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CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BEAUFORT COUNTY, THE BEAUFORT COUNTY PARKS RECREATION BOARD.UH, BEFORE WE START, IF WE CAN ALL STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, THAT'D BE GREAT.
PLEDGE, PLEDGE, ALLEGIANCE, FLAG, FLAG, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
HE'S THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS.
ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INVISIBLE LIBERTY.
UH, ONCE AGAIN, BEFORE WE KICK IT OFF, LET'S START OFF WITH SOME INTRODUCTIONS AND LET'S DO IT ONLINE FIRST, IN CASE WE LOSE THEM.
UH, WHO DO WE HAVE ONLINE RIGHT NOW? BRUCE, WHY DON'T WE START WITH YOU? YEAH, BRUCE JAGER, UH, SOUTH OF THE BROAD, UH, CHAIRMAN.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE ON THE LINE THAT I'M MISSING RIGHT NOW? ERIC? UH, ERIC BREWSTER, SOUTH OF BROAD.
LET'S GO TO MY RIGHT DOWN HERE, SIR.
RON CAMPBELL, NORTH OF THE BROAD WILL MCCULLOUGH, VICE CHAIR NORTH OF THE BROAD CARLOS CAVE DISTRICT AD BUFORD COUNTY SCHOOLS.
KENNY MACK, NORTH OF THE ROAD.
SHANNON, LET'S POP OVER TO YOU.
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION, PARKS AND REC.
ALL RIGHT, SO THAT'S EVERYBODY THAT'S CONNECTED RIGHT NOW.
AND ONCE AGAIN, WE KNOW WE HAVE A COUPLE PEOPLE OFFLINE, SO IF WE LOSE THEM, ARE THEY COMING IN AND OUT THEN THAT'S, UH, TO BE EXPECTED.
UH, RIGHT NOW, I BELIEVE ALL VOTING BOARD MEMBERS HAVE IN FRONT OF THEM A COPY OF AN AGENDA.
UH, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS WRITTEN TO RU? EXCELLENT.
I HAVE A FIRST MOTION TO APPROVE.
ACROSS THE BOARD, THE MOTION IS APPROVED.
UH, ARE THERE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC RIGHT NOW THAT ARE HERE THAT HAVE ANY COMMENTS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH US FOR THE PARKS AND REC BOARD? OKAY.
UH, ALSO, BOARD MEMBERS WHO ARE VOTING IN FRONT OF YOU, YOU SHOULD HAVE A COPY OF THE SEPTEMBER MINUTES.
IF YOU WOULD GO AHEAD AND TAKE A MOMENT TO REVIEW THOSE, TAKE A LOOK AT 'EM.
AND ONCE YOU'VE HAD A FEW MOMENTS TO DO THAT, LET ME KNOW IF THERE'S A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES AS PRESENTED, OR POTENTIALLY IF YOU'D LIKE TO CHANGE ANY OF THOSE.
SO, AT YOUR CONVENIENCE, IF YOU'RE A VOTING MEMBER, WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR IS ANY AMENDMENTS TO THOSE MINUTES OR FAILING THAT.
A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES AS PRESENTED.
I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES AS PRESENTED.
IS THERE A SECOND? I CAN SECOND.
THE MOTIONS, OR I'M SORRY, THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE SEPTEMBER MINUTES HAS PASSED.
THAT BEING SAID, LOOKS LIKE WE ARE MOVING ON NOW TO THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT.
I BELIEVE THE FIRST THING OUR AGENDA WITH REGARDS TO THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT IS THE DOWNTOWN TENNIS GRANT OPENING, WHICH EVERYBODY LOCALLY IS VERY EXCITED ABOUT.
WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THAT, SHANNON? THEY ARE, AND ALSO WILL I DO HAVE, UM, FORGOTTEN TO BRING UP.
I DO HAVE, UH, AMENDMENT TO THE AGENDA.
UM, THAT I DID HAD TO TAB, ADD TO THE SLIDESHOW, SORRY, I'VE BEEN SICK.
UM, FOR, UM, A FEE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDED FOR THE, UM, RENTAL OF BUCK WALTER REC CENTER.
SO THERE IS, UH, DOES ANYBODY HAVE A MOTION TO ADD TO THE AGENDA? A, UH, A LINE ITEM TO POTENTIALLY APPROVE OR NOT APPROVE THE FEE AS MENTIONED BY SHANNON? SHANNON, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE HER MOVE TO AMEND AGENDA? IS THERE A SECOND? SAY AGAIN SECOND.
THAT MOTION TO AMEND THE AGENDA IS APPROVED.
WHY DON'T YOU START OFF THAT, SHANNON, JUST, UH, KEEP IT FRESH IN OUR MEMORY.
SO THE BEAUFORT TENNIS COURT, UM, UPDATE, UM, AS WE KNOW, THE BEAUFORT TENNIS COURTS HAVE FINALLY OPENED.
UM, THIS WAS OUR GRAND OPENING CEREMONY THAT WE HAD, UM, TURNED OUT GREAT.
UH, WE STILL HAVE SOME THINGS THAT ARE, UM, GOING ON OVER THERE.
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ARE CURRENTLY, UM, GOING TO REPLACE THE LIGHTING THERE.THE LIGHTING WAS BACK ORDERED, SO IT TOOK US A LITTLE BIT OF TIME.
UM, SOME OF THE POLES HAVE BEEN DELIVERED.
THE REST OF THE POLES WILL BE DELIVERED IN JANUARY, AND THEN THOSE WILL BE SWAPPED OUT, AND WE'LL HAVE UPGRADED LIGHTING.
UM, I ALSO PLAN ON ADDING IN THE C I P THIS YEAR FOR THE, UM, TO HAVE, UM, PARKING UPGRADED AS WELL.
SO, UM, HOPEFULLY THAT'S GONNA BE, UM, THE FUTURE.
BUT, UM, RIGHT NOW ALL IS WELL.
EVERYBODY SEEMS TO BE HAPPY WITH THEM.
UM, WE HAVE HIRED A PART-TIME, UM, UH, TENNIS PERSON THAT'S OUT THERE.
UH, DONNA WINLAND, HER PAPERWORK'S BEING SUBMITTED, AND, UM, SHE'S HELPING US WITH, YOU KNOW, BRINGING IN TOURNAMENTS AND DIFFERENT THINGS.
SO EVERYBODY SEEMS TO BE REAL EXCITED ABOUT THE DOWNTOWN TENNIS COURTS.
YEAH, THERE'S DEFINITELY BEEN A LOT OF LOCAL CHATTER FROM A HYPER-LOCAL PERSPECTIVE ABOUT THAT.
EVERYBODY'S VERY HAPPY, SO THAT'S GREAT.
UM, AS FAR AS THE CEILING GOES, UM, IT, AS YOU CAN LOOK AT FROM THE PAST PICTURES, AND THEN LOOK AT THESE PICTURES, IT'S DAYLIGHT AND DARK.
UM, WHEN IT COMES TO, THERE'S NO RUST, THE BEAMS LOOK GREAT.
UM, THE ROOF IS SECURED, EVERYTHING'S SAFE.
UM, SO WE ARE BACK TO SWIMMING.
WE HAVE ALSO ADDED, UM, THE INFLATABLE DAYS ON SATURDAY AT THE, UM, BLUFF AND POOL.
SO NOW WE HAVE INFLATABLES, UM, NORTH AND SOUTH ON SATURDAYS.
UM, OUR SENIORS, I'M GONNA, UM, BLOW YOU GUYS UP IN A SECOND WITH SENIOR PICTURES.
UM, IT'S SUCH AN EXCITING PROGRAM.
AS YOU CAN SEE, IT IS STILL GROWING.
UH, PORT ROYAL HAS 35 SCOTT CENTER, 19 AND ST.
UM, THIS IS A GROUP OF OUR SENIORS FROM OUR PORT ROYAL LOCATION.
UM, YOU, AS YOU CAN SEE, THEY'RE DOING A LITTLE BAKING ACTIVITY.
UM, THIS IS OUR, ALSO OUR PORT ROYAL LOCATION WHEN THEY WENT ON A FIELD TRIP.
UM, EACH OF THE SENIORS WE'VE GOTTEN THERE, UM, THEY, THEY PICKED OUT THEIR COLORS WITH THEIR NAMES ON THEIR SHIRT SO THEY CAN BE IDENTIFIED ON FIELD TRIPS.
UM, THESE ARE OUR SENIORS THAT WENT TO THE SENIOR DAY IN YI.
AND, UM, THEY HAD A DANCE COMPETITION.
UH, THESE ARE A SET OF OUR SENIORS FROM BURTON WELLS THAT WENT TO THE STATE FAIR.
THESE ARE THE SENIORS THAT WENT TO THE CAHILLS MARKET AND LOOKING AT THE, UM, FRESH PRODUCE.
UM, FROM, THIS IS THE BLUFFTON SENIORS AS WELL.
THIS IS WHEN THEY WENT TO THE MUSEUM IN SAVANNAH.
THESE ARE OUR PORT ROYAL SENIORS THAT WENT TO THE PUMPKIN PATCH.
AND THESE ARE A SET OF OUR SENIORS THAT WENT ON A FIELD TRIP.
AND THIS IS OUR OLDEST SENIOR MS. RIVERS WHO TURNED 104.
UM, WE HAD, UM, UH, ON THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE, UH, W T O C CAME OUT AND DID A LITTLE THING ON HER TURNING 104.
UM, AND SHE WANTED TO RIDE A MOTORCYCLE THE DAY OF HER BIRTHDAY.
SO SHE GOT ON THE BACK OF THE MOTORCYCLE, AND THAT'S WHAT SHE WAS ABLE TO DO.
UM, THESE ARE OUR SENIORS FROM OUR ST.
HELENA WHERE THEY DID A TABLE DECORATING CONTEST.
AND THESE ARE OUR SENIORS FROM PORT ROYAL.
UM, YOU'LL SEE THAT THEY WERE DECORATING OUR CHRISTMAS TREES AS WELL AS THEIR CRAFTS THAT THEY MADE.
AND THEN THEY ALSO COLLECTED GIFTS FOR ONE OF THE, UM, NEEDY LOCATIONS.
THESE ARE OUR SENIORS AT BURTON WELLS THAT HAD SANTA.
THESE ARE OUR SENIORS AT SCOTT THAT HAD SANTA.
AND THESE ARE OUR SENIORS IN BLUFFTON.
AND THEIR LITTLE CHRISTMAS, UM, GET TOGETHER THAT THEY DID.
THIS IS MORE OF THE CHRISTMAS FROM THERE.
THIS IS, THIS STARTS OUR, WHAT WE DID IS THIS YEAR WE HAD A BIG CHRISTMAS FOR ALL THE SENIORS AND INVITED EACH OF THE LOCATIONS OUT.
UM, SPRINGER HEALTHCARE, UM, VOLUNTEERED TO, UM, DO 'EM A LUNCH.
SO, UM, WE GOT TOGETHER AND BROUGHT 'EM OUT TO BURTON WELLS.
AND THESE ARE OUR LITTLE TABLE SETTINGS THAT WE DID FOR EACH OF 'EM.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, THESE ARE THEM, UM, AT, AT THE BURTON.
WELL CENTER ALL OF THEM TOGETHER.
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THIS IS MORE PICTURES OF THEM AS THEY WERE COMING THROUGH AND GETTING THEIR LUNCH.AND THIS IS JUST MORE PICTURES OF 'EM.
UM, WE HAD, UM, WE ORDERED THE BACKDROP, AS YOU CAN SEE, FOR THE DIFFERENT PEOPLE TO TAKE PICTURES WITH.
UM, WE ENDED UP HAVING OVER 95 SENIORS THAT GOT TOGETHER AND CAME OUT THAT WE DID, UM, THAT SPRINGER DID THE LUNCH FOR, AND WE DECORATED AND DID FOR.
SO THEY, UM, SEEMED TO REALLY ENJOY IT.
UM, THEY FELT LIKE THE BINGO WAS KINDA LONG.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, WITH THAT MANY, TO HAVE BINGO FOR, YOU KNOW, IT WAS KIND OF A, BUT WE DID, UM, WE SANG SONGS TOGETHER.
UM, WE DID CHRISTMAS TRIVIA, SO IT WAS, IT WAS A LOT OF FUN.
UM, THIS WAS OUR TREE, CHRISTMAS TREE, TREE DECORATING CONTEST THAT, UM, UM, THEY SENT OUT, UM, COUNTYWIDE AND STAFF.
OUR STAFF GOT TOGETHER AND WE DECIDED THAT WE WERE GONNA DO A LOW COUNTRY THEME FOR OURS.
UM, WE PUT OUR CHRISTMAS TREE IN A CRAB TRAP AND, UM, PUT A LITTLE BAG UP WITH THE OYSTER SHELLS.
AND EACH INDIVIDUAL ORNAMENT REPRESENTED SOMETHING FROM THE LOW COUNTRY, WHETHER IT WAS OYSTERS, SHRIMP, OLD BAY, UM, BOATS, PONTOONS, UM, THE MILITARY, WHATEVER IT WAS.
AND WE ENDED UP, UM, WINNING FIRST PLACE FOR IT.
UH, BEFORE, BEFORE YOU HIT THE NEXT STEP ON THERE, IS THERE ANYTHING UPCOMING WITH REGARD TO THE SENIOR PROGRAM THAT WE AS A BOARD SHOULD BE AWARE OF OR, YOU KNOW, THINK ABOUT THAT WE SHOULD BE CONSIDERING TO VOTE ON OR WHATEVER, ANYTHING ELSE OUTSIDE OF WHAT'S HAPPENED, WHAT'S COMING UP IN THE FUTURE OF THAT, THAT WE SHOULD BE AWARE OF THAT WE MAY NEED TO? OUR SENIORS ARE ACTUALLY DOING REALLY WELL.
UM, WE'RE ACTUALLY DOING OVERLY WELL.
