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CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY TO, UM, THE PUBLIC MEETING FOR THE GULLAH
[Call to Order]
GEECHEE HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.I'D LIKE TO CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER.
MOTION TO CALL THE MEETING ORDER MOVE IF YOU NEED
[Adoption of the Agenda]
IT.UM, THE NEXT ITEM IS I'D LIKE TO, UM, MOVE TO ADOPT THE AGENDA.
[Approval of the Minutes]
SECOND ON THAT.MOVE TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF DECEMBER 6TH, 2023 AND JANUARY 17TH, 2024 AS SUBMITTED.
[Appearance by Citizens]
TAKES US TO ITEM NUMBER FOUR, WHICH IS APPEARANCE BY CITIZENS.DO WE HAVE ANYONE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? HEARING NONE.
WE WILL GO TO THE NEW BUSINESS, UH,
[New Business a. Discussion and Review of the Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Gullah Geechee Historic Neighborhoods Community Development Corporation Proposed Budget]
WHICH IS THE DISCUSSION AND REVIEW OF OUR, UH, FISCAL YEAR, 2020 5, 26, GULLAH GEECHEE, HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, PROPOSED BUDGETS.THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING PRESENT, AND THANK YOU TO THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY THAT HAVE JOINED US TODAY FOR OUR MONTHLY MEETING.
UM, OUR ITEM FOR TODAY IS, UH, THE REVIEW OF THE FISCAL YEAR 2025, UM, OPERATING BUDGET.
UM, YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED A COPY OF THIS IN YOUR BOARD PACKET.
UH, I WILL BRIEFLY DELINEATE SOME OF THE ITEMS, UM, SOME OF THE ITEMS RELATED TO OUR BOARD, I MEAN, OUR BUDGET FOR 2025.
IF YOU, UH, LOOK AT THE FIRST PAGE OF OUR, I THINK THAT'S PAGE NINE, AND OUR AGENDA THAT SHOWS THE, UH, THE ACTUAL, UH, REQUESTED AMOUNT, PROPOSED BUDGET AMOUNT, AND, UH, THE ORIGINAL LINE ITEMS. AS YOU SEE, WE HAVE, UM, BASICALLY BEEN OPERATING, UH, THROUGH, UP TO THIS POINT ON FUNDING THAT WE RECEIVED THROUGH GRANTS FROM THE STATE AS WELL AS GRANT THAT WE RECEIVED, UH, FROM BEAUFORT COUNTY.
UM, THESE FUNDS HAVE TO DATE, NOT BEEN TAPPED TO UTILIZE FOR OPERATING COSTS AS A MAJORITY.
WELL, ALL OF OUR COSTS HAVE BEEN ABSORBED BY, BY THE TOWN OF
AGAIN, OUR BUDGET, UH, TERM, UH, RUNS FROM JULY ONE TO JUNE 30TH.
SO WHEN WE BEGIN, UH, OPERATIONS IN THE MONTH OF JULY, OUR PROPOSED BUDGET INCLUDES, UH, WILL INCLUDE MY SALARY, UM, OPERATING EXPENSES, PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, WHICH ARE RESERVED, UH, FOR, IN THE EVENT THAT WE WILL NEED PROFESSIONAL ARCHITECTURAL ENGINEERING SERVICES IN THE EVENT THAT WE ACQUIRE PROPERTY OR OTHER REAL ESTATE BASED SERVICES.
WE'VE ALSO BUDGETED IN THAT NUMBER, IN THAT LINE ITEM SUPPORT FOR, UH, PROPERTY OWNERS IN THE STONY CORRIDOR, SHOULD THAT NEED ARISE.
UH, AS WE MOVE FORWARD TOWARDS, UM, THE WILLIAM HILTON PARKWAY EXPANSION.
WANTED TO, THAT WAS A REQUEST, UM, THAT I HEARD FROM SOME OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS WOULD BE THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE SOMETHING IN PLACE IN SUPPORT OF, UH, OF, OF PROPERTY OWNERS IN THE WILLIAM HILTON PARKWAY CORRIDOR.
AND THEN ALSO, UM, FUNDS TO PROVIDE, UH, SERVICES RELATED TO WAYFIND, UM, WITHIN THE HISTORIC GULLAH COMMUNITIES.
WHEN WE LOOK AT THE GRANT AND INCENTIVE PROGRAM, THE LOANS PROGRAM, THAT PARTICULAR LINE ITEM IS RELATED TO, UH, FUNDS THAT WE CAN UTILIZE IN ORDER TO PROVIDE REAL ESTATE, UH, LOANS AS WE MOVE INTO THE LENDING PORTION OF OUR PROGRAM, UH, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT WE DISCUSSED AND WAS APPROVED AND ADOPTED THROUGH OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, AS WELL AS THROUGH THE SMALL BUSINESS LENDING PROGRAM.
SO, UM, THAT, THAT PARTICULAR BUDGET LINE ITEM COVERS, UH, FUNDS THAT WE WOULD DISPERSE IN THOSE PARTICULAR LOAN PROGRAMS. AND THEN THE CAPITAL OUTLET OUTLAY AND LAND ACQUISITION REPRESENTS FUNDS THAT WE WOULD
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UTILIZE IN THE EVENT THAT WE, UH, ACQUIRED PROPERTY FOR, WHICH AGAIN, PROFESSIONAL SERVICES WOULD ALSO, UH, BE NECESSARY.UM, AND THEN ANY EXPENSES AND CONTINGENCY, UM, WE'VE BUDGETED SOME FUNDS THERE SO THAT WE HAVE, UH, MONEY IN PLACE IN THE EVENT THAT WE NEED, UM, ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO CLOSE DUES, WHICH BRINGS THAT TOTAL, UH, OPERATING PROPOSED BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 25, 26, UM, TO $3,405,355.
AND THAT, UH, WOULD, AGAIN, A LOT OF THE EXPENDITURES IN THAT ARE, ARE BASED IN PROJECTIONS AT THIS PARTICULAR POINT.
SO, DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? YOU REVIEWED THIS WITH EACH BOARD MEMBER AS WE DISCUSSED, RIGHT? CORRECT.
COMMENT QUESTIONS, THEN WE'RE READY FOR GOT, I GOT A FEW COMMENTS.
UM, AS YOU ALL KNOW, COUNCILMAN AMES AND I SIT ON THE, UM, FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE FOR THE TOWN OF HILTON ED.
UH, JUST LAST WEEK, WE WERE APPROACHED BY A NUMBER OF AGENCIES REQUESTING FUNDING TO, UM, ASSISTING THEIR BUDGETARY ITEMS, MANY OF WHICH, OF COURSE, UH, PROVIDE SERVICES TO, TO THE TOWN.
UM, WE HAD THREE NEW APPLICANTS.
ONE WAS, UH, WAS BLACKWOOD, UH, WHICH IS A, UH, AN ORGANIZATION THAT, UM, IS FOCUSING ON, UM, SMALL BUSINESS, UM, IN THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY.
UM, OF COURSE, THEY, UH, DENIED THEIR REQUEST.
AND, UM, I GUESS WHAT I'M SUGGESTING HERE IS THAT AS WE GO THROUGH OUR WORK OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, IF THERE ARE ENTITIES THAT ARE IN NEED OF SUCH SERVICE THAT WE ASSIST, UM, IN THE FORM OF MAYBE A SCHOLARSHIP OR, OR, OR THAT SORT, OKAY.
UH, VERSUS, UM, THEY WERE ASKING, I CAN'T REMEMBER THE AMOUNT COUNCILMAN NAMES, THINK OF LIKE 70 5K.
UM, BUT I COULD SEE IN THE FUTURE IF MR. BOXLEY IS ENGAGING WITH A BUSINESS AND THEY NEED SOME MENTORING AND SOME SUPPORT, THAT SORT OF THING THAT WE OFFER UP SCHOLARSHIP TO, TO HELP THEM WITH.
