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CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY.
[Call to Order]
[Pledge to the Flag]
ALL THE,[Adoption of the Agenda]
AND THE MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM FEBRUARY 12TH, 2024.[Approval of the Minutes]
AND SPECIAL MEETING ON FEBRUARY 27TH, 2024.ALL IN FAVOR AND
[Appearance by Citizens]
WAS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK TODAY'S MEETING? YES, MA'AM.MS. EVANS USUALLY THE ONE IN FRONT OF ME.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? I'M PAMELA MARTIN OVENS.
I LIVE ON THE SOUTH END OF, UM, OUR ISLAND.
MY ONE COMMENT IS, I HOPE THE EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE CONSULTANT ANSWERED COUNCILWOMAN BRYSON'S QUESTIONS.
AND THANK YOU BRIAN MCELWEE FOR GETTING RID OF RODENTICIDE USE ON TOWN PROPERTY.
ANYONE ELSE? YES, CARL BRADEN.
MY NAME'S CARL BRADEN AND FROM BRADLEY BEACH, BRADLEY CIRCLE AREA, HOMEOWNER.
SINCE 97, I'VE BEEN A PE I'VE BEEN USING A PEDESTRIAN ACCESS GATE BETWEEN BRADLEY CIRCLE, ANDREESSEN BEACH PARK, NEARLY EVERY DAY, OFTEN, MULTIPLE TIMES A DAY FOR DECADES, WALKING AND RIDING BETWEEN THESE TWO NEIGHBORHOODS.
I'VE ENJOYED WALKING WITH MY DOG IN THE LOVELY SHADED PARK WHEN IT'S TOO HOT AT THE BEACH OR WHEN DOGS ARE RESTRICTED AT THE BEACH.
MY DAUGHTER ENJOYED THE PLAYGROUND AND WE ALWAYS LIKED TO TAKE OUR BIKES TO THE BEACH USING THE SAFE AND WELL MAINTAINED BEACH ACCESS BOARDWALK.
SO FOR 10 MONTHS, I'VE SENT EMAILS EXPLAINING THE MULTIPLE REASONS THAT RESIDENTS AND GUESTS WOULD REGULARLY VISIT THE PARK, BUT MY EMAILS ARE UNANSWERED.
I'VE HELD OFF FROM SPEAKING PUBLICLY, HOPING THE TOWN WOULD CORRECT THIS MISTAKE DURING THE PARK RENOVATIONS.
NEVERTHELESS, A, A MEMO BY THE PUBLIC SAFETY DIRECTOR LAST MAY WAS USED TO JUSTIFY CLOSING THE ACCESS.
I RECENTLY OBTAINED A COPY VIA FOIA REQUEST, AND THE MEMO CLAIMS QUOTE, THERE APPEARED TO BE NO LEGITIMATE PURPOSE FOR THE PARK ACCESS.
SO, AS SUSPECT IN THE MEMO INDICATED THAT, UH, OUR COUNCIL, OUR LOCAL NEIGHBOR AND COUNCILPERSON MRS. BECKER, HAD MET WITH DIRECTOR BROMAGE AND ONE OTHER NEIGHBOR, A PART-TIME RESIDENT WHO BUILT A HOME RIGHT NEXT TO THE PARK ACCESS, UH, KNOWING FULL WELL THAT THE ACCESS WAS THERE FOR DECADES BEFORE SHE ARRIVED.
THAT MEETING IS WHAT FACILITATED THE MEMO.
COUNCILPERSON BECKER NEVER RESPONDED IN MY ORIGINAL EMAIL, SO WE, WHEN I ENCOUNTERED HER LAST WEEK AT TOWN HALL, SHE, SHE TOLD ME IT'S A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE AND THERE'S NOTHING TO DISCUSS.
UH, THIS DOESN'T SOUND UNBIASED REPRESENTATIVE TO ME.
UM, I SPOKE WITH DIRECTOR BROMAGE THE DAY THAT MY MORNING DOG WALK WAS BLOCKED BY THE GATE BEING HASTILY BOARDED UP.
HE INDICATED HE WAS NOT AWARE OF THERE BEING A WRITTEN LEGAL ACCESS EASEMENT.
THE EASEMENT WRITTEN BY TOWN ATTORNEYS IN 2002 MADE CERTAIN THAT THE ACCESS CONTINUED TO REMAIN OPEN FOR THE USE AND BENEFIT OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
I PROVIDED THE PLATS AND LEGAL DOCUMENTS TO THE TOWN MANAGEMENT, WHETHER INTENTIONAL OR NOT.
THE MAY 20, MAY, 2023 MEMO CONTAINS INCORRECT AND MISLEADING STATEMENTS.
FIRST, IT REFERS TO BRADLEY CIRCLE AS A PRIVATE COMMUNITY.
BRADLEY CIRCLE IS NO DIFFERENT THAN BRADLEY BEACH ROAD, WHICH SERVES AS THE ENTRANCE TO THE PARK.
BOTH STREETS ARE PUBLIC ROADS.
EACH STREET IS A MIX OF PRIMARY HOMES AND SECOND HOMES.
MANY SHORT-TERM RENTALS, ANY PERSON CAN ENTER EITHER STREET LEGALLY DAY OR NIGHT.
THERE ARE NO GATES ON HILTON HEAD.
WE HAVE MANY PRIVATE COMMUNITIES.
INCIDENTALLY, AFTER PURCHASING THE BURKES LAND IN 2002,
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MARRIOTT ACTUALLY OFFERED TO MAKE BRADLEY CIRCLE INTO A PRIVATE COMMUNITY CATERED COMMUNITY.BUT SOME OWNERS REJECTED THE OFFICE.
IT REMAINS PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE LIKE BRADLEY BEACH ROAD, BERKS BEACH ROAD, AND SINGLETON, WHICH ALL HAVE PARK ACCESS.
[Presentations and Recognitions]
ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS THE PRESENTATION OF THE REF FIRE AND RESCUE ANNUAL REPORT.AND, UM, CHIEF BLANKENSHIP, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US THIS MORNING.
FIRST I'D LIKE TO START OFF BY SAYING, UM, I'D LIKE TO THANK MY STAFF FOR, FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER AND PUTTING OUR ANNUAL REPORT TOGETHER.
UM, TITLE CHIEF CHRISTOPHER OMAN, DEPUTY CHIEF HADDA, FISTER AND CHIEF CUNNINGHAM, VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN THIS.
IT'S A VERY MUCH A TEAM EFFORT AND, UH, THEY DO GET ALL THE CREDIT.
SO I'M HERE TO PRESENT OUR 2023 FIRE RESCUE ANNUAL REPORT.
LAST YEAR WE HAD A TOTAL OF 9,560 CALLS, WHICH IS JUST, UH, UH, ABOUT 80 SHORT OF THE YEAR BEFORE.
SO WE CONTINUE TO SEE OUR, OUR CALLS INCREASING YEAR AFTER YEAR, 26 AVERAGE INCIDENTS A DAY WITH OUR TOP THREE BUSIEST DAYS.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE THERE BELOW 55, 53 AND 49 INCIDENTS, UH, 20 YEAR INCREASE IS STILL TRENDING TO ABOUT 60% OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, THE, THE TOP IS THE TOTAL CALLS.
THE BLUE IS EMS AND, AND THE OTHER, THE RED IS FIRE.
SO, UM, OBVIOUSLY OUR EMS CALLS ARE WHAT CONTINUES TO GO UP EVERY YEAR.
UH, BUSIEST DAYS, ALWAYS SATURDAYS AND BUSIEST MONTH IS JULY TO PRIOR TO NO ONE'S SURPRISE.
UM, ENGINE FIVE AND MEDIC FIVE ARE CONTINUED TO BE OUR BUSIEST, UM, CREWS.
AND THEY ARE LOCATED AT THE FRONT GATE OF HILTON HEAD PLANTATION SERVICING ABOUT HALF OF HILTON HEAD PLANTATION.
AND A LOT OF THAT, UH, CALL VOLUME IS FROM THE, UM, RE UH, RETIREMENT HOMES AND STUFF ON MAIN STREET.
UM, OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS, UH, WE'VE SEEN AN INCREASE OF 10% OVER THOSE THREE YEARS INTO OUR STRUCTURE FIRES.
UM, WE HAD 39 FIRES WITHIN A STRUCTURE, AND OF THOSE 39, 20 WERE CONFINED TO THE OBJECT OF ORIGIN, NINE TO THE ROOM, ONE TO THE FLOOR, AND NINE TO THE BUILDING.
SO, UH, 74% OF THOSE WERE CONFINED TO THE OBJECT OR ROOM OF ORIGIN, WHICH BASICALLY IS, IS VERY GOOD.
IT MEANS WE'RE GETTING IN, GETTING THE FIRE OUT BEFORE IT CAN SPREAD.
UM, GO OVER TO PROPERTY SAVED.
UH, WE LIKE TO REPORT ON, A LOT OF PEOPLE REPORT ON THE PROPERTY LOSS, WHICH WERE JUST OVER 2 MILLION LAST YEAR, BUT WE LIKE TO FOCUS ON THE POSITIVE AND SAY THAT WE SAVED $152 MILLION WORTH OF PROPERTY IN THOSE FIRES BY PROPERTY TYPE.
YOU CAN SEE SINGLE FAMILY WENT UP LAST YEAR FROM 17 TO 22.
WE'RE DOWN IN MULTIFAMILY, LITTLE UP IN COMMERCIAL.
UM, OUR WILDFIRE BRUSH, FIRE GRASS FIRES WENT DOWN AND ACROSS THE BOARD, WE WERE DOWN IN VEHICLES, TRASH FIRES AND, AND OTHER, SO PRETTY GOOD YEAR FROM 23 COMPARED TO 22.
OUR YARD WASTE BURNING STATISTICS, AS YOU GUYS KNOW, TWO SATURDAYS A MONTH, WE DO OPEN, UH, YARD WASTE BURNING ON HILTON HEAD, AND WE HAVE 354 PERMITS THAT WERE REGISTERED ON THE APPROVED DAYS.
AND WE WERE ABLE TO GO OUT AND DO COMPLIANCE CHECKS ON ALL 354 OF THOSE.
WE ISSUED 11 WARNINGS AND ONLY THREE CITATIONS.
UM, THIS IS THE, THE FIVE ADDRESSES THAT WE GO TO MOST.
AND THESE WILL ALL BE REALLY, UM, BASED ON MEDICAL CALLS.
YOU'LL SEE 300 WOODHAVEN, WHICH IS THE SEABROOK 4 21 SQUARE FOOT POPE ROAD, WHICH IS BAYSHORE ONE 10 GARDNER DRIVE, LEMONGRASS LAMONT.
SO, UM, MOSTLY ELDERLY CARE FACILITIES AND, UM, ASSISTED IN NON ASSISTED RESIDENCES.
UM, YOU, YOU'LL HAVE A REPORT.
UM, I, I LEFT A A DATA REPORT TOO.
WE'LL GO OVER, WE'LL, I LET A COUPLE OF THINGS IN THERE, BUT, UM, FEEL FREE TO LOOK THROUGH THAT ANNUAL DATA REPORT.
I'M NOT GONNA GO THROUGH ALL OF THAT HERE TONIGHT.
SO IN OUR OPERATIONS, WE LOOK AT OUR BENCHMARK TIMES.
THESE ARE FOR, UH, FIRE CALLS.
AND WE ARE, WE'RE JUST SHY OF HITTING OUR BENCHMARK AND ALARM HANDLING TURNOUT IN OUR TRAVEL TIME.
HOWEVER, OUR TOTAL RESPONSE TIME, UM, WE ARE MEETING THAT.
SO IT MEANS WE'RE GETTING APPARATUS ON SCENE WITHIN OUR BENCHMARK OF EIGHT MINUTES AND 50 SECONDS, 90, 90% OF THE TIME.
SO THAT IS, UH, WE, WE LOOK AT THIS AS PART OF OUR ACCREDITATION MODEL.
AND THIS SHOWS US THINGS OF AREAS THAT WE CAN IMPROVE ON.
SO WE CAN IMPROVE IN CALL HANDLING.
WE CAN IMPROVE ON OUR TURNOUT TIME, TRAVEL TIME.
THERE'S NOT A LOT WE CAN DO WITH THAT.
THAT'S, THAT'S TRAFFIC THAT DEPARTMENTS WOULD LOOK AT THAT AND SAY, WHERE COULD I PUT THE NEXT STATION WHERE IT BUILD OUT? SO TRAVEL TIMES AREN'T REALLY GONNA CHANGE TOO MUCH.
AGAIN, IN EMS. UM, WE'RE SHORT HERE OVERALL BY A MINUTE AND SIX.
THIS IS A BIG THING, IS BECAUSE OF THE WAY WE'RE HANDLING EMS CALLS NOW, WE ARE NOT RUNNING LIGHTS AND SIRENS OUT THE DOOR FAST TO
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ALL MEDICAL CALLS.WE STARTED LAST YEAR BY, WE'RE GETTING A LOT MORE INFORMATION IN OUR DISPATCH CENTER, AND WE'RE PRIORITIZING THOSE CALLS.
AND I WOULD SAY A VAST MAJORITY OF OUR EMS CALLS WE NOW RUN ARE NON-EMERGENT.
UM, THAT'S JUST A RISK FACTOR THAT WE'VE LOOKED AT OVER THE YEARS, AND IT'S ACTUALLY BEEN VERY BENEFICIAL IN, IN SLOWING US DOWN AND TO, TO THOSE NON-EMERGENT CALLS THAT AREN'T LIFE-THREATENING EMERGENCIES.
I, UH, OUR STATIONS, UH, SHIPYARD, UH, FOR FIRE INCIDENTS, SHIPYARD STATION.
STATION ONE, UH, IS THE BUSIEST, FOLLOWED BY THE REST 5, 7, 6, 3, 4 AND TWO.
AND THEN FOR MEDICAL CALLS, AGAIN, IT'S STATION FIVE AT THE FRONT GATE OF HILTON HEAD PLANTATION, FOLLOWED BY STATION ONE AND SHIPYARD, AND THE REMAINDER OF THEM LITTLE DEMOGRAPHIC ON WHO WE SERVE.
UM, EM S WISE, WE'VE GOT THIS BROKEN DOWN TO, UM, TO AGE.
UH, AS YOU CAN SEE, THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR PATIENTS ARE 65 AND OLDER.
AND, UH, WE DO NOT DISCRIMINATE AGAINST MALE AND FEMALE.
UH, WE'D LIKE TO LOOK AT WHERE OUR, UH, PATIENTS ARE COMING FROM.
SO THIS SHOW, THIS GRAPH SHOWS ALL THE, ALL THE STATES, UM, AND HOW MANY PATIENTS IN THOSE STATES.
UH, AS YOU CAN SEE OF ALL OF OUR CALLS, UH, THE VAST MAJORITY OF THEM ARE, UM, FROM OUR HOME STATE HERE IN SOUTH CAROLINA, 3,776.
AND A LITTLE BIT LATER, WE'LL SEE THAT ACTUALLY THE BREAKDOWN OF MOST OF THEM ACTUALLY BEING OUR RESIDENTS HERE ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
UH, CARDIAC SURVIVAL RATE THIS YEAR WAS 50%, WHICH IS AWESOME.
UM, WE ACTUALLY IN 2024 ARE ALREADY TRENDING THE SAME WAY.
WE'RE CURRENTLY SITTING AT 50%.
UH, THE NATIONAL AVERAGE HAS RISEN FROM ABOUT 10 TO 26.
SO I THINK ACROSS THE NATION, WE'RE DOING A BETTER JOB.
UM, WE CAN, WE CONTINUE SINCE 2012 TO, TO SURPASS THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.
UH, YOU KNOW, THIS JUST MEANS SEVEN PEOPLE THAT WERE IN WITNESSED CARDIAC WITNESSED SHOCKABLE CARDIAC ARREST SURVIVED AND WALKED OUTTA THE HOSPITAL LAST YEAR, WHICH IS AN AMAZING STATISTIC.
AND HERE IN THE CENTER, UH, THIS IS ONE OF THE GENTLEMEN THAT WE ACTUALLY SAVED.
WE, WE ALWAYS LIKE TO GO BACK AND MEET WITH THEM AND LET, ALLOW THEM TO MEET THEIR RESCUERS.
UM, OUR INNER FACILITY TRANSPORTS, UM, WENT DOWN THIS LAST YEAR.
WE, WE WERE WORKING VERY HARD WITH TENANT TO REALLY GET THESE DOWN TO ZERO IS, IS WHAT I'D REALLY LIKE TO DO.
UM, BUT THIS LAST YEAR THEY DID, UM, THEY DID HELP US OUT.
THEY GOT A CONTRACT WITH A LOCAL PRIVATE CARRIER, AND OUR, OUR CALLS REALLY WENT DOWN.
WE WILL CONTINUE THAT RELATIONSHIP WITH NOVANT NOW THAT THEY'RE IN AND, UH, HOPEFULLY GET THESE DOWN EVEN LOWER.
SO FROM 25 TO 15 FOR FACILITIES, UM, THE, THAT HAS BEEN AS HIGH AS IN THE SEVENTIES BEFORE.
SO THIS IS REALLY AN EFFORT THAT WE'VE, UH, BEEN WORKING WITH THEM YEAR AFTER YEAR.
AND THEN THE INNER FACILITY TRANSPORTS FROM THE HOSPITAL TO AIRPORT.
SO HILTON HEAD HOSPITAL DOES NOT HAVE A LANDING PAD AT THE HOSPITAL.
SO EVERY TIME THEY HAVE TO FLY A PATIENT OUT, WE GO TO THE AIRPORT, WE PICK UP THE FLIGHT CREW, WE TAKE THEM TO THE HOSPITAL TO GET THE PATIENT, AND THEN WE BRING THEM BACK TO THE AIRPORT.
SO, UM, THAT'S, THAT STAYS ABOUT 25 EACH, UH, EACH YEAR THAT WE DO THAT.
AND, UM, DOWN THE ROAD, IF WE CAN GET MORE PRIVATE CARRIERS IN HERE, THAT IS SOMETHING WE WOULD LOOK AT THE PRIVATE CARRIERS DOING AS WELL.
HAVE THERE BEEN ANY STATISTICS TRACKED ON THAT IN TERMS OF OUTCOMES OF THE NO, BECAUSE THEY'RE, SO, THEY'RE NOT TECHNICALLY OUR PATIENTS.
SO ALL OF THOSE, WE REALLY AREN'T IN THE KNOW WITH THAT BECAUSE, WHICH IS WHY WE DON'T JUST GO TO THE, UH, HOSPITAL, PICK UP THE PATIENT AND TAKE THEM TO THE HOSPITAL OR TO THE AIRPORT.
WE ACTUALLY PICK UP THE FLIGHT CREW.
SO IT IS ALWAYS THEIR, THEIR PATIENT.
SO I DO NOT HAVE STATISTICS FOR THAT.
UM, PATIENTS RECEIVING NALOXONE, NARCAN.
SO, UM, WE SAW THIS SPIKE GO UP DURING THE PANDEMIC, UM, AS WE DID NATIONWIDE, AND WE'RE STARTING IT, STARTING TO SEE IT TRENDING BACK TO NORMAL.
UM, HERE ON HILTON HEAD, WE ONLY GAVE 43, UM, PATIENTS NARCAN LAST YEAR, WHICH IS NOT A LOT.
AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT THAT NUMBER DOESN'T REPRESENT AN OVERDOSE.
SO IF WE HAVE A CARDIAC ARREST WITH UNKNOWN IDEATION, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
NARCAN IS ONE OF THE DRUGS WE GIVE TO SEE IF IT WILL CORRECT THE CARDIAC ARREST.
SO I'M NOT SAYING 43%, 43 PEOPLE OVERDOSED, I'M JUST SAYING WE GAVE THAT DRUG.
WE ARE, UM, PARTNERED WITH A COUNTY PROGRAM, UM, THAT EVERY TIME WE DO HAVE A KNOWN OVERDOSE, WE CONTACT, UM, THE, UH, THE COUNTY AND LET THEM KNOW.
AND WITHIN 72 HOURS THEY'RE MAKING CONTACT WITH THOSE PATIENTS.
THAT'S BEEN A VERY BENEFICIAL PROGRAM TO US.
THEY'RE FUNDED THROUGH, UM, SOME MONEY THROUGH THE CARES ACT AND, AND SOME CONTINUING MONEY THROUGH THE COUNTY.
AND, UM, WE, WE SEE FAR LESS OVERDOSES ON HILTON HEAD THAN THEY DO IN THE REST OF THE COUNTY.
SO I THINK THAT PARTNERSHIP IS, IS REALLY LAST.
