* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:03] STUDY IS, UM, [I. Call to Order] WHAT IS IT? IT'S TUESDAY, AUGUST 8TH, AND THIS IS OUR REGULAR TOWN COUNCIL MEETING. ALL OF OUR COUNCIL IS HERE AND PRESENT. GOOD TO SEE EVERYBODY. UM, WE'RE GONNA CALL THIS TO ORDER, AND IT'S FOLLOWED BY THE INVOCATION. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE, FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES, AND FOR ONE DAY, I'M PROUD. COUNCILMAN WOOD, PLEASE, SIR, WOULD PLEASE, UM, PRAY WITH ME. BUT BEFORE I GET INTO THE PRAYER, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE. UM, YOUR THOUGHTS. WE'VE HAD SOME LOSSES IN THIS COMMUNITY AS ALWAYS, AND WE'VE HAD A LOSS IN RELATION TO COUNCILMAN HAMILTON AND COUNCILWOMAN FRAZIER. SO, A MOMENT OF SILENCE, PLEASE. HEAVENLY FATHER, MAY WE LEARN TO LOVE OUR NEIGHBORS MORE DEEPLY SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO CREATE A PEACEFUL, CARING, AND JUST COMMUNITY. AND AS WE PRAY FOR OUR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS, MAY WE HELP EACH OTHER IN TIMES OF LOSS AND SORROW WITH PATIENCE, LOVE, AND UNDERSTANDING, JUST AS YOU LOVE AND HELP EACH OF US. PLEASE CONTINUE TO GIVE THIS COUNCIL THE ABILITY, THE WILL AND THE KNOWLEDGE TO DO GOOD FOR THE CITIZENS OF THIS COMMUNITY. AND ALL THIS I ASK IN YOUR NAME, AMEN. AMEN. WE ALSO HAVE A CIVILITY PLEDGE. IF ANYONE WOULD READ WITH ME, PLEASE DO. WE PLEDGE TO BUILD A STRONGER AND MORE PROSPEROUS COMMUNITY BY ADVOCATING FOR CIVIL ENGAGEMENT, RESPECTING OTHERS, AND THEIR VIEWPOINTS, AND FINDING SOLUTIONS FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THE TOWN OF LUPTON. THANK YOU. WE HAVE THE ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA. [V. Adoption of the Agenda] ANY CHANGES, MR. SHE? NO, MA'AM. OKAY. UM, IF NOT, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA? SO IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? I PROPOSE THAT'S UNANIMOUS ADOPTION OF MINUTES. WE HAVE MINUTES FROM OUR LAST MEETING [VI. Adoption of the Minutes] OF JULY 11TH. THEY WERE IN YOUR PACKET. YOU CAN SEE SHEET THAT'S UNANIMOUS. WE HAVE PRESENTATION, CELEBRATIONS, [VII. Presentations, Celebrations and Recognitions] AND RECOGNITIONS. UM, WE'LL START WITH INTRODUCTION OF NEW EMPLOYEES. UM, AND AS WHO COMES UP? WE DO. I'M FIRST. OH, WHERE'S ANNIE? SHE NORMALLY HAS THE LIST. OKAY. WELL ANNIE COMES UP. I DO. WE HAVE ANOTHER BOY SCOUT, CO. EAGLE SCOUT. WHAT ARE WE? UH, BOY SCOUT, LIFE SCOUT. OKAY. THEY'RE HERE FOR A, A BADGE. I GOT GRAYSON'S NAME, BUT WHAT'S YOUR NAME? JEREMIAH. JEREMIAH, WELCOME. THEY'RE, ARE YOU HERE FOR CITIZENSHIP AND COMMUNICATION? YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU VERY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND THANK Y'ALL FOR ATTENDING. OKAY. WE GAVE YOU ANNIE A BIT OF TIME. PUBLIC SERVICES FIRST. ALRIGHT. ALRIGHT, DEREK, WE GOT PUBLIC SERVICES FIRST. OKAY. GOOD EVENING, DEREK. GOOD. WE'RE COMING UP AS GROUPS TO TRY TO MEET. THEY'RE SUPPORTING ME TODAY. GOOD. YEAH, WE GOT A LOT TO DO. BUT WE WANNA SEE OUR NEW EMPLOYEE, OUR NEW EMPLOYEES. UM, AGAIN, MY NAME IS DEREK , SERVICE DIRECTOR AND I INTRODUCED DAVID GLOVER NAME FROM US, FROM DAW. UM, MARK EMERSON, WHO WAS PROMOTED FROM PUBLIC PROTECT TWO TO PUBLIC SERVICE. AND WE HAVE PORT, PORT . I KNOW HE JUST ON BOARD HERE. HE DIDN'T HAVE A BEARD LAST MONTH. HE WAS ABOUT FOUR PEOPLE. I, HIM ABOUT REMEMBER. I TOTALLY REMEMBER YOUR FAMILY. IT FEELS A LOT BETTER TO HEAR US. Y'ALL'S OFFICE, RIGHT? . THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU FOR BEING PART OF OUR TOWN AND OUR FAMILY. THANK. OKAY, NEXT IS BUILDING SAFETY. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNSEL. UM, I HAVE WITH, UM, I'VE GOT SOME, UH, PROMOTIONS AS WELL AS, UH, SOME NEW EMPLOYEES HERE. UH, WE HAVE, UH, STEVEN WILLIAMSON, UH, IS JOINING US AS A BUILDING, UH, INSPECTOR ONE, UH, DAVID BRETT. D STEVEN, YOU'VE BEEN HERE FOR TWO, TWO WEEKS. TWO WEEKS. TWO WEEKS ON INSTAGRAM. YES. UM, DAVID, BRETT, UM, IS A BUILDING INSPECTOR AS WELL FOR ABOUT TWO MONTHS. FOUR MONTHS. FOUR MONTHS. ALL RIGHT. TIME FLIES. SO, UM, SO, UH, TWO BUILDING INSPECTORS, UH, SIDNEY HOLLAND, WHO'S BEEN WITH US FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS NOW, HAS ACTUALLY BEEN PROMOTED TO A BUILDING INSPECTOR TWO, UH, WHICH IS GREAT FOR US. UM, ALSO WE HAVE, UH, UH, CARRIE GUZMAN THERE. SHE HAS BEEN PROMOTED TO THE, UM, UH, OUR GROWTH [00:05:01] MAN GROWTH MANAGEMENT ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES ADMINISTRATOR. THAT'S A, THAT'S A MOUTHFUL. SO SHE WAS THE COORDINATOR, BUT SHE WAS JUST DOING A FANTASTIC JOB. SO I GAVE HER MORE RESPONSIBILITY. GO AHEAD. UM, AND THEN ALSO AT THE END WE HAVE, UH, MISS, UH, VICTORIA SMALLS, WHO WAS, UH, PROMOTED TO OUR AFFORDABLE WORKFORCE HOUSING MANAGER. YES. SO THANK YOU. OKAY. CONGRATULATIONS Y'ALL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY, I'M NEXT. MARSHA. MARSHA. SO MARSHA IS THE NEW TOWN CLERK. SHE, UM, HAS BEEN WITH US NOW FOR TWO 13. SO, UM, SHE HAD BEEN HERE PREVIOUSLY. SHE HAD, UM, BEEN WITH THE GROWTH MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT AND THEN SHE LEFT. SHE WAS EXCITED TO COME BACK. SO SHE IS OUR NEW TOWN CLERK. AND SO I THINK Y'ALL ALL MET HER AND GOTTA WORK WITH HER FOR THE LAST FEW MONTHS. WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE, SURE. EVERYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY GOT TO SEE OR KNOW WHO SHE WANTS. THANK YOU. AND SO MANY NEED TO KNOW HER BECAUSE SHE'S, WE HAD A NEW EMAIL WITH OUR NEW COUNSELOR. WE SLOWLY CONNECT Y'ALL. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE EILEEN MCCALLUM. SHE'S BEEN WITH US FOR A MONTH. SHE IS A PART-TIME EMPLOYEE. SHE'S GONNA DO A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING, BUT HER TITLE IS VIDEO AND EVENTS COORDINATOR AND SHE HAILS FROM CALIFORNIA WHERE SHE WAS A SPECIAL EVENTS MANAGER AT THE MARINE CORPS BASE, 29 PALMS IN CALIFORNIA. SHE HAS A BACHELOR'S DEGREES IN COMMUNICATION AND SOCIAL MEDIA FROM LIBERTY UNIVERSITY. SO, WELCOME EILEEN. WELCOME EILEEN. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. I HAVE SOME PROMOTIONS TO, UM, RELAY TO YOU. SO FIRST WE HAVE ANGIE DOUGLAS. SHE'S AUNTIE DOUGLAS WAS PROMOTED TO OUR IT SUPPORT AND D E I COORDINATOR. UH, NATALIE WAS PROMOTED TO DIRECTOR OF FINANCE. IN OUR WATERSHED DEPARTMENT. WE HAVE BETH LEWIS. SHE WAS PROMOTED TO WATER QUALITY PROGRAM MANAGER. AND WE HAVE CHRISTINA, HER, SHE WAS PROMOTED TO STORM WATER COORDINATOR, FIELD ASSISTANT. AND THEN IN PROJECT MANAGEMENT WE HAVE MARK MAXWELL, WHO IS PROMOTED TO C I P PROJECTS AND ACQUISITIONS MANAGER. SO THESE ARE OUR PROMOTIONS FROM THE TOWN. NEXT UP IS THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. SO I'LL BE SENDING IN SMALL GROUPS OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR THE CHIEF TO INTRODUCE YOU. THANK YOU ALL. CONGRATULATIONS. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. WE'RE GONNA TRY TO MAKE THIS AS BRIEF AS POSSIBLE, BUT WE HAVE BEEN BUSY OVER THE PAST SIX MONTHS. WE ARE GONNA START OFF WITH OUR CIVILIAN, UH, STAFF THAT WE'VE HIRED. UM, I, SO WE HAVE LORRAINE JETER. SHE IS, UH, ONE OF OUR NEW SCHOOL CROSSING GUARDS. SHE'LL BE REPORTING CECIL LANCASTER AND SHE, UM, WHAT USED TO BE A HEAD CASHIER AT LOWE'S. UH, WE HAVE SCOTT GEAR. HE IS ALSO A SCHOOL CROSSING GUARD, UH, REPORTING TO CECIL LANCASTER. AND HE USED TO BE A MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN AT SUN CITY. WE HAVE PAM ELLO. SHE IS JOINING SONNY AS OUR COMMUNITY SERVICE ASSISTANT AND SHE CAME FROM AN AUTO AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER INSIDE SALES. SO WELCOME TO THEM. UH, WE HAVE JENNIFER MARINO. SHE IS OUR DATA ENTRY CLERK. SHE IS WORKING WITH JC AND SHE CAME FROM AMAZON. UH, AMAZON. AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WE HAVE KATE COOLER, WHO IS OUR VICTIM'S ADVOCATE SOCIAL WORKER. AND SHE CAME FROM BEAUFORT COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE. SHE'S ALSO ONE WHO ORIGINATED AND CREATED THE PROGRAM. BLESSINGS FOR BLUFFTON, UH, WHICH WE ARE GONNA START PUSHING OUT, UH, STARTING NEXT MONTH. SO GOOD. WELCOME EVERYBODY. THANK YOU FOR BEING . YOU GOT SO MUCH . ALL RIGHT. THAT'S COOL. SO I WANNA INTRODUCE THE CLASS THREE OFFICERS THAT WILL NOW BE IN OUR SCHOOLS. UM, TO THE FAR LEFT, WE HAVE DENISE, UH, HENDRICKSON, AND SHE IS GOING TO BE GOING OVER TO CROSS SCHOOLS. UH, SHE'LL BE THE FIRST SS R O OVER AT CROSS SCHOOLS. SHE IS ALSO A BASKETBALL COACH, UH, FOR THE, UH, WOMAN'S TEAM OVER THERE. NEXT TO HER WE HAVE JARVIS BROWN. HE IS ALSO A CLASS THREE OFFICER, AND HE WILL BE THE SS R O OVER AT PRITCHER ELEMENTARY. HE WAS A SECURITY GUARD OVER THERE PRIOR TO US HIRING HIM. [00:10:01] AND THE P T L DEMANDED THAT THEY GET HIM BACK. SO THEY LOVE HIM OVER THERE. UH, WE ALSO HAVE NEW HIRES. OUR CLASS ONES, UM, WE HAVE ZAHIL YOUNG TO, TO MY LEFT. UM, HE CAME FROM THE MARINE CORPS AND HE, UH, IS CURRENTLY A STUDENT AT SANTIAGO CANYON COLLEGE FOR COMMUNICATIONS. WE HAVE A BRIE RODRIGUEZ. UM, SHE WAS A REMOTE RECEPTIONIST FROM THE BRONX VETERINARY CENTER. IS THAT CORRECT? AND SHE HAS ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE FROM THE BRONX COMMUNITY COLLEGE. YOUR RED SOX . UM, WE HAVE ALEXA LYCOS. UM, SHE'S ALSO A CLASS ONE OFFICER. SHE USED TO WORK FRONT DESK, UH, AT SUFFOLK SERVICES UP IN NEW YORK. NEW YORK, RIGHT? YES. OKAY. AND SHE HAS A BACHELOR'S IN FITNESS AND WELLNESS LEADERSHIP FROM SS U N Y. WE HAVE GABRIELLE PAGANO CLASS ONE OFFICER AS WELL. AND SHE'S BE MANAGER AT CARVE ICE CREAM. AND WE DEMANDED THAT SHE BRING US AN ICE CREAM CAKE AND THEN DON'T BURN THE BRIDGE. HOLD ON, I GOT YOU ON. HERE YOU ARE. TAYLOR. TAYLOR CORLETT. SORRY. TAYLOR. UM, SHE IS LOCAL. SHE WENT, SHE HAS, UH, A BACHELOR'S IN BIOLOGY FROM UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA BUFORT. AND SHE IS THE NIECE OF TANK MORRIS FROM B C S O. SO, AND YOUR CHANCELLOR IS HERE SO HE CAN HE CAN CLAP FOR YOU. THERE HE IS. SO THANK Y'ALL VERY MUCH. THANK YOUOR. WE GET YOUR GRADUATES, KEEP SENDING THEM TO US. THE LAST, BUT CERTAINLY NOT, NOT LEAST, OUR PROMOTIONS. UH, STARTING OFF WITH BILL BON HOK, HE WAS PROMOTED TO CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER. HE HAS BEEN EXTREMELY ACTIVE, UH, SINCE HE'S TAKEN OVER THAT POSITION. . UH, SO WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE HIM. UH, PROMOTIONS TO CORPORAL NOT HERE TODAY. AS OSCAR FRAZIER, HE WAS PROMOTED TO CORPORAL AND HE'S OVER, UH, HALF OF THE SROS IN OUR SCHOOLS. UH, ANGELA SERRANO IS HERE. SHE IS OUR DETECTIVE OVER, UM, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. AND SHE'S THE ONE WHO CAME UP WITH THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PROGRAM WITH THE STICKERS IN THE RESTAURANTS. SO GOOD JOB WITH THAT. ANGELA. UM, AND THEN CORPORAL SARAH SCHAFER. SHE WAS PROMOTED TO CORPORAL AND SHE IS A CORPORAL ON THE PATROL DIVISION SERGEANT. WE HAVE SERGEANT DAN MARCIANO, WHO IS A SERGEANT OVER INVESTIGATIONS. WE HAVE SERGEANT CECIL LANCASTER, WHO IS A SERGEANT OVER ALL THE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS. AND WE HAVE SERGEANT JAMES PERKINS, WHO WAS RECENTLY PROMOTED AND OVER PATROL AS WELL. UH, FOR LIEUTENANT, WE HAVE LIEUTENANT RYAN ZEKI, WHO IS NOT HERE TONIGHT. HE IS OVER THE INVESTIGATION DIVISION AND LIEUTENANT CRAIG RAFA, WHO IS LIEUTENANT