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CLOSE CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BEAUFORT COUNTY.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE STAND FOR THE PRESENTATION OF THE COLORS BY THE PARIS ISLAND MARINE COLOR GUARD, FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, OUR NATIONAL ANTHEM AND GOD BLESS AMERICA, SUNG BY SERGEANT DANA ROWINSKI.
PLEASE JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
WHAT'S OPERA? WE AT THE MEAN? WHO'S BROUGHT STRIPES AND BRIGHT STARS? THE POWERFUL LAST FIGHT WAS SO GOD THES THE THAT OFF.
IS THAT WAVE OR THE, AND THE, HEY, WHAT ARE YOU, COLE? GREAT.
WHILE THE STORM CLOUDS GO FALL ACROSS THE SEA, LET US PLEDGE OUR ALLEGIANCE TO LAND.
LET US ALL BE GRATEFUL AS OUR IN THE SOLEM.
GOOD THROUGH THE NIGHT WITH THE LIGHT FROM, FROM THE BALLS' TO THE PRAYER TO THE MY GO.
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PRAYERS TO OCEAN.FORWARD MARK, PLEASE BE SEATED.
IT'S GREAT TO SEE EVERYBODY HERE AT THE MARRIOTT.
UH, BEFORE WE GO ANY FURTHER, LET'S GIVE A, A GREAT BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE TO THE PARIS ISLAND MARINE COLOR GUARD, ALONG WITH OUR VOCALIST DANA, SERGEANT DANA ROMANSKI.
AFTER HEARING HER, I JUST FEEL LIKE MY DAY'S COMPLETE RIGHT NOW.
EVERYTHING IS, UH, IT'S ALL GOOD, BUT WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR THEIR SERVICE AND, UH, WE'RE GRATEFUL THAT THEY COULD BE HERE TODAY.
AND I'D ALSO LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THOSE WHO ARE CURRENTLY AND HAVE PREVIOUSLY SERVED IN OUR ARMED FORCES.
IF YOU'D STAND UP AND, UH, LET US GIVE YOU A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND CONTINUED SERVICE.
AND ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL I'D LI I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE IS ROB BRIDGERS.
ROB IS THE FATHER OF ROBIN BRIDGERS WHO WORKS WITH US, AND, UH, HE WAS THE PILOT OF MARINE ONE AND FOR, UH, PRESIDENT BUSH AND ROB, IF YOU'D STAND AND BE RECOGNIZED, UH, QUITE A GUY.
YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN TWO YEARS, TWO YEAR HIATUS AND IT'S GREAT TO BE BACK, UH, FOR OUR 20, OUR 24TH, I BELIEVE IT IS.
24TH, NO, 26TH, OUR 26TH STATE OF THE REGION.
OUR FIRST ONE WAS BACK IN 1994, AND I'VE SEEN SOME PEOPLE HERE EARLIER TODAY THAT WERE HERE FOR THE VERY FIRST ONE IN 1994 AND HAVEN'T MISSED ONE SINCE.
SO THANK YOU TO THOSE SPECIAL PEOPLE.
WE HAVE A, A LENGTHY PROGRAM TO GET THROUGH, BUT WE'RE GONNA BE CERTAINLY, UH, WE'RE GONNA WATCH THE TIME AND BE, BE CONSISTENT WITH OUR PROGRAM.
AND AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO ASK PASTOR TODD CULLEN FROM HILTON HEAD COMMUNITY CHURCH TO PLEASE COME FORWARD FOR INVOCATION, PASTOR.
IT IS GOOD TO BE BACK TOGETHER IN PERSON.
AND, UH, WOULD YOU JOIN ME TODAY, UH, IN A WORD OF PRAYER OVER OUR LUNCH AND OVER OUR TIME TOGETHER, GRACIOUS AND HEAVENLY FATHER, I THANK YOU TODAY AND COME TO YOU WITH HUMILITY, KNOWING THAT YOU ARE GOD, YOU ARE HOLY AND RIGHTEOUS AND LOVING AND KIND.
AND TODAY I PRAY THAT YOU WOULD HELP US RECOGNIZE THAT YOU ARE IN CONTROL.
FATHER, I PRAY THAT YOU WOULD BE WITH THOSE WHO ARE IN THIS ROOM, WHO MAY BE STRUGGLING REGARDLESS OF THEIR SITUATION, CIRCUMSTANCE, OR SEASON.
I PRAY THAT YOU WOULD BE A GOD OF KINDNESS TO THEM.
FATHER, I PRAY AFTER THESE DIFFICULT YEARS THAT YOU WOULD HEAL THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN HURT BY RECENT YEARS.
EVENTS, COVID AND MANY OTHER THINGS, NONE IN THIS ROOM HAVE, UH, BEEN IMMUNE TO THE EFFECTS OF THIS PANDEMIC.
AND, UH, FATHER, I PRAY FOR THOSE THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED LOSS, WHETHER IT BE FAMILY, FRIENDS, ACQUAINTANCES, BUSINESSES, THOSE WHO HAVE HAD A LOSS OF INCOME OR EMPLOYMENT.
FATHER, I PRAY THAT YOU WOULD BE WITH THEM.
I PRAY THAT YOU WOULD ALLOW THEM TO LOOK HEAVENWARD FOR THEIR HOPE AND THEIR FUTURE.
THAT THEY WOULD BE LIKE THE PSALMIST WHO SAID, MY REFUGE AND MY FOR FORTRESS.
YOU ARE MY GOD IN WHOM I TRUST.
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OUR REGION, FOR THE COMMUNITIES, FOR THE PROVISION THAT WE NEED IN OUR AREA TO PROVIDE FOR THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.AND WE RECOGNIZE THAT YOU INDEED ARE THE GOD OF PROVISION.
AND WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR THOSE WHO HAVE WORKED TIRELESSLY OVER THESE PAST YEARS IN SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY, OUR MILITARY PERSONNEL, FIRST RESPONDERS, POLICE OFFICERS, FIREFIGHTERS, TEACHERS, SCHOOLS, STAFF, ADMINISTRATION, NURSES, HEALTHCARE WORKERS, GROCERY WORKERS, TRUCK DRIVERS, PEOPLE IN OUR NATION AND OUR COMMUNITY, OUR WORLD WHO HAVE WORKED WITH BRAVERY IN THESE RECENT YEARS.
MAY WE BE THANKFUL FOR YOUR PROVISION AND RECOGNIZE WHAT JAMES DID.
AND THAT IS EVERY GOOD AND PERFECT GIFT COMES FROM ABOVE FROM THE FATHER OF LIGHTS.
AND LASTLY, FATHER, I PRAY THAT YOU WOULD BE WITH THOSE WHO ARE IN THIS ROOM, WHO ARE LEADERS, WHETHER THEY BE BUSINESS LEADERS, LEADERS IN OUR COMMUNITY, THOSE WHO ARE CURRENTLY IN OFFICE, AND THOSE WHO WILL SOON BE, MAY YOU HEAL THE DEEP WOUNDS OF DIVISION IN OUR WORLD, THE STRIFE AND DISCORD THAT OUR COUNTRY CONTINUES TO EXPERIENCE.
MAY YOU ALLOW ALL OF THESE THINGS TO BE SOMETHING IN A FORCE THAT ALLOWS OUR LEADERS TO LEAD WITH BOLDNESS, WITH COURAGE AND HUMILITY.
HELP US TO REMEMBER THE WORDS OF DANIEL WHO SAID, YOU, GOD CHANGE TIMES AND SEASONS.
YOU REMOVE KINGS AND SET UP KINGS.
GIVE WISDOM TO THE WISE AND KNOWLEDGE THOSE WHO HAVE UNDERSTANDING.
FATHER, MAY YOUR BLESSING BE ON THOSE WHO ARE IN THIS ROOM.
I THANK YOU FOR OUR CHAMBER AND ALL OF THESE LEADERS WHO ARE HERE TODAY.
I THANK YOU FOR ALL WHO ARE ATTENDING.
AND FATHER, MAY YOU BLESS THEM AND MAY YOU BLESS US FOOD TO OUR BODIES.
IN YOUR NAME I PRAY AND WE PRAY.
THE MARRIOTT WAIT STAFF IS GONNA BEGIN TO SERVE YOUR MEALS.
AND I WOULD ASK THAT ASK AFTER YOUR TABLE HAS BEEN SERVED, THAT YOU GO AHEAD AND BEGIN EATING AND WE'LL CONTINUE WITH THE FLOW OF THE PROGRAM.
THERE'S ALL ANOTHER SPECIAL LADY THAT I WANT TO RECOGNIZE, AND HER NAME IS JEANETTE BUSH.
AND JEANETTE HAS BEEN WITH THE MARRIOTT HERE FOR 44 YEARS.
JEANETTE, STAND OUT THERE, COME UP HERE, SAY HI TO EVERYBODY.
40, 44 YEARS RIGHT HERE AT THE MARRIOTT.
AND HER SMILE NEVER GOES AWAY.
SO JEANETTE, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR SERVICE AND UH, KEEP THAT SMILE GOING.
ALL RIGHT, SO, UH, NEXT I CAN'T LET THE MOMENT PASS WITHOUT RECOGNIZING OUR SPONSORS.
AND OUR SUPPORTING SPONSORS TO BEGIN WITH ARE THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND AIRPORT, AS WELL AS THOMPSON TURNER CONSTRUCTION AND THE SAVANNAH HILTON HEAD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
ALSO, THANKS TO OUR EVENT SPONSORS, WHICH IS ALLIANCE CONSULTING.
AND, UH, DEPAUL OUTTA TOM BAY IS HERE TODAY AND HE RECEIVED THE LEADERSHIP AWARD FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA ALUMNI THIS PAST FRIDAY, WHICH IS A BIG, BIG AWARD.
SO PAUL, CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU FOR THAT.
ALSO, OUR FRIENDS AT DOMINION ENERGY.
AND THEN WE'LL LOOK AT OUR EVENT SPOT, OUR EVENT PARTNERS, AND THAT'S TAYLOR'S LANDSCAPE.
AND SO WITH YOUR TABLE TODAY, YOU HAVE A DESSERT PLATE AND IF ON YOUR DESSERT, UNDER YOUR DESSERT PLATE, YOU HAVE A TAYLOR'S CARD, YOU MAY TAKE THE LOVELY CENTERPIECE HOME WITH YOU OR BACK TO WORK WHEN YOU LEAVE TODAY.
WE'RE ALSO FORTUNATE TO HAVE OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS, GOVERNMENT STAFFERS, AND BOARD MEMBERS WITH US TODAY.
I'D ASK THAT, UH, THEY PLEASE STAND WHEN THEY ARE RECOGNIZED.
AND I WOULD ALSO ASK THAT YOU, UH, HOLD YOUR APPLAUSE UNTIL THEY'VE ALL BEEN RECOGNIZED.
WE HAVE WITH US TODAY SENATOR TOM DAVIS AND STATE REPRESENTATIVE JEFF BRADLEY.
WE ALSO HAVE WITH US THE BEAUFORT COUNTY COUNCIL CHAIRMAN JOE PAMAN, BEAUFORT COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND STAFF BLUFF TO MAYOR LISA SAKA, TOWN COUNCIL LEADERSHIP AND STAFF, UH, HILTON HEAD ISLAND MAYOR, JOHN MCCANN, TOWN OF HILTON HEAD TOWN COUNCIL LEADERSHIP AND STAFF.
WE'RE DELIGHTED TO HAVE HARDY MAYOR HARRY WILLIAMS AND THE CITY OF HARDY LEADERSHIP AND STAFF AS LONG WITH AS LONG AS WELL AS JASPER COUNTY COUNCIL CHAIR, BARBARA CLARK AND THEIR LEADERSHIP AND STAFF, AS WELL AS THE HEF COUNTY LEADERSHIP AND STAFF.
AND THEN ALSO WE HAVE A GENTLEMAN REPRESENTING EFFINGHAM COUNTY TODAY TOO.
SO WE'RE DELIGHTED TO HAVE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THOSE.
YOU KNOW, IT'S, UH, IT'S AN ELECTION YEAR AND THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME CHANGES.
WE KNOW THAT, THAT THERE'S ALSO GOING TO BE THREE GENTLEMEN THAT, UH, ARE GOING TO BE GOING OFF OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND TOWN COUNCIL.
AND I ONLY THOUGHT IT WAS APPROPRIATE TODAY THAT,
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UH, GIVEN, GIVEN WHAT THESE GENTLEMEN HAVE GIVEN TO OUR ISLAND AND TO OUR REGION, THAT WE RECOGNIZE THEM.AND THE FIRST PERSON I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE IS MAYOR JOHN MCCANN.
MAYOR MCCANN, A FUTURE STAND UP.
AND, UH, MAYOR MCCANN HAS SERVED ON COUNCIL SINCE 2012, AND HE SERVED AS OUR MAYOR FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS.
ALSO, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE BILL HARKINS, MAYOR PRO.
TIM BILL IS, UH, STARTED ON, STARTED SERVING ON COUNCIL IN 2009 AND, UH, HE'S IN HIS SECOND TERM AS MAYOR PRO TIM.
AND THEN LASTLY, UH, COMING ON COUNCIL IN 2014 WAS TOM LENNOX AND TOM, UH, SERVED ON NUMEROUS BOARDS, COMMITTEES, COMMISSIONS, AND CURRENTLY HE SERVES AS THE FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE CHAIR.
LET'S GIVE ANOTHER BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE TO THE LEADERS OF THE ISLAND.
SO YOUR CHAMBER, WE'RE ALWAYS PROUD TO ADVOCATE AND ADVOCATE FOR BUSINESS FOR YOU AT EVERY LEVEL.
AND WHILE WE'RE, WHILE WE'RE ADVOCATING, WE ALSO KNOW THAT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE BALANCE, THAT WE BALANCE THE NEEDS OF OUR RESIDENTS, THAT WE BALANCE THE NEEDS OF OUR VISITORS AND WE BALANCE THE NEEDS OF OUR VISITORS.
AND WE CERTAINLY CAN'T ACCOMPLISH THAT WITHOUT THE LEADERSHIP OF OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND LEADERSHIP OF, UH, EACH OF YOU HERE TODAY.
AND SO WITH THAT SAID, I'D LIKE TO ASK THAT OUR, UH, BOARD OF DIRECTORS, IF YOU SERVE ON THE CHAMBERS BOARD, TO PLEASE STAND AND BE RECOGNIZED.
YOU KNOW, IT'S A, IT CAN BE A CAREER LIMITING GESTURE IF YOU DON'T RECOGNIZE YOUR BOARD.
AND SO I CERTAINLY DIDN'T WANT THAT TO HAPPEN TODAY.
SO STATE OF THE REGION HAS ALWAYS, UH, BEEN ABOUT SHOWCASING THE LEADERSHIP OF, OF OUR REGION, OF OUR STATE AND NATIONALLY.
AND, UH, TODAY IS, IS CERTAINLY WILL BE GOING ALONG WITH THAT THEME.
AND WITH THE ELECTION COMING UP AND JUST, UH, LESS THAN A WEEK, WE THOUGHT IT'D BE INTERESTING TO TAKE A WALK DOWN THE, UH, THE PATH A LITTLE BIT AND HEAR WHAT OUR GUEST SPEAKER HAS TO SAY TODAY.
AND TO INTRODUCE OUR GUEST SPEAKER, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE THE BOARD CHAIR OF THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND BLUFFTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
IT'S SUCH A GREAT FEELING TO BE HERE TODAY AND I AM HONORED TO INTRODUCE TODAY KEYNOTE SPEAKER.
WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE GREAT A GREAT TIME TO BRING IN SOMEONE FROM THE NATIONAL LEVEL TO SPEAK DURING THIS TIME BECAUSE THIS ELECTION HAS THE POWER TO BRING ABOUT BIG CHANGES IN WASHINGTON.
SO WE ARE BRINGING A GREAT REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE US CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TO HELP US GAIN A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IT IS AT STAKE FOR OUR NATION AND WHAT IT MEANS TO US.
ASHLEY RICH STEVENSON IS A SENIOR POLITICAL STRATEGIST AND SHE'S A NATIONALLY RESPECTED AND HIGHLY EXPERIENCED POLITICAL ANALYST.
ASHLEY SERVES AS THE HEAD OF POLITICAL AFFAIRS AND ISSUES ADVOCACY FOR THE US CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, THE NATION'S LEADING ADVOCATE FOR BUSINESSES IN AMERICA.
SHE HAS WORKED ON SEVERAL US PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGNS AND WAS THE PRESIDENT OF JUST WIN STRATEGIES, A POLITICAL STRATEGY FIRM.
SHE IS AN IN DEMAND PANELIST AND COMMENTATOR DISCUSSING DIFFERENT EVOLVING TRENDS, POLLS AND MORE.
SO PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING OUR FRIEND AND PARTNER, ASHLEY RICH STEVENSON TO THIS STAGE.
THANK YOU SUSANNA VERY MUCH FOR THAT KIND INTRODUCTION AND MY GOODNESS, THANK YOU SO MUCH TO OUR FRIEND AND PARTNER BILL MILES AND DEBBIE MILES AND CHARLIE CLARK AND EVERYBODY WITH THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND BLUFFTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ON BEHALF OF THE US CHAMBER, WE SO GREATLY APPRECIATE YOUR PARTNERSHIP AND I WOULD BE REMISS TO NOT START OFF BY TALKING AND BRAGGING A LITTLE BIT IF YOU'LL LET ME BILL ABOUT
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THE GREAT WORK OF THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND BLUFFTON CHAMBER.THE HILTON HEAD CHAMBER IS ONE OF THE ONLY FIVE STAR ACCREDITED CHAMBERS IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY.
