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CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY.[1. Call to Order]
SO CALL THE ORDER TO MEETING.AND IS THERE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE AGENDA? MOVED IS SUBMITTED.
[2. Adoption of the Agenda]
MINUTES.[3. Approval of the Minutes]
AND, UM, AS TRADITIONAL, I LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE SAY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE PLEDGE, ALLEGIANCE REPUBLIC ONE NATION UNDER GOD,[4. Appearance by Citizens:]
ANY APPEARANCE BY CITIZENS WHO WISH TO SPEAK ON THE MATTER BEFORE MATTER BEING DISCUSSED DURING THIS MEETING? UM, KIM, WAS THERE ANYONE WHO SIGNED UP? I'VE GOT TWO.I'M NOT SPEAKING ON A PARTICULAR ITEM THAT IS ON THE AGENDA.
I'M SPEAKING ON SOMETHING THAT I THINK HAS BEEN MOVED TO YOUR NEXT MEETING, WHICH IS YOUR POLICY FOR CONVERTING AWAY FROM TOXIC CHEMICALS BEING USED ON HILTON HEAD.
UM, I THINK IT'S TIME THAT WE ACT, AND I DON'T THINK THIS IS THE TIME TO PUSH THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD AND WORK ON POLICY.
I THINK IT'S EASY ENOUGH TO FLIP.
WE'VE HAD AN INVITATION FROM WEST PALM BEACH SO THEY COULD SHOW US HOW TO DO IT.
I THINK ALL OF COUNCIL MEMBERS RECEIVED AN INVITATION AND I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT HAPPEN.
I THINK IT'S IMPERATIVE BASED ON THE, UM, SHORT CHEMICAL LIST THAT WE'VE LOOKED AT ALREADY.
IT'S ONE OF THE WORST IN THE COUNTRY.
UM, I LIVE ON ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACES ON EARTH.
HILTON HEAD ISLAND IS MY HOME.
PLEASE PROTECT IT FROM DANGEROUS PESTICIDES AND RODENTICIDES.
MY FRIEND MARCY TRESSEL COULDN'T BE HERE THIS MORNING, BUT GAVE ME INFORMATION ABOUT SLEWS OF RAT TRAPS AT SHELTER COVE HARBOR FROM SAN MIGUEL'S TO THE STATUE OF NEPTUNE.
TWO WEEKS AGO, I SPOKE WITH BRIAN MCELWEE AND A AND GAVE HIM SOME INFORMATION ABOUT A NEW TYPE OF RODENT CONTROL THAT NEUTERED THE ANIMALS INSTEAD OF KILLING THEM.
THIS PREVENTS THE RAPTORS FROM EATING THE POISON RATS AND DYING.
EVENTUALLY, THERE WOULD BE NO NEED TO NEUTER THE RATS AS THE RAPTORS WOULD DO THE JOB NATURE INTENDED AND CONTROL THEM.
BRIAN SAID HE WOULD CONSIDER USING A NEW PRODUCT.
HOPEFULLY WE CAN BAN DANGEROUS CHEMICALS WE NOW USE ON TOWN PROPERTY TO KILL WEEDS.
THERE ARE SAFE ALTERNATIVES TO GLYPHOSATE.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WITH US WHO'D LIKE TO MAKE COMMENTS?
[5. New Business]
SEEING NONE.UM, I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE ON TO NEW BUSINESS AND WELCOME,
[Discussion of a Resolution Approving the Fire Rescue Strategic Plan]
UM, THE CHIEF TO THE PODIUM TO DISCUSS, UM, OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM, WHICH IS THE FIRE AND RESCUES STRATEGIC PLAN.UH, CHRIS BLANK CHIP FIRE CHIEF FOR THE RECORD.
UM, AND I AM HERE TODAY TO PRESENT FOR THE FIRST TIME OUR 24, OUR 2024 TO 2026 FIRE RESCUE STRATEGIC.
SO, UH, STRATEGIC PLANNING TO US.
UM, AND FIRE RESCUE IS NOTHING NEW.
WE'VE BEEN DOING IT IN SOME WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM SINCE, UH, 2001 WHEN WE WERE FIRST ACCREDITED.
IT IS PART OF OUR ACCREDITATION MODEL AND, UM, IS A REQUIREMENT OF ACCREDITATION TO, UH, TO BE DONE EVERY FIVE YEARS.
SO THIS, OUR LAST STRATEGIC PLAN WAS A FIVE YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN, UM, AS WAS OUR ONE PREVIOUS TO THAT.
WE HAVE SINCE, UM, TRANSITIONED TO A THREE YEAR.
UM, WE THINK IT'S GONNA BE EASIER TO, UM, TO KIND OF CONTROL AND TO, TO ADOPT AND TO ADAPT TO A THREE YEAR RATHER THAN LOOKING OUT, UH, FIVE YEARS OVER OUR LAST TWO STRATEGIC PLANS.
WE'VE HAD PRETTY SIGNIFICANT EVENTS HAPPEN.
UM, HURRICANE MATTHEW CORONAVIRUS THAT HAVE, UH, PUSHED US, UM, AND, AND PROLONGED US TO BE ABLE TO DO, UH, THE THINGS THAT ARE IN OUR STRATEGIC PLAN.
SO, UM, CHRISTOPHER, UH, MY STRATEGIC PLANNING BATTALION CHIEF GOT WITH, UM, CIPS E, WHICH IS OUR ACCREDITATION MODEL, AND THEY AGREED THAT
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MOST AGENCIES ARE MOVING TO A, UH, THREE YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN AS WELL.SO, IMPORTANCE OF A STRATEGIC PLAN, AS YOU GUYS PROBABLY ALREADY KNOW, UH, IT OUTLINES CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE ORGANIZATION.
ALLOWS US TO FIRE RESCUE TO BE PROACTIVE RATHER THAN REACTIVE, AND PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COMMUNITY TO COLLABORATE WITH FIRE RESCUE PERSONNEL AND ALIGNS WITH OUR COMMITMENT TO CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT AS PART OF THE C C ACCREDITATION MODEL.
OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS IN FIRE RESCUE, UM, OCCURRED BETWEEN APRIL AND JUNE OF 2023.
UM, IT WAS BOTH INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDER, UM, FEEDBACK.
SO OUR EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDER FEEDBACK, UH, WAS COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT HAD THE OP OPTION TO COMPLETE AN ONLINE SURVEY OR PARTICIPATE IN ONE OF TWO IN-PERSON SESSIONS.
PARTICIPANTS WERE ASKED QUESTIONS RELATED TO EXPECTATIONS, CONCERNS, SERVICE PRIORITIES, AND ADDITIONAL COMMIT, UH, COMMENTS.