UM, SO I'M ASSUMING THAT SOMETHING LIKE THAT WOULD BE IN PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CATEGORY IF, IF WE DECIDE TO DO THAT.
SO THAT, THAT'S A VERY GOOD POINT AND A VERY GOOD QUESTION.
UM, AND THAT I OUTLINED MORE SO THAN IN PROFESSIONAL SERVICES IN THE LINE ITEM OF OUR, UM, GRANTS AND, AND LOAN PROGRAM.
AND SO MY VISION, MY VISION WITH THAT IS THAT THE CDC FUNCTION AS A SUPPORTER OF A BUSINESS, ONCE THEY HAVE COMPLETED A PROGRAM SUCH AS BLACK EQUITY AND, AND THEY HAVE A BUSINESS PLAN IN HAND, THAT THEY, WE WILL BE A CONTINUATION AND THAT THEY COME TO US AND APPLY FOR LOAN FUNDS, UM, THAT WE COULD DISPERSE TO THEM TO GET THEIR BUSINESS STARTED.
HAVE WE REACHED OUT TO THEM EVER? I HAVE HAD, UM, TWO MEETINGS WITH, UH, WITH THEIR, UM, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, MS. CHAMBERS.
UM, I'M GOING TO CARRY ON MY SORT OF WAY OF THINKING HERE.
UM, SO THE, THE, THE LINE ITEM, UM, AROUND, UH, CAPITAL OUTLAY AND LAND ACQUISITION, UM, I'D LIKE TO SEE US BE AGGRESSIVE, UM, ON THE REVENUE SIDE, UM, BECAUSE THE, THE, THE COST OF LAND, UH, HERE ON DELTA HEAD IS SO EXPENSIVE, RIGHT? AND BEING THAT WE'RE, UH, PROVIDING A, A, A SERVICE THAT IS TIED TO NOT ONLY THE STRATEGIC PLAN OF THE CDC, BUT ALSO THE TOWN'S OBJECTIVES, UM, THAT WE POSITION OURSELVES SO THAT WE ARE, UM, MAKING A ASK TO THE TOWN AS WELL WHEN IT COMES TO LAND ACQUISITION.
UM, THAT WE ARE NOT JUST EATING, UH, THE, THE BRUNT OF THAT WITH, WITH, WITH THE BUDGET OF THE CDC.
UM, AND THE, AND THE LAST ONE IS, UH, ALSO ON THE REVENUE SIDE.
YOU KNOW, WE WERE FORTUNATE TO GET A GRANT FROM THE STATE TO START THE ORGANIZATION WITH THE BUDGET BEFORE US.
UH, WE'RE TAKING A PRETTY BIG BITE INTO THAT FUND.
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IT MAY TAKE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES TO HELP US GET ADDITIONAL FUNDING, UH, SO TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S COVERED IN HERE SOMEWHERE AS WELL, MR. BOXLEY, CORRECT? UM, YOU ARE, YOU ARE RIGHT.AND I KNOW THAT, UM, FUNDRAISING IS DEFINITELY GONNA BE, UM, A MAJOR COMPONENT OF THE WORK THAT I'M GONNA BE ENGAGED IN AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE FISCAL YEAR AS WELL.
AND I DO HAVE SOME, SOME PRETTY GOOD LEADS, UM, THAT I'M PULLING TOGETHER AS WE, AS WE WORK.
UM, I THINK WE'VE ALREADY SAID THAT THESE ARE PROSPECTIVE OR ANTICIPATED, UH, EXPENDITURES.
UM, MY QUESTION, THOMAS, IS DO WE HAVE THE PROTOCOLS AND PROCEDURES IN PLACE, OR ARE THEY ALSO BEING DEVELOPED AT THIS TIME? PROTOCOLS AND PROCEDURES ARE BEING DEVELOPED AT THIS TIME.
UM, DO YOU HAVE CONFIDENCE OR STATISTICS THAT SUGGEST THAT THE NUMBER 500,000 IS THE, THE RIGHT NUMBER FOR, UM, UH, INCENTIVE LOANS AND, UH, MILLION OR A MILLION FOR INCENTIVE LOANS AND 500,000 FOR GRANTS? I THINK THAT THAT IS A, A GOOD STARTING POINT FOR THE FISCAL YEAR.
UM, I ANTICIPATE THAT, YOU KNOW, ONCE WE GO LIVE WITH THESE PROGRAMS, THAT WE'LL HAVE SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF INTEREST THAT WILL ALSO GIVE US, AS AN ENTITY, AN OPPORTUNITY TO MANAGE SUCH A PROCESS.
UM, IT WILL REQUIRE AN ADDITIONAL AMOUNT OF VOLUNTEER TIME WITH SOME OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS.
AND MY GOAL WAS TO NOT OVERWHELM ANY OF US IN THIS FIRST INITIAL YEAR.
BUT I DO THINK, UH, MANAGING, YOU KNOW, UH, IF WE AVERAGE THAT, YOU KNOW, AVERAGE THAT, UM, THAT AMOUNT OUT TO SAY $50,000 PER APPLICANT ON THE, ON THE SMALL BUSINESS, A SIDE THAT WOULD GIVE US 10, UM, AWARDEES IN THAT FISCAL YEAR, UM, 10 AWARDEES.
AND I WOULD ANTICIPATE THAT FOR EACH AWARDEE WE WOULD PROBABLY BE REVIEWING FIVE OR SIX APPLICATIONS, RIGHT? SO THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME, UH, FOR VOLUNTEER, UH, VOLUNTEERS SUCH AS YOURSELVES THAT WE'LL HAVE TO PULL FROM TO ENGAGE IN THIS PROCESS.
UM, SO I, I JUST, THAT PARTICULAR LINE ITEM, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WEREN'T, UM, OVERWHELMING OURSELVES WITH WORK, UM, IN THIS FIRST YEAR UNTIL WE GOT A GOOD GRASP OF THAT PROCESS AS WELL.
I MENTIONED NIKA TO YOU WHEN WE HAD OUR CONVERSATION.
YES, NCA HAS BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG TIME AND HAS IN THE PAST MADE BUSINESS LOANS, WHICH PROBABLY DESERVES SOME, UM, REVIEW BECAUSE WE MAY WANT TO LEARN FROM SOME OF THE MISTAKES, UH, OR EXPERIENCES, NOT NECESSARILY MISTAKES, UH, THAT THEY HAD.
UM, AND, AND SO IT, I, I WOULD BE RECOMMENDING THAT YOU TOUCH BASE WITH, UH, NIP CA, UM, AND THEN, UH, LASTLY, UM, WE, THE PROTOCOLS, PROCEDURES, THE ADMINISTRATION AND SO ON, NOT ONLY AT THE FRONT END, BUT IF WE ARE GIVING LOANS TO PEOPLE, WE HAVE TO MONITOR THEM.
AND SO THERE'S AN ONGOING, UM, RESPONSIBILITY THAT THIS BOARD AND YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT PROCESS LOOKS LIKE AS WELL.
THE ABSOLUTE THANK YOU, MR. BOXLEY.
I, UM, SO MUCH SO, UM, UH, MR. AMES THAT I ANTICIPATE, UH, IN FISCAL YEAR 26, POSSIBLY NEEDING TO ADD A-A-F-T-E AS THIS PROGRAM GROWS, YOU KNOW, SPECIFICALLY TO MANAGE THAT PARTICULAR LINE ITEM, THE LOAN SIDE, IT WILL BECOME, I DO ANTICIPATE THAT BECOMING A, A PRETTY POPULAR FUNCTION OF, OF OUR ENTITY.
MR. BOXLEY, JUST TO ADD TO COUNCILMAN AMES COMMENTS, THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION I KNOW HAS A PROCESS WHEN THEY GIVE OUT LOANS WHERE THEY FOLLOW UP, AND I KNOW YOU'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM.
