May 18, 2023 Airports Board

CLOSED

[00:00:01]

[I. CALL TO ORDER]

STATES OF AMERICA, REPUBLIC NATION.

GOOD GUY, .

PUBLIC NOTIFICATION OF THIS MEETING HAS BEEN PUBLISHED, POSTED, AND DISTRIBUTED IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SOUTH CAROLINA FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT.

WE'LL START WITH APPROVAL OF THE

[IV. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]

SECOND.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.

AYE.

MOTION APPROVED.

NEXT WILL BE

[V. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – APRIL 20, 2023]

DO I HEAR A MOTION? NO.

MOVED ALL IN FAVOR? ALL OPPOSED? AND IS CARRIED.

UM, BEFORE WE MOVE ON, I'D LIKE TO WELCOME DAVID TO OUR BOARD, A NEW BOARD MEMBER.

AND DAVID, BRIEFLY TELL US HOW YOU GOT HERE.

UH, I'VE BEEN A PILOT SINCE 1988.

I LIVE, UH, IN OKEE, ACTUALLY ABOUT TO MOVE TO LADIES ISLAND, LYON 88.

UM, FLEW CORPORATE, FLEW CHARTER, FLEW FOR DELTA'S PRIVATE JETS, RATED IN CITATIONS.

UH, AND I BOUGHT AN SR 22 ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, AND I GOT INTRODUCED TO MR. MR. BRIAN OVER THERE TO TEACH ME HOW TO FLY THAT PLANE AGAIN.

AND STARTED LEARNING ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING ON IN THE AREA AND JUST BEING BASED AT BEAUFORT EXECUTIVE AND WANTED TO GET BACK IN AVIATION AGAIN.

I DECIDED WHEN I SAW THERE WAS A BOARD MEMBERSHIP AVAILABLE, I, I CERTAINLY WANTED TO APPLY IN SOMEONE THAT USES BEAUFORT EXECUTIVE AT HILLSTON HEAD AND, AND CITIZEN OF BEAUFORT COUNTY.

JUST WANTED TO DO EVERYTHING I CAN TO HELP THE AIRPORTS GROW AND THRIVE.

WELCOME.

WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE YOU.

UM, ARE YOU CONSIDERED NORTH OF THE BROAD OR SOUTH OF THE BROAD? WELL, I'M IN OKEE NOW, SO I'M SOUTH OF BROAD.

WE'RE, BUT WE'RE MOVING NEXT WEEK TO LADIES ISLAND, SO I'LL DEFINITELY BE NORTH OF THE BROAD.

GREAT.

THAT'S THAT'S GOOD TO KNOW.

UM, OKAY.

THE NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS PUBLIC COMMENT.

I FIRST WANNA WELCOME OUR COUNCILMAN, COUNTY COUNCILMAN IN OUR TOWN, UH, DAVID, ANY PUBLIC COMMENT OR ANY COMMENTS FROM EITHER OF YOU? OKAY.

WE'LL MOVE ON WITH THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT.

[VII. DIRECTOR’S REPORT]

YES, WE DID.

WE WERE FAST.

I GOTTA GET BACK TO MY TENNIS.

HE'S FASTER THAN HOWARD.

I'LL TELL HOWARD THAT.

HE'S BEEN REPLACED .

HE HAS LESLIE'S QUICK.

ALL RIGHT.

I DIDN'T CHECK WITH ALEC TO SEE WHERE THE PRESENTATION IS.

SO, SO LET'S SEE HOW THIS GOES.

IT SHOULD BE RIGHT THERE.

THERE YOU GO.

ALL RIGHT.

OKAY.

SO WELCOME TO THE MAY MEETING.

UM, AS WE'D LIKE TO DO IS KICK OFF FIRST WITH THE, UH, SPOTLIGHT ON ONE OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS.

SOME OF YOU PROBABLY KNOW DAN, UM, DANSK WITH US FOR NINE YEARS, ED HILTON HEAD.

AND HE'S, UH, WHILE HE POSES IN FRONT OF OUR NICE NEW R VEHICLE, UH, HE'S OUR OPS CHIEF.

SO DAN STARTED WITH US.

UM, WE ACTUALLY HIRED HIM FROM SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT BACK IN 14.

AND, UM, HE'S BEEN WITH US EVER SINCE WORKING ON THE MAINTENANCE SIDE AND HE BECAME THE MAINTENANCE CHIEF.

AND THEN, UM, HE'S BEEN INVOLVED IN MANY, MANY PART 1 39 INSPECTIONS AT THE AIRPORT.

AND HE APPLIED FOR THE OPERATIONS CHIEF POSITION WHEN WE ADVERTISED THAT.

AND, UH, MADE A LOT OF SENSE TO HIRE HIM BECAUSE HE KNEW THE AIRPORT INSIDE AND OUT ALREADY.

UM, SO HE IS BEEN A GREAT ASSET THROUGH THE YEARS.

UM, DAN IS, UH, HE'S MARRIED, HE'S GOT A DAUGHTER AND, UM, HIS WIFE IS AN EDUCATOR ACTUALLY HERE ON THE ISLAND.

UM, SO I KIND OF KNOW HOW HE FEELS THE WAY THAT GOES.

BUT, UM, DAN IS ALSO, UH, AS IS WITH MANY OF OUR STAFF.

DAN'S A A FORMER MARINE AND HE WAS ON THE AIR WING.

UH, STEVE ACTUALLY KNEW HIM BACK IN THE DAY.

THEY SERVED TOGETHER A LITTLE BIT AND DAN WAS A, UH, F AND A 18, UM, PLANE CAPTAIN.

AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW THAT MEAN, IT DOESN'T MEAN HE FLEW THE AIRPLANES, BUT THE PLANE CAPTAINS ARE THE ONES WHO MAKE SURE THAT THE PILOTS CAN FLY THE AIRPLANES.

THEY KEEP THE AIRPLANES UP AND RUNNING AND THEY'RE IN CHARGE OF ALL THE MAINTENANCE, UM, REPORTS AND THE UPS AND DOWNS ON THE AIRPLANES.

SO VERY IMPORTANT GUY ON THE FLIGHT LINE OUT THERE.

AND HE IS BECOME EXTREMELY IMPORTANT AT THE AIRPORT TOO.

SO YOU'LL SEE HIM AROUND, I'M SURE IF YOU'RE AT, UM, AT H X D AND EVEN IF YOU'RE AT A R W CUZ HE ENDS UP, UP THERE SOMETIMES HELPING OUT AT, AT THAT AIRPORT AS WELL.

BUT, UM, THAT'S DAN NEON.

SO THAT'S OUR STAFF SPOTLIGHT FOR THE, FOR THE MONTH.

[00:05:01]

ALL RIGHT, LET'S MOVE ON TO THE BRIEF.

UM, JUST A FEW BULLETS THERE ON THE, UH, THE TERMINAL BIDS WILL OPEN JUNE THE SEVENTH, SO KEEP YOUR FINGERS AND TOES CROSSED THAT EVERYBODY'S HUNGRY AND, AND THINGS WORK OUT WELL THERE.

OPTIMISTIC TO BE ABLE TO EXECUTE THE FIRST PHASE OF THAT PROJECT.

SO, UM, AFTER THAT, YOU KNOW, AFTER THE BIDS OPEN, THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME TO EVALUATE THE BIDS AND THEN WE HAVE TO TAKE THOSE IN IN FRONT OF YOU AND THEN IN FRONT OF COUNTY COUNCIL.

