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[1. Call to Order]
TODAY'S FINANCE ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE MEETING, HAVE ALL MEMBERS PRESENT? MR. STANFORD IS EXCUSED.THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN BECKER FOR STEPPING IN IN HIS ABSENCE.
[2. Adoption of the Agenda]
PROVIDED TO COMMITTEE MEMBERS AHEAD OF TIME.[3. Approval of the Minutes]
FROM OUR FEBRUARY 13TH MEETING OF 2024.NEXT, WE'LL HAVE APPEARANCE BY CITIZENS.
UH, KIM, DO WE HAVE ANYONE THAT HAS SIGNED UP? ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE COMMITTEE ON ITEMS UNRELATED TO TODAY'S AGENDA
[5.a. Consideration of a Resolution to Authorize Submittal of the Community Development Block Grant Entitlement Program Annual Action Plan for Program Year 2024 to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development - Marcy Benson, Senior Grants Administrator]
AND NONE, WE WILL MOVE ON TO OUR NEW BUSINESS.UH, WE HAVE MS. MARCY BENSON, OUR SENIOR GRANTS ADMINISTRATOR, ASKING US TO BLOCK GRANT PLAN.
FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS MARCY BENSON, SENIOR GRANTS ADMINISTRATOR FOR THE TOWN.
AND TODAY'S STAFF IS RECOMMENDING THAT THE COMMITTEE FORWARD A RECOMMENDATION TO TOWN COUNCIL TO APPROVE A RESOLUTION THAT WOULD AUTHORIZE THE SUBMITTAL OF THE TOWN'S 2024 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT ANNUAL ACTION PLAN TO THE US DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT.
UH, APPROVAL OF THIS RESOLUTION WILL ALLOW THE 2024 CDBG FUNDING ALLOCATION TO BE USED FOR THE PATTERSON PARK PROJECT.
THIS PROJECT IS BEING RECOMMENDED BECAUSE IT IS CURRENTLY FUNDED WITH 2021 CDBG FUNDS AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW HAS BEEN COMPLETED FOR THIS PROJECT.
AND THEN THIS WILL ALLOW, UM, EXPENDITURES TO BE PROMPTLY, UH, EXECUTED, OR EXCUSE ME, UH,
HUD HAS NOT YET ISSUED THE 2024 ALLOCATION, UM, AMOUNTS, BUT IN PREVIOUS YEARS, THE TOWN'S ALLOCATION HAS BEEN APPROXIMATELY $200,000 AND WE ANTICIPATE THAT AMOUNT TO BE SIMILAR FOR THE 2024 FUNDS.
UM, APPROVAL OF THE PATTERSON PARK PROJECT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE CURRENT CDBG FIVE YEAR CONSOLIDATED PLAN, AS WELL AS SEVERAL HOUR PLAN GOALS, STRATEGIES, AND TACTICS, WHICH ARE REFERENCED IN THE STAFF MEMO.
AND TO MEET HUD REQUIREMENTS, PUBLIC INPUT MUST BE SOLICITED DURING DEVELOPMENT OF THE ANNUAL ACTION PLAN.
AND THIS WAS MET WITH A-C-D-B-G SURVEY THAT WAS POSTED ON THE OPEN TOWN HALL PORTAL FROM JANUARY 3RD THROUGH THE 27TH, AND THERE WAS ALSO A PUBLIC MEETING HELD ON JANUARY 10TH.
UH, THREE COMMENTS WERE SUBMITTED VIA THE OPEN TOWN HALL HALL PORTAL AND NO COMMENTS WERE SUBMITTED AT THE PUBLIC MEETING, AND THOSE COMMENTS ARE SUMMARIZED IN THE STAFF MEMO.
UH, CDBG FUNDS HAVE BEEN USED FOR A VARIETY OF PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS IN RECENT YEARS.
IN 2020, ALL OF THE TOWN'S CDBG FUNDS WERE ALLOCATED TO PUBLIC SERVICES, UM, AND AS WELL AS PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION.
AND THAT RESULTED IN THE DISTRIBUTION OF APPROXIMATELY $831,000 TO PUBLIC SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS FOR RESPONSE EFFORTS TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.
IN 2021, THE PATTERSON PARK PROJECT WAS SELECTED FOR CDBG FUNDING, AND IN 2022, THE TAYLOR FAMILY PARK, UH, FAMILY NEIGHBORHOOD PARK WAS, UH, ALLOCATED CDBG FUNDING.
AND IN 2023, THE FORD SHELL RING PROJECT WAS ALSO SELECTED FOR CDBG FUNDS IN, UM, 2024, WHICH IS PROGRAM YEAR FIVE OF THE CURRENT FIVE YEAR PLAN.
THE PROJECT CATEGORY, UH, INCLUDED FLEXIBILITY TO SELECT A VARIETY OF, UM, PROJECTS THAT COULD ADDRESS A BROAD RANGE OF COMMUNITY NEEDS THAT WOULD BENEFIT LOWER MODERATE INCOME RESIDENTS.
AND HUD ALLOWS FOR CDBG FUNDS TO ALSO BE USED FOR PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION AND PUBLIC SERVICES.
HOWEVER, THERE ARE SPENDING CAPS ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE EXPENDITURES, WHICH ALLOW FOR NO MORE THAN 20% OF THE ALLOCATION FOR, UH, ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS AND NO MORE THAN 15% OF THE ALLOCATION FOR PUBLIC SERVICES.
THE DRAFT PLAN FOR 2024 INDICATES A PRO, UH, $2,500 FOR THE ALLOCATION TO BE DESIGNATED FOR PROGRAM ADMINISTRATIVE COST.
THOSE ARE THINGS SUCH AS PUBLICATION COSTS THAT ARE REQUIRED FOR, UM, PUBLIC NOTICES.
[00:05:01]
AND THEN THE REMAINING OF THE ALLOCATION WOULD GO TOWARDS THE PATTERSON PARK PROJECT IN ORDER TO MEET THE MAY 17TH HUD SUBMITTAL DEADLINE.THE DRAFT PLAN WAS RELEASED FOR A 30 DAY COMMENT PERIOD THAT BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 14TH, AND IT WILL END ON MARCH 15TH.
COMMENTS, UM, RECEIVED WILL BE REVIEWED AND INCLUDED IN THE FINAL PLAN.
AND AS OF THIS MORNING, THERE HAVE BEEN NO COMMENTS SUBMITTED, UM, VIA THE TOWN WEBSITE.
APPROVAL OF THE FINAL PLAN BY RESOLUTION IS RIGHT NOW SCHEDULED FOR THE APRIL 2ND COUNCIL MEETING.
AND WITH THAT, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS MIGHT HAVE.
ANY QUESTIONS? NO, JUST THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED WORK ON THIS.
ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM? SEEING NONE, WE WILL THANK YOU.
I MOVE, UH, THAT WE FORWARD THE RESOLUTION TO AUTHORIZE SUBMITTAL OF THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT ENTITLEMENT PROGRAM, ANNUAL ACTION PLAN FOR THE PROGRAM YEAR 2024, ET CETERA, TO TOWN COUNCIL SECOND.
[5.b. Consideration of Award Recommendations for the Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Affiliated Agency Budget Requests - Jeff Herriman, Interim Finance Director ]
WE WILL MOVE ON TO CONSIDERATION AWARD RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 24 25 AFFILIATED AGENCY BUDGET REQUEST.CAMERON WILL BE APPROACHING FIRST.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, TODAY'S STAFF IS REQUESTING THAT THE COMMITTEE REVIEW THE REQUEST AND CORRESPONDING PRESENTATIONS FROM THE AFFILIATED AGENCY APPLICANTS AND RECOMMEND CORRESPONDING FUNDING LEVELS TO BE INCLUDED IN THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 2025 BUDGET FOR TOWN COUNCIL'S CONSIDERATION.
UM, THE AFFILIATED APP AGENCY APPLICATIONS WERE PRESENTED TO THIS COMMITTEE AT THE FEBRUARY 13TH MEETING.
AND JUST TO GIVE SOME, AGAIN, BACKGROUND ON THE PROCESS, UH, TOWN COUNCIL VOTED IN AUGUST OF 2021 TO ESTABLISH A PROCESS AND POLICY TO ACCEPT AND CONSIDER AFFILIATED AGENCY APPLICATIONS.
UM, THIS YEAR FOR, FOR THE FY 25, UM, PROCESS, THE DEADLINE FOR SUBMITTING APPLICATIONS WAS JANUARY 31ST, 2024.
AND AS I MENTIONED, THESE UH, APPLICATIONS WERE PRESENTED TO THE COMMITTEE AT THE LAST MEETING.
UH, FOR REFERENCE, AN AFFILIATED AGENCY IS DEFINED AS AN INTEGRAL PARTNER CONTRACTED BY THE TOWN TO DELIVER SERVICES THAT BENEFIT THE PUBLIC ON THE TOWN'S BEHALF.
THE FUNDING REVIEW PROCESS IS CONDUCTED WITH A COMMITMENT TO TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND IS GUIDED BY THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA TO ASSESS THE PUBLIC PURPOSE SERVED BY EACH PROJECT A CLEAR PUBLIC GOAL OR BENEFIT.
UH, THIS PRIMARY, UH, THANK YOU.
PRIMARY BENEFICIARY SPECULATION LEVEL, PROBABILITY OF PUBLIC INTEREST.
AND AS PART OF THE, UM, AFFILIATED APPLICATION PROCESS, THE TOWN RECEIVED 11 APPLICATIONS.
UH, A FUNDING REQUEST WAS ALSO RECEIVED PURSUANT TO THE MOU THAT WAS RECENTLY APPROVED BY THE TOWN COUNCIL FOR THE USCB CENTER FOR LOW COUNTRY HOSPITALITY AND EDUCATION THAT MOU PROVIDED FOR A TWO YEAR AGREEMENT FOR FUNDING IN THE AMOUNT OF TWO THOU, I'M SORRY, 235,000 FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025, AND HAS AN INFLATION FACTOR OF 3% FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026.
AND ON THE SCREEN YOU CAN SEE THE, UH, APPLICATIONS.
UH, WE WERE ALSO SHOW AS REFERENCED WHAT WAS REQUESTED FOR FY 24 AND THEN ULTIMATELY WHAT WAS ADOPTED.
UH, WE TO SUPPORT THIS EFFORT AND TO ASSIST IN THE PRELIMINARY DEVELOPMENT OF THE TOWN'S FISCAL 2025 BUDGET STAFF HAS PREPARED AN INITIAL ASSESSMENT OF THE ANTICIPATED REVENUES FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
BASED ON THAT INFORMATION, STAFF BELIEVES THE REVENUES FOR THE NEXT YEAR WILL REMAIN FLAT WITH FISCAL YEAR 2024 BUDGETED LEVELS.
BECAUSE OF THIS, ANY ADDITIONAL FUNDING THAT MAY BE RECOMMENDED BY THIS COMMITTEE WILL HAVE A CORRESPONDING IMPACT ON THE FISCAL 2025 BUDGET DEVELOPMENT.
SO AGAIN, THE COMMITTEE IS REQUESTED TO REVIEW AND RECOMMEND FUNDING LEVELS FOR THE 2025 AFFILIATED AGENCY APPLICATIONS.
THESE RECOMMENDATIONS WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET PROPOSAL THAT WILL BE CONSIDERED BY TOWN COUNCIL ON MAY 7TH.
OKAY, MR. RUPA, THE WAY I WOULD LIKE TO HANDLE THIS IS WE HAVE ASKED EACH ONE OF THE APPLICANTS PROVIDE
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US WITH A PRESENTATION IF THEY WISH.UH, WE'LL GIVE FIVE MINUTES FOR THOSE PRESENTATIONS.
UH, DURING THAT PRESENTATION, THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS WILL ASK QUESTIONS AND, UH, SO ON.
UM, WE'LL OPEN UP TO THE PUBLIC FOR ANY COMMENTS ON THAT PARTICULAR, UH, PRESENTATION.
AND IF YOU ALL COULD KEEP TRACK OF THE NODS UP HERE AS FAR AS THE AMOUNT AND IF WE WANT TO MOVE FORWARD.
AND AT THE END, WE'LL TAKE A MOTION TO CONSIDER WHATEVER WE AGREED TO AND NOT YES, SIR.
IF YOU PROVIDE US A PROPOSED FUNDING AMOUNT, WE'LL NOTATE IT AND THEN WE'LL PUT TOGETHER A COMPREHENSIVE LIST AT THE END AND TAKE IT UP BY ONE VOTE.
WE WILL GO DOWN THE LIST HERE AS THEY ARE IN OUR PACKET.
AND FIRST UP WOULD BE HELP HIT ISLAND RECREATION ASSOCIATION.
SO, DETECTIVE DIRECTOR HILTON HEAD ISLAND RECREATION ASSOCIATION.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA THANK YOU ALL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TODAY TO DISCUSS OUR, UH, FUNDING REQUEST, UH, TO TOWN COUNCIL TO THE TOWN.
UM, AS YOU KNOW THAT WE HAVE HAD A LONGSTANDING PARTNERSHIP WITH, UH, WITH THE TOWN, SOME 40 PLUS YEARS THROUGH AN MOU, WHICH WAS RECENTLY RENEWED.
AND PART OF THAT MOU IS ACTUALLY KIND OF UNIQUE IN THE FACT THAT WE NOW HAVE, UH, A TOWN COUNCIL MEMBER SERVING EX OFFICIO OFFICER ON OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
SO OBVIOUSLY MORE INFORMATION THAT WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE TO YOU WILL HELP YOU MAKE BETTER DECISIONS.
WE ALSO HAVE A TOWN STAFF MEMBER PART OF THAT, UH, MOU THAT SERVES ON OUR BOARD AND COMES AND LISTENS, AND WE ALSO GET, UH, UPDATES AND REPORTS FROM THAT MEMBER TOO.
UM, ONE THING, JUST KIND OF TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT PROGRAM GROWTH.
UM, REALLY WE HAVE THREE AREAS THAT I LOOK AT FOR THE COMING YEAR, UH, ALONG WITH PICKLEBALL, BUT WE ALSO HAVE AN OUTDOOR REC PROGRAM THAT WE SEE GROWING TREMENDOUSLY OVER THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO AS IT, WE CONTINUE TO EXPAND THAT NOT ONLY DO WE PROVIDE AN AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM, WE'RE PROVID KAYAK TOURS, BUT WE'RE ABLE TO, UM, NOW WITH THE MOU TAKE ADVANTAGE IN DOING SOME DISC GOLF AND SOME OTHER THINGS AT THE MID ISLAND TRACK.
AND HAVING THAT OPPORTUNITY FOR OUTDOOR REC PROGRAMS IS GONNA BE PRETTY EXCITING FOR US.
ALSO, OUR ADAPTIVE REC PROGRAM HAS GROWN.
UM, WE ACTUALLY HAVE FIVE KIDS NOW THAT ARE GONNA BE ADAPTIVE KIDS THAT ARE NOW GONNA BE PLAYING IN OUR SOCCER PROGRAM, WHICH IS KIND OF UNIQUE.
AND WE'VE HAD OFFER SWIM LESSONS AND SOME OTHER THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING OVER THE YEARS.
WE'VE REALLY BEEN ABLE TO EXPAND UPON THAT.
AND THEN WE SEE EVENTS GROWING, NOT ONLY OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE TOWN AND WORKING WITH SOME EVENTS THAT WE HAVE THERE, BUT WE ALSO SEE OTHER EVENTS IN THE COMMUNITY THAT WE'RE GONNA BE PARTNERS WITH.
AND THOSE ARE KIND OF THE THREE AREAS I'M LOOKING AT.
KIND OF THE QUICK, QUICK BY THE NUMBERS REAL QUICK.
LAST YEAR WE HAD 355,981 PARTICIPANT VISITS.
WE COUNT EVERYBODY AS A PARTICIPANT.
YOU COULD COME FIVE DAYS A WEEK, THAT MEANS YOU GET SEVEN COUNTS, BUT THAT'S WHERE WE WERE, THAT IS UP OVER LAST YEAR FROM, UH, 2 95.
SO OBVIOUSLY WE CONTINUE TO GROW.
WHERE WE'RE SEEING KIND OF A LOT OF THAT GROWTH IS ACTUALLY PEOPLE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE FITNESS FACILITIES THAT WE HAVE AT THE REC CENTER.
AND, UM, WE'RE FIVE YEARS INTO IT.
IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT WE'RE FIVE YEARS INTO IT NOW, BUT THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT.
WE ALSO PROVIDED OVER $217,000 IN SCHOLARSHIPS AND MAINLY THROUGH CHILDCARE PROGRAMS, SUMMER CAMP OR FULL-TIME CHILDCARE.
UH, OUR AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM WERE KIND OF OUR MAIN RECIPIENTS.
I'VE ALREADY SEEN, I SIGN OFF ON THOSE.
I'VE ALREADY SEEN AN INCREASE IN THOSE COMING INTO THIS SUMMER.
I THINK PEOPLE ARE GONNA NEED A LITTLE EXTRA HELP.
AND WE'VE ANTICIPATED THAT FINALLY, UH, THIS YEAR WE HAD, UM, WE HAD OVER 19,500 VOLUNTEER HOURS COACHES, BOARD MEMBERS, PEOPLE HELPING US OUT AT EVENTS.
SO THAT'S QUITE A BIT OF A COMMUNITY SUPPORT THAT RECEIVED.
AND ACTUALLY, IF WE HAD TO PAY THOSE PEOPLE, THAT SAVED OVER A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS.
SO THAT'S KIND OF UNIQUE IN ITS SENSE.
OVERALL, THE BUDGET'S UP 8% FROM THE YEAR BEFORE.
WE'RE ASKING FOR A 4% INCREASE FROM THE TOWN.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE ANTICIPATED SOME INCREASE IN PROGRAM FEES, ABOUT 9%, BUT AS I SPOKE ABOUT EARLIER, WE ANTICIPATE SOME EVENTS, FEES BEING UP, UH, BEING ABLE TO GENERATE SOME MORE MONEY THROUGH EVENTS.
UM, OUR BIGGEST HEADWINDS, AS EVERYBODY KNOWS IS STAFFING EXPENSES AT THE POOL ACROSS THE BOARD, BEING COMPETITIVE AND KEEPING GOOD PEOPLE WORKING FOR US.
BUT JUST, JUST THE GENERAL COST OF DOING BUSINESS IS, UH, UM, CERTAINLY GOING UP, AS WE ALL KNOW, BETWEEN INSURANCES,
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UH, CHEMICALS FOR THE POOL, JUST ACROSS THE BOARD ACROSS OF DOING BUSINESSES UP SIGNIFICANTLY.NOW FOR THE FUN STUFF, WHICH I HAVE ON THE PHOTO, SO I KIND OF DOUBLED UP ON THE UPPER LEFT HAND SIDE IS ACTUALLY, UH, THE PROGRAM, OUR, UH, PART OF OUR ADAPTIVE PROGRAM, BUT THEY RECEIVE SWIM LESSONS, WHICH IS POCKET FULL OF SUNSHINE.
UM, OUR BINGO PLAYERS AT THE SENIOR CENTER IN THE MIDDLE ON THE UPPER ONE.
AND THEN, UH, OUR FLAG FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP THERE ON THE BOTTOM.
A NEW PROGRAM TO US RIGHT THERE IS ACTUALLY ROCK STEADY, WHICH IS A PARKINSON'S PROGRAM.
WE STARTED THAT A YEAR AGO, AND, UM, IT, IT'S GROWN AND IT'S REALLY KIND OF A NEAT PROGRAM THAT WE PROVIDE, UM, AT THE REC AS PART OF OUR FITNESS.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THE FITNESS PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE, UM, THAT'S THAT PHOTO DESIGN DO JUSTICE.
WE CAN HAVE OVER 50 PEOPLE IN THAT GYM DOING THAT FITNESS PROGRAM IN THE MORNING.
AND FINALLY, I SPOKE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE OUTDOOR REC PROGRAM.
YOU CAN SEE KIDS KAYAKING OUT ON THE WATER, UH, FISHING AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO AT THE SAILING AND ROADING CENTER.
AND FINALLY, UM, THE ROCK WALL WILL BE INSTALLED ON THE 25TH.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOREVER, BUT WITH THE HELP OF THE, UH, CARMINES FOUNDATION AND SOME, UH, DONATIONS AND YOUR HELP THROUGH OUR CIP BUDGET, WE'RE ABLE TO PUT THAT UNDER CONTRACT.
AND THE CONTRACTOR SAID HE'LL BE HERE ON THE 25TH OF THIS MONTH.
SO HOPEFULLY I DID THAT UNDER FIVE MINUTES.
QUESTIONS FROM COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE ISLAND REC IS, IS LONGSTANDING AND WE CERTAINLY DO APPRECIATE, UM, ALL OF THE EFFORT THAT GOES INTO PROVIDING THOSE SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY.
UM, IT JUST KEEPS GROWING AND KEEPS GETTING BETTER.
I'M TAKEN BY THE, UM, VOLUNTEER HOURS.
UM, IT SPEAKS A LOT TO THE COMMUNITY THAT WE LIVE IN, AND I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATES AND HELPS OUT AND DONATES THEIR TIME AND ENERGIES TO MAKE ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS, ESPECIALLY THOSE AT THE ISLAND REC FUNCTION, UM, AND BE ABLE TO EXPAND THE WAY THEY HAVE.
ONE IS WITH REGARD TO THE SENIOR CENTER.
UM, IT'S, WE'VE HAD THIS DISCUSSION BEFORE AND I KNOW THAT THINGS THERE ARE IMPROVING.
I WAS WONDERING THOUGH, SOME, THE BLUFFTON ALSO HAS A SENIOR SUIT, UH, AND I, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THERE ARE A LOT OF FOLKS WHO, UM, ENJOY WHAT WE HAVE HERE, BUT ALSO WOULD LIKE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SOME OF WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE BLUFFTON SENIOR CENTER AND, AND VICE VERSA.
