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CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BEAUFORT COUNTY.I'D LIKE TO CALL THE, UM, ADVISORY BOARD MEETING OF MARCH 2ND, 2023 OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION, UH, TO ORDER.
SO, UH, CAN WE PLEASE STAND AND, UH, TAKE THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER INVISIBLE LIBERTY, JUSTICE FOR ALL.
ALL RIGHT, WHY DON'T WE GO AROUND THE ROOM, DO OUR INTRODUCTIONS.
I'M BRUCE YEAGER, SOUTH OF BROAD.
CARLOS CAVE DISTRICT, ATHLETIC DIRECTOR OF BEAVER COUNTY SCHOOLS.
CARLOS? I'M, UH, HEATHER CLINTON, ADMINISTRATION PARK, UM, PARK MANAGER, SHANNON, DIRECTOR PARKS AND REC.
CHUCK ATKINSON, YOUTH ACADEMY ADMINISTRATION.
AND THE IT TEAM? BROADCAST SERVICES.
UM, UM, CAN I HAVE, UH, SOMEONE OFFER UP AN APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA FOR TODAY? I HAVE AN AMENDMENT.
SO THE, THERE, BUT I ALSO ADDED THAT MEETING.
I, I BELIEVE SO ALAN, YOU WANT TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF? UH, ALAN, A SOUTH OF THE BRONX.
UM, DID IT HAVE TO DO OUR VACANCY AND, UH, SUMMER CAMP? OH, SUMMER CAMP.
CAN I HAVE, UH, A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE AMENDED, UH, AGENDA? SHALL MOVED.
ALL IN FAVOR? OPPOSED? OKAY, THANK YOU.
UH, IS THERE ANYONE HERE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT TODAY? IT APPEARS NOT, SO WE'RE GOOD THERE.
UH, REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF THE SEPTEMBER, WELL, JANUARY 5TH, 2 0, 23 MINUTES, RIGHT? AM I NOT CORRECT THERE? YEAH.
YEAH, I DON'T, IT SAYS SEPTEMBER THERE FOR SOME REASON.
I, UH, I DID HAVE, UH, ONE COMMENT ON THE, UH, ITEMS. AND THIS WAS WOULD BE ON PAGE FOUR OF SIX, WHICH IS UNDER THE LENGTHLY DISCUSSION FOR THE, UH, THE RENTAL OF THE, UH, UH, BUCKWALTER FACILITY.
IT SAID, UH, BRUCE AGER STATES IN THE PAST, WE ACCEPTED 10,000 PER YEAR FOR THIS EVENT.
UH, AND THEN IT SAYS HE STATES 12,000 FOR THE EVENT IS REASONABLE.
UH, WHAT I WOULD ADD IN BETWEEN THOSE TWO SENTENCES OR ADD ONTO THE FIRST SENTENCE IS BASED ON THE MARKET VALUE OF THE DONATIONS OF THE GYM FLOOR COVERINGS, BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT WE RECEIVED, UH, IN LIEU OF THE OTHER.
DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON THE MINUTES? SOMEONE, UH, PROVIDE ME A MOTION TO APPROVE
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THOSE, OR ARE YOU STILL REVIEWING? THAT'S FINE.DO I HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
UH, BEFORE WE GET INTO THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT, THEN, UM, WE, UM, WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE WILL MCCULLOUGH, WHO RESIGNED FROM THE BOARD.
UM, I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHY THAT HAPPENED.
UM, BUT, UH, HE PROVIDED SOME EXCELLENT SERVICE.
AND I THINK, SHANNON, YOU SAID THAT YOU'VE SPOKEN TO HIM AND IF HIS SCHEDULE ALLOWS IT, THAT WE HAVE AN OPENING THAT WE'D LIKE HIM TO CONSIDER RETURNING.
UH, AND THEN SECONDARILY, ERIC PRIESTER HAS, HAS LEFT THE BOARD.
HE HAD A LOT OF, UH, MANY YEARS OF SOLID SERVICE TO, UH, THIS GROUP.
AND I'D LIKE TO WELCOME MARK RENNICK, RIGHT? YEP.
WHO IS, UH, UH, GOING TO, UH, HANDLE HIS REMAINING TERM AND THEN HOPEFULLY BE WITH US FOR A LONG TIME.
UH, MARK, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW, UH, WAS AN EMPLOYEE OF PARKS AND RECS.
SO, UH, HE, UH, AND STILL VERY ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY.
HE'S RETIRED, BUT HE BRINGS A LOT OF, UH, UH, A LOT OF EXPERIENCE, WISDOM, AND WILL PROVIDE REALLY SOLID PERSPECTIVES ON, UH, PARKS AND REC IN THE COMMUNITY.
RECORD'S REPORT OR WHAT? WE WANT TO GO ON OUR POSTPONE OR THE VICE CHAIR? OH, YEAH.
SO, UH, WILL WAS THE VICE CHAIR OF THE, UM, OF THE, UH, UH, BOARD.
AND SO AT THIS POINT, WE WOULD LIKE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO REPLACE HIM AS VICE CHAIRMAN.
SO, DO I HAVE A MOTION IN REGARD TO THAT? OR WOULD SOMEONE LIKE TO VOLUNTEER TO BE THE VICE CHAIRMAN AS I STARE AT PHIL? AND YOU COULD DO MARK THE SAME WAY Y'ALL DID, WILL MAKE HIM BREAKING MEN.
WELL, I THINK, UH, I THINK NOW, CARLOS, ARE YOU AN, YOU'RE AN AT LAR ARE YOU AT LARGE? IS CARLOS? NO.
SO CARLOS COULD BE VICE CHAIR, RIGHT? CAN'T BE.
UH, SO PHIL WOULD, IF, IF I NOMINATE YOU, WOULD YOU ACCEPT? I SUPPOSE.
SO, UH, CAN I ACTUALLY CA I CAN'T MAKE THAT, UH, CAN I MAKE THAT, UH, THAT MOTION? I THINK CARLOS, MAYBE YOU, YOU ARE, UM, UH, I'LL NOMINATE PHIL FOR VICE CHAIR.
UH, ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS? PHIL? ALL IN FAVOR? UH, OPPOSED WHAT? SAY YOU, ALAN ARSENAL.
ALL RIGHT, TO THE VICE CHAIRMANSHIP.
ALL RIGHT, LET'S MOVE ON TO THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT.
SO, UM, JUST AN UPDATE ON OUR SENIOR PROGRAM.
