Apr 09, 2024 Town of Hilton Head Finance &amp; Administrative Committee

HOPEFULLY THAT'S ANSWERING YOUR QUESTION.

THANK YOU FOR THE REPORT.

UM, ALL FOUR OF YOU, YOU ARE OBVIOUSLY PROVIDING A VERY VALUABLE SERVICE, UH, TO THE COMMUNITY HERE IN PARTICULAR, TO THOSE PARTICULAR CLIENTS OR PATIENTS, HOWEVER YOU REFER TO THEM.

UM, I RECOGNIZE THE IMPACTS OF MEMORY LOSS.

UH, ALL OF US PROBABLY HAVE KNOWN SOMEONE OR LIVED WITH SOMEONE WHO HAS THAT.

AND SO IT IS SOMETHING THAT IS REAL, BUT I THINK YOU'RE PROVIDING A VERY VALUABLE SERVICE TO US.

I HEAR MR. AMES CONCERN.

I'M LESS CONCERNED ABOUT A PRECEDENT.

I AM INTERESTED, THOUGH, IN DO YOU HAVE A USE THAT YOU'RE INTENDING TO APPLY THIS $50,000 TO? WE DO.

IN TERMS OF FAMILIES THAT ARE COMING TO US, MANY OF THEM ARE ON SCHOLARSHIPS CURRENTLY.

UM, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE SEE IS AN UPTICK IN ALL OF THEIR FINANCIAL BURDEN WITH THIS DISEASE.

IT'S A FATAL DISEASE, AND IT TAKES, UNFORTUNATELY, THE TOLL OVER MANY, MANY YEARS.

THAT BEING SAID, MEMORY MATTERS IS FILLING THAT GAP AGAIN BETWEEN THE DOCTORS AND THE HOSPITAL SYSTEMS AND THE FAMILIES HAVING NO SERVICES AT ALL.

SO EVERY TIME YOU'VE LEFT YOUR DOCTOR'S OFFICE AND YOU SAY TO YOURSELF, YOU KNOW, I WISH I HAD ASKED THAT ONE QUESTION, OR, GEEZ, IF I GO HOME, I'M GONNA HAVE THAT MOMENT WHERE I NEED THIS, AND NOW I'VE GOTTA CALL BACK.

WELL, HERE COMES MEMORY MATTERS.

WE'RE GONNA STEP IN.

AND FOR ALL THOSE TIMES, YOUR WIFE HASN'T BEEN ABLE TO GET DRESSED THE RIGHT WAY OR BATHE THE RIGHT WAY.

OR FOR HOW MANY TIMES DO WE SEND OUT FIRST RESPONDERS FOR SOMEBODY WHO'S WANDERING ON THIS ISLAND? WE'RE STEPPING IN SOONER.

WE'RE PROVIDING FREE MEMORY SCREENINGS FOR INDIVIDUALS.

JOY TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT, LIKE YOUR EYE EXAMS SO THAT PEOPLE CAN RECOGNIZE THAT EARLY MEMORY LOSS AND BEGIN TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

SO IF WE'RE SEEING AN UPTICK OF OVER A THOUSAND PEOPLE IN ONE YEAR, WHAT ARE WE GONNA SEE THIS YEAR? HOW MANY MORE RETIREES ARE MOVING TO THIS ISLAND? WE KNOW THAT THIS IS HAPPENING, THE BRIDGE PROJECT, WHILE IT'S GONNA GO ON, AND WE'RE SITTING RIGHT KIND OF AT THE CUSP OF THAT.

AND I RECOGNIZE AND APPLAUD ANY EFFORT FOR LAND OR ANYTHING WE CAN DO WITH MEMORY MATTERS.

WE STILL NEED TO SERVICE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ON THIS ISLAND ON A REGULAR DAILY BASIS, WHETHER THEY NEED A DAY PROGRAM OR THEY NEED EDUCATION, OR THEY NEED HELP WITH THAT INDIVIDUAL, AND NOT BEING ABLE TO GET BACK OR CALL BACK THAT INDIVIDUAL DOCTOR OR HEALTH SYSTEM.

AND REACHING SOMEBODY WHO CAN PUT RESOURCES IN YOUR HAND IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO THE FAMILIES ON THIS ISLAND.

THAT'S WHY THEY RECOGNIZED IT 26 YEARS AGO AND STARTED THIS ORGANIZATION.

THE OTHER PART OF THIS IS THAT WE'RE LOCAL.

SO YOU'RE NOT HAVING TO CALL A ONE 800 NUMBER AND SIT ON HOLD FOR THREE DAYS FOR AN ANSWER.

WE'RE AVAILABLE NOW.

THERE ARE ONLY 12 OF US.

WE'VE EXTENDED OUR REACH INTO THE COMMUNITY WITH VOLUNTEERS.

WE HAVE OVER 50 OF THEM CURRENTLY HELPING SO THAT EVERY SINGLE DAY FAMILIES AREN'T WAITING FOR SOME SORT OF SERVICE.

SO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS THAT THE $50,000 WILL GO JUST GENERALLY TO THE SERVICES BEING PROVIDED BY MEMORY MATTERS.

IT'LL GIVE THE FAMILIES THE ABILITY TO HAVE THAT FOR FREE.

LET STACY GO AHEAD.

SHE'S TAPPING ME.

UM, TO ANSWER BOTH OF YOUR, YOUR QUESTIONS, I THINK, UM, IT WILL, UH, GO TO FEE ASSISTANCE TO HELP FAMILIES WHO CAN'T AFFORD ANY OF OUR FEE-BASED PROGRAMS INCLUDES OUR ELDERLY MEMORY LOSS CLASS, SOME OF OUR EDUCATION CLASSES LIKE SAVVY BRAIN BOOSTERS, UM, BUT OUR ADULT DAY PROGRAM AND THOSE FAMILIES SPECIFICALLY, WHEN EVERYBODY SIGNS UP, WE'RE GATHERING THAT DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SO WE KNOW WHICH FAMILIES ARE ON HILTON HEAD AND BASED ON THE ISLAND VERSUS BASED, YOU KNOW, IN THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY.

SO I THINK IN THE FUTURE, IF THIS, UH, GRANT GOES THROUGH, YOU SHOULD BE PREPARED TO GIVE A REPORT ABOUT HOW THE MONEY ALLOCATED BY THE TOWN WAS SPENT IN PROVIDING YOUR SERVICES.

UH, SO I THINK THAT THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

UM, SO

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I'M INCLINED TO SUPPORT YOUR GRANT BECAUSE OF THE SERVICES THAT YOU PROVIDE, BUT UNDERLYING THAT IS YOUR COMMITMENT, AS YOU SAY, TO REMAIN ON THE ISLAND.

UM, AND SO WE'RE RELYING ON YOUR WORD ABOUT THAT IF THIS GOES THROUGH.

I'M GONNA RESERVE MY QUESTIONS UNTIL AFTER WE TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT.

SO YOU GUYS DON'T GO TOO FAR.

, HAVE A SEAT.

PLEASE MAKE YOURSELF COMFORTABLE, BUT NOT TOO COMFORTABLE.

UH, ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM? YES, PLEASE.

ANGIE HUTCHINS SHIPYARD.

UM, MR. AMES, I COMMEND YOU FOR TENDERLY AND CLEARLY EXPRESSING, UH, WHAT I BELIEVE TO BE A VERY STRONG SENTIMENT THAT ONCE YOU GO DOWN THIS PATH OF OPENING MEDICAL CARE IN ONE SHAPE, FORM, OR FASHION, WHERE DO YOU STOP? UM, I THINK IT'S A VERY HARD ISSUE.

I WAS A NURSE.

I WORKED AT, UH, IN HOME HEALTH AS WELL AS, UM, A NURSING FACILITY, NURSING CARE FACILITY THAT, THAT HAD A LONG LOT OF ALZHEIMER'S PATIENT, UM, I UNDERSTAND, LOST BOTH PARENTS.

I UNDERSTAND IT'S HARD AND IT THEN THE FUNDS ARE NOT THERE.

BUT I THINK IT HIGHLIGHTS THIS SPECIFIC ISSUE.

AND THEIR WONDERFUL PRESENTATION HIGHLIGHTS OUR FAILING HEALTHCARE SYSTEM AS A WHOLE.

AND WHEN WE KEEP PUTTING BAND-AIDS AND SUPPORTING ISSUES, WE'RE NOT ATTACKING THE ROOTS.

HILTON HEAD ATTRACTS ALSO A NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT WANT HEALTHIER ACTIVE LIFE.

WE HAVE A SENIOR CENTER.

I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A WAY TO GO ABOUT HAVING SPACE AT THE SENIOR CENTER.

I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT HERE IN THIS SPECIFIC, I THINK THERE'S OTHER WAYS TO LOOK AT SOLVING PROBLEMS HERE THAT LI THAT LIBERATE PEOPLE TO FIND THEIR OWN CHOICES INSTEAD OF BECOMING MORE AND MORE OF, UM, OUR GOVERNMENT, OUR LIMITED TOWN GOVERNMENT BEING A, UH, SERVICE FOR PEOPLE.

BECAUSE WHERE DO YOU STOP? AND IT'S NOT THAT IT'S NOT CARING, AND THAT'S WHY I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS, MR. AMES, THAT IT, WE DO CARE ABOUT THESE PEOPLE.

I HAVE VOLUNTEERED AND, AND THERE'S A NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN PRIVATE SUPPORT OF THIS AND THAT.

AND THAT'S A BEAUTIFUL THING ABOUT OUR DAY AND AGE OF, UM, BEING ABLE TO SUPPORT THINGS SO EASILY WITH, UM, THE GIVING SITES, CARING BRIDGE AND WHATNOT.

NOT, SORRY, THAT'S INDIVIDUALS, BUT BEING ABLE TO SUPPORT THE THINGS THAT WE'RE EACH PASSIONATE ABOUT.

BUT WE DO ATTRACT A NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ARE LOOKING FOR A HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE.

IF WE CAN ENCOURAGE IN GENERAL RESTAURANTS TO OFFER HEALTHIER OPTIONS, LOOKING AT THE ROOT CAUSES, I MEAN, I KNOW THERE'S AN INCREASING NUMBER OF DOCTORS REFERRING TO ALZHEIMER'S SPECIFICALLY AS DIABETES TYPE THREE BECAUSE OF THE ROLE OF HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP AND OTHERS HORRIBLE THINGS THAT ARE IN OUR FOODS.

AS WELL AS, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS GOES BACK TO SOME OTHER THINGS.

THE GETTING RID OF ROUNDUP ON THE ISLAND, MAKING HILTON HEAD ECOTOURIST FRIENDLY, HEALTHY, ALL THOSE THINGS.

IT, IT'S HARD FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THE THROES OF THIS.

AND I RECOGNIZE THAT FULLY.

BUT THERE'S OTHER WAYS OF INITIATING SO THAT WE'RE NOT JUST SNOWBALLING THIS EFFECT ON DOWN THE ROAD AND INCREASING IT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THERE AND WE'RE TEACHING ABOUT BRAIN HEALTH AND HOW TO EAT HEALTHY AND STAY HEALTHY.

ANYONE ELSE? YOU SEE NOTHING? WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE DAIS.

UM, I'VE, I'VE GOT JUST A, A FEW QUESTIONS FOR YOU ALL.

YEAH, PLEASE.

YEAH.

SO I'M GOING TO ASK JEFF AND JOSH TO HELP US OUT HERE IN JUST A MOMENT.

UM, THANK YOU ALL FOR THE PRESENTATION.

FIRST OF ALL, UM, YOU MENTIONED THAT, UM, THE, I GUESS THE SPLIT OF THE FOLKS THAT YOU ARE CARING FOR IS SORT OF 50 50 BETWEEN HERE AND HILTON HEAD, AND THEN A ABOUT A THOUSAND MEMBER INCREASE OVER THE LAST, I GUESS, THREE YEARS, YOU MAY HAVE SAID.

UM, HOW MUCH OF THAT INCREASE SPLIT BETWEEN HILTON HEAD AND BLUFFTON? DO WE HAVE ANY IDEA? LOWER NUMBER OF PEOPLE COMING FROM THE BLUFFTON AREA? I'D SAY ABOUT 35% OF THAT INCREASE.

AND TO JUST ADDRESS IT KIND OF IN COMBINATION WITH THE COMMENTS THAT WERE JUST MADE, WE TEACH A BRAIN HEALTH, UM, COMPONENT TO MEMORY MATTERS.

WE TEACH A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE.

WE TEACH ABOUT A MEDITERRANEAN DIET, AND WE'RE TRYING TO GET ON THE FOREFRONT OF THIS DISEASE.

THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT SPECIFICALLY CAUSES ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE, BUT WE'RE GOING INTO EVERY COMMUNITY FROM SEA PINES, UM, TO PALMETTO DUNES, SHIPYARD, YOU NAME THE COMMUNITY.

WE'RE

[00:15:01]

SO IT IS ONE OF THE THINGS, ONE OF THE COMPONENTS OF MEMORY MATTERS.

AND, UM, ONE OF YOUR SLIDES SHOWED A LISTING OF YOUR PARTNERSHIPS AND HILTON HEAD HOSPITAL WAS ONE THAT WAS LISTED.

CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THAT RELATIONSHIP LOOKS LIKE? SURE.

WE'RE ALWAYS WORKING WITH, UM, PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIANS WITH HOSPITAL SYSTEMS TO MAKE THOSE REFERRALS TO MEMORY MATTERS.

AGAIN, IT'S WHERE THAT, THAT DOCTOR'S OFFICE, THAT HOSPITAL SYSTEM LEAVES OFF.

I'VE GONE IN, I'VE SPENT TIME.

I MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH, UM, A FORM OF DEMENTIA.

TYPICALLY, YOUR PRIMARY CARE ISN'T GONNA DO THAT.

THEY'RE GONNA REFER YOU TO A NEUROLOGIST.

I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF YOU ON THIS ISLAND HAVE EVER SEEN A NEUROLOGIST.

IT TAKES YOU ABOUT A YEAR TO GET IN.

SO WHILE YOU'RE EXPERIENCING SOME SORT OF, UM, DECLINE IN YOUR MEMORY, YOU ARE WORRIED AND YOU ARE TRYING TO GET IN TO SEE A NEUROLOGIST FOR SOME SORT OF DIAGNOSIS.

THAT DIAGNOSIS ISN'T GONNA COME THE FIRST TIME YOU'RE IN THAT OFFICE.

THAT DIAGNOSIS COULD THEN TAKE UP TO ANOTHER YEAR.

NOW YOU'RE TWO YEARS OUT AND I KNOW YOU'RE READING ABOUT ALL THESE DRUGS IN THE NEWS AND YOU'RE GETTING EXCITED.

MAYBE THERE'S SOME SOMETHING THEY CAN DO FOR ME.

NOT NECESSARILY.

YOU HAVE TO QUALIFY FOR ALL OF THAT, ALL OF THAT MEDICATION.

WHAT THAT MEDICATION IS GONNA DO IS IT'S NOT GONNA SOLVE FOR IT.

YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE THE PERSON THAT MAYBE YOU ONCE WERE.

IT MAY JUST HELP YOU STAY IN PLACE WITH YOUR MEMORY.

BUT THE EARLIER YOU'RE DIAGNOSED AND THE EARLIER THAT YOU ARE ACTUALLY IN THIS SYSTEM, THE MORE THAT WE CAN DO FOR YOU.

I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY PEOPLE WE WISH WE WERE IN FRONT OF.

NOW THAT MAY BE EXPERIENCING SOME DECLINE.

YOU SAW SOME OF THOSE NUMBERS.

WE'VE GOT FOLDERS FOR YOU THAT SHOULD BE COMING TO MEMORY MATTERS SO THAT WE CAN BEGIN TO HELP THEM ON THIS JOURNEY.

THE SOONER THEY BEGIN, THE MORE WE CAN DO.

EVERY SINGLE TIME YOU HAVE A FIRST RESPONDER THAT'S COMING TO SOMETHING AND SOMEBODY WITH DEMENTIA MAY BE IN THE HOME OR IN THE COMMUNITY, YOU ARE GONNA SEE THAT REPEAT WITH THAT HOSPITAL.

THEY MAY SHOW UP BACK IN THAT EMERGENCY ROOM AND THEY MAY GO UNDIAGNOSED AND GET KICKED BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY.

SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH HILTON HEAD HOSPITAL TO START TRY TO STOP SOME OF THAT.

THOSE COSTS GO UP.

THERE'S A LOT THAT WE CAN DO THERE TO STOP THOSE READMITS AND BEGIN TO PUT FAMILIES IN PROGRAMS WHERE WE CAN HELP THEM.

SPECIFICALLY WITH HILTON HEAD HOSPITAL.

TWO WEEKS AGO, WE SAT DOWN FOR ABOUT AN HOUR WITH THE CEO TO TRY AND BRAINSTORM ON WAYS THAT WE CAN PROVE THAT PARTNERSHIP, FOSTER OTHER WAYS TO, UH, PIGGYBACK ON EACH OTHER'S SERVICES PLEDGED AT THE END OF THAT MEETING TO MEET A MONTH FOLLOWING THAT.

SO IT'S AN ONGOING PARTNERSHIP, UH, THAT WE HOPE FLOURISHES.

UH, CERTAINLY WE HAD SUPPORTIVE COMMENTARY FROM THE CEO.

I'M, I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT.

UM, I'M GOING TO ASK STAFF TO GIVE US A LITTLE HELP HERE.