SO THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF TIME, UH, LAGGED BETWEEN OPENING THE BIDS AND BEGINNING OF THE PROJECT, BUT THAT'S THE FIRST CRITICAL STEP IN IT.

SO JUNE 7TH IS WHEN THAT HAPPENS.

UM, WE DID TALK LAST MONTH ABOUT MORE TSA PRE-CHECK EVENTS BECAUSE THE ONE THAT WE HOSTED HERE WAS SO POPULAR AND, UH, WE DID REACH OUT TO THE GROUP AND THEY DO HAVE A COUPLE OF DATES OPEN.

SO WE'RE THINKING WHAT WE'RE GONNA GONNA DO IS THERE'S A DATE OPEN IN JULY AND WE MAY TRY TO BOOK THAT FOR A R W AND TRY TO GIVE FOLKS NORTH OF ABROAD A CHANCE.

I THINK, JIM, THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN YOUR SUGGESTION TO DO THAT.

IF NOT, JUST GO AHEAD AND TAKE CREDIT FOR IT.

UM, I'LL TAKE CREDIT FOR IT.

BUT WE HAD PEOPLE FROM BEAUFORT AND CHARLESTON COME DOWN AND YEP.

SO IT MADE SENSE TO TRY AND DO THAT.

PLUS THEY CAN, THEY CAN COME TO THE TERMINAL.

WE'VE GOT ROOM TO DO IT.

AND THEN THERE'S ANOTHER EVENT THAT, UM, IS OPEN IN LATE OCTOBER AND SO WE'LL DO THAT HERE AT HILTON HEAD.

SO WE'LL HAVE A COUPLE MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THAT.

UM, HHI CAME IN A COUPLE WEEKS AGO AND WE ACTUALLY SHOT THEIR SHOW 8 43 TV IN THE TERMINAL, WHICH IS FUN.

SO WATCH THAT.

PAY ATTENTION IF YOU, IF YOU DON'T WATCH H H I TV, THAT'S KIND OF YOUR BEST LOCAL TV.

IT'S GOT THE REAL LIKE HYPER-LOCAL STORIES.

UM, I DID A SEGMENT THERE AND THEN OUR COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, ERIC GREENWAY, DID A SEGMENT AS WELL AND KIND OF HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS IS WHAT HE TALKED ABOUT, BUT IT'S IN THE TERMINAL SO IT'S KIND OF FUN.

YOU HEAR THE ANNOUNCEMENTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT IT FEELS LIKE A, IT FEELS LIKE AN AIRPORT.

SO IT WAS PRETTY COOL THAT THEY DID IT ON LOCATION.

HMM.

AND ALSO LOOK IN THE NEAR FUTURE, I THINK THAT, UM, IT, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU GO TO THE GAS STATION AND SOMETIMES IT'S GOT THE LITTLE MONITOR AND AS YOU PUMP GAS YOU GET SCARED CUZ SOMEBODY STARTS TALKING TO YOU FROM THE GAS PUMP, THE GAS STATION TV, UM, THE COUNTY HAS SEVERAL GAS STATION TV SPOTS THAT THEY'VE PURCHASED.

UH, THEY DO SEA TURTLE AWARENESS, THEY DO HURRICANE AWARENESS, THINGS LIKE THAT.

BUT WE'VE ASKED TO HAVE AN AIRPORT PIECE PUT ON THERE TOO.

SO STAY TUNED FOR THAT.

HOPEFULLY YOU'LL SEE, UH, IT'S KIND OF A, A THANKING FOLKS FOR FLYING LOCAL AND SUPPORTING LOCAL JOBS CUZ THE FOLKS WHO WORK AT THE AIRPORT FOR US, FOR THE AIRLINES, WHOMEVER THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE LOCALS WHO ARE MAKING THEIR LIVING HERE.

SO THAT'S KIND OF A THEME BEHIND THOSE.

UH, NEXT BULLET IS CHASE, IF YOU GUYS REMEMBER LAST YEAR, UM, CHASE AND HIS STEPDAD CAME IN AND WE'RE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING MAYBE FOR CHASE TO DO AT THE AIRPORT.

HE'LL BE COMING IN IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS AND PROBABLY WORKING SOMEWHAT ALONGSIDE THE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM BUT ALSO SOMEWHAT INDEPENDENT.

UM, SO HE'LL BE STARTING I THINK PROBABLY AROUND MEMORIAL DAY TIMEFRAME, TWO, THREE DAYS A WEEK.

AND, UH, HE'LL BE IN THERE GREETING FOLKS AND, AND HELPING OUT WITH SOME OF THE, THE WORK AROUND THE TERMINAL.

SO WE'LL LOOK FOR HIM.

UM, PROBABLY BE THE YOUNGEST AMBASSADOR OUT THERE, LESLIE , JUST BY A LITTLE, PROBABLY CONSIDERED AN INTERN.

IS THAT, IS THAT UM, I GUESS THAT IT'S FAIR TO SAY THAT YEP.

SUMMER JOB.

SURE.

YEP.

UH, AND THEN THE NEXT BULLET POINT IS THE AMBASSADORS.

AND NOT TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT, LESLIE, BUT DO YOU KNOW WHEN THE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM WILL BE MOVING IN? WELL I WAS GONNA DO AN UPDATE LATER, BUT I CAN DO IT RIGHT NOW.

UM, YES, WE'RE HOPING TO START THE FIRST WEEKEND IN JUNE.

I UNDERSTAND WE'RE ALREADY GETTING INCREASE IN FLIGHT LOADS.

AN AMERICAN ESPECIALLY IS GONNA PROBABLY HAVE QUITE A FEW ON SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS.

SO, UM, RIGHT NOW I HAVE EIGHT OF YOU, MOST OF YOU ARE BOARD MEMBERS, UH, WHO DID IT LAST YEAR AND, AND SO I'M STILL SEARCHING FOR OTHER PEOPLE TO DO IT, BUT RIGHT NOW WE ALL THE PEOPLE THAT ALREADY DONE IT LAST YEAR, SO WE WON'T NEED TO DO AN ORIENTATION SUCH, UM, I'M WORKING WITH STEVE ON GETTING THE BADGES AND WE'RE GONNA GET NEW SHIRTS.

IS THAT CORRECT STEVE? SO WE'LL HAVE NEW SHIRTS WITH A NEW LOGO ON THEM.

SO WE'RE GETTING ALL THAT IN ORDER.

MAYBE A GET TOGETHER PRIOR TO JUNE 1ST, BUT LOOK FOR A SCHEDULE TO COME OUT.

LESLIE, HAS THERE EVER BEEN ANY CONSIDERATION GIVEN TO THE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM WORKING ON THE GENERAL AVIATION SIDE OF THE AIRPORT? UH, NO THERE HASN'T, BUT THAT WOULD, I WOULD THINK THAT WOULD BE UP TO SIGNATURE IF THEY WERE INTERESTED IN THAT SORT OF, YOU KNOW, WE, WE GET, RO SENDS US THE PACKET EVERY MONTH ABOUT NUMBERS ON THE AIRPORT.

AND I'VE ACTUALLY BEEN LOOKING AT THESE NUMBERS AND LAST YEAR THERE WERE ABOUT 121,000 PASSENGERS THAT CAME THROUGH THE TERMINAL TO COME IN HERE TO VISIT.

THERE WAS ABOUT 41,000 GA OPERATIONS ON THE FIELD.