THERE ARE OVER 7,000 CHAMBERS IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, JUST NORTH OF OF 100 OF THEM ACTUALLY HAVE A FIVE STAR RATING.
SO THAT JUST SPEAKS VOLUMES TO THE HANDS THAT YOU ARE ALL IN AS BUSINESS LEADERS, ENTREPRENEURS, AND JUST AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE FABRIC OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY HERE IN HILTON HEAD ISLAND IN BLUFFTON.
SO WE ARE DEEPLY PROUD OF OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THIS CHAMBER AND ALL OF THE GREAT WORK THAT BILL AND HIS TEAM ARE DOING FOR YOU AND THE ISSUES THAT HE IS ADVOCATING FOR.
AND AGAIN, THE WHOLE CHAMBER TEAM EVERY DAY RANGING FROM INFRASTRUCTURE TO WORKFORCE HOUSING, STREAMLINING THE REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT SO YOU CAN DO WHAT YOU DO BEST, WHICH IS CREATE JOBS AND BE ENTREPRENEURS WORKING ON THE TAX CLIMATE AND IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE US CHAMBER AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, WE ARE FIGHTING CONSTANTLY FOR FREE ENTERPRISE AND COMPETITION.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS KIND INVITATION BILL.
IT'S AN INSPIRATION TO US IN WASHINGTON AND I CAN'T THINK OF A PLACE I WOULD RATHER BE SIX DAYS OUT FROM THE ELECTION MORE THAN HERE ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
SO IF YOU'LL LET ME STAY, I'D LIKE TO AND ESCAPE WASHINGTON AT LEAST FOR THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.
I'M GONNA TAKE THE NEXT 20 OR 25 MINUTES OR SO TO JUST BREAK DOWN THE POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT, GIVE YOU A SENSE OF THE WAY WE SEE THINGS ON BEHALF OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND DO MY BEST TO EXPLAIN WHERE WE'RE HEADED.
AND IT HAS BEEN AN INTERESTING TIME IN POLITICS TO SAY THE LEAST.
I'VE BEEN SO PRIVILEGED TO WORK IN COMPETITIVE CAMPAIGN POLITICS AND ADVOCACY FOR NEARLY 20 YEARS NOW AND IT'S CHANGED A LOT AND WE'RE REALLY WORKING THROUGH A TIME OF DISRUPTION AS YOU ALL KNOW, YOU KNOW IT I'M SURE AT THE LOCAL LEVEL AS WE DO UP IN WASHINGTON.
AND ON BEHALF OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, IT'S AN HONOR TO LEAD OUR POLITICAL PROGRAM AT THE US CHAMBER BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT IT'S NECESSARY THAT WASHINGTON FUNCTIONS, I USE THOSE WORDS LIGHTLY, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS OFTEN SAID IS NOT HAPPENING IN DC BUT WE TAKE IT AS A POINT OF PRIVILEGE TO BE ENGAGED IN CAMPAIGNS AND DO EVERYTHING WE CAN ON BEHALF OF THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND, BLUFFTON CHAMBER AND ALL OF YOU TO MAKE SURE THAT THE RIGHT PEOPLE ARE IN WASHINGTON.
SO WITH THAT, JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF A SENSE OF HOW WE'RE APPROACHING POLITICS RIGHT NOW ON BEHALF OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, WHEN IT'S TOUGH AND IT'S COMBATIVE, I'D LIKE TO USE SPORTS ANALOGIES.
WE'RE ON OFFENSE, WE THINK IT'S MISSION CRITICAL TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO RECRUIT, FIND AND SUPPORT FUTURE MEMBERS OF CONGRESS WHO ARE GOING TO COME TO WASHINGTON AND BE WILLING TO WORK TOGETHER ACROSS THE AISLE.
AND I'M SORRY IF YOU'RE GETTING A LITTLE BIT OF FEEDBACK IF YOU CAN HEAR THAT.
UM, MAYBE I SHOULD SWITCH THIS OFF.
SECOND TO THAT IS WE ARE ON DEF YOU TURN THIS MIC ON.
I THINK THAT'S A LITTLE, IS THAT A LITTLE BIT BETTER? OKAY, GOOD DEAL.
THERE ARE MEMBERS FROM BOTH PARTIES AND WE ARE A BIPARTISAN ORGANIZATION WHO ARE BEING CHALLENGED FROM THE FAR RIGHT AND THE FAR LEFT BECAUSE THEY'VE EXPRESSED A WILLINGNESS TO WORK TOGETHER ACROSS THE AISLE.
WE BELIEVE ON BEHALF OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY THAT LASTING DURABLE SOLUTIONS ARE DELIVERED THROUGH BIPARTISANSHIP.
SO WE'VE BEEN VERY ACTIVE AT THE US CHAMBER TO DO EVERYTHING WITHIN OUR POWER TO SUPPORT THOSE MEN AND WOMEN FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE WHO ARE WILLING TO WORK TOGETHER BUT ARE BEING CHALLENGED FOR DOING SO.
AND THEN LASTLY, WE'RE MOBILIZING, WE'RE MOVING THE BALL UP AND DOWN THE FIELD ALL THE TIME.
AND THAT'S THANKS TO ALL OF YOU IN THIS ROOM, THE ADVOCACY WORK THAT YOU DO WITH THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND BLUFFTON CHAMBER WHERE YOU ARE SOMETIMES THANKING YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS.
AND I KNOW WE HAVE TERRIFIC ELECTED OFFICIALS IN THE ROOM.
I WANT YOU TO HEAR FROM ME THAT WE'RE CONSTANTLY ASKING OUR MEMBERS TO JUST SAY THANK YOU FOR THE GOOD WORK THAT YOU DO, BECAUSE WE KNOW MORE OFTEN THAN NOT YOU'RE GETTING YELLED AT WHEN YOU PICK UP THE PHONE FROM SOME OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS.
WE BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE TO ENCOURAGE ALL OF OUR CHAMBER MEMBERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO JUST SAY THANK YOU WHEN OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE WILLING TO WORK TOGETHER TO GET THINGS DONE AND NOT HESITATE TO LET THEM KNOW IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT WILL HURT YOU AS JOB CREATORS AND ENTREPRENEURS.
SO THAT'S A BIT OF THE WAY THAT WE SEE THE WORLD AND ARE NAVIGATING WHAT I NOW CALL THE NEW NORM POLARIZATION AND DISRUPTION.
I GET ASKED CONSTANTLY, ASHLEY, WHEN ARE THINGS GONNA GO BACK TO THE WAY THINGS WERE? I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, I DON'T THINK THEY'RE GOING TO.
SO WE HAVE TO ACCEPT THAT AT THE
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NATIONAL LEVEL IN FEDERAL POLITICS, WE'RE HAVING A PING PONG BALL GOING BACK AND FORTH IN TERMS OF WHO'S IN CHARGE.THIS CHART BREAKS DOWN FOR YOU THAT FROM 2000 ON NINE OF THE LAST 11 ELECTION CYCLES, THERE'S BEEN A CHANGE IN TERMS OF WHO'S ULTIMATELY IN CONTROL CONTROL.
WE KNOW THAT THAT'S NOT DURABLE FOR YOU AS JOB CREATORS BECAUSE THE LEGISLATIVE AND THE REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT IS SWINGING BACK AND FORTH.
ALL WE CAN DO IS WORK THROUGH IT.
AND WE HAVE 2022 UP HERE WITH A QUESTION MARK.
I'M GONNA GET TO THAT MOMENTARILY IN 2024 WHERE I THINK WE CAN EXPECT ANOTHER CHANGE IN TERMS OF WHO'S ULTIMATELY IN CONTROL OF THE US HOUSE AND MAYBE THE US SENATE IN LESS THAN SIX DAYS.
AND WE INCLUDE 2024 BECAUSE I WOULD BE REMISS BEING IN AN EARLY STATE TO NOT SAY THAT THE PRESIDENTIAL CONTEST IS HERE, IT'S HAPPENING BELOW THE SURFACE, AND ONCE THE CLOCK STRIKES MIDNIGHT ON TUESDAY, I THINK WE'LL BE FULL STEAM AHEAD TO 2024.
SO HERE'S WHERE WE ARE AND WE RECOGNIZE THAT ON BEHALF OF ALL OF YOU, WE ARE CHARGED AT THE US CHAMBER TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO WORK THROUGH THIS DISRUPTION AND MANAGE IT.
AND THAT COMES TO THE BALANCE OF POWER IN MAJORITIES, LARGE LASTING MAJORITIES IN THE US HOUSE AND THE US SENATE WHERE ONE PARTY HAS AN ADVANTAGE BY A LOT OF SEATS VERSUS JUST A HANDFUL.
I THINK THOSE DAYS ARE BEHIND US FOR THE TIME BEING.
AND WHAT THAT ULTIMATELY MEANS IS A HANDFUL OF ELECTED OFFICIALS OFTEN IN SWING SEATS, HOLD A LOT OF POWER, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO ARE WILLING TO WORK TOGETHER ACROSS THE AISLE.
SO TODAY IT'S A 50 50 SPLIT IN THE SENATE.
I HAD THE PRIVILEGE YESTERDAY AND THIS MORNING TO SEE A LOT OF THE ADS PLAYING NEARBY IN YOUR GEORGIA SENATE RACE.
WE KNOW IT'S A 50 50 SPLIT BECAUSE ON JANUARY 5TH, 2021 WE HAD THOSE TWO BIG RUNOFFS THAT THE US CHAMBER WAS ENGAGED IN TWO YEARS AGO, LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE IN 2020 I WOULD MAKE JOKES THIS COULD POSSIBLY HAPPEN AND THAT ULTIMATELY WAS THE RESULT OF THOSE ELECTIONS.
WE WENT TO THOSE RUNOFFS AND HAVE A 50 50 SPLIT SENATE WHERE THE VICE PRESIDENT IS THE TIEBREAKER AND IN THE US HOUSE REPUBLICANS NEED TO PICK UP JUST SIX SEATS TO BE BACK IN CONTROL AND I THINK THAT THAT'S VERY LIKELY.
SO THE POINT IS JUST A HANDFUL OF MEN, MEN AND WOMEN FROM BOTH PARTIES HAVE A LOT OF POWER IN CONGRESS AND WE THINK IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY ON BEHALF OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY TO FIND SUPPORT AND DEFEND THOSE WHO ARE WILLING TO WORK TOGETHER TO GET THINGS DONE FOR ALL OF YOU.
THE BEST WAY TO PREDICT THE FUTURE I THINK IS ALWAYS TO STUDY THE PAST.
WHEN WE LOOK AT THE HOUSE, WE KNOW THAT WHEN A NEW PARTY TAKES CONTROL OF THE PRESIDENCY, IT'S LIKELY THAT TWO YEARS LATER THOSE WHO ARE IN CONTROL OF THE US HOUSE WILL FLIP.
SO IN 2010, TWO YEARS AFTER THE ELECTION OF PRESIDENT OBAMA, REPUBLICANS PICKED UP 63 SEATS.
20 18, 2 YEARS AFTER THE ELECTION OF PRESIDENT TRUMP, DEMOCRATS PICKED UP 40 SEATS.
I THINK BASED ON THOSE TWO METRICS ALONE, WE ARE LIKELY HEADED TOWARD A REPUBLICAN MAJORITY IN THE US HOUSE.
BUT THERE ARE THREE THINGS, AND I'M A POLITICAL POLLSTER THAT I ENCOURAGE YOU TO PAY ATTENTION TO AND WE'VE ENTERED THE REAL SILLY SEASON IN POLITICS.
IT'S PROBABLY MY FAVORITE TIME IN THE CYCLE WHERE EVERY DAY WE'RE GETTING NEW POLES WITH THE HORSE RACES, WHO'S UP AND WHO'S DOWN.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT THOSE BALLOT TESTS ARE JUST A SNAPSHOT IN TIME AND YOU SHOULD PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT'S HAPPENING UNDER THE SURFACE A LITTLE BIT MORE, EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT AS FUN AS TO WHO LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE WINNING OR LOSING THE DAY.
THE FIRST THING IS THE DIRECTION OF THE COUNTRY.
AND THESE AREN'T NUMBERS THAT ARE FUN TO REPORT THAT MAKE US HAPPY.
BUT THE STORY TODAY AS WE HEAD INTO THE ELECTION IS THAT NEARLY SEVEN OUTTA 10 AMERICANS THINK THAT THE US IS HEADED ON THE WRONG TRACK.
TO PUT THIS INTO CONTEXT FOR YOU, GOING BACK TWO YEARS AGO AT THIS EXACT MOMENT IN TIME, THE AVERAGE WAS 63%.
SO IF YOU CAN BELIEVE IT BY ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE POINTS, AMERICANS ARE LESS HAPPY TODAY WITH THE WAY WE'RE HEADED THAN THEY WERE TWO YEARS AGO.
WHEN WE WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF COVID, RAGING, SCHOOLS WEREN'T OPEN ACROSS THE COUNTRY, THERE WAS THE PASSING OF RUTH BADER GINSBURG ON THE SUPREME COURT.
SO THERE WAS THE NOMINATION OF AMY CONEY BARRETT.
YOU GET THE GIST, THERE WAS A LOT GOING ON TWO YEARS AGO, BUT TODAY AMERICANS ARE MORE UNHAPPY THAN THEY WERE AT THAT MOMENT IN TIME.
SO THAT ULTIMATELY MEANS SOMEBODY IS GOING TO PAY THE PRICE FOR THAT.
IT TYPICALLY IS THE PARTY IN CONTROL AT THE BALLOT BOX ON ELECTION DAY.
THAT'S ONE OF THE THREE REASONS WHY I THINK IT'S VERY LIKELY REPUBLICANS WILL BE TAKING BACK CONTROL OF THE HOUSE ALL
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BASED ON STATISTICS AND EVIDENCE.THE SECOND IS PRESIDENTIAL JOB APPROVALS.
AGAIN, AS A POLLSTER AND SOMEBODY WHO'S ALWAYS ENJOYED STUDYING THE PRESIDENCY, WE THOUGHT THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP'S NUMBERS JUST JOB APPROVAL WERE A BIT OF AN ANOMALY.
THE FORMER PRESIDENT WAS ALWAYS UPSIDE DOWN, BUT WE WERE IN THIS REAL MOMENT OF DISRUPTION LIVING IN RED AND BLUE AMERICA.
SO AT THIS MOMENT HEADING INTO PRESIDENT TRUMP'S MIDTERMS IN 2018, HE WAS UPSIDE DOWN BY ABOUT EIGHT POINTS.
WELL, TODAY, PRESIDENT BIDEN AT THE SAME POINT GOING INTO HER, HIS FIRST MIDTERM IS UPSIDE DOWN ON HIS APPROVAL RATING BY ABOUT 11.
SO IT'S A BUILD ON THAT SLIDE I SHOWED YOU EARLIER ABOUT DIRECTION OF THE COUNTRY.
AND AGAIN, ULTIMATELY AT THE END OF THE DAY, SOMEBODY WILL PAY THE PRICE FOR IT AND IT COMES IN THE FORM OF POLITICS AND VOTING IN LOOKING BEYOND DIRECTION OF THE COUNTRY IN PRESIDENTIAL JOB APPROVAL.
THE SIMPLEST QUESTION IN THE WORLD THAT FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO STICK UP, STILL PICK UP THE PHONE AND ARE WILLING TO TALK TO POLLSTERS, THANK YOU FOR THAT BY THE WAY.
IT'S GETTING TOUGHER AND TOUGHER TO DO.
A REALLY EASY QUESTION THAT ALWAYS GETS ASKED IS WHO DO YOU WANT TO BE IN CONTROL? REPUBLICANS ARE DEMOCRATS AND THIS IS THE THIRD THING TO PAY ATTENTION TO JUST AS WE'RE ALL TRYING TO MAKE SENSE OF POTENTIAL OUTCOMES NEXT WEEK TODAY, REPUBLICANS HAVE A SLIGHT ADVANTAGE ON THE GENERIC BALLOT.
TO PUT THIS INTO HISTORICAL CONTEXT, TWO YEARS AGO AT THIS POINT DEMOCRATS HAD AN EIGHT POINT ADVANTAGE, BUT REPUBLICANS ACTUALLY ENDED UP PICKING SEATS IN THE HOUSE.
SO IT'S FOR THESE THREE BIG REASONS THAT AS YOU HEAR THE WORDS RED WAVE OR MOMENTUM BUILDING FOR REPUBLICANS, WE SEE THAT EVIDENCED IN THE DATA TODAY.
AND IT'S NOT ABOUT BEING FAVORABLE TOWARD ONE PARTY OR THE OTHER, THESE ARE JUST FACTS.
AND I ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO GO TO REAL CLEAR POLITICS TO JUST STAY ON TOP OF WHAT'S HAPPENING ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
YOU KNOW I MENTIONED THAT WITH THE START OF PRESIDENT TRUMP'S TENURE, REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS WERE REALLY LIVING IN A RED AND BLUE AMERICA, TWO DIFFERENT WORLDS.
AND I THOUGHT FOR THE BENEFIT OF TODAY'S CONVERSATION, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE I IMAGINE EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM IS FOCUSED ON THE ECONOMY, I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO SEE WHERE VOTERS ARE THROUGH TOP ISSUES THAT THEY CARE ABOUT.
WE SEE TODAY THAT REPUBLICANS AND INDEPENDENTS AND INDEPENDENTS OFTEN DECIDE THE OUTCOME OF ELECTIONS AND THEY WILL NEXT TUESDAY ARE MUCH MORE CLOSELY ALIGNED ON THEIR TOP ISSUE CONCERNS COMPARED TO DEMOCRATS.
TODAY, REPUBLICANS AND INDEPENDENTS ARE FOCUSED ON POCKETBOOK ISSUES, JOBS IN THE ECONOMY.
