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CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BEAUFORT COUNTY.ALRIGHT, WE'LL CALL TO ORDER THE, UH, JANUARY 19TH, 2023 BEAUFORT COUNTY AIRPORT'S BOARD MEETING.
AND IF YOU'RE ALL, PLEASE RISE AND JOIN ME WITH THE PLEDGE.
I PLEDGE STATES GOD INVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE.
BEFORE WE, BEFORE WE GET STARTED, JUST FOR LIKE, TO WELCOME BACKWARDS SELLS WHO WAS, UH, HAM, HOW MANY YEARS YOU WERE ON THE BOARD, BUT IT WAS A BUNCH OF YEARS.
AND THE BOARD'S CHAIRMAN FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME, HE SAW THE LIGHT LEFT THE AREA, DECIDED HE BETTER COME BACK.
UH, PUBLIC NOTIFICATION OF THIS MEETING HAS BEEN PUBLISHED, POSTED AND DISTRIBUTED, DISTRIBUTED IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SOUTH CAROLINA FREEDOM AND IN OF INFORMATION ACT.
IAN, YOU CAN HEAR US WAVE AT US IF YOU CAN.
UH, EVERYBODY RECEIVED A COPY OF THE AGENDA.
TODAY'S AGENDA, ANY COMMENTS, CHANGES, ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA.
IF NOT, I'LL ACCEPT A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS PUBLISHED.
SECOND WILL APPROVE SIGN, SAY, AYE.
OR RAISE YOUR HAND FOR IAN AND NICK.
UH, NICK, YOU CAN ALSO HEAR US WAVE IT.
SAME THING ON THE, UH, MINUTES.
EVERYBODY RECEIVED A COPY OF THE NOVEMBER MINUTES.
YOU'LL RECALL WE DIDN'T HAVE A DECEMBER MEETING.
UH, ANY CORRECTIONS CHANGES, ADDITION TO THE NOVEMBER MINUTES? ANY NONE.
I'LL ACCEPT A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
UH, ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
THE MINUTES, UH, ARE APPROVED.
UH, WE NOW WE HAVE A BIG PUBLIC TODAY.
UH, WE NOW MOVE TO THE PUBLIC PORTION OF THE MEETING, UH, WHICH ALLOWS THREE MINUTES FOR ANYBODY, UH, CONSIDERED PART OF THE PUBLIC TO ADDRESS THE BOARD, MAKE ANY STATEMENTS, UH, REMIND BOARD MEMBERS THAT THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO SPEAK TO US, NOT NECESSARILY TO REBUT.
SO ANYBODY HERE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK STATEMENT OR ADDRESS THE BOARD.
LOOKS LIKE EVERYBODY JUST CAME TO LISTEN TO YOU.
UH, HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYBODY.
WE'LL JUST GOTTA GET INTO THIS REPORT HERE.
ALL, WE DON'T HAVE ANY ACTION ITEMS TODAY.
UM, AS I WAS SAYING BEFORE THE MEETING, A COUPLE OF YOU, WE HAD SOME KIND OF TOWARDS THE END OF THE YEAR, UM, THAT KIND OF ROLLED ACROSS THE HOLIDAYS AND WE ADDRESSED IN THE FIRST, UH, COUNCIL MEETING OF THIS YEAR.
SO WE'LL GET SOME MORE MOVING HERE THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS, BUT WE'LL UPDATE YOU ON, ON WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON ANYWAY.
I CAN'T SEE MY NOTES WITH THE V SCREEN THE WAY IT IS.
SO LET ME SEE IF I CAN MOVE THINGS AROUND AND THEN MOVE MY WINDOW.
CAN YOU MOVE JOHN? I SEEM TO MOVE THERE.
PROBABLY DO IT ON THIS COMPUTER.
WELL, IF THAT'LL WORK FOR NOW TILL I DOES SHOW UP ON THAT SIDE, I'LL DRAG IT BACK OVER.
I CAN'T MAKE 'EM ALL LOOK THE SAME, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, HOW BORING WOULD THAT BE? ALL RIGHT.
SO LEMME GET BACK TO MY PRESENTATION HERE.
I THINK I'M IN THE RIGHT PLACE.
ANYWAY, WE'LL SEE IF THIS WORKS.
ALRIGHT, JUST GENERAL UPDATE FIRST.
UM, WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF BUDGET SEASON, WHICH IS TYPICAL FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR.
UM, SO WHAT WE'LL DO, I KNOW WHAT WE NORMALLY DO IS HAVE A COUPLE OF MEMBERS OF THE BOARD MEET WITH US AS WE DEVELOP THE BUDGET.
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IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, OUR BUDGETS ARE DUE TO THE COUNTY IN THE BEGINNING OF FEBRUARY.SO WE'LL GET OUR, OUR WORK DONE AND THEN GET IN TOUCH HOWARD WITH YOU, I SUPPOSE, AND ORGANIZE A MEETING LIKE WE DID LAST YEAR.
AND, UH, JUST BRIEF MAYBE TWO HILTON HEAD REPS, TWO BU REPS MAYBE, AND, UH, AND LET YOU KNOW WHERE WE STAND DOWN THE BUDGET, ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
AND THEN THAT BUDGET WORKS ITS WAY THROUGH THE WICKETS AT THE COUNTY LEVEL FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS AND, UH, GETS APPROVED BY COUNCIL, UM, IN THE BEGINNING OF JUNE.
SO WE'LL HAVE TIME TO TAKE QUESTION AND ANSWER THERE.
UM, SECOND ITEM THERE, THAT, UH, MARINE CORPS SKILL BRIDGE PROGRAM.
THIS IS KIND OF AN INTERESTING DEAL.
WE'RE GONNA BENEFIT FROM THIS PROGRAM, UH, COMING UP STARTING IN MARCH.
BUT D O D HAS HAS THIS PROGRAM NOW WHERE IF THERE'S A, A MARINE, IN OUR CASE, SINCE WE'VE GOT THE MARINE BASES HERE, A MARINE WHO'S TRANSITIONING OFF ACTIVE DUTY, UM, THEY CAN SIGN UP FOR THIS PROGRAM.
AND IT'S BASICALLY AN ON-THE-JOB TRAINING SLASH INTERNSHIP TYPE PROGRAM THAT COSTS US AS AN EMPLOYER, NOTHING BECAUSE THE SERVICE MEMBER IS STILL ACTIVE DUTY.
SO STILL RECEIVING FULL PAYING BENEFITS FROM, UH, FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE A GUNNERY SERGEANT FROM THE MARINE CORPS AIR STATION BEAUFORT, WHO IS AN OPERATIONS CHIEF ON THE AIRFIELD, AND HE'S A PART 1 39 SPECIALIST OUT THERE, WHICH IS GREAT.
HE'S GONNA COME WORK WITH US FOR SEVERAL MONTHS.
THE ONLY, UH, STIPULATION WE HAD, AND HIS AGREEMENT WAS THE CEO WANTED HIM TO COME BACK FOR THE AIR SHOW BECAUSE HE RUNS THE OPERATIONS FOR THE AIR SHOW.
SO WE'LL GIVE HIM UP FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS WHILE WORK THE AIR SHOW AND THEN COME BACK TO US.
BUT, UH, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE GUNNY WORK WITH US BOTH AT HILTON HEAD AND AT BEAUFORD EXECUTIVE, KIND OF GET FLAVOR OF BOTH AIRPORTS AND, AND REALLY TAP INTO HIS PART 1 39 KNOWLEDGE, ESPECIALLY AT AT HILTON HEAD.
THAT'LL BE A, A BIG ADVANTAGE TO US.
A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENTIATION BETWEEN WHAT THE MILITARY DOES, PART 1 39 AS TO WHAT WE DO, UM, BUT FOR THE MOST PART, VERY SIMILAR.
SO HE'S GOT YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AND HE'LL BE ABLE TO HELP KIND OF TEACH OUR CREW AS HE'S LEARNING ABOUT OUR AIRFIELD.
SO REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.
AND I THINK WE'VE GOT 'EM THROUGH WHAT, JULY OR AUGUST, SOMETHING LIKE THAT? YES, YOUR HONOR.
UM, SO YEAH, WE HAVE 'EM FOR SEVERAL MONTHS, WHICH IS FANTASTIC.
AND THEN, UH, THERE'S NO OBLIGATION IN THAT PROGRAM TO HIRE THE, THE FOLKS EITHER.
SO, UM, YOU KIND OF GET A CHANCE TO DO ON THE JOB TRAINING AND GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER AND, AND FIND OUT IF MAYBE THERE WILL BE A FIT MOVING FORWARD.
SO IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US.
AND, UM, WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING THE, THE GUNNERY SERGEANT JOIN US.
SO WE'LL PROBABLY DRAG HIM TO A BOARD MEETING AT SOME POINT SO YOU CAN, SO YOU CAN MEET HIM.
AND THEN THE LAST ITEM THERE, THAT SUPPLEMENTAL DISCRETIONARY GRANT OPPORTUNITY IS SOMETHING THAT CAME UP JUST BEFORE THE NEW YEAR.
UM, AND THIS IS TIED WITH SOME MORE OF THAT, THAT FEDERAL AID THAT GETS, UM, RELEASED EVERY SO OFTEN.
AND THIS HAS BEEN PROGRAMMED INTO THE FA A'S BUDGET, AND IT'S, LIKE I SAYS, IT'S A SUPPLEMENTAL DISCRETIONARY GRANT.
SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS IT'S AN UNSCHEDULED OPPORTUNITY FOR FUNDING.
SO WE ARE PUTTING IN AN APPLICATION FOR THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND AIRPORT AND ONE FOR BEFOR EXECUTIVE AIRPORT FOR AIRPORTS OUR SIZE.
THERE'S A WINDOW OF FUNDING THAT'S AVAILABLE ON THIS FROM 20 MILLION TO 70 MILLION.
WE'RE NOT SURE HOW MUCH, BUT THAT'S KIND OF WHAT THE, THE BOUNDARIES ARE SET IN THE APPLICATION PACKAGE, UH, BY THE FAA.
UH, SO WE'RE GONNA APPLY FOR OUR FIRST SHARE OF THAT AND SEE IF WE CAN GET A COUPLE OF PROJECTS FUNDED SOME MORE AT, AT BOTH OF THE AIRPORTS.
BUT, UH, WE, WE DON'T WANNA LEAVE ANY FUNDING OPPORTUNITY ON, UH, UNREQUESTED, SO TO SPEAK.
SO THE TOTAL IS 20 TO 70 IN TOTAL? THAT'S AVAILABLE, RIGHT? 20 TO 70 PER NO, THAT'S, THAT'S TOTAL AVAILABLE IN THIS, IN THIS COMPETITIVE PROGRAM.
