[00:00:01]
CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY.
[1. CALL TO ORDER]
THE FINANCE ADMINISTRATION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE TO ORDER.IT IS MONDAY, APRIL 15TH, 3:00 PM IF EVERYONE COULD RISE FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG.
I PLEDGE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH THE LIBERTY AND JUSTICE PRO.
[3. PUBLIC NOTIFICATION OF THIS MEETING HAS BEEN PUBLISHED, POSTED, AND DISTRIBUTED IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SOUTH CAROLINA FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT]
OF THIS MEETING HAS BEEN PUBLISHED, POSTED, AND DISTRIBUTED IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SOUTH CAROLINA FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT.[4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]
TO APPROVE TODAY'S AGENDA.I'LL MAKE THE MOTION TO APPROVE MS. ANICK A SECOND.
ALRIGHT, ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT? SEEING NO DISCUSSION, WE WILL APPROVE THIS WITHOUT OBJECTION.
IS THERE ANY OBJECTION? NO SEEING, NO OBJECTION.
[5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES- Special Called Meeting March 11, 2024 and March 18, 2024]
FOR SOMEONE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE OUR MINUTES FROM OUR SPECIAL CALL MEETING OF MARCH 11TH, 2024, AND ALSO A MEETING FROM MARCH 18TH, 2024.IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND IT.
IS THERE ANY MORE DISCUSSION ON THAT? SEEING NO DISCUSSION.
WE APPROVE THIS WITHOUT OBJECTION AND SEEING NO OBJECTION.
UM, LIKE TO OPEN UP, UM, FOR OUR CITIZEN'S COMMENT PERIOD, IF, IF THERE'S SOMEONE IN THE AUDIENCE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK DURING OUR CITIZEN'S COMMENT OR ANYONE ONLINE.
AND, AND LET ME START OUT BY SAYING THAT THE, OBVIOUSLY THE VIDEO IS NOT WORKING HERE IN THE CHAMBERS THIS MORNING, SO, UM, WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SEE, UH, MY PRETTY FACE OR ANYONE ELSE UP HERE AS PRETTY FACE AND THEN OUR SPEAKERS.
BUT WE WILL BE ABLE TO, UM, SEE THE PRESENTATIONS AS THEY COME UP ONLINE.
SO ALL THE PRESENTATIONS WILL BE UP.
AND ANYTHING ELSE THAT, THAT WE'VE GOT THAT ARE, UM, UH, ATTACHMENTS WILL BE SHOWN THEN ON THERE.
AND, UM, IF THE AUDIO DOESN'T WORK, THE THIS, THIS MEETING WILL STILL BE AVAILABLE BY, BY AUDIO, UM, AND TO, FOR PEOPLE TO WANNA FOLLOW BACK UP WITH ANYTHING.
SO JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IS CLEAR THERE.
SO, UH, I'D LIKE TO START WITH OUR, UM, ASSISTANT COUNTY
[7. ASSISTANT COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR REPORT]
ADMINISTRATOR REPORT, MR. DALE BUTTS, UM, AND ALSO MS. DENISE CHRISTMAS.AND, UH, UM, DALE'S ONE OF OUR, UM, UM, ASSISTANT COUNTY ADMINISTRATORS.
UM, YOU'RE NOT GONNA REALLY HEAR FROM ME.
I'VE ASKED, UH, EBONY SANDERS, OUR ASSESSOR TO COME BEFORE YOU AGAIN, TO GIVE YOU JUST A BRIEF, UH, UPDATE OVER THE NEXT FEW MINUTES ON SOME STUFF THAT, UH, THEY HAVE GOING ON IN THE, UH, ASSESSOR'S OFFICE.
SHOW YOU SOME, UH, SOME DATA THAT SHE'S, UH, RECENTLY, UH, COMPILED WHEN IT COMES TO LEGAL RESIDENCE.
SO THAT'S 4% THROUGH 6% AND I'VE ASKED HER TO SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT THAT AS WELL AS, UH, TALKED TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHY IT'S, UH, EXTREMELY IMPORTANT FOR US TO COLLECT BOTH OF THOSE FOUR AND 6%.
SO, UM, EBONY SANDERS FROM OUR ASSESSOR'S DEPARTMENT.
MS. SANDERS, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO COME FOR YOU.
UM, I SENT OVER, I HOPE YOU RECEIVED IT.
UM, AN IDEA OF WHERE WE'RE AT WITH REGARDS TO LEGAL RESIDENCY AS THE COUNTY, AS OUR ENTIRE, AS ITS ENTIRETY.
UM, WHAT WE HAVE, ONCE WE COMPLETED OUR REASSESSMENT, UM, OUR COUNTYWIDE REASSESSMENT IN 2023, UM, WE HAD A TOTAL PARCEL COUNT OF 134,000 PARCEL PARCELS, A LITTLE OVER 104 34,000 PARCELS AS OF MARCH OF THIS YEAR.
UM, OF THOSE 134,000 PARCELS, UM, WE WOULD, WE ARE LOOKING AT ABOUT FIF ABOUT 59,380, UM, THOUSAND PARCELS THAT ARE RECEIVING THE LEGAL RESIDENCY EXEMPTION OF SOME FORM THAT INCLUDES MOBILE HOMES, CONDOMINIUMS, UM, PARCELS THAT ARE IMPROVED.
UM, SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE PRO RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES.
AND IN THE GRAPH THAT I DID PROVIDE TO YOU, OH, YOU DO HAVE IT AND YOU HAVE IT.
WE ABILITY OF MOVING IT OH, OKAY.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE GRANT THAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU THERE, OF THE 134,000 PARCELS THAT WE HAVE, UM, WITH BEAUFORT COUNTY, ONLY 75,000 OF THOSE ARE AT NON-LEGAL RESIDENCY RATES.
SO THAT INCLUDES ALL OF YOUR VACANT PARCELS, COMMERCIAL PARCELS, AND SECOND RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES OR SECOND HOMES.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THAT PARTICULAR,
[00:05:01]
UM, GRAPH THAT WE ARE ALMOST AT THE BRINK OF THE COUNTY BEING SPLIT COMPLETELY IN HALF WITH RESIDENTIAL LEGAL, RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES AND NON-LEGAL RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES.SO THIS IS A REPORT THAT I GAVE FINANCE TO KIND OF GIVE THEM AN IDEA OF THOSE PROPERTY OWNERS WILL NOT BE PAYING IN THE SCHOOL OPERATION MILLS.
UM, SO WE HAVE 59,000 PARCELS THAT ARE EXEMPT FROM THE SCHOOL OPERATION MILLS.
YOU CAN SEE ON THE NEXT GRAPH YOU SAID I CAN, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO IT WITH THE, THE POINTER.
HERE'S A BREAKDOWN THAT I ALSO PROVIDED TO FINANCE TO GIVE YOU THEM AN IDEA OF WHAT, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT WITH REGARDS TO LEGAL RESIDENCY DWELLING.
THESE ARE, THESE ARE JUST, UM, THIS PARTICULAR PIE CHART IS FOR PROPERTIES THAT ARE CONSIDERED SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE.
AGAIN, THESE ARE MOBILE HOMES, CONDOMINIUMS, UM, IMPROVED PROPERTIES, SINGLE FAMILY DWELLINGS, UM, DOES NOT INCLUDE AG USE.
'CAUSE THEY ARE, THEY'RE CONSIDERED THEY GET A 4%, BUT THEY'RE, THEY PAY INTO THE SCHOOL OPERATION.
SO THAT'S WHY I PUT THAT DISCLAIMER THERE.
BUT AS YOU CAN SEE ON THIS PARTICULAR PIE CHART, UM, OUT OF OUR SINGLE FAMILY OR LIVABLE DWELLINGS, WE ARE AT 58% OF THOSE PROPERTIES ARE RECEIVING THAT LEGAL RESIDENCY EXEMPTION.
SO ONLY 42% ARE AT THE POINT WHERE THEY'RE PAYING AT THE 6% RATE.
SO THAT KIND OF GIVES YOU AN IDEA.
NOW WE HAVE GONE BEYOND THAT THRESHOLD ABOVE HALF OF OUR PROPERTIES OF LIVABLE OR DWELLINGS THAT ARE AT THE LEGAL RESIDENCY EXEMPTION.
AGAIN, THOSE PROPERTY OWNERS ARE NOT PAYING INTO THE SCHOOL OPERATION MILLS.
THEY ARE EXEMPTED BASED ON THE CAROLINA CODE.
AND THE FINAL CHART THAT I HAVE HERE, I KIND OF WANTED TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF THE PROGRESSION OVER TIME.
IT, YOU CAN SEE THAT PROGRESSION CURRENTLY AS OF MARCH, UM, WE HAVE 59,373 PARCELS THAT ARE RECEIVING THE EXEMPTION IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
NOW, AGAIN, WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE ENTIRE CALENDAR YEAR.
UM, OUR EXEMPTION PERIOD FOR, TO QUALIFY OR TO APPLY FOR THE EXEMPTION ENDS JANUARY 15TH.
SO THAT NUMBER I ANTICIPATE WILL INCREASE BECAUSE PEOPLE RESPOND TO NOTIFICATIONS THAT ARE SENT BY THE COUNTY AUDITOR, A NOTIFICATION THAT IS SENT BY MYSELF AND OUR DEPARTMENT WITH REGARDS TO ASSESSMENT NOTICES AS WELL AS THEIR TAX BILLS.
SO THEY'RE TYPICALLY, PEOPLE ARE REALLY, UM, REACTIVE INSTEAD OF BEING PROACTIVE.
AND SO WITH THAT REACTIVE, THEY'LL REACT TO THE TAX BILLS.
AND WHEN THEY SEE THEIR 6% ASSESSMENT ON THAT TAX BILL, THEN THEY'LL TYPICALLY APPLY.
AND THAT'S WHEN WE SEE AN INFLUX IN APPLICATIONS ONCE TAX BILLS GO OUT.
SO HERE YOU CAN SEE THE PROGRESSION OVER TIME, UM, WHEN 2021 THROUGH, I THINK IT'S 2020 ON THERE THROUGH CURRENT.
UM, AND THAT DATA THAT I'VE RETRIEVED FROM IS FROM OUR COUNTYWIDE DATA FILE THAT WE'VE, WE PROVIDE TO FINANCE ANNUALLY.
IT'S AN ESTIMATE WITH REGARDS TO THE VALUES, BUT IT GIVES US A CLEAR INDICATION OF THE NUMBER OF PROPERTIES THAT ARE, UM, AT THE LEGAL RESIDENCY RATE.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE, UM, IN 20, IF YOU ARE LOOKING AT 2022 TO 2023, IT WAS AN EYE OPENING, NOT ONLY FOR MYSELF, I UNDER, I KNEW THE DATA WAS THERE AND THE INCREASES THAT THAT WAS SHOWN ON OUR TAX RECORDS.
BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT, YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE WAS 10,000 MORE PROPERTIES THAT QUALIFY FOR THE LEGAL RESIDENCY JUST IN THAT YEAR.
SO THAT TELLS US THAT THERE ARE MORE PEOPLE THAT ARE CLAIMING COMING TO BEAUFORT OR CLAIMING THEIR PROPERTY HERE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY AS THEIR PRIMARY RESIDENCY.
NOW WE SEE THAT AGAIN FROM 23 TO 24.
WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE FALL THE ENTIRE YEAR.
SO I EXPECT THAT NUMBER TO INCREASE.
BUT WE CAN SEE THAT THERE IS A, THERE IS SOME INCREASES BECAUSE I THINK IT, BECAUSE OF COVID AND THOSE TYPE OF THINGS.
BUT PEOPLE ARE MOVING HERE AND THEY WANT TO BE, MAKE THIS THEIR HOME.
SO I PROVIDED THAT TO YOU TO, AGAIN, GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING LIKE WITH REGARDS TO THE NUMBER OF PROPERTIES IN BEAUFORT THAT IS RECEIVING THAT EXEMPTION.
ANOTHER POINT I WANNA MAKE BEFORE I FORGET MY THOUGHT.
UM, CURRENTLY, UM, THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE ANNUALLY REACHES OUT TO OUR DEPARTMENT AND THEY ASK FOR A VOLUNTARY AUDIT.
IT'S, IT'S ON VOLUNTARY BASIS.
THEY ASK FOR OUR TOP 100 PARCELS THAT ARE RECEIVING THE LEGAL RESIDENCY, UM, OR THE ONES THAT ARE RECEIVING THE TOP 100 OF THE, THE HIGHEST BENEFACTORS OF THAT EXEMPTION.
I SUBMITTED THAT TO THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE.
IT IS A VOLUNTARY AUDIT AND THEY WILL RUN IT THROUGH TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE INDIVIDUALS ARE, UM, FILING INCOME TAX.
AND IF THEY'RE NOT, THERE'S SOMETHING THAT'S RED FLAGS ON THEIR END.
THEY SHARE THAT BACK WITH OUR OFFICE AND THEN WE DO ADDITIONAL RESEARCH.
AND IF THERE'S A SITUATION WHERE WE HAVE TO BACK TAX THEM OR REACH OUT TO THAT TAXPAYER TO HAVE THOSE DISCUSSIONS, WE DO THAT.
BUT I JUST WANTED TO SHOW THAT THERE ARE MANY MOTION, MANY WHEELS ARE TURNING BEHIND THE SCENES WITH REGARDS TO THIS EXEMPTION.
AND I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF SHARE THAT, GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF THE, OF THE NUMBER OF PARCELS THAT ARE RECEIVING IT AND WHAT WE'RE DOING TO KIND OF KEEP THAT, KEEP THOSE PROPERTY OWNERS WITH THAT EXEMPTION.
BUT THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO PRESENT TODAY.
[00:10:01]
ANY, UH, QUESTIONS FOR MS. SANDERS? YEAH, I HAVE ONE, UH, GOOD, SOMEWHAT RELATED TO THIS AND IT, UM, APPARENTLY, UH, LANCASTER.HOW ARE YOU TODAY? I CAN'T SEE YOU, BUT I CAN HEAR YOU
UH, LANCASTER COUNTY'S DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR WAS ON, UH, TELEVISION THE OTHER NIGHT AND SAID, BECAUSE OF SOUTH CAROLINA LAW, UH, WHICH DOESN'T GIVE INDIVIDUAL COUNTIES THE FLEXIBILITY TO GRANT PENALTY FEE WAIVERS IN THE ABSENCE OF A FILED EXTENSION, WHAT IS A FILED EXTENSION? WELL, THE FILED EXTENSION, I, I DID NOT SEE, FIRST, LET ME PREFACE IT.
I DID NOT SEE THE ACTUAL PRESENTATION FROM THE LANCASTER ADMINISTRATOR.
I JUST NEED, YOU KNOW, WHAT A FILED EXTENSION IS.
I'M ASSUMING THAT I'M AN ASSUMPTION BASED ON WHAT YOUR QUESTION IS, THAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT THE EXTENSION THAT THE TREASURER COULD APPLY FOR TO EXTEND THE, THE FILING DATE OR FOR YOU TALKING ABOUT LEGAL RESIDENCY OR FOR TAXES.
WELL, I THINK IT'S THE, I, WELL, I DON'T THINK IT'S THE LEGAL, I THINK IT'S THE TAX.
I THINK PEOPLE ARE GETTING A 6% AND THEN SAYING THAT IT SHOULD BE 4% MM-HMM.
AND THEN SOME OF THEM ARE JUST IGNORING IT.
OTHERS ARE, UH, PAYING IT, OTHERS AREN'T DOING ANYTHING.
SOME OF THEM I GUESS DO SOMETHING.
AND I'M, I'M, I'M TRYING TO FIND OUT EXACTLY WHAT IS A FILED EXTENSION BECAUSE APPARENTLY THAT'S SOMEHOW CONNECTED TO THE FLEXIBILITY TO GRANT PENALTY WA FEE WAIVERS, UH, WITHIN THE STATE THAT MAYBE I SHOULD TALK TO YOU ABOUT THIS ANOTHER TIME PRIVATELY BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO TAKE UP, UH, A LOT OF TIME HERE.
BUT I, I DO HAVE A CONCERN ABOUT IT BECAUSE I WAS INFORMED EARLIER THAT IT CAN'T BE DONE.
THEN I ALSO HEARD THAT IT CAN BE DONE.
SO I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, RATHER THAN TAKING UP THE TIME HERE, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH A LOT TO SAY TODAY.
WHY DON'T I JUST GIVE YOU A CALL TOMORROW AND THE NEXT DAY NOW WE'LL GIVE YOU SOME TIME TO LOOK INTO IT.
AND LEMME JUST, UM, HELP AND YOU DID A GREAT JOB EXPLAINING, UH, MS. SANDERS IS THE FACT THAT, UM, WHAT WHAT SHE WAS MENTIONING WAS, UM, ACT 3 88 IS, IS WHAT DECIDES HOW TAXES ARE PAID IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A STATE RULE AND SO EVERYONE GETS PAYS THE CONSIDERED A 6% TAX.
HOWEVER, IF YOU APPLY FOR THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION THAT YOU LIVE HERE FULL TIME AND YOU'RE A RESIDENT, WELL THEN YOU GET TAXED AT A 4%.
HOWEVER, IF YOU'RE NOT A RESIDENT MM-HMM,
I'VE HAD MANY, MANY PARENTS COME UP TO ME AND, AND, AND TALK ABOUT TAXES IN THE ON FOR SCHOOLS.
AND I'LL SAY, IF YOU'RE A FULL-TIME RESIDENT, GO LOOK AT YOUR TAX BILL.
SO THAT'S WHY IF, IF YOU DON'T HAVE THAT 4%, YOUR TAXES ARE SO MUCH HIGHER BECAUSE YOU'RE PAYING A HIGHER TAX RATE, PLUS YOU'RE PAYING FOR THE SCHOOL TAX, YOU ARE CORRECT THAT HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION IS A, IT'S A BENEFIT.
IT, UH, ACT 3 88 EX MADE THE BENEFIT, GAVE MORE BROADER, UM, GAVE THEM MORE, UM, MORE OF A BENEFIT.
UM, THE LEGAL RESIDENCY EXEMPTION IS AN EXEMPTION THAT YOU HAVE TO QUALIFY, YOU HAVE TO APPLY FOR AND QUALIFY FOR.
AND SO IT DOES EXEMPT THE PROPERTY OWNERS FROM THE SCHOOL OPERATION MILLS AND SO ON THEIR TAX BILL, THEY WILL SEE THE MILLS AS A NEGATIVE BECAUSE IT'S COMING OFF OF THERE AND THEY'RE COMPLETELY EXEMPTED OFF THAT, UM, FROM THAT.
AND YOU, THAT'S A, IT IS A BIG DIFFERENCE.
IT'S MORE THAN, AND THEN YOU GET THE 2% ON TOP OF IT.
SO YOU GET THE 4% TO 6% OR 6% TO 4% AND THEN YOU GET EXEMPTED FROM THE SCHOOL OPERATION BILLS ON TOP OF IT.
SO YES, IT IS AN, IT'S A HEFTY EXEMPTION.
AB ANY, UH, MR CHAIRMAN, JUST ONE MORE QUESTION.
I CAN SEE YOU ALL NOW, UH, TO A CERTAIN EXTENT, WHICH IS GREAT.
UM, THERE'S A DISTINCTION TO BE MADE BETWEEN A 4% TAX RATE AND THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION.
IS THAT CORRECT? THERE IS A DIS DISTINCTION, RIGHT? ONE IS FOR AGE AND ONE DOESN'T HAVE AN AGE REQUIREMENT.
4% DOES NOT HAVE AN AGE REQUIREMENT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MS. SANDERS? NO, I THINK SHE DID A GREAT JOB.
THANK YOU MS. SANDERS, THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT.
UM, AND LIKE TO HAVE, UM, MS. DENISE CHRISTMAS COME FORWARD.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE OUR LATEST EMPLOYEE TO THE FINANCE TEAM.
SHE IS OUR NEWEST ADDITION TO THE FINANCE TEAM.
SHE HAS THREE YEARS OF EXPERIENCE WITH THE CITY OF BEAUFORT AND THEIR FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
AND SHE WORKED IN, IN MULTIPLE FACETS OF THAT OFFICE.
AND NOW SHE IS HELPING US TREMENDOUSLY HERE AT THE COUNTY IN OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
KAY HAS HER BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE.
AND SHE LOVES TO GOLF, GO FOR WALKS AND READ IN HER SPARE TIME.
AND IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE HAVING HER WITH US OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS.
DO YOU WANNA SAY ANYTHING? SURE.
[00:15:01]
UM, JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT IT'S BEEN LOVELY, UM, WORKING UNDERNEATH, UM, DENISE AND CHRISTINE AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ALL SOON.AND WHAT IS MS. MCINTYRE'S? UM, JOB TITLE STAFF ACCOUNTANT.
AND WILL SHE HAVE ANY SPARE TIME NOW THAT SHE'S, WE'VE GOT HER RUNNING ALL OVER THE PLACE.
AND SO WE'RE GONNA KICK IT OFF, I THINK VALERIE'S NEXT ON THE, ON THE AGENDA.
BUT SHE WAS GOING TO SIMPLY, UM, COME UP HERE TO SAY THAT WE'RE KICKING OFF THE BUDGET PRESENTATIONS AND THEY ARE LIMITED AGAIN TO 15 MINUTES EACH.
I'LL SET MY TIMER AT THE DESK OVER HERE.
'CAUSE I DON'T THINK OUR TIMER IS, IS WORKING RIGHT NOW, OR, OR WE DIDN'T PRE DO THE TIME OR PRESET THE TIMER.
SO I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA BE MONITORING IT OVER HERE.
AND I THINK FIRST ON OUR LIST IS MS. STEPHANIE SMART GETTINGS.
UM, AND MS. CHRISTMAS IS OUR CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, I THINK QUITE PUT THAT OUT.
AND, AND VALERIE, THIS IS HER FIRST BUDGET YEAR.
SO VALERIE, WE WE'RE, WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE YOU HERE.
AND, UM, VALERIE'S, UH, OFFICIAL TITLE IS IT? BUDGET DIRECTOR.
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SUMMONING ME TO ERT.
I'LL OFTEN COME OVER HERE, SO IT'S A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO BE OVER HERE AND ENJOY THE WATER.
MY NAME IS STEPHANIE SMART GIS.
I AM THE 14TH CIRCUIT PUBLIC DEFENDER.
I, UH, REPRESENT ALLENDALE HAMPTON, JASPER COLTON, AND BUFORT.
AS MOST OF YOU ALL KNOW, BUFORT IS OUR ADMINISTRATING COUNTY.
AND WHAT THAT MEANS TO THE PEOPLE THAT DON'T KNOW IS THAT BUFORT HOLDS ALL OF OUR FINANCES.
WE DO NOT CONTROL ANY OF THE MONEY THAT WE HAVE IN OUR OFFICE.
BEAUFORT COUNTY DOES, AND THEY DO SO WITH THE ASSISTANCE FROM THE OTHER COUNTIES WHO SUPPORT THEIR PORTION OF THE BUDGET AS WELL.
WITH REGARD TO OUR 24 25 REQUEST, WE'VE ASKED FOR AN ADDITIONAL $424,904 AND 16 CENTS.
AND AS YOU'RE AWARE, WE HAVE NOT ASKED THE COUNCIL FOR AN INCREASE SINCE PROBABLY ABOUT 2021.
WE'VE DONE SO BECAUSE WITHIN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS THERE HAS BEEN SOME DISCREPANCY AS TO WHETHER OR NOT OUR OFFICE WAS A PART OF THE BEAUFORT COUNTY COMP PLAN.
WE RELIED ON, ON THE STAFF IN THE COUNTY THAT OUR OFF, THAT OUR OFFICE, THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE WAS A PART OF THE COUNTY COMP PLAN.
BUT WE WERE ADVISED THIS YEAR, OR MAYBE THE END OF LAST YEAR, THAT WE WERE NOT A PART OF THAT COMP PLAN.
IN THE PROCESS OF CHANGING, UM, JOB TITLE, JOB DESCRIPTIONS AND, AND MOVING OVER OUR EMPLOYEES TO THE THE COMP PLAN, WE INCURRED A INCREASE IN OUR BUDGET OF 298 THOU THOUSAND A HUNDRED AND, AND 99, 180 $9 AND 34 CENTS.
SO IN DOING SO, THE COUNTY DID NOT CONTRIBUTE THAT PORTION TO OUR BUDGET.
MR. HAYES CALLED ME LAST YEAR AND TOLD ME THAT WE WERE GONNA BE OVER BUDGET THIS YEAR IF WE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING.
SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH DENISE AND, AND CHRISTINE AND EVERYBODY TRYING TO FIGURE THIS OUT.
SO WE APPRECIATE THE STAFF FOR EVERYTHING THAT THEY'VE DONE TO, TO TRY TO HELP US GET TO A RESOLUTION.
UM, WE DO NOT BELIEVE THAT WE'LL BE A PART OF THE COUNTY COMP PLAN BECAUSE I BELIEVE WE'RE NOT ELIGIBLE ACCORDING TO STAFF.
SO WE ASK THAT THE COUNTY INCREASE OUR BUDGET TO COVER THE COST OF $424,904 AND 16 CENTS SO THAT WE WILL NOT BE OVER BUDGET FOR THE RAISES THAT WE GAVE TO OUR EMPLOYEES FOR CHANGING, UM, THEIR POSITIONS.
AND ALSO, UH, WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT BEING A PART OF THE COMP PLAN, ONE OF THE REASONS IT WAS SUGGESTED TO US IS THAT WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO COME BEFORE THE COUNCIL TO ASK FOR THE COLA INCREASES OR ANY OTHER INCREASES.
SO WE WANTED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT SO WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO COME BEFORE THE COUNCIL TO REQUEST THAT.
BUT BECAUSE AS OF RIGHT NOW WE'RE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THE COMP PLAN, WE JUST ASK THAT YOU, UM, INCREASE OUR BUDGET TO THE 5% COLA THAT WAS GIVEN IN, I BELIEVE, 2022 AND ALSO THE 3% COLA THAT WAS GIVEN IN APRIL OF 2023.
AND I BELIEVE IN OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR, THE COUNTY SENT OUT AN EMAIL, UM, INDICATING THAT THE STAFF WOULD RECEIVE A $3,000 INCREASE.
BUT OUR OFFICE DID NOT RECEIVE THAT INCREASE BECAUSE WE'RE NOT ON THE COMP PLAN.
SO WE WOULD JUST ASK THAT YOU, UM, INCREASE OUR BUDGET BY THAT AMOUNT SO THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR ANYTHING ADDITIONAL BECAUSE THE STATE DID GIVE US AN EXTRA $300,000 IN RETENTION MONEY.
BUT, UM, WE JUST ASK THAT YOU GIVE US THE $424,904 AND 60 CENTS TO MAKE OUR BUDGET WHOLE.
ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS FOR, UH, MS. SMART GIDDINGS? I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS.
UM, THESE ARE IN GENERAL FOR YOUR PUBLIC DEFENDER OFFICE.
HOW MANY OF YOUR CONTRACTS ARE WITH VENDORS OUTSIDE OF SOUTH CAROLINA?
[00:20:02]
UM, THAT'S A QUESTION THAT AMBER ALLENS, WHO'S HERE, SHE MAY HAVE TO ANSWER, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE WE HAVE ANY, DO WE HAVE ANY? NO.ONLY I'LL I SUBCONTRACTS SOME CONTRACT WOULD BE EXPERTS LIKE THAT WILL TESTIFY IN COURT.
AND THAT'S ABOUT THE ONLY VENDORS THAT WE HAVE.
BUT ARE YOU REQUIRED TO HAVE ALL THOSE CONTRACTS SENT TO THE COMMISSION? COMMISSION? MM-HMM,
I WAS TOLD YOU ARE REQUIRED TO SEND THEM TO THE COMMISSION.
UM, EX I'M SORRY, SOMEBODY HAVE A COMMENT? YOU MEAN LIKE EX PARTE ORDERS? I'M NOT LIKE OUR CONTRACTS CONTRACTS, NO CONTRACTS.
BUT IF WE ARE, IF WE HAVE AN EX PARTE ORDER FOR, LET'S SAY AN EXPERT TESTIFIED ON DNA OR GUNSHOT RESIDUE, THEN THE, THE OFFICE OF INDIGENT DEFENSE WILL HAVE TO GET THOSE CONTRACTS BECAUSE THEY REIMBURSE US FOR THAT MONEY.
SO AS LONG AS IT'S AVAILABLE IN COLUMBIA AND WE SUBMIT THE EX PARTE ORDER, THEN WE'LL BE REIMBURSED FOR THAT.
SO THEN MY NEXT QUESTION IS, YOU HAVE COUNTY VEHICLES, CORRECT? YES WE DO.
ARE THEY ALL DECALED AND IDENTIFIABLE AS BUFORT COUNTY VEHICLES? NO, THEY ARE COUNTY VEHICLES.
THEY DO NOT HAVE BEAUFORT COUNTY ON THEM.
WHY WOULD THEY NOT IF THEY'RE VEHICLE? 'CAUSE SOME OF THOSE VEHICLES ARE LOCATED IN ALLENDALE, COLTON, JASPER AND HAMPTON.
SO DO THOSE COUNTIES CONTRIBUTE TO THE VEHICLES? THEY CONTRIBUTE TO OUR BUDGET? SO THAT WAS MY NEXT QUESTION.
UM, HOW MUCH DO THEY CONTRIBUTE? UM, I'M NOT AS SURE THE EXACT AMOUNT, BUT I DO KNOW THAT ALLENDALE CONTRIBUTES THE LOWEST AT $20,000.
AND WE HAVE ASKED FOR INCREASES FOR EVERY YEAR SINCE I'VE BEEN CIRCUIT PUBLIC DEFENDER.
BUT THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO INCREASE OUR BUDGET.
HAMPTON COUNTY INCREASED OUR BUDGET LAST YEAR.
COLSON COUNTY HAS GIVEN US AN INCREASED OUR BUDGET FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS.
AND JASPER COUNTY INCREASED OUR BUDGET TWO YEARS AGO.
WELL, WE WROTE LETTERS TO THE COUNTY COUNCILS AFTER WE DISCUSSED WITH FINANCE WHAT THE COUNTY PORTION OF THE INCREASE IN SALARIES WOULD BE.
WE SENT THAT REQUEST TO INCREASE OUR BUDGET BY THE AMOUNT THAT THEIR THEIR PORTION WOULD BE.
SO WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO PROVIDE US WITH THAT, HOW MUCH EACH COUNTY HAS GIVEN OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS? THE FINANCE OFFICE RECEIVES IT BECAUSE THEY RECEIVE ALL OF OUR MONEY.
YOU HAVE THAT FOR US? OH, I'M SORRY.
HOW MUCH EACH COUNTY HAS GIVEN US, GIVEN TO THEM.
ALL THE COUNTIES HAVE INCREASED THEIR FUNDING EXCEPT ALLENDALE.
SO ALL OF THOSE COUNTIES SHOULD BE DEFERRING SOME OF THIS $424,000 INCREASE COSTS? NO, THAT IS ONLY FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY EMPLOYEES.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT INITIALLY WAS, UH, STAFF, ONE OF THE LIST OF THE PEOPLE THAT WORK PHYSICALLY IN BEAUFORT COUNTY WHO SUPPORT BEAUFORT COUNTY, THE OTHER COUNTIES, WE DO NOT USE ANY OF BELFORT'S FUNDING TO SUPPORT THE OTHER COUNTIES.
NOW WE DO HAVE INVESTIGATORS AND ATTORNEYS WHO HAVE TO TAKE CASES IN BEAUFORT COUNTY BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ANY CONFLICT ATTORNEYS.
SO THOSE ATTORNEYS DO HAVE TO WORK IN BUFORT COUNTY.
OUR INVESTIGATORS, WE HAVE, I BELIEVE NOW THREE INVESTIGATORS IN BUFORT COUNTY.
SOMETIMES THERE ARE CONFLICTS WITH OUR INVESTIGATORS.
SO OUR INVESTIGATORS FROM JASPER OR HAMPTON OR COLLETON WILL COME OVER HERE AND DO THE INVESTIGATION.
SO I USE THE EMPLOYEES ALL OVER THE CIRCUIT.
BUT THE MAJORITY OF THE WORK, UM, IS DONE BY BEAUFORT COUNTY.
AND STAFF CAN TELL YOU THAT I HAVE NOT USED ANY OF BEAUFORT COUNTY FUNDING TO FUND ANY OF THE OUTLYING COUNTIES.
SO EVERY PUBLIC DEFENDER THAT'S FUNDED BY THE COUNTY HAS A HUNDRED PERCENT CLIENTS IN THE COUNTY? YES.
WE DON'T TAKE CLIENTS OUTSIDE THE COUNTY.
YES, THEY DO TAKE, NOW IF A JUDGE APPOINTS AN ATTORNEY FROM ANY OFFICE, THEN THAT ATTORNEY HAS TO TAKE THE CASE.
IF JUDGE MULLEN DECIDES THAT SHE WANTS A BUFORD COUNTY ATTORNEY TO TAKE A ALLENDALE COUNTY CASE, THEN THAT ATTORNEY HAS TO TAKE THE CASE.
AND THE SAME THING HERE, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ANY PRIVATE ATTORNEYS WHO CONTRACT WITH US TO DO CONFLICT WORK.
SO IF WE EVER HAVE FIVE OR SIX DEFENDANTS, THOSE ARE CO-DEFENDANTS AND THOSE CO-DEFENDANTS WILL HAVE TO HAVE CONFLICT COUNSEL.
SO WHAT WE'LL DO, AND WHAT I HAVE TRIED TO DO TO SAVE MONEY IS TO USE ATTORNEYS FROM THE OTHER OFFICES.
SO, OR IF THERE'S A CASE WHERE ONE OF THE ATTORNEYS FEEL LIKE IT, THEY'RE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THE CASE AND THEY WOULD LIKE ANOTHER ATTORNEY TO HANDLE THAT CASE, THEN I'LL ASK AROUND THE COUNTIES TO FIND OUT IF ANYBODY WOULD BE ABLE TO TAKE THAT CASE AND I'LL ASSIGN IT TO THAT PERSON.
BUT BEAUFORT COUNTY FUNDING AND I, I BELIEVE THEY CAN, UH, CORRECT ME ON THIS IF I'M, IF I'M INCORRECT, BEAUFORT COUNTY'S FUNDING IS USED FOR FUNDING BEAUFORT COUNTY ATTORNEYS.
NOW MY MITIGATION TEAM THAT IS A BEAUFORT COUNTY, UH, TEAM, IT'S
[00:25:01]
PHYSICALLY LOCATED IN JASPER COUNTY BECAUSE WE DO NOT HAVE OFFICE SPACE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.WE'VE ASKED FOR ABOUT THREE YEARS FOR INCREASE IN OFFICE FOR A DIFFERENT OFFICE SPACE AND WE THOUGHT WE WERE GONNA GET IT IN A NEW BUILDING.
BUT, UH, WE HAVE NOT BEEN GIVEN OFFICE SPACE.
SO FOR LOGISTICAL REASONS, THAT TEAM IS LOCATED IN THE JASPER COUNTY OFFICE.
CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE MITIGATION TEAM? YES.
SO, UM, ONE OF, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I LEARNED, UM, OR NOTICED THAT WE WERE INCURRING COSTS FOR EXPERTS.
WHENEVER WE NEEDED A MITIGATION EXPERT OR ANY TYPE OF EXPERT, WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY OR CONTRACT WITH AN EXPERT.
SO WE HIRE, I HIRED A, A MITIGATION TEAM TO DO THAT WORK.
THAT PERSON IS PAID IN-HOUSE AND WE'RE NOT INCURRING THE COST OF A MITIGATION EXPERT OR ANY OTHER TYPE OF EXPERT.
SO, UM, HEATHER PRICE HOLDS THAT POSITION RIGHT NOW.
