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CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY TO THE TOWN OF HEALTH AND HEADS FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE MEETING AND ALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
WE HAVE THE AGENDA FOR TODAY'S MEETING BEFORE US MOVE TO ADOPT AND SUBMITTED.
WE HAVE OUR MINUTES FROM OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING OF OCTOBER 17TH, 2023.
MOVE TO AND ADOPT AS SUBMITTED.
UM, I DON'T HAVE THEM IN IMMEDIATELY IN FRONT OF 'EM MAY, BUT I BELIEVE THESE ARE THE ONES THAT WE, US BY LAST NAME ONLY JUST AS A STYLE MATTER ARGUMENT.
I DON'T HAVE 'EM IN FRONT OF ME EITHER, BUT I'M SORRY, WHAT? WHAT IS IT? I DON'T GONNA HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME.
SO MR. ALFRED IS ASKING ABOUT THE LIST OF NAMES IN THE MINUTES, COUNCIL PERSONS AND IT BEING THE LAST NAMES ONLY CORRECT.
AS A MATTER OF PERSONAL PREFERENCE, I WOULD PREFER TO GO BACK TO THE OLD WAY REFERENCING MR. BROWN AND MR. IN, IN, IN FRONT OF THE NAME.
WELL, HOWEVER IT USED TO BE DONE BEFORE THESE MINUTES.
IT WAS, WE HAD SALUTATIONS, BUT WE WERE ENCOUNTERING ERRORS WITH THOSE WITH MSMS MS AND MISS.
SO WE DECIDED TO TAKE THAT OFF.
WE CAN ADD THAT BACK IN IF THAT'S LIKE, I THINK THERE WAS A, UH, YEAH, MELINDA'S NAME WAS MISSPELLED.
FIRST TIME IT COMES UP APPEARANCE BY CITIZENS.
UM, BUT YOU, WHEN YOU'RE USING APPEARANCE BY CITIZENS, YOU'VE GOT FULL NAMES? YES, SIR.
ALSO, I ALSO, I, FROM MY POINT OF VIEW, IS A PREFERABLE WAY TO DO IT.
I THINK WHAT MR. ALFRED IS ASKING KIM, IS IF YOU COULD REFERENCE OUR FULL NAMES WITHOUT THE SALUTATIONS WOULD BE FINE VERSUS JUST THE LAST NAME.
MOVE TO APPROVE AS THE DOC AS, UM, AMENDED.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THAT? WE'RE GOOD.
WE NOW HAVE APPEARANCE BY CITIZENS.
IS ANYONE THAT HAS SIGNED UP TO TO SPEAK TODAY? YES.
WE'VE GOT TO SKIP POLAN, SKIP POLAND WITH MILL HARBOR.
HE DID MANY PROJECTS IN OUR HOMES GOING BACK 45 YEARS.
HE WAS VERY TALENTED, HARDWORKING, AND MOST IMPORTANT.
ALEX, IT'S UNFORTUNATE YOU ARE THE CHAIRMAN OF FINANCE COMMITTEE AND I HAVE TO ADDRESS YOU NOT ONLY ON ITS CORRUPTION, BUT THE FACT IS EACH OF YOU AS COUNCIL MEMBERS ALSO CONTINUE ILLEGAL BAD BEHAVIOR, VOTING IN FAVOR TO ALLOW MILLIONS OF TAX FUNDS TO BE LEGALLY ISSUED AND USED BY NOT ONLY NON-PROFIT CHAMBER, BUT OTHER NONPROFITS WITH A TAX FUNDING LIKE THE GOLF OWNERS ASSOCIATION, WHICH IS ILLEGAL, ALEX.
WORSE, ALLOWING MILLIONS TO ESCAPE FULL TRANSPARENCY ACCOUNTING ON HOW ALL THESE MILLIONS WERE USED.
ALSO, YOU REFUSE TO CONDUCT FORENSIC AUDITS AND ALL THOSE WHO ARE ISSUED MILLIONS THAT HAVE BASICALLY DISAPPEARED.
THIS IS ALSO A VIOLATION OF YOUR FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY AND YOUR CAMPAIGN PROMISE.
THIS FINANCE COMMITTEE OVER THE YEARS HAS ALLOWED FRAUD, LIES FRAUDULENT PRESENTATIONS AND CONTRACTS, FOIA VIOLATIONS, OVERCHARGED LEGAL FEES FOR THE LAST 40 YEARS, REPORTED IN THE PACKET AND VIOLATIONS TO MANY STATE AND FEDERAL LAWS.
ALEX, EVEN YOU, SAD TO SAY, COULD BE DIRECTLY TIED TO VOTING ON THE ONGOING CHAMBER THEFT, A CHAMBER CHAMBER MEMBER AND A COMMITTEE IN THE SECRET GIC.
ALSO, I THINK YOU ARE A GOOD SMART MAN, BUT FEEL YOU HAVE BEEN USED AND ABUSED BY OTHERS TO IN BE INVOLVED IN THIS CORRUPTION.
YOU'RE JUST TEMPORARILY MISPLACED.
ALEX, CAN YOU AND OTHERS IN THIS COUNCIL, NAMELY STANFORD AND AMES, WHO ARE MEMBERS OF THE CHAMBER AND THE G OR NGIC OR INVITED TO ATTEND TO TELL US WHO CALLED THEM TO BE PART OF THIS STANFORD WHO ASKED YOU TO BE PRESIDENT OF THE GIC AMES? WHO INVITED YOU TO ATTEND THE GIC ALEX, WHY DID YOU VOTE FOR 350,000 MORE FUNDING TO THE CHAMBER FROM OUR GENERAL FUND WITH ZERO ACCOUNTING REQUIREMENT AS A CHAIRMAN WHO
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ASKED CARLTON DALLAS TO ATTEND A FINANCE MEETING TO PROPOSE HIDING CHAMBER FUNDS TO AVOID MY FOIA REQUESTS WHO HIRED LAWYER DANNY CROW AND PAID HIM WITH $200,000 IN TAX FUNDS TO SAY THE TOWN DOES NOT HAVE TO SHOW CHAMBER ACCOUNTING OR COMPLY TO MY FOIL.THIS FINANCING COUNSEL HAS BECOME SO CORRUPT THAT I TURN MY BACK ON YOU.
SINCE YOU ARE A LEGALLY NON-FUNCTIONING GOVERNMENT BODY.
I TAKE MY FIGHT TO THE TAXPAYERS WHO OWN AND PAID FOR THIS TOWN HALL AND I GO TO THE COURTS FOLKS.
WHEN ALEX AND THIS COUNCIL COMPLIES TO LAWS BOTH STATE AND FEDERAL, I WILL FACE THEM AGAIN AND I WILL THANK THEM FOR THEIR PUBLIC SERVICE VERSUS THEIR SERVICE THAT IS VERY DAMAGING AND FACILITATING ILLEGAL TAX USE AND THEFT.
WE HAVE TO END THIS BUSINESS IS BUSINESS FAIR IS FAIR.
WE CAN'T JUST GIVE SOMEBODY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS INCLUDING YOUR FAMILY'S MONEY AND THEN HAVE SOMEBODY TELL YOU, NO, WE'RE NOT GONNA SHOW YOU WHAT WE DID WITH IT.
WOULD YOU GIVE THEM ANOTHER $5 MILLION? WELL, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THIS CHAMBER.
WE'RE GIVING BILL MILES MILLIONS AND HE'S SAYING TO US, NO, I'M NOT GONNA SHOW YOU WHAT I DID WITH THE TAX MONEY BECAUSE IT'S MY SECRET SAUCE.
THAT'S A BUNCH OF BOLOGNA THAT AIN'T GONNA FLY.
MELINDA TANNER, MY NAME IS TANNER.
UH, MELIN TENNER PALMETTO HALL.
UH, THE RBC HERITAGE PRESENTED BY BOEING IS A WONDERFUL EVENT THAT I HAVE PERSONALLY ENJOYED AND IS A BENEFIT TO THE ISLAND AND I APPRECIATE MR. WILMOTT BEING HERE TO ANSWER THE TOWN COUNCIL'S QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS YEAR'S SPONSOR SPONSORSHIP.
OUR REQUEST HAS BEEN MADE TO SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE THE FINANCIAL SUPPORT BY 67% OR ABOUT $200,000.
I UNDERSTAND THAT BECOMING A SIGNATURE EVENT WILL INCREASE THE COST OF PUTTING THIS ON.
AND THE ASK IS FOR SPONSORS TO COVER THAT COST.
HOW DO THE PRIVILEGES LISTED IN THE PROPOSED CONTRACT COMPARE TO LAST YEAR'S? ARE THERE MORE PRIVILEGES SINCE WE ARE PAYING SIGNIFICANTLY MORE OR ARE THEY THE SAME? I ALSO HAD A QUESTION REGARDING BULLET G UNDER THE PRIVILEGES, WHICH HAS A ONE 32ND COMMERCIAL AD ON THE VIDEO BOARDS LOCATED ON THE HERITAGE LAWN.
IS THAT ONE DURING THE ENTIRETY OF THE EVENT? AND IF SO, WHICH DAY BECAUSE BULLET D LISTED THE DAYS THAT YOU WERE GONNA GET THE BENEFIT OR IS IT ONE EACH DAY? THANK YOU.
THAT'S ALL ON TO OUR UNFINISHED MICROPHONE.
UM, ON TO UNFINISHED BUSINESS.
UH, WE WILL HAVE A, UH, DISCUSSION OF APPROVAL OF SPONSORSHIP AGREEMENT WITH THE HERITAGE CLASSIC FOUNDATION FOR RBC GOLF TOURNAMENT.
THANK YOU MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.
UM, IF YOU RECALL, WE DISCUSSED THIS MATTER AT YOUR LAST MEETING.
UM, THE TOWN HAS RECEIVED A PROPOSED SPONSORSHIP AGREEMENT FROM THE HERITAGE CLASSIC FOUNDATION WHO PUTS ON THE RBC UH, GOLF TOURNAMENT EVERY YEAR AND HAS INDICATED THEY'RE REQUESTING AN INCREASE IN SPONSORSHIP SUPPORT, UM, TO, UH, THE TWO TO $500,000 FOR THIS YEAR'S EVENT DUE TO INCREASE COSTS OF PRESENTING THE EVENT.
AT THE LAST MEETING, THE COMMITTEE HAD INDICATED THAT THEY HAD A COUPLE QUESTIONS.
ONE WAS IN REGARDS TO THE SPONSORSHIP AMOUNT AND WHETHER OR NOT THAT WAS AN INCREASE THAT WAS GOING UP FOR ALL SPONSORSHIP ORGANIZATIONS.
UM, AND THEN THE SECOND WAS WITH REGARDS TO THE TELEVISION COVERAGE AND THE MARKETING MATERIALS THAT GO OUT WITH THAT AND WHAT KIND OF INFLUENCE WE COULD HAVE, UH, IN THAT REGARD.
UM, WE'VE ASKED, UH, REPRESENTATIVES TO BE HERE TODAY FROM THE TOURNAMENT.
UNFORTUNATELY, MR. WILMONT IS NOT ABLE TO MAKE IT.
HE HAD A DEATH IN THE FAMILY, UM, UNEXPECTEDLY.
AND SO, UM, I'VE GOT MR. SIMON FRAZIER HERE TO, UH, SPEAK TO THOSE TWO, UH, CONCERNS DIRECTLY.
THEN WE'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
PLEASE SEND OUT REGARDS TO MR. WILMONT.
UM, AS YOU, UH, JOSH SAID, I'M SIMON FRAN.
I'M CHAIRMAN OF THE INHERITANCE CLASSIC FOUNDATION.
HAPPY TO BE HERE, APPRECIATE THE SUPPORTS THE TOWN'S GIVEN US OVER THE, THE LAST 12 YEARS AND LOOK FORWARD TO WHATEVER SUPPORT THEY CAN GIVE, YOU KNOW, MOVING FORWARD.
AND HAPPY TO ASK, ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT I'M ABLE.
SO WE'LL START WITH THE TWO THAT CAME UP AT THE LAST MEETING.
UM, AND ONE OF WHICH IS THE ADDITIONAL ASK, UH, THE TOWN.
IS THAT, UM, IS THAT THE SAME FOR OTHER SPONSORS THAT YOU ARE REQUESTING FUNDING FOR? UH, TO SHOW YOU THE MAGNITUDE, RBCS PAYING
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MORE THAN TWICE WHAT HAS BEEN PAID TO LITTLE BACKGROUND.WE WENT FROM A REGULAR PJ TOUR EVENT TO WHAT'S CALLED A SIGNATURE EVENT.
IT'S A PERSON'S GONE FROM EIGHT AND A HALF MILLION TO 20 MILLION.
THE, UH, UH, THE ONLY PLAYERS INVITED TO THE TOURNAMENT ARE THE TOP 50 IN THE WORLD, TOP THIRD, TOP 30 IN THE WORLD, TOP 50 FROM FEDEX.
I MEAN, TO GET INTO SOME DETAILS, IT'S THE TOP PLAYERS IN THE WORLD WHO WILL BE HERE FOR NEXT YEAR'S EVENT.
THE, UH, UH, FIRST WENT FROM EIGHT, NINE TO 20 MILLION.
THE, UH, UH, ALL OF THE SPONSORS ARE PAYING SIGNIFICANTLY MORE, UH, THAN THEY HAVE IN THE PAST.
THE EXPENSES HAVE GONE UP SIGNIFICANTLY ARE JUST FOR AN EXAMPLE, OUR SKYBOX CONTRACT, SKYBOX AND BLEACHERS WENT FROM A MILLION DOLLARS TO $2 MILLION.
UH, WE ARE, WE ARE A MAJOR GOLF TOURNAMENT.
WE'RE NOT THE TOURNAMENT OF, OF FIVE YEARS AGO.
WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING TO INCREASE THE EXPERIENCE, TO INCREASE, UH, THE PRESENTATION TO COMMISERATE WITH A MAJOR SPORTING EVENT.
AND JUST TO SHOW YOU SOME OF THE RESULTS, OUR TOURNAMENT LAST YEAR HAD THE HIGHEST TV RATING OF ANY EVENT OTHER THAN THE FOUR MAJOR GOLF TOURNAMENTS EACH YEAR.
HILTON HEAD ISLAND HAS A GREAT APPEAL.
OUR TELECAST, IF YOU WATCH IT, IT IS ONE OF THE BEST ON TOUR.
THEY GIVE US, THEY GIVE THE ISLAND A LOT OF KUDOS WHY THEY'RE HERE.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY CONTROL OVER WHAT THEY SAY.
WE CAN GIVE THEM TALKING POINTS, THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT WE HAVE NO CONTRACT WITH THEM.
WHAT, WHAT THEY SAY IS BETWEEN THEM AND THE, UH, IN THE PGA TOUR AND THEIR SPONSORS, BUT THEY LIKE US.
THEY SAY GOOD THINGS ABOUT US.
JIM NAS HAS ALWAYS BEEN VERY GOOD TO US, UH, OVER THE YEARS OF HIS COMMENTS AS WERE THE OTHER COMMENTATORS.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE IN GOOD SHAPE AS FAR AS CBS GOES.
AND YES, EVERYBODY'S PAYING MORE.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY, AND YOU'D BE KIND ENOUGH TO GIVE US SOME ILLUSTRATIONS WHEN YOU SAY EVERYBODY IS PAYING MORE.
I TOLD YOU, UH, RBCS, UH, FEES GOING IS DOUBLE THE INDIVIDUAL SKYBOX PURCHASERS, HOSPITALITY SPONSORS, THEIRS ARE DOUBLING OR GOING UP AND THEN 30, 40%.
UM, AND THOSE ARE, YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD BE TICKET PRICES WENT UP, BUT THAT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT, UH, THE SAME THING.
BUT YES, THE, UH, MAJOR SPONSOR IS MORE THAN DOUBLED THEIR, THEIR COMMITMENT.
HOW MANY SPONSORS DO YOU HAVE? WELL, WHEN I SAY WE HAVE RBC, WHO IS THE, UH, WHO IS THE TITLE SPONSOR? IT'S CALLED RBC.
LOT OF THOSE THAT ARE LIKE THE TOWN.
AND THEN WE HAVE BOEING WHO'S A PRESENTING SPONSOR, AND WE HAVE THE TOWN'S OUR NEXT BIGGEST SPONSOR.
THEY, WHEN WE SAY SPONSORS, THEY'RE HOSPITALITY SPONSORS.
LIKE, UH, THE WESTON HAS A SKY BOX ON 18.
THEY'RE A HOSPITALITY SPONSOR.
THE, UH, SEA PINES REAL ESTATE HAS A HOSPITALITY BOX.
VARIOUS BANKS HAVE A HOSPITALITY BOX.
ANYBODY ELSE IN CATEGORY SIMILAR TO THE TOWNS? NO.
SO IN HOSPITALITY SPONSORS, UH, ARE THEIR FEES BEING INCREASED AS WELL? OH, ABSOLUTELY.
AND PART OF THAT, THEIR VENUES ARE BEING UPGRADED TOO.
WHAT A BENEFIT OF THE, UH, COMMITTEE, MR. FRAZIER, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND, AND WE DON'T NEED THIS TODAY.
BUT IF YOU COULD OFFER MR. GRUBER, WHO WILL THEN GET IT TO US A SAMPLING OF THOSE SPONSORSHIPS THAT ARE EXPERIENCING INCREASES.
AND WHAT THAT PERCENTAGE OF INCREASE IS THAT THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL FOR US.
HE'S HEAD OF OUR SALES AND MARKETING.
HE CAN, HE CAN GIVE YOU A FOUR INCIDENTS FROM, UH, 2022 TO NOW.
WE HAD SOME INCREASES LAST YEAR.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS AT THE MOMENT? MR. ALFORD FRASER, WILL YOU FINISHED WITH YOUR PRESENTATION? UH, NO.
I, I'M HERE TO ASK YOU YES, I'M HERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.
BUT I'M GONNA OFFER, UM, MS. STANFORD, IF YOU WANT.
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WE LOVE THE RBC HERITAGE.WE LOVE ALL OF THE HARD WORK THAT YOU PUT INTO IT, BUT AS STEWARDS OF PUBLIC DOLLARS, WE NEED TO SEE JUSTIFICATIONS FOR THESE INCREASES.
I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT I THINK IF WE SAW A LIST OF THE SPONSORS AND THE CHANGES, WHICH I THINK YOU SAID YOU COULD SHOW US, THAT'LL HELP US A WHOLE LOT IN TERMS OF WHAT'S GOING ON, IN TERMS OF HOW THE FEES ARE BEING INCREASED.
IS THE TOWN RECEIVING ANYTHING ELSE? UH, WE HAVE NOT TALKED ABOUT THAT DETAIL, BUT I MEAN, CERTAINLY, I MEAN, WE, WE, WE KIND OF LOOK TO THE TOWN TO TELL US WHAT, WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE UNDERSTOOD.