UM, I'LL START WITH YOU, MR. HERMAN.

IF, IF, UH, THE STAFF HAVE ANY PRESENTATION OR RECOMMENDATION AS FAR AS THIS APPLICATION REQUEST THAT'S CONCERNED, GUESS WHAT WE WANNA DO IS JUST GO OVER AGAIN THE, UM, THERE THERE IS CRITERIA FOR AFFILIATED AGENCY.

SO I COULD, WOULD LIKE TO BRING THAT.

WORKING ON THE FY 25 BUDGET.

BRING THAT UP AGAIN, JUST AS A AS TO GO OVER IT AGAIN.

AFFILIATED AGENCY IS DEFINED AS AN INTEGRAL PARTNER CONTRACTED BY THE TOWN TO DELIVER SERVICES THAT BENEFIT THE PUBLIC ON THE TOWN'S BEHALF.

AND THERE IS, THE FUNDING REVIEW PROCESS IS CONDUCTED AND IS GUIDED BY THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA TO ASSESS THE PUBLIC PURPOSE SERVED BY EACH PROJECT.

SO IT HAS A CLEAR PUBLIC GOAL OR BENEFIT, PRIMARY BENEFICIARY SPECULATION LEVEL AND PROBABILITY OF, OF PUBLIC INTEREST.

SO THOSE ARE THE FOUR.

LIKE I SAY, THOSE ARE THE FOUR CRITERIA.

AGAIN, JUST AS A REFERENCE, THIS IS THE, THE RECOMMENDATION OR THE APPLICANT REQUEST TOTALED 2,375,000 AT THE LAST F AND A MEETING, THE RECOMMENDATION WAS 2,000,100 AND AND 50 UH THOUSAND.

UH, AGAIN, THESE, THESE ARE GENERAL FUND REVENUES.

SO AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE, IF, IF THERE IS, UH, A RECOMMENDATION ON THIS, THERE, THERE WE'RE

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SO IF THERE IS A RECOMMENDATION ON THIS, THEN WE WOULD NEED TO MAKE SOME OTHER ADJUSTMENTS AS FAR AS FUNDING SOURCES IN THE UM, FY 25 BUDGET.

ANY QUESTIONS FOR JEFF? I ASSUME THERE'S NO RECOMMENDATION FROM STAFF.

UM, DON'T CALL ON MR. GRUBER .

SO TO START ME LOOKING AT YOU, HUH? ? YEAH, NO CHANCE.

UM, WE'VE HEARD FROM THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS, UH, A COUPLE OF CONCERNS.

UM, I WAS HOPING THAT YOU COULD, UH, HELP US OUT WITH ONE IS, UM, IF A GRANT WAS TO BE AWARDED THE ASSURANCE THAT THAT FUNDING WOULD APPLY TO HILTON HEAD RESIDENTS, IS THERE A WAY TO DEAL WITH THAT? SURE.

WE WOULD SPECIFY THE RESTRICTION ON THE USE OF FUNDS IN TERMS OF HOW THEY COULD BE APPLIED, AND THEN WHAT DOCUMENTATION WE WOULD REQUIRE TO SHOW AND DEMONSTRATE THAT THEY'VE BEEN APPLIED WITHIN THAT MANNER.

UM, JUST PROVIDING THE FUNDING ITSELF DOESN'T NECESSARILY GET US THERE.

OBVIOUSLY WE CAN HAVE A COMMUNICATION AND UNDERSTANDING, BUT STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE THAT IF THE REQUEST DOES GO FORWARD, AND IF IT DOES RECEIVE SUPPORT FROM COUNSEL THAT PRIOR TO THE DISTRIBUTION OF ANY FUNDS, WE WORK TO GET A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING IN PLACE TO OUTLINE HOW THOSE FUNDS WOULD BE RESTRICTED.

WITHOUT FURTHER INFORMATION.

AND THE, THE SECOND CONCERN THAT I'M HEARING UP HERE IS, UM, BEING THAT THEY ARE SERVING, UH, SORT OF A 50 50 SPLIT WITH HILTON HEAD AND BLUFFTON HAVE ALREADY MADE, UH, ARRANGEMENTS AND I GUESS COMMITMENTS WITH OFFICE SPACE IN BLUFFTON.

AND, UM, WE HAVE SEEN A LOT OF OUR BUSINESSES AND SERVICES SORT OF EXIT TO BLUFFTON AS WELL.

AND AGAIN, I APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION THAT THEY'VE HAD WITH HINEY HOSPITAL.

UH, BUT AS FAR AS, UH, PARTICIPATING WITH SOME POTENTIAL SPACE, UM, HOW WOULD WE GO ABOUT THAT? UM, THAT'S, THAT'S DIFFICULT FOR ME TO ANSWER 'CAUSE IT'S STILL SOMEWHAT SPECULATIVE AT THIS POINT.

I, I CAN TELL YOU, YOU KNOW, FROM A POLICY STANDPOINT, ULTIMATELY COUNSEL CAN SAY THAT IF THEY IDENTIFY A PUBLIC BENEFIT THAT IS GENERATED FROM THAT ACTION OF IDENTIFYING A SPACE OR SOME OTHER KIND OF LOCATION, ULTIMATELY THERE'S PROBABLY THE ABILITY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.

OBVIOUSLY, IF IT'S LOCATED ON HILTON HEAD, THAT'S, THAT'S NO QUESTION.

IT'S THERE.

IF IT'S WITHIN THE REGION, I THINK YOU STILL GET TO THE DISCUSSION OF THERE'S THE ABILITY TO SERVE RESIDENTS IN EITHER LOCATION JUST BECOMES A LITTLE BIT MORE SPECULATIVE IN TERMS OF THAT ANALYSIS.

UM, I I WAS SORT OF THINKING THAT YOU MAY NOT HAVE THE EXACT ANSWER.

I WAS POINTING WITH THAT QUESTION FOR MORE DISCUSSION AMONGST THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS.

I THINK IT MAY ALSO BE AN OPPORTUNE MOMENT, UM, WITH HAVING THE TOWN ATTORNEY HERE.

I KNOW MR. HARRIMAN BROUGHT UP THE, THE DISCUSSION OF THE FOUR ELEMENTS.

THOSE WERE INCLUDED IN THE AFFILIATED AGENCY PROGRAM BASED UPON A SOUTH CAROLINA SUPREME COURT CASE THAT REALLY PROVIDES GUIDANCE ON HOW GOVERNMENTAL BODIES CAN GO ABOUT IDENTIFYING THE PUBLIC PURPOSE, UH, ELEMENT OF A PROPOSED EXPENDITURE.

AND SO JUST FOR THE, FOR THE PUBLIC'S BENEFIT AND FOR THE COMMITTEE'S BENEFIT, IT MAY BE AN OPPORTUNE TIME TO ASK THAT HE PROVIDE SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN WHAT'S JUST LISTED IN THE STAFF MEMO.

LOOKS LIKE HE'S ON HIS WAY.

MR. COLTRANE, THANK YOU JOSH.

CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.

I'M CURTIS COLTRANE, AND I'M GLAD JOSH DID THIS BECAUSE THIS ACTUALLY, UM, IS IS PART OF SOMETHING I'VE VERY RECENTLY BEEN ASKED TO DO FOR COUNCIL AND WHERE I WOULD LIKE TO GO.

IF YOU COULD GO BACK TO THE KIM, YOU COULD GO BACK TO THE SLIDE JEFF HAD UP THAT HAD THE FOUR THINGS.

THERE YOU GO.

SO I'M NOT HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR OR AGAINST ANYTHING, BUT THE FOUR POINTS THAT ARE SHOWN ON THE SLIDE THAT YOU HAVE BEFORE, YOU ARE DRAWN FROM SOUTH CAROLINA CASE LAW WHERE EXPENDITURES OF PUBLIC FUNDS HAVE BEEN CHALLENGED AS BEING UNCONSTITUTIONAL, UH, DEDICATIONS OF PUBLIC FUNDING TO PRIVATE ENTERPRISES.

AND THERE IS A SOUTH CAROLINA CONSTITUTIONAL TERM THAT, THAT PROHIBITS THAT.

BUT WHAT THE

[00:25:01]

SUPREME COURT OF THIS STATE HAS SAID IS THAT THE DETERMINATION OF WHETHER THERE IS A PUBLIC PURPOSE IS ONE THAT INITIALLY SITS WITH THE LEGISLATIVE BODY MAKING IT, IN THIS CASE, THAT WILL BE THE TOWN COUNCIL WHEN IT CONSIDERS ITS BUDGET THAT ENCOMPASSES ALL OF THESE THINGS IN ORDER TO MAKE THE DETERMINATION ON WHETHER OR NOT THERE IS A PUBLIC PURPOSE TO THE EXPENDITURE.

THE FOUR POINTS THAT ARE, THAT ARE SET OUT ON THE SLIDE IN FRONT OF YOU ARE THE METHODOLOGY THAT THE LEGISLATIVE BODY GOES THROUGH IN ORDER TO MAKE THAT.

SO ON 0.1, YOU HAVE TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THE EXPENDITURE WILL RESULT IN A DISTINCT GOAL OR BENEFIT TO THE PUBLIC.

AND THIS IS A AND, AND, AND, AND YOU'LL, YOU'LL, YOU'LL SEE THIS IN SOME MATERIAL COMING FROM ME, BUT, BUT, BUT THIS IS DEFINED BY OUR SUPREME COURT AS A, AS, AS A FLUID CONCEPT THAT CHANGES WITH THE TIME AND NEEDS OF SOCIETY.

SO, YOU KNOW, YOU JUST HAVE TO, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT YOU LOOK AT A PARTICULAR EXPENDITURE AND DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THERE IS INDEED A BENEFIT TO THE PUBLIC.

NUMBER TWO, UH, YOU'D HAVE TO DETERMINE WHETHER THERE IS A PUBLIC OR PRIVATE ENTITY THAT IS THE PRIMARY BENEFICIARY.

THIS HAS TYPICALLY COME UP IN CHALLENGES TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STATUTES.

AND SO IN, SO I WASN'T GONNA ADVOCATE, AND I'M NOT, BUT IN, IN, IN THE, IN THE SENSE OF MEMORY MATTERS HERE, THE, THE, THERE'S, THERE'S NO, YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THING.

THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE A, A, A, AN ENTITY THAT COMES IN AND, AND UTILIZES THE FUNDS TO CREATE A BUSINESS, IF YOU WILL.

UM, SO YOUR QUESTION HERE WOULD BE TO ANALYZE WHETHER OR NOT THE BENEFITS PROVIDED TO THE, UM, PARTICIPANTS OF THE PROGRAMS THAT MEMORY MATTERS PROVIDES ACTUALLY INURED TO THE BENEFIT OF, OF THE PUBLIC.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S CERTAINLY BASIS UPON WHICH ONE COULD FIND THAT.

AND, AND TO THE FLIP SIDE AS WELL.

THE SECOND IS WHETHER OR NOT THE PROJECT IS SPECULATIVE.

UH, AGAIN, THIS KIND OF COMES FROM THE, THE, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SORT OF CASE.

I MEAN, HERE, UH, YOU KNOW, I I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S ANY BASIS TO FIND THAT, THAT THERE'S ANY, ANY, ANY SPECULATION AT ALL.

I MEAN, EVERYONE KNOWS WHAT THE ENTITY DOES.

THEY KNOW WHAT, HOW IT WORKS.

IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT'S A PARTICULARLY RELEVANT CONSIDERATION FOR COUNCIL IN THIS ONE.

AND THEN THE, THE FINAL ONE IS, IS THE EVALUATION OF THE OVERALL PROBABILITY THAT THE PUBLIC INTEREST IS SERVED BY THE EXPENDITURE.

AND AGAIN, WHERE THAT LEAVES COUNCIL IS, YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THE, AT THE PARTICULAR PROJECT THAT IS UNDER CONSIDERATION AND DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT IT, IT ULTIMATELY SERVES A BROADER PUBLIC INTEREST.

AND THERE ARE MANY WAYS THAT YOU CAN DEFINE THAT.

UM, FOR EXAMPLE, IN THIS CASE, THE, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, BROADER PROVISION OF MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES TO, TO THE PUBLIC, THAT THAT'S ONE WAY ONE COULD LOOK AT IT.

UM, BUT AGAIN, WHAT COUNSEL HAS TO DO AS IT MOVES THROUGH THIS IS TO EXAMINE THE FOUR POINTS THAT ARE SHOWN HERE.

THAT IS THE METHODOLOGY TO MAKE YOUR DETERMINATION OF WHETHER OR NOT A PARTICULAR EXPENDITURE, NOT THIS ONE OR ANYONE IN PARTICULAR, BUT A PUBLIC EXPENDITURE, UM, HOW IT, HOW IT SHAKES OUT WHEN ANALYZED IN THE CONTEXT OF THESE FOUR POINTS.

QUESTIONS FOR MR. COLTRANE, MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE? WE GOOD? THANK YOU, HARRIS.

THANK YOU, SIR.

WE WILL BRING THE DISCUSSION BACK TO THE DIOCESE.

I BELIEVE THERE IS A CLEAR PUBLIC GOAL AND BENEFIT, UH, TO THIS GRANT, UH, PRIMARILY OR SUBSTANTIALLY BASED UPON THE FACT THAT THE FUNDS WILL BE USED TO PROVIDE SCHOLARSHIPS, FREE SERVICES, UH, FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE AFFECTED, UH, BY THESE, UH, CONDITIONS.

UM, AND THAT, UH, THE OTHER PROVISIONS OF OUR DEFINITION OF AFFILIATED AGENCIES ARE MET.

UH, AND I DO WANT AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME TO INCLUDE, UH, AN MOU BETWEEN THE TOWN DEALING WITH HOW THOSE FUNDS WILL BE ALLOCATED SPENT AND REPORTED.

PUBLIC HEALTH HAS ALWAYS BEEN A MATTER THAT IS GENERALLY CONSIDERED TO BE A PUBLIC PURPOSE.

I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER PUBLIC PURPOSE EXISTS HERE.

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UM, MIKE, IF I HAVE ANY CONCERNS ABOUT THIS, IT'S NOT IN THE ARENA PUBLIC PURPOSE.

IT'S NOT IN THE ARENA OF DOES THIS INSTITUTION DO A GOOD JOB OR IS THE INSTITUTION NEEDED? MY CONCERN IS HOW DO WE DIFFERENTIATE THE TOWN FROM THE LOW COUNTRY FOUNDATION? UM, WE WE'RE, WE'RE NOT DIRECTLY A, A GRANT GIVING CHARITY.

UH, AND THAT'S THE ASPECT THAT, THAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT.

UH, AND IF I DON'T WANT US TO BE IN THIS SITUATION WHERE WE END UP, THAT, THAT IN EFFECT THE GRANT HERE IS, UH, THE ALEX BROWN COMMUNITY CHARITABLE FUND, , THAT'S THE ITEMS THAT THAT MATTER.

THAT CONCERNS ME.

HOPEFULLY THOSE ARE QUALIFIED CONVERSATIONS.

GO AHEAD MR. AMES.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.

I THINK THAT THERE ARE THREE, THREE ITEMS THAT I WANT TO TOUCH ON.

UM, IS THIS AN INTEGRAL PARTNER OF THE TOWN? THERE'S A DEFINITION OF AFFILIATED AGENCY, WHICH WE HAVE UTILIZED OVER A PERIOD OF A NUMBER OF YEARS.

THERE'S PRECEDENT IN WHO WE THINK FALLS UNDER THE CATEGORY RUBIC OF AN INTEGRAL PARTNER.

RE CENTER IS ONE SHORE BEACH SERVICES, ANOTHER USCB, UM, AND SO ON.

UM, I THINK THAT WE SHOULD BE VERY CAREFUL THAT WE ARE CONSISTENT IN OUR DEFINITION OF WHAT AN INTEGRAL PARTNER IS.

UH, SECONDLY, I MENTIONED ALREADY THE ALMOST BOTTOMLESS WELL, UH, OF TRYING TO DIFFERENTIATE THE VALUE OF ONE NONPROFIT TO ANOTHER.

IS, UH, VIM MORE IMPORTANT THAN SANDALWOOD? MORE IMPORTANT THAN DEEP? WELL, MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE CHILDREN'S CENTER.

I CAN IMAGINE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM COMING UP HERE AND STANDING IN FRONT OF ME AND, AND MAKING ME FEEL AS THOUGH THEY ARE ABSOLUTELY DESERVING OF, UH, A GRANT.

WE DON'T HAVE AN EXHAUSTIBLE FUNDS TO BECOME THE CHARITABLE GIVER OF THIS TOWN.

WE CAN SUPPORT THEM IN OTHER WAYS.

AND THAT GETS TO THE THIRD POINT.

I WOULD BE AN ENTHUSIASTIC SUPPORTER OF HELPING THE ME MEMORY MATTERS, FIND PROPERTIES TO STAY ON THIS ISLAND, BECAUSE I THINK MEMORY MATTERS IS IMPORTANT TO THIS ISLAND COMMUNITY.

SO I THINK THAT OUR STRENGTH AND OUR SUPPORT IS IN A LEADERSHIP COMMITMENT TO MAKING MEMORY MATTERS WHOLE ON THIS ISLAND FROM THE STANDPOINT OF A FACILITY.

UM, IF IT'S BEFORE THERE'S A MOTION HERE, I'M JUST GONNA THROW SOMETHING AT THE COMMITTEE.