SO, YOU KNOW,
I MEAN, WE'VE, WE HAVE BENEFITED FROM THIS ON THE, UH, THE TOWER PROGRAM AT, AT HILTON HEAD.
THERE WAS COMPETITIVE GRANT THAT WE APPLIED FOR LAST YEAR, AND WE DID RECEIVE FUNDING, SO WE WERE NOT SURE THAT WE RECEIVE IT FOR THAT, BUT WE DID.
SO WHAT PROJECTS ARE YOU PROPOSING TO GRANT? UH, FOR HILTON HEAD? WE'RE PROPOSING THE TERMINAL, SO ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THE TERMINAL.
AND THEN OVER AT BEFOR EXECUTIVE, IT'S THE SAFETY PROJECTS FOR THE, UH, RUNWAY SAFETY AREAS AND THE MITIGATION THERE.
SO THAT'S, THAT BE ENOUGH TO, UH, GET THAT FACE TO THE TERMINAL BACK? WELL, IT, IT SHOULD, IT, IT'LL BE, I MEAN, DEPENDING ON HOW THE AWARDS GO, THERE'S REALLY VERY VAGUE GUIDANCE.
SO WE DON'T KNOW IF, IF YOU APPLY FOR A CERTAIN AMOUNT, IF THEY'RE PARTIAL AWARDS OR IF IT'S ALL OR NOTHING.
UM, THERE'S VERY LITTLE GUIDANCE.
AND ACTUALLY OUR, OUR FOLKS IN ATLANTA AT THE ADO AND, UH, THE FAA REALLY HAVEN'T RECEIVED MUCH GUIDANCE EITHER.
THEY JUST ENCOURAGED US, HEY, IF YOU HAVE SOME GOOD PROJECTS, GO AHEAD AND APPLY FOR THEM.
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AND WE'RE ACTIVELY WORKING ON THOSE APPLICATIONS, SO WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT, UH, NO FUNDING OPPORTUNITY GOES UN PURSUED.ANY QUESTIONS THERE BEFORE WE GET INTO SPECIFIC AIRPORTS? IF NOT, WE'LL HEAD NORTH TO BEAUFORD EXECUTIVE TELL YOU WHAT'S GOING ON THERE, AND THEN WE'VE GOTTA DRAG YOU GUYS BACK ACROSS THE SCREEN.
WELL, I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, I CAN READ MY TEXT.
I CAN'T, HOW DO I FIND THIS GUY? WHERE'S MY MOUSE? THERE IT IS.
I'M PUT YOU, I'M GONNA PUT YOU RIGHT IN THE WET RIGHT IN A WET SPOT.
SO LET'S TALK ABOUT BURE EXECUTIVE, UM, HANGAR DEVELOPMENT.
I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR YEARS, THIS MOVING FORWARD, WHICH IS GREAT.
UH, WE'VE GOT A DESIGN IN HAND AT THIS POINT, AND WE'RE GONNA TWEAK THAT A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE WE HAD A, UH, LOCAL ENGINEERING FIRM LAY ALL THAT OUT FOR US.
AND THESE ARE ADDITIONAL T HANGERS, UH, ADJACENT TO THET HANGERS, UM, JUST OVER TO THE RIGHT OF IAN'S HEAD WHERE THET HANGERS ARE.
UM, SO WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING A COUPLE OF BUILDINGS THERE, AND AS WE LAID THAT OUT, WE TOOK THOSE, YOU KNOW, SITE CIVIL ENGINEERING PLANS, SENT THEM TO TBO, BRIGHTON ELLINGTON, AND THEY KIND OF TRUTH THEM OUT FOR US AND PUT THE FAA DIMENSIONING ON THERE, THE DIFFERENT, UH, CLEARANCES THAT WE NEED, UM, FOR OBJECT FREE AREAS, WINGSPAN, CLEARANCE, THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO WE'VE TRUTH THAT OUT AND WE'VE, UH, WE'VE MADE SOME MODIFICATIONS TO THE PLANS.
WE'RE GONNA TALK WITH OUR DESIGN TEAM TOMORROW AND, UM, UH, WE'VE MET WITH CHRIS ABOUT IT TO JUST BOUNCE IT OFF OF HIM AND GET HIS THOUGHTS.
UM, AND WE'RE GONNA TRY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.
WE MAY HAVE TO PHASE IT DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH FUNDING, UH, WE EAT UP, UP.
WE DO KNOW THAT AT LEAST THE SITE IMPROVEMENTS, THE HORIZONTAL PORTION OF THE PROJECT WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR STATE, UH, GRANT FUNDING ON A 60 40 SPLIT.
UM, SO WE'LL CERTAINLY, UH, APPLY FOR THAT FUNDING.
BUT, UH, WE'LL, WE'LL PUT THIS PLAN TOGETHER.
BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS THIS IS MOVING FORWARD.
WE'RE GONNA USE SOME OF THE ARPA RELIEF FUNDS THAT THE COUNTY HAS TO FUND.
UH, THE FIRST, I THINK WE'VE GOT A MILLION AND A HALF OF ARPA FUNDS THAT WE'RE GONNA USE TO FUND THIS.
SO WE'LL GET AS MUCH OF THIS DONE AS WE CAN IN THE FIRST SHOT.
KEVIN, WHY DON'T WE STAND ON THE GROUND LEASE OPPORTUNITY? UM, GROUND LEASE OPPORTUNITY IS STILL WIDE OPEN.
WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY APPLICATIONS FROM FOLKS AS OF YET, YET.
I TALKED ACTUALLY ON MATTER AND WE WERE DISCUSSING THAT.
UM, AND THERE STILL WAS THE SAME.
IT WAS A GROUP OF, I THINK IT WAS FOUR PEOPLE, AND THEY, THEY'RE NOT THE SAME.
THAT IS THAT ACCURATE? WE, YES, YES, JEFF LOOKING AT, LOOKING AT INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES, BUT, UH, I TOLD 'EM I BE INTERESTED IF THEY CAME IN ON A, UH, A DIFFERENT WAY OF DOING IT AND TRYING TO WORK ON WITH THE, WITH THE AIRPORT AS WELL, ON, THERE'S CERTAIN PIECES OF EQUIPMENT THAT ARE GONNA BE NEEDED, BUT THEN WHAT HAS TO BE DECIDED IS, OKAY, HOW'S THAT GONNA WORK ON MAINTENANCE AND MANAGEMENT OF THAT EQUIPMENT IF THE COUNTY EMPLOYEES ARE GONNA USE IT, AND THEN TAKING PLANES IN AND OUT IN A BIG BOX HANGER AND THEN TRYING TO ALLOW THEM TO DO OVERNIGHT AND, AND REAP SOME INCOME ON BOTH SIDES FOR THAT.
SO I THINK, SO BASICALLY A LITTLE WARM OPPORTUNITY THERE.
CURRENTLY, BUT THERE'S STILL SOME OTHER PEOPLE I'M STILL TALKING TO, JUST TRYING TO GET 'EM FIRED.
NO ONE SEEMS TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, INTEREST RATES HAVEN'T HELPED US AND NEITHER HAS THE STEEL PRICES.
UM, TERMINAL IMPROVEMENTS AND LANDSCAPE IMPROVEMENTS OUT THERE.
IT'D BE SOMETHING THAT IF, IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN THERE, AND I THINK SOME OF YOU HAVE BEEN THERE TO SEE THE INSIDE OF THE BUILDING, THE OUTSIDE OF THE BUILDING HAS BEEN PAINTED.
WE'VE GOT, UM, LOGOS COMING IN FOR THE INSIDE OF THE BUILDING BEHIND THE, UH, THE SERVICE COUNTER AND FOR THE OUTSIDE OF THE BUILDING, SO THAT AS YOU ARRIVE AT THE AIRPORT, YOU'LL, YOU'LL KNOW YOU'RE IN THE RIGHT PLACE.
AND, UM, AND THEN THE LANDSCAPING IMPROVEMENTS ARE GONNA HAPPEN IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS HERE.
SO WE'LL HAVE A FULL NEW LANDSCAPE PACKAGE ON BOTH SIDES OF THAT BUILDING.
UM, SO IT'LL LOOK LIKE A, A COMPLETE NEW PLAY.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.
UM, AND REALLY THAT IS, THAT'S BEEN MADE POSSIBLE ON A 60 40 GRANT SPLIT, AGAIN WITH SOUTH CAROLINA AERONAUTICS COMMISSION.
SO IF YOU RUN INTO A COMMISSIONER HOWARD NEXT TO YOU, CHRIS NEXT TO YOU, PLEASE THANK A COMMISSIONER
UM, I KNOW ANNE PROBABLY DIDN'T GET TO VOTE ON THESE, CUZ SHE HAS TO RECUSE HERSELF FOR HOURS, BUT SHE DOES ALL THE WORK BEHIND THE SCENES TO MAKE SURE IT HAPPENS IN COLUMBIA.
UM, BUT IN, IN ALL SERIOUSNESS, IF YOU TALK TO ANYBODY WITH AERONAUTICS, THANK 'EM FOR THIS BECAUSE AERONAUTICS PRIMARILY WORKS WITH GENERAL AVIATION AIRPORTS TO GET THIS KIND OF THING DONE TO MAKE THESE GENERAL AVIATION AIRPORTS NICER.
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OF BEAUFORT EXECUTIVE.SO WE'RE LOOKING WELL, WHILE YOU'RE ON THAT AIRPORT, UM, WHAT'S THE FUTURE FOR THE FROGMORE LOGO? IF WE LOOK AT OUR WEBSITE PAGES FOR HILTON HEAD AIRPORT AND ELSEWHERE, UM, HILTON HEAD ISLAND AIRPORT COMES UP WITH A NICE NEW, UH, LOGO, BUT BEAUFORT EXECUTIVE COMES UP WITH A FROGMORE LOGO.
SO WHAT'S THE INTENT GOING DOWN THE ROAD WITH THAT LOGO? WELL, THAT'S STILL A LOCAL FAVORITE.
THE FROGMORE IS, IS THE LOCAL FAVORITE FOR THE LOGO.
SO IT'S OUR INTENT TO KEEP THAT IS, IT'S STILL KIND OF A, A NICKNAME.
IT'S NOT THE OFFICIAL NAME FOR THE AIRPORT, BUT FOLKS WHO FLY IN AND CERTAINLY ALL THE LOCALS KNOW IT AS FROGMORE.
SO WE INTEND TO, TO KEEP THAT.
UM, I THINK WE WOULD HAVE A, UH, SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF PUSHBACK IF WE DECIDED WE WERE GONNA CHANGE THE FULL BRANDING ON THAT AIRPORT.
SO WE'RE A LITTLE BIT CONFLICTED.
