Jan 17, 2024 Town of Hilton Head Island Gullah Geechee Historic Neighborhoods Community Development Corporation

UH, CHAIR PETERSON.

UM, OUR FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS UNDER OUR NEW BUSINESS SECTION IS A DISCUSSION OF GULLAH GEECHEE HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATIONS POSITION ON WILLIAM HILTON PARKWAY GATEWAY CORRIDOR PROJECT.

UM, I WILL, UH, BEFORE I GET STARTED, UH, MAKE OUR BOARD MEMBERS AWARE THAT THESE MICS GO LIVE, UH, WHEN YOU START TALKING, AND THE MUTE BUTTON IS ON YOUR LEFT SIDE WITH THE THREE DOTS.

SO JUST IN CASE YOU SEE IT TURN RED AND YOU'RE NOT ACTUALLY MEANING TO SPEAK, PUSHING MUTE BUTTON, AND YOU DO HAVE TO HOLD IT.

CORRECT? YES, YOU DO HAVE TO HOLD IT.

ALL RIGHT.

SO OUR PURPOSE FOR ITEM NUMBER ONE, AS, UM, YOU MAY KNOW, UM, THERE IS THE, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO IDENTIFY POTENTIAL MITIGATION STRATEGIES AND CONCERNS AND NEEDS RELATED TO THE PROPOSED EXPANSION OF HIGHWAY 2 78.

OVER THE LAST, UM, MONTH AND A HALF, WE'VE, UH, MET WITH SEVERAL FAMILIES.

WE HAVE ALSO TAKEN, UH, FEEDBACK IN ONE OF OUR INITIAL MEETINGS THAT WE HOSTED, UM, NOVEMBER THE 30TH, RELATED TO OUR STRATEGIC PLAN.

AT THE TIME, WE GOT SOME GOOD FEEDBACK RELATED TO, UM, THIS PROPOSED EXPANSION.

SOME OF WHAT WAS IDENTIFIED IN OUR MEETINGS WITH VARIOUS FAMILIES THAT ARE DIRECTLY, UM, IMPACTED IS THE SAFETY.

THE SAFETY ISSUE WAS A REOCCURRING THEME, INFRASTRUCTURE ISSUES, SAFE INGRESS, EGRESS, UM, THE ABILITY TO HAVE, UM, DRIVEWAYS AND CURB CUTS, ET CETERA, FOR FAMILIES THAT LIVE ALONG HIGHWAY 2 78 WAS A CONCERN.

ALSO IDENTIFIED WAS THE, THE AMOUNT OF NOISE AS WELL AS POLLUTANTS.

UM, SO DEVELOPING A STRATEGY TO MITIGATE POLLUTION AS WELL AS TO REDUCE AND MITIGATE THE NOISE.

THERE'S ALSO FAMILIES THAT, UM, WHEN IT RAINS, HAVE DRAINAGE ISSUES ON THEIR PROPERTY.

UM, AND SO THAT WAS ANOTHER STRATEGY THAT WAS IDENTIFIED AS A MEANS BY WHICH TO HELP SUPPORT FAMILIES THAT WOULD BE IMPACTED BY THE EXPANSION.

ALSO, UH, ONE OF ANOTHER THEME THAT WAS, THAT WAS VERY, VERY, UH, REOCCURRING WAS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND THE, THE STONY NEIGHBORHOODS HISTORIC, UM, POSITION AS A ECONOMIC ENGINE ON THE ISLAND.

AND THAT FAMILIES WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT LEVEL OF ECONOMIC VITALITY RETURN AS WELL AS CULTURAL REPRESENTATION THAT WOULD, UM, THAT WOULD BE PART OF THAT MAIN ENTRY POINT AND EXIT POINT ONTO AN OFF OF THE ISLAND, SOMETHING THAT IS GULLAH SPECIFIC THAT, UH, THAT RECOGNIZES THE RICH HERITAGE.

THOSE ARE SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT WE'VE HEARD FROM FAMILIES IN PERSONAL INTERVIEWS.

WE'VE ALSO HEARD, UM, THE REOCCURRING THEME THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE ANOTHER EXIT POINT, UH, ENTRY AND EXIT POINT ONTO AND OFF OF THE ISLAND, AND ONE THAT DOES NOT IMPACT THE GULLAH HISTORIC GULLAH NEIGHBORHOODS SHOULD THIS BECOME, UM, A NEED IN THE FUTURE.

SO THAT WAS ALSO SOMETHING THAT WAS STATED, UM, BY SEVERAL FAMILIES THAT WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH.

AT THIS POINT, I'LL PUT A PEN IN, IN THAT PART OF THE DISCUSSION, AND I WOULD, UM, LIKE TO OPEN THIS UP TO OUR BOARD TO SEE

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EXACTLY.

AND IF YOU LOOK IN YOUR PACKET, IF YOU LOOK IN YOUR PACKET, THOSE, UH, IN ATTENDANCE COMMUNITY MEMBERS, THE BOARD PACKETS ARE AVAILABLE FOR YOU AT THE BACK TABLE.

THERE IS A NARRATIVE IN THAT BOARD PACKET THAT, UH, DESCRIBES THE IMPACT AT THE STONY NEIGHBORHOOD, AND THAT IS, IT'S ACTUALLY LISTED UNDER THE DRAFT OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN.

AND SO THAT WOULD BE ON LIKE, UH, THE BACK OF PAGE, ON THE BACK OF PAGE FOUR, WHERE YOU SEE THE NARRATIVE ABOUT STONY NEIGHBORHOOD.

THOSE ARE SOME OF THE PIECES THAT WE IDENTIFIED OR SOME OF THE, THE NARRATIVE THAT WE IDENTIFIED, UH, THROUGH OUR FAMILY MEETINGS, UM, THAT WERE IMPORTANT.

AND SO I'M GONNA PUT A PEN IN IT THERE, HAVE PEOPLE TO, TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THAT AND DIGEST IT.

BUT I WOULD LIKE TO GET SOME FEEDBACK FROM THE BOARD.

THOMAS, DID YOU HAVE A FOLLOW-UP DATE WITH THE FAMILIES THAT YOU SPOKE WITH IN THE PAST? THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION, A LOT OF PEOPLE TALKING, AND THERE'S NO ACTION.

SO DO YOU HAVE WE DO HAVE A FOLLOW-UP MEETING THAT WE ARE WORKING TO COORDINATE WITH FAMILIES, UM, AND MORE ON THAT TO COME IN THE FUTURE.

BUT YES, TO THE SHORT ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION IS YES, WE ARE WORKING TO IDENTIFY SOME FOLLOW-UP MEETING DATES.

AND IS THAT MEETING WITH THE TOWN AND THE COUNTY AND THE POWERS THAT, THAT WOULD CONTROL? THERE WILL BE, YES.

THERE WILL BE SOME FOLLOW UP WITH THE COUNTY AS WELL AS THE TOWN LEADERSHIP.

ANY OTHER FEEDBACK FROM OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS BEFORE I OPEN IT UP FOR COMMENTARY FROM OUR COMMUNITY? I DO.

I'M SORRY, I'M RUNNING MY MOUTH TONIGHT.

DID YOU HAVE DIFFERENT, UM, OKAY.

I'VE HAD A SENIOR MOMENT HERE.

DID YOU HAVE REPRESENTATION FROM ALL GROUPS? YOUNG, OLD, IN THOSE MEETINGS? WE DID HAVE SOME, SOME VERY DIVERSE REPRESENTATION.

WE, I EVEN HAD A, UM, A 9-YEAR-OLD OFFERED SOME COMMENTARY.

SO, UM, SO YEAH, WE HAD EVERYTHING, UM, FROM YOUNG GENERATION TO ELDERS TO IN BETWEEN, AND THAT WAS, THAT WAS A VERY POSITIVE EXPERIENCE FOR ME.

, YES.

UM, FIRST OF ALL, MR. BOXY, THANK YOU FOR, UH, TAKING THE TIME TO MEET WITH THE FAMILIES ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT AS WE MOVE FORWARD THROUGH THIS PROCESS FOR THIS BOARD TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE IDEA OF IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MAY LOOK DIFFERENT FOR DIFFERENT PROPERTY OWNERS.

I DON'T WANT US TO SORT OF HAVE A BLANKET STATEMENT AROUND MITIGATION WHERE THERE MAY BE, UH, DIFFERENT NEEDS, UH, FOR, UH, DIFFERENT, UH, FAMILIES THAT ARE IMPACTED HERE.

UM, SO WITH, WITH THAT BEING SAID, I THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE, UM, A NEED FOR MORE TIME AND DISCUSSION SO THAT FAMILIES CAN REALLY, UM, IRON OUT WHAT IT IS THAT THEY'RE, UM, THAT THEY'RE SEEKING.

UM, WE ALL MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW THAT THE, UM, THE, THE COUNTY HAS, UH, SENT A LETTER TO THE TOWN SAYING THAT THEY ARE IN SEEK OF OUR MUNICIPAL CONSENT, UH, BY THE END OF JANUARY.

THAT'S A, A FEW DAYS FROM NOW.

UM, JUST HAVE COMFORT IN KNOWING THAT WE WILL NOT BE MOVING IN THAT FASHION.

WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THE APPROPRIATE TIME TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN, UH, RESPOND ACCORDINGLY.

UM, BUT WITH THAT BEING SAID, I JUST ENCOURAGE, UM, ALL OF THE, THE FAMILIES AND THE SUPPORTING, UH, AREAS TO, TO JUST BE MINDFUL THAT WE, WE ARE LOOKING AT A PROJECT HERE THAT HAS BEEN TALKED ABOUT FOR ALMOST SIX YEARS.

SO AT SOME POINT, WE WILL BE FACED WITH MAKING A DECISION.

UM, A, A TIMELINE, UH, SO THAT, UH, WE ALL, UH, UNDERSTANDING WHEN THINGS NEED TO BE DECIDED UPON, I THINK THAT WOULD BE, UH, IMPORTANT AS WELL.

AND I THINK THE WORK THAT WE ARE DOING HERE CURRENTLY IS LONG OVERDUE, UM, AND MUCH NEEDED.

UH, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, AT SOME POINT IN 2024, UM, THERE WILL BE, UH, A, A NEED FOR A DECISION TO BE MADE.

UM, THE OTHER THING THAT I WOULD, UH, STRONGLY RECOMMEND, UM, TO YOU, MR. BOXY AS WE ARE MOVING FORWARD, IS IF, IF WE CAN SORT OF IDENTIFY,

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UM, THE LAST THING I WANNA SEE HAPPEN IS, UM, TOWN COUNCIL ON THE DAIS, UM, BEING ASKED TO MAKE A DECISION, AND WE HAVEN'T COVERED SOME OF THESE BASES.

SO, UM, IT'S ONE THING FOR US TO UNDERSTAND IT INTERNALLY.

IT'S A WHOLE NOTHER THING FOR THE COMMUNITY, PARTICULARLY THE STONY COMMUNITY, TO UNDERSTAND THE TIMELINE MOVING FORWARD.

UM, I THINK IT JUST PUTS THAT MUCH ADDED ATTENTION TO, UH, WHAT WE NEED TO ACCOMPLISH.

I, I DO HAVE, I HAVE, I GUESS, FOLLOW UP COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS RELATED TO THAT.

SO, UM, IN TERMS OF LIKE THE FOLLOW UP, RIGHT? SO TOWN COUNCIL HAS TO GIVE CONSENT.

SO IN THAT CONSENT, WILL IT CONTAIN LIKE, OKAY, THESE ARE ALL THE PROPERTIES IMPACTED, AND THIS IS SORT OF WHAT THE PROPOSED MITIGATION PACKAGE WOULD BE FOR EACH FAMILY.

IS THAT HOW THAT WOULD WORK? THE SHORT ANSWER TO THAT IS, UM, THE RESPONSE WILL, FOR ONE, HAVE A RECOMMENDATION FROM THE COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR THAT WOULD BASICALLY SAY A YAY OR A NAYYY ON THE PROJECT.

AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, COUNCIL MEMBERS, BUT IT WOULD BE A YES OR A NO, AND A REASON AS TO WHY YES OR WHY NO.

AND THAT WOULD CONTAIN MITIGATION STRATEGIES TO BE SPECIFIC, LIKE, LIKE, YOU KNOW, PROPERTY X, YOU KNOW, SAID THEY WOULD GIVE, YOU KNOW, A 10TH OF AN ACRE OF THEIR LAND IN EXCHANGE FOR, YOU KNOW, APP PRAISE VALUE PLUS, OR, YOU KNOW, A LAND SWAP HERE OR THIS OTHER TYPE OF THING, LIKE A FENCE OR NOSE OR NOISE BARRIER.

IS THAT KIND OF HOW IT WOULD BE? LET ME, LET ME ADDRESS THAT.

UM, UH, I'M JUST SPEAKING FOR ONE MEMBER OF COUNCIL HERE.

UH, MR. WHITE, UM, I'M NOT SURE THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE THE LEVEL OF DETAIL THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WHEN WE ARE BEING ASKED FOR CONSENT.

THE ECONOMIC ASPECTS OF EACH ONE OF THESE.

UM, INSTEAD, WHAT WE NEED IS A POSITION AND CONDITIONS THAT MAY COME ALONG WITH A YES OR A NO AS FAR AS CONSENT IS CONCERNED.

YOU, YOU HAVING THAT LEVEL OF DISCUSSION, LIKE, YOU KNOW, WAS IT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS SORT OF WHAT WE WANT, BUT LIKE, THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE WANT, OR WERE FOLKS JUST PUTTING OUT IDEAS, AND WAS IT LIKE YOU GOING BACK AND FORTH WITH THEM, GIVING THEM SUGGESTIONS? HOW, HOW, HOW'D THAT GO? IT'S A COMBINATION OF ALL OF THAT.

SO, SO I DID HAVE SOME FAMILIES THAT WERE VERY DIRECT IN REGARDS TO WHAT THE EXPECTATION IS.

I'VE HAD SOME FAMILIES THAT WERE OPEN TO OTHER IDEAS AS WELL.

SO, UM, SO IT, IT JUST KIND OF RAN A GAMUT, YOU KNOW, VARYING, UM, VARYING LEVELS OF, UM, OF, OF WHAT FAMILIES WANTED TO SEE SPECIFICALLY.

AND THEN WHAT WAS, UH, YOU KNOW, WHAT WAS KIND OF LEFT OPEN FOR DISCUSSION AND DEVELOPMENT.

COUNCILMAN AMES? THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

UM, IS IT YOUR OPINION, MR. BOXLEY, THAT THE SEVEN ITEMS THAT ARE UNDER THIS PARTICULAR GOAL ARE OF THE HIGHEST LEVEL PRIORITIES? OR DO THEY, ARE THEY SOMEWHAT IN DESCENDING ORDER, NOT NECESSARILY NUMERICALLY, BUT ARE SOME MORE IMPORTANT THAN OTHERS? I THINK THAT, UM, I DIDN'T TO, THE BRIEF ANSWER IS THAT THEY ARE NOT ORDERED, UH, NUMBERED IN ORDER OF IMPORTANCE.

HOWEVER, UM, THEY WERE ALL IDENTIFIED AS AS PRIORITIES, BUT SAFETY IS THE, ONE OF THE MORE REOCCURRING THEMES.

SO SAFE, SAFE, INGRESS, EGRESS, SAFE SIDEWALKS.

THERE ARE PORTIONS WHERE, UH, THE SIDEWALK BUTTS DIRECTLY UP TO THE STREET.

SO THERE'S A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE, UM, THAT RUNS THE DISTANCE OF 2 78, NOT ONLY IN STONY, BUT IT ALSO GETS UNSAFE UP AROUND THE CHAPLAIN AREA AS WELL.