I DO KNOW THEY MADE CONTACT A COUPLE WEEKS AGO.
THEY'RE LOOKING TO COME BACK ON HILTON HEAD AND DO A NARCAN, UM, AND CPR TRAINING AND TO HAND OUT NARCAN.
SO WE ARE WORKING WITH THEM TO PROVIDE, BASICALLY PROVIDE A FACILITY FOR THAT TO HAPPEN.
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THAT WILL BE COMING SOON.OUR EMS NET REVENUE COLLECTED LAST YEAR WAS 2.3 MILLION.
THAT WAS, UM, 6,219 TOTAL PATIENTS.
AND OF THOSE, UM, 3,294 HAVE HILTON HEAD BILLING ADDRESSES.
SO ABOUT HALF THE PATIENTS WE SEE LIVE HERE ON THE ISLAND, OUR REVENUE COLLECTION RATE IS STANDING AT 83.5, UM, VERSUS THE NATIONAL AVERAGE OF 70.
SO THAT IS ALWAYS A VERY GOOD THING IN SOME OF OUR TRAINING.
UM, 36,373 TOTAL TRAINING HOURS FOR OUR STAFF LAST YEAR.
AND OF THAT 26,000 OF IT WAS AT THE COMPANY LEVEL, WHICH MEANS THEY'RE, THEY'RE INTERACTING CREWS TOGETHER, NOT JUST INDIVIDUALS.
YOU CAN SEE THE DIFFERENT CATE CATEGORIES WE BREAK DOWN IS PT, RESCUE, HAZMAT, EMS FIRE TRAINING.
AND THEN WHEN YOU BREAK IT DOWN EVEN MORE AS COMPANY OFFICER DRIVER IN STATION TRAINING, UH, HILTON HEAD HAS TWO SPECIAL, UM, SPECIAL RESCUE TEAMS WHERE OUR TECH, OUR TECHNICAL RESCUE TEAM, WHICH IF ANY, WE GO WITH THE PARADE.
YESTERDAY, YOU MAY HAVE SEEN OUR NEW TRAILER, UM, ACTUALLY I THINK THAT'S IN THE NEXT SLIDE, SO I'LL WAIT FOR THAT.
BUT SOME NOBLE ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR THE TEAM THIS YEAR.
WE, UH, DID PUT IN SERVICE A DOUBLE STACK BOAT TRAILER, A COMMAND LOGISTICS TRAILER THAT WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT.
WE PURCHASED SOME RADIOS AND SATELLITE INTERNET CONNECTIONS, AND WE CONDUCTED OUR EAP ACCREDITATION SITE VISIT.
SO WE ARE LOOKING IN APRIL TO RECEIVE EAP ACCREDITATION FOR OUR TECHNICAL RESCUE TEAM.
IF THAT COMES TO FRUITION, WE'LL BE THE ONLY ONE IN THE STATE, AND WE'LL BE THE ONLY TYPE FOUR TEAM IN THE NATION TO HAVE THIS.
AND SOME THINGS, UH, OF NOTARY THAT WE DIDN'T IN 2023 IS, UH, WE COMPLETED A READINESS EXERCISE IN CHARLESTON EVERY YEAR.
THE TEAM, BOTH TEAMS ARE REQUIRED TO DO A STATE LEVEL READINESS EXERCISE, UH, IN ORDER TO GET THE GRANT FUNDING THAT FUNDS THESE TEAMS. WE DID TAKE THE TEAM TO THE GUARDIAN CENTER TO DO A FLOOD EXERCISE IN PERRY, GEORGIA.
UM, WE DID DEPLOY FOR TROPICAL STORM ILIA, AND WE HAD A APARTMENT COLLAPSE IN JASPER COUNTY THAT WE ASSISTED THEM WITH MUTUAL AID WITH SOME SHORING.
UH, THIS IS THE TRAILER WE HAD IN THE PARADE YESTERDAY.
THIS IS OUR NEW COMMAND AND LOGISTICS TRAILER.
THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, UM, GAVE EVERY TEAM $1 MILLION LAST YEAR OF FUNDING TO BASICALLY SUPPLEMENT OUR, OUR HOMELAND SECURITY GRANTS.
SO THE HOMELAND SECURITY GRANTS DON'T ALLOW US TO PURCHASE SOME THINGS SUCH AS PRIME MOVERS, THEY CALL 'EM.
SO THEY GIVE US ALL THIS STUFF, BUT NOTHING TO TRANSPORT THE STUFF WITH.
SO STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA STEPPED UP LAST YEAR, GAVE EVERY EVERY TEAM $1 MILLION TO BASICALLY SAY, ALL RIGHT, NOW GO BUY SOMETHING TO GET THIS STUFF WHERE YOU GOTTA GO.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS, THIS IS, UH, THIS TRAILER WITH A COUPLED WITH A, A CHEVY 5,500 FLATBED TRUCK CAN GET, UM, ALL OF OUR EQUIPMENT, OUR ATVS, OUR WESTERN SHELTERS, ALL OF THAT STUFF, UM, ON DEPLOYMENTS.
WE CAN LOAD THIS UP WHEN WE GET THERE, WE CAN UNLOAD IT.
AND THEN THIS BECOMES OUR CENTER OF OPERATION COMMAND POST OUR OTHER TEAMS, OUR HAZMAT TEAM.
UM, THIS LAST YEAR THEY DID SOME SPECIALTY TRAINING IN DEC LAB TRAINING ON EVIDENCE COLLECTION AND DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, JOINT CHEMICAL, BIOLOGICAL RADIOLOGICAL, AND NUCLEAR CHARACTERIZATION AND MITIGATION COURSE.
UM, WE DID THE HASSIM MONITORING TRAINING DEVICE ACQUIRED, AND WE UPDATED, UM, OUR TECHNOLOGY FOR ALL OF OUR AIR MONITORS THAT WE ACTUALLY USE EVERY DAY ON OUR TRUCKS AS WELL.
WE INTO OUR COMMUNITY RISK REDUCTION, UM, FORMERLY OUR BUREAU OF FIRE PREVENTION, WE HAVE TRANSITIONED THAT TO COMMUNITY RISK REDUCTION DIVISION.
THEY COMPLETED 2,700 FIRE INSPECTIONS WITH 2300, JUST OVER 2300 VIOLATIONS FOUND TO DATE.
2200, 2,210, UH, OF THOSE VIOLATIONS HAVE BEEN CORRECTED.
WE DID 697 NEW CONSTRUCTION INSPECTIONS, WHICH AS WE KNOW IN HILTON HEAD, AND WE'RE, WE'RE KIND OF BOOMING NOW FOR US THAT THAT'S A LOT.
470 PLAN REVIEWS, 14 FIRE INVESTIGATIONS.
THE GUYS OUT ON THE LINE, THE CREWS ON THE LINE, UM, INSPECT ALL OF OUR HYDRANTS ANNUALLY.
SO WE DID 2,991 HYDRANT INSPECTIONS.
WE INSTALLED 121 SMOKE ALARMS. WE DID 83, UM, FIRE IN THE STREETS AND AFTER THE FIRE HOME VISITS.
SO AS YOU KNOW, WE GO OUT PRO, UH, PROACTIVELY AND DO OUR FIRE IN THE STREETS PROGRAM.
AND THEN AFTER A FIRE, WE GO BACK AND REVISIT THOSE HOMES IN THAT AREA WHERE THE FIRE WAS.
AND, UM, DO HOME SAFETY INSPECTIONS, UH, INSTALL SMOKE DETECTORS IF NEEDED.
UH, I JUST WANNA HIGHLIGHT FOR YOU THAT I BELIEVE IF I RECALL THE INFORMATION, THERE WAS AT LEAST ONE INCIDENT WHERE THE FAMILY, THE FOLKS LIVING THERE WERE, UM, SAVED, WERE PROTECTED BECAUSE OF THE FIRE ALARM THAT Y'ALL PUT INTO PLACE IN YOUR PROGRAMMING.
ANYONE WHO'S LISTENING OR COME BACK TO WATCH THIS, UM, MEETING, I'M GONNA SPEAK FOR YOU, BUT PLEASE GIVE Y'ALL A CALL TO, TO HELP THEM OUT SO THAT WE CAN SAVE THOSE LIVES.
YES, IT'S NOT, WE, Y'ALL, IT'S BEEN AN AWESOME PROGRAM.
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MARK ALL OF OUR, UM, SMOKE DETECTORS, SO WE KNOW IF WE INSTALL 'EM EVERY TIME WE HAVE A FIRE, WE CHECK THOSE DETECTORS TO MAKE SURE THEY WERE FUNCTIONING IF WE INSTALLED THEM.AND THROUGH THE PROGRAMMING, WE CAN KNOW IF A FIRE HAPPENS IN A HOUSE THAT WE HAD INSTALLED 'EM.
SO IT'S, IT'S REALLY A, A CIRCULAR, YOU KNOW, FEEL, FEEL GOOD MOMENT TO KNOW THAT THEY GOT OUT BECAUSE WE INSTALLED THE SMOKE DETECTORS.
THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING, BUT THANK YOU FOR THAT.
AND CHAIR, CAN I ASK ONE QUESTION ABOUT THAT? UM, THE TOWN HAS A PROGRAM FOR, UH, HELPING FOLKS WITH WATER AND SEWER INSTALLATIONS.
IS OUR SMOKE DETECTOR PROGRAM ALSO TIED TO THAT? IT SEEMS LIKE AREAS WHERE THAT COULD BE HELPFUL AS WELL.
YEAH, WE, WE ACTUALLY HAVE, UM, IT'S A SMOKE DETECTOR PROGRAM YEAR ROUND.
SO ASIDE FROM OUR FIRE ON THE STREETS, IF IF SOMEONE CALLS, UM, AND SAYS, I NEED A SMOKE DETECTOR, WE ACTUALLY GO OUT YEARLY OR ALL THE TIME AND HELP INSTALL 'EM.
A LOT OF TIMES EVEN THE BATTERIES THEY CAN'T REACH, WE'LL GO OUT AND HELP THEM, UH, CHANGE THEIR BATTERIES OR INSTALL SMOKE DETECTORS.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S A YEAR-ROUND PROGRAM, UM, THAT WE OFFER ALL THE TIME.
I'M JUST WONDERING IF, UM, THROUGH COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, WE HAVE A PROGRAM TO REACH OUT TO FOLKS WHO NEED SEWER CONNECTIONS OR WATER CONNECTIONS, AND THOSE MIGHT BE THE SAME TYPE OF FOLKS THAT NEED A SMOKE ALARM AS WELL.
I, I DIDN'T KNOW WHETHER THERE WAS SOME SORT OF, UH, COOPERATION BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENTS ABOUT THAT.
I CAN LOOK INTO THAT AND AND SEE IF THAT IS, I WOULD, I WOULD VENTURE TO GUESS THERE IS.
YEAH, WE, UM, THAT IS PART OF, UH, WHAT THEY ASK AND THEIR, SO LIKE, WE HAVE A COUPLE AVENUES THAT WE KNOW ABOUT.
AND AS WE GET IN, WE'RE GONNA START, UM, WITH SOME OF OUR, HOPEFULLY IN THE FUTURE COMMUNITY PARAMEDICINE PROGRAMS. AND WE'LL ALSO INCORPORATE ALL OF THIS INTO THAT.
IF WE'RE ENTERING SOMEONE'S HOME TO HELP THEM ON A MEDICAL SIDE, WE CAN STILL DO THE SAME THING AND PERFORM, YOU KNOW, SMOKE DETECTOR CHECKS AND FIRE SAFETY CHECKS.
SO ANY, BASICALLY, ANYTIME WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET IN SOMEONE'S HOME, THAT IS WHAT WE'RE FOCUSING ON.
UM, WE DID 31 RISK WATCH CHILD INJURY PREVENTION CLASSES FOR IN THE, UM, UH, LIKE THE DAYCARES AND, AND EARLY EDUCATION CENTERS.
UH, WE HAD 826 C-P-R-A-E-D STUDENTS.
SO THIS IS ANOTHER BIG NUMBER FOR US.
I THINK IT'S, UM, I THINK WE BROKE A RECORD THIS YEAR.
THAT'S OUR PUBLIC CPR, UM, CLASSES THAT, THAT WE INSTRUCT.
UH, AND I KNOW WE HAD A, A REALLY FEEL GOOD MOMENT THE OTHER DAY.
WE HAD A GENTLEMAN IN CARDIAC ARREST.
WE GOT THERE, HIS SON HAD PERFORMED CPR ON HIM.
AND THEN COME TO FIND OUT HIS SON HAD TAKEN ONE OF OUR CLASSES.
SO ON HIS OWN ACCORD, HE ASKED IF HE COULD COME SPEAK TO THE NEXT CLASS.
SO WE HAD A CPR CLASS THE NEXT WEEK, AND HE ACTUALLY CAME IN, HE'S AN 18-YEAR-OLD KID AND TALKED TO THE CPR CLASS TO TELL THEM HOW IMPACTFUL IT IS AND, AND THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD USE THIS ONE DAY.
AND JUST AS AN ADDED NOTE, UM, MANY OF TOWN COUNCIL AND STAFF HAD GONE AND TAKEN THAT COURSE, AND IT'S NOT THE COURSE YOU REMEMBER FROM DECADE AGO OR TWO.
IT'S QUICK AND, UM, EVERYONE SHOULD BE ABLE TO TAKE IT AND ADMINISTER THAT HELP UNTIL Y'ALL GET THERE.
SO I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TOO, TO GIVE A CALL AND TRY TO GET INTO ONE OF THOSE CLASSES.
YOU CAN GO TO THE TOWNS WEBSITE UNDER FIRE RESCUE AND YOU CAN REGISTER FOR THOSE CLASSES.
AND WE DID 71 CAR SEAT INSTALLS, OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND RECRUITMENT.
SO THIS IS A NEW DIVISION THAT WE STARTED, UM, IN JULY, THANKS TO, UM, THE BUDGET APPROVAL LAST YEAR.
UH, WE WERE ABLE TO GET SOME, SOME NEW POSITIONS IN FIRE RESCUE.
IT'S MADE A HUGE IMPACT ALREADY ON OUR COMMUNITY.
WE'VE DONE FIVE NEW PROGRAMS TO BUILD AWARENESS OF FIRE RESCUE'S PROGRAMS AND SERVICES.
AND WE'VE FORMED 11 NEW PARTNERSHIPS TO ENHANCE EVENTS AND PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.
OUR BIG ONE THAT WE LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT IS THE RED HOT READERS WITH THE HILTON HEAD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FOR THE CREATIVE ARTS.
IT'S WHERE OUR, OUR FIREFIGHTERS, UM, AND EMPLOYEES GO INTO THE SCHOOL AND, AND READ TO THE KIDS ON, ON FRIDAYS.
SO IT'S BEEN, IT'S BEEN AN AWESOME PROGRAM.
WE'RE GONNA EXPAND THAT TO SOME OTHER SCHOOLS.
UM, BUT CAPTAIN JENKINS AND CAPTAIN FERGUSON HAVE REALLY TAKEN ALL OF THIS AND, UH, JUST AND RAN WITH IT.
AND THE AMOUNT OF THINGS THAT THEY'VE ACCOMPLISHED IN THAT FIRST SIX MONTHS OF, UH, OF DOING IT IS, HAS BEEN AWESOME.
THEY DID, THEY COMPLETED FOUR COMMUNITY PRESENTATIONS DEMONSTRATING FIRE RESCUE'S IMPACT WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND WE'RE AT 19 COMMUNITY EVENTS ATTENDED OR HOSTED, INVITING THE COMMUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THESE NEW, NEW PROGRAMS. SO THE OUTREACH HAS BEEN, HAS BEEN AWESOME.
UM, WE'RE REALLY GETTING PEOPLE, THE COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS THAT WE DO.
[00:25:01]
FIRE CALLS AND, AND MEDICAL CALLS, UM, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE SO MUCH MORE THAN THAT.AND THE, THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT THEY'RE FORMING WITH KIDS IN SCHOOLS LIKE THE MIDDLE SCHOOLERS AND THE HIGH SCHOOLERS, AND, UM, WE HAVE A PROGRAM AT KNOCK, UM, HAS BEEN AWESOME.
BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB, WE HAVE A PROGRAM NOW, SO THEY'RE DOING A LITTLE RECRUITING ALONG THE WAY TOO.
SO WE'RE LOOKING FOR KIDS THAT WANNA, WANNA, WANNA STAY HERE AT HOME AND BECOME, UH, FIREFIGHTERS OR DISPATCHERS.
UH, ANOTHER NEW DIVISION IS OUR COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING.
SO FOREVER WE HAD KIND OF USED THE TOWNS, UM, PEOPLE, BUT WE'RE, WE'VE BECOME SO MUCH MORE THAN THAT.
UM, OUR OUTREACH REALLY NEEDS TO BE, UH, WHAT'S THE WORD I'M LOOKING FOR, CAPTURED.
SO, UM, WE BROUGHT ON KENZIE, SHE WAS A DISPATCHER OF OURS, TRANSFERRED HER TO HER OVER TO OUR COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING AND I MEAN, JUST, JUST OUR FACEBOOK ALONE.
UM, OUR REACH WAS THREE QUARTERS OF A MILLION PEOPLE LAST YEAR.
UM, SHE STARTED A NEW INSTAGRAM PAGE AND JUST HAS REALLY TAKEN, TAKEN IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL TO GET ALL OF OUR INFORMATION OUT THERE AND, AND FOR PEOPLE TO SEE WHAT WE DO.
UH, EMERGENCE MANAGEMENT, UH, BUSY YEAR.
PATRICK'S DAY PARADE HERITAGE.
UM, A RECOVERY TABLETOP EXERCISE.
WE HAD TROPICAL STORM ILIA, UM, HAD A WIND EVENT IN MAY THAT BROUGHT DOWN SOME TREES, UH, BARNWELL COMMUNICATIONS EXERCISE AND THE, UH, FLOODING WE HAD IN DECEMBER.
BUT THE BIG THING, UH, FOR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT THIS YEAR IS, IS TOM DID GET THE TOWNS EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PROGRAM ACCREDITED THROUGH THROUGH EAP.
I THINK WE'RE ONE OF THE SMALLER EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DIVISIONS, UM, IN THE NATION THAT HAS RECEIVED THIS ACCREDITATION.
SO THIS WAS FIRE RESCUE'S SECOND ONE.
AND LIKE I TOLD YOU, AND HOPEFULLY IN APRIL WE'LL HAVE A THIRD CONGRATULATIONS.
OUR 9 1 1 COMMUNICATION CENTER.
OUR, UH, OUR DISPATCH CENTER TOOK IN 75,000 INCOMING CALLS.
UM, YOU KNOW, THEIR BUSY TIME IS, IS THREE TO FOUR IN THE AFTERNOON, AND, UH, THEY'RE TRANSFERRING OF THOSE 75,000, JUST OVER 12,000 OF 'EM, UH, FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT MATTERS TO BEAVER COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
UM, WE GOT THE AP CODE AGENCY TRAINING PROGRAM CERTIFICATION, UH, THIS YEAR.
AND BRIAN LEMUS, ONE OF OUR, UH, SUPERVISORS, WAS AWARDED THE 2023 NINO APCO PALMETTO AWARD FOR PROFESSIONALISM.
WE RECOGNIZED HIM AT OUR AWARDS BANQUET A COUPLE WEEKS AGO.
FLEET MAINTENANCE, UH, FLEET MAINTENANCE TAKES CARE OF ALL OF THE, THE TOWNS FLEET AND EQUIPMENT.
SO IF YOU CAN LOOK AT THESE GRAPHS, YOU'LL SEE THEY STAY BUSY WITH UNSCHEDULED REPAIRS, UM, OF, UH, OF VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT THAT COME IN.
SO THIS HAS CHANGED A LITTLE BIT, BUT THIS LAST YEAR, UH, LIKE I SAID, WITH THE PASSING OF THE BUDGET, WE WERE ABLE TO GET SOME POSITIONS.
UM, CHRISTOPHER CAME ON AS THE BATTALION CHIEF OF STRATEGIC PLANNING, BJ AND LEE AS THE, UH, CAPTAINS OF COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND RECRUITMENT, AND KENZIE AS THE DIGITAL MARKETING COMMUNICATION SPECIALIST.
WE HIRED THE FOLLOWING NEW POSITIONS, UM, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATOR, WHICH IS A PART-TIME, UM, PERSON TO HELP TOM DUNN AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, A FOURTH FIRE INSPECTOR AND A THIRD MECHANIC.
OUR CURRENT STAFFING LEVELS OPERATIONS SAYS FULLY STAFFED.