WE'RE NOT USING THE, THE NORMAL, UH, BRANDING, UM, PROTOCOLS WHERE YOU PICK A BRAND AND GO WITH IT THE WAY WE HAVE IT AT HILTON HEAD ISLAND AIRPORT.
UM, BUT I THINK IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A, A DIFFERENT CASE AT, AT, UM, AT BUFORD EXECUTIVE.
WE, WE, YOU'LL SEE THE INSIDE BRANDING WHEN WE GET THAT PUT UP AND IT, IT, IT IS VERY EXECUTIVE LOOKING, BUT WE WANNA MAINTAIN THAT LAID BACK AND, UH, AND THE FUN ATMOSPHERE THERE AS WELL.
SO WE WILL MAIN KEEP THAT LOGO AS, SO IF YOU BUY A BALL CAP IN A, IN A COFFEE CUP, WHICH YOU SHOULD, BECAUSE WE HAVE FULL COLOR COFFEE MUGS WITH A NICE LOGO ON THE BACK AND A AND A SAYING ON THE OTHER SIDE, YOU SHOULD HAVE ONE OF THOSE.
YOUR DESK IS NOT COMPLETE WITHOUT IT.
UM, IF YOU DRINK SODAS FROM TIME TO TIME, WE HAVE COOZIES FOR YOU TO KEEP YOUR HAND WARM IN THE WINTERTIME AND KEEP YOUR SODAS COLD IN THE SUMMERTIME.
SO GET ONE OF THOSE, UM, YOU'LL NOTICE THAT IT'S THE FROG ON THOSE THAT IS THE, THE LOGO THAT, UH, THAT FOLKS WANNA SEE OUT THERE.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE KEEPING THAT.
SO JUST, JUST TO PURSUE THAT JUST A LITTLE BIT FURTHER.
MARK, ANY OTHER FEELINGS WITH REGARD TO HOW WE BRAND BEAUFORT EXECUTIVE, IF WE WENT THROUGH THE NAME CHANGE THAT WORKED OUT WELL? UH, THE CONCERN IS THAT OUR LOCAL PILOTS, OF COURSE, ARE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE FROGMORE NAME, BUT TRENCH AND PILOTS MAY OR MAY NOT BE.
SO HOW DO WE BLEND, HOW DO WE MELD THOSE TWO TOGETHER, UH, TO KEEP OUR LOCAL FOLKS HAPPY AND, AND KEEP IT FAMILIAR, BUT ALSO MAKE OUR TRENCH AND PILOTS WHO ARE TRANSCENDING UP AND DOWN THE COAST, OR COMING FROM THE WEST, UM, LEARN ABOUT THE BEAUFORT EXECUTIVE NAME.
THERE MUST BE A WAY TO, TO MELD THOSE TWO, KEEPING FROG MORE, BUT ALSO PROMOTING BEAUFORT EXECUTIVE, BUT THE FROG ON TOP OF THE JET.
WELL, I, I REALLY THINK THAT, AND, AND CHRIS CAN SPEAK TO THIS TOO, BUT AS, AS PILOTS ARE MAKING THEIR, AND, AND MARK YOU AS WELL AS, AS YOU'RE LOOKING UP AIRPORT INFORMATION ON THE DIFFERENT APPS, YOU'RE NOT GONNA GET FROGMORE, YOU'RE GOING TO GET BEAUFORD EXECUTIVES.
AND I'LL TELL YOU, I STILL, I JUST GOT IT TWO WEEKS AGO WITH A, A AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER ASKING ME ABOUT FROGMORE
UH, YEAH, IF YOU'RE GOING, IF YOU'RE GOING IN THERE A LOT, YOU PROBABLY WOULDN'T HEAR AS MUCH AS YOU'RE COMING INTO HILTON HEAD, BUT, UH, PROBABLY TWO TO THREE TIMES A YEAR I'LL GET, I'LL GET SOMEBODY ON, UM, AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER ASKING ME ABOUT, OH, SO HOW'S FROGMORE DOING? AND, YOU KNOW, THAT TYPE OF THING.
SO IT'S STILL, IT'S STILL BROUGHT OUT THERE.
AND I THINK THE BRANDING THING, I, YOU KNOW, MY OPINION OF IT IS WHEN I'M, WHEN I'M LOOKING AT FLIGHT PLANNING, I'M LOOKING AT WHERE IS THE CLOSEST DESTINATION, AND I DON'T REALLY LOOK, I, I SEE WHAT'S ON FOR FLIGHT AND THAT'S WHAT I USE, THAT'S BEAUFORD EXEC WHEN I'M OFFICIALLY USING IT.
UH, BUT WHEN I GET DOWN AND I'M TALKING TO PEOPLE, A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE BRING UP FROGMORE THAT THE FIRST THING THAT THEY'LL SAY IS THEY BRING UP FROGMORE.
THEY DON'T BRING UP BEAUFORT EXEC.
I'VE HAD VERY FEW PEOPLE NOTICE THAT IT GOT CHANGED TO BEAUFORD EXEC, BUT I DO HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ASK ABOUT FROGMORE, YOU KNOW, WHO HAVE FLOWN IN AT SOME POINT.
AND FOR WHATEVER REASON, THEY PICKED UP ON IT VERY, VERY QUICKLY THAT IT'S, THAT FROGMORE USED TO BE THE NAME THAT EVERYBODY KIND OF USED, YOU KNOW, THE SLANG TERM, LET'S CALL IT.
BUT YEAH, IT'S STILL OUT THERE AND PEOPLE STILL ASK ME ABOUT IT.
SO THE CONSENSUS IS EVERYBODY'S COMFORTABLE.
JUST GOTTA GET IN THE RIGHT POND.
WE HAVE HAD NO ONE LAND AT THE WRONG PLACE BECAUSE THERE APPARENTLY IS NOT A REAL FROGMORE SOMEWHERE ELSE WITHIN THE UNITED STATES.
SO NOT TYPICAL, BUT IT WORKS FOR US.
UM, NEXT IS THE, UH, RUNWAY REHAB.
AND THAT DESIGN IS IN PROGRESS NOW.
TOBER, BRIGHT ELLINGTON'S WORKING OUT ON THAT.
AND THEN THE NEXT STAGE OF THAT PROJECT IS WE'LL GO TO THE FAA FOR THEIR REVIEWS, UM, AND THEN WE WOULD BID THAT AND BUILD IT.
NOW THE FA DOES, THEY DID INSTITUTE A, A WAITING PERIOD NOW IN BETWEEN DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION.
WE'LL BASICALLY HAVE A, A YEAR OFF, AND THEN WE'LL BID AND BUILD THAT PROJECT.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S SOMETHING WE PUSH BACK ON WITH THE FA BUT THEY SAID THERE'S, THERE'S GOTTA BE THAT TIME PERIOD IN BETWEEN SO THAT THEY CAN DO ALL THEIR, THEIR DESIGN REVIEWS.
THAT PROJECT IS DEALING WITH THE REHAB OF THE RUNWAY, NOT THE EXTENSION OF THE RUNWAY.
IS THAT THAT CORRECT? NO, IT'S JUST THE REHAB OF THE EXISTING RUNWAY.
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AND THEN FINALLY, I WANNA MAKE SURE EVERYBODY KNOWS SOUTH CAROLINA BREAKFAST CLUB.WE'VE BEEN ON THEIR LIST FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS NOW.
LAST YEAR WE HAD AWFUL WEATHER AND WE HAD TO CANCEL.
UM, IT'S A TOUGH TIME OF YEAR TO DO IT, BUT WE'RE PRAYING FOR A DAY LIKE TODAY.
SO SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 5TH AT NINE O'CLOCK.
UM, MARLENE IS KIND OF RUNNING THAT FROM OUR OFFICE.
SHE'S GOT AN RSVP OUT THERE TO THE BREAKFAST CLUB.
IT, IT IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, BUT WE REALLY CATER, FIRST AND FOREMOST TO THE BREAKFAST CLUB BECAUSE IT'S A, IT'S AN ACTUAL ORGANIZATION THAT WILL FLY IN.
THEY'LL ACTUALLY CONDUCT A BUSINESS MEETING AT THE BREAKFAST.
UM, AND SO THEY'RE COUNTING ON THE AIRPORT TO HOST THEM.
SO WHERE WE DO WANT SOME, SOME LOCALS TO COME AND ENJOY THAT AND OPEN UP THE AIRPORT FOR THEM.
THIS IS NOT MEANT TO BE AN OPEN HOUSE.
THIS IS A MEETING OF THE BREAKFAST CLUB.
IF THERE'S SEATS LEFT OVER, WE WANT PUBLIC TO JOIN US.
SO BIT OF A BALANCING ACT, FIGURING THAT OUT.
BUT WE'VE GOT AN RSVP OUT THERE, SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN PLAN ADEQUATELY.
AND, UH, YOURS TRULY WILL BE FLIPPING BURGERS AND COOKING EGGS AND SAUSAGE IN THE MORNING.
WE'RE ALL JUST KIND OF TEAMING UP TO, UH, TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
BOARD MEMBERS ARE MORE THAN WELCOME.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO SLAP ON AN APRON AND, AND COME OUT THERE AND HELP US.
UM, OR IF YOU WANT TO COME OUT AND EAT, YOU CAN CERTAINLY DO THAT TOO.
IT'S GONNA BE, IT $10 A PLATE.
SO, AND THAT'S A STANDARD BREAKFAST CLUB DEAL.
SO WE'RE VERY HAPPY TO BE ON THAT CALENDAR.
WE'RE GONNA PUT OUR BEST FOOT FORWARD.
WE'RE GONNA BRING PEOPLE IN THROUGH THE NEW TURMOIL TOO.
UH, WE TOYED WITH WHERE TO HOLD THIS, IF WE WANNA DO IT DOWN BY THE HANGERS LIKE WE DID A COUPLE YEARS AGO, OR DO BY THE TERMINAL.
WE, UH, OPTED STEVE SAID, HEY, LET'S DO IT AT THE TERMINAL.
WE'LL HAVE A TENT OUTSIDE, BUT WE'LL ALSO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING PEOPLE IN THROUGH THE TERMINAL SO THAT THEY CAN NOT ONLY SEE THE TERMINAL, BUT HAVE A CHANCE TO BUY THAT COFFEE CUP HOWARD
SO WE'RE BIG ON MERCHANDISE SALES UP THERE.
THE AIRPLANE WILL BE OVERGROW BY THEN.
SAY AGAIN? AIRPLANE WILL BE OVERGROW WEIGHT BY THEN.
YEAH, WELL THAT'S, YOU KNOW, WE'LL ONLY WE WON'T FEED 'EM SECONDS.
HOW'S THAT? ALRIGHT, ANY QUESTIONS ON BEFORD EXECUTIVE? YEAH, ONE MORE.