UM, DIDN'T EXPECT THAT WE WOULD, UM, TAKE OFF THE WAY THAT WE HAVE.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, AND, AND I EXPLAINED TO ALL OF YOU GUYS BEFORE, UM, WE WENT THROUGH LOW COG AND DID A GRANT WITH THEM, UM, TO RUN THE SENIOR PROGRAM.
UM, MONEY IS GOING RATHER QUICKLY FROM THAT BECAUSE OF THE, UM, RAPID GROWTH.
SO, UM, I WILL BE PUTTING MONEY INTO NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET WITH THE SENIORS.
UM, I THINK THAT WE'RE MAXED OUT ON OUR GRAND AMOUNT.
I DON'T THINK THAT THEY EXPECTED THAT WE WERE GONNA DO AS WELL AS WE DID EITHER.
UM, BUT ADMINISTRATION'S BEEN SUPER SUPPORTIVE OF IT.
UM, THEY SEEM TO BE HAPPY WITH THE PROGRAM AND, UM, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING THAT WE'VE NEEDED, ADMINISTRATION HAS, YOU KNOW, HAD OUR BACK TO HELP US AND SUPPORT US, YOU KNOW, WITH THE SENIOR PROGRAM.
SO, SO, SO FAR OUR ADMINISTRATORS MENTIONED THE, THE DOWNTOWN TENNIS UPDATE AND THE BLUFFTON POOL AND THE SENIOR UPDATE.
BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD, ANYBODY ONLINE, LET'S START HERE IN PERSON.
ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT SHE'S COVERED SO FAR, OR, YEAH, I HEARD A LOT OF BUZZ ABOUT THE, UH, THE GREEN STREET.
I CALL IT THE GREEN STREET, BUT THE TENNIS AND, UM, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE HAPPY NOW.
THEY'RE WHAT THEY'RE SAYING, YOU KNOW, IF I SEE ONE HERE, I WANNA SEE SOME THERE.
WHY DON'T WE GONNA DO SOMETHING SOMEWHERE ELSE, LIKE MAYBE SAY HELL NO, UPGRADE THEIRS AND MAKE IT LOOK GOOD.
SO, BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAD TO MADE SOME GOOD COMMENTS ABOUT THE, UH, PARK.
I RIDE WITH THEM LOOKING, IT'S REALLY NICE.
YEAH, YOU GUYS, AND WE DO HAVE, OF COURSE WE DO HAVE THE PLAYGROUNDS.
THAT SHOULD ALL BE IN HOPEFULLY MARCH AND APRIL AT EACH OF THE FACILITIES THAT WE ORDERED THEM FOR.
SO HOPEFULLY THEY'LL SEE THOSE.
UM, I KNOW THE TENNIS COURTS WERE UPGRADED, UM, AT SCOTT AND, UM, ST.
HELENA AND THE BASKETBALL COURTS.
SO, UM, BOTH OF THOSE WERE DONE AS WELL.
WE, WE ACTUALLY DID 'EM THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE COUNTY.
UM, THEY WERE BEHIND IN, IN THAT A LITTLE BIT.
SO HOPEFULLY, UM, THE PLAYGROUNDS, HOPEFULLY IT'LL START, MAKE, GIVING SOME SMILES OUT THERE TO THE PLAYGROUNDS.
OUR, OUR ONLINE VOTING MEMBERS, YOU GUYS HAVE ANY, UH, QUESTIONS OR INPUT SO FAR ON WHAT, UH, SHANNON HAS COVERED? NO PROBLEM.
SO, REGISTRATION, WHAT'S THAT GOING ON? SO, REGISTRATION, UM, CURRENT SPORTS WINNER, AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS IS OUR, UM, BEAUFORT, OUR BASKETBALL, UM, 234.
UM, BUT WE ALSO HAVE 17 ON THE WAIT LIST.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY SEEMS TO WAIT TO WANT TO GET REGISTERED FOR SPORTS, AND THAT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, ONCE WE GET 'EM, WE GET THE UNIFORMS ORDERED, ESPECIALLY IN TODAY'S, UM, TRYING TO GET UNIFORMS IN TIME HAS JUST BEEN RATHER CHALLENGING.
SO WE HATE LEAVING ANYONE ON THE WAIT LIST.
BUT THERE COMES A POINT THAT WE ALMOST HAVE TO JUST DRAW THE LINE.
UM, OUR BLUFFTON OUR BASKETBALL, UM, WE'RE AT 8 49, AS YOU CAN SEE.
WE'RE UP 186 KIDS AND STILL LEFT 24 ON THE WAITING LIST.
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A YEAR OF EXPLOSION, UM, FOR OUR BASKETBALL IN BLUFFTON.WE'RE UP 25 TEAMS. UM, SPRING YOUTH SPORTS REGISTRATION BEGAN ON JANUARY THE FIRST, UM, WHICH WAS FOUR DAYS AGO NOW FOUR IS TODAY FOURTH.
UM, I JUST GOT OUT OF MY STAFF MEETING AND, UM, WE ALREADY HAVE A HUNDRED KIDS IN FOUR DAYS, UM, REGISTERED FOR SOCCER.
SO, UM, WE'RE MOVING RIGHT ALONG AS FAR AS OUR PROGRAMMING GOES.
ADULT SPORTS REGISTRATION BEGINS NOVEMBER THE FIRST.
UM, KICKBALL, WE HAD 82 PLAYERS AND SIX TEAMS. DODGE BALL WAS A ZERO.
UM, WE KEEP PLAYING AROUND WITH DODGE BALL TO SEE WHERE WE CAN MOVE IT.
UM, WE ARE GOING TO ALSO, UM, WE HAVEN'T HEARD IN RECENT YEARS, WE DIDN'T DO KICKBALL NORTH OF THE BROAD BECAUSE THERE WAS A GROUP THAT DID KICKBALL, UM, ALREADY NORTH OF THE BROAD.
WE HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT THAT.
SO, UM, WE WERE TALKING YESTERDAY WITH STAFF AND UM, WE'RE GONNA ADVERTISE IT NEXT TIME, NORTH OF THE BROAD, AND SEE WHAT WE GET.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, CUZ WE HAVEN'T HEARD FROM THE GROUP, THEY DON'T USE OUR FIELDS AND WE DON'T KNOW WHO TO EVEN REACH OUT TO.
SO WE ARE GONNA TO ATTEMPT THAT AND SEE WHAT WE CAN GET.
UH, TOURNAMENTS, UH, ANY QUESTIONS ON REGISTRATION FROM ANY BOARD MEMBERS? OKAY.
ONLINE OR IN PERSON? UM, SO, UH, SHE AND, UM, BASKETBALL IN BLUFFTON PLUS 25 TEAMS, WHAT IS THAT GONNA DO TO PRACTICE TIMES AND OTHER THINGS IN OUR GYM? I MEAN, WHERE, WHERE ARE WE AT RELATIVE TO CAPACITY ON A DAILY BASIS? I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO, BRUCE.
UM, WE'RE AT, WE'RE AT TOTAL CAPACITY WITH WHAT WE'VE GOT.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE WERE TALKING STAFF WHEN I WAS GETTING THEIR INPUT LAST WEEK.
UM, LOOKS LIKE WE'RE GONNA BE AT THERE ON SOME SUNDAYS.
UM, LOOKS LIKE WE'RE JUST GONNA BE PLAYING AROUND THE CLOCK HERE SOON.
UM, I, I, I, I JUST DON'T KNOW, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE KIND OF IN THE SITUATION THAT WE WERE IN, YOU KNOW, 10 YEARS AGO WHEN WE HAD ONE GYM.
UM, WE'RE JUST WHERE WE'RE AT.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO.
UM, IT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS OUR BIGGEST COMPLAINT START.
WHEN DO PRACTICE AND GAMES START? WHAT'S THE SEASON? SO, GAMES ACTUALLY OFFICIALLY STARTED TUESDAY WHEN WE CAME BACK.
UM, PRACTICES STARTED IN, UM, THE BEGINNING OF NOVEMBER, IN MIDDLE PART OF NOVEMBER.
SO, YOU KNOW, UM, WITH BASKETBALL IT'S A LITTLE CHALLENGING WITH PRACTICE BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT, UM, THANKSGIVING AND CHRISTMAS THAT FALLS IN THERE.
UM, BUT WE'RE JUST GONNA MAKE THE BEST OF IT, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS OUR BIGGEST COMPLAINT YEARS AGO IS THAT THE KIDS DIDN'T GET ENOUGH PRACTICE.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, AS WE PROGRESS AND AS WE GROW, YOU KNOW, WE'LL FOCUS OUR PRACTICES MORE ON THE, THE OLDER THAN THE YOUNGER, UM, YOU KNOW, TO MAKE SURE.
BUT AT SOME POINT I'M, I I, I DON'T KNOW HOW WE WOULD BRANCH BACK OUT TO THE SCHOOLS AGAIN BECAUSE THEY'RE USING THE GYMS AT THE SAME TIME.
SO I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO.
ANY OTHER INPUT FROM QUESTION? QUESTION? YEAH.
Y'ALL DO SHARE COACH, UH, COURTS, RIGHT? ONCE WE BASKETBALL, YEAH, WE DO.
AND WITH THE LITTLE KIDS, WE, EVEN WITH THE FOUR, YOU KNOW THAT.
UM, TOURNAMENT, SO WE HAD OUR FLAG FOOTBALL PRO BOWL WITH THE BEAUFORD AND BLUFFTON.
UM, STAFF CAME UP WITH THAT A FEW YEARS AGO, UM, THAT THEY WANTED TO DO.
UM, BLUFFTON ENDED UP WINNING THE SEVEN AND EIGHTS, THE NINE AND TENS AND THE 11 AND OLDER.
UM, THE BEAUFORT PROG PROGRAM IS DEFINITELY GROWING.
WE'RE, WE'RE SUPER EXCITED ABOUT IT.
UM, THEY WERE VERY COMPETITIVE.
UM, THEY DON'T HAVE, YOU KNOW, THE NUMBER OF KIDS THAT WE DO ON, UM, THE SOUTH OF BROADSIDE, BUT WHAT WE HAVE ON THE NORTH OF BROADSIDE IS DEFINITELY GROWING WHEN IT COMES TO FLAG FOOTBALL.
UM, OFF TOPIC A LITTLE BIT, BUT WE, UM, HAD ONE OF THESE SCHOOLS REACH OUT TO US, UM, AND THEY CAME TO US ABOUT STARTING THE OLDER KIDS FEMALE FLAG FOOTBALL, UM, BECAUSE THEY DO POWDER PUFF, IS THAT WHAT THEY CALL IT? CARLOS? IT'S CALLED POWDER PUFF.
UM, SO I'M AWARE OF, OF THE SCHOOL THAT YOU'RE REFERENCING AND THE DISTRICT IS ACTIVELY LOOKING INTO BECAUSE IT IS AN, UH, N FHS SANCTIONED SPORT AROUND THE COUNTRY.
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GEORGIA CURRENTLY HAS FEMALE FLAG FOOTBALL, AND THAT IS THE END GAME FOR SOUTH CAROLINA.BUT FOR THIS AREA OF BUFORD AREA, ALL OF THE SCHOOLS THERE IS INTEREST BY THE FEMALE ATHLETES TO HAVE FLAG FOOTBALL.
WE'RE JUST LOOKING AT IT AS A DISTRICT, THE CLUB COMPONENT AND HOW WE WANT TO TIE IT IN WITH COURSE WITH, WITH WITH PALS.
UM, SO THAT'S, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHERE WE ARE.
BUT I'M, I'M FAMILIAR WITH, YES.
SO THEY, THEY CAME AND ASKED ME ABOUT IT AND UM, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE WE WANNA SUPPORT OUR SCHOOLS.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY ASKED ME ABOUT DOING IT, BECAUSE THEY SAID, TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THE, THE SANCTIONS AND THE ISSUES WITH DOING IT AS A CLUB.
AND SO WE SAID, YEAH, WE'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO TAKE IT ON AS A REC SPORT, UM, FOR EACH OF THE SCHOOLS.
UM, WHAT WE ARE, OUR FOCUS IS, IS IF WE CAN, IS GONNA BE TO KEEP THE SCHOOLS TOGETHER.
UM, SO THAT UM, WELL BRANCH THEIR TEAM STAYS TOGETHER, BEFOR HIGH, YOU KNOW.
UM, WE ALSO AGREED THAT WE'LL WORK WITH THEM KIND OF ALONG THE SAME LINES THAT WE DO.
UM, WE'LL WAIT TILL THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S DONE WITH THEIR SEASON BEFORE WE ACTUALLY START OUR SEASON MM-HMM.
SO TO HELP THEM OUT IN, UM, TRYING TO FORM THE PROGRAM.
WE'VE AGREED THAT WE'RE GONNA WAIT TILL SPRING SOFTBALL'S OVER WITH, WE'LL DO REGISTRATION NOW, BUT WE'LL WAIT TILL SPRING SOFTBALL AND SOCCER IS OVER WITH BEFORE WE START THE FLAG FOOTBALL SEASON.
SO THAT THO THE GIRLS CAN PLAY BOTH AND THAT THEY DON'T GET LEFT OUT.
SO WE'RE HOPING TO BE SUCCESSFUL WITH THAT.
YOU JUST LET ME KNOW CAUSE THAT, LIKE I SAID, THE ENTRANCE IS DEFINITELY THERE.
WELL, WE'RE ADVERTISING IT NOW AND JEREMY'S GONNA GET SOME MORE INFORMATION OUT THERE.
SO, UM, IF YOU CAN TELL ME HOW BETTER TO GET INTO EACH OF THE SCHOOLS OR, YOU KNOW, IF YOU COULD DO THAT.
WE, WE DEFINITELY WANNA SUPPORT AND WE KNOW PROBABLY IN TWO YEARS A YEAR IT'LL GO AWAY CUZ THE SCHOOLS WILL END UP TAKING IT ON AS THEIR OWN SPORT.
