[00:00:01]
CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY.
EVERYONE CAN, CAN YOU HEAR ME BACK THERE? WE ARE HAVING SOME TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES.
SO, UH, EVERYONE WHO'S, WHO SPEAKS HERE UP IN THE BOARD, I'M TOLD YOU GOTTA SPEAK LOUDLY INTO THE MICROPHONE 'CAUSE THEY'RE TRYING TO FIX, UH, WHATEVER NEEDS FIXING.
UM, SO IF YOU CAN'T HEAR, RAISE YOUR HAND, THEN WE'LL SCREAM A LITTLE LOUDER.
CAN I HAVE, UH, ANY BOARD MEMBERS WHO ARE SITTING IN THE ORDINANCE? UH, IN THE AUDIENCE? PLEASE JOIN US.
UM, VALERIE, YOU'RE A BOARD MEMBER.
UM, ANYONE ELSE? OKAY, HILTON.
UM, TODAY'S AGENDA IS, IS BASICALLY JUST SOME GENERAL DISCUSSIONS.
UM, MAYOR SULKIN AND I, UH, WENT OVER SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU SEE HERE ON THE, UH, NEW BUSINESS THERE IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER.
SO I'M GONNA USE THE LIBERTY OF THE CHAIR TO BOUNCE AROUND.
SO, UM, AND THE FIRST THING, UH, THAT, UH, WE WANTED TO TALK ABOUT IS WHERE WE'VE BEEN IN THE LAST, WHAT WAS IT? UH, SIX OVER SIX YEARS NOW IN SO LOCO.
AND THAT WILL REALLY LEAD TO WHERE WE WANT TO GO INTO THE FUTURE, WHICH IS ALSO ON THE AGENDA.
UM, MAYOR SOKA, I WANT TO TURN IT OFF TO, TO YOU TO, UM, TALK ABOUT THE THINGS THAT SO LOCO HAS DONE IN THE PAST SEVEN YEARS.
SHE'LL GET BACK AT ME, I'M SURE FOR THAT ONE.
UM, I DID SEE ONE ITEM WE MISSED THOUGH, AND THAT WAS OVERVIEW OF WHERE WE ALL ARE WITH OUR SUBCOMMITTEE ON THE ZONING.
AND MAYBE THAT COULD BE DOWN THE ROAD.
YOU KNOW, I STARTED THIS WHEN I WAS FIRST ELECTED ON COUNCIL IN 2004.
AND, UM, I WAS PUT AS THE REPRESENTATIVE FOR BLUFFTON.
WE MET AT THE LIBRARY IN BLUFFTON AND IT WAS A GROUP OF ABOUT 20 OR 30, JUST SOUTH OF THE BROAD.
AND ONLY LIKE SEVEN OR EIGHT SHOWED UP.
SO I MISSED ONE MEETING AND I WAS VOTED CHAIR.
SO I WOULD URGE ALL OF Y'ALL WORDS OF, TO THE WISE, DON'T MISS A MEETING.
YOU'RE GONNA NEED A REPLACEMENT IN ANOTHER MONTH.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE DID MORE EDUCATING A LITTLE BIT.
A LOT OF TALKING, NEVER REALLY ACTION ITEMS. SO WHEN, UH, COUNCILMAN HAMILTON AT THE TIME, MAYOR PRO TEM AND ANOTHER COUNCILMAN FROM COUNTY COUNCIL MET, THEY SAID, HOW DO WE ALL GET TOGETHER? UM, THIS, SO LOCO WAS SOUTHERN BEAUFORT PLAN, KIND OF JUST QUIT MEETING 'CAUSE NOBODY WOULD SHOW UP.
WE GATHERED EVERYONE TOGETHER AGAIN, AND THE TABLE IS FABULOUS TO, TO SEE THAT WE HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE WITH SO MANY DIFFERENT NEEDS, BUT ALL IN OUR REGION TOGETHER TALKING IS JUST HEARTWARMING.
WE'VE DONE A STORM WATER ORDINANCE.
I HOPE THOSE THAT DIDN'T SIGN ON CAN GIVE US IDEAS OF HOW TO UPDATE IT.
BUT THE MAJORITY OF US SIGNED ON TO THAT AND I'M SURE WE CAN TWEAK IT.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT OUR DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS.
I WISH ALL THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE NO INFORMATION ON GOVERNING IN THIS WORLD WOULD LISTEN TO US AND EDUCATE THEM.
UM, WE'VE DONE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT BIKE PATHS, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT CONNECTIVITY.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ZONING, HOW WE CAN NOT HAVE PEOPLE UP ZONE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
WE HAVE A REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST FUND NOW.
WE HAVE A LOT OF THINGS IN PLACE WE CAN ALWAYS MAKE BETTER, BUT WE AT LEAST STARTED IT.
WE'VE GOT SO MANY PEOPLE IN THE ROOM THAT ARE SUCH STAKEHOLDERS IN THIS REGION, UM, THAT ARE HERE TO LEARN AND GIVE ADVICE.
AND I THINK REALLY WITH THE CONNECTION WITH WE HAVE WITH BEAUFORT COUNTY HAS INCREASED AND THANK YOU CHAIRMAN FOR, FOR US ALL
[00:05:01]
GETTING TOGETHER.BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, THIS COUNCIL WITH HARDY VI WAS HERE WHEN WE NEVER SAW HARDY V COUNCIL, NEVER.
AND MAYOR AND YOUR COUNCIL AND WITH JASPER COUNTY COMING HERE, IT'S JUST BEEN WONDERFUL.
SO I CAN KEEP TALKING, BUT I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT HE WANTS ME TO SAY.
AND THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN BEFORE.
SO LOCO JUST THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A GROUP OF ELECTED OFFICIALS AND, AND STAFF MEMBERS AND PUBLIC ALL COMING TOGETHER TO, TO, TO CHAT ONCE A MONTH FOR AN HOUR, THEN THAT'S A GREAT, UH, ACCOMPLISHMENT.
BUT IN ADDITION TO THE STORMWATER AND THE HOUSING TRUST FUND AND OUR RECENTLY FORMED COMMITTEE TO, TO LOOK AT OUR, UH, REGIONAL ZONING, UM, WE HAD, WE HAD SOME OTHER THINGS.
UH, MAYOR, IF YOU RECALL, WE ALL GOT TOGETHER AND PUSHED FOR THE, UH, PASSAGE OF THE, UM, THE, UH, UNIFORMITY OF THE BUSINESS LICENSING FORMAT.
AND WE ALL GOT TOGETHER AT THAT.
THERE WAS, UM, THERE WAS A LOT OF CHAT WHEN THE PANDEMIC HAPPENED AND WHAT, WHAT WE SHOULD DO AND, AND WHAT WE SHOULD ASK THE STATE, UH, TO ALLOW US TO DO SO BECAUSE WE'RE HERE TOGETHER EVERY MONTH, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET TOGETHER FOR SOME OF THESE OTHER INITIATIVES OTHER THAN WHAT'S BEEN ON THE AGENDA EACH MONTH.
SO, UM, IT CERTAINLY HAS BEEN, UH, UH, A GREAT REGIONAL, UM, COOPERATION.