UM, I'VE GOT THE NUMBERS UP HERE, UM, WITH
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OUR BLUFFTON PROGRAM, UM, WE'RE AT 66, WHICH IS UP NINE SENIORS.UM, BOOKER T IS AT 49, WHICH IS UP TO SENIORS.
UH, PORT ROYAL IS 55, WHICH IS UP 20 SENIORS.
SCOTT CENTER IS 23, WHICH IS UP FOUR.
HELENA IS 39, WHICH IS UP THREE.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE, OUR SENIOR PROGRAM IS STEADY GROWING.
UH, HAVE, UM, REQUESTED IN OUR UPCOMING BUDGET, UM, TO POSSIBLY ADD TWO SENIOR, UM, LOCATIONS.
UM, ONE AT THE REQUEST OF ONE OF OUR COUNCILMEN AT DALE CENTER, AND THEN ONE AT LYNN BROWN CENTER.
SO, UM, IF APPROVED, UM, BY NEXT YEAR OR NEXT BUDGET YEAR, JULY THE FIRST, WE WILL HAVE, UM, TWO ADDITIONAL SENIOR CENTERS, UM, THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO ADD TO, UM, THE SENIOR PROGRAM.
AND CAN YOU, UH, I MEAN, FOR THOSE WHO MAY BE WATCHING, CAN YOU JUST GIVE US A QUICK, YOU KNOW, A QUICK LITTLE, UH, SYNOPSIS OF WHAT WE DO AT THESE PROGRAMS? I MEAN, THEY'RE, THEY'RE FUNDED PARTIALLY BY A GRANT.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE PARTIALLY FUNDED THROUGH LOW COG, LOW COUNTRY COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS.
UM, WE HAVE GONE THROUGH THE MONEY PRETTY RAPIDLY ON FRIDAYS.
WE DELIVER FROZEN MEALS TO SENIORS THAT ARE, UM, LOCKED IN AT HOME.
UM, DURING THE WEEK, MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, THE SENIORS COME TO EACH OF THESE CENTERS AND, UM, THEY DO DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES.
THERE'S A CALENDAR THAT'S PUT OUT, UM, TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE MONTH STARTS.
UM, THEY DO, UM, CHAIR YOGA, THEY DO BINGO.
UM, THEY'RE PROVIDED WITH A MEAL.
THEY, THIS MORNING I WAS AT BLUFFTON CENTER.
UH, THEY JUST DO A VARIETY OF ACTIVITIES.
SO, UM, IT'S AN ALL AROUND, IT'S A GREAT PROGRAM.
UM, WE DO CRAFTS, UM, YOU KNOW, WE TAKE THEIR SUGGESTIONS.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT GOES ON WITH THEM.
UM, NEXT UP YOU'LL SEE WHERE WE DID OUR SENIOR VALENTINE'S, UM, AT, UH, BURTON WELLS.
UM, SPRINGER HEALTHCARE HAS PARTNERED WITH US IN PROVIDING THE LUNCHES FOR CERTAIN, UM, EVENTS.
SO WE HAD OUR CHRISTMAS EVENT, THIS IS OUR VALENTINE'S EVENT, AND THEN WE HAVE OUR EASTER EVENT THAT'LL BE COMING UP.
UM, BUT AS YOU CAN SEE WITH THE PICTURES, UM, WE WENT FROM OUR CHRISTMAS EVENT AT 90 SENIORS TO OVER 120 AT OUR, UM, VALENTINE'S EVENT.
UM, SO WE HAVE OUR SUMMER CAMP.
UM, THIS YEAR WHAT WE DID WAS SUMMER CAMP IS WE OFFERED SUMMER CAMP, UM, FIRST TO THE COUNTY EMPLOYEES, KIDS, AND GRANDKIDS.
UM, WE OFFERED THAT FOR A PERIOD OF TIME, UM, WHERE WE HAD, UM, THE COUNTY EMPLOYEES HAD UNTIL FEBRUARY THE 26TH TO REGISTER THEIR KIDS.
AND THEN ONCE REGISTRATION CLOSED TO THE COUNTY EMPLOYEES, WE OPENED UP REGISTRATION TO THE LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES, UM, THE TOWN OF PORT ROYAL, UM, THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON, AS WELL AS THE CITY OF BUFORD.
AND, UM, WE'RE COORDINATING WITH THEM.
THEY WILL HAVE REGISTRATION OPEN FOR THEM THROUGH MARCH THE 20TH.
AND THEN ONCE THAT CLOSES, UM, WE WILL OPEN UP WHAT SPOTS WE HAVE LEFT TO A LOTTERY SYSTEM, UM, TO THE PUBLIC.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, UM, THESE ARE OUR NUMBERS.
WE HAD, UM, WE HAVE A MAX OF 40 THERE.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE 23 REGISTERED.
UM, BOOKER T WE HAVE 20, WE HAVE NONE REGISTERED.
BROOMFIELD 25, NONE REGISTERED.
WE HAVE 17 REGISTERED DALE 25, NONE REGISTERED.
WE HAVE 50 SPOTS AND 35 ARE REGISTERED.
PORT ROYAL, WE HAD 30 AND 12 ARE REGISTERED.
AND SCOTT, WE HAVE NONE REGISTERED.
SO, UM, THIS IS GOING TO, UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, WE HAVE SEVERAL SPOTS LEFT.
UM, THAT'LL BE AVAILABLE TO THE LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES.
AND THEN WHAT WE HAVE LEFT, WE WILL OPEN UP TO, UM, THE PUBLIC, LIKE I SAID, THROUGH A LOTTERY SYSTEM.
UM, THE COST OF THE PROGRAM IS, UH, EXTREMELY REASONABLE.
UM, WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE COUNTY, IT'S $300 FOR THE FIRST CHILD, $300 FOR THE SECOND CHILD, $200 FOR THE THIRD, A HUNDRED DOLLARS FOR THE FOURTH.
AND THEN, THEN THE REST ARE AT NO CHARGE.
AND THAT IS FOR THE 10 WEEKS OF THE SUMMER.
SO, SO RIGHT NOW WE'VE GONE THROUGH THE, THE COUNTY EMPLOYEES.
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AND SO THESE LOCATIONS WHERE WE HAVE ZEROS THAT HASN'T BEEN OPENED UP TO THE PUBLIC, THE, THE, THE LOCATION THAT HAS ZEROS, NONE OF THE COUNTY EMPLOYEES HAVE REGISTERED THEIR CHILDREN IN THOSE LOCATIONS.SO'S STRICTLY REFLECTING COUNTY EMPLOYEES AT THIS POINT.