[00:10:01]

THEY SEEM TO GET IGNORED.

UH, OR, OR THEY'RE NOT REALLY REPRESENTATIVE.

AND THIS IS THE FIRST LOOK THAT PASSENGERS AND PILOTS OFTEN GET WHEN THEY COME TO OUR AIRPORT.

IT'D BE NICE IF THEY GOT WELCOME THERE TOO.

IT'S SOMETHING WE CAN CERTAINLY CONSIDER.

I KNOW OUR AMBASSADORS CURRENTLY ARE TRAINED TO WELCOME NEW VISITORS, NEW PEOPLE THAT ARE NEW TO HILTON HEAD AND ALSO TO ASSIST THEM WITH PASSENGER SERVICES THERE IN THE TERMINAL, KNOWING THAT THEY NEED TO STAY OUT IN THE MAIN TERMINAL UNTIL CLOSER TO THEIR FLIGHT TIME.

OUR AIRPORT OPERATES A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY, UM, THAN MOST, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN'T JUST RUSH THROUGH SCREENING CAUSE THEY WON'T HAVE ANYWHERE TO SIT.

BUT, AND IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT MOST OF THE PASSENGERS THAT COME IN, AT LEAST THROUGH SIGNATURE, DON'T, YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T REALLY NEED THAT WELCOMING.

THEY JUST WANT TO GET TO WHERE THEY NEED.

THEY HAVE A CAR WAITING FOR THEM, GET TO WHERE THEY NEED TO BE AND, AND THERE MAY NOT BE A NEED FOR THAT OR A DIFFERENT TRAINING OPTION.

IT IT IS, IT IS A DIFFERENT METRIC, BUT, BUT A LOT OF THOSE PEOPLE ARE FIRST TIME VISITORS AND THEY, THEY HAVEN'T ARRANGED FOR ANYTHING UNTIL AFTER THEY GET HERE.

RIGHT.

OTHER THAN THE SUPPORT STAFF AT SIGNATURE, WHICH HAS TURNED OVER A LOT IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS, THEY DON'T GET ANY HELP.

RIGHT.

IT'S JUST A THOUGHT.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

MAY I ASK A QUESTION ON THE PRIVATE SIDE, WHAT'S THE DENSITY OR TYPICAL TIMES FOR ARRIVAL COMPARED TO WHAT WE WOULD HAVE AT THE TERMINAL WHEN WE HAVE A HUNDRED PEOPLE GETTING OFF THE TIME AND ANOTHER A HUNDRED COMING IN MAYBE AN HOUR LATER? WELL THAT'S ANOTHER THING THAT'S COMPLETELY DIFFERENT BECAUSE UNLIKE THE, THE AIRLINE FLIGHTS, THERE ARE NO SCHEDULED ARRIVALS.

SO THIS IS A CONTINUOUS FLOW OF PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING IN ALL DAY LONG.

I WOULD SAY IT DEPENDS ON THE DAY OF THE WEEK ON A SATURDAY, THE PEAK ARRIVAL TIMES ARE, ARE MID TO MORNING TO EARLY AFTERNOON, SO LATE IN THE AFTERNOON BEFORE FIVE O'CLOCK.

SO COULD SIGNATURE PROVIDE THE BOARD SOME DIRECTION RELATIVE TO THE DENSITY, THE BUSY DAYS ON TIMES AND SO FORTH.

I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE HAVE TO ASK SIGNATURE ABOUT.

YEAH, I HAVEN'T APPROACHED THEM YET ABOUT THAT IT WOULD BE AT THEIR DISCRETION OR WHEN THEY'D WANNA USE US.

I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT COME THROUGH THIS AIRPORT WANT TO GO RIGHT INTO THAT PRIVATE ROOM, ARE RIGHT INTO THEIR PRIVATE CAR AND REALLY WOULDN'T NEED THAT KIND OF SERVICE.

OKAY.

WELL THANK YOU FOR THAT.

WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING THE AMBASSADORS BACK IN THE TERMINAL.

UM, NEXT ONE UP THERE IS THE AIRLINES MEETING.

UH, LAST, WAS IT LAST, LAST WEEK? I WAS, AND WE MET WITH, UH, WITH THE AIRLINES AND WITH OUR, UM, CONSULTANT TEAM TO TALK ABOUT AIRLINE AGREEMENTS AND RATES AND CHARGES AND ALL THAT.

AND IT WAS A, IT WAS A GOOD MEETING, SUCCESSFUL MEETING.

SO, UM, THERE, THERE'LL BE SOME FOLLOW ON ACTIVITY THERE, BUT JUST WANNA LET YOU KNOW THAT WE DID HAVE A, ANOTHER GOOD MEETING WITH THE AIRLINES AND, AND THINGS LOOK GOOD, UM, FROM THE BUSINESS LINE WITH THE AIRLINES SO TO SPEAK.

SO I MIGHT GIVE YOU A WHOLE LOT OF DETAILS CUZ WE HAVEN'T INKED ANYTHING YET.

BUT, UH, JUST TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THINGS ARE PROGRESSING WELL WITH THE AIRLINES.

I ASK ANOTHER QUESTION.

IN YOUR MEETING, WAS THERE ANY DISCUSSION OR ANY INDICATION FROM THE AIRLINES THAT THEIR STAFFING SHORTAGE IS GETTING SMALLER AS AN ISSUE AS FAR AS FLIGHT CREWS? YES.

NO THANK YOU.

NOPE.

IT'S THAT, THAT'S A SUSTAINING PROBLEM, UNFORTUNATELY.

THEN THE NEXT ONE IS TRANSPORTATION.

I HAVE THAT IN QUOTES BECAUSE I WANTED TO SHOW YOU THIS NEXT ONE.

THIS IS AN EFFORT THAT, UM, THAT MY BOSS, ASSISTANT COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR FOR INFRASTRUCTURE HAS, IS PUSHING FORWARD IN COLUMBIA.

AND I THINK THAT TOM DAVIS INTRODUCED THIS IN THE SENATE.

UM, BUT I'LL DRAW YOUR ATTENTION.

AND BASICALLY WHAT THIS IS IS IT, IT'S A PROPOSAL TO CHANGE THE DEFINITION OF THE WORD TRANSPORTATION AS IT RELATES TO THE STATE INTERPRETATION, STATE LAW.

AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS, CURRENTLY, IF YOU LOOK TOWARDS THE BOTTOM, THE EXISTING LANGUAGE EXCLUDES CERTAIN MODES OF TRANSPORTATION.

UM, AND, AND TWO THAT ARE IMPORTANT IN BEAUFORT COUNTY ARE AVIATION AND MARITIME OR MARINE TRANSPORTATION WITH, UH, YOU KNOW, THE FERRIES GOING TO DUSKY.

AND THOSE, BOTH OF THOSE SYSTEMS, AVIATION AND MARITIME COULD USE THE ABILITY TO, TO FIND MORE FUNDING VIA A ONCE IN SALES TAX.

WE ALWAYS LOSE OUT ON THE SALES TAX.

UM, CERTAINLY COULD ALLEVIATE SOME TRANSPORTATION ISSUES.

IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, THE MORE PEOPLE WHO FLY DIRECTLY TO THE ISLAND, THE FEWER PEOPLE HAVE TO CROSS THAT BRIDGE LITERALLY AND FIGURATIVELY.

IF WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE 2 78 PROJECT IS A LIGHTNING ROD PROJECT, EVEN A FIX IS NEVER GONNA FIX THE PROBLEM, I DON'T THINK.