SHE USED TO WORK AT THE BE COUNTY DETENTION CENTER.
SHE'S NOW BEEN WITH OUR OFFICE ABOUT THREE YEARS.
AND WHAT SHE DOES MOSTLY IS, UH, MITIGATE SOME OF THE, THE ISSUES, UH, WITH REGARD TO THE CLIENTS.
SO IF AN ATTORNEY HAS A CASE WHERE A PERSON IS PROBABLY GONNA RECEIVE 10 YEARS OR MORE, THEY'LL PROBABLY ASK HER TO, TO LOOK INTO THE MITIGATION SO THAT WE CAN USE THAT TO MITIGATE THEIR SENTENCES.
AND SO SHE BASICALLY DOES THAT.
SHE DOES A LOT OF, UM, ACTUALLY ALCOHOL AND DRUG PLACEMENT, UM, FINDINGS, UM, WOMEN SHELTER ISSUES.
SO IT'S A WHOLEHEARTED, UH, TYPE OF POSITION WHERE SHE WORKS WITH ANY ATTORNEY, UM, DOING ANYTHING.
AND JUDGE MULLEN'S ACTUALLY ASKED HER TO HELP A COUPLE OF OTHER ATTORNEYS, BUT WE HAD TO TELL HER SHE COULDN'T DO THAT BECAUSE SHE WAS FUNDED BY BEAUFORT COUNTY.
BUT, UM, THE JUDGES APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT SHE'S DONE AND, AND SHE'S BEEN VERY INSTRUMENTAL TO OUR OFFICE.
SHE HAS, UM, THERE'S ALSO A MITIGATION ATTORNEY.
ONE OF THE PROBLEMS THAT WE WERE HAVING, UM, WAS THE COLLATERAL CONSEQUENCES ISSUES THAT OUR CLIENTS WERE HAVING THAT WASN'T CRIMINAL.
SO THEY COULDN'T BE APPOINTED TO PUBLIC DEFENDER.
OUR, OUR, UH, MITIGATION ATTORNEY CAN HELP THOSE CLIENTS WITH ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUES OR WITH ANYTHING THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY CRIMINAL IN NATURE.
SO WE CAN HELP IN THAT RESPECT AS WELL.
SO IS THERE ANY STATE MANDATE THAT REQUIRES ALL THE CER GROUPS TO FUND THAT? OR ARE WE FUNDING THE WHOLE THING? THAT'S, I ASKED COUNTY, UM, COUNSEL FOR THAT POSITION ABOUT MAYBE THREE OR FOUR YEARS AGO.
I MEAN, I'M JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE, THAT THIS COUNTY IS PAYING THEIR FAIR SHARE, NOT OVERPAYING FOR OTHER COUNTIES.
AND I WANNA GO BACK TO THE VEHICLES FOR A MINUTE.
I WAS TOLD THAT WE ARE NOT LEGALLY REQUIRED TO PROVIDE VEHICLES TO THE DEPARTMENT.
AND SO YOU IN YOUR BUDGET, BESIDES THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE 12 VEHICLES THAT THE COUNTY OWNS, ACTUALLY THOSE VEHICLES ARE PURCHASED OUT OF OUR FUND BALANCE AND ALL MONIES ARE CONTRIBUTED TO THAT FUND BALANCE.
I CHECKED WITH FINANCE, WELL FUND BALANCE IS BEAVER 10.
WELL, THE, ALL OF OUR MONEY POURS INTO BEAUFORT COUNTY.
SO THE STATE MONEY, AND LET ME DO TELL YOU THAT YOU ARE NOT MY LARGEST FUNDER.
THE STATE GIVES US MORE MONEY THAN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
SO ALL OF OUR MONEY GOES INTO ONE POT.
AND THAT'S HERE BEAUFORT COUNTY.
SO THE STATE'S PORTION, ALLEN DE'S PORTION, HAMPTON, JASPER, COLTON BUFORT, AND ALSO THE MUNICIPAL COURTS.
SO WE HAVE FUNDING FOR MUNICIPAL COURT THROUGH BUFORT AS A RESULT OF THE LAWSUIT.
AND WE ALSO HAVE FUNDING FOR MAGISTRATE COURT FOR COLTON COUNTY THAT THEY PAY INTO OUR BUDGET.
SO ALL OF THAT MONEY IS COMPILED HERE IN HELD IN BEAUFORT COUNTY TRUST.
SO WE DON'T KNOW HOW TO SEPARATE OR WE CAN'T SEPARATE THAT MONEY.
WE DON'T KNOW HOW TO SAY OKAY.
PROBABLY ALLENDALE BECAUSE THEY DON'T GIVE MUCH OF ANYTHING.
BUT AS FAR AS THE OTHER COUNTIES, I CAN'T SAY THAT I USE BEAUFORT COUNTY MONEY TO BUY CARS FOR ALLENDALE.
'CAUSE I COULD HAVE USED STATE MONEY TO BUY CARS FOR ALLENDALE.
SO IF YOU THROW THE BUDGET BACK UP THERE, THE SURE, UH, SPREADSHEET.
SO THE VERY TOP LINE THAT A LITTLE BIT, THE VERY TOP LINE ITEM IS THE STATE REVENUE.
AND IT LOOKS LIKE THE STATE, UM, IS PROPOSED BUDGET OF 1,883,714.
AND IF YOU GO DOWN TO TRANSFER IN IT'S 1 MILLION 995 0 36, THAT IS BEAUFORT COUNTY'S PORTION.
SO EVEN THOUGH WE HAVEN'T BEEN THE LARGEST PROVIDER OF REVENUE IN THIS UPCOMING BUDGET, WE WILL BE YES.
YEAH, BECAUSE THERE'S A 12% INCREASE IN YOUR BUDGET.
SO I'M JUST WONDERING IF THE CARS ARE COUNTY CARS, BUT YOU ARE PROVIDING, HERE YOU HAVE VEHICLE INSURANCE,
[00:30:01]
VEHICLE LUBRICANT, FUEL AND EVERYTHING.AND I WAS TOLD THAT WE ARE NOT OBLIGATED TO PROVIDE THE VEHICLES, BUT WE'RE FUNDING THE EXPENSES FOR FUEL LUBRICANT, INSURANCE, ET CETERA.
I I, I CANNOT SAY THAT BEAUFORT COUNTY FUNDS ALL OF THAT MONEY.
UH, IT'S IN THIS BUDGET RIGHT HERE.
I CAN'T SAY THAT BEAUFORT COUNTY IS A SOURCE OF ALL THE FUNDING.
I'M SAYING THAT ALL OF IT IS PAID FROM BEAUFORT COUNTY.
BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE ARE USING BEAUFORT COUNTY MONEY TO PAY FOR GAS FOR OUR ALLENDALE.
UM, THE CARS THAT ARE IN ALLENDALE OR HAMPTON OR COLTON OR JASPER.
THERE'S NO WAY THAT WE CAN, ONCE THE MONEY IS IN THE BANK, I'M NOT SURE HOW WE CAN SAY THE MONEY CAME FROM BUFORT OR THE MONEY CAME FROM ALLENDALE.
SO I GUESS MY POINT IS WE BOUGHT THE VEHICLES COUNTY, CORRECT? NO, I CAN'T AGREE THAT THE COUNTY BOUGHT THE VE OKAY.
COULD HAVE BEEN STATE MONEY TO USE THE VEHICLES.
ALRIGHT, WE'LL HAVE TO FIND OUT ABOUT THAT MS. CHRISTMAS.
IT JUST DEPENDS ON, I MAKE SURE IT WAS TAKEN FROM, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE PAYING OUR FAIR SHARE AND NOT MORE.
AND I, I UNDERSTAND THAT AS BEING A TAXPAYER IN ALLENDALE COUNTY.
I MOST CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND THAT.
AND I DON'T THINK, AND I HAVE ALWAYS SAID FROM THE MOMENT THAT I'VE BEEN CIRCUIT DEFENDER THAT I WILL NOT USE BEAUFORT COUNTY FUNDS FOR THE OTHER COUNTIES BECAUSE IT'S NOT FAIR.
SHOULD ALLENDALE BE ABLE TO PAY US MORE? ABSOLUTELY.
HAVE I TRIED FOR MANY YEARS TO GET THEM TO PAY US MORE? ABSOLUTELY.
HAVE I BEEN SUCCESSFUL? NOT AT ALL.
I MEAN, WE EVEN TALKED ABOUT MAYBE TRYING TO, TO BILL THE COUNTIES.
WE'VE DONE EVERYTHING THAT WE COULD POSSIBLY DO.
ALDA, AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE LOOK TODAY, THEY HAVEN'T PAID US THIS FISCAL YEAR YET.
SO, BUT THERE'S NOTHING THAT WE CAN DO ABOUT IT BECAUSE THEY WILL NOT PAY US.
AND SO IF THEY DON'T PAY US THE $5,000 EVERY QUARTER, WE'RE NOT GONNA GET IT.
BUT THE STATE, THANK GOODNESS THEIR SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDS WILL COVER ALLENDALE COUNTY.
WE, WE, UM, WHEN WE WENT OVER THIS, I'M GLAD THAT YOU'RE ASKING THIS BECAUSE WHEN WE WERE CHANGING OVER TO THE COMP PLAN, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT FINANCE DID WITH OUR OFFICE IS LITERALLY SAT DOWN, LOOKED AT ALL THE SALARIES FOR ALL THE EMPLOYEES, LOOKED AT THE FUNDING FOR IT BECAUSE THE STATE BUDGET, OUR HR BUDGET FOR THE STATE LOOKS AT THE COUNTY'S FUNDING.
AND IF I HAVE AN EMPLOYEE WHO MAKES MORE MONEY THAN THAT COUNTY, THAT PERSON CAN'T BE IN THAT COUNTY BECAUSE I'M OVER BUDGET IN THAT COUNTY.
SO MY FIRST YEAR AS CIRCUIT DEFENDER, I WASN'T AWARE OF ALL THAT.
AND SO I LEFT IT THE WAY IT WAS PRIOR TO ME BEING A CIRCUIT DEFENDER.
BUT WHEN THEY EXPLAINED TO ME THAT EACH COUNTY'S PORTION, WE CAN'T GO OVER BUDGET IN THAT AMBER ADAMS DOES A REALLY GOOD JOB NOW AT MAKING SURE THAT WE STAY WITHIN BUDGET.
SO WE HAVE A WHOLE BUDGET, WE HAVE A COUNTY BUDGET AND WE HAVE A STATE BUDGET.
SO THE, THE STATE WILL NOT ALLOW US TO GO OVER BUDGET IN A PARTICULAR COUNTY.
I LEARNED THAT THE HARD WAY
I'VE NOT ASKED THE COUNCIL FOR VEHICLES.
SO WE SHOULD NOT PROVIDE YOU 12 VEHICLES.
UH, I'VE USED THAT MONEY FROM THE FUND BALANCE.
I DID NOT ASK COUNTY COUNSEL FOR THOSE VEHICLES.
I ADVISED COUNTY COUNSEL THAT WE WERE PURCHASING THOSE VEHICLES WHEN WE GOT, I THINK ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO, THE STATE GAVE US MONEY FOR TWO NEW INVESTIGATORS.
THOSE INVESTIGATORS ARE CIRCUIT INVESTIGATORS AND THEY HAD TO HAVE VEHICLES.
SO WE USED MONEY TO BUY THOSE CIRCUIT INVESTIGATORS VEHICLES.
'CAUSE THE OTHER OPTION IS, AND AND I STOPPED THIS, THE OTHER OPTION IS ALLOWING THEM TO CLAIM MILEAGE.
AND I BELIEVE SEVERAL YEARS AGO IT WAS AT LEAST 32 CENTS A MILE.
AND I CAN'T, I'M NOT A MICROMANAGER, I'M NOT GONNA GET IN SOMEBODY'S PERSONAL CAR TO SEE HOW MANY MILES THEY DROVE.
BUT IF THEY TELL ME THAT THEY DROVE 500 MILES A MONTH IN THEIR INVESTIGATORS, THERE'S NO WAY THAT I CAN TELL WHETHER THEY DID THAT OR NOT.
SO IT'LL BE MUCH MORE ECONOMICAL TO PROVIDE CARS THAN TO PAY MILEAGE.
AND IF THEY GO TO CONFERENCES OR WHEN WE HAVE THE PUBLIC DEFENDER CONFERENCE EVERY YEAR, NO ONE GETS MILEAGE BECAUSE EACH COUNTY HAS A CAR.
SO THEY UNDERSTAND THAT THEY HAVE TO TAKE THE COUNTY'S CAR OR THEY DON'T GET PAID MILEAGE.
SO I DO ALL OF THAT TO MAKE SURE THAT I AM FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE WITH THE FUNDS AND THE, THE MONIES OF THE CITIZENS OF NOT ONLY THIS COUNTY, BUT THIS CIRCUIT AND THE STATE.
SO MY QUESTION IS, IF WE TOOK THE COUNTY VEHICLES OUT, I WOULD USE STATE FUNDING TO, TO BUY COUNTY VEHICLES.
OR IF YOU WOULD LIKE, THEN I WOULD NOT BUY ANY MORE, UH, COUNTY VEHICLES.
BUT I WILL PASS THAT COST ON TO THE COUNTY.
AND YOU DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH IT'S GONNA BE BECAUSE MY INVESTIGATOR, WE REPRESENT THE SOUTH END OF HI HILTON HEAD AS WELL.
SO MY INVESTIGATOR HAS TO GO FROM ST.
[00:35:01]
SOUTH END OF HILTON HEAD TWICE A WEEK EVERY WEEK.AND THAT'S GONNA BE A LOT OF MONEY.
AND I PERSONALLY DON'T WANT INDISCRIMINATE AMOUNTS OF MONEY, UM, COMING THAT I CAN'T VERIFY WAS ACTUALLY USED FOR WHAT THEY SAID IT WAS.
I GUESS A, A QUESTION FOR MS. CHRISTMAS REAL QUICK IS, SO THE THE 1.5 LAST YEAR, THE 1.9 SHE'S ASKING FOR THIS YEAR, ARE THE VEHICLES IN THAT COST THAT IS THERE? NO.
YES, THE VEHICLES ARE IN THIS BUDGET AND PART OF IT IS IN OUR PORTION, BUT WE MAY WANNA TAKE A LOOK AT STATUTE BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF THE COUNTY IS OBLIGATED TO EVEN BEAR THE EXPENSE OF MILEAGE REIMBURSEMENT OR VEHICLE COSTS.
WE'LL, WE'LL HAVE TO LOOK INTO THAT.
I MEAN WHY, WHY NOT? UM, I THEY HAVE TO TRAVEL.
YEAH, BUT THE STATE STATUTE SAYS CERTAIN THINGS.
MR. GLOVER AND I I THINK WE'RE ONLY OBLIGATED TO PROVIDE SPACE, UTILITIES, PHONE, UM, CERTAIN THINGS.
I MEAN, I'M NOT SAYING WE'RE NOT, I'M JUST SAYING WE NEED TO LOOK AT IT TO MAKE SURE, BUT WHY WOULDN'T WE WANT TO COVER THEIR MILEAGE IF THEY HAVE TO TRAVEL? THAT'S MY QUESTION BECAUSE I THINK THE STATE, SO WE CAN'T, I THINK THE STATE FUNDS THAT HONESTLY, NO, THE STATE DOES NOT FUNDAGE OUT OF THEIR PORTION.
THE STATE DOES NOT FUND MILEAGE.
I DON'T KNOW OF ANY OTHER COUNTY HAS VEHICLE, SOMEONE CALLED VEHICLE CALLED HERE TODAY.
VEHICLE PRIOR TO THIS MEETING, UM, ASKING FOR INFORMATION FROM THE STATE, UM, SUPPOSING THAT IT WAS FOR THIS MEETING AND I HAVE NO IDEA ABOUT THAT.
I RECEIVED A CALL THAT SOMEONE FROM BEAUFORT COUNTY CALLED TO FIND OUT ABOUT THE FINANCES OF THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE.
SO YOU WILL INVESTIGATE THAT FOR US AND LET US KNOW IF IT'S STATE REGULATED TO FUND IT.
YEAH, THERE ARE A LOT OF AREAS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW WITHIN THE COUNTY THAT WE'RE DOING INTERNAL AUDITS ON JUST TO MAKE SURE WE'RE IN COMPLIANCE WITH CERTAIN LAWS AND RULES AND REGULATIONS.
AND WE HAVE CHRISTINE WEBB, SHE'S OUR COMPLIANCE DIRECTOR, UM, SHE'S IN CHARGE OF THAT.
SO, UH, WE'LL GET BACK WITH YOU ONCE WE PULL ALL THAT AND GET WITH LEGAL AND SEE WHAT, I DON'T WANT THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE TO BE A BURDEN OF BEAUFORT COUNTY AT ALL.
WE HAVE A CHOICE AS TO WHICH COUNTY IS OUR ADMINISTRATING COUNTY.
AND IF YOU WOULD LIKE OR IF IT WOULD BE BETTER FOR YOU, I COULD LOOK INTO OTHER COUNTIES TO HAVE THEM BECOME OUR COUNTY, OUR ADMINISTRATING COUNTY.
IF YOU THINK THAT WE, OUR BUDGET IS BURDENING THE SYSTEM.
UM, I WILL SAY THAT WE DON'T RECEIVE AS MUCH MONEY AS A SOLICITOR'S OFFICE.
THEY HAVE ALWAYS BEEN FUNDED HIGHER THAN WE HAVE.
WE ONLY WHEN WE WENT TO THE COMPENSATION PLAN WHERE OUR ATTORNEYS EVEN PAID SIMILAR TO WHAT THE SOLICITOR'S OFFICE DID AND WHAT DID THEY, DUFFY CAME RIGHT BEHIND ME AND ASKED FOR AN INCREASE.
SO HE PAID HIS ATTORNEYS MORE.
EVEN SO MY ATTORNEYS DON'T GO TO CONFERENCES.
MY ATTORNEYS DON'T TAKE TRIPS.
WE DON'T DO ANY, I PAY FOR THE GAS IN MY CAR WITH MY PERSONAL MONEY.
THAT'S JUST HOW SERIOUS I AM ABOUT TAXPAYER DOLLARS.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE WHO DON'T MAKE THAT MUCH MONEY, WHO HAVE TO PAY TAXES FOR US.
WE'RE ALREADY USING THEIR MONEY TO, TO REPRESENT PEOPLE WHO THEY PROBABLY DON'T FEEL LIKE DESERVE ATTORNEYS.
SO I'M VERY SENSIBLE WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO THE FINANCES OF THIS OFFICE.
I'VE BEEN CIRCUIT DEFENDANT SINCE 2016.
I HAVE NOT SPENT ANY MONEY, UM, INAPPROPRIATELY.
I THINK ONE TIME WHEN JEAN DIED OR SOMEBODY DIED, WE BOUGHT FLOWERS WITH THE P CARD AND THEY TOLD US THAT WE COULDN'T BUY FLOWERS AND WE STOPPED BUYING FLOWERS WITH THE B CARD.
AMBER IS SO STRICT ON OUR EMPLOYEES THAT IF, IF THEY WANNA GO TO ACL E, I SAID, AMBER, IS IT IN THE BUDGET? IF IT'S NOT IN THE BUDGET? THE ANSWER IS NO.
BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE AS A CIRCUIT RESPONSIBILITY, IT IS CIRCUIT DEFENDER.
IT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT WE STAY WITHIN BUDGET.
I HAD TO GO OFF ONE TIME, I LEARNED MY LESSON.
I WILL NOT BE OVER BUDGET AGAIN.
AND I WILL NOT MISUSE TAXPAYER MONEY BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND IT'S HARD AND NOBODY LIKES THE RS, BUT I KNOW TAXES ARE HOW WE, WE SURVIVE.
SO I'M, I'M NOT GOING TO, AND ALLENDALE KNOWS, I'M ALWAYS YELLING AT, AT ALLENDALE, ONE OF THE COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBERS WORK IN THE COURTHOUSE IN HAMPTON WHERE MY OFFICE IS.
AND AMBER GOT ON HIM THIS MORNING FOR HIM TO GO TO THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AND TELL HER, PAY ME MY MONEY.
AND, UM, HE SAID HE WAS GONNA DO THAT.
BUT I, I TAKE THIS JOB SERIOUSLY AND I ALSO TAKE THE FINANCES OF IT AND THE PERSONNEL, ALL OF IT.
IT, IT IS SOMETHING SERIOUS AND, AND WE'RE LIKE A FAMILY.
SO I TRY TO TAKE CARE OF MY STAFF.
I FEEL LIKE THAT'S MY RESPONSIBILITY TO TAKE CARE OF MY STAFF, BUT I WOULD NEVER OVERBURDEN THE COUNTY TO DO SO.
SO I THINK DENISE HAS SOME THINGS TO LOOK INTO AND LET, LET ME, UM, AND I KNOW YORK WILL CLOSE US UP WITH YORK GOING AFTER AFTER ME.
'CAUSE AGAIN, NOW WE'RE OVER RUNNING.
I HOPE YOU GIMME THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIME.
WHAT YOU CAN TAKE AS MUCH TIME AS YOU WANT.
DID Y'ALL SAY I HAVE 15 MINUTES? UM, WHO'S, BUT, UH, WHO'S A TIMEKEEPER?
LET ME ON ON YOUR BUDGET, JUST SO I UNDERSTAND.
AND IT'S UP ON THE SCREEN RIGHT NOW.
SO THE PUBLIC DEFENDERS STIPEND IS THE 1.8 MILLION MM-HMM.
[00:40:01]
THE VERY FIRST LINE.THEN WE COME DOWN TO THE BEAUFORT COUNTY GENERAL FUND.
IS THE, UM, THE 1.9, THAT ONE RIGHT THERE? MM-HMM
ALRIGHT, SO THEN THE ONLY OTHER CONTRIBUTIONS YOU'RE GETTING IS, UM, THE 47 0 3 OH, WHICH IS THE $848,000.
IS THAT FROM THE OTHER FOUR COUNTIES? IS THAT OR WHERE'S THAT MONEY COMING FROM THERE? YES, THAT'S, SO THAT'S THE OTHER FOUR COUNTIES.
SO, SO THAT'S WHERE YOU, SO THE, THE VEHICLE'S ALREADY IN OUR 1.9 AS PART OF OUR COST.
THERE'S NO OTHER MONEY'S COMING IN THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT WE'VE GOT THERE.
SO I'M JUST WANNA FIGURE THAT.
AND THEN THE LAST QUESTION I'VE GOT IS, SO WE'RE THE LARGEST COUNTY OF ALL FIVE COUNTIES.
THERE'S MORE CASES HERE THAN ANY PLACE ELSE.
WHAT IS OUR PERCENTAGE COMPARED TO THE OTHER FIVE COUNTIES OF, OF THE CASELOAD THAT, THAT, THAT YOU'VE GOT? GOOD QUESTION.
ON A REGULAR BASIS, THANK YOU.
DO WE KNOW THE, THE, JUST HIM? YOU CAN, YOU, IF DON'T, I CAN TELL YOU THAT I HAVE SEVEN, I BELIEVE I HAVE SEVEN ATTORNEYS IN GENERAL SESSIONS.
FIVE, FIVE TO SEVEN ATTORNEYS IN GENERAL SESSIONS.
TWO IN MUNICIPAL COURT OR FUNDED, I'M SORRY, ONE IN MUNICIPAL COURT WHO IS FUNDED BY MUNICIPAL COURT.
SO MUNICIPAL COURT FUNDS, THEIR STAFF, THEIR ATTORNEY, THEIR VEHICLE, THEIR ADMIN.
SO THERE ARE TWO CONTRACT ATTORNEYS IN BOND COURT.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE, UH, FOUND ACROSS THE STATE IS THAT IT'S HARD TO GET ATTORNEYS AFTER COVID.
I'M NOT SURE WHERE THEY WENT, BUT WE CAN'T FIND THEM.
AND SO WHAT I'VE DONE, UM, HAS BEEN CONTRACTING WITH ATTORNEYS IN THE AREA TO PROVIDE SERVICES FOR US.
SO THAT WAY I'M NOT PAYING THE FRINGE BENEFITS.
SO I'M TRYING TO SAVE A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY BY, BY DOING CONTRACTS.
SO I CONTRACT WITH, UM, TWO ATTORNEYS FOR BOND COURT, TWO ATTORNEYS TO DO MY CONFLICT CASES TO, TO HELP WITH THE CASE LOADS.
SO SINCE WE COULDN'T FIND ANOTHER BODY, ANOTHER PERSON, FULL-TIME, UM, EMPLOYEE, I HIRED OR CONTRACTED WITH TWO PRIVATE ATTORNEYS FROM BUFORT WHO DOES LIKE THE, THE VIOLENT CRIMES.
SO THAT WAY, UM, INITIALLY I HAD ABOUT TWO ATTORNEYS THAT DID ALL MY VIOLENT CRIMES.
NOW THERE CAN BE FOUR ATTORNEYS THAT DO VIOLENT CRIMES.
SO WE'RE HELPING, UM, WITH THE CASELOAD.
SO, UH, LET'S SEE, BEAUFORT COUNTY HAS ABOUT SEVEN.
JASPER HAS THREE, HAMPTON HAS ONE, ALLENDALE HAS ONE, AND COLTON HAS THREE.
SO THOSE ARE THE NUMBER OF ATTORNEYS THAT ARE PHYSICALLY LOCATED IN EACH COUNTY.
WE HAVE A, A SYSTEM THAT WE CALL.
IT DOESN'T BE EXACT, JUST SOMETHING SIMPLE.
WELL, WE USE OFFENDER DATA AND IT CAN GIVE YOU THE NUMBER OF ATTORNEYS, A NUMBER OF CLIENTS EACH ATTORNEY HAS.
SO, AND COLUMBIA USES IT ALL THE TIME.
YOU HAVE AS MUCH TIME AS YOU WANT.
OH, I, I, FIRST LET ME JUST SAY THIS.
UM, WE, WE TALKED ABOUT THE PUBLIC DEFENDANT'S OFFICE, UM, AND, AND YOU CAME BEFORE US TWO A COUPLE YEARS AGO, UM, AFTER THE SOLICITOR CAME BEFORE US AND WE INCREASED HIS BUDGET WITHOUT ANY HESITATION, RESERVATION, WHATEVER.
UM, AND, AND YOU CAME BEHIND THE SOLICITOR BECAUSE YOU WERE LOSING EMPLOYEES.
YOU WERE LOSING ATTORNEYS AND, AND WE SAT DOWN, UM, AND WE TRIED TO ACCOMMODATE YOU, UH, A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO TO GIVE YOU ENOUGH MONEY TO BUY, I MEAN, NOT TO BUY, BUT TO PAY FOR ATTORNEYS BECAUSE WHAT YOU WERE PAYING, UM, MY, MY DAUGHTER TOLD ME IN ATLANTA, THAT'S BELOW HER SALARY AND SHE'S JUST A CLERK.
UM, THAT'S WHAT YOU WERE PAYING YOUR ATTORNEYS HERE IN.
SO WE WERE ABLE TO INCREASE THOSE ATTORNEYS FEE.
AND WE PROMISE YOU, UH, AT THAT TIME, BECAUSE HAYES SAID, MR. WILLIAMS SAID THAT WE DON'T WANT TO DO A BUDGET, BUDGET RESOLUTION IN THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR.
AND THEN YOU PRESENTED BECAUSE YOU HAD ENOUGH MONEY IN YOUR RESERVE, RIGHT? JUST LIKE YOU HAVE A FUND BALANCE, JUST LIKE WE HAVE A FUND BALANCE, YOU HAVE ONE AS WELL.
YOU HAD ENOUGH MONEY IN YOUR RESERVES TO BASICALLY MAKE THE COMPENSATION TO THOSE EMPLOYEES AND THEN WE'LL MAKE IT GOOD IN THE NEW YEAR.
THE NEW YEAR NEVER CAME FOR YOU.
AND I THINK WHAT I'M HEARING HERE IS THAT YOU'LL, THE 400 AND SOMETHING THOUSAND DOLLARS WOULD MAKE UP FOR THAT FUND DOLLARS THAT YOU LOST.
I THINK WE OWE THAT TO YOU, PERIOD.
UM, NOW I WOULD GO AS FAR AS SAYING THAT I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE, 'CAUSE ONE OF THE COMMENTS THAT I WAS, I WAS TOLD LAST YEAR, I BELIEVE, WAS THAT YOU
[00:45:01]
HAD A BIG OLD SUV VEHICLE.ALL OF A SUDDEN TRANSPORTATION BECAME AN ISSUE BECAUSE YOU HAD THIS BIG OLD SUV AND I ASKED YOU ABOUT YOUR SUV THAT YOU BASICALLY SAID, I DON'T HAVE ONE.
I HAVE BASICALLY, UM, UH, I THINK IT WAS A, WAS IT A 70,000 OR A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS CAR? I DON'T, YEAH, ONE THING, I DON'T KNOW.
YOU TOLD ME YOU DIDN'T HAVE ONE.
I DON'T KNOW WHETHER YOU HAVE ONE OR NOT.
WE CAN ONLY, ALL THAT CAN BE FOUND OUT.
WE CAN GET CARS AND I'M NOT SURE WHO, WHO'S OVER THE, THE CARS, THE VEHICLES, BUT WHOEVER IT IS IS VERY, VERY GOOD ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT WE STAY IN LINE.
SO WE HAVE TO BUY, PURCHASE, WHATEVER VEHICLE IS ON THE STATE CONTRACT.
AND WE CAN ONLY PURCHASE VEHICLES FROM THE VENDORS THAT ARE ON THE STATE CONTRACT.
SO A COUPLE YEARS AGO BEFORE GENE, UM, RETIRED FROM CIRCUIT DEFENDER, HE BOUGHT FOUR CARS.
HE BOUGHT TWO EXPLORERS AND TWO FORD FOCUSES AND FIVE, I'M SORRY, FIVE AND ONE EQUINOX.
SO WE'VE INCREASED THE NUMBER OF LAWYERS THAT WE'VE HAD.
WE'VE INCREASED THE NUMBER OF INVESTIGATORS THAT WE HAVE.
AND, UM, SO WE INCREASED THE NUMBER OF VEHICLES.
UH, THE HONDA PILOT THAT, THAT I ASSUMED WHEN GENE RETIRED, I THINK WAS LIKE A 2003, 2004.
UH, THE EXPLORERS IN BEAUFORT ARE PROBABLY 2000 FIFTEENS.
UM, AND OUR INVESTIGATOR TOLD ME BEFORE WE CAME IN THERE, HE IS LIKE, I NEED A NEW CAR.
I'M LIKE, COUNSEL'S NOT GIVING ME MONEY FOR CARS, SO YOU'RE NOT GONNA GET A NEW CAR.
UM, BUT I DID, UH, CALL THE SHED TO ASK FOR A MAINTENANCE REPORT ON ALL OF OUR VEHICLES.
UH, I, BEFORE I BECAME CIRCUIT DEFENDER, I'LL SAY THIS, I WAS THE LOWEST PAID ATTORNEY IN THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE IN ANY COUNTY.
SO FOR ME, WHEN, WHEN MY EMPLOYEES COME TO ME AND SAY, WELL, WE NEED A RAISE, YOU KNOW, WE NEED A RAISE.
I'M THINKING, ARE YOU KIDDING ME? I MADE $55,000 BEFORE I WAS A CIRCUIT PUBLIC DEFENDER.
SO I HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE YOUNGER ATTORNEYS, UH, EXPECT RAISES, UH, A LOT MORE THAN THE OLDER, MORE SEASONED ATTORNEYS DID.
AND I THINK IT'S BECAUSE THE COST OF LIVING IS DIFFERENT.
AND THEY'RE YOUNG AND THEY'RE STARTING THEIR FAMILIES, AND SO THEY NEED A COMPARABLE SALARY.
SO THAT IS THE ONLY TIME THAT I'VE EVER ASKED COUNSEL FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDS IS WHEN MY STAFF IS SAYING, WE ARE LEAVING.
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T GIVE US A RAISE.
I HAVE NOT BEEN BEFORE THIS CONS COUNCIL INDISCRIMINATELY AT ALL.
I MEAN, DAVID WORKED FOR ME A LITTLE WHILE.
SO I MEAN, YOU CAN TELL THAT I'M, I'M CHEAP.
LIKE I WAS BORN IN THE SIXTIES.
I'M A CHEAP SKATE, SO I'M SORRY I'M, I'M JUST NOT GONNA, UM, SPEND MONEY INDISCRIMINATELY.
BUT, BUT YES, I VERY RARELY ASK FOR ANYTHING UNLESS MY STAFF ASK ME FOR IT.
AND THAT IS THE ONLY TIME I'M GONNA COME TO COUNCIL WHAT I DESIRE.
UM, I THINK WE, WE, WE DID THE SALARY.
WE JUST NEED TO GO AHEAD AND REPLENISH YOUR, YOUR FUND BALANCE.
COUNSEL WILL SEE VALUE IN THAT.
BUT I WANT TO PUT AT REST VEHICLES BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THIS SHOULD BE COMING UP, UH, ABOUT VEHICLES AND SUPPLY IN AND SUPPORTING TRANSPORTATION OR TRAVELING.
UM, I, I DON'T KNOW WHERE THIS IS GOING, BUT IT SEEMED TO ME THAT YOU HAVE TO TRAVEL, YOUR EMPLOYEES HAVE TO TRAVEL, UM, AND WE HAVE EMPLOYEES AS WELL.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHERE THIS IS GOING, BUT I WANNA PUT THIS TO REST AND UM, UM, I'M HOPING THAT MS WE'LL GET THE INFORMATION.
CHRISTMAS CAN, CAN HELP US PUT THIS AT REST BECAUSE THIS DOESN'T NEED TO COME UP AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN.
AND I, I DON'T HAVE AS MANY CARDS AS THE SOLICITOR'S OFFICE DOES.
THE SOLICITOR'S OFFICE HAS, AND I USE THE SOLICITOR'S OFFICE AS A BAR BECAUSE I I DON'T WANT IT'S A GOOD BAR TO USE.
HE, BECAUSE WE ARE COMPARABLE IN WHAT WE DO.
AND SO I DON'T HAVE AS MANY CARS AS THE SOLICITOR'S OFFICE.
I'VE, I HAVE INVESTIGATORS THAT, YOU KNOW, WANT CARS AND I'M NOT GONNA GIVE IT TO 'EM BECAUSE IT'S NOT FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE.
UM, I WOULD NOT HAVE PURCHASED THE THREE CARS HAD WE NOT BEEN GIVEN STATE INVESTIGATORS WHO HAD TO HAVE VEHICLES.
'CAUSE THOSE ARE THE MAIN INVESTIGATORS THAT COME TO BEAUFORT TO WORK THE STATE INVESTIGATORS.
SO THEY, WELL, WHEN I SAY STATE INVESTIGATOR, I MEAN STATE FUNDED INVESTIGATOR BECAUSE THEIR SALARIES ARE FUNDED BY THE STATE.
SO, AND THEY DON'T QUESTION IT.
I MEAN, I, I'VE GOT A REALLY GOOD STAFF IF, IF I CALL SOMEBODY FROM COLTON.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, OUR ADMIN, UM, WAS SHORT IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
WE HAD ONE PERSON WORKING AND SHE WAS FRANTIC.
AND SO I CALLED COLTON, ACTUALLY AMBER CALLED, UM, NANCY AND ASKED ONE OF THE STAFF FROM COLTON TO COVER BEAUFORT SO THAT WE COULD HAVE SOME HELP.
AND, AND I'M GLAD THAT THE STAFF THAT I HAVE DON'T MIND HELPING EACH OTHER.
[00:50:01]
GOOD ABOUT GOING WHEREVER THEY NEED TO AND DOING WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.SO I APPRECIATE, AND I APPLAUD MY STAFF FOR WORKING HARD EVEN WHEN THEY DON'T FEEL LIKE, FEEL LIKE THEY'RE BEING PAID AS MUCH AS THE SOLICITOR'S OFFICE OR ANYBODY ELSE, BUT THEY STILL PRESS FORWARD AND THEY DO A REALLY GOOD JOB FOR THE CITIZENS OF BURET COUNTY.