SO THERE ARE SEVERAL SAFETY ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED BY SEVERAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND FAMILIES, UH, THAT ARE IN THE DIRECT IMPACT ZONES, UH, THAT HAVE IDENTIFIED SAFETY.

I, I WOULD MAKE THE OBSERVATION THAT A LOT OF THESE POINTS HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, AND I THINK OUR CHALLENGE FROM THE, UH, CDC D'S STANDPOINT IS HOW DO WE TAKE THE NEXT STEP TO, UM, I THINK, UNDERSTAND

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AND SO, UM, WE MAY NOT HAVE THE FINITE DETAIL, BUT I DO THINK OUR CHALLENGE IS TO UNDERSTAND THE REQUEST EMBEDDED IN EACH ONE OF THESE, BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE THINGS I THINK THAT THE CDC AND REPRESENTATIVES AT THE STATE LEVEL ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DETERMINE, UM, THE VIABILITY AND THE SOURCE OF FUNDS, BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE A TOUGH CALL ON TOWN COUNCIL TO WITHHOLD MUNICIPAL CONSENT IF THERE ISN'T SOME STIPULATION BEYOND JUST THESE ENUMERATED ITEMS. COUNCILMAN AMES? I AGREE WITH YOU.

UM, MR. BOXLEY AND I HAD THE BEGINNINGS OF A CONVERSATION THIS AFTERNOON, UM, TALKING ABOUT PUTTING FINANCIAL IMPACTS ON ALL THIS.

ODDLY AGREE.

DO WE KNOW, DO WE KNOW HOW THAT CAN BE DONE? I THINK WE HAVE AN IDEA OF HOW WE DONE.

ALL HAVE THE SAME EXPECTATIONS WHEN I HEAR THAT A FAMILY DOESN'T WANT, UM, MORE TRAFFIC ON 2 78 AND THAT A SOLUTION WOULD BE ANOTHER BRIDGE THAT JUST ISN'T GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE TIMEFRAME THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

UM, SO THERE'S A, OF COURSE, THE, YOU KNOW, ENGAGING OF A FINANCIAL EXPERT THAT CAN GIVE US SOME DIRECTION, AS WELL AS ENGAGING THE SERVICES OF, YOU KNOW, ENGINEERS THAT CAN GIVE US HARD ENGINEERING COSTS, YOU KNOW, WHEN IT COMES TO, UH, UH, SIDEWALKS, ROADS, INFRASTRUCTURE, ET CETERA.

THERE'S ALSO, AT, AT A GRANULAR LEVEL, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT GETTING INTO THE UL GRANULAR LEVELS OF THIS, IT'S GOING TO REQUIRE FURTHER THE FURTHER CONVERSATIONS WITH FAMILIES TO NAIL DOWN EXACTLY WHAT IT IS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE AND THE COST ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.

SO THERE ARE SOME OTHER DETAILS THAT ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE HASHED OUT.

THIS IS, UH, THE BEGINNING OF THIS ITERATION OF THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT.

SO TO COUNCILMAN BROWN'S, UM, UH, POINT, WE'LL DEFINITELY HAVE TO PUT TOGETHER A TIMELINE, BUT, UM, WE DO HAVE MORE WORK TO DO.

AND I LOOK AT, UM, WHAT I HAVE BEEN ENGAGED IN, UM, SINCE ABOUT THE FIRST PART OF, UM, UH, MIDDLE PART OF NOVEMBER MEETING WITH THE FAMILIES AS A GENESIS POINT, UM, IN THIS ROUND OF DISCUSSIONS.

UH, AND, AND I DON'T MEAN THAT TO SOUND DISRESPECTFUL, BECAUSE I AM AWARE THAT THIS HAS BEEN A LONG PROCESS AND, AND IT HAS BEEN VERBALIZED TO ME THAT I'M, THAT, YOU KNOW, FROM SOME FAMILIES THAT WE'VE MET WITH, THAT I'M TIRED, I'M TIRED OF DEALING WITH THIS.

LIKE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN BEING DISCUSSED FOR UPWARDS OF, OF EIGHT TO 10 YEARS.

SO LIKE, AT WHAT POINT ARE WE GOING TO HAVE SOME ACTION? OR, YOU KNOW, AND EVEN SOME FAMILIES ARE LIKE, I'M, I'M, I'M COMPLETELY AGAINST THE HIGHWAY, COMPLETELY AGAINST HIGHWAY EXPANSION.

UM, THERE NEEDS TO BE ANOTHER INGRESS EGRESS POINT, AND SO DON'T IMPACT ME ANY FURTHER.

SO AGAIN, THESE, THESE CONVERSATIONS ARE, ARE SOMETHING THAT WILL BE ONGOING TO GET DOWN INTO THE GRANULAR LEVEL OF IT, BUT, UM, IT'S, IT'S JUST MORE CONVERSATION TO BE HAD.

SO IN THE, IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET BY DOT, RIGHT? LIKE, ISN'T THERE, I'M ASSUMING THERE'S SOME KIND OF MITIGATION ALLOWANCE RIGHT NOW IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET, BUT I, I MISSED THAT LAST PART FOR THE, FOR THE PROJECT BY DOT, RIGHT? SO THEY'RE SAYING, WHAT IS IT, 200 MILLION? SO I'M ASSUMING THAT THERE'S A LINE ITEM THAT'S IN THERE FOR THIS ALREADY, RIGHT? I, I DON'T, I I HAVEN'T SEEN IT OR REVIEWED IT.

SO WHAT MY THOUGHT IS THAT I, MY THOUGHT ON THAT IS THAT THE, BECAUSE THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN ON THE BOOKS FOR A WHILE, AND AS WE KNOW CONSTRUCTION COSTS CHANGE, THAT THAT NUMBER IS PROBABLY NOT ACCURATE AS TO WHAT TODAY'S CONSTRUCTION COSTS MIGHT BE, WHICH, YOU KNOW, TODAY'S MITIGATION COSTS ARE DIFFERENT AS WELL.

SO I WOULD IMAGINE THAT ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE GONNA HAVE TO BE HASHED OUT AGAIN AT THE TABLE.

LET, LET ME, UH, RESPOND TO MR. WHITE.

UM, I THINK S-C-D-O-T ANTICIPATED THE NEED TO PURCHASE RIGHTS OF WAY, UM, THAT WOULD BE IMPACTED BY THE EXPANSION OF THE ROAD RIGHT OF WAY, BUT THAT WAS, I'M QUITE CONFIDENT BASED ON APPRAISED VALUE AND NOTHING BEYOND THAT.

AND THEN SECONDLY, THEY HAD A PLAN THAT THEY WERE GOING TO BUILD A PAVILION SLASH GAZEBO WITH SOME, UM, CULTURAL ART AND ME AND HISTORICAL MESSAGING TO MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WAS THE LIMIT OF THEIR MITIGATION BUDGET.

UM, I, I THINK I WANT TO ADD ONE OTHER THING.

I, I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO

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AND I THINK THAT IT'S DIFFICULT TO CHECK OFF BOXES OF THINGS THAT ARE UNLIKELY OR IMPOSSIBLE WITHOUT EVERYBODY SORT OF ACKNOWLEDGING THAT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN IN THE TIMEFRAME THAT WE'RE CONFRONTED WITH.

THE TIMEFRAME THAT WE'RE CONFRONTED WITH, IN MY OPINION, IS ABOUT 60 DAYS.

WE HAVE TO MAKE SERIOUS DECISIONS FOR THE BENEFIT OF STONY RESIDENTS WITHIN THAT PERIOD OF TIME, BECAUSE TOWN COUNCIL IS GOING TO BE ASKED TO BIDEN MUNICIPAL CONSENT PROBABLY NEAR THE END OF MARCH.

WE, WE, ALL OF US NEED TO FACE THE REALITY THAT WE HAVE TOUGH DECISIONS TO MAKE FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE COMMUNITY.

WE NEED YOUR HELP IN FIGURING OUT HOW TO DO THAT EFFECTIVELY.

HAS THERE, HAS THERE BEEN DISCUSSIONS AMONG TOWN COUNCIL THAT, LIKE, SO SAY IF YOU'RE SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, DOT IS, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE ONLY GONNA PURCHASE RIGHT OF WAYS AND THEY'RE GONNA BUILD A CULTURAL GAZEBO, RIGHT? LIKE, IS THE TOWN GONNA PUT DOLLARS ON THE TABLE OUTSIDE OF THAT TO INVEST IN THAT AREA? LIKE, RIGHT.

SO IF DOT IS ONLY GONNA TAKE US SO FAR, I THINK, I THINK YOU'RE MISSING THE OPPORTUNITY, AND THAT IS, IF WE HAVE A UNITED FRONT OF WHAT WE WANT IN THIS COMMUNITY, THAT IS OUR EXPECTATION OF WHAT S-C-D-O-T IS GOING TO CONTRIBUTE.

I JUST MEANT THAT, LIKE, SO SAY THAT THAT PACKAGE IS $20 MILLION AND SD AN S-D-O-D-O-T SAYS WE'RE GONNA GIVE 15, LIKE WOULD THE TOWN THEN PUT IN THE OTHER FIVE? I DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER TO THAT AT THIS POINT.

THAT, THAT, THAT, YEAH, I, I, I WANT TO, UM, JUST ADD A A COUPLE THINGS TO, UH, WHAT COUNCILMAN AMES HAS SAID AS FAR AS EXPECTATIONS ARE CONCERNED.

AND I DON'T WANT ANYONE TO GET THE, THE MISCONCEPTION THAT THIS JUST STARTED YESTERDAY AND NOW WE HAVE 60 DAYS.

I MEAN, THIS BEEN GOING ON FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

UM, AND THE WAY THAT THE, THE PROJECT, UH, IS SORT OF BROKEN DOWN IS THE COUNTY IS READY TO MOVE.

AND THE COUNTY BASICALLY HAS THE PURVIEW TO MOVE FORWARD FROM MOSS CREEK ALL THE WAY THROUGH JENKINS ISLAND.

UM, BECAUSE THE TOWN'S PORTION OF US GIVING MUNICIPAL CONSENT IS ONLY FOR WHAT THE TOWN HAS JURISDICTION OVER.

SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S VERY CLEAR TO EVERYBODY.

UH, EVEN IF THE TOWN WAS TO SAY NO TO THE PROJECT, THE COUNTY HAS EVERY RIGHT TO GO AHEAD AND EXPAND THE BRIDGES TO SIX LANES.

SO THAT I, I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO, TO UNDERSTAND.

UM, YOU KNOW, THE, IT, THE HILTON HEAD DOES HOLD SOME POLITICAL CAPITAL IN, IN, IN THAT STATEMENT, BUT THE COUNTY AND THE STATE MAY BE THINKING TOTALLY DIFFERENT.

I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO, TO, TO, TO RECOGNIZE AND, AND REALIZE.

AND THE OTHER PART THAT I WANT TO SUGGEST TO MR. BOXLEY IS, UM, THE TOWN ENGAGE WITH, UH, CONSULTANT MKSK TO SORT OF, UM, CONCEPTUALIZE SOME OF THE EARLY CONVERSATIONS WITH, UM, THE STONY COMMUNITY AS FAR AS MITIGATION AND IMPROVEMENT IS CONCERNED.

AND I THINK WE COULD USE SOME OF THAT MATERIAL TO HELP DEVELOP COST ALONG WITH THESE, UH, THESE SEVEN ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN LISTED THUS FAR.

UM, ALONG THE STONY CORRIDOR.

ANY OTHER? CAN I FOLLOW UP ON THE CONVERSATION YOU AND I HAVE? AS, AS YOU KNOW, I THINK THE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY HERE IS, IS, UH, EXCITING.

THE QUESTION I HAVE IS HOW WIDESPREAD IS THE INTEREST IN THAT AMONGST THE COMMUNITY? WELL, WE'VE GOT SEVERAL MEMBERS FROM THE COMMUNITY HERE, UM, AND SOME OF THE FAMILIES AS WELL.

BUT I DID RECEIVE A LOT OF INTEREST, UM, IN THE POTENTIAL BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES,

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I HAD SOME VERY GOOD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT, UM, A LOT OF DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, UH, SECTORS OF, UM, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THAT CAN BE IMPLEMENTED IN THAT CORRIDOR.

SO THE SHORT ANSWER IS YES, THERE IS INTEREST THAT WOULD BE PART OF THAT.

WOULD THAT WOULD BE PART OF LIKE THE TOWN'S, UH, OR WOULD THAT BE, THAT'D BE A DIFFERENT PROCESS, CORRECT.

OR YOU'RE JUST SAYING YOU WOULD LIKE, LIKE, HAVE SEED MONEY COMING OUT OF THAT FOR BUSINESSES? SO, SO THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES FOR, FOR ALL OF THE ABOVE.

I THINK THAT, UM, WE DON'T NECESSARILY, UM, IT, IT WOULDN'T REQUIRE ANY ADDITIONAL ZONING PER SE AT THIS PARTICULAR POINT.

UM, WE'RE DOING DISTRICT PLANS, SO THAT'S WHY YEAH.

DISTRICT PLANS AND THE, AND THE LMO IS ALSO UP FOR, UH, IS BEING REEVALUATED AND CHANGES TO COME.

SO, I MEAN, THERE ARE SOME, SOME NATURAL OCCURRENCES THAT ARE HAPPENING.

UM, BUT I THINK THAT A OVERARCHING, YOU KNOW, PLAN OF ACTION IS SOMETHING THAT THE CDC CAN COME UP WITH IN REGARDS TO BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, RIGHT? WHICH IS SOME OF THAT IS THE OUTLINED IN OUR NEXT, UH, AGENDA ITEM, UM, RELATED TO OUR STRATEGIC PLAN.

SO IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU HAVE A 60 DAY TIMELINE, IS WHAT I'M HEARING.

WELL, THAT, THAT IS WHERE IT STANDS RIGHT NOW.

AND OTHER PRESSURES COULD EX BE EXERTED ON THAT.

AND SO I JUST THINK THAT THAT REALISTICALLY WE OUGHT TO BE PUSHING HARD TO GET AN IDEA OF THE REQUEST OF FUNDS BASED ON THESE SEVEN ITEMS. AND, AND SOME OF THEM, I THINK, UM, ACTUALLY FALL INTO THE S-E-D-O-T PLAN.

I MEAN, NUMBER ONE IS COMPENSATION FOR LAND.

UM, OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT ON, UM, THE WILLIAM HILTON PARKWAY EXPANSION, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE AND IDENTIFY YOURSELF AND, UH, LET US KNOW YOUR COMMENTS ONE AT A TIME.

BUT THEN THERE'S A CAVEAT AND WHAT MIGHT THE PREMIUM BE? THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO START GETTING OUR HANDS AROUND, RIGHT? RIGHT.

YOU SAY, WHEN YOU SAY PREMIUM, UM, AT LEAST MY EXPERIENCE IN LIKE MUNICIPAL NEGOTIATIONS, LIKE IT'S TYPICALLY APPRAISED VALUE.

IT'S NOT APPRAISED VALUE.

PLUS IN TERMS OF LIKE, ON THE, LIKE LAND SIDE, I KNOW THERE MAY BE OTHER THINGS, BUT IT'S USUALLY LAND TRANSACTIONS, IT'S APPRAISED VALUE.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A APPRAISED VALUE PLUS THAT'S GONNA BE DIFFERENT ABOUT THIS PROJECT, BUT IT'S APPRAISED, RIGHT? I THINK THE COMMUNITY IS ASKING FOR THE PREMIUM, RIGHT? AND, UH, TO YOUR POINT, UH, MR. WHITE, UM, NOT THAT WE CAN ASK FOR IT, I JUST NEVER SEEN IT WORKING WITH GOVERNMENTS.