AND I'M NOT PREPARED TO TELL YOU THAT, BUT IT SEEMS TO ME THAT, UH, MORE FREQUENT MENTION OF THE TOWN, MORE IMAGES OF THE TOWN AND TALKING ABOUT A LOT OF THE GOOD THINGS THAT WE DO HERE WOULD CARRY US A LONG WAY IN TERMS OF SUPPORTING THAT.
JUST TELL ME, FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN YOU SAY MORE IMAGES OF THE TOWN, MORE FREQUENT MENTIONS IN, WELL, IT'S ON TELEVISION.
UH, WE'RE SPREADING THE WORD ALL AROUND THE WORLD.
YOU'RE NOT GONNA GET THAT WITHOUT PAYING AN ADVERTISING FEE.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S DIFFERENT.
TELEVISION DOES NOT HAND OUT FREE ADVERTISING.
THEN OTHER WAYS THAT THE TOWN CAN SEE BENEFITS FROM A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE FEES WILL HELP US IN TERMS OF MAKING THAT DECISION.
AND I'M SURE JOSH CAN, UH, WE CAN WORK WITH JOSH, YOU KNOW, YOU ALL COULD GIVE SOME GUIDANCE TO JOSH, WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE.
WE'RE HAPPY TO, WE'RE HAPPY TO, UH, ENTERTAIN AND CONSIDER, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING REASONABLE.
UM, AGAIN, THIS IS NOT BEING CRITICAL, BUT THIS IS JUST US CARRYING OUT OUR RESPONSIBILITIES.
SO, A COUPLE OF THINGS I WANNA POINT OUT.
ONE, THE ACTUAL LANGUAGE WITHIN THE SPONSORSHIP AGREEMENT IS THE SAME LANGUAGE THAT WE'VE HAD IN PREVIOUS YEARS, BUT I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HIGHLIGHT HOW STRONG OF A PARTNERSHIP WE HAVE WITH THE TOURNAMENT.
JUST AS AN EXAMPLE, LAST YEAR, I KNOW MARK REACHED OUT TO STEVE AND WANTED TO SET UP AN OPPORTUNITY FOR STAFF TO COME IN AND HAVE A STAFF DAY AT THE TOURNAMENT, WHICH WE'D NEVER DONE BEFORE.
AND IT WAS GLADLY RECEIVED AND ACCOMMODATED WITHOUT A REQUEST FOR AN INCREASE IN ANY KIND OF FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION.
AND THAT'S JUST AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT IT IS THAT WE HAVE IN TERMS OF A PARTNERSHIP.
SO IF WE NEED SOMETHING, WE CAN IDENTIFY SOMETHING.
I'M CONFIDENT THEY'RE WILLING TO WORK WITH US.
BUT IN TERMS OF THE BONES OF THE SPONSORSHIP AGREEMENT, WHEN IT TALKS ABOUT WHERE WE'RE LISTED IN TERMS OF THE LETTERHEAD AND THE LOGOS AND ALL OF THAT, ALL OF THAT HAS BEEN PRETTY MUCH THE SAME FOR, FOR SOME TIME NOW.
BUT THE FEE IS GOING UP ENORMOUSLY.
AND SO ABSOLUTELY WE HAVE TO JUSTIFY THAT.
AND, AND TO THAT EXTENT, IF WE CAN DEVELOP WHAT THOSE ADDITIONAL REQUESTS ARE, I'M SURE WE'LL BE HAPPY TO WORK WITH THEM IN, IN PUTTING THOSE IN PLACE FOR THIS UPCOMING TOURNAMENT.
MAY MAYBE ANDREW DAVIS CAN HELP US WITH SOME IDEAS ABOUT HOW TO DO MORE PROMOTION OF THE TOWN.
IF IT CAN'T BE DONE ON TELEVISION, IT CAN BE DONE ON THE GROUNDS.
HE, HE'S ALREADY STARTED TALKING ABOUT THAT.
WE'RE A LITTLE BIT FAR OUT FROM KIND OF TALKING SPECIFICS, BUT WE'VE CONNECTED WITH ANDREW AND WE'VE CONNECTED WITH STEVE AND THERE'S ALREADY KIND OF, UH, SOME COMMUNICATIONS GOING BACK AND FORTH ABOUT HOW WE CAN GET ADDITIONAL MATERIALS OUT THERE FOR THIS YEAR.
THERE'S A LOT OF FLEXIBILITY ON THE GROUNDS.
ALRIGHT, I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS.
ONE WAS, UH, CAME FROM THE PUBLIC.
IS IT ONCE A DAY OR ONCE, UH, DURING THE TOURNAMENT THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE? THAT'S THE AD ON THE, UH, VIDEO BOARDS.
I JUST WANTED THE ANSWER TO BE PUBLICLY UNDERSTOOD.
AND SECONDLY, UM, WE HAVE A CONSTANT CONVERSATION WITH THE DMO, UM, DESIGNATED MARKETING ORGANIZATION OF THE TOWN, ALWAYS ASKING THE QUESTION, ARE WE MARKETING WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT TO THE TOWN? WHAT MAKES THE COMMUNITY MOST UNIQUE? MY QUESTION IS, WHO CREATES THE VIDEO THAT THE TOWN PREPARES? I ASSUME IT COMES FROM THE TOWN.
WE, WE DO WE PRODUCE THAT? YEAH.
UM, IS ANY OF THE MONEY THAT IN, IN THE INCREASE GOING TO THE PURSE? MONEY'S FUNGIBLE, BUT NOT REALLY.
THE RBC BOEING COVERED THE PURSE, THEIR SPONSORSHIP'S GREATER THAN THE PURSE.
SO THE INCREASE THAT THAT OF THE, OF OUR, UM, REQUEST THIS YEAR IS GOING TO OPERATIONS, INCREASES IN OPERATIONS, YEAH.
I MEAN, OUR OPERATIONS HAVE INFL JUST WITH INFLATION HAS INCREASED A LOT.
BUT JUST UPGRADING THE, THE TOURNAMENT, LIKE I SAID, OUR
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SKYBOX CONTRACT WENT FROM A MILLION TO 2 MILLION.I THINK OUR CHALLENGE AS COUNCIL MEMBERS IS, UM, TRYING TO, TRYING TO ATTACH SOME RATIONAL WAY OF JUSTIFYING THE INCREASE.
WHEREAS FOR ME, FROM MY PERSONAL STANDPOINT, THE VALUE OF THE SIGNATURE EVENT IS SO GREAT THAT I BELIEVE IT IS JUSTIFIED, UM, JUSTIFIES THE INCREASE.
THERE ARE MILLIONS MORE PEOPLE WATCHING LAST YEAR THAN THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE, REALLY.
WE'RE, WE'RE BUYING ADVERTISING.
UM, YOU'VE TOUCHED ON THE, THE SECOND QUESTION, WHICH WAS MESSAGING.
AND I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT WE'LL BE WORKING WITH MR. ANDREW DAVIS TO SORT OF WORK THROUGH THAT.
UM, NO, I, I'VE, UH, I'VE BEEN MORE THAN PLEASED WITH THE, THE EXPOSURE AND OUTCOME OF THIS, UH, NOW ELEVATED EVENT.
AND, UM, LAST YEAR, I CAN REMEMBER VERY DISTINCT DISTINCTLY AS I WAS WATCHING THE EVENT.
UM, THE COMMENTATORS TALKED A LOT ABOUT HILTON HEAD, AND THEY EVEN STARTED TO TOUCH ON THE CULTURE AND HISTORY OF HILTON HEAD, WHICH I WAS PLEASED TO SEE THAT, PARTICULARLY AS WE WORK ON PROJECTS LIKE MITCHELLVILLE AND BRINGING THAT TO FRUITION.
UM, SO, UM, I, I, UH, COMMEND YOU ALL FOR, FOR THAT POSITIVE INTERACTION.
UM, BUT I'M GONNA BE A LITTLE SPECIFIC AS FAR AS SOME OF THE THINGS I'VE ASKED THAT YOU CHEW ON AS WE DEVELOP THIS CONTRACT.
UM, THE TOWN HAS, UH, VERY RECENTLY STOOD UP A GULLAH GEECHEE HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, UM, WITH A KEEN FOCUS ON, UH, SORT OF STABILIZING THE HISTORIC GULLAH NEIGHBORHOODS ON HILTON HEAD.
UM, I, I LIKE TO SEE THAT THERE.
THERE'LL BE A, UM, A, A GROWING PARTNERSHIP THERE AS WELL.
AND I KNOW YOU HAVE A REALLY GOOD BOARD.
UM, THERE'S SOME DIVERSITY ON YOUR BOARD.
UM, SO, UM, THAT BEING A TOPIC OF DISCUSSION, UM, AS WE MOVE ALONG, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT.
UM, RBC, HERITAGE AND HERITAGE FOUNDATION HAVE SAID OUT LOUD THAT THEY BELIEVE IN US BEING A DIVERSE, INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY.
UM, AND I THINK WE CAN, WE CAN BEAR SOME FRUITS ON THAT.
AND AS THE CDC IS COMING ONLINE AND HAS A FOCUS ON, UH, SMALL BUSINESSES, OKAY.
TOWN RECENTLY HAS, UM, ADOPTED A LOCAL SMALL MINORITY DISADVANTAGED ENTERPRISE BUSINESS PROGRAM.
UM, SO A LOT OF THE, UH, EXPENSES THAT YOU ARE REFERRING TO THAT ARE GOING UP AND WE ALL UNDERSTAND THAT, UM, I THINK THERE, THERE CAN BE AN ATTEMPT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE DISTRIBUTING SOME OF THAT WORK HERE LOCALLY.
UM, AND IN PARTICULAR TO, TO MINORITY BUSINESSES.
AND IN SOME WAY FOR US TO MEASURE THAT OVER TIME, I THINK IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE IN THE AGREEMENT AS WELL.
UH, SO THOSE WERE MY, UH, OBSERVATIONS OF, OF, UM, OF THE REQUEST AND US PULLING TOGETHER WITH A NEW AGREEMENT.
UM, WE'RE HAPPY, WE'RE ALWAYS HAPPY TO TALK TO WHO, WHOMEVER.
UH, OUR PRIMARY CONTRACTS ARE, ARE BIG.
YOU KNOW, MOST OF OUR WORK ARE BIG ENTITIES THAT HANDLE BIG EVENTS, BLEACHERS, SKY BOXES, TRANSPORTATION, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE 40 PLUS BUSES.
UH, MOST OF THE, OUR VENDORS WHO ARE LOCAL ARE, A LOT OF 'EM ARE CIVIC CLUBS IN THE SENSE THAT ROTARY TON HIGH SCHOOL BOOSTERS, HILTON HEAD, HIGH SCHOOL BOOSTERS, UH, THE, THE NEP C UH, LIONS CLUB, ET CETERA, ET CETERA, THAT DO WORK WITH THE CONCESSIONS.
THEY, THEY DO IT AS VOLUNTEERS AND IN TURN, GET, GET A DONATION.
A LOT OF THE OTHER VENDORS WE HAVE, A LOT OF 'EM WILL DO TRADES, UH, GENERATORS.
THE COMPANY PROVIDES GENERATORS, TAKES A FAIRLY SIZABLE ALLOTMENT OF TICKETS AS A PARTIAL PAVEMENT OF ITS TRADES.
AND WE DON'T REALLY HIRE MANY, UH, BUSINESSES TO DO STUFF.
EVERYBODY AROUND US DOES, YOU KNOW, SEA PINES, UH, EVERYBODY IN ON THE ISLAND WHO'S SPRUCING UP FOR THE TOURNAMENT FOR SPRING, UH, YOU KNOW, CONTRACTORS, ET CETERA.
YOU KNOW, THEY'RE OBVIOUSLY HIRING, HIRING LOCAL.
WE JUST DON'T HAVE MANY OPPORTUNITIES TO LET, YOU KNOW, INDIVIDUAL
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CONTRACTS FOR, FOR SOMETHING THAT'S OUTSIDE OF WHAT WE ALREADY DO WITH, WITH VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATIONS AND CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS.UH, BUT FOR WHAT WE DO HAVE, WE'RE MORE THAN HAPPY TO TALK.
AND IF SIT DOWN CAN PROVIDE US, BUT WE'RE ALWAYS OPEN.
UH, IF THERE'S A WAY TO, I GUESS, ADVERTISE, UH, WHAT WE HAVE.
WE'RE OPEN TO DISCUSSIONS, I THINK, BUT THERE'S NOT, THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT.
I THINK THE, UH, THE PROGRAM THAT THE TOWN HAS ADOPTED, WE HAVE GIVEN, GIVEN SOME OF THE ONUS ON TO THE CONTRACTORS SO THAT WHEN THEY SUBCONTRACT, THEY ARE LOOKING AS WELL.
THERE'S A GOOD TEMPLATE THERE THAT I THINK YOU COULD, UM, COME UP WITH SOME GOOD IDEAS.
ONE MORE QUESTION, MR. FRASER.
I UNDERSTAND YOUR POINT ABOUT WHAT CBS CAN DO WITHOUT HAVING PAID ADVERTISING, UH, BUT YOU ALSO INDICATED THAT THE ANNOUNCERS MAKE COMMENTS ON THEIR OWN.
UH, IS IT POSSIBLE FOR US THROUGH ANDREW DAVIS OR OTHERWISE TO PROVIDE INFORMATION OR FACTS OR SO FORTH? WE, WE, WE DO THAT.
AND SO YES, IF YOU PROVIDE, WE GIVE 'EM A WHOLE PACKET OF STUFF AND THEY PICK AND CHOOSE.
UH, MITCHELLVILLE, UH, LAST YEAR WAS ONE.
UM, AND THAT WAS ALSO THE EMPHASIS FOR RBC, WHICH HELPED.
SO THAT WAS, YOU PROVIDE, AND PERHAPS THE TOWN WORKS WITH YOU OR COULD ASSIST IN PROVIDING A PACKET OF INFORMATION ABOUT THINGS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO, YOU COULD PROVIDE US A PACKET OF INFORMATION THAT WE CAN INCORPORATE IN WHAT WE DO.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR RECEPTIVENESS TO OUR COMMENTS HERE, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU MOVING FORWARD TO MAKE THIS THE BEST ONE EVER.
AND AGAIN, WE APPRECIATE ALL THE SUPPORT THE TOWN'S GIVEN US.
WE HAVE GREAT PARTNERSHIPS WITH, WITH EVERYBODY, YOU KNOW, FROM THE TOWN TO THE STATE, TO THE COUNTY, TO SEA PINES, TO EVERYBODY ELSE.
SO WE, WE WANT TO KEEP, WE WANT TO KEEP OUR RELATIONSHIP IN, IN, UH, GOOD ORDER.
WE WILL, UH, WE'LL OPEN THIS ITEM UP TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
UM, MR. GRUBER, IF YOU DON'T MIND, IF YOU CAN JUST HELP US CAPTURE SOME OF THE PUBLIC COMMENTS, THERE'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO DISCUSS FURTHER ALONG THE WAY.
JOSH GRUBER FOUND GUILTY OF THREE ETHICS VIOLATIONS, IS NOW TRYING TO ROB AND ILLEGALLY USE MORE TAX MONEY.
THIS LAWYER SHOULD HAVE BEEN FIRED ALONG WITH OTHER TOWN EMPLOYEES WHO CONTROLLED THIS ENTIRE COUNCIL LIKE PUPPETS.
FULL POWER MAYOR, NOT A PART-TIME MAYOR WHO LIES IN FULL POWER MANAGER AND LAWYERS QUALITY LEGAL ACTS.
IT'S WORTHY, IT'S HEARTFELT, BUT UNFORTUNATELY THE FACT IS IT'S ILLEGAL TO SPONSOR THE, THE HERITAGE OR ANY OTHER TOURNAMENTS.
THE THE THE TOWN TRIED TO MAKE US BELIEVE TOWN FUNDS SHOULD BE USED FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING WAS LEGAL.
THESE TOWN CRIMINALS ISSUED 600,000 TO PRIVATE SEA PINES FOR DREDGING OF TOWN WHO IS NOW BEING SUED.
COUNCIL VOTES TO HAVE MILLIONS TO THE NONPROFIT CHAMBER TO BE OUR EMO USING MILLIONS FOR PRIVATE PURPOSE AND PROFIT.
SO TAX THIEF BILL MILES CAN USE THESE TAX FUNDS TO GENERATE HIS 500 PLUS SALARY.
AND GOD ONLY KNOWS WHAT ELSE TOWN CROOKS WANT US TO BELIEVE.
PRIVATE CHAMBER SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP, UNDERGROUND SECRET, UH, GREATER ISLAND COUNCIL SHOULD HAVE MORE ROLES AND POWER IN OUR GOVERNMENT FOLKS.
GOVERNMENT IS FOR THE PEOPLE BY THE PEOPLE, NOT RUN AGAINST THE PEOPLE TO RUN THEM BLIND.
AND SECRET TOWN IS GOING TO ILLEGALLY NON-TRANSPARENT APPARENTLY, AND, AND NO ACCOUNTING ON WHERE AND HOW MILLIONS OF OUR TAX FUNDS ARE USED AND DISAPPEARED AND UNACCOUNTED FOR.
IT'S ILLEGAL TO USE TAX FUNDS FOR THE PRIVATE PURPOSE.
IT DOES NOT BENEFIT THE ENTIRE PUBLIC GOOD REASON AND USE UNDER STATE LAW.
THIS WAS A SUPREME COURT RULING BY A FRIEND OF MINE SPONSORSHIPS, DREDGING OF SEA PINES TAX FUNDING CHAMBERS, WORKFORCE HOUSING.
THIS IS ALL PRIVATE ENTERPRISE.
YOU'LL MUST GET THAT THROUGH YOUR HEAD.
WE MUST STOP ALL THIS ILLEGAL FUNDING WOULD, WOULD TAX MONIES AND ANY ATTEMPTS TO DO SO.
80% OF THIS ISLAND LAND MASS IS MADE UP OF MASTER LAND PLAN.
GATED AND NON-G GATED COMMUNITIES INTO PERPETUITY.
20% OF THIS ISLAND IS RUN BY THIS TOWN.
HELTER SKELTER, NO MASTER LAND PLANS.
A DENNISON, DYSFUNCTIONAL BUREAUCRATIC GOVERNMENT THAT'S WRONG AS ONE OVERCHARGED LEGAL FEES BY CROOKED LAWYERS REPORTED IN THE ISLAND PACKET.
WE HAVE NO CHARLES FRAZIER VISION OVERDEVELOPMENT INSANE TRAFFIC, INCREASED ENVIRONMENTAL DESTRUCTION.
[00:30:01]
AFFECTED BY THE, UH, AFFECTING THE LIVES OF 45 RESIDENTS WOULD RUN ROAD AND INFRASTRUCTURE NOT DESIGNED TO HANDLE ALL THIS.WE HAVE ZERO TRANSPARENCY, NO FORENSIC AUDITS ON THE MILLIONS OF TAX FUNDS UNACCOUNTED FOR AND AGAIN, DISAPPEARED INTO THIN AIR.