SO JUST TO CLARIFY, MR. UH, GLOVER, THE 424,000 PLUS THAT'S A ONE SHOT DEAL TO YOUR FUND BALANCE OR THAT'S RECURRING EVERY YEAR? THAT'S, SO WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR IS FOR OUR BUDGET TO BE 1.9, WHICH WOULD BE RECURRING BECAUSE THESE ARE THE, SO FOUR FOUR RECURRENCES.
NO, WE WOULD NOT HAVE HAD TO GET THIS.
$400,000 HAD NOT THREE YEARS AGO YOU INCREASED THE BUDGET.
THE BUDGET REQUEST IS 4.727 MILLION.
OH, WE'RE, I'M SORRY, WHAT I'M LOOKING AT THIS SHEET.
PUBLIC DEFENDER, BUT FIFTH FISCAL YEAR REQUEST IS $4,727,523.
NO, I'M JUST, THAT'S HER TOTAL BUDGET.
THAT'S THE ALL FIVE STATES PLUS THE STATE'S AMOUNT.
BUT THAT, UM, IT'S THE BUDGET.
AND I WILL SAY THAT OUR SALARIES, UM, ARE COMPARABLE TO WHAT BEAUFORT COUNTY DOES.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT IS, IS NOT WANTING TO ASK A LOT OF CIRCUITS.
WHAT ARE YOU PAYING YOUR PEOPLE? UM, WE WANNA BE THE FOREFRONT OF PAYING COMPARABLE SALARIES SO THAT WE CAN RECRUIT PEOPLE TO BECHER COUNTY.
AND, AND I DON'T EVEN WHEN WE GAVE THE INCREASES, THIS IS JUST HOW FR I AM AND MY STAFF, PLEASE FORGIVE ME, I DIDN'T INCREASE ANY OF MY STAFF TO THE HIGHEST PAID PORTION.
WE WERE, SOME WERE MINIMUM, SOME WERE MIDDLE BECAUSE I WANTED TO GIVE THEM ROOM TO INCREASE THEIR SALARIES IF NEED BE.
SO WE'RE NOT OUT HERE JUST, JUST TRYING TO SPEND YOUR MONEY.
WE ARE JUST TRYING TO STAY AFLOAT.
AND BE, AND BE COMPARABLE SO THAT I CAN STOP.
I THINK I HAVE, UH, ONE ATTORNEY THAT JUST LEFT THAT'S GOING TO BERKELEY COUNTY AND ONE ATTORNEY THAT LEFT THAT IS GOING TO A PRIVATE PRACTICE.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE JUST LEAVING PEOPLE BECAUSE WE CAN'T PAY 'EM.
AND YOU PROVIDING THE SERVICE TO THE LEASE AMONG US.
AND I APPRECIATE THAT YOU, THANK YOU.
I, SORRY, MS. SAID SOMETHING DAN.
ANY, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR ME? OKAY.
I OBJECT TO ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.
MR. MARKINGS, THANK YOU FOR COMING.
YOU'VE, YOU, YOU'VE PROVEN TODAY WHY YOU ARE SUCH A GOOD DEFENDER IN OUR PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE.
SO THANK YOU FOR, FOR COMING OUT TODAY AND, UM, WE WILL FOLLOW BACK UP WITH, WITH SOME OF THOSE THINGS.
YOU'VE BEEN ON THE HOT SEAT TOO LONG, SO WE THANK YOU SO MUCH.
AND, UM, NEXT UP, UH, WE HAVE,
[8. FISCAL YEAR 2025 BUDGET PRESENTATIONS FROM ELECTED OFFICIALS AND OUTSIDE AGENCIES. (FISCAL IMPACT: N/A until Budget Ordinance is approved)]
UH, MR. MR. RUSSELL BAXLEY, THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF BUFORT MEMORIAL HOSPITAL.I KNOW LAST YEAR WE PUT YOU THROUGH THE RINGER.
YOU CAME ONCE AND HAD TO COME BACK AGAIN A SECOND TIME.
SO WE TRY TO GET YOU UP FURTHER ON THE LIST TODAY.
UM, SO AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR COMING MR. BAXLEY.
WELL, THANK YOU GUYS FOR HAVING ME.
I DON'T KNOW WHO'S, WHO'S DRIVING THE POWERPOINT PRESENTATION.
SO I'M THE POWERPOINT OR THE POWERPOINT.
I DON'T THINK THEY WANNA SEE THE AUDIT FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
GIMME JUST A SECOND TO GET IT ALL SET UP FOR YOU.
I JUST, YOU'LL, YOU'LL CLICK FORM OR, OR RIGHT HERE.
THANK YOU GUYS AGAIN FOR HAVING ME.
I WILL TRY TO WORK THROUGH THE SLIDES AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE AND LEAVE ENOUGH TIME FOR, FOR QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS AT THE END.
BUT, UH, I WON'T GO INTO A LOT OF DETAIL ABOUT WHO WE ARE.
I THINK FOR THE MOST PART, COUNCIL MEMBERS KNOW WHO BEEF MEMORIAL IS, BUT WE ARE 201 BEDS, NOT-FOR-PROFIT, 200 PHYSICIANS ON MEDICAL STAFF AND OVER 1800 EMPLOYEES.
I'D ALSO POINT OUT THAT WE HAVE THE BEDS, UH, THE COUNTY'S ONLY INPATIENT, UH, PSYCHIATRIC UNIT, AN 18 BED ADULT, UM, ADULT MENTAL HEALTH UNIT, AS WELL AS 10 OPERATING ROOMS AND FIVE PROCEDURE ROOMS AND TWO CANCER CENTERS.
AND YOU CAN SEE A NUMBER OF THE OTHER SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE TO THE C COMMUNITY.
PULLING IN THAT, WHAT'S THAT? OH, RIGHT THERE.
UH, AND YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND SKIP THIS SLIDE.
ANYWAYS, THIS IS JUST WHERE WE'RE AT.
THESE ARE ALL THE AWARDS THAT WE'VE WON.
I WILL LET YOU GUYS REVIEW THIS AT YOUR LEISURE, BUT, UH, THEY ARE NUMEROUS, UH, AND JUST KIND OF VALIDATES THE GREAT CARE THAT WE PROVIDE AT BEAUTIFUL MEMORIAL.
I GOT THE CONTROLS, UH, CARING FOR A THOUSAND LIVES EACH YEAR.
SO THESE ARE JUST THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS WE SEE THROUGHOUT THE NETWORK.
AND I SAY THE NETWORK IMAGING CENTERS, PHYSICIAN CLINICS, UH, THE
[00:55:01]
ER, THE AMBULATORY SURGERY CENTER, THE VARIOUS AND DIFFERENT BUILDINGS THAT WE HAVE.SO ALL IN ALL, WE DO ABOUT 600,000 PATIENT ENCOUNTERS A YEAR.
SO THAT COULD BE AN ADMISSION, AN ER VISIT, A PHYSICIAN OFFICE VISIT, A SURGERY, A DELIVERY.
UM, BUT IT'S NUMEROUS AND MOST OF YOU PROBABLY KNOW 'CAUSE YOU PROBABLY HEAR IT DOESN'T REALLY COVER THE WATERFRONT EITHER.
WE GOT A LONG WAYS TO GO AND I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT, UH, IN THE NEXT SLIDES.
AND OUR FINANCIALS LAST YEAR, SO WE SPENT ABOUT 300, $3 MILLION AND WE MADE ABOUT $303 MILLION.
SO WE WERE BASICALLY A LITTLE BIT BETTER THAN BREAK EVEN, UH, WHICH WAS BETTER THAN WHAT WE BUDGETED FOR.
'CAUSE WE'D ACTUALLY BUDGETED WITH, UH, INFLATIONARY PRESSURES AS WELL AS CUT TO CERTAIN REIMBURSEMENT THROUGH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, UH, AND OTHER THINGS TO LOSE MONEY LAST YEAR, WHICH WOULD'VE BEEN A FIRST IN MY TENURE HERE AT BEAUTIFUL MEMORIAL.
UH, BUT WE DID NOT, WE, WE BROKE EVEN LAST YEAR.
SO QUICKLY THROUGH 2023 ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
AND I'VE LOST THE ABILITY TO DRIVE AGAIN.
SO I TOUCHED ON THE FACT THAT AT TIMES WE STRUGGLED TO KEEP UP WITH DEMAND FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES.
WE ACKNOWLEDGE AND WE REALIZED THAT, BUT IT'S NOT FOR LACK OF EFFORT.
AND SO THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE PICTURES, UH, THE PROVIDERS WE RECRUITED NEW TO THE MARKET LAST YEAR.
UH, THERE'S MORE, ACTUALLY, WE JUST CAN'T FIT THEM ALL ON THE SAME SLIDE.
UH, BUT YOU'LL SEE A BREAST SURGEON, SEVERAL PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIANS, A PULMONOLOGIST, A MEDICAL ONCOLOGIST, UH, TWO PSYCHIATRISTS, GENERAL SURGEON, SPINE SURGEON.
YOU KIND OF GET THE PICTURES THAT WE CONTINUE TO TRY TO RECRUIT TO ADD TO THE HEALTHCARE, ACCESS TO BEFORD COUNTY.
LAST YEAR WE ALSO ACQUIRED HILTON HEAD IMAGING CENTER.
UH, THAT WAS A BIG ACQUISITION FOR US AS WE TRY TO GROW ON THE ISLAND.
IF YOU LIVE ON THE ISLAND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALSO A SHORTAGE OF HEALTHCARE SERVICES THERE.
WE INTEND TO GROW THAT, UM, AS PART OF OUR SERVICES ON HILTON HEAD.
MAYBE I JUST HAVE A BAD BATTERY.
UH, LAST YEAR WE RENOVATED THE HOSPITAL IN A NUMBER OF WAYS.
WE'VE, UH, IMPLEMENTED NEW TECHNOLOGY, THE DA VINCI XXI, WHICH IS MENTALLY EVASIVE ROBOTIC SURGERY FOR GYN GENERAL SURGERY, UM, UROLOGY, UH, NEW MRI, NEW STATE-OF-THE-ART CATH LAB.
THE TOWER GOT RENOVATED, SO TO SPEAK.
OUR PATIENT ROOMS, UH, ALL GOT, UH, UPDATED, UH, NEW NURSE CALL SYSTEMS, NEW TVS, VIRTUAL WHITEBOARDS.
UH, ALL OF THESE PROJECTS TOTALED LAST YEAR IN INVESTMENT BACK INTO THE BEAUFORT MEMORIAL HOSPITAL OF ABOUT $7.3 MILLION.
AND THEN OUR OTHER BIG INVESTMENT, WHICH WE'VE HAD MULTIPLE PARTNERS ON TO INCLUDE THE COUNTY IS OUR PATH PROGRAM.
BUT YOU CAN SEE WE IMPLEMENTED MANY BURNOUT MITIGATION PLATFORMS. WE IMPLEMENTED A KIND OF FACEBOOK FOR THE WORKPLACE.
AND, UH, WE'RE VERY PROUD THAT WE HELPED 12 EMPLOYEES BUY HOMES THROUGH DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
WE'VE ALREADY DONE THREE THIS YEAR AS WELL.
WE'VE HELPED BUY HOMES, UH, IN THE BEAUFORT COUNTY AREA.
AND THEN YOU CAN SEE THE ACTUAL PROGRAM ITSELF.
THE GOAL WAS ABOUT 60, SO A LITTLE BIT BELOW THE GOAL.
UH, BUT WE'LL GRADUATE ANOTHER 12 IN THIS UPCOMING CLASS IN APRIL.
UH, TOTAL SCHOLARSHIPS GRANTED ALMOST A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.
AND THE VERY SUCCESSFUL RISING STARS IN HEALTHCARE, UH, WHICH IS OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT.
HAVING HIGH SCHOOLERS COME THROUGH AND ROTATE THROUGH ALL OF THE VARIOUS HEALTHCARE DEPARTMENTS, TRYING TO RAISE INTEREST LEVELS IN HEALTHCARE JOBS AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE'VE, UH, DONE OVER THE LAST YEAR THAT RARELY GET ENOUGH, I THINK ACKNOWLEDGEMENT IN PUBLICITY IS WE DO HAVE A PATIENT TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM.
SO LAST YEAR WE HAVE TWO VANS, UH, THAT TAKE PATIENTS TO AND FROM APPOINTMENTS.
LAST YEAR WE TRANSPORTED ABOUT 1800 PATIENTS THAT DIDN'T HAVE TRANSPORTATION SERVING 26 ZIP CODES.
AND THAT WAS REPRESENTED 22,000 MILES DRIVEN LAST YEAR.
THESE, THESE PEOPLE TYPICALLY ARE SICKLE CELL ANEMIA PATIENTS.
THEY'RE CHEMO INFUSION RADIATION ONCOLOGY PEOPLE THAT NEED CONSISTENT AND CONTINUOUS VISITS BACK AND FORTH TO OUR VARIOUS CENTERS.
UH, THOSE THREE GENTLEMEN WORK VERY HARD TO GET THEIR PATIENTS TO THEIR APPOINTMENTS.
AND THEN WE DO HAVE A FOOD INSECURITIES PROGRAM.
SO WE PREPARE ABOUT 50 MEALS A DAY EVERY DAY AND DELIVER THOSE TO THE FOOD INSECURE.
UH, I LIKE TO JOKE THAT, UH, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, BEAU MEMORIAL IS THE BUSIEST RESTAURANT IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
UH, WE HAVE A DAILY CENSUS OF 110 TO 120.
WE FEED THOSE PEOPLE THREE TIMES A DAY, UH, AS WELL AS ALL OF OUR STAFF AND PHYSICIANS AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
SO WE GENERATE A LOT OF MEALS THROUGHOUT THE DAY.
AND SO AS WE'RE DOING THAT, WE'RE ALSO PREPARING AND PACKING 50 MEALS A DAY TO DELIVER DINNER, UH, TO THOSE BEAUFORT PORT, UH, PORT ROYAL ST.
AND THERE'S SOME OF THE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY, THE GOOD NEIGHBOR, FREE MEDICAL CLINIC.
WE'RE GOOD PARTNERS WITH THEM.
NOW THAT WE'RE ALSO A PART OF THE HILTON HEAD MARKET, WE SERVE THEM IN THE SAME WAY, BUT WE DONATE ALL OF OUR LAB TESTS, IMAGING PROCEDURES, UH, BROUGHT US TO THESE FREE MEDICAL CLINICS.
AND GOOD NEIGHBOR, UH, IS ON OUR CAMPUS.
AND WE, WE GIVE THEM SUPPORT AND KIND BY CHARGING NO RENT TO THEM AS WELL.
THEN YOU HAVE THE SICKLE CELL CLINIC AND ACCESS TO LOW COUNTRY THAT JUST CONTINUES TO SERVE THE UNDERSERVED, UH, AND THOSE THAT OTHERWISE CAN'T FIND ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE CARE.
SO OUR 2024 BUDGET, UH, YOU CAN SEE RIGHT THERE WHAT
[01:00:01]
OUR VOLUMES ARE PROJECTED TO BE.UH, WE ARE GOING TO SEE WHAT WE BELIEVE AN INCREASE ACROSS THE BOARD.
UH, WE'RE GONNA SEE A MINOR DECREASE IN SURGERIES, BUT THAT HAS TO DO WITH A NEW A SC IN THE AREA, UH, OR INVENTORY SURGERY CENTER.
I'M SORRY, UH, I WON'T USE ACRONYMS. UH, BUT ULTIMATELY YOU'RE GONNA SEE WE AGAIN, UH, BELIEVE WE'RE GONNA SEE 600,000 PLUS ABOUT 650,000 PATIENT ENCOUNTERS NEXT YEAR.
AND THEN OUR FINANCIALS WILL GO TO ABOUT 329 IN TOTAL REVENUE, UH, WITH AN OPERATING PROFIT PROJECTED OF $5.178 MILLION.
SO MUCH MORE BULLISH THIS YEAR THAN LAST YEAR ON HOW WE'RE GOING TO PERFORM AND OPERATE, UH, IN FISCAL YEAR 24.
AND JUST A REMINDER, OUR FISCAL YEAR IS HALFWAY OVER.
UH, WE START IN OCTOBER AND WE END IN SEPTEMBER IN TERMS OF THE BETE MEMORIAL FISCAL YEAR, CURRENTLY WHERE WE'RE AT.
SO WE SIT A LITTLE BEHIND BUDGET.
SO I THINK THE REQUEST WAS SHOW US HOW YOU'RE DOING, UH, THIS YEAR.
SO IF I'M LOOKING AT THIS, AND I KNOW THOSE NUMBERS ARE SMALL, I APOLOGIZE.
UH, BUT WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE AT 2.5 MILLION.
WE'RE ABOUT 1.2 MILLION IN TOTAL PROFIT.
UH, MOSTLY BECAUSE THAT'S A MISS ON BENEFIT EXPENSE.
SO WE'VE SEEN AN INCREASE OVER BUDGET, ABOUT $3 MILLION IN OUR BENEFIT COSTS, MOSTLY DRIVEN BY HEALTH INSURANCE CLAIMS. SO IF WE WERE TO BE ON BUDGET AND ON TARGET, WE WOULD ACT ON BENEFIT COSTS.
WE'D ACTUALLY BE AHEAD OF BUDGET THIS YEAR.
BUT BECAUSE WE'VE SEEN AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF LARGE CLAIMS COME THROUGH AS AN EMPLOYER, WE'VE PAID THOSE.
AND AS SUCH, WE ARE WELL AHEAD OF WHERE WE THOUGHT WE WOULD BE THIS TIME AND BENEFIT COST.
UM, BUT OVERALL VOLUMES ARE HIGHER THAN WHERE WE THOUGHT EXPENSES ARE IN LINE, YES, THEY'RE HIGHER, BUT BECAUSE VOLUMES ARE SO MUCH HIGHER THAN PROJECTED, WE EXPECT OUR EXPENSES TO BE HIGHER IN WAGES AND SUPPLIES.
BUT THE BENEFITS ARE REALLY WHAT ARE HURTING OUR FINANCIALS THIS YEAR.
UH, BUT SO FAR WE'RE AT A HUNDRED SIXTY TWO, A HUNDRED SIXTY $9 MILLION IN TOTAL REVENUE, AND WE'RE $167 MILLION IN TOTAL EXPENSES.
BACK TO THAT THEME OF ACCESS TO CARE, RIGHT? WE'VE SHOWED YOU A SLIDE OF ALL THE PROVIDERS WHO ALREADY STARTED.
THESE PROVIDERS THAT FOR THE MOST PART ARE GETTING READY TO START.
YOU'RE GONNA SEE MORE PULMONOLOGY IN DR. ANDREW STEVENS, GENERAL SURGERY, DR. TAYLOR TURNBULL UROLOGY.
WE'RE, UM, DRASTICALLY SHORT UROLOGIST IN THE AREA.
LOU REZI STARTING MAY 1ST, ANOTHER MEDICAL ONCOLOGIST STARTING, AND THEN A RECONSTRUCTIVE PLASTIC SURGEON, UH, STARTING WITH US IN AUGUST AS WELL.
UH, AND STILL RECRUITING FOR CARDIOLOGY, PRIMARY CARE, UROLOGY AND GASTROENTEROLOGY IN TERMS OF WHAT OF OUR CURRENT OPEN SEARCHES.
AND PRIMARY CARE IS A CONSTANT SEARCH FOR US AND STAYS OPEN OUR NURSING SCHOOL.
SO WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT OUR NURSING SCHOOL.
WE'RE GONNA TALK A LOT ABOUT THE NURSING SHORTAGE NOW, TOMORROW YEARS TO COME, UH, IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
UH, BUT MORE SPECIFICALLY, WE HOPE TO TRAIN MORE NURSES.
AND SO THIS HAS EARNED THE CONSTRUCTION.
IT WILL BE COMPLETE IN AUGUST.
IT'S A PARTNERSHIP WITH UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA, BUFORT, BUFORT COUNTY, AS WELL AS, UH, THE CITY OF BUFORT.
BUT THE GOAL IS, IS TO TRAIN MORE NURSES OPEN AND DOUBLE ENROLLMENT AT USCB AND EVENTUALLY START AN ACCELERATING NURSING PROGRAM.
UH, ALL IN HOPES OF TRYING TO FIX THAT WORKFORCE SHORTAGE.
THAT'S MEANS NURSES AT THE BEDSIDE.
WE HAVE A LOT OF NURSES GOING ON TO GET THEIR MASTERS AND DOCTORATE, BUT WHAT WE'RE REALLY SHORT IS DOC IS NURSES AT THE BEDSIDE, RIGHT? AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO FIND CREATIVE AND INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR, WHICH IS THIS NEW NURSING SCHOOL.
UM, AND AGAIN, IT'S ABOUT A $2.2 MILLION PROJECT AND IT WILL BE COMPLETED THIS FALL, UH, AUGUST OR JULY.
OUR CHILDCARE CENTER IS CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION AS WELL AT THE HOSPITAL.
UH, UNFORTUNATELY, BEAUFORT COUNTY HAS THE, UH, DISTINCTION OF HAVING THE HIGHEST CHILDCARE COST IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
UM, SHOULDN'T BE THAT WAY, BUT IT IS.
AND SO WE ARE HAVING TO EXPAND OUR, UH, CHILDCARE.
SO WE CURRENTLY SIT ON LADIES ISLAND.
UH, THIS CENTER WILL BE BRAND NEW UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
SHOULD BE COMPLETED IN AUGUST.
UH, AND WE WILL GO FROM A CAPACITY OF 60 CHILDREN TO A HUNDRED CHILDREN.
UH, WE STILL HAVE TO STAFF IT, OBVIOUSLY.
AGAIN, RATE LI STEPS SEEMS TO BE STAFFING AND ACROSS ALL THINGS.
UH, BUT ULTIMATELY IT WOULD BE MORE CONVENIENT FOR OUR STAFF AND MORE CONVENIENT FOR THE KIDS, UH, AND HELP US CONTINUE TO REDUCE THE COST TO BE 50% OR LESS WHAT THE NORMAL CHILDCARE COST IS IN THE COMMUNITY.
OTHER PROJECTS ONGOING CRISIS STABILIZATION UNIT.
SO THIS IS A RENOVATION THAT WILL KICK OFF IN ABOUT A MONTH AND A HALF TO TWO MONTHS TIME IN THE ER.
UH, THIS IS BASICALLY A PSYCH S UNIT.
IT WILL BE, UH, SIX RECLINERS IN TWO UH, ROOMS. AND IT WILL ALSO HELP US WITH THE OVERFLOW OF PSYCHIATRIC PATIENTS WHO MAYBE AREN'T SICK ENOUGH TO BE ADMITTED, UH, BUT AREN'T QUITE SICK ENOUGH TO BE DISCHARGED.
AND SO IT'S BASICALLY A 24 HOUR, 48 HOUR STAY FOR PSYCHIATRIC PATIENTS.
ONCE ESTABLISHED, WE WANNA MOVE INTO SUBSTANCE ABUSE AS WELL IN THIS UNIT.
UH, NEW ANGIOGRAPHY SUITE, SO ANOTHER, UH, INTERVENTIONAL SUITE AND A NEW MRI ON HILTON HEAD.
SO THIS YEAR WE'LL BE INVESTING ABOUT $4 MILLION IN THOSE PROJECTS AT THE HOSPITAL.
AND THEN THE SURGICAL RENOVATION ONGOING.
SO WE'RE ABOUT FOUR TO FIVE MONTHS IN TO A $24 MILLION PROJECT AT THE HOSPITAL.
BUT ULTIMATELY THIS WILL ADD TWO OPERATING SUITES, UH, TO THE OR.
AND WE CONTINUE TO SEE A NEED FOR MORE OPERATING SUITES IN THE BEAUFORT AREA BECAUSE WE CONTINUE TO SEE A NEED FOR MORE SURGEONS IN THE AREA.
AND THEN LASTLY, UNTIL I GET INTO THE REQUEST, UH, THERE ARE CURRENTLY SEVERAL PRIMARY CARE
[01:05:01]
PROJECTS UNDERWAY.UH, TWO RENOVATION PROJECTS NORTH OF THE BROAD RIVER, AS WE CALL IT.
SO ONE IN PORT ROYAL AND ONE IN LADIES ISLAND.
AND THEN ANOTHER PRIMARY CARE PROJECT WE'D LIKE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH, UH, DOWN AT THE MAY RIVER CROSSING SITE ON ONE 70 GOING TOWARDS SAVANNAH.
UH, IF YOU KNOW WHERE THE NEW PUBLIX IS, WE CURRENTLY HAVE 1.34 1.4 ACRES UNDER CONTRACT.
THE GOAL IS TO BUILD A NEW PRIMARY CARE PRACTICE THERE, AGAIN, TO TRY TO MEET THE DEMAND OF PRIMARY CARE.
AND JUST OF NOTE, FOR EVERY PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN WE RECRUIT, THEY CAN HAVE ABOUT 2000 ACTIVE PATIENTS OR ACTIVE CHARTS.
SO IF YOU THINK OF THE GROWTH AND HOW QUICKLY PEOPLE ARE MOVING HERE, WE STILL HAVE ABOUT A SIX MONTH WAIT LIST, UM, FOR A NEW PATIENT APPOINTMENT, EVEN THOUGH WE KEEP RECRUITING PRIMARY CARE PROVIDERS, IF WE RECRUIT EIGHT, THAT'S GOOD FOR ABOUT 16,000 PEOPLE.
SO YOU CAN SEE, EVEN THOUGH WE WILL RECRUIT EIGHT AND WE'LL TRY TO GET 16,000 PATIENTS NEW APPOINTMENTS AT THE SAME TIME, THAT'S STILL PROBABLY NOT GOING TO BE ENOUGH.
SO HERE'S YOUR PHYSICIAN NEEDS ANALYSIS, BECAUSE I CONTINUE TO HEAR WHEN I MAKE THE ROUNDS OF WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH UROLOGISTS, WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH NEUROLOGISTS, WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIANS, WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH, WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH.
WELL, WE ASKED A THIRD PARTY TO ACTUALLY BREAK UP BY KIND OF LOCATION OR HEALTHCARE ECOSYSTEM.
WHAT IS THE SHORTAGE, UM, BY AREA.
AND SO IF YOU TAKE THIS AND YOU LOOK AT BEAUFORT, ST.
HELENA, PORT, ROYAL BLUFF AND OKEE, AND THEN HILTON HEAD, WE BROKE IT UP BY SPECIALTY PHYSICIAN, NON-SURGICAL, SURGICAL NEED, AND PRIMARY CARE NEED.
AND WE DID IT AGAIN BY EACH LOCATION.
ALL IN ALL, YOU HAVE ABOUT 40 PLUS NECESSARY OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS PER LOCALE.
OR 120 NEW PHYSICIANS NEEDED TO COVER THE CURRENT PROJECTED GROWTH, AS WELL AS THE CURRENT PROJECTED RETIREMENTS OF CURRENT PROVIDERS IN THE MARKETPLACE.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE TO RECRUIT THE NECESSARY PHYSICIANS AND APPS TO OTHERWISE SEE THE PATIENTS THAT ARE RECALLING MY PHONE, CALLING THE HOSPITAL PHONES, I'M SURE CALLING YOU GUYS AS WELL.
ASKING WHAT ARE YOU DOING ABOUT PRIME, ABOUT HEALTHCARE ACCESS? WELL, THIS IS WHAT YOU'RE GONNA NEED AS THE POPULATION KEEPS GROWING.
AND THEN SOME OVER THE NEXT FIVE TO FIVE TO EIGHT YEARS.
SO ONE OF THE REQUESTS IS GOING TO BE AROUND THE NEW HOSPITAL IN BLUFFTON.
WE ARE ABOUT FIVE TO SIX YEARS DELAYED DUE TO SEVERAL THINGS.
UH, THIS HAS BEEN CHALLENGED SINCE ABOUT 2018, AND IT STILL SOMEWHAT SITS IN LITIGATION.
AND I CAN GO INTO THOSE DETAILS IF YOU WOULD LIKE, DUE TO THE NEW CON LEGISLATION AND, UM, AND THE, UH, MORATORIUM IN 27 WHEN IT GOES AWAY.
UM, BUT ULTIMATELY THIS PROJECT, SINCE 18, HAS GONE FROM ABOUT A $50 MILLION PROJECT TO A $90 MILLION PROJECT DUE TO ESCALATION INFLATION AND OTHER THINGS.
UM, YOU CAN SEE IT WILL BE ABOUT 30 BEDS.
UH, IT'LL BE FOUR OPERATING SUITES, TWO PROCEDURE ROOMS, FULL IMAGING CENTER AND LAB.
IT WILL BE DESIGNED FOR RESILIENCY TO CLIMATE CHANGE.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE VERY PROUD OF IS WHEN A HURRICANE COMES, UH, MOST PEOPLE ARE CALLING YOUTH MEMORIAL TO SAY, ARE YOU OPEN OR CLOSING? 'CAUSE IF WE CLOSE, SO DOES EVERYBODY ELSE.
UM, SO WE INTEND TO TRY TO MAKE THIS HOSPITAL MORE RESILIENT BECAUSE IF YOUTH MEMORIAL DOES HAVE TO CLOSE, WE WOULD RETREAT TO THIS HOSPITAL.
UM, IT DOESN'T SIT NEXT TO THE WATER.
UH, WE ONLY SIT ABOUT 15 FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL, WHICH MEANS THAT IF YOU HAVE A STORM SURGE OF 20 TO 25 FEET BE MEMORIAL CANNOT OPERATE.
UM, THIS HOSPITAL, WE THINK COULD, IT WILL HAVE REDUNDANCY, UH, ACROSS ALL SYSTEMS, GENERATORS, CHILLERS, BOILERS, ET CETERA.
WE BELIEVE THIS WILL BE MORE RESILIENT TO CLIMATE CHANGE.
UH, TOTAL BUDGET, AS I MENTIONED, 90 MILLION, UH, 60 MILLION CONSTRUCTION, 20 MILLION EQUIPMENT, 10 MILLION PROFESSIONAL FEES.
TOTAL JOBS CREATED 250, UH, FOR $16.2 MILLION IN SALARY, WAGES AND BENEFITS.
AND YOU CAN SEE THE PROJECTED VOLUMES THERE.
SO JUST THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS WE'LL SEE IN THE BLUFFTON OKT HILTON HEAD AREA.
UM, BUT YOU CAN SEE AGAIN, WHAT 150,000 UNIQUE PATIENT VISITS, SO TO SPEAK, AT THAT NEW HOSPITAL.
OUR OTHER REQUEST IS GONNA BE CENTERED AROUND AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
SO WE HAVE THREE PROJECTS CURRENTLY IN SOME VARIOUS PHASE OR STAGE OF, UM, DESIGN DEVELOPMENT OR APPROVAL.
UM, THE FIRST PROJECT IS ON OUR OTTE LAND.
SO IF YOU KNOW WHERE OUR OKAT TEAM BUILDING IS, UH, AT THE CORNER OF ONE 70 AND 2 78, WE HAVE ABOUT SEVEN EIGHT ACRES THAT WE DEVELOPED.
WE HAVE MORE DEVELOPABLE LAND THERE.
WE ARE PARTNERING WITH WOA COOPER TO TRY AND BUILD THIS THROUGH A, UH, HOUSING TAX CREDIT PROGRAM, UH, THAT ALSO HAVE PRIMARY CARE AND OUR NEW SECOND CHILDCARE CENTER.
WE WOULD FUND THE, UH, BUILD OUT AT THE FIRST FLOOR, WHICH WOULD BE BEAUTIFUL MEMORIAL SPACE WOULD COOPER, AS THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPER WOULD BUILD FLOORS TWO, THREE, AND FOUR.
AND IT WOULD ALLOW FOR ABOUT 70, WHAT I HAVE UP THERE, 76, UH, 76 UNITS, 70 TOTAL UNITS THAT WOULD RANGE ANYWHERE BETWEEN 60 AND 80% A MI.
WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING WITH THE CITY OF HARVILLE, UH, FOR JUST KIND OF IMP AT THIS POINT.
THE SECOND PROJECT, UH, IS A PROJECT AT BUCK WATER PLACE NEAR THE HOSPITAL.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH JARED AND HANK AND SEVERAL OTHERS, UH, BRITTANY ON POTENTIALLY PARTNERING WITH WDA COOPER, THE COUNTY, AND THIS PROJECT TO ALSO HAVE MEDICAL, UH, HOUSING, UH, AS WELL AS REHAB TYPE FACILITIES.
[01:10:01]
AT THIS, AT THIS CURRENT LOCATION, UH, CURRENTLY THIS SITS WITH THE STATE AS A HOUSING TAX CREDIT APPLICATION, UH, ON THE SCORING METHODOLOGY OUT OF 30 APPLICATIONS FOR THIS GO ROUND.WE CURRENTLY SIT, I THINK AT NUMBER 14.
UM, THERE'S STILL SOME MORE SCORING TO BE DONE.
UM, NOT REAL HOPEFUL, BUT WE CONTINUE TO LOOK AT WAYS TO INNOVATE AROUND, UM, THIS OPPORTUNITY.
ALRIGHT, UH, PROJECT NUMBER THREE.
SO IF YOU RECALL, UH, I BELIEVE THAT, UH, BUFORT COUNTY PURCHASED FIVE HOMES FROM TCLA FEW YEARS AGO.
I HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH, AGAIN, HANK AND A FEW OTHERS, BRITTANY, UM, TO REDESIGN WHAT THIS SPACE MIGHT LOOK LIKE.
WE HAVE BEEN PAYING ALLISON RAMSEY TO DESIGN THIS.
WE'VE GONE TO THE CITY OF BUFORT THUS FAR AND THEY'VE APPROVED THIS IN CONCEPT.
UH, BUT ESSENTIALLY THIS WOULD BE 29 2 BEDROOM TOWN HOME UNITS, FOUR, THREE BEDROOM, SINGLE FAMILY HOME UNITS FOR A TOTAL PROJECT COST OF ABOUT $8.3 MILLION OR ABOUT $285,000 PER UNIT, UH, WITH A TARGET COST OF BETWEEN 1200 AND $1,500 PER UNIT IN RENT.
MEANING $1,200 FOR TWO BEDROOMS AND $1,500 FOR THREE BEDROOMS. SO LAST TWO SLIDES, LEMME GET THROUGH IT, I PROMISE.
SO THIS IS OUR PREVIOUS FUNDING.
SO LAST YEAR, UH, YOU ASKED THAT WE, SO WHAT DID WE DO OUR, WITH OUR PREVIOUS FUNDING? SO WE'VE BEEN CONSISTENTLY GETTING ABOUT 800,000 IN ONGOING SUPPORT FOR THE EMERGENCY ROOM, BAD DEBT, CHARITY CARE, AS WELL AS PSYCHIATRIC CARE.
UH, $350,000 FOR THE NURSING SCHOOL, THE M THE PASS PROGRAM, AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
AND THEN LASTLY, I BELIEVE THROUGH ARPA FUNDING.
WE, UH, RECEIVED $1.5 MILLION FOR THE, UH, EVENTUAL OPERATIONS OF THE, UH, CRISIS STABILIZATION UNIT AND ADDICTION MEDICINE, UM, AS PART OF THE GRANT AND PILOT PROGRAM FOR THE STATE.
AND SO WE'RE ASKED THIS YEAR ARE 800,000.
SO NO, NO INCREASES IN THE OPERATIONAL SUPPORT, UH, FOR THE EMERGENCY ROOM OR DIGT CARE THAT STAYS THE SAME.
UM, WE WOULD LIKE, UH, THE COUNTY COUNCIL TO CONSIDER, UM, HELPING US SUPPORT SOME OF THESE THREE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS.
WE'RE ASKING $3 MILLION THERE.
AND THEN LASTLY, FOR THE BLUFFTON HOSPITAL, $10 MILLION.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT I, I STAY ON TIME ABOUT ROUNDABOUT.
MS. BROWN, UM, YOU SAID IT'S AT THE CORNER OF BUCKWALTER AND BLUFFTON PARKWAY? WELL, HAMPTON HALL AND PINEHURST IS THERE PINE CREST? YOU TALKING ABOUT THE NEW HOSPITAL? YES.
SO THERE IS, UH, 14 ACRES THAT WE OWN CURRENTLY, UH, THAT SITS RIGHT BEHIND PUBLIX.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE BLUFFTON AND BUCK WATER PARKWAY AT THE INTERSECTION, AT THE SIGNAL AND INTERSECTION THERE, THE ONE THAT IS ALWAYS AT THE, UM, UH, ROOT OF THE REALIGNMENT PROJECT, UH, WE SIT ON THAT 14 ACRES OFF OF INNOVATION DRIVE SITS HERE, UH, BUCK WATER PARKWAY SITS HERE AND BLUFF AND PARKWAY RUNS PARALLEL TO OUR BEHIND PUBLIX.
YOU THE PT GOLF? I'M SORRY, YES.
IS THERE A P PUTT GOLF? I'VE NOT PLAYED THERE PRETENDING TO BUILD IT.
NOT, I'VE NOT, IT'S ALMOST DONE.
NOW WE CURRENTLY OWN THAT IN HALF FOR A WHILE.
I HAVE A QUESTION FOR ALL THE, THESE BUILDINGS LIKE THIS ONE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
ARE YOU ALREADY APPROVED FOR ZONING? UH, CURRENTLY THE HOSPITAL IS, WAS APPROVED ON INITIAL MASTER PLAN WHEN WE SUBMITTED FOR THE CON IN 18.
WE ARE RESUBMITTING WITH A MINOR AMENDMENT TO THE IMP TO TOWN OF BLUFFTON CURRENTLY.
BUT WE ARE CURRENTLY IN DISCUSSIONS WITH BLUFFTON DEPRESSED TO PUSH THIS FORWARD.
SO YOU'RE FAIRLY SURE YOU'LL GET THE ZONING CHECK.
THERE, THERE'S NO, THERE'S NO CONCERNS ABOUT ZONING ON EITHER THAT PROJECT OR EVEN THE PROJECT OVER.
WE'VE ALREADY MET WITH BLUFFTON ON THE PROJECT IN MAY, RIVER CROSSINGS AS WELL.
ALREADY, ALREADY, UH, HAD TWO MEETINGS WITH THEM INITIALLY.
SO WHEN YOU SAY YOU'VE HELPED 15 EMPLOYEES BUY HOMES, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? UH, WE, WE'VE GIVEN $10,000 TO EACH OF THOSE EMPLOYEES AS DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE.
OH, I DIDN'T, I JUST WAS LOOKING FOR THE FIGURE.
$10,000 PER EMPLOYEE HELP BUY A HOME.
SO WE DID 12 LAST YEAR, UH, THREE THIS YEAR WITH ANOTHER THREE APPLICATIONS, I BELIEVE AUTO ALREADY UNDER PROCESS.
SO THE, SO THE GOAL IS ACTUALLY WE BUDGET A QUARTER OF A MILLION EVERY YEAR ACTUALLY.
SO WE'D LIKE TO HELP MORE, BUT YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WE NEED THEM TO BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THEIR HOME PURCHASE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ONLINE OR ANY PLACE ELSE? UM, NOPE.
UH, MR. BAXLEY, THANK YOU FOR COMING.
I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU'VE, UH, JUST HAD YOUR 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY, SO APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE FOR 10 YEARS.
HAS IT BEEN 10 YEARS? IT'S BEEN EIGHT.
SO, UH,
NO, I'VE BEEN HERE EIGHT YEARS.
WE, WE WANT YOU TO STAY HERE 10 YEARS AND EVEN 20 YEARS.
SO THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO.
YOU DO A GREAT JOB IN REPRESENTING THE COUNTY.
AND AGAIN, UM, WE, WE AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO.
[01:15:02]
OKAY.UM, AND NEXT UP IS, UM, MR. ROB WELLS, THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE, UH, GREATER BEAUFORT PORT ROYAL AND CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU.
AND ROB, IF YOU JUST WANNA POINT OUT WHO ELSE IS HERE WITH YOU SUPPORTING YOU, UH, BESIDE YOURSELF.
SO WE HAVE A BOARD CHAIRMAN, UH, CHRISTIAN KATO AND, UH, COUNCIL APPOINTMENT, UH, TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, UH, MR. DICK STEWART.
AND THEY ARE HERE, UH, IN REPRESENTATION OF THE CBBI WILL, UH, ATTEMPT TO BE, I'M GETTING DELAY UNTIL WE GET THE PDF UP.
NO, I WANT, SO THAT YOU COULD ADLIB TILL THEN.
SO REAL, REAL QUICK, I KNOW THAT THERE'S A, A LOT OF PEOPLE AND WE GOT PROBABLY UP AGAINST A CLOCK OF SOME SORT.
SO I'M GOING TO SKIP THROUGH A LOT OF THE GREAT, UH, SUCCESS STORIES THAT WE HAVE.
I GOT THEM AT THE BACK OF THE PRESENTATION JUST IN CASE I GET THROUGH IT PRETTY, PRETTY RAPIDLY.
THE BEST WAY YOU CAN INDICATE THE SUCCESS THAT THE MARKETING AND PROMOTIONS ACTIVITY HAS HAD IN NORTHERN BUFORD COUNTY IS TO REALLY CHECK YOUR REVENUE STREAMS FROM THE ACCOMMODATION, BOTH AT STATE AND LOCAL ACCOMMODATION TAX OVER THE LAST FIVE TO 10 YEARS.
AND YOU'LL SEE THE SUCCESS RATE AS THE INCREASE YEAR OVER YEAR TO THOSE, UH, REVENUE STREAMS CONTINUE TO INCREASE.
AND THAT IS THE, UM, SUBJECT OF TODAY.
AS WE'RE GONNA GO THROUGH SOME OF THIS BUDGET, I MAY NEED SOME HELP MOVING IT.
I THINK IT'S GOT SOMETHING TO DO WITH ME PUTTING THAT TIME.
SO THE GREATER BEAUFORT PORT, ROYAL CVB SERVES AS THE DESIGNATION DESIGNATED MARKETING ORGANIZATION, UH, FOR NORTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY AS APPLIED BY THE COUNTY.
OUR AREA IS THIS BEAUTIFUL AREA LANDSCAPE UP HERE.
AND AS WE HEARD IN OUR VERY FIRST PRESENTATION, MAN, WE GOT A LOT OF SECOND HOME OWNERSHIP THAT TAKES PLACE IN THIS COUNTY.
NOT PROBABLY GOOD FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, BUT ALSO WE'VE SEEN A RECORD NUMBER OF SHORT TERM RENTALS, UH, IN OUR MARKET, ESPECIALLY OVER THE LAST, UM, I'D SAY THE LAST FIVE TO, UH, TO 10 YEARS.
WE'VE SEEN THAT NUMBER BALLOON, ESPECIALLY SINCE COVID.
AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO SEE THOSE UNITS CLIMB AND CLIMB AND CLIMB IN NORTHERN BEAUFORD COUNTY, WHICH ALLUDES TO THE COLLECTING ASPECT OF IT, AND WHICH I THINK IN THE UNINCORPORATED PORTIONS OF THE TWO PORTIONS OF THE COUNTY IN NORTHERN SOUTHERN, THAT THERE'S MORE UNITS IN NORTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY, UH, ALSO, YOU KNOW, HEADING TOWARDS MORE, YOU KNOW, COLLECTIONS OR REVENUES.
SO WITH THAT SAID, LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT OUR BUDGET.
NOW, I BROKE THIS DOWN A LITTLE PIE CHART FOR EVERYBODY, JUST 'CAUSE I'M A PIE CHART GUY AND, UH, SO BEAR WITH ME.
FY 23, WE HAD ROUGHLY AN INVESTMENT FROM THE COUNTY OF $440,000 MAKING UP ABOUT 43% OF OUR TOTAL BUDGET.
YOU CAN SEE THE REST OF OUR FUNDING STREAMS RIGHT THERE AS A PERCENTAGE OF BREAKUP.
IF I GO TOO FAST, SLOW ME DOWN AND I CAN INSTALL A LITTLE BIT MORE ACCENT AND WE CAN MAKE THIS MORE PALATABLE.
BUT HERE'S, UH, FY 24 AS IT'S BUDGETED, SAME, SIMILAR BUDGET.
IT'S ABOUT 490,000, WAS A BUDGETED AMOUNT, UH, FROM THE BUFORT COUNTY.
AND THAT DOES INCLUDE BOTH STATE ACCOMMODATIONS TAX AND THE LOCAL ACCOMMODATIONS TAX.
UH, ALONG WITH SOME SUPPLEMENTAL, UH, FROM GRANT MONEY, UH, ACTUALS WILL BE IN RED.
'CAUSE I KNOW THAT'S A QUESTION THAT POPPED UP.
WHAT WERE THE ACTUALS, UH, THAT COME IN AND, AND, AND THROUGH MARCH 31ST, OUR RECEIPTS FROM BEAUFORT COUNTY ONLY MAKE UP 26% OF THE REVENUE THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO COME IN WITH.
UH, I KNOW THERE'S A, WAS A DELAY IN THE APPROVAL OF THE STATE, A TAX GRANTS, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW IT'S UNDERSTAND IT'S THE TIMING, BUT YOU CAN SEE THAT COMMITMENT IS ABOUT 225,000, UH, DOLLARS AT THIS TIME, THAT INVESTMENT.
AND THAT'S BECAUSE THE COUNTY, UH, DOES DISPERSE ATAC STATE ACCOMMODATIONS TAX AND, UH, THE LOCAL ACCOMMODATION TAX, THE DEDICATED FUNDING ON A QUARTERLY BASIS.
SO THAT'S WHY YOU SEE HALF OF IT BEING SUPPORTED AT THIS TIME.
THE WAY THAT MONEY IS SPENT IS WE BREAK IT DOWN INTO THESE PA UH, THESE, THESE AREAS.
SO MARKETING, UH, AND PROMOTIONS, THAT IS WHERE THE VAST MAJORITY, THREE QUARTERS OF OUR, OVER THREE QUARTERS OF OUR MONEY IS SPENT.
UH, YOU'RE LOOKING AT, UM, UH, ADS, PUBLICITY, UH, AD CREATION WEBSITE, THOSE TYPE OF THINGS.
THE DIGITAL PLACEMENTS OF ADS, THE THINGS THAT WE BASICALLY MORE, MORE OR LESS ARE, ARE TASKED TO DO.
BUT SEE OTHER PARTS OF THE SLIDE, UH, THE PIE IS JUST AS IMPORTANT.
UH, VISITOR SERVICES HANDLES EVERYTHING FROM OUR VISITOR CENTER LOCATED AT SEVEN 13 CRAVEN STREET, AT THE BUFORD HISTORIC ARSENAL, BUT ALSO DEALS WITH FULFILLMENT.
AND WE GET A LOT OF REQUESTS FOR PEOPLE ASKING FOR MORE INFORMATION.
AND MAYBE THAT'S THROUGH A VISITOR GUIDE, MAYBE THAT'S THROUGH PAMPHLETS, MAYBE THAT'S THROUGH JUST A DINING GUIDE OF SOME SORT THAT VISITOR SERVICES FULFILL THOSE FOR US, UH, OPERATIONS THERE.
THAT, THAT COVERS YOUR BASIC, YOU KNOW, YOUR LIGHTING BILL.
WE WON'T COVER THAT TOO MUCH OF THAT, BUT SALES IS THE 9%.
NOW FOR US, SALES IS A, IS A PRETTY NEW VENTURE FOR US OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS, ESPECIALLY SINCE WE BECAME AN INDEPENDENT CONVENTION AND VISITOR BUREAU.
[01:20:01]
OF TIME DIVERSIFYING HOW WE ATTRACT PEOPLE TO OUR AREA, NOT JUST THROUGH LEISURE TRAVEL AND THROUGH PROMOTION, BUT THROUGH RECRUITMENT, THROUGH SMALL MARKET MEETINGS, UH, REUNIONS, WEDDINGS, AND OF COURSE SPORTS TOURISM, WHICH WE CONTINUE TO, TO SEE SOME GROWTH IN AC ACTIVITY PERSONNEL.I, I, THIS IS A QUESTION COMES UP.
I I KNOW IT WAS ON THE SHEET THAT THEY SENT OUT.
I'LL JUST SHOW YOU RIGHT NOW THAT OUR PERSONNEL MAKEUP IS ABOUT 33% OF OUR BUDGET, UM, DMO OR DESTINATION MARKETING ORGANIZATIONS OF OUR SIZE.
THAT PERCENTAGE SHARE IS USUALLY IN BETWEEN 38 AND 42%.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE THAT WE, WE COME IN THERE AT 33%.
WE ARE A FULL SCALE WAKE UP IN THE MORNING TOURISM OUTFIT.
WE THINK ABOUT TOURISM WHEN WE GO TO BED, WE THINK ABOUT TOURISM.
THAT'S OUR TASK AND OUR CHARGE.
AND, UH, MY TEAM DOES A VERY GOOD JOB OF PUTTING NOT ONLY NORTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY, BUT THE, THE AREA, UH, IN, IN THE FOREFRONT.
AND WE HAVE SOME GREAT STAKEHOLDERS AND GREAT PARTNERS THAT MAKE THAT UP.
UM, 25 IS GONNA LOOK A LITTLE DIFFERENT.
UM, THE BUDGET REQUEST AS IT STATES RIGHT NOW, WE ARE FUNDED THROUGH THE STATE 2% ACCOMMODATION STACK.
SO AS REVENUES INCREASE IN THAT OR DECREASE THERE, THAT, THAT WILL DICTATE THE FUNDING.
UH, IN EARLY CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR PARTNERS FROM THE SOUTHERN END, WE, WE, WE KIND OF FEEL LIKE THAT STATE 2% NUMBER IS GONNA BE SOMEWHERE AROUND 215.
IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT MORE, IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT LESS.
UM, AT THIS CURRENT THING, THE GOOD THING FOR PERFECT COUNTY COUNCIL IS THAT THE STATE WILL DICTATE, TELL YOU, LET YOU KNOW WHAT THAT NUMBER IS, AND THEN YOU HAVE A FORMULA BUILT IN FOR HOW THAT, THAT SPREAD OUT THROUGH YOUR EQUAL SHARE, UH, DISBURSEMENT.
AND THEN YOU GOT STATE 2% A TAX GRANTS TO BE DETERMINED, RIGHT? WE'LL, WE'LL FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT POT OF MONEY IS AND WHAT THAT AS AND REQUEST WILL BE.
UH, OF COURSE, WE ALL KNOW WHAT THE LOCAL 3% A TAX DID LAST MONDAY THAT HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM THE DEDICATED FUNDING.
UH, THAT WAS THE ORDINANCE THAT WAS IN THERE, PROBABLY ABOUT 15% OF OUR BUDGET.
AND THEN OF COURSE, THE LOCAL 3% ATTACHED GRANTS ALSO TO BE DETERMINED.
I KNOW THAT YOU GUYS HAVE SOME QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS TO, TO FULFILL THERE.
I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THAT'S GONNA OPEN BACK UP AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE AS AN ORGANIZATION HAVE NOT PARTICIPATED IN, BUT SOMETHING THAT WE ARE DEFINITELY GONNA HAVE TO TAKE A LOOK AT GOING FORWARD.
SO THAT IS OUR, OUR BUDGET GOING FORWARD.
UM, HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
I I CAN ALSO MOVE INTO SOME GREAT SUCCESS STORIES.
IF, IF I GOT SOME TIME TO KILL, I AM WAY AHEAD OF TIME, RIGHT? YES.
IF YOU WOULD PLEASE, FOR THE AUDIENCE THAT'S WATCHING AND ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE ARE OUR STATE ATEX FUNDS, YOU HAVE TOLD US THAT 78% IS FROM NORTHERN BUFORD COUNTY.
SO BASED ON OUR, UM, SOME OF OUR DATA COLLECTING SOURCES AND SOME OF OUR PROPERTIES THAT ARE IN NORTHERN COUNTY, WE'RE ABLE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THEIR, THEIR REVENUES THAT THEY GENERATE OVER YEAR, OVER YEAR.
AND THEN COMPARE THAT WITH WHAT THE STATE IS REMITTING BACK TO THE COUNTY FROM A STATE 2%.
AND WE'RE ABLE TO POSSIBLY, YOU KNOW, PUT TOGETHER, OKAY, HERE'S THE REVENUE SHARE FROM NORTHERN BEFORD COUNTY.
AND THIS IS ONLY FROM THE UNINCORPORATED PORTIONS OF IT.
IT'S NOT, HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE CITY OF BEAUFORT OR TOWN OF PORT ROYAL OR ANY OF THE OTHER MUNICIPALITIES.
AND AGAIN, IT GOES, WE KNOW THAT EACH OF THOSE MUNICIPALITIES WILL COLLECT THOSE OR REMITTED THOSE FUNDS, AND THEN THEY DISPERSE THEM AND THEIR ACCORDANCE.
AND SO FOR NORTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY, UH, WE SEE THE NUMBER OF UNITS, UH, THERE'S MORE UNITS NOW.
UM, AND I THINK THAT'S, THAT HAS ALSO HAPPENED BECAUSE OF, UM, PALMETTO BLUFF WAS, WAS ANNEXED INTO THE, THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON, OR CITY OF BLUFFTON AND SOME OTHER THINGS THAT HAVE, HAVE MOVED OVER THROUGH ANNEXATION HAS REMOVED THOSE FROM THE INCORPORATED PORTION.
AND WE'VE SEEN A LARGE INCREASE IN SHORT TERM RENTALS, SAY HELENA LADIES ISLAND AND ALSO FRIPP AND HARBOR ISLAND, AND OF COURSE HUNTING ISLAND STATE.
UH, UH, CAMPGROUND IS ALSO A PORTION OF THAT.
AND DO OTHER, WHEN WE GIVE OUT THE ATEX GRANTS, DO THOSE ANY OF THOSE GRANTEES COLLABORATE WITH YOU FOR MARKETING AND SO ON? I WILL SAY SOME DO.
THEY'RE NOT LIKE HALF, MAYBE A THIRD.
UH, ESPECIALLY IN THE NORTHERN PART, IT'S KIND OF BAKED IN, UH, TO THE NORTHERN PORTION OF THE COUNTY, MAINLY BECAUSE, UH, IN OTHER ATAC AND SUPPLEMENTAL GRANTS THAT WE REQUEST AND THOSE PROCESSES, YOU SEE THAT IN THE PROPOSAL FOR THAT GRANT.
THEY ARE, HEY, YOU GET POINTS FOR WORKING WITH THE DMO AND HAVING THE DMO PUT TOGETHER, YOU KNOW, BEST PRACTICES FOR STRATEGIES OF WHERE TO PLACE THOSE ADS.
AND A LOT OF THOSE COMES LIKE, UH, YOU KNOW, COUNCILMAN
BUT WE WORK TO MITIGATE SOME OF THOSE BY SAYING, HEY, HERE'S WHERE WE'RE GONNA BE.
HERE'S THIS, HERE'S OUR, HERE'S OUR STRATEGY BEHIND IT.
HERE'S SOME CONCEPTS, SOME PLACES THAT YOU SHOULD LOOK.
HERE'S SOME MARKETS THAT YOU KNOW, UH, YOU SHOULD PROBABLY TARGET.
[01:25:01]
IF THERE'S ANYTHING WE CAN HELP PUT TOGETHER FOR A DATA STANDPOINT, WE'LL MAKE THAT HAPPEN.AND THEN RECENTLY WE'VE BEEN ASSISTING OUR FESTIVALS AND EVENTS AND ATTRACTIONS.
WE KIND OF FINDING OUT WHAT THEIR VISITOR TO RESIDENT RATIO MIX IS FOR ATTRACTIONS, YOU KNOW, WHAT COMES IN THE GATE OR IN THE, IN THE TICKET.
AND THEN HELPING THEM IDENTIFY, OKAY, WE HAD THIS MANY PEOPLE FROM THIS PORTION OF, OF THE UPSTATE THAT'S IN MARKET THAT LOVES HISTORY, LOVES HERITAGE.
MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN TARGET GOING FORWARD.
IT'S JUST BEING A BETTER PARTNER GOING FORWARD.
SO LONG-WINDED ANSWER TO A SHORT PART, NOT AS MANY AS WE'D LOVE.
UM, BUT THE ONES THAT DO, YOU CAN TELL BY THE WAY THAT THEY PRESENT AND ACT IN THEIR GRANTS.
SO GOING FORWARD WHEN WE GIVE ATEX GRANTS AWARDS, WE COULD HIGHLY SUGGEST THEY WORK WITH THE CVB TO GET A BETTER BANG FOR THEIR BUCK.
I THINK THAT, I THINK THAT'D BE A WISE MOVE, JUST, JUST BECAUSE THE, THE D OS IN GENERAL HAVE DATA AT OUR, AT OUR DISPOSAL THAT WE CAN SHARE.
I THINK WE'RE WILLING PARTNERS ACROSS THE BOARD, UM, WITH OUR, WITH OUR STAKEHOLDERS, ESPECIALLY THE, THE ATTRACTIONS.
YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU SEE A LOT OF THEM AND THEY MAY NOT HAVE THE FUNDS, SO THEIR $10,000 AD BUDGET HAS TO DO WHAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO DO AND TARGET WELL, AND THEY GET INUNDATED WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE SELLING ADS.
HEY, WE CAN PLACE YOU HERE, HERE AND HERE.
AND THAT MAY BE GREAT ADVERTISEMENT, BUT IT MAY NOT BE WHAT'S BEST FOR THEM AND THEIR FESTIVAL, THEIR EVENT OR THEIR ATTRACTION AT THE TIME.
AND WE CAN, YOU KNOW, PROVIDE COUNSEL, YOU KNOW, IF NEEDED.
ONE, I JUST WANNA CLARIFY, THIS IS A LITTLE BLURRY IN HERE, UH, IN THE, UH, BACK OF MATERIAL.
YOU'RE A 5 0 1 C3, CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT, YEAH.
AND SO YOU HAVE NO MEMBERSHIP BASE ANYTHING? YOU, YOU'RE LITERALLY JUST FUNDED THROUGH US AND, AND OTHER GOVERNMENTS ENTITY? YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S CORRECT.
UM, AND I HEARD SOME NUMBERS THROWN OUT THERE.
UM, FOR EVERY DOLLAR THAT YOU RECEIVE, HOW MUCH DOES IT GET AMPLIFIED? SO FROM, FOR US IT'S $11 FOR THE COUNTY.
SO ONE, $1 FROM US GETS AMPLIFIED TO 11.
YOU, YOU HAND A DOLLAR, WE RETURN 11 BACK THROUGH THE, THE ACCOMMODATION.
AND THAT'S WITHOUT TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION, BUSINESS LICENSE, UH, PROPERTY TAXES AND SOME OF THOSE OTHERS THAT ARE ATTRIBUTED TO THE SHORT TERM RENTALS AND OVERNIGHT ACCOMMODATIONS AS WELL.
ANY OTHER YES, LARRY, GO AHEAD.
YEAH, I NOTICED THAT, UH, MR. STEWART'S IN THE AUDIENCE, HE MADE A PRESENTATION TO US ON THE, THE COUNCIL ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF, UH, PERHAPS, UH, GENERATING SOME REVENUE FROM, UH, SHORT TERM RENTALS.
I WONDER IF YOU WOULD KIND IMPOSE UPON HIM TO COME FORWARD AND GIVE US THAT PRESENTATION AGAIN, PERHAPS A LITTLE MORE DETAIL PLEASURE COMMITTEE.
WE, WE WILL GIVE YOU YOUR TIME AFTER.
I MEAN, HE'S PART OF THE, PART OF THE TEAM.
ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO BE LARRY.
DIDN'T KNOW I WAS GONNA BE SPEAKING, BUT THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
WHAT I REFERRED TO LAST WEEK IS THAT THERE'S SOME SOFTWARE PACKAGES THAT ARE WELL KNOWN AND USED THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY THAT WILL GO OUT AND, UH, INTERROGATE THE DATABASES AND THE ADVERTISING FOR SHORT TERM RENTALS AND COMPARE THOSE TO YOUR BUSINESS LICENSES AND WHAT YOU'RE COLLECTING FROM SHORT TERM RENTALS.
AND THAT WE THINK THOSE NUMBERS IN THE COUNTY HAVE GROWN VERY RAPIDLY.
AND THE CLIENTS WHO COME HERE AND STAY IN SHORT TERM RENTALS OFTEN ASK IF THEY'RE LICENSED AND PAYING TAXES.
AND THEY SAY THAT THEY ARE BECAUSE MANY OF THEM BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE.
BUT IN FACT, THE LAST TIME WE HAD AN ANALYSIS DONE WAS A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, AND THAT INDICATED THAT THE COUNTY WAS MISSING OUT ON SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 800,000 AND A MILLION DOLLARS IN, AT TAX REVENUES THAT YOU WOULD BE RECEIVING IF YOU CAPTURED ALL OF THOSE SHORT TERM RENTALS USING THAT SORT OF SOFTWARE, THE NUMBERS WOULD INDICATE, AND WE WENT THROUGH THIS, UH, WITH STAFF, BUT YOU'VE HAD A LOT OF TURNOVER STUFF, SO THIS WAS MAKING PROGRESS TO COME TO YOU.
IT'S NOT LIKE THIS IS NEWS, UH, BUT SINCE YOU'RE LOOKING AT THIS BUDGET CAREFULLY, NOW'S A GOOD TIME TO DO THAT.
BUT THE, UH, AMOUNT COLLECTED WOULD FAR EXCEED THE AMOUNT IT WOULD TAKE TO PURCHASE AND OPERATE THE SOFTWARE.
NOW YOU DO HAVE AN ISSUE IN THAT IF THE SOFTWARE SAYS SOMEBODY IS DOING THIS AND THEY'RE UNLICENSED, SOMEBODY PROBABLY NEEDS TO GO OUT THERE AND SEE IF THEY'RE ACTUALLY OPERATING THAT FACILITY AS WELL AS IS LICENSING IT.
THE OTHER PIECE OF THIS, WHICH ADDS SOME ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, ONE OF THE MAJOR, UH, MARKETERS OF SHORT TERM RENTALS HAS AN AGREEMENT WITH THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA AS THEY DO WITH SOME OTHER STATES, THAT THEY COLLECT A TAX FUNDS FOR THE SHORT TERM RENTALS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY AND REMIT THEM TO THE STATE PARKS, RECREATION AND TOURISM DEPARTMENT.
THEN THE STATE DOES WHAT THEY FEEL IS APPROPRIATE AND SEND THE AMOUNT TO BEAUFORT COUNTY THAT THEY THINK IS APPROPRIATE.
UH, I'M SURE THEY'RE EXACTLY RIGHT AND FAIR AND ABOVE BOARD IN EVERY CASE.
BUT JUST IN CASE THEY DID, THERE ARE SOME AGENCIES AND ENTITIES, SOME IN THE STATE WHO HAVE, UH, EITHER TAKEN OR THREATENED LEGAL ACTION, MAKE SURE THAT THAT ACCOUNTING IS DONE IN A REASONABLE FASHION.
NO ONE, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, HAS SENT ANY MONEY BACK TO THE STATE 'CAUSE THEY FEEL LIKE THEY'VE BEEN OVERPAID.
THERE MAY HAVE, THAT MAY HAVE HAPPENED, BUT I HAVEN'T HEARD ABOUT THAT.
SO THOSE WERE THE TWO THINGS THAT I WAS SPECIFICALLY REFERRING TO THE OTHER DAY.
[01:30:01]
APPOINTEE ON THE BOARD OF THE CVB AND THE CVB HAS AN APPOINTEE FROM TOWN OF PORT ROYAL, UH, CITY OF BEAUFORT, UH, AND BEAUFORT COUNTY BECAUSE THEY'RE YOUR PARTNERS IN FUNDING TO DO THIS.AND THESE ARE THINGS WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT.
ROB IS IN AN INTERESTING POSITION AND HE LIKES TO HAVE GREAT ACCOMMODATION AND GREAT EVENTS.
SO, UH, I'M HERE WITH A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT NUMBER ON THAT.
MR. STEWART, CAN HE GIVE THE SOFTWARE NAME TO OUR STAFF TO MAYBE INVESTIGATE? SURE.
AND, AND ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. WELLS? ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO ADD MR. WELLS TO, UH, ASKING ONE QUESTION, MR. RE, MR. WELLS, UM, WHAT KIND OF FEEDBACK DO YOU GET FROM VISITORS? YEAH, BOMB.
THAT'S A, THAT'S A BIG, THAT'S A BIG QUESTION.
'CAUSE IT, IT WROTE FROM ONE OF THE MOST MAJESTIC, BEAUTIFUL PLACES THEY'VE EVER BEEN TO.
WE WISH THAT WE HAD A BETTER EXPERIENCE AT, SAY, DINING IF IT WAS MORE OPEN TABLE WAS MORE USED AS AN APP THAT SOME OF OUR LOCAL RESTAURANTS, SO IT MISSES.
BUT WE DID SOME SURVEYING AND DID SOME RESEARCH.
AND HERE'S WHAT WE FOUND THAT ALMOST 88% OF THE PEOPLE WHO COME TO NORTHERN BEFORD COUNTY ARE LOOKING ACCESS TO WATER.
SO FIRST OFF, COASTAL DESTINATION, OF COURSE, YOU WOULD THINK THAT WOULD BE THE CASE.
THE SECOND THING WAS HISTORY AND HERITAGE.
IT WAS A HIGH EXPECTATION, BUT THE EXPERIENCE LEVEL HAS NOT QUITE MET WHAT THOSE EXPECTATIONS ARE.
AND WE ARE IN THAT THE VISITOR EXPERIENCE HAS TO BE GREATER THAN THE VISITOR'S EXPECTATIONS IN ORDER TO HAVE REPEAT VISITATION.
AND SO WE HAVE CHAMPIONED AND WORKED WITH SOME, SOME, SOME PARTNERS IN THE PAST TO DEVELOP A SYSTEM THAT WILL HELP IDENTIFY SOME OF THESE ATTRACTIONS, SOME OF THESE HERITAGE SITES THAT COULD BE IMPROVED.
WE GIVE GUIDANCE TO THOSE WHO HELP FUND THOSE IMPROVEMENTS TO MAKE BETTER CHOICES, OR AT LEAST CHOICES THAT MAKE THE VISITOR MORE ACCOMMODATING WHEN THEY COME.
SO IT CAN BE AS SIMPLE AS UP FITTING PARKING OR PUBLIC RESTROOMS. SURE.
AND I, I WANNA FOLLOW UP ON MRS. TABNAK, UM, QUESTION ABOUT FEEDBACK.
UM, DO YOU GIVE THE, DO YOU SHARE FEEDBACK WITH THE EVENT HOLDERS? UH, ABSOLUTELY, ABSOLUTELY.
WHEN IT, WHEN IT WAS REALLY EXPECTED, MORE WAS EXPECTED OF THEM, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
BOTH, ESPECIALLY SO, SO JUST FOR EXAMPLE, HERITAGE DAYS OUT OF PENN CENTER DID A GREAT JOB.
ONE OF THE FEEDBACK THAT WE GOT IN THE THING WAS THEIR OUTREACH WAS LIMITED.
THE, THE, THE WAY THAT THEY WENT OUT ABOUT THE PROJECTION OF THE EVENT.
AND SO YOU ALMOST HAD TO RUN INTO IT ON THE, ON THE PRINT SIDE OF THINGS.
WELL, THEY SPENT SOME MONEY DIGITALLY AS WELL.
AND SO THE DIGITAL RESPONSE WAS VERY GOOD.
THEY ALSO RAN INTO PUBLIC SEATING.
THEY DIDN'T, THEY WEREN'T KNOWN TO TELL, TO BRING YOU SHOE, STUFF LIKE THAT.
WE FEEDBACK AND THAT'S SOME BASIC STUFF, BUT THAT'S SOME THINGS WE CAN PROVIDE.
REAL QUICK, KIND OF FEEDING, GOING OFF THE, THE FEEDBACK.
UM, DO WE HAVE ANY FORMAL PROCESS IN PLACE TO EVALUATE AT LEAST THE, THE COUNTY HELD SERVICES OR PARTS ACCOMMODATIONS? SOMETHING THAT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, WE CAN GET A FORMAL RESPONSE BACK FROM A SURVEY DONE THAT WE CAN GET, THEN EVALUATE IT AND SEE WHAT NEEDS TO GET DONE, UH, TO A PROVEN AREA OR, OR THINGS THAT NEED TO YEAH, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S A COUNTY SPACE PARTICULAR THING.
I DO KNOW, AND I'VE REFERENCED IT ALREADY, IT'S A, THERE WAS SOME TIME AGO, THERE WAS AN INDEPENDENT GROUP THAT, I THINK IT WAS, UM, USCB, SOME STUDENTS WENT OUT AND DID A, AN ASSESSMENT OF THOSE ATTRACTIONS AND, AND, AND DIFFERENT SITES AND WERE EVER GIVEN A RATING, UH, BASED ON THAT.
AND SO THAT, WHAT THAT DOES IS IT ALLOWS YOU TO KIND OF UNDERSTAND, BUT AS FAR AS PARTICULAR SITES LIKE FORT FREMONT OR WHATEVER, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A STANDARD COLLECTING, UH, WELL, WITH GOING, GOING TO THAT USCB UH, PROGRAM, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT'S CONTINUING OR IS THAT JUST, I DON'T THINK IT, IT HAS NOT CONTINUED SINCE IT WAS IMPLEMENTED.
IT WAS DONE FOR A SPECIFIC TIMEFRAME.
IT WAS COLLECTED, AND WHILE I WANNA SAY IT WAS, WAS SHELVED, IT'S, THAT'S WHERE IT SITS CURRENTLY IS.
SO DO YOU THINK IF WE GET THAT GOING AGAIN, UH, WHETHER IT BE THROUGH USCB OR, OR SOMETHING THROUGH YOUR ORGANIZATION? I, I THINK THE MODEL'S THERE, AND I THINK THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY HELP EVALUATE, ESPECIALLY WHEN FOLKS, WHEN YOU GET, UM, A LOT OF PEOPLE PASSIONATE ABOUT THEIR PARTICULAR ENDEAVOR, UH, HAVING AN INDEPENDENT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WHO UNDERSTAND KIND OF HOW A VISITOR WOULD LOOK AT OR HOW PEOPLE WILL USE IT, THAT ASSESSMENT AND RANKING DOES HELP.
AND I FEEL LIKE THAT WOULD HELP US MAKE SMART DECISIONS ON WHERE TO ALLOCATE FUNDS.
YOU'RE THE, YOU'RE THE INVESTOR, YOU'RE, YOU.
I WOULD, I WOULD LOOK FOR ALL THE INFORMATION THAT I CAN MAKE TO MAKE WISE INVESTMENTS.
ANY, ANYTHING ELSE FOR MR. WELLS? I'M ALMOST OUTTA OF WATER, SO THAT'S IT.
APPRECIATE THAT GREAT, UH, PRESENTATION AS ALWAYS.
SO AGAIN, THANK YOU, UH, FOR COMING OUT TODAY.
AND, UM, THIS IS, UH, MR. ARIANA PERISE AND, UH, SHE'S THE V VICE PRESIDENT OF VISITOR AND CONVENTION BUREAU, AND THAT'S FOR THE HILTON
[01:35:01]
HEAD ISLAND BLUFFTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.AND, UH, MS. PERISE, IF YOU COULD JUST TELL US WHO'S ALSO WITH YOU TODAY.
WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE, AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME AGAIN.
I'M ARIANA PAICE WITH THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND BLUFFTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
I OVERSEE THE VISITOR AND CONVENTION BUREAU WITH ME TODAY, WE HAVE RAY DEAL, OUR CONTROLLER, AND KATIE CCHI, WHO IS OUR DIRECTOR OF MARKETING.
SO TOGETHER, HOPEFULLY WE CAN ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS, BUT FIRST WE'LL GO THROUGH THIS PRESENTATION AND LOOKS BACK WHAT, WHICH IS LOOKING BACK AT 23 AND THEN TELLING YOU OUR PLAN FOR FISCAL YEAR 25.
WE'LL JUMP RIGHT INTO IT ON NOW IT GO DOWN.
AS THE DMO, UM, FOR SOUTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY, THE HILTON AND ISLAND LEFT IN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IS CHARGED WITH DRIVING, UM, AWARENESS AND CONNECTING VISITORS TO THE DESTINATIONS AND OUR COMMUNITIES AS WELL AS OUR BUSINESSES.
THE VISION, UM, OF, OF OUR EFFORTS IS A WELCOMING WORLD CLASS COMMUNITY, EMBRACING NATURE, CULTURE AND ECONOMIC VIBRANCY FOR RESIDENTS AND VISITORS WITH A MISSION TO STIMULATE THE REGIONAL ECONOMY WHILE ENHANCING THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL.
THIS IS A, A TINIER SLIDE, AND I KNOW IT'S HARD FOR THE AUDIENCE, BUT AGAIN, I THINK YOU CAN SEE IT ON YOUR SCREENS.
UM, IN FRONT OF YOU, WE JUST WANNA SHOW YOU ABOUT THE GOVERNANCE THAT WE HAVE AN OVERSIGHT, UM, AS THE DESTINATION MARKETING ORGANIZATION OR DMO.
WE HAVE THE COUNTY COUNCIL AND FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE, UM, AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE.
EVEN THIS IS HARD FOR ME TO SEE FROM THIS FAR.
WE DO AN ANNUAL INDEPENDENT AUDIT.
ALSO, WE HAVE STATE OVERSIGHT AS WELL AS THEIR TURT COMMITTEE.
WE ARE ACCREDITED ORGANIZATION, BOTH AS FROM THE US CHAMBER AND DESTINATIONS INTERNATIONAL.
UM, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS AT THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE OUR MARKETING COUNCIL.
SO WE'RE LOOKING BACK, UM, AT THE YEAR OF 2023 SINCE WE ARE MID FISCAL YEAR.
UM, SO IF WE'RE LOOKING BACK, WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR MEDIA MENTIONS, AND WE'LL GET INTO THIS A LITTLE BIT FURTHER, UM, AND WE TALK ABOUT OUR PUBLIC RELATIONS, BUT PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT US AND WHY WE THINK THIS IS SO IMPORTANT IS, YOU KNOW, WE CAN SHOP FROM THE ROOFTOPS AND WE HAVE ALL OF OUR TOOLS AND THE TOOLKIT THAT ARE WORKING REALLY HARD FOR US, BUT REALLY GOES SO MUCH FURTHER WHEN OTHERS ARE ALSO TALKING ABOUT US IN THE MEDIA.
AND THAT'S WHAT YOU SEE HERE IS JUST A QUICK LITTLE SNAPSHOT OF THINGS THAT HAPPENED OVER 2023 BETWEEN, UM, RECOGNIZABLE, UM, BRANDS SUCH AS TRAVEL AND LEISURE, SOUTHERN LIVING ESSENCE, UM, THE ROB REPORT, GARDENING GUN.
THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE LIKE TO HEAR BECAUSE IT'S THEIR AUDIENCE SHOUTING FROM THE ROOFTOPS THAT THEY LOVE OUR DESTINATIONS.
WE HAVE A VIRTUAL FRONT DOOR, AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THAT, UM, MANY HAVE A BRICK AND MORTAR.
AND THOUGH WE DO HAVE OUR OFFICES, UM, BOTH IN BLUFFTON AND ON HILTON HEAD, WE HAVE THAT VIRTUAL FRONT DOOR, WHICH IS OUR WEBSITE.
UM, SO VISIT BLUFFTON AND VISIT VISIT DUSKY TOOK IN OVER 400, 2000 VISITS AND WE SHOOK HANDS FROM OUR VISITOR OR POTENTIAL VISITOR TO THE BUSINESSES THAT SERVE BOTH IN BLUFFTON AND ON DUSKY, UM, 81,000 HANDSHAKES.
AND THAT'S REALLY OUR GOAL, RIGHT? WE ARE AT THE TOP OF THE FUNNEL TALKING ABOUT THESE DESTINATIONS, UM, AT ALL TOUCH POINTS AND REALLY DRAWING IN, UM, THE QUALIFIED POTENTIAL VISITOR TO MEET AND, UM, DISCOVER THESE DESTINATIONS AND THE BUSINESSES THAT SUPPORT THOSE DESTINATIONS.
WE ALSO ARE WORKING VERY HARD ON THE SOCIAL MEDIA COMPONENT.
AS WE ALL KNOW, SOCIAL MEDIA IS THE PLACE TO BE, UM, ACROSS ALL CHANNELS.
AND WE HAD OVER 43,000 FOLLOWERS ON TOTAL ACROSS ALL OF OUR CHANNELS WITH THE 3.9 ENGAGEMENT RATES.
SO THOSE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE LIKING YOUR BRAND, GIVING IT A LITTLE THUMBS UP, UM, A HEART OR THEY'RE ACTING WITH A COMMENT, UM, WITHIN YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA PIECE.
AND WHAT WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT A LITTLE BIT LATER IS WHAT PEOPLE ARE DOING ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
SO, SO MUCH HAS CHANGED SINCE COVID AND REALLY JUST USING SOCIAL MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY.
PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY BOOKING TRIPS OFF SOCIAL MEDIA THAT SOUNDS FOREIGN TO US, PERHAPS, WHO ARE A BIT MORE TRADITIONAL IN OUR EFFORTS, BUT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA, UM, WITH OUR YOUNGER GENERATIONS, WE ARE SEEING THAT THAT IS A TREND THAT'S HAPPENING AND PROBABLY A TREND TO STAY.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE HEADS AND THE BEDS, WHAT IS DRIVING THE ACCOMMODATION TAX? THAT'S OUR MOST IMPORTANT PIECE OF THIS CONVERSATION, RIGHT? SO WE'RE BRINGING PEOPLE IN AS QUALIFIED VISITORS TO THE WEBSITE, BUT ULTIMATELY WE WANT THEM TO, WE WANT TO SEE THEM PLANNING THEIR TRIP, BOOKING THEIR TRIP, AND COMING TO ENJOY THE DESTINATIONS.
AND SO WHAT WE SEE HERE, IF YOU TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE HOTELS, WE HAD A, OUR OCCUPANCY WAS UP 13% TO THE YEAR PRIOR.
THE AVERAGE DAILY RATE A DR WAS DOWN 13.2, WHICH MADE FOR A COMBO OF THE REVPAR BEING DOWN 1.9.
NOT DRAMATIC THAT 1.9%, BUT SOMETHING WE ARE WATCHING, AND REALLY TO GIVE YOU CONTEXT WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT, OTHER DESTINATIONS
[01:40:01]
OF OUR, OUR NEIGHBORING DESTINATIONS OF US OF OURS TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT HAVE TWO TIMES THE AMOUNT OF HOTEL ROOMS THAT WE HAVE AT VARYING DIFFERENT PRICE POINTS.AND SO THERE'S A FEW MORE OPTIONS WHEN WE'RE GOING AFTER OUR DESIRED VISITOR SET.
UM, WE OFFER THEM A PRICE POINT THAT, UH, MIGHT LOOK A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN, YOU KNOW, THE AVERAGE $89 RATE.
WE'RE NOT OFFERING THOSE RATES WITHIN OUR AREA THAT WE'RE FOCUSED ON.
SO WE'RE GOING AFTER A QUALIFIED VISITOR, UM, WITH A CERTAIN HOUSEHOLD INCOME, AND WE'RE BRINGING 'EM THROUGH THAT FUNNEL AND THEN ALSO TAKING INTO ACCOUNT INFLATION.
AND THEN ALSO, UM, JUST THE OPTION TO TRAVEL TO ALL PLACES ACROSS THE WORLD BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT'S HAPPENED POST COVID IS NOW EVERYTHING IS NOW OPEN AND PEOPLE HAVE CHOICES.
SO AGAIN, NOT DRAMATIC SWINGS, BUT THINGS THAT WE'RE WATCHING AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE SHOUTING OUR BRANDS FROM.
UM, YOU KNOW, TOP THE, WHAT'S THE, SORRY, WHAT'S, WHAT'S THE 1.9? THE ACRONYM R-E-V-P-A REVENUE PER AVAILABLE ROOM, SIR.
SO IF YOU TAKE ALL THE ROOMS AVAILABLE I GOTCHA.
BEAUFORD DO YOU HAVE ANY DATA FOR DUSKY, WHICH WOULD BE UNINCORPORATED BUFORT? YEAH, WE CAN BREAK IT DOWN, UM, A LITTLE BIT FURTHER AND I CAN GET THAT INFORMATION FOR YOU.
I DON'T HAVE IT FOR YOU BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE'RE INTERESTED.
AND YOU HEARD MR, WELL SAY 22% IS SOUTH OF THE BROAD.
THERE'S UNINCORPORATED OUTSIDE OF THAT, BUT YES.
SO WE'RE INTERESTED TO SEE HOW YOU'RE SPENDING OUR ATEX DOLLARS TO SUPPORT SOUTH OF THE BROAD DUSKY PARTICULARLY.
AND THAT IS HAS BEEN OUR FOCUS.
AND SO THOSE ARE THOSE SHORT TERM RENTALS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
AND SO WE CAN, UM, LOOK TO FIND THAT DETAILED INFORMATION FOR YOU AND REPORT BACK.
AND I HAVE BROUGHT THAT TO YOU, UM, A COUPLE DIFFERENT TIMES.
IT'S A BEAUTIFUL COFFEE TABLE PIECE AND WE PRODUCE TWO OF THOSE.
ONE IS THE LARGER REGIONAL, UM, BOOK, AND THAT IS THE 80,000 OR SO UNITS THAT WE PRODUCE.
AND THEN WE HAVE THE, UM, BLUFFTON BOOK AS WELL, WHICH INCORPORATES, UM, DUSKY ON BOTH ASPECTS OF, UM, THAT DETAIL.
WE HAVE DONE, UM, LONG TERM MEDIA BUYS WITH GARDENING.
AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS WE HAVE BUILT STRONG RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEIR READERSHIP AND WE HAVE GONE FORWARD WITH THEM IN TERMS OF PROMOTING, UM, SOUTH OF ABROAD AND TALKING ABOUT THE LOW COUNTRY, UM, AND BRINGING PEOPLE HERE TO THIS DESTIN THE, TO THIS DESTINATION TO, UM, SOUTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
AND THESE ARE THOSE PR MENTIONS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT 108 MENTIONS.
AGAIN, THOSE ARE THINGS THAT ARE EARNED FROM OUR EFFORTS, THEY'RE NOT PAID FOR.
SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT THAT VALUE WOULD BE, UM, AND CHARLIE CLARK AND HER TEAM DO A WONDERFUL JOB OF BUILDING THOSE RELATIONSHIPS WITHIN THESE, UM, PUBLICATIONS.
AND THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT, UM, THE LOW COUNTRY AT LENGTH, WHICH IS WONDERFUL TO SEE.
LOOKING FORWARD, WE HAVE TAKEN A FOCUS ON THESE SIX AREAS OF INTEREST, GULLAH, GEECHEE, CUL, UH, CULTURAL HERITAGE, CORRIDOR HISTORY, CULTURE AND ARTS, NATURAL HISTORIC REGISTER DESIGNATIONS, NATURAL BEAUTY, WATERWAYS AND PARKS, LOCAL CULINARY AND LOCAL MARKET EXPERIENCES AND FESTIVAL AND EVENTS.
THE DESIRED DEMOGRAPHIC THAT WE TARGET, UM, SKEWS A BIT MORE FEMALE.
UM, THEY HAVE A HOUSEHOLD INCOME OF 150 TO 250,000 PLUS THEY HAVE AN UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE OR HIGHER.
THEY HAVE A PROPENSITY TO TRAVEL.
AND THEN WE LOOK A LITTLE FURTHER INTO, WE LOOK A LITTLE FURTHER INTO WHAT REALLY SPURS THEM TO TRAVEL.
SO DO THEY HAVE, UM, A PROPENSITY TO TRAVEL FOR LUXURY? ARE THEY YOUNGER OR DO THEY HAVE A FAMILY? UM, OR DO THEY STAY WITHIN, UM, THE REGIONAL AREA TO FOCUS ON THEIR TRAVEL? THAT TOOLKIT THAT I TALKED ABOUT, THESE ARE ALL THE TOOLS THAT WE HAVE WORKING, UM, EVERY SINGLE DAY, 365 DAYS A YEAR THAT, THAT HELP US TALK ABOUT THE LOW COUNTRY.
AND WHEN WE SAY THAT, IT'S REALLY BECAUSE IF YOU EVEN THINK ABOUT YOUR OWN CONSUMER TRENDS AND HOW YOU TRANSACT, IT REALLY IS THAT YOU ARE BEING BOMBARDED WITH DIFFERENT BRANDS AND DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES.
AND SO WHEN WE LOOK AT HOW WE HAVE TO MARKET THE DESTINATION, WE HAVE TO CUT THROUGH ALL OF THAT NOISE TO GET THAT COUPLE OF SECONDS OF OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT OUR BRAND.
AND WHEN WE DO THAT, WE HAVE TO USE A SERIES OF TOOLS WHERE IN THE PAST, AND I SHOULD SAY SEVERAL YEARS AGO, YOU COULD DO A SINGULAR EFFORT ON A PRINT AD, SO ON AND SO FORTH, WHERE IT WAS JUST A ONE TIME EFFORT.
OR MAYBE YOU DO EVERY OTHER MONTH OR TWICE A YEAR, YOU CAN NO LONGER DO THAT FROM A BRAND'S PERSPECTIVE, YOU REALLY HAVE TO SATURATE, UM, THE, YOU KNOW, CONSUMER WITH YOUR BRAND BY USING ALL DIFFERENT TYPES OF TOOLS.
SO OUR OVERARCHING GOAL IS TO BRING THE QUALIFIED VISITOR INTO SOUTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY, FUSIA ISLAND, AND
[01:45:01]
THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON.AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THAT, THOSE ARE THOSE FIVE GOALS UNDERNEATH, UM, FOR THE ESSENCE OF TIME, THOSE FIVE GOALS I'VE BROKEN OUT TO SHOW YOU EXAMPLES OF DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE WOULD DO THAT.
UM, I'M HAPPY TO GO THROUGH THEM, BUT I CAN ALSO GET TO THE BUDGET PART OF IT.
'CAUSE I KNOW YOU'VE HAD A CHANCE.
THIS WAS SUBMITTED BACK IN MARCH AND WE'VE UPDATED, UM, WITH MS. VALERIE SINCE.
BUT, UM, JUST WANTED TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE BROADER SCOPE OF THE BUDGET REQUEST.
IT'S THE 2%, UM, OF THE, I'M SORRY, YES, THE 30% OF THE 2% AS THE DMO, UM, THAT WE WERE ALLOCATED FOR THE, FOR SOUTHERN BUFORD COUNTY.
HOWEVER, THIS DOES NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE ADJUSTMENT MADE LAST MONDAY, UM, OF THE 150,000 THAT WE RECEIVED.
SO KNOW THAT THIS WILL HAVE TO GO BACK AND, UM, JUST REMOVE THAT ONE 50 FROM THE TOTAL REQUEST OF 365, I BELIEVE IT'S RIGHT THERE.
SO THAT WILL BRING OUR TOTAL DOWN TO TWO 15, UM, TO PROMOTE UNINCORPORATED AND, UM, SPECIFICALLY DUSKY.
SO WHAT DOES THAT PAIRING DOWN LOOK LIKE? AS AN, AS AN EXAMPLE, WE WOULD JUST TAKE THAT PROJECTED BUDGET THAT YOU SEE ON THE, ON YOUR, UM, LEFT MY RIGHT, THAT WE WOULD JUST TAKE THAT DOWN TO, UM, ENSURE THAT, THAT 365 AND, UH, FORGIVE ME, YES.
SO WE'LL HAVE TO SHAVE DOWN SOME OF THOSE EFFORTS THAT YOU SEE IN THAT COLUMN.
WHAT IS YOUR FULL BUDGET FOR THAT? YOUR ORGANIZATION? YEP.
YOU CAN JUST GIMME A BALLPARK.
FOR THE RECORD, UH, RAY DEAL CONTROLLER AT THE HILTON NUT ISLAND, BLUFFTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, OUR ENTIRE BUDGET, AND THAT INCLUDES WE'RE ONE ORGANIZATION WITH TWO DIVISIONS.
UH, THE CHAMBER ASSOCIATION, UH, IS ABOUT $2 MILLION.
SO THE, THE OVERALL MARKETING BUDGET IS ABOUT $10 MILLION, OF WHICH, UH, BEAUFORT COUNTY WAS ABOUT THREE AND A HALF PERCENT HISTORICALLY.
UH, MR. CHAIRMAN, JUST ONE QUICK QUESTION.
ON THE, UH, BLUFFTON UH, VACATION PLANNER FULFILLMENT, COULD YOU JUST, UH, GIVE US AN IDEA OF WHAT'S CAUSED THAT GRAPH TO RISE LIKE THAT? I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHICH ONE YOU'RE LOOKING AT, BUT I WILL GO BACK TO MY FULFILLMENT SLIDE.
WELL, IT'S THE, IT'S THE BUDGET SLIDE.
SO IT, DO YOU WANNA SPEAK TO THE FULFILLMENT PIECE OR DO YOU WANNA GIVE THE BREAKDOWN OF HOW IT WAS DONE? BUT, SO THERE'S THREE, UH, THERE'S THREE MAJOR COMPONENTS OF THE VACATION PLANNER FULFILLMENT THAT IS PRINTING THE PUBLISHING AND PRINTING THE BOOK, AS WELL AS, UH, FULFILLING IT AS IN SENDING IT, UH, MAILING IT OUT TO PEOPLE WHO COME TO THE WEBSITE AND, AND, AND A REQUEST A VACATION PLANNER.
WE ALSO, UM, WE ALSO TAKE OUR VACATION PLANNERS TO AAA OFFICES AND, UH, AND OTHER, UH, OTHER PLACES IN STATE WELCOME CENTERS.
MM-HMM,
WHAT OTHER, UM, AREAS HAVE A VACATION PLANNER LIKE THAT? WELL, THAT'S A, A GREAT QUESTION.
IT VARIES, UM, DESTINATION TO DESTINATION.
UM, BUT, UM, THEY VARY FROM A DIGEST SIZE TO OTHER SIZES.
AND WE HAVE COMMITTED TO THE COFFEE TABLE SIZE BASED ON, UM, THE CONSUMER WE'RE LOOKING TO BRING FORWARD TO THE DESTINATION AND THE TYPE OF, UM, PRODUCT AND PIECES THEY'RE LOOKING FOR.
UM, AND RAY MENTIONED TOO, JUST THE COST OF, UM, PAPER HAS GONE UP WITH INFLATION, THE COST OF MAIL HAS GONE UP.
SO THERE ARE COSTS THAT HAVE BEEN INCURRED JUST BASED ON, UM, THE INFLATION YEAR OVER YEAR.
UM, WE HAVE NOT INCREASED, UM, THE PAGES OF THE BOOK, AND WE HAVE NOT INCREASED THE AMOUNT THAT WE'RE ORDERING YEAR OVER YEAR.
THOSE ARE GONNA BE AROUND THE SAME.
SO IS IT, IS IT, UM, SAFE TO SAY THAT HILTON HEAD DOES NOT HAVE ONE OF THOSE, BUT THAT THEY MAY BE INCLUDED IN YOUR REGIONAL PLANNER FULFILLMENT? THERE ARE TWO, IF I UNDERSTAND YOUR CORRECTION, UH, YOUR QUESTION CORRECTLY, THERE ARE TWO BOOKS PRODUCED.
WE HAVE THE REGIONAL BOOK, WHICH IS HILTON HEAD, BLUFFTON, AND DUSKY, AND THEN WE HAVE THE BLUFFTON BOOK, WHICH IS BLUFFTON AND DUSKY AS WELL.
YOU'RE VERY WELCOME, MR. CHAIRMAN.
GO DE UM, I'M GONNA ASK THE SAME QUESTION THAT I ASKED THE, UH, BUFORT CVB, UH, WHAT IS YOUR ENTITY STATUS? I, I KNOW THEY SUBMITTED PAPERWORK THAT SAID 5 0 5 1, C6.
AND C SIX IS A MEMBERSHIP BASED NONPROFIT, IS THAT CORRECT? CORRECT.
UH, HOW MUCH DO YOU GENERATE FROM YOUR MEMBERSHIP DUES? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
JUST GONNA COME AND SIT NEXT TO ME, RIGHT? SORRY,
[01:50:01]
JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THE RIGHT QUESTION.SO, AS I SAID, THE TOTAL ASSOCIATION BUDGET IS ABOUT $2 MILLION.
MEMBERSHIP DUES MAKE UP ABOUT 800,000, AND THAT'S ABOUT A HUNDRED THOUSAND IN NEW DUES EVERY YEAR AND $700,000 IN CONTINUING DUES.
AND THEN MY NEXT QUESTION, UH, ONCE AGAIN, THE BEAUFORT CVB, THEY ATTACH THEIR IRS FORM NINE 90 AND SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION ALONG WITH AN INDEPENDENT ALTERS REPORT.
HAS THAT, HAS ANY OF THAT INFORMATION BEEN SUBMITTED TO THE COUNTY? ABSOLUTELY.
OKAY, BECAUSE I, I HAVEN'T SEEN IT YET.
I WAS JUST CURIOUS ABOUT THAT.
UM, YES, WE SUBMITTED IT ALONG WITH THE, UH, GOTCHA.
IT GUESS IT DIDN'T MAKE, MAKE US WAIVER TO ME.
DID YOU, WE SUBMITTED EVERYTHING TO MS. VALERIE.
ANY, UH, ANY OTHER, UH, QUESTIONS? NOPE.
UM, MS. PAICE, THANK YOU FOR COMING.
WONDERFUL PRESENTATION AS USUAL.
HAVE A WONDERFUL AFTERNOON CHAMBER.
ALRIGHT, LET'S, UM, CONTINUE TO, UH, MOVE ON HERE AND, UM, NEXT PRESENTATION.
UM, AND THIS IS, UM, DR. RICHARD GOFF FROM PRESIDENT, UH, TECHNICAL COLLEGE OF THE LOW COUNTRY.
MR. GOFF, HOW ARE YOU TODAY? THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT.
THANK YOU FOR THE COMMITTEE TO LET ME, UH, SPEAK FOR A MOMENT.
I'M GONNA BRING MY TWO VICE PRESIDENTS UP HERE, AND I WANT TO THANK MR. GLOVER, ESPECIALLY TODAY.
HE'S, HE'S LOOKING SHARP AND LOOKING GOOD, AND I WANT TO JUST THANK HIM FOR A CHANCE TO COME AND TALK.
WELL, THEN I TAKE IT ALL BACK.
AND BY THE WAY, UH, HAPPY, UH, 15TH, APRIL 15TH, TAX DUE DAY.
I HAVE TWO, UH, VICE PRESIDENTS WITH ME TODAY.
UM, I HAVE MY VICE PRESIDENT OF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES AND BUSINESS, NANCY WEBER, THE BACK, AND I HAVE MY VICE PRESIDENT FOR ADVANCEMENT MARYLEE S AS FAR AS THEY KNOW, THEY'RE MY TWO FAVORITE VICE PRESIDENTS.
WHAT WE'VE KIND OF TALKED, WE'VE DONE THIS PAST YEAR, SOME THINGS THAT'S REALLY GOOD THAT'S HAPPENING AT THE COLLEGE.
THERE ARE MANY GOOD THINGS WE'D LIKE TO CONVINCE YOU, UH, AGAIN, HOW GOOD OF AN INVESTMENT THE TCL IS FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY.
AND THEN WE'RE GONNA, OF COURSE, TALK ABOUT A LITTLE BIT OF SOME OF OUR PLANS FOR THE FUTURE.
MS. CARNES, THANK YOU FOR COMING.
IT'S AN HONOR TO BE IN FRONT OF YOU.
UM, ALSO PHYSICALLY IN FRONT OF YOU, THERE IS A COPY OF THIS PRESENTATION AND THERE'S ALSO, WE WERE ASKED TO RESPOND TO FIVE, WHAT WAS DESCRIBED AS VERY IMPORTANT QUESTIONS.
AND SO WE PUT THOSE IN WRITING AND THOSE ARE, ARE WITH YOU.
I THOUGHT WE'D GO THROUGH THE PRESENTATION FIRST AND THEN WE CAN RESPOND TO, RESPOND TO QUESTIONS IF THAT PLEASES THE COUNSEL.
SO JUST BRIEFLY, UH, REMINDING ALL OF US KIND OF WHAT THE TECHNICAL COLLEGE OF THE LOW COUNTRY DOES, UH, WHAT WE DO EVERY DAY, THAT'S HIGHER EDUCATION.
IT'S WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, IT'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND THAT LEADS TO QUALITY OF LIFE AND EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
WE SERVE THE TRADITIONAL STUDENT AND WE ALSO SERVE THE WORKING LEARNER.
THAT ALL LEAVES TO WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
THAT ALL LEADS TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND THAT IMPROVES THE QUALITY OF LIFE WITHIN OUR INDIVIDUALS, WITHIN OUR BUSINESSES, AND WITHIN OUR COMMUNITIES AS A WHOLE.
WE HAVE ALMOST 3000 STUDENTS, AND THAT NUMBER IS GROWING.
91% OF OUR STUDENTS ARE LOW COUNTRY RESIDENTS, AND ABOUT 80% ARE, ARE A COMBINATION OF ACTIVE DUTY VETERANS AND THEIR DEPENDENTS.
UH, WE'RE LOCAL AS WE'RE INTENDED TO BE.
WHAT ALL COMMUNITY COLLEGES DO IS WE SERVE THE LOCAL COMMUNITY AND THE LOCAL ECONOMY.
UH, 73% OF OUR STUDENTS ARE RESIDENTS OF BEAUFORT COUNTY.
AND YOU SEE THE BREAKDOWN THERE.
9% ARE JASPER COUNTY, EIGHT FROM HAMPTON, AND 4% FROM COLLETON, UH, COUNTY.
AND THAT WOULD BE THE ACTIVE DUTY WHO HAVE OTHER, UM, UH, RESIDENCES.
WE HAVE 96% GRADUATE PLACEMENT.
AND THAT, AGAIN, IS A SIGN THAT WE'RE DOING WHAT WE ARE SUPPOSED TO DO.
AND THAT IS PUTTING INDIVIDUALS INTO OUR LOCAL WORKFORCE IN JOBS THAT ARE AVAILABLE HERE.
[01:55:01]
96% OF OUR GRADUATES GO INTO THAT WORKFORCE.THOSE WHO DON'T GO ON TO CONTINUE THEIR STUDY, MANY OF THEM ONTO FOUR YEAR, UM, INSTITUTIONS.
AND WE'RE, WE'RE PROUD OF OUR ANNUAL ECONOMIC IMPACT.
AND THE NUMBER THAT YOU SEE IN THE ARROW WAS DONE IN FISCAL YEAR 1718.
AND THAT'S $130 MILLION A YEAR ANNUALLY.
THAT WAS, THAT IS EMSI DID THAT ASSESSMENT BEFORE WE BUILT THE CULINARY SCHOOL.
AND IT'S BEEN OPERATIONAL NOW FOR OVER TWO YEARS.
THEIR ESTIMATE NOW WITH THE CULINARY SCHOOL IS OUR ANNUAL ECONOMIC IMPACT IS 155 MILLION.
AND AS LONG AS WE KEEP GROWING THAT, THAT, UM, IMPACT KEEPS GROWING OUR HIGHLIGHTS JUST FOR 2023, UH, TOP OF THE LIST, TECHNICAL COLLEGE OF LAW COUNTRY AND BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT.
WE HAVE ANNOUNCED, I HOPE YOU'VE SEEN THAT ANNOUNCEMENT, THAT PRESS RELEASE, UH, THAT TIDES HIGH SCHOOL DUAL ENROLLMENT PROGRAM.
NOW, THIS IS DIFFERENT THAN THE DUAL ENROLL ENROLLMENT THAT, THAT YOU ARE ACCUSTOMED TO THINKING OF.
THIS IS DUAL ENROLLMENT THAT WILL BE TAKING PLACE ON OUR CAMPUSES AT THE NEW RIVER CAMPUS.
THE PROGRAM WILL START WITH 59TH GRADERS WHO HAVE TESTED INTO THE PROGRAM, WHO WILL BE STARTING AT THE NEW RIVER CAMPUS.
THERE WILL BE, UM, A MEMBER OF BUER COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT AT, IN OUR FACILITY.
THEY WILL CONTINUE THROUGH AND GRADUATE WITH A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA, POSSIBLY AN ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE, AND A A CERTIFICATE.
WE'RE ALSO DOING THAT AT THE BEAUFORT MATHER CAMPUS.
SO STARTING AGAIN IN FALL 20, BOTH WERE STARTING IN FALL 2024.
A COHORT BEGINNING OF 20 STUDENTS WILL BE ON OUR CAMPUS AT THE BEAUFORT MATHER CAMPUS WITH THE SAME OPPORTUNITY.
UM, MANY OF YOU CAME TO THE RIBBON CUTTING OF, UM, THE HUB.
UH, WE WERE ABLE TO RENOVATE HISTORIC MO MOORE HALL AND CREATE IT AS THE ONE, KIND OF A ONE-STOP SHOP FOR ALL OUR STUDENTS.
IT'S, IT'S PUTTING STUDENT SERVICE FIRST AND MAKE IT AS EASY FOR THE STUDENT AS POSSIBLE, ADVISING FINANCIAL AID.
UM, ANYTHING THAT THEY NEED IS IN ONE, ONE LOCATION.
UH, WE'D LIKE TO BOAST THAT THIS YEAR WE HAVE THE FIRST SOUTH CAROLINA TECHNICAL COLLEGE TO EARN A SPECIAL VETERANS DESIGNATION.
AND IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE MA MAVERICK, UH, MILITARY AND VETERANS RESOURCE CENTER, PLEASE DO COME BY AND, AND SEE IT AND MEET JACK THE DOG.
UH, WHO'S EVERYONE'S FAVORITE.
UM, OF COURSE, YOU KNOW ABOUT THE CYBERSECURITY PROGRAM OPENED AND THE SOC, THE SECURITIES OPERATIONS CENTER.
AND I THINK WE HAVE OUR DESIGNATION NOW.
IT IS MOMENTS AWAY, IT'S MOMENTS AWAY, UM, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT EVERYONE'S BEEN WORKING, WORKING TOWARDS.
UH, THAT PROGRAM HAS JUST TAKEN OFF.
UM, WE HAVE ABOUT A HUNDRED STUDENTS IN THAT NOW.
AND AS THAT PROGRAM GROWS, IT WILL GROW ACROSS THE COUNTY.
IT'S NOT AN EITHER OR NORTHERN BEAU BEAUFORT COUNTY OR SOUTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
AND, UH, THE COLLEGE CHARTERED, THE TRI ALPHA HONOR SOCIETY, AND THAT IS RECOGNIZING FIRST GENERATION STUDENTS.
AND AS A COMMUNITY COLLEGE, WE HAVE A SIGNIFICANT POPULATION OF FIRST GENERATION STUDENTS.
WE LIKE TO HONOR THEIR GRIT AND BE THE, THE ONES THAT THEY ARE PAVING THE WAY, UH, FOR THE FIRST AND AS BEING THE FIRST IN THEIR FAMILIES.
UH, WE OPENED A CO COUNTY SATELLITE CAMPUS LAST SEPTEMBER, AND THIS IS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COLLETON COUNTY ADULT EDUCATION CENTER.
AND SO FOR THE FIRST TIME, UH, WE ARE NOW PHYSICALLY PRESENT IN WALTERBORO AND HAVE A PART-TIME PERSON, UM, UH, PERSON THERE AND SOUTH CAROLINA.
UM, OUR DELEGATION ALLOCATED, UH, $10 MILLION TOWARDS THE AUTHOR E BROWN REGIONAL WORKFORCE TRAINING CENTER.
AND WE WANNA TALK ABOUT THAT IN ANOTHER SLIDE OR TWO, ANNUAL MILLAGE IMPACT.
UM, FIRST I WOULD LIKE TO CALL MY, MY TYPO, UH, I APOLOGIZE, UM, IS FOR THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30TH, 2023, NOT 2022.
UM, SO PLEASE, PLEASE CORRECT YOUR SHEETS.
UM, BUT YOU HAD ASKED, YOU HAD ASKED FOR THIS, PARTICULARLY HOW WE USE THE MILLAGE, UM, THAT BUFORT COUNTY PROVIDES, UH, TO THE COLLEGE.
AND ALSO THAT YOUR, YOUR PARITY THAT YOU SUPPORT USCB.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT AS YOU CAN SEE.
UM, IT IS IMPORTANT TO THE REGULAR OPERATIONS, UM, OF THE COLLEGE.
WHAT WE'RE HERE TODAY, UM, IS WE WANT TO ASK,
[02:00:01]
UM, COUNSEL FOR A $7.5 MILLION COMMITMENT FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE AUTHOR E BROWN REGIONAL WORKFORCE TRAINING CENTER.UM, THE COST OF THIS CONSTRUCTION IS ESTIMATED TO BE $20 MILLION.
THE COST OF THE PROJECT IS 26 MILLION.
WE'RE ONLY ASKING, LOOKING FOR THE COST FOR THE CONSTRUCTION, AND WE'RE ASKING FOR THE COMMITMENT OF THE FUNDS THAT CAN BE DISTRIBUTED OVER MULTIPLE YEARS.
AT THIS TIME, AS MENTIONED, WE HAVE 10 MILLION FROM THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
THE COLLEGE IS PUTTING TWO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS OF OUR RESOURCES IN, AND WE'RE ASKING THE COUNTY FOR 7.5 AND WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT.
UM, THIS EMPOWERS THE COLLEGE AND THEREFORE EMPOWERS THE COMMUNITY TO, FOR US TO EXPAND OUR PROGRAMS, WHICH, AND I THINK LAST TIME WE WERE HERE, JOHN O'TOOLE AND THE BEAUFORT COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORP WAS HERE WITH US.
THIS IS IMPORTANT IN ORDER TO, TO, FOR, FOR CURRENT BUSINESS, TO RETAIN CURRENT BUSINESS, TO EXPAND CURRENT BUS BUSINESS AND FOR EMERGING NEW BUSINESSES.
THIS GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING IN PROGRAMS LIKE SUPPLY CHAIN, LOGIS, UH, LOGISTICS, GROWING OUR BUSINESS PROGRAMS TO MARKETING, GROWING OUR ACCOUNTING PROGRAM, COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY, INCLUDING ROBOTICS.
UM, ELECTRIC VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY IS ALSO WITHIN THAT CATEGORY.
WITHIN THAT ADVANCED MANUFACTURING, UM, IS, UM, UH, COMPOSITE MATERIALS, WHICH GOES ACROSS MARINE TO AVIATION, TO AUTOMOTIVE, UM, ELECTRICAL, MECHANICAL, UM, ALL COME UNDER THAT ADVANCED MANUFACTURING, UM, LABEL.
