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CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BEAUFORT COUNTY.HELLO AND WELCOME TO THE USCB CENTER FOR THE ARTS.
I'M IAN SCOTT, PRESIDENT OF THE BEAUFORT REGIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, AND ALONG WITH OUR CO-HOST USCB CENTER FOR THE ARTS, WE HAVE THE HONOR OF HOSTING THE 2022 CANDIDATE FORUM, UH, FOR CITY OF BEAUFORT AND FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY COUNCIL DISTRICT TWO.
PURPOSE OF TONIGHT'S FORUM IS TO INTRODUCE VOTERS TO THE CANDIDATES STANDING FOR ELECTION, UH, FOR OFF, FOR LOCAL OFFICE.
WE WANT THE COMMUNITY TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR FROM CANDIDATES, UH, DIRECTLY, UH, ON, UH, TOP LOCAL ISSUES.
TONIGHT'S FORUM WILL HAVE TWO SECTIONS.
FIRST, WE'LL START WITH CITY COUNCIL, THEN THE COUNTY COUNCIL CANDIDATES.
THE CITY COUNCIL PORTION WILL LAST ONE HOUR.
THE COUNTY COUNCIL PORTION WILL LAST 30 MINUTES.
THE FORUM WILL BE A PANEL QUESTION FORMAT.
EACH CANDIDATE WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND TO EACH QUESTION ASKED BY THE PANEL.
IN TURN, THIS IS NOT A DEBATE.
CANDIDATES MAY NOT ASK QUESTIONS OF EACH OTHER OR SPEAK DIRECTLY TO EACH OTHER.
UH, EACH CANDIDATE IS ALLOWED UP TO A A TWO 32ND REBUTTALS.
UH, SHOULD THEY BE CALLED OUT AT ANY POINT DURING, UH, THE FORUM BY ANOTHER CANDIDATE.
ALL QUESTIONS WILL COME FROM THE PANEL.
UH, THERE WILL BE NO QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE TONIGHT.
ALL QUESTIONS WERE DETERMINED BY THE PANEL JUST A SHORT WHILE AGO, LITERALLY MINUTES AGO.
UH, NO QUESTIONS WERE SHARED IN ADVANCE WITH ANY CANDIDATE OR ANYBODY ATTACHED TO ANY CANDIDATE'S CAMPAIGN.
TONIGHT'S FOUR PANELISTS WERE CHOSEN BY THE CHAMBER IN U S C B TO REFLECT OUR COMMUNITY.
THEY REPRESENT THEMSELVES ONLY.
THEY WORK TOGETHER THIS AFTERNOON TO ESTABLISH TONIGHT'S QUESTIONS.
YOUR PANELISTS TONIGHT ARE, UH, BEBE, UH, VIE ALVAREZ.
SHE IS THE ASSISTANT VICE CHANCELLOR FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS AT U S C B.
SHE'S ALSO A PROFESSOR OF FRENCH, SPANISH, AND GLOBAL STUDIES, AND SHE'S THE COORDINATOR OF THE BEAUFORT HONORS COLLEGE.
JENNIFER TUCK WILLER IS THE CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER AT CAROLINA AIR.
THEY'RE A FAMILY OWNED HVAC COMPANY LOCATED HERE, UH, IN THE CITY OF BEAUFORT.
JENNIFER ALSO SERVES AS THE BOARD CHAIR FOR THE BEAUFORT REGIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
GRAHAM SUMMERALL IS AN ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE WITH HARRE.
HE'S ALSO A CHARTER BOAT CAPTAIN AND AN AVID OUTDOORSMAN.
AND FINALLY, GAMAR WATTS IS A RETIRED MARINE AND A RESTAURANT TOUR WHO OWNS AND OPERATES JULY GRILL AND BAR IN DOWNTOWN BEAUFORT AND JANIAH CARIBBEAN CUISINE.
ON LADIES ISLAND, I'LL SERVE AS YOUR MODERATE.
TONIGHT, MY JOB IS TO KEEP, UH, OUR FORUM ON TRACK AND ON TIME.
EACH CANDIDATE WILL HAVE 90 SECONDS FOR AN OPENING STATEMENT.
YOU'LL HAVE 30 SECONDS AT THE END FOR A CLOSING STATEMENT.
UH, THE ORDER OF OPENING AND CLOSING STATEMENTS WAS DETERMINED BY RANDOM DRAWING JUST BEFORE, UH, OUR, OUR SESSION TONIGHT, WE'VE ASKED THE CANDIDATES TO KEEP THEIR RESPONSES AS BRIEF AS POSSIBLE SO WE CAN COVER AS MANY QUESTIONS AS POSSIBLE.
UH, FOR THOSE WHO ARE IN THE ROOM WITH US TONIGHT, UH, PLEASE REFRAIN, REFRAIN FROM, UH, ANY APPLAUSE OR OUTBURSTS EXCEPT AT THE BEGINNING AND AT THE END.
UH, AND WITHOUT ANY FURTHER DELAY, LET'S WELCOME OUR CANDIDATES TONIGHT.
SO THEY ARE MICHAEL ANDERSON, JOSH GIBSON, WILMA HOLMAN, MIKE MCPHEE, AND JOSH COLLETTI.
UH, THEY ARE SEATED IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY DREW NAMES.
SO FOR OPENING COMMENTS, JOSH GIBSON WILL GO FIRST.
SO I'M NOT SORRY SURE IF I WON THIS DRAWING OR I LOST THIS DRAWING, BUT, UH, BUT, BUT I'M GOING FIRST.
SO, UH, MY NAME'S JOSH GIBSON.
UM, I GREW UP, UH, IN THIS CITY.
THIS, I HAVE BEEN THE CHAIRMAN OF THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS FOR THE LAST SIX YEARS, UH, BEFORE I DECIDED TO RUN FOR COUNTY COUNCIL HERE.
AND THE QUESTION I GET MOST OFTEN, AND IT KIND OF HAS A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT TONES TO IT WHEN IT GETS ASKED, IS, WHY ARE YOU RUNNING? SOME PEOPLE ASK IT IN THE SENSE OF, TELL ME WHAT YOUR VALUES ARE.
AND SOME PEOPLE TELL, ASK ME IN THE SENSE OF, WHY ARE YOU GETTING INVOLVED IN THIS
I LOVE IT MORE THAN ANY PLACE I'VE EVER BEEN IN MY ENTIRE LIFE, AND THAT'S WHY I'M RUNNING FOR CITY COUNCIL.
THE LONGER ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION IS BECAUSE OF, I HAVE A, A THAT I BELIEVE THAT I HAVE A SENSE OF, OF, OF CIVIC SERVICE DUTY THAT NEEDS TO BE RESPECTED.
THAT HAS COME UP FOR ME FROM MY ENTIRE FAMILY THAT'S BEEN WITH ME, UH, MY ENTIRE LIFE.
MY BOTH OF MY GRANDFATHERS, UH, SERVED IN WORLD WAR II, ONE OF THEM DOING, UH, WORK IN ENGLAND AND THE OTHER ONE, UH, FIGHTING HIS WAY UP THROUGH ITALY FROM NORTH AFRICA.
THE THEN MY DAD VOLUNTEERED, UM, TO, UH, TO JOIN THE ARMY IN 1967, I THINK.
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WHEN THERE WASN'T A SUPER TIME TO BE JOINING THE ARMY AND THEN SERVED IN VIETNAM, MY MOTHER RAN THE, UH, THE VOLUNTEER ASSOCIATION AT THE HOSPITAL OF, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY WHO WAS THERE WHO WAS AT THE HOSPITAL WAS, YOU KNOW, WAS AS SAFE AS COMFORTABLE AND CARED FOR AS THEY COULD BE WHILE SHE WAS THERE.AND MY SISTER, UH, RUNS THE, UH, UH, NOT RUNS.
SHE'S AN ADMINISTRATOR AT RIVERVIEW CHARTER SCHOOL AND GOES TO WORK EVERY DAY THINKING ABOUT WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO MAKE THESE KIDS SAFE? WHAT'S THE BEST, BEST WAY TO MAKE SURE THEY GET WELL FED, WELL EDUCATED? AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, AS WE'VE RECENTLY, UH, HAD TO DEAL WITH THE, THE, UH, IDEA THAT THEY GO HOME SAFELY EVERY DAY.
AND SO, AFTER A HALF A CENTURY OF LIVING IN BEAUFORT, UH, IT JUST FEELS LIKE THIS IS THE RIGHT, UH, TIME FOR ME TO STEP IN AND SAY THAT I THINK THAT I HAVE SOME GOOD IDEAS ABOUT WHAT, WHERE BEAUFORT SHOULD BE HEADED.
AND I THINK THAT, UH, WHEN YOU MAKE YOUR DECISION ABOUT WHO YOU'RE GONNA VOTE FOR, THERE ARE A BUNCH OF ISSUES THAT WE'LL TALK ABOUT TONIGHT AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
AND, BUT YOU ALSO NEED TO THINK ABOUT WHAT IS IT THAT ARE THE VALUES THAT THE PERSON HOLDS? WHO'S HOLDING THAT POSITION? BECAUSE STUFF IS GONNA COME UP IN FRONT OF US THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DEAL WITH GOING FORWARD.
UH, THERE ARE NOT ISSUES THAT MAY NOT BE ON THE TABLE TONIGHT, ALTHOUGH I'M HAPPY TO TALK ABOUT ANY OF THOSE.
BUT, AND SO THAT'S WHAT I THINK.
I THINK YOU WANT SOMEBODY WITH THE EXPERIENCE, WITH THE LOCAL KNOWLEDGE AND WHO HAS, UH, THE MATURITY, WHO'S BEEN HERE FOR LONG, LONG ENOUGH.
NEXT UP, IT'S MICHAEL ANDERSON.
MY NAME IS MICHAEL JD ANDERSON.
UM, I'M, UNFORTUNATELY, I'M NOT ORIGINALLY FROM THE BEAUFORT AREA, BUT I DID GROW UP IN A MILITARY FAMILY.
SO WE WERE STATIONED ALL OVER THE SEAS, UH, ALL OVER THE WORLD AND ACROSS THE SEAS.
UM, I PRIMARILY, I GUESS FOR MILITARY BRATS, WE USUALLY, UH, DETERMINED WHERE WE PREDOMINANTLY GREW UP BASED OFF OF WHERE WE GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL, AND THAT WOULD BE VIRGINIA FOR MYSELF.
UM, I GOT THE OPPORTUNITY AFTER HIGH SCHOOL TO GRADUATE AND ATTEND THE AIR FORCE ACADEMY.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY, I WAS NOT ABLE TO FINISH, AND I RETURNED BACK TO THE WASHINGTON DC AREA WHERE I WORKED, UH, MY WAY THROUGH COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND ENDED UP, UH, GRADUATING FROM AMERICAN UNIVERSITY WITH A DEGREE IN ECONOMICS.
UM, I'VE WORKED FOR, OVER THE COURSE OF THE PAST 10 YEARS, UM, IN VERY FORTUNATE WORKING IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR, THE PRIVATE SECTOR, AND ALSO NONPROFITS.
SO I'VE HAD A WIDE RANGE OF EXPERIENCES, UH, WHEN IT COMES TO WORK AND THE TYPE OF ISSUES THAT COMMUNITIES FACE, UH, DAY IN AND DAY OUT.
UM, WE, MY FIANCE AND I, WE ACTUALLY ENDED UP MOVING DOWN TO BEAUFORT AFTER VISITING, UH, SEVERAL TIMES.
AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE BOUGHT OUR HOUSE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE PREVIOUS HOMEOWNER SHE TOLD ME, SHE SAID, YOU KNOW, NO MATTER HOW DIFFICULT OF A DAY THAT YOU'VE HAD, WHEN YOU CROSS OVER THE, THE BRIDGE, UM, HERE IN TOWN, AND YOU'RE HEADED ON YOUR WAY HOME, YOUR ENTIRE HEART IS GONNA BE SET COMPLETELY AT PEACE BECAUSE YOU'LL LOOK OUT OVER THE WATER AND YOU'LL SEE THAT HOW SEREN IT IS, AND IT WILL MAKE YOUR DAY INSTANTLY BETTER.
AND THAT'S, I I DO, I DIDN'T REALIZE IT UNTIL ONE DAY I HAD A BAD DAY AT WORK, AND I WAS DRIVING HOME, AND I REALIZED EXACTLY WHAT SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT.
UM, YOU KNOW, IN REGARDS TO QUESTION OF WHY, WHY WOULD I PUT MY NAME INTO
I GREW UP, YOU KNOW, THE SON OF A MILITARY OFFICER AND A NAVY COMPTROLLER, AND IT WAS ALWAYS THE PUSH AND STRIVE OF LOOK AROUND AND SEE WHAT YOU CAN DO TO IMPROVE YOUR COMMUNITY.
IF THERE ARE ISSUES THAT NEED TO BE RESOLVED, GET IN THERE AND FIGHT FOR THEM.
IF PEOPLE NEED TO BE REPRESENTED WHO DON'T HAVE A VOICE, GET IN THERE AND FIGHT FOR THEM.
SO THAT'S A BIG PART OF WHY I'VE DECIDED TO THROW MY NAME INTO THE HAT AND ADDRESS THESE ISSUES, AND IT COMES FROM A HEARTFELT, UH, DESIRE TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY.
HI, I'M MIKE MCPHEE AND I'M RUNNING FOR REELECTION FOR CITY COUNCIL.
UM, I THINK I CAN SAY THAT IT HAS BEEN MY GREATEST HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO SERVE THE CITIZENS OF BEAUFORD OVER THE LAST DECADE OR SO, AND I WANT TO CONTINUE DOING THAT FOR YOU.
IN THE TIME THAT I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL, WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF CHANGE.
WE'VE GONE FROM A VERY PROGRESSIVE CITY TAKING THE OPPORTUNITY AND DOWNTURNS IN OUR ECONOMY TO LOOK AT A VERY VISIONARY PLAN FOR THE FUTURE GROWTH IN OUR CITY.
WE'VE UPDATED OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLANS ON REGULAR BASIS.
WE'VE IMPLEMENTED A FORM BASED CODE.
UH, WE HAVE ESTABLISHED LONG RANGE STRATEGIC PLANNING, WHICH IS UPDATED ON AN ANNUAL BASIS TO GIVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO, FOR US TO LOOK AT THE MEASURE IN THE SUCCESS, THE COST EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PRIORITIES THAT WE SET FOR THE CITY MOVING FORWARD.
AND ALL THAT IS TO SAY THAT THIS IS MY HOMETOWN AND I'M VESTED IN THIS COMMUNITY.
I HAVE LOVED BEING HERE AND HAVING HAD ALL OF MY PROFESSIONAL CAREER IN BEAUFORT.
I HAVE A GREAT APPRECIATION FOR THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT AND THE, THE AUTHENTICITY AND THE CULTURAL AND HISTORIC VALUE THAT WE HAVE IN OUR CITY, AS WELL AS OUR NATURAL RESOURCES.
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AND I WANT TO CONTINUE SUPPORTING AND STRIVING TO MAKE THAT BETTER FOR ALL OF THE CITIZENS.UM, AGAIN, IT, I, I CAN'T EXPRESS HOW APPRECIATIVE I AM OF THE TIME AND, AND THE FAITH THAT Y'ALL HAVE VESTED IN ME OVER THE TIME THAT I'VE SERVED THUS FAR.
