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CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BEAUFORT COUNTY FOR MAY 2ND, 2023.TOWN COUNCIL, UH, CINDY, ARE WE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT? YES, SIR.
NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH FREEDOM INFORMATION ACCURATE.
WILL YOU CALL THE ROLL PLEASE? ABSOLUTELY.
YOU'LL JOIN ME IN STANDING AND SAYING THE PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE PLEDGE, THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVIDUAL LIBERTY, JUSTICE FOR ALL.
IF YOU'LL CONTINUE STANDING AS WE HAVE PASTOR BRETT MEYERS FROM FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH TO SAY THE OF VOCATION.
GOD, WE DO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY THAT WE HAVE TO LIVE, WORK, AND PLAY IN SUCH A BEAUTIFUL PART OF YOUR CREATION.
UH, GOD, I PRAY FOR THESE LEADERS.
GOD IS, IS I REGULARLY DO, UH, GOD THAT YOU WOULD GIVE THEM WISDOM.
UH, GOD, WE KNOW THAT WE FACE MANY CHALLENGES AND, UH, GOD THANK YOU FOR THEIR HARD WORK AND, UH, DEDICATION TO SERVING OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, GOD, PRAY THAT YOU GIVEN WISDOM IN EVERY AREA OF LIFE AND DECISION MAKING THAT THEY FACE, UH, GOD, WHETHER IT'S WORKFORCE, HOUSING OR PARKS OR WHATEVER IT MAY BE.
UH, GOD THANK YOU FOR THEIR LEADERSHIP.
THANK YOU FOR THE TIME AND NUMEROUS, UH, UH, LONG HOURS THAT THEY SPEND IN TALKING THROUGH AND, UH, MAKING DECISIONS FOR THE BEST OF OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, GOD GIVE THEM UNITY AS WE MOVE FORWARD AS A COMMUNITY.
AND GOD, WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PROVISION FOR US THAT'S IN CHRIST.
WE PRAY IF YOU'LL CONTINUE STANDING AS, AS WE SAY, THE CIVILITY PLEDGE, YOU CAN FOLLOW ALONG IF YOU LIKE.
I PLEDGE STABILITY STRONGER BY ADVOCATING CIVIL SOLUTIONS.
TODAY WE HAVE, UH, NEED TO HAVE THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE APRIL 18TH BEFORE US.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? DON'T MOVE.
MR. MANN WITH, WITH AN AMENDMENT? YES, MA'AM.
UM, MR. BRYON, I HAVE ONE CORRECTION AND ONE AMENDMENT TO THE MINUTES.
ON PAGE TWO AT THE TOP OF PAGE TWO, THE SENATE BILL, UH, IT SHOULD SAY SENATE BILL 0 2 84.
AND THE LANGUAGE, UM, SHOULD BE DELETED.
THIS OTHER NUMBER BESIDE THE SENATE BILL AND HOUSE BILL 42 13 SHOULD BE DELETED IN ADDITION ON PAGE FOUR.
UH, AN ADDITIONAL SENTENCE, UH, BEFORE THE LAST SENTENCE OF THE PARAGRAPH UNDER C ABOUT HONORS EACH PART AT THE FOLLOWING SENTENCE, MS. BRYSON STATED THAT SHE COULD NOT SUPPORT THE MOTION AS AMENDED SINCE CONSTITUENTS REQUEST THE ADDITIONAL PATHWAY BEING SOLVED IN THE NORTHERN BOUNDARY.
WITH THOSE, I WOULD ASK THAT THE MINUTES BE REVISED.
UM, SO WE NEED TO THE VOTE ON THE ORIGINAL AND THEN THE AMENDMENT THAT CORRECT THAT WAY AROUND, I THINK THE AMENDMENT AND THEN THE, THE AMENDMENT.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE AMENDMENT? UH, SO MOVED.
CINDY, WILL WE CALL THE RULE PLEASE ON THE AMENDMENT? CERTAINLY.
AND NOW WE NEED TO VOTE ON THE ORIGINAL MOTION AS AMENDED, SIR? THAT'S CORRECT.
MR. BROWN WHAT? MS. BRYSON? YES.
MR. ORLANDO, DO YOU HAVE ANY ITEMS OF INTEREST FOR US TODAY? I JUST HAVE, YES, SIR.
UH, AFTERNOON MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, JUST A COUPLE THINGS I'VE SEEN TONIGHT.
A BUNCH OF PUBLIC COMMENTS, SIGNUPS FOR THE SAN CAT SANCTUARY ON BEACH CITY ROAD.
UM, THANK, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AT OUR NEXT MEETING.
YOU HAD ASKED ME A MEETING AGO TO HAVE AN UPDATE ON THE CAT SANCTUARY FOR US TO DO A LITTLE BIT OF AN INVESTIGATION THAT IS SCHEDULED FOR MAY 16TH.
SO JUST AS AN FYI ON THAT FOR TONIGHT, UM, UH, IN A, IN A LITTLE BIT, I'LL BE PRESENTING OUR BUDGET.
I'LL PRESENT THE STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN AT THE JUNE 6TH MEETING, SO KNOW THAT THOSE TWO WILL BE TIED TOGETHER.
AND THEN SOME IMPORTANT DATES IN ADDITION TO TONIGHT'S BUDGET.
UM, FIRST READING AS WELL AS PUBLIC HEARING, A MAY 9TH BUDGET WORKSHOP AND A MAY 11TH BUDGET WORKSHOP.
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I WILL PRESENT A WORKSHOP ON ALL ELEMENTS OF THE BUDGET WITH THE EXCEPTION OF OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.AND THEN ON MAY 11TH, I WILL PRESENT AND DISCUSS WITH YOU THAT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM AND OF COURSE, THE SECOND AND FINAL READING AND PUBLIC HEARING ON THE BUDGET JUNE 6TH.
SO, AND THOSE BUDGET WORKSHOPS WILL BE AT 1:00 PM YES.
PARENTS BY CITIZENS, I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND OUR CITIZENS THAT SECTION TWO DASH FIVE 70 OF THE TOWN'S CODE LIMITS EACH PERSON TO THREE MINUTES WHEN ADDRESSING TOWN.
COUNSEL, AT THE END OF THE THREE MINUTES, YOU'RE ASKED TO CONCLUDE YOUR COMMENTS.
PLEASE MAINTAIN A DECORUM SUITABLE FOR THE MEETING AND REFRAIN FROM USING ANY ABUSIVE, PROFANE OR OBSCENE LANGUAGE.
IF YOU HAVE ANY MATERIALS YOU WOULD LIKE TO GIVE TOWN COUNSEL, PLEASE GIVE THEM TO THE TOWN CLERK AFTER YOU'RE FINISHED SPEAKING.
CINDY, ARE THERE ANY CITIZENS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK TODAY? YES, SIR.
THE FIRST, UH, CITIZEN WE HAVE IS BOB SOL SOES.
CAN'T BELIEVE I'M FIRST SECRET.
SO IN ANY OF THAT, MAYOR PERRY TOWN COUNCIL, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, OUR MANAGER, MR. ORLANDO.
I'M A FULL-TIME HILTON HEAD RESIDENT HERE REPRESENTING THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND PICKLEBALL CLUB.
YOU'LL ALSO HAVE FIVE MORE PICKLEBALL SPEAKERS.
I JUST WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND THANK THEM AHEAD OF TIME FOR SHARING THEIR THOUGHTS AND EXPERIENCES WITH PICKLEBALL TODAY.
AS YOU'VE HEARD WILL HERE TODAY AND OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS, PICKLEBALL HAS SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC VALUE THAT THE TOWN HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEVERAGE BY INVESTING AND CREATING WORLD-CLASS PICKLEBALL FACILITIES ON HILTON.
NOW, IN THE MANY MEETINGS AND CONVERSATIONS WE'VE HAD WITH ALL OF YOU AND YOUR PREDECESSORS, WE KNOW THAT YOU RECOGNIZE THE VALUE OF PICKLEBALL HAVE INDICATED YOUR INTENT TO BEST PICKLEBALL FACILITIES.
THAT THEN SAYS THE QUESTION IS, WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? OUR 600 PLUS MEMBERS, MANY OF WHICH ARE HERE TODAY, UM, LIKE TO SEE THE TOWN BEST 2024 TOWN FUNDS, UM, WITHIN THREE PRIORITIES.
AND ARE YOU, WE'VE SENT YOU A NOTE ABOUT THIS.
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO READ THEM TO GET INCLUDED IN THE PUBLIC RECORD.
THE FIRST IS IMMEDIATE PROFESSIONAL GRADE RESURFACING OF THE SIX PIVOT WALL COURTS AT ADRIANA TO FIX THE RECENT FAILED ATTEMPT TO FIX THE CRACKS, WHICH RESULTED IN MAKING PLAYING CONDITIONS WORSE.
AS PART OF THIS WORK, INSTALL PERMANENT NETS AND PAINT LINES TO MAKE THESE DEDICATED PICKLEBALL COURTS.
NUMBER TWO, EXPAND THE ADRIANA FACILITY TO 12 COURTS BY BUILDING SIX ADDITIONAL COURTS ON THE TOWN OWNED VACANT LANDS IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO THE COURTS, AND SORRY, BUT SURELY NOT LET AT LEAST COMMIT FISCAL YEAR 2024 FUNDS TO FINALIZE THE DESIGN OF A 24 COURT PICKLEBALL COMPLEX AS OUTLINED IN THE 2022 PARKS AND RECREATION SECTION OF THE HOUR.
PLAN DOCUMENT SPECIFICALLY RECOMMENDATIONS ITEMS NUMBER ONE, 0.3, 0.4, AND 2.1 MR. READY AND DO AND DO OF TIME IN ANY WAY WE CAN WITH THESE PRIORITIES.
WE'LL BE HERE ALL NIGHT IF WE KEEP THAT UP.
UM, DON'T NORMALLY LIKE TO, TO TO SPEAK AFTER PUBLIC COMMENT, BUT I DO WANNA CLARIFY A COUPLE THINGS.
UM, ONE, ADRIANA IS STILL IN THE HANDS OF THE COUNTY AND WE ARE LOOKING TO GET THAT FIXED AND GET IT SWITCHED OVER, WHICH IT HAS NOT
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BEEN FINALIZED YET.UM, YES, THE WORK THAT THEY DID WAS HORRIBLE.
SO IT IS WHAT IT'S ON OUR RADAR, THEIR REQUEST GOING OUT FOR BIDS TO, TO FIX THAT AND GET IT RIGHT ABOVE AND BEYOND THAT, WE HEAR YOU.
SO CAYA NEXT, CERTAINLY FRIDA HANBERG.
FRIDA HANBERG, PSYCHOLOGIST, AUTHOR, PICKLEBALL PLAYER, AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK ABOUT PICKLEBALL AND LOVE.
UH, PICKLEBALL IS PRIMARILY A DOUBLES GAME.
THERE'S A LOT OF INTERACTION ON AND OFF THE COURTS, PLENTY OF CHANCES TO TALK WITH AND OBSERVE ONE ANOTHER.
YOU LEARN HOW FOLKS TREAT EACH OTHER, HOW THEY DRESS, HOW THEY HANDLE WINNING AND LOSING.
AND PICKLEBALL CAN ALSO BE A LIFELINE.
SOCIAL ISOLATION, LONELINESS KILLS.
IT'S A RISK FACTOR ON A PAR WITH SMOKING OR OBESITY, IMPACTING PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH.
DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, DEMENTIA, SUBSTANCE ABUSE, HEART DISEASE, DIABETES, HYPERTENSION, ALL ARE EXACERBATED BY ISOLATION.
LONELINESS CAN EVEN LEAD TO SUICIDE.
ADULTS OVER 65, LIKE MANY OF US WHO PLAY PICKLEBALL, ARE ESPECIALLY VULNERABLE.
I WAS TWO YEARS AFTER MY HUSBAND'S DEATH, I SOLD OUR HOME IN BLUFFTON AND MOVED TO A VILLA ON SKULL CREEK.
JUST AS I TRIED TO GET OUT AND MEET PEOPLE ON THE ISLAND, COVID STRUCK CUT OFF FROM MY BLUFFTON FRIENDS.
I THOUGHT IF I VANISHED, NO ONE WOULD NOTICE.
ALTHOUGH MY BEAUTIFUL ENVIRONMENT NOURISHED ME, I WAS STARVING FOR HUMAN COMPANIONSHIP.
I HAD LEARNED PICKLEBALL IN BLUFFTON, AND AS COVID RESTRICTIONS EASED, I MIGHT, I MADE MY WAY TO THE ISLAND REC CENTER.
IT FELT NATURAL TO SHOW UP WITH MY RACKET, AND A FRIENDLY GROUP WELCOMED ME, A KNOT INSIDE ME LOOSENED, AND I COULD BREATHE AGAIN.
I BEGAN TO BELIEVE MAYBE SOMEONE ON THE ISLAND WOULD EVEN NOTICE IF I DISAPPEARED.
IT TURNED OUT ONE PARTICULAR PERSON WOULD NOTICE.
OVER TIME, I CHATTED OFTEN WITH A CERTAIN TALL, ATTRACTIVE GENTLEMAN.
HE'S LIKE SITTING RIGHT OVER THERE,
UM, ONE DAY AS WE STROLLED TO THE PARKING LOT TOGETHER, HE ASKED IF I WAS SINGLE.
THE NEXT DAY PICKLEBALL WAS RAINED OUT, BUT WHEN I CAME DOWNSTAIRS, I FOUND A PAPER BAG ON MY CAR CONTAINING AN EGGPLANT AND A JALAPENO ALONG WITH A NOTE SCROLLED ON AN ENVELOPE.
THAT WAS ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO.
SINCE THEN, MARK AND I HAVE GONE FROM BEING FRIENDS TO LOVERS TO SWEETHEARTS AND LOVING PARTNERS ON AND OFF THE COURT.
OUR PICKLEBALL, COURTSHIP WAS SWEET AND LEISURELY BLOSSOMING IN AN INNOCENT AND OLD FASHIONED WAY.
THAT'S A FAR CRY FROM SINGLES BARS AND ONLINE DATING.
SO I ASK YOU TO PLEASE INVEST IN PUBLIC PICKLEBALL ON OUR BEAUTIFUL ISLAND, AND PLEASE HELP US SHARE THE LOVE.
I'M A 20 YEAR RESIDENT OF THE ISLAND.
I'VE BEEN PLAYING PICKLEBALL FOR OVER 12, 12 YEARS.
THAT GOES BACK TO 2012 ROUGHLY.
I WANTED THE FIRST PLAYERS ON THE ISLAND TO BE PLAYING PICKLEBALL, AND I STILL PLAY AT A VERY COMPETITIVE AGE.
AND IN ABOUT TWO WEEKS I'M GETTING BEAT.
UM, I'VE BEEN WORKING ON GETTING REAL TENNIS COURT, REAL PICKLEBALL COURTS.
I GOT 40 YEARS AT TENNIS AT SIX I EIGHT YEARS, WHICH IS SINCE 2015, TRYING TO WORK TO GET REAL PICKLEBALL COURTS.
BUT AFTER HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OF STUDY, A LOT OF TALK, THE COSTS OF COURTS HAVE ESCALATED.
I STILL SEE NO RESULTS, BUT I DO SEE NEW COURTS ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES POPPING UP EVERYWHERE.
AN INTERESTING FACT, ABOUT 10 YEARS AGO IN MY, UM, COMMUNITY OF ABOUT 2000, WE HAD A MAYOR.
HE WENT TO FLORIDA, HE LOVED PICKLEBALL.
WE HAD THREE NEW PICKLEBALL COURTS, AND THAT EVENTUALLY, UH, EXPANDED TO SEVEN COURTS.
NOW, THE ADVANTAGE WE'VE HEARD, I HAVE A NEW TERM I THINK FOR PICKLEBALL COURTS.
IT'S WHERE YOU GO, YOU GET EXERCISE.
THE PSYCHOLOGICAL PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THE SOCIAL, THE PICKLEBALL CARTS ARE PRETTY LOW MAINTENANCE.
THERE'S NO MOWING, THERE'S NO, YOU KNOW, UH, LIFEGUARDS JUST NO, THAT KIND OF THING.
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THE WHOLE GAMUT OF PEOPLE, LOCALS, VISITORS, YOUNG AND OLD.IT'S EASY TO LEARN AND TAKES UP A MINIMAL SPACE ON A SPACE OF A TENNIS COURT, WHICH YOU CAN PUT PROBABLY FOUR PLAYERS.
YOU CAN PUT 16 PICKLEBALL PLAYERS, AND THEN THERE'S PEOPLE WHO ROTATE IN.
UM, OUR COURTS ARE IN HORRIBLE CONDITION.
UH, WE GOT THESE TAR TO FIGHT WITH NOW.
WE FINALLY GOT A PORTA POTTY AFTER MANY, MANY YEARS.
AND, UH, BUT WE STILL HAVE NO WATER THERE.
NOW, THE ADRIANA PROJECT, I CONSIDER TO BE A QUICK FIX, BUT NOTHING HERE MOVES VERY QUICK.
UH, SO MAYBE I NEED TO SAY A SHORT TERM PATCH.
UH, BUT WE STILL NEED THE 24 COURT COMPLEX, UH, TO MAINTAIN OUR BRAND.
AND AFTER WE DO GET OUR OTHER COURTS THAT WE'LL STILL BE USING THAT.
NOW, I'VE PLAYED IN 35 DIFFERENT STATES.
I'VE PLAYED AT PROBABLY A HUNDRED PLUS VENUES, AND I HAVE A PICKLEBALL AWARD HERE.
AND THE PICKLEBALL AWARD IS THE NICEST PEOPLE, BUT THE WORST PUBLIC COURTS GOES TO CLINTON HEAD.
I'M A FULL-TIME RESIDENT OF SILVER THORN, COLORADO, AND THAT'S IN THE MOUNTAINS.
FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE NOT FAMILIAR NEAR BRECKENRIDGE.
SO A SKI RESORT COMMUNITY, MOUNTAIN TOWN COMMUNITY, I'VE BEEN, I'M CURRENTLY IN A, AN AMBASSADOR FOR USA PICKLEBALL AND A LOCAL AMBASSADOR IN SUMMIT COUNTY.
AND ALSO THAT JUST MEANS THAT I GET A LOT OF EMAILS AND PHONE CALLS THAT TELL ME WHAT I SHOULD BE DOING.
BUT, UM, AND I'M ALSO THE, UH, PRESIDENT OF SUMMIT COUNTY PICKLEBALL ASSOCIATION, WHICH IS A 5 0 1
AND KEEP IN MIND, WE ONLY HAVE AN OUTDOOR, AN OUTDOOR SEASON OF ABOUT FOUR TO SIX MONTHS UP IN THE MOUNTAINS.
SO, ANYHOW, I'M HERE BECAUSE I'VE BEEN COMING TO HILTON HEAD FOR OVER 17 YEARS AND I'VE WATCHED, I'VE BEEN PLAYING PICKLEBALL FOR NEARLY 12 YEARS.
JUST LIKE JUDY, I WAS ONE OF THE FIRST PEOPLE THAT BEFORE ANYBODY KNEW WHAT PICKLEBALL MEANT OR WAS OR ANYTHING, IT WAS LIKE WHAT EVERYBODY WOULD GO.
WHAT'S PICKLEBALL? WELL, I'VE BEEN COMING TO HILTON HEAD AND I'VE WATCHED THE SPORT GROW HERE FROM THE, FROM THE VERY FEW QUARTS.
WE HAD TWO QUARTS ON THE ISLAND REC CENTER THAT GREW TO FOUR COURTS, FIVE QUARTS, SIX QUARTS, NOW BACK TO FIVE QUARTS.
AND THEN AT ADRIANA, CUZ ADRIANA DIDN'T EVEN EXIST WHEN WE FIRST STARTED PLAYING.
SO, AND THEN OF COURSE, ALL THE PRIVATE COURTS THAT HAVE POPPED UP ALL OVER HIM AND HEAD, BUT THE KNEE CONTINUES TO GROW.
THERE'S, THERE'S PICKLEBALL COURTS BEING DEVELOPED AND REPURPOSED ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES IN STEAMBOAT SPRINGS.
THEY'RE JUST BUILDING AN 11 MILLION FACILITY THAT WILL HAVE 12 INDOOR COURTS AND EIGHT OUTDOOR COURTS NEXT TO THE TENNIS COURTS BECAUSE THEY OVERRAN THE TENNIS COURTS.
SO, AND THEY DO HAVE A GOOD TENNIS PROGRAM.
THE REASON I BRING UP STEAMBOAT AND SUMMIT COUNTY IS BECAUSE IT'S, IT HAS A LOT OF THE SIMILARITIES OF THIS.
AND THIS, THIS TOWN IS SO WONDERFUL, FULL OF WONDERFUL PEOPLE THAT YOU, YOU GUYS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A WORLD CLASS.
AS ALEX WAS SAYING, IBA WAS SAYING A WORLD CLASS PICKLEBALL VACATION DESTINATION.
YOU'RE KNOWN FOR YOUR GOLF AND, AND YOU'RE KNOWN FOR YOUR TENNIS.
AND, AND LOOK WHAT'S HAPPENED IN PALMETTO DUNES.
YOU KNOW, THEY'VE REPURPOSED A NUMBER OF COURTS THERE TO TURN INTO PICKLEBALL.
THERE'S NOW THREE PROFESSIONAL, UH, LEAGUES OUT THERE FOR PICKLEBALL.
THE BEN JOHN'S, THE NUMBER ONE PICKLEBALL PLAYER IN THE WORLD, IS NOW GONNA PROBABLY MAKE AT LEAST A MILLION DOLLARS THIS YEAR PLAYING PICKLEBALL.
IN HIS FIRST FEW YEARS HE WAS MAKING 250,000.
SO THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY ALSO FOR, TO BRING IN TOURNAMENTS AND, AND BRING AGAIN, AND I KNOW THE ECONOMIC PIECE YOU'RE TIRED OF HEARING AND THE WHOLE FINANCIAL, BUT WHEN I COME AND I'M NOT ONE DIMENSIONAL, I RIDE BIKES AND I RIDE KAYAKS AND, AND I PLAY GOLF.
SO, BUT, UH, BUT YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY HERE AND I'M HOPING YOU CAN GET BEHIND AND SUPPORT.
I KNOW THAT THERE'S ALL KINDS OF FINANCIAL POOLS CUZ I SIT ON THREE DIFFERENT BOARDS, BUT YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY HERE TO, TO MAKE PICKLEBALL, PUT IT ON THE MAP FOR HILTON HEAD AND MAKE THAT A DESTINATION AND I'LL STILL KEEP COMING.
I'M ORIGINALLY FROM MINNESOTA.
CAME DOWN HERE TO GET OUT OF THE, THE SNOW.
UH, I'M THE DISTRICT AMBASSADOR FOR USA PICKLEBALL FOR SOUTH CAROLINA.
I'VE BEEN AN AMBASSADOR FOR 14 YEARS.
I'VE BEEN THE DISTRICT AMBASSADOR HERE SINCE, UH, 2018.
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ACCORDING TO MANY SOURCES, IS THE FASTEST GROWING SPORT IN THE, IN THE UNITED, UNITED STATES AND WORLD.ITS LIMITATION TO GROWTH IS ONLY LACK OF COURTS.
THE LOW COUNTRY AREA HERE HAS QUITE A FEW PICKLEBALL COURTS AND MANY PLAYERS.
THE PROBLEM IS THAT ALMOST ALL THE PICKLEBALL IS PLAYED IN PRIVATE COMMUNITIES.
THE ONLY PUBLIC PICKLEBALL COURTS WE HAVE IN, IN THIS AREA ON THE ISLAND IS ADRIANA, THE RECREATION CENTER AND PALMETTO DUNES, UH, ADRIANA AND RECORD RECREATIONAL CENTER IS A NOMINAL FEE.
PALMETTO DUNES IS A MAJOR FEE.
UH, I HAVE A LOT OF PLAYERS FROM OUT OF TOWN COMING IN FOR VACATION CONVENTION, WHATEVER, AND THEY ASKED ME, WHERE CAN I PLAY PICKLEBALL? I DON'T HAVE MANY PLACES TO TELL 'EM TO PLAY.
AND, UH, THIS AREA COULD BE A MECCA FOR THE PICKLEBALL TOURNAMENT SKILLS CAMPS AND INCREASED PLAY THE MAJOR TOURNAMENTS, UH, ANNUALLY AT PALMETTO DUNES ATTRACTS PLAYERS FROM MANY STATES AND IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST IN THE MIDDLE ATLANTIC STATES.
THE PROBLEMS WITH THE DUNES IS THIS A VERY POOR PLACE TO HOLD A MAJOR TOURNAMENT.
THE COURTS ARE CLOSE TOGETHER WITH NO SEPARATION.
WINDSCREENS PREVENT SPECTATORS FROM WATCHING GAMES.
THERE'S NO STADIUM COURT FOR THE TELEVISED AND VIEW PRO MATCHES, AND THERE'S VERY LITTLE LIMITED PARKING.
THOSE ARE HUGE THINGS TO ATTRACT PEOPLE HERE THIS YEAR AT THE US OPEN JUST A COUPLE WEEKS AGO IN NAPLES, FLORIDA, THEY HAD AN EXCESS OF 3000 PLAYERS THERE BETWEEN THREE AND SEVEN DAYS.
THE ECONOMIC IMPACT TO THE CITY OF NAPLES WAS OVER 10 MILLION.
A PREMIER PICKLEBALL FACILITY CONSISTING OF AT LEAST 20 PICKLEBALL COURTS, POSSIBLY FOUR UNDERCOVER, A STADIUM COURT TO HOLD 1500 SPECTATORS AND AMPLE PARK PARKING AND OTHER COMMERCIAL FACILITIES COULD GENERATE A SIGNIFICANT INCOME FOR THE AREA.
WITH MORE PLAYERS COMING TO THE AREA, REAL ESTATE COULD INCREASE VALUE AS THIS IS A GREAT AREA TO VACATION AND RETIRE.
UH, THIS IS ALL POSSIBLE WITH YOUR HELP AND WE, WE NEED TO, WE NEED TO DO THIS.
I'D LIKE TO SAY HOW MANY PEOPLE HERE CAME HERE BECAUSE OF PICKLEBALL? RAISE YOUR HAND BATTLES.
THIS IS HAPPENING ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
THIS IS A, A FAST GROWING SPORT.
YOU TALK ABOUT GOLF, ALL THE GOLF COACHES ARE HAVING THEIR PLAYERS PLAY PICKLEBALL AS IT GIVES THEM CORE MOVEMENT, NOT JUST ARM BASEBALL.
PLAYERS ARE PLAYING THAT THIS, THIS SPORT IS IS JUST INCREDIBLE.
UH, I'D LIKE TO ASK YOU IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL COME.
I'LL JUST COME FROM THE COURTS AND I DON'T ENVY YOUR JOBS AT ALL.
I LIVE AT 12 GRAY FOX LANE IN HILTON HEAD.
I CAME FROM NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE.
UH, TOOK A WHILE FOR PICKLEBALL TO GAIN ITS ROOTS IN THE MAINSTREAM.
SINCE THE GAME STARTED IN 1965, IT WAS A GAME INVENTED.
IT HAD VARIOUS PLAYERS WITH DIFFERENT SKILLS, AGES, GENDERS, ALL HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE COMPETITIVE WITH EACH OTHER ON THE COURT.
AND I'M TALKING ABOUT SIX TO SEVEN YEAR OLDS, UH, AGAINST GRANDPARENTS, MOMS AND DAD AGAINST KIDS.
PHYSICAL SKILL SET IS WELCOME.
MOST OF THE GAME CAN BE LEARNED IN 30 MINUTES AND PEOPLE ARE OUT PLAYING NOW.
THEY'RE NOT VERY GOOD, BUT THEY'RE OUT THERE PLAYING AND AT LEAST THEY'RE TRYING.
THE BIGGEST THING I NOTICE ON THE COURTS IS PEOPLE LAUGHING.
UH, SOMETIMES THEY WILL MISS THE BALL COMPLETELY AND THEY'LL JUST FIND THAT HILARIOUS FOR SOME REASON.
THEY GET HIT WITH THE PLASTIC BALL AND THEY LAUGH.
IT'S A GAME WHERE YOU TRY TO DO YOUR BEST, BUT YOU DON'T ALWAYS GET TO DO THAT.
BUT YOU'RE GRING AND SMILING AND MAKING LIGHT OF YOUR PLAY.
THE SPORT IS VERY SOCIAL, BRINGING TOGETHER EVERY TYPE OF CAREER TO THE COURT.
TRUCK DRIVERS, BUSINESS OWNERS, CORPORATE ELITES, DOCTORS, LAWYERS, JUDGES, POLICE POLITICIANS STAY-AT-HOME.
MOMS AND DADS, PRO-ATHLETES, MOVIE STARS, RETIREES, NUCLEAR ENGINEERS, PILOTS, MILITARY CONSTRUCTION, WORKERS, FIREFIGHTERS, MECHANICS, YOU NAME IT, I'VE MET 'EM.
THIS BRINGS EVERYONE TOGETHER TO SHARE TIME.
FROM THERE, THEY GO TO DINNERS, LUNCHES, UH, FRIENDSHIPS ARE KINDLE MEMORIES MADE THE COMMON THREAD, THIS SILLY LITTLE SPORT, UH, WITH A FUNNY NAME.
IT'S BEEN ESTIMATED THAT 34 MILLION PEOPLE PLAYED LAST YEAR.
9 MILLION PEOPLE ARE PAYING, PLAYING CONSISTENTLY.
WHY? WELL, IT'S EASY TO LEARN.
NO BIG INVESTMENT FOR PLAYERS, UH, GETTING TO MEET NEW PEOPLE FROM EVERY WALK OF LIFE.
ESCAPE FROM THE PRESSURES OF THE WORLD, WHICH WE ALL NEED.
GETTING SOME PHYSICAL EXERCISE, STIMULATING THE BRAIN WITH PHYSICAL MOVEMENT, STRATEGY, HAND SPEED.
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THE SCORES AND WHERE YOU SHOULD BE ON THE COURTSTHERE ARE BENEFITS FOR PERSONAL GROWTH AS WELL AS CO MIXING OF THE SOCIETY, AND I'M NOT SURE WHERE ELSE IT HAS ITS EXTREME DIVERSITY.
UH, IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN IT, I WOULD INVITE YOU TO COME BY THE COURT SOMETIME AND CHECK IT OUT.
YOU MAY FIND YOURSELF ONE OF THE ADDICTIVE PLAYERS THAT WAKES UP EVERY MORNING DECIDING WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO PLAY.
SO I HOPE YOU GET TO MAKE A GOOD DECISION HERE.
I KNOW YOU'VE GOT A LOT ON YOUR SHOULDERS, UH, BUT I APPLAUD YOU FOR TAKING THE, UH, ADVANTAGE OF BEING AN ELECTED OFFICIAL.
I, MY NAME IS LIZ DUNN AND YOU'VE ALL SEEN ME BEFORE BECAUSE I'VE COME TO TALK ABOUT THE CATS, THE CAT SANCTUARY AT THE SPA.
I LIVE AT THE SPA ON EACH CITY ROAD AND I CAME TODAY FULLY PREPARED TO PLEAD MY CASE, BUT I'M NOT GONNA SAY THE SAME STUFF AGAIN.
I THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO ME AND I KNOW YOU'RE HEARING MY CONCERNS AS YOU'VE BEEN IN TOUCH.
WE MUST CONTINUE TO WORK ON THE DEPLORABLE CONDITIONS CUZ EVERY DAY IT GOES BACK WORSE.
WE ARE SO BLESSED TO LIVE ON HILTON HEAD AS IT IS THE TRUE PARADISE OF OUR COUNTRY.
THE SPA IS A TRUE GEM ON THE ISLAND, AND REALLY IT IS WHERE WE WANNA BE.
WE HAVE EAGLES AND OTHER BEAUTIFUL BIRDS.
WE HAVE BEAUTIFUL SUNRISES, A BEACH, TWO OUTDOOR POOLS TO ENJOY DURING THE WARM WEATHER AND AN INDOOR FULL SAUNA AND HOT TUB.
FOR WHEN IT'S IN CLEMENT, IT'S NOT WHAT IT WAS YEARS AGO.
LOT OF NEW OWNERS WHO PUT A LOT OF MONEY INTO THEIR APARTMENTS AND THEY'RE TRULY LOVELY.
I CAN CLEAN MY HOUSE IN AN HOUR.
I DON'T NEED MY FOUR BEDROOMS AT HOME ANYMORE.
I DON'T NEED TO WALK UP THE STAIRS.
MY CHILDREN ALL SAID THEY'D COME TO VISIT ME, BUT THEY CAN'T BECAUSE MOST OF THEM ARE ALLERGIC.
AND AFTER MY GRANDDAUGHTER HAD TO LEAVE AFTER TWO HOURS, SHE CAN'T COME BACK.
I CLEAN CAT FECES, THEY'RE SITTING AT MY DOOR STARING IN.
HILTON HEAD ISLAND IS THE BEST, BUT THE SPA IS BEING TAKEN OVER BY CATS.
I'M AN AMERICAN VOTING TAXPAYER.
I ALWAYS BELIEVED IN MY RIGHTS, LIFE, LIBERTY, THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS.
IT'S JUST SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE.
AND I'M JUST COUNTING ON THIS COUNCIL TO HELP US OUT BECAUSE IT'S JUST, I JUST CAN'T DO THIS AND I DON'T WANNA LEAVE.
SUSAN HALPERT, MS. HALPERT, AND I'VE BEEN IN HILTON HEAD FOR THREE YEARS.
COME FROM NEW YORK TO GEORGIA, TO FLORIDA TO HERE, AND I LOVE IT IN HILTON HEAD.
I ACTUALLY AM TALKING FOR THE SANCTUARY AS WELL.
I'M A, I OWN TWO HOMES, ONE IN CIRCLE WOOD DRIVE AND ONE AT THE ESTUARY.
MY HOUSE IN CIRCLE WOULD DRIVE, ACTUALLY BACKS UP TO THE PROPERTY.
THAT'S RIGHT WHERE THE SPA IS.
AND I HAVE A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE.
I MEAN, I HAVE ANIMALS AND CATS AND, AND RACCOONS AND POSSUM AND DEER AND ALLIGATORS.
THEY COME, UH, CATS COME ON MY FENCE BEHIND MY HOUSE.
I SEE THEM ALL OVER JUST LIKE I SEE ALL THE OTHER ANIMALS IN NATURE AND I FIND IT EXHILARATING.
A LOT OF MY NEIGHBORS IN CIRCLE WOOD, WE GO OVER AND VISIT THE SANCTUARY WITH OUR CHILDREN, OUR GRANDCHILDREN, AND THEY HAVE A GREAT EXPERIENCE WITH THE ANIMALS.
I ALSO PLAY TENNIS ALL OVER THE ISLAND AND I DO LIKE PICKLEBALL.
UM, SO A LOT OF THINGS YOU SAID ARE PRETTY COLD, BUT SHIPYARD WEXFORD, I KNOW A GUY THAT'S FEEDING 50 CATS AT, AT SHIPYARD AND SO THEY'RE ALL OVER THE ISLAND, JUST LIKE ALL OF THE OTHER LOVELY ANIMALS AND TREES.
AND TO US, WHEN I SEE THE SANCTUARY, YOU COULD HAVE CONDOS
[00:30:01]
OR HOUSES THERE AND INSTEAD I SEE THE BEAUTIFUL LIVE OAKS.I THINK IT'S WONDERFUL THAT THEY'RE TAKING SUCH LOVELY CARE OF THESE ANIMALS.
THEY'RE GETTING SPAYED, THEY'RE NEUTERED.
THEY HAVE RABIES SHOTS, THEY HAVE FELINE LEUKEMIA TEST.
SO THESE ARE NOT JUST FERAL CATS THAT ARE EVERYWHERE.
THEY'RE ACTUALLY BEING TAKEN CARE OF.
SO I'M COMFORTABLE TAKING MY FRIENDS, MY CHILDREN, MY GRANDDAUGHTER TO SEE THE CATS AT THE SANCTUARY.
SO TO ME, I ACTUALLY THINK IT IMPROVES THE VALUE OF MY HOME.
AND I SEE ALL THE LOVELY THINGS.
I ALSO HAVE A LOT OF FRIENDS THAT LIVE AT THIS SPOT.
I KNOW PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN THERE OVER 15 YEARS AND THEY ACTUALLY HAVE CATS IN THEIR CONDOS THAT WERE THERE WAY BEFORE THE SANCTUARY EVER EXISTED.
AND THE HOUSE NEXT DOOR TO ME, AND I HAVE PICTURES, BUT I'M JUST GONNA TALK TO IT RIGHT NOW, BUT THERE'S A HOUSE IN BETWEEN THE SPOT AND, AND WHERE WE ARE, THERE'S A GATE THAT GOES THAT I CAN WALK TO.
THEY'VE BEEN THERE FOR 10, 15, 20 YEARS.
THERE'S CATS THAT HAVE BEEN IN THE SPOT WAY BEFORE THE SANCTUARY EVER EXISTED.
AND THEY WILL EXIST LONG AFTER THEY'RE COMING OVER THE FENCE ONTO FISH FROM FISH HALL.
I WALK MY DOGS, I HAVE TWO RESCUE DOGS AND TWO RESCUE CATS.
I WALK 'EM ALL OVER THE, THE AREA AND I'M SEEING CATS AND ANIMALS EVERYWHERE I GO.
SO I KNOW THEY'RE, THEY'RE LIVING AT THE SPA.
I KNOW THE ONES AT THE SANCTUARY ARE S SPADE AND NEUTERED.
WELL, A WOMAN AT THE SPOT THAT I'M FRIENDS WITH ASKED ME FOR HELP BECAUSE SHE HAS A CAT THERE THAT GOT PREGNANT.