UM, MAYBE THEY CAN SUGGEST SOMETHING TO START WITH.
I, I LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, TO VISITING AND SITTING DOWN WITH THEM AND UTILIZING SOME OF THE RESOURCES THAT THEY CAN BRING TO THE TABLE.
AND, AND ALSO TRAININGS TO, UH,
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FAMILIARIZE MYSELF WITH, UH, WITH SOME OF THE PROCESSES AS WELL, NOT SO AS NOT TO RE REINVENT THE WHEEL FOR WHAT WE'RE DOING.ONE OTHER COMMENT THAT I JUST THOUGHT OF, IF I MAY.
UM, MR. BROWN TOUCHED ON THIS, THAT, UH, WE DON'T WANT TO BE ANTICIPATING THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE ABSORBING A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE INVESTMENT DOLLARS.
UM, IT MIGHT BE GOOD TO CAST THAT IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER AS KNOWLEDGE FOR LEVERAGING OTHER FUNDS, WHETHER THEY ARE FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL CFL TOWN.
BUT, UH, I THINK IT'D BE MORE ACCURATE FOR THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS, UH, THE RESIDENTS WHO PERCEIVE THESE FUNDS AS BEING LEVERAGED DOLLARS RATHER THAN JUST A HUNDRED PERCENT INVESTMENT.
'CAUSE THERE'S NOT ENOUGH DOLLARS TO DO MUCH.
I HAVE, UH, A COMMENT TOO ON, ON THE BUDGET AS WELL.
I, I THINK AS AN INITIAL BUDGET HAS BEEN WELL THOUGHT OUT.
UM, IT ALLOWS THE COMMUNITY TO SEE THE REACH POTENTIAL OF, OF THE CDC, UH, THE IMPACT THAT WE WOULD HAVE.
AND I THINK ONCE WE ARE MORE SOLID IN, UH, OUR PRESENCE, UM, IT POSITIONS US TO STRETCH.
WE'RE NOT IN A POSITION TO STRETCH BEYOND WHAT WE SEE HERE NOW.
UM, BUT THE REACH, THE IMPACT, JUST THIS AMOUNT WILL ALLOW TO SEE US, UH, AND THE COMMUNITY SEE US AS A VIABLE ENTITY.
SO, AND, AND THAT SCENARIO, I THINK IT'S, IT'S A GOOD BUDGET.
I ALSO LIKE THE FACT THAT MOST OF THE, UH, GRANTS AND INCENTIVES AND THE CAPITAL OUTLAY IS MOST OF OUR BUDGET.
SO IT'S VERY VISUAL THAT YOU SEE THAT MOST OF OUR MONIES ARE GOING BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY.
WHICH FORM I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY THESE FIRST COUPLE OF YEARS OF OPERATION THAT THE COMMUNITY SEES US PRESENT, NOT ONLY PHYSICALLY PRESENT, BUT ALSO PRESENT FROM A FINANCIAL SUPPORT STANDPOINT.
TERRY, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS? UH, ONE, I I THINK IT IS A WELL THOUGHT THROUGH BUDGET, AND I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT'S GONE INTO IT.
CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? YES, WE CAN.
THE QUESTION I HAVE IS WHAT IS THE REVIEW PROCESS GOING FORWARD? IS IT A QUARTERLY REVIEW, A MONTHLY REVIEW OF HOW WE'RE DOING VERSUS BUDGET, AND HOW THE RESULTS ARE COMING OUT? AND ON THE RESULTS QUESTION, I THINK WOULD BE HELPFUL, AND MAYBE, MAYBE I'VE MISSED IT TO SAY, HOW MANY LOANS DO WE HOPE TO BE AND EXPECT TO BE MAKING BY WIN? MY, MY ANTICIPATION, UM, IN REGARDS TO LOANS IS THAT AGAIN, WE HAVE, UH, APPROXIMATELY 10, 10 AWARDEES IN OUR FIRST YEAR, UH, SPECIFICALLY FOR THE SMALL BUSINESS LOAN PROGRAM.
UH, AND THAT CAN KIND OF VARY DEPENDENT UPON NEED.
UH, ALL APPLICANTS MAY NOT HAVE THE SAME NEED.
SO, UM, DEFINITELY WE'LL, WE WORK TO KIND OF TEASE THOSE, UH, DETAILS OUT.
AND MY, ON THE OTHER SIDE, MY OTHER GOAL IS TO HAVE SOMETHING PRE PRESENTED FOR APPROVAL IN THE MONTH OF MAY IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE ACTUAL PROTOCOLS AND PROCESSES.
SO, UH, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S ACTIVE AND ACTIVE WORK IN PROGRESS.
UM, BUT, UH, WE WILL DEFINITELY REVISIT THAT, UH, IN THE MONTH OF MAY.
WE'LL GET PAST, UH, A LOT OF THE ACTIVITIES GOING ON IN APRIL AND REVISIT THAT IN MAY.
MR. BOXY, WILL THAT INCLUDE THE REPORTING CYCLE? I MEAN, WILL WE HAVE A DETAILED SUMMARY QUARTERLY AND JUST AN UPDATE MONTHLY? YES, THAT IS, THAT IS ABSOLUTELY THE GOAL IS TO HAVE A PERIODIC POINT OF REPORTING, BUT WE'LL BE ON A MONTHLY BASIS, YOU KNOW, UM, RECEIVING APPLICATIONS, WE PROBABLY, EVEN ON A BIMONTHLY BASIS, THE THE INITIAL PLAN IS TO ACTUALLY HAVE, UH, A REVIEW PROCESS THAT LEADS US INTO A BIMONTHLY REVIEW OF SAID APPLICATIONS, AND THEN, UH, ONCE WE ARE ACTUALLY ADMINISTERING LOANS OF A QUARTERLY UPDATE.
COUNCILOR MADAM CHAIR, UM, JUST RESPONDING TO MR. BRUBAKER'S POINT, UM, I THINK IT'S A PLEASURE TO BOARD AS FAR AS HOW MUCH WE WANNA SEE AND HOW OFTEN WE WANNA SEE.
AND, UM, I KNOW THAT MR. BOXLEY IS SPEAKING MORE TO THE, UH, INCENTIVE PROGRAM, BUT I THINK MR. BRUBAKER WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT A BUDGETARY REPORT.
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I SUGGEST THAT WE, UH, MAKE THE CHARGE OF A QUARTERLY REPORT FOR NOW.IF WE NEED TO SEE MORE, UM, MORE FREQUENTLY, THEN WE CAN CHANGE THAT.
BUT I THINK IT SHOULD COME FROM THE BOARD DIRECTION TO MR. BOXER THAT WE WANNA SEE THE FINANCES ON A QUARTERLY BASIS.
UM, I MIGHT OFFER THAT WE DON'T HAVE A COMPLICATED BUDGET AT THIS POINT, AND THEN MAYBE BIMONTHLY TO START AND THEN TRANSITION AS WE, I CAN SUPPORT THAT.
I FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE WITH THAT.
BIMONTHLY, ARE WE ALL IN AGREEMENT AT BIMONTHLY? YES.
FOR ME, I, SOMETHING IS SOMEWHAT OFF THE TOPIC OF BUDGET, BUT IT RELATES TO OUR PLANNING.
UM, THERE HAVE BEEN CONVERSATIONS AROUND OTHER INITIATIVES.
THIS BUDGET IS FOCUSED PRIMARILY ON, UM, SUPPORT OF LOANS AND GRANTS.
THAT MAY BE TOO EXPANSIVE FOR WHERE WE ARE TODAY, BUT I BRING IT UP JUST TO GET OTHER PEOPLE'S THOUGHTS, INCLUDING MR. BRUBAKER'S.
OTHER THOUGHTS? YEAH, I'LL, I'LL JUMP IN.