IS THERE ANY, UM, TRANSPORTATION, UM, THOUGHT OF OR AVAILABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE WHO WANTED MORE OF AN EXTENDED EXPERIENCE? AS OF RIGHT NOW, WE DON'T HAVE ANY TRANSPORTATION, BUT AS PART OF OUR, UH, FUNDING REQUESTS IN OUR CIP BUDGET, WE DID REQUEST A BUS THAT WOULD BE SPECIFICALLY USED FOR SENIOR PROGRAMS. UH, WE HAVE NOT HAD, UH, MUCH INTERACTION WITH THE BLUFFTON PROGRAM SINCE IT'S, IT'S, IT'S NEW BACK TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, AND I THINK THEY'RE ONLY INTO IT FOR, FOR ABOUT A YEAR.
BUT CERTAINLY WOULD OPEN UP THE DIALOGUE ONCE WE HA WERE ABLE, IF WE'RE ABLE TO HAVE THAT TRANSPORTATION OPPORTUNITY.
THAT'S ONE OF THE CONCERNS THAT, UM, WAS BROUGHT TO ME BY RESIDENTS AND I THOUGHT I WOULD ASK YOU WHILE I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY.
AND THEN THE OTHER QUESTION THAT I HAVE IS, IN ADDITION TO ALL OF, UM, WHAT YOU'VE SPOKEN ABOUT, ARE THERE OTHER, UM, FUNDS BEING GENERATED THROUGH GRANTS, NEW OUTREACH TO OTHER FUNDING SOURCES? YEAH, A LOT OF THE PROGRAMS THAT YOU SEE UP THERE, LIKE THE OUTDOOR REC PROGRAM, WE'RE ALWAYS RECEIVING GRANTS.
WE ACTUALLY GOT A GREAT GRANT FROM THE BEACH HOUSE OF, UH, WHICH WAS MATCHED BY THE HERITAGE CLASSIC FOUNDATION FOR $12,000, WHICH ALLOWED US TO, UH, GET NEW SURF SURFBOARDS AND SOME OTHER EQUIPMENT FROM THAT.
SO WE, WE DO, I'M JUST USING THAT AS ONE EXAMPLE.
UM, SO WE DO RECEIVE GRANTS ALL THE TIME.
THE, UM, CHALLENGE CAMP PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE, THE CHILDREN'S RELIEF FUND IS OUR HUGE SUPPORTER THERE, BUT WE ALWAYS GET A GRANT FROM THE BARGAIN BOX.
AND THE CHALLENGE CAMP PROGRAM ACTUALLY, UM, IS REALLY STAFF DRIVEN AND THE GRANTS THAT WE'RE, WE ARE ABLE TO OBTAIN ALLOWS US TO KEEP THE FEE FOR THE FAMILY IS EXTREMELY LOW, BUT WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE THEM WITH, UH, SOME CHILDREN WITH ONE-ON-ONE STAFFING THROUGHOUT THE CAMP PROGRAM.
THOSE EFFORTS ARE IMPORTANT AS WE LOOK TO FUND AS MANY ORGANIZATIONS THAT ASSIST IN HELPING THIS COMMUNITY, UM, PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR EVERYONE, UM, MAKING SURE THAT THOSE ENTITIES ARE LOOKING OUTSIDE OF JUST GOVERNMENT SOURCES IS IMPORTANT.
SO THANK YOU FOR INCLUDING THAT IN THE INFORMATION.
AND, AND I, I PROBABLY FAILED IN, UH, UH, THIS, BUT OF OUR OVERALL BUDGET, THE, WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR SUPPORT IS ABOUT 32% FROM THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD, WHERE THE ISLAND RECREATION ASSOCIATION IS
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REALLY COMMITTED.AND, UM, I'VE BEEN CHARGED TO RAISE THE ADDITIONAL FUNDS THROUGH PROGRAM FEES, GRANTS, LIKE YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT IN EVENTS.
UM, I, I OBSERVED OVER THE YEARS THAT IT'S EVERY YEAR THE REC CENTER IS ENHANCING AND EXPANDING ITS SERVICES.
AND I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY WHO'S INVOLVED IN THE REC CENTER.
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN YOUR POSITION FOR A WHILE?
SO
I DIDN'T THINK ABOUT IT THAT WAY, BUT YEAH, I GUESS SO.
SO I HAVE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.
DOES AGE HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH OUR BUDGET ALLOCATIONS HERE?
I PARTICULARLY APPRECIATE THAT WITH AN OVERALL 8% INFLATION RATE, THE TIME IS ONLY BEING REQUESTED TO COME UP WITH A 4% INFLATION.
OKAY, FRANK, WE'RE GONNA OPEN UP THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
ANY QUESTIONS THERE? ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC WANNA COMMENT ON PARTICULAR REQUEST? A CN WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE DAAS.
UM, ISLAND RECORD ASSOCIATION IS REQUESTING, UH, $1,167,366.
UM, NO, I'M JUST, I'M JUST NODDING, I'M JUST NODDING AT THIS TIME IF THIS, I'M NODDING.
NO, NO REQUEST TO CHANGE THERE.
IS THERE A POWERPOINT? AH, THERE IT IS.
LIKE IT'S, IT'S, IT'S LABELED THE WRONG THING, BUT THIS IS MY AFFILIATED AGENCY REQUEST, SO
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF COASTAL DISCOVERY MUSEUM, AND THE COASTAL DISCOVERY MUSEUM IS THE LOW COUNTRY'S HOME FOR HISTORY, NATURE, ART, AND COMMUNITY.
I'M GONNA HAVE TO, UH, AND, UH, SINCE WE STARTED IN 1985, WE'VE HAD A VERY CONSISTENT MISSION AND VISION.
WE BELIEVE THAT THE NATURAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND AND THE VICINITY SHOULD BE PRESENTED WITHIN AN EDUCATIONAL CONTEXT TO THE RESIDENTS OF AND MANY VISITORS TO OUR REGION.
KNOWLEDGE OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OUR NATURAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES IS VITAL TO ALL OF US WHO UTILIZE THIS BARRIER ISLAND.
AND IT IS THE GOAL OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES THAT THIS BALANCE, WE BOTH UNDERSTOOD AND APPRECIATED BY ALL OF US WHOSE LIVES ARE INFLUENCED BY THE ISLAND AND ITS RESOURCES.
AND WE HAVE CONTINUED THAT WITH OUR CURRENT MISSION.
A MODEL OF HOW TO INSPIRE ACTION.
YOU WANT PEOPLE TO TAKE ACTION FOR CULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP.
THIS AFFILIATED AGENCY REQUESTS, WHICH IS SUPPORT FOR OUR EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVES AND MUSEUM ADMINISTRATION, IS A REQUEST FOR $107,000 THIS YEAR.
AND THAT'S OUT OF A TOTAL BUDGET OF ABOUT $1.9 MILLION.
AND THIS PART OF IT THAT WE'RE REQUESTING IS STUFF THAT'S NOT FUNDED BY AT TAX AND EARNED REVENUE.
A LOT OF THIS WORK IS FOCUSED ON EDUCATING STUDENTS AND FAMILIES.
AND THIS IS A PHOTOGRAPH FROM LAST WEEK OF MICHAEL SMALLS, UM, DOING A WORKSHOP FOR OUR GULLAH TEACHER TRAINING.
UM, WE'VE HAD A MOU WITH A TOWN SINCE 2007 WHEN THE MUSEUM OPENED AT HISTORIC HONEY HORN.
AT THAT TIME, OUR OPERATING BUDGET FOR THE MUSEUM WAS 751,000, AND WE HAD A REQUEST FOR 75,000, UM, AS AN AFFILIATED AGENCY.
AND THAT WAS 10% OF OUR TOTAL BUDGET AT THAT TIME.
UM, THIS YEAR'S BUDGET FOR 2024, THE MUSEUM BUDGET
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IS $1.93 MILLION, AND OUR TOWN REQUEST IS 107,000.AND SO THAT'S ABOUT 5.5% OF THE BUDGET.
AND SO OVER THESE 14 YEARS, THE MUSEUM'S TOTAL OPERATING BUDGET HAS GROWN BY ABOUT 15% PER YEAR.
AND OUR TOWN REQUEST AVERAGES ABOUT A 2.5% INCREASE OVER THAT PERIOD OF TIME.
THIS GRANT HELPS FUND THE MUSEUM'S PUBLIC PROGRAMMING THAT INCLUDES OUR SCHOOL FIELD TRIPS, OUR LECTURE SERIES, A LOT OF THE ADULT PROGRAM THAT WE DO, INCLUDING EVENING ADULT PROGRAMMING, ANIMAL CARE, LIVE ANIMAL PROGRAMMING IN THE SUMMER AND GENERAL MUSEUM, UM, ADMINISTRATION.
UM, AND THE PRIMARY BENEFICIARIES OF THESE PROGRAMS ARE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY, THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
THIS SORT OF PUBLIC FUNDING OF THE MUSEUM FROM THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND ALSO, UH, RELIEVES OUR BUDGET AND ALLOWS OUR EXHIBITS AND PROPERTY TO BE OPEN FOR THE PUBLIC FOR FREE, UM, 360 DAYS PER YEAR.
AND IT REDUCES THE COST OF ALL THE PROGRAMS THAT WE OFFER TO SCHOOL KIDS AND FAMILIES WITH YOUNG LEARNERS.
UM, THIS SUMMER WE'RE ACTUALLY INCREASING SEVERAL OF OUR PROGRAMS. UM, WE'RE, WE'RE ADDING CRITTER MEET AND GREET PROGRAMS BECAUSE THOSE HAVE BEEN VERY POPULAR.
WE'RE EXPANDING OUR INDIGO DYE PROGRAMMING AND PARTNERING THAT WITH OUR FARMER'S MARKET TO DO IT EVERY TUESDAY.
AND WE HAVE SEVERAL NEW PROGRAMS. WE'RE DOING AN ARCHEOLOGY SUMMER CAMP FOR KIDS AND ONE FOR ADULTS THAT WANT TO BE KIDS.
UM, AND THEN THEY ASKED US TO TALK ABOUT SPECULATION LEVEL.
UM, I THINK THAT FUNDING THE MUSEUM HAS A HIGH PROBABILITY OF SUCCESS.
WE HAVE A 17 YEAR TRACK RECORD OF WORKING WITH THE TOWN AS A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP.
AND I THINK IT'S BEEN AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE OF HOW A LITTLE BIT OF TOWN MONEY CAN BE PARTNERED WITH A LOT OF PRIVATELY RAISED MONEY TO REALLY STRENGTHEN AN ORGANIZATION AND MAKE IT SUCCESSFUL.
UM, OUR ATTENDANCE HAS GROWN TO 130,000 PEOPLE A YEAR.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE A REALLY GREAT GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS, ABOUT 185 VOLUNTEERS THAT CONTRIBUTE ABOUT 10,000 HOURS A YEAR TO THE MUSEUM.
WE HAVE EIGHT FULL-TIME STAFF MEMBERS, UM, THAT THE PUBLIC INTEREST WILL BE SERVED.
THE MUSEUM HAS CONSISTENTLY GROWN THE POPULATION WE SERVE.
AND AS PART OF OUR STRATEGIC PLAN THAT WE ROLLED OUT THIS YEAR, WE REALLY WANNA FOCUS MORE ON SERVING THE ISLAND RESIDENTS AND OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY.
WE THINK WE DO A REALLY GOOD JOB WITH TOURISTS AND VISITORS TO THE ISLAND, BUT WE WANNA REALLY GROW OUR LOCAL VISITORSHIP AND MUSEUM MEMBERSHIP AND REALLY ENGAGED THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO WE'RE COMMITTED TO DOING THAT.
AND WE HAVE ADDED SOME STAFF MEMBERS, UH, MEMBERSHIP AND DEVELOPMENT STAFF MEMBER AND A FULL-TIME MARKETING STAFF MEMBER TO REALLY IMPROVE OUR REACH TO LOCAL RESIDENTS.
AND OH, I ALSO WANTED TO INVITE YOU, THERE'S TWO WEEKS LEFT OF OUR INTRICATE OCEANS EXHIBIT, SO IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THAT, PLEASE COME BY THE MUSEUM.
UM, AND TAKE A LOOK AT THAT IN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS.
IT'S A GREAT, UH, EXHIBITION WITH ARTISTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD EXHIBITING, UH, AT THE COASTAL DISCOVERY MUSEUM.
QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE? STAFFORD, WE'LL START WITH YOU JAMES.
AGAIN, I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION REGARDING THE REQUEST.
I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU AND THE BOARD FOR EXPANDING THE INTERESTS, THE HISTORY, THE ENVIRONMENT, THE ART CULTURE.
I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO, UM, SUSTAINING OUR BRAND.
AND I THINK YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB DOING THAT.
UM, I HAVE TO SAY I READ A LOT OVER THE COURSE OF MY CAREERS.
I HAVE READ A LOT OF GRANT APPLICATIONS.
IT'S SO WELL WRITTEN, IT'S SO EASY TO UNDERSTAND.
IT, UM, INCLUDES EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE ASKED TO BE INCLUDED.
UM, I ALSO WANT TO, UM, SAY THAT, UM, YOU RUN AN INCREDIBLE, UM, PLACE HERE ON HILTON HEAD THAT ENCOMPASSES EVERYTHING THAT HILTON HEAD IS ABOUT.
NOW I'M NERVOUS BECAUSE YOU'VE SAID TWO NICE THINGS ABOUT ME, AND I'M WAITING FOR THE BALL TO DROP
UM, WHEN OUR GRANDCHILDREN COME, ONE OF THE FIRST PLACES THEY WANT TO GO AND ASK TO GO BACK TO EVEN DURING A SHORT STAY, IS BACK TO THE COASTAL DISCOVERY
[00:30:01]
MUSEUM.THERE'S JUST SO MUCH TO DO AND, AND THE CHILDREN FEEL WHAT IT IS THAT WE ALL HAVE FELT ON THIS ISLAND COMING ACROSS THAT BEAUTIFUL BRIDGE.
SO THANK YOU FOR PRESERVING THAT.
AND THANK, THANK YOU FOR SAYING THAT BECAUSE I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT, THIS IS WHAT WE WANT EVERYONE THAT LIVES HERE ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND TO RECOGNIZE IS THAT THIS IS A PLACE FOR EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY TO COME AND ENJOY.
WHETHER THEY'RE ADULTS THAT LIKE TO WALK THE PROPERTY AND SEE THE CHAMELEON GARDEN, OR GRANDPARENTS WITH KIDS, OR PEOPLE THAT WANNA LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS PLACE AND COME TO OUR LECTURE SERIES, IT IS A PLACE FOR EVERYONE, UM, TO COME.
AND, AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE TRYING TO MARKET IT BETTER TO THE RESIDENTS WHO LIVE HERE, BECAUSE I THINK SOMETIMES THE TOURISTS KNOW MORE ABOUT US THAN THE LOCALS.
AND SO I'M SO GLAD THAT YOU'VE BECOME ENGAGED LIKE THAT.
WELL, WE HAVE NUMBER EIGHT ON THE WAY.
AND, UM, I LOOK FORWARD TO THE NEXT GROUP OF GRANDCHILDREN BEING ABLE TO SEE WHAT WE SEE AND LOVE SO MUCH HERE.
ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC WANT TO COMMENT ON THIS PARTICULAR REQUEST MISSED? IF I DID NOT RECOGNIZE COUNCILWOMAN BRYSON AND MAYOR PERRY, WHO ARE HERE, WELCOME TO THE CONVERSATION.
THANK YOU FOR BEING IN ATTENDANCE.
JUST HERE, IF I CAN JUST JUMP ON AND TAG, TAG ONTO THAT.
I ALSO WANNA RECOGNIZE THAT, UM, UH, COUNCILMAN, UM, LENNOX, TOM LENNOX, UM, IS ALSO JOINING US TODAY.
AND HE WAS ACTUALLY INSTRUMENTAL IN GETTING THIS WHOLE PROCESS OF THE AFFILIATED AGENCY, UM, KICKED OFF AND INTO PLACE.
LOOKING FOR ANOTHER JOB, MR. LENNOX.
UM, COASTAL DISCOVERY IS REQUESTING $107,700.
UH, AHAD WARD IS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR HISTORIC MITCHELL FREEDOM PARK.
UH, GLAD TO BE IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY TO DEFEND OUR AFFILIATED AGENCY PRESENTATION.
UH, WE ARE LEANING INTO 162 YEARS OF HISTORY, NOT OF OUR ORGANIZATION, BUT OF THE THING WE ARE TRYING TO PUSH, WHICH OF COURSE IS HILTON HEAD.
IT'S A SHINING, HIDDEN JEWEL OF MITCHELLVILLE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET OUT IN FRONT OF PEOPLE.
UH, OVER 10 YEARS OF PUBLIC INVESTMENT THERE.
STATE, COUNTY, TOWN, PRIVATE AND CHARITABLE.
UH, WE ARE A CORNERSTONE, AS I ME JUST MENTIONED, ONE OF THE TOP HERITAGE VISITOR ATTRACTIONS.
WE ARE VERY CONNECTED TO THE GULLAH GEECHEE TASK FORCE PRIORITY INITIATIVES.
UH, WE LEAN RIGHT INTO INCLUSIVENESS, DIVERSITY IN OUR ECONOMY, AND WE'RE TELLING THE STORY OF OUR DEEP ISLAND ROOTS HERE AND THE UNIQUE HISTORY THAT IS HERE WITH MITCHELLVILLE.
SO, UH, THE FUNDING THAT WE ARE ASKING YOU FOR REALLY GOES TOWARD HELPING OUR OPERATIONS TO PUSH THIS PROJECT FORWARD.
UH, THIS IS A PIVOTAL YEAR FOR US IN 2024 AS WE HAVE ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION HAPPENING AFTER YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS OF TRYING TO GET ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION HAPPENING.
AND SO WE'LL GO INTO A LITTLE BIT OF THAT A LITTLE LATER.
BUT JUST TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR REACH, UH, WE ARE ON THE QR CODES IN OUR PARK.
WE'RE REACHING 36 STATES AND ABOUT 12 COUNTRIES OUTSIDE THE AREA.
ONE OF WHICH WAS REALLY INTERESTING WAS UKRAINE.
UM, SO THAT REALLY STUCK OUT TO US.
WE HAD 1400 VISITORS FOR OUR JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION THAT SATURDAY EVENT LAST YEAR.
AND WE SAW 3000 PEOPLE FOR HOLIDAY NIGHTS AND LIGHTS, UH, WHO CAME THROUGH THE PARK IN DECEMBER FOR SIX HOURS OVER THREE NIGHTS.
AND SO WE'RE GETTING THE WORD OUT TO PEOPLE CAN SEE US.
UH, WE ARE TRULY TO REALLY TRY TO FOCUS THE EFFORTS AND COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS TO PUSH THIS THING FORWARD.
UH, THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN IN SOME FORM OF, OF GROWTH SINCE THE EARLY TWO THOUSANDS.
AND WE'RE FINALLY SEEING SOME, UH, SOME IMPACT COMING OUTSIDE OF THE AREA TO PUSH THINGS IN.
ALSO, FUNDING THAT'S COMING OUTSIDE OF THE AREA TO, TO PUSH THIS FORWARD, THIS PROJECT FORWARD.
I AM HAPPY TO SAY THAT, UH, ONE OF THE KEY EXTERIOR ELEMENTS, UH, THE GHOSTED STRUCTURES, WHICH REALLY CHRONICLE WHERE THE HOUSES WERE, SHOULD BE GOING INTO THE GROUND.
NO MORE DELAYS AT THE END OF NEXT MONTH.
SO WE'LL ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO PUT THOSE INTO THE GROUND, AND WE'LL BE INVITING ALL OF YOU TO A RIBBON CUTTING VERY SOON FOR THAT VERY IMPORTANT FIRST ELEMENT OF THE PARK SITE.
SO, SPEAKING OF DESTRUCTION, UH, YOU SEE SOME OF THE FUNDING THAT WE'VE READ.
WE'VE RECEIVED SO FAR, STATE FUNDING 1.2 MILLION FOR THE GHOST STRUCTURES IN A CHURCH REFLECTION AREA.
THIS CHURCH REFLECTION AREA SHOULD BE OPENING THIS SUMMER.
UH, THIS IS WHERE WE, WE FOUND, UH, A IMPRINT OF A CHURCH IN THIS SPACE, BUT ALSO A 4,000 YEAR OLD INDIGENOUS IMPRINT IN THE SAME AREA.
SO WE WILL BE TALKING ABOUT BOTH OF THESE VERY
[00:35:01]
IMPORTANT SITUATIONS.UH, MELLON FOUNDATION GAVE US $2.5 MILLION LAST YEAR.
THIS WILL GO TOWARDS THE FREEDOM PLAZA, WHICH IS THE CENTER OF OUR PARK, THE INTERPRETER TRAIL, AND ALSO A CLASSROOM, ARCHEOLOGICAL LAB BUILDING.
OF COURSE, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO DO PROGRAMS IN THIS BUILDING, ALSO PROCESSING THINGS THAT COME OUTTA EXCAVATIONS ON SITE.
THIS BUILDING IS SCHEDULED TO OPEN AT THE END OF 2025.
IT'D BE 4,000 SQUARE FEET RIGHT OFF OF BEACH CITY ROAD.
AND OF COURSE, WE'RE VERY PROUD THAT RBC AND HERITAGE CLASSIC FOUNDATION HAS GIVEN US $50,000 TO SUPPORT AN IMPORTANT HIGH SCHOOL LEADERSHIP PROGRAM CALLED MAGIC.
MAGIC STANDS FOR MODELING OUR ANCESTORS TO GENERATE INFLUENCE AND CHANGE.
