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CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY.
TODAY'S FINANCE ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE MEETING, ALL ARE PRESENT.
WE HAVE COUNCILMAN STANFORD HERE VIRTUALLY HAVE WE SOUND CHECK MR. STANFORD.
TODAY'S AGENDA HAS BEEN DISTRIBUTED TO COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
WE ALSO HAVE BEFORE THE MINUTES FROM OUR JANUARY 11TH, 2024 MEETING, MOVE TO APPROVE THE MEETING.
MINUTES OF JANUARY 11, 20, 24.
NEXT, WE HAVE APPEARANCE BY CITIZENS.
IS THERE ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK TODAY? KELLY? YES.
WHY DID YOU AND GREG ALFORD DRAFT THE ILLEGAL FRAUDULENT FIVE YEAR MULTIMILLION CHAMBER? DMO CONTRACT WITH BLUFFING LAWYER TERRY FINGER AND CONSPIRED WITH THE CHAMBER LAWYERS? YOU ALL SHOULD BE DISBARRED FOR THIS.
WHY DID YOU LIE AND COMMIT CRIMINAL FRAUD FOR YOUR BUDDY BILL MILES SAYING YOU SAW THE MILLIONS IN ILLEGAL TAX USE ACCOUNTING, YOU VIOLATED YOUR OATH OF OFFICE AND MORE THAN A GOOD REASON TO REMOVE YOU AS MAYOR ALEX BROWN, THE HEAD OF FINANCE.
WE HAVE NO CPAS ON THIS COUNCIL OR FINANCE COMMITTEE.
AND ALEX, WHO ASKED YOU TO SERVE ON THE GREATER ISLAND COUNCIL COMMITTEE AND LAWYER STANFORD.
YOU ARE THE GIC PRESIDENT AMS WHO INVITED YOU TO THE GIC MEETING.
PEOPLE WILL NOT TELL US WHO, WHO WILL ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO THIS.
AND PATSY BRYSON IS ALSO A LAWYER ALONG WITH STANFORD WHO OUGHT TO KNOW BETTER.
AND THEY KEEP ON VOTING FOR THE ILLEGAL USE.
AND TAMARA, WHEN I ASKED HER ONE-ON-ONE, SHE SAID, ASKED MARK ORLANDO, DOES ORLANDO CONTROL YOUR VOTES? THIS FINANCE ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE REVIEWS AND, AND ANALYZES THE TOWN'S BUDGETS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS INCLUDING BALANCE SHEET MANAGEMENT, VENDOR CONTRACTS, ACCOMMODATION TAX FUNDS, AND THE DESIGN AND THE TOWN'S DESIGNATED MARKETING ORGANIZATION, WHICH IS THE CHAMBER.
HAVE ANY OF YOU SEEN THE MILLIONS HANDED TO BILL MILES IS ILLEGALLY USED? THE ANSWER IS NO.
THIS COMMITTEE ALSO MONITORS THE PERFORMANCE OF THE TOWN'S DESIGNATED MARKETING ORGANIZATION, WHICH AGAIN, IS AN ILLEGALLY OPERATED CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
HOW DO YOU MONITOR THE CHAMBER'S PERFORMANCE AND JUSTIFY HANDING BILL MILES IN THE CHAMBER? MILLIONS WHEN ALL THE TOURISM IS DONE FOR FREE BY THE INTERNET AND TECHNOLOGY.
HAVE YOU SEEN WHERE BILL MILES HAS SPENT ALL THESE MILLIONS, INCLUDING HOW HE GENERATES A $500,000 ANNUAL PAY PACKAGE, A $2 MILLION HOME IN INDIGO RUN FROM THE ILLEGAL USE OF OUR TAX FUNDS? THIS IS CRAZY STUFF.
TODAY WE WILL HEAR ANOTHER FRAUDULENT ILLEGAL CHAMBER DMO PRESENTATION THAT IT CON THAT, THAT ALLOWS A CONTINUED ILLEGAL USE OF MILLIONS OF OUR TAX FUNDS.
AND I DIDN'T INTRODUCE MYSELF.
I'M SKIP UGLAND, WINDMILL HARBOR.
ANYONE ELSE? PETER GERE GEARY, PETER GEARY.
YOU CALLING LYNN GREELEY? NO, IT'S PETER GEARY.
WE'VE GOT LYNN GREELEY AFTER YOU'RE CALLING LYNN GREELEY.
IT'S BECOMING NOT ONLY AN OUTRAGE FOR THIS COUNCIL TO KEEP ALLOWING THIS DMO CHAMBER FUNDING, BUT IT'S BECOME AN EMBARRASSMENT.
IT'S ILLEGAL FOR THIS COUNCIL TO EVEN FUND THE NONPROFIT CHAMBER UNDER IRS 5 0 1 DASH C SIX NONPROFIT TAX CODES.
IT'S WORSE TO ALLOW THIS CHAMBER TO USE OUR FUNDS TO DEVELOP A DMO TOWN WEBSITE CALLED HILTON HIT ISLAND.ORG.
THE CHAMBER CLAIMS IT OWNS NOT THE TAXPAYERS TO SELL ADVERTISING AND TAKE THE PROFITS THAT IT IS CO-MINGLING AND LAUNDERING BY BILL MILES TO PROFIT.
ITS $500,000 SALARY IS $2 MILLION HOUSE AND ALL THE LAVISH CHAMBER SPENDING WORSE.
THE TOWN LAWYERS DRAFTING A FRAUDULENT DMO CHAMBER CONTRACT THAT HAS NO AUDIT OR ACCOUNTING PROVISION TO IDENTIFY ALL THE ILLEGAL TAX USE.
AGAIN, MAYOR PERRY, YOU LIED AND SAID YOU SAW CHAMBER ACCOUNTING WITH YOUR FRIEND BILL MILES.
YOU'RE ALSO A CHAMBER MEMBER WITH THIS ENTIRE COUNCIL.
AND WORSE, YOU ALL USE ILLEGAL TAX MONEY TO JOIN THE CHAMBER VERSUS YOUR OWN MONEY.
THIS IS AN ILLEGAL USE OF TAX MONIES AND A QUID PRO QUO.
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WE HAVE TWO LAWYERS IN THIS COUNCIL.AGAIN, PATTY BRYSON AND GLEN STANFORD.
THEY SHOULD BOTH KNOW BETTER THEY'RE LAWYERS.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY ALL OF YOU KEEP ALLOWING THIS ILLEGAL FUNDING TO THE CHAMBER WITH NO ACCOUNTING AND KEEP VIOLATING YOUR CAMPAIGN PROMISES AND YOUR FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITIES TO ALL TAXPAYERS.
DO ANY OF YOU DENY THIS? LET ME LET YOU LISTEN TO SOMETHING THIS MORNING.
I'M GONNA LET YOU LISTEN TO THE FBI LYING ON A, ON A RECORDING THIS MORNING.
YOU'VE BEEN TRYING TO REACH ME IN REFERENCE TO THE CASE REGARDING THE COMMERCE DEPARTMENT OR THE CHAMBERLAIN COMMERCE AT HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
I'M CALLING TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THE CASE WAS CLOSED.
I THOUGHT THAT THAT INFORMATION WAS RELAYED TO YOU.
THE CASE WAS CLOSED FOR LACK OF EVIDENCE IN 2017.
SHOULD YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, I INVITE YOU TO SPEAK TO MY SUPERVISOR, JOHN WARRINGTON.
HE CAN BE REACHED AT 8 4 3 8 8 1 0 1 9 4.
I'LL HAVE THIS INFORMATION FOR YOU.
YOU CAN CALL THE FBI YOURSELF AND FIND OUT WHERE THEY'RE AT.