THERE'S PLEASURE.

UM, THINK WE STILL HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT, UM, JUST SORT OF TIGHTEN UP IF WE WERE TO GRANT, UH, SOME TYPE OF MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING.

WE ALSO HAVE IN PLAY HERE, MEMORY MATTERS IS HAVING, UM, CONVERSATIONS WITH HILTON HEAD HOSPITAL.

AND THEN WE ALL, AT LEAST AT THIS COMMITTEE LEVEL, AGREE THAT, UM, THIS IS A SERVICE THAT WE DO NOT WANT TO SEE LEAVE HILTON HEAD.

UM, WOULD IT BE APPROPRIATE FOR US TO ASK STAFF TO START TO WORK ON SOME TYPE OF MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING, UNDERSTANDING, AND THAT, THAT WE ARE LOOKING TO KEEP MEMORY MATTERS ON HILTON HEAD, PARTICULARLY WITH THE 2 78 EXPANSION SORT OF COMING THROUGH AS WELL? I THINK THIS IS A VERY RELEVANT CONVERSATION.

UM, A LOT, A LOT BIGGER THAN THE GRANT OBVIOUSLY, THAT THEY'RE ASKING US FOR.

I THINK THERE'S MORE WORK TO BE DONE HERE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE FIRM UP A PARTNERSHIP IF THAT'S THE DIRECTION WE WANT TO GO.

UH, SO I'M ASKING COMMITTEE IS IF WE WOULD MIND GIVING STAFF CITIZENS DIRECTION TO CONTINUE THIS CONVERSATION, IS I'M GOING, I THINK THAT'S AN EXCELLENT IDEA, UM, TO REFER IT BACK, UH, TO STAFF, TO BEGIN TO WORK ON AN MOU THAT SHOWS HOW THESE FUNDS WILL BE ALLOCATED TO WHERE THEY'RE, WE'RE ASSURED, UH, THAT THE PROVISIONS DEFINITION OF AFFILIATED AGENCY IS MET BY THIS GRANT.

SO I WOULD SUPPORT THAT IDEA TO, UH, REFER IT BACK FOR NEGOTIATION.

I THINK IF, IF WE WERE GOING TO GO IN

[00:35:01]

THAT DIRECTION, THEN I THINK THERE WOULD HAVE CONCOMITANT PART THAT'S SAYS THAT WE ARE ALSO ESTABLISHING, UM, THE SUPPORT AND PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MEMORY, WITH MEMORY MATTERS TO FIND A, A FACILITY ON THE ISLAND FOR THEIR BENEFIT.

UH, I I I'M NOT GOING TO BE SUPPORTING, UM, THE MOU, BUT I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM PASSING IT ON.

UH, BUT I THINK AS A PART OF THAT, UH, WE HAVE TO BE, UH, STATING OUR SUPPORT OF THEIR FINDING A PERMANENT LOCATION ONLINE.

THOUGHTS, MR. ALFORD? AGREED.

AGREED.

WE GOT OUR NOTES, MR. GRUBER .

COUPLE DIFFERENT THINGS GOING ON.

JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE BOIL DOWN ABSOLUTELY INTO ARTICULABLE MOTION.

THAT DOCUMENTS WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE GONNA BE DOING.

SO FIRST IS THE FUNDING APPLICATION THAT IS PENDING BEFORE THIS BODY, AND A DETERMINATION ON WHETHER OR NOT THE COMMITTEE IS GONNA RECOMMEND THAT FUNDING REQUEST UP TO TOWN COUNCIL FOR INCLUSION IN THE BUDGET.

AND IF SO, THEN THE ADOPTION OF AN MOU.

UH, NOT ALTERNATIVELY, BUT UM, SIMULTANEOUSLY THERE'S ALSO THE DISCUSSION OF ASSISTING THEM WITH IDENTIFYING A SITE ON THE ISLAND FOR RELOCATION.

SO IT ALMOST SOUNDS LIKE TWO SEPARATE ACTIONS THAT I THINK MAY NEED CLARIFICATION BASED UPON THE COMMENTS THAT HAVE COME FROM THE COMMITTEE.

THAT'S VALID.

I'M NOT SURE I'M HEARING THAT THE COMMITTEE IS READY TO TAKE ANY ACTION TODAY.

AND I UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE A BUDGETARY TIMELINE TO FIT WITHIN.

UM, WHAT I'M HEARING IS A LITTLE BIT MORE DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT THAT MOU LOOKS LIKE BEFORE WE WERE IN A POSITION TO SAY YES TO A GRANT.

AM I CORRECT IN THAT? I THINK YOU'RE CORRECT ON THAT, MR. CHAIRMAN, IF WE'VE GOT TIME, PRESSURE, 'CAUSE OF BUDGET, I SUPPOSE WE COULD MOVE THIS FORWARD TO COUNSEL WITHOUT A RECOMMENDATION PROVIDED THAT AN MOU THAT SATISFACTORY COUNSEL IS, IS, IS ADOPTED.

I'M NOT SURE OF THE TIMING ON THAT, JOSH.

SO AN MOU PROBABLY WE COULD HAVE TURNED AROUND IN ABOUT 30 DAYS FROM THE TIME THAT WE WOULD PUT IT TOGETHER.

AND THEN OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE TO SHARE IT, GET COMMENTS AND FEEDBACK FROM MEMORY MATTERS, UM, GIVE THEM AN ABILITY TO REVIEW IT AND ALSO PROPERLY PROVIDE IT TO THEIR LEGAL COUNSEL AS WELL.

UM, SO THERE IS SOME TIME INVOLVED IN THAT.

UM, DOESN'T NECESSARILY IMPACT US.

I MEAN, THE FY 25 FUNDING CYCLE IS GONNA BE COMING FORWARD FOR FIRST READING MAY 7TH, UH, AND THEN WE'LL DO SECOND AND FINAL READING IN JUNE.

AND SO THE LIKELIHOOD THAT WE WOULD HAVE AN M OF U DRAFTED THE TERMS OF WHICH EVERYBODY AGREES TO, THAT WE BRING BACK BEFORE THIS BODY, THAT THIS BODY CAN THEN REVIEW AND MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNSEL ON THAT COUNSEL THEN CAN ADOPT, PROBABLY WILL NOT LINE UP WITH OUR BUDGET CYCLE.

UM, AND SO AGAIN, IF THE COMMITTEE FEELS COMFORTABLE, YOU CAN MAKE A RECOMMENDATION THAT IT GOES ALONG CONTINGENT UPON THE ADOPTION OF AN MOU OR YOU CAN NOT INCLUDE IT IN THIS FUNDING CYCLE AND ENTERTAIN AND IN A MID, MID-CYCLE AMENDMENT, WHICH YOU'RE ALLOWED TO DO AT ANY POINT IN TIME IF COUNSELS SUPPORTIVE OF IT TO ULTIMATELY PROVIDE FUNDING AT THAT POINT.

SO THERE'S A COUPLE DIFFERENT WAYS THAT YOU CAN GO, BUT I THINK IT, IT'S UP TO THIS BODY WHICH WAY IT PREFERS.

GO AHEAD, MS. NOW, UM, I'M GOING TO WITHDRAW MY REQUEST FOR THE, UH, UH, SUPPORT OF THE, UH, FACILITY BECAUSE I DO BELIEVE YOU'RE CORRECT, IT'S A SEPARATE ISSUE.

AND IF COUNSEL WERE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH AN MOU, UH, I WOULD BE ABLE TO VOTE ON THAT.

UH, AND SO I, I THINK THE SINGLE MOTION IS FINE.

I, I DO THINK THAT IT BOILS DOWN TO LEADERSHIP ON THE PART OF TOWN COUNCIL TO SUPPORT, UH, MEMORY MATTERS.

IT WAS CLEAR THAT WHEN MAYOR PEOPLE'S, UH, SUPPORTED THE CHILDREN'S CENTER THAT HE WANTED THAT DONE.

AND I THINK COUNSEL HAS TO BE AS EMPHATIC IN THIS REGARD AS WELL.

I THINK IS WHAT WE REALLY THE CRUX OF IT.

SO THE, THE QUESTION THAT WE NEED TO ANSWER IS DO WE WANT TO SEND FORTH A MOTION APPROVAL OR NOT ON THE FUNDING WITH THE CAVEAT OF THE MMOU? YES, SIR.

EITHER BEING BEFORE OR AFTER BUDGET CYCLE,

[00:40:01]

CORRECT.

AND, AND IF THERE IS ANY SPECIFIC, UH, COMMENTS ABOUT THE TERMS WITHIN THE MOU AND SO, MR. STANFORD, I'VE RECEIVED YOURS ABOUT ENSURING THAT THE FUNDING IS LIMITED TO RESIDENTS OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND, BUT IF THERE'S ANYTHING SIMILAR TO THAT OR OTHER CONDITIONS THAT YOU WANNA SEE INVOLVED IN THAT, PLEASE MAKE THAT PART OF THE MOTION AS WELL SO THAT WE KNOW, UH, TO, UH, INCLUDE THAT.

BUT YES, THAT IS, I THINK WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT IS THE FUNDING REQUEST ITSELF AND THEN ANYTHING ATTACHED TO THAT FUNDING REQUEST.

THANK YOU MR. GRU.

OKAY, MR. CHAIRMAN, I WOULD MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THIS GRANT PROVIDED THAT A AN MOU IS NEGOTIATED, UH, WITH MEMORY MATTERS THAT ASSURES THAT THE FUNDS WILL BE APPLIED TO SERVICES TO RESIDENTS, UH, OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND, UM, AND RELATED SERVICES.

UM, MR. ANDREW, DO YOU WANT TO SPEAK AT ALL TO THE SECOND POINT OF, UH, ASSURING THE LOCATION REMOVAL SO THAT STAFF HAS THAT ON THE RECORD OR YOU WANNA TAKE THAT UP AT A DIFFERENT TIME? UM, JOSH, UM, I, I THINK IT'S REALLY AN ISSUE THAT THE MAYOR, UM, AS THE LEAD, UM, BUT I, I'M, I'M HAPPY AS ONE INDIVIDUAL ON THIS COMMITTEE TO SAY THIS IS SOMETHING THAT OUGHT TO BE BROUGHT UP WITH EMPHASIS.

SO WHERE DO YOU, WHERE DO YOU THINK WE OUGHT TO GO? SURE.

AND, AND IF THE COMMITTEE WANTS TO TAKE A FORMAL ACTION TO RECOMMEND SOMETHING TO COUNCIL, CERTAINLY YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THAT AND WE WOULD PASS THAT ALONG.

I WOULD SAY INFORMALLY, THERE'S CERTAINLY ABILITY TO TALK WITH A TOWN MANAGER.

UM, I KNOW THAT STAFF IS ALWAYS IN THE PROCESS OF LOOKING AT LAND ACQUISITIONS ON THE ISLAND.

ANCILLARY MATTERS RELATED TO THAT.

AND SO IT MAY NOT TAKE A FORMAL ACTION OF COUNSEL TO DO THAT.

IT MAY JUST TAKE COORDINATION WITH THE TOWN MANAGER.

UH, WHAT, WHAT, UM, IF I MAY, MR. CHAIR, WHAT'S THE PLEASURE OF OTHER MEMBERS OF THIS BODY? ANY THOUGHTS ON A FORMAL, INFORMAL MR. ALFORD? NOT YET.

MR. STANFORD? I'M NOT SURE I UNDERSTAND.

SO I THINK IF I COULD ADD SOME MORE DETAIL TO IT, WHAT THE COMMITTEE'S ESSENTIALLY ASKING FOR IS STAFF ASSISTANCE IN WORKING WITH MEMORY MATTERS TO IDENTIFY A SITE THAT WOULD ALLOW THEM TO RELOCATE FROM THEIR EXISTING FACILITY TO ANOTHER LOCATION ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND.

IF THAT IS THE CASE, THEN OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A LOT OF DETAILS THAT GO INTO THE WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, HOW MUCH, ALL OF THAT.

AND SO WITHOUT KNOWING THOSE DETAILS, IT'S HARD TO HAVE A CONCRETE DISCUSSION, WHICH IS WHY I'M SUGGESTING SOMETHING MORE OF AN INFORMAL DISCUSSION OF WE THINK IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA FOR STAFF TO LOOK AT DOING THIS.

AND THAT TO ME IS MORE OF A DISCUSSION WITH THE TOWN MANAGER THAN IT IS A FORMAL VOTE AND A RECOMMENDATION TO TOWN COUNCIL FOR FORMAL ACTION.

YEAH, I, I PERSONALLY, I LIKE THAT THE FRAMEWORK THAT, THAT YOU STATED MR. GOBER, FOR WHERE WE SHOULD GO NEXT.

WITH THAT MR. STEP, UM, YES, MY MOTION FAILED, SO I GUESS I AM, THANK YOU.

UM, SO I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE, UM, ALL OF US TO, UH, TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION WITH THE TOWN MANAGER AS TO WHAT WE DISCUSSED HERE TODAY.

I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.

UM, AND I WILL ACTUALLY DO THE SAME AND FOLLOW THAT UP WITH THE CONVERSATION WITH THE MAYOR AS WELL.

OKAY? OKAY.

TO OUR NEXT ITEM, WHICH IS THE REVIEW OF THE 2023 HEALTH NET ISLAND DMO INDUSTRY METRICS REPORT, ASSISTANT TOWN MANAGER, ANGIE STONE.

THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR TIME.

ALRIGHT, WE'LL BE MOVING ON

[6.b. Review of the 2023 Hilton Head Island Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) Industry Metrics Report - Angie Stone, Assistant Town Manager, Community Engagement]

WELCOME.

BEFORE YOU GET GOING, ANGIE, UM, I JUST ASK THAT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, ALTHOUGH WE, WE WE'VE SEEN, UM, SOME OF THE, UH, REPORTS HERE, IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ALONG THE WAY, PLEASE, UH, MISS ASK AS WE'RE GOING, UM, I'D SORT OF LIKE THIS TO BE MORE OF A CONVERSATION THAN A PRESENTATION.

THE BUDGET AND, UM, MARKETING PLAN FOR 24 25.

UH, SO, UM, WITH THAT BEING SAID, ANGIE, PLEASE, GOOD MORNING.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.

UH, ANGIE STONE FOR THE RECORD, ASSISTANT TOWN MANAGER, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.

UM, I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF BRINGING UP, UH, ARIANA PICE FROM THE, UH, CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, UM, VACATION CONVENTION BUREAU, UM, TO DISCUSS THE DMO, UM, ANNUAL METRICS AS WELL AS, UM, SHE WILL GO INTO HER PRESENTATION OF

[00:45:01]

ON A SEPARATE NOTE, I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW, MR. CHAIR, THAT WE ARE BACK UP AND RUNNING ON, UM, OUR BROADCAST WITH, UH, WITH AUDIO.

AND THAT HAPPENED ABOUT, UH, 10 30.

SO WE'VE BEEN UP SINCE THEN.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.

UH, ARI, GOOD MORNING.

GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIRMAN AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.

MY NAME IS ARIANA PERISE AND I'M WITH THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND BLUFFTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION AND TO PRESENT WHERE WE'VE BEEN AND WHERE WE'RE GOING.

UM, I ALSO HAVE OUR CONTROLLER RAY DEAL HERE WITH US, UM, AND OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR TEAM IN CASE THERE'S OTHER QUESTIONS, UM, ALONG THE WAY.

SO WE'LL START WITH OUR, UM, CONTRACT AND OUR METRICS, IF THAT'S OKAY WITH YOU.

I WRITE PILE TOGETHER, SO AGAIN, WE'RE GONNA BE REVIEWING WHAT IS IN THE CONTRACT.

SO THOSE ARE 13 METRICS.

OH, PERFECT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

UM, SO AGAIN, WITHIN OUR CONTRACT YOU'RE GONNA SEE THAT WE HAVE THE 13 METRICS, UM, HERE IN FRONT OF YOU.

I'M NOT GONNA READ THEM.

UM, I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE THOSE IN FRONT OF YOU AS WELL, BUT WE'LL GO THROUGH EACH ONE OF THEM TOGETHER, SO IT'LL BE A GREAT CONVERSATION.

I THINK AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, CHAT THROUGH EACH DETAIL.

SO RESIDENT AND VISITOR SATISFACTION SURVEYS.

SO THAT IS ONE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON TOGETHER IN PARTNERSHIP.

THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND, UM, THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND, BLUFFTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, AND OUR COMMUNITY AS WELL AS OUR VISITORS WHO COME TO THE ISLAND.

AND THE, UH, RESIDENT COMPONENT IS A NEWER COMPONENT THAT WE'VE ADDED IN.

UM, AND WE'VE SEEN GREAT, UM, GREAT INSIGHTS FROM THAT.

SO AS OF, UM, THIS PAST YEAR, AUGUST 28TH THROUGH SEPTEMBER 17TH, WE HAD OUR WAVE THREE OF THE SURVEY IN OUR COMMUNITY MARKET.

AND FROM THAT WE HAD 2,800 TOTAL RESPONDENTS.

AND AGAIN, THAT WAS BOTH WITHIN OUR COMMUNICATED COMMUNITIES AND OUTSIDE OF OUR GATED COMMUNITIES.

AND THIS IS NOT THE DEEP DIVE THAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU IN THE BOOKLET, BUT JUST THE TOP FIVE INSIGHTS JUST SO WE CAN START THE CONVERSATION.