AND WHERE DO WE STAND ON OUR PERSONNEL ISSUE? UM, WE SHOULD, OR THE SUPERVISOR THAT IS STILL GAPPED RIGHT NOW.
UM, IT'S NOT REALLY HURTING US.
I, I'LL TELL YOU, WE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS A LOT.
UM, AND, UH, AND SO WE'RE STILL ACTIVELY SEARCHING FOR SOMEONE TO MOVE INTO THAT ROLE, BUT OUR, UH, OUR LINE TECHS HAVE STEPPED UP OUT THERE AND THEY'RE DOING A FANTASTIC JOB DAY IN AND DAY OUT.
AND THEN STEVE AND MARLENE HAVE KIND OF BEEN ABLE TO TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO, TO LOOK AT THAT, THAT BUSINESS KIND OF INSIDE AND OUT AND, AND REVAMP SOME THINGS THAT REALLY NEEDED TO BE REVAMPED AND CLEANED UP AND FORMALIZED.
AND WHAT THAT'S GONNA ALLOW US TO DO IS HAVE A REAL SOLID, SMOOTHLY WORKING SYSTEM IN PLACE FOR WHEN THAT NEW PERSON COMES IN SO THEY CAN FALL IN ON A SYSTEM THAT IS WORKING AND OPERATING PROPERLY AND NOT HAVE TO BUILD THAT SYSTEM.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO LOOK AT THAT, UH, GLASS AS AS HALF FULL.
UM, AND WE'RE TAKING OUR TIME TO MAKE SURE WE FIND THE RIGHT PERSON.
IS ANYBODY ACTING IN THAT CAPACITY AT THE MOMENT, OR IS THAT JUST A VACANT POSITION? IT'S A VACANT POSITION RIGHT NOW.
WE HAVEN'T OFFICIALLY DUBBED STEVE AS ACTING OR WHAT HAVE YOU, BUT IN HIS JOB DESCRIPTION THAT'S THERE IN MY JOB DESCRIPTION.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE, THAT'S WHAT WE DO.
SO, UM, SO WE'VE GOT IT COVERED THOUGH.
FOLLOW ON TO THE, UH, TERMINAL, UH, IMPROVEMENTS ISSUE.
YOU TALKED ABOUT THIS'S, KIND OF TANGENTIAL.
WHAT ABOUT THE PARKING LOT? PARKING LOT? WE, LET'S SEE, WHAT DO WE HAVE GOING THERE? WE'VE, WE'RE DEALING WITH THE, OR WORKING WITH THE STORMWATER DEPARTMENT WITH THE COUNTY, AND THEY'RE GONNA BE DOING SOME WORK.
THEY JUST HAVE TO SCHEDULE IT AND GET BACK TO US AS FAR AS CLEANING UP SOME OF THE, THE AREAS THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE TOOK A FEW OF THE PINE TREES OUT ALONG THERE, AND THEY'RE GONNA COME BACK IN AND FINISH THAT WORKUP.
BUT WE'VE GOT 'EM WORKING AT THE NORTH END, I'M SURE YOU'VE SEEN WITH REMOVING THAT, THAT HILL OUT THERE.
SO IF THEY'RE, THEY KNOW WHAT WE NEED TO HAVE DONE IN THAT PARKING LOT, AND, UM, POTENTIALLY WE'LL DO, UH, A PROJECT WE'RE TRYING TO LOOK AT AT TIMELINES AND MAKE SURE IT MAKES SENSE TO DO KIND OF A REHAB OF THAT PAVEMENT.
UM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE COULD POTENTIALLY USE SOME OF THOSE LOCAL, UH, GRANT DOLLARS TO DO.
UH, WE JUST HAVE TO WEIGH THE TIMING OF THAT BECAUSE IT, AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE, AS THE HANGERS GET DEVELOPED AND EVERYTHING STARTS TO HAPPEN IN THAT AREA, THAT PARKING LOT WILL ACTUALLY MOVE.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO DO A LITTLE BIT OF A BALANCING ACT THERE, BUT WE'LL, WE'LL MAINTAIN IT UNTIL SUCH POINT AS WE EITHER DECIDE TO PULL THE TRIGGER ON A REHAB OR JUST START WITH THE NEW RIGHT.
WE DON'T SPEND TOO MUCH MONEY, BUT THE AREA WITH THE TREE DAMAGE IS, UH YEP.
SO THAT THOSE PINE TREES, ANYTHING THAT HASN'T HAD A, THE STUMP GROUND, I THINK IT'S JUST ONE THAT STEALTH WILL BE GROUND AND THEN THAT'LL BE MADE INTO A PARKING SPOT.
AND THEN THE OTHER AREAS WILL BE SMOOTHED OUT AND I THINK WE'LL PUT, UH, PROBABLY SOME, SOME PERMEABLE PAYMENT MATERIAL IN THERE.
SO, BUT THAT'S WORKING PRETTY WELL.
UM, STEVE INSTITUTED A, UH, PAID PARKING PROGRAM OUT THERE TOO, SO WE KIND OF HAVE, YOU KNOW, LONG-TERM AND
[00:25:01]
SHORT-TERM PARKING, AND THAT'S WORKING REALLY WELL.UH, FOLKS HAVE BEEN REAL RECEPTIVE TO, TO THAT PROGRAM.
AND WE MAINTAIN THE SET OF KEYS IN THE, IN THE TERMINAL AND, UM, AND MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS CARS ARE READY TO GO WHEN THEY, WHEN THEY NEED 'EM.
SO THAT'S BEEN A GOOD PROGRAM TOO.
SO, GOOD, GOOD THINGS HAPPEN THERE.
ANYTHING ELSE? I GOTTA GUESS WHICH WAY I'M MOVING YOU GUYS NOW.
I THINK I'M GONNA MOVE YOU OVER HERE NOW.
WHICH WAY DO I GO? LEFT OR RIGHT? THERE WE GO.
I HAD A 50 50 SHOT, BUT NOW I KNOW WHERE IT IS.
ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA TUCK YOU OVER THERE.
THE GOOD PICTURE OF THE TALES THAT THAT SHOT IS FROM WHEN THE QUISTA DOORS CAME TWO YEARS AGO.
UH, AND THIS IS A REMINDER, THEY'RE COMING AGAIN THIS YEAR, THEORETICALLY, RIGHT, GUYS.
UM, SO WE WILL HAVE LOT OF JET FUEL ON HAND AND WE WILL WORK WITH THE FAA BECAUSE WE OBVIOUSLY HAD TO CLOSE THE TAXIWAY TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
UM, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT IN MAY, RIGHT? SO THAT'LL BE A BIG, BIG DEAL.
UM, YOU CAN TALK TO ANNE ON A SIDEBAR AFTER THIS IF YOU WANT TO, ABOUT SOME OF THE, UM, S C A C ALLOCATION FOR TERMINAL FUNDING.
I'LL GIVE YOU THE READER'S DIGEST VERSION OF THAT.
AND I MOSTLY, BECAUSE A GOOD BIT OF THAT WAS DECIDED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION AT THE, UH, COMMISSION MEETING IN DECEMBER.
BUT IF YOU RECALL LATE LAST, WELL, NOT LATE LAST YEAR, IT WAS JULY, JUNE, JULY OF LAST YEAR, THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY CAME UP WITH A 53 MILLION, UM, ONE-TIME ALLOCATION OF FUNDS TO AERONAUTS COMMISSION TO BE SPLIT UP AMONGST SEVERAL DIFFERENT PROGRAMS. AT THE END OF THAT SPLIT, 40 MILLION WAS AVAILABLE, AVAILABLE TO THE SIX COMMERCIAL AIRPORTS FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, HILTON, THAT ISLAND AIRPORT, UM, APPLIED FOR AN EVEN SPLIT.
ORIGINALLY THAT WAS A 50 MILLION AND WE APPLIED FOR 8.3.
UM, AT THE END OF ALL THE DELIBERATIONS AND THE FORMULAS THAT WERE DISCUSSED AND WORKED OUT, HILTON HEAD ISLAND AIRPORT'S ENDING UP WITH 3 MILLION OUT OF THAT 40 MILLION ALLOCATION.
UM, AGAIN, THE INGREDIENTS ARE A LITTLE BIT TOO COMPLICATED TO TALK TO IN THIS MEETING, BUT AFTER MUCH, YOU KNOW, WAILING AND GNASHING OF TEETH, WE'LL GET A 3 MILLION ALLOCATION, WHICH WILL APPLY TO OUR TERMINAL PROJECT.
THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT, UH, THAT THAT ONE TIME FUNDING WILL TURN INTO RECURRING FUNDING.
SO IF YOU ARE AT ALL, UM, DISPOSED TO SPEAKING WITH YOUR DELEGATION OF YOUR MEMBERS IN COLUMBIA, PLEASE DO THAT AND ENCOURAGE 'EM TO CONTINUE TO FUND THE COMMERCIAL AIRPORTS.
WHILE WE NEED THAT FOR OUR OWN SPECIFIC PROJECTS, THE STATE NEEDS THAT AS A WHOLE.
BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK OUTSIDE THE BOUNDARIES OF THE STATE, WE'VE GOT NORTH CAROLINA AND GEORGIA WHO ARE AGGRESSIVELY, AGGRESSIVELY FUNDING THEIR COMMERCIAL AIRPORTS.
WE ARE NOWHERE NEAR COMPETING WITH WHAT THEY DO RIGHT NOW.
AND WE'VE GOT TO BE ABLE TO COMPETE WITH THOSE TWO STATES.
SO IF YOU DO TALK TO MEMBERS OF THE DELEGATION, PLEASE ENCOURAGE 'EM TO MAKE THAT A RECURRING LINE ITEM.
UM, AND THAT WAY WE WILL BENEFIT FROM THAT YEAR OVER YEAR.
JOHN, HOW IS NORTH CAROLINA AND GEORGIA FUNDING THEIR AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT? WHERE ARE THE FUNDS COMING FROM? I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEIR FUNDS COME FROM SPECIFICALLY.
UM, I'D HAVE TO RESEARCH THAT TO LET YOU KNOW.
UM, IT COULD BE THROUGH THE AIRLINE TAXES.
THEY MAY HAVE, YOU KNOW, A SPECIAL LINE ITEM IN THEIR GENERAL FUND THAT GOES, I, I DON'T KNOW.
SO I'D HAVE TO DO SOME RESEARCH TO FIND THAT OUT.
BUT THE, UM, STATE'S, UH, COUNCIL LINE COMPETITIVENESS HAS BEEN RESEARCHING THAT AND DEVELOPED A WHITE PAPER LAST YEAR.