DO ANY OF YOU DENY MY FACTS? DOES ANYBODY IN THIS ROOM DENY MY FACTS? MR. FLUER, YOU'RE A LAWYER.
YOU WERE HEAD OF A TAX COMMITTEE.
YOU FACILITATED THIS AND KEPT ON RECOMMENDING THIS THEFT.
YOU THINK IT'S FUNNY? I DON'T THINK IT'S FUNNY.
I DON'T THINK TAXPAYERS THINK IT'S FUNNY.
I THINK THEY FIND IT VERY SAD AND VERY DISGUSTING IS WHAT I THINK THEY FIND.
SO IS ANYBODY IN THIS ROOM DENYING MY FACTS? ANYBODY? WOULD YOU COME UP AND PLEASE TELL ME WHAT THOSE ARE? I'D LIKE TO HEAR WHAT YOU, WHAT WHAT, WHAT FACTS YOU DENY YOU'RE THE CPA FOR THE CHAMBER.
YOU'RE IN BIG TROUBLE BECAUSE YOU'RE GONNA BE INVESTIGATING OR LAUNDERING ALL THIS MONEY.
YOU CAN SIT THERE AND SAY YOU DENY IT, BUT YOU CAN'T.
DO WE HAVE ANYONE ELSE ON THIS? GAVIN GREELEY.
MOVING ALONG TO OUR PRESENTATION OVERVIEW OF THE UPCOMING FY 24 25 DESTINATION MARKETING PLAN AND DMO BUDGET CREATION.
UH, WE WILL HAVE MS. ANDY STONE PRESENTING TO US.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, COME AND SPEAK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE, THE, UH, TIMELINE WE HAVE FOR THIS YEAR'S DMO BUDGET, UH, MARKETING PLAN AND BUDGET CREATION.
UM, JUST, I THINK I GOTTA GET A CLICKER HERE.
UM, FIRST I WANNA ADDRESS A LITTLE BACKGROUND, UM, TALK ABOUT THE CONTRACT AND WHERE WE STAND IN THAT.
THEN OUTLINE THE KEY DATES AND STEPS IN THE PROCESS OF APPROVING THE D MO'S MARKETING PLAN AND BUDGET.
UM, AND THEN TALK ABOUT THE REPORTING ASPECTS THAT ARE INCLUDED AS PART OF OUR CONTRACT.
AND THEN THE RESULT OF COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE TOWN TOWN COUNCIL AND, UM, THE DESTINATION MARKETING ORGANIZATION OVER THE LAST YEAR.
UH, THE TOWN ENTERED INTO THEIR CONTRACT, THE CURRENT CONTRACT WITH THE DMO ON DECEMBER 1ST, 2020.
THAT CONTRACT EXPIRES DECEMBER 1ST, 2025.
THE CONTRACT OUTLINES VERY SPECIFICALLY THE REQUIREMENTS, UH, FOR THE DMO IN TERMS OF, UH, RE REPORTING, UH, THE CREATION OF A BUDGET, THE REASON OF THE MARKETING PLAN, UM, AND THEIR AUDIT REQUIREMENTS.
THIS YEAR'S TIMELINE, UH, KICKED OFF ON FEBRUARY 1ST WITH THE MEETING OF THE MARKETING COUNCIL.
UM, THAT, UH, RESULTED IN, UH, WHAT WILL BE A DRAFT THAT WILL COME FORTH FROM, UM, THE CHAMBER TO THE MARKETING COUNCIL, UH, LATER THIS MONTH.
UM, FEBRUARY 15TH WILL BE OUR NEXT QUARTERLY REPORT FROM THE DMO ON THEIR ACTIVITIES.
UH, DURING THE, UH, SECOND FISCAL QUARTER OR OCTOBER THROUGH DECEMBER OF, UH, 2023.
WE'LL HAVE THAT, UM, INFORMATION PRESENTED TO TOWN COUNCIL ON MARCH 5TH.
MARCH 22ND IS WHEN THE MARKETING PLAN AND BUDGET ARE DUE TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE TOWN.
UH, UM, AND THEN MARCH 29TH IS WHEN THERE ARE METRICS.
UH, INDUSTRY METRICS REPORT WILL BE SUBMITTED FOR REVIEW ON APRIL 4TH.
UM, THE MARKETING PLAN AND BUDGET WILL BE PRESENTED TO THE ATAC COMMITTEE, UH, FOR CONSIDERATION.
THEY WILL BRING THAT BEFORE THIS BODY, THE FINANCE ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE.
AND THEN ON JUNE 4TH, IT'LL BE PRESENTED TO THE ENTIRE COUNCIL.
AS WE DIG INTO WHAT THE REPORTING REQUIREMENTS ARE FOR THE CHAMBER THAT ARE OUTLINED IN THEIR CONTRACT, THERE'S
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AN AUDITOR'S REPORT THAT IS DUE EACH NOVEMBER FROM THE CHAMBER.UH, THERE ARE SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS OUTLINED IN THE CONTRACT ON WHAT MUST BE REPORTED ON HOW MANY, UH, OR WHAT PERCENTAGE OF, UH, TRANSACTIONS SHOULD BE REVIEWED.
UM, OTHER INFORMATION, UH, TO THAT EFFECT.
THE DMO ACTIVITY REPORT THAT IS LISTED IN THE CONTRACT IS DUE ON NOVEMBER 15TH.
UM, BECAUSE IT IS REPORTED ON A CALENDAR YEAR BASIS RATHER THAN A FISCAL YEAR.
THIS HAS ACTUALLY BEEN MOVED FORWARD EIGHT MONTHS.
AND SO WE HAVE THAT REPORT THAT WAS LISTED, UH, MARCH 29TH, UM, OF THIS YEAR IS WHEN THOSE INDUSTRY METRICS WILL BE REPORTED ON IN ADDITION TO THE CONTRACTUAL REQUIREMENTS, UM, THAT THE, THE CHAMBER HAS WITH US, THE TOWN, UH, TOWN STAFF MEETS WITH THE CHAMBER ON A QUARTERLY BASIS, THEIR ACTIVITIES, UM, AS OUR DMO, UH, THOSE REPORTS, WE WILL BEGIN SHARING WITH CHA WITH, UH, COUNSEL IMMEDIATELY UPON RECEIPT.
SO YOU CAN EXPECT TO SEE A COPY OF THAT REPORT COMING TO YOU VIA EMAIL, UH, SHORTLY, UH, AFTER WE RECEIVE IT ON THE 15TH.
UM, THEY WILL ALSO BEGIN TO PRESENT THE FINDINGS IN COUNSEL OR THE, UH, THE ACTIVITIES, UH, TO THE FULL COUNSEL AS SOON AFTER THAT REPORT IS ISSUED.
UM, AND OUR FIRST ONE WILL BE ON MARCH THE FIFTH.
SO THAT WILL BE PRESENTED AT THE TOWN COUNCIL MEETING.
SO WHAT IS THE RESULT OF ALL OF THIS INTERACTION AND COLLABORATION WITH, UM, WITH THE DMO? MANY OF YOU, OR ALL OF YOU, SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED A COPY OF THE 2024 OFFICIAL VACATION PLANNER.
THIS, UH, THIS DOCUMENT LOOKS VERY DIFFERENT THAN IT DID FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AGO.
IT INCLUDES THE TYPES OF ACTIVITIES, THE ITINERARIES THAT WE HAVE ASKED ABOUT, UM, MARKETING OUR PEOPLE AND OUR, UM, OUR ECOLOGICAL BEAUTY HERE, AS WELL AS THE FACT THAT WE HAVE SUCH AN AMAZING ARRAY OF ACTIVITIES AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN COVERED PREVIOUSLY.