UM, AGAIN, WE'RE USING OUR BASE WAVE NUMBER ONE AS OUR, UM, PIECE THAT WE'RE, YOU KNOW, MEASURING OFF OF.

AND THE NUMBER ONE INSIGHT IS THAT OUR IMPORTANCE OF TOURISM AS A COMMUNITY IS UP IN TERMS OF WAVE ONE.

SO WHAT THAT MEANS IN SHORT IS THAT THOSE IN OUR COMMUNITY ARE STARTING TO UNDERSTAND THE GREAT VALUE THAT TOURISM BRINGS IS OUR NUMBER ONE ECONOMY.

IT GIVES THEM THE WONDERFUL AMENITIES THAT THEY'RE SEEING AROUND THEM, UM, THAT THEY GET TO EXPERIENCE AND LIVE WITH EVERY SINGLE DAY.

UM, THE CHAMBER REMAINS A TOP REFERENCE SOURCE FOR RESIDENTS.

UM, WHEN THEY'RE SUGGESTING, UM, THINGS TO DO OR WHERE TO GO, THEY SAY, PLEASE VISIT THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, UM, TO THEIR VISITORS.

TRAFFIC CONTINUES TO BE A TOP CONCERN OF OUR COMMUNITY AND WE ARE ADDRESSING THAT IN PARTNERSHIP.

UM, BUT PRIDE IN OUR RESIDENTS, UM, IS ONE OF THEIR BIGGEST PIECES.

THEY HAVE SUCH PRIDE AS BEING A COMMUNITY MEMBER MEMBER, BUT THEY ARE STARTING TO SEE A SLIGHT CONCERN, UM, OR RAISE THEIR HAND AS A SLIGHT CONCERN REGARDING SAFETY.

NPS IS NET PROMOTER SCORE.

UM, AND FROM AS RESIDENTS FROM WAVE ONE, THEY CONSIDER THEMSELVES PASSIONATE ADVOCATES.

AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT 'CAUSE AS WE'RE FAMILIAR WITH NET PROMOTER SCORE, UH, THAT NINE AND 10, IF YOU'RE, IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT IT FROM A ONE THROUGH 10, THE NINE AND 10 ARE WHAT ARE MEASURED AND THE VERY LOW ONE TWOS AND THREES, THAT MIDDLE SECTION DOESN'T REALLY RATE ON NET PROMOTER SCORE.

SO WE KNOW FROM A PASSION POINT, UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, OUR RESIDENTS ARE FEELING VERY CONFIDENT.

SO THOSE ARE NINES AND TENS COMING THROUGH ON THAT.

YOUR HONOR, BEFORE YOU GO FORWARD ON THAT, UM, 2,830 RESPONDENTS IS A VERY GOOD RESPONSE, I WOULD SAY YES.

UM, AND SO THAT, THAT GIVES MERIT AND VALUE TO THE REPORT.

YOU'VE EXPLAINED BEFORE THE REASON FOR AUGUST THROUGH SEPTEMBER, THAT, THAT PERIOD, CAN YOU REFRESH ME ON WHY THAT SEPTEMBER PERIOD WAS CHOSEN? I'D BE HAPPY TO COUNCILMAN.

SO WE CHOSE, UM, THIS TIMEFRAME TO BE PURPOSELY IN THE THICK OF IT, RIGHT? WE KNOW THAT THOSE ARE PAIN POINT TIMEFRAMES FOR OUR COMMUNITY IN THE PAST, OR THEY HAVE RAISED THEIR HAND TO SAY, GOSH, WE'RE IN THE THICK OF IT.

WHAT IS THIS? YOU KNOW, AND WE WANNA HEAR WHAT THEY'RE SAYING RIGHT IN THE MOMENT AND NOT WHAT POTENTIALLY MISSED SOME OF THAT SENTIMENT THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE.

SO IT WAS PURPOSEFUL IN THE TIMEFRAME.

[00:50:03]

BUT LET'S LOOK ALONGSIDE WHAT THE VISITOR IS, UM, YOU KNOW, SAYING WHEN THEY'RE HERE VISITING.

UM, SO FROM A, A TRIP CHARACTERISTIC, THESE THINGS VARY YEAR TO YEAR AND WE TRACK THEM THROUGH OUR PARTNERSHIP AND OUR VISITOR PROFILE STUDY EFFORTS WITH THE COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON, UM, OFFICE OF TOURISM ANALYSIS.

AND THIS IS A ROLLING SURVEY.

AGAIN, WE HAVE VISITORS 12 MONTHS, 365 DAYS A YEAR.

SO WHAT HAPPENS IS, JUST TO GIVE YOU SOME BACKGROUND ON HOW THIS SURVEY IS CONDUCTED, IS YOU COME ON TO OUR WEBSITE AND YOU REQUEST A VISITOR PROFILE STUDY, OR EXCUSE ME, A VACATION PLANNER.

AND IN THAT FILLING THAT INFORMATION OUT, YOU ALSO GIVE SOME INSIGHT AS TO WHEN YOU HAVE, UM, INTENT TO TRAVEL.

SO IF YOU ARE LOOKING IN JANUARY, BUT YOU'RE GOING TO TRAVEL IN APRIL, WE FOLLOW UP WITH YOU A COUPLE WEEKS AFTER THAT APRIL TIMEFRAME, AND WE ASK YOU A SERIES OF QUESTIONS, SO ON AND SO FORTH.

AND THAT KEEPS GOING.

SO WE HAVE A, A GOOD STEADY CADENCE OF, UM, INSIGHTS THAT ARE COMING IN.

SO THIS YEAR, FROM 2020 THREE'S INSIGHTS, WE HAVE OUR AVERAGE GROUP SIZE AROUND 4.7 PEOPLE.

UM, PERSONAL CAR, UH, REMAINS THE MAIN MODE OF TRANSPORT TO THE ISLAND AS WELL AS ALONG, YOU KNOW, FROM TOUCHPOINT TO TOUCHPOINT ON THE ISLAND WHEN THEY'RE HERE FROM A LENGTH OF STAY PERSPECTIVE, HOME AND VILLA IS AVERAGING IN EIGHT, EIGHT NIGHTS, UM, JUST OVER EIGHT NIGHTS WHERE OUR HOTEL LENGTH ALSO GREW, WHERE THAT'S GA GARNERING 6.5 NIGHTS.

BUT HOW ARE THEY PLANNING? UM, VRBO CONTINUES TO BE THE NUMBER ONE TOUCH POINT, ALSO USING OUR LOCAL VACATION RENTAL MANAGEMENT COMPANIES AND THEN USING THE ONLINE BOOKING SERVICES OF THE LOCAL RESORT.

UM, AND WHY ARE THEY CHOOSING TO VISIT? THEY'RE CHOOSING TO VISIT BECAUSE OF OUR BEAUTIFUL BEACHES AND RELAXATION FAMILY.

AND THIS IS A GREAT FAMILY PIECE, UM, THAT WE LIKE TO TALK ABOUT.

WE SEE A WONDERFUL TRANSITION, UM, OR WE SHOULD SAY GENERATIONAL PASSING OF THE WALLET.

SO IF YOUR FAMILY HAS BEEN COMING HERE FOR 30, 40 YEARS, YOUR GRANDPARENTS MADE THAT DECISION, UM, A WHILE AGO, THEY'VE THEN PASSED THE VIRTUAL WALLET ONTO THEIR CHILDREN, THEY'RE MAKING THE SAME DECISION TO COME BACK, SO ON AND SO FORTH.

SO IT'S WONDERFUL TO SEE THAT PEOPLE ARE BUILDING MEMORIES HERE IN THIS DESTINATION.

NATURE-BASED ACTIVITIES, BIKING IN CULINARY.

YES SIR.

SORRY, TO GO BACK TO TRAVEL PLANNING, THAT'S, YOU SAID VRBO SEEMS TO BE THE MOST PREVALENT BY WHAT PERCENTAGE? OR DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA? UM, I DO COUNCILMAN, I CAN GO BACK INTO THE VISITOR PROFILE STUDY AND FIND THAT REPORT.

I'D BE INTERESTED.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

WE'LL MAKE THAT NOTE.

NO PROBLEM.

SO THE APPEALING EXPERIENCES AND IMPORTANT SUPPORTING ATTRIBUTES.

OUR TRAVELER HERE TO THIS DESTINATION LOVES TO GET THEIR HANDS INTO WHAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING AS COMMUNITY MEMBERS EVERY DAY.

THEY LIKE TO BE OUT ON THE WATER, THEY LIKE TO ENJOY FRESH LOCAL, UM, CULINARY EXPERIENCES.

THE THINGS THAT WE HOLD SO DEARLY TO US ARE THE SAME ATTRIBUTES AND EXPERIENCES THAT OUR VISITORS ARE LOVING ABOUT THE DESTINATION.

AND OUR TOTAL RESPONDENT GROUP WAS ABOUT 17, UM, 1,710.

ARE YOU YOU PLANNING TO DO THE SAME SURVEY EXERCISE IN 2024 DURING THE SAME PERIOD? IS THAT, UH, FOR THIS ONE? YES.

THIS ONE HAS BEEN OUR, UM, FOUNDATIONAL SURVEY.

WE LOOK AT THE QUESTIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE MAINTAINING AND NO ADJUSTMENTS TO BE MADE, BUT THIS IS THE ONE THAT WE'VE HAD IN PLACE EVEN PRIOR TO WORKING WITH COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON WHEN WE WERE WITH, UM, CLEMSON UNIVERSITY AND USCB.

SO THIS ONE HAS BEEN IN PLACE, THE NEWEST SURVEY IS THE RESIDENT ONE.

SO THIS ONE WILL MAKE, WILL BOTH MAINTAIN GOING FORWARD.

UM, I'M NOT NECESSARILY LOOKING FOR, UM, AN ANSWER HERE TODAY.

UM, WHEN WE, WHEN WE LOOK AT THE ONE EXAMPLE HERE, PERSONAL CAR BEING THE MAIN MODE OF TRANSPORTATION TO OUR, UH, PLACE OF PARADISE HERE, UM, WE HAVE PROMOTED AND SPENT A GREAT DEAL OF PUBLIC INVESTMENT AND TO OUR AIRPORT.

HOW DO WE, UM, ENSURE AND ENHANCE OR INCREASE THE, UM, SHARED CAR SERVICE OPPORTUNITY OR SHUTTLE SERVICE.

AND I'M JUST CURIOUS, AND AGAIN, I'M NOT LOOKING FOR THE ANSWER TODAY, JUST CURIOUS TO SEE IF THERE HAVE BEEN ANY TRANSITION AS FAR AS THE, THE MINDSET OF THOSE THAT ARE LOOKING TO TRAVEL TO HILTON HEAD.

ALRIGHT, UM, I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR US.

UM, YOU KNOW, NOT JUST AS WE'RE TALKING DMO, BUT OBVIOUSLY IN OTHER DECISIONS THAT WE'RE MAKING HERE ON HILTON NET.

SO THAT ONE SORT OF STUCK OUT AT ME.

YES, ABSOLUTELY.

AND I THINK IT BRINGS UP A GOOD CONVERSATION FOR US TO TAKE OFFLINE AND, AND DIVE INTO A LITTLE BIT FURTHER.

EVEN IF THEY WERE COMING IN BY, UM, AN AIRCRAFT, WHAT IS THEIR MODE OF TRANSPORTATION AND TALKING ABOUT GOING BACK TO THE CORNERSTONE PLAN OF

[00:55:01]

SO YEAH, GREAT CONVERSATIONS TO HAVE AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

UM, BUT YES, SOME OF THAT INSIGHT IS IN THE VISITOR PROFILE STUDY AND HAPPY TO, UM, DIVE INTO THAT FOR YOU OFFLINE.

SO LOOKING AT OCCUPANCY, AVERAGE DAILY RATE AND REVENUE PER AVAILABLE ROOM FOR THIS PAST, UM, CALENDAR YEAR OCCUPANCY WAS AT 57%.

AVERAGE DAILY RATE WAS AT $290, WHICH LED US TO HAVE A REVENUE PER AVAILABLE ROOM OF $167.

AND SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THAT, AGAIN, THESE ARE JUST NUMBERS IN FRONT OF YOU, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? I'M FLIPPING MY SLIDES AS WE GO.

UM, WE ARE DOWN WITH AN OCCUPANCY IN A DR BY 3% AND REV POWER BY 6%.

BUT LET'S PUT THAT IN PERSPECTIVE OF WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE YEAR OVER YEAR BECAUSE YOU CAN'T LOOK AT SOMETHING, AND AGAIN, THESE ARE THAT CONVERSATION OPPORTUNITY WHERE YOU'RE LOOKING AT SOMETHING SINGULARLY.

BUT IF WE LOOK BACK OVER THE COURSE OF A COUPLE YEARS, 2021, WE HAD WONDERFUL DEMAND IN THE MARKET, WHICH RESULTED IN INCREASED AVERAGE DAILY RATE.

THERE WEREN'T A LOT OF OTHER PLACES OPEN IN 2021 WHERE PEOPLE FELT SAFE TO TRAVEL AS WELL, UM, AS WELL.

SO THAT IS WHAT LED TO OUR INCREASED 2021, UM, NUMBERS.

IN 2022, WE SAW THE US WAS STARTING TO OPEN BACK UP OVERSEAS WAS STILL CLOSED, UM, BUT WE GA WE BEGAN TO START SEE THOSE SLIGHT DECREASES IN, IN THESE THREE METRICS.

BUT THEN 2023, THE WORLD WAS OPEN, BOTH US AND INTERNATIONAL, WE HAD SOME, UM, INFLATION THAT WE WERE DEALING WITH AS WELL AS UNCERTAINTY IN THE ECONOMY.

BUT LET'S LOOK FORWARD AT THIS ACROSS MULTIPLE YEARS.

I PUT THE LITTLE YELLOW ARROW AT TOP FOR 2023, THIS REPORT IN THE NEXT, UM, FOLLOWING TWO SLIDES, WE'LL LOOK AT THE TWO SOURCE REPORT.

THE TWO SOURCE REPORT COMBINES HOTEL AS WELL AS HOME AND VILLA REPORTING AND PUTS IT TOGETHER SO YOU CAN SEE A COMPREHENSIVE NUMBER.

SO WHEN WE LOOK AT OCCUPANCY FOR 2023 ON THE BLUE COLUMN WITH THE YELLOW ARROW ABOVE IT, THAT IS AT 57% AND THAT'S TAKING 12 MONTHS.

AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE AVERAGE DAILY WEIGHT RATE, IT IS DOWN, UM, IN 2023 TO TWO 90 VERSUS WHERE WE WERE IN 23 AT 3 59.

THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND.

AGAIN, WHERE WAS THE ECONOMY? WHAT WAS THE DEMAND IN OUR MARKET VERSUS OTHERS? WHAT WAS OPEN, WHAT WAS NOT? ARE YOU ABLE TO YIELD $800 ON A TUESDAY NIGHT? UM, THOSE ARE THE TYPE OF QUESTIONS THAT WE'RE THINKING THROUGH, BUT WHEN YOU PUT THOSE TWO TOGETHER, YOU GET THAT END NUMBER OF REVENUE PER AVAILABLE ROOM.

SO TAKING ALL THE AVAILABLE OCCUPANCY, UM, AND THEN EQUATING THAT TO THE NUMBER OF, UM, AVERAGE DAILY RATE.

AND YOU GET THE 1 67, THE $167 PER NIGHT IF YOU SPREAD THAT OUT ACROSS, UM, 12 MONTHS, 365 DAYS.

IT IS DOWN FROM THE YEAR PRIOR.

BUT IF YOU LOOK AT IT, UM, IN TERMS OF THE BIGGER PICTURE OF, AND WE'LL GET TO THIS IN A LATER SLIDE, THE ECONOMIC IMPACT.

WE'VE WORKED VERY HARD AS A GROUP AND TOGETHER IN PARTNERSHIP TO UNDERSTAND WHO DO WE WANT ON THE ISLAND? WHO ARE WE ATTRACTING TO THE DESTINATION? DO WE WANT TO TALK THROUGH MORE OCCUPANCY AND A AND A LOWER RATE OR A HIGHER RATE AND LESS OCCUPANCY? I THINK OUR GOAL IS REALLY TO UNDERSTAND THE SEGMENTS OF OUR VISITORS UNDERSTANDING HOW WE CAN, UM, BEST PUT OUR PRODUCT FORWARD TO YIELD THE CORRECT CONSUMER THAT WE'RE GOING AFTER.

AND SO THAT'S REALLY THE CONVERSATION THAT WE'LL GET TO.

BEFORE YOU GO, UM, I'M LOOKING AT 2023 TWO $205, UM, REVPAR, FOUR VILLAS, UH, IS THAT, UH, PER PERSON OR IS THAT FOR A UNIT A NIGHT? FOR A TOTAL UNIT PER NIGHT.

ALSO FROM A A NUMBERS STANDPOINT.

SO WE DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE STAYING IN, UH, UM, THOSE UNITS.

UH, NOT PER SE ON THIS PARTICULAR NUMBER, BUT WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR TOTAL UNITS AVAILABLE, WE SKEW, UM, MORE TOWARDS THE VILLA UNITS THAT OCCUPY THE TWO TO FOUR INDIVIDUALS VERSUS THE 10 BEDROOM HOMES.

SO WE HAVE, UM, INSIGHTS THAT WE HAVE ON A, ON DIFFERENT REPORTING THAT SHOWS US KIND OF THAT, UH, BREAKOUT OF DIFFERENT UNITS AVAILABLE, AVAILABLE, UM, FOR US ON THE ISLAND.