AS JAMES CARVILLE FAMOUSLY ONCE SAID, IT'S THE ECONOMY STUPID.
THAT'S WHERE WE ARE AS WE HEAD INTO NOVEMBER AND THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS ABOUT DIFFERENT ISSUES DRIVING THE ELECTORATE AND I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT THAT A BIT MORE.
BUT I THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY, VOTERS ARE GONNA MAKE A DECISION BASED ON THEIR POCKETBOOK AND ESPECIALLY INDEPENDENTS WHO ARE THE TRADITIONAL SWING PART OF THE ELECTORATE THAT ULTIMATELY DECIDE THE OUTCOME.
AND IT'S AMAZING THAT JUST ROUGHLY BETWEEN SIX AND 8% OF ALL AMERICANS HOLD ALL THE POWER TO DECIDE WHO WILL ULTIMATELY BE IN CHARGE.
WE SEE TODAY THAT THOSE ARE ECONOMICS FOCUSED VOTERS AND THERE ARE A COUPLE OF OTHER INTERESTING THINGS THAT HAPPEN THIS YEAR THAT WE'VE BEEN PAYING ATTENTION TO THAT DO AFFECT POLITICS AND ONE THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT IS THE SUPREME COURT.
AT THE START OF THE YEAR AT THE US CHAMBER, WE JUST TOOK A LIST, IT TOOK A LOOK AT THE LIST OF ALL THE ORAL ARGUMENTS HEARD IN 2021 IN FRONT OF THE COURT TO THINK THROUGH WHAT THE POTENTIAL POLITICAL RAMIFICATIONS COULD BE WHEN DECISIONS STARTED TO COME OUT IN 2022.
WELL THE ONE THAT YOU SEE ON THIS LIST THAT STANDS OUT AS CERTAINLY THE DOBS DECISION, THERE WAS THE LEAK THAT CAME OUT IN THE SPRINGTIME ON A SUNDAY EVENING.
I HAD NEVER SEEN THAT IN MY LIFETIME A LEAK FROM THE SUPREME COURT, BUT THIS DO'S DECISION I DO BELIEVE, HAS THE CAPACITY TO AFFECT THE OUTCOME OF SOME RACES.
IN FACT, I SAW A FEW ADS WHILE I WAS HERE ON TELEVISION ABOUT THIS ISSUE SET.
WE DON'T ENGAGE IN SOCIAL ISSUES ON BEHALF OF THE US CHAMBER OR THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, BUT THIS MATTERS.
AND THERE ARE A NUMBER OF OTHER HOT BUTTON ISSUES THAT THE COURT JUST HEARD ORAL ARGUMENTS ON.
ONE ON AFFIRMATIVE ACTION THIS WEEK THERE'S BEEN A LOT WRITTEN ABOUT IT, FEDERAL ELECTIONS, CONGRESSIONAL REDISTRICTING, VOTING RIGHTS ISSUES.
SO WE MIGHT HAVE A COURT THAT'S GONNA BE DELIVERING SOME RULINGS THAT ARE DEFINITELY GONNA HAVE SOME HOT BUTTON OUTCOMES THAT WILL ULTIMATELY AFFECT CAMPAIGNS AND CERTAINLY AS WE THINK PAST 2022 AND HEADING INTO 2024.
NOW TO GET TO THE REALLY FUN STUFF, THIS IS A TOUGH CHART TO READ, BUT IT'S A LOOK AT THE US HOUSE
[00:35:01]
TODAY THAT TELLS YOU HOW MANY COMPETITIVE SEATS THERE ARE.SOMETHING THAT I LIKE TO PAY PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO IS COMPETITION IN THE HOUSE.
AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE JUST CAME THROUGH A NEW CENSUS AFTER 2020 AND THEN REDISTRICTING, WHICH AFFECTED EVERY STATE IN THE COUNTRY.
WHAT WE SAW IN 2018 IS THAT 45 SEATS WERE DECIDED WITHIN A FIVE POINT MARGIN IN 2020, THAT NUMBER DROPPED TO JUST 37 SEATS.
THIS IS ULTIMATELY A SYMPTOM OF COMPETITION STARTING TO WANE IN THE THE US HOUSE AS WE HAVE NEW LINES DRAWN ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
SO IT'LL BE REALLY FASCINATING TO SEE AFTER TUESDAY NIGHT, HOW MANY OF THOSE SEATS ARE ULTIMATELY VERY CLOSE.
TODAY THERE ARE 64 COMPETITIVE SEATS I LIKE TO CALL 2020.
THE ELECTION THAT WOULDN'T END AS I SPOKE ABOUT THE RUNOFFS IN GEORGIA THAT ENDED ON JANUARY 5TH, 2020.
2022 IS LIKE THE ELECTION THAT HAS YET TO BEGIN.
THE KOCH POLITICAL REPORT WHO I THINK DOES THE BEST JOB IN TERMS OF FORECASTERS IN WASHINGTON IS STILL CHANGING SOME OF THEIR RACE RATINGS AS MORE AND MORE CONTESTS ARE COMING ONLINE IS COMPETITIVE.
SO IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT SIX DAYS OUT FROM THE ELECTION, I CAN SAY WITH CONFIDENCE AND MAYBE IT GIVES ME A WAY OUT BECAUSE I'M OFTEN ASKED TO GUESS WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN.
I THINK WE'RE STILL GONNA HAVE MORE COMPETITIVE SEATS POTENTIALLY COME INTO THIS BUCKET.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT THROUGH JUST BY PARTISANSHIP 44 DEMOCRATIC SEATS ARE IN PLAY, 20 REPUBLICAN SEATS.
REMEMBER, REPUBLICANS ONLY NEED TO WIN SIX SEATS TO TAKE BACK CONTROL.
SO I THINK THAT THIS IS JUST ANOTHER REASON WHY IT'S A REAL LIKELIHOOD YOU'RE GONNA SEE A REPUBLICAN LED MAJORITY IN THE US HOUSE IN JUST A FEW SHORT DAYS.
AND THEN TO GET ONTO THE SENATE, AND AGAIN I KNOW YOU'RE LIVING THIS BECAUSE YOU'RE SEEING A LOT OF THE ADS IN GEORGIA.
THERE ARE 35 CONTESTS THIS ELECTION CYCLE, BUT IT'S GONNA COME DOWN I THINK TO FIVE STATES.
THE TOSS UPS TODAY ARE ARIZONA WHERE INCUMBENT SENATOR MARK KELLY WHO WON IN 2020 IS FACING HIS FIRST REELECTION.
THIS WAS A CAMPAIGN THAT THE FORECASTERS AND THE POLLSTERS HAVE BEEN SAYING FOR MONTHS WAS DONE.
HE'S RAISED AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF MONEY THIS ELECTION CYCLE.
BUT JUST THIS WEEK THIS CAMPAIGN CAME BACK INTO THE TOSS UP COLUMN.
SO ARIZONA IS A FUN PLACE TO WATCH POLITICS.
I ENCOURAGE YOU TO PAY ATTENTION TO THEIR RESULTS ON TUESDAY NIGHT.
IT'LL BE A LITTLE BIT LATER WHEN WE GET SOME OF THOSE WEST COAST NUMBERS IN, BUT THIS IS A RACE THAT COULD GO EITHER WAY AT THIS POINT.
SECOND UP RIGHT NEXT DOOR IS THE CONTEST BETWEEN SENATOR RAPHAEL WARNOCK AND HERSCHEL WALKER.
MY GOODNESS, IF YOU LIKE POLITICS, THIS IS A FUN ONE TO WATCH.
I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF VISITING WITH THE GEORGIA CHAMBER A FEW TIMES THIS CYCLE AND I ALWAYS LEARN SOMETHING.
SO IF NOBODY ACHIEVES 50%, THIS WILL GO TO A RUNOFF.
I WOULD EXPECT THAT TODAY THERE ARE OTHER CANDIDATES ON THE BALLAD THAT MIGHT MAKE IT DIFFICULT FOR EITHER OF THOSE GENTLEMEN TO HIT THAT 50% THRESHOLD.
BUT WHAT THAT MEANS FOR ALL OF YOU IS LIKELY MORE ADS, WHICH I'M SORRY, I'M SURE YOU'RE SICK OF, BUT HEY, IT'S GOOD FOR THE ECONOMY.
SO WE'LL SEE IF WE GO TO A RUNOFF THERE.
MY PREDICTION IS IT DOES, BUT YOU NEVER KNOW WITH THIS ENTHUSIASM THAT DEFINITELY IS BUILDING FOR REPUBLICANS IN THESE CLOSING DAYS OF THE CYCLE.
NEXT TO THAT IS OUT IN NEVADA.
I'LL TELL YOU THE TOUGHEST THING IN POLITICS AND THE ELECTED OFFICIALS IN THIS ROOM WILL UNDERSTAND THAT AND AND HOPEFULLY RESPECT IT.
BEATING AND INCUMBENT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE.
WHEN YOU HAVE THE POWER OF INCUMBENCY, YOU'RE BETTER KNOWN TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS, YOU CAN RAISE MORE MONEY.
AND OUT IN NEVADA, THERE'S A SITTING US SENATOR KATHERINE CORTEZ MASTO WHO IS BEING CHALLENGED BY THE FORMER ATTORNEY GENERAL ADAM LAXALT.
THIS HAS BEEN A TOSS UP RACE ALL CYCLE.
SO LIKE ARIZONA, YOU'LL GET RESULTS LATE BUT PAY CLOSE ATTENTION THERE.
AND THEN I'M GONNA CLOSE ON THE TOSS UP RACES WITH MY FAVORITE ONE THAT I'VE BEEN FOLLOWING VERY CLOSELY ON BEHALF OF THE US CHAMBER, WE ENDORSE DR.
OZ AND THAT OPEN PENNSYLVANIA SENATE SEAT.
THOSE ARE WORDS MY ENTIRE CAREER IN POLITICS.
I NEVER THOUGHT I'D GET TO SAY THAT WE ENDORSE DR.
OZ, BUT I SAY THAT WITH A, IT WAS REALLY A PRIVILEGE TO DO IT.
AND HE'S GOT A VERY STRONG PRO-BUSINESS PLATFORM THAT COULD NOT BE IN STARKER CONTRAST THAN THE GENTLEMAN HE'S RUNNING AGAINST WHO IS THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR.
PENNSYLVANIA IS AN ENERGY STATE THAT'S THEIR, THE TOP LEADING PART OF THEIR ECONOMY AND INDUSTRY ACROSS THE KEYSTONE STATE.
[00:40:01]
PRO ENERGY, HIS OPPONENT ISN'T SO ON BEHALF OF THE CHAMBER AND THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, WE ARE HOPEFUL HE ULTIMATELY WINS AND IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S REALLY HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION FOR DR.SO THAT'LL BE AN INTERESTING RACE TO FOLLOW FOR SURE.
IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN THE LAST TOSS UP IS SENATOR RON JOHNSON IN WISCONSIN.
ALWAYS A TOUGH PLACE FOR POLITICS.
HE HAS NARROWLY LED HIS OPPONENT ALL YEAR.
BUT THEN THE FUN THINGS THAT THOSE WHO ARE ON TELEVISION ARE GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT SURELY IN THE HOURS LEADING UP TO THE CLOSING OF THE POLLS IS THE OPPORTUNITY IN SOME OF THESE EXPANSION STATES FOR REPUBLICANS NEW HAMPSHIRE, ANOTHER EARLY STATE LIKE YOU HERE IN SOUTH CAROLINA, IT LOOKS LIKE THERE MIGHT BE A CHANCE THERE FOR THE REPUBLICAN TO WIN.
IT'S THE EASIEST OUT TO JUST SAY I DON'T KNOW, BUT I WILL OWN IT.
THE WAY THINGS ARE BREAKING SO LATE IN THIS ELECTION CYCLE, WE'RE CERTAINLY IN FOR SOME SURPRISES.
STATE GOVERNMENT IS ANOTHER INTERESTING THING TO PAY ATTENTION TO.
I KNOW NONE OF YOU IN THIS ROOM ARE NO STRANGER TO YOUR STATE.
ELECTIONS IN SOUTH CAROLINA IS ONE OF THE GROWING STATES IN THE COUNTRY THAT HAS UNIFIED GOVERNMENT WHERE REPUBLICANS ARE IN CONTROL OF THE GOVERNORSHIP IN BOTH HOUSES IN THE LEGISLATURE.
AND WE'RE SEEING MORE STATES FOLLOWING ON THIS TREND.
AS RECENTLY AS 2018, THERE WERE 17 STATES WITH DIVIDED GOVERNMENT THAT'S DROPPED DOWN TO JUST 12 STATES.
AND WE THINK THAT THAT THERE WILL BE FEWER STATES WITH DIVIDED GOVERNMENT AFTER THE 2022 ELECTION CYCLE.
WE PAY ATTENTION TO THIS AT THE US CHAMBER AND AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL OF POLITICS BECAUSE IT DOES ULTIMATELY AFFECT SOME OF WHAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH IN WASHINGTON OUT ACROSS THE COUNTRY AS YOU STATE SEE STATE LEGISLATURES INTRODUCING AND PASSING NEW BILLS.
THIS IS OFTEN SORT OF A BREEDING GROUND FOR SOME OF THE FUTURE FEDERAL LEGISLATION, SOME OF WHICH WE MAY LIKE OR SOME OF WHICH WE MAY BE OPPOSED TO STRONGLY OPPOSED TO.
SO COMPETITION IS WANING IN THE STATES AND THERE'S AN INTERESTING ARTICLE TODAY ON POLITICO AS HOW TOUGH THAT ULTIMATELY CAN BE FOR THE GOVERNOR.
ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE WARRING FACTIONS OF YOUR OWN PARTY NO MATTER WHAT STATE YOU'RE IN.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING FUN TO PAY ATTENTION TO.
BUT I'M EXCITED TO END MY REMARKS TODAY TO TALK ABOUT SOUTH CAROLINA.
HOW AMAZING I'VE ALWAYS THOUGHT IT MUST BE TO LIVE IN AN EARLY STATE, ESPECIALLY ONE THAT UNLIKE IOWA NEW HAMPSHIRE, YOU DON'T GET AS MUCH OR ANY SNOW, BUT IT'S A REAL POINT OF PRIVILEGE FOR ALL OF YOU AS EARLY STATE VOTERS.
AND I'M PLEASED TO SAY THAT THE 2024 PRESIDENTIAL CYCLE, AS I SAID IS HERE.
WHO'S SOMEBODY WHO LOVES POLITICS.
IT'S FASCINATING AND I'VE LISTED JUST A HANDFUL OF POTENTIAL CANDIDATES, BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE AND IT'S NO SECRET THERE ARE THAT THERE ARE TWO TERRIFIC LEADERS FROM SOUTH CAROLINA AND THE REPUBLICAN PARTY WHO ARE THINKING ABOUT RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT.
I THINK THAT'S REALLY EXCITING AND AGAIN, A POINT OF PRIVILEGE TO GET TO LIVE IN A STATE WHERE YOU HAVE HAD SUCH TERRIFIC LEADERS THAT YOU HAVE MEN AND WOMEN WHO MAY POTENTIALLY RUN FOR PRESIDENT.
SO IT'S GONNA BE FASCINATING TO SEE IN THE BUCKET OF QUESTIONS I CAN'T ANSWER AND I'D BE HAPPY TO TRY TO LATER.
I'M CONSTANTLY ASKED, WILL PRESIDENT TRUMP RUN AGAIN? DOES PRESIDENT BIDEN RUN AGAIN FOR A NON-POLITICAL ANSWER? I LIKE TO JUST SAY I DON'T KNOW, IT'S AN EASY OUT BUT IT'S SOMETHING TO PAY ATTENTION TO.
IN MY GOODNESS IN MY LIFETIME, I DON'T THINK WE'VE EVER HAD, WHILE WE HAVEN'T A FORMER PRESIDENT RUN AGAINST A SITTING PRESIDENT WHO DEFEATED HIM, IF THAT'S WHERE WE END UP.
SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT MIND BLOWING TO THINK ABOUT BUT WE MAY BE HEADED THERE.
AND I THINK A GREAT PLACE TO END IS AGAIN, TO TALK ABOUT AND REALLY BRAG ABOUT HOW SMART SOUTH CAROLINIANS ARE.
IF YOU'LL LET ME IN PREPARATION FOR TODAY'S REMARKS, WE WENT THROUGH ALL OF THE EARLY PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY STATES, IOWA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, SOUTH CAROLINA, NEVADA TO FIGURE OUT WHICH EARLY STATE REALLY DOES HOLD ALL THE CARDS AND HAVE THE POWER IN PICKING THE PRESIDENCY.
WELL, AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, BASED ON THIS CHART, EVERY TIME SINCE 1980 THERE'S BEEN AN AN OPEN PRESIDENTIAL SEAT.
THIS STATE HAS ACCURATELY PREDICTED WHO WILL ULTIMATELY WIN THE PRESIDENCY BY SUPPORTING THAT CANDIDATE THROUGH YOUR PRIMARY PROCESS.
AND IN FACT, YOU GOT IT RIGHT TWICE THE TWO TIMES IN RECENT HISTORY WHEN A CHALLENGER BACK TO MY POINT ON INCUMBENTS DEFEATED A SITTING PRESIDENT.
SO YOU ALL IN THIS ROOM REALLY HOLD THE KEYS TO THE WHITE HOUSE.
I'M SURE THAT YOU ALL KNOW THAT.
[00:45:01]
I THINK AN INTERESTING AND FUN STATISTIC TO SHARE AND I CAN'T WAIT TO HOPEFULLY COME BACK, BILL TO TALK ABOUT PRESIDENTIAL POLITICS.IT'S HERE, IT'S ON THE HORIZON.
AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO ON BEHALF OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, YOU'RE AN INSPIRATION TO US IN WASHINGTON AS WE SEE THIS REGION GROWING AND TACKLING CHALLENGING ISSUES THAT ARE SO IMPORTANT TO OUR ECONOMY ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
SO IT'S JUST BEEN SUCH A PLEASURE TO BE HERE WITH YOU TODAY AND PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO PULL ME ASIDE AND ASK ME TOUGH QUESTIONS.
I'M HAPPY TO DO THAT WHEN THE MIC IS TURNED OFF.
WOW, THAT WAS INCREDIBLE FASCINATING.
LET'S JUST GIVE ASHLEY ANOTHER BIG RUN OF A PAUSE.
WHAT GREAT INSIGHT INTO THIS NEXT WEEK'S PIVOTAL ELECTION.
AND I HAVE TO SAY, AS YOU PROBABLY MAJORITY KNOW, I'M A FOREIGNER.
I CHOSE TO BECOME AN AMERICAN.
IT'S A PRIVILEGE, IT'S A BLESSING TO BE AN AMERICAN TO BE HERE TO SEE THIS PROCESS GO THROUGH AND TO SEE IT GO THROUGH IN A TRANSPARENT WAY.
THERE ARE OTHER PLACES IN THE WORLD THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN.
SO IT REALLY SHOULD ALL OF YOU AS AMERICANS GIVE YOU A GREAT SENSE OF BEING PROUD OF WHO YOU ARE AS AN AMERICAN.
SO CONGRATULATIONS CUZ IT'S A IT'S A GREAT COUNTRY TO BE A A PART OF.
UM, NOW WE TALK NATIONAL, NOW LET'S BRING IT CLOSE TO HOME.
SO OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS HAVE BEEN ASKED TO SPEAK DIRECTLY TO THE TOP THREE CONCERNS THAT YOU NOTED ON THE UM, STATE OF THE REGION MEMBER PAUL.
SO WITHIN THE NEXT FEW MINUTES WE'RE GOING TO BE HEARING FROM OUR LOCAL MAYORS.
WE'RE GOING TO BE HEARING FROM THE BLUFFTON HILTON HEAD ISLAND AND HARVILLE MAYORS AND ALSO FROM BEAUFORD COUNTY COUNCIL CHAIRMAN JOE PASSMAN.
SO TO GET US STARTED IN THE LOCAL LEVEL, PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING TO THE STAGE BLUFFTON MAYOR LISA SOKA.
I GOT THIS SPIN IN SUMMER BONES, IT GOES ELECTRIC WAVY WHEN I SAY I'M NOT GONNA KEEP Y'ALL 15 MINUTES.
UM, SO YOUR THREE TOPICS YOU WANTED ME TO DISCUSS ARE ALL IN OUR, UM, BOOKLETS.
SO PICK ONE UP ON THE WAY OUT AND THEN I CAN GO BACK AND SIT DOWN AND HAVE COFFEE.
I CAN'T SEE Y'ALL, BUT YOU KNOW THE KEY.
I'M GONNA START A LITTLE BIT OFF, UM, WHAT Y'ALL WANT ME TO TALK ABOUT AND THAT IS THE MESSAGE OF THANKS AND I'VE HEARD IT FROM EVERYONE UP HERE TODAY.
UM, MY DAD TOLD ME, YOU GET SWORN IN TO GET SWORN AT AND THAT IS SO TRUE.
BUT WHY DO WE DO IT? WHY DO SO MANY AND I CAN'T SEE YOU BUT I KNOW WHERE YOU ARE, UM, DECIDE TO GIVE BACK.
SO I WANNA THANK A LOT OF PEOPLE TODAY AND IF YOU DON'T FIT IN ANY OF THESE CATEGORIES, THEN YOU NEED TO TALK TO ME OFF MIC CUZ IT SHOULD HIT EVERYONE THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN SERVING THEIR COMMUNITY.
IT'S ALL OF OUR TOWNS, IT'S THE COUNTY, IT'S ALL OF OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS.
CAUSE IT IS A DEED THAT DOES NO DEED GOES UNPUNISHED.
AND IT, AND IT IS TOUGH, BUT I THINK ALL OF US DO IT BECAUSE WE LOVE WHERE WE LIVE.
I LOVE BLUFFTON AND IF YOU DON'T, DON'T KNOW IT BY NOW, YOU ARE NEVER GONNA KNOW IT.
UM, BUT MAYOR MCCANN LOVES HILTON HEAD, MAYOR WILLIAMS LOVES HARVILLE, BUT IT'S NOT JUST US, IT'S OUR COUNCIL.
SO COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
STAFF TAKES A LOT OF HEAT ALL THE TIME ON THINGS THEY HAVE NO REALLY POWER TO CONTROL.
UM, SO OUR TOWN MANAGERS, OUR COUNTY ADMINISTRATORS, THEY NOT ONLY HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE ELECTED OFFICIALS IN THEIR TOWN, JUST LET'S TAKE THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
HE HAS TO DEAL WITH UM, SIX OTHER MUNICIPALITIES ON TOP OF HIS 11.
STEVEN STEVES HAS TO TO TALK TO SIX OTHER TOWN ADMINISTRATORS.
SO THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR THE NON-PROFITS WHO DO SO MUCH FOR ALL OF US.
AND THANK YOU TO THE PEOPLE WHO DECIDE ON TOP OF ALL OF THAT.
THEY STILL WANNA GIVE BACK AND THEY HELP IN ANY WAY THEY CAN.
[00:50:02]
FINALLY THANK YOU TO THE PARTNERS AND THE SPOUSES AND THE FAMILIES OF PEOPLE LIKE ME WHO GET TO DO THIS AND THEY DID NOT SIGN UP FOR IT.SO JOHN, THANK YOU AND THANK YOU ALL THE OTHER OTHERS.
UM, OKAY, SO I'M GONNA TALK JUST A LITTLE BIT MY THREE SUBJECTS WHICH ARE KIND OF FUNNY.
UM, THE LAST ONE I'M NOT GONNA MENTION UNTIL THE END, BUT GROWTH MANAGEMENT AND WORKFORCE HOUSING.
I THINK YOU'RE GONNA SEE THOSE TOPIC CUZ ON ON MOST OF OUR LIST TODAY.
SO I'M NOT GONNA GO TOO DEEP INTO IT BECAUSE I DON'T WANT THE REST OF THE GUYS TO JUST SAY DITTO.
UM, GROWTH MANAGEMENT IS TOUGH.
MAYBE A LITTLE LESSON FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ONLY LIVED HERE A FEW YEARS.
UM, THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON WHEN I MOVED TO BLUFFTON WAS ONE SQUARE MILE.
IT HAD ONE COP HAD ONE RESTAURANT, IT HAD A TON OF CHURCHES, IT HAD ONE BANK, IT ONE SQUARE MILE.
AND I MOVED THERE AND HONESTLY I WAS QUITE HAPPY.
IT, IT, THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE I NEEDED.
HAD THE SQUAT AND GOBBLE AND IT HAD MY ONE COP.
UM, WE WERE PRESSURED HONESTLY FROM THE GROWTH OF OUR NEIGHBORING TOWN ON HILTON HEAD.
EVERYONE STARTED SEEING THAT BLUFFTON WASN'T THAT FAR AWAY ANYMORE.
SO THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL AT THE TIME DID THE BEST THEY COULD TO CONTROL AN AREA THAT WE NEEDED TO HAVE A SAY OVER, NOT JUST THAT DON'T TRY THROUGH BLUFF OR YOU'RE GONNA GET A SPEEDING TICKET.
YOU KNOW, THE ONLY PLACE YOU CAN GO IS THE SQUAT AND GOBLE.
WE WANTED TO GROW, UM, RESPONSIBLY.
WE ARE 92% UNDER DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS AND THOSE ARE LEGALLY BINDING DOCUMENTS THAT COULD BANKRUPT TO TOWN IF WE EVER WENT AGAINST THEM.
BUT DO WE TRY? YES, I CAN PROMISE YOU WE DO OUR BEST TO CONTROL UM, WHAT'S BEING DONE WITHIN THOSE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS.
SO THAT'S WHERE WE ARE AND THAT'S WHAT BLUFFTON HAS TO DEAL WITH.
IT'S FAR DIFFERENT THAN HILTON HEAD.
IT'S FAR DIFFERENT THAN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
AND IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT, UM, FROM HARDY BILL, BUT I THINK CARDVILLE AND US ARE A LITTLE MORE ALIKE.
SO THE GOOD NEWS IS WE ARE TWO THIRDS OF THE WAY THROUGH THIS MADNESS THAT WAS STARTED IN 1998, UM, OF DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS.
SO WE'RE ABOUT 75% BUILT OUT RESIDENTIAL.
15 YEARS I WAS STANDING HERE IN FRONT OF Y'ALL.
HORRIFIED OVER WHAT'S GONNA BE.
SO WE'RE STARTING, WE'RE STARTING TO SEE THE, THE GROWTH ON THE RESIDENTIAL SIDE COME, COME OUT.
SO WE'RE MANAGING IT, WE'RE MANAGING THE COMMERCIAL.
BUT WHAT Y'ALL CAN DO AND WHAT CAN GET YOU MORE EDUCATED IS LOOK AT THE AREAS WHERE WE HAVE REALLY TRIED TO HONE IN TO GIVE INFORMATION OUT.
IF YOU'RE ELECTRONICALLY, IF YOU'RE TECHNOLOGY EQUIPPED, WE HAVE A A PERMIT FINDER AND THAT'S ALL ON OUR WEBSITE.
WE HAVE A PERMIT FINDER THAT YOU CAN GO IN.
IF YOU'RE DRIVING AROUND IN TOWN AND YOU SEE SOMETHING GOING ON, AS LONG AS IT'S IN THE TOWN LIMITS, YOU GO ON THIS PERMIT FINDER, YOU CLICK IT AND YOU CAN SEE EVERY HOME, EVERY COMMERCIAL STRUCTURE, EVERY PERMIT THAT'S BEEN PULLED IN THE TOWN CURRENTLY AND WHERE THEY ARE AND WHAT'S GOING ON AND WHERE THEY ARE IN THEIR, THEIR PROCESS OF GETTING INSPECTIONS.
I CHALLENGED MAYOR WILLIAMS TODAY AT UM, SUN CITY FOR THEM TO DO IT.
SO I'M GONNA CHALLENGE THE COUNTY TO DO IT AS WELL BECAUSE WE GO IN AND OUT.
I THINK IT'S AN ABSOLUTE FABULOUS USE OF MONEY TO BE TRANSPARENT TO YOUR PUBLIC.
THE OTHER THING, WE HAVE A HUGE MULTI-MILLION, UH, BUDGET ON CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS.
BLUFFTON DOES A LOT OF THINGS GOOD, BUT WE DO, WE DO SEVERAL THINGS REALLY, REALLY GOOD.
STARTED OUT WITH OUR PAST TOWN MANAGER, MARK ORLANDO AND WE'RE CONTINUING WITH STEPHEN STEVES.
WE DO A GREAT JOB CONTROLLING AND RESTORING OUR HISTORIC STRUCTURES AND THAT'S ALL ABOUT THE BIGGER PICTURE OF WHAT IS BLUFFTON.
BLUFFTON WANTS TO CONTINUE TO HAVE A SENSE OF PLACE AND IT WANTS TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THAT COMMUNITY SMALL TOWN FEEL EVEN THOUGH YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL GROWING.
SO WE HAVE A WEBSITE FOR THAT WHERE YOU CAN GO ON AND YOU CAN SEE WHERE THE MONEY'S PUT, WHERE IT'S COMING FROM AND WHERE THE STATUS IS OF OUR PROJECTS.
SO THOSE ARE TWO THINGS I WANNA LEAVE Y'ALL TODAY.
UM, TO GO BACK IF YOU HAVE ANY CURIOSITY ON IT, HOW MANY OF Y'ALL ARE FROM BLUFFTON? RAISE YOUR HAND.
UM, SO I TOLD YOU ABOUT THE INTERNET.
WE ALSO DID SOMETHING THAT'S OLD FASHIONED.
IT WAS MET, THANK YOU DEBBIE AND
[00:55:01]
TIA AND OUR PUBLIC INFORMATION.IT WAS MAILED TO EVERY RESIDENT IN OUR TOWN.
ALL 28,000 RESIDENTS THAT LIVE IN THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON.
AND WE FELT THAT IT'S A GREAT PIECE TO LET PEOPLE PICK UP AND READ, PUT DOWN, PICK UP AND READ TO REALLY EDUCATE YOU ON WHAT WE'RE DOING.
SO WE HAVE SOME OF THESE TODAY.
IF YOU WANNA GET ONE WE CAN GET IT ONLINE OR EMAIL IT TO YOU.
BUT IT TALKS ABOUT SO MUCH THAT'S GOING ON IN THE TOWN AND I THINK IT'S A REALLY, REALLY GOOD PIECE.
WE ALSO TALK, WE ALSO HAVE A ANNUAL REPORT AND IT'S HERE FOR YOU.
AND THIS TALKS ABOUT ALL THE SUBJECTS YOU'RE INTERESTED IN.
NOW I GOTTA SPEED UP, I'M GONNA LOSE USE MY 15 MINUTES AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
HILTON HEAD, I SAW YOU ALEX BROWN INTERVIEWED YESTERDAY.
WHAT A GREAT FIRST STEP IN MAYOR MCCANN.
WHAT A GREAT FIRST STEP TOWARD HELPING THE HOUSING NEEDS ON HILTON HEAD.
THANK YOU, UM, ERIC GREENWAY FOR PUSHING FORWARD WITH OUR SO LOCO DOING A REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST FUND.
A TOOL IN THE TOOLBOX THAT'S GONNA HELP US.
BUT UM, BLUFFTON IS STILL MOVING FORWARD ON ITS OWN AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
WE'RE WORKING ON A PARTNERSHIP NOW TO START ANOTHER PHASE BEGINNING WITH 12.
HOPEFULLY WE'LL BREAK GROUND IN THE NEXT YEAR OR SO.
BUT WHAT IS MORE EXCITING IS THE NUMBER OF HOMES WE HAVE HELPED WITH A PROGRAM WE CREATED CALLED NEIGHBORHOOD ASSISTANCE.
NEIGHBORHOOD ASSISTANCE KEEPS A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THEIR HOUSE AND KEEPS THEM FROM ANSWERING THE DOOR TO A DEVELOPER THAT WANTS TO BUY THEIR PROPERTY AND REPLACE ONE HOUSE WITH 20 HOUSES.
AND WE'VE SPENT LAST YEAR ABOUT $130,000 ON 30 PLUS HOUSES.
WE'VE ALREADY HELPED 19 HOMES SINCE JULY AND WE HAVE ALREADY BLOWN THROUGH OUR BUDGET.
SO WE ARE GONNA COME BACK TO COUNCIL TO ASK FOR MORE MONEY THAT'S KEEPING PEOPLE IN THEIR HOUSES BECAUSE THEY HAVE A LEAKY ROOF WHERE THEY HAVE STRUCTURAL, UM, TROUBLE.
OKAY, AM I, OH, FIVE MINUTES GOOD.
AND LET ME TELL YOU WHAT IS AN OFFSHOOT OF THAT.
WE HAVE PRIVATE ENTITIES THAT I'M PART OF RIGHT NOW THAT ARE SETTING UP FOUNDATIONS, A FOUNDATION FOR SURE WITH COMMUNITY FOUNDATION THAT WILL ACCEPT DONATIONS FROM THE PRIVATE INDUSTRY TO HELP COMPLEMENT ANY TOWN FUNDING THAT THE TOWN MAY NOT BE ABLE TO FUND.
SO IT REALLY IS STEAMROLLING, THERE'S A DOMINO EFFECT ON THIS.
AND AGAIN, I URGE ANYONE TO GET HELP TO, TO HELP AND TO PAY IT FORWARD TO HELP WITH THESE HOMEOWNERS.
THIS IS OUR STORY, THIS IS OUR CULTURE, THIS IS OUR HISTORY.
I'M EXCITED TO HEAR, UM, MORE FROM THE OTHER OFFICIALS.
IT'S THE FIRST TIME THAT SINCE I'VE BEEN MAYOR THAT EIGHT DIFFERENT GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES AGREED ON SOMETHING AND WE ALL GUESSED.
I'M JUST EXCITED ON THE TONGUES OF EVERYONE.
WHO RAISED YOUR HAND THAT WANTS TO TALK ABOUT PARKING? I WANNA KNOW.
COME ON SOMEBODY, SOMEBODY PUT IT ON A SURVEY CUZ IT'S ON MY LIST TO TALK ABOUT.
WELL I'M NOT THROWING YOU UNDER THE BUS MARK.
I'M ACTUALLY GONNA UTILIZE SOMETHING.
MARK AND I TALKED ABOUT IF PARKING IS GONNA BECOME THE NEW AIRPORT TOPIC, I'M NOT DOING THIS ANYMORE.
WE TALKED ABOUT THE AIRPORT FOR 15 YEARS AND I DON'T SEE AIRPORT LISTED ANYWHERE TODAY.
WHO HAS TROUBLE FINDING A PARKING SPOT IN BLUFFTON? OKAY, WELL MARK, WE USED TO HAVE A PARKING PROBLEM.
NOBODY WANTED TO PARK IN BLUFFTON.
NOW EVERYBODY WANTS TO COME TO BLUFFTON AND THEY WANNA PARK RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE SPOT, RIGHT IN FRONT OF WHERE THEY WANT TO GO.
UM, I'VE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM FINDING PARKING, BUT LET ME JUST TELL YOU WHAT THE TOWN HAS DONE.
ON TOP OF WHAT THE BUSINESSES THAT HAVE DEVELOPED IN BLUFFTON, ALL OVER ALL 54 SQUARE MILES, THEY HAVE PARKING REQUIREMENTS.