WE HAVE, UM, ITINERARIES AGAIN, THAT FOCUS ON ARTS AND CULTURE, ECOTOURISM HISTORY, RECREATION AND WELLNESS, ALL OF WHICH ARE, UH, KEY POINTS THAT, UH, COUNCIL HAS ASKED ABOUT.
OUR, UH, OUR RESIDENTS HAVE ASKED ABOUT.
UM, AND THIS IS ABOUT EDUCATING OUR VISITORS ABOUT WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO US, WHO WE ARE AS A PEOPLE, EXCUSE ME, OUR HISTORY AND HERITAGE, THE HISTORICAL PLACES THAT ARE THROUGHOUT THE ISLAND AND AVAILABLE FOR, UH, FOLKS TO ENJOY.
WE HAVE, UM, OUR GULLAH CULTURE, WHICH IS VERY UNIQUE TO HILTON HEAD ISLAND THAT IS ON FULL DISPLAY IN THIS, UH, VACATION PLANNER AS WELL AS OUR ECOTOURISM.
WE HAVE AN ARTICLE HERE, YOU MIGHT RECOGNIZE THAT HANDSOME MAN DOWN THERE IN THE BOTTOM RIGHT CORNER, UH, IS MR. AMES.
UM, WE WANT PEOPLE TO COME HERE AND SEE WHAT IT IS THAT WE LOVE, WHAT BROUGHT US HERE TO LIVE AND WHAT KEEPS US HERE, AND WHAT KEEPS OUR VISITORS COMING BACK.
OUR NATURAL HARMONY, UM, WELLNESS ACTIVITIES THAT ARE AVAILABLE ON THE ISLAND.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO REALLY GET OUT AND ENJOY, UM, OUR BEAUTIFUL SCENERY AND, AND WORK ON THEIR FITNESS.
OYSTERS ARE CLEARLY IMPORTANT TO THE, THE ISLAND.
THIS TELLS A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THEM.
SO MAYBE OUR VISITORS AREN'T JUST EATING AN OYSTER AT A RESTAURANT.
THEY UNDERSTAND THE FULL IMPLICATION OF WHAT THOSE OYSTERS MEAN TO US AS AN ISLAND AND TO OUR WATERWAYS, ULTRA ARTS AND CULTURE.
WE HAVE A RICH ARTS AND CULTURAL, UM, ACTIVITY SEEN HERE.
AND THIS, UH, OUTLINES WHERE PEOPLE MIGHT FIND HIDDEN TREASURES, UH, IN TERMS OF PUBLIC ART THAT ARE AVAILABLE ON THE ISLAND, AS WELL AS ITINERARIES FOR IMMERSING THEMSELVES IN MUSIC AND OTHER, UH, DISPLAYS OF CULTURE AND ART.
CLEARLY THE BEAUTY OF THIS ISLAND IS SECOND TO NONE WAYS THAT YOU CAN ENJOY ON TWO WHEELS, WAYS THAT YOU CAN ENJOY WITH A RACKET.
YES, THAT INCLUDES PICKLEBALL AS WELL AS TENNIS.
AND THEN JUST REMINDING FOLKS THAT NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE ON THIS ISLAND AND WHAT YOU'RE DOING, WHETHER IT'S PLAYING GOLF, BICYCLING, YOU'RE VERY CLOSE TO HISTORICAL, UM, SCENERY AND HISTORICAL PLACES.
THIS IS, UH, THE LEMINGTON LIGHTHOUSE RIGHT THERE ON THE GOLF COURSE.
BUT THE RESULT OF THE COLLABORATION HAS BEEN THAT THE DECK, THE VACATION GUIDE, LOOKS VERY DIFFERENT THAN IT HAS IN THE PAST.
IT SPEAKS TO WHO WE ARE AND ENCOURAGES THE TYPE OF VISITORS WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE HERE WHO ARE AWARE OF OUR, UH, WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO US AND AWARE OF, UM, ALL THE AMAZING THINGS BESIDES THE BEACH AND GOLF AND, AND RESTAURANTS THAT MAY BE ENJOYED.
WHILE THOSE ARE IMPORTANT, THE REST OF THIS IS AS WELL.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ON THE TIMELINE?
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THANK YOU, ANGIE.UM, I'M SURE THAT WE WILL HAVE SOME COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS, UM, NOT ONLY ON JUST THE TIMELINE, SO STAY, STAY, STAY CLOSE FOR US.
UM, I WANTED TO JUST TAKE A MOMENT.
THIS IS AN IMPORTANT TOPIC, OBVIOUSLY.
UM, WE HAVE, UH, HONORABLE MAYOR HERE.
COUNCILMAN BECKER'S IN THE BACK AS WELL.
UM, UH, IF YOU ALL, UH, FEEL THE NEED TO, UH, BE A PART OF THE CONVERSATION, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO, UM, OPEN.
I WILL, UH, GO AMONGST OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS WITH ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
MR. STAN, CAN YOU HEAR US OKAY, MR. STANFORD? MUTED.
SORRY I DIDN'T PUSH THE RIGHT BUTTON.
I SAID THAT'S A GR IT'S BEEN A GREAT REPORT.
I APPRECIATE ALL THE INFORMATION, BUT I HAVE NO QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME.
MS. DANES, ANGIE, ANGIE, UH, THANKS FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP IN PUSHING THIS THROUGH AND THANK THE DMO FOR WORKING COLLABORATIVELY WITH US, UH, OVER THE LAST YEAR TO BRING THIS NEW PRIDE OF PLACE FORWARD.
UM, YOU SAID ONE THING THAT I WANT TO EMPHASIZE.
WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO US ATTRACTS PEOPLE WHO FEEL THE SAME WAY.
UH, AND I THINK THAT IS GENERAT GENERATIONALLY IMPORTANT TO THIS COMMUNITY.
YOU ALSO MENTIONED INDUSTRY METRICS.
I THINK SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO CONCENTRATE ON WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH IS WHAT ARE THE COMMUNITY METRICS THAT DEAL WITH PRIDE OF PLACE AND STRENGTHENS OUR, UM, PLACE IN THE WORLD REGARDING WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO US? SO I, I WOULD JUST ASK THE DMO TO, UH, HELP US DECIDE WHAT THOSE COMMUNITY METRICS ARE THAT RELATE TO OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
THEN THE ARTS CULTURE, UH, ECOTOURISM, WELLNESS, RECREATION HISTORY, AND SO ON.
WITH THOSE COMMUNITY METRICS, I THINK WE ARE TRULY HEADED IN THE, UM, A DIRECTION THAT BRINGS WHAT RESIDENTS WANT AND WHAT TOURISTS RECEIVE IN ALIGNMENT.
UM, LET US FINISH MR. HOLMAN AND I WILL LET YOU SPEAK.
TRUST ME, MAKE A NICE COMMENT.
JUST WAIT, WAIT UNTIL WE'RE DONE.
UM, CONTINUE THE THOUGHT OF THE, THE METRICS.
UM, I, I KNOW THAT WE ARE OPERATING UNDER OUR CURRENT CONTRACT, WHICH SORT OF SPELLS OUT A SET OF METRICS.
UH, BUT NOTICING THAT WE HAVE PIVOTED TO A DEGREE.
UM, AS YOU MENTIONED, THE VACATION PLANNER LOOKS A LOT DIFFERENT, RIGHT? SO, UM, I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE US NOT TO WAIT FOR THE 2025 CONTRACT TO ADDRESS THIS QUESTION OF NEW METRICS.
UM, I THINK YOU'VE HEARD THAT FROM MOST OF COUNCIL.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE DIFFERENTLY.
UM, AND WHAT WE ARE SUGGESTING IS THAT WE TAKE A STAB AT THEM.