WELL, I KNOW IT DIDN'T GET PREGNANT FROM THE SANCTUARY.
SO THERE'S OTHER CATS THERE THAT HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE SANCTUARY.
I THINK IT'S BLESSED AS PART OF THE NATURE OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND THAT WE KEEP THAT.
I ALSO, MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE TOTAL OF EIGHT PROPERTIES HERE ON THE ISLAND AS WELL.
UM, I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE, ALL ABOUT CATS IN THE SANCTUARY.
UM, AS YOU'RE GONNA HEAR TODAY FROM YOU HEARD FROM SUSAN, YOU'LL HEAR FROM OTHER PEOPLE THAT THERE ARE STORIES HERE OF PEOPLE WHO, UM, FEED AND LIVE AND WHO LIVE IN THE SPA, WHO FEED THE CATS, WHO MAINTAIN THEIR CATS AT THE SPA.
AND SO I WANNA TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT TODAY ABOUT THAT BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY WE'RE BROUGHT UP HERE BECAUSE WE ARE RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO THEM.
THIS BALL HAS THEIR OWN ISSUES AND THEIR OWN CONCERNS WITH THEIR OWN CATS.
UM, AND SO YOU'LL HAVE PEOPLE WHO WILL COME UP TODAY AND TESTIFY THAT THEY ARE THEIR CATS.
THEY HAVE FRIENDS WHO LIVE IN THIS SPA.
THEY HAVE, THEY FEED THE CATS WITH THEM.
THEY WERE HAPPY TO COME FORWARD.
THEY'RE HAPPY TO GIVE TESTIMONY TO THAT.
THESE ARE NOT OUR CATS, THESE ARE SPA CATS.
AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS I WANNA SAY IS, IS THAT I'M HERE ALSO TO, TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE CONDITIONS THAT PEOPLE HAVE TALKED ABOUT PRIOR ABOUT US.
AND SO I'M STANDING UP HERE TODAY TO TELL YOU THAT THESE THE THINGS THAT WE, BUT THEN YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN TOLD ABOUT OUR CATS HAVING DISEASES NOT TRUE.
OUR CATS ARE TRACKED ONCE A YEAR.
WE TAKE OUR CATS IN AND WE GET THEM SPAYED AND NEUTERED AND CHECKED FOR DISEASES AND SHOTS ON A YEARLY BASIS AND ALL OF OUR CATS ARE TRACKED AND WE KEEP THEM TRACKED.
UM, AND THE OTHER THING IS, IS THAT THERE WAS SOME COMPLAINTS ABOUT US, UM, BY THE SPA.
I ACTUALLY WENT BACK OVER WHEN I TOOK OVER THE ORGANIZATION MYSELF BACK IN SEP OR AUGUST OF LAST YEAR, AND SAT WITH THE BOARD MEMBERS AT THE SPA.
WE HAD A BEAUTIFUL CONVERSATION, TALKED ABOUT ANY ISSUES AND CONCERNS THAT THEY HAD.
THEY RECOMMENDED A FEW THINGS.
WE HAVE NOW EITHER DONE THEM OR THEY'RE ALMOST BEING COM BE AND COMPLETED TO BE DONE.
SO WE HAVE COMPLIED WITH EVERYTHING THAT THEY HAVE ASKED US TO DO AS BEING NICE NEIGHBORS.
WE WERE ALSO VANDALIZED RECENTLY.
SO THE CATS AND THE PICTURES THAT YOU GUYS RECEIVED OF THE CATS BEING IN THE STREET, IT WAS BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE FROM THE SPA CAME OVER, CUT DOWN OUR BUSHES, TRASHED OUR FEEDING SITES, WHICH MEANS SMASHED ALL OF OUR FEEDING APPARATUSES FOR THE CATS.
THE CATS WERE THEN THEY WERE SCARED THEY STARTED RUNNING.
SO NOW THE CATS ARE GOING INTO THE STREET BECAUSE THEIR SAFE SPOT WHERE THEY WERE WAS VANDALIZED.
SO I, I CALLED THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.
WE HAVE TWO REPORTS OF VANDALIZED THAT WE'VE BEEN VANDALIZED OVER THERE BY INDIVIDUALS AT THE SPA.
UM, WE HAVE THEN SINCE THEN PUT UP TRESPASSING SIGNS RECOMMENDED BY THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT TO PUT UP THESE SIGNS.
THEN WE FOUND OUT THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE TO PUT THEM SO CLOSE.
WE COULD TAKE DOWN LESS BEING NEIGHBORLY.
WE DID SO, SO WE TOOK DOWN SOME OF THOSE SIGNS TO BE NEIGHBORLY THESE.
BUT I WANNA BE, I WANNA BE CLEAR HERE TODAY THAT THESE ARE NOT AACS CATS, WHICH IS ALL ABOUT CATS.
THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT THE SPA HAS.
THEY ACTUALLY NEED TO ADDRESS IT.
SO I'M ASKING YOU TO TAKE US OFF THE DOCKET FOR NEXT TIME FOR THE 16TH BECAUSE THIS IS NOTHING TO DO WITH ALL ABOUT CATS.
YOU SHOULD ASK THEM HOW MUCH THEY HAVE RECEIVED IN FINES FOR THEIR RESIDENTS FEEDING THE CATS.
DO NOT FEED THE CATS FOR THEIR RESIDENTS.
[00:35:01]
HAVE PICTURES HERE.THIS IS ACTUALLY SOMEONE WHO LIVES IN THE SPA FEEDING FOUR CATS.
THESE ARE NOT OUR CATS, THESE ARE SPA CATS.
SO THESE HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH US.
SO I ASK YOU TO TAKE THIS BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY WE'RE BEING ROPED IN WITH THIS AND IT'S NOT US.
GOOD AFTERNOON AND THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION.
I'M THERESA COCO AND I LIVE AT 2 39 BEACH CITY ROAD AT THE SPA.
AND UH, WHILE I APPLAUD THE PEOPLE WHO LOVE ANIMALS AND TAKE CARE OF THEM, I ALSO KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEMS ARE BECAUSE I LIVE DIRECTLY ACROSS AND HAVE A CLEAR VIEW OF THAT SANCTUARY.
I AM NOT ADVOCATING THAT THE SANCTUARY BE DESTROYED.
I'M SUGGESTING THAT WE FIND ANOTHER PLACE FOR IT.
I AM A NEW RESIDENT TO HELP TO HILTON HEAD AND I AM GENERALLY SATISFIED WITH THE WAY MY TAXES ARE BEING UTILIZED FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THIS COMMUNITY.
BUT I DO HAVE TO QUESTION THE WISDOM OF ALLOWING A CAT SANCTUARY TO ADJOIN, UH, RESIDENTIAL COMPLEXES.
I'VE HEARD WHAT MY NEIGHBORS HAD TO SAY.
I AM NOT AWARE THAT THE SPA PERMITS PETS IN THE COMPLEX.
SO THOSE PEOPLE WHO OWN HAVE CATS LIVING THERE.
I'M NOT SURE HOW THEY GOT PERMISSION TO DO THAT.
I AM ALSO AWARE THAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR POSSESSION DOCUMENTATION FROM OUR BOARD MEMBERS.
SO I'M JUST HERE TO GIVE TESTIMONY ABOUT WHAT I'VE SEEN.
I LIVE DIRECTLY ACROSS ON THE SECOND FLOOR WITH A CLEAR VIEW OF THE ANIMALS.
THESE ANIMALS CANNOT BE CONTAINED AND UNLESS THEY HAVE SOME KIND OF TAG ON THEM, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU IDENTIFY THEM FROM OTHER CATS IN THE AREA.
THEY EASILY JUMP THE FENCES, THE TREES, THE CARS, THE BUILDINGS THEY LITTER, OUR TENNIS COURTS, STAIRWELLS CORRIDORS, DOOR FRONTS.
THEY ARE A MAJOR HEALTH CONCERN AND A DANGEROUS HAZARD TO DRIVERS COMING DOWN BEACH CITY ROAD AND INTO AND OUT OF OUR COMPLEX.
MANY ARE THE NIGHTS I RETURN FROM AN EVENING OUT AND THERE'S A CAT JUMPING IN THE ROAD.
WHAT WOULD ANY OF YOU DO IF I HIT THAT CAT? WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF MY CAR SWERVED AND I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT IN THE SHORT TIME HERE, I HAVE HAD TO REMOVE FECES FROM MY FRONT DOOR THREE TIMES.
I'VE HAD TO DO THAT BECAUSE MY ITALIAN MAMA WOULD NOT ALLOW ANYTHING LIKE THAT TO EXIST AT OUR FRONT DOOR.
AND I CAN'T IMAGINE ANY OF YOU WANTING THAT AT YOUR FRONT DOOR.
I HAVE HEARD PARENTS REMIND THEIR CHILDREN TO WATCH OUT FOR THE FECES IN THE CORRIDORS.
I HAVE BEEN STARTLED BY CATS ON THE STAIRWELL AS I'M COMING UP.
WHAT IF I WERE TO FALL BECAUSE I WAS STARTLED WHO IS GOING TO PAY MY BILL? AND SO I, AGAIN, I APPLAUD THE PEOPLE WHO LOVE THE ANIMALS, BUT I AM ASKING YOU TO HELP US IN OUR, UM, DESIRE TO HAVE THE CAT SANCTUARY RELOCATED.
MY WIFE AND I HAVE BEEN OWNERS AT THE SPAWN PORT ROYAL SOUND FOR 38 YEARS.
THE SPA, UH, IS AT 2 39 BEACH CITY ROAD, WHICH I THINK MOST OF YOU REALIZE.
AND IT ALSO HAS 268 TAX PAYING, UH, UH, OWNERS.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE SPA HAS A CAT PROBLEM.
ON THURSDAY, APRIL 13TH, MY WIFE RECEIVED A CALL FROM A WOMAN FROM ALL OF OUR CATS.
MY WIFE HAD HER PHONE ON SPEAKER AND UH, I WAS IN A CONDO AND WAS ABLE TO HEAR THE CONVERSATION FROM, UH, FROM START TO FINISH.
THE LADY TOLD MY WIFE THAT SHE RAN THE CAT SANCTUARY AND HAD PERSONALLY TALKED TO ALL SEVEN OF THE SPA BOARD MEMBERS AND THEY WERE ALL IN FAVOR OF THE CATS.
[00:40:01]
A FACT THAT THAT IS ABSOLUTELY CATEGORICALLY NOT TRUE.AS A MATTER OF FACT, AT THE APRIL 21ST BOARD ME BOARD MEETING, THE SPA BOARD VOTED SIX TO ONE, NOT IN FAVOR OF THE CAT SANCTUARY.
THE LADY WAS SCREAMING AT AND THREATENING MY WIFE BECAUSE MY WIFE HAD CALLED THE TOWN, UH, TO SEE IF IT WAS LEGAL TO POST 13 LARGE NO TRESPASSING SIGNS ALONG OUR HUNDRED FOOT STRETCH OF DRIVEWAY.
MANY OF THE SIGNS WERE NAILED TO LIVE OAKS, SOME OF WHICH HAVE NOW BEEN REMOVED.
BUT SOME OF THE THREATS THAT I HEARD DIRECTED AT MY WIFE WERE WAS THAT THIS LADY COULD PUT MARSH TACKY HORSES ON THE PROPERTY.
AND IF YOU THANK THE CATS SMELL BAD, WAIT TILL YOU SMELL THE MARSH TACKY HORSES, SHE COULD GET A LAWYER AND SUE THE SPA AND OUR PROPERTY WOULD BE WORTHLESS.
SHE COULD CALL THE NEWSPAPER, BUT SHE WAS HOLDING OFF TO PROTECT US.
UH, IF MY WIFE DIDN'T AGREE WITH HER, WE COULD SELL OUR CONDO OF LEAVE.
YEAH, AFTER 38 YEARS, WE'RE JUST GONNA SELL A LEAVE.
THESE CATS ARE NOT CONTAINED AND THEY ARE WITHIN 50 FEET A OF A NUMBER OF THE, THE FRONT DOORS AT THE UH, AT THE SPA.
UH, THE CATS GO OVER NOT ONLY THE SANCTUARIES WOODEN FENCE, BUT THE ENTIRE FENCING ENCLOSURE.
THE SPA PROPERTY HAS ALONG BEACH CITY ROAD.
THIS IS A TOXIC SITUATION AND IT'S GETTING WORSE BY THE DAY.
IF YOU'RE LEAVING, IF YOU COULD PLEASE KEEP IT DOWN.
I RECENTLY MOVED HERE FROM OUT STATE AND DECIDED TO LIVE AT THE SPOT.
I NOTICED SEVERAL CATS THAT WOULD HANG AROUND OUTSIDE MY BUILDING, RUB ON MY LEGS AND LET ME PET THEM.
I STARTED ASKING NEIGHBORS IF THEY KNEW WHOSE CATS THEY WERE BECAUSE IT WAS APPARENT THAT THEY WERE SOCIALIZED AND DID NOT EXHIBIT FERAL BEHAVIOR.
I WAS TOLD THAT THERE USED TO BE AN ELDERLY WOMAN WHO LIVED AT THE SPA AND WAS NO LONGER THERE AND THAT THEY WERE HER CATS ONCE UPON A TIME.
I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT ONE OF THEM HAD BEEN AT THE SPA FOR AROUND 10 YEARS.
THIS MADE ME REALLY SAD THINKING THAT ONE, THEY ONCE HAD A RELIABLE FOOD SOURCE BUT DO NOT ANYMORE.
SO I DECIDED TO FEED THEM ON OCCASION.
I QUICKLY LEARNED THAT THIS WAS NOT ALLOWED AND I WAS FINE A HUNDRED DOLLARS BY THE SPA, KNOWING THAT THERE WAS A CAT SANCTUARY DOWN THE STREET.
I TRIED TO COAX THE CATS TOWARDS THE SANCTUARY, BUT THEY WOULD NOT LEAVE THE 500 FOOT RADIUS THAT THEY RESIDED IN.
THIS LED ME TO BELIEVE THAT THEY MUST HAVE LIVED THERE FOR A WHILE AND ARE POTENTIALLY GETTING FED BY OTHERS AS CATS DO NOT STRAY FROM THEIR FOOD SOURCE.
SO I CONTACTED ALL ABOUT CATS TO SEE IF THEY WOULD TAKE THE CATS IN AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT THEY WOULD LOVE TO HELP.
AND TRANSPARENTLY SHARED THAT THERE WAS A FEW DISAGREEMENTS GOING ON BETWEEN THE SPA AND THE SANCTUARY, WHICH HAS LED ME HERE AS A NEUTRAL OUTSIDER COMING INTO THE COMMUNITY.
AND AFTER SPENDING TIME WITH THE CATS, I CAN SAFELY SAY THAT THE CATS I HAVE PERSONALLY ENCOUNTERED AT THE SPA ARE NOT COMING OVER FROM THE SANCTUARY.
THEY'RE VERY ACCLIMATED IN THEIR SPACE AT THE SPA SEPARATELY, I HAVE FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE IN SEEING HOW DETRIMENTAL NOT HAVING RESOURCES LIKE ALL ABOUT CATS CAN BE FOR A COMMUNITY.
MY HOMETOWN HAS ONE OF THE WORST FERAL CAT POPULATION PROBLEMS IN THE COUNTRY AND DABBLING IN RESCUE MYSELF.
I CANNOT EXPRESS HOW LUCKY HILTON HEAD ISLAND IS TO HAVE A NONPROFIT LIKE ALL ABOUT CATS IN THEIR BACKYARD, TO SPEND THEIR RESOURCES, TIME AND MONEY TO SPAY, NEUTER, FEED, AND VACCINATE THESE CATS, WHICH IF DONE WITHOUT WOULD BE A VERY LARGE COMMUNITY ISSUE.
IT SADDENS ME TO HEAR THAT A SELECT NUMBER OF PEOPLE VIEW THE CATS AS A BOTHER AT THE SPA WHEN SUCH A BIG PICTURE PROBLEM IS BEING SOLVED FOR THE ENTIRE CITY OF HILTON HEAD.
BY HAVING THE SANCTUARY SHUTTING DOWN ALL ABOUT CATS WOULD BE A HUGE MISTAKE FOR THE CITY JUST TO APPEASE A SMALL GROUP OF PEOPLE AT AN APARTMENT COMPLEX.
AND I HOPE TO, I HOPE A SOLUTION THAT WORKS FOR BOTH PARTIES CAN BE FOUND.
UM, TO ADDRESS A COUPLE POINTS THAT WERE SHARED TODAY ABOUT CATS POOPING IN FRONT OF PEOPLE'S FRONT DOORS, UM, I WOULD, I WOULD ASK FOR PHOTOS JUST BECAUSE KNOWING CATS, CATS DON'T POOP ON A SURFACE WITHOUT COVERING IT.
RIGHT? THAT WOULD BE A VERY UNUSUAL THING TO DO.
UM, AND ALSO IN REGARDS TO FALLING CUZ OF BEING SCARED,
[00:45:01]
UM, THAT ARGUMENT COULD GO FOR ALL ANIMALS.I PERSONALLY WOULD LIKE TO FILE A COMPLAINT AGAINST THE SPIDERS AT THE SPA BECAUSE I HAVE, THOSE ARE TERRIFYING AND I WOULD FALL TOO.
UM, MY NAME IS LAUREN ALBRECHT AND I'M A FULL-TIME RESIDENT HERE ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF ALL ABOUT CATS.
I'M A VOLUNTEER AND ACT AS THE TREASURER AND WOULD LIKE TO SHARE SOME FACTS ABOUT OUR ORGANIZATION AND THE ADOPTION EFFORTS THAT WE ARE MAKING.
UM, ONE OF THE MAIN PURPOSES OF OUR ORGANIZATION IS POPULATION CONTROL OF FERAL CATS.
ONE FEMALE UN NEUTERED CAT CAN HAVE THREE LITTERS PER YEAR WITH AN AVERAGE OF FOUR KITTENS IN EACH LITTER.
IN SEVEN YEARS THAT ONE UN NEUTERED CAT CAN PRODUCE 422,000 CATS.
AS VOLUNTEERS, WE UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT OF THESE STATISTICS AND ARE ALWAYS MONITORING OUR CAT POPULATION AT THE BEACH CITY ROAD PROPERTY TO MAKE SURE OUR POPULATION DOES NOT GROW TWICE DAILY.
A VOLUNTEER IS ON THE PROPERTY AND IF WE SEE A CAT WITH AN UNCLIPPED EAR, WE IMMEDIATELY TAKE ACTION TO TRAP THE CAT TO BE SPAYED OR NEUTERED TESTED FOR DISEASE AND VACCINATED FOR RABIES.
ALTHOUGH OUR ORGANIZATION IS MADE UP OF CAT LOVERS, WE DO NOT WANNA SEE OUR FERAL CAT POPULATION GROW.
WE HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN PLACING THE FRIENDLIER CATS THAT CAN BE DOMESTICATED IN NEW HOMES.
AND IN THE PAST YEAR, WE HAVE SUCCESSFULLY PLACED 36 CATS WITH NEW OWNERS.
WE WANNA FIND SAFE HOMES FOR ALL OF THESE CATS, INCLUDING THE FERAL ONES THAT CANNOT LIVE INSIDE A HOME, WHICH IS A DIFFICULT TASK.
THIS YEAR WE'RE STARTING A WORKING CATS INITIATIVE TO FIND PLACEMENTS FOR OUR FERAL CATS TO BE RELOCATED TO FARMS, RURAL HOMESTEAD'S WAREHOUSES, OR BUSINESSES IN THE SURROUNDING AREAS.
BY TAKING THESE CATS, OWNERS WILL JUST NEED TO PROVIDE FOOD, WATER, AND SOME FORM OF SHELTER.
AND IN RETURN, THE CATS WILL GET TO WORK WITH PEST CONTROL ON THE OWNER'S PROPERTY.
WE ARE IN THE EARLY STAGES OF GETTING THE WORD OUT ON THIS INITIATIVE AND ARE TRYING TO REACH THE CORRECT AUDIENCE THAT WOULD BENEFIT BY TAKING A FERAL CAT.
WE HAVE NOT ATTEMPTED TO FIND PLACEMENTS FOR THESE CATS LIKE THIS BEFORE, BUT THERE ARE SIMILAR INITIATIVES ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT HAVE SEEN GREAT SUCCESS AND WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT WE WILL BE SUCCESSFUL TOO.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY.
NEXT, THE O HI, MY NAME'S DEE LAMPRE AND I'M HERE.
UH, TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE COMPLAINTS MADE BY THE SPA, UH, ONE OF THEIR FIRST COMPLAINTS WAS THAT, UH, ALL ABOUT CADS IS PROVIDING SERVICES.
UH, THE ONLY NO COST SERVICE WE PROVIDE IS TNR.
WE PROVIDE, WE DON'T PROVIDE ANY BOARDING.
WE DON'T PROVIDE ANY MEDICAL CARE.
UH, IF YOU GO TO OUR WEBSITE, YOU'LL SEE, UH, WE'RE IT'S STATE AT THE SERVICES THAT WE DO PROVIDE AND THAT WE MAINLY TRAP FE LINES.
IN BEAUFORD COUNTY, WE HAVE SIX SLOTS PER WEEK, AND THE CATS ARE TAKEN TO SNACK WHERE THEY ARE TR TREAT, TESTED AND TREATED FOR FELINE AIDS.
LEUKEMIA, SPAY OR NEUTER RECEIVE RABIES VACCINATIONS AND HAVE THEIR EARS TIPPED.
ONCE THEY'RE TREATED, THEY ARE RETURNED TO THE RESPECTIVE COLONIES.
WE PROVIDE THIS SERVICE FREE OF CHARGE TO THE COMMUNITY, AND IT'S ALL DONE BY ALL ABOUT CAT VOLUNTEERS IN ORDER TO CONTROL THE POPULATION IN HILTON HEAD AND SURROUNDING AREAS.
ANOTHER ASPECT OF OUR IS EDUCATIONAL.
WE EDUCATE VIS VISITORS TO THE SANCTUARY, UH, ON IMPORTANCE OF GETTING YOUR PET SPADE OR NEUTERED THE IMPORTANCE OF TNR AND HOW DO YOU MAINLY CARE FOR ANIMALS.
THESE ARE THE ONLY SERVICES WE PROVIDE.
ONE OF THEIR OTHER COMPLAINTS IS POOPING ON THOSE WALKWAYS AND SCRATCHING CONVERTIBLE TOPS.
AGAIN, AS YOU'VE HEARD, THESE ARE NOT OUR CATS.
THESE CATS BELONG TO THE SPA AND WE HAVE VIDEOS AND PICTURES TO PROVE IT.
CATS WERE PLACED BACK IN THE SPA, EXCUSE ME, 75 CATS OVER THE PAST YEARS HAVE BEEN TRAPPED AND PLACED, BACKED IN THE SPA IN ORDER TO HELP CONTROL THE CAT POPULATION THERE.
SO MAINTAINING THESE AREAS FALLS BACK ON THE SPA.
THE THIRD COMPLAINT IS THAT THE CATS CARRY DISEASES.
AS I STATED PREVIOUSLY, ALL OF OUR CATS ARE TESTED FOR FELINE AIDS LEUKEMIA
[00:50:01]
AND RECEIVED RABIES VACCINATIONS YEARLY, ALONG WITH NEEDED MEDICAL ATTENTION.THEREFORE, THE ONLY CATS THAT CAN BE CARRY DISEASES WOULD BE THE CATS THAT BELONG TO THE SPA.
SINCE THEY RECEIVE NO MONITORED MEDICAL CARE, WE ALSO HAVE A MONTHLY CLEANUP PROGRAM TO HELP PREVENT THE SPREAD OF DISEASE AND ELIMINATE OR ODORS.
THAT WAY WE CAN MAINTAIN A CLEAN AND HEALTHY AREA FOR THE CATS AND VISITORS TO THE SANCTUARY.
AS FAR AS CONTAINMENT, WHILE IT MAY DETER A FEW BY MAKING IT DIFFICULT OR UNCOMFORTABLE FOR THE CAT TO CLIMB OVER THE FENCE, CATS ARE ROAMS AND ROLLERS OR FENCING WILL NOT DETER THEM.
CATS SIMPLY CANNOT BE CONTAINED.
SO WHY SHOULD ALL ABOUT CATS BE FINANCIALLY BURDENED WITH FENCING COSTS WHEN PART OF PROBLEM IS THE CATS AT THE SPA ARE FREE TO ROAM? BASICALLY, THE SPA NEEDS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE CATS AND STOP BLAMING ALL ABOUT CATS FOR THEIR PROBLEMS. THEY, THEY POOP IN OUR SPACE.
THEY EAT OUR FOOD AND THEY CARRY DISEASE.
I'VE BEEN VOLUNTEERING WITH ALL ABOUT CATS FOR OVER THREE YEARS.
OVER THOSE YEARS, I'VE ASSISTED SEVERAL, UH, RESIDENTS WHO LIVE AT THE SPA WITH HELPING CATS THAT LIVE THERE OUTDOORS WITH GETTING THE CATS FIXED IF THEY HAVEN'T, DIDN'T HAVE A TIP TO YOUR TAKE 'EM TO A VET IF SOMETHING WAS WRONG, AND EVEN FINDING HOMES FOR ANY OF THE CATS THAT WERE SOCIAL.
AND, UM, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE YOU AWARE THAT THEY DO HAVE THEIR OWN CATS AS WELL AS WE DO AT THE SANCTUARY.
AND, UH, WE HAVE AN OPEN DOOR POLICY AT THE SANCTUARY.
ANYONE WALKING BY, WE INVITE 'EM IN AND WE EXPLAIN TO THEM WHAT WE DO.
AND WE'VE INVITED MEN, MANY OF THE BOARD MEMBERS AND, UM, PEOPLE WHO LIVE ON THE SPA OVER TO, YOU KNOW, LET US EXPLAIN.
AND NOT MANY OF 'EM HAVE TAKEN US UP, SO THEY REALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT WE DO.
SO MAYBE THEY WOULD UNDERSTAND IF THEY WOULD COME VISIT THE SANCTUARY.
MY NAME IS BRENDA MANNING AND I HAVE BEEN A FULL-TIME RESIDENT OF THE SPA FOR 13 YEARS.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE CAT SANCTUARY.
WHEN I FIRST MOVED TO THE SPA, THERE WERE CAT FEEDING STATIONS TO CARE FOR THE CATS ON THE PROPERTY, LIVING INDEPENDENT OF THE SANCTUARY.
THE BOARD LATER REVOKED THOSE STATIONS AND LEFT THE CATS TO FEND FOR THEMSELVES.
AS A RESULT, MANY OWNERS, RESIDENTS, AND VISITORS ALIKE HAVE CARED FOR THE CATS AT THE SPA.
I HAVE WORKED WITH COLLEEN, WHO JUST SPOKE AT THE SANCTUARY PERSONALLY TO RESCUE FOUR OF THE CATS OFF OF THE SPA PROPERTY THAT ARE NOW UP FOR ADOPTION OR HAVE BEEN ADOPTED.
MOST OF THE FERAL CATS ON THE ISLAND ARE NOT SO FORTUNATE.
THE CAT SANCTUARY PROVIDES AN INVALUABLE AND HUMANE SERVICE TO THE TOWN OF HEAD.
FOR THAT, I EXTEND MY GRATITUDE.
THANK YOU MS. MANNA DREK, MS. DRENNAN.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE FIRST READING OF THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE 2023 DASH 11 AMENDING SECTION FOUR DASH TEN ONE HUNDRED MANAGEMENT AND USE OF LOCAL ACCOMMODATION TAXES OF THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND CODE OF ORDINANCES PERTAINING TO THE EVENT MANAGEMENT AND HOSPITALITY TRAINING PROGRAM.
KIMBERLY DUGAS AND I REPRESENT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA BUFORD.
THE ORGANIZATION THAT FOR THE PAST 11 YEARS HAS PROVIDED SERVICES PERTAINING TO EVENT MANAGEMENT AND HOSPITALITY TRAINING REFERENCED IN THIS ORDINANCE.
THE ARRANGEMENT HAS PROVEN TO BE MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL AND THE UNIVERSITY HAS BEEN FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE WITH THE FUNDS PROVIDED.
THAT IS 5% OF THE LOCAL ACCOMMODATIONS TAX COLLECTED EACH YEAR.
A FEW KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS INCLUDE 3000 ISLAND AMBASSADORS TRAINED SINCE THE PROGRAM INCEPTION, IMPLEMENTING A BEACH RECYCLING PROGRAM THAT HAS REDUCED WASTE ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND BEACHES.
THIS YEAR THE PROGRAM HAS COLLECTED MORE THAN 1400 ITEMS AND
[00:55:01]
IS ON TARGET TO EXCEED ITS NUMBERS FROM LAST YEAR.STUDENTS VOLUNTEER HUNDREDS OF HOURS AT TOWN EVENTS AND THERE'S A QUALITY MANAGEMENT INITIATIVE THAT DIRECTLY EXPLORES THE GUEST EXPERIENCE.
U S C B CENTER FOR EVENT MANAGEMENT AND HOSPITALITY TRAINING WAS RECENTLY INDEPENDENTLY EVALUATED BY CLEMSON UNIVERSITY THIS PAST FALL.
AND RESULTS OF THAT SURVEY INDICATE THE TOWNS DOLLARS HAVE BEEN WELL-INVESTED AND PROGRAMMING IS ON SOLID FOOTING.
THE FINAL REPORT CAN BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE COUNCIL IN THE REVISION IDENTIFIED AS PROPOSED ORDINANCE 23 DASH 11 COUNCIL INDICATES SAME OR SIMILAR ACTIVITIES BE PROVIDED AS WRITTEN IN THE CURRENT ORDINANCE, INCLUDING FULL EMPLOYMENT OF A FULL-TIME DIRECTOR TO SUPPORT THESE EVENT MANAGEMENT AND HOSPITALITY TRAINING ACTIVITIES.
BUT WITH ONE NOTABLE EXCEPTION, COUNCIL HAS PROPOSED SUCH WITHOUT AFFIRMING A SUSTAINABLE BUDGET MODEL TO MEET THESE EXPECTATIONS, THE UNIVERSITY URGES COUNCIL TO RECONSIDER ADOPTING THIS ORDINANCE AS WRITTEN, GIVEN ITS UNCERTAIN FUNDING MODEL.
RATHER, THE UNIVERSITY SUGGESTS CONS COUNCIL CONSIDER LANGUAGE THAT AFFIRMS THE VALUE OF EVENT MANAGEMENT AND HOSPITALITY TRAINING ON LOCAL TOURISM DOLLARS AND CREATES A SUSTAINABLE MODEL FOR FUNDING TO ENSURE HIGH QUALITY DELIVERABLES HERE OVER YEAR.
SHOULD THE TOWN CHOOSE TO MOVE FORWARD AS THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE IS WRITTEN, THE UNIVERSITY WILL GRACIOUSLY STEP ASIDE SO THE TOWN CAN DETERMINE ANOTHER ORGANIZATION OR ORGANIZATIONS WHO MAY BE WILLING TO MEET COUNCIL'S EXPECTATIONS WITH AN UNCERTAIN FUNDING MODEL.
MS. GREELEY, I'M GONNA BE SPEAKING FOR LYNN GREELEY.
I'M NOT GONNA BE MAKING A SPEECH FOR MYSELF.
I'M ONLY GONNA BE SPEAKING FOR LYNN GREELEY.
MR. AND HERE'S THE POWER OF ATTORNEY GIVEN MS. GREELEY, MR. WE HAVE, SO I'M GONNA GIVE UP MY SPEECH AND MAKE MS. GREELEY'S SPEECH AND HERE'S HER POWER OF ATTORNEY THAT I'M HAPPY TO HAVE THE LAWYER LOOK AT.
YOU, SO YOU'RE SAYING YOU'RE TAKING YOUR NAME OFF THE LIST? I, I'M SAYING I TAKE MY NAME OFF THE LIST AND I'M GONNA SPEAK FOR MS. GREELEY CUZ SHE COULD NOT BE HERE TODAY.
THEN, THEN I WILL, I WILL ADVISE YOU THAT, PARDON ME.
WE DO NOT ACCEPT POWER OF ATTORNEYS FOR SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF SOMEONE ELSE.
POWER OF ATTORNEY WILL WILL TRUMP ANY, ANY LOCAL RULES.
SO YOU'LL HAVE TO GET, TALK TO YOUR LAWYERS ABOUT THAT.
UM, SO MY NAME IS SKIP HOLAND FROM WINDMILL HARBOR.
MS. GREELEY COULD NOT BE HERE TODAY AND WANTED ME TO SPEAK FOR HER AND ASK ME TO HAND ASK THE COUNSEL THIS LEGAL POWER OF ATTORNEY.
MANY RESIDENTS ON HILTON HEAD HAVE A HARD TIME UNDERSTANDING ALL THE SECRETY LEGAL BEHAVIOR OF THIS TOWN AND THE HILTON HEAD CHAMBER, INCLUDING MANY VI VIOLATIONS OF STATE AND FEDERAL LAWS.
WHAT THEY DO FULLY UNDERSTAND IS A LACK OF TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY WITH MILLIONS OF TAX MONEY HANDED TO THIS CHAMBER THAT IS NOW DISCOVERED OVER 11 MILLION ANNUALLY.
A USED TO PAY A $500,000 SALARY PAY PACKAGE AND A 2 MILLION HOME FOR BILL MILES.
SO I ASKED THIS COUNSELOR TODAY TO FULLY COMPLY TO SKIP HOLAND'S FOIA FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT AND THE SOUTH CAROLINA SUPREME COURT RULING TO SEE ALL THE ACCOUNTING ON HOW AND WHERE.
BILL MILES FOR THIS CHAMBER SPENDS 11 MILLION A YEAR OF OUR HARD-EARNED TAX MONEY ANNUALLY, INCLUDING ITS ILLEGAL PROFITS FROM ADVERTISING SALES ON A WEBSITE HILTON HIT ISLAND.ORG DEVELOPING CANADA, NOT LOCALLY THAT SHOULD BE OWNED BY THE TOWN TAXPAYERS, NOT BILL MILES.
I RE I REQUEST YOU COMPLY TO SKIP POLAND AND ALL TAXPAYERS AND PROVIDE ALL ACCOUNTING RECEIPTS AND INVOICES ON THE 11 MILLION.
IF SKIP POLAND HAS PROVEN WRONG, WOULD THIS NOT STOP, SKIP FROM COMING TO THESE COUNCIL MEETINGS AND CALLING ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS AND TOWN EMPLOYEES.
CORRUPT AND CROOKED COUNCIL HAS FEW CHOICES.
YOU PUT THIS DMO CONTRACT UP FOR BID THIS FALL UNDER PROCUREMENT LAW TO ADD AGENCIES.
YOU ASKED BILL MILES FOR THE ACCOUNTING ON 11 MILLION OR YOU FILE A LAWSUIT TO FORCE IT.
YOU COMPLY TO SKIP HOLAND'S TAX FOIA AND SOUTH CAROLINA SUPREME COURT RULING THAT SAYS YOU MUST PROVIDE IT.
YOU HIRE A NEW DMO OR TWO DS UNDER THE LAW SINCE THE CHAMBER'S ILLEGAL AND DOES NOT QUALIFY.
THE DMO WEBSITE, HILTON NET ISLAND.ORG IS REMOVED FROM CANADA AND THE CHAMBER ILLEGAL OWNERSHIP AND BED OUT THE LOCAL COMPANIES TO BE RE REDEVELOPED AND USED UNDER DMO AT TAX LAWS TO PROMOTE THIS ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
SINCE THIS IS ALL COMING TO AN END VERY SOON, ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
WHAT WILL EACH OF YOU SAY WHEN DEPOSED OR QUESTIONED BY AUTHORITIES? WHAT WILL BILL MILES DO WHEN FORCED TO PROVIDE ALL ACCOUNTING? WILL HE TELL THE FBI AND THE IRS NONE OF HIS BUSINESS? MR. PERRY, YOU SAID YOU SAW 80% OF THE CHAMBER ACCOUNTING BEFORE YOU WERE EVEN ELECTED AND NOBODY ELSE CAN SEE THAT.
WHERE IS IT? IS THAT TRUE? DID YOU TELL THE TRUTH OR DID YOU LIE? I THINK I KNOW THE TRUTH AND BILL MILES HAS TOLD MANY TAXPAYERS
[01:00:01]
AND THIS COUNCIL, HIS USE OF TAX MONEY IS HIS SECRET SAUCE AND IT'S NOBODY'S BUSINESS.I'M HERE TO TELL EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM, IT IS MY BUSINESS ADDRESS.
COUNCIL YOUR BUSINESS FOR EVERY TAX DOLLAR ADDRESS.
YOU'RE A, YOU'RE A, LEMME TELL YOU PERRY, YOU'RE A PUBLIC SERVANT.
MR. CHRISTIAN MAYOR TO THE COUNCIL, MR. ACCOUNT MANAGER.
I'VE GOT TWO ITEMS I WANNA DISCUSS WITH YOU.
ONE IS SHORT TERM RENTALS AND THE OTHER IS U S C B.
UM, BUT FIRST A LITTLE DIVERSION.
YOU KNOW, WHENEVER I HAVE THE URGE TO SPEAK, I'VE ALWAYS RELIED ON A PIECE OF ADVICE MY MOTHER GAVE ME.
THERE'S A BILL CURRENTLY BEFORE THE STATE LEGISLATURE IN COLUMBIA WITH THE HEARING SCHEDULED FOR TOMORROW BEFORE THE MUNICIPAL PUBLIC AFFAIRS SUBCOMMITTEE.
THE BILL AS WRITTEN WILL PROHIBIT MUNICIPALITIES AND COUNTIES FROM REGULATING SHORT-TERM RENTALS.
AS YOU MAY BE AWARE, THE BILL DID NOT MAKE IT TO THE CROSSOVER DATE.
THIS YEAR'S SESSION, HOWEVER, THE BILL IS STILL ALIVE FOR 2024.