THE NUMBERS THAT WE HAVE THAT, UM, ARE REFLECTING THE STRICTLY THE COUNTY EMPLOYEES.
UM, AND YOUR, AND YOUR EXPECTATION IS THAT WE WILL BE AT THE MAX AT EVERY LOCATION.
THAT'S TYPICALLY THE WAY IT IS, RIGHT? I'M EXPECTING THAT.
UM, OUR CURRENT REGISTRATION NUMBERS, UM, FOR SPRING SPORTS, WE JUST ENDED SPRING SPORT REGISTRATION IN BEAUFORT BASEBALL, WE HAVE 298, WHICH IS UP 25.
WE'RE STILL REGISTERING WITH THE 13, 14 YEAR OLDS FLAG FOOTBALL.
UM, WE HAD 95, WE'RE DOWN 10 IN THAT.
UM, SOCCER, UM, WE'RE UP 74 AS YOU CAN SEE.
AND THEN SOFTBALL, WHICH IS THE GIRLS GROUP THAT ALWAYS FLUCTUATES.
WE'RE DOWN 16, UM, BLUFF AND BASEBALL.
WE'RE STILL REGISTERING AGAIN FOR THAT WITH THE 13 AND FOURTEENS FLAG FOOTBALL, WE'RE UP 46 WITH 3 42 SOCCER.
WE'RE UP 182 WITH 1072 AND SOFTBALL, WE'RE UP 26 WITH 202.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'RE STILL BUSTING AT THE SEAMS. UM, THE ADULT SPORTS FOR SPRING BEAUFORT ADULT BASEBALL IS STILL REGISTERING BLUFFING, ADULT SOFTBALL STILL REGISTERING KICKBALL.
UM, WE ARE UP 14 AND VOLLEYBALL, WE ARE UP EIGHT.
AND, UM, WE ARE GOING TO BE OFFERING KICKBALL IN BEAUFORT, UM, BEGINNING THIS FALL TO ADD THAT WHAT HAPPENED TO, UH, SOFTBALL IN.
DIDN'T BUFORD HAVE A CHURCH SOFTBALL? DIDN'T WE DEAL WITH SOMETHING THAT WE DO THE SUMMER SOFTBALL? THAT'S SUMMER.
UM, OUR TOURNAMENTS ARE EIGHT U GIRLS IN BLUFFTON.
UM, ONE THEY'LL BE GOING TO STATE THIS WEEKEND, OUR A U BOYS IN BUFORD ONE, AND THEY'LL BE GOING TO STATE THIS WEEKEND.
AND THEN UPCOMING, WE HAVE OUR DIXIE BOYS STATE TOURNAMENT.
AND THEN NEXT YEAR WE'LL HAVE OUR DIXIE BOYS WORLD SERIES.
SO UP NEXT IS, I'VE HAD A REQUEST FROM ONE OF OUR TRAVEL SOCCER LEAGUES, UM, WHO HAS PREVIOUSLY USED DIFFERENT CHURCHES, DIFFERENT AREAS THAT, UM, WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST A REDUCTION IN FEES FOR HIS TRAVEL PROGRAM.
UM, HE ASKS THAT I BRING IT TO THE BOARD, UM, AND ASK THAT WE REDUCE HIS FEE.
AND, UM, WHAT'S YOUR, UH, WHAT'S YOUR RECOMMENDATION HERE? WHAT'S HE WANT TO REDUCE FROM, I'M SORRY, BACK TO WHAT, WHEN DOES HE WANT TO USE IT? HE, UM, LOOKS LIKE FOR THE NEXT THREE MONTHS, NO, BUT HOW MUCH WAS, WOULD HE PAY AND HOW MUCH DOES HE WANT? SO HE IS USING IT RIGHT NOW.
UM, HE USES IT TWO HOURS, WHICH IS A MINIMUM TWO HOURS AT $40.
UM, HE'S USING IT MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.
HE'S USING ONE OF OUR FIELDS NOW WHEN HE IS PAYING THE FULL RATE.
WHAT, WHAT IS THE REASON TO REDUCE, JUST CAUSE HE'S USING IT FIVE DAYS JUST BECAUSE HE, I GUESS, WANTED A DISCOUNT? WELL, WAS IT EMER, UH, NOT FAIR TO OTHERS WHO ARE PAYING THE SAME FEE? YEAH.
MY, MY SENSE OF THIS, AND OBVIOUSLY I, WE NEED TO DISCUSS IT, IS THAT, UH, WE WILL TYPICALLY GRANT REDUCTIONS IN FEES FOR THINGS THAT ARE ONE TIME OFF EVENTS OR THINGS THAT ARE FUNDRAISERS FOR VARIOUS GROUPS.
UM, BUT AS IT PERTAINS TO, UH, USE OF FIELDS, THEY'RE JUST SO, I MEAN, WHEN I COACHED TRAVEL BASEBALL, WHICH WAS A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, BUT DID IT FOR A LONG TIME, I MEAN, YOU PAY THE RATE, WHATEVER IT IS.
I MEAN, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T, I DON'T THINK THAT, UH, WE SHOULD REALLY BE REDUCING FEES FOR, I, I THINK IT WOULD SET A BAD PRECEDENT IN, UH, I THINK WE'VE GOT SO LITTLE AVAILABILITY ON OUR FIELDS AS THEY ARE NOW.
AND I THINK OUR RENTAL RATES FOR FIELDS ARE FAIR.
SO MY THOUGHT IS THAT, UH, WE WOULD, UH, I WOULD BE IN FAVOR OF A MOTION TO REJECT THAT
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REQUEST.SO ANY, ANY DISCUSSION FROM Y'ALL? I AGREE.
WHAT FIELDS DOES HE USED TO CHECK? HE IS OVER AT PORT ROYAL AT BRUCE EDGERLY.
AND WE DON'T USE, DO WE NOT USE THAT FOR ANYTHING ELSE? UM, WE USE IT.
UM, WE'VE USED IT FOR THE SCHOOLS.
UM, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW, Y WHEN THE REQUEST CAME IN, IT'S HARD FOR US TO TELL.
AND IT'S HARD FOR SOME OF THE SCHOOLS AND SOME OF THE, YOU KNOW, CHARTER SCHOOLS, PRIVATE SCHOOLS, UM, TRAVEL BALL PROGRAMS TO UNDERSTAND WHEN WE SAY WE CAN'T GUARANTEE YOU ANYTHING RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE WE'RE STILL REGISTERING FOR SPORTS, YOU KNOW.
