOUSANDS HAVE SIGNED TO VOTE NO TO THE MOA PETITION.
UM, UH, LIKE CHRISTOPHER, MY WIFE IS ALSO TIRED OF THIS FOR ABOUT THE SAME PERIOD OF TIME.
I WANNA GET THIS THING DONE AS RAPIDLY AS POSSIBLE.
I WANT A, AND REPRESENTING THE ALMOST 10,000 PEOPLE ON OUR PETITION.
WE WANNA GET THIS DONE AS RAPIDLY AS POSSIBLE.
WE'VE ROLLED UP OUR SLEEVES FOR YEARS, HELPING WRITE THE STATEMENT OF WORK, HELPING REVIEW DOCUMENTS, DRAW MAPS.
WE WANTED GUN AS RAPIDLY AS POSSIBLE.
AND I AGREE WITH, UH, COUNCILWOMAN BECKER'S COMMENT, CITIZENS HAVE TO BE PART OF THAT REVIEW COMMITTEE.
WE DON'T WANNA STOP THE PROJECT.
WE WANT IT TO GO AS RAPIDLY AS POSSIBLE.
WE WANNA UNDERSTAND THE IMPACTS.
WE DON'T WANT TO COME HERE WITH A, A DOCUMENT THAT NO ONE HAS SEEN AND NO ONE CAN READ AND EXPECT, UH, AN MOA THIS EVENING BECAUSE THE VERSION WE RECEIVED IN THE MAIL FOR THE TOWN COUNCIL MEETING SAID MUNICIPAL CONSENT.
IT WAS ITEM EIGHT COUNTY, UH, EXPECTS SOME MUNICIPAL CONSENT.
UM, I MAKE ONE OTHER SUGGESTION WHEN THE REVISED DOCUMENT IS PUT TOGETHER BY, UH, SEAN, UM, AND JARED, BEFORE IT COMES HERE, SEND A COPY TO US, SEND A COPY TO THE CITIZENS THAT WE CAN SPOT THE REAL PROBLEMS THAT WILL OCCUR BEFORE THEY OCCUR HERE.
IT WOULD BE REALLY NICE IF AT THE NEXT MEETING, IT'LL BE NICE IF AT THE NEXT MEETING, OUR 10,000 OR ALMOST 10,000 PERSON PETITION GROUP COULD VOTE WITH YOU FOR IT.
WE WANNA MOVE THIS THING ALONG, BUT WE WANNA MAKE SURE ALL THE I'S AND T'S ARE CROSSED.
I WILL BE SIMILAR SIMILARLY BRIEF.
UH, WE ALL SAW THAT MARKED UP DOCUMENT.
WHAT STRUCK ME MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE WAS THE SEA OF RED, THE SEA OF RED THAT CROSSED OUT VIRTUALLY EVERYTHING THAT WAS WRITTEN IN THE MOA AUTHORED BY THE TOWN.
AND ONE OF THE ONES THAT'S PARTICULARLY THAT I COULDN'T BELIEVE THAT PARTICULARLY JUMPED OUT AT MAVIS.
THERE WAS A CROSS OUT OF AN ENTIRE PARAGRAPH THAT ENTIRE PARAGRAPH HAPPENED TO BE THE PROPOSAL TO HIRE AN INDEPENDENT TRAFFIC ENGINEERING CONSULTANT FIRM.
SO THAT TELLS ME WHAT, WHAT COUNTY COUNCIL IS REALLY ALL ABOUT.
THEY DON'T WANT TO STUDY, WE NEED THE STUDY.
[02:35:01]
YOU GUYS GO, UH, AND TAMMY, UH, GO OVER THIS, BE MINDFUL THAT WE NEED TO RETAIN THIS.LIKE TAMMY SAID, THIS IS OUR ISLAND.
WE NEED TO RETAIN AN MOA THAT HAS AS ITS, UH, AS ITS CORE, THE BEST INTERESTS OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
AND I JUST WANNA MAKE ONE MORE QUICK POINT WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR.
WE KEEP TALKING ABOUT THE, UH, THE RESULTS OF THE, UH, INDEPENDENT TRAFFIC ENGINEERING CONSULTING STUDY.
BUT I JUST WANNA POINT OUT THAT WE'RE NOT JUST LOOKING FOR DATA, YOU KNOW, CONFIRMATION, WHATEVER, WHAT, WHAT WE'RE HIRING AND WHAT WE WANNA GET OUR MONIES WORTH FROM THIS INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT IS, UH, AS I SAID BEFORE, WE WANT THEIR INDEPENDENT AND OBJECTIVE RECOMMENDATIONS AS TO HOW TO BEST SOLVE WHAT ORIGINALLY WAS A MAJOR FACTOR IN, IN THIS WHOLE QUEST.
AND THAT IS HOW TO SOLVE OUR PEAK, UH, TRAFFIC FLOW PROBLEMS ON HILTON NET.
I JUST WANNA SAY THAT I SPENT ABOUT FIVE YEARS, UH, ORGANIZING A GROUP CALLED CARE, WHICH, UH, STOOD FOR CITIZENS ADVOCATING RESPONSIBLE EDUCATION AND DID BATTLE WEEK AFTER WEEK.
AND I USED THAT TERM LOOSELY BATTLE, BUT WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD WHO RARELY, IF EVER LISTENED TO US REPRESENTING THE PUBLIC AND WE WERE, UH, YOU KNOW, THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE, UH, STRONG.
AND SO QUITE FRANKLY, I DIDN'T HAVE MUCH HIGH EXPECTATION FOR THIS MEETING.
AND I MUST SAY THAT, UM, I'M AMAZED AND ENCOURAGED, UH, BY THE QUESTIONS, UH, THAT YOU RAISED OF THE, UH, THE COUNTY FOLKS HERE TODAY AND, UH, RESPONSIVE, UH, TO THE PUBLIC AND TO THOSE NEARLY 10,000 PEOPLE, INCLUDING MYSELF, UH, WHO DID SIGN THAT PETITION.
HI, MY NAME'S ANGIE HUTCHINS, AND I WANTED TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR, UM, ADVOCATING FOR THE INDEPENDENT REVIEW AT THIS POINT, PARTICULARLY COUNCILWOMAN BECKER GRAY SMITH DIETRICH.
AND OF COURSE, STEVE BEAR FOR REALLY PUSHING THROUGH, TO REPRESENT THE ISLAND.
WELL, I CAN'T, UM, UNDERSTAND THOUGH HOW AS COUNCILMAN BROWN.
SO ADEQUATE ELOQUENTLY SAID, UM, WE SUFFER THE LOSSES.
WE SUFFER THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS IF WE AREN'T ADEQUATELY REPRESENTED ON THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
AND I CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE WOULDN'T BE IN THE MAJORITY IN ORDER TO HAVE AN ODD NUMBER, SINCE WE WILL BEAR THE BRUNT OF ANY NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF THE BRIDGE.
WE BOTH HAVE SOME DEFINITE POSITIVES IN THERE, BUT IF WE'RE GONNA SUFFER THE NEGATIVES, WE SHOULD HAVE THE MOST REPRESENTATION.
I LIVE IN INDIGO AND I HAVE A SIMPLE QUESTION.
WHY, WHY ARE WE AT THIS POINT? WHY IS IT TAKEN ALL THESE YEARS? AND WHAT IS THE PROBLEM WITH AN IN INDEPENDENT STUDY? IT WOULD'VE BEEN DONE BY NOW.
HAD WE DONE IT THREE OR FOUR YEARS AGO? NOW WE'RE IN A POSITION WHERE COSTS ARE RISING.
INTEREST RATES ARE EVERYTHING'S RISING AND STILL THE COUNTY WANTS TO STAR ME THIS.
CAN I APPRECIATE ALL OF THE COMMON SENSE THAT I'VE HEARD FROM THE BOARD BECAUSE YOU CANNOT MAKE A DECISION WITHOUT ALL THE INFORMATION.
AND I AM FIRMLY CONVINCED YOU DO NOT HAVE IT.
IT'S GETTING HERE FROM MY 95, GOING THROUGH HARDY BLUFFTON.
IT'S JUST APPROVED 500 HERE, 300 HERE.
YOU'VE GOT ONE ROAD, ONE BRIDGE TO I 95.
SO YOU'VE GOTTA GET HERE AND YOU GOTTA GO THROUGH ALL THAT.
IT'S JUST, IT, IT JUST NEVER STOPS.
WE GOTTA FIGURE OUT THE ROOT PROBLEM.
AND THE ROOT PROBLEM IS THAT WE'VE OVERDEVELOPED.
WE'VE GONE TOO FAR FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE HAVE.
WE'VE JUST COMPLETELY, ALMOST ANNIHILATED AND DESTROYED.
THE VERY REASON WE ALL MOVED HERE, WE'VE GOTTA DO SOMETHING.
WE WE'VE NEVER HAD A MASTER LAND PLAN.
MR. HARKINS, WHEN I HEARD HIM TELL ME THAT, I THINK IT WAS LAST YEAR THAT YOU BROUGHT THAT UP.
[02:40:01]
COMMUNITIES WHEN THEY'RE BUILT OUT.THEY'RE BUILT OUT AND IT'S OVER.
AND IF YOU WON IN THE GATED COMMUNITY AND THERE'S NOTHING THERE, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO PAY MORE MONEY TO GET IN.
YOU CAN'T JUST BE EVERYTHING FROM EVERYBODY AND JUST UNLIMITED.
AND THE, WE GOTTA STOP THE INSANITY AND WE GOTTA STOP THE, THE, THE ROOT PROBLEM.
THANK YOU ALL DAVE, MR. DAVIS, YOU MAKE LIKE CLOSING COMMENT, MR. TOM, DO YOU HAVE YOUR HAND UP, TOM? YOU CAN COME UP THERE AND MR. DAVIS CAN CLOSE TOM, GO AHEAD.