I DON'T THINK IT'S BEEN MADE PUBLIC, BUT THERE'S SOME PROPOSALS ON HOW OUR STATE CAN TRY TO, UM, NOT NECESSARILY CATCH UP, BUT AT LEAST GET ON A PROGRAM TO FUND THE COMMERCIAL AIRPORT SO THAT EVENTUALLY WE BECOME MORE COMPETITIVE WITH OUR NEIGHBORING STATES.
AND WE JUST TOOK FLORIDA OUT OF THE MIX BECAUSE IT'S INCREDIBLE HOW MUCH MONEY THOSE COMMERCIAL AIRPORTS GET.
UM, PROJECT THE ORACLE WITH NOW IS TAX WAY FOXTROT, AND THAT'S IN DESIGN, AND THAT'LL BE UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
UM, PROBABLY, UH, JUDY CORRECT ME LATER ON THIS YEAR, RIGHT LATER ON THIS CALENDAR YEAR.
UM, SO WE'LL HAVE TO BID THAT IN THE, IN THE SPRINGTIME, HOPEFULLY HAVE GRAND AWARD AND USUALLY THEIR MID TO LATE SUMMER AND THEN, UM, GET READY TO MOVE ON THAT PROJECT.
SO THAT'LL BE THE FULL LENGTH OF TAX WAY FOXTROT BEING REED.
AND THAT'S A WIDENING PROJECT.
IT IS NOT A WIDENING PROJECT, JUST JUST A REHAB, JUST REHAB.
UH, AND THEN JUST KIND OF BRIEFLY ON A ATTENTIVE TIMELINE FOR THE TERMINAL, UM, HOWARD ASKED ME ABOUT THIS BEFORE THE MEETING.
AS YOU REMEMBER, WE, WE BID THE PROJECT
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LAST YEAR.WE HIT AN EXACT WRONG TIME WITH INFLATION AND ALL THE, ALL THE ISSUES GOING ON.
SO WE'RE REBIDDING THAT IN, IN PHASES.
SO THE FIRST PHASE WE WILL, UM, WE'LL GO OUT TO BID, WE'RE LOOKING AT NOW, PROBABLY THE END OF FEBRUARY.
UM, WE'LL FINE TUNE THAT IF WE NEED TO, BUT THAT'S THE TARGET NOW.
SO END OF FEBRUARY TO HAVE THAT ON THE STREET TO BID, PROBABLY SIX TO EIGHT WEEK BID PERIOD.
AND THEN, UM, ASSUMING WE GET SOME GOOD RESPONSES, THEN WE'LL MOVE TOWARDS GETTING INTO CONTRACT, UM, AND GETTING THAT PROJECT UNDERWAY.
SO I DON'T WANT TO GUESS WHEN GROUND GETS BROKEN ON THAT, CUZ IT TOTALLY DEPENDS ON WHO'S SELECTED AS A CONTRACTOR AND WHAT THOSE SCHEDULES LOOK LIKE.
BUT FROM WHAT WE CONTROL FROM DESIGN AND BIDDING, IT LOOKS LIKE WE SHOULD HAVE THAT WRAPPED UP PROBABLY IN THE MAY TIMEFRAME.
ISN'T THERE A DEADLINE ON THE FAA GRANT MONEY FOR THAT? THAT IT'S $10 MILLION? WHEN IS THAT DEADLINE? THERE IS EACH, EACH GRANT FROM THE FAA HAS GOT A FOUR YEAR PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE.
UM, SO WE'VE STILL GOT TIME ON OUR GRANTS.
THE, THE INITIAL 10 MILLION GRANT.
UM, OUR FIRST ONE, I THINK WE'VE GOT A YEAR AND A HALF MAYBE LEFT ON THAT ONE.
SO WE SHOULD BE IN, IN GOOD SHAPE THERE.
THAT'S THROUGH COMPLETION? NO, NO, THAT'S JUST UNDERGRAD FUNDS.
SO WE'VE ALREADY USED SOME OF THE FUNDS CUZ WE'RE, WE'RE DESIGNING THE BUILDING.
SO THAT'S FOR DESIGNING THE FIRST PHASE OF CONSTRUCTION.
SO, UH, WE WON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEM MAKING THAT DEADLINE.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THE TERMINAL? WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR A LONG TIME.
WELL THAT, THAT'S WHAT WE KNOW RIGHT NOW.
SO IF YOU HAD A GUESSTIMATE, IF, IF BIDS GO OUT IN FEBRUARY, UH, IF YOU HAD A GUESSTIMATE, ASSUMING THE BIDS AT LEAST ONE OF THE BIDS WAS SUCCESSFUL SHOVELING THE GROUND OR I ALREADY TOLD YOU I'M NOT GONNA GUESS ON THAT.
I KEEP TRYING, I'M NOT GONNA GUESS ON THAT.
I, I DON'T KNOW CUZ THAT, THAT'S GONNA BE UP TO CONTRACTORS AND THERE'S TOO MANY FORCES BEYOND MY CONTROL, SO YEAH, I CAN'T SPECULATE.
IF NOTHING ELSE ON THE TERMINAL.
UH, THE TOWER PROJECT, I ALLUDED TO THAT, UH, BEFORE WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THE OTHER GRAND OPPORTUNITIES.
THIS IS THROUGH THE AIG, UM, COMPETITIVE GRANT PROGRAM THAT'S OUT THERE.
IT'S, IT'S A FIVE YEAR PROGRAM.
SO EACH YEAR THEY RELEASE A NEW OPPORTUNITY.
WE GOT THIS ON THE FIRST YEAR, WHICH IS GREAT.
UM, IT'S 100% GRANT, SO THERE'S NO LOCAL MATCH, WHICH IS FANTASTIC.
THAT PROJECT IS OUT FOR BID NOW.
WE ACTUALLY OPEN BUSINESS NEXT TUESDAY.
UM, SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.
THAT'S GONNA GET SOME NEW, UM, NEW GEAR IN THAT TOWER.
IF YOU'VE BEEN UP THERE OR TALKED TO THE CONTROLLERS, YOU KNOW THAT THEY'RE WORKING ON TECHNOLOGY THAT WAS INSTALLED IN 2004, BUT WAS PROBABLY ALREADY OBSOLETE WHEN IT WAS INSTALLED.
SO THOSE POOR FELLOWS HAVE BEEN BEEN DEALING WITH OLD PUSH BUTTON EQUIPMENT AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO, UM, WE'RE GONNA TRY TO TIME WARP THEM FORWARD INTO, TO MODERN TIMES OF SOME NEW EQUIPMENT.
SO I KNOW THIS, THIS IS NOT PART OF THAT PROJECT BECAUSE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT BEFORE, BUT IT'S KIND OF TANGENTIAL TOO, THE IDEA OF, UH, UH, EXPANDING OUR RADAR SCOPE INTO THAT TOWER.
IS THAT STILL, THAT'S AN ONGOING DISCUSSION? UM, NO REAL HEADWAY GOING ON THERE.
I'LL TELL YOU THAT THE SHOUT LINE IS MAKING SOME PROGRESS.
SO TO HAVE A DIRECT LINE BETWEEN OUR AIRPORT AND, UH, BEAUFORT, UM, THAT FROM THE AIR STATION, THAT, THAT'S MOVING FORWARD.
AND THAT'S ACTUALLY, THANK GOODNESS OUT OF OUR HANDS.
IT'S BEING HANDLED BY D OD AND F FAA FOLKS RIGHT NOW AND THEY'RE ARGUING BACK AND FORTH.
BUT, UM, IT LOOKS LIKE THAT THAT'S AT LEAST GOT A, AN EMAIL EVERY WEEK OR SOMETHING THAT COMES THROUGH START.
SO IT'S GOT SOME ACTION ON IT AND, UM, AND WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS FROM THERE.
AS FAR AS RADAR GOES, THAT'S GONNA BE A FIGHT THAT WE CONTINUE TO, TO WORK ON.
BUT YEAH, IT'S DEFINITELY, IT DOESN'T GET ANY FAVORABLE LOOKS FROM THE FAA.
I MET WITH, UH, WITH THE PERSON WHO WOULD WORK WITH US ON THAT PROJECT FROM THE FA IN DECEMBER AND HE SAID, YOU KNOW, UNLESS YOU CAN FIND IT A DIFFERENT WAY, IT, IT WON'T WORK THROUGH AN EXISTING FAA PROGRAM.
WHAT THAT MEANT TO ME WAS NOT NO, IT'S JUST NOT GONNA BE EASY, WHICH IS OKAY.
AIR SERVICE UPDATE, I JUST WANTED TO TELL YOU QUICKLY, I SPOKE WITH, UM, I HAVE A MONTHLY CHECK-IN WITH OUR CONSULTANTS AT VOIR JUST TO FIND OUT HOW THINGS ARE LOOKING INDUSTRY WIDE.
BUT THEN SPECIFICALLY, UH, WITH REGARDS TO AIRPORTS LIKE HILTON, HU ISLAND AS, AS A REGIONAL, UH, WITH REGIONAL SERVICE, IT'S STILL PRETTY ROUGH OUT THERE FROM THE PILOT AND CREW SHORTAGE STANDPOINT.
A LOT OF THOSE PILOTS ARE, ARE OBVIOUSLY BEING ENTICED TO MOVE UP TO THE MAINLINE, UM, SYSTEMS WITH EXCELLENT SALARY AND, AND BONUS OPPORTUNITIES.
SO REGIONALS ARE HAVING A REAL TOUGH TIME, UH, FILLING THEIR FLIGHT CREWS.
SO WE SEE THAT IT TRICKLES DOWN TO THE REGIONAL AIRPORTS.
IF YOU PAY ATTENTION TO THE ANNOUNCEMENTS, YOU'LL SEE EVERY NOW AND AGAIN, THE CITY'S GONNA LOSE SERVICE FROM AN, FROM AN AIRLINE THAT HAD PREVIOUSLY SERVED THEM SO FAR, WE'RE HOLDING STEADY, UM, UNITED AND DELTA HAVE A LITTLE BIT LESS SERVICE THAN THEY HAVE IN YEARS PAST, BUT AMERICANS HOLDING STEADY AND UM, AND THEY'RE GONNA AGAIN, BE OUR, OUR STRONGEST CARRIER COMING THROUGH THE SUMMER.
BUT IT LOOKS LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE'LL,
[00:35:01]
WE'LL SEE PROBABLY AT LEAST ONE TO TWO MORE YEARS OF WHAT WE SAW THIS PAST SUMMER WITH NUMBERS ABOUT HALF OF WHAT WE HAD IN 21.AND THAT'S JUST BECAUSE WE'VE GOT THE REGIONAL AIRCRAFT AND, AND THE SHORTAGE.
SO THEY'RE HAVING TO MAKE DECISIONS ON WHERE TO MOVE THE AIRPLANES AROUND.