AND WE HAD 86 TOTAL, UM, COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT PARTICIPATED, MOST OF THEM ONLINE, BUT WE DID GET SOME IN THE TWO, UH, IN-PERSON SESSIONS.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE THIS ON THE RIGHT SIDE HERE, UM, WE HAD THEM RANK WHAT THEY FEEL IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT WE DO.
AND OBVIOUSLY OUR MOST OUTWARD FOCUSED INITIATIVES ARE OUR EMERGENCY, OUR E M S, OUR FIRE SUPPRESSION, AND OUR 9 1 1 COMMUNICATIONS CENTER.
UM, THEN WE WENT DOWN THE, THE ROW WITH THE, UH, THE REST OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO, WHICH WE WILL GET INTO WHY I THINK SOME OF THESE ARE LOWER.
'CAUSE I DON'T THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW EVERYTHING THAT WE DO.
AND THAT IS GONNA BE ONE OF OUR GOALS FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS IS, IS REALLY GETTING OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY AND, AND LETTING PEOPLE KNOW WHAT WE DO.
UM, OUR INTERNAL STAKEHOLDER FEEDBACK AND ONLINE SURVEY WAS SENT TO ALL FIRE RESCUE PERSONNEL WITH QUESTIONS RELATED TO EXPECTATIONS, CONCERNS, AND AREAS FOR FIRE RESCUE TO FOCUS ON OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS.
UM, WE RECEIVED 50 RESPONSES FROM INTERNAL PERSONNEL, UM, BUT THEN WE ALSO HAD AN INTERNAL SESSION THAT LASTED THREE DAYS AND WE HAD 30 OF OUR MEMBERS PARTICIPATE IN THAT THREE DAY WORKSHOP.
SO OUT OF OUR A HUNDRED AND ROUGHLY 50, UH, MEMBERS, 80 PER 80%, UM, PARTICIPATED.
WE FOCUSED ON THE REVIEW OF OUR FIRE RESCUE MISSION, VISION AND VALUES, AS WELL AS DEVELOPMENT OF NEW GOALS AND OBJECTIVES.
AND WE CAME UP WITH THREE OVERARCHING INITIATIVES, UM, THAT BEING STAFFING DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH.
AND I'LL BREAK ALL OF THOSE THREE, UH, INITIATIVES DOWN.
AND THEN WE LOOKED AT OUR MISSION VISIONS AND VALUE AND, UH, DECIDED AT THIS POINT WE'RE GONNA KEEP WITH, WITH WHAT WE ALREADY HAD.
WE'VE JUST REDONE THOSE ABOUT THREE YEARS PRIOR.
UM, SO THERE WAS NO CHANGE TO THOSE.
SO OUR STAFF STAFFING INITIATIVE, WE CREATED THE, UH, GOAL OF TO CREATE AN APPROPRIATE STAFFING MODEL TO FULFILL THE NEEDS OF FIRE RESCUE AND BEST SERVE THE COMMUNITY.
I WILL SAY WE DO THIS ALL THE TIME ANYWAY, BUT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WILL CONTINUOUSLY ALWAYS PROBABLY BE IN A STRATEGIC PLAN.
IT'S GONNA LOOK AT OUR CURRENT, UM, DEPLOYMENT MODEL, OUR CURRENT POSITIONS, UM, WHAT WHAT WE NEED TO, TO FULFILL OUR, UM, OUR OBJECTIVES OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO WE WILL EVALUATE OUR CURRENT STAFFING MODEL BASED ON OUR COMMUNITY RISK AND HISTORICAL DATA.
WE'LL IDENTIFY RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION CHALLENGES, DEVELOP AN APPROPRIATE STAFFING MODEL, AND IMPLEMENT AND EVALUATE A NEW STAFFING MODEL TO ENSURE THE NEEDS OF FIRE RESCUE AND THE COMMUNITY ARE MET.
SO THIS COULD BE ANYTHING FROM, UM, ADDING PERSONNEL TO THE LINE TO, UH, RE REDEPLOYMENT, UH, LOOKING AT HOW WE CURRENTLY DEPLOY AND IS THAT THE BEST, UH, WAY TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY.
DO WE NEED TO CHANGE THINGS UP? UM, AND THAT AND SO FORTH.
SO ALL OF THESE WILL BE DONE IN COMMITTEE.
WE'LL BE ABLE TO, UH, TRACK ALL OF OUR PROGRESS.
AND THAT WILL BE, UH, CHRISTOPHER'S JOB OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS IS TO TRACK ALL THIS STUFF, UH, DEVELOPMENT THAT'S GONNA BE ENHANCED PERSONAL GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TO IMPROVE SERVICE DELIVERY TO THE COMMUNITY.
THIS IS GONNA LOOK AT OUR, OUR TRAINING, OUR PROGRAMS, EVERYTHING THAT WE DO INTERNALLY AND ANALYZE THE EFFECT EFFECTIVENESS OF THOSE PROGRAMS AND STRATEGIES.
WE'LL DEVELOP AND ENHANCE PROGRAMS TO MEET THE IDENTIFIED NEEDS AND IMPLEMENT AND EVALUATE PROGRAMS TO FOSTER GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT WITHIN FIRE RESCUE.
SO THIS IS MORE INWARD LOOKING, UM, AT WHAT WE DO AND IS IT MEETING THE NEEDS OF, UH, WHAT WE, WHAT WE NEED TO, TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY.
SO THIS IS KIND OF INWARD FACING.
AND THEN COMMUNITY OUTREACH, WHICH THIS IS GONNA BE OUR BIG ONE.
UM, MAXIMIZE COMMUNITY OUTREACH THROUGH ENHANCEMENT OF PROGRAMS AND PARTNERSHIPS.
UH, WE'RE GONNA ANALYZE CURRENT COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAMS AND PARTNERSHIPS FOR EFFECTIVENESS, MEANING WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT WHAT WE ALREADY DO AND, AND DOES THAT WORK? IS IT AS EFFECTIVE AS WE WANT IT TO BE? WE'RE GONNA DEVELOP NEW PARTNERSHIPS TO ENHANCE THE CAPABILITIES OF REACHING OUR COMMUNITY AND IMPLEMENT NEW PROGRAMS AND EVALUATE THOSE PROGRAMS AND PARTNERSHIPS.
AND I'D SAY THIS IS PROBABLY GONNA BE OUR BIGGEST ONE.
THIS IS, UM, WAS IN OUR LAST STRATEGIC PLAN, BUT IT WAS LOOKING AT BUILDING THOSE RELATIONSHIPS AND PARTNERSHIPS AND NOW THIS IS TRANSITIONING OVER TO IMPLEMENTING THEM.