HOME RULE HAS ALWAYS BEEN A MAJOR TENANT FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.
IF THE STATE LEGISLATURE SCORES A SUCCESS IN THIS AREA, THEY MAY BE TEMPTED TO OUTLAW PRIVATE COVENANTS THAT LIVE AT SHORT-TERM RENTALS.
I WOULD TRUST THAT THE TOWN IS TRACKING THIS VERY CAREFULLY.
IN MAKING OUR LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION AWARE OF THE TOWN'S POSITION.
U S C B UNDERSTAND THAT THE HHI CAMPUS IS UNDERUTILIZED AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
BACK IN 2010, IN RESPONSE TO THE 2008, 2009 RECESSION, A GROUP OF CITIZENS APPOINTED BY THEN MAYOR PEEBLES, MADE RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW TO REVITALIZE THE ISLANDS ECONOMY.
ONE OF THE IDEAS THAT CAME OUT OF THAT GROUP WAS BRINGING BACK A U S C B CAMPUS TO HILTON HEAD COUNCIL MEMBER.
AMES AND I, I BELIEVE WE WORKED ON THAT PROJECT TOGETHER.
ULTIMATELY, WE WERE SUCCESSFUL BRINGING A HOSPITALITY CAMPUS BACK TO HILTON HEAD ISLAND, WHICH YOU MAY NOT BE AWARE OF, IS I'M WORKING WITH A LOCAL TEAM FROM THE OFFICIALS FROM THE COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION'S INSTITUTE AND U S C B OFFICIALS TO BRING COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT COURSES TO THE U S C B CAMPUS.
ULTIMATELY, WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE, THERE IS A DEGREE PROGRAM IN COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT.
THE PANDEMIC PUT A STRAIN ON IN-PERSON LEARNING AT THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND CAMPUS.
THEN AS THE PANDEMIC WANED AND THE ECONOMY IMPROVED, THE COMMUTE OVER THE BRIDGE BECAME A FURTHER OBSTACLE TO IN-PERSON LEARNING.
I UNDERSTAND AS A PROPOSAL TO SUPPLY HOUSING COULD BE USED AS DORMITORIES FOR STUDENTS.
I WOULD HOPE THE TOWN LOOKS CAREFULLY AT THAT OPPORTUNITY.
DO WE HAVE ANYBODY ELSE SIGNED UP? YES SIR.
MY NAME IS DANIEL ANTHONY, PRESIDENT OF THE J PS.
MY COMMENTS ARE DIRECTED AT THE PHASE THREE AMENDMENTS ON TODAY'S AGENDA.
TOWN STAFF HAS BEEN WORKING TIRELESSLY ON ADDRESSING THE ISSUES OF THE CURRENT LMO, THE ISSUES THAT HAVE CAUSED THE CURRENT PROBLEMS. WE NOW SEE IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE 2014 REWRITE OF THE LMO MISGUIDED STEPS TAKEN AT THAT TIME TO SPUR THE ECONOMY OF THE ISLAND.
THE ONLY THING THAT HAS SPURNED IS THE OVERDEVELOPMENT OF THE ISLAND.
THESE AMENDMENTS ARE A VITAL PART IN ADDRESSING THESE MISGUIDED STEPS WITHIN THE CURRENT L O.
THIS IS A NECESSARY STEP IN CREATING A BETTER FUTURE FOR HILTON HEAD.
FOR DECADES, DEVELOPERS AND INVESTORS HAVE PILLARED THIS ISLAND FOR PROFIT.
I HAVE HEARD DEVELOPERS AND INVESTORS CLAIM THESE AMENDMENTS TAKE AWAY THEIR RIGHTS.
THEY FAILED TO MENTION THAT THOSE RIGHTS, THE VERY RIGHTS THEY SPEAK SO HIGHLY OF ONLY EXIST BECAUSE THE, THE 2014 REWRITE OF THE LMO.
BUT I ASKED YOU, WHAT ABOUT THE RIGHTS OF THE NEIGHBORS WITHIN THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS, THEIR RIGHTS TO LIVE IN PEACE WITH SAFETY, TO ENJOY THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD WITHOUT THE NUISANCE OF TRAFFIC, PARKING, PARKING AND NOISE.
THESE ARE THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS THAT GO HAND IN HAND WITH OVERDEVELOPMENT.
[01:05:01]
ALL I ASK IS THAT YOU ALL, AS COUNCIL MEMBERS AND RESIDENT OF THIS ISLAND, SAY WHAT YOU MEAN AND MEAN WHAT YOU SAY.Y'ALL HAVE MADE CAMPAIGN PROMISES ABOUT PROTECTING HILTON HEAD FROM OVERDEVELOPMENT.
DEVELOPMENT CAN EXIST ON HILTON HEAD IF DONE RESPECTFULLY AND IN APPROPRIATE LOCATIONS.
A VOTE TO DATE TO PASS THESE AMENDMENTS WILL CONFIRM COUNCIL'S COMMITMENT TO A BETTER AND MORE REALISTIC DEVELOPMENT PROCESS FOR THE FUTURE OF HILTON HEAD, SO THAT SINGLE FAMILY NEIGHBORHOODS WILL NO LONGER BE DESTROYED BY THE GREETED DEVELOPERS.
SO I ASK YOU, WHAT IS THE FUTURE OF HILTON HEAD? ARE YOU GOING TO CONTINUE TO SUBJECT HILTON HEAD TO THE ASPIRATIONS OF THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA TO BE THE MEAL TICKET FOR SOUTH CAROLINA, OR ARE YOU IN ONE VOICE GOING TO SAY, WE THE RESIDENTS OF HILTON HEAD, WE WILL DECIDE OUR OWN FUTURE.
ANYBODY ELSE? THAT CONCLUDES APPEARANCE BY CITIZEN.
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR COMMENTS.
AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO OPEN THE FLOOR FOR OUR PUBLIC HEARING OF THE PHYSICAL YEAR 2024 BUDGET.
DURING THIS TIME, OUR TOWN MANAGER, MARK ORLANDO, WE'LL PRESENT THE FIRST READING AND PROPOSED ORDINANCE, 2023 DASH 10, ADOPTING THE MUNICIPAL BUDGET FOR THE TOWN OF HILTON NET ISLAND FOR PHYSICAL YEAR 2024, ENDING JUNE 30TH, 2024.
I'M EXCITED TO PRESENT OUR BUDGET, UM, AS WE START DIVING INTO IT, WANT TO GO OVER WITH YOU, UM, SOME ECONOMIC FACTORS AS THEY AFFECT HILTON HEAD ISLAND PROPOSED CONSOLIDATED BUDGET GOALS, OUR, UH, CONSOLIDATED BUDGET OVERVIEW, AND THEN TALK A LITTLE MORE ABOUT BUDGET REVIEW AND APPROVAL PROCESS.
AS I STARTED DRAFTING THE, THE BUDGET, PLEASE KNOW THAT I ALWAYS REVIEW HISTORICAL REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE TRENDS.
AND WE HAVE A GREAT FINANCE DIRECTOR AND JOHN TROYER WHO USES VERY CONSERVATIVE BUDGETING ASSUMPTIONS.
SO IT LEADS TO ACTUALS OUTPERFORMING BUDGET YEAR OVER YEAR.
IT LEADS TO REVENUES EXCEEDING ESTIMATES YEAR OVER YEAR, AND EXPENDITURES ALWAYS COME IN UNDER BUDGET.
SO SAME METHOD THIS YEAR, SAME PROCESS.
UH, WE MAINTAIN A THREE YEAR FINANCIAL MODEL FOR GENERAL FUND THAT WE WORK THROUGH, UM, REGULARLY AS A TEAM.
THERE'S A PROJECTED FIVE YEARS AND BEYOND.
FOR THE C I P PROGRAM, WE HAVE A FORMAL RESERVE POLICY AND A FORMAL DEBT MO MANAGEMENT POLICY, ALL OF WHICH YOU WON'T SEE IN THIS BUDGET PROPOSAL.
BUT, BUT, BUT THAT'S THE BACKBONE, RIGHT? THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE FRAMEWORK OF, OF OUR FINANCIAL, UM, PROGRAM HERE.
SO JUST WANNA GIVE A A THANK YOU TO JOHN AS, AS WE START DIGGING IN.
YOU'LL SEE IN THIS BUDGET PRESENTATION, WE ARE DOING MORE IN OUR EXPECTATIONS ARE HIGHER.
I BELIEVE OUR COMMUNITY EXPECTATIONS ARE HIGHER.
UM, I HEAR THEM THROUGHOUT THE COUPLE YEARS THAT I'M HERE.
UH, MY EXPECTATIONS ARE HIGHER AS WELL.
AND SO AS WE DIVE INTO THE BUDGET, I THINK IT'S JUST BEST WE, WE START LEARNING A LITTLE BIT WHAT'S GOING ON IN HILTON HEAD ISLAND, 54 SQUARE MILES, MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME, APPROXIMATELY 87, ALMOST 88,000, APPROXIMATELY 3.1 MILLION VISITORS TO HILTON HEAD ISLAND IN 22, IN A POPULATION ESTIMATE OF A LITTLE MORE THAN 38,000, A MEDIAN AGE OF CLOSE TO 58, UH, LODGING, FOOD, SHOPPING, GOLF IN THAT ORDER ARE OUR TOP TOURISM SPENDING CATEGORIES, AND THAT WE BENEFIT FROM A GREAT ECONOMIC, UM, STRENGTH AND GROWTH THAT UNDERPINS OUR HEALTHY TAX BASE.
UM, WE HAVE GREAT CREDIT POSITION, AAA WITH MOODIES AND AA FROM STANDARD AND POORS AS WELL AS FITCH.
UM, THE, THE CREDIT AGENCIES RECOGNIZE OUR GROWING TAX BASE, OUR FISCAL MANAGEMENT, UM, OUR FINANCIAL POSITION, AND OUR DEBT AND PENSION BUR BURDEN.
MOST RECENTLY, WE HEARD BACK FROM, UH, A BOND RATE.
THEY SAID, WE HAVE A STRONG FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE, CONSISTENT OPERATIONS, LONG-TERM TREND OF MAINTAINING STRONG RESERVES.
AND THAT WENT UP, YOUR POLICY WENT UP LAST YEAR.
UH, VERY STRONG ECONOMY, STRONG MANAGEMENT, BUDGETARY FLEXIBILITY.
WE ARE, OF COURSE, MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO WEATHER EVENTS.
AND SO WHAT'S INTERESTING IS THAT ONE OF THE AGENCIES TOLD US THAT THEY BELIEVE THAT THE STRENGTH OF OUR CREDIT WILL GROW AS WE PUT A RESILIENCE PLAN IN PLACE TO PREPARE FOR OUR FUTURE, OUR BUDGET GOALS.
SO, OF COURSE, DELIVER YOUR TOWN COUNCIL STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN PRIORITIES.
I MENTIONED TONIGHT THAT I'M GONNA BRING THOSE FORWARD TO YOU NEXT WELL, THE JUNE MEETING.
[01:10:01]
WE'LL HAVE, UH, IN, IN THAT STRATEGIC PLAN ALL YOUR STRATEGIC ACTION ELEMENTS, BUT YOUR TOP 15 ARE COMPLETELY BUDGETED FOR AND CALLED FOR, RIGHT, ESTABLISHING A GROWTH MANAGEMENT STRATEGY, DISTRICT PLANS, MASTER PLAN, CAPACITY STUDY, AND A WHOLE BUNCH OF WORK THAT GOES ON ALL LEADING UP TO, I WOULD SAY AN A, A REALLY GOOD ROBUST UPDATE OF OUR LAND MANAGEMENT ORDINANCE.IMPLEMENT A WORKFORCE HOUSING FRAMEWORK.
THAT PLAN WAS ADOPTED NOVEMBER ONE LAST YEAR.
ADOPT MAJOR CORRIDOR STREET ENHANCEMENTS.
WE'VE HAD ONE, ONE WORKSHOP WITH YOU SO FAR, A LOT MORE WORK TO DO.
DEVELOP THE WILLIAM HILTON PARKWAY GATEWAY CORRIDOR PLAN.
COMMENCE OPERATIONS OF OUR GULLAH GEECHEE HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORP.
A SWAT ANALYSIS OF OUR ISLAND RESILIENCY, AS WELL AS A PLAN FOR OUR FUTURE, RIGHT? THAT'S A PLAN FOR POLICY AS WELL AS CAPITAL PROJECTS.
IMPLEMENT THE CIP P PROGRAM, UPDATE OUR LAND ACQUISITION MANUAL AND MAKE STRATEGIC PURCHASES, UH, CONDUCT A SWOT ANALYSIS OF OUR SOLID WASTE RECYCLING PROGRAM.
IMPLEMENT THE DESTINATION MARKETING ORGANIZATION PLAN AND MEASURE PERFORMANCE.
UH, CONTINUE TO ASSESS SHORT-TERM RENTALS AND, AND IMPLEMENT THE PROGRAM.
UH, ASSESS ALTERNATIVE RESOURCES FOR FUNDING, LEAD IMPLEMENTATION OF OUR GULLAH GEECHEE TASKFORCE WORK PLAN, ASSIST WITH ST.
JAMES, THE MITIGATION AND RELOCATION PLAN.
AND THEN ALSO CONTINUE TO INVEST IN OUR BEACH PARKS.
AND SO THOSE ARE YOUR TOP 15, AS I TOOK FROM THE STRATEGIC PLAN WORKSHOP IN JANUARY.
UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, RIGHT, OBVIOUSLY OPERATE A LEAN OP, ESTABLISH A LEAN OPERATING BUDGET, CONTINUE TO REFINE YEAR OVER YEAR, ENHANCE OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE, INNOVATION AND EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT, AND INVEST IN IMPACTFUL COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND I THINK MORE IMPORTANTLY HERE, UM, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, FORM A RESILIENT COMMUNITY.
AND WE USE OUR BUDGET AS THAT CATALYST TO, TO IMPLEMENT POSITIVE CHANGE IN IMPROVEMENT.
SO THIS YEAR, DIFFERENTLY THAN LAST, THERE'S SIX FUNDS.
YOU'LL NOTICE SOME OF THESE FROM LAST YEAR.
GENERAL FUNDS, STORMWATER CAP PROJECTS, DEBT.
AND SO TWO NEW FUNDS AS I PROPOSE THIS YEAR SO THAT IT'S VERY CLEAR AND I'M ABLE TO DO BUSINESS OUT OF THE BUDGET AND OUT OF THE FUND APPROPRIATELY.
I'VE, I'VE INTRODUCED THE GULLAH GEECHEE HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORP FUND, AS WELL AS THE HOUSING FUND.
AND WE'RE GONNA DIVE INTO THESE.
AND SO JUST TO GIVE YOU A LAY OF THE LAND HERE, I'M GONNA TALK GENERAL CONSOLIDATED BUDGET, AND THEN I'M GONNA DIVE INTO EACH FUND.
UM, I WANT YOU TO SEE THIS MORE THAN ONE TIME BEFORE WE'RE IN AND OUT OF THOSE WORKSHOPS.
AND SO THE GOAL IS THAT WE GO THROUGH THIS TODAY.
UM, I'LL, I'LL BE ABOUT AN HOUR.
I'M AT THE WORKSHOP, AND THIS IS ON THE SCHEDULE FOR SECOND AND FINAL READING IN PUBLIC HEARING IN EARLY JUNE, CONSOLIDATED.
SO I'M GONNA USE THIS TOOL A LITTLE BIT THROUGHOUT THIS TO SHOW YOU.
SO SOME OF THIS IS JUST SIMPLE REVENUES, EXPENDITURES, AND HIGHLIGHTS, RIGHT? WHAT ARE THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE REVENUES? WHAT ARE THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE EXPENDITURES? AND HOW IS THIS AFFECTING OUR BUDGET? AND HOW ARE WE INVESTING IN YOUR PRIORITIES? SO YOU CAN SEE GENERAL FUND YEAR OVER YEAR.
I'M PROPOSING THE 24 BUDGET RIGHT NOW WITH $129,950,000, $293 BUDGET.
GENERAL FUND PROPOSED 57.9 MILLION.
DEBT SERVICE, 17.3, CAPITAL PROJECTS, 39.9, STORMWATER UTILITY, 5.8.
AND LIKE I MENTIONED, THE TWO NEW FUNDS IN THOSE SUB SUB LINES THERE.
5.3 FOR GUAG, GEE, HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD, THE CDC, AS WELL AS A 3.3 MILLION HOUSING FUND FOR A CONSOLIDATED BUDGET.
129 MILLION, ALMOST 130 MILLION.
WHERE DID THESE COME FROM? RIGHT? AND THAT'S AN OBVIOUS CHANGE FROM LAST YEAR.
WE SIMPLY TAKE A LOOK AT YEAR OVER YEAR.
IT'S AN OVERALL CHANGE OF 8.7 MILLION.
WHERE DO THOSE REVENUES COME FROM TO AFFECT THE BUDGET? THE PROPERTY TAXES ARE UP.
AND SO WHAT'S IMPORTANT IN THIS LINE, FISCAL YEAR 24 PROPOSED, YOU'LL SEE THAT PROPERTY TAXES ARE UP ABOUT $986,000, 4.6%.
AND WE CAN GO THROUGH THIS LIST.
I WON'T READ 'EM ALL FOR TIME'S SAKE, BUT BUSINESS LICENSE AT 1.8, LOCAL AT TAX IN INVESTMENT INTO THIS BUDGET.
2.2 EMS REVENUE UP TO SEVEN NINE INTERGOVERNMENTAL UP ONE POINT, OR I SHOULD SAY PERMITS AND FEES, I APOLOGIZE, EXCUSE ME.
THAT INCLUDES THE SHORT TERM RENTAL PERMIT FEE, GRANTS 2.8, UM, INTEREST INCOME, AN ADDITIONAL 651.
SO YOU CAN SEE WHERE THE $10 MILLION IS DERIVED FROM IN
[01:15:01]
TERMS OF REVENUES.WE HAVE TRANSFERRED A LITTLE LESS IN THIS YEAR AS OUR TRANSFERS IN INTO THE BUDGET.
SO 54 MILLION, $54.5 MILLION TRANSFER IN.
AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN THOSE TOP REVS AND THOSE BOTTOM REVS.
THOSE TOP REVS ARE, ARE THE PROPERTY TAXES, BUSINESS LICENSE, FRANCHISE FEES, STORMWATER UTILITY FEES, LOCAL A TAX, THE TRANSFERS IN, AND WE'LL DIVE INTO MR. TOWN MANAGER.
LET ME MAKE A COMMENT FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE AUDIENCE.
UM, I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE SEE THE TREND LINE IN GRANTS THREE YEARS AGO, TWO YEARS AGO, AND SO ON.
AND WHAT IS HAPPENING IS THIS STAFF IS GOING OUT AND GETTING SIGNIFICANT DOLLARS FROM GRANT SOURCES.
WITH A LOT OF HELP FROM OUR COLLEAGUES.
YOU'LL SEE TRANSFERS IN AT 54.5 MILLION, AND YOU SEE THOSE TRANSFERS IN OVER HERE ON THE SIDE.
H TAX, BEACH FEE, TIFF STATE, A TAX REAL ESTATE TRANSFER FEE, STORM WATER FEE, ROAD USES ROAD USAGE.
AND SO WE'RE REALLY PUTTING THOSE FEES, THOSE, THOSE FEES THAT ARE OFF BUDGET TO A DEGREE TRANSFERRED INTO THE BUDGET AND MAKING GOOD USE OF IT.
YOU SEE THAT THE MAJORITY OF THOSE TRANSFERS IN ARE STRAIGHT INTO OUR CAPITAL PROGRAM.
28, ALMOST 29 MILLION OF TRANSFERS IN FROM H TAX ALL THE WAY DOWN TO A NATURAL DISASTER FUND.
AND YOU SEE THAT ABOUT 11 THREE AND 11 NINE, UH, SERVICING GENERAL FUND AND DEBT SERVICE FUND.
A REMINDER OF FIVE MILLS LAST YEAR CAME OFF THE, THE TAX ROLL.
AND SO YOU CAN SEE SOME OF, SOME OF THE WORK UP THERE, THAT NATURAL DISASTER FUND ISN'T SHOWING UP.
THE MAJORITY, OR A BIG PORTION, I SHOULD SAY, OF OUR, OF OUR CONSOLIDATED BUDGET REVENUES ARE TRANSFERS IN OUR DIVERSITY AND OUR REVENUE SOURCES GIVE US THAT FINANCIAL STRENGTH.
I, I STARTED OFF BY SAYING, SO REVENUES SOME HIGHLIGHTS EXPENDITURES.
YOU SEE THE PROPOSED BUDGET, 36.4.
IT IS AN INCREASE OF ABOUT 17, UM, PERCENT CHANGE.
IT'S ABOUT 28% OF OUR BUDGET OPERATING AN INCREASE OF 4 MILLION, UM, TRANSFERS OUT DEBT SERVICE.
AND YOU CAN JUST SEE THAT SCHEDULE OF FUNDS.
AND A LOT OF THIS PAGE ALSO SHOWS YOU THOSE BUDGET EXPENDITURES INTO THE C I P, RIGHT? BEACH PATHWAY, ROAD PARK FACILITY, FLEET LAND AND, AND HOUSING.
SO I'LL SLOW DOWN IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, BUT I'LL KEEP GOING AS WELL.
I COULD JUST ADD ONE QUICK THING THERE FOR THOSE WATCHING HERE AND OUT OF THE PUBLIC.
THIS WILL BE ON THE WEBSITE LATER AFTER THE PRESENTATION TODAY.
SO YES, MA'AM, THAT WAS IN MY NOTE AND I JUMPED OVER IT.
OKAY, SO THIS PRESENTATION, AS SOON AS I'M DONE TODAY, AS SOON AS YOU VOTE THIS EVENING, IT WILL BE ON OUR, UM, WEBSITE, THE PACKET, THE, THE, THE, THE TRUE STAFF REPORT IS, IS ON THERE AS WELL AS THE PRESENTATION.
SO A PRIORITY RAISE BUDGET, THAT'S FUNDING OUR AND YOUR STRATEGIC PLAN INITIATIVES, A FUND BALANCE INCREASE DUE TO PRIOR YEAR UNSPENT FUNDS, AS WELL AS A STRONG AND IMPROVED FUND BALANCE POLICY.
I'LL SHOW YOU THAT IN A SECOND.
NO CHANGE IN PROPERTY TAX RATE, UM, WITH THE EXPECTATION OF A REDUCTION, PERHAPS AFTER REASSESSMENT TWO YEARS OF STRONG NON-PROPERTY TAX.
REV COLLECTIONS ARE NOW BEING REFLECTED IN THE BUDGET.
SO AS REALLY DIVE IN, YOU START REALIZING THAT WE'VE BEEN MAKING THOSE PROJECTIONS YEAR OVER YEAR AND BEING VERY CONSERVATIVE.
AND SO THIS YEAR, UH, WE ARE VERY COMFORTABLE ADJUSTING UPWARD SOME OF THOSE PROJECTIONS BECAUSE THE FUNDS ARE THERE.
UM, ENHANCING REVENUES THROUGH GROWTH RELATED APPLICATION FEES, AND THEN STATE A TAX FUNDING TO INCREASE THE SUPPORT OF OUR GENERAL FUNDER OPERATING BUDGET, AS WELL AS CAPITAL PROJECTS.
UM, REDUCING LINE ITEM EXPENDITURES AND BUDGETS, UM, YEAR OVER YEAR, RIGHT? PAPER AND PENCILS ADD UP.
UM, SO DOES TRAVEL AND, AND, AND SOME, SOME OTHER RECURRING ITEMS, UH, FUNDING FOR A SEWER CONNECTION, UH, PROGRAM AND HOME REPAIR PROGRAM, ADDITION OF TWO NEW FUNDS I MENTIONED.
AND THEN ALSO FUNDS FOR HOUSING AND LAND ACQUISITION.
SO THOSE DOLLARS FOR HOUSING AND LAND ACQUISITION ARE COMING STRAIGHT OUTTA THE GENERAL FUND INTO THOSE ACCOUNTS.
MARK, CAN YOU SPEAK TO THE REASONS FOR THE CREATION OF THE TWO NEW FUNDS SO THAT THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS IT? YES, SIR.
ONE IMPORTANT ELEMENT IS THAT I BELIEVE THAT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO MANAGE THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AS A STANDALONE ENTITY.
IT IS A, IT IS NONPROFIT ESTABLISHED BY COUNCIL, THE BOARD PLACED BY YOU, THE EXEC DIRECTOR HIRED BY THE TOWN IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE BOARD.
HAVING THAT FUND AS A STANDALONE INSTEAD
[01:20:01]
OF SOMEWHERE BAKED INTO THE GENERAL FUND IS A HEALTHY WAY FOR ME TO MANAGE THAT BUDGET.A GOOD WAY FOR YOU TO UNDERSTAND THE BUDGET AND A GREAT WAY FOR THE COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND THE MONEY IN AND THE MONEY OUT, RIGHT? DERIVED MOSTLY FROM A, FROM A STATE GRANT AND A COUNTY GRANT, THE HOUSING FUND, UH, I JUST THINK IT'S IMPORTANT AS MUCH AS HOUSING HAS BECOME A, A PRIORITY AND, AND, AND, AND AN ELEMENT OF YOUR PRIORITIES, I DO THINK THAT HAVING A FUND SEPARATE FOR HOUSING ALLOWS US TO, AGAIN, MANAGE THE REVENUE IN AND THE EXPENDITURE UP.
SAME WITH CAPITAL PROJECTS, RIGHT? SAME WITH STORMWATER.
THAT, THAT ENTERPRISE FUNDS, SO TO SPEAK, DERIVED FROM DIFFERENT REVENUES.
AND SO IN THE BUDGET, AND YOU SEE THAT THE PERSONNEL AND BENEFITS HAS INCREASED, A LITTLE LESS THAN 2 MILLION OF THAT IS FOR ADDITIONAL STAFF MEMBERS.
AND YOU'LL SEE WHERE THE, THE NEW POSITIONS PROPOSED, AND I'LL GO THROUGH THEM, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO SHOW THE VALUE, ADD THE START DATE, AND A FUNDING SOURCE, RIGHT? SO THE FUNDING SOURCE IS IMPORTANT FOR ME TO TELL YOU THAT NOT ALL THESE POSITIONS ARE DERIVED FROM PROPERTY TAXES OR BUSINESS LICENSING.
A LOT OF IT IS FROM THAT TRANSFER IN OF REVENUE THAT IS CAUSING US TO BE BUSIER, RIGHT? WHETHER WE'RE ON THE BEACH, AT THE PARK, ON THE STREET, OR SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN.
SO WHAT A PROPOSED IS ASSISTANT FINANCE DIRECTOR, UM, I THINK THAT'S SELF-EXPLANATORY.
MR. TROYER HAS ASKED ME A COUPLE YEARS, YEAR OVER YEAR FOR A LITTLE BIT OF HELP, UM, FROM A FINANCIAL VISION AND AND IMPLEMENTATION STANDPOINT.
I'VE ASKED FOR A MARKETING ENGAGEMENT DIRECTOR TO MAXIMIZE OUR COMMUNICATION.
I WOULD LIKE TO BRING ALL COMMUNICATION UNDER ONE UMBRELLA FIRE DEPARTMENT AS WELL.
THE INPUT AND PARTICIPATION, AS WELL AS OUR WORK WITH OUR DMO BEACH FACILITY TECH GROUNDS CREW, TWO CONSTRUCTION PROJECT MANAGERS TO EXECUTE OUR C I P PROJECTS.
AND SOME OF THESE ARE, UH, FIRE RESCUE RELATED TWO FIREFIGHTERS, COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING ADMINISTRATION FOR FIRE RESCUE.
THAT'S FOR EVENTS, THAT'S FOR RECRUITING, THAT'S TO SHARE PUBLIC INFORMATION.
THAT'S TO, UM, WORK IN THAT REGARD.
A FIRE INSPECTOR, A MECHANIC, THE MECHANIC WILL WORK IN FIRE RESCUE, BUT SERVICE OUR ENTIRE FLEET, UM, AND HELP WITH THE, WITH THE, WITH THE FLEET EMS LIEUTENANT, AND THEN TWO, TWO FOLKS IN THE STORM WATER, UM, DIVISION OR DIVISION, UH, MAINTENANCE ADMINISTRATOR AND A STORM WATER UTILITY INSPECTOR.
AND SO YOU CAN SEE THAT THE FUNDING SOURCES ARE CLEAR, RIGHT? SO STORMWATER INSPECTOR AS AN EXAMPLE, THAT COMES FROM THE STORMWATER UTILITY FEE.
UH, WHERE ELSE COULD I GO TO? MARKETING AND ENGAGEMENT DIRECTOR AT TAX AND, AND BUSINESS LICENSE, BEACH FACILITIES TECH, OUR BEACH FEE, OUR A TAX FEE, UH, SHORT-TERM RENTAL BUSINESS LICENSE AND, AND SOME PROPERTY TAX FOR A DIVERSITY OF THEIR WORK.
ALRIGHT, CAN I ASK QUESTIONS OR JUST POINT SOMETHING OUT? IF YOU LOOK AT THOSE POSITIONS, I, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU SHOWING THE FUNDING, FUNDING SOURCES THAT REALLY IS VERY HELPFUL, I THINK, TO US AND TO THE PUBLIC.
UH, BUT AS I LOOK AT THE LIST, I, I SEE A LOT OF FIRE AND RESCUE, WHICH IS ALMOST HALF OF OUR BUDGET, NOT QUITE HALF OF OUR, BUT A, A GOOD CHUNK OF OUR BUDGET.
AND WE HAVE WONDERFUL FIRE AND RESCUE, UH, SERVICES HERE.
SO I, I'M GLAD TO SEE THE ADDITION.
AND WITH OUR C I P PROJECTS, UH, WE'RE ADDING SOME CONSTRUCTION PROJECT MANAGERS, WHICH WILL BE VERY HELPFUL.
SO I'M KIND OF LOOKING AT, LET'S SEE WHERE THE POSITIONS ARE, AND THEN THERE'S SOME BEACH POSITIONS BECAUSE WE CARE ABOUT OUR BEACH AND HAVING GOOD FACILITIES.
UM, AND THEN MARKETING AND ENGAGEMENT DIRECTOR.
AND, AND I NOTED THE LAST PART OF IT SAYS, PARTICIPATION IN ALL ASPECTS OF CITY GOVERNMENT, INCLUDING THE DMO.
SO THAT'LL HELP US IN OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH, WITH OUR MARKETING.
UM, SO I, I'M LIKING THE AREAS IN, IN INDEED IN STORMWATER, UM, BECAUSE STORMWATER MANAGEMENT IS A CONCERN I KNOW ACROSS THE ISLAND, AND OUR RESILIENCY PLAN WILL HELP ADDRESS THAT AS WELL.
SO I LIKE THE CATEGORIES, IF YOU WILL, AND THANKS FOR GIVING US THE LIST AS WELL AS THE FUNDING SOURCE.
THIS BUDGET ALSO WILL INCLUDE SEVERAL PART-TIME AND SEASONAL EMPLOYEES, RIGHT THROUGH ALL THROUGH ALL DEPARTMENTS.
AND SO FULLY, FULLY ANTICIPATE HIRING SOME HIGH SCHOOL KIDS THAT ARE IN, IN SOME OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS HERE TO COME AND HELP US, AS WELL AS SOME UNIVERSITY STUDENTS THAT ARE HERE, UH, FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME ON SOME INTERNSHIP WORK, AS WELL AS SOME PART-TIME HELP, INCLUDING AGAIN, UH, THIRD YEAR IN A ROW, OUR SEASONAL BEACH AMBASSADORS.
SO MILL, UH, REMAINS TODAY IN THE CAVEAT.
23.1 MILLS IS THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
WE KNOW THAT THE REASSESSMENT YEAR IS RIGHT NOW, MR. TROYER HAS BEEN WORKING WITH THE COUNTY TO TRULY UNDERSTAND SCHEDULE AND THAT WHOLE TIMELINE.
SO, SO FOR TODAY, I'D, I'D LIKE TO SIMPLY SAY THAT SCHEDULE IS A TBD, BUT WE KNOW THAT'S IN OUR FUTURE,
[01:25:01]
RIGHT? THE GOAL IS TO ALWAYS ROLL BACK MILLAGE FOR A REV NEUTRAL IF, IF, IF THAT'S YOUR WILL.UM, BUT THAT IS, THAT IS, UM, TBD IN THE NEXT, IN THE COMING WEEKS, PERHAPS THE NEXT 30, 60 DAYS AS WELL.
BUT THE MILL IS STILL PROPOSED THE BUDGET AS 23.1.
YOU SEE, IT CAME DOWN FROM 28.1 COUPLE YEARS AGO.
OUR MILL VALUE PROJECTED CONTINUES TO RISE.
UH, 2024 MILL VALUE IS, IS $985,000.
AND I'LL, I'LL SHOW YOU ON HERE IS JUST, IS JUST GROWTH LAST YEAR AS WE TALKED, NINE 40 THIS YEAR, POTENTIAL OR PROJECTED 9 85.
SO HOW DOES THAT AFFECT OUR PROPERTY TAX BILL? RIGHT? AND I, AND I'M JUST A, IT'S A GREAT REMINDER OF HOW MUCH WORK WE CAN DO WITH THESE TRANSFERS IN.
SO A PROPERTY TAX BILL, WE'VE ALWAYS USED $500,000 AND SOMEBODY SAID TO ME, SHOW ME THE $500,000 HOUSE HERE.
BUT IN THE, IN THE, IN THE MARKET'S CHANGE.
SO WHETHER IT'S A 500, A MILLION, SEVEN 50 OR A CONDO FOR LESS, YOU, YOU'LL SEE THAT AT LEAST OUR OPERATIONS HERE AT THAT MILL VALUE AND RATE, WE SHOW THAT ON A, ON A HALF MILLION DOLLAR HOME, $344 COMES TO OPERATIONS, $118 GOES TO DEBT USE.
AND SO I THINK AS IMPORTANT AS WE LOOK AT OUR BUDGET CONSOLIDATED REV, WE SHOW THAT ATAC HAS INCREASED YEAR OVER YEAR, UM, ESPECIALLY LAST FOUR YEARS.
AND WE'RE PROJECTING AGAIN, THE, THE, THE, THE DMO WORK.
WE'RE MOVING AND PUTTING THIS YEAR AND LAST YEAR MORE ATAC INTO OUR CAPITAL PROGRAM, MORE ATAC INTO THE COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS MORE ATAC, SOUTH CAROLINA ATAC INTO OUR GENERAL FUND OPERATING.
BUT HOW DO WE USE OUR ATAC IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET IN FRONT OF YOU, YOU'LL SEE, UM, AND THIS IS A, THIS IS A, IS A BIG STEP IN, IN WHAT I'M PROPOSING TO YOU THAT STATE A TAX IS IN THE GENERAL FUND AT 3.5 MILLION AND IN THE CAPITAL PROGRAM AT 3 MILLION.
AND SO UP THERE, YOU CAN SEE, I WON'T READ 'EM ALL WHERE WE'RE USING THE DOLLARS FOR PUBLIC SAFETY FACILITIES MANAGEMENT, CULTURAL ARTS, AS WELL AS OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS.
LOCAL ATAC, UH, ALSO IS IN OUR, NOT AS A TRANSFER IN, BUT IT'S IN OUR, IN OUR GENERAL FUND WITH A REVENUE, UH, THIS YEAR PROPOSED FOR ABOUT 7 MILLION PROJECTED.
YOU SEE COLLECTIONAL ATAC FOR CODE ENFORCEMENT FACILITIES, MAINTENANCE, FIRE, RESCUE, ROAD MAINTENANCE AND CULTURAL ARTS.
AND SO WE'RE REALLY INVESTING THOSE, THOSE A, THOSE APEX TYPE DOLLARS.
SO, SO THAT'S CONSOLIDATED, RIGHT? REVENUE EXPENDITURE, SOME HIGHLIGHTS AND SOME EXPLAIN EXPLANATION OF SOME OF THESE RECURRING AND NON-BUDGET REVENUES THAT TRANSFERRING.
SO THE GENERAL FUND ACCOUNTS FOR AND REPORT REPORTS, THE FINANCIAL RESOURCES OF OUR OPERATING FUND.
IT'S THE PRIMARY SOURCE OF REVS OR PROP TAX, BUSINESS LICENSE, LOCAL A TAX AND PERMIT FEES, AND INCLUDES OUR BASIC OPS, PUBLIC SAFETY, INTERAGENCY PARTNERSHIP FUNDING.
SO IT'S OUR OPERATING ACCOUNT YOU SEE IN HERE, AND I WON'T GO THROUGH ALL OF THESE SAME NUMBERS CUZ THEY'RE ALMOST, UH, TO A DEGREE VERY SIMILAR TO THAT CONSOLIDATED.
BUT YOU'LL SEE THE GENERAL FUND PROPOSED IS $57,980,000.
YOU'LL SEE THAT PROPERTY TAX INCREASE NINE 18 LOCAL A TAX 2.2 BUSINESS LICENSE UP 1.8 PERMIT FEES, UP 1.2 AND INVESTMENTS AS WELL AS PUBLIC SAFETY.
MS STATE A TAX YOU SEE INTO THE GENERAL FUND AND INVESTMENT OF THREE, FIVE UP A MILLION FROM LAST YEAR.
AND THEN WE ARE USING PRIOR YEAR FUNDS, RIGHT? A LOT OF TIMES THOSE PRIOR YEAR FUNDS GO INTO FUND BALANCE, BUT OUR PRIOR YEAR FUNDS THIS YEAR ARE REALLY A TRANSFER FORWARD FOR A LOT OF THE LAND MANAGEMENT ORDINANCE AND, AND PLANNING WORK THAT'S GOING ON.