AND THE NEW EMERGENCY MANAGER FOR THE TOWN OF LOVE. THANK YOU GUYS. YOUR INTERVIEW TODAY, I JUST TEXTED DEBBIE TO GET US THE LINK. SO, AND I WROTE ABOUT YOU IN OUR ARTICLE, SO THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THIS COURT. APPRECIATE IT. YOU GOT IT. DID HE MENTION ? I THOUGHT HE MISSED HIM. HE DID MENTION THIS AT THE END. YEAH. IS THAT ALL MR. STATES? YES, MA'AM. THAT'S EVERYBODY. OKAY. NEXT WE HAVE, UM, A PROCLAMATION, U S C B AND SHARP. WELCOME. YOU NORMALLY WOULD SEE LINE, BUT YOU CHANGE YOUR LOGO ON US. IT WILL BE UP TOMORROW MORNING. HAS THAT BE UP TOMORROW MORNING? SO, UM, AND WE LOVE DOING THIS BECAUSE AS YOU SEE, THAT'S OUR, THAT'S OUR FEEDING GROUND TO GET EMPLOYEES AND GET THEM TO STAY HERE. WHY CHANCELLOR, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. THIS IS SAND SHARK WEEK, WHEREAS THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA BEAUFORT, WELL, WE SAY BLUFFTON IS FULLY ACCREDITED COMPREHENSIVE BACCALAUREATE INSTITUTION WITHIN THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA SYSTEM. AND WHEREAS U US U S C B PROVIDES SPECIALIZED INSTRUCTION IN 19 UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE PROGRAMS TO GRADUATE DEGREES TO FULFILL ITS MISSION, TO RESPOND TO REGIONAL NEEDS, DRAW UPON REGIONAL STRENGTHS, AND PREPARE GRADUATES TO CONTRIBUTE LOCALLY, NATIONALLY, AND INTERNATIONALLY. WHEREAS U SS C B IS PRIMARY, A PRIMARY REGIONAL RESOURCE FOR EXCEPTIONAL SKILLED HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS, TEACHERS, HOSPITALITY MANAGERS, SCIENCE BASED RESEARCHERS, AND COMPUTATIONAL TROUBLESHOOTERS IN SOUTH CAROLINA LOW COUNTRY. WHEREAS U S C B HAS A REPUTATION FOR INSTITUTIONAL PROMINENCE AS A REGIONAL PROBLEM SOLVER. CATALYST FOR PROGRESS IN ENGINEER AN ENGINE FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH BRINGS REPORTS ON THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN BUFORT COUNTY. INDICATE THAT 1,066 [00:15:01] JOBS, 50.5 MILLION IN ADDITIONAL WAGE AND SALARY INCOME, 122.4 MILLION IN ECONOMIC OUTPUT AND 1.6 MILLION IN NET GOVERNMENT REVENUE ARE ATTRIBUTABLE TO U S C B EVERY YEAR. WHEREAS THIS WEEK, U S C B WELCOMES MORE THAN 2000 STUDENTS. THEIR PARENTS, OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS AND FRIENDS TO CAMPUSES IN BLUFFTON, BEAUFORT, HI, HEAD ISLAND INTO ATHLETIC FACILITIES AT VILLE FOR THE START OF THE 20 23, 20 24 ACADEMIC YEAR. THEREFORE, ALI SALKA, MAYOR OF THE TOWN OF BLACKTON, ALONG WITH THIS WONDERFUL GROUP OF TOWN COUNCIL DO HEREBY PROCLAIM THE WEEK OF AUGUST 20 TO 26 IS U S C B SHARK WELCOME WEEK. SO WE'RE GONNA SEE A LINE OF NEW FACES AND JUST WELCOME THEM AND SAY HELLO. THANK YOU SO MUCH. DO YOU WANNA SAY ANYTHING? ABSOLUTELY. A PICTURE REALLY MEANS I A PICTURE FIRST. OKAY. PICTURE. TURN THAT AROUND. YEAH. YEAH. I, OKAY, GREAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. PLEASE MEANS A GREAT DEAL FOR OUR STUDENTS TO NOT ONLY BE WELCOME TO OUR CAMPUSES, BUT TO BE WELCOME BY THE COMMUNITY. IT MEANS THAT, AND WE ARE DECIDED WE ARE GOING TO, WE ARE CONTINUING TO GROW, CONTINUE, UM, TO MAKE YOU PROUD. UM, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND THANK YOU FOR THIS, UM, ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ENJOY YOUR TIME WITH THESE NEW KIDS. UM, NEXT WE HAVE PALMETTO BREEZE TRANSIT PRESENTATION. MARY LOU COMES TO OUR AREA LABS MEETINGS AND WE PARTICIPATE IN THIS. AND I'M GLAD YOU'RE HERE TO DO A QUICK OVERVIEW OF WHAT YOU DO. THANK YOU. I HAVE A PRESENTATION, SIR. HERE IT IS. AND THIS IS BRIAN, UM, SULLIVAN. HE'S OUR MARKETING MANAGER. UM, THANK YOU MAYOR SKA AND COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR ALLOWING US TO COME AND DO A PRESENTATION ON WHAT PALMETTO BREEZE, WHICH OUR OFFICIAL NAME IS THE LOW COUNTRY REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY. UM, AND WHAT WE, UH, DO, WE ARE A FIVE COUNTY AUTHORITY AND WE DO BOTH URBAN AND RURAL SERVICES, WHICH IS IMPORTANT 'CAUSE THAT'S HOW OUR GRANT MONEY COMES IN, BOTH RURAL AND URBAN. DO I DO IT? JUST PRESS THE ARROW, RIGHT, RIGHT THERE. OKAY, I GOT IT. AND, UH, THIS JUST SHOWS SOME OF THE SERVICES WE DO. WE HAVE SEVEN COMMUTER ROUTES. WE HAVE A, A, A ROUTE ONCE ALL THE COMMUTER BUSES COME IN FROM THE OUTLYING AREAS. THEY, UH, TRANSFER IN BLUFFTON TO DIFFERENT LOCATIONS. UM, A LOT OF 'EM ARE ON HILTON HEAD. WE HAVE ONE BUS THAT JUST SERVES THE BLUFFTON AREA, AND I'LL GET INTO WHERE THAT GOES. UH, ON THE NEXT SLIDE, UM, WE DO THE BLUFFTON BREEZE AND WE HAVE A PRE, UH, SLIDE WITH A DESCRIPTION OF THE ROUTE. AND WE STARTED THAT TWO YEARS AGO. WE DO EASY BREEZE, WHICH IS OUR PARATRANSIT SERVICE. THE A D A PARATRANSIT IS REQUIRED BY THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION. ANYTIME YOU HAVE A PUBLIC FIXED ROUTE SYSTEM, YOU HAVE TO PUT IN AN A D A PARATRANSIT, MEANING THAT IF SOMEONE CANNOT GET TO A BUS STOP AND THEY LIVE WITHIN THREE QUARTERS OF A MILE OF THE ROUTE, WE'LL GO TO THEIR DOOR AND PICK 'EM UP AND SAY THEY'RE GOING TO, UH, UH, ANY STORE OR ANY, UH, SERVICES THAT ARE WITHIN THREE QUARTERS OF A MILE OF THE ROUTE. AND WE TAKE 'EM THERE. AND WE DO AT THIS TIME, HAVE EIGHT REGISTERED A D A PASSENGERS IN BLUFFTON THAT USE THE SERVICE, AND THEY HAVE TO FILL OUT AN APPLICATION AND, AND BE APPROVED THAT WAY THROUGH THEIR, UH, PHYSICIAN. UM, WE HAVE DEMAND RESPONSE SERVICES, AND THAT IS, UH, SIMILAR TO DIAL AIDE IN OTHER AREAS WHERE FOLKS CAN, UH, CALL IN AND, UH, SEE IF THERE'S A, AT THE TIME THEY WANT A TRIP AVAILABLE. AND WE DO ABOUT 20 TO 25 TRIPS A DAY FOR FOLKS THAT JUST CALL IN AND SAY, HEY, I NEED TO GO TO DIALYSIS. CAN I GET A RIDE TO MY DOCTORS? AND IT, IT DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH BLUFF AND BREEZE. AND WE CHARGE BY THE MILE FAIRLY, UH, REASONABLE. IT'S $5 FOR UP TO 10 MILES. AND SO THAT'S VERY POPULAR AND, AND, UH, I'M GLAD THAT WE CAN FULFILL PEOPLE'S NEEDS. UH, WE HAVE DONE SOME SPECIAL EVENTS JUST RECENTLY, THE MAYFEST, UM, AS THEY COULDN'T FIND A PRIVATE CHARTER OPERATOR, GENERALLY WE WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING THAT THE PRIVATE CHARTER OPERATORS WOULD DO. BUT, UM, THERE WAS NONE AVAILABLE. AND I BELIEVE WE MAY BE ON ONLINE FOR THE NEXT FESTIVAL AS WELL. AND WE'RE HAPPY TO HELP OUT. WE DO THE DUSKY FERRY PARKING SHUTTLE RIGHT NOW. IT'S, UH, BEHIND TANGER TWO. WE HAVE FOUR TRIPS A DAY THAT WE TAKE PEOPLE FROM THAT SITE. AND IF YOU'LL SEE IT'S FULL OF CARS TO THE DUSKY FERRY DOWN AT, UH, BUCKINGHAM LANDING. WE ALSO DO A SHUTTLE BETWEEN THE, UH, U SS C B AND, UH, BLUFFTON AND IN BUFORD. AND SO WE GO BACK AND FORTH THROUGHOUT THE DAY SO THAT THE STUDENTS [00:20:01] CAN TAKE CLASSES AT EITHER CAMPUS AND WE PROVIDE EMERGENCY EVACUATION SERVICES. AND FOR WHAT MOST PEOPLE WOULD THINK OF HERE IS DURING HURRICANES, BUT THERE CAN BE ANY KIND OF NATURAL DISASTER. AND IF THE E O C OPENS AND, UM, WE ARE SF ONE, WE'RE IN CHARGE OF TRANSPORTATION. AND I KNOW DURING MATTHEW WE TOOK ABOUT 375 PEOPLE TO THE SHELTER IN JASPER COUNTY. AND, UM, SO WE'RE THERE, WE ACTIVATE ANYTIME THE E O C'S ACTIVATED, WE'RE ON DUTY AND READY TO HELP. THIS IS THE MAP OF ALL THE COMMUTER ROUTES. AND, UH, WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT, IT'S PRETTY AMAZING THAT WE BRING PEOPLE IN FROM ALL OF THESE AREAS. AND THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT IS THEY COME IN FROM ALL THESE AREAS AS FAR AS WALTER BOROUGH AND ALLENDALE. AND WHEN THEY GET TO BLUFFTON, THE BUS IN, IN THAT TAKES 'EM AROUND. BLUFFTON, WE TAKE EMPLOYEES TO R S I, WHICH IS RESORT SERVICES INDUSTRIES ON, UM, UH, BUCK ISLAND. WE, UH, SERVE TWO PARKERS. WE GO TO THE, UH, BLUFFTON HIGH SCHOOL. WE HAVE A WORKER THERE. WE DO SOME SERVICES IN BUCK WALTER. WE HAVE EMPLOYEES TO THE MCDONALD'S, UM, THE PIZZA HUTT IN THERE, VINEYARD. AND THEN AS WE HEAD UP, WE SERVE, UM, THE, THE WENDY'S. AND I KNOW THAT'S PART OUT OF BLUFFTON, BUT, UH, ZAXBY'S, UH, THE WALMART UP THERE, ALL THE EMPLOYEES THAT COME FROM THE OUTLYING AREAS COME HERE. AND THEN WE DISTRIBUTED THEM AROUND. AND THEN AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE GO BACK AND GET 'EM, THEY GET BACK ON THEIR BUS TO ALLENDALE, HAMPTON COLLETON. AND, UH, IT'S, IT REALLY PROVIDES, IT'S A TWO-WAY STREET. IT PROVIDES THEM WITH, UH, GOOD INCOMES, BETTER THAN THEY CAN GET WHERE THEY LIVE. AND IT PROVIDES US WITH EMPLOYEES THAT ARE SO HARD TO COME BY. AND THIS IS A BLUFFTON BREEZE. WE STARTED IT TWO YEARS AGO. UM, IT IS FUNDED THROUGH F T A AND ALSO BY THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON. AND, UM, WELL, IT'S PART OF THE URBANIZED AREA. AND WE OPERATE EIGHT TO FIVE 30 MONDAY TO FRIDAY. AND, UH, THE ROUTE'S A LITTLE HARD TO SEE HERE, BUT THE MAJORITY OF IT IS, UH, US GOING ALONG THE BLUFFTON PARKWAY. THAT UP AND DOWN IS WHERE WE'RE COMING FROM WALMART TO, UM, TOWN HALL. AND WE ALSO SERVE THE NEW RV PARK. UH, THAT'S, UH, THE NATIONAL GOLF COURSE. AND WE DO PICK UP PEOPLE THERE. AND, UM, WE HAVE SOME REGULAR RIDERS. I HAVE TO SAY THAT IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A SLOW GROW. UH, WE HAVE TRIED A LOT OF THINGS AND WE'RE NOT DONE TRYING. UM, AND HERE'S A SLIDE ON THAT, THAT, UM, WE REDUCED THE SCHEDULE EARLY IN THE YEAR BECAUSE WE WERE VERY SHORT OF DRIVERS AND WE HAD TO LOOK AT WHERE CAN WE BE MORE EFFICIENT. SO WE WENT FROM THREE DRIVERS ON THE ROUTE TO TWO DRIVERS BY REMOVING TWO HOURS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY. AND WE DID THAT 'CAUSE THERE WEREN'T A LOT, ENOUGH RIDERSHIP, AND WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH DRIVERS. AND SO WE'RE GETTING READY IN THE FALL TO PUT BACK THAT THIRD DRIVER. BUT WE'RE LOOKING AT, UH, SOMETHING WE WANNA CALL THE OKEE ROUTE. AND WHAT WE WANNA DO IS, UM, WE PLAN THE ROUTE AND WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH IT AS A PILOT TO SEE IF WE CAN GET SOME OF THE FOLKS THAT LIVE UP IN THAT AREA THAT DON'T WANT TO DRIVE. AND FROM OUR, UH, CONVERSATIONS WE HAD, THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WOULD LIKE TO COME TO BLUFFTON. IT USED TO COME TO BLUFFTON, IT USED TO GO TO THE FARMER'S MARKET AND COME INTO TOWN AND THEY DON'T WANT TO DRIVE ON 2 78 ANYMORE. AND SO WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT WE CAN MARKET THAT AND GET SOME MORE RIDERSHIP UP SO THAT, UM, WE'RE DOING WHAT WE, WHAT OUR MISSION IS, IS TO GET PEOPLE AROUND, UH, PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. UM, AND THE A D A SERVICE, AGAIN, I I DISCUSSED THAT THESE LITTLE VANS ARE VERY, UM, UH, COMFORTABLE AND AIR, AIR CONDITIONED AND PEOPLE WOULD GET PEOPLE RIGHT TO WHERE THEY WANT TO GO. UM, UH, DOOR TO DOOR AND, UH, THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS. I BROUGHT SOME BROCHURES FOR EVERYBODY AND TO PUT IN A TOWN HALL. AND BASICALLY WE WILL, HOW THIS WORKS IS WE HAVE A REGISTRY. AND SO IF SOMEBODY KNOWS THAT THEY'RE GONNA HAVE DIFFICULTY GETTING TO THE SHELTER, THEY CAN GET ON OUR REGISTRY AT ANY POINT IN TIME. UH, PALMETTO BREEZE TRANSIT.COM, GO TO HURRICANE REGISTRY, PUT YOUR NAME DOWN RIGHT BEFORE A STORM COMES. OR IF WE KNOW WE'RE ABOUT TO GET ONE, WE CALL EVERYBODY ON THE REGISTRY TO SEE, DO YOU STILL NEED SERVICE? ARE YOU STILL THERE? SO THEN WE HAVE THAT LIST. AND THEN USUALLY AS SOON AS A HURRICANE'S ANNOUNCED, THE PHONES LIGHT UP AND WE GET ANOTHER 50 OR A HUNDRED PEOPLE. WELL, THE DAY OF THE EVENT IN