SO, UM, AS YOU KNOW, WE ALLOW OUR COACHES TO PICK.
SO IF THEY WANT TO PICK OVER THERE, YOU KNOW, TO USE THE FIELD, THEN THEY'RE GONNA USE THE FIELD.
UM, WE'RE FIXING, WE DO HAVE, UM, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A PORTLET OVER THERE, BUT WE ARE HAVING THE BRAND NEW BATHROOMS, UM, CONCESSION AND, AND, UM, STORAGE BUILT.
UM, BUT WE, WE HAVE USED THAT FIELD EVERY YEAR, UM, FOR SOME OF THE SCHOOLS AND STUFF.
OUR FEE RIGHT NOW IS $40 AN HOUR, UH, $40 FOR TWO HOURS.
AND HE, AND HE'S USING THAT FIVE DAYS A WEEK.
UM, MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, I THINK SHE SAID AGAIN.
DO, DO WE NEED TO, UH, DO WE NEED TO OFFICIALLY DO A MOTION TO REJECT THIS? YEAH.
IF THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT TO DO.
I'M, I'M GOING TO ABSTAIN FROM THIS CUZ I'M GOOD FRIENDS WITH AMBER, SO I'D RATHER NOT.
CERTAINLY SOMEONE WANNA PUT A MOTION ON THE TABLE.
I MAKE A MOTION TO REJECT THIS REQUEST.
I THINK IT JUST SHOULD BE NOTED THAT, YOU KNOW, WE, IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T DO.
FEES ARE REASONABLE AND THEY'RE BASED IN, AND THE AVAILABILITY, JUST LIKE YOU SAID, IT IS BASED UPON OUR PROGRAMS FIRST.
SO AT THE LAST MEETING IT WAS ASKED BY WILL, UM, BEFORE HE RESIGNED THAT WE DISCUSSED ST.
UM, WITH THAT SAID, I'M NOT SURE I BELIEVE THAT, UM, WHO KENNY BROUGHT IT UP.
I BELIEVE THAT KENNY HAD BROUGHT IT UP.
UM, YOU KNOW, UM, CHUCK'S GONNA COME UP HERE.
HE AND I DISCUSSED IT BEFORE THE MEETING, UM, TO WEIGH IN ON IT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, UM, A LOT OF THE PROJECTS ARE, WILL BE DETERMINED BY THE MASTER PLAN WHEN IT'S FINALIZED, BUT ALSO AS WELL AS THERE'S A COMMITTEE THAT HANDLES C I P, WHICH IS CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS FOR THE COUNTY.
THAT MAKES A DECISION ON THE IMPORTANCE AND, YOU KNOW, UM, WHERE THINGS STAND WITH THAT.
SO LET ME LET CHUCK, HE'S GOT A FEW THINGS TO ADD.
SO, WE'LL, WE'LL TAKE HIM, UH, LOCATION BY LOCATION.
UH, WE HAVE DONE A LOT OF WORK ON ST.
WE'LL START WITH WESLEY FELIX.
UH, WE'VE PUT WELL OVER A MILLION DOLLARS INTO THAT FACILITY.
UM, NEW LIGHTING, UH, WE REFURBISHED THE FIELDS.
WE BUILT NEW CONCESSION BATHROOMS, THINGS OF THE LIKE.
AND, UH, WE'RE LOOKING AT UPGRADING THE, UH, PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT.
WE ALREADY ADDED ONE, ONE NEW PLAYGROUND AND WE DID THOSE TO BASKETBALL AND TENNIS SPORT RESOURCES.
ALL OF THAT HAS BEEN DONE THERE.
SO, UM, IT'S NOT THAT WE'RE DOING NOTHING.
THERE'S A LOT THAT IS BEING DONE, UH, IN THE DISCUSSION RIGHT NOW.
UH, WE'RE THINKING ABOUT SOME KIND OF A WALKING PATH, UH, PERHAPS IMPROVING THE PARKING.
UH, I KNOW THAT THERE IS A PATHWAY PROJECT, UH, THAT'S STILL PENDING THROUGHOUT THE SAY HELENA AREA TO INCLUDE ERNEST DRIVE AND OTHERS.
AND WE WOULD LIKE TO BE INTERCONNECTED WITH THAT, UH, IF THE OPPORTUNITY PRESENTS ITSELF.
SO THAT'S WESLEY FELIX, THE OTHER ONE IS SCOTT CENTER.
WE'RE STILL IN NEGOTIATION WITH THE OWNERS OF SCOTT CENTER.
THAT IS A LEASE PIECE OF PROPERTY.
AND THE LEASE IS WITHIN, I'M GONNA SAY TWO YEARS OF, UH, NEEDING TO BE RENEWED.
SO RIGHT NOW WE HAVE BEEN DOING A LOT OF MAINTENANCE ON THE BUILDING, NEW ROOF REPLACEMENT OF, UH, ROTTED FACIAL BOARDS.
DOES THE COUNTY OWN IT? AND WE HAVE A TENANT, OR IS THE COUNTY LEASING IT FROM THERE? WE ARE LEASING, THE COUNTY IS LEASING IT.
UM, THERE ARE SOME PROJECTS OUT THERE, UH, THAT, UH, ARE ON THE LIST, BUT WE NEED TO GET THROUGH THE LEASE, LEASE AGREEMENT, GET ALL THAT STUFF NAILED DOWN, GET ALL THAT RENEWED, UM, AND THEN MOVE FORWARD FROM THERE.
UH, BUT THOSE DISCUSSIONS ARE ONGOING.
I DON'T SEE THERE BEING ANY LONG-TERM ISSUE WITH IT.
WE JUST HAVE TO GET, UH, THINGS IN ORDER.
SO LET'S TALK ABOUT GLORIA POTTS.
THAT'S ANOTHER ONE THAT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON.
THE INSIDE OF THAT BUILDING HAS BEEN FULLY RENOVATED.
UH, IT HAS BEEN PAINTED, THE KITCHEN HAS BEEN UPDATED.
FLOORING, UH, FLOORING HAS NOT YET, BUT THE PLAYGROUND WILL BE IN NEXT.
THE, THE PLAYGROUND IS COMING.