SO THE MORE THAT WE CAN TAKE, UH, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE BIT OF STRESS OFF OF THAT PART OF INFRASTRUCTURE, THE BETTER.

SO WHAT'S BEEN PROPOSED IS THIS, IT INCLUDES AVIATION.

IF YOU SEE THE, THE DEFINITION THERE IN THAT BOTTOM PARAGRAPH, THAT'S THE PROPOSED

[00:15:01]

AND WHAT THAT WOULD MEAN FOR US IS AFTER THE, THE CURRENT GREEN SPACE SALES TAX, UH, EXPIRES, IF COUNTY COUNCIL AGREES TO PUT AN ITEM ON THE BALLOT FOR THE VOTERS TO DECIDE ON IF THE VOTERS APPROVE A TRANSPORTATION SALES TAX.

AND IF THIS HAS ALREADY PASSED THE STATE LEVEL, THEN IT COULD POTENTIALLY BENEFIT THE AIRPORTS.

THAT'S HUGE BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THESE METHODS OF FUNDING THAT OTHER, UH, OTHER ENTITIES DO.

THERE'S NO GREEN SPACE TAX CARE TAKE CARE OF US.

THERE'S NO IMPACT FEE TO TAKE CARE OF US.

THERE'S NO ROAD TAX TO TAKE CARE OF US.

WE END UP HAVING TO, UH, D YOU KNOW, LOOK FOR MONEY AT THE STATE LEVEL AND THE FEDERAL LEVEL, UH, AND, AND MAKE DUE OF WHAT WE CAN COME UP WITH.

SO THIS COULD POTENTIALLY BE A, A REAL BIG ITEM FOR US.

UM, SO I SAY THAT TO EMPHASIZE THE BOARD'S ROLE AS ADVOCATES, AND THIS IS SOMETHING I NEED YOUR HELP ON.

YOU ALL CAN EN YOU KNOW, ENGAGE YOUR DELEGATION, ALL OF WHOM I KNOW AND WORK WITH.

I KNOW YOU DO AS WELL.

BUT THEY NEED TO HEAR FROM YOU AS AIRPORT BOARD MEMBERS TO TELL THE STORY ABOUT WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT AND WHY IF, IF CERTAIN THINGS HAPPEN, IF THIS WERE TO PASS FIRST AND THEN ON DOWN THE LINE, IT MADE THE AIRPORTS ELIGIBLE FOR A FRACTION OF A PENNY OF SALES TAX, IT COULD BE A GAME CHANGER FOR FUNDING THE AIRPORT.

ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? I JUST WANNA BRING THAT TO YOUR ATTENTION FROM THE ADVOCACY STANDPOINT.

OKAY.

IF THERE ARE AFTERWARDS, FEEL FREE.

I KNOW I JUST KIND OF THREW THAT AT YOU, BUT I'M TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, HELP OUT GIVING YOU A LITTLE NUDGES ABOUT ADVOCACY ISSUES.

ALL RIGHT, THAT WAS HILTON HEAD.

WE CAN TALK ABOUT BEAUFORD EXECUTIVE NEXT.

UNLESS THERE'S ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT HILTON HEAD ISLAND.

IF NOT, WE'LL NEED THE BEAUFORD EXECUTIVE.

THIS IS A SCREENSHOT FROM OUR, UH, RIBBON CUTTING EVENT AND GRAND REOPENING WE HAD UP AT THE NEW TERMINAL AND THE NEW NEWLY REMODELED TERMINAL.

FANTASTIC EVENT.

UM, THANK YOU TO THE MEMBERS WHO WERE, WHO WERE THERE.

DAVID WAS THERE, ANNE AND LESLIE WERE BOTH THERE.

I THINK THAT'S, IS THAT IT? I FORGET.

UM, TOM, THANK YOU FOR BEING THERE.

APPRECIATE THAT.

MY PLEASURE.

YOU'LL, YOU'LL SEE TOM IN A MINUTE HERE.

YOU GOT A NICE LITTLE SHOT ON THE VIDEO TOO, SO YOU'RE GONNA BE FAMOUS NOW, , UM, WE PROBABLY HAD ABOUT 120 PEOPLE THERE FOR THE EVENT.

IT WAS, IT WAS A FANTASTIC CHAMBER EVENT.

WE, WE DID THE CHAMBER AFTER HOURS, THE RIBBON CUTTING AND IT ALSO, AS I MENTIONED HAPPENED DURING AVIATION WEEK FOR THE STATE.

SO WE HAD STATE AVIATION ASSOCIATION DOWN.

YOU CAN SEE, UH, THE GUY IN THE BLAZE RODE TO THE RIGHT SIDE IS GARY SIEGFRIED, WHO'S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF SOUTH CAROLINA AERONAUTICS AND KIND OF TUCKED BEHIND MARLENE IN BETWEEN MARLENE AND LESLIE.

THAT'S SHANNON ERICKSON, WHO IF YOU DON'T KNOW, WAS OUR, UH, HOUSE REP FOR BUFORD.

UH, 1 24 IS HER DISTRICT.

HUGELY INFLUENTIAL IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND A HUGE FRIEND OF BOTH OF OUR AIRPORTS.

SO IF YOU SEE SHANNON HERE FROM SHANNON WOULD LIKE TO DROP A NOTE TO SHANNON.

THANK YOU FOR HER SUPPORT.

SHE DOES AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF WORK FOR BOTH OF OUR AIRPORTS.

UH, WE ALSO HAD, UM, S***T COOPER, WHO'S OVER TO THE FAR LEFT IN THE GLASSES AND THE, AND A BLUE JACKET, UH, WITH THE HAIR.

THAT'S .

YOU GUYS PROBABLY REC RECOGNIZE IAN WITHOUT THE HAIR.

UH, FORMER BOARD MEMBER.

BUT SKEETS CAME ALL THE WAY DOWN FROM UH, PICKENS COUNTY AND HE'S ALSO A COMMISSIONER.

GREAT GUY AND, AND PROBABLY ONE OF THE BIGGEST FRIENDS OF THE AIRPORT IN, IN THE STATE.

JUST A GREAT GUY.

SO AWESOME EVENT THAT WE HAD THERE.

I THINK IT WAS A TURNING POINT FOR THAT AIRPORT.

THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT THINGS HAPPENING AT A R W AND THIS WAS AN AWESOME WAY TO KICK IT OFF.

SO THANK YOU FOR EVERYBODY WHO WAS THERE.

AND IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN THERE TO VISIT, PLEASE COME UP AND SEE US.

REALLY WELL DONE.

I ATTENDED KIND OF A SPUR OF THE MOMENT AND I WAS REALLY SURPRISED AT THE TURNOUT CUZ I FIGURED, NAH, THERE'LL BE 20, 30 PEOPLE HERE AND IT WAS PACKED.

I FIGURED I'D STAY 20 MINUTES.

MY WIFE WAS IN THE CAR, SO I'LL BE RIGHT BACK.

OH, AND I CAME IN AN HOUR LATER, I SAID I'M ALMOST DONE .

BUT, UH, REALLY WELL DONE.

THAT'S A GREAT LITTLE AIRPORT.

WE HAD A LOT OF FUN.

IT WAS A GOOD THING WE EXPANDED THE OUTSIDE PATIO AREA CUZ WE WERE FULL INSIDE AND OUTSIDE.

AND MOTHER NATURE COOPERATING.