BUT AT LEAST WE'VE GOT GIRLS THAT ARE GONNA GRADUATE THAT DO, DON'T GET LEFT OUT IN THE MEANTIME.
SO CURRENTLY FLAG FOOTBALL THAT IS COED OR IS IT, IT WE JUST DID THE GIRLS.
FOR THE, THE, THE HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS IS HOW WE'VE ADVERTISED IT.
UM, DISTRICT GIRLS SOCCER, UM, A U AND 10 U BLUFFTON.
UM, ONE, UM, DISTRICT BOYS WAS A U 10 U AND 12.
AND THEN THE 15 U, THE BEAUFORT COUNTY COMBINED TEAM THAT WE COMBINED WON.
AND THEN THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP, UM, TOURNAMENTS, THE EIGHT U 10 U AND 12 U BLUFFTON, UM, WENT TO THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS FROM THE DISTRICT AND THEY WON.
AND THEN THE 15 U BEAUFORT COUNTY TEAM WON.
UM, THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP BOYS, THE 10 U BLUFFTON WON.
THE 12 U BLUFFTON WERE RUNNER UP.
AND THE 15 U BEAUFORT COUNTY COMBINED TEAM WAS RUNNER UP.
SO, UM, WE ENDED UP, UM, WITH ADMINISTRATION SUPPORTING US TO GIVE US, UM, ADDITIONAL STAFFING.
UM, WE WERE ABLE TO OPEN UP SO THAT WE HAVE RECREATION OPENED UP ON SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS, BOTH NORTH AND SOUTH OF THE BROAD, UM, BEAUFORT.
WE'VE GOT LYNN BROWN OPEN UP ON SATURDAYS FROM EIGHT TO FOUR, AND BURTON WELLS OPENED UP ON SUNDAYS FROM EIGHT TO FOUR, AND THEN BUCK WALTER SATURDAY AND SUNDAY FROM EIGHT TO FOUR.
UM, SO WE ARE OPEN FOR THE KIDS ON THE WEEKENDS.
UM, THIS IS WHERE THE AGENDA, UM, ITEM CAME IN.
SO, UM, TO SET THE FEE, UM, ADMINISTRATION, UM, HAS, UM, INSTRUCTED US THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE HOME AND GARDEN SHOW BACK AT, UM, BUCK WALTER, UM, THIS YEAR.
UM, WE HAVEN'T HAD IT THERE IN THREE YEARS, UM, PARTLY TO DO WITH COVID AND, YOU KNOW, UM, THEIR CONTRACT HAD EXPIRED WITH US AND, UM, SOMEWHAT TO DO WITH OUR GROWTH.
UM, WE HAD, UM, SO THEY'VE ASKED FOR THE HOME AND GARDEN SHOW WILL BE MARCH THE 31ST, APRIL THE FIRST AND THE SECOND, WHICH WAS WHEN THE SHOW ACTUALLY TAKES PLACE, WHICH IS A FRIDAY, SATURDAY, AND SUNDAY.
AND, UM, THEY WILL BEGIN COMING IN ON TUESDAY AND WILL CLOSE THE FOUR GYMS DOWN.
UM, SO THEY'LL BE SETTING UP ON TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY IN PREPARATION FOR THE SHOW TO START ON FRIDAY.
AND IT'LL, IT'LL BE ON FRIDAY, SATURDAY AND SUNDAY.
UM, SO WE'LL ACTUALLY BE CLOSED, UM, TUESDAY, WE, I MEAN TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY, UM, IN ORDER FOR IT TO TAKE PLACE.
SO, UM, IN THE PAST, UM, A FEE WAS SET BEFORE THE BOARD WAS, UM, ASSIGNED TO SET FEES.
UM, THE FEE WAS SET BY ADMINISTRATION, UM, IN THE FORM OF AN EXCHANGE FOR THE FLOOR COVERING, UM, THE LOW COUNTRY HOME AND GARDEN
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SHOW PAID FOR THE, UM, FLOOR COVERING FOR US, UM, FOR THREE OF THE FOUR GYMS. SO, UM, WITH THAT BEING SAID, UM, IF, IF YOU GUYS CAN SET A FEE FOR THEM, UM, FOR THE, THE LEASE OF THE BUILDING, UM, WHEN WE GO TO DO ALL OF OUR PAPERWORK, THEN I'LL HAVE EVERYTHING I NEED IN ORDER TO DO THAT.SO THAT SAID, OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE THE DIRECTOR AND YOU DEAL WITH THE NUTS AND BOLT OF THIS, AND WE MAY BE IGNORANT TO THAT.
WHAT DOES THAT FEE OR SOMETHING COMPARABLE HAVE BEEN TO THE PAST? IF YOU RULED THE WORLD, WHAT WOULD YOUR RECOMMENDATION BE FOR THAT FEE AND WHY? UH, I'M, BECAUSE WE'RE JUST MAKING UP NUMBERS AND I DON'T LET HIM DO THAT.
AND I'M NOT SURE WHAT, UM, RENT THE, WHAT THE BUILDING WOULD BE.
WHAT IS IT SHUTTING DOWN? WHAT ARE WE LOSING BY, UM, AS A COUNTY? ONE SECOND, BRUCE.
SO, I MEAN, WE'LL, WE'LL, THE GYM MEMBERS WILL MOVE THEIR DATES, SO THEY'LL, THEY'LL BE, YOU KNOW, NOT ABLE TO USE THE FACILITY FROM LIKE TUESDAY TO SUNDAY.
BUT WE'LL ADD THOSE DATES ONTO THE YEAR.
IF THEY HAVE A MONTH MEMBERSHIP OR THEY HAVE A YEAR MEMBERSHIP OR WHATEVER IT IS, WE'LL GO IN THERE AND ADD THOSE, UM, TO THEIR MEMBERSHIPS SO THEY WON'T ACTUALLY LOSE ANY.
THEY'LL LOSE BEING ABLE TO WORK OUT THAT WEEK BUT NOT LOSE THEIR MONEY.
SO YOU'RE ASKING US FOR, TO APPROVE A FEE FOR THAT USAGE, AM I CORRECT? CORRECT.
UH, ONLINE BRUCE, ERIC INPUT BEFORE WE GO TO THE PEOPLE HERE ARE PRESENT.
I WAS JUST GOING TO ASK, UM, BESIDES THE GYM MEMBERSHIP IMPACT, UM, IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S A LOT OF, UH, BEHIND THE SCENES WORK THAT MAY HAVE TO HAPPEN WITH YOU AND YOUR TEAM.
UH, WHAT DOES THAT IMPACT LOOK LIKE, IF YOU CAN QUANTIFY IT AT ALL? WE WON'T ACTUALLY BE, I MEAN, WE WON'T BE DOING ANYTHING.
UM, THEY'LL COME IN AND THEY'LL HAVE THEIR STAFF THAT'LL DO WHAT THEY NEED TO DO.
WE, WE AS A TEAM WON'T DO ANYTHING, UM, EITHER STAY IN OUR OFFICES OR, YOU KNOW, UM, WE MAY TAKE OUR TEAM OUT TO DO SOME CATCH UP WORK ON DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE DO, BUT, UM, WE WON'T BE DOING ANYTHING.
UM, FOR, I GUESS I'M, I GUESS I'M THINKING SHANNON LIKE, UH, COMPUTER WORK TO EXTEND ALL OF THE GYM MEMBERSHIPS OUT.
UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY MEMBERS THERE ARE, BUT, UM, OBVIOUSLY YOU'VE GOTTA DEAL WITH, WITH THAT EXTENSION.
UM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT TAKES.
UH, OBVIOUSLY, UH, DEALING WITH COMPLAINTS FROM PEOPLE WHO, UH, EXPECT TO BE ABLE TO NOT HAVE THEIR WORKOUT ROUTINE INTERRUPTED, UM, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
UM, YOU KNOW, BUT WE'LL, WE'LL GET IT DONE, BUT IT WILL HAPPEN.
UM, AND THEN, AND THEN LASTLY, I GUESS MY QUESTION WOULD BE IS, IS, UM, UH, WELL I GUESS I'D HAVE TWO QUESTIONS MORE OR LESS.
UH, THE FIRST ONE WOULD BE, IS THERE ANY YOUTH SPORTS IMPACTED BY IT? UM, ADULT VOLLEYBALL IS, WILL BE, UM, WE'LL HAVE TO NOT DO ADULT VOLLEYBALL, BUT, UM, BECAUSE OF THE PARKING ISSUE, WE'LL, WE'LL LOSE, UM, SOCCER, UM, THAT FRIDAY, SATURDAY AND SUNDAY WILL LOSE SOCCER PRACTICES BECAUSE OF THE PARKING ISSUE.
UH, AND THEN, UM, I LOST, MY LAST QUESTION WAS GONNA BE I, I'LL I'LL TURN, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO BRUCE.
IF I, IF I THINK OF MY OTHER QUESTION, I'LL, I'LL BRING IT UP AGAIN.
DO IT
I, I BELIEVE THAT WHEN WE AGREED TO DO THIS THE FIRST TIME IT WAS, WE WERE MORE ON THE FRONT END AND THEY GAVE US THE, UH, FLOOR COVERINGS, THREE OF 'EM, AND THOSE SUPPOSEDLY HAD A VALUE OF MAYBE 10,000 A PIECE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
UM, BUT IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE FALLOUT THAT WE HAD FROM HAVING THIS AT THE, UH, FACILITY, YOU KNOW, WAS SOMEWHAT PALPABLE, BOTH IN TERMS OF OUR CONSTITUENCY BEING INCONVENIENCED AND THEN SECONDARILY DAMAGE TO OUR FLOORS.
I THINK EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE THE COVERING, UH, ON IT.
SO I, I THOUGHT WE HAD AGREED TO NOT RENT THE GYM ANYMORE, UH, FOR JUST ABOUT ANYTHING.
[00:30:01]
UM, AND IF, IF I'M INCORRECT IN THAT, YOU KNOW, LET ME KNOW.UH, BUT SECONDARILY, I MEAN, THE GYMS AND ARE REALLY FOR ARE CONSTITUENCY AND TO TAKE, TO TAKE THAT SIZE OF THE FACILITY AND TAKE IT OFFLINE FOR A FULL WEEK THAT IMPACTS PROGRAMS IN THE FACILITY AND THEN OUTSIDE THE FACILITY, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT SEEMS TO ME TO BE SOMETHING THAT, UH, WE PROBABLY DON'T WANT TO DO.
NOW IF IT'S ALREADY BEEN AGREED TO DO THIS, WHICH I, THIS IS THE FIRST I'M HEARING OF THIS.
YOU KNOW, WE, WE, WE, WE RENT FIELDS THAT ARE OUTSIDE AND WE LOOK AT ALL THE SCHEDULES OF EVERYTHING ELSE TO LIMIT IMPACT.
UM, BUT IF WE'RE GONNA RENT THIS, WHICH I DON'T RECOMMEND DOING, BUT IF WE'VE ALREADY COMMITTED TO DOING IT, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT I THINK OUR FEE WAS ABOUT $175 AN HOUR FOR A GYM.
AM I, AM I CORRECT IN THAT SHANNON, BRUCE? I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU, IT'S BEEN SO LONG SINCE WE RENTED JIMS. I DON'T REMEMBER.
IS THIS, WE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, I MEAN, THIS IS NEWS TO ALL OF US AND THERE ARE CONSTITUENTS WHO ARE WANTING TO USE THAT.
IS THIS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE AGREED TO? AND BY AGREED, I MEAN, THEY HAVE PRESENTED SOMETHING, WE'VE SIGNED SOMETHING AND SAID, YES, YOU CAN USE IT.
IF IT, I, I RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR YESTERDAY.
THAT HE HAD APPROVED THE USE OF THE FACILITY.
DID THEY PROPOSE A FEE FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? OR YOU SAID, YES, YOU CAN USE IT AND ASK US WHAT THEY'RE PAYING? NO.
LIKE I, YOU KNOW, I KNOW I'VE ALWAYS HAD TO COME TO YOU GUYS FOR FEES.
SO IT WAS KIND OF PERFECT TIMING FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO COME TO YOU GUYS.
HAVE WE READ, HAVE WE BEEN TO JAIL BEFORE? CAN'T YOU GO BACK AND LOOK AT PAST RECORDS TO SEE WHAT BEEN JAIL BEFORE? IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME.
I DON'T TRUST WITH A BLANKET, THE BLANKET FIGURE.
THERE'S HONESTLY, WELL, ROBERT'S RULES, I CAN PROPOSE A MOTION EVEN AS SITTING THIS CHAIR.
UH, IT WOULD, I'M NOT PROPOSING THIS THIS YET, BUT IT WOULD BE MY OPINION THAT WE JUST CAN'T MAKE THAT DECISION OFF THE TOP OF OUR HEADS AND THROW OUT AN ARBITRARY NUMBER.
IT IMPACTS A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE DOING THINGS GREAT.
THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR SAID, GOOD.
YOU KNOW WHAT? I WOULD, I WOULD PROPOSE A MOTION THAT WHETHER IT'S LOW COUNTRY HOME AND GARDEN OR THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, SOMEBODY SHOULD PROVIDE US WITH SOME GUIDANCE ON WHAT WE SHOULD PROPOSE AS A FEE.
AND WE CAN CERTAINLY VOTE ON THAT, YOU KNOW, ONLINE OR VIA EMAIL OR MEET FOR A SPECIAL MEETING.
BUT UNTIL WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION, I THINK WE'RE DOING EVERYBODY INVOLVED THE DISSERVICE JUST TO THROW SOMETHING OUT THERE ARBITRARILY.
SO MY MOTION WOULD BE THAT WE CONSIDER TABLING THIS UNTIL SOMEBODY CAN GIVE US SOME GUIDANCE AND WHAT WOULD BE AN APPROPRIATE RESPONSE FOR ALL PARTIES INVOLVED.