WE ENHANCED OUR PARKING FOR RESTAURANTS TO ANOR, I THINK IT WAS EIGHT PER THOUSAND SQUARE FEET.
NOW GRANTED, BACK IN THE DAY WE HAD TO GET SOME BUSINESS IN HERE AND OUR PARKING REQUIREMENTS WERE LOW, BUT WE'VE INCREASED THAT WE HAVE CREATED OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS, 627 PARKING SPACES FROM THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH PRIVATE BUSINESSES THAT ARE BUILT ON THEIR BUSINESSES.
SO, UM, THERE ARE CART TOURS, THERE ARE BIKE TOURS THERE FEET
[01:00:02]
YOU CAN WALK.WHAT DID WE SAY? EXERCISE IS GOOD FOR YOU.
UM, I'M SORRY IF YOU THINK IT'S AN ISSUE BUT THAT'S AN OFF MIC, UM, CONVERSATION TOO.
BUT WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THE PARKING WE'VE, WE'VE PUT TOGETHER AND MADE IT VERY FRIENDLY AND EASY AND SAFE TO WALK TO ALL OF OUR LOVELY BUSINESSES.
SO I AM TWO MINUTES QUICK CUZ I WANT YOU TO HEAR EVERYONE, BUT I DO WANNA THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART.
I DO WANNA END IT WITH A, A STORY A GENTLEMAN TOLD ME TODAY AT SUN CITY.
AND YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE LADY WORKING HERE FOR 44 YEARS.
SHE'S PART OF A TRIBE A A LOT OF PEOPLE THEY NEED THANKS.
THIS MAN CAME UP TO ME AND HE SAID, I AIC, FRANKIE BONES THE OTHER NIGHT.
AND THIS SERVER CAME UP TO ME AND I SAID, THANK YOU FOR SHOWING UP FOR WORK IN THIS CRAZY WORLD.
AND SHE STARTED CRYING CAUSE NOBODY HAD EVER TOLD HER THANK YOU.
SO IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE TO BE NICE AND AND TO SAY THANK YOU AND TO PAY IT FORWARD.
AND IF WE ALL DID IT, WHAT A BETTER PLACE THIS WOULD BE.
SO THANK YOU LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
PLEASE WELCOME BEAU COUNTY COUNCIL CHAIRMAN, JOE PA.
SO THERE WERE QUESTIONS THAT WERE SENT TO ME AND WHEN I GOT THEM, I HAD A LITTLE BIT OF A PROBLEM ANSWERING THEM.
I HAPPENED TO BE ON THE WEST COAST ON A CRUISE SHIP ON THE SNAKE AND COLUMBIA RIVERS.
AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE THERE ARE THINGS IN OUR LIFETIME THAT WE SAY, WELL THIS IS STANDARD.
BUT I LEARNED SOMETHING ON THAT CRUISE.
YOU'VE ALL HEARD ABOUT LEWIS AND CLARK'S EXPEDITION AND THAT HE HAD A WOMAN WITH HIM, AN INDIAN WOMAN, WHAT WAS HER NAME? SCA, THAT'S NOT HER NAME.
AFTER ALL THESE YEARS, BY GOING ON THIS TOUR, LEARNING ABOUT LEWIS AND CLARK, WE NOW KNOW HER NAME WAS CHICAGO WAYA.
THAT'S THE CORRECT PRONUNCIATION.
NOW WHY DO I SAY THAT? WELL, THE QUESTIONS I GOT WERE, WELL, WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN? HOW IS THE FUTURE GOING TO BE? WHERE DO WE STAND? SEVERAL PEOPLE ASKED ME, OKAY, YOU'RE GONNA SPEAK TODAY.
WHAT ARE YOU GONNA SPEAK ON? I SAID, I HAVE NO IDEA.
I'M GONNA WING IT, BUT I'M NOT.
I HAVE FOUR POINTS TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT.
THE QUESTIONS THAT WERE ASKED ABOUT WERE 2 78, THAT'S A SETTLED ISSUE.
NOW WE ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT.
I WAS ASKED ABOUT WORKFORCE HOUSING ELOQUENTLY.
LISA SAID, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR A PERIOD OF TIME.
WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT.
AND THEN FINALLY THE QUESTION WAS ABOUT GROWTH.
WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO GROWTH.
WE ALL CAME HERE FROM SOME PLACE UNLESS WE WERE BORN HERE.
I LIVED IN NEW YORK STATE, GREW UP IN CENTRAL NEW YORK, WENT TO SCHOOL IN BUFFALO, GRADUATED FROM COLLEGE THERE.
DIDN'T HAVE BRAINS ENOUGH TO LIVE LEAVE.
STAYED THERE FOR 13 YEARS IN SNOW COUNTRY, INCLUDING THE BLIZZARD OF 77.
FINALLY MOVED OUT OF THERE TO NEW JERSEY, CAME DOWN HERE AT A CONFERENCE.
MY WIFE HAD A CONFERENCE IN SAVANNAH AND WE HAD TALKED ABOUT WHAT A BEAUTIFUL AREA THIS WAS.
SO WE CAME OVER BECAUSE ONE OF THE PEOPLE IN THAT PARTICULAR CONFERENCE SAID, YOU KNOW, I LIVE IN THIS PLACE CALLED SUN CITY.
YOU SHOULD COME OVER THERE AND TAKE A LOOK AT THAT BECAUSE SOMEDAY YOU'RE GONNA RETIRE.
SO WE DID 10 OF US, EIGHT RELATIVES AND TWO FRIENDS.
THEY CAN'T FIND ME BECAUSE I'M AT THE SALES DESK BUYING THE HOUSE THAT DAY BECAUSE I KNEW THIS WAS THE PLACE TO BE.
SO THE FOUR POINTS I WANNA MAKE ABOUT THE STATE OF ART REGION, NUMBER ONE ENGAGEMENT.
WE NEED TO ENGAGE EVERYBODY IN OUR MUNICIPALITIES, EVERYBODY IN OUR COMMUNITIES, EVERYBODY IN OUR
[01:05:01]
SURROUNDING COUNTIES.BECAUSE WE'RE IN THIS TOGETHER, WE HAVE REGIONAL ISSUES AS WELL AS LOCAL ISSUES.
AND THE ONLY WAY WE'RE GONNA SOLVE THEM IS THROUGH ENGAGEMENT, HEARING, LISTENING.
SECOND, ONCE WE ENGAGE PEOPLE, WE NEED TO BRING THOSE IDEAS FORWARD.
OKAY? BUT AN IDEA HAS TO HAVE A SOLUTION.
IT'S NOT JUST THE MONKEY FROM MY BACK TO YOURS.
WE NEED TO HAVE PEOPLE BRING IDEAS FORWARD ALONG WITH SOLUTIONS.
ONCE WE DO THAT, WE NEED TO FOLLOW THROUGH.
AND THAT'S PROBABLY THE HARDEST THING TO DO.
IT'S GREAT TO HAVE IDEAS, IT'S GREAT TO PUT 'EM ON PAPER.
WE HAVE A LOT OF THINGS ON PAPER.
WE HAVE WONDERFUL PLANS THAT WE HAVE DONE.
THEY'RE HUNDREDS OF PAGES LONG THAT NOBODY READS BECAUSE WE'RE IN THE INSTANTANEOUS GRATIFICATION.
AND FINALLY, ONCE WE ARE PUTTING THESE PLANS TOGETHER AND IDEAS, WE NEED TO REASSESS AND RECONFIGURE AND THAT WAY WE ARE THEN GOING TO HAVE THE KIND OF COUNTY WE NEED NOW ENGAGING ON ISSUES.
IF YOU HAVEN'T VOTED YET, PLEASE DO.
THERE ARE REFERENDUM QUESTIONS ON THE BALLOT AND I STAND BEFORE YOU TO EDUCATE, NOT ADVOCATE.
ONE OF THOSE QUESTIONS IS OUR GREEN SPACE INITIATIVE TO BEAUFORD COUNTY HAS BEEN THE LEADER IN SOUTH CAROLINA FOR PRESERVING PROPERTY.
WE DID THAT UNDER RURAL AND CRITICAL LANDS AND WE HAVE A CHANCE TO DO IT UNDER GREEN SPACE, WHICH IS SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT IN RURAL AND CRITICAL LANDS.
WE WENT OUT FOR A BOND ISSUE HERE.
WE'RE GOING TO GO OUT FOR A ONE PENNY SALES TAX.
IT IS FOR A SPECIFIED PERIOD OF TIME.
IT IS FOR A SPECIFIED AMOUNT OF MONEY.
WHY IS THAT? BECAUSE WE'RE THE VANGUARD.
WE'RE GOING TO SET THE TONE TENOR FOR THE ENTIRE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA BASED UPON WHAT WE DO AND HOW WE DO IT.
AND THAT'S THE STATE OF OUR REGION.
NOW WE'RE BEING LOOKED AT DIFFERENTLY BY THE STATE.
WE'RE LOOKING BACK, WE'RE LOOK BEING LOOKED AT AS THE LEADERS IN ISSUES.
SO WHEN YOU GO INTO THE BALLOT BOX, READ IT CAREFULLY, UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S ACTUALLY TWO PARTS.
ONE IS YES, DO YOU WANT THE GREEN SPACE TAX? YES OR NO? AND THE SECOND ONE, WHICH IS LESS IMPORTANT, BUT THE IDEA IS THERE THAT WE COULD BOND FOR THE ENTIRE AMOUNT OF MONEY, SHOULD WE SO DESIRE, DOES IT MEAN WE'RE GOING TO, IT JUST IS.
COULD YOU BOND FOR THAT? SO THAT'S WHAT I WANNA LEAVE YOU WITH TODAY.
THIS IDEA OF WHERE IS THE, OUR REGION, WELL, WE'RE GROWING, AS LISA SAID, THE WAY THINGS ARE IN HER COMMUNITY.
DO WE HAVE LOTS OF LAND LEFT TO DEVELOP? YES, WE DO.
DO WE HAVE LOTS OF LAND LEFT TO PRESERVE? YES, WE DO.
CAN WE ALL DO THIS TOGETHER? YES, WE CAN.
WE NEED TO ENGAGE EACH OTHER IN CIVIL DIALOGUE.
I GET EMAILS, I GET PHONE CALLS, AND I TURN TO MY WIFE SEVERAL TIMES DURING THE DAY WITH PHONE CALLS BECAUSE THE PERSON WILL SAY, ARE YOU THE IDIOT THAT I NEED TO TALK TO? AND I'LL SAY, HANG ON FOR A SECOND, HONEY, AM I AN IDIOT TODAY? AND THEN I HAVE THE DIALOGUE WITH THE INDIVIDUAL.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK TO YOU FOR A COUPLE MINUTES.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE WELCOME HARVILLE MAYOR HARRY WILLIAM.
NOW YOU THINK POLITICS IS EASY? LOOK AT THESE BLACK GUYS.
[01:10:01]
GOOD AFTERNOON.AND, AND THANK YOU REALLY FOR, UH, INCLUDING THE CITY OF HARDY AND JASPER COUNTY IN THIS REGIONAL CONVERSATION.
UM, BUT BEFORE I START TALKING ABOUT HARDY, I DO WANT TO TALK ABOUT OUR VERY SPECIAL REGION.
FIVE YEARS AGO, THE SOUTHERN LOW COUNTRY ADVISORY BOARD, LOVE THAN THEY REFERRED TO AS SO LOCO WAS FORMED.
THE FIRST SUBCOMMITTEE FROM THAT GROUP CAME IN AN AWARD-WINNING STORMWATER MANAGEMENT ORDINANCE, AND NOW AN EXPANDED.
SO LOCO HAS REACHED AN HISTORIC AGREEMENT, THE FORM OF REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST FUND.
NOW, THIS DOESN'T SOLVE ALL OUR PROBLEMS FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BUT IT WILL PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL WEAPON IN OUR FIGHT FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
SO THE CITY OF HARDY BILL IS PROUD TO JOIN THE, THE EIGHT COUNCILS, EIGHT ADMINISTRATORS, AND EIGHT STAFFS WHO HAVE FORGED THIS INNOVATIVE PATH TO OUR FUTURE.
SO CONGRATULATIONS TO THE REGION AND THE MAGNIFICENT EIGHT.
I DON'T KNOW HOW TO OPERATE THIS.
ALL RIGHT, I'M GONNA NEED HELP TO HEAR.
UM, AND ANYWAY, BEFORE, THE FIRST THING I WAS SUPPOSED TO TALK ABOUT IS GROWTH.
AND WE WERE, MAYOR SOLAND AND I WERE ADDRESSING A GROUP THIS MORNING IN GROWTH.
IT'S NOT A DOUBLE EDGE SWORD, IT'S A MULTI EDGE SWORD.
GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT I'M SAYING.
JASPER COUNTY HAS NOW, UH, APPROACHED THE, UH, PRE PANDEMIC UNEMPLOYMENT RATE OF 2.5%, YET WE NEED WORKERS.
WELL, IN ORDER TO ATTRACT WORKERS, WE NEED HOUSING.
BUT WHAT DOES THAT DO? WELL, HOUSING, NOW WE HAVE TO HAVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND ALSO THAT HOUSING PUTS STRESS ON OUR ROADS.
AND NOW WE HAVE TO BUILD SCHOOLS.
SO THE PROBLEMS ARE MULTIFACETED, THEY'RE MULTI-TIERED, AND THEY CAN ONLY BE SOLVED BY A GROUP LIKE THIS REGION WHO'S WORKING TOGETHER TO FIND THE ANSWERS, CUZ THEY'RE NOT EASY.
NOW HARDY AND I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT'S UP THERE, BUT I TRIED TO PUT A MAP SO YOU CAN UNDERSTAND THE GROWTH THAT'S HAPPENING IN THE CITY OF HARDY.
AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S A VERY BIG GEOGRAPHIC MASS WHERE I THINK WE'RE UP TO 57 SQUARE MILES.
IN 2017, AFTER BEING DORMANT FOR QUITE SOME TIME, THE CITY ANNOUNCED THE ARRIVAL OF, UH, LATITUDE MARGARITAVILLE HILTON HEAD, UM, AND 3,300 HOMES.
LATER THAT YEAR, 9,500 HOMES WERE, UH, ANNOUNCED IN THE EAST ARGENT DISTRICT.
SO SINCE 2017, THE CITY OF HARDY CITY COUNCIL HAS ENTITLED 20,000 NEW HOMES.
AND MANY OF THEM ARE SHOVELS ARE IN THE GROUND.
IN 2017, WE GAVE 200 SINGLE FAMILY HOME PERMITS.
LAST YEAR, WE ENDED THE YEAR WITH 800.
AND THIS YEAR WE'LL PROBABLY FINISH SOMEWHERE AROUND 1100 SINGLE FAMILY HOME PERMITS.
SO WE'VE NOT ONLY ENTITLED A LOT OF GROWTH, WE HA ACTUALLY SEEING A LOT OF GROWTH IN, UM, IN THE RESIDENTIAL PARTS OF OUR, OUR CITY.
BUT GROWTH IS NOT JUST ABOUT ADDING HOMES.
THE EXCITING PA PART ABOUT THE GROWTH IN HARVILLE IS THE INDUSTRIAL GROWTH.
AND WHY IS THAT EXCITING? WELL, THERE ARE MANY TAX REASONS FOR THAT, BUT THE REASON IT'S EXCITING IS IT BECAUSE IT BRINGS TO AN HISTORICALLY POOR REGION, NEW JOBS, JOBS WITH GREATER SALARIES AND GREATER OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG FAMILIES TO FIND A LIVING HERE.
SO, UM, IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF OUR, UM, CITY, WE HAVE, UM, ALREADY 1.2 MILLION SQUARE FEET THAT HAVE RISEN UP IN THE RIVERPORT
[01:15:01]
DISTRICT.WE HAVE ALSO ENTITLED THE CITY COUNCIL HAS ENTITLED AND PROGRESS WILL BE MADE ON THIS OF ANOTHER 15 MILLION SQUARE FEET OF INDUSTRIAL SPACE.
AND A LOT OF THIS IS WAREHOUSING THAT SUPPORTS THE GEORGIA PORT AUTHORITY, WHICH IS ONE OF THE FASTEST OR OF THE FASTEST GROWING PORT IN THE UNITED STATES.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF, UM, OPPORTUNITY DOWN THERE BECAUSE WE'RE SO CLOSE TO THE PORT TO BRING IN NEW JOBS AND NEW INDUSTRIES IN, IN THAT AREA.
AND AS YOU, WE ALL KNOW, THE RECENT ANNOUNCEMENT OF HYUNDAI IN GEORGIA, UM, PUTS HARDY VILLA IN A VERY UNIQUE POSITION AND SOUTHERN JASPER COUNTY IN THE POSITION TO RECRUIT SUPPORTING INDUSTRIES TO THAT MANUFACTURING, UH, FACILITY.
SO THE, THE ONE PART OF OUR GROWTH THAT'S PROBABLY A LITTLE SLOW AND AND WE'D LIKE TO SEE IT ACCELERATED A LITTLE BIT, IS THE COMMERCIAL GROWTH.
WE HAVE HAD SOME, SOME COMMERCE COME IN, SOME HOTELS THAT EXUDATE.
BUT, UM, WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY THERE.
AS THESE HOUSES START TO GO UP, BECAUSE EVERYBODY LOOKS AT, AT ROOFTOPS, UM, THE, THE, UM, THE COMMERCE WILL EVENTUALLY FOLLOW.
UH, THE NEXT TOPIC THAT I WAS ASKED TO TALK ABOUT ARE TRAFFIC CONCERNS.
AND THIS IS AGAIN, THAT MULTI EDGE SWORD.