AND I'D LIKE TO CONTINUE DOING THAT FOR YOU MOVING FORWARD.
I WAS BORN AND RAISED HERE IN BEAUFORT.
I GRADUATED FROM BEAUFORT HIGH IN 2009.
AT THE AGE OF 22, I LOST MY TWIN BROTHER TO AN OVERDOSE ON HEROIN, AND THAT IS WHEN I DEDICATED MYSELF TO PUBLIC SERVICE WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WHERE I'VE BEEN FOR THE LAST NINE YEARS.
UH, MY WIFE WAS ALSO RAISED HERE IN BEAUFORT, AND WE HAVE TWO SMALL CHILDREN THAT WE INTEND TO RAISE HERE IN BEAUFORT AS WELL.
THAT'S WHY THE FUTURE OF THIS COMMUNITY IS SO IMPORTANT TO ME, AND IT'S WHY I DECIDED TO RUN, TO REPRESENT ON, ON CITY COUNCIL.
I KNOW THAT THAT WILL TAKE LEADERSHIP.
IT'LL TAKE THE ABILITY TO ACTIVELY LISTEN TO THE CONCERNS OF THE CITIZENS.
UM, AND I'M WILLING TO PUT FORTH MY, MY BEST EFFORT TO ENSURE THAT I UNDERSTAND YOUR CONCERNS AND THAT I WORK TO BRING REAL SOLUTIONS TO CITY COUNCIL.
THANK YOU, MR. GALLETTI, AND FINAL OPENING STATEMENT FROM WILMA HOMAN.
HELLO, MY NAME IS WILMA HOMAN, AND I LIVE IN BEAUFORT AND HAVE BEEN HERE NOW FOR 26 YEARS.
UH, I'VE BEEN MARRIED FOR 51 YEARS, AND I HAVE A SON THAT IS THE HERE IN BEAUFORT.
UM, I AM A RETIRED IBM I B R
BUT, UM, SO I WAS A TAX PREPARER.
AND, UM, FOR 19 YEARS I'D WORKED WITH THE BEAUFORT COUNTY BLACK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE WITH THE HOOD PROGRAM, AND, UM, JUST DOING THAT KIND OF WORK FOR THE COMMUNITY.
NOW, I WANT TO BE THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE OF BEAUFORT BECAUSE I FEEL THAT THAT'S WHAT THE GOVERNMENT SEEMS TO BE MISSING RIGHT NOW, IS THAT, UM, CONVERSATION THAT WE SHOULD HAVE BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT REALLY IS FOR YOU, AND THAT'S WHY WE ARE HERE, THAT I'M A TEAM PLAYER, AND I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE IT MORE ACCESSIBLE.
NOW, I'M, I'M NOT, THIS IS NOTHING NEGATIVE ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW.
HOWEVER, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE MORE CONVERSATIONS.
I WOULD LIKE TO FIND OUT EXACTLY WHAT'S ON YOUR MIND, TAKE IT FORWARD.
BUT I'D ALSO LIKE TO COME BACK ON THE BACK END OF THAT AND LET YOU KNOW WHY DECISIONS WERE MADE, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TOO.
I THINK YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING ON IN YOUR GOVERNMENT, AND IT NEEDS TO BE A TWO-WAY STREET.
SO THAT'S WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO BRING AND, AND LIKE I AM A TEAM PLAYER, AND I WOULD LOOK FORWARD TO BEING A PART OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
WE WILL NOW TURN TO QUESTIONS FROM OUR PANEL.
AND I BELIEVE FIRST UP IS QUESTION FROM JENNIFER TUCK, MUELLER FIRST, RIGHT? FIRST, THE FIRST RESPONSE GOES TO MICHAEL ANDERSON.
THE MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME IN THE BEAUFORT REGION IS JUST UNDER $55,000 PER YEAR.
IF ELECTED, WHAT POLICIES WOULD YOU PROMOTE TO ENSURE THAT PEOPLE WORKING IN BEAUFORT CAN AFFORD TO LIVE IN BEAUFORT? SO, I'M REALLY GLAD THAT YOU ACTUALLY BROUGHT THIS UP BECAUSE THIS IS A CORNERSTONE OF WHAT I'M RUNNING FOR ON CITY COUNCIL.
UM, TAKING A LOOK AT THE 2010 CENSUS COMPARED TO THE 2020 CENSUS, WE HAD A HIGHER MEDIAN INCOME IN THE CITY IN 2010.
WE'VE ALSO DOUBLE, WE'VE ACTUALLY INCREASED BY 50% OUR POVERTY RATE WITHIN THE CITY AS WELL.
AND FROM IN 2015, WE HAD A LOW, UH, IN OF OUR MEDIAN INCOME IN THE CITY.
BUT NOW IT'S STARTING TO, IT'S STARTING TO GO UP.
WHAT THIS TELLS ME, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE WHO, SOMEONE WHO'S AN ECONOMIST, WHAT THIS TELLS ME IS THAT WE'VE WIPED OUT, EFFECTIVELY A LARGE PORTION OF OUR MIDDLE CLASS NOW SOLUTIONS FOR THIS IS TO BASICALLY DIVERSIFY OUR ECONOMIC BASE BEYOND JUST TOURISM IN THE MILITARY.
IT HAS BEEN VERY BENEFICIAL FOR THIS COMMUNITY, BUT AS THE LAST TWO YEARS HAVE SHOWN, WE'RE RELYING TOO HEAVILY ON THOSE TWO AS A, AS SUPPORTS OF THIS COMMUNITY, WE NEED TO DIVERSIFY OUTSIDE OF THOSE.
SO I WOULD RECOMMEND, UH, ROLLING BACK A LOT OF THE REGULATIONS, UM, FOR BUSINESSES THAT WAY MAKES IT EASIER FOR BUSINESS OWNERS TO OPEN, UH, AND CREATE SMALL BUSINESSES IN HERE IN THIS COMMUNITY.
AND IN ADDITION, WE CAN BASICALLY FIND, UH, AND ATTRACT YOUNGER PEOPLE BECAUSE THE BIGGEST ISSUE RIGHT NOW IS THAT YOUNGER PEOPLE DON'T HAVE JOBS AND THEY DON'T HAVE SOMEWHERE TO LIVE.
AND IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO ATTRACT THEM TO THIS COMMUNITY WHEN WE DON'T HAVE THOSE TWO MAJOR THINGS TO OFFER THEM.
AND ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT WE CAN DO IS BASICALLY MAKE IT EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO CONDUCT THEIR BUSINESS, UM, AND
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HIRE LOCALS AND BE IN THIS COMMUNITY AND PUT BACK INTO THIS COMMUNITY AS AN INITIAL, AS AN INITIAL SET A STEP.AND WITH THAT, WHAT ENDS UP FOLLOWING AS YOU END UP BUILDING GENERATIONAL WEALTH WHEN PEOPLE HAVE THAT TYPE OF LONG TERM ECONOMIC SECURITY? THANK YOU.
I TOTALLY AGREE FROM THE STANDPOINT OF THE DIVERSITY D DIVERSIFICATION OF OUR INCOME, UM, THAT HAS BEEN A, A LONG, A LONGSTANDING GOAL WITH THE CITY AND WITH THE COUNTY REGIONALLY, WE HAVE, WE HAVE JOINED FORCES WITH THE COUNTY AND WITH, UM, THE JURISDICTIONS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY WITH THE BEAUFORD COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
AND OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS HAVE ACTUALLY BROUGHT IN ABOUT, UM, 340 NEW JOBS AND ABOUT 44 MILLION IN INVESTMENT IN THIS CITY WITH REFERENCE TO NEW JOBS THAT ARE AVERAGING ABOUT $52,000 A YEAR.
UM, IT'S NOT, IT'S A FIRST STEP.
IT IS A TOOL IN OUR TOOLBOX, AND IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FROM THE STANDPOINT OF DIVERSIFYING THE INCOME AND CREATING A BETTER JOB BASE FOR THOSE THAT THAT WOULD LIKE TO STAY HERE.
I OFTEN SAY THAT FROM THE TIME THAT I GRADUATED FROM COLLEGE AND COMING BACK TO BEAUFORT, I BASICALLY HAD TO CREATE A JOB FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO STAY HERE.
UM, THE OPPORTUNITY FOR EMPLOYMENT, UM, WAS SLIM TO NONE.
UM, SHORT OF GOING TO THE, BEING IN PART OF THE MILITARY OR SOME FACTION OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYMENT, THERE WAS VERY LITTLE EMPLOYMENT FOR PEOPLE OF YOUNGER AGE AFTER COLLEGE COMING BACK TO, SO THAT'S LONG SINCE BEEN A GOAL TO DIVERSIFY THE INCOME AND BRING IN OUR YOUNGER FAMILIES BACK INTO BEAUFORT, THAT IN THE FORTIES AND FIFTIES WERE THE, THE BENCHMARK AND THE, AND THE STABILITY AND FOUNDATION OF OUR, OF OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, I'M ALSO AN ADVOCATE FOR, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
I SEE PEOPLE STRUGGLE ALL THE TIME.
TEACHERS, FIREFIGHTERS, POLICE OFFICERS, UM, CAN'T FIND A PLACE TO LIVE.
AND A LOT OF THAT IS BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A SUPPLY AND DEMAND ISSUE.
WE'VE CREATED THAT SITUATION FOR OURSELVES BECAUSE ANYTIME YOU, UM, YOU, YOU LIMIT YOUR SUPPLY, WHICH IS WHAT WE DO WHEN MOST OF OUR LAND IS ZONED TO BE SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL ON A LARGER LOT, YOU AND, AND INVITE DEMAND AT THE SAME TIME, YOU'RE GONNA RUN INTO THE SITUATION WHERE THE COST OF HOUSING IS MORE.
UM, I THINK THAT WE CAN BETTER UTILIZE THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE, WORK TO MAINTAIN THAT INFRASTRUCTURE, AND THEN PREVENT URBAN SPRAWL.
THIS CAN BE DONE THROUGH, UM, ZONING REFORM AND, UH, EXPEDITING THE PROCESS FOR PERMITTING TO ALLOW PROPERTY OWNERS, UM, MORE RIGHTS WITH THEIR PROPERTY.
UM, THE DIFFERENT, UM, NEW JOBS THAT ARE COMING INTO BEAUFORT NOW THROUGH THE DIGITAL CORRIDOR.
AND, UH, THE COMMERCE PARK, I THINK ARE A VERY, UH, GOOD JOBS COMING THAT WILL ENTICE OUR YOUNG PEOPLE TO STAY HERE.
BUT I THINK ALSO THAT BUSINESSES NEED TO BRING THE STUDENTS IN, UM, AND AS A, UM, MENTOR TYPE THING.
SO THEY GET AN IDEA OF, OF WORKING IN, IN BUFORD IN INDUSTRY IN DIFFERENT, UM, SEGMENTS.
AND I THINK THAT FROM THAT, JUST GETTING THAT THAT WORKED ETHIC AND SEEING WHAT IS BEING DONE WILL HELP A LOT.
BUT, UM, I, I DO THINK WE HAVE THOSE JOBS COMING WHEN THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT FLYING CARS AND, UH, EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING IN THAT DIGITAL CAR OR THAT PEOPLE ARE SO EXCITED ABOUT.
I IMAGINE OUR YOUNG PEOPLE ARE, CAN HARDLY WAIT TO GET IN THERE TO TELL YOU WHAT THEY KNOW.
UM, SO I DON'T THINK THAT'S GONNA BE AS MUCH OF AN ISSUE SINCE WE ARE ON THE RIGHT ROAD, BRINGING IN THE TYPE OF BUSINESSES THAT WILL ATTRACT THEM.
IN, IN REGARDS TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING, I THINK THAT THE, THERE, THERE'S, THIS IS A COMP A COMPLICATED QUESTION THAT HAS A LOT OF DIFFERENT LAYERS TO THE ANSWER, ANSWER, BUT THE FIRST THING THAT THAT CAN HAPPEN IS THE CITY CAN LEAD BY EXAMPLE.
UM, WE CAN TAKE CARE OF OUR EMPLOYEES WELL ENOUGH THAT THEY CAN LIVE WITHIN THE CITY THAT THEY SERVICE.
I WANT MY FIREFIGHTERS AND MY POLICE OFFICERS, AND THAT I KNOW THAT THE TEACHERS DON'T FALL UNDER THE CITY'S REALM, BUT I WANT THOSE PEOPLE LIVING IN THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY SERVE.
AND SO THE CITY CAN FIRST OF ALL, LEAD BY EXAMPLE IN, IN THAT AND MAKE IT SO THAT, AND MAKE IT SO THERE'S AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR THEM AS A START.
THE THE SECOND LAYER TO THAT QUESTION IS THAT, IS THAT IT'S GONNA TAKE A WHOLE LOT OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE PULLING TOGETHER IN THE SAME DIRECTION TO SOLVE IT, BECAUSE WE ALL NEED THIS, UH, SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM.
IT IS NOT JUST A CITY PROBLEM, IT'S NOT JUST A COUNTY PROBLEM.
IT'S NOT JUST A, UM, PRIVATE, PRIVATE INDUSTRY PROBLEM.
IT'S, IT IS ALL OF US HAVING, ALL OF US NEED TO ALL BE WORKING TOGETHER TO, TO, TO, TO MOVE THIS IN THE SAME DIRECTION.
AND WE WILL BE ABLE TO MAKE PROGRESS ON IT WHEN WE ALL TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR
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IT.UM, THE CITY OBVIOUSLY NEEDS TO, AND, AND, AND, AND ALSO THE, UM, UM, THE PRIVATE INDUSTRIES, UM, ALSO DO AS WELL.
NEXT QUESTION COMES FROM GRAHAM SUMMERALL.
DO YOU SUPPORT, UH, THE EXPANSION OF THE DOWNTOWN MARINA? YES OR NO? AND WHY OR WHY NOT? AND THIS GOES TO MIKE MCPHEE FIRST.
UM, I DO NOT, I MEAN, WHEN SAFE HARBOR BECAME THE, THE LEASING AGENT FOR THE CITY'S MARINA, UM, WE TASK THEM WITH MAKING THE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE MARINA AND MAKING IT MORE USER FRIENDLY, MAKING IT MORE ATTRACTIVE, MAKING IT MORE THE GATEWAY FROM THE WATER FOR THE CITY.
UM, YEARS OF DEFERRED MAINTENANCE AND SO FORTH FROM OUR, THE PREVIOUS LESSER AND THE CITY'S INABILITY TO DO SOME OF THE, THE, THE LARGE LIFT ALONE, UM, BROUGHT THE MARINA TO A POINT WHERE IT NEEDS, IT NEEDS SOME UPDATING, IT NEEDS SOME FIXING.
WE TASKED THEM WITH LOOKING AT MAKING IT MORE VIABLE, MAKING IT MORE ATTRACTIVE, MAKING IT MORE, AS I SAY, THE GATEWAY THAT BRINGS PEOPLE OFF THE RIVER.
SO, UM, THE FIRST TIME WE, I SAW THE PLAN, I WAS TAKEN ABACK AT THE SCALE OF THE PLAN.
OBVIOUSLY IT WAS, UM, IT, THE FIRST TIME IN VIEWING IT, YOU, YOU DIDN'T QUITE GET A, A SENSE OF HOW MUCH IT WAS SWEEPING, UM, TO THE RIGHT AWAY FROM THE WATERFRONT PARK AND SO FORTH UNTIL YOU REALLY STARTED LOOKING AT IT.