AND WE'D CERTAINLY BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THAT IN A SPECIAL MEETING, EVEN ONLINE VIRTUALLY OR OVER THE PHONE IN THE NEXT COUPLE DAYS.
I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE MAKING THIS STUFF UP.
AND UNLESS SOMEBODY HAS FURTHER COMMENT, I MAKE THAT MOTION.
THE ONLY COMMENT THAT I WOULD MAKE, THIS IS ERIC, UM, THERE'S A MOTION ON THE TABLE, IS THAT BEFORE WE COMMENT DISCUSSION, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YEAH, THERE, WE CAN HEAR YOU.
BUT THERE'S A MOTION ON THE TABLE AS DESCRIBED BY MYSELF ON THE RECORD.
Y'ALL CAN SECOND IT OR SHOOT IT DOWN, BUT THAT'S MY MOTION.
AND THEN WE CAN PUT IT ON FOR COMMENT.
WELL, TECHNICALLY, CAN'T WE DISCUSS YOUR MOTION? SURE.
I MEAN, I WILL, I WILL, I WILL, I WILL TABLE MY MOTION FOR NOW, UNLESS DISCUSS, BUT BEFORE WE GO BACK ONLINE, HEREBY HEARS WHEN SITTING QUIET, ANYBODY AT THE TABLE HAVE ANY INPUT.
WELL, I WOULD SUGGEST WE COME UP WITH SOME TYPE OF A BALLPARK FIGURE TO ADMIN TO RECOMMEND TO THE, UH, COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
HE'S THAT PERSON, OR THAT OFFICE IS PROBABLY DOING THE NEGOTIATING WITH THE PEOPLE WHO ARE PUTTING ON THE LOW COUNTRY HOME GARDEN SHUTTLE.
YOU GOTTA HAVE SOMETHING TO GO IN WITH THEM, YOU KNOW? AND THERE'S NOT, FINANCIALLY, SHANNON, WE DON'T LOSE THAT MUCH MONEY DURING THOSE SIX DAYS, DO WE? I DON'T THINK WE MAKE MONEY OFF OF ANYTHING WE DO.
[00:35:01]
YOU KNOW, WE SUBSIDIZE EVERYTHING, SO WE JUST CAN'T MAKE IT UP.I MEAN, WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS RIGHT, HOW MUCH MONEY ARE WE LOSING? WE SHOULD GO TO THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR WITH A SUGGESTION.
HOW DO WE MAKE THAT SUGGESTION? SERIOUSLY? I MEAN, HOW, HOW DO WE DO THAT? WE CAN'T.
AND WE, WE ARE PUTTING PEOPLE WHO ARE USING THIS FACILITY OUT YEAH.
WHO ARE TAX PAYING MEMBERS OF THE AREA.
WE CAN'T JUST THROW OUT OH, A HUNDRED DOLLARS A DAY.
I MEAN, IF SOMEBODY WANTS US TO DO THAT, THAT'S FANTASTIC, BUT WE NEED A LITTLE GUIDANCE.
BUT WILL ONE SECOND GUYS, BUT WILL THAT, THAT IS OUR ROLE AS THE ADVISORY BOARD IS TO SET FEES.
ERIC, YOU'RE NOT, AND IN THE PAST, GIVE US SECOND, AND IN THE PAST, WHAT THEY WOULD'VE DONE IS WE WOULD'VE BEEN THE DECISION MAKER ON WHETHER WE WOULD RENT THE FACILITY OR NOT.
UH, SOMEBODY HAS OVERSTEPPED THAT.
AND I I BEGGED THE QUESTION OF WHAT'S THE PURPOSE OF THE BOARD THEN? NO, I MEAN, EV EVERYTHING YOU SAID IS RIGHT.
I MEAN, WE DON'T MAKE NEED TO MAKE A BIG MOUNTAIN OUT OF THE MOLEHILL.
BUT IT'S APPARENTLY BEEN QUASI APPROVED AND NOW WE'RE SUPPOSED TO SAY HOW MUCH I, I MEAN, HOW DO WE DO THAT WITHOUT A LITTLE BIT OF GUIDANCE? UH, DO YOU WANT ME TO THROW OUT ARBITRARY NUMBER OUT? I COULD, BUT BE BEFORE I MAKE A MOTION OR ANYBODY ELSE, DOES ANYBODY ELSE ON THE TABLE HAVE INPUT? HOW MUCH TIME DO WE HAVE TO MAKE THIS DECISION ON THE FEE WE VOTED TO PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA? SO BETWEEN NOW AND US ADJOURNING.
MY COMMENT, AND THE REASON I BROUGHT IT FOR IT IS BECAUSE IT'S GONNA HAPPEN IN MARCH.
YOU KNOW, THEY NEED TO KNOW WHAT THEY'RE UP AGAINST TO BE FAIR TO THEM MM-HMM.
AND, AND MY CONCERN WAS, YOU KNOW, GIVE US SOME TIME IF WE DID HAVE TIME TO RESEARCH AND SEE WHAT MAYBE HARDY BILL OR SAVANNAH OR SOMEONE ELSE RENT THEIR, THEIR GYMS OUT FOR AND WHAT THEIR MEMBERSHIP BASE IS ON.
OR GO BACK TO COUNTY ADMINISTRATORS SAY, LOOK, YOU GOT US NOT GAS IN THIS PREDICAMENT, BUT YOU KNOW, YOU APPROVE THIS AND FIRST TIME WE ARE HEARING IT, GIVE US A RECOMMENDATION NUMBER EXACTLY.
I MEAN, AS YOU SAID, OUR JOB IS RESEARCH.
OUR JOB IS NOT TO RESEARCH ANYTHING.
OUR JOB IS TO PROVIDED FACTS AND THEN MAKE A DECISION BASED OFF THOSE, TO THE BEST OF OUR JUDGMENT FOR THE PEOPLE WE REPRESENT.
WE'VE BEEN ASKED A QUESTION, WE HAVE NO FACTS.
BUT I THINK WE COULD USE A COUPLE DAYS AND SOMEBODY COULD GIVE US SOME INPUT.
I MEAN, YOU SAID THEY NEED THREE WEEKS, WE'VE GOT 30 MINUTES TO MAKE THIS DECISION THAT WE DIDN'T KNOW EXISTED A COUPLE MINUTES AGO.
RIGHT? NO, THEY, THEY, THIS IS PROBABLY ALREADY IN THE WORKS GOING WELL AS FAR AS ADVERTISING START CHARGE, UM, FOR THE FLOOR COVERING IS WHAT THEY DROPPED OFF.
I MEAN, I THINK IT'S FANTASTIC.
IT'S IN THE WORKS AND IT'S PROBABLY A WONDERFUL THING, BUT WE CAN'T COME UP WITH AN WHAT I, MY FIRST QUESTION WAS WHAT WOULD YOU RECOMMEND? BECAUSE, AND YOU DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER, WHICH IS UNDERSTANDABLE, HOW WOULD WE KNOW? I MEAN, AND WE DON'T WANT TO, YOU KNOW, MESS ANYBODY OVER BEFORE WE KEEP GOING, TRYING TO KEEP THE CIRCUS GOING.
LET'S JUST GO AROUND THE BOARD AND SEE IF THERE'S ANY INPUT AND LET'S SEE IF THERE'S A MOTION ON THE TOPIC.
UH, SIR, ANYTHING FURTHER ON THIS SIDE? NOTHING THAT, THAT I HAVE TO ADD.
AND NOW THE RESEARCH I WAS ASKING SHANNON, NOT, NOT BEFORE NO, I UNDERSTAND THAT.
I'M JUST SAYING YOU'RE, YOU'RE RIGHT.
WELL, THAT'S WHY I ASKED THE QUESTION, WHAT, WHAT WERE PRIOR FEES THAT WE WRITTEN IN JIMS FOR BEFORE GIVE US SOME KIND OF GUY TO, IF, IF I HAD TO GO BACK AND GUESS WHAT, WE RENTED THE GYM FEES BEFORE, IF I HAD TO GO BACK IT, IT WOULD'VE BEEN 50 TO $75 AN HOUR.
IT, IT, IT COULDN'T HAVE BEEN MORE THAN 50 OR $75 AN HOUR.
UH, SHANNON, WHAT DO WE RENT A BASEBALL FIELD FOR? IT'S PARKING 40 AN HOUR.
OR LIKE, IF WE WERE GONNA TAKE THE WHOLE, DIDN'T WE LOOK AT SOMETHING WHERE WE WOULD HAVE TO, WE WERE RENT OUT A WHOLE FACILITY AT ONE POINT OR A FIELD? YEAH, THAT WE, WE'VE GOT THE, THE BREAKDOWN OF THE RENTALS RIGHT NOW IS THE SMALL CENTERS, OR YOU COULD DO UP TO 10 HOURS FOR AN ENTIRE CENTER, UM, OF THOSE SMALL CENTERS FOR 500.
SO TO ME, I WOULD SAY EACH ONE OF THOSE GYMS IS PROBABLY LIKE A SMALL CENTER.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE FOUR GYMS THAT'S, UH, $2,000 PER DAY, AND THEN THE CONFERENCE ROOMS. SO THEY'LL HAVE THE FOUR GYMS AND THE TWO CONFERENCE ROOMS. YEAH.
SO WHATEVER, YOU ALREADY HAVE A RENTAL FEE FOR YOUR CONFERENCE
[00:40:01]
ROOMS. SO WE DO THAT.SO THE CONFERENCE ROOMS ARE $50 AN HOUR IF IT'S BOTH ROOMS.
BRUCE, WHAT? YOU GOT THAT FIGURE, BRUCE? WELL, MY, MY COMMENT WAS GONNA BE WE ACCEPTED IN THE PAST, UM, ROUGHLY $30,000 OF PRODUCTS SPREAD OVER THREE YEARS, WHICH WAS $10,000 PER YEAR.
UM, IF WE LOOK AT, WE'RE TOTALLY SHUT DOWN FOR SIX DAYS.
AND IN FOLLOWING ERIC'S LOGIC, WHICH SEEMS SOLID TO ME, WE'RE TALKING $2,000 A DAY TIMES SIX DAYS, WHICH IS $12,000, WHICH IS 20% MORE THAN WHAT WE RECEIVED IN KIND PRIOR AMORTIZED OVER THREE YEARS.
SO I'M NOT, I I DON'T SEE HOW WE BENEFIT FROM THIS AT ALL.
UM, THE HOME AND GARDEN SHOW, OTHER THAN BEING A QUOTE UNQUOTE, UM, GOOD STEWARD OF THE COMMUNITY, BUT THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, UH, THAT'S, UH, AN OUTSIDE ENTITY THAT WOULD HAVE TO GO TO, YOU KNOW, A HOTEL AND RENT A HOTEL FOR A WEEK.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I, YOU KNOW, I'M THINKING $12,000, YOU KNOW, IS, IS REASONABLE AT A MINIMUM.
ALL RIGHT, GUYS, SO BEAR WITH ME FOR ONE MOMENT.
SO, I MEAN, THERE'S NOBODY HERE, NOBODY'S GRANDSTAND OR ANYTHING.
THIS IS JUST LIKE SOMETHING KIND OF DROPPED IN OUR LAP AND IT'S NOT THAT BIG OF A DEAL.
LIKE I SAY, IT'S ALL POSITIVE, BUT THERE'S, THERE'S TWO THINGS AT PLAY.
ONE IS WE ARE NOT, IT APPEARS VOTING WHETHER OR NOT TO SHUT DOWN ACCESS TO THESE FACILITIES TO THE PUBLIC.
SO MY FIRST THOUGHT IS THAT WOULD BE IN MY THOUGHT, THE NORMAL PROCEDURE.
DO WE AGREE TO DO THIS OR NOT? THE NEXT IS, IF THAT IS APPROVED, IT'S TO COME UP WITH A FEE.
SO HERE'S WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST, UH, TAKE IT FOR WHAT LITTLE IT'S WORTH IS AT THIS POINT.
WE'VE DISCUSSED IT, AND IF ANY INDIVIDUAL MEMBER HERE HAS A MOTION IN A MOMENT, YOU CAN PUT THAT FORWARD.
WE'LL SEE IF THERE'S A SECOND AND WE'LL VOTE ON IT.
FAILING THAT, I WILL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE TABLE IT UNTIL WE HAVE MORE INFORMATION AND ADDRESS, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER.
SO IS THERE ANY MOTIONS FROM ANY MEMBER AS TO WHAT A FEE SHOULD BE OR ANYTHING ELSE RELATED THAT FROM ANY MEMBER HERE, PLEASE? I MOVE TO BE $500 PER JIM TODAY.
THERE'S A MOTION ON THE TABLE THAT IT SHOULD BE $500 PER GYM PER DAY.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
DOES THAT TOTAL COME UP TO THAT 12,000 I WAS DISCUSSING? I THINK YES, IT WOULD.
BUT WE DIDN'T CONSIDER CONFERENCE ROOMS. ONE THING WE GOT, WE SHOULD, SHOULD CONSIDER IS THIS, THIS ISN'T DISCUSSION.
THIS IS, THERE WAS A MOTION AND WE HAD A, DO WE HAVE A SECOND FOR THE FIVE? YEAH, I WAS JUST ANSWERING BRUCE'S QUESTION.
YEAH, I, I SECOND THAT MOTION.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION THAT IT'S $500 PER JIM PER DAY.
HOW ABOUT SOME DISCUSSION? WE CAN, WE CAN, YEAH.
WHAT ABOUT DISCUSSION? WE'LL DISCUSS IT.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT? ONE THING WE SHOULD KEEP IN MIND IS, YES, WE'RE GONNA DISPLACE WHO ARE MEMBERS AND PEOPLE WHO USE IT, BUT YOU'RE GONNA BE GETTING A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THERE WHO DO NOT USE, THEY MAY NOT EVEN KNOW THAT THE REC CENTER EXISTS.