UM, IT MAY NOT BE CONCRETE AS FAR AS WHAT THOSE METRICS ARE, BUT AT LEAST STARTS TO OPEN THE CONVERSATION AROUND WHAT THEY MAY BE.
AND I'LL USE A VERY PRACTICAL EXAMPLE.
UM, DAYTRIPPERS, UH, TEND TO GET A BAD RAP HEEL ON HILTON HEAD, BUT I'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT BETTER IF THAT IS A FACT.
OR JUST ANECDOTAL INFORMATION.
UM, SO THERE, THERE'S A LOT THAT'S INVOLVED IN THE WAY THAT WE MARKET OUR TOWN THAT LEADS US AS A COUNCIL TO MAKE OTHER DECISIONS OUTSIDE OF JUST THE MARKETING.
SO THOSE METRICS WILL DEFINITELY HELP US ALONG THE WAY.
UM, AND THE ONLY OTHER COMMENT THAT I WOULD MAKE, I KNOW THAT DURING THE TIMELINE THERE'S GONNA BE A PRESENTATION TO THE ATAC COMMITTEE AND WE THANK YOU CHAIR LUPE FOR BEING HERE.
UM, SEEMS AS IF THE, THE METRICS, UM, PROBABLY NEED TO BE COMMUNICATED TO THE AT TAX COMMITTEE AS WELL.
SO THAT WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE AS FAR AS WHERE WE'RE GOING.
UH, I WOULD BE CURIOUS, SINCE THIS IS A TRANSITION YEAR FROM THE PAST PRACTICE OF ALLOCATION OF AT ATEX FUNDS,
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AS AS HOW THAT A TRANSITION, UH, FOR WHICH I PERSONALLY AM VERY APPRECIATIVE THAT THE CHAMBER WAS WILLING TO UNDERTAKE.HOW IS IT, WHAT ARE THE SCENES THAT HAVE OCCURRED BETWEEN LAST YEAR AND THIS YEAR IN REGARD TO THE DIFFERENT SOURCES OF FUNDING? THANK YOU.
SEEMS, UM, FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AGO, DESTINATIONS INTERNATIONAL PIVOTED A LITTLE BIT AND STARTED TALKING ABOUT THE, UM, KEY CLIENT FOR DMO IS A COM COMMUNITY RESIDENT.
UM, AND THE ALIGNMENT, UH, WITH THE COMMUNITY INTEREST.
I'M WONDERING WHETHER OR NOT DESTINATIONS INTERNATIONAL HAS ANY METRICS THAT WE CAN UTILIZE TO BRING THAT CHANGE, THAT PIVOT TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
WE'LL NOW TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM.
WHAT WE JUST SAW IS EXACTLY WHAT A DMO SHOULD DO.
THEY SHOULD PRODUCE A VACATION PLANNER AND A WEBSITE GENERICALLY WITH PUBLIC INFO TO PROMOTE AND MARKET OUR COMMUNITY WITH A TAX FUNDING.
THAT'S WHAT A DMO IS SUPPOSED TO DO.
THAT'S THE LEGAL USE OF TAX FUNDING.
A CHAMBER HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH IT.
I'M NOT HERE TO DESTROY THIS CHAMBER.
I'M NOT HERE TO HARM BILL MILES OR ANYBODY ELSE.
WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO IS LET Y'ALL KNOW WHAT THE LEGAL OPERATIONS ARE.
THIS CHAMBER IS A LOCAL BUSINESS LEAGUE.
IT'S SUPPOSED TO DO NOTHING BUT SUPPORT ITS MEMBERS TO HELP THEM PROSPER IN THE COMMUNITY.
IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH A DMO.
A FOR-PROFIT AD AGENCY IS REALLY WHAT IT SHOULD BE.
IT'S ILLEGAL TO EVEN KEEP THIS UP.
YOU CAN'T TAKE TAX FUNDS, DEVELOP A WEBSITE AND A VACATION PLANNER THAT WE DIDN'T SHOW ALL THE ADVERTISING IN THERE AND ON THE WEBSITE AND, AND ALLOW THIS CHAMBER TO SELL THIS ADVERTISING.
IT'S ILLEGAL UNDER IRS TAX CODES FOR A NONPROFIT TO DO THAT.
LET'S MAKE THE DMO WHOEVER THAT THAT IS, AND IT CAN'T BE THE CHAMBER YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO PUT IT UP FOR, FOR PROCUREMENT BIDS.
YOU CAN'T FOR 20, FOR THE NEXT 25 YEARS, THIS CHAMBER CANNOT BE AN ILLEGAL DMO IN PERPETUITY.
WE'VE ALREADY GIVEN EM 35 YEARS OF ILLEGALLY USING OUR MONEY.
A DMO SIMPLY TAKES TAX MONIES AND PROMOTES AND MARKETS THE DESTINATION TO, TO PRO TO BRING TOURISM HERE THAT WE ALL BENEFIT FROM.
WE, THIS CHAMBER MUST START OPERATING LEGALLY AND PROPERLY UNDER NATIONAL GOLD STANDARDS AS A CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
AND THE DMO MUST OPERATE UNDER NATIONAL GOLD STANDARDS AS A DMO, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT Y'ALL JUST KEEP ON.
EITHER YOUR YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND OR YOU JUST, YOU DO UNDERSTAND AND YOU JUST WANT TO KEEP ON FUNDING BILL MILES AND THE CHAMBER.
BUT YOU'RE, YOU'RE, IT'S ILLEGAL.
AT SOME POINT, IT'S GONNA COME TO AN END.
AT SOME POINT YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO COME TO REALITY.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM? AGAIN, THANK YOU, ANGIE.
UH, THE PARTNERS FROM THE DMO.
WE WILL SEE YOU GUYS IN MARCH.
OUR NEW BUSINESS, UH, REVIEW AND DISCUSSION OF THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLANDS AFFILIATE AGENCY FUNDING REQUEST APPLICATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025.
UM, MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE, UH, BEFORE MR. HERRIMAN GETS STARTED, UM, AS WE ALL KNOW, THERE ARE 12 APPLICANTS HERE, A FEW MORE THAN LAST YEAR.
WE WILL NOT BE TAKING ANY ACTION ON THIS ITEM TODAY.
IT IS JUST FOR MR. HAMMOND TO BRING THE INFORMATION BEFORE US AND A SET FORTH A GAME PLAN AS TO HOW WE ARE GOING TO HEAR FROM THE APPLICANTS AT OUR NEXT MEETING.
UM, AND AS YOU SAID, THE, UM, THE LIST OF APPLICANTS IS ON THE SCREEN.
AND FIRST I WANNA GIVE A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON THE PROCESS.
UH, TOWN COUNCIL VOTED IN AUGUST OF 21 TO ESTABLISH A PROCESS AND POLICY TO ACCEPT AND CONSIDER AFFILIATED AGENCY APPLICATIONS.
UH, A COPY OF THE MEMO THAT MARK ORLANDO WROTE IN AUGUST OF 21 IS INCLUDED IN THE MATERIALS THAT HAVE BEEN, HOLD ONE SECOND.
JEFF, KEVIN, CAN YOU TURN IT BACK UP A LITTLE BIT? YES.
I THEY COULD HEAR YOU WELL IN THE BACK.
UM, AND THE PROCESS IS AS FOLLOWS, REQUESTING AGENCIES SUBMIT TOWN FUNDING REQUEST AND APPLICATION FORM.