WE'RE TECHNICALLY, UM, I THINK THREE SHORT RIGHT NOW THAT, UH, CHIEF CUNNINGHAM'S GETTING READY TO HIRE FOR.
UM, WE GOT A MEMBER ON MILITARY LEAVE AND THE EMS LIEUTENANT, IT SAYS HERE, THE INTERVIEWS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED, BUT WE HAVE JUST AWARDED THAT TO ONE OF OUR LINE FIREFIGHTERS WILL BE COMING UP AS OUR EMS LIEUTENANT AND WE ARE HAVE ONE COMMUNITY RISK REDUCTION FIRE INSPECTOR THAT IS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE RIGHT NOW.
SOME FOLLOW UP ON THE CHALLENGES THAT WE BROUGHT TO YOU DURING THE MIDYEAR.
UM, ENGINE ONE, AS WE ALL KNOW, LAST 4TH OF JULY WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION ON POPE AVENUE.
IT IS CURRENTLY IN SUMTER, SOUTH CAROLINA GETTING REPAIRED, UM, WITH THEY HAVE PROMISED US, UH, WE'LL HAVE IT BACK BY THE END OF THE MONTH.
UM, THE AC UNITS FOR THE AMBULANCES, WE REPORTED THAT WE COULDN'T GET THEM, NO ONE COULD GET THEM.
WE FINALLY GOT 'EM, THE SUPPLY CHAIN CAUGHT UP.
SO WE HAVE ALL THAT WE NEED AND WE HAVE SOME, UM, AVAILABLE IN RESERVE COMING INTO THE SUMMER MONTHS.
AND THE DELAYS IN THE NEW APPARATUS, UH, CONTINUE.
WE SHOULD IN THE NEXT COUPLE MONTHS START SEEING THE PUMPERS ROLL IN.
UM, THOSE WILL COME IN IN THREE PHASES, UH, OVER THE NEXT THREE MONTHS.
AND THEN THE AERIALS, UH, THE TWO LETTER, UH, QUINCE ARE PUSHED OUT TO OCTOBER.
SO, AND I CAN SAY THAT THIS IS NOT JUST OUR VENDOR.
THIS IS EVERY VENDOR ACROSS FIRE APPARATUS MANUFACTURERS.
UM, I MEET WITH THE SOUTH CAROLINA METRO CHIEFS AND WE ALL HAVE DIFFERENT TRUCKS AND EVERYONE COMPLAINS ABOUT THE SAME THING.
SO THIS ISN'T MANUFACTURER SPECIFIC.
OUR CURRENT, IF YOU WERE TO ORDER A TRUCK TODAY, IT WOULD TAKE THREE YEARS TO GET HERE.
[00:30:01]
YOU ORDERED A TILLER OR A BIGGER LADDER, IT WOULD TAKE ALMOST FOUR YEARS TO GET HERE.UM, SOME ACCOMPLISHMENTS WE HAD LAST YEAR, UH, AS PART OF THE USE OUR GRANT, WE WERE ABLE TO GET A 15 PASSENGER VAN, THE CHEVY 5,500 TRUCK, THREE INFLATABLE BOATS, THE DOUBLE STACK BOAT TRAILER, UM, ALL PLACED IN SERVICE FOR OUR US R TEAM.
AND THAT WAS ALL COMING FROM STATE FUNDED MONEY.
THE 20 24 20 26 STRATEGIC PLAN WAS FORMALLY ADOPTED BY YOU ALL IN NOVEMBER, THE E NINE ONE COMMUNICATIONS CENTER RECEIVED THE APCO TRAINING PROGRAM, CER CERTIFICATION, MAKING OUR DISPATCH CENTER, ONE OF 92 AGENCIES AND ONE OF THREE IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
WITH THAT DESIGNATION, FIRE RESCUE WAS AWARDED THE FIRE SAFE SOUTH CAROLINA DESIGNATION FOR THE FOURTH YEAR SINCE ITS INCEPTION.
AND I TALKED TO YOU ABOUT THE EAP ACCREDITATION ALREADY.
WE LAUNCHED OUR FIRE RESCUE INSTAGRAM PAGE.
UM, ANOTHER BIG ONE HERE, A BIG WIN FOR US IS WE IMPLEMENTED OUR FIRE RESCUE CHAPLAINCY PROGRAM.
SO WE HAVE PASTOR JUNE FROM CHRIST LUTHERAN CHURCH, UH, LOUIS JOHNSON FROM CENTRAL GROVE OAK GROVE, MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH, RABBI BLOOM FROM BEY, AND BILL MCCUTCHEN FROM HILTON HEAD PRESBYTERIAN HAVE ALL AGREED TO COME ON AND ARE NOW THE FOUR MEMBERS OF OUR FIRE RESCUE CHAPLAINCY.
WE RECEIVED A GRANT, UM, FROM THE ASSISTANCE FIREFIGHTER GRANT, WHICH, WHICH IS A FEDERAL GRANT TO SEND 10 PARAMEDICS TO PARAMEDIC SCHOOL.
UH, WE PURCHASED A REALTY 360 SIMULATOR MONITORS AND MANNEQUINS.
UM, THIS ENHANCES OUR ABILITY TO TRAIN IN SIMULATION STYLE SCENARIOS.
AND WE UPDATE OUR EMS PROTOCOL AND EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLAN.
SOME CIP PROJECTS THAT WE COMPLETED, ALL THE PRIMARY FIRE HOSE ON THE FIRE TRUCKS, UM, IS IN.
AND WE WILL BE PLACING THAT IN SERVICE WHEN THE NEW PUMPERS GET HERE.
WE WERE ABLE TO PUT A NEW, UM, HEAVY VEHICLE LIFT TIRE CHANGER INTO OUR FLEET MAINTENANCE PROGRAM.
SO NOW WE CAN ACTUALLY DO THE MAINTENANCE AND EVERYTHING ON THOSE TIRES IN-HOUSE INSTEAD OF OUTSOURCING THEM.
AND THE VEHICLES PLACED IN SERVICE THIS YEAR, UH, WE DID EIGHT, EIGHT TOWN VEHICLES AND THREE UTVS AND FIRE RESCUE DID TWO STAFF VEHICLES, ONE US R VEHICLE AND ONE FORKLIFT.
AND THOSE ARE ALL EITHER NEW OR REPLENISHED FOR 12 YEARS, 120,000 MILES.
WHAT'S NEXT? SOME UPCOMING INITIATIVES WITH LMO CHANGES.
WE'LL HAVE AN ADDRESSING ORDINANCE IN PLACE.
WE HAVE SOME UPGRADES TO OUR TRAINING CENTER THAT WILL BE, UM, HAPPENING OVER THE NEXT COUPLE YEARS.
ARRIVAL, THE NEW APPARATUS FLEET INSTALLATION OF OUR NEW COMPUTER AIDED DISPATCH CENTER, WHICH IS OUR CAD, WHICH BASICALLY IS THE, IS THE BRAIN IN THE DISPATCH CENTER THAT YOU TYPE IN THE INFORMATION EMERGENCY AND IT SPITS OUT WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO SEND.
SO THIS IS, THIS IS GONNA BE HUGE FOR US.
IT'S CURRENTLY GETTING REPLACED RIGHT NOW AND THEN A COUNTYWIDE PROJECT.
UM, WHERE IS THE INSTALLATION OF NEW STATION ALERTING TO ALL FIRE STATIONS? UM, THIS WILL BE ALL FIRE STATIONS IN THE COUNTY, AND WE'RE THE ONLY ONES THAT CURRENTLY HAD IT.
WE WERE GETTING READY TO REPLACE IT ANYWAY, BUT THE COUNTY STEPPED UP WITH SOME CARES MONEY AND, AND PUT IT, UH, AS A COUNTYWIDE INITIATIVE.
SO THAT IS RECENTLY SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED.
AND WE ARE MEETING, I THINK NEXT WEEK TO SET THE SCHEDULE FOR GETTING THAT IN.
THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT AND ANY QUESTIONS, UM, STEVE QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, NO QUESTIONS, BUT I, I DO WANT TO CONGRATULATE YOU ON AN OUTSTANDING REPORT IN TERMS OF DETAIL.
YOU CONTINUE TO MAKE US PROUD.
UM, JUST, UH, A COUPLE THINGS THAT I WANTED TO ASK YOU ABOUT.
UM, ONE, YOU SORT OF CLEANED UP THE RESPONSE TIME BECAUSE THE DISPATCH IS NOW SORT OF UNDERSTANDING THE NATURE OF THE CALL.
SO THAT MEANS WE MAY NOT BE GOING AS FAST TO THE CALLS.
UM, I'M JUST, UM, HOWEVER, CURIOUS THOUGH, IF THAT TREND SORT OF CONTINUES, UM, WOULD YOU SEE NEED FOR US EXPANDING THE SERVICE AT ALL TO MAKE SURE THAT THE MORE URGENT CALLS CAN BE DEALT WITH ACCORDINGLY? YEAH, I THINK OUR NEXT EXPANSION YOU'LL SEE IS, IS, IS IN, IN EMS. UM, I THINK OUR COMMUNITY PARAMEDICINE PROGRAM THAT IS PART OF OUR STRATEGIC PLAN WILL BE INSTRUMENTAL IN, IN THIS.
AND I THINK IT'LL TAKE A LOT OF THOSE NON-EMERGENT CALLS TO WHERE WE'RE NOT SENDING AMBULANCES, WE'RE SENDING PEOPLE, UM, YOU KNOW, IN A, MAYBE IN A, A, A VEHICLE TO, 'CAUSE THEY REALLY DON'T NEED TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL.
UM, THEY JUST, THEY MIGHT NEED TO TALK TO SOMEONE OR THEY MIGHT NEED TO KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT THEIR MEDICATION.
SO THIS'LL BE A PARTNERSHIP, I THINK I ENVISION IT WITH VIM IN THE HOSPITAL AND EVERYTHING TO, TO GO OUT AND BASICALLY CARE FOR THEM
[00:35:01]
IN THEIR HOME RATHER THAN SENDING AN AMBULANCE TO, TO DO THAT AND TYING UP AMBULANCES.SO I THINK AS THAT KICKS OFF AND SPINS OFF, OUR TRUCKS WILL STAY AVAILABLE MORE.
I KNOW THE NEXT STAFFING NEED THAT WILL COME IS, AS WE DID TWO YEARS AGO, WE TOOK STATION FOUR FROM A, UM, A CROSS STAFF CREW, WHICH HAD THREE PEOPLE.
AND IF A MEDICAL CALL CAME IN, THEY ALL GOT ON THE AMBULANCE AND PUT THE ENGINE OUTTA SERVICE OR VICE VERSA TO MORE OF THE, THE SPLIT CREW MODEL WHERE THERE'S ALWAYS TWO AND TWO.
SO WE STILL HAVE THREE STATIONS LEFT TO GET TO THAT STAFFING MODEL.
SO I THINK THAT IS THE NEXT CHALLENGE IN OUR STAFFING.
BUT THAT'S ADDING PEOPLE AND YOU'RE LOOKING AT PROBABLY 12, WHICH, UH, PROBABLY 15 PEOPLE JUST TO, JUST TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
BUT AS OUR CALL VOLUME GOES UP, UM, THAT'S REALLY GONNA BE THE INDICATOR OF, OF US BUSY.
WE'RE SEEING, WE'RE RUNNING OUTTA UNITS, WE MORE FREQUENTLY THAN WE EVER HAVE.
UM, AND WE'VE ALREADY INTERNALLY KIND OF PEELED BACK THE LAYERS OF OUR RESPONSE TO WHERE WE AREN'T SENDING AMBULANCES EMERGENT OR WE'RE NOT SENDING A FIRETRUCK TO AUTOMATICALLY BACK THEM UP.
SO BEFORE WE WOULD SEND ENGINE AND A MEDIC TO, UH, I DON'T A, A GIVEN KIND OF CALL.
NOW WITH THAT QUESTIONING, WE'RE KIND OF PEELING DOWN THE LAYERS TO FIND OUT WHAT THEIR REAL EMERGENCY IS AND SENDING THE APPROPRIATE UNIT.
SO OUR, OUR UNIT RESPONSES ARE DOWN OVERALL, BUT WE'RE FINDING THAT WE'RE RUNNING OUTTA UNITS MORE QUICKLY.
SO IT'S, I MEAN, I'M, I LOVE DATA.
I HAVE CHRISTOPHER, HE'S A DATA GENIUS.
SO ALL OF THAT WILL COME OUT IN DATA AND THAT IS WHAT I'LL USE TO DE DETERMINE WHERE WE GO FROM HERE.
KEEP US ABREAST, BE WILLING TO SUPPORT.
UM, THE SECOND, AS I, I LOOK THROUGH THE AMOUNT OF HOURS WHEN IT CAME TO THE MECHANIC FIELD, UM, SEEMS LIKE THE COUPLE GUYS THAT YOU HAVE PRETTY BUSY THERE, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
NOW I SEE YOU HIRED SOMEONE ELSE.
UM, AND NOW SOME, UH, UPGRADES IN THE FACILITY AS WELL.
ARE THERE ADDITIONAL UPGRADES THAT WE MAY NEED TO MAKE SURE WE KEEPING UP WITH BEING ABLE TO KEEP OUR APPARATUS, UH, FUNCTIONABLE? UM, I THINK THAT HONESTLY OUR, OUR FLEET IS, IS OVERDUE.
SO OUR, OUR FLEET REPLACEMENT WAS ACTUALLY SCHEDULED DURING, RIGHT AT THE TAIL END OF HURRICANE MATTHEW.
SO WE, WE HAVE PUSHED FOUR YEARS PAST THAT AND WE ARE SEEING IT AND WHERE WE'RE SEEING IT IS IN THE MAINTENANCE OF IT.
UM, THOSE, THOSE TAKE A LOT OF TIME, A LOT OF TIME AWAY FROM THOSE GUYS DOING OTHER THINGS.
SO A NEW FLEET IS GONNA BE HUGE.
AND I WILL TELL YOU, I'M, I'M COMING TO BUDGET THIS YEAR WITH THE REPLACEMENT OF OUR, OUR TILLER TRUCKS.
SO THEY'RE ACTUALLY LIKE 1991 TRUCKS THAT WERE JUST KIND OF REFURBED TO MAKE 'EM LOOK GOOD.
UM, WE'VE BEEN RUNNING 'EM A LONG TIME.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE EXPENSIVE TO, TO FIX AND THEY BREAK ALL THE TIME.
SO I'M COMING TO, TO REPLACE THOSE AND I'M NOT GONNA GO TO TILLERS, WE'RE GONNA GO TO STRAIGHT STICK TRUCKS LIKE OUR QUINCE.
UM, WHEN THIS ALL HAPPENS, I LIKE, THERE WILL BE SOME DOWNTIME FOR THOSE GUYS.
LIKE THE STUFF WON'T BREAK WHEN IT, WHEN IT'S NEW, BUT IT'S JUST AS THINGS GET OLDER, THINGS BREAK, WHICH IS, I MEAN, WE HAVE A VERY GOOD PROGRAM.
AND THIS YEAR, UM, UH, MARK WAS ABLE TO, UH, HIM AND I KIND OF GOT TOGETHER AND I SAID, WE NEED, WE NEED SOMEONE IN CHARGE.
WE NEED A FLEET MANAGER FOR THE WHOLE TOWN.
AND NOW, SO KEITH TYSON, OUR FLEET MANAGER, HAS NOW TAKEN ON THAT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE WHOLE TOWN.
SO HE MANAGES REPLACEMENT, PURCHASE, EVERYTHING, ROTATION.
UM, SO THEY MIGHT HIT THEIR BEFORE WHERE THEY WOULD HIT THEIR TIME.
THEY MIGHT BE 12 YEARS OLD, BUT THEY ONLY HAD 50,000 MILES ON 'EM.
THEY STILL NEED TO BE REPLACED 'CAUSE OF THEIR AGE AND HOW WORE OUT THEY ARE.
BUT NOW WE'RE GONNA ROTATE VEHICLES THROUGH THE TOWN TO TRY TO EXTEND THEIR LIFE BASICALLY.
SO IT'S SOMETHING WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING AT.
BUT THANK AGAIN, I MEAN, LISTEN WITH YOUR GUYS' SUPPORT, ESPECIALLY THROUGH BUDGETING IS WHAT MAKES ALL OF THIS HAPPEN.
I MEAN, I KNOW FIRE TRUCKS ARE VERY EXPENSIVE, BUT I WILL TELL YOU WE'RE NOT BUYING THE MOST EXPENSIVE ONE.
WE'RE, WE'RE, WE ARE FRUGAL WHEN IT COMES TO THAT.
UM, AND WE, WE DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE.
BUT IF IT SAYS FIRE ON, IT'S EXPENSIVE, PATSY.
UH, VERY THOROUGH REPORT, ALWAYS WELL DONE.
UM, YOU GUYS DO A GREAT JOB, UH, NOT JUST OUT IN THE FIELD, BUT IN YOUR REPORTING.
AND YOU ANTICIPATED A COUPLE OF MY QUESTIONS.
ONE WAS, UM, YOU KNOW, HOW, HOW DID YOUR NEW HIRING WORK? AND YOU'VE COVERED THAT IN YOUR REPORT, THANK YOU FOR THAT.
UM, AND THEN THE OTHER WAS WHAT ABOUT YOUR CAPITAL EXPENDITURES AND THE DELAY IN GETTING EQUIPMENT? AND YOU COVERED THAT AS WELL.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE, OKAY, I DON'T HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS,
'CAUSE WE NEED TO, SINCE THE EQUIPMENT IS DELAYED IN GETTING HERE, UM, FOR OUR DEPARTMENTS OF ACROSS THE COUNTRY, WE NEED TO STAY AHEAD OF
[00:40:01]
THAT CURVE.AND SO, UM, WE'LL TAKE A, A GOOD LOOK AT WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR THIS YEAR IN CAPITAL.
UM, YES, THE REPORT IS WONDERFUL AND EASY TO READ AND PROVIDES A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF INFORMATION TO THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
UM, WE KNOW YOU DO A GOOD JOB.
UM, I WORRY ABOUT Y'ALL ALL THE TIME.
UM, AND THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO.
UM, THERE'S, UM, THERE'S AN INCREASE IN SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE IN THE SINGLE FAMILY, UM, RESPONSES.
HAVE WE TRACKED THAT AT ALL TO SEE WHETHER OR NOT THOSE ARE RENTAL UNITS, UH, PERMITTED RENTAL UNITS OR ANYTHING? UM, ALONG, ALONG THOSE LINES? WE, WE DO TRACK IT.
UM, I THINK WE TRACK MORE OF, OF, I MEAN, YES, WE, WE, WE WOULD KNOW IF THEY'RE, IF, IF THEY'RE A RENTAL.
UM, I THINK FOR US, THE BIG THING IS TRACKING HOW THESE ARE STARTING.
SO WHAT WE SAW LAST YEAR ARE NOT IN 2023 AND 2022 WAS COOKING FIRES WAS OUR HIGHEST.
I THINK ONCE WE LOOK AT THE DATA THIS YEAR, COMING, ESPECIALLY OUTTA THE HOLIDAYS, YOU'RE GONNA SEE CANDLES.
SO OUR, WE WILL START DOING AN EDUCATION ON WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN TRYING TO, TO EDUCATE, TO MAKE THIS NOT HAPPEN.
UM, BUT WHETHER IT'S IT'S RENTAL OR, OR HOME WISE, UM, I CAN'T SPEAK JOHANNA CAMILLE, WE ACTUALLY, WHETHER IT'S A BOX IN OUR
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US AS WE LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, HOW WE PROTECT, UM, THE VISITORS WHO COME AND RENT, WHO MAY NOT KNOW THEIR WAY AROUND BUILDINGS, ET CETERA.
AND SO THANK YOU FOR TRACKING THEM.
IT'D BE INTERESTING TO SEE THE DATA WHEN IT BECOMES AVAILABLE.
I, WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR BUDGET.
YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE MY, UH, SUPPORT.
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
SO UNDER UNFINISHED BUSINESS, WE HAVE A CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION TO SUPPORT
[Unfinished Business a. Consideration of a Resolution to Support the Solid Waste and Recycling Analysis for Hilton Head Island - Bryan McIlwee, Director of Public Projects and Facilities]
THE SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLING ANALYSIS FOR HILTON HEAD ISLAND.AND BRIAN MCY IS GOING TO PRESENT THAT FOR US THIS MORNING.
UM, SO BEFORE YOU IS A CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION TO SUPPORT THE STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES, OPPORTUNITIES, AND THREATS FOR, UM, UH, THE ASSESSMENT OF SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLING ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
UM, JUST AS A REMINDER, THIS IS AN INITIATIVE WITHIN THE 20 23 20 25 STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN.