I WOULD LIKE MY NAME FOR THE RECORD IS THOMAS C. BOND WILL JR.
I HAVE A QUESTION, BUT I HAVE 1, 2, 3, 4 THINGS TO SAY.
MY FIRST THING IS MY IS A QUESTION.
COULD I SEE THE HANDS GO UP IN THE AIR OF HOW MANY OF US IN THIS ROOM TODAY HAVE LIVED ON THIS ISLAND WITHOUT A BRIDGE AT ALL? COULD I SEE THE SHORE OF HANDS?
NOW, MY FIRST THING IS I'VE, I'VE PROVEN ONE POINT I'M VERY OLD.
I'M ASKING EACH OF YOU WHO ARE PART OF THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS.
WHO'S ON COUNCIL, AS WELL AS THOSE WHO MIGHT BE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH MAKING THE DECISION.
MY REASON IS I LIVED THROUGH THE EXPERIENCE WHEN THE SWING BRIDGE WAS IN EXISTENCE AND THE SWING BRIDGE WAS HIT BY BARCH AND IT WENT OUT, IT CREATED MAJOR TRANSPORTATION PROBLEMS FOR HILTON HEAD, OKAY.
CONSIDERING CLIMATE CHANGE, WHATEVER IT IS.
I LOOKING THAT CLOCK
WE MIGHT HAVE THAT CONDITION, A SITUATION TO HAPPEN AGAIN.
THE OTHER THING IS I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO PLEASE DO THE STUDY 44 SECONDS, AND LASTLY, PLEASE DON'T ALLOW THE TIME TO SLIP AWAY FOR THE MONEY TO GO AWAY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, MR. MAYOR.
UM, IN MY PRIVATE SECTOR LIFE, I'M A, I'M A MEDIATOR.
AND, AND IN MEDIATION USUALLY INVOLVES TWO PARTIES COMING TOGETHER.
IT'S DIFFICULT WHEN YOU HAVE A TOWN AND A COUNTY BECAUSE THEY EACH HAVE MEETING CYCLES.
AND SO YOU, YOU YOU'RE CONSTRAINED BY THAT AND, AND LET, JUST MAKE THIS OBSERVATION.
UM, AND I AGREE WITH A LOT OF THE COMMENTS THAT, THAT, UM, THAT, THAT GRAY AND THAT STEVE AND THAT DERE AND, AND THE OTHERS HAVE MADE, I DON'T THINK NECESSARILY THE TOWN AND THE COUNTY ARE FAR APART AT THIS POINT.
I THINK THAT ONE, I THINK THERE IS A GENERAL CONSENSUS ON THIS BODY UP HERE THAT THE SCOPE OF WORK THAT WAS PUT TOGETHER WITH THE HELP OF THE CITIZEN GROUP WITH, WITH, UH, WITH, WITH SEAN AND, AND TOWN STAFF SHOULD BE A PART OF THIS MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT INCORPORATING THAT WORK PRODUCT.
I THINK THAT'S A BIG PIECE THAT THERE'S CONSENSUS ON.
I THINK THERE'S CONSENSUS ON INVOLVEMENT OF THE PRIVATE COMMUNITY IN INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS TO KEEP, CONTINUE TO ENGAGE THE CITIZENS GROUP IN, IN THIS PROCESS.
I THINK THERE IS SUBSTANTIAL AGREEMENT THAT THE TOWN WILL WITHHOLD ITS CONSENT AND THAT THE NEPA PROCESS AND A FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT CANNOT OCCUR UNTIL THE RESULTS OF THIS INDEPENDENT STUDY ARE DONE.
I THINK THERE'S A CONSENSUS IN, IN THAT REGARD.
UM, I THINK THERE'S A CONSENSUS IN REGARD TO WHAT THE DEFINITION OF AN INDEPENDENT
[02:45:01]
CONTRACTOR IS, UM, THAT IT HAS TO BE IN TERMS OF COMPETENCE, IN TERMS OF PRIOR ASSOCIATIONS WITH THE D O T.AND, AND I RECOGNIZE THAT WHEN YOU SEE AN AGREEMENT WITH A STRIKE AND INSERT WITH RED LINE, IT LOOKS LIKE THE BABY'S BEEN THROWN OUT WITH THE BATHWATER, BUT, BUT I'M HERE TO TELL YOU THAT THOSE FOUR SUBSTANTIVE POINTS, I THINK THERE'S GENERAL CONSENSUS ON HERE.
AND, AND, AND I DO THINK THAT WE OUGHT TO SEIZE THE OPPORTUNITY.
UM, AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO SEIZE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO MARK UP AND AMEND THE AGREEMENT THAT WAS SENT TO YOU BY THE COUNTY TO INCORPORATE THOSE THINGS THAT I THINK THERE'S BROAD CONSENSUS ON.
SO THAT THE COUNTY IS THEN IN A POSITION WHEN IT MEETS ON MONDAY TO DECIDE WHAT TO DO IN RESPONSE TO THAT.
I, I THINK THERE'S GONNA BE A MISSED OPPORTUNITY FOR CONTINUING DIALOGUE.
IF, IF NO ACTION IS TAKEN TONIGHT AND YOU SIMPLY DEFER WHAT'S THE COUNTY THEN GONNA DO THE COUNTY IS SIMPLY THEN GONNA GO AHEAD AND REAFFIRM WHAT IT'S ALREADY SENT TO YOU.
AND SO WE'RE THEN ANOTHER, YOU KNOW, CYCLE DOWN THE ROAD.
UM, LOOK, THE AGREEMENT THAT THE COUNTY HAS SENT OVER WAS FLAWED IN ALL THE RESPECTS THAT YOU GUYS HAVE TALKED ABOUT, BUT MY SITTING BACK THERE LISTENING, I THINK THERE'S BROAD CONSENSUS ON HOW TO BRING IT BACK IN LINE WITH WHAT YOU GUYS VOTED ON AND APPROVED 30 DAYS AGO, HOWEVER LONG AGO IT WAS.
SO I, I JUST MAKE THOSE OBSERVATIONS BECAUSE IT'S SO CUMBERSOME, A PROCESS IN DEALING WITH TWO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS BACK AND FORTH.
AND ALTHOUGH I AM CONFIDENT THAT IF THERE IS AN AGREEMENT THAT IS STRUCK BY THE TOWN AND THE COUNTY, AND I THINK THAT THERE'S GROUNDS FOR AN AGREEMENT HERE THAT THE PROCESS CAN MOVE FORWARD.
UM, AND WE CAN GET THE DATA THAT WE NEED.
YOU GUYS WILL BE IN A POSITION TO DECIDE ON, ON, ON WHAT TO DO.
AND THAT DATA'S IN HAND, A STRONG MESSAGE IS SENT TO THE C AND TO THE D O T AND TO MR. BARNWELLS POINT.
IT LETS THEM KNOW THAT THAT WE'RE IN SUBSTANTIAL AGREEMENT HERE AND THAT MONEY ISN'T JEOPARDIZED.
UM, BECAUSE I DON'T MEAN TO SAY THAT IF WE CONTINUE PING PONGING BACK AND FORTH, AND AT SOME POINT IN TIME THAT MONEY DOESN'T BECOME AT RISK, BECAUSE IT WILL, WHAT I'M TELLING YOU IS BASED ON WHAT'S HAPPENED SO FAR, IT IS NOT AT RISK.
BUT WHEN YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY LIKE THIS, WHEN EVERYBODY IS ENGAGED AND YOU'RE HEARING FROM THE PUBLIC AND WE'RE HEARING FROM EXCELLENT STAFF AND YOU'RE IN A POSITION TO MAKE A DECISION, LET'S TAKE SOME TIME, MAKE A DECISION AND, AND, AND GO AHEAD AND AMEND THE AGREEMENT.
IF YOU WANT TO, AS I AGREE YOU SHOULD, IN ALL THE RESPECTS THAT HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED AND GIVE IT BACK TO THE COUNTY, OKAY.
AND THEN LET ME DO MY JOB AS, AS A FACILITATOR TO APPEAR BEFORE COUNTY COUNCIL NEXT MONDAY, AND MAKE THE ARGUMENTS AS TO WHY THEY SHOULD ACCEPT WHAT YOU SEND THEM.
BUT, BUT I THINK WE LOSE PRECIOUS TIME.
UM, WELL, THAT REALLY GAINING MUCH IN RETURN IF NO ACTION IS TAKEN TONIGHT.
AND I SAY THAT WITH RESPECT, CUZ I KNOW HOW FRUSTRATING IT IS, MS. BECKER, TO GET PACKET, TO SIT DOWN AND DO YOUR HOMEWORK, TO BE READY TO DISCUSS IT.
AND ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU FIND OUT THAT THERE'S SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.
BUT I THINK THAT THE COUPLE HOURS THAT WE'VE SPENT GOING THROUGH THIS AND WITH, WITH STAFF, EXCELLENT LAYING OUT, WE'VE IDENTIFIED THE AREAS THAT NEED TO BE CHANGED.
WE DO NEED TO HAVE THE SCOPE OF WORK INCORPORATED.
UH, WE DO NEED TO HAVE EQUAL TOWN REPRESENTATION ON THAT OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.
WE DO NEED TO HAVE CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT.
WE DO NEED TO WITHHOLD ANY SORT OF MUNICIPAL CONSENTS, BOTH IN REGARD TO, UM, THE, THE, THE FINAL CONSENT ON THE MODIFIED REFERRAL ALTERNATIVE, BUT ALSO IN REGARD TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND THE NEBER PROCESS UNTIL YOU HAVE THAT STUDY DONE.
I THINK THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO AHEAD AND DECLARATIVELY SAY, AS MR. STANFORD SAID, THIS IS IT, THIS IS THE LAST SET OF DATA WE'RE GONNA BE REQUESTING.