ALL THIS GROWTH, ALL THIS NEW INDUSTRY CREATES CONCERNS ABOUT TRAFFIC, UH, AND PARTICULARLY, UH, AS IT APPROACHES BEAUFORD COUNTY IN THE CITY OF HARDY VILLA AND JASPER COUNTY.
WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT CARTER OF 1 72 78 TO ARGENT BOULEVARD.
THAT'S BECOMING A TREMENDOUSLY BUSY, UH, TRIANGLE THERE.
A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, THE UH, LATS COMMITTEE OF WHICH MAYOR SOKA IS THE CHAIR APPROVED A $80 MILLION FIX TO THE FOUR AND A HALF MILES FROM 4 62 TO 2 78.
THERE'S ALSO, UM, NEEDS ALONG 2 78 AND THAT INTERSECTION.
AND OF COURSE, ARGENT BOULEVARD IS GETTING REALLY CRAZY IF IT'S NOT ALREADY THERE.
BUT WHAT WE DID DO, THE CITY, UM, HAD A, UH, TRAFFIC STUDY DONE A YEAR AGO SUMMER.
AND WHAT, AS A RESULT OF THAT, WE'RE GONNA SEE ALT EVENTUALLY TRAFFIC LIGHTS AT, AT SHORTCUT ROAD, THE NEW SUN CITY ENTRANCE TO THEIR NEW SECTION.
AND ALSO AT 2 78 IN ARGEN BOULEVARD, ALSO IN THOSE CARTERS WILL BE ADDITIONAL TURNING LANES TO MAKE THAT ROAD SAFER.
AND MY POLICE CHIEF PROMISE OF ME THAT, UH, WE WILL BE PATROLLING THAT A LOT MORE, UH, SEVERELY.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS GOING ON IN THAT CORRIDOR OR THAT WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE THAT AREA SAFER AND, UM, MAKE THE TRAFFIC FLOW THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN BECAUSE IN THERE BETWEEN EAST ORIGIN, WHAT WAS APPROVED AT SUN CITY, THAT'S ALMOST DONE.
AND, UH, SOME OTHER DEVELOPMENTS, THERE'S GOING TO BE SOMEWHERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF, I THINK OF THAT 20,000, 12,000 ARE APPROVED IN THAT AREA.
UM, WHAT WILL HELP THAT WILL BE A LOOP ROAD THAT WILL GO FROM ONE 70 AT OLD FIELD AND EVENTUALLY THERE WILL BE A LIGHT AT THAT INTERSECTION AND THAT WILL GO THROUGH TO ARGENT BOULEVARD.
THAT'S ABOUT A FOUR MILE STRETCH.
THERE'S, THERE'S DEVELOPMENTS IN, IN PROGRESS, AND THAT SHOULD BE, UH, BASED ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BUILD OUT OF THAT AREA, UH, SHOULD BE DONE BY 2026.
EVERYBODY WANTS TO KNOW ABOUT I 95.
WELL, UM, I 95 IS A MAJOR CARTER AND I THINK EVERYBODY KNOWS BY THIS POINT THAT, UM, THE FIRST NINE MILES ARE SCHEDULED FOR, UM, THE, FROM THE GEORGIA BORDER TO THE MILE MARKER NINE, WHICH IS JUST NORTH OF EXIT EIGHT.
OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE GONNA SEE, AND I THINK IT'S UP ON THE SCREEN, YOU'RE GONNA SEE THE EXIT EIGHT COMING ON AND OFF.
THAT WHOLE CONFIGURATION WILL BE CHANGED, UH, TO, UH, ACCOMMODATE A SMOOTHER FLOW INTO THE EXPANDED, UH, ROADWAY OF I 95.
[01:20:01]
UH, IT WILL BE ANOTHER APPROXIMATELY TWO YEARS OF PLANNING AND PERMITTING BY S C D O T AT WHICH THEY WILL START, AND THEN IT WILL TAKE, UH, SEVERAL YEARS FOR THAT TO BE COMPLETE.SO, LOOKED FOR THE FIRST NINE MILES TO BE DONE IN THE 2026 TO 28, UM, RANGE.
AS PART OF THAT EXIT THREE WILL FINALLY BE BUILT.
AND AS SENATOR DAVIS KNOWS, AND I CAN'T THANK HIM ENOUGH, UM, HE WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN THE MANY TRIPS, SOME OF 'EM, VERY DISAPPOINTING TO COLUMBIA FOR MANY YEARS TO GET THAT FUNDING.
UM, SO THERE, THERE WILL ALSO BE SOME ADDITIONAL STUDIES OF THE ROADWAYS AND CHAIRMAN CHAIRPERSON, UH, MAYOR SOKA OF THE LAST COMMITTEE.
THAT COMMITTEE JUST RECENTLY, UH, APPROVED ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE, UH, STUDIES THAT ARE NECESSARY.
WE HAVE TO STUDY FIRST TO FIND OUT WHAT THE FIXES ARE, AND THEN ONCE WE FIND THE FIXES, WE GOTTA FIND THE FUNDING.
SO, UH, THERE WILL BE A NUMBER OF STUDIES BEING DONE OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS.
UM, I'M PROUD TO SAY THE CITY OF HARDY BILL, UH, ASKED NICELY ONE DEVELOPER TO CONTRIBUTE $300,000 TO THAT STUDY.
SO THAT WHOLE CARTER OF, OF THREE 15, HIGHWAY 17, UM, AND 46, THAT INTERCONNECT OUR COMMUNITIES AND OUR COUNTIES WILL BE STUDIED TO LOOK FOR, FOR SOLUTIONS.
AND THAT'S PART OF THAT WE WILL LOOK FOR THE, UM, EXTENSION OF THE BLUFFTON PARKWAY TO EXIT THREE.
UM, SO THERE'S A LOT TO BE DONE IN TERMS OF THE TRAFFIC THAT'S GONNA BE HAPPENING, UH, AND, AND BEING CREATED AND BEING INCREASE BY THE NUMBER OF NEW HOMES, THE NUMBER OF NEW COMMERCE, AND THE NUMBER OF NEW WAREHOUSES THAT ARE CROPPING UP IN THE, IN THE CITY OF HARVILLE AND SOUTHERN JASPER COUNTY.
ON THAT NOTE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE WELCOME HILTON HEAD ISLAND MAYOR JOHN MCCANN.
WOW, WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON AND WELCOME TO EVERYBODY'S HOME.
I, WE PASSED BY SUN CITY AT SUN CITY HILTON HEAD.
WE PASSED BY THE CAR DEALERSHIP AT SUN CITY CAR.
EVERYTHING IS HILTON HEAD AND WE LIKE BEING, WE LIKE BEING LOOKED UP TO.
IT'S BEEN VERY, UH, HOPEFUL
I, I THANK BILL MILES IN A CHAMBER FOR ALL THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE WITH THE TOWN AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
THANK YOU BILL AND YOUR CHAMBER AS WELL.
I'VE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE WHEN I FIRST CAME, UH, TO BE MAYOR, I HOOKED UP WITH HARRY AND LISA.
AND BETWEEN THE THREE OF US, WE'VE DONE A LOT OF REAL GOOD WORK TOGETHER.
WE PUSHED THROUGH THE BUSINESS LICENSING FEE IN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
UH, WE MEET ALL THE TIME, WE WORKED TOGETHER.
YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE AT THE END OF THE RAINBOW, LIKE WE ARE HERE ON HILLHEAD, EVERYTHING STOPS HERE BECAUSE WE'RE AN ISLAND.
AND UNLESS YOU WORK VERY WELL WITH YOUR PARTNERS, YOU DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON FOR WHICH YOU'RE GONNA BE THE END RESULT THOUGH, WHEN IT'S FINISHED.
AND I THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR FRIENDSHIP AND YOUR WORK, HAVING LISA AND I THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH.
UM, WE'VE BEEN VERY LUCKY UNDER TOWN.
I'VE HAD MOST OF THE SAME COUNCIL FOR THE FOUR YEARS THAT I'D BEEN THERE.
UH, AND I CAN'T THANK THEM ENOUGH.
UH, THE GREAT PART ABOUT THE COUNCIL IS NO, NO, TWO OF THEM ARE ALIKE.
THEY WORK VERY WELL TOGETHER SOMETIMES.
WE'VE, WE'VE GOT A LOT DONE AND WE'VE BEEN VERY LUCKY ONCE AGAIN TO MOVE SOMEONE FROM BLUFFTON TO HILTON HEAD TO BE OUR TOWN MANAGER.
MARK, WE WELCOME YOU AND YOUR WIFE TO BE OUR, OUR TOWN MANAGER HERE.
WE'VE DONE GREAT WORK IN THE SHORT PERIOD OF TIME THAT YOU'RE HERE.
AND I MUST THANK THE STAFF, UH, TOM LENNOX PUT TOGETHER A LIST FOR ME OF THE ITEMS THAT WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED UNDER THIS ADMINISTRATION.
AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE ALL YOU SAY, WOW, THEN WHEN YOU LOOK AT ALL, YOU KNOW, THE STAFF OF THE TOWN DID ALL THIS.
IT WASN'T THE SEVEN OF US ON A DAUS, IT WAS A STAFF OF THE TOWN.
AND MARK, I CONGRATULATE YOU AND YOUR STAFF FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE ALONG THE WAY.
IT'S BEEN A, IT'S BEEN A VERY GOOD EXPERIENCE
[01:25:01]
FOR ME.MADE A LOT OF GOOD FRIENDS ALONG THE WAY.
AND THEY, YOU KNOW, IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE LISA'S OUR PRINCESS, UH, BECAUSE HARRY COMES FROM NEW JERSEY AND I COME FROM NEW YORK.
SO WE'VE GONE ALONG VERY WELL ALONG THE WAY.
HARRY AND ME SPEAK A DIFFERENT LANGUAGE THAN MOST PEOPLE IN THE ROOM HERE.
SO I GOT MY TRANSLATOR WITH ME ALONG THE WAY.
AND MOST OF US, I'VE ALREADY DONE AND TALKED ABOUT.
WE'VE BEEN ASKED TO TALK ABOUT THREE THINGS, WHICH I WILL.
THE HILTON, THE WILLIAM HILTON PARKWAY, THE WILLIAM HILTON PARKWAY WAS LONG OVERDUE.
I MEAN, MARK ORLANDO AND MYSELF AND STEVE RILEY WHEN WAS HERE, WE SAT OUT IN PEOPLE'S FRONT YARDS AND TALKED TO THEM ABOUT THE PROBLEMS THEY WERE HAVING WITH TRAFFIC, WITH NOT KNOWING WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN TO THEM IN THE FUTURE.
AND A WHOLE HOST OF REALLY SERIOUS CONCERNS.
UH, WE MET WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE.
UH, JOE'S BEEN GOOD TO WORK WITH.
UH, SENATOR DAVIS HAS BEEN A BLESSING TO US ON THIS YEAR.
HIS, HIS WISDOM AND ADVICE HAS COME A LONG WAY WITH US.
UM, SO IT'S UNDERWAY WHERE I SEE PROGRESS BEING MADE.
THE TOWN SIGNED OFF ON A LOT OF INITIATIVES LAST NIGHT, BOTH FOR HOUSING, FOR THE COUNTY, FOR TRANSPORTATION.
UH, EVERYTHING IS IN MOTION TO GO.
AND I THANK THE COUNTY FOR ITS WORK AND, AND WORKING WITH US ON THIS HERE.
WELL, WE HAVE THE MEMBER LORD ON THE CARTER.
AND THE BRIDGE IS THAT YOU MOVE TRAFFIC FASTER.
THAT MEANS MORE TRAFFIC COULD COME TO HILTON HEAD.
AND PEOPLE IN HILTON HEAD ARE ALWAYS COUNTING NUMBERS.
THEY COUNT HOW MANY WORKERS WE HAVE COMING HERE A DAY.
HOW MANY TOURISTS WE HAVE COMING HERE TODAY.
I BELIEVE WE HAVE 40,000 MORE PEOPLE THAN WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT.
CAUSE THEY ALL COME FROM HARRY'S AREA.
UH, THE, THE MARKETING LITERATURE FOR HOUSES IN HARDY, BILL SAYS THEY HAVE THEIR OWN BEACH.
IT'S INITIAL HH ACROSS THE BRIDGE.
FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT LIVE IN THE NORTHEAST, THEY CAME FROM THE NORTHEAST.
THE IMPORTANT PART OF SATURDAY AND SUNDAY IS TO GET YOUR TOWEL ON THE BEACH.
SO WHEN THESE 40,000 PEOPLE OR HOUSES THAT HARRY HAS HERE COMING OVER, WANT TO GO TO THE BEACH ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY, YOU GOTTA GET YOUR TOWEL THERE REALLY TO DO IT.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE WE'RE GONNA PUT THEM ALL AT THE END.
THE ROAD'S GONNA WORK OUT, IT'S GONNA BE GREAT.
AND NOW WE'RE MOVING ON TO HOW I'M THE ONLY ONE THAT STAY TO THE AGENDA, BY THE WAY.
JUST CAUSE I'M THEIR BIG BROTHER.
OKAY? I STAY TO THE ITEMS THEY ASKED ME TO TALK ABOUT.
THE POST OFFICE IS ON THE NORTH END OF THE ISLAND.
THERE'S A PIECE OF PROPERTY NEXT TO THAT THAT THE TOWN OWNS.
FREE AND CLEAR WITH NO RESTRICTIONS.
AND I MUST TALK ABOUT RESTRICTIONS FOR A SECOND.
WE'RE THE BIGGEST LAND OWNER ON THE ISLAND TOWN OF HILLHEAD.
NOT THAT IT'S BAD LAND, BUT IT WAS BORDER RESTRICTIONS THAT IT WOULD BE BOUGHT FOR, FOR GREEN SPACE AND IT WOULDN'T BE THIS OR THAT DEVELOPED ON IT ALONG THE WAY.
AND, UH, NEXT TO THE BOAT POST SERVICE, WE'VE GONE OUT FOR REQUEST FOR, FOR PROPOSALS FROM PEOPLE TO BUILD A TRACK THERE TO AHA, PROBABLY ABOUT 140,000, EXCUSE ME, BIG NUMBERS, BIG DREAMS, 140 HOUSING THERE.
UM, THAT WOULD BE OFF FIREMEN OR, OR, OR, UH, RETAIL WORKERS OR NURSES OR DOCTORS.
UH, AND WE'RE DOING IT AS A PARTNERSHIP WHERE THE TOWN WILL LEASE OR PROVIDE THE LAND, UH, TO A BUILDER THAT WANTS TO BILL THERE AND WILL WORK OUT.
WHAT SHOULD GOES THERE, WHAT HAS TO GO THERE.
IT'S THE FIRST STEP ON A HOUSING PLAN.
IT'S AN IMPORTANT STEP ON A HOUSING PLAN.
WE'VE ALSO AGREED TO PUT A MILLION DOLLARS AWAY A YEAR TOWARDS HOUSING SO THAT WHEN WE'RE READY TO GO, THE MONEY IS ALL THERE.
IT WAS THE FASTEST COUNCIL MEETING I HAVE EVER SEEN.
LAST NIGHT I THOUGHT I'D BE HOME ABOUT EIGHT.
UH, IT WAS OVER AT THE FOUR 30.
UH, WE HAD SPENT SO MUCH TIME AND WORKSHOPS GOING OVER IT AND, AND I THANK THE COUNCIL FOR ALL THE WORK THEY'VE PUT INTO IT ALONG THE WAY.
UH, HOUSING INITIATIVE IS BIG.
THE PARK, EVERYBODY WANTS TO KNOW WHAT ARE WE DOING WITH 105 ACRES IN A PARK.
WELL, THE PARK USED TO BE A GOLF COURSE, BUT BEFORE IT WAS A GOLF COURSE.
UM, IT WAS ALL WETLANDS AND IT WAS TREES.
AND THEN THE GOLF COURSE BOUGHT IT AND THEY HAD A GOLF COURSE OUT OF IT.
AND THEN THEY DIDN'T WANT A GOLF COURSE NO MORE.
SO WE BOUGHT IT TO TAKE IT OFF THE MARKET.
AND THE FIRST PHASE APPROVED LAST NIGHT WILL BE TO PUT IT BACK TO PART OF IT, BACK TO ITS ORIGINAL MEANING, ORIGINAL PURPOSE TO DO IN, IN THE WATER IN THERE AND THE STREAMS IN THERE.
AND THERE'S TREES IN THERE TO LOOK LIKE THEY'RE DEAD, BUT THEY'RE NOT.
IT'S WHERE THE WOODPECKERS COME DOWN AND THE MIGRATION OF HERE TO LIVE.
WE LOOKING AT MAKING IT A PASSIVE PARK
[01:30:01]
THERE, UH, FOR PEOPLE TO COME AND RELAX, HAVE SMALL WEDDINGS AS OPPOSED TO THE BIG WEDDINGS THAT THE, THE MILES HAS JUST HAD.UH, BUT, BUT IT, IT'S GONNA BE THAT PARK.
BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THE PARK IS THAT THE TOWN COUNCIL AND THE TOWN STAFF UNDER DIRECTION OF MARK ORLANDO HAVE GONE OUT AND LOOKED AT ALL THE PROPERTY AROUND THERE FROM THE AIRPORT TO THE THREE MALLS THERE.
EACH OF THE MALL, THERE IS A LITTLE BIT SHABBY IN ITS OWN WAY, A LITTLE BIT.
IF WE BUILD A PARK AND WE DO RE DENSITY AND REZONING OF THE HOUSING AROUND THERE, AND WE DO SOMETHING WITH THE THREE TRACKS OF, UH, I GUESS YOU WOULD CALL THEM SMALL WALLS IN THEIR OWN, UH, WE WILL INCREASE THE POPULATION OF THE ISLAND TO WHERE THE POPULATION IS COMFORTABLE.