YEAH, AND I'M JUST TRYING TO, IN, IN THE HOTEL ROOMS AT $139, ASSUME TWO PEOPLE, SO IT'S BASICALLY $70 A PERSON, WHEREAS IN 205 IF THEY'RE FOUR PEOPLE AND IT'S $50.

I'M JUST TRYING TO SEE THE, THE IMPACT, UH, BOTH ECONOMICALLY AND

[01:00:01]

ABSOLUTELY.

ON THOSE THINGS.

THANK YOU, ARIAN, I HAVE A COMMENT ON THIS AS WELL.

UM, I, I SEE THAT, UM, EACH OF THESE NUMBERS IN 2023 IS DOWN, UH, FROM THE PRIOR YEAR AND SEVERAL OF THE PRIOR YEARS.

YOU'RE SHOWING THAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO HAVE GROWTH, WHICH IS HEALTHY.

BUT WHEN WE LOOK AT THE HOTEL COMPARISON OF THE COMMUNITIES, UH, WHO'VE GONE THROUGH THE SAME ECONOMY, THAT WE HAVE A DIFFERENT MARKET TO SOME DEGREE, SAVANNAH'S DRAMATIC, DRAMATICALLY DIFFERENT.

UH, CHARLESTON IS DIFFERENT AS WELL, BUT IT'S HARD TO UNDERSTAND WHY WITH THE MARKETING EFFORTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE HERE, WE'RE HAVING A DECLINE IN THE REVPAR AND THE OCCUPANCY AND SO FORTH IN COMPARISON WITH OUR, UM, COMPETITION SET IS JUST REFERRED TO HERE.

THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION AND IT REALLY COMES DOWN TO A COUPLE, WELL, IT COMES DOWN TO A FEW DIFFERENT DIFFERENT PIECES, UM, TO THE LEFT AND TO THE RIGHT ARE, UM, DESTINATIONS TO THE LEFT AND THE RIGHT HAVE, UM, DIFFERENT PRODUCT TO OFFER.

THEY ALSO OFFER A VERY, UH, VARIATIONS ON RATE.

SO THERE IS, YOU KNOW, A $59 NIGHT OR YOU KNOW, AN $800 NIGHT.

AND SO THEY'RE OBVIOUSLY ABLE TO YIELD A FEW MORE HEADS IN BEDS BASED ON THE, UM, OPPORTUNITY FOR PRICE POINT, UM, BEING SO HAVE DIFFERENT, UM, OFFERINGS I SHOULD SAY.

AND SO WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AFTER WHO WE'RE GOING AFTER IN TERMS OF VISITORSHIP, UM, WE'RE GOING AFTER A VERY SPECIFIC CONSUMER.

AND SO WHEN WE'RE CASTING THAT NET AND WE'RE PULLING 'EM THROUGH THE FUNNEL, WE'RE NOT GOING AFTER THE NECESSARILY THE $59 A NIGHT, UM, VISITOR.

AND SO OUR NUMBERS MIGHT LOOK SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT, BUT OVERALL I THINK WE'VE HAD THE, THE, THE CONVERSATION WHERE WE'RE GOING AFTER THOSE THAT WE'LL SPEND, UM, THE HIGHER PRICE POINT, UM, PER OR AN AVERAGE PRICE POINT THAT YOU'RE SEEING HERE, BUT SPEND MORE IN THE OVERALL EXPERIENCE WHEN THEY'RE HERE LEADING TO A HIGHER ECONOMIC IMPACT, WHICH WE'LL SEE IN THE NUMBER LATER ON.

SO POTENTIALLY SLIGHTLY LOWER OCCUPANCY, PERHAPS SLIGHTLY, UM, LOWER YIELD IN TERMS OF WHAT WE'RE GETTING EVERY SINGLE NIGHT.

BUT WE'RE STILL GOING AFTER THAT TOP, UM, TIER CONSUMER TO BRING TO OUR DESTINATION.

WE WANNA SEE THE, THE HIGHER RATES.

MM-HMM.

AND PEOPLE THAT CAN AFFORD THE HIGHER RATES 'CAUSE THAT IS THE CONSUMER THAT WE'RE AFTER.

ABSOLUTELY.

UM, BUT HAVE YOUR MARKETING EFFORTS CHANGED IN SUCH A WAY THAT WOULD RES RESULT IN THESE EFFECTS WE SEE ON REVPAR OCCUPANCY AND SO FORTH IN COMPARISON WITH OUR, UH, COM COMPETITION SET? IS A BETTER CHANGE IN THE MARKETING IT'S RESULTED IN THIS OR IS IT MORE JUST MARKET CONDITIONS AND THE CONDITION OF FACILITIES HERE ON THE ISLAND? I THINK THE LATTER, SIR.

SO WE, WE HAVE CHANGED OUR MARKETING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH, UM, OUR MARKETING COUNCIL AND THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND.

WE HAVE, UM, NOT CHANGED BUT STEERED OUR DIRECTION A LITTLE BIT TOWARD THE FIVE VALUES THAT WE'LL TALK ABOUT IN JUST SOME, A FEW MOMENTS.

HOWEVER, WE CAN'T, UM, PUT ASIDE THAT THE ECONOMY HAS CHANGED, THAT OTHER THINGS HAVE OPENED UP AND THAT WE ARE IN COMPETITION WITH THE WORLD AGAIN.

RIGHT? WE'RE IN THE MINDSET OF, UM, FIGHTING FOR OUR FAIR SHARE OF VISITOR.

REMEMBER THAT THAT POOL THAT WE ARE FIGHTING FOR IS VERY SMALL ACROSS THE US AND ALSO ACROSS, UH, THE WORLD.

AND SO WHEN WE'RE COMPETING FOR THEM, WE'RE COMPETING AGAINST OTHER LIKE DESTINATIONS WHEN PEOPLE HAVE SO MANY MORE CHOICES TODAY.

AND SO, YES, WE ARE RIGHT SIDING A BIT, BUT WE, AND WE ARE WATCHING IT VERY CLOSELY.

WE ABSOLUTELY WOULD LOVE TO GET THE 800 ON A TUESDAY NIGHT AT A HOTEL.

THAT WOULD BE AMAZING.

HOWEVER, I THINK WHAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE IS, UH, A MORE REALISTIC RATE OF, YOU KNOW, THE THREE TO FIVE TO SIX DEPENDING.

AND, UM, AND IT COULD VARY FROM, FROM DAY TO DAY OR SEASON TO SEASON.

BUT OUR, OUR GOAL REALLY IS TO ENSURE TOP QUALITY, YOU KNOW, VISITORS TO THE DESTINATION, UM, AND EXPERIENCING GREAT PRODUCT WHEN THEY'RE HERE AND GREAT EXPERIENCES WHEN THEY'RE HERE.

WALKED ANOTHER THOUGHT.

UH, YOU MENTIONED THAT YOUR, UH, YOUR REPORTING IS SKEWED TO THE TWO TO FOUR BEDROOM VILLAS.

BUT THAT BEING SAID, WE HAVE A MAJORITY OF THE SMALLER UNITS AVAILABLE ON AN EVERYDAY BASIS.

SO DOES THAT MEAN THAT WE ARE EXCLUDING NO, NO.

I, LET ME CLARIFY.

SURE.

I APOLOGIZE.

WHEN WE LOOK AT THE REPORT OF ALL PRODUCT THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE ON THE ISLAND FOR HOME AND VILLAS, WE CAN SEE A BREAKDOWN OF WHAT PRODUCT WE HAVE.

AND OUR MAJORITY THAT IS ON THE MARKET IN ANY GIVEN TIME IS THE HOME AND VILLA PRODUCT VERSUS THESE 10 BEDROOM LARGE OCEAN FRONT HOMES.

IT IS A SMALLER PERCENTAGE OF OUR TOTAL INVENTORY.

WE ARE CAPTURING ALL OF IT.

[01:05:01]

SO WE'RE CAPTURING ALL OF IT, BUT JUST IN TOTAL, HOW DOES IT ALL BREAK OUT? JUST A SUGGESTION AS WE'RE REPORTING OUT IN THE FUTURE.

UM, JUST SORT OF LISTENING TO SOME OF THE COMMENTS HERE.

UM, OBVIOUSLY WE AGAIN, ARE USING SOME OF THIS DATA TO MAKE OR INFLUENCE OTHER DECISIONS, RIGHT.

UM, AND THERE HAS BEEN, YOU KNOW, A GREAT CONCERN ABOUT THE LARGER FACILITIES THAT HOLD MORE PEOPLE.

OBVIOUSLY, IF THEIR RATE OF EXCHANGE IS IN LINES WITH THE MARKET, THAT COULD SKEW THE NUMBER BECAUSE YOU'LL HAVE MORE PEOPLE IN THE UNIT.

SO JUST GIVING US SORT OF A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT PERCENTAGE REPRESENTS.

I THINK WILL HELP THE DISCUSSION.

I'VE MADE THAT NOTE.

OH, I'M GOING TO GO INTO VISITOR SPENDING STUDIES.

SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THE VISITOR SPENDING STUDIES, AND THIS IS THE PIECE THAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT, WE, YES, WE DO HAVE LOWER, UM, OCCUPANCY, UH, OVERALL LOWER REV PAR, BUT THOSE THAT ARE VISITING HERE, OUR SPENDING MORE MONEY.

AND I THINK THAT THAT'S WHAT WE CAN SEE IN THIS SLIDE, BLESS YOU, IS THAT WE'RE 13.5% UP FROM THE YEAR PRIOR IN TERMS OF THE ECONOMIC IMPACT.

AND THAT IS, LET'S BREAK THIS DOWN JUST A BIT MORE, BUT THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF TOURISM ON HILTON HEAD THAT WE BRING INTO THE GREATER BEAUFORT COUNTY AREA.

CORRECT.

SO THAT 3.61 IS THE VISITOR EXCHANGE.

THEY'RE BREAKING THAT DOWN TO THE TOUCH POINTS OF DIRECT AND INDIRECT.

SO DIRECT WOULD BE, WE'RE AT EITHER A GROCERY STORE OR WE'RE AT, UM, THE HOTEL OR HOME AND VILLA MANAGEMENT COMPANY, AND WE'RE EXCHANGING DIRECTLY WITH THEM.

BUT IT ALSO THINK THROUGH THE TOUCH POINTS OF THE IMPACT IT HAS ON THE TAXES.

IT ALSO HAS IMPACT ON THE, UM, PERSON DELIVERING THE LINENS OR THE CATERING COMPANY.

SO THESE ARE ALL IMPACTS.

WHEN THOSE THINGS ARE TOUCHED OR IMPACTED, WHERE THAT NUMBER IS ACCOUNTED FOR IN THAT 3.61, HAS THAT CHANGED OVER THE LAST FIVE, SEVEN YEARS? IS IT CONSISTENTLY CALCULATED IN THE SAME WAY IT IS, SIR.

AND WE'RE GONNA PROBABLY WORK ON THE COLORS HERE, UM, BUT WE WANTED TO BREAK THAT DOWN FOR YOU.

I HAVE A, I HAVE A, UH, COUPLE THOUGHTS ON THAT.

UM, 3.6 BILLION DIVIDED BY THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO CAME TO THE ISLAND LAST YEAR IS ABOUT $1,200 A PERSON.

UM, SEVERAL YEARS AGO, FIVE, SEVEN YEARS AGO, THAT NUMBER WAS $589.

SO, UH, PER PERSON.

SO THAT, THAT, THAT SOUNDS LIKE, UH, WE'RE GETTING MORE CONTRIBUTION PER, UH, INDIVIDUAL THAT COMES TO THE ISLAND AND VISITS.

BUT I'M, I'M INTERESTED IN KNOWING OF THOSE, UM, 2.98 MILLION PEOPLE WHO COME HERE, HOW MANY ARE DAY TRIPPERS? 'CAUSE I'M QUITE CONFIDENT THAT THEY'RE NOT SPENDING $1,200 A DAY WHEN THEY COME HERE.

AND SO I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, UH, WHERE WE ARE IN TERMS OF REAL VALUE FOR OUR, OUR, UM, TOURISTS WHO STAY IN YOUR EIGHT DAYS OR SO.

CAN, CAN YOU GIVE US A NUMBER OF, UH, DATE, UH, VISITORS? I CAN, AND THAT'S MY NEXT PRESENTATION, BUT I'M HAPPY TO SWITCH OVER.

ANGIE, WOULD YOU MIND IF I SWITCH, SWITCH OVER? SHOULD I WAIT? I, EITHER WAY OR JUST WAIT, JUST WAIT.

IF YOU HAVE IT, WE DO BREAK IT DOWN.

AND I THINK THAT'S A GREAT CONVERSATION, COUNCILMAN AMES, WHERE WE NEED TO START LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN TALK ABOUT 3.61 OR TWO, YOU KNOW, 2 MILLION VISITORS, THE DESTINATION.

BUT I THINK IN ANY, UH, CONVERSATION THAT COULD BE SOMEWHAT SHOCKING RIGHT OFF THE BAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE, OH MY GOSH.

EITHER IN POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE, WHERE DID THOSE NUMBERS COME FROM? AND SO WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE SECOND PRESENTATION IS WE'VE TRIED TO BREAK IT DOWN, AT LEAST FROM THE VISITOR, UM, COMPONENT.

TRIED TO BREAK IT DOWN FOR YOU BY SEGMENT.

'CAUSE I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT CONVERSATION.

YOU WERE JUST SAYING THAT I CAN DO A LITTLE BIT MORE FOR THE HOME AND VILLA PIECE AS WELL AS THE HOTEL.

UM, BUT WHEN WE HAVE THAT HEALTHY CONVERSATION ABOUT, WELL, OKAY, BUT THE 2.8, WHERE DOES, WHO MAKES THAT UP? HOW MUCH IS THE DAY TRIP? OR HOW MUCH IS THE OVERNIGHT GUEST? UM, WHO'S STAYING WITH A FRIEND AND FAMILY? SO WE'LL GET TO THAT ONE.

AND, AND THAT'S ALSO PROVIDED BY, UM, THE VISITOR PROFILE STUDY.

AND THEN WE BREAK IT DOWN IN THE ECONOMIC IMPACT REPORT TO WHAT THEIR VALUE IS OR CONTRIBUTION IS, UM, IN THAT SLIDE.

SO WE SEE HERE, FOR EVERY DOLLAR THAT WE PUT IN, UM, FOR MARKETING, WE GET A RETURN OF $24 AND 11 CENTS.

AND YOU CAN SEE THAT SLIGHTLY DOWN FROM THE YEAR, UM, PRIOR.

BUT WHEN WE LOOK AT HOW THOSE LOCAL TAX REVENUES ARE GENERATED BY VISITORS,

[01:10:01]

IS WHAT YOU'RE SEEING HERE IS, THIS IS DOWN SLIGHTLY MY, ON OUR NO UP SLIGHTLY, EXCUSE ME, WRONG SLIDE.

IT'S FLAT TO LAST YEAR.

UM, WE HAD 44.5 MILLION IN FISCAL YEAR 22 AND 44.6 MILLION IN FISCAL YEAR 23, UM, OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS, COMPREHENSIVELY, THAT'S UP 74% IN TERMS OF THESE COLLECTIONS.

SO WE SEE THAT 2.98 VISITOR, UM, NUMBER THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT.

AND THAT IS DOWN 3.4% TO THE YEAR PRIOR.

UM, WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHO IS MAKING THE DECISION TO TRAVEL, UM, IT HAS MOVED BACK TO BEING A, UH, THE FEMALE DECISION MAKER IN THE HOUSEHOLD.

UM, LAST YEAR WE SAW AN ANOMALY FROM WHAT WE'VE REPORTED ON FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, WHERE IT DID SKEW TO BE THE MALE, OH, AS THE DECISION MAKER.

UM, SO WE'RE BACK WITH THE FEMALE AT 54.1%.

UM, AND THE 2.98 AGAIN IS DOWN, UM, THE 3.4% TO LAST YEAR.

BUT LET'S TALK ABOUT THE JOURNEY ON HOW WE GET THAT 2.98 HERE TO THE DESTINATION WE HAVE FOR SEVERAL YEARS.

TALKED ABOUT HILTON HEAD ISLAND.ORG.

THAT 3.2 MILLION WEBSITE VISITS IN 2023 IS WHAT WE'RE CALLING OUR VIRTUAL FRONT DOOR AND OTHER DESTINATIONS, YOU MIGHT SEE A PHYSICAL BRICK AND MORTAR.

AND THOUGH WE, WE DO HAVE OUR, OUR OFFICES HERE JUST UP THE ROAD, UM, AND THAT ARE MANNED AS, AS A WELCOME CENTER, AS ANOTHER TOUCH POINT TO BE, UM, TO ENSURE ALL OF OUR EFFORTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND, AND THE WORLD AS WE, WE FORGE A LITTLE FURTHER IN THE INTERNATIONAL EFFORT, THAT HILTON HEAD ISLAND.ORG IS IMPERATIVE TO ENSURING CONVERSION TO OUR BUSINESS PARTNERS, UM, UM, IN THE COMMUNITY.

SO WE CONVERTED OVER 1.2 MILLION.

AND WHEN WE LOOK AT WHAT DOES THAT, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? SO WHEN SOMEONE COMES AND VISITS HILTON HEAD ISLAND.ORG AND THEY CLICK ON, UM, A BUSINESS OF OURS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE CALL THAT A HANDSHAKE, AND THEY CLICK OUT TO THEIR BUSINESS, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE CALLING A CONVERSION, WE'RE NOT A POINT OF SALE.