UH, WE'RE LOOKING AT, UH, DIFFERENT IMPROVEMENTS TO THE PARKING AREA, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
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SO THERE'S A LOT GOING ON OUT THERE.UH, IT'S NOT THAT NOTHING IS GOING, IT'S JUST MOST OF IT REVOLVES AROUND FIXING ALREADY EXISTING, UH, FACILITIES, THINGS ALIKE.
I DO WANT TO MENTION THAT, UH, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU SAW THE RETREAT, BUT WE TALKED AT LENGTH ABOUT THE SENIOR WELLNESS CENTERS.
THERE IS ARPA, AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN, I THINK IS WHAT IT WAS.
UH, THE FUNDS, THE COVID FUNDS THAT WE GOT, THERE'S 3 MILLION THAT HAVE BEEN ALLOCATED TO, UH, SENIOR WELLNESS PROGRAMMING.
AND THE WAY WE WANT TO USE THAT IN PARTICULAR ON, UH, ST.
HELENA IS WE WOULD LIKE TO ADD A SENIOR WELLNESS CENTER ONTO THE LIBRARY LOCATION, UH, TO USE THAT AS A SENIOR CENTER WITH TELEHEALTH CAPABILITIES.
USE THAT FOR HEALTH EDUCATION.
OBVIOUSLY WE FEED THE SENIORS.
THAT'S, UH, PART OF WHAT WOULD QUALIFY UNDER ARPA.
UM, SO THAT MONEY IS VERY SPECIFIC TO HEALTH AND WELLNESS.
SO THAT'S HOW WE HAVE TO SPEND THAT MONEY.
THE IDEA OF CO-LOCATING IT WITH THE LIBRARY IS LIBRARIES ARE ALREADY STAFFED.
SO WE CAN USE THAT MILLION AND A HALF DOLLARS, ATTACH IT TO THE LIBRARY FACILITY.
THE LIBRARY STAFF CAN HELP US MANAGE THAT.
AND IT WOULD BE A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN PARKS AND REC AND THE LIBRARY.
BUT PARKS AND REC WOULD NOT HAVE TO STAFF A STANDALONE BUILDING.
UM, SO IT WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.
PLUS OUR SENIOR PROGRAM, SECONDARILY TO THAT OUT IN, UH, DALE AND LACO MOVING AWAY FROM ST.
HELEN TO THE OTHER HALF OF THAT MONEY.
UH, WE'RE IN DISCUSSION WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT RIGHT NOW ABOUT TAKING OWNERSHIP OF THE LOCO.
UM, WE CALL IT THE LOCO LIBRARY.
IT WAS ACTUALLY AN OLD SCHOOL, UH, BACK IN THE TWENTIES AND THIRTIES COUNTY, UH, MOVED A LIBRARY INTO HALF OF THAT FACILITY BACK IN THE EARLY TWO THOUSANDS, ABOUT 20 YEARS AGO.
AND WE'RE LOOKING AT TAKING OWNERSHIP OF ALL OF THAT AND USING THAT MILLION AND A HALF DOLLARS TO RENOVATE THE SECOND HALF AND MAKE THAT A SENIOR WELLNESS CENTER SO THAT WE WOULD HAVE TWO OF THEM IN THE RURAL AREAS.
SO I HOPE THAT GIVES YOU SOME IDEA.
OBVIOUSLY WITH THE MASTER PLAN, UH, CAPACITY BALL FIELDS, THE DISTANCE, UH, TRAVEL AVAILABILITY, THINGS LIKE THAT WILL ALL BE DISCUSSED.
I I DO THOUGH, UH, IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE TALKED ABOUT.
UH, IT WAS AN ANNOUNCEMENT IN THE MINUTES, AND MAYBE SINCE YOU'RE UP HERE, IF YOU COULD JUST COMMENT ON IT.
UM, WE WERE TALK, PHIL, YOU ASKED HER ABOUT THE LAND EXCHANGE WITH CAMP ST.
AND, UH, YOU GUYS HAD TOURED IT AND THE COUNTY COUNCIL WAS GONNA ASK FOR A DECISION OR A DECISION.
HAS ANYTHING COME UP WITH THAT? SO WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH THE PROCESS ON THAT.
I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING NEW TO REPORT.
NOTHING THE NEW, BUT I, I HOPE SOON, UH, WE WILL HAVE A DEFINED PATH FORWARD FOR THEM.
UM, BLUFFTON TOWNSHIP FIRE DISTRICT HAS ASKED ABOUT USING, UM, ONE OF OUR FACILITIES.
THEY WOULD LIKE TO DO A FAMILY DAY, UM, FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
UM, THEY WANT TO DO, THEY WANNA COOK FOOD, HAVE A COOKING TEAM, TRAILER PLAY PICKLEBALL, BALANCE HOUSES, SPIKE BALL, USE THE PARKING LOT, USE THE RESTROOMS. BASICALLY JUST HAVE OPEN SPACE.
AND THEY'RE INVITING TWO SHIFTS TO ATTEND.
UM, WHILE THE THIRD SHIFT IS ON DUTY THAT DAY, UM, ONE AND TWO WILL BE WORKING ON SHIFT.
UM, BUT THEY WANTED TO SEE IF WE WOULD GRANT THEM A WAIVER OF FEES TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A HEALTH AND WELLNESS DAY FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO JUST BUILD TEAM SPIRIT AND HAVE A FAMILY DAY.
UH, SO FAMILY AND HEALTH AND WELLNESS IS ONE EVENT.
SO I DIDN'T HAVE AN ISSUE WITH IT, BUT I WANTED TO RUN IT BY YOU GUYS, UM, YOU KNOW, AS, UH, THE, OUR LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT.
AND SO THIS IS IN BLUFFTON? YES.
AND WHAT LOCATION IS, ARE THEY LOOKING AT? WELL, THAT'S THE BIG MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION.
UM, BLUFFTON CENTER FIELD IS LOOKING A LITTLE ROUGH DUE TO THE LACROSSE, THE COLLEGE LACROSSE AND THE, UM, KIDS LACROSSE.
SO WE'RE GONNA KIND OF PLAY IT BY EAR WITH THAT.
UM, THAT'S THE IDEAL LOCATION, BUT WE MAY HAVE TO MOVE 'EM TO OSCAR FRAZIER FIELD.
SO, WE'LL ON A SUNDAY ONE IT'S ON A SUNDAY OR IT IS ON A, I'M NOT SURE WHAT DAY IT IS ACTUALLY.
IF IT'S A SUNDAY, IT'S JUST GOT, IT'S ON A SATURDAY, THAT'S FOR SURE.