THE BUILDING GIVES US 50,000 SQUARE FEET TO EXPAND.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT IT'S NOT, IT WILL BE SITTING ON OUR NEW RIVER CAMPUS NEXT TO THAT ANGUS COTTON BUILDING WHERE THE BEAUFORT COUNTY DUAL ENROLLMENT STUDENTS WILL BE, WILL BE LIVING AND LEARNING WHEN AS THEY COME OF THE, OF THAT PIPELINE, THEY WILL BE WALKING RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET INTO GETTING THOSE WORKFORCE CERTIFICATES.
A MSI DID ANALYSIS FOR US, AND THIS, THIS WAS, IT WAS, I THINK 1819.
THEY, THEY DID THE, UH, ANALYSIS FOR THE REGIONAL WORKFORCE TRAINING CENTER.
AND THEIR ANALYSIS SUGGESTS THAT 12 OF THE 850 NEW STUDENTS THAT WOULD BE COMING TO THE COLLEGE BECAUSE OF THE REGIONAL WORKFORCE TRAINING CENTER, 12% WILL BE COMING OUT FROM OUT OF THE LOW COUNTRY IN ORDER TO COME TO THESE PROGRAMS. THAT'S MORE, THAT'S ABOUT 102 NEW STUDENTS INTO BUFORT COUNTY EVERY YEAR.
AND WE KNOW FROM THE OTHER FUN FACT THAT WHEN THEY COME INTO THIS COUNTY, WE, WE HAVE ALMOST AN 75% CHANCE OF KEEPING THEM HERE AND BUILDING OUR WORKFORCE.
AND WORKFORCE IS A WARM BODY ISSUE.
THE MORE PEOPLE WE CAN GET INTO THE LOW COUNTRY, INTO BEAUFORT COUNTY IS HOW WE GROW OUR WORKFORCE.
THE MORE WE CAN KEEP OUR GRADUATING STUDENTS HERE, PROVIDING THEM WITH THE PROGRAMS, THE EDUCATION, THE TRAINING THAT THEY NEED, THE MORE, THE MORE WE GROW OUR WORKFORCE, THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THE REGIONAL WORKFORCE TRAINING CENTER, UM, THE ESTIMATE WAS AN ADDITIONAL 4 MILLION EACH YEAR, AND THAT GROWS AS THE ENROLLMENT GROWS AND AS THE NUMBER OF GRADUATES GROW IN THE, IN THE PROGRAM.
THE LAST SLIDE IS JUST SOME, UM, REFERENCES AND RESOURCES.
AND WITH THAT, MAY WE TAKE YOUR QUESTIONS? I HAVE ONE
SO THIS IS, YOU'RE JUST ASKING FOR A MULTI-YEAR COMMITMENT.
WHEN WOULD THIS BE BUILT, LIKE SHOVELS IN THE GROUND AND WHEN WOULD IT BE OPEN FOR THE AUDIENCE? AS SOON AS WE HAVE A COMMITMENT AND A COMMITMENT FROM THE COUNTY, WE CAN TAKE THIS FORWARD TO THE STATE AND START THEIR PROCESS, WHICH CAN BE LENGTHY.
IT CAN GO UP TO A YEAR POTENTIALLY, BUT WE'LL EXPEDITE IT AS BEST WE CAN.
AND THEN UPON THAT, AT THAT POINT, THEN WE CAN GET THE, UH, THE BIDS AND THE AWARD CONTRACTS.
AND IT'S GONNA BE A YEAR AND A HALF BEFORE WE START ACTUALLY PUTTING STEEL UP.
I WOULD THINK FROM THE TIME THAT WE HAVE, UH, THE COMMITMENT.
SO, UH, AND IT'LL PROBABLY BE A TWO YEAR BUILD PROCESS, RIGHT? SO I'M NOT, DID I SAY 2027? 27, YOU'RE ASKING FOR A $7.5 MILLION, LIKE A DRAW DOWN OVER THOSE YEARS? YES.
SO WE COULD BANK MONEY AND THEN YOU WOULDN'T BE USING IT FOR A COUPLE YEARS, RIGHT? THAT'S RIGHT.
WE WOULD, WE HAVE, WE HAVE THE 10 MILLION FROM THE STATE, THE TWO AND A HALF FROM THE, FROM THE COLLEGE AND THE SEVEN AND A HALF FROM THE COUNTY, WHICH WOULD BE USED TO DRAW DOWN FOR THE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS.
THAT'S A OVER A PERIOD OF TIME, THREE AND A HALF, FOUR YEAR AT THE QUICKEST.
SO TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE REALLY ON THIS BUILDING.
[02:05:01]
ADVOCATING FOR THIS BUILDING, UH, IN 2016, THE ESTIMATE FOR THE COST WAS 16 MILLION.SO THE MORE WE DON'T, THE, YOU KNOW, THE LONGER IT TAKES, THE MORE COSTLY, UM, IT BECOMES.
BUT IT'S ALSO, YOU KNOW, WE WORK WITH SOUTH CAROLINA ALLIANCE.
THEY HAD, UM, A COMPANY RECENTLY COME IN FROM SOUTH AFRICA, UM, WORKED WITH JOHN O'TOOLE A LOT.
THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO NOT TALK THEORY AS TO WHAT WE CAN DO, BUT TO TAKE BUSINESSES IN WHERE THEY CAN SEE, SEE US DOING IT.
THEY CAN SEE IT, THEY CAN SMELL IT, THEY CAN PRACTICALLY TASTE IT, THEY CAN SEE THE STUDENTS.
AND THAT REALLY HELPS OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY WHEN WE CAN, WHEN WE CAN DO THAT.
BUT IT ALSO IS HOW WE DRAW STUDENTS INTO THESE, INTO THESE FIELDS.
UM, AGAIN, WE NEED TO KEEP OUR GRADUATING STUDENTS HERE AND THAT 12%, WHETHER IT'S THE, THE ACTIVE MILITARY THAT WE CAN ENCOURAGE TO BE HERE, ALTHOUGH MOST OF THEM GO HOME TO OHIO, AND THAT'S OKAY, BUT NOTHING'S WRONG WITH OHIO.
NOTHING WRONG WITH OHIO, JUST EXCEPT THERE'S OHIO STATE.
AND, AND THAT'S GETS I'M FROM PENNSYLVANIA,
OTHER THAN THAT, OH, THAT'S NOT GET STARTED.
IS THERE ANY OTHER POSSIBLE FUNDING SOURCES? OBVIOUSLY WE'VE JUST GONE THROUGH COVID AND THERE WAS SO MUCH OF THE ARPA AND OTHER COVID FUNDS AVAILABLE, WHICH ALL THOSE HAVE NOW DRIED UP, BUT IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT'S STILL OUT THERE OR, YEAH, SO, UH, NO, NOT AS FAR AS THE, THE COVID.
DO YOU KNOW RAIN OR MONEY? RAIN? UM, WE'RE PUTTING IN AN EDA GRANT.
UM, AND THAT'S A POTENTIAL TO TWO AND TWO AND A HALF MILLION.
UM, I WANNA REMIND AGAIN, IT'S YOU'RE ANTICIPATING A $26 MILLION BEGINNING TO END.
UM, SO THE CONSTRUCTION BEING AT, AT AT 20, AND THEN FOR THAT SIX, UM, WHAT, WHAT, LOOKING AT ADAS, WE'RE GOING TO DO A CAPITAL CAMPAIGN, UM, GENERAL BROWN, UM, WE HAVE OPPORTUNITY, UM, AS YOU KNOW, THE KIND OF, HE HAS A LOT OF SUPPORTERS AND THERE HAS ALREADY BEEN GIFTS COMING IN.
UM, WE HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL WITH FUNDRAISING, UM, AND WE FEEL THAT WE COULD, WE COULD PROBABLY BRING IN UP TO $4 MILLION IN, IN A CAMPAIGN.
WE CONTINUE TO TALK TO THE OTHER COUNTIES, AND WE ALWAYS WILL.
UM, WE SAID BEFORE, UH, AND THIS THIS IS TRUE, BEAUFORT COUNTY'S A REGIONAL LEADER.
UM, WE OFTEN FIND THAT OUR PARTNERS WERE, OR YOUR COUNT, YOUR, YOUR PEERS WILL FOLLOW YOUR LEAD, MR. LAB AHEAD.
UH, ONE, I'LL JUST COMMENT THAT, UM, I LIKE 96% PLACEMENT.
UM, THE, THE, COULD YOU TALK TO ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE DUAL ENROLLMENT PROGRAM? UH, GIMME A BETTER UNDERSTANDING.
HOW, HOW IS THAT COMPARED TO WHAT IS HAPPENING AT ACE WITH STUDENTS? WELL, IN, IN DUAL ENROLLMENT, THE DUAL ENROLLMENT PROGRAM TRADITIONALLY HAS BEEN FOR STUDENTS WHO WANT TO TRANSFER ON TO UNIVERSITY AND THEN MAKES NINTH GRADE FROM, FROM FROM TCL, UH, DUAL ENROLLMENT CLASSES.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE IN HIGH SCHOOL, MOSTLY FROM BEAUFORT COUNTY, OVER 700 STUDENTS.
AND THEY WILL, MOST OF THOSE WILL TRANSFER ON TO UNIVERSITIES AT SOME PLACE AT SOME TIME.
BUT THEY'LL, MOST OF 'EM WILL HAVE A CHANCE TO GET THEIR ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE BEFORE THEY THEY DO THAT.
AND, AND THAT HAS BEEN FREE TO THEM.
IT'S BETWEEN THE COLLEGE DISCOUNTING THAT TUITION AND SUPPORT FROM THE COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT.
SO IT'S A GREAT BENEFIT TO THEM.
NOW, WE HAVE RECENTLY STARTED MORE AND MORE KATE, CAREER TECHNICAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS WHERE STUDENTS ARE LEARNING HVAC.
THEY HAVE A CHANCE TO LEARN PLUMBING, ELECTRICAL, CYBERSECURITY, MEDICAL, THE TRADES, AND THE OTHER APPLIED PROGRAMS. SO YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S EMERGING.
BUT TRADITIONALLY IT'S BEEN FOR STUDENTS WHO WANT TO TRANSFER ON TO UNIVERSITY.
AND ARE THERE, UM, TRANSPORTATION PROVIDED OR, YEAH, ACTUALLY.
UH, WE DO, WE DO IT BOTH IN THE SCHOOLS AND IN OUR CAMPUSES.
UH, WE LIKE TO DO IT ON OUR CAMPUS, BUT MANY TIMES THEY WANT TO DO IT IN THE SCHOOL, UH, BUILDINGS.
SO, UH, IN THE CASE OF BEAUFORT COUNTY, THEY'RE GONNA TRANSPORT THE STUDENTS FROM THE VARIOUS SCHOOLS TO OUR CAMPUS, UH, AT NEW RIVER.
AND I THINK SO TOO HERE AT, AT THE MATHER CAMPUS.
AND THE OTHER THING WITH, UH, BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT, IT WILL BE THE STUDENT'S CHOICE.
AND THEY ARE COMMITTED TO TRANSPORTING THAT STUDENT TO WHERE THAT STUDENT WANTS TO GO, IF IT'S BEFOR MATHER OR IF IT'S DOWN AT THE, AT THE NEW RIVER.
UM, AND I THINK PART OF THE MOTIVATION IS THE IDEA OF A REGIONAL WORKFORCE TRAINING CENTER WHERE A STUDENT CAN,
[02:10:01]
YOU KNOW, BE TAKING SUPPLY CHAIN AND LOGISTICS AT THE TIMES.AT THE SAME TIME, HE OR SHE MIGHT BE TAKING THEIR ENGLISH AND THEIR, YOU KNOW, THEIR, THEIR BASICS.
NOT TO MENTION CULINARY AND HOSPITALITY PROGRAMS. EXACTLY.
LEMME INTERJECT REAL QUICK IS, IS THE FACT MY ONE SON, WHO'S NOW GRADUATE FROM USC, WAS DUAL ENROLLED FROM BLUFFTON HIGH SCHOOL.
SO WHENEVER HE GRADUATED, HE ALREADY HAD, HE DIDN'T HAVE AN ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE, BUT HE HAD CREDITS THAT TRANSFERRED, WHICH SAVED HIM THEN A LOT OF HIS CORE CLASSES HE HAD ALREADY TAKEN AS DUAL ENROLLMENT WITH BLUFFTON HIGH SCHOOL WHEN HE WAS THERE.
AND A LOT OF THOSE THEN TRANSFERRED TO UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA, WHICH THEN SAVED MONEY.
AND HE WAS ABLE TO, TO, UM, TO USE THOSE CREDITS, UM, AS, AS COLLEGE CREDITS THAT, THAT, THAT TRANSFERRED FROM, UH, TCL.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? NOPE, MR. CHAIRMAN, ACTUALLY, JUST ONE, ONE CLARIFICATION.
I WANNA MAKE SURE EVERYBODY'S CLEAR UP HERE AND IN THE PUBLIC, THE STATE WILL NOT RELEASE THOSE FUNDS, THE 10 MILLION UNTIL YOU GET COMMITMENT.
WE CAN'T PROCEED WITH THE PROJECT UNTIL WE HAVE THE FULL, SO EVERYTHING'S ON HOLD.
SO WE NEED TO GET, I GUESS, A RESOLUTION, UH, I GUESS FOR THE NEXT YEAH.
WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT BY THE END OF THIS FISCAL YEAR.
SO WE CAN START THE NEW FISCAL YEAR.
YOU PROCESS, SOLUTION MAY 1ST, MAY 1ST.
I WISH IT WAS COMING UP HERE NORTH OF BROAD, BUT I THINK WHAT YOU DID WITH THE CULINARY INSTITUTE IS ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING THIS DONE FOR YOU.
SINCE I WANNA TAKE ANOTHER 30 SECONDS 'CAUSE OTHERS TOOK LONGER
UM, BUT JUST TO MENTION, DO YOU KNOW THAT WE'RE EXPANDING THE HOUSE SCIENCES HERE IN THE BEAUFORT MATHER CAMPUS? UM, WE GOT TWO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS FROM D-H-E-C-A COUPLE YEARS AGO IN ORDER TO EXPAND OUR NURSING AND OUR OTHER PROGRAMS. AND SO YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO SEE IT FROM THE EXTERIOR, ALTHOUGH YOU ASSUME SEE IT FROM THE EXTERIOR.
UM, THERE'S, THERE'S WORK GOING ON INSIDE WITH THE NEW OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY PROGRAM, THE EXPANSION OF THE, UM, UH, NURSING SIMULATION LABS IN, UM, BUILDING FOUR.
UM, SO THAT IS THE VISION IS TO EXPAND THE HEALTH SCIENCES IN THE BEAUFORT MATHER CAMPUS, AND IT COMPLIMENTS WHAT MR. BAXLEY AND BEFORD MEMORIAL HOSPITAL ARE DOING.
YOU KNOW, THAT LAB YOU HAVE AT TCL NEW RIVER, WHERE THEY HAVE THE SORT OF REAL LOOKING PEOPLE LAYING IN THE BEDS? THAT IS CREEPY.
I MEAN, YOU LOOK AT, IT LOOKS LIKE A REAL PERSON LAYING IN THE BED AND THEY SORT OF WORK ON THEM.
IT'S, THEY MAKE SOUNDS AND NOISES, THEY MAKE SOUNDS AND NOISES, AND WHEN THE LIGHTS ARE OFF, YOU DON'T KNOW WHO'S MAKING SOUNDS.
IT'S MAYBE NOT THE BEST WAY TO KIND OF START A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COUNCILWOMAN BY, YOU KNOW, TAKING HER INTO A DARK ROOM WITH, YOU KNOW, WITH
SO AGAIN, THANK Y'ALL FOR COMING OUT.
WONDERFUL PRESENTATION AS USUAL.
WE, WE APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU DO FOR US.
THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'RE HERE.
I APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S PATIENCE.
I KNOW THAT SOME OF THESE, THE FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETINGS, WE GO, PRESENTATIONS LAST LONGER THAN WHAT EVERYONE WANTS.
UM, BUT AGAIN, WE TRY TO GIVE EVERYONE ENOUGH TIME, UH, TO FULLY, UM, UH, EXPAND UPON WHAT, WHAT THEY'RE HERE FOR AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING AND, AND, UH, UM, BUT LIKE TO MOVE ON THEN TO OUR NEXT PRESENTER.
AND, UM, THIS IS, UH, ANGIE SALLY, SHE'S THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH, THE BEAUFORT OFFICE.
SALLY, THANK YOU FOR COMING AND BEING WITH US TODAY.
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TODAY.
AND I DO HAVE A FEW MEMBERS OF OUR TEAM WITH US THAT, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO JUST BRIEFLY INTRODUCE BECAUSE I THINK WE'VE LOST ALMOST EVERYBODY ELSE EXCEPT FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE TO BE HERE, RIGHT?
SO JUST BY DEFAULT, UM, THAT SHOULD BE A POSITIVE THING.
SO I HAVE WITH ME TODAY OUR DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATION, DR. COBB HAYES.
JENNIFER COBB HAYES FOR COASTAL, OUR TWO CLINIC DIRECTORS FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY, MS. COURTNEY HUES, WHO'S THE BEAUFORT COUNTY CLINIC DIRECTOR, AND MS. OMEGA SMALLS FRANCIS, WHO'S OUR HILTON HEAD CLINIC DIRECTOR.
UM, OUR MOBILE CRISIS SUPERVISOR, MR. REE BEATON WAS HERE WITH US, BUT HE HAD TO LEAVE HIS DUTY CALLED, SO HE HAD TO LEAVE TO, UH, ATTEND TO SOMETHING.
SO I JUST WANNA GO THROUGH JUST A LITTLE BIT.
I KNOW THAT, UM, OTHER PRESENTATIONS HAVE GONE ON LONGER.
I PROMISE YOU I WILL TRY TO BE BRIEF AS I'VE ALREADY BEEN KIND OF CAUTIONED TOO.
SO, UM, A LOT OF FOLKS, EVEN THOUGH WE'VE BEEN HERE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY FOR QUITE A WHILE, AND BEAUFORT COUNTY IS OUR ADMINISTRATION, OFFICE, CLINIC, SITE, AND ALSO OUR CLINIC SITE.
[02:15:01]
A DIVISION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH.SO COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES IS A DIVISION.
THE DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH HAS MANY VISIONS.
AND AROUND THE STATE, WE ARE ONE, UH, ONE OF 16 MENTAL HEALTH CENTERS.
SO COASTAL EMPIRE DOES COVER BEAUFORT COUNTY, COLLETON COUNTY, ALLENDALE, HAMPTON, AND JASPER.
BUT I'M HERE TODAY TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT BEAUFORT COUNTY
SPECIFICALLY, OUR MISSION FOR ALL IS TO SUPPORT THE RECOVERY OF PEOPLE WITH MENTAL ILLNESSES.
OUR PRIORITY IS TO TREAT ADULTS WITH SERIOUS AND PERSISTENT MENTAL ILLNESSES AND CHILDREN WITH SEVERE EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCES.
WE ARE CLINIC-BASED OUTPATIENT TREATMENT.
WE ARE THE LARGEST CLINIC-BASED OUTPATIENT TREATMENT PROVIDER OF MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES IN ALL FIVE OF THE COUNTIES THAT WE SERVE.
WE PROVIDE SERVICES, UH, IN OUR SCHOOLS HERE IN BEAUFORT.
WE HAVE A CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENT WITH BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT.
WE PROVIDE CONSULTATION ONLY TO THE DETENTION CENTER.
WELL, I, I WILL TAKE OUT THE WORD ONLY.
WE DO STILL SERVE PATIENTS THAT ARE OPEN TO US, OR ACTIVE CASES WITH US THAT END UP IN JAIL, THAT HAVE EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES.
THAT MAY BE A LITTLE BIT MUCH FOR BEAUFORT MEMORIAL HOSPITAL TO TAKE ON, OR THAT MIGHT BE COMPLEX CASES, MIGHT BE COURT ORDERED CASES.
WE MAINTAIN THOSE CASES AND PROVIDE CONSULTATION TO THE DETENTION CENTER AS WELL AS THEIR CONTRACTED PROVIDER, BEAUFORT MEMORIAL HOSPITAL.
WE ALSO PROVIDE CONSULTATION TO DIFFERENT MEDICAL CENTERS.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH GOOD NEIGHBOR MEDICAL CLINIC FOR REFERRALS AND SERVICES IN KIND WITH PATIENTS THAT WE SERVE TOGETHER.
UM, BECAUSE THEY PROVIDE TREATMENT FOR THE PHYSICAL HEALTH, WE PROVIDE THE OVERALL TREATMENT FOR MENTAL HEALTH.
WE PROVIDE COMMUNITY EDUCATION AND IN SERVICES WITH MANY DIFFERENT PARTNERS, UM, AROUND OUR DIFFERENT COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE COMMUNITY SER SUPPORT PROGRAMS THAT INCLUDE INDIVIDUAL PLACEMENT SERVICES, WHICH IF YOU THINK OF IT IN THE STATE'S VERSION OF VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION, WE HAVE OUR OWN IN SERVICE FOR INDIVIDUALIZED PLACEMENT SERVICES TO HELP THOSE PATIENTS WHO HAVE IDENTIFIED GOALS FOR WORKING IN CAREER DEVELOPMENT TO HELP MATCH THEM AND GET THEM JOB READY OR WORK READY.
WE ALSO HAVE COMMUNITY HOUSING, UM, THROUGH DIFFERENT PROGRAMS WITH THE STATE THAT WE DO HAVE APARTMENTS HERE IN BEAUFORT, UM, LOCATED AT CANAL.
AND THEN WE HAVE A HOME SHARE PROGRAM, WHICH IS MUCH LIKE I TRY TO EXPLAIN IT TO PEOPLE.
HOMES, SHARE IS A LOT LIKE ADULT FOSTER CARE.
WE HAVE LICENSE OR CERTIFIED PROVIDERS WHERE THEY HAVE OPENED UP THEIR HOME TO HOUSE OR TO, UH, PROVIDE A, A SAFE AND NURTURING ENVIRONMENT TO OUR PATIENT TO LIVE THERE IN SUPPORT WITH WHAT SERVICES WE PROVIDE AND TRAINING THAT WE PROVIDE.
AND THEY RECEIVE A STIPEND FOR THAT PARTNERSHIP.
WE PROVIDE 24 7 MOBILE CRISIS SERVICES ON SITE MOBILE RESPONSES THROUGHOUT BEAUFORT COUNTY, UM, WHATEVER TO WHEREVER WE NEED TO GO, INCLUDING DUSKY.
WE'VE BEEN ASKED, WHAT WILL YOU DO IF YOU GET A CALL ON DUSKY? WE WILL GO, WE'LL FIGURE OUT WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT HOW, WHICH FERRY OR HOW WE'RE GONNA GET THERE.
BUT WE WILL RESPOND BECAUSE WE DO SERVE FROM TIME TO TIME.
WE'VE HAD PATIENTS OR WE HAVE HAD CASES, AND WE STILL DO.
BUT EVEN IF A PERSON IS NOT, AND I WANT TO SPECIFY THIS, MOBILE CRISIS SERVICES ARE PROVIDED TO ANY AND EVERYONE THAT ARE EXPERIENCING A CRISIS AND CALL THAT ONE EIGHT, THREE, THREE NUMBER.
IT IS NOT JUST FOR THE ACTIVE PATIENTS THAT WE SERVE AT COASTAL, WHICH CURRENTLY IS ABOUT 205 2,581.
OF THAT 2,581 CENTER WIDE, OVER 53% OF THOSE PATIENTS, 1,390 SOME ODD.
I HAVE TO FIND OH 1,384 OF THOSE PATIENTS, BECAUSE I KNOW MS. ANNA MAY ASK ME THAT QUESTION, ARE BEAUFORT COUNTY RESIDENTS.
SO, UM, THAT IS 53.26% OF THE POPULATION WE SERVE IS, OR THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY SERVING RIGHT NOW ARE FROM BEAUFORT COUNTY.
I'M NOT GONNA READ THROUGH ALL OF THIS.
ONE OF OUR BIGGEST PARTNERS ARE SITTING IN THIS ROOM, MS. REBECCA WITT, WITH BEAUFORT COUNTY ALCOHOL AND DRUG.
ONE SERVICE THAT I DON'T HAVE UP THERE THAT WE PROVIDE IS WE DO PROVIDE THE JUDICIAL EVALUATIONS FOR YOUR COUNTY COURT.
WHICH MEANS THAT OUR PROVIDERS, OUR MEDICAL PROVIDERS, ONE OF OUR PSYCHIATRISTS, HAS TO, UH,
[02:20:02]
EVALUATE PATIENTS THAT ARE GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS.IF SOMEONE HAS PETITIONED FOR THEM TO GO, HAVE TO BE EVALUATED TO DETERMINE IF THEY NEED TO BE INVOLUNTARILY COMMITTED, EITHER ON AN OUTPATIENT OR INPATIENT BASIS, WHETHER OR NOT THEY NEED TO BE COURT ORDERED TO OUTPATIENT TREATMENT, INPATIENT TREATMENT.
WE HAVE, WE PROVIDE THAT SERVICE THROUGH OUR PSYCHIATRISTS THAT THEY DO THOSE EVALUATIONS IN CONJUNCTION WITH OUR PARTNERS AT BEAUFORT COUNTY ALCOHOL AND DRUG.
UM, THEY HAVE THE, UH, THE MEN OR THE MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL, OR THE CERTIFIED DRUG AND ALCOHOL PROFESSIONAL THAT DOES THAT PORTION.
AND THEN WE ALSO DO THOSE TYPE EVALUATIONS AS WELL.
UM, FOR OUR, OUR POPULATION, WE, UM, WORK WITH ALL THESE DIFFERENT ENTITIES THAT ARE LISTED.
ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS THAT WE WANTED TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION TODAY IS ONE OF THE PARTNERSHIPS THAT I'M MOST PROUD OF, THAT, UM, STARTED HERE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
AND AS I GO AND TALK TO OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT ENTITIES, I'M, I'M HEARING FROM THEM THAT THEY'RE DOING WHAT THEY CAN TO FIND SOME MONEY TO HELP SUPPORT THIS.
SO IN BEAUFORT COUNTY, WE HAD THE PRIVILEGE, UM, OF PROVIDING SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT WITH A LAW ENFORCEMENT EMBEDDED CLINICIAN.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN, ANGIE? A LAW ENFORCEMENT EMBEDDED CLINICIAN IS A VICTIM'S ADVOCATE THAT IS ACTUALLY A MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL WHO CAN PROVIDE AND DOES PROVIDE CLINICAL SERVICES.
THEY RESPOND WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT TO DIFFERENT CALLS IN THE COMMUNITY.
THEY ENGAGE WITH THE INDIVIDUALS.
IT DOESN'T JUST HAVE TO BE A VICTIM.
IT CAN SOMETIMES BE SOME, A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY OR A CONSTITUENT THAT THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT HAS SOME CONCERNS BECAUSE THEY HAVE HAD MULTIPLE ENCOUNTERS WITH THEM AND THEY KNOW THAT SOMETHING'S GOING ON, BUT THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS.
AND WE ARE TRYING TO PREVENT HAVING TO GO OVER TO THE ER AND VISIT MR. BAXLEY OR THEM GOING TO JAIL.
SO IT IT IS, IT'S ANOTHER VERSION OF DIVERSION FOR US, IF POSSIBLE.
AND SO THEY PROVIDE, UH, SERVICES, THEY GO OUT, ASSESS SITUATIONS, AND THEY ALL, THEY, THE MOST CRUCIAL PART OF THAT IS THEY PROVIDE LINKAGE AND A WARM HANDOFF TO THE MENTAL HEALTH CENTER WHEN APPROPRIATE OF INDIVIDUALS WHO NEED OUR SERVICES, THEY CAN PROVIDE SERVICES TO THEM FOR A LIMITED AMOUNT OF TIME.
THIS IS A FAIRLY NEW ENDEAVOR.
THE DATE THAT CASEY STARTED WITH US IS, IT'S BEEN A YEAR NOW.
NOW THIS WAS A GRANT THAT WE GOT FROM THE STATE, AND THE GRANT DID NOT COVER THE FULL SALARY OF THIS CLINICIAN.
AND WE DID NOT GET ANY FUNDING FROM BEAUFORT COUNTY FOR THIS POSITION EITHER.
WE OFFERED, WE WENT OVER, TALKED TO SHERIFF TANNER AND TO COLONEL HORTON ABOUT IT.
THE STATE IS WORKING BEAUTIFULLY.
THERE'S LOTS OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE THESE DIFFERENT PARTNERSHIPS.
UM, AND BY THE WAY, I JUST WANT TO MENTION THAT BEAUFORT CITY HEARD ABOUT IT.
THEY CAME TO THE TABLE WITH SOME MONEY TO HELP BUY IN FOR THEIR, AND THEIR, UH, CLINICIAN JUST STARTED A FEW MONTHS AGO AT BEAUFORT CITY, BEAUFORT COUNTY.
YOU ALL KNOW WE GOT LOTS OF PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTY, ALMOST 200,000, A LITTLE OVER 190,000.
SO CASEY IS, IS BEING STRETCHED WITH HER POSITION.
OUR MOBILE CRISIS TEAM IS BEING STRETCHED BECAUSE THE MAJORITY OF OUR CALLS THAT ARE COMING IN ARE COMING FROM BEAUFORT COUNTY.
WE ASKED THE STATE WHO KEEPS THE DATA ON OUR CALL SITUATION TO GET US SOME UPDATED DATA.
AND ONE OF THE BIGGEST COMPLAINTS THAT I HEARD, AND I I'M VERY TRANSPARENT, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE SAID TO ME WHEN I FIRST TOOK THIS POSITION IS YOU NEED TO FIX YOUR MOBILE CRISIS.
BACK THEN IT WAS CALLED COMMUNITY CRISIS RESPONSE INTERVENTION, CCRI.
AND SO WE WERE DOING SOME THINGS VERY WELL AND WE WERE DOING SOME THINGS THAT WEREN'T WORKING SO GOOD.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS IS, IS WE COVER 3044 SQUARE MILES OF TERRITORY.
NOT ALL BEAUFORT COUNTY, BUT GOOD BIT OF IT IS.
AND WHEN THESE FOLKS GET THESE CALL, GET THE CALLS LATE AT NIGHT, EARLY IN THE MORNING, IT CAN BE EIGHT 20.
IF THAT PHONE RINGS AND IT'S A MOBILE CRISIS CALL, GUESS WHAT? THEY HAVE TO GO.
AND SO THEY GO PARTNERS PARTNERED IN TOO.
THEY HAVE TO RESPOND WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT WHEN THEY GO OUT.
BUT IT HELPS US WITH NOT HAVING PEOPLE BOTTLENECKED IN THE EMERGENCY ROOMS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, OR PEOPLE GOING TO JAIL WHO DON'T NEED TO BE THERE.
BECAUSE THEN I'M TALKING TO COLONEL GRANT ABOUT 'EM OR COURTNEY OR OMEGA ARE, IS GETTING THOSE CALLS.
SO THAT'S SOME OF THE, OR SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS.
THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS TAKING CARE OF THEIR RESPONSIBILITY EVEN THOUGH THAT'S GETTING A LITTLE SHAKY RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO FOR THE 2025 SCHOOL YEAR.
AND I'M SAYING, REALLY, WE ARE THE BIGGEST PROVIDER OF YOUR SCHOOL MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.
AND WE ARE BOOTS ON THE GROUND.
WE'RE NOT DOING THE TELEHEALTH THING WITH KIDS.
AND WE DON'T CHERRY PICK WHO WE TREAT.
[02:25:01]
TREAT PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE MONEY TO PAY, WHICH IS ABOUT 20% OF OUR PAYROLL SOURCE IS SELF PAY.AND MANY OF THOSE PATIENTS DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES TO PAY.
WHY ARE WE ASKING Y'ALL FOR MONEY? I CAN SKIP THROUGH ALL THE REST OF THIS PRESENTATION TO BE HONEST WITH YOU BECAUSE AGAIN, I SAID WE ARE ONE OF, WE ARE, AS FAR AS I KNOW, THE ONLY STATE AGENCY THAT IS NOT FULLY FUNDED BY THE STATE LEGISLATURE, THEY WERE FUNDING US AT ABOUT 49% OF OUR BUDGET, WHICH IS A LITTLE OVER $8 MILLION.
MY CFO DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATION COULD GIVE YOU THE EXACT FIGURE.
THEY REDUCED WHAT THEY GAVE US.
AND THAT SENIOR PACKET THAT YOU RECEIVED FOR THE BUDGET REQUEST LAST YEAR BY ABOUT 2%, WHICH EQUALS ABOUT $75,000.
I'M ASKING YOU FOR NOT ASKING YOU TO PAY FOR OUR STATE CARS.
AND YES, MR. GLOVER, WE DO NEED THEM TO DO OUR JOBS BECAUSE I CANNOT ASK PEOPLE TO GET IN THEIR CARS TO RUN ALL OVER THIS 3000 SQUARE MILES OF TERRITORY AND THEY'RE MANDATED TO DO THEIR JOBS.
SO I CAN'T SAY THAT NO, YOU CAN'T, THAT WE DON'T HAVE A CAR BECAUSE IF WE DON'T, THEN WE DO HAVE TO PAY THEM.
AND THAT MILEAGE IS, SHE SAID 34 CENTS A MILE, 60 SOMETHING.
IT'S INCREASED 64 AND NO, WE DON'T GET TO PARTAKE OF MANY LAVISH
UM, I AM GOING TO HILL DAY IN 2024.
AND NOW I FOUND OUT IT'S A BURDEN BECAUSE THEY MAKING ME PAY FOR IT OUT MY CENTER BUDGET.
THAT'S NOT, I'M NOT ASKING FOR THAT
I HAD TO PAY FOR MY OWN HOTEL ROOM AND HOPE DIDN'T PRAY THAT I GOT REIMBURSED.
BUT I SAY ALL THAT TO SAY THAT, THAT WE ARE HERE BECAUSE WE ARE ASKING FOR THE SUPPORT OF THIS COUNCIL.
BEAUFORT IS ONE OF THE TWO COUNTIES THAT DOES NOT CONTRIBUTE TO US.
COLLETON COUNTY CONTRIBUTES $30,000 A YEAR, JASPER COUNTY, AND THEY, AND WE HAVE A FIVE YEAR COMMITMENT FOR $150,000 FROM THEM.
AND THAT IS, UH, JUST BEEN RENEWED LAST YEAR.
SO THAT'S BEEN ONGOING FROM THEM.
WE GET $10,000 FROM JASPER COUNTY AND 26 50 FROM HAMPTON.
WE WERE GETTING A LITTLE BIT FROM ALLENDALE, BUT WE HAVE NOT IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
SO I PLAN TO MAKE A TRIP TO THEM.
AND, AND EVEN IF YOU, IF YOU CEASE TO BE SO KIND TO GRANT THIS REQUEST, WE COME BACK TO YOU.
AND EVEN IF YOU DON'T, WE ARE, YOU'RE STILL GONNA SEE OUR FACE BECAUSE I WANT YOU TO KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING IN YOUR COMMUNITY.
I WANT YOU TO KNOW WHO WE ARE SERVING, LIKE I SAID, WHICH COULD BE ANYBODY THAT'S NEED IN NEED OF SERVICES.
WE HAVE NO AGE LIMITS FOR SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE TO INDIVIDUALS THAT WE PROVIDE THEM.
UM, AND WE DO THAT REGARDLESS BECAUSE IT'S BEEN QUITE A WHILE SINCE WE'VE GOTTEN ANY STATE APPROPRIATIONS.
UM, I DON'T, I DON'T BELIEVE IT'S A MANDATE, BUT I WAS TALKING TO SOMEONE NOT TOO LONG AGO ABOUT THE HISTORY AND ESTABLISHING MENTAL HEALTH CENTERS IN THE COMMUNITY IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE LEGISLATURE ASKED A LONG, LONG TIME AGO, THEY DIDN'T MANDATE IT BECAUSE IF THEY DID, I PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE HERE EXCEPT FOR, TO TELL YOU HOW I WAS USING IT.