I THINK THERE IS OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS, MAKING EXPANSION AND SO FORTH, BUT DO IT IN A SCALE WHICH IS MUCH MORE APPROPRIATE FOR THE, THE SENSITIVITY AND THE, AND THE APPROPRIATE, UH, SIZE OF DOWNTOWN BEAUFORT AS COMPARED TO, YOU KNOW, MARINA DELRAY.
UM, THE EXPANSION OF THAT DOWNTOWN MARINA IN REGARDS TO WHAT SAFE HARBOR PRESENTED, I THINK IS WAY TOO LARGE FOR THAT AREA.
IT'S GONNA HAVE A VERY NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT.
UM, WHEN THEY ORIGINALLY PRESENTED THAT, I WAS NOT ONLY SET BACK BY THE FACT THAT IT WAS SO LARGE, BUT ALSO BY THE FACT THAT THERE WAS NO OTHER DETAILS CONCERNING THE ECONOMIC BENEFIT TO THE CITY, OR BURDEN RATHER.
UM, AND, AND REALLY WHEN YOU HAVE A PRIVATE COMPANY THAT'S WILLING TO COME IN, INVEST MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN RENOVATING AND EXPANDING, UH, A CITY ASSET, I THINK WE COULD, WE COULD GREATLY BENEFIT FROM HAVING THAT WORK DONE, BUT WE REALLY NEED TO BE ABLE TO NOT ONLY NEGOTIATE WITH THEM, UM, FOR A SIZE THAT MAKES SENSE FOR BEAUFORT, BUT ALSO SOMETHING THAT THE CITIZENS WOULD WANT THAT THEY CAN BE HAPPY WITH.
UM, THERE IS BENEFIT TO HAVING A PRIVATE COMPANY INVEST IN US.
SO WE NEED TO, WE NEED TO WEIGH ALL THE PROS AND CONS AND TAKE OUR TIME IN UNDERSTANDING, UM, YOU KNOW, BOTH THE, THE NEGATIVES AND THE POSITIVES THAT COME FROM SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND NOT JUST HALF C**K A PRESENTATION WITH, UH, A LARGE SIZE AND, AND LEAVE IT AT THAT.
EVERYBODY'S GONNA BE SET OFF AT THAT.
THE EXPANSION OF THE MARINA, I THINK WILL EVENTUALLY COST THE TAXPAYERS A LOT MORE FOR THE UPKEEP IN THE LONG RUN.
UM, SO I'M, I WOULD NOT BE FOR THAT, BUT I'M ALSO FOR THE SAFETY.
AND TO ME, IT SEEMS LIKE A SAFETY ISSUE IN THE WATER COULD BE A, BECOME A PROBLEM.
AND ALSO I THINK THAT PEOPLE WHO USE THE MARINA THAT LIVE HERE, THAT REALLY DON'T MAKE A LOT OF MONEY, BUT THEY'D LIKE TO ENJOY IT AND THEY WILL BE PRICED OUT.
I THINK IF, UM, THE TAXES GO UP SO MUCH ON THAT, ON THE UPKEEP OF THE MARINA.
UM, SO HERE'S MY OPINION ABOUT IT IS I DON'T LIKE IT.
UM, I DON'T THINK IT SHOULD BE.
I THINK THE, IT IS JUST A NON-STARTER.
IT, FIRST OF ALL THINK THAT WE ALL NEED TO KEEP IN MIND IS THAT IT IS NOT THEIR MARINA, IT IS OUR MARINA THAT WE, THAT WE HAVE THE CITIZENS ON, AND WE LEASE IT TO THEM, AND WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO SET THE TERMS OF HOW WE DO BUSINESS WITH THEM.
UM, I THINK THE SCALE OF IT IS ENTIRE, IS AN ENTIRELY INAPPROPRIATE, AND THE THING THAT, UM, THAT I'VE TALKED ABOUT WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE BEFORE IS THAT I DON'T THINK PEOPLE APPRECIATE JUST HOW BIG IT IS, WHAT THEY'RE, WHAT THEY'RE PROPOSING.
YOU COULD, IF ALL Y'ALL ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE US S YORKTOWN, THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER UP IN CHARLESTON THAT WE ALL USED TO GO VISIT WHEN WE WERE KIDS AND STUFF LIKE THAT, THE, THE MARINA WOULD BE BIG ENOUGH TO PARK THE YORKTOWN AT THE END OF IT AS THE WAY THEY'VE PROPOSED IT.
AND YOU COULD PROBABLY PUT A COUPLE OF BOSTON WHEELERS ON EACH END ON, ON OUTSIDE OF THAT TOO.
SO IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST TOO BIG.
AND THE OTHER PART OF IT IS, IS THAT PARK IS
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OUR, IS AGAIN, IT'S OURS.AND, AND, AND IT DOESN'T JUST STOP AT THE WATERLINE.
IT EXTENDS ALL THE WAY IN ITS VIEW TO PORT ROYAL.
AND WE HAVE THAT, THAT'S OUR, OUR, SOMETHING THAT THE CITY HAS AS WELL.
THAT'S OUR, WE OWN THAT, AND IT'S VALUABLE AND IT'S REALLY VALUABLE.
AND, AND, AND TO COMPROMISE THAT WOULD BE A TRAGEDY FOR THE CITY.
I THINK IF WE, IF WE LET GO OF THAT, OF THAT VIEW, BECAUSE EVERY, I MEAN, WE ALL ORGANIZE ALL OF OUR CIVIC, UM, NOT OUR CIVIC ACTIVITIES, BUT SO MANY OF OUR RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES AROUND THE WATERFRONT PARK.
AND, UH, AND HAVING THAT THERE AND HAVING IT BE SUCCESSFUL, I THINK IS IMPORTANT TO ALL OF US.
SO THE SHORT ANSWER I'M GONNA GIVE IS THAT IN ITS CURRENT SIZE, I, I DO NOT SUPPORT THE CURRENT PLAN.
UM, I HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF DIFFERENT, UM, FROM THE OTHER CANDIDATES HERE FOR PART OF MY REASONING, ONE OF THEM BEING FIRST AND FOREMOST IS THE FACT THAT THE, ULTIMATELY, AT THE END OF THE DAY THAT THE MARINA IS A CITY ASSET.
AND AS SOMEONE WHO LIKES TO PREPARE FOR THE FUTURE, I, YOU KNOW, I WANNA IMAGINE AND JUST BASICALLY THROW IT OUT THERE AND SAY, WHAT IF WE DON'T HAVE SAFE HARBOR IS WHO IS MANAGING AND TAKING CARE OF THE MARINE ON BEHALF OF THE CITY.
WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT MEANS IT FALLS BACK TO THE CITY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE MARINA IS OPERATIONAL, THAT THE MAINTENANCE IS DONE AND EVERYTHING IS HANDLED.
AND MY BIGGEST CONCERN, AGAIN, WAS WE TALKED ABOUT WHEN IT COMES TO THE MIDDLE CLASS AND WE TALK ABOUT THE MIL RATES, AND WE TALK ABOUT PROPERTY TAXES WITHIN THE CITY, I HAVE GREAT CONCERN ABOUT PROPERTY TAXES GOING UP IN ORDER TO SUPPORT SUCH A LARGE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT AND SUCH A LARGE ASSET, UH, IN ITS CURRENT, IN THAT PROPOSAL, UH, FOR THE CITY.
NOW, DO I THINK THAT THE DOCS NEED TO BE KIND OF REWORKED? ABSOLUTELY.
I'VE WALKED THOSE DOCS MANY, MANY TIMES.
THE IT NEEDS TO BE, WE WORKED THAT WAY.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT EASIER TO NAVIGATE, UH, LARGER VESSELS THERE BECAUSE I THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT PART FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
IT'S, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY THE WELCOME MAT FOR ALL, UH, INTERCOASTAL WATERWAY TRAFFIC.
UM, BUT IN ADDITION, I DON'T REALLY SEE IT NEEDING TO GO BEYOND, UH, WHERE IT'S CURRENTLY LOCATED DOWN THAT MARSH.
I FIND ANY EXCUSE WHENEVER I'M DRIVING IN THAT AREA, I FIND ANY EXCUSE TO GO DOWN BAY STREET AND DRIVE REAL SLOW UNDERNEATH THE, OF THE OLD OAK TREES AND LOOK OUT OVER THE WATER.
AND I DON'T REALLY, PARTICULARLY IN MY OPINION, WANNA SEE THAT CLUTTERED WITH A BUNCH OF BOATS.
CAN I USE ONE OF MY REBUTTALS AT THIS POINT? I'D LIKE US TO MOVE ON, IF THAT'S OKAY, SINCE NOBODY WAS CALLED OUT BY NAME.
LET'S ON NAME JUST, WE'RE, WE'RE, UH, RUN, STARTING TO RUN SHORT ON TIME, AS A MATTER OF FACT.
LET'S, LET'S SEE IF WE CAN GET THROUGH A FEW MORE QUESTIONS.
UH, NEXT ONE'S FROM GAMAR WATTS.
HOW DO YOU PERCEIVE THE CURRENT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND COMMUNITY? WHAT PUBLIC SAFETY POLICY OR CHANGES WOULD YOU SUPPORT? THIS FIRST ONE GOES TO, UH, MR. ETTING, UM, CONVENIENCE, SINCE I'M IN PUBLIC SAFETY.
UM, I THINK THAT THE, THE EFFORTS, FIRST OFF, I WANNA APPLAUD THE EFFORTS THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, UM, HAS PUT FORTH.
YOU KNOW, THEY HAD FOUR CHILL WITH A COP EVENTS.
THEY DID THE GREGORYS GROCERIES TO ENSURE THAT THEY COULD, UM, HELP MEET THE NEEDS FOR FAMILIES THAT WERE STRUGGLING IN THAT REGARD.
UH, WHAT I THINK THAT WE CAN DO BETTER, UM, IT WOULD SERVE TWO PURPOSES.
IT WOULD HELP BRIDGE THE GAP AS FAR AS THAT RELATIONSHIP GOES.
AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, IT WOULD HELP OR POTENTIALLY HELP WITH YOUR STAFFING ISSUE.
AND THAT IS BRING IN AN EXPLORER PROGRAM.
WE HAVE AN ROTC PROGRAM INSIDE THE SCHOOLS, AND IT'S DESIGNED TO PREP KIDS FOR THE MILITARY.
OTHER CITIES WHO HAVE GONE THROUGH THE SAME STRUGGLES HAVE ADOPTED AN EXPLORER PROGRAM, WHICH PREPS KIDS AND TARGETS KIDS IN THE AGE OF 14 TO 21 YEARS OLD.
GIVES THEM DIRECTION, GIVES THEM PRINCIPLES, GIVES THEM A FOUNDATION, AND THEN THEY CAN SEE FIRSTHAND WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE IN THAT FIELD IF THAT IS A SUITABLE CAREER FOR THEM IN THEIR FUTURE.
AND AT THE SAME TIME, YOU'RE BUILDING A RELATIONSHIP WITH THOSE KIDS.
SO I THINK THAT SERVES TWO PURPOSES, AND IT, IT SEEMS LIKE A VERY VIABLE AND, UM, UH, A GOOD OPTION FOR US.
THANK YOU, MS. HOMAN? YES, LAW ENFORCEMENT AND, UH, THE COMMUNITY.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US LOOK FOR OUR LAW, LAW, LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL FROM THE COLLEGE OR TECHNICAL SCHOOL ARENAS, BECAUSE STUDENTS WHO ARE IN THOSE FIELDS, I THINK WOULD HAVE A BETTER FEEL FOR HOW THAT, UM, POLICING CAN BE DONE IN MORE THAN ONE WAY
AND I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT DIFFERENT WAYS OF POLICING, BUT, UM, GOING TO, UM, A SCHOOL FOR A FEW WEEKS OR A MONTH OR WHATEVER THE TRAINING IS WHEN WE DO RECRUIT, I THINK IT WOULD BE BETTER IF WE GO TO THE COLLEGE CAMPUS, GET SOMEONE WHO IS MAJORING IN THOSE IN THAT FIELD AND SEEING IF THEY MAY BE INTERESTED IN THAT WORK.
[00:30:01]
A CAREER TYPE, UM, MONEY IS THAT YOU'D HAVE TO PAY FOR THAT.AND IT WOULDN'T BE JUST SOMEONE, IT WOULDN'T BE JUST AN HOURLY WAGE TYPE JOB.
SO YOU'D HAVE TO PAY MORE AND GET, YOU'D GET A BETTER QUALITY OF PERSONS TO DO THAT JOB.
AND I THINK THEY WOULD UNDERSTAND MORE THAN JUST THE PHYSICAL SIDE OF IT.
AND, AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE NEED, SOMEONE WHO CAN THINK THROUGH THOSE DIFFERENT, UH, SCENARIOS AND COME UP WITH A BETTER WAY TO, TO CONTROL IT.
UH, I THINK EVERYBODY WHO'S FOLLOWED IN ANY PART OF MY CAMPAIGN KNOWS HOW STRONGLY I FEEL ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE COULD BE ADDING MORE CAMERAS, UH, DOWNTOWN AND, UH, AND, AND PARTICULARLY IN THE PLACES WHERE WE HAVE VIOLENT CRIMES BEING COMMITTED, SO THAT WE COULD HAVE A BEGINNING OF AN INVESTIGATION AT LEAST, OF FINDING OUT WHAT HAPPENED AT THAT PLACE.
BECAUSE AS YOU, IF YOU TALK TO THE POLICE OFFICERS, THEY WILL TELL YOU, UM, AGAIN AND AGAIN, THIS HAPPENED, BUT NOBODY WANTS TO TALK TO US.
AND I THINK IT'S ALSO, YOU KNOW, APPROPRIATE TO RESPECT THE FACT THAT, UM, THAT IF WE COULD, IF WE COULD START TO SOLVE THOSE PROBLEMS BY GETTING JUST A SMALL, SMALL BIT OF EVIDENCE TO START WITH, WHERE WE CAN GET, YOU KNOW, WE CAN GET, UH, LICENSE PLATE NUMBERS, YOU CAN SEE WHO WAS FLEEING THE SCENE, YOU CAN ALSO FIND OUT WHO WASN'T THERE, YOU KNOW, WHO WASN'T, WAS, YOU KNOW, DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT.
UM, AND I THINK THAT THAT'S A BIG PART OF IT.
THE CITY'S MADE A GOOD FIRST STEP FORWARD, UM, WHERE, OR NOT FIRST STEP, BUT ANOTHER STEP FORWARD, UM, WITH JUST, THEY JUST ALLOCATED $69,000 TO MORE, UH, TO CAMERAS.
UM, AND, UH, AND I THINK THAT'S, UH, AN IMPORTANT, AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE SOLUTION, AND IT'S A MULTILAYERED SOLUTION, BUT I THINK THAT THAT'S A, THAT'S A BIG PART OF IT, IS TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
SO, BACK TO THE, BACK TO THE ORIGINAL QUESTION, CONCERNING THE RELATIONSHIP WHEN IT COMES TO LAW ENFORCEMENT AND COMMUNITY POLICING.
UM, I KNOW THAT, I KNOW THAT THE CITY OF BEAUFORT POLICE DEPARTMENT ADOPTED COMMUNITY GUIDELINES, COMMUNITY POLICING GUIDELINES BACK IN THE 1990S.