THE FINANCE ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE RECEIVES THESE REQUESTS AND SELECTS AGENCIES TO MAKE PRESENTATIONS
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AS IT FEELS IT NEEDS MORE INFORMATION ON THESE REQUESTS.THE SELECTED AGENCIES MAKE A PRESENTATION AT THE NEXT F AND A COMMITTEE MEETING OUTLINING THEIR FUNDING REQUESTS AND ANSWER SPECIFIC QUESTIONS RELATING TO PROGRAMMING AND FUNDING.
THE F AND A COMMITTEE THEN MAKES A RECOMMENDATION ON AFFILIATED AGENCY FUNDING REQUEST.
AND THIS IS INCLUDED AS PART OF THE PROPOSED UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR BUDGET ADOPTION PROCESS.
SO FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2025 AFFILIATED AGENCY PROCESS, THE FOLLOWING STEPS HAVE BEEN OR WILL BE TAKEN.
INITIAL CORRESPONDENCE WAS SENT TO ALL CURRENT TOWN AFFILIATED AGENCIES ON DECEMBER 14TH, INFORMING THEM OF THE APPLICATION OPENING DATE OF JANUARY 2ND, 2024.
THE TOWN ISSUED A PRESS RELEASE ON JANUARY 10TH INFORMING THE PUBLIC OF THIS OPPORTUNITY.
THE DUE DATE FOR ALL APPLICATIONS TO BE SUBMITTED WAS JANUARY 31ST, 2024.
AS YOU MENTIONED, THE TOWN HAS RECEIVED, UH, 12 APPLICATIONS, ACTUALLY 11 APPLICATIONS.
ONE OF 'EM IS THE USCB FOR THESE APPLICATIONS ARE NEW APPLICANTS.
AND AGAIN, BASED ON THE PRIOR ACTIONS TAKEN BY THIS COMMITTEE AT ITS DECEMBER 19TH MEETING, A FUNDING REQUEST IS LISTED FOR USCB.
AND THIS WILL BE CONSIDERED BY TOWN COUNCIL AT THE FEBRUARY 20TH 24 MEETING.
UH, AND AS YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN, THE TOTAL AFFILIATED AGENCY APPLICATIONS FOR THIS YEAR ARE 2,375,641.
THE AMOUNT THAT WAS ADOPTED IN THE CURRENT YEAR BUDGET WAS 2,056,525.
SO THE, THE UPCOMING CALENDAR IS, AS YOU SAID TODAY, YOU'RE RECEIVING THE APPLICATIONS.
AND AT THIS MEETING, YOU WOULD DETERMINE WHICH APPLICANTS YOU WANT TO MAKE A PRESENTATION AT THE MARCH 12TH MEETING.
AND THEN AT THE MARCH 12TH MEETING, YOU'LL HEAR THE PRESENTATION.
AND THEN AT THAT MEETING, YOU'LL MAKE A FORMAL RECOMMENDATION ON THE FUNDING REQUESTS, WHICH WILL BE INCORPORATED INTO THE FY 25 BUDGET.
AND THEN TOWN COUNCIL WILL CONSIDER THESE FUNDING RECOMMENDATIONS AS PART OF THE OVERALL BUDGET PROCESS WITH THE FIRST READING OF THE BUDGET SCHEDULED FOR MAY 7TH, 2024, AND THE SECOND READING SCHEDULED FOR JUNE 4TH, 2024.
SO, UM, AS YOU SAID, THE, TODAY'S THE PROCESS IS TO DETERMINE WHICH APPLICANTS YOU WANT TO MAKE A PRESENTATION AT THE NEXT, AT THE NEXT, UH, MARCH 12TH MEETING.
SO THIS IS A, UH, I GUESS WE CAN'T CALL IT A NEW PROCESS ANYMORE 'CAUSE WE WENT THROUGH IT LAST YEAR.
UM, AND THE THOUGHT, OF COURSE, IS FOR US TO CONTINUE TO, TO GET BETTER AT THE PROCESS.
UM, SO SOME OF US WERE, WERE INVOLVED IN THAT LAST YEAR.
UM, TO MY RECOLLECTION, WE INVITED EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THE APPLICANTS TO COME AND MAKE A PRESENTATION WITH A TIME LIMIT ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
AND WE ASK QUESTIONS THEREAFTER.
UH, SO TODAY'S, UH, COMMITTEE WORK IS JUST TO SIMPLY DECIDE IF WE WANT TO CONTINUE WITH THAT PROCESS OR GO IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION.
UM, SO I WILL STOP THERE AND ASK COUNCIL MEMBERS TO, TO CHIME IN.
WE'LL START WITH YOU THIS TIME.
NOW I, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD WAY TO DO IT.
UM, THE, UM, APPLICANTS DESERVE THE TIME AND WE ALSO NEED TO BE ABLE TO ASK QUESTIONS.
I NOTICED THAT THERE ARE TWO NEW APPLICANTS.
UM, I THINK EACH, UH, DESERVES THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT.
BUT I DO HAVE A QUESTION IS TO HOW, HOW ARE NEW APPLICANTS BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION? AND, UH, ONE OF THEM IS A NONPROFIT, UH, THAT, UH, DEALS WITH MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES ON THE ISLAND.
AND I THINK THAT WE, WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPLICATIONS OF GOING IN THAT DIRECTION AND HOW WE SELECT IN THE FUTURE IF OTHER SIMILAR, UH, NON-PROFITS COME TO, UH, THE TOWN.
UH, JEFF, AGAIN, A NICE REPORT.
UH, I THINK THE PROCESS THAT YOU'VE LAID OUT IS VERY SENSIBLE, UH, AND I CERTAINLY SUPPORT IT.
UH, ONE QUESTION OCCURS TO ME FOR THOSE IN THE PUBLIC THAT MAY SEE THIS PRESENT, THIS REPORT TODAY, THAT IS, CAN YOU JUST BRIEFLY DESCRIBE THE DEFINITION OF AN AFFILIATED AGENCY?
[00:30:08]
UM, SO AFFILIATED AGENCY ARE INTEGRAL PARTNERS CONTRACTED BY THE TOWN TO DELIVER SERVICES THAT BENEFIT THE PUBLIC ON THE TOWN'S BEHALF.THE FUNDING, UM, THE FUNDING REVIEW PROCESS IS CONDUCTED WITH A COMMITMENT TO TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY, AND IS GUIDED BY THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA TO ASSESS THE PUBLIC PURPOSE, SERVE FOR EACH PROJECT A CLEAR PUBLIC GOAL OR BENEFIT.
WHO IS THE PRIMARY BENEFICIARY, A SPECULATION LEVEL, AND THE PROBABILITY OF PUBLIC INTEREST.
I JUST WANNA SAY THIS IS, UM, INCLUDED IN THE, THERE'S A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL AND THAT IS INCLUDED IN THE STAFF REPORT THAT WAS, UH, POSTED TO THE TOWN'S WEBSITE.
THAT, THAT'S, I THINK THAT'S HELPFUL FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING.
ESSENTIALLY, I LOOK AT AFFILIATED AGENCIES AS THOSE THAT ARE SUPPORTING TOWN GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND CERTAINLY THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, BUT THEY'RE PROVIDING IT AT A DIFFERENT LEVEL FROM WHAT THE TOWN CAN DO.
SO I THINK IT'S AN EXCELLENT PROCESS AND I SUPPORT MOVING FORWARD WITH IT.
MR. AL ALFRED, UH, I AGREE WITH, UH, THAT WE NEED TO, UH, SEE ALL OF THEM, NOT JUST PART OF THEM.
UM, I, THERE ARE QUITE A VARIATION IN THE DETAIL IN WHICH THESE APPLICATIONS GO INTO.
THERE ARE A FEW THAT HAVE VERY FEW FACTS AND, UH, I'M HOPEFUL THAT THAT CAN BE EXPANDED, UH, AT THE NEXT PRESENTATION.