THE MORNING, WE HAVE A CALL CENTER AND, AND EVERYBODY CAN CALL IN AND WE MAKE ROUTES FOR THE DRIVERS TO GO PICK EVERYBODY UP AND WE GET 'EM TO THE SHELTER. SO, UM, I THINK WE'VE GOTTEN REALLY GOOD AT IT, UNFORTUNATELY. AND HOPEFULLY WE WON'T GET TO PRACTICE THIS YEAR. , DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? QUESTIONS ON THIS? MAYOR, I, I SEE YOU AS IMPERATIVE TO THE, THE LONG-TERM TERM SOLUTION TO THE TRANSPORTATION NEEDS IN IN THE AREA OF THE REGION. I'M A LITTLE SURPRISED YOUR, YOUR RIDERSHIP HAS NOT [00:25:01] INCREASED TO A POINT THAT YOU'D LIKE IT TO. UM, I HOPE THAT YOU'RE MAKING A REALLY SOUND EFFORT, BUT MY QUESTION REALLY IS, YOU KNOW, THE GOAL WAS ULTIMATELY TO CONNECT THE HILTON HEAD TO BRING THE THE WORKERS BACK AND FORTH. UM, WHEN DO YOU FORESEE, SO WHEN DO YOU FORESEE YOUR ORGANIZATION DOING THAT? WELL, I HAVE TO SAY THAT, UM, IT'S, IT HAS A LOT TO DO WITH THE FUNDING. AND THE WAY WE'RE FUNDED IS BASED ON TWO YEAR OLD STATISTICS THROUGH THE F T A. AND SO IN ORDER TO HAVE THAT BIG OF A GROWTH WE NEED, WE NEED A BIG GROWTH OF FUNDING. AND I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT WE MAY BE, UM, PART OF THE NEXT, UH, UH, SALES TAX REFERENDUM AND THAT WOULD DO IT. WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO PURCHASE BUSES AND HIRE MORE DRIVERS, NOT WITH THE GRANT MONEY. WHAT, WHAT WE USE IS PRIMARILY OUR FUNDING IS GRANT MONEY AND LOCAL MATCH. AND SO IT'S VERY HARD TO MAKE A BIG PUSH, UH, WITHOUT A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF FUNDS. AND SO RIGHT NOW WE'VE DEVELOPED SERVICE ON HILTON HEAD, BUT IT'S SEASONAL. IT'S VERY POPULAR. AND I WANNA SAY THE FIRST TWO YEARS IT WASN'T. AND SO WE DIDN'T GIVE UP ON IT. WE'RE CARRYING 40 TO 50,000 RIDERS JUST FROM MEMORIAL DAY TO LABOR DAY. AND I KNOW IT'S MADE A HUGE DIFFERENCE OVER THERE. AND I HAVE TO TELL YOU, WE WERE A LITTLE SURPRISED THAT FOLKS HERE AREN'T SO INTERESTED IN LEAVING THEIR CAR IN THE DRIVEWAY OR IN THE PARKING LOT AND, UH, GETTING ON THE BUS, BUT WE WE'RE NOT GIVING UP AND WE'RE GOING INTO YEAR THREE AND THAT WAS THE YEAR THE TROLLEY TOOK OFF. SO WE'RE REALLY HOPEFUL THAT WE'LL, WE'LL GET A SOLID BASE. ANY QUESTIONS? YOU HAVE QUESTIONS JUST, I MEAN, REAL QUICK, DO WE HELP WITH THE MEDIA TO GET THIS WORD OUT? I DON'T KNOW THAT I SEE IT ANYWHERE AND MAYBE, MAYBE WE ALL SHOULD WRITE IT. AND WHERE DO WE GO? WHERE DO YOU HAVE I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO EVEN GET ON IT AND I'D LIKE TO WRITE IT. YEAH, I MAYORS THIS IS, UH, BRIAN SULLIVAN. I'M THE DIRECTOR OF MARKETING. UM, WHAT WHAT WE'RE STRUGGLING WITH IS ADVOCACY IN THE COMMUNITY. AND SO, FOR EXAMPLE, THE MARKET, THE MARKETS ACTUALLY PLURAL, ARE HUGE ADVOCATES. THEY LOVE IT AND THEY KEEP SCRATCHING THEIR HEADS SAYING, WHY AREN'T PEOPLE WRITING MORE TO THE MARKETS, ESPECIALLY THURSDAY. SO, UM, IF THAT'S AN OFFER FOR ASSISTANCE WITH COMMUNICATIONS, WE WOULD LOVE TO TAKE YOU UP ON IT. IT WAS ONE OF THE KEYS TO SUCCESS IN HILTON HEAD. I THINK IT'S YOU GETTING IT FOR US. 'CAUSE I'M LOOKING RIGHT HERE AT THREE OF EM. WELL ACTUALLY LOOK AT STEVEN. THEY'RE HIS EMPLOYEES, BUT YOU KNOW, MAYBE GET WITH STEVEN AND LET HIM CONNECT YOU ON WHAT WE CAN, WE CAN'T CREATE THE MARKETING, BUT WE SURELY CAN SPREAD IT. ABSOLUTELY. ABSOLUTELY. I HAVE A COMMENT. YES. I THINK, UM, JUST IN TALKING TO SOME RESIDENTS, ANOTHER, UM, INITIATIVE THAT MIGHT AID IN THAT COULD BE A PARTNERSHIP, YOU KNOW, WE DISCUSSED, UM, IS BECAUSE THERE'S NO COMMUTER DESIGNATED COMMUTER AREA, A LOT OF PEOPLE AREN'T COMFORTABLE, UM, OR KNOW WHAT IF THEY DO WANNA USE THAT AS A RIDE CHAIR, LIKE WHERE THEY PARK IN THEIR CAR. 'CAUSE OTHER, IF THERE'S NOT A DESIGNATED SPOT, I'M NOT GONNA LEAVE MY HOUSE TO GET ON THE BUS SOMEWHERE. 'CAUSE WHERE AM I PARKING WHEN I DO LEAVE TO, TO UTILIZE THEM INSTEAD OF MY PERSONAL VEHICLE. SO MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES SHOULD THINK OF IS IF WE ARE WANTING TO SEE THEM USED IN THAT WAY. UM, DO WE HAVE OPEN SPACES OR A PARKING LOT SOMEWHERE THAT COULD BE DESIGNATED AS THIS IS A CENTRAL LOCATION TO GO TO STEVEN'S TAKING NOTES. GREAT. ANYTHING ELSE? THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. UM, NEXT WE HAVE THE HILTON HEAD LEFT IN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. TOM, YOU'VE BEEN ON THIS A COUPLE AGENDAS AND WE'VE GOT YOU HERE WHILE YOU'RE COMING UP. I SAW TWO MORE BOY SCOUTS COME UP. ARE THEY HERE FOR THE SAME BADGE? AND THEN I SAW A YOUNG MAN IN THE BACK. IS HE HERE FOR? GOT EMBARRASSED 'EM ALL. . WHAT, WHAT ARE YOU HERE FOR? WE'RE HERE FOR THE SAME MAYOR . VERY GOOD. I APPRECIATE Y'ALL BEING HERE. OKAY, TOM, TAKE NOTE OF ALL OF THEM. THANKS. MAYOR SULCA TOWN COUNCIL AND AND STAFF, THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND BLUFFTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HAS ENJOYED A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON SINCE IT WAS STILL A ONE SQUARE MILE STATE OF MIND. WE REPRESENT 1400 MEMBER BUSINESSES AND ORGANIZATIONS OF ALL TYPES. A RECENT SURVEY REVEALED THAT THEIR BIGGEST CHALLENGE IS ATTRACTING AND RETAINING A QUALIFIED WORKFORCE. CHALLENGES FREQUENTLY REQUIRE TWO THINGS TO RESOLVE COLLABORATION AND CREATIVITY. WE AT THE CHAMBER ARE COLLABORATING WITH CREATIVE COMMUNITY PARTNERS IN AN EFFORT, EFFORT TO DEVELOP AND EXPAND THE AREA'S WORKFORCE. OUR WEBSITE CURRENTLY HOSTS A LANDING PAGE FOR LOCALLY FOCUSED JOB PROVIDERS AND JOB SEEKERS CALLED LOW COUNTRY JOBS. NOW THIS SITE, POWERED BY INDEED, IS WHERE LOCAL BUSINESSES AND ORGANIZATIONS CAN POST THEIR JOB OPPORTUNITIES AND [00:30:01] POTENTIAL EMPLOYEES CAN SEARCH THESE OPENINGS AND APPLY THE SITE. ALSO CONTAINS CAREER RESOURCES, TOOLS, AND ADVICE. WE ARE WORKING TO ADD FIVE ADDITIONAL PORTALS TO THIS JOB SITE IN ORDER TO EXPAND THE POTENTIAL WORKFORCE. EACH ONE HAS A UNIQUE FOCUS AND WILL BE DEVELOPED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH COMMUNITY INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS WITH EXPERTISE IN THEIR RESPECTIVE AREAS OF FOCUS. THESE FIVE PORTALS, IN ADDITION TO OUR CURRENT LOCAL CAREERS PORTAL, ARE AS FOLLOWS, ONE ENCORE CAREERS POWERED BY THE CHAMBERS BUSINESS WORKFORCE COALITION. THIS COMMITTEE WILL WORK TO ENGAGE OUR LOCAL RETIREES BACK INTO THE WORKFORCE WITH INTERESTING AND ENGAGING PART-TIME JOB OPPORTUNITIES. TWO, INTERNSHIPS FOR AREA HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. POWERED BY THE CHAMBER'S BUSINESS EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP. THIS COMMITTEE IS WORKING WITH OUR LOCAL HIGH SCHOOLS AND BUSINESSES TO DEVELOP EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR STUDENTS AND PROVIDE THEM WITH INSIGHTS INTO POSSIBLE, UM, CAREER PATHS. THREE INTERNSHIPS FOR OUR LOCAL COLLEGE STUDENTS. POWERED BY THE CHAMBER'S BLUFFTON REGIONAL BUSINESS COUNCIL. THIS COMMITTEE IS WORKING WITH T C L U S C B AND SCAD TO DEVELOP INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEIR STUDENTS'. CHOSEN FIELDS OF STUDY PROVIDING OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES AND ORGANIZATIONS WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO ATTRACT THEIR FUTURE WORKFORCE. FOUR SERVICE, UH, SERVICE MEMBERS TRANSITIONING OUT OF THE MILITARY POWERED BY US CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND, AND, UH, VARIOUS LOCAL VETERANS. THIS COMMITTEE WILL WORK TO PROVIDE SKILL BRIDGE FUNDING FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES TO HIRE MILITARY PERSONNEL TRANSITIONING TO CIVILIAN CAREERS. AND THEN FINALLY, FIVE JOBS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES POWERED BY THE BEAUFORT COUNTY DISABILITIES COALITION. THIS COMMITTEE WILL USE THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES TO HELP MATCH THEM WITH JOB OPPORTUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY. EACH OF THESE FIVE ADDITIONAL PORTALS WILL INCLUDE RESOURCES AND VALUABLE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROGRAMS. THE HOSTING ORGANIZATIONS WILL WORK WITHIN THEIR CIRCLES TO ATTRACT BUSINESSES AND ORGANIZATIONS TO POST JOB OPPORTUNITIES AND ATTRACT TARGET WORKFORCE CANDIDATES TO APPLY. BY COLLABORATING WITH LOCAL COMMUNITY PARTNERS CREATIVELY, WE CAN HELP BUILD ENGAGING OPPORTUNITIES FOR AN EXPANDED WORKFORCE. I LOOK FORWARD TO PROVIDING FUTURE UPDATES ON THE PROGRESS OF THESE WORKFORCE INITIATIVES. THANK YOU. I DON'T KNOW IF THERE WERE QUESTIONS THAT MIGHT BE MORE JUST FOR INFO, BUT DOES ANYONE HAVE QUESTIONS? THANK YOU. IT'S VERY INTERESTING. I'M SURE I WOULD HAVE QUESTIONS AT SOME POINT. YEAH. THANK YOU TOM. UM, THANK YOU. THAT'S THE END OF, UH, PRESENTATION, CELEBRATIONS, AND RECOGNITIONS. NEXT WE MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENT. [VIII. Public Comment] PUBLIC COMMENT, AS YOU KNOW, UM, IS A PRIVILEGE NOT A RIGHT. IT IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO GO OVER WITH OUR RULES. SO IF Y'ALL JUST BEAR WITH ME, EACH SPEAKER IS LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER MEETING REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THE PERSON IS SPEAKING ON, ON THEIR OWN BEHALF OR AS AN AGENT. FOR OTHERS, THEY MAY NOT DONATE, TRANSFER, YIELD, OR GIVE ANY OR PORTION OF THEIR SPEAKING TIME. THEY'RE CON TO BE CONDUCTED FROM THE PODIUM AND DIRECTED TO TOWN COUNCIL AS A WHOLE AND NOT TO ANY MEMBER OF THEREOF. SPEAKERS SHALL BE MINDFUL AND RESPECTFUL OF THOSE PARTICIPATING IN OR PRESENT AT THE MEETING. SPEAKERS SHALL BE EXPECTED TO BE CIVIL IN THEIR LANGUAGE AND SHALL REFRAIN FROM COMMENT OR BEHAVIOR THAT INVOLVES DISORDERLY SPEECH OR ACTION, NAME CALLING, PERSONAL ATTACKS, THREATS, OBSCENE OR INDECENT REMARKS AND ARE DISRUPTIVE ACTIONS. UM, COMBINE, CONFINE YOUR COMMENTS TO THE JURISDICTION OF THIS TOWN COUNCIL. UM, IF YOU VIOLATE THESE RULES, YOU'LL BE RULED OUT OF ORDER BY THE PRESIDING OFFICER. AND ANY PERSON WHO COMMENTS HAVE BEEN RULED, HELD OUT OF ORDER SHALL IMMEDIATELY CEASE AND DESIST FROM FURTHER PRO IMPROPER COMMENTS. THIS IS, UM, REFUSAL OF AN INDIVIDUAL TO DESIST FROM. THIS MAY BE SUBJECT, UH, TO REMOVAL FROM THE MEETING AND OR A CITATION UNDER OUR SECTION 2.49 OF THE CODE. THESE ARE OUR RULES. AND OUR RULES ARE, ARE PART OF OUR ORDINANCE. AND OUR ORDINANCE IS THE LAW OF THIS TOWN. SO I JUST LIKE GOING OVER THAT AND WITH Y'ALL HERE, YOU KIND OF UNDERSTAND HOW WE TRY TO RUN A BUSINESS MEETING. SO WITH THAT, IF YOU COME UP, SAY YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, EVEN IF WE KNOW YOU, WE NEED IT FOR OUR MINUTES. AND I WILL PASS IT ON TO MARSHA, UH, MICHAEL HUGHES. HE'LL BE SPEAKING REGARDING CONSENT. CONSENT AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FIVE. THANK YOU. HEY MICHAEL. COUNSEL, MY NAME IS MIKE HUGHES [00:35:01] WITH THOMAS NUTTON. UM, SHE'S CORRECT. I DID COME HERE TO SPEAK ON, UH, CONSENT AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FIVE AND SOME OF THE SPECIFIC LANGUAGE WITHIN THERE. OKAY. UM, AND HAD SOME CONCERNS ABOUT IT. HOWEVER, I HAVE SPOKEN TO MS. KIMBERLY JONES AND SHE HAS EASED MY CONCERNS, UH, REGARDING THAT ITEM. SO I REALLY HAVE NOTHING FORMAL ON THE AGENDA TO SPEAK OF. I WOULD LIKE TO SAY HOW LUCKY THE TOWN IS TO HAVE STAFF WHO'S GOING TO ENGAGE, COMMUNICATE, AND WORK COLLABORATIVELY TO SOLVE PROBLEMS. AND I DO THINK ALSO YOUR CONSTITUENTS SHOULD ALSO KNOW THAT I THINK THIS COUNCIL REALLY DOES WORK ON THE BEHALF OF THEM AND