THE RAIN HELD OFF RIGHT TO WHEN WE SHUT DOWN.

SO IT'S PERFECT TIMING.

UM, NEXT ONE VISIT FROM THE US ARMY.

I'M GONNA SHOW YOU, I'M GOING TO GO BACK AND FORTH HERE.

THIS HAPPENED ON TUESDAY.

UM, AND THIS WAS REALLY INTERESTING CUZ I GOT BACK TO THE AIRPORT AFTER BEING IN THE COLUMBIA FOR THE COMMISSION OR THE AAUS COMMISSION MEETING.

AND, UM, STEVE SAYS, YOU'LL NEVER BELIEVE WHAT HAPPENED TODAY.

AND I SAID, WHAT? AND HE SAID, WELL, CHINOOK LANDED IN THE GRASS OUT IN THE, YOU KNOW, IN THE AIRFIELD.

AND GUYS WENT OUTSIDE TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON, WHAT, YOU KNOW, IF THEY WERE DOING AN OPERATION COMING FOR LAUNCH AT ME, WHO KNOWS WHAT.

AND UM, ONE OF THE SOLDIERS JUMPS OUT OF THE HELICOPTER AND COMES OVER TOWARDS THE, UH, THE TERMINAL AND SAYS, HEY, WE HEARD YOU GUYS HAD REALLY

[00:20:01]

, GOD'S HONEST TRUTH.

SO WE HAVE MERCHANDISE THAT IS SO COOL THAT OUR MILITARY'S STOPPING IN TO GET IT.

, YOU REALLY HAVE COOL T-SHIRTS, THAT'S A FROG.

YOU'VE SEEN OUR, WE HAVE GREAT T-SHIRTS, THE FROG MORE T-SHIRT.

T-SHIRT SEEN.

SO THEY'RE NOT ONLY WORLD FAMOUS, BUT NOW OUR MILITARY WANTS TO WEAR 'EM TOO.

WE DON'T HAVE AN OLIVE DR YET.

WE MIGHT NEED TO CONSIDER THAT.

I MEAN, THAT, THAT COULD BE A P T-SHIRT FOR 'EM.

SO, UM, YOUR US ARMY'S STOPPING IN TO BUY T-SHIRT.

SO THAT WAS PRETTY COOL THOUGHT THAT WAS PRETTY AMAZING.

21.

THAT WAS KIND OF FUN.

AND THEN THE LAST ONE, JUST A QUICK UPDATE ON THE HANGAR PROJECT OUT THERE THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT MANY EXCUSE, HOW MANY DID THEY BUY? I DON'T KNOW ENOUGH TO MAKE IT WORTHWHILE FOR THEM STOPPING WHOLE CREW ON THE COVER GOT T-SHIRTS.

YEAH, THAT WAS A GOOD DAY.

UM, JUST AN UPDATE ON THE HANGAR PROJECT.

YOU CAN SEE WE'RE, UM, KIND OF FINISHING UP DRAWINGS AND ENTERING THE PERMITTING PHASE, WHICH IS KIND OF LIKE GOING INTO HIBERNATION.

IT'S GONNA TAKE A WHILE TO GET PERMITS BACK ON THAT, BUT JUST TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE OF WHERE WE ARE.

SO THAT PROJECT IS STILL MOVING FORWARD.

PEOPLE ASK ABOUT IT AND IT, IT'S REALLY HARD TO, TO UNDERSTAND THAT A PROJECT CONTINUES TO MOVE FORWARD WHEN YOU'RE IN THE DESIGN AND PERVING PHASE BECAUSE IT, IT JUST TAKES A LONG AROUND HERE.

THERE'S A LOT OF REGULATIONS WE HAVE TO COMPLY WITH.

UM, AND, UH, WE DON'T GET ANY KIND OF A PASS BECAUSE WE'RE WITH THE COUNTY OR WITH THE AIRPORT.

SO WE'LL GO THROUGH EVERY ONE OF THE WICKETS.

UM, SO HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, SIX TO EIGHT MONTHS HOPEFULLY IS A GOOD WINDOW TO GET THOSE PERMITS BACK AND THEN WE'LL BE ABLE TO MOVE TO, TO BIDDING.

ALL RIGHT, SO WE TOUCHED ON THAT AND I THINK THE LAST ONE IS, I'M GONNA SHOW YOU THE VIDEO.

THE BUILDING BEHIND ME WAS ACTUALLY BUILT, UH, IN THE MID EIGHTIES FOR A FEW YEARS.

WE ENTERTAINED THE IDEA OF MAYBE A COMPLETE DEMOLITION AND REBUILD OF A BUILDING, BUT THEN WE ENGAGED WITH SOME, SOME BUILDERS AND DESIGNERS AND THEY LOOKED AT THE BUILDING AND SAID, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT GOOD BONES HERE, YOU COULD RENOVATE IT.

AND WE WERE ABLE TO EXECUTE THE COMPLETE RENOVATION, INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR FOR A FRACTION OF THE PRICE.

THIS PROJECT REALLY REPRESENTS A GREAT USE OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS, REALLY, VERY RESPONSIBLY USED.

UM, WHAT THEY STARTED WITH WAS JUST THE SHELL OF A BUILDING AND UH, FRANKLY IT WASN'T IN VERY GOOD SHAPE AT ALL, BUT WITH NOT A LOT OF MONEY, THEY WERE ABLE TO TURN IT INTO THE GYM THAT WE SEE HERE TODAY.

REACTION'S BEEN FANTASTIC AND I WILL TELL YOU, WE ACTUALLY HAD A PAST EMPLOYEE WHO MOVED OUT OF THE AREA, COME BACK TO VISIT ONE DAY AND HE LOOKED AROUND AND THOUGHT HE WAS AT THE WRONG PLACE.

SO IT, IT REALLY HAS MADE A STATEMENT.

WE'VE HAD LOTS OF PILOTS FLY IN AND COMMENT ON HOW NICE IT LOOKS.

MY STAFF HERE, UM, THESE, THESE FOLKS KIND OF WORK MIRACLES EVERY DAY AND, AND KEEP THIS PLACE RONNIE.

SO HAT'S OFF TO THEM AND IT'S, IT'S JUST A GREAT PLACE TO BE.

I CAN'T THINK OF A BETTER PLACE TO HAVE AN EXECUTIVE AIRPORT AND HAVE PEOPLE PULL UP ON THAT TARMAC AND BE GRACIOUSLY WELCOMED TO THE LOW COUNTRY.

WE ARE A GATEWAY TO BEAUFORT COUNTY, TO THE CITY OF BEAUFORT AND TO THE SEA ISLANDS BEHIND US.

AND FOLKS, YOU KNOW, FLY INTO THIS AIRPORT AND THEN THEY TAKE THEIR BUSINESS TO DIFFERENT PLACES IN THE COUNTY AND IN THE CITY FOR ALL THE AIRPORT USERS WHO GET A CHANCE TO COME TO THIS BEAUTIFUL FACILITY.

YOU GOT A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY THANKS TO AND FROM THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY HERE IN THE BEAUFORT REGION.

WE ARE GRATEFUL CUZ THIS IS AN ECONOMIC ENGINE FOR THIS COMMUNITY.

A HUGE SHOUT OUT TO SOUTH CAROLINA AERONAUTICS AND THE AVIATION ASSOCIATION FOR PUTTING THAT TOGETHER.