AND SO YOU'RE GONNA GET TO GOOD EXPOSURE, I THINK BECAUSE OF THE GOOD FACILITY THAT IT IS.
SO THAT SHOULD BE WORTH A LITTLE BIT SOMETHING IN, IN ITS, ITS OWN RIGHT.
AND I DON'T KNOW THAT WE CAN TABLE IT, I DON'T THINK IS THE ANSWER RIGHT NOW.
CAUSE IT'S TOO SHORT OF NOTICE.
IF THIS HAD BEEN SEPTEMBER AND THEY CAME TO US AND SAID, SET A FEE, YOU KNOW, AND THREW IN OUR LAP AT THE MEETING, WE COULD'VE EASILY SAID, WAIT, LET'S TABLE THIS, COME BACK TO THE NEXT MEETING.
BUT COMING BACK IN MARCH, UH, THAT'S NOT GONNA GO GO WELL AS LONG AS WE'RE DISCUSSING WHEN I REFERENCE THE WORD TABLE, I'M SAYING GIVE THEM TWO OR THREE MEETINGS FOR A SPECIAL MEETING TO RECONVENE
[00:45:01]
ONLINE OR WHATEVER WITH SOME.BUT THAT BEING SAID, WE DO HAVE A FIRST, WE DO HAVE A SECOND.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS BEFORE WE ASK FOR YAY OR NAY? AS I MENTIONED TO BRUCE IN MY ANSWER TO HIS QUESTION, THE ONLY THING WE DIDN'T CONSIDER WAS THE CONFERENCE ROOMS. UH, BUT IF WE'RE INCLUDING THAT IN THE, UH, FEE FOR, UM, OR IN THIS, IF THEY RENT ALL FOUR GYMS, THEY GET THE CONFERENCE ROOMS, THEN I'M, THEN I WOULD BE FINE WITH THAT.
BUT, UH, UH, I THINK WE SHOULD AT LEAST CONSIDER INCLUDING THOSE IN THAT COST.
UM, SO ARE YOU, BASED ON MY EXPERIENCE IN HOSPITALITY AND DOING RENTALS, ARE YOU AMENDING? UM, I FEEL LIKE WE'VE SET A PRETTY GOOD FEE, BUT WE JUST NEED TO INCLUDE THE CONFERENCE ROOMS. NOTED.
SO JUST TO CLARIFY, ARE YOU AMENDING YOUR SECOND ON, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S SUBJECT TO ALSO INCLUDING THE CONFERENCE ROOMS? I'M NOT DOUBTING THAT.
I JUST WANNA CLARIFY FOR THE RECORD.
SO THERE IS A QUASI EMOTIONAL ON THE TABLE TO AMEND THE MOTION THAT INCLUDE THE, UH, CONFERENCE ROOMS AS WELL AS THE JIM'S.
SO TO PUT ALL THE PIECES TOGETHER, I WILL MAKE A MOTION, UH, BASED OFF WHAT WE'VE HEARD SO FAR IN DISCUSSION, THAT IT BE $500 PER GYM PER DAY, CORRECT? YES.
AND THAT INCLUDES THE USES OF THE CONFERENCE ROOMS? YES.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND THAT.
WELL, THE WAY, WE GOT TWO, THREE AYES, WE'RE VOTING RIGHT NOW.
ERIC, ARE YOU A YAY OR NAY? I WAS THE ONE THAT SAID, AYE, IT WAS ERIC.
SO JUST BECAUSE THIS IS RECORDED, DO WE HAVE FIVE YAYS? IS THAT CORRECT? YES.
I, I'LL, I'LL, I'LL AFFIRMATIVELY VOTE FOR IT AS WELL.
BUT, UH, WE'RE BRUCE, WE HAVE TO, UH, WE'LL, WE, WE'LL HAVE TO, WE'LL HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE MONOLOGUE IN JUST A MOMENT.
WE'RE, WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A VOTE.
SO THE MOTION PASSES FOR $500 PER DAY PER GYM, AND THAT INCLUDES THE USE OF THE CONFERENCE ROOMS. ALL RIGHT.
UH, I BELIEVE THAT NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS AQUATICS.
WE'RE JUST DOING IT THE WAY IT'S CUT OUT THE DUDE.
UM, HERE'S OUR BATTERY CREEK INDOOR POOL INFORMATION.
OUR POOL HOURS ARE TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYS FROM EIGHT TO 12, ONE TO SEVEN SATURDAYS FOR OUR INFLATABLES, 10 30 TO FOUR 30.
WE OFFER OUR BOGA CLASSES TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYS FROM SIX 15 TO 6 45.
WE HAVE OUR SCHOOLS HOME LESSONS, UM, FOR BATTERY CREEK.
WE HAD THEM OCTOBER 31ST THROUGH NOVEMBER 17TH.
AND THEN OUR PATRON CHECK-INS WE HAD FROM JULY TO DECEMBER.
SEPTEMBER, BECAUSE WE HAVE THE SWIM TEAM, THERE WAS 1,018, OCTOBER WAS 423.
EXCELLENT FOR OUR BEFOR POOL ON LADIES ISLAND.
OUR HOURS ARE MONDAY, WEDNESDAYS, AND FRIDAYS FROM EIGHT TO 12, ONE TO SEVEN.
OUR
OUR WATER AEROBIC CLASS IS MONDAYS AND WEDNESDAYS, ONE 30 TO TWO 30.
OUR SCHOOL SWIM LESSONS, THEY TOOK PLACE DECEMBER 5TH THROUGH THE 15TH, AND THE NEXT ONE STARTS IN MARCH.
AND THEN THE PATRON CHECK-INS FOR JULY IS 540.
NOVEMBER 406 AND DECEMBER WAS 661 FOR OUR BLUFF AND PULL, WE ARE OPEN MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.
SATURDAY FOR THE INFLATABLES, 10 30 TO FOUR 30.
OUR BOGA CLASS IS OFFERED MONDAYS AND WEDNESDAYS SIX 15 TO 6 45.
OUR WATER AEROBIC CLASS IS IN THE MORNING FROM EIGHT 30 TO NINE 30 MONDAYS AND WEDNESDAYS.
AND OUR SCHOOL SWIM LESSONS, THEY START IN JANUARY, UM, FROM 9:00 AM TO 12:00 PM OUR FIN SWIM TEAM IS
[00:50:01]
MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, TWO 30 TO SEVEN 30.AND WE ALSO OFFER OUR LOW COUNTRY AQUATIC FOUNDATION GROUP, WHICH IS MONDAY, THURSDAY, I MEAN, SORRY, WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY, AND FRIDAY FROM FIVE 30 TO SEVEN.
OUR PATRON CHECK-INS WERE FOR OCTOBER THROUGH DECEMBER 534 FOR NOVEMBER WAS 1,919.
OUR OUTDOOR POOL, IT WAS RENAMED FROM LYNN BROWN.
IT GOT RENAMED TO ALVIN SETTLES.
THE POOL IS CURRENTLY CLOSED FOR OUR SEASON.
UM, THE RENAMING WAS PRETTY COOL.
UM, THE PATRON CHECK-IN FOR THE SUMMERTIME WAS FOR MAY THROUGH SEPTEMBER 394 FOR MAY.
AUGUST WAS 526 AND SEPTEMBER WAS 102.
THE CLASSES THAT WE HAVE COMING UP, WE HAVE PRIVATE AND GROUP SWIM LESSONS THAT ARE OFFERED YEAR ROUND.
WE ALSO HAVE A STROKE IMPROVEMENT CLASS FOR ADULTS THAT'S OFFERED YEAR ROUND.
OUR CPR CLASSES ARE BY APPOINTMENTS.
AND THEN OUR NEXT LIFEGUARDING CLASSES, WE HAD ONE IN NOVEMBER THAT TOOK PLACE AT OUR BEAUFORD POOL.
WE HAVE ONE THAT'S COMING IN JANUARY, UM, AT OUR BEAUFORT POOL.
ONE IN FEBRUARY FOR OUR BLUFFTON POOL, AND THEN ONE IN MARCH AGAIN FOR OUR BEAUFORT POOL.
UH, BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO EMPLOYEE UPDATE, HOW ARE WE DOING ON LIFEGUARDS? I KNOW WE'VE BEEN SHORT AND TRYING TO DO AND THIS AND THAT.
HOW'S THAT? HOW'S THAT LOOKING IS OBVIOUSLY THEY TIE IN, BUT SINCE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT POOLS, HOW ARE WE DOING ON LIFEGUARDS RIGHT NOW? UM, WE DEFINITELY NEED MORE LIFEGUARDS.
WE'VE HAD PEOPLE THAT ARE INTERESTED IN TAKING THE CLASSES.
UM, BUT NOT THAT MANY HAVE MOVED FORWARD WITH US.
WE HAVE HAD SOME, BUT WE DO NEED MORE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE POLICE? ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THE POOL STUFF FROM ANYBODY? ANYTHING ONLINE WITH QUESTIONS SPECIFIC TO THE POOL TOPIC? WITH THE BATTERY CREEK POOL? MM-HMM.
BUT THE LOCALS THAT NORMALLY DO COME TO THAT POOL ARE STILL COMING THOUGH.
LET'S TALK ABOUT EMPLOYEE UPDATES.
APPRECIATE HER LAUGH ABOUT THE LIFEGUARD THING CUZ I HADN'T EVEN SAID THIS TO ANNIE.
I SHOULD HAVE TOLD HER IN OUR STAFF MEETING A WHILE AGO.
BUT I LAUGH THINKING ABOUT ALL THESE FOOLS THAT DOES FULL OR PLUNGE.
MAYBE WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN OUT THERE ADVERTISING, HIRING LIFEGUARDS ON THAT DAY.
UM, SO ADMIN, WE'RE STILL LOOKING FOR OUR FACILITY MAINTENANCE.
UM, GUY AQUATICS, UM, SIX FULL-TIME LIFEGUARD POSITIONS ARE OPEN AND TWO PART-TIME.
UM, OUR MAINTENANCE, WE HAVE EIGHT POSITIONS TO FILL.
UM, THANKFULLY WE'RE NOT IN THE GROWING SEASON, SO, UM, WE'RE, YOU KNOW, LOOKING OKAY.
AS FAR AS HANDLING IT, IT IS JUST KEEPING UP WITH THE MAINTENANCE AND THE, THE PRUNING AND, AND STUFF LIKE THAT IS WHERE WE'RE GETTING A LITTLE BIT BEHIND ON.
UM, WITH THAT SAID, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DID GO, UM, ABOUT A MONTH AGO, I WENT TO A DEMONSTRATION IN SAVANNAH FOR THE, UM, SELF, KINDA LIKE THE ROOMBA VACUUM, BUT THE ROOMBA MOWERS.
UM, WHAT I LIKED ABOUT 'EM IS THE FACT THAT THAT MOWER WOULDN'T LEAVE THAT FIELD TO GO GET WEEDS FROM, YOU KNOW, THE PARKING LOT TO BRING ONTO THE FIELD.
UM, YOU CAN ACTUALLY SET 'EM SO THAT AT TWO O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING THEY COME ON, THEY CUT THE GRASS, THEY PART THEMSELVES.
UM, THE GOOD THING ABOUT THAT TOO IS UM, IT, THEY TOLD US A STORY.
UM, THEY'RE ALL TRACKED AUTOMATICALLY.
SO GUY DOWN IN FLORIDA DECIDES TO BREAK INTO A STORAGE UNIT.
HE STEALS A MOWER, UM, HE LEAVES, UM, AND THEY CAUGHT HIM AT A DIFFERENT STORAGE UNIT WITH MORE THAN JUST THE MOWER
SO THE MOWER ACTUALLY PAID OFF, UM, FOR MULTIPLE PEOPLE IN FLORIDA.
SO, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS MY CONCERN IS WOULD SOMEONE COME OUT AT NIGHT AND STEAL IT? BUT YOU CAN ACTUALLY SET IT, UM, IT STOPS ITSELF.
UM, IT SEEMS LIKE THAT YOU'RE TAKEN AWAY FROM THE EMPLOYEES, BUT AT THE SAME TIME I SEE IT AS GIVING THEM MORE TIME TO DO OTHER THINGS THAT ARE NEEDED.
UM, THERE IS NO GAS, NO, UM, OIL TO PUT IN AND
[00:55:01]
THE BLADES ARE ALL REPLACEABLE, UM, BY EACH INDIVIDUAL.THEY'RE ABOUT THREE INCHES LONG AND THEY'RE $5 A MONTH TO REPLACE.
SO, UM, WE'RE DEFINITELY CHECKING INTO 'EM TO SEE, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT DIRECTION WE'RE GONNA GO WITH THAT.
UM, OUR SENIORS, WE HAVE ONE PROGRAM FULL-TIME SUPERVISOR TO FILL.
UM, EACH OF OUR CENTERS HAS PEOPLE.
UM, WE ARE EITHER GOING TO FILL THIS ONE AS A FILL-IN, UM, FOR WHEN WE DO HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE OFF GO ON VACATION.
UM, THAT'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT OF A STRUGGLE FOR US.
UM, BUT WE'RE ALSO POSSIBLY LOOKING AT MAYBE, UM, TRYING TO START A SENIOR PROGRAM AT THE LYNN BROWN CENTER.
UM, OUR RECORDS, WE HAVE SIX POSITIONS TO FILL AND OUR NEXT MEETING WILL BE THURSDAY, MARCH THE SECOND IN BLUFFTON.
UH, NOT THE NORMAL WAY I DO THIS CUZ IT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA, BUT BEFORE WE ASK FOR A MOTION TO ADJOURN, IS THERE ANYBODY BOARD MEMBER, THERE'S, WE VOTED ON WHAT WE HAVE.
UH, SO THERE'S NOTHING ELSE WE CAN TAKE ACTION ON AS REGARDS TO A VOTE.