BUT THEY ASKED THAT OUR COUNTIES HELP SUPPORT YOUR MENTAL HEALTH CENTERS.
WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WORK FOR US THAT DON'T DO IT BECAUSE WE PAID THEM A LOT OF MONEY.
WE JUST WENT THROUGH COMP AND ANALYSIS A A YEAR AGO WITH THE STATE GOVERNMENT BECAUSE WE WERE HEMORRHAGING, WE WERE LOSING CLINICIANS SO MUCH THAT WE WERE HEMORRHAGING.
WE ARE STILL NOT WHERE WE WANT TO BE.
AND BEAUFORT COUNTY IS ONE OF THE AREAS WHERE WE ARE NOT FULLY STAFFED.
PROBABLY ABOUT 70 TO 80% FOR OUR BEAUFORT CLINIC, BUT NOT FULLY STAFFED.
SO OF THAT 8.3, BECAUSE I HEAR MY NAME, I HEAR IT, MS. DENISE, OF THAT 8.3 MILLION, I'M SORRY, JEN'S PROBABLY HAPPY WITH THAT.
IT TAKES US A LITTLE OVER $4 MILLION.
AND THAT'S IN YOUR PACKET TO SUPPORT BEAUFORT COUNTY STAFF AND OPERATIONS.
AND WE PUT IN THERE THE BREAKDOWN OF EVERYTHING THAT WE SPEND MONEY ON THAT'S SPECIFIC TO THE COUNTY OF BEAUFORT, WHICH INCLUDES OPERATING THIS CLINIC ON REEBOK ROAD AND OPERATING THE CLINIC ON, UH, DI ROAD.
'CAUSE I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW IF I NEED TO GO THROUGH THE REST OF THIS AND I THINK THE CLICKER'S DYING.
THEY MIGHT BE TRYING TO TELL ME.
ANY QUESTIONS? UH, WHEN I HIT THE LAST TIMER BACK TO THAT.
SO HAVE YOU, YOU CAN GO BACK BEFORD COUNTY FOR FUNDING SINCE I'VE BEEN IN THIS POSITION.
NO SIR, MR. GLOVER? I HAVE NOT.
WELL, YOU KNOW, THE BIBLE SAYS YOU, YOU HAVE, YOU HAVE NOT BECAUSE YOU ASKED NOT.
NOW, NOW THE OTHER QUESTION, SERIOUS ONE IS THAT, UM, IS THERE ANY COORDINATION BETWEEN YOUR C CLINICIAN, YOUR CLINIC WORKERS WITH OTHER AGENCIES LIKE THE CITY OF BEAUFORT? UM, OR YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A SEPARATE PERSON JUST FOR THE BEAUFORT COUNTY? SO BEAUFORT
[02:30:01]
COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE ALREADY HAS THEIR CLINICIAN.THEY HAVE A LAW ENFORCEMENT EMBEDDED CLINICIAN.
MS. CASEY, JOCELYN HAS BEEN THERE OKAY.
SO SHE'S HERE IN BEAUFORT, SHE'S ON BOTH SIDES.
WE SPLIT UP HER DAYS FROM WHERE SHE GOES OVER TO BLUFFTON.
OUR TWO WONDERFUL CLINIC DIRECTORS ARE SPEAKING WITH THEIR LAW ENFORCEMENT ENTITIES ALMOST ON A DAILY BASIS.
AND SO THEN BEAUFORT CITY HAS THEIR OWN, THEY WERE NOT INTERESTED IN PARTNERING OR COST SHARING.
THAT'S WHAT IT WAS WITH THEIR EMPLOYEE.
SO THE COST SHARE IS BETWEEN THEM AND THEN WE ARE SUPPORTING THE OTHER PART OF HIS SALARY.
UM, AND, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, MENTAL HEALTH HAS BEEN A CONCERN OF THIS COUNCIL, UM, FOR YEARS AND WANTING TO HELP.
SO I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT SOMETHING IS COMING FORWARD.
UH, BECAUSE WE TALKED ABOUT THE COASTAL MENTAL HEALTH AS WELL.
YOU KNOW, ARE WE GETTING SERVICES FROM THEM? YES.
SO, SO, YOU KNOW, I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT, UM, THIS IS HAPPENING BECAUSE MENTAL HEALTH IS SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T TALK ABOUT, BUT IT'S THERE.
AND WE NEED TO RESPOND TO, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, SEVERAL YEARS AGO, AND I THINK IT WAS A MENTAL HEALTH CASE, BUT LAW ENFORCEMENT SHOWED UP ON THE SCENE AND THE PERSON DIED.
AND I, I THINK HAVING SOMEBODY WITH THE MENTAL HEALTH AGENCY THERE TO HELP LAW ENFORCEMENT TO ASSESS THE SITUATION, PROBABLY YES, SIR.
WOULD'VE BEEN, UM, SAVE THAT PERSON'S LIFE.
I DON'T KNOW THAT FOR A FACT, BUT THAT'S WHAT I BELIEVE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YEAH, MR. JUST ONE QUESTION.
UH, WELL DAVID, THANK Y'ALL FOR DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
UM, IS THE SHERIFF PUTTING ANY MONEY, ALLOCATING ANY MONEY TOWARD THIS AS WELL TO HELP BECAUSE ONE PERSON'S NOT ENOUGH? NO, SIR.
AND JUST TO GO BACK TO MR. GLOVER'S POINT, I HAD, WE HAD, WE HAD A LOT OF FIRES TO PUT OUT.
WE WERE ALSO DEALING WITH, I, I TOOK THIS POSITION IN THE MIDST OF COVID.
AND SO, UM, WE HAD A LOT, IT WAS STARING DOWN THE BARREL.
ONE OF OUR PROUDEST ACCOMPLISHMENTS, OR SOME OF OURS I DIDN'T MENTION WAS WE ARE CARF ACCREDITED.
I WALKED INTO THIS POSITION AND THAT'S A BIG ORDEAL.
THAT'S A SURVEY BY OUR NATIONAL COM OR COMMISSION ON ACCREDITED REHABILITATION FACILITY.
SO WHEN I CAME TO THIS POSITION, WE HAD A LOT GOING ON.
WE HAD STAFF SHORTAGES IN MANY OF OUR MAJOR.
I DIDN'T HAVE DR. COBB HAYES THAT WAS HERE TELLING ME, YOU KNOW, BREAKING DOWN THIS BUDGET AND HELPING ME UNDERSTAND IT AND HELPING ME UNDERSTAND, HEY, YOU DON'T GET ANY MONEY FROM HERE AND WE NEED TO SEE IF WE CAN FIX THIS.
SO WE DIDN'T HAVE THOSE DIFFERENT THINGS GOING ON.
SO I DID WANNA MAKE THAT POINT.
AND I'M SORRY, MR. DAVID, I'M SORRY THAT I DERAIL, BUT LET'S, CAN YOU ASK ME YOUR QUESTION AGAIN? JUST ARE YOU GETTING ANY MONEY FROM, FROM THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT? NO, I DID ANSWER IT.
NO SIR, WE ARE NOT, WE HAVE NOT ASKED FOR ANY BECAUSE WE WERE SO EXCITED THAT WE WERE OFFERED THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A GRANT.
AND AGAIN, BEING TOTALLY TRANSPARENT, WHEN WE LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS THAT WE SERVE, THE NUMBER OF CALLS THAT WE WERE HAVING WITH MOBILE CRISIS, IT JUST MADE COMMON SENSE THAT WE NEEDED TO START HAMPTON COUNTY.
SHERIFF RUSSELL HAS BEEN BEGGING ME FOR THIS WHEN HE WAS CAMPAIGNING.
AND SO IT DIDN'T MAKE SENSE TO TAKE IT TO HAMPTON COUNTY.
WE GET A LOT OF CALLS FROM HAMPTON COUNTY,
BUT WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE SIDE, THE POPULATION THAT WE SERVE HERE, THE NUMBER OF CALLS THAT WE WERE GETTING HERE AND THE NEED, THE NEED WAS SHOWN FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY.
AND WE WENT TO SHERIFF TANNER WITH THIS PROPOSITION TO OFFER HIM THAT POSITION AND HE WAS VERY INTERESTED IN IT.
AND SO, YES, WE DO WANT THAT TO GROW.
WE HAVE, WHEN YOU LOOK AT LIKE OUR PARTNERS IN CHARLESTON, THEY HAVE THEM, THEY HAVE MULTIPLE IN THEIR SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT IN ADDITION TO WITH THEIR DIFFERENT MUNICIPALITIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
I THINK WE NEED MORE THAN ONE.
I MIGHT GIVE YOU ALL AS MANY AS YOU THINK WE NEED.
WELL, MY SUGGESTION IS GO BACK TO THE SHERIFF, TELL HIM TO FIND SOMEBODY HIS BUDGET AND YOU CAN TELL HIM TAB SENT YOU.
OH,
UH, I JUST POINT CLARIFICATION IT.
IS IT, DO I UNDERSTAND YOU SAY THAT YOUR CLINICAL OPERATING EXPENSES IN BEAUFORT COUNTY COME IN AROUND 4 MILLION A YEAR? YES, SIR.
AND THAT'S FOR PERSONNEL AND FOR OPERATIONS? YES, SIR.
AND HOW MANY LOCATIONS DO YOU HAVE THAT
WE HAVE THE REEBOK ROAD CLINIC AND WE HAVE DILLON ROAD IN HILTON HEAD.
AND HOW MANY, UH, PERSONNEL IF THAT INCLUDE? 52.
WE'RE ABOUT FIVE SHORT 52 ACTIVE EMPLOYEES.
[02:35:01]
SALARIES NOW.I DO HAVE ONE, ONE QUESTION AGAIN, WITH HOMELESSNESS, MOST OF THAT IS ASSOCIATED WITH MENTAL ILLNESS.
SO TO SOMEONE TO GET TO YOU, DO THEY HAVE TO BECOME, COME TO YOU THROUGH A REFERRAL SUCH AS THE SCHOOL OR IT'S SELF-REFERRAL? WE TAKE REFERRALS FROM ALL BASES, BUT PEOPLE CAN BE SELF-REFERRED.
SO WE HAVE ACCESS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY, WHICH IS SPECIFIC ONLY TO BUFORD.
AND IT'S BECAUSE OF THE VOLUME.
BUT WE HAVE, UM, WHERE WHEN WE ARE OPERATING, WE DO OFFER TWO NIGHTS OF NIGHT CLINIC.
BUT PATIENTS CAN WALK IN AT ANY TIME DURING OUR OPERATING HOURS AND WALK IN, CALL PEOPLE CALL ALL THE TIMES AND INITIATE THEIR OWN REFERRALS.
THEY DO NOT HAVE TO BE REFERRALED THROUGH ANY OTHER, I MEAN, THEY CAN BE, WE ACCEPT THEM FROM DOCTOR'S OFFICE, PEDIATRICIAN SCHOOLS, FAMILY MEMBERS, BUT WE ALWAYS SAY, WELL, THEY HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GONNA KNOW THAT YOU'RE
BUT WE DO DEAL WITH THE PATIENT, UM, BECAUSE IT IS VERY PERSON CENTERED.
AND SO I, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE CAN'T JUST, THE PERSON DOES HAVE TO VOLUNTARILY AGREE AND CONSENT TO TREATMENT WITH ALL OF OUR SERVICES.
WELL, MS. SALLY, THANK YOU FOR COMING.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS THAT WE HAVE TODAY? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU ALL VERY THANK YOU MS. SALLY AND YOUR STAFF FOR WAITING ON SO LONG BEING PATIENT WITH US.
ALRIGHT, LET'S MOVE ON THEN TO OUR, UH, FINAL PRESENTATION.
UM, MR. CHAIRMAN, MR. CHAIRMAN? YES.
JUST QUICKLY, MS. SALLY, YOU, YOU REFERENCE, UM, VOLUNTEER.
SUPPOSE A PERSON REFUSE OR DOESN'T VOLUNTEER, THERE'S NOTHING YOU COULD DO FOR THEM.
SO THAT WOULD, UM, IF IT'S AN EMERGENCY, THEN WE CAN INITIATE AN INTERVENTION.
IF THERE IS AN EMERGENCY, WE HAVE TO ASSESS THE SITUATION AND, AND THEN INITIATE AN INTERVENTION.
AND THEN WE HAVE THE PROCESS WHERE IF THERE IS A CONCERN THAT SOMEONE IS MENTALLY ILL AND NEEDS TREATMENT, YES.
THEN THAT WOULD BE WHEN SOMEONE WOULD, WE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE A, UM, AN APPLICANT THAT WOULD PETITION FOR THAT PERSON TO RECEIVE TREATMENT AND THEN THEY WOULD GO THROUGH THE PROCESS.
WE WORK WITH PROBATE COURT TO SEND OUT NOTIFICATION TO THEM THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED, THAT THEY HAVE, THAT THERE'S A PETITION AND THAT WE'RE SETTING UP THE WHOLE PROCESS FOR AN EXAMINATION FOR THEM.
DOES THAT NORMALLY TAKE GOING THROUGH PROBATE? UM, IT COULD, IT REALLY DEPENDS, BUT IT SHOULD BE, UM, THERE'S A TIMEFRAME FROM THE TIME THAT THE PETITION IS FILED UNTIL WHEN THE, WHEN THE HEARING SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED.
AND I THINK IT'S SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 14 TO 21 DAYS NOW, IF IT'S AN EMERGENCY, IT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.
AND I WILL SAY THAT I DO PRIDE US ON ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAD TO FIX AT COASTAL WHEN I TOOK THIS POSITION WAS ACCESS AND MAKING SURE THAT WE WERE RESPONDING.
AND SO I AM PROUD TO SAY THAT COASTAL IS MEETING THAT WE MET IT AT, UH, 98% WITH ENSURING THAT EMERGENCIES WERE RESPONDED TO ON SAME DAY, URGENT WITHIN TWO, AND ANY ROUTINE REQUESTS FOR SERVICES WITHIN SEVEN DAYS.
AND I DID ONE MORE THING, HIGHWAY TO HOPE.
WE HAVE A RV THAT WE ARE ALSO, UM, WE STARTED IT IN ST.
IT HAS HAD A HUGE RESPONSE, MR. GLOVER.
AND WE ARE LOOKING AT OTHER PLACES IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
THAT'S ANOTHER THING THAT MR. BEATON HAS BEEN WORKING ON TODAY BECAUSE HE'S OUR HIGHWAY, THE HOPE COORDINATOR.
AND THAT IS TO ALLOW PEOPLE ACCESS TO CARE THAT DON'T HAVE TO WALK IN THE CLINIC.
AND SO WE CAN PROVIDE SERVICES AND THAT'S EXACTLY THE PURPOSE OF IT.
WE CAN DO OUTREACH AND AWARENESS A LOT LESS FOCUS ON THAT.
WE CAN DRIVE TO WHERE WE NEED TO BE TO TALK TO PEOPLE LIKE WE DID TODAY.
WE DON'T NEED TO TAKE A RV TO DO THAT.
SO THAT, THAT IS SOMETHING ELSE THAT WE'RE GONNA BE TALKING TO YOU MORE ABOUT IN THE FUTURE.
UM, AND, UH, LET'S MOVE ON THEN TO OUR FINAL, UH, PRESENTATION.
AND THAT IS FROM, UH, MR. BOB ELLIOTT, THE CO-FOUNDER OF SOUTH CAROLINA NURSE RETENTION INITIATIVE.
AND MR. UM, ELLIOTT, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE AND BEING HERE TODAY.
UH, I APOLOGIZE UPFRONT IF I'M NOT QUITE AS ENTERTAINING AS, UH,
UH, BUT, UM, I AM THE, UH, FOUNDER OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA NURSE RETENTION INITIATIVE.
AND I THINK YOU'RE GONNA HEAR ME, UH, SPEAK TO A COUPLE OF, UH, TOPICS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN COVERED, WHICH IS, UH, WORKFORCE, UH, DEVELOPMENT, UH, AND, UM, THE NEED TO KEEP OUR STUDENTS HERE AFTER THEY GRADUATE, WHICH IS A COMMENT THAT, UH, THAT TCL, UH, MADE AND WE'RE CONNECTED WITH, UH, BOTH, UH, BUFORD MEMORIAL HOSPITAL AND WITH, UH, TCLI
[02:40:02]
PROVIDED, UM, A LOT OF INFORMATION.UH, I DID NOT PUT IT INTO SLIDES.
I THOUGHT I WOULD GIVE YOU THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, IF YOU WILL.
I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF SLIDES KEYED UP JUST TO SHOW YOU AND INTRODUCE YOU TO THE NURSES THAT WE'VE ADDED TO OUR RETENTION PROGRAM.
BUT, UM, I'LL, I'LL HOLD OFF UNTIL, UNTIL THE END.
YOU WANNA WAIT? YOU SAID YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.
UM, UM, SO WE DO HAVE A NURSE SHORTAGE TODAY.
YOU'VE HEARD THAT I'M REPEATING IT AND I'M TELLING YOU THAT IT'S GOING TO GET WORSE, UH, BEFORE IT GETS BETTER.
UM, WE HAVE, UH, RETIREMENTS, WE HAVE INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS THAT YOU'VE, UH, HEARD ABOUT.
AND OF COURSE WE HAVE THE POPULATION GROWTH.
RECRUITING AND RETAINING TOP QUALITY HEALTHCARE STAFF IS A TOP ISSUE, A MAIN ISSUE NATIONWIDE AND CERTAINLY IN THE, IN THE LOW COUNTRY.
AND THAT'S, UM, FOR PHYSICIANS THAT YOU HEARD FROM, UH, MR. BAXLEY AND ALSO FOR, UH, NURSES, WE'RE GONNA NEED TO MAKE SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT IN OUR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, UH, NURSE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT IN THE COMING YEARS.
AND WE HEARD TODAY SEVERAL EXAMPLES, AND THERE ARE MANY OTHERS AS WELL.
AND THAT, UH, INVOLVES AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR EMPLOYEES.
IT INVOLVES RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION, AND IT INVOLVES, UM, EXPANSION OF OUR NURSING SCHOOLS, WHICH WE ALSO HEARD TODAY.
SO WE NEED TO HIRE IN, IN, IN MY ESTIMATION, OVER 200 NURSES EVERY YEAR FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS.
WE HAVE 222 NURSE PHYSICIANS OPEN AS WE SIT HERE TODAY IN BEAUFORT COUNTY ACROSS BEAUFORT COUNTY.
AND THAT, UM, THAT REPRESENTS, UM, 19 HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS.
SO THE POINT I WANTED TO MAKE IS WE ARE WORKING TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN NURSES FOR ALL HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE BEAUFORT COUNTY CITIZENS.
UH, THESE JOBS ARE OPEN IN OUR HOSPITALS, IN OUR HOSPICE, IN OUR HOME CARE, IN OUR SCHOOLS.
BLUFFTON ELEMENTARY HAS A JOB OPENING RIGHT NOW, AND THERE'S A JOB OPEN IN OUR NAVAL HOSPITAL.
SO IT GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF THE BREADTH ACROSS, UH, UH, THE NEED ACROSS THE BREADTH OF HEALTHCARE.
REGIONAL HEALTHCARE ITSELF HAS A TARGET OF HIRING 113 NURSES THIS YEAR, AND 48 NEW GRADUATES.
THERE IS A COST SAVINGS ASSOCIATED WITH RETENTION.
UH, EVERY NURSE THAT WE LOSE COSTS US ABOUT $50,000 TO RECRUIT A REPLACEMENT AND TRAIN THAT REPLACEMENT.
AND OF COURSE, THAT CAUSES DISRUPTION AND IT IMPACTS THE AVAILABILITY AND QUALITY OF HEALTHCARE AS WELL.
SO SOUTH CAROLINA NURSE RETENTION INITIATIVE THAT I FOUNDED TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO, UM, IS A DONOR ADVISED FUND 5 0 1 3 C UNDER THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF THE LOW COUNTRY
AND OUR MISSION IS TO ATTRACT, RECRUIT, IF YOU WILL, NURSES TO BECOME EMPLOYED AND REMAIN EMPLOYED IN BEAUFORD COUNTY.
I, I WOULD SAY WE ARE THE ONLY NONPROFIT, UH, THE ONLY ORGANIZATION THAT, UM, THAT IS FOCUSED ON THIS.
NOW, I WOULD ALSO SAY WE'RE NOT THE ONLY SOLUTION TO THE NURSE SHORTAGE.
UH, WE'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT THE OTHER, THE OTHER, UH, ACTIVITIES THAT ARE, THAT ARE UNDERWAY.
UH, WE NEED, UH, TO ADDRESS THE, UH, THE SHORTAGE, UH, OF ENROLLMENT THAT WE, UH, HAVE IN OUR COLLEGES AND SEVERAL OTHER ASPECTS TO THE NURSE SHORTAGE ITSELF.
SOUTH CAROLINA NURSE RETENTION, I'D LIKE TO HAVE YOU THINK OF US AS A PROVIDER OF HEALTHCARE SERVICES THROUGH THE NURSES THAT WE RECRUIT AND RETAIN.
I MEAN, I'M NOT PROVIDING THOSE
[02:45:01]
SERVICES.THEY ARE, BUT WE'RE PROVIDING HEALTHCARE SERVICES TO THE CITIZENS OF BEAUFORT COUNTY THROUGH THESE NURSES.
NURSE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SUPPORTS THE COUNTY'S VISION OF HAVING WORLD-CLASS HEALTH CARE FACILITIES TO MEET THE NEEDS OF CURRENT AND FUTURE POPULATIONS.
I'M ASKING THE BEAUFORT COUNTY COUNCIL TO MAKE AN INVESTMENT IN NURSE WORKFORCE HOUSING, UH, UH, NURSE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
SO I'M REQUESTING $150,000, UH, WHICH WOULD, UM, BE A COMMITMENT OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS.
THE FISCAL 25 IMPACT WOULD, WOULD BE $50,000, AND THAT WOULD GO TOWARDS OUR GOAL OF RAISING $600,000 OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS.
AND THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO ADD 20 TO 25 NURSES PER YEAR.
NOW, WE RECEIVED ARPA MONEY FROM BUFORT COUNTY BACK IN EARLY 23, AND WE THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WE, WE, UM, COMMITTED AND SPENT ALL OF ALL OF THAT MONEY.
AND AT THAT TIME, THE, THE COUNCIL WAS VERY INTRIGUED ABOUT NURSE RETENTION AND OUR PROGRAM, AND THEY SAID THAT, UM, THAT, UM, FURTHER, FURTHER, UH, CONSIDERATION WOULD BE GIVEN BASED ON A DEMONSTRATION OF IMPACT.
AND I THINK YOU WERE, YOU WERE PART OF OUR, OF THAT, UH, PROCESS.
I THINK THAT OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS, UH, DEMONSTRATE THAT, UM, THAT WE'VE HAD A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT.
WE'VE INVESTED OVER $400,000 IN TWO AND A HALF YEARS TOWARDS NURSE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, INCLUDING THE, THE FUNDS FROM THE, THE COUNTY
AND WHAT WE DO IS, UM, WE COVER OUR MODEST EXPENSES EVERY YEAR, WHICH ARE RIGHT NOW ABOUT $10,000, $10,000 OF EXPENSES WE INCUR.
AND ALL THE, THE, THE REST OF THE MONEY THAT I'M ABLE TO RAISE, AND MY TEAM GOES DIRECTLY TOWARDS THE NURSES.
THERE'S ABOUT EIGHT OF US THAT ARE WORKING ON THIS, UH, INITIATIVE.
SO WITH THAT, UM, IF YOU COULD BRING UP THE, UH, SLIDES ON THE NURSES YES, SIR.
I JUST WANT, I WANT TO INTRODUCE YOU VIA POWERPOINT TO THE RECIPIENTS.
UH, I'M NOT GONNA GO INTO ANY DETAIL, BUT AS A REMINDER, WE ARE RECRUITING NEW NURSE GRADS RECENT, UH, GRADS.
I'M SORRY IT WASN'T SHARED ON ZOOM, SO LET ME OH, OKAY.
TRY TO FIGURE IT OUT FOR A SECOND.
'CAUSE YOUR POWERPOINT AUTOMATICALLY PLAYS SO I CAN'T DRAG IT.
IT'S JUST AUTOMATICALLY POPPING UP OKAY.
I'LL, UM, I'LL JUST DESCRIBE THE, THE SLIDES THAT
BUT, UM, SO THE, THE DEFINITION IS THAT, UH, THEY, UM, FOR A NURSE TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR OUR PROGRAM, THEY HAVE TO HAVE GRADUATED IN THE PREVIOUS 12 MONTHS.
WE DESIGNED IT THAT WAY SO THAT WE COULD REACH THOSE NURSES WHILE THEY WERE STILL IN SCHOOL AND INFLUENCE THEIR DECISION ON WHERE THEY WERE GOING TO BE EMPLOYED.
AND IN 2021, WE, UH, WE STARTED WITH, UM, THREE NURSES AND, UH, WE STARTED WITH A FOCUS, IT WAS A FOUR YEAR RETENTION PROGRAM, AND IT WAS FOCUSED ON BSNS, BACHELOR OF SCIENCE, UH, GRADUATES FROM USCB.
AND IN YEAR, UM, TWO, WE ADDED, UM, EIGHT NURSES TO THE PROGRAM.
AND WE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE TCL ASSOCIATE DEGREE NURSES.
AND WE ADDED JASPER COUNTY BECAUSE OF ALL OF THE OBVIOUS, UM, FACILITIES THERE THAT BEAUFORT COUNTY RESIDENTS WOULD ALSO, OR CITIZENS WOULD, UH, AVAIL THEMSELVES TO.
IN 2023, WE ADDED, UH, 21 NURSES, AND WE EXCEEDED OUR, OUR GOAL OF 20, AND WE EXPANDED OUR REACH TO INCLUDE NINE COLLEGES.
[02:50:01]
BEYOND T-C-L-U-S-C-B, I'M REACHING OUT TO NINE COLLEGES THAT ARE A HUNDRED MILES AWAY OR MORE MUSC, GEORGIA, SOUTHERN TRIDENT.AND SO THAT'S WHAT'S BRINGING IN THE DEMAND, IF YOU WILL, FOR OUR PROGRAM, IS NURSES FROM ALL OF THESE, UH, COLLEGES THAT ARE, THAT ARE HEARING.
JUST TELL ME THE, THE 2022 NURSE RECIPIENTS AND THE 23 20 23 RECIPIENTS.
WE HAVE SINGLE MOMS, WE HAVE SINGLE DADS.
DEAN SMITH JUST HAD A SON, UM, A WHOLE VARIETY AND, AND, AND, UH, DIVERSITY OF RECIPIENTS IN, UH, 2024, WE'VE ADDED FIVE NURSES.
UH, THAT WAS A APPLICATION PROCESS THAT JUST CONCLUDED, UH, ABOUT A MONTH AGO.
AND WE ACTUALLY HAD, UM, UH, APPROVED A SIXTH ONE WHO DECIDED THAT THEY DIDN'T WANT TO WORK ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND AND COMMUTE FROM SAVANNAH.
UH, SO SHE DIDN'T EVEN SHOW UP FOR WORK.
UH, I THINK SHE MADE ONE TRIP
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE, THE, THE REASONS THAT THEY, THEY ARE, UM, AT HILTON HEAD, UH, IS, UH, HAVING A STRUGGLE IN RECRUITING NURSES.
RIGHT NOW, OUR GOAL IS TO ADD 15 IN OUR SEPTEMBER PROCESS.
AND SO OF THE 37, WE'VE ADDED 40 NURSES IN TOTAL, WE'VE LOST THREE NURSES ALONG THE WAY.
SO WE HAVE 37 THAT ARE STILL ON THE PROGRAM.
NOW, THAT IS A, A 93% RETENTION, OR A 7% TURNOVER RATE COMPARED TO THE NATIONAL AVERAGE OF 20 TO 25.
SO I THINK WE'RE DEMONSTRATING THAT WE CAN NOT ONLY ATTRACT NURSES INTO OUR AREA, BUT WE CAN KEEP 'EM.
NOW, THE 37 NURSES, 21 OF 'EM, WORK AT BEAUFORT MEMORIAL HOSPITAL.
AND, UM, THREE ARE WORKING AT, UM, PLACES LIKE SEA ISLAND PEDIATRICS, BEAUFORT PEDIATRICS ACROSS THE ROAD, AND AGAPE HOSPICE.
THE FIVE NURSES IN JASPER ARE WORKING AT COASTAL CAROLINA, UH, BEAUFORT, JASPER HAMPTON, COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES AND FRIENDS OF CAROLINA.
SO YOU CAN SEE THE, THE, THE BREADTH ACROSS THE HEALTHCARE, UH, UH, NETWORK, IF YOU WILL.
SO JUST, UM, A LITTLE BIT ON THE IMPACT.
UM, EACH NURSE IN A HOSPITAL SETTING WILL CARE FOR APPROXIMATELY 5,000 PATIENTS PER YEAR.
ONE NURSE, YOU KNOW, RUSSELL MENTIONED A PHYSICIAN SEEING 2000, A NURSE IS 5,000.
NURSES WE'VE ADDED ARE NOW SEEING 200,000 PATIENTS THAT, UM, THAT, UH, THEY WOULDN'T HAVE OTHERWISE, UH, BEEN ABLE TO CARE FOR.
STUDIES SHOW THAT INCREASING THE NURSING STAFFING LEVEL, UH, HAS A DIRECT IMPACT ON THE QUALITY OF CARE.
THERE'S FEWER MEDICATION ERRORS.
DOES THAT GIVE ME ONE MINUTE? YES.
SO, UH, UM, YOU ASKED A COUPLE QUESTIONS.
FISCAL 23 BUDGET, UH, ESSENTIALLY WE RAISED $220,000.
WE AWARDED 186,000 IN NURSE RETENTION STIPENDS, 24.
UM, WE, WE, UM, COMMITTED 158,000 TO NURSE RETENTION.
AND GOOD NEWS IS I'VE BEEN ABLE TO RAISE, UM, SOME MONEY HERE FOR THE SEPTEMBER, I GOT A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS IN THE BANK.
50,000 FROM BUFORT COUNTY WOULD ALLOW US TO ADD 15 TO 18 NURSES IN SEPTEMBER.
I DID NOT GET MONEY LAST YEAR, AND THAT'S IT.
SO LET ME ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
SO THE BULK OF THE MONEY GOES TO SCHOLARSHIP, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE TELLING US? THESE ARE STIPEND.
A STIPEND, UM, OR YOU CAN CALL IT A POST-GRADUATION SCHOLARSHIP.
[02:55:01]
AND WE PAY, SO A NURSE STARTS AT DEFORD MEMORIAL HOSPITAL ON DAY ONE.WE DON'T PAY THEM THE FIRST STIPEND UNTIL SIX MONTHS LATER AFTER THEY'VE DEMONSTRATED WHERE THEY'VE BEEN WORKING.
SO WE'RE PAYING FOR THE SERVICES RENDERED.
WE'RE PAYING IN ARREARS, IF YOU WILL.
AND SO EVERY SIX MONTHS WE GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
THEY SHOW US THEIR PAY STUB, WHERE THEY'VE BEEN WORKING, AND THEY ARE ALLOWED TO MOVE.
WE DO NOT RESTRICT THEIR MOVEMENT.
WE'VE HAD NURSES WHO HAVE STARTED AT HILTON HEAD HOSPITAL AND HAVE DECIDED THAT HOSPICE IS THEIR PASSION.
AS LONG AS THEY'RE STAYING IN BEAUFORT COUNTY, THEY CAN STAY ON OUR PROGRAM.
WE, UM, RECRUIT AND RETAIN FOR ALL HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS.
WE INCREASING THE SUPPLY WILL BENEFIT ALL HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS AND THE CITIZENS OF, OF BEAUFORT.
SO THE STIPEND'S FOR TWO YEARS, IF I READ SOMEBODY'S COMMENT HERE, IT'S, IT'S A TWO YEAR STIPEND NOW.
AND WHEN THEY LEAVE, THERE'S NO PENALTY.
THE PAYMENTS STOP PAYMENTS SIMPLY STOPPED.
AND WE PUT IT TOWARDS, AND AS I SAID, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE, WE'VE ONLY, UH, LOST, UH, THREE NURSES, UM, BECAUSE OF PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCES THAT HAVE LEFT THE BEAUFORT COUNTY AREA.
I, I DID PUT IN THERE SOME TESTIMONIALS FROM THE NURSES.
WE DON'T RESTRICT THAT EITHER.
THEY CAN USE IT FOR CHILDCARE, FOR COMMUTE, FOR HOUSING, UM, FOR FURTHER EDUCATION.
SO IT'S, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE VERY FLEXIBLE IN THAT REGARD.
YOU JUST WORK IN BEAUFORT COUNTY, STAY EMPLOYED IN PRIMARY HEALTHCARE, AND WE'LL PAY IT FOR UP TO TWO YEARS, WHICH WE FOUND TO BE THE CRITICAL PERIOD OF TIME.
IF WE CAN GET 'EM ESTABLISHED HERE, THEIR ROOTS, THEN IT'S, UM, MORE LIKELY THEY'RE GOING TO REMAIN BEYOND.
ANY QUESTIONS? UH, MR. ALLEN, JUST QUICKLY, UM, I, I WOULD LOVE, UM, BEYOND THAT, UM, THE RETENTION AFTER THE TWO YEARS TIME, JUST TO SEE WHAT THE RETENTION RATE IS, UH, BEYOND THAT.
UM, I MEAN, I JUST FOR INFORMATION.
AND, AND I AM AS CURIOUS AS YOU ARE BECAUSE WE'RE INTO THE TWO AND A HALF YEAR PERIOD NOW.
UH, THE ONE NURSE I WAS GONNA SHOW YOU, UH, FROM 2021, I CAN PULL IT UP.
LAURA LAUREN ANO, SHE IS OUR, UM, SHE'S ONE OF THE 2021 RECIPIENTS.
SHE'S COMING ON TO THREE YEARS.
SO THAT'S HOW NEW OUR PROGRAM IS.
AND, UM, LAUREN STARTED AT BUTTE MEMORIAL IN EMERGENCY, AND SHE'S THE ONE THAT HAS DECIDED TO FOLLOW HER PASSION IN HOSPICE.
AND SHE'S ALSO STUDYING NOW FOR HER MASTER'S.
THAT GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF, I WOULD'VE LOVED TO HAVE CONTINUED A FOUR YEAR RETENTION.
THE REASON WE WENT TO TWO IS BECAUSE AGAIN, THAT'S THE CRITICAL PERIOD AND WE COULD DOUBLE THE IMPACT WITH THE SAME AMOUNT OF FUNDS RAISED BY OFFERING A TWO YEAR RETENTION VERSUS FOUR.
BUT YES, I'M INTERESTED IN THAT TOO.
NO, YEAH, I CAN SEND THIS OUT TO EVERYBODY.
IT WAS, UM, IT'S JUST NOT COMING UP.
THE LAST THING WAS, UH, JUST A LAST THING I NEVER HEARD BEFORE.
ANY OTHER, UH, QUESTIONS FOR MR. ELLIOT? UH, MR. THANK YOU FOR COMING.
UH, THIS IS A TRADITION NOW THAT WE HAVE, WHEN I, I MEET WITH DIFFERENT GROUPS, UM, WE HAVE A, UH, NURSE PIN IN THE SHAPE OF A STETHOSCOPE.
AND WE WOULD ASK YOU, I WOULD ASK YOU TO GIVE IT TO THE NEXT NURSE YOU SEE.
AND THANK THEM FOR THEIR SERVICE.
UM, ONE OF THE, IN, DURING THE COVID TIME WHEN THEY WERE UNDER STRESS, A LOT OF 'EM LEFT BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T FEEL APPRECIATED.