WE'RE GONNA MAKE A DECISION THAT LENDS SOME FINALITY TO THIS PROCESS, WILL THAT IN ANY WAY, CONSTRAINING YOUR OPTIONS.
AND SO I, I, I WOULD, THAT'S MY OBSERVATION.
YOU ASKED ME FOR MY OBSERVATION, MR. MAYOR.
I DON'T THINK THE PARTIES ARE AS FAR APART HERE AS IT MAY SEEM SIMPLY LOOKING AT RED LINE TEXT.
THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, SUE RODMAN COUNTY COUNCIL COUNCIL MEMBERS, MR. DOWN MANAGER.
UM, A COUPLE OF COMMENTS AND I AGREE WITH A LOT OF WHAT WAS SAID TODAY.
UM, THIS HAS BEEN A LONG, LONG PROCESS THAT WE WE'VE GONE THROUGH.
WE NEED TO HAVE CLOSURE FOR ALL THE REASONS THAT HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED FROM MY PERSPECTIVE.
AND I THINK THE COUNTY'S PERSPECTIVE WE'RE IN TOTAL AGREEMENT HAVE BEEN FOREVER ON THE ADAPTIVE CONTROLS.
AND IF THEY ALL WANT TO EVEN ACCELERATE A SEPARATE IGA, WE'D BE HAPPY TO HAPPY TO DO THAT.
I THINK WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN IN FAVOR.
I HAD NO OPPOSITION FROM DOING THE, IN THE SECOND INDEPENDENT REVIEW THAT I'M AWARE OF.
AND SO I DO BELIEVE THAT THAT SHOULD GO FORWARD.
UM, THERE'S A COUPLE THINGS I'D LOVE TO SEE INCLUDED IN THAT ONE IS THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF COMMUNITY CONCERN ABOUT WHETHER WE HAVE THE RIGHT GROWTH RATE, WHICH DRIVES A LOT OF
[02:50:01]
THE CONCERNS THAT WE HAVE.AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE FINALLY ADDRESSED BECAUSE ONE HAND WE'RE LOOKING AT TREMENDOUS GROWTH NUMBERS.
ON THE OTHER HAND, I THINK WE ALL RECOGNIZE THE ISLANDS PRETTY CLOSE TO, UH, TO BUILD OUT.
SECONDLY, WITH LATS INVOLVED, THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE LATS LONG RANGE PLAN AND STONY, WHICH HAS TWO PARALLEL ACCESS ROADS AND, UM, THE PREFERRED ALTERNATIVES ON THE TABLE.
IT'D BE GOOD TO BRING CLOSURE ON, ON THOSE TWO THINGS.
NOW, I THINK MY CONCERN AND, AND MAYBE OUR CONCERN IS THE INFLATIONARY PERIOD THAT WE'RE IN.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE, WE'VE SEEN IN THE, SINCE LAST APRIL, THE COST PROJECTION FOR THE PROJECT HAS GONE UP 30 OR 40 MILLION BUCKS.
UM, WE MADE SOME CALCULATIONS IN THE PAST RIGHT OR WRONG, BUT IT'S FIVE OR $6 MILLION A MONTH FOR EVERY MONTH THAT WE DELAY.
SO I, I THINK THE ONE THING THAT I WOULD SAY IS THAT WE, WE SHOULDN'T HAMSTRING THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION WHEN WE'RE ALL IN AGREEMENT THAT THEY COULD GO FORWARD WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT, BECAUSE IF WE END UP DELAYING THAT TOO LONG, THEN WE'RE JUST ADDING MILLIONS AND MILLION DOLLARS TO THE, TO THE COST.
NOW WE DID TAKE IT UP AT PUBLIC FACILITIES YESTERDAY.
AND, UM, WE VOTED WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE WOULD BE PROBABLY SOME VERY GOOD COMMENTS COMING OUT OF YOUR MEETING TONIGHT, AND WE'RE PREPARED TO ROLL ALL OF THOSE IN CERTAINLY THE, THE BALANCE OF THE SIX.
AND THERE WERE SEVERAL OTHERS THAT WERE MENTIONED.
I DIDN'T HEAR ANY THAT, THAT, THAT WE REALLY HAD ANY EXCEPTION TO.
UM, WE SPECIFICALLY TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THAT UNDERSTOOD THAT THIS DOCUMENT DOES NOT INFER MUNICIPAL CONSENT IN STATING THOSE WORDS IS ABSOLUTELY THE LOGICAL THING TO DO FROM A LEGAL STANDPOINT.
UM, I DO BELIEVE THAT IT'S IMPORTANT IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE PROJECT AND THE DESIGN AND EVERYTHING ELSE, THE BRIDGE PIECE IS WHERE THE PRIMARY COST IS, AND THAT'S THE REALLY LONG LEAD PIECES.
SO THAT PIECE NEEDS TO CONTINUE AT THE SAME TIME IS THE INDEPENDENT REVIEW IS GOING ON AND THEY'LL COME TOGETHER AT THE END OF THE PROJECT.
SO WE, WE DON'T WANT TO DELAY THAT PORTION OF IT, HOW HOWEVER WE, WE DO IT.
UH, I, I DO BELIEVE THAT WHAT WE'RE ALL TALKING ABOUT, UH, AND, UH, HONORS WHAT SENATOR DAVIS HAS PUT FORWARD.
AND WE ALL MADE A GREAT DEAL OF GRATITUDE FOR WHAT HE HAS ACCOMPLISHED IN, IN, IN LEADING ALL OF THIS.
SO, UM, WHAT I SEE FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE IS THAT IN THE NEXT DAY OR SO, WE WILL BE DIGESTING WHAT YOU ALL TALKED ABOUT, FOLDING THAT INTO WHAT WE'RE PROBABLY GONNA TALK ABOUT ON MONDAY, COORDINATING THAT WITH YOU BACK THROUGH YOUR, YOUR STAFF.
AND HOPEFULLY WE END UP WITH A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF THOSE THINGS THAT ARE RESOLVED.
UM, I WOULD EVEN GO SO FAR AS TO SAY ON THE INDEPENDENT REVIEW.
I THINK IT'S IMMATERIAL TO US WHETHER WE DO IT TOGETHER OR WHETHER YOU ALL TAKE IT ON AS A, AS A TOWN, WE'RE OBVIOUSLY GONNA COOPERATE A LOT OF THE DATA YOU, YOU COULDN'T GET ELSEWHERE.
SO DATA HAS DATA HAS BEEN SAID, BUT I DON'T THINK WE WOULD OBJECT IF YOU ALL WANTED TO, TO DO THAT IN YOUR OWN.
BUT I THINK WE ARE COMMITTED TO, TO WORK AS CLOSELY AS WE CAN WITH YOU TO GET THIS DONE AND DO IT IN A WAY THAT WE DON'T INCREASE THE COST TO THE POINT THAT THE WHOLE THING BECOMES, UH, UNAFFORDABLE.
THIS IS MY FIRST TIME ACTUALLY LISTENING TO THE DEBATES ON THE CORRIDOR PROJECT SEEMS LIKE, UM, COUNCILMAN RODMAN SEEMS LIKE WE HAVE THREE THINGS THAT ALL I HOPE THE COUNTY AND THE, UH, THE TOWN HAVE IN COMMON.
NUMBER ONE IS WE CARE ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE BRIDGE, WHICH IS A NECESSITY THAT WE AT LEAST REPAIR, UH, THE DAMAGES FROM, UM, HURRICANE MATTHEW.
AND A SECOND THING I THINK WE AGREE ON IS ON THE TRAFFIC.
CLEARLY WE NEED TO SOLVE THE TRAFFIC ISSUE.
AND THE THIRD THING I THINK WE ALL AGREE ON IS ON THE ENVIRONMENT, THE IMPACT AND THE IMAGE WHEN PEOPLE COME TO SEE HILTON HAT ISLAND.
SO I THINK THAT WE AT LEAST TOWN AND COUNTY SHARE THERE'S IN COMMON.
HOWEVER, I THINK THE ONLY DIFFERENCE, UH, OR TWO DIFFERENCES,
[02:55:01]
THE FIRST ONE IS, UH, THE COUNTY'S CONCERN.IF WE DO THE INDEPENDENT STUDY, WHETHER THE MONEY, THE STATE OR THE FEDERAL MONEY IS GONNA BE THERE OR NOT.
AND THE SECOND CONCERN IS THE COST OF RUN OR POTENTIAL INFLATION IMPACTED, UH, INCREASE ON THE MON MONEY THAT WE'RE GOING TO, UM, PUT UP REGARDING THE FIRST ONE, SEEMS LIKE THE EASIEST WAY TO ADDRESS WHETHER THE MONEY'S THERE OR NOT IS THROUGH COMMUNICATION.
IT'S COMMUNICATION BETWEEN TOWN AND COUNTY, AND THEN WITH TOWN AND COUNTY COMMUNICATION WITH THE STATE AND WITH, WITH THEIR INFRASTRUCTURE BANK.
IF THEY UNDERSTAND THAT WE ALL ARE GOING TO WORK IN GOOD FAITH TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE.
AND WITH THE SUPPORT OF, UM, SENATOR DAVIS, I ASSUME THAT IF WE GOT THE TIMETABLE TO SAY, WE HAVE WITHIN MAYBE 10 OR 11 MONTHS, WE'RE GONNA RESOLVE THAT.
I THINK THAT THE STATE AND THE FEDERAL MONEY SHOULD BE THERE.
I DON'T SEE WHY WE CAN'T JUST HAVE A PHONE CALL, A ZOOM CALL OR WHATEVER, GO UP TO COLUMBIA TO HAVE ALL PARTIES SET TOGETHER, TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE, WHETHER THE MONEY IS THERE OR NOT.