UM, ANYBODY THINK OF ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE, WE MISSED THAT, UH, HOUSING TRUST? HE SAID THAT TRUST, YES, IT, IT WAS HERE WHERE BEAUFORT COUNTY AND THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON AND BEAUFORT, JASPER WATER SEWER CAME TOGETHER ON STONY CREEK, WHICH IS, UM, GETTING SEPTIC OFF THE, THE CHARTS AND PUTTING SEWER.
SO THAT WAS KIND OF AN OUTLIER OF THIS.
BUT WE WERE HERE TOGETHER AND WE WERE ABLE TO TALK HATE CRIMES BILL.
I THINK WE DISCUSSED THAT HERE.
THE HATE CRIME BILL, WHICH CONGRATULATIONS ON TO THE TOWN OF BUFORT, UH, BLUFFTON FOR, UM, FOR PASSING THAT RECENTLY.
UM, WE COULDN'T, WE COULDN'T GET THE STATE TO DO IT.
SO, UH, BLUFFTON SAID, HEY, WE'LL DO IT OURSELVES.
YOU KNOW, AND, AND, AND PERHAPS THAT WILL GIVE IMPETUS TO SOME OTHER MUNICIPALITIES TO DO THE SAME THING.
UH, SO, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
UM, THE, ONE OF THE REASONS WHY MAYOR SKA SUGGESTED WE, WE, UH, REVIEW THE PAST IS SO THAT WE CAN SPRINGBOARD INTO, YOU KNOW, THE FUTURE, AS SHE MENTIONED THERE IS GOING TO BE AWESOME CHANGES IN THE BOARD IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS.
SO, UM, I ATTACHED THE, UH, VISION MISSION STATEMENT AND THE MEMBERSHIP THAT WE REVISED, UH, LAST YEAR WHEN WE VOTED TO, UM, ASK BUFORT AND PORT ROYAL TO JOIN US IN.
SO LOCO, UH, WE CHANGED SOME OF THE WORDING AROUND, BUT BASICALLY THE MEMBERSHIP, THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, UM, IS, IS ALL PRETTY MUCH THE SAME.
SO I'D LIKE TO OPEN IT UP TO THE BOARD IF THERE, IF ANYONE SEES OR FEELS THE NEED TO CHANGE ANYTHING IN THE VISION STATEMENT, THE MISSION STATEMENT, OR THE MEMBERSHIP.
ANY, ANY THOUGHTS TO THAT, UH, THAT YOU'RE HAPPY THE WAY IT IS? UM, I DO HAVE ONE SUGGESTION.
WE'RE WE, AS ELECTED OFFICIALS, WE ARE CONSTANTLY GOING TO, TO CHANGE AND SOMETIMES WE'RE GOING TO LOSE SOME VERY ACTIVE PEOPLE.
A RECENT EXAMPLE LAST YEAR WAS, UH, TOM LENNOX, AND HE WAS OUR SECRETARY AND OUR REPRESENTATIVE FROM HILTON HEAD.
AND THE WHOLE IDEA WAS TO HAVE, UH, IN THE 2 78 CARTER HARDY V BLUFFTON HILTON HEAD, A A MEMBER OF EACH ON THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.
[00:10:01]
TOM'S STILL VERY ACTIVE.UM, ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS SITTING NEXT TO ME, OUR, OUR CO-CHAIR FOR THE LAST SEVEN YEARS.
MAYOR SULCA IS LEAVING OFFICE.
WE'RE GONNA LO WE LOSE A LOT OF ENERGY AND INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE.
SO I'M GONNA ASK THE BOARD, SHOULD WE, DO WE WANT TO ADD AN EMERITAS POSITION AND ASK PEOPLE WHO LEAVE THEIR POSITIONS IF THEY WANT TO STAY ON THE BOARD IN AN EMERITAS, UH, TYPE TYPE ROLE, UH, AND, AND HAVE SOME CITIZEN MEMBERSHIP ON THIS BOARD.
AND THIS HAS SOME RELEVANCE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, NEXT MONTH AS YOU SEE ON THE AGENDA, WE WILL HAVE ELECTIONS.
AND SO AT THAT POINT, THE, THE, UM, THE ELECTIONS WILL BE OVER AND THERE'LL BE NEW PEOPLE COMING IN.
SO ANYBODY HAVE ANY THOUGHTS, ANY OBJECTIONS, ANY, ANY MODIFICATIONS TO THAT IDEA, STEVEN? SURE.
FAR
UM, INSTEAD OF EMERITUS, ONE OF THE THINGS I WOULD SAY IS A LOT OF THE BOARDS WE DO HAVE EX OFFICIO JUST ELECTED OFFICIALS.
YOU COULD LOOK AT EX OFFICIOS FAULT AS IF THE BOARD DID WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
BUT THAT, THAT'S AN, AN INTERESTING TWIST TO IT.
AND THAT WAY WE COULD INVITE OR CREATE ANY NUMBER OF POSITIONS THAT ARE GENERAL PUBLIC, NOT JUST FORMER ELECTED OFFICIALS.
GOING A SIMILAR, WHAT YOU DO WHEN YOU DO AD HOC COMMITTEES FOR LIKE TRANSPORTATION OR THE HOUSING WHERE YOU BRING MEMBERS IN, THEY CAN SERVE, YOU COULD HAVE THEM AS AN EX OFFICIARY DURING THAT CONVERSATION.
I THINK ALONG THOSE SAME LINES, MAYOR, IT MAY BE BENEFICIAL IF YOU'RE GONNA EXPAND MEMBERSHIP TO EX OFFICIO TO INCLUDE OUR UTILITIES, UH, REPRESENTATIVE MAYBE FROM BUFORD, JASPER FROM DOMINION, FROM S FROM UH, PALMETTO ELECTRIC EXAMPLE, UH, MAY BE HELPFUL TO HAVE SOME INPUT ON SOME TOPIC ITEMS THAT WE DISCUSS REGULARLY.
AND THESE, ALL THESE IDEAS, UH, I THINK WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN, THESE ARE JUST FLOATING IDEAS AND THEN GIVE EVERYBODY, UH, TIME TO THINK ABOUT IT.
SO WE CAN ADD THIS TO THE AGENDA IF YOU'D LIKE, WHEN WE HAVE THE ELECTIONS.
UM, AND, AND THAT BE ALL PART OF THE ELECTION PROCESS.
SO WE HAVE EXOFFICIO AND UTILITIES.
AND JUST, JUST AS A REMINDER, UH OH, AND MAYOR SOKA JUST, UH, POINTED OUT HIGHER EDUCATION.
IT'S, WE DON'T HAVE A BIG BOOK OF BYLAWS.
WHAT WE ARE IS ON THIS ONE PIECE OF PAPER.
SO WE CAN MAKE THIS WHATEVER WE WANT.
IF WE WANT 24 BOARD MEMBERS AND, AND EXOFFICIO AND, AND HIGHER EDUCATION AND UTILITIES.
HEY, WE CAN DO WHATEVER WE WANT.
IT'S ALL JUST ADDING ANOTHER LINE ON THIS PIECE OF PAPER.
WOULD, WOULD THEY BE, UH, BOARD MEMBERS OR NOT JUST THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS? IT WOULD BE UP TO THE BOARD TO DECIDE WHAT THEY ARE.
WELL, THE REASON I'M SAYING THAT IS WE, WE, IF YOU HAVE A OFFICIO THAT VOTES ON SOMETHING, THEN ARE THEY COMMITTING GOVERNMENT AND ARE, DO THEY HAVE, OH, I'M JUST TRYING.