SO WE CAN LIKE, WE CAN LIKE, HAVE DIFFERENT APPRAISALS.

LIKE THE LANDOWNER HAS AN APPRAISAL, YOU KNOW, THE GOVERNMENT ENTITY HAS AN APPRAISAL, WE CAN MEET SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE.

BUT LIKE, WE CAN'T JUST SAY WE WANT TO COME UP WITH AN APP.

LIKE IF WE'RE, LIKE, IF WE'RE TALKING LIKE REALISTICALLY AND TRYING TO GET A DEAL DONE, LIKE WE CAN'T JUST COME UP WITH SOMETHING WHEN A PREMIUM IS, LIKE, WHAT'S THE JUSTIFICATION BEHIND THAT WITH THAT PREMIUM? THAT'S ALL I'M SAYING.

YEAH, I THINK, I THINK WE'RE ALL SAYING THE SAME THING TO A CERTAIN DEGREE, BECAUSE SOME, FOR SOME FAMILIES THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE THE APPRAISED VALUE PLUS SOME INFRASTRUCTURE OR, UM, A DRIVEWAY CUT IN OR A RETAINING WALL BUILT, YOU KNOW, UM, TO MITIGATE SOUND OR, YOU KNOW, NICE ROAD OF TREES PLANTED TO ASSIST WITH POLLUTANT MITIGATION.

SO IT, IT, IT'LL PROBABLY LOOK DIFFERENT FOR DIFFERENT PARCELS.

I THINK WE ALL SAYING THE SAME THING, BUT I I DEFINITELY UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU, WHERE YOU'RE GOING.

AND I THINK JUST TO REITERATE, IT IS GONNA BE DIFFERENT EVERY FAMILY BASED ON HIS CONVERSATIONS WITH EVERY, OH, IT WILL BE DIFFERENT WITH EVERY FAMILY, BASED ON HIS CONVERSATION WITH EVERY FAMILY THAT HE'S HAD.

AND IT'LL BE SOME BACKUP AND BACKGROUND.

IT'S JUST NOT, OH, GIMME THIS NUM THIS IS A NUMBER I WANT, GIVE IT TO ME.

IT'LL BE A RATIONALE.

MY, MY, MY WHEELS ARE TURNING A LITTLE BIT.

BUT I, I'LL HOLD, I'M, I'M, UH, I'VE GOT SOME SORT OF NEXT STEP YES.

UH, THOUGHTS, BUT I, I WANNA WAIT UNTIL, UM, WE GET ANY PUBLIC COMMENT BEFORE I GO THERE, IF, IF WE DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER COUNCILMAN QUESTIONS, I'D LIKE TO OPEN IT UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ISSUE.

OH, OKAY.

SO WE'D LIKE TO OPEN UP THE FLOOR FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AT THIS POINT, IF ANY,

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PLEASE FEEL FREE.

GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF THE CDC BOARD, AND THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE.

MY NAME IS THOMAS BARNWELL JR.

EXCUSE ME.

I'M A RESIDENT OF THE ISLAND.

I LIVE AT 51 KATY MILLER DRIVE ON HILTON HEAD.

UH, I HAPPENED TO HAVE BEEN HERE FOR QUITE A NUMBER OF DAYS ON THE ISLAND THAT IS BEFORE THE BRIDGE.

I WAS HERE BEFORE ELECTRICITY, BEFORE THE EXTENSION OF WHAT IS NOW 2 78.

MY QUESTION IS WITHIN THE 60 DAYS TIMEFRAME, I, AND LET ME BACK UP FOR A SECOND.

I OWN NO PROPERTY, ZERO PROPERTY I OWN IN THE CORRIDOR TRACK.

I'M CONCERNED ABOUT SAFETY AS WELL AS THE RESIDENTS WHO WILL BE LOSING A PORTION OF THEIR PROPERTY BEING ADEQUATELY PAID FOR THE PROPERTIES THAT THEY WILL BE LOSING.

AND I'LL TRY TO PHRASE MY QUESTION IN A MANNER THAT HOPEFULLY CAN BE ANSWERED BY SOMEONE HERE, OR TO THE SATISFACTION OF THOSE PERSONS WHO ARE IN THIS ROOM, AS WELL AS THOSE WHO ARE NOT HERE, WHO ARE NOT AWARE OF THE 60 DAY TIMEFRAME THAT THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND MUST MAKE A DECISION TO BLEND IN WITH THE COUNTY AND THE STATE IN MOVING FORWARD.

NOW, SAYING ALL THAT, I WANNA MAKE IT VERY CLEAR THAT I'M PERSONALLY IN FAVOR OF IMPROVEMENTS OF THE HIGHWAY.

MY BASIC QUESTION IS, PLEASE ADVISE THE GENERAL PUBLIC AS TO THE MECHANISM THROUGH WHICH THE RESIDENTS OF THE STONY COMMUNITY OF HIGHWAY 2 78 HILTON HEAD ISLAND WILL BE PAID ADEQUATELY FOR THE LAND THAT THEY WILL BE LOSING MECHANISM TO BE USED.

FOR EXAMPLE, IF A FAMILY DID NOT HAVE AN APPRAISAL IN THE LAST X NUMBER OF YEARS, HOW WILL THE STATE, THE COUNTY, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, OR WHOMEVER COME UP WITH AN APPROPRIATE APPRAISE VALUE TO BE ABLE TO PAY FAMILY X FOR THEIR LAND? AND THROUGH WHAT MECHANISM ARE THEY USING TO PRORATE OR TO EVALUATE MR. X, MR. Y AND MR. Z OR MRS. AS WELL? WHAT SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY WILL GET WHAT VALUE? THESE ARE QUESTIONS THAT

[00:35:01]

I THINK ARE IMPORTANT.

MY, LEMME BREAK IT DOWN CLOSER.

WILL THE WATERFRONT SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY HAVE A DIFFERENT VALUE FROM THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY, AWAY FROM THE WATERFRONT? WHAT ARE THE MECHANISMS TO BE UTILIZED? I, I'M IN FAVOR OF THE HIGHWAY THAT THIS, THIS, I'M VERY NERVOUS ABOUT THE 60 DAY TIMEFRAME BECAUSE , WHERE YOU GO, WHO WILL FIND, WHO WILL IDENTIFY THOSE PERSONS TO MAKE THAT DECISION.

SO MAYBE I BETTER SIT DOWN AND I'D LIKE TO ASK, ARE YOU CLEAR WITH MY QUESTION OR IS IT CONFUSING? NO, I'M CLEAR.

DO YOU WANNA TAKE THAT FIRST? I'M MAKING NOTES SO WE CAN RESPOND AT THE END.

CAN I HAVE THE NEXT PERSON? WE'LL RESPOND AT THE END.

I DIDN'T HEAR IT.

WE WILL RE I'M SORRY.

WE WILL RESPOND AT THE END OF ALL THE QUESTIONS.

SO WE NEED TO HEAR ALL THE QUESTIONS RIGHT NOW.

I DO HAVE ADE I SHOULD HAVE SAID THAT.

I DON'T HEAR VERY WELL.

I'M A LOW TALKER YOUNG LADY IN THE GOAL.

I DON'T, I THOUGHT YOU HAD A QUESTION.

UM, BECAUSE I'M WAS ANYBODY? ALRIGHT.

HI, SHARON.

SHARON, SHARON, UM, LISTENING TO WHAT WAS SAID THIS EARLIER, THIS, THIS EVENING, UM, BECAUSE I JUST MOVED HERE.

IT'S BEEN A YEAR IN NOVEMBER AND ALL THAT, Y'ALL WERE TALKING ABOUT HOW THE SC DOT COULD COME IN AND APPRAISED.

THEY DID ALL OF THAT.

BUT I ASKED THAT QUESTION.

WAS ANYBODY IN HERE FROM STONY? BECAUSE MY MOTHER DID NOT GET ANY INFORMATION.

IT WAS JUST DONE.

AND I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT FOR THE LONGEST HOW Y'ALL DID IT.

AND I'M LISTENING.

THIS IS HOW Y'ALL DO IT.

I DON'T, I I HAVE NOTIFIED PEOPLE TO COME TO THE MEETING BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT.

I'M HOPE THAT THINGS COULD GET BETTER, BUT I SEE THAT YOU'RE STILL DOING THE SAME THING, MAKING ANY SENSE.

I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU.

HOW WAS IT COMMUNICATED TO YOU IN THE PAST? OH, IT WASN'T.

THAT'S JUST IT.

SO I, IT WAS DONE.

I WOKE UP AND THEY WERE DOING THE ROADS.

I WALKED, I WOKE UP TO BRUSH MY TEETH AND DIDN'T HAVE NO WATER.

I GO OUTSIDE AND THEY TELL ME, OH, WELL, THEY SENT LETTERS.

I SAID, WHAT LETTERS? SO I ASKED MY MOM WHAT LETTERS.

SHE SAID, I NEVER RECEIVED ANY.

THEY SAID, OH, WE PLACED IT IN A PAPER.

WHAT PAPER? I CALLED THE PACKET.

THEY DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT.

THEY THOUGHT I WAS A LAWYER.

OKAY, SO MY QUESTION IS, YOU'RE HERE TALKING ABOUT 60 DAYS THAT THESE PEOPLE WILL BE NOTIFIED OR WHATEVER'S GOING ON.

I KNOW SOME OF THE PEOPLE, BUT HOW THEY GETTING THIS NOTICE? I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW.

I WOULD LIKE TO REALLY KNOW THAT ANSWER.

LET ME TAKE A STAB AT IT.

AND WE ARE TRYING TO DO IT DIFFERENTLY THIS TIME.

THAT'S WHY WE STARTED OFF HIRING SOMEBODY TO TAKE CARE OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND SPEAKING TO THE RESIDENTS IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD NOW? YES.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOUR MOTHER HAS BEEN SPOKEN TO OR NOT.

NO.

SO THAT WE NEED TO GET YOUR MOM'S NAME.

SO SHE'S, SHE'S BEING SPOKEN TO.

SHE'S NOT A PART OF STONY.

I'M SAYING THAT SHE WAS A PART OF JONESVILLE.

THIS ALREADY HAPPENED TO HER.

YEAH, I KNOW JONES.

THAT NOW I'M TRYING TO PREVENT IT FROM HAPPENING.

AND AGAIN, SO IN MY RESEARCH, I TRIED TO FIND OUT HOW WAS SHE SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED? I WAS NOTIFIED WITH WAKING UP TO NO WATER.

I UNDERSTAND.

WAS NOTIFIED AGAIN WHEN THEY TOOK A TURN LANE, DID THEY DIG IN THE BACK OF THE, THE BACK OF THE HOUSE? WELL, HOW MUCH FURTHER ARE Y'ALL COMING IN? I UNDERSTAND.

SO I WENT THROUGH THE PAPERS.

I GATHERED THE PAPERS, I RESEARCHED TO FIND OUT.

BUT LIKE I, THAT'S WHY I ASKED THE FIRST QUESTION BEFORE I STOOD UP HERE.

WHO'S FROM STONY.

ANYTHING FOR THE FUTURE, BUT LISTENING TO YOU TALKING TONIGHT, WHAT I CAN REALLY HEAR, YOU'RE, IT'S STILL THE SAME PROCEDURE.

ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT PRIVATE IMPROVEMENTS? ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT ONE OF THE RESIDENTIAL SUBDIVISIONS THAT IN IT WAS FOR THE SUBDIVISION ACROSS THE ROAD, BUT THEY HAD TO USE HER SIDE OF THE ROAD AND IT'S S-C-L-D-T AND UH, UH, RIGHT AWAY THEY TOOK ALL OF THAT.

THEY TOOK IT ALL.

THERE'S NOTHING I COULD HAVE DONE ABOUT IT BECAUSE OF THE LATENESS.

I FOUND OUT ABOUT IT.

SO NOBODY NOTIFIED HER.

SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SO WHAT I'M, I'M SORRY.

I'M SORRY.

GO AHEAD.

I'M JUST TRYING TO PREVENT

[00:40:01]

THE PROCEDURE OF WE'RE THE STONY PEOPLE HERE AT THIS MEETING? HOW ARE THEY, YOU SAID THEY'RE GOING OUT TO BE NOTIFIED.

YOU'RE TRYING IT A DIFFERENT WAY.

AM I CORRECT? WELL, WE HAVE TALKED TO THE STONY PEOPLE INDIVIDUALLY.

SO WE'VE GIVEN MR. BOXLEY NAMES OF PEOPLE THAT HE HAS TALKED TO IN THE STONY COMMUNITY.

WELL, THE PEOPLE THAT I'VE TALKED TO, THEY SAID THEY HAD NO INFORMATION, UH, CONVERSATION.

I, I WOULD ASK THAT, UH, MS. SHERMAN PROVIDE US WITH THE STONY RESIDENT YEAH.

THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE CONTACTED BY MR. BOXLEY AS WELL, RIGHT? I WILL.

OH, AND JUST, AND CAN YOU, AND JUST ANOTHER, SO IN WITH LIKE PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT THAT COULD OCCUR LIKE IN YOUR BACKYARD, UM, A LOT OF THAT'S PART OF, IT'S A TOWN PROCESS, RIGHT? AND IT DEPENDS ON WHAT THE IMPACT IS.

SO DOT IMPACT WHAT'S COMING INTO MY BACKYARD? I'M JUST, I'M I'M JUST SAYING WITH PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT, IT KIND OF DOES, IT GOES A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN SORT OF PUBLIC DEVELOPMENT.

SO FOR, SO FOR EXAMPLE, RIGHT? LIKE JUST FOR, SO HARGRAVE FOR EXAMPLE, SO IF HARGRAVE HAS A LINE IN THE STREET, RIGHT? AND I'M BUILDING A DEVELOPMENT AND OUR LAND IS ADJACENT, RIGHT? AND HAR GRAY'S LINE MIGHT BE PARTIALLY ON YOURS OR PARTIALLY ON MINE.

HAR GRAY HAS CERTAIN RIGHTS THAT THEY CAN JUST COME SORT OF LIKE MODIFY THEIR LINE TO IMPACT THE PROPERTY NEXT DOOR AND THEY MIGHT NOT REACH OUT TO YOU.

THERE'S JUST CERTAIN, SO IT'S DIFFERENT WITH PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT THAN SORT OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE AS A PUBLIC PROCESS.

WHAT, WHAT WE'D LIKE YOU TO DO, YES, AS COUNCILMAN AMES SAID, IF YOU COULD GIVE US THE NU THE PEOPLE IN STONY WHO YOU FEEL HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY HAS NOT BEEN HEARD AND HAVE POINTS OF VIEW ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.

THOSE BUSINESSES OR WHEN THE PROPERTIES ARE MITIGATED, WILL THAT BE CONSIDERED AS POSSIBLE? LOSS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT FROM WHAT YOUR OPINION IS ABOUT THE, THE PROPERTY VALUES AND ALL THAT? AND IF FAMILIES HAVE TO DO CERTAIN OUT OF THE BOX THINGS THAT I'M SUPPOSING THE 60 DAY DECISION IS GOING TO INCLUDE, OR ELSE WE WOULDN'T BE HERE IF IT'S NOT, IT'S GONNA BE ORDINARY RUN OF THE MIDDLE PROCESS.

MR. BOXY WILL TALK TO THEM.

LET ME SAY THIS, I THINK THIS PROCESS IS BETTER THAN WHAT YOU EXPERIENCED.

