[00:00:01]
CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY.
IF EVERYBODY WILL TAKE THEIR SEATS, PLEASE, I'D APPRECIATE IT.
[1. Call to Order]
THIS, UH, TOWN COUNCIL MEETING OF JANUARY 16TH, 2024 TO ORDER IF YOU'LL JOIN.IN STANDING FROM THE SAME THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE ING TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC WHICH EXPANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY, JUSTICE FOR ALL.
YOU'LL CONTINUE STANDING WHILE RABBI BLOOM COMES UP AND GIVES THE INVOCATION ETERNAL SOURCE OF GOOD.
WE STAND BEFORE YOU THIS DAY AND CALL UPON YOU TO BE IN THE PRESENCE IN OUR PRESENCE.
BLESS US IN ALL THE CONSTITUTED LEADERS OF THIS TOWN COUNCIL AND THE PROFESSIONAL STAFF WHO PARTNER WITH THEM TO PROVIDE OUR COMMUNITY THE LEADERSHIP TO SUPPORT AND MAINTAIN THE VALUES AND THE POLICIES WHICH COMPRISE A STRONG, VIBRANT AND SERVICE ORIENTED ETHOS FOR THE CITIZENS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
WE ASK FOR YOUR BLESSINGS AS WE INAUGURATE 2024, WITH THE HOPE THAT THE HARVEST OF OUR WORK WILL DELIVER TO US THE FRUIT OF OUR LABOR.
IN THE UPCOMING YEAR, WE APPEAL TO YOU TO POUR OUT YOUR SPIRIT UPON THE MAYOR OF OUR TOWN AND THE TOWN COUNCIL, AND MAY THEY GOVERN JUSTLY, BE RESPECTFUL TO EACH OTHER AND TO THE CITIZENRY OF HILTON HEAD.
WE BESEECH YOU ETERNAL ONE, TO IMBUE US WITH A HEARTFELT RESPECT FOR THE TAPESTRY OF INTERWOVEN COLORS OF PEOPLE AND FAITH TRADITIONS WHICH COMPRISE HILTON HEAD'S DIVERSITY AND ITS CREATIVE ENERGY TO MAKE OUR TOWN A BLESSING TO THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA AND TO THE NATION.
MAY YOUR LOVING PRESENCE OVER THIS ISLAND BE A CONSTANT REMINDER THAT OUR EFFORTS IN GOVERNMENT MUST ALWAYS PROTECT THE SANCTUARY OF THE ENVIRONMENT, WHICH IS THE CORNERSTONE OF OUR LIFE AND WAY OF LIFE.
SO MAY IT BE YOUR WILL, AND I HOPE EVERYONE WILL JOIN ME AS WE SAY.
DO WE HAVE ANY CHANGES TO THE AGENDA TODAY,
[4. Adoption of the Agenda]
SIR? WE DO NOT.I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS WRITTEN.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SIGNIFY BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
[5. Approval of the Minutes]
MINUTES FROM THE DECEMBER 3RD, 2023 MEETING.DO I HAVE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? NEW ADOPTION IS WRITTEN.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SIGNIFY BY RAISING TO BE HERE.
I DID LISTEN TO THE VIDEO, BUT I WOULD USUALLY ABSTAIN IF I WERE NOT HERE.
[6. Presentations and Recognitions]
YES, SIR.MAYOR COUNCIL, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
A A COUPLE THINGS, JUST SOME, SOME VARIOUS ITEMS. UH, I'M SURE YOU'VE ALL HEARD, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE JUST SLOW DOWN AND, AND UNDERSTAND, UM, SOME PROGRESS THAT WE'RE MAKING HERE INTERNALLY AS A STAFF.
SO WE'VE ANNOUNCED A, A CHIEF HOUSING OFFICER, UH, QUINCY WHITE.
UM, WE'VE ANNOUNCED AND HIRED ALSO A CHIEF ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER IN TJ JET.
AND SO THOSE WERE TWO KEY POSITIONS THAT WE HAVE BEEN RECRUITING AND SEEKING TO FILL FOR A PERIOD OF TIME.
SO, UM, CONGRATS TO THOSE FOLKS THAT, UH, TO QUINCY AND TO TJ AND ALSO CONGRATS TO US AND, AND THIS TEAM FOR BRINGING SUCH GREAT PROFESSIONALS, UM, ON BOARD.
WE ARE UNDER CONTRACT WITH OUR LAND MANAGEMENT ORDINANCE.
I KNOW THAT THAT HAS BEEN A HEAVY TOPIC AND A BIG ONE AT PUBLIC PLANNING COMMITTEE AS WELL AS IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, SEAN DREW A BLANK ON THE COMPANY, BUT I KNOW THAT YOU'VE MADE A GREAT PRESENTATION AND INTRODUCTION AT THE RECENT PUBLIC PLANNING COMMITTEE.
MAYBE THEY CAN HELP WITH OUR MICROPHONES
UM, AND THEN WE ARE DAYS AWAY, UM, FROM HAVING A RESILIENCE PLAN UNDER CONTRACT.
SO WE'VE BEEN NEGOTIATING THE LMO CONTRACT, THE SCOPE OF WORK, THE COST, AND THE TIMING, AND WE ARE GETTING VERY CLOSE TO ANNOUNCING THAT RESILIENCE PLAN CONTRACTOR, UM, STAFF PARTICIPATED AND I KNOW MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY HAVE AS WELL.
BUT, UM, THE MLK JUNIOR WALK WE ALL PARTICIPATED IN YESTERDAY.
AND I JUST WANNA SAY A, A BIG THANK YOU TO GALEN, BUT ALSO TO EVERYBODY INVOLVED.
SO, UM, AND LASTLY, I AM GETTING VERY CLOSE, UH, I BELIEVE TO
[00:05:01]
SOLIDIFYING A FINANCE DIRECTOR.WE'VE, WE'VE INTERVIEWED THE POSITIONS, REMAINED OPEN FOR SOME TIME AND I HAVE HAD, UH, WITH, WITH JOSH AND, AND WITH JEFF SEVERAL INTERVIEWS AND WE BELIEVE WE ARE DOWN TO A FINALIST CANDIDATE THAT WE ARE TALKING WITH NEXT WEEK.
UM, PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING SECOND, SECOND HELPING.
SO IF I GET SECOND HELP MR. COME UP, THAT WOULD BE WONDERFUL.
AND A LITTLE NOTE ABOUT ABOUT SECOND HELPINGS.
MANY YEARS AGO I WAS ON UNITED WALES ON THE ALLOCATIONS COMMITTEE FOR HUNGER IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
I HAD ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA THE AMOUNT OF FOOD THAT WAS DISTRIBUTED THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, THE MILLIONS OF POUNDS THAT WERE DISTRIBUTED EACH YEAR.
JUST PERSONAL NOTE, WHAT THAT THAT TAUGHT ME WAS INVALUABLE.
SO, SO THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND COMMENDATION HONORING SECOND HELPINGS, WHEREAS OVER 20,000 RESIDENTS OF BEAUFORT, JASPER, AND HAMPTON COUNTIES CANNOT AFFORD ALL THE FOOD THAT THEY NEED AND SUFFER FOOD INSECURITY.
AND WHEREAS SECOND HELPINGS IS THE ONLY NON-PROFIT FOOD RESCUE ORGANIZATION STRIVING TO ELIMINATE HUNGER IN THIS AREA AND PROVIDE FOOD FREE OF CHARGE FOR OUR NEIGHBORS IN NEED.
AND WHEREAS THIS ORGANIZATION WAS STARTED ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND IN 1991 BY RESIDENTS WHO WERE CONCERNED WITH FEEDING THE HUNGRY.
AND WHEREAS 158 RESIDENTS OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND AND 459 THROUGHOUT THE AREA VOLUNTEER WITH SECOND HELPINGS EACH YEAR.
AND WHEREAS LOCAL, LOCAL GROCERY STORES AND OTHER OUTLETS VOLUNTARILY DONATE FOOD FOR RESCUE INSTEAD OF FILLING OUR LANDFILLS WITH FOOD THAT IS ACCEPTABLE FOR CONSUMPTION.
AND WHEREAS THE COMMUNITY SUPPORTS SECOND HELPINGS THROUGH GRANTS, FOOD DRIVES, DIRECT DONATIONS AND OTHER WAYS.
AND WHEREAS SECOND HELPINGS PROVIDES RESCUED AND SUPPLEMENTAL FOOD TO EIGHT FOOD PANTRIES, SOUP KITCHENS, AND FAMILY PROGRAMS IN HILTON HEAD ISLAND AND 54 THROUGHOUT THE AREA.
AND WHEREAS THIS ORGANIZATION HAS RECENTLY RESCUED ITS 50000000TH POUND OF FOOD THAT IS DISTRI DISTRIBUTED FREE TO OUR NEIGHBORS IN NEED.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, ALAN R. PERRY, MAYOR OF TOWN OF HILTON, HEAD ISLAND, SOUTH CAROLINA, DO HEREBY COMMEND SECOND DEINS RESCUING ITS SIX 50000000TH POUND OF FOOD FOR THE RESIDENTS OF OUR COMMUNITY AND TESTIMONY.
WHEREOF, I HAVE RUN TO SET MY HAND AND CAUSE THE SEAL OF THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND TO BE AFFIXED THE 16TH DAY OF JANUARY OF OUR LORD, 2024.
HOW MANY TIRES HAVE Y'ALL? THANK YOU.
SO NOW WE'LL MOVE ON TO NATALIE HARVEY, WHO WILL GIVE US A PRESENTATION OR AN UPDATE ON CULTURAL AFFAIRS.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR COUNCIL MANAGER ORLANDO.
UH, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE INFORMATION ABOUT THE OFFICE OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS.
UH, IT'S BEEN A LONG SIX, ALMOST SEVEN MONTHS SINCE I PRESENTED AND A LOT OF THINGS HAVE HAPPENED, SO I JUST WANTED TO SHARE A FEW OF THOSE, UM, WITH YOU AS I, UH, WORK THROUGH THE, UM, STRATEGIC PLAN OF THE CULTURAL AFFAIRS OFFICE.
UM, THESE ARE SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE ACTIVITIES THAT THE OFFICE, UH, TAKES CARE OF ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS, AS WELL AS SEASONALLY.
UM, WE CONTINUE TO IN IMPLEMENT THE STRATEGIC PLAN THROUGH PROMOTING OUR ART CULTURE AND HISTORY, INCREASING ACCESS TO HISTORICAL, CULTURAL AND ARTISTIC APPEARANCES.
PUBLIC ART PROJECTS ARE VERY VISIBLE IN THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH AS WELL AS COMMUNITY ORIENTED PROGRAMS AND ARE VERY WELL KNOWN.
UH, THESE ARE A FEW HIGHLIGHTS OF SOME OF THE MARKETING.
THIS YEAR WE WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE COVER, UM, OF UPTOWN MAGAZINE AS WELL AS CH TWO, SOME GREAT PUBLICITY ONLINE AS WELL AS THE, UH, CULTURE HHI NEWSLETTER, WHICH GOES OUT TO ABOUT 5,000 RECIPIENTS EACH ISSUE.
UH, THERE WERE 25 SENT OUT IN 23.
THERE WERE ABOUT, UH, 9,000 FOLLOWERS ON FACEBOOK, UP 41% THIS YEAR VERSUS LAST YEAR.
SO WE'RE MAKING A LOT OF PROGRESS DIGITALLY.
[00:10:01]
I'VE ALSO, UH, WORKED WITH OUR LOCAL MEDIA AND OUT OF TOWN MEDIA WHEN THEY'RE LOOKING FOR INFORMATION FOR SOCIAL MEDIA AND INFORMATION ABOUT THE DEPTH AND BREADTH OF OUR CULTURE, HISTORY AND ART HERE IN HILTON HEAD.AND, UM, RECENTLY WE HAVE ADDED A PART-TIME STAFF PERSON.
UM, SHE IS OUT ACTIVELY GREETING OUR VISITORS IN THE COMMUNITY, HITTING THE GROUND, RUNNING THE WEEK OF THE LANTERN PARADE, AND, UM, SHARES A LOT OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE CALENDAR OF EVENTS WITH OUR VISITORS.
UH, WE HAD THE MAHARAJA FLAMENCO TRIO PERFORM AT OUR CRESCENDO KICKOFF, AND THE BEST PART ABOUT THIS WAS THE NEXT DAY THEY WENT TO THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB FOR A FREE WORKSHOP WITH THEIR STUDENTS.
WE'VE HAD 10 TO 12 EXHIBITS AT THE REC CENTER, SEVERAL EXHIBITS HERE AT TOWN HALL, AND I EXPECT THAT WITH OUR ARTS COUNCIL.
WE'LL HAVE 20 EXHIBITIONS AT THE ISLAND REC CENTER THIS YEAR.
WE ALSO INSTALLED THE VERY POPULAR PIANO AT THE PARK AND SHELTER COVE ASSISTED WITH THE POETRY TRAIL AS WELL AS LANTERN MAKING WORKSHOPS, MATERIALS, AND SUPPORT FOR MANY OF OUR CLUBS, SCHOOLS, AND NOT FOR NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, UH, PUBLIC ART IS VISIBLE AROUND TOWN AND I'M PLEASED TO SAY THAT THE SCULPTURE TRAIL THAT WE ALL CELEBRATED LAST YEAR, UM, IS BECOMING ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR PLACES ON THE ISLAND FOR PEOPLE TO ENJOY SOME OF OUR PUBLIC ART OFFERINGS AS WELL AS OUR NATURAL BEAUTY.
UM, IT WAS JUST RECENTLY, UH, FEATURED IN A CONDE NAST VIDEO WITH THE VCB AND IS SOMETHING THAT THEY ALSO FEATURED IN THEIR VACATION PLANNER.
UH, TEMPORARY PIECES AT THE SHELTER CROW SCULPTURE TRAIL WILL BE REPLACED IN, UM, AUGUST OR EARLY SEPTEMBER.
AND WE ARE MOST EXCITED THAT THE, UM, CAROLINA RETE IS FINALLY HERE ON HILTON, THAT ISLAND FOR GOOD.
IT WAS INSTALLED AT THE END OF OCTOBER.
IT'S CURRENTLY AT THE LOW COUNTRY CELEBRATION PARK AND, UM, IS THERE FOR ALL TO SEE AS THEY TRAVEL BY BIKE OR ON FOOT OR EVEN DOWN POPE AVENUE.
UM, THE POETRY TRAIL WAS A NEW PROJECT THIS YEAR, WHICH IS FEATURES IN IN THE CULTURAL TRAIL AS WELL AS ONLINE WITH 26 SITES OF BUSINESSES, UH, ARE NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND SCULPTURES BEING FEATURED IN IT.
AND A LONG AWAITED THREE PANEL KIOSK IS EXPECTED TO BE INSTALLED AT THE ROWAN SAILING CENTER.
UM, I HESITATE TO GIVE A DATE IN PUBLIC, BUT WE ARE GETTING CLOSER EVERY DAY.
IT TRACES THE HISTORY OF THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND FISHING COOPERATIVE, THE EFFORTS TO KEEP THE A SF OUT OF OUR ENVIRONMENT AND OUT OF OUR REGION.
AND IT WILL FEATURE A 15 FOOT MURAL THAT HONORS THE CAPTAIN DAVE SHRIMP TRAWLER THAT TRAVELED TO WASHINGTON DC SO LOOK FOR AN INVITATION TO THAT RIBBON CUTTING VERY SOON.
UH, THE CRESCENDO EVENTS THIS YEAR WERE A HUGE SUCCESS.
WE HAD OVER A HUNDRED EVENTS LISTED IN OUR OFFICIAL CALENDAR, SEVERAL ANCILLARY EVENTS THAT WERE ADDED AFTER IT WENT TO PRINT.
UH, THESE RANGED IN SMALL SCALE POETRY READINGS, UH, TO PARK FILLING CONCERTS, AS WELL AS SEVERAL EVENTS SPONSORED SPECIFICALLY BY THE OCA, THE, UH, FAMILY PROGRAMS IN THE COMMUNITY MARKET, ORIGINAL SONGWRITER SERIES AT THE PARK, POETRY TRAIL CRAWL AND READINGS, AND OUR KICKOFF CELEBRATION AT, UH, SHELTER COVE.
THE LANTERN PARADE WAS A RESOUNDING SUCCESS AND WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL POST-EVENT MEETINGS ABOUT HOW TO IMPROVE ON THAT FOR NEXT YEAR.
AND THEN OF COURSE, WE ENDED UP ALSO, UH, THE OFFICE OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN HELPING WITH THE 360 40 CELEBRATION WITH THE COMMUNITY PICNIC AND CONCERT, UM, IN THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND JAM MUSIC FESTIVAL, WHICH I HOPE TO HAVE NEWS ABOUT OUR DATES COMING UP THIS YEAR.
UM, THIS, UH, HILTON NET ISLAND JAM HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN GETTING SOME OF OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES AND ALSO TO KNOW SOME OUT OF TOWN MUSICIANS WHO HAVE ACTUALLY COME BACK TO HILTON ISLAND TO PROVIDE PERFORMANCES FOR OUR RESIDENTS AND VISITORS.
SO THOSE CONNECTIONS ABOUT GETTING THE WORD OUT ABOUT THE GREAT BUZZ ON HILTON NET ISLAND OF OUR LOCAL ART AND COLCHICINE IS ACTUALLY GETTING A LOT OF TRACTION OUTSIDE THE COMMUNITY.
SO WITH THAT SAID, WE WRAPPED UP THE YEAR WITH OUR TREE LIGHTING AND MENORAH LIGHTING, UM, AT LEFT COUNTRY CELEBRATION PARK, AND, UH, A GREAT WAY TO END OUR YEAR TO HONOR OUR COMMUNITY.
SO AS I LOOK FORWARD TO THE NEXT YEAR, UH, OF COURSE CRESCENDO LANTERN PARADE PUBLIC ART, AS I MENTIONED, OUR WEBSITE IS, UH, CULTURE HHI IS BEING REDESIGNED AND RE UPDATED AS WELL AS ENCOURAGING OUR CONTINUED PARTNERSHIPS, SOCIAL MEDIA AND CONNECTING RESIDENTS WITH VISITORS AT SPECIAL EVENTS.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
ALRIGHT, NEXT WE WILL HAVE A PRESENTATION OF THE TOWN OF HILTON, RHODE ISLAND FINANCIAL AUDIT, UH, FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30TH, 2023.
TRAY SCOTT, PARTNER OF MALDEN AND JENKINS IS HERE TO MAKE A PRESENTATION.
UH, JEFF HERRIMAN, INTERIM FINANCE DIRECTOR.
[00:15:01]
INTRODUCE TREY SCOTT, PARTNER WITH THE CPA FIRM, MALDEN AND JENKINS.UH, THE FY 23 AUDIT WAS THE FIRST YEAR OF A FIVE YEAR AUDIT AGREEMENT WE HAVE WITH, UH, MALDEN JENKINS.
AND I JUST WANNA THANK TREY AND HIS STAFF FOR ALL THEIR WORK ON THE AUDIT AND ON THE ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE REPORT.
AND, UH, WE LOOK FORWARD TO TREY, WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU OVER THE NEXT COMING YEARS.
THANKS JEFF FOR THAT, UH, VERY NICE INTRODUCTION, MR. MAYOR COUNSEL.
CERTAINLY PLEASED TO BE HERE WITH YOU ALL, UH, THIS AFTERNOON TO DISCUSS THE RESULTS OF THE THE TOWN'S 2023 AUDIT.
JUST TO GIVE YOU A REAL QUICK IDEA OF WHY I'M HERE, UH, SINCE THIS WAS THE FIRST YEAR WE AUDITED YOU ALL, I KIND OF WANTED TO INTRODUCE YOU TO MALDEN AND JENKINS REALLY QUICKLY.
UH, GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF, OF YOUR, UH, OR OUR AUDIT REPORT, YOUR COMPLIANCE REPORTS AND YOUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
GO OVER SOME REQUIRED COMMUNICATIONS WITH YOU AND THEN CERTAINLY ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT, THAT YOU ALL MAY HAVE.
REALLY QUICKLY ABOUT MALDEN AND JENKINS.
WE WERE FOUNDED OVER A HUNDRED YEARS AGO.
WE SERVE OVER 650 GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES THROUGHOUT THE SOUTHEAST.
UH, WE DO THIS ACROSS 13 OFFICES IN FIVE STATES.
UH, AND WE PROVIDE OVER 135,000 HOURS ANNUALLY TO OUR GOVERNMENTAL CLIENTS.
SO WE'RE CERTAINLY, UH, COMMITTED TO THE GOVERNMENTAL INDUSTRY IN SERVING LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND, AND STATE GOVERNMENTS.
BUT ENOUGH ABOUT US, I THINK WHAT IS OF PARTICULAR IMPORTANCE TO YOU ALL, UH, IS OUR AUDIT OPINION.
UH, I THINK AS YOU ALL KNOW, THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS THEMSELVES THAT ACT FOR IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE TOWN'S MANAGEMENT.
UH, IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS YOUR AUDITOR TO EXPRESS AN OPINION ON THAT FINANCIAL INFORMATION BASED ON OUR AUDIT.
UH, AND WE DO THAT BY FOLLOWING GENERALLY ACCEPTED AUDITING STANDARDS AND GOVERNMENT AUDITING STANDARDS.
UH, AND I'M PLEASED TO REPORT TO YOU ALL TODAY THAT WE ISSUED THE TOWN A CLEAN, UH, OR WHAT WE CALL AN UNMODIFIED OPINION.
UH, AND WHAT THAT BASICALLY MEANS IS THAT THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ARE PRESENTED FAIRLY, UH, OR PRESENT FAIRLY THE FINANCIAL POSITION AND THE RESULTS OF THE TOWN'S OPERATIONS AS OF JUNE 30TH, 2023.
AND THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR, RIGHT? IT'S A CLEAN OPINION.
IT'S THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF ASSURANCE, UH, THAT WE CAN PROVIDE TO YOU AS, AS YOUR AUDITOR, COUPLE OF OTHER REPORTS IN YOUR ACT FOR AS WELL, UH, A YELLOW BOOK REPORT.
SO IF WE HAD ANY SIGNIFICANT DEFICIENCIES OR MATERIAL WEAKNESS TYPE FINDINGS THAT WE NEEDED TO REPORT TO YOU, THAT'S WHERE THOSE WOULD BE REPORTED.
I THINK THAT'S JUST A TESTAMENT TO THE HARD WORK OF THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT, UH, THAT, THAT THEY DO ON A DAILY BASIS, AND CERTAINLY SOMETHING I THINK THEY SHOULD BE COMMENDED FOR AND, AND SOMETHING YOU ALL SHOULD BE VERY PROUD OF.
UH, ADDITIONALLY, ANYTIME YOU SPEND MORE THAN $750,000 IN FEDERAL EXPENDITURES, YOU'RE REQUIRED TO HAVE A SINGLE AUDIT.
UH, AND WE PERFORMED THAT SINGLE AUDIT ON YOUR MAJOR GRANT PROGRAM, UH, HAD NO ISSUES AS IT RELATED TO THE SINGLE AUDIT AS WELL, PROVIDED YOU WITH A CLEAN OR UNMODIFIED OPINION ON YOUR COMPLIANCE WITH THOSE GRANT REQUIREMENTS.
SO, ANOTHER GREAT THING TO BE ABLE TO REPORT TO YOU, ADDITIONALLY, I THINK YOU ALL KNOW THIS, BUT IN CASE YOU DON'T, YOU ALL PRESENT WHAT'S CALLED AN ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORT OR AN ACT FOR, UH, AND AN ACT FOR GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND, UH, YOUR BASIC GENERAL REQUIRED REPORTING OF A LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
YOU PRESENT A COUPLE OF ADDITIONAL SECTIONS OUTSIDE OF YOUR BASIC FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND FOOTNOTES, UH, AND A LOT OF BLOOD, SWEAT, AND TEARS GOES INTO THIS THING, UH, ON, ON THE PART OF THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
UH, I KNOW THEY'RE VERY PROUD OF THIS DOCUMENT, AND I THINK, AGAIN, SOMETHING YOU ALL SHOULD BE VERY PROUD OF AS WELL.
IT'S SUBMITTED EVERY YEAR, UH, INTO THE GFOA CERTIFICATE OF EXCELLENCE, UH, PROGRAM, UH, TAKES 'EM A WHILE TO REVIEW IT, UH, BUT WE DON'T ANTICIPATE THERE BEING ANY ISSUES WITH YOU ALL RECEIVING THAT SOUGHT AFTER CERTIFICATE AGAIN, UH, FOR THE 2023, UH, FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
SO WE'LL JUMP INTO THE NUMBERS A LITTLE BIT NOW, UH, IN YOUR ACT FOR YOU PRESENT TWO SETS OF FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
YOU HAVE A GOVERNMENT-WIDE SET OF FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, WHICH TAKES ALL OF YOUR FUNDS, KIND OF ROLLS 'EM UP INTO ONE COLUMN, GIVING YOU THAT BIG PICTURE VIEW OF THE TOWN.
UM, AND, AND YOU ONLY SEE THESE GOVERNMENT-WIDE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS IN YOUR ACT FOR JUST THIS ONE TIME A YEAR.
YOU'RE, YOU'RE MORE AT TO SEE IN YOUR FUND LEVEL, GENERAL FUND, STORMWATER FUND, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS, YOU KNOW, MORE ON A MONTHLY BASIS.
AND WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THOSE HERE IN JUST A SECOND.
BUT JUST KIND OF SOME KEY POINTS ABOUT YOUR GOVERNMENT-WIDE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
BOTTOM LINE, 384 MILLION, THAT'S THAT NEXT TO LAST BULLET POINT, AND WE INCREASED IT BY ABOUT 46 MILLION THIS YEAR.
SO THAT'S A GOOD STRONG NET POSITION, UH, FOR THE TOWN, FOR SURE.
UM, ONE OF THE MORE COMMON QUESTIONS I GET IS, HOW HEALTHY ARE WE? UH, AND, AND AN AUDIT'S NOT DESIGNED TO TELL YOU HOW HEALTHY YOU ARE, UH, BUT THERE ARE CERTAIN KEY INDICATORS, FINANCIAL INDICATORS YOU COULD LOOK AT TO KIND OF DETERMINE OR GAUGE THAT HEALTH.
AND ONE OF THE PLACES I LIKE TO LOOK IS, IS WHAT'S GOING ON WITH OUR CAPITAL ASSETS? ARE WE REINVESTING IN THE TOWN OR ARE WE ALLOWING OUR CAPITAL ASSET BASE TO AGE? UH, AND THAT'S KIND OF WHAT THIS GRAPH SHOWS YOU.
YOU CAN SEE THAT BLUE COLUMN OR YOUR DEPRECIABLE ASSETS, THE GREEN IS YOUR ACCUMULATED DEPRECIATION.
SO HOW MUCH OF THOSE ASSETS HAVE ACTUALLY DEPRECIATED OVER THE COURSE OF TIME? SO THE, THE CLOSER, THE BLUE COLUMN AND THE GREEN COLUMN ARE TO ONE ANOTHER WOULD TELL ME THAT YOUR ASSETS ARE MUCH OLDER.
UH, BUT YOU ALL HAVE CONTINUED TO
[00:20:01]
REINVEST IN THE TOWN LOOKING AT THIS CRAFT, THAT'S A REALLY GOOD HEALTHY LOOKING CAPITAL ASSET ACTIVITY OVER THE LAST COURSE OF THE LAST FIVE YEARS.AND SO, UH, I HAVE NO REAL CONCERNS AS IT RELATES TO THAT.
SO MOVING ON FROM YOUR GOVERNMENT-WIDE INFORMATION TO YOUR FUND LEVEL INFORMATION, YOUR, YOUR GENERAL FUND MORE SPECIFICALLY, THAT'S USUALLY THE, UH, THE BIG SIBLING FUND OF, OF A GOVERNMENT.
UH, AND I'M NOT GONNA READ THESE NUMBERS TO YOU, BUT THE ONES I REALLY WANNA POINT OUT TO YOU, YOU INCREASED YOUR FUND BALANCE THIS YEAR.
THAT'S THE THIRD TO LAST BULLET POINT, ABOUT 4.4 MILLION.
ANOTHER PLACE TO KIND OF GAUGE HEALTH IS HOW MUCH, HOW MANY MONTHS OR DAYS OF EXPENDITURES DO YOU HAVE IN FUND BALANCE AT YOUR END? UH, YOU HAD ABOUT 2.6 MONTHS OF EXPENSES OR EXPENDITURES IN UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE.
THAT'S IN THAT NEXT TO LAST BULLET THERE.
UH, BUT IF WE LOOK AT UNRESTRICTED FUND BALANCE, SO THAT'S THE COMBINATION OF YOUR COMMITTED, YOUR ASSIGNED, AND YOUR UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE.
YOU'VE GOT 8.4 MONTHS OF, OF, OF, UH, EXPENDITURES IN, IN YOUR, IN YOUR FUND BALANCE.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S ACTUALLY A REALLY GOOD PLACE TO BE CONSIDERING WHERE YOU ARE GEOGRAPHICALLY.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T PREDICT THE WEATHER, WE CAN'T PREDICT GLOBAL PANDEMICS.
UH, SO WE DO NEED TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF CUSHION, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING YOU'RE A JUNE 30 YEAR END.
UH, ONE OF YOUR PRIMARY SOURCES OF REVENUE IS PROPERTY TAXES.
WHEN DO WE COLLECT PROPERTY TAXES? TYPICALLY? OCTOBER.
NO, WELL, NOVEMBER, DECEMBER, REALLY? UH, SO WE HAVE SOME TIME WHERE THOSE REVENUES ARE NOT GONNA BE COMING IN THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE CAN GET THROUGH TO THE NEXT PROPERTY TAX COLLECTION CYCLE.
SO, AND THEN FINALLY A GOOD, ANOTHER GOOD PLACE I KIND OF LOOK FOR HEALTH IS, IS YOUR LIQUID RATIO.
SO HOW MANY TIMES COULD YOU PAY YOUR CURRENT LIABILITIES WITH THE CURRENT ASSETS THAT YOU HAD ON HAND? AND YOU COULD HAVE DONE THAT 3.1 TIMES AT 30.
SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT YOUR PAYABLES, YOUR ACCRUED PAYROLL, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
SO, UH, THAT'S A GOOD LIQUID POSITION AS WELL.
THIS JUST KIND OF LOOKS AT THINGS GRAPHICALLY AS WELL.
UH, THE ONE COLUMN I REALLY WANNA WANT YOU TO PAY ATTENTION TO, REVENUES AND EXPENSES AND EXPENDITURES FLUCTUATE.
IT HAPPENS, AND WE CAN SEE THE GROWTH THERE SINCE 2020.
UH, BUT IT'S THAT ORANGE, UH, KIND OF COLUMN, AND THAT'S YOUR UNRESTRICTED FUND BALANCE.
SO THE COMBINATION OF YOUR COMMITTED AND UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCES, UH, AND LOOK AT THAT, HOW, HOW IT'S TRENDED UP OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
SO THAT'S ALWAYS A GOOD THING TO SEE, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE CONSIDER 2020 WAS PROBABLY AT OUR LOW BECAUSE OF, OF THE YEAR OF THE PANDEMIC.
SO ANOTHER PLACE FOR HEALTH, REMEMBER WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THOSE EXPENDITURES, UH, HOW, HOW MANY MONTHS OF EXPENDITURES YOU HAD IN FUND BALANCE.
YOU CAN SEE WE'VE GROWN THAT FROM ABOUT SIX, A LITTLE MORE THAN SIX MONTHS TO A LITTLE OVER EIGHT MONTHS OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
SO ALSO A VERY GOOD LOOKING TREND AS WELL.
AND THEN YOUR STORM WATER FUND OR YOUR BUSINESS TYPE ACTIVITY.
I'LL, I'LL MOVE THROUGH THIS PRETTY QUICKLY.
GOOD, NICE HEALTHY INCREASE IN NET POSITION THIS YEAR.
UH, AND ONE OF THOSE PLACES I GAUGE HEALTH WITH A BUSINESS TYPE ACTIVITY LIKE A STORMWATER FUND IS WHAT'S GOING ON WITH CASH FLOWS AND MORE SPECIFICALLY YOUR CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATIONS.
IF YOU LOOK AT ANY PRIVATE SECTOR BUSINESS, IT SHOULD BE THOSE CASH FLOWS OR CASH THAT'S COMING IN FROM OPERATIONS THAT WE USE ELSEWHERE, UH, THROUGHOUT THE BUSINESS.
SAME THING GOES FOR YOUR STORMWATER FUND.
UH, WE HAD GOOD STRONG OPERATING CASH FLOWS OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST THREE YEARS, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING WHAT WAS GOING ON IN 2019 AND 2020.
WE WERE USING CASH IN OPERATIONS IN THOSE YEARS.
SO STORMWATER, UH, HAS, HAS CERTAINLY COME A LONG WAY FROM 2019 TO 2023, UH, AND, AND LOOKS TO BE IN A VERY HEALTHY POSITION.
YOUR REVENUE'S FAR OUT SEATED, YOUR EXPENDITURES THERE, YOU'RE GETTING THAT NET POSITION BACK TO WHERE IT PROBABLY NEEDED TO BE.
UM, SO, UH, AGAIN, GOOD LOOKING GRAPH THERE.
A FEW OTHER ITEMS OF NOTE, JUST KIND OF LOOKING AT THINGS FROM A GOVERNMENT WIDE PERSPECTIVE.
I TALKED ABOUT REINVESTING IN THE TOWN.
YOU DID THAT TO THE TUNE OF ALMOST 15 MILLION THIS YEAR AND INCREASES TO YOUR CAPITAL ASSETS, PAID DOWN ABOUT 16 MILLION IN DEBT.
WE IMPLEMENTED A NEW GASB STANDARD.
I KNOW YOU ALL ARE SO EXCITED ABOUT HEARING ABOUT THOSE, I'M SURE, BUT, UH, DIDN'T HAVE A REAL BIG IMPACT, BUT IT WAS SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH TO WHERE WE HAD TO RECORD IT.
UH, AND IT'S THESE SUBSCRIPTION BASED IT ARRANGEMENTS WHERE FORMERLY WE JUST EXPENSE THESE WHEN THEY'RE INCURRED.
BUT, BUT THE, THE ACCOUNTING STANDARDS BOARD, THE GOVERNMENTAL ACCOUNTING STANDARDS BOARD SAID NO, WE NEED TO START PUTTING THOSE ON THE BALANCE SHEET.
SO, UH, WE IMPLEMENTED THAT STANDARD THIS YEAR.
UH, YOUR NET PENSION LIABILITY, SO THE, THE PENSION BENEFITS YOU'RE GONNA PAY OVER A VERY LONG PERIOD OF TIME TO, UH, THOSE RETIREES.
IT DID INCREASE A LITTLE BIT THIS YEAR, BUT THAT'S JUST ONE OF THOSE NUMBERS YOU DON'T HAVE A LOT OF CONTROL OVER.
PPA TELLS YOU WHAT YOU'VE GOTTA CONTRIBUTE, UH, AND YOU'RE ALSO KIND OF AT THE MERCY OF WHAT THE MARKET'S DOING AS WELL.
SO, UH, THERE'S NO REAL CONCERN.
IT'S GONNA INCREASE, IT'S PROBABLY GONNA DECREASE A LITTLE BIT NEXT YEAR.
UM, AND THEN ALSO NO NEW GSB STANDARDS GOING FORWARD.
WE DO HAVE A COUPLE, SHOULD BE VERY MINIMAL IMPACT ON YOU ALL.
SO THE GS B'S GIVEN US A LITTLE BIT OF A REPRIEVE OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS, WHICH IS, IS VERY, VERY NICE.
UM, SO THAT'S A GREAT THING AS WELL.
AND THEN FINALLY, JUST SOME THINGS THAT I'M REQUIRED TO COMMUNICATE TO YOU ALL.
AGAIN, CLEAN OPINION, NO AUDIT FINDINGS, NO MANAGEMENT LETTER COMMENTS.
UM, AGAIN, I THINK THAT'S JUST A TESTAMENT TO THE HARD WORK OF THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
THAT'S SOMETHING YOU ALL SHOULD BE VERY PROUD OF.
UH, YOUR FINANCIAL STATEMENT DISCLOSURES, YOUR ACCOUNTING ESTIMATES, ALL OF THESE ARE INTEGRAL PARTS
[00:25:01]
OF YOUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, AND THEY'RE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF MANAGEMENT.WE HAD NO DIFFICULTIES IN, IN DEALING WITH MANAGEMENT, THE PERFORMANCE OF OUR AUDIT, NO DISAGREEMENTS WITH MANAGEMENT.
UH, WE HAD NO UNCORRECTED MISSTATEMENTS, SO WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY PAST ADJUSTMENTS.
SO EVERYTHING WAS POSTED TO THE ACCOUNTS OF THE TOWN.
UH, AND THEN FINALLY, JUST WANNA MAKE SURE YOU ALL ARE AWARE THAT WE'RE INDEPENDENT OF THE TOWN IN ACCORDANCE WITH ALL OF THE APPLICABLE STANDARDS OF, OF OUR PROFESSION.
AND THAT PRETTY MUCH CONCLUDES WHAT I WANTED TO REPORT TO YOU ALL TODAY.
AGAIN, WE WORK PRIMARILY, PRIMARILY WITH THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
VERY GOOD GROUP OF PEOPLE, VERY PROFESSIONAL.
UH, THAT'S A VERY REFRESHING, UH, FROM MY STANDPOINT AS YOUR AUDITOR.
UH, AND IT CERTAINLY HAS BEEN A PLEASURE TO SERVE YOU ALL AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SERVING YOU IN THE FUTURE.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE, FROM THE DIOCESE COUNCIL? YES, GLENN.
WE LIVE IN A COMMUNITY THAT IS SUBJECT TO SERIOUS STORM RISKS PERIODICALLY.
WE NEVER KNOW WHEN THEY'RE COMING.
I'M WONDERING IF YOU HAVE COMMENTS ON THE RESERVES THAT WE HAVE FOR THOSE ITEMS. YOU KNOW, I OBVIOUSLY, I CAN'T TELL YOU WHAT I THINK THE RIGHT NUMBER WOULD BE, BUT I THINK YOU ALL ARE IN A VERY STRONG POSITION AS HOW MUCH WITH HOW MUCH YOU HAVE COMMITTED YOUR FUND BALANCE FOR DISASTER RECOVERY.
BECAUSE SOMETHING THAT FOLKS DON'T THINK A LOT ABOUT IS, YOU KNOW, YEAH, FEMA AND, AND GMA OR FEMA AND, AND SOUTH CAROLINA ARE GONNA GONNA PROBABLY REIMBURSE YOU FOR A GOOD BIT OF THOSE COSTS.
BUT WHO'S GOTTA PAY FOR IT UPFRONT? YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY'S GONNA BE PRETTY UNHAPPY, UH, WITH A BUNCH OF BRANCHES AND FLOODING AND THINGS.
IF, IF THAT DOESN'T GET TAKEN CARE OF IMMEDIATELY.
AND FEMA'S NOT GONNA PAY FOR THAT IMMEDIATELY.
IT'S GONNA BE A REIMBURSEMENT PROCESS THAT SOMETIMES TAKES SEVERAL YEARS TO, UH, TO TAKE CARE OF.
SO I THINK YOU'RE IN A GOOD, STRONG PO POSITION FUND BALANCE WISE, AND YOU'RE, AND CERTAINLY KEEP TRENDING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? BETSY? THANK YOU FOR YOUR REPORT.
UM, AND I, I SHOULD NOTE THAT IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO HAVE A GOOD REPORT CARD OR A GREAT REPORT CARD,
WE HAD A GREAT REPORT CARD LAST YEAR, SO AGAIN, I WANNA THANK THE MANAGER AND THE, THE FINANCIAL DEPARTMENT STAFF FOR THE WORK AND, AND FOR OUR AUDITORS AT LOOKING AT OUR WORK.
UM, I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION ABOUT THE REPORT.
UM, AND I THINK YOU PROBABLY, I THINK I CAN GUESS WHAT YOUR ANSWER WOULD BE, BUT IN THE NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, THEY RANGE FROM PAGE 32 UP THROUGH 93.
UM, IS THERE ANYTHING AMONGST THE, THAT 60 SOMETHING PAGES OF NOTES TO WHICH YOU SHOULD DRAW OUR ATTENTION? YEAH, I THINK I TRIED TO HIT ON THE HIGH POINTS THERE.
YOU KNOW, YOUR CAPITAL ASSET ADDITIONS, YOU'RE PAYING DOWN YOUR DEBT THE WAY YOU SHOULD BE.
UH, THE NET PENSION LIABILITIES, ONE OF THOSE THINGS.
THAT'S PROBABLY ABOUT 10 PAGES OR 11 PAGES OF THOSE, WHAT DID IT, 62 PAGES, SOMETHING PAGES.
THE GS B'S REALLY ADDED A LOT OF PAGES TO OUR REPORTS.
I, I HAVE A CLIENT THAT I, THAT DIDN'T DO AN ACT FIRST, SO THEIR REPORT WAS A LITTLE BIT SHORTER, THEN THEY STARTED DOING ONE AND 10 YEARS LATER, I THINK THEY WENT FROM ABOUT 42 PAGES TO 117 PAGES.
SO, AND THAT'S NOT COUNTING THE, THE, UH, THE, THE, OR THAT IS COUNTING THE ADDITIONAL PAGES FOR YEAH.
ALL OF THESE NEW CHANGES IN THE, IN THE STANDARDS THAT CONTINUE TO COME OUT.
SO I TRIED TO HIT ON ALL OF THE HIGH POINTS THAT WERE IN THERE FOR YOU, BUT, BUT NOTHING IN THERE TO DRAW OUR ATTENTION TO.
YOU KNOW, THE COMMENTS WELL, I'LL JUST SAY THANK YOU FOR, FOR, YOU KNOW, YOUR, YOUR WORK AND SERVICE TO US, BUT ALSO CONGRATULATIONS TO THE, UH, FINANCE TEAM.
THAT'S A REAL RECOMMENDATION AND, AND, UH, REFLECTION ON WHAT Y'ALL DO.
SO NOW WE'LL HAVE A DISCUSSION OF A SOUTH CAROLINA ATTORNEY GENERAL OPINION PERTAINING TO ACT 57 OF 2023.
MR. GRUBER, GOOD AFTERNOON MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, UH, WANT TO START OFF TODAY BY GOING OVER SOME INFORMATION THAT I KNOW WE'VE PREVIOUSLY COVERED, BUT WE'RE GONNA COVER A COUPLE OF OTHER ITEMS WITH REGARDS TO ACT 57, THE USE OF BOTH STATE AND LOCAL ACCOMMODATIONS, TAXES THAT HAVE COME UP SINCE THE LAST TIME THAT I'VE SPOKEN ON THIS ISSUE.
ALRIGHT, SO WE'RE GONNA COVER, UM, JUST AGAIN, VERY BRIEFLY, HOW STATE AND LOCAL ACCOMMODATIONS TAXES ARE COLLECTED.
THE IMPACTS FROM THE ADOPTION OF ACT 57 20 23, THE STATUTORY TIMELINES ON THE USE OF BOTH STATE AND LOCAL ACCOMMODATIONS, TAXES, HOW WE HERE AT THE TOWN ARE CURRENTLY USING OUR STATE AND LOCAL ACCOMMODATIONS, TAXES, UH, CONSIDERATIONS ON THE USE OF GENERAL FUND PUBLIC FUNDS FOR PRIVATE USE.
AND THEN TALK ABOUT THE CRITICAL PATH OUTLINE AND TIMELINE FOR IMPLEMENTATION, UM, OF VARIOUS POLICY CONSIDERATIONS.
SO AGAIN, JUST TO COVER, UM, A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND AND HISTORY AGAIN, UH, A LOCAL ACCOMMODATIONS TAX IS 3% HERE ON HILTON HEAD.
WE TAKE 2% OF THAT AND ALLOCATED TOWARDS BEACH PRESERVATION.
[00:30:01]
SO EFFECTIVELY WE HAVE A 1% LOCAL ACCOMMODATIONS TAX THAT WE USE HERE, UH, ON HILTON HEAD.AND THEN THE STATE ACCOMMODATIONS TAX IS A 2% CHARGE ON TRANSIENT AND OVERNIGHT ACCOMMODATIONS.
UM, THE REVENUES FROM WHICH HAVE TO BE USED FOR WHAT ARE CONSTITUTED AS TOURISM RELATED EXPENDITURES.
SO ACT 57 OF 2023 AMENDED THE STATUTORY LANGUAGE FOR BOTH STATE AND LOCAL ACCOMMODATIONS TAXES.
IN SOME WAYS IT AMENDED THEM IN SIMILAR WAYS.
IN OTHER WAYS THEY ARE SEPARATE AND DIFFERENT FROM ONE ANOTHER.
SO THE WAYS IN WHICH THERE'S SIMILAR THAT BOTH STATUTES WERE AMENDED TO PROVIDE, THAT THE EXPENDITURES OF FUNDS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF WORKFORCE HOUSING WERE TO BE CONSIDERED AS AN AUTHORIZED TOURISM RELATED EXPENDITURE.
BOTH STATUTES ALSO PLACED A CAP OF 15% ON THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF BOTH STATE AND LOCAL ACCOMMODATION TAXES THAT COULD BE EXPENDED FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING PURPOSES.
AND BOTH STATUTES SET A SUNSET TO THOSE PR, UH, RESPECTIVE PIECES OF LEGISLATION AT SEVEN YEARS FROM THE DATE OF ADOPTION, UNLESS THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY TAKES ADDITIONAL ACTION TO EXTEND THEM FURTHER.
HOWEVER, WHERE THEY DIFFER IS THAT STATE ACCOMMODATION TAXES REQUIRE SEVERAL PROCEDURAL STEPS THAT MUST BE DONE FIRST BEFORE A LOCAL GOVERNMENT CAN BEGIN AWARDING FUNDS UNDERNEATH THE STATE ACCOMMODATIONS TAX.
UM, AND WE'RE GONNA COVER THAT HERE IN JUST, UH, A LITTLE BIT MORE IN DEPTH IN A MINUTE.
UH, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO LOCAL ACCOMMODATIONS, TAXES, THAT SAME LANGUAGE WAS NOT INCLUDED.
SO AS LONG AS THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT HAS LOCAL ACCOMMODATIONS, TAXES WANTS TO BUDGET FOR THEIR USE FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING PURPOSES AND DOES NOT EXCEED THE 15% CAP, THEY'RE FREE TO EXPEND THOSE, UM, HOWEVER THEY SEE FIT.
SO IN TERMS OF USING STATE ACCOMMODATIONS TAXES WITHIN THE EXISTING STATUTORY SCHEME, THERE'S A REQUIREMENT THAT THOSE FUNDS MUST BE EXPENDED WITHIN A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME OF THEIR COLLECTION.
UM, AND BASICALLY IT SAYS THAT THOSE FUNDS MUST BE SPENT WITHIN TWO YEARS OF THEIR RECEIPT.
THERE ARE TWO WAYS IN WHICH THAT CAN CHANGE.
THE FIRST IS THAT THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT UPON, UM, THE LOCAL, THE TIME LIMIT MAY BE EXTENDED UPON THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE LOCAL GOVERNING BODY AND APPROVAL OF THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.
AND THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE IS THE TOURISM EXPENDITURE REVIEW COMMITTEE, THE TURK.
SO THAT'S A GROUP AT THE STATE LEVEL THAT OVERSEES THE EXPENDITURE OF ALL STATE ACCOMMODATIONS TAXES.
UM, AND THEN UPON A TWO THIRDS VOTE, THEY MAY CARRY FORWARD THOSE FUNDS FOR A SPECIFIC PROGRAM, UM, OR PROJECT THAT IS INVESTING IN THE CONTROL AND REPAIR OF WATERFRONT EROSION BEACH RENOURISHMENT OR THE DEVELOPMENT OF WORKFORCE HOUSING.
SO LONG AS THE PROGRAM IS IDENTIFIED WITH SPECIFICITY AND THAT INFORMATION IS COMMUNICATED TO THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, WHICH AGAIN IS THE TURK ON HOW THOSE FUNDS HAVE BEEN COMMITTED, INCLUDING THE BEGINNING BALANCE, THE DEPOSITS, THE EXPENDITURES, AND THE ENDING BALANCE.
SO AGAIN, TWO YEAR TIME LIMIT TO EXPEND THOSE UNLESS TURK ALLOWS YOU TO EXTEND THAT TIME OR UNLESS YOU'VE GOT A SPECIFIC PROJECT WHERE YOU'VE ENCUMBERED THE FUNDS BUT THEY'RE SPENT OVER A A PERIOD OF MORE THAN TWO YEARS BECAUSE THE PROJECT IS SO LARGE THAT IT MAY TAKE LONGER THAN THAT.
ALRIGHT, SO COVERING HOW THE TOWN CURRENTLY USES ITS LOCAL AND STATE ACCOMMODATIONS TAXES, CURRENTLY WE USE A HUNDRED PERCENT OF OUR LOCAL ACCOMMODATIONS TAXES TO SUPPORT VARIOUS GOVERNMENTAL SERVICES.
SO IN THE LOCAL ACCOMMODATIONS TAX STATUTE, IT TALKS ABOUT AN APPROPRIATE USE OF THESE FUNDS TO BE FOR PUBLIC SAFETY SERVICES.
SO IN LOOKING AT THE TOWN'S OPERATIONS, THOSE CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO FIRE RESCUE, BOTH OPERATIONS AND EQUIPMENT AND CAPITAL NEEDS.
OUR EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE, OUR 9 1 1 AND COMMUNICATIONS DISPATCH.
AND THEN ALSO PUBLIC FACILITIES OPERATIONS THAT RELATE BACK TO TOURISM RELATED INFRASTRUCTURE.
WHEN IT COMES TO STATE ACCOMMODATIONS TAXES, WE USE OUR STATE ACCOMMODATIONS TAXES HERE FOR A NUMBER OF THINGS.
IN THIS PARTICULAR, UH, FISCAL YEAR 2024 BUDGET, WE ALLOCATED THREE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS TO THE GENERAL FUND, UH, ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT'S REQUIRED TO BE DISTRIBUTED PURSUANT TO THE STATUTORY UH, FORMULA, WE ALSO, UH, ALLOCATED $3 MILLION TO CAPITAL PROJECTS.
WE ARE PROPOSING TO ALLOCATE $2 MILLION FOR LAND ACQUISITION.
AND THEN COUNCIL AS PART OF ITS ANNUAL, UH, DISCRETIONARY GRANT PROGRAM AWARDED $4.2 MILLION AS PART OF THIS YEAR'S DISCRETIONARY GRANT PROGRAM OUT OF STATE ACCOMMODATIONS TAXES.
SO IN LOOKING AT WHAT WE COLLECTED AND WHAT IS THE PERMISSIBLE CAP AND AVAILABILITY FOR LOCAL ACCOMMODATIONS TAXES, WE COLLECTED $6.9 MILLION IN 2023, WHICH AT A 15% CAP CREATES A CAPPED VALUE OF JUST SLIGHTLY OVER A MILLION DOLLARS.
BUT BECAUSE WE TRANSFERRED A HUNDRED PERCENT AS PART OF OUR BUDGET, THERE IS ZERO VALE AVAILABLE UNDER LOCAL ACCOMMODATIONS, TAXES, UNDER STATE ACCOMMODATIONS, TAXES, WE COLLECTED JUST A LITTLE OVER $13 MILLION WE'RE REQUIRED BY STATUTE TO DISTRIBUTE,
[00:35:01]
UH, CERTAIN PERCENTAGES TO THE TOWN'S GENERAL FUND AND TO THE DMO.SO YOU SUBTRACT FOUR UH, $0.6 MILLION OFF OF THOSE COLLECTIONS AND THEN YOU APPLY THE 15% CAP, WHICH GIVES YOU A CAPPED VALUE OF JUST SLIGHTLY LESS THAN 1.3 MILLION.
NOW IN TERMS OF STATE ACCOMMODATIONS TAX AVAILABILITY, I'M GONNA WALK YOU THROUGH THIS SCHEDULE HERE AND I'VE GOTTA APOLOGIZE THIS FEELS A LITTLE WONKY BECAUSE WE'RE COMBINING BOTH A CALENDAR YEAR GRANT PROGRAM AND A FISCAL YEAR BUDGET.
AND SO THERE'S SOME OVERLAP IN TIMING.
AND SO I'M GONNA KIND OF WALK THROUGH THIS SLOWLY TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, IT'S EASILY UNDERSTANDABLE.
SO WE START WITH A BASE VALUE AS OF JULY 1ST, 2022 OF $1.1 MILLION.
AND THEN WE FACTOR IN WHAT WE COLLECTED IN FISCAL YEAR 23 FOR COLLECTIONS AND INTEREST EARNINGS, WHICH COMBINED GIVES US JUST SLIGHTLY LESS THAN $14 MILLION.
BUT WHEN ADDED TO THE CARRYOVER BALANCE, IT GAVE A TOTAL FISCAL YEAR 23 AVAILABLE FUND OF JUST SLIGHTLY LESS THAN 15 MILLION.
SO FROM THAT WE DO REQUIRED DISTRIBUTIONS TO THE GENERAL FUND AND TO THE DMO, WHICH CUMULATIVELY TOTAL 4.6 MILLION.
WE ALSO THEN PROVIDED ALLOCATIONS IN OUR ADOPTED BUDGET TOTALING 6.5 MILLION AND WE AWARDED GRANT AWARDS OF 4.2 MILLION.
SO YOU START HERE WITH 1.1, YOU ADDED TO THE 13 MILLION TO GIVE YOU 14 EIGHT.
AND THEN YOU START SUBTRACTING THESE NUMBERS BEFORE YOU START ADDING REVENUE BACK IN.
BECAUSE AGAIN, NOW WE'RE TRANSITIONING OVER FROM FISCAL YEAR 23 OVER INTO FISCAL YEAR 24.
SO OUR ACTUAL REVENUES FROM JULY TO SEPTEMBER WE'RE SLIGHTLY OVER $5 MILLION.
WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED OUR FOURTH QUARTER DISTRIBUTION FROM THE STATE YET.
SO WE ARE PROJECTING OUR OCTOBER THROUGH DECEMBER REVENUES TO BE 1.6 MILLION.
AND OUR ACTUAL INTEREST EARNINGS AS OF TODAY ARE 284,000.
SO YOU ADD 7 MILLION BACK INTO IT.
BUT THEN AGAIN, YOU HAVE TO START DOING YOUR REQUIRED DISTRIBUTIONS PURSUANT TO THE STATUTE, WHICH WOULD TAKE BACK OUT 2.3 MILLION.
SO AGAIN, START AT 1.1, ADD 13 SEVEN, GIVES YOU 14 EIGHT.
SUBTRACT THAT, SUBTRACT SIX FIVE, SUBTRACT FOUR, TWO, ADD SEVEN, SUBTRACT TWO THREE.
AND IT GIVES YOU A TOTAL AVAILABLE BALANCE AS OF TODAY OF SLIGHTLY MORE THAN $4 MILLION.
AND THEN WHAT WE'RE HOLDING FOR POSSIBLE ADDITIONAL USES ARE PLANNED LAND PURCHASES PENDING ADOPTION OF A BUDGET AMENDMENT AND POSSIBLE WORKFORCE HOUSING PENDING TOWN COUNCIL APPROVAL OF THE F AND A COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING INVESTMENT.
AND SO THAT WOULD GIVE YOU A CUMULATIVE AMOUNT OF ABOUT 3.2 MILLION, WHICH GIVES YOU AN AVAILABLE BALANCE AFTER THE ADDITIONAL USES OF SLIGHTLY MORE THAN $800,000.
NOW AGAIN, I KNOW THAT'S DIFFICULT, SO IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT, I'D BE HAPPY TO GO OVER THOSE WITH YOU AND I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT.
IT'S JUST THE WAY THAT THE TIMING'S SET UP IN TERMS OF CALENDAR YEAR AND FISCAL YEAR.
JOSH, JUST TO BE CLEAR, IF YOU GO BACK TO THAT REAL QUICK, UM, ON THAT DMO FUNDING, THE 30% AFTER THE FIRST 25 IS FOR HALF A YEAR OF THE TWO 2.02 MILLION.
IN TERMS OF THOSE, NOW THE 25,000 IS JUST STRAIGHT OFF THE TOP, BUT IN TERMS OF THE 30% AND THE 5%, THAT IS JUST THE JULY TO DECEMBER TIMEFRAME.
ALRIGHT, SO CONSIDERATIONS ON USING SORRY.
UH, I JUST WANNA CATCH YOU BEFORE WE LOST THAT SLIDE.
SO THERE'S, UH, I GUESS MAYBE YOU SAID THIS THERE.
UP AT THE VERY TOP, THE CARRY OVER OF 1 MILLION 139 792.
IS ANY OF THAT SUBJECT TO THAT TWO YEAR, UM, MAXIMUM TIME PERIOD? UH, FOR EXPENDING IT? UM, AT THIS POINT, TYPICALLY WE DO A FIRST IN FIRST OUT.
SO THE REVENUES THAT WOULD'VE COME IN WOULD'VE BEEN THE FIRST REVENUES THAT WE EXPENDED.
SO MORE THAN LIKELY THOSE REVENUES WERE COLLECTED SOMETIME BEFORE JUNE 30TH, 2023.
SO WE'RE STILL WITHIN TWO YEARS, WE'RE STILL GOOD.
HEY JOSH, I JUST HAVE A FAVOR TO ASK AND IF IT'S DIFFERENT FOR EVERYONE ELSE, THEN I CAN, I CAN ADJUST TO IT.
BUT THE UM, POINTER THING, YES, I'M TRYING TO LOOK AT THE WHOLE PICTURE AND IT'S REALLY DISTRACTING FOR ME.
I THINK THERE'S ONE ON HERE WHERE I CAN PUT IT AS A RED DOT RATHER THAN THE SPOTLIGHT.
JUST TRYING TO LOOK AT THE NUMBERS AND GO BACK AND FORTH IN MY HEAD AND IT'S LIMITING IT.
ALRIGHT, SO THERE'S BEEN A QUESTION OF THEN USING, UH, GENERAL FUND MONIES FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING PURPOSES.
ESSENTIALLY THE QUESTION THAT HAS TO BE ANSWERED ANYTIME YOU WOULD PROPOSE USING GENERAL FUND MONIES WITH A PRIVATE ENTITY IS WHETHER OR NOT THAT EXPENDITURE CONSTITUTES A PUBLIC PURPOSE.
AND WHAT WE UNDERSTAND IN TERMS OF ANSWERING
[00:40:01]
THAT QUESTION OF DOES IT CONSTITUTE A PUBLIC PURPOSE, IS SUBJECT TO WHAT IS ESSENTIALLY FOUR QUESTIONS.UM, I WOULDN'T CALL IT A FOUR-PART TEST BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT ANSWERED WITH, WITH BLACK AND WHITE CLARITY.
BUT THERE ARE FOUR CONSIDERATIONS THAT A LOCAL GOVERNMENT HAS TO DETERMINE IN ORDER TO MAKE IT CLEAR AS PART OF THE LEGISLATIVE RECORD THAT AN EXPENDITURE IS IN FACT A PUBLIC PURPOSE.
AND THOSE CAME OUT OF A SOUTH CAROLINA SUPREME COURT CASE FROM A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO.
BUT ESSENTIALLY THEY STATE THIS.
THE FIRST QUESTION IS, IS THE ULTIMATE GOAL OR BENEFIT TO THE PUBLIC, UH, AS INTENDED BY THE PROJECT, WHETHER PUBLIC OR PRIVATE PARTIES WILL BE THE PRIMARY BENEFICIARY, THE SPECULATIVE NATURE OF THE PROJECT, AND THE PROBABILITY THAT THE PUBLIC INTEREST WILL BE SERVED INTO WHAT DEGREE? AND SO AGAIN, ALL FOUR OF THOSE QUESTIONS NEED TO BE ANSWERED IN SOME FORM AS PART OF THE LEGISLATIVE RECORD IN MAKING A REQUEST TO USE PUBLIC FUNDS ALONG WITH A PRIVATE ENTITY.
WHAT YOU HAVE TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION, HOWEVER, IS THAT THE FACT THAT ACT 57 TO 2023 SPECIFICALLY CODIFIED THE ALLOWABLE USE OF STATE AND LOCAL AT TAX FUNDS AS A PERMITTED USE FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING.
WHAT THAT DOESN'T REQUIRE IS A FOUR-PART TEST.
ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS FOR STATE A TAX, MAKE SURE THAT YOU'VE COMPLIED WITH THE PROCEDURAL REQUIREMENTS OF ADOPTING A HOUSING IMPACT ANALYSIS AND AMENDING A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TO INCORPORATE IT.
AND FOR A LOCAL ACCOMMODATIONS TAX, JUST HAVING THE AVAILABLE FUNDS TO APPROPRIATE SO LONG AS YOU DON'T EXCEED THE CAP, AS LONG AS THOSE TWO THINGS ARE MET, BY AND LARGE, THEY'RE GOING TO BE ALLOWED BECAUSE THE STATE ALLOWED THAT AS A SPECIFIC EXPENDITURE OF THOSE FUNDS.
GOING BACK TO GENERAL FUNDS, HOWEVER, YOU HAVE TO INCORPORATE THOSE FOUR QUESTIONS AND ANY EXPENDITURE BECAUSE IF YOU WERE SUBJECT TO A CHALLENGE, YOU'D HAVE TO BE ABLE TO SHOW WHAT THE OUTCOMES OF THOSE FOUR QUESTIONS ARE.
SO IT WOULD BE CLEAR TO A COURT THAT IS IN FACT A PUBLIC EXPENDITURE.
IN LOOKING AT THE CRITICAL PATH TIMELINE FOR TALKING ABOUT USE OF STATE ACCOMMODATIONS TAXES, WE'VE ALREADY COMPLETED THE HOUSING IMPACT ANALYSIS.
IT HAS BEEN DISTRIBUTED TO ALL OF THE REQUIRED ENTITIES.
TOMORROW THE PLANNING COMMISSION WILL BE MEETING TO TAKE UP, UM, A PROPOSAL TO AMEND THE TOWN'S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TO INCORPORATE THE HOUSING, UH, IMPACT ANALYSIS.
UH, ASSUMING THAT THAT IS GOING TO COME OUT OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION, IT WILL BE BEFORE THE PUBLIC PLANNING COMMITTEE, UH, IN A COUPLE WEEKS ON FEBRUARY 8TH.
AND THEN ASSUMING THAT IT COMES OUT OF THAT COMMITTEE, UH, IT WOULD COME BEFORE TOWN COUNCIL FOR PUBLIC HEARING, UH, FOR FIRST READING ON MARCH 5TH.
AND FOR SECOND AND FINAL READING ON MARCH 19TH.
AND AGAIN, BECAUSE WE ARE ALREADY WITHIN OUR CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, IF WE'RE GONNA BE APPROPRIATING FUNDS OUT OF THIS FISCAL YEAR'S BUDGET, WE WOULD NEED TO DO A BUDGET AMENDMENT, WHICH COULD BE DONE CONTEMPORANEOUSLY WITH BOTH FIRST AND SECOND READING OF THE ORDINANCE TO INCORPORATE THE HOUSING IMPACT ANALYSIS.
SO AGAIN, THE DATES THERE ARE MARCH 5TH, MARCH 19TH, AND THEN LOOKING AT WHAT THE ADOPTION OF THE UPCOMING YEAR'S BUDGET IS.
AFFILIATED AGENCY PRESENTATIONS, UH, ARE GONNA BE OCCURRING ON MARCH 12TH.
THE FINANCE ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE ARE GONNA BE MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS TO TOWN COUNCIL ON THE AFFILIATED AGENCY FUNDING REQUEST ON APRIL 9TH.
AND THAT INFORMATION WOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE, UH, BUDGET FOR TOWN COUNCIL APPROVAL FOR FIRST READING ON MAY 7TH AND SECOND AND FINAL READING ON JUNE 4TH.
SO WITH THAT, I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE ABOUT ACT 57, THE USE OF STATE OR LOCAL ACCOMMODATIONS, TAXES, THE CURRENT AVAILABILITY OF STATE ACCOMMODATIONS, TAXES, OR THE USE OF GENERAL FUND MONEY, UH, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PRIVATE ENTITIES.
QUESTIONS FROM THE DS MR. STANFORD.
THIS WILL ONLY, THE ADOPTION OF THIS PROCESS THROUGH ACT 57 WILL NOT BE COMPLETED UNTIL JUNE THE FOURTH OF THIS YEAR, ACCORDING TO YOUR SCHEDULE HERE.
SO, UH, JUNE 4TH IS WHEN WE'RE APPROVING THIS UPCOMING YEAR'S BUDGET.
IF YOU WANTED TO MAKE AN APPROPRIATION, LET'S JUST SAY HYPOTHETICALLY OUT OF CURRENTLY AVAILABLE STATE ACCOMMODATIONS, TAXES THAT CAN BE CONCLUDED AS EARLY AS MARCH 19TH AT THE MEETING ON WHICH YOU AMEND YOUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND ADOPT A BUDGET AMENDMENT.
I WAS CONFUSED ABOUT WHICH FISCAL YEAR WE WERE DEALING WITH.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? WOW, SEEING NONE.
NOW WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO, UH, GENERAL REPORTS FROM
[7. Reports from Members of Town Council]
TOWN COUNCIL.AND I'D LIKE TO KICK THIS OFF IF I COULD.
UM, I'VE GOT SEVERAL THINGS TO, TO BRING TO JUST PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE.
UM, I WANNA RECOGNIZE A TOWN STAFFER WHO, WHOSE MOTHER PASSED AWAY AT THE AGE OF 99, WHO WAS LIVING WITH HIM.
AND SHE PASSED AWAY JUST A FEW DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS IN THE MORNING.
UH, DARREN SHOEMAKER AND HE'S A TRAFFIC ENGINEER.
THAT AFTERNOON WE WERE HAVING SOME ISSUES WITH ONE OF OUR LIGHTS AND HE WAS OUT THERE WORKING ON THE LIGHTS THE DAY THAT HIS MOTHER HAD PASSED.
SO THAT IS TRUE DEDICATION AND SOMEBODY THAT GETS
[00:45:01]
THEIR POSITION.SO I, THAT JUST REALLY RESONATED WITH ME 'CAUSE I WAS HERE, I HEARD ABOUT IT AND THEN I SAW HIM OUT THERE WORKING.
UM, OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS OBVIOUSLY GO TO HIM FOR THE PASSING OF HIS MOTHER, BUT, BUT WHAT A KUDOS TO THE DEDICATION THAT HE HAS FOR THIS ORGANIZATION.
UM, LASTLY, WE, WE'VE, WE'VE LOST SEVERAL PEOPLE RECENTLY.
UM, BUT THERE ARE TWO THAT I WANNA MAKE SPECIAL NOTE OF.
AND FIRST IS THE, THE BEST CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE LADY I'VE EVER HAD CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES FROM.
AND THEY WERE A DOLLAR 25 WHEN I WAS A KID BECAUSE THEY WERE THIS BIG AROUND, UM, SIDNEY GARO, YOU KNOW, IN HARBORTOWN.
WHAT SHE DID FOR A LOT OF LOCAL FOLKS AND FOR THE COMMUNITY REALLY RELATES BACK TO OUR HISTORY AS TO WHAT OUR COMMUNITY IS AND THAT IS GIVING OF YOURSELF BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND THEN, UM, WE RECENTLY LOST DOUG CORCORAN, WHO WAS ONE OF THE MAIN ARCHITECTS FOR SEA PINES AND ONE OF THE INDIVIDUALS THAT HELPED DRIVE THE CHARACTER OF OUR ISLAND THROUGH CHARLES FRAZIER'S VISION.
AND IT, IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THESE INDIVIDUALS BECAUSE THEY GO BACK MANY YEARS AND I WOULD SUGGEST THAT IF YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH THE LONGTIME ISLANDERS, SPEAK WITH THEM, THEY'VE GOT A KNOWLEDGE ABOUT WHAT OUR COMMUNITY IS AND WHY IT'S, AND I KNOW THAT WE'RE GONNA GO FORWARD AND DO SOME VIDEOING OF THE GOING COMMUNITY, THAT'S WONDERFUL.
BUT I ALSO WANT TO DO THAT WITH THE OTHER FATHERS AND MOTHERS OF OUR COMMUNITY AS WELL THAT PROVIDE SO MUCH HISTORY AS TO WHERE WE ARE AND WHY WE ARE.
SO I JUST WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE THOSE THREE INDIVIDUALS BECAUSE THEY WE'RE ALL AND, AND OUR ALL VERY SPECIAL AND UNIQUE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
SO WITH THAT, ANY OTHER GENERAL REPORTS? JUST QUICKLY, I JOINED THE TOWN MANAGER IN THANKING THE MLK COMMITTEE FOR JUSTICE AND ALL THEIR WORK, UM, FOR HONORING DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
I KNOW RABBI BLOOM WAS HERE EARLIER TO CONGREGATION BETH YAM AND THE QUEENS CHAPEL FOR THE COMMUNITY SERVICES THAT WERE HELD.
UM, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO THOSE TWO RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES WITHIN OUR BROADER COMMUNITY.
OKAY, ANY OTHER GENERAL COMMENTS? ALRIGHT, REPORTS TO THE LOCAL COUNTRY AREA TRANSPORTATION STUDY.
LOW COUNTRY OF, UH, COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS.
MAYOR, THE COUNTY AIRPORT ON THE ISLAND IS NOW IN ITS FIRST STAGE OF CONSTRUCTION.
IT'S MOBILIZING THE, UH, UM, CONTRACTORS AND, UH, WILL START VISIBLE WORK VERY SHORTLY.
IT IS EXPECTED THAT THE DOORS WILL OPEN FOR CITIZENS ABOUT JANUARY, 2026.
UH, MR. STANFORD SKO HOWARD PORTER.
YOU MR. BROWN ALLEN RECREATION ASSOCIATION COURSE.
MS. BECKER, UH, COMMUNITY SERVICES AND PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE, THE COMMUNITY SERVICE AND PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE, UM, PROPOSED A RECOMMENDATION THAT THE TOWN COUNCIL, UM, CONCERNING THE TOWN'S ADOPTION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF AN INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT POLICY, THE PROPOSED INTEGRATION PEST MANAGEMENT POLICY, UM, WAS AMENDED BY THE COMMITTEE AND, UH, WILL ADDRESS HOW THE TOWN WILL IMPLEMENT AT LEAST, UM, TOXIC PEST MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES AT ITS PO, UM, PROPERTIES ALONG THE EDGES IN THE PARKS, THE, THE CHILDREN'S PARKS, THE DOG PARKS, UM, IN AN ENVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE MANNER THAT IS PROTECTED TO HUMAN HEALTH, UM, AND ENVIRON AND ECONOMICALLY VIABLE AND ACCEPTED.
UM, AESTHETICALLY THE COMMITTEE SUPPORTED THE RECOMMENDATION ON A FOUR OH VOTE.
I WANTED TO TAKE, UH, TIME AND THANK HIM FOR WRITING THIS OUT FOR ME.
UM, AND THAT THAT'S THE REASON I WAS STUMBLING OVER IT.
BUT I APPRECIATE, UM, FOR DOING THAT.
UM, AND HANDING IT OFF TO ME, IT IS, UM, VALUABLE.
UH, PPC? YES, THE PUBLIC PLANNING COMMITTEE MET LAST THURSDAY, JANUARY 11TH.
STAFF PRESENTED THE STATUS AND SCHEDULE OF THE LMO OVERHAUL AND INTRODUCED THE CONDITIONS AND TRENDS ASSESSMENT REPORT.
THE PUBLIC PLANNING COMMITTEE ALSO APPROVED A 0.45 FAR IN THE FOREST BEACH AREA AND FORWARDED IT TO FULL COUNSEL.
NOW YOU REFIN, UH, REPORT ON FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE, MY APOLOGIES.
LAST ROUND COUNSEL MEETING OF OUR ACTION WAS TAKEN ON NOVEMBER 14TH
[00:50:01]
MEETING, UH, IN WHICH WE APPROVED, UH, TO RECOMMEND UPTOWN COUNCIL, UH, A MEMORANDUM OF UNDER STANDING FOR THE ISLAND REC CENTER THAT WAS APPROVED WITH THE 4 0 4.UM, AT OUR DECEMBER 19TH MEETING, UH, WE ADOPTED RESOLUTION RECOMMEND TOWN COUNCIL TO APPROVE A MEMORANDUM UNDERSTANDING OF USCD TO PROVIDE AN AMBASSADOR PROGRAM THAT ALSO WAS APPROVED WITH THE FALL VOTE.
AND OUR LAST WEEK, JANUARY 11TH, WE APPROVED FOR, UH, CONSIDERATION
WE ALSO ARE RECOMMENDING, UH, APPROVAL OF A MEMBER UNDERSTANDING WITH COASTAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, UH, WITH A GRANT APPROVAL OF $600,000 AND A VAST.
LASTLY, WE ALSO RECOMMENDING A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING OF HABITS HUMANITY, THE FUNDING THROUGH THE AFFILIATED AGENCY PROGRAM OF $500,000 THAT ALSO WAS APPROVED.
NOW WE'LL GO ON TO APPEARANCES
[8. Appearance by Citizens]
BY CITIZENS, UH, CITIZENS WISHES TO SPEAK.ALL MATTERS BEING DISCUSSED DURING THE MEETING.
SHOULD HAVE SUBMITTED EARLIER.
SO, CYNTHIA, DO WE HAVE ANYBODY SIGNED UP TO SPEAK TODAY? YES, SIR.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MELINDA TONNER PALMETTO HALL.
MY COMMENTS TODAY ARE REGARDING THE WILLIAM HILTON GATEWAY CORRIDOR INDEPENDENT REVIEW.
UH, FIRST I WANNA THANK YOU FOR RECORDING THE MEETINGS AND ALLOWING FOR CITIZEN FEEDBACK.
I KNOW THAT RECORDING AND POSTING THE MESSAGE HAS A COST TO IT, BUT I THINK GIVEN THE IMPORTANCE OF THE TOPIC, IT IS MONEY WELL SPENT.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR DOING THAT.
I KNOW THAT YOU'LL BE DISCUSSING THIS PROJECT DURING EXECUTIVE SESSION TODAY.
DURING THAT SESSION, I HOPE YOU'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THE SCOPE OF THE PROJECT.
THIS IS A CONCERN I EXPRESSED AT THE DECEMBER TOWN COUNCIL MEETING.
AND THAT COMMENT WAS REGARDING THE KICKOFF MEETING IN NOVEMBER.
AND NOW I AM HERE IN JANUARY BRINGING UP THE SAME ISSUE BECAUSE OF SCOPE QUESTIONS THAT OCCURRED DURING THE MEETING LAST WEEK.
UM, IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO RESIDENTS, COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND THE CONSULTANTS TO HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IS AND WHAT IS NOT IN SCOPE FOR THIS INDEPENDENT REVIEW.
UH, MOTIONS RUNS HIGH WHEN OUTCOMES DO NOT ALIGN TO EXPECTATIONS.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK.
ANYBODY ELSE SIGNED UP? YES, SIR.
MR. SKIP HOAGLAND, UH, SKIP HOAGLAND WINDMILL HARBOR IN 2 24.
I WILL ADDRESS AND ASK TAXPAYERS TO JOIN ME AND OTHERS TO STOP THIS ILLEGAL NON-FUNCTIONING TOWN COUNCIL.
FULLY CONTROLLED BY THE TOWN MANAGER, LAWYERS AND CPAS WHO HAVE THE FULL POWER UNDER OUR CURRENT POLITICAL SYSTEM.
WE NEED A FULL POWER, FULL-TIME.
CEO MAYOR, HONEST, NO LIES, NO CONFLICTS, NO HORSES IN THE RACE AND CAN'T BE INFLUENCED OR CONTROLLED BY LOCAL INTEREST GROUPS LIKE THE ILLEGALLY OPERATED TAX FUNDED HILTON ED CHAMBER AND THE SECRET UNDER UNDERGROUND GOVERNMENT.
GREATER ISLAND COUNCIL, ALL ELECTED OFFICIALS AND COUNCILS MUST BE RESTRICTED FROM BEING PART OF ANY OUTSIDE POLITICAL GROUP THAT WANTS TO INFLUENCE THEIR VOTES ON ISSUES THAT WORK AGAINST THE BEST INTEREST OF ALL TAXPAYERS, ESPECIALLY THE ILLEGAL ISSUE AND WORSE, THE PRIVATE USE OF MILLIONS OF OUR TAX FUNDS.
EXAMPLES OF MISUSE OF TAX FUNDS FOR PRIVATE PURPOSES THAT VIOLATE SOUTH CAROLINA CONSTITUTIONAL LAW AND THE SUPREME COURT RULING ARE AS FOLLOWS, FUNDING THE NONPROFIT CHAMBER TO USE TAX MONEY FOR PRIVATE USE AND PROFITS THAT PAY BILL MILES A $500,000 SALARY AND PERKS AND WORSE TO HIDE ILLEGAL FUNDS BY, BY LAUNDERING THIS MONEY TO SHOW NO PROFIT ON YEAR-END TAX RETURNS TO TRICK THE IRS OUR COMMUNITY AND THIS COUNCIL, 600,000.
NEXT, NEXT 600,000 OF TAX FUNDS ISSUED TO PRIVATE GATED COMMUNITY SEA PINES TO DREDGE HARBORTOWN THAT SHOULD BE PAID BY SEA PINES, HOA AND POA, NOT TAXPAYERS WHO DON'T HAVE PUBLIC A ACCESS TO SEA PINES PRIVATE GATE NEXT, WORKFORCE HOUSING FUNDING A NONPROFIT USING A TAX FUNDS.
SOMEONE HAS TALKED A GL AND WILSON INTO A FRAUDULENT LEGAL OPINION AND ADDING THIS WORKFORCE HOUSING LANGUAGE TO MAKE THIS LEGAL UNDER THE ACCOMMODATION TAX CODE.
ANY TAX MONEY TO A TAX MONEY SHOULD ONLY BE USED AND ISSUED FOR TOURISM MARKETING AND PROMOTION.
AND WORSE, THEY PROPOSED TAKING 15%, 15%
[00:55:01]
AWAY FROM LEGAL NONPROFITS AND NOT DEDUCTING ANY MONEY FROM THIS CROOKED CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.IT SEEMS. ETHICS VIOLATOR, JOSH GRUBER, SENATOR TOM DAVIS, REPRESENTATIVES NEWTON, HERB, KERMAN, AND BRADLEY ALL NEED TO BE QUESTIONED ON THIS.
THIS IS JUST MORE TAX ROBBERY.
THIS ENTIRE COUNCIL CONTINUE TO VOTE TO APPROVE TAX SCAMS FRAUD, TAX THEFT, AND, YOU KNOW, ALL NEED TO BE BOOTED FROM PUBLIC SERVICE IF YOU, IF IT'S NOT STOPPED AND FIXED THIS COUNCIL IN FULL POWER TOWN.
EMPLOYEES CAN'T JUST PICK AND CHOOSE THE LAWS THEY WISH TO COMPLY TO.
YOU GOTTA COMPLY TO ALL OF THEM.
YOU KNOW, YOUR HONEST SERVICE IS APPRECIATED, BUT NOT YOUR DISHONEST SERVICE.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK FOR LYNN GREELEY.
MR. AS WE HAVE STATED SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE, UM, WE DO NOT ACCEPT THE POWER OF ATTORNEY.
YOU'RE INTERRUPTING ME RIGHT NOW.
NO SIR, I AM NOT BECAUSE THE CLOCK HAS NOT STARTED.
WELL, THIS, THIS AND I HAVE NOT, I'M GONNA BE READING THIS, BUT I'M I'M SORRY.
YOU'RE YOU'RE NOT, SIR, YOU'RE, YOU'RE DISRESPECTING MY THREE MINUTES, MR. HOAGLAND.
I AM NOT, DON'T DISRESPECT ME.
I AM NOT DISRESPECTING YOU ALL.
DON'T, DON'T GO AGAINST WHAT THE JUDGE SAID.
I'M NOT GOING AGAINST WHAT THE JUDGE SAID.
NOW LET ME READ MY SPEECH AND DON'T INTERRUPT ME.
PLEASE DON'T, I DON'T INTERRUPT YOU.
IF YOU DON'T WANT ME TO INTERRUPT YOU, DON'T INTERRUPT ME.
HILTON HEAD IS BEING COMPARED TO WASHINGTON DC OF ALL PLACES.
80% OF THIS ISLAND IS MADE UP OF GATED NON-G GATED COMMUNITIES AND PRIVATE OWNERSHIP.
20% IS A FREEWHEELING GOVERNMENT VERSUS FREE ENTERPRISE.
IT'S EASY TO SPEND UNLIMITED TAXPAYERS MONEY WHEN YOU NEED MORE.
YOU JUST ROB TAXPAYERS AND HIDE THE MONEY.
AS LONG AS, AS WE HAVE ELECTED ELECT, AS LONG AS WE ELECT COUNCILS AND MAYORS THAT ONLY SERVE PART-TIME UNDER OUR CURRENT POLITICAL SYSTEM, THAT GIVES THE FULL POWER TO HIRE TOWN MANAGERS AND LAWYERS WHO ARE ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO FIRE.
AND MOST HAVE BEEN CAUGHT IN ILLEGAL ACTS NOTHING'S GONNA WORK.
WELL, WHAT WILL WORK IS A FULL-TIME, FULL POWER.
CEO TYPE MAYOR THAT IS HONEST AGAIN, DOESN'T LIE, NOT CONTROLLED BY THE SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS, UH, UH, THE CHAMBER AND THE, AND THE GREATER ISLAND COUNCIL.
AND WORSE, MADE UP OF MANY ELECTED OFFICIALS AND ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS USE TAX FUNDS THAT BECOME CHAMBER MEMBERS.
THIS COUNCIL MUST FULLY COMPLY, MUST, EXCUSE ME, MUST FULLY CONTROL THE BUDGETS AND HIRE AN OUT-OF-STATE AUDIT FIRM THAT SPECIALIZES IN PROPER TOWN FINANCIAL CONTROLS, TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND, AND PERFORMANCE METRICS FOR ALL EMPLOYEES.
NOW, TODAY WE HEAR ANOTHER FRAUDULENT AUDIT, UH, FROM, FROM A FIRM PRESENTATION BY TRADE SCOTT AND MALDEN JENKINS AUDIT FIRM, HIRED BY TOWN EMPLOYEES, NOT THIS COUNCIL, TO TRY AND CONVINCE US THIS AUDIT IS CREDIBLE AND DONE UNDER GAS.
THIS COULD NOT BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH.
THIS AUDIT ONLY AUDITS THE NUMBERS.
CPA TROYER AND ONLY A FORENSIC AUDIT CAN IDENTIFY WASTE CRIMES, EMBEZZLEMENT, FRAUD, ET CETERA, TOWN EMPLOYEES IN TOTAL CONTROL OF THE ACCOUNTING, ESPECIALLY SINCE THEY, SINCE MANY OF THEM HAVE BEEN CAUGHT AT ILLEGAL TAX USE IS LUDICROUS.
ONCE WE FORCE A FORENSIC AUDIT ON TOWN EMPLOYEES ALSO, COUNSEL MUST ASSURE THAT ALL TAX FUNDS ARE BEING USED TO BENEFIT THE PUBLIC GOOD AND MAKE CERTAIN THESE FUNDS ARE ISSUED AND USED LEGALLY TO COMPLY WITH ALL STATE AND FEDERAL LAWS.
IT'S ILLEGAL TO, TO FUND THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
NOT ONE SINGLE COUNCIL MEMBER A CPA OR HAS ACCOUNTING KNOWLEDGE.
ALEX BROWN, CHAIRMAN OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE WOULD BE LIKE ME RUNNING A BEAUTY SALON.
WE SIMPLY DO NOT HAVE A LEGAL, FUNCTIONING GOVERNMENT AND ON HILTON HEAD, IT'S UP TO ALL OF US TO CHANGE THIS.
MR. PERRY, YOU LIED AND COMMITTED FRAUD AND YOU BETTER STEP UP AND ADMIT IT BEFORE YOU HAVE TO ANSWER TO AUTHORITIES.
AND WHY WE HAVE MY LAWSUIT LISTED IN, IN THE CORRIDOR, UH, UH, ITEMS LISTED UNDER THE EXECUTIVE SESSION.
WHY CAN'T YOU JUST COME CLEAN AND LET'S ALL TALK ABOUT IT IN PUBLIC INSTEAD OF YOU HIDING BEHIND THE DOORS? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.
UM, I WAS REMISS IN NOTIFYING MRS. JOSEPHINE WRIGHT, UM, WHO PASSED AWAY THE OTHER DAY, AND SHE IS THE EPITOME OF FIGHTING FOR WHAT'S RIGHT.
SHE STOOD HER GROUND FOR HER PROPERTY AND THAT WE SHOULD ALL LEARN FROM.
SO AS WE GO THROUGH A LOT OF THESE DISCUSSIONS GOING FORWARD REGARDING THE LMO, WE NEED TO KEEP THAT IN MIND TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT WE'RE PROTECTING ALL.
[01:00:01]
UM, SHE WAS ANOTHER GREAT INDIVIDUAL IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE TO MEET HER.AND YOU KNOW WHAT? SHE LIVED UNTIL THE MOMENT SHE DIED.
THAT BEING SAID, UH, EXECUTIVE SESSION.
[9. Executive Session]
MR. ORLANDO, WE HAVE A REASON TO GO IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.AS IT, IT APPEARS ON OUR AGENDA.
ITEM NINE, EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEMS A, B, AND C AS WELL AS ITEM D.
I MOVE WE GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THE REASONS STATED BY THE TOWN MANAGER.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE? SAME FIVE RAISING YOUR HAND.
THE WORLD SERIES, THERE'S A SMASH TO RIGHT FIELD.
SO BUFORT COUNTY HOME RUN, SHOT OVER THE RIGHT FIELD, LOOKING FOR A GREAT CAREER OPPORTUNITY.
BUFORT COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA HAS SEVERAL JOB OPENINGS IN AREAS THAT WILL MATCH YOUR SKILLSET.
WE'RE LOOKING FOR EMERGENCY MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS, DETENTION CENTER OFFICERS, STORMWATER AND GROUND CREWS, AIRCRAFT MECHANICS, ALCOHOL AND DRUG SPECIALISTS, MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS, IT SPECIALISTS, LIBRARY ASSISTANTS, BUS DRIVERS, AND MUCH MORE.
BUFORD COUNTY OFFERS COMPETITIVE SALARIES, BEST IN CLASS BENEFITS, AND A POSITIVE WORK ENVIRONMENT.
APPLY TODAY@BUFORDCOUNTYSC.GOV.
[10. Action from Executive Session]
EXECUTIVE, UH, COMMITTEE, DAVID, UH, GOT ANY ACTION TAKEN? YES.UH, THERE WAS, UH, THERE WERE TWO ITEMS, UH, THAT WERE ACTED ON.
I MOVE THAT TOWN COUNCIL APPROVE A FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION AND DELIVERY OF TERMINATION OF A DRAINAGE EASEMENT FOR REAL PROPERTY.
LOCATED AT THREE 16 SQUARE POPE ROAD, HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SOUTH CAROLINA.
ANY DISCUSSION? ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? SEEING NONE WILL BRING IT BACK FOR A VOTE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
ANYTHING ELSE? YOU HAVE A MOTION? I BELIEVE I DO.
I MOVE TO APPROVE A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION AND DELIVERY OF A THIRD AMENDMENT TO THE EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT.
UH, MAYOR, I THINK SOMEBODY ELSE NEEDS TO MAKE THE MOTION.
I THINK THAT'S WHY THEY'RE JUMPING OVER THERE.
I MOVE TO APPROVE A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION AND DELIVERY OF A THIRD AMENDMENT TO THE EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT BY AND BETWEEN THE TOWN OF HILTON, NET ISLAND AND MARK ORLANDO AS FOLLOWS.
THE TERM OF THE CONTRACT SHALL BE AMENDED TO TERMINATE ON FEBRUARY 21ST, 2028, UNLESS OTHERWISE EXTENDED BY THE PARTIES.
THE CURRENT BASE COMPENSATION SHALL BE INCREASED BY 4% EFFECTIVELY AS OF DECEMBER 5TH, 2023 AND THREE.
A ONE-TIME BONUS OF $15,000 IS AUTHORIZED TO BE PAID ON THE FIRST PAY PERIOD FOLLOWING THE EXECUTION OF THIS AMENDMENT.
AND DO WE HAVE ANY DISCUSSION? ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? SEEING NONE WILL BRING IT BACK.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SIGNIFY BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
SO MOVED UNANIMOUS, AND WITH THAT WE'RE ADJOURNED.
FORT FREMONT CLOSES OUT A 350 YEAR LEGACY OF COASTAL FORTIFICATIONS IN PORT ROYAL SOUND, BEGINNING IN THE MID 16TH CENTURY.
IT ALSO REPRESENTS THE CLOSING CHAPTER OF AMERICA'S COASTAL DEFENSE SYSTEM BEFORE THE DAWN OF AIR POWER.
PORT FREMONT IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE MOST ADVANCED MILITARY TECHNOLOGY OF ITS TIME.
IT WOULD PARALLEL THE B 17 AND AIRCRAFT CARRIER OF WORLD WAR II, THE F 35 OF TODAY.
FORT FREMONT WAS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE BEAUFORT CULTURE, VERY SIMILAR TO PARIS ISLAND AND THE MARINE CORPS AIR BASE.
[01:05:01]
IN 1525, THE SPANIARDS NAMED THIS SOUND AND THIS HARBOR, SANTA ELENA, THEY CALLED THE NAVIGATIONAL POINT, LA PUNTA DE SANTA ELENA, THE POINT OF SANTA ELENA.AND WHAT THE SPANISH EXPLORERS DISCOVERED IS THAT PORT ROYAL SOUND IS A UNIQUE PIECE OF GEOGRAPHY.
IT'S THE DEEPEST NATURAL HARBOR SOUTH OF THE CHESAPEAKE BAY, POSSIBLY SOUTH OF NEW YORK, THE CHANNEL INTO PORT ROYAL SOUND.
THIS I FIND A REMARKABLE GEOLOGICAL FACT.
THE CHANNEL HA UH, HAS NOT CHANGED FOR 500 YEARS.
THERE'S NO INLET ON THE SOUTHERN COAST THAT HASN'T SHIFTED ENTIRELY IN 500 YEARS EXCEPT PORT ROYAL SOUTH.
THERE'S SOMETHING GEOLOGICALLY DIFFERENT, OR ONE MIGHT SAY MAGICAL ABOUT PORT ROYAL SOUTH.
SO SPANISH SAILORS BEING THE BEST IN THE WORLD IN THEIR TIME, FOUND THIS PLACE VERY EARLY, KNEW THAT FOR THE SPANISH EXPLORATIONS OF THE AMERICAN SOUTHEAST, THIS WOULD BE THE ENTRATA, THE ENTRANCE.
AND SO THEY BUILT A CITY ACROSS THE RIVER, UH, ACROSS THE SOUND FROM WHERE WE ARE ON PARIS ISLAND THAT BECAME THE FIRST CAPITAL OF FLORIDA.
AND THEY EXPLORED THE BACK COUNTRY FROM THIS LOCATION FOR, UH, MORE THAN A CENTURY WITH THE OBJECT OF BUILDING A HIGHWAY FROM THIS MAGNIFICENT HARBOR TO MEXICO CITY.
SO THE SOUND WAS KNOWN TO THE SPANIARDS, IT WAS KNOWN TO THE FRENCH WHO ACTUALLY GOT HERE FIRST AND FOLLOWED AND CREATED THE FIRST PROTESTANT COLONY IN THE NEW WORLD ON PARIS ISLAND OVER MY SHOULDER.
UM, AND THAT COLONY WAS A FAILURE.
IT WAS PART OF SPANISH, FLORIDA WHEN THE ENGLISH ARRIVED 150 YEARS LATER.
AND THIS WAS BECAME, AS A CONSEQUENCE, A BATTLEGROUND IN THE 18TH CENTURY BETWEEN SPANISH INTERESTS IN FLORIDA AND ST.
AUGUSTINE AND THE ENGLISH COLONY IN CAROLINA AND IN CHARLESTON.
AND BACK IN FORTH, THESE WARS WENT, MANY OF THEM NAVAL WARS, MANY OF THEM EMPLOYING AS ALL THE SAILORS KNEW BY THEN THE MAGIC OF PORT ROYAL SOUND.
WHEN THE CIVIL WAR CAME, CONFEDERATES DEFENDED THE, UH, HARBOR, BUT IT WAS BASICALLY INDEFENSIBLE AGAINST, UH, LARGE NAVAL FORCES.
SO THE US NAVY MADE IT THEIR PRINCIPLE TARGET DURING THE BE BEGINNING OF THE CIVIL WAR AND SENT THE LARGEST FLOTILLA OF SHIPS, UM, ASSEMBLED BY THE UNITED STATES NAVY IN THE 19TH CENTURY INTO PORT ROYAL SOUND.
ON NOVEMBER, NOVEMBER 7TH, 1861.
IN A FOUR HOUR CANON AID, WHICH WOULD'VE BEEN DEAFENING FROM WHERE WE'RE SITTING, WAS HEARD FROM MILES FROM SAVANNAH, NEARLY TO CHARLESTON.
IT WAS CALLED THE DAY OF THE BIG GUN SHOOT.
THIS HARBOR THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT WAS FILLED WITH SHIPS.
IT WOULD BE HUNDREDS OF SHIPS IN THIS HARBOR.
THERE WAS A THOUSAND FOOT, UH, DOCK WITH A RAILROAD ON TOP OFF OF HILTON HEAD.
UM, THE MILITARY INSTALLATION WAS MAMMOTH.
THERE WERE 13,000 US SOLDIERS ON HILTON HEAD, WHICH WE'RE LOOKING AT THE LARGEST POPULATION ON HILTON HEAD UNTIL 1974.
SO THIS WAS A MAJOR US GOVERNMENT INSTALLATION IN THE HEART OF THE SOUTH.
IT WAS THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE US ARMY DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT WAS THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE UNITED STATES NAVY, SOUTH ATLANTIC BLOCKADING SQUADRON.
SO THE BIGGEST SHIPS IN THE NAVY WERE HERE.
AND, UM, SO IT, IT BECAME, AND, AND THAT'S REALLY WHERE THE STORY OF FREIGHT.
FORT FREMONT STARTS WITH THAT HUGE CIVIL WAR MILITARY, UH, OPERATIONS AND INSTALLATIONS, UM, ON HILTON HEAD, ON ST.
HELENA ISLAND, ON PARIS ISLAND, AND IN, BUT AFTER THE CIVIL WAR, WE'RE GONNA SEE A MASSIVE CHANGE IN TECHNOLOGY THAT'S GONNA REVOLUTIONIZE THE MILITARY.
DURING THE CIVIL WAR, WE HAD IRONCLAD SHIPS, WE HAD RIFLE CANNONS, BUT THEY WERE ALL MADE OUT OF IRON AND THEY WERE NOT TERRIBLY EFFECTIVE.
BUT ITS TECHNOLOGY'S GONNA CHANGE.
AFTER THE CIVIL WAR, WE'RE GONNA SEE STEEL PRODUCED, AND STEEL IS MUCH HARDER.
SO NOW WE HAVE A NEW MATERIAL, UH, TO MAKE ARMOR OUT OF FOR SHIPS.
SO WE CAN HAVE THESE ARMORED SHIPS MADE WITH STEEL AND A MUCH MORE RESISTANCE TO A SHOT.
BECAUSE I HAVE STEEL, I CAN MAKE, UH, STRONGER BARRELS FOR MY GUNS.
UH, I CAN RIFLE AND MACHINE THESE MUCH BETTER.
AND THE RIFLING IS THE SPIRALS THAT ARE CUTTING THE BARREL THAT ALLOWS IT TO SHOOT FURTHER WITH MORE ACCURACY.
AND WE CAN ALSO NOW HAVE BREACH LOADING GUNS THAT CAN LOCK FROM BEHIND.
SO I CAN LOAD MY GUN FROM BEHIND.
I DON'T HAVE TO GO HAVE THE OLD BLACK POWDER MUZZLE LOADING CANNON AHEAD BEFORE NOW.
I CAN FIRE A MUCH MORE RAPIDLY.
IF I COMPARE THE GUN OF, UH, 1890 TO THE GUNS OF 1860, UH, FOR THE SAME CALIBER, THE SAME DIAMETER GUN, UH, THE
[01:10:01]
1890 GUN WILL BE ABLE TO FIRE PROJECTILE AS FOUR TIMES HEAVIER, CAN SHOOT IT THREE TIMES FURTHER, CAN PUT IT IN WITH GREATER PRECISION, AND CAN PUT IT THROUGH MUCH MORE ARMOR THAN ANYTHING WE HAD IN 1860.A MILITARY HISTORIAN, ER LEWIS WOULD SAY THAT THE CHANGE BETWEEN THE CIVIL WAR AND 1890 IN ARTILLERY TECHNOLOGY WAS THE GREATEST THAT WOULD BE SEEN SINCE INVENTION OF ARTILLERY IN THE 14TH CENTURY TO THE INTRODUCTION OF THE NUCLEAR PROJECTILE IN THE 1950S.
SO THERE'S BEEN A HUGE CHANGE IN GUN TECHNOLOGY AT THE SAME TIME.
IT'S NOT JUST THE STEEL, BUT ALSO THE POWDER THAT FIRES THESE GUNS IS DIFFERENT.
AND SO LIKE CORDITE IS INVENTED NOW, AND IT'S STILL A WIDELY USED MILITARY EXPLOSIVE.
SMOKELESS POWDER IS INVENTED DURING THIS PERIOD OF TIME.
AND IT'S NOT JUST CHEMICAL COMPOSITION, BUT IT'S THE DETAILS OF HOW YOU MAKE THE GRAIN, HOW FAST THEY BURN.
SO MUCH LIKE THE SKILL OF FIRING A SOLID ROCKET, UM, SOLID FUEL, UM, ROCKET, THAT SAME KIND OF TECHNOLOGY THAT'S BEEN DEVELOPED IN THESE, UH, GUN POWDER, IN THIS NEW POWDER.
SO OUR WEAPONS OF THIS DAY ARE, ARE MUCH, MUCH GREATER.
UM, THEY WOULD BE THE GREAT KILLING MACHINES IN IN WORLD WAR I.
MOST OF THE CASUALTIES ON THE BATTLEFIELDS WORLD WAR I WOULD COME FROM ARTILLERY.
SO THE WORLD HAS SEEN A HUGE CHANGE IN ARTILLERY, AND THAT'S TIED INTO CHANGES IN SHIPS.
WE NOW HAVE STEEL ARMORED SHIPS.
THEY'RE ALL, UH, STEAM POWERED.
THEY ARE NOW EQUIPPED WITH THESE FINE LONG RANGE GUNS, AND THEY NOW BECOME THE DOMINANT THREAT OF THE LATE 19TH, EARLY 20TH CENTURY.
THE FRENCH AND ENGLISH WOULD BOMBARD CITIES LIKE CAIRO AND REDUCE 'EM TO RUBBLE BECAUSE THEY WERE UNABLE TO DEFEND THEM.
SO THIS IS HOW THE WORLD WAS SEEING THE THREAT FROM THIS NEW TECHNOLOGY.
BIG BATTLESHIPS ARE THE THREAT OF THE ERA.
AND NEW GUNS AND FORTIFICATIONS ON, UH, THE GROUND ARE WHAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE TO DEFEND AGAINST THEM.
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT, BUT FIRST THINGS THAT HAPPENED AFTER THE CIVIL WAR IS THEY BUILT A RAILROAD TO PORT ROYAL SOUND, WHICH DIDN'T EXIST.
IT WAS THE FIRST CONNECTION OF THE SEA ISLANDS TO THE MAINLAND.
AND THE ADVANTAGE OF THAT RAILROAD IS IT BROUGHT COAL TO PORT ROYAL SOUND.
SO WHEN THE COAL WAS DELIVERED, THE NAVY FOLLOWED IN 1872, ROBERT SMALLS WAS IN THE SOUTH CAROLINA LEGISLATURE, AND HE PUSHED THROUGH A RESOLUTION TO THE SECRETARY OF WAR CALLING FOR THEM TO PUT A NAVY STATION ON PARIS ISLAND.
AND EVENTUALLY HE WOULD GO ON TO CONGRESS WHERE HE WOULD CONTINUE HIS SUPPORT FOR A NAVY STATION HERE IN THE BEAUFORT PORT OIL AREA.
THEY EVENTUALLY OPENED A NAVY STATION HERE AND A COALING STATION THEY CREATED IN THE 1890S ON PARAS ISLAND, THE LARGEST DRY DOCK IN THE UNITED STATES.
THIS IS THE PERIOD WHEN THE US NAVY WAS SWITCHING FROM SAIL TO STEAM.
ALL THE NAVIES OF THE WORLD NEED COALING STATION.
THIS WAS THE PRINCIPLE COALING STATION BECAUSE THE RAILROAD FOR THE CARIBBEAN AND SOUTH AMERICAN US FLEETS, THIS WOULD BE THE BIGGEST DRY DOCK SOUTH OF NORFOLK.
IN FACT, IT IS THE ONLY DRY DOCK SOUTH OF NORFOLK, VIRGINIA THAT'S CAPABLE OF TAKING THESE NEW MODERN BATTLESHIPS AND THESE NEW MODERN ARMORED CRUISERS.
SO THIS BECOMES, AT THIS POINT, A STRATEGIC NAVY BASIN THAT IT PROVIDES COAL AND IT PROVIDES, UH, TOP LINE SUPPORT TO THE SHIPS, AND THEY CAN REPAIR THE HULLS OF EVEN THE BIGGEST SHIPS IN THE US NAVY.
FOLLOWING THE CIVIL WAR, NATIONAL STRATEGY AND EMPHASIS IN THE UNITED STATES SHIFTED FROM TO RECOVERY FROM WAR, AND ALL OF OUR COASTAL FORTIFICATIONS WENT INTO NEGLECT.
THE MILITARY WAS BUSY TAMING THE WEST, AND COASTAL DEFENSES, UH, BECAME SOMETHING THAT WAS NO LONGER IMPORTANT.
AND THE REST OF THE WORLD, TECHNOLOGY IS MOVING FORWARD AND THEY'RE DEVELOPING THESE BATTLESHIPS.
THEY'RE DEVELOPING NEW, UH, HIGH QUALITY ARTILLERY.
AND THIS IS GOING ON, UM, WORLDWIDE.
AND IN 1885, PRESIDENT GROVER CLEVELAND APPOINTED ENDICOTT BOARD, THIS WAS SEC HEADED BY SECRETARY WAR ENDICOTT, WILLIAM ENDICOTT.
AND THE BOARD WOULD MEET AND ISSUE A REPORT IN 1886.
AND THEY SAID THE CONDITIONS OF OUR COASTAL DEFENSES WERE JUST UNBEARABLE.
THEY CANNOT BE ALLOWED TO STAY LIKE THAT.
AND THEY MADE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FORTIFICATION AND IMPROVEMENTS.
THEY IDENTIFIED 29 PLACES THAT NEEDED FORTIFICATIONS AND 11 OF WHICH WERE CRITICAL IN THAT LIST OF 29.
SAVANNAH AND CHARLESTON ARE ON THE LIST, BUT BEAUFORT IS NOT ON THE LIST.
IT'LL TAKE INTERNATIONAL EVENTS TO BRING BUFORT INTO THE PLAY OF, OF MODERN FORT TECHNOLOGY.
SO THE USS MAINE WAS HERE ON PATROL AND IN THE HARBOR, AND WHILE THEY WERE IN THE HARBOR, SEVERAL TIMES THEY ENTERTAINED THE LOCAL POPULATION.
SO THE MERCHANTS AND THE SOCIAL
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LEADERS AND THE POLITICAL LEADERS OF BEAUFORT WERE INVITED TO COME HAVE LUNCH WITH THE CAPTAIN OF THE SHIP, CAPTAIN SBY.AND THE OFFICERS GOT TO KNOW THE PEOPLE.
THE PEOPLE GET, GOT TO KNOW THE OFFICERS.
THE CREW, WHICH WAS LARGE, WOULD GO ASHORE ON PAYDAY AND MAKE FRIENDS WITH EVERYBODY IN TOWN.
SO IT WAS A VERY SOCIAL, UM, ARRANGEMENT BETWEEN THE TOWNS, PORT ROYAL AND BEAUFORT AND THE SHIP.
SO THE MAIN LEFT HERE, IT WENT AND REPROVISION, IT REFUELED IN KEY WEST AND THEN WENT THE 90 MILES ACROSS TO HAVANA INTO THE HARBOR AND BLEW UP THIS INFLAMED.
THE ALREADY, UH, HOT PASSIONS BOTH IN CUBA AND HERE IN THE UNITED STATES.
AT THAT POINT, SOMEBODY IN THE WAR DEPARTMENT REALIZED THAT WE HAD THIS BIG DRY DOCK, THE ONLY DRY DOCK IN THE SOUTH THAT COULD HAVE TAKE ON AND REPAIR THESE BIG CAPITAL SHIPS THAT WERE IN OUR NAVY WE'RE GOING TO START OPERATIONS AGAINST A POWER IN THE CARIBBEAN.
AND THIS FORT WAS TOTALLY UNDEFENDED, AND THAT'S WHAT PUT FORT FREMONT ON THE MAP.
WE HAD TO HAVE A FORT HERE TO DEFEND THE COALING STATION, AND ESPECIALLY THIS BIG DRY DOCK, AS WELL AS THIS FINE HARBOR THAT'S HERE.
AND OF COURSE, THAT EVENT, WHICH KILLED 300 OR MORE SAILORS ON THE SHIP, UM, WAS VERY MUCH FOLLOWED BY THE LOCAL NEWS MEDIA AND VERY MUCH LAMENTED BY THE MANY FRIENDS THAT THE CREW HAD MADE HERE.
THE DESTRUCTION OF THE USS MAINE WAS A PERSONAL MATTER TO BEAUFORT AND TO PORT ROYAL SOUND.
UM, AND OF COURSE IT WAS THE SPANISH AMERICAN WAR AND THE ATTEMPT TO DEFEND THIS HARBOR AGAIN, WHICH LED TO THE, THE CREATION OF FORT FREMONT.
THE UNITED STATES DECLARED WAR ON SPAIN IN, IN APRIL, 1898.
AND BY EARLY MAY, WE HAD TEMPORARY BATTERIES IN PLACE HERE, SUBMARINE MINES WERE IN PLACE, AND IN THE SUMMER, THEY WOULD ACTUALLY PLACE THE MINES ACROSS THE BEAUFORT RIVER.
THE TEMPORARY BATTERIES WERE A TEMPORARY EXPEDIENT.
THEY WERE LOCATED TO MY LEFT ABOUT A THOUSAND YARDS.
THEY IMMEDIATELY BEGAN CONSTRUCTION OF WHAT WOULD BECOME FORT FREMONT.
THE LARGE BATTERIES WOULD HOUSE THE LARGE GUNS BATTERY FOR THE RAPID FIRE GUNS.
A SMALLER BATTERY WAS COMPLETED BY JUNE OF 1898.
IN THE 1898, EVERYBODY IN TOWN WENT TO WAR.
UM, THEY HAD A NAVAL MILITIA UNIT, SOUTH CAROLINA NAVAL MILITIA UNIT, AND THEY WERE ABSORBED BY THE NAVY.
UH, MANY OF THEM RAN TUGBOATS FROM HERE TO NEW YORK TO KEY WEST, WHICH WAS THE PRINCIPAL SUPPORT BASE, TAMPA AND KEY WEST FOR THE US ARMY OPERATIONS IN CUBA.
PEACE WAS DECLARED BY THE END OF 1898 AND THE, UH, REMAINDER OF FORT FREMONT WOULD NOT BE FINISHED UNTIL EARLY 1899, AND THE FIRST SOLDIERS WOULD ARRIVE FROM THE REGULAR ARMY AT THAT POINT IN MARCH, 1899.
WELL, FORT FREMONT WAS NAMED FOR, UH, MAJOR GENERAL JOHN FREMONT.
UH, HE WAS ACTUALLY A LOCAL BOY, SO TO SPEAK.
UH, HE WAS BORN AND GREW UP IN, UH, SAVANNAH, GEORGIA, JUST, UH, SOUTH OF US.
AND, UH, WENT TO, UH, COLLEGE IN THE COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON, UH, UP JUST NORTH OF US IN CHARLESTON.
HE SERVED IN THE ARMY AND, UH, PRIMARILY INITIALLY AS A, UM, EXPLORER, AS ARMY FORTS WERE GENERALLY NAMED FOR ARMY OFFICERS.
UH, AND HE WAS, UH, CONNECTED LOCALLY.
UH, THIS IS, UH, MORE THAN LIKELY WHY THE FORT WAS NAMED FOR HIM.
THE FORT WAS CONSTRUCTED ON A SITE, UH, DIRECTLY ACROSS THE RIVER FROM, UH, THE PARIS ISLAND, UH, UH, NAVAL STATION.
AND THE SITE SELECTED WAS 170 ACRES, WHICH INCLUDED THE TWO, UH, ARTILLERY, UH, BA BATTERIES, UH, FORT, UH, FOR FREMONT, OF COURSE HAD BATTERY FOREIGNNESS AND BATTERY JESSUP.
UH, BUT THEN ADJACENT TO THE BATTERY SITE WAS AN ADMINISTRATIVE QUADRANGLE, VERY TYPICAL MILITARY TYPE, UH, ADMINISTRATIVE SQUARE.
UH, WE ARE SITTING IN THE NUMBER THREE GUN POSITION OF A THREE GUN BATTERY BATTERY JESSUP, WHICH HAD THREE 10 INCH DISAPPEARING CARRIAGE, LARGE CALIBER GUNS BREACH LOADING GUNS.
THEIR PURPOSE WAS TO, UH, ENGAGE THE WARSHIPS THAT MIGHT, UH, BE ENTERING THE HARBOR, UH, AND FORT ROYAL SOUND.
WE'RE HERE NOW AT THE SECOND BATTERY, UH, THAT WAS PART OF FORT FREMONT.
THIS IS BATTERY FOR NANCE, UH, WAS NAMED FOR A ARMY
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OFFICER, UH, THAT WAS ACTUALLY KILLED DURING THE SPANISH AMERICAN WAR.UH, DURING THE BATTLE OF SAN JUAN HILL, UH, BATTERY FORMANCE MOUNTED TWO, UH, BRITISH MADE 4.72 INCH ARMSTRONG QUICKFIRE GUNS.
UH, THEY WERE CALLED QUICKFIRE BECAUSE THEY LOADED, UH, WERE LOADED WITH A COMPLETE CARTRIDGE.
AND IT, UH, IN TIME OF ACTION, THEY COULD FIRE FOUR TO SIX ROUNDS PER MINUTE.
THE PURPOSE OF BATTERY FOR NANCE WAS TO DEFEND THE MINEFIELD, WHICH WAS THE OTHER COMPONENT OF THE ENDICOTT COAST ARTILLERY OR OR COAST DEFENSE SYSTEM.
UH, A MINEFIELD, UH, WITH CONTROLLED MINES.
CONTROLLED MEANING THAT THEY WERE CONNECTED ELECTRICALLY TO SHORE AND COULD BE FIRED ON COMMAND FROM SHORE.
THAT, UH, CONTROL STATION WOULD'VE BEEN, UH, PROBABLY SHARED WITH THE PLOTTING ROOM.
AND IN ORDER TO PROTECT THE MINEFIELD, OBVIOUSLY AN ENEMY WOULD WANT TO INTERFERE WITH THAT.
MIGHT SEND VESSELS, UH, SMALL SHIPS IN HERE AT NIGHT TO TRY TO INTERFERE.
AND THIS BATTERY WOULD TAKE THOSE VESSELS UNDER FIRE IF THERE WAS SOME, UH, THERE WAS SUSPECTED THAT, UH, UH, THEY WERE DOING SOMETHING TO INTERFERE WITH THE MINES, SUCH AS, UH, PULLING UP THE CABLES AND CUTTING THOSE.
THE INDEGO ERA ERA OF FORT WAS A FORMIDABLE TECHNOLOGY.
IT REPRESENTED STATE-OF-THE-ART TECHNOLOGY, DEFENSE TECHNOLOGY OF ITS TIME AGAINST THE STATE-OF-THE-ART THREAT, WHICH WOULD BE THE BATTLESHIP.
THE LIFE FOR THE SOLDIERS AT FORT FREMONT WAS DISCIPLINED AND REGIMENTED.
THEY EVEN HAD MEALTIMES WERE SPECIFIED LENGTHS OF TIME, 15 MINUTES FOR LUNCH, 15 MINUTES AT BREAKFAST, 20 MINUTES OF SUPPER.
THEY HAD TO PRACTICE THEIR SKILLS.
THEY WERE TRAINING AND DOING MAINTENANCE CONSTANTLY, IF YOU CAN IMAGINE WITH THESE BIG GUNS.
THEY HAD TO HAVE SKILLS IN AND PRACTICE THE SKILLS IN ARTILLERY MIND LAYING SIGNALING, WHICH INVOLVED IN OUR CASE AT FORT FREMONT, THE USE OF THE FIRE CONTROL TOWER, WHICH WAS A PRETTY SOPHISTICATED AND, UM, ADVANCED SIGNALING TECHNIQUE.
THEN THEY ALSO HAD TO, UM, PRACTICE THE TYPICAL MILITARY SKILLS, MARCHING AND DRILLING, SMALL ARMS, FIRE, FIRST AID, AND SO FORTH.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, THEY ALSO, UM, HAD PARTICIPATED IN ATHLETICS.
THEY HAD PHYSICAL TRAINING, PT, AND THEY ALSO HAD SPORTS TEAMS. SO THIS WAS TO KEEP THEM PHYSICALLY FIT SO THAT THEY COULD CONTINUE THEIR, THEIR DUTIES.
'CAUSE THEY WERE, IT WAS PRETTY RIGOROUS AT FORT F FREEMONT.
WHEN EVENTUALLY THE DECISION WAS MADE TO MOVE A DRY DOCK AND THE COALING STATION AND THE NAVY STATION UP TO CHARLESTON, THEN THIS FORT NO LONGER BECAME SIGNIFICANT.
THERE WAS NOTHING LEFT HERE THAT WAS TO BE PROTECTED.
AND AT THAT POINT, 1911, THE LAST TROOPS WERE TRANSFERRED OUT.
AND FORT WAS CLOSED IN 1901, THE MAYOR OF CHARLESTON AND THE UNITED STATES SENATOR PITCHFORK, BEN TILLMAN FROM SOUTH CAROLINA, WANTED THIS TO MOVE FROM BEAUFORT COUNTY TO CHARLESTON COUNTY 'CAUSE THERE ARE MORE VOTES IN CHARLESTON COUNTY.
AND THE MAYOR WANTED THE US CORPS OF ENGINEERS THAN IN THE NAVY TO DREDGE THE HARBOR IN CHARLESTON.
'CAUSE BATTLESHIPS IN THOSE DAYS REQUIRED 26 FEET OF WATER.
CHARLESTON'S NATURAL HARBOR IS 15 FEET OF WATER.
PORT ROYAL IS 30 FEET OF WATER.
IN ORDER FOR CHARLESTON TO SUSTAIN ITS PORT, ITS COMMERCIAL PORT, IT HAD TO DREDGE THE HARBOR.
WELL, IF THEY COULD GET THE NAVY UP THERE, THEY GET THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS TO DREDGE THE HARBOR.
AND THE, UH, THE PLAY FOR PITCHFORK, BEN TILLMAN, THE US SENATOR IN 1900 WAS THAT HE'D GET A WHOLE LOT MORE VOTES FROM VOTES FROM THE LARGEST CITY IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
SO IT WAS A POLITICAL COMMERCIAL OPERATION, AND THEY MOVED THE NATION AND IT WAS DONE, BOOM, LIKE THAT.
THE FORT DID ITS JOB, THE DETERRENT FOR ANYBODY THAT WISHED TO ATTACK THESE.
IN FACT, THE WHOLE INDICO SYSTEM, ALTHOUGH NEVER CHALLENGED IN, UH, THIS ERA HERE IN THE UNITED STATES, PROVIDED SOME 300 MAJOR GUNS, COASTAL GUNS, TO PRO, UH, PROTECT MAJOR AREAS AND LEFT THE UNITED STATES AT THE BEGINNING OF THE 20TH CENTURY WITH AS WELL DEFENDED, UH, COASTLINE AS ANY PLACE IN, IN THE WORLD.
BUT I, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT IT'S A MAGNIFICENT ARTIFACT OF AN ERA, AND IT'S AN ERA THAT HAS BEEN NEGLECTED.
UH, THE TURN OF THE 20TH CENTURY,
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UM, THE NAVAL STATION ACROSS THE RIVER HERE.AND, UM, SO IT'S A, IT'S A PIECE OF HISTORY THAT'S DISAPPEARING AND THE FRIENDS OF FORT FREMONT AND BEAUFORT COUNTY HAVE PRESERVED IT FOR THE USE OF THE PUBLIC.
AND, UH, AS A MEMORIAL TO THAT MOMENT IN HISTORY, FORT FREMONT CLOSES A 350 YEAR STORY OF HOMELAND SECURITY ADDRESSING EUROPEAN IMPERIALISM IN THE 19TH CENTURY.
IT'S A TALE OF HOW GEOGRAPHY, TECHNOLOGY, AND NATIONAL SECURITY CREATES A TRANSITION FOR AMERICA TO BECOME A GLOBAL POWER.
IT'S ALSO A WONDERFUL SNAPSHOT OF AMERICA.
IN THE BEGINNING OF THE 20TH CENTURY, THE FRIENDS OF FORT FREMONT AND BEAUFORT COUNTY HAVE A VALUED PARTNERSHIP WORKING IN TANDEM TO PRESERVE THE FORT'S INTEGRITY AND PROMOTE THE HISTORICAL, NATURAL AND CULTURAL ASPECTS OF THE FORK.
MOST IMPORTANT, WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR CREATIVE WAYS TO ENHANCE THE VISITOR EXPERIENCE.
DEAN TREP, WORK FOR THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE SOUTHERN ENFORCEMENT DIVISION.
AND I'VE BEEN WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE NOW FOR A LITTLE OVER FOUR AND A HALF YEARS.
DISPATCH PROPERTY ONE TRAFFIC.
I WAS BORN AND RAISED ON HILTON HEAD.
WENT TO HILTON HEAD HIGH SCHOOL AFTER THAT.
I WENT TO UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA IN BEAUFORT.
I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO BE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT.
UM, FROM THE AGE OF 14 AND 21, I WAS IN THE EXPLORERS PROGRAM HERE WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
THERE'S A LOT OF PROS TO BEING BORN AND RAISED HERE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY, UH, AND WORKING FOR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE GEOGRAPHICALLY WHEN RESPONDING TO CALLS FOR SERVICE.
I KNOW THE AREA, LIKE THE BACK OF MY HAND TIMES.
I'VE BEEN ABLE TO BETTER COMMUNICATE WITH PEOPLE IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS DUE TO MAYBE ME GOING TO HIGH SCHOOL WITH THEM OR ET CETERA.
UH, AT THE END OF THE DAY, BUFORT COUNTY IS A SMALL COUNTY AND EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY.
I'VE BEEN ON THE BLOODHOUND TEAM FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS NOW.
WE'RE ON CALL 24 7, WILL RESPOND TO CALLS FOR MISSING ENDANGERED PERSONS, UH, ELDERLY PEOPLE THAT HAVE WALKED OFF.
WE WILL ALSO RESPOND TO ARMED ROBBERY CALLS AND WE ALSO WILL ASSIST OTHER AGENCIES IF NEEDED.
BEING ON THE BLOODHOUND TEAM, I GET TO DO WHAT I LOVE, WORKING IN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THEN ALSO BEING ABLE TO WORK IN LAW ENFORCEMENT WITH HANDLING DOGS AND WHAT THEY HAVE TO PROVIDE.
AT TIMES LAW ENFORCEMENT CAN HAVE A LOT OF EXCITING MOMENTS, BUT WHAT'S NICE ABOUT OUR JOB IS THAT WE GET TO HELP PEOPLE SOMETIMES THAT ARE HAVING THEIR WORST DAYS.
YOU'RE NOT ALWAYS SITTING AROUND.
THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN AT, AT A SPLIT SECOND.
THIS PAST IS PROBABLY ONE I'M SEEING.