HAS EITHER CARRIED JOHN COMMITTED TO SPECIFIC SERVICE YET, OR IS IT STILL TOO EARLY IN THE SEASON FOR THEM? UM, IT IS GENERALLY THE SAME AS LAST YEAR.
UM, I'M TRYING TO THINK OF ANY CITIES THAT ARE, THAT ARE NOT COMING BACK.
I THINK WE HAVE GENERALLY THE SAME.
WE WON'T, I DON'T THINK WE'RE GONNA HAVE DULLES THIS YEAR.
I THINK UNITED'S JUST GOING TO NEWARK.
UM, HOW ABOUT WE HAD DUS IN, WE HAD DULLS NATIONAL AT ONE TIME.
WE'LL HAVE NATIONAL AMERICA, NATIONAL FLY NATIONAL STILL HAVE CHICAGO.
SHE'LL HAVE, WE'LL NOT HAVE DUIS DULL OUT, UM, BUT ALL THE REST IT LOOKS LIKE THEY'LL BE BACK AT LEAST WITH WEEKLY.
WE HAD DELTA LAGUARDIA AT ONE TIME.
WE'LL HAVE LAGUARDIA IN ATLANTA DO DELTA.
AND YOU'RE NOT, SO IT'LL BE, LIKE I SAID, ALMOST THE SAME CITIES, BUT A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT SCHEDULE.
SO IT IS A CHALLENGE OUT THERE FOR THE REGIONALS, NO DOUBT.
I JUST WANNA LET YOU KNOW WHAT THE AIR SERVICE LOOKS LIKE AND THEN, UM, ADOPT THE HIGHWAY.
I DON'T REMEMBER IF WE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE, BUT, UM, AIRPORT STAFF PICKED UP THE ADOPT A HIGHWAY RESPONSIBILITIES ON HUNTER ROAD, RIGHT WHERE OUR OFFICE IS.
AND WHAT WE DO IS WE, WE DO OUR THING, WE GO OUT THERE, PUT ON ALL THE VESTS, PICK UP THE TRASH, AND THEN WE MEET FOR BREAKFAST AND DO A LITTLE FELLOWSHIP AND TRAINING AFTER THAT.
BUT WE THOUGHT THAT WAS IMPORTANT BECAUSE, UM, PREVIOUSLY STONEWORKS HAD DONE THE ADOPT A HIGHWAY OUT THERE AND THEY DID A GREAT JOB FOR YEARS.
AS YOU MAY RECALL, THAT'S ONE OF THE BUSINESSES THAT WE HAD TO, UM, RELOCATE BECAUSE WE PURCHASED THEIR PROPERTY AS PART OF OUR EXPANSION PLAN AND THEN THEY RELOCATED UP TO PORT ROYAL, UM, AND A GREAT FACILITY UP THERE.
UH, BUT WE THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO PICK THAT UP.
SO WE'VE DONE THAT AND MARLENE ORGANIZES THAT IN OUR OFFICE AND IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERYBODY TO JUST KIND OF GO OUT THERE AND, AND DO OUR COMMUNITY SERVICE.
SO IF YOU SEE US OUT THERE IN THE ORANGE VEST, IT'S NOT BECAUSE WE GOT IN TROUBLE.
PICTURES ALLOWED, NO PICTURES ALLOWED.
SO WE, UH, WE GO OUT THERE AND MIX IT UP AND HAVE A GOOD TIME.
AND THEN FINALLY JUST, UH, WE'RE HAVING A VISIT THE AIRPORT.
THANK YOU TO LESLIE FOR ARRANGING THIS.
UH, BUT ON THE 1ST OF FEBRUARY WE'RE GONNA HAVE, UH, THE NEW MAYOR OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE OUR NEW COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBER, TOM.
AND HELP ME WITH YOUR LAST NAME AGAIN.
RE RE TOM REIDS GONNA BE THERE.
UM, WE'LL ALSO HAVE THE TOWN MANAGER, MARK ORLANDO.
WE'LL HAVE COUNCILMAN MCKALEN OUT THERE CUZ WE'RE IN HIS DISTRICT.
AND THEN WE'LL HAVE, UM, ERIC, UH, GREENWAY FROM THE COUNTY OUT THERE AS WELL.
SO GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO, TO KIND OF GIVE AN IN BRIEF TO OUR NEW ELECTED OFFICIALS.
UH, LET THEM SEE INSIDE THE AIRPORT, UM, KIND OF THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THEY SEE, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE ARE AND, AND WHERE WE CAN BE.
UM, AND THEN, UH, AND OF COURSE WE'LL SHOW 'EM ALL THE RENDERINGS OF THE, THE NEW FACILITY, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THEY SEE THE AIRPORT FROM THE INSIDE OUT, UNDERSTAND WHAT THEIR RESIDENTS AND AND TOURISTS ARE SEEING AND EXPERIENCING WHEN THEY'RE IN THERE.
SO, GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.
AND I, I THANK ALL OF THEM IN ADVANCE AND I THANK LESLIE FOR SETTING THAT UP AND, UH, COORDINATING WITH ROE AND WITH THE TOWN AND COUNTY AND EVERYBODY TO GET IT LINED UP.
QUESTIONS ON HILTON HEAD? ALL RIGHT, I THINK THAT'S ALL I'VE GOT HERE.
YEAH, JOHN, WE'VE BEEN, UM, SOMEWHAT REMISS ON THE GA SIDE, UH, WHICH WE'VE TALKED ABOUT AND STEVE AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT, ACTUALLY I OWE STEVE A PHONE CALL ON THAT.
UM, BUT THERE'S SOME MAINTENANCE ISSUES ON THE GA SIDE, WHICH HAVE NOT BEEN ATTENDED TO.
UH, SOME OF WHICH I GO BACK SEVEN YEARS IN TALKING ABOUT, UH, MOST SPECIFICALLY THE DIRT AREAS BETWEEN THE HANGERS, UH, ON THE, ON THE SOUTH HOUND, THE COUNTY HANGERS, UH, AND SOME OF THE HANGAR CONDITIONS ON THE INTERIOR AND SOME ON THE EXTERIOR UP ON THE ROOF WHERE SKYLIGHTS ARE BASICALLY BLACK.
UH, WHAT, IF ANYTHING, IS HAPPENING ON THE GA SIDE ON MAINTENANCE ISSUES? WELL, I KNOW THAT, THAT YOU'VE BEEN INVITED OUT THERE, SO PLEASE SET UP THAT MEETING CUZ WE TALK ABOUT IT EVERY TIME YOU COME HERE.
I'VE BEEN REMISS GETTING WITH STEVE.
AND WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH ALL THOSE HANGERS AND WE'VE INSPECTED ALL THE INSIDES OF THE HANGERS.
UM, UH, I THINK WE DID IT LAST IN THE FALL.
I KNOW DAN'S BEEN THROUGH THERE AND STEVE'S BEEN THROUGH.
SO WE'VE TAKEN A LOOK AT EVERYTHING AND, AND WE DO.
OUR GUYS PAY ATTENTION TO THE MAINTENANCE REQUESTS WHEN THEY COME IN.
WE HEAR FROM TENANTS IF SOMETHING'S WRONG WITH THE HANGAR, UH, AND WE TAKE CARE OF IT.
SO YEAH, I DON'T KNOW OF ANYTHING ELSE WITH THE, THE BUILDING THEMSELVES THAT ARE, THAT ARE NEEDING ATTENTION, BUT YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO COME OUT AND SEE US.
UM, AND ALONG WITH EVERYTHING ELSE, IT, EVERYTHING GETS IN IN LINE WITH THE, THE PRIORITIES AND THE, AND AND SAFETY AND FUNDING AND, AND
[00:40:01]
WHAT WE CAN DO TO, TO BALANCE EVERYTHING.SO, YOU KNOW, I'D LOVE TO SAY WE'RE, UM, YOU KNOW, FLUSHED WITH, WITH CASH AND DOING EVERYTHING THAT EVERY PROJECT AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN, BUT WE DO HAVE TO PACE OURSELVES.
SO IT'S STILL ON THE LIST, HOWARD, AND, UH, WE DO HAVE SOME FOCUS OVER THERE, BUT PLEASE GO AHEAD AND SET UP THAT MEETING AND COME OUT AND SEE US.
I SAID IT'S MY END THAT FAILED, NOT STEVE'S ENDO FAILED.
THEN THE FINAL QUESTION, UH, SAW POINT, UM, BACK IN NOVEMBER WE HAD TWO PRESENTATIONS FROM POTENTIAL ADDITIONAL OPERATORS, UH, AT THE AIRPORT.
UH, JOHN, YOU WERE KIND ENOUGH TO WRITE 'EM A LETTER, UM, ASKING THEM TO HOLD OFF.
REMINDING THEM THAT THEY SHOULDN'T BE WASTING THEIR MONEY AND DEVELOPING EXTENSIVE PLANS WHEN YOU'RE NOT READY TO CONSIDER ADDITIONAL OPERATORS.
WE GOT ANOTHER, UH, TOUCH BASE NOTE FROM ONE OF THE FOLKS, UH, A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO.
I ASSUME YOU GOT IT, UM, ADDRESSED TO YOU DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAD A CHANCE TO ANSWER THAT.
UH, BUT I'M NOT QUITE UNDERSTANDING THE HESITATION IN EXPLORING THE ISSUE WHEN WE HAVE A VALUABLE OPPORTUNITY, PERHAPS TOO EARLY TO TELL WHETHER THEY'RE CREDIBLE, UH, IN EXPANDING, UH, FIXED BASE OPERATIONS AT, UH, AT H X D.
I'M NOT SURE I'M UNDERSTANDING WHERE YOU STAND.
OKAY, WELL, IS THERE HAPPY TO ANSWER A QUESTION IF YOU HAVE ONE? IF WE DON'T UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER, I I DON'T KNOW THAT WE CAN GET THAT.
WHY ARE WE NOT EXPLORING THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT MAY EXIST? WELL, WE ARE, WE'RE EXPLORING THE OPPORTUNITIES.
I'VE SAID HEARING IN OTHER VENUES AND, AND PROBABLY IN THAT LETTER THAT WITH A LIMITED AMOUNT OF LAND THAT'S AT THAT AIRPORT, WE'VE GOTTA MAKE SURE WE'VE GOT THE HIGHEST AND BEST USE.
I THINK THAT'S ON OUR BEACHFRONT PROPERTY.
I THINK WE ALL, YEAH, I THINK WE UNDERSTAND.
YES, WE'RE GONNA BE DELIBERATE AND WE'RE GONNA BE INTENTIONAL.
SO WE'RE NOT NECESSARILY GOING TO DANCE WITH THE FIRST PERSON WHO STANDS UP.