SO AT THAT POINT, WE HAVE DONE OUR JOB, WHICH WAS TO BRING THOSE QUALIFIED VISITORS IN.

THEY'RE INTERESTED IN THEIR CLICKING OUT.

ONE OF THE ONE PE ONE OF THE ONLY PIECES THAT WE PRODUCE THAT'S A PHYSICAL PIECE IS THE, UH, VACATION PLANNER.

AND THAT'S THE, UM, COFFEE TABLE BOOK HERE THAT WE PRODUCE.

AND YEARS AGO IT USED TO BE A DIGEST PIECE.

AND THIS HAS BEEN, UH, INCREASED IN SIZE AS WELL AS CONTENT.

WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO BRING FORWARD THOSE DEEP STORYTELLING EFFORTS, UM, IN THIS BOOK.

AND THERE'S AROUND 80,000 THAT WE PRODUCE.

AND HOW DO WE DISTRIBUTE THOSE? SO IT IS ALSO MADE DIGITAL AS WELL.

SO YOU CAN FIND THAT ON OUR WEBSITE, HILTON HEAD ISLAND.ORG.

BUT IT'S ALSO AVAILABLE IN OUR OFFICES.

IT'S SENT TO ALLSTATE WELCOME CENTERS, WHICH THERE ARE NINE ACROSS THE STATE.

AAA OFFICES REQUEST THESE AND ARE FULFILLED TO THEM.

IF YOU EMAIL OR CALL IN, WE CAN FULFILL THOSE TO YOU AS WELL.

WE TAKE THEM TO ALL OF OUR TRADE SHOWS AND EVENTS, AND THEY SERVE TO ALL OF OUR MEDIA AND PUBLIC RELATIONS INITIATIVES FROM INDUSTRY AWARDS.

THE SEVENTH YEAR IN A ROW, WE'VE BEEN AWARDED THE READER'S CHOICE AWARD FROM CONDE NAST TRAVELER.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS, UM, COUNCILMAN STANFORD THAT YOU ASKED WAS, HAS OUR MARKETING SHIFTED? AND WE HAVE ALWAYS TALKED ABOUT THE WONDERFUL ATTRIBUTES, UM, THAT WE HAVE WITHIN THE DESTINATION ARE, THAT ARE BEYOND BEACHES AND BEYOND THE OTHER, UM, YOU KNOW, GOLF AND OTHERS THAT WE HAVE HERE.

UM, BUT WE HAVE MADE IT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE TOWN THAT, UM, BRINGING OUR FIVE VALUES EVEN FURTHER FORWARD, UM, WHICH ARE WELLNESS, ARTS AND CULTURE HISTORY, CULINARY RECREATION, AND WHAT WE'RE SEEING FROM A THIRD PARTY SOURCE, THE READERSHIP OF CONDE NAS TRAVELER IS IT'S WORKING.

71% HAVE CHOSEN US FOR OUR DELICIOUS FOOD AND WINE.

THEY LOVE OUR LOCAL CUISINE AND THEY LOVE OUR CULTURAL EXPERIENCES.

AND I THOUGHT THAT JUST AS WE START TO TRACK THIS, UM, 'CAUSE WE'VE JUST PUT THESE INITIATIVES FORWARD THAT THEY'RE REALLY WORKING.

AND THAT'S, AGAIN, NOT US SAYING IT, THAT'S A READER OF CON NAST TRAVELERS SAYING IT.

SO WHEN THEY'RE VOTING FOR US, YES, IT'LL BE BECAUSE WE HAVE BEAUTIFUL, PRISTINE BEACHES, BUT IT'S ALSO FOR THESE OTHER WONDERFUL ATTRIBUTES THAT WE HAVE WITHIN THE DESTINATION.

THIS ONE IS THE NUMBER OF JOBS CREATED BY TOURISM.

OVER 36,000, ALMOST 37,000 JOBS WERE GENERATED FROM HILTON HEAD ISLAND TOURISM.

SO AGAIN, WE CANNOT TAKE FOR GRANTED THE IMPACT OUR NUMBER ONE ECONOMY HAS WITHIN OUR DE NOT ONLY ONTO HILTON HEAD, BUT FOR THE COUNTY.

SO WHEN YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT THAT, AGAIN, THAT INDIRECT AND DIRECT TOUCHPOINT, UM, IT'S REALLY TALKING ABOUT, AGAIN, EMPLOYING THOSE THAT ARE NOT JUST HERE ON THE FRONT LINES WITHIN OUR, TO OUR, UM, BUSINESSES,

[01:15:01]

OUR HOTELS, OUR RESTAURANTS, BUT IT'S ALSO THOSE THAT SUPPORT THOSE BUSINESSES, WHETHER IT BE FOOD SERVICE LINENS, UM, STAFFING BEHIND, UM, THE, YOU KNOW, FRONTLINE.

SO IT'S ALL JOBS, UM, FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY THAT WE MAKE UP, WHICH IS THAT NUMBER 36.

AND THEN WE'RE ALSO ASKED TO TRACK HOW MANY NUMBERS OF EVENTS THAT WE ARE DOING AS A CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

IT'S OVER 83 IN PERSON AND VIRTUAL EVENTS.

AND THEN 43 RIBBON CUTTINGS, WHICH LED TO OUR 126 TOTAL EVENTS, UM, FOR THE 2023 YEAR PUBLIC RELATIONS.

HAD A GREAT YEAR, AND I'LL TALK ABOUT THIS, UM, IN A LITTLE FURTHER IN MY NEXT PRESENTATION.

WE HAD OVER 6,376,960,959 IMPRESSIONS.

WOO.

THAT IS A BIG NUMBER.

AND I KNOW RIGHT BEHIND ME IS VERY PROUD, UM, OF THAT BIG NUMBER READING.

BUT I THINK IT IS IMPRESSIVE WHAT CHARLIE CLARK AND HER TEAM DOES WITH WEBER SHANDWICK.

THEY ARE, UM, AMAZING AT BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS AND KEEPING HILTON HEAD ISLAND TOP OF MIND.

SO THESE ARE EARNED OPPORTUNITIES.

THESE AREN'T PAID FOR.

UM, THE FACT THAT YOU'RE GETTING 6 BILLION EYEBALLS, THAT'S THE, YOU KNOW, UH, DEFINITION FOR IMPRESSIONS.

PEOPLE ARE SEEING YOUR INFORMATION, SEEING YOUR DETAIL ACROSS TRAVEL, LEISURE, SOUTHERN LIVING, VOGUE, THE POINTS GUY.

THIS, THAT 6 BILLION IN TERMS OF IMPRESSIONS.

IT COULD BE A COMBINATION OF PRINT, DIGITAL, SOCIAL, UM, IT'S SOMEONE ELSE TELLING YOUR STORY AND ADVOCATING FOR YOU, TELLING ALL THE REASONS WHY HILTON HEAD ISLAND IS AMAZING.

SO THAT, THAT WAS OVER 2000 STORIES AND AN AD EQUIVALENCY OF OVER $21 MILLION.

SO WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT SOMETHING THAT COSTS $21 MILLION, THAT'S IF YOU WERE TO PAY FOR IT.

THE FACT THAT CHARLIE AND HER TEAM WERE ABLE TO EQUATE THAT TO OVER 6 BILLION IMPRESSIONS, THAT'S QUITE AMAZING.

AND SO LET'S TAKE IT A LITTLE FURTHER.

UM, THAT FIRST ARTICLE THERE THAT SAYS TRAVEL LEISURE, THAT WAS THE FEBRUARY EDITION, UM, THAT CAME OUT.

AND I HAVE IT FLAGGED FOR YOU GUYS TO SEE.

BUT WE GOT A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR IN CHIEF, UM, JACKIE GIFFORD, AND I WANNA SAY THIS WAS MONTHS AFTER SHE WROTE THIS TO US, UM, IN MARCH OF THIS YEAR.

AND SHE SAID, UM, THE, THE EDITOR, BRIDGET BARTLETT ROYALE HISTORIC, UH, VISITED HISTORIC MITCHELLVILLE AND THEY SENT HER STORY, UM, TO N-A-T-J-A NORTH AMERICAN TRAVEL JOURNALIST JOURNALIST ASSOCIATION.

AND THE ARTICLE ITSELF, ONE IN THE CATEGORY OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION, AND ACCESSIBILITY AND TRAVEL.

THIS ISN'T, AGAIN, JUST TRAVEL AND LEISURE READERS SAYING THAT THIS WAS A WONDERFUL ARTICLE THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, BROUGHT ACROSS ALL DIFFERENT CHANNELS OF INCLUDING HERS.

IT WAS RECOGNIZED BY THE NATIONAL, YOU KNOW, JOURNALIST ASSOCIATION FOR NORTH AMERICA, AND IT'S WON A AMAZING AWARD AND WON THE GOLD IN THAT CATEGORY.

AND AGAIN, IT JUST GOES ON TO SHOW HOW HARD HER TEAM, UH, CHARLIE AND HER TEAM ARE WORKING TO BRING THE VALUES THAT WE'VE SET FORTH IN PARTNERSHIP FURTHER INTO THESE PUBLICATIONS.

SO I'LL, AND THEN GOING INTO FULFILLMENT, OH, THAT WAS IT.

AND SO THAT WAS IT FOR THIS SLIDESHOW.

ANY MORE QUESTIONS ON THIS? OR I CAN DIVE INTO THE OTHER DECK IF YOU'D LIKE.

GOOD TO KEEP OPEN.

GOOD.

AND WE HAVE THE ONE O'CLOCK.

I'M SORRY.

IT'S OKAY.

WE'LL GET, WE'LL GET THERE.

I DO, ARE YOU PUTTING IT ON THAT ONE? I THINK THIS ONE WAS THE PIA.

CAN I DO THE POWERPOINT? YEAH.

PERFECT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

SO THAT IS WHERE WE'VE BEEN WITH OUR 13 METRICS FOR THE DMO AND OUR CONTRACT.

WE'RE DIVING INTO WHAT IS NOW THE FISCAL YEAR 24 25 STRATEGIC MARKETING PLAN.

A FEW OF THE FIRST SLIDES WILL BE SOMEWHAT OF THINGS THAT YOU'VE SEEN BASED ON OUR PREVIOUS PRESENTATION.

SO I'LL TRY TO MOVE QUICKLY THROUGH THOSE.

SO WHAT IS OUR APPROACH? UM, IT ALWAYS STARTS WITH A VISIT, AND THEN WE'RE THINKING THROUGH HOW THE VISITOR IS GOING TO DIGEST THIS DESTINATION.

BECAUSE IF WE RECALL, MANY OF US HAVE BEEN VISITORS ONCE OURSELVES.

AND SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE AS WE'RE THINKING COMMUNITY FIRST, WE'RE ALSO ENSURING THAT, UM, THE VISITOR IS HERE TO SUPPORT THAT NUMBER ONE ECONOMY.

SO HOW DO WE DO THAT IN, UM, PARTNERSHIP? WE ALWAYS ARE THINKING THROUGH WHAT IS THE TOWN'S 20 YEAR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, UM, HAVE SET FORTH AS WELL AS THE PRIORITIES THAT COME OUT OF THEIR PLANNING SESSIONS EVERY YEAR.

UM, IN ADDITION, THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BUILT A 10 YEAR DESTINATION MANAGEMENT PLAN MANAGEMENT BECAUSE WE'RE NOT DEVELOPING THIS DESTINATION.

CORRECT.

IT IS DEVELOPED, WE'RE MANAGING IT TO MAKE SURE IT MAINTAINS AND ENSURES THE QUALITY OF VISITOR GOING FORWARD.

WE ALSO HAVE OUR COMMUNITY CORNERSTONE PLAN THAT WE DO IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD AND OUR COMMUNITY

[01:20:01]

AND BUSINESS OWNERS.

THE ANNUAL STRATEGIC MARKETING PLAN THAT WE'RE PRESENTING TODAY, AND THEN OBVIOUSLY OUR ANNUAL SURVEYS TO BOTH OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND OUR VISITORS.

COUNCILMAN STANFORD.

WE HAVE MOVED, UM, BIG, BIG STRIDES IN DESTINATION VALUES.

SO AGAIN, GOING BACK TO WHERE WE'VE SEEN A BIT OF A SHIFT IN OUR EFFORTS, WE ARE BRINGING, UH, FORWARD FURTHER THAN WE HAVE IN THE PAST ARE EFFORTS REGARDING ECOTOURISM HISTORY, ARTS AND CULTURE, RECREATION AND WELLNESS.

SO THESE ARE AT THE FOREFRONT OF ALL WE DO IN OUR OUT-MARKETING EFFORTS.

AND WHO ARE WE TARGETING WHEN WE SEND THOSE OUT? WE ARE TARGETING AN AFFLUENT TRAVELERS.

SO 150,200 50,000, THAT'S REALLY WHERE WE SHOULD, UM, BE, AND APOLOGIES FOR THAT.

BUT THEY'RE 56% UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE AND THEY TAKE TWO TO FOUR TRIPS A YEAR AND STAY ON AVERAGE SEVEN NIGHTS.

UM, AND THEN WHEN WE LOOK AT THAT FEMALE, SHE'S SKEWING A BIT MORE FEMALE.

AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TO ALL THE DIFFERENT SEGMENTS THAT WOULD TRAVEL, SO WEEKENDERS FAMILIES, SNOWBIRDS, SPORTS ENTHUSIASTS, CULINARY WELLNESS, ARTS AND HISTORY AND INTERNATIONAL.

AND FROM A HOUSEHOLD INCOME DISTRIBUTION STANDPOINT, WE'RE TAKING THIS FROM THE VISITOR PROFILE STUDY.

WE ARE SEEING THAT THE HOUSEHOLD INCOME THAT WE ARE REACHING, UM, IS THAT 15.9%, WHICH COMES IN JUST AFTER, UM, A COUPLE OF THE OTHER SEGMENTS.

BUT WE ARE, WE ARE FOCUSING ON AND SEEING GREAT RETURN ON THAT 200 TO 2 49.

WE'VE TALKED AT LENGTH ABOUT THE ALWAYS ON APPROACH WE HAVE TO BE, AS THE WORLD HAS OPENED UP AS CONSUMER MINDSET HAS CHANGED, WE NEED TO ALWAYS BEYOND TOUCHING THE VISITOR THAT OUR DESIRED VISITOR, UH, WITH OUR BRAND AND OUR EXPERIENCES, AND WE WANNA BRING 'EM THROUGH THAT VIRTUAL FUNNEL, RIGHT? WE WANNA CONTINUALLY QUALIFY THEM TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE ON BRAND WITH US AND THEY LIKE THE THINGS THAT WE'RE OFFERING.

AND WE ARE, ARE, WE'RE INTERESTED IN THEM COMING TO, TO THE DESTINATION TO EXPERIENCE THE THINGS THAT, THAT WE HAVE TO OFFER.

SO THOSE TOUCH POINTS VARY AND THE TOOLKIT IS FULL, AND THOSE PIECES ARE ALWAYS ON.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THAT VIRTUAL FUNNEL, AGAIN, WE WANNA BUILD BROAD AWARENESS ABOUT THE DESTINATION.

SO THINK ABOUT A FUNNEL AND THEN WE PULL THEM THROUGH, RIGHT? WHAT IS THEIR INTENT TO TRAVEL, WHAT'S THEIR INTENT TO TRAVEL WITH OUR, TO OUR ATTRIBUTES, AND WHAT'S THEIR INTENT TO TRAVEL SPECIFICALLY TO HILTON HEAD ISLAND? ONCE WE BRING 'EM THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THE FUNNEL, WE'RE WORKING HARD ON CONVERSION.

WHAT DOES THAT ALL MEAN? WE'RE CHANGING THE MESSAGE ALONG THE WAY.

DO YOU LIKE THE BEAUTIFUL PICTURES ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND? WE'RE GONNA SHOW THEM A SWIRL.

THOSE AT THE VERY TOP OF THE FUNNEL, WHEN YOU GET THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THE FUNNEL, THERE'S GONNA BE A LITTLE BIT MORE MESSAGING ABOUT HOW YOU CAN DO THOSE THINGS, THE BEST THINGS TO DO WHILE YOU'RE HERE.

AND THEN WE'RE CONVERTING THEM.

THEY'RE COMING TO THE WEBSITE, HILTON HEAD ISLAND.ORG.

THEY'RE SHAKING A HAND OF A BUSINESS PARTNER AND THEY'RE MAKING THAT, THAT COMMITMENT TO COME AND TRAVEL.

AND AGAIN, THE BOTTOM PIECE IS SHOWING YOU ALL THE TOOLS IN OUR TOOLKIT THAT WE DO THAT WE LOOKED AT, UM, A FEW OF THESE PIECES, AND I'LL GO THROUGH QUICKLY, BUT THAT 3.2 MILLION VISITS TO THE WEBSITE REFERRING, UM, PARTNERS OVER 1.2 MILLION.

OKAY? THEY ALWAYS GO.

SO WE HAVE THAT AUDIENCE, PEOPLE LEAVE THEIR LIGHTS ON, THEY ALWAYS GO THROUGH BELOW MM-HMM PEOPLE THAT LEAVE THEIR LIGHTS ON.

GUEST, 333 MILLION AND THE DAY TRIPPERS 43 MILLION.