IS LOOKING AS A TEAM OUT FOR THEIR BEST INTERESTS. SO HOPEFULLY IF YOU DON'T GET ENOUGH CREDIT FOR THAT, I HOPE YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU REALLY DO A GOOD JOB. AND I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU GUYS DO FOR YOUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MICHAEL. THANK YOU. AND KIM, WHEN YOU WILL YOU LET US, WAS THAT IN OUR PACKET? WILL YOU LET US KNOW WHAT THE CHANGES ARE THAT HE WANTED? IT'S IN OUR PACKET. OKAY. THANK YOU. YEP. MR. HOAGLAND, SKIP HOAGLAND WINDMILL HARBOR. DAVID LAUDERDALE'S, EXCELLENT COLUMN SLOPPY GOVERNMENT IN THE PACKET ABOUT THE LATEST BEAUFORT COUNTY GREENWAY SCANDAL SHOULD STRIKE FEAR IN THE HEART OF EVERY CORRUPT INCOMPETENT COUNTY EMPLOYEE, MAYOR, ATTORNEY AND ELECTED OFFICIAL. WE ALL KNOW WHAT CORRUPTION IS. IT'S INSIDER DEALINGS, BRIBERY, QUID PRO QUO NEPOTISM, PAY TO PLAY KICKBACKS AND MORE. NOW IS A TIME DURING THIS HOLY SELF-INFLICTED COUNTY DISGRACE TO SPEAK UP ON THE ISSUE. IT HAS SEVERELY DAMAGED OUR COMMUNITY AND CAUSE EMBARRASSMENT TO HONEST COUNCIL MEMBERS AND EMPLOYEES ALIKE. WE MUST ALL UNDERSTAND DISHONEST ACTS BY COUNTY EMPLOYEES, LAWYERS, MAYORS, AND COUNCIL. COUNCIL MEMBERS FURTHER DEGRADES THE SYSTEM. IT'S A CURSE TO SOCIETY AND TOTALLY AGAINST DEMOCRACY. CORRUPTION CONTINUES TO FLOURISH HERE. WEAK LAW ENFORCEMENT, LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY HAVE CREATED AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE THIS BEHAVIOR HAS GONE UNPUNISHED. AND, AND IT'S SYSTEMATIC ISSUES SUCH AS LACK OF TRANSPARENCY, FOIA COMPLIANCE, FRAUDULENT INTERNAL AUDITS, FRAUDULENT BUDGETS THAT BOTH ONLY SHOW THE NUMBERS. THE INSIDERS LIKE GREENWAY, SULCA GRUBER IN ORLANDO, WANT YOU TO SEE HAS FURTHER CREATED MULTIPLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THESE IMMORAL CRAVEN PEOPLE TO ABUSE POWER, WE MUST FOCUS ON ROBUST ENFORCED LAWS, REGULATIONS, AND FULL FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY. REMEMBER, WE ALL HAVE THE POWER AND IT STARTS WITH OURSELVES. LET US NOT SUPPORT CORRUPTION THE GREATEST EVIL IN OUR SOCIETY AND REMOVE IT. PEOPLE ARE SILENT IN SUCH SITUATIONS, BUT BEING SILENT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. RAISING OUR VOICES TOWARDS EXPOSING WRONGDOING IS A FIRST STEP TO FIGHT CORRUPTION. COMBATING CORRUPTION IS CHALLENGING, BUT MEASURES CAN BE TAKEN. THE MOST IMPORTANT STEPS IS IMPROVING THE COURT SYSTEM AND THE INSTITUTIONS RESPONSIBLE FOR ENSURING ACCOUNTABILITY. WE CAN DO THAT BY COUNCIL. HIRING AN OUTSIDE FORENSIC AUDITOR, PREFERABLY SOMEBODY OUTTA STATE WITHOUT ANY TIES TO LOCAL INSIDERS TO CONDUCT A THOROUGH FORENSIC AUDIT OF THE ENTIRE BEAUFORT COUNTY AND ALL THOSE WHO RECEIVED TENS OF MILLIONS OF, OF OUR TAX MON MONEY WITH ZERO OVERSIGHT FOR THE LAST 50 YEARS. THIS INCLUDES THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, OUR TREASURER, THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD, THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON, THE HILTON HEAD, BLUFFTON CHAMBER, BURR FOREMAN LAW FIRM AND BONDS AND MILLIONS OF HOSPITALITY TAX AND AAX FUNDS HAVE DISAPPEARED TO IS SOCA'S LAP DOG AND PET. HE'S NOT FIT TO BE A MAYOR. FINGERS SHOULD BE FIRED AND ARRESTED. THE HILTON HEAD CHAMBER IS CORRUPT. WE NEED HONEST LEADERSHIP AND YEAH, YOU SMILE MS. SOKA, BUT YOU, BUT YOU NEED TO BE INVESTIGATED. THANK YOU SIR. LYNN GREELEY. LYNN GREELEY RESPOND IN ATTENDANCE. LYNN GREELEY. MS. GREELEY? YES. I HAVE A ON FILE FOR MS. GREELEY AND I'D LIKE TO MAKE A STATEMENT IF YOU'RE NOT GONNA LET ME SPEAK, SIR. ALRIGHT. IF YOU'RE NOT GONNA LET ME SPEAK FOR MS. GREELEY, LET ME JUST SAY THAT. OH SIR, YOU'RE TIME A PO. A P O A ALLOWS A CITIZEN TO SPEAK. THANK YOU SIR. SIR, SIR, YOU'RE OUT OF ORDER AND BY FINGER AND BY YOU. MS. SULCA SHOWS YOUR CORRUPTION. YOU'RE OUT OF ORDER. YOU'RE NOT ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK FOR MS. GREELEY. YOU'RE OUTTA ORDER. IT SHOWS YOUR CORRUPTION. JEHOVA, YOU'VE BEEN CALLED OUT ORDER. THIS SHOULD BE SETTLED IN A COURT OF LAW. MR. FINGER. YOU ARE NOT THE JURY, THE JUDGE AND THE EXECUTION. IT SHOULD BE SETTLED IN A COURT. MR. HOGAN IS OVER. YOU'VE BEEN CALLED OUTTA ORDER. SO YOU SHOULD LET ME JUST FINISH MY NEED. WHAT HILTON HEAD DOES. NO, WE'RE NOT ALLOWS IT. NO, NO. WE'VE DONE THIS FOR THE LAST SIX MONTHS, ALLOWS THAT YOUR TIME IS UP YIELD TO A SEAT OR ELSE I'LL HAVE THE POLICE ESCORT YOU AGAIN. YOU KNOW THAT SHERIFF TANNER TOLD BOTH MR. FINGER AND LISA, WE HAVE ON VIDEO TO NOT USE POLICE FORCE AGAINST A CITIZEN WHO, WHO, WHO LEGALLY [00:40:01] CRITICIZES TOWN GOVERNMENT. YOU SHOULD NOT USE POLICE FORCE STUDENTS. STUDENTS. I'M REALLY SORRY Y'ALL HAVE TO SEE THIS. NO, NO, YOU SHOULD, YOU SHOULD. LET ME FINISH MY SPEECH. WE HAVE MAYOR COMMUNICATIONS FROM MARRIAGE COUNCIL. YOU WANT ME FINISH MY SPEECH, SIR, I'M NOT EMBARRA STUDENTS. YOU'RE NOT THE ELECTED SHERIFF. YOU'RE A HIRED INSURER. COMMUNICATIONS FROM THIS TOWN AND YOU'RE JUST FEARING YOUR JOB. THANK YOU, SIR. WE HAVE COMMUNICATIONS FROM MAYOR COUNCIL. I APOLOGIZE TO YOU STUDENTS, BUT THIS IS HOW YOU DO NOT ACT IN PUBLIC AS YOU KNOW. YOU LET, YOU SAW ME, ALLOW HIM TO SPEAK AS THREE MINUTES. WE HAVE COMMUNICATIONS [IX. Communications from Mayor and Council] FROM MAYOR AND COUNCIL. LET'S GET THIS RESET. AND I WANT SOMETHING POSITIVE FROM Y'ALL AND I HAVE SOMETHING POSITIVE. I'M GONNA GO TO YOU, MS. FRAZIER. WHAT YOU GOT? ANYTHING MR. TUBER? UM, YOU CAN CALL THE LAP DOG. HAVE THAT ONE BEFORE. SO ANYWAY, I I CAN HANDLE IT. THAT'S ALL. I, I I, FRED, DO YOU WANNA GO? I JUST WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT. UM, I NOTICED YOU BOY SCOUTS WHEN YOU CAME IN EARLIER AND, UM, WE'RE GRATEFUL YOU'RE HERE. UNFORTUNATELY, THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN A LOT OF PLACES, BUT IT HAPPENS HERE FOR THE LAST X AMOUNT OF YEARS WITH THE SAME PEOPLE, SAME INDIVIDUAL. BUT THAT IS NOT WHAT LIFE IS ALL ABOUT. AND THAT'S NOT WHAT GOVERNMENT IS ALL ABOUT. AND SO YOU GUYS ARE THE FUTURE LEADERS. YOU'RE OUR FUTURE. YOU'RE GONNA GROW UP AND SOME OF YOU'RE GONNA BE SITTING UP HERE AT THE PODIUM ONE DAY MAKING REALLY GOOD DECISIONS ON BEHALF OF YOUR COMMUNITY. SO WE, ALL OF US HERE ARE GLAD YOU'RE HERE TONIGHT AND WE'RE GRATEFUL THAT YOU HAVE A CIVIC INTEREST. SO THANK YOU DITO. WHAT DAN JUST SAID. UM, Y'ALL ALL NEED TO MEET MR. HENS BACK THERE BECAUSE WHEN YOU GET INTO HIGH SCHOOL, YOU'RE GONNA WANT AN INTERNSHIP AND HE WILL GET YOUR NAME. OKAY? AND YOU GOT A REFERENCE LETTER FROM ALL OF US JUST BY DEALING WITH THAT. OKAY? I WANT Y'ALL TO KNOW SOMETHING AND I'M GONNA TAKE A COUPLE MINUTES IF Y'ALL WERE HUMOR ME. I JUST GAVE THIS TO FRED GUYS. THIS YOUNG MAN'S NAMED CHRIS SINGLETON. CHRIS SINGLETON PLAYED BASEBALL AT CHARLESTON SOUTHERN. HE WAS, UM, FRESHMAN YEAR HE GOT A CALL. HIS MOM WAS ONE OF THE PEOPLE IN THE EMANUEL SHOOTING AND Y'ALL WERE JUST BABIES. AND HE WAS A FRESHMAN IN COLLEGE TO GET A CALL TO SAY HIS MOM HAD MET HER FATE. SO GOD SPOKE TO HIM AND HE IS ON A CIRCUIT AND WE ALL WENT TO THE MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION AND HE WAS OUR SPEAKER. AND I THINK EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM THAT HEARD HIM WOULD SAY THAT IT WAS PROBABLY THE BEST SPEAKER WE'VE EVER HEARD, EVER. SO IF YOU CAN GOOGLE HIM, IF Y'ALL WANNA DO SOME READING AND GET THIS BOOK, IT'S A SUPER EASY READ. IT TEACHES YOU UNITY AND EMPATHY IT TEACHES YOU TO, YOU MIGHT NOT AGREE. UM, THIS MAN'S A LITTLE FAR GONE, BUT I WONDER WHAT HIS STORY IS. YOU KNOW, I WONDER WHAT, HOW AN UPBRINGING MAKES SOMEONE DO THAT. YOU MIGHT NOT AGREE, BUT YOU CAN UNDERSTAND SOMEONE'S STORY AND APPRECIATE WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM AND WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM. AND THAT'S WHAT YOUR BADGE IS REALLY KIND OF FOCUSED ON. BUT THIS IS A FABULOUS, EASY, EASY, I'LL APPROVE IT, READ AND I WOULD GET YOU REALLY TO GET IT. UM, OR GOOGLE HIM ON YOUTUBE AND SEE IF YOU CAN SEE ONE OF HIS, UM, ONE OF HIS TALKS. 'CAUSE IT'S PRETTY DARN AMAZING. SO I BOUGHT THIS FOR FRED 'CAUSE HE WAS NOT ABLE TO BE THERE LAST WEEKEND. UM, AND IT'S JUST A GOOD THING. IT'LL MAKE YOU FEEL GOOD. SO THAT'S ALL I GOT. THANK YOU FOR THE BOOK. YOU'RE WELCOME. I'M GONNA QUIZ YOU ON IT, OF COURSE, YOU'LL I'M GONNA QUIZ HIM AND ALL THE REST OF YOU. UM, SO NOTHING ELSE FROM MAYOR AND COUNCIL. WE HAVE FORMAL AGENDA, AGENDA ITEMS, WHICH IS WHY WE ARE HERE TODAY. WE HAVE A LOT OF FUN BUSINESS TO GO OVER THAT I THINK ARE, IS VERY ENCOURAGING. FIRST UP IS CONSIDERATION OF [X.1. Consideration of an Ordinance Amending the Town of Bluffton Municipal Code of Ordinances, Chapter 21] AN ORDINANCE AMENDING TO THE TOWN OF BLACKTON MUNICIPAL CODE OF ORDINANCES CHAPTER 21, EMERGENCY PERMITTING PROCEDURES TO CIVIL EMERGENCIES TO RECORD, TO RECORD ALL CODE REQUIREMENTS RELATED TO EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, TO ONE CONSOLIDATED CHAPTER. THIS IS THE FINAL READING. YES, YOU'RE UP. WE USUALLY DON'T GO OVER EVERYTHING FROM FIRST TO SECOND, SO YOU'RE REALLY NOT GONNA EVEN KNOW WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON. BUT, AND THIS WAS TO SUMMARIZE IT REAL QUICK. THERE WERE NO SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES. THERE WAS NO CHANGES IN THE REAL, UM, PURPOSE OF THE ORDINANCE. WE WERE JUST CONSOLIDATING SEVERAL CHAPTERS INTO ONE CHAPTER TO ADDRESS ALL OF, UM, WHATEVER, UM, EMERGENCIES MAY ARISE, CIVIL EMERGENCIES, UM, HURRICANES, WHATEVER THAT MAY BE, JUST TO GET THOSE IN ALL ONE, UM, ONE LOCATION SO THAT THINGS WEREN'T INADVERTENTLY OVERLOOKED AND THERE WERE NO CHANGES FROM FIRST READING. UH, SO IF YOU SO CHOOSE, THERE IS A [00:45:01] PROPOSED MOTION ON THE SCREEN. AND WHENEVER WE CHANGE OUR ORDINANCES, WE HAVE TWO MEETINGS THAT WE DO. AND, UM, THIS IS REALLY MORE HOUSEKEEPING AND HELPFUL FOR OUR, OUR CITIZENS. SO IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS OF COUNCIL, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AMENDMENTS TO THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON? CODE OF ORDINANCES, CHAPTER 21, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT CIVIL EMERGENCIES. MOTION. I SECOND. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? THANKS FOR DOING THIS. UM, ALL IN FAVOR STATE BY SAYING AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? THAT'S UNANIMOUS. NUMBER TWO, UNDER SECTION [X.2. Consideration of an Ordinance to Amend Chapter 6 of the Code of Ordinances by Authorizing, Establishing, and Adding Section VI, The Economic Development Incentives Program - Chris Forster, Assistant Town Manager] 10 IS, UM, CONSIDERATION OF AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER SIX OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES BY AUTHORIZING, ESTABLISHING AND ADDING SECTION SIX, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES PROGRAM. CHRIS? HELLO. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. GOOD TO SEE YOU. TONIGHT WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND A PROPOSED ORDINANCE, UH, THAT WILL IDENTIFY SOME TARGET AREAS, UH, INDUSTRIES AND PROFESSIONS AND POTENTIAL INCENTIVES TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO DEVELOP THE MOST TARGET AREAS. BUT FIRST I'D LIKE TO DO A LITTLE POP QUIZ. SO WHAT IS THE ESTIMATED POPULATION RESIDING WITHIN THE BLUFFTON STUDY AREA DEFINED IN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN? ARE YOU ASKING US? ARE YOU GONNA ASK? YES. WE GOT A, B, C, D. SMART. SO ANY, ANY GUESSES? A, A, A, A? SO NO. IS THIS DURING THE PERIOD THE COMP PLAN TOOK PLACE? OR NOW? UH, THIS IS 2021. SO YEAH, RIGHT AROUND THEN I WOULD DROP THE NUMBER TO BE POSSIBLY, OH, IT'S ACTUALLY C , SO YOU SHOULD SAID IT. SO THIS, THIS IS, THIS IS THE STUDY AREA POPULATION, WHICH INCLUDES THE INCORPORATED UNINCORPORATED AREAS. UM, IT DOES NOT INCLUDE, INCLUDE SUN CITY AND DOES NOT INCLUDE RESIDENCES, UH, NORTH OF 2 78. SO WHAT IS THE POPULATION RESIDING WITHIN A BL AREA STUDY AREA? UH, WEST OF BUCK WALTER PARKWAY. MINUTE. HM. SO THAT'S IN THE, IN BUFF AND IN UNINCORPORATED ALL THE WAY TO JASPER COUNTY WEST. YEP. WEST OF BUCK, BUCK PARKWAY. D I'D SAY D A D I SAY D, D IS CORRECT. THOUSAND. SO THAT IS UP. THAT IS, UH, ROUGHLY 51% OF THE POPULATION WAS IN THE STUDY AREA. SO INCORPORATED INCORP, UNINCORPORATED. AND FINALLY, WHAT PERCENT OF BUSINESSES ARE LOCATED IN THE STUDY AREA? WEST OF BUCKWALTER? B, B, C? IT IS B AH, ONLY 17% OF OUR BUSINESSES ARE IN THAT AREA, EVEN THOUGH 51% OF OUR POPULATION LIVES OUT THERE. HOW MUCH OF THE POPULATION? 51% OF THE POPULATION. 51% OF THE POPULATION. 70% ROOFTOP, 70% COMMERCIAL? THAT'S CORRECT, YES. SO A LITTLE BACKGROUND, AS YOU ALL KNOW, UH, YOU, UH, APPROVED THE ACCOUNT PLAN AND THE REVISED STRATEGIC PLAN IN 2022. UM, IN THE PAST, OUR FOCUS ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HAS BEEN PRIMARILY WITH D R C I. AND THAT'S OUR SMALL BUSINESS, UH, STARTUP AND GROWTH PROGRAM. UM, ALSO OUR M C I P AND BUCKWALTER AND THE BUCKWALTER DEVELOPMENT, UM, WITH A FOCUS ON TRYING TO IDENTIFY A CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS IN THAT, THAT PROPERTY THAT THE TOWN OWNS OUT THERE. AND VERY QUICKLY OUR UPDATED, UH, BUILD OUT NUMBERS. I THINK THIS IS FROM THE LAST UPDATE, WHICH WAS IN JANUARY, I BELIEVE. UM, BUT RESIDENTIAL BUILD OUTS AT 76% AND COMMERCIAL STILL LAGS AT 36%. SO SOME OF THE AREAS OF CONCERN THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS WITH THE, UH, INCENTIVE ORDINANCE IS, UH, ONE IS TRAFFIC. AND I'LL KIND OF SHOW THAT YOU THAT IN FUTURE SLIDES. I SHOW YOU SOME MAPS. UM, BUT COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT OBVIOUSLY IS LAGGING OUR RESIDENTIAL GROWTH. SO THERE'S A LOT OF DEMAND FOR ADDITIONAL COMMERCIAL. UM, THERE'S A LACK OF PRIVATE SECTOR, UH, SERVICES INDUSTRIES. SO THESE ARE SERVICE ORIENTED BUSINESSES. THERE'S A REALLY HIGH DEMAND FOR THESE. UM, AND OBVIOUSLY THAT THAT GROWTH IN THAT PARTICULAR AREA HAS NOT KEPT UP WITH THE PACE OF, UH, OF POPULATION. OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE ISSUES AROUND HIGH COST OF LAND AND DEVELOPMENT COSTS, AND THEN OF COURSE, UH, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE MEETING OUR GOALS OF OUR COMP PLAN OVER THE LONG TERM. SO OVERALL GOALS OF OUR, OUR INITIATIVE HERE IS TO PROMOTE THESE COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENTS IN THESE UNDERUTILIZED AND UNDERDEVELOPED AREAS. UM, SUPPORT NEW BUSINESSES AS WELL AS EXPANSION OF EXISTING BUSINESSES THAT ARE IN THESE HIGH DEMAND SERVICE SECTORS. UM, REDUCING THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE NEIGHBORHOODS, OUR RESIDENTS AND THESE SERVICES. SO THEY'RE NOT TRAVELING AS MUCH ON THE ROADS. AND OF COURSE, HOPING TO INCREASE OUR PROPERTY VALUES AS WELL AS DECREASING THE OVERALL, UH, PROPERTY TAXES AS COMMERCIAL, UH, DEVELOPMENT INCREASES. SO IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT JUST THE INCORPORATED AREA POPULATION, AGAIN, THIS IS 20 20, 20 21. UM, IT'S 30,000, UH, UH, PEOPLE IN THIS INCORPORATED AREA TODAY, IT'S CLOSER, 37, 38. UM, BUT THIS IS AT THAT POINT IN TIME. AND AGAIN, HERE IS YOUR STUDY AREA POPULATION OVER 51,000 [00:50:01] AND THE BUSINESSES ARE AROUND 1900 BUSINESSES WITHIN THE AREA. AND THEN WEST OF BUCKWALTER YOU CAN SEE THE POPULATION OF 26%, 26,000, WHICH IS 51% AND 331 BUSINESSES, WHICH IS ONLY 17% OF BUSINESSES. CHRIS, CAN I ASK A QUESTION ON? YEP. ON THESE NUMBERS, WHEN YOU'RE SAYING WEST OF BUCKWALTER, ARE YOU INCLUDING WHERE, WHERE'S, WHERE'S, I MEAN, IS ONE OBJECTION. ONE SIDE OF THE DEVELOPMENTS IS ON THE EAST SIDE AND ONE'S ON THE WEST SIDE. SO, SO LINE, ANYTHING WEST OF THAT? SO THE ONES THAT ARE WHERE THE POLICE STATION AND ALL THAT, THAT'S, AND HALL HAMPTON, THAT'S INCLUDED IN THIS. BUT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF IT, IT'S, IT'S NOT INCLUDED. IT'S NOT OKAY. AND AGAIN, THIS DOESN'T FACTOR IN SOME CITY, WHICH WE ALL KNOW IS A LARGE POPULATION THAT STILL USES OUR, OUR PROS AND SERVICES. YEAH. UM, SO WE TOOK A LOOK AT OUR LABOR FORCE WITHIN, UM, WITHIN THE STUDY AREA. AND, UH, AND THIS, THIS PARTICULAR CHART DOES IT BY INDUSTRY. SO IDENTIFIES THE TOTAL EMPLOYED, THE AMOUNT IN PARTICULAR INDUSTRIES AND THE PERCENT OF THE TOTAL EMPLOYED. AND IT COMPARES IT TO THE US PERCENTAGE. AND THEN THIS LO LOCATION QUOTIENT OUT TO THE RIGHT HERE IS BASICALLY THE US AVERAGE IS ONE. UM, AND IF YOU'RE LOWER THAN ONE, THEN YOU'RE BELOW THE NATIONAL AVERAGE FOR THAT PARTICULAR INDUSTRY. YOU'RE ABOVE ONE, YOU'RE ABOVE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE. HMM. UH, SO WHEN LO LOOKING AT THESE, YOU SEE WHOLESALE TRADE WAREHOUSING, UH, TECH, EDUCATIONAL SERVICES, HEALTHCARE AND SOCIAL SERVICES AND ASSISTANCE. THOSE ARE ALL AREAS THAT ARE, UH, WELL BELOW THE NATIONAL AVERAGE FOR OUR AREA. AGAIN, WE'RE LOOKING AT LABOR FORCE AND THIS BREAKS IT OUT BY OCCUPATION. UM, AND HERE AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE THAT, UH, COMPUTER TECH, MATHEMATICAL, UH, LIFE PHYSICAL SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HEALTHCARE SUPPORT OR WEALTH BELOW THE NATIONAL AVERAGE. UM, I ALSO HIGHLIGHTED HERE HEALTHCARE PRACTITIONERS 'CAUSE IT'S RIGHT ABOUT ON THE NATIONAL AVERAGE. AND SO THE DIFFERENCE THERE IS HEALTHCARE PRACTITIONERS ARE YOUR DOCTORS. HEALTHCARE SUPPORT STAFF IS YOUR NURSES, YOUR TECHS, YOUR, UH, MEDICAL EQUIPMENT TECHS, YOUR MEDICAL BILLING SPECIALISTS, ALL THOSE SUPPORT PROFESSIONS THAT SUPPORT IT. UM, AND I POINTED OUT HERE BECAUSE, UH, SOME OF THE ANECDOTAL CONVERSATIONS I HAD WITH CEOS OF DIFFERENT HOSPITALS IN THE AREAS, THEY MENTIONED THAT THEY, UM, ARE GETTING DOCTORS, BUT THEY ARE HAVING A HARD TIME GETTING THE SUPPORT STAFF BECAUSE OF THE COST OF LIVING, UM, IN THE AREA. AND I'LL ADDRESS THAT IN A FUTURE SLIDE ON SOME OF THE, UH, SOME AREAS. THE NEXT SERIES OF GRAPHS IS A, UH, WHAT WE CALL VOID ANALYSIS. SO IT KIND OF PUTS THESE LITTLE DOTS ON THE MAP OF WHERE THE NUMBERS OF BUSINESSES ARE LOCATED. UM, AND UH, THIS PARTICULAR ONE IS ALL OF SERVICE SECTOR BUSINESSES. SO THIS SPANS THE GAMUT OF ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF SERVICE SECTORS. UM, AT FIRST LOOK, IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S SPREAD OUT PRETTY WELL, BUT WHEN YOU LOOK MORE CLOSELY, IT'S REALLY CONCENTRATED ON 2 78 BLUFFTON ROAD, THE OLD TOWN. UM, THE LOWER NUMBERS ARE KIND OF SPREAD OUT TO THE WEST, BUT THE CONCENTRATION IS IN THAT EASTERN PORTION OF TOWN ON 2 78. AND, UH, BLUFFTON ROAD, THIS JUST LOOKS AT YOUR, UH, DENTAL, UH, DENTIST, DENTIST'S OFFICE, AGAIN CONCENTRATING ON 2 78 BLUFFTON ROAD, OLD TOWN, , THERE'S PHARMACY SEEING A SIMILAR TREND. ONE OF THE POSITIVES ARE YOU ARE SEEING THAT, THAT IN THE, THE BUCKWALTER DEVELOPMENT AREA, WHICH IS ONE OF OUR FOCUSES FROM ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THE PAST, UM, IT IS WORKING. THERE'S GETTING THOSE TYPES OF SERVICES OUT THERE. SO, SO REAL QUICK, SO THE PHARMACY, UM, PUBLIX, WOULDN'T THEY HAVE ONE OR DOES THAT NOT QUALIFY? YES. SO FOR WHATEVER REASON, THE PUBLIX OUT AT RIVERSIDE HAD NOT BEEN IN THEIR DATABASE YET. UM, BUT WE DO KNOW IT'S THERE. UH, GOTCHA. UH, DAYCARE OBVIOUSLY IS A, IS AN ISSUE. IF YOU TALK TO ANYONE WITH KIDS, THIS IS A ISSUE. UH, NOT ONLY FINDING DAYCARE AND THE ONES THAT ARE HAPPEN TO HAVE A SEAT ARE EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE. UH, THEN JUST LOOK AT DENTIST, UH, DOCTOR'S OFFICE IN GENERAL. AGAIN, SAME TREND THAT WE SEE WITH ALL THE OTHER SERVICE AREA INDUSTRIES. UH, THIS IS A QUICK GRAPH ON THE PHYSICIANS PER 100,000 PHYSICIAN PER CAPITA IS WHAT THEY CALL IT. THE US AVERAGE IS 2 61. UH, WE'RE RIGHT AROUND ONE 90, SO WELL BELOW THE NATIONAL AVERAGE AND A ON A PER HUNDRED THOUSAND BASIS. SO WHEN WE LOOKED AT, SO WE HAD TO IDENTIFY WHAT INCENTIVE AREAS ARE WE GONNA FOCUS ON, UH, WHAT ARE THE IN, UH, INDUSTRIES OR PROFESSIONS WE WANNA FOCUS ON, AND WHAT TYPES OF INCENTIVES WOULD WE IDENTIFY? SO WE LOOKED AT, WE STARTED WITH THE COMP PLAN, AND THEN THE COMP PLAN IDENTIFIES THESE TOWN CENTER AND VILLAGE NODES, UM, WHICH ARE IN THOSE PARTICULAR AREAS OF THE HIGH, UH, POPULATION, LOW, UH, BUSINESS SECTOR, UH, AREAS. AND WE LOOKED AT WHAT ARE THE CORRIDORS OR ROADWAYS THAT SUPPORT THAT, THAT MAY HAVE COMMERCIAL OR EVEN RESIDENTIAL, [00:55:01] UH, POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT FOR, FOR CERTAIN TYPES OF, UH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS. AND SO WE HAD BLUFFTON PARKWAY, UM, WEST OF, UH, BLUFFTON ROAD BLUFF, WALTER PARKWAY, NORTH OF BLUFFTON PARKWAY AND SOUTH CAROLINA HIGHWAY 71 BETWEEN 46 AND 2 78. AND YOU SEE THAT HERE. SO WITHIN THE ORDINANCE, WE IDENTIFY THESE AS THE, UH, FOCUSED INCENTIVE AREAS THAT WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR A POTENTIAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE. UM, YES, THERE ARE SOME RESIDENTIAL AREAS IN HERE, BUT YOU'LL SEE THAT ONE OF THE, UM, UH, INCENTIVE INDUSTRIES OR, OR UH, DEVELOPMENTS WOULD BE AFFORDABLE HOUSING. SO HERE WE ARE WITH OUR TARGET, UH, INDUSTRIES AND IN PROFESSIONS, AND THEY FALL IN HEALTHCARE, DENTAL, HOME HEALTH, PHARMACEUTICAL, RETAIL, CHILDCARE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UH, MIXED USE, COMMERCIAL FLEX USE SPACES. SO THIS, THIS IS INTERESTING BECAUSE A LOT OF THE SERVICE SECTOR, UH, WHICH THERE'S A LOT OF DEMAND FOR AND LOW SUPPLY, UH, USE THESE OFFICE UP FRONT WAREHOUSE IN THE BACK TYPE OF SPACES TO EXPAND THEIR SERVICES. UM, AND THERE'S A EXTREMELY AMOUNT OF HIGH DEMAND FOR THESE TYPES OF, UH, OFFICE SPACES FOR THOSE, THOSE INDUSTRIES. AND OF COURSE, UH, WE WON'T IGNORE CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS. UM, YOU KNOW, IF, IF SOMEONE FROM A CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS CAME TO US, UH, AND WANTED TO LEVERAGE THIS IN ORDER TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO COME HERE, UH, WE DEFINITELY WOULD TRY AND WORK OUT A DEAL WITH THEM. SO WE DIDN'T WANT TO EXCLUDE THAT TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE INCENTIVE. WE IN THE ORDINANCE IS PROPOSED THAT, UM, DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE CONSISTENT WITH THE COMP, UH, AND STRATEGIC PLANS, THAT THESE, UH, INCENTIVES WILL SUPPORT DEVELOPMENT THAT IS UNLIKELY TO OCCUR OR MAY NOT OCCUR AT THE DESIRED SCALE THAT IT WOULD'VE IF THEY WERE NOT AVAILABLE. UM, THE DEVELOPMENTS WOULD HAVE IN A MINIMUM INVESTMENT OF 500,000 AND THIS ALSO INCLUDES A PER JOB FACTOR. AND ONE JOB WOULD EQUAL $50,000 IN INVESTMENT. AND THEN I GUESS AGAIN, IT MUST BE FOR ONE OF THOSE TARGETED BUSINESS INDUSTRIES OR SERVICES. QUESTION. YES. UM, THE ONE JOB THAT EQUALS 50 K IS THIS PART OF THE MINIMUM INVESTMENT? LIKE, LIKE IF YOU'RE, IF YOU'RE GONNA PROVIDE FIVE JOBS, THAT'S 250. SO WOULD THAT COME OFF OF THEIR REQUIRED 500,000 INVESTMENT? THAT'S CORRECT. YEAH. IT'S ENCOURAGE MORE JOBS. UM, JOB GROWTH, BASICALLY THAT'S THE FOCUS OF THAT. UM, SO POTENTIAL INCENTIVES THAT WE INCLUDED IN THE FIRST DRAFT OF THE ORDINANCE ARE HERE. NOW IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT WE CANNOT WAIVE, UH, ANY OF THESE FEES LISTED AND WE CANNOT, UM, SEVERELY DISCOUNT THEM. UM, BUT WHAT YOU CAN DO, AND THEY HAVE, SO WHEN A DEVELOPER COMES THROUGH, THEY STILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE NORMAL PROCESS, PAY ALL THE NORMAL FEES. UM, BUT WHAT YOU CAN DO IS YOU CAN DEVELOP A GRANT, APPROVE A GRANT TO DEVELOPERS FOR AS AN INCENTIVE, UM, THAT ONCE THEY FULFILL THEIR END OF THE BARGAIN, ONCE THEY FULFILL THEIR OBLIGATIONS, YOU CAN EQUATE THAT GRANT TO SOME FORM OF THESE, THESE COSTS. SO THAT'S HOW THE ORDINANCE IS STRUCTURED. UM, SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT WE ARE NOT WAIVING FEES FOR GIVING FEES. THAT'S NOT HOW THIS IS STRUCTURED. IT IS A GRANT THAT IS EQUAL UP TO 50% PLANNING, BUILDING FEES COLLECTED BY A TOWN, UH, AND OR 50% OF BUSINESS LICENSE FEES FOR COLLECTED FOR UP TO FIVE YEARS. UM, A HUNDRED UP TO A HUNDRED PERCENT OF BUFORD JAS WATER SEWER AUTHORITY CAP CAPACITY FEES. AND THEN THERE'S ALSO A CLAUSE THAT ANY OTHER INCENTIVES DETERMINED BY COUNSEL ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS. IT ALSO WRITES IN THE ORDINANCE THAT, UM, THE COUNCIL MAY LEVERAGE SOME STATE LAWS THAT OFFER PROPERTY TEST CREDITS FOR, UH, ABANDONED BUILDINGS AS WELL AS TASK CREDITS FOR, UH, INSTALLATION OF FIRE SPRINKLER SYSTEMS. , ANY QUESTIONS YOU'VE ASKED? DO YOU WANNA START? DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, BRIDGET? UM, NOT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION. 'CAUSE I LOOKED AT THE PRESENTATION, CHRIS, VERY THOROUGH AS ALWAYS. UM, VERY, IT, UH, HELPED OUTLINE EXACTLY WHAT YOU, WHAT THE, THE PURPOSE OF THIS IS. AND IT'S DEFINITELY A NEED TO HAVE INCENTIVES THERE AS WE, UM, RECOGNIZE THAT DEFICIT. UM, I MORE SO HAVE A COMMENT IN THE SENSE OF, UM, AS WE LOOK TO APPROVE THE ONE TONIGHT, WE SHOULD THINK OF, UM, ANOTHER WAY TO INCENTIVIZE OTHER BUSINESSES TOO. UM, WE'VE RECOGNIZED THAT WE HAVE AN ABSENCE AND A HIGH DEMAND OF THE BUSINESSES YOU OUTLINED HERE, AND A PART OF IT IS YOU ATTRIBUTED LACK OF ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UM, AND THE RETENTION OF THE WORKFORCE HERE. SO, UM, I'M SAYING ALL [01:00:01] THAT TO SAY A PROPOSAL AT SOME POINT HAS TO BE CONSIDERED OF WE HAVE A WORKFORCE THAT IS HERE THAT WE COULD RETAIN, UM, WHAT BUSINESSES ARE GONNA BE NEEDED TO INCENTIVIZE THEM TO REMAIN AS, UM, IT WOULD BE MORE ADVANTAGEOUS TO ATTRACT WHO WE ALREADY HAVE THOSE COMING RIGHT OUTTA HIGH SCHOOL OR THOSE WHO ARE ALREADY WORKING HERE. CHA IS, THAT'S A CONCERN A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, FAMILIES HAVE. UM, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, LIKE WHAT OTHER THINGS ARE GONNA BE NEEDED TO KEEP THEM HERE? AS WE COMBAT THE ONE PROBLEM OF TRYING TO INCENTIVIZE THOSE DEFICIT BUSINESSES WE DON'T HAVE, THEN HOW DO WE, ONCE WE GET THEM HERE, THEY'RE STILL GONNA HAVE THAT ISSUE OF HAVING THE WORKERS TO KEEP THOSE BUSINESSES, UH, GOING. SO IT'S LIKE WHILE WE'RE ADDRESSING ONE PROBLEM, UM, WHAT DO WE DO TO ALSO ADDRESS THE OTHER PROBLEM THAT'S GONNA COME ONCE WE, ONCE WE SOLVE THAT? YEAH, THAT'S COMMENT IS OR YOU WANT TO COMMENT? COMMENT. NO COMMENT. I JUST WANNA COMMENT. PUT THAT ON YOUR RADAR BECAUSE WE'RE, WE HAVE THE CHILDCARE. I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE RECOGNIZED INCENTIVES IN ADDITION TO THE ONE YOU HAVE HERE, BUT WHAT, YOU KNOW, THAT WORKFORCE THAT IS HERE, YOU KNOW, THOSE STUDENTS WHO WOULD JUST MASTER A SKILL AND DON'T NEED TO GO OFF NECESSARILY TO A FOUR YEAR COLLEGE. UM, WHAT CAN WE DO TO KEEP THEM HERE? POSING 'EM, SAYING THERE'S NOTHING FOR ME TO DO IN BLUFFING OR HILTON HEAD, SO I'M GONNA GO SOMEWHERE ELSE AND WE CAN MONOPOLIZE THAT WORKFORCE AND SHOW THEM THAT THEY CAN STAY HERE AND, UM, AND DO SOME OF THE SAME THINGS. LET ME, SINCE YOU ASKED A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS, I WANNA GO HERE. FRED, DID YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? IGNORE EVERYTHING. BRIDGE JUST SAID. GO AHEAD, . DAN, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING? I JUST WANT TO COMMEND STAFF, UH, YOU KNOW, EACH OF YOU BRING SO MANY TALENTS AND THIS IS ACT. I DIDN'T EXPECT ALL OF THIS AND I, WITH THE MAYOR AND LARRY AND HIM, IT WAS WELL THOUGHT OUT. UH, WELL PRESENTED. UH, EXCELLENT PIECE OF WORK. LARRY, ANYTHING? YEAH. UM, I JUST WANT MORE CLARIFICATION ON THE VALUES OF ONE EMPLOYEE. MM-HMM. , YOU KNOW, I'M JUST, I'M A LITTLE, I'M NOT SURE. SO I, UM, I, I, I GET THE $500,000 CONTRIBUTION TO START A BUSINESS. BASICALLY. THAT'S, BUT IF THEY DON'T, IF THEY'RE GONNA HIRE 10 PEOPLE, IF, IF THEY COME TO US AND SAY THEY'RE GONNA HIRE 10 PEOPLE, DOES THAT QUALIFY THEM FOR ASSISTANCE OR, YOU KNOW, UNDER, UNDER THE GUIDELINES SITUATION? AS LONG AS THEY'RE IN ONE OF THE AREAS IDENTIFIED AND IN ONE OF THE, THE INDUSTRIES OR PROFESSIONS THAT IS IDENTIFIED, YES. THAT WOULD QUALIFY 'EM TO BE CONSIDERED, UH, FOR COUNCIL, UH, FOR A COUNCIL GRANT. SO THEY WOULD APPLY AND IF, IF AN ORDINANCE IS APPROVED, STAFF WOULD DEVELOP A POLICY AND PROCEDURE AROUND MANAGING THESE APPLICATIONS. APPLICATIONS WOULD COME IN, STAFF WOULD DEVELOP, MAKE SURE WE GET ANY SPECIFICS OR ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. UH, ULTIMATELY THEY'D PRESENT IT AT COUNCIL, UH, FOR, FOR YOUR APPROVAL. AND AGAIN, THE WAY IT'S STRUCTURED IS THIS WOULD BE A GRANT AFTER THEY FULFILL THEIR OBLIGATIONS. I CAN JUST SEE THAT BEING HARRIET, SOME SITUATIONS, YOU KNOW, WITH PROMISES, WE'VE DEALT WITH PEOPLE THAT WOULD BUILD STUFF AND PROMISE AND PROMISE AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE ALL THIS GREAT STUFF. AND THEN THE NEXT THING YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY TAKE THE MONEY AND RUN. SO, WELL, LET ME, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY'RE NOT, I LOVE, I LOVE THE CONCEPT. I LOVE THE IDEA. I THINK YOU DID AN AWESOME JOB, PAY AND RECEIPT. I THINK IT'S HEADED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. TOTALLY SUPPORT. YES. BUT IT'S, THIS IS A QUESTION BASED ON LARRY'S COMMENTS, BUT THAT, THAT INVESTMENT SPREAD OUT OVER THE FIVE YEAR PERIOD, IS IT NOT? IT COULD, YEAH. I MEAN, THAT WAY IF YOU DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THEY'RE NOT GETTING EVERYTHING ON THE FRONT END NECESSARILY. SO I, IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE SAFER. RIGHT. AND IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY'RE NOT GETTING ANYTHING ON THE FRONT END, RIGHT. IS THAT TRUE? TRUE, TRUE. GO BACK TO THE SLIDE WHERE IT SHOWS NO BUSINESS ISN'T NEW RIVERSIDE. AND I WONDER WHERE Y'ALL LIVE. WHERE DO YOU LIVE? BOYS, MEN, YOUNG MEN. WHERE DO YOU LIVE? WE LIVE IN, I LIVE IN LAWTON. WHERE? LAWTON? HERE. OKAY, BUT WHAT NEIGHBORHOOD? OH, UM, LAWTON STATION. LAWTON STATION. OKAY. KIND OF SORT OF NEAR THERE. DOES EVERYWHERE. YEAH. I LIVE IN HAMPTON HALL. OKAY, SO Y'ALL ARE IN THIS AREA WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, AND I LOVE THIS BECAUSE THERE'S NOT A THING THIS TOWN CAN DO ABOUT TRAFFIC, NOT A THING. IT'S STATE AND COUNTY. LOOK AT ALL THOSE CARS THAT ARE AT LAWTON STATION THAT COME DOWN MAY RIVER ROAD BY BLUFFTON PARKWAY OR SOMEWHERE TO CLOG TO GET TO SOMEWHERE ON THE NEEDS. EXACTLY. AND IF THEY CAN BE BUILT AROUND YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, THEN YOU'RE MAYBE GOLF CARTING, WALKING, BIKING, OR A SHORT RIDE. AND I THINK THAT'S OUR WAY OF HELPING GET SOME OF THIS TRAFFIC STAYING WHERE IT NEEDS TO STAY. AND THAT WAS THE VISION FOR THE AGREEMENT TO STATE WHAT IT DOES. RIGHT. YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WAS TALKED ABOUT. MY ONE QUESTION IS HOW CAN WE PACKAGE THIS AND TAKE IT TO E D C? AND I KNOW I'M ON THAT COMMITTEE BECAUSE THERE'S ALSO, IF, IF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION SEES [01:05:01] THAT THESE ARE TRUE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS FOR US, I WOULD THINK WE HAVE KIND OF A HELP ON THAT. LIKE AN AID. SO BUSINESS WANTS TO OPEN UP A DAYCARE, I GUESS WOULD COME TO US BECAUSE IT'S PRETTY INTIMIDATING TO GO THERE AND WE CAN ALMOST HANDHOLD THEM TO THERE AND TRY TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO MAXIMIZE THE, THEIR COMMITMENT WITH A LITTLE LESS OF WHAT WE HAVE TO PAY. YEAH, YOU DON'T HAVE TO, THAT'S JUST A THOUGHT. OH, ABSOLUTELY. YEAH. HAS, HAS THE DON RYAN CENTER HAS BEEN PRESENTED ANY OF THIS INFORMATION? NO. THEY HAVE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION, UH, END OF END OF AUGUST AND THEY'LL BE PRESENTED A COUPLE ITEMS. ONE IS THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECT IN BUCKWALTER. AND THIS, OKAY, WELL I, INTERESTING. I THINK WE'VE GOT ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT MOVED HERE THAT BROUGHT THEIR JOBS WITH THEM AND WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF THESE YOUNGSTERS, MAKE SURE THEY STAY HERE. BUT, UM, I THINK IT'S A GREAT TOOL TO SHOW THESE RESIDENTS. WE'RE TRYING TO GET EVERYTHING BROUGHT TO THEM. SO, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? MM-HMM. , CHIEF, YOU HAVE ANY OF THOSE FANCY BADGE WITH YOU? I'M NEED TO GIVE ALL THOSE KIDS FROM LOGGING STATION ONE. . COUNCILMAN HAMILTON LIVES IN LAWTON STATION. YOU HAVE A COUNCILMAN THAT LIVES IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD. WELL, LET'S GIVE OUT HIS ADDRESS. MEET ME. WE'LL GO VISIT HIM. HE CAN GIVE A LITTLE FIRESIDE CHAT. IT'S EVERY NIGHT. AND HE'S FUNNY. OKAY. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER SIX OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES BY AUTHORIZING, ESTABLISHING AND ADDING SECTION SIX, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES PROGRAM. SO MOVED. SECOND. A SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? GREAT JOB, CHRIS AND, AND STAFF. ALL IN FAVOR STATEMENT SAYING, AYE A. AYE. OPPOSED? THAT'S UNANIMOUS. UM, NEXT WE [X.3. Consideration of a Resolution Amending the FY2024 Millage Rate - Chris Forster, Assistant Town Manager] HAVE A RESOLUTION AMENDING THE FY 2024 MILITARY. ALRIGHT. YES. SO IT'S ME AGAIN. SO , SO THIS WAS A, UH, REASSESSMENT YEAR. SO EVERY FIVE YEARS IN SOUTH CAROLINA, UH, COUNTY'S REASSESS PROPERTIES, UM, AND ADJUST. AND MUNICIPALITIES AND LOCAL JURISDICTIONS HAVE TO ADJUST THEIR, THEIR MILLAGE, UH, ACCORDINGLY. SO THE LAST REASSESSMENT WAS IN 2018, AND COUNCIL REDUCED MILLAGE AS PART OF THAT REASSESSMENT BY TWO MILLS FROM 42 3 5, 2 40 0.35. AND THEN THE FOLLOWING YEAR IN 2019, COUNSEL REDUCED MILLAGE AGAIN, UM, BY 1.85 MILS TO 38.5, WHERE IT HAS REMAINED EVER SINCE. SO THE REASSESSMENT FOR, UH, THIS YEAR, UH, WAS APPRAISAL DATE AS OF DECEMBER 31ST, 2022. UM, WE DID NOT GET THE DATA FROM THE COUNTY UNTIL AFTER THE APPROVAL OF OUR BUDGET. SO THE BUDGET WAS ADOPTED AT THE 38.5 MILLS. AND AS PART OF REASSESSMENT, WE CAN ADJUST OUR MILLAGE. SO THE REVENUE NEUTRAL. SO AS PART OF THE REASSESSMENT, YOU CALCULATE HOW MUCH YOUR MILLS WOULD ADJUST TO KEEP YOUR REVENUE THE SAME YEAR OVER YEAR. AND SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE AT 38 AND A HALF MILLS AND THE REVENUE NEUTRAL ROLLBACK WOULD BE 34.3 MILLS. THE STATE LAW ALSO ALLOWS, UH, COUNCILS AND LOCAL JURISDICTIONS TO INCREASE MILLAGE IN REASSESSMENT YEARS BASED ON, UH, C P I AND POPULATION GROWTH. SO IF WE JUST TOOK ONE YEAR'S WORTH OF C A P I AND POPULATION GROWTH, UH, WE COULD TECHNICALLY INCREASE OUR MILLAGE UP TO 40.6. THERE'S ALSO A THREE YEAR LOOK BACK, SO WE COULD DO A LOT MORE THAN THAT, BUT THAT'S THE ONE YEAR, UH, METRIC. SO THE OPTIONS WE'RE LOOKING AT TONIGHT ARE NO CHANGE. WE SHOULD LEAVE THE MILLAGE AT 38.5, UM, 'CAUSE IT FALLS BELOW THAT 48.6. UM, WE COULD REDUCE IT OR INCREASE IT UP TO THAT 40.6. UH, WHAT TOWN STAFF IS RECOMMENDING IS THAT TOWN COUNCIL APPROVE A MILLAGE REDUCTION FROM 38.5 TO 36. SO TWO AND A HALF MIL REDUCTION. THIS IS A LOOK AT OUR MEETING, UH, HOME VALUE ASSESSMENT AT $336,000. UM, UNDER THE CURRENT MILLAGE, THE BLUFFTON TAXES, THIS IS NOT ALL OF THEIR PROPERTY TAXES, BUT JUST THE PROPERTY TAX THAT GETS PAID TO BLUFFTON IS $517 AND 59 CENTS. UM, IF THAT MEETING HOME VALUE DID NOT CHANGE, UH, THIS WOULD BE IN OUR MILLAGE GOES TO 36, THAT WOULD BE A REDUCTION ANNUALLY OF $33 AND 61 CENTS. UM, IF THE HOME INCREASED 5%, IT'D BE A REDUCTION OF $9 AND 41 CENTS. UH, IF THEIR HOME INCREASED 10%, THEY'D BE PAYING $14 AND 79 CENTS MORE. AND IF THEIR HOME INCREASED TO THE CAP, THE STATE CAP CAPS IT AT 15% INCREASE IN 91 REASSESSMENT. UM, THE ANNUAL CHANGE WOULD BE $38 AND 99 CENTS. SO THE IN SUMMARY, WHAT STAFF IS RECOMMENDING IS REDUCTION IN MILLAGE [01:10:01] FROM 38.5 TO 36 FOR F Y I 24. UM, THIS ALSO NOT ONLY REDUCES MILLAGE, BUT ALSO ADDRESSES, UH, TWO LARGE UNBUDGETED ITEMS. ONE IS, UH, UH, WASTE MANAGEMENT CAME TO US AFTER, UH, THE APPROVAL OF THE BUDGET ABOUT A RECYCLING COST INCREASE. UM, THAT IS IN THEIR CONTRACT. SO THEY HAVE A CLAUSE IN THEIR CONTRACT THAT IF, UH, THE MARKET FOR RECYCLE RECYCLABLES CAUSES THEIR COST TO SITTING AN INCREASE, THEY CAN APPROACH THE TOWN TO RENEGOTIATE. THEY HAVE DONE THAT. UH, THEY ORIGINALLY CAME TO US WITH AN INCREASE PER, UM, RESIDENTIAL UNIT OF $4 AND SEVEN 27 CENTS. UM, WE HAVE SINCE GOT THEM DOWN TO $2 AND WE'VE GOT 'EM DOWN $2 FROM WHAT THEY ORIGINALLY CAME TO US WITH. UH, ACTUALLY OUR, OUR NEGOTIATION CAUSED THEM TO GO RENEGOTIATE WITH THEIR RECYCLING HAULER, UH, TO GET THOSE COSTS DOWN. THE SECOND ITEM IS A PROPOSAL FROM OUR CHIEF, UM, THAT WOULD COST US ANNUALLY $275,000. AND THIS IS TO READJUST THE PAY, UH, STEP PLANS. UM, SO WHAT DOES TWO THINGS? ONE IS AS PART OF THE BUDGET PROCESS, OUR SURROUNDING JURISDICTIONS INCREASE THEIR BASE PAY FOR, UH, INCOMING OFFICERS, ENTRY-LEVEL OFFICERS. SO NOW IS THE, WE, WE PAY THE LOWEST OUT OUT OF THE REGION FOR OUR, UH, INCOMING OFFICERS. SO THIS WOULD ADJUST THAT UP TO, TO MATCH, UM, OUR SURROUNDING OUR NEIGHBORS. THE OTHER THING IT DOES IS IT INCLUDES STEPS THAT, UM, PROVIDE INCENTIVES FOR MEETING CERTAIN MILESTONES, WHETHER IT BE CERTAIN TYPES OF TRAINING OR EDUCATION, UM, OR CERTAIN TYPES OF AWARDS, UH, GIVES THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO INCREASE THE STEP AND INCREASE THE PAY IF THEY ACHIEVE THOSE MILESTONES. IT ALSO WOULD ALLOW FOR US RECRUITING NEW OFFICERS TO THE POLICE FORCE. IF THEY ALREADY HAVE CERTAIN TYPES OF EDUCATIONS OR TRAININGS. UM, WE CAN ACTUALLY OFFER HIGHER PAYS ENTRY LEVEL PAY BASED ON THOSE, THOSE, THOSE MARKS OR THOSE, UH, THE EDUCATION THEY HAVE. UM, BUT THE CALCULATION THAT WE PROVIDED DOES NOT INCLUDE JUST, JUST THIS IS JUST FOR YOUR INFORMATION. UH, DOES NOT IN FACT IMPACT ANYTHING RIGHT NOW, BUT, UM, THEY'RE ALLOW, PROPERTY OWNERS ARE ALLOWED TO APPEAL. SO IT DOESN'T FACTOR IN ANY APPEALS THAT ARE SUCCESSFUL. UM, IT ALSO, UM, DOESN'T FACTOR IN ANY NON-RESIDENT TO RESIDENT CHANGES THAT OCCUR PRIOR TO JANUARY 14TH. ANY QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION QUESTIONS ON THIS AD? THE CONTRACT ON THE, UH, WASTE MANAGEMENT FOR HOW MANY YEARS IS THAT? IT'S A FIVE YEAR CONTRACT AND WE'RE IN YOUR 3, 2, 3. WHEN YOU RENEGOTIATE THE PRICE INCREASE, WILL YOU BE RE RENEGOTIATING THE LENGTH OF THE CONTRACT? SO WE REBID IT OUT. SO WE PUT AN R F P OUT, SOLICIT BIDDERS, AND THEY COME TO US WITH THEIR RATES. UM, SO IT WOULD IT, YES, THEY COULD COME BACK TO US WITH WHATEVER THEY FEEL COULD GET THE, WIN THEM THE BILL BID, BASICALLY, I'M JUST SAYING YOU DON'T WANT 'EM TO COME BACK TWO OR THREE YEARS FROM NOW AND DO IT AGAIN IF YOU COULD TIE 'EM INTO ANOTHER FIVE YEAR CONTRACT. THAT'S RIGHT. OKAY. THEY, THEY HAVE TRADITIONALLY COME BACK TO US EVERY ONE OR TWO YEARS TO TALK ABOUT DIFFERENT COST CHANGES AND SEE IF WE CAN RENEGOTIATE, UM, AFTER THE LAST CONTRACT WAS SIGNED. WE HAVE SAID NO TO ALL THOSE QUESTIONS OR ASKS. UM, BUT LIKE I SAID, RECYCLING WAS SO VOLATILE. THEY DID HAVE A CLAUSE THAT ALLOWED THEM TO COME BACK TO US FOR THAT PARTICULAR REASON. BRIDGE, BRIDGE, NOT A QUESTION, BUT JUST, UM, A DISCUSSION. UM, WHILE WE'RE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION, I KNOW, UM, YOU HAVE TO INCLUDE THE REDUCTION HERE TO MAKE IT PALPABLE FOR SOME AS IT, YOU KNOW, SADLY HAS BECOME A, A STICKING POINT POLITICALLY FOR SOME PEOPLE TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY REDUCED THE MEALS THAT WE DIDN'T REDUCE IT. UM, MY CONCERN IS ALWAYS THAT WHILE WE SAVE AND RESIDENTS SAVE IN THE IMMEDIATE, WE PAY FOR IT IN THE LONG RUN. YOU KNOW, WE SEE OURSELVES NOW, UM, WITH AN INFRASTRUCTURE, YOU KNOW, THAT WE HAVE TO KEEP UP WITH, WITH THE DEVELOPMENT AND THE INCREASE IN POPULATION. WE HAVE SERVICES ALSO THAT SUFFER BECAUSE OF IT. UM, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN WITHOUT EIGHT POSITIONS, NOW WE HAVE 'EM FILLED, BUT THEY HAD TO GO WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO FILL THOSE POSITIONS. UM, AND KNOWING THAT OUR BUILDING, UM, YOU KNOW, IS GONNA CONTINUE IN THE SENSE OF THE AMENITIES WE OFFER TO RESIDENTS, UM, WE HAVE TO BE THINKING OF THE MITIGATION AND LIKE LONG-TERM PLANS ON HOW DO WE SUSTAIN THOSE THINGS. AND, UM, FOR ME PERSONALLY, LIKE I DON'T MIND, UH, DOING THE 2.5 MIL REDUCTION, BUT UM, IF WE WERE ABLE TO EVEN SEE A TWO POINT MIL REDUCTION, I THINK WE HAVE TO START THINKING IN THE LONG TERM OF [01:15:01] THE FUNDS FOR THESE THINGS THAT WE NEED ARE GONNA HAVE TO COME FROM, FROM SOMEWHERE. AND WE WANNA BE ABLE TO HAVE OFFICERS OUT PATROLLING AND RETAIN THEM AND MAKE SURE THEIR PAYS ARE COMPARABLE, UM, YOU KNOW, TO WHAT THE AVERAGE IS IN THE AREA. AND SO I JUST WANNA CHALLENGE THOSE TO NOT JUST THINK OF BEING ABLE TO SAY WE DIDN'T REDUCE MILL, BUT WHAT SERVICES ARE WE ABLE TO PROVIDE, UM, TO KEEP OUR RESIDENTS HERE SAFE AND BE ABLE TO KEEP UP WITH OUR INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS, UM, WHEN THESE CONVERSATIONS COME UP. NEXT QUESTION. UM, BRIDGET MAKES, HAS ALWAYS MAKES GOOD, UH, FOOD FOR THOUGHT, BUT I ALSO GAVE THAT SOME THOUGHT AS WELL. AND WE HAVE A VERY PROGRESSIVE TOWN, UM, FOR THE LAST 15, 20 YEARS. WE HAVE DONE VERY WELL FINANCIALLY IN ANY OPPORTUNITY THERE IS TO GIVE OUR CONSTITUENTS A BREAK, EVEN IF IT'S JUST A MINOR BREAK. I I, I TOTALLY APPLAUD THAT EFFORT BECAUSE WE NEVER, WE NEVER HAVE A CHANCE TO SAY WE'RE GOING TO GIVE SOMETHING BACK. AND, AND ESPECIALLY WHEN WE WANT TO GIVE SOMETHING BACK TO EVERYONE AT THE SAME TIME. SO EVEN, EVEN THOUGH IT MAY CAUSE US TO, UH, TO DO BUSINESS A DIFFERENT WAY, I BELIEVE THAT'S WHY WE HIRED THE BEST OF STAFF TO MAKE SURE THEY MANAGE THINGS IN A DIFFERENT WAY. SO KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE PRIZE AND LET'S ALWAYS TRY TO FIND A WAY TO, TO AWARD OUR, OUR CONSTITUENTS. THANK YOU MARY. ANYTHING WE CAN DO LATER AGAIN NOW YOU GONE, HUH? YOU'RE NEXT. OH. UM, I, I AGREE WITH REDUCING WHILE WE CAN AND STILL ACCOMPLISH THE, THE TWO THINGS THAT WE DIDN'T GET INCLUDED INTO IN THE BUDGET. UM, IT MAKES PERFECT SENSE FOR ME. I, I'M MORE THAN PROUD TO SAY I WISH OUR OFFICERS MADE MORE MONEY THAN ANY OTHER, ALL OFFICERS IN, IN THE AREA OR ANYWHERE ELSE. UM, I KNOW WE CAN'T DO THAT. HELPING THEM, RETAINING THEM, MAKING THEIR LIVES BETTER AND APPRECIATING THEM IS ALWAYS IMPORTANT TO ME. THE RECYCLING. UM, I THINK WE HAD THIS CONVERSATION, THERE'S AN ALTERNATIVE THAT WE, WE COULD JUST STOP THE RECYCLING. JUST TELL WASTE MANAGEMENT THAT WE DON'T WANT THE RECYCLING PROGRAM ANYMORE. I'M AGAINST DOING THAT. UM, WE COULD SAVE THE MONEY, WE COULD GIVE BACK A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY BACK TO OUR TAXPAYERS, BUT I THINK MOST OF OUR TAXPAYERS WOULD APPRECIATE HAVING THE RECYCLING SERVICES. I KNOW MY IMMEDIATE FAMILY WOULD. UM, I I THINK THIS IS HELPING THE CITIZENS WITH THEIR TAX BILLS. WE CAN ALWAYS GO UP, YOU KNOW, IF NEXT YEAR OR OR WHENEVER WE, IF WE MAY NEED TO TO GO UP, IT'S EASY TO GO UP, HARD TO COME DOWN. SO WE'LL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OF COMING DOWN AS YOU KNOW, AT THIS TIME. AND UM, HOPEFULLY WE CAN DO IT AGAIN, YOU KNOW, IN, IN THE NEAR FUTURE. SO THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHERE I AM. BRIDGE. YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO, UM, THE COUNTER WHAT COUNCIL HAMILTON SAID THANKED HIM FOR HIS UM, COMPLIMENT, BUT HE'S CORRECT. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, SAVE RESIDENTS. AND SO WHILE IT'S A FINANCIAL SAVE COMING BACK AGAIN TO SERVICES, THEY'RE NOT SAVED. YOU KNOW, WHEN WE WERE IN A PLACE BEING, UM, SHORT STAFFED WITH OFFICERS THINKING ABOUT RETENTION AND EVEN THE QUALITY FOR THEM IN ADDITION TO RESIDENTS, WE'VE HAD OFFICERS WHO ARE WORKING OVER TIME AND WORKING ADDITIONAL HOURS TO FILL IN WHERE WE HAD GAPS OF NOT BEING ABLE TO, UM, PROVIDE FOR THOSE POSITIONS. AND SO RESIDENTS PAY FOR THAT. WHEN WE'VE HAD PEOPLE ASK, WELL HOW COME I CAN'T GET PATROLS IN MY NEIGHBORHOODS? OR HOW COME, YOU KNOW, OFFICERS USED TO BE ABLE TO DO WHATEVER, HOW COME WE DON'T HAVE THAT ANYMORE? AND THE RESPONSE WAS, WELL WE DON'T, WE DIDN'T HAVE THE STAFF AT THE TIME TO PROVIDE IT. SO IT'S LIKE WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO THINK OUTSIDE OF JUST SAYING IN THE IMMEDIATE, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GONNA RECEIVE, YOU'RE GONNA SAVE $500 OR WHATEVER IT IS. NOT EVEN, YOU'RE GONNA SAVE $33 AT END OF THE YEAR. UM, IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS, WE HAVE TO ASK OURSELVES WHAT'S THE GREATER VALUE? AND I THINK IT'S HARD TO SAY THAT WE WANT TO ATTRACT AND KEEP PEOPLE [01:20:01] HERE AND THAT WE RESPECT THE WORK OF OUR OFFICERS AND OTHER THINGS AND IN DEALING WITH THE HIGH COST OF LIVING AND JUST EVERYTHING ELSE WHEN WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY AND FROM A POLICY STANDPOINT TO HELP OFFSET THAT, WE HAVE TO SOMETIMES MAKE DECISIONS EVEN IF IT'S CONTRARY TO, UM, PUBLIC OPINION, THAT'S GONNA BE FOR THE GREATER GOOD OF THE COMMUNITY. AND I JUST SEE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT. JUST MY THOUGHT. NO GOOD THOUGHTS. UM, I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE, I THINK WE'RE TODAY I ONLY CUT TWO NAIL. I'M SAYING LIKE I KNOW THAT, I KNOW THAT SHE WANTS TO CUT. I'M SORRY. YEAH, NO, I'M SAYING LIKE I KNOW THAT THE 2.5 AT THE END OF THE DAY, LIKE HE, IT'S MADE PALPABLE BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE ARE GONNA SAY, NO, DON'T REDUCE THE MILLS AT ALL. BUT I'M LIKE, I LIKE TO THINK AHEAD, LIKE IT'S ABOUT THE MITIGATION. SO IF WE'RE DEALING WITH THE PROBLEM WHEN IT'S A PROBLEM, IT'S TOO LATE. IT'S LIKE I'D RATHER LOOK AT, LOOK AT THE, THE ROAD AHEAD AND HOW DO WE ADDRESS THINGS BEFORE WE GET THERE. 