UH, BUT BEFORE WE LOOK FOR MOTIONS TO ADJOURN, ANY VOTING MEMBER OF THE BOARD HAVE ANY INPUT OR PUBLIC COMMENT THAT THEY WANNA MAKE BASED OFF ANYTHING WE TALKED ABOUT TODAY? ONE SAYING WE'RE NOT GONNA ENTERTAIN A VOTE, BUT IF YOU'VE GOT SOMETHING YOU'VE GOTTA SAY, HERE'S YOUR CHANCE TO SAY IT.
LET'S START FROM MY RIGHT, SIR.
ANYTHING SHANNON, WHAT IS THE STORY WITH, UM, THIS LAND EXCHANGE THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT BETWEEN CAMP MARY ST.
MARY'S AND SO I HAVEN'T BEEN INVOLVED IN THAT.
UM, CHUCK WOULD'VE HAD TO FILL YOU IN ON THAT.
UM, I KNOW THAT WE HAD TALKED ABOUT IT.
UM, THEY HAD COME FORWARD WITH DOING THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, A GREAT THING FOR US BECAUSE IF WE CAN GIVE UP CAMP ST.
MARY'S WHERE THEY DON'T WANT ACTIVE PARKS, UM, LOOKING AT THAT LAND, THERE WOULD BE A GREAT PLACE FOR US, UM, TO BUILD MORE BALL FIELDS UP.
A LAND EXCHANGE HE'S ASKING ABOUT.
JUST TO CLARIFY, WE'RE NOT VOTING, WE'RE JUST FINISHING UP.
BUT BEFORE WE ADJOURN, JUST EACH BOARD MEMBER IS JUST PUTTING SOME THINGS OUT THERE.
APOLOGIZE THAT I HAD TO LEAVE EARLIER.
I WAS BOOKED FOR 2, 2 33 AND THEN, UH, JUST GOT OUTTA THAT MEETING.
MISSED THE APOLOGIZE FOR HAVING TO WALK OUT.
SO THE LAND SWAP, WHERE ARE WE? UH, IT WENT TO PUBLIC FACILITIES BACK IN OCTOBER.
IT WENT TO COUNCIL, COUNCIL, DEFERRED IT TO RURAL AND CRITICAL.
WE MET WITH RURAL AND CRITICAL FIRST PART OF DECEMBER.
THE RURAL AND CRITICAL BOARD SAID THAT THEY WANTED TO GO OUT, UH, AND TOUR THE PROPERTIES.
I DID THAT THIS MORNING, UH, WITH THE RURAL AND CRITICAL LANDS BOARD, NUMBER OF STAFF AND A FEW COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UM, THEY'RE GOING TO WEIGH ALL OF THAT INFORMATION.
THEY'RE GONNA MEET AGAIN NEXT THURSDAY AND DEPENDING ON HOW THAT COMES BACK, WE'LL GET A RECOMMENDATION.
THEN ON THE 23RD, WE'RE GONNA GO BACK TO COUNTY COUNCIL AND ASK FOR A DECISION ON THE RESOLUTION.
UH, BASED ON THE RECOMMENDATION COMING OUT OF RURAL AND CRITICAL LANDS, UH, WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR IS TAKE LANDS THAT ARE IN THE INVENTORY NOW THAT ARE NOT PART OF RURAL AND CRITICAL AND SWAPPING THOSE FOR LANDS THAT WERE PURCHASED BY RURAL AND CRITICAL FOR THE PURPOSES OF PROTECTING WATER QUALITY IN THE WATERSHED.
UH, RIGHT OFF OF ONE 70 IN WHAT'S KNOWN AS THE NEW LEAF AND EVERGREEN TRACKS, IT WAS BUILT SPECIFICALLY FOR THAT.
UM, THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW MUCH OF THE PROPERTY, UH, THE ROYAL CRITICAL BOARD WANTED TO PURCHASE BACK IN 2016 AND THE LANDOWNER AT THAT TIME SAID EITHER YOU BUY ALL OF IT OR YOU BY NONE OF IT.
SO WE AS STAFF, UH, THINK THAT IT IS VERY POSSIBLE TO ACCOMPLISH THE WATER QUALITY GOALS, DO THE LAND SWAP, AND THEN DEVELOP SOME OF THE, UH, NEEDED COUNTY INFRASTRUCTURE ON PORTIONS OF THAT, UH, LARGER, UH, PIECE.
WE'RE HOPING BY THE END OF THIS MONTH WE'LL HAVE A DEFINITIVE ANSWER.
DID THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? YES, SIR.
ANYTHING FROM YOURSELF? NO, SIR.
WELL, I'LL TELL YOU BACK, I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT POOLS IN THE DISTRICT.
SO THE, WHAT THAT ENTAILS, I MEAN, I'M SURE THAT WE'RE GONNA MEAN IT, THE CONTRACT DOES EXPIRE, SO YES, WE ARE GONNA HAVE TO REEVALUATE AND LOOK AT THE CONTRACT.
TO BE ABLE TO TELL YOU WHAT ANYONE WANTS.
AT THIS POINT THAT HAS NOT BEEN DISCUSSED THAT I KNOW OF.
NOT SPECIFICALLY FOR THE RENEWAL OF THE CONTRACT.
SO THE CONTRACT IS 25 YEARS, I THINK IT WAS SIGNED IN 2000.
SO IN DECEMBER OF, IT'S EITHER DECEMBER OF 24
[01:00:01]
OR UH, 25, THAT'S WHEN IT'S GONNA HAVE TO BE RENEWED.UH, WE HAVE MET WITH, UH, SCHOOL DISTRICT PERSONNEL TALKING ABOUT DIFFERENT OPTIONS FOR THE POOLS OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS.
UM, THE INDICATION THAT WE'VE RECEIVED NOT SPEAKING FOR ANYBODY, IS THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT DOES NOT WANNA BE IN THE, THE POOL BUSINESS.
THAT'S NOT WHAT THEY WANT TO DO.
SO THE SENSE THAT WE GOT IS, HEY, THE, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WANTS TO CONTINUE THE RELATIONSHIP.
NOTHING FORMAL, UH, TO THAT END YET, BUT WE EXPECT THAT WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE THAT RELATIONSHIP.
RIGHT NOW WE HAVE FOUR AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS IN A CAPITAL FUND, SPECIFICALLY ALLOCATED TO, UM, FIXING THE STRUCTURAL DEFICIENCIES AND REPLACING THE MECHANICAL SYSTEMS, UH, AND THEN DOING SOME OTHER REPAIRS, UH, AFTER THAT.
SO IT'S OUR GOAL TO KEEP THEM, MAINTAIN THEM, REFURBISH THEM, AND THEN RENEW, UH, THE, THE RELATIONSHIP THAT WE HAVE, WHICH I THINK IS EXTENDABLE.
AS LONG AS BOTH PARTIES ARE AMENABLE, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE TO REINVENT THE WHEEL.
WE JUST HAVE TO AGREE TO EXTEND IT.
AND THEN I THINK THERE'S A CLAUSE IN THERE THAT SAYS WE CAN GO FOR ANOTHER 25 YEARS.
SO WITH THE AMOUNT OF POOLS WE ARE ACTUALLY TALKING ABOUT BATTERY CREEK BUFORD HIGH AND MC RILEY.
MC RILEY IS AN INDOOR OR OUTDOOR ALL FOR YOUR DENTICAL DENVER.
THE ONLY OUTDOOR ONE WE HAVE IS AT CHARLES LIN BROWN, AND THAT'S IN THE CITY THAT'S NOT ON SCHOOL DISTRICT PROPERTY.
SO WE'RE ALSO RESEARCHING WAYS, UH, TO FIND FUNDING TO BUILD ADDITIONAL LANES SOMEWHERE IN THE COUNTY.
BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE YET.
BUT WE DO NEED MORE CAPACITY, UH, SPECIFICALLY SOUTH OF THE BROAD.
WE NEED MORE POOL LANES, BUT THAT'S VERY EARLY IN THE CONVERSATION.
ANY FURTHER THOUGHTS OR QUESTIONS FOR YOURSELF? ONCE AGAIN, THE REASON I MENTIONED WE CAN'T VOTE IS WE CAN'T VOTE FOR ANYTHING UNLESS IT'S ON THE AGENDA.
BUT, AND ACTUALLY WE SHOULDN'T EVEN HAVE THIS MOMENT, BUT WHO CARES? SO JUST A MOMENT FOR EVERYBODY TO ASK.
UM, MY PET PEEVE IS THERE'S DEFINITELY A NEED FOR A, A RECREATIONAL FACILITY ONTO HILL.
NOW YOU GUYS WANT ME TO TALK ABOUT THIS LONG AND LONG AND DRAWN OUT, BUT SINCE WE HAVE A SOMEWHAT RELATIONSHIP AND CALL OURSELVES IN POSITION HERE, CONGRATULATIONS ON THAT.
I'M SURE WE CAN GET TOGETHER SHANNON AND MYSELF, CARLOS, PRINCIPALS, AND WE CAN KIND OF HAVE SOME TYPE OF RELATIONSHIP WITH THE GYM.
IT'S AN ELEMENTARY GYM AND IT'S NOT BEING USED TO ME FOR THE CAPACITY.
UM, DURING THE SUMMER, I KNOW WHEN LADIES OUT BFA HAVE A ISSUE WITH THEIR GYM FOR MAINTENANCE PURPOSES, THEY GO AND USE HELEN.
BUT WE CAN HAVE SOME TYPE OF REP PROGRAM BECAUSE THERE'S NOTHING THERE.
AND I LOOK AT THE NUMBERS BLUFF, AND I LOOK AT THE NUMBERS IN BE, AND I LOOK AT THESE NUMBERS AND THE KIDS NEED SOMETHING TO DO.
IF NOT, THE POLICE GONNA HAVE TO TRY TO MAINTAIN THEM.
AND THERE'S DEFINITELY A NEED.
AND I'M SURE IF I GOTTA GET INVOLVED AND GO BEAT THE DOORS AT THE PRINCIPAL OFFICE AND WE COME TO A MEETING, UM, WE DEFINITELY NEED TO HAVE SOMETHING.
THERE'S A LOT OF MONEY GOING TOSSED AROUND, BUT WE DON'T SEE ANY ON THAT END.
NOT SAYING IT'S BEING SPENT OVER THERE, BUT, AND THE PUBLIC HADN'T SEEN ANY.
THERE'S TWO GROUPS I'VE BEEN INVITED TO.
ONE IS TRYING TO PURCHASE SOME LAND FOR A RECREATIONAL FACILITY, SAY, HOLD NO AND NEVER ONE THAT'S TRYING TO GET A STARTUP WITH DONATION AND FUNDING.
SO IF WE CAN ALL COME TOGETHER, I KNOW BRUCE AND I TALKED ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT AND, AND HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WORKING, CAN THESE HAVE TWO NIGHTS, THREE NIGHTS A WEEK FOR A FACILITY? OR SAY HELEN, I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE THAT.
IS THAT A POSSIBILITY OF A AGENDA ITEM FOR NEXT MEETING, THAT WE COULD JUST HAVE A DISCUSSION OF THINGS THAT WE COULD DO NORTH OF BROAD ON ST.
HELENA TO ENHANCE THEIR ACCESS TO COUNTY PARKS AND REC FACILITIES THAT MAY NOT EXIST AT THIS TIME? JUST THE DISCUSSION.
WE CAN'T REALLY THROW THINGS OUT HERE RIGHT NOW, BUT I THINK THAT'S, HE'S GOT SOME VALID CONCERNS.
IS THAT SOMETHING WE COULD TALK ABOUT AS AN AGENDA ITEM FOR OUR NEXT MEETING? SO WE, WE DO HAVE FACILITIES ON ST.
UH, WE ONLY HAVE TWO GYMS NORTH OF THE BRONX, UH, CHARLES LYNN BROWN AND, UH, BURN WELLS, THAT'S IT FOR ALL OF NORTH.
SO THERE'S NOTHING IN SHELDON, THERE'S NOTHING OUT IN THAT AREA, AND THERE'S NOTHING ON ST.
WE'RE WORKING DILIGENTLY TO FIND FUNDING AND TO RESEARCH WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO BUILD THAT TYPE OF FACILITIES IN THOSE BOTH OF THOSE AREAS.
UM, COMING UP WITH THE AMOUNT OF MONEY IT TAKES TO BUILD SOMETHING LIKE THAT, 10 TO 15 MILLION IS NOT, IS NOT EASY TO DO, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU HAVE ALL OF THE OTHER HIGH GROWTH AREAS IN THE COUNTY.
IT'S NOT INSURMOUNTABLE, BUT IT'S DIFFICULT, UM, WHERE WE LIKE TO BE PART OF THAT CONVERSATION.
AS FAR AS THE, UH, SCHOOL DISTRICT AND WHAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WILL ALLOW THE COMMUNITY TO DO, THAT'S NOT A, THAT'S NOT A COUNTY FUNCTION.
THAT'S NOT A PARKS AND REC FUNCTION.
THAT IS A SCHOOL DISTRICT FUNCTION.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THE COMMUNITY NEEDS TO ADDRESS WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
UM, THAT THEY'RE THEIR OWN ENTITY.
[01:05:01]
USE SCHOOL DISTRICT PROPERTY, WE HAVE TO, I BELIEVE, PAY TO USE IT.WE'RE ON A, YOU KNOW, THERE'S AN AGREEMENT THERE, BUT WE HAVE TO PAY TO USE IT.
SO, UH, THE COUNTY DOESN'T HAVE AN IN, IF YOU WILL, ON THAT, THAT THAT NEEDS TO BE A COMMUNITY, UM OKAY.
ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
BUT I'M HAPPY TO BE PART OF IT AND FACILITATE A GOOD, A GOOD QUESTION WOULD BE, COULD WE HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW WE COULD POTENTIALLY ENHANCE PROPERTIES THAT FALL WITHIN OUR REALM ON THE ST.
HELENA OR SEABROOK AREA, BUT ST.
HELENA SPECIFICALLY EXISTING PROPERTIES OR THE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO ENHANCE THE USAGE OF THOSE OUT THERE.