AND, UM, LET'S MAKE SURE I HAVE THAT.

AND THEN LOOKING BACK AGAIN AT PUBLIC RELATIONS, WE TALKED ABOUT THAT AND THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING THAT OTHER, THOSE OTHERS WITHIN THE MARKET OF TRAVEL AND TOURISM TALK ABOUT US AS A DESTINATION FULFILLMENT.

WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS REVPAR, UM, OCCUPANCY PIECE, THE 3.61 BILLION, WHICH IS UP 13.5.

BUT HERE ARE THE SEGMENTS, AND THIS IS THAT DEEPER STORYTELLING PIECE THAT WE, I WOULD LOVE TO BREAK INTO, WHETHER THAT BE MORE TODAY OR AT ANOTHER TIME.

BUT WE DO HAVE INSIGHTS BASED ON OUR, UM, VISITOR PROFILE STUDY AND THE ECONOMIC IMPACT REPORT WITH WHAT THESE SEGMENTS OF TRAVELER ARE DOING.

AND SO THE ONLY NOTE THAT I WILL MAKE IS WHEN YOU LOOK AT, UM, SECOND HOMEOWNER AND NON-PAYING GUESTS FOR THEIR DIRECT SPEND, THAT IS A CON COMBINED NUMBER IN THE ECONOMIC IMPACT REPORT.

AND SO THAT'S WHY IT'S THE, THE SAME AND IT'S UP 4%, BUT WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE AND HOW TO READ THIS IS WITHIN EACH SEGMENT.

THE SEGMENT VISITORSHIP IS DOWN YEAR OVER YEAR, BUT THE SPEND IS UP, AGAIN, LESS PEOPLE WITHIN EACH SEGMENT, WHICH WE KNEW WE WERE DOWN IN OCCUPANCY, BUT WITHIN EACH SEGMENT THEY'RE SPENDING MORE, RIGHT? SO HOME AND VILLA, THEIR DIRECT SPEND WAS 985 MILLION HOTELS, 557 TIMESHARE, 412000002ND HOME AND NON-PAYING

[01:25:01]

SO ALL ARE CONTRIBUTING OBVIOUSLY AT DIFFERENT LEVELS, BUT THAT AGAIN, WAS THAT 12 MONTH READ.

ALRIGHT, I GOT, I GOT A QUESTION NOW.

UM, NOW THAT I'M LOOKING FOR AN ANSWER TODAY, I'M JUST PUTTING THIS OUT THERE AS FAR AS THE WAY WE LOOK AT THESE AND REPORT BACK, UM, OBVIOUSLY BASED ON OUR NEW APPROACH OF MARKETING, EACH OF THESE ARE ATTRACTING FOLKS THAT HAVE DESIRE AROUND THOSE FIVE ASPECTS THAT WE ARE PROMOTING.

UM, BUT I'M SORT OF CURIOUS TO KNOW HOW THAT THEN RELATES TO THE SPEND, BECAUSE THERE MAY BE SOME OF THOSE FIVE THAT GUESS WOULD APPEAL MORE TO A NON-PAYING GUEST OR A DAY TRIPPER.

RIGHT? SO, AND YOU KNOW, WHAT SORT OF, UM, WHAT I'M, WHAT I'M SORT OF THINKING ABOUT, YOU MENTIONED MITCHELLVILLE EARLIER.

UM, YOU KNOW, FOLKS MAY JUST WANT TO VISIT MITCHELLVILLE, RIGHT? UM, JUST AS SOME WANT TO JUST COME AND VISIT THE BEACH, RIGHT? SO I GUESS WHAT I, WHERE I'M GOING IS I'M NOT AS CAUGHT UP IN THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF THE FIGURE, BUT HOW THEY ALL WORK TOGETHER BASED ON OUR MARKETING PLAN IS SORT OF THE DIRECTION I'M GOING AS FAR AS REPORTING IN THE FUTURE.

THAT MAKES SENSE.

GREAT.

SO THE JOURNEY OF THE VISITOR BY SEGMENT.

ABSOLUTELY.

PERFECT.

WILL YOU BE ABLE TO FIND THAT? I BELIEVE WE'RE ABLE TO FIND A WAY TO TRACK WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING, AND ALSO HOW, UM, THEY'RE ATTRIBUTING THEMSELVES WITHIN ONE OF THE SEGMENTS.

SO I THINK WE CAN MAKE SOME GOOD CON UM, ASSUMPTIONS BASED ON WHAT THEY'RE DOING WHEN THEY RESPOND BACK IN THEIR SURVEY.

SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD, WE KNOW WHERE WE'VE BEEN, WE'RE LOOKING BACK AT 2023 WHEN WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD.

UM, WE'RE TAKING THE SAME APPROACH.

THE TOOLKIT DOESN'T CHANGE, RIGHT? THE TOOLKIT THAT WE'VE CREATED THAT WHEEL WITH ALL THE PIECES THAT WE'RE, WE'RE CALLING OUR TOOLS, THOSE REMAIN, UM, ARE TRIED AND TRUE, AND WE KNOW THAT THEY WORK VERY HARD FOR US.

UM, BUT WE WANNA LOOK AT ALWAYS WHAT IS THE WORLD TALKING ABOUT WHEN IT COMES TO TRAVEL? AND THE GREAT THING HERE IS IT ALIGNS WITH SO MANY OF OUR VALUES THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE FOR THIS DESTINATION.

SO GLOBALLY, WELLNESS, TRAVEL, SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL, ACTIVE TRAVEL, PASSION, TRAVEL SET, JETTING TRAVEL, SLOW TRAVEL AND CULINARY TRAVEL.

AND PEOPLE LOVE A GOOD SEASONAL GETAWAY, LONGER ITINERARIES AND THINGS NEED TO BE PERSONALIZED.

SO WHEN I TAKE THAT JUST QUICKLY THROUGH THIS, UM, ACTIVE TRAVEL, THAT'S PEOPLE WHO LOVE TO GO AND DO, YOU KNOW, BIG BIKE RIDES OR EXPLORING THE OUTDOORS PASSION TRAVEL.

WE USE THIS AS AN EXAMPLE.

WHEN WE WERE PRESENTING TO ATAC, PEOPLE WERE ACTUALLY MAKING TRIPS BASED ON THE ECLIPSE, SO THAT EVEN THOUGH IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN THREE OR FOUR DAYS, THEY WERE TAKING THE TIME OUT OF THEIR TRAVEL BANK AND TRAVELING FOR THAT PASSION MOMENT SET.

JETTING IS NOT A MISSPELLING, BUT IT IS AN ACTUAL, UM, PIECE OF TRAVEL SEGMENT OF THOSE THAT ARE TRAVELING BECAUSE THEY SAW SOMETHING ON A MOVIE SET OR ON A TV THAT SAID, OH MY GOSH, THIS IS ON HILTON HEAD, OR IN ANOTHER LIKE, DESTINATION.

AND THEY, AND THEY'RE TRAVELING FOR THAT SLOW TRAVEL.

I THINK POST COVID, WE'VE SEEN AN UPTICK IN THIS.

AND PEOPLE JUST DON'T WANNA BE BOUND BY A START AND A STOP.

THEY WANT TO BE HERE FOR AS LONG AS THEY FEEL IT'S RIGHT TO BE HERE.

SO WE'LL TAKE THAT.

WE LOVE IT AS LONG AS THEY'RE, UM, BEING PROPER STEWARDS OF THE DESTINATION.

OUR GOALS, AGAIN, CONSISTENT WHERE WE'VE BEEN, UM, AGAIN, WITH THE PRIOR YEAR, CONNECTING THE MARKETING PROMISE WITH THE ON ISLAND EXPERIENCE, CREATE AN UNDERSTANDING OF AND RESPECT FOR OUR DELICATE ECOSYSTEM, DRIVE DEEPER DISCOVERY AND EXPLORATION, EXPLORATION OF OUR DESTINATION, BUILDING BRAND AWARENESS AND ENHANCE LEISURE AND GROUP BUSINESS THROUGH QUALIFIED VISITATION.

WHEN WE LOOK AT THIS WHEEL, AGAIN, IT'S JUST THE SAME TOOLS IN OUR TOOLKIT AGAIN, BUT HOW WE'RE BRINGING THOSE FORWARD WITH THE MESSAGING AND THE IMAGERY AND THE STORYTELLING THAT WE PLACE INSIDE THEM.

CONTENT CALENDAR IS JUST A, A, A EXAMPLE OF A ROADMAP THAT WE CAN BUILD OUT TOGETHER.

THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE DO IN TERMS OF CAMPAIGNS OR SOCIAL MEDIA PLACEMENTS SUPPORTING OUR LOCAL ARTS AND CULTURE EFFORTS.

SO THIS JUST GIVES YOU A ROUGH KIND OF EXAMPLE.

THESE ARE NOT ALL COMMITMENTS BY ANY MEANS, BUT HERE AGAIN, HERE ARE SOME OF OUR TOOLKITS PIECES COMING TO LIFE.

SO THAT WEBSITE IS GONNA BE THAT NUMBER ONE PIECE THAT WE'RE OUT THERE PROMOTING AND CAPTURING WITH THAT BIG CAST OF A NET.

WE'RE USING OUR ORGANIC

[01:30:01]

AND PAID SOCIAL MEDIA.

ORGANIC HERE IS AN IMPORTANT PIECE TO TELL THOSE DEEPER STORIES.

DIGITAL ADVERTISING IS WHERE WE'RE SEEING OUR PAID SOCIAL MEDIA AS WELL AS OUR PAID DIGITAL ADS GOING OUT.

UM, AND THEN OUR MEDIA PARTNERSHIPS, AS WE SAW WITH, UM, CONDE TRAVELER, WE HAD A WONDERFUL STORY COME LIGHT, AND THIS WAS A SERIES OF DIFFERENT STORIES I JUST WANTED TO SHOW YOU.

ONE HILTON HEAD AND MY GULLAH CULTURE HAS JUST REALLY MADE ME, IT'S MADE ME WHO I AM TODAY.

YOU KNOW, FOR ALL OF THE GULLAH CULTURE ON HILL AND HEAD ISLAND, ALL EVERYBODY, EVERYBODY CAME FROM CAME FROM HERE.

THAT'S POWERFUL.

1861, WE WERE, WE FOUR YEARS BEFORE ANYBODY ELSE.

IT'S FROM BUBBA, MY GRANDFATHER, WHO WAS A CRAFTSMAN AND BUILT BOATS OR BATES.

BUT THE ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT TOO HAS BEEN PASSED DOWN THROUGH GENERATIONS FROM OUR FAMILY.

MAKE SURE YOU LEARN HOW TO DO SOMETHING WITH YOUR HAND AND TO UTILIZE YOUR MIND TO DO SOMETHING FOR YOURSELF THAT DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING USED TO ALWAYS SAY, YOU HAVE TO KNOW WHERE YOU COMING FROM IN ORDER TO KNOW WHERE YOU GOING.

EXACTLY.

AND I BELIEVE THAT IS SOME SEASONED INFORMATION.

SO NOW, YOU KNOW, KIDS WHO LIVE HERE TODAY, THEY, THEY'LL NEVER, WELL, THEY SHOULDN'T BE ABLE TO SAY THAT THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT MITCHELLVILLE IS.

AND TO BRING, BRING THE KIDS OUT AND GET THEM AND BRING THE KIDS OUT, GET THEM INVOLVED, THEN THEY LEARN THE STORY AND THEY LEARN THE BACKGROUND AND THEY LEARN ABOUT THE GULLAH CULTURE AND THEY LEARN HOW IMPORTANT IT IS.

AND WE ARE ONE STEP CLOSER TO MAKING SURE THAT THE CULTURE DOESN'T DIE.

SURE.

MAKE SURE IT DOESN'T DIE.

IT DON'T DIE, YOU KNOW, THAT IT, IT CONTINUES.

THAT IS JUST A LITTLE SNEAK PEEK OF, OR MAYBE IT'S DOWN HERE.

GOT IT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

I APOLOGIZE.

UM, OF, OF WHAT WE'RE DOING, NOT JUST WITHIN OUR BRAND ASSETS AND OUR TOOLKIT, BUT WITH PARTNERS, UM, SUCH AS CONNA, TRAVEL TRAVELER AND BEYOND.

UM, IN ADDITION, PUBLIC RELATIONS, AGAIN, CHARLIE, HER TEAM AND WEBER SHANDWICK WILL CONTINUE TO BE, UM, POUND THE PAVEMENT TO, UM, ENSURE THAT THE BRAND OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND IS BEING HEARD.

UM, UH, AND ALL THE PIECES THAT WE HAVE TO OFFER, UH, MEETINGS AND GROUPS WILL BE CONTINUE TO BE A SEGMENT FOR US TO GROW AND EXPAND APPROPRIATELY FOR THE OFFERINGS THAT WE HAVE.

UM, THE HOTELS HAVE ALL RECENTLY PUT IN WONDERFUL INVESTMENTS INTO THEIR PROPERTIES, AND IT IS, UM, WELL, WE HAVE WONDERFUL, UM, ATTRIBUTES TO OFFER GROUPS WHEN THEY DO COME HERE.

INTERNATIONAL MARKETING WILL CONTINUE TO BE AT THE FOREFRONT OF OUR EFFORTS AS WE LOOK TO THOSE THAT DO LOVE HILTON HEAD ISLAND AND ALREADY HAVE THE PROPENSITY TO TRAVEL.

THOSE THREE, UM, AREAS ARE CANADA, THE UK AND GERMANY.

UM, THERE ARE OTHERS WITHIN NOT JUST OUR STATE, BUT BROADER THAT ARE FISHING ALL OVER THE WORLD.

UM, BUT WE KNOW THAT THESE THREE ARE WORKING HARD FOR US AND WE WANNA CONTINUE TO, TO BUILD ON THAT BRAND, UM, AFFINITY AND GROW THOSE, UM, VISITATIONS, ESPECIALLY WITHIN THE OFF SEASON BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT'S WHERE THEY REALLY HELP US.

THEY STAY FOR LONGER PERIODS OF TIME.

AND THE VACATION PLANNER, AGAIN, WILL BE THAT DEEPER STORYTELLING THAT COMPLIMENTS THE, THE FIVE VALUES THAT WE'VE, UM, BROUGHT FORWARD WITHIN THE WEBSITE AND ALL OTHER EFFORTS.

WE REMISS IF WE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT THE COMMUNITY CORNERSTONE PLAN, COUNCILMAN AMES AND OTHERS, UM, HAVE WORKED SO HARD WITH OUR ORGANIZATION TO ENSURE THAT THE BIGGER PICTURE AND BIGGER, UM, THOUGHT PROCESS OF HOW WE APPROACH TOURISM CAME TO, UM, FORWARD WITH THESE FIVE VALUES.

SO WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THOSE OPPORTUNITIES, UM, AND WE CONTINUE TO REALLY PUSH FORWARD WITH EVERYTHING THAT WE DO.

REALLY TIES BACK TO THE LARGER COMMUNITY CORNERSTONE PLAN, AND AGAIN, BEING LED WITH THOSE FIVE VALUES IN OUR MARKETING BUDGET, YOU'LL SEE, UM, OUR INCREASES, UH, SLIGHTLY ACROSS THE BOARD, BUT REALLY PUTTING AN ONUS ON SOCIAL MEDIA THAT DIGITAL MARKETING INTERNATIONAL AND JUST REFRESHING OUR ASSETS WHEN IT COMES TO PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEOGRAPHY AS WELL.

OUR OBJECTIVE, AND YOU HAVE TOUCHED ON THIS, IS TO HAVE FEWER VISITORS SPENDING MORE MONEY, UM, WHICH SHOWS UP IN, IN A LOOK BACK, UH, OR, AND A SUBTITLE OF THAT IS FEWER VISITORS IN THE SUMMER AND MORE IN THE OTHER PARTS OF OF THE YEAR.

ANY QUESTIONS? YOU HAVE COMMENTS? YOU HAVE COMMENTS? YES.

YES, SIR.

UM, FIRST I'D LIKE TO SAY, UH, MS. BERNICE, THAT WAS AN EXCELLENT PRESENTATION, UH, VERY DETAILED, VERY INFORMATIVE, AND VERY HELPFUL.

SECOND, I, I WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE YOU AND YOUR ORGANIZATION FOR TAKING TO HEART ALL THE DISCUSSIONS WE HAD LAST YEAR ABOUT THINGS THAT THE TOWN WOULD LIKE TO SEE DONE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY AND YOUR WILLINGNESS TO WORK WITH THE TOWN TO ACCOMPLISH THAT.

AND I THINK, UH, IT IS EVIDENCE IN, IN WHAT'S HAPPENING THIS YEAR.

AND I, AGAIN, VERY PLEASED ABOUT THAT.

UM, I THINK

[01:35:01]

UH, YOU INDICATED, UH, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THAT IN TERMS OF METRICS, THAT THAT WOULD SHOW UP IN A LOWER OCCUPANCY IN A HIGHER REVPAR AND A DR AND THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN THIS YEAR.

I, I ASSUME YOU ANTICIPATE THAT THAT WOULD BE THE RESULT IN FUTURE YEARS IS A LOWER O OCCUPANCY.

UH, AND I HIGHER A DR AND REVPAR.

UM, THE ONLY THINGS THAT, THAT, UH, CONCERN ME ARE IN THE SURVEYS.

UH, YOU, YOU ARE COMPARING WAVES AND WAVES MEANS YEARS.