'CAUSE WE KNOW THAT AS OUR POPULATION INCREASE SERVICES ARE GONNA INCREASE, THE NEED FOR STAFF IS GONNA INCREASE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE BUILDING MORE AMENITIES, WE'RE GONNA HAVE AN ADDITIONAL NEED FOR STAFF TO MAINTAIN THOSE. SO IT'S LIKE HOW ARE WE GONNA BE ABLE TO KEEP UP WITH THOSE THINGS WITHOUT LOOKING AT INSTANCES WE'RE HERE, WE CAN YES, REDUCE IT, BUT WE SHOULDN'T BE LOOKING AT SIGNIFICANT REDUCTIONS JUST FOR SAYING THAT WE'RE SAVING PEOPLE LIKE 30 BUCKS. IF IN THE LONG RUN IT'S GONNA COST US LOSING AND NOT BEING ABLE TO FILL POSITIONS OR NOT BEING ABLE TO, UM, KEEP UP WITH CERTAIN SERVICES OR LIKE INFRASTRUCTURE DEMANDS. LIKE WE HAVE TO CREATE A BALANCE FOR EVERYBODY. I THOUGHT WITH THAT REAL QUICK, I THOUGHT I HEARD YOU WERE THINKING NOT TWO AND A HALF MILS, BUT JUST REDUCE IT TOO. IS THAT WHAT'S WHAT I HEARD? THAT'D BE MY SUGGESTION. YEAH, I UM, HELP ME WITH THIS. UM, LISTENING TO EVERYBODY, EVERYBODY HAS GREAT COMMENTS. I, I MAY RUN, YES, EVERYBODY, BUT THE MAYOR'S HAD GREAT COMMENTS AND UH, AND, AND THE ARGUMENTS WELL MADE BY EVERYONE. UM, WE HAVE HAD TROUBLE RETAINING OFFICERS BUT PART OF THAT WAS WE LET OUR WAGE AND SALARY PLAN GET BEHIND US AND LAPSE AND WE REVEALED OUR WEAKNESS THAT WE WERE LIKE 13% OR WHATEVER IT WAS BACKWARDS IN OUR PAY AND WE WERE TRYING TO MAKE UP THAT THIS IS TRYING TO MAKE UP FOR THAT AGAIN, SINCE THAT WAGE AND SALARY ANALYSIS TOOK PLACE 'CAUSE OF THE PEOPLE AROUND US. THE OTHER PART OF IT IS, AND, AND THIS IS REALLY WHERE I'M GOING WITH YOU, IS WE'RE STILL A LITTLE BIT IN THE GROWTH MODE. WE STILL HAVE COMMERCIAL THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT IS FINALLY STARTING TO CATCH UP WITH THE ROOFTOPS AND THE MILL WILL CONTINUE TO GROW IN VALUE FOR THE NEXT AMOUNT OF YEARS. IS THAT A FAIR ASSESSMENT IN YOUR OPINION? YES. SO FOR ME PERSONALLY, I THINK THE ARGUMENTS ARE SOUND, BUT I'M GOOD WITH WHERE YOUR RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE AND LET'S SEE WHERE WE END UP A FEW YEARS FROM NOW. SO I HALF A MILL, I I'M FINE EITHER WAY, BUT I KIND OF WAS THINKING THROUGH THIS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE STARTING TO SEE MORE COMMERCIAL FINALLY THAT IS, THAT BRINGS MORE TAX REVENUE. I, YOU KNOW, THE MOTION EITHER WAY I WOULD VOTE ON IT. UM, BECAUSE I DO THINK THIS IS THE ONLY TIME WE CAN SHOW SOME REDUCTION IN AN ASSESSMENT YEAR, SOME REDUCTION AND HIS PROPERTY TAXES BILL COMMERCIALLY THEN EVERY BUDGET YEAR, YOU KNOW, WE COULD PUT LIKE OUT TO YOU. LET'S SEE HOW WE CAN GET THIS LOWER. THAT'S HOW HILTON HAD LOWERED IT TO WHAT, 20 MILS OR SOMETHING. BUT MAYBE WHERE, YOU KNOW, THE, THAT'S AN IMPORTANT PART. LIKE YOU BROUGHT UP TWO THINGS THAT ARE SO, UM, SO EMOTIONAL PUBLIC SAFETY IN TRASH AND RECYCLING. I'M LOOKING AT THE PARENTS OUT THERE . UM, SO HOW DARE WE CUT EITHER? I JUST DON'T WANT, AND I THINK ALL OF YOU ARE IMPORTANT, BUT WE HAVE GONE THROUGH THAT PROCESS FOR ALL OF STAFF. BUT HOW DO WE KEEP THESE OFFICERS EXCITED TO WORK FOR THIS CHIEF IN THIS TOWN AND YOU KNOW, LET'S JUST BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT SKIMMING TOO MUCH OVER THE TIME. SKIMMING SMART, COMING IN THE BUDGET YEAR, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE KNOW WHERE WE ARE. BUT DON'T BE AFRAID TO BRING THIS UP TO US THROUGH STEVEN THAT THIS IS STUFF WE NEED. BECAUSE I ALWAYS ASK THE CHIEF, WHAT DO YOU NEED? WHAT DO YOU NEED? SO I THINK WE NEED TO BE VERY PROUD OF THAT. I DON'T KNOW WHAT A HALF A MILL DOES HONESTLY, BUT MAYBE PUT IT SOMEWHERE TO SEE WHAT, WHAT WE MAY BE MISSING. I, I DON'T KNOW. UM, AND WHAT DOES HALF A MILL? A HUNDRED THOUSAND THOUSAND'S. HUNDRED. 8,000 80,000, 80,000. 80. 180. [01:25:01] I THOUGHT WE WERE OVER THREE FOR THE MAIL. AND THERE WAS MAYOR, IF I MAY, THERE WAS, I I REACHED OUT TO TOWN MANAGER AND CHRIS. BUT WHEN YOU LOOKED AT THE NUMBERS THEY PUT IN THE REPORT, THERE WAS STILL AN EXCESS OF MONEY THAT WAS NOT GONNA BE USED FOR EVERYTHING HERE. IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT. SO IT'S A LITTLE TRICKY WHEN YOU BREAK IT DOWN BECAUSE WE STILL HAVE OUR TIFF. SO TECHNICALLY WE ONLY GET 50% OF THE PROPERTIES FROM TIFF TO GO TO GENERAL FUND. THE OTHER SITS IN OUR DEBT SERVICE FUND FOR UH, TIFF DEBT SERVICE AS WELL AS PROJECTS THAT FALL WITHIN THE TIFF. SO IT LOOKS A LITTLE FUNKY, UM, BECAUSE OF THAT. BUT THAT IS A FACTOR AS WELL AS YOUR, WE HAVE OUR DEBT SERVICE MILL OF 1.7, UM, WHICH AGAIN, THAT ONLY GOES IN DEBT SERVICE PAY DEBT SERVICE OR FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS. I THINK CLARITY, BUT I'M PRETTY SURE I'M RIGHT. WE, WHEN WE WERE DOWN POSITIONING, ESPECIALLY FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, IT WASN'T BECAUSE OF LACK OF FUNDING. IT WASN'T, IT WAS BECAUSE WE JUST NEEDED TO FILL THE POSITION AND MAYBE WE, WE LOST, UM, EMPLOYEES HAD TO, HAD TO RECRUIT TO FIND THEM. IS AM I CORRECT? I MEAN YOU CAN MAKE A LOT OF UM, ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT WHAT IT COULD BE. I MEAN IT'S COST OF LIVING, IT'S YEAH. A LOSS OF A LOT OF OFFICERS ALL AT ONCE AND TRYING TO MAKE UP FOR IT. THERE'S A LOT OF FACTORS THAT BROUGHT UP. IT WASN'T BECAUSE OF LACK OF FUNDING FROM THE, FROM, FROM THE DOWN. NO BUDGET. RIGHT. OKAY. AND TO CORRECT OUT THAT'S NOT WHAT I WAS IMPLYING. WHAT I WAS SAYING IS WE WERE NOT ABLE TO RETAIN A LOT OF OFFICERS. THEY WEREN'T LEAVING AND GOING IN THE OTHER FIELDS. SOME LEFT AND WENT TO HARDY OR LEFT AND WENT TO NEIGHBORING PLACES WHERE THEY COULD GET MORE MONEY AND IT'S LIKE, YOU HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THAT. WE ALL IN THE WORKFORCE, THAT'S A MAIN FACTOR. WHEN YOU HAVE A FAMILY AND YOU'RE TRYING TO SUSTAIN A LIVELIHOOD, IT'S BEING ABLE TO HAVE A WAGE THAT'S GONNA MEET THOSE DEMANDS AND YOU HAVE TO, AT THE END OF THE DAY, MAKE THOSE DECISIONS BASED ON WHO'S GIVING YOU MORE FUNDING, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR YOUR SKILL LEVEL AND FOR YOUR, FOR YOUR JOB. MM-HMM. , I I I THINK THE REASON WE'RE EVEN TALKING ABOUT THIS TONIGHT, IF I'M PUT THE WHOLE PACKAGE TOGETHER PROPERLY, HAD THESE REQUESTS AND, AND FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND FROM UM, WASTE MANAGEMENT ALL HAVE BEEN DONE BEFORE BUDGET TIME. WE COULD HAVE SAVED MONEY, CUT MONEY SOMEWHERE ELSE PROBABLY AND MADE IT ALL WORK. BUT BECAUSE THE BUDGET'S ALREADY DONE IS THE ONLY WAY WE CAN PROVIDE THIS SERVICE TO OUR OFFICERS AND THE SERVICE TO OUR PEOPLE WITH THE RECYCLING INCREASES IS TO DO IT THIS WAY. AND IS THAT SOMEWHERE IN THAT THAT THAT'S FAIR. I MEAN YOU DEFINITELY, IT'S YOUR PREROGATIVE. YOU COULD ALWAYS CUT BUDGETS WHENEVER YOU CHOOSE TO VOTE ON IT. I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THAT. UM, BUT THAT IS YOUR PROGRESS. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY. UM, I CAN MAKE THE MOTION. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE A RESOLUTION AMENDING THE F 5 20 24 MILLAGE RATE FROM 38.5 TO 36 WITH A 34.3 MIL FOR OPERATIONS AND 1.7 MIL FOR DEBT SERVICE. SO MOVE THERE. SECONDS SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR STATE BY SAYING AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? THAT'S UNANIMOUS. Y'ALL. THE GOOD STUFF WE WORK ON GUYS AND WE CARE ABOUT OUR POLICE GET GET WITH HIM TOO. DID. GREAT JOB. UM, WE [XI. Consent Agenda Items] HAVE A CONSENT AGENDA. SO ON THE CONSENT AGENDA ARE A LOT OF ITEMS WE WOULD STAY HERE TILL 11 O'CLOCK AT NIGHT. BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT I FEEL ARE THE MONTHLY REPORTS AND YOU CAN LOOK ON THEM ONLINE AND SEE WHAT THE POLICE IS DOING. FINANCE PROJECTS, EVERYTHING IS IN THAT ITEM NUMBER ONE. UM, WE USUALLY VOTE ON THIS AS A WHOLE CONSENT AGENDA. IS THERE ANYTHING WE NEED TO REMOVE? AND I BELIEVE MR. FINGERS SAID WE DIDN'T NEED TO REMOVE ITEM NUMBER TWO THREE. UM, BECAUSE WHENEVER WE SIT HERE AND WE HAVE SOMEONE THAT MIGHT HAVE CONFLICT, THEY CAN'T VOTE ON IT. AND FOR THIS PARTICULAR ITEM, WHENEVER OUR COUNCILMAN HAS A CONFLICT, SO HE WILL NOT VOTE ON THIS, HE WILL RECUSE HIMSELF. I, YES. SO WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ITEM NUMBER THREE, WHICH IS TO AN APPROVE AMENDMENT TO THE AGREEMENT WITH EAGLES FIELD, UM, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA? SO MOVED THERE. SECOND. SECOND. YOU NEED DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR STATE BY SAYING AYE. AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? AND WE WILL REACH NUMBER THREE. DO YOU WANNA OFFICIALLY SAY YES AND I LIKE TO RECRUIT MYSELF FROM APPRO THE AMENDMENT FOR EAGLES FIELD. GREAT. AND THEN YOU MAKE SURE YOU SIGN YOUR PAPERWORK WITH MARSHA. OKAY, SO WE HAVE THE EAGLES FIELD, UM, ITEM PULLED OFF THE AGENDA. WOULD THERE BE ANY MORE DISCUSSION ON THAT? UM, NOW IT'S OUT OR WE CAN APPROVE IT SEPARATELY. [01:30:02] IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AMENDMENT TO THE AGREEMENT WITH THE BLUFFTON EAGLES COMMUNITY ACTION COMMITTEE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF EAGLES FIELD FAIR MOTION? NO MOVE. IS THERE SECOND? SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR STATE BY SAYING AYE. AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? THAT'S UNANIMOUS. Y'ALL GET TO GO HOME. 'CAUSE NOW [XII. Executive Session] WE GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION. IS THERE A MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR PERSONNEL MATTERS REGARDING TOWN COUNCIL APPOINTMENTS, BOARDS, COMMITTEES, AND COMMISSIONS? AND THAT'S WE, UH, FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 34 70 A ONE. NO MA'AM. THERE SECOND. SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR STATE BY SAYING AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED? WE ARE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION. UM, TERRY, YOU'RE GONNA TELL 'EM THEY DON'T HAVE TO STAY. WE MIGHT HAVE ACTION FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION, BUT IT'D BE ON A COMMITTEE TO [XIII. Action from Executive Session] TOWN BOARDS, COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES. I'M GONNA READ THE WHOLE THING AT ONE TIME. MOTION TO REAPPOINT BETTY BLACK TO THE MUNICIPAL ELECTION COMMISSION WITH THE TERM EXPIRING JUNE 30TH, 2029. MOTION TO REAPPOINT LAURA BUSH AND BA GUCCIO TO THE WALL OF HONOR COMMITTEE. MOTION TO APPOINT CHARLIE WETMORE TO THE SALES TAX ADVISORY COMMITTEE. MOTION TO APPOINT EMMETT MCCRACKEN TO THE MILITARY ENHANCEMENT COMMITTEE. MOTION TO REAPPOINT TABOR VOX, MICHAEL FRAZIER, MYRA RIVERA VASQUEZ AND REGINALD HOWARD TO THE LAW ENFORCEMENT CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE WITH TERMS EXPIRING JUNE 30TH, 2026. MOTION TO APPOINT THE FOLLOWING TO THE NEW PUBLIC ARTS COMMITTEE. JAMIE GALL, MARIA HOOPER PIERCE SCOTT, WHICH WILL BE THE CHAIR, DEIDRE YOUNG, WITH TERMS EXPIRING JUNE 30TH, 2027. AND RAQUEL HENDERSON, PAMELA DAVIS AND BREVIN BEN BOER WITH TERMS EXPIRING JUNE 30TH, 2025. SO YOUR SECOND. THANK YOU. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR, STEP OF SAYING AYE A. AYE. IS THERE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? AMEN. MICHAEL, FOR SPEAKING. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.