WE ARE USING THE VILLE STORY AS A LEADERSHIP MODEL, AND WE ARE TRAINING THEM TO BE DOCENTS.
SO THIS SUMMER, THESE KIDS WILL BE LEADING TOURS OF THE PARK AND PEOPLE WHO COME TO SEE US.
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, IF THEY'RE THAT I ALMOST GOT VAST, UH, OUT OF THE GOAL.
WE'RE TRYING TO REACH, WE'RE CURRENTLY AROUND $8.1 MILLION.
THIS IS A QUIET PHASE THAT STARTED IN FEBRUARY OF 2022.
SO WITHIN THOSE TWO YEARS, WE ARE A THIRD OF THE WAY THERE.
UH, WE DO HAVE A, A COIN FLIP SHOT AT FUNDING FOR THE, UH, INTERPRETER CENTER LATER THIS SUMMER THAT YOU COULD REACH $12 MILLION.
UH, WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THIS, WHICH WILL PUT US REALLY CLOSE TO THE FINISH LINE.
UH, A LOT OF HARD WORK HAS GONE INTO THIS AND SOME PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM HAVE BEEN VERY HELPFUL FOR THAT.
AND SO WE ARE VERY, VERY APPRECIATIVE TO THEM AND ALSO TO YOU FOR HELPING US TO, TO GAIN SOME PROPERTY.
JOIN THE OWN TOWN AND COUNCIL, UH, PARCELS RIGHT ON BEACH CITY ROAD, WE ABLE TO PICK UP ABOUT THREE ADDITIONAL PARCELS.
UH, THIS IS GONNA HELP US TO DEVELOP, PROBABLY NOT STRUCTURAL WISE, BUT IT'LL HELP THE STORY.
THERE'S A LOT OF RIDGE ARCHEOLOGY IN THAT SPACE, AND HONESTLY, THERE'S PROBABLY 10 MORE YEARS OF RESEARCH THAT CAN HAPPEN UNDERGROUND ON THE PARK SITE.
SO THIS WILL ALLOW US TO NOT ONLY FIND THINGS FOR OUR OWN STORAGE AREA, OUR INTERPRETATION OF WHAT WE HAVE GOING ON, BUT ALSO PUBLIC ARCHEOLOGY PROJECTS FOR THE PUBLIC TO COME IN AND SEE THE KIND OF THINGS THAT WE ARE DOING AT THE SITE.
UH, WE ARE VERY HAPPY TO HAVE THIS CODIFIED TENURE OFFICIAL MOU WITH THE TOWN SECURING $105,000 ANNUALLY.
AND THIS COURSE, IT UNDERSCORES OUR COMMITMENT TO THESE LAND LONG-TERM AND COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
GETTING INTO SOME OF THAT, WE TALKED ABOUT THOSE QR CODES.
THIS WAS A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE OFFICE OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS.
UH, SO WE HAD ABOUT 7,700 TOTAL SCANS, AGAIN, ATTRACTING FROM ALL OVER THE PLACE.
SPEAKING OF REACH, WE ARE CONTINUING OUR CULT CULTIVATION, OUR EDUCATION AND CULTURAL ENGAGEMENT.
UH, WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOLIDAY NIGHTS AND LIGHTS.
WES CORNER IS PULLING IN PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE PLACE TO COME SEE US.
AND WE WILL BE INTRODUCING THIS YEAR, UH, INITIATIVE TO TAKE THAT PROGRAM AND OTHER EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS OUT INTO THE AREA IN BEAUFORT COUNTY AND ALL ACROSS HILTON HEAD.
'CAUSE WE KNOW THAT SOMETIMES THESE, UH, YOU KNOW, THESE CLASSROOMS CANNOT AFFORD AGAINST SHUTTLES TO COME AND SEE US.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE CAN PUT THIS HISTORY IN FRONT OF THEM TO ACT AS A RESOURCE, UH, SUPPLEMENTAL RESOURCE FOR TEACHERS WHO NEED THIS HISTORY IN THEIR CLASSROOMS. WE'RE GETTING A LITTLE BIT OF NATIONAL RECOGNITION.
ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS THAT HAPPENED, UH, LAST YEAR WAS THE NEW YORK TIMES CALLED US EIGHT PLACES ACROSS THE UNITED STATES THAT ILLUMINATE BLACK HISTORY.
THIS LITTLE PROJECT ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND, UH, THAT WAS A BIG DEAL FOR US.
WE WERE FEATURED, OF COURSE, IN NEWSWEEK, USA TODAY TRAVEL AND LEISURE, CONDE NA TRAVELER.
UH, WE ARE GETTING THE WORD OUT.
WE WANT TO THANK THE, THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FOR HELPING US TO PUSH THIS PROJECT FORWARD.
THE MORE PEOPLE SEE US, THE MORE, UH, WE CAN GENERATE THIS INTEREST BACK TO THIS AREA AND GET THIS PLACE BUILT.
ONE OF THE COOL THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW IS WE'RE TRYING TO SECURE A BOULDER FROM SIERRA LEONE, WHICH SYMBOLIZE THE DEEP HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE GULLAH GEECHEE HERITAGE CORRIDOR.
UH, WE ARE TRYING TO GET THIS BOULDER FROM THE OLD YAL REGION AT A PLACE CALLED KABBALA MOUNTAIN IN SIERRA LEONE.
AND IT IS FROM THIS MOUNTAIN THAT SIERRA LEONE HAS FOUGHT OFF ENSLAVERS FOR TWO CENTURIES.
AND SO WE WERE TRYING TO GET A BOULDER FROM THE, THE BASE OF THIS MOUNTAIN AND PUT INSIDE THE PARKS SO THAT THE DESCENDANTS OF THE PEOPLE IN MITCHELL CAN TOUCH THIS PLACE, BUT ALSO PEOPLE WHO WANNA LEARN MORE CAN TOUCH THIS PIECE OF HISTORY.
MAY NOT EVER MAKE IT TO THE CONTINENT, BUT IT TOUCH PIECE OF THIS PLACE.
AND WE ARE VERY EXCITED THAT AS OF DECEMBER, IT SEEMS LIKE WE HAVE THE MINISTER OF TOURISM FOR SIERRA LEONE INVOLVED IN THIS PROJECT.
SO THINGS ARE FINALLY STARTING TO MOVE FORWARD.
WE'RE SECURING THIS BOULDER ORGANIZATIONAL STRENGTH.
UH, WE HAVE OUR FIRST CLEAN AUDIT.
SO NOW WE HAVE AN OFFICIAL ORGANIZATION AND WE'VE HIRED A DIRECTOR OF FINANCES TO BAKER BROWN GREGORY, WHO STARTED WITH US IN THE FALL.
AND WE'LL BE RELOCATING TO THE AREA THIS MONTH.
AND SO GETTING TO OUR, UH, ACTUAL ASK, WE WANNA CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THIS IMPORTANT PROGRAMMING, UH, RE PROGRAM.
WE TALKED ABOUT FREEDOM DAY BLUES AND BARBECUE, WHICH IS COMING UP, UH, IN OUR
[00:40:01]
APRIL THE SIXTH.WE'LL INVITE YOU NOW TO COME SEE THAT.
UH, BUT THIS MONEY WILL HELP US KEEP THE ORGANIZATION MOVING.
WE HAVE A LOT OF POWER GOING BY OUR CAPITAL CAMPAIGN AND THINGS ARE COMING IN, BUT WE HAVE GENERAL FUNCTIONS OF THE PARK THAT NEED TO BE, UH, UPLIFTED UNDERGIRDED.
AND THIS WILL HELP US TO DO THAT.
THIS WILL CONSTITUTE APPROXIMATELY ABOUT A LITTLE OVER 10% OF OUR BUDGET, WHICH IS $977,000 FOR THIS YEAR.
SO WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT, AND WITH THAT, HERE'S HOW YOU CAN COME SEE US.
I'LL ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO STAND IN FRONT OF YOU THIS MORNING.
THA AMAN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
MS. BECKER, WHAT YEAR ARE WE IN? DO YOU KNOW OF THE MOU THE 10 YEAR? UH, THIS WILL BE, THIS IS THE THIRD YEAR.
AND, UM, I DON'T REALLY HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS, HONESTLY.
UM, BUT ONE I DID WANNA ASK YOU ABOUT IS THE DIRECTOR OF FINANCE THAT YOU'VE HIRED.
I KNOW THAT Y'ALL WORK CLOSELY WITH OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT IN TERMS OF HOW YOU PUT THINGS TOGETHER.
HOW WILL THAT CHANGE THINGS? OR WILL IT NO, IT, IT WON'T.
UH, THIS PERSON WILL BE ABLE TO, RIGHT.
WELL, YOU WERE LOOKING AT THE FORMER DIRECTOR OF FINANCE,
AND SO, UH, WE WORK CLOSELY WITH THE TOWN FOR CERTAIN PROJECTS, BUT THIS, UH, SHE'S GONNA BE ABLE TO HELP US ACROSS THE BOARD WITH CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS, THE THINGS THAT ARE COMING IN FROM THE STATE, THINGS THAT ARE COMING IN FOR FOUNDATIONAL SUPPORT.
UH, AND GIVE ME A LITTLE BIT OF A BREAK, GIVE YOU SOME FREE TIME TO GO OUT AND DO SOME MORE FUNDRAISING.
WELL, TO GO RAISE SOME MORE MONEY.
UH, MR. WARD, I JUST SIMPLY WANTED TO SAY THAT I'M IMPRESSED WITH HOW MUCH HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED IN SUCH A SHORT TIME.
IT, IT FEELS LIKE FOREVER, BUT IT'S MOVING
ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM? YES, I AM MELINDA TURNER.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I WAS IMPRESSED WITH THE LEVEL OF FUNDRAISING THAT YOU'VE ACCOMPLISHED SO FAR, OVER $8 MILLION.
AND I ALSO APPRECIATE, APPRECIATE YOUR OUTREACH PROGRAM.
I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND THE MEETING AT ST.
ANDREW'S BY THE SEA, AND I REALLY ENJOYED, UH, THAT OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE HISTORY AS WELL AS, UH, THE FUTURE DIRECTION OF THE PROJECT.
ANYONE ELSE? AND, UH, MR. AMES HAS EXCUSED HIMSELF FOR THE MOMENT.
UM, ON TO THE NEXT, I'LL CIRCLE BACK WHEN HE'S BACK IN HIS SEAT.
MR. GRUBER, BEING THAT USCB, THAT AMOUNT IS TIED TO THE MOU.
FAIR ENOUGH THAT WE SKIP OVER THAT.
WE'LL, NOW HAVE PAMELA BREEZE.
UM, I'M MARY LOU FRANZO, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE LOW COUNTRY REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY.
AND WE DO BUSINESS AS PALMETTO BREEZE, WHICH IS OUR MA MARKETING NAME.
AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING, UH, ME TO COME AND PRESENT OUR, UH, BUDGET REQUEST.
NOT MUCH HAS CHANGED FROM LAST YEAR TO THIS YEAR, AND I, I HAVE TO SAY, UM, UNTIL WE GET A TRANSPORTATION BILL PASSED, WE DON'T HAVE, UM, WE'RE GETTING OUR MONTHLY AMOUNTS, BUT WE DON'T REALLY KNOW OUR YEARLY AMOUNT UNTIL THE TRANSPORTATION BILL PASSES.
GENERALLY, IT GOES UP EVERY YEAR.
WE'RE, THIS BUDGET IS BASED OFF OF LAST YEAR'S MONEY BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THIS YEAR'S AMOUNT.
UM, THE BREED STRONGLY WILL BE RUNNING, UH, THE SAME SCHEDULE IN ROUTE.
WE ADDED ONE STOP THAT'S REALLY MINUTE, BUT WE DIDN'T HAVE A WAY FOR PEOPLE THAT WERE AT THE POSEIDON STATUE TO GET BACK TO, UH, SHELTER COVE OVER IN FRONT OF, OF JAMES BECAUSE THE ROUTES DIDN'T GO THAT WAY.
AND IT WAS BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION BY THE DRIVERS.
AT OUR, AFTER WE HAVE AN AFTER, UM, TROLLEY SEASONED, UH, UH, DEBRIEF WITH THEM.
AND THEY WERE LIKE, WE GET THAT REQUEST ALL THE TIME.
SO NOW THAT BUS IS GONNA COME IN, COMING NORTHBOUND INTO THE POSEIDON, AND THEN COME RIGHT BACK OUT AND GO TO SHELTER COVE SO PEOPLE CAN GO, DON'T HAVE TO WALK THEIR WAY BACK.
WHICH IT WAS AN OVERSIGHT, BUT, UM, WE'RE HAPPY THAT WE WERE ABLE TO, UH, STRAIGHTEN THAT OUT.
[00:45:02]
AND JUST TO SHOW FOR FOLKS THAT MAYBE DON'T KNOW, UH, THE BREADTH OF, OF FIVE COUNTY TRANSIT AUTHORITY, THESE ARE ALL OUR ROUTES.AND, UH, WHAT YOU SEE MOSTLY IS ALL OF THE COMMUTER ROUTES THAT BRING PEOPLE.
IT USED TO JUST, WHEN IT STARTED, THEY CAME TO HILTON HEAD TO WORK.
AND I HAVE TO SAY, THEY'RE DROPPING 'EM OFF ON ONE 70, THE HARDY V WALMART.
WE HAVE A BUS AT OUR FACILITY, ALL THE BUSES COME IN, AND THEN EVERYBODY SWITCHES AROUND BECAUSE THE BUSES PROCEED OUT OF OUR FACILITY IN BLUFFTON TO ALL THE LOCATIONS, ALL THE HOTELS AND ALL THE RESORTS.
AND WE HAVE A BUS THAT COVERS BLUFFTON, AND THERE'S A WHOLE GROUP OF PEOPLE GOING TO BLUFFTON AS WELL.
SO I'VE SEEN THAT GROWTH IN THE 10 YEARS I'VE BEEN HERE.
UM, WE DID, UM, UH, I DON'T KNOW IF I BROUGHT THIS UP LAST YEAR, BUT OUR MAINTENANCE CREW DID WIN FIRST PLACE AT THE STATEWIDE, UH, MAINTENANCE RODEO.
AND, AND WE ALWAYS LIKE TO BRAG ON 'EM BECAUSE IT'S COMPETITIVE AND THEY USE, UH, BRAKE BOARDS AND ALL KINDS OF TECHNOLOGY.
AND, UM, WE MANAGE, WE'VE TRIED TO WIN EVERY YEAR, BUT WE DID WIN.
UM, AND THERE'S OUR BEAUTIFUL TROLLEY AND, UH, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, WE PURCHASED OUR FIRST TROLLEYS IN 2018.
AND YOU CAN'T TELL THAT THEY'RE NOT BRAND NEW.
PEOPLE COME TO LOOK AT 'EM TO SEE WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE, UH, FROM OTHER AGENCIES AND, AND THEY REALLY ARE HOLDING UP WELL.
UM, WE LAST YEAR HAD 35,000, UH, PASSENGER TRIPS.
AND OUR ESTIMATION IS THAT'S ABOUT 12,000 VEHICLE TRIPS THAT WERE NOT MADE ON THE ISLAND.
AND THAT'S THE WHOLE OBJECT OF HAVING THE TROLLEYS OUT THERE, IS TO MAKE THE ROADWAYS, UM, FLOW A LITTLE BETTER DURING THE SUMMER.
UM, WE GET A LOT OF, UM, UH, FIVE STAR RATINGS.
WE HAVE, UM, A LOT OF FOLLOWERS ON FACEBOOK.
AND, UM, I HAVE A REALLY GREAT MARKETING PERSON THAT MAKES ALL THAT HAPPEN.
I, OUR SEASON THIS YEAR IS APRIL 13TH THROUGH LABOR DAY.
UM, WE ALWAYS START, UH, MOSTLY ALWAYS ON THE, UH, SATURDAY OF THE HERITAGE, BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE WE SEE A BIG DEMAND.
AND THAT WEEK IS VERY BIG FOR US IN APRIL.
THEN IT'S, IT SLACKS OFF A LITTLE UNTIL THE SEASON ACTUALLY REALLY STARTS.
UH, THE TROLLEY RUNS SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY TILL 1:00 PM TO 10:00 PM AND ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHTS, UM, TILL 11:00 PM WE HAVE A RIDER'S GUIDE THAT, UH, THAT, UH, IS FAIRLY LENGTHY BECAUSE IT ALSO SHOWS EVERY, ALL THESE, UM, UH, ADVERTISERS, ALL THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE ON THE ROUTE.
AND WE'VE HAD 21 THAT HAVE COME IN.
UH, AND IT SELLS VERY QUICKLY SO THAT WHEN THEY OPEN THE GUIDE, THEY CAN SEE, UM, BUSINESSES THAT ARE ON THE ROUTE.
AND WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH, UM, A GENTLEMAN THAT'S PRODUCED A, UM, AN APP.
AND, UH, IT WILL TELL PEOPLE, UM, WHERE THE RESTAURANTS ARE.
AND WE'VE GOT A SECTION THAT WE'RE GONNA PROMOTE THAT WILL TELL BY, BY BUS AREA.
SO FOLKS CAN GO ON THIS APP AND SAY, I'M AT STOP ONE, WHAT ARE THE RESTAURANTS? AND IT'LL SHOW ALL THE RESTAURANTS.
UM, WE HAVE MADE AN EFFORT TO REALLY ENHANCE THE ISLANDS BRAND FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE GETTING ON THE BUS.
UH, WE HAVE, UM, UH, A MONITOR THAT PLAYS DIFFERENT, UM, UH, CELEBRATIONS IF IT'S A, A
UH, WE HAVE, UH, LOOPS THAT ARE ON A VIDEO FOR PEOPLE TO LOOK AT EVERY MONDAY.
WE PUT UP, UM, IN EACH OF THE TROLLEY, BUSES, UH, UH, A SCHEDULE OF EVERYTHING GOING ON ON THE ISLAND FOR THAT WEEK.
AND ONE OF THE DRIVERS RECOMMENDED THAT.
UM, WE DO, UH, PARTICIPATE IN ALL THE PARADES.
UH, THE TOWN CAN CALL US AT ANY TIME TO COME AND DO, UH, A SHUTTLE OR, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER IS NEEDED FOR THE TOWN.
AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A POINT OF THAT AS WELL AS THAT WE AS A PUBLIC TRANSIT PROVIDER ARE NOT ALLOWED TO COMPETE WITH CHARTER OPERATORS.
SO FOR THE TOWN WHO IS OUR PARTNER, WE ARE ALLOWED TO DO SHUTTLES FOR YOU.
BUT WHEN OTHER FOLKS SAY, HEY, CAN YOU DO A SHUTTLE FOR THIS EVENT? IF IT'S NOT THE TOWN ASKING, WE'RE REQUIRED TO PUT IT ON A CHARTER WEBSITE WHERE IT SITS FOR THE PRIVATE OPERATORS TO HAVE FIRST DIBS OVER.
IT JUST WANTED EVERYBODY TO KNOW, BECAUSE I'VE GOTTEN CALLS FROM THE TOWN STAFF SAYING, WHY AREN'T YOU DOING THIS? WELL, WE'LL DO IT IF NO ONE ELSE WILL DO IT, BUT WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO COMPETE JUST SO EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT.
UM, AND WE WILL BE IN THE, UH, UH, I DON'T KNOW WHERE MY BRAIN WENT TODAY.
PATRICK'S DAY PARADE THIS WEEKEND.
AND, UM, I LIKE TO EXPLAIN HOW, HOW WE ARE BUDGETED.
'CAUSE SOME FOLKS DON'T UNDERSTAND IT.
THE MAJORITY OF OUR BUDGET COMES FROM THE, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
[00:50:01]
THIS IS OUR URBAN SIDE OF THE BUDGET, THE STATE, OTHER STATES I'VE BEEN IN SPLIT THE LOCAL MATCH AND TAKE HALF OF IT.AND OUR STATE HAS NOT RAISED THE LOCAL MATCH SINCE 1989 WHEN THEY FIRST GAVE IT OUT TO EIGHT TRANSIT AGENCIES.
WE NOW HAVE 27 OR 28, AND WE'RE WORKING THROUGH OUR ASSOCIATION, OUR STATE ASSOCIATION, TO TRY TO GET THE STATE TO UP THE STATE FUNDING BECAUSE THEY HAVE IT.
AND WE'RE HOPING WE GET TRACTION ON THAT.
THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO POINT OUT HERE IS THE PERCENTAGE, UH, OF THE POPULATION IS DUE TO THE CENSUS TRACK DATA.
AND IN 2020 IT CHANGED AND IT REALLY IS BENEFICIAL FOR HILTON HAD, BECAUSE BOTH THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON AND UNINCORPORATED BEAUFORT HAD A POPULATION, UM, BOOST.
AND SO THAT REALLY WAS HELPFUL FOR, FOR HILTON HAD.
SO OUR LOCAL MATCH REQUEST FOR JUST THE URBAN SIDE IS 203,595,000.
AND ON OUR RURAL SIDE, WE DON'T DO RURAL TRANSPORTATION IN, IN HILTON HEAD REALLY? 'CAUSE YOU'RE THE URBAN AREA, BUT WE BRING THE RURAL BUSES IN FOR THE WORKERS.
AND SO WE'VE ASKED EVERY YEAR IF HILTON HEAD CAN HELP US SOMEWHAT ON THE RURAL SIDE BECAUSE WE COME UP SHORT A LOT OF TIMES ON THE RURAL SIDE WITH THOSE COUNTIES.
SO WE'RE ASKING FOR 50,000 ON THE RURAL SIDE IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
UM, SO HOW MANY BUSES ALTOGETHER? COME ON.
WE HAVE 44, UM, 44, UH, REVENUE VEHICLES, AND THEN WE HAVE A LOT OF SUPPORT VEHICLES AS WELL.
DOES THAT INCLUDE THE SHUTTLES? YES.