WE WILL MAKE IT BETTER FOR THE NATIVE ISLAND, IS TO USE THEIR LAND FOR THINGS THEY WANT TO USE IT FOR.
WE WILL MAKE IT SO PEOPLE CAN DO BETTER COMMERCIAL SPACE THERE.
NOW, PORT WORLD PLANTATION, PORT WORLD PLAZA USED TO BE KNOWN AS THE FOOD COURT.
EVERYTHING IN THERE WAS THIS LITTLE, LITTLE STORE FROM STREET MEAT TO OCOS TO WHATEVER IS THERE.
IT'S WHERE THE OLD SAM'S USED TO BE.
UH, NOW EVERY SPACE IN PORT WORLD PLAZA HAS A LEASE ON IT.
THIS IDEA OF BUILDING IS PARK WILL SPEAR EVERYBODY UP THE SAME.
WE'RE REBUILDING THE MIDDLE PART OF THE ISLAND.
I LET YOU OUT THERE IN A MASSIVE CROWD.
STEVE, UH, STEVE GOT ME STARTED WHEN I CAME TO COUNCIL 10 YEARS AGO.
UH, AND HE SAID, FOR THE FIRST TWO YEARS OF YOU DO NOTHING BUT LISTEN, YOU WILL HAVE TWO VERY SUCCESSFUL YEARS.
UH, SOMETIMES I WAS REALLY SHOCKED.
SOMETIMES IT WAS EDUCATIONAL, BUT I JUST LISTENED.
AND I SUGGEST THAT PEOPLE, WHEN THEY GET INVOLVED IN GOVERNMENT OF ANY KIND, DON'T GO IN WITH YOUR OWN AGENDA AHEAD OF TIME.
IT'S DIFFERENT AFTER YOU GET ELECTED.
THE JOKE ABOUT WHO'S STUPID ON THE PHONE.
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE CALL ME AT NINE, 10 O'CLOCK AT NIGHT AND SAY, IS THIS THE MAYOR'S OFFICE? AND I SAY, YEAH, IT'S HIS HOUSE.
WE DON'T HAVE, WE DON'T HAVE ALL THAT STAFF.
I AM EXTREMELY FORTUNATE TO HAVE PHYLLIS PHYLLIS WITH YOU, STAND UP PHYLLIS THAT KEEPS TRACK OF EVERYTHING I DO.
BUT UNLESS THE THREE OF US WORK TOGETHER, HARDY BILL, BLUFFTON, HILTON HEAD, ALONG WITH THE CHAMBER, ALONG WITH THE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM THAT HAVE BUSINESSES OR WORKING BUSINESSES TO, TO GROW THIS AREA TOGETHER, WE WERE UP FOR DOOM.
WHEN YOU LIVE IN CAPE MAY, NEW JERSEY AND YOU BECOME OLD, YOU BECOME QUAINT WHEN YOU LIVE IN HILL, THEN YOU BECOME OLD.
THE HOUSING, THE BUILDINGS, WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING WITH OUR OLDER, ALL THE BUILDINGS, OUR OLDER COMMERCIAL SPACE.
AND BY ALL MEANS, WE HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER.
AND IT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.
AND I THANK US ALL VERY MUCH AND GOD BLESS YOU.
ALL RIGHT, HOW ABOUT THAT? I TELL YOU WHAT, I HAVE MISSED STATE OF THE REGION FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS.
WHAT AN ENCOURAGING, INSPIRING MESSAGES OUR MAYORS OR CHAIRMAN OF COUNTY COUNCIL DELIVERED.
UH, I'M EXCITED, I'M MOTIVATED AND I HOPE YOU ARE AS WELL.
ASHLEY, THANK YOU FOR MAKING THE TRIP TO HILTON NET ISLAND AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WELCOMING YOU, WELCOMING YOU BACK SOMETIME VERY, VERY SOON.
I WANT TO THANK OUR TEAM AT THE CHAMBER, UH, EXCELLENT TEAM EVERY DAY, IN AND OUT FOR YOU AND FOR THE BETTERMENT OF BUSINESS AND THE COMMUNITY.
SO THANKS TO OUR OUR WONDERFUL TEAM THERE, UH, THE MARRIOTT STAFF, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.
AND THEN ALSO I WANNA REMIND EVERYBODY THIS WEEKEND IS A BIG WEEKEND FOR HILTON NET ISLAND, AND THAT'S THE CONCOR DE GUTS MOTORING FESTIVAL.
AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE YOUR TICKETS FOR THAT, I WOULD SUGGEST YOU DO IT BECAUSE, UH, IT'S GONNA BE A, IT'S GONNA BE FULL.
SO ANYWAY, WE'RE GONNA LET YOU GET BACK TO WORK, THANKS TO ALL OF HER SPONSORS, MOST OF ALL, THANKS TO YOU FOR BEING HERE.
HAVE A GREAT REST OF YOUR DAY.
[01:35:18]
PREVENTING THE SPREAD OF GERMS AND BACTERIA WHILE PREPARING YOUR FOOD IS AS EASY AS 1, 2, 3, 1.WASH YOUR HANDS WITH SOAP AND WATER TO PREVENT BACTERIA FROM SPREADING AND CONTAMINATING YOUR FOOD.
TWO, PROBABLY PREPARE, COOK, AND STORE FOOD TO KEEP BACTERIA FROM GROWING.
THREE, KEEP ALL UTENSILS, PLACES AND SURFACES THAT ARE USED TO PREPARE FOOD CLEAN AND OR SANITIZE TO REMOVE AND KILL HARMFUL BACTERIAS.
SO REMEMBER, PREVENTING THE SPREAD OF GERMS AND BACTERIA WHILE PREPARING FOOD IS AS EASY.
AST THAT 1, 2, 3, FORT FREMONT CLOSES OUT A 350 YEAR LEGACY OF COASTAL FORTIFICATIONS IN PORT ROYAL SOUND, BEGINNING IN THE MID 16TH CENTURY.
IT ALSO REPRESENTS THE CLOSING CHAPTER OF AMERICA'S COASTAL DEFENSE SYSTEM BEFORE THE DAWN OF AIR POWER.
PORT FREMONT IS SO AN EXAMPLE OF THE MOST ADVANCED MILITARY TECHNOLOGY OF ITS TIME.
IT WOULD PARALLEL THE B 17 AND AIRCRAFT CARRIER OF WORLD WAR II, THE F 35 OF TODAY.
FORT FREMONT WAS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE BEAUFORT CULTURE, VERY SIMILAR TO PARIS ISLAND AND THE MARINE CORPS AIR BASE.
TODAY IN 1525, THE SPANIARDS NAMED THIS SOUND AND THIS HARBOR, SANTA ELENA, THEY CALLED THE NAVIGATIONAL POINT, LA PUNTA SANTA ATLANTA, THE POINT OF SANTA LA.
AND WHAT THE SPANISH EXPLORERS DISCOVERED IS THAT PORT ROYAL SOUND IS A UNIQUE PIECE OF GEOGRAPHY.
IT'S THE DEEPEST NATURAL HARBOR SOUTH OF THE CHESAPEAKE BAY, POSSIBLY SOUTH OF NEW YORK, THE CHANNEL INTO PORT ROYAL SOUND.
THIS I FIND A REMARKABLE GEOLOGICAL FACT.
THE CHANNEL HAS NOT CHANGED FOR 500 YEARS.
THERE'S NO INLET ON THE SOUTHERN COAST THAT HASN'T SHIFTED ENTIRELY IN 500 YEARS EXCEPT PORT ROYAL SOUND.
THERE'S SOMETHING GEOLOGICALLY DIFFERENT, OR ONE MIGHT SAY MAGICAL ABOUT PORT ROYALS APP.
SO SPANISH SAILORS BEING THE BEST IN THE WORLD IN THEIR TIME, FOUND THIS PLACE VERY EARLY, KNEW THAT FOR THE SPANISH EXPLORATIONS, THE AMERICAN SOUTHEAST, THIS WOULD BE THE INTRA THE ENTRANCE.
AND SO THEY BUILT A CITY ACROSS THE RIVER, UH, ACROSS THE SOUND FROM WHERE WE ARE ON PARIS ISLAND THAT BECAME THE FIRST CAPITAL OF FLORIDA.
AND THEY EXPLORED THE BACK COUNTRY FROM THIS LOCATION FOR, UH, MORE THAN A CENTURY WITH THE OBJECT OF BUILDING A HIGHWAY FROM THIS MAGNIFICENT HARBOR TO MEXICO CITY.
SO THE SOUND WAS KNOWN TO THE SPANIARDS, IT WAS KNOWN TO THE FRENCH WHO ACTUALLY GOT HERE FIRST AND FOL AND CREATED THE FIRST PROTESTANT COLONY IN THE NEW WORLD ON PARIS ISLAND OVER MY SHOULDER.
UM, AND THAT COLONY WAS A FAILURE.
IT WAS PART OF SPANISH, FLORIDA WHEN THE ENGLISH ARRIVED 150 YEARS LATER.
AND THIS WAS BECAME, AS A CONSEQUENCE, A BATTLEGROUND IN THE 18TH CENTURY BETWEEN SPANISH INTERESTS IN FLORIDA AND ST.
AUGUSTINE AND THE ENGLISH COLONY IN CAROLINA AND IN CHARLESTON AND BACK AND FORTH.
THESE WARS WENT, MANY OF THEM NAVAL WARS, MANY OF THEM EMPLOYING AS ALL THE SAILORS KNEW BY THEN THE MAGIC OF PORT ROYAL SOUND.
BUT WHEN THE CIVIL WAR CAME, CONFEDERATES DEFENDED THE, UH, HARBOR, BUT IT WAS BASICALLY INDEFENSIBLE AGAINST, UH, LARGE NAVAL FORCES.
SO THE US NAVY MADE IT THEIR PRINCIPLE TARGET DURING THE BIG BEGINNING OF THE CIVIL WAR AND SENT THE LARGEST FLOTILLA OF SHIPS, UM, ASSEMBLED BY THE UNITED STATES NAVY IN THE 19TH CENTURY INTO PORT ROYAL SOUND ON NUMBER NOVEMBER 7TH, 1861.
IN A FOUR HOUR CAN AID, WHICH WOULD'VE BEEN DEAFENING FROM WHERE WE'RE SITTING, WAS HEARD FOR MILES FROM SAVANNAH, NEARLY TO CHARLESTON.
IT WAS CALLED THE DAY OF THE BIG GUN SHOOT.
DURING THE CIVIL WAR, THIS HARBOR THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT WAS FILLED WITH SHIPS.
THERE WOULD BE HUNDREDS OF SHIPS IN THIS HARBOR.
THERE WAS A THOUSAND FOOT, UH, DOCK WITH THE RAILROAD ON TOP OFF OF HILTON HEAD.
UM, THE MILITARY INSTALLATION WAS MAMMOTH.
[01:40:01]
US SOLDIERS ON HILTON HEAD, WHICH WE'RE LOOKING AT THE LARGEST POPULATION ON HILTON HEAD UNTIL 1974.SO THIS WAS A MAJOR US GOVERNMENT INSTALLATION IN THE HEART OF THE SOUTH.
IT WAS THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE US ARMY DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT WAS THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE UNITED STATES NAVY, SOUTH ATLANTIC BLOCK HAT SQUADRON.
SO THE BIGGEST SHIPS IN THE NAVY WERE HERE.
AND, UM, SO IT, IT BECAME, AND, AND THAT'S REALLY WHERE THE STORY OF FORT FREMONT STARTS WITH THAT HUGE CIVIL WAR MILITARY, UH, OPERATIONS AND INSTALLATIONS, UM, ON HILTON HEAD ON ST.
HELEN ISLAND, ON PARIS ISLAND.
AND IN BEAUTY, AFTER THE CIVIL WAR, WE'RE GONNA SEE A MASSIVE CHANGE IN TECHNOLOGY THAT'S GONNA REVOLUTIONIZE MILITARY, MILITARY.
DURING THE CIVIL WAR, WE HAD IRONCLAD SHIPS, WE HAD RIFLED CANNONS, BUT THEY WERE ALL MADE OUT OF IRON AND THEY WERE NOT TERRIBLY EFFECTIVE.
BUT IT'S TECHNOLOGY'S GONNA CHANGE.
AFTER THE CIVIL WAR, WE'RE GONNA SEE STEEL PRODUCED, AND STEEL IS MUCH HARDER.
SO NOW WE HAVE A NEW MATERIAL, UH, TO MAKE ARMOR OUT OF FOR SHIPS.
SO WE CAN HAVE THESE ARMORED SHIPS MADE WITH STEEL IN A MUCH MORE RESISTANCE TO SHOT.
BECAUSE I HAVE STEEL, I CAN MAKE, UH, STRONGER BARRELS FOR MY GUNS.
UH, I CAN RIFLE AND MACHINE THESE MUCH BETTER.
AND THE RIFLING IS THE SPIRALS THAT ARE CUT IN THE BARREL THAT ALLOWS IT TO SHOOTS FURTHER WITH MORE ACCURACY.
AND WE CAN ALSO NOW HAVE BREACH LOADING GUNS THAT CAN LOCK FROM BEHIND.
SO I CAN LOAD MY GUN FROM BEHIND.
I DON'T HAVE TO GO HAVE THE OLD BLACK POWDER MUZZLE LOADING CANNON I HAD BEFORE.
NOW I CAN FIRE MUCH MORE RAPIDLY.
IF I COMPARE THE GUN OF, UH, 1890 TO THE GUNS OF 1860, UH, FOR THE SAME CALIBER, THE SAME DIAMETER GUN, UH, THAT 1890 GUN WILL BE ABLE TO FIRE PROJECTILE AS FOUR TIMES HEAVIER, CAN SHOOT IT THREE TIMES FURTHER, CAN PUT IT IN WITH GREATER PRECISION, AND CAN PUT IT THROUGH MUCH MORE ARMOR THAN ANYTHING WE HAD IN 1860S.
A MILITARY HISTORIAN, ER LEWIS WOULD SAY THAT THE CHANGE BETWEEN THE CIVIL WAR IN 1890 IN ARTILLERY TECHNOLOGY WAS THE GREATEST THAT WOULD BE SEEN SINCE INVENTION OF ARTILLERY IN THE 14TH CENTURY TO THE INTRODUCTION OF THE NUCLEAR PROJECTILE IN THE 1950S.
SO THERE'S BEEN A HUGE CHANGE IN GUN TECHNOLOGY.
AND AT THE SAME TIME, IT'S NOT JUST THE STEEL, BUT ALSO THE POWDER THAT FIRES THESE GUNS.
WE'RE HAVING NEW CHEMICAL MAKEUP.
AND SO LIKE CORDITE IS INVENTED NOW, AND IT'S STILL A WIDELY USED MILITARY EXPLOSIVE.
SMOKELESS POWDER IS INVENTED DURING THIS PERIOD OF TIME.
AND IT'S NOT JUST CHEMICAL COMPOSITION, BUT IT'S THE DETAILS OF HOW YOU MAKE THE GRAIN, HOW FAST THEY BURN.
SO MUCH LIKE THE SKILL OF FIRING A SOLID ROCKET, UH, SOLID FUEL, UM, ROCKET.
IT'S THAT SAME KIND OF TECHNOLOGY BEEN DEVELOPED IN THESE, UH, GUN POUT AND THIS NEW POWDER.
SO OUR WEAPONS OF THIS DAY ARE, ARE MUCH, MUCH GREATER.
UM, THEY WOULD BE THE GREAT KILLING MACHINES OF WORLD WAR I MOSTLY CASUALLY IT'S ON THE BATTLEFIELDS OF WORLD WAR.
SO THE WORLD HAS SEEN A HUGE CHANGE IN ARTILLERY, AND THAT'S TIED INTO CHANGES IN SHIPS.
WE NOW HAVE STEEL ARMORED SHIPS.
THEY'RE ALL, UH, STEAM POWERED.
THEY ARE NOW EQUIPPED WITH THESE FINE LONG RANGE GUNS, AND THEY NOW BECOME THE DOMINANT THREAT OF THE LATE 19TH, EARLY 20TH CENTURY.
THE FRENCH AND ENGLISH WOULD BOMBARD CITIES LIKE CAIRO AND REDUCE THEM TO RUBBLE BECAUSE THEY'RE UNABLE TO DEFEND THEM.
SO THIS IS HOW THE WORLD WAS SEEING THE THREAT FROM THIS NEW TECHNOLOGY.
BIG BATTLESHIPS ARE THE THREAT OF THE ERA AND NEW GUNS AND FORTIFICATIONS ON, UH, THE GROUND OR WHAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE TO DEFEND AGAINST THEM.
THE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT AND FIRST THINGS THAT HAPPENED AFTER THE CIVIL WAR IS THEY BUILT A RAILROAD TO PORT ROYAL SOUND, WHICH DIDN'T EXIST.
IT WAS THE FIRST CONNECTION OF THE SEA ISLANDS OF THE MAINLAND.
THE ADVANTAGE TO THAT RAILROAD IS IT BROUGHT COAL TO PORT, ROYAL SOUND.
SO WHEN THE COAL WAS DELIVERED TO NAVY FOLLOW IN 1872, ROBERT SMALLS WAS IN THE SOUTH CAROLINA LEGISLATURE AND HE PUSHED THROUGH A RESOLUTION TO THE SECRETARY OF WAR CALLING FOR THEM TO PUT A NAVY STATION ON PARIS ISLAND.
AND EVENTUALLY HE WOULD GO ONTO CONGRESS WHERE HE WOULD CONTINUE HIS SUPPORT FOR A NAVY STATION HERE IN THE BEAUFORT PORT OIL AREA.