AND, UM, I GOT TWO NEW COMMUNITY OUTREACH CAPTAINS AND ADMIN NOW, AND THEY HAVE ALREADY STARTED DOWN THIS ENDEAVOR.
SO WE'LL REALLY TAKE THE NEXT THREE YEARS, PULL IT ALL TOGETHER AND, AND
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SEE WHAT WE CAN DO.AND WITH THAT, I WANTED TO BRING CHIEF FESTER UP HERE TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE ALREADY DONE SINCE JULY ONE IN THIS ENDEAVOR.
SO, UH, JOH FISTER, DEPUTY FIRE CHIEF.
UM, SO WHEN OUR CAPTAINS OF COMMUNITY OUTREACH TRANSITIONED OVER INTO ADMIN, THEY WENT LIKE RIGHT TO WORK.
I MEAN, THEY HAD REALLY BIG IDEAS.
UM, I HAD A LIST OF ALL OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO SEE THEM ACCOMPLISH THAT HAD BEEN IN MY BRAIN FOR A MILLION YEARS.
UM, AND SO THEY WENT RIGHT TO WORK.
AND, UM, THESE ARE JUST A COUPLE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY HAVE WORKED ON OVER THE LAST COUPLE MONTHS.
WE ARE, WE ALWAYS KIND OF HAD A PRE PRESENCE AT SOME OF OUR COMMUNITY EVENTS, BUT IT MIGHT BE JUST, YOU KNOW, THE, THE FIRETRUCK OUT THERE OR LIKE US WALKING AROUND WITH SOME INFORMATION.
UM, WE PUT THEM OUT THERE AT THE COMMUNITY PICNIC AND IT WAS A VERY, UH, BIG SUCCESS FOR THEM.
THEY GOT TO TALK TO A LOT OF PEOPLE.
THEY, UM, INTRODUCED THEMSELVES AND, UM, A PART OF WHAT THEIR JOB IS GOING TO BE IS TO NOT ONLY GET WHAT WE DO OUT THERE, BUT TO ALSO HELP US IN OUR RECRUITMENT.
SO A BIG PART OF THEIR JOB IS, YES, SPEAKING ABOUT FIRE RESCUE AND THE THINGS THAT WE DO, BUT THEN ALSO TALKING TO PEOPLE ABOUT WANTING TO COME WORK FOR US AS WELL.
UH, SO THEY, THEY GOT TO DO THAT AT THE COMMUNITY PICNIC.
AND THEN THEY'VE ALSO, THEY WENT OUT TO, UM, THE HISPANIC, UM, EVENT THAT WAS RECENTLY HELD AT, UH, LOW COUNTRY CELEBRATION PARK AS WELL.
AND, UM, WE HAD THEM IN CONJUNCTION WITH ONE OF OUR LINE PERSONNEL, GOT UP AND SPOKE TO THE CROWD AND, UM, LET THEM KNOW ABOUT THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO OFFER BOTH JUST AS SERVICES AND AS JOB, UM, OPPORTUNITIES.
AND SO THEN ANOTHER THING THAT THEY WERE APPROACHED ABOUT WAS, UM, WITH THE SCHOOL FOR CREATIVE ARTS, THEY WANTED US TO COME IN AND, UM, WORK ON LITERACY WITH THEM AND TO SHOW THEM SOME OF THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY, UH, THAT THEY MIGHT NOT ALWAYS HAVE INTERACTIONS WITH.
SO EVERY FRIDAY WE NOW GO FOR WHAT, UM, THEY STARTED TO CALL RED HOT READERS.
UM, AND THEY GO EACH WEEK AND THEY, UM, HAVE A CERTAIN GROUP OF KIDS AND THEY JUST READ TO THEM.
AND, UM, AGAIN, IT IS REALLY JUST CREATING THAT PARTNERSHIPS OUT IN THE COMMUNITY AND HOW CAN WE BETTER GET TO OUR, UH, COMMUNITY AND MAYBE PUT INTO THEIR HEAD THEY WANT TO BE FIREFIGHTERS OR OUR DISPATCHERS ARE GOING AND OUR FIRE INSPECTORS ARE GOING AS WELL.
SO, UM, IT, IT HAS BECOME A REALLY GREAT PROGRAM, UM, FOR BOTH THE SCHOOL AND FOR OUR PERSONNEL.
UM, THEY ALSO HAVE BEEN AT, UM, HERITAGE ACADEMY AND THEY MET WITH THEM AND THEY, UH, TALKED TO THEM ABOUT NOT ONLY, YOU KNOW, IS IT A JOB MAYBE, BUT ALSO JUST TO LEARN ABOUT WHAT WE DO IN THE COMMUNITY AND THE LEADERSHIP THAT THEY CAN HELP THEM TO DEVELOP.
SO THEY HAVE, UM, MADE GREAT STRIDES THERE AND, UM, THEY REALLY WANNA TAKE SOME OF, UM, WHAT THEY'RE TRYING IN SOME OF THE SMALLER PLACES AND THEN MOVE THEM INTO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND THE HIGH SCHOOL AND SOMETHING ELSE THAT THEY'VE BEEN WORKING ON WITH THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND THE HIGH SCHOOL.
THEY ARE DOING A, UH, THEY JUST COMPLETED LIKE THEIR CAREER, UH, EVALUATION WITH BOTH THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND THE HIGH SCHOOLERS.
AND THEY COME BACK WITH, UH, THINGS THAT THEY MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN AND THEN THEY TRY TO HELP THEM DECIDE HOW DO THEY GET THERE.
AND, UH, BOTH CAPTAIN JENKINS AND FERGUSON HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH, UH, BOTH OF THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND THE HIGH SCHOOL TO, TO DEVELOP THAT SO THAT THE KIDS WHO MAYBE ARE LOOKING FOR A PUBLIC SERVICE TYPE CAREER, THEN WE CAN GET, GET THEM AND START TO HELP DEVELOP THAT AS WELL.
UM, HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH, I, I KNOW, UM, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH, WE ALSO ALSO ADDED, UM, OUR, UH, MARKETING AND, UM, COMMUNICATIONS PERSON.
AND SO KENZIE HAS REALLY TAKEN THE STUFF THAT THEY ARE DOING AND IS TRYING TO REALLY SHOWCASE IT ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA SO THAT WE GET OTHER ENTITIES IN THE COMMUNITY TO REACH OUT AND WANT TO BE A PART OF THESE PROGRAMS AS WELL.