SO RATHER THAN TRY TO DIP INTO A FUND OR FIND NEW FUNDS, WE SIMPLY KNOW THAT THOSE FUNDS WILL PROPOSE TO TRANSFER OVER BECAUSE WE'LL HAVE CONTRACTS IN PLACE AND YOU'LL ALSO HAVE PRIOR YEAR FUNDS IS THE MILLION DOLLARS THAT LAST YEAR TOWN COUNCIL VOTED TO PUT A MILLION DOLLARS INTO HOUSING FOR.
SO THOSE WE'RE JUST FINALLY CATCHING UP WITH ALL THOSE NUMBERS, ALL THOSE REVENUES, UH, INTO THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.
SO A COUPLE HIGHLIGHTS OF REVENUE AFTER TWO YEARS OF RECORD HIGH COLLECTIONS.
I STILL, UH, CONFIDENT ABOUT THAT.
OUR LOCAL A TAX REV INCREASED 2.2, UM, PROPERTY TAX REV INCREASED NINE 18 AND BUSINESS LICENSE INCREASE.
AND YOU SEE HERE THAT WE'RE USING BUSINESS LICENSE, UH, FUNDS FOR OPERATING AND PERSONNEL.
OUR WEB ENHANCEMENTS AND SUPPORT, UH, FUNDS LAST YEAR TO PUT OUR WEBSITE, UH, TO BE A TRANSLATION.
HISPANIC SPANISH TRANSLATION, OUR ONLINE
[01:30:01]
PORTAL PAYMENT PROGRAMS, OFFICE OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS AND PROGRAMMING.AND THEN WE'RE ALSO USING IT AS AN INVESTMENT INTO SOME MAINTENANCE OF ISLAND PATHWAYS, OPEN SPACE ROADWAYS.
AND SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT I SHOW YOU THE TIE TO REVENUES COLLECTED FOR BUSINESS LICENSE AND AN INVESTMENT RIGHT BACK INTO THOSE PROGRAMS THAT HELP THOSE BUSINESSES STATE A TAX FUNDING ALL INCLUSIVE.
THE STATE FORMULA, UH, GENERAL FUND TOTAL OF 3 5, 3 0.5 SHORT TERM RENTAL PERMIT FEE UP ALMOST $900,000 THIS YEAR THAN LAST.
AND WE'RE INVESTING THAT AS WE, AS WE TOLD YOU, AS WE TOLD YOU, WE WOULD, UM, STRAIGHT BACK INTO THE PROGRAMS THAT ARE AFFECTED.
UM, AND THAT, AND THAT SERVE THE SHORT TERM RENTAL PROGRAM, SOFTWARE HOSTING, ADMIN, CODE ENFORCEMENT, LEGAL OPERATING COSTS, EMS SERVICES INCREASE DUE TO THE RATE INCREASE AND INCREASE IN CALL VOLUME, INVESTMENT INCREASE, UH, SELF-EXPLANATORY.
AND WE'RE ALSO PROPOSING A NEW RESIDENTIAL PLAN REVIEW FEE EQUAL TO 50% OF THE PERMIT FEE.
I KNOW I TALKED TO YOU ABOUT SEVERAL FEE INCREASES, BUT I'VE BROUGHT FORWARD TWO PLAN REVIEW FEES.
ONE FOR A RESIDENTIAL PLAN SET AS WELL AS STORM WATER.
YOU DON'T NEED TO REALLY DIVE INTO THIS, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, AT LEAST IT'LL BE ONLINE AND YOU CAN PERUSE THROUGH THIS IF YOU'D LIKE.
BUT YOU CAN SEE THAT OUR REVS ARE ALWAYS GOING UP.
AND SO PROPERTY TAX LOCAL AT TAX BUSINESS LICENSE DIPPING A LITTLE BIT THIS YEAR, BUT YOU'LL SEE THIS YEAR PROPOSED 12.4 OVER 10, UM, IN, IN 23.
AND SO, UH, AND THREE YEARS AGO, OUR, OUR NUMBERS WERE A COUPLE MILLION LESS.
FRANCHISE FEES, ABOUT THE SAME PERMIT NUMBERS ARE UP, AND THAT INCLUDES THE SHORT TERM RENTAL PERMIT FEES, ALL INCLUSIVE, 1.7 MILLION AS WELL AS A NEW PLAN SET REVIEW FEE CLOSE TO 300 IN OUR FIRST YEAR.
OTHER REVS THAT'S INTERGOVERNMENTAL GRANTS SPEECH SERVICES.
MISCELLANEOUS MENTIONED EARLIER THAT OUR ESTIMATES ARE CONSERVATIVE, ARE REVENUES ARE OFTEN UNDERESTIMATED AND, AND WE AREN'T SPENDING THE FULL BUDGET.
OUR EXPENDITURE IS OFTEN AND ALWAYS SHOULD SAY ALWAYS LESS THAN BUDGET.
SO TOTAL REVS VERSE TOTAL EXPENDITURES IN 20 TOTAL REVS VERSE EXPENDITURES IN 1 22, 23.
WE'RE JUST PROJECTING RIGHT NOW TO MEET BUDGET.
I, I'M, I WOULD IMAGINE THIS WILL CHANGE DRASTICALLY.
AND WE'RE PROJECTING A BUDGET THIS YEAR PROPOSING 57.9 GENERAL FUND POLICY.
JUST REAL QUICK ON THIS, UH, UH, THIS, THIS SHOULD, UH, PUT US AT EASE AND CONFIDENT THAT OUR GENERAL FUND RESERVE POLICY LIMITS, RIGHT? YOU COULD SEE THE LOWER LIMIT, THE GRAY, THE UPPER LIMIT, THE BLUE AND OUR ACTUALS.
WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE'VE INCREASED THAT FEET OR INCREASED THE BASEMENT AND THE CEILING, IF YOU LOOK AT IT, IT WAS 25 AND 30, WE INCREASED IT TO 35 AND 40, AND THEN WE INCREASED IT TO 45 AND 55.
AND WE, WE ARE WITHIN THAT, THAT EXPECTATION AND THAT EXPECTED RANGE.
SO FROM A PERCENTAGE STANDPOINT, AT A DOLLAR STANDPOINT, PROPOSED GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES, SALARY AND BENEFITS, OPERATING CONTRACTED PUBLIC SAFETY, WHICH IS THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SHERIFF'S FEE THAT WE STILL, UH, CONTINUE TO, UM, INCLUDE IN THIS BUDGET.
AS WELL AS THE, UM, FEE SERVICES AFFILIATED AGENCY REQUEST AT 2.3 MILLION.
THE BUDGET FOR A TOTAL OF 54, UM, AS PART OF THE TOTAL REVENUE OF 57.9, A PROPOSAL TO TAKE 2 MILLION OF THOSE DOLLARS AND PUT IT INTO A HOUSING FUND, TRANSFER OUT OF GENERAL FUND INTO HOUSING FUND, AND THEN ALSO TRANSFER INTO A LAND ACQUISITION ACCOUNT.
SO OF OUR OPERATING DOLLARS, I'VE PROPOSED TO TAKE A MILLION OF THAT AND PUT IT IN A LAND ACQUISITION ACCOUNT RATHER THAN ONLY RELY UPON REAL ESTATE TRANSFER FEE AND ONLY RELY UPON SOME OF THOSE OTHER SOURCES.
WE'VE TRADITIONALLY RELIED UPON, UM, A LITTLE BIT OF PLAYING OFFENSE HERE.
UM, IT'S A START, UM, TOWARDS A WHOLE BUNCH OF OTHER DOLLARS THAT I THINK WILL START PAYING DIVIDENDS.
AND SO YOU SEE A GENERAL FUND BUDGET EXPENDITURE PROPOSED 57.9.
[01:35:06]
MENTION THE POSITIONS.UH, AGAIN, TOWN MANAGEMENT, REALLY IN THE EXEC OFFICE, MOST LIKELY REPORTING TO EITHER, UH, ASSISTANT TOWN MANAGER OR DEPUTY, THE MARKETING ENGAGEMENT DIRECTOR AND ASSISTANT FINANCE DIRECTOR, SEVERAL POSITIONS IN FIRE RESCUE AND, AND SEVERAL MORE IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AFFILIATE, A AFFILIATED AGENCY REQUESTS A 2.8 MILLION, UH, REQUEST.
UH, AND YOU CAN, WHERE THE FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE PASSED THIS FORWARD, THE PROCESSES THAT IT WOULD BE LOOKED AT AT F AND A WITH RECOMMENDATIONS AND THEN BAKED INTO THE BUDGET.
AND HERE YOU HAVE THOSE, THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THAT INCREASED 2.29 LAST YEAR AND A 2.86.
I'LL SAVE SOME FOR A WORKSHOP.
BUT LEAN OPERATING BUDGET, COMPREHENSIVE LMO CODE AMENDMENTS, ISLAND WIDE ILLUSTRATIVE MASTER PLAN CONDITIONS AND TRENDS.
IT SEEMS LIKE A BIG BUCKET OF WORK.
IT'S SO HARD TO JUST GO STRAIGHT FROM A TO B TO AMEND OUR LAND MANAGEMENT ORDINANCE WITHOUT SOME REAL NEIGHBORHOOD SCALE PLANNING IN PLACE THAT ASSESSES STORM WATER ROADWAY CAPACITY, PREFERRED LAND USE, AND A WHOLE BUNCH OF THINGS IN BETWEEN.
BUT THERE ARE DOLLARS IN THE CODE AND TIME, UM, ON OUR CLOCK.
AND YOUR STRATEGIC PLAN PRIORITIES WITH THAT PERMITTING AND PLAN REVIEW PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS, I SAY WE GET BETTER EVERY DAY.
WE HAVE GREAT PEOPLE HERE THAT CARE.
NEW CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGER, SOMEONE LIKE CHRIS YATES, THAT'S ME.
MEASURING, MEASURING PERMITS, UM, AND OUR EXPECTATIONS AND HOW WE'RE DOING EVERY DAY.
UH, FUNDING FOR OUR 360 YEAR AND 40 YEAR CELEBRATION AND MUSIC FESTIVALS WE TALKED ABOUT AS STRATEGIC PLANNING, A CONTINUED PUBLIC SAFETY ENHANCEMENT INCLUDING ADDITION OF FLOCK, SAFETY CAMERAS, TRAIL CAMERAS, AND THEN SOME CALIBRATED SALARY ADJUSTMENTS TO REMAIN COMPETITIVE, UM, IN THE PUBLIC PRIVATE SECTORS.
UM, MADE SOME ADJUSTMENTS TO FIRE RESCUE, UH, POSITIONS AND SALARIES LAST YEAR.
WE'RE CATCHING UP WITH THAT THIS YEAR WITH A, WITH A FULL YEAR.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO PRIORITIZE MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS.
UM, AND CHIEF, UH, BLANKENSHIP HAS SAID THAT HE, HE WOULD AND BENEFIT FROM SOMEBODY THAT IS IN THAT BUSINESS ALL THE TIME FOR FIRE RESCUE.
AND I MENTIONED THE, THE, THE, THE BIGGER PICTURE OF THAT, A LITTLE EARLIER.
CONTINUED EXPANSION OF OUR CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY LIGHTING, UH, ENHANCEMENTS TO THE COMMUNITY EVENTS, CRESCENDO LANTERN, EARTH TREE, AND MENORAH.
UH, FREEZE FUNDING FOR PARK MAINTENANCE, ROAD MAINTENANCE, LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE AND CORRIDOR SAFETY.
UM, I KNOW THAT'S IMPORTANT TO YOU, YOU KNOW, THAT'S IMPORTANT TO THE COMMUNITY AND MY TEAM KNOWS THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO ME.
UM, FOCUS ON BEACH OPERATIONS.
UH, REMIND US TWO YEARS AGO WE DIDN'T HAVE A BEACH TEAM.
OUR BEACH TEAM RIGHT NOW IS ONLY TWO PEOPLE AND WE ARE DOING SO MUCH, RIGHT? WE'RE MANAGING 12 ISH MILES OF, OF PUBLIC BEACH ON THE ATLANTIC OCEAN WITH TWO FOLKS THAT REALLY CARE, BUT WITHOUT THEIR PARTNERSHIPS WOULD FEEL LIKE TWO PEOPLE.
SO, GREAT COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, BUT WE'RE GONNA INCREASE OUR AWARENESS AND OUR OPERATIONS ON THE BEACHES AGAIN THIS YEAR.
AND THEN TRANSFERRING A MILLION TO LAND ACQUISITION, AS I MENTIONED, A COMMITMENT TO RECRUITING AND RETAINING, UH, PUT IN THE BUDGET UP TO 4%.
PERFORMANCE BASED SALARY INCREASES.
EFFECTIVE JULY, A LITTLE INCREASE IN TUITION REIMBURSEMENT.
THERE ARE ONLY A FEW PEOPLE IN OUR ORGANIZATION THAT ARE, ARE, ARE BENEFITING FROM THAT TUITION REIMBURSEMENT.
UM, WELLNESS REIMBURSEMENT, A $300 PER EMPLOYEE.
AND THEN CONTINUATION OF OUR, OF OUR, OF OUR PROGRAM, RIGHT? OUR EMPLOYEE BENEFITS PROGRAM, WHICH I THINK IS SECOND TO NONE.
IF SOMEBODY'S WATCHING AND NEEDS A JOB, CALL ME.
WE HAVE A GREAT, GREAT BENEFIT PROGRAM, BUT WE'RE PROPOSED TO, TO CONTINUE THOSE.
WELL, THAT'S GENERAL FUND, THAT'S THE OPERATING ACCOUNT, DON'T.
STORMWATER ACCOUNTS, FOREIGN REPORTS, FINANCIAL RESOURCES FOR OUR STORM WATER EXPENDITURES, INCLUDING STAFFING AND OPERATIONS, OUR INVENTORY AND MODELING, MASTER PLANNING AND ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AND CAPITAL PROJECTS.
A COUPLE YEARS AGO I STARTED TO TAKE STORM WATER AS PROPOSED
[01:40:01]
AND, AND WITH YOUR ADOPTION, TOOK STORM WATER REVENUE OUT OF THE BUDGET AND DUMPED IT INTO THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.AND SO YOU'LL SEE MORE OF THAT IN THIS BUDGET PROPOSAL.
UM, OUR GOAL IS TO IMPROVE AND SUSTAIN OUR STORM WATER INFRASTRUCTURE, OUR WATER QUALITY WITHIN ALL WATERSHEDS AND SUB WATERSHEDS.
AND A BIG PART OF OUR CONVERSATION IS STARTING TO BECOME, AND AS PART OF THIS BUDGET, AN ISLAND RESILIENCE PLAN, PRIMARY SOURCE OF REVENUES ARE STORMWATER UTILITY FEES.
SO THAT IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET, UTILITY FEES AS DERIVED CURRENTLY AS A 5.1, PROJECTED 5.1 MILLION PROJECTED REVENUE.
WE'RE USING SOME PRIOR YEAR FUNDS FOR ONE TIME PROJECTS, NOT FOR OPERATING, NOT FOR PEOPLE, BUT FOR, FOR PROJECT, SOME INVESTMENT INCOME.
AND THEN AS A PROPOSAL PLAN REVIEW FEE.
SO FOR A TOTAL OF 5.885, THE MAJORITY OF THIS BUDGET REVENUES COME FROM OUR FEES.
THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE, OF THE BUDGET, UH, PROPOSED NEW FEES SCHEDULED TO SUPPORT AN UNFUNDED FEDERAL AND STATE WATER QUALITY RANK.
RIGHT? THE N P D E S PERMIT, IT IS A STATE MANDATE, BUT UNFUNDED, A STORMWATER RATE STUDY IS PLANNED FOR FY 24.
BUT I WILL SAY THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO PROPOSE TO NOT START THAT UNTIL OUR RESILIENCE PLAN IS IN PLACE.
TWO NEW FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES, AS I TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, MAJORITY OF THE FUNDS ARE FOR MAINTENANCE ROUTINE AND CORRECTIVE IN CAPITAL PROJECTS.
UM, WE, WE WORK HARD TO HAVE A LEAN OPERATING BUDGET IN STORM WATER.
UM, BUT WE'RE STARTING TO DO MORE WITH OUR FUNDS BECAUSE WE'RE USING ADDITIONAL FUNDS AS WELL FOR SOME OF THOSE STORM WATER ENHANCEMENT PROJECTS.
UM, AND A, A GOAL THAT IS IMPORTANT TO YOU AND ME, MORE TRANSPARENCY IN OUR PROJECT DEVELOPMENT, AND THEN I CALL IT PROJECT ROUTINE OR CORRECTIVE MAINTENANCE AS WELL.
SO YOU'LL SEE THAT OUR FEE IS, IS THE HIGHEST, RIGHT? SO IF YOU TOOK A LOOK AT BEAUFORT COUNTY CITY BEAUFORT, PORT ROYAL BLUFFTON, OUR FEE AS A RATE $150 BASED UPON THESE FORMULAS IS, IS THE HIGHEST.
AND IT'S WHY I HAVEN'T PROPOSED TO TOUCH THAT FEE, ESPECIALLY KNOWING THAT WE HAVE A RESILIENCE PLAN, WE HAVE USE OF AT TAX, AND WE HAVE ALL THESE OTHER TRANSFER IN DOLLARS RECOMMENDING THOUGH, UH, FOR A REVENUE SOURCE, UH, ADDING A FEE FOR THIS PERMIT, THE N P D E S PLAN, REVIEW AND INSPECTION FEE.
OUR CURRENT ANNUAL COST, IF WE JUST ADDED UP, IS ABOUT $166,000.
AND I KNOW, AND I THINK A LOT OF US KNOW, A LOT OF MY CALLS FROM YOU AND FROM THE COMMUNITY ARE STORM WATER RELATED INSPECTION RELATED.
I WANT TO MAKE AN INVESTMENT AND IMPROVE THAT INSPECTION, NOT JUST PLAYING DEFENSE, BUT OFFENSE.
AS WE ADJUST THE RATE, I THINK OUR ANNUAL COST WOULD BE ABOUT $372,000 BY ADDING SOME MORE PEOPLE AND INVESTING MORE OF OUR TIME INTO THE PROGRAM.
THAT'S THE SUMMARY OF THE FEE.
SO WE BROKE IT DOWN BY SOME COMPARISON IN THE REGION UNDER ONE ACRE POOL SPAS, DEMOS IN OVER ONE ACRE.
AND AGAIN, PLEASE ABSORB THIS, TAKE A LOOK AT THIS AND I'D LIKE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT IT IN AT THE WORKSHOP.
UM, OR TONIGHT, THE BUDGET EXPENDITURE, SELF-EXPLANATORY SALARIES AND BENEFITS WENT UP.
THAT'S BECAUSE THERE'S ADDITIONAL FOLKS AND THE FOUR AND THE 4% OPERATING UP A LITTLE BIT.
AND YOU'LL SEE THAT, UH, WE CONTINUE TO PAY OFF DEBT, TRANSFER OUT TO GENERAL FUND, TRANSFER OUT ALMOST $900,000 TO C I P, SEE WHERE OUR EXPENDITURES ARE.
OUR PROGRAM DELIVERY IS INTENDING TO GET BETTER WATER QUALITY L M O COMPLIANCE MS FOUR PERMIT.
BUT A, A LOT OF, A LOT OF THE WORK IS EXPLAINED RIGHT HERE.
BUT THAT IS OUR PROGRAM IN AND OF ITSELF.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT WE TALK A LOT ABOUT PUBLIC SYSTEMS, RIGHT OUTSIDE THE GATES, POA SYSTEMS INSIDE THE GATES.
SO PRIVATE PUBLIC SYSTEMS, YOU'LL SEE THE WORKOUT HERE AND A PUBLIC SYSTEM.
WE'RE MAINTAINING AND IMPROVING TOWN RIGHT OF WAYS, EASEMENTS PROPERTIES.
AND INSIDE THE GATES, WE'RE DOING WORK WHERE WE HAVE AGREEMENTS, 23 CORRECTIVE MAINTENANCE PROJECTS FOR 24 9 PUBLIC, 14 PRIVATE, AND, AND AGAIN, BASED UPON THOSE AGREEMENTS, BUT THEN ALSO BREAKING DOWN WHERE THEY ARE.
AND SO I I, I SAID TO YOU EARLIER, I WANT THERE TO BE A VERY CLEAR TRANSPARENCY AND PROJECT DEVELOPMENT.
WE ALSO GET TOGETHER PERHAPS AS A, AS A, AS A WORKSHOP COMING UP.
I KNOW THAT TIME IS, IS LIMITED, BUT
[01:45:01]
A, A WORKSHOP TO REALLY DIVE INTO OUR WORK.UM, GREAT WORK BY SEAN, BY BRIAN MCEE, BY JEFF NINGER AND BUCKALOO AND THE WHOLE TEAM.
SO NINE PUBLIC SYSTEM MAINTENANCE PROJECTS.
14 PRIVATE SYSTEM AGREEMENT SYSTEM MAINTENANCE PROJECTS.
THEN AN APPROXIMATE $400,000 COST FOR A RESILIENCE PLAN THIS YEAR.
A SWOT ANALYSIS, MEASURING THAT PROGRAM AGAINST CLIMATE ACTION GOALS, DEVELOPING A PLAN THAT'S POLICY BASED, PROJECT BASED, A LOT OF COMMUNITY INPUT, AND THEN AN ABILITY TO HAVE SOME OPINION OF PROBABLE COST ON SOME OF THESE SOLUTIONS SO THAT I'D BE ABLE TO TELL YOU HOW TO ACCELERATE INVESTMENT.
IF, IF, IF THAT'S YOUR, IF THAT'S YOUR CHOOSING, $860,000 TRANSFERRED OUT TO CAPITAL PROJECTS.
UM, THE PROJECTS ARE HERE, SO I'M LISTING 'EM HERE, BUT ALSO SHOWING THEM IN THE CAPITAL PROGRAM, WHICH AS WE KNOW, CAPITAL PROGRAMS ARE THE CATEGORIES.
UNIT COST OVER 5K EXCEPT ROADS, BUILDINGS, COMPUTER, SOFTWARE THAT THRESHOLD'S 50.
UH, THIS BUDGET, SELF-EXPLANATORY.
I THINK WE ALL KNOW WHAT IT IS.
IT'S, IT'S OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT PROGRAM.
IT'S A FIVE YEAR PROGRAM, BUT WE ALWAYS BUDGET IN YEAR ONE.
WE REVIEW PRIOR YEAR PROJECTS, WE CARRY THEM FORWARD.
WE CONSIDER INTERNAL PROJECTS, THINGS I HEAR FROM YOU, THINGS I SEE, THINGS THAT, THINGS THAT TEAMS SEE.
TAKE A LOOK AT THE, THE, THE AVAILABLE FUNDS.
WE HAVE PLANNING COMMISSION, PRIORITIZE THE PROJECTS AND FOR YOU TO REVIEW AND DECIDE UPON AS PART OF THAT PROCESS.
A PROGRAM PROPOSED THIS YEAR, 39.9 MILLION AS A PROPOSED BUDGET DOWN FROM LAST YEAR.
BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE'RE DOING LESS.
IT MEANS WE'VE BUILT SOME THINGS FROM LAST YEAR.
WE JUST HAD A RIBBON CUTTING YESTERDAY AND WE'RE PROGRAMMING, WHAT I WOULD SAY IN MY OPINION THIS YEAR, MORE THAN LAST EVEN, IS A MORE REALISTIC NUMBER OF WHAT WE CAN EITHER DESIGN, PERMIT AND GET UNDER CONSTRUCTION, SOME OF WHICH WILL GET BUILT, SOME OF WHICH WOULD JUST NEED TO BE UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
SO THOSE DOLLARS NEED TO BE IN THIS YEAR'S ACCOUNT.
AGAIN, SIGNIFICANT TRANSFER IN IN ADDITION TO H TAX, WHICH ARE FOR FIRETRUCK IN ADDITION TO SOME OF THAT CAPITAL SALE OF LAND FROM A, FROM A, FROM A FUND BALANCE.
BUT MOSTLY OUR C I P PROGRAM IS BASED UPON THESE TRANSFERS IN WHICH IS PHENOMENAL IN A, IN A GOOD USE IN DIVERSIFYING THESE FUNDS.
SO YOU SEE THE PROGRAMS, WE, WE TRY TO SAY AND, AND MANAGE EACH PROGRAM.
SO I LIKE TO SAY THAT OUR BUDGET IS PROGRAM BASED AND PRIORITY BASED, BUT YOU CAN SEE THE BEACH PROGRAM INVESTMENT FISCAL YEAR 24, 4 0.5, PATHWAY 48, ROADWAY 6.2 PARKS, 9.1 FACILITIES IN EQUIPMENT, 6.5 FLEET 83, THAT'S THE FIRE TRUCKS THAT'S ALREADY BEEN VOTED ON.
AND THEN SOME SOFT COST FOR LAND ACQUISITION ADMINISTRATION KNOWING THAT THERE'S A LAND FUND.
ASK A QUESTION, UH, THE SLIDE WHERE YOU WERE.
SO HOUSING, UM, IT'S NOT THAT WE'RE NOT DOING HOUSING, IT'S JUST TRANSFERRED TO THE HOUSING FUND.
ANYTHING ELSE ON YOUR NOTES? YOU WANT ME TO CATCH
ARE CAPITAL PROJECTS DIVERSIFIED AMONGST THE ISLAND? I THINK THIS IS AN IMPORTANT MAP AND A PIN DROP TO SHOW WHERE THOSE PROJECTS ARE.
I WON'T GET INTO THESE DETAILS, BUT IT IS IN THE PRESENTATION.
YOU CAN SEE THAT AS YOU LOOK AT IT, AS THE COMMUNITY LOOKS AT IT AS WELL.
TAKE A LOOK AT THE FISCAL YEAR 23 CARRY FORWARD EXAMPLE.
DREESEN NEW FUNDS FOR A TOTAL FOR DREESEN BEACH PARK BOARD WALK ENHANCEMENT OF 8 0 6.
WHAT'S ALSO IMPORTANT IS THIS PROJECT SCOPE REPORTS REPLACEMENT OF BOARDWALK AND CONSTRUCTION OF OVERLOOKED PAVILION AT AT JURIS AND BEACH PARK.
THERE'S STILL A LOT OF WORK TO DO THERE, BUT THAT'S THE SCOPE OF THE PROJECT.
AND SO MORE OF THE SAME THROUGHOUT IT.
ALL PATHWAYS, ROADWAYS, DIRT ROADS INCLUDED, WILLIAM HILTON PARKWAY ENHANCEMENTS INCLUDED.
I KNOW WE NEED TO COME BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD ON SOME OF THESE ROAD SEGMENTS AND SECTORS AND, AND DIFFERENT PIECES OF THE ROAD, ESPECIALLY, UM, IN FRONT OF THE OAKS AND NORTHRIDGE.
WHEN WE GET THROUGH BUDGET AND ADOPT
[01:50:01]
STRAP PLAN AND GET THROUGH SOME OF THESE WORKSHOPS.OUR VERY NEXT WORKSHOP, AS THEY SPOKE WITH THE MAYOR, WILL BE WORKSHOPS TO PUT THOSE IN FRONT OF YOU AGAIN TO SEE IF WE CAN MAKE SOME DECISIONS.
MAIN STREET IS INCLUDED IN THAT AS WELL AS A COUPLE OF PARKS, THOSE PROGRAMS, RIGHT? WE WE'RE GONNA MOVE FORWARD WITH YOU AND AS YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THOSE AND APPROVE THE PLANS, WE'RE GETTING READY TO IMPLEMENT THE, THE PROJECT.
I WON'T, AM I GOING TOO FAST ON THERE? THAT'S NOT IN MY NOTES, BUT YEAH.
CAN YOU BACK UP TO THE SLIDE THAT SHOWS PARKS THERE? SO IF, IF ONE WERE INTERESTED IN PICKLEBALL, FOR INSTANCE,
YOU HAVE THE RIGHT DATE YES MA'AM.
AT 1:00 PM BUT IF ONE WANTED TO LOOK FOR WHERE MIGHT THERE BE? PICKLEBALL COURTS, WOULD THAT BE WHERE YOU'D FIND IT? YOU MAY FIND IT IN ONE OF THE PLANS THAT YOU WILL ADOPT IN THE COMING MONTHS, RIGHT? SO IF WE REMEMBER, WE TOOK A LOOK AT A RACKETS FACILITY QUICKLY.
WE TOOK A LOOK AT CHAPLAIN PARK, WE HAD SOME PICKLEBALL PLANNED THERE, AT LEAST SCHEMATICALLY DESIGNED THERE.
UM, WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT SOME OTHER LOCATIONS.
THE AU A ADRIANA LANE, RIGHT? IF WE COULD CONVERT THAT ONCE WE OWN THAT FROM THE COUNTY.
I KNOW THAT, THAT MY TEAM LED BY BRIAN MCY ALREADY HAS A FEW DIFFERENT BIDS ON THAT PROJECT TO COMPLETELY RESURFACE.
SO WE'LL KNOW WHAT THAT COST IS.
WE COULD EXPAND THERE IF THAT'S YOUR CHOOSING.
SO IT'S, IT'S NOT PICKLE BALL COURT ON THIS MAP, BUT IT COULD BE BAKED INTO YOUR, YOUR PROGRAM.
YOU ALSO HAVE IN HERE AND, AND IT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
MID ISLAND CHAPLAIN CROSSINGS, SHELTER, CHAPLAIN, LINEAR PATTERSON, TAYLOR BARKER THAT SAY TWO COURTS BELONG AT BARKER.
YOU ALSO HAVE IN HERE ARE REC CENTER PUBLIC ART GENERAL PARK ENHANCEMENTS.
WE ALSO KNOW THAT WE KEEP FUNDS, RIGHT? $250,000 IN OLD SCHOOL HOUSE PARK RE RENOVATION OF EXISTING PICKLEBALL COURTS AND BASKETBALL COURTS AND SITE IMPROVEMENTS.
THAT'S THE ONE I WANTED TO ASK ABOUT.
WE ALREADY BAKED $250,000 INTO THIS KNOW, KNOWING THAT PICKLEBALL IS IMPORTANT TO US.
WE PUT A SMALL PATCH JOB ON THE PROJECT, LESSON LEARNED, BUT WE DON'T OWN THE SITE.
SO IN THIS PROGRAM IS ANTICIPATING THAT THAT TRANSFER, THAT LAND OWNERSHIP TRANSFER TO US.
FULL DISCLOSURE, THERE'S A SNAFU WITH A LAND TRANSFER WITH SOME SORT OF EASEMENT RIGHT OF WAY, I SHOULD SAY ENCROACHMENT PERMIT, UH, AT THE CROSS ISLAND.
SO I KNOW THAT WE'RE WORKING CLOSELY CURTIS, JOSH CLOSELY WITH THE COUNTY TO MAKE THAT WORK.
BRISTOL SPORTS, WE'VE GOT SOME FUN, WE HAVE SOME FUNDS IN THERE, EXCUSE ME.
WE HAVE FUNDS IN THERE TO MAKE SOME IMPROVEMENTS THERE AS WELL TO, UH, THE RINK, UH, THE BASKETBALL, THE SKATE, AND, AND SO, AND THEN SOME PARK MANAGEMENT AND CONTINGENCY IS IN HERE AS WELL.
I DON'T WANNA GET SIDETRACKED OFF ONTO PARKS DURING THIS PORTION OF THE, BUT WE KEEP TALKING ABOUT ADRIANA, HOW MUCH LAND IS THERE? I DON'T KNOW.
I I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY ACRES, ALTHOUGH THERE'S SEEMS ABOUT SEVEN OR EIGHT ACRES.
BRIAN, HOW MANY COURTS ARE AT THAT ADRIANA? FOUR TENNIS COURTS.
BUT THERE'S ROOM FOR MORE COUNTY ASSET.
SO YEAH, GREAT QUESTION FOR THE WORKSHOP NEXT WEEK, BRIAN.
WE'LL HAVE, WE'LL HAVE AN ANSWER READY FOR YOU AT THE WORKSHOP.
AND AGAIN, I'M, I'M GOING THROUGH THIS FOR, FOR TIME'S SAKE TODAY, BUT, BUT ALSO KNOWING THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE A WORKSHOP ON THIS NEXT WEEK, NO, WE'RE LOOKING AT A FIVE YEAR CAPITAL PLAN.
BY NO MEANS IS THIS FULLY FUNDED.
WE KNOW THAT, UM, THE PROGRAMS ARE EXPANDING.
THE TEAM IS IN PLACE, I BELIEVE IN THIS TEAM.
THE TEAM'S JEN, UM, SOME PROGRAM MANAGEMENT AND THREE PROJECT MANAGERS RIGHT NOW IN THIS BUDGET PROPOSED IT WOULD BE FIVE PROJECT MANAGERS.
AND THE SKILL SET OF THE NEW PROJECT MANAGERS WOULD BE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT MANAGERS MORE SO THAN OUR CURRENT SKILLSET TODAY.
UM, AND THEN AS WE LOOK AT OUR FIVE YEAR CAPITAL PLAN, BY NO MEANS ARE YOU VOTING ON OR AM I ASKING YOU TO ENTERTAIN THIS? BUT AS WE TAKE A LOOK AT THESE PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS OVER THE STATE LAW REQUIRED FIVE YEAR PROGRAM, IT'S A MAJOR INVESTMENT AND I KNOW THAT, THAT WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT FUNDING AND REVENUE STREAMS POST BUDGET AS WELL.
THESE DETAILED CHARTS JUST RUNNING THROUGH, UM, AND I PRE THERE'S SO MUCH DETAIL IN THEM, UH,
[01:55:01]
BUT THERE'S A CARRY FORWARD FROM THIS FISCAL YEAR AND THEN A PROJECTION FOR FISCAL YEAR WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, AND THEN ALSO FOR FISCAL YEAR 25.SO SHOWING A MULTITA YEAR CAPITAL PROGRAM.
AND THEN THIS IS OUR ATTEMPT TO JUST START LAYING OUT NUMBERS ON A PAGE THAT WILL BUILD THE GOALS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE.
BUT I ALWAYS LOOK AT A FIVE YEAR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, BUT I'M, I'M LASER FOCUSED ON YEAR ONE.
EVERY SINGLE YEAR IS A NEW YEAR ONE.
AND SO THIS YEAR, 39, 9 0.993 MILLION DEBT SERVICE, SELF-EXPLANATORY.
IT ACCOUNTS FOR THE ACCUMULATION OF PAYMENT OF OUR INTEREST IN PRINCIPLE ON OUR LONG-TERM DEBT, OUR LONG-TERM DEBT, AS WELL AS OUR SPECIAL REVENUE DEBT.
AND YOU CAN SEE THE PRIMARY SOURCES OF REVENUE, PROPERTY TAXES, BEACH PRESERVATION FEES, HOSPITALITY FEES, TAX INCREMENT FINANCING FUNDS, AND THE REAL ESTATE TRANSFER FEE.
AND SO, UH, REVENUES OF 17.397, THE NATURAL DISASTER BONDS WERE PAID IN FULL LAST FISCAL YEAR.
YOU SEE THAT THE REVENUES, UH, THE SOURCES OF REVENUE ON, ON A CHART, PROPERTY TAXES SUPPORT LESS THAN ONE THIRD OF OUR ANNUAL DEBT PAYMENTS FOR THE TOWN.
AND SO YOU SEE THIS YEAR PROPOSED EXPENDITURES, UH, PRINCIPLE 12 NINE, SO 13 MILLION INTEREST 28 NEW DEBT.
WHAT WE DID IS PUT IN HERE NEW DEBT ANTICIPATING OR AT LEAST PROJECTING THAT WE WILL AT LEAST ENTERTAIN SOME DEBT AND THAT IF YOU NEEDED TO, WOULD, WOULD TAKE CARE OF THOSE INTEREST COSTS OF THE PROPOSED NEW DEBT FOR SOME TIME.
BUT YOU'LL ALSO SEE IN HERE, LAST YEAR, PRINCIPLE 16 MILLION PAID YOUR PRIOR 15 MIL MILLION PAID.
AND SO WE'RE, WE'RE GETTING OURSELVES IN A GREAT PLACE.
ALL THE DIFFERENT SOURCES OF DEBT, OUR GEO BONDS, OUR SPECIAL OBLIGATION BONDS, OUR STORM WATER BONDS, UH, TOTAL OF 78.4 MILLION OF DEBT DOWN DRASTICALLY HERE.
INTERESTING TOO IS WE START LOOKING AT THIS FINAL LINE WHERE THE FIRMS COME DUE.
SO THAT REDUCTION, 15,000,020 1 15, 23, 15 8, 24, I THINK I MENTIONED A LOT OF THIS STUFF ALREADY.
THE TOWN WILL ISSUE A LEASE FOR THE FIRETRUCK.
THE LEASE PAYMENTS ARE BUILT IN THE GENERAL FUND FIRE RESCUE BUDGET AS A SIGNAL THAT OUR REPLACEMENT IS A PRIORITY AND EXPECTED.
UM, WE'RE IN STORMWATER BONDS ARE PAID FOR THE STORMWATER FUND AND THE BUDGET PROPOSES TO KEEP THE DEBT SERVICE MILLAGE THE SAME FUNDS ALMOST DONE.
SORRY, JUST ONE QUICK THING I THINK THE PUBLIC WOULD BE INTERESTED IN KNOWING, AND THAT IS WE'VE BEEN PAYING OUR DEBT SUBSTANTIALLY OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
THIS WILL BE THE SIXTH YEAR GREATLY REDUCING OUR DEBT.
NEW FUND ACCOUNTS FOR THOSE CORPORATION, UM, PRIORITIES.
TOWN COUNCIL ADOPTED A GULLAH GEECHEE HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORP.
LATE LAST YEAR, BOARDS PLACED FUNDS.
THANK YOU SENATOR DAVIS AND EVERYBODY THAT HELPED WITH THAT.