UM, IN EARLY JANUARY, WE HAD OUR CONSULTANT, ABBY GOLDSMITH COME IN AND PRESENT HER INITIAL FINDINGS OF THE SWOT ANALYSIS.
AND, UH, THE COMMITTEE REQUESTED AN EXPLANATION OF, UH, A FEW CURRENT PRACTICES THAT WE'RE DOING AND ALSO AN EVALUATION OF FIVE NEAR TERM ACTION ITEMS THAT WE COULD PURSUE, UM, ONCE THIS IS APPROVED BY COUNCIL.
SO WITH THAT SAID, UM, I'VE ASKED ABBY TO COME IN AND GIVE KIND OF A, A BRIEFER, UH, MORE BRIEF, UH, PRESENTATION FOCUSING JUST ON THE ACTUAL STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES, OPPORTUNITIES AND THREATS, AND THEN TO GET INTO THOSE, UM, DETAILED ITEMS. AND THEN I'LL GET UP AND TALK ABOUT THE FINAL FIVE, UH, NEAR TERM ACTIONS.
AND, AND YOU'RE LOOKING FOR US TO PROVIDE A RESOLUTION TO TOWN COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL? YES, MA'AM.
THANK YOU ABBY GOLDSMITH, WELCOME.
UH, AS BRIAN SAID, I'M GONNA GO OVER THE STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES, OPPORTUNITIES AND THREATS TIME.
AND IN THE REPORT THAT YOU, I BELIEVE RECEIVED SENT AND THEN REVIEW THE, I CAN'T HEAR YOU.
I ABOUT THE ONE TO THE, TO YOUR LEFT.
OH, AND THEN, UH, REVIEW THE FEEDBACK THAT YOU'VE PROVIDED, UH, AT THE LAST MEETING AND THE RESPONSES TO THE FEEDBACK AND QUESTIONS SPECIFICALLY.
SO TO REVIEW THE STRENGTHS, THE FIRST STRENGTH WE HAD IDENTIFIED IT WAS THE DEMONSTRATED SUPPORT FROM ELECTED OFFICIALS FROM YOU, THE COUNCIL AND THE PUBLIC ON WASTE REDUCTION RECYCLING AND SOLID WASTE
[00:45:01]
MANAGEMENT, BOTH IN THE GOAL AND YOUR OUR PLAN AND YOUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND THE TOWN COUNCIL'S RESOLUTION TO WORK WITH THE COUNTY TO DEVELOP THE NEW LONG-TERM AGREEMENT TO SECURE LANDFILL AND RECYCLING NEEDS LONG-TERM FOR THE COUNTY AND FOR THE TOWN.AND YOU HAVE EXISTING PROVISIONS THAT I THINK ARE PRETTY STRONG, UH, THAT PROVIDE A FOUNDATION FOR RESIDENTIAL RECYCLING, OTHER STRENGTHS OR YOUR EXISTING RESOURCES WITH REGARD TO THE CONVENIENCE CENTERS, BUT ALSO YOUR PUBLIC OUTREACH AND EDUCATION MATERIALS, NOT NECESSARILY THAT YOU'VE CREATED, BUT THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO THE TOWN FROM THE COUNTY AND FROM THE STATE.
SOME OF THE WEAKNESSES IS THAT YOU REALLY HAVE LIMITED CONTROL OVER RECYCLING AND SOLID WASTE.
IT'S THE COUNTY THAT CONTRACTS FOR DISPOSAL AND ARRANGES FOR PROCESSING, AT LEAST UNDER CURRENT ARRANGEMENTS.
UH, THERE'S NO CONSISTENT CURBSIDE COLLECTION OF SOLID WASTE FROM RESIDENTS HERE IN THE COUNT IN THE TOWN.
UM, IT'S THE ONLY MUNICIPALITY IN THE TOWN THAT DOESN'T HAVE THAT, THOUGH YOU'VE TRIED IT IN THE PAST, UM, AND HAULERS ARE NOT ALWAYS IN COMPLIANCE WITH YOUR CURRENT ORDINANCE REQUIREMENTS.
THE INFORMATION THEY'RE REQUIRED, WHICH I IS IN THE ORDINANCE THAT THEY NEED TO REQUIRE, AND I THINK IT'S PRETTY POWERFUL IF YOU HAD THAT DATA IS NOT ALWAYS REPORTED CONSISTENTLY.
UM, THEY'RE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE RECYCLING TO ALL RE THEIR RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS.
IT'S NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT CLEAR THAT THEY DO, UH, OR THAT THEY EXPLAIN TO RE THEIR CUSTOMERS YOUR RESIDENCE WHEN THEY PARTICIPATE INCORRECTLY BY, FOR EXAMPLE, PUTTING CONTAMINANTS IN RECYCLING CARTS.
SOME OF THE OTHER WEAKNESSES ARE, UM, YOUR PAST SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLING COLLECTION AT TOWN FACILITIES AND ESPECIALLY ON YOUR OWN BEACHES WAS HANDLED BY A BEACH PATROL CONTRACT.
SO NOT A PROFESSIONAL FIRM EXPERIENCE WITH RECYCLING AND SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT.
THE TOWN'S MOVING AWAY FROM THAT.
THERE ARE SOME THINGS IN THE ORDINANCE THAT WE MAY WANNA CONSIDER MODIFYING TO MAKE IT MORE CONSISTENT WITH WHAT'S ACTUALLY HAPPENING.
UM, THE HILTON HAD CONVENIENCE CENTERS ARE A HUGE STRENGTH AND RESOURCE TO THE TOWN, BUT ALSO THE ONE IN HILTON HAD IS VERY LIMITED AS FAR AS ITS FOOTPRINT AND WHAT YOU COULD DO TO EXPAND THERE AND WHAT THE COUNTY COULD DO TO EXPAND THERE AND IS OVERWHELMED WITH VISITORS.
UH, CURRENT ARRANGEMENTS FOR DISPOSAL AND PROCESSING.
WHO PAYS FOR WHAT DISINCENTIVIZES RECYCLING FROM RESIDENTS, BECAUSE AS I EXPLAINED LAST TIME, THE COUNTY ACTUALLY PAYS FOR DISPOSAL OF THE WASTE COLLECTED FROM RESIDENTS IN THE TOWN AND THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, BUT NOT FOR THE DROPPING OFF OF RECYCLING AT PROCESSING FACILITIES.
AND THAT SOMETIMES COULD BE AS MUCH AS A HUNDRED DOLLARS A TON.
SO EVEN IF YOU COLLECT MATERIALS AS RECYCLABLES AND YOU HAVE THE OPTION OF TAKING IT SOMEWHERE FOR FREE AND TAKING IT SOMEWHERE FOR A HUNDRED DOLLARS A TON, THERE'S THAT FINANCIAL DESCENT DISINCENTIVE FOR THEM TO TAKE IT TO THE RECYCLING FACILITY, EVEN THOUGH THAT'S WHAT YOUR ORDINANCE REQUIRES THEM TO DO.
UM, AND LASTLY, YOU'RE REALLY LIMITED CURRENTLY IN THE RESOURCES DEDICATED TO RECYCLING AND SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT.
UM, IT'S MANAGED UNDER YOUR COMMITTEE AND BRIAN'S DEPARTMENT DIVISION, BUT UH, THERE'S NO STAFF DEDICATED SPECIFICALLY TO REVIEW TO OVERSEEING SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLING.
SOME OF THE OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE TO THE TOWN, UH, IS THAT YOU DO HAVE A DISPOSAL FACILITY THAT DISPOSAL IS FREE.
THAT'S SORT OF A DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD WHEN IT COMES TO RECYCLING.
BUT IF RESIDENTS ARE DISPOSING OF WASTE, THEY PAY FOR IT IN THEIR PROPERTY TAX TO THE COUNTY.
UM, IT'S A UNIQUE ARRANGEMENT IF YOU LOOK NATIONWIDE, BUT IT'S A STRENGTH AND AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU AS THE TOWN.
THE COUNTY'S BEEN CONSIDERING DEVELOPING A PROCESSING FACILITY FOR RECYCLABLE SOUTH OF BROAD, WHICH WOULD MAKE A MORE ACCESSIBLE AND EASY AND LESS EXPENSIVE FACILITY TO GET TO FOR YOUR HAULERS.
YOU HAVE BEEN PLACED FRAMEWORK IF YOU MOVE TOWARDS TOWN WIDE COLLECTION, AGAIN, BOTH FROM YOUR OWN PAST HISTORY WITH CONTRACTING, BUT ALSO FROM THE OTHER TOWNS.
AND THE COUNTY HAS EVEN ISSUED AN RFP FOR CURBSIDE COLLECTION IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS, UH, WITH YOUR COMMERCIAL SECTOR SO ACTIVE HERE, ESPECIALLY HOSPITALITY RETAIL, THAT'S A GREAT WASTE STREAM TO TARGET FOR RECYCLING.
SO THAT'S ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO ACHIEVE RECYCLING AND WASTE REDUCTION GOALS IS TO TARGET THE COMMERCIAL SECTOR.
IT WAS A WEAKNESS, BUT IT'S ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY THAT TOWN'S CURRENTLY PURSUING TO ENHANCE SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLABLE COLLECTION ON YOUR BEACHES
[00:50:01]
AND AT YOUR BEACH PARKS.AND TO USE THAT AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR EDUCATING VISITORS AND RESIDENTS THAT ARE AT THE PARKS AND AT THE BEACHES.
UM, SOME OF THE THREATS, DEMOGRAPHIC AND GEOGRAPHIC THREATS WE TALKED ABOUT LAST TIME IS, I KNOW FROM DRIVING OVER THIS MORNING, IT TAKES A LOT OF TIME, SOMETIMES TRAFFIC TO GET OVER THE BRIDGES TO GET HERE.
AND THAT COSTS MONEY IF YOU'RE HAULING, RIGHT, SELLING WASTE OR RECYCLABLES OFF ISLAND OR BRINGING IN CONTAINERS ON COMING TO THE ISLAND TO DO HAULING.
UM, THE HIGH TURNOVER OF RESIDENTS AND THE LARGE VISITOR POPULATION IS WONDERFUL IN MANY WAYS, BUT IT ALSO MEANS YOU HAVE TO EDUCATE AND REEDUCATE AND REEDUCATE TO GET PEOPLE TO HANDLE THEIR WASTE AND TO RECYCLE THE WAY WE DO IT HERE IN TOWN OF HILTON HEAD.
AND LASTLY, AS IDENTIFIED, YOUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND OUR PLAN, THE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON INFRASTRUCTURE AND ACCESS AND ESPECIALLY ON GENERATION OF DEBRIS AND WASTE MANAGEMENT, UM, IS, DOES POSES A CONSISTENT THREAT TO WASTE MANAGEMENT AND RECYCLING HERE ON THE ISLAND.
ANOTHER THREAT IS THE LIMITED FACILITIES.
IT'S WONDERFUL THAT WE HAVE HICKORY HILL AND THAT THE COUNTY'S PAYING FOR DISPOSAL, BUT IT'S THE ONLY OPTION AND THE COUNTY'S BEEN LOOKING FOR MANY YEARS AT WAYS TO DIVERSIFY THOSE OPTIONS SO YOU'RE NOT BEHOLDEN TO ONE PRIVATE FACILITY.
CONVENIENCE CENTERS THOUGH AN OPPORTUNITY ARE ALSO, AS I SAID, AND THE WEAKNESSES ARE LIMITED AS WHAT YOU COULD EXPAND THERE.
THAT'S WHAT YOUR RESIDENTS ARE USED TO USING FOR RECYCLING AND OFTEN FOR GARBAGE DISPOSAL.
AND LASTLY, GIVEN THE MAPS AND THE SIDING AND YOUR PROPERTY VALUES, THEY'RE REALLY LIMITED LOCATIONS TO ADD SOLID WASTE HANDLING OR EXPAND SOLID WASTE HANDLING OR RECYCLING FACILITIES ON ISLAND OR EVEN SOUTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY AS A WHOLE.
MEANING IF YOU NEED TO HAUL FURTHER, IT'S GONNA COST MORE THREATS FROM RECYCLING GENERALLY.
AND WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT LAST TIME, SO I WANTED TO EXPAND MARKETS FOR RECYCLABLES FLUCTUATE, WHETHER YOU CAN COST EFFECTIVELY RECYCLED PLASTIC TODAY IS NOT GONNA NECESSARILY BE THE SAME ANSWER AS IT WILL BE IN FIVE YEARS.
SO YOU HAVE TO, AS LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AREN'T USED TO THAT KIND OF FLUCTUATION IN THE MARKETPLACE WHEN YOU'RE GETTING RID OF MATERIAL OR SELLING MATERIAL.
UM, CONTAMINATION IS ALWAYS A PROBLEM AND THAT GOES HAND IN HAND WITH THE MARKETS FLUCTUATING A LOT MORE CONTAMINATION, ACCESSIBLE, ACCEPTABLE TO A PROCESSING FACILITY.
WHEN MARKETS ARE STRONG FOR MATERIALS THAT CHANGES.
WHEN MARKETS ARE WEAK FOR MATERIALS, THEY ONLY WANT THE CLEANEST AND THE BEST.
RECYCLING OFTEN COSTS EVEN WHEN YOU'RE NOT IN HILTON HEAD, WHERE DISPOSAL'S FREE PAID FOR BY THE COUNTY FOR RESIDENTS AND RECYCLING'S, NOT SOMETIMES RECYCLING, ESPECIALLY SINGLE STREAM.
WHEN ALL THE RECYCLABLES ARE PUT IN ONE CART, USUALLY THAT COSTS MORE THAN JUST DISPOSING OF IT ALL TOGETHER.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE A SEPARATE, SEPARATE TRUCK GO DOWN TO EVERYBODY'S HOUSE AND PICK UP THE RECYCLABLE SEPARATE.
SO THAT'S KIND OF AN EDUCATION EFFORT THAT NEEDS TO BE MADE AS WELL.
UM, THERE'S STILL A BIG QUESTION MARK WHEN IT COMES TO RECYCLING, RIGHT? PROCESSING THE RECYCLABLES THAT ARE COLLECTED HERE AND WHAT IT WILL TAKE TO GET A PROCESSING FACILITY THAT'S MORE CONVENIENT TO THE TOWN OF HILTON PAD.
AND LASTLY, THE INFORMATION THAT GETS OUT ABOUT RECYCLING AND WEATHER MATERIALS ARE GETTING RECYCLED IF THEY'RE COLLECTED THAT WAY.
AND WHAT CAN BE RECYCLABLE? THAT'S A PROBLEM EVERYWHERE THAT PEOPLE HAVE DIFFERENT INFORMATION, PEOPLE DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT INFORMATION, PEOPLE SPREAD THE WRONG INFORMATION.
AND SO THERE'S ALWAYS A GIANT QUESTION MARK OVER ARE WE REALLY RECYCLING AND WHAT IS IT THAT WE'RE RECYCLING? SO WHEN IT WAS BEFORE YOU IN JANUARY, THE KIND OF BIG AREAS WHERE YOU HAD QUESTIONS THAT WE PROMISED TO COME BACK WITH WERE, CAN WE TALK ABOUT MULTIFAMILY GIVEN? HOW, HOW IS THAT HANDLED? YOU TALKED ABOUT COMMERCIAL, YOU TALKED ABOUT RESIDENTIAL.
GIVEN HOW MANY MULTIFAMILY PROPERTIES WE HAVE ON IN THE TOWN, CAN YOU TALK ABOUT HOW THAT'S MANAGED AND WHAT RECOMMENDATIONS? UM, I THINK WE ASKED FOR AN EXAMPLE OF HOW SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLABLES ARE MANAGED IN SOME OF THE POAS BECAUSE THEY DO HAVE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT INVOLVE RECYCLING AND SOLID WASTE.
CLARIFY WHAT IS RECYCLABLE EXACTLY.
I TALKED ABOUT THE BIG QUESTION MARK THAT NOBODY KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT IS OKAY TO RECYCLE AND WHAT'S NOT.
I THINK, UH, COUNCILMAN BROWN ASKED FOR SOME, IS GRANT FUNDING AN OPPORTUNITY? CAN WE TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE MONEY THAT MAY BE AVAILABLE FOR US? AND THE LAST QUESTION WAS, COULD WE TALK ABOUT NEAR TERM ACTIONS? WHAT DO YOU RECOMMEND?
[00:55:01]
I THINK IF YOU'VE SEEN THE REPORT, AND IN MY LAST PRESENTATION I GAVE YOU IN EACH CATEGORY A LIST OF POTENTIAL OPTIONS TO IMPLEMENT IN THE SHORT TERM AND IN THE LONG TERM I'VE ADDED, IF YOU'VE SEEN THE REPORT, A TABLE THAT SUMMARIZES THOSE AND KIND OF TALKS ABOUT THE RELATIVE DIFFICULTY IN IMPLEMENTING EACH OF THOSE SO YOU COULD KIND OF GET IT IN CONTEXT.AND THEN WORKING WITH THE TOWN, WE'VE SAID, OKAY, WHAT CAN WE DO RIGHT AWAY? SO WE'LL BE PRESENTING THAT.
SO MULTIFAMILY COLLECTION QUESTION GENERALLY, THAT'S PRETTY CLEARLY DEFINED FOR SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLING IN YOUR CURRENT ORDINANCE IN SECTION 9, 6 10, IF YOUR GARBAGE IS COLLECTED BY A DUMPSTER.
SO TYPICALLY IF THERE'S MORE THAN USUALLY FOUR OR FIVE UNITS IN A MULTI-FAMILY BUILDING THAT'S CLASSIFIED IN YOUR ORDINANCE AS A COMMERCIAL FACILITY.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT HOW DO WE INCREASE RECYCLING OR IMPROVE SOLID WASTE COLLECTION AT MULTIFAMILY BUILDINGS, FOR THE MOST PART WE WILL BE LOOKING AT HOW DO WE DO IT FOR ALL COMMERCIAL ENTITIES? THAT'S HOW THEIR GARBAGE GETS RECYCLED.
SO RIGHT NOW IN THOSE BUILDINGS, RECYCLING'S HAULERS ARE NOT REQUIRED TO OFFER RECYCLING TO COMMERCIAL FACILITIES.
THEY ARE TO RESIDENTS HERE IN THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD, ACCORDING TO YOUR ORDINANCE.
SO THAT MEANS THAT IF THE BUILDING HAS DUMPSTER COLLECTION OF GARBAGE FROM A PRIVATE HAULER, UM, AND MULT HAS SO MANY UNITS THAT THEY NEED THAT AND CAN'T USE CARTS, THEN RIGHT NOW THEY'RE NOT REQUIRED TO HAVE RECYCLING AS WELL.
NOW IF THE MULTIFAMILY UNITS HAVE FEWER UNITS AND ARE USING CARTS FOR THEIR GARBAGE SET OUT, THAT'S SERVED BY A RESIDENTIAL HAULER.
SO THAT WOULDN'T BE A RECYCLING REQUIREMENT ON THOSE HAULERS.
SO THAT'S THE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION ACCORDING TO YOUR ORDINANCE IN HOW WAYS DIS MANAGED, UM, I TOOK A LOOK AT SEA PONDS AS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW THE POAS APPROACH RECYCLING AND SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT, EACH OF WHAT THEY CALL REGIMES ARRANGES COLLECTION FOR THEIR VILLA OR THEIR CONDO COMPLEX.
EACH PROPERTY OWNER CONTRACTS FOR THEIR OWN SERVICE, AND THEN THEY HAVE NOW ONCE A WEEK DROP OFF CENTER PROVIDE FOR RECYCLABLES, A LOT OF RECYCLABLES PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY VENDOR AT THEIR RETAIL AREA.
AND THE CSA REQUIRES, YOU KNOW, HAS STRICT RULES ABOUT WHERE THE CARTS CAN BE KEPT.
THEY CAN'T BE PUT OUT AT THE CURB.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE KEPT IN WHAT'S CALLED SERVICE YARDS.
AND THAT'S A PICTURE OF MY FRIENDS SERVICE YARD IN, UH, C PODS.
AND THEN THE CSA MORE WITH THE NON-RESIDENTIAL WASTE.
THEY WORK WITH THE VENDORS, THE RETAILERS, THE RESTAURANTS TO HARVEST RECYCLABLES IS WHAT THEY CALL THEM FROM COMMERCIAL FACILITIES.
AND THAT INCLUDES CARDBOARD, GLASS, PLASTIC, AND ALUMINUM.
THEY DO FOOD RESIDUALS AND COFFEE AND OYSTER SHELLS FROM THE, FROM THE RESTAURANTS THERE.
AND THEN THEY HAVE A WEEKLY COLLECTION AND DROP OFF SPOT FOR VEGETATIVE DEBRIS AND THEY MULCH IT ON SITE AND RESIDENTS CAN PICK THAT UP FOR THEIR OWN LANDSCAPING PURPOSES.
SO YOU ASKED WHAT WAS, OH, WOULD YOU LIKE I THINK WE HAVE A QUICK QUESTION.
UM, AND I APPRECIATE YOU BREAKING IT DOWN IN THIS, THIS FASHION.
UM, IT'S JUST A STATEMENT AS WE MOVE ALONG.
IT SEEMS AS IF THERE'S A CHANCE THAT BECAUSE PRECEDENTS BEING SET AND OTHER MUNICIPALITIES TO GO TOWARDS SOME TYPE OF PUBLIC PICKUP, UM, JUST CAUTION US A BIT BECAUSE IF THE, UH, PUDS ALREADY HAVE A SERVICE THAT THEY ARE PAYING FOR AND WE ARE LOOKING TO ADD A SERVICE WHICH WILL HAVE TO BE PAID SOMEHOW, UM, I'M ASSUMING THROUGH SOME TYPE OF TAX THAT WE'RE NOT DOUBLE TAXING ALONG THE WAY.
I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
I'M JUST BRINGING IT TO OUR ATTENTION AS WE ARE, AS WE'RE MOVING ALONG HERE.
IT'S AN IMPORTANT POINT AND I THINK YOU'RE A BIT UNIQUE THAT WAY THAT YOU HAVE SO MANY COLLECTION AGREEMENTS, NOT WITH INDIVIDUALS IN THEIR HAULERS, BUT THERE THEY'RE HOMEOWNER ASSOCIATIONS AND THE HAULERS.
AND I DO THINK THERE'S WAYS AROUND THAT, UM, TO AVOID, AS YOU SAY, DOUBLE TAXING OR JUST CHANGING A SERVICE THEY'RE HAPPY WITH.
SO THE QUESTION WAS WHAT IS RECYCLABLE? THAT'S, AND AS I SAID, PRETTY MUCH EVERY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC HAS THAT QUESTION, AND IT'S VERY TRICKY QUESTION.
AND THE ANSWER IS, AND IT ALEX AT THE BOTTOM, WHICH IS BASICALLY WHAT IS RECYCLABLE IS WHAT THE PROCESSOR THAT YOU'VE MADE ARRANGEMENTS WITH, OR IN YOUR CASE, THE COUNTY HAS MADE ARRANGEMENTS WITH WHAT THEY'LL TAKE AT THEIR FRONT DOOR.
AND THAT'S DIFFERENT FROM FACILITY.
WELL, THOSE CHANGES DON'T HELP RESIDENTS WHO ARE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND
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WHAT THEY CAN DO.YOU CAN'T TELL A RESIDENT ONE WEEK, YES, WE TAKE GLASS AND THE NEXT WEEK WE DON'T.
BUT WHAT I WANTED TO SHOW YOU HERE WAS IN THE LEFT COLUMN OF THE TABLE IS WHAT YOUR ORDINANCE SAYS MUST BE RECYCLED BY YOUR HAULERS.
ANYBODY WITH A BUSINESS LICENSE HAS TO PICK THOSE UP FROM THEIR RE THEIR RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS.
WHEREAS WHAT'S ON THE RIGHT IS WHAT'S ACCEPTED, ALIGNED WITH YOUR CATEGORIES AT THE COUNTY.
CONVENIENCE CENTERS, MANY MORE THINGS ARE TAKEN AT THE CONVENIENCE CENTERS AS LISTED ON THE BOTTOM, BUT THOSE AREN'T THINGS YOU'D WANNA COLLECT AT CURBSIDE.
THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH TAKING MORE MATERIALS AT A CONVENIENCE CENTER.
SO YOU'LL SEE ONE OF THE THINGS IN THE REPORT THAT MAY BE WISE TO DO IT, NOT ONE OF THE MOST URGENT THINGS, BUT YOUR ORDINANCE MAY NOT WANNA NECESSARILY DEFINE WHAT RECYCLABLES HAVE TO CO BE COLLECTED BECAUSE THAT'S SO HARD TO CHANGE.
SO I'VE RECOMMENDED OTHER MECHANISMS THAT YOU INDEED SHOULD TELL YOUR HAULERS, THIS IS WHAT YOU HAVE TO COLLECT FROM RESIDENTS.
BUT, UH, PROBABLY THROUGH SOME MECHANISM THAT'S A LITTLE MORE FLEXIBLE THAN YOUR ORDINANCE.
AND YOU CAN SEE WHY PEOPLE ARE CONFUSED.
IF YOU LOOK FOR EXAMPLE, A PLASTIC, UM, THE DEFINITION, YOU KNOW, YOU SAY IN YOUR ORDINANCE THAT ALL PLASTIC BOTTLES AND JUGS CLOSED MOUTH, SO NUMBER ONE THROUGH SEVEN, RIGHT? YOU GET THAT LITTLE NUMBER ON THE BACK, BOTTOM OF RECYCLABLE PLASTIC OR ALL PLASTIC IS ACCEPTABLE.
BUT THEN THAT SAME RESIDENT GOES TO THE CONVENIENCE CENTER AND THEY CAN ONLY DO ONES AND TWOS HIGH DENSITY, POLYETHYLENE AND PET.
SO YOUR WATER BOTTLES, THE WATER JUGS OR MILK JUGS AND SODA BOTTLES.
SO THE POINT BEING THAT EVEN HERE WHERE YOU HAVE IT STUCK IN YOUR ORDINANCE AND THEN THE CONVENIENCE CENTER TAKES SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT THINGS, YOU CAN SEE WHY PEOPLE ARE CONFUSED.
MAY I ASK YOU A QUESTION ABOUT, UM, THAT, JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, SO WE REQUIRE, UM, THROUGH OUR ORDINANCE THAT THE ITEMS ON Y'ALL'S RIGHT, LEFT, UM, ARE COLLECTED BY OUR HAULERS, BUT DOESN'T NECESSARILY REQUIRE THAT THEY GET RECYCLED
THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION BECAUSE OF ALL OF THE POINTS THAT YOU'VE MADE, DEPENDING ON THE VALUE TO THEM IN TERMS OF RECYCLING THE COST TO THEM, OF DROPPING IT OFF AT THE RECYCLING CENTER, ET CETERA, AS WELL AS THE, UM, QUESTION THAT I KEEP BEING CONFUSED ON IS WHAT'S CONSIDERED A CONTAMINATION WHICH DISQUALIFIES IT ALTOGETHER.
SO, UM, THOSE, THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT I CAN'T GET MY HEAD RIGHT AROUND.
SO THE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION ABOUT DO WE REQUIRE THOSE HAULERS TO RECYCLE WHAT THEY COLLECT AS RECYCLABLES, WHAT YOUR ORDINANCE SAYS IS THAT THESE, THEY MUST ON A WEEKLY BASIS, COLLECT AT LEAST THOSE MATERIALS ON THE LEFT AND DELIVER THEM TO THE RECYCLING FACILITY DEFINED BY THE IDENTIFIED APPROVED BY A RECYCLING FACILITY APPROVED BY THE TOWN.
SO I, MY INTERPRETATION, I'M NOT A LAWYER WOULD BE, YES, THEY'RE REQUIRED TO DELIVER THEM TO A RECYCLING FACILITY AND THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED TO.
OKAY, WELL, WE COLLECTED 'EM, BUT WE TOOK IT TO THE LANDFILL.
THAT WOULD BE AGAINST YOUR ORDINANCE.
BUT THERE'S, I'M NOT SURE THERE'S BEEN A CLEAR PROCESS FOR WHICH FACILITIES ARE APPROVED BY THE TOWN FOR THEM TO DELIVER THEM.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE STRENGTHENED WITHIN OUR ORDINANCE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH ANYTHING THAT WE DO WITH SOLID WASTE RECYCLING PROGRAM IN ADDITION TO, BECAUSE THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE ANECDOTAL INFORMATION YOU GET FROM EVERYBODY.
THEY THROW IT ALL IN THE BACK AND IT ENDS UP IN THE LANDFILL.
SO PERCEPTION IS THE SAME THING AS REALITY.
AND THAT IS THAT WE'RE, THEY'RE REQUIRED TO TAKE IT TO THE RECYCLING CENTER RIGHT.
AND THEN TO ADD, I'M ASKING FOR YOUR SUGGESTION, I'M JUST, AND THEN TO, IN STRENGTHENING THAT ORDINANCE ALSO, UM, STRENGTHEN THE FINE IF IT'S DISCOVERED THAT THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN.
SO THERE'S SOME REPERCUSSION FROM THE TOWN THAT SAYS, COME ON, GET IT ALL THERE.
THAT'S WHAT WE EXPECT YOU TO DO.
THAT'S WHAT OUR RESIDENTS EXPECT YOU TO DO, IS OUR VISITORS WARN US ALL TO DO, AND, UH, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE PAYING YOU FOR.
IS THAT, IS THAT DOWN, THAT THAT'S ONE, THAT'S ONE WAY TO GET AT IT.
I MEAN, WHAT I'VE RECOMMENDED, WHAT'S A DETAILED IN THE REPORT IS ONE THING I WOULD DO WAS, LIKE I SAY, TAKE
[01:05:01]
THE LIST OUT BECAUSE IT, IT'S NOT ALL'S FAULT THAT THEY COLLECT THESE THINGS AND THE PLACE, AND ALL THE PLACES THAT ACCEPT RECYCLABLES WON'T TAKE THAT LOAD BECAUSE IT HAS, FOR EXAMPLE, PLASTICS 3, 4, 5, 6, AND SEVEN.AND THOSE AREN'T RECYCLABLE, YOU KNOW, AT THAT, AT ANY LOCAL PROCESSOR.
SO IT, YOU KNOW THAT, AND YOU ASK WHAT'S CONTAMINANT? YOU KNOW, THAT'S AN EXAMPLE.
A CONTAMINANT IS ANYTHING THAT'S NOT RECYCLABLE BY THE PROCESSOR AT WHICH YOU'RE TAKING YOUR MATERIALS.
AND IT VARIES FROM PROCESSOR TO PROCESSOR.
SO ONE OPTION IS FOR THE TOWN TO CONTRACT WITH A PROCESSOR AND JUST SAY, OKAY, HERE'S WHERE THEY GO, HERE ARE THE MATERIALS, HERE'S WHERE YOU TAKE EVERYTHING THAT YOU ARE REQUIRED, AND HERE'S THE LIST.
I WOULD TAKE IT OUT OF THE ORDINANCE AND PUT IT IN AS SUGGESTED IN THE REPORT.
POSSIBLY WHEN YOU ISSUE THEIR ANNUAL BUSINESS LICENSE TO THE HAULERS, WHICH IS YOUR CURRENT PROCESS FOR OVERSEEING THEM, YOU GIVE THEM THE LIST AND I WOULDN'T CHANGE IT.
YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T WANNA CHANGE IT EVERY YEAR, BUT YOU CHANGE IT IF A HAUL, IF A PROCESSOR SAYS, GUESS WHAT, I CAN NOW TAKE MILK JU UH, MILK CARTONS AND, AND WHICH, YOU KNOW, SEPTIC CONTAINERS, THEY'RE CALLED.
SO I DO THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF WAYS TO GET IT AT, OF COURSE, THE WAY MOST LOCAL GOVERNMENTS GET AT IT, A TOWN OR A CITY MIGHT IS THEY CONTRACT FOR COLLECTION.
IF YOU, IF YOU ENTERED INTO A CONTRACT FOR CURBSIDE COLLECTION, THIS ALL THIS WOULD BE IRRELEVANT BECAUSE YOUR CONTRACT WOULD SAY, HERE'S WHAT YOU HAVE TO COLLECT AND HERE'S WHERE YOU HAVE TO TAKE IT, JUST LIKE YOU DO WITH THE GARBAGE.
SO THAT'S ANOTHER WAY TO GET AT IT.
THANK YOU FOR HELPING ME, MADAM CHAIR.
WELL, WHILE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS, IF I COULD ASK A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS AS WELL.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, I, I APPRECIATE THE SUGGESTION TO TAKE OUT A LIST BECAUSE IT'S IN FLUX ALL THE TIME.
BUT MY ISSUE IS THAT IF WE DON'T DO IT BY SOME SORT OF FRANCHISE WITH WASTE HAULERS ON A TOWN BASIS, THEN THE WASTE HAULERS ARE GONNA SAY, WELL, I DON'T HAVE TO COLLECT ANYTHING.
UM, AND SO HOW DO YOU MANAGE THAT? UM, AND THEN I I, I DON'T THINK WE CAN HAND OUT A LIST EACH WEEK AND GO LIKE, OKAY, OR WE PUT IT ON THE WEBSITE, SAY, HERE'S WHAT'S RECYCLABLE THIS WEEK.
AND THEN THE OTHER THING IS, AS THE CHAIR IS BROUGHT UP, UM, IF IT'S CONTAMINATED AND MAYBE THE CONTAMINATION IS I PUT IN PLASTIC NUMBER THREE, AND THAT'S NOT RECYCLABLE THIS WEEK.
UM, SO THAT CAUSES THAT, UH, MIXED LOAD, IF YOU WILL, TO BE CONTAMINATED AND THEY WON'T DO ANYTHING.
UM, DO SOME OF THOSE RECYCLING FACILITIES, UM, UH, IF IT'S A, A MIXED OR MINGLED LOAD, I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THE TERM IS.
UM, DO THEY HAVE MEANS OF SEPARATING THOSE OUT IF ONE ITEM WITHIN THE BAG IS CONTAMINATED? SO USUALLY WHAT A CONTRACT WITH A PROCESSING FACILITY AND, AND THERE WOULD NEVER BE CHANGES EVERY WEEK.
UM, I'M TALKING ABOUT MAYBE EVERY FIVE OR 10 YEARS.
RIGHT? LIKE, LIKE IF YOU ENTERED INTO A CONTRACT WITH A PROCESSING FACILITY THAT WOULD SAY, HERE ARE THE THINGS YOU'LL TAKE FOR THE TERM LIFE OF THIS CONTRACT.
IT'S JUST IF YOU WANTED TO DO ANOTHER RFP, YOU KNOW, OR, SO IT SHOULD NOT CHANGE REGULARLY.
O OKAY, BUT I THOUGHT I HEARD YOU SAY THAT.
WHAT IS RECYCLABLE DEPENDS ON THE MARKET AND THE MARKET CHANGES.
SO SURELY THAT CHANGES MORE OFTEN THAN EVERY FIVE YEARS.
NOW I SAID EVERY WEEK, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW HOW OFTEN IT CHANGES, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S SOMEWHERE BETWEEN ONE WEEK AND FIVE YEARS CLOSER TO THE ONE WEEK SIDE.
THE MARKETS CHANGE AS FAR AS PRICING MOSTLY.
FOR EXAMPLE, PLASTICS, THE PRICE FOR RECYCLABLE PLASTICS SOLD CHANGES WITH THE PRICE OF OIL BECAUSE THE ALTERNATIVE TO USING AN OLD BOTTLE TO MAKE A NEW BOTTLE IS TO USE OIL TO MAKE A NEW BOTTLE.
SO IF YOU'VE GOT A COMMITMENT FROM A PROCESSOR, I'LL TAKE PLASTICS ONE AND TWO.
I, YES, MY, I WILL TAKE PLASTICS ONE AND TWO FOR THE LIFE OF OUR CONTRACT, SAY FIVE YEAR CONTRACT.
THEY LOSE IF THE PRICE GOES DOWN, THEY WIN IF THE PRICE GOES UP, BUT THEY TAKE THE MATERIAL.
SO THAT'S MORE, WHEN I SAY MARKETS FLUCTUATE, I DON'T NECESSARILY, MOST THINGS ARE EITHER TECHNOLOGICALLY RECYCLABLE OR NOT.
IT'S JUST THE MARKET PRICING CHANGES.
SO YOU NEED SOMEBODY TO COMMIT.
SO, SO THEN THAT BEGS THE QUESTION, WHY NOT HAVE A LIST? UM, AND, AND YES, YOU HAVE TO DO IT.
YOU MAY NOT MAKE MONEY OFF THAT, BUT YOU STILL HAVE TO DO IT BECAUSE WE CARE ABOUT OUR ENVIRONMENT.
RIGHT? SO WHY WOULDN'T WE KEEP A LIST IN THE ORDINANCE? I'M JUST SUGGESTING SOMETHING A LITTLE MORE FLEXIBLE THAN AN ORDINANCE.
AND THAT'S THE ANNUAL LICENSING PROCESS.
SO JUST, JUST AS A REMINDER, THIS IS WHERE YOU TAKE RECYCLABLES.
THIS IS YOUR REPORTING REQUIREMENT.
THESE ARE THE THINGS YOU HAVE TO COLLECT FROM ALL YOUR CUSTOMERS THAT YOU'RE SERVING JUST
[01:10:01]
AS A TERM OF YOUR LICENSE THAT YOU ISSUE EVERY SINGLE YEAR.THAT'S THE WAY I DON'T SEE A LIST OF MATERIALS IN ORDINANCES THAT OFTEN THAT YOU HAVE TO COLLECT.
I THINK IT'S FINE TO SAY HERE, YOU HAVE TO COLLECT THE MATERIALS IN ACCORDANCE WITH YOUR BUSINESS LICENSE TERMS. AND YOU MIGHT NOT CHANGE THAT BUSINESS, THAT LIST EVERY YEAR.
YOU PROBABLY WON'T, BUT AT LEAST IT GIVES YOU MORE CONTROL TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS.
SO EVERYBODY'S, UH, NOTWITHSTANDING THE DAY ON WHICH THEY RENEW THEIR BUSINESS LICENSE, THEN EACH YEAR THEY WOULD HAVE, EACH BUSINESS WOULD HAVE THE SAME LIST.
AND THEN THE, THEN THE TOWN HAS TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO PUT ON THE LIST.
AND I'M TOTALLY GUESSING AT THIS, BUT I'M GUESSING THAT THE REASON THERE WAS AN EXTENSIVE LIST IN THE CURRENT ORDINANCE IS BECAUSE AT THAT TIME THE TOWN WAS PROACTIVE ABOUT RECYCLE EVERYTHING
RIGHT? AND MAYBE THAT'S WHY WE WERE THE EXCEPTION RATHER THAN THE RULE.
UM, WHICH SOMETIMES IS GOOD AND SOMETIMES IS BAD, BUT SO, SO LET ME GET THIS STRAIGHT.
UM, 'CAUSE NOW I, I'M CONFUSED ABOUT YOUR SUGGESTIONS.
UM, SO IN ORDER FOR, UM, FOLKS WHO LIVE AND VISIT HERE AND WORK HERE, UM, LET'S TAKE THE DEFINITION OF WHAT, OR SORRY, THE LIST OF WHAT'S RECYCLABLE OUT OF THE ORDINANCE.
OKAY, LET'S, LET'S ASSUME THAT'S WHAT WE DECIDE TO DO.
AND ONCE WE DECIDE TO DO THAT, THEN WE DO THROUGH LICENSING EVERY YEAR TO THE HAULERS.
HERE'S YOUR LIST, YOUR CURRENT LIST, AND THEN THE OTHER OPTION OR, OR IT'S AN AND IS TO THE TOWN CONTRACTS WITH A RECYCLING FACILITY AND SAY, YOU MUST TAKE THESE.
AND THAT'S NOT RENEWED EVERY YEAR.
UM, AND, AND SO THOSE ARE THE TWO OPTIONS.
SO NOT THROUGH THE LIST IN THE ORDINANCE, BUT THROUGH LICENSING AND OR CONTRACTING WITH A FACILITY.
IS THAT, ARE THOSE YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS? IT'S HARD.
I MEAN, I HATE TO SAY IT DEPENDS, BUT IT DEPENDS BECAUSE IDEALLY THE INTENTION AND THE PLAN, THE COUNTY'S PLAN IS FOR THEM TO HAVE A PRO RECYCLABLE PROCESSING FACILITY IN THE SOUTH PART OF THE COUNTY.
SO IN MY MIND, IF THAT, IF WE'RE SUCCESSFUL IN COLLABORATING WITH THEM TO DEVELOP THAT FACILITY AND IT'S ACCESSIBLE TO YOU, THAT'S THE MOST CONVENIENT FACILITY FOR YOUR HAULERS.
WHATEVER THEY CAN TAKE THERE IS YOUR LIST OF MATERIALS.
UM, BUT THAT'S REALLY A THIRD OPTION.
TAKE IT OUTTA THE ORDINANCE AND, UM, LICENSING PERMITS, UM, TOWN CONTRACTS DIRECTLY OR IF THERE'S A COUNTY FACILITY, THE COUNTY TAKES CARE OF THAT.
RIGHT? AND YOU WOULDN'T NEED TO CONTRACT
ANOTHER OPTION THAT'S IN THE REPORT IS IF YOU DECIDE YOU'RE GONNA ENTER INTO CONTRACT WITH A COLLECT GARBAGE AND RECYCLABLE COLLECTION YOURSELF, AT LEAST OUTSIDE OF THE POAS, UM, OR THEN YOU PUT ALL THAT, YOU DON'T HAVE TO CONTRACT IT WITH THE RECYCLING FACILITY AT ALL.
'CAUSE THAT'S IN THE CONTRACT, YOU'RE CONTRACTING WITH SOMEONE TO COLLECT RECYCLABLES AND TAKE 'EM TO A PROCESSING FACILITY.
IT COULD BE OF THEIR CHOICE IF THEY, IN THEIR R IN THEIR PROPOSAL SAY, THESE ARE THE THINGS WE'LL BE TAKEN, OR IN YOUR FP THESE ARE THE THINGS YOU HAVE TO TAKE AND YOU HAVE TO PROVE YOUR RECYCLING THEM.
AND ON THAT FOURTH OPTION, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I ASK AT THE PREVIOUS MEETING IS, WE HAD HISTORY, THE TOWN HAD HISTORY OF DOING THAT, RIGHT? AND THE TOWN ABANDONED THAT.
AND WHY CAN, AND HOW CAN WE LEARN FROM THAT? IF WE DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT AND I DON'T SEE THE ANSWER IN THE REPORT, MAYBE MR. M'S GONNA GIVE IT TO US LATER.
UM, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO KNOW THAT.
'CAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.
I DON'T WANNA MAKE THE SAME MISTAKES.
AND IN MY READING OF WHAT HAPPENED, UM, AT LEAST WHEN I SCAN THE NEWS ARTICLES AND REPORTS FROM THE TIME, THE ISSUE WAS PRIMARILY A PROPOSED INCREASE FROM YOUR CONTRACTOR ANNUAL INCREASE AND CITIZENS AND POSSIBLY THE COUNCIL SAYING, WELL, WE AND WASTE HAULERS COMING AND SAYING, WELL IF YOU JUST CANCEL YOUR CONTRACT AND GO BACK TO DOING IT INDEPENDENT INDEPENDENTLY, WE CAN DO IT CHEAPER.
AND SO IT SEEMED PRIMARILY TO ME TO BE A COST ISSUE.
AND, AND SO YOU SAID FROM NEWSPAPER ARTICLES, DID YOU LOOK AT TOWN COUNCIL MINUTES? I DON'T REMEMBER NOW.
ABBY, IF I CAN JUMP IN HERE REAL QUICK.
I, I KNOW I'VE SPOKEN WITH, UH, THE FORMER, UH, TOWN MANAGER ABOUT THIS, WHO WAS HERE WHEN THAT WAS TAKING PLACE.
HIS COMMENTS FOR ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THEY ENDED UP ABANDONING IT WAS THE DIFFICULTIES IN TERMS OF COLLECTIONS.
UM, SO MANY FACILITIES WANT TO HAVE THAT WASTE PICKED UP AT A VERY SPECIFIC TIME, SPECIFICALLY SATURDAY AND SUNDAY TURNOVER.
UM, AS ONE GROUP COMES IN AND ANOTHER GROUP COMES OUT, THE ISSUE BECOMES THAT
[01:15:01]
HICKORY HILL, WHICH IS THE ONLY PLACE THAT'S WITHIN A REASONABLE DISTANCE TO DISPOSE OF IT CLOSES AT NOON ON SATURDAYS.AND SO IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE WASTE DELIVERED THERE BEFORE THEY CLOSE YOU AS THE HAULER ARE REQUIRED TO STORE THOSE MATERIALS ON SITE UNTIL MONDAY WHEN YOU CAN THEN DROP THEM OFF.
AND THAT WAS, UH, MY UNDERSTANDING PART OF THE ISSUE IN THAT, UM, THE HAULERS WEREN'T PICKING IT UP AT THE TIMES THAT THE, UH, BILL AES WERE REQUESTING IT.
AND THEN THE DIFFICULTY OF DISPOSING IT DURING THAT TIME BECAUSE OF THE LIMITED AVAILABILITY OF, UH, HICKORY HILL OVER THE WEEKEND, THAT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
UM, WHO OWNS HICKORY HILL FACILITY? WASTE MANAGEMENT, THE COMPANY HAS, AND, AND JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE CONTEXT, STATE LAW CURRENTLY PROHIBITS THE INCLUSION OF ANY NEW CLASS ONE SOLID WASTE FACILITY WITHIN 75 MILE RADIUS OF ANY EXISTING CLASS ONE FACILITY.
AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS HICKORY HILL IS AND WILL BE THE ONLY PLACE THAT WE HAVE ACCESS TO, UNLESS, UNTIL WE CREATE A FACILITY IN WHICH WE CAN PUT IT, UM, IN, INTO SOME KIND OF SOLID WASTE TRANSFER, UH, VEHICLE WHERE YOU CAN GET THE WEIGHT, UH, TO THEN LOWER YOUR TRANSPORTATION COST AND THEN HAVE THE AVAILABILITY OF GOING TO OTHER LOCATIONS WHERE YOU CAN COMPETE, UH, FROM A MARKET STANDPOINT.
YEAH, A NUMBER OF OTHER JURISDICTIONS THAT I KNOW OF USED THAT TRANSFER FACILITY FOR THAT VERY REASON.
BUT, AND, AND THE COUNTY HAS PURSUED THAT ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS UNSUCCESSFULLY.
AND, AND HISTORICALLY, WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO IS THIS IS A GREAT IDEA.
WE MAY EVEN HAVE A A SITE FOR IT, BUT AS SOON AS THE SITE BECOMES PUBLIC, ANYBODY WHO LIVES CLOSE TO IT ABSOLUTELY OBJECTS TO IT.
AND THEN IT ENDS UP, YOU KNOW, FALLING ASIDE.
SO DOES THE COUNTY HAVE A FRANCHISE AGREEMENT WITH WASTE MANAGEMENT TO USE THAT FACILITY? THEY'RE ON A YEAR.
THEY USED TO HAVE A 20 YEAR CONTRACT, UM, AND WITH HICKORY HILL RUNNING OUT OF CELL SPACE, THEIR FUTURE BUSINESS PLANS WERE UP IN THE AIR ABOUT WHETHER THEY THEMSELVES WERE GONNA BUILD A TRANSFER STATION OR WHETHER THEY WERE GONNA ADD AN ADDITIONAL CELL.
AND, AND I DON'T KNOW THE OUTCOME OF THAT DISCUSSION.
I THINK THAT'S STILL PROBABLY THE STATUS RIGHT NOW IS THEY HAVEN'T MADE UP THEIR MIND, WHICH IS WHY THEY'RE NOT GONNA GIVE THE COUNTY ANYTHING MORE THAN A YEAR TO YEAR CONTRACT.
SO, SORRY, WHAT LOT OF DETAIL HERE, BUT YEAR TO YEAR CONTRACT, WHY CAN'T THE COUNTY CHANGE THE TERMS OF THE DATE THAT'S OPEN YEAR TO YEAR
WASTE MANAGEMENT ESSENTIALLY GETS TO DICTATE A LOT OF THE TERMS UNLESS AND UNTIL THE COUNTY WANTS TO BUILD A TRANSFER CENTER, AT WHICH POINT IT OPENS UP THEIR OPTIONS EXPONENTIALLY.
SO IT'S A STATE LAW OF THE 75 MILES.
IT'S PERHAPS WE SHOULD ADD OUR DELEGATION TO MAKE AN AMENDMENT TO THAT STATE LAW.
WELL, JUST SO YOU KNOW, I THINK WHEN WE PUT IT ON A MAP A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, THE SOUTHERN SIP TIP OF SEA PINES WOULD BE JUST OUTSIDE OF THE 75 MILE PER RADIUS.
OTHER THAN THAT, WE ARE COMPLETELY PROHIBITED FROM ANY OTHER CLASS ONE LANDFILL.
I'M NOT GONNA SUGGEST ANY BARGES IN THE OCEAN.
I'M NOT GONNA VOLUNTEER IN THE SOUTHERN TIP OF SEA FENCE.
SO CAN I JUST ASK A PRACTICAL MATTER, SO PRACTICALLY, GIVEN THE FACT THAT HILTON HEAD IS A, A, A RESORT COMMUNITY, AND SO A LOT OF THE ISSUES THAT, UM, MR. GRUBER CORRECTLY POINTED OUT WITH REGARD TO THE DIFFICULTIES FROM THE LAST GO AROUND WITH THIS SORT OF THING STILL EXIST EVEN MORE SO.
AND SO THOSE TIME, TIME CONSTRAINTS OF PICKING UP DELIVERING WITHIN PUDS, GENERALLY THEY DON'T WANT ANYTHING TO HAPPEN PRIOR TO SEVEN O'CLOCK, I'M THINKING IS THE RIGHT NUMBER, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG AT SOME POINT.
UM, AND SO ALL OF THAT IS PROBLEMATIC.
UM, THE IDEA THAT OUR VISITORS OR, AND I WON'T OR ANYONE IS ABLE TO IDENTIFY THOSE RECYCLABLES THAT ARE ACCEPTABLE BASED ON A NUMBER IN THE BOTTOM OF A JUG.
I, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE PAY ATTENTION TO THOSE THINGS.
I'M JUST SAYING THAT MY GUT FEELING SAYS THAT MAYBE MOST PEOPLE DON'T, EVEN THOUGH THEY WANT TO RECYCLE, WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS, IS ACTUALLY CONTAMINATING THE RECYCLABLE OF OPPORTUNITIES.
UM, THIS RESOLUTION THAT WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US IS SIMPLY TO ACCEPT THE, UM, THE REPORT AND THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THE HARD WORK AND THE INFORMATION.
UM, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IMPLEMENTATION, IT'S TO BE ABLE TO MOVE, ACCEPT IT AND MOVE IT FORWARD AND FURTHER DISCUSSIONS AM AM I CORRECT ON THAT? YES, YES.
UM, AND, AND I JUST HAVE BIG QUESTION MARKS AND CONCERNS THAT WE'RE SPENDING A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT AND CONCERN AND ABSOLUTE SINCERITY TO TRY TO PREVENT, UH, PROTECT OUR ENVIRONMENT.
[01:20:01]
WE MAY JUST BE UP AGAINST A BRICK WALL IN MANY, IN MANY CASES.SO, UM, THAT'S HOW THIS IS KIND OF UNFOLDING.
BUT FOR ME, AND WE DIDN'T MEAN TO STOP YOU IN THE MIDDLE OF YOUR, YOUR DISCUSSION, FINE.
SO IF YOU WOULD, THANK YOU TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE HOPE.
I MEAN IT DID I SOUND PEPS TO YOU? YES,
YOU KNOW, I, I DO THINK RECYCLING, I DON'T THINK IT'S NOT SUCCESSFUL HERE.
UM, AND I THINK IT IS EQUALLY AND POSSIBLY MORE SUCCESSFUL IN COMMUNITIES WITH JUST AS COMPLICATED DEMOGRAPHICS, GEOGRAPHIC, YOU KNOW, AS YOU HAVE.
SO IT'S CON IT'S A GOOD THING TO CONTINUE WORKING AND STRIVING TOWARDS THEIR CHOICES.
UH, THE QUESTION ABOUT FUNDING.
SO WE'VE IDENTIFIED AN ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITY IN THE REPORT ON GRANT FUNDING.
PROBABLY THE MOST, THE BEST POTENTIAL FOR GRANT FUNDING COMES STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
NOT HUGE GRANTS, BUT THEY'RE ANNUAL AND THEY'RE SPECIFICALLY TO, UM, SUPPORT WASTE REDUCTION AND RECYCLING PROGRAMS. SO THEY CAN BUY CARTS, THEY CAN INCREASE EDU, YOU KNOW, DEVELOP EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS.
THEY HAVE A WHOLE MULTIFAMILY AND COMMERCIAL RECYCLING GRANT PROGRAM.
SO I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY A GREAT AND EASY ACCESS SOURCE OF FUNDING.
UH, BEAUFORT COUNTY DOES ACCESS THAT, BUT TOWNS ARE ELIGIBLE TOO FOR YOUR NEEDS.
AND THEN THEY'RE NOT FOR-PROFITS, LIKE THE RECYCLING PARTNERSHIP, WHICH ALSO FUNDS CURBSIDE RECYCLING CARTS, MULTIFAMILY PROGRAMS, DROP OFF PROGRAMS SPECIFICALLY.
SO THERE'S DEFINITELY GRANT FUNDING OUT THERE.
NOT MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, BUT TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO SUPPORT INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT AND OPERATION OF PROGRAMS. SO THAT'S BEEN ADDED INDEED AS AN OPPORTUNITY IN THE REPORT.
SO THEN THE NEXT QUESTION, AND MAYBE THIS WILL KIND OF HELP FOCUS WHAT, WHAT I PRESENTED IN THE REPORT, UM, AND IN MY WORK WAS IN ADDITION TO THE SWAT, THE STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES, OPERATE OPPORTUNITIES AND THREATS WAS A LIST OF OPTIONS AND HOW HARD THEY ARE TO IMPLEMENT THEM.
AND SOME ARE MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE AND SOME ARE NOT.
SO, SO I THINK THE NEXT STEP IS TO SAY, OKAY, WHAT CAN WE DO RIGHT AWAY? WHICH OF THESE OPTIONS SHOULD WE PICK AND WHAT DO WE WANNA DO RIGHT AWAY AND WHAT'S KIND OF LONG TERM? AND SO WE'VE BEEN, I'VE BEEN COLLABORATING WITH THE TOWN STAFF TO SORT OF UNDERSTAND BETTER WHAT'S FEASIBLE IN THE NEAR TERM.
AND SO BRIAN'S GONNA, UH, PRESENT TO YOU THE POTENTIAL NEAR TERM ACTIONS, THINGS YOU CAN START WITH, UM, ON THE LIST IN THAT TABLE AND IN THE REPORT.
SO ABBY TEED THAT UP PERFECTLY.
UM, SO WE WERE ASKED TO LOOK AT FIVE POTENTIAL NEAR TERM ACTIONS THAT WE COULD IMPLEMENT.
UM, BASED UPON WHEN THIS GETS APPROVED BY COUNCIL, UH, THE FIRST ITEM THERE IS TO COORDINATE WITH BEAUFORT COUNTY, UH, AND SHARE WITH 'EM THIS REPORT AND WORK WHEN THEY ARE SHORT, MID, AND LONG TERM, UM, PLANS FOR SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLING.
I PROBABLY TALKED WITH NEIL DESI, NEIL DESAI, THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR TWO OR THREE TIMES A MONTH ABOUT THIS TOPIC.
UM, WE RECENTLY WERE DISCUSSING POSSIBILITIES OF COULD WE EXPAND THE HILTON HEAD CONVENIENCE CENTER, UM, BASED ON THEIR DESIRE TO INCREASE RECYCLING.
UM, SO THAT'S AN ONGOING, SO WE'RE ALREADY DOING THAT ONE, BUT WE CAN CONTINUE THAT.
UH, THE OTHER ONE IS TO EVALUATE, UH, AN APPROACH AND, AND COSTS ASSOCIATED IF THE TOWN WAS GOING TO PROVIDE THIS, UH, CURBSIDE COLLECTION.
UM, ADDIE KIND OF MENTIONED IT, SEA PINES, THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO STORE THE CARTS IN THE STORAGE AREA, THE SERVICE YARD, UM, THIS SAYS CURBSIDE, BUT TALKING WITH, UH, WASTE MANAGEMENT AND SOME OTHER VENDORS, IT WOULD MOST LIKELY BE LIKE BACKDOOR SERVICE, WHICH IS GONNA INCREASE THE COST.
THEY DON'T WANT THE CARTS OUT ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD LIKE YOU WOULD HAVE IN A, IN A CITY.
UM, SO THAT'S A POSSIBLE NEAR TERM ACTION TO EVALUATE THE COST ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
UH, THE NEXT TWO KIND OF GO HAND IN HAND, BUT, UH, ESTABLISH BEST IN CLASS RECYCLING PROGRAMS AT OUR BEACH PARK FACILITIES AND AT OUR OTHER TOWN FACILITIES.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE A WASTE AND RECYCLING RFP THAT IS OUT TO BID RIGHT NOW.
AND I THINK THAT, I THINK THEY WERE DUE AT 11 TODAY, AND WE'LL OPEN THAT TOMORROW.
UM, AND THEN WE HAVE TJ JET WITH US NOW.
HE'S OUR CHIEF ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER.
HE'LL BE INTRODUCED TO COUNCIL TOMORROW AFTERNOON.
I THINK THE LAST MEETING HE WAS VIRTUAL ON THAT, BUT, UM, TJ IS IMPLEMENTING, UH, HELPING TO IMPLEMENT THAT, THAT NEW CONTRACT.
AND THEN, UM, THE LAST BULLET IS
[01:25:01]
TO, ABBY ALREADY MENTIONED IT, BUT TO CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN OUR ENFORCEMENT WITH OUR CURRENT LICENSE HAULERS.UM, IT IS KIND OF LIKE A PARENT REMINDING A KID SOMETIMES TO, YOU KNOW, BRUSH THEIR TEETH, DO THEIR HOMEWORK, I HAVE TO SEND THEM AN EMAIL IN AUGUST, SAY, HEY, I NEED YOUR REPORT FROM JUNE, YOU KNOW, AND THEN IN NOVEMBER, HEY, I NEED YOUR REPORT FOR FEBRUARY.
AND IT'S JUST, THEY DON'T, THEY DON'T DO IT PROACTIVELY.
SO MAYBE THERE'S SOMETHING WITHIN OUR LICENSING THAT WHEN THEY COME IN, THEY HAVE TO HAVE THAT REPORT AND THEY HAVE TO DO IT AND STRENGTHEN THOSE PENALTIES IF WE CAN.
UM, SO THOSE WERE THE FIVE KIND OF NEAR TERM ACTION ITEMS. UH, ABBY'S REPORT MENTIONS MANY OTHER OPTIONS THAT WE CAN IMPLEMENT.
UM, BUT THESE WERE THE TOP FIVE THAT WE THOUGHT WE COULD DO RIGHT AWAY ONCE THIS WAS APPROVED.
UM, HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR ABBY CAN JOIN ME OR THANK YOU.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? JUST A COUPLE COMMENTS.
UM, GOLDSMITH'S PRESENTATION KINDA LEFT ME WITH THE FEELING THAT THE DESTINATION WE WANTED TO, TO GET TO IT, YOU CAN'T GET THERE FROM HERE, BUT I HOPE THAT WE CAN GET A LITTLE MORE OPTIMISM INTO THIS, THIS EFFORT.
UH, THINK ABOUT IT PERSONALLY, A LITTLE INFLUENCED BY THE, THE MEDICAL CONCEPT.
WE'VE GOT A COUPLE OF THINGS GOING ON THAT ARE ACTUALLY WORKING AGAINST RECYCLING, HAVING TO PAY, HAVING THE HAULERS HAVE TO PAY WHEN THEY'VE GOT RECYCLES TO DUMP, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REGULAR GARBAGE.
I MEAN, DISINCENTIVE LIKE THAT SEEMS TO ME ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAVE TO FOCUS ON TO GET RID OF DISINCENTIVES.
UH, ANOTHER SIMILAR ONE IS IN THE COLLECTION PROCESS WHERE, UH, THE BAND WORKING TO PICK THINGS UP, PUT THE RECYCLABLES AND THE GARBAGE TOGETHER IN THE TRUCK.
THOSE ARE TWO FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, BIG DISINCENTIVES WE OUGHT TO TRY TO, TO DEAL WITH EARLY ON.
AND THEN FINALLY, AND YOU MADE A REFERENCE TO, UH, CURBSIDE COLLECTION.
AND SEA PINES, THEY DON'T WANT THE CANS ON THE STREET.
UH, MANY HAVE RECYCLING BINS, UH, STORAGE AREAS THAT ARE IN THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE, OTHERWISE PEOPLE ARE ASKED TO PUT THEIR CANS IN THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE, BUT NOT ON THE STREET.
I'M SURE SEA PINES AND PERHAPS OTHERS WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE THAT EFFORT.
UM, ALEX, UM, NO, NO QUESTIONS.
UM, WHAT YOU HAVE SUGGESTED IN THE FIVE POINTS, I THINK ARE REASONABLE.
UM, I DO ANTICIPATE HOWEVER, THAT AS WE START TO UNPEEL EACH ONE OF THOSE, WE'RE GONNA FIND EVEN MORE COMPLICATIONS ALONG THE WAY.
UM, SO READY AND WILLING TO TO, TO CONQUER THOSE.
UM, I WOULD ALSO JUST SORT OF ADD FOR US TO THINK ABOUT DOWN THE LINE IF WE ARE GOING TO HOLD FOLKS MORE ACCOUNTABLE WHEN IT COMES TO RECYCLING, UM, AS I CAN APPRECIATE, UM, US HAVING MR. JET ON STAFF NOW, I'M NOT SURE HE'S GONNA BE ABLE TO CHASE DOWN AS WELL.
SO IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S ANOTHER CASE WHERE IF WE'RE GOING TO BE STRONG IN THIS AREA, UH, FOR EXAMPLE, CHIEF HAS A WHOLE DEPARTMENT THAT GOES OUT AND MAKES SURE THAT FOLKS ARE IN COMPLIANCE BEFORE THEY CAN GET RENEWAL OF THEIR BUSINESS LICENSE, RIGHT? WELL, I SORT OF SEE THE SAME IN THIS FASHION IF WE'RE GOING DOWN THIS ROAD.
UM, SO I'M IN FAVOR OF MOVING THIS FORWARD SO WE CAN FIGURE IT OUT.
ALEX, PATSY? YES, THANK YOU, MA'AM.
UM, TO MR. ALFRED'S COMMENT ABOUT THE FEE THAT'S PAID, UM, IS THAT A FEE SET BY THE COUNTY OR IS THAT A FEE SET BY WASTE MANAGEMENT? I MEAN, HOW CAN WE GET RID OF THAT DISINCENTIVE IF WE HAVE NO CONTROL OVER IT? I BASICALLY, IT'S, IT'S THE COUNTY ENTERS INTO A DISPOSAL CONTRACT ON BEHALF OF RESIDENTS AND PAY FOR DISPOSAL.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT THEY DO.
THEY DON'T DO IT FOR RECYCLING.
THE FEE IS SET BY WHOEVER'S OPERATING THE RECYCLING FACILITY CHARGES A FEE AT THE SCALE, JUST LIKE THE DISPOSAL FACILITY CHARGES A FEE AT THE SCALE.
IT JUST, SO IT'S JUST THAT THE COUNTY'S ARRANGEMENT IS THAT THEY HAVE A JUST CONTRACT WITH FOR DISPOSAL.
THEY DON'T HAVE A CONTRACT FOR RECYCLING TO PAY FOR RECYCLING.
SO EITHER THAT'S A COUNTY ISSUE OR I THINK ONE OF THE SUGGESTIONS WAS FOR THE TOWN TO CONTRACT DIRECTLY WITH A RECYCLING FACILITY.
IS THAT CORRECT? AN OPTION? RIGHT.
SO WE ALREADY KNOW HICKORY HILL IS THE PLACE FOR WASTE DISPOSAL.
WHERE ARE THE FACILITIES FOR RECYCLING THAT WE COULD CON THAT
[01:30:01]
THE TOWN COULD CONTRACT WITH AND THEN DEAL WITH THE FEE? RIGHT, RIGHT.SO THERE WAS A T WE DID PUT OUT AN RFP FROM THE COUNTY, UM, FOR PROCESSING CAPACITY AND THE RESPONSE, SO WHERE THEY GO NOW IS TO A RECYCLING FACILITY AT THE HICKORY HILL LANDFILL, UH, MANAGED BY WASTE MANAGEMENT.
BUT THERE'S ALSO A NEW RECYCLING FACILITY CALLED IN TOWN OR IN THE COUNTY CALLED I TWO RECYCLING THAT I KNOW TOWN STAFF HAS BEEN TALKING TO.
I'M FAMILIAR, SOMEWHAT FAMILIAR WITH, I'M NOT VERY FAMILIAR AT ALL, BUT, SO THAT'S ONE POSSIBILITY FOR THE TOWN TO CONTRACT WITH THAT FACILITY AND REQUIRE OUR LICENSE HAULERS TO USE THAT FACILITY, AND THEN WE CAN CONTROL THE FEE, I WOULD THINK.
AND IS, IS THERE ANOTHER FACILITY, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, SHORT DISTANCES WITHIN THE COUNTY, IS THERE AN ADJOINING COUNTY THAT HAS A RECYCLING FACILITY WITH WHOM THE TOWN COULD CONTRACT? UM, ADJOINING, I DON'T KNOW.
I MEAN, WHAT A LOT OF PLACES DO IS WHAT THEY DO WITH WASTE, WHICH, AND IS THEY TAKE RECYCLABLES AT A TRANSFER POINT, BAIL THEM AND SEND THEM TO, FOR EXAMPLE, PRATT AS A BIG RECYCLING FACILITY IN SAVANNAH PRATT RECYCLING.
I LOOKED TO THE TOWN ATTORNEY TO FIND OUT CAN WE CONTRACT WITH A RECYCLING FACILITY IN ANOTHER STATE.
AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW, YOU NEED TO GET BACK TO US, THAT'S FINE.
WELL, NO, THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION IS YES.
I MEAN, I THINK THE LARGER QUESTION THOUGH IS THE COST OF GETTING THE MATERIALS TO, FOR US ANYWAY, A REMOTE LOCATION AND, AND WHAT THAT DOES TO THE COST OF THE SERVICES HERE ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND THROUGH THE, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL HAULERS THAT OPERATE.
ALWAYS COMES BACK TO COST, BUT JUST LOOKING FOR OPTIONS OF WHAT WE COULD DO AND THEN WE COULD LOOK AT THE COST.
AND THEN, UM, A RELATED QUESTION.
ARE THERE WASTE HAULERS THAT ONLY HAUL RECYCLABLES COMPARED TO EVERYTHING, UH, FOR COLLECTING YOU, OFFERING COLLECTING FROM RESIDENTS? I MEAN, THEY'RE DEFINITELY PROCESSORS THAT, LIKE I DO THAT ONLY RECYCLE AND DON'T HAVE A LANDFILL.
SO THE QUESTION IS, YOU'RE ASKING ME DO ARE, ARE THERE HAULERS THAT DON'T HAUL GARBAGE BUT ONLY RECYCLING? CORRECT.
I'M FAMILIAR WITH HAULERS IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS THAT DO THAT, THAT DO, BUT I DON'T KNOW OF ANY THAT HOLD A BUSINESS LICENSE ANYWAY FOR THE TOWN OF HILTON.
THAT TOOK CARE OF FEES AND FACILITIES AND SEPARATE HAULERS.
UM, AND UM, I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD, CERTAINLY BEFORE IT GOES BEFORE TOWN COUNCIL, UM, I THINK IT'D BE GOOD FOR US TO HAVE A REPORT FROM THE TOWN STAFF ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED BEFORE AND WHY IT WAS CHANGED.
THAT'S WHAT I ASKED FOR BEFORE AND I THINK I'M STILL ASKING FOR THAT.
YEAH, I APPRECIATE JOSH CHIMING IN ON THAT.
TALKING WITH FORMER, UH, TOWN MANAGER STEVE RILEY.
I'VE ASKED MY COUNTERPARTS, PEOPLE I USED TO WORK WITH.
I TRIED TO REMEMBER MYSELF WHEN I WAS HERE.
UM, I THINK IT CAME DOWN ALSO TO PEOPLE WANTING TO CHOOSE THEIR OWN.
UH, I REMEMBER THAT BEING A BIG THING, BUT NO, I DON'T THINK ANY STAFF MEMBERS REMAINS FROM THAT PAST CONTRACT.
I TRIED TO FIND IF THERE WAS A COUNCIL RESOLUTION, THERE WASN'T, I THINK IT WAS CANCELED BY THE TOWN MANAGER.
HE HAS THE RIGHT TO CANCEL THE CONTRACT.
SO I COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WITHIN OUR NO OFFICIAL TOWN RECORD OF WHAT HAPPENED.
ANECDOTALLY, IS HAVING BEEN HERE AT THAT TIME, A LOT OF, OF WHAT YOU HEARD OR EVERYTHING YOU HEARD FROM, UH, MR. GRUBER IS CORRECT AND FROM SITTING ON A BOARD AT A SMALL, UM, UM, VILLA COMPLEX, IT WAS VERY COSTLY FOR US TO MAKE THE CHANGES.
AND ACROSS THE ISLAND IT WAS THE INCREASE, UM, IN COST, BUT ALSO THE LACK OF BEING ABLE TO CHOOSE THE CARRIER AND THE TIMING AND IT WAS JUST DIFFICULT TO CROSS THE BOARD.
SO THOSE ARE GENERAL STATEMENTS I UNDERSTAND, BUT IF IT HELPS AT ALL.
DO WE HAVE A, OH, WE GOOD? YEAH.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION, UM, ON THE RESOLUTION MOVED? OKAY.
AND, AND AGAIN, THIS RESOLUTION IS MOVING FORWARD, THE STUDY TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE THE WORK TO SEE WHERE IT TAKES US.
IT DOES NOT TAKE US ANY PLACE IN PARTICULAR AT THIS MOMENT, BUT ALLOWS FOR US TO CONTINUE THE DISCUSSION AND SEE IF SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS CAN BE ANSWERED IN A WAY THAT
[01:35:01]
MAYBE IT'LL WORK IN THE FUTURE.AND I CAN BE MORE OPTIMISTIC RATHER THAN, UM, SEEING ALL THE, UH, HURDLES IN FRONT OF US.
AND SO, ALL IN FAVOR? I VOTE NO.
AND ALL OF YOUR STAFF ARE, UM, BEING HERE THIS MORNING AND EVERYTHING.
SO, UM, NEW BUSINESS, WE HAVE A CONSIDERATION OF
[New Business a. Consideration of an Ordinance Amending Title 9, Chapter 2, of the Municipal Code of Hilton Head Island Titled Regulations and Requirements Relating to Smoking of Tobacco Products by Adding a Definition for Electronic Smoking Devices and Prohibiting Their Use Consistent with Existing Smoking Regulations - Josh Gruber, Deputy Town Manager]
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING TITLE NINE, CHAPTER TWO OF THE MUNICIPAL CODE OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND, TITLED REGULATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO SMOKING OF TOBACCO PRODUCTS BY ADDING A DEFINITION FOR ELECTRONIC SMOKING.GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIRWOMAN, MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE, UH, AS INDICATED IN THE MATERIALS THAT ARE BEFORE YOU TODAY, THIS ITEM, UH, IS RELATIVELY STRAIGHTFORWARD.
UH, AND IT'S ESSENTIALLY US CATCHING UP WITH THE TIMES.
SO WE HAVE EXISTING SMOKING REGULATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN ON OUR BOOKS FOR QUITE SOME TIME NOW.
UM, BUT WE'VE REALIZED THROUGH THE HELP OF THE LOW COUNTRY ALLIANCE THROUGH HEALTHY YOUTH, THAT OUR DEFINITIONS DON'T NECESSARILY MATCH WITH THE CURRENT, UM, CAPABILITIES THAT EXIST WITH RE REGARDS TO TOBACCO DELIVERY.
AND SO WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE'VE PREPARED AN AMENDMENT TO TOWN CODE, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE A DEFINITION OF ELECTRONIC SMOKING DEVICES.
AND THAT DEFINITION IS STRUCTURE TO SUCH THAT IT SHOULD ENCOMPASS EVERYTHING THAT IS OUT THERE TODAY ON THE MARKET IN TERMS OF VAPING AND VAPING RELATED ACTIVITIES.
AND SO WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING TO DO IS INCLUDE THAT DEFINITION WITHIN OUR ORDINANCE, AND THEN ALSO MAKE A REFERENCE TO IT SO THAT THE PROHIBITIONS THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN PLACE WITH REGARDS TO SMOKING TRADITIONAL TOBACCO RELATED PRODUCTS WOULD ALSO APPLY TO ELECTRONIC SMOKING DEVICES AS WELL.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
UM, ALEX, WOULD YOU LIKE TO START US OFF? NO QUESTIONS.
AND THANK YOU FOR POINTING OUT THAT IT WAS THE YOUTH IN THE COMMUNITY WHO BROUGHT THIS TO US LAST YEAR, AS I RECALL.
AND I'M GLAD WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE PROCEEDING.
AND YES, THANK YOU TO THAT WONDERFUL GROUP OF, UM, HIGH SCHOOLERS WHO ARE TAKING THEIR FIRST STEP IN CIVIC-MINDED, UM, HEALTH RELATED, UM, CONCERNS.
AND, UM, I'M GONNA CALL THE VOTE ALL IN FAVOR? OH, DO WE HAVE A MOTION VOTE? OH, YES, OF COURSE.
UM, IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS, UM, ITEM OF OUR AGENDA? SEEING NONE, I'M BRINGING IT BACK.
ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE? MID.
AND DO WE HAVE A MOTION? I MOVE TO RECOMMEND THAT THE FULL COUNSEL, THE ADOPTION OF THIS DRAFT ORDINANCE AND ALL IN FAVOR.
[Adjournment]
AND IF THERE IS NO OTHER BUSINESS, UM, BEFORE US AT THIS TIME, WE WILL STAND ADJOURN.THE OLD TOWN MASTER PLAN WAS DEVISED IN PROBABLY AROUND 2006, RIGHT AROUND THERE.
WE WERE STARTING TO SEE THE GROWTH EFFECT, OUR SMALL TOWN COMING WEST OFF OF HILTON HEAD AND MOVING ITS WAY INTO BLUFFTON.
AND BLUFFTON WAS JUST THIS SMALL, SOMEWHAT OF A SQUARE MILE, BUT GROWING.
SO WE DECIDED TO PUT SOME MONEY AND A LOT OF OUR EFFORTS INTO WHAT IS CALLED THE OLD TOWN MASTER PLAN.
IT WAS ADOPTED IN 2006, AND IT REALLY IS A BLUEPRINT FOR ALL OF OUR POLICIES, IMPROVEMENTS AND IMPROVEMENTS IN OUR HISTORIC DISTRICT.
SO THE GARVIN HOUSE IS BEHIND US.
IT'S THE, PROBABLY THE LAST FRIEDMAN'S COTTAGE THAT'S ON THE RIVER.
SO YOU LOOK AT IT AND PEOPLE THINK, TEAR IT DOWN.
WELL, AGAIN, IF YOU GO BACK TO THIS OLD TOWN MASTER PLAN, IT WOULD TELL YOU ENHANCE YOUR STRUCTURES, PUT YOUR TIME AND EFFORT AND YOUR MONEY INTO PLACES THAT CAN'T BE DUPLICATED.
MY WIFE AND I LIVE HERE IN BLUFFTON.
AND, UM, THIS HAS BEEN A, A, A PIECE OF
[01:40:01]
PROPERTY THAT WE'VE LOOKED AT SINCE ABOUT 2008 AND, UH, BEFORE THE RESTORATION AND RENOVATION STARTED.AND, UH, SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN INTERESTED IN SEEING PROGRESS OVER TIME.
WELL, IT, IT'S, IT'S VERY INTERESTING.
UM, THE, THE HAR THE HOUSE HAS BEEN CALLED THE GARVIN HOUSE FOR JUST KIND OF FOLKLORE VERNACULAR.
AND AS, UH, MELANIE MARKS MY WIFE, WENT THROUGH THE, THE GENEALOGY, IT BECAME CLEAR THAT HIS REAL NAME WAS CYRUS GARVEY.
BUT THROUGH TRANSFER OF DEEDS AND OTHER, OTHER, THE WAY PEOPLE WROTE THINGS THAT HIS NAME IS ACTUALLY CYRUS GARVEY.
AND AT TIMES YOU SEE GARVIN, AT TIMES YOU SEE GARVEY, BUT HIS REAL NAME AS YOU TRACK BACK HIS FAMILY AND SO FORTH IS, IS JULIE CYRUS GARVEY.
YOU KNOW, THE HISTORY SAYS THAT HE BUILT THE HOUSE IN 1870, SHORTLY AFTER, UM, YOU KNOW, HIS FREEDOM, UH, ON PROPERTY THAT BELONGED TO JOSEPH BAYNARD, WHO WAS A PLANTATION OWNER.
HIS SUMMER HOME WAS HERE ON THIS PROPERTY, BUT HIS PLANTATION WAS NEAR OR POSSIBLY IN THE BOUNDS OF PALMETTO BLUFF, THE DEVELOPMENT.
AND, UH, SOMEHOW CYRUS WAS ABLE TO WORK THIS LAND, BUILD HIS HOUSE IN 1870, BUT DIDN'T GET DEEDED THE PROPERTY UNTIL 1880 BY JOSEPH BAYNARD.
UH, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THIS HOUSE AND HE WAS LIVING HERE, AND THE VIEW THAT HE HAD, IT'S, IT'S AMAZING.
MY WIFE AND I GOT TOGETHER AND WE SAID, WE HAVE TO BECOME PART OF THIS.
SOMEHOW WE HAVE TO COME TO COME DOWN HERE AND SPEND TIME HERE AND TRY AND FACILITATE AND BRING MORE AWARENESS TO THE FACT THAT THIS IS IMPORTANT, THIS IS HISTORY, AND HOW COULD WE HELP? WELL, WHAT BRINGS US TO BLUFFTON IS THIS MAGNIFICENT HOUSE HERE, THE GARVIN HOUSE.
UH, WE'VE BEEN WORKING AS, AS DIRECTOR OF THE PALMETTO TRUST.
I'M ALL OVER THE STATE WORKING WITH MUNICIPALITIES AND, AND UH, COMMUNITIES.
AND THIS HAS BEEN ON OUR RADAR EVER SINCE I CAME ON IN 2007.
AND THIS WAS AN AMAZING STORY OF THIS FAMILY AFTER FREEDOM, WERE ABLE TO BUILD THEIR OWN LIVES HERE IN THEIR OWN PROPERTY.
UH, THIS IS KIND OF A UNIQUE SITUATION 'CAUSE MOST OF THE PROPERTIES WE WORK WITH DO GET TURNED INTO PRIVATE HOMES.
THIS IS ONE WHERE IT REALLY IS GONNA BE LIKE A MUSEUM, UH, SITUATION WHERE THE PLACE IS SAVED AND THE COMMUNITY CAN PARTICIPATE IN LEARNING ABOUT IT AND THE TOWN CAN LEVERAGE IT AS PART OF THEIR HISTORIC CHARACTER THAT IS SO KNOWN IN BLUFFTON.
SO, WELL, BASICALLY WHEN WE TOOK OVER THIS PROJECT, THERE WAS A STABILIZATION PROJECT, WHICH BASICALLY MEANS WHERE THESE SIX BY SIXES, CRIBBING CARRIES A STEEL BEAM THAT PRETTY MUCH RUNS THROUGH THE LENGTH OF THE HOUSE.
SO YOU'VE GOT ONE HERE AND YOU'VE GOT ONE PRETTY MUCH THAT RUNS DOWN THE CENTER.
AND THIS WAS BASICALLY TO GIVE SUPPORT BECAUSE YOU CAN SEE THE STRUCTURE GOT TO THE POINT OF WHERE IT REALLY COULDN'T STAND BY ITSELF.
NOW THIS IS NEW PRODUCT, BUT WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE WERE ABLE TO SALVAGE ALL OF THE, UH, ORIGINAL FLOORING.
SO WE BASICALLY REMOVED IT FROM THE HOUSE, WRAPPED IT UP, DOCUMENTED IT, AND NUMBERED IT SO THAT IT CAN GO BACK DOWN IN THE SAME PLACE.
AND WHAT WE'LL END UP DOING IS PAINTING THE PLYWOOD FLOOR BLACK SO THAT YOU CAN'T SEE DOWN THROUGH THE CRACKS.
AND IT GIVES THE ILLUSION OF WHAT IT USED TO LOOK LIKE.
WE'LL INSTALL AS MUCH OF THE ORIGINAL STUFF AS POSSIBLE.
SO YOU CAN SEE IT'S NOT TOO HARD TO PULL DOWN.
BUT WE'LL TAKE THIS DOWN, PHOTOGRAPH IT, DOCUMENT IT, AND WE PUT IT BACK IN THE SAME PLACE.
THIS IS SOME OF THE ORIGINAL OLD BEAM, AND BASICALLY IT'S ANYWHERE FROM SIX INCHES TO SIX AND A HALF INCHES.
IT WAS ALL DONE BY AX AND BASICALLY, OR HAND SAW.
SO IT'S GOT A LITTLE BIT OF A STA OR A LITTLE BIT OF A WAVE HERE AND THERE.