AND WHEN YOU SAID 35,000 PASSENGER TRIPS, DOES THAT MEAN A TRIP TAKEN BY ONE OF THE BUSES OR DOES THAT MEAN A PASSENGER WAS ON ONE, AT LEAST ONE PASSENGER WAS ON THE BUS PASSENGER TRIPS.
SO COMING THE PEOPLE ARE THE BUSES.
IT'S THE, IT'S THE TRIPS THAT PEOPLE MAKE, THE TRIPS THAT PEOPLE MAKE.
UM, AND YOU MENTIONED THAT THERE ARE 21 BUSINESSES THAT YOU'RE MM-HMM.
AND UM, I THINK I SAW IN THE DOCUMENTS THAT THERE WERE OTHER, UM, BUSINESSES THAT HAVE, OR ORGANIZATIONS, BUSINESSES THAT HAVE, UM, ASKED YOU TO DO VARIOUS THINGS, I GUESS MAKE STOPS, WHATEVER.
ARE THEY CONTRIBUTING AT ALL IN ANY WAY? UM, NOT TO THE TROLLEY, NO MA'AM.
THERE'S, THERE'S NO FEE IF THEY ASK YOU TO CIRCLE IN AND PICK UP A GROUP OF PEOPLE OR, WE DON'T REALLY DO THAT WITH THE TROLLEY.
THE TROLLEY STAYS ON ITS ROUTE.
BUT FOLKS MAY ASK US IF WE CAN, UM, HELP WITH A FESTIVAL OR, UH, WE'VE DONE A LOT FOR THE TOWN AND WE'VE HAD PEOPLE ASK, CAN YOU COME PICK UP A GROUP UP AT THE WESTIN? AND AND IF IT'S NOT THE TOWN, WE TELL 'EM WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO HELP OUT.
SO HOW THOSE BUSINESSES THAT ARE REFERRED TO IN THE DOCUMENTS, WHAT ARE, WHAT IS THAT RELATIONSHIP THEN? I'M NOT SURE.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
IS THERE A COST FOR THE APP OR THAT NO, THERE'S NO COST FOR THE APP THAT'S BEING DEVELOPED.
AND BRIAN SULLIVAN, MY DIRECTOR OF MARKETING IS WORKING WITH THIS INDIVIDUAL AND WAS, UM, WHO JUST WANTED TO INCLUDE US, BUT THEN SAID HE WOULD WRITE US A SECTION FOR OUR TROLLEY STOPS, WHICH WE REALLY THINK WILL BE NICE.
SALFORD, DO I UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY THAT THE REDUCTION IN YOUR REQUEST THIS YEAR FROM THE TOWN RELATES TO THE POPULATION CHANGES WITHIN THE COUNTY? AND BECAUSE BUFF AND SO FORTH HAVE GOTTEN BIGGER, THEY ARE TAKING A LARGER SHARE? WE'RE TAKING A SMALLER SHARE.
THAT STARTED LAST YEAR, BUT I WAS JUST BRINGING IT UP.
IT, IT ISN'T NEW THIS YEAR THAT THE POPULATION CHANGED, BUT YES, SIR.
WE HAVE OUR ANNUAL REVIEW WITH THE PUBLIC PLANNING COMMITTEE, BUT WE'RE TALKING TODAY ABOUT THE BUDGET AND I HAVE NO QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BUDGET.
UH, THE BACKUP MATERIAL, UM, SHOWS THAT THERE'S AN INCREASE IN THE SOCIAL MEDIA, UM, ACTIVITY.
UM, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S A DECREASE IN THE RIDERSHIP ON, ON HILTON HEAD.
WELL, I THINK THE RIDERSHIP IN 21 THAT WE WERE VERY EXCITED ABOUT WAS OVER 50,000, BUT I BELIEVE THAT WAS ALSO WHEN HILTON HEAD THROUGH COVID WAS BOOKED COMPLETELY FOR THE SUMMER IN LIKE MARCH OR APRIL.
AND WE GOT EXCITED THAT WE DID THE AIRPORT ROUTE STUDY THINKING THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS GONNA BE CONTINUING.
BUT ACTUALLY IN 22 WE KIND OF SETTLED BACK INTO OUR,
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OUR REGULAR PATTERN, SO WE DON'T FEEL LIKE THERE'S LESS INTEREST.WE FEEL LIKE 21 WAS KIND OF AN ANOMALY OF A YEAR.
AND, AND I HAVE TO POINT OUT, IT RAINED A LOT OF SATURDAYS THIS YEAR AND WE GET A LOT OF TRAFFIC, UH, ON THE WEEKENDS WHEN IT'S A BEAUTIFUL, UH, WEATHER WEEKEND.
SO WE DID SEE A LOT OF RAIN OUTS LAST SUMMER.
AND, UM, THIS SEASON, UH, STARTS APRIL 13TH, I THINK YOU SAID? YES, SIR.
UM, JUST WONDERING, WAS THERE ANY CONSIDERATION OF HOW EARLY EASTER IS THIS YEAR WITH EASTER TYPICALLY IS SORT OF THE KICKOFF FOR THE SEASON ON HILTON HEAD? ANY CONSIDERATION THERE? WE, WE LOOKED AT EVERYTHING AND, AND TO BE, UM, TOTALLY TRANSPARENT ABOUT ALL OF THIS IS WE STRUGGLE EVERY YEAR TO GET OUR SEASONAL WORK FILLED TO DO THE CHARLIE, IT'S SIX FULL-TIME POSITIONS OF THOSE SIX TWO CONTINUED YEAR ROUND WORK.
AND SO WE'RE TRAINING AND WE'RE HIRING TRAINING AND GETTING, UM, MORE OPERATORS IN PLACE.
AND SO THERE IT WOULD BE, WE STARTED LAST YEAR, APRIL ONE BECAUSE THE SATURDAY BEFORE THE HERITAGE WAS THE DAY AFTER GOOD FRIDAY THAT WE'RE CLOSED.
AND WE, WE WANTED THAT WEEK TO GET READY AND, AND IT WAS A STRUGGLE.
AND WHAT HAPPENS IS MY STAFF DRIVES WHEN WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH DRIVERS AND, AND SO WE NEED THE TIME TO GET OUR SEASONAL FOLKS UP AND RUNNING.
UM, I JUST HAVE ONE COMMENT THAT I THINK WE, WE SHOULD TAKE A MOMENT TO, UM, TO CONGRATULATE YOUR, UM, TEAM WHO, WHO WON THE SERVICE MAINTENANCE AWARD.
UM, MY HUSBAND'S BEEN A MECHANIC FOR 50 YEARS AND A LOT OF, UM, SKILL, A LOT OF TRAINING, A LOT OF HARD WORK GOES INTO THAT.
AND I'LL MAKE SURE THAT I LET THEM KNOW.
NO, NO CHANGES TO THE PROPOSED REQUESTS.
UH, MR. AMES, AS YOU STEPPED OUT, WE DID NOT, UH, NOD ON THE MITCHELLVILLE REQUEST OF 105,000.
DID YOU HAVE ANY? NO, WE GOOD.
I I'D HAVE JUST A QUESTION THOUGH.
IS THIS, YOU REMINDED ME WHEN YOU BROUGHT UP THE FACT THAT THE MOU WITH USCB HAS BAKED INTO IT AN AMOUNT OF MONEY.
THE MITCHELLVILLE, ACCORDING TO THE DOCUMENT ALSO HAS THE 105 BAKED INTO IT.
IS THAT CORRECT OR HELP WITH THAT MR. GRUBER? YES, MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.
AND, AND MS. BECKER, YOU ARE CORRECT, THAT IS BAKED INTO IT AS WELL.
THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BEING, WE JUST RECENTLY DISCUSSED THE MOU TERMS AND SO BRINGING THEM BACK IN TO MAKE THE SCENE PRESENTATION AGAIN, DIDN'T MAKE A WHOLE LOT OF SENSE, BUT FOR NEXT YEAR WE WOULD ASK THEM TO COME IN AND MAKE A PRESENTATION SIMILARLY.
SO IT'S, IT FOR THIS YEAR, IT'S PRIMARILY JUST TIMING.
SIR, YOU HAVE TWO REQUEST HERE.
WHAT I'M ASKING THAT YOU WRAP BOTH OF THOSE INTO ONE.
THIS IS JEFF KID, THIS IS MY CHIEF OF, UH, CHIEF OF STAFF AND HE DID THE POWERPOINT.
SO HE'S, HE'S ACTUALLY THE BRAINS TO THE OUTFIT.
I'M GONNA LET HIM RUN THROUGH THAT.
BUT LET, LET ME JUST TELL YOU THE REASON I'M, I'M HERE.
FIRST OF ALL, I WANT THANK THE TOWN FOR THEIR SUPPORT, UH, AND FOR THE PARTNERSHIP THAT WE'VE HAD FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS ON BOTH OF THESE PROJECTS.
BUT THE, BOTH OF THE PROJECTS ARE INTERTWINED IN THIS WAY.
WHAT WE DEAL WITH AS A PROSECUTION UNIT ON A REGULAR BASIS ARE, ARE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF PEOPLE.
UH, TWO IN PARTICULAR IS WHAT THESE TWO PROGRAMS ADDRESS.
ONE IS THE, UH, OFFENDER THAT WE DEAL WITH THAT EMBRACES ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR.
THIS IS SOMEBODY THAT, THAT MOST CRIMINOLOGISTS WOULD TELL YOU DRIVE THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.
THIS IS THE 20% OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE DEAL WITH THAT CAUSE THE MAJORITY OF THE PROBLEMS. THAT'S OUR CAREER CRIMINAL UNIT.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S MEANT TO DEAL WITH THOSE TYPE OF PEOPLE.
THE OTHER IS A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY STRUGGLE WITH ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR.
THESE PEOPLE, UH, INCLUDE IN, IN, UNFORTUNATELY IN SOME SITUATIONS, VETERANS THAT WE HAVE SENT OFF TO FOREIGN LANDS THAT HAVE COME BACK WITH MENTAL ILLNESSES THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE WHEN THEY LEFT.
AND THOSE PEOPLE ARE TURNING TO ALCOHOL OR DRUGS AND OTHER THINGS THAT GET THEM INVOLVED IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.
IT CAN ALSO BE, UH, ANYONE PICKING UP AN ALCOHOL OR DRUG PROBLEM NEEDS A TREATMENT AND ARE ABLE TO BECOME GOOD CITIZENS AGAIN.
SO WE'RE DEALING ON THIS GRANT APPLICATION REALLY WITH BOTH OF THOSE.
NUMBER ONE IS HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH THE REPEAT THE HABITUAL OFFENDER AND THE MOST VIOLENT OFFENDERS, BUT AT THE SAME TIME PROVIDE TREATMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY TO
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THOSE PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY CAN BECOME GOOD CITIZENS AGAIN AND, AND BE A PART OF OUR COMMUNITY.I BELIEVE THAT BOTH OF THESE PROGRAMS ARE PARTICULARLY SUCCESSFUL.
OUR CAREER CRIMINAL TEAM HAS HIT NOW 483, UH, REPEAT VIOLENT OFFENDERS THAT THEY HAVE PROSECUTED.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE CONSISTENTLY OVER THE YEARS HAVE HELD A 90% CONVICTION RATE.
AND ON THE OTHER HAND, YOU'VE GOT A, WHAT WE CALL A MULTIDISCIPLINARY COURT INSTEAD OF WHAT MOST PEOPLE THINK OF AS DRUG COURT.
WE CALL IT MULTIDISCIPLINARY BECAUSE I DON'T WANNA PIGEONHOLE THESE PEOPLE.
I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO COME INTO THE SYSTEM AND WE ASSUME THEY HAVE A DRUG PROBLEM WHEN THEY MAY ACTUALLY HAVE A MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEM OR ASSUME THAT THEY HAVE A MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEM WHEN THEY MAY HAVE SOME OTHER ISSUE THAT THAT NEEDS TO BE DEALT WITH.
SO BOTH OF THESE PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN RUNNING FOR QUITE A WHILE.
THEY HAVE NOW BEEN, UH, EXPANDED AND HAVE, I THINK, BEEN PARTICULARLY SUCCESSFUL.
AND I APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT THAT, THAT THE TOWN HAS GIVEN US.
UM, IT TAKES A LOT OF PEOPLE TO PUT TOGETHER THIS PROGRAM AND TO MAKE SURE BOTH OF THESE WORK, BUT IT'S BEEN SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE'RE PARTICULARLY PROUD OF.
AND ON OUR JUST SAY THANK YOU, UH, JEFF AGAIN DID THE PRESENTATION.
I HEARD THAT YOU COMPLIMENTED SOMEBODY EARLIER ON THEIR REALLY NICE, GOOD JOB THEY DID ON THEIR GRANT APPLICATION.
IF I DO NOT HEAR THAT FROM YOU TO, UH, JEFF, THEN I'M GONNA BRING SOMEBODY ELSE TO DO THIS NEXT YEAR.
BUT ANYWAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
AND I, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FROM MY END, AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO JEFF AND LET HIM EXPLAIN TO THE NUMBERS TABLE.
AND I THINK, UH, AND I THINK THE SOLICITOR HIT A LOT OF THE HIGHLIGHTS, SO I'LL TRY TO, I MEAN, WE DO HAVE TWO PROGRAMS. UH, I'M NOT SURE I CAN, UH, STAY UNDER THE FIVE MINUTE LIMIT, BUT I'M GONNA GIVE IT A, A GOOD SHOT AND TRY TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF A RECAP OF WHAT WE'VE DONE IN, IN 2023 IN PARTICULAR.
AND THEN ALSO LOOKING BACK A LITTLE FURTHER, UH, AS YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN HERE, UH, WE'VE, I THINK THESE FUNDING LEVELS HAVE BEEN ABOUT THE SAME FOR PROBABLY, AT LEAST AS LONG AS I'VE BEEN HERE.
UH, SO WE HAVE, UH, BEEN ABLE TO KIND OF HOLD, HOLD THE LINE, UH, IN A LOT OF RESPECTS, UM, AS A SOLICITOR, UH, EXPLAINED REALLY, OUR CAREER CRIMINAL UNIT, THIS IS A, A COLLECTION OF OUR REALLY, OUR, OUR FINEST ATTORNEYS, UH, ATTORNEYS, UH, THE MOST EXPERIENCED, UH, AND, AND BEST IN FRONT OF A JURY BECAUSE A LOT OF THESE, UH, IN THE CAREER CRIMINAL CASES, THE WORST OF THE WORST.
THEY'RE TYPICALLY NOT GONNA SETTLE IN A PLEA.
THEY'RE GONNA GO, THEY'RE GONNA TRY TO PLEAD THEIR CASE IN FRONT OF THE JURY.
AND SO WE NEED TO HAVE, UM, ATTORNEYS WHO ARE GOOD IN FRONT OF A, UH, IN FRONT OF A JURY.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE ON THAT TEAM INVESTIGATORS AND, UM, AND A VIC AND VICTIM ADVOCATES, UH, AS WELL, UH, THAT WILL HELP US GET THOSE CASES THROUGH.
AND AGAIN, AS HE EXPLAINED ABOUT THE MULTIDISCIPLINARY COURT, UH, WE'RE REALLY LOOKING, THIS IS A PROGRAM GEARED TOWARDS THE OPPOSITE END OF THAT CONTINUUM.
THIS IS PEOPLE WHO ARE, UH, ONE THING IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE, THESE ARE NONVIOLENT OFFENDERS.
UH, BUT THEY MIGHT, IT'S ALSO A LITTLE DIFFERENT FROM LIKE PRETRIAL INTERVENTION, WHICH YOU MIGHT BE, UH, FAMILIAR WITH, UH, FOR FIRST TIME OFFENDERS.
A LOT OF OUR MULTIDISCIPLINARY COURT, UH, FOLKS DO HAVE, UH, THEY MIGHT HAVE SOME FAIRLY SUBSTANTIAL RAP SHEETS AND, AND CRIMINAL HISTORIES.
UH, BUT AGAIN, NO VIOLENT OFFENSES.
UH, SO WE'RE LOOKING, UH, THE, UH, THE AIM THERE IS TO, UH, GIVE THEM THE TREATMENT THAT THEY NEED, UH, IF WE FEEL LIKE ADDICTION, UH, IS UNDERLYING THEIR, UH, THEIR CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR, UH, TO GET 'EM THE TREATMENT, BUT NOT JUST THE TREATMENT.
THE OTHER VERY IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF THAT, UH, IS, UH, CLOSE SUPERVISION.
THAT INCLUDES, UH, WEEKLY, UH, STATUS HEARINGS IN FRONT OF A, A JUDGE.
UH, AND IT ALSO INCLUDES, UH, REGULAR DRUG TESTING.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO IS WE BROUGHT OUR DRUG TESTING PROGRAM IN-HOUSE.
WE'RE ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, AS, AS I MENTIONED, WE'VE KIND OF HELD THE LINE ON OUR REQUEST FROM THE TOWN IN TERMS OF, UH, DOLLAR AMOUNT.
ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE DID THAT, UH, A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO DURING COVID, WE WERE HAVING A REALLY DIFFICULT TIME GETTING QUICK TURNAROUND ON OUR, UH, ON OUR DRUG TEST.
WE WOULD SEND THOSE SAMPLES OFF.
UM, AND IT WAS, UH, TAKING US TWO TO THREE WEEKS IN A LOT OF CASES TO GET THOSE RESULTS BACK.
THAT'S FRANKLY, FAR TOO SLOW FOR US TO, UH, BASICALLY ENFORCE CONSEQUENCES FOR, FOR FAILING A TEST.
UH, AT THE SAME TIME, THEY WERE JACKING THE PRICE UP ON US.
SO WE DID A LITTLE BIT OF A, A, OF A COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS AND DETERMINED THAT WE COULD LEASE THE EQUIPMENT, HIRE AN ANALYST, AND ACTUALLY BRING OUR PROGRAM IN HOUSE, UH, AND ACTUALLY DO IT CHEAPER, UH, THAN WE WERE DOING, UH, BEFORE.
AND ALSO, UM, HAVE RESULTS IN A MATTER OF HOURS A DAY TOPS, UH, WHEN WE, UH, DO A DRUG SCREENING.
IN TERMS OF THE EFFICACY OF THE PROGRAM, UH, I MENTIONED A, UH, GAVE YOU A DESCRIPTION OF THE CAREER CRIMINAL UNIT.
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I'D POINT OUT, 2023, WE HAD A, A, A PARTICULARLY SUCCESSFUL YEAR.UH, WE HAD, WE HAD, UH, WE EARNED CONVICTION CONVICTIONS AGAINST 44 DEFENDANTS.
UH, THAT IS THE SECOND MOST THAT, UH, WE HAVE NOTCHED IN A SINGLE YEAR SINCE THE PROGRAM BEGAN IN 2009.
UH, WE DID HAVE 44 IN ONE OTHER YEAR.
I BELIEVE THAT WAS 2017 OR 2018.
13 OF THOSE DEFENDANTS, UH, WERE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
UH, AND JUST TO BE CLEAR, UH, THIS GOES FOR BOTH OF THE CAREER CRIMINAL AND THE MULTIDISCIPLINARY COURT PROGRAMS. UH, THOSE ARE PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE CIRCUIT WIDE, ALL FIVE OF OUR CIRCUIT COUNTIES.
HOWEVER, YOUR, UH, CONTRIBUTION TO THOSE PROGRAMS IS CONFINED TO THE BEAUFORT COUNTY OPERATIONS.
UH, SO YOU'RE NOT, UH, YOU'RE NOT SUBSIDIZING, UH, WORK THAT'S HAPPENING, UH, ELSEWHERE AROUND THE CIRCUIT.
UM, LOOKING MORE SPECIFICALLY AT, AT HILTON HEAD HIGH, UH, HILTON HEAD HIGH, HILTON HEAD ISLAND DEFENDANTS, UM, THE CAREER CRIMINAL UNIT HAS, UH, EARNED CONVICTIONS AGAINST ALL 10, UH, OF THE DEFENDANTS.
IT IS, IT IS PROSECUTED, UH, SINCE 2019.
THIS IS THE MOST RECENT ONE I WANNA SHOW YOU.
UH, THIS IS, UH, TIMOTHY LAMAR HERNDON.
UH, I DON'T WANT TO GO INTO GREAT DETAIL ABOUT THE NATURE OF HIS OFFENSE, SIMPLY BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO INDIRECTLY IDENTIFY A VICTIM.
UH, BUT, UH, HE WAS CHARGED, UH, INITIALLY WITH I BELIEVE, FIVE COUNTS OF CRIMINAL, SEXUAL, UH, CONDUCT WITH A MINOR.
UH, HE BASICALLY, UM, THERE WERE TWO GIRLS OVER A PERIOD OF YEAR, UH, OF SEVERAL YEARS, UH, THAT, UH, THAT HE HAD VIOLATED.
UH, AND REALLY, UM, AGAIN, THE OTHER REASON I DON'T WANNA GO INTO DETAILS, BECAUSE WHAT HE DID WAS SO GRAPHIC THAT, UH, IT'S REALLY JUST NOT SUITABLE FOR EXPLANATION IN A FORUM LIKE THIS.
UH, AS I MENTIONED, HE INITIALLY HAD FIVE CHARGES AGAINST HIM.
UH, ONE OF THE PROBLEMS WITH THAT, THOUGH, AND THIS GOES BACK TO THE THING THAT WE TALK ABOUT IN TERMS OF EXECUTION OF OUR PROSECUTORIAL DISCRETION, IS CONSIDERING WHAT IS AN APPROPRIATE PENALTY FOR SOMEBODY WHO, UH, STRUGGLES WITH ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOR AGAINST SOMEBODY WHO IS, UH, UH, VERSUS SOMEBODY WHO EMBRACES THAT ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR.
MR. HERNDON CLEARLY WAS EMBRACING ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR.