UH, AND I I THINK IT IS HARD TO GET ANYTHING SUBSTANTIVE OUT OF A YEAR OVER YEAR COMPARISON.

MAYBE OVER THREE YEARS, MAYBE OVER FIVE YEARS AND SO FORTH.

AND I GUESS YOU, IN DUE COURSE YOU'LL GET THERE.

UM, THE OTHER THING IS YOU HAVE A QUESTION ON, ON, UM, HOW RESIDENTS PERCEIVE TOURISM IN GENERAL.

AND, UM, TO ME THAT'S NOT QUITE THE RIGHT QUESTION.

UH, WE ALL, I BELIEVE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS ISLAND ECONOMY IS VERY MUCH BASED ON TOURISM AND THEREFORE IT IS AN INHERENT INGRAINED PART.

BUT WHAT CONCERNED US LAST YEAR, AND I THINK THAT CONCERN CONTINUES, UH, IS WHAT IS THE APPROPRIATE LEVEL OF TOURISM.

YOUR ORGANIZATION DOES SUCH A GREAT JOB THAT OVER TIME WE COULD KEEP INCREASING THE NUMBER EXPONENTIALLY, UH, WITH ALL THE GOOD WORK THAT YOU DO, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT'S WHAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS.

UH, AND I THINK THEY DO UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF TOURISM, BUT THEY GET VERY CONCERNED ABOUT VOLUME AND TRAFFIC.

PARTICULARLY WHEN WE HAD A DAY A COUPLE DAYS AGO WHEN WE HAD THE LARGEST NUMBER OF VISITORS.

AND IN SIX YEARS, UH, THE LARGEST NUMBER OF THIS YEAR, UH, THE LARGEST NUMBER OF PEOPLE GOING INTO SEA PINES ON THAT DAY.

UM, PEOPLE WILL REMEMBER THAT AND SAY, YES, LET'S LET'S NOT OVERDO IT.

LET'S GET A FEWER NUMBER OF TOURISTS SPENDING MORE MONEY.

LET'S NOT, THE QUESTION SHOULDN'T BE, DO WE LIKE TOURISM, BUT WHAT LEVEL DO WE LIKE OF TOURISM? THANK YOU.

OKAY, JENNIFER, THANK YOU, ARIANA.

THIS WAS, UH, A VERY INFORMATIVE REPORT AS ALWAYS.

UM, YOU HEARD MY CONCERNS ABOUT THE REVPAR AND OCCUPANCY DECLINE.

THOSE CAN BE EXPLAINED BY A HIGHER, UH, FEWER PEOPLE SPENDING MORE MONEY.

UM, THAT NUMBER NEEDS TO BE WIGGLED OUT OF HERE A LITTLE BIT BETTER FOR US, I THINK, UM, SO THAT WE CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT IS.

THESE ARE INDUSTRY NUMBERS THAT YOU DEAL WITH ALL THE TIME AND WE DON'T.

AND SO YOU CAN HELP, UH, TO INTERPRET THAT FOR US.

THAT'LL BE VERY USEFUL.

UM, I HAVE LOOKED AT THE VACATION PLANNER YOU GAVE US ONE FOR THE CURRENT YEAR AND THE PREVIOUS YEAR.

BEAUTIFUL PRODUCTS, VERY IMPRESSIVE.

UM, FOR THE MOST PART, THEY ARE ATTRACTING THE KIND OF PEOPLE TO THE ACTIVITIES WE WANT TO ATTRACT SOMETHING THAT IS, I THINK, MISSING IN THAT IS SOME OF THE PUBLIC PARK OPPORTUNITIES THAT THE TOWN HAS PROVIDED, UM, THE WONDERFUL CELEBRATION PARK AND WHAT CAN GO ON THERE AND THE FACILITIES THAT ARE AVAILABLE THERE.

UM, AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME OF THAT AND CONTINUED EMPHASIS ON CULTURAL TOURISM.

UH, WE HAVE A GREAT STORY TO TELL HERE.

WE HAVE A LOT OF HISTORY HERE AND WE NEED TO BE PROMOTING THAT BETTER.

MAYBE THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH EFFORTS, UH, FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE INVOLVED, BUT I THINK IF WE CAN STIMULATE MORE OF THAT, THAT'LL BE VERY HEALTHY IN TERMS OF OUR TOURISM, UH, POPULATION THAT COMES IN HERE.

UM, ONE OF YOUR SLIDES WAS POINTING OUT THE NUMBER OF VISITORS BY CATEGORY.

HOW, HOW DO YOU COME UP WITH 255,000 DAY TRIPPERS? HOW DO YOU DETERMINE THAT? I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW YOU COULD COME UP WITH A NUMBER.

RIGHT? SO THAT IS DONE BY OUR, UM, COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON PARTNERSHIP, AND THAT'S DONE THROUGH OUR SERVICE.

YOU CAN GO IN AND GET A PROCESSES DONE, BUT THAT'S THE, THE KIND OF HIGH LEVEL DETAIL IS THAT'S HOW WE'RE YEAH, BUT I UNDERSTAND, BUT MY POINT IS, SOMEONE THAT LIVES IN RIDGELAND DECIDED

[01:40:01]

THEY WANT TO GO TO THE BEACH ON HILTON HEAD FOR A DAY.

THEY DRIVE OVER HERE, THEY MAY SPEND A LITTLE MONEY, BUT WE DON'T HAVE A WAY TO TICK OFF THAT THEY'VE BEEN HERE.

SO THAT LOOKS LIKE A MADE NUMBER, A GUESS NUMBER.

UH, I'M NOT CRITICIZING IT, BUT WE ARE SAYING THAT DAY TRIPPERS NEED TO HAVE, NEED TO MAKE MORE OF AN INVESTMENT IN THEIR TRIPS HERE.

AND WE NEED TO FIND WAYS TO DO THAT.

GOOD.

WE'LL GET SOME MORE INFORMATION FOR YOU ON THAT.

EXCELLENT.

DIDN'T GET IT.

, .

IT WAS OVER HERE A LITTLE WHILE AGO.

YEAH.

YES, PLEASE, SIR.

AND I THINK THIS IS THE NINTH PRESENTATION THAT YOU'VE GIVEN TO COUNCIL SINCE I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL.

UH, I HAVE NEVER FELT THAT YOU ARE ANYTHING BUT VERY PROFESSIONAL IN YOUR PRESENTATION AND THE WORK THAT YOU GIVE US.

SO CONGRATULATIONS IN THAT REGARD.

I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

I ALSO WILL NOTE THAT OVER THOSE NINE YEARS, UM, COUNSEL AND CHAMBER HAVE BEEN MOVING CLOSER AND CLOSER INTO AN ALIGNMENT ON, UM, THE VALUES THAT ARE NOW ARTICULATED IN THE PLAN.

AND I APPRECIATE THAT.

UM, I THINK THAT THE CONNECTION TO THE FUNNEL ANALOGY IS IMPORTANT FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND BECAUSE AS THAT FUNNEL GETS NARROWER, WE HAVE GREATER AND GREATER INFLUENCE IN THE EXPERIENCES THAT PEOPLE WILL HAVE.

I DO BELIEVE THAT IT IS THE ATTRIBUTES OF OUR COMMUNITY THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO OUR RESIDENTS AND AS YOU SAID, ARE ALSO IMPORTANT TO OUR VISITORS, ARE THE THINGS THAT WE OUGHT TO BE MARKETING.

AND YOU, YOU DO, UH, A GREAT JOB IN DOING THAT.

SO IT'S, IT'S IN NO WAY FOR ME BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE THE PROFESSIONAL CREDENTIALS TO CRITICIZE, UH, YOUR METHODOLOGY OR YOUR PERFORMANCE.

I THINK THAT THEY STAND, UH, ON THEIR OWN.

WHAT I DO FEEL, UM, IS THE, UM, INHERENT CONFLICT BETWEEN THE EXPECTATIONS OF MOST BUSINESSES ON THE ISLAND.

UH, THE NEED TO CONTINUE TO SHOW PROFITS, UM, UH, IN AN EVER CHANGING WORLD AND WHAT RESIDENTS FEEL, UH, ON OUR ROADS AND IN OUR RESTAURANTS.

AND SO I DO, I DO THINK THAT INHERENT CONFLICT BETWEEN, UM, ECONOMIC EXPECTATIONS AND, UH, PERHAPS QUALITY OF LIFE OR FOR WHERE WE AS RESIDENTS VISUALIZE THE BALANCE.

SO THE BOTTOM LINE FOR ME IS THAT THE, THE COUNCIL, THE TOWN, THE STAFF AND THE CHAMBER HAVE TO CONTINUE WORKING ON HOW THOSE NUMBERS IMPACT, UH, RESIDENTS' PERCEPTION OF QUALITY OF LIFE.

I'LL JUST MAKE AN AN OBSERVATION THAT THE RESIDENT WHO CAME HERE 10 YEARS AGO HAS A VERY DIFFERENT LEVEL, UH, OF EXPECTATION THAN THE ONE WHO ARRIVED TODAY.

AND THE PROBLEM IS, IF WE DON'T MANAGE THAT, IT CONTINUES TO CHANGE IN A WAY THAT WE LOSE WHAT WE USED TO HAVE AND IS SO IMPORTANT TO THE COMMUNITY.

SO WITH EVERY NEW VISITOR, THERE COMES AN EXPECTATION OF WHAT'S GOING TO BE IMPORTANT AND, UH, ACHIEVED.

AND I THINK THAT THE CHAMBER HAS A VERY IMPORTANT ROLE TO EMPHASIZE THOSE THINGS THAT CREATED THE VALUE SYSTEM OF THIS ISLAND AND TO PROTECT IT AND PRESERVE IT INTO THE FUTURE.

SO THAT'S A BIG ORDER, BUT IT'S, IT, IT REALLY DOES BOIL DOWN TO THE ALLIANCE OR THE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE CHAMBER, DMO MARKETING AND BUSINESSES AND THE TOWN.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND THANK YOU CHAIR.

SMART PERSON ABOUT THOSE THAT HAVE THE ABILITY TO SUSTAIN OVER TIME, BUT IT'S NOT ALWAYS THE STRONGEST OR THE SWIFTEST, BUT THOSE THAT ARE ABLE TO ADAPT AND CHANGE VERY QUICKLY.

UM, I SHARE THE, UH, THE COMMENTS OF MY COLLEAGUES HERE.

I I WANTED TO ALSO THANK YOU ALL FOR, UH, CONTINUING TO EVOLVE.

UH, VERY SMART PERSON.

QUOTED ANOTHER VERY

[01:45:01]

UH, SO THE EFFORTS THAT YOU ALL HAVE PUT INTO ADAPTATION OF THE, UH, DESIRES OF THE COMMUNITY AND THE, THE COUNCIL, I, I, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, UH, THAT'S BEEN VERY NICELY RECEIVED AND YOU CAN SEE IT IN THE, UH, THE REPORTING THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US.

UM, ONE OF YOUR SLIDES, UM, IN THE BEGINNING OF THIS PRESENTATION, SO THEY HAD THE CIRCLES AND ONE WAS ABOUT MANAGING THIS ASSET, RIGHT? UM, AND YOU'RE RIGHT, YOU KNOW, WE ARE MATURE.

I THINK WE HAVE AN ADVANTAGE OVER OTHER DESTINATIONS BECAUSE OF THAT.

AND JUST MANAGING IS THE KEY PIECE AND THE ONLY WAY THAT WE CAN REALLY MANAGE IS IF WE HAVE THE RIGHT INFORMATION TO MANAGE, RIGHT? UH, SO JUST ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONTINUE TO SORT OF SHARPEN THAT TOOL AS FAR AS THE METRICS ARE CONCERNED.

UM, THE WHAT'S IN THE CONTRACT, UM, AT LEAST IN MY HUMBLE OPINION, IS SORT OF BLAND TO A DEGREE.

UM, YOU CAN PIECE THAT OUT AND GET A LITTLE BIT MORE CREATIVE WITH IT OVER TIME, AND I'LL JUST ENCOURAGE THAT WE CONTINUE TO DO THAT.

AND THE, AND THE BIGGEST ONE, UH, THAT YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, SORT OF STATED IS, UH, STAYING RELEVANT.

YOU KNOW, WE, WE, WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO STAY RELEVANT SO THAT WE HAVE A SATISFACTION FACTOR FOR THOSE THAT LIVE HERE, THOSE THAT ARE VISITING HERE, THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY.

UM, BECAUSE 20 YEARS FROM NOW, WE STILL WANT TO BE THE NUMBER ONE PLACE TO COME VISIT, RIGHT? SO I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR US ALL TO KEEP IN MIND.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR PRESENTATION TODAY.

MR. HERMAN, WE DO NEED TO TAKE SOME ACTION HERE.

UH,

[6.c. Consideration of a Resolution Recommending the 2024-2025 Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) Marketing Plan & Budget - Jeff Herriman, Treasurer]

CORRECT? I CAN MAKE A, I CAN MAKE A MOTION IF YOU, UH, WOULD LIKE, UM, GIVE MR. HERMAN JUST ONE MOMENT.

HE WANTED TO JUST GIVE US A LITTLE, LITTLE BIT HERE.

GO AHEAD.

JUST TO, JUST TO GIVE YOU BACKGROUND, THE BUDGET THAT WAS PRESENTED TODAY, UM, DID INCLUDE $4 MILLION IN, UH, REVENUE FOR, FROM STATE A TAX FUNDS TO THE TOWN THAT WOULD THEN BE PROVIDED TO THE DMO.

AND JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BACKGROUND, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING, AS YOU KNOW, ON THE FY 25 BUDGET, WE ARE SHOWING THAT WE ARE PROJECTING AT TAX REVENUES TO BE DOWN SLIGHTLY IN, IN, UM, COMPARED TO WHERE WE ARE THIS YEAR INTO 20 20, 20 23.

SO WE'RE PROJECTING 12.8 MILLION IN AT TAX REVENUES AND 30% OF THAT WERE COMING UP WITH APPROXIMATELY 3,836,000.

AGAIN, THE AMOUNT THAT GETS SENT TO THE DMO IS SET BY STATE LAW.

SO EITHER WAY IT'LL BE WHATEVER, 30% OF THE STATE AT TAX.

BUT I JUST WANT TO PROVIDE THAT AS, AS BACKGROUND IS, IS THE NUMBER THAT WE'VE CALCULATING SO FAR.

THANK YOU MR. HERMAN.

MS. DAVIS .

YEAH, I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE A RESOLUTION RECOMMENDING THE 20 24, 20 25 DESTINATION MARKETING ORGANIZATION, MARKETING PLAN AND BUDGET.

SECOND.

WE WILL TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM.

YES, PLEASE.

HI, KATIE HENDERSON FROM HILTON HEAD PLANTATION.

I THINK YOU GUYS KNOW I SIT IN HERE QUITE A BIT, UM, AND I HEARD THIS PRESENTATION LAST WEEK AND AGAIN THIS WEEK.

AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I THINK THAT THE MOST ORGANIC STRATEGY WE COULD POSSIBLY HAVE IS TO PROMOTE THE RBC MORE, TO GIVE THEM SOME SORT OF WAY TO SHOW THE ISLAND MORE, DO COMMERCIALS DURING THE RBC, SPEND LESS MONEY ON THESE OLD SCHOOL WAYS AND PROMOTE THE INTERNATIONAL AND NATIONAL MARKET THERE.

THANKS GUYS.

BE 3.5 MILLION TOURISTS IN 2025.

ANYONE ELSE? YES.

GOOD MORNING, AFTERNOON, .

YEAH, YOU GOT ANOTHER MEETING COMING UP REALLY SOON.

UM, MELINDA TONNER.

UM, I WANTED TO COMPLIMENT YOU ON THE GREAT DISCUSSION THAT YOU HAD, UH, REGARDING, UH, THE NUMBER OF VISITORS.

THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT AS I READ THE PACKAGE AND I'M CONNECTING THE DOTS TO OTHER MATERIALS THAT I HAD A CONCERN ON, UM, AND WHETHER WE HAD A TARGETED NUMBER OF VISITORS THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.

AND ONE OF THE REASONS THIS CAME UP FOR ME IS IN THAT TRENDS IN ASSESSMENT REPORT, UH, THAT'S OUT THERE.

UM, IT SAID THAT, UH, THE TREND COULD

[01:50:01]

UH, AND THAT WAS INCLUDED IN THAT TRENDS AND ASSESSMENT.

AND THAT WAS ALARMING TO ME IN REGARDS TO THE INCREASE.

SO I THINK THAT YOUR CONVERSATION TODAY WAS REALLY GOOD ABOUT PARTNERING WITH, UH, THIS ORGANIZATION TO REALLY GIVE DIRECTION INTO HOW MANY TOURISTS, UH, WE ARE LOOKING TO TARGET.

AND IF THE ANSWER IS FEWER AND TO SPEND MORE, UH, IN REALLY MAKING THAT CLEAR.

BECAUSE AS YOU SAID, WE REALLY WANNA BALANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OUR RESIDENTS HERE, WHILE ALSO RESPECTING THE FACT THAT THIS IS A TOURIST TOWN AND THEY BRING IN A LOT OF, UM, ECONOMIC BENEFIT TO THE ISLAND.

SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.

ANYONE ELSE? NONE.

WE WILL BRING IT BACK TO THE DAAS.

UM, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

WE READY FOR THE QUESTION? ANY MORE DISCUSSION? I'M READY TO MOVE FORWARD.