AND I'M SORRY FOR WHAT YOU EXPERIENCED AND YOUR MOTHER EXPERIENCED.

I CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT THAT AT THIS POINT.

RIGHT? BUT I THINK THE LEARNING IS WE CAN DO IT DIFFERENTLY.

AND I THINK WE ARE TRYING VERY HARD TO DO IT DIFFERENTLY.

WE ARE LISTENING AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO AS A, AS A BODY TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THE NEEDS ARE AND WHAT THE PEOPLE WANT, FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE STONY AREA, WHICH IS IMPERATIVE, OKAY? THE 60 DAYS IS NOT A DROP DEAD DATE.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN PUT ON THE TABLE.

BUT TOMORROW THAT COULD BE EXTENDED.

THERE ARE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON THAT WE ARE NOT DISCUSSING TO EXTEND THAT DATE.

AND IF SOMETHING WAS TO HAPPEN IN 60 DAYS, I CAN ASSURE YOU, YOU WILL BE NOTIFIED.

YEAH.

WELL, ME GOING THAT WAY CONSTANTLY.

I DON'T EVEN SEE HOW IT'S GONNA BE EXPANDED.

I'M LOOKING AT THE ROAD.

SO THAT'S JUST MY PERSPECTIVE ABOUT WHAT I SEE.

SO IF YOU HAVE A DIFFERENT AGENDA, I'M JUST SAYING THAT AGENDA, I'M JUST SAYING PERSONALLY, IF IT'S A A, A, A CORPORATION OR HARGRAVE OR WHATEVER, I STILL FEEL AS THOUGH MAYBE THE TOWN CAN NOTIFY THOSE PEOPLE AS WELL TO LET PEOPLE KNOW WHEN YOU'RE COMING UP IN THEIR YARD.

YOU ARE.

THAT'S ALL I'M ASKING.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

OTHER COMMENTS, MR. BOXLEY, BEFORE WE LEAVE THIS? I, WE DO, UM, MR. UH, BRUBAKER SAID, MADE A COMMENT THAT THERE'S A POSSIBILITY FOR GREAT BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES IN THAT AREA.

AND TO THAT POINT, I THOUGHT THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT CLEARLY ADJUSTS SOME OF THE VALUE OF THE SITUATION, IF THERE'S A, IF THE BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES ARE THERE.

BUT THE, THE SUGGESTION THAT THAT'S TRUE, IS IT CLEAR TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE IMPACTED OF THOSE BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES? AND WILL THE DESIRED OUTCOME OF THIS 60 DAY APPROACH ENCOMPASS THAT, THAT IDEA, I MEAN, WHATEVER WE SUGGEST AS THE EXPANSION, WILL IT INCLUDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOSE,

[00:45:01]

WE WOULDN'T BE HERE TODAY.

RIGHT? THE REASON WE ARE HERE IS BECAUSE WE ARE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT WITH THE, FORGIVE MY QUOTE, THE HILTON HEAD MYSTIQUE.

THAT DOESN'T LEAVE ANYBODY OUT.

SO, AND, AND I I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY THAT FOR ALL OF THE FOLKS IN THE ROOM, THAT IF THAT IS THE CASE, THEN THAT'S REALLY OUR AGENDA FOR THE NEXT 60 DAYS TO GET FAMILIES TO UNDERSTAND THEIR POSSIBILITIES SO THAT WHEN THEY MAKE THE DECISIONS, IT'S A INFORMED DECISION.

RIGHT? OKAY.

I JUST, I JUST WANNA CLARIFY THAT, AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WHAT WE COME UP WITH, IT DIDN'T, DOESN'T DISMISS THAT.

LET LET ME RESPOND TO THAT IF I CAN.

AND AS I THINK ABOUT THAT, IF I WERE IN YOUR SHOES AND SOMEBODY LIKE ME SAID A BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY TO SAY, HERE THEY COME, UH, GOOD FOR THEM, BAD FOR ME.

UH, MY VIEW IS THAT'S NOT APPLICABLE HERE.

UH, AS I THINK ABOUT IT, AND AS MR. BOX AND I TALKED ABOUT, IT'D BE BUSINESSES THAT ARE REALLY EXCITING FOR THE RESIDENTS AND REWARDING TO THE RESIDENTS, OTHERWISE, DON'T DO 'EM, MY VIEW.

ANYWAY, NEXT STEPS.

CAN I RESPOND TO A COUPLE OF THE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE? UH, MADAM CHAIR? UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'VE COVERED SOME OF THE COMMENTS IN THE SEVEN POINTS.

ON AN INDIVIDUAL INTIMATE BASIS, WE NEED TO KNOW.

BUT I DO THINK THAT WE NEED TO, UM, NOT ONLY HAVE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THESE, UM, BUT, BUT ALSO, UM, MAKE SURE THAT THE PUBLIC IS, IS UNDERSTANDING THAT WE'RE NOT ONLY WILLING TO AT SOME POINT, THIS COMMITTEE, UH, TAKE SOME TYPE OF FORMAL ACTION ON THESE, OKAY? BUT THE, THE, THE EAR IS STILL OPEN TO LISTEN TO ADD MORE, UM, IF, IF NEEDED.

UM, UH, BUT I WANTED TO ALSO SORT OF TALK ABOUT, UH, COMMUNICATIONS MOVING FORWARD, UM, WHEN IT, WHEN IT PERTAINS TO THIS PROJECT, OKAY? BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT HAPPEN ON, ON HILTON HEAD, UM, AND SO THAT WE HAVE CLARITY AND WE STAY FOCUSED AS THIS GROUP.

I WANT TO JUST FOCUS ON WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN WITH THE STONY AREA AND THE PROJECT.

AS, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, YOU KNOW, WE, THE TOWN HAVE RECEIVED THIS LETTER THAT, UM, IS, IS DATED FOR US TO RESPOND BY THE END OF JANUARY.

THAT'S NOT 60 DAYS.

THAT'S IN ABOUT A WEEK.

SO I THINK THE IMPORTANT MESSAGE THAT, THAT NEEDS TO, TO, TO SORT OF SPREAD ITSELF THROUGH THE COMMUNITY IS THAT WE'VE GOT 60 DAYS TO POLISH THIS OFF, BUT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON IT FOR A LONG TIME, OKAY? AND WE CAN'T GO BACK.

I MEAN, THERE, THERE ARE PRIOR ADMINISTRATIONS THAT, UM, I WAS DEFINITELY IN TOTAL DISAGREEMENTS WITH WHEN THEY, YOU KNOW, THREW OUT A MITIGATION PROPOSED PLAN, ALL RIGHT? UM, BUT THAT'S NOT THE ADMINISTRATION TODAY, OKAY? THERE'S A DIFFERENT ADMINISTRATION TODAY.

SO I THINK THE, THE, THE POINT THAT WE ALL NEED TO, TO, TO RECOGNIZE HERE IS WE ARE WORKING WITHIN THIS 60 DAY PERIOD AND, UH, COUNCILMAN AINS POINT, AND TO MS. PETERSON'S POINT, THAT COULD BE SHORTER OR LONGER.

WE DON'T KNOW THAT AT THE MOMENT, BUT FOR THIS COMMITTEE, WE WANNA FOCUS TO GET SOMETHING DONE IN THE NEXT 60 DAYS.

OKAY? I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO UNDERSTAND THAT AND WORK TOGETHER TO, TO GET TO THAT POINT.

NOW, I, I WOULD ALSO, UM, AS I'VE ASKED, UH, MS. SHERMAN TO NOTIFY US OF THOSE THAT ARE AFFECTED BY THIS PROJECT THAT HAVE NOT BEEN COMMUNICATED WITH

[00:50:01]

WE NEED TO KNOW.

BECAUSE IF, IF WE DON'T KNOW AND WE KEEP PRESSING FORWARD, THEN WE HAVE JUST LOST THE WHOLE IDEA OF THE, OF THE EFFORT, OKAY? AND WE DON'T WANT THAT TO HAPPEN.

UH, SO IF YOU WANT TO CONTACT ME OR ANYBODY ELSE ON THIS BOARD, AND OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, PLEASE DO SO WITH THOSE, THOSE CONTACTS BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE INTERFACE WITH THEM ALONG THE WAY.

COUNCILMAN, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE INSTRUCT MR. BOXLEY TO GO BACK TO PROPERTY OWNERS WITH THESE SEVEN ITEMS, HAVE CONVERSATIONS AROUND THEM SO THAT, THAT THEY'RE UN CLEARLY UNDERSTOOD, AND THAT SECONDARILY WE BEGIN TO ARTICULATE THOSE ITEMS, TERMS THAT WE CAN GO TO S-C-D-O-T IN OUR LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION TO BEGIN, UM, CONVINCING PEOPLE THAT THIS SHOULD BE A PART OF THE TOWN MUTUAL OR MUNICIPAL CONSENT.

BUT I DO THINK IN THE END, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE SOME, UH, ORDER OF MAGNITUDE, UM, BUDGETS FOR THESE MM-HMM, .

SO THAT WOULD BE NOT NECESSARILY A MOTION, BUT, UH, OUR SUGGESTION, THIS IS WHAT I SUGGEST BASED ON WHAT YOU GUYS WERE TALKING ABOUT AND WHAT I THOUGHT FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS IS, UM, MR. BOXLEY, YOU'VE BEEN GOING OUT AND INTIMATELY ONE-ON-ONE TALKING TO PEOPLE IN THE STONY NEIGHBORHOOD.

OBVIOUSLY THERE'S SOME PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN MISSED.

MS. SHERMAN'S GONNA PROVIDE THAT LIST FOR YOU, AND I WOULD ASK THAT YOU DO THAT, UM, TOMORROW OR THE NEXT DAY TOO.

SURE.

GOOD, GOOD, GOOD.

AS SOON AS YOU COULD GET THAT TO MR. BOXLEY OR ANYBODY HERE, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.

UH, MR. BOXLEY, IF YOU COULD THEN TALK TO THOSE PEOPLE, UM, AND FIGURE OUT WHAT IT WOULD BE, WHAT IT, HOW DO THEY WANNA BE MADE WHOLE FOR THIS WHOLE THING.

AND THEN REVIEW, UH, AS COUNCILMAN AIMS DISCUSS THESE SEVEN ISSUES, PUTTING PRIORITY ON IT AND PUTTING FINANCIAL DOLLARS ON IT.

AND YOU HAVE BEEN DOING A GREAT JOB OF TALKING TO EACH ONE ON THE COMMITTEE INDIVIDUALLY, AND I FEEL AS THOUGH I KNOW SOME THINGS THAT THE OTHER PEOPLE ON THE COMMITTEE DON'T KNOW, BUT YOU NEED TO BRING US ALL UP TO SPEED SO THAT WE'RE, WE'RE AT THE SAME PLACE, UH, KNOWING THAT WE CAN HAVE THE AMMUNITION WE NEED TO GO BACK TO THE COUNTY AND THE DOJ WITHIN THAT 60 DAY TIME FAIR PERIOD, RIGHT? SO ALL OF OUR, UM, JUST SO YOU'RE AWARE, WE, I HAVE SCHEDULED INDIVIDUAL SESSIONS WITH EACH MEMBER OF OUR BOARD.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE MEET PERIODICALLY THROUGHOUT THE MONTH.

I HAVE TWO MORE OUTSTANDING, UH, UH, TO COMPLETE THIS MONTH.

BUT, UH, THAT IS PART OF WHAT I DO ON A MONTHLY BASIS IS, IS KEEP THE BOARD INFORMED, UM, IN REGARDS TO, UM, THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE WILL BE HAVING AND CONTINUING TO HAVE WITH FAMILIES, UM, AS I SEE SOME OF THE FAMILIES PRESENT TODAY.

AND THANK YOU ALL FOR, FOR BEING HERE, UH, SOME OF THE ONES THAT I'VE SPOKEN WITH ALREADY.

UM, PLEASE STAY ENGAGED AND, UM, AND WE'LL DEFINITELY BE WORKING THROUGH THESE NEXT STEPS AND WE'LL BE DOING IT PRETTY QUICK.

AS, AS COUNCILOR MENTIONED, WE'VE GOT A, A PRETTY TIGHT TIMEFRAME.

UM, SO YOU WILL BE RECEIVING NOTIFICATION FROM OUR OFFICE HERE, UH, BEFORE THE END OF THIS WEEK, AND TODAY IS WEDNESDAY.

SO, UM, IF THERE, ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO? TWO OR BB, EXCUSE ME, MADAM CHAIR.

CAN, CAN I JUST MAKE ONE MORE STATEMENT? YES.

THIS IS, THIS IS MORE OF A POLITICAL STATEMENT THAN ANYTHING ELSE.

UM, THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD CURRENTLY IS ENGAGED WITH A CONSULTANT TO STUDY THE CORRIDOR AND GIVE US AN INDEPENDENT OPINION ON THE SCTS PLANS.

AND THIS IS, YOU KNOW, SORT OF CONTROVERSIAL AS FAR AS YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS EXERCISE HAPPENING.

BECAUSE SOME MAY ARGUE THAT WE'VE ALREADY GOTTEN A SECOND OPINION.

THIS MAY BE A THIRD OPINION, BUT THE POINT THAT I'M TRYING TO MAKE TO EVERYBODY IS THERE WAS NO MONEY

[00:55:01]

AVAILABLE TO HAVE THIS ADDITIONAL STUDY DONE.

OKAY? AND THE TOWN USES POLITICAL WEIGHT TO GET THE STATE TO PAY FOR THAT ADDITIONAL STUDY.

SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE MONEY THAT'S IN THE BUCKET, OR THE APPRAISED VALUE, OR NOT APPRAISED VALUE, AND THAT, I DON'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF TOLERANCE FOR THAT BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THE POLITICAL WILL THAT WE HAVE HERE ON HILTED HEAD CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

OKAY? AND I'M SAYING THAT AS A POLITICAL STATEMENT, THAT IF WE ARE COMING TOGETHER TO REALLY PUT FORTH A STATEMENT, THEN THE ABOVE POWERS TO BE, THEY WILL RESPOND.

NOW, TO WHAT DEGREE? I'M NOT SURE.

I CAN'T SAY THAT, BUT THEY WILL RESPOND.

I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT POINT CLEAR TO EVERYBODY.

UM, IT'S, IT'S A PRECEDENT SET ALREADY THAT THERE'S MORE, MORE MONIES AVAILABLE TO GET THINGS DONE.

IF THERE'S MM-HMM, , GOOD AFTERNOON.

MY NAME IS MARGARET JOHNSON.

I'VE LIVED HERE A LONG TIME.

I'M BRAND NEW TO THE PROCESS, BUT I HAVE A QUESTION ON PROCEDURE IN TERMS OF NOTIFYING ALL OF THE STONY RESIDENTS IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE.

BUT THERE'S A GENERALITY HERE WHY I, I'M UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THE IDEA THAT IT'S ONE PERSON'S RESPONSIBILITY, SHARON SHERMAN, TO LET YOU KNOW WHO ARE THE MISSING PEOPLE.

DO YOU NOT HAVE ACCESS TO EVERYONE WHO WOULD BE CONCERNED? DO YOU NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THAT INFORMATION THAT YOU CHECK OFF THE LIST OF WHO'S BEEN CONTACTED AND WHO HASN'T AT THIS POINT, IT SEEMS AS IF IT'S UP TO MR. BOXLEY AND MS. SHERMAN TO BRING THAT TOGETHER, AND THAT'S WHERE DO YOU STAND IN THAT PROCESS, IS MY QUESTION THERE.

SO THE, THE SHORT ANSWER, UH, MS. JOHNSON, WE STARTED HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH FAMILIES AND, UM, INDIVIDUALS THAT OWN PROPERTY RIGHT ALONG THE 2 78 EXPANSION CORRIDOR.