THEY EVENTUALLY OPENED A NAVY STATION HERE AND A COOLING STATION THEY CREATED IN THE 1890S ON PARIS ISLAND, THE LARGEST DRY DOCK IN THE UNITED STATES.
THIS IS THE PERIOD WHEN THE US NAVY WAS SWITCHING FROM SAIL TO STEAM.
ALL THE NAVYS OF THE WORLD NEED COLDING STATION.
THIS WAS THE PRINCIPAL COLDING STATION BECAUSE OF THE RAILROAD FOR THE CARIBBEAN AND SOUTH AMERICAN US FLEETS, THIS WOULD BE THE BIGGEST DRY DOCK SOUTH OF NORFOLK.
[01:45:01]
IN FACT, IT IS THE ONLY DRY DOCK SOUTH OF NORFOLK, VIRGINIA THAT'S CAPABLE OF TAKING THESE NEW MODERN BATTLESHIPS OF THESE NEW MODERN ARMORED CRUISERS.SO THIS BECOMES, AT THIS POINT, A STRATEGIC NAVY BASIN IN THAT IT PROVIDES COAL AND IT PROVIDES, UH, TOP LINE SUPPORT TO THE SHIPS, AND THEY CAN REPAIR THE HOLES OF EVEN THE BIGGEST SHIPS IN THE US NAVY.
FOLLOWING THE CIVIL WAR, NATIONAL STRATEGY AND EMPHASIS IN THE UNITED STATES SHIFTED FROM RECOVERY, FROM WAR, AND ALL OF OUR COASTAL FORTIFICATIONS WENT INTO NEGLECT.
THE MILITARY WAS BUSY TAMING THE WEST, AND COASTAL DEFENSES, UH, BECAME SOMETHING THAT WAS NO LONGER IMPORTANT.
AND THE REST OF THE WORLD, TECHNOLOGY IS MOVING FORWARD AND THEY'RE DEVELOPING THESE BATTLESHIPS.
THEY'RE DEVELOPING NEW, UH, HIGH QUALITY ARTILLERY.
AND THIS IS GOING ON, UM, WORLDWIDE.
AND IN 1885, PRESIDENT GROVER CLEVELAND APPOINTED INDICO BOARD, THIS WAS SEC HEADED BY SECRETARY WAR INDICO, WILLIAM INDICO.
AND THE BOARD WOULD MEET AND ISSUE A REPORT IN 1886.
AND THEY SAID THE CONDITIONS OF OUR COASTAL DEFENSES WERE JUST UNBEARABLE.
IT CANNOT BE ALLOWED TO STAY LIKE THAT.
AND THEY MADE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FORTIFICATION AND IMPROVEMENTS.
IDENTIFIED 29 PLACES THAT NEEDED FORTIFICATIONS, AND 11 OF WHICH WERE CRITICAL IN THAT LIST OF 29 SAVANNAH AND CHARLESTON ON THE LIST.
BUT BEAUFORT IS NOT ON THE LIST.
IT'LL TAKE INTERNATIONAL EVENTS TO BRING BEAUFORT INTO THE PLAY OF, OF MODERN FORT TECHNOLOGY.
SO THE USS MAINE WAS HERE ON PATROL AND IN THE HARBOR, AND WHILE THEY WERE IN THE HARBOR, SEVERAL TIMES THEY ENTERTAINED THE LOCAL POPULATION.
SO THE MERCHANTS AND THE SOCIAL LEADERS AND THE POLITICAL LEADERS OF BUFORD WERE INVITED TO COME HAVE LUNCH WITH THE CAPTAIN OF THE SHIP CAPTAIN SING SBY.
AND THE OFFICERS GOT TO KNOW THE PEOPLE.
THE PEOPLE GOT TO KNOW THE OFFICERS, THE CREW WHICH WAS LARGE, WOULD GO ASHORE ON PAYDAY AND MAKE FRIENDS WITH EVERYBODY IN TOWN.
SO IT WAS A VERY SOCIAL, UM, UN ARRANGEMENT BETWEEN THE TOWNS, PORT ROYAL AND BEAUFORD AND THE SHIP.
SO THE MAIN LEFT HERE, IT WENT AND REPROVISION, IT REFUELED IN KEY WEST AND THEN WENT TO 90 MILES ACROSS TO HAVANA INTO THE HARBOR AND BLEW UP THIS INFLAMED.
THE ALREADY, UH, HOT PASSIONS BOTH IN CUBA AND HERE IN THE UNITED STATES.
AT THAT POINT, SOMEBODY IN THE WAR DEPARTMENT REALIZED THAT WE HAD THIS BIG DRY DOCK, THE ONLY DRY DOCK IN THE SOUTH THAT COULD TAKE ON AND REPAIR THESE BIG CAPITAL SHIPS THAT WERE IN OUR NAVY.
WE WERE GONNA START OPERATIONS AGAINST A POWER IN THE CARIBBEAN.
AND THIS FORT WAS TOTALLY UNDEFENDED, AND THAT'S WHAT PUT FORT FREMONT ON THE MAP.
WE HAD TO HAVE A FORD HERE TO DEFEND THE COOLING STATION, AND ESPECIALLY THIS BIG DRY DOCK, AS WELL AS THIS FINE HARBOR THAT'S HERE.
AND OF COURSE, THAT EVENT, WHICH KILLED 300 OR MORE SAILORS ON THE SHIP, UM, WAS VERY MUCH FOLLOWED BY THE LOCAL NEWS MEDIA AND VERY MUCH LAMENTED BY THE MANY FRIENDS OF THE CREW HAD MADE HERE.
THE DESTRUCTION OF THE USS MAINE WAS A PERSONAL MATTER TO BEAUFORT AND TO PORT ROYAL SOUND.
UM, AND OF COURSE IT WAS THE SPANISH AMERICAN WAR AND THE ATTEMPT TO DEFEND THIS HARBOR AGAIN, WHICH LED TO THE, THE CREATION OF FORT FREEMONT.
THE UNITED STATES DECLARED WAR ON SPAIN IN, IN APRIL, 1898.
AND BY EARLY MAY, WE HAD TEMPORARY BATTERIES IN PLACE HERE, SUBMARINE MINES WERE IN PLACE, AND IN THE SUMMER, THEY WOULD ACTUALLY PLACE THE MINES ACROSS THE BEAUFORT RIVER.
THE TEMPORARY BATTERIES WERE A TEMPORARY EXPEDIENT.
THEY WERE LOCATED TO MY LEFT ABOUT A THOUSAND YARDS.
THEY IMMEDIATELY BEGAN CONSTRUCTION OF WHAT WOULD BECOME FORT FREMONT, THE LARGE BATTERIES WITH HOUSE OF LARGE GUNS, BATTERY FOR THE RAPID FIRE GUNS.
THE SMALLER BATTERY WAS COMPLETED BY JUNE OF 1898.
IN 1898, EVERYBODY IN TOWN WENT TO WAR.
UM, THEY HAD A NAVAL MILITIA UNIT, SOUTH JOHN NAVAL MILITIA UNIT, AND THEY WERE ABSORBED BY THE NAVY.
UH, MANY OF THEM RAN TUGBOATS FROM HERE TO NEW YORK TO KEY WEST, WHICH WAS THE PRINCIPLE SUPPORT BASE TAMPA AND KEY WEST FOR THE US ARMY OPERATIONS IN CUBA.
PEACE WAS DECLARED BY THE END OF 1898 AND THE, UH, REMAINDER OF FORT FREMONT WOULD NOT BE FINISHED UNTIL EARLY 1899, AND THE FIRST SOLDIERS WOULD ARRIVE FROM THE REGULAR ARMY AT THAT POINT IN MARCH 18TH, 1899.
WELL, FORT FREMONT WAS NAMED FOR, UH, MAJOR GENERAL JOHN FREMONT.
UH, HE WAS ACTUALLY A LOCAL BOY, SO TO SPEAK.
[01:50:01]
HE WAS BORN AND GREW UP IN, UH, SAVANNAH, GEORGIA, JUST, UH, SOUTH OF US.AND, UH, WENT TO, UH, COLLEGE IN THE COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON, UH, UP JUST NORTH OF US IN CHARLESTON.
HE SERVED IN THE ARMY AND, UH, PRIMARILY INITIALLY AS A, UH, EXPLORER, AS ARMY FORTS WERE GENERALLY NAMED FOR ARMY OFFICERS.
UH, AND HE WAS, UH, CONNECTED LOCALLY.
UH, THIS WAS, UH, MORE THAN LIKELY WHY THE FORT WAS NAMED FOR HIM.
THE FORT WAS CONSTRUCTED ON A SITE, UH, DIRECTLY ACROSS THE RIVER FROM, UH, THE PARIS ISLAND, UH, UH, NAVAL STATION.
AND THE SITE SELECTED WAS 170 ACRES, WHICH INCLUDED THE TWO, UH, ARTILLERY, UH, BATTERIES.
UH, FORT, UH, FOR FREMONT, OF COURSE HAD BATTERY FOR US AND BATTERY JESSUP.
UH, BUT THEN ADJACENT TO THE BATTERY SITE WAS AN ADMINISTRATIVE QUADRANGLE, VERY TYPICAL MILITARY TYPE, UH, ADMINISTRATIVE SQUARE.
UH, WE ARE SITTING IN THE NUMBER THREE GUN POSITION OF A THREE GUN BATTERY BATTERY JESSUP, WHICH HAD THREE 10 INCH DISAPPEARING CARRIAGE, LARGE CALIBER GUNS BREACH LOADING GUNS.
THEIR PURPOSE WAS TO, UH, ENGAGE THE WARSHIPS THAT MIGHT, UH, BE ENTERING THE HARBOR, UH, AND PORT ROYAL SOUND.
WE'RE HERE NOW AT THE SECOND BATTERY, UH, THAT WAS PART OF FORT FREMONT.
THIS IS BATTERY FOR, UH, WAS NAMED FOR A ARMY OFFICER, UH, THAT WAS ACTUALLY KILLED DURING THE SPANISH AMERICAN WAR.
UH, DURING THE BATTLE OF SAN JUAN HILL, UH, BATTERY FOUR MOUNTED TWO, UH, BRITISH MADE 4.72 INCH ARMSTRONG QUICK FIRE GUNS.
UH, THEY WERE CALLED QUICK FIRE BECAUSE THEY LOADED, UH, WERE LOADED WITH A COMPLETE CARTRIDGE AND IT, UH, IN TIME OF ACTION, THEY COULD FIRE FOUR TO SIX ROUNDS PER MINUTE.
THE PURPOSE OF BATTERY FORMAT WAS TO DEFEND THE MINE FIELD, WHICH WAS THE OTHER COMPONENT OF THE ENDICOTT COAST ARTILLERY OR OR COAST DEFENSE SYSTEM.
UH, A MINE FIELD, UH, WITH CONTROLLED MINES.
CONTROLLED MEANING THAT THEY WERE CONNECTED ELECTRICALLY TO SHORE AND COULD BE FIRED ON COMMAND FROM SHORE.
THAT, UH, CONTROL STATION WOULD'VE BEEN, UH, PROBABLY SHARED WITH THE PLOTTING ROOM.
AND IN ORDER TO PROTECT THE MINEFIELD, OBVIOUSLY AN ENEMY WOULD WANT TO INTERFERE WITH THAT.
MIGHT SEND VESSELS, UH, SMALL SHIPS IN HERE AT NIGHT TO TRY TO INTERFERE.
AND THIS BATTERY WOULD TAKE THOSE VESSELS UNDER FIRE IF THERE WAS SOME, UH, THERE WAS SUSPECTED THAT, UH, UH, THEY WERE DOING SOMETHING TO INTERFERE WITH THE MINES, SUCH AS, UH, PULLING UP THE CABLES AND CUTTING THOSE.
THE INDIGO ERA ERA FORT WAS A FORMIDABLE TECHNOLOGY.
IT REPRESENTED STATE OF THE ART TECHNOLOGY, DEFENSE TECHNOLOGY OF ITS TIME AGAINST THE STATE OF THE ART THREAT, WHICH WOULD BE THE BATTLE SHEET.
THE LIFE FOR THE SOLDIERS AT FORT FREMONT WAS DISCIPLINED AND REGIMENTED.
THEY EVEN HAD MEAL TIMES WERE SPECIFIED LENGTHS OF TIME, 15 MINUTES FOR LUNCH, 15 MINUTES AT BREAKFAST, 20 MINUTES AT SUPPER.
THEY HAD TO PRACTICE THEIR SKILLS.
THEY WERE TRAINING AND DOING MAINTENANCE CONSTANTLY, IF YOU CAN IMAGINE WITH THESE BIG GUNS.
THEY HAD TO HAVE SKILLS IN, IN PRACTICE, THE SKILLS IN ARTILLERY MIND LAYING SIGNALING, WHICH INVOLVED IN OUR CASE AT FORT FREMONT, THE USE OF THE FIRE CONTROL TOWER, WHICH WAS A PRETTY SOPHISTICATED AND, UM, ADVANCED SIGNALING TECHNIQUE.
THEN THEY ALSO HAD TO, UM, PRACTICE THE TYPICAL MILITARY SKILLS, MARCHING AND DRILLING, SMALL ARMS, FIRE, FIRST AID, AND SO FORTH.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, THEY ALSO, UM, HAD PARTICIPATED IN ATHLETICS.
THEY HAD PHYSICAL TRAINING, PT, AND THEY ALSO HAD SPORTS TEAMS. SO THIS WAS TO KEEP THEM PHYSICALLY FIT SO THAT THEY COULD CONTINUE THEIR, THEIR DUTIES BECAUSE THEY WERE, IT WAS PRETTY RIGOROUS AT FORT FREELAND WHEN EVENTUALLY THE DECISION WAS MADE TO MOVE A DRY DOCK AND THE COOLING STATION IN THE NAVY STATION UP TO CHARLESTON, THEN THIS
[01:55:01]
FORT NO LONGER BECAME SIGNIFICANT.THERE WAS NOTHING LEFT HERE THAT WAS TO BE PROTECTED AT THAT POINT.
1911, THE LAST TROOPS WERE TRANSFERRED OUT AND THE FORT WAS CLOSED IN 1901, THE MAYOR OF CHARLESTON AND THE UNITED STATES SENATOR PITCH FORT BEN TILLMAN FROM SOUTH CAROLINA WANTED THIS TO MOVE FROM BEAUFORT COUNTY TO CHARLESTON COUNTY CUZ THERE ARE MORE VOTES IN CHARLESTON COUNTY.
AND THE MAYOR WANTED THE US CORPS OF ENGINEERS IN THE, IN THE NAVY TO DREDGE THE HARBOR IN CHARLESTON.
CUZ BATTLESHIPS IN THOSE DAYS REQUIRED 26 FEET OF WATER.
CHARLESTON'S NATURAL HARBOR IS 15 FEET OF WATER.
PORT ROYAL IS 30 FEET OF WATER.
IN ORDER FOR CHARLESTON TO SUSTAIN ITS PORT, IT'S COMMERCIAL PORT, IT HAD TO DREDGE THE HARBOR.
WELL, IF THEY COULD GET THE NAVY UP THERE, THEY GET THE CORE OF ENGINEERS TO DREDGE THE HARBOR.
AND THE, THE PLAY FOR PITCHFORK, BEN TILLMAN, THE US SENATOR IN 1900 WAS THAT HE'D GET A WHOLE LOT MORE WORK FROM VOTES FROM THE LARGEST CITY IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
SO IT WAS A POLITICAL COMMERCIAL OPERATION, AND THEY MOVED THE NATION AND IT WAS DONE, BOOM, LIKE THAT.
THE FORT DID ITS JOB, THE DETERRENT FOR ANYBODY THAT WISHED TO ATTACK THESE.
IN FACT, THE WHOLE INDICO SYSTEM, ALTHOUGH NEVER CHALLENGED IN, UH, THIS ERA HERE IN THE UNITED STATES, PROVIDED SOME 300 MAJOR GUNS, COASTAL GUNS, TO PRO, UH, PROTECT MAJOR AREAS AND LEFT THE UNITED STATES AT THE BEGINNING OF THE 20TH CENTURY WITH AS WELL DEFENDED, UH, COASTLINE AS ANY PLACE IN, IN THE WORLD.
BUT I, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT IT'S A MAGNIFICENT ARTIFACT OF AN ERA, AND IT'S AN ERA THAT HAS BEEN NEGLECTED, UH, THE TURN OF THE 20TH CENTURY, UM, THE NAVAL STATION ACROSS THE RIVER HERE.
AND, UM, SO IT'S A, IT'S A PIECE OF HISTORY THAT'S DISAPPEARING AND THE FRIENDS OF FORT FREMONT AND BEAUFORT COUNTY HAVE PRESERVED IT BEFORE THE USE OF THE PUBLIC.
AND, UH, AS A MEMORIAL TO THAT MOMENT IN HISTORY, FORT FREMONT CLOSES A 350 YEAR STORY OF HOMELAND SECURITY ADDRESSING EUROPEAN IMPERIALISM IN THE 19TH CENTURY.
IT'S A TALE OF HOW GEOGRAPHY, TECHNOLOGY, AND NATIONAL SECURITY CREATES A TRANSITION FOR AMERICA TO BECOME A GLOBAL POWER.
IT'S ALSO A WONDERFUL SNAPSHOT OF AMERICA.
IN THE BEGINNING OF THE 20TH CENTURY, THE FRIENDS OF FORT FREMONT AND BEAUFORD COUNTY HAVE A VALUED PARTNERSHIP WORKING IN TANDEM TO PRESERVE THE FORT'S INTEGRITY AND PROMOTE THE HISTORICAL, NATURAL AND CULTURAL ASPECTS OF THE FORT.
MOST IMPORTANT, WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR CREATIVE WAYS TO ENHANCE THE VISITOR EXPERIENCE.