WE HAD THAT BEFORE AND, AND SHANNON CAN VERIFY THAT WE HAD A REC AID OUT THERE FROM THE COUNTY.
SO THAT'S WHY I'M JUST GOING BACK TO SOMETHING THAT WAS, I'M HAPPY TO BE PART OF THAT CONVERSATION.
WELL THEN AND KEYWORD CONVERSATION, CAN THAT JUST BE A AGENDA ITEM FOR DISCUSSION ON OUR NEXT MEETING JUST TO SEE WHAT TYPE OF OPPORTUNITIES WE COULD DO TO BETTER SERVE THAT SEGMENT OF OUR LOCAL CONSTITUENCY? SURE.
AND, AND MAYBE THERE'S NOT AN ANSWER TO THAT AND MAYBE IT FALLS OUT OF OUR REALM SCHOOL DISTRICTS, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT THE FIRST TIME THAT'S BEEN MENTIONED AND MAYBE WE CAN'T TECHNICALLY EVEN TALK ABOUT, CUZ IT'S NOT AN AGENDA.
IT DON'T, LET'S BRAINSTORM AND KICK AROUND A LITTLE BIT.
WELL, FACILITIES AND MAINTENANCE AND THE USE AND ALL THAT STUFF.
IT, IT'S ALL PART OF THE AGENDA.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE, WE DO HAVE A LOT OF FACILITIES OUT THERE.
I THINK THE INDOOR GYM IS PROBABLY THE OUTSTANDING PIECE TO THAT.
WE HAVE A NUMBER OF BALL FIELDS, UH, WE'RE IN CONVERSATION WITH, WITH OTHER GROUPS THAT WE CURRENTLY LEASE PROPERTIES, PROPERTIES WITH OUT THERE TO RENEW THE LEASE AND TO REFURBISH SOME OF THOSE PROPERTIES.
SO IT, IT'S NOT IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM THAT NOTHING IS HAPPENING IN THOSE AREAS.
I KNOW NOBODY'S, NOBODY'S SAYING THAT.
AND, BUT YOU KNOW, THE, THERE IS A LOT GOING ON THERE AND THE, THE INDOOR ASPECT OF THAT.
WE'RE, WE'RE HAPPY TO HELP WITH THAT CONVERSATION.
WELL, WE, WE KNOW THAT WE'RE CATCHING YOU OFF GUARD WITH THAT AS DISCUSSION, BUT NEXT TIME WE WON'T BE.
WE'D LOVE TO HAVE THAT AS AN AGENDA ITEM.
LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO TO BETTER ENHANCE THAT.
ISN'T THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE MASTER PLAN GROUP IS WORKING ON IS IN IMPROVEMENTS OF FACILITIES, ADDING FACILITIES.
I KNOW THE ONE MEDIC SESSION I WENT TO, THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THEY TALKED ABOUT WAS ONE ADDITIONAL FACILITIES WERE NEEDED.
AND WE ARE ON THEM CONSTANTLY.
THEY'RE WORKING THROUGH ALL OF THEIR PROCESSES.
IT'S A VERY INVOLVED, UH, PROCESS.
THEY'VE HAD SOME STAFFING ISSUES, UH, STARTING BACK IN OCTOBER, THEY HAD DELAYS.
WE ADDED LAYERS OF COMPLEXITY, UH, IN PARTICULAR WITH THE, UH, CHARLES LYNN BROWN DIFFERENT, WE ADDED DIFFERENT THINGS TO THE CONTRACT, BUT WE'RE HOPING VERY SOON TO HAVE ALL OF THAT WRAPPED UP AND HAVE THAT PRESENTED.
UM, THE SOONER THE BETTER FOR US, BUT THEY ARE WORKING ON IT.
BUT YEAH, THAT'S THE POINT OF TODAY BY EMAIL FROM, SO YEAH, THEY'RE, IT'S, IT'S A LOT MORE DETAILED THAN I EVER DREAMED IT WOULD BE THEN JUST HAVING MEETINGS.
UM, THEY MEET WITH EVERY SINGLE STAFF MEMBER.
I MEAN, IT, IT'S VERY, VERY, VERY DETAILED AND THAT'S WHAT WE WANT.
WELL, IN OUR LITTLE SEGMENT OF THE WORLD AS THE BOARD OF PARKS AND REC.
IF THERE IS SOMETHING THAT WE COULD POTENTIALLY HAVE A, A PART IN DOING BETTER, WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION AS AN AGENDA ITEM IN OUR NEXT MEETING.
UH, ERIC, LET'S GO TO YOU ONLINE.
YOU, UH, BEFORE IT IS LIKE THE CASUAL NOT ON THE AGENDA, THROW SOME STUFF OUT THERE.
YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD, ERIC, BEFORE WE ADJOURN? I DO NOT.
UM, SO I'VE GOT A COUPLE THINGS.
THE FIRST THING BEING, UH, A REVIEW OF THE, UM, THE REPORT I THINK'S GONNA GO A LONG WAY TO PUT THE FOUNDATION DOWN FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION THERE.
SO, YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD NECESSARILY PUT THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE THERE.
SO, YOU KNOW, I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WHEN WE GET THAT REPORT, ARE WE GONNA BE DEBRIEFED ON THAT, UH, BY THEM.
AND THEN FROM THAT POINT, UH, MAKE THOSE DECISIONS HOW WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO, UM, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE TO INTERFACE WITH, UH, OTHER ENTITIES AND, UH, TO PROVIDE BETTER OPPORTUNITIES NORTH OF THE BROAD.
UM, SO THAT WOULD BE MY FIRST COMMENT.
MY SECOND COMMENT, UH, GOES BACK TO THE MOTION THAT WAS APPROVED.
UH, I JUST WANT TO MAKE A, UH, A COMMENT ON THAT IN REGARD TO THE RENTALS FOR, UH, THE, UH, BUCKWALTER.
UM, YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK THIS IS SOMETHING WE WANT TO DO ON AN ONGOING BASIS.
I THINK THE NUMBER THAT WE PUT UP THERE IS A FAIR NUMBER, BUT I WOULD WANT, UH, TO BE CLEAR WITH THAT RENTAL RATE THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE REMOVING, WE'RE RENTING THE SPACE ONLY
[01:10:01]
ANY LABOR, ANY REMOVAL OF WASTE, ANYTHING ELSE IS ALL ON, UM, THE HOME BUILDERS ASSOCIATION, WHOEVER'S PUTTING ON THE SHOW.SO THAT WOULD BE A NET NET AFTER COST TO, UH, PARKS AND REC.
AND MY PRESUMPTION IS, IS THAT RENTAL FEE THEN, SHANNON, YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO COMMENT ON THAT, WOULD JUST GO INTO OUR GENERAL RECEIPTS AND REC PARKS AND REC GOES INTO THE GENERAL FUND? YES, THE GENERAL FUND.
BUT IT, IT GOES INTO PARKS AND REC GENERAL FUND, IS THAT CORRECT? IT GOES INTO THE COUNTY GENERAL FUND.
WELL, I MEAN, I SINCE, SINCE IT'S TOTALLY IT, I MEAN EVERY REVENUE THAT WE RECEIVE AND EVERY FEE THAT WE RECEIVE FROM PUTTING ON PROGRAMS RIGHT, IT GOES, IT GOES TO US.
RIGHT? DOESN'T IT GO INTO, IT DOESN'T GO INTO THE GENERAL FUND.
IT COMES, IT GOES INTO THE GENERAL, IT GOES IN THE GENERAL FUND, BUT WE'RE FUNDED OUT OF THE, BUT WE'RE FUNDED OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND.
SO IT, IT ALL GOES INTO THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET.
I JUST WANT THOSE $10,000 TO FIND THEIR WAY BACK INTO OUR PARKS AND REC BUDGET.
I, YOU KNOW, MAYBE IT'S NOT POSSIBLE, BUT, OKAY.
JUST TO CLARIFY, IT'S 1212 CLARIFY.
THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS IT'S ALWAYS GOOD.
MY BAD NOT AIM, BUT WE DID, UH, VERY WELL.
IS THERE, I BELIEVE THAT'S EVERYTHING ON THE AGENDA.
IS THERE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? A MOTION TO ADJOURN? EXCELLENT.
STAFF AND BOARD MEMBERS, THE COUNTY CHANNEL IS ALSO AVAILABLE ON VIDEO ON DEMAND.
GO TO BEAUFORT COUNTY SC.GOV, SCROLL DOWN TO PUBLIC MEETINGS, CLICK WATCH NOW.
AND THEN CLICK TO VIDEO ON DEMAND BUTTON AND SELECT YOUR PROGRAM FROM THE LIST.
CALL THE MEETING TO, UH, ORDER.
IF YOU'D LIKE A DVD OF THIS PROGRAM, CLICK ON THE LINK ON THE RIGHT AND FILL OUT THE ORDER FORM.
AND THANK YOU FOR WATCHING THE COUNTY CHANNEL WORKING ON THE WRITING SKILLS.
SOME STUDENTS AT LADIES ISLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ARE TAKING PART IN A PAT CONROY LITERARY CENTER STORY BUILDING WORKSHOP.
I HOPE THAT THEY CAN TAKE THAT.
THEY CAN WRITE, THEY CAN COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY AND IT CAN ACTUALLY BE FUN.
MY GOAL IS TO SEE THEM WITH THEIR OWN IDEAS, THEIR OWN STORIES COMING TO LIFE ON THE PAGE.
AND WHETHER THAT MEANS IT MAYBE SOMEDAY MIGHT GET PUBLISHED.
THAT WOULD BE THE FROSTING ON THE CAKE.
STUDENTS WORK IN SMALL GROUPS WITH MEMBERS FROM THE CENTER, WRITING SHORT STORIES, POETRY IN PLAYS.
I THINK WHAT WE WANNA DO IS THE CREATIVE PROCESS WHERE IT'S NOT SO STRUCTURED.
AND SOME OF THEM, FOR INSTANCE, WANNA DO NON-FICTION.
WE CAN ALREADY TELL THAT, AND SOME WANNA CREATE SOME CRAZY FUN CHARACTERS, BUT TO ALLOW THEM TO EXPLORE THAT AND EVEN PERFORM THAT WOULD BE THE ULTIMATE GOAL.
IN ALL THIS, THE STUDENTS ARE ALSO LEARNING HOW TO CREATE COMPELLING CHARACTERS FOR THEIR STORIES.
I WAS MAKING A CHARACTER AND HER NAME IS ROSIE AND SHE'S A PRINCESS.
SHE HAS MAGIC POWERS, SHE'S VERY NICE.
SHE HAS PURPLE EYES AND HER FAVORITE COLORS PURPLE.
THE SCHOOL IS EXCITED TO HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO OFFER THE WORKSHOP TO STUDENTS IN THE FIRST, THIRD AND FIFTH GRADES.
THIS PROJECT GIVES OUR STUDENTS SO MUCH EXPERIENCE.
OUR KIDS ARE HAVING AUTHENTIC EXPERIENCE WITH THE ARTS AND THE SKILLS ARE SO TRANSFERRABLE.
I'M BUILDING GREATER WRITERS, BUT THEN I'M GIVING MY KIDS GREAT LIFE SKILLS.
YOU NEVER KNOW IF I HAVE A BUTTON AUTHOR IN OUR BUILDING.
I NEVER KNOW IF I HAVE A BUTTON SCREENPLAY WRITER IN OUR BUILDING.
AND SO I'M SO FORTUNATE AND WE'RE SO BLESSED AT LADIES ISLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TO BRING AUTHENTIC LEARNING EXPERIENCES IN THE ARTS TO OUR STUDENTS.
THE HOUR LONG WRITING WORKSHOP MEETS ON WEDNESDAYS.
I LOVE LIKE HOW YOU COULD DO, LIKE, YOU CAN WRITE ABOUT ANYTHING, BUT LIKE, I MOSTLY LOVE LIKE, ABOUT WRITING IS LIKE HOW YOU CAN CHANGE THINGS AND HOW YOU CAN LIKE, MAKE THEM SEEM REALISTIC.
THE STORY BUILDING WORKSHOP WILL LEND IN MAY AT LADIES ISLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, RON LO BUFORD COMY
[01:15:01]
SCHOOL DISTRICT.GATES, TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE TIMELINESS OF THE RECONSTRUCTION SERIES.
WHY NOW? 12 YEARS OF BLACK FREEDOM FOLLOWED BY AN ALT-RIGHT ROLLBACK, A PRESIDENT IMMEDIATELY, UM, FOLLOWING ABRAHAM LINCOLN, WHO REFUSED TO RENOUNCE WHITE SUPREMACY A CONSERVATIVE SUPREME COURT THAT EFFECTIVELY UNDID THE POWER OF THE 14TH AND 15TH AMENDMENTS.
WHAT'S THAT SOUND LIKE? CONTEMPORARY TIMES.
SO IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT WE COULD TEACH OUR FELLOW CITIZENS IN AMERICA ABOUT THE PERILOUS MOMENT IN WHICH WE'RE LIVING BY ANALOGY THROUGH TELLING THE STORY OF RECONSTRUCTION IN ITS ROLLBACK.
AND I FIRST STARTED THINKING ABOUT IT AFTER, UH, THE HORRIBLE MURDERS OF, UH, REVEREND CLEMENTA PINKNEY AND THE OTHER INNOCENCE AT MOTHER MANUEL CHURCH BECAUSE THE JUSTIFICATIONS THAT DYLAN ROOF, UH, SUMMONED FOR HIS ACTIONS, UM, WERE VERY REMINISCENT OF RACIST RHETORIC ABOUT BLACK PEOPLE IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE CIVIL WAR AND FOLLOWING RECONSTRUCTION.
IT'S ALMOST LIKE A HORROR MOVIE WHEN YOU THINK THAT THE VAMPIRES DEAD AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY COME UP OUT OF THE CASKET AND YOU THINK, DAMN, I THOUGHT I PUT A STAKE IN YOUR HEART.