UM, AND THOSE WERE OUR INITIAL CONVERSATIONS.

UM, WE HAVE NOT HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THE ENTIRE AS A CDC WITH THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY AT LARGE AS OF YET.

WE STARTED OUT WITH RESIDENTS RIGHT ALONG THE CORRIDOR THAT WERE, THAT WERE BEING IMPACTED.

WE ALSO HAVE, WE HAVE ALSO SENT OUT INFORMATION VIA EMAIL, UH, TO OUR LISTERVS.

WE'VE HAD OUR COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT ALSO SENDING OUT INFORMATION.

UM, AND SOME OF THAT INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE AT THE BACK TABLE.

WE HAVE A SURVEY THAT'S UP AND RUNNING TO BY WHICH PEOPLE CAN CONTRIBUTE, UH, UH, MAKE, UH, UH, MAKE THEIR COMMENTS KNOWN TO US SO THAT WE CAN ACT ON THAT AS WELL.

SO, UM, THE LARGER, THE LARGER BROADER COMMUNITY IS, IS A CONVERSATION THAT IS IN THE WORKS, BUT WE STARTED OUT WITH THOSE THAT ARE DIRECTLY, THAT WOULD BE DIRECTLY IMPACTED WITH THEIR, THE LAND THAT THEY OWN TODAY.

UM, NOT DOWN THE ROAD, UM, OVER, OFF, OFF OF A NON-CONNECTED ARTERIAL STREET.

BUT THOSE FAMILIES THAT ARE DIRECTLY IMPACTED RIGHT ALONG HIGHWAY 2 78.

AND I DO APPRECIATE THAT, AND MAYBE I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING, BUT IT SOUNDED TO ME THAT THERE ARE STILL SOME PEOPLE DIRECTLY IMPACTED THAT HAVEN'T BEEN CONTACTED.

SO AGAIN, MY COMMENT IS THAT I BELIEVE THAT NOW THAT THERE IS A BODY SUCH AS YOU REPRESENT, THAT THIS IS A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY THAT YOU USE EVERY DOCUMENT THAT YOU HAVE TO NOTIFY THE PEOPLE BECAUSE I'M ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT IS ALREADY ON THE BOOKS.

LIKE THIS HAS BEEN DISCUSSED FOR SIX YEARS.

WHAT'S ON THE BOOKS NOW THAT'S GOING TO IMPACT ME AND EVERYBODY ELSE IN THIS ROOM THAT WE DON'T TODAY KNOW ABOUT? AND WHAT IS THE, WHAT IS THE IMPROVED PROCESS FOR GETTING THAT INFORMATION OUT? WE ARE DEALING WITH THIS RIGHT NOW, A SIX YEAR PROGRAM THAT WE NEED TO RESPOND TO WITHIN 60 DAYS.

THERE ARE OTHER THINGS ON THE BOOKS RIGHT NOW THAT WE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT.

AND SO I'M INTERESTED TO KNOW WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO LET ME AND OTHER RESIDENTS OF THE, THE IDENTIFIED GULLAH GEECHEE COMMUNITIES KNOW WHAT'S ALREADY ON THE BOOKS THAT MAY IMPACT US THAT WE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT? AND WHAT'S YOUR PROCESS FOR INFORMING US OR HOW SHOULD WE MAKE OURSELVES INFORMED? THAT'S A TRIPLE PART QUESTION.

THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.

UM, ONE WAY IS TO TAKE OUR INFORMATION AND STAY IN CONNECT, STAY CONNECTED WITH US.

I'M READILY ACCESSIBLE, SO PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT DEVELOPMENT.

MY, I'M, I'M READILY ACCESSIBLE, UH, CELL PHONE, EMAIL, WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE,

[01:00:01]

UH, ONE OF THE OTHER PIECES THAT'S IDENTIFIED, AND WE'LL JUST KIND WE'LL ROLL INTO THAT HERE IN A MOMENT, BUT IN, WITHIN OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, PART OF WHAT WE HAVE IDENTIFIED IS, UM, HOSTING MORE FREQUENT MEETINGS WITH THE COMMUNITY SO THAT WE CAN DEVELOP A STRONGER TWO-WAY SENSE OF COMMUNICATION, RIGHT? UM, IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS, I'VE BEEN HERE FOR TWO MONTHS, RIGHT? SO WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH SOME OF THESE FINE DETAILS AND WE WILL GET THERE.

BUT AGAIN, THIS IS, THIS IS STILL A VERY NEW ENTITY AND WE'LL WORK THE KINKS OUT.

BUT TO START, FOR STARTERS, PLEASE TAKE MY INFORMATION, IT'S AVAILABLE ON THIS ONE PAGE SHEET THAT IDENTIFIES SOME OF OUR STRATEGIC GOALS AND OUR OBJECTIVES AND MISSION.

UH, MY CONTACT INFORMATION IS ON THE, ON THE, UH, SIDE WITH STRATEGIC GOALS.

FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO ME WITH ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.

I'VE GOT A, I'VE GOT A WILD THOUGHT MS. CHAIR.

UM, 'CAUSE WE, WE HAVE TALKED, UM, PARTICULARLY WHEN WE, UH, DID OUR SWOT ANALYSIS ABOUT COMMUNICATIONS.

AND, UM, I KNOW THAT WHEN WE GET TO THE POINT OF APPROVING OUR BUDGET, WE WILL HAVE A LINE ITEM ASSOCIATED WITH COMMUNICATION.

BUT THE, THE THOUGHT THAT I'M HAVING IS COMMUNICATION LOOKS A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS FOR A LOT OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A SORT OF GENERATIONAL IDEA OF COMMUNICATION, OKAY? UM, SOME ARE GONNA GO TO SOCIAL MEDIA, SOME ARE STILL WAITING FOR SOMETHING TO COME IN THE MAIL TO BE NOTIFIED.

BUT I, I THINK IT WILL, WILL, WILL BE, WILL, WILL BE IN OUR BEST INTEREST IS AS WE START TO CONNECT WITH THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE NOT BEEN NOTIFIED, WE START TO ASSEMBLE FROM THEM WHAT WOULD BE THE BEST WAY TO BE NOTIFIED? BECAUSE WE, AND THIS IS NOT JUST FOR THIS COMMITTEE, THIS IS COMMUNICATIONS AT LARGE.

YOU KNOW, WE MISSED THE BOAT, OKAY? WE TRY TO HAVE EVERYBODY KNOW, UM, IN, IN THE DAY OF TECHNOLOGY, YOU WOULD ASSUME THAT EVERYBODY WOULD KNOW EVERYTHING, BUT THAT'S JUST NOT THE CASE.

SO FOR US TO START TO DEVELOP SORT OF A LISTING OF THE GAPS THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS IDENTIFIED, NOT JUST US IDENTIFYING, I THINK WILL SERVE US WELL IN THE FUTURE.

AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THOSE ARE, BUT I'M INTERESTED IN HEARING FROM THE FOLKS THAT DO NOT KNOW WHAT IT IS WE COULD DO BETTER SO THAT THEY WILL KNOW.

AGREED.

OF THE CURRENT EXPANSION OF 2 78.

MR. FORD, GOOD EVENING FOR THE RECORD.

HERBERT FORD, LONGTIME RESIDENT OF HILTON ED, NOT AS LONG AS MR. BARNWELL.

UM, I'M, I'M SITTING HERE LISTENING TO THIS CONVERSATION AND I'M PARTICULARLY STRUCK IN PARTICULAR COUNCILMAN BROWN.

YOU MENTIONED THAT 'CAUSE YOU SAT ON THE FIRST 2, 7, 8 COMMISSION.

I SAT ON THE SECOND ONE AND I'M A BYSTAND ON THE THIRD ONE.

SO, AS YOU SAID, THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR QUITE SOME TIME NOW.

MITIGATION STRATEGY WAS DEVELOPED AND IT DIDN'T GO THROUGH THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL.

IT WAS TAKEN OFF.

BUT SINCE TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE, WHY CAN'T THAT MITIGATION STRATEGY BE TAKEN BACK UP, BRUSHED OFF AND BE RECONSIDERED BY TOWN COUNCIL FOR POTENTIAL PASSAGE? JUST SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT.

THE SECOND THING, UM, THAT CAUGHT MY ATTENTION WAS, UH, AS I TRIED TO READ THROUGH THIS DOCUMENT, GOAL NUMBER ONE, UH, BULLET POINT NUMBER SEVEN, WHICH IS A REWORK OF THIS VERY SAME POINT THAT HAS BEEN MADE BEFORE.

WHEN I SAT ON THE 2 78 COMMISSION, MY EMPHASIS WAS THE FACT THAT THE STONY COMMUNITY, WHICH, UH, WHICH MY PART, MY FAMILY WAS A MAJOR PART OF THE STONY COMMUNITY, HAS BEAR THE BRUNT OF ALL EXPANSION OF 2 78 FROM THE VERY INCEPTION OF 2 78.

AND I'VE SAID OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN UNTIL I'M ALMOST DEAF NOW THAT AN ALTERNATIVE ROUTE NEED TO BE ESTABLISHED.

I SAID IT YEARS AGO, AND I WILL CONTINUE TO SAY THAT.

SO MY QUESTION FOR THIS GROUP IS, HOW MUCH ENFORCEABILITY DO YOU ALL HAVE FOR NUMBER SEVEN? 'CAUSE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE STONY, THE REMAINING STONY MEMBERS.

MY GREAT UNCLE HAD A ROBUST BUSINESS IN THE STONY COMMUNITY THAT WAS TOTALLY DESTROYED BECAUSE

[01:05:01]

HIS WIFE, WHEN HE PASSED, HIS WIFE DECIDED SHE WASN'T GONNA MOVE.

SO THEY TOOK THE FRONT STEP OFF HER HOUSE OFF BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T USE THAT TO GET INTO THE HOUSE.

SO THEY WENT THROUGH BY THE SIDE.

SO EXPANSION HAS ALREADY OCCURRED.

THAT HAS SEVERELY IMPACTED THE STONY COMMUNITY.

SO A BUSINESS WAS THERE THAT WAS ELIMINATED BECAUSE OF THE CURRENT EXPANSION.

SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A NEW BUSINESS COMING UP.

WELL, THAT'S GONNA BE ELIMINATED ALSO, UNLESS THERE IS SOME ATTEMPT TO PREVENT THAT ROAD FROM CONTINUALLY EXPANDING.

WE, WE, FOR SOME REASON, I DON'T KNOW WHY THAT'S SO DIFFICULT FOR US TO RECOGNIZE THAT THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH PAVEMENT THAT'S GONNA COME TO HILTON HEAD.

AND IF YOU CONTINUE TO EXPAND IT, THAT COMMUNITY IS GOING TO DIE.

WHETHER WE, THAT MAY NOT BE THE INTENT, BUT IT KILLED MY UNCLE'S BUSINESS.

MY AUNT WAS ABLE TO, TO, TO GO IN AND OUT OF HER HOUSE AND HAD IN INCENTIVES DIED AND THE PROPERTY WAS SOLD.

SO I WANNA KNOW, HOW MUCH ENFORCEABILITY DO YOU HAVE WITH NUMBER SEVEN? OR IS THIS JUST PAP UH, INK THAT'S BEING PUT ON A PIECE OF PAPER? DID WE JUST PUT THIS DOWN THERE TO TRY TO APPEASE THE COMMUNITY? OR DO, IS THERE REALLY ENFORCEABILITY IN NUMBER SEVEN? I'LL BE GLAD TO HEAR THE RESPONSE.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTION.

I'LL SAY, I'LL SPEAK FIRST.

WE, MR. FORD, AND FOR THE REST OF YOU IN THE ROOM, I BELIEVE, OR I WOULD NOT BE SITTING IN THIS CHAIR, THAT WE WILL HAVE SOME ENFORCEABILITY IF WE DO IT THE RIGHT WAY.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.

I KNOW THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF CONCERNS AND PAST, UM, I DON'T WANNA CALL IT FEELINGS, THAT'S TOO LIGHT OF A WORD.

UH, THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED IN THE PAST THAT WERE NOT RIGHT, THAT'S BEEN SPOKEN TO TONIGHT A NUMBER OF TIMES.

I THINK PEOPLE'S FEELINGS.

YOU CAN SEE PEOPLE'S FEELINGS WHEN THEY DO SOMETHING DIFFERENTLY.

THE FACT THAT WE ARE PARTIALLY FUNDED, THAT WE HAD, THAT WE HAVE AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR IN PLACE, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY FOR ME IS THAT THERE'S A NEW GROUP OF PEOPLE IN TOWN COUNCIL THAT REALLY SINCERELY IN MY CONVERSATION WITH THEM, WANT TO SEE THIS CORRECTED IN A WAY THAT APPEASES EVERYONE.

SO I CAN'T SIT HERE AND TELL YOU THAT I CAN, THAT THIS COUNCIL WILL DO THAT.

WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS THAT EVERYBODY ON THIS COUNCIL IS COMMITTED TO MAKE A CHANGE FOR THE BETTER OF THE GULLAH COMMUNITY.

IN ALL DUE RESPECT.

UM, MS. PETERSON, THAT'S WHAT MY FAMILY WAS TOLD WHEN TWO 70 WAS EXPANDED, THAT THIS IS IT THEY WERE TOLD ABOUT, I'M JUST, I'M JUST TELLING YOU THIS IS A PERSONAL ITEM FOR ME.

ME, MY FAMILY WAS TOLD THAT THERE WILL BE NO FURTHER EXPANSION OF 2 78 THAT THIS WILL FIT THE BILL FOR, FOR COMING ONTO THE ISLAND.

THAT'S WHAT MY FAMILY WAS TOLD.

AND THAT'S WHY I'M, I'M CONCERNED AS TO WHETHER THIS IS JUST WORDS ON A PAPER OR CAN THIS REALLY BE ENFORCED.

MY FAMILY WAS TOLD THAT THERE WOULD BE NO MORE EXPANSION OF 2 78 THAT WE HAVE MET THE MAXIMUM EXPANSION CAPABILITY THAT WE ARE GOING TO DO.

SO I'M, I'M NOT TELLING YOU WHAT I HEARD, BUT I'M TELLING WHAT MY FAMILY WAS TOLD.

I UNDERSTAND.

SO I, YEAH, I AGREE.

THERE'S NEW MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, BUT WHY PUT THIS ON A PIECE OF PAPER IF THERE'S NO WAY TO ENFORCE IT? I THINK IT SENDS THE, THE WRONG SIGNAL TO THE COMMUNITY THAT THIS IS IT FOLKS THAT WAS TOLD TO US 30 YEARS AGO, 40 YEARS AGO.

I DON'T THINK IT SHOULD BE ON THERE.

I THINK YOU SHOULD REMOVE THAT.

IF YOU CAN'T ENFORCE IT, DON'T PUT IT ON THE PIECE OF PAPER.

THAT'S ALL I'M SAYING.

ALL RIGHT.

REMEMBER, THIS IS A DRAFT AND SO SUGGEST TAKE THAT OUT PLEASE.

OKAY, I HEAR YOU.

UH, TO, TO, UH, TO RESPOND TO, TO MR. FORD.

UM, JUST SO THAT EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM IS CLEAR.

THIS, THIS COMMITTEE IS GOING TO BE RECOMMENDING TO THE TOWN COUNCIL.

THE TOWN COUNCIL WILL HAVE THE LAST SAY ON IF NUMBER SEVEN OR ANY OF THE NUMBERS APPLICABLE AND ENFORCEABLE.