SO WE WILLING TO LOOK AT EVERYTHING, BUT NOT NECESSARILY WILLING TO MAKE A A QUICK DECISION ON ALL THOSE.
YEAH, NOBODY'S LOOKING FOR THAT, I DON'T THINK, BUT I THINK WE'RE LOOKING FOR SOME PATH FORWARD, UH, RATHER THAN A GENERIC, WE'RE NOT READY YET.
WELL, WE ARE WORKING WITH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AND WE, WE'VE GOT FOLKS INSIDE THE COUNTY THAT WE WORK WITH AS WELL TO LOOK AT THAT.
AND THEN OF COURSE IT ALL HAS TO FIT WITHIN THE MASTER PLAN.
SO WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL AND CONSCIOUS OF THAT AS WELL.
SO WITH ALL THAT CONSIDERED, WE ARE, IT IS ON OUR PROJECT LIST.
I I HAVE A QUESTION REGARDING THAT.
ON, BECAUSE OF THE SIDE THAT IT'S ON, IS THERE ANY POTENTIAL OF WHATEVER YOU DECIDED TO DO WITH, IF IT WAS GA WOULD IT AFFECT THE COMMERCIAL SIDE AT ALL? IS THERE ANY REASON WHY WE WOULD YOU, YOU WOULD POSSIBLY, UM, ONE OF THE REASONS TO GO SLOW BESIDES TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THING IS, IS IT GONNA AFFECT COMMERCIAL OPERATIONS? IS THERE ANYTHING FOR COMMERCIAL ON THAT SIDE BASED ON WHERE THEY'RE LOOKING AT? WELL, IT IS AN INTERESTING QUESTION.
I MEAN, WE GET PHILOSOPHICAL HERE, BUT IF, IF YOU WERE TO LOOK OUT 30, 40 YEARS, WHO'S TO SAY THERE'S NOT RIGHT.
SOMETHING THAT COULD BLOCK IT AND, AND LITERALLY THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO DO.
WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT WORKING ON A THREE TO FIVE YEAR PLAN.
WE'VE, WE'VE GOT TO LOOK OUT AS FAR AHEAD AS YOU CAN.
I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF THAT.
I MET WITH THE AIRPORT DIRECTOR FOR PIEDMONT TRIAD A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO AT CHARLOTTE AT THE SEMINAR WHERE WE BOTH PRESENTED AND HE TALKED ABOUT THEY'VE GOT A 40 AND 50 YEAR MASTER PLAN.
AND IT'S A GOOD THING THEY DID BECAUSE THEY PLANNED FOR AN INTERSTATE GOING THROUGH THEIR AIRPORT AND HOW TO WORK THAT INTO A RUNWAY EXTENSION PLAN.
IT WAS A 40 YEAR PLAN THAT'S BEING DEVELOPED.
NOW, HAD THEY NOT DONE THAT PROPERLY, THEY WOULDN'T HAVE THAT EXTENSION AND THEY WOULDN'T HAVE AN INTERSTATE.
SO THEY, YOU KNOW, MAYBE AN EXTREME EXAMPLE, BUT IT'S, IT IS A REASON TO JUST KIND OF BE CAUTIOUS AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU LOOK AS FAR AS HEAD AS, AS YOU CAN, REALIZING THAT WE'VE GOT, AND THEY, THEY HAVE ALMOST UNLIMITED REAL ESTATE OUT THERE.
WE HAVE EXTREMELY LIMITED REAL ESTATE HERE.
SO WE'VE GOTTA BE VERY CAREFUL AND DELIBERATE WITH WHAT WE DO.
AND THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE THAT NEED TO BE CONSULTED BEFORE WE DECIDE TO MOVE FORWARD ON SOMETHING.
THAT'S ALL I'VE GOT FOR THE REPORT.
THAT'S, UM, UNFINISHED BUSINESS.
ANY BOARD MEMBER OR, OR JOHN OR STEVE, ANY UNFINISHED BUSINESS ON THE TABLE? HEARING NONE NEW BUSINESS.
IT'S A QUIET MEETING, UM, THIS TIME AROUND.
SO NO NEW BUSINESS AS JOHN NOTED ON THE AGENDA.
UH, NO ACTION ITEMS. AND AS FAR AS THE CHAIRMAN'S UP UPDATE, AS FAR AS I KNOW, HAVEN'T HEARD FROM THE COMMITTEE HEADS.
SO I'M ASSUMING NO COMMITTEE REPORTS, UH, THIS MONTH? NO, I'M JUST GIVING ONE, ONE QUICK REPORT ON IT IS, UM, THE GATES WORKING NOW OPERATIONAL.
I SAW THE GENTLEMAN OUT THERE, I THINK FROM THE COUNTY.
UM, SO THE GATE AT CLOSE YOUR EARS, HOWARD, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HEAR THIS.
A R W GATE IS WORKING
[00:45:01]
THE OTHER THING WAS, UH, THE, UH, GENTLEMAN FROM FAA WERE IN, UH, LUCKILY I WAS IN TOWN AND ABLE TO TALK TO THEM A LITTLE BIT ABOUT AND, AND GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE SAFETY AREAS AND WHAT ALL GOES THROUGH FOR THESE GUYS.I GOT A BIG EDUCATION, WALKED OUT IN WITH A BIGGER HAT SIZE THAN I WALKED IN WITH.
ANYBODY ELSE? OKAY, NO CHAIRMAN, NO COMMITTEE REPORTS.
WE ONCE AT AGAIN, GO BACK TO OUR CITIZEN'S OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, ADDRESS THE BOARD AND, AND JOHN AND STEVE, ANY COMMENTS FROM ANYBODY? ALL RIGHT.
HEARING NOTHING, I WILL ACCEPT A MOTION TO ADJOURN THE MEETING.
FEBRUARY 23RD, BEAUFORD OUR NEXT BOARD MEETING.
HELLO, I'M GRACE CORDIO, BEAUFORT COUNTY LIBRARY AND THIS IS YOUR BEAUFORT COUNTY MOMENT.
POPULATION CHANGES IN HISTORIC EVENTS OFTEN CAUSE PLACE NAMES ON LOCATION, BOUNDARIES TO CHANGE OVER TIME.
BEAUFORT COUNTY IS NO EXCEPTION.
COUNTIES HAVE EXISTED IN SOUTH CAROLINA IN ONE FORM OR ANOTHER SINCE COLONIAL DAYS.
THE LORD'S PROPRIETORS SET UP THREE COUNTIES, CRAVEN, COAN, AND BERKELEY IN 1682.
THE FOURTH COUNTY, GRANDVILLE COUNTY WAS FORMED IN 1685 IN TERRITORY, NOW COVERED BY BEAUFORT HAMPTON AND JASPER COUNTIES.
AS THE POPULATION OF OUR AREA GREW, PARISHES WERE SET UP WITHIN GRANDVILLE COUNTY.
HELENA PARISH WAS CREATED IN 1712.
PRINCE WILLIAMS PARISH, 1745 ST.
PETER'S PARISH IN 1747 AND ST.
LUKE'S PARISH IN 1767, POLITICALLY PARISHES SERVED AS ELECTION DISTRICT AND OUTLINED MILITIA UNIT BOUNDARIES.
SOUTH CAROLINA GREW AND ITS POPULATION SHIFTED INLAND.
BACKCOUNTRY SETTLERS BECAME INCREASINGLY ANNOYED THAT MOST GOVERNMENT FUNCTIONS REMAINED IN CHARLESTON.
IT WAS HARD TO GET TO COURT IN CHARLESTON, PARTICULARLY FROM THE BACKCOUNTRY.
AFTER ALMOST 50 YEARS OF PETITIONS AND SOME VIOLENCE, THE ASSEMBLY SET UP SEVEN JUDICIAL DISTRICTS WITHIN THE COLONY.
TO ADDRESS THE COMPLAINTS, BURET DISTRICT WAS ONE OF THE NEW JUDICIAL DISTRICTS CREATED IN 1769.
THIS IS THE SOURCE OF THE DATE, 1769 ON THE PRESENT BURET COUNTY SEAL.
TO MAKE MATTERS EVEN MORE CONFUSING, IN 1785, THE SEVEN JUDICIAL DISTRICTS WERE SUBDIVIDED INTO COUNTIES.
BEAUFORT DISTRICT CONTAINED FOUR COUNTIES, HILTON COUNTY, SHREWSBURY COUNTY, LINCOLN COUNTY, AND A RECONFIGURED VERY MUCH SMALLER GRANVILLE COUNTY.
HERE IN BEAUFORT DISTRICT, THOUGH WE PREFERRED OUR PARISH SYSTEM AND THE LOCATION NAMES OF ST.
LUKE'S CONTINUED TO BE USED BEAUFORT DISTRICT.
WE WERE FOR 99 YEARS UNTIL THE STATE'S CONSTITUTION OF 1868 RENAMED THE JUDICIAL DISTRICT'S COUNTIES.
THUS BEAUFORT DISTRICT BECAME BEAUFORT COUNTY FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE HISTORICAL RECORD.
IN 1868, STILLMORE CHANGES WERE IN STORE FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY.
10 YEARS LATER, IN 1878, BEAUFORT COUNTY WAS DIVIDED INTO BEAUFORT COUNTY AND HAMPTON COUNTY.
THE COUNTY LINE FOLLOWED THE SAVANNAH CHARLESTON RAILROAD TRACK.
IN 1912, BOTH BEAUFORT COUNTY AND HAMPTON COUNTY GAVE UP TERRITORY TO CREATE JASPER COUNTY.
THE LAST ADJUSTMENT TO THE BOUNDARIES OF BEAUFORT COUNTY OCCURRED IN 1951 WHEN AREAS NEAR HARDY BILL AND THE LEVY LIMA HOUSE AREA VOTED TO JOIN JASPER COUNTY.
THUS, THE NAMES AND BOUNDARIES OF WHAT WE KNOW AS BEAUFORT COUNTY HAVE VARIED THROUGH TIME.
I WORK AT BEAUFORT COUNTY LIBRARY AND THIS HAS BEEN YOUR BERET COUNTY MOMENT.
TO SEE MORE BEAUFORT COUNTY MOMENTS GO TO THE BEAUFORT COUNTY LIBRARY HOMEPAGE AND CLICK ON THE LOCAL HISTORY TAB.
[00:50:14]
THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT IS EXCITED ABOUT THIS NEW INITIATIVE, PARTNERING WITH OUR LOCAL FARMERS HERE FROM THE GULLAH FARMERS CO-OP.THE GULLAH FARMERS CO COOPERATIVE IS A GROUP OF, UM, SMALL FARMERS COMING TOGETHER TO SELL THEIR PRODUCE.
WE FARMED THE COOPERATIVE ABOUT 12 YEARS AGO BECAUSE OF THE PROBLEMS THAT SMALL FARMERS WERE HAVING AFTER THEY GROW THEIR PRODUCT.
THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY MARKET, COULDN'T GET RID OF IT.
SO WE FIGURED WE'D BRING THE GROUP TOGETHER AND START A COOPERATIVE, PUT ALL OUR PRODUCE TOGETHER, PACKET, GET MARKET FOR IT, THAT THAT WOULD BE A BIG HELP FOR THE FARMERS.
THE REASON THE GULLAH CO-OP GOT STARTED, WE WERE LOOKING FOR AN OPPORTUNITY FOR FARMERS TO SELL PRODUCTS OTHER THAN GOING TO A FARMER'S MARKET.
WHEN IT GOT SATURATED, UM, WITH SURPLUS PRODUCT, HAVING ANOTHER VENUE AND WHOLESALE BECAME THAT.
SO THE COOPERATIVE GOT STARTED TO PROVIDE, UH, WHOLESALE OUTLETS FOR SMALL FARMERS.
SO FOR OUR LOCAL FARMERS, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO GET THEIR PRODUCT OUT AND, UH, WHAT A BETTER WAY FOR US IS TO JUST BRING IT STRAIGHT TO THE TABLE AT THE KIDS AND PRODUCE A GREAT PRODUCT FOR THEM TO TRY.
I THINK KIDS ARE A LOT MORE WILLING TO TRY SOMETHING IF THEY KNOW IT CAME FROM A FARM RIGHT HERE IN BEAUFORT, IN THIS AREA ON SINGH, HELEN.
UH, IT HAS SOME OF THE BEST SOIL AND CLIMATE TO GROW VEGETABLES, AND WE WANT TO MAINTAIN THAT PRIMARILY BECAUSE IF WE CAN MAINTAIN A PRODUCTIVE LAND, WE CAN ACTUALLY MAINTAIN A PRODUCTIVE CULTURE.
AND THE LAND AND THE CULTURE GOES HAND IN HAND.
WE DO COLLARS AND CABBAGE, CUCUMBERS, SQUASH, PEPPERS, CORN, BUT TOMATOES I THINK IS THE BIG CROP THAT WE GROW IN.
UH, PEOPLE SELL IN VOLUME RIGHT NOW WORKING WITH THE CLEMSON EXTENSION SERVICE, WE ARE EXPERIMENTING WITH ROMAINE LETTUCE.
AND ROMAINE LETTUCE WILL BE OUR CHIEF COMMODITY WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT BECAUSE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS SERVING AT EVERY DAY IN THE SALAD BAR.
WHEN WE GET THE PRODUCT IN, WE CAN AUTOMATICALLY TELL THAT IT'S, IT'S OUR GOAL OF FARMER'S PRODUCT THAT'S COMING INTO THE SCHOOLS.
THE, UH, PRODUCT IS, IT DOESN'T, IT'S NOT HANDLED AS MUCH AS A PRODUCT THAT HAS BEEN PRODUCED AND TRUCKED.
THEY CUT IT HERE AND IT GETS DELIVERED.
IT IS SO REFRESHING TO HAVE THAT KIND OF PRODUCT COME IN BECAUSE IT GIVES US LONGER SHELF LIFE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO BRING AND PRODUCE MORE ITEMS OUT OF THE ONE PRODUCT FOR THESE STUDENTS.
IT GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO SUPPORT OUR LOCAL FARMERS HERE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
AND OUR CHILDREN CAN GET A CHANCE TO EAT FRESH PRODUCE THAT COMES RIGHT FROM HERE, RIGHT FROM THEIR BACKYARD HERE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
BRINGING PRODUCT THAT COMES STRAIGHT FROM THE FIELD TO THE SCHOOL IS VERY IMPORTANT.
I THINK THE EDUCATIONAL PART OF IT THAT WE'RE PLANNING ON DOING IS GREAT FOR THE KIDS TO UNDERSTAND WHERE THEIR PRODUCE COMES FROM.
IT'S NOT THE GROCERY STORE, BUT IT'S ACTUALLY THE FIELD.
WE'RE PRODUCING OUR MONTHLY SEASONING BASED ON RECIPES THAT WE HAVE IN OUR SYSTEM.
SO OUR SCHOOLS AND OUR MANAGERS WILL BE ABLE TO TAKE WHATEVER PRODUCT THAT WE DO GET OR WE HIGHLIGHT AS THE MONTHLY.
WE DO PLAN ON USING OTHER ITEMS, BUT WE DO WANNA HIGHLIGHT ONE PRODUCT PER MONTH.
SO THERE'S AN EDUCATIONAL PIECE BEHIND IT.
WHEN YOU GET PRODUCTS FRESH FROM THE GARDEN, TAKE IT TO THE, UH, CAFETERIA AND COOK IT THE NEXT DAY.
IT HAS A DIFFERENT TASTE TO IT AND THE KIDS WILL CERTAINLY EAT IT AND THEY LIKE IT.
IT BECAUSE OF THEY'VE FRESHENED IT.
SOMETIMES THE SCHOOL IS WHERE THEIR KIDS ARE GONNA ACTUALLY GET THEIR GREAT NUTRITION FROM.
SO IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO BRING THAT TO THEM.
SO HAVING LOCAL FRESH PRODUCT IS VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THEN WE GET TO TAKE AND PROCESS THAT AND PUT IT ON THEIR PLATE FOR THEM TO TRY.
IF IT'S FRESH, THE KIDS EAT IT.
I MEAN, IT ALWAYS TASTES BETTER.
AND AGAIN, THE FACT THAT WE'RE ABLE TO USE THE LOCAL PRODUCT AND HELP OUR FARMERS AS MUCH AS THEY'RE HELPING US, I THINK IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST SUCH A GREAT PARTNERSHIP.
ONE OF THE NEAT OUTCOMES FROM A PARTNERSHIP LIKE THIS IS THAT OUR CHILDREN GET A CHANCE TO HEAT HEALTHY FOODS THAT COME RIGHT FROM OUR LOCAL AREA.
AND SO IMPORTANT FOR A GOOD NUTRITION IN AN EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT.
WE WANT OUR STUDENTS TO BE WELL-NOURISHED WHILE THEY GET READY TO LEARN ALL THE STUDIES THAT THEY'RE ENGAGED IN GETTING BIG.
HERE'S WHAT'S HAPPENING IN BEAUFORD COUNTY TODAY.
WE WERE CELEBRATING OUR ELECTION WORKERS IN BURET COUNTY.
[00:55:01]
THE BOARD OF VOTER REGISTRATION ELECTION, UM, THOUGHT THAT IT WAS TIME TO RECOGNIZE THOSE PEOPLE WHO MAKE OUR ELECTIONS POSSIBLE.THESE ARE THE FOLKS WHO ARE OUT THERE IN THE FIELD ON ELECTION DAY, WORKING 14, 15 HOURS A DAY, UM, PREPARING, UH, MACHINES, DELIVERING MACHINES.
UM, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT WE WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO.
SO WHAT WE DID TODAY WAS WE ORGANIZED ANY EVENT, UH, WE CALL IT AN APPRECIATION, AND WE ALSO HAD BEST PRACTICE FORUM, AND THAT WAS A LITTLE PANEL THAT ANSWERED QUESTIONS OF CONCERN, UM, FROM SOME OF THE POLL WORKERS.
WE KNOW THAT TWO POLL WORKERS WILL NEED TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO A, WE JUST WANTED THEM TO KNOW HOW MUCH WE APPRECIATE WHAT THEY DO.
SO WE PROVIDED, UH, AN APPRECIATION CERTIFICATE ALONG WITH BUTTONS THAT THEY CAN WEAR OUT IN THE PUBLIC SAYING THAT THEY ARE THE BEST POLL WORKER IN BUFORD COUNTY OR IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
WE HAVE PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE THAT'S BEEN DOING ELECTION WORK FOR OVER 40 YEARS.
WE HAD SOME THAT WERE ONLY DOING IT FOR A YEAR.
SO IT WAS A NICE MIXTURE OF FOLKS COMING TOGETHER, SHARING STORIES.
AND WE HAVE, WE GOT A COUPLE OF OUR COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO CAME OUT AND HELPED SERVE OUR LITTLE SNACKS THAT WE HAD.
WHAT WE DID IS ALL OF THE ELECTION WORKERS THAT CAME IN TODAY, WE, UM, TOOK PHOTOGRAPHS AND WE HOPED TO DISPLAY THEM, UM, ON OUR WEBSITE, UM, MAYBE EVEN ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGES, JUST TO SHOW PEOPLE THAT THESE ARE HUMAN BEINGS.
MAYBE SOME OF THEM LIVE IN YOUR COMMUNITY AND YOU MAY RECOGNIZE THEM AND MAY WANT TO ASK SOME QUESTION AS TO, OH, MAYBE I WANT TO DO THAT.
SO, UM, THE PHOTOGRAPHS THAT WE TOOK TODAY AND THEY WERE ALL EXCITED ABOUT IT AND I WAS HAPPY THAT THEY WERE AND THEY WERE WILLING, AND WE TOOK THE PHOTOS AND WE WILL DISPLAY THEM AND, UM, HOPEFULLY WE CAN USE IT AS A RECRUITING TOOL AS WELL.
SO IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW OLD YOU ARE, IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW YOUNG YOU ARE UNLESS YOU KNOW YOU GOTTA BE AT LEAST 18, UM, TO BE A, A, A REGISTERED VOTER, BUT YOU REALLY, UM, WE START WORKING WITH OUR KIDS WHEN THEY'RE 16 AND 17 YEAR OLD WITH THE LAW DOES ALLOW THAT THEY CAN WORK IN ELECTIONS AND WE START TRAINING THEM FROM HIGH SCHOOL.
AND, UM, WE HAVE SOME FOLKS THAT'S BEEN HERE FOR OVER 40 YEARS THAT'S BEEN DOING THIS WORK.
YOU CAN APPLY ANYTIME TO BECOME A POLL WORKER.
UM, ALL YOU GOTTA DO IS CALL OUR OFFICE, GO ON OUR WEBSITE AND SAY, I'M INTERESTED IN BECOMING A POLL WORKER.
BE ADVERTISED PERIODICALLY TO LET YOU KNOW WHERE THE TRAINING IS AND UM, OR YOU CAN JUST GIVE US A CALL AND WE WILL LET YOU KNOW WHEN WE'RE GONNA HAVE TRAINING.
THE PHONE NUMBER IS (843) 255-6900.
JUST CALL THAT NUMBER AND WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE PLACED ON A LIST AND WE WILL NOTIFY YOU WHEN THE TRAININGS ARE AVAILABLE.
ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU VERY FOR CAREFUL HERO, AND THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING IN BEAUFORD COUNTY.