AND IN, IN MY OPINION, I'VE, I'VE FELT LIKE WE'VE A LITTLE BIT GOTTEN AWAY FROM THAT.
UM, PART OF THE ISSUE IS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE SEEN OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS IT'S BEEN ACROSS THIS COUNTRY, IT'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT, UM, UH, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF STRIFE BETWEEN COMMUNITIES AND THEIR LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENTS.
I DON'T THINK WE'VE HAD THAT BAD OF A SITUATION HERE WITHIN BEAUFORT.
HOWEVER, I DO WANT TO SEE MORE OUTREACH ON BEHALF OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WITH THE, WITH OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE BOARD, INSTEAD OF ONLY EVER HAVING AN INTERACTION WHEN SOMETHING BAD HAPPENS.
UM, THE BIGGEST THING ABOUT IT, I'VE, I'VE WORKED IN CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION, WHAT FEDERAL LEVEL LAW ENFORCEMENT, THE BIGGEST LEADS YOU GET IS BECAUSE YOU KNOW SOMEBODY WHO LIVES IN THAT COMMUNITY AND THEY TIP YOU OFF AND THEY SAY, HEY, THIS IS WHAT'S GOING TO BE HAPPENING DOWN THE ROAD.
JUST THOUGHT YOU SHOULD BE PREPARED.
I WANNA MAKE SURE EVERYBODY STAYS SAFE.
AND THAT YOU CAN'T PUT A PRICE ON THAT.
ULTIMATELY, AT THE END OF THE DAY.
UM, THERE WAS ANOTHER COMMENT UP HERE ABOUT A YOUTH PROGRAM, AND I THINK THAT IS GOOD THAT THERE, WE SHOULD HAVE A YOUTH PROGRAM.
THE BIGGEST ISSUE IS, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANNA BE ADVERTISING AND HAVING POLICE OFFICERS COMING FROM PLACES THAT HAVE NO CONNECTION TO OUR COMMUNITY AND DON'T KNOW ANYBODY HERE, BECAUSE IT MAKES THAT TYPE OF LEVEL OF COMMUNITY POLICING EVEN HARDER WHEN THEY DO SHOW UP AND THEY HAVE TO START THESE RELATIONSHIPS FROM SCRATCH, ESSENTIALLY.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME KIND OF A YOUTH PROGRAM, UM, SPECIFICALLY BETWEEN 18 TO 21 YEARS, 21 YEAR OLDS.
UM, AND THE REASON IS BECAUSE WHEN YOU, UH, HAVE ANYBODY WHO'S UNDER 18, THERE ARE CERTAIN SUBJECTS WITHIN, UH, POLICE AND LAW ENFORCEMENT WORK THAT I DON'T PARTICULARLY SEE, THINK THAT MINOR SHOULD BE AROUND, UM, IN A PROFESSIONAL, IN A PROFESSIONAL SENSE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S GONNA BE FOR 14 TO 18 YEAR OLDS AND IT'S LIKE ACTIVITIES ON THE WEEKEND, YOU KNOW, LIKE A SPORTS CLUB, I'M ALL ABOUT IT.
IF IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE HANDS ON, ADMINISTRATIVE POLICE WORK, IT SHOULD BE 18 AND UP.
PRIOR TO COVID 19, WE HAD SOME FAIRLY ROBUST, UM, AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS FOR THE YOUTH IN THIS COMMUNITY, WHICH I THINK OUR RESOURCE OFFICERS AND OUR SCHOOLS AND OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT WERE ENCOURAGING.
UM, COVID 19 CREATED A LOT OF ISSUES WITH REFERENCE TO SEPARATION OF, OF OUR STAFF AND OUR COMMUNITY FROM THE STANDPOINT OF JUST GENERAL SAFETY.
AND THAT PROGRAM WAS ONE OF THE AREAS THAT SORT OF FELL FALLOW AFTER COVID 19.
AND I DON'T THINK IT'S BEEN RESURGED AS MUCH AS WE HAVE THE POSSIBILITY.
WE DO HAVE SOME VERY GOOD PROGRAMS AND SOME GREAT IDEAS UP HERE WITH REFERENCE TO I, EXPANSION OF THE COMMUNITY POLICING WITHIN BEAUFORT, BEAUFORT, THE CITY IN GENERAL.
AND IN PRIOR YEARS WE'VE HAD SUBSTATIONS LOCATED IN DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE CITY.
UM, WE HAVE ANNUALLY FOR ABOUT THE LAST SIX YEARS, PUT ABOUT $10,000 TOWARDS EXPANSION OF CAMERAS IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA, AND WITH THE ARPA FUNDS, WITH THE ADDITIONAL 69 THAT JOSH REFERENCED THAT WE'RE PUTTING TOWARDS
[00:35:01]
CAMERAS AND ARE WORKING WITH DOMINION CURRENTLY ON THE PLACEMENT OF THOSE CAMERAS IN THE DOWNTOWN CORE.BUT THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE RESOURCE OFFICERS IN THE SCHOOLS, FOR THE POLICE OFFICERS TO BE INVOLVED, IT'S GREAT TO BE AT WASHINGTON STREET PARK AND SEE THE, THE WEEKEND ACTIVITIES WHEN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARE OUT THERE GETTING THE KIDS ACCUSTOMED TO BEING AROUND THEM AND TO BE COMFORTABLE AND ASK QUESTIONS AND BE EXCITED ABOUT WHAT THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR FIRE AND POLICE, UM, EMPLOYMENT AND CAREERS COULD POSSIBLY BE.
SO I THINK THE EXPLORER PROGRAM IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY AND WOULD GIVE, GIVE, GIVE EVEN FURTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR THAT EXPOSURE WITHIN THE SCHOOLS.
THE NEXT QUESTION COMES FROM BET THANK YOU TO ALL OUR CANDIDATES FOR RUNNING.
I KNOW IT TAKES COURAGE, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
MY QUESTION PERTAINS TO U S C B ENROLLMENT AT U S CB'S BEAUFORT CAMPUS HAS ALMOST DOUBLED SINCE LAST YEAR AND IS POISED FOR MUCH MORE GROWTH IN THE COMING YEARS, PARTICULARLY NEXT YEAR.
WHAT ADDITIONAL STEPS CAN THE CITY TAKE TO PARTNER WITH U S C B TO MAKE BEAUFORT A SUPPORTIVE COLLEGE TOWN? AND THE FIRST RESPONSE GOES TO MS. HOLMAN? WELL, I LOVE A COLLEGE TOWN.
I TELL YOU THAT
AND I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T HEAR ALL OF YOUR QUESTION THOUGH, WHEN YOU, HOW THE, THE, UM, COMMUNITY COULD HELP ENCOURAGE
THE QUESTION WAS, AS U S CB GROWS, ITS BEAUFORD CAMPUS, WHAT CAN THE CITY DO TO ENCOURAGE GOOD RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE THE STUDENT BODY AND THE COMMUNITY? HOW CAN WE MAKE SURE THE BEAUFORT IS A GREAT COLLEGE TOWN? OH, WOW.
WELL, I, I THINK WE CAN DO THAT.
I, I THINK WE ALREADY DO SOME OF THAT.
UM, BEAUFORD IS VERY SUPPORTIVE.
UM, BUT, UM, TRYING TO THINK WHAT WE COULD DO MORE OF, OF COURSE, THE, UM, DISCUSSING THE COMMUNICATION, LIKE I SAID, IT'S ALWAYS GREAT.
SO THE MORE WE PUT THE STU STUDENTS AND THE SCHOOL OUT FRONT, THE BETTER, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO SEE EXACTLY WHAT YOU CAN GET WHEN YOU COME TO THIS SCHOOL.
BUT, UM, IT'S A, IT IS A TOOL.
IT'S, IT'S A GREAT PLACE AND I LOVE IT.
UM, IF THERE'S A SPECIFIC THING THAT, THAT NEEDS TO BE TACKLED GOING FORWARD, UH, AN ISSUE THAT I'D BE HAPPY TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION.
I CAN TELL YOU ABOUT WHAT I'VE DONE IN THE PAST, UH, TO SUPPORT THAT.
AND ONE OF THOSE THINGS IS, UH, IS TO SUPPORT THE SUPPORT THE STUDENT HOUSING.
WHEN I WAS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS, THERE WAS, UH, THERE, UH, THREE OR THREE ASSOCIATES NEEDED A, UH, VARIANCE TO GET THE, THE STUDENT HOUSING BUILT THE WAY THEY WANTED TO BUILD IT.
AND, AND I WAS ONE OF THE PEOPLE WHO SUPPORTED THAT, AND I THOUGHT THAT THEY DID A GREAT JOB WITH IT.
AND I THINK IT'S A HUGE ASSET.
YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY IF YOU CA IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANYWHERE FOR THE STUDENTS TO LIVE, YOU DON'T HAVE ANY, YOU DON'T HAVE ANY, UH, COLLEGE ANYMORE.
AND SO PROVIDING THAT HOUSING FOR THEM AND SUPPORTING THAT, I THINK IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF WHAT NEEDS TO GET DONE.
AND IT, THAT ALL TIES BACK INTO THE SAME QUESTION ABOUT THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING QUESTION.
I MEAN, IT REALLY IS A CHALLENGE, YOU KNOW, IF WE BRING MORE, YOU KNOW, THE MORE WE INCREASE DEMAND ON OUR HOUSING, THE MORE WE INCREASE THE PRICES.
AND SO WE NEED TO BE PREPARED TO DEAL WITH THAT.
AND, UH, AND ONE OF THOSE WAYS IS SUPPORTING THE, THE PEOPLE WHO ARE, WHO ARE WORKING TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS SPACE FOR THOSE STUDENTS WHEN THEY GET HERE.
CAUSE THEY NEED SOMEWHERE TO LIVE FOR IT, FOR IT TO WORK FULLY.
SO I'M JUST GONNA DO A QUICK CHECK HERE.
I TH I THINK I'M THE YOUNGEST CANDIDATE UP HERE ON STAGE.
UH, JOSH IS A COUPLE YEARS OLDER THAN I AM
SO, UH, BEING BEING THE YOUNGEST PERSON AND ONE WHO I GUESS WOULD BE THE CLOSEST OUTSIDE OF COLLEGE, UM, JUST HAVING, UH, HAVING FINISHED IT A FEW, FEW YEARS AGO, BUT NOT THAT FAR OFF.
UM, WHETHER IT'S HANDLED BY THE CITY OR THE CITY, BASICALLY IS THE CHAIRPERSON FOR THAT KIND OF RELATIONSHIP.
BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE THOSE TYPES OF
[00:40:01]
OPPORTUNITIES AND JOBS FOR PEOPLE IMMEDIATELY GRADUATING.AND NOT ONLY THAT, HAVING GIVEN THEM THAT KIND OF EXPERIENCE WHILE THEY WERE IN COLLEGE AT THE SAME TIME, BECAUSE TOO OFTEN A LOT OF THESE ENTRY LEVEL JOBS REQUIRE, THEY SIT THERE AND THEY SAY, WE REQUIRE TWO, THREE YEARS OF EXPERIENCE FOR THIS ENTRY LEVEL JOB.
WELL, THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY AN ENTRY LEVEL JOB UNLESS YOU'VE ALREADY BEEN INTERNING WHILE YOU'VE BEEN STUDYING SIMULTANEOUSLY.
SO THAT WOULD BE ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS THAT THE CITY COULD DO IS WORKING WITH U S C B AND WITH LOCAL BUSINESSES AND SAY, WE ARE GOING TO FIND YOU THE WORKFORCE THAT YOU NEED, AND WE ARE GOING TO PARTNER WITH YOU, AND WE'RE GONNA BASICALLY GIVE OPPORTUNITIES TO THE STUDENTS WHO CURRENTLY GO HERE TO U USCB.
SO THAT WOULD BE, THAT WOULD BE MY ANSWER TO THAT, MR. MCFE.
AND I CAN SAY THAT THE CITY HAS ACTUALLY, UM, BEEN VERY FORTUNATE WITH INTERNS FROM U S CB AS WELL AS THE DIGITAL CORRIDOR AND, UH, BUFORD COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
IN FACT, WE HAVE, UM, PERMANENT EMPLOYEES THAT STARTED AS INTERNS AND SEVERAL OF THOSE AREAS.
SO WE'RE VERY PLEASED WITH OUR RELATIONSHIP ECO ECONOMICALLY.
STEPPING BACK A LITTLE BIT, I THINK IF THE BASE OF THE QUESTION WAS REALLY HOW WE MAKE THE COLLEGE, THE COMMUNITY AND THE COLLEGE EMBRACING ONE ANOTHER, GROWING TOGETHER, UM, FINANCIALLY SUPPORTING, UM, I THINK THE ADVOCACY THAT WE HAVE HAD THROUGH OUR LOCAL DELEGATION, UM, UP TO OUR STATE DELEGATION AND EVEN TO OUR FEDERAL DELEGATION FROM THE STANDPOINT OF ACTUALLY BRINGING THE RESOURCES BACK TO THE COLLEGE THAT FIVE YEARS AGO WERE HALF OF WHAT WE CURRENTLY GET FROM STATE FUNDING.
AND THANKS TO SHANNON AND TOM DAVIS AND A LOT OF OUR, OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS WITHIN OUR DELEGATION, WE HAVE, WE HAVE TURNED THAT TIDE WITH REFERENCE TO BEING THE REDHEADED STEPCHILD WITH REFERENCE TO FUNDING SOURCES IN THE STATE.
AND I THINK THAT'S GREATLY A PART OF THE FACT THAT ADVOCACY FROM BEAUFORT CITY, THE COUNTY, OUR STATE DELEGATION, HAS HELPED TURN THE TIDE IN BRINGING THOSE FUNDS NECESSARY, RESEARCH THE RESOURCES BACK INTO BEAUFORT AND TO, TO THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
I THINK, I THINK FROM A, FROM A COMMUNITY STANDPOINT TOO, YOU KNOW, I LIVE BEHIND WHERE THE COM, THE, THE NEW HOUSING IS, IS LOCATED, AND OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND PIGEON POINT HAS HOSTED SEVERAL MEET AND GREETS WITH THE NEW STUDENTS COMING IN THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.
THEY ARE SO ENGAGED AND THEY'RE SO APPRECIATIVE OF THE FACT THAT THE, THE NEIGHBORHOOD RIGHT BEHIND THEM HAS, HAS REALLY OPENED THEIR ARMS AND SAID, WE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE YOU HERE AND WE WANT YOU TO BE PART OF OUR COMMUNITY AS WELL.
AND TO THAT END, GIVEN THE LOCATION AROUND BELLAMY'S CURVE AND COMING TO THE UNIVERSITY, I THINK WE ALL NEED TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR STUDENTS AS THEY MOVE AROUND THE CITY.
AND THERE ARE THINGS THAT OUR PARTNERS THROUGH DOMINION ENERGY CAN DO TO IMPROVE THE LIGHTING ON THE ROADWAYS BETWEEN HERE AND THERE.
AND WE'VE NOTED, THE MAYOR AND HA HAS BROUGHT UP THE FACT THAT COMING HOME THE OTHER DAY, WE WERE BOTH TALKING ABOUT THE ISSUES AND THE DARK SPOTS AS YOU MOVE FROM THIS CAMPUS TO THE ACTUAL HOUSING AREA THERE, AND THE FACT THAT THEY'RE, IT'S GETTING DARKER SOONER, AND WE ARE GONNA HAVE STUDENTS WALKING AT NIGHT.