THAT MR. FORD JUST GAVE TO US IS GIVEN TO THE DECISION MAKERS AT THE END OF THE DAY BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN THE RUBBER'S GONNA HIT THE ROAD.

SO WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST, UM, THAT WE HAVE FURTHER DISCUSSION AROUND THAT TOPIC, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IF IT IS SOMETHING THAT IS GONNA STAY IN THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THAT SAME TESTIMONY

[01:10:01]

THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN.

TO AGENDA ITEM, UH, FOUR B, WHICH IS, UH, REVIEW AND CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL OF OUR STRATEGIC PLAN.

MY NAME IS EZRA CALLAHAN.

I'M A 15 YEAR RESIDENT AND ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE LEARNED SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, IF NOBODY HAS AN ASSIGNMENT IN THEIR NAME ATTACHED TO IT, WHEN WE LEAVE A MEETING, IT'S NOT DONE.

IS THERE ANY WAY THE REPRESENTATIVES HERE CAN MAKE A LIST OF WHO'S GONNA BE RESPONSIBLE FOR SOME OF THESE ITEMS THAT CAME UP TODAY AND WHEN THEY WILL BE ADDRESSED? MR. BOXLEY HAS BEEN KEEPING THAT LIST.

SO WE HAVE IT INTERNALLY TO OUR COMMITTEE.

NO CLEAR WHO IS HERE, WHAT TIMEFRAME WE CAN EXPECT.

MR. BOXY AND I MEET WEEKLY.

AND SO WE WILL GET THAT LIST TOGETHER.

UH, YES, WE'LL DEFINITELY WORK TO IDENTIFY ALL OF THESE ISSUES AND A TIMELINE THAT'S, I'M TAKING NOTES AS I SIT HERE.

I HAVE A CONFLICT THAT JUST CAME UP AND I'M GONNA HAVE TO EXCUSE MYSELF AND I REALLY APOLOGIZE TO EVERYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY THAT I HAVE TO DO THIS.

EXCUSE ME, PLEASE.

NO PROBLEM.

BEFORE WE MOVE ON, ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE COMMUNITY RELATED TO AGENDA ITEM A, SEEING NONE, WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON

[4.b. Review, Consideration and Approval of the Fiscal Year 2024-2026 Gullah Geechee Historic Neighborhoods Community Development Corporation Strategic Plan - Thomas Boxley, Executive Director for the Gullah Geechee Historic Neighborhoods Community Development Corporation ]

DURING MONTH OF NOVEMBER, UM, WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME TOGETHER, UH, AS A BOARD FIRST AND AS A COMMUNITY SECOND, UM, TO PERFORM STRATEGIC PLANNING WORKSHOPS.

UH, WE WENT THROUGH A PROCESS OF, UH, STRENGTH, WEAKNESSES, OPPORTUNITIES AND THREATS ANALYSIS, AND GATHERED SIGNIFICANT INFORMATION FROM SOME OF YOU SITTING HERE IN THE ROOM TODAY.

AND AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION, UM, AND FOR BEING HERE WITH US TONIGHT, AS WELL AS YOUR PARTICIPATION IN OTHER, UH, IN OTHER MEETINGS BY WHICH WE GATHERED INFORMATION TO INFORM OUR DECISIONS.

I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO POINT OUT FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NOT HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONTRIBUTE YOUR THOUGHTS THAT WE DO HAVE, UM, AT THE BACK TABLE, WE HAVE SOME SMALL CARDS LOOK LIKE THIS, AND THERE ARE QR CODES ON THE BACK BY WHICH YOU CAN LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS, UM, RELATED TO OUR STRATEGIC PLAN.

SO, UM, IN THE PACKET THAT YOU PICKED UP, UM, OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, UM, BEGINS ON PAGE, THAT WOULD BE PAGE FOUR.

IT STARTS OUT WITH OUR, UH, CORPORATE OBJECTIVE AND MISSION.

WE TALK ABOUT OUR, UM, SWOT ANALYSIS, WHICH, UM, ALL OF, UH, OR A MAJORITY OF, OF, OF OUR COMMUNITY HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, TO PARTICIPATE IN THOSE THAT WERE IN ATTENDANCE ON THE NOVEMBER, THE 30TH MEETING.

UM, AND THEN WE'VE RECEIVED, UH, SOME FEEDBACK, UM, ONLINE.

WE'RE STILL, AGAIN, LOOKING FOR MORE FEEDBACK, AND THAT SURVEY WILL SHUT DOWN, UM, I'M THINKING THE END OF OF FEBRUARY.

BUT WE IDENTIFIED OUR CORPORATE MISSION, UM, STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES, OPPORTUNITIES AND THREATS.

SOME OF THE STRENGTHS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED ARE THE CULTURAL TOURISM OPPORTUNITIES, AS WELL AS, UM, OUR CONNECTION TO THE GULLAH GEECHEE CORRIDOR, THE PEOPLE THAT GIVE THE NEIGHBORHOODS CHARACTER, UM, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE IDENTIFIED IN THE AREA OF OPPORTUNITIES, RIGHT? UM, EDUCATION, PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS.

I WON'T READ THROUGH THIS ENTIRE LIST WHEN YOU HAVE IT IN YOUR HANDS, BUT WHAT

[01:15:01]

I WOULD LIKE TO DO TOO IS OPEN UP THE FLOOR FOR COMMENTARY THAT WILL INFORM, UH, THAT WILL FURTHER INFORM THIS STRATEGIC PLAN.

AGAIN, THIS IS A DRAFT.

WE'LL BE WORKING TO FINALIZE THIS AND HAVE IT IN A FINAL FORMAT FOR APPROVAL BY OUR BOARD IN OUR NEXT MEETING.

AND, UM, AND EVENTUALLY IT WILL MOVE TOWARDS TOWN COUNCIL SHOULD THERE BE NO REVISIONS.

SO I'M GONNA OPEN UP THE FLOOR FOR COMMENTARY FIRST FROM OUR BOARD, AND THEN WE'LL, UH, MOVE TO COMMENT FROM, FROM THE COMMUNITY.

I HAD TWO COMMENTS, WHICH WE DISCUSSED, AND I'LL JUST SAY, UM, IN THIS FORUM, UM, WE NEED TO COME TO LOOK AT DOING THE REAL ESTATE AND ESTABLISHING A COMMUNITY LAND TRUST.

AND I'D LIKE TO PUT, UH, I'D LIKE TO KNOW HOW FUNDING IS GOING TO BE SPENT REGARDING THIS STRATEGIC PLAN.

HOW MUCH, WHAT COSTS, HOW MUCH IT COSTS TO DO X, Y, Z.

THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS? I, I AGREE WITH, UH, WITH MADAM CHAIR.

UM, AS FAR AS US HAVING SOME PRELIMINARY COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE GOALS AT HAND, UM, THAT, THAT WILL, UM, GUESS QUALIFY OUR CONVERSATIONS MOVING FORWARD.

UM, THE OTHER THING THAT I WOULD, UM, RECOMMEND AFTER WE'VE HEARD FROM THE PUBLIC THAT IS, UM, IN PLACE IS THAT WE, UH, SORT OF SORT THROUGH THE INFORMATION THAT HAS BEEN GATHERED THROUGH THE SURVEY SO THAT THE BOARD HAS A CHANCE TO DIGEST THAT AND REACT TO IT, UH, BEFORE WE, UH, GET THE FINAL APPROVAL.

I MEAN, I WOULD SAY THIS ACCURATELY CAPTURED, UM, SORT OF THE PUBLIC'S COMMENTS AND THEN OUR COMMENTS THAT WE MADE.

SO I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD OR FURTHER SUGGESTIONS HERE.

UM, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, ANYONE, UM, THAT HAS COMMENT, PLEASE COME FORWARD BEFORE YOU, UH, APPROACH MR. CAMPBELL.

I, I JUST WANNA SAY THIS PIECE OUT LOUD.

UM, AND, AND I, UH, BEFORE EVERY MEETING, THE, UH, PACKETS FOR THE MEETINGS ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE.

SO, AND, UH, STAFF DOES THEIR BEST TO TRY TO GET THAT INFORMATION ONLINE IN A TIMELY MANNER SO THAT FOLKS CAN REVIEW IT BEFORE THE MEETING.

UM, I'M JUST OFFERING THAT, THAT THERE'S, THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY BESIDES WALKING IN THE DOOR AND PICKING UP A PACKET AT AT YOUR ENTRANCE, UH, TO REVIEW THE, THE INFORMATION.

THANK YOU FOR THAT POINT.

UH, MY NAME IS MORRIS CAMPBELL.

I LIVE AT FIVE 40 SPANISH WELLS ROAD.

I'M CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.

LET ME JUST SAY THANK YOU ALL FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING AS FAR AS TRYING TO DO SOMETHING TO ENSURE THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS INCLUDED WITH WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THIS CHANGING ENVIRONMENT.

I LOOKED AT THE SWATS ANALYSIS AND FEEL THAT, UM, IT COVERED EVERYTHING THAT WE SORT OF, UH, DID AT THAT SESSION.

AND CERTAINLY THE ANALYSIS, UH, GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY OR WOULD GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK ON STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES, AND ET CETERA.

I ENCOURAGE THE, UM, THE BOARD OR THE, OR THE COMMITTEE TO TAKE THE LEADERSHIP ROLE AND HELPING US GET SOME OF THESE THINGS, UH, ACCOMPLISHED.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS, SUGGESTIONS? YES.

MS. JOHNSON POINT OF INFORMATION, ANY VERY SMALL UNDER WEAKNESS, BUT I'M ACTUALLY FROM THE FRAZIER JONES GREEN FAMILY, AND WE ARE, WE DO HAVE A , BUT I DON'T, MR. WHITE

[01:20:01]

JUST TOLD ME.

WE DON'T WANNA CONFUSE YOU.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM OUR, UH, COMMUNITY MEMBERS HERE? SEEING NONE, MR. BROWN? I'M SORRY.

I KEEP GETTING THESE, THESE THOUGHTS AND THIS ONE, UH, SORT OF CAME TO ME WHEN I MADE EYE CONTACT WITH MR. BARNWELL.

UM, BEFORE I WAS ELECTED, UH, MR. BARNWELL USED TO INVITE ME TO HIS ANNUAL FAMILY MEETING, AND I'M NOT QUITE SURE HOW MANY ACTIVITIES THEY HAD DURING THEIR FAMILY ANNUAL MEETING, BUT I WAS BLESSED ENOUGH TO BE INVITED TO THE LUNCHEON PART.

AND, UM, YOU KNOW, HE, HE OFFERED, UH, ME ALONG WITH A FEW OTHERS, JUST AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, BRING FORTH SOME INFORMATION THAT THEY MAY OTHERWISE NOT HAVE BEEN PRIVILEGED TO.

I GUESS WHERE I'M GOING, FOR US AS A BOARD AND THE COMMUNITY, I THINK THAT IS A MODEL THAT WE SHOULD APPRECIATE AND ADOPT.

SO IN OUR COMMUNICATION STRATEGY, I'M HOPEFUL THAT AS WE ARE HAVING FAMILY REUNIONS OR AS WE ARE HAVING THOSE THANKSGIVING GATHERINGS EVERY YEAR, THAT WE SET ASIDE SOME TIME SO THAT WE CAN INFORM EVERYBODY AS TO THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON.

YOU KNOW, I TALKED A LITTLE BIT ON MONDAY AT THE MLK CELEBRATION ABOUT THE DECREASE IN THE AFRICAN AMERICAN POPULATION HERE ON HILTON HEAD.

I'M NOT SURE THAT EVERYBODY KNEW THAT.

I'M NOT SURE THAT FAMILIES ARE TALKING ABOUT THAT.

SO WHAT I'M SUGGESTING, NOT JUST FROM THE BOARD LEVEL AS WE COME UP WITH OUR COMMUNICATION STRATEGY, BUT I'M SORT OF PUTTING SOME OWNERSHIP ON US AS A COMMUNITY AND FAMILIES TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS AS WELL AS TO WHAT IS GOING ON.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO STAY INFORMED ALONG THE WAY.

UM, AND WE CAN HELP WITH THAT, YOU KNOW, IF, IF THERE'S TIME SET ASIDE WHERE WE WANT TO BRING IN AN EXPERT TO TALK ABOUT A PARTICULAR TOPIC.

AND THAT'S, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE CDC WAS BUILT AND DESIGNED TO DO.

UH, SO I'M JUST OFFERING THAT.

I'M, I'M ENCOURAGING THAT, AND I'M HOPEFUL THAT, UM, THAT, THAT THAT HAPPENS, UM, NOT JUST IN A FORMAL WAY FROM THE CDC AND THE, THE TOWN COMMUNICATING TO THE PUBLIC, BUT ALSO FOR THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE FORMAL AS FAR AS COMMUNICATING WITH ONE ANOTHER.

I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT.

I MEAN, AS, AS SOMEONE THAT, YOU KNOW, JUST MOVED BACK AFTER BEING AWAY FOR 13 YEARS, I MEAN, I, I, YOU KNOW, WOULD LISTEN TO TOWN COUNCIL ALL THE TIME, LISTEN TO PLANNING COMMISSION ALL THE TIME.

LIKE, 'CAUSE IT'S ONLINE , WHETHER IT'S LIVE OR THEY SAVE THEM THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SITE COUNTY COUNCIL.

SO IT'S THERE FOR, YOU KNOW, OUR FAMILY MEMBERS THAT CAN COME TO MEETINGS AND FAMILY MEMBERS THAT LIVE OUTTA STATE, YOU KNOW, OR OUT TO JUST KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING, UH, IN REGARDS TO OUR ASSETS.

I MEAN, THAT'S HOW I LOOKED AT IT, IS OUR LAND, UM, OUR CULTURE IS, IS AN ASSET.

SO, YOU KNOW, PIGGYBACKING ON ALEX, WE LIKE, I, I UNDERSTAND THAT FOLKS MIGHT NOT GET LETTERS, BUT THEY, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WATCH TV IN THE NEW TVS, YOU CAN PULL, YOU CAN PULL UP YOUTUBE ON YOUR TV, AND THAT IS FOR, AND THAT IS FREE.

AND THE TOWN, HILTON NET HAS A STATION AND THEY HAVE ALL THESE MEETINGS THERE, AND THEY GO BACK FOR YEARS, ALL THE MEETINGS.

AND WE HAVE, AND WE NOW, THE PLANNING COMMISSION, THEY HAVE A, THEY HAVE A, A MEETING ONCE A MONTH THAT'S JUST FOR THE GULLAH GULLAH GEECHEE ISSUES.

AND WE SITTING THERE AND WE TALK FOR TWO, THREE YEARS.

YOU CAN SEND IN LETTERS, YOU CAN SEND IN EMAILS, YOU CAN GO SPEAK.

THEY'RE NOT LIKE, INFORMATION ISN'T HIDDEN.

LIKE THERE'S NO, LIKE, I DON'T, I DON'T FEEL LIKE THERE'S AN AGENDA TO LIKE, EXCLUDE US FROM THE INFORMATION.

WE JUST HAVE TO, WE HAVE TO SEEK IT.

IT IS THERE.

THE STRATEGIC PLAN? YES, SIR.

THANK YOU, MR. WHITE.

AND, UM, I'LL ASK AGAIN, ARE THERE ANY, ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM OUR COMMUNITY RELATED TO

[01:25:01]

AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR AND, UM, BOARD MEMBERS.

MY NAME IS THOMAS CURTIS BARNWELL III.