UM, I AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN AMES WHOLEHEARTEDLY.
UM, AND YOU CAN USE A, A COUPLE EXAMPLES.
UM, YOU KNOW, UM, MR. BOXY HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH HAVING THESE, UH, INTIMATE CONVERSATIONS WITH, UH, STONY FAMILY MEMBERS.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S GONNA COME OUT OF THAT, UM, WE'D ALL LIKE TO LOOK INTO A CRYSTAL BALL AND HAVE AN ANSWER.
UM, BUT AT SOME POINT, I THINK THAT THIS WHOLE IDEA OF DREAMING BIG IS DEFINITELY PART OF THE CONVERSATION WILL BE PART OF THE OUTCOME.
UM, AND THAT'S GOING TO HAVE A COST ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
UM, AND I'D SEE US, YOU KNOW, KNOCKING ON OTHER DOORS TO, TO HELP FUND THAT, WHICH COULD ULTIMATELY LEAD TO, IF IT'S IN THIS FISCAL YEAR, A BUDGET AMENDMENT, UM, OR, UH, SUBSEQUENT YEARS, UM, A WHOLE NEW SOURCE OF REVENUE THAT WILL BE EXPENDED.
UM, SO I, I THINK, UH, THE POINT NOW COUNCILMAN AMES IS HERE WE ARE STARTING WITH WHAT WE CAN HANDLE BASED ON WHAT WE HAVE, BUT THIS IS NOT THE END.
I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S THE POINT THAT I'M TAKING FROM YOUR COMMENTS.
WELL, UM, IF I MAY, UM, THERE'S, THERE'S THE, THE ISSUE OF STONY, WHICH IS AN OPPORTUNITY THAT IF WE KNOW MORE OF WHAT THAT OPPORTUNITY LOOKS LIKE, WE COULD BE ASKING FOR SUPPORT AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL.
AND SO I'M, I'M WANTING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT MAY NOT BE THERE IN 12 MONTHS.
SO I, I THINK, I THINK IF, IF WE ARE REVIEWING THE BIMONTHLY LOOK AT THE BUDGET, 'CAUSE BUDGETS ARE ESTABLISHED TO BE FLUID, SO WE MAY SEE CHANGES FROM, FROM ONE MONTH TO THE OTHER WHERE WE MIGHT THINK THIS AMOUNT OF REVENUE IS, IS, IS ALLOCATED FOR, FOR THIS.
BUT THE ASK AND, AND THE NEED, UH, IS FAR GREATER THAN WE ANTICIPATED.
SO BECAUSE THE BUDGET IS, IS FLUID, WE CAN MAKE THOSE ADAPTATIONS, WE CAN MAKE THE, THE CHANGES, AND THAT, THAT WILL ALSO, BECAUSE WE'RE LOOKING AT IT EVERY OTHER MONTH, THAT WILL KEEP US RELEVANT AND, AND KEEP THE, THE BUDGET, UM, DOING WHAT IT IS THAT, THAT WE PLAN AND EXPECT FOR AND HOPE FOR IT TO DO.
AND AS I LOOK AT THIS, I THINK WE HAVE TO PRIORITIZE, I THINK ALL THE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE ARE RELEVANT, BUT WE WANT TO DEAL WITH THE STONY SITUATION FIRST.
THAT MEANS GRANTS AND LOANS, THAT'S SO BE IT.
AND IF WE HAVE TO HAVE A VEHICLE TO COMMUNICATE THAT OUT IN A POSITIVE WAY, GIVEN, UH, UM, COUNCILMAN AMES POINT, I THINK WE COULD DO THAT WITHIN GIVING THOSE GRANTS AND LOANS.
I THINK THAT, UM, THIS WILL DEFINITELY RAISE OUR PROFILE, UM, AND IT'LL RAISE OUR PROFILE IN A TIMELY WAY, IN MY OPINION.
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WILL HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE, YOU KNOW, TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGE AS WE MOVE FORWARD.SO, UM, I I, I'M EXCITED HONESTLY ABOUT WHERE WE ARE AND THE PROCESS, UM, THE POINT IN THE PROCESS THAT WE HAVE ARRIVED AND, AND ALSO VERY OPTIMISTIC AS WE LOOK FORWARD, KNOWING THAT WE HAVE TO COMMUNICATE OUT ALL ALONG THE WAY.
KNOWING THAT WE HAVE TO COMMUNICATE OUT KNOWING THAT WE HAVE HAD A SERIES OF, OF, OF VERY, UH, WELL ATTENDED COMMUNITY MEETINGS AND RECEIVED A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF FEEDBACK AS WELL AS HAVE HAD SEVERAL, UM, YOU KNOW, SMALLER, INTIMATE CONVERSATIONS WITH PROPERTY OWNERS ALONG THE CORRIDOR AS WELL.
SO I, AGAIN, I'M VERY CONFIDENT IN THE POSITION THAT WE HAVE AT THIS PARTICULAR POINT.
AND, UH, AGAIN, I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THINGS AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
I, I, I DON'T WANT TO BELABOR MY POINT BECAUSE I, I AM NOT THE ONE WHO HAS BEEN, UH, DEEPLY INVOLVED IN STONY AS OTHER PEOPLE, BUT I AM CONCERNED THAT THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY THAT IS AVAILABLE TODAY THAT IF PERCEIVED THAT, UM, IF NOT PERCEIVED, WE WILL BE PROVIDING SUPPORT TO THE STONY RESIDENTS IN 2020 $4, NOT IN 2030 $4.
AND SO WHAT I'M REALLY TRYING TO SAY HERE IS THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE RESIDENTS OF STONY, WITH AN IDEA OF HOW WE LEVERAGE WHERE WE ARE TODAY FOR THEIR BENEFIT IN 10, 15, 25 YEARS.
MR. BOXY, CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT BIT? I KNOW THAT WE'RE TALKING BUDGET JUST TO, WELL, I THINK THAT AT A VERY BASIC LEVEL, WE KNOW WHAT PROPERTY COSTS ARE TODAY.
UM, AND WE CAN ONLY ANTICIPATE THAT PROPERTY COSTS WILL CONTINUE TO EXPAND, YOU KNOW, TO GROW AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
UM, I THINK THAT PART OF WHAT WILL BE NEEDED IN RELATIONSHIP TO FUNDING, I MEAN, I INITIALLY THINK IN SOME OF OUR EARLY CONVERSATIONS, UM, YOU KNOW, UPON ME BEING, UM, SELECTED FOR THIS POSITION WAS THAT WE NEEDED TO QUADRUPLE THE BUDGET WITHIN THE, WITHIN THE FIRST, UH, TWO YEARS.
SO THAT IN AND OF ITSELF SAYS THAT, YOU KNOW, IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS, IN ORDER TO CONTINUE THE SUSTAINABILITY OF THIS ORGANIZATION, WE'LL NEED TO HAVE IN OUR CERS, YOU KNOW, SOMEWHERE AROUND, UH, $20 MILLION TO, TO CONTINUE ON THE PATHWAY THAT WE HAVE STARTED.
AND THAT IS A CONSERVATIVE NUMBER, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY AS WE LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, UM, REAL ESTATE COSTS, CONSTRUCTION COSTS INCREASING, A LOT OF THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, UH, TOWN COUNCIL RECENTLY, UM, APPROVED THE HOUSING IMPACT STUDY, WHICH OUTLAID SEVERAL FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE RISE IN COST OF HOUSING AND SOME OF THE PROJECTIONS.
SO WE KNOW THAT, FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE'RE LOOKING TO DEVELOP HOUSING IN THE, IN THE STONY COMMUNITY TO, UM, CONTROL COSTS FOR HOME OWNERSHIP, THAT, YOU KNOW, NEW CONSTRUCTION IS GOING TO BE MORE EXPENSIVE YEAR OVER YEAR.
SO, UH, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO PLAN FOR AND BUDGET FOR.