THANK YOU MR. GREENWAY AND BUFORD COUNTY COUNCIL FOR PUTTING THAT GOOD NEIGHBOR FUND TOGETHER.
WE TOOK 500,000 AS WELL FROM THE COUNTY.
PUT A FEW HUNDRED OR PUT A COUPLE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS INTO A DIFFERENT ACCOUNT AND KEPT 343,000 HERE FOR OVERHEAD FOR THE CORPORATION.
WE CAN GET OFF THE GROUND WITHOUT TOUCHING THAT $5 MILLION ACCOUNT.
UM, WHEN WE APPLIED TO THE STATE, THEY ASKED US HOW WE POTENTIALLY WOULD SPEND THE DOLLARS.
WHAT WE SAID WAS HERE IS THE CHART OF REVENUES, PERSONNEL, OPERATING PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, GRANTS, CAP OUTLAY IN PROJECTS.
THESE ARE, THESE ARE PLACEHOLDERS RIGHT NOW.
I KNOW THAT WE'LL WORK TOGETHER TO FIGURE OUT THE, THE BEST, UM, INVESTMENT, UM, SO THAT THERE'S A GOOD RETURN.
UH, WE HAVE A, OUR FIRST YOU THERE IS A FIRST MEETING OF THE GULLAH GEECHEE MAY WHAT? MAY 17TH.
WHAT WE'LL DO IS WE'LL ADOPT THE BYLAWS AND I'LL BRING TO THEM AN UPDATE AND START WORKING WITH THEM TO, UH, START INTERVIEWING
[02:00:01]
AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.AND THE PURPOSE OF THIS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION IS TO SHOWCASE THE GULLAH GEECHEE, UH, CULTURE HERE TO IMPROVE FACILITIES AND TO LESSEN THE IMPACT OF MODERNIZATION, INVESTMENT IN THE GULLAH GEECHEE HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS, NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESSES, PEOPLE, UM, WITH SOME, SOME, SOME PLANS TO INVEST THOSE DOLLARS TO DO THAT, TO DO SUCH.
SO SOURCE OF REVENUE FOR OUR HOUSING FUND TOWN COUNCIL VOTED LAST YEAR TO PUT A MILLION DOLLARS.
IT WAS, IT WAS, IT WAS MID-YEAR, IT WAS NOVEMBER.
ADOPTED AS TOWN COUNCIL ADOPTED THE NOVEMBER ONE FINDING HOME PLAN.
IT WAS ALSO ASKED THAT WE ATTACH A MILLION DOLLARS TO THAT, UM, INITIATIVE THIS YEAR.
I PUT ANOTHER MILLION DOLLARS INTO IT.
I TOOK THE CAPITAL PROJECT FUNDS OF A MILLION.
THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN FUNDS THAT I KNOW WE HAVE EARMARKED FOR NORTH POINT AS WELL AS SOME TRANSFER FROM CAPITAL PROJECTS FROM PRIOR YEAR OF MONEY.
AND I PUT IT ALL IN ONE PLACE.
IT'S MUCH EASIER FOR ME TO MANAGE.
IT'S MUCH EASIER FOR ME TO WORK WITH YOU ON $3.35 MILLION REVENUES.
GENERAL FUND INVESTMENT SPEND EXPENDITURES PROPOSED ARE SIMPLY FOR NOW I, YOU KNOW, AT THE NORTH POINT OF A MILLION DOLLARS.
AND I KNOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT.
I WILL BE WITH YOU IN EXEC SESSION MIDDLE OF MAY, AND I ANTICIPATE ANNOUNCING AND AWARDING THE R F P AND VERY EARLY JUNE ON NORTH POINT.
THOSE DOLLARS WILL, WILL BE PLEDGED MORE DIRECTLY VERY SOON.
BUT THEN HOUSING INITIATIVES TO BE IDENTIFIED, 2.263 MILLION.
AND THEN ALSO A PAYMENT OF YEAR ONE FOR THE BEAUFORT JASPER HOUSING TRUST FUND.
NEW FUND, MILLION DOLLAR TRANSFER, UM, LAST YEAR, A MILLION DOLLAR PLACEMENT THIS YEAR.
A MILLION DOLLARS FROM ARPA THREE 50 FROM CAP PROJECTS FUNDING THE BEAUFORD JASPER HOUSING TRUST FUND AND SOME NEW INITIATIVES.
T B D BY TOWN COUNCIL FOR A TOTAL BUDGET OF $129,950,000 MAY 2ND TONIGHT.
PUBLIC HEARING, FIRST READING TWO WORKSHOPS, BUDGET ORDINANCE SECOND AND FINAL READING.
AND ANOTHER, ANOTHER PUBLIC HEARING.
AND I ALSO KNOW THAT WE AT SOME POINT WILL NEED TO COME BACK AND, AND CALIBRATE MILLAGE BASED UPON OUR WORK THAT WE'RE DOING WITH BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHEDULE.
AND YOU KEPT PRETTY CLOSE TO AN HOUR.
SO, UH, WE, WE DO NEED A, A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THIS TO MOVE FORWARD.
I WILL MAKE A MOTION, COUNSEL, APPROVE THE FIRST READING OF THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE ADOPTING THE MUNICIPAL BUDGET FOR THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2024, ENDING JUNE 30TH, 2024.
UM, IT WAS VERY COMPREHENSIVE PRESENTATION.
I HOPE EVERYONE, UM, WAS ABLE TO SEE HOW THOUGHTFUL IT WAS PUT TOGETHER.
UM, THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT.
AS MS. BRYSON HAD MENTIONED, UM, DURING THE PRESENTATION OVER THE PAST YEARS, HILTON HEAD ISLAND HAS MADE A CONCERTED EFFORT TO BE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE, TO CONSERVATIVELY USE YOUR MONEY, TO PUT IT WHERE IT BEST AT THE NEEDS OF THE TOWN.
AND, UM, POSITIONED US FOR THE FUTURE AND PAID DOWN OUR DEBT.
ALL OF WHICH I THINK IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO DO AND FOR US TO CONTINUE TO DO.
UM, I WOULD MAKE NO CHANGES WITH REGARD TO THAT.
I DO, UM, HAVE ISSUES AS YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THROUGHOUT OUR EARLIER MEETINGS, I WAS CONCERNED IN, UH, WITH THE NUMBER OF NEW HIRES IN THE EXPANSION OF GOVERNMENT.
IT IS NOT IN LINE WITH THE WAY I SEE GOVERNMENT AND RUNNING.
UM, I THINK THAT YOU DID SHARPEN YOUR PENCIL A LITTLE BIT, BUT FOR ME, NOT ENOUGH.
AND SO, UM, I'D LIKE TO SEE MORE WORK BEING DONE THERE.
ADDITIONALLY, UM, THE OTHER THING THAT I WANNA POINT TO AT THIS MOMENT IS THAT I DO SEE
[02:05:01]
THAT THERE'S A DISCUSSION LATER ON ABOUT THE, UM, EXPECTATION OF A REASSESS, UH, ADJUSTMENT IN THE MILLAGE AFTER REASSESSMENT.HOWEVER, THAT'S TO BALANCE FOR A NEUTRAL THAT DOESN'T RE PROVIDE RELIEF BACK TO THE TOWN, UH, RESIDENTS AND TAXPAYERS.
AND I BELIEVE WITH THIS SIZE BUDGET, UM, WE OUGHT TO BE LOOKING FOR PLACES AND I CAN IDENTIFY SOME AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
IDENTIFY SOME PLACES WHERE WE CAN TAKE DOLLARS AND RETURN THEM BACK TO TAXPAYERS.
AND IN THIS ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT NATIONALLY, IT IS THE APPROPRIATE TIME TO BE DOING IT NOW.
UM, AND SO I LOOK FORWARD TO THOSE FURTHER DISCUSSIONS.
THANK YOU JOHN AND EVERYONE ELSE WHO HELPED PUT OUT TOGETHER THIS PRESENTATION, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE CONTINUING DISCUSSIONS.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS, GLENN? MR. I WOULD JUST SAY THIS IS AN EXCELLENT AND THOROUGH PRESENTATION.
WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO THE WORKSHOPS WHERE WE CAN GET IN AND DO REFINEMENTS, BUT I THINK YOU'VE LAID IT OUT SO THAT I UNDERSTAND IT.
I THINK THE OTHER PEOPLE UP HERE UNDERSTAND IT AND NOW THE PUBLIC IS EXPOSED TO IT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE, UH, THE WORK FOR YOUR TEAM.
UM, I WANNA MAKE SURE THE PUBLIC IS, IS, IS AWARE THAT, UM, SINCE I HAVE SAT IN THIS SEAT, MR. LANDO HAS, UH, TAKEN TIME WITH HI HIS, UH, HIS STAFF TO MEET WITH EACH ONE OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS INDIVIDUALLY PRIOR TO PRESENTING THIS.
AND, UH, I WANNA SAY OUT LOUD THAT WE, UH, DULY APPRECIATE THAT BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY SURPRISES ON THE SCREEN AS WE GO THROUGH THIS FIRST STEP.
I'D ALSO WANT TO COMMEND, UH, MR. ORLANDO AND THE STAFF.
AS WE WENT THROUGH OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING WORKSHOP, WE REALIZED THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF CHALLENGES BEFORE US.
AND IN ORDER TO, UM, GET ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THOSE CHALLENGES, IT'S GOING TO COST US MONEY.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU HAVE ALIGNED THIS BUDGET WITH THOSE PRIORITIES.
I'M SURE IT'S AN INCREASE, BUT WE HAVE AN INCREASE IN EXPECTATIONS AND THINGS THAT WE NEED TO GET DONE.
UH, SO I TOO, UH, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE DISCUSSIONS THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE, UM, AT THE WORKSHOP LEVEL.
I INVITE THE PUBLIC TO STAY ENGAGED AS WE GO THROUGH THOSE DISCUSSIONS BECAUSE, UM, HERE'S THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THIS MUNICIPALITY TO PUT OUR MONEY WHERE OUR MOUTH IS AS FAR AS GETTING SOME THINGS DONE THAT WE ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO HAVE TO, UM, MAINTAIN THE QUALITY OF LIFE THAT WE EXPECT HERE ON HILTON IN.
UH, AGAIN, THANK YOU AND THANKS TO YOUR STAFF.
UM, I KNOW A LOT OF HARD WORK GOES INTO THIS BEFORE I, WE HAVE A CONVERSATION ONE ON ONE, SO I APPRECIATE YOUR STAFF AND ALL OF THEIR HARD WORK AND PUTTING TOGETHER THE NUMBERS.
IT'S, UH, HAVING DONE IT MYSELF MANY YEARS AGO, UM, IT'S HARD WORK
BUT I REALLY APPRECIATE SEEING THE SAME MILLAGE RATE, UH, BUT IMPROVED SERVICES AND, AND THE, THE TOTAL AMOUNT HAS INCREASED LARGELY TO THE 5 MILLION THAT CAME FROM THE STATE, UH, FOR THE CDC, FOR THE GULLAH GEECHEE, UH, HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
UH, THE OTHER THING IS THAT THOSE WHO CAME BEFORE US AT OUR LAST TOWN COUNCIL MEETING, URGING MORE ATTENTION TO WORKFORCE HOUSING.
UH, HOPE THAT THEY PAID ATTENTION TODAY TO SHOW THE NEW HOUSING FUND OF OVER 3 MILLION WITH SOME PROJECTS TO BE IDENTIFIED IN THE FUTURE.
AND I KNOW THAT WE ARE, ARE PUSHING FORWARD WITH FINDING A STAFF TO HELP US MANAGE THAT PROGRAM.
LOOK FORWARD TO THAT, AND ALSO PAY ATTENTION TO THE NORTH POINT ANNOUNCEMENT THAT WE HOPE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THAT SOON.
AND I THINK HAVING THE SIX SEPARATE FUNDS THAT WAY HELPS US KEEP TRACK, UM, ESPECIALLY OF THE HOUSING FUND AND WHERE THE MONEY IS AND WHERE IT'S GOING.
RIGHT? YEAH, THANK YOU, MAYOR.
I WANT TO SAY I SUPPORT THIS BUDGET IN A BIG WAY, AND LET ME EXPLAIN WHY I WOULD CHARACTERIZE IT AS A STRATEGIC COMMITMENT TO RAISING THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR RESIDENTS.
WHY DO I SAY THAT? I THINK THERE IS A RECOGNITION THAT THE REPUTATION, UM, APPEAL VALUE OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND WAS ESTABLISHED EARLY ON BECAUSE OF A VERY HIGH RATIO OF CAPITAL INVESTMENT FOR AMENITIES RELATED TO THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT WERE GOING TO ENJOY THOSE AMENITIES.
AND I THINK THAT THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND AS A TOWN
[02:10:01]
DID NOT KEEP UP WITH THAT RATIO OVER THE LAST SEVERAL DECADES.I JUST THINK THAT THE POPULATION GREW FASTER THAN OUR WILLINGNESS TO INVEST CAPITAL, TO MAINTAIN THE QUALITY AND NUMBER OF AMENITIES ON THIS ISLAND.
SO I THINK THAT THIS BUDGET IS A COMMITMENT TO REPOSITIONING HILTON HEAD, BOTH IN TERMS OF ITS BRAND AND IN TERMS OF ITS ENJOYMENT BY RESIDENTS AND THE EXPERIENCE THAT VISITORS WILL BE ABLE TO ENJOY AS WELL.
SO I, I REALLY CONGRATULATE YOU AND, AND THE STAFF BECAUSE OF THE CREATIVITY THAT YOU HAVE SHOWN IN ESTABLISHING REVENUE SOURCES THAT DON'T LEAN ON THE PROPERTY TAXES OF RESIDENTS.
YOU HAVE DONE AN EXTRAORDINARY JOB IN THAT REGARD, AND IT ALLOWS ME TO SAY, I SUPPORT THIS BUDGET BECAUSE WE ARE ABLE IN THIS COMMUNITY TO REINVEST IN A BIG WAY FOR THE BENEFIT OF OUR CITIZENS.
YES, IT HONOR, IT'S, IT'S ONE THING, UH, TO CAMPAIGN FOR PARTICULAR PROJECTS.
IT'S ANOTHER THING TO ESTABLISH A PRIORITY LIST OF 15 ITEMS OR, OR SHOW, BUT NOTHING REALLY HAPPENS UNLESS YOU PUT THE DOLLARS BEHIND THAT.
AND I THINK YOU'VE DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB OF, OF LISTENING TO WHAT ARE THE COMMUNITY'S PRIORITIES AND PUTTING THE FUNDS BEHIND THEM.
SO AS, AS A NEWBIE UP HERE, UM, I THINK THAT THE WAY THAT THIS BUDGET HAS BEEN PRESENTED, SITTING WITH STAFF, EACH ONE OF US INDIVIDUALLY, HELPED US UNDERSTAND THE DIRECTION AND, AND, AND ALL THE REVENUE SOURCES AND ALL THE EXPENDITURES AND HOW IT'S ALL PUT TOGETHER.
I APPRECIATE HOW YOU WENT TO EACH DEPARTMENT HEAD AND ASKED THEM TO, TO PROVIDE A BUDGET WITHOUT YOU PUTTING A CAP ON IT.
YOU COME IN AND TELL ME WHAT YOU NEED.
AND THEN WE ALL HAD, WE ALL HAD INPUT ON THAT.
UM, I AGREE THAT, THAT THIS IS ALLOWING US TO REINVEST IN OUR COMMUNITY IN A, IN A WAY THAT HASN'T BEEN DONE IN A LONG TIME.
AND TO BE SUSTAINABLE, WE HAVE TO REINVEST IN OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH INFRASTRUCTURE, THROUGH PROGRAM AT ATTRIBUTES, THROUGH SAFETY, THROUGH MANAGEMENT, THROUGH COST CUTTING, WHICH SOME OF THESE HIRES I UNDERSTAND WILL HELP WITH COST CUTTING.
SO I TOO DO SUPPORT THIS BUDGET AND APPRECIATE WHAT EVERYBODY HAS DONE, UH, TO BRING IT HERE TODAY.
SO I JUST, I CAN'T APPLAUD YOU ALL ENOUGH FOR THAT.
SO, ANY OTHER LAST COMMENTS FROM, FROM THE COUNCIL? SEEING NONE? YEP.
WE WILL OPEN IT UP TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
FOLKS, WE'RE IN BIG TROUBLE AND I'M HERE TO HELP.
TOWN BUDGETS AND AUDITS ARE A FRAUD, NO ACCOUNTING ON MILLIONS OF OVERCHARGED LEGAL FEES HIDDEN BY DISHONEST TOWN CPA LAWYERS.
MILLIONS OF A TAX FUNDS HANDED TO THE CHAMBER, PLUS MILLIONS OF HOSPITALITY TAX HAS DISAPPEARED.
GREEN FINNEY AUDITOR WAS HIRED BY VIOLATORS, ORLANDO GRUBER, BOTH CAUGHT COMMITTING ILLEGAL ACTS WITH CPA TROYER AND TOW.
THEY CALL THIS A POSITIVE BUDGET INDEPENDENT AUDIT THAT COULD NOT BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH.
THIS IS NOT AN EXTERNAL INDEPENDENT FINANCIAL AUDIT OR A BUDGET.
A BUDGET HIRED BY TOWN INSIDERS, DONE BY TOWN INSIDERS AND PAID WITH TAX FUNDS TO HIDE AND CHEAT TAXPAYERS BUDGET AND AUDIT ONLY SHOWS WHAT INSIDERS WANT US TO SEE.
ONLY A TRUE INDEPENDENT EXTERNAL FORENSIC AUDIT SHOWS THE REAL NUMBERS ON HOW AND WHERE TAX FUNDS WERE ILLEGALLY USED AND WASTED.
PEOPLE ARE OFTEN CONFUSED ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A FINANCIAL STATEMENT AUDIT PREPARED BY INSIDERS AND A DETAILED EXTERNAL AUDIT.
THIS GREEN CITY AUDIT WILL NOT ANALYZE EVERY TRANSACTION OR LOOK FOR FRAUD.
I CALLED GREEN FINNEY AND ASKED, DO THEY AGREE WITH MY ASSESSMENT? AND THEY SAID WE DO.
A FORENSIC AUDIT, ON THE OTHER HAND, IS CONDUCTED BY A FORENSIC AUDIT EXPERTS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO UNCOVER FRAUD, WASTE, ILLEGAL CRIMINAL USE IN ISSUE OF TAX FUNDS WHERE WE HAVE ALREADY CAUGHT THESE TAN EMPLOYEES, GRUBER, ORLANDO, AND COLTRANE, UH, DOING MR. ORLANDO.
DO YOU AND, AND, UH, AND, AND TROYER AND THE LAWYERS AGREE TO A FORENSIC AUDIT TODAY? IF NOT, WHY NOT? AND IF YOU HAVE NOTHING TO HIDE, YOU'LL AGREE TO THAT.
THE FACT IS, THIS ENTIRE TOWN COUNCIL HAS NEVER SEEN THE ACCOUNTING TO IDENTIFY THE ILLEGAL TAX USE.
ALEX BROWN HEAD OF FINANCE COMMITTEE WILL ACCOMPLISH NOTHING.
HE HAS NO ACCOUNTING BACKGROUND.
[02:15:02]
LET ME HELP YOU WITH A STATISTIC.NEVER IN THE HISTORY OF THE ENTIRE UNITED STATES HAS A FORENSIC AUDIT BEEN CONDUCTED ON A TOWN GOVERNMENT, A CHAMBER, A SCHOOL DISTRICT WHERE WRONGDOING, WASTE, AND FRAUD WAS NOT DISCOVERED.
MOST OF THE TIME, THE AG AND F, AG AND FBI NEEDS TO ACT ON THIS TOWN FRAUD.
NOW WE END UP WITH A PART-TIME MAYOR WHO HAS STATED, WE DON'T NEED ANY TRANSPARENCY FROM THE CHAMBER PASSED LENNOX SCHEME TO HIDE AC A TAX ACCOUNTING FOR BILL MILES OF THE CHAMBER, INCLUDING THE LAWYER'S FINGER AND COLTRANE, WHO'S WRAPPED A FRAUDULENT CONTRACT TO HIDE DEED'S, $11 MILLION.
NOW, PERRY AND AND, AND BROWN ARE DOING THE SAME.
LAWYERS ARE ALSO ALLOWING THE CHAMBER TO USE TAX FUNDS FOR PRIVATE PURPOSES AND PROFIT.
IT'S ALSO ILLEGAL UNDER STATE SOUTH CAROLINA LAW AND THE REASON THE TOWN WAS SUED FOR ISSUING $600,000 TO SEA PINES FOR THE DREDGING OF HARBOR TOWN.
IT IS ILLEGAL TO USE PUBLIC MONIES FOR PRIVATE PURPOSES.
THAT'S NOT FOR THE PUBLIC GOOD REASON, USE AND BENEFIT.
IT'S ILLEGAL, AND WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND MUCH MORE.
AND THIS COUNCIL HAS NOT ONE CPA.
DO WE HAVE ANYBODY ELSE? HI, MAYOR.
COUNCIL MEMBERS AND, UM, MR. ORLANDO, APPRECIATE THIS PRESENTATION.
IT'S A RE RE EXTREMELY HELPFUL.
SINCE THIS IS THE FIRST TIME AS A PUBLIC, UH, TO HEAR THIS PRESENTATION.
THE FIRST QUESTIONS I WANNA UNDERSTAND IS THAT IF MY UNDERSTANDING IS CORRECT, SO BASICALLY YOU DIRECT SOME ATAC AND H TAX MONEY TO GO TO GO INTO C CIP P AND THEN THE CIP P WILL THEN CARVE OUT HOUSING FUND FROM THE CIP P.
THE FIRST QUESTION IS, CIP P USUALLY IS A ONE-OFF DEAL.
SO WITH THAT FUNDING, THE 2 MILLION HOUSING FUND, IS THAT A ONE-OFF OR IS IT GONNA BE CONTINUOUS FOR FOR THE NEXT YEAR AS WELL? BECAUSE AGAIN, CIP P TO ME IS JUST A ONE OFF DEAL.
AND THE SECOND QUESTIONS I HAVE IS USUALLY ACCORDING TO THE LAW, STATE LAW AAC AND H TAX ARE USED FOR TOURISM RELATED, UH, EXPENDITURES.
SO WITH THIS HOUSING FUNDS AND WITH THE, UM, OTHER FUNDING UNIDENTIFIED PROJECTS THAT YOU'RE GONNA SPEND ON, ARE THOSE RELATED TO TOURISM OR DO YOU HAVE TO CHANGE, UH, THE LAW WITH S 2 84 IN ORDER FOR YOU TO DO THAT? SO THOSE ARE THE TWO QUESTIONS I HAVE.
AND THE THIRD QUESTION I HAVE IS IN TERMS OF HAVING A SEPARATE HOUSING FUND, HOW MUCH THAT MONEY IS GONNA BE USED FOR ACTUAL, UH, RELEASING THE BURDEN OF WORKFORCE, UM, AND HOW MUCH IS GOING TO BE USED FOR GOVERNMENT AGENCIES TO MINISTER, UH, TH THOSE, THOSE, UM, EFFORTS? SO THOSE ARE QUESTIONS I DON'T SEE.
I I DON'T EXPECT AN ANSWER TODAY, BUT I WOULD, UH, LOVE TO SEE AS COUNCIL MEMBERS GET TOGETHER TO DISCUSS ALL THIS, UM, AND THAT WHOLE PUBLIC AS WELL, UH, TO BE INVOLVED BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT TO US AS A RESIDENT BECAUSE WE SUPPORT GOVERNMENT PARTICIPATION, UH, WITH WORKFORCE HOUSING.
BUT ALSO ALL OF YOU CAMPAIGNED ON MAINTAINING HILTON HEAD AND THEN WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE OVERDEVELOPMENT, CUZ CERTAINLY WE DON'T WANT ANOTHER AQUA IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, AS ALEX CREW, UH, AS A, UH, OWNER OF RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND SINCE 2003, UH, I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO, I WOULD COMMEND THE INTELLIGENCE AND THE THOROUGHNESS AND THE CONTEXT WITH WHICH THIS BUDGET HAS BEEN ASSEMBLED.
I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR THE CONSIDERATION ON THE ENTIRETY OF THIS AS WELL.
OF COURSE, AS POSSIBLE PICKLEBALL COURTS.
CHRISTIAN, I SEE YOU STANDING UP BACK THERE.
FIRST OF ALL, FOR ONE, I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU GUYS DO.
HONORUM YOU RECEIVE IS A PIT COMPARED TO THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT YOU PUT IN AND THE TIME YOU TAKE TO SPEAK WITH CITIZENS, WHICH ISN'T ON THE BOOKS.
MR. ORLANDO DID AN OUTSTANDING JOB.
I'M GONNA APPROACH MY COMMENTS FROM A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE.
MANY OF THE THINGS THAT ARE IN THIS BUDGET ARE DESIGNED TO ATTRACT RESIDENTS AND TOURISTS AND VISITORS.
REMEMBER HOW THEY HAVE TO GET HERE.
AS YOU MAKE THESE IMPROVEMENTS TIME, YOU MAKE AN IMPROVEMENT.
IT MEANS THAT MORE WORKERS HAVE TO COME OVER THE BRIDGE
[02:20:02]
FIRST, COME OVER THE BRIDGE, MORE VISITORS COME OVER THE BRIDGE OR EASE COME OVER THE BRIDGE.MY NEXT TOPIC I NOTED, AND I MAY HAVE MISSED IT, THAT THERE WAS A 4% MERIT INCREASE FOR STAFF.
THERE ISN'T A KOHLER IN THERE TOO.
ALSO, SECURITY WENT UP BY 8% JANUARY ONE, EVERY HOUSE WENT UP IN VALUE ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
GASES ON ITS WAY UP AGAIN, WILL BE $4 OVER THE SUMMER.
BEFORE YOU KNOW IT, IF YOUR MOST VALUABLE ASSET BESIDES THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE IS YOUR STAFF AND YOU NEED CARE OF THEM, AND YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A PACKAGE THAT ATTRACTS THEM HERE AND THE VALUED ONES KEEPS THEM HERE.
LOOK AT THAT AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE NOT BURNING OUT.
THE FOLKS THAT ARE LEFT HERE HAVE ENOUGH, BEEN THERE TO KEEP GOOD FOLKS AND ATTRACT GOOD FOLKS NOW.
ANY OTHER, ANY OTHER COMMENTS BEING NONE? ZAYA, WILL YOU CALL THE ROLL PLEASE? NO, LET ME MAKE A MOTION.
COUNSEL, DID I, UH, ARRANGE YOU? I DID.
WILL YOU CALL THE ROLL PLEASE? YES, SIR.
FOR THE REASONS I STATED IN MY COMMENTS, I HOPE TO GET TO YES.
UH, MISSY LEWIS, ASSISTANT COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR IS PRESENT TO DISCUSS PROPOSED ORDINANCE 2023 DASH OH NINE AMENDING TITLE 16 OF THE MUNICIPAL CODE OF THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND, THE LAND MANAGEMENT ORDINANCE TO REMOVE THE VISIBLE DWELLING UNITS AS AN ACCESSORY USE AND TO MODIFY MULTI-FAMILY AND SINGLE-FAMILY DEFINITIONS.
IF SOME POINT, COULD WE TAKE A TWO, A FIVE MINUTE BREAK? YEAH.
Y'ALL WANNA DO THAT NOW? SURE.
LET'S TAKE A FIVE MINUTE BREAK REAL QUICK.
LOOKING FOR A GREAT CAREER OPPORTUNITY? BUFORD COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA HAS SEVERAL JOB OPENINGS IN AREAS THAT WILL MATCH YOUR SKILLSET.
WE'RE LOOKING FOR EMERGENCY MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS, DETENTION CENTER OFFICERS, STORMWATER AND GROUND CREWS, AIRCRAFT MECHANICS, ALCOHOL AND DRUG SPECIALISTS, MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS, IT SPECIALISTS, LIBRARY ASSISTANCE, BUS DRIVERS, AND MUCH MORE.
BEAUFORT COUNTY OFFERS COMPETITIVE SALARIES, BEST IN CLASS BENEFITS, AND A POSITIVE WORK ENVIRONMENT.
APPLY TODAY@BUFORDCOUNTYSE.GOV.
CAN'T BELIEVE YOU'RE DOING THIS ALONE.
I REMEMBER YOU THREW YOUR BACK OUT.
HOW YOU HOLDING UP? HOW ME THAT BOARD? NOTHING WRONG WITH GETTING HELP.
I KNOW YOU WILL, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO IT ALONE.
IF I PROMISE TO LOOK INTO IT, WILL DROP IT AND HELP ME BUILD THIS FENCE.
IF YOU ARE A VETERAN, YOU KNOW, NEED SUPPORT, DON'T WAIT.
FIND RESOURCES AT VA.GOV/REACH.
TODAY WE HAVE SECOND READING OF, UH, AN ALAMO OF OUR FIVE PHASED ALAMO AMENDMENT PROJECT.
UM, THIS AMENDMENT IS THE REMOVAL OF DIVISIBLE DWELLING UNITS AS AN ACCESSORY USE AND CHANGES PROPOSED TO CHANGES PROPOSED TO, UM, MODIFY OUR MULTI-FAMILY AND SINGLE FAMILY DEFINITIONS.
THIS WAS BEFORE TOWN COUNCIL FOR FIRST READING ON APRIL 18, AND WAS, UH, VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO MOVE FORWARD TO SECOND READING, WHICH IS BEFORE US TODAY.
UM, THE CHANGES TO THE DEFINITIONS FOR SINGLE FAMILY AND MULTI-FAMILY CHANGES.
THE DEFINITION FOR SINGLE FAMILY CURRENTLY IS DESCRIBED AS TWO OR ONE OR TWO UNITS ON A PARCEL.
IT CLARIFIES IT SUCH THAT SINGLE FAMILY IS FOR ONE UNIT ON A PARCEL, AND THEN MULTI-FAMILY BECOMES TWO OR MORE.
UM, DIVISIBLE DWELLING UNITS ARE COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS LOCKOUT ROOMS, AND THEY'RE AN ACCESSORY USE THAT'S ONLY PERMITTED IN NEY RESORT AND RESORT DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS.
AND, UH, THOSE ARE RECOMMENDED FOR REMOVAL.
I CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE.
WE MADE A FULL PRESENTATION ON THIS, UH, LAST MONTH.
UM, PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS AMENDMENT.
COUNSEL, APPROVE THE SECOND READING OF THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE.
[02:25:01]
TITLE 16 OF THE MUNICIPAL.GO TO THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND, THE LAND MANAGEMENT ORDINANCE TO REMOVE DIVISIBLE DWELLING UNITS AS AN ACCESSORY USE AND TO MODIFY MULTI-FAMILY AND SINGLE FAMILY DEFINITIONS.
ANY DISCUSSION FROM COUNSEL? ANY DISCUSSION FROM THE PUBLIC? MR. HOLAND? I JUST VERY SIMPLY GONNA SAY WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO A LOT MORE, UH, THE TRAFFIC, THE OVERDEVELOPMENT, THE ENVIRONMENTAL DESTRUCTION, THE OVERCROWDING.
UH, WE GOTTA DO EVERYTHING WE CAN BECAUSE WE'VE JUST, WE'VE, WE'VE REACHED THE LIMIT.
AND, UH, I I JUST HOPE THAT Y'ALL WILL, UH, VOTE UNANIMOUSLY ON EVERYTHING THAT HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH HELPING SAVE WHAT WE HAVE.
ANYBODY ELSE IN THE PUBLIC HAVE A COMMENT? SEEING NONE.
WILL YOU CALL THE ROLL PLEASE? YES, SIR.
MR. HOLAND? I, I THINK YOU'RE, YES.
UH, MR. GRUBER, UH, DEPUTY TOWN MANAGER IS PRESENT TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ON A CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE 2020 3 24 HILTON HEAD ISLAND DESTINATION MARKETING ORGANIZATION, MARKETING PLAN AND BUDGET, THE D O'S MARKETING PLAN AND BUDGET THAT PREVIOUSLY WAS PRESENTED TO THE FNA COMMITTEE FINANCE ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE ON APRIL 18TH.
AT THAT MEETING, THE COMMITTEE VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THIS RESOLUTION.
THEY ALSO EXPRESSED A DESIRE TO RECEIVE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING QUESTIONS THAT HAD BEEN DISCUSSED CONCERNING THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
THEY REQUESTED THAT THE D DMO PROVIDE TOWN COUNCIL WITH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IN GREATER DETAIL TO RESOLVE THESE QUESTIONS.
MR. GRUBER? THANK YOU MR. MAYOR.
UM, THE TOWN CURRENTLY CONTRACTS WITH THE HILTON HEAD, BLUFFTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TO SERVE AS ITS DESTINATION MARKETING ORGANIZATION.
UNDER OUR EXISTING CONTRACT, THE DMO IS REQUIRED TO PROVIDE US WITH AN ANNUAL MARKETING PLAN AND CORRESPONDING BUDGET.
THAT PROCESS TYPICALLY STARTS WITH A SUBMISSION OF THEIR PROPOSED MARKETING PLAN AND BUDGET TO THE TOWN'S ACCOMMODATIONS TAX ADVISORY REVIEW COMMITTEE THAT OCCURRED BACK ON APRIL 18TH OF THIS YEAR.
UM, THAT MEETING WAS THEN, UM, FORWARDED TO THE TOWN'S FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE WITH A RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THE TOWN'S FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE MET ON THIS MATTER A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, AND AT THAT MEETING DID RECOMMEND TO MOVE THIS ITEM TO TOWN COUNCIL.
BUT AT THAT MEETING, THERE WERE SEVERAL QUESTIONS, UM, AND REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL CLARIFICATION AND INFORMATION ON THE BUDGETED THAT HAD BEEN SUBMITTED.
UH, STAFF HAS BEEN WORKING WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF THE D M O ON THIS MATTER SINCE THAT TIME TO HELP REFINE THAT.
AND SO AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO INVITE MR. ARIANA PERISE WITH THE, UH, V C B TO COME UP AND PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION TO YOU.
ARIANA BERNICE, UM, FROM THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND BLUFFTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK TO THE 30%, UM, DMO MARKETING DOLLARS AND MANY OF, UM, YOU AT THE COUNCIL AS WELL AS MAYOR AND TOWN MANAGER AS WELL AS STAFF.
UH, AND OUR TEAM HAVE BEEN WORKING ALONGSIDE ONE ANOTHER FOR THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS.
HAPPY TO STOP AND, UM, GET INTO THE, THE DETAILS OF ANY PARTICULAR ASPECT.
BUT, UM, WE'D LOVE TO SHARE WITH YOU WHERE WE HAVE LANDED IN TERMS OF OUR MARKETING PLAN FOR FISCAL YEAR 24.
WE HAVE COME TO UNDERSTAND, UM, AND WANT TO ARTICULATE THINGS THAT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON TOGETHER REP, UM, REGARDING TOURISM PROMOTION FOR THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS.
I MEAN, WHEN I CAME IN 2015, THESE WERE PRIORITIES, BUT WE'RE ACTUALLY PULLING THESE FORWARD AND ARTICULATING THEM IN OUR PRESENTATION.
SO WE ARE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE.
UM, WE LIKE TO DEFINE THOSE FIRST WITH OUR VALUES, ARTS AND CULTURE, ECOTOURISM, HISTORY, RECREATION AND WELLNESS.
THERE'S MANY ATTRIBUTES THAT FALL UNDER EACH ONE OF THOSE CATEGORIES OR VALUES.
HOWEVER, YOU KNOW, WE'VE TRIED TO SUMMARIZE THEM, BUT UNDERSTAND THAT THOSE ARE GONNA BE SPOKEN TO AT LENGTH, UM, THROUGHOUT ALL OF OUR ADVERTISING AND OUTREACH EFFORTS.
BUT AT THE BASE OF EVERYTHING WE DO IS THE COMMUNITY
[02:30:01]
CORNERSTONE PLAN.THAT PLAN HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN LEADING OUR EFFORTS, NOT ONLY FOR OUR 10 YEAR, UH, MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE DESTINATION REGARDING TOURISM, BUT IT HAS LED US IN THE, IN THE TERMS OF WHERE WE'RE FOCUSING AND HOW WE'RE PUSHING, UM, UH, EFFORTS REGARDING THE DESTINATION INTO THE OUT MARKETS.
SO THE COMMUNITY CORNERSTONE PLAN IS REALLY THE FOUNDATION THAT WE HAVE WORKED IN LOCKSTEP WITH THE TOWN AND THE TOWN STAFF FOR OVER A YEAR.
UM, AND THAT PIECE SUPPORTS THE SIX, UM, PROGRAM INITIATIVES THAT YOU SEE AROUND IT.
HERITAGE FESTIVAL AND EVENTS, WELLNESS, RECREATION MEETINGS AND GROUPS, AND ARTS AND CULTURE.
THIS IS A SMALLER ONE TO READ, BUT WE TRIED BRIGHTER COLORS
SO WE WANTED TO SHOW YOU HOW THE YEAR LAYS OUT.
UM, THROUGHOUT THE FISCAL YEAR, WE HAVE ALWAYS ON MESSAGING THAT ALWAYS ON MESSAGING REALLY TALKS TO ALL THE CORE VALUES AND ATTRIBUTES THAT WE HAVE SPOKEN TO, UM, AT LENGTH, WHICH IS BEACH ECOTOURISM, WELLNESS, RECREATION, ARTS AND CULTURE HISTORY.
AND OUR COMMUNITY CORNERSTONE PLAN.
THOSE WILL BE ALWAYS ON MESSAGING THAT WE'RE TALKING TO OUR OUT MARKETS 365 DAYS A YEAR.
THROUGHOUT THAT TIMEFRAME, THOUGH, WE HAVE CAMPAIGNS THAT ARE SPECIFIC AND UNIQUE IN TERMS OF ATTRIBUTES TO OUR DESTINATION THAT WILL HAVE RAISED CERTAIN CATEGORIES OR CAMPAIGNS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
AS AN EXAMPLE, DURING THE JULY AND AUGUST TIMEFRAME, WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE SEA TURTLE CONSERVATION EFFORTS.
WE'LL TALK DEEPLY ABOUT ARTS AND CULTURE FESTIVAL AND EVENTS.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT KEEPING OUR DESTINATION TOP OF MIND TO A READERSHIP WITH HAS A HOUSEHOLD INCOME, UM, OF THE DESIRED SUBSET THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IN THE PAST.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT SPORTS, IE.
THOSE EFFORTS, AGAIN, REMEMBER WHEN SOMEONE'S PLANNING A TRIP, THEY'RE THINKING THREE TO SIX MONTHS OUT.
SO THOSE MIGHT NOT SCALE ACCORDING TO WHEN THEY MIGHT ACTUALLY BE DOING IT, BUT THEY'RE THINKING ABOUT WHEN I COME IN THREE MONTHS, THESE ARE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING AND OR WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IT IN REAL TIME.
AS WE KNOW, WE JUST TALKED, UH, KICKED OFF SEA TURTLE SEASON JUST A COUPLE DAYS OR YESTERDAY ACTUALLY.
SO, UM, THAT WILL RUN THROUGH OCTOBER.
SO THERE'LL BE A LARGE CAMPAIGN THAT RUNS THROUGH THAT.
ONE OF THE BUDGET DETAILS THAT YOU'VE SEEN AND LOOKED AT, WE WANTED TO JUST BRING FORWARD.
SO WITH, UM, EACH ONE OF THOSE CATEGORIES WITHIN, UM, OUR MARKETING PLAN, YOU'RE GONNA SEE THAT WE HAVE A SCOPE AND AN EXECUTION WITH, UM, THE BUDGET PROPOSED, WE ARE GOING TO, WE'LL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK MORE CLOSELY AND ON A DEEPER LEVEL WITH OUR MEDIA PARTNERS.
ONE OF THE MOST RECENT PIECES THAT WE'VE PUT FORWARD IS THE WATERS ISSUE, UM, WITH TRAVEL AND LEISURE, WHICH HAD DEEP STORYTELLING REGARDING NOT ONLY THE DESTINATION AS A WHOLE, BUT OF OUR RICH HISTORY AND CULTURE.
UM, SOME OF OUR WONDERFUL EFFORTS THAT WE DO WITH, UM, ALL OF OUR CRESCENDO EFFORTS AND WORKING CLOSELY WITH NATALIE AT THE TOWN, SO ON AND SO FORTH.
AND WE TAKE THAT APPROACH, UM, AND WE WORK WITH THE DIFFERENT, UH, PLATFORMS THAT YOU SEE.
UM, DOWN AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE.
SOCIAL MEDIA AND DIGITAL MARKETING CONTINUE TO BE STRONG PLATFORMS FOR THE DESTINATION IN TERMS OF OUT MARKETING.
UM, DEPENDING ON THE CAMPAIGN, DEPENDING ON THE MARKET, WE ARE REACHING THEM QUALIFIED VISITOR AND BRINGING THEM THROUGH THE FUNNEL WITH OUR DIFFERENT EFFORTS REGARDING EITHER OUR RICH CULINARY, WHICH TALKS MORE ABOUT OUR LOCAL SEAFOOD OR OUR HERITAGE.
UM, SOME OF OUR CULTURAL EFFORTS, WE TALK ABOUT SEA TURTLE SEASON, WE ALSO KEEP THE DESTINATION TOP OF MIND IN HAVING PEOPLE VOTE AND ENGAGE AND SHARE THEIR MEMORIES.
AND SO, THOUGH WE ARE NOT SPECIFICALLY TARGETING ONE AREA, WE ARE USING MARQUEE EVENTS, MARQUEE MOMENTS WITHIN OUR, UM, DESTINATION THAT SPEAK TO ALL THE UNIQUE, UM, ATTRIBUTES THAT WE HAVE.
USING THOSE AS KEY IDENTIFIERS IN THE OUTMARKET.
AND WHEN WE PULL THEM THROUGH INTO OUR WEBSITE, HILTON HEAD ISLAND.ORG, THEY CAN TALK AND THEY CAN LEARN ABOUT THE BREADTH OF DIFFERENT, UM, BUSINESSES THAT ARE HERE IN LOCAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT OWN THOSE BUSINESSES, UM, THAT SUPPORT THOSE INITIATIVE.
WHETHER THAT BE CULTURE, HERITAGE, CULINARY RECREATION, SO ON AND SO FORTH.
WE CONTINUE TO WORK, UM, WITH OUR PUBLIC RELATION EFFORTS AND OUR, UM, MY COLLEAGUE INTERNALLY AS WELL AS WITH OUR AGENCY TO HAVE DEEPER ENGAGEMENT.
I USE THE REFERENCE OF THE TODAY SHOW BECAUSE IT'S A GREAT EXAMPLE OF TO SAY WE CAN DO MORE OF THOSE AS WE UNDERSTAND, UM, THE PRIORITIES THAT ARE BEING PLACED IN FRONT OF THOSE MEDIA OUTLETS.
WE WANTED TO TALK ABOUT NOT ONLY BEING A TOP DESTINATION, BUT WE WANNA TALK ABOUT THE NUANCES THAT MAKE US UNIQUE.
SO THOSE ATTRIBUTES ABOUT THE TURTLES, ABOUT THE OYSTER RECYCLING ABOUT OUR ENVIRONMENT, UM, THOSE ARE THE PIECES THAT WE WANNA BRING FORWARD AND HAVE PEOPLE ON A LARGER SCALE, SUCH AS THE TODAY'S SHOW AS AN EXAMPLE, THAT WE CAN BRING FORWARD AND HIGHLIGHT ON A REGULAR BASIS.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO GO AFTER GROUP SALES AND MARKETING, EVEN THOUGH, UM, THE WORLD JUST OPENED AGAIN.
AND I KNOW THAT'S A LITTLE BIT INTERESTING TO SAY CUZ WE WERE OPEN FOR SO MUCH LONGER.
THE MARKET AS A WHOLE WHEN IT COMES TO MEETINGS AND GROUPS WAS NOT TRAVELING.
AND SO THEY ARE CON UM, STARTING TO EMERGE BACK AND TRAVEL FOR BUSINESS.
[02:35:01]
THEY'RE ACTUALLY INCREASING THEIR STAYS STAYING A LITTLE BIT ON THE FRONT END OR PERHAPS ON THE BACK END THEY'RE BRINGING FRIENDS WITH THEM OR FAMILY.AND SO WE WANNA ENGAGE THEM AGAIN, NOT ONLY WITH OUR MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES, WITH OUR WEBSITE AND PLACEMENT WITHIN PUBLICATIONS THAT THEY MIGHT BE READING, BUT WE ALSO WANT TO BE ABLE TO, UM, YOU KNOW, GO TO THOSE TRADE SHOWS, GET OUT THE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE TO OFFER IN TERMS OF, UM, MEETING IN GROUP SPACE HERE IN THE DESTINATION.
WE, UM, OBVIOUSLY WITH COVID, THAT WAS NOT A, A SEGMENT THAT WE WOULD HAVE GONE AFTER.
OUR TOP MARKETS CONTINUE TO BE CANADA, UK, AND GERMANY.
NOW WE NEED TO GO FULL FORCE INTO THOSE MARKETS AND UNDERSTAND THEIR NUANCES TO COME AND FILL OUR TIMEFRAME OF FALL AND WINTER.
THOSE ARE DESIRABLE TIMEFRAMES FOR US, AND WE NEED TO HAVE THEM BE ABLE TO MAKE THAT CHOICE WHEN IT COMES TO TRAVEL AND, AND, AND CHOOSE HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
WE WILL CONTINUE OUR EFFORTS TO DIVE DEEPER INTO OUR PHOTO AND VIDEO ASSETS.
UM, WE WANT TO SHOW THE DESTINATION SEASONALLY.
WE WANNA SHOW IT A DIVERSE DESTINATION.
WE WANNA SHOW A RICH DESTINATION IN TERMS OF ALL OF OUR ASSETS.
AND SO THAT TAKES, UM, MANPOWER AND PEOPLE OUT THERE KIND OF CAPTURING IT AT ALL TIMES.
UM, AT ALL PARTS OF THE SEASON THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
COLLATERAL AND FULFILLMENT, WE PRODUCE A, UM, A BOOK EVERY SINGLE YEAR.
THE COPY TABLE BOOK, GENERALLY SPEAKING, THAT'S 85,000 COPIES POST COVID.
WE WANNA INCREASE THAT TO 90,000.
IT DOES REALLY WELL FOR US AND IS ACTUALLY A DIG DIGITAL VERSION AND GO A LITTLE DEEPER.
BUT THE INTERESTING PART ABOUT THAT IS WE TALK ABOUT INCREASING THESE OPPORTUNITIES, UM, AND GOING A LITTLE DEEPER WITH OUR ASSETS, WHICH HAVE BEEN ASKED OF US.
UM, THE PRINT INCREASE HAS ALSO GONE UP BY 36%.
SO TO JUST GET PAPER INTO PRINT, IT'S UP 36% YEAR OVER YEAR.
SO THAT'S AN IN INCREDIBLE PERCENTAGE INCREASE THAT FOR US IS, UM, ONE THAT WE HAVE TO MANAGE.
AND EVEN IF WE WEREN'T TO INCREASE FROM 85 TO 90, UM, THE COST OF INCREASE OF COST WOULD STILL BE THERE AND APPLY TO THIS PIECE.
UM, IN TERMS OF RESEARCH AND PLANNING, WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH OUR PARTNERS HERE AT U S C B AND THE COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON TO COLLECT SEVERAL DIFFERENT DATA TOUCHPOINTS.
WE ONLY, NOT ONLY DO WE PRODUCE A VISITOR PROFILE STUDY, AN ECONOMIC IMPACT REPORT, WE ALSO, UM, SUPPORT ALL OF OUR PARTNERS, UM, THAT COME THROUGH AND NEED THE DATA THAT COMES FROM THEIR FESTIVAL AND EVENTS.
THE PRICE TO WORK, UM, ON THOSE EFFORTS HAS INCREASED.
IT'S GONE FROM 500 TO $1,500 PER EVENT PER DAY.
SO WHEN WE ASK A PARTNER IN THE, UH, SUPPLEMENTAL, UH, REALM, IF THEY HAVE CAPTURED WHO'S COMING TO THEIR EVENT, HAVE THEY CAPTURED IT AND HAVE THEY BEEN ABLE TO AFFORD THAT OPPORTUNITY, WE GENERALLY SPEAKING, UH, SHARE HALF THE COST WITH THEM.
AND IF THEY NEED MULTIPLE DAYS, WE ALSO, UM, WILL SHARE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES WITH THEM.
WE KNOW THAT HARBOR FEST IS GOING INTO WANTING FIVE WEEKS OF, OR FIVE WEEKS ON A SATURDAY.
SO FIVE TIMES THEY WANT $5,000 WORTH OF COVERAGE FOR SURVEYING.
SO WE'LL SUPPORT THEIR EFFORTS AND HELP THEM MAINTAIN SO THEY CAN ENSURE THEIR, UM, SUPPLEMENTAL DOLLARS WHEN REQUESTING.
THE COMMUNITY CORNERSTONE PLAN CONTINUES TO BE THE FOUNDATION OF WHAT WE'VE BUILT, AND THAT'S A THREE YEAR PLAN.
UM, AND WHEN WITH THAT, WE'VE SEEN IN THE PLATFORM, UM, OR IN THE PIECE THAT WE'VE PRODUCED AND, AND HAS HAVE SHARED WITH YOU THAT WE HAVE THAT PARTNERSHIP WITH MANY OTHER, UM, BUSINESSES AND STAKEHOLDERS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, IT'S IMPERATIVE TO KNOW THAT, THAT THOSE EFFORTS WILL TAKE OVER THREE YEARS AND WILL CONTINUE TO TRACK AND MONITOR OUR PERFORMANCE AGAINST THAT.
UM, THOSE TACTICS AND KPIS THAT WE'VE PUT FORTH.
THE THREE THAT I'VE PULLED FORWARD IN, UH, THE TEAM WILL HELP TO EXECUTE WITHIN THIS FISCAL YEAR WILL BE DEEPER PHOTO SHOOTS THAT SHOW THE DIVERSITY, INCLUSION INCLUSIVE OF VIDEO.
UM, DEFINE AND PRODUCE AND PROMOTE LOCAL VIDEO SERIES.
WE'VE TALKED AT LENGTH ABOUT HOW WE NEED TO SHOW THE COMMUNITY SIDE WITHIN TOURISM.
PEOPLE WHO VISIT, UM, LET'S USE THE MARRIOTT FOR EXAMPLE.
THEY ARE USED TO SEEING THE SAME DORMANT THAT THEY'VE SEEN FOR THE PAST 20 YEARS.
WE NEED TO CAPTURE THAT STORY.
WE NEED TO TELL THE STORIES OF OUR, UM, OUR NEIGHBORS AND OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT WE, UM, TALK WITH EVERY DAY, BUT WE'RE NOT SHARING THEM ON A LARGER SCALE.
SO WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO DEVELOP AND PRODUCE THOSE AS WELL AS WORKING AGAIN WITH OUR PARTNERS AT U S C B TO DO THAT BRAND BOOTCAMP CAMPAIGN.
THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT ASPECT, PART OF THE COMMUNITY PLAN THAT'S SO IMPORTANT.
BUT IF YOU GO INTO MANY OTHER DESTINATIONS, THERE IS THIS KIND OF UNSPOKEN RALLY AND SUPPORT OF THEIR DESTINATION.
THEY UNDERSTAND THE RISING TIDE LIFTS ALL SHIPS, AND THAT THEY'RE ALL THERE TOGETHER WORKING TOWARDS A COMMON GOOD THAT THEIR NUMBER ONE ECONOMY IS TOURISM.
WE WANNA PRODUCE, UM, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH U S C V, THAT BRAND BOOTCAMP, AND THEY DO CURRENTLY HAVE AN ITERATION OF THAT.
WE'VE SAT THROUGH AND TAKEN THAT COURSE AND THEY HAVE, UM, ALIGNED WITH US TO SAY, WE'LL USE THIS AS A FOUNDATION AND BUILD ON, YOU KNOW, THE ASPECTS THAT MAKE MORE TOURISM RELATED EFFORTS AND COULD BE A
[02:40:01]
SEAL THAT STICKS ON THERE.SO AGAIN, DEVELOPING THE CAMPAIGN, PRODUCING THE CAMPAIGN, CREATING THE COLLATERAL THAT WILL GO ALONG WITH THE CAMPAIGN AND LETTING PEOPLE KNOW THAT THEY'RE CERTIFIED.
THEY'VE TAKEN THIS BRAND BOOTCAMP AND THEY ARE ALL THINGS TOURISM.
BUT I THINK WE NEED TO TALK A LITTLE DEEPER ABOUT HOW WE MEASURE SUCCESS.
I THINK THIS IS AN IMPORTANT PIECE AND WE ARE ALWAYS ESTABLISHING PROGRAMS, METRICS AND GOALS.
WE'RE RESEARCHING AND TESTING, CONTINUALLY MONITORING, TRACKING AND ADJUSTING AS NEEDED IN REAL TIME.
UM, THERE'S PARTNER FEEDBACK THAT WE RECEIVE AND WE CAN ALWAYS USE THOSE, UM, AS COMMUNICATION TOOLS BACK AND FORTH, BUT WE ALSO DELIVER RESULTS, APPLY LEARNINGS AND BEST PRACTICES AT A HIGH LEVEL.
THAT'S WHAT WE DO EVERY SINGLE DAY.
BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE TALK ABOUT ALL THE DIFFERENT TOUCH POINTS THAT WE HAVE BECAUSE I THINK AS WE WORK IN PARTNERSHIP TO UNDERSTAND ALL THE DIFFERENT METRICS THAT BEING, UM, USED TO MEASURE SUCCESS, THERE ARE A FEW DIFFERENT PIECES.
SO FIRST AND FOREMOST, WE REPORT OUT TO THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND ON A MONTHLY BASIS, ON A QUARTERLY BASIS, ON AN ANNUAL BASIS AND AN ON-DEMAND BASIS THAT JUST GENERALLY OVERVIEW OF WHAT WE DO REGARDING METRICS.
HOWEVER, IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE ARE BOUND BY OUR CONTRACTUAL, UM, DELIVERABLES.
THOSE 13 METRICS ARE REPORTED ON ANNUALLY EVERY YEAR TO THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD IN A BOOK.
AND THEY REPORT NOT ONLY ON THE CURRENT, UM, CALENDAR YEAR, BUT THEY REPORT OUT ON FIVE YEARS WORTH OF INFORMATION.
AND SO AT ANY POINT IN TIME YOU CAN GO INTO THIS BOOK, WE PRESENT ON IT EVERY SINGLE YEAR, UM, TO ATAC AND NOW TO FINANCE ADMINISTRATION.
SO THIS IS ONE TOUCH POINT AS AN EXAMPLE, WHEN WE LOOK AT JUST, JUST A ACCOM, UM, OCCUPANCY RATE, WE ON AVERAGE FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS HAVE RUN ROUGHLY AROUND 50% OCCUPANCY.
THAT'S STATISTIC WE CAN PULL OUT.
THAT'S TWO DIFFERENT REPORTS COMING TOGETHER THAT WE CAN REPORT DOWN FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
WE CAN OFTEN TALK ABOUT THE REVENUES COMING IN AND THE, AGAIN, 13, HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE COMING TO THE WEBSITE, HOW MANY CONVERSIONS OR HANDSHAKES WE'RE CREATING, HOW MANY NUMBERS OF VISITORS.
THESE ARE REALLY DEEP METRICS THAT WE CONTINUALLY TRACK AND MONITOR AND ARE PRESENTED, UM, EVERY SINGLE YEAR IN THIS BOOK.
IN ADDITION, UM, WE HAVE OUR VISITOR PROFILE STUDY, WE HAVE OUR ECONOMIC IMPACT REPORT THAT WE PRODUCE FOR THE TOWN.
UM, WE RE WE ALSO PRODUCE THE MONTHLY, UM, REPORTING THAT GOES OUT TO ALL OF OUR PARTNERS ON HOW WE'RE DOING AGAINST NOT ONLY OUR COMMUNITY PLAN, BUT ALSO ALL THE OTHER METRICS THAT WE HOLD OURSELVES ACCOUNTABLE FOR.
SO THERE IS A DEEP METRIC EFFORT THAT GOES, UM, IN ADDITION TO THIS.
UM, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT THAT AND THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO BRING FORWARD.
THAT FIRST AND FOREMOST, THERE'S 13 HERE THAT ARE BOUND AND TIED TO THE CONTRACT.
BUT IN THE MARKETING PLAN ITSELF, WE ALSO HAVE KPIS AGAINST ALL OF OUR EFFORTS.
THE CORNERSTONE PLAN WOULD BE NEW THIS YEAR IF IT'S ADOPTED AND ACCEPTED.
AND THOSE WOULD BE METRICS THAT WE'VE, OUR TACTICS THAT WE'VE PUT FORTH WITH AN OWNER OR MULTIPLE OWNERS OR LEAD IN THIS INSTANCE, AND A TIMING OF WHEN IT WOULD BE DELIVERED AND HOW WE'RE MEASURING SUCCESS.
SO THAT WAS A FRAMEWORK THAT WE PUT TOGETHER.
UM, AND IT CARRIES THROUGH NOT ONLY THROUGHOUT THE CORNERSTONE PLAN, BUT IT ALSO CARRIES THROUGH ON OUR CORE MARKETING PLAN, THE MARKETING EFFORTS THAT WE DON'T SEE EVERY DAY IN THE OUT MARKETS.
AGAIN, STRATEGIES, TACTICS, WHO'S THE LEAD, WHEN IS IT GONNA BE DELIVERED? AND HOW ARE WE, UM, PRESENTING ON RESULTS? WE HAVE PUT KPIS AND WE HAVE A YEAR OF THOSE TO PRESENT IN THE CURRENT PLAN.
SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO PRODUCE THOSE, UM, REPORTS AND THEY WILL HAVE, UM, EFFORTS WITHIN ALL OF OUR REPORTING EFFORTS THAT I'VE JUST SPOKEN TO.
SO AGAIN, WE'RE NOT JUST MEASURING ONE TIME A YEAR, WE'RE MEASURING OFTEN IN REPORTING THOSE OUT.
WHEN WE LOOK AT THE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 24, HOW ARE WE LOOKING COMPARED TO LAST YEAR? WE'VE ACTUALLY LINED THESE UP TO REPORT OUT ON ALL THE CATEGORIES, UM, BUDGET SUBCATEGORIES THAT YOU WOULD SEE IN THE MARKETING PLAN.
SO THIS YEAR WE COME FORWARD ASKING FOR THESE FUND, THESE FUNDS, UM, BUT WE WANTED YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT THEY'RE WHERE THEY COMPARED TO THIS LAST YEAR.
UM, THE GRAY LINE INSIDE EACH OF THE COLORED LINES IS WHERE WE PERFORMED LAST YEAR.
UM, IN TERMS OF THE FUNDING, AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, WE ARE NOT ASKING FOR A SUPPLEMENTAL REQUEST IF THIS PLAN IS APPROVED AT THE AMOUNT REQUESTED.
AND HOW DOES THAT BREAK DOWN? SO YOU HAVE A FISCAL YEAR 23 BUDGET SPEND PROJECTION.
WE ARE ENDING THE YEAR AT 30% DMO REVENUES AT JUST UNDER FOUR POINT, UM, ZERO 5 MILLION IN TERMS OF DMO REVENUE.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE THE SUPPLEMENTAL, AS YOU KNOW, THAT'S ISSUED ON A CALENDAR YEAR.
SO WE HAVE THE FIRST, UH, THE SECOND HALF OF 2022 AT 345,000 AND THE FIRST HALF OF WHAT WAS JUST APPROVED AT THE 350, AT 175,000 FOR THIS FIRST HALF OF THE, UH, CALENDAR YEAR LIVING AS THE 4.57.
AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT WE'RE REQUESTING THIS YEAR, THE FISCAL YEAR, 2024 BUDGET,
[02:45:01]
30% REVENUE, UM, WOULD, WE'RE ANTICIPATING IT TO BE 4.1 MILLION.THE SUPPLEMENTAL REQUEST THAT IS THE SECOND HALF FOR ALLOCATION OF FUNDS WOULD BE 175,000.
AND THE DEEPER PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES INCREASE IN COSTS THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED AT, UM, REGARDING PAPER, UM, JUST PRICING OF GETTING ALL THE EVENTS AND EVERYTHING, THOSE PIECES ALL ARE INCLUDED IN THIS ADDITIONAL 400,000 BRINGS US TO ADD 2% UP WHERE WE WERE FROM, UM, THIS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR AT 4.675.
HOWEVER, IF WE ARE NOT APPROVED AT THE 4.675, AND WE ESSENTIALLY TAKE OUT THE 400,000 THAT WE SEE IN THE FISCAL YEAR, WE ARE TAKING 6% OF OUR WORKING DOLLARS AWAY FROM OUR MARKET SHARE.
WE ARE TAKING 6% OUT OF THE, OUT OF THE MARKETPLACE, AND WE ARE GIVING THAT SHARE TO ANOTHER DESTINATION.
I'VE HEARD OVER THE COURSE OF TIME THIS EVENING THAT WE NEED TO PUT THE FUNDING BEHIND WHAT MATTERS.
AND I UNDERSTAND, AND I WHOLEHEARTEDLY BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO PUT IN THOSE EFFORTS INTO THE INFRASTRUCTURE.
BUT I ALSO WANT TO SAY, I WHOLEHEARTEDLY BELIEVE WE HAVE TO FUND OUR NUMBER ONE ECONOMY.
AND IF WE TAKE AWAY THE THINGS THAT ARE BEING ASKED OF US THAT WE'RE SAYING THAT PEOPLE WANT TO SEE AT ADDITIONAL 400,000 THAT WILL MAKE THAT COMPLETE, I THINK WE MAKE A PRETTY GOOD ARGUMENT THAT THOSE NEED TO BE SUPPORTED.
THAT WE CAN'T DEFUND THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE THE MOMENTUM OF MEETING A CIP P PROJECT OF 45,000 OR 45 MILLION, EXCUSE ME, AND OTHER EFFORTS THAT WE WANT TO CONTINUE THE MOMENTUM ON WHEN WE'RE NOT FUNDING THE NUMBER ONE ECONOMY THAT FEEDS THOSE OPPORTUNITIES.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK CLOSELY AT HOW THAT 400,000 IN ADDITION, WOULD HELP US MOVE THAT NEEDLE AND CONTINUE THE MOMENTUM AT ONLY A 2% INCREASE FROM THE YEAR PRIOR.
SO AS PREVIOUSLY STATED THAT THE FINANCE ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE VOTED, UH, UNANIMOUSLY TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THIS RESOLUTION, AND THE CHAMBER HAS PROVIDED US WITH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, UH, TO THE COMMITTEE REQUEST.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS MATTER? I HAVE A MOTION, UH, THAT I WILL MAKE, I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE RESOLUTION APPROVING THE TOWN'S DESTINATION MARKETING ORGANIZATION 2023 DASH 2024 MARKETING PLAN WITH AN APPROVED BUDGET NOT TO EXCEED 4.1 MILLION, REPRESENTING THE ANTICIPATED FUNDING LEVEL OF 30% OF THE TOWN'S STATE ACCOMMODATION TAXES.
AND TO THE EXTENT THAT ADDITIONAL FUNDING HAS BEEN REQUESTED ABOVE AND BEYOND THAT FIGURE, THE TOWN COUNCIL DEFER ACTION ON THAT REQUEST FOR UP TO 90 DAYS FOR A SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSION FROM COUNSEL BECKER? SURE.
UM, THE NUMBER ONE, THE NUMBER ONE PIECE, THE NUMBER ONE VISITOR RESIDENT SATISFACTION, UM, COMPONENT OF THE CONTRACT.
I, I HEAR AN AWFUL LOT ABOUT THE VISITOR AND I DON'T HEAR AN AWFUL LOT ABOUT THE RESIDENT.
THIS WAS DELIBERATELY PUT INTO THE CONTRACT BECAUSE THE RESIDENT SATISFACTION IS A PRIMARY FOCUS, I BELIEVE, OF ALL OF US, BUT CERTAINLY OF MINE.
AND SO CAN YOU TALK TO US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE EFFORTS MADE TO OUTREACH AND THE IMPROVEMENT OF, UM, THE RESIDENTS OVERALL SATISFACTION? ABSOLUTELY.
SO THE RESIDENT SEDIMENT SURVEY HAS RUN FOR TWO SESSIONS AT THIS POINT, OR SEASONS.
UM, AND THO THOSE FINDINGS ACTUALLY PLAY INTO THE DETAILS OF HOW WE DEFINE THE CORNERSTONE PLAN.
THEY'VE HELPED US BUILD THE FRAMEWORK.
THEY'VE HELPED US OUTREACH AND COMMUNICATE WHAT THOSE DETAILS ARE, THAT THEY'RE, THE COMMUNITY RESIDENTS ARE RAISING THEIR HAND THAT THEY WANT TO EITHER KNOW MORE OF, HAVE CONCERNS OF, UM, AND THOSE ARE THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE TO GROW A DEEPER RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM, UNDERSTANDING THEIR NUMBER ONE ECONOMY AND, UM, AFFORDING THEM THE OPPORTUNITIES TO LIVE AND NOT JUST A BEAUTIFUL DESTINATION, BUT A DESTINATION THAT SERVES THEM IN TERMS OF THE AMENITIES, UM, AND DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF WHAT THEY LOVE AND WHAT THEY LOVE TO CALL HOME.
BUT IN ALL OF THAT IS, UM, IS WELL STATED.
IT DOES AFFORD THOSE OF US WHO LIVE HERE AN INCREDIBLE PLACE TO LIVE WITH AMENITIES AND IN OUR ENVIRONMENT.
UM, THE LASTING CONCERN OF THE RESIDENTS IS THE IMPACT TOWN WITH REGARD TO IT'S OVERCROWDED, OVERDEVELOPED, AND THOSE, UM, PARTS.
AND SO I CONTINUE TO HAVE THAT CONCERN AND THAT FOCUS, UM, GOING FORWARD AND, AND HONESTLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE A BIT MORE OF UNDERSTANDING
[02:50:01]
THE RESIDENT FIRST COMPONENT.AND AGAIN, WE'RE HAPPY AT ANY POINT TO WALK THROUGH THE CORNERSTONE PLAN, UM, AS IT WAS, UH, BROUGHT FORTH AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD INTO OUR MARKETING EFFORTS AND THAT WILL GO FORWARD AS WELL AS WE DO INCLUDE THE SURVEY IN OUR, UM, REPORTING EFFORTS, SO WE CAN ALSO SHARE THAT AS WELL.
WHAT WERE THE NUMBER OF RESPONDENTS THIS PAST YEAR? THERE WERE, UM, OUR ONE PAGE, THERE WERE 3,292, JUST A SLIGHT INCREASE.
IT WAS AROUND 3000 A YEAR BEFORE.
JUST SLIGHTLY, YEAH, JUST ABOVE THAT.
I APPRECIATE YOUR, YOUR REPORT AND THE ADDITIONAL DETAIL THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US.
I AM NOT OPPOSED TO THE ADDITIONAL MONEY OVER AND ABOVE THE 30% ALLOCATION.
I NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT IS COVERING THAT'S NOT ALREADY COVERED IN THE PLAN.
AND POSSIBLY YOU, YOU SHOULD COME BACK TO FINANCE ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE OR ONE OF THE COMMITTEES HERE AND GO THROUGH THAT DETAILED EXPLANATION SO THAT WE CAN UNDERSTAND IT AND UNDERSTAND WHETHER WE SHOULD VOTE FOR OR AGAINST IT.
THE OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO PRESENT AGAIN TO F AND WOULD BE WELCOMED.
UM, AND THE PIECES THAT WE WOULD COVER THAT ARE, UM, COVERING IN THOSE ADDITIONAL PROGRAMS ARE THE ONES THAT ARE, UM, ONES THAT WE'VE AGREED UPON, RIGHT? THE ONES THAT DEFINE OUR VALUES AND THE ONES THAT DEFINE OUR ATTRIBUTES.
AND SO IT'S THE PROGRAMMING REGARDING THE ENVIRONMENT.
IT'S THE PRO REGARDING CULINARY, IT'S THE PROGRAMMING AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXECUTE ON THE CORNERSTONE PLAN.
THOSE ARE MET NEW OPPORTUNITIES AT THE LEVEL THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
CORNERSTONE BEING ABSOLUTELY BRAND NEW.
UM, SO WE CAN ABSOLUTELY GO A LITTLE BIT DEEPER ON THAT.
UM, AND WE WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR REPORT GOER.
UM, AS I'VE SAID IN THE PAST, I THINK THE CHAMBERS WORK OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS HAS BEEN OUTSTANDING.
I I THINK EFFORTS ARE IMPRESSIVE.
THE PERSONNEL THAT I'VE WORKED WITH ARE, ARE IMPRESSIVE.
IT'S, I HAVE NO REAL QUESTION ABOUT, UH, HOW GOOD A JOB YOU GUYS HAVE DONE.
UH, AND MORE RECENTLY, UH, APPRECIATE YOUR SPENDING A LOT OF TIME WITH STAFF, COORDINATING WITH THE TOWN'S OBJECTIVES, GETTING MORE IN LINE WITH WHERE THE TOWN WANTS TO GO.
I ALSO APPRECIATE THAT YOU'VE CONDENSED THE REQUEST INTO ONE TIME TO DEAL AGAIN WITH THE, UH, SUPPLEMENTAL AT A FUTURE POINT IN TIME.
I THINK THOSE ARE ALL VERY POSITIVE THINGS AND AND APPRECIATE WORK AND EFFORT YOU PUT IN TO GET TO THAT POINT.
FAIRNESS OF THE ADDITIONAL 400,000.
UM, I STILL, I HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS AS TO WHETHER THAT'S SOMETHING WE SHOULD GO FORWARD WITH AT ALL.
UM, AND AT THIS POINT I'M, I'M NOT SURE THAT, THAT IT WAS SOMETHING THAT I COULD SUPPORT.
THANK YOU MS. BERNICE, FOR YOUR REPORT AND, AND THE TIME TO MEET AND, AND LOOK AT THE DOCUMENTS YOU PROVIDED TO US.
UM, A A A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS, UH, FOLLOWING UP ON, UH, MS. BECKER'S COMMENT ABOUT, UM, RESIDENTS, WE DO HEAR A LOT FROM OUR CONSTITUENTS CONCERNED ABOUT THE TRAFFIC AND, AND THE NUMBER OF VISITORS THAT WE HAVE TO THE ISLAND AND THE CAPACITY THAT WE HAVE.
AND IN A NOTE ON, UM, IN THE METRICS REPORT ON PAGE 37, UM, IF YOU LOOK AT, UM, THE SURVEY THAT THE CHAMBER HAD COMMISSION, IF YOU LOOK AT THOSE WHO FEEL, UM, THAT TOURISM IMPACTS THEIR, UH, LIFE WITH A NEGATIVE IMPACT IN THE FIRST WAVE, IT SHOWS A TOTAL OF 60%.
UM, AND THAT INCLUDES SOMEWHAT NEGATIVELY AS WELL AS EXTREMELY NEGATIVELY.
IF YOU LOOK IN WAVE TWO, THE TOTAL IS 54%.
SO YOU DO SEE THAT RESIDENTS CONSIDER TOURISM TO HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT.
OF COURSE, UH, IN, IN THE REST OF THE SURVEY, IT SHOWS, UH, SOME OF THE, UH, THE POSITIVES, UM, POSITIVES TO THE ECONOMY, POSITIVES WITH REGARD TO THE TAX BASE, WITH JOBS, WITH THE ABILITY TO HAVE RESTAURANTS HERE YEAR ROUND.
BUT ALSO, UH, THE NUMBER ONE NEGATIVE, UM, ASPECT OF TOURISM IS TRAFFIC.
UM, SO THAT LEADS ME TO THE METRIC.
UM, AND THIS IS ON PAGE 14 OF THE 2022, THE METRICS ANNUAL REPORT.
UM, THEN IN 2022, WE HAD 3.09 MILLION VISITORS.
UM, THE PREVIOUS YEAR, 2021 WE ADD 3.13 MILLION.
UM, 2020, WE ALL KNOW WHAT YEAR THAT WAS, 2.6 MILLION.
[02:55:02]
BUT EVEN BEFORE THAT 2019, WE HAD 2.6 8,000,020 18, 2.62 MILLION.SO IF, IF YOU MEASURE SUCCESS BY HIGHER AND HIGHER, THAT'S ONE WAY TO LOOK AT IT.
BUT I DO REMEMBER THAT THE CHAIR OF THE ATAC, UH, THE ACCOMMODATIONS, UH, TAX COMMITTEE ASK ABOUT HOW MANY
MY QUESTION IS, IS IT TOO HIGH? SO SHOULD THAT, SHOULD, SHOULD, UH, PERFORMANCE BE MEASURED BASED ON A LOWER NUMBER OF VISITORS, BUT SCATTERED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR? UM, AND SO I CHALLENGED THE CHAMBER TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT, AND I CHALLENGE OUR TOWN COUNCIL TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT METRIC BECAUSE OF WHAT OUR RESIDENTS ARE SAYING TO US.
AND WHAT THE SURVEY REVEALS IS THAT THERE'S A, A MAJORITY OF FOLKS WHO BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE NEGATIVELY IMPACTED BY TOURISM.
UM, SO I, I DO WANT US TO THINK ABOUT THAT.
UM, THE CHAMBER HAS SAID THAT, UH, YOU DON'T MARKET IN THE SUMMER.
WE HAVE LOTS OF FOLKS HERE IN THE SUMMER.
UM, BUT THE, THE PLAN SHOWS MARKETING ALL THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, AND THAT'S A LITTLE CONFUSING.
I, I, I CAN UNDERSTAND MARKETING SAY IN THE SPRING, UH, I START, SAY IN THE FALL FOR SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS IN THE SPRING OR IN LATE SUMMER FOR SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS IN THE FALL.
BUT IT'S A LITTLE BIT CONFUSING WHEN WE SEE A RAPPORT IN THE MARKETING PLAN ABOUT YOU'RE AROUND MARKETING, RIGHT? IF YOU'RE NOT MARKETING IN THE SUM FOR THE SUMMER.
SO JUST SOMEHOW CLARIFY THAT FIRST.
I'M GONNA START WITH THE FIRST ONE.
SO THE NUMBER OF VISITORS, UM, AGAIN, I, LIKE I HAD MENTIONED TO, UM, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE A TAX COMMITTEE, WE ARE NOT, UM, HELD TO A CRYSTAL BALL OF KNOWING WHAT THE NEXT NUMBER, BUT I WILL BE RESPONSIBLE AND THE TEAM WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR QUALITY OF VISITOR.
AND I THINK WE HAVE WORKED REALLY HARD WITH THE TEAM AND THE STAFF HERE AT THE TOWN TO UNDERSTAND AND DEFINE WHO THAT QUALITY OF VISITOR IS.
WHAT DO THEY LOOK LIKE? WHAT DO THEY DO? HOW DO WE WANT THAT CONSUMER TO DIGEST THE DESTINATION, RIGHT? SO WE'VE PICKED OUT CORE VALUES.
UM, AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE ARE A DOMESTIC ISLAND DESTINATION WITH THE BEAUTIFUL BEACH THAT WILL MAINTAIN AND CONTINUE TO AT THE FOREFRONT OF OUR MESSAGING, BUT IN ADDITION, ARTS, CULTURE, HISTORY, CULINARY, UM, ECOTOURISM AS AS A WHOLE.
UM, AND SO BY US FOCUSING ON THE QUALITY OF VISITOR THAT COMES IN, WE CAN ULTIMATELY MAINTAIN HOW THAT CONSUMER, WHO THAT CONSUMER IS WHEN THEY'RE COMING.
WE'VE ALSO INCREASED THE HOUSEHOLD INCOME FROM JUST BEING UP TO 150,000, BUT IT'S NOW 150,000 TO 250,000 K PLUS, RIGHT? SO WE'RE ALSO GOING AFTER A FAIRLY SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE US POPULATION AND BEYOND, UM, I THINK LESS THAN 13% IF MEMORY SERVES AT THE TIME WHEN IT WAS BEING RESEARCHED.
SO THAT IS A VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE AND A VERY LARGE, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, NET THAT WE HAVE TO CAST TO CAPTURE THEM.
AND I THINK THAT WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT HOW WE MARKET AND HOW MANY MONTHS THAT WE ARE ON, WE CONSTANTLY NEED TO BE TOP OF MIND.
AND HOW DO YOU DO THAT WITH YOUR CORE MESSAGING? YOU NEED TO BE IN FRONT OF THAT POTENTIAL VISITOR, YOUR QUALIFIED VISITOR WHO NOW HAS HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF CHOICES OF HOW THEY'RE GONNA SPEND THEIR OFF TIME AND THEIR MONEY.
WE NEED TO BE IN FRONT OF THEM TALKING ABOUT OUR ATTRIBUTES AND VALUES OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
AND YOU CAN'T PULL IN AND PULL OUT AND DECIDE WHEN YOU WANNA TURN ON.
YOU NEED TO BE ALWAYS ON BECAUSE YOU HAVE LESS THAN THREE SECONDS TO MAKE A DECISION, AND THEY'RE MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT THREE MONTHS OUT, RIGHT? AND THAT, THAT CAN VARY DEPENDING ON THE TIME, BUT THAT'S HOW LONG IT TAKES.
AND IT MIGHT TAKE THREE, FOUR, OR FIVE DIFFERENT TIMES ON TWO, THREE OR FOUR DIFFERENT MEDIUMS TO GET TO THEM.
AND SO THE APPROACH TO MARKETING IS TO BE OF VALUE TO RESONATE WITH A CERTAIN CERTAIN CONSUMER SET AND BE RELEVANT TO THEM WHEN THE TIME THAT THEY'RE SEARCHING, RIGHT? AND SO WE CONSTANTLY HAVE TO BE FEEDING OUR BRAND AND OUR VALUES AND OUR ATTRIBUTES TO THEM IN AN ALWAYS ON APPROACH USING SEVERAL DIFFERENT TACTICS AND APPROACHES IN TERMS OF MEDIUMS TO GET THEIR ATTENTION.
MY FEAR IS AS WE'RE REDUCING THE FUNDING COMPARED TO LAST YEAR, YOU'RE TAKING THOSE OPPORTUNITIES AWAY TO REACH YOUR QUALIFIED TO REACH THE PERSON OF DESIRE THAT WE WANT TO COME HERE AND SPEND TIME HEADING TO BED AND TO FUND THE ACCOMMODATION TAX THAT THAT FEEDS ALL THE OTHER PROGRAMS AND ENSURES OUR WORKFORCE.
BECAUSE AS SOON AS WE START TO BECOME SEASONAL, WHICH WE HAVE BEEN BEFORE, WE HAVE BEEN A SEASONAL DESTINATION, UM, IT, WHY WOULD IT BE OF ALL NOT IMPACT WORKFORCE? WHY WOULD I COME TO WORK HERE IF I KNOW I'M NOT GUARANTEED 12 MONTHS OF WORK? WHY WOULD I NEED A JOB IF I KNOW I DON'T HAVE ANYBODY COMING IN AS A RESIDENT FOR, YOU KNOW, 12 MONTHS OUT OF THE YEAR? AND SO WE HAVE TO LOOK AT ALL THE DIFFERENT TOUCHPOINTS THAT AREN'T JUST IMMEDIATE, RIGHT? AM I TALKING TO SOMEBODY WHO'S COMING IN IN THE FALL, THE WINTER AND WE ARE TRYING TO DISPERSE THEM THROUGHOUT THE YEAR? WE ARE NOT PROMOTING AND NOR HAVE WE FOR THE VERY LONG TIME EVER PROMOTED, UM, SUMMER, AS
[03:00:01]
LONG AS I'VE BEEN HERE AND, AND WELL BEFORE THAT, WE HAVE NOT PROMOTED SUMMER, THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE THAT MOMENTUM TO STAY, UM, IN FRONT OF THE QUALIFIED VISITOR AND TO BE RELEVANT TO THEM, BECAUSE AGAIN, TO BE RELEVANT MEANS THAT WE'VE CREATED THAT MARKET SHARE, THAT WE HAVE THE SHARE OF VOICE IN THOSE PLATFORMS. IF WE'RE NOT DOING THAT, THEN WE'RE NOT RELEVANT.WE'RE NOT A CHOICE FOR THEM, RIGHT? THEY'RE GONNA CHOSE THE DESTINATION TO OUR EITHER SIDE OF US OR IN FLORIDA OR SOMEWHERE ELSE BEYOND.
NOW, WE DON'T NEED TO TAKE OUR FOOT OFF THE PEDAL, BUT RATHER WE NEED TO PUT THE FOOT ON THE PEDAL.
THAT 6% DIFFERENCE IN MARKET SHARE WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT YOUR REPORTS BETWEEN WE HAVE, UM, OUR STAR REPORT AND OUR, UM, HOME AND VILLA REPORT OCCUPANCY OR ON THE BOOKS THAT WE HAVE OR OUR FORECAST ARE FORECASTING A LIGHTER TIMEFRAME IN THE FALL.
AND IN THE WINTER WE CONTINUE TO LOOK AT THOSE DETAILS.
WE CONTINUE TO ADJUST OUR MARKETING TO BRING HILTON HEAD TOP OF MIND, BUT WITH LESS DOLLARS, YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO BE AS RELEVANT.
AND SO THOSE ARE THOSE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'D LIKE TO HAVE ABOUT HOW ARE WE BEING RELEVANT? HOW ARE WE STAYING RELEVANT, NOT JUST FOR A HEAD AND A BED, BUT FOR ALL THE OTHER TOUCHPOINTS THAT COME WITH NUMBER ONE ECONOMY BEING TOURISM, WORKFORCE, YOU KNOW, JOBS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE THAT REALLY ARE TIED TO HAVING CONSISTENT YEAR ROUND.
YEAH, I APPRECIATE, UH, YOU KNOW, LOCAL BUSINESSES AND, AND WANTING TO HAVE YEAR ROUND, UH, STAFF AND YEAR ROUND SERVICES AND YEAR ROUND BUSINESS.
UH, SO DO WE KNOW THE INCREASE OF ABOUT A HALF MILLION VISITORS IN A YEAR? DO WE KNOW WHEN THOSE VISITORS CAME? DID THEY COME IN THE OFF SEASON OR DID THEY ALL COME IN THE SUMMER WAS THE ADDITION IN THE SUMMER? AND, AND SO THAT'S THE KIND OF INFORMATION I THINK I'D LIKE TO SEE.
UM, RATHER THAN THE SUMMARY OF OF YEAR BY YEAR.
UM, ABSOLUTELY SHARE THOSE DETAILS WITH YOU.
UM, BUT I, I DO APPRECIATE THE INCREASE IN, IN, IN FOCUS ON ECOTOURISM HERITAGE AND CULTURAL TOURISM, AS YOU'VE HEARD ME SAY MANY TIMES IN WELLNESS TOURISM, WHICH I THINK IS NOT, ALTHOUGH I'M A GOLF PLAYER,
UH, MY HUSBAND'S A TENNIS PLAYER, WE BOTH BIKE.
UM, I'VE EVEN PLAYED PICKLEBALL.
I'M SORRY, ALL THE PICKLEBALL PEOPLE AREN'T, STILL AREN'T HERE.
UM, BUT I APPRECIATE ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT WELLNESS.
UM, SO, UM, I, I APPRECIATE THE, THE FOCUSES ON THOSE AREAS AS WELL.
UM, I, I AM CONCERNED THOUGH ABOUT THE IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, AND, UH, I WILL ALWAYS BE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.
UH, OUR COMMUNITY BROADLY, THE FOLKS WHO LIVE HERE, THE FOLKS WHO WORK HERE, UM, OUR ENVIRONMENT.
UM, AND, UM, I I, I CANNOT SUPPORT AN INCREASE AT THIS TIME.
AND, AND I'M NOT EVEN SURE I'LL SUPPORT THE MOTION BECAUSE I DON'T WANNA COME BACK IN 90 DAYS AND LOOK AT IT AGAIN.
UM, THANK YOU MR. AGAIN FOR YOU'RE WELCOME.
UM, YOUR INFORMATION, UH, JUST A LITTLE BIT TO EXPAND ON, UM, CONSTABLE BRYSON'S POINT OF THE INCREASE OF THE VISITOR AND HOW WE BREAK THAT OUT.
I THINK THAT'S ABSOLUTELY IMPORTANT.
UM, AS A, AS A METRIC, UM, PERSONALLY SPEAKING FROM MY, MY SORT OF BUSINESS.
UM, YOU DEFINITELY, UH, FEEL SOME SEASONALITY.
UM, BUT YOU DON'T REALLY KNOW THE INCREASE SUMMER VERSUS OUTTA SEASON.
AND TO BE ABLE TO PULL THAT OUT I THINK WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO, TO SUPPORT THE ARGUMENT.
UM, I, I'M GOING TO BE SUPPORTING THE, UH, THE DEMO MOTION, UM, THIS EVENING.
I WANTED TO JUST SIMPLY POINT OUT THAT THE COMMUNITY CORNERSTONE PLAN TO ME IS A HUGE STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
UM, IT, IT STARTS TO OPEN THE DIALOGUE, QUITE FRANKLY IS CHALLENGING US AS A MUNICIPALITY AS WELL.
OKAY? AS I GO THROUGH THAT DOCUMENT, I SEE THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF INITIATIVES THAT ARE TARGETED FOR 2025.
AND YOU KNOW, THE, THE QUESTION THAT COMES TO MY MIND IS, DO WE NOT MARKET THOSE BECAUSE WE'RE NOT READY? OKAY? NOW, SO THAT'S A CHALLENGE TO THE TOWN AS WELL AS TO WHERE WE MAY NEED TO HAVE FURTHER INVESTMENTS SO THAT IF WE START TO MARKET, PEOPLE ARE SATISFIED WHEN THEY GET HERE.
UM, SO I THINK WE ARE IN A, WE ARE IN A GOOD PLACE.
UH, I THINK, I THINK WE DO NEED TO, TO SORT OF SOME BREATHING ROOM, SO TO SPEAK, TO, TO, TO FIGURE IT OUT AS FAR AS THE ADDITIONAL IS CONCERNED.
UH, SO, UH, I WELCOME, UM, YOU BACK TO, TO F AND A OF COURSE, UH, BUT I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE KEY FOLKS FROM THE TOWN STAFF WORKING ALONGSIDE YOU, UH, SO THAT THAT INFORMATION IS BROUGHT BACK TO US AND WE CAN REALLY START TO, UH, UNPEEL THOSE CHALLENGES SO THAT WE CAN SOLVE THEM SO THAT WE HAVE NO DOUBT IN OUR MIND THAT YOU ALL KNOW HOW TO TARGET AND GET THE PEOPLE HERE.
[03:05:01]
DOUBT AT ALL.BUT AS FAR AS WHERE WE ARE AS A COMMUNITY, I THINK THAT'S THE CHALLENGE THAT'S BEFORE US.
AND, AND THAT'S WHY WE NEED TO, TO TAKE THE NEXT 90 DAYS OR SO TO, TO, TO FIGURE IT OUT.
BRAD, I APPRECIATE YOUR FEEDBACK AND I THINK THE ONE QUESTION I ASK BACK IS, AS THE TEAM WORKS THROUGH AND UNDERSTANDS THE 4.1, BUT THOSE 400, UH, THOUSAND ADDITIONAL DOLLARS ARE IMPERATIVE FOR EXECUTING ON SOME OF THE OTHER PROGRAMMING, I'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE CAN HAVE THOSE COLLABORATIVE CONVERSATIONS BECAUSE THEY DO IMPACT THE, THE BOTTOM LINE, RIGHT? THEY DO IMPACT WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO SHOW IN RESULTS, AND THEY DO IMPACT WHAT YOUR EXPECTATIONS ARE OF US.
AND SO I NEED TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE CAN, PERHAPS, I'M NOT SAYING IN SHORTEN THE TIME IN 90 DAYS, BUT I DO NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT IF IT'S GONNA BE A CONVERSATION THAT I REQUEST, THAT THE CONVERSATION IS A FULL CONVERSATION.
HOW CAN WE HAVE THAT TOGETHER? HOW CAN WE, UM, PUT ASIDE SOME OF YOUR QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS AND WORK THROUGH IT? WE'VE HELD SEVERAL ONE-OFF, UM, OPPORTUNITIES THAT TALK AT LENGTH ABOUT THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS AND REPORTING.
UM, I HAVE ANY OF MY TIME AVAILABLE SO WE CAN SIT DOWN SO IT'S NOT FRAGMENTED IN THIS COMMITTEE OR THIS PERSON ON THE STAFF, BUT IT'S COMPREHENSIVELY BEING TALKED ABOUT.
UM, SO WE CAN MOVE FORWARD TOGETHER.
THE, THE PROGRAMS THAT ARE BEING REQUESTED OF US THAT ARE BEING DENIED TONIGHT AT THE 400,000 ARE PROGRAMS THAT WERE REQUESTED FROM US, LIKE FROM YOU TO US.
SO I, I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT OPPORTUNITY OF HOW WE MOVE FORWARD WHEN THEY'RE NOT YOU BEING ASKED.
BUT THEN WE'RE SAYING, WE'RE SAYING, NO, DON'T MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.
AND WE'RE PUTTING TOGETHER A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THAT TELLS YOU HOW WE'RE SPENDING THE MONEY AND THE METRICS THAT WE'RE PUTTING UP AGAINST IT.
AND SO I JUST WANNA UNDERSTAND WITHIN THE 90 DAYS, HOW DO WE COME TOGETHER TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE USE OF THOSE DOLLARS? AND THAT'S WHERE THERE'S, I THINK, A LITTLE BIT OF MISUNDERSTANDING.
AND, UM, USING MY PERIPHERAL RIGHT NOW TO LOOK OVER AT MR. TOWN MANAGER.
UH, AGAIN, F AND A COMMITTEE, UM, ACCORDING TO OUR 15 PRIORITIES, WHERE IT STATES THAT THE DMO DISCUSSION IS A PRIORITY FOR US, THE FNA COMMITTEE WOULD BE THE ABSOLUTE PLACE FOR THAT TO, TO HAPPEN.
HOW MANY THINGS COME TO MY MIND, ARIANA, AND YOU SERVE, READ MY MIND WHEN YOU MENTIONED, UH, INVESTING VERSUS INVESTING IN FACILITIES AS OPPOSED TO INVESTING IN MARKETING.
THAT'S REALLY WHAT'S ON MY MIND.
BUT BEFORE I BEGIN, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ME TO SAY, BECAUSE I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE CHAMBER FOR A WHILE, UH, YOU'RE NOW, UM, ARE LISTENING YOUR, YOUR WORDS ARE HITTING RESONANCE.
YOU SAY IN YOUR, UH, INFORMATION, OUR COMMUNITY IS THE HEART OF WHO WE ARE AND HOW WE PRESENT OURSELVES TO THE WORLD.
MARKETING IS FOR THE BENEFIT AND WELLBEING OF EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY.
A DESTINATION'S BRAND IS ROOTED IN THE COMMUNITY'S PRIORITIES, AND THE CORNERSTONE PLAN IS SAYING THAT THE TOWN AND CHAMBER MUST WORK TOGETHER.
SO I THINK THOSE ARE ALL GOOD.
YOU SPEAK OF ISLAND VALUES, ECOTOURISM HISTORY, ARTS, CULTURE AND WELLNESS.
AND YOU ADDED RECREATION, UH, SINCE I WAS LOOKING AT SOMETHING I CONSIDER RECREATION TO BE PART OF WELLNESS, IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, PART OF IT.
BUT, UM, AND I WOULD ADD THAT, THAT THOSE ARE GOOD VALUES.
THEY REALLY REPRESENT SORT OF COMMUNITY DNA.
AND SO, UM, I THINK IT'S, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO, TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE ARE INVESTING IN THOSE THINGS.
UM, WE'RE BEING ASKED TO CONSIDER MAR A MARKETING BUDGET THAT EXCEEDS 30% OF AT TAX REVENUES.
AND I POINT OUT THAT AT TAX INCLUDES MARKETING, BUT ALSO TOURIST RELATED CAPITAL INVESTMENT PROGRAM AND OPERATIONS MARKETING GETS PEOPLE HERE AND THOSE OTHER DOLLARS DETERMINE THE EXPERIENCE WHILE THOSE PEOPLE ARE HERE.
SO YOU SAY IT, UM, FACILITIES AND PROGRAMS THAT CONNECT MARKETING PROMISE WITH ISLAND EXPERIENCE.
MY QUESTION WOULD BE, AND THIS IS, IS GRATUITOUS, DOES ISLAND, DOES THE ISLAND HAVE DESTINATION ATTRIBUTES THAT SUPPORT ITS COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE? AND THAT REALLY LEADS US TO ASKING THE QUESTION.
UH, MOST OF US WERE AT THE, UH, RIBBON CUTTING YESTERDAY AT THE, UM, BROAD CREEK SCULPTURE OF PATHWAY.
AND I, I SAY THAT IS A PRIME EXAMPLE OF WHERE WE HAVE DONE SOMETHING THAT UNDERSCORES OUR COMMITMENT TO
[03:10:01]
ECOTOURISM ARTS CULTURE, PROBABLY HISTORY.AND THE THINGS THAT STAND OUT IN MY MIND IS ITS EXCELLENCE IN DESIGN, THE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION, THE PUBLIC ART, THE PURE BEAUTY OF IT, THAT'S EXERCISE INVOLVED.
I WALK OVER THERE A LOT AND THAT IT REALLY IS SORT OF A QUINTESSENTIAL HOSPITALITY.
IT'S A PLACE PEOPLE ENJOY BEING.
SO MY QUESTION REALLY RELATES TO DOES THIS KIND OF INVESTMENT BEAR GREATER DIVIDENDS FOR RESIDENTS AND VISITORS THAN MARKETING DOLLARS SPENT TO OFFSET THE LACK OF THE PATHWAY? SO THAT, THAT, THAT SORT OF BEGS THE QUESTION, HYPOTHETICALLY, THE TOWN COULD AMORTIZE A 25 YEAR LOAN OF 77,500,000 WITH AN ANNUAL COST OF 500,000, THE APPROXIMATE AMOUNT OF THE RECENT DMO SUPPLEMENTAL GRANTS, AND BY DOING SO, ACCELERATE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF AMENITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE.
WOULD THIS BE MORE EFFECTIVE WAY OF SHARING OUR DISTINGUISHING HILTON HEAD ISLAND VALUES AND ULTIMATELY ATTRACTING NEW MA NEW NEIGHBORS WHO SHARE THOSE VALUES THAN RELYING ON THE WORDS OF A MARKETING MESSAGE? FUTURE INVESTMENTS AND FACILITIES, PROGRAMS AND OPERATIONS ARE INDISPENSABLE TO BUILD A SOLID AND DURABLE BRAND.
AND AS THE MARKETING PLAN SUGGESTS TO CONNECTING OUR MARKETING PROMISE WITH ACTUAL ISLAND EXPERIENCES FOR RESIDENTS AND VISITORS, AND THIS IS ONE REASON WHY I'M GOING TO SUPPORT THE MOTION TODAY.
A DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE CHAMBER AND THE TOWN IS THE GREATEST OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD BRAND AND DEVELOP THE VALUES OF ECOTOURISM, HISTORY, ARTS, CULTURE, AND WELLNESS.
THAT COLLABORATION IS NEEDED TO ACHIEVE THE OPTIMAL BALANCE BETWEEN MARKETING AND INVESTMENT GOING FORWARD.
THE OPPORTUNITY, UM, UM, IT WAS A WONDERFUL RIBBON CUTTING YESTERDAY, UM, FOR EXAMPLE OF WHAT WE'RE ALL TRYING TO ACHIEVE TOGETHER.
UM, BUT I, I WILL CONTINUE TO, TO ADVOCATE FOR FILLING THE FUNNEL WITH THE APPROPRIATE VISITOR THAT WE'RE SEEKING, THAT WE NEED FUNDING THAT'S BEING REQUESTED.
AND SO I, I WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY TO FURTHER DISCUSS BECAUSE I DON'T WANNA STOP THE FUNNEL SO WE CAN HAVE THOSE BEAUTIFUL RIBBON CUTTINGS AND THOSE BEAUTIFUL AMENITIES, NOT ONLY FOR OUR RESIDENTS, BUT FOR OUR VISITORS.
UM, AND SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEXT CONVERSATION AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR GUIDANCE AND YOUR LEADERSHIP.
SO FIRST OF ALL, UM, I THINK YOU'VE HEARD FROM ALL OF US THAT THE, THE RELATIONSHIP THAT IS BEING BUILT WITH THIS COUNCIL IN THE CHAMBER IS, IS GROWING RAPIDLY.
LINE OF COMMUNICATION I THINK IS MORE OPEN THAN IT'S BEEN IN A LONG TIME.
AND WE'RE WORKING TO REACH THE SAME GOALS FOR THE GOALS THAT WE COME TOGETHER WITH.
UM, YOU'VE SAID A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I AGREE WITH IN THAT.
ONE IS WE DON'T WANT BUSINESSES TO BE SHUTTING DOWN AS IT USED TO BE IN THE DAYS WHEN THEY WOULD SHUT DOWN FOR ONE, TWO, OR THREE MONTHS OR CLOSE ON SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS AND MONDAYS OR WHATNOT.
UM, WE JUST TALKED ABOUT OUR BUDGET AND WE TALKED ABOUT ATAC AND H TAX AND HOW THAT IS UTILIZED TO FUND A LOT OF WHAT WE HAVE.
SO THAT HAS TO BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION AS WELL.
YOU ALSO MENTIONED 2018 AND ROUGHLY 2.6 MILLION 2019, 2.6 MILLION, ROUGHLY THE SAME WERE THOSE TWO YEARS AND THEY WERE VERY BENEFICIAL TO OUR COMMUNITY.
YOU ALSO MENTIONED, UH, REPAR NOW QUALITY OF THE VISITOR, THE INCREASE IN ROOM RATES PER NIGHT.
UM, WHERE IS THE BALANCE AT 2.6 MILLION IN AN INCREASED ROOM RATE SO THAT WE'RE NOT OVER INUNDATED WITH TOURISM.
THERE IS MORE OF A HARMONY OR A BALANCE.
UM, I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, AS WAS MENTIONED HERE EARLIER, THE GROWTH PERIODS.
IS IT, IS IT THE FALL? IS IT THE WINTER? IS IT THE SPRING? IS IT EARLY SUMMER? IS IT LATE SUMMER? UM, I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND WHERE WE'RE SEEING THE MOST GROWTH.
NOW, WE KNOW THAT THAT DAYTRIPPERS ARE GONNA BE COMING MORE AND MORE BECAUSE OF THE GROWTH OFF ISLAND.
UM, BUT WE MAY HAVE A NATURAL INCREASE OF ANOTHER A HUNDRED THOUSAND PEOPLE A YEAR ON A DAILY BA, YOU KNOW, DAILY TRIPPERS THAT'S GONNA AFFECT US NEGATIVELY.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF QUESTIONS THAT ARE STILL IN MY MIND AND THEY'RE STILL OUT THERE.
[03:15:01]
UM, I DO SUPPORT THE MOTION AND, AND I LIKE THE IDEA OF COMING BACK WITHIN 90 DAYS UP TO 90, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT 90 DAYS.SO IT'S, IT'S, THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE SAYING.
UM, WE'RE NOT TRYING TO PUSH IT OUT.
WE'RE JUST TRYING TO GIVE US ENOUGH TIME, COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS THAT'S BEING BROUGHT FORWARD TODAY WITH THE EXTRA $400,000.
UM, OUR, OUR FIRST GOAL IS TO PROTECT OUR ISLANDERS AND OUR BUSINESSES.
AND WE KNOW THAT A LOT OF WHAT WE HAVE COMES FROM THE REVENUE THAT WE RECEIVE FROM OUR GUESTS, AND A LOT OF THE AMENITIES THAT WE HAVE ARE THOSE FROM OUR GUESTS.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I'LL LET THAT BE THE END OF THE WORDS FROM UP HERE AND OPEN IT UP TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
SO IT IS SOMETHING WE'RE WATCHING CLOSELY AND WE HAVE BEEN FOR AS LONG AS I'VE BEEN HERE, THE BREAKOUT OF VISITOR.
AND SO THAT AGAIN, IS REPORTED, THAT'S FROM MY, BUT IN THE, UM, VISITOR PROFILE STUDY, UM, IT DOES TRACK, UM, VILLA HOME RENTAL'S, HOME HOTEL AND RESORT TIMESHARE, SECOND HOMEOWNERS, NON-PAYING GUESTS AND DAY TRIPPERS TO GIVE US THAT TOTAL NUMBER.
THOSE ARE OTHER CONVERSATIONS THAT WE COULD HA BE HAVING ON A DEEPER LEVEL.
AND WE ARE CHARGED WITH BEING, UM, HAVING RESPONSIBLE TOURISM AND RESPONSIBLE GROWTH.
AND THAT'S WHY WHEN I SAY THERE'S NO CRYSTAL BALL TO SAY HOW MANY VISITORS, BUT THE REAL FOCUS SHOULD BE ON QUALITY OF VISITORS THROUGH OUR ADVERTISING AND GOING AFTER THE 250,000 HOUSEHOLD INCOME THAT, YOU KNOW, GRAVITATES TOWARDS THOSE EXPERIENCES AND ARE, ARE, WOULD GRAVITATE TOWARDS A HOTEL OR HOME AND VILLA ESTATE AT A PRICE RANGE THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO DIGEST AND WOULD BE AMENABLE TO.
THOSE ARE THE THINGS WE'RE SEEKING.
AND I THINK THAT WAS THE PURPOSE AND PLAN OF HAVING, UM, THE DESTINATION MANAGEMENT PLAN IN PLACE FOR THE 10 YEARS THAT SUPPORTS THE 20 YEAR, UM, COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
AND SO WE'RE IN LOCKSTEP WHEN IT COMES TO THE STRATEGY AND OUR LOOK FORWARD AND THAT WE ARE TRACKING AND MONITORING.
AND I THINK WHAT WE'VE DISCOVERED OVER THE TIME THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING TOGETHER THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS IS THAT THERE IS SO MUCH INFORMATION GATHERED.
HOW DO WE GET IT OUT TO YOU ON A MORE CONSISTENT AND CONCISE MANNER? AND SO THAT'S WHAT OUR TEAM IS ALSO WORKING ON.
UM, THERE'S A LOT OF REPORTING DATA OUT THERE, UM, THAT WE ARE CHARGED WITH AND ARE ARE HAPPY TO MOVE, UM, OVER INTO YOUR HANDS ON A MORE REGULAR BASIS.
SO THAT'S IS SOMETHING THAT WE WILL BE DOING AS WELL.
I I DO HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION.
THAT YOU MADE ME THINK OF SOMETHING AND I'M GONNA ASK THE TOWN MANAGER, UM, WITHIN THE GOV OS DATA THAT WE'RE RECEIVING, ARE WE GONNA BE SHARING THAT WITH THE CHAMBER SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A, A CLEARER UNDERSTANDING AS TO OUR POSITION AND WHAT WE'RE SEEING AS A, AS A TOWN AND WHAT THEY'RE SEEING SO THAT IT'S MORE CLEAR? YES, ABSOLUTELY.
I KNOW THAT WE'RE ALSO MAKING A PRESENTATION WITH PUBLIC PLANNING COMMITTEE AND OKAY.
DO I TAKE 35 MINUTE OPPOSING VIEW? NO, YOU GET THREE MINUTES.
UM, THE MARKETING PLAN IS A FRAUD.
IT'S A FAILED OLD BUSINESS MODEL.
THE CHAMBER RECEIVES OVER 11 MILLION ANNUALLY.
WHAT DID WE HEAR THAT TECHNOLOGY DOES NOT DO FOR FREE? THAT'S RIGHT FOLKS.
OUR TOWN COUNCIL APPROVES IT ALL WITHOUT ANY ACCOUNTING.
BILL MILES REFUSES ACCOUNTING FOR THE LAST 35 YEARS AND JUST SAYS NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS HOW HE SPENDS MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
MILES GOES FURTHER BY SAYING IT'S HIS SECRET SAUCE.
NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS, PERRY SAID MILES SHOWED HIM 80% OF RECEIPTS AND INVOICES.
AND WHY WOULD PERRY GET TO SEE THE, SEE THIS PRIOR TO HIS ELECTION WHEN NOBODY ELSE WAS ALLOWED TO SEE IT? YOU LIED WHAT PERRY SAID.
WHAT WILL PA PERRY SAY TO THE IRS AND FBI WHEN HE'S ASKED ABOUT THIS? WHAT WILL PASS MCCANN LENNOX HARKINS SAY THAT TO THE FBI ABOUT THE ACCOUNTING THEY SAID THEY SAW AT THE CHAMBER OFFICE.
PERRY, YOU WILL YOU SUE BILL MILES FOR FULL ACCOUNTING ON THE 11.4 MILLION UNACCOUNTED FOR AND COMPLY TO MY SUPREME COURT RULING WHEN THE CHAMBER DMO CONTRACT EXPIRES THIS FALL.
DO YOU AGREE TO BID IT OUT TO ADD AGENCIES IN LOCAL MEDIA? DO YOU AGREE THAT IT CAN'T BE THIS ILLEGAL CHAMBER UNDER UNDER 5 0 1
THE TOWN CAN, CAN LEGALLY HIRE TWO DMO S.
DO YOU AGREE TO DO THIS? COUNCIL? DOES COUNCIL AGREE TO THE TAX FUNDED DMO WEBSITE? HILTON HEAD ISLAND.ORG CAN ONLY LEGALLY, UH, UH, BE USED TO PROMOTE THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
IT CAN BE NO PAY TO PLAY, NO ADVERTISING SALES, NO FAVORITISM TO CHAMBER MEMBERS, LOCAL COMPANIES, JUST A WELL DONE GENERIC WEBSITE WITH LOTS OF VIDEOS AND
[03:20:01]
PICTURES PROMOTING THE ENTIRE ISLAND.DOES COUNCIL AGREE THE HILTON HEAD BLUFFTON CHAMBER SHOULD SIMPLY BECOME THE HILTON HEAD CHAMBER AND OPERATE LIKE THE OFFICIAL GREATER BLUFFTON CHAMBER, THE CHARLESTON CHAMBER OF THE BEAUFORD CHAMBER, NOT TAX FUNDED AND BE POSITIVE FOR ALL BUSINESSES IN OUR COMMUNITY VERSUS COMPETING WITH ITS MEMBERS AND OPERATING ILLEGALLY? DOES COUNCIL AGREE TO COMPEL A, A FORENSIC AUDIT ON THIS, ON THIS D M O CHAMBER, UH, LIKE WAS DONE ON THE PALM BEACH C V B? ARE YOU GONNA FORENSICALLY AUDIT ALL THIS MONEY? ARE YOU GONNA SEE WHERE ALL THIS MONEY WENT? ARE YOU JUST GONNA, YOU'RE JUST GONNA KEEP ON HANDING IT WITH NO, NO RECORD WHATSOEVER, NO ACCOUNTING.
HOW DO YOU DO THAT? WOULD YOU HAND ME THAT MONEY OR WOULD YOU SUE ME IF, IF, IF, IF, IF, IF, IF I REFUSED YOU TO, UH, SHOW YOU THE MONEY? I'M GONNA TELL YOU WHAT IT'S COMING SOON, BUT I WILL PROVIDE 3 MILLION TOURISTS AS THE NEXT DMO AND I'LL DO IT FOR 500,000, NOT 11 MILLION.
WILL YOU AGREE TO ALLOW ME TO, TO BID FOR THE NEW DMO JOB? I'LL DO IT FOR 500,000 AND I'LL SAVE YOU 11 MILLION.
I'LL PUT IT BACK WHERE YOU CAN BUY LAND AND SAVE IT FOR THE TAXPAYERS.
THANK YOU MR. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THAT.
DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT MS. PRINCE? BUT GOOD AFTERNOON AND THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
UM, I LOOKED AT THE ALLOCATION FOR THE V C B BACK IN 21 AND IT WAS ABOUT TWO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS.
I DON'T KNOW VERY MANY ORGANIZATIONS WHO IN FOUR YEARS GO FROM TWO AND A HALF MILLION TO OVER $4 MILLION.
I KNOW IT'S MANDATED BY STATE LAW AND THERE'S NOTHING Y'ALL CAN DO ABOUT IT.
UM, I THINK THE CHALLENGE TO THE V C B IS TO INCREASE THEIR EFFECTIVENESS AND EFFICIENCY OF THEIR SPENDING PLAN TO ACCOMMODATE CHANGES IN PRIORITY FROM THEIR CLIENT, YOU GUYS, THE TOWNS, THEIR CLIENT, WHILE KEEPING THE BUDGET TO THE 30% MANDATED ALLOCATION OF 4.1 MILLION FOR NEXT YEAR.
AND I THINK THE CHALLENGE TO ALL OF YOU AS COUNCIL MEMBERS IS TO DETERMINE WHETHER THAT'S, WHETHER THEY'RE SUPPLEMENTAL REQUEST IS THE HIGHEST AND BEST USE OF $400,000 AS MR. ORLANDO OUTLINED IN THE BUDGET EARLIER TODAY.
UM, WE HAVE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES TO INVEST IN OUR COMMUNITY AND I DON'T KNOW THAT, UM, WE SHOULD TAKE ANOTHER 10% OF THAT A TAX MONEY AND PUT IT DIRECTLY INTO A MARKETING PLAN WHEN WE HAVE MANY, MANY PROJECTS THAT WOULD BE WORTHWHILE TOURIST FOCUSED, BUT ALSO RESIDENT BENEFICIAL WHERE YOU COULD PUT THAT MONEY.
I HOPE THAT YOU'D CONSIDER THAT.
MR. CHRISTIAN, I ASSUME YOU'RE COMING UP OR YOU YOU'RE NOT LEAVING.
WHY NOT? YOU'RE GONNA SAY AGAIN,
FIRST OF ALL, I'M A MEMBER OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
HAVE BEEN SINCE I ARRIVED HERE.
I WAS A MEMBER OF THE LEADERSHIP CLASS OF 2003 FROM THE HILTON HEAD CHAMBER IN BLUFFTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND TOURISM IS ABOUT BALANCE.
AND FOUR OF YOU LIVE IN A COMMUNITY THAT I MANAGE THAT DOESN'T NOT ALLOW SHORT TERM RENTALS.
I LIVE IN A COMMUNITY THAT DOES NOT ALLOW SHORT-TERM RENTALS.
HOWEVER, I APPRECIATE EVERY TOURIST THAT COMES OVER THAT BRIDGE BECAUSE THEY PAY FOR THE LIFESTYLE WE ENJOY HERE AT A PRICE THAT YOU CAN FIND.
NOWHERE ELSE THEY PAY THE HIGHER TAX RATE FOR THEIR PROPERTY VALUE OF THEIR PROPERTY IS NOT BASED ON SINGLE FAMILY OWNERSHIP.
IT'S BASED ON THE VALUE AS A RENTAL.
AND THAT PUMPS UP THE COST AND INCREASES TAX REVENUE FOR YOU.
WELL, I HATE IT ON SATURDAY MORNING WHEN I TRY TO GO OFF THE ISLAND SATURDAY AFTERNOON WHEN I TRY TO COME BACK Y YOU BET.
BUT SOMETIMES FOLKS WHO ARE TOURISTS, BECAUSE THAT'S HOW WE ALL, MOST OF US GOT HERE, FLIP A SWITCH WHEN THEY SUDDENLY BECOME FULL-TIME RESIDENTS AND SAY THOSE DARN TOURISTS, AND THEY FORGET THAT THEY WERE TOURISTS ONCE TOO.
AND A LOT OF FOLKS WHO LIVE IN THE HEAVY RENTAL AREAS MOVE OUT AND THEY MOVE TO A COMMUNITY THAT DOES NOT ALLOW SHORT TERM RENTALS.
AND THAT'S A SANCTUARY FOR THEM, BUT THEY BENEFIT FROM THAT EXPERIENCE.
SO KEEP IN MIND WE, WE HAVE A GOLDEN GOOSE.
DOES IT NEED TO BE REGULATED? YOU BET.
[03:25:01]
AND IS THERE A LIMIT? PROBABLY.HAVE WE REACHED IT YET? I DON'T KNOW, BUT LET'S NOT KILL THE GOLDEN GOOSE THAT PAYS FOR ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU MR. PERRY MENTIONED JUST A LITTLE WHILE AGO.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT.
SEEING NONE TODAY, WE CALL THE ROLL PLEASE.
CERTAINLY MR. STANFORD FOR THE MOTION.
JOHN ENGINEERS PRESENT TO PROVIDE A BRIEF PRESENTATION OF THE RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE PROS PROPOSED APPROACH TO COMPLETE A STRENGTH, WEAKNESSES, OPPORTUNITIES, AND THREATS SWAT ASSESSMENT FOR SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLING FOR HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
UH, MR. MANAGER MEMBERS OF TOWN COUNCIL.
I'M THE TOWN ENGINEER, AND THIS ITEM OF NEW BUSINESS BEFORE YOU TODAY IS THE CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION WHICH WILL PROVIDE THE PREFERRED APPROACH TO A SWAT ANALYSIS.
THIS IS, UH, AN ASSESSMENT OF THE STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES, OPPORTUNITIES, AND THREATS REGARDING RECYCLING AND SOLID WASTE ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
UH, THE, THE RESOLUTION AND THE PROPOSED APPROACH WAS APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY AT COMMITTEE ON APRIL 17TH.
THAT WAS THE COMMUNITY SERVICES PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE.
UM, EXHIBIT C IN, IN YOUR PACKAGE HERE IS THE OUTLINE OR THE APPROACH, UH, THAT WILL BE IN THE FINAL REPORT.
WE HAVE PROCURED, UH, A CONSULTANT, AN EXPERT IN THE FIELD WHO HAS A BACKGROUND WITH BEFOR COUNTY AND HILTON HEAD RECYCLING AND SOLID WASTE.
UH, IF THIS RESOLUTION IS APPROVED WITH THAT APPROACH, WE WILL COMPLETE NEGOTIATIONS OF A CONTRACT AND MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.
UH, I SEE THIS CULMINATING IN COMING BACK TO COUNCIL FOR A WORKSHOP WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND STRATEGIES FROM THAT REPORT.
OKAY, SIR, SO JUST AS A REMINDER, THE COMMUNITY SERVICES AND PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THIS RESOLUTION.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS MATTER? I CAN MAKE THAT MOTION.
I MOVE COUNSEL, APPROVE A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE PROPOSED APPROACH TO COMPLETE A STRENGTH, WEAKNESS, OPPORTUNITIES, AND THREATS ANALYSIS OR ASSESSMENT FOR SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLING FOR HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
I JUST WANNA NOTE THAT I TOOK THE PETER CHRISTIAN CHALLENGE.
EVERY NOW AND AGAIN, I TRY TO THROW SOMETHING IN TODAY.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL? COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? MR. HOGAN? I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHY THE, UH, THE SACRED GREATER ISLAND COUNCIL IS INVOLVED IN ALL THIS.
THIS IS A VERY SACRED UNDERGROUND TYPE OF, UH, NOT ELECTED.
THESE ARE MADE UP OF ACTUALLY ELECTED OFFICIALS SERVE ON THE GREATER ISLAND COUNCIL.
AND WE DON'T EVEN KNOW WHO A LOT OF THESE MEMBERS ARE.
YOU KNOW, MR. AMS PROBABLY KNOWS A LOT ABOUT THIS.
HE COULD SHARE IT WITH US, BUT HE'S PROBABLY NOT GONNA DO THAT.
WHY DO, WHY DO WE, WHY DO WE HAVE A NON-GOVERNMENT ENTITY INVOLVED WITH GOVERNMENT? I MEAN, IT'S LIKE, UH, MR. PARIS, LIKE YOU SAID WITH THE CHAMBER, YOU WANT TO GIVE MORE, MORE RESPONSIBILITY TO A PRIVATE CHAMBER.
A CHAMBER HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH GOVERNMENT.
GREATER ISLAND COUNCIL HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH GOVERNMENT.
THIS IS WHAT Y'ALL, THIS IS WHY YOU WERE ELECTED.
IT IS SO CORRUPT WITH THE WHAT YOU'RE ALLOWING AND WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
BUT WE'LL JUST KEEP ON LETTING YOU KNOW ABOUT IT.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? MR. CHRISTIAN, THIS IS THE MAIN REASON I CAME TO THE MEETING TODAY,
UH, I'M A MEMBER OF THE GREAT ISLAND COMMITTEE, SO SKIP, YOU CAN WRITE ME DOWN IN YOUR BLACK BOOK.
UM, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR A LONG TIME WITH A, A GROUP OF DEDICATED VOLUNTEERS WHO ARE CITIZENS OF THIS ISLAND COUNTY AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT THAT'S BEEN SHOWN HERE AND WORKING WITH YOU.
AND WE WANT TO TAKE THIS TO THE NEXT LEVEL AND WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY AND WE SUPPORT THE RESOLUTION.
ANY, ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE, FROM THE PUBLIC? SEEING NONE TODAY, WE CALL THE LAW PLEASE.
JOSH GRUBER, DEPUTY TOWN MANAGER IS PRESENT TO PROVIDE A BRIEF PRESENTATION OF PROPOSED ORDINANCE 2023 DASH 11 AMENDING SECTION FOUR DASH 10 DASH 100, MANAGEMENT OF AND USE OF LOCAL ACCOMMODATIONS, TAXES OF THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND CODE OF ORDINANCE PERTAINING TO THE EVENT MANAGEMENT AND HOSPITALITY TRAINING PROGRAM FUND.
I PICKED UP ON YOUR SUBTLETIES THERE,
[03:30:01]
IS A REQUEST COMING OUT OF THE FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE TO LOOK AT AMENDING TOWN CODE TO ESSENTIALLY REMOVE, UM, A MATHEMATICAL FORMULATION OF FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM AND TO, UH, INSTEAD HAVE THEM SUBMIT AN ANNUAL BUDGET AND GO THROUGH THE AFFILIATED AGENCY PROCESS ALONG WITH THE OTHER ENTITIES THAT WE, WE, UM, PROCESS THROUGH THAT, THAT SYSTEM.ANYTHING ELSE ON THAT? OR IS THAT IT? OKAY.
UH, JUST AS A REMINDER, THE COMMUNITY SERVICES AND PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE VOTING UNANIMOUSLY TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THIS RESOLUTION, UM, IS THERE, IS FINANCE, COMMUNITY SERVICE.
COUNSEL, APPROVE THE FIRST READING OF A PROPOSED ORDINANCE 2023 DASH 11 AMENDING SECTION FOUR DASH 10 DASH 100 MANAGEMENT AND USE OF LOCAL ACCOMMODATIONS, TAXES OF THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND CODE OF ORDINANCES PERTAINING TO THE EVENT MANAGEMENT AND HOSPITALITY TRAINING PROGRAM FUND.
ANY DISCUSSION FROM COUNSEL, MR. BRADLEY? YEAH, MR. MAYOR, I WOULD JUST, UH, STATE THAT TWO YEARS AGO, UH, TOWN OF HI NET DIDN'T EVEN HAVE A VEHICLE FOR THE AFFILIATED AGENCIES TO COME BEFORE COUNCIL TO HAVE A DISCUSSION.
AND NOW WE HAVE THAT IN PLACE.
AND, AND AS WE GO THROUGH THIS EXERCISE, WE ARE QUICKLY FINDING OUT THAT WE NEED TO TIGHTEN DOWN SCREWS.
UM, SO THIS CAME OUT OF FNA COMMITTEE SIMPLY, SIMPLY TO, AS, UH, MR. GRUBER HAS ALLUDED TO, UH, CORRECT THE MATHEMATICAL PORTION OF IT.
UH, BY NO MEANS IS THE TOWN LOOKING TO ELIMINATE THIS PROGRAM.
UH, WE DEFINITELY WANT TO CONTINUE A PROGRAM.
UM, BUT THERE WAS, YOU KNOW, GRAVE CONCERN COMING OUTTA THE FA COMMITTEE ABOUT IT BEING A 5% ORDINANCE.
AND I, I LOOK AT THAT TWO WAYS CUZ IF ATEX COLLECTIONS ARE DOWN IS ONLY 5% AND IF THEY'RE UP THEN IT'S 5%.
SO US HAVING THAT DISCUSSION AS TO MEETING THE METRICS AND HAVING A BUDGET AROUND THE EXPECTATIONS IS THE REASON FOR THE CHANGE OF THE ORDINANCE.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION FROM COUNSEL? DISCUSSIONS FROM THE PUBLIC? MR. MR. HOGAN? COME ON.
MANAGEMENT AND USE OF LOCAL ACCOMMODATION TAX.
WHAT TA TAXPAYERS NEED TO SEE IS ALL ACCOUNTING RECEIPTS AND INVOICES, THE TOWN INSIDERS ISSUE AND HOW EVERY PENNY IS USED AND VERIFIED WITH A FORENSIC AUDIT.
WE NEED TO SEE A ACCOUNTING FOR NOT JUST THE MILLIONS OF A TAX FUNDS, BUT HOSPITALITY FUNDS.
WE NEED TO START AGAIN WITH 11.4 MILLION ISSUED AND USED BY THE CHAMBER.
WE NEED TO SEE ALL ACCOUNTING FROM EVERY NONPROFIT, MANY ILLEGALLY FUNDED AND THEIR USE OF TAX MONEY.
LIKE THE CHAMBER LOW COUNTRY GOLF OWNERS ASSOCIATION TIED TO THE CHAMBER IN BILL MILES, THE SECRET TAX FUND FUNDING AND USED MUST END FORMER FBI AGENT FRIEND OF MINE SAID, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT POSSIBLE FOR BILL MILES TO BE PAID A $500,000 SALARY AND A $2 MILLION HOME AND WORLD TRAVEL AND PERKS WITH LEGAL TAX USE.
DOES YOUR COUNCIL UNDERSTAND THAT WE NEED EVERY NONPROFIT OR ANYONE ELSE WHO RECEIVES TAX MONEY TO SIGN A TAX RECIPIENT AGREEMENT AND CONTRACTS THAT FULLY SPELLS OUT THE LEGAL IMPROPER USE AND AUDITS AND REPORTING OF MILLIONS OF TAX FUNDS THAT HAVE DISAPPEARED IN THIN AIR AND UNACCOUNTED FOR? THIS IS TAXPAYER'S MONEY, NOT TOWN EMPLOYEES AND COUNCIL'S MONEY.
IF THIS COUNCIL WANTS TO GET RID OF ME AND STOP ME, STOP ME FROM CALLING YOU ALL INCOMPETENT, DYSFUNCTIONAL, CROOKED CORRUPTED.
YOU AGREE TO TAKE A COUNCIL PLEDGE LIKE I TOOK YOUR CIVILITY PLEDGE TO AGREE TO PROVIDE TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY OF MILLIONS OF TAX FUNDS THAT HAVE GONE MISSING.
I TELL YOU WHAT, CALL THE LOCAL FBI YOURSELF.
YOU TALK TO 'EM, YOU NEED TO COME TO REALITY.
YOU ARE ALL PART-TIME SERVANTS AND NOT ONE OF YOU UNDERSTANDS THE BUDGETS AUDITS AND WHAT THE FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES ARE DOING WITH MILLIONS OF OUR TAX FUNDS.
THEY ARE TAKING US DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND ROBBING US BLIND.
THE FACT IS, ALL TOWN EMPLOYEES, LAWYERS, TOWN MANAGERS, CPA, HAVE BEEN CAUGHT IN ILLEGAL ACTS.
ORLANDO, ILLEGAL TAX, HOUSTON, BLUFFTON, GRUBER GUILTY OF THREE ETHICS VIOLATIONS.
SIDNEY SAW 80% OF CHAMBER ACCOUNTING.
YOU GOT A PART-TIME FIGURE OF MAYOR THAT'S LYING TO US.
CPA TROYER HIDES THE MONEY LAWYER COLTRAIN THEY FRAUD AND DRAFTED AN ILLEGAL FRAUDULENT CONTRACT WITH TERRY FINGER.
UNTIL YOU HIRE AN OUTSIDE FORENSIC
[03:35:01]
AUDIT, ALL TAXPAYERS WERE GONNA BE ROBBED BLIND, INCLUDING Y'ALL BECAUSE YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT.THE BUDGETS ARE FRAUDULENT AND THE TOWN EMPLOYEES IN FULL POWER ARE ROBBING US BLIND AND THEY'RE TAKING US ALL DOWN THE HIGHWAY.
YOU'RE JUST NOT DOING YOUR JOB.
AND MR. AMES, I MEAN, YOU YOU SOUND SO ELEGANT WHEN YOU SPEAK AND YOU'RE SO SINCERE.
THANK YOU'RE SO THANK YOU, SKIP.
I MEAN, I DON'T EVEN KNOW, I DON'T EVEN HOW TO COMMENT TO WHAT YOU SAY.
EVA SMITH AND I AM THE, UM, WHAT I AM, I'M THE CHAIR OF THE HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT PROGRAM AT U S C V AND WHILE I, THE, UM, THE, OH MY GOSH, THE EVENT MANAGEMENT AND HOSPITALITY TRAINING CENTER IS NOT UNDER MY, MY PURVIEW.
I DO PROVIDE THE STUDENTS, I DO PROVIDE THE, THE LABOR FOR THESE, FOR ALL OF THE, THE WORK THAT WE DO.
UM, I UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM.
I, I I GET IT THAT SCREWS NEED TO BE TIGHTENED.
I DO UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT FROM THE UNIVERSITY STANDPOINT, IT'S HARD FOR US TO BE PROACTIVE IN PLANNING AS ANOTHER STATE AGENCY WHEN THERE'S NO CERTAINTY THAT WILL BE PROVIDED A BUDGET.
ALSO, WE DON'T, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE REQUIRING US TO HAVE AN, A FULL-TIME EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, WHICH WE HAVE HAD UP UNTIL, WELL ACTUALLY WE'LL STILL HAVE HER TILL MAY THE 15TH.
BUT PAST THAT, CAN WE, CAN WE HIRE SOMEBODY ELSE? DO WE, IS THERE MONEY AVAILABLE TO HI TO HIRE SOMEONE ELSE? YOU KNOW, IF THEY'RE JUST SOME VERY, I DON'T, I HATE TO SAY IFFY BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A GOOD WORD OR NOT, BUT IT'S, IT'S NOT A SOLID MODEL PLAN, NOT A, UM, IN TERMS OF BUDGETING ON OUR END WHEN WE'RE, WHEN WE'RE EXPECTED TO, TO PROVIDE THESE SERVICES AND WE WANT TO PROVIDE THEM TO YOU, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO TELL YOU ALL OF THE WONDERFUL THINGS FOR LISTENING TO ARIANA.
YOU KNOW, THEY, A LOT OF WHAT THEY DO, WE PROVIDE A LOT.
ALL THIS FESTIVAL, UM, THE FESTIVAL SURVEYS, WE DO THAT.
AND SO IT'S, IT'S A HARD, IT'S A HARD PILL TO SWALLOW TO, TO UNDERSTAND.
I, AND I GET WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM, I DO UNDERSTAND IT, BUT THERE MAY NEED TO BE SOME KIND OF A, I, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO FIX IT, BUT I DO KNOW THAT WHAT WE DO IS, IS AS IMPORTANT, IS AS AN IMPORTANT SERVICE.
AND WE ARE GIVING, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GIVING ALL OF HALF OF HILTON HEAD EMPLOYEES IN OF THAT, THAT PAID FORWARD, I GUESS IS THE BEST WAY TO, TO SAY IT.
AND I HOPE I'M SAYING THAT RIGHT.
UM, DO YOU ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I GUESS THAT'S THE TEACHER IN ME
HOW MANY AFFILIATED AGENCIES DO WE HAVE? UM, FORGIVE ME FOR NOT KNOWING THAT NUMBER.
IT'S APPROXIMATELY, WE HAVE 10 AND NONE OF THOSE AGENCIES HAVE A PERCENTAGE OF SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE GUARANTEED EVERY YEAR.
EACH ONE OF THEM COMES TO US WITH A BUDGET THAT WE REVIEW AND THEN WE'VE PASSED FOR.
I I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THERE'S CONCERN IF YOU'RE AN AFFILIATED AGENCY, WHY YOU ARE PRESENTING A BUDGET TO US WOULD PUT YOU IN A DIFFERENT POSITION THAN THE OTHER AFFILIATED AGENCIES.
WELL, I GUESS IT'S THAT WE DON'T UNDERSTAND OR I HA I DON'T PERSONALLY UNDERSTAND AND SINCE I'M NOT THE DIRECTOR OF, OF THE CENTER, I, I MIGHT NOT HAVE A WORKING UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT AN, AN AFFILIATED AGENCY IS AND WHAT DOES THAT, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN IN TERMS OF BUDGETING? DOES THAT MEAN THAT WHEN WE, IF WHATEVER BUDGET WE SUBMIT, THAT, THAT THAT CAN BE PLAYED WITH.
I MEAN, SAY NO, WELL YOU DON'T, YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T NEED THIS OR THAT.
UM, IS THERE A, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S NOT A LOT OF TRUSTWORTHINESS IN, IN SOME FOLKS, UM, IN TERMS OF THE AUDITING PROCESS, ALTHOUGH I HAVE FULL FAITH AND CONFIDENCE
[03:40:01]
IN EACH ONE OF YOU TO THE RIGHT THING WITH US, BUT, SO MAYBE IT'S, MAYBE IT WOULD BE BETTER OR MORE, UM, LIKABLE, YOU KNOW, A MORE POSITIVE THING TO, TO JUST TELL ME, TO TELL US WHAT AN AFFILIATED AGENCY IS AND WHAT THAT REQUIRES.I I WOULD SUGGEST THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT THE 5%, WHAT IT MEANT IN TERMS OF THE INCREASE AND, AND WHY THAT'S IN QUESTION.
AND THEN, AND THEN THE AFFILIATED SIDE.
SO, UM, BUDGETING, I ALSO SAY SOME OF THOSE HAVE TIED, THAT IS ANOTHER PART OF THE EXERCISE, UH, CAPACITY, HAVING A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING SO THAT THERE IS SOME SECURITY FUNDING.
SO I I WOULD OFFER THAT TO YOU.
WHEN YOU COME BACK, 5% WAS APPROVED THIS YEAR OF THE HOWEVER MANY AFFILIATED AGENCIES, ALL BUT ONE WERE APPROVED AND THERE WAS SOME INCREASES THERE.
PARTNERS, OUR COMMUNITY CODIFYING THE 5%, BUT THE UNCERTAINTY OF THE FLUCTUATION OF THE AFEX IS WHY WE WENT.
I WOULD TAKE IT ONE STEP FURTHER AND SAY THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THAT AND I, I I GET THAT A HUNDRED PERCENT.
I WOULD TAKE IT ONE STEP FURTHER AND SAY THAT THAT 5% WITHIN THE AFFILIATED AGENCIES WAS MORE THAN WHAT ANY OF THE OTHER AGENCIES REQUESTED.
SO THAT'S WHERE THE QUESTION COMES AROUND.
AND, AND ONE OF THE AGENCIES IS 1,000,003 AND THEY DIDN'T GET THE SAME BULK.
SO THAT'S WHERE THE QUESTION COMES AROUND.
SO IT'S, IT'S A MATHEMATICAL EXERCISE AND IT'S, IT'S WRITING THE SHIP, SO TO SPEAK, SO THAT WE'RE ON THE RIGHT PATH.
SO IT'S NOT THAT WE'RE AGAINST THE PROGRAM OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
IT'S ABOUT, AND, AND I DON'T THINK IT WAS LOOKED AT.
I, AND I, THIS IS PROBABLY WHY THEY, THEY DIDN'T PICK ME TO SPEAK
THAT'S PROBABLY WHY THEY PICKED DR.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I, I JUST HAD SOME QUESTIONS AND I'M BRAND NEW, SO MM-HMM.
WE WANT MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALL CLEAR ON THAT.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC SEEING THAT TODAY? RECALL THE ROLL PLEASE? CERTAINLY.
MR. ORLANDO, I UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE A NEED TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
UH, DISCUSSIONS, UH, OF NEGOTI DISCUSSION OF NEGOTIATIONS, UH, REGARDING PROPOSED CONTRACTUAL ARRANGEMENTS, UH, OF PROPOSED SALE OR PURCHASE OF PROPERTY AS LISTED ON ITEM ONE, TWO, AND THREE ON OUR AGENDA THIS EVENING.
I MOVE THAT COUNTS GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THE REASONS CITED BY THE TOWN MANAGER.
ALL ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.
THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND AIRPORT OFFERS YOU AND YOUR LOVED ONES A CONVENIENT TRAVEL EXPERIENCE, CLOSE TO HOME WITH MULTIPLE AIRLINE PARTNERS, DAILY FLIGHTS, EASY CONNECTIONS, AND A CONVENIENT LOCATION ON THE ISLAND.
LET THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND AIRPORT HELP YOU TAKE OFF TO YOUR NEXT DESTINATION.
PLUS THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND AIRPORT IS GROWING.
A NEW PASSENGER TERMINAL IS UNDERWAY, WHICH WILL PROVIDE COMFORT, HASSLE-FREE NAVIGATION, AND A TRUE FIRST CLASS EXPERIENCE.
TO BOOK FLIGHTS OR FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT HILTON HEAD AIRPORT.COM.
YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T HAVE TO WEAR YOUR PT GEAR ANYMORE, RIGHT? IT'S COMFORTABLE.
HOW CIVILIAN LIFE TREATING YOU.
WHEN I GOT OUT, I DIDN'T WANNA ADMIT THAT THERE WAS ANYTHING WRONG BECAUSE I FELT LIKE A FAILURE AND THEN I REALIZED LIKE THERE'S NOTHING TO BE ASHAMED OF.
SO I STARTED TALKING TO SOMEONE.
MAYBE YOU ARE FINE, BUT IF YOU'RE NOT, IT'S OKAY.
IF YOU OR A VETERAN YOU KNOW, NEED SUPPORT, DON'T WAIT.
FIND RESOURCES AT VA.GOV/REACH TOWN OF HILTON, MID ISLAND, SOUTH CAROLINA, AND HHSC LLC FOR THE PURCHASE OF SALE OF 7.19 ACRES, MORE OR LESS ON BRYANT ROAD.
[03:45:01]
AND TO TAKE SUCH OTHER AND FURTHER ACTIONS AS MAY BE NECESSARY TO COMPLETE THE TRANSACTION DESCRIBED IN THE AGREEMENT.WILL WE CALL THE ROLL PLEASE? CERTAINLY.
MOTION SINGLE OTHER BUSINESS BEFORE US? WE ARE ADJOURNED.
I'M NATALIE HECTOR AND THIS IS YOUR BEAUFORT COUNTY MOMENT.
THE LEMINGTON LIGHTHOUSE ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND WAS COMPLETED BY THE EARLY 1880S.
BY THE 1930S, THE CAMP AROUND THERE WAS CALLED CAMP MCDOUGLE.
IT WAS USED BY THE MARINE CORPS DURING WORLD WAR II.
THERE WERE BARRACKS, A HOSPITAL AND EVEN A BOXING RING FOR ENTERTAINMENT.
LATER ON, THERE WERE ANTI-AIRCRAFT GUNS PLACED ON THE BEACHES OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND AND THE COAST GUARD MOUNTED PATROL PATROLLED THE BEACHES.
THERE WERE A LOT OF AMMUNITION SUPPLIES THERE ON THE ISLAND, SO THE MEN WERE NOT ALLOWED TO SHOOT THE RATTLESNAKES THAT ABOUNDED THE ISLAND.
ALL OF THAT AMMUNITION WAS VERY HEAVY.
AND GETTING IT FROM THE DOCK DOWN TO CAMP MCDOUGLE CAUSED PROBLEMS. THE MARINES ACCREDITED WITH PAVING OUR FIRST ROAD ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND TO MAKE IT EASIER TO GET THAT AMMUNITION DOWN TO THE CAMP.
I'M NATALIE HECTOR FROM COASTAL DISCOVERY MUSEUM.
THIS HAS BEEN YOUR BEAUFORT COUNTY MOMENT.
TO SEE MORE BEAUFORT COUNTY MOMENTS GO TO THE BEAUFORT COUNTY LIBRARY HOMEPAGE AND CLICK ON THE LOCAL HISTORY TAB.
MAY 24TH, 1995 ALONG COTTON HALL ROAD IN YEMENI, THE BODY OF A WOMAN WAS FOUND IN A DITCH WEARING NOTHING BUT A PAIR OF PANTIES IN AUTOPSY REVEALED THE WOMAN HAD BEEN DEAD FOR A DAY OR TWO.
THE CAUSE OF DEATH STRANGULATION INVESTIGATORS KNEW COTTON HALL ROAD WASN'T WHERE SHE WAS MURDERED, BUT DUMPED TO LIKELY NEVER BE FOUND.
THE UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN'S PHOTO TAKEN DURING AN AUTOPSY WAS DISTRIBUTED IN HOPES OF LEARNING HER NAME.
SEVERAL YEARS LATER, SHERIFF PJ TANNER TASKS AN INVESTIGATOR BOB BROICH WITH LOOKING INTO THE AGENCY'S COLD CASES.
THIS CASE, UH, CLEARLY WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO US TO IDENTIFY HER.
SO WE WE TRIED NUMEROUS, NUMEROUS JUST OUTSIDE THE BOX IDEAS AND, YOU KNOW, USING INTERNATIONAL MEDIA, UH, NATIONAL, LOCAL MEDIA, UM, LOOKING THROUGH DATABASES OF, OF MISSING PERSONS.
BUT WE NEVER FOUND HER AS TECHNOLOGY ADVANCED.
THE UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN'S D N A WAS ENTERED INTO VARIOUS DATABASES WITH THE HOPES OF A MATCH.
IN 2020, IT WAS SENT TO PARABON NANOLABS, A COMPANY LEVERAGING THE POWER OF DNA, N A FORENSICS AND GENETIC GENEALOGY.
PARABON HAD SOME SUCCESS NATIONALLY WHEN THE GOLDEN STATE KILLER WAS COP THROUGH GENEALOGY RESEARCH THAT WAS INCREDIBLE.
IT'S ANOTHER TOOL AND IT'S ANOTHER NEWER TECHNOLOGY.
AND WE DECIDED TO GIVE IT A SHOT.
THE MATCH WAS BETTER THAN 99%.
SHE WAS IDENTIFIED AS MARIA TEIS GONZALEZ.
SHE WAS 36 YEARS OLD, A MOTHER OF THREE, A WIFE.
SHE HAD DISAPPEARED FROM A KISSAME FLORIDA HOME IN MAY OF 1995, BUT NEVER REPORTED MISSING.
INVESTIGATORS TRAVELED TO FLORIDA INTERVIEWING MARIA'S HUSBAND, CHILDREN AND FAMILY MEMBERS.
DURING THE INTERVIEWS, IT WAS LEARNED THAT MARIA HAD RETURNED FROM PUERTO RICO FROM VISITING HER FAMILY ON THE NIGHT BEFORE SHE DISAPPEARED, SHE CAME BACK WITH A SUITCASE, STAYED THE NIGHT AT THE FAMILY HOME, WAS PRESENT IN THE HOME WITH THE HUSBAND.
WHEN THE CHILDREN WENT TO SCHOOL, ALL THREE CHILDREN WENT TO SCHOOL THAT DAY.
THE MOTHER WAS THERE, THE FATHER WAS THERE, THEY RETURNED FROM SCHOOL, SHE WAS GONE.
AND THE SUITCASE, HER VEHICLE WAS STILL THERE.
[03:50:01]
IT'S CLEAR THAT SHE WAS NOT MURDERED IN BEAUFORT COUNTY AND PROBABLY OCCURRED IN FLORIDA.INVESTIGATORS ALSO LEARNED OF TWO PEOPLE CLOSE TO MARIA AT THE TIME OF HER DISAPPEARANCE.
HER BEST FRIEND, WHOSE NAME MAY BE PATTY OR PATRICIA, AND A MAN MARIA HAD BEEN HAVING AN AFFAIR WITH INVESTIGATORS WANT TO SPEAK TO THEM AND NEED HELP IDENTIFYING AND LOCATING THEM.
YOU'RE ALMOST SHOCKED, YOU KNOW, DISBELIEF BECAUSE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DECADES OF, YOU KNOW, PROMISING LEADS THAT JUST TURNED INTO NOTHING.
YOU KNOW, WE CONTACTED INTERPOL.
I MEAN, I WOULD'VE NEVER THOUGHT I'D HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH INTERPOL, RIGHT? CONTACTED INTERPOL.
THEY, THEY ISSUED A BLACK NOTICE, WHICH IS AN UNIDENTIFIED REMAINS TO ALL THESE COOPERATING COUNTRIES THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.
SO THINGS LIKE THAT, THEY, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU FIND HOPE AND IT'S LIKE, OKAY, WE'RE ALMOST THERE.
THE WOMAN WHO REMAINED UNIDENTIFIED FOR NEARLY 30 YEARS NOW HAS A NAME MARIA TALLIS GONZALEZ.
NEVER REPORTED MISSING AND LEFT ON A RURAL COUNTY ROAD TO NEVER BE FOUND.
THE BIG QUESTION IS NOW WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR ANSWERS TO WHO MURDERED MARIA.
AND WE LOOK TO BRING THAT PERSON TO JUSTICE.
LOOKING FOR A GREAT CAREER OPPORTUNITY.
BEAUFORD COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA HAS SEVERAL JOB OPENINGS IN AREAS THAT WILL MATCH YOUR SKILLSET.
WE'RE LOOKING FOR EMERGENCY MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS, DETENTION CENTER OFFICERS, STORMWATER AND GROUND CREWS, AIRCRAFT MECHANICS, ALCOHOL AND DRUG SPECIALISTS, MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS, IT SPECIALISTS, LIBRARY ASSISTANCE, BUS DRIVERS, AND MUCH MORE.
BUFORD COUNTY OFFERS COMPETITIVE SALARIES, BEST IN CLASS BENEFITS, AND A POSITIVE WORK ENVIRONMENT.
APPLY TODAY@BUFORDCOUNTYSE.GOV.
WINTER IS A GREAT TIME FOR STAR GAZING.
SKIES ARE GENERALLY CLEAR AND DURING THIS TIME OF YEAR, WE'RE LOOKING INTO AN AREA IN OUR GALAXY WHERE THERE ARE NOT QUITE AS MANY STARS.
IT ALSO GETS DARK PRETTY EARLY SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO STAY OUT LATE TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO STAR GAZE.
AND SINCE WE'RE IN THE LOW COUNTRY, RARELY DOES IT GET TOO COLD TO BE OUTDOORS.
THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE WINTER SKY IS THE WINTER HEXAGON.
A SERIES OF SIX BRIGHT STARS IN SIX DIFFERENT CONSTELLATIONS THAT MAKE UP A ROUGH HEXAGON SHAPE IN THE SKY.
YOU CAN START FROM A FAMILIAR CONSTELLATION, ORION AND STAR HOP TO ALL OF THE OTHER STARS AND OTHER CONSTELLATIONS.
SO WE'RE GONNA START WITH AION.
DO YOU GUYS KNOW HOW TO FIND AION? NO.
WELL, IT'S A PRETTY FAMILIAR CONSTELLATION.
A LOT OF PEOPLE CAN FIND IT BECAUSE THERE'S THREE STARS IN HIS BELT.
SO YOU GUYS SEE HIS BELT UP THERE? YES.
SO YOU JUST START WITH A RYAN'S BELT AND WE'RE GONNA FIND ALL THE OTHER SIX STARS BY STARTING FROM ORION.
SO WE SEE HIS BELT AND THEN UP AT THE TOP IS HIS SHOULDER.
THAT ONE LOOKS KIND OF REDDISH.
AND DOWN AT THE BOTTOM CORNER IS RIGEL.
RIGEL IS THE STAR THAT'S IN THE WINTER HEXAGON THAT MARKS HIS KNEE.
SO IF WE GO TO ORION, WE CAN ACTUALLY FOLLOW HIS BELT UP AND AWAY.
AND YOU'RE GONNA COME TO ANOTHER REDDISH LOOKING STAR.
AND YOU SEE SORT OF A V SHAPE.
OKAY? SO THAT MARKS THE FACE OF TAURUS.
YOU BASICALLY SEE THAT V SHAPE FOR HIS FACE AND YOU CAN FOLLOW HIS HORNS UP AND AWAY.
AND THE ONLY PART, THE REST OF THE BOWL THAT WE SEE IS THIS LITTLE CLUSTER OF STARS OVER HERE AT MARKS' SHOULDER.
AND THOSE ARE CALLED THE PLEAES OR THE SEVEN SISTERS.
IF YOU'VE EVER HEARD OF THOSE CONSTELLATIONS THROUGH BINOCULARS, IT LOOKS ALMOST LIKE A LITTLE TINY MINIATURE DIPPER CONSTELLATION.
SO ORION'S UP THERE WITH THE BOWL.
AND THEN IF WE TAKE HIS BELT AGAIN AND WE FOLLOW IT DOWN TOWARDS THE HORIZON, YOU FIND ANOTHER REALLY BRIGHT STAR.
AND SIRIUS IS THE BRIGHTEST STAR THAT WE CAN SEE IN THE SKY.
IT'S ONLY 8.5 LIGHT YEARS AWAY, WHICH IN ASTRONOMY TERMS IS PRETTY CLOSE.
AND SIRIUS MARKS CANIS MAJOR, WHICH BASICALLY MEANS THE BIG DOG.
AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO FIND CANIS MINOR, THE LITTLE DOG.
SO IF WE USE SIRIUS AND WE USE FATAL JS, WHICH MARKS ORION'S SHOULDER, AND YOU MAKE A TRIANGLE, YOU FIND ANOTHER BRIGHT STAR OVER TO THE LEFT.
AND THAT MARKS CANIS MINOR, THE LITTLE DOG.
AND THAT ONE'S ACTUALLY KIND OF A STRETCH.
SO YOU HAVE TO BE IMAGINATIVE WHEN YOU THINK OF THAT ONE REPRESENTING A DOG.
OKAY? SO WE FOUND FOUR OF THE CONSTELLATIONS THAT ARE PART
[03:55:01]
OF THE WINTER HEXAGON AND THOSE FOUR ARE ACTUALLY DEPICTED IN THE SKY TOGETHER.SO YOU'VE GOT ORION WHO WAS A GREAT HUNTER WITH HIS TWO HUNTING DOGS, CANICE MAJOR AND CANICE MINOR.
AND THEN HE IS HUNTING TOURISTS, THE BULL AND TOURISTS, THE BULL AND GREEK MYTHOLOGY.
UH, ONE OF THE STORIES THAT REASON WHY WE SEE ONLY HALF OF HIM IS BECAUSE IT WAS ZEUS TAKING ON THE FORM OF A BOWL BECAUSE HE FELL IN LOVE WITH A PRINCESS WHO LIVED ON AN ISLAND.
AND HE WENT TO GO ABDUCTOR AND HE'S SWIMMING.
SO SINCE HE'S IN THE WATER, ONLY HALF OF HIS BODY IS STICKING OUT AND WE ONLY SEE THE TOP HALF.
OKAY? SO TO FIND THE OTHER COUPLE CONSTELLATIONS, WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA GO BACK TO ORION.
AND WE'RE JUST GONNA DRAW A LINE STRAIGHT UP THE MIDDLE, SORT OF IN BETWEEN HIS SHOULDERS AND HIS FEET UP AND AWAY.
AND YOU ARE GOING TO COME TO A STAR CALLED CAPELLA.
NOW THOSE NAMES DON'T MAKE A LOT OF SENSE, BUT, OR RAJA IS THE CHARIOTEER.
SO IT'S A TRIBUTE TO THE CREATOR OF THE CHARIOT.
AND CAPELLA ACTUALLY MEANS THE SHE GOAT
BUT SEE THE THREE LITTLE STARS THAT MAKE A TRIANGLE DOWN NEARBY CAPELLA.
OKAY, THOSE ARE CALLED THE KIDS.
OKAY? AND SO THE LAST ONE IS ACTUALLY GEMINI, THE TWINS.
SO YOU GO BACK TO ORION AND FIND RIGEL, WHICH MARKS HIS KNEE AND GO THROUGH BALE JUICE THAT MARKS HIS SHOULDER AND DRAW A LINE OVER AND YOU ACTUALLY SEE TWO STARS.
SO THERE'S TWO STARS SIDE BY SIDE.
THOSE ARE CASTOR AND POLLOCKS AND CASTOR AND POLLOCKS FOR THE TWO GEMINI TWINS.
AND THOSE ACTUALLY YOU CAN SEE PRETTY WELL LITTLE STICK FIGURES.
THERE'S TWO GUYS STANDING WITH THEIR ARMS AROUND ONE ANOTHER AND THEIR LITTLE TRIANGLE LEGS COMING OUT IN THE BOTTOM.
AND CASTOR AND POLLOCKS ARE AN INTERESTING STORY.
IN GREEK MYTHOLOGY, THEY WERE TWINS, BUT THEY ALSO HAD A TRIPLET SISTER, ALL WITH DIFFERENT FATHERS.
MOTHER AND CASTOR WAS IMMORTAL AND POLLOCKS WAS MORTAL.
AND WHEN POLLOCKS WAS KILLED IN BATTLE, CUZ THEY WERE ARGONAUTS, UH, HIS BROTHER ASKED TO SHARE HIS IMMORTALITY AND ZEUS CAST THEM BOTH INTO THE SKY, UM, AS A CONSTELLATION SO THAT THEY COULD BE TOGETHER FOREVER.
SO IF WE GO BACK, WE CAN SEE RIGEL AND ORION, AND YOU CAN SEE AL DERON AND TAURUS AND AJA AND CAPELLA AND CASTOR AND POLLS AND GEMINI AND PRO CION AND THEN SIRIUS.
AND THAT MAKES SIX STARS THAT MAKE UP BASICALLY A HEXAGON SHAPE.
ONCE YOU LEARN TO FIND THE STARS AND THE CONSTELLATIONS OF THE WINTER HEXAGON, YOU KNOW, ALMOST HALF THE NIGHT SKY WINTER'S A GREAT TIME TO START STARGAZING BECAUSE YOU CAN START FROM A FAMILIAR CONSTELLATION, WHICH WILL POINT THE WAY TO THE OTHER CONSTELLATIONS OF THE WINTER HEXAGON.
NEXT TIME THE TEMPERATURES TURN COOLER, THE SALT MARSH CORD GRASS BECOMES BROWN AND THE DECIDUOUS TREES DROP THEIR LEAVES HEAD OUT TO SPEND SOME TIME UNDER THE NIGHT SKY.