THIS TOWN IS RUN LIKE A, LIKE A CRIMINAL ENTERPRISE.
IMAGINE THE POPULATION OF THE ENTIRE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA IS 6 MILLION PEOPLE.
WE GET 3 MILLION TOURISTS, HALF THE POPULATION OF THE ENTIRE STATE COMING OFF I 95 ON ONE ROAD TO HILTON HEAD.
WHAT DOES THAT TELL YOU? ANYONE ELSE FROM THE PUBLIC WANNA SPEAK ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM? THANK YOU, UH, MR. GRUBER.
WE WILL CIRCLE BACK ON THIS ITEM.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO A DISCUSSION ON ACT 57, 20 23 SOUTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY LEGISLATION SESSION DEVELOPMENT OF WORKFORCE HOUSING.
AND MR. GRUBER, YOU ADD TO SENT TO US.
SO THIS ITEM WAS DISCUSSED AT THE, UH, LAST, UH, F AND A MEETING AS WELL.
AND AS IT INDICATED, UH, DURING MY, UM, DISCUSSION AT THAT POINT IN TIME, WE HAD JUST RECENTLY RECEIVED THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OPINION BACK THE DAY BEFORE THAT MEETING.
AND SO WE REALLY HADN'T HAD A CHANCE TO GO THROUGH IT YET, BUT WE INDICATED THAT WE COME BACK TODAY AND PICK UP AT THAT POINT AND KIND OF CARRY THIS DISCUSSION FORWARD.
AND SO WANNA START AT THAT TIME? AND IF YOU'LL RECALL, WE ASKED SEVERAL DISTINCT QUESTIONS TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE, AND IN THE STAFF MEMO THAT'S IN THE MATERIALS TODAY, I'VE INCLUDED, UM, A DESCRIPTION OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WE ASKED AND THEN THE RESPONSES THAT WE RECEIVED.
AND SO THE FIRST QUESTION THAT WE ACT IS, DOES ACT 57 OF 2023 AUTHORIZE THE DEDICATION OF 15% OF THE ENTIRE STATE ACCOMMODATIONS, TAXES THAT ARE RECEIVED IN ANY ONE REPORTING YEAR? OR IS IT AN AUTHORIZATION OF 15% OF THE 65% OF FUNDS THAT ARE LEFT AFTER YOU SUBTRACT OUT THE, UH, IF YOU GO DOWN THE LIST OF WHAT GOES TO WHAT DIFFERENT FUND, THE REMAINING PORTION THAT'S ALLOCATED FOR TOURISM RELATED EXPENDITURES IS THE 65%.
SO THAT WAS THE FIRST QUESTION.
HOW DO YOU DO THE MATH? AND BASICALLY WHAT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE HAS SAID IS THAT WHILE AN INTERPRETATION BASED UPON THE LANGUAGE THAT WAS IN THE ACT THAT WAS ADOPTED COULD PROVIDE FOR THAT, IT WAS INTENDED TO BE A 15% OF THE 65% FUNDS IN THEIR OPINION THAT A BETTER INTERPRETATION IS LOOKING AT THE LANGUAGE AS A BIGGER PICTURE.
AND THAT BASED UPON WHAT WAS INCORPORATED INTO THE ACT, IT WOULD BE INTERPRETED TO BE 15% OF THE ENTIRE STATE AT TAX COLLECTION FOR ANY GIVEN REPORTABLE YEAR.
SO IN TERMS OF HOW WE GO ABOUT KNOWING WHAT THE CAP IS THE MOST THAT COULD BE EXPENDED IN ANY GIVEN YEAR, THAT'S THE GUIDANCE THAT WE'LL USE GOING FORWARD IN TERMS OF HOW WE MAKE THAT CALCULATION.
UNLESS, AND UNTIL, AND THIS IS A CAVEAT THAT COMES WITH EVERY ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OPINION REQUEST, WHICH IS THEY'RE PROVIDING YOU THEIR THOUGHTS ON WHAT A COURT IS MOST LIKELY TO DO, BUT THEY CAN NEVER GUARANTEE THAT IS IN FACT HOW A COURT WOULD INTERPRET SOMETHING.
AND SO, UNLESS AND UNTIL THERE'S A COURT CASE THAT PROVIDES GUIDANCE ON THE MATTER, THIS IS WHAT WE WILL FOLLOW.
THE SECOND QUESTION WAS ASKING, MAY A LOCAL GOVERNMENT ALLOCATE ALL OR ANY PART OF THE FUNDS DESCRIBED, UH, IN ITEM FOUR B NINE, WHICH WAS THE TOURISM RELATED EXPENDITURES TO A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION TO BE USED TO DEVELOP WORKFORCE HOUSING SO LONG AS THE NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION COMPLIES WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STATUTE? AND THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION WAS YES, THAT IS A PERMISSIBLE EXPENDITURE OF THOSE FUNDS IDENTIFIED IN ITEM FOUR B NINE, UM, THAT COULD BE UTILIZED AS A TOURISM RELATED EXPENDITURE.
UM, THEY BELIEVE THAT SUCH, UM, FUNDS CAN LAWFULLY BE ALLOCATED TO A NON-PROFIT, NON-SECTARIAN ORGANIZATION.
SO LONG AS THE ALLOCATION COMPLIES WITH THE FOUR-PART TEST EXPRESSED IN, UH, IT SAYS THE NICHOLS CASE, BUT THAT WAS A SUPREME COURT, SOUTH CAROLINA SUPREME COURT CASE THAT IDENTIFIED HOW TO GO ABOUT INTERPRETING WHETHER OR NOT AN EXPENDITURE OF PUBLIC FUNDS IS A PUBLIC PURPOSE.
AND SO, IF YOU'LL RECALL WHEN TOWN COUNCIL ADOPTED ITS AFFILIATED AGENCY PROGRAM, WE HAD A DISCUSSION ABOUT AT THAT TIME WHAT THOSE FOUR ELEMENTS CONSISTED OF, BECAUSE IT APPLIES TO EVERY EXPENDITURE OF PUBLIC FUNDS.
AND SO WHAT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE IS SAYING HERE IS THAT YES, AS LONG AS IT IS ULTIMATELY A PUBLIC PURPOSE THAT YOU ARE EXPENDING THOSE FUNDS FOR, THEN IT IS PERMISSIBLE TO GIVE THOSE FUNDS TO A NON-PROFIT ENTITY
[00:35:01]
TO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES.AND THEN NEXT WE ASK IF THE ANSWER WOULD CHANGE IF THOSE FUNDS WERE PROVIDED TO A FOR-PROFIT COMPANY.
AND ULTIMATELY THE RESPONSE FROM THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE WAS THAT THE CHANGE IN THE TAXABLE STATUS OF THE ENTITY DID NOT CHANGE THE INTERPRETATION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THE PAYMENT TO THAT FIRM WOULD BE PERMISSIBLE.
AGAIN, SO LONG AS THE FUNDS ARE COMING UNDER THAT, UM, UH, IDENTIFIED PROVISION, AND IT IS BEING USED FOR A PUBLIC PURPOSE AS LAID OUT IN THE NICHOLS CASE, IT WOULD BE PERMISSIBLE TO PROVIDE THOSE, THOSE PUBLIC FUNDS TO A, FOR-PROFIT ENTITY TO PROVIDE WORKFORCE HOUSING.
LASTLY, IF THE GOVERNMENT IDENTIFIES A LACK OF WORKFORCE HOUSING AS AN IMPEDIMENT TO ECONOMIC GROWTH, HEALTH, AND WELLBEING OF ITS COMMUNITY, WHICH THAT LANGUAGE SHOULD SOUND FAMILIAR BECAUSE IT'S IN OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, UH, WOULD MAKING A DONATION OR GRANT FROM THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT'S GENERAL FUND TO A NONPROFIT ENTITY THAT DEVELOPS AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR WORKFORCE MEET THE PUBLIC PURPOSE REQUIREMENTS SET FORTH IN TWO PROVISIONS WITHIN THE STATE CONSTITUTION? AND ULTIMATELY, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE SAID, YES, AS LONG AS THE EXPENDITURES OF THOSE FUNDS ARE FOR PRIMARILY PUBLIC PURPOSES, THEN THAT IS AN AUTHORIZED EXPENDITURE OF GENERAL FUNDS.
SO WE FIRST STARTED TALKING ABOUT ACCOMMODATIONS, TAXES, NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT JUST GENERAL FUNDS, UM, AT LARGE.
AND BASED UPON THE OPINION HERE, AS LONG AS IT MEETS THOSE ELEMENTS FOR ANY PUBLIC EXPENDITURE FUNDS, IT WOULD BE A PERMISSIBLE EXPENDITURE.
SO, UH, BEFORE I GO ON, UH, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OPINION OR THE RESPONSES THAT CAME BACK OH, WITH YOU THIS TIME? THANK YOU.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S FAIR, JOSH, BUT CAN YOU SUMMARIZE FOR US THAT FOUR OH WAY TEST FROM THE NICHOLS CASE? UH, OFF, REFRESH US FROM MY MEMORY.
I CAN GENERALLY TELL YOU, I I DON'T KNOW THAT I CAN TELL YOU ARTICULATE EACH OF THE FOUR ELEMENTS, BUT WHAT IT REQUIRES IS THAT IT ONE, BE DONE PREDOMINANTLY FOR A PUBLIC PURPOSE AND NOT FOR PRIVATE BENEFIT.
UM, AND SO A GREAT EXAMPLE OF THAT IS WHEN WE PROVIDE FUNDING TO THE COASTAL DISCOVERY MUSEUM, THAT IS A PRIVATE NONPROFIT ENTITY, BUT THEY ARE OPERATING A TOWN OWNED PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT IS OPEN FOR PUBLIC USE AND ACCESS.
AND SO OUR FUNDING THAT WE'RE PROVIDING TO THEM IS ESSENTIALLY THE SAME AS HIRING SOMEBODY TO PROVIDE A SERVICE THAT WE MIGHT OTHERWISE BE PROVIDING OURSELVES AS A PUBLIC SERVICE.
AND SO JUST BECAUSE WE'RE CONTRACTING WITH AN ENTITY DOESN'T DEFEAT THE NATURE OF PROVIDING THE PUBLIC SERVICE.
SO THAT'S REALLY, IT'S WHAT THAT IS, IS WHAT IS, IS WHAT IS AT THE HEART OF THAT ANALYSIS.
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE FUNDS? WHO'S BENEFITING FROM THOSE FUNDS? AND IS IT FURTHERING A GOVERNMENTAL OBJECTIVE? OKAY.
UM, I TRYING TO MAKE SOME NOTES ABOUT WHAT YOU JUST SAID.
WE HAVE, UH, AT LEAST ONE APPLICANT BEFORE US NOW THAT IS ASKING FOR FUNDS.
ONE OF THE CONCERNS I HAVE IS HOW DO WE PICK AND CHOOSE BETWEEN DIFFERENT APPLICANTS OR HOW DO WE SAY WE GAVE IT TO THE FIRST APPLICANT? WE DON'T HAVE ANY MORE MONEY.
THAT'S GONNA BE A PROBLEM FOR THOSE OF US UP HERE AS DISTINGUISHED FROM THE ROLE THAT YOU'RE SERVING WITH US NOW.
BUT THAT IS A REAL CONCERN OF MINE ABOUT ALLOCATIONS OF THIS.
WE DON'T HAVE A PROCESS IN PLACE TO QUALIFY JUSTIFY RANK APPLICANTS.
SO SHOULD WE CONSIDER CREATING SUCH A PROCESS SIMILAR TO WHAT WE DO WITH A TAX ALLOCATIONS IN AND OF THEMSELVES? MM-HMM.
ONE HAS BEEN, UH, AROUND AND HAS, HAS MENTIONED IT, BUT I DON'T THINK WE'VE GOT ANY POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS.
I SUPPORT THE IDEA OF USING A PORTION OF THE AT TAX FUNDS TO FURTHER OUR NEEDS FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING.
SO I THINK WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO GO FORWARD WITH THIS.
AND WE'RE WRITING NEW PRECEDENT FOR THE REST OF THE STATE HERE BECAUSE WE'RE THE ONLY ONES THAT ARE REALLY DOING THIS RIGHT NOW.
SO WE'RE GONNA BE CREATING SOME INTERESTING ISSUES MOVING FORWARD.
BUT I THINK I UNDERSTAND THE PURPOSE.
I THINK THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OPINION HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL.
UH, IT IS, APPEARS TO BE WELL THOUGHT OUT AND I'VE READ IT THROUGH, UH, AND IT DOES APPEAR TO BE, TO VALIDATE WHAT IT IS WE WANT TO DO.
SO THE IDEA OF CREATING A PROCESS MAY BE WORTHY OF MORE
[00:40:01]
CONSIDERATION.LET ME RESPOND TO THAT JUST BRIEFLY.
'CAUSE I THINK I HAVE SOMETHING THAT MAY HELP KIND OF ANSWER SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS.
AND YOU'RE RIGHT, WHEN IT COMES TO POLICY DECISIONS AND WHO, WHO GETS FUNDED AND WHO DOESN'T, THAT THAT'S GONNA FALL ON Y'ALL'S FEET.
BUT IN TERMS OF PROCESS, I THINK WE CAN HELP WITH THAT.
AND, AND MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE THIS.
YOU'VE GOT SOME IMMEDIATE REQUESTS THAT ARE BEFORE YOU NOW THAT WE WOULD PROBABLY LOOK AT AS AN OUT OF CYCLE FUNDING REQUEST, WHICH CAN BE DONE, BUT IT TYPICALLY IS NOT THE NORM, RIGHT? IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU TAKE UP WHEN IT'S NECESSARY BECAUSE OF THE TIMING COMPONENT OF IT.
BUT OTHERWISE GOING FORWARD, YOUR AFFILIATED AGENCY PROCESS IS SET UP IN A MANNER THAT WOULD HELP FACILITATE THIS.
I KNOW FOR CERTAIN THAT THE APPLICATION MATERIALS HAVE BEEN STRUCTURED TO COMPLY WITH THE NICHOLS TEST.
SO THE QUESTIONS THAT WE HAVE IN THERE AND THE INFORMATION THAT WE'RE SOLICITING HELPS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE VALIDATING THAT IF WE DO FUND IT, IT IS A VALID PUBLIC PURPOSE.
AND THEN WHEN IT COMES TO THE QUESTION OF KNOWING WHO YOU'RE GOING TO FUND AND WHO YOU'RE NOT GONNA FUND, YOU CAN'T ANSWER THAT UNTIL YOU KNOW THE TOTALITY OF THE REQUEST THAT YOU'RE GONNA RECEIVE.
BECAUSE IF IT KEEPS TRICKLING IN, THEN THAT NUMBER KEEPS CHANGING.
AND HOW YOU EVALUATE ONE TO THE OTHER IS GONNA KEEP CHANGING, YOU KNOW, ALL THE TIME AS WELL.
SO I WOULD SAY YOU'VE GOT TWO THAT YOU PROBABLY WANNA LOOK AT MAYBE TAKING UP MORE IMMEDIATELY BASED UPON AN OUT OF CYCLE FUNDING REQUEST AND FUTURE ONES, BECAUSE THE, THE TIMING COMPONENT IS NOT AS GREAT WITH THEM, COULD BE TAKEN UP ON AN ANNUAL BASIS THROUGH THE AFFILIATED AGENCY PROCESS.
AND I ALSO BRING THAT UP BECAUSE IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF TALK ABOUT WHAT I'M GONNA TRANSITION TO NEXT IN TERMS OF DISCUSSION, WHICH IS THE VERY LAST SENTENCE IN THIS ATTORNEY GENERAL OPINION THAT I'VE COPIED IN HERE SAYS, UM, AS THEY EXPLAINED IN A PREVIOUS OPINION, THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT MUST MAINTAIN SOME CONTROL OVER THESE EXPENDITURES TO ENSURE THAT THE FUNDS ARE USED FOR THE PURPOSES FOR WHICH THEY'RE EXPENDED.
SO WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE, I BELIEVE, ON NEXT MONTH'S FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA IS A DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT THE MECHANISM WOULD BE FOR THE TOWN TO MAINTAIN, UH, SOME CONTROL OVER ANY EXPENDITURES THAT THE TOWN MIGHT PROVIDE TO THE IMMEDIATE REQUEST THAT ARE BEFORE YOU.
AND THAT'S GONNA TAKE THE FORM OF MEMORANDUMS OF UNDERSTANDING THAT ARE GONNA OUTLINE THE RE THE, THE RESPECTIVE RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES BETWEEN THOSE ENTITIES AND PROVIDE FOR THAT ONGOING, UM, OVERSIGHT OF THE FUNDS IF THEY'RE APPROPRIATED.
SO INCLUDING, UH, SUMMARIZING EXPENSES AND JUSTIFYING THOSE EXPENSES.
ALFORD, I THINK WE AND THE COUNCIL AT SOME POINT NOT TO DIS IN FUTURE NEED TO DEAL WITH A QUESTION OF THE IMPACT, UH, ON THE EXPENDITURE OF ATEX FUNDS FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING.
UH, AN OBJECTIVE WITH WHICH I FULLY AGREE ON THE OTHER CURRENT AND PERHAPS ADDITIONAL FUTURE APPLICANTS, ALL OF WHOM ARE NON-PROFIT ENTITIES THAT ARE ENGAGING IN ACTIVITIES THAT PROMOTE TOURISM.
THOSE ORGANIZATIONS ARE CONTRIBUTING A GREAT DEAL TO THE ISLAND AND THAT WE NEED TO WORK OUT A MECHANISM FOR HOW WE ARE GOING TO KEEP THEM FROM BEING DETRIMENTALLY IMPACTED BY THIS POINT.
MS. AMES, GOSH, YOU USED THE TERM AFFILIATED AGENCY IN REGARDS TO WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NOW, AND I'M SEEING REQUESTS MIGHT BE A ONE-TIME REQUEST AND NOT TRULY AN AFFILIATED AGENCY COMING ON A CONTINUOUS BASIS, A REQUEST.
SO IT MAY HAVE THE SAME QUESTIONS, BUT IT MAY BE CATEGORIZED AS A HOUSING AGENCY OR SOMETHING.
AND IN THAT INSTANCE, YOU KNOW, WE COULD TAKE IT UP ACTUALLY EITHER WAY BECAUSE IT'S ON AN ANNUAL FUNDING CYCLE.
SHOULD AN ENTITY REQUEST FUNDING, IT COULD BE PROCESSED THROUGH THE AFFILIATED AGENCY PROGRAM.
IF THEY'RE NOT REQUESTING FUNDING IN THAT PARTICULAR YEAR, THEN THEY JUST WOULDN'T SUBMIT AN APPLICATION EITHER WAY.