THE SECOND ONE, THAT'S WHERE I HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE COUNTY COUNCIL IS IF WE DON'T HAVE THE END END STUDY UNDERSTANDING WHAT IS THEOR IS NECESSARY TO CURE THE PROBLEMS THAT WE ARE CONCERNED WITH SAFETY TRAFFIC, HOW DO WE KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY WE'RE GOING TO INCUR? AND WHAT'S THE INFLATION IMPACT IS GOING TO BE? SO THAT IS MY BIGGEST QUESTION.
IF THE PROJECT ONLY REQUIRES FOUR LANE, MAYBE WE DON'T NEED ANOTHER A HUNDRED OR 45 MILLION.
SO THAT'S WHY I JUST WANNA RAISE THAT QUESTION TO THE COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
APOLOGIZE WITHOUT DIPPING, BUT SOME OF MY COMMENTS, UM, I WANNA AMEND BASED ON WHAT I HEARD FROM MR. RODMAN.
AND, AND, AND I APPRECIATE THEM IF IN FACT, UM, COUNTY COUNCIL HAS BEEN LISTENING TO THE COMMENTS HERE AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE IN A POSITION TO ADDRESS THEM ON MONDAY.
THEN, THEN I'LL REVISE MY EARLIER COMMENTS, BECAUSE I THOUGHT THAT THIS SIMPLY WAS GONNA BE THEM PASSING ON MONDAY.
THE THING THEY ALREADY SENT TO YOU AND NO PROGRESS IS BEING MADE.
IF IN FACT, THERE'S SOME PROGRESS HERE.
IF IN FACT THE COUNCIL IS GONNA GO BACK AND I TAKE MR. ROBIN'S WORD AND WILL INCORPORATE A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN SAID HERE TONIGHT, MAYBE THE BETTER COURSE IS THEN TO, TO GET THOSE COMMENTS AND THEN A CLEAN COPY BEFORE YOU HEAR MY, MY OBSERVATION SIMPLY WAS, I DON'T THINK THE PARTIES ARE THAT FAR APART.
I, I THINK THAT THERE, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF AGREEMENT HERE AND, AND I, I WANTED TO EMPHASIZE THAT, THAT THAT'S WHAT I'M SEEING FROM MY STANDPOINT.
I THINK THAT THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY HERE IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE TO, TO COME TOGETHER AND GET THIS THING SIGNED.
SO, SO BASED ON WHAT MR. ROBIN HAS SAID, COUNCIL IS PREPARED TO DO ON MONDAY NIGHT, THE BETTER COURSE PERHAPS MAY BE TO THEN REACT TO THEN WHAT THAT CLEAN PRODUCT IS TO YOU AT SOME POINT IN TIME.
YOU WANT ME TELL SHAWN COLIN? YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING YOU STOOD UP ITS WAY.
OH, COULD I ASK SENATOR TODAY WAS THE QUESTION.
YES, SENATOR, UH, UH, SENATOR, UH, SENATOR DAVIS, IF, IF I MAY, UM, ARE YOU SUGGESTING THAT WE MEMORIALIZE TONIGHT? YEAH.
THE ADDITIONS OR DELETIONS IN SEND THOSE TO TOWN COUNCIL.
I MEAN TO COUNTY COUNCIL, UH, IN ADVANCE.
I, I THINK THAT MIGHT BE A GOOD MENTAL GROUND, MR. HARKINS.
AND INSTEAD OF TAKING A VOTE TONIGHT ON A FINAL WORK PRODUCT THAT YOU'RE GOING TO SIGN YOU, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE MECHANISM WOULD BE MR. ORLANDO, BUT, BUT ADOPTING A SENSE OF THE COUNCIL AS TO HOW THAT, HOW THAT AGREEMENT WOULD HAVE TO BE AMENDED IN ORDER FOR IT TO BE FAVORABLY CONSIDERED BY THIS COUNCIL.
I THINK WE'VE IDENTIFIED THOSE FOUR OR FIVE AREAS.
AND, AND SO MAYBE THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE HALF STEP TO DO HERE IS TO GO AHEAD AND, AND PASS AND, AND I'LL JUST KIND OF REPEAT THEM FOR THE SAKE, JUST SO YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE EVERYBODY'S SAYING THE SAME THING.
ONE WOULD BE THE MEMORANDUM AGREEMENT HAS TO HAVE THE SCOPE OF, OF, OF WORK INCORPORATED INTO THE BODY OF IT.
UM, SECOND OF ALL, THERE WOULD NEED TO BE EQUAL REPRESENTATION BY THE TOWN AND THE COUNCIL IN REGARD TO THE SELECTION COMMITTEE ON INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR, WHICH IS A DEFINED TERM IN THE AGREEMENT.
UM, THERE NEEDS TO BE A NEW PARAGRAPH EIGHT, UM, THAT DECLARATIVELY SAYS THE TOWN IS NOT GIVING, UM, MUNICIPAL CONSENT.
MOREOVER IT IS EXPRESSLY WITHHOLDING, MUNICIPAL CONSENT UNTIL SUCH TIME AS THAT HAS HAD THE CHANCE TO GET THE DATA FROM THIS INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR AND TO ASSESS THAT DATA AND MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION.
AND, AND, AND, AND I THINK THAT FRANKLY, AND, AND I REALIZE THIS MAY GIVE THE COUNTY SOME HEARTBURN, BUT I THINK THAT PARAGRAPH EIGHT DECLARATIVE STATEMENT NEEDS TO
[03:00:01]
ALSO ADDRESS THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND THE NEPA PROCESS, BECAUSE I DO THINK THE INFORMATION YOU GET FROM THAT INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT MAY INFORM YOUR DECISION IN THAT REGARD AS WELL.AND THEN LASTLY, I WILL SAY, THERE'S GOTTA BE SOME INVOLVEMENT BY THE CITIZEN COMMITTEE GOING FORWARD THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.
I, I THINK THAT'S CRITICAL TO OWNERSHIP OF THIS, OF THIS PROJECT, AND I THINK IT'S CRITICAL TO RETAIN THE PUBLIC TRUST.
AND SO I, I, I THINK THAT THOSE THINGS PROVIDES ENOUGH GUIDANCE, UM, TO MR. MCLEAN AND MR. RODMAN TO TAKE BACK TO THEIR COLLEAGUES AND TO HAVE THEM TAKE IT UP ON MONDAY AND THEN TO HAVE A CLEAN DOCUMENT BEFORE YOU GUYS, WHEN YOU COME BACK AT YOUR NEXT MEETING.
I MEAN, I GUESS, I GUESS THAT'S THAT THOSE WOULD BE MY COMMENTS BASED ON WHAT I HEARD MR. RODMAN SAY.
WELL, UH, MR. MAYER, I, I, FOR 1:00 AM VERY COMFORTABLE IZING YOUR COMMENTS, UH, DETERMINED IF WE HAVE CONSENSUS AT A MINIMUM MAJORITY HERE, HOPEFULLY, UM, AT A MINIMUM, UH, FOUR VOTES, HOPEFULLY A FULL VOTE AND SEND THAT TO, TO COUNTY COUNCIL, ALEX, THE DOCUMENT.
I THINK, I THINK JUST TO, TO JUMP IN HERE, UM, THERE WON'T BE WHAT I, WHAT I'M UNDERSTANDING IS THERE WOULD NOT BE A DOCUMENT.
THERE WOULD BE A RECITATION OF THINGS THAT THE TOWN WOULD HAVE TO HAVE INCLUDED AT A MINIMUM IN ORDER FOR IT TO BE A FAVORABLE CONSIDERATION BY THIS COUNCIL.
BECAUSE I THINK IN THAT REGARD, IN REGARD TO THOSE FOUR OR FIVE AREAS THAT I OUTLINED THERE IS SOME CONSENSUS AS TO HOW THIS DOCUMENT PRESENTED TO YOU HAS BEEN, IS DEFICIENT AND HOW IT COULD BE ADDRESSED.
UM, SO I, YOU KNOW, I, AGAIN, I I'M, I'M A FACILITATOR HERE AT BEST, I MEAN, BUT, BUT I WOULDN'T ENVISION A DOCUMENT BEING APPROVED BY THIS COUNCIL.
IT'LL BE MORE ALONG THE LINES OF THESE ARE SOME CRITICAL POINTS THAT WOULD NEED TO BE INCLUDED BY THE COUNTY IN ORDER FOR IT TO RECEIVE A FAVORABLE CONSIDERATION, ALEX.
I, I THINK THAT THERE'S ONE IMPORTANT COMPONENT THAT'S MISSING HERE AND THAT'S A, A TIMELINE ASSOCIATED WITH THE AGREEMENT.
UM, AND IF IT'S GONNA REQUIRE COUNTY COUNCIL AND TOWN COUNCIL TO MEET A BIT MORE REGULAR TO GET THERE, I THINK WE NEED TO DO THAT.
I, I RESPECT WHAT, UM, SENATOR DAVIS IS SAYING, AS FAR AS SENDING POINTS BACK TO COUNTY COUNCIL, LET THEM DIGEST AND THEN SEND BACK TO US.
BUT IN ORDER FOR US TO REALLY HAVE CONCRETE AS TO WHAT THIS COUNCIL AGREES TO AND WHAT COUNTY COUNCIL AGREES TO, I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE A TIMELINE ASSOCIATED AND WE HAVE, AND AGAIN, IF WE HAVE TO HAVE MORE MEETINGS TO GET THERE, THEN LET'S DO THAT.
UM, UNLESS, UNLESS IF WE DON'T DO THAT, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO BOUNCE BACK AND FORTH.
I KNOW THAT THERE'S SOME, ANGS HERE ON THIS DIAS TONIGHT ABOUT SENDING ANYTHING WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO REVIEW IT AND PROCESS IT.
SO, UM, THAT TIMELINE, I THINK, IS CRITICAL TO THE DISCUSSION MOVING FORWARD.
AND WITHOUT THAT, I'M NOT SURE THAT WE COULD REALLY GET TO THE PLACE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET TO.