I THOUGHT THAT THE WORST AND MOST PERNICIOUS, HEINOUS ASPECTS OF ANTI-BLACK WHITE SUPREMACY WERE LONG GONE.
AND WE'VE SEEN A RISE IN HATE SPEECH, ANTI-SEMITISM, ANTI-GAY ATTITUDES.
AND PEOPLE, WHEN PEOPLE BECOME FRIGHTENED, PARTICULARLY ABOUT THEIR ECONOMIC FUTURE, THEY LOOK FOR SCAPEGOATS.
AND THE SCAPEGOATS TRADITION HAVE BEEN JEWISH PEOPLE, WOMEN, GAY PEOPLE, AND OF COURSE IN THIS COUNTRY, PEOPLE OF COLOR.
UM, LET'S SOME GO BACK TO WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE ROLLBACK TO RECONSTRUCTION.
RECONSTRUCTION IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT PART OF AMERICAN HISTORY AND YET IT IS SO MISUNDERSTOOD.
WHY IS THAT? WHY IS IT THAT WE DON'T HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THIS PERIOD AND WHAT IT ACTUALLY MEANT? WELL, W W E DUBOIS WROTE A BOOK IN 1935 CALLED BLACK RECONSTRUCTION.
AND ONE CHAPTER IS CALLED THE PROPAGANDA OF HISTORY.
AND HE ANALYZES HOW WHITE HISTORIANS HAD WRITTEN ABOUT RECONSTRUCTION, AND THAT WAS PART OF THE ROLLBACK TO CREATE A MYTH MYTHOLOGY OF BLACK INCOMPETENCE THAT BLACK MEN HAD BEEN ELECTED TO OFFICE AND COULDN'T PROPERLY SERVE.
THAT BLACK VOTERS HAD BEEN MANIPULATED BY NORTHERN SCALLYWAGS AND CARPETBAGGERS, THAT BASICALLY THEY WERE TOOLS AND PAWNS THAT THEY WERE DISHONEST.
UH, ROBERT SMALLS WAS ONE OF THE GREATEST, UM, HEROES OF THE CIVIL WAR.
AND RECONSTRUCTION SERVED FIVE NON-CONSECUTIVE TERMS IN CONGRESS BECAUSE HE WAS CONSTANTLY BEING ACCUSED YET OF STEALING MONEY AND MISAPPROPRIATING FUNDS.
THEY WERE, UM, THERE WAS A MYTHOLOGY SANCTIONED BY THE DISCIPLINE OF HISTORY LOCATED AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY CALLED THE DUNNING SCHOOL, LED BY HISTORIAN, PROFESSOR DUNNING.
AND THEY FOUND EVERY WAY TO PRODUCE THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF BLACK PEOPLE.
AND THAT HAS ONLY BEEN UNDONE BY HISTORIANS SINCE DUBOIS PUBLISHED BLACK RECONSTRUCTION.
AND MOST NOTABLY UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF ANOTHER COLUMBIA PROFESSOR, PROFESSOR ERIC FONER, WITH WHOM, UH, WE MADE A RECONSTRUCTION SERIES.
PLUS WE HAVE OVER 40 HISTORIANS DOING MODERN, UM, CUTTING EDGE SCHOLARSHIP ON RECONSTRUCTION THAT WHOM WE FEATURE IN THE SERIES.
SO IT'S VERY MUCH A COLLECTIVE, UM, SERIES AND IT'S VERY MUCH, UM, COUNTERPOINT TO THE RECEIVED INTERPRETATIONS OF RECONSTRUCTION FABRICATED BY THE DUNNING SCHOOL.
WELL, FOR US, IT'S, THIS IS THE PHONER SCHOOL.
IT, IT HAS A VERY SPECIAL MEANING.
WHY IS THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA
[01:20:01]
SO PIVOTAL TO AN UNDERSTANDING OF RECONSTRUCTION? SOUTH CAROLINA WAS GROUND ZERO FOR RECONSTRUCTION BECAUSE IT WAS, IT WAS A MAJORITY BLACK STATE.THE UM, THERE'S A FAMOUS 1872 LITHOGRAPH OF THE FIRST COLORED SENATOR AND THE MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
AND THREE OF THOSE MEN IN THAT LITHOGRAPH WERE FROM SOUTH CAROLINA.
WHEN RICHARD T GREENER GRADUATED FROM HARVARD, THE FIRST BLACK MAN TO GRADUATE FROM HARVARD IN THE CLASS OF 1870.
WHERE WAS THE LAND OF OPPORTUNITY? WAS IT IN NEW YORK? WAS IT IN BOSTON, WAS IT IN PHILADELPHIA? CHARLESTON CAME TO CHARLESTON AND WENT TO, UH, COLUMBIA AND SERVED ON THE FACULTY, UM, AND TOOK LAW CLASSES THERE.
THE, UM, A BLACK MAN FROM ENGLAND, FROM LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND, ROBERT BROWN ELLIOT CAME TO, TO BOSTON IN 1867.
THE BRITISH NAVY COULD SMELL THE OPPORTUNITY HEADED STRAIGHT TO SOUTH CAROLINA AND WORKED FOR RICHARD HARVEY CAIN'S NEWSPAPER THEN WAS ELECTED TO TO CONGRESS.
AND UM, THIS WAS WHERE IT WAS AT, THIS IS WHERE IT WAS HAPPENING.
AND WHEN I INTERVIEWED REPRESENTATIVE CLYBURN, HIS OFFICE IN THE, IN THE CONGRESS, WELL, HE'S LONG BEEN A STUDENT OF RECONSTRUCTION.
YEAH, I MEAN IT'S LIKE A MUSEUM.
YOU GO IN THERE AND ALL THESE BROTHERS ARE ON THE WALL AND WE TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THAT, UH, SOUTH CAROLINA HAD A BLACK MAJORITY IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
YOU CAN'T IMAGINE THAT NOW SOUTH CAROLINA, EVEN IN THE 18TH CENTURY, WAS CALLED NEGRO COUNTRY.
UM, AND VERY SOON THAT WAS DISMANTLED.
SO IT'S NO SURPRISE THAT MANY OF THE MOST VICIOUS BATTLES OVER RACE OCCURRED HERE CUZ THERE WAS AN ATTEMPT TO CONTROL THIS BLACK MAJORITY.
I WENT TO CALHOUN COLLEGE AT YALE UNIVERSITY.
MM-HMM
HE NOT ONLY WANTED SLAVERY TO CONTINUE, HE WANTED TO RESURRECT THE SLAVE TRADE
HE WAS A, HE WAS A ROUGH BROTHER.
UM, PARTICULARLY THE CHURCHES, FRATERNAL ORGANIZATIONS, SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS, THE FACT THAT SO MANY OF THE SLAVES WANTED TO GET MARRIED AND LEGALIZED THEIR LOVE RELATIONSHIPS.
THE, UM, THE TAKING OUT OF ADS AND NEWSPAPERS TO REUNITE FAMILIES.
AND THE FACT THAT 80% OF THE ELIGIBLE BLACK MEN IN THE SOUTH REGISTERED TO VOTE IN WHAT I CALL THE FIRST FREEDOM SUMMER, THE SUMMER OF 1867, AND 500,000 OF THEM CAST THEIR VOTES IN THE GENERAL ELECTION OF 1868 FOR ULYSSES ESS GRANT.
AND PEOPLE FORM SCHOOLS HISTORICALLY BLACK, WHAT WE NOW CALL HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES LIKE SHAW AND HOWARD, BUT ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND IN SOUTH CAROLINA, ALAN AND BENEDICT AND KALIN AB ABSOLUTELY.
AND YOU KNOW, JUST ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS THAT, THAT THE SLAVES HAD A HUNGER FOR LEARNING BECAUSE THEY KNEW THAT THE MOST VALUABLE THING THAT HAD BEEN KEPT FOR THEM WAS KNOWLEDGE OF READING AND WRITING.
AND THEY KNEW THAT WAS THE PATHWAY TO, TO SUCCESS.
ISN'T IT INTERESTING THAT PUBLIC EDUCATION GREW OUT OF THIS PERIOD? MM-HMM.
THERE WEREN'T PUBLIC STATEWIDE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEMS AND THE RECONSTRUCTION GOVERNMENTS PARTICULARLY, UM, IN SOUTH CAROLINA, AND PARTICULARLY AS DESIGNED BY ROBERT SMALLS, UM, ESTABLISHED STATEWIDE PUBLIC SCHOOL EDUCATIONAL SYSTEMS, WHICH HADN'T BEEN DONE BEFORE, WHICH IS A SHOCK TO PEOPLE.
AND THAT'S BECAUSE BLACK PEOPLE UNDERSTOOD THE VALUE OF EDUCATION.
IT'S ALSO INTERESTING THOUGH THAT THINGS LIKE PUBLIC EDUCATION AND CERTAINLY, UH, ENFRANCHISEMENT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ALL THESE POSITIVES THAT GREW OUT OF THE RECONSTRUCTION PERIOD ARE STILL UNDER ASSAULT.
AND IT'S, WE HAVE TO, UM, ANY SOCIETY IS JUDGED BY THE QUALITY OF ITS PUBLIC EDUCATION.
AND WE AS AMERICANS SHOULD BE EMBARRASSED AT HOW WE'VE ALLOWED OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS, WHICH ARE POPULATED BY BRILLIANT TEACHERS, THEY'RE SO MOTIVATED, BUT THEY'RE UNDERPAID AND UNDER-RESOURCED.
AND, UM, WE SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF THAT.
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HAVE, UM, A GENERAL IDEA THAT THE COLLAPSE OF RECONSTRUCTION WAS SOLELY IN THE HANDS OF THE SOUTH.
THAT'S NOT TRUE, ISN'T IT? NO.
THE COLLAPSE OF RECONSTRUCTION WAS A CONSPIRACY BETWEEN ECONOMIC INTERESTS AND POLITICAL INTERESTS IN THE NORTH AND IN THE SOUTH.
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THERE WAS A PAN ECONOMIC PANIC OF 1873, WHICH WAS CALLED THE FIRST GREAT DEPRESSION.AND PEOPLE LOOKED AROUND AND SAID, WHY DON'T WE SPEND ALL THE MONEY ON THESE NEGROES IN THE SOUTH? LET 'EM THRIVE.
AND THEY ACTED BARREL AS IF 200 YEARS OF SLAVERY COULD BE WIPED OUT WITH NO REPARATIONS, WITH, WITH, WITH, UM, NO BENEFITS GIVEN NO 40 ACRES IN A MULE, NO HELP.
UM, THAT EACH, EACH OF THESE PEOPLE WERE ON THEIR OWN.
NOT ONLY THAT NEW FORMS OF OPPRESSION WERE INSTITUTIONALIZED DEBT, P AND H SHARECROPPING, THE RISE OF THE KLAN, THE RISE OF THE COOK, TERRORISM.
AND SO VERY MUCH, UH, RECONSTRUCTION IS ABOUT ISSUES THAT STILL ROYAL OUR SOCIETY TODAY.
WHO HAS THE RIGHT TO BE A CITIZEN? WHO HAS THE RIGHT TO BE AN AMERICAN? WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC DEMOCRACY? AND WHAT IS THE ROLE OF TERRORISM IN THE HEALTHY FUNCTIONING OF A, OF A DEMOCRACY? WHAT'S THE ROLE OF THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE IN, IN THE FACE OF THE MANIFESTATIONS OF TERRORISM? HOW CAN WE HAVE THIS VERY BLATANT REMINDER FROM 150 YEARS AGO AND NOT BE MINDFUL OF ITS IMPACT TODAY? THAT'S WHY DYLAN MCGEE AND I MADE THIS SERIES AND WITH PBS WE'LL GET, AND I AM ON THE ROAD, YOU KNOW, I FLEW DOWN TO BEAUFORD FROM HARVARD.
UH, I DID MY OFFICIAL DUTIES ON, JUMPED ON JETBLUE AND CAME DOWN HERE CUZ I WANTED A SOUTH CAROLINA SCREENING TO REMIND PEOPLE THAT THIS IS GROUND ZERO, THAT THEN IS NOW, AND I WANT TO DO ONE IN CHARLESTON.
UH, AND I WANNA DO ONE AT THE PENN CENTER.
IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT THE COUNTRY UNDERSTAND THAT WE MADE THIS SERIES ABOUT THE CURRENT RACIAL CLIMATE IN THE UNITED STATES, THOUGH IT'S THROUGH THE MIRROR AND THE ANALOGY OF RECONSTRUCTION AND ITS ROLLBACK CALLED REDEMPTION.
WHAT IS THE MEASURE OF SUCCESS FOR YOU FOR THIS SERIES? UM, FIRST OF ALL, I WANT RECONSTRUCTION MODULES.
FIRST, I WANT RECONSTRUCTION MODULES TO BE CREATED IN THE CLASSROOM SO THAT RECONSTRUCTION IS AS CENTRAL TO A COURSE IN AMERICAN HISTORY AS THE CIVIL WAR IS, OR WORLD WAR I OR WORLD WAR II.
RECONSTRUCTION WAS OUR FIRST EXPERIMENT WITH INTERRACIAL DEMOCRACY AND IT WAS CRUSHED.
AND THE ONLY WAY THAT WE'RE GONNA SURVIVE AS A SOCIETY IS IF WE FASHION FORMS OF INTERRACIAL DEMOCRACY AND COLLABORATION THAT ALLOW MULTIPLICITY OF VOICES, SEXUAL ORIENTATIONS, RELIGIOUS BELIEFS, ET CETERA, GENDER IDENTITIES TO THRIVE AND LIVE IN HARMONY AND PEACE.
THAT'S MY GOAL IN CREATING THIS SERIES, AND I HOPE PEOPLE WILL WATCH IT.
TALK TO HENRY LEWIS GATES, JR.