NONE OF THE CHARGES AGAINST HIM CARRIED THE POSSIBILITY OF A LIFE SENTENCE THAT WAS PROBLEMATIC.
SOLICITOR STONE, UH, PROSECUTED THIS CASE PERSONALLY, UH, AND IT DID SOMETHING.
I THINK THAT IS, UM, UH, THAT, THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE ADMIRED IN WATCHING HIS WORK, UH, IN THE, IN THE SEVEN YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN HERE, IS THAT HE'S ALWAYS THINKING ABOUT WHAT IS THE PROPER OUTCOME OF THIS CASE, AND HOW DO I ACHIEVE IT? BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MR. HERNAN DID, IN ADDITION TO COMMITTING THESE SEXUAL ASSAULTS, IS THAT HE AL ALSO PHOTOGRAPHED AND, UH, VIDEOTAPED, UH, SOME OF THOSE ASSAULTS.
SO HE WAS ABLE TO, UH, IN ADDITION TO THOSE, UH, CRIMINAL SEXUAL ASSAULT CHARGES TACK ON, UH, THE, UM, SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF A MINOR.
SO INSTEAD OF GOING TO COURT TO PROVE FIVE CHARGES, HE WENT TO PROVE 17.
THE ADVANTAGE OF THAT IS THAT WHEN WE GOT, WE DID EARN THE CONVICTION, OBVIOUSLY, BUT WHEN IT GOT TIME TO ASK FOR A SENTENCE, INSTEAD OF ASKING THAT, THOSE SENTENCES, AS IS FAIRLY TYPICAL, THAT THEY RUN CONCURRENTLY, SOLICITOR STONE ASK THAT THEY BE LINED UP CONSECUTIVELY.
UH, HE'S GOT, HE DID GET A LIFE SENTENCE, BUT HE GOT 110 YEARS IN PRISON, WHICH IS LONGER THAN HE'S GONNA LIVE.
UM, A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS, UH, TO, TO NOTE ABOUT THE CAREER CRIMINAL UNIT.
UM, CONVICTION OF 80% OR MORE OF OUR DEFENDANTS IS KIND OF A, A BASELINE, WHAT WE CONSIDER ACCEPTABLE.
UH, WE'VE DONE CONSIDERABLY BETTER THAN THAT, UH, THROUGH THE YEARS.
WE'RE AT ABOUT 91.4%, UH, OF A CONVICTION RATE.
AND, UH, ALSO, UH, WE HAVE THE SAME, UH, SUCCESS RATE, UH, IN BUFORT COUNTY.
'CAUSE AGAIN, THIS IS A, A PROGRAM THAT'S, UH, OVER ALL FIVE COUNTIES IN OUR CIRCUIT.
UM, IN TERMS OF THE BEAUFORT OR, OR THE HILTON HEAD, UH, DEFENDANTS, WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT 16 AND A HALF YEARS, IS THE AVERAGE SENTENCE SINCE 2019.
UH, BUT WE'RE LOOKING AT, UH, THE HILTON HEAD DEFENDANTS ARE CONCERNED.
UH, THE AVERAGE SENTENCE IS ABOUT 27.2, UH, YEARS.
SO WE'VE DONE, UM, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY SOME SERIOUS CASES.
MR. HERNDON BROUGHT THAT AVERAGE UP A, A GOOD DEAL AS WELL WITH 110 YEAR SENTENCE.
BUT EVEN BEF, EVEN IF YOU TAKE HIM OUT OF THE EQUATION, UM, WE WERE, UH, RUNNING IT, UH, THE HILTON HEAD DEFENDANTS, AND THAT'S DEFINED AS ANYBODY WHO LIVES, WORKS, OR COMMITTED THEIR CRIME ON HILTON HEAD.
UM, WE'RE GETTING, UH, SIGNIFICANTLY, UH, MORE STERN, UH, PUNISHMENTS THAN, UH, THAN THE OTHER, UH, CRIMINAL, UH, CCU, UH, DEFENDANTS, UM, KIND OF RUN THROUGH THE MDC STUFF A LITTLE MORE QUICKLY.
UM, AGAIN, THESE ARE FOR, UH, PEOPLE WHO, WHO ARE THINK THIS ISN'T JUST ANY, UH, LOWER LEVEL OFFENDER.
IT'S, UH, REALLY LOOKING FOR, UM,
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PEOPLE WHO HAVE SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS, UH, THAT UNDERPIN THEIR, THEIR CRIMINAL ACTIVITY, UH, IN THE ERA OF, UH, FENTANYL AND OPIOID ADDICTIONS, THOUGH THAT'S REALLY BEEN, IT'S NOT ONLY ABOUT TURNING SOME OF PEOPLE'S LIVES AROUND, ALTHOUGH OF COURSE THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT, UH, IN THIS ERA, THAT'S REALLY LIFESAVING WORK.UH, AS WE, WE SEE THE, UH, THE INCREASE IN, IN OVERDOSE OVERDOSE DEATHS, UH, OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, UH, LOOKING AT SOME OF THE PARTICULAR GRADUATES OF THE HILTON HEAD PROGRAM THROUGH THE YEAR, UH, WE HAVE SEVERAL WHO HAVE STARTED THEIR OWN BUSINESS.
UH, WE'VE HAD ONE WHO HAS GONE ON TO, I BELIEVE DUKE UNIVERSITY AND EARNED AN ADVANCED DEGREE MORE RECENTLY.
UH, THE LAST TWO HERE ON THIS, ON THIS BULLET, UH, LIST, UH, ARE FROM 2023 THAT JUST THE PAST YEAR, UM, WE'VE ACTUALLY HAD, UH, TWO OF OUR PARTICIPANTS WHO WERE PARTICIPANTS IN THE SEX TRADE, THEY ARE NO LONGER, UH, WE HELPED NOT ONLY REHABILITATE THEM IN TERMS OF THEIR SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER, BUT TO GET THEM OUT OF, UH, GET 'EM OUT OF THAT TRADE.
AND WE HAD A THIRD, UH, WHO WAS HOMELESS WHEN HE ENTERED OUR PROGRAM.
IT'S NOT TYPICAL FOR US TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT, BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, THAT, THAT YOU REALLY NEED IS A STABLE SUPPORT SYSTEM, UH, TO AID YOU IN THE RECOVERY.
BUT, UH, THERE WERE A COUPLE OF THINGS, UH, PARTICULAR TO THIS PERSON'S CASE THAT WE FELT LIKE IT WAS A CHALLENGE THAT WE COULD TAKE ON.
AND, UH, WE WERE ABLE TO GET THEM INTO TRANSITIONAL HOUSING.
AND, UH, THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOW ON THEIR OWN SUPPORTING, SUPPORTING THEMSELVES.
UM, I BELIEVE THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY THE HIGHLIGHTS.
SO, ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE? HAPPY TO ANSWER AL ALFRED, IT SOUNDS TO ME FROM YOUR JOINT PRESENTATIONS THAT THESE OFFICES ARE DOING A VERY GOOD JOB.
MY CONCERN IS NOT ABOUT THE SUBSTANCE OR HOW WELL YOU PERFORM, BUT WHY ARE THE MUNICIPALITY IS BEING ASKED TO FUND IT? MY STUDIES OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT INDICATE THIS IS ESSENTIALLY A STATE FUNCTION, COUNTY FUNCTION, NOT A LOCAL FUNCTION.
IF WE HAD OUR OWN COURT OR OWN POLICE DEPARTMENT, MAYBE BE DIFFERENT, BUT WE DON'T.
UM, HOW DID THIS GET STARTED TO GO DOWN THIS ROUTE? DID YOU FAIL TO OBTAIN MONEY FROM THE STATE OR COUNTY AT SOME POINT IN HISTORY THAT, THAT YOU NEEDED? AND IF THAT IS THE CASE, UH, ARE YOU MAKING ANY REQUESTS TO THE STATE OR COUNTY NOW FOR THESE FUNDS INSTEAD OF COMING TO THE FOUR MUNICIPALITIES? UM, DO YOU WANT YEAH, I'LL HANDLE THAT.
IT HAS BEEN A PARTNERSHIP FOR A WHILE, QUITE FRANKLY, BECAUSE, UM, BECAUSE WE NEED IT, BECAUSE IT HELPS, YOU KNOW, I THINK ONE OF THE CORE, UH, WHAT WAS INTERESTING ABOUT EVERYTHING I HEARD TODAY IS THAT YOU'VE GOT, YOU'VE GOT SOME VERY GOOD PROGRAMS ON HILTON HEAD.
IT DIDN'T TAKE ME VERY LONG TO GET HERE.
UM, AND WE TALK ALL THE TIME ABOUT HOME OWNERSHIP.
WE TALK ABOUT WHAT OUR HISTORY IS.
WE TALK ABOUT THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT WE HAVE NONE OF WHICH IS RELEVANT.
IF YOU'RE NOT SAFE THERE, NONE OF WHICH IS YOU.
WE ASK, WE TALK ABOUT SMALL BUSINESSES.
IF YOU'RE NOT SAFE FROM SOMEBODY STICKING A GUN IN YOUR FACE AND TAKING YOUR PROPERTY, IT'S NOT GONNA DO YOU MUCH GOOD.
IF YOU WANT TO GO TO A MUSEUM, THAT'S GREAT.
UNLESS YOU'RE GONNA GET ROBBED ON THE WAY THERE, THEN IT'S NOT VERY HELPFUL.
YOUR PUBLIC SAFETY IS A CORE FUNCTION OF GOVERNMENT.
IT'S NOT JUST A CORE FUNCTION OF SOME GOVERNMENT.
IT'S A CORE FUNCTION OF ALL GOVERNMENT.
THE REASON THAT WE ARE HERE IS BECAUSE WE HAVE TO BE, UH, DO I THINK THAT WE GET PROPERLY FUNDED BY THE COUNTY? I DON'T.
AND IF YOU WANT TO HELP ME FIX THAT, SUPER, I'M WITH YOU.
UH, AND IF YOU DO HELP ME FIX THAT, I'LL COME BACK HERE AND SAY, YOU DON'T, WE DON'T NEED THE MONEY.
UH, THIS DOESN'T FUND THAT PROGRAM.
THIS DOESN'T FUND $118,000, DOESN'T FUND THE CAREER CRIMINAL PROGRAM.
$50,000 DOESN'T FUND THE MULTIDISCIPLINARY COURT.
IT IS A VERY SMALL FRACTION OF HOW MUCH IT COSTS US TO OPERATE, BUT WE HAVE ASKED EVERYONE WE CAN TO COOPERATE WITH THAT, BECAUSE I DO BELIEVE THAT PUBLIC SAFETY IS A CORE FUNCTION OF GOVERNMENT AT EVERY LEVEL.
UM, SO I, I, I HOPE THAT, AND THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE IT CAME FROM.
THIS HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT'S GOING FOR, FOR QUITE A WHILE.
AND, UH, I THINK THAT, UH, I, I THINK IT'S AN APPROPRIATE EXPENDITURE OF, OF FUNDS FOR ALL OPEN, FOR ALL GOVERNMENT.
UH, DOES YOUR OFFICE MAKE REQUESTS OF THE COUNTY AND THE STATE EVERY YEAR? YES, SIR.
IN FACT, NOT ONLY DOES MY OFFICE, UH, MAKE THE REQUEST, BUT, UM, I ACTUALLY WENT TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY THIS YEAR AND MET WITH THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE CONCERNING FUNDING.
UH, AND WE ARE TRYING TO GET, BECAUSE QUITE FRANKLY, WHILE THESE TWO PROGRAMS ARE, UH, I THINK TWO OF THE BEST PROGRAMS IN THE STATE ANYWHERE, UM, THE ABILITY
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OF PROSECUTORS' OFFICES THROUGHOUT THE STATE, UH, ESPECIALLY AT THE, ON THE HEELS OF THE PANDEMIC IS, HAS BEEN COMPROMISED.IT IS A PARTICULARLY DIFFICULT, UM, I'VE BEEN, I'VE BEEN A PROSECUTOR FOR 30 YEARS.
I CANNOT REMEMBER A TIME WHEN THE PROSECUTORS THAT HANDLED THE CASES ON A REGULAR BASIS WERE NOT OVERWHELMED.
AND THEY ARE EVERYWHERE IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
UH, AGAIN, BECAUSE I THINK THE STATE, THE COUNTY AND THE MUNICIPALITIES FORGET THAT THE CORE FUNCTION OF ALL GOVERNMENT IS TO KEEP ITS PEOPLE SAFE, AND WE DON'T HAVE THE FUNDING THAT WE NEED.
I'LL ALSO JUST TELL YOU THIS, UH, I'VE GOT A FRIEND OF MINE THAT IS A FAMILY COURT JUDGE.
HE GAVE ME A STAMP, UM, THAT HE STAMPS ON FAMILY COURT ORDERS THAT ARE PROPOSED TO HIM BY LAWYERS.
HE GAVE THAT STAMP TO THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE AS WELL.
SO THERE ARE THREE OF US IN THE STATE THAT HAVE IT.
THAT'S WHAT I STAMPED ON THE BEAUFORT COUNTY BUDGET REQUEST THIS YEAR.
I FEEL GOOD ABOUT IT, I'LL LET YOU KNOW.
BUT HONESTLY, I THINK THAT, THAT WE NEED TO, WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE THE CORE FUNCTION OF GOVERNMENT AT EVERY LEVEL.
AND I, AND I DO BELIEVE THAT THIS IS, GOES DIRECTLY TOWARDS THAT.
SECOND, UM, GREAT PRESENTATION.
ONE OF THE BEST I'VE EVER HEARD,
UM, JUST WANNA ADD MY 2 CENTS WORTH.
UM, IT WAS A WELL PRESENTED, UM, BIT OF INFORMATION HERE, AND I AGREE WITH YOU.
I AGREE THAT THE CORE FUNCTION OF GOVERNMENT IS TO PROVIDE SAFETY, UM, AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THE WELFARE OF THEIR CITIZENS IS PROTECTED.
AND SO I HAVE NO, UM, CONCERNS ABOUT, UM, CONTRIBUTING TO THAT EFFORT.
UM, I SEE THE STATISTICS THAT YOU, UM, ARE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH.
I KNOW THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO HILTON HOOD.
WE ALL KNOW THAT INCREASINGLY IT'LL BE EVEN MORE IMPORTANT TO HILTON HU IN THE SURROUNDING AREA, THAT, UM, THE SOLICITOR'S OFFICE IS ABLE TO PROSECUTE AND PROSECUTE FULLY FOR THOSE CRIMES THAT ARE IMPACTING OUR RESIDENTS HERE ON THIS ISLAND.
AND, UM, WITH REGARD TO THE MULTIDISCIPLINARY COURT, THAT IS AN EFFORT THAT, UM, SAVES LIVES.
YEAH, IT, IT IN SO MANY WAYS, AND I WON'T GO.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S VERY NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART, AND I, UM, I APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORT.
WHEN WE HAVE OUR NEXT GRADUATION, I'LL, I'LL NOTIFY YOU AND LET YOU KNOW.
THE, THE GRADUATIONS ARE, ARE PRETTY MOVING.
AND IT IS THE ABSOLUTE OPPOSITE SPECTRUM OF WHAT I DEAL WITH ON A REGULAR BASIS.
AND IT GETS MULTIPLIED THROUGH OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
SOLICITOR STONE, I WANT TO THANK YOU AND YOUR OFFICE FOR WORKING AS CLOSELY AS YOU WITH HOPEFUL HORIZONS IN THE MULTIDISCIPLINARY PROGRAM THAT YOU HAVE THERE.
IN FACT, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT SOME OTHER STUFF WE'RE GONNA DO.
UM, I THINK WE SHOULD TAKE YOU UP ON YOUR OFFER OR CHALLENGE.
UM, EITHER WAY WE CAN, UH, BE GLAD TO.
UM, AS, AS I THINK MORE AND MORE ABOUT THIS, UM, YOU HEARD OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR MENTION EARLIER THAT WE ARE PROJECTING FLAT REVENUES HERE, UM, OTHER MUNICIPALITIES THAT ARE CONTRIBUTING, WHO KNOWS WHAT THEIR PROJECTIONS ARE LOOKING LIKE.
RIGHT? UM, SO AS WE MOVE FORWARD, I'D HATE FOR IF SOMEONE TO HAVE TO HAVE A DOWNTURN, AND NOW THERE'S A DIFFERENT DISCUSSION ABOUT FUNDING THE PROGRAM OR NOT.
RIGHT? UM, SO I GUESS WHAT I'M SAYING TO, TO, TO STAFF MR. GRUBER IN PARTICULAR IS, LET'S PUT AN ASTERISK NEXT TO THIS ONE.
I THINK THIS, UH, DESERVES A BIT MORE CONVERSATION AS WE PUSH IT THROUGH THE BUDGETARY PROCESS.
WE HAVE A VERY STRONG DELEGATION AT THE STATE.
THEY'VE BEEN VERY RECEPTIVE TO SOME OF THE IDEAS THAT HAVE COME FROM HILTON HEAD.
UM, SO I THINK THAT IF WE PARTNER WITH YOU AS FAR AS ASKING FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO PROTECT US AS AN ISLAND, TO PROTECT THE, THE CIRCUIT, UM, THIS SEEMS TO BE TO BE A MODEL THAT COULD BE USED ACROSS THE STATE, UM, TO IMPROVE PUBLIC SAFETY.
UM, SO I THINK THIS IS A GRAND OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO SORT OF WORK TOGETHER, UM, NOT JUST TO ELIMINATE THE FUNDING FROM TOWN OF HEALTH AND HEAD, BUT TO PROVIDE A BETTER, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY TYPE ENVIRONMENT.
SO, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THANK YOU.
PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM, SEEING NONE, ARE WE OKAY WITH THE TOTAL REQUEST OF 168,500
[01:20:04]
IN THE MASTER? YES.COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
IT IS BEEN SAID, I DON'T KNOW WHO TO ATTRIBUTE IT TO.
I THINK IT MAY HAVE BEEN SAM RAYBURN.
UH, A FORMER CONGRESSMAN, UH, WHO SAID THE BEST SOCIAL PROGRAM IN THE WORLD IS A JOB.
I, UH, RECENTLY, UH, HEARD, UH, UH, A GENTLEMAN FROM AIKEN, SOUTH CAROLINA SAY THAT, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DONE WELL, CHANGES FAMILY TREES, SO THE BRANCHES ON FAMILY TREES.
SO THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE'RE ABOUT.
UM, WE, UH, ARE GLAD TO BE WITH YOU.
SO I PROMISE YOU, LAST YEAR, I WOULD GET MY REQUEST IN ON TIME, NO EXCEPTION.
UM, UH, WE CONTINUE TO MARKET, UM, ON, ON THE ENVIRONMENT HERE.
AND, UH, UH, THAT, THAT GOES WITHOUT SAYING.
WE HAVE A LOT OF COLLABORATORS HERE.
UH, WE'LL BE MEETING WITH HIM LATER TODAY WITH THE DEVELOPMENT CORP.
WE'VE GOT, UH, GWEN CHAMBERS HERE FROM BLACKWOOD.
SO A LOT OF THE GOOD WORK WE DO IS BECAUSE PEOPLE COLLABORATE WITH US.
WE HAVE A, A PRETTY DYNAMIC BOARD.
WE HAVE ALL FOUR MAYORS ON IT, SO IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR, UH, THE COMMUNITIES.
UH, OUR, OUR VISION IS TO REALLY BE THE COLLABORATING.
WE DON'T MAKE THE SUN COME UP OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT WE TRY TO GET PEOPLE TOGETHER, UH, TO SOLVE PROBLEMS. UH, WE WERE STOOD UP, UH, IN 2017, UH, TO DIVERSIFY THE ECONOMY AND, UH, BUILD TAX BASE WHILE CREATING GOOD PAYING JOBS.
AND, UH, FOR OUR, OUR, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL FRIENDS, WE WANNA DO THAT IN A WAY THAT'S, UH, NOT IMPACTFUL ON THE ENVIRONMENT.
CONTINUE TO, UH, TARGET, UH, UH, CLEAN INDUSTRY, AS YOU CAN SEE BY THE LIST IN FRONT OF YOU.
UH, KIND OF THE FACTS, UH, THESE ARE QUESTIONS THAT CAME UP LAST YEAR, UH, SINCE INCEPTION.
HILTON HAD US PAID US $165,000.
I I WANT YOU TO LOOK AT IT, OR I ASK YOU TO LOOK AT IT AS AN INVESTMENT, AND I'LL EXPLAIN AND PROVIDE YOU A LITTLE DETAIL ON THAT.
UH, EACH TOWN, UH, IN OUR, UH, ORGANIZATION PAYS 40,000 FOR A COMBINED 160.
THE COUNTY GIVES US $375,000 A YEAR TOWARDS OPERATIONS, AND THEN ALSO A SET ASIDE FOR SITE DEVELOPMENT AND INCENTIVES TO COMPANIES.
SO, UH, WE KEEP SCORE, AS I ALWAYS EXPLAIN, UH, IN THIS, UH, IF YOU JUST, UH, BOUNCE DOWN TO THAT BOTTOM LINE, UH, WE HAVE, UH, UH, INKED, UH, $359 MILLION IN INVESTMENTS.
WE HAVE A, A, A NEAR TERM PIPELINE THAT'S PROBABLY GOING TO EXCEED $400 MILLION.
UH, WE HAVE DONE 70 PROJECTS, AND I THINK THIS COUNCIL HAS SEEN, WE DO IT IN A WAY THAT'S VERY INFORMATIVE TO YOUR RESIDENTS SO THAT WE'RE NOT UPSETTING, UH, PEOPLE WHO WOULD BE, UH, I GUESS IN THE NIMBY CLASS, NOT IN MY BACKYARD.
AND WE HAVEN'T UPSET ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP YET.
UH, WE BROUGHT IN ABOUT $18 MILLION IN INCENTIVES AND SITE FUNDS, UH, INTO THE COUNTY AND NEW AND RETAINED JOBS.