UM, I, I APPRECIATE ALL THAT Y'ALL ARE DOING AND ALL THE WE THAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO, BUT THE THING THAT WE HAVE TO REMEMBER IS THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE I KNOW, I CALLED EIGHT PEOPLE TONIGHT THAT SHOULD BE IN THIS ROOM RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THIS DIRECTLY AFFECTS THEM AND THEIR FAMILY FOR WHATEVER REASON.

I CAN'T TELL YOU WHY, BUT WE GOING TO HAVE TO GO BACK TO OLD SCHOOL AND START KNOCKING ON DOORS, GOING TO PEOPLE'S HOUSE, GRABBING THEM THAT CHURCH, AND NOT, THIS IS NOT FOR Y'ALL, BUT I'M, I'M, I FEEL LIKE I'M PREACHING TO THE CHOIR BECAUSE EVERYBODY IN HERE KNOWS THIS.

BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE SAID OUT LOUD AGAIN, BECAUSE IT BEHOOVES ALL OF US IF WE DON'T GO BACK AND TRY TO REACH AND CAPTURE THAT.

SO ALL THAT Y'ALL ARE DOING IS WONDERFUL.

IT'S GREAT.

AND IT'S NOT ON Y'ALL, BUT FOR EVERYBODY IN HERE, WE JUST NEED TO RESET OURSELF AND BE DEDICATED TO GOING BACK AND GRABBING THOSE PEOPLE.

BECAUSE YOUTUBE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S FINE.

YOU KNOW, THEM CHILLING, GONNA WATCH THAT OR WHATEVER, OR WHATEVER.

YOU KNOW, THEY GONNA DO WHAT THEY GONNA DO.

BUT IF WE DON'T START REACHING BACK AND TRYING TO GO TO OUR YOUNGER COMMUNITY AND BRING THEM IN HERE AND SIT THEM DOWN FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT HERE, WHILE WE STILL HERE, THANK Y'ALL FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

AND MAYBE WE CAN GET, UH, GET MR. BARNWELL SENIOR TO GIVE US SOME OF THOSE JEDI MIND TRICKS THAT HIM AND ALEX WORKING ON, AND WE CAN, WE CAN COMMUNICATE TO EVERYBODY.

THEN ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO INFORM OUR STRATEGIC PLAN? IF NOT, ALWAYS REMEMBER TOO THAT, UM, THAT YOU CAN LOG IN AND SUBMIT YOUR COMMENTARY ONLINE OR PICK UP THAT, UM, THAT ONE PAGE STRATEGIC GOAL SHEET.

AGAIN, MY CONTACT INFORMATION IS ON THE BACKSIDE.

PLEASE REACH OUT TO ME WITH ANY COMMENTARY THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE.

BUT HEARING NO FURTHER COMMENT, WE'RE GONNA MOVE

[4.c. Discussion of the Establishment of an Account with the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry for the purpose of Planned Giving - Thomas Boxley, Executive Director for the Gullah Geechee Historic Neighborhoods Community Development Corporation ]

ON TO AGENDA ITEM FOUR C, WHICH IS, UM, FIND MY AGENDA.

IT IS THE DISCUSSION OF AN ACCOUNT WITH THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF THE LOW COUNTRY.

SO A LITTLE BIT OF, UM, TEEING THIS UP A LITTLE BIT OF, UH, PURPOSE FOR THIS PARTICULAR AGENDA ITEM IS SO THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD, UM, AS THE CDC AND HAVE THE ABILITY TO SOLICIT DONATIONS, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE IN A STRONG POSITION TO BE ABLE TO RECEIVE FUNDS.

SO WHAT WE ARE WORKING TO DO, WHAT WE HAVE DONE IS ESTABLISHED A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF THE LOW COUNTRY, SO THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD AND, UM, ARE SOLICITING DONATIONS, WE HAVE A PLACE, UH, BY WHICH WE CAN RECEIVE THEM FROM THE BENEVOLENT COMMUNITY HERE ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND, UM, AS WELL AS ORDINARY CITIZENS THAT WOULD LIKE TO, UM, ANYBODY THAT WOULD LIKE TO DONATE, WE'LL HAVE A LANDING PAGE, UM, AS PART OF THAT PACKAGE, UM, FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO, UH, CONTRIBUTE TO THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.

UM, MADAM CHAIR, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD TO THAT? YES.

UM, I'D LIKE TO THANK THE, UM, NOW DEFUNCT HILTON HEAD INSTITUTE FOR GIVING US THE SEED MONEY TO START THIS ACCOUNT.

WE'VE GOT ABOUT APPROXIMATELY, UH, $4,000 THAT IS ALREADY ENTERED THAT ACCOUNT.

UM, MR. BOXLEY AND I WILL BE SIGNATURES ON THAT ACCOUNT.

UH, WE ARE ESTABLISHING PARAMETERS RIGHT NOW FOR HOW THAT ACCOUNT WILL WORK, BUT AS HE SAID, UM, WE WANT YOU TO BE ABLE, OR PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY AND WE WILL PUBLICIZE THIS.

AND, UH, I NEED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF THE LOADS COMPANY WILL BE OUR PARTNER IN MARKETING THIS FUND.

THIS FUND WILL BE SET UP AS AN UNRESTRICTED ACCOUNT, UM, THAT THE CDC CAN DRAW UPON TO DO PROJECTS, UM, THAT AFFECT YOUR COMMUNITY.

AND SO, UM, WE WANT PEOPLE TO BE ABLE, WHETHER THEY'RE GULLAH OR NOT, TO BE ABLE TO GIVE TO THIS ACCOUNT.

AND I REALLY DO BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE, UH, THAT HAVE AN INTEREST IN, IN SEEING THE NORTH END DEVELOP THAT WILL GLADLY, UM, PUT MONEY INTO THIS ACCOUNT.

AND THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO, AGAIN, HAVE ANOTHER SOURCE OF FUNDING TO DO LOANS, TO DO EDUCATION, THAT KIND OF THING.

THAT'S THE THOUGHT.

SO THE FOUNDATION, THEY WILL LIKE INVEST THROUGH SOME YES.

THEY WILL INVEST AND THEY WILL EARN INTEREST, THOUGH.

IT'D BE EARNING MONEY.

SORRY, MY MIND IS ON THE MONEY.

UH, AND, UH, I'M

[01:30:01]

IT'D BE EARNING MONEY.

WE'LL BE GETTING MONEY IN, THEY'LL BE HELPING US TO ADVERTISE, UM, THAT THIS FUND IS HERE.

UH, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO GO IN IF YOU WISH, AND ACTUALLY SEE THE FUND.

SO MR. BO BOXLEY AND I HAD, HAD, HAS HAD, HAVE HAD, I'M SORRY, A PRELIMINARY CONVERSATION.

WE WILL BE GOING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION AND THEN WORKING THROUGH THE MECHANISMS OF HOW THE FUND WILL WORK.

AND FOR ANY BIG WITHDRAWALS, IT WILL BE TWO SIGNATURES, HI, HIS SIGNATURE AND MYSELF.

SO IT'S LIKE WE'RE STARTING OUR OWN ENDOWMENT.

WE'RE STARTING OUR OWN ENDOWMENT.

WHAT'D YOU SAY? OH, YES.

OH YES.

ABSOLUTELY.

ANYONE CAN GIVE, YOU WANNA GIVE $10 THOUSAND DOLLARS, WHATEVER YOU WANNA GIVE TO THAT FUND.

AND YOU GET TAX, YOU GET A TAX YEAH.

REDUCTIONS YOUR TAXABLE BASIS.

REDUCTION TAX TOO.

YEAH.

SO YOU'LL BE HEARING MORE ABOUT THAT.

GO AHEAD, MR. BUR.

UM, SO DON'T WANT TO ASK A QUESTION OF THE AUDIENCE, BUT I'M NOT GONNA DO THAT.

I'M JUST GONNA ASK OF MYSELF IN A ROUNDABOUT WAY.

HOW, HOW MANY OF US IN HERE, Y'ALL DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER, Y'ALL HOLD Y'ALL HANDS UP HERE, BUT HOW MANY OF Y'ALL ARE PROPERTY RICH AND CASH PO? WELL, THAT WOULD BE ME.

I, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE MESSAGE IS CARRIED HOME.

THAT THE WHOLE INTENT OF THIS CDC BEING STOOD UP IS TO OFFER UP CAPITAL AND CONNECTIONS FOR THOSE THAT DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE IT.

RIGHT.

UM, SO THIS ENDOWMENT TO ME IS A WONDERFUL IDEA BECAUSE IT WILL, WILL GIVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THOSE THAT ARE INTERESTED IN PRESERVING A GULLAH PRESENCE, STABILIZING THE GULLAH NEIGHBORHOODS, THE OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE, AND THE CDC DOES HAVE THE, THE NIMBLE EFFECT TO BE ABLE TO HELP OUT IN WAYS THAT A NORMAL GOVERNMENT ENTITY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO.

UM, AGAIN, WE ARE, WE'RE STILL VERY NEW.

SO JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY'S CLEAR THAT THIS IS AN EFFORT TO, TO HELP WHERE THERE HAD NOT NECESSARILY BEEN HELP IN THE PAST BECAUSE THERE WERE CONSTRAINTS, UH, THAT COME ALONG WITH MUNICIPAL FUNDING.

RIGHT.

UM, SO THIS IS A GREAT IDEA.

I'M, I'M THANKFUL OF THE INSTITUTE FOR, UH, FOR STARTING STARTING IT.

AND, UM, I'M SURE THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO GROW THIS IN THE FUTURE.

DO YOU THINK SO JUST, YOU KNOW, LIKE, SO THERE'S DIFFERENT TYPES OF SOURCES THAT COULD COME IN, RIGHT? SO LET'S SAY, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, LIKE THE PENINSULAR SOURCES, LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHAT SENATOR DAVIS HAD SEEDED, UM, LIKE IF WE GO OUT FOR CERTAIN GRANTS, I GUESS THERE'S SOME GRANTS THAT ARE LIKE PUBLICLY RELATED, AND THEN THERE'S THE OTHER GRANTS THAT AREN'T.

RIGHT.

SO WOULD YOU SAY THAT THE NON-PUBLICLY RELATED GRANTS WOULD GO IN THIS BUCKET, OR DEPENDING ON WHAT PROGRAM IT'S SUPPORTING, IT WOULD GO IN THE SORT OF PROGRAMMATIC BUCKET FOR OPERATIONS? THAT'S A, THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION.

AND YOU, YOU'RE THINKING RIGHT ALONG THE LINES OF, OF WHY WE FORMED THIS SO THAT WE COULD HAVE A CASH FLOW SLASH REVENUE STREAM THAT'S READILY ACCESSIBLE AND THAT WE CAN UTILIZE IN AN UNRESTRICTED WAY.

SOME FUNDS THAT WE RECEIVE, ESPECIALLY, UH, WHEN YOU SPEAK OF, YOU KNOW, LIKE A TAX DOLLARS, ET CETERA, THOSE FUNDS HAVE TO BE USED FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES AND, AND OFTENTIMES HAVE TIME, TIMELINES AND CONSTRAINTS ASSOCIATED WITH THEM.

SO THIS PROVIDES US AS, UH, AS, UH, MR. BROWN POINTED OUT A NIMBLENESS, UH, BY WHICH WE CAN OPERATE, YOU KNOW, AS WE CONTINUE TO GROW TO GROW THAT FUND AND AS WE HAVE NEEDS, THERE MIGHT BE SOME, UM, SPECIFIC GRANTS THAT WE CAN APPLY FOR, UM, THAT WE CAN UTILIZE THAT MONEY FOR.

YES, SIR.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? LET ME, LET ME, UH, SAY AS WE, UM, BEFORE I TURN OVER TO, UM, OUR CHAIR CHAIRWOMAN FOR, UM, FINAL COMMENTS AND WRAP UP.

I AM GRATEFUL FOR YOUR ATTENDANCE TONIGHT ON A COLD NIGHT IN JANUARY.

AND YOUR PARTICIPATION, IT MEANS A LOT TO ME AND IT MEANS A LOT TO THIS BOARD, UM, TO SEE OUR COMMUNITY OUT, UM, HERE PARTICIPATING.

AND IT'S BECOMING LIKE THE THING TOO BECAUSE, UM, I, I SEE SEVERAL FACES THAT I SAW, UM, AT OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSION.

AND SO IT MEANS A LOT TO US.

PLEASE CONTINUE TO COME OUT AND PARTICIPATE AND SUPPORT THE EFFORTS, UH, THAT WE'RE EMBARKING UPON.

[01:35:01]

UM, YOU DON'T LEAVE A TWO MONTH OLD AT HOME BY THEMSELVES, RIGHT? SO, SO YOU, WE, WE ARE ABOUT TWO MONTHS OLD NOW, UM, AS, AS A FORMAL OPERATING BODY, UM, WITH ALL, WITH, WITH THE STAFF, RIGHT? SO CONTINUE TO COME OUT AND SUPPORT AND, AND HELP US GROW.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

OUR NEXT MEETING FEBRUARY 17TH.

OH, I'M SORRY.

FEBRUARY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH MS. IRV.

FEBRUARY THE 21ST, THAT WILL BE OUR FORMAT IS THAT WE'RE ALTERNATING EVENINGS.

WE HAVE COMMUNITY-BASED MEETINGS, AND THEN WE HAVE OUR MEETINGS, OUR REGULAR MEETINGS AT TOWN HALL.

SO THAT WILL BE A MORNING, A 10:00 AM MEETING AT TOWN HALL IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS.

UM, AND ONE OF THE OTHER PIECES, AND, AND I'LL, I'LL BE QUIET 'CAUSE I I GET TO RAMBLING.

UM, BUT ONE OF THE POINTS THAT IS IDENTIFIED IN OUR STRATEGIC PLAN IS TO HOST MORE MEETINGS IN THE COMMUNITY.

SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, MR. BROWN ALLUDED TO, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE REALLY, REALLY WORKING ON IS, IS A TOPIC OF INTEREST LIST.

YOU KNOW, SO, SO SOME TOPICS THAT ARE RELEVANT TO OUR COMMUNITY.

WE WANT TO HOST THOSE AT OUR MEETINGS THAT WE'LL BE SCHEDULING IN THE COMMUNITY ON A MORE REGULAR BASIS.

SO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THOSE MEETINGS TO COME AND, AND PLEASE, PLEASE CONTINUE TO COME OUT AND SUPPORT.

YES, YES, THAT IS CORRECT FOR THE MEETING AFTER THAT.

UH, FOR YOUR CLARIFICATION, MARCH, MARCH 20TH, THEN WE HAVE ONE ON MARCH, YES.

AT 6:00 PM HERE AT THE LIBRARY.

SO OUR APRIL MEETING WILL BE BACK HERE AT THE LIBRARY, UH, 6:00 PM MEETING.

UH, WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO POST THOSE MEETINGS IN AN, IN THEIR ENTIRETY ONLINE AND THEY ARE ONLINE.

THEY'RE ALL ONLINE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO KNOW.

AND HER INFORMATION IS ALSO RIGHT ON THE BACK OF THIS SHEET, THE ONE PAGE.

UM, I JUST WANT TO ECHO THOMAS'S THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING.

UH, WE ARE A NEW ORGANIZATION.

WE JUST GOT OUR, UM, BYLAWS OFFICIALLY DONE.

WE'VE APPLIED FOR OUR 5 0 1 C3.

SO WE ARE IN AN ORGANIZATION THAT IS IN THE NEWLY FORMING STAGES, BUT DO NOT THINK THAT WE ARE NOT WORKING.

TOM HAS, I KNOW HE HAS ME IN A MEETING EVERY WEEK AS HE DOES THE OTHER, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS.

AND HE IS OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.