I BELIEVE THAT YOU, WHEN SOMEBODY LEAVES BECAUSE OF AN ELECTION, THEY LOSE AN ELECTION OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
THEY HAVE A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT YOU WOULD
[00:15:01]
NOT HAVE BUT TO VOTE OR NOT VOTE THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED.BECAUSE YOU MAY NOT WANT A PERSON REPRESENTING YOU VOTING ON SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT'S GOING ON.
AND THEY'RE NOT IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
BUT I THINK YOU HAVE TO KNOW, IS IT GONNA BE VOTING OR JUST PART OF THE COMMITTEES THAT THEY DON'T HAVE A VOTE, BUT THEY CAN BRING IT BEFORE US TO VOTE.
'CAUSE MOST OF THE PEOPLE ON THIS GROUP ARE BOARD MEMBERS, ARE ELECTED OFFICIALS.
AND AGAIN, LIKE ANYTHING, WE DECIDE WHETHER WE EXPAND THE BOARD MEMBERS OR THEIR VOTE OR NON VOTE, IT'S UP FOR US TO VOTE ON AND DECIDE HOW THAT, HOW THAT WORKS.
PERSONALLY, I THINK WHETHER IT'S EXOFFICIO OR WHATEVER, IF WE WANNA INVITE MORE BOARD MEMBERS FROM WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, DR.
POU FROM USCB, THAT THEY SHOULD BE A BOARD MEMBER AND THEY SHOULD VOTE BECAUSE OTHERWISE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HAVE, THEY'RE BUSY.
IF THEY'RE NOT ENGAGED, THEY'RE GONNA COME OUT.
YOU KNOW, THEY, IF YOU WANT 'EM TO COME, THEY HAVE TO FEEL OF VALUE.
I THINK I WOULD, YES, FRED, MOST OF YOU DON'T KNOW, BUT I WAS A PART OF THE, THE INITIAL, IF YOU'D HAVE ASKED IT, THAT WHEN WE FORMED THIS COMMITTEE, WE FORM IT WITH ELECTED OFFICIALS BECAUSE THEY PUT MEAT ON THE BONE.
YOU, YOU BRING, WHEN YOU BRING IN OTHERS WHO HAVE, UH, AN OPINION, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE ANY VOICE AT THE TABLE, IT'S HARD TO GET THINGS DONE.
IT'S, AT THIS POINT, I THINK WE HAVE MADE, UM, SOME GOOD, UM, SUGGESTIONS TO TAKE BACK TO OUR, UM, MUNICIPALITIES OR OR FORM OF GOVERNMENT THAT GAVE US SOME CLOUT TO SAYING, LET'S MOVE FORWARD.
JUST HAVING A COMMITTEE WASN'T, WOULDN'T HAVE THAT SAME, UM, SUPPORT.
SO, YOU KNOW, MY, MY OTHER THOUGHT IS IT, OR WHAT WE ARE DOING TODAY WORKING, BECAUSE IF YOU CHANGE SOMETHING THAT'S WORKING, THAT'S THE PROBLEM.
BUT IF YOU, WHEN IT'S NOT BROKE, WHY FIX IT? I UNDERSTAND WE HAVE VALUABLE PEOPLE AND I HATE TO LOSE MAYOR SALKA AND OTHERS, BUT THAT'S THE WAY GOVERNMENT WORKS.
I'M INCLINED TO THINK THAT IF WE'RE TALKING EX OFFICIO, EX-OFFICIO TO ME MEANS NON-VOTING PARTICIPATING, BUT NON-VOTING.
BUT I THINK THE IDEA OF BRINGING IN REPRESENTATIVES FROM BEAUFORT, JASPER FROM PALMETTO ELECTRIC, UH, FROM THE EDUCATION ADMINISTRATION, ADDS STRENGTH TO THIS BOARD.
AND THEY SHOULD BE TREATED AS REGULAR MEMBERS.
SO WE SHOULD INVITE SELECTED WHATEVER THE GROUP WANTS, UM, MEMBERS OF THESE TYPES OF ORGANIZATIONS AND MAKE THEM FULL BOARD MEMBERS.
ANY OTHER THOUGHTS? WELL, JUST A REMINDER, UM, WE ARE NOT A VOTING BOARD.
WE VOTE ON THE BASICS OF SO LOCO, BUT WE ONLY TAKE BACK THE RECOMMENDATIONS TO OUR COUNCIL.
SO THIS IS NOT A BOARD THAT'S GONNA VOTE.
I DO NOT, FRED AND I DO NOT VOTE FOR THE OTHER THREE SITTING HERE.
WE HAVE TO TAKE IT BACK WITH OUR TOWN MANAGER.
UM, AND I GET FRED, WHAT YOU SAID.
I DID BRAG ABOUT YOU FOR STARTING IT, BY THE WAY, IMPORTANT PART OF THIS.
SO, UM, I, I JUST WANTED TO CLEAR THAT UP.
AND I'M GONNA BE HERE NO MATTER WHAT.
Y'ALL ARE JUST GONNA HAVE ME OUT THERE.
SO, AND JUST REAL QUICKLY, UM, I DO BELIEVE THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE THE UTILITIES INVOLVED, UH, AS WE CONTINUE TO DISCUSS HOUSING AND THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH HOUSING, UH, THE CAPACITY FEES AND IMPACT FEES RELATED TO CONSTRUCTION EVEN BEFORE YOU GO VERTICAL OR, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
SO I THINK IT'S THAT WE NEED TO HAVE THEM AT THE TABLE AS THOSE DISCUSSIONS EVOLVE.
SO THERE'S A, A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT WAYS, IF WE WANT TO CHANGE THE WAYS WE COULD DO THIS, UM, INCLUDING INVITING A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF UTILITIES NOW, UH, OR OTHER ORGANIZATIONS SO THAT I CAN STRUCTURE THIS FOR A FUTURE VOTE.
UM, WE HAVE SUGGESTED UTILITIES AND THAT WOULD BE, SHOULD WE
[00:20:01]
INVITE, UM, DOMINION, PALMETTO ELECTRIC, EVERY SINGLE ONE, UH, B-J-W-S-A.SHOULD WE INVITE ALL OF THEM? ONE, ONE MEMBER EACH.
SO PUT ALL AND HIGHER EDUCATION.
DO WE WANT, UH, U-S-C-B-T-C-L? WHO, WHO WOULD WE INVITE? BOTH OF THOSE, BUT, BUT ALSO I THINK BOARD OF EDUCATION.
A REP FROM THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.
MAYOR, IF I MIGHT, UM, I APOLOGIZE FOR BEING LATE.
UM, AS MR. HAMILTON SAID, WE DON'T WANT IT TO GET SO BIG THAT NOTHING HAPPENS.
AND I'M NOT CERTAIN IF THERE'S REPRESENTATIVES WITHIN THOSE ORGANIZATIONS THAT MAY BE ABLE TO BE PRESENT TO REPRESENT ALL OF THEM, OR A PORTION OF THEM.
BUT IF WE START ADDING ANOTHER 15 PEOPLE TO THE BOARD, THEN IT REALLY DOES HAVE A TENDENCY TO STALL THINGS.
SO WE HAVE TO LOOK AT HILTON HEAD PSDS.
WE HAVE TO LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, ALL THE DIFFERENT ONES.
SO THEN IT BRINGS IN A LOT OF PEOPLE.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO REALLY LOOK AT THAT TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT WE'RE NOT OVERBURDENING OUR OURSELVES INSTALLING WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
IT'LL BE AN HOUR AS LONG AS I'M IN THIS POSITION.
UM, AND I'LL TALK LOUD IF Y'ALL, JOSH, IF YOU CAN'T HEAR ME, JUST YELL AT ME.
SO I LOOK AT LIKE OUR LAPS BOARD.
I'M JUST THINKING OF WAYS TO PEOPLE COME.
I MEAN, WE HAVE OUR UTILITIES HERE TODAY.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE BEAUFORT, JASPER, WHERE YOU ARE.
WE HAVE BEAUFORT, WE HAVE ALL THREE HERE.
SO IS THERE SOME WAY TO CREATE, AND I LOOK AT THE TOWN MANAGERS 'CAUSE Y'ALL ARE MUCH SMARTER AT THIS.
THE, THE LATS VERSION OF THE TECH COMMITTEE, WHICH IS THE TECHNICAL COMMITTEE.
YOU KNOW, THEY'RE KIND OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE THAT MEETS AND PONDERS.
BUT YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T WANT A TABLE, A 25 NUMBER ONE.
HARDY V CAN'T HOLD ALL THOSE PEOPLE IN THEIR DIOCESE.
BUT WHAT IS THAT SUBCOMMITTEE? AND THEY'RE HERE.
MAYBE YOU SHOULD ASK SUGGESTIONS OF ASHLEY OR BLAKELY OR, YOU KNOW, THEY COME IN NO MATTER WHAT.
COULD THEY, WOULD THEY BE INTERESTED IN BEING ON SOME KIND OF SUBCOMMITTEE, SOMETHING HOUSING OR STORMWATER WOULD BE SOMETHING WE TALKED ABOUT.
IN OTHER WORDS, ARE YOU HAPPY WITH BEING A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC OR DO YOU FEEL, I MEAN, YOU'RE, BUT I KNOW FROM MY STANDPOINT, HAPPY BE PART OF THE COMMITTEE.
BE HAPPY TO TALK WITH, YOU KNOW, AT ANY GIVEN.
SO NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE TO DECIDE A DO WE WANT TO EXPAND THE BOARD AND B, DO WE WANNA MAKE 'EM A VOTING? BUT THE QUESTION OF HOW MANY SEATS, IF WE WANNA EXPAND HOW MANY SEATS, I WOULD, I WOULD ALMOST GO BACK TO AN ADVISORY SITUATION WITHIN THOSE ORGANIZATIONS AND THEN HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THAT ORGANIZATION BE ON THE BOARD.
UM, THAT WAY THEIR VOICES ARE BEING HEARD AT THE TABLE, BUT IT'S NOT BEING CUMBERSOME OF 15 OR SO PEOPLE AT THE TABLE.
SO IT COULD BE FOUR OR FIVE WITHIN THOSE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE JUST IDENTIFIED.
SO I'LL STRUCTURE THE VOTE NEXT MONTH AND TAKE ONE OF EACH ONE OF THESE QUESTIONS ONE AT A TIME SO THE BOARD CAN DECIDE, A, DO WE WANNA EXPAND B? IF WE DO, HOW MANY C WHAT ORGANIZATIONS DO WE WANT TO ASK TO COME IN? I DO DO WANT TO GO BACK TO THE, THE FIRST ITEM.
AND, UH, I, I PUT IT ON MAYOR SALKA BECAUSE SHE, SHE KNEW MORE ABOUT THE EVOLUTION OF THIS.
AND, AND I CAME IN, UH, AT THEIR INVITATION.
BUT THE FORMATION COMMITTEE, WHICH THERE WERE SEVERAL MEETINGS BEFORE WE ACTUALLY MET FOR THE FIRST TIME, UM, COUNCILMAN UH, HAMILTON WAS THERE, OF COURSE, MAYOR SULCA, WE HAD, UH, COUNTY COUNCILMAN MIKE COVERT WAS PART OF THAT.
UH, HARDY V COUNCILMAN DAVID BEZO WAS PART OF THAT.
UM, THE, THE BEAUFORT COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, GARY SOMEBODY, GARY GARY CUBIC WAS PART OF THAT.
SO THERE WERE A NUMBER OF, UH, FOUNDING MEMBERS WHO CAME TOGETHER FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS AS MAYOR SULCA SAID, AT THE IMPETUS OF, OF HER AND COUNCILMAN HAMILTON,
[00:25:01]
UM, TO GET TOGETHER TO FORM THIS.SO I, I, I THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO MAKE THAT NOTE BECAUSE WE WOULDN'T ALL BE SITTING HERE TODAY WITHOUT THEIR INITIATIVE TO, TO GET THIS THING GOING.
SO, UM, I DON'T THINK I'VE GIVEN THAT GROUP OF PEOPLE THE PROPER RECOGNITION THAT THEY DESERVE.
UM, ANYWAY, SO, UH, THIS IS GOOD.
WE HAVE A COUPLE THINGS TO DECIDE ON NOW.
UM, REALLY THE NEXT OR RELATED PART TO THIS.
DO WE WANT TO HAVE ELECTIONS IN NOVEMBER EVEN THOUGH WE WILL KNOW WHO WON THE ELECTIONS? THEY WILL NOT BE INSTALLED AND NOT PART OF THIS COMMITTEE.
SO DO WE WANNA MAKE THESE DECISIONS WITH THE CURRENT GROUP OR MAKE THE DECISIONS AND WAIT UNTIL JANUARY WHEN ALL THE NEW OFFICIALS ARE INSTALLED? DO WE HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON THAT? I, I'LL, I WOULD SAY THAT I WOULD RATHER HAVE EVERYBODY HERE TO BE A PART OF IT.
HAVE THEIR VOICE, UM, REPRESENTED THE NEW, THE NEW ELECTED OFFICIALS.
IS THAT THE GENERAL FEELING? YEAH, FRED.
I THINK THE SITTING, UM, VOICES HAVE A BACKGROUND.
THEY CAN MAKE A BETTER DECISION BASED.
BUT ALSO THE FLIP SIDE TO MAYOR PERRY'S POINT, IF YOU DO WANT LEADERSHIP CHANGE AND THERE'S GONNA BE AT LEAST ONE, DO YOU WANNA OPEN THAT UP TO THE NEWLY ELECTED OFFICIALS? AGAIN, THESE ARE QUESTIONS.
I'M NOT TRYING TO SWAY ANYBODY.
UH, AND THAT'S, SO TO YOUR POINT, YOU, YOU DO NEED THE, THE CURRENT INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND TO MAYOR PERRY'S POINT DO, AT WHAT POINT DO WE WANT TO INCLUDE THE NEW OFFICIALS? SO THAT'S, THAT'S SOMETHING I, I WILL NEED TO, WE CAN TAKE SOME TIME TO THINK ABOUT IT, BUT WE, WE WILL NEED TO DECIDE SO I CAN SET THE AGENDAS ACCORDINGLY.
ANY OTHER THOUGHTS? ANYBODY ELSE HAVE AN OPINION WHETHER WE SHOULD, UH, DO ELECTIONS AND STRUCTURE CHANGES? THE OTHER THING WE COULD DO IS HOLD THE ELECTIONS IN NOVEMBER TO FRED'S POINT, BUT DUE TO STRUCTURAL CHANGES IN JANUARY TO MAYOR PERRY'S THOUGHT.
ANY, ANY, ANY, I'M FINE WITH THAT.
I THINK THAT'S HOW IT SHOULD BE.
AND I SAY JANUARY BECAUSE WE TYPICALLY DON'T MEET IN DECEMBER.
UM, THE FOURTH TUESDAY IN DECEMBER MAY HAVE A LIGHT TURNOUT.
THANK YOU FOR THOSE DISCUSSIONS.
UM, THE, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE OTHER THINGS.
UM, EACH MONTH SINCE I'VE BEEN CHAIR IT, YOU KNOW, I, I TALK TO MAYOR SULKER.
I'LL TALK TO OTHER MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND, AND TRY TO ASK THE BOARD WHAT THEY'D LIKE TO SEE AS THE AGENDA, UM, GOING FORWARD FOR THE NEXT MONTH, WHAT WOULD BE REALLY HEALTHY IF WE COULD ACCUMULATE A LIST.
AND WE'VE DONE THIS IN THE PAST OF POTENTIAL AGENDA ITEMS FOR 2024.
I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM THE BOARD WHAT AGENDA ITEMS YOU'D LIKE TO SEE COMING UP IN 2024.
IS THERE ANY THOUGHTS, ANY SUGGESTIONS? WELL, I'LL BRING, I'LL BRING FORWARD ONE, ONE ITEM THAT WE'RE WORKING ON THAT, THAT I HAD MENTIONED TO YOU BEFORE, BUT WE'RE NOT QUITE READY TO BRING IT TO SO LOCO YET, OR TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND THAT IS OUR, UH, WATERWAY PROTECTIONS, UM, AND ENACTING IN ORDINANCE, UH, THROUGHOUT, THROUGH THE TOWN FIRST, BUT ALSO HITTING OTHER MUNICIPALITIES AND THE COUNTY TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT THERE ARE NO ABANDONED BOATS
[00:30:01]
IN THE WATERWAYS.UM, WE HAVE, WE HAVE DRAFTED AN ORDINANCE AND ONCE WE'RE READY TO TO MOVE THAT FORWARD, THEN WE CAN BRING IT TO S LOCO, UM, AND HAVE Y'ALL TAKE IT BACK TO YOUR MUNICIPALITIES AS WELL TO SEE IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU COULD FALL IN LINE WITH AND ALSO FOR THE COUNTY.
WE'VE, WE'VE PASSED ONE AND I'LL SEND IT TO YOU.
WHEN DID YOU PASS IT? LAST YEAR.
AND I, WE HAD SOME QUESTIONS ON IT.
WELL, IT STARTED WITH THE ADMINISTRATOR FROM FOLLY BEACH, WHO'S NOW A STATE HOUSE MEMBER.
AND SHE CATERED THE ORDINANCE AFTER THE, UH, AFTER THE LEGISLATION PASSED.
SO WE, WE FOLLOWED, UM, CHARLESTON AND FOLLY BEACH, BUT WE ALSO TOOK A LOOK AT, UM, PORT ROYALS AND THERE WAS ANOTHER ONE, I BELIEVE WE LOOKED AT THAT THERE WERE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW IT MAY NOT FOLLOW THE STATE'S REQUIREMENTS.
ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT LORD YES.
AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WATERS OUTSIDE OUR JURISDICTION, SO I THINK WE NEED THE STATE LEADERS HERE WHEN WE OH ABS.
SO, UM, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, IT GOES A MILE OFF OF YOUR SHORE, YOUR JURIST JURISDICTION, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, AS I LOOK TO JOSH FOR A HEAD NOD.
UM, SO THERE IS A WAY TO REALLY TAKE CARE OF OUR AREA AND IT IS THOSE SAILBOATS THAT ARE JUST DROPPED OFF AND LEFT.
I'LL THROW OUT ONE IF YOU'LL HAVE ME.
UM, I THINK WE ALL NEED TO LOOK AND FOCUS ON OUR ZONING.
I THINK THAT'S THE HERE AND NOW ISSUE.
UM, I THINK AN UPDATE ON EVERYTHING WOULD BE GOOD TO SEE WHERE WE COULD TWEAK OUR STORM WATER.
'CAUSE I WOULD LOVE FOR EVERY COUNTY AND MUNICIPALITY TO PASS THAT OR TWEAK SOMETHING THAT WE ALL CAN LIVE WITH.
AND I KNOW WE'RE ALL DIFFERENT.
AND CONNECTIVITY IS SUCH A KEY.
IF WE WANT TO SEE THESE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT ARE AT USCB RIGHT NOW, LANDLOCKED PATHWAY LOCKED, THEY CAN'T GET ANYWHERE WITHOUT GETTING IN A CAR.
I JUST THINK THAT WOULD, I MEAN, WE ARE LOCKED.
I CAN'T EVEN TAKE A BIKE OVER THE FLYOVER 'CAUSE AND IT'S WIDE ENOUGH FOR SOMETHING.
SO ANOTHER ONE IS GOING TO BE THE POTENTIAL OF A REFERENDUM IN 2024.
TOPIC-WISE, WE, WE TRY AND DO TOPICS THAT ARE RELEVANT.
SO I'M GONNA GIVE YOU MY THOUGHT ABOUT THE FUTURE.
VARIOUS THINGS THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO TAKE A LOOK AT OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT YEAR AND YEARS.
THEY'RE NOT IN ANY ORDER, BUT AS THEY COME ABOUT, WE AS A GROUP MAY NEED TO REFLECT ON THEM.
HEALTHCARE, EDUCATION, TRANSPORTATION, RECREATION, HOUSING, OUR WORKFORCE TO OUR MILITARY AND WORKFORCE TRAINING.
ALL OF THOSE ARE INTERCONNECTED.
THAT'S ALL QUALITY OF LIFE THAT WE AS ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH OVER THE COURSE OF TIME.
AND I THINK THIS GROUP CAN, AS WE FOCUS ON PARTICULAR PROBLEMS WITHIN EACH OF THESE, THAT'S WHERE WE CALL IN THE EXPERTS AND THE EXPERTISE WE HAVE IN THE COUNTY, IN THE MUNICIPALITIES, IN OUR SURROUNDING JURISDICTIONS TO COME UP WITH A PLAN TO DEAL WITH THE ISSUE.
I WOULD ACTUALLY ADD ONE MORE TO THAT.
UM, BECAUSE OF THE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE COUNTY POLICE FORCE IS FACING A, A HIGH NUMBER OF POTENTIAL RETIREES IN THE COMING YEARS.
UM, ROUGHLY 40%, SOMEWHERE IN THAT RANGE.
AND WHAT THAT'S GONNA MEAN TO OUR COVERAGE.
I'M GONNA, MAYBE I'LL SHED LIGHT.
'CAUSE I THINK THIS IS A PLACE WHERE WE TALK ABOUT, LET'S, LET'S TELL OTHERS WHAT WENT RIGHT, WRONG, OR INDIFFERENT SO THEY DON'T FOLLOW OUR PATH.
UM, WE HAVE NOTICED, AND WE PASSED THIS PAST MONTH ON SECOND READING OUR OWN SIM VERSION OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, KNOWING GOOD AND WELL WE SUPPORT THE EDC, THEY HAVE A BIGGER PICTURE, BUT CHRIS FORSTER, WHO'S HERE SOMEWHERE, I SAW HIM WALK IN, DID A PRES, WELL HE WAS HERE, DID A PRESENTATION, UM, OWN WHERE OUR GROWTH IS GOING.
AND I SEE THIS BECAUSE THIS IS AN ELECTION YEAR AND NOBODY LIKES ANYTHING FOR SOME REASON,
[00:35:01]
PERSONALLY, I THINK ALL OF US LIVE IN A BEAUTIFUL PLACE.BUT OUR STUDY SHOWED 70% OF OUR GROWTH IS WEST OF BUCKWALTER.
30% OF THE SERVICES ARE WEST OF BUCKWALTER.
WHERE DO YOU THINK THEY'RE GOING? THE MAJORITY OF 'EM, I WOULD SAY 30 TO 40% OF OUR TRAFFIC IS DRIVING TO GET TO THE SERVICES THAT AREN'T IN THEIR LITTLE VILLAGE.
I, I'D SAY THIS REALLY FOR HARDY, FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY, ANYONE JASPER AND WHATEVER'S GONNA GO THROUGH A GROWTH PERIOD, RECOGNIZE THAT BECAUSE THE PEOPLE DON'T TAKE TIME TO EDUCATE THEMSELVES.
THAT THE PEOPLE WEST OF BUCK, WALTER PROBABLY DON'T KNOW WE EVEN PASSED THAT.
UM, THAT WE CAN DO OUR OWN INCENTIVES WHEREVER POSSIBLE, SUPPORT THEM TO THE EDC IF IT'S SOMETHING WITHIN THEIR MISSION STATEMENT TO REALLY CAPTURE THIS COMMERCIAL, THE RIGHT COMMERCIAL GROWTH.
IT HELPS WITH OUR TAXES, IT HELPS LOWER THE TAXES ON OUR RESIDENTS THAT ARE DEALING WITH IT.
AND IF NOTHING ELSE, MAYBE WE DO THAT.
LOOK NOW TO PREPARE OTHER AREAS FOR WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO ENDURE BECAUSE WE ARE ENDURING IT.
AND IT, EVERYTHING YOU MENTIONED THEY CAN'T FIND A DOCTOR, SO THEY HAVE TO DRIVE TO BUFORT.
WHY CAN'T WE ALL RECRUIT AND FIND THE HOTSPOTS FOR MEDICAL CARE AND VETERINARY AND PHARMACEUTICAL? AND I CAN GO ON AND ON AND TALK ALL DAY ABOUT IT, BUT WE'D BE HAPPY TO SHARE THAT ORDINANCE.
IT PASSED WITHOUT A DISCUSSION.
AND THE WAY CHRIS HANDLED IT WAS FABULOUS.
SO STEVEN, THANKS FOR PUTTING HIM ON ON THAT.
I'D LIKE TO FOLLOW UP ON MAYOR SOFA'S COMMENTS.
I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT ON THE MARK THERE.
BUT AT THE BEGINNING WE NEED TO SEE WHERE THOSE TRENDS ARE IN VARIOUS AREAS THAT ARE COVERED HERE.
AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE POSSIBLY SOME STAFF REPORTS FROM INDIVIDUAL COMMUNITIES, INDIVIDUAL AREAS, MUNICIPALITIES SAYING THIS IS WHERE WE SEE THINGS.
AND AS WE, MAYBE A MAP COULD BE DEVELOPED TO WHERE THAT WE CAN SEE WHERE THOSE TRENDS ARE AND PLAN FOR IT ACCORDINGLY.
AND, AND YOUR POINT, GLEN, I THINK THE, THE MAPPING THAT OUR PLANNING STAFFS ARE WORKING ON WILL HELP US WITH THAT.
'CAUSE IT'S GONNA SHOW EXISTING ZONING AND, AND PLAN UNIT DEVELOPMENTS VERY GOOD TOWARD THAT.
SO WE KNOW WHERE WE CAN GO COMMERCIALLY.
WE'RE COMING CLOSE, CLOSE TO CLOSING UP THE, THE DUMP UP AND RECYCLING WOULD BE PART OF THAT.
SO THE MORE YOU RECYCLE THE LESS TRASH AREA PROBLEM, WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF DOING A SWOT ANALYSIS RIGHT NOW.
GOSH, WHEN DO WE THINK WE'RE GONNA HAVE THAT BACK? UM, I THINK WE'RE HAVING
SO THAT COULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE COULD BRING TO SO LOCO, JUST TO SAY THIS IS WHAT WE SEE FROM OUR STANDPOINT AND WHAT SOLUTIONS OUR CONSULTANT IS, IS ADVISING US ON.
AND BY THE WAY, I I, I'M SORRY I I KEEP FORGETTING PEOPLE.
JOSH GOBER WAS ALSO PART OF THAT.
SO YEAH, THERE, UM, I'LL REMEMBER EVERYBODY IF THERE, IF I LIVE THAT LONG, YOU KNOW, WHILE YOU'RE TRYING TO FILL OUT THE AGENDA.
UM, I THINK A GOOD REPORT FROM OUR UTILITY COMPANIES, YOU KNOW, WHEN DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS ARE SIGNED EARLY ON, AND I KNOW WE'RE A LOT DIFFERENT THAN OTHER PARTS OF THIS REGION.
WE GET THE LETTERS FROM SCHOOLS, UTILITY COMPANIES, WE, YOU KNOW, WE CAN DO IT.
I THINK THEY'RE STRESSED RIGHT NOW.
I THINK ELECTRICITY IS STRESSED STATEWIDE.
UM, WATER, I MEAN HOW MANY TIMES HAVE WE PROVIDED EASEMENTS FOR BIGGER PIPELINES? I MEAN, I THINK MAYBE JUST BE HONEST AND LET'S SAY MAYBE IT CAN GIVE SOME TEETH TO DEVELOPMENT, YOU KNOW, WITHIN THE COUNTY HILTON, I MEAN BLUFFTON AND YEAH, I MEAN HAVING CAPACITY REPORTS COME IN FROM THEM WOULD BE IDEAL TO SEE, OKAY, WHERE ARE WE, YOU KNOW, SOME REAL STRENGTH.
YEAH, MAYBE SMALL BECAUSE THAT, THAT CAN HELP THE COUNTY, UM, DRIVE THE 1%, THE GREEN TAX RIGHT.
AS TO WHAT NEEDS TO BE ACQUIRED, WHERE, WHERE DO WE NEED TO, TO TAKE THAT MONEY AND WHAT DEVELOPMENTS ARE COMING.
THEY'RE GONNA REALLY PUT ADDITIONAL, YOU KNOW, TAXES AND, AND, AND ISSUES INTO THOSE AREAS.
SO I THINK IT ALL GOES TOGETHER.
AND THAT 1% IS NOT JUST BEAUFORT COUNTY.
IF, IF JASPER WOULD PARTNER, IT WAS INTENDED THAT IT WOULD SPREAD
[00:40:01]
OVER BOTH COUNTIES IF THERE WERE WILLING PARTIES.I'M GONNA PUT HIM ON THE SPOT AND PUT YOU ON THE SPOT.
CAN BENEFIT, YOU CAN BENEFIT IT FROM IT.
NOW THE WAY IT'S WRITTEN, RIGHT, THE LEGISLATION GREEN SPACE, I THINK MAYBE MARCH TIMEFRAME OR APRIL, WE WILL HAVE GONE THROUGH TWO QUARTERS OF GREEN SPACE IN REVIEWING APPLICATIONS.
SO I THINK WE COULD HAVE, THAT MIGHT BE ANOTHER AGENDA ITEM, A GREEN SPACE REPORT.
WHAT HAS HAPPENED? WE'VE GOT FIVE PRE APPLICATIONS RIGHT NOW FOR THE FIRST QUARTER OF OWNERS.
AND I, I, I DO WANNA ADD ONTO ONE THING THAT'S ON THE AGENDA AND MAYOR SOKA BROUGHT IT UP AND THAT'S CONNECTIVITY.
WE HAVE HAD OVER THE YEARS OF, SO LOCO REPORTS FROM ROB MERCHANT AND, AND WE'VE LOOKED AT MAPS AND HOW THEY CONNECT.
THE ONE THING WE NEVER ARE ABLE TO ISOLATE AND TALK ABOUT AND WE NEED TO ADD IT TO IT.
WE GOT THE PLANS, WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY.
HOW DO WE FIND THE MONEY? WE, WE WILL CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT IT FOREVER UNLESS WE START FINDING WAYS TO FUND IT.
SO IT MAYBE WE SHOULD FIND OUT HOW THE SPANISH MOSS TRAIL WAS DEVELOPED.
'CAUSE THAT SEEMS TO BE A FABULOUS, STILL DON'T KNOW HOW EVERYONE DID IT SO WONDERFULLY TALKING ABOUT FINDING THE MONEY.
UM, I ATTENDED A PRESENTATION BY SENATOR DAVIS RECENTLY AND HE WAS SAYING THAT NOW IS THE TIME TO PUT IN A REQUEST FOR FUNDING.
AND THERE HAS BEEN PLENTY OF FUNDING AVAILABLE FROM THE STATE FOR VARIOUS THINGS.
SO MAYBE WE SHOULD, YOU KNOW, ASK FOR A MILLION DOLLARS, UH, TO GET STARTED ON DEALING WITH THIS CONNECTIVITY ISSUE THAT YOU BRING UP.
GLEN, A QUESTION, UM, AND I KNOW SENATOR DAVIS HAS BEEN A STALWART IN TRYING TO GET THIS REGION MONEY AND THEY GOT A COUPLE MILLION BUCKS FOR THE HOUSING TRUST.
UM, WHO SHOULD BE THE APPLICANT SHOULD IN ASKING FOR THE MONEY? SHOULD IT BE SO LOCO? SHOULD IT BE COUNTIES? WHO DO YOU THINK HOW, WHAT'S OUR BEST PATH TO ASKING FOR MONEY? IT'S HARD FOR THIS GROUP TO ASK FOR MONEY, I THINK, BUT IF BUFORT COUNTY ASKS FOR IT, WHAT DOES JASPER COUNTY DO IF HARVILLE ASK FOR IT, WHAT DOES HILTON HEAD DO? AND SO MAYBE THE THING TO DO IS TO CONSULT WITH SENATOR DAVIS AND SEE IF THIS ORGANIZATION HAS A, IS A SUITABLE ENTITY TO BE MAKING THAT APPLICATION.
IF HE SAYS YES, WE'RE GONNA NEED TO BUILD IN SOME FINANCIAL CONTROLS ON WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE FOR SURE.
IN FACT THOUGH, WE'RE AN ADVISOR, WE'RE JUST AN EDUCATION GROUP.
I DON'T WELL, I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT
AND SO IT'S AWKWARD TO SAY THAT THIS ORGANIZATION SHOULD BE THE APPLICANT, BUT THAT SHOULD BE A SECONDARY QUESTION.
SENATOR DAVIS, CAN WE DO THIS? AND WHO DO YOU RECOMMEND THAT WE HAVE AS THE APPLICANT? AND, AND IT'S NOT JUST SENATOR DAVIS.
'CAUSE HE HAS DONE THINGS AND THEN I FOUND OUT REPRESENTATIVE HERB CHRISMAN HAD NO IDEA OF IT.
SO I THINK WE GET OUR BULLET POINTS OF WHAT WE BELIEVE IN.
MAYBE WE ALL AGREE IF WE CAN GET MONEY FROM THE STATE, FROM PATHWAYS, FIND WHERE WE WANNA START AND GO TOGETHER AT THE LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION WHERE WE ARE ELECTED OFFICIALS MEETING WITH THEM ALL FIVE MUNICIPALITIES IN TWO OF THE COUNTIES AND BRIDGELAND AND TO STAND TOGETHER.
AND THEN MAYBE IT DOES JUST GO TO HARDY BILL.
I'D BE HAPPY IF IT WENT TO HARDY BILL AND USCB TRAVELED A LITTLE NORTH AND SOUTH.
SO WE HAVE TO, I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY THE, JUST THINK SENATOR DAVIS FINE, BUT WE HAVE TO INCLUDE MARGIE WRIGHT MATTHEWS BECAUSE HARDY V IS MORE CONTROLLED BY MAR MARGIE WRIGHT MATTHEWS THAN SENATOR DAVIS.
EVEN THOUGH SENATOR DAVIS IS A FRIEND.
SENATOR DAVIS IS REALLY CONCERNED WITH SUN CITY AND DO TON, THAT'S HIS, HIS AREA AND HI.
AND I THINK WE HAVE TO, WE HAVE TO EDUCATE MS. MATTHEWS THAT THERE IS PART, JASPER IS GONNA BE INCLUDED IN THIS.
UH, SO I DON'T KNOW IF THEY TALK TOGETHER.
[00:45:01]
AT ALL.SO, SO THE, WE SHOULD INCLUDE THE DELEGATION.
IT'S, IT'S NOT JUST A SENATOR DAVIS ISSUE, IT'S A DELEGATION ISSUE, BOTH THE BEAUFORT AND THE JASPER DELEGATIONS.
AND THERE'S A NUMBER OF 'EM ON BOTH.
I WOULD ALSO SAY THAT WE, WE WE, WE MIGHT BE PUTTING THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE BECAUSE WE'RE JUST HAVING A CONVERSATION RIGHT NOW.
BUT, BUT WHAT IS IT THAT WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO DO? YOU KNOW, IS IT, IS IT SOMETHING THAT THAT ONE MUNICIPALITY NEEDS TO WORK ON? AND THAT SHOULD BE MAYBE, YOU KNOW, WE UNDERSTAND THAT, OKAY, IT'S HARDY BILL THAT NEEDS TO WORK ON IT, IT'S LEFT AND THAT NEEDS TO WORK ON IT.
UM, DO WE ALL NEED TO BE A PART OF IT? UM, BECAUSE WE'RE ALL ASKING FOR INDIVIDUAL SOURCES OF FUNDS FROM THE STATE FOR DIFFERENT PROJECTS.
SO I, I THINK WE NEED TO REALLY LOOK HOLISTICALLY WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.
WE CAN STAND UP AS A GROUP AND SUPPORT WHATEVER INITIATIVE THAT THE MUNICIPALITY HAS, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT IT NEEDS TO BE ASKING FOR FUN AS A GROUP, BUT SUPPORTING THAT INITIATIVE.
SO I I JUST, I QUESTION THAT A LITTLE BIT
I THINK THAT WE WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR FUNDS, WE'RE JUST EDUCATING.
AND THE EDUCATION IS WHEN, AT LEAST I, IN MY TWO YEARS, TWO AND A HALF YEARS WHEN THEY TALK ABOUT FUNDING, IF YOU CAN GET A JOINT FUNDING FOR LIKE HARDY V AND RIDGELAND OR BLUFFTON AND HARDY V OR WHATEVER, YOU HAVE A BETTER CHANCE OF GETTING THE FUNDING.
AND IF THEY DON'T KNOW THAT WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER, SO I'M, I DON'T THINK IT'S THE FUNDING.
I THINK THERE'S THE EDUCATION THAT'S MORE IMPORTANT.
WELL, WE'RE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AGENDA ITEMS. SO YOU KNOW, THESE WE'RE STARTING TO GET IN DEPTH INTO THE BEYOND JUST TOPICS.
SO PERHAPS ONE OF THE AGENDA ITEMS AS SUGGESTED EARLIER, UM, CONNECTIVITY AND HOW DO WE FUND IT? THAT'S HOW WE START TO DEBATE IT.
WELL HOW DO, HOW DO WE GO ABOUT IT? HOW DO WE SUGGEST IT AND GET INTO THESE PARTICULAR ISSUES? BUT THE GENERAL TOPIC AREA WILL BE, OKAY, CONNECTIVITY, HOW DO WE WANT TO CONNECT? HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE FIND FUNDING AND MAKE THAT A WHOLE TOPIC OF CONVERSATION.
THE KEY TO THEM IS WHEN YOU ARE COMING TO ASK FOR MONEY FROM THE STATE, WHAT IS YOUR PORTION THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BRING TO THE TABLE? IF YOU'RE NOT GONNA BRING ANYTHING, YOU'RE NOT GONNA GET ANYTHING.
THE MORE YOU BRING TO THE TABLE, THE MORE THEY'RE INTERESTED IN SUPPORTING WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO.
SO WHEN, WHEN WE HAVE THAT ASK, WE HAVE TO KNOW WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR AND WHAT CAN WE SUPPORT.
SO WE, WE HAVE ENOUGH AGENDA ITEMS TO GET US TO 2030.
SO LET'S, LET'S START ON THE NEXT DECADE.
UM, ANY OTHER, ANYBODY FROM THE PUBLIC HAVE ANY, UH, TOPICS THAT YOU'D LIKE TO HEAR US TAKE ON? DAN MAYOR, I, I WAS FOLLOWING, I WAS KIND OF THINKING ALONG THE SAME LINES AS MAYOR PERRY BODY HAS BEEN UNIFIED TO COME UP WITH UNIVERSAL PROJECTS AND WE TOUCHED ON A LOT OF 'EM.
YOU HAVE A LITANY OF ITEMS THAT YOU JUST TALKED ABOUT.
AND WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT FUNDING FROM THE STATE, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT YOU WOULD TRY TO FIND A COMMON CAUSE AS A GROUP TO IDENTIFY THE AREAS THAT YOU WANT TO GO ASK FOR THE MONEY FOR.
YOU MAY HAVE FOUR OR FIVE ITEMS THAT YOU WANT TO GO AFTER THE MONEY.
AND IF YOU DO IT AS A GROUP RECOMMENDATION OF SOME KIND, IT HAS MORE WEIGHT.
PERSON TAKES OFF ON THEIR OWN TANGENT.
IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT EACH MUNICIPALITY WON'T HAVE THEIR OWN NEEDS UNIQUE TO THEM.
IT WON'T STILL GO AFTER THE FUNDING, BUT YOU HAVE A LONG LIST.
IDENTIFY WHAT IT IS COLLECTIVELY THAT YOU AS A GROUP THINK THE MONEY SHOULD GO TO BECAUSE EVERYBODY'S AFTER THE SAME POT OF GOLD AND IT'S LIMITED.
AND, AND YOU'RE RIGHT ABOUT THIS COMMITTEE.
YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT CONNECTIVITY BECAUSE THAT AFFECTS MULTIPLE JURISDICTIONS.
WE WANNA FOCUS IN ON WHAT FUNDING AFFECTS MULTIPLE JURISDICTIONS, THE JURISDICTIONS THAT AFFECT OUR, OUR SO LOCAL MEMBERSHIP JAR.
MAYOR ON THE, UM, I'M ON A NATIONAL COMMITTEE ON JARED, PLEASE STAND UP.
[00:50:01]
CARRY MORETHAT'S A, A GOOD LESSON FOR ME.
MAYBE I'LL SEND OUT THIS LIST AND, AND ASK WHAT YOUR, WHAT YOUR PRIORITIES ARE.
AND THAT AFFECTS THE ENTIRE REGION.
AND YOU KNOW, WE, WE DO WANNA FOCUS ON, ON THINGS THAT AFFECT THE ENTIRE REGION BECAUSE BY VIRTUE OF OUR, OUR VISION AND MISSION STATEMENT.
ANY OTHER THOUGHTS FOR THE AGENDAS GOING FORWARD? UM, OKAY, SO WE, WE TALKED ABOUT, UM, WE'LL, WE'LL HAVE ELECTIONS IN NOVEMBER.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT ANY STRUCTURAL CHANGES, UM, IN JANUARY.
UM, I WILL BE GIVEN TIME TO THE HOUSING TRUST FOR THEIR REPORT.
AND UH, ALICE, DO YOU HAVE A REPORT FROM, YOU HAVE A REPORT FOR US AS WELL, SO THAT THOSE WILL BE THE THREE AGENDA ITEMS. HAVE AN ELECTION OF, OF OFFICERS.
WE HAVE, UH, CHAIR, I ALWAYS CALL IT CO-CHAIR, UM, AND, UM, SECRETARY, WHICH DOESN'T MEAN KEEPING NOTES, IT JUST MEANS GIVING US ADVICE.
UH, SO THOSE THREE POSITIONS WILL BE UP FOR ELECTION.
UH, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE, UH, REPORTS FROM OUR TWO SUBCOMMITTEES.
IS THAT, UH, OKAY WITH EVERYBODY? OKAY.
ANY FINAL COMMENTS? UH, WE HAVE UH, ACTUALLY 10 MINUTES IF ANYBODY FROM THE PUBLIC WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT.
ANY BOARD COMMENTS BEFORE WE CLOSE? YOU GOT ONE COMMENT? YES, PLEASE.
I JUST LIKE WOULD LIKE TO IN THERE LIKE TWO AND A HALF WEEKS.
UH, BUT I JUST WANTED TO INTRODUCE MYSELF AND I LOOK FORWARD.
I'M SURE I SPEAK FOR EVERYBODY IN WISHING YOU A LOT OF, UH, SUCCESS IN, IN YOUR JOB BECAUSE WE NEED YOU TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
ANYONE ELSE? US HAPPY HALLOWEEN, EVERYONE.
AND
WE'LL SEE YOU UM, THE FOURTH TUESDAY OF NOVEMBER, THE LAST ONE OF THE YEAR AT HARDY CITY HALL.