AND SO THOSE ISSUES HAVE BEEN BROUGHT FORTH TO OUR PARTNERS, BUT ALL OF THOSE ARE, ARE STEPS TO MAKING THEM FEEL MORE EMBRACED, MORE IN, IN INVOLVED AND, AND MORE SAFE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, I'LL TAKE THIS TIME, IS THIS ON, I'LL TAKE THIS TIME TO, UH, APPLAUD THE CITY AND SOME OF THE EFFORTS THAT THEY'VE MADE.
ONE BEING THE DIGITAL CORRIDOR AND THE OTHER BEING THE COMMERCE PARK.
I THINK THAT WE NEED TO SUPPORT THAT.
UM, THE COMMERCE PARK POTENTIALLY BRINGING A HUNDRED JOBS TO THIS AREA THAT'S REALLY BIG FOR THE RETENTION OF NOT ONLY THOSE STUDENTS, BUT FOR THE YOUTH HERE THAT, THAT GROW UP IN BEAUFORT.
UM, AND THEN THE DIGITAL CORRIDOR OFFERS, UH, INNOVATIVE IDEAS TO, TO GET THEM INTERESTED IN SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE MAY SEE, UM, IN THE FUTURE WITH TECHNOLOGY.
SO I CAN APPRECIATE BOTH OF THOSE THINGS AND, AND APPLAUD THOSE STEPS.
THOSE ARE IN STEPS IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, AND AS A COMMUNITY, I THINK WE DO WELL TO SUPPORT THAT.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, I, I SAW, UM, THE BLACK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE START HAVING GAMES FOR THE YOUTH TO GET INVOLVED IN COMPETING WITH EACH OTHER, WHETHER IT'S CHESS, SPADES, PING PONG, THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND I GREW UP HERE AND, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I ALWAYS HEARD PEOPLE SAY WAS, THERE'S JUST REALLY NOTHING TO DO FOR KIDS.
AND I KNOW BETTER NOW THAT THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE YOUTH TO BE ENTERTAINED, BUT I THINK THAT WE DO WELL IN CONTINUING IN THAT DIRECTION AND, AND, AND GETTING, UM, GETTING THEM INVOLVED IN, IN MEETING, UM, PLAYING GAMES, SOCIALIZING AND, AND JUST CLEAN ENTERTAINMENT OVERALL.
WE'VE GOT ABOUT 15 MINUTES LEFT.
WE'D LIKE TO CHARGE THROUGH A FEW MORE QUESTIONS.
IF I COULD ASK EVERYONE ON THE PANEL OR EVERYONE ON THE, THE DIAS, PLEASE, UH, TRY TO ANSWER IN 30 TO 60 SECONDS HIS NEXT ROUND OF QUESTIONS, NOT, AND WE'LL, WE'LL GO FAST.
[00:45:01]
LOCAL SHOPPERS OFTEN EXPRESS FRUSTRATION WITH DOWNTOWN PARKING.DO YOU BELIEVE WE HAVE A DOWNTOWN PARKING PROBLEM? IF SO, WHAT IS THE PATH FORWARD TO ADDRESS THIS CONCERN? I GET, SORRY.
I CAN TELL YOU WHY THE PATH FORWARD IS NOT, IS NOT EXPANDING THE MARINA AND TAKING ALL THOSE PARKING SPACES AWAY DOWN AT THE MARINA THAT THEY'RE GONNA NEED TO SERVICE IT.
IF THEY TRIPLE THE SIZE OF IT, THAT'S NOT GONNA BE A SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM DOWNTOWN.
DO WE HAVE A GRAND PROBLEM WITH THE PARKING SOLUTION DOWNTOWN? IT'S, IT'S DIFFERENT THAN IT USED TO BE FOR PEOPLE WHO GREW UP HERE TO EXPERIENCE.
AND I KNOW THAT BECAUSE I GREW UP HERE, THAT YOU USED TO BE ABLE TO JUST PULL UP IN FRONT OF LUTHERS WHEN LUTHERS WAS A DRUGSTORE AND NOT A BAR AND, AND GO IN AND GET YOUR PRESCRIPTION AND, AND, UH, AND UH, AND, AND GET RIGHT BACK ON YOUR WAY.
BUT IT'S CHANGED A LITTLE BIT.
IT'S NOT A TRAGEDY RIGHT NOW, BUT I, I THINK IT COULD BE, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE, THERE ARE SOLUTIONS THAT ARE, THAT ARE IN, IN PLACE THAT, THAT ARE READY TO GO.
I KNOW THAT THERE, THE PARKING, THERE'S A PARKING GARAGE THAT'S BEEN APPROVED, UM, UH, THAT HASN'T BEEN BUILT YET.
UH, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT BEAUFORT HAS A, A CRISIS IN PARKING.
WE HAVE SOME CHALLENGES IN PARKING.
SO THE, WITH, IN REGARDS TO DOWNTOWN PARKING, I KNOW THAT THE CITY IS CURRENTLY IN, UH, THE PROCESS OF REPAINTING SOME OF THE LINES DOWN AT THE MARINA PARKING LOT SPECIFICALLY TO MAKE ACCOMMODATIONS.
UM, I WOULD AGREE, UM, WITH THE CANDIDATE NEXT TO ME THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, IT'S NOT A CRISIS AS OF YET, HOWEVER, IT IS VERY DIFFICULT WHEN WE HAVE LARGE EVENTS TO FIND PARKING AND YOU END UP GOING BACK SEVERAL, SEVERAL BLOCKS, UM, INTO THE CITY, INTO, INTO NEIGHBORHOODS TO TRY AND ACCOMMODATE AND FIND PLACES TO PARK.
UM, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M A FAN OF GOING BACK IN, IN HISTORY AND TAKING A LOOK AT WHAT THE BAY STREET AREA, WHAT THE BAY STREET USED TO LOOK LIKE, AND, YOU KNOW, I SAW, I SAW ANGLED PARKING ALONG THAT WAY, ALONG THAT ROUTE.
AND I THINK THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD, THE CITY WOULD BE, UH, RATHER, UH, INTELLIGENT WOULD BE RATHER SMART DECISION TO EXPLORE THAT, UM, POSSIBILITY IS GOING BACK TO THAT TYPE OF LAYOUT.
IN ADDITION, I KNOW THAT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF ELDERLY MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY WHO ABSOLUTELY DISDAIN PARALLEL PARKING BECAUSE IT CAN BE VERY, VERY DIFFICULT.
SO HAVING ANGLED PARKING WOULD HELP BE ABLE TO BOOST THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE WHO COME IN, UM, TO THE DOWNTOWN AREA AND KEEP THAT AREA, UH, ALIVE AND THRIVING.
INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, WE'VE HAD, WE'VE HAD CONTROLLED PARKING TO A DEGREE SINCE 1929 HERE IN BEAUFORT, WHICH IS ALWAYS STUNS PEOPLE WHEN YOU SAY THAT.
BUT, UM, AT MOST OF THAT TIME, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WERE THE, THE BODY THAT WOULD ACTUALLY CONTROL THE PARKING IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
BUT, UM, THE CURRENT PARKING DOWNTOWN FROM, FROM A A STUDY STANDPOINT, WE DID A WALKER STUDY ABOUT SEVEN YEARS AGO AS AN UPDATE TO ONE THAT WE DID LIKE 12 YEARS AGO.
UM, AND LOOKING AT THE PARKING, PARKING ISSUES IN DOWNTOWN BEAUFORT ARE, ARE MOSTLY PERCEPTION FROM THE STANDPOINT OF AVAILABLE PARKING, BECAUSE WE TEND TO BE A LAZY, UM, ENVIRONMENT FROM THE STANDPOINT THAT WE WERE NOT WILLING TO ACTUALLY WALK TWO BLOCKS TO GET TO BAY STREET.
AND WE'D RATHER, IF WE CAN'T GET A, A PARKING SPACE ON BAY STREET THAN THEN WE FEEL LIKE WE HAVE A PARKING PROBLEM.
AND WE DO HAVE AVAILABLE PARKING IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT AREAS THAT, THAT IS CLOSE TO THE DOWNTOWN AREA AND WOULD PROVIDE YOU PARKING SPACE.
UM, BUT I WOULD ALSO SAY THAT THE INTENT OF THE PARKING PRACTICES THAT WE HAVE IN, IN DOWNTOWN BE IS TO CREATE TURNOVER, WHICH IS THE ECONOMIC VITALITY OF THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
AND TO HAVE PEOPLE WANTING TO BE DOWNTOWN AND TO, TO HAVE THE RESTRICTIONS OF TWO HOURS ON BAY STREET AND THREE HOURS ON THE STREETS MOVING OUTWARD IN LARGER NUMBERS WHEN YOU'RE ON CRAVEN STREET, IS INHERENT TO THE BENEFITS OF WHAT WE'RE DRAWING TO DOWNTOWN.
WE WANT THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE TURNOVER TO ALLOW EVERYBODY TO SHOP AND EVERYBODY TO GIVE ADDITIONAL BUSINESS TO OUR DOWNTOWN MERCHANTS.
SO IT'S A GOOD PROBLEM TO HAVE.
THERE ARE, THERE ARE WAYS THAT WE CAN MAKE IT BETTER AND WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING ON SURFACE LOTS AND EXPANSION IN AREAS WHERE THAT CAN BE DONE AND FOR THE FESTIVALS IN THE LONG TERMS. AND, AND CAN I MENTION THE, THE PARKING, I'M TIMED, SORRY.
I WAS GONNA SAY JUST THE SAME THAT, UM, IT'S GOOD TO WALK.
SO IN, IN ADDITION TO THAT, I THINK THAT WE CAN BETTER UTILIZE THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE, WHICH THE, AN APPROVED PARKING GARAGE WOULD DO THAT.
I KNOW THAT IT'S NOT WHAT, UM, SOME PEOPLE WANNA SEE BECAUSE IT WOULD IMPACT THE VIEW, BUT IN REALITY WE DO HAVE TO ACCEPT THE FACT THAT WE CAN'T PREVENT GROWTH AND WE DO NEED TO PREPARE FOR THE FUTURE.
I, I WOULD LIKE TO LOOK, I LOOK FORWARD TO A PARK AND RIDE TYPE SITUATION, AND I HOPE THAT WE DO LOOK INTO THAT BECAUSE I, I DON'T MIND WALKING AND CYCLING AND ALL OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT'S GONNA KEEP ME GOING.
I, I NEED THOSE THINGS, BUT, UM, I THINK
[00:50:01]
IF WE COULD HAVE AN AREA WHERE YOU CAN DRIVE TO AND PARK YOUR CAR AND BE DRIVEN DOWNTOWN, THAT'S WHAT I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE.AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT HAPPENING, UH, AROUND THE DIFFERENT AREAS OF INTEREST IN TOWN, UM, VERY SOON, CUZ I WOULD USE THAT SERVICE IF WE HAD IT.
WE HAVE TIME FOR AT LEAST ONE MORE QUESTION, MAYBE MORE IF WE CAN GET THROUGH 'EM QUICKLY.
MANY OF OUR BIGGEST CHALLENGES, HOUSING, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, TRANSCEND CITY LIMITS.
IF ELECTED, HOW WILL YOU PERSONALLY STRENGTHEN WORKING RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENTS? AND THIS ONE GOES TO MICHAEL ANDERSON FIRST.
SO I THINK ONE OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES IS IT COMES DOWN TO COMMUNICATION THERE.
OFTENTIMES WHEN WE SEE THESE TYPES OF RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE COUNTY, BETWEEN THE CITY, BETWEEN THE STATE THERE, UM, UNFORTUNATELY IN SOME INSTANCES THERE TENDS TO BE A LOT OF FINGER POINTING OF THAT'S NOT OUR ASSET, THAT'S NOT MY PRIORITY, THAT'S NOT WHAT WE ARE IN CHARGE OF.
UM, I'LL TAKE, I'LL TAKE A CASE IN POINT WHERE EXAMPLE REAL QUICK.
THE ARTHUR HORN, UH, NATURE PRESERVE, WHICH IS CURRENTLY BEHIND, UM, OUR, OUR NEIGHBOR'S HOUSES ACROSS THE STREET, AND IT'S FILLED IN, IT'S BEEN FILLED IN AND KNOW YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES.
IT'S, IT'S BEEN FILLED IN AND IT NEEDS TO BE CLEARED OUT SO THAT WAY IT CAN PROVIDE, UH, ADEQUATE DRAINING FOR MOSSIE OAKS EXPLICITLY.
UM, BUT UNFORTUNATELY A LOT, THERE'S A LOT OF, UH, FINGER POINTING IN TERMS OF WHOSE ASSET IS, IS, IS IT, AND WHO'S IN CHARGE OF IT.
UM, ULTIMATELY IT COMES DOWN TO THE COUNTY, BUT IT COMES DOWN TO, YOU KNOW, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A CITY COUNCIL THAT EVEN IF IT'S NOT A CITY ASSET PER SE, THAT THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS GO OUT AND REPRESENT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE THEIR CONSTITUENTS AND FIGHT FOR WHAT THEY NEED IF THE PEOPLE ARE MEMBERS OF THE CITY GO OUT AND FIGHT EXACTLY WHAT THEY NEED AND COMMUNICATE THAT TO THE VARIOUS, UH, DEPARTMENTS AND ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE CITY, COUNTY, AND STATE.
I THINK, I THINK HAVE THE GIST OF YOUR QUESTION FROM THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND, AND REGIONAL FORUMS AND COMMUNICATIONS AND SO FORTH.
BUT I THINK THE BEST EXAMPLE I CAN USE IN A VERY SHORT FORM IS THE FACT OF WHAT WE ACCOMPLISHED IN THE MON OAKS BASED IN ONE AND TWO DRAINAGE PROJECTS, UM, WITH OUR, ALL OF OUR REGIONAL PARTNERS.
IT WOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED IF OUR COMMUNICATIONS AND OUR ABILITIES TO BE ABLE TO CROSS THOSE LINES TO MAKE INTELLIGENT, ENVIRONMENTALLY SAFE DECISIONS FOR THE DRAINAGE PROCESSES WITHIN MO OAKS IN GENERAL.
UM, AS FAR AS THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT SIDE OF THIS, UH, I, I LIVE IN MO OAKS AND I CAN APPRECIATE THE 8 MILLION THAT WAS SPENT ON, UM, REDOING THE STORM WATER DRAINS.
I WILL SAY THOUGH, THAT I'D LIKE TO SEE THE MUNICIPALITIES IN THE COUNTY COME TOGETHER AND BETTER MAINTAIN THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE DO HAVE.
I, I CAN DRIVE DOWN JUST ABOUT ANY ROAD, UM, IN THIS COUNTY AND SEE THAT THE CULVERT PIPES ARE 80 TO A HUNDRED PERCENT BLOCKED.
I KNOW THAT FALLS ON THE, THE PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNER, BUT WE GOTTA BE REAL ABOUT THIS.
THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO DO THAT AND WE NEED TO PROVIDE A SOLUTION BECAUSE IF THOSE AREN'T MAINTAINED, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO SEE A PROBLEM.
UH, I BELIEVE IT'S ONCE BEEN SAID, WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN SAID AS FAR AS COMMUNICATION.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
UH, THE END GOALS FOR THE DIFFERENT MUNICIPALITIES ARE DIFFERENT AND IT HAS TO BE WORKED THROUGH TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE.
AND ONCE YOU CAN GET ON THE SAME PAGE, THEN YOU CAN MOVE FORWARD TO, TO SOLVE WHATEVER PROBLEM YOU HAVE.
SO I THINK COMMUNICATION IS KEY AND I THINK IT'S BEING DONE IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT INSTANCES IN BEAUFORT AND I THINK IT SHOULD BE DONE EVEN MORE.
UM, I, I THINK THAT, DID WE LOSE OUR, NO, HERE WE'RE STILL GOOD.
UM, UH, IN TERMS OF, UH, INTERGOVERNMENTAL COR COOPERATION, THERE NEEDS TO BE OBVIOUSLY COMMUNICA, MORE COMMUNICATIONS, OBVIOUSLY BETTER THAN LESS COMMUNICATION.
IT'S AN IMPORTANT THING TO HAPPEN.
I KNOW THAT WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE FOUR LANE OF THE CI AND PARKWAY OVER THERE WAS A FULL ON FIASCO OF THE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE COUNTY, AND NOBODY HAD ANY IDEA WHAT WAS GOING ON AND IT CAUGHT EVERYBODY OFF GUARD AND INCLUDING, I CALLED THE BUSINESS OWNERS WHO I KNOW OVER THERE, WHOSE BUSINESSES WERE GONNA HAVE TO GET CLOSED IF THEY WERE GONNA MAKE IT TO FOUR LANES.
AND THEY WERE STUNNED THAT THEY JUST, CUZ THIS KIND OF CAME OUTTA NOWHERE.
THE EXAMPLE WE SHOULD LOOK TO AS TO WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE SCHOOL SHOOTING, UM, THE, I'M SORRY, THE SCHOOL SHOOTING HOAX, UH, AT BEAUFORT HIGH, UH, A COUPLE WEEKS AGO.
AND TO SEE IN REAL TIME TO SEE THE DIFFERENT INTER INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES COOPERATING WITH EACH OTHER WAS EXTRAORDINARY.
THE, THE, THE, THE, THE BEAUFORT CITY POLICE, THE PORT ROYAL POLICE, THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, I WAS OVER THERE AND I WAS WATCHING, UH, ARMED OFFICERS WITH LONG GUNS AND K NINE UNITS RUNNING PAST ME, GOING STRAIGHT TOWARDS THE SCHOOL.
AND THEY WERE, THEY WERE DOING GREAT.
AND THAT'S WHERE WE SHOULD LOOK TO, TO, TO, TO SEE THAT GOOD EXAMPLE.
[00:55:01]
WE HAVE THE TIME FOR AT LEAST ONE MORE FROM THE PANEL GAMAR.I'M GONNA EVEN, UH, MANY OF YOU HAVE MADE RESPONSIBLE GROWTH, MANAGING, MANAGING GROWTH OR CENTRAL IN YOUR CAMPAIGN.
WHAT POLICIES OR IDEAS PROMOTE BALANCE ECONOMY DEVELOPMENT OR ENVIRON ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION? OKAY, IF I, I THINK I UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION IN, IN MY CAMPAIGN, HOW AM I GONNA BALANCE THE GROWTH AND HOW AM I GONNA BALANCE, OKAY, I GOT, SO, UM, THE THING I THINK WE NEED TO REMEMBER AND RECOGNIZE IS THAT BEAUFORT GENERALLY IS, IS A SENSITIVE, HISTORIC, CULTURALLY NATURAL RESOURCE, IMPORTANT COMMUNITY.
AND IF WE ARE SMART IN THE WAY THAT WE PUSH FORWARD WITH THE DEVELOPMENT, THE INTELLIGENT IN DEVELOPMENT THAT WE DO HERE, WE CAN CONTINUE TO KEEP THAT, THOSE RESOURCES PROTECTED.
AND I THINK THAT'S GOT TO ALWAYS BE THE FIRST THING WE THINK OF AS WE MOVE, MOVE FORWARD WITH, WITH ANY PROCESS, WITH REFERENCE TO POLICY DEVELOPMENT, UM, OVERSIGHT, ET CETERA.
I'M GONNA HIT ON THIS AGAIN JUST BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT.
UM, MAINTAINING THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE HAVE AND LESS EXPANSION RIGHT NOW.
WE HAVE A LOT OF DEVELOPMENTS, UH, URBAN SPRAWL OUT IN THE OUTSIDES OF THE INCORPORATED AREAS.
UM, I THINK THAT TAKES AWAY FROM OUR ENVIRONMENT.
IT DESTROYS WHAT BEAUFORT IS AND HAS A BIG IMPACT ON, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE COM, THE COMFORTABLE LIFE THAT WE'RE USED TO LIVING HERE.
IN THE SAME BREATH, I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT WE DO NEED TO RESPONSIBLY GROW.
AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS DIVERSIFY OUR ECONOMY.
JUST WHAT WE'RE DOING, WHAT WE SEE THE CITY DOING WITH THE, THE COMMERCE PARK, BRINGING JOBS, UM, GOOD, GOOD PAYING QUALITY JOBS TO OUR AREA FOR THE CITIZENS THAT HAVE COMMITTED TO LIVE HERE.
UM, BEAUT IS GROWING AND IS GOING TO GROW BECAUSE EVERYBODY LOVES IT HERE AND PEOPLE ARE COMING IN DROVES.
I'VE BEEN HERE 26 YEARS, BUT I PLAN TO STAY HERE.
SO I, I SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE COMING AND I THINK WE JUST HAVE TO MANAGE THAT GROWTH THAT WE, WE KNOW IS INEVITABLE.
UM, TRAFFIC CONTROL IS ONE THING THAT WE REALLY NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, UM, DO SOMETHING ABOUT BECAUSE IT, IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO TRAVEL DOWN THE STREETS AT CERTAIN TIMES OF DAY.
UM, SO WE, WE DO HAVE TO LOOK AT THE TRAFFIC.
WE HAVE TO DO THINGS TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT GROWTH IS, IS HANDLED IN A RESPONSIBLE MANNER.
SO THAT'S AN IMPOSSIBLY COMPLICATED QUESTION TO ANSWER THIS, TO SHOW A SHORT LITTLE TIMEFRAME, BUT, UH, SO I WILL ANSWER IT IN THIS WAY TO TELL YOU THIS.
THE, YOUR Y'ALL'S DECISION THAT YOU HAVE TO MAKE TONIGHT IS WHO'S GONNA REPRESENT YOU IN THIS CITY COUNCIL IN THE NEXT, FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS.
AND MY ANSWER IS TO THAT SPECIFIC QUESTION IS, WHO IS THE PERSON WHO'S GONNA BEST REPRESENT YOUR VALUES WHEN YOU, WHEN THEY'RE MAKING THOSE DECISIONS THAT ARE GOING FORWARD OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS? IT'S, IT'S VERY COMPLICATED.
IT, WE, THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT ANGLE ANGLES TO HOW, HOW IT NEEDS TO BE MANAGED, BUT THE IMPORTANT THING IS, DO YOU TRUST THE PERSON WHO'S THEY ARE? AND I THINK THAT I WOULD TO ARGUE THAT, UH, WITH MY HALF A CENTURY OF LIVING IN THIS CITY AND STILL LIVING HERE, AND I WALK, I WALKED OVER HERE TONIGHT FROM, FROM WHERE I CAME FROM, UH, FROM WHERE I LIVE, UH, THAT, THAT, THAT I, THAT I'M, I THINK, I FEEL LIKE I HAVE THE RIGHT, UH, THE RIGHT EXPERIENCE TO BE THE PERSON TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS ABOUT, ABOUT MANAGING GROWTH BECAUSE IT, IT OBVIOUSLY HAS TO BE MANAGED IN A SMART WAY.
CAUSE LEFT TO ITS OWN, IT WOULD CREATE CHAOS.
I'M GONNA ARGUE THAT THIS QUESTION IS NOT IMPOSSIBLE TO ANSWER IN IT'S SUCH A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME.
UM, ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I SEE CONSISTENTLY WITH, UH, THE WAY THAT THE EXPANSIVE GROWTH OCCURS WITHIN THE CITY IS THAT WE END UP, UH, MAKING IT E ENDS UP HAVING TO BE EASIER TO GO OUT, CLEAR CUT 50 ACRES TO BUILD A BRAND NEW DEVELOPMENT TO PUT HOUSES IN THERE THAN IT IS TO GO BACK INTO EXISTING NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE AND INFILL THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS WITH BETTER STRUCTURES, MAYBE THAT THERE'S A LOT OF DILAPIDATED AND VACANT STRUCTURES ALREADY WITHIN THE CITY.
AND IT NEEDS TO BE, BE MADE EASIER FOR PROPERTY OWNERS TO DO THOSE TYPES OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S A SINGLE PERSON IN HERE WHO HAS NOT GONE DOWN, UH, TO CITY HALL AND GONE THROUGH WITH THE PERMITTING PROCESS AND HAS OVERALL HAD A NE NECESSARILY A SMOOTH, UH, EXPERIENCE.
IT'S ALWAYS BEEN A LOT OF HICCUPS ALONG THE WAY, AND IT'S BEEN VERY LENGTHY TO GO ABOUT GETTING, UH, IS THINGS DONE TO YOUR HOUSE? LIVING IN MOSSY OAKS, FOR EXAMPLE.
UM, OUR NEIGHBORS WANTED TO PUT A FRONT PORCH ON THEIR HOUSE AND THE CITY BASICALLY DRAGGED THEM THROUGH.
AND IT WAS A VERY MONTH LONG PROCESS UNTIL THEY FINALLY GOT TO THE POINT WHERE THEY SAID, NO, I'M NOT INTERESTED IN THIS.
SO I THINK IT WOULD COME DOWN.
IF WE MAKE IT EASIER FOR PROPERTY OWNERS TO DO THAT TYPE OF INVESTMENT OF THEIR CAPITAL
[01:00:01]
ASSETS, THEN WE'LL BE ABLE TO LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT THAT OCCURS ON THE OUTWARD FRINGES OF OUR CITY.WE'VE ARRIVED AT THE END OF OUR REGULAR SESSION.
WE DO HAVE TIME FOR CLOSING REMARKS.
WE'LL CONTINUE IN THE SAME ORDER THAT WE HAVE BEEN.
TO BEGIN OUR CLOSING REMARKS, MR. COLLETTI
UM, SO I'VE ALWAYS TOOK PRIDE IN THE FACT THAT I SPEND AND HAVE SPENT A LOT OF TIME WITH THE ELDERS IN THE COMMUNITY FROM A YOUNG AGE.
I FIGURED THAT IF I WAS GONNA HAVE AN ADVANTAGE IN LIFE, IT WAS GONNA BE FROM LEARNING FROM THOSE WHO HAD LIVED A LIFE BEFORE ME.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT A RETIRED GUNNER SERGEANT TAUGHT ME WAS HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO ACTIVELY LISTEN.
SO I'VE ACTIVELY LISTENED TO A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT I'VE TALKED TO AND THROUGHOUT THE YEARS, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT STOOD OUT WAS THE FACT THAT PEOPLE MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE, AND THAT IS THEY DON'T PLAN FOR THE FUTURE.
WHEN I FOUND OUT THAT MY WIFE WAS PREGNANT WITH OUR FIRST CHILD, I IMMEDIATELY STARTED TAKING $25 A WEEK, PUT IT IN A SAVINGS ACCOUNT FOR MY CHILD.
WE FOUND OUT SHE WAS PREGNANT A SECOND TIME.
SAME THING TO TOTAL $50 A WEEK.
I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO VOTE FOR ME.
I WILL REPRESENT YOU AND DO EVERYTHING I CAN TO BE A TEAM PLAYER, UH, ON THE CITY COUNCIL.
MY QUICK ANSWER TO THAT, MY QUICK ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION IS, CITIZEN SERVICE.
THE CITY NEEDS TO DO A BETTER JOB SERVING AS CITIZENS.
AND I THINK THAT CITY HALL NEEDS TO BE A PLACE THAT YOU GO TO FIND ANSWERS AND NOT OBSTACLES.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THAT CHANGE.
MICHAEL ANDERSON, BEAUFORT CITY COUNCIL.
THE BIGGEST THING I WOULD SAY, UM, AS A CLOSING REMARK IS THAT PEOPLE WANT TO FEEL SAFE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.
THEY WANT TO HAVE JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEIR KIDS.
THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO LIVE IN PEACE, AND THEY ALSO WANT TO HAVE A LOW COST OF LIVING.
UH, I CAN'T NECESSARILY MAKE SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN WAVE OUR MAGIC HANDS AND MAKE ALL THAT HAPPEN IN ONE FELL SWOOP, BUT I WILL WORK EACH AND EVERY SINGLE DAY TO ENSURE THAT THAT IS OUR ULTIMATE GOAL, THAT IT THIS PLACE THAT WE CALL HOME, IT'S AVAILABLE AND IS A HOME FOR ABSOLUTELY EVERYBODY WHO WANTS TO BE HERE.
WELL, I WANNA THANK EVERYBODY FOR COMING AND THAT OUR SPONSORS VERY MUCH.
MIKE MCPHEE FOR REELECTION ON NOVEMBER 8TH.
UM, AND AGAIN, GREAT EVENING WITH EVERYBODY WITH THE AUDIENCE.
PLEASE JOIN ME IN A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR THE CANDIDATES AUDIENCE.
WE WILL TAKE A BRIEF PAUSE WHILE WE RESET FOR COUNTY COUNCIL DISTRICT TWO CANDIDATES FORUM, WHAT CAN YOU DO TO KEEP YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS SAFE? DON'T PROVIDE EASY ACCESS, ESPECIALLY TO NARCOTIC MEDICATIONS, INVENTORY YOUR MEDICINE CABINETS, ESPECIALLY CONTROL SUBSTANCES SAFELY, DISCARD, OUTDATED, OR UNUSED MEDICATIONS PROPERLY.
DID YOU KNOW BEAUFORT COUNTY HAS MANY LOCATIONS FOR YOU TO DISPOSE YOUR OUTDATED OR UNUSED MEDICATIONS? UH, WELCOME BACK.
I'M IAN SCOTT WITH THE BEAUFORT REGIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, AND WE ARE HERE FOR THE SECOND PHASE OF TONIGHT'S CANDIDATE FORUM.
UH, WE'RE JOINED BY CANDIDATES FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY COUNCIL DISTRICT TWO.
A QUICK REMINDER, THIS IS A PANEL QUESTION STYLE FORMAT FOR TONIGHT'S FORUM.
EACH CANDIDATE WILL HAVE A CHANCE TO ANSWER EACH QUESTION ASKED BY OUR PANEL.
THE QUESTIONS WERE DEVISED LITERALLY HOURS AGO, UH, BY OUR PANEL, UH, OF FOUR MEMBERS SELECTED BY BOTH THE CHAMBER AND U S C B CENTER FOR THE ARTS.
OUR CO-HOSTS, UH, FOR TONIGHT'S EVENT, A REMINDER, OUR FOUR PANELISTS ARE BETTE VI, UH, VIENNA ALVAREZ.
SHE'S THE ASSISTANT VICE CHANCELLOR FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS AT U S C B.
SHE'S THE CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER AT CAROLINA AIR.
GRAHAM SUMMERALL IS AND ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE WITH HARRE AND GAMAR WATTS IS A RETIRED MARINE AND RESTAURATEUR IN BEAUFORT.
AND ON LADIES ISLAND, I'M THE MODERATOR.
IT'S MY JOB TO KEEP US ON TRACK.
TONIGHT WE HAVE A 30 MINUTE SCHEDULED SESSION FOR TONIGHT'S, UH, UH, DISCUSSION BETWEEN OUR TWO CANDIDATES STANDING FOR OFFICE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY COUNCIL DISTRICT TWO, AND THEY ARE DAVID BARTHOLOME AND MARILYN HARRIS.
UH, WE CHOSE UP NAMES AT THE BEGINNING TO DECIDE WHO WOULD GO OPENING STATEMENTS FIRST.
AND THAT WILL BE MR. BARTHOLOME.
[01:05:01]
YOU, WE HAVE 90 SECONDS FOR OPENING REMARKS.WE WILL HAVE CLOSING REMARKS AT THE END.
UM, BEFORE I JUMP INTO MY OPENING STATEMENTS, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO U S C B AND THE BEAUFORT REGIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FOR PUTTING TOGETHER THIS CANDIDATE FORUM TONIGHT.
I'M GONNA BE HONEST WITH YOU, RUNNING FOR OFFICE WAS NOT ON MY RADAR.
IT WAS DEFINITELY NOT ON MY TO-DO LIST, BUT ONE THING THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN ON MY TO-DO LIST IS HELPING OTHERS AND SERVING THE COMMUNITY.
SO WHEN THE OPPORTUNITY PRESENTED ITSELF FOR ME TO RUN FOR OFFICE FOR, UH, COUNTY COUNCIL, DISTRICT TWO, I KNEW THAT THIS WAS MY CHANCE TO HAVE THE BIGGEST IMPACT IN MY COMMUNITY AND SERVE IT IN A MEANINGFUL WAY.
IT ALSO WILL GIVE ME A CHANCE TO PROVIDE AND SHAPE THE FUTURE OF BEAUFORT COUNTY.
I KNOW THAT I'LL BRING A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE TO BEAUFORT COUNTY COUNCIL WITH MY, UH, BACKGROUND IN, IN LEGAL EDUCATION BACKGROUND AND BEING AN ATTORNEY COMBINED WITH MY LOGICAL APPROACH TO PROBLEM SOLVING, I KNOW THAT THAT MINDSET WILL BENEFIT BEAUFORT COUNTY AS A WHOLE.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO BEING YOUR NEXT REPRESENTATIVE ON COUNTY COUNCIL, AND I'M ALSO LOOKING FORWARD TO ANSWERING THE PANEL'S QUESTIONS TONIGHT.
GOOD EVENING AND GOOD EVENING.
AND THANK YOU TO S C B AND TO THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FOR HOSTING US.
UH, BECAUSE I'M OBEDIENT AND I TAKE INSTRUCTION WHILE I'M GOING TO BE BRIEF.
FOR THE LAST EIGHT YEARS, I HAVE WORKED AND SERVED IN BEAUFORD COUNTY.
I'VE WORKED IN THE COUNTY AS A TEACHER, A FACILITATOR, A PROGRAM MANAGER.
I'VE SERVED THE COUNTY ON THE BOARDS OF DIRECTORS OF THE UNITED WAY, SECOND HELPINGS, THE COASTAL COMMUNITY FOUNDATION, AND, UH, THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB.
OVER THE LAST 10 MONTHS, THOUGH I HAVE SPENT TIME LISTENING TO DISTRICT TWO CONSTITUENTS.
I'VE ALSO ATTENDED NEARLY EVERY COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING AND MOSTLY IN NEARLY EVERY ONE OF THOSE IN PERSON.
AND DURING THIS TIME, I'VE ALSO READ THOUSANDS OF PAPERS, THOUSANDS OF PIECES OF MATERIAL IN PREPARATION FOR EACH OF THESE MEETINGS.
AND SO HERE'S WHAT I'VE LEARNED.
I'VE LEARNED THAT WORKING AS YOUR REPRESENTATIVE, SERVING AS YOUR REPRESENTATIVE IS A FULL-TIME JOB.
AND I'M HERE TONIGHT TO TELL YOU THAT I'M COMMITTED TO WORKING AND SERVING THIS COUNTY IN THE CONSTITUENTS OF DISTRICT TWO FULL-TIME.
WHAT I BRING TO COUNTY COUNCIL IS WHAT MATTERS.
I BRING COUNTY WORK EXPERIENCE, A HISTORY OF SERVICE, AND A SPIRIT OF SERVANT LEADERSHIP GAINED FROM WORKING ALONGSIDE SOME OF THE MOST, SOME OF THE BRAVEST AND MOST HONORABLE MILITARY LEADERS IN THE WORLD.
UH, WE'LL DIVE RIGHT INTO QUESTIONS FROM THE PANEL.
WE APPRECIATE BOTH OF YOUR OPENING REMARKS.
FIRST QUESTION COMES FROM MS. TUCK WHEELER.
I BELIEVE WE'RE GIVING 62ND RESPONSES, SO WE'LL INDICATE THAT BY A T.
SO JUST KIND OF LOOK AT US
UM, THERE HAS BEEN MUCH DEBATE RECENTLY ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE PLANS ON LADIES ISLAND.
DO YOU SEE A CLEAR WAY FORWARD AND IN YOUR VIEW, SHOULD THE LADIES ISLAND PLAN GUIDE FUTURE GROWTH PATTERNS AND INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS ON LADIES ISLAND? AND THIS QUESTION GOES TO MS. HARRIS.
UM, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE LADIES ISLAND PLAN AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN FOR LADIES ISLAND.
UM, THE LADIES ISLAND PLAN WAS A VISION, AND IT'S A GREAT START.
I BELIEVE THAT IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT WE CONT WE COMPLETE THE OUTSTANDING PROJECTS THAT WERE PLANNED BACK IN 2018.
I BELIEVE THAT THE NEXT STEP FOR THE LADIES ISLAND PLAN IS A MASTER PLAN, SOMETHING THAT IS EXECUTABLE, SOMETHING THAT THE COUNTY COUNCIL CAN LOOK AT AND PROVIDE FUNDING TO SUPPORT.
SO I I BELIEVE THAT WAS A TWO PART QUESTION.
UH, GOING BACK TO THE EXPANSION OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND, AND HOW DO WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT? UH, I BELIEVE MOST PEOPLE SHOULD BE AWARE OF THE PROPOSED PLAN TO MAKE SEA ISLAND PARKWAY INTO A FOUR LANE, UH, HIGHWAY THAT WAS ACTUALLY MET WITH THE LARGEST RESISTANCE I THINK
[01:10:01]
I'VE EVER SEEN.THAT WAS THE BIGGEST TURNOUT TO A COMMITTEE MEETING AT THREE O'CLOCK, I BELIEVE, ON A MONDAY THAT I'VE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE.
UM, AND THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT IT'S GONNA, THAT IS WHAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE.
IT'S GOING TO TAKE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT.
AND I REALLY THINK THAT THE INFRASTRUCTURE, WE DON'T NEED TO EXPAND ISLAND PARKWAY.
WE NEED TO WORRY ABOUT THE, UH, SIDE ROADS AND EXPAND THOSE, MAKE IT EASIER TO GET OFF THE MAIN ROUTES AND MAKE THAT AREA EASIER TO TRAVERSE FOR THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE ON LADIES ISLAND.
UM, AND THEN MOVING INTO THE LADIES ISLAND PLAN.
I I THINK WE NEED TO IMPLEMENT IT.
THAT WAS A, THAT PLAN WAS PUT TOGETHER BY THE COMMUNITY THAT HAD COMMUNITY INPUT.
THAT WAS A LOT OF EFFORT THAT WENT INTO IT.
I DO THINK WE NEED TO FOLLOW THAT PLAN.
UH, BUT I ALSO AGREE THAT WE NEED TO FOCUS ON A MASTER PLAN.
OKAY, NEXT QUESTION COMES FROM MR. SUMALL.
UH, THIS NOVEMBER VOTERS WILL DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT TO ADD A PENNY TAX TO FUND GREEN SPACE.
DO YOU SUPPORT THIS TAX? AND IF IT PASSES, WOULD YOU SUPPORT LAND PRESERVATION PURCHASES OUTSIDE OF BEAUFORT COUNTY? UH, MR. BAR, ALL OF YOU FIRST? SO I'M ALWAYS HESITANT WHEN IT COMES TO NEW TAXES.
UH, I THINK WE ALL HAVE A LOT OF TAXES THAT WE ALREADY PAY.
HOWEVER, THIS IS ONE I CAN GET BEHIND.
UM, WE'D BE THE FIRST IN THE STATE TO IMPLEMENT SUCH A, A GREEN SPACE TAX.
UH, AND ONE OF THE BENEFITS OF IT, 40%, THERE'S AN ESTIMATED 40% OF THAT, UH, A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS THAT'S ANTICIPATED TO COME FROM THAT GREEN SPACE THAT'S ONLY COME FROM OUTSIDE SOURCES FROM TOURISM.
AND THIS TAX ALSO DOES NOT ATTACH TO, UM, MEDICAL SUPPLIES, UH, PRESCRIPTIONS, DRUGS, UH, I'M SORRY.
UH, YEAH, PRESCRIPTION DRUGS, UH, FOOD AND GAS.
AND I THINK THE BIGGEST THING ABOUT THE GREEN SPACE TAX IS IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT PRESERVING THE GREEN SPACE.
I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT IT IS ON HIS FACE, BUT IT IS ALSO ABOUT CONTROLLING THE GROWTH AND CONTROLLING THAT GROWTH WILL PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT, UH, AS WE MOVE FORWARD, AS AS A COMMUNITY.
I'M GONNA ASK YOU TO REPEAT THE QUESTION, PLEASE.
UH, THE QUESTION WAS ABOUT, UH, THE NEW PENNY TAX COMING UP FOR, UM, THE AMENDMENT TO FUND GREEN SPACE.
DO YOU SUPPORT IT? AND THEN, UM, WOULD YOU SUPPORT, IF IT PASSES, WOULD YOU SUPPORT, UH, THE PRESERVATION OF PURCHASES OF LAND OUTSIDE OF BEAUFORT COUNTY? WELL, THE PENNY TAX, THE PENNY TAX 1% TAX REPRESENT REFERENDUM IS ALREADY PASSED.
SO AS A COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBER, ONE OF THE, ONE OF MY RESPONSIBILITIES WILL BE TO ACCEPT THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
AND ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS IS IF IT'S OUTSIDE OF THE COUNTY, THEN THERE ARE SOME SPECIAL CRITERIA THAT WOULD BE APPLIED.
AND THERE MAY BE ADDITIONAL, NOT JUST ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS, BUT OTHER TYPES OF FUNDING OR MATCHING FUNDS THAT COULD BE APPLIED.
SO AS A COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBER, I WOULD BE PAYING PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO WHAT'S BEING RECOMMENDED TO, UH, BY THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE, MAKING SURE THAT THEY FOLLOWED ALL OF THE GUIDELINES AND THAT ALL OF THE PROPERTIES THAT ARE PRESENTED ARE APPROPRIATE AND ADEQUATE TO MEET OUR NEEDS.
BA THIS NEXT QUESTION PERTAINS TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST FUND.
AND THERE ARE TWO PARTS TO THE QUESTION.
ALL LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN THE REGION HAVE NOW SIGNED ON TO THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST FUND.
WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE THE HOUSING TRUST FUND SHOULD PRIORITIZE? AND WHAT ELSE CAN THE REGION DO TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE WHO WORK HERE CAN AFFORD TO LIVE HERE? WOULD YOU REPEAT THIS? WOULD YOU REPEAT THE SECOND PART, PLEASE? YES.
THE SECOND PART SAYS, WHAT ELSE CAN THE REGION DO TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE WHO WORK HERE CAN AFFORD TO LIVE HERE? OKAY.
I WORKED ON THE LOW COUNTRY AFFORDABLE HOUSING COALITION AS A FACILITATOR, AND I'M SO GLAD TO SEE THE HOUSING TRUST FUND COME TO FRUITION.
UM, CERTAINLY THE HOUSING TRUST FUND IS FOCUSED ON AFFORDABLE WORKFORCE HOUSING.
AND SO THE WAY THAT WE WOULD PRIORITIZE, I BELIEVE WOULD BE, SHOULD BE TO LOOK AT THE, THOSE WHO ARE MOST IN NEED.
AND WE TO, TO LOOK AT THE POSTS WHO ARE MOST IN NEED.
WE CERTAINLY NEED TO LOOK AT THE, THE, UH, THE
[01:15:02]
EMPLOYEE NEED IN THE COUNTY.WHERE IS THE COUNTY'S GREATEST NEED FOR EMPLOYEES? IS IT TEACHERS? IS IT LAW ENFORCEMENT, ET CETERA? AND PRIOR TIES IT THAT WAY.
IN TERMS OF AFFORDABLE WORKFORCE HOUSING, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ESSENTIAL TO SUPPORT, UM, THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT WE NEED TO INCLUDE INCREASE OUR QUALITY OF LIFE AND MAKING SURE THAT THIS IS AN AFFORDABLE PLACE FOR THEM TO LIVE.
SO AS FAR AS FAR AS THE, UH, PRIORITIZING THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST FUND, I THINK WE NEED TO FOCUS ON PUBLIC SERVANTS FIRST.
UM, THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ARE PUTTING THEIR, THEIR LIVES AT RISK.
THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ARE GIVING BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY AND SERVING OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I THINK IT'S A SHAME THAT THEY CAN'T LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY SERVE.
I THINK WE NEED TO PUT THOSE PEOPLE FIRST IN THE COMMUNITY BEFORE FOCUSING ON THE OTHER, UM, MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
NOW, AS FAR AS, I BELIEVE THE SECOND PART OF THE QUESTION WAS, UH, WHAT CAN WE DO AS A REGION, UH, TO, TO HELP MOVE THIS FORWARD? I, I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK WE CAN DO IS FOCUS NOT JUST ON THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING ASPECT, BUT ALSO FOCUS ON ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION.
IF WE BRING HIGHER PAYING JOBS HERE AND HAVE A HIGHER DEGREE OF EDUCATION IN THIS COMMUNITY, THEN THE TRUST FUND WOULDN'T HAVE TO DIP INTO THEIR SAVINGS AND TO, TO GET PEOPLE TO AFFORD THE HOUSING HERE.
SO MY GOAL IS, IS TO HOPEFULLY GET PEOPLE ATTRACT BUSINESSES HERE THAT WILL GET PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO BUY THEIR OWN HOMES TO AFFORD THESE, THEIR OWN HOMES WITHOUT GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE.
UM, AND THEN I THINK THE OTHER ASPECT OF THAT IS WORKING, NOT JUST, NOT JUST THE GOVERNMENT FUNDING THESE PROGRAMS, BUT ALSO WORKING WITH, SORRY, MY TIME'S ABOUT UP, BUT ALSO WORKING WITH, UH, A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP TO DEVELOP AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THE, IN THE REGION.
MILITARY, MILITARY, HOSPITALITY AND REAL ESTATE HAVE LONG DRIVEN THIS REGION'S ECONOMY.
DO YOU BELIEVE THAT MULTIPLE STRONG EMPLOYMENT SECTOR CREATES A MORE RESILIENT ECONOMY? IF SO, HOW CAN COUNCIL SUPPORT CREATIONS OF FAMILIES SUSTAINING THE WAGES JOB? SO, A ABSOLUTELY.
AS I'VE MENTIONED IN THE LAST QUESTION, I, I DO THINK THAT WE NEED ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION IN THIS REGION.
UM, YOU KNOW, IF, IF ONE OF THOSE PILLARS OF THE COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, THE, THE MEDICAL, THE MILITARY, THE HOSPITALITIES, IF ONE OF THOSE PILLARS FALLS, THAT LEAVES A LARGE PORTION OF YOUR POPULATION EXPOSED.
SO I, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS WE CAN DO AS A COMMUNITY IS PARTNER WITH THE MUNICIPALITIES IN THE REGION, FOCUS OUR EFFORTS AND ATTRACTING BUSINESS HERE THAT MEETS THE VALUES OF OUR COMMUNITY.
I, I THINK WE CAN ALL AGREE THAT WE WANT GREEN INDUSTRIES HERE.
UH, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE ADVANCED AVIONICS HERE SUPPORTING THE, THE MILITARY MISSION HERE.
UH, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SEE A COORDINATION, UH, WITH THE EXPANSION OF OUR, OUR UNIVERSITY SYSTEM.
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE PROGRAMS OF AVAILABLE AT THE UNIVERSITY LEVEL HERE TO FUND THE COMPANIES THAT WE INVITE HERE.
SO WE HAVE AN INTELLIGENT, EDUCATED WORKFORCE THAT CAN TAKE ON THESE, THESE, UM, THESE JOBS RIGHT OUTTA COLLEGE, BE ABLE TO HAVE A GOOD, UM, A GOOD BASE OF, OF SALARY THERE, AND ALSO HELP THIS AREA GROW AND DIVERSIFY THAT ECONOMY SO THAT IF SOMETHING HAPPENS WE'RE, WE'RE NOT STRUGGLING AS A COMMUNITY, I WOULD ASK YOU TO REPEAT, I'M GONNA ASK YOU TO REPEAT THAT AGAIN.
SO THE, THE QUESTION IS, UH, DO YOU SUPPORT THE NOTION THAT A MORE DIVERSIFIED ECONOMY CREATES A MORE RESILIENT REGION? AND IF SO, WHAT STEPS CAN COUNTY COUNCIL TAKE, UH, SHOULD YOU BE ELECTED TO COUNTY COUNCIL TO FURTHER THE CREATION OF FAMILY SUSTAINING WAGE JOBS HERE IN THE, IN THE REGION? THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.
I THINK THAT WE'RE, UH, OFF TO A GOOD START WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
WE'RE OFF TO A GOOD START WITH A DIGITAL CORRIDOR.
I THINK THAT WE CAN ALSO LOOK TO THE LOCAL UNIVERSITY AND THE CO AND THE, UM, TECHNICAL COLLEGE TO DEVELOP PROGRAMS THAT WOULD WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY NEEDS TO DEVELOP MORE, UH, ECONOMIC DIVERSITY AND MORE ECONOMIC STABILITY.
FOR EXAMPLE, I REALLY LIKE THE NEW HOSPITALITY PROGRAM THAT'S BEEN STARTED WITH AT THE UNIVERSITY.
I LIKE THE VOCATIONAL PROGRAMS THAT IN HEALTH, UH, THAT, UH, UH, TRAIN HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS.
I LOVE WHAT THE HOSPITAL IS DOING SO WE CAN SUPPORT, AS A COUNTY COUNCIL, WE CAN CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THOSE TYPES OF PROGRAMS AND THOSE TYPES OF ACTIVITIES, UH, AND CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE A BUILD OUT OF, OF, UH, AREAS LIKE THE, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORRIDOR.
[01:20:01]
THE NEXT QUESTION, I BELIEVE IS FOR MS. TUCK WILLER, BEAUFORT COUNTY HAS A COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR FORM OF GOVERNMENT.IN YOUR VIEW, WHAT MAKES A HEALTHY COUNCIL ADMINISTRATOR RELATIONSHIP AND MS. HARRIS, THAT'S TO YOU FIRST.
WELL, THE FIRST THING THAT I WOULD SAY IS TO HAVE A HEALTHY COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RELATIONSHIP IS FOR COUNTY COUNCIL TO LET THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR DO HIS OR HER JOB.
SO IT'S NOT THE JOB OF THE COUNTY COUNCIL TO BE INVOLVED IN PERSONNEL ACTIVITIES, BUT TO PROVIDE SUPPORT, TO LISTEN CAREFULLY, TO, UM, ACCEPT GUIDANCE, BUT ALSO TO GUIDE.
SO I THINK THAT THE BEST WAY OF COUNTY THE COUNTY COUNCIL CAN SUPPORT A COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TYPE OF GOVERNMENT IS TO HIRE THE BEST PEOPLE AND THEN LET THEM DO THEIR JOB.
WELL, JUST LIKE ANY RELATIONSHIP, I, I THINK THERE'S A FAIRLY STRAIGHTFORWARD ANSWER HERE.
YOU JUST NEED GOOD COMMUNICATION.
I THINK IN ORDER TO, TO FOSTER A HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP WITH THE ADMINISTRATOR, YOU DO NEED TO GET OUT OF HIS WAY SOMETIMES AND LET HIM DO HIS JOB.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, HE NEEDS TO BE COMMUNICATING BACK WHAT HE'S DOING, WHAT STAFF IS DOING.
AND I, I DO BELIEVE AFTER TALKING WITH, WITH MANY, UM, COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBERS, THAT THERE IS A GOOD RELATIONSHIP THERE WITH STAFF AND THE COUNTY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVES.
I WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE THAT.
AND LIKE I SAID, I THINK JUST THE BASIS OF EVERY HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP IS GOOD COMMUNICATION.
ALL RIGHT, MR. SUMMERALL, AS THE, AS THE REGION CONTINUES TO DEVELOP, WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE ARE THE BIGGEST THREATS TO THE QUALITY OF OUR WATERWAYS AND TITLE MARSHLANDS? AND WHAT STEPS WOULD YOU TAKE TO PROTECT THOSE NATURAL RESOURCES? SO I THINK ONE OF THE BIGGEST THREATS TO THE WATERWAYS IS JUST THE URBAN SPRAWL, THE EXPANSION OF SINGLE FAMILY HOMES OUT, INTO, OUT INTO THE ENVIRONMENT THAT WE HAVE.
I THINK WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS FOCUS ON, UH, MIXED USE PROPERTIES AND INFILLING THE AREAS THAT WE DO HAVE.
UH, I THINK DOING THAT NOT ONLY CREATES A, A BETTER TAX BASIS, BUT BUT ALSO A BETTER ENVIRONMENT TO LIVE IN.
IF YOU CAN WALK AND WORK IN THE SAME LOCATION, UH, I THINK THAT'S WONDERFUL.
UM, BUT ALSO WHAT THAT DOES IS IT PROVIDES A LOCALIZED AREA WHERE WE COULD SET IT, SET UP THOSE PLACES WHERE THEY DON'T HAVE AS MUCH OF AN IMPACT ON THE WATERWAYS, WHERE THEY DON'T HAVE THE RUNOFF, WHERE THEY DON'T HAVE THE FERTILIZERS FROM THESE NEIGHBORHOODS AND THESE GOLF COURSES GOING INTO THE WATERWAYS.
SO I, I DO THINK MIXED USE AND, UM, TRYING TO FOCUS ON URBAN CENTERS IS WHAT WE NEED TO DO IN ORDER TO MANAGE THE GROWTH, BUT ALSO PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT.
THE MOST RECENT COMPREHENSIVE PLAN LOOKS AT THE BIGGEST THREAT.
AND ONE OF THE, THE, THE, THE FIRST THING THAT WE THINK ABOUT IS RESPONSIBLE GROWTH AND WHAT WE CAN DO TO MITIGATE THE, MITIGATE ANY HARM THAT'S DONE, DONE BY RESPONSIBLE GROWTH.
AND OF COURSE, THE, THE, UH, COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DOES RECOMMEND INFILLING, WHICH MEANS THAT THEY WOULD LOOK AT, UH, THE P UDS THAT CURRENTLY EXIST AND LOOK FOR WAYS TO, UH, GUIDE THE GROWTH INTO THOSE AREAS THAT HAVE ALREADY ALREADY HAD THE INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO WE THINK THAT IT'S CERTAINLY, UM, A LACK OF RESPONSIBLE GROWTH IS A THREAT.
THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN REC, UH, I THINK THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PREDICTS THAT BY 2030, WE WILL HAVE ADDED 44,000 MORE PEOPLE TO BEAUFORD COUNTY, AND THAT 26,000 OF THEM WILL BE IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS.
SO WE DO HAVE TO PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO HOW WE BALANCE GROWTH WITH THE ENVIRONMENT AND WITH OUR NATURAL RESOURCES.
NEXT QUESTIONS FROM BEBE? YES.
AND SPEAKING OF MORE PEOPLE, THE BEAUFORT PORT ROYAL REGION GREW AT ABOUT 0.7% PER YEAR, ON AVERAGE OVER THE LAST DECADE.
THAT RATE IS PROJECTED TO INCREASE TO 1.1% ANNUALLY IN THE YEARS AHEAD.
DO YOU BELIEVE INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE REGION HAS KEPT UP WITH THE PACE OF THE GROWTH? FIRST QUESTION IS TO MS. HARRIS.
WELL, I THINK THAT INFRASTRUCTURE HAS NOT KEPT UP WITH THE PACE OF THE GROWTH ADEQUATELY.
AND I BELIEVE THAT IS WHY THE, UH, COMPREHENSIVE PLAN LOOKS AT, UH, THREE THEMES, RESILIENCY, UH, EQUITY AND PLACE.
AND SO THAT'S WHY WE WANT TO EXPLORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR GUIDING DEVELOPMENT IN A WAY THAT THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS ALREADY IN PLACE, FILLING IN THOSE VACANT AREAS,
[01:25:01]
UH, WHERE THE PUDS ALREADY EXIST, AND LOOKING FOR OTHER WAYS TO BALANCE GROWTH WITH THE ENVIRONMENT, WITH OUR NATURAL RESOURCES AND TAKING, AND TAKING ALL OF THOSE THINGS INTO CONSIDERATION.SO I CERTAINLY WOULD LOOK TO THE 2040 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, THE GREEN PRINT OVERLAY OF THAT TO HELP GUIDE US IN MAKING DECISIONS MOVING FORWARD.
SO I, I DO THINK THAT WE'VE DONE A PRETTY GOOD JOB AT, AT KEEPING UP WITH THE INFRASTRUCTURE SO FAR.
I THINK THE PROBLEM IS RIGHT NOW WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS GROWTH IS STARTING TO FI FINALLY STARTING TO OUTPACE THAT INFRASTRUCTURE EXPANSION AND WHAT WE'RE CAPABLE OF DOING.
SO, AND THAT'S WHY, THAT'S PART OF THE REASON THE GREEN SPACE TAX IS GOING INTO PLACE IN ORDER TO HELP BUY DOWN SOME OF THE DENSITY IN THE AREA.
SO IT DOESN'T PUT A STRAIN ON THE INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO IN THE, IN THE YEARS TO COME, WE ARE GONNA HAVE TO FOCUS ON EXPANDING OUR INFRASTRUCTURE AND GETTING OUT THERE, GETTING WATER, UH, GETTING WATER AND SEWER SERVICES OUT TO AREAS THAT HAVE NEVER HAD IT IT BEFORE.
UH, THEY MAY HAVE WATER BUT DON'T HAVE SEWER.
UH, AND ONE OF THE OTHER, THE BIG THINGS THAT WE TALK ABOUT WITH THE INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, ARE EXPANDING THESE ROADWAYS, ARE FIGURING OUT WAYS TO, TO GET THE LOAD OF CARS THAT WE HAVE ON A DAILY BASIS ON THESE, UH, OLDER, OLDER ROADS.
YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE MANAGE THAT? AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO THINK AHEAD.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO HAVE FORWARD THINKING ON COUNTY COUNCIL IN ORDER TO MEET THOSE DEMANDS THAT ARE GONNA BE IN THE FUTURE.
ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FROM THE PANEL? WE DID START A FEW MINUTES LATE.
UH, WE HAVE EXHAUSTED OUR QUESTIONS.
YOU GUYS WERE INCREDIBLY EFFICIENT WITH YOUR TIME.
UH, WE WILL, UH, GIVE A LITTLE LONGER PERIOD FOR, UH, CLOSING STATEMENTS AND, UH, WE'LL BEGIN, UH, WITH MR. BARU.
WELL, UH, ONCE AGAIN, JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU.
UH, THANK YOU TO U S CB AGAIN AND THE BEAUFORT CHAMBER FOR HAVING US OUT HERE TONIGHT AND ORGANIZING THIS EVENT.
UH, I THINK THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE, ACTUALLY SHARE SOME OF OUR IDEAS.
I DON'T THINK WE'VE ONLY BEEN TOGETHER TWICE NOW, SO IT IS GOOD TO, IT'S GOOD THAT THE PUBLIC CAN SEE BOTH SIGNS OF THIS.
AND I WILL TELL YOU THIS, I'M, I MOVED HERE.
I MOVED HERE TO BEAUFORT COUNTY IN ORDER TO START A CAREER AND TO RAISE A FAMILY.
SO THE DECISIONS THAT I MAKE ON COUNTY COUNCIL WILL FOCUS ON THE FUTURE GENERATION.
IT'S NOT JUST GONNA BE ABOUT ME.
I MOVED HERE TO RAISE A FAMILY.
AND I LOVE THIS COMMUNITY AND I PLAN ON STAYING IN THIS COMMUNITY FOR A LONG TIME.
AND I HOPE TO BE YOUR REPRESENTATIVE ON COUNTY COUNCIL.
AS YOUR COUNTY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE, I WILL CONTINUE MY DUE DILIGENCE IN PREPARING FOR COUNTY COUNCIL MEETINGS.
I'LL CONTINUE TO LISTEN TO DISTRICT TWO TO LEARN WHAT YOUR PRIORITIES ARE.
I WILL BRING AER A SPIRIT OF SERVANT LEADERSHIP.
I WILL ALWAYS BE PREPARED, AND THIS IS A FULL-TIME JOB IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A CANDIDATE WHO WILL WORK FOR YOU FULL-TIME, I'M YOUR CANDIDATE.
MY NAME IS MARILYN HARRIS AND I'M, I ASK FOR YOUR VOTE ON NOVEMBER 8TH.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR CANDIDATE FORUM FOR THE EVENING.
IF YOU WOULD PLEASE GIVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR OUR CANDIDATES.
AND IF YOU WOULD ALSO PLEASE THANK OUR PANELISTS WHO HELP DEVISE THE QUESTIONS FOR TONIGHT.
WE'RE SO APPRECIATIVE OF ALL OF YOU JOINING US.
THANK YOU TO U S CB CENTER FOR THE ARTS, OUR CO-HOST FOR THE EVENING.
UH, AND ALSO THANK YOU TO THE COUNTY CHANNEL FOR BROADCASTING TONIGHT'S, UH, SHOW LIVE.
IF YOU WANNA WATCH US IN RECORDING, GO WATCH IT ON THE COUNTY CHANNEL.
HEY, I'M TONY HAWK AND YOU'RE WATCHING THE COUNTY CHANNEL.