UM, IT WAS THE AVIATION ASSOCIATION WHO SAID, HEY, WE'VE GOT A, A MEDIA TEAM WHO WANTS TO COME DOWN AND, AND SHOOT A VIDEO, DO SOME INTERVIEWS, AND THEY TALKED TO, TO ME AND TO GARY AND THEN PUT THAT AMAZING VIDEO TOGETHER.

SO THAT WILL BE OUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

IT'S GONNA BE OUT ACROSS THE COUNTY CHANNELS THAT WE CAN, UH, PUT IT OUT ON.

UM, IF YOU WANT WE CAN SHARE IT WITH Y'ALL AND YOU CAN SHARE IT ON FACEBOOK OR WHEREVER YOU WANT TO SEND IT, BUT WE THINK IT'S A GREAT LITTLE COMMERCIAL FOR A R W AND UH, JUST, JUST REALLY, REALLY WELL DONE.

SO BIG THANKS TO AERONAUTICS AND THE AVIATION ASSOCIATION FOR PUTTING THAT TOGETHER FOR US.

SO IT WAS A COOL EVENT AND A GREAT LITTLE VIDEO.

ANNE WAS IN THERE, YOU KNOW, WE HAD EVERYBODY, LESLIE WAS IN THERE, SO, UM, GOOD STUFF.

ANY QUESTIONS? JOHN? IS THERE, UH, A APOLOGIZE.

I'M, YOU KNOW, GETTING SPEED ON THIS.

ARE ARE THE, ALL THE, UH, CHANGES BEEN MADE OTHER THAN THE HANGERS OR ANYTHING ELSE GONNA HAPPEN? I'M SORRY, SAY THAT AGAIN? ANYTHING ELSE GOING TO HAPPEN AT BUFORD EXECUTIVE OR IS ALL THE, ALL THE WORK BEEN DONE? IS IT ALL FINISHED? OH NO, WE'VE GOT DECADES OF WORK TO DO.

OH, WELL I MEAN SHORT TERM FOR WHAT, WHAT YOU WERE CONSIDERED YOUR GRAND OPENING, ALL

[00:25:01]

THE FIRST PHASE IS DONE.

THE TERM LOAD ITSELF, THAT IS, UM, I'D SAY IT'S PRETTY MUCH COMPLETE.

WE WE'RE LOOKING AT MAYBE DOING A MONUMENT SIGN OUT FRONT ON THE ROAD.

UH, THE, THE STATE USED TO ISSUE THE OLD STEEL SIGN THAT WENT OUT THERE AND THAT GOT WIPED OUT BY HURRICANE MATTHEW.

UM, SO WE'RE LOOKING AT PROBABLY DOING SOME MORE SIGNAGE, BUT OTHER THAN THAT WE'RE, I'D SAY 98% COMPLETE.

PROBABLY JUST MAYBE A COUPLE THINGS HERE AND THERE, BUT IT'S JUST ABOUT COMPLETE.

AND THEN OF COURSE, AS WITH EVERY AIRPORT, YOU LOOK FOR THE NEXT PROJECT TO DO AND JUST CONTINUE TO, TO SHINE IT UP AND, AND MAKE IT WORK.

SO YEP.

PLENTY OF WORK TO DO THERE.

YEAH.

YEP.

THANK YOU.

YES, SIR.

GOT A QUESTION.

UM, WHEN WE GET OUR MONTHLY REPORTS, WHAT WE GET IS A FUEL FLOW REPORT FROM BUFORD AND I CANNOT RECALL EVER IN THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS GETTING A REPORT ON HOW MANY OPERATIONS THERE ARE AT THE AIRPORT.

DO YOU GUYS KEEP NUMBERS ON THAT OVER THERE TO TAKE OFF SOME LANDINGS? UM, I THOUGHT WE WERE GIVING YOU THE OPERATION NUMBERS.

I KNOW WE USED TO, I'LL HAVE TO LOOK AND SEE, UM, BECAUSE I KNOW FOR A WHILE, MAYBE LAST YEAR WE DID IT AND THEN THERE WAS A TIME WHEN THE, UH, UM, THE RECORDER, THE COUNTERS WERE OUT.

SO WE HAD A COUPLE MONTH GAP, BUT I'LL, I'LL FIND OUT.

BUT WE, WE CAN DEFINITELY ADD THAT TO THE REPORT CAUSE IT'S, IT'S BEEN SIGNIFICANTLY BUSY.

IT WOULD BE A GREAT WAY TO SEE WITH ALL THE CHANGES THAT HAVE HAPPENED AT THE AIRPORT, HOW MUCH OF A DIFFERENCE IT'S MAKING IN THE USAGE OF THE AIRPORT.

RIGHT.

AND STEVE, YOU DON'T HAPPEN TO KNOW JUST I'M PUTTING YOU ON A SPOT, BUT I KNOW WE TRACKED A NUMBER OF OF PEOPLE WHO COME IN.

UM, THAT'S ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT OUR EMPLOYEES ASK JUST SO WE HAVE, HAVE AN IDEA.

WHEN WE GO AFTER GRANT FUNDS LIKE THIS, WE CAN SAY, HEY, WE'VE HAD THIS MANY THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE VISIT IN A YEAR AND I DON'T KNOW, I THINK LAST YEAR WERE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN EIGHT AND 10,000 PEOPLE WHO CAME IN.

AND, AND KEEP IN MIND THAT'S A METRIC THAT THINGS FOR EIGHT TAX, FOR PROVIDING FUNDS FOR THIS TERMINAL.

ONE OF THE ITEMS ON THE METRIC WAS TO IDENTIFY TOURISTS.

AND BY DEFINITION THE COUNTERS ON THE AIRPORT ARE COUNTERINTUITIVE.

CAUSE LAWN WORKING COULD COUNT, UH, AN AIRPLANE DOING UM, YOU KNOW, TOUCH AND GOES LANDS AND COMES BACK AROUND.

COULD COUNT MULTIPLE TIMES.

BUT WHAT I'M REALLY COUNTING ARE THE TOURISTS THAT COMING IN FROM 50 MILES OUT, YOU KNOW, BRIAN, YOU FLY IN AND OUT A NUMBER OF TIMES.

OH SORRY.

YOU FLY IN A NUMBER OF TIMES.

YOU DON'T COUNT CAUSE YOU'RE NOT A TOURIST, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.

AND IF REALLY YOU WOULD BE CONSIDERED ONE OPERATION, BUT YOU MIGHT DO 10 RUNS THROUGH THE AIRPORT.

SO, UM, I CAN, WE CAN FIGURES OUT ANOTHER TOWER HERE.

WE HAVE THE LUXURY THAT DOESN'T COUNT AND OVER THERE WE DON'T HAVE THAT.

THAT'S WHY I WAS ASKING CAUSE FOR ALL THE REASONS YOU SAY, I THINK THOSE NUMBERS ARE REALLY IMPORTANT, BUT I JUST HAVEN'T SEEN THEM.

SO AT LEAST THEY'RE BEING COLLECTED.

THAT'S GOOD TO KNOW.

YES, ABSOLUTELY.

AND UH, WE CAN PROBABLY, I CAN MAKE A REPORT OR SOMETHING TO PUT ON HERE TO, TO TRACK THAT AND YEAH, WE CAN DO THAT.