I DON'T, AND I'M NOT SURE THAT THEY SET THE DATE YET.
I THINK THAT THEY WERE KIND OF WAITING, THEY WOULD LIKE TO DO IT ON MAY THE SIXTH, AND I'M NOT SURE WHAT DAY THAT IS.
UM, IF ANYBODY HAS A CALENDAR IN FRONT OF 'EM THAT IS A SATURDAY, ISN'T THAT, THAT'S TERRIBLE.
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THEM TO A SUNDAY.THEY COULD USE MICHAEL C YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT OF OPTIONS AS FAR AS THOSE THREE GO ON A SUNDAY.
YOU SAID PICKLEBALL, WE, WHERE WOULD THEY USE? WELL, THE PICKLEBALL WOULD BE BLUFFED AND CENTER.
BUT IF THEY, IF WE NEEDED TO MOVE THEM LIKE TO MICHAEL C WE HAVE THE PORTABLE PICKLEBALL THINGS THAT YOU COULD DO.
THEY COULD SET UP BASKETBALL COURT OR WHATEVER.
AND WHAT IS OUR TYPICAL FEE FOR THAT? WELL, I MEAN, IT'S A SPECIAL EVENT, SO, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE IT'S 375 BUCKS.
AND, UH, THEY'RE GOING TO, UH, I MEAN OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE GOING TO, THEY WOULD CLEAN UP AND DO ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.
THEY'RE GONNA TAKE ALL THEIR STUFF OR WE'RE NOT GONNA PAY EXTRA FOR CLEANING UP AFTER THEM OR ANYTHING.
AND INSURANCES, THEY WOULD PROVIDE US, THEY PROVIDE ALL THAT.
THEY'VE COME BEFORE THE BOARD AND THE BOARDS ASKED FOR AN EXEMPTION.
SO I THINK IT'D BE FAIR IF WE DON'T CHARGE THEM THAT WE, I MEAN, WELL, YEAH.
AND I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S, AND THE WAY I LOOK AT IT IS COMMUNITY.
IS THERE COMMUNITY AND THE PEOPLE THAT WE DEPEND ON IF WE HAVE A HEART ATTACK OR FALLOUT OR, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER WE DO.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? SOMEONE WANNA PUT A MOTION ON THE TABLE? I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE WAIVE THE FEE SECOND.
JUST WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT MOTION ALSO INCLUDES THAT THEY COVER THEIR OWN INSURANCE AND, YOU KNOW, TAKE CARE OF ALL OF THEIR, THERE AREN'T ANY COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH IT FOR US RIGHT NOW.
DO WE DO ANYTHING ON SATURDAYS OUT AT BLUFFTON REC, LACROSSE? SO, YOU KNOW, BUT DEPENDING ON THE SCHEDULE AND STUFF, BECAUSE OF IT MIGHT BE LATER ON, IT MIGHT BE DONE OR IT MIGHT BE A WAY GAMES THAT DAY.
SINCE WE PLAY IN THE SAVANNAH LEAGUE.
YOU WANNA RESTATE YOUR MOTION WITH MY AMENDMENT ON THERE? WHAT WAS THE OH, UM, I MAKE A MOTION TO, UH, WAIVE THE FEE AS LONG AS THEY ARE UNDER THE STANDING THAT THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR CLEANING, UH, TAKEN CARE OF THEM.
UM, THIS IS THE INFORMATION FOR OUR BATTERY CREEK POOL.
OUR HOURS ARE TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYS, EIGHT TO 12, ONE TO SEVEN.
SATURDAYS, WE HAVE OUR INFLATABLES FROM 10 30 TO FOUR 30.
WE HAVE OUR BOGA CLASSES THAT ARE TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYS, SIX 15 TO 6 45.
AND WE HAVE OUR YOUTH SCHOOL SWIM LESSONS.
UH, THEY'RE CURRENTLY NONE AT THIS POOL AT THIS TIME.
UM, AND THEN OUR CHECK-INS FOR JANUARY, WE HAD 628 PEOPLE.
WHY IS THE DISPARITY? UM, I'M NOT, AND THAT'S THE FULL MONTH OF FEBRUARY? YES.
SO WE HAD THREE TIMES AS MANY PEOPLE IN JANUARY.
AND THAT THERE WERE NO SPECIAL EVENTS OR ANYTHING.
AND WHY ARE WE HAVING NO, IS THAT JUST BECAUSE OF THE SCHOOL CALENDAR THAT WE'RE NOT HAVING ANY USE? THERE'S NONE THAT SET UP FOR THIS, FOR THIS CURRENT TIMEFRAME.
THERE'S SOME IN BLUFFTON AND SOME IN BUFORD, BUT NOT AT OH, OKAY.
I MEAN, THAT'S JUST THE, OKAY.
OUR BEAUTIFUL POOL, OUR HOURS ARE MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, AND FRIDAY FROM EIGHT TO 12, ONE TO SEVEN.
OUR BOGA CLASSES ARE MONDAYS AND WEDNESDAYS, SIX 15 TO 6 45.
WE ALSO OFFER WATER AEROBICS MONDAYS AND WEDNESDAYS, ONE 30 TO TWO 30.
AND THEN OUR SCHOOL SWIM LESSONS, THEY START MARCH 13TH, AND THEN OUR PATRON CHECK-IN IS 321 FOR BOTH JANUARY AND FEBRUARY.
SO THAT COULD BE A HUNDRED PEOPLE, THREE TIMES A PIECE AND, AND THEN IN 21 OTHER PEOPLE OR WHATEVER.
OUR BLUFFTON POOL, WE ARE OPEN MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, UM, DUE TO THE SWIM LESSONS FROM ONE TO 7:00 PM UM, AND THEN WE HAVE THE SWIM LESSONS DURING THE DAY.
WE HAVE OUR SCHOOL OR INFLATABLES ON SATURDAY, SORRY, THAT IS FROM 10 30 TO FOUR 30.
WE ALSO OFFER OUR BOGO CLASSES MONDAYS AND WEDNESDAYS FROM SIX 15 TO 6 45.
OUR WATER AEROBICS IS MONDAY, WEDNESDAYS, AND FRIDAYS, UM, FROM EIGHT 30 TO NINE 30.
OUR SCHOOL SWIM LESSONS ARE CURRENTLY GOING ON ALL THE WAY TILL MAY.