WE WOULD PUT A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH REGARDS TO ANY PARTICULAR FUNDING THAT WOULD BE PROVIDED SO THAT IF THERE ARE, UM, FINANCIAL REPORTING REQUIREMENTS, OVERSIGHT CONDITIONS, THINGS LIKE THAT, THOSE ATTACHED TO THOSE FUNDS, BUT WOULDN'T NECESSARILY DICTATE THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO COME BACK IN FUTURE YEARS UNLESS THAT WAS PART OF THEIR BROADER PROGRAM.
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES TO HAVING THEM BE A PART OF THE PROCESS THAT'S TALK ABOUT THAT LATER.
THOSE ARE THE ONLY QUESTIONS I HAVE UP TO THIS POINT.
DID YOU HAVE MORE ON YOUR PRESENTATION? I DO.
SO I WANTED TO, SO NOW THAT WE'VE COVERED WHAT THE AG, UH, OPINION STATED, AND I HIGHLIGHTED THE FACT THAT WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT, UM, MOUS AT THE NEXT MEETING.
WANTED TO REMIND YOU OF SOME INFORMATION WITH REGARDS
[00:45:01]
TO THE PROCEDURAL STEPS THAT WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA BE LOOKING AT, GOING THROUGH WITH REGARDS TO EXPENDING A TAX FUNDS FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING PURPOSES, AND THEN ALSO TALK ABOUT, UM, THE FUNDING AVAILABILITY THAT IS WITHIN OUR CURRENT FINANCIALS FOR THAT PARTICULAR PURPOSE.AND SO I'M GONNA GO BACK TO THE, UM, THE PREVIOUS PRESENTATION AND JUST KIND OF RESTATE WHAT THAT PROCESS LOOKS LIKE.
SO THE FIRST STEP BEFORE WE CAN, WE CAN MOVE FURTHER ON WITH REGARDS TO UTILIZING STATE ACCOMMODATIONS TAXES, IS WE HAVE TO COMPLETE A HOUSING IMPACT ANALYSIS.
AND AS I REPORTED AT THE LAST MEETING, WE'D RECEIVED THE FIRST DRAFT FROM THE CONTRACTOR WHO WE, WHO WE'D HIRED TO PREPARE THAT DOCUMENT.
STAFF HAS NOW HAD A CHANCE TO GO THROUGH IT.
WE'VE PROVIDED COMMENTS, UH, THEY'VE WENT AHEAD AND THEY'VE MADE CHANGES AND ALTERATIONS BASED UPON THOSE COMMENTS.
AND WE NOW HAVE V TWO, WHICH WE BELIEVE TO BE A, A DOCUMENT THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH.
AND SO I BELIEVE AT THE HOUSING, UM, IS IT THE HOUSING IMPACT COMMITTEE? I CAN'T REMEMBER THE NAME OF IT.
AT THE HOUSING ACTION COMMITTEE.
WE ARE GOING TO PRESENT THAT DOCUMENT AND TALK ABOUT ITS CONTENTS.
AND THEN FOLLOWING THAT MEETING, WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS WE HAVE TO DISTRIBUTE THAT DOCUMENT TO A NUMBER OF REQUIRED ENTITIES THAT ARE LISTED IN THE ACT.
SO THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE, THE TOURISM EXPENDITURE REVIEW COMMITTEE, UM, OUR LOCAL PLANNING COMMISSION, ALL OF THOSE ENTITIES WILL RECEIVE A FORMAL COPY OF THAT DOCUMENT ONCE WE REACH THAT POINT OF FINALIZING IT AND DISTRIBUTING IT PUBLICLY.
THE NEXT STEP THEN BEGINS WITH INCORPORATING OR RATIFYING OR ADOPTING, UM, THAT PLAN INTO THE TOWN'S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
UH, AND AS ANY CHANGE TO THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN REQUIRES IS IT HAS TO START WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION, THERE'S A PUBLIC HEARING, THEN IT GOES FROM PLANNING COMMISSION TO THE PUBLIC PLANNING COMMITTEE AND FROM PUBLIC PLANNING COMMITTEE TO TOWN COUNCIL.
NOW, TO SOME EXTENT, THAT COULD BE THE TRUNCATED, BUT OTHERWISE THERE ARE STATUTORY STEPS THAT WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH IN ORDER TO UPDATE A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
AND WE WOULD GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
WE WOULD THEN HAVE TO LOOK AT ADOPTING A, A BUDGET AMENDMENT, THOUGH THE FUNDS THAT I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT HERE IN A SECOND ARE AVAILABLE, BUT THEY'VE NOT BEEN ALLOCATED IN ANY WAY.
SO SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU DO WHEN WE PURCHASE LAND, WE COME BACK WITH A MID-YEAR BUDGET ADJUSTMENT.
WE IDENTIFY THE SOURCE OF FUNDS TO THEN CORRESPOND WITH THE PURCHASE OF LAND.
WE WOULD IDENTIFY THE SOURCE OF FUNDS THAT ARE GONNA BE APPROPRIATED TO WHAT ENTITY AND TO WHAT, WHERE THEY'RE GONNA COME FROM THROUGH A BUDGET AMENDMENT.
SOME OF THESE THINGS CAN BE DONE, I THINK, CON CONTEMPORANEOUSLY SO THAT WE CAN TRY TO, UH, SHORTEN THE PROCEDURAL STEPS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
BUT WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS, UNLESS THERE'S QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS, WHEN WE COME BACK TO YOU NEXT MONTH TO TALK ABOUT THE DRAFT MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING, WE WILL TAKE THIS AND WE'LL PUT ACTUAL DATES WITH THIS SO THAT WE CAN SHOW YOU WHAT THAT CRITICAL PATH GOING FORWARD WILL LOOK LIKE.
UM, THIS EFFORT INCLUDES A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT ENTITIES, A NUMBER OF STAFF MEMBERS.
IT'S, IT'S BEEN A FAIRLY SIGNIFICANT LIFT FOR US TO PULL TOGETHER, AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE DO NOT MISS A STEP ALONG THE WAY BECAUSE THIS IS THE FIRST TIME OUT THE GATE AND WE WANT TO GET IT RIGHT.
UM, SO JUST KNOW THAT THIS IS, WE'RE FOCUSING A LOT OF TIME AND ATTENTION AND DOING THIS RIGHT.
AND WE CAN PROVIDE YOU WITH A, HOPEFULLY A VERY CONCRETE PLAN ABOUT WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE AT YOUR NEXT MEETING.
JUST SO I'M CLEAR, UM, ON ITEM NUMBER TWO, THIS HOUSING IMPACT ANALYSIS, ONCE THE HOUSING ACTION COMMITTEE SEES THAT, WE WILL THEN DISTRIBUTE TO THE AGENCIES THAT NEED TO SEE IT.
IT DOES NOT NEED TO COME TO COUNCIL BEFORE THAT.
IT WILL BE PART OF THE ENTIRE PACKAGE THAT YOU WILL BE BRINGING FORTH TO US.
SO WANNA PRESS YOU A LITTLE BIT? MM-HMM.
YOU'RE, YOU'RE GONNA COME BACK A DETAILED TIMEFRAME, BUT ARE WE TALKING THREE MONTHS? ARE WE TALKING SIX MONTHS? WHAT'S, WHAT'S A REASONABLE
AND THEN THERE HAS TO BE A CERTAIN NUMBER OF DAYS THAT TAKE PLACE BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND READING.
AND SO WE WANNA TAKE THOSE THINGS, WE WANNA LOOK AT THE CALENDAR AND SEE WHAT CAN WE PUT IN PLACE THAT WILL COMPLY WITH EVERYTHING, BUT UNDERSTANDING THAT WE WANT TO GET THIS DONE SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.
UM, SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT DIRECTLY ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION, BUT I CAN TELL YOU HOW WE WILL APPROACH JOHN.
TRAIL
HOW MUCH OF THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE TO COMPILE DO WE HAVE TODAY? UH, I THINK WE'RE VERY CLOSE TO HAVING A HUNDRED PERCENT OF IT DONE.
I KNOW THE V TWO OF THE HOUSING IMPACT ANALYSIS IS DONE, WE'RE GONNA PRESENT IT.
I, I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S GONNA BE A WHOLE LOT OF FEEDBACK OTHER THAN THEM OF ABSORBING THAT INFORMATION.
WE THEN HAVE TO PHYSICALLY MAIL OUT COPIES, UM, AND THEN HOLDING
[00:50:01]
THE MEETINGS.A LOT OF THAT'S JUST SCHEDULING AND GOING THROUGH THE MOTIONS.
BUT IN TERMS OF THE CONTENT, WE HAVE THAT PREPARED, WE HAVE THAT READY TO GO.
I WANNA GO BACK TO THE AFFILIATED AGENCY COMMENT THAT I MADE EARLIER.
I MENTIONED THAT THERE PROS AND CONS IS WHERE YOU PUT IT.
UM, 15%, THAT'S ABOUT A MILLION A YEAR ROUND NUMBERS.
THAT FIF THAT MILLION DOLLARS COULD SERIOUSLY IMPACT AGENCIES THAT WE HAVE BEEN SUPPORTING IN THE PAST.
SO I'M, I'M THINKING THAT WE OUGHT TO CONSIDER WHETHER SOME PORTION OF THAT 15% GOES TO THE KITTY SO THAT WE HAVE A CONSTANT MORE PREDICTABLE DISTRIBUTION.
AND, AND I THINK THAT THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING VERY WORTHWHILE IN PURSUING FROM THE STANDPOINT OF, IF COUNSEL ADOPTS A POLICY THAT SPEAKS TO HOW ACCOMMODATIONS TAXES ARE DISTRIBUTED, THEN WE KNOW THAT BASED UPON ANY ANNUAL COLLECTIONS, IF WE PUT THE MONEY IN THE RESPECTIVE BUDGETS, WE CAN TELL THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE, THIS IS HOW MUCH YOU'RE GONNA HAVE AVAILABLE TO DOLE OUT THIS YEAR.
THIS IS HOW MUCH WE'RE GONNA HAVE AVAILABLE FOR TOWN PURPOSES.
THIS IS HOW MUCH WE'RE GONNA HAVE FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING.
SO HAVING A, A POLICY THAT DIRECTS ALL THAT, CERTAINLY WOULD MAKE OUR JOBS EASIER.
MR. STANFORD, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR MR. COLTRANE.
WE HAD, UH, A SUMMARY EXPLANATION OF THE FOUR-WAY TEST FROM NICHOLS.
DO YOU THINK THAT GAVE US SATISFACTORY INFORMATION OR DID YOU WANT TO ADVISE US ON THAT FURTHER? MR. STANFORD, THE, THE SUMMARY IS ACTUALLY ABOUT AS GOOD AS WHAT THE SUPREME COURT ACTUALLY SAID.
UM, THE, THE, THE LANGUAGE FROM NICHOLS IS FAIRLY SQUISHY AND IT'S SHORT.
WHAT THE COURT, THE COURT DEFINED THE TEST AS THE COURT, MEANING WHOEVER HEARS IT SHOULD FIRST DETERMINE THE ULTIMATE GOAL OR BENEFIT TO THE PUBLIC INTENDED BY THE PROJECT.
SECOND, THE COURT SHOULD ANALYZE WHETHER PUBLIC OR PRIVATE PARTIES WILL BE THE PRIMARY BENEFICIARIES.
THIRD, THE SPECULATIVE NATURE OF THE PROJECT MUST BE CONSIDERED.
FOURTH, THE COURT MUST ANALYZE AND BALANCE THE PROBABILITY THAT THE PUBLIC INTEREST WILL BE ULTIMATELY SERVED.
AND TO WHAT DEGREE, I HAVE TO CONFESS, DESCRIBING THAT AS A TEST TO ME IS ODD.
BUT THOSE ARE THE FOUR CONSIDERATIONS THAT HAVE TO BE MADE WHEN A DECISION IS MADE AS TO WHETHER OR NOT TO ALLOCATE THE FUNDS.
I MEAN, AND I THINK THE WAY THAT FROM THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT'S PERSPECTIVE IT WILL GO IS, IS THAT MAKE THE FINDINGS BASED ON WHAT WE UNDERSTAND THE SITUATION TO BE, WHAT IT WILL DO, HOW THE PUBLIC WILL BENEFIT, WHETHER OR NOT IT'S SPECULATIVE.
I CAN'T REALLY SEE IT GETTING INTO IT IF THAT HAPPENS AT ALL.
BUT I MEAN, I THINK THAT'S HOW YOU DO IT.
SO, SO THE, THE, THE FOUR WAY TEST IN, IN, IN NICHOLS IS, IS NOT A SERIES OF BRIGHT LINE, UM, REQUIREMENTS THAT HAVE TO BE MET.
RATHER, IT IS A SERIES OF ANALYSES THAT THE GOVERNMENT MUST ENGAGE IN PRIOR TO MAKING THE, THAT'S HELPFUL, AS HELPFUL AS THE SUPREME COURT TRIED TO BE.
BUT I THINK HE CLARIFIED THINGS FOR ME AT LEAST, TO UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE PUBLIC BENEFIT ANALYSIS OF THAT.
AND WE NEED TO HAVE IN OUR APPLICATION FORMS, CLARIFICATIONS OF THOSE QUESTIONS, WHICH ARE ALREADY UNDERWAY.
SO I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE MOVING FORWARD, UH, TO SOLVE THIS.
OKAY, WE'RE GONNA TAKE QUESTIONS ONCE MR. GRU IS DONE WITH THIS PRESENTATION.
SO THIS IS THE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS YEAR'S LOCAL AND STATE ACCOMMODATIONS TAX AVAILABILITY.
AND I'M, I'M GONNA KIND OF DISPOSE WITH THE LOCAL, BECAUSE WE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THOSE FUNDS WERE ALLOCATED AS PART OF THE BUDGET PROCESS.
AND SO UNLESS COUNSEL WANTS TO REVISIT REDOING THE BUDGET, THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE OFF THE TABLE.
BUT WHEN WE FOCUS ON THE STATE ACCOMMODATIONS TAX AVAILABILITY, WE HAD $1.1 MILLION THAT CARRIED OVER FROM LAST YEAR, AND WE HAD ABOUT $13.3 MILLION IN COLLECTIONS THIS YEAR.
SO NOW THAT WE HAVE THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OPINION THAT SAYS IT'S BASED UPON 15% OF THE TOTAL COLLECTIONS, THIS NUMBER HERE AT THE BOTTOM WOULD NEED TO BE ADJUSTED UPWARDS TO BE ROUGHLY RIGHT AROUND $2 MILLION, UM, TO BE THE CAP BASED UPON $13.3 MILLION IN TOTAL COLLECTIONS.
SO THEN WHEN YOU, UH, SUBTRACT OUT THE DIFFERENT, UH, POTS
[00:55:01]
OF MONEY THAT THE AT TAXES GO TO THE GENERAL FUND, 5%, THEN THE 30% DMO, AND THEN WHAT'S LEFT, WE ALLOCATED, UM, A FULL FUNDING REQUEST OF 4,773,000 FOR THE, UM, ACCOMMODATIONS TAX ADVISORY COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS.AND AS, UH, THIS BODY'S AWARE THAT WAS PRESENTED TO TOWN COUNCIL AT ITS MEETING LAST WEEK AT SLIGHTLY LESS THAN THAT, ABOUT 4.5 MILLION OF THE 4.7 THAT WE HAD ALLOCATED.
UM, BUT WHAT THAT LEAVES IS A BALANCE OF ABOUT 3.5 MILLION.
AND IF YOU SUBTRACT FROM THAT ABOUT $2 MILLION THAT WE WERE ALLOCATING OR WERE GOING TO ALLOCATE TOWARDS LAND ACQUISITION PURCHASES, IT LEAVES US AN AVAILABLE BALANCE WITHIN THIS YEAR'S, UH, BUDGET OF ABOUT 1 MILLION TO ONE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING PURPOSES.
SHOULD THAT BE THE DESIRE OF COUNSEL.
THAT'S THE END OF MY MATERIAL.
SO I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY OTHER QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE.
ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FROM COUNSEL? I'M JUST GLAD TO KNOW WE DO HAVE SOME MONEY TO WORK WITH TO FUND OUR NEEDS FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING.
UM, SO I'M GONNA OPEN UP THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
IT, IT SOUNDS AS IF, UM, WHAT YOU'VE PRESENTED US AS FAR AS, AS THE TIMELINE IS CONCERNED, THE STEPS THAT NEED TO BE TAKEN, WE WILL BE ANXIOUSLY AWAITING AT NEXT MEETING, UM, THE MOUS THAT WE HAVE ON THE TABLE, AS WELL AS DATES, UM, AS, AS CLOSE TO REALISTIC DATES AS POSSIBLE FOR US, UH, TO REVIEW AND POTENTIALLY TAKE ACTION AT OUR NEXT MEETING.
ANY PUBLIC COMMENT, MR. HOLGAN? SO NOW LET ME GIVE YOU THE NON-LAWYER, LEGAL, FACTUAL, NON-CORRUPT OPINION.
THIS WILL RESULT IN A LAWSUIT.
IT'S JUST MORE JOSH GRUBER SHENANIGANS.
MY GOD, WHAT'S NEXT? ALAN WILSON IS WRONG.
AND IT'S NOT THE FIRST TIME HE HAS ATTEMPTED AND TRIED TO VIOLATE STATE LAWS.
AND I GOT FACTS ON THAT AS WELL.
AAX FUNDS IS ILLEGAL TO USE FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING.
READ THE AAX LAW END OF STORY, ALSO RULED BY THE SOUTH CAROLINA SUPREME COURT AND SOME OF MY LAWYERS.
IT'S AGAINST THE STATE CONSTITUTIONAL LAW TO USE ANY TAX FUNDS FOR ANY PRIVATE PURPOSE THAT DOES NOT BENEFIT THE PUBLIC GOOD REASON, PURPOSE, AND USE, IF ANY PORTION OF THE A TAX FUNDS ARE USED FOR PRIVATE PURPOSE AND WORSE FOR PROFIT, UH, AS AN EXAMPLE, THE CHAMBER OF SEA PINES DREDGING OR BUILDERS AND DEVELOPERS PROFITING A LAWSUIT WILL RESULT LIKE HAPPENED WITH THE DREDGING OF HARBORTOWN PLUS WORSE GRUBER IS NOW PROPOSING, AND THIS TOWN'S PROPOSING TO TAKE PART OF THIS WORKFORCE HOUSING OUT OF THE 65% THAT THE NOT THE LEGAL NONPROFITS HAVE BEEN DEPENDING ON AND HOW THEY, AND DAVID AMES BROUGHT THIS UP, BUT THEY DON'T WANT TO TOUCH IT.
THE 30% GOING THE CROOKED ILLEGAL CRIMINAL CHAMBER, THEY WANNA GO AFTER THE LEGAL NONPROFITS AND HURT THOSE PEOPLE.
WHY DON'T YOU JUST TAKE EVERYTHING FROM THE CHAMBER, EVERYTHING FROM THE DMO AND WE CAN JUST START FUNDING A LOT OF THINGS.
HELL, I I'M, I'M, I'M FORGIVEN.
RAISE YOUR, RAISE YOUR, YOUR PAY PACKAGE.
YOU, YOU, YOU DESERVE MORE MONEY TO LISTEN TO GUYS LIKE ME.
YOU SHOULD GET DOUBLE THE PAY FOR ME COMING UP HERE AND, AND SPEAKING TO YOU.
FOLLOW THE LAWS AND THE, THE MELINDA TENNER.
UM, IN MY OPINION, THERE'S A CONTRADICTORY ANSWER TO THE QUESTION OF THE 15% LIMIT.
UM, ALTHOUGH THIS STATE ATTORNEY, UH, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL SAYS IT SHOULD BE APPLIED TO THE ENTIRE STATE ATEX, HE ALSO SAYS A COURT WILL LIKELY FIND NOT COULD FIND, BUT WOULD LIKELY FIND THE LEGISLATOR INTENDED IT TO BE APPLIED TO THE 65%.
I RECOMMEND THAT THE TOWN BE CONSERVATIVE AND IMPLY THE CALCULATION TO THE 65%.
ANYONE ELSE? OKAY, SEEING NONE, WE WILL MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT MATTER OF BUSINESS.
MR. GRUBER, WE THANK YOU AND STAFF FOR YOUR DUE DILIGENCE AND BRINGING FORTH THAT BRIEFING AND THE PATH FORWARD SO THAT WE CAN START TO ATTACK OUR INITIATIVE AROUND AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UH, NEXT UP WE HAVE A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE ISLAND RECREATION ASSOCIATION.
UH, MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, UH,
[01:00:01]
AS INDICATED, UH, BACK IN JULY OF 2018, THE TOWN ENTERED INTO A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE ISLAND RECREATION ASSOCIATION.UM, THAT AGREEMENT WAS EXPIRING AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER.
SO TOWN COUNCIL TOOK ACTION TO ADOPT A CONTINUING RESOLUTION WHICH ALLOWED THE AGREEMENT TO CONTINUE ON A MONTH TO MONTH BASIS BASED UPON THE EXISTING TERMS AND CONDITIONS OUTLINED IN THE MEMORANDUM.
WE ALSO UNDERTOOK TO FORM A WORKING GROUP OF, UH, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL AND STAFF TO MEET WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ISLAND RECREATION ASSOCIATION.
BASED UPON FEEDBACK THAT WE RECEIVED FROM BOTH OF THOSE ENTITIES, WE PREPARED A DRAFT MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WHICH WOULD CARRY THIS AGREEMENT FORWARD, UH, INTO THE FUTURE.
AND SO WHAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU TODAY IS THE PRODUCT OF THOSE DISCUSSIONS.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE DRAFT DOCUMENT THAT ARE IN YOUR MATERIALS TODAY HAS BEEN PRESENTED TO THE ISLAND RECREATIONS BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND HAS BEEN UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED.
AND SO IF WE ARE ABLE TO MOVE IT FORWARD TODAY TO COUNCIL, UM, THEN I THINK WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET SOMETHING IN PLACE AND CONTINUE OUR ONGOING RELATIONSHIP.
BUT I'M ALSO HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT ANYBODY MAY HAVE.
UH, MS. AMES, WE'LL START WITH YOU TO HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
I'M NOT SURE THAT THE BE DIRECTED TO JOSH, BUT, UH, REPRESENTATIVE OF THE REC CENTER COULD COME UP.
FRANK SOWELL, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HILLMAN HEAD ISLAND RECREATION ASSOCIATION.
SOLES, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
I DO HAVE JUST A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS PROBABLY BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW THE, I SHOULD KNOW THE ANSWERS AND I DON'T.
I'M VERY IMPRESSED WITH HOW BUSY THE ISLAND IS WITH EVENTS.
NOW ARE YOU RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL THOSE EVENTS? JUST SOME OF THEM.
UH, CAN'T TAKE CREDIT FOR ALL OF THEM, BUT, UH, WE'VE BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR A FEW.
SO WE HAD A GREAT WEEKEND WITH THE OYSTER FESTIVAL, CLOUDY WEATHER, GREAT OYSTER EATING WEATHER.
WE HAD A WONDERFUL EVENT ON FRIDAY NIGHT, OVER 650 PEOPLE AT SHELTER CO PARK AND THEN PROBABLY HAD OVER 2000 PEOPLE AT LOW COUNTRY CELEBRATION.
UM, WE'VE BEEN REALLY WORKING WELL, UH, WITHIN THE TOWN TOO.
I THINK WE'RE GONNA BE HELPING OUT AT THE LAND AND PARADE, UH, THIS COMING WEEKEND.
THEN WE HAVE THE TURKEY TROTT COMING UP.
I JUST LOOKED ON MY PHONE WHILE YOU GUYS ARE DEBATING THE OTHER ISSUES.
AND WE HAVE OVER 1600 RUNNERS AND WALKERS THAT'LL BE HERE.
SO THAT'S JUST A MONTH IN NOVEMBER.
MUCH HAS YOUR STAFF GROWN IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS TO, TO, UH, ACCOMMODATE THAT? YEAH, WE'VE ADDED, UH, TWO FULL-TIME PEOPLE.
ONE PERSON ACTUALLY FOCUSES ON EVENTS AND SPONSORSHIPS, AND WE ACTUALLY ADDED, UM, ADAPTIVE RECREATION PERSON FOR A COUPLE YEARS.
AND THOSE THAT ARE KIND OF OUR TWO KEY ELEMENTS THAT WE HAVE.
WE HAVE A, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL PART-TIMERS THAT HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH US, BUT THOSE ARE THE TWO AREAS WE'VE BEEN FOCUSING ON.
IS THE EVENT REVENUE SIGNIFICANT, A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF YOUR REVENUES FOR THE REC CENTER? IT, IT'S A, IT'S A GOOD PORTION OF OUR, UH, REVENUES AND, UH, THE, A LOT OF THE PROCEEDS GO TO, IT HELPS US HAVE THE ABILITY TO PROVIDE SCHOLARSHIPS.
LAST YEAR WE PROVIDED OVER $375,000 IN SCHOLARSHIPS, MAINLY IN THE, UH, WHAT, WHAT I CALL THE CHILDCARE AREA.
UH, WE HAVE A CHALLENGE CAMP PROGRAM FOR SPECIAL NEEDS KIDS.
WE ALSO HAVE OUR SUMMER CAMP AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM, AND ALONG WITH ATHLETICS AND SWIM LESSONS.
UM, IS YOUR BUDGET SHARED WITH, UH, JUST THE FINANCIAL STAFF OF THE TOWN OR OTHER MEMBERS OF THE TOWN STAFF? WELL, IT'S REALLY, I MEAN, IT'S SHARED DIRECTLY WITH THE, THE TOWN TOWN FINANCIAL STAFF ACTUALLY DOES OUR BOOKS.
I DON'T KNOW A BETTER WAY TO DESCRIBE IT, BUT IT'S ALSO SHARED WITH MR. BROWN ON A REGULAR BASIS AS HE REPRESENTS TOWN COUNCIL ON OUR BOARD.
AND, UM, WE ALSO HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE TOWN STAFF ON OUR BOARD RIGHT NOW THAT'S BEN BROWN.
I PERSONALLY WOULD, UH, LOOK FORWARD TO THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE MORE INVOLVED IN UNDERSTANDING WHAT YOUR REVENUES AND EXPENSES ARE.
WELL, YOU WILL BE WHEN WE COME FORWARD WITH OUR BUDGET AGAIN, UM, SOON.
UM, JUST, JUST TO FOLLOW UP ON MR. AMES POINT, UM, THE CONTRACT READS THAT, UM, THE ALLEN REC CENTER WILL BE MAKING, UH, REPORTS TO THE PARKS AND REC COMMITTEE, UM, AS WELL AS F AND A.
SO THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES FOR THAT ACCOUNTING, UH, REPORTING TO BE PUBLIC AS YOU'RE HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
STANFORD, FRANK, I RECEIVED AN EMAIL THIS MORNING THAT WAS FOUR OR FIVE PAGES LONG, LISTING VARIOUS ACTIVITIES THAT YOUR ORGANIZATION IS SPONSORING.
IT'S AMAZING ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE BEING DONE.
DO HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT ONE, I'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF COMPLIMENTS ABOUT OUR NEW PICKLEBALL COURTS, UM, AT THE OLD SCHOOLHOUSE PARK.
ARE YOU MANAGING THE RESERVATIONS FOR THAT? GREAT QUESTION.
AND I HAVEN'T DONE A REAL GOOD JOB ON BRAGGING ON THAT, BUT WE HIRED SOMEBODY.
[01:05:01]
HIRED, WE START SOMEBODY TOMORROW THAT WILL WORK FOR US ON A PART-TIME BASIS, AND PROBABLY WE'LL ROLL ON THE FULL-TIME TO MANAGE THOSE.WE DO MANAGE 'EM NOW, BUT WE'VE REALLY MADE A FULL COMMITMENT TO ADDING A STAFF PERSON THAT WILL BE DOING THAT.
UM, AND WE'LL, WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
SHE'S BEEN WORKING WITH THE VOLUNTEERS OUT ON THE, UH, BOTH COURTS, WHICH THE ISLAND REC CENTER AND AT OLD SCHOOLHOUSE PARK, BUT, UH, STARTS TOMORROW AND WE'RE EXCITED.
UM, I NOTICED THAT THERE'S A FEE AT $5 AN HOUR OR $50 A YEAR.
UM, HOW MUCH IS BEING COLLECTED TOWARDS THOSE HOURLY RATE FEES? DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA? UM, WELL, LA LAST YEAR WE'RE, WE'RE AROUND THE $35,000 MARK ON COLLECTING FEES BETWEEN THE DAILIES.
THE $5 IS FOR DAILY PLAY AND, UH, $50 FOR THE ANNUAL PLAY.
UM, WE FEEL WHEN, I DON'T WANNA SHOCK THE PICKLEBALL PEOPLE, BUT WE FEEL LIKE THOSE FEES CAN NOW BE RAISED A LITTLE BIT.
WE'RE A LITTLE BIT UNDERVALUED WITH, WITH YOUR COMMITMENT TO DO, UH, IMPROVE, UH, OLD SCHOOL HOUSE PARK AND OUR COMMITMENT THROUGH YOUR SUPPORT AND IMPROVING THE ISLAND REC CENTER FACILITY.
HOPEFULLY IN THE NEXT 30 DAYS, WE'RE GONNA TAKE PICKLEBALL AND HAVE REALLY NICE FACILITIES TO BE ABLE TO HAVE AS WE'LL, HAVE A SHARED COURT WITH BASKETBALL AT THE REC CENTER.
BUT WE HAVE DEDICATED COURTS AT, UM, ADRIANA OLD SCHOOLHOUSE PARK.
UM, OUR GOAL IS NOT ONLY TO IMPROVE KIND OF THE MEMBER PLAY, BUT ALSO PROVIDE LESSONS, DO ROUND ROBINS AND A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DO WITHOUT A DEDICATED FACILITY.
IT'S REWARDING SITTING WHERE WE'RE SITTING TO HAVE PEOPLE THAT PLAY PICKLEBALL SAY, THANK YOU, RATHER THAN SAY WHERE IN THE WORLD OF OUR COURSE.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR MANAGEMENT OF THAT.
UH, MR. SO I'M VERY IMPRESSED WITH THE WORK AND THE PRODUCT THAT, THAT YOU AND YOUR ORGANIZATION HAVE PUT FORTH.
YOU MENTIONED EARLIER THAT, UH, SOME OF THE MOST RECENT SUCCESSFUL EVENTS OCCURRED DURING GOOD WEATHER, AND I'M GLAD YOU'RE ALSO CONTROLLING THAT,
WELL, IF I COULD REALLY CONTROL IT, I PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE HERE TALKING TO Y'ALL.
UM, WE WE'RE GONNA TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT, UM, SURE.
BUT THANK YOU FOR ANSWER, ANSWERING THE QUESTIONS.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THE CONTINUED RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE TOWN, UM, AND THE REC CENTER AS WE, UH, MOVE FORWARD WITH OUR RECREATIONAL, UH, ADVANCEMENT HERE ON HILTON HEAD.
ANY PUBLIC COMMENT, MR. OLAND? I'LL GET IT ALL THEM WHILE I CAN.
UH, I THINK ALL TAXPAYERS ARE ALL FOR, UH, TAX FUNDING OF, OF GREAT, OF, OF GREAT ENTITIES, LEGAL, NON-PRO, UH, NONPROFITS.
I DON'T THINK ANYBODY HAS A PROBLEM WITH ANY OF THAT.
I THINK WHERE EVERYBODY HAS A PROBLEM IS, IS WE DON'T HAVE ANY TAX RECIPIENT AGREEMENTS SPELLING OUT THE LEGAL AND PROPER USE OF OUR TAX FUNDS.
WE HAVE NO TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND I'D SUGGEST TO, TO, TO WIN BACK THE TRUST OF ALL TAXPAYERS AND POSSIBLY PEOPLE LIKE ME, DON'T HAVE TO EVEN ATTEND THESE MEETINGS ANYMORE, IS THAT YOU REQUIRE THAT EVERYBODY, NOT THAT WE'RE POINTING FINGERS AT 'EM, NOT THAT WE DON'T TRUST THEM, BUT THAT THEY'RE REQUIRED TO FURNISH US WHAT THEY'VE DONE WITH THE MONEY, WITH ALL ACCOUNTS, WITH ALL RECEIPTS, INVOICES, A COMPLETE ACCOUNTING.
AND I ALSO SUGGEST, WHICH IS JUST BUSINESS.
I'M NOT A POLITICAL, UH, POLITICIAN TYPE OF PERSON, BUT IT'S JUST BUSINESS.
LIKE EVERY THREE YEARS CONDUCT A FORENSIC AUDIT.
THE FORENSIC AUDIT SHOULD BE AGAINST THE ENTIRE TOWN.
IT SHOULD BE AGAINST ALL THESE ENTITIES THAT WE'RE FUNDING, JUST SO WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE USING THE MONEY LEGALLY, PROPERLY, AND IT'S NOT BEING WASTED.
WHAT'S WRONG WITH THAT? THAT'S HOW YOU RUN YOUR FAMILY'S BACK ACCOUNTS.
YOU WOULDN'T HAND ME A MILLION DOLLARS AND THEN I TOLD YOU IT'S MY SECRET SAUCE, AND THEN I COME BACK AND ASK FOR A MILLION MORE AND YOU TELL ME NO, WE'RE NOT GONNA, YEAH, NO, WE'RE GONNA, YEAH, SURE.
WE'LL JUST GIVE YOU A MILLION.
YOU, WE DON'T NEED TO KNOW WHAT, WHAT, WHAT YOU DID WITH OUR MONEY.
I, I THINK THAT'S WHERE TAXPAYERS ARE JUST UNHAPPY.
THAT'S WHAT I'M UNHAPPY ABOUT.
HOPEFULLY Y'ALL WILL REGAIN YOUR FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY.
YOU WILL COMPLY TO YOUR CAMPAIGN PROMISES, AND IF YOU'LL JUST FOLLOW THE LAW AND DO WHAT I'M SUGGESTING, I DON'T HAVE TO BE HERE.
ANYONE ELSE? MR. KAIAH, PLEASE.
UH, MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE, UM, BUTCH KAIAH, 17 WOOD DUCK ROAD, FULL-TIME RESIDENT HILTON HEAD ISLAND, UM, HAVE A LITTLE KNOWLEDGE OF PARKS AND RECREATION.
AND I'M GONNA TELL YOU, YOU GUYS ARE GETTING A DEAL.
UM, YOU ASKED ME TO BE ON THE, THE ISLAND RECOGNITION, UH, RECREATION ASSOCIATION
[01:10:01]
BOARD.AND I, I'VE BEEN ON THAT FOR NOW A YEAR, AND I HAVE REALLY GOTTEN AN EDUCATION.
AND THAT EDUCATION HAS SHOWN ME THAT, UH, THE ISLAND RECREATION ASSOCIATION, UH, DOES A FANTASTIC JOB FOR THE PEOPLE HERE ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
NOT ONLY THE CITIZENS, BUT FOR THE VISTA.
AND, UM, YOU MORE THAN GET YOUR MONEY'S WORTH.
MY, I'VE READ THE MOU, UH, AND I BELIEVE THAT THE WORK THAT THE TOWN DID WITH THE ISLAND REC BOARD IS EXCELLENT, AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE THE ADOPTION OF THAT MOU.
ANY OTHERS?
ARE WE PREPARED TO MAKE A MOTION ON THIS ITEM? I AM.
I MOVE THAT THE FINANCE ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE APPROVE THE MEMORANDUM UNDERSTANDING WITH ALAN REC CENTER AND SEND IT ON FULL BOARD.
UH, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY, BUT RAISING YOUR RIGHT HAND.
NEXT WE HAVE CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTION APPROVING A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA, INCLUSIVE OF THE ISLAND AMBASSADOR PROGRAM.
SO SIMILAR TO THE LAST ITEM, UM, THIS IS A CONSIDERATION OF THE MEMORANDUM AND UNDERSTANDING, BUT JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON KIND OF WHAT BROUGHT US HERE, UM, I INCLUDED SOME INFORMATION FROM A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE IN YOUR PACKETS TODAY, THAT SHOW GOING BACK, UM, A NUMBER OF YEARS, THE TOWN AND THE UNIVERSITY ENTERED INTO A PARTNERSHIP WHEREBY THE TOWN WOULD PROVIDE FUNDING IN EXCHANGE FOR RECEIVING CERTAIN SERVICES FROM THE UNIVERSITY RELATED TO SPECIAL EVENTS, VOLUNTEERISM AND, UH, HOSPITALITY TRAINING.
AND IF YOU'LL RECALL THAT AS, UM, A PART OF THIS LAST BUDGET CYCLE, WE HAD PREVIOUSLY FUNDED THE UNIVERSITY BASED UPON A FIXED PERCENTAGE OF LOCAL ACCOMMODATIONS TAX COLLECTIONS.
SO THAT HAD BEEN THE 5% OF THE 1% THAT WAS COLLECTED UNDER LOCAL ACCOMMODATIONS, TAXES.
AND ULTIMATELY, COUNSEL DECIDED THAT THAT WAS NOT AN APPROPRIATE WAY TO GO FORWARD WITH FUNDING IN THE FUTURE.
AND SO WE REMOVED THAT LANGUAGE FROM OUR CODE AND STAFF WAS ASKED TO THEN COME BACK WITH A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO CONTINUE TO RECEIVE SERVICES, BUT REDEFINE HOW THOSE SERVICES WOULD BE FUNDED, AND ULTIMATELY UTILIZE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REIMAGINE THOSE SCOPE OF SERVICES THEMSELVES.
AND SO, FOLLOWING THOSE ACTIONS, STAFF HAS MET WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNIVERSITY.
AND, UH, SIMILAR TO THE ISLAND REC, WE'VE DEVELOPED A PROPOSED MOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
UM, AND WE DO HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE UNIVERSITY HERE TODAY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE.
BUT I'LL TAKE, UH, A FIRST SHOT AT ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE ON THE DRAFT, MOU.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. GRUBA BEFORE WE INVITE UP THE SEB KIND ENOUGH TO RUN THROUGH THE LIST OF SERVICES THAT THE UNIVERSITY WOULD PROVIDE? YES, SIR.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE DRAFT, MOU, THOSE ARE OUTLINED IN ATTACHMENT A.
SO UNDER THE ISLAND AMBASSADOR SLASH HOSPITALITY TRAINING SLASH COMMUNITY EDUCATION PROGRAM OUTLINE.
UM, THE FIRST ONE WOULD BE PROVIDING THE ISLAND AMBASSADOR PROGRAM.
AND THEN WE OUTLINE KIND OF WITHIN THERE WHAT THAT PROGRAM IT ENTAIL AND WHO IT PRESENTED TO.
I'LL CAN GIVE YOU A, A KIND OF A GENERAL SUMMARY THAT IT WOULD BE HELD AT CERTAIN DATES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC, BUT THEN IT ALSO GOES ON WHAT I WOULD CALL ROAD TOURS AND THAT IT GOES TO SPECIFIC ENTITIES, TO SPECIFIC AGENCIES, THE SCHOOLS BUSINESSES, AND PROVIDES THAT SAME TRAINING PROGRAM THERE WITHIN THOSE ENVIRONMENTS AS WELL.
UM, AND SO WE'VE GOT IN HERE THAT THEY WOULD SCHEDULE A MINIMUM OF FIVE PROGRAM SESSIONS THAT WOULD OCCUR ANNUALLY, AND THAT THEY WOULD ALSO, UM, PROVIDE A JUNIOR AMBASSADOR PROGRAM TARGETING THIRD GRADERS ON THE ISLAND.
AND AGAIN, I THINK WHEN SARAH COMES UP, SHE WAS TALKING TO ME YESTERDAY AND I CAN TELL THE EXCITEMENT IN HER VOICE FOR ALL THE STUFF THAT THEY'RE ALREADY DOING, UM, TOWARDS THIS PROGRAM.
AND SHE'S REALLY, REALLY, UM, ENTHUSIASTICALLY EXCITED ABOUT IT.
SO WE'VE GOT THE ISLAND AMBASSADOR PROGRAM, UM, THAT WE'VE GOT QUALITY MANAGEMENT PROGRAM.
AND AGAIN, THIS WAS INFORMATION THAT WAS CONTAINED IN THE PREVIOUS AGREEMENT THAT WE HAD INCORPORATED INTO TOWN CODE, AND THAT WE KIND OF UTILIZED AS THE BACKBONE FOR THE AGREEMENT MOVING FORWARD.
SO THEY PROVIDE A QUALITY MANAGEMENT PROGRAM, WHICH DOES
[01:15:01]
SECRET SHOPPERS AT LOCAL BUSINESSES TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK AND COMMENTS TO THOSE BUSINESSES ON THE EXPERIENCES THAT, UH, RESIDENTS AND VISITORS WOULD HAVE WITHIN THOSE LOCAL BUSINESSES.THAT'S ONE OF THEM THAT, THAT I FOUND SOMEWHAT VAGUE.
UH, WOULD THE UNIVERSITY BE DOING THESE SECRET SHOPPERS? HOW WOULD THERE BE ANY KIND OF SUPERVISION OR REPORTING WITH RESPECT TO THAT? AND SO IF YOU WANT, I CAN BRING THEM UP NOW OR IF WE WANNA HOLD THOSE, I'LL ANSWER ANY OTHER ONES THAT I CAN ANSWER, AND THEN WE'LL BRING THEM UP FOR, UM, THE ONES THAT THEY CAN ADDRESS.
I'M SURE THEY WILL ADDRESS THAT.
MR. ALFORD, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. GRUER? HAVE, HAS THE TOWN RELIED ON THEM TO DEFINE THE SERVICES? WELL, SO THE ATTACHMENT A THAT YOU HAVE HERE IS ACTUALLY A PRODUCT OF WORKING JOINTLY WITH THEM.
SO WE PROVIDED INPUT TO THEM, UH, PARTICULARLY WITH THE ISLAND AMBASSADOR PROGRAM.
WE WANTED TO SEE MORE EMPHASIS ON HISTORY, CULTURE, AND COMMUNITIES WITH ON THE ISLAND A LITTLE BIT LESS ON SOME OF THE ECOTOURISM.
NOT THAT IT'S NOT A, A CLEAR DEFINED PART, UM, BUT I THINK I USED THE, UH, THE ANALYSIS OF, WE DON'T NEED TO KNOW ABOUT DOLPHIN, UM, REPRODUCTION AND HOW THAT OCCURS.
WE CAN FOCUS MORE ON OUR COMMUNITIES ON THE ISLAND AS PROBABLY BEING MORE OF AN IMPORTANT FOCUS.
SO JUST TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT.
BUT THE, THE SCOPE OF SERVICES IS NEGOTIATED BETWEEN STAFF AND THE UNIVERSITY.
MR. STAFF, YOU GOOD? I'M GOOD, THANK YOU.
WE'LL NOW INVITE OUR FRIENDS FROM USCB UP, PLEASE.
WE'LL TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT WHEN WE ARE DONE WITH THIS DISCUSSION.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF THE CENTER FOR EVENT MANAGEMENT AND HOSPITALITY TRAINING, A FULL-TIME RESIDENT OF THE ISLAND FOR THE PAST 17 YEARS AS WELL.
SO, WITH THE FIRST QUESTION, I KNOW THAT WE HAD HEARD A FEW THINGS ABOUT QUALITY MANAGEMENT OR VIA PROGRAMMING.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS DIRECTLY.
YEAH, WHAT ARE YOU ACTUALLY DOING? WHAT AM I ACTUALLY DOING? SO, I AM NEW TO THE UNIVERSITY.
I'VE BEEN HERE THREE AND A HALF MONTHS IN THAT TOWN.
PERSONALLY, I'M TALKING ABOUT THE PROGRAM.
SO I'VE BEEN WITH THE PROGRAM FOR THREE AND A HALF MONTHS.
WE HAVE REDEVELOPED AND REDESIGNED BASED ON THE INFORMATION THAT WE'VE RECEIVED FROM THE TOWN TO REVISION THE PROGRAMMING, AS MR. GRUBER SAID, WITH MORE HISTORY, MORE CULTURAL CONTENT TO INCLUDE OUR GULLAH GEECHEE CORRIDOR INFORMATION, MITCHELLVILLE PAIRING DOWN SOME OF THE ECOLOGY PIECES AND PERSONALIZING THOSE PROGRAMS FOR THE INDIVIDUAL SCHOOLS, THE BUSINESSES, THE TOWN WHO WE ALSO DELIVER TO.
SO WE HAVE BEEN DOING A REDESIGN AND A REDEVELOPMENT IN ADDITION TO CONTINUING TO DELIVER THE PROGRAM.
TALKING ABOUT EQUALITY, WHO PARTICIPATES, WHO DECIDES WHO PARTICIPATES? SO WITHIN THE QUALITY MANAGEMENT PROGRAMMING PIECE, WE HAVE LOCAL RESORTS, LOCAL VENDORS WHO REACH OUT TO US.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE A STAFF MEMBER WHO IS A CONDE NAST, EXCUSE ME, FORBES CERTIFIED QUALITY MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT.
AND WITHIN THAT, WHAT SHE DOES IS SHE OVERSEES THAT PIECE OF THE PROGRAMMING.
SHE ALSO WORKS WITH OUR QUALITY MANAGEMENT COURSES, AND AS WELL AS OUR STAFF AND FACULTY MEMBERS REVIEW AS SECRET SHOPPERS HELP TO CREATE THOSE REPORTS.
SO THEN WE CAN WORK WITH THOSE RESORTS AND THOSE ESTABLISHMENTS TO GIVE THEM THE FEEDBACK, WHICH THEY'VE ASKED ABOUT.
I, I ASSUME THAT THE VARIOUS RES POTENTIAL RECIPIENTS HAVE CONTACTED YOU, MADE REQUESTS TO YOU, OR HAVE YOU GONE TO THEM TO SEE IF THEY'D LIKE TO PARTICIPATE? HOW DOES THAT PART WORK? IT'S RECIPROCAL.
SO I'VE ACTUALLY GONE OUT TO MULTIPLE, UM, VENDORS SINCE I'VE BEEN WITH THE PROGRAMMING.
AND WE HAVE THOSE REPEAT VENDORS WHO HAVE COME BACK TO US WHO LOOK FOR THAT ANNUALLY AND ON A MONTHLY, A MONTHLY BASIS THAT WE'VE WORKED WITH SO MUCH FOR THAT ONE.
CAN YOU RAISE THE SCREEN HERE? WE CAN LOOK AT WHAT'S ON HERE.
SAME KIND OF QUESTION IS HOW, HOW'S THAT WORKING? SO THINK CONTINUING EDUCATION.
WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
THERE'S A CURRENT COMMITTEE AND A FOCUS GROUP THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO TO PROVIDE CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS ON THE, ON THE ISLAND AND WITHIN THE AREA IN THE DIFFERENT HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM SECTORS.
EDUCATION DOESN'T JUST STOP WITHIN THE, YOU KNOW, OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM OR THE COLLEGE LEVEL.
THERE'S MULTIPLE CERTIFICATIONS THAT PEOPLE REQUIRE WITHIN THEIR DAILY JOBS.
AND WE ARE LOOKING TO SUPPORT IN-HOUSE WITHIN USCB HERE, LOCALLY.
SO THEN THE RESORTS CAN COME TOGETHER, AS WE ALL KNOW, IT TAKES TIME TO PULL PEOPLE OFF THE FLOOR OR WITHIN A SHIFT.
SO WE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN MAXIMIZE AND UTILIZE BRINGING THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER TO BE EDUCATED THROUGHOUT THE
[01:20:01]
YEAR AT TIMES.SO IF THERE WERE MULTIPLE VENDORS THAT NEEDED CERTIFICATION, IT WASN'T TAKING PLACE JUST WITHIN ONE HOUSE OF ONE RESORT, IT COULD BE THE LOCAL COMMUNITY COULD COME TOGETHER WITH THAT.
UH, SKIPPING TO A, A MORE BROADER PERSPECTIVE, THIS IS BASICALLY WHAT USCB IS, IS TRYING TO DO AT THIS LOCATION TO STUDENTS.
SO THIS IS A CENTER THAT IS BEING RUN OUT OF THAT LOCATION? YES.
AND THESE ARE, THESE ARE WHAT PRODUCTS THAT WE WOULD PROVIDE IN ADDITION TO THE GENERAL EDUCATION.
IT ALSO HAS, OLLIE TAKES PLACE OUT OF THE SOUTH, THE BEACH CAMPUS, IF YOU WILL, ON THE ISLAND.
SO IT, IT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE YOU'RE ASKING THE TOWN TO SUPPORT PART OF YOUR REGULAR PROGRAM.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
I, I APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT THAT YOU'RE GIVING TO BUSINESS AND TO SERVICE PROVIDERS HERE, BUT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE LOW NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT WE'RE SEEING HERE ON THIS CAMPUS.
I'VE HEARD IT EXPLAINED BEFORE THAT IT GOES BACK TO COVID AND THAT MANY OF THE STUDENTS WHO WOULD'VE BEEN COMING HERE, UH, ARE NOW TAKING THOSE CA CLASSES ONLINE AND THEY DON'T NEED THE SERVICE ANYMORE.
AND WHAT'S HAPPENING TO TRY TO STIMULATE USE OF THIS CAMPUS BY THE STUDENTS, WHICH IS THE PURPOSE THAT IT WAS BUILT.
SO YOU'RE ASKING WHAT WE'RE DOING TO STIMULATE HAVING STUDENT GROWTH ON THE SOUTH END CAMPUS PARTICULARLY? YES.
DR. SMITH, I KNOW THAT YOU'RE HERE AS WELL, AND NO, THAT'S ALL RIGHT.
BUT I WOULD RATHER, SHE IS THE CHAIR OF OUR SCHOOL OF HOSPITALITY AND THIS WOULD BE RIGHT FOR HER TO SPEAK ON.
SHE WAS JUST DYING TO CALL ME UP HERE.
SAID WHATEVER YOU DO, DON'T CALL ME UP THERE.
SO ASKING ABOUT ENROLLMENT, RIGHT? SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE OFFERING FEWER COURSES ONLINE.
WE HAD, IN THIS NEW SCHEDULE, I HAVE 15 COURSES, FOUR OF WHICH ARE ONLINE.
UM, THE, WE ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGING STUDENTS TO, TO TAKE THE CLASSES FACE-TO-FACE.
HOWEVER, THIS SEMESTER, LOOKING AT THE ENROLLMENT NUMBERS ARE THOSE CLASSES, THE FACE-TO-FACE ARE, ARE FULL.
UM, WHICH MEANS THAT THEY HAVE MORE THAN 10 STUDENTS IN THEM.
THE ONLINE CLASSES HAVE NOT, WHICH I THINK IS VERY INTERESTING.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE DONE SPECIFICALLY IS TO OFFER FUN, MORE FUN CLASSES LIKE WEDDING PLANNING, UM, SPECIAL EVENTS.
I MEAN, YOU BUILD IT, THEY'LL COME, RIGHT? SO THE WEDDING PLANNING HAS BEEN A VERY, YOU KNOW, HOT TOPIC.
PEOPLE ARE, STUDENTS ARE REALLY INTERESTED IN THAT.
AND SO ON, THE PROMISE OF PLANNING A WEDDING.
SO IF YOU KNOW ANYBODY WHO WANTS A FREE WEDDING, CALL ME.
UM, BUT WE, THAT'S WHAT WHAT WE'LL BE DOING.
WE HAVE, UM, CREATED SOCIAL MEDIA, SOME VERY AGGRESSIVE SOCIAL MEDIA SITES ON INSTAGRAM, FACEBOOK, AND LINKEDIN.
AND WE ARE UTILIZING TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY, UM, YOU KNOW, PUTTING OUR NAME OUT THERE.
UM, OUR STUDENTS ARE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.
THEY'RE, WE'RE TAKING MORE PICTURES.
WE'RE PUTTING STUFF OUT THERE.
WE'RE TRYING TO DO A BETTER JOB COMMUNICATING.
UM, YESTERDAY I HAD FOUR, FOUR POTENTIAL STUDENTS WALK IN THE DOOR JUST OFF THE STREET.
AND ONE OF THEM WAS THE DAUGHTER OF A PROFESSOR AT USC COLUMBIA OF A HOSPI OF THE HOSPITALITY PROGRAM.
AND I WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW, DOING A LITTLE RECON LITTLE DOWN HERE, DOING A LITTLE, YOU KNOW, AND SHE SAID THAT, GOOD SHOPPING.
AND I SAID, YOU KNOW, SO WHAT ABOUT THIS, WHAT ABOUT OUR CAMPUS IN ENTICES YOU? SHE SAID, IT'S SMALLER, IT'S CLOSE TO THE OCEAN, IT MAKES ME FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE.
I STILL WANNA STUDY HOSPITALITY, BUT, BUT IN THIS ENVIRONMENT.
IT, IT'S NOT, THERE'S NO PERFECT STORM THAT'S JUST GONNA BUILD ENROLLMENT, BUT IT'S, WE ARE, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING IT VERY HARD.
ONLY WE ACTUALLY BUILDING ENROLLMENT ON THIS CAMPUS.
AS WE BUILD ENROLLMENT WITH FRESHMEN, YOU KNOW, IT ALL STARTS WITH FRESHMEN AT TIMES.
AND, AND THE, BUT THE KEY IS RETAINING THEM.
SO THE DROP COMES AND YOU CAN SEE OUR ENROLLMENT NUMBERS.
AND WHEN THEY START TO, TO DECLINE IS MAKING THE TRANSITION BETWEEN THEIR SOPHOMORE YEAR AND THEIR JUNIOR YEAR WHEN THEY HAVE TO DRIVE OUT HERE TO TAKE CLASSES FROM THE BLUFFTON CAMPUS.
AND WE LOSE, YOU KNOW, 10 STUDENTS A SEMESTER WHEN THEY HAVE TO DRIVE OUT HERE, WHICH
[01:25:01]
WE SAID, OH, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANNA LOSE STUDENTS, SO LET'S PUT ALL THESE CLASSES ONLINE.WELL, THAT'S COUNTERINTUITIVE.
WE WANT THEM TO WANT TO COME TO THE ISLAND AND PROVIDING HOUSING, YOU KNOW, OR THE PROMISE OF HOUSING HAS BEEN HIGHLY EFFECTIVE.
YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T KNOW HOW MANY STUDENTS HAVE ASKED ME, YOU KNOW, ARE WE REALLY GONNA GET SOME HOUSING? AND MY QUEST, MY ANSWER IS, THAT'S MY PRAYER EVERY NIGHT.
SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT IS AN ISSUE.
AND, AND YOU ALL KNOW THAT I'VE, IVE BEEN IN FRONT OF YOU MULTIPLE TIMES TALKING ABOUT THAT AND HOW IMPORTANT THAT IS.
YOU'RE SAYING THE TRANSPORTATION ISSUE IS A MAJOR IMPEDIMENT FOR THE STUDENTS TO COME FROM BLUFFTON TO ISLAND.
A LOT OF THEM DON'T HAVE CARS.
YOU KNOW, SOME OF THEM DON'T HAVE CARS.
UM, SOME OF THEM, HOWEVER, WE'VE HAD A LITTLE, A NICE LITTLE GROUP OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS WHO HAVE ALL STARTED TO COME TOGETHER.
THEY'LL TAKE AN UBER OUT HERE, OR THEY'LL MAKE FRIENDS, UH, WITH THEIR ROOMMATES AND THEIR ROOMMATES WILL RIDE OUT HERE WITH THEM.
SO IT'S GETTING BETTER, BUT IT'S A SLOW PROCESS.
AND I UNDERSTAND THERE'S A FRUSTRATION.
HOWEVER, YOU KNOW, OUR CAMPUS IS NOT EMPTY IF YOU'RE THERE ON TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYS OR MONDAY, MONDAY, TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY AT NOON.
IT'S A BUSTLING LITTLE COMMUNITY OUT THERE, BUT IT'S SHORT-LIVED.
UM, YOU CONSIDER IT A SHUTTLE? YES.
I, IT, I THINK TWO STUDENTS TOOK IT.
UM, AND THAT'S A, THAT'S TRICKY IN THAT PART OF MY FRUSTRATION IS THAT I WANT THEM TO COME AND STAY, YOU KNOW, COME AND STAY FOR A WHILE ON THIS WEDDING AND EVENT COURSE I'M OFFERING LATE IN THE DAY, WHICH IS NOT NORMAL.
AND I'VE HEARD STUDENTS SAY, THIS ISN'T NORMAL.
ARE YOU SURE THIS IS RIGHT? YES.
I'M SURE I CREATED THIS SCHEDULE.
SO WE WANT THEM TO COME AND STAY OFFERING THINGS LIKE, UM, FOOD TRUCKS, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THEY HAVE A NICE LITTLE CAFE.
IS THE FOOD GREAT? EH, YOU KNOW, IT'S OKAY.
IT'S, IT'S CAFETERIA TO KIND OF FOOD.
SO BRINGING FOOD TRUCKS ON CAMPUS, WHICH ARAMARK HAS APPROVED THAT WHO IS OUR CONTRACT, UM, FOOD SERVICE CONTRACT PERSON, UM, THAT'S GONNA BRING SOME ATTENTION.
UM, WHAT ELSE ARE WE DOING? DUAL ENROLLMENT.
DUAL ENROLLMENT WITH BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOLS, WHICH WE WOULD LOVE YOUR SUPPORT ON THAT.
WHICH THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO REASON NOT TO SUPPORT IT.
BUT FOR SOME REASON WE SEEM TO BE GETTING A LITTLE PUSHBACK, ESPECIALLY FROM HILTON HEAD ISLAND HIGH SCHOOL, UM, WHICH HAS A HUGE HOSPITALITY PROGRAM WHICH MS. KOSKI HAS CREATED.
AND SO THEY WANT TO TAKE CLASSES ON OUR CAMPUS, AND WE WILL OFFER THOSE.
THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION HAS APPROVED IT, BUT FOR SOME REASON, WE CAN'T GET THE, THE PRINCIPAL AND THE, AND THE FOLKS TO, TO HELP US.
I WOULD REALLY LOVE THAT SO MUCH, BECAUSE I JUST, I JUST COULD USE SOMEBODY LIKE YOU, MR. STANFORD, TO JUST, YOU KNOW, TO, TO PREACH FOR ME.
I MEAN, THAT YOU REALLY DON'T MEAN THAT
SKIPPER WHO I'VE TALKED TO DR. RODRIGUEZ, AND SO IF SOMETHING'S BREWING, I FEEL LIKE IT'S BREWING, BUT I COULD USE A PHONE CALL TO THE RIGHT PEOPLE.
AND I'LL, IT'LL, IT WILL NEVER, WE'LL NEVER SPEAK OF IT AGAIN IF YOU WANT.
HI, I, MR. AMES, SORRY TO FOLLOW UP.
UM, I WANNA FOLLOW UP WITH MR. ALFREDS QUESTION AND THE ANSWER HE RECEIVED, THE QUESTION WAS, SO SOME OF THE TOWN'S STIPEND OR MONEY GOES TO YOUR GENERAL PROGRAM? NO.
OUT OF THIS GRANT MONEY OUT OF THE GRANT THAT ESTABLISHES THE CENTER FOR EVENT MANAGEMENT AND HOSPITALITY TRAINING DOES NOT COME, IS NOT PART OF MY BUDGET.
AND I SEPARATE, THEN WE SEPARATE THOSE.
NOW, DO I TAKE ADVANTAGE OF, OR DO I HATE TO USE THE WORD TAKE ADVANTAGE, BUT SHE HAS A FULL-TIME, A PART-TIME ASSISTANT WHO IS A TECH WHIZZ.
DO I GIVE HIM THINGS HERE AND THERE AND SAY, TREY, WILL YOU, WOULD YOU PUT THIS ON FACEBOOK FOR ME? AND HE'LL NO PROBLEM.
UM, DO WE USE HIM TO DIRECT PEOPLE HERE AND THERE WHILE HE'S SITTING AT THE, IN THE FRONT WITH HIS COMPUTER WORKING HARD ON CENTER STUFF? ABSOLUTELY.
UM, AND I JUST FEEL LIKE THAT'S A, A GOOD USE OF MONEY ALL THE WAY AROUND TO, YOU KNOW, LET'S COMBINE EVERYBODY'S, I DO HAVE SOME MORE QUESTIONS FOR SARAH.
YES, SARAH, BEFORE, BEFORE YOU LEAVE DR. SMITH, YOU SAY, I WAS GONNA SAY BEFORE, BEFORE YOU LEAVE.
[01:30:01]
OF QUESTIONS ARE NOT NECESSARILY GERMANE TO OH, NO, NO, NO.I'M, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER THIS, THAT THEY ARE DIRECTLY CONNECTED, BECAUSE IF UCB AS A WHOLE IS NOT SUCCESSFUL, THEN WE WILL NOT BE TALKING ABOUT AN AMBASSADOR PROGRAM.
SO I'VE GOT A COUPLE QUESTIONS BASED ON WHAT YOU HAVE SAID THUS FAR.
I'M, I'M INTERESTED IN THE, I'VE GOT THIS.
UM, SO I'M ASSUMING THAT YOU WILL HAVE RISING POTENTIALLY JUNIORS AND SENIORS AT THE HIGH SCHOOL YES.
PARTICIPATING AT YOUR CAMPUS ON HILTON HEAD.
AND I'M GONNA TAKE THAT WE HAVE PROPOSED THAT STEP FURTHER.
ARE, ARE YOU ALL CONSIDERING ANY EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR FRESHMEN AND SOPHOMORES AT THIS PARTICULAR CAMPUS? KEEPING IN MIND THAT THE STUDENTS THAT ARE GOING TO HILTON HEAD HIGH SCHOOL, THEY ALREADY LIVE ON HILTON HEAD.
JUST CURIOUS TO KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY FUTURE PLANS ON THAT.
SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT HIGH SCHOOL FRESHMEN AND SOPHOMORES, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, ABOUT POTENTIAL TRANSITION FROM HILTON HEAD HIGH SCHOOL TO BE A FRESHMAN.
UC BUT CURRENTLY FRESHMEN AND SOPHOMORES HAVE TO TAKE CLASSES OVER IN HARDY V AM I CORRECT? CORRECT.
SO WHAT I'M ASKING IS, I GOT YOU, YOU GOT ME.
I'M, I'M PICKING UP WHAT YOU'RE DROPPING AT AS SOMETIMES IT'S MY GULLAH, BUT IF YOU GOT IT, YOU I GOT YOU.
UM, THIS HAS BEEN A POINT OF CONVERSATION, PART OF MY CONVERSATION WITH, UM, ADMINISTRATION IS WHY DON'T WE JUST OFFER ALL THE CLASSES OVER HERE, YOU KNOW, ALL FRESHMEN, SOPHOMORE, JUNIOR, SENIOR, UM, JUST BLANKET THEM OVER HERE.
UM, THE RESPONSE THAT I RECEIVE IS THAT FRESHMEN AND SOPHOMORES LIVE ON CAMPUS.
I MEAN, THEY LIVE ON THE BLUFFTON CAMPUS AND THEY, THEY COME TO THAT CAMPUS BECAUSE, PARTLY BECAUSE OF THE HOUSING THERE, BECAUSE IT'S SO NICE AND IT'S SO CENTRAL AND THERE ARE ALL THESE ACTIVITIES AND THERE'S, UM, UM, MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT, WHICH IS A HUGE THING ON OUR CAMPUS RIGHT NOW.
AND I THINK IT'S THE SAME ON ON LOTS OF CAMPUSES.
OUR FRESHMEN ARE GIVEN A, UM, A SUPPORT COACH, YOU KNOW, THAT THEY CAN REACH OUT TO A, A TEACHERS, I MEAN, FACULTY, STAFF, YOU KNOW, COACHES, EVERYBODY'S VOLUNTEERED THEIR TIME TO WORK WITH THESE FRESHMEN WHO ARE REALLY HAVING A TOUGH TIME TRANSITIONING INTO COLLEGE LIFE.
SO THE ARGUMENT IS, YOU KNOW, IF YOU, IF YOU PUT THEM OUT HERE AND ASK THEM TO TRAVEL OUT HERE TO CLASSES, IS THAT GOING TO PUT PUT UPON THEM MORE THAN WHAT THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE ALREADY TRANSITIONED AWAY FROM HOME AND YET THEY'VE ALREADY, YOU KNOW, NOW THEY'RE ALREADY STRESSED OUT.
TO YOUR POINT, WE HAVE ALL THESE, WE HAVE ALL THESE POTENTIAL FRESHMEN AND SOPHOMORES, OR FRESHMEN ACTUALLY AT HILTON HEAD ISLAND HIGH SCHOOL.
YOU'VE GOT, YOU'VE GOT THIS HUGE PROGRAM OUT HERE THAT THEY'RE COMPLETERS WITHIN THE, UM, THE CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION PROGRAM.
YOU'VE GOT OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM TO WANT TO COME TO SCHOOL WITH US.
AND YET THEY'RE GETTING JOBS ON THE ISLAND.
THEY'RE WORKING ON THE ISLAND.
AND SO THEY REALLY, THERE'S NO INCENTIVE TO GO OUT HERE AND TAKE CLASSES, THEREFORE, WE SHOULD BE OFFERING THEM HERE.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE'VE, WE'VE HAD A FACULTY MEMBER LEAVE BECAUSE SHE'S, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST, SHE'S RETIRING.
SO NOW WE'RE DOWN TO, TO THREE FACULTY MEMBERS.
THAT'S 15 CLASSES IS A LOT FOR, FOR THREE FACULTY MEMBERS, ESPECIALLY WHEN ONE OF THEM, YOU KNOW, IS THE DEPARTMENT CHAIR AND THE MANAGER OF THE BUILDING.
IT'S NOT TO SAY I WON'T DO IT, OF COURSE I WILL.
IT'S, IT'S A LOGISTICAL TRICK TO TRY TO FIGURE ALL THESE THINGS OUT.
I WOULD LOVE TO JUST SAY, IF YOU GO TO HILTON HEAD ISLAND HIGH SCHOOL AND YOU WANNA TAKE, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE SOME CLASSES OUT HERE, COME BRING IT AND I'LL OFFER THEM.
THE OTHER CHALLENGE IS, IS GENERAL EDUCATION COURSES, YOUR ENGLISH, YOUR MATH, YOUR SCIENCE, YOUR HISTORY, THOSE COURSES ARE NOT OFFERED OUT HERE.
THEY'RE ONLY OFFERED ON THE BLUFFTON CAMPUS AND ONLINE AND VERY MINIMALLY ONLINE.
SO DO WE OFFER 'EM AN INTRO TO HOSPITALITY AND A TOURISM MANAGEMENT CLASS OUT HERE AND THEN OFFER THE REST ONLINE? I, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW WHAT, WHAT THE PERFECT ANSWER IS, BUT I THINK THAT THERE'S SOME OPPORTUNITY TO, THERE IS OPPORTUNITY TO FIGURE THIS OUT.
UM, AND I APPRECIATE YOU BEING ABLE TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS, UM, AS WE'RE HAVING THIS DISCUSSION, UM, IT, IT, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT, AGAIN, WITHOUT USCB BEING IN EXISTENCE, WE WOULD NOT HAVE AN AMBASSADOR PROGRAM.
[01:35:01]
UM, MR. GRUBER, I, I, I'M HOPING THAT SOMEHOW AS WE CONTINUE TO CONSTRUCT THIS CONTRACT, THAT THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR USCB AS A WHOLE TO GIVE SOME REPORTING BACK TO TOWN COUNCIL.UM, WE DO NOT HAVE THAT AT THE MOMENT.
UM, THEY DO NOT REPORT TO THIS COMMITTEE OR ANY OTHER COMMITTEE.
UM, THEY MAY SOMETIMES SHOW UP BEFORE COUNCIL, UM, ON SPECIAL INTEREST.
BUT I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO BE PAYING ATTENTION TO ALONG THE WAY.
SO IF WE COULD SOMEHOW COORDINATE THOSE TWO, THAT WOULD, I THINK, UH, BETTER THIS RELATIONSHIP RAISING MY HANDS.
I DID, I WANNA SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S SOME NEW SHERIFFS IN TOWN.
I MEAN, THE, THE CENTER OF PAST IS OF THE PAST.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A NEW DIRECT, A NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
WE HAVE A NEW DEPARTMENT CHAIR, WE HAVE NEW EVERYTHING IN EVERYBODY.
WE'VE GOT NEW IDEAS THAT ARE CRAZY GOOD WITH THE JUNIOR AMBASSADOR, WITH ADDING, YOU KNOW, EXPANDING, YOU KNOW, WHAT SHE'S DONE IN THE THREE MONTHS THAT SHE'S BEEN HERE.
SARAH HAS JUST, YOU KNOW, EXPLODED.
AND IT'S REALLY CUTE BECAUSE EVERYBODY ON CAMPUS, YOU KNOW, KNOWS HER AS A FOOTBALL COACH.
YOU KNOW, SHE WAS A FOOTBALL COACH AT HILTON HEAD ISLAND HIGH SCHOOL.
AND SO THEY'RE LIKE, IS THAT THE COACH? LIKE, THAT'S THE COACH.
AND SO EVERYBODY WANTS A, WANTS TO BE, YOU KNOW, PART OF THIS PROGRAM.
NOW, IS SHE GONNA HELP ME WITH ENROLLMENT? ABSOLUTELY.
DO I HELP HER WITH THE SENDER? PROBABLY NOT AT ALL.
BUT I'M, I'M HERE AND I'M SUPPORTIVE.
AND, YOU KNOW, UM, IN OTHER WORDS, SHE'S A HUGE ASSET AND SHE CAN TAKE THIS TO THE NEXT LEVEL.
SHE CAN MAKE IT 10 TIMES BIGGER THAN IT WAS, AND SHE WOULD PROBABLY COME HERE EVERY MONTH IF YOU WANTED A REPORTING ON HOW MUCH MONEY WAS SPENT, WHERE IT WAS SPENT, HOW MUCH EACH PENNY, YOU KNOW, WHERE EACH PENNY WENT.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT CONCERNED ABOUT TRANSPARENCY.
THE UNIVERSITY I, ME, I'M AS TRANS
DOAS, WHICH HAS SPOKE HERE SEVERAL TIMES.
SKIPPER, WHO IS MY DIRECT SUPERVISOR, YOU KNOW, HE'S, HE'S EXTREMELY TRANSPARENT AND WE WANT THIS TO BE A PART, A TRUE PARTNERSHIP WHERE, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT WE ARE DOING AND WE KNOW WHERE YOU STAND.
ALRIGHT, COACH BEACH, WE'LL OFFER YOU BACK UP, COACH.
SO ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR, UH, JUST TO REINFORCE THE COMMENT, UH, ABOUT FEEDBACK, REPORTING, HOW THESE PROGRAMS ARE GOING.
'CAUSE AS MR. GRUBER STATED UNDER THE SUPREME COURT TEST, WE DO HAVE TO HAVE AN ELEMENT OF CONTROL.
SARAH, YOU'RE OBVIOUSLY MAKING A HUGE DIFFERENCE THERE.
UM, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE PURPOSE OF OUR INVESTMENT IN THE USC HOSPITALITY IS BASICALLY AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAY PLAYING.
WHY I THINK THAT, AND IF YOU DON'T AGREE WITH ME, TELL ME.
SO, 'CAUSE WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS GIVE EMPLOYEES WHO WORK ON THE ISLAND THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE BETTER EMPLOYEES AND SERVE OUR RESIDENTS AND TOURISTS AT A HIGHER LEVEL.
AM I NOT RIGHT IN THAT? NO, I WOULD AGREE TO THAT.
I ALSO THINK THAT WE ARE ABLE, UNDER THIS PROGRAMMING TO HELP INSPIRE THEM AND WANT TO CONTINUE THEIR EDUCATION AND BECOME BETTER PATRONS OF THE ISLAND AS WELL, AS WELL AS THE STUDENTS.
SO THEY'RE PROUD OF THE ISLAND THAT THEY LIVE ON, AND WE CAN HOPE TO RETAIN THE BEST TALENT ON THE ISLAND, ALL OF OUR STUDENTS.
SO AS WE DELIVER THIS, WE CAN KEEP THEM HERE SO THEY KNOW ABOUT WHERE THEY'RE FROM.
BUT YOU'RE HITTING ON AN ISSUE FOR ME, AND THAT IS, WHEN I READ YOUR SERVICES, I THINK YOU'RE GOING IN SO MANY DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS THAT I LOSE TRACK OF.
WHAT IS YOUR MOST IMPORTANT ONE, WHICH I HAVE BEEN INTERPRETING OVER THE YEARS AS YOUR AMBASSADOR PROGRAM.
I, I'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND WHO COMES THROUGH THE DOOR, HOW MANY OF THEM ARE THERE, HOW MANY WORK ON THE ISLAND? YOU KNOW, THE, THE, WHAT ARE THEIR INCOME RANGES? WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE THAT WE ARE INVESTING IN? SO WITHIN THE THREE MONTHS I'VE BEEN HERE, I CAN TELL YOU THAT I'VE SERVED AS SEA PINES TWICE WITH THEIR FRONT OF THE HOUSE STAFF AS WELL AS THE, THE ESA WITH THEIR NEW HIRES THAT HAVE INCLUDED THEIR GEN, THEIR NEW GM, THEIR HEAD OF CONCIERGE, AS WELL AS, UH, THEIR BACK OF THE HOUSE SEVERAL OF DOZEN
[01:40:01]
WAYS.AND TOMORROW I AM SLATED TO DELIVER FOUR SECTIONS AT HILTON HEAD ISLAND HIGH SCHOOL WITH OVER A HUNDRED STUDENTS WITHOUT THE, WITHOUT THE HEADCOUNT YET, I WILL BE THERE ALL DAY WORKING WITH THE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO CERTIFY THEM.
I'VE ALSO WORKED WITH THE TOWN.
WE HAD A SESSION SET UP THAT WAS TO BE OVER 30 INDIVIDUALS.
UH, AND I ENDED UP WORKING WITH THE 9 1 1 DISPATCHERS.
THEY WERE THE ONES THAT SHOWED UP TO CB'S CAMPUS FOR THAT TRAINING.
SO THAT'S BEEN SINCE AUGUST 1ST.
AND DO YOU ASK EACH ONE OF THOSE STUDENTS TO, UM, UH, SURVEY OR ANSWER THEIR EXPERIENCE IN THE PROGRAM? YES.
ACTUALLY, AT THE END OF EVERY COMPONENT, WHEN WE FINISH WITH THE ALLEN AMBASSADOR PROGRAM AT THE END OF THE SEMINAR, THEY DO COMPLETE A SURVEY THAT WE GET THAT DATA AND IT'S COLLECTED.
SO WE CAN CREATE A REPORT FOR THAT, SHARE THAT INFORMATION WITH US, SAY THE SEA PINES EXPERIENCE YOU'VE HAD.
AND ALSO, I'D BE VERY INTERESTED IN JUST SEEING THE PROSPECTUS FOR THE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM.