UM, I, BUT DO I THINK THAT WE, UM, HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACHIEVE THOSE GOALS? I DO.
WELL, I, UH, TO, TO PIGGYBACK ON WHAT, UM, COUNCILMAN AMES WAS TALKING ABOUT, THE 2020 $4, I THINK COMMUNICATION IS KEY.
THAT THE BUDGET IS, IS, IS, UH, WE WE'RE DISCUSSING IT AND, AND, AND GET IT APPROVED, AND THE, THE CONVERSATION NEEDS TO BE HAD, UM, WITH THE RESIDENTS OF STONY.
'CAUSE THE ONE THING, THE WORST THING WE CAN DO IS OVER PROMISE.
UM, AND SO THERE NEEDS TO BE A REALITY.
UM, 'CAUSE I, I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF 'EM IN WAIT AND SEE MODE.
UH, THEY'VE BEEN TALKED TO AND, AND PROMISED THINGS FOR SO LONG, RIGHT? AND SO ONCE, ONCE THEY, THEY, THEY SEE AND FEEL THAT THE, THE BEGINNING IS BEGINNING, RIGHT? AND SO WE NEED TO COMMUNICATE REALISTICALLY WHAT WE CAN DO NOW, UH, AND WE NEED TO BE, NOT, NOT THAT YOU ARE, BUT, BUT TO BE CERTAIN THAT WE DO NOT OVER PROMISE THAT WHAT WE SAY THAT WE'RE CAPABLE OF DOING, WE'RE CAPABLE OF DOING.
AND I SAY I THINK THAT NEED, THEY NEED TO BE EDUCATED AND NEEDS TO BE AN AWARENESS OF THE POTENTIAL OF THIS BUDGET AND WHAT IT CAN AND CANNOT DO, UH, TO TRY TO
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ALLEVIATE THE SITUATIONS THAT THEY'RE FACED WITH NOW.UH, I'M ACTUALLY VERY, VERY CAREFUL ABOUT, UH, CHOOSING MY WORDS, UM, SO THAT WE DON'T OVER PROMISE AND UNDER DELIVER.
TERRY, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENT YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE BASED ON THE CONVERSATION? I DO.
I THINK ON, ON THE IDEA OF RESULTS, I THINK IF WE REALLY CAN COME UP WITH A NEAR TERM IDEA THAT INVOLVES, UH, THE TRAINING ASPECT OF WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT WITH THE YOUTH OF THE COMMUNITIES AND PROJECTS THAT COULD BE DONE IN THE COMMUNITIES AND LEAD TO A VIABLE BUSINESS THAT IS OWNED BY, MANAGED BY RUN BY THE COMMUNITY, THAT IDEA WILL DRAW FUNDING.
IT'S HARD TO BUDGET THAT WHEN WE DON'T HAVE AN IDEA SET OUT, BUT I STILL THINK THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY SHORT TERM, ESPECIALLY RELATED TO THE HOUSING AREA THAT'S, UH, WORTH DOING.
THAT'S NOT LAID OUT IN DETAIL RIGHT NOW.
BUT, UM, UH, WE SHOULDN'T BE FEELING WE ARE CONSTRAINED BY A BUDGET IN OUR INABILITY TO DO ANY ONE THING OR NOT.
IF WE COME UP WITH AN IDEA THAT'S A GOOD IDEA.
I THINK WE CAN FOCUS FUNDING ON THAT, FUNDING EFFORTS ON THAT WITH SOME OPTIMISM GIVEN THE QUALITY OF THE IDEA.
I THINK YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
TERRY, OTHER COMMENTS? ARE WE AT A POSITION TO APPROVE THE BUDGET? WE ARE.
I, I MAKE A MOTION, I'LL MAKE A MOTION.
SECOND
AND I THINK I HEARD, I'M SORRY.
MAY I HAVE A SECOND TO THAT? SECOND BEFORE WE VOTE, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO, IF THERE ARE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS FROM THE BUDGET, CAN YOU COME FORWARD PLEASE AND STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD? MCKINNEY.
AND JUST A QUICK QUESTION, JUST TO FIND OUT IF THERE WAS INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY REGARDING THE NEEDS.
I KNOW THE, THE BUDGET HAS BEEN SET, BUT TO ACTUALLY FIND OUT FROM THE COMMUNITY WHAT THEIR PERCEIVED NEEDS ARE.
SO DURING OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING, UH, SESSION, WE RECEIVED IDEAS FROM THE COMMUNITY.
WE'VE ALSO RECEIVED SOME FEEDBACK THROUGH SOME OF THE MEETINGS THAT I'VE HOSTED WITH VARIOUS COMMUNITY, ME COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND PROPERTY OWNERS.
WE'VE ALSO RECEIVED SOME FEEDBACK THROUGH A ONLINE SURVEY THAT WE'VE HAD.
SO THE SHORT ANSWER IS, IS YES, WE HAVE ENGAGED AT THAT LEVEL TO RECEIVE SOME FEEDBACK.
YES, IT WOULD BE HELPFUL SO THAT WE COULD HEAR YOU PROPERLY.
HELLO? OH, I'M LOUISE MILLER COHEN QUESTION.
I JUST NEED TO EDUCATE MYSELF MORE, UM, ABOUT THE FUNCTIONS OF, OF CDC THERE SOMEPLACE, MR.
WELL, WE CAN DEFINITELY, UH, WE COULD DEFINITELY HAVE A ONE-ON-ONE AND VISIT ABOUT THE SERVICES, BUT YES, WE DO HAVE PUBLIC, UH, INFORMATION ON OUR WEBSITE THAT'S PART OF THE TOWN.
UH, OUR BASIC, OUR BASIC SERVICES ARE RELATED TO THE PRESERVATION OF HISTORIC GULLAH NEIGHBORHOODS AND ALSO WORKING IN ORDER TO ESTABLISH AND SUPPORT BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AS WELL AS LAND PRESERVATION IN THE GULLAH COMMUNITIES.
AND SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE, THE, THE HIGHER, UM, SOME OF THE, THE BASIC, THE BASIC TENETS OF OUR ORGANIZING
[00:35:01]
DOCUMENTS THAT KIND OF OUTLAYED THE PURPOSE FOR THE EXISTENCE OF THE CDC.AND SO THROUGH THOSE PARTICULAR PROGRAMS, THE, THE LOAN PROGRAM FOR SMALL BUSINESSES AS WELL AS FOR REAL ESTATE TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT FAMILIES THAT ARE, UM, THAT ARE LOOKING TO, OR BUSINESS OWNERS OR PROPERTY OWNERS THAT ARE LOOKING TO, UM, TO GET THE HIGHEST AND BEST USE OF THEIR OWNED PROPERTY, AS WELL AS INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE LOOKING TO CREATE BUSINESSES IN GULLAH NEIGHBORHOODS.
WHEN I HEAR LOANS, UM, I KNOW THAT THE BUSINESSES HAVE TO BE SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSES BECAUSE THOSE, WHEN YOU SAY LOAN, THAT MONEY GOTTA BE PAID BACK.
SO I DO GET A LITTLE BIT NERVOUS WHEN I HEAR THE WORD LOAN, BUT ANYWAY, WE WILL TALK BECAUSE I DEFINITELY YES, MA'AM.
UM, IT'S A LOT OF INFORMATION.
I'M GLAD THAT, UM, THAT I KNEW ABOUT TODAY'S MEETING.
I COULD BE HERE AND I THINK ABOUT, UM, MY, MY RELATIVES WHO HAVE TO WORK AND COULD NOT BE HERE, NOR TO SOME OF THE OTHER MEETINGS THAT ARE SCHEDULED IN PLAN.
SO SOMEBODY FROM THE COMMUNITY NEED TO KNOW SO WE CAN TALK TO OUR PEOPLE WHO CANNOT BE AT THESE MEETINGS AT, UM, TWO O'CLOCK DURING THE DAY.