OUR FIN SWIM TEAM IS MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY FROM TWO 30 TO 7:00 PM
[00:35:02]
WE ALSO OFFER A LOW COUNTRY AQUATICS, A LOW COUNTRY, UM, AUTISTIC FOUNDATION, SORRY, WEDNESDAY, THURSDAYS AND FRIDAYS FROM FIVE 30 TO 7:00 PM AND THEN FOR OUR CHECK-IN FOR JANUARY, WE HAD 1,792 PEOPLE.AND FOR FEBRUARY WE HAD 2,491.
SO THAT'S, UH, THAT'S A HEAVILY POOL.
AND HOW'S THAT GOING NOW WITH ALL THE RENOVATIONS AND EVERYTHING ELSE? I MEAN, EVERY, THE ROOFING RENOVATION WAS REALLY GOOD.
UM, OBVIOUSLY PATRONS ARE NOT THE HAPPIEST ABOUT OUR SCHOOL SWIM LESSONS AND THEY CAN'T SWIM DURING THAT TIMEFRAME, BUT MM-HMM.
UM, FOR OUR CLASSES, UM, WE OFFER PRIVATE AND GROUP SWIM LESSONS YEAR ROUND.
OUR STROKE IMPROVEMENT CLASSES IS YEAR ROUND FOR ADULTS, OUR CPR CLASSES BY APPOINTMENT.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE OUR LIFEGUARDING CLASSES.
WE HAVE ONE THAT IS STARTING TOMORROW, AND WE HAVE THREE THAT ARE IN APRIL.
IN MAY, HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE SIGNED UP? BUT FOR THE, FOR THE ONE THAT STARTS TOMORROW, WE ACTUALLY HAVE THREE PEOPLE THAT ARE SIGNED UP FOR THAT.
ARE WE STILL LOOKING FOR LIFEGUARDS? WE ARE DEFINITELY LOOKING FOR LIFEGUARDS, YES.
PREFERABLY ONES THAT CAN WORK THROUGHOUT THE DAY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE POOL? HAVE YOU, HAVE YOU REACHED OUT LIKE TO SUN CITY OR ANYONE OVER THERE? FOR LIFEGUARDS OR FOR, I MEAN, I, I MEAN, MAYBE A LOT OF PATRONS THAT COME TO OUR BLUFF AND POOL, THEY'RE INTERESTED, BUT THEY DON'T WANT TO TAKE THE CLASSES.
AND DO WE, DO WE, I DEFINITELY, WE DON'T CHARGE FOR THE CERTIFICATION.
IF THEY BECOME EMPLOYEES DOING, IF THEY PLAN ON WORKING FOR US FOR SIX MONTHS, WE DO NOT CHARGE FOR THE CERTIFICATION.
AND HOW MUCH IS THE CERTIFICATION? UH, $175.
THAT'S WHAT'S NOT OVERWHELMING IN COST, BUT YOU CAN MAKE THAT BACK PRETTY EASY.
AND EVEN WHEN YOU LET THEM KNOW THAT THEY'RE JUST NOT INTERESTED.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU.
LET ME JUST SAY THE BRICK THAT YOU HAVE TO SWIM WITH
GO BY THERE ONE DAY AND TRY IT.
NO, I, A BRICK OR A CONCRETE THING? IT'S, IT'S A BRICK.
UM, I REMEMBER WHEN ONE OF MINE DID IT, I THINK HE WAS 19 AND HE CAME HOME AND HE SAID, I FELT LIKE I WAS GONNA DROWN.
UM, WE NEED ONE PART-TIME CLERK.
UM, WE HAD ONE THE OTHER NIGHT THAT MOVED BACK TO FLORIDA TO BE CLOSER TO HER MOM.
UM, AQUATICS WE NEED FULL-TIME LIFEGUARD SIX.
AND THEN ONE ASSISTANT AQUATICS MANAGER.
WE HAVE EIGHT POSITIONS TO FILL AND RECORDS, FOUR POSITIONS TO FILL.
OTHER THAN THAT, WE ARE FULLY STAFFED WITH OUR ATHLETICS AND, UM, ROLL 'EM RIGHT ALONG, WHICH IS THE FIRST TIME IN A WHILE.
SO WHEN, WHEN YOU SAY, WHEN WE SEE ALL THIS CROSS BOARD, HOW MANY ACTUAL EMPLOYEES DO WE HAVE? I MEAN, THAT UNDER OUR PURVIEW, IT'S IN THE NINETIES.
SO, SO WHEN YOU SAY EIGHT, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER.
SO YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE WONDERFUL, UH, MOWERS THAT MOWED BY THEMSELVES LAST TIME.
THE PROBLEM WITH THAT IS THE, THE THOUGHT PROCESS BEHIND THE MOWERS THAT MOW BEHIND THEMSELVES IS SO THAT THEY CAN TRIM THE TREES AND THE BUSHES AND DO MORE OF THE OTHER STUFF THAT THEY DON'T GET THE TIME TO DO.
SO, UM, I'M HOPING THAT'S GONNA HELP OUT WITH THAT, BUT I MEAN, THERE'S PLENTY FOR THEM TO DO.
EVEN WITH THE MOWERS MOWING, DO WE HIRE PEOPLE SEASONALLY IN THE SUMMER KIDS THAT ARE UP? I MEAN, OR IS THERE A WE DO FOR THE POOL.
UM, WE ABSOLUTELY WOULD FOR MAINTENANCE IF ANYBODY WAS INTERESTED.
SUMMER JOBS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
ANY QUESTIONS? DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY ISSUES OR ANY COMMENTS? WELL, THANK Y'ALL FOR BEING HERE.
SOME OF 'EM WANNA MAKE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? MOTION ADJOURN A SECOND.
I'M NOT GONNA AMEND YOUR MOTION, ALAN.
[00:40:50]
THE COUNTY CHANNEL IS ALSO AVAILABLE ON VIDEO ON DEMAND.SCROLL DOWN TO PUBLIC MEETINGS.
CLICK WATCH NOW, AND THEN CLICK THE 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.
THIS IS A BEAUFORT COUNTY MOMENT.
ONE OF THE PILLARS OF THE 20TH CENTURY ECONOMY OF BEAUFORT COUNTY HAS BEEN THE BEAU, THE MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT ON PARIS ISLAND.
UH, OFFICIALLY OPENED IN 1915, 70% OF THE MARINES WHO SERVED SO HEROICALLY IN THE TRENCHES IN WORLD WAR I WERE TRAINED ON PARIS ISLAND.
THE MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEEP ISLAND.