UH, I AM ALSO CURIOUS AS, AS TO, UH, WHETHER THE STAFF HAS REVIEWED THESE APPLICATIONS AND WHETHER THEY, UH, IF THEY HAVE REVIEWED THEM, ARE GOING TO MAKE ANY COMMENTS TO THE COMMITTEE.
I GUESS I'LL HAVE TO DEFER, DEFER.
JOSH, DO YOU MIND IF I DEFER TO YOU ON THAT QUESTION? I MEAN, AS, AS FAR AS, LET ME DEFER.
UM, I DON'T KNOW THAT I COULD GIVE YOU ANY KIND OF INDICATION AS SUPPORT OR OPPOSITION OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE APPLICATIONS THEMSELVES.
I THINK THE PROCESS IS SET UP IF THAT IF THERE ARE QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED, YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION DIRECTLY WITH THE APPLICANT AT THE NEXT MEETING.
AND SO WE'RE, WE'RE HAPPY TO PROVIDE ANY INFORMATION, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT WE CAN GO BEYOND WHAT'S CONCLUDED IN THE MATERIALS THEMSELVES.
UM, BEFORE WE MAKE A FINAL, THIS IS THE WAY WE'RE GOING.
I AM GONNA OPEN UP TO HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC ON THIS, UM, MR. HAMMOND.
ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM? YES, MR. HOGAN.
I THINK OUR PROBLEM IS WE'RE ALLOWING LAWYERS LIKE FLUKER, A TAX COMMITTEE, GRUBER AND COLTRANE AND OTHERS TO MISLEAD US TO RECOMMEND THE USE OF TAX MONIES ILLEGALLY, IMPROPERLY, UNDER THE LAWS THAT GOVERN THE USE OF ACCOMMODATION, TAX MONIES, HOSPITALITY, TAXES THAT, BY THE WAY, ARE IN THE MANY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT ARE COMPLETELY UNACCOUNTED FOR AND DISAPPEARED.
NOBODY HAS SEEN WHERE ALL THIS MONEY HAS DISAPPEARED TO.
I'M GONNA BRING YOU BACK TO A VERY SIMPLE LAW.
AND THIS IS THE REASON WE SUED THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD.
I, I BACKED THAT LAWSUIT AGAINST THE TOWN OF HILTON.
THAT IT'S ONGOING FOR ISSUING 600, 600,000 TO SEA PONDS FOR THE DREDGING OF HARBORTOWN.
THAT IS AN ILLEGAL USE OF TAX MONIES BECAUSE THE PUBLIC DOES NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THAT PRIVATE GATED COMMUNITY.
AND YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO PAY THAT MONEY BACK TO TAXPAYERS.
THE CONSTITUTIONAL LAW SAYS THAT, THAT THE, THAT YOU CANNOT USE PUBLIC MONIES FOR PRIVATE PURPOSES.
IT'S NOT FOR THE PUBLIC GOOD, THE REASON, THE BENEFIT AND USE.
AND THE LAWYERS JUST WANT TO TWIST THAT AND BEND THAT LAW TO JUST KEEP ON ABUSING AND WASTING OUR TAX MONEY.
THIS IS OUR HARD EARNED, OUR HARD EARNED EARNED TAX MONEY.
TAXPAYERS ARE FED UP, WE'RE FED UP WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
WE'RE FED, FED UP WITH THE STATE GOVERNMENT, AND WE'RE FED UP WITH THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.
AND I'VE DECIDED TO FIGHT LOCAL BECAUSE I BELIEVE IF YOU WIN LOCAL, YOU WIN THE WORLD.
I CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT THE WHOLE STATE AND THE COUNTRY, BUT I CAN LET YOU KNOW THAT YOU MUST GET A GRIP ON THIS AND LET TAX MONIES
[00:35:01]
MUST BE USED FOR THE PUBLIC GOOD AND THE PUBLIC REASON, NOT FOR PEOPLE USING FOR THEIR PRIVATE PROFITS LIKE THE CHAMBER.IT'S COMPLETELY ILLEGAL FOR THIS CHAMBER TO TO BE TAX FUNDED AND THEN PROFIT FROM THOSE TAX FUNDS.
THEY'RE COMPLETELY IN VIOLATION OF TAX EVASION UNDER THE IRS TAX CODES.
YOU, YOU, YOU MUST COME TO GRIPS WITH THIS.
THIS COUNCIL NEEDS TO HIRE A CPA.
YOU NEED TO HIRE A FORENSIC AUDIT FIRM BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE.
I KNOW A LOT ABOUT IT MORE THAN PROBABLY MOST EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM.
I HAVE TO HIRE EXPERT AUDITORS.
AND THAT'S WHY I WORK WITH EVEN FORMER FBI AGENTS THAT KNOW HOW TO DO THIS.
YOU DON'T NEED TO LISTEN TO THIS TOWN AND THE CPA IN THE TOWN AND CPA RAY, RAY, UH, DEAL OF THE CHAMBER.
YOU NEED TO HIRE OUTSIDE CPA AND YOU NEED TO GET A HANDLE ON ALL THIS.
ANYONE ELSE, SIR? GOOD MORNING.
UH, I'M JAMES WILLIAMS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF BEFORD JASPER ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION.
WE'RE ONE OF THE NEW APPLICANTS THIS YEAR.
UH, OUR ORGANIZATION SIMPLY IS PART OF THE, UH, LONDON B JOHNSON WAR ON POVERTY.
UH, WE LOOK OUT FOR ALL THE LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS IN THE COUNTY AND IN THE CITY OF, OF HILTON HEAD.
UH, I JUST WANNA TAKE THIS TIME AND SAY I APPRECIATE THE APPLICATION.
I APPRECIATE THE FORWARD THINKING OF THIS COMMITTEE AND, AND THIS COUNCIL FOR LOOKING OUT THE CONTINUAL GROWTH AND, AND FORWARD THINKING OF, OF THE CITIZENS OF HILTON HEAD.
YOU'RE DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB, UH, FROM WHERE I SIT.
WE APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO, UH, FOR THIS WONDERFUL COMMUNITY.
UM, THANK YOU FOR EXPLAINING THE PROCESS, UH, FOR THE AFFILIATED AGENCY PROGRAM.
UM, AND I AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN ALFRED'S, UM, COMMENT ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE, UM, METRICS, UH, SO THAT WE CAN MAKE A FACT-BASED DECISION SO THAT YOU CAN LOOK AT HOW MUCH MONEY IS BEING REQUESTED AND UNDERSTAND EITHER THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OR THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ARE TOUCHED SO THAT YOU CAN MAKE A DECISION ABOUT HOW THAT MONEY IS SPENT.
CNN WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE DIOCESE.
UM, MR. AIRMAN, AS FAR AS THE, UH, APPLICANTS ARE CONCERNED, UM, AS YOU'VE HEARD FROM COMMITTEE MEMBERS, WE'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM EVERYBODY, UM, AS WE DID LAST YEAR.
LET'S PUT A TIME LIMIT ON THE ACTUAL PRESENTATION.
WE CAN LIMIT IT TO FIVE MINUTES BY MY CALCULATION.
AND WE'LL OF COURSE HAVE TIME FOR, UH, A DIALOGUE WITH, WITH QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
UM, THANK YOU STAFF FOR PUTTING TOGETHER THE BINDER THAT HAS ALL THE BACKUP MATERIAL IN IT.
UM, SO WE HAVE THAT IN OUR POSSESSION.
IF THERE ARE PARTICULAR ITEMS OF INTEREST THAT YOU HAVE, LET'S GET THAT TO STAFF IN A TIMELY MANNER SO THAT THEY CAN THEN CONTACT THE APPLICANT SO THAT THEIR PRESENTATIONS CAN, UH, INCLUDE THAT INFORMATION.