OH, THANK YOU FOR ALL THE INFORMATION THAT, UM, YOU CAN, UM, I NEED TO GET SO I CAN HELP EDUCATE MY PEOPLE.
UM, I WOULD BE GLAD TO, TO GET WITH YOU DR. COHEN.
AND, UM, YOU SCHEDULE A ONE-ON-ONE, AND WE CAN, WE CAN RUN THROUGH SOME OF THOSE, UH, ITEMS THAT YOU HAVE JUST, UH, LAID OUT THERE, BUT YES.
UM, AND WE WILL ALSO BE HAVING SOME EVENING MEETINGS, UH, IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
UM, WE TEND TO DO THOSE KIND OF QUARTERLY, BUT WE'LL, WE'LL MAKE SURE AND HAVE A EVENING MEETING HOSTED SO THAT WE CAN GET SOME COMMUNITY ATTENDANCE AS WELL.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS ABOUT THE, CAN I REACT TO DR.
UM, MR. BOXLEY, UH, MENTIONED THAT ONCE HE GETS THESE PROGRAMS UP, THERE MAY BE NEED FOR A FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE TO HELP MANAGE THE PROGRAMS. RIGHT.
UM, AND OF COURSE, HE HADN'T FIGURED OUT THE NUTS AND BOLTS TO ANY OF THIS AS OF YET.
UM, GIVING YOU THIS AS AN EXAMPLE, DR.
GOEN, UM, THE, THE TOWN THROUGH THE GULLAH GEECHEE TASK FORCE HAS A DATABASE OF ALL OF THE GULLAH OWNED PROPERTIES ON HILTON HEAD.
AND I CAN SEE THAT FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE ENGAGING WITH THOSE PROPERTY OWNERS TO EXPLAIN THE PROGRAMS OF THE CDC ONCE THIS ALL IS FIRMED UP.
UM, SO WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE BECAUSE YOU'LL BE ABLE TO TELL THE STORY TO THOSE THAT YOU'RE TOUCHING, BUT THERE'S A BIGGER GROUP THAT WE NEED TO TOUCH ALONG THE WAY, AND THOSE EFFORTS WILL, THEY'LL, WILL COME TO FRUITION AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME.
AND I KNOW, UM, UH, UM, DR. COHEN JUST SPOKE ABOUT LOANS, AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU MENTIONED THIS BEFORE I GOT HERE OR NOT, BUT, UM, WILL THERE ALSO BE GRANTS AT THIS POINT? WHAT TYPE OF GRANTS? THERE BE PROJECTS,
OH, WELL, YES, I WAS GOING TO, AND YOU CAN JUMP IN AT ANY POINT, BUT I WAS GOING TO SAY THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE EXACT, UH, PROGRAMS LINED OUT JUST YET, BUT THOSE WILL BE COMING AT SOME POINT IN THE NEAR FUTURE AS WELL.
IT'LL BE HERE WHEN EVERYTHING IS TOGETHER.
THE LOANS, WHEN THE LOAN, WHEN YOU'RE READY TO INTRODUCE THE LOANS AND EVERYTHING, GRANTS WILL BE INCLUDED.
AND I'D LIKE YOU TO REMEMBER THAT WE ARE JUST NOW ESTABLISHING ALL THESE PROGRAMS. THIS IS JUST A WORKING BUDGET TO DO THAT.
UH, THANK YOU FOR THAT REMINDER TOO.
UM, ONE, ONE OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE DEFINITELY, UM, DISCUSSED PRIOR TO, UM, PRIOR TO YOUR ARRIVAL, MS. UH, YOUNG, WAS THE POSSIBILITY OF PROVIDING LEGAL SUPPORT AND ASSISTANCE IN THE FORM OF A GRANT FOR, UM, PROPERTY OWNERS IN THE
[00:40:01]
STONY CORRIDOR THAT ARE IMPACTED SO THAT THOSE, UH, LEGAL SERVICES, UH, THE FEES FOR LEGAL SERVICES CAN, UH, BE, UH, EASED ON THE PROPERTY OWNER.SO THAT, THAT'S DEFINITELY ONE AREA THAT, THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT PUTTING A GRANT PROGRAM TOGETHER TO SUPPORT.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BUDGET? IF NONE, IT'S BEEN MOTIONED AND SECONDED, UM, THAT WE APPROVE THE LEY AS SUBMITTED BY MR. BOXLEY.
UM, FOR MEMBERS OF THE CDC, UH, WE NEED A VOTE NOW.
ANY OPPOSED? MR. BOXLEY, YOU HAVE YOUR BUDGET.
THANK YOU, UH, BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR YOUR SUPPORT AT THIS POINT.
WE'RE, UH, HERE FOR ADJOURNMENT.
UH, I NEED A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
[Adjournment]
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ATTENDING IN THE AUDIENCE, AND YOU'LL HEAR FROM US AGAIN.YOU ARE WATCHING BEAUFORT COUNTY TV, LIVE, WORK, PLAY.
UM, THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE HERE TODAY, AND IT'S, UH, AS I'VE SAID TO SO MANY PEOPLE HERE TODAY, THERE'S SO MANY OF YOU WHO HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THIS.
AND AS WE GO THROUGH TODAY, WE WANT TO TRY TO RECOGNIZE AS MANY OF YOU AS, AS WE CAN.
I WANNA APOLOGIZE IN ADVANCE BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THERE ARE LOTS OF PEOPLE THAT ARE, MAYBE WE'RE GONNA OVERLOOK WHO DID HAD A LARGE PART IN THIS.
BUT ANYWAY, LET ME START OFF, SAY GOOD AFTERNOON, AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT, UH, TO THIS GRAND OPENING.
AND, UH, AND WELCOME TO THE LONG ANTICIPATED.
I THINK THAT'S REASONABLE, LONG ANTICIPATED OPENING OF CRYSTAL LAKE PARK.
IT'S BEEN, UH, IN THE WORKS SINCE, WHAT, 2005, I THINK.
I WANNA MAKE A FEW COMMENTS ABOUT THE HISTORY AND THE LONG VOIDS THAT MANY OF YOU HAVE MADE OR BEEN ON IN ORDER TO GET TO THIS POINT TODAY.
FOR THE GRAND OPENING OF THIS 25 ACRE PASSIVE PARK, THAT BEAUFORT COUNTY HAS INVESTED ABOUT THREE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS IN OF YOUR TAX DOLLARS.
UH, PUTTING THE, UH, THE PIECES OF THIS PARK TOGETHER TOOK, UH, OVER FIVE YEARS.
UH, THE FIRST PARCEL WAS PURCHASED IN 2004, AND THAT WAS A FOUR AND A HALF ACRE PIECE, WHICH INCLUDED BUTLER MARINE.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF YOU REMEMBER BUTLER MARINE.
IT'S, IT'S WHERE THAT, THAT CURRENT BUILDING IS, WAS PART OF, BUT BUTLER MARINE.
UH, BUT THAT WAS OUR, THAT WAS OUR FIRST TOW IN THE WATER, THAT FOUR AND A HALF ACRES.
UM, AND THEN THE SECOND PURCHASE WAS FROM THE OIL PURCHASE DONATION WAS FROM THE STEWART FOUNDATION.
THE, UH, STEWART FOUNDATION DONATED EIGHT OF THE 12 ACRES WE GOT FROM THEM, INCLUDING THE ACTUAL LAKE ITSELF, WHICH WAS A HUGE BENEFIT TO US ALL.
UH, ANOTHER FIVE ACRES WAS PURCHASED IN, UH, 2005 FROM THE D PRIEST FAMILY.
UH, IN, UH, 2007, THE ROBINSON FAMILY, WE PURCHASED ANOTHER 1.2 ACRES.