UM, ONE OTHER POINT THAT I'D LIKE TO MAKE THAT NO ONE HAS ADDRESSED TONIGHT IS HOW WE ARE GOING TO, UH, ANALYZE THE RESULTS OF THIS INDEPENDENT REVIEW.
WHO'S GONNA BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE SELECTION COMMITTEE, BUT WHEN THOSE, WHEN THAT DATA COMES BACK FROM THAT ENGINEERING FIRM, WHAT DO WE DO WITH IT? SO I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME GENERAL AGREEMENT AS TO HOW THE COUNTY AND THE TOWNS REPRESENTATIVES, WHOEVER THEY ARE, PERHAPS, INCLUDING RESIDENTS, UM, WILL BE ENGAGED TO INTERPRET THAT AND FIGURE OUT HOW THAT IMPACTS THE PROJECT.
THAT'S A GOOD POINT, BUT PEOPLE SHOULD UNDERSTAND THE INDEPENDENT REVIEW CANNOT BE PART OF OUR DECISION COULD BE PART OF THE INFORMATION, BUT THAT WON'T COME BACK FROM SIX TO NINE MONTHS.
WE WILL MAKE THIS DECISION SOON SO WE CAN MOVE AHEAD.
WE WON'T WAIT FOR THAT DECISION TO THAT REPORT TO COME BACK.
BUT I, I BELIEVE IT'S IMPORTANT FOR BOTH THE COUNTY AND THE TOWN TO AGREE ON A PROCESS.
AND I WILL ALSO POINT OUT THAT THE PREVIOUS, UH, CITIZEN INDEPENDENT REVIEW COMMITTEE FOR THE LAST INDEPENDENT REVIEW HAS NEVER BEEN DISBANDED.
AND I BELIEVE THAT MOST OF US MIGHT BE WILLING TO CONTINUE TO HELP.
NO, WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU, SENATOR DAVIS.
OH, WHAT DO YOU MEAN? NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, IT'S LATE.
SENATOR DAVIS, THANK YOU FOR, UM, YOUR NEGOTIATION SKILLS.
I THINK THAT, THAT YOU HAVE BROUGHT SOME CLARITY
[03:05:01]
TO THIS.WHAT I WOULD SAY IS THAT, UM, SINCE WE DON'T HAVE A DOCUMENT THAT WE COULD REVIEW AND AGREE TO TONIGHT THAT WE TAKE THE ITEMS THAT SENATOR DAVIS HAS OUTLINED, I THINK HE HIT ALL OF MY POINTS OTHER THAN THE TRANSPORTATION, WHICH I WILL CONTINUE TO SAY, I THINK IS AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF THIS ISSUE AS, AS WELL AS OUR HOUSING ISSUE.
UM, AND WE, WE HAVE A CONSENSUS IF NOTHING ELSE, TO DELIVER BACK TO COUNTY COUNCIL, UM, FOR THEIR CONSIDERATION SO THAT, UM, THEY KNOW THAT THIS BOARD HERE, UM, HAS THESE ITEMS AS OUTLINED VERY WELL BY SENATOR DAVIS, UM, IS WHERE WE'RE AT AND IT'S THE BALL'S IN THEIR COURT.
UH, I DON'T THINK WE'RE READY FOR A VOTE TONIGHT.
I WILL ASK THE TOWN MANAGER TO HAVE WOO LAW COMMENTS THAT JARED AND, UH, AND SEAN DID TO BE BACK AT THE COUNTY BY FRIDAY MORNING, ALL OUR COMMENTS TO BE INCORPORATED BACK BY FRIDAY MORNING FOR THEIR MEETING.
ON MONDAY NIGHT, I WILL THEN CALL A SPECIAL MEETING EITHER NEXT WEEK OR THE FOLLOWING WEEK TO VOTE ON THIS UP OR DOWN WHEN WE GET THE COUNTY'S COMMENTS BACK.
[10a. Consideration of a Resolution of the Town of Hilton Head Island Approving the Scope of Work for the Beach Parking Management Services]
ON TO THE NEXT ITEM, NEW BUSINESS CONSIDERATION RESOLUTION BY THE TOWN OF HILL, NED APPROVING THE SCOPE OF WORK FOR BEACH PARKING MANAGEMENT SERVICES.JEFF, YOU GOT A COUPLE WORDS, BRIEF WORDS, NO WORDS.
ANY DISCUSSION BY MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL? YEAH, JUST, JUST ONE THING, MR. MAY.
UM, WE, WE HEARD THIS, UH, ITEM AT COMMITTEE AND I, I VOTED IN FAVOR BECAUSE I WANTED TO HAVE, HAVE THIS DISCUSSION AS, UM, A FULL BODY.
I UNDERSTAND THE SENSE OF URGENCY TO PUT TOGETHER THIS BEACH PARKING PLAN.
AND I COMMEND STAFF FOR FINDING, UM, A VERY QUALIFIED VENDOR TO HELP US OUT WITH THIS.
I'M I'M STILL SOMEWHAT STRUGGLING.
HOWEVER, WITH THIS EXERCISE COMPETING WITH OUR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION INITIATIVE ON ISLAND, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU WOULD ARGUE THAT IF YOU ARE CHARGING FOLKS TO PARK, THAT WOULD ENCOURAGE THEM TO FIND SOMETHING FREE.
AND RIGHT NOW OUR FREE EXCUSE, MY FREE OPTION IS A LIMITED SERVICE OF A TROLLEY OR FREE PARKING ELSEWHERE.
AND ELSEWHERE COULD BE DESCRIBED AS MANY DIFFERENT THINGS, UM, SHOPPING CENTERS, PEOPLE'S YARDS AND SO ON.
UM, SO I DID NOT HEAR FROM THE VENDOR, THE LONG TERM PLAN TO MAKE SURE THAT THE TWO INITIATIVES ARE NOT COMPETING, BECAUSE ONCE YOU START TO GET FOLKS TO DO SOMETHING BESIDES PARK, THEN I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THIS.
COMPANY'S SEEING THIS OPPORTUNITY AS VIABLE.
OKAY? SO THE, THE TWO ARE STILL COMPETING IN MY MIND AND I I'M HAVING TROUBLE WRAPPING AROUND THE LONG TERM INITIATIVE AND PARTICULARLY THE, THE, THE WHOLE SOFT OPENING OR SOFT APPROACH THAT'S SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN NEXT SPRING IS NOT WELL DEFINED.
UM, SO I GUESS I NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE COMFORT FROM STAFF THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO, TO, TO UNPEEL THAT LATER.
UM, ONCE WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND MEMBERS, GLEN, ALEX, I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS AND I UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU COME FROM, BUT IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE TONIGHT IS APPROVING THE APPOINTMENT OF THIS, THIS CONSULTANT, UH, TO TAKE OVER OUR PARKING PROGRAM.
THIS CONSULTANT IS NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED AND SPECIALIZES IN NOTHING BUT MUNICIPAL PARKING WITH A LOT OF IT BEING IN RESORT COMMUNITIES.
SO GIVEN THEIR EXPERTISE, I SUPPORT THIS RESOLUTION.
AND I THINK WE SHOULD GO AHEAD AND APPOINT THIS CONSULTANT.
THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, AND YOU HAVE THE COMMENT BY MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL, TAMMY.
I JUST WANNA CLEAR UP, UM, TWO OF MY CONCERNS, WHICH I SPOKE TO JOSH EARLIER ABOUT.
AND, UM, JUST SO EVERYONE KNOWS THE CONFIRMATION THAT I GOT, I HAD A CONCERN WITH REGARD TO THE PRESENTATION THAT WAS MADE AND HOW IT WOULD IMPACT THE WAY WE'VE COME TO MANAGE THE PARKING, THE RESIDENT PARKING AT THE ISLANDERS BEACH, UM, PARKING LOT.
[03:10:01]
UM, I MADE IT CLEAR THAT DAY AND IT WAS CLEAR TO ME TODAY WHEN I SPOKE.AND I'M JUST LOOKING FOR CONFIRMATION ONCE AGAIN FOR EVERYONE, THAT THE WAY WE DO ISLANDERS BEACH PARKING CURRENTLY FOR THE RESIDENTS WILL NOT CHANGE THAT THAT IS A GOOD PROGRAM THAT WE'VE PUT IN PLACE.
THE RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN HAPPY WITH IT.
WE'VE WORKED REALLY HARD ON IT, AND THAT THERE WILL BE NO CHANGES TO THAT.
AND JOSH GAVE ME THAT CONFIRMATION TODAY.
SO THAT'S ONE THING THAT I WANT IN THE RECORD.
AND THEN SECONDLY, UM, I HAD A CONCERN WITH REGARD TO PERSONAL DATA COLLECTION AND MAINTENANCE OF THAT AS THE PROGRAM WAS DESCRIBED, IT WOULD RECORD, UM, ALL SORTS OF INFORMATION AND, UM, POSITIONING MOVEMENT AROUND THE ISLAND OF CARS.
AND I ASKED THAT WE DO NOT HAVE ANY ASSOCIATION WITH ANY DATA COLLECTION OF NAMES, DRIVER'S LICENSE, UM, PLATES, NUMBERS, OR ANY OF THAT SORT OF THING.
AND HE ASSURED ME TODAY THAT THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD WILL HAVE NO DATA COLLECTION HELD HERE ON THE ISLAND, BUT DATA WOULD BE COLLECTED IN TERMS OF HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE PARKING IN THIS AREA VERSUS THAT AREA.
AND AT WHAT TIMES OF DAY, SO THAT WE COULD SEE A PATTERN AND COLLECT THE DATA TO HELP US WITH, UM, MAKING, UM, FUTURE ASSESSMENTS ON NEEDS, UM, FOR THE ISLAND.
SO WITH THOSE TWO CAVEATS IN MY COMFORT LEVEL, WITH THE INFORMATION THAT I WAS GIVEN I'M OKAY WITH MOVING FORWARD.
WE HAVEN'T MADE A MOTION, SO I WOULD MOVE FOR APPROVAL SECOND.
THERE ANY COMMENTS BY MEMBERS OF COMMUNITY? OKAY.
CHRIST WHAT WHAT'D YOU SAY? HAVE A QUESTION.
UM, JUST QUICK QUESTION IS WE AS RESIDENTS GO THROUGH A PROCESS TO GET A STICKER FOR OUR CARS THAT SAY THAT WE ARE, WE LIVE ON THE ISLAND, WILL OUR PARKING ABILITY BE AFFECTED BY THIS PLAN? WE STILL BE ABLE TO GO TO THE SAME PLACES AS RESIDENTS AND PARK FOR FREE.
NO OTHER QUESTIONS, CHRISTIAN.
[10b. Consideration of a Resolution of the Town of Hilton Head Island Authorizing the Implentation of the Gullah History and Cultural Education Program for Town Employees and Officials]
10 B CONSIDER RESOLUTION WITH THE TOWN OF HILL AND THAT AUTHORIZED THE IMPLEMENTATION OF GOAL HISTORY AND CULTURAL EDUCATION FOR TOWN, EMPLOYEES AND OFFICIALS MOVE FOR APPROVAL.SECOND DISCUSSION BY MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
IS IT NOT FIRST READING? JUST FIRST READING SECOND READING.
FIRST, LIKE, THEY'RE SURE THIS IS ON IT'S ON.
THIS IS THE FIRST READING AND IT'S A RESOLUTION.
THIS IS A RESOLUTION ONLY ONE READING.
WE CAN'T HAVE ANY, ANY RESOLUTION OR ANYTHING MANDATING ELECTED OFFICIALS TO TAKE EDUCATION.
IS THAT, IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
I THINK FOR THE RESOLUTION, YES.
THAT'S NOT A FAIR QUESTION FOR HIM.
YOU GUYS NEED TO TALK ABOUT, OKAY.
WE NEED EXECUTIVE SESSION, NOT A FAIR QUESTION FOR YOU FOR, FOR LEGAL ADVICE ON THE, WELL, LET'S JUST, LET'S TALK ABOUT IN THE OPEN WAY.
THIS IS A PROGRAM FOR TOWN, EMPLOYEES AND OFFICIALS.
BUT I CAN'T TELL TOM LENNOX AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROGRAM.
SO WE KNOW WHAT ALSO INCLUDES, UM, EDUCATE, UM, PROVIDING EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN, UM, WHICH WE HAVE NO AUTHORITY OVER THE BEAUFORD COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT.
NO, IT DOESN'T SAY THAT IT SAYS HERE TOWN, EMPLOYEES AND OFFICIALS, IT DOESN'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT EDUCATIONAL SCHOOLS OR ANYTHING.
UH, MR. MAYER, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE SOME CLARIFICATION.
UM, THE, THE, THE RECOMMENDATION IN THE ME MEMO INCLUDES, UM, THE RECOMMENDATION THAT CAME OUT OF THE GUAG GEI CULTURAL TASK FORCE REPORT, WHICH INCLUDED THAT THERE SHOULD BE A PROGRAM TO EDUCATE, UM, OFFICIALS, EMPLOYEES, AREA, SCHOOL
[03:15:01]
TEACHERS, WHAT WENT THROUGH, AND IT WAS RECOMMENDED BY THE GUAG GEI TASK FORCE COMMITTEE WAS A PROGRAM FOR, UM, TOWN, EMPLOYEES AND OFFICIALS.IT WAS, IT DID NOT APPLY TO AREA SCHOOL TEACHERS, AND THAT THAT'S OUT OF OUR SPAN OF CONTROL MM-HMM
THAT'S A RECOMMENDATION THAT CAME OUT FROM THE TASK FORCE.
AND AT THE TITLE OF THE RESOLUTION THAT WAS ADOPTED BY THE, OR RECOMMENDED BY THE COMMITTEE AND IT'S BEFORE YOU TONIGHT.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE, AT THE VERY FIRST LINE OF THE, ON THE RESOLUTION TITLE OF RESOLUTION, IT IS FOR TOWN, EMPLOYEES AND OFFICIALS.
AND I KNOW THERE'S BEEN SOME DISCUSSION OF WHETHER OR NOT WE CAN MANDATE THAT, THAT ELECTED OFFICIALS PARTICIPATE IN THAT.
BUT THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE PROGRAM THAT WAS RECOMMENDED FOUR ZERO FROM COMMITTEE, UH, CSPS E COMMITTEE, UM, TO HAVE A MOTION I'VE MADE A MOTION, EXCUSE ME, MAYOR MCCANN, POINT OF ORDER, IN ORDER TO AMEND THE RESOLUTION, WE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE AN AMENDMENT TO THE INITIAL MOTION.
I JUST ASKED MACK A QUESTION IN GENERAL.
NOW I NEED A MOTION IN A SECOND.
I HAVE MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE AND I MADE A SECOND TO THAT MOTION.
MAY, MAY I JUST READ WHAT I WAS REFERRING TO? OKAY.
SO UNDER THE DOCUMENT IT SAYS FOR TOWN EMPLOYEES AND OFFICIALS, THAT'S CORRECT, BUT IT ALSO SAYS ESTABLISH A PROGRAM TO EDUCATE TOWN OFFICIALS, AREA, SCHOOL TEACHERS, AND OTHERS GUL CULTURE, SO THAT THEY CAN BETTER UNDERSTAND THE CULTURE MORE EFFECT.
SO I'M JUST CONFUSED BY THE WORDING.
WE DON'T CONTROL THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
IF IT, IF THERE'S ANOTHER DOCUMENT, THEN I DON'T HAVE IT.
SO THE, THE ACTION THAT WENT BEFORE, WELL, THE ACTION THAT CAME OUT OF THE GUAG GEI TASK FORCE WAS ACTION ON CP SEVEN.
SO RECOMMENDATION TO CREATE EXACTLY WHAT'S LISTED HERE WITH THE ADDITION OF VARIOUS SCHOOL TEACHERS.
THE RECOMMENDATION SHOULD HAVE CLARIFIED THE MEMO.
THE RECREATION MEMO SHOULD HAVE CLARIFIED.
IT DIDN'T INCLUDE AREA SCHOOL TEACHERS.
HOWEVER, THE RESOLUTION THAT WAS ADOPTED BY THE, THE, OR I'M SORRY, WAS RECOMMENDED BY THE COMMITTEE, UM, TO TOWN COUNCIL, WHICH IS BEFORE WE DENI CLEARLY IDENTIFIED AT THE TOP THAT IT WAS FOR TOWN OFFICIALS AND EMPLOYEES.
AND THE THIRD, WHEREAS CLAUSE SAYS THE SAME THING, TOWN OFFICIALS, AND EMPLOYEES.
THERE'S NO REFERENCE TO AREA SCHOOL TEACHERS.
AND THAT, WHICH IS THE AUTHORIZING DOCUMENT DOCUMENTATION THAT'S BEFORE YOU TONIGHT.
SO IF YOU HAVE PASSED THE RESOLUTION IT'S FOR TOWN OFFICIALS AND EMPLOYEES AGAIN, NO, I DON'T WANT, I, THE RECOMMENDATION WAS I'M CONFUSED WAS NO, I'M JUST CONFUSED BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT IT SAYS HERE.
AND THIS IS WHERE THE CITY GO ON THE BACK.
THIS IS WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON IS WHAT'S HERE.
WHAT I READ IS AUTHORIZING IMPLEMENTATION OF GO HISTORY AND CULTURAL EDUCATION TO TOWN, EMPLOYEES AND OFFICIALS, NOTHING ELSE.
IS THIS THE DOCUMENT THAT YOU WOULD BE SIGNING THOUGH? NO, THIS CAME, WE HAVE IT RIGHT UP ON THE SCREEN.
I'M JUST ASKING, CAUSE THIS IS WHAT'S IN MY PACKET.
SO I'M JUST GOING BY, WHAT'S GIVEN TO ME TO READ, DIGEST AND TRY TO UNDERSTAND, YEAH.
IN, IN THAT PROGRAM, UM, THERE IS A, THERE'S A SEQUENCE TO SAY HERE'S WHERE THIS RECOMMENDATION ORIGINATED.
THE BEGINNING OF THE DOCUMENT.
IT WAS FROM THE GUAG GEI CULTURAL, UH, REPORT.
AND THAT WAS A RECOMMENDATION.
IT DID INCLUDE SCHOOL TEACHERS AS YOU GO THROUGH THE, THE, THE BODY OF WORK IN THE PROGRAM, IT'S CLEAR THAT IT'S ONLY, IT ONLY APPLIES TO TOWN, EMPLOYEES AND OFFICIALS.
UM, THERE'S NO MENTION ABOUT THE PROGRAM FOR, FOR SCHOOL AREA SCHOOL, UM, UH, TEACHERS OR AREA SCHOOLS.
UM, AND AGAIN, THAT WAS DISCUSSED AT THE GULLAH GEI TASK FORCE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS THAT WE DON'T HAVE A SPAN OF CONTROL THERE.
DO WE ALL UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON? WE'RE VOTING ON EMPLOYEES AND PUBLIC OFFICIALS, NOTHING ELSE, NO MATTER WHAT DOCUMENTS WE HAVE, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON.
ANY, ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC WITH THAT CHRIS COLA RULE PLEASE? YES, SIR.
MRS. BECKER PRIOR TO CONTINUING, WAS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC INPUT? DID WE ASK MR. MAYOR, IF I MAY SPEAK TO THAT IN THE AGENDA PACKAGE THAT WAS POSTED ONLINE, INCLUDED THE RESOLUTION THAT IS CURRENTLY SHOWING ON THE SCREEN, WHICH SHOWS THAT IT IS JUST FOR PUBLIC OFFICIALS AND STAFF OR TOWN EMPLOYEES.
THAT'S NOT WHAT I WAS ASKING THOUGH.
WHAT I WAS ASKING WAS THEIR PUBLIC COMMENT.
SO, UM, IF I WAS BEING CALLED ON, I'M GOING TO ABSTAIN.
YES OR NO, JOHN, I CAN'T WHAT YOU WANT, MR. MAYOR? NO,
[03:20:01]
MR. MAYOR, NO NEXT CALL.THIS IS THE PAPER THAT I HAVE.
I I'M READING YOU WHAT WE, WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON.
I UNDERSTAND, BUT KEEP A CALL MRS. BECKER.
WE'RE GONNA TAKE A 10 MINUTE BREAK.
[10c. Consideration of a Resolution of the Town of Hilton Head Island Approving the Community Development Block Grant 2021 Consolidated Annual Performance Evaluation Report]
THE AGENDA CONSIDERATION RESOLUTION.I'M GOOD EVENING FOR THE RECORD.
MARCY BENSON SENIOR GRANTS ADMINISTRATOR FOR THE TOWN.
AND, UM, BEFORE YOU, TODAY IS THE 2021 CAPER, UM, STANDS FOR, UM, CONSOLIDATED ANNUAL PERFORMANCE EVALUATION REPORT.
THIS IS A, UH, PROGRESS REPORT THAT IS DONE FOR THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK RAMP PROGRAM.
HUD REQUIRED THE 20 21 1 YEAR ACTION PLAN.
UM, AND THAT WAS APPROVED IN AUGUST OF 2021.
AND IN ORDER TO MEET HUD REQUIREMENTS, A CAPER MUST BE PREPARED EACH YEAR OF PROGRAM PARTICIPATION AND, UM, PUBLIC INPUT IS REQUIRED FOR THE CAPER PROCESS.
THE CAPER DESCRIBES ACTIVITIES THAT HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS RELATED TO THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES THAT WERE IDENTIFIED IN THE 2020 THROUGH 20 24, 5 YEAR CONSOLIDATE A PLAN AND THE 2021 ANNUAL ACTION PLAN.
THE CAPER WAS RELEASED TO THE PUBLIC ON AUGUST 8TH FOR A 15 DAY PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD, AND A PUBLIC MEETING TO SOLICIT PUBLIC INPUT WAS HELD ON AUGUST 15TH.
UH, NO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ATTENDED THE MEETING AND AT THE CLOSE OF THE 15 DAY PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD ON AUGUST 23RD, NO PUBLIC COMMENTS WERE RECEIVED AND A SUMMARY REFLECTING THAT INFORMATION IS INCLUDED IN THE CAPER BY APPROVING THE CAPER TONIGHT.
UM, YOU WILL MEET THE REQUIREMENTS TO REPORT THE APP, UH, TO REPORT THE INFORMATION TO HUD AND IT MUST BE SUBMITTED, UM, ON OR BEFORE SEPTEMBER 28TH.
SO I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM.
CONSIDERATION RESOLUTION TOWN.
WE HAVE TO TAKE A, UM, YOU NEED TAKE ACTION ON THAT AND SOLICIT PUBLIC COMMENT PLEASE.
YEAH, I, I MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE AND I SECOND.
ANY PUBLIC PROBLEM? ANY COMMENT BY THE MR. COUNSEL, MR. MR. BROWN SUPPORT.
[10d. Consideration of a Resolution of the Town of Hilton Head Island Authorizing the Execution of an Intergovernmental Agreement for Participation in the BeaufortJasper Counties Regional Housing Trust Fund]
CONSIDERATION RESOLUTION TOWN HILL NET ISLAND AUTHORIZED IN THE EXECUTION OF AN INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT WITH PARTICIPATION IN THE VIEW CREEK GAS COUNTY, REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST MOVE FOR APPROVAL.I'VE HAD CONCERNS ABOUT THE REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST BECAUSE THERE ARE NO PROVISIONS IN THERE THAT WOULD EVER REQUIRE A CONTRIBUTION BE MADE TO THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
UH, FOR HOUSING, IT WAS SUGGESTED AT ONE POINT THAT ONCE YOU HAD GONE AROUND THE CIRCLE OF VARIOUS, UH, MUNICIPALITIES AND PARTICIPANTS IN THE TRUST, NONE OF THEM COULD GET A SECOND CONTRIBUTION OF FUNDS UNTIL ALL HAD RECEIVED A CONTRIBUTION OF FUNDS.
SINCE THEN, I RAISED SOME ISSUES ABOUT, UH, WHERE OUR WORKERS ARE COMING FROM AND BASED UPON THE INPUT FROM OUR, UH, WORKFORCE HOUSING CONSULTANT, A LITTLE MORE THAN 60% OF THE WORKERS ON THIS ISLAND COME FROM OFF ISLAND, THEY NEED TO HAVE A PLACE TO LIVE.
SO I CAN SUPPORT THIS PROGRAM.
I THINK YOU HEARD SENATOR DAVIS TALK ABOUT
[03:25:01]
REGIONALISM IN HIS, UH, COMMENTS THIS EVENING, UH, AS YOU RECALL.SO LOCO WAS, UH, WAS INSTRUMENTAL, UH, IN REVERSING THE TREND IN THE STATE LEGISLATION, AS IT PERTAINED TO THE BUSINESS LICENSING, BEING ON NET INCOME INSTEAD OF GROSS.
SO LOCO MOBILIZED ALL MUNICIPALITIES THROUGHOUT THE STATE AND THAT LEGISLATION, THAT BILL WAS CHANGED, UH, TO READ GROSS INCOME AND NOT IN NET INCOME.
UH, AND I THINK FOR ALL THE REASONS THAT TOM TALKED ABOUT, UH, AS IT PERTAINS TO REGIONALISM AND HIS, UH, 1% GREEN SPACE SALES TAX, BEING ABLE TO TAKE THOSE FUNDS GENERATED LOCALLY INTO OTHER COUNTIES AND INVEST FOR OUR BENEFIT.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT INVESTING IN THE LOW COUNTRY, WHETHER IT'S HILTON HEAD ISLAND, UH, OR ON THE MAINLAND, WE BENEFIT BECAUSE OUR WORKERS ARE LIVING THERE AND COMING TO THE ISLAND.
SO I AGREE, GLEN, I WILL SUPPORT THIS AS WELL.
I THINK THAT'S, I'M TOTALLY IN SUPPORT OF THAT.
THAT SAID, UH, I BELIEVE THIS IS ONE STEP FOR OTHERS TO FOLLOW.
I BELIEVE WE SHOULD HAVE, UH, AN INITIATIVE HERE ON HILTON HEAD FOR HILTON HEAD.
AND, UH, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT VARIOUS, UH, MEANS TO DO THAT.
UH, THERE'S SOME CREATIVE ONES BEING ADVANCED BY, UH, SENATOR DAVIS.
AND HE WAS ASKING US TODAY, UH, TO FORMAT A RESOLUTION THAT WOULD PUT SOME WIND BEHIND HIS SAIL AS HE TRAVELS TO COLUMBIA.
UH, WE'VE HEARD, UH, ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY THAT WE CAN INITIATE ON OUR OWN A 1% TAX OF ON THE COMMUNITY.
SOMETHING WE SHOULD THINK ABOUT, UH, AND MAYBE LONG TERM, UH, THE OPPORTUNITY OF, AGAIN, WORKING WITH, UH, SENATOR DAVIS AND OTHER COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE STATE, UH, TO TAKE A, A, A SIGNIFICANT LARGE STEP MAY BE VERY DIFFICULT TO, UH, WORK ON A CHANGE IN HOSPITALITY TAX RULES OF PLAY.
BUT THE COMBINATION OF THOSE MONETIZED WILL GIVE US A SIGNIFICANT MULTIPLE TO GO INTO THE BOND MARKET.
OTHER COMMENTS
WHERE'S SEAN, DOES SEAN RUN AWAY? OH, YOU, I THOUGHT YOU RAN AWAY.
I KNOW THAT MR. GREENWAY WAS IN INVOLVED WITH THOSE DISCUSSIONS.
I DON'T WANT TO THROW A CURVE BALL AT THIS.
I KNOW THAT THERE'S JUST BEEN SOME CONCERN OR SOME QUESTIONS ON THE TOWNS, MILLION DOLLARS OVER TIME.
THE WAY THE, UM, THE, THE POINTS OF THE AGREEMENT ARE WRITTEN, UM, PROJECTS SERVING 60% AMI ARE GIVEN A PRIORITY.
UM, AND THEN THE OTHER PROJECTS WE JUDGE ON MERITS, UM, AND FUNDING FOR LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, THE, THE NINE MEMBER COMMITTEE WOULD HAVE, UH, ONE MEMBER FROM EACH OF THE JURISDICTIONS THAT PARTICIPATE.
AND THEN THAT GROUP WOULD ADD ANOTHER INTO THE MIX.
THE, UH, THAT BOARD WOULD MAKE EVALUATION OF THE PROJECT AND DETERMINE WHERE TO AWARD THE PROJECTS BASED ON FUNDING AVAILABILITY.
SO I DON'T, IF THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION DIRECTLY MR. MANAGER, UM, BUT THE, THE, THE TRUST WOULD CONTROL WHERE PROJECTS ARE LOCATED.
UH, I THINK TOWN COUNCIL COULD REQUEST THAT CONSIDERATION FOR PROJECTS ON HOMELAND ISLAND.
UM, MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S A REGULAR CYCLE OR EQUITABLE SHARE.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS EXACTLY, BUT HAVING, HAVING THAT PROVISION TO SAY, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE LOOK AT LABOR SHED AND SO LABOR SHED IS BEYOND HI, JUST HILTON NET ISLAND, BUT FROM A PRODUCT AND TRANS TRANSPORTATION ACROSS THE BRIDGE, IT WOULD MAKE SENSE IF THERE ARE PROJECTS THAT RESULT ON IT.
I, I, I THINK IT'S, IT'S OBVIOUS THAT THE HOUSING TRUST FUND WILL BE USED TO MAKE PROJECTS WORK ECONOMICALLY NOT TO FUND IN TOTAL, UH, ANY PROJECTS.
UH, SO WHEN THE ECONOMICS ARE DONE, UH, WITH LAND COSTING 50,000 BUCKS, AN ACRE VERSUS LAND COSTING 250,000
[03:30:01]
AN ACRE, UH, IT'S EITHER GOING TO REQUIRE MORE OF A CONTRIBUTION FROM THE TRUST FUND, UH, OR IT WILL REQUIRE THAT THE PROJECT BE BUILT WITH THE LOWER COST LAND.SO I THINK WE HAVE TO BE REAL, UH, AS IT PERTAINS TO EXPECTING, TO GET PROJECTS BEING BUILT ON THE ISLAND, UH, BECAUSE THE ECONOMICS PROBABLY WON'T WORK AND THAT BOARD WILL BE CONFLICTED IN JUSTIFYING A PROJECT BEING BUILT ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND THAT HAS A MUCH, MUCH LOWER RETURN.
IF ANY, AS COMPARED JOHN THE MAINLAND.
WELL, IT, IT ALSO MIGHT BE THAT THIS LAYERS FINANCING WITHIN A PROJECT, SO IT COULD LAYER SOME MONEY ONTO HILTON HEAD MM-HMM
SPECIAL ONE IN, I THINK, I THINK MR. S IS MAKING A VERY GOOD COMMENT THAT, UH, IF, IF A THIRD OF A PROJECT HERE WAS IN THAT 60% AMI, THEN WHY COULDN'T WE GET CREDIT FOR THAT? YEAH, I THINK THAT'S REALLY GOOD THINKING.
GIVE HIM THE GUY A COMPLIMENT.
ANY COMMENTS MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.
CHRIS, TO CALL THE ROLE MR. BROWN SUPPORT.
[10f. First Reading of Proposed Ordinance 2022-17 to Repeal and Replace Chapter 1 of Title 17 of the Municipal Code of the Town of Hilton Head Island, Related to the Town's Adoption by Reference of Beaufort County Ordinance Chapter 14, Article II, Animal Control]
CARRIE, SIR.HEY, FIRST READING OF PROPOSAL, WITNESS TO REPEAL AND REPLACE CHAPTER ONE OF TITLE 17 OF THE MUNICIPAL CODE OF TOWN HILL, NET ISLAND, UH, TO COINCIDE WITH THE COUNTY'S ORDINANCE ON ANIMAL CONTROL.
DISCUSSION MY MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, DAVID.
WELL, WE DID GET SOME, UM, UH, EMAILS ON THIS ONE AND I THINK WE SATISFIED THE PUBLIC, BUT THIS ORDINANCE IS NOT GOING TO RESTRICT PEOPLE'S ABILITY TO WALK ON THE BEACH WITH THEIR PET.
IS THAT CORRECT? AS IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING TODAY THAT IT WILL REPEAL IT AND THEN REPLACE IT WITH THE SAME ORDINANCE THAT WE HAVE THAT CORRECT? YES.
SO WE'RE REPEALING OUR ORDINANCE AND WE'RE REPLACING IT WITH A SIMILAR TYPE TO OUR ORIGINAL ORDINANCE.
AND IT HAS THE CAVEAT THAT YOU, AND IT INCLUDES THAT ANIMALS ARE ABLE THAT'S CORRECT.
JUST MAKING SURE THAT'S IT'S ON THE RECORD.
ANY COMMENTS BY MEMBER OF THE, THE COMMUNITY? OKAY.
UM, I'M JUST CURIOUS TO KNOW, UH, PART, PART OF THIS, UH, NEW COUNTY ORDINANCE SPEAKS TO, UM, I GUESS LIVESTOCK AND, UH, EVACUATION, UH, ENVIRONMENTS.
AND I UNDERSTAND, I, I'M NOT, I DIDN'T SIT ON THAT COMMITTEE, UH, CAME THROUGH COMMITTEE SERVICES.
UM, BUT I UNDERSTOOD THAT THERE WAS, UM, ASSISTANCE THROUGH THE COUNTY OR THE REGION SOMEWHERE FOR THE TRANSPORTATION OF SUCH ANIMALS.
UM, AND I'M JUST WANTING TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS GOING TO BE COMMUNICATED TO THE COMMUNITY OF THOSE THAT HAVE LIVESTOCK THAT COULD BE THREATENED BY THIS NEW ORDINANCE.
IF WE HAD TO EVACUATE, IS THERE A COMMUNICATIONS PLAN THAT GOES ALONG WITH THIS, WE'LL PUT ONE TOGETHER.
YOU KNOW, WE'LL, WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S BAKED INTO OUR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT EXTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS PLAN.
[10g. First Reading of Proposed Ordinance 2022-16 of the Town of Hilton Head Island, Authorizing the Granting of Easements Encumbering Town-Owned Property to the Broad Creek Public Service District for an Aquifer Storage and Recovery Facility in the Palmetto Dunes Area]
OF PROPOSAL, WITNESS OF THE TOWN OF HILL THAT I OWN AUTHORIZING THE GRANTING AND EASEMENT OF THE TOWN OWNED PROPERTY TO THE BROAD CREEK PUBLIC SERVICE DISTRICT FOR STORAGE AND RECOVERY FACILITIES IN PALM MIDDLE DUNES, MOVE FOR APPROVAL.ANY QUESTIONS BY MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL? ANY QUESTIONS BY MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, ALEX.
I JUST WANNA MAKE, YES, MA'AM A COMMENT.
SO I CHECKED WITH, UM, FOLKS OVER IN PALMETTO DUNES AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY HAD NO PROBLEM WITH THIS.
CHRISTIAN, ANYTHING FOR THE COMMUNITY? CHRISTIAN COLE, MR. BROWN SUPPORT.
[03:35:01]
LENNOX.[11. Executive Session]
LANDO, DO WE NEED AN EXECUTIVE SESSION? YES, MAYOR, UH, REPRESENTATIVE LANGUAGE ON YOUR, UH, TOWN COUNCIL, UM, AGENDA ITEM, A LEGAL ADVICE ON BELA GEI, HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, CORP RECEIPT OF LEGAL ADVICE ON ITEMS B I THROUGH FOUR, AS SHOWN ON THE AGENDA DISCUSSION AND UPDATE REGARDING NORTHPOINT PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP, CONTRACTUAL ARRANGEMENTS.AND THEN WE MOVED ITEM 10 E FROM OPEN SESSION, WHICH IS CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE INTERGOVERNMENT AGREEMENT WITH BAUER COUNTY ON A LAND SWAP BETWEEN BARKER FIELD, OLD SCHOOLHOUSE ROAD AND PROPERTY NEAR THE CROSS ISLAND BOAT LANDING, UM, PERTAINING TO LEGAL ADVICE, UM, ON CONTRACTUAL MATTERS.
AND THEN ALSO DISCUSSION OF PERSONNEL MATTERS RELATED TO THE TOWN ATTORNEY CONTRACT, ALL IN PURSUANT TO FOYA PER THE AGENDA MOTION.
WILL WE GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THE REASON SET FORTH BY THE TOWN MANAGER? HOLD THE FAVOR, RAISE THERE RIGHT HERE.
WE ARE NOW GOING TO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
[12. Possible actions by Town Council concerning matters discussed in Executive Session]
MOTION IS TO SHARE, UH, ONE, I MOVE MOVED AT THE DRAFT BYLAWS OF THE GUAG DECI HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, UH, BE AMENDED AS FOLLOWS ONE SECTION 4.1, A HIRING OF AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WHO SHALL BE AN EMPLOYEE OF THE TOWN.THE BOARD OF OF THE CORPORATION SHALL CONSIST OF A MINIMUM OF FIVE VOTING DIRECTORS IN A MAXIMUM OF NINE VOTING DIRECTORS KNOWN AS THE VOTING DIRECTORS.
ALL OTHER PROVISIONS SHALL REMAIN AS CURRENTLY PRESENTED IN THE DRAFT.
BYLAWS PROVIDED TO TOWN COUNCIL FOR SEPTEMBER 20, 20, 22 TOWN COUNCIL MEETING.
ANY QUESTIONS BY MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL? I GUESS ANY MEMBERS MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY.
MOTION CARRIE, SIR, IF I MAY, UH, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION OF THE TOWN COUNCIL OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND, APPROVING THE BYLAWS FOR THE GUAG GEECHEE, HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS, COMMUNITY AS AMENDED IN APPROVING THE ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION FOR THE GUAG GEECHEE, HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION CHECK.
MY MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL BY THE COMMUNITY C TO THE ROLL.
[10e. Consideration of a Resolution of the Town of Hilton Head Island Authorizing the Execution of an Intergovernmental Agreement with Beaufort County for the Exchange of Real Property Identified as Barker Field, the Old School House Property, the Cross Island Boat Landing, and a One Acre Parcel Located on Jenkins Road]
I MOVED TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION, AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF AN INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT WITH BUFORD COUNTY FOR THE EXCHANGE OF REAL PROPERTY IDENTIFIED AS BARKER FIELD, THE OLD SCHOOL HOUSE PROPERTY, THE CROSS ISLAND BOAT LANDING, AND A ONE ACRE PARCEL LOCATED ON JEN ROAD.SECOND, ANY DISCUSSION BY MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL BY THE COMMUNITY, CHRISTIAN, THE CALL MR. BROWN.
WASN'T YOU SUPPORT MISS MR. HARKINS? YES.