SO PLEASE COMMUNICATE WITH US AND LET US KNOW WHAT WE NEED TO DO, WHAT WE'RE NOT DOING, AND WHAT WE'RE DOING WELL.

AND WE WILL PROMISE TO BE RESPONSIVE TO ALL OF YOU.

WE CAN'T NOT ERASE THE MISTAKES AND THE THINGS THAT WERE DONE IN THE PAST.

WE CAN'T DO THAT, BUT WE CAN USE THAT INFORMATION TO GO FORWARD TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT EACH PERSON ON THIS COMMITTEE HAS COMMITTED TO.

SO I JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME THIS EVENING.

AND I NEED A MOTION TO ADJOURN.

SO MOVED.

SECOND.

I SECOND YOU SECONDING.

[01:40:12]

GOOD TO SEE YOU, DALE.

GOOD TO SEE YOU.

TO SEE YOU.

SHERIFF.

UH, I WE'RE, WE'VE GOT A LOT TO TALK ABOUT AND WE'RE GONNA TRY TO TALK ABOUT IN A, ALL OF THIS IN A VERY SMALL KIND OF PRESENTATION TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC ABOUT WHAT WE WANT TO DO.

UH, IF Y'ALL REMEMBER, UH, WE STARTED WORKING ON A NEW SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER OPPORTUNITY LAST YEAR, UM, BECAUSE WE KNEW, AND WE HAVE KNOWN THAT TRYING TO RECRUIT LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS TO BE CLASS ONE CERTIFIED, WHICH IS WHAT THE STATE REQUIRED.

UH, YOU KNOW, TO BE IN OUR SCHOOLS AS SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS, WHICH ARE, IS, IS A SPECIAL, I THINK WE ALL AGREE THAT THAT IS REALLY A SPECIAL CANDIDATE, UH, THAT WE CONSIDER TO BE THAT CLOSE IN ASSOCIATION TO OUR KIDS.

UM, AND, BUT WE KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER PROGRAM BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY FACTORS IT CREATES, NOT ONLY IN OUR SCHOOLS, BUT WHAT OUR WHAT WHAT OUR COMMUNITIES AS WELL, BECAUSE THE SCHOOL IS A MELTING POT OF THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE SERVE.

SO HAVING THAT RIGHT PERSON IN THAT JOB AND THAT ROLE TO PROVIDE SECURITY TO OUR KIDS LEADERSHIP, TO OUR KIDS, UH, AND GIVING THE CONFIDENCE TO THE STAFF TO WORK IN THE SCHOOLS.

I MEAN, IT'S IMPORTANT TO FIND THAT RIGHT PERSON.

SO IT'S DIFFICULT TO FIND A CLASS ONE OR A CLASS ONE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER, FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW, IS ONE THAT GOES TO THE ACADEMY FOR 12 WEEKS, SPENDS 12 WEEKS FOR THE MOST PART IN COLUMBIA.

AND WE DO SOME OF THE TRAINING HERE LOCALLY, BUT EVERYTHING ELSE, UH, HAS TO BE DONE IN COLUMBIA.

AND THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ATTRACT TO BE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS THAT REALLY DON'T WANT TO GIVE UP THEIR LIFE AND THEIR FAMILY TO GO TO COLUMBIA AND GO THROUGH BOOTCAMP TO BE A CLASS ONE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER.

SO I HAD OUR TRAINING STAFF PUT TOGETHER A TRAINING SYLLABUS FOR A, WHAT WE CALL A CLASS THREE.

UH, AND IT WAS A CLASS THREE DESIGNATION FOR SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER.

WHAT THAT DID IS IT ALLOWED US TO CREATE A TRAINING SYLLABUS THAT WE COULD TAKE A PERSON, UM, YOU KNOW, OF, OF ANY AGE, UH, AND THAT WE WOULD BRING THEM INTO LAW ENFORCEMENT ENVIRONMENT, YOU KNOW, WITH BLUFFTON OR BEAUFORT OR PORT ROYAL OR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

UH, AND WE WOULD TRAIN THEM HERE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.

ALL OF THEIR TRAINING WOULD BE DONE RIGHT HERE.

UH, IT WOULD BE EIGHT WEEKS, MAYBE A LITTLE MORE THAN EIGHT WEEKS OF TRAINING.

UH, WE WOULD LIKE TO START THIS, UH, THE, OUR FIRST CLASS.

WE'D LIKE TO START IT IN JUNE.

UH, THAT WAY WE CAN GET 'EM THROUGH THE PROGRAM AND BE READY FOR DEPLOYMENT, UH, WHEN SCHOOL STARTS IN AUGUST.

UH, I, I THINK IT'S AN AWESOME PROGRAM.

WE, WE, WE SENT THE TRAINING SYLLABUS TO THE ACADEMY THAT TRAINS ALL OF OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT IN SOUTH CAROLINA.

THEY APPROVED IT, UH, WITH THE BLESSING OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA TRAINING COUNCIL.

SO WE ARE READY TO GET THIS THING MOVING AND GET IT STARTED.

AND I THINK FOR US, UH, WE JUST NEED TO KIND OF TELL OUR CITIZENS, YOU KNOW, WHO ARE WE LOOKING FOR? UH, THE ROLE IS SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER.

IT'S A CLASS THREE LAW ENFORCEMENT DESIGNATION.

UH, IT'S A UNIFORM POSITION, IT'S AN ARMED POSITION.

UH, THEY HAVE ARREST POWERS, UH, AND THEY HAVE ALL THE POWERS OF ANY OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER ON THE SCHOOL GROUNDS, UH, THAT THEY'RE ASSIGNED TO.

SO WHAT DO YOU THINK, JOE, SHERIFF? I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA, AND THANK YOU FOR TAKING LEAD ON THIS.

UM, WE HAVE FOUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN BLUFFTON THAT CURRENTLY ARE NOT STAFFED BY CLASS THREE OR HIGHER OFFICERS.

AND I THINK THAT THIS PROGRAM IS GONNA ATTRACT PEOPLE TO THESE POSITIONS AND IT'S GONNA PROVIDE MORE OF A SECURITY BLANKET FOR OUR SCHOOLS TO INCLUDE OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.

SO WE'RE DEFINITELY EXCITED ABOUT IT.

WE'RE EXCITED TO BE PART OF IT.

SO THANK YOU.

DALE.

WHO, WHO DO WE WANT TO ATTRACT? I THINK WE'VE GOT A, WE'VE GOT AN ENORMOUS NUMBER OF RETIRED MILITARY FOLKS HERE.

YOU KNOW, I'M RETIRED, I'D LIKE TO FIND SOMETHING TO DO.

THAT ARE ABLE TO RETIRE FAIRLY YOUNG AND MAY BE LOOKING FOR THAT JOB.

THEY MAY HAVE CHILDREN IN OUR SCHOOLS AND WITH THE, WITH THE PROGRAM THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO PUT TOGETHER.

UM, THEY'LL BE HOME WHEN THEIR CHILDREN ARE HOME, NOT IN SCHOOL.

AND, UM, AND I'VE ALWAYS SAID, YOU AND I HAVE HAD THIS CONVERSATION, SHERIFF, WE, WE NEED TO GET INTO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IF WE, IF WE WAITED UNTIL HIGH SCHOOLS WERE TOO LATE.

SO I, IT'S A GREAT PROGRAM.

I'M, I'M GLAD THAT YOU TOOK THE LEAD ON IT.

I'M, I, I'M EXCITED TO SEE IF WE CAN GET SOME PEOPLE IN.

BUT I REALLY THINK THE YOUNG RETIRED MILITARY PEOPLE ARE, THEY'RE JUST MADE FOR THIS, YOU KNOW, AND WE'VE GONE THROUGHOUT OUR CAREERS, UH, IN THE COUNTY OF BEAUFORT AND WE'VE HAD CONVERSATION AFTER CONVERSATION WITH DIFFERENT PEOPLE THAT SAY,

[01:45:01]

AND THEN YOU START TALKING TO 'EM AND THEY'RE A RETIRED TEACHER OR RETIRED LAW ENFORCEMENT, RETIRED FIRE DEPARTMENT, RETIRED MILITARY, RETIRED BANKERS, RETIRED, I MEAN, RETIRED, THIS, THAT, AND THE OTHER.

THEY'RE STILL, STILL AT AN AGE THAT THEY COULD, UM, THEY COULD DO THIS JOB WITH NO PROBLEM AT ALL OF ANY KIND.

UM, AND THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT, THAT I'D LIKE TO SEE.

I'D LIKE TO SEE, UH, THOSE THAT ARE STILL, THAT STILL FEEL LIKE THEY CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE, THAT MAYBE HAVE ALWAYS LOOKED AT LAW ENFORCEMENT AS BEING A JOB, BUT BECAUSE OF THE PAY AND BECAUSE OF THE, YOU KNOW, THE WORKING CONDITIONS AND FAMILIES AND, AND ALL THAT, THEY JUST DIDN'T WANNA DO IT.

BUT HERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO MAKE $45,000 A YEAR STARTING PAY TO WORK BASICALLY THE SCHEDULE OF THE TEACHING AND SUPPORT STAFF OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, WHICH IS A PRETTY GOOD SCHEDULE.

IT IS, UH, TO HAVE BENEFITS, UH, TO BE IN THE RETIREMENT SYSTEM AND TO BE ABLE TO BRING THEIR MATURITY, UH, THEIR LIFE EXPERIENCE AND, AND YOU KNOW, TO, TO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AGE KIDS WHO WILL BENEFIT GREATLY FROM JUST HAVING THAT OPPORTUNITY TO SOCIALIZE AND BE AROUND, UH, THESE FOLKS THAT BRING A LOT TO THE TABLE.

AND I, WE, IN OUR COMMUNITIES, YOU TAKE BLUFFTON AND BEAUFORT AND, AND IN THE COUNTY AND THEN PORT ROYAL, THOSE PEOPLE ARE HERE.

THEY ARE.

AND THEY'RE LOOKING FOR THINGS TO DO.

AND I JUST THINK THIS IS AN AWESOME OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO, YOU KNOW WHAT, JUST DO IT KINDA LIKE NIKE.

LET'S JUST DO IT.

UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S, THE TRAINING IS, I THINK THEY'LL ENJOY THE TRAINING.

AGAIN, IT'S ALL DONE RIGHT HERE.

THEY, THEY'LL STAY AT HOME, THEY'LL SLEEP IN THEIR OWN BED, THEY'LL HAVE THEIR OWN PILLOW, AND THEN THEY CAN COME TO TRAINING.

AND ONCE THEY'RE CERTIFIED, UH, THEN THEY'LL START THE SCHOOL YEAR, UH, AUGUST OF THIS YEAR.

SO, I MEAN, I KNOW YOUR COMMUNITY REPRESENTS THAT OPPORTUNITY AS WELL.

YOU KNOW, SO WHAT ELSE, WHAT ELSE DO YOU THINK THIS, UM, THIS PROGRAM'S GONNA DO IN TOTALITY FOR WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH? I THINK, I THINK THIS PROGRAM, ONE WILL BE ABLE TO GET US OVER THE TOP.

I THINK WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET, WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET A POLICE OFFICER IN EVERY SCHOOL IN BEAUFORT COUNTY, WHICH IS IMPORTANT.

A POLICE OFFICER AND I, AND I, AND YOU KNOW, WE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS.

THERE'S A LOT OF TRAINING THAT GOES ALONG WITH THIS JOB.

THERE IS, YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT A SECURITY OFFICER.

NO.

THIS IS A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER, UH, THAT'S GONNA BE WELL-TRAINED, UH, IN THIS.

AND I, I THINK THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT'S AT, IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.

AND I THINK WITH THE YOUNG CHILDREN TARGETING THE RETIREES MM-HMM.

, WHETHER THEY'RE RETIRED TEACHERS, RETIRED MILITARY IS IMPORTANT.

THEY'VE GOT THE LIFE EXPERIENCE FOR THE, FOR THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.

AND, AND TO GET THAT STARTED OFF.

SO I THINK , HOW, HOW MANY, HOW MANY OPENINGS DO YOU HAVE FOR THIS PROGRAM? FOR THIS PROGRAM? WE, WE ONLY HAVE TWO CURRENTLY.

POSSIBLY A THIRD COMING ON BOARD.

I'VE GOT NINE.

YEAH.

JOE, I HAVE FOUR.

SO I MEAN, IN TOTAL, AND HERE'S THE THING.

IT, IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU WORK AT THE CITY OF BEAUFORT OR THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON, UH, OR PORT ROYAL OR FOR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, I, WE WANT YOU TO COME TO WORK YES.

IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, TO BE A CLASS THREE SRO.

DOESN'T MATTER WHERE YOU GO, DOESN'T MATTER WHO YOU'RE EMPLOYED BY.

THE PAY IS GONNA BE THE SAME.

THE WORK ENVIRONMENT'S BASICALLY THE SAME.

THERE MAY BE A DIFFERENCE IN UNIFORM THAT YOU WEAR AT THE SCHOOL THAT YOU'RE ASSIGNED TO, UH, THE PAY.

I MEAN, EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE BASICALLY THE SAME.

SO ALL WE WANT PEOPLE TO DO IS PUT THEIR APPLICATIONS IN, GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIT DOWN AND EXPLAIN THE PROGRAM IN DETAIL.

AND IF YOU REALLY HAVE AN INTEREST IN IT, UH, THEN LET'S, LET'S, LET'S GET STARTED.

WHAT DO YOU THINK, JOE? YEAH.

AND, AND ONE THING THAT I WANT TO HIT ON IS THIS PROGRAM IS IMPORTANT AND, AND REASON BEING IS NONE OF OUR KIDS SHOULD FEEL AFRAID GOING TO SCHOOL.

UM, THEY SHOULD BE GOING TO SCHOOL TO LEARN AND NOT WORRYING ABOUT THEIR SAFETY.

UM, AND WHAT THIS DOES IS THIS PROVIDES ANOTHER LAYER OF SAFETY FOR ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS, ESPECIALLY ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.

UM, IT ALSO PROVIDES PEOPLE WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO MENTOR THESE YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN.

, UH, AS THEY'RE COMING UP THROUGH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.

AND SO, LIKE THE SHERIFF SAID, IF YOU TRULY WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE, UH, THIS IS A POSITION THAT YOU REALLY, REALLY WILL BE MAKING A DIFFERENCE.

I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.

I JUST HOPE THE APPLICATION START POURING IN.

AND IF YOU GET MORE THAN, THAN YOU NEED THEN AND, AND WE NEED TO GO TO BEAUFORT OR WE NEED TO GO TO, UH, THE, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE OR, OR PORT ROYAL, WE JUST NEED, WE NEED TO PUT THESE PEOPLE TO WORK.

WE NEED TO FILL THESE VACANCIES, UH, AND LET'S MAKE OUR SCHOOLS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY AS SAFE AS THEY POSSIBLY CAN.

ABSOLUTELY.

AND I THINK THE UNIQUENESS OF THIS PROGRAM, THESE OFFICERS WILL BE TRAINED BY PEOPLE THAT HAVE CHILDREN IN THESE SCHOOLS.

THEY HAVE THE SAME DESIRES, THE OUTCOMES THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.

SO I'M, I'M LOOKING FORWARD,

[01:50:01]

LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.

WELL, I MEAN, THE GREAT THING ABOUT IT IS THAT WE ARE, WE'LL BE DOING THE TRAINING TOGETHER.

IF YOU GET, IF YOU GET, IF YOU HIRE ONE OR TWO AND YOU HIRE FOUR AND YOU KNOW, AND I CAN FILL THE NINE THAT WE NEED, WE'RE ALL GONNA BE TRAINING TOGETHER.