SO WE'VE INTERLOCKED AND TIED IT IN.
WHEN WE DUG THE FOOTING, WE CAME ACROSS HAVE A LOT OF INTERESTING THINGS.
SO JUST VARIOUS BOTTLES, LITTLE BABY PERFUME BOTTLES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
JUST, YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, PRECIOUS TO THEM BACK IN THE DAY.
AND THESE ARE SOME OF THE OLD ORIGINAL LIDS FROM THE CANNERY, FROM THE, UH, OYSTER FACTORY.
I KIND OF ALWAYS ENJOYED THE CHALLENGE OF LOOKING AT SOMETHING AND TRYING TO LOOK AT, OKAY, WHY DID THEY DO THIS? OR HOW DID IT DEVELOP INTO THIS? AND HOW IT PROGRESSED AND CHANGED.
AND JUST EVEN STANDING HERE, YOU NOTICE THAT THIS IS EXTERIOR SIDING.
SO THE ORIGINAL STRUCTURE USED TO END HERE.
THAT WAS THE ORIGINAL BACK DOOR.
HAD A FRONT PORCH ON THE FRONT SIDE.
SO AS TIME PROGRESSED, THEY NEEDED MORE ROOM.
THEY BASICALLY JUST NOTCHED IN, ADDED TO THE FOUNDATION, BROUGHT A NEW ROOF OUT.
AND NOW THIS BECAME BASICALLY ANOTHER ROOM, BEDROOM, LIVING ROOM AREA, KIND OF A KITCHEN AREA HERE.
AND OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE NOT RUNNING DOWN TO HOME DEPOT AND LOWE'S, YOU CAN SEE THEY ACTUALLY JUST WENT DOWN TO THE BEACH, GOT SAND, AND BASICALLY MIXED A SAND MORTAR.
AND YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE OYSTER SHELL PIECES IN
[01:45:01]
IT AND THINGS LIKE THAT.WHAT THEY WOULD DO IS BASICALLY BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT WE'VE GOT A HEAVY DUTY FOUNDATION LIKE WE HAVE NOW, AND THIS USED TO BE, BASICALLY WHAT THEY WOULD DO IS TAKE A CYPRESS STUMP, HOPEFULLY CYPRESS BECAUSE IT WOULD LAST LONGER AND THIS IS 1870.
BUT THEY WOULD BURY THIS INTO THE GROUND, AND THEN THEY WOULD START ALL OF THEIR HEAVY BEAM AND FRAMING AND BASICALLY SIT ON TOP OF THIS.
YOU HAVE MILESTONES EVERY DAY.
AND YOU THINK AFTER, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR CLOSE TO 30 YEARS THAT YOU KNOW IT, IT'S DIFFERENT EVERY DAY.
SO WE HAVE A STAIRCASE THAT WAS INTACT, SO INSTEAD OF HAVING TO REMOVE IT, WE KIND OF KEPT IT IN PLACE.
WE WORKED UNDER IT, AROUND IT, IN IT.
AND I, WE TEMPORARILY SECURED THIS THING EIGHT DIFFERENT TIMES WHILE WE PUT THE FLOOR SYSTEM UNDER IT.
SO WHEN WE ACTUALLY PHYSICALLY TAKE SOMETHING OFF THE STRUCTURE, WE WANT TO KNOW WHERE IT IS AND WHAT IT WENT.
SO WHAT WE WOULD DO IS WE WOULD PHYSICALLY REMOVE IT, PHOTOGRAPH, AND THEN WE WOULD GO AHEAD AND JUST LABEL THIS PIECE, WHAT SIDE OF THE HOUSE IT WAS ON, WHERE IT WAS AT.
AND IT BASICALLY GIVES US A GUIDE TO PUT THIS GIANT PUZZLE, YOU KNOW, BACK TOGETHER AGAIN.
MOST OF THE TYPE OF THINGS THAT ARE DONE ARE RENOVATION OR REHABILITATION THAT ALLOWS THEM TO BE MODERN USE.
WE DO HAVE MODERN CODES THAT HAD TO BE IMPLEMENTED HERE BECAUSE OF ITS PUBLIC ACCESS.
UH, BUT EVERY EFFORT WAS MADE TO TRY TO ENSURE IT COMMUNICATED WHAT THESE PEOPLE HAD TO BUILD.
SO WE DIDN'T PUT IN THESE BIG BRICK PIERS UNDERNEATH.
UH, BUT EVERYTHING HAS WORKED TO GIVE THE AESTHETIC LOOK OF THE TYPE OF HOUSE THIS THING WOULD'VE BEEN WHEN IT WAS BUILT TO CAPTURE A POINT IN TIME TO CAPTURE WHAT IT WOULD'VE BEEN LIKE.
AGAIN, THIS IS A PIECE OF A BROADER PICTURE TO CAPTURE WHAT A FAMILY, CYRUS GARVEY WAS LIVING IN HERE WITH HIS WIFE AND CHILDREN IN THESE RECLAIMED WOOD AT THE TIME IT WAS RECLAIMED.
IT COULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN FROM HOUSES THAT WERE BURNED AFTER THE WAR ENDED AND PUT THIS TOGETHER WHERE HE LIVED.
AND THEN THAT'S WHY THE GENEALOGY AND THE HISTORY OF HIM AND HIS FAMILY IS SO IMPORTANT.
'CAUSE IT ISN'T JUST A BUILDING, IT'S A MAN AND HIS FAMILY IN A TIME OF OUR HISTORY WITH A BUILDING AND A COMMUNITY AT A TIME OF MOVEMENT.
AND SO YOU WANNA MAKE IT AS REAL AS POSSIBLE.
IT COMMUNICATES A TIME AND PLACE THAT NOT MANY PLACES DO ANYMORE.
YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHEN, UM, IN THE LOW COUNTRY WHERE YOU HAVE SUCH DEVELOPMENT PRESSURES, USUALLY LITTLE WOODEN BOXES LIKE THIS GET DESTROYED AND LOST.
AND SO THIS COMMUNICATES SOMETHING, UH, POST-CIVIL WAR, UM, POST ENSLAVEMENT, YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S ABOUT, IT'S ABOUT THESE PEOPLE SURVIVING AND OVERCOMING ENSLAVEMENT INTO A PLACE OF FREEDOM AND THEIR NICHE IN PROPERTY AND THEIR OWN HOUSE.
AND, AND THAT TRANSITIONAL STORY IS NOT TOLD ENOUGH IN THE STATE, AND WE'RE SO GLAD IT COULD BE DONE HERE.
THE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE AGAIN, AS YOU KNOW, IS WORKING IN ALL OF THE OLD LUMBERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
WE'RE TO THE EXCITING PART OF IT NOW WE'RE, WE'RE BASICALLY DONE WITH THE FRAMING.
NOW WE'RE KIND OF PUTTING THE PUZZLE BACK TOGETHER.
YOU GET A FEEL FOR WHEN THEY ACTUALLY PUT IT TOGETHER AND YOU CAN SEE THEIR FRUSTRATIONS WHEN THEY RAN OUT OF A PARTICULAR SPECIES OF LUMBER OR SOMETHING TO USE.
AND THEY JUST CHANGED IT UP AND, AND STILL KEPT GOING AND PUSHED FORWARD.
I KNEW THE HOUSE WOULD BE HERE WHEN WE GET BACK.
JUST THE, THE METHODICAL WAY THAT WE PUT IT BACK TOGETHER.
MY BIGGEST CONCERN WAS THESE BEAUTIFUL OAK TREES THAT HAVE SURROUNDED THIS.
'CAUSE I DID COME DOWN HERE THREE DAYS AFTER THE STORM AND THERE WAS TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN.
I COULDN'T EVEN SEE THE HOUSE.
I, I GOT DOWN THE ROAD AS FAR AS I COULD AND LOOKED AT THE HOUSE AND I WAS LIKE, OH MY GOSH.
IT JUST BLEW ME AWAY THAT THE THING WAS STILL HERE, HIGH AND DRY, NO LEAKS, NO NOTHING, NO DAMAGE.
AND THAT WAS JUST, YOU KNOW, LUCKY, VERY LUCKY.
IN NOVEMBER OF THIS YEAR, I PRESENTED THE TOWN WITH OUR FINISHED REPORT.
UM, AND I KNOW THE TOWN IS PLANNING ON USING THAT MATERIAL TO PROMOTE THE, THE HISTORY OF THE, THE HOUSE THROUGH BROCHURES, THROUGH, YOU KNOW, SIGNAGE TO MAKE IT A TRUE DESTINATION FOR TOURISTS.
I THINK, I THINK WE HAVE TO APPLY THE BLUFFTON PRESERVATION SOCIETY FOR KNOWING THE VALUE AND, UH, OF THE HISTORIC INTEGRITY OF THIS HOUSE.
FOR THE TOWN IN THIS COMMUNITY AND IN THIS COUNTRY THESE DAYS IS A VERY IMPORTANT THING BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH STRIFE AND THERE'S SO MUCH CONFLICT AND FRICTION TO ACTUALLY HAVE A COMMUNITY LIKE THIS SAY, THIS IS IMPORTANT.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO PUT OUR MONEY HERE.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO SHOW HOW PEOPLE OVER TIME DID WORK TOGETHER AND RESPECT EACH OTHER.
AND WE'RE RESURRECTING NOT ONLY A HOUSE, BUT REALLY A, A LEGACY FOR AN INDIVIDUAL THAT ROSE ABOVE A BIG CHALLENGING TIME
[01:50:46]
ON THE THIRD QUARTER.THE SWAT TEAM, WE STARTED BACK IN 1986 AND, UH, I WAS ACTUALLY ONE OF THE FIRST TEAM MEMBERS OF THE SWAT IN 1986.
AND IT WAS MAINLY TO, UH, YOU KNOW, TO SERVE HIGH RISK WARRANTS.
AND, UH, AND WE WERE DURING THAT TIME WERE HEAVILY INVOLVED IN SOME, UH, VIP PROTECTION BECAUSE OF HILTON HEAD AND, AND SOME OF THE FOLKS THAT VISITED US HERE IN IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
UH, SWAT, UH, BASICALLY STANDS FOR SPECIAL WEAPONS AND TACTICS AND BASICALLY IT'S MADE UP OF SPECIALIZED OFFICERS WITH SPECIALIZED TRAINING AND EQUIPMENT.
THEIR PRIMARY MISSION IS TO SUPPORT THE ROAD PATROL.
ANYTHING THAT'S, THAT IS OUT OF THE CAPABILITY OF THE ROAD PATROL.
THE SWAT TEAM WILL HANDLE, UH, ANYBODY THAT'S ARMED AND DANGEROUS, UH, HAS A EX EXTENSIVE CRIMINAL HISTORY.
UM, HIGH RISK WARRANT SERVICE, UM, DRUG RAIDS, UH, VIP PROTECTION, BARRICADES, HOSTAGE RESCUE, UM, OR EVEN SURVEILLANCE DETAILS WHERE WE'RE SURVEILLING AN ARMED AND DANGEROUS PERSON.
UM, THEY ARE CALLED IN TO DEAL WITH THAT SUSPECT DUE TO THEIR EXPERIENCE.
TRAINING, UH, CONSISTS OF, UH, WE, WE TRAIN TWICE A MONTH, EIGHT HOURS A DAY FOR A TOTAL OF 16 HOURS.
THAT'S NOT INCLUDING ANY TYPE OF SPECIAL EXERCISES OR, UH, ADDITIONAL TRAINING.
AND BASICALLY WITH THOSE TRAINING HOURS DUE IS ALLOW US TO, UH, REHEARSE AND TO, UH, WORK ON THE, THE DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF THE JOB SUSPECT TAKE DOWN OBVIOUSLY WEAPONS TRAINING, UH, EXTENSIVE WEAPONS TRAINING, UM, AND WE HAVE VERY, WE HAVE, UH, A LOT OF DIFFERENT PIECES OF EQUIPMENT THAT OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE TO KEEP UP ON.
THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA HAS RECENTLY STARTED UP A, UH, THE, THE STATE LAW ENFORCEMENT DIVISION.
UH, OUR STATE POLICE HAS STARTED UP A WMD INITIATIVE FOR ANTI-TERRORIST OPERATIONS IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
AND THEY'VE, I, THEY'VE IDENTIFIED SEVEN, UH, SWAT TEAMS THROUGHOUT THE STATE, UH, TO BASICALLY COME TOGETHER AND PROTECT THE STATE AGAINST TERRORIST, UH, UH, SITUATIONS.
AND BEAUFORT COUNTY SWAT TEAM IS ONE WE HANDLE THE LOW COUNTRY, UM, WHICH IS SEVEN COUNTIES.
AND WHAT WE'LL DO IS WE ARE CO OUR TEAM IS COMBINED WITH THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND, UH, HAZMAT TEAM, OUR SWAT TEAM, AND THE, THE, UH, BEAUFORT COUNTY BOMB SQUAD.
AND WE CAN RESPOND REALLY ANYWHERE IN THE STATE, BUT NORMALLY THE LOWER PART, THE LOWER SEVEN COUNTIES OF THE STATE, UH, FOR ANY TYPE OF TERRORIST INCIDENTS, WE WILL ACTUALLY RESPOND THERE AND HANDLE THOSE CALLS.
WHAT WE WERE TRAINED FOR HERE IS IF WE HAVE A BARRICADED SUBJECT INSIDE A BUILDING WITH, UH, MULTI-STORY WITH SOME WINDOWS THAT WE CAN REPEL INTO.
UM, SOME OF THE TIME WE CAN'T, UH, MAKE ENTRY INTO A BUILDING FROM OUTSIDE PERIMETER BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY WITH ALL THE WINDOWS HE CAN SEE WHERE WE'RE COMING FROM.
IF WE CAN GET ON A SIDE THAT WE KNOW HE'S NOT LOOKING AT, WE CAN GET TO THE TOP OF THE BUILDING AND REPEL DOWN IN THROUGH THE WINDOWS AND GAIN ENTRY TO ONE OF THE MULTI, UH, STORIES AND COME DOWN THE STAIRS AND, YOU KNOW, GET TO THE SUBJECT FROM THERE WHILE, UM, AT THE SAME TIME COMING IN WITH THE ENTRY TEAM SO WE CAN GET 'EM FROM BOTH SIDES.
ONE THING IS THE COMRADERY, JUST BEING ON A TEAM ASPECT.
UM, IT'S ALWAYS AN ADRENALINE GETTER, EVERYTHING WE DO, AND THAT'S WHAT MAKES IT EXCITING.
IT'S DANGEROUS, BUT IT'S ALSO EXCITING AT THE SAME TIME.
I SERVED FOUR YEARS WITH THE MILITARY, UM, AND THEN WENT TO COLLEGE AND IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT I WANTED TO DO.
I AM THE REPEL MASTER FOR THE TEAM AND THEN THE SCHOOLS TO LEARN HOW TO TIE THE SYSTEMS AND HOOK EVERYTHING UP SO IT'S DONE IN A SAFE MANNER.
THEY MIGHT BE EXPECTING US TO COME FROM THE BOTTOM FLOOR AND IN FACT, WE CAN EITHER COME THROUGH THE TOP FLOOR WINDOWS, WHICH WOULD BE AN ADVANTAGE ON US 'CAUSE WE GET THE ELEMENT OF SURPRISE.
OR WE CAN ALSO, UH, YOU KNOW, DEPLOY FLASH BANGS.
ALL THESE GUYS ON THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, SWAT TEAM VOLUNTEER
[01:55:01]
FOR THIS.YOU KNOW, THIS IS, UH, IT'S A COLLATERAL DUTY FOR THESE GUYS AND, AND THEY ALL VOLUNTEER TO DO IT AFTER COMING OUTTA THE MILITARY.
UH, SWAT TEAM HAD THE OPTIONS OF THE SAME THINGS I DID WHEN I WAS IN THE SERVICE.
AIRBORNE INFANTRY, YOU KNOW, BEING ON THE FRONT LINES, TIP OF THE SPEAR, DOING THE TYPES OF, UH, HIGH SPEED THINGS THAT DID THE MILITARY, UH, PROVIDE A GREATER SENSE OF SECURITY TO THE, UH, CENSUS COUNTY.
ONE THING ABOUT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, I CAN DEFINITELY SAY IS WE DO HAVE TOP LINE EQUIPMENT, UH, ALL THE NEWEST GADGETS AND GIZMOS WEAPONS, YOU KNOW, AND ANYTHING THAT'S GONNA HELP US DO OUR JOB BETTER AND SAFER.
WE HAVE OBVIOUSLY ALL THE WEAPONS.
WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A LARGE SELECTION OF WEAPONS FOR THE DIFFERENT SITUATIONS.
WE HAVE RAPPEL GEAR, RESCUE GEAR.
WE HAVE A LOT OF, UH, WATERBORNE TYPE, UH, GEAR BECAUSE WE DO, 'CAUSE THE, THE AREA THAT WE LIVE IN, WE WORK ON THE WATER A LOT.
WE HAVE A LOT OF PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT, WHICH ARE BALLISTIC SHIELDS AND VESTS AND HELMETS.
UM, AND THEN WE HAVE DIFFERENT CHEMICAL MUNITIONS.
SO IF WE ACTUALLY HAVE TO FORCE SOMEBODY OUT OF A LOCATION, WE HAVE, UH, A LOT OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF CHEMICAL MUNITIONS THAT WE CAN DEPLOY TO TRY TO RESOLVE THAT SITUATION.
THE BOMB TEAM CAME AROUND, UH, OVER THE PAST COUPLE YEARS.
UH, AND THE REALITY THERE IS WE WERE DEPENDENT UPON AN AGENCY, UH, WHICH IS REFERRED TO AS SLED LOCATED IN COLUMBIA, WHICH REQUIRES SEVERAL HOURS OF NOTICE BEFORE THEY CAN RESPOND AND ACTUALLY BE HERE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
AND WE SAW THE BENEFITS OF WHAT SWAT HAS DONE, UH, FOR, FOR US LOCALLY, AND KNEW THAT THE BOMB TEAM WOULD DO THE SAME THING.
WE'VE HAD A BOMB SQUAD, UH, COMING UP ON THREE YEARS NOW.
AND, UH, I, ONE OF THE ORIGINAL MEMBERS, MYSELF AND THE CAPTAIN WITH WHAT BIT OF KNOWLEDGE I DID HAVE FROM THE MILITARY OF, UH, MECHANICAL THINGS AND EXPLOSIVES AND ELECTRICAL, UH, THAT IT, THAT, UH, I MIGHT MAKE AN ASSET TO IT.
AND, UH, I THINK, UH, BEAUFORT COUNTY IS VERY PROGRESSIVE.
EVERY BOMB SQUAD IN THE UNITED STATES IS ACCREDITED THROUGH THE FBI.
AND ONCE WE GOT THAT ACCREDITATION, WHICH WAS A COMBINATION OF ACQUIRING THE EQUIPMENT AND SENDING OUR OUR PEOPLE TO BOMB SCHOOL, THAT'S WHEN THE, THE TEAM ACTUALLY, UH, WAS STOOD UP AND WE STARTED ANSWERING CALLS IN THE COUNTY.
WE HAVE, HAVE GROWN BOTH OF THOSE UNITS TO INCLUDE, UH, WATER RESCUE WITH OUR ZODIAC, UH, BOAT.
UH, WE ARE HEAVILY INVOLVED IN, YOU KNOW, IN, IN WATERBORNE UH, SITUATIONS, UH, BECAUSE OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND THE PROTECTION OF OUR COUNTY.
BUT WE ARE, WE'RE A COASTAL COUNTY.
THE, THE THEORY BEHIND ALL OF THOSE SPECIAL TEAMS IS TO HAVE BOOTS ON THE GROUND, UH, VERY QUICKLY, UH, IN CRITICAL SITUATIONS AND PROTECT BEAUFORT COUNTY CITIZENS AND GUESTS THAT, UH, THAT, UH, WE'RE HERE AND SWORN TO PROTECT BECAUSE OF THE JOB.
WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO WORK IN THE WATER, YOU KNOW, WORK IN THE WOODS, YOU KNOW, WORK IN URBAN ENVIRONMENTS, UH, UH, BECAUSE WE NEVER KNOW WHERE WE'RE GONNA BE CALLED TO, TO RESPOND TO THESE GUYS AND GALS.
THEY WORK HARD, THEY TRAIN HARD, UH, THEY DO AN EXCELLENT JOB AND THEY'RE ABLE TO DO ALL OF WHAT THEY DO, NOT ONLY WITH THEIR PRIMARY JOB, BUT THEIR SECONDARY RESPONSIBILITIES AS WELL.