SO FOR HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH, UM, WE'VE SPOTLIGHTED MEMBERS OF OUR, UM, ORGANIZATION AND THEN, UM, THEY ALSO WENT TO THE HERITAGE PEP RALLY WITH THE SCHOOL FOR THE CREATIVE ARTS AND THEN ALSO THEIR PARTNERSHIPS WITH LOCAL NONPROFITS.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS I REALLY HAD ON THE
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LIST WAS TO, WE MAKE THE CONTACTS WITH THINGS WE DO EVERY DAY, BUT I REALLY WANTED THEM TO CREATE PARTNERSHIPS.AND, UM, SO THEY HAVE BEEN OUT WITH, UH, THE NEIGHBORHOOD OUTREACH CONNECTION, THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB, THEY'VE BEEN TO THE REC CENTER.
UM, THEY'VE ALSO MET MULTIPLE TIMES AT HOLY FAMILY WITH THEIR HISPANIC MINISTRY OUTREACH TOO.
UH, SO THEY ARE, UM, REALLY FOCUSING ON GETTING OUR NAME OUT THERE AND THEN ALSO THE CAREER OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE AVAILABLE.
AND THEN THE RIDE ALONG PROGRAM.
WE'VE ALWAYS HAD A RIDE ALONG PROGRAM, BUT IT WAS NOT REALLY FORMALIZED IF YOU WANTED TO COME RIDE ALONG AND SEE WHAT WE, WHAT WHAT WE DO, UM, WE, WE WOULD SET THAT UP.
UM, BUT THEY HAVE TAKEN IT AND REALLY FORMATTED IT AND GIVEN IT A PURPOSE SO THAT THEY HAVE AN OUTLINE OF WHAT THE RIDE ALONG PERSON IS GOING TO DO.
THEY WILL BE IDENTIFIED NOW WHEN THEY ARE OUT WITH US.
UM, AND, UH, THEY, THEY WILL HAVE A MEETING WITH THEM FIRST AND TALK ABOUT ALL OF THE THINGS THAT FIRE RESCUE HAS TO OFFER.
AND THEN, UM, THEY'VE ALSO INSTITUTED WHERE THE CREW THAT HAS THE PERSON FOR THE RIDE ALONG AND THEN THE PERSON WHO IS PARTICIPATING IN THE RIDE ALONG WILL DO AN EVALUATION AFTERWARD TO, TO GET BACK FEEDBACK FROM BOTH OF THEM ON, UM, YOU KNOW, DO WE FEEL LIKE THIS IS A PERSON THAT WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO, UM, REACH OUT TO AND NURTURE AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET INTO OUR PROCESS.
AND, UM, AND THEN FROM THE PERSON, YOU KNOW, WHAT COULD WE DO BETTER TO, TO SHOWCASE WHAT FIRE RESCUE HAS TO OFFER, UM, FOR COMING TO WORK HERE.
SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS, THEY HAVE A TON OF THINGS ON THEIR LIST THAT THEY WANT TO ACCOMPLISH, UM, BUT THEY REALLY HAVE DONE A LOT IN THE LAST, UH, THREE MONTHS, SO THANK YOU.
SO, YEAH, LIKE I SAID, I THINK COMMUNITY OUTREACH IS GONNA BE OUR BIGGEST THING, UM, GOING FORWARD.
IT'S A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ALL THE THINGS THAT WE DO, AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THEM TO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S A BENEFIT TO US, THIS THE RECRUITING ASPECT OF IT.
BUT AS WE'RE RECRUITING AND STARTING AT A YOUNG AGE, IT'S REALLY GETTING OUT EVERYTHING THAT WE DO TO THE COMMUNITY AND HAVING THEM UNDERSTAND, UM, WHY WE'RE HERE AND WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO.
SO I KNOW IT ONLY SEEMS LIKE THREE INITIATIVES PROBABLY ISN'T A LOT, BUT THERE'S MULTIPLE LAYERS UNDER THOSE INITIATIVES THAT WE'LL HAVE TO LOOK OVER, LOOK AT THE NEXT THREE YEARS.
UM, AND WE REALIZED THAT OVER THE YEARS OF DOING OUR STRATEGIC PLANS, WE'VE GONE FROM LONG LISTS THAT YOU MIGHT NOT GET EVERYTHING DONE TO NARROWING IT DOWN TO, UH, TO THREE THIS TIME THAT WE CAN REALLY FOCUS ON AND REALLY MAKE SURE THAT WE GET TO THE, THE MEAT OF IT.
SO WITH THAT, I WILL, ANY QUESTIONS? WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU.
AND SOMETIMES FOCUSING IN ON DOING SOMETHING WELL, RATHER THAN SPREADING YOURSELF VERY THIN AND NOT ACCOMPLISHING AND DOING THIS FAR MORE IMPRESSIVE AND, AND MEANINGFUL IN THE END.
AND CERTAINLY WHAT WE JUST HEARD IS, IS QUITE A LIST, EVEN THOUGH IT'S SMALLEST.
SO, UH, CONGRATULATIONS ON THAT.
UM, THERE ARE CERTAIN QUESTIONS AND, UM, ACCOLADES.
SO, UM, PATSY, WOULD YOU LIKE TO START? FIRST OF ALL, MY APOLOGIES.
I WAS LITERALLY STUCK RIGHT OUT HERE FOR NINE MINUTES AT THE TRAFFIC CIRCLE AND THERE WAS A, WE HEARD MOVING MAN TRYING TO GET INTO WEXFORD, AND I'M LIKE, I COULD JUST GET OUTTA MY CAR AND WALK, BUT THAT WOULDN'T
I DIDN'T HAVE A PLACE TO PARK EVEN THOUGH I HAVE A SMALL CAR TODAY.
UM, SO, UH, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I APPRECIATE, UM, ALL OF YOUR WORK.
UM, AND, UM, THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO MENTION IS, I KNOW FROM PAST COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT YOU REALLY HELPED OUT WITH BIKE WALK WITH GOING INTO THE SCHOOLS AND WORKING WITH KIDS ON SAFE USE OF THEIR BIKES AND RING HELMETS, SO I KNOW THAT WILL CONTINUE AS WELL.
AND APPLAUSE FOR CONTINUING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
UM, THE, THE OTHER THINGS I WOULD COMMENT ON IS, UM, IS LOOKING AT HOW DOES THIS STRATEGIC PLAN FIT WITH THE TOWN STRATEGIC PLAN? AND, AND MAYBE THINKING ABOUT HOW THAT WORKS.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, WE HAVE A LIST OF 15 STRATEGIES, WHICH, UH, I'VE ALWAYS SAID IT'S TOO MANY
UM, SO I APPLAUD YOU FOR THREE FOCUSES.
UM, I THINK THAT'S VERY HELPFUL.
BUT MAYBE TELL US, UH, WHEN THIS COMES BEFORE TOWN, I GUESS IT'S GONNA COME BEFORE TOWN COUNCIL NEXT IS, YOU KNOW, WHAT LINK, IF ANY, IS THERE WITH THE, THE FULL STRATEGIC PLAN.
UM, I KNOW YOU'RE AN IMPORTANT PART OF THAT.
AND THEN THE SECOND PART IS IN ADDITION, HOW DOES THIS LINK TO BUDGET REQUEST EVERY YEAR? BECAUSE
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THE, THE STAFFING ELEMENT IS DEFINITELY LINKED TO, UH, THE BUDGET, UM, AND OTHER KINDS OF EFFORTS THAT YOU HAVE.SO, UM, JUST A, A QUICK LINK MAYBE TO, THAT MIGHT GIVE US SOME INSIGHT, UM, AND IT MAYBE TOO EARLY IN THIS CALENDAR FISCAL YEAR SLASH UM, TO FORECAST WHAT THE NEEDS WILL BE FOR NEXT YEAR, BUT YOU'VE BEEN VERY GOOD AT OUTLINING THOSE, UM, IN, IN THIS PAST YEAR THAT I'VE SEEN.
UM, SO MAYBE JUST A, A QUICK LITTLE BLURB ABOUT HOW, UM, THE BUDGET REQUEST OR LINK TO STRATEGIC PLAN I THINK MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO SEE.
AND THE LAST THING I'LL SAY IS THAT AS THE TOWN GOES THROUGH DISTRICT PLANNING, UM, YOU KNOW, AND LOOKING AT DENSITIES AND, AND INFRASTRUCTURE, UM, I'M, I'M HOPEFUL THAT Y'ALL ARE ALSO HAVING SOME INPUT INTO THAT PROCESS SO THAT, UM, WHEN WE GET TO PLANNING A A SPECIFIC DISTRICT, WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE SERVICES AVAILABLE.
WE, UM, UH, THE COMMUNITY RISK REDUCTION IS INVOLVED IN, IN ALL THE ALAMO CHANGES AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
UM, AS FAR AS THIS TYING INTO THE TOWN STRATEGIC PLAN, ONE OF THE TOP TOWN STRATEGIC INITIATIVES IS THE FIRE RESCUE STRATEGIC PLAN.
UM, SO THAT'S HOW IT TIES BACK.
AND THEN WHEN IT COMES TO BUDGETING, I'LL TELL YOU EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING WE DO WILL TIE BACK TO OUR STRATEGIC PLAN.
UM, IT WILL ACTUALLY FIT IN THOSE THREE CATEGORIES, WHETHER IT'S DEVELOPMENT FOR OURSELVES, OUR STAFFING, OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH.
SO YES, WE WILL ABSOLUTELY TIE BACK BUDGET REQUESTS AND EVERYTHING BACK TO SHOW THAT IT IS PART OF OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, UM, INITIATIVES.
I JUST THINK IT'S HELPFUL WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE STRATEGIC PLAN THAT YOU HAVE THOSE LINKS BACK.
UM, AS ALWAYS, UH, I WANNA COMMEND YOU AND YOUR STAFF FOR A JOB WELL DONE.
UM, VERY APPRECIATIVE THAT WE ARE GOING TO A THREE YEAR PLAN VERSUS A FIVE YEAR PLAN.
UM, WHAT IS HAPPENING ELSEWHERE, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY FOR US, I THINK IT PUTS US IN A BETTER POSITION AS WE START TO MEASURE SOME OF THE TACTICS THAT WE'RE GONNA PUT IN PLACE.
RIGHT? AND, UH, HAPPY THAT COMMUNITY OUTREACH IS GONNA BE YOUR BIGGEST INITIATIVE.
AS I LOOK THROUGH, UM, THE APPENDIX HERE, UH, SOME OF THE COMMUNITY CONCERNS, UH, RESPONSE TIME, STAFFING, TRAINING, UM, OF COURSE FUNDING AND RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION, I MEAN, THOSE ULTIMATELY TIE BACK TO THIS COMMUNITY OUTREACH.
UM, SO I GUESS ONLY, UH, QUESTION TO YOU IS, YOU MENTIONED IN THE PAST THAT PART OF THE RECRUITMENT ISSUES HAVE BEEN GETTING TO THE FIRE ACADEMY AND MM-HMM.
UM, CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE THINKING LONG TERM TO SORT OF YES, THAT, THAT, YEAH.
SO, UM, THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN A, A PROBLEM.
THE ACADEMY HAS FOUR CLASSES A YEAR, AND WE GET THREE SPOTS IN EACH ONE OF THOSE CLASSES.
UM, SO THAT IS FOR OUR NON-CERTIFIED PEOPLE.
SO WE'RE STILL GONNA HAVE A TIERED APPROACH TO OUR HIRING.
IT'S GONNA BE OUR NON-CERTIFIED, UM, BASICALLY HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA, UM, TYPE PERSON, NO EXPERIENCE.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE OUR, UM, CERTIFIED PEOPLE THAT WE BRING ON.
AND THEN WE'RE ALSO, WE JUST ADDED A TIER, UM, CALLED SKILL BRIDGE IS THROUGH THE MILITARY THAT WE CAN BRING THOSE PEOPLE IN FOR SIX MONTHS.
WE DON'T PAY, WE DON'T PAY THEM.
THEY'RE STILL, THEY STILL WORK FOR THE MILITARY.
WE PROVIDE THEM TRAINING AS, AS WE GET SLOTS AVAILABLE.
AND THEN IF THEY'RE GOOD CANDIDATES AND THEY TAKE OUR TEST, THEY CAN JUST COME ON AFTER THAT.
SO WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE WITH THE THREE TIERED APPROACH OF HIRING.
UM, THE ACADEMY DID GET ONE TIME FUNDING FROM THE STATE TO, UM, IN TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
UM, AND THEIR PLAN IS TO ADD A SECOND SIMULTANEOUS ACADEMY, SO TO GO FROM FOUR TO EIGHT PER YEAR, UM, WHICH WILL DEFINITELY HELP EVERYONE INVOLVED.
SO WE DON'T HAVE, UH, REALLY THE FACILITIES, THE MANPOWER AND THE NEED HERE LOCALLY TO, TO HOLD A ACADEMY FOR US.
UM, WE HAVE REACHED OUT TO BLUFFTON, UM, AND, AND OFFERED HELP, UM, THAT THEY HAVE PUT ON ACADEMIES IN THE PAST THAT HAVE BEEN GREATLY SUCCESSFUL, UM, AND BENEFICIAL TO US TO BRING ON MORE THAN THREE PEOPLE AT A TIME.
UM, AND WE, WE'VE OFFERED TO HELP THEM WITH, UH, INSTRUCTORS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
SO WE MEET EVERY OTHER MONTH WITH THE BEAUFORT COUNTY FIRE CHIEFS, UM, AND THEN REALLY JASPER AND HARDY BILL AND STUFF.
SO THAT'S ON KIND OF EVERYONE'S PLATE RIGHT NOW.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO GET SOMETHING DOWN HERE A LITTLE MORE LOCALIZED, LIKE THEY'VE DONE IN CHARLESTON, UH, JUST TO OFFSET, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE CAN GET FROM THE ACADEMY.
SO, UM, SO IF THE STATE'S ABLE TO PULL THIS OFF, WE WOULD GO FROM THREE PER YEAR TO, WELL, WE, NO, WE'D GO FROM 12 PER YEAR TO POSSIBLY 24.
SO RIGHT NOW, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE 12 SLOTS PER YEAR.
AND THE FIRE ACADEMY, UM, COST, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT IS IN OUR BUDGET? YEAH.
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TO GO TO THE ACADEMY.SO IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT A HIGH COST.
SO THE, I THINK YOU SAID YOU HAD 86 86, UH, PARTICIPANTS IN THE COMMUNITY, UH MM-HMM.
UM, I GUESS A LOAD NUMBER DOESN'T NECESSARILY SURPRISE ME BECAUSE NO.
AND SO HONESTLY, I THOUGHT WE'RE GONNA GET MORE.
I THINK LAST TIME WE GOT MAYBE 50 ISH, UM, I DON'T KNOW.
WE, I MEAN, AND WE, WE BLASTED IT EV EVERYWHERE WE, WE COULD, IT WAS ON THE TOWN WEBSITE, IT WAS IN TOWN SOCIAL MEDIA, IT WAS ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA.
EVERY EVENT WE WENT TO, WE WOULD HAND OUT THE FLYERS TO DO IT.
UM, ALL YOU GOTTA DO IS, IS HIT YOUR PHONE AND THEN GO THROUGH THE QUESTIONS.
UH, CHRISTOPHER, HOW MANY PEOPLE ACTUALLY OPENED IT? UH, WELL,
UM, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK AS WE ARE OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY MORE WITH THIS INITIATIVE, I DON'T HOPEFULLY DON'T SEE THAT BEING AN ISSUE IN THE PAST.
WE DO TRY TO TRY TO PUSH EVERYTHING WE DO OUT, UM, EVERY TIME WE GO OUT, SO.
WELL, I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT, UH, THE STATE'S MOVING.
UM, I'LL JUST SAY OUT LOUD THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT GREAT, UH, DELEGATION AT THE STATE LEVEL AND WHATEVER YOU NEED FROM COUNCIL TO HELP PUSH THINGS ALONG AT THAT LEVEL, PLEASE, UH, ASK US AND KEEP US INFORMED AS WE MOVE AWAY.
I THINK RIGHT NOW, THE, THE ONLY ISSUE IS, IS STATE FIRE, UM, THEY HAVE TO BUILD INFRASTRUCTURE AND UM, AND GET INSTRUCTORS.
UM, IT'S JUST, IT'S THE BUILD OUT OF IT.
UH, ON A CONTINUOUS BASIS WITH YOUR COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE AND ALSO, UH, THE PROFESSIONALISM OF
UM, COUPLE OF, COUPLE OF, UM, REACTIONS.
ONE THAT OUTREACH IS SO IMPORTANT TO YOU, UH, IN LISTENING TO YOU AND JOHA TO SPEAK TO THAT SUBJECT.
IT SEEMS AS THOUGH A SIGNIFICANT, IF NOT MOST OF THE PURPOSE OF OUTREACH IS TO, UM, SORT OF PUT IN THE PIPELINE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY WHO ARE INTERESTED IN PERHAPS BECOMING MEMBERS OF THE FIRE RESCUE.
I THINK IT'S, UH, VERY ORGANIC TO DO IT THAT WAY.
IT CONNECTS IN MY MIND TO THE HOUSING CHALLENGE.
IF WE CAN GET, UM, HIRES IN OUR COMMUNITY ALREADY THAN THE HOUSING PROBLEM IS LESS OF A CHALLENGE.
UM, HAVING SAID THAT THOUGH, WHAT IS THE REASON IT IS IMPORTANT OTHER THAN THAT TO HAVE THE COMMUNITY KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON? I'M, I'M LOOKING FOR SPECIFICS.
YEAH, SO I DON'T, I DON'T THINK, UM, I'M KIND OF FLOORED WHEN I, WHEN I SPEAK TO, UH, COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND, UH, IN CIVIC GROUPS AND STUFF LIKE THAT, THAT THEY STILL, AND I JUST SPOKE TO LEADERSHIP, UM, LAST WEEK AND THEY STILL DON'T KNOW THAT WE ARE FIRE AND E M S, UM, LIKE THAT'S MY BIG ONE.
LIKE, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S NOT NORMAL IN THIS STATE FOR THAT TO HAPPEN.
AND, AND HOW DOES THAT AFFECT PERFORMANCE OR, UH, SAFETY? IT'S USUALLY IN THE, UM, IN THE ASPECT OF THAT HALF OF MY STATIONS WHEN, WHEN A MEDICAL CALL GOES OUT, THE FIRE TRUCK GOES OUTTA SERVICE.
SO THAT GO, THAT ALL PLAYS BACK TO STAFFING AS WELL.
SO IN HALF OF MY STATIONS, WE HAVE FOUR PEOPLE EVERY DAY.
TWO GO ON THE AMBULANCE AND TWO, KEEP THE FIRETRUCK UP.
AND IN THE OTHER HALF OF THE STATIONS, THERE'S THREE PEOPLE MINIMUM EVERY DAY.
SO IF THE AMBULANCE GOES OUT, THREE PEOPLE GOT IN THE AMBULANCE, THEY PUT THE, THE ENGINE OUTTA SERVICE AND VICE VERSA.
SO I THINK THAT ALL TIES BACK TO SAFETY, UM, YOU KNOW, IN COMMUNITY.
SO RIGHT NOW, STATION THREE, UM, UP, UH, BY THE GOVERNMENT CENTER IN PORT ROYAL, IF THEY GO ON A MEDICAL CALL RIGHT NOW, THAT ENGINE GOES OUTTA SERVICE.
WHAT I'M REALLY TRYING TO GET AT IS IF SOMEBODY LIVES IN PORT ROYAL AND DOESN'T KNOW, HASN'T HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE IN ONE OF YOUR OUTREACH CONVERSATIONS, DOES THAT IMPACT THAT PERSON'S SAFETY? UH, I'M JUST REALLY TRYING TO TIE THE EMPHASIS OF OUTREACH BEYOND THE HIRING MM-HMM.
AB ABSOLUTELY IT COULD, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, OUR LAYOUT IS WHAT IT IS.
LIKE WE'RE, WE'RE NOT GONNA BUILD ANY MORE FIRE STATIONS ON HILTON HEAD.
WE, WE DON'T, WE DON'T HAVE AN AREA.
SO, UH, RES YOU KNOW, WHEN AS, UH, MS. BROWN SAID, UM, RESPONSE TIMES WAS ONE OF THE MAJOR THINGS.
FOR INSTANCE, AGAIN, THAT STATION, IF THEY'RE OUTTA SERVICE, THE RESPONSE TIME IS GREATER BECAUSE IT'S COMING FROM ANOTHER, ANOTHER STATION.
BUT TO ME THAT BUILDS CONFIDENCE IN THE FIRE RESCUE'S ABILITY TO SERVE, WHICH GIVES THE PUBLIC THE CONFIDENCE THAT SAYS TO, TO, UH, COUNCIL, WE LIKE WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
[00:30:01]
PIECES TOGETHER.NO, I GET, I, I, I UNDERSTAND THAT.
I THINK THERE'S MORE THAN JUST, I THINK WHAT CHIEF STER ALLUDED TO WITH A LOT OF THIS TIES BACK TO THE RECRUITING.
THAT'S, THAT'S THE BENEFIT BACK TO US IS THE, THE MORE WE'RE OUT THERE.
BUT IT'S ALSO AS WE'RE OUT THERE, IT'S REALLY GETTING PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS. THE, THE FACT THAT WE DO CAR SEAT IN INSTALLATIONS, THAT WE TEACH PUBLIC C P R FOR FREE, THAT WE'RE DOING, THAT WE DO FIRE IN THE STREETS AND WE DO SMOKE DETECTORS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
SO JUST GETTING ALL OF THOSE PROGRAMS OUT THERE, UM, TO THE, TO THE PUBLIC.
THE STAFFING ISSUE DID NOT REFERENCE IN INFORMATION THAT I SAW.
A COUPLE OF IMPORTANT POINTS, AND YOU'VE TOUCHED ON ONE ALREADY, AND THAT'S HIRING THE PIPELINE.
UH, AND, AND I BRING THIS UP EVERY TIME FIRE RESCUE COMES HERE, UM, ABOUT 40% OF YOUR STAFF LIVES ON THE ISLAND, 60% OFF ISLAND.
YOU SAID IN THE PAST THAT THAT IN SOME WAYS AFFECTS THE RESPONSE TIME AND CRITICAL, UH, ISSUES OR CRITICAL, UH, EVENTS.
UM, IN ORDER FOR US TO BE EXCELLENT IN THREE YEARS, SEEMS TO ME THAT WE HAVE TO INCREASE THAT 40% IN SOME WAY OR ANOTHER.
UM, I THINK THAT'S A PART OF THE RESILIENCY, THAT'S A PART OF STAFFING AND SO ON.
SO I'M, I'M, I'M LOOKING FOR WAYS THAT FIRE RISK YOU, THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR CAN HELP YOU INCREASE THAT 40%.
YEAH, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE MORE PEOPLE LIVE HERE.
REALLY, THAT ONLY, UM, AFFECTS MY, MY STAFF, MY SENIOR STAFF REALLY, BECAUSE WE DON'T, WE DON'T RECALL OFF-DUTY PERSONNEL ALL THAT MUCH.
UM, MAJOR HURRICANES, STUFF LIKE THAT.
IN MY CAREER, 22 YEARS, IT'S PROBABLY, I CAN COUNT OF ONE HAND HOW MANY TIMES WE'VE AC ACTUALLY ASKED PEOPLE TO COME BACK IN, UM, FOR A, A SINGLE EVENT.
BUT MY STAFF ACTUALLY HAS RESPONSIBILITY TO COME IN ON THOSE FIRES, STUFF LIKE THAT.
AND ACTUALLY SINCE, UM, JULY, UH, OUR NUMBER'S GONE UP.
SO IT WAS JUST CHIEF FISTER AND I LIVING ON THE ISLAND, AND NOW IT'S, I'VE GOT MY BATALION CHIEF OF V M SS LIVES ON THE ISLAND.
UM, MY CAPTAIN OF COMMUNITY OUTREACH LIVES ON THE ISLAND.
MY E M S CAPTAIN, JUST THROUGH PROMOTIONS WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO GET, UM, MORE PEOPLE ON THE ISLAND.
SO YES, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT GO UP.
I DO THINK, UM, OUR, OUR SALARY INCREASES IN THE LAST TWO YEARS HAVE HELPED.
WE ARE SEEING A COUPLE MORE PEOPLE, UM, NEW HIRES THAT WERE ALREADY LIVING ON THE ISLAND ARE COMING IN, UM, OR ACTUALLY BEING ABLE TO, TO LIVE ON THE ISLAND, BUT WE ARE SEEING THAT PUSH TO GEORGIA HARDY, BILL BLUFFTON, I WILL SAY EVEN BLUFFTON IS HARD RIGHT NOW.
UM, BUT, BUT EVERYTHING YOU GUYS HAVE DONE ALREADY HAS IS DEFINITELY HELPING THAT.
AND I JUST THINK IT'S SOMETHING WE GOTTA, WE GOTTA LOOK AT CONTINUOUSLY.
UM, ONE LAST QUESTION HAS TO DO WITH BUDGET.
UM, THERE'S A TENSION BETWEEN ALWAYS WANTING TO FUND FIRE RESCUE TO THE MAXIMUM BECAUSE IT'S SAFE, BUT THERE ARE LIMITS TO OUR BUDGET.
LIKE LAST YEAR WE JUST GOT A, A ROUGHLY $500,000 GRANT TO SEND 10 PARAMEDIC STUDENTS, UM, TO SCHOOL.
THAT'S, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I WOULD HAVE TO BUDGET FOR IF WE HAD, HADN'T HAVE GOT THAT GRANT.
I GOT A MILLION DOLLARS LAST YEAR FROM THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA TO FUND OUR, OUR U S R TEAM.
UM, THAT AGAIN IS A MILLION DOLLARS THAT I'M NOT GONNA HAVE TO ASK FOR COUNCIL.
SO I THINK WE REALLY TICK DOWN THAT STUFF EVERY YEAR.
UM, WE, WE REALLY, WE CROSS OUR T'S AND DOT OUR I'S ON, ON EVERY BUDGET REQUEST AND WE DON'T, WE DON'T COME FORWARD WITH GRANDIOSE BUDGETS, UM, OUTSIDE OF, YOU KNOW, CAPITAL AND, AND REALLY TRUCKS AND OUR CAD SYSTEM AND OUR, YOU KNOW, BIG EQUIPMENT PURCHASES, WHICH ARE ABOUT EVERY 10 YEARS.
UM, OTHER THAN THAT, I MEAN, I COULD OUTLINE THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, BUT I DON'T THINK ANYTHING I GOING FORWARD, I, YOU'VE ADDRESSED, YOU'VE ADDRESSED WHAT, WHAT I WAS GETTING AT THE EXTRA EFFORT THAT IS OUTSIDE OF THE NORMAL BUDGET.
I THINK THOSE THINGS SHOULD BE EMPHASIZED IN YOUR PRESENTATION TO COUNCIL.
SO YOU HEARD A LOT OF QUESTIONS.
I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND START OFF WITH SOME OF THE ACCOLADES.
UM, VERY WELL, UM, PUT TOGETHER STRATEGIC PLAN, UM, PRESENTATION.
IN MY OPINION, I'M GONNA START WHERE YOU LEFT OFF.
THE WORK THAT YOU DO TO GET THAT, THAT FUNDING, UM, MEANS AN AWFUL LOT TO YOUR ORGANIZATION.
[00:35:01]
A LOT TO THE RESIDENTS BECAUSE OF WHAT'S ABLE TO BE PROVIDED, UM, FOR THEIR SAFETY AND FOR THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE.UM, AND IT MEANS WE CAN PROVIDE MORE TO HELP WITH, UM, THE BUDGETING FOR STAFFING.
I'M HAPPY TO HEAR THAT THROUGH THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS THAT THE ADDITIONAL, UH, FUNDING FOR STAFF WAS ABLE TO ASSIST WITH GETTING MORE PEOPLE, UM, AT HIGHER LEVELS AND THAT THE INCREASED NUMBER OF THOSE LIVING ON THE ISLAND IS WORKING.
UM, I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT CONTINUE TO HAPPEN.
I HAVE THE CONFIDENCE IN ALL OF Y'ALL.
UM, BUT CERTAINLY FOR YOU TO COME TO US AND TO TELL US IF YOU NEED SOMETHING MORE.
UM, I DON'T THINK YOU'RE SHY ABOUT THAT AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALWAYS LISTENING.
I CERTAINLY, UM, HAVE AN OPEN DOOR FOR ANY CALL FROM ANYONE.
SO, UM, ALWAYS THERE FOR THAT.
THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO.
YOUR OUTREACH IS INCREDIBLE AND THOSE, THOSE, UM, OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE COMMUNITY TO HAVE THAT CONFIDENCE IN YOU, WHETHER IT'S UNDERSTANDING HOW YOUR PROCESS WORKS WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION OR GETTING TO KNOW YOU EACH INDIVIDUALLY AND UNDERSTANDING THE MULTIDISCIPLINARY TYPE OF JOBS THAT ARE OPEN AND OPEN TO, UM, CHILDREN TO YOUNG ADULTS AS THEY'RE LOOKING FOR THEIR CAREER PATHS.
NOT JUST BEING A FIREFIGHTER ON THE FRONT LINE, BUT ALSO WHAT YOU DO AND BE BACK BEHIND THE SCENES IS IMPORTANT.
AND I THINK THAT'S THE IMPORTANT PART OF WHAT THE NEW ORGAN, UH, ADMINISTRATORS ARE DOING.
I ALSO THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO IDENTIFY THE, UM, AS JUST LOOKING AT YOUR, YOUR PAGE HERE TO DEFINE THE PROGRAMS PROVIDED TO THE COMMUNITY.
ONE THAT I'VE HIGHLIGHTED IS, IS PROGRAMS THAT I'D LIKE TO PROBABLY THINK OF IN A, IN A BIGGER SCALE IN, IN THE FUTURE OF HOW WE INTERRELATE WITH SOME OF THE OTHER NON-PROFITS.
NOT THOSE, THOSE DRIVEN ON THE, UM, THE YOUNGER LEVEL WITH THOSE DRIVEN BY THE, UM, ADULT LEVEL THAT MAYBE SOME MORE DIRECTION CAN TAKE PLACE.
WE'RE HAVING MORE AND MORE TRAGEDY, UH,
UM, AND, AND I WOULD LOVE FURTHER CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT AND I'LL OPEN THAT DOOR WITH WHOMEVER, UM, DAYS OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT I HAD.
WHAT IS TO ESTABLISH COMMUNITY SERVICE PROGRAM PRIORITIES AND EXPECTATIONS OF THE ORGANIZATION, WHICH KIND OF GOES ALONG WITH THAT SAME THOUGHT OF MAYBE WHAT ELSE WE CAN DO ON THAT HIGHER LEVEL WITH OUR ADULT COMMUNITY.
UM, AND THEN I'D LOVE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THE, IDENTIFY THE AREAS OF THE OPPORTUNITIES OF POTENTIAL THREATS TO YOUR ORGANIZATION.
WHAT DO YOU NEED HELP WITH? WHERE CAN WE MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T LET ANYTHING SLIP THROUGH THE CRACKS? YOU DO A FINE, EXCELLENT JOB.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE MAINTAIN THAT WE DON'T LET ANYTHING HARM YOUR ORGANIZATION.
UM, YOUR CRITICAL ISSUES AND SERVICE GAPS, WE'RE THERE TO HELP MAKE SURE THAT NOTHING HELPED, HURTS YOU AND HELP DETERMINE THE VISION OF YOUR FUTURE.
WE WORK WITH YOU, YOUR STRATEGIC PLAN TO GUIDE AND WE'RE HERE TO SUPPORT YOU ALONG THE WAY.
I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR PRESENTATION TO THE TOWN COUNCIL FOR NOW.
WHAT YOU'VE PROVIDED TO US, AND I'M LOOKING FOR, WE HAVE A RESOLUTION TO SEND THIS, UM, STRATEGIC PLAN TO TOWN COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL.
UM, AND IF SO, I'D LIKE TO MAKE THAT MOTION.
WE PROBABLY SHOULD DO JUST THAT.
PUBLIC COMMENT FROM ANYONE IN THE, UH, IN CHAMBERS TODAY ON THIS MATTER.
WE'D LOVE TO HEAR YOU AND ALL ABOUT THE RIDEALONG THING.
OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE NOT TAKING THEM TO A FIRE.
BUT THERE'S, THERE'S, THERE'S, DO YOU EVER GET LIKE AN OUT OF CONTROL NUT JOB? NO.
SO THERE'S, BECAUSE I CAN SEE THAT NO, THERE, THERE'S, THERE'S CRITERIA WHERE SOME THAT THEY SOMETIMES HAVE TO STAY IN THE TRUCK AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
OR IF ANYTHING BAD IS WE HAVE SOMEONE COME UP AND PICK 'EM UP.
THERE'S A PERSON WITH A LEG MISSING.
NO, WE, WE, WE WILL SHELTER THEM FROM, FROM ANYTHING HORRIFIC.
[00:40:01]
ADJOURNED.