UH, SOME OF THE COMPANIES WE'VE WORKED WITH ARE THERE ON THE RIGHT SIDE, UH, $40 MILLION WORTH OF INVESTMENTS, 12% OF OUR OVERALL, UH, 199 JOBS, 13% OF OUR OVERALL, UH, SALARIES PAID THROUGH THOSE, UH, UH, UH, PROJECTS.
WE'VE DONE $8.9 MILLION INCENTIVES TO HILTON HEAD COMPANIES, $2.6 MILLION, AND, AND BALANCE THAT AGAINST THE 165, UH, THOUSAND THAT YOU'VE PAID IN.
AND, UM, UH, ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF POINTS OUT AS WELL.
WE ALL RECOGNIZE HILTON HEAD IS A BIG CONTRIBUTOR TO COUNTY TAXES AS WELL.
SO YOU TAKE A SHARE IN THE, UH, UH, COUNTY FUNDS THAT WE GET.
AND THEN REAL ESTATE ABSORBED 90, 95,000 SQUARE FEET, 10% OVERALL.
IN TERMS OF, UH, LAST YEAR, THIS COUNCIL, THIS COMMITTEE SPECIFICALLY ASKED ME, UH, WHAT, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO, UH, IN TERMS OF ECONOMIC IMPACT? SO WE HAD CLEMSON TAKE A LOOK AT IT.
THE, UH, AVERAGE, UH, YEAR-ROUND, UH, JOBS CREATED ON HILTON, HAD 298, UH, ACROSS THE COUNTY, 477.
[01:25:01]
AND THEN IF YOU LOOK AT THE, UH, COMPENSATION OVER, UH, EIGHT YEARS, 236 MILLION ON HILTON HEAD.UH, UH, AND THEN IF YOU LOOK AT ANNUAL A, OUT ANNUAL OUTPUT, 157 MILLION, UH, IN THE CURRENT YEAR.
AND THEN OVER AN EIGHT YEAR PERIOD, 1.1 BILLION IN TERMS OF, UH, ECONOMIC IMPACT.
SO, UH, WE'RE NOT RIVALING, UH, HOSPITALITY YET.
BUT THE IDEA WAS, IS THAT IF YOU HAD A PORTFOLIO, YOU WOULDN'T WANT ALL YOUR EGGS IN JUST DEFENSE.
YOU WOULDN'T WANT ALL YOUR EGGS, UH, JUST IN HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM.
AND, UH, A LAST THING CLEMSON DID THERE IS LOOKED AT OVER THAT PERIOD OF TIME, NET PROJECTED POSITIVE REVENUE.
SO, UH, AS YOU KNOW, A HOUSE COULD REQUIRE A BUNCH OF SERVICES.
BUSINESSES CAN RE, UH, REQUIRE SERVICES, BUT NET OVER THAT PERIOD OF TIME, $4.4 MILLION.
SO I HOPE YOU'LL LOOK AT THAT AS A, UH, UH, AS A, UH, UH, A GOOD RETURN ON INVESTMENT.
UH, NEAR TERM PROJECT, AS YOU'RE WELL AWARE, WE HAVE A PROJECT THAT'S, UH, UH, WINDING ITS WAY THROUGH.
WE'RE GONNA BE WITH THE AIRPORT BOARD NEXT WEEK.
UH, AND WE SHOULD BE WITH THE COUN, UH, COUNTY COUNCIL THE FOLLOWING MONDAY, UH, AT A A $23.7 MILLION INVESTMENT, 51 JOBS AVERAGING OVER 80,000, UH, SALARY, FOUR POINT, UH, 1 MILLION, AND, UH, 99, NOT 99 SQUARE FEET.
UH, THE IMPACT OF THIS ONE PROJECT, WINDING ITS WAY THROUGH THE SYSTEM, UH, GENERATE, UH, AVERAGE, UH, 86 JOBS A YEAR, 39 MILLION IN COMPENSATION AND, UH, OUTPUT OF, UH, 163 MILLION.
SO, UH, WE ARE, UH, WE, UH, I WORK WITH KELLY BRUNSON.
WE CONSIDER OURSELVES BLESSED TO WORK IN BEAUFORT COUNTY AND TO SERVE, UH, HILTON HEAD.
I, I, I LIKE THE LAST SPEAKER.
I'M A HILTON HEAD RESIDENT, AND TAKE GREAT PRIDE IN WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE ON HILTON HEAD AND THROUGHOUT BEAUFORT COUNTY, AND WE KNOW WE'RE FORTUNATE TO DO IT, AND I'D BE HAPPY TO TAKE QUESTIONS.
I HAVE NO QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME.
ALFRED, UH, WOULD YOU BE KIND ENOUGH TO CLARIFY ONE THING FOR ME? I SEE YOUR REQUEST IS A HUNDRED THOUSAND.
THERE'S NOTHING IN THE EARLIER YEARS ON THE CHART.
I THINK YOU'RE LINE, I THINK YOU'RE, UH, WE, WE REQUESTED, UH, 40,000 LAST YEAR.
WE RECEIVED 40,000, AND WE WANT THE SAME AMOUNT THIS YEAR, NO INCREASE.
LAST YEAR WE HAD A, OH, SORRY.
NEXT YEAR WE HAD A JUMP UP FROM 25,000 TO 40,000.
THE REACTION I GOT FROM, UH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER AMES MADE ME THINK I SHOULD INCREASE IT INCREMENTALLY EACH YEAR.
UH, BUT WE DO NOT NEED AN INCREASE THIS YEAR.
AND I HAVE NO QUESTIONS, OTHER THAN, WAS THAT ONE OF THE BEST ONES YOU'VE EVER SEEN? YOU, MA'AM? I GOT MYSELF IN A BOX WITH THIS, BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT IT IS ONE OF THE BEST THAT I HAVE EVER SEEN.
I GOTTA, I GOTTA CALL MY WIFE.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE JASPER ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION.
MORNING, KIM, CAN WE, UH, MOVE ON TO THE NEXT AND PULL THAT UP FOR THEM IN THE MEANTIME? YEAH, WE'LL COME BACK, YES.
SO NEXT UP WE WILL HAVE BLACKWOOD.
MY NAME IS GWEN CHAMBERS AND I AM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF BLACK EQUITY.
UM, BLACK EQUITY BEGAN IN 2020 AS AN INITIATIVE, UM, TO HELP BLACK OWNED BUSINESSES START AND GROW THEIR BUSINESSES.
SO IT STARTED OUT INITIALLY AS A, UH, BUSINESS DIRECTORY, AND WE QUICKLY LEARNED THAT FROM THERE, THAT WE NEEDED TO EXPAND OUR SERVICES AND ACTUALLY HELP WITH, UM, UNDERSTANDING AND TEACHING AND EDUCATING
[01:30:01]
THESE BUSINESSES ON THE DIFFERENT DYNAMICS OF BUSINESS.UM, SO THAT'S HOW BLACK EQUITY STARTED.
UM, FROM THERE, WE GAINED OUR 5 0 1 C3 IN 2022.
AND, UM, WE ARE HERE TODAY WITH GRADUATING, UH, FOR, UH, COHORTS AND, UM, A LITTLE OVER 31 GRADUATES.
OUR MISSION IS TO PROMOTE AND ELEVATE AND EMPOWER BLACK OWNED BUSINESSES IN OUR ECONOMY.
UM, OUR KEY FOCUS AREAS ARE ENTREPRENEURSHIP, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND COMMUNITY TRANSF TRANSFORMATION.
UM, AGAIN, ABOUT OUR, OUR MISSION.
UH, WE ARE PROVIDING MENTORSHIP, COACHING, STRENGTHENING, UM, OUR ECONOMY THROUGH BUSINESS OWNERSHIP.
UM, AND WE DO THIS THROUGH A 12 WEEK ACCELERATOR PROGRAM, COUPLED WITH A COUPLE OTHER, UM, PROGRAMS THAT STARTED AS WELL.
I, SO OUR FLAGSHIP INITIATIVE WAS THE, UH, BEU BLACK EQUITY UNIVERSITY.
IT'S A 12 WEEK PROGRAM, AND WE GO THROUGH EVERYTHING THAT YOU CAN THINK OF, UM, AS IT RELATES TO BUSINESS, PERSONAL BUDGETING, CREDIT LICENSING, MARKETING COMP, UM, YOUR COMPETITION, UNDERSTANDING YOUR, UM, COMPETITION, YOUR CUSTOMER BREAKEVEN PRICES, ENTREPRENEURSHIP, WELLBEING, WHICH IS A GOOD PIECE.
UM, A LOT OF OUR ENTREPRENEURS ARE, UH, MULTI-GENERATIONAL HOMES.
AND, UM, HAVING THAT MULTI-GENERATIONAL HOME WHILE ALSO DOING THE NINE TO FIVE WHILE ALSO TRYING TO START YOUR OWN BUSINESS COMES WITH A LOT OF CHALLENGES, UM, MENTALLY.
UH, SO WE OFFER A, UH, A WELLBEING PIECE OF THAT AS WELL.
UH, LEGAL STRUCTURES, CASH FLOW, AND THEN WITH EVERYONE GRADUATES WITH A BUSINESS PLAN IN A, UH, IN A, THE EQUIPPED WITH THE RESOURCES TO, UH, TO, UH, DEVELOP, TO DELIVER A PITCH.
UM, OUR APPROACH IS VERY SIMPLE.
WE RELY ON, UH, THOSE, OUR FLAGSHIP PROGRAM WITH BU, BUT ALSO THE PARTNERSHIPS, UH, AS, UH, MR. JOHNNA TOLD MENTIONED BEFORE.
THAT'S ONE OF OUR PARTNERSHIPS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, AND JUST FINDING THOSE SUPPORTS AND RESOURCES TO HELP, UH, THESE BUSINESSES.
UM, OTHER KEY INITIATIVES THAT WE HAVE ARE THE GET SEATED PITCH NIGHT, WHICH WE JUST STARTED LAST YEAR.
UM, AND FINDING RESOURCES AND CONNECTING THEM WITH FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS, INSTITUTIONS AND C COMMUNITY INVESTORS TO HELP THEM FURTHER ALONG THEIR, UM, BUSINESSES.
UM, OUR FUNDING COMES FROM D DIFFERENT LEVELS.
UH, WE HAVE GRANTS, PRIVATE INVESTORS, CORPORATE SPONSORSHIPS, AND, UM, GOVERNMENT GRANTS AND, UM, FUNDRAISING.
AND DEFINITELY INDIVIDUAL DONATIONS HELP A LOT OF US, NOT A LOT.
SO SOME THINGS THAT WE DO TO MEASURE THE SUCCESS AND THE IMPACT WITHIN THE, UM, COMMUNITY.
THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, WE, UH, MEASURE THROUGH, IF A NEW BUSINESS STARTS, IF THEY EXPAND THEIR BUSINESS, UM, THE, THE MONEY THAT THEY, IF THEY'VE GROWN IN REVENUE FROM 5,000 TO 10,000, UM, IF THEY'VE HIRED ON SEVERAL INDIVIDUALS, WE USE THOSE METRICS TO MEASURE OUR SUCCESS, AND WE'VE HAD QUITE A BIT OF SUCCESS.
UM, MOST RECENTLY, THE GRAD, ONE OF THE GRADUATES ON HILL HEAD ISLAND HAS OPENED UP OUR OWN BUSINESS HERE.
UM, RES RESULTS ACHIEVED ARE INCREASED REVENUE FOR BUSINESSES, JOB CREATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
THAT'S ONE OF THE BIGGER PIECES THAT WE, UM, HOPE TO EXPAND ON AS WELL.
THE NETWORKING AND UNDERSTANDING HOW TO CONNECT WITH RESOURCES WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, UM, AND OUTSIDE OF THE COMMUNITY AS WELL.
HERE ARE, UM, I HAVE TWO DIFFERENT, UH, TESTIMONIALS.
SHE IS FROM HILTON HEAD ISLAND, AND, UM, A RESIDENT NATIVE OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
SHE OPENED UP FOUR SEASONS APOTHECARY.
SHE STARTED WITH ONE SKEW AND HAS EXPANDED TO OVER 20 SKUS IN ELDERBERRY SYRUP, SIDERS TINCTURES, UM, YOU NAME IT.
SHE HAS AN ARRAY OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT, UM, ARE HELPFUL AND, UM, FOR HOLISTIC USES.
AND ALSO WE HAVE MS. SONYA GRANT WITH GU TEAS AND TS.
SHE IS EXPANDING HER LINE AND OFFERING A LUXURY AND APPAREL LINE, UM, IN THE NEXT YEAR.
SO SHE'S REBRANDING AND RESTRUCTURING, BUT SHE, UH, WAS OFF TO A GREAT START IN, IN REALLY EXPANDING HER APPAREL LINE IN DEVELOPING IT.
CAN I PLAY THIS VIDEO? OH, SORRY.
IS IT OKAY TO PLAY THE VIDEO? I'M CARL STADIUM.
I'M CARL STADIUM, AND I'M AN ENTREPRENEUR.
I WENT THROUGH A PROCESS AND A PROGRAM THAT AFFORDED ME AN OPPORTUNITY AS A BUSINESS PERSON AS WELL.
IF YOU FEEL LIKE YOU WANT TO, BUT YOU'RE HESITANT TO SIGN UP AND YOU BELONG IN OUR PROGRAM BECAUSE YOU JUST ANSWERED YOUR NUMBER ONE QUESTION.
NO, IT'S NOT, I DON'T KNOW, KNOW, IT'S, I WANT TO DO IT, I'M AFRAID, AND I'M GOING TO DO IT.
[01:35:01]
YOU'RE SITTING IN THAT CLASSROOM AND YOU ARE AMONG YOUR PEERS, YOU ARE NOT GONNA FEEL LIKE YOU'RE ALONE ANYMORE.YOU ARE GONNA FEEL LIKE, I AM A PART OF A TEAM AND WE CAN DO THIS TOGETHER.
EVERY PERSON THAT WE TALK TO, EVERY STUDENT THAT COMES IN THAT CLASSROOM, EVERYBODY THAT'S A PART OF THIS ENTIRE ORGANIZATION IS HELPING US BUILD FOR THE FUTURE.
AND, AND THE MULTIPLICATION OF ALL THAT IS BEYOND OUR IMMEDIATE RECOGNITION.
BUT ONE DAY WE'LL LOOK BACK AND THOSE STUDENTS WILL LOOK BACK, AND THE STUDENTS THAT, AND THE, AND THE ENTREPRENEURS THAT THEY INFLUENCED WILL LOOK BACK AND WONDER HOW DID IT ALL HAPPEN? BUT IT HAPPENED WITH ONE IDEA.
THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
UH, THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
UH, I GATHER THIS IS AN EXISTING ORGANIZATION THAT'S BEEN IN OPERATION FOR SOME YEARS.
TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR, YOUR FUNDING SOURCES AND HOW MUCH YOU HAVE RECEIVED AND SO FORTH.
UM, MOST OF OUR FUNDED SOURCES STARTED, UM, OUT WITH INDIVIDUAL DONATIONS.
IT WAS A LOT OF, UM, COMMUNITY AND BUSINESS INVESTORS WHO SAW THE NEED AND FELT THE NEED AND CONTRIBUTED INITIALLY.
UM, WE HAD A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF, UM, SUPPORT FROM BEAUFORT COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
UM, WE'RE LOOKING TO EXPAND AND OFFER THIS INITIATIVE ON HILLHEAD ISLAND, WHICH CREATES ANOTHER LINE OF REVENUE FOR US.
I MEAN, A LINE OF EXPENSES FOR US, UM, TO EXPAND IT HERE.
OVER A THIRD OF OUR STUDENTS ARE HILTON HEAD RESIDENTS, AND ONE OF TWO OF THE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE FOR OUR STUDENTS IS THAT IT'S GEO GEOGRAPHICALLY ACCESSIBLE, BUT ALSO ECONOMICALLY ACCESSIBLE.
SO WE TRY TO KEEP THE COST LOW AND ALSO MEET THEM WHERE THEY ARE WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
ARE THERE OTHER GOVERNMENTAL SOURCES FROM WHICH YOU ARE RECEIVING FUNDS? OH, ALSO, UM, WE DO HAVE ANOTHER, UM, A MUNICIPALITY THAT IS, UM, WE'RE RECEIVING FUNDS FROM ALSO, REBECCA.
UM, JUST GET THAT OUT OF THE WAY.
SO TO YOUR PARTICIPANTS, UM, WHAT, WHAT CHARGE, WHAT DO YOU CHARGE THEM? SO, WE, UM, INITIALLY CHARGE 125.
UM, WE OFFER SCHOLARSHIPS AND PAYMENT PLANS.
UM, MOST, MOST TIMES THEY CAN MEET THAT, UM, OBLIGATION, BUT 1, 1 25.
AND, UM, HOW MANY PARTICIPANTS DO YOU, DID YOU, I KNOW YOU
UM, SO IT VARIES FROM THE SIZE OF SEVEN TO, I THINK THE MOST WE HAD WAS 12.
UM, AND SO FAR WE'VE GRADUATED A LITTLE OVER 31 GRADUATES, SO THAT'S FOUR COURT, FOUR COHORTS SINCE 20 20, 21.
HOW, HOW IS THIS DIFFERENT THAN A SCORE PROGRAM THAT, SO THIS IS DIFFERENT IN THAT WE HAVE COACHING AND HAND HANDHOLDING.
UM, WE STAY WITH THE ENTREPRENEUR AS LONG AS IT TAKES FOR THEM TO GET TO ACHIEVE WHAT THEY, UM, NEED.
WE HAVE A COACHING, SO THE ACCELERATOR PROGRAM IS 12 WEEKS.
THEY COME IN INTO CLASS THREE HOURS OUT OF THE DAY.
THEY HAVE HOMEWORK THREE HOURS ONCE A WEEK.
THEY HAVE HOMEWORK THAT THEY HAVE TO DO, AND THEN THEY FINISH WITH THE BUSINESS PLAN.
SO THEY'RE GOING THROUGH EACH PIECE WITH SPEAKERS WITH, UH, REPRESENT, UM, AND SOMEONE STANDING ALONGSIDE THEM.
SO WE HAVE A FACILITATOR AND WE HAVE A PROGRAM COORDINATOR THAT WORKS WITH THEM AS WELL.
UM, THIS IS DIFFERENT BECAUSE WE STAY ALONG WITH THE STUDENT, THE ENTREPRENEUR, AS LONG AS IT TAKES FOR THEM TO, TO ACHIEVE THAT GOAL.
HOW MANY COHORTS PER YEAR ARE THERE? UM, WE START OUT WITH ONE.
WE ARE UP TO TWO COHORTS PER YEAR BECAUSE OF DEMAND.
AND WHAT ARE THE DEMOGRAPHICS THAT PARTICIPATE? UM, SO IT'S, UH, AFRICAN AMERICAN, UH, 41 YEARS OF AGE, USUALLY IN A, UM, MULTI-GENERATIONAL HOME.
AND, UM, PRIMARY, PRIMARY BREADWINNER FOR THE HOME.
IS IT LIMITED TO JUST AFRICAN AMERICANS? YES.
UH, I SHARE THE GOAL AND THE PURPOSE.
UM, IF THE TOWN PUTS IN 75,000, IS THAT 75,000 RESTRICTED TO HILTON HEAD, OR ARE YOU SPREADING THAT OVER YOUR ENTIRE BUDGET? IT WOULD BE RESTRICTED TO HILTON HEAD.
WE WOULD, UM, SECURE THE VENUE SPACE, THE FACILITATOR, THE PROGRAM COORDINATOR SPECIFICALLY FOR HILTON HEAD, UM, 40% OF YOUR ENTIRE BUDGET IS, UM, THE $75,000
[01:40:01]
THAT THE TOWN WOULD BE CONTRIBUTING.UM, SO IS, UM, 60% SPENT, WELL, LET ME, UH, REPHRASE THAT.
WHERE IS THE OTHER 60% SPENT? THE OTHER 60% WILL BE SPENT ON THE, UM, LOCATION THAT WE HAVE IN BLUFFTON.
AND, UM, MANAGING THOSE, UM, THOSE CLASSES AND COHORTS AND ENTREPRENEURS.
THERE IS AN INHERENT ASSUMPTION ON YOUR PART THAT THERE IS NEED ON HILTON AT.
HOW HAVE YOU RESEARCHED THAT AND QUANTIFIED IT? WE'VE, UM, QUANTIFIED THAT THROUGH THE DEMAND IN OUR BEU INQUIRY.
SO WE HAVE AN INQUIRY PAGE THAT WE HAVE REQUESTS THAT COME THROUGH, AND MANY OF THOSE REQUESTS ARE HILTON HEAD ISLANDERS.
UM, WE JUST HAVEN'T HAD THE CAPACITY IN PREVIOUS, UM, YEARS TO MOVE OUR, UM, OPERATIONS TO, WE ENCOURAGE THEM TO COME TO OUR, UM, OPERATIONS IN BLUFFTON WHERE WE HELP, UM, HOST OUR CURRENT CLASSES, BUT WE HAVEN'T HAD THE CAPACITY TO MOVE OVER HERE.
SO IF YOU EXPECT ONE OR TWO SESSIONS FOR THE COMING YEAR, AND EACH SESSION HAS 12 COHORTS IN IT, UM, YOU'RE, YOU'RE TOUCHING 24 PEOPLE.
THAT'S, I UNDERSTAND THAT CORRECTLY, YES.
WELL, IT'S MORE THAN 24 PEOPLE IF YOU LOOK AT IT, BECAUSE WE'RE TOUCHING WHOLE HOUSEHOLDS.
SO NOT ONLY ARE WE TEACHING THE, UM, ACTUAL ENTREPRENEUR, BUT IT DWINDLES DOWN, BUT SPECIFICALLY, YES, 24 PEOPLE.
I UNDERSTAND THE MULTIPLICATION ASPECT OF IT.
UM, AGAIN, I, I SHARE THE GOAL AND PURPOSE, BUT I ALSO SERVE ON THE BOARD OF THE GULLAH NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND, AND I'M STRUGGLING SOMEWHAT IN THAT.
IT SEEMS TO ME THAT IT, THAT THIS, IF THE CDC WERE REQUESTING IT, THEN I WOULD FEEL, UM, DIFFERENT ABOUT IT BECAUSE WE ARE, WE ARE LEANING ON THE CDC TO ADVISE THE COMMUNITY AS TO WHAT'S THE MOST EFFICIENT AND PRODUCTIVE WAY OF MAKING PROGRESS IN THIS AREA.
SO I'M, I'M HESITATING ACTUALLY IN, IN SUPPORTING THIS AT THIS TIME, WHEREAS PERHAPS IF THE CDC BOARD AND, AND UH, UH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WERE TO RECAST THIS, I MIGHT FEEL DIFFERENTLY ABOUT IT.
UH, FOLLOWING UP ON, UH, MR. AMES TRAIN OF THOUGHT, UM, HAVE YOU HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH MR. THOMAS BOXLEY? YES.
UM, I, I AGREE WITH, UH, WITH, WITH THAT DIRECTION, UM, THAT MR. AMES IS SUGGESTING, UM, PBC WAS, UH, WAS STARTED TO POWER THE PRESENCE OF GULLS WITHIN THE GULLAH HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
AND, UM, I KNOW FOR A FACT, BECAUSE I HAVE A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS WITH FOLKS THAT RUN THE GULLAH HERITAGE TOURS.
THE NUMBER ONE QUESTION IS, WHERE IS THE GULLAH OWNED GULLAH OPERATED GULLAH FOOD OPERATION ON HILTON HEAD WHERE I CAN GET A REAL GULLAH MEAL? MM-HMM,
SO THERE'S AN ABSENCE RIGHT THERE.
THERE'S A VOID, RIGHT? UM, AS THE CHAMBER HAS, UH, GOTTEN A LOT BETTER WITH PROMOTING GULLAH CULTURE AND THAT GULLAH EXPERIENCE ON HILTON HEAD, WE NOW HAVE TO HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE TO SUPPORT IT.
UM, SO, UM, I THINK THIS IS A GREAT PROGRAM.
I THINK WE'RE GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
UM, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT IT IS BROUGHT BACK THROUGH THE CDC, BECAUSE THERE'S JUST A LOT OF COLLABORATION AND MOMENTUM, UM, IN, IN THAT AREA.
UH, SO THOSE ARE MY THOUGHTS, UM, FOR THE COMMITTEE AS WELL.
BUT BEFORE WE MOVE ANY FORWARD, UH, WE'RE GONNA ASK THE PUBLIC FOR, FOR COMMENTS, ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM, AND NONE, WHAT'S THE COMMITTEE'S PLEASURE? IF I, IF I MAY? UM, I, I AGREE WITH YOU.
UM, I THINK THAT THIS, UM, WELL, IT'S A WELL-MEANING, UM, EFFORT AND, UM, IT DOESN'T COME FORWARD INDEPENDENTLY.
IT NEEDS TO COME THROUGH A A DIFFERENT DIRECTION.
SO, UM, I WOULD AGREE WITH BOTH,
[01:45:01]
UM, DAVID AND YOURSELF, ALEX, THAT WE'D LIKE TO REVISIT IT AT ANOTHER TIME THROUGH A DIFFERENT ORGANIZATION.MR. GRU, YOU GOT THAT NOTE, SIR.
NEXT UP, UH, WE'LL CIRCLE BACK TO BEAUFORT JAPA ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION.
UH, COMMITTEE MEMBERS, UH, WE APOLOGIZE FOR THE, UH, TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES THERE, BUT, UH, I'M JAMES WILLIAMS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF BE FOR JAPA ECONOMIC COMMISSION.
UH, WE ARE PART OF THE, UH, COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCIES THROUGHOUT THE STATE, UH, FOUNDED OUT OF THE LONDON B JOHNSON 1964 WAR ON POVERTY.
OUR SOLE PURPOSE IS TO HELP MOVE FAMILIES TO SELF-SUFFICIENCY, UH, AND CONTINUE CONTINUE TO COMBAT THAT WAR ON POVERTY.
WE HAVE BEEN IN THE COMMUNITY FOR 58 YEARS, AND, UH, MY PROPOSAL TODAY IS BASED ON A TRANSPORTATION SERVICE BUILT STRICTLY FOR THE SENIOR POPULATION OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
UM, THE, UH, THE PROGRAM IS AIMED TOWARDS THE SENIORS RESIDING ON, ON THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD, UH, EIGHT 60 AND ABOVE, UH, WITHIN THE ESTABLISHED INCOME GUIDELINES THAT WE SET OF 200% ABOVE THE FEDERAL POVERTY GUIDELINE.
UH, CONTRARY TO MOST, UH, OUTSIDERS BELIEF, YOU KNOW, THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD HAS A POVERTY RATE OF 7.6% THAT LIVE COMPLETELY IN POVERTY, AND ABOUT 13.2% THAT DELIVERED THAT 200% RATIO.
UM, THIS PROPOSAL COMES, YOU KNOW, AFTER HEARING A LOT OF ROBUST CONVERSATIONS AROUND TRANSPORTATION, UH, UH, STRICTLY IN, IN REGARDS TO THE SENIOR COMMUNITY, UH, IT IS UNDERSCORED ABOUT THE CRITICAL AND COMPREHENSIVE TRANSPORTATION SERVICE.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE UNIQUE, UH, TO THE, UH, TOWN OF HILTON HEAD BECAUSE THERE'S NOTHING ELSE LIKE THAT IN, IN, IN THE COUNTY.
UM, WHY WE CHOSE THE SENIOR COMMUNITY IS THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY OPERATING SEVERAL SUCCESSFUL, UH, SENIOR PROGRAMS THAT, THAT SERVED THIS DEMOGRAPHIC, YOU KNOW, OUR FARMER'S MARKET PROGRAM, OUR SENIOR GROCERY PROGRAM, WHERE WE WERE PHYSICALLY TAKING SENIORS GROCERY SHOPPING, WE FOUND IT TO GIVE A HUGE AMOUNT OF FEEDBACK.
AND SO WE WANTED TO MOVE THAT SERVICE A LITTLE MORE IN DEPTH.
THAT'S WHY WE PROPOSED THIS TRANSPORTATION SERVICE.
UH, FOR THE SENIOR POPULATION HERE ON THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD.
ACCESS ACCESS TO TRANSPORTATION ENHANCES THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR SENIORS.
IT ENABLES 'EM TO REMAIN ACTIVE AND INDEPENDENTLY ENGAGED AND STAY CONNECTED WITH THEIR COMMUNITY.
YOU KNOW, WE USE A, A PLATFORM TO, UH, TO CHECK THEIR INCOME TO ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE FALLEN INTO THAT, THAT INCOME RATIO THAT, UH, THAT WE SERVICE KNOW IF THEY'RE STILL EMPLOYED.
WE USE THEIR PAY STUBS OR GET A FORM, UH, FROM THEIR EMPLOYER.
IF THEY'RE GETTING RECEIVING SOCIAL SECURITY, WE GET THAT SOCIAL SECURITY AWARD LETTER.
UH, WE, WE GET A PRINTOUT FROM THE UNEMPLOYMENT, UH, OFFICE, UH, AND THAT ALL THAT INFORMATION OF THE EMPLOYMENT MUST MATCH THEIR STATE ISSUED ID, AND THEY MUST STILL, I ITERATE, REMAIN AT THAT 200% BELOW THE FEDERAL POVERTY GUIDELINE.
ROUGHLY, I WOULD SAY THE POPULATION OF HILTON, THEY IS 38,000.
UH, ROUGHLY OVER 19,000 OF YOUR RESIDENTS ARE AGE 60 ABOVE.
AND CURRENTLY, UH, THAT, UH, 20 2020 500 BASED ON OUR ASSESSMENT LIVED IN HILTON HEAD THAT WILL BE IMPACTED BY THAT, UH, 200% OF THE POVERTY, FEDERAL POVERTY GUIDELINE RATE ABOUT 20 BETWEEN 2020 500.
UM, LIKE I SAID, THIS SERVICE IS PRIMARILY TRANSPORTATION AROUND HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
UH, THE SERVICES RESIDENT WILL BE FOCUSED ON MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS BETWEEN HERE AND GOING DOWN 2 78, UH, NO FURTHER THAN ONE 70.
UM, WE LOOKED AT, THE SERVICE WILL BE OFFERED AS ONLINE APPOINTMENTS AND TELEPHONE APPOINTMENTS.
IT'LL HAVE ABOUT A LEAD TIME OF 24 TO 48 HOURS.
UH, WE CURRENTLY IN OUR DATABASE HAVE ABOUT 700 SENIORS ON THE ISLAND THAT WE ALREADY HAVE PRE-QUALIFIED THAT WE KNOW MEET THIS THRESHOLD.
UM, OBVIOUSLY THE PRIORITY WILL BE GIVEN TO THE MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS, BUT WE WILL HAVE A LI A LIMITED RECREATION SCHEDULES, YOU KNOW, BASED ON AVAILABILITY TO TAKE 'EM TO THINGS LIKE, UH, THE REC CENTER, YOU KNOW, THEIR TRANSPORTATION OVER TO BLUFFTON SO THEY CAN, CAN COLLABORATE THERE.
UM, OBVIOUSLY TRANSPORTATION AND HAVE SOME FEDERAL BACKING.
AND NO MATTER WHAT, WHERE IT IS, UH, BEFORD JASPER O SEE WHAT OUR COMMUNITY SERVICE BLOCK GRANT IS WILLING TO MATCH, MAKE A HUNDRED PERCENT MATCH OF THIS PROGRAM, UH, AND USE OUR RESOURCES TO ENSURE THAT THE, THAT THERE'S SOME, UH, SUSTAINABILITY, UH, AND THE FUTURE OF THIS SERVICE AND PROGRAM.
THE FUNDING CAN BE EXPANDED, THE SCOPE CAN BE EXPANDED BASED UPON WHAT THE TOWN NEEDS AND HOW WE FEEL THE SUCCESS OF IT MOVING FORWARD.
UM, ALL OF THE VEHICLES WE USE WILL BE FULLY ACCESSIBLE.
[01:50:01]
THE ACCOMMODATE, UH, THE MOBILITY CHALLENGES OF THE, OF PARTICIPANTS, UH, WE USE, UH, MOTIVE CARE TO DO OUR TRAINING.UH, MOTIVE CARE IS THE, UH, THE STANDARD THROUGH THROUGHOUT THE STATE FOR ALL NON-EMERGENCY TRANSPORTATION.
UH, WE, WE, UH, PARTNER WITH THEM TO RECEIVE OUR TRAINING AND GUIDELINES.
THEY ARE THE NATION LEADER, NON-EMERGENCY MEDICAL TRANSPORTATION, UH, PER THEIR WEBSITE.
UH, AND, UM, SO WE HAVE A, A, A PROVEN RECORD OF SOLICITING FEEDBACK FROM OUR CLIENTS.
WE DO A COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT, UH, EVERY OTHER YEAR TO GET THE FEEDBACK OF WHAT THE GRADE NEEDS ARE IN THE COMMUNITY.
TRANSPORTATION IS ALWAYS AT THE TOP OF THE LIST FOR LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS, UH, AND THE SINGLE POPULATION, LIKE I SAID, TO, TO BE ABLE TO INSPIRE AND STILL GET AROUND, UM, IN, IN THE COMMUNITY THEY LIVE.
OBVIOUSLY, WE WILL, YOU KNOW, LEAN ON THE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD, UH, TO HELP SOLIDIFY THE MATRIX AND SCOPE OF THIS, UH, MOVING FORWARD, WE WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE, YOU KNOW, UTILIZE SURVEYS TO CONDUCT AND EVALUATE ON A MONTHLY BASIS TO ENSURE THE PROGRAM IS MEETING THE OBJECTIVES.
UM, AND WE STAY UPDATED ON WHAT THE TOWN WANTS TO SEE FOR THIS PROGRAM AS IT MOVES FORWARD.
UM, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY HOW WE START THIS PROGRAM MAY NOT BE HOW IT FINISHES.
YOU KNOW, IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT WE CONTINUE TO COMMUNICATE SO THAT WE MOVE THIS ACTION FORWARD WITH, YOU KNOW, THE COUNCIL HAS OFTEN TALKED EVEN TODAY ABOUT THE NEED OF TRANSPORTATION WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY FOR THAT SENIOR POPULATION.
THIS WILL BE ONLY ONE PIECE OF THE PUZZLE.
UM, THE SUSTAINABILITY OF PROGRAM WILL BE BETWEEN STAFF AND THE COUNCIL TO KEEP COMMUNICATING SO THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT WE PROVIDE A PLATFORM THAT SERVES, THAT SERVES THE COMMUNITY.
ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, MR. WILLIAMS. JAMES, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, THIS IS A HEAD SCRATCHER FOR ME BECAUSE IT'S A BRAND NEW PROGRAM APPARENTLY.
UM, IF WE'RE TALKING SENIORS, ARE THOSE PEOPLE OVER 65? OVER 60? 60 THRESHOLD WE USE IS 60 AT THE AGE OF 60.
AND YOU SAID, MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT PAY STUBS.
DO YOU EXPECT A LOT OF THOSE PEOPLE TO BE WORKING? SOME, UH, WE FIND QUITE A FEW OF 'EM STILL HOLD DOWN SOME, SOME EMPLOYMENT WITHIN THE AREA.
HOW DO YOU QUALIFY 'EM IF THEY DON'T HAVE PAY STUBS? THEY DON'T HAVE PAY STUBS.
WE USE THE, UH, SOCIAL, SOCIAL SECURITY AND UNEMPLOYMENT.
THEY RECEIVE A FORM OF UNEMPLOYMENT, UM, AND IT SATISFIES THAT THEY'RE NOT WORKING.
UH, AND DID I UNDERSTAND YOU CORRECTLY THAT THIS IS NOT BEING DONE ELSEWHERE IN THE COUNTY AT THIS TIME, AT THIS TIME, AT THIS CAPACITY, NO, BECAUSE IT IS CUSTOMIZED TO, TO THE INDIVIDUAL, UH, TO GET THEM TO THEIR MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS, TO, UH, APPOINTMENTS THAT THEY HAVE.
UH, NOTHING LIKE THIS IS BEING DONE CURRENTLY.
SO THIS IS A NEW BUSINESS FOR YOU? WELL, THIS WILL BE A, A, A NEW AVENUE OF A ONGOING BUSINESS.
THAT'S, THAT'S NOT A PROBLEM FOR ME.
'CAUSE WE KNOW THAT MOBILITY AND HILTON HEAD IS AN ISSUE.
UH, SO IT'S A QUESTION OF WHETHER OR NOT INVESTING A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS IN A NEW PROGRAM, UM, THAT, THAT WOULD IN INCLUDE HIRING A NEW PERSON AND PROBABLY MORE THAN ONE, UH, NEW EQUIPMENT, MAINTENANCE OF IT, AND SO ON.
I'M, I'M, UH, WELL, WE CURRENTLY HAVE THREE VEHICLES THAT WE SET ASIDE FOR THIS PROJECT.
UH, THREE, UH, TWO SEDANS AND ONE, ONE VAN THAT WE PREVIOUSLY SET ASIDE FOR THIS PROJECT.
UM, AND WE WILL BE MATCHING IT WITH AN EQUAL A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS WORTH OF, OF ASSETS AND FUNDS AS WELL.
YEAH, I, I'M, I'M NOT AT THIS MOMENT PREPARED TO SUPPORT THIS, UH, BECAUSE IT'S A NEW VENTURE AND I'M NOT SURE THAT I, UM, HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION TO FEEL COMFORTABLE INVESTING A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS AT THIS TIME.
THANK, UM, I GUESS THE BOTTOM LINE IS, I, I AGREE WITH, UM, WITH MS. JAMES WITH COUNCILMAN NAMES.
UH, WITH REGARD TO THAT, DO YOU, HAVE YOU GONE THROUGH THE MOU
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PRO FUNDING TO MATCH THIS PROGRAM, UH, FROM OUR COMMUNITY SERVICE BLOCK GRANT? YES.THE PROPOSAL RIGHT NOW IS, IS TO DO THIS PROGRAM ONLY ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND TO START IT ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
WE WANNA START IT ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND BECAUSE THE, THE DEMOGRAPHICS AND THE MAKEUP OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND IS BEST FITTED FOR THIS PROGRAM.
UM, MR. WILLIAMS, I'M GOING, I'M GONNA SHIFT GEARS JUST A LITTLE BIT.
[01:55:01]
YOUR BACKUP MATERIAL, UM, I THINK YOUR OVERALL BUDGET IS, UM, JUST OFF OF $11 MILLION, IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.AND, UM, ALSO KNOW THAT YOU PROVIDE, UH, HEAD START SERVICES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
UM, ON THE FLY, CAN YOU TELL US, UH, YOU KNOW, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THAT BUDGET GOES TOWARDS THE HEAD START PROGRAMS? SO ROUGHLY, UM, ABOUT $6.2 MILLION OF THAT SUPPORTS THE HI, THE HEAD START PROGRAM.
UM, MAY I, MAY I FOLLOW UP ON YOUR QUESTION? YES, SURE.
ARE ANY OF THOSE HEAD START PROGRAMS HERE ON HILTON HOOD? YES.
UM, THE, WE, WE, UH, OUR, OUR PROGRAM IS, UH, THRIVING ON AN ISLAND.
WE'RE TRYING TO GROW IT ON HILL HEAD ISLAND, BUT YEAH, WE DO HAVE A CLASSROOM ON HILL HEAD ISLAND.
IS IT, WHERE IS IT LOCATED? SANDALWOOD.
UM, LISTENING TO THE COMMENTS FROM THE COMMITTEE, UM, LIKE THERE'S SOME HESITANCY AS FAR AS AS THIS REQUEST IS CONCERNED.
COUNCILMAN BECCA BROUGHT UP A GREAT POINT AS FAR AS THE TOWN, UM, HAVING, UH, GRIEVANCE WITH ORGANIZATIONS TO HELP FULFILL OUR GOALS IN THE GAPS HERE ON HILTON HEAD.
UM, AS I THINK MORE AND MORE ABOUT OUR INITIATIVES AROUND HOUSING, UM, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A GAP WHEN IT COMES TO EARLY CHILDHOOD IF WE ARE LOOKING TO ATTRACT MORE FAMILIES HERE ON HILTON HEAD.
AND THAT IS YOUR CORE BUSINESS, UH, BASED ON WHAT YOU JUST TOLD ME AS FAR AS THE BUDGETARY RESPONSE.
BUT THERE MAY BE SOME OPPORTUNITY THERE AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH TRYING TO PUT MORE UNITS ON THE GROUND, OUR PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS, UM, SO THAT WE CAN HAVE MORE OF A EARLY CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCE ON HILTON HEAD TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
UH, YES, MS. THINGS, I WANT TO, I WANT TO PIGGYBACK ON THAT BECAUSE I WAS INVOLVED WITH THE CHILDREN'S CENTER, UM, ALMOST 15, 16 YEARS AGO WHEN THE EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAM WAS PULLED FROM THE CHILDREN'S CENTER AND IT HAD A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF ITS POPULATION, UH, IN THAT PROGRAM.
IF THERE WERE ANY WAY THAT THE CHILDREN'S CENTER COULD BE REINSTATED FOR THAT PROGRAM, I THINK IT WOULD BE TREMENDOUSLY BENEFICIAL FOR THE ISLAND.
AND SO I, I AT THIS POINT DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO THAT.
IF YOU DO, I'D LIKE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT IT.
I'D LOVE TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WITH YOU.
ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS FROM THE DAIS, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS PARTICULAR REQUEST? THANK YOU, MR. WILLIAMS. THANK YOU, MR. MR. GRUBER.
YOU, UH, YOU HAVE THAT NOTE INDICATED THERE.
OKAY, NEXT WE HAVE MEMORY MATTERS.
ANYONE SCHEDULED TO PRESENT FOR MEMORY MATTERS? OKAY.
UM, PLEASURE OF THE COMMITTEE ON MEMORY MATTERS.
ANY QUESTION THERE? UM, I DO HAVE A, I DO HAVE OPINIONS ON THAT.
I'M SORRY THAT THERE'S NOT A PRESENTATION.
MY CONCERN THERE IS WITH, WITHOUT THAT INFORMATION, I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO SUPPORT IT.
MY SUSPICION IS THAT THERE ARE OTHER NONPROFITS THAT FALL INTO THAT KIND OF CATEGORY, LIKE VIM, WHO WOULD ALSO APPRECIATE THE TOWN'S DIRECT SUPPORT.
SO I'M THINKING THAT THIS IS, THIS IS PROBABLY SOMETHING WE SHOULD POSTPONE.
UH, MY NAME IS AMBER KUHN AND I AM THE PRESIDENT OF TURTLE PATROL HILTON HEAD ISLAND SEA TURTLES.
UM, TODAY I'M GONNA TELL YOU THINGS YOU ALREADY KNOW, PARTICULARLY IF YOU ARE A PART OF THE AT TAX.
YOU KNOW WHAT WE DO AND WE'VE BEEN DOING IT SINCE 1985.
OUR NAME CHANGED IN 2018, UM, AND OUR NONPROFITS STARTED IN 2018.
THERE WAS A TRANSITION IN THE YEAR 2017 WHERE WE HAD ZERO FUNDING AND MY GOLF CART ON THE BEACH.
SO WE'VE COME FROM ZERO IN THE BANK ACCOUNT TO A POINT WHERE WE CAN RAISE MONEY FOR A TACOMA.
OUR FIRST VEHICLE WAS A DONATION.