THAT'LL SORT OF CUT DOWN ON THE, THE QUESTIONS THAT WE MAY HAVE AT OUR NEXT MEETING.
UM, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO REALIZE ALSO THAT, UM, WE ARE, UH, CHARGED WITH MAKING A DECISION HERE, UM, AT OUR NEXT MEETING, JUST SO WE STAY IN LINE WITH OUR BUDGET TIMELINE.
IS THAT CORRECT, MS. CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT, YES.
SO, UM, THE, THE MORE PREPARED WE ARE, THE BETTER AT OUR NEXT MEETING FOR THIS.
AND I ALSO, AGAIN, INVITE OUR FELLOW COLLEAGUES THAT IF, UM, IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS FOR THESE AFFILIATED AGENCIES, PLEASE LET STAFF KNOW SO WE CAN ADDRESS THEM ACCORDINGLY AT THE NEXT MEETING.
YOU GETTING US PREPARED AND READY FOR THIS IMPORTANT ENDEAVOR.
WE HAVE NO MORE BUSINESS BEFORE US, SO WE'LL FIND OURSELVES ADJOURNED.
THANK YOU LADIES AND GENTLEMEN FOR YOUR TIME.
[00:40:07]
JOE, GOOD TO SEE YOU, DALE.UH, I WE'RE, WE'VE GOT A LOT TO TALK ABOUT AND WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO TALK ABOUT OUT 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 HAD 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 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 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.
UM, 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, 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.
WHO, WHO DO WE WANT TO ATTRACT? I THINK WE'VE GOT A, WE'VE GOT AN ENORMOUS NUMBER OF RETIRED MILITARY FOLKS HERE.
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 THE SCHOOL IF WE, IF WE WAITED UNTIL HIGH SCHOOLS WERE TOO LATE.
I'M, I'M GLAD THAT YOU TOOK THE LEAD ON IT.
UM, 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, YOU KNOW, I'M RETIRED, I'D LIKE TO FIND SOMETHING TO DO.
[00:45:01]
'EM AND THEY'RE RETIRED TEACHER OR RETIRED LAW ENFORCEMENT, RETIRED FIRE DEPARTMENT, RETIRED MILITARY, RETIRED BANKER IS RETIRED, I MEAN, RETIRED.THIS, THAT, AND THE OTHER ARE 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, THEY 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 AND OUR COMMUNITIES.
YOU TAKE BLUFFTON AND BUFORT AND, AND IN THE COUNTY AND THEN IN PORT ROYAL, THOSE PEOPLE ARE HERE.
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.
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.
SO WHAT ELSE, WHAT ELSE 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 BEFOR COUNTY, WHICH IS IMPORTANT.
A POLICE OFFICER AND I, AND I, AND THE, YOU KNOW, WE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS.
THERE'S A LOT OF TRAINING THAT GOES ALONG WITH THIS JOB.
AND YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT A SECURITY OFFICER.
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, IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
AND I THINK WITH THE YOUNG CHILDREN TARGETING THE RETIREES MM-HMM.
THEY'VE GOT THE LIFE EXPERIENCE FOR THE, FOR THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
AND, AND TO GET THAT STARTED OFF.
SO I THINK
POSSIBLY A THIRD COMING ON BOARD.
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.
YOU KNOW, WE WANT YOU TO COME TO WORK.
AND LAW ENFORCEMENT TO BE A CLASS THREE SRO, DOESN'T MATTER WHERE YOU GO, DOESN'T MATTER WHO YOU ARE EMPLOYED BY.
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.
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 THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
UM, IT ALSO PROVIDES PEOPLE WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO MENTOR THESE YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN.
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 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.
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, LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.
WELL, I MEAN, THE GREAT THING ABOUT IT IS THAT WE ARE, WE WILL
[00:50:01]
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.
SO THIS IS GONNA BE ONE TRAINING SYLLABUS TO BENEFIT, UH, THE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER PROGRAM.
I MEAN, THIS IS GOING TO BE, THIS, THIS PROGRAM IS FOR SOUTH CAROLINA AS A WHOLE.
THIS IS NOT JUST FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY.
BUT I'M EXCITED THAT WE'RE GOING TO START THIS AND INITIATE, YOU KNOW, THE SRO CLASS THREE POSITION HERE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
AND WE'RE GONNA SHOW THE STATE IT WORKS.
AND THE GREAT THING ABOUT THE TRAINING TOGETHER, SHERIFF, IS YOU'RE CREATING A NETWORK BEFORE YOU EVEN GET STARTED.
SO YOU'RE GOING TO KNOW PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT SCHOOLS WHERE IF YOU CAN RUN INTO A PROBLEM, YOU HAVE SOMEBODY ELSE THAT YOU CAN CALL AND GET SOME ADVICE OR TALK TO THEM ABOUT THINGS GOING ON IN THEIR SCHOOL AND CURRENT TRENDS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THEIR SCHOOL.
SO IT'S A GREAT COLLABORATION OF ALL THREE DEPARTMENTS IN THE ENTIRE COUNTY GETTING TOGETHER BECAUSE HAVING THAT NETWORK AND PEOPLE THAT YOU CAN RELY ON FOR ADDITIONAL ADVICE IS INVALUABLE.
WELL, I TELL YOU WHAT I MEAN, I WANT, I WANT PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO, TO MAKE THOSE PHONE CALLS OR GO ONLINE AND RESEARCH, YOU KNOW, UH, JUST THE, THE, THE CLASS THREE SRO, UH, THROUGH ALL AGENCIES.
SO I THINK LINDSEY, IF WE CAN, I MEAN AT THIS POINT, I THINK IF WE PUT THAT INFORMATION ON THIS VIDEO FOR BLUFFTON, BEAUFORT, PORT ROYAL AND THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE WEBPAGE AND PHONE NUMBERS, UH, I THINK WE'LL HOPEFULLY WE'LL START GETTING CALLS.
THAT SOUND GOOD TO Y'ALL? YES SIR.
HERE'S WHAT'S HAPPENING IN BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOLS.
PRESCHOOL CLASSROOMS SHOULD BE VERY SPECIAL PLACES THAT PROVIDE JUST THE RIGHT MIX OF WHAT CHILDREN NEED IN ORDER TO LEARN, GROW, AND DEVELOP AT THEIR OWN PACE AND IN THEIR OWN SPECIAL WAY.
A HIGH QUALITY PRESCHOOL EXPERIENCE BOOSTS LATER ACHIEVEMENT AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT REDUCES THE LIKELIHOOD OF RETENTION, SCHOOL OR PLACEMENT IN SPECIAL EDUCATION AND INCREASES THE CHANCE OF GRADUATION FROM HIGH SCHOOL.
HIGH QUALITY CLASSROOMS FOR YOUNG CHILDREN ARE RESPECTFUL AND CARING PLACES.
THE CLASSROOMS HAVE MATERIALS AND DAILY ACTIVITIES THAT ARE DEVELOPMENTALLY AND AGE APPROPRIATE.
AN EFFECTIVE PRE-KINDERGARTEN CLASSROOM IS AN INVITING, INTERESTING PLACE WHERE CHILDREN ENGAGE IN ACTIVE LEARNING.
THESE CHILDREN ARE SUCH SPONGES THAT ANYTIME THAT THEY SEE PRINT, THEY'RE CURIOUS ABOUT IT.
AND I BELIEVE THAT THEY ALSO HAVE A SENSE OF WHAT IT IS ABOUT.
UM, MORE THAN TEACHING LETTERS AND SOUNDS.
IT'S SO IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO SEE, UM, WHOLE WORDS.