MAYBE, WE'LL, WE'LL SHOW BOTH THE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS, WHICH MIGHT SKEW LIKE STEVE SAID, BUT, BUT THEN THE NUMBER OF, OF PEOPLE WHO WE TALLY WHO COME INTO THE TERMINAL BECAUSE WE, WE TRY TO KEEP PRETTY CLOSE TABS ON THAT, UM, FOR THOSE VERY REASONS.

BUT IT, IT IS A LITTLE BIT SURPRISING SOMETIMES WHEN YOU SEE PEAK SEASON, HOW MANY FOLKS ARE COMING INTO THAT BUILDING? IT'S, IT'S A LOT OF PEOPLE I'VE NOTICED WHILE I'VE BEEN UP THERE, THERE'S A PTUS FROM SURFER THAT'S UP THERE A LOT NOW AND I ASSUME THAT'S CHARTER, BUT, AND THEY'RE BASED THERE.

OKAY.

THEY'RE BASED THERE.

I WAS WONDERING ABOUT THAT.

SO I SEE MORE PTUS, I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PLURAL OF PTUS IS, BUT PTUS, PLA ICE, PLA EYE PLA EYE PTO MORE P EYE THERE THAN, UH, IN THE LAST YEAR SINCE I'VE BEEN THERE.

SO YEAH, I CAN TELL YOU THIS WEEK AND, AND REALLY ALL SEASON IT, IT'S THE EXCEPTION TO GO UP THERE AND NOT HAVE FOUR OR FIVE TURBO PROPS AND, AND SMALL JETS ON THAT RAMP.

STEVE AND, AND THE GUYS HAVE HAD TO GO AND, AND MOVE THE SMALLER AIRPLANES AROUND SO WE CAN FIT THE LARGER ONES.

WE'RE HAVING TO REALLY CRUNCH ON VEHICLE PARKING OUT THERE.

WE, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T HAVE PEOPLE PARKING IN FRONT OF THE TREMBLE ANYMORE BECAUSE THE, WE NEED WINGTIP CLEARANCE FOR THOSE LARGER AIRCRAFT TO BE ABLE TO TAXI IN AND OUT.

UM, IT, IT'S GOTTEN TO BE A, A GREAT LITTLE PROBLEM TO MAKE ROOM FOR THOSE AIRPLANES TO COME IN, BUT IT'S, IT'S BEEN BUSY AND, AND, AND WHAT'S, TO ME AT LEAST, WHAT'S SOMEWHAT IMPRESSIVE ABOUT THAT IS I DON'T THINK I'VE BEEN ANYWHERE WITHIN 200 MILES A YEAR WHERE THERE'S AN AIRPORT THAT HAS THAT SHORTER RUNWAY AND IS ACCOMMODATING THOSE TYPES OF AIRCRAFT.

THEY CLEARLY HAVE A REASON OR A MISSION TO COME IN THERE.

I KNOW SOME OF IT'S TRAINING, BUT, BUT THAT'S A GOOD SIGN.

MM-HMM.

, YOU'RE RIGHT.

A LOT OF THOSE FOLKS ARE, ARE SECOND HOMEOWNERS AND THEY'LL PARK THEIR AIRPLANE THERE.

SO, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT ALL FEEDS INTO THOSE DECADES OF PROJECTS WE HAVE.

SO THERE'S, THERE'S NEED FOR MORE HANGAR CONSTRUCTION AND, AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

CUZ THOSE AIRPLANES NEED TO BE, THEY NEED TO HAVE A PLACE TO LIVE.

YOU'VE GOT FRI AND THEN YOU'VE

[00:30:01]

THEY NEED A FUEL STOP AND IF THEY'RE GOING TO LOOK AT FUEL PRICES BETWEEN ANYWHERE AROUND THERE, THEY'RE PROBABLY GONNA LAND AT BUFORD.

SO JOHN, MAYBE IT'S THE T-SHIRTS.

.

WELL WE DO HAVE THAT GOING FOR US TOO.

AND IF YOU, YOU DON'T LIKE A T-SHIRT.

WE HAVE COFFEE MUGS, WE HAVE COZZIES, WE HAVE BALL CAPS, SWEATSHIRTS, IF YOU'RE COLD, WE HAVE IT.

ALL RIGHT.

WE HAVE IT ALL.

ALRIGHT, CAN YOU SEND ME THAT VIDEO? SURE, ABSOLUTELY.

ABSOLUTELY.

SEE YOU, CAN YOU MAKE A NOTE OF THAT? WE'LL SEND, IT'S A HUGE FILE SO WE, WE WILL FIGURE OUT ACTUALLY, WE'LL WE'LL GET IT TO ALEC.

ALEC WILL GET IT TO YOU CUZ HE KNOWS HOW TO DO THAT STUFF.

.

HOW'S THAT JOHN, LET ME ASK A QUESTION.

I'LL SHOW YOU SOME WORD IGNORANCE.

I DO THAT FREQUENTLY AT ONE MEETING WE TALKED ABOUT PEOPLE FLYING INTO BEAUFORT AND USING THE CAR TO GO DOWNTOWN, ET CETERA, AND THERE'S NO CHARGE FOR THEM TO COME IN AND PARK FOR A WHILE.

IS THERE A CHARGE FOR PEOPLE WHO PERMANENTLY TIE DOWN THEIR PLANES OUT THERE? YES.

OKAY.

THANK YOU.

YEP.

AND WE ADVERTISE ALL THAT.

SO IT'S TO TIE DOWN, IT'S LESS THAN A COST YOU TO PARK YOUR CAR, YOU KNOW, IN, IN A METRO AREA.

SO IT'S, IT'S $10 A DAY TO TIE DOWN AND THEN IT'S A, WE SPEND A OR A MAX OF A HUNDRED RIGHT A MONTH.

SO IF YOU'RE THERE FOR A A MONTH, YOU, YOU GONNA PAY A HUNDRED DOLLARS A MONTH.

SO WE'RE, WE'RE VERY, VERY AFFORDABLE AS FAR AS THAT GOES.

UM, SO WE, WE DO TRY TO BE THAT STOPPING POINT AND WE KEEP THE FUEL PRICES COMPETITIVE, NEED TO PAY THE BILLS, BUT WE TRY TO KEEP 'EM COMPETITIVE BECAUSE WE DO WANT THOSE FOLKS TO CHECK FOR FLIGHT OR, OR WHATEVER APP THEY'RE USING AND SAY, OKAY, WELL WE'RE REALLY CLOSE ON FUEL, BUT I CAN GET A GREAT LUNCH IF I DROP INTO A R W SO WE'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST LIKE HILTON, THAT ISLAND, WE'VE GOT A LOT MORE TO SELL THAN JUST THAT STRIP OF ASPHALT.

AND THAT'S, THAT'S THE BEAUTY OF, OF THE TWO AIRPORTS THAT WE HAVE.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT, I WILL, THAT FINISHES UP MY REPORT AND I'LL TURN IT BACK TO YOU ON OUR AGENDA IS UNFINISHED

[VIII. UNFINISHED BUSINESS]

IS THAT YOU? NO, IT'S JUST IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT , YOU DON'T WANT MY LIST.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS BE HERE, TIME UNFINISHED BUSINESS TO DISCUSS.

IF NOT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE ACTION ITEMS. I SEE WE HAVE A COUPLE OF VOTES WE NEED TO TAKE TODAY.

UM, FIRST IS ON

[1. HILTON HEAD ISLAND AIRPORT (HXD) - RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE TALBERT, BRIGHT AND ELLINGTON WORK AUTHORIZATION 2119-2302, TAXIWAY F REHABILITATION AND CONSTRUCTION]

I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.

SECOND.

ANY DISCUSSION? DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.

AYE.

OPPOSED? GUYS HAVE I SHOULD PROBABLY GET OUT OF HERE.

SO YOU CAN SEE NICK.

SECOND

[2. HILTON HEAD ISLAND AIRPORT (HXD) & BEAUFORT EXECUTIVE AIRPORT (ARW) - RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE A 5% HANGAR FEE INCREASE ]

SECOND.

YES, TOM.

AND ANY DISCUSSION QUESTION.

SO IT'S A TIE DOWN RATE GO UP AT THE SAME PERCENTAGE AS THE HANGAR RATES GO UP? NO.

GREAT QUESTION.

THIS IS STRICTLY FOR THE HANGAR RENTALS AND WE, WE EVALUATE THE OTHER FEES INDEPENDENTLY, SO THEY MAY OR MAY NOT GO UP THE, THE, IT'S INTERESTING, THE ONLY FORMAL ITEM THAT COMES IN FRONT OF YOU GUYS TYPICALLY IS, IS THE HANGERS, UH, JUST BECAUSE THAT'S A COUNTY BUILDING.

SO TH THIS WILL GO, IF YOU PASS IT THEN IT'LL MOVE ON TO THE, UH, COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL ON MONDAY FOR THEIR APPROVAL.

AND THE REASON WE WOULD NOT INCREASE THE TIE DOWN FEES SUCH AS THAT AT B WELL WE MAY, WE MAY INCREASE TIE DOWN FEES.

WE JUST HAVEN'T THIS, THIS WE HAD TO FORMALLY BRING TO YOU.

SINCE WE'RE LOOKING AT THE HANGARS ADMINISTRATIVELY, IT WOULDN'T BE EASY TO TIE IT ALL TOGETHER.

OH, IT DID MAY.

ANY OTHER DISCUSSION, BRIAN? YEAH.

UM, JUST A QUICK QUESTION ABOUT NUMBERS.

UM, WHAT I SAW IN THE PACKET WAS THAT THE, THE REASON WHY THERE'S THIS INCREASE COMING IS TO HELP PROMOTE THE MAINTENANCE OF THE HANGERS AND THE FACILITIES.

YOU GUYS HAVE NUMBERS AS TO ARE YOU OPERATING IN THE RED ON MAINTENANCE OR IS THERE A DEFICIT ON STUFF YOU NEED? WHERE DID THE 5% FIGURE COME FROM? GOOD, GOOD QUESTION THERE.

UM, AND, AND MAINTENANCES YOU COULD IMAGINE AS IT'S INCREASING FOR TWO REASONS.

ONE, THE LIFE OF THE HANGERS GET, THEY GET OLDER EVERY, EVERY DAY JUST LIKE WE DO.

UM, AND THEN THE COST OF THE, OF THE PARTS INCREASES TOO.

SO

[00:35:01]

WE DO USE OUR OWN LABOR, WHICH IS A, A GOOD THING.

WE HAVE A, ONE OF OUR MAINTENANCE STAFF WHO IS A, A DOOR EXPERT SO TO SPEAK.

SO THAT'S BEEN HANDY.

THAT SAVED US A LOT ON THE LABOR SIDE.

BUT, UM, WE CAN PROBABLY COME UP WITH THAT.

I KNOW JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO WE'VE FIXED ANOTHER DOOR.

UM, WE'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF GATE WORK OVER BY THE HANGERS.

IT'S BEEN A MECHANICAL GATE THAT'S BEEN RATHER PROBLEMATIC.

SO ALL THOSE PIECES AND PARTS DO GET, DO GET PRETTY EXPENSIVE.

SO, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE MAJOR REVENUE ITEMS ASIDE FROM FUEL SALES AT A R W THAT KEEP THAT PLACE RUNNING.

UM, SO WE DO NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE TAKING CARE OF THOSE HANG AND WE HAVE, I I WILL SAY THAT, UM, CHANGED OUT A BUNCH OF LIGHTS OUT THERE SO THAT THE HANGERS ARE VERY WELL LIT.

WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF LITTLE BUILDING REPAIRS, LIKE SOME ROOF LEAKS THAT HAVE BEEN FIXED OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS.

I'LL SAY TOO, THERE'S A LOT OF PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE.

LIKE JOHN SAID, THOSE HANGERS ARE AGING AND THEY'RE GETTING TO THE POINT TO WHERE THE CABLES THAT RUN THE DOORS IMPORTANT NOT TO GO BACK TO A HANGAR DOOR.

UH, BUT WE'RE FINDING PHRASING IN 'EM, SO WE'RE BEING PROACTIVE AND GETTING THE PARTS TO BE ABLE TO CHANGE CABLES OUT AND THINKING LAST THING WE WANT IS THE HANGAR DOOR TO FALL ON SOMEBODY.

SO PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE IS HUGE WITH THAT.

AND, AND THAT'S KIND OF THE REASON WHY I ASK BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE GONNA ASK, WELL YOU GUYS ARE JUST DOING THIS TO BECAUSE YOU CAN OR IS THERE REALLY A, THAT GIVES US INFORMATION TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS? YEP.

NO, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

AND, AND THERE'S ALWAYS THE FACT THAT SOMEBODY WOULD SAY, WELL WE'VE GOT A WAITING LIST SO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU CAN RAISE THE RATES AND, AND O OKAY, WELL THAT MIGHT BE PARTIALLY TRUE, BUT WE'RE ACTUALLY USING THE MONEY OUT THERE.

BEAUFORT EXECUTIVE IS A, IS A BREAKEVEN AIRPORT ON A GOOD YEAR.

SO WE'RE CERTAINLY NOT BANKROLLING A BUNCH OF MONEY OUT OF THE 5% INCREASE.

HEY, WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO APPROVE THE 5% HANGAR FEE INCREASE.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.

AYE.

OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.

ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

LET'S GO ON TO THE CHAIRMAN'S UPDATE.

UM, CHAIRMAN IS NOT HERE SO WE WILL MOVE ON TO COMMITTEE

[XI. COMMITTEE REPORTS]

AND JUST SO EVERYONE KNOWS, WE'RE LOOKING FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE INTERESTED IN WELCOMING OUR PASSENGERS, GUIDING DEPARTING PASSENGERS THROUGH THE SCREENING PROCESS AND WELCOMING THEM AND OFFERING AID WHEN NEEDED.

UH, WE HAVE AN AMBASSADOR PODIUM THAT'S SET UP AT THE AIRPORT AND PROVIDE AIRPORT SHIRTS AND BADGES FOR OUR VOLUNTEERS.

SO I'M HOPING WE CAN REALLY BETWEEN NOW AND JUNE FOR THE SUMMER, GET SOME MORE VOLUNTEERS INTERESTED FOR A SATURDAY OR SUNDAY SPENDING FOUR HOURS AT OUR AIRPORT CONTACT CONTACT.

EITHER STEVE PERRY OR MYSELF.

YOU ARE, WHAT ARE OUR OTHER COMMITTEES? ARE THERE ANY OTHER REPORTS FROM COMMITTEES? NONE FROM MARKETING OR THEN MOVE NEXT TO CITIZEN COMMENT AND I SEE THERE ARE NO CITIZENS AVAILABLE, .

SO, UM, WITH THAT, UM, OUR NEXT MEETING IS THURSDAY, JUNE 15TH AT ERT AND I THINK IT'S TIME TO ADJOURN.