AND FINALLY IN, UH, 2009, WE PURCHASED, UH, TWO AND A HALF ACRES FROM THE CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF CHARLESTON, WHICH GAVE, GAVE US A COMPLETE 25 ACRES, WHICH IS WHAT WE HAVE HERE TODAY.
MEANWHILE, IN 2006, THE COUNTY COUNCIL AUTHORIZED, UH, FINANCIAL AND STAFF SUPPORT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF CRYSTAL LAKE PROPERTY AS A PASSIVE PARK.
AND PROGRESS BEGAN IN EARNEST, THAT WAS 2005.
IN 2011, A CITIZENS COMMITTEE WAS FORMED IN COOPERATION WITH THE BEAUFORT COUNTY PLANNING DEPARTMENT TO FINALIZE PLANNING EFFORTS AND OBTAIN COMMUNITY INPUT AND
[00:45:01]
FEEDBACK.AND LET ME TAKE A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE AT LEAST SOME OF THE FOLKS WHO WERE MEMBERS OF FRIENDS OF, OF CRYSTAL LAKE PARK WHO WORKED TIRELESSLY AND MANY, MANY THANK TIMES THANKLY, TO BRING US THIS BEAUTIFUL PARK THAT WE HAVE HERE TODAY.
I'M GONNA NAME AS MANY AS I CAN, AND IF I'VE MISSED ANY, I APOLOGIZE.
UH, FRANK GIBSON AND HIS TREASURER, PEGGY ALLARD AS PRESIDENT, UH, RICK KURTZ WAS INVOLVED, UH, CLARENCE WASHINGTON, UH, JOE ALLARD, MICHAEL BROCK, JIM HICKS, WHO'S NOT WITH US TODAY.
UH, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE YESTERDAY, WE BURIED HIS WIFE, SO WE UNDERSTAND WHY HE IS NOT HERE WITH US TODAY.
BUT HE WAS A HUGE PART OF THIS CREATION OF THIS PARK.
MARGARET DIP PIETRO, I THINK, FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
UH, LAURA LEE, UH, PAT HARVEY WITH THE, UH, WITH LIPPA AND SOME OTHER LIPPER MEMBERS AND SUPPORTERS, FATHER ANDREW OF, UH, OF THE ST.
AND OF COURSE, THE, UH, THE BUILDERS, UH, BEAUFORT CONSTRUCTION, I BELIEVE LITH LITH WEBB WAS THE MANAGER AT THE TIME, UH, TO DO THE BUILDING UPGRADE.
AND, UH, STEVE PATTERSON OF PATTERSON CONSTRUCTION DID THE BOARDWALK AND AN ANDREW'S ENGINEERING WAS HEAVILY INVOLVED.
AND, UH, THE ARCHITECT, UH, WAS, UH, ROBERT MONTGOMERY.
THE, UH, THE FINAL PHASE OF CONSTRUCTION, UH, THE BOARDWALK AND TRAIL BEGAN IN 2018.
AND OF COURSE, THE RENOVATIONS TO THE, UH, TO THE BUTLER MARINE BUILDING WAS THE FIRST PHASE OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE BOARDWALK AND PIER, AND THAT STARTED IN 2012.
ANOTHER GROUP THAT I WANNA RECOGNIZE, TWO GROUPS ACTUALLY, ARE THE MASTER GARDENERS AND MASTER NATURALISTS WHO VOLUNTEERED AND PLANTED THE AND MAIN AND MAINTAINED THE POLLINATOR GARDEN.
SO LET ME JUST START BY ASKING HOW MANY NATURAL START WITH, UH, UH, MASTER GARDENERS, HOW MANY MASTER GARDENERS YOU RAISE YOUR HAND.
AND I, I KNOW EVERYONE HERE APPRECIATES THE VALUE OF POLLINATORS.
I HAVE THE LARGEST GRAPEFRUIT ORCHARD IN BEAUFORT COUNTY, SO I PARTICULARLY APPRECIATE THE, UH, POLLINATORS.
AND THEN WE HAVE THE MASTER NATURALIST.
HOW MANY NA NA MASTER NATURALISTS ARE HERE? IF YOU WOULD, RAISE YOUR HAND, BE IDENTIFIED.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL THE WORK YOU ALL HAVE DONE AND CONTINUE TO DO TO MAKE THIS PARK A BEAUTIFUL PLACE.
THE, UH, BEAUFORT COUNTY OPEN LAND TRUST AND THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT, UH, BEGAN OCCUPATION OF THAT BUILDING IN 2017.
AND THEY HAVE BEEN AND CONTINUE TO BE EXCELLENT STEWARDS OF THE BUILDING AND THE PARK.
THEY PROVIDE SECURITY, THEY PROVIDE ORIENTATION, AND A LOT OF SERVICES FOR THE FOLKS WHO COME HERE TO SEE THE PARK.
ALSO WANT TO GIVE A BIG SHOUT OUT TO THE BEAUFORT COUNTY STAFF MEMBERS PAST AND PRESENT WHO WORK TIRELESSLY ON THIS PROJECT.
AGAIN, I MAY NOT GET 'EM ALL IF I DON'T, IF I DON'T, I APOLOGIZE.
I WANNA START WITH TONY ELLO, WHO'S STANDING RIGHT THERE, WHO IS OUR DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
AND HE WAS A VISIONARY ON THIS PROJECT, AND, UH, NO TELLING HOW MANY HOURS, COUNTLESS HOURS, UH, AND SWEAT AND TEARS HE PUT INTO THIS, INTO THIS PROJECT.
ANTONIO, I WANNA THANK YOU, UH, STEPHANIE NAJE, WHO YOU'VE SEEN, I KNOW SHE'S HERE, THERE SHE IS, UH, WHO IS OUR, UH, DIRECTOR OF PASSIVE PARKS AND WHO IS VERY ACTIVELY INVOLVED AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE VERY ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN THIS PARK IN THE FUTURE.
AND OUR ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT.
WE HAD, UH, WES CAMPBELL AND ROB MCPHEE.
I HAVEN'T, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY, THERE HE IS, RIGHT THERE.
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU ALL DID.
AND OUR, OUR DIRECTOR OF PROPERTIES, MARK ROSENAU, I KNOW HE'S HERE, AND, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
AND ERIC GREENWAY, OUR CURRENT, UH, DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT, WHO'S ALSO PUT A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK INTO THIS.
AND OF COURSE, UH, PATTERSON'S CONSTRUCTION.
I THINK I MIGHT HAVE MENTIONED THEM ALREADY.
UH, THE GREEN TECHNOLOGY THAT WAS USED, UH, TO, UH, RENOVATE THE OLD BUTLER MARINE BUILDING.
I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU ALL REMEMBER WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE, BUT IT NEEDED A LOT OF HELP.
AND, UH, WE USED GREEN, REALLY GREEN TECHNOLOGY, AND THAT WAS USED AND IT WAS SO SUCCESSFUL THAT, UH, BEAUFORT COUNTY IS NOW RECEIVING REFUND CHECKS FROM DOMINION ENERGY.
GREEN ENERGY WORKS GREEN, OKAY.
GREEN TECHNOLOGY WORKS, AND YES, THAT WILL BE USED TO OFFSET YOUR TAXES, SO DON'T WORRY ABOUT THAT.
YEAH, YOU'LL SEE THE SMALL REDUCTION IN YOUR TAX BILL.
UH, AND FINALLY, UH, I THINK EVERYBODY'S AWARE THE DIVERSITY OF WILDLIFE THAT WE HAVE HERE, UH, WE DON'T KNOW AT ALL.
WE HAVE EGRETS, HERONS AND HEGA COR MORANT MIGRATORY AND RERE, AND, UH, AND RESIDENT SONGBIRDS, ALLIGATOR AND DEER THAT WE KNOW OF, UH, AND WHO KNOWS WHO OR WHAT ELSE MAY MOVE IN OUT THERE.
SO WE'LL KIND OF KEEP YOU POSTED AS THAT DEVELOPS AND, UH, WHO MIGHT TAKE UP RESIDENTS IN THIS BEAUTIFUL LOCATION.
BUT AGAIN, I WANNA THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
[00:50:01]
AND, UH, LET'S CUT THE RIBBON.AND I KNOW I'M NOT GONNA CUT IT BY MYSELF.
SO ALL THE PEOPLE, ALL THE PEOPLE THAT WERE MENTIONED, INCLUDING THE NATURALISTS AND THE MASTER GARDENERS AND THE ENGINE, EVERYBODY JUST COME FORWARD FOR THIS PROCESS.
THERE'S ONLY ONE PAIR OF SCISSORS, BUT, UH, YOU CAN ALL JOIN IN FOR THE PICTURE TAKE TOGETHER.
THERE'LL PROBABLY BE EVERYBODY THAT'S HERE PRETTY MUCH COME BE A PIG.
I KNOW YOU'RE NOT ALL HERE, ERIC.
MASTER GARDNER, THIS IS TONY, MIKE, NOT HERE.
MASTER FOR NATURALIST AND MASTER NATURALIST.
I KNOW YOU'RE NOT HERE ON OVER HERE.
THERE'S NO TIME FOR FALSE MODESTY.
DID YOU KNOW THAT STARS HAVE LIFE CYCLES? THEY'RE BORN FORMED FROM FLOATING CLOUDS OF GAS AND DUST AND SPACE.
THEY LIVE SHINING BRIGHTLY FROM THE HEAT AND LIGHT THEY PRODUCE WITHIN, AND EVENTUALLY, AFTER A LONG TIME, THEY GET OLD AND THEY DIE.
SOME OF THEM ENDING THEIR LIVES IN A SPECTACULAR EXPLOSION.
IT'S MUCH LIKE THE WAY A BUTTERFLY GOES THROUGH ITS LIFECYCLE.
THE CATERPILLAR HATCHES FROM AN EGG.
THE CATERPILLAR GROWS AND FORMS A CHRYSALIS, AND THEN IT TRANSFORMS INTO AN ADULT BUTTERFLY.
THESE STUDENTS ARE GOING TO REPRESENT THE CLUMPS OF GAS AND DUST THAT FORM STARS.
ALL STARS ARE BORN IN A STAR FORMING NEBULA,
[00:55:01]
A GIANT CLOUD OF GAS AND DUST AND SPACE.THE FORCE OF GRAVITY DRAWS THE CLUMPS OF GAS TOGETHER.
THE GASES BEGIN TO HEAT UP AND FUSION BEGINS AS THE HYDROGEN ATOMS SP TOGETHER.
THEY COMBINE TO FORM HELIUM AND RELEASE A HUGE AMOUNT OF LIGHT AND HEAT.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT DEPENDS ON THE SIZE OF THE STAR THAT HAS FORMED.
WE'LL START WITH A SMALLER STAR.
ONE THE SIZE OF OUR SUN STARS, LIKE OUR SUN, HAVE LIVES THAT MEASURE IN BILLIONS OF YEARS.
IN A MAIN SEQUENCE STAR THE TIME PERIOD WHERE A STAR SPENDS MOST OF ITS LIFE, THE FORCES OF GRAVITY AND FUSION BALANCE ONE ANOTHER, AND THE STAR IS IN A STEADY STATE.
AFTER MOST OF THE FUEL IN THE CORE OF THE STAR IS USED UP THE FORCES IN THE CORE OVERPOWER GRAVITY AND THE OUTER LAYERS OF THE STAR EXPAND.
IF OUR SUN IS THE SIZE OF A GRAIN OF SAND, A GIANT STAR IS ABOUT THE SIZE OF AN ORANGE.
ONCE THE REST OF THE FUEL IN THE CORE IS USED UP, THE STAR WILL SUDDENLY COLLAPSE IN ON ITSELF AND THE OUTER LAYERS OF GAS DRIFT AWAY INTO SPACE.
THE MATERIAL THAT REMAINS AT THE CORE IS CALLED A WHITE DWARF.
IF A STAR HAS A LOT MORE MASS, THOUGH AND IS MUCH LARGER THAN OUR SUN SAY 10 TIMES LARGER, ITS LIFE ENDS A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY.
A HIGH MASS STAR FORMS IN THE SAME WAY THAT A SMALLER STAR DOES.
CLUMPS OF GAS ARE DRAWN TOGETHER BY THE FORCES OF GRAVITY AND FORM A STAR.
HOWEVER, THEY HAVE MUCH SHORTER LIVES AND MAY ONLY LIVE FOR MILLIONS OF YEARS.
WHEN A MASSIVE STAR REACHES THE LATER PART OF ITS LIFE AND BEGINS FUSING ELEMENTS OTHER THAN HYDROGEN, IT EXPANDS TO A HUGE SIZE AND BECOMES A SUPER GIANT.
IF A GIANT STAR IS THE SIZE OF AN ORANGE, A SUPER GIANT IS ABOUT THE SIZE OF A BEACH BALL.
ONCE A SUPER GIANT HAS RUN OUT OF FUEL IN ITS CORE, ITS LIFE ENDS IN A MASSIVE EXPLOSION, THE STAR COLLAPSES IN ON ITSELF, AND THE OUTER LAYERS OF THE STAR EXPLODE OUTWARDS INTO SPACE.
ALL THAT REMAINS OF THE STAR WILL EITHER BE A NEUTRON STAR, A VERY TINY, VERY DENSE CHUNK OF MATERIAL THAT WOULD WEIGH THOUSANDS OF POUNDS IN A SINGLE TEASPOON OR A BLACK HOLE, DEPENDING ON JUST HOW BIG THE MASSIVE STAR WAS IN THE FIRST PLACE.
WE CAN OBSERVE STARS IN THE VARIOUS STAGES OF THEIR LIFECYCLE IN THE NIGHT SKY.
THE ORION NEBULA FOUND IN THE CONSTELLATION OF ORION NEAR HIS BELT, IS A REGION WHERE STARS ARE BEING FORMED.
OUR SUN IS A LOW MASS MAIN SEQUENCE STAR.
REMEMBER, WHEN LOW MASS STARS GET OLD, THEY FORM GIANT STARS.
AL DERON, A STAR MARKING THE EYE OF TAURUS.
LARGER STARS FORM SUPER GIANTS WHEN THEY GET OLD RIGEL AND BEAL JEWS.
ORION ARE SUPER GIANTS AND WILL ONE DAY END THEIR LIVES IN MASSIVE EXPLOSIONS.
IN THE YEAR 10 54, A SUPERNOVA WAS OBSERVED FROM EARTH NEAR THE TIP OF ONE OF TAURUS'S HORNS.
WHAT IS LEFT OF THAT EXPLOSION? THE CRAB NEBULA IS VISIBLE THROUGH A TELESCOPE.
LUCKILY FOR US HERE ON EARTH, EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE MANY STARS WHOSE LIVES WILL END IN SUPER NOVI, NONE OF THEM ARE CLOSE ENOUGH TO EARTH TO AFFECT US.
SO WHY SHOULD IT MATTER TO US? WHAT HAPPENS TO A STAR? MOST OF THE MATTER IN THE UNIVERSE IS HYDROGEN AND HELIUM.
ONLY BECAUSE OF THE PROCESSES THAT OCCUR WITHIN STARS DO WE HAVE THE ELEMENTS THAT ARE ESSENTIAL FOR THE EXISTENCE OF LIFE.
CARBON, NITROGEN, PHOSPHORUS, GOLD, IRON, AND EVEN OXYGEN WOULD NOT EXIST IF IT WERE NOT FOR STARS BEING BORN AND DYING.
SO THE PLANETS, US, AND ALL OTHER LIFE ON EARTH ARE LITERALLY THE STUFF STARS ARE MADE OF.