PARIS ISLAND IS THE FIRST EXCLUSIVELY UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS INSTALLATION IN THE UNITED STATES.
IT IS, AS EUGENE ALVAREZ'S BOOK ON THE SUBJECT SAYS, IT IS THE CRADLE OF THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORP.
DURING WORLD WAR II, 241,000 MARINES WERE TRAINED ON PARIS ISLAND AND WENT OFF TO FIGHT WARS, AND MOSTLY IN THE PACIFIC.
THAT'S 10 TIMES THE POPULATION OF BUFORD COUNTY DURING WORLD WAR II.
AND SO PARIS ISLAND BECAME A VERY FAMOUS PLACE, AND OF COURSE, THE PRINCIPLE ENGINE OF BEAUFORT COUNTY ECONOMY IN THE 1930S, FORTIES AND FIFTIES.
BUT IN 1956, A TRAGEDY OCCURRED ON PARIS ISLAND, WHICH SOLELY THE REPUTATION OF PARIS ISLAND AND OF THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS.
IT WAS CALLED THE RIBBON CREEK INCIDENT.
ONE OF THE OLD CORE DRILLING STRUCTURES.
SERGEANT MCEWEN DECIDED THAT HE WOULD TAKE HIS COMPANY OF RECRUITS OUT FOR A NIGHT MARCH AS A FORM OF TOUGHENING THEM UP AND PERHAPS AS A FORM OF PUNISHMENT, HE MARCHED THEM INTO THE MARSHES THAT BORDER PARIS ISLAND, AND HE MARCHED THEM INTO THE MARSHES OF RIBBON CREEK.
NEITHER HE NOR HIS RECRUITS UNDERSTOOD THAT MANY OF THE CREEKS ON AN OUTGOING TIDE CAN BE VERY FAST RUNNING AND VERY DEEP.
AS THE MEN TRIED TO WADE THE CREEK WITH HEAVY PACKS ON THEIR BACK, MANY OF THEM GOT CAUGHT IN THE CURRENT, SEVERAL OF THEM STRUGGLED AND DIED.
THIS MADE THE NEWSPAPERS WITH LURID PHOTOGRAPHS THAT FOUND THE COVER OF LIFE MAGAZINE.
AT THE TIME, THE MARINE CORPS WAS EMBARRASSED.
SERGEANT MCEWEN WAS COURT MARSHALED, AND THE MARINE CORPS HAD CHANGED THE FORM OF ITS TOUGH WORLD WAR II TRAINING ON PARIS ISLAND.
BUT THE RIBBON CREEK INCIDENT BROUGHT BEAUFORT COUNTY AND MARINE CORPS RECRUIT PEOPLE BAD PUBLICITY FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 1915.
THIS HAS BEEN A BEAUFORT COUNTY MOMENT.
TO SEE MORE BEAUFORT COUNTY MOMENTS GO TO THE BEAUFORT COUNTY LIBRARY HOMEPAGE AND CLICK ON THE LOCAL HISTORY TAB.
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.
[00:45:01]
CONTEMPORARY TIMES.SO IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT WE COULD TEACH OUR FELLOW CITIZENS IN AMERICA ABOUT THE PERILOUS MOMENT IN WHICH WE WERE 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 DID, 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 THAT I WAS A NAIVE ABOUT THAT.
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 DON'T 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'S 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 CARPET BAGGERS, THAT BASICALLY THEY WERE TOOLS AND PAWNS THAT THEY WERE DISHONEST.
UH, ROBERT SMALLS, IT 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 HISTORIAN SINCE DUBOIS PUBLISHED BLACK RECONSTRUCTION.
AND MOST NOTABLY UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF ANOTHER COLUMBIA PROFESSOR, PROFESSOR ERIC FONER, WITH WHOM, UH, WE MADE OUR 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 A COUNTERPOINT TO THE RECEIVED INTERPRETATIONS OF RECONSTRUCTION FABRICATED BY THE DUNNING SCHOOL.
WELL, FOR US, IT, THIS IS THE PHON SCHOOL.
IT, IT HAS A VERY SPECIAL MEANING.
WHY IS THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA SO PIVOTAL TO AN UNDERSTANDING OF RECONSTRUCTION? SOUTH CAROLINA WAS GROUND ZERO FOR RECONSTRUCTION BECAUSE 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
[00:50:01]
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, IT 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 IT WAS AN ATTEMPT TO CONTROL THIS BLACK MAJORITY.
I WENT TO CALHOUN COLLEGE AT YALE UNIVERSITY.
HE NOT ONLY WON HIS SLAVERY TO CONTINUE, HE WANTED TO RESURRECT THE SLAVE TRADE
HE WAS A, HE WAS A ROUGH BROTHER.
THE ESTABLISHMENT OF BLACK SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS.
UM, PARTICULARLY THE CHURCHES, FRATERNAL ORGANIZATIONS, SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS, THE FACT THAT SO MANY OF THE SLAVES WANTED TO GET MARRIED AND LEGALIZE 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 ES 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 CLAFLIN 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 OR 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 CELL.
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.
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 OUR 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
[00:55:01]
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 DILLON MCGEE AND I MADE THIS SERIES AND WITH PBS, WELL, AND I AM ON THE ROAD, YOU KNOW, I FLEW DOWN TO BEAUFORD FROM HARVARD.
I 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 FORUMS OF INTERRACIAL DEMOCRACY AND COLLABORATION THAT ALLOW A MULTIPLICITY OF VOICES, SEXUAL ORIENTATIONS, RELIGIOUS BELIEFS, ET CETERA, GENDER ID 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.
GETTING THE FLU IS NOT FUN FOR ANYONE.
BLUE PREVENTION IN RESPONSE IS AS EASY AS 1, 2, 3.
SOME WAYS YOU COULD PRACTICE PREVENTION IS BY ONE, WASHING YOUR HANDS AND KEEPING YOUR HOME CLEAN.
TWO, KEEPING YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM STRONG BY EATING HEALTHY AND BEING ACTIVE.
AND THREE, STAYING AWAY FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE SICK.
NOW, IF YOU DO GET THE FLU OR GET SICK, THEN ONE, GO TO THE DOCTOR.
TWO, STAY HOME FROM SCHOOL OF WORK.
AND THREE, STAY HYDRATED TO STRENGTHEN YOUR BODY, TO FIGHT THE VIRUS.
SO REMEMBER, FLU PREVENTION IN RESPONSE IS AS EASY AS THAT.