KNOWING THAT THAT WAS AN IMPORTANT, UM, FOCAL POINT IN GATHERING DATA IN THE AGREEMENT THAT'S BEFORE YOU TODAY IS A PROVISION THAT SAYS, AS PART OF THE ANNUAL BUDGET PROCESS, THEY'LL ALSO SUBMIT A CORRESPONDING ANNUAL REPORT, THE REPORTS TO DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROGRAM, PARTICIPATION LEVELS, ACCOMPLISHMENTS DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD, AND OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE AND EFFECTIVENESS OF THE ISLANDER AMBASSADOR PROGRAM.
SO WE'VE BUILT THAT IN AS PART OF OUR REQUIREMENT TO GATHER THAT DATA, THAT FEEDBACK, THAT INFORMATION ABOUT THE DEMOGRAPHICS, PRESENT THAT TO YOU ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, WHICH WILL THEN ALLOW YOU TO GAUGE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROGRAM GOING FORWARD INTO THE FUTURE.
SARAH, ONE OTHER QUESTION, UM, IS, IS VANISH SPEAKING AMBASSADOR PROGRAM AT THIS POINT? NOT AT THAT, NOT AT THIS POINT.
WE ARE LOOKING AT AS PART OF THE OVERHAUL WITH THE PROGRAMMING AND LOOKING TO UTILIZE ALSO UNIVERSITY STAFF.
UM, AND IF YOU HAVE SOMEONE IN PARTICULAR THAT YOU WOULD RECOMMEND, THE COUNCIL WOULD RECOMMEND TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN IT DOES CROSSOVER FROM THE ENGLISH TO THE SPANISH VERSION THAT WE'RE CONVEYING, IN PARTICULAR THE CULTURAL HISTORY AS WELL AS THE HISTORY CORRECTLY.
I, MY FINAL COMMENT, UM, EATING WHAT I SAID EARLIER, I INTERPRET WHAT WE'RE INVESTING IN IS PRIMARILY THE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM.
AND THE OTHER THINGS ARE NICETIES, BUT I DON'T WANT THEM TO BE DISTRACTIONS FROM WHAT I'M PERCEIVING AS THE MAIN REASON WE'RE INVESTING.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS OUR MAIN FOCUS IS THE ISLAND AMBASSADOR PROGRAM.
THESE ARE OTHER COMPONENTS UNDER THE CENTER, SINCE IT'S FOR CONTINUING EDUCATION AND HOSPITALITY TRAINING THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO OFFER THOSE AS WELL FOR THE COMMUNITY.
SO YES, THE YL AMBASSADOR PROGRAM IS THE KEY, THE KEY PART.
UM, BUT ANOTHER VERY IMPORTANT PART AND A VERY, UM, IT, IT SOUNDS FUNNY IN SECRET SHOPPING, THE QUALITY MANAGEMENT COMPONENT IS VERY CRITICAL.
IT'S, YOU KNOW, WE, WE HAVE A FORBES TRAINED INDI FACULTY MEMBER WHO HAS TRAVELED THE, THE WORLD, BEEN ALL OVER THE WORLD AT FIVE STAR RESORTS SECRET SHOPPING.
AND SHE HAS TO BE ANONYMOUS DOING THAT BECAUSE THEY, YOU KNOW, SHE, SHE FILLS OUT THESE VERY DETAILED REPORTS IN TERMS OF DID THE, DID THE VALET, YOU KNOW, ASK HER HOW MANY PIECES OF LUGGAGE SHE HAS.
SO I'VE DONE THIS TWICE MYSELF.
I'VE BEEN OUT TO SEA PINES AND, UM, SEA PINES USES THIS SERVICE AT A LOT.
AND THEY REIMBURSED, YOU KNOW, YOU, THEY SAID, WE WANT YOU TO HAVE LUNCH OR DINNER.
YOU NEED TO GET AN APPETIZER OR A DESSERT AS WELL AS A, A MAIN MEAL.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND THEN A HUNDRED QUESTIONS, LITERALLY ALMOST A HUNDRED QUESTIONS, UM, AS TO THE TYPE OF SERVICE.
DID THIS PERSON SAY HELLO? DID THEY SAY, DID THEY, HOW DID THEY HAND YOU THEIR MENU FROM THIS SIDE TO THIS SIDE? AND THEY CREATE THOSE QUESTIONS AS TO EXACTLY HOW THEY WANT TO KNOW WHAT KIND OF SERVICE IS BEING OFFERED.
NOT JUST DID YOU HAVE A GOOD EXPERIENCE? DID YOU FEEL GOOD WHEN YOU LEFT? IT'S VERY DETAILED FROM THE MOMENT YOU SIT DOWN TO THE MOMENT THAT YOU LEAVE.
AND THEY TAKE THESE THINGS AND DEVELOP TRAINING.
YOU KNOW, THEY DEVELOP TRAINING COMPONENTS AND SOMETIMES THEY COME BACK TO US AND ASK FOR US TO COME TO COME DO THAT TRAINING.
SO IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A VERY INVOLVED PROCESS.
IT, IT'S NOT JUST, OH, WE GO SEE, YOU KNOW, DO A LITTLE SECRET SHOPPING AND WE GET A, YOU KNOW, AND THEY, THEY PAY FOR OUR LUNCH.
UM, IT'S, IT'S MUCH MORE INVOLVED.
AND SARAH HAS DONE IT A FEW TIMES AS WELL, UM, AND
[01:45:01]
WORKED WITH, WITH THIS FACULTY MEMBER AND WAS, I JUST REMEMBER SOME VERY, YOU KNOW, INTERESTING TEXT MESSAGES THAT SAYS, I DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS THIS INVOLVEDTHE CONTINUING EDUCATION INDUSTRY COMES TO US.
THEY'VE COME TO US AND SAID, WE, WE WANT SOME CREDENTIALS.
YOU KNOW, WE WANT OUR FACULTY, I MEAN OUR FACULTY, OUR PE, OUR HOUSEKEEPERS TO BE CERTIFIED, YOU KNOW, CERTIFIED HOUSEKEEPERS, UM, AND THE AMERICAN HOTEL LODGING ASSOCIATION OFFERS THAT.
BUT, BUT WE HAVE, WE HAVE THE POWER AND WE HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY THAT WE CAN DO THIS AND WE CAN DO A REALLY GOOD JOB AT IT, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE, THE LEADERSHIP THAT, THAT WE'VE, THAT WE'VE BROUGHT ON.
I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT YOU INCLUDE IN THE REPORTING SPECIFIC NUMBERS ABOUT PLACEMENTS PART-TIME AND FULL-TIME BY STUDENTS IN, UH, UH, LOCAL ISLAND BUSINESSES.
THAT, THAT IS VERY MEANINGFUL TO US.
'CAUSE IT SHOWS THAT IT'S ACTUALLY WORKING AND GETTING HERE.
AND, AND WE JUST HEARD ABOUT THAT, THAT INDEED THERE HAVE BEEN SUCH PLACEMENTS, BUT FRANKLY, I HADN'T HEARD ABOUT IT.
ANY PARTICULAR REPORTING REQUIREMENTS AS THE UNIVERSITY INDICATED? I THINK THEY'RE VERY TRANSPARENT.
THEY'D BE HAPPY TO PROVIDE IT.
WE JUST NEED TO IDENTIFY WHAT THOSE ARE.
AND THEN IF THE COMMITTEE IS OPEN TO DOING IT, UM, IF YOU'RE WILLING TO MOVE THIS FORWARD ABSENT ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR CONSIDERATIONS, WE'LL JUST MAKE THAT A CONTINGENT PART OF THE DRAFT COMING BACK BEFORE COUNCIL.
UM, MR. BEFORE YOU GO JUST MM-HMM.
UH, I THINK THE, THE, THE RETURN ON THE INVESTMENT, UM, SORT OF HARD TO QUANTIFY TO A DEGREE, RIGHT? UM, BUT I THINK THIS WHOLE IDEA OF OUR SERVICE BEING BETTER AT THE END OF THE DAY IS IMPORTANT, RIGHT? AND I THINK THERE ARE SOME WAYS FOR US TO MEASURE THAT.
UM, COACH BEACH HAS MENTIONED SOME OF THE BIGGER RESORTS.
AND AS I APPRECIATE THEM TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE PROGRAM, I'M ALSO INTERESTED IN THE SMALLER MOM AND POPS THAT ALSO OFFER UP A, AN EXPERIENCE TO OUR VISITORS.
AND AS WE ALL KNOW, SOCIAL MEDIA IS, UH, SO INTENSE AT THE MOMENT.
UM, YOU, YOU CAN PILOT SOMEBODY AND YOU MAY GET A ONE STAR REVIEW OR YOU MAY GET A FIVE STAR REVIEW.
BUT IF WE ARE GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND WITH THE TYPE OF SERVICE THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT, WE SHOULD START TO SEE AN INCREASE AMOUNT OF THOSE POSITIVE REVIEWS AT THE BUSINESSES THAT WE ARE MONITORING.
SO I THINK THAT IS A PART OF THE MEASUREMENT AND REPORTING THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE AS WELL.
AND, UM, AND WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT THE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY OF THIS GROUP.
AND I KNOW THAT THE ASK AT THE MOMENT IS AROUND 235 K.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT HOW WE'VE, UH, GONE AWAY WITH THE CODE, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A FINANCIAL LOOK BACK.
UM, OVER THE LAST, LET'S SAY THREE TO FOUR YEARS.
AND HOW THAT ALIGNS WITH THE CURRENT ASK AND WHERE WE'RE GOING AS FAR AS THE INFLATION IS CONCERNED.
I, I FORM LIKE TO SEE THAT COME BEFORE THIS BODY, BEFORE WE MOVE IT ON TO THE FULL COUNCIL.
I THINK WE'VE GOT THE LAST TWO YEARS IN THE STAFF MEMBER THAT'S ATTACHED, PLUS THE CURRENT REQUEST.
BUT WE CAN ADD AN ADDITIONAL TWO YEARS TO THAT FOR FOUR LOOK BACK, ONE LOOK FORWARD.
AND THE REASON I'M ASKING PAST THE LAST TWO, BECAUSE I KEEP REFERRING TO THE LAST TWO YEARS AS SUPER YEARS.
UM, THOSE, THOSE NUMBERS WE MAY NOT SEE AGAIN FOR A LONG TIME.
UM, SO THAT'S, WANNA LOOK BACK JUST A BIT FURTHER.
ANYTHING ELSE FROM THE COMMITTEE? NO.
WE WILL OPEN IT UP FOR A PUBLIC COMMENT.
MR. HOLMAN, CAN I LET THE LADIES GO FIRST THIS TIME, SIR? PARDON? IT WAS A, HAVE MR. TURNER GO BEFORE YOU? SHE RAISED HER HAND BEFORE YOU.
UM, MY COMMENT IS ON THE STRUCTURE OF THE MOU AND IT HAS TO DO WITH THE FUNDING, UM, THE US OH, THAT JUST WENT OFF.
CB'S FUNDING IS BUILT INTO THE MOU AT 235,000 PLUS THE INFLATION FACTOR FOR FIVE YEARS.
IN CONTRAST, THE ISLAND REC DOES NOT HAVE THEIR FUNDING BUILT IN.
AND THAT MAY BE IMPORTANT AS THE CONVERSATION EARLIER WAS ABOUT AT TAX AND ALLOCATING MONEY BETWEEN AFFILIATE AGENCIES AND WORKFORCE HOUSING.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT.
YOU KNOW WHAT SADDENS ME IS GOOD PEOPLE LIKE THIS
[01:50:01]
COME AND, AND TO, TO SEEK FUNDING, UH, THE HERITAGE, UM, AND, AND OTHER THINGS THAT ARE, THAT ARE HEARTFELT.THE, THE PROBLEM IS GETTING BY THE ACTUAL LAW ITSELF, THE AT TAX LAW THAT THAT'S THE PROBLEM.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I, I TELL YOU, WE, WE NEED TO REALLY THINK ABOUT THIS.
WE NEED TO REALLY THINK, AND I KNOW I'VE BEEN HARPING ON THIS FOR GOD KNOWS, 10 YEARS.
WE NEED TO REALLY JUST DEFUND THE CHAMBER AND GET IT OVER WITH, UH, THE, THE DMO IS NO LONGER NEEDED, UH, TECHNOLOGY.
AND THEY, I'M SURE THEY HAVE TECHNOLOGY COURSES IN THE COLLEGE, AND TECHNOLOGY HAS REPLACED THE NEED OF THIS OLD FAILED BUSINESS MODEL.
WE'RE GONNA GET TOURISTS, 3 MILLION TOURISTS HERE, WHETHER WE HAVE A CHAMBER OR DMO OR NO MATTER WHAT WE DO, IT'S JUST GONNA HAPPEN.
'CAUSE WE HAVE LOCAL SEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY.
SO WE JUST NEED TO LET THE CHAMBER GO BACK TO BEING A CHAMBER, BEING A MEMBERSHIP CHAMBER, A PRIVATE CHAMBER, AND START.
AND I'D RATHER SEE ALL THESE FUNDS THAT ARE GOING TO THIS CHAMBER AND GIVE IT TO THESE PEOPLE, GIVE IT TO THESE PEOPLE THAT ARE WORTHY OF THESE FUNDS.
THEY'RE ALL SUFFERING BECAUSE YOU CONTINUE TO GIVE, ALLOW BILL MILES IN THIS CHAMBER TO RECEIVE ALL THIS MONEY.
NOW IT'S NOT JUST AAX FUNDS, IT'S NOT JUST A TAX FUNDS.
SO 5 MILLION FROM S SOUTH CAROLINA, PRT, GOVERNOR MCMASTER GAVE BILL MILES DIRECTLY TO THESE, GO DIRECTLY TO BILL MILES BACK ACCOUNT, DON'T EVEN GO THROUGH THE TOWN.
HURRICANE FUNDING FOR HURRICANES, HAD NEVER HIT SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING FROM OUR GENERAL TAX FUNDS.
I'D RATHER JUST SEE Y'ALL MAKE A FINAL DECISION AND JUST SAY TO BILL MILES AND THIS CHAMBER, LOOK, WE SUPPORT YOU.
OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS A CHAMBER.
BUT GO BACK TO BEING A REAL CHAMBER.
HELP YOUR MEMBERS PROSPER IN THIS COMMUNITY.
WE'RE NOT GONNA TAX FUND YOU ANYMORE 'CAUSE WE NEED TO GIVE MONEY TO OTHER PEOPLE THAT ARE WORTHY OF THIS MONEY.
AND THEN YOU CAN, THEN YOU CAN GIVE ALL THIS MONEY TO EVERYBODY TODAY AND HAVE A LOT LEFT OVER.
THINK ABOUT THE REALITY OF THIS, HELP THESE PEOPLE OUT.
HELP, UH, UH, UH, UH, MR. FRAZIER LAWYER FRAZIER THAT CAME HERE.
I'M NOT FOR THE DREDGING OF HARBORTOWN.
I THINK THAT'S PUSHING IT, THAT'S USING PUBLIC MONEY TO DREDGE IN HARBORTOWN IN A PRIG GATED COMMUNITY THAT THE PUBLIC DOES NOT HAVE ACCESS TO.
WE WON THAT LAWSUIT IN THE SUPREME COURT AND YOU'RE BEING SUED FOR THAT.
AND WE'RE GONNA WIN THAT BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S ILLEGAL.
BUT HELPING THESE OTHER GOOD PEOPLE OUT THAT NEED MONEY, IT JUST BREAKS MY HEART THAT Y'ALL ARE NOT DOING THAT.
UH, SO, UM, MR. GRU, I KNOW YOU HAVE TAKEN VERY GOOD NOTES HERE.
UM, AND, UH, ITEMS THAT WILL BE BACK BEFORE THIS BODY MM-HMM.
AND IF YOU COULD HELP ADDRESS SOME OF THE CONCERNS THROUGH ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE IN THE AGREEMENT, UM, THAT WILL, THAT WILL HELP US TREMENDOUSLY.
ANYTHING ELSE FROM THE COMMITTEE? DO YOU HAVE YES.
I WAS GONNA SAY, LET ME JUST TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF SUMMARIZE THAT.
SO WHEN WE COME BACK, WE'VE GOT EVERYTHING THAT YOU NEED.
UH, AND, AND SO, UM, WE WILL INCLUDE AS ADDITIONAL REPORTING REQUIREMENTS, PLACEMENT OF STUDENTS.
YOU MENTIONED THE PART-TIME, FULL-TIME, UM, THAT WAS DISCUSSED EARLIER TODAY.
AND THEN MR. BROWN, YOU'D INDICATED, UM, TO IDENTIFY THE NUMBER AND TYPE OF ENTITIES THAT ARE PARTICIPATING OR RECEIVING SERVICES WITHIN THE QUALITY CONTROL PROGRAM.
AND I ALSO ADDED TO INDICATE THAT IF AN AVERAGE SCORING IS PROVIDED, WHAT THAT AVERAGE SCORING IS PER PLACE, AND NOT NECESSARILY THE SPECIFIC ENTITY, BUT AS AN AVERAGE, THAT WAY YOU CAN MEASURE THAT, WHETHER THAT NUMBER'S GOING UP OR THAT NUMBER'S GOING DOWN OVER TIME.
UM, AND THEN WE'LL INCLUDE, UM, FOUR YEARS OF LOOKBACK FINANCIALS FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM.
I ASKED ABOUT THE PROSPECTUS AND ALSO, UM, A SURVEY RESULT FOR THE SEA PINES, JUST TO BE ABLE TO LOOK THOSE PARTICULAR ONES SPECIFICALLY.
WE'LL JUST HAVE THAT INFORMATION FOR BACKUP, BUT WE WON'T INCLUDE THAT AS PART OF THE MOU.
IT WOULD BE USEFUL ALSO TO HAVE THE RESULTS OF SOME OF THE SECRET SHOPPING THAT'S GOING ON HERE ON THE ISLAND.
UH, THE SATISFACTION CONTROLS.
I WAS GONNA SAY, SO WHEN I MENTIONED THE, THE AVERAGE SCORING, UM, IN MY MIND, I'M ASSUMING THAT IF YOU ASK A HUNDRED QUESTIONS, YOU'RE, YOU'RE SCORING THOSE OUT OF A HUNDRED.
AND SO IF YOU GOT A 67 THEN SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES.
BUT WHATEVER SCORING MECHANISM IS USED, WE'LL LOOK TO SEE IF WE CAN PROVIDE THAT.
WHAT IS OUR TIMING, WHAT'S OUR DEADLINE ON GETTING THIS, MOVING THIS FORWARD? SO ULTIMATELY, FUNDING FOR THIS YEAR WAS PROVIDED OUT OF THE ADOPTED BUDGET.
SO THIS IS ANTICIPATION OF MOVING FORWARD AS PART OF NEXT YEAR'S FUNDING PROGRAM.
WE HAVE NO OTHER BUSINESS FOR THIS BODY.
WE WILL FIND OURSELVES ADJOURNED.
THANK YOU LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
AND OF COURSE, THANK YOU COUNSEL.