AND UM, FINALLY WE, WE'VE GOT A VERY DEPENDABLE VEHICLE.
WE PROVIDED THE TOWN WITH NONSTOP
[02:00:02]
NEST MONITORING.UH, THERE WAS NO BREAK IN THAT SERVICE.
I'M GONNA CALL IT A SERVICE BECAUSE IT'S ALMOST LIKE A CONTRACTOR WHERE WE PROVIDE A SERVICE FOR THE TOWN IN ORDER TO GET A BEACH RENOURISHMENT PERMIT.
SO IT'S A REQUIREMENT TO GET THAT PERMIT WITHOUT US, UM, IT WOULD BE A DIFFERENT SCENARIO AND THAT'S COMING UP COURSE NEXT YEAR.
UM, WE PREDICT THE HABITAT AS WELL AS THE ACTUAL SEA TURTLE.
SO WE'RE ON THE BEACH, YOU KNOW, PUSHING SAND INTO HOLES, MAKING SURE THE TOWN KNOWS IF THERE'S ANY ISSUES WITH BOATS, UM, LOOKING FOR ALL SORTS OF, UM, BEACH STEWARD, UM, ISSUES.
STRAINING RESPONSE IS ANOTHER BIG PART OF OUR JOB THAT WE DO FOR THE TOWN.
WE HAVE SEA TURTLES THAT ARE INJURED OR DEAD, AND WE ALSO HAVE MARINE MAMMALS.
AND THAT'S SPECIFIC TO A PERMIT THAT I HAVE.
AND THIS YEAR IN SOUTH CAROLINA, THERE'S BEEN 12 DEAD DOLPHINS SO FAR HILTON HEAD HAS HAD FIVE OF THEM.
THIS IS OUR NESTING AS YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN GOING UP AND THAT HAS TO DO WITH A SOMEWHAT OF A RECOVERY FOR THE LOGGERHEAD SPECIES.
UM, BUT USUALLY WE'RE AROUND 400, WHICH OF COURSE IS MORE WORK THAN WE'VE EVER DONE BEFORE.
THE ADVANTAGE TO HAVING THE VEHICLE THAT WE RAISED FOR SEVEN YEARS TO BUY IS THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY GO UP THE BEACH ONE WAY AND DRIVE BY THE STREET WITHOUT DISTURBING THE VISITORS AND THE RESIDENTS ON THE BEACH.
ON THE WAY BACK, JUST TO GET BACK TO OUR HOME BASE, WE USED TO GET JOHN DEERE GATORS PROVIDED FOR US BY THE TOWN, AND THAT ENDED IN 2016.
WE WOULD REPLACE THOSE VEHICLES EVERY TWO OR THREE YEARS, WHERE THE ONE THAT WE HAVE NOW IS, UM, GOING ON SIX YEARS AND IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.
WHAT WE PROMISED TO DO HAS A LOT TO DO WITH, UM, OF COURSE OUR MONITORING AND BRINGING UP TO A STANDARD THAT IS HILTON HEAD SPECIFIC.
WE HAVE THE MOST ADVANCED MONITORING SYSTEM IN THE STATE.
WE USE GIS AND WE HAVE OVER 3 MILLION VISITORS IN THE LARGEST TERRITORY.
IF YOU INCLUDE MITCHELLVILLE AND FOREST.
UH, HICKORY FOREST AND PINE ISLAND, WE DON'T GET AS MANY AS, UH, KIAA WITH THEIR 10 MILES OF BEACH, BUT IT HAS TO DO WITH LESS, UM, PEOPLE ON THE BEACH.
A LOT OF COLLABORATION WITH ALL OF THESE BREEZE TROLLEY SHOWS OUR VIDEOS.
ALL OF THESE THINGS THAT YOU SEE HERE, THE CHAMBER, THOSE ARE AT TAX BASED, UM, PROVISIONS.
WE CAN PAY FOR THE FUND STUFF WITH AT TAX.
THE UNFUNDED STUFF, WHICH I'VE LEARNED A LOT ABOUT RECENTLY.
AND ALTHOUGH WE AREN'T A NEW ORGANIZATION, WE ARE NEW TO THE NONPROFIT WORLD.
SO, LIKE I SAID, IT'S BEEN SEVEN YEARS, BUT WE DO COLLABORATE A LOT WITH EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON THE BEACH WITH THIS VOLUNTEER ACTIVITY.
THE NONPROFIT IS THERE TO ELEVATE THE EASE OF IT, THE LOOK OF IT.
UM, NECROPSIES ON THE BEACH, BURYING DEAD ANIMALS.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO NEXT YEAR WHEN THE RENOURISHMENT RESURFACES AND I PARTICIPATED IN THE 2016 RENOURISHMENT.
UM, SO I'VE BEEN DOING SEA TURTLE MONITORING OVER HALF MY LIFE, AND I'VE BEEN THE MANAGER OF THE PROGRAM FOR A DECADE.
I, UM, KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON OUT THERE, I KNOW WHAT WORKS, AND I KNOW THAT WHEN THAT EVENT COMES AROUND, WE'RE GONNA NEED A NEW VEHICLE.
SO THE ASK IS 73 4 80, AND MOST OF IT IS THAT VEHICLE BECAUSE YOU CAN'T TAKE A TACOMA OVER A PIPE.
UM, BUT YOU CAN TAKE A SIDE BY SIDE FOUR BY FOUR, SO I'LL, I'LL NEED A VEHICLE REGARDLESS.
IN THAT YEAR, UM, OUR BUDGET, ALTHOUGH WE HAVE MONEY FROM MARKETING AND THINGS THAT ARE FUN, OUR OPERATIONS ARE STRICTLY UNRESTRICTED DONATIONS.
SO A LOT OF THE LOCAL GRANT FUNDING THAT WE GET IS RESTRICTED TO PROJECTS.
SO YOU HAVE TO HAVE A SPECIFIC PROJECT AND USUALLY HAS TO DO WITH EDUCATION.
AND WE'VE EXHAUSTED ALL OF THAT.
WE'VE EXHAUSTED THE, AT TAX, TAX FUNDING.
BUT WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO A BUDGET SCENARIO WHERE WE NEED UNRESTRICTED FOR OPERATIONS, WE'VE BEEN OPERATING FOR MANY YEARS WITHOUT SALARIES.
THAT JUST HAPPENED TWO YEARS AGO.
UM, AND IT'S MINE THAT'S ENOUGH TO LIVE ON.
SO I HAVE TWO OTHER JOBS, BUT THERE'S A HALF SALARY
[02:05:01]
FOR AN ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT, WHICH IS ESSENTIAL.AND AS YOU KNOW, BASED ON SOME OF THE MISTAKES THAT I'VE MADE WITH THIS NEW ENDEAVOR IN THE NONPROFIT WORLD, IS THAT I WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO PAY AN ADMINISTRATIVE FINANCIAL PERSON, BUT OUR BUDGET IS NOT GOING TO ALLOW FOR THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE OPERATIONS COSTS THAT ARE GONNA PRECLUDE THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE TO BE EFFICIENT ON THE BEACH.
SO THAT'S REALLY THE END OF THE PRESENTATION.
WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN THERE IN THE CAPACITY THAT WE ARE, WE HAVE JUST REACHED A POINT WHERE WE'VE HIT A WALL WITH WHAT WE CAN DO WITH OUR OPERATIONS BUDGET, AND IF WE CAN HAVE SOME RELIEF IN THAT REGARD, WE CAN PURCHASE OUR OWN VEHICLE WHEN THAT COMES UP AGAIN AND POSSIBLY IN OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, WHICH WE JUST COMPLETED WITH THE USCB CENTER FOR STRATEGIC PLANNING, AND TOM LENNOX IN THE BACK THERE, WE HAVE A VISION TO HAVE OUR OWN FACILITY.
WE OPERATE OUT OF A TENT IN A PARKING LOT RIGHT NOW, SO WE LOOK REALLY GOOD ON THE BEACH WITH OUR NEW TACOMA.
THEN WE GO HOME TO OUR TENT IN THE PARKING LOT, AND THE OFFICE IS IN MY HOME IN THE PARKING LOT AS WELL FOR THE OTHER VEHICLES THAT ARE AGING, INCLUDING THE AMBULANCE.
SO WE NEED HELP FROM THE TOWN, LIKE WE HAD HELP FROM THE TOWN FOR MANY YEARS UNTIL 2016.
WE'VE DONE IT ON OUR OWN, UM, FROM ZERO TO TO PRESENT.
AND, UM, WE JUST REALLY APPRECIATE SEEING THAT AGAIN.
SO I'M SURE YOU HAVE QUESTIONS.
AND, UM, MY ASK IS 70% OF A SALARY AND A HALF IN THAT VEHICLE THAT YOU SEE THERE.
UM, AND THANK YOUR ENTIRE TEAM OF VOLUNTEERS WHO HAVE MADE THIS PROGRAM A TREMENDOUS SUCCESS.
EVERYONE WHO LIVES ON THIS ISLAND WHO VISITS THIS ISLAND, UM, SHOULD EXPERIENCE IT.
UM, IF THEY HAVEN'T, UM, I HOPE THEY DO THIS SEASON, UM, BECAUSE IT IS, IT'S QUINTESSENTIAL, IT IS.
IT IS, IT IS SO IMPORTANT TO OUR ENVIRONMENT, TO, TO EVERYTHING WE BELIEVE IN HERE.
UM, DO YOU HAVE, UM, FIRST OF ALL THE, THE DOLPHINS ISSUE, I WANTED TO ASK YOU ABOUT THAT, BUT I'LL ASK YOU ANOTHER TIME.
I DON'T NECESSARILY NEED TO GO INTO THAT HERE.
THERE'S PLENTY OF INFORMATION THERE.
YOU HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR DMO IN TERMS OF, UM, ADVERTISING AND HELPING TO CREATE AWARENESS, UM, U-S-C-U-S-C-B, UM, AND HOPEFULLY IN MY MIND, I WOULD IMAGINE USCB EMBRACING YOU MORE AND HELPING TO CREATE, UM, A CENTER FOR, UM, OCEANIC TYPE OF, UM, ENDEAVORS.
I HAVEN'T APPROACHED IT, BUT THEY HAVEN'T RESPONDED.
WELL, I, I, I, I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA, AND IF I CAN ADD TO THAT IN ANY WAY, UM, I'M HAPPY TO DO THAT.
UM, DO YOU GET ANY, UM, FUNDING AT ALL OR ANY TYPE OF COMPENSATION ALL FROM THE NUMBER OF HOTELS AND ALL OF WHOM YOU PROVIDE FOR? NO, NO, NO FUNDING FROM THE STATE, NO FUNDING FROM THE HOTELS.
IT'S ALL THE LOCAL GRANTS THAT EVERYONE'S FAMILIAR WITH, THE PALMETTO JEANS CARES, THE CHURCH MOUSE, THE, YOU KNOW, AND THEN THEY'RE ALL PROJECT BASED AND THEY'RE LIMITED.
THEY'RE NOT GONNA, UM, BUY A VEHICLE OR RENT A SPACE, WHICH IS ANOTHER OPERATIONAL COSTS THAT WE'LL BE LOOKING AT WHERE VISION WILL LOOK AT THINKING ABOUT, UM, HOW MUCH YOU, UM, ADD TO HOSTING SEA TURTLE TALKS AT HOTELS AND ET CETERA.
UM, THERE SHOULD BE SOME MECHANISM FOR THEM TO GIVE BACK.
THEY DON'T, THEY DO PAY THE ORGANIZATION, BUT IT'S A WASH BECAUSE THE SPEAKERS DO GET A FEE.
AND MANY OF THE HOTELS DON'T CHARGE FOR IT.
A COUPLE OF THEM DO, AND THEY ACTUALLY MAKE MONEY FOR THEMSELVES ON IT AS WELL.
BUT WE DON'T MAKE, UM, A PERCENTAGE THAT'S, IT'S NEGLIGIBLE.
WE, WE GO AHEAD AND PAY OUR SPEAKERS FOR THEIR EXTRA TIME.
THEIR VOLUNTEER EFFORT IS ON THE BEACH FOR THE MOST PART.
ADDING TO MY THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THAT HARD WORK.
SO, UM, MS. KUHN, I THINK YOU'VE MADE SOME VERY GOOD PRESENTATIONS, UH, HERE AND ALSO BEFORE THE ATAC COMMITTEE, UH, IN SUPPORT OF THE PROGRAMS AND THE FINANCES YOU NEED TO HELP THEM.
UH, AND I WAS, UH, PARTICULARLY IMPRESSED THAT YOU ALSO HAD AN ENDORSEMENT FROM THE TURTLE TRACKERS
[02:10:01]
ORGANIZATION.UM, I'M VERY INTERESTED IN LEARNING A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE TOWN'S PROVI PROVIDING YOU SUPPORT AND GATORS PRIOR TO 2016.
WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT AT A DIFFERENT TIME.
UM, I, I, I ENTHUSIASTICALLY SUPPORT WHAT YOU ARE DOING BECAUSE I, I THINK THAT THE SEA TURTLES HAVE BECOME BASICALLY A UNOFFICIAL MASCOT OF THE ISLAND.
AND, AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE THAT KIND OF MASCOT BECAUSE WE SPEAK TO THE LEGACY OF ENVIRONMENTAL SENSITIVITY, PRESERVATION AND SO ON.
AND SO IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO REMIND OURSELVES AS RESIDENTS, AND ALSO REMIND VISITORS THAT WE STILL ARE THAT ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARD.
SO I, I THINK THAT WE, WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF THAT MASCOT ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
AND I KNOW YOU AND OTHERS ARE DOING MUCH MORE THAN JUST TAKING CARE OF THE TURTLES, SO I SUPPORT IT.
BUT, BUT, BUT READING BETWEEN THE LINES OF YOUR PRESENTATION, I SORT OF SENSE THAT IN THE FUTURE THIS MIGHT BE INADEQUATE BUDGETING IS, DO I READ THAT CORRECTLY? YEAH.
IF OUR VISION, I MEAN, IT'S A FIVE YEAR PLAN, AND OUR VISION IS TO HAVE A SPACE THAT WE CAN INVITE THE PUBLIC INTO TO TEACH ABOUT SEA TURTLES.
RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW, WE DO IT OUTSIDE AT CELEBRATION PARK, OR WE RELY ON THE RESORTS TO GIVE US A SPACE.
WE DON'T HAVE ANYWHERE TO PARK OUR VEHICLES AFTER THE, UH, ISLANDERS BEACH PARK KICKS US OUT
'CAUSE THEY'RE REVAMPING THE PARK, AND I KNOW THAT THE TOWN WON'T HAVE TIME TO BUILD SOME, A FACILITY TO SUPPORT US.
THE USCB PARKING LOT HAS BEEN OFFERED TO PARK OUR TENT AND OUR THINGS UNDERNEATH.
I JUST, I JUST THINK THAT BASED ON WHO WE ARE, THE TOWN OF HILLS AND HEAD HAS GOT, UM, A LITTLE BIT OF FANCINESS ABOUT IT.
OCCASIONALLY WE LOOK FANCY ON THE BEACH, BUT WE CAN'T INVITE ANYBODY ANYWHERE, AND WE CAN'T SHOW THEM WHERE WE BEGIN BECAUSE IT'S EMBARRASSING.
IS THAT THE PERMITTING PIECE OF IT? YEAH, SO THERE'S A BIOLOGICAL REVIEW THAT YOU HAVE TO PASS BEFORE YOU CAN GET YOUR PERMIT.
AND ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS IS THAT YOU HAVE AN ONGOING ANNUAL SEA TURTLE MONITORING PROGRAM.
AND DOES THE TOWN ASK YOU TO PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION IN ORDER TO RECEIVE PERMITING? THE TOWN GETS AN ANNUAL REPORT FROM ME THAT I WOULD SUBMIT TO DNR AS WELL, SO THAT OKAY.
UM, GONNA TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT, BUT BEFORE WE DO, UM, WE, WE STARTED THIS PROCESS BECAUSE WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE WERE HAVING THESE TYPE OF CONVERSATIONS SO THAT WE CAN GET TO A BETTER PLACE, PARTICULARLY WITH OUR PARTNERS.
AND, UM, AT THE MOMENT, UH, SEA TURTLE DOES NOT HAVE AN MOU WITH THE TOWN, ALTHOUGH YOU ARE PROVIDING A SERVICE.
UM, SO WHAT I'M SAYING OUT LOUD HERE, MR. GRUBER, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE FURTHER CONVERSATIONS AROUND SOME TYPE OF AGREEMENT WITH THEM, SO WE HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING AS TO WHAT THEY'RE DOING, WHAT WE ARE DOING, UNDERSTAND THAT THEIR CONFLICTS AS FAR AS STORAGE OF, UH, VEHICLES AND, AND OTHER TYPE OF, UM, PRODUCT.
UM, AND, AND THE, THE TOWN ITSELF IS FIGHTING OVER SPACE AS WELL.
UM, SO I, I THINK TO CLEAN THINGS UP AND TO GET US TO A BETTER PLACE, WE WANNA PUT THAT, UH, IN FRONT OF THIS COMMITTEE TO SERVE AS, UM, MOVING FORWARD WITH SOME TYPE OF AGREEMENT WITH, WITH THIS ORGANIZATION.
I THINK THAT'S APPROPRIATE, UM, FOR US TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION.
[02:15:01]
LINDA TENNER, JUST REAL QUICK.UM, THE SEA TURTLE PROGRAM ALIGNS WITH OUR TOURISM FOCUS ON ENVIRONMENTAL, UM, AND I KNOW OUR DMO HAS BEEN, UH, WORKING HARD TO CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON THAT AND TO DRIVE MORE PROGRAMS. WE KNOW THAT THE TURTLE, UM, UH, TALKS HAVE HIGH LEVELS OF PARTICIPATION.
I'VE PERSONALLY ENJOYED THEM, AND WHEN I HAVE, UM, PEOPLE VISITING ME, WE LOVE TO GO DOWN TO CELEBRATION PARK AND TO HEAR ALL ABOUT THE TURTLES.
AND, UH, THERE ARE PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER, UM, PARTICIPATING IN THAT.
AND IT, AND IT GETS TO THE POINT THAT YOU ALREADY MADE.
UM, IT MAKES OUR ISLAND UNIQUE, UM, AND VERY SPECIAL, AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT IT CONTINUES IN THE FUTURE.
SEEING NONE, UM, ON THIS REQUEST OF $73,480, ANY CHANGE? NO, JUDGE.
I NEGLECTED TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT I THANKED, UM, AMBER, UM, FOR ALL THE ONE-ON-ONE TIME THAT SHE GIVES.
I'VE BEEN OUT PERSONALLY, UM, WITH MY FAMILY TO, TO SEE THE TURTLE, UM, NESTS AND THE ABILITY TO FIND THE NEST IS AMAZING.
BUT THEN TO FIND THE TURTLES WHO ARE LOST INSIDE, AND THEN TO RESCUE THOSE WHO WEREN'T ABLE TO MAKE IT OUT AND TO SET THEM ON THEIR WAY.
UM, THIS WORK, UM, IT, IT HAS BEEN INTEGRAL TO THE TOWN FOR DECADES NOW AND NEEDS TO BE A, UM, A, A TRUE COMMITMENT TO WHATEVER WE NEED TO DO TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR MASCOT AS COUNCILMAN, UM, AIMS SO ELOQUENTLY, UM, STATED IS SAFE AND SECURE.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WAS ON THE RECORD.
GRUBER, IF YOU CAN HELP US WITH A RECAP HERE SO THAT SOMEONE CAN MAKE A MOTION.
SO BASED UPON THE FEEDBACK THAT, UM, WE RECEIVED TODAY, THIS COLUMN K IS ULTIMATELY, UM, THE FIGURES THAT WERE DISCUSSED BY THE COMMITTEE.
SO PLEASE TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THAT, MAKE SURE IT ALIGNS WITH YOUR UNDERSTANDING, AND THEN IF SO, UM, ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE FUNDING REQUEST TO THE AMOUNTS IDENTIFIED IN THIS COLUMN.
REGARDING THE ASTERISK NEXT TO THE SOLICITOR'S OFFICE, HOW DO WE INCORPORATE THE ASTERISK IN THE BUDGET? SO, FOR PURPOSES OF SETTING FORTH OF BUDGET, STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE TO TAKE THESE FIGURES AND PUT THEM IN OUR FY 25 BUDGET.
UM, THE REQUEST FROM THE COMMITTEE WAS TO SEEK FUNDING FROM EITHER THE COUNTY OR THE STATE THAT WOULD ULTIMATELY, UH, REMOVE THE NEED FOR THE TOWN TO CONTRIBUTE FINANCIALLY.
BUT UNTIL WE UNDERSTAND IF THAT FUNDING IS ACTUALLY AVAILABLE, THE INSTRUCTION WOULD BE TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR THAT SERVICE.
SO THAT'S WHY WE'VE, WE INCLUDED IT IN HERE.
WE'LL INCLUDE IT IN THE MOTION, BUT WE'VE ASKED STRICT THAT IN THAT IF WE'RE ABLE TO IDENTIFY FUNDING PRIOR TO, I CAN'T REMEMBER THE SPECIFIC DATE IN DOOM, BUT PRIOR TO SECOND READING OF THE BUDGET, WE CAN MAKE AN AMENDMENT TO REMOVE THAT OUT OF IT.
IF FUNDING'S BEEN IDENTIFIED BY THAT TIME, I CAN MAKE A MOTION, UH, TO ADVANCE THE LIST.
THAT IS BEFORE US IN COLUMN K, SPECIFICALLY TO TOWN COUNCIL WITH OUR ENDORSEMENT.
SECOND BY MS. BECCA, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? READY FOR THE QUESTION? ALL IN FAVOR.
UH, WE THANK EVERYONE FOR YOUR ATTENDANCE AND OURSELVES ADJOURNED.