AND SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS OUR PROGRAM IS ALSO DOING, IS IT'S DEMONSTRATING THAT THE COMMUNITY CARES AND WE WANT THEM TO
[03:00:01]
STAY.COULD BE ANY NURSE OR ONE IN THE PROGRAM? ANY NURSE.
I GOT YOU FIRST NURSE, YOU SEE.
IS IT CONTINGENT ON US GIVING YOU THE 50,000? NO, NO.
AND I WILL SAY THERE'S A YELLOW AND A RED.
YOU CAN TRADE COLORS IF YOU WISH.
AGAIN, THANK YOU MR. ELLIOT FOR COMING TODAY.
ALRIGHT, LET'S, UM, LET'S MOVE ON TO OUR AGENDA ITEMS AND, UM, WE WILL, WE ALSO HAVE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
SO LET'S, LET'S, UH, GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON TO, UM, AGAIN, WHAT I'M DOING IS MAKING UP FOR MARCH OF 11TH, WHICH WAS, UH, THE FASTEST, FINEST MEETING EVER.
SO THAT'S WHAT'S, THIS IS THE EXACT OPPOSITE.
SO AGAIN, MARATHON, UH, AUDRA, THANK YOU FOR COMING UP.
YOU'RE ALREADY WAY AHEAD OF ME, BUT, UM, YES SIR, LEMME GO AHEAD AND, UM, UH,
[9. RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO COUNCIL OF AN ORDINANCE TO ACCEPT AND TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS FROM THE SOUTH CAROLINA OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUNDS. (FISCAL IMPACT: The South Carolina Opioid County Council Agenda – Beaufort County, SC Relief Fund (SCORF) award is $582,606 for one year. No matching funds.)]
RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO COUNSEL OF AN ORDINANCE TO ACCEPT AND TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS FROM THE SOUTH CAROLINA OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUNDS.UM, AND IF YOU'D LIKE TO TELL US ABOUT THIS, PLEASE.
THIS IS ACTUALLY OUR THIRD ORDINANCE.
THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT COUNSEL APPROVED THREE YEARS AGO FOR THE OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUNDS.
AND THIS WILL BE OUR THIRD ORDINANCE, UM, TO ACCEPT APPROPRIATE THE FUNDS THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED.
UM, WE SUBMITTED OUR PLAN TO THE SCOREBOARD ON FEBRUARY 5TH, AND WE RECEIVED AN AWARD LETTER ON MARCH 21ST THAT OUR PLAN WAS APPROVED.
ANY QUESTIONS? WHICH I BELIEVE IS IN THE BACKUP, SIR.
I'LL MAKE THE MOTION TO, DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO MOVE FORWARD? IS THERE, UM, MOVE THIS TO COUNCIL.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND THAT.
ALRIGHT, ANY MORE DISCUSSION? ANY MORE QUESTIONS? I, I DO HAVE A QUESTION.
UM, I'M NOT THAT FAMILIAR WITH THE PROCESS.
SO IT HAS TO GO THROUGH AN APPLICATION PROCESS TO THE STATE EVERY YEAR WE APPLY? YES, SIR.
AND QUESTION, I, I ACTUALLY SENT AN EMAIL TO DENISE.
UM, IS THIS SOMETHING THROUGH THE OPIOID SETTLEMENTS THAT WE CAN HELP OUT WITH COASTAL EMPIRE WITH THEIR EMBEDDED CLINICIAN? OBVIOUSLY NOT DISCO ROUND, BUT IS THERE ANOTHER APPLICATION FOR NEXT YEAR? SO EVERY YEAR WE, I MEAN, I MEAN THAT CAN DEFINITELY, IT, IT PER THE, IT HAS TO MEET THE CORE STRATEGIES OF THE SCORE.
SO, UM, IF IT MEETS THOSE CORE STRATEGIES, THEN, YOU KNOW, THEN WE CAN SUBMIT A PLAN.
BUT IT HAS TO MEET THE, THE CORE STRATEGIES OF THE OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUNDS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALRIGHT, SEEING NO QUESTIONS? ANY DISCUSSION? NO DISCUSSION.
WE WILL MOVE THIS TO COUNCIL WITHOUT OBJECTION.
THIS HAS WILL BE MOVED TO COUNCIL COUNCILMAN BAROLO.
I WOULD LIKE TO ADD, IF, IF YOU DON'T HAVE A COPY OF THE CORE STRATEGIES, I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO GIVE THAT TO YOU.
SO, YEAH, I DON'T THINK, I DON'T THINK I DO.
I CAN PROVIDE THAT TO YOU, SIR.
YOU WENT IN DEPTH ON THOSE, RIGHT? YES.
UH, LET'S MOVE ON TO NUMBER 10.
[10. RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO COUNCIL TO DISBURSE ALLOCATED ARPA-GOOD NEIGHBOR FUNDS TO THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON (FISCAL IMPACT: This request is for $500,000 and constitutes their full allocation. Funds remaining in the Good Neighbor Fund after this dispbursement are: $566,000. Remaining funds are allocated to Hardeeville and Yemassee)]
I RECOMMEND APPROVING THE COUNSEL TO DISPERSE ALLOCATED ARPA GOOD NEIGHBOR FUNDS TO THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON FISCAL IMPACT.THIS REQUEST IS FOR $500,000 AND CONSTITUTES THEIR FULL ALLOCATION FUNDS REMAINING IN THE GOOD NEIGHBOR FUND.
AFTER THIS DISBURSEMENT ARE 566,000 REMAINING FUNDS ARE ALLOCATED TO HARDY AND YEE.
UH, MR. FICK, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT, UM, WE NEED TO HAVE MR. FLIC SPEAK ON THIS? WE WANNA GO AHEAD AND, UH, HAVE, ASK FOR SOMEONE TO, UH, MAKE A MOTION.
IS THERE A SECOND? ALL SECOND IS WANTS TO.
ANY QUESTIONS? MR. ICK? MR. FRALEY, I CAN GIVE YOU A TWO SECOND UPDATE.
WHY DON'T YOU DO THAT? ALL RIGHT.
SO THIS IS REAL EASY, EASY PROJECT.
SO AGAIN, THIS IS OUT OF THE ARPA FUNDS THAT WAS ALREADY APPROPRIATED UNDER THE GOOD NEIGHBOR.
SO $500,000 TO EACH OF THE MUNICIPALITIES.
THIS GOES TO THE STONY CREEK, UH, SEWER PROJECT.
THIS IS A JOINT PROJECT BETWEEN THE TOWN AND THE COUNTY AND BEAUFORT JASPER ORDER.
IT'S $7.9 MILLION OF WHICH WE GOT $5.9 MILLION GRANT FROM THE STATE.
SO BLUFFTON HAS A MILLION AND A HALF DOLLARS TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE PROJECT OF WHICH 500,000 WOULD BE COMING FROM THIS SOURCE.
THE REMAINING FUNDS THAT ARE LEFT IN THE ACCOUNT OF GOOD NEIGHBOR, THE 500, UM, AND CHANGE 66,500 IS FROM HARDY V.
UM, THEY INTEND TO USE THEIRS FOR THE SC ONE 70 LO, UH, SHORT TERM PROJECT, WHICH IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
SO THAT'LL BE EXPENDED HERE SHORTLY.
AND THE REMAINING 66,000 IS TOWN AMEE, WHICH WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM FOR THEM TO MAKE THEIR LAST SUBMITTAL WITHDRAWAL ON THAT.
SO, ALRIGHT, WE WILL PASS THIS WITHOUT OBJECTION.
IS THERE ANY OBJECTION? SO, NO OBJECTION.
UH, THIS WILL MOVE THEN TO COUNTY COUNCIL AND
[03:05:01]
UM, NUMBER 11,[11. RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO COUNCIL OF A REQUEST TO PURCHASE (1) NEW 36 PASSENGER BUS MODEL: STARCRAFT ALLSTAR XL (FISCAL IMPACT: $188,760. The funding source is Parks and Recreation Capital Fund 2662 in line item: 2662-60-0000-54200 with a balance of $442,000)]
RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO COUNCIL OF A REQUEST TO PURCHASE A NEW 36 PASSENGER BUS MODEL.UM, FISCAL IMPACT IS $180,760 OF FUNDING SOURCES, PARKS AND RECREATION CAPITAL FUND.
2 6 6 2 IN THE LINE ITEM, UH, WITH A BALANCE OF 442,000.
AND, UM, MR. BROWN, I'D LIKE TO COME FORWARD.
I THINK THIS MIGHT BE YOUR FIRST TIME TO PRESENT TO US BEFORE COUNSEL.
ERIC BROWN PARKS AND RECREATION.
SO, UM, I'VE BEEN HERE, THIS IS MY FIFTH WEEK AND WE'VE HAD TWO BUS BREAKDOWNS WITH OUR SENIORS.
AND SO, UM, AS WE ANALYZED AND AND LOOKED AT, UH, TRANSPORTATION, WE'RE ROBBING BUS B TO PAY BUS A.
SO WE'RE TAKING PARTS FROM ONE BUS TO MAKE A FULL BUS, UM, OR VAN.
AND SO, UH, ON SPEAKING WITH FLEET, THEY RECOMMENDED THAT WE ACTUALLY, UM, GO OUT AND GET ANOTHER, A VAN AND, AND I MEAN A BUS.
AND WHAT THIS 36 PASSENGER BUS WILL DO FOR US, IF IT'S APPROVED, UM, IT WOULD NOT ONLY HELP OUR SENIOR PROGRAM, BUT IT WOULD HELP OUR SUMMER CAMPS, IT WOULD HELP OUR ATHLETIC TEAMS. AND, UH, THESE BUSES WILL CUT DOWN THE COST OF TRAVEL EXPENSES.
SO BY HAVING MORE THAN ONE BUS, WE'LL BE ABLE TO, UH, MAKE LESS TRIPS.
AND SO THAT SAVE GAS, THAT SAVE MONEY, THAT SAVE TIME.
UM, SO WE'RE ASKING FOR YOUR APPROVAL TO HAVE A, UM, A SECOND 36 PASSENGER BUS, MEANING THAT WE HAVE SIX TO SEVEN SENIOR PROGRAMS. WE CAN TAKE THE BULK OF OUR SENIORS ON, UM, SHARED TRIPS AT ONE TIME INSTEAD OF HAVING TO COME BACK AND MAKE MULTIPLE TRIPS WITH JUST, UM, 14 PASSENGER, 15 PASSENGER VANS.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. BROWN? I HAVE A COMMENT.
I CAN'T BELIEVE THE OTHER ONE.
IF YOU SHOW THE OTHER PICTURE IS FROM 2004 AND IT'S STILL ALIVE, SORT OF.
THAT'S THE ROB PETER TO PAY PAUL RIGHT NOW.
YEAH, IT DEFINITELY NEEDS TO GO AWAY.
AND THE SENIORS WILL LOVE THE NEW BUS AND I'M SURE THE KIDS WILL TOO.
IS THE BUS THE NEW BUS ACCESSIBLE FOR PEOPLE WITH HANDICAP? YES.
THEY GET IN ON THE BACK OR I THINK IT HAS A DROPDOWN.
HAS THE BACK DOOR DROP DOWN? OKAY.
WAS THAT A MOTION? I NEED A MOTION.
WELL I'LL MAKE THE MOTION I SECOND IT IF I CAN DRIVE IT.
WERE THERE ANY, I THINK THIS IS BEAUTIFUL, BUT WERE THERE ANY LESS EXPENSIVE OPTIONS OUT THERE? WELL, IT WAS ON A STATE CONTRACT, SO, UM, YEAH.
THIS IS THE SECOND BUS GETTING THIS YEAR, RIGHT? YES.
IS THERE ANY MORE DISCUSSION BEFORE WE BRING UP, THAT'S THE SECOND ONE.
SO IS THERE ANY WE DID ONE ABOUT A MONTH OR SO AGO, UM, I THINK, IF I REMEMBER RIGHT.
AND THIS WILL BE THREE MONTHS? YES.
SO I HAVE, WE HAD NOT RECEIVED THAT FIRST.
WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED ANY AS OF YET.
WELL, THE SENIORS GONNA LOVE YOU.
THEY'RE GONNA REALLY BE HAPPY.
ALRIGHT, WE WILL PASS THIS WITHOUT OBJECTION.
AND, AND DOES THIS GO TO COUNSEL THEN FOR A YES, SIR.
THANK YOU MR. BROWN FOR COMING.
UH, THAT IS ALL OF OUR AGENDA ITEMS. WE DO HAVE AN EXECUTIVE
[EXECUTIVE SESSION]
SESSION AND, UH, PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE SECTION 30 DASH 4, 4 0 4 DASH 70 A TO DISCUSSIONS OF NEGOTIATION INCIDENT, PROPOSED CONTRACTUAL ARRANGEMENTS AND POTENTIAL PURCHASE OF PROPERTY PROJECT BAR BRAVO.UM, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION? A MOTION? IS THERE A SECOND? A SECOND.
ANY OBJECTION? SEEING NO OBJECTION.
WE WERE GOING TO EXECUTIVE COUNSEL AND THERE MIGHT BE MATTERS AROUSING OUT OF THIS EXECUTIVE SESSION.
UM, BUT I SEE THAT WE'VE GOT NOBODY LEFT HERE TO EVEN KNOW.
BEAUFORT COUNTY'S INCLUSIVE PLAYGROUND IS NOW OPEN IN THE PORT ROYAL COMMUNITY CENTER.
THE PLAYGROUND IS PERFECT FOR KIDS OF ALL AGES AND ALL ABILITIES.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE PLAYGROUND IN THE PORT ROYAL COMMUNITY CENTER, PLEASE HEAD TO BCS REC.COM, BEAUFORT COUNTY LIVE, WORK, PLAY, EXPLORE AND UNWIND AMIDST THE NATURAL BEAUTY AND RICH HISTORY OF BEAUFORT COUNTY, OUR PASSIVE PARKS PROVIDED FOR 13,000 ACRES OF PROTECTED LAND AND 15 NATURE-BASED PASSIVE RECREATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES.
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, NAVIGATE SCENIC HIKING TRAILS, EXPLORE HISTORIC FORTS, DISCOVER NATIVE BIRDS
[03:10:01]
AND WILDLIFE PICNIC, KAYAK, AND RECONNECT WITH NATURE IN BEAUTIFUL COASTAL SOUTH CAROLINA.FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT BEAUFORT COUNTY SC.GOV OUT OF THE EXECUTIVE SESSION.
[13. MATTERS ARISING OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION]
CHAIRMAN, I HAVE A MOTION, UH, A MOTION THAT WE, UH, RECOMMEND TO MOVE FORWARD TO COUNSEL A MOTION TO, TO APPROVE PURCHASE PROJECT.UH, THERE'S BEEN A MOTION THEN.
SO THIS IS A MOTION TO MOVE FORWARD THE PROPOSED CONTRACTUAL ARRANGEMENTS OF POTENTIAL PURCHASE OF PROPERTY PROJECT.
AND IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEE NO DISCUSSION.
IS THERE ANY OBJECTION? NO, NO, NO OBJECTION.
THIS WILL MOVE FORWARD THEN TO COUNTY COUNCIL AND WE ARE ADJOURNED.
IT IS MY SINCERE PLEASURE TO WELCOME YOU TO THE RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY FOR THE FIRST SHAKIN ROAD EMS STATION THAT WE BUILT.
UM, WE ARE HOPING TO BETTER SERVE THE COMMUNITY AND RESPONSE TIMES IN THIS AREA BY HAVING A STATION HERE.
AND WE JUST WANTED TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR COMING.
THE RESPONSE TIMES WILL BE REDUCED.
WE'RE RUNNING ABOUT 16,000 CALLS A YEAR, APPROXIMATELY 325 CALLS A WEEK.
SO ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO ADD STATIONS AND PERSONNEL IS GONNA MAKE BETTER SERVE THE COMMUNITY BY HAVING US TO WHERE WE CAN GET TO, UH, PEOPLE'S HOUSES AND CRISIS, YOU KNOW, QUICKER RESPONSE TIME.
UM, I ALSO WANNA THANK COUNTY COUNCIL FOR, UM, THEIR SUPPORT OF THIS PROJECT AND FILL FOOT BECAUSE WITHOUT THEM, WE WOULD'VE NEVER HAD THIS PROJECT COME OFF THE GROUND.
SO AGAIN, WE WANTED TO THANK EVERYONE FOR THE CEREMONY COMING OUT, AND WE KNEW IT WAS RAINING, SO WE WEREN'T SURE HOW MANY PEOPLE WOULD BE ABLE TO COME OUT.
BUT WE APPRECIATE YOUR COMING OUT IN THE WEATHER, AND WE APPRECIATE YOU COMING TO SEE OUR NEW STATION.
I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE THE PHIL FOOT, WHO'S THE, UM, THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SAFETY.
THANK YOU FOR STOPPING THE RAIN LIKE I ORDERED.
UH, THIS IS A BIG DAY FOR US IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
UH, I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY THAT HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THIS IN GETTING US TO THIS POINT.
UH, WE COULDN'T HAVE DONE THIS WITHOUT THE HELP OF EVERYBODY THAT ACTUALLY IS OUT THERE RIGHT NOW, STANDING OUT THERE, UH, THAT IS WATCHING ON LIVESTREAM ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE AND ON THE COUNTY CHANNEL, UH, THAT WASN'T ABLE TO MAKE IT HERE TODAY IN PERSON.
SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE THANK EVERYBODY THAT HAD A HAND IN PUTTING THIS STATION TOGETHER AND GETTING US TO THIS POINT RIGHT NOW.
UH, A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE SHOWN UP.
UH, THAT'S, THAT'S GREAT SUPPORT OUT HERE FOR THIS COMMUNITY.
UH, I'M THANKFUL FOR EVERYBODY THAT HAS SHOWN UP.
WE HAVE A LOT OF PARTNERS OUT THERE, UH, THAT PARTNER UP WITH US AT BEAUFORT COUNTY EMS. UH, OUR PERSONNEL, OUR EMTS AND PARAMEDICS ARE, UH, OUTSTANDING PARAMEDICS AND EMTS.
THEY SERVE THE COMMUNITY WELL, AND WE'RE SO VERY PROUD OF THEM.
AND WITHOUT OUR TEAM, AND I MEAN, OUR TEAM IS OUR PARTNERS.
THAT'S EVERYBODY THAT'S STANDING OUT HERE RIGHT NOW, AND EVERYBODY THAT'S WATCHING, UH, I LOOK OUT AND I SEE, UH, OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS FROM OUR FIRE DEPARTMENTS THAT WORK CLOSELY WITH US ON OUR MISSION, ALONG WITH OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES.
AND ONE OF THE PEOPLE I WANT TO, UH, THANK ALSO IS SOMEBODY THAT'S NOT SEEN, AND THAT'S A BIG PART OF THE TEAM.
AND, UH, THAT'S OUR DISPATCHERS.
THEY TAKE ALL THE CALLS, BUT, UH, A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T GET TO SEE THEM.
AND, UH, THEY'RE OUT THERE HELPING US EVERY DAY WITH THESE CALLS FOR SERVICE.
SO THEY'RE A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF THIS TEAM TOO.
[03:15:01]
FOR EVERYTHING THEY DO EVERY DAY.I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T, UH, POINT OUT A FEW PEOPLE OUT HERE, UH, ESPECIALLY MY SUPERVISOR.
SO, UH, MY INTERIM COUNTY ADMINISTRATORS, MY SUPERVISOR, ERIC GREENWAY, UH, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT AND OUR INTERIM DEPUTY COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, ROBERT BEHOLD, WHO, UH, WITHOUT YOUR SUPPORT, WE WOULDN'T GET THESE THINGS DONE EVERY DAY.
ALSO, WE HAVE SOME CELEBRITIES OUT HERE.
UM, ONE OF 'EM IS A FORMER DIRECTOR OF EMS, RUSTY HOLLINGSWORTH.
I'D LIKE TO THANK HIM, UH, FOR HELPING GET THIS SYSTEM TO WHERE IT'S AT AND WITHOUT ANOTHER SPECIAL PERSON.
UH, ED ALLEN, WHO WAS OUR FORMER EMS DIRECTOR, WHO WAS THE FORMER CORONER OF BEAUFORT COUNTY, UH, I DON'T THINK THE EMS SYSTEM WOULD BE WHAT IT IS TODAY IF IT WAS NOT FOR HIM.
SO IF EVERYBODY WOULD GIVE, UH, ED A BIG ROUND OF PAUSE, HE, HE GOT US TO WHERE WE'RE AT.
SO, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT.
UH, I SEE A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE.
I WISH I COULD HAVE TIME TO THANK EVERYBODY, BUT I DON'T WANT TO KEEP EVERYBODY BACK.
UH, BUT, YOU KNOW, I DO SEE REPRESENTATIVES FROM ALL THE FIRE DEPARTMENTS ARE OUT HERE, UH, THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, LAW ENFORCEMENT, UH, THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING TODAY AND, AND SUPPORTING US.
AND THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING US EVERY DAY AS WE DO OUR JOBS EVERY DAY.
IT'S, IT'S A TOUGH BUSINESS AND, UH, WE CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT THE TEAMWORK THAT WE HAVE WITH EVERYBODY IN THE COUNTY.
AND SO THIS IS REALLY A STATION FOR EVERYBODY.
AND, UM, THIS STATION IS NOT JUST A STATION.
IT'S A TESTAMENT TO BEAUFORT COUNTY COUNCIL'S COMMITMENT TO THE CITIZENS AND VISITORS OF BEAUFORT COUNTY, UH, THAT THEY WANT US TO PROVIDE THE BEST POSSIBLE SERVICE TO OUR CITIZENS.
AND WE COULDN'T DO THAT WITHOUT GETTING STATIONS LIKE THIS ONLINE AND HAVING EQUIPMENT THAT WE NEED IN ORDER TO DO THAT.
SO, I, I REALLY LIKE TO THANK COUNTY COUNCIL FOR THEIR EVERYDAY SUPPORT, UH, ALWAYS HAVING PUBLIC SAFETY DIVISION, UM, HELPFUL WHEN WE GO THROUGH OUR COUNTY COUNCIL AND, AND ASK FOR FUNDING.
UH, THEY'RE ALWAYS THERE TO SUPPORT US.
AND, AND WE THANK THEM FOR THAT.
AND BEFORE I REISH, I WANT TO TURN IT OVER TO, UM, OUR COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBER FOR DISTRICT ONE, WHICH THIS STATION IS IN.
UM, SOME OF YOU MAY KNOW, AND SOME OF YOU MAY NOT KNOW, COUNCILMAN DAWSON WAS A PARAMEDIC FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY EMS. AND SO, UM, HE DOES HAVE A SPECIAL TIE WITH US, AND, AND THAT'S ALSO VERY IMPORTANT.
AND SO WE'RE VERY THANKFUL THAT HE'S HERE, UH, TO BE PART OF THIS GRAND OPENING.
AND, AND SO WE'RE VERY THANKFUL THAT, UH, HE'S GONNA SPEAK AND I'M GONNA GET OUT OF THE WAY.
SO THANK YOU ALL AGAIN FOR COMING TODAY.
AND, UH, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO COUNCILMAN GERALD DAWSON OF DISTRICT ONE.
GOOD MORNING TO EVERYONE THIS MORNING AS THE, UH, CON COUNTY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE FOR DISTRICT ONE, UH, I WANNA THANK, UH, EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR BEING IN ATTENDANCE THIS MORNING.
UH, AS WE, UH, CELEBRATE THE GRAND OPENING OF THE SHANKLIN EMS, UH, STATION.
DUE TO THE CONTINUED GROWTH IN THE COUNTY, PLANNING FOR THIS NEW FACILITY STARTED IN 2014, UH, FOR ONE OF THE NEW STATIONS IN THE NORTHERN PART OF THE COUNTY, AND ONE IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE COUNTY.
UH, THIS FACILITY HAS BEEN, UH, COMPLETED FIRST WITH THE OTHER IN THE SOUTHERN COUNTY TO COME ON LATER IN THE FALL OF THIS YEAR.
THE STATION WAS DESIGNED BY COURT ATKINS AND CONSTRUCTED BY, UH, FRAZIER CONSTRUCTION, THE BEAUFORT COUNTY ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT PROVIDED FOR PROJECT MANAGEMENT.
SO WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK, UH, ANDREA, UH, ATHEN AND WES CAMPBELL AND, UH, BRITTANY FIELDS.
LET'S GIVE THEM A HAND, IF YOU WILL.
THIS STATION WILL BE MANNED 24 HOURS, UM, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, 365 DAYS A YEAR.
UH, IT WILL HOUSE ONE AMBULANCE, UH, WITH TWO CREW MEMBERS.
AND A QUICK RESPONSE, UH, VEHICLE, UH, BETTER KNOWN AS, UH, QRV, AND THERE WILL BE
[03:20:01]
ONE CREW MEMBER TO THAT.UH, UH, QRV, THE FACILITY AND THE CREWS WILL BE A GREAT ADDITION FOR RESPONDING TO MEDICAL EMERGENCIES FOR ALL CITIZENS AND VISITORS OF BEAUFORT, UH, COUNTY.
THIS STATION WILL PROVIDE SERVICE TO MEDICAL 9 1 9 1 1 CALLS FROM HIGHWAY 21, UH, TO THE INTERSECTION OF HIGHWAY 17, UH, ONE 70 TO JOE FRAZIER, UH, ALL THE WAY OUT TO LARO BAY.
AND FROM HIGHWAY 21 TO BRUCE K SMALLS DRIVE.
ON BEHALF OF BEAUFORD COUNTY COUNCIL, MYSELF INCLUDED, WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK EACH AND EVERY, UH, STAFF MEMBER OF EMS AND EVERY EMS PERSONNEL FOR EVERYTHING THEY DO TO SAVE LIVES EVERY DAY, AND PROVIDE THE BEST MEDICAL SERVICE TO ALL THE CITIZENS AND VISITORS OF BEAUFORT COUNTY.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK, UH, OUR DIRECTOR OF EMS, UM, MS. DONNA ORBE FOR HER LEADERSHIP.
LET'S GIVE THEM ALL A HAND IF YOU'LL THANK YOU.
ON A HISTORICAL NOTE, UM, THIS FACILITY HAS BEEN BUILT NEAR THE GROUNDS OF, UH, WHAT IS KNOWN AS THE PORT ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SCHOOL, LATER RENAMED AS THE BEAUFORT COUNTY TRAINING SCHOOL, BUT CURRENTLY KNOWN AS THE OLD SHANKLIN SCHOOL.
THIS AREA REPRESENTS THE RICH HISTORY OF BEAUFORD COUNTY AND ITS RESIDENCE, THE HISTORICAL MARKER, WHICH IS OUT FRONT OVER HERE, UM, UH, HISTORICAL MARKER NUMBER 50, UH, DEDICATING THIS AREA AS A SIGNIFICANT HISTORICAL MARKER.
UM, AS I SAID, IT'S LOCATED OUT FRONT FOR ALL THE CITIZENS AND VISITORS TO READ OF THE HISTORY AND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE OLD SHANKLIN SCHOOL.
THAT WAS, UH, ON THE SITE NEAR HERE.
BEAUFORT COUNTY EMS BEGAN IN 1974.
IT WAS HOUSED AT BEAUFORD MEMORIAL HOSPITAL SERVING THE RESIDENTS AND VISITORS OF BEAUFORT COUNTY.
AS THE POPULATION GREW, SO DID EMS, ADDING MORE EMPLOYEES AND AMBULANCES STRATEGICALLY PLACED THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, HOUSED WITHIN LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT.
HOWEVER, THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS, UH, DAY IS THAT WE ARE HERE CELEBRATING THE GRAND OPENING OF THIS NEW FACILITY, WHICH IS THE FIRST STANDALONE EMS STATION IN THE COUNTY THAT HAVEN'T BEEN SAID.
LET US PREPARE NOW FOR THE RIBBON CUTTING AND OFFICIALLY OPEN THIS NEW S UH, NEW EMS STATION.
BUT BEFORE WE DO THAT, LET ME SAY A PRAYER BLESSING, THE FACILITY AND THE, UH, EMPLOYEES THAT WILL HOUSE THIS.
FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR LOVE AND KINDNESS.
WE THANK YOU YOUR GOD, FOR YOUR SAVING GRACE THROUGH YOUR BELOVED SON, JESUS THE CHRIST.
WE THANK YOU FOR AWAKENING US THIS MORNING AND ALLOWING US TO ASSEMBLE HERE THIS MORNING TO CELEBRATE THE GRAND OPENING OF THIS SHANKLIN EMS STATION.
WE ASK YOUR BLESSINGS NOW AND UPON THIS STATION AND ALL THE EMPLOYEES THAT WILL BE HOUSED IN HERE, THAT YOU, OH, FATHER GOD WILL PROVIDE SAFETY AND, UH, FELLOWSHIP AND COMMUNION AMONGST THE EMPLOYEES THAT THEY, OH, FATHER GOD WILL BE STRENGTHENED AND ENCOURAGED TO GO FORTH AND DO THE WORK THAT THEY HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TO DO.
I'M A PARAMEDIC WITH BEAUFORT COUNTY EMS, AND WE ARE AT THE NEW SHANKLIN STATION, SHANKLIN, EMS STATION.
IT'S THE FIRST STATION THAT'S A STANDALONE STATION BRAND NEW FOR EMS, FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY.
COME ON IN, WE'LL SHOW YOU AROUND.
SO OUR FUTURE GOAL POST COVID IS FOR THE PUBLIC TO BE ABLE TO COME IN AND HAVE WHAT WE CALL BLOOD PRESSURE CHECKS AND SIMPLE MEDICAL CHECKS.
AND THIS IS WHAT THIS ROOM, ROOM WILL BE DEDICATED TO IN THE FUTURE.
THE REST OF THE STATION WILL BE CLOSED OFF FROM THE PUBLIC BY THIS DOOR TO ALLOW US PRIVACY AND ALLOW US TO CONDUCT OUR, OUR BUSINESS THAT WE NEED TO AS FAR AS FINISHING REPORTS AND GETTING READY FOR, FOR TRAINING AND THAT SORT OF THING FOR OUR NEXT CALL.
SO COME TAKE A LOOK AT OUR LIVING SPACES.
SO THE GREAT THING ABOUT THIS STATION IS EVERYTHING IS INDIVIDUALIZED AND THE INDIVIDUAL BUNK ROOMS, THE OLD STATIONS USED TO BE A COMBINED BUNK ROOM WHERE EVERYBODY SLEPT TOGETHER.
SO THE INDIVIDUAL BUNK ROOMS WILL GIVE US TIME TO DECOMPRESS FROM CALLS IF WE HAPPEN TO HAVE A VERY BAD CALL.
[03:25:01]
GIVES US SOME PRIVACY WITH COVID RESTRICTIONS AS WELL.RIGHT NOW WE HAVE OUR SPACING HERE TO SEPARATE FROM OUR, UM, FELLOW EMPLOYEES AT NIGHTTIME TO SLEEP GOING GREEN.
WE HAVE A BOTTLE THAT REFILLS AT THE WATER STATION HERE I WAS AT VET'S NEAT.
SO WE'RE ALWAYS ABOUT RECYCLING IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
AND THEN THIS IS OUR COMMON AREA HERE WHERE WE SIT DOWN, WE HAVE OUR TV, UM, FOR STAYING UP TO DATE ON THE NEWS AND TRAINING VIDEOS THAT WE CAN DO.
AND THEN WE HAVE A COMMON KITCHEN AREA IN HERE.
UH, PART OF FIRE STATION EMS LIFE IS THAT WE SIT DOWN AND WE HAVE MEALS TOGETHER, WE COOK TOGETHER.
AND SO THIS SPACE ALLOWS US TO DO THIS.
HERE'S WHAT'S HAPPENING IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
HELENA BRANCH OF THE BEAUFORT COUNTY LIBRARY SYSTEM TO UNVEIL, UH, OR AS YOU WOULD HAVE IT, DEDICATE, UH, A, UH, A A A BEAUTIFUL STATUE, UH, ENTITLED ON THE WAY TO MARKET.
UH, AND THE ARTIST IS ALEX KOVICH, WHO IS A WORLD RENOWNED SCULPTOR.
UH, AND IT'S OUR HONOR TO HAVE HIM HERE TODAY TO PRESENT THE STATUE AND TO PROVIDE A PRESENTATION, UH, ON HOW THE STATUE CAME TO BE.
UH, AND THEN OF COURSE, THE FRIENDS OF THE, UH, UH, BEAUFORT COUNTY LIBRARY, UH, HAVE PURCHASED THE STATUE, UH, SO THAT IT CAN PERMANENTLY RESIDE IN THE ST.
IT'S PERFECT FOR THE LOCATION, FOR THE GULLAH GEECHEE COMMUNITY.
UH, AND WE THINK, UH, EVERYONE WILL LOVE IT.
IT'S BEEN ON LOAN TO US FROM ALEX, UH, FOR THE PAST, UH, YEAR HERE AT THE BRANCH.
UH, AND THE PUBLIC HAS JUST FALLEN IN LOVE WITH IT.
UH, AND WE'VE HAD SO MUCH SUPPORT TO BRING IT HERE, UH, UH, FOR OUR PERMANENT HOME.
THIS IS A SCULPTURE, IT'S CALLED ON THE WAY TO THE MARKET.
AND, UH, VERY EARLY IN SOUTH CAROLINA, I LIVE HERE 20 YEARS.
I DISCOVERED THAT ONE OF THE FIRST ENTREPRENEURS IN THE AREA WERE ACTUALLY PEOPLE THAT TRIED TO SELL, UH, UH, LOCAL VEGETABLES AND VEG FRUITS ON THE MARKET.
AND THIS IS, SO I TRIED TO PUT A LADY GOING TO THE MARKET.
SO I TOOK, UH, LOCAL FRUITS AND VEGETABLES AND PUT ON THE TOP OF HER.
IT TOOK ME A COUPLE OF YEARS TO FIND A PROPER MODEL FOR IT.
AND THE MODEL IS A NURSE, UH, MEDICAL NURSE FROM FLORENCE.
HER NAME IS, UH, UH, I, I THINK FIRST OF ALL, IT, IT IS ETHNICALLY CORRECT FOR THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THIS AREA.
SHE WAS, SHE'S, UH, FOR, FOR HERSELF, UH, LIVES IN THIS AREA FOR COUPLE OF HUNDREDS OF YEARS WITH HER FAMILY.
WELL, IT'S IMPORTANT, UH, TO THE COMMUNITY HERE.
UH, IT'S VERY REPRESENTATIVE OF THE LOW COUNTRY LIFE, UH, THE LOW COUNTRY HISTORY.
UH, AND IT'S A PERFECT FIT FOR THIS BEAUTIFUL LIBRARY.
LISTEN, I THINK THAT FIRST OF ALL, BY LIVING HERE AND UNDERSTANDING THE PEOPLE HERE, I THINK THAT THEY REALLY DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH REPRESENTATION IN SCULPTURE WORK THROUGH THIS IN SOUTH CAROLINA TO FIND A SCULPTURE OF LOCAL PEOPLE THAT LIVED HERE FOR MANY, MANY CENTURIES OR TENS OF YEARS.
SO I'M VERY PROUD, I WOULD SAY THAT BE LIVING HERE 20 YEARS, THE COMMUNITY WAS, WAS SO KIND TO ME, AND I AM SO PROUD AND HAPPY TO GIVE BACK WHATEVER I JUST CAN.
UH, I JUST WANNA THANK EVERYONE FROM THE COMMUNITY FOR COMING OUT TO SUPPORT THE DEDICATION OF THIS STATUE.
UH, AND SO, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE VERY HAPPY TO HAVE THE STATUE AND HAVE IT, UH, UH, ITS PERMANENT PLACE, UH, OF RESIDENCE AS THE ST.
AND THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.