I BELIEVE IN A HOLISTIC, UM, APPROACH TO, UM, READING, ESPECIALLY FOR THE YOUNG CHILD.
AND SO, UM, AS WE, UM, LABEL THINGS AROUND THE ROOM, THEY BEGIN TO JUST ABSORB THAT THERE ARE WORDS THAT GO WITH THINGS.
AND THEN ALSO WE DO A LOT OF, UM, LANGUAGE EXPERIENCE.
UM, WHEN THEY PAINT, WE PUT WORDS TO THEIR PAINTINGS, TO THEIR DRAWINGS, TO THEIR JOURNAL WRITINGS.
A DIVERSITY OF MATERIALS STIMULATE ALL THE SENSES OF A CHILD.
COMPUTER AND SCIENCE AREAS ALL SUPPORT NATURAL CURIOSITY AND DISCOVERY.
CHILDREN MOVE FREELY WITH APPROPRIATE STRUCTURE AND ENGAGE IN PLANNED AND PURPOSEFUL PLAY.
PURPOSEFUL PLAY IS PLAY THAT WE HAVE PLANNED OUT WITH AN END GOAL IN MIND.
SO THEY'RE ABLE TO TAKE THAT INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE PRESET FOR THEM, THAT LEADS THEM TO HAVE BUILDING BLOCKS.
AND AS TEACHERS, WE CAN SEE WHERE WEAKNESSES ARE, WHERE THEY NEED TO DO SOME EXTRA PRACTICE.
AND WE MAKE SURE THAT THOSE KINDS OF MATERIALS, ACTIVITIES, GAMES, BOOKS, TECHNOLOGY, ARE AT THEIR FINGERTIPS SO THAT THEY CAN THEN BUILD ON THAT TO MAKE THEM A MORE WELL-ROUNDED CHILD IN THEIR EDUCATION.
BUFORT COUNTY SCHOOLS SCREEN OVER 1000 STUDENTS EACH YEAR THROUGH CHILD FIND FOR 685 AVAILABLE SLOTS.
CHILDREN SELECTED FOR ENROLLMENT ARE THOSE WITH THE HIGHEST INDICATORS OF AT RISK FACTORS TO INCLUDE LOW SOCIOECONOMICS, SINGLE
[00:55:01]
PARENTS EDUCATION LEVEL OF THE PARENTS, AND MORE OUT OF THE STUDENTS THAT ARE CURRENTLY SERVED.95% ARE CHILDREN OF POVERTY AND APPROXIMATELY 30% HAVE A LANGUAGE OTHER THAN ENGLISH AS THEIR PRIMARY LANGUAGE.
BEST PRACTICES IN A DAY-TO-DAY PRE-KINDERGARTEN PROGRAM INCLUDE THOSE THAT ARE WELL-GROUNDED IN CHILD DEVELOPMENT THEORY AND RESEARCH, AS WELL AS CHILDHOOD LEARNING THEORY AND RESEARCH.
SOCIAL SKILLS, GENDER AND CULTURAL SOCIALIZATION, PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT, PERSONAL IDENTITY, EMOTIONAL AND COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT ARE ALL CRITICAL TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF A CHILD.
PRE-KINDERGARTEN IS REALLY VERY OFTEN THE FIRST EXPERIENCE CHILDREN HAVE OUTSIDE OF THEIR HOME.
SO THEY'RE COMING TO US AND THEY'RE LEARNING ABOUT BEING SOCIALIZED IN A LARGER GROUP.
THEY'RE LEARNING HOW TO TAKE TURNS, HOW TO BE KIND TO EACH OTHER, HOW TO HAVE SELF-CONTROL, AND ALSO THAT CONCEPT OF BUILDING TEAMWORK.
ALL BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT PRE-KINDERGARTEN PROGRAMS ARE STAFFED WITH CERTIFIED TEACHERS WHO HELP FOSTER ACADEMIC GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS AND FAMILIES.
HOME AND SCHOOL ARE A YOUNG CHILD'S TWO MOST IMPORTANT WORLDS AS THEY WORK TOGETHER TO SUPPORT CHILDREN'S LEARNING.
THE CREATIVE CURRICULUM FOR PRESCHOOL HAS BEEN SELECTED AS THE CURRICULUM MODEL AS IT IS DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE FOR THE PRE-KINDERGARTEN CHILD.
THIS EARLY CHILDHOOD CURRICULUM HELPS CHILDREN BECOME ENTHUSIASTIC LEARNERS AS IT ADDRESSES THE SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL, COGNITIVE AND PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE EARLY LEARNER.
KIDS CLUBS AT OUR ELEMENTARY SITES ARE EVENTS WHERE PARENTS, TEACHERS, AND CHILDREN WORK TOGETHER AND ENJOY HANDS-ON LEARNING ACTIVITIES, GUESTS, SPEAKERS, FAMILY MEALS AND MORE.
WELL, PARENTS ARE THE FIRST TEACHERS THAT THESE CHILDREN EVER HAVE.
THAT'S WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO BE SPENDING THEIR LIFE.
WE HAVE THEM FOR SUCH A SHORT TIME, THEY'RE IN EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS ALL THEIR LIFE.
BUT UNLESS WE CAN HELP OUR PARENTS ENGAGE WITH US, UNLESS OUR PARENTS ARE ON BOARD WITH WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE CLASSROOM, WE CAN'T TAKE THAT AND EXTEND THAT LEARNING IN ORDER TO FULLY EDUCATE EVERY PRE-KINDERGARTEN CHILD IN THE DISTRICT.
BEST PRACTICES, WELL-PREPARED TEACHERS, STIMULATING MATERIALS AND ENVIRONMENTS, SOLID CURRICULUM, AND THE INVOLVEMENT OF PARENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
OUR IMPERATIVE TOGETHER, WE CAN GIVE EVERY CHILD A SOLID FOUNDATION FOR FUTURE SCHOOL SUCCESS.
AND THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING IN BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOLS.
OKAY, SO HERE'S A MALE GREEN AND OLD THAT I JUST CAUGHT.
IT'S A GOOD LOOKING MALE, IT'S TRYING TO BITE ME A LITTLE BIT, BUT YOU NOTICE THAT THROAT FAN, IT'S A LITTLE BIT HARD TO SEE THAT DU LIP AND THAT TELLS ME THAT IT'S A MALE AND IT'S A MATURE MALE AND IT JUST CAUGHT THIS GUY ON THE FENCE.
AND SO IF ANOTHER MALE SHOWS UP, HE'S GONNA RUN IT OFF.
ALSO, HE MAY HAVE A HAREM OF SIX TO EIGHT FEMALES THAT LIVE IN THIS AREA AS WELL.
SO I'M GONNA PUT HIM BACK DOWN AND LET HIM, LET HIM HEAD OUT AND GO ON WITH HIS DAY.
SO GUYS, THIS LOOKS LIKE WE'RE ABOUT TO HAVE A FIGHT BETWEEN TWO GREEN AND OLDS.
AND THIS IS OBVIOUSLY ONE OF THE TWO LIZARDS TERRITORY AND THE OTHER ONE DOES NOT WANT TO LEAVE AND BACK OFF.
BUT NOTICE THE HEAD BOBBING, UH OH.
THINGS ARE ABOUT TO GET UGLY AND, AND ONE OF 'EM MEETS TO BACK DOWN, OTHERWISE IT'S GONNA TURN TO THE ANO EQUIVALENT OF FISH CUPS.
GENERALLY THEY DON'T HURT EACH OTHER, BUT ONE OF 'EM MAY FALL OFF THE FENCE.
LOOKS LIKE HE CHASED THE OTHER GUY OFF.
WE'LL JUST HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS.