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PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY.ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? UNANIMOUS AS WELL.
[4. Appearance by Citizens]
VERY GOOD.DO WE HAVE ANY APPEARANCE BY CITIZENS? NO, SIR.
[5. Staff Report]
AT THIS TIME WE'RE GONNA HAVE, UH, A FEW STAFF REPORTS.THE FIRST ONE, THE INTRODUCTION OF OUR PRINCIPAL PLANNER FOR HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS.
MONICA GAVIN, PRINCIPAL PLANNER.
UM, MY NAME IS VERONICA GAVIN.
I AM YOUR NEW PRINCIPAL PLANNER FOR HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS.
UM, I BRING WITH ME A DEEP PASSION FOR PRESERVING OUR COMMUNITY'S RICH CULTURE AND HERITAGE.
UM, IN THIS POSITION, I LOOK FORWARD TO JUST PRETTY MUCH COLLABORATING WITH RESIDENTS, STAKEHOLDERS AND ANY OTHER LOCAL AUTHORITIES AND ORGANIZATIONS TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE PRESERVING OUR COMMUNITY'S RICH HERITAGE AND CULTURE.
UM, I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ALL, UM, JUST TO NAVIGATE THE CHALLENGES AS WELL AS THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT LIE AHEAD.
UM, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SERVE IN THIS CAPACITY, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING TO KNOW YOU ALL BETTER IN THE NEXT WEEKS AND MONTHS TO COME.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MS. GAVIN? WELCOME.
GLAD TO HAVE YOU HERE, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU.
LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU.
I'VE WORKED WITH VERONICA IN THE PAST ON A FEW THINGS THAT WE, UH, WE KNOW ABOUT.
SO IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU IN THIS POSITION.
WE'LL, WE'LL DO WHATEVER WE NEED TO, TO DO TO SUPPORT YOU FROM THIS POSITION AND WORK WITH YOU TO ACCOMPLISH THE GOALS THAT YOU SET FORTH.
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GOOD.AND, UH, AS I'LL ECHO THE COMMENTS ALREADY MADE, UH, LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU AND OFFER OUR SUPPORT.
AND, UM, I KNOW THE LAST TIME I TALKED ABOUT, UH, HAVING YOU COME TO FIRST MEETING, I SUGGESTED CUPCAKES AND ICE CREAM, BUT I GUESS THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN TODAY.
BUT IT IS, UH, A CELEBRATION OF SORTS.
AND AGAIN, UH, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU, AND CERTAINLY IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR ANYTHING, AND AS YOU FIND YOUR WAY AROUND, UH, THE COMMUNITY, UH, IF YOU WOULD GIVE US MAYBE JUST A LITTLE SHORT BIO OF YOUR BACKGROUND, YOUR CONNECTION TO THE AREA.
SO I AM A LOCAL OF HILTON HEAD.
I GREW UP HERE, UM, AND SPECIFICALLY GREW UP OFF OF SQUIRE POPE ROAD.
UM, I, AS I SAID, I'M A LOCAL, SO GRADUATED FROM HERE.
AND I, UM, ATTAINED MY BACHELOR'S IN PUBLIC HEALTH FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA BEAUFORT.
UM, PRIOR TO COMING HERE, I SERVED AS THE DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT FOR A LOCAL NONPROFIT HOSPICE CARE OF THE LOW COUNTRY.
NEXT ON OUR AGENDA, AGENDA, WE HAVE GENERAL STAFF UPDATES AT LMO DISTRICTS, AARON RUCKER, COMMUNITY PLANNING MANAGER.
SO THERE ARE, UH, TWO BIG INITIATIVES THAT ARE MOVING, UH, TOWARDS THE PUBLIC PLANNING COMMITTEE MEETING THIS THURSDAY, 10:00 AM ONE OF THOSE IS THE LAND MANAGEMENT ORDINANCE.
SO THERE ARE SHORT TERM SOLUTIONS NEEDS, AS WELL AS FURTHER ANALYSIS AND RESEARCH TO BE ADDRESSED IN A FULL LMO UPDATE THAT'S GOING TO BE PRESENTED THIS THURSDAY, UH, FOR INPUT AND, AND DIRECTION.
THE TOWN'S CONSULTANT WILL ALSO BE THERE.
UH, THE SECOND ARE DISTRICTS, AND AGAIN, THAT'S ALSO GOING TO BE PRESENTED THIS THURSDAY AT THE PUBLIC PLANNING COMMITTEE MEETING, 10:00 AM IT'S GOING TO BE A DISCUSSION ON SKULL CREEK WHERE STAFF IS SEEKING IN INPUT ON THE APPROACH, ORGANIZATION APPROACH, ORGANIZATIONAL TEMPLATE, EXCUSE ME, THAT'S BEING UTILIZED TO DEVELOP ALL EIGHT DISTRICTS GOING FORWARD.
SO SKULL CREEK WOULD BE THE FIRST TO PRESENT AND, AND RECEIVE THAT FEEDBACK.
THAT'S MY, MY BRIEF UPDATE FOR YOU.
SORRY, WHEN IS THAT? THAT'S THIS THURSDAY.
PUBLIC PLANNING, THOSE TWO, THOSE TWO, UH, TOPICS WILL, WILL BE QUESTIONS.
LOOKING FORWARD TO THE, THE INPUT THAT WE RECEIVE.
UM, BEFORE I GET TO THE NEXT ITEM OF AGENDA, I WANT TO CERTAINLY THANK THE STAFF FOR THEIR HARD WORK AND ALSO RECOGNIZE THE PRESENCE OF OUR TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS, MS. BECKER AND MR. BROWN.
THANK YOU FOR TAKING TIME OUT OF YOUR BUSY SCHEDULES TO BE WITH US AS WELL.
UM, NEXT ITEM WE HAVE IS THE HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS PERMITTING AND DESIGN STUDIO REPORT.
UM, ALEXIS COOK, PRINCIPAL PLANNER FOR THE RECORD, I'M GONNA PULL UP
WE MAKE THESE REPORTS A COUPLE WEEKS BEFORE OUR MEETING, YOU KNOW, SO THEY'RE, THERE'S A SMALL LAG TIME IN THE ACTUAL NUMBERS.
I'M REALLY EXCITED FOR NEXT MONTH'S MEETING BECAUSE I HAD QUITE A FEW, I'D SAY OVER A HANDFUL OF NEW CASES COME IN, WHICH IS WONDERFUL WITH, UH, MISS VERONICA JOINING THE TEAM.
BUT, UM, FROM OUR PREVIOUS MEETING, WE HAVE COMPLETED OR CLOSED TO DESIGN STUDIOS, UM, AND WE, UM, HAD ONE NEW CASE, 38
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CASES COMPLETED SO FAR, UH, 29 ACTIVE PROJECTS, 17 TECHNICALLY ON HOLD, BUT I WILL SAY TWO OF THE FOUR THAT ARE WAITING ON TOWN CIP ARE, ARE CURRENTLY IN PROGRESS AGAIN NOW.UM, THEY'VE RESTARTED WORKING WITH THE APPLICANTS ON THAT.
UM, 12 ARE IN PROGRESS, ACTIVE UNDER REVIEW NEXT MONTH.
THERE WILL BE QUITE A LOT, QUITE A FEW MORE THAN 12.
UM, AND THEN, UM, AND TWO DUPLICATE FROM 2022.
UM, FROM THERE, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE, UM, HAD A FEW COMMUNITY ADVISORS WHO HAVE HELPED WITH A FEW DESIGN STUDIOS, SO I DO APPRECIATE GETTING THE WORD OUT AND PEOPLE HELPING OTHERS QUESTIONS.
CAN YOU JUST GIVE US A SUBJECTIVE OVERVIEW OF HOW ARE, HOW ARE OUR CONSTITUENTS RECEIVING THIS? ARE THEY HAPPY? IS EVERYTHING GOING WELL? CHALLENGES OR, SO, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
UM, MOST APPLICATIONS ARE EITHER A DIVISION OF PROPERTIES, SO DIVIDING LAND INTO EQUAL PARCELS FOR FAMILY MEMBERS.
UM, AND SOME OF THOSE ARE REALLY STRAIGHTFORWARD.
SOME OF THOSE HAVE ACCESS ISSUES.
UM, SOME, I'M TRYING TO GIVE YOU A FEW GOOD EXAMPLES.
IN THE NEXT MONTH'S UPDATE, WE HAVE A FEW THAT ARE COMMERCIAL THAT ARE LOOKING AT, UM, MULTIFAMILY TYPE OF PROPERTIES.
UM, TRYING TO THINK OF LIKE MAJOR ISSUES.
SOMETIMES SOME PEOPLE WANT TO PUT LARGER HOMES ON THE LAND THAN WHAT CAN ACTUALLY FIT.
AND SO WE WILL WORK WITH THEM BEFORE HOMES ARE PURCHASED.
I WILL SAY THAT CAN BE TRICKY JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT THE DIMENSIONS OF THE HOME, ALONG WITH PARKING SPACES, ACCESS, HVAC, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS CONCEPTUALLY FIT WELL ON THE PARCEL.
UM, BUT I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY ISSUES.
WE, WE HAVE A NICE PROCESS WHERE FIRST WE RECEIVE A DESIGN STUDIO OR WE HEAR OF ONE FROM A COWORKER AND WE GIVE SOMEONE A CALL, OR THEY GIVE US A CALL, OR THEY SEND US AN EMAIL.
UM, AND THEN WE HAVE AN INTRODUCTORY PHONE CALL.
AND THEN AFTER THE INTRODUCTORY PHONE CALL, WE, WE END THAT PHONE CALL BY ASKING THEM IF THEY CAN HAVE A FACT FINDING MEETING.
AND THAT MEETING IS WHERE WE REALLY GET IN THE DETAILS.
WE PULL UP THE PROPERTY, WE TAKE A LOOK AT IT WITH THEM, WE ASK ALL THE QUESTIONS OF WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR, UH, WHAT QUESTIONS DO YOU HAVE? LIKE, THERE'S NO LIMIT HERE, LET'S GET IT ALL ON PAPER, LET'S TALK ABOUT IT.
AND THEN AFTER THAT MEETING, WE SCHEDULE THE CONCEPT REVIEW.
AND IN BETWEEN THE FACT FINDING AND THE CONCEPT REVIEW, WE DO, UM, AN INTERNAL STAFF REVIEW.
AND WE LET THE APPLICANT KNOW THAT STAFF IS GONNA LOOK AT THIS DEPENDING ON WHERE THEY WANNA GO.
WE TRY TO MINIMIZE AS MANY COMMENTS FROM A DEVELOPMENT STANDPOINT AS POSSIBLE.
UM, BUT I THINK JUST THE FACT THAT THIS PROCESS IS NOT A TRUE DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION, LIKE YOU'RE NOT TIED DOWN TO IT, UM, IT'S NOT LEGALLY BINDING UNTIL YOU WANNA MOVE FORWARD WITH A TRUE APPLICATION.
I THINK THAT ACTUALLY, UM, ALLEVIATES A LOT OF STRESS AND CONCERNS THAT PEOPLE JUST GET TO LOOK AT WHAT THEIR OPTIONS ARE, WHICH IS REALLY NICE.
I JUST WANNA COMMENT THAT, UM, THE QUESTION AS HOW THEY FOUND OUT, UM, SOMEONE CONTACT ME JUST COMING TO THE MEETING, AND SO THE WORRIES OUT THERE AND PEOPLE ARE ENGAGED IN CALLING TO FIND OUT AND, UH, GETTING A RESPONSE BACK FROM THE TOWN.
I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT.
AND WE HAVE A VERY GOOD TEAM ON BOARD.
SO MS. VERONICA BACK THERE HAS BEEN WONDERFUL AND I'M REALLY EXCITED.
WE'VE, MYSELF, HER, AND ANOTHER PLANNER ON THE TEAM, I'M CALLING US LIKE THE POWER TRIO, AND WE'RE GONNA TRY TO BE A REALLY GOOD REFERENCE AND SOURCE TO HELP PEOPLE.
I, I HAVE A, A COMMENT I GUESS IN SORT OF A QUESTION, BUT IT MAY NOT, UH, HAVE AN ANSWER TODAY, BUT IN LIGHT OF THE EFFORT GOING ON WITH OUR LMO REWRITE AND CERTAINLY WITH THE DISTRICT PLANNING, UM, THAT WILL AFFECT WHAT
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SOME PEOPLE CAN DO WITH THEIR PROPERTIES, CORRECT? YES.SO GREAT QUESTION, AND I MAY, IF I MISINTERPRET OR MISSAY ANYTHING, I MAY HAVE THE TEAM, YOU KNOW, SPEAK FOR ME.
BUT, UM, THE LMO REWRITE IS IN PROCESS AND, UM, OUR, MY ROLE APART WITH VERONICA'S ROLE AS WELL IS TO REVISIT FAMILY COMPOUND AND FAMILY SUB, WHAT WE SPOKE ABOUT A COUPLE MONTHS AGO, KIND OF NEAR THE END OF 2023.
AND SO WE STILL HAVE THE LIST OF PRIORITIES FROM THAT REVIEW WITH THE TASK FORCE, AND WE HAVE THAT KIND OF READY TO GO WHEN FAMILY COMPOUND FAMILY SUB COMES UP.
BUT WE DON'T, WE'RE NOT IN PROCESS ON THAT JUST YET.
AND WE, WE DO HAVE THE CONSULTANTS THAT WE'VE ENGAGED, RIGHT.
SO CODE STUDIO IS OUR CONSULTANT.
UM, THEY'LL BE COMING IN ACTUALLY FOR THE MAY 9TH, UM, PUBLIC PLANNING COMMITTEE, IF YOU WANNA SEE THEM ON YOU TWO OR PERSON, THEY'RE, THEY'LL BE HERE, WHICH WILL BE REALLY NICE POSSIBLE TO HAVE THEM AS PART OF OUR TASK FORCE MEETING IN MAY.
IT MIGHT BE A VIRTUAL OPTION IF WE CAN HAVE A VIRTUAL ATTENDEE AT LEAST AT FIRST, AND THEN WE CAN SEE WHERE IT GOES IN THE FUTURE.
BUT I CAN TAKE THAT QUESTION FOR SURE BACK NEXT MONTH WITH AN ANSWER.
AND, AND EVEN IF THEY, UH, CAN'T MAKE IT TO THAT MEETING, I'M ENCOURAGING US TO GO TO THE MEETINGS WHEN THEY ARE AVAILABLE SO THAT WE ARE WELL, UM, WE CERTAINLY WILL HAVE THE CODE CONSULTANT, UM, HAVE A LOT OF INTERACTION WITH THE GULLAH GEECHEE TASK FORCE AS A SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
ALL OF THE CODE THAT INTERSECTS WITH OUR HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD WE WILL BE UTILIZING WHEN WE GET TO THAT POINT IN, IN THE OVERHAUL.
OF COURSE, FAMILY COMPOUND AND FAMILY SUBDIVISION HAS A DIRECT INTERSECTION WITH HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS, BUT THERE'S OTHER CODE THAT ALSO WILL, AND WE ABSOLUTELY INTEND TO UTILIZE THE TASK FORCE TO HELP US REVIEW THAT.
ALSO WITHIN THE, THE CONSULTANT AGREEMENT, IT INCLUDES SOMETHING CALLED CODE TESTING.
AND SO WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT WITH ALL OF THE CODE THAT'S DRAFTED, WE WILL, UM, APPLY IT.
AND SO WE WILL WORK WITH ALL TYPES OF DEVELOPMENT AND HOW WE CODE TEST.
UM, AND SO THAT IS BUILT IN AS PART OF THE PROCESS.
SO AGAIN, LIKE CONCEPT PLANNING, LIKE WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT THROUGH DESIGN STUDIO, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE HAVE CODE THAT IS DRAFTED AND WELL ENOUGH ALONG, WE CAN TEST SCENARIO PLANNING.
JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY IS AWARE OF, OF THAT AND, UH, ARE AWARE OF THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING.
AND THAT THERE ARE IS SOME HELP AVAILABLE RESOURCES THAT ARE OUT THERE.
AND, UM, THE CODE CONSULTANT WILL BE HERE ON THURSDAY, AND WE'RE, UM, WE HAVE A MEETING WITH THE PUBLIC PLANNING COMMITTEE WHERE WE'RE REALLY TALKING ABOUT, UM, SOME OF THE DIRECTION FOR THAT PRIORITY SET.
AND AFTER THE PRIORITY SET IS, IS MOVED, UM, OUT OF OUR, IN OUR REAR VIEW MIRROR A LITTLE BIT, SO TO SPEAK, UM, THEN WE'LL START WORKING ON THOSE MODULES FOR THE FULL CODE OVERHAUL.
AND, UM, THAT'S WHERE LIKELY MORE OF THAT INTERACTION WITH THE TASK FORCE WILL OCCUR.
AND, UH, NEXT WE HAVE OUR HOME SAFETY AND REPAIR PROGRAM UPDATE FROM
SINCE OUR LAST UPDATE, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON VARIOUS PROGRAM UPDATES, UM, SUCH AS APPOINTING PROGRAM LEADS, COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES, CONTRACTOR RESOURCES AND FUNDING EFFORTS.
UM, AS YOU MAY KNOW, CHRIS YATES BUILDING, UM, THE OLD BUILDING OFFICIAL WAS PREVIOUSLY OVERSEEING THE PROGRAM AND IS NO LONGER IN THIS ROLE.
AND WE HAVE BROKEN DOWN THIS ROLE INTO TWO PROGRAM LEADS, UM, WHICH ARE LED BY LYDIA LEWIS, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION MANAGER, UM, AS THE PROGRAM MANAGER, AND VERONICA GAVIN, PRINCIPAL PLANNER, UM, FOR HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS AS THE CITIZEN LIAISON.
UM, AND MOVING FORWARD, VERONICA WILL BE GIVING THESE UPDATES, SO WE'LL NO LONGER BE.
UM, WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING ON COMMUNICATIONS TO UPDATE ALL
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APPLICANTS OF THE VARIOUS PROGRAM CHANGES AND UPDATES ON WHERE THEY ARE CURRENTLY IN THE PROGRAM.UM, WE ARE ALSO WORKING ON VARIOUS RESOURCES TO HELP WITH CONTRACTOR QUOTING AND JUST ENSURING THAT, UM, IT'S A SMOOTHER PROCESS FOR ALL PARTIES INVOLVED.
AND THEN AT THE LAST MEETING, A MOTION WAS MADE TO RECOMMEND THAT TOWN COUNCIL APPROVE ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THE PROGRAM, SO THAT WE'LL BE UP FOR SECOND READING AT TOMORROW'S TOWN COUNCIL MEETING.
AND STAFF IS ALSO CURRENTLY WORKING ON RESEARCHING ADDITIONAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES AS WELL.
UM, AS YOU SEE IN FRONT OF YOU, UM, THESE ARE THE NUMBERS FOR THE MONTH.
SO WE HAVE RECEIVED ABOUT 20 MORE APPLICATIONS, UM, SINCE LAST MONTH.
AND THEN YOU CAN SEE IN THE, IN THE MAP, WE WILL BE ALSO UPDATING THE MAP MONTHLY JUST TO KIND OF SHOW AS WELL MY, UM, UPDATES FOR THE HOME SAFETY AND REPAIR PROGRAM.
QUESTIONS FOR, FOR
MR. HANS, UM, A COUPLE THINGS.
ONE, AGAIN, RIGHT AFTER SUMMARY, IF YOU COULD, UM, INDICATE FUTURE REPORTS, THE START DATE, SO THAT WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION, AND THEN I KNOW THAT, THAT WE WORK IN TANDEM WITH DEEP WELLS ON HOME SAFETY AND REPAIR PROGRAM.
DO, DO WE, CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT RELATIONSHIP? UH, CURRENTLY WORK TANDEM WITH, UM, WITH DEEP BALL IS GONNA BE THE SEWER CONNECTION PROGRAM.
THAT'S WHO WE, YOU DON'T WORK AT ALL IN TANDEM WITH THE HOME REPAIR.
SO THEY HAVE THEIR PROGRAM AND WE HAVE, YEAH.
YOU SAID CHRIS J IS NO LONGER WITH THE PROGRAM? YES, SIR.
SO, AND NOW I KNOW HE AND I GET QUITE A FEW, UH, CALLS IN REFERENCE TO THIS PROGRAM.
UH, AND THE, UH, SELECTION PROCESS OR THE BILLING PROCESS WAS HANDLED BY THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT, WHICH CHRIS VOTED YES.
SO THAT WAS BEING HANDLED BY CHRIS.
UM, WE ARE STILL WORKING INTERNALLY ON, UM, THAT PROCESS AND HOW THAT PROCESS WILL MOVE FORWARD.
UM, RIGHT NOW WE ARE WORKING WITH, AGAIN, VERONICA AND LYDIA AS PROGRAM LEADS TO, UM, WORK ON ALL OF THE, UM, SOPS, WHICH INCLUDE THE BIDDING PROCESS.
UM, AGAIN, WE ARE WORKING ON RESOURCES SUCH AS A, UM, CONTRACTOR TEMPLATE FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE BETTER BIDS FOR US AND FOR US TO BE ABLE TO AWARD, UM, CONTRACTORS MORE EFFICIENTLY, MORE BASED ON THE, THE TEMPLATE.
IT'S GONNA BE EASIER FOR US TO, UM, AWARD CONTRACTS.
OH, THE AWARDS ARE GONNA BE COMING FROM YOUR OFFICE NOW INSTEAD OF THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT? UM, THE BUILDING WILL HAVE SOMEBODY, SO RIGHT NOW, AS IN THE INTERIM BUILDING OFFICIAL TONY PIERCE, HE'LL BE IN THE TEAM, BUT IT IS GONNA BE HANDLED THROUGH, UM, VERONICA, TONY, AND I'M NOT SURE IF MISSY HAS ANYTHING ELSE TO SAY, BUT, SO, UM, THANKS PALMER FOR THE QUESTIONS.
UM, THE BUILDING DIVISION STILL IS INVOLVED IN THE BIDDING PROCESS.
UM, WHAT, UH, NICK TE WAS EXPLAINING WAS THAT WE'VE DEVELOPED A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A TEAM APPROACH FOR WHEN, HOW THE APPLICATION GOES THROUGH ITS LIFE CYCLE, CERTAINLY WHEN IT BECOMES A PROJECT THAT GOES OUT FOR ESTIMATING THE BUILDING
SO, UM, SO THE BUILDING DIVISION PLAYS A LEAD IN, UM, THE CONTRACTOR BIDDING ESTIMATES AND AWARDING, UM, THE ADMINISTRATION TEAM HANDLES LIKE THE INTAKE AND SOME OF THE COMMUNICATIONS ASPECT.
AND THEN VERONICA WILL PLAY A LEAD IN JUST MANAGING QUALITY CONTROL, QUALITY ASSURANCE OF, OF THE ENTIRE PROGRAM.
UM, AND WE'LL HANDLE AND FIELD SOME OF THE MAIN PHONE CALLS THAT COME IN AND OUT WITH THE PROGRAM.
UM, BUT WITH, UH, CHRIS'S DEPARTURE, IT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT STREAMLINING THE PROCESS OVERALL.
AND, UM, WE HAD TO MAKE SOME CHANGES TO THE PROGRAM AND ITS OPERATION.
AND AS WE PREPARE FOR, UM, THE POSSIBILITY OF ADDITIONAL FUNDING, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE READY FOR THAT MOST IMPORTANT STEP, WHICH IS THE CONTRACTING STEP THAT, UM, ALL OF THOSE APPLICATIONS THAT ARE APPROVED ARE AWAITING.
AND SO, UM, AS MS. BARIENTOS WAS EXPLAINING,
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WE ARE LOOKING AT, UM, WITH THE CONTRACTORS THAT WE HAVE, UM, THAT ARE IMPLEMENTING THE PROGRAM THAT WE DO WORK ON, STREAMLINING THOSE ESTIMATES TO MORE EFFICIENTLY REVIEW AND AWARD THOSE CONTRACTS.SO WE'LL BE DOING SOME, SO THERE'S A WAVE OF COMMUNICATIONS THAT ARE GOING OUT TO JUST, UH, LET APPLICANTS KNOW THAT THERE'S SOME CHANGES IN THE STAFFING AND WHO YOUR MAIN POINT OF CONTACT IS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON.
AND THEN WE'RE ALSO GONNA DO SOME EDUCATION WITH THOSE CONTRACTORS ON HOW BEST TO SUBMIT ESTIMATES SO WE CAN AWARD THEM EFFICIENTLY.
UH, AS FAR AS YOUR CONTRACTORS THEMSELVES, UM, ARE THERE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PORTION OF THE, THE, THE WORK THAT THEY GET OR THEY HAVE, THEY ALL MEET THE SAME QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE SAME WORK? UM, ARE, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT HOW THEY GET QUALIFIED AS A CONTRACTOR OR WHEN WE'RE RECEIVING ESTIMATES, I GUESS WHEN QUALIFIED AS A CONTRACTOR? YES.
SO THEY GO THROUGH THE SAME CRITERIA AND, UM, THERE'S MINIMUM CRITERIA TO BECOME A QUALIFIED CONTRACTOR UNDER THE PROGRAM.
AND THEN THOSE ARE WHO WE SEND, UM, CONTRACTOR ESTIMATE, UM, YOU KNOW, QUOTE US OUT TO.
SO AT THIS TIME YOU'RE NOT, UH, LOOKING TO FILL THE POSITION THAT WAS VACATED BY, BY CHRIS.
YOU'RE DEFINITELY LOOKING, IF YOU KNOW ANY BUILDING OFFICIALS, UH, PLEASE
UM, WE ACTUALLY HAD AN INTERVIEW TODAY AND ANOTHER TOMORROW, BUT YES, WE ARE ACTIVELY TRYING TO FILL THAT SEAT.
UH, AND NICK TAES UP AGAIN TO GIVE US AN UPDATE ON THE, UH, SEW CONNECTION PROGRAM.
UM, SO FOR THE SEW CONNECTION PROGRAM, UM, SIMILAR AS FOR THE HOME SAFETY, UM, SINCE WE ARE MOVING FROM THE POINT OF CONTACTS, UM, AGAIN, COMMUNICATIONS WILL GO OUT AS WELL TO ALL OF THOSE APPLICANTS.
UM, FOR THIS ONE, THE PROGRAM LEAD IS GOING TO BE LYDIA LEWIS, UM, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION MANAGER.
SO SHE WILL BE, UM, DEALING ALL THINGS THE SEWER CONNECTION PROGRAM, BUT AGAIN, VERONICA WILL BE THE ONE MOVING FORWARD TO GIVE US THE UPDATES FROM MONTH TO MONTH, INCLUDES, UH, SEWER CONNECTION, HAVE QUESTIONS FOR, IT SAYS ONE APPLICANT WITHDRAWN AND ONE APPLICANT WAS NOT QUALIFIED.
DO YOU KNOW WHY AT THIS TIME? I'M NOT SURE ON THAT, BUT I CAN GET CLARIFICATION ON THAT IF YOU'D LIKE.
YEAH, I, I GUESS ONE OF THE REASONS FOR, UM, FINANCIAL STATUS BACK AND THE OTHER QUESTIONS, NO QUESTIONS.
THANK, THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK.
UM, OUR NEXT ITEM WE HAVE IS THE GULLAH GEECHEE HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD CDC UPDATE, UH, MR. THOMAS FOXLEY, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE GULLAH GEECHEE HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD CDC.
THOMAS BOXLEY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE GULLAH GEECHEE HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME THIS AFTERNOON.
UM, I'LL PROVIDE FOR YOU AN UPDATE REGARDING SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES THAT I'VE BEEN ENGAGED IN.
AND THEN I'M ALSO, UM, LOOKS LIKE I'M UP TO GIVE YOU A BIT OF A UPDATE RELATED TO, UH, WILLIAM HILTON PARKWAY CORRIDOR EXPANSION.
SO, UM, SINCE THE LAST TIME WE MET, WHICH WAS PROBABLY, UH, MONTH OR TWO AFTER I STARTED IN THE ROLE OF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, WE HAVE SINCE, UM, GONE THROUGH STRATEGIC PLANNING AND ADOPTION BY OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS AS WELL AS THE ADOPTION OF OUR BUDGET.
UM, AND I'VE SPENT A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF TIME, UM, WORKING
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WITH PROPERTY OWNERS AND RESIDENTS IN THE WILLIAM HILTON PARKWAY CORRIDOR RELATED TO MITIGATION STRATEGIES.UM, A LOT OF THE PROPERTY OWNERS, AS, AS YOU KNOW, UH, BASED ON CONCEPTUAL DESIGN WORK, THE HIGHWAY IS SCHEDULED TO EXPAND FROM FOUR LANES TO SIX LANES, WHICH WOULD CREATE ACCESS ISSUES AND SAFETY ISSUES ALONG, ALONG THE CORRIDOR FOR SOME OF THE PROPERTY OWNERS.
SO THAT HAS, UM, HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN A, A HIGH PRIORITY FOR THE CDC TO ADDRESS AS WELL AS, UH, THE IMPLEMENTATION OF OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, SOME OF THESE ITEMS. UM, AND WE WILL DEFINITELY HAVE SOME OVERLAP WITH THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT AND, UH, WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE SUCH A GREAT TEAM, UM, WITHIN THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT THAT YOU ALL HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH, YOU KNOW, FOR A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF TIME.
AND, UH, WITH THE ADDITION OF MS. GAVIN, PART OF, UH, WHAT WE WILL BE EMBARKING UPON, AND SHE AND I HAVE KIND OF HIT THE GROUND RUNNING WITH THIS, IS, UH, THE PRIORITIES THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED BY THE TASK FORCE THAT WE HAVE YET TO, UH, TO IMPLEMENT.
SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT SHE AND I WILL SPEND SOME TIME WORKING ON AS WELL.
UM, GET INTO THE DISCUSSION RELATED TO, UM, HIGHWAY EXPANSION.
UM, PART OF, AGAIN, THE, THE TIMELINE FIRST, FIRST OFF, I, I WOULD INVITE YOU TO, UM, FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT AREN'T AWARE, A MEETING ON WEDNESDAY, UM, WHERE THE GATEWAY CORRIDOR, UH, INDEPENDENT REVIEW COMMITTEE WILL BE MEETING WITH THE CONSULTANTS, UH, RELATED TO, UM, RELATED TO CURRENT PLANS AND, UH, THE RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, FOR ALTERNATIVE PLANS.
RIGHT? SO, UM, THAT NEXT MEETING IS THIS COMING WEDNESDAY.
UM, AS FAR AS A TIMELINE RELATED TO MUNICIPAL CONSENT BY WHEN TOWN COUNCIL WILL BE EXPECTED TO DELIVER, UH, YAY OR NAY FOR THE PROJECT THAT IS SLATED FOR, UM, SOMETIME IN JUNE AS I CURRENTLY UNDERSTAND IT.
UM, SO TO GET THERE, UM, PART OF THAT PROCESS INVOLVES OR HAS INVOLVED AN INDEPENDENT REVIEW OF ALL OF THE DIFFERENT ALTERNATIVES.
UM, AND AT THAT MEETING WEDNESDAY, THERE WILL BE SOME TYPE OF A RECOMMENDATION MADE ON THOSE DIFFERENT, UH, THOSE DIFFERENT CONCEPTUAL DESIGNS.
UM, AT THAT TIME, UM, STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, UH, WILL, WILL ALSO BE ENGAGED HEAVILY.
AND, UM, FROM THAT RECOMMENDATION AND PENDING MUNICIPAL CONSENT, STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION WILL AGAIN MOVE INTO THE DESIGN PHASE OF, OF, OF PLANNING.
AND SO, UH, ONCE WE KNOW, UM, THE OUTCOMES OF THE INDEPENDENT REVIEW AND MUNICIPAL CONSENT, THE PROCESS WILL THEN BEGIN TO, UH, TO MOVE FORWARD INTO FURTHER DESIGN PHASES.
UM, ONE QUICK QUESTION AS, AS YOU'RE GOING ALONG, UM, FEEL LIKE THE COMMUNITY IS AWARE OF THE PROPOSED DEADLINE IN JUNE THAT SOMETHING WILL BE DECIDED ON, OR AT LEAST A PART MOVING FORWARD.
AND HOW MUCH INTERACTION HAVE YOU HAD WITH RESIDENTS? CERTAINLY IN THE STONY AREA.
SO I'VE, I'VE BEEN IN CONSTANT COMMUNICATION, UM, WITH A LOT OF THE PROPERTY OWNERS, UH, WITHIN THAT, UH, STONY COMMUNITY, UM, UM, AS RECENTLY AS AS FRIDAY.
SO IT'S, UH, IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS AGAIN, A PRIORITY, UM, FOR THE CDC AS WELL AS FOR THE TOWN TO, UH, MAINTAIN A OPEN LINE OF COMMUNICATION AS, AS MUCH AS WE POSSIBLY CAN WITH, UH, WITH RESIDENTS AS WELL AS WITH PROPERTY OWNERS THAT WILL BE DIRECTLY IMPACTED, AS WE'VE SAID SO MANY TIMES BEFORE, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE DO GET THAT INFORMATION OUT TO THE COMMUNITY.
I KNOW WE GET AWARE, UH, IN VARIOUS PLATFORMS, BUT NOT EVERYBODY ALWAYS GOES THROUGH THE WEBSITE OR, BUT IT'S GOOD THAT YOU'RE OUT AND MOVING AROUND IN THE COMMUNITY, AND I'VE SEEN YOU OUT AND ABOUT AT A COUPLE OF EVENTS AS WELL, SO, RIGHT, RIGHT.
WE TRYING TO, UH, MAKE SURE THAT, THAT NOT ONLY WE
[00:35:01]
GET INFORMATION OUT, BUT MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE RIGHT INFORMATION TOO.AND IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT POINT THAT YOU RAISE BECAUSE AS THIS DECISION, UM, ON PART OF TOWN COUNCIL, UH, BECOMES, UH, OR DRAWS CLOSER, THERE BECOMES MORE, UH, CHATTER IF YOU WILL, OUT IN THE NEBULOUS.
AND IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO KNOW WHERE THE ACCURATE INFORMATION IS COMING FROM.
QUESTIONS FOR MR. BOXLEY? YES, SIR.
THE MEETING ON WEDNESDAY TIME AND DID YOU SAY THE TIME AND PLACE OF COMMITTEE ON WEDNESDAY? IT IS, UH, HERE IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS 1:00 PM AND ALL OF THAT, FOR THOSE THAT AREN'T ABLE TO ATTEND, THERE WILL BE LIVE STREAM AVAILABLE THROUGH THE YOUTUBE CHANNEL AND, UH, AND ONLINE RESOURCE AS WELL.
OUR NEXT MEETING OF THE CDC IS MAY THE 15TH, 10:00 AM HERE IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS AS WELL.
SO I'D LIKE TO INVITE YOU ALL OUT TO ATTEND THAT IF YOU ARE SO ABLE.
QUESTIONS FOR MR. BOXLEY? I, VERY GOOD.
WELL, I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME TO COME AND SHARE WITH US AND, UH, HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD, WE ALWAYS LIKE TO HEAR.
[6. Discussion Items]
OKAY.UM, NEXT ITEM I HAVE ON THE AGENDA IS OUR LAND PRESERVATION UPDATE FROM MS. NANA GRAVES SELLER.
UM, SO AGAIN, TO MY COLLEAGUES, UH, THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION, A LOT OF MEETINGS HAPPENING, SO JUST WHEREVER, WHENEVER YOU CAN, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO, TO ATTEND SO THAT WE ARE IN THE KNOW, I CAN'T SAY THIS ENOUGH, BUT CERTAINLY FOR THOSE OF US WHO WERE INVOLVED IN THE VARIOUS COM UH, COMMITTEES AND ROLES AND POSITIONS IN THE COMMUNITY, WE NEED TO BE ADVOCATES OF SPREADING, UH, GOOD INFORMATION.
THERE'S A LOT OF, UH, HEARSAY THAT GOES AROUND AND WHAT PEOPLE THINK THAT THEY KNOW.
AND, AND FOR THOSE OF US WHO ARE IN POSITIONS, UH, I JUST ENCOURAGE US TO BE A LITTLE MORE PRESENT, BE A LITTLE MORE VOCAL, LET FOLKS KNOW.
I WAS, UH, ACTUALLY IN CHURCH YESTERDAY AT MOUNT CALVARY.
THAT'S THE ONE SAY TO ME THAT THEY DIDN'T REALIZE JUST HOW ACTIVE I WAS IN, IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO I MEAN, I, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A COMPLIMENT OR NOT, BUT, UH, I JUST THINK THAT PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE TOWN, SOME OF THE CHALLENGES WE'RE HAVING, AND MOST OF ALL THE PROGRESS THAT WE'RE MAKING.
AND, UH, IF THEY HAVE ISSUES OR QUESTIONS THAT, UH, WE CAN MAKE OURSELVES AVAILABLE AND POINT THEM IN THE RIGHT DIRECTIONS IF WE CAN'T ANSWER THE QUESTIONS DIRECTLY.
UM, WE, WE KNOW HOW FAR AWAY MR.
SO WE PROBABLY CAUGHT HER BY SURPRISE.
A LOT MORE CHATTER AND DISCUSSION.
YES, MR. CHAIRMAN, I WOULD'VE ASKED, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF WE ARE OUT ORDER, LET SEE, UH, MR. TY, I GONNA RECOGNIZE THE AUDIENCE, SEE IF HE HAD ANY QUESTIONS, OR SOMETIME HE HAS SOME ENLIGHTENMENT FOR US.
SEE IF HE HAVE ANYTHING HE MIGHT WANT TO SHARE WHILE WE WAIT.
I, I, I'VE NEVER KNOWN HIM TO BE SPEECHLESS, SO I'M SURE HE HAS SOMETHING TO SHARE WITH US.
UH, TY SCOTT, I'M JUST KIND OF LISTENING AND I JUST KIND OF WANNA TO POINT OUT A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT, UH,
[00:40:01]
I THINK WE SHOULD, UM, CONTINUE FOREFRONT.AND THAT'S, UH, ONE IS WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO THE LMO REWRITE, UH, WITH, UH, DENSITY, UH, THAT SHOULD REMAIN ON THE FOREFRONT AS A HIGH PRIORITY AND TRANSFER OF DENSITY RIGHTS.
WE ALWAYS HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THIS MIC.
I DON'T KNOW WHY A, UH, ON ONLINE IT'S ALWAYS OFF, KIND OF GOES IN AND OUT, WE'RE KIND OF HEARING, SO WE MAY WANT TO CHECK THAT.
UH, BUT YEAH, DEFINITELY, UM, ZONING DENSITY, INCREASED DENSITIES, AND, UH, THE TRANSFER OF THE, OF THE DENSITY RIGHTS, UH, AS AN AVENUE THAT WE COULD POTENTIALLY USE IN THE FUTURE FOR FAMILIES WHO WANT TO BE COMPENSATED, REMAIN ON THEIR PROPERTY, BUT STILL BE ABLE TO USE PLAN.
UM, SO AGAIN, I, I THINK THAT SHOULD REMAIN ON, ON AS A HIGH PRIORITY.
UM, AND ALSO WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO, UM, HIGHWAY 2 78 AND THE IMPACT ON THE GULLAH COMMUNITY, UM, I KNOW WE ARE SAYING THAT THERE'S A LOT OF COMMUNICATION GOING ON.
WE JUST MADE THE, WE JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY'S KNOWING WHAT'S GOING ON, UM, WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO COMMUNICATION, UH, RELOCATION, MITIGATION, JUST COMPENSATION TO AVOID LITIGATION.
UM, I SEE THAT MS. LUANA IS HERE NOW.
INVITE HER TO COME FORWARD AND GIVE US A REPORT ON OUR LAND PRESERVATION EFFORTS.
AND I APOLOGIZE FOR BEING LATE.
UM, SUFFICE IT TO SAY I WAS A CAPTIVE AUDIENCE THAT FREE MYSELF.
UM, BUT I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON WITH THE FOUNDATION.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THESE ARE THE WORKSHOPS THAT WE'VE BEEN WORK HAVE, UM, SCHEDULED FOR THE YEAR.
UM, THE APRIL ONE WAS LAST SATURDAY, AND WE HAD A PRETTY GOOD ATTENDANCE OF PROBABLY ABOUT 15 PEOPLE THAT CAME FOR THAT.
AND WE ALSO HAVE A, UM, A FAMILY TREE RESEARCH THAT IS COMING UP IN JUNE.
AND, UM, I BELIEVE YOU GAVE THEM COPIES, SO YOU HAVE COPIES OF THAT FLYER.
THEY WILL BE DISTRIBUTED TO THE CHURCHES AND, UM, MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF THE CHURCHES ARE INFORMED OF WHAT'S GOING ON.
UM, ALSO, UH, AND I'LL GIVE EVERYBODY A COPY OF THIS, THIS IS A FLYER OR MAILER THAT WAS SENT OUT TO ALL OF THE GULLAH FAMILIES IN THE COMMUNITY.
IT WAS, UM, ABOUT 1100 FAMILIES THAT RECEIVED THIS, UM, DURING THE YEAR.
AND WE DO THIS TWICE A YEAR SO THAT THE FAMILIES ARE AWARE OF THE PROGRAM, WHAT WE'RE DOING, AND HAVE ACCESS TO, TO, UH, THE INFORMATION AS WELL AS THE SCHEDULE OF, OF THE EVENTS THAT ARE GOING ON.
UM, THE OTHER THING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU IS THAT THERE WERE TWO FAMILIES, UH, OR TWO PROPERTIES I SHOULD SAY, THAT ARE ON THE REDEMPTION LIST.
ONE OF THEM IS A WELL SITE, WHICH YOU CAN'T REALLY DO ANYTHING WITH THE LAND.
SO, UM, WE HAVE LEFT THAT IN THE HANDS OF THE FAMILY TO DECIDE WHAT THEY'RE GONNA DO.
THE OTHER ONE IS A PROPERTY THAT, UM, IS, UM, THAT WAS SOLD IN OCTOBER AND, UM, IS ON THE REDEMPTION LIST RIGHT NOW.
AND WE'RE ACTIVELY WORKING WITH THE FAMILY TO DETERMINE WHAT THEIR PLAN IS FOR THE PROPERTY.
AND, UM, SO THE OTHER THING IS, IS THAT NOW THE, THE TAX LISTS ARE STARTING TO, TO BE IRONED OUT AND WE HAVE A GOOD IDEA OF, OF THE PROGRESSION OF THE SALE AND, YOU KNOW, COMING TOWARDS THE SALE IN OCTOBER.
AND SO I AM STARTING TO MONITOR WHO IS ON THE LIST.
AND, UM, EVENTUALLY AS WE GET A LITTLE CLOSER TO THE SALE AROUND JULY, WE WILL START TO REALLY, UM, SCRUB THE LIST TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF THE FAMILIES THAT ARE ON THE LIST EITHER ARE AWARE THAT THEY'RE ON THEIR LIST OR FIND OUT IF THEY NEED SOME ASSISTANCE PRIOR TO THE SALE IN OCTOBER.
SO WITH THAT, DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? AND, AND I'LL ALSO HAND THESE OUT SO YOU CAN HAVE A COPY.
MR. HINTS, I HONOR THANKS FOR THIS AND THANKS FOR ALL YOU DO WORKING WITH THE TOWN.
UM, DID YOU SAY THAT THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 1100 GULLAH FAMILIES ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND?
[00:45:02]
BASED ON WHAT WE WERE, HAVE BEEN ABLE TO IDENTIFY? UM, AS I'VE MENTIONED TO YOU IN THE PAST, IT'S NOT AN EXACT SCIENCE.SO FOR INSTANCE, IF THERE'S A PROPERTY THAT IS SOMEONE IN SOMEONE'S NAME WITH SAY, A SURNAME THAT WE ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH, THEN IT'S POSSIBLE THAT THAT'S A PROPERTY THAT MIGHT FALL THROUGH THE, THROUGH THE PRACS.
BUT THE, THE LIST IS CONSTANTLY BEING MASSAGED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT MISSING ANYBODY.
AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT I'M WORKING WITH THE COUNTY TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE IDENTIFYING ALL OF THE DIFFERENT PROPERTIES THAT ARE, UM, UH, POTENTIALLY GULLAH OWNED AND OR HEIRS PROPERTY.
SO, BUT AT THIS POINT, THAT'S THE NUMBER THAT WE HAVE.
THAT WAS, UH, MY SECOND QUESTION IS, HOW DIFFICULT IS IT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH THOSE THAT HAVE THE LAND THAT'S, UH, POTENTIALLY IMPACTED? IS, HAS THAT BEEN PRETTY EASY? SAY WORKING WITH THE COUNTY IS, IS A, A GOOD WAY TO HELP GET THAT INFORMATION? NOTHING IS EASY.
UM, FORTUNATELY THE COUNTY IS VERY, UM, WILLING TO WORK WITH US AND TO IDENTIFY AND MASSAGE THE LISTS, BUT IT'S NOT A PERFECT SCIENCE.
SO FOR INSTANCE, IF YOU HAD A PROPERTY AND IT'S IN YOUR NAME, UM, BUT WE ARE NOT FAMILIAR, LET'S, LET'S SAY YOU'RE A DISTANT COUSIN OF ONE OF THE SURNAMES THAT WE'RE AWARE OF.
WE HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING THAT UNTIL IT IS IDENTIFIED SOMEHOW THAT YOUR PROPERTY IS GULLAH OWNED.
SO IT'S, IT'S A ONGOING PROCESS AS FAR AS IDENTIFYING WHO AND WHERE THOSE PROPERTIES ARE.
BUT WE'RE DOING AS BEST WE CAN, YOU KNOW, TO, TO IDENTIFY IT, UM, BASED ON WHAT WE KNOW, WHO WE KNOW AND, AND HOW WE CAN MAINTAIN THE, THE, UM, THE NAMES OF THE EACH PROPERTY.
I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH, UH, THE WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING WITH, UH, LOW COUNTRY GULLAH AND OVER THE YEARS.
UM, I KNOW WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO, UH, REDUCE SOME OF THE LIABILITY OF A LOT OF THE, UH, PROPERTIES IN OUR GULLAH COMMUNITY.
UH, MY QUESTION RELATES TO, UM, HOW MANY PEOPLE OR FAMILIES ARE INVOLVED IN THE EDUCATIONAL PIECE SO THAT THEY DON'T KEEP, OR ARE WE SEEING SOME OF THE SAME NAMES EVERY YEAR? AS FAR AS WHO'S ON THE LIST, IT'S PRIMARILY THE SAME PEOPLE THAT ARE ON THE LIST, UH, THAT, THAT TEND TO HAVE PROBLEMS, UM, THAT, THAT WE ARE ADDRESSING.
SOMETIMES THERE MIGHT BE SOMEONE NEW, BUT AT LEAST ON THE ISLAND IT, IT TENDS TO BE THE SAME PEOPLE.
I HAVE NOTICED, UM, LET'S TAKE THE APRIL WORKSHOP THAT, UM, THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN COMING, SOMETIMES THEY'RE REPEAT PEOPLE.
'CAUSE OBVIOUSLY EVERY WORKSHOP IS DIFFERENT.
SO THERE'S A DIFFERENT TOPIC AND A DIFFERENT FOCUS.
BUT THE LAST ONE DID INCLUDE, UM, OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, MAYBE SEVEN PEOPLE THAT HAD NOT COME BEFORE.
SO THE WORD IS GETTING OUT THERE.
THE, THE, UM, ACCESS IS EXPANDING TO, TO MORE AND MORE PEOPLE THAT ARE EITHER INTERESTED IN COMING OR, UM, IN NEED OF THE SERVICES.
SO, SO THE, THE, UM, PROGRAM EXPANSION IS DEFINITELY HAPPENING.
UM, IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE YOU, LAUREN.
HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO, OR HAS THERE BEEN MUCH, UH, DISCREPANCIES BETWEEN, UH, TAX NOTICES AND ACTUAL LAND OWNERSHIP? UH, I'VE FOUND THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE A LOT OF TAX NOTICES.
AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHEN YOU TRY TO CONNECT THAT TAX BILL THAT YOU MAY HAVE BEEN PAYING FOR YEARS, THERE'S SOME DEED DISCREPANCIES.
HAVE YOU GOTTEN TO SUCH A THING AS THAT IN YOUR RECENT STUDIES? YES, AND THAT'S PART OF THE PROBLEM.
AND THAT GOES BACK TO TOM'S QUESTION BECAUSE THE NAMES, LET'S SAY THE, THE SIMMONS, YOU KNOW, THE, LET'S SAY THE PROPERTY IS THE HEIR OF THE SIMMONS FAMILY.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHOEVER, IF, IF TOM HEN'S NAME IN THERE, THAT'S A NAME THAT
[00:50:01]
WE MAY HAVE DISCONNECTED FROM THE SIMMONS FAMILY.YOU SEE WHAT I'M SAYING? SO, SO IT'S, IT'S HARD TO IDENTIFY EXACTLY WHO THAT PERSON IS.
IF IT'S A DISTANT COUSIN THAT HAS A DIFFERENT SURNAME OR YOU KNOW, SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES, UM, SOMETIMES THE NAME STAYS THE SAME AND WE CAN STILL IDENTIFY.
BUT SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, THERE MAY BE THAT DEVIATION FROM THE ORIGINAL SURNAME.
UH, YOU MAY HAVE ANSWERED MY QUESTION.
UM, BUT I I, I GUESS MAYBE MORE SPECIFICALLY, UM, WHATEVER THE NAME MAY BE ON THE TAX BILL ITSELF.
WHEN YOU, UH, INVESTIGATE THAT FURTHER, YOU MAY FIND THAT THAT TAX BILL DOESN'T NECESSARILY HAVE A PLA A DEED THAT ACTUALLY MATCHES.
SO IS, IS THAT STILL A NAME ISSUE OR AN ISSUE THAT THE COUNTY HAS NOT THE TWO NOT GOING TOGETHER? YEAH, FOR RECORDS, SOMETIMES IT'S A NAME ISSUE, BUT UNTIL THE FAMILY CHANGES THE NAME, YOU KNOW, THE NAME ON THE, ON THE PLAT OR ON THE TITLE OR WHOEVER'S, YOU KNOW, LISTED AS WHERE THE BILL GOES, THAT PERSON MAY HAVE BEEN DECEASED 10 YEARS AGO.
SO THE, AND, AND OF COURSE, THE PERSON WHO IS PAYING THE TAXES IS SOMEONE TOTALLY DIFFERENT.
SO YES, THOSE ARE THE KIND OF DISCREPANCIES THAT EXIST AND TRYING TO IDENTIFY WHO IS THE PERSON WHO SHOULD BE THERE, AND THEN TRYING TO GET THEM TO, TO, UM, RECTIFY THE SITUATION SO THAT THE NAME ON THE, THE TITLE AS WELL AS RECEIVING THE, THE TAX BILL IS CORRECT MOVING FORWARD.
BECAUSE THAT'S OF COURSE SOME OF, SOME OF THE PROBLEM.
'CAUSE THE TAX BILL MAY BE GOING TO SOMEWHERE ELSE, NOT TO THE PEOPLE WHO, YOU KNOW, SHOULD BE OR HAVE BEEN PAYING THE TAXES.
SO I MEAN, THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT GO INTO WHY THERE COULD BE A PROBLEM.
AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK.
AND AGAIN, I APOLOGIZE FOR THE, THE FLYING IN AT THE LAST MOMENT,
NOW THESE ARE CERTAINLY BUSY TIMES.
UM, WE HAVE, UH, REACHED THE END OF OUR AGENDA.
AND AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK, UH, COUNCILWOMAN BECKER AND COUNCILMAN BROWN FOR, FOR BEING HERE.
I DON'T KNOW IF THEY HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD, BUT LOVE, IT'S GOOD TO HAVE YOU IN THE HOUSE AND TAKING TIME OUT OF YOUR BUSY SCHEDULES.
UM, I KNOW THAT THERE ARE QUITE A FEW EVENTS COMING UP AND SOME THAT HAVE BEEN MENTIONED IN THE MEETINGS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO, UH, I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE OR ASK MY COLLEAGUES IF THEY HAVE ANY EVENTS COMING UP THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH US AND THE PUBLIC, IF THAT WAS YOUR OPENING.
UM, YES, I WOULD LIKE TO ANNOUNCE THAT HISTORIC MR. BILL FREEDOM PRO WILL BE CELEBRATED THE 10TH JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION, UH, IN THE MONTH OF JUNE.
I KNOW THAT WE ARE MONTH OUT, BUT IT STARTS, UH, OFFICIALLY, UH, UH, 30 DAYS FROM NOW, WE ARE GONNA HAVE A 5K, WHICH IS GOING TO BE A SATURDAY ON THE EIGHTH.
AND, UM, GOING FORWARD THAT WEEK, WE'RE GONNA HAVE SOME ACTIVITIES EVERY DAY.
SO I DO HAVE FLYERS THAT I'M GONNA LEAVE FOR THE, UH, FOR THE TOWN TO DISTRIBUTE.
AND IF ANYONE HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, UM, I'M AVAILABLE AND WE CAN DEFINITELY FOLLOW US AT EXPLORE MITCHELLVILLE AND SEE ALL THE ACTIVITIES.
UH, I DO, I'M EXCITED ABOUT IT THAT WE DO HAVE A, UH, A BAND COMING IN THIS YEAR, THE SOS BAND.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF YOU GUYS MAY KIND OF KNOW ABOUT THEM, BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF A THROWBACK, BUT THEY, UH, THEY'RE WELL KNOWN IN, UH, IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO, UM, YES, IT'S GONNA BE AN EXCITING TIME.
IT'S OUR 10TH ANNIVERSARY AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.
AND AGAIN, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE TOWN FOR SUPPORTING US WITH THIS ACTIVITY.
THE TOWN IN THE COUNTY, THEY'VE DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB IN, IN SUPPORTING AND HELPING US MAKE SURE THAT THIS EVENT IS GOING TO BE A SUCCESS IN
[00:55:01]
TERMS OF SAFETY AND, YOU KNOW, FOR THE, UH, OUR GUESTS COMING THROUGH AND HOPING THAT IT'S GONNA BRING A PRETTY HUGE IMPACT IN TERMS OF, UH, PEOPLE COMING IN FOR THE WEEK FOR THE ACTIVITIES.SO WE LOOKING FORWARD TO SEE WHAT THE NUMBERS GONNA LOOK LIKE, WHETHER OR NOT WE HAD A ECONOMIC IMPACT ON THAT.
MR. HENS, I BELIEVE LAWANA HAS A, UH, A FUNCTION COMING UP.
COULD YOU MAYBE, UH, SHARE THAT INFORMATION FOR US? ABSOLUTELY.
WHEN YOU MENTIONED EVENTS, I WASN'T SURE IF IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE, BUT SINCE YOU BROUGHT IT UP,
UM, THE FOUNDATION, OF COURSE, IS A 5 0 1 C3 NONPROFIT, AND SO WE ARE HAVING OUR ANNUAL SANKOFA NIGHTS FUNDRAISER, WHICH IS TO RAISE MONEY SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO DO THE WORKSHOPS AS WELL AS HELP PEOPLE PAY THEIR TAXES.
THAT WILL BE ON, UM, FRIDAY, MAY 31ST AT SIX O'CLOCK AT USCB.
UH, WE WILL BE HAVING, UH, DR. JESSICA BERRY, UM, WHO IS A LINGUIST COMING TO SPEAK.
SHE'S AN AWESOME SPEAKER AND EXPERT ON THE GULLAH LANGUAGE, IT'S ORIGINS AND, UM, A LOT OF THE DIFFERENT, UM, ELEMENTS OF THE LANGUAGE.
SO IT'S GONNA BE A REALLY FASCINATING, I'M VERY, VERY EXCITED ABOUT HAVING HER BECAUSE IT'S, UM, GONNA BE A VERY INFORMATIVE AND, AND ENTERTAINING CONVERSATION.
UM, AND WE'RE DOING A SILENT AUCTION, SO IF YOU'RE ABLE TO COME, WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU.
UM, I ALSO WANTED TO ADD, UM, AND, AND A NIGHTING EVENT, BUT FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE NOT BEEN OUT TO HISTORIC MITCHELLVILLE, I DO WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO GO OUT AND SEE WHAT IS HAPPENING THERE.
WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF COMPLETING PHASE ONE OF OUR MASTER PLAN, AND IT'S A LONG TIME COMING AND WE ARE ALL EXCITED ABOUT IT.
UM, AND, UH, I'M, I'M, I'M TRULY HAPPY TO SAY THAT IT'S GOING TO BE A, A GREAT ADVENTURE GOING FORWARD.
BUT WE DO HAVE PERMANENT STRUCTURES IN THE PARK NOW, AND WHICH IS A HUGE, HUGE THANK YOU TO THE COMMUNITY AND THOSE WHO HAVE HELPED US ALONG THE WAY.
SO IF YOU HAVE TIME RIGHT UP, THEN CHECK US OUT.
MR. SCOTT, YOU HAVE SOMETHING ELSE FOR US.
UH, TAKE THE TIME TO SAY THANK YOU TO, UH, THE TOWN AND CULTURE, HHI, FOR HELPING TO SUPPORT AND PROMOTE OUR COLOR, THE BENZS EVENT THAT WE HAD ON SATURDAY, AND STRONGLY RECOMMEND FOR EVERYBODY TO JUST COME OUT AND TAKE A LOOK AT, UH, THE BINS THAT WE, UM, GOT THE COMMUNITY INVOLVED.
THE KIDS WERE, UM, THEY HAD A GREAT TIME, A LOT OF BRIGHT, VIBRANT COLORS.
THEY'RE NOT TRASH CANS ANYMORE.
I MEAN, THEY'RE CONCRETE PIECES OF ART.
SO PEOPLE HAVE ACTUALLY SAID, UH, WE NEED TO TURN THESE INTO, UM, SOME KIND OF PLANTERS.
I MEAN, IT JUST LOOKS GO BY, TAKE A LOOK OR GO ON FACEBOOK, CHECK OUT BEAUTIFUL ISLAND SQUARE.
UH, WE REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE SUPPORT, UM, OF HELPING TO PROMOTE, GET IT OUT THERE.
UM, SO MANY GOOD THINGS GOING ON IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE DO STILL HAVE A LOT OF CHALLENGES, BUT IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND RECOGNIZE, UH, SOME OF THE POSITIVE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING, UH, IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, ON TOMORROW NIGHT DOWN AT SOUND WAVES, THE HILTON HEAD SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA'S OFFICE, UH, WE WILL BE PRESENTING ANOTHER PROGRAM, A PART OF OUR GULLAH SERIES.
AND, UH, WE'VE GOT A COUPLE GREAT SPEAKERS, ACTUALLY, FORMER, UH, COUNCILMAN MARK GRANT IS A GUEST AND MS. LYNN RIVERA FROM, UH, BACK TO NATURE OUT IN BLUFFTON.
AND THEY BOTH HAVE DEEP AND STRONG FAMILY ROOTS.
AND, UH, KEVY WILLIAMS WILL BE OUR MUSICAL GUEST.
HE'S THE SON OF LEGENDARY EARL WILLIAMS, IF YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE MUSIC SCENE AROUND HERE, UM, AND, UM, OF COURSE I'LL BE THERE HELPING TO COORDINATE THAT EVENT AND HAVE OUR, OUR BAND AS WELL.
UM, ON THE 17TH OF, UH, THIS MONTH AS WELL, WE HAVE THE LLC WHITE BANQUET.
THAT'S ALWAYS A HUGE, UH, EVENT AND, UH, WANNA PUT THAT OUT THERE AND, UM, I'LL BE A PART OF THE, THE MUSIC GROUP FOR THAT AS WELL.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD STUFF GOING ON.
ATTEND WHERE YOU CAN AND SUPPORT A LOT OF THESE EFFORTS THAT ARE HAPPENING.
[01:00:02]
WHILE ALICE, UH, COUNCILMAN BROWN COME.I'D LIKE TO JUST LET EVERYONE, I'LL BE, UH, THE MC FOR THE, UH, LSC WHITE MEMORIAL BANQUET THIS YEAR.
SO I WOULD ASK TO, TO GET YOUR AUTOGRAPH NOW THEN.
I, I HADN'T PLANNED ON SAYING ANYTHING, BUT, UH, VICE CHAIRMAN SIMMONS, THAT'S YOUR TITLE, RIGHT? THERE YOU GO.
UH, HE REALLY SPARKED THE THOUGHT WITH ME.
I WAS GONNA JUST TAKE THIS UP OFFLINE WITH YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, MR. SIMMONS, AND BU SINCE WE HAVE SO MANY INTERESTED EARS IN THE ROOM, I FIGURED I'D GO AHEAD AND DO IT.
NOW, THE EDUCATIONAL COMPONENT IS SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE YOU'RE RIGHT, PALMER, THERE ARE TIMES WHERE THERE'S A TAX BILL AND THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT OF UNDERSTANDING AROUND THE TAX BILL I'M GONNA USE AS PROPERTY AS AN EXAMPLE.
TAX BILL WILL COME IN, WHOMEVER'S NAME, ASK FOR IT TO COME IN.
SO JOYCE, YOU COULD NOT EVEN BE RELATED TO ME AND GO DOWN TO THE TAX OFFICE AND ASK TO THE TAX BILL, COME IN YOUR NAME.
BUT IF WE WERE TO CLEAR ED'S PROPERTY UP THAT PROPERTY THEN IS VIEWED DIFFERENTLY BY THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE.
I GOT A QUESTION, UM, A COUPLE WEEKS AGO ABOUT WHY DID I GET AN ADDITIONAL TAX BILL FOR MY PROPERTY? IS BECAUSE NOT ONLY ARE YOU BEING TAXED FOR THE PROPERTY, BUT THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE IS GOING TO ASSUME THAT IF YOU ARE NOT THE SOLE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY OR IT'S NOT YOUR PRIMARY RESIDENCE, THAT IT IS A RENTAL PROPERTY AND YOU WILL GET AN ADDITIONAL TAX BILL.
AND IF YOU DON'T PAY ATTENTION TO THAT AND YOU DON'T PAY IT, ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU COULD BE AUCTIONED OFF AGAIN.
SO THAT'S JUST ONE EXAMPLE, I THINK IS WHERE MR. SIMMONS WAS GOING AS FAR AS THERE'S A LOT OF CONFUSION AROUND UNDERSTANDING TAX BILLS.
UM, SO I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE THE TASK FORCE TO ENCOURAGE LOWCOUNTRY GULLAH FOUNDATION TO, UH, HAVE SOME, UH, EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS AROUND THAT TOPIC SO THAT THERE'S MORE CLARITY WHEN IT COMES TO TAX BILLS, PARTICULARLY SINCE THAT HAS BEEN ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS WHY FOLKS HAVE LOST LAND THROUGHOUT THE YEARS.
I DO SEE THAT WE HAVE, UH, MARIA WALLS TREASURER FOR BEFOR COUNTY COMING IN AUGUST, BUT I'M SURE THAT WE CAN PROBABLY ADDRESS THAT EVEN BEFORE THEN WHEN WE HAVE SOME OF THESE OTHER SESSIONS OF THE WORKSHOPS THAT WE HAD, THE CONVERSATION THAT SESSION.
UH, IF THERE'S NOTHING FURTHER, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE STAFF FOR THEIR HARD WORK.
UH, WE HAVE A LOT OF NEW FACES AND, UH, SOME OF 'EM HAVE BEEN HERE, UH, A REALLY LONG TIME, LIKE THREE OR FOUR MONTHS.
UH, BUT THEN OTHERS HAVE BEEN HERE FOR EVEN LONGER THAN THAT.
UH, THANK YOU MISSY, FOR YOU AND YOUR STAFF AND THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING AND PUTTING IT TOGETHER.
I KNOW WE STILL HAVE SOME OPENINGS THAT WE ARE FEELINGS, SO, UM, AS SHE MENTIONED EARLIER, IF YOU DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHO TO REACH OUT TO, THERE IS A GROUP EFFORT NOW WITH OUR STAFF AND, UH, AND THANK THE PUBLIC FOR BEING HERE.
AND TO MY COLLEAGUES, I APPRECIATE YOU STAYING ENGAGED AND BEING GOOD ADVOCATES IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND WITH THAT, I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
[01:05:01]
IT ALSO REPRESENTS THE CLOSING CHAPTER OF AMERICA'S COASTAL DEFENSE SYSTEM BEFORE THE DAWN OF AIR POWER.PORT FREMONT IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE MOST ADVANCED MILITARY TECHNOLOGY OF ITS TIME.
IT WOULD PARALLEL THE B 17, AN AIRCRAFT CARRIER OF WORLD WAR II, THE F 35 OF TODAY.
FORT FREMONT WAS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE BUFORD CULTURE, VERY SIMILAR TO PARIS ISLAND AND THE MARINE CORPS AIR BASE.
TODAY IN 1525, THE SPANIARDS NAMED THIS SOUND AND THIS HARBOR, SANTA ELENA, THEY CALLED THE NAVIGATIONAL POINT, LA PUNTE DE ELENA, THE POINT OF SANTA ELENA.
AND WHAT THE SPANISH EXPLORERS DISCOVERED IS THAT PORT ROYAL SOUND IS A UNIQUE PIECE OF GEOGRAPHY.
IT'S THE DEEPEST NATURAL HARBOR SOUTH OF THE CHESAPEAKE BAY, POSSIBLY SOUTH OF NEW YORK, THE CHANNEL INTO PORT ROYAL SOUND.
THIS I FIND A REMARKABLE GEOLOGICAL FACT.
THE CHANNEL HA, UH, HAS NOT CHANGED FOR 500 YEARS.
THERE'S NO INLET ON THE SOUTHERN COAST THAT HASN'T SHIFTED ENTIRELY IN 500 YEARS EXCEPT PORT ROYAL SOUTH.
THERE'S SOMETHING GEOLOGICALLY DIFFERENT, OR ONE MIGHT SAY MAGICAL ABOUT PORT ROYAL SOUTH.
SO SPANISH SAILORS BEING THE BEST IN THE WORLD IN THEIR TIME, FOUND THIS PLACE VERY EARLY, KNEW THAT FOR THE SPANISH EXPLORATIONS, THE AMERICAN SOUTHEAST, THIS WOULD BE THE ENTRADA, THE ENTRANCE.
AND SO THEY BUILT A CITY ACROSS THE RIVER, UH, ACROSS THE SOUND FROM WHERE WE ARE ON PARIS ISLAND THAT BECAME THE FIRST CAPITAL OF FLORIDA.
AND THEY EXPLORED THE BACK COUNTRY FROM THIS LOCATION FOR, UH, MORE THAN A CENTURY WITH THE OBJECT OF BUILDING A HIGHWAY FROM THIS MAGNIFICENT HARBOR TO MEXICO CITY.
SO THE SOUND WAS KNOWN TO THE SPANIARDS, IT WAS KNOWN TO THE FRENCH WHO ACTUALLY GOT HERE FIRST AND FOLLOWED AND CREATED THE FIRST PROTESTANT COLONY IN THE NEW WORLD ON PARIS ISLAND OVER MY SHOULDER.
UM, AND THAT COLONY WAS A FAILURE.
IT WAS PART OF SPANISH, FLORIDA WHEN THE ENGLISH ARRIVED 150 YEARS LATER.
AND THIS WAS BECAME AS A CONSEQUENCE OF BATTLEGROUND IN THE 18TH CENTURY BETWEEN SPANISH INTERESTS IN FLORIDA AND ST.
AUGUSTINE AND THE ENGLISH COLONY IN CAROLINA AND IN CHARLESTON AND BACK AND FORTH.
THESE WARS WENT, MANY OF THEM NAVAL WARS, MANY OF THEM EMPLOYING AS ALL THE SAILORS KNEW BY THEN THE MAGIC OF PORT ROYAL SOUTH.
WHEN THE CIVIL WAR CAME, CONFEDERATES DEFENDED THE, UH, HARBOR, BUT IT WAS BASICALLY INDEFENSIBLE AGAINST, UH, LARGE NAVAL FORCES.
SO THE US NAVY MADE IT THEIR PRINCIPLE TARGET DURING THE BE BEGINNING OF THE CIVIL WAR AND SENT THE LARGEST FLOTILLA OF SHIPS, UM, ASSEMBLED BY THE UNITED STATES NAVY IN THE 19TH CENTURY INTO PORT ROYAL SOUND.
ON NOVEMBER, NOVEMBER 7TH, 1861.
IN A FOUR HOUR CANNON AID, WHICH WOULD'VE BEEN DEAFENING FROM WHERE WE'RE SITTING, WAS HEARD FROM MILES FROM SAVANNAH, NEARLY TO CHARLESTON.
IT WAS CALLED THE DAY OF THE BIG GUN SHOOT DURING THE CIVIL WAR.
THIS HARBOR THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT WAS FILLED WITH SHIPS.
IT WOULD BE HUNDREDS OF SHIPS IN THIS HARBOR.
THERE WAS A THOUSAND FOOT, UH, DOCK WITH A RAILROAD ON TOP OFF OF HILTON HEAD.
UM, THE MILITARY INSTALLATION WAS MAMMOTH.
THERE WERE 13,000 US SOLDIERS ON HILTON HEAD, WHICH WE'RE LOOKING AT THE LARGEST POPULATION ON HILTON HEAD UNTIL 1974.
SO THIS WAS A MAJOR US GOVERNMENT INSTALLATION IN THE HEART OF THE SOUTH.
IT WAS THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE US ARMY DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT WAS THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE UNITED STATES NAVY, SOUTH ATLANTIC BLOCKADING SQUADRON.
SO THE BIGGEST SHIPS IN THE NAVY WERE HERE.
AND, UM, SO IT, IT BECAME, AND, AND THAT'S REALLY WHERE THE STORY OF FREIGHT.
FORT FREMONT STARTS WITH THAT HUGE CIVIL WAR MILITARY, UH, OPERATIONS AND INSTALLATIONS, UM, ON HILTON HEAD, ON ST.
HELENA ISLAND, ON PARIS ISLAND.
AND IN BEAUTIFUL AFTER THE CIVIL WAR, WE'RE GONNA SEE A MASSIVE CHANGE IN TECHNOLOGY THAT'S GONNA REVOLUTIONIZE THE MILITARY.
DURING THE CIVIL WAR, WE HAD IRONCLAD SHIPS, WE HAD RIFLE CANNONS, BUT THEY WERE ALL MADE OUT OF IRON AND THEY WERE NOT TERRIBLY EFFECTIVE.
BUT IT'S TECHNOLOGY'S GONNA CHANGE.
AFTER THE CIVIL WAR, WE'RE GONNA SEE STEEL PRODUCED, AND STEEL IS MUCH HARDER.
SO NOW WE HAVE A NEW MATERIALS OFF TO MAKE ARMOR OUT OF FOR SHIPS.
SO WE CAN HAVE THESE ARMORED SHIPS MADE WITH STEEL AT A MUCH MORE RESISTANCE TO A SHOT.
AND BECAUSE I HAVE STEEL, I CAN MAKE, UH, STRONGER BARRELS FOR MY GUNS.
UH, I CAN RIFLE AND MACHINE THESE MUCH BETTER.
AND THE RIFLING IS THE SPIRALS THAT ARE CUTTING THE
[01:10:01]
BARREL THAT ALLOWS IT TO SHOOT FURTHER WITH MORE ACCURACY.AND WE CAN ALSO NOW HAVE BREACH LOADING GUNS THAT CAN LOCK FROM BEHIND.
SO I CAN LOAD MY GUN FROM BEHIND.
I DON'T HAVE TO GO HAVE THE WHOLE BLACK POWDER MUZZLE LOADING CANNON I HAD BEFORE.
NOW I CAN FIRE MUCH MORE RAPIDLY.
IF I COMPARE THE GUN OF, UH, 1890 TO THE GUNS OF 1860, UH, FOR THE SAME CALIBER, THE SAME DIAMETER GUN, UH, THE 1890 GUN WILL BE ABLE TO FIRE PROJECTILE AS FOUR TIMES HEAVIER, CAN SHOOT IT THREE TIMES FURTHER, CAN PUT IT IN WITH GREATER PRECISION, AND CAN PUT IT THROUGH MUCH MORE ARMOR THAN ANYTHING.
WE HAD IN 1860S WORLD DIFFERENCE.
A MILITARY HISTORIAN, ER LEWIS WOULD SAY THAT THE CHANGE BETWEEN THE CIVIL WAR IN 1890 AND ARTILLERY TECHNOLOGY WAS THE GREATEST THAT WE'D BE SEEN SINCE INVENTION OF ARTILLERY IN THE 14TH CENTURY TO THE INTRODUCTION OF THE NUCLEAR PROJECTILE IN THE 1950S.
SO THERE'S BEEN A HUGE CHANGE IN GUN TECHNOLOGY AT THE SAME TIME.
IT'S NOT JUST THE STEEL, BUT ALSO THE POWDER THAT FIRES THESE GUNS IS DIFFERENT.
WE'RE HAVING NEW CHEMICAL MAKEUP AND SORT OF LIKE CORDITE IS INVENTED NOW, AND IT'S STILL A WIDELY USED MILITARY EXPLOSIVE.
SMOKELESS POWDER IS INVENTED DURING THIS PERIOD OF TIME, AND IT'S NOT JUST CHEMICAL COMPOSITION, BUT IT'S THE DETAILS OF HOW YOU MAKE THE GRAIN, HOW FAST THEY BURN.
SO MUCH LIKE THE SKILL OF FIRING A SOLID ROCKET, UM, SOLID FUEL, UM, ROCKET.
IT'S THAT SAME KIND OF TECHNOLOGY THAT'S BEEN DEVELOPED IN THESE, UH, GUNPOWDER, IN THIS NEW POWDER.
SO OUR WEAPONS OF THIS DAY ARE, ARE MUCH, MUCH GREATER.
UM, THEY WOULD BE THE GREAT KILLING MACHINES IN WORLD WAR I.
MOST OF THE CASUALTIES ON THE BATTLEFIELDS WORLD WAR I WOULD COME FROM ARTILLERY.
SO THE WORLD HAS SEEN A HUGE CHANGE IN ARTILLERY AND THAT'S TIED INTO CHANGES IN SHIPS.
WE NOW HAVE STEEL ARMORED SHIPS.
THEY ARE NOW EQUIPPED WITH THESE FINE LONG RANGE GUNS, AND THEY NOW BECOME THE DOMINANT THREAT OF THE LATE 19TH, EARLY 20TH CENTURY.
THE FRENCH AND ENGLISH WOULD BOMBARD CITIES LIKE CAIRO AND REDUCE THEM TO RUBBLE BECAUSE THEY WERE UNABLE TO DEFEND THEM.
SO THIS IS HOW THE WORLD WAS SEEING THE THREAT FROM THIS NEW TECHNOLOGY.
BIG BATTLESHIPS ARE THE THREAT OF THE ERA, AND NEW GUNS AND FORTIFICATIONS ON, UH, THE GROUND ARE WHAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE TO DEFEND AGAINST THEM.
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT AND FIRST THINGS THAT HAPPENED AFTER THE CIVIL WAR IS THEY BUILT A RAILROAD TO PORT ROYAL SOUND, WHICH DIDN'T EXIST.
IT WAS THE FIRST CONNECTION OF THE SEA ISLANDS TO THE MAINLAND.
THE ADVANTAGE OF THAT RAILROAD IS IT BROUGHT COLD TO PORT ROYAL SOUND.
SO WHEN THE COAL WAS DELIVERED, THE NAVY FOLLOWED IN 1872, ROBERT SMALLS WAS IN THE SOUTH CAROLINA LEGISLATURE AND HE PUSHED THROUGH A RESOLUTION TO THE SECRETARY OF WAR CALLING FOR THEM TO PUT A NAVY STATION ON PARIS ISLAND.
AND EVENTUALLY HE WOULD GO ON TO CONGRESS WHERE HE WOULD CONTINUE HIS SUPPORT FOR A NAVY STATION HERE IN THE BEAUFORT PORT OIL AREA.
THEY EVENTUALLY OPENED A NAVY STATION HERE AND A COALING STATION THEY CREATED IN THE 1890S ON PARIS ISLAND, THE LARGEST DRY DOCK IN THE UNITED STATES.
THIS IS THE PERIOD WHEN THE US NAVY WAS SWITCHING FROM SAIL TO STEAM.
ALL THE NAVIES OF THE WORLD NEED COALING STATION.
THIS WAS THE PRINCIPLE COALING STATION BECAUSE OF THE RAILROAD FOR THE CARIBBEAN AND SOUTH AMERICAN US FLEETS, THIS WOULD BE THE BIGGEST DRY DOCK SOUTH OF NORFOLK.
IN FACT, IT IS THE ONLY DRY DOCK SOUTH OF NORFOLK, VIRGINIA THAT'S CAPABLE OF TAKING THESE NEW MODERN BATTLESHIPS AND THESE NEW MODERN ARMORED CRUISERS.
SO THIS BECOMES, AT THIS POINT, A STRATEGIC NAVY BASIN, THAT IT PROVIDES COAL AND IT PROVIDES, UH, TOP LINE SUPPORT TO THE SHIPS AND THEY CAN REPAIR THE HULLS OF EVEN THE BIGGEST SHIPS IN THE US NAVY.
FOLLOWING THE CIVIL WAR, NATIONAL STRATEGY AND EMPHASIS IN THE UNITED STATES SHIFTED FROM TO RECOVERY FROM WAR, AND ALL OF OUR COASTAL FORTIFICATIONS WENT INTO NEGLECT.
THE MILITARY WAS BUSY TAMING THE WEST, AND COASTAL DEFENSES, UH, BECAME SOMETHING THAT WAS NO LONGER IMPORTANT IN THE REST OF THE WORLD.
TECHNOLOGY IS MOVING FORWARD AND THEY'RE DEVELOPING THESE BATTLESHIPS.
THEY'RE DEVELOPING NEW, UH, HIGH QUALITY ARTILLERY, AND THIS IS GOING ON, UH, WORLDWIDE.
AND IN 1885, PRESIDENT GROVER CLEVELAND APPOINTED ENDICOTT BOARD.
THIS WAS SEC HEADED BY SECRETARY WAR ENDICOTT, WILLIAM ENDICOTT.
AND THE BOARD WOULD MEET AN ISSUE OF REPORT IN 1886, AND IT SAID, THE CONDITIONS OF OUR COASTAL DEFENSES WERE JUST UNBEARABLE.
THEY CANNOT BE ALLOWED TO STAY LIKE THAT.
AND THEY MADE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FORTIFICATION AND IMPROVEMENTS.
THEY IDENTIFIED 29 PLACES THAT NEEDED FORTIFICATIONS AND 11 OF WHICH WERE CRITICAL.
[01:15:01]
OF 29 SAVANNAH AND CHARLESTON ON THE LIST.BUT BEAUFORT IS NOT ON THE LIST.
IT'LL TAKE INTERNATIONAL EVENTS TO BRING BEAUFORT INTO THE PLAY OF, OF MODERN FORT TECHNOLOGY.
SO THE USS MAINE WAS HERE ON PATROL AND IN THE HARBOR, AND WHILE THEY WERE IN THE HARBOR, SEVERAL TIMES, THEY ENTERTAINED THE LOCAL POPULATION.
SO THE MERCHANTS AND THE SOCIAL LEADERS AND THE POLITICAL LEADERS OF BEAUFORT WERE INVITED TO COME HAVE LUNCH WITH THE CAPTAIN OF THE SHIP CAPTAIN SIGS BE, AND THE OFFICERS GOT TO KNOW THE PEOPLE.
THE PEOPLE GET, GOT TO KNOW THE OFFICERS.
THE CREW, WHICH WAS LARGE, WOULD GO ASHORE ON PAYDAY AND MAKE FRIENDS WITH EVERYBODY IN TOWN.
SO IT WAS A VERY SOCIAL, UM, ARRANGEMENT BETWEEN THE TOWNS, PORT ROYAL AND BEAUFORD AND THE SHIP.
SO THE MAIN LEFT HERE, IT WENT AND REPROVISION, IT REFUELED IN KEY WEST AND THEN WENT TO 90 MILES ACROSS TO HAVANA INTO THE HARBOR AND BLEW UP THIS INFLAMED, THE ALREADY, UH, HOT PASSIONS BOTH IN CUBA AND HERE IN THE UNITED STATES.
AT THAT POINT, SOMEBODY IN THE WAR DEPARTMENT REALIZED THAT WE HAD THIS BIG DRY DOCK, THE ONLY DRY DOCK IN THE SOUTH THAT COULD TAKE ON AND REPAIR THESE BIG CAPITAL SHIPS THAT WERE IN OUR NAVY.
WE WERE GOING TO START OPERATIONS AGAINST A POWER IN THE CARIBBEAN.
AND THIS FORT WAS TOTALLY UNDEFINED, AND THAT'S WHAT PUT FORT FREMONT ON THE MAP.
WE HAD TO HAVE A FORD HERE TO DEFEND THE COALING STATION, AND ESPECIALLY THIS BIG DRY DOCK, AS WELL AS THIS FINE HARBOR.
AND OF COURSE, THAT EVENT, WHICH KILLED 300 OR MORE SAILORS ON THE SHIP, UM, WAS VERY MUCH FOLLOWED BY THE LOCAL NEWS MEDIA AND VERY MUCH LAMENTED BY THE MANY FRIENDS THAT THE CREW HAD MADE HERE.
THE DESTRUCTION OF THE USS MAINE WAS A PERSONAL MATTER TO BEAUFORT AND TO PORT ROYAL SOUND.
UM, AND OF COURSE, IT WAS THE SPANISH AMERICAN WAR AND THE ATTEMPT TO DEFEND THIS HARBOR AGAIN, WHICH LED TO THE, THE CREATION OF FORT FREEMAN.
THE UNITED STATES DECLARED WAR ON SPAIN IN, IN APRIL, 1898.
AND BY EARLY MAY, WE HAD TEMPORARY BATTERIES IN PLACE HERE, SUBMARINE MINES WERE IN PLACE, AND IN THE SUMMER, THEY WOULD ACTUALLY PLACE THE MINES ACROSS THE BEAUFORT RIVER.
THE TEMPORARY BATTERIES WERE A TEMPORARY EXPEDIENT.
THEY WERE LOCATED TO MY LEFT ABOUT A THOUSAND YARDS.
THEY IMMEDIATELY BEGAN CONSTRUCTION OF WHAT WOULD BECOME FORT FREMONT, THE LARGE BATTERIES WITH HOUSE, A LARGE GUNS BATTERY FOR THE RAPID FIRE GUNS.
THE SMALLER BATTERY WAS COMPLETED BY JUNE OF 1898.
IN THE 1898, EVERYBODY IN TOWN WENT TO WAR.
UM, THEY HAD A NAVAL MILITIA UNIT, SOUTH GO NAVAL MILITIA UNIT, AND THEY WERE ABSORBED BY THE NAVY.
UH, MANY OF THEM RAN TUGBOATS FROM HERE TO NEW YORK TO KEY WEST, WHICH WAS THE PRINCIPAL SUPPORT BASE, TAMPA AND KEY WEST FOR THE US ARMY OPERATIONS IN CUBA.
PEACE WAS DECLARED BY THE END OF 1898, AND THE, UH, REMAINDER OF FORT FREMONT WOULD NOT BE FINISHED UNTIL EARLY 1899, AND THE FIRST SOLDIERS WOULD ARRIVE FROM THE REGULAR ARMY AT THAT POINT IN MARCH, 1899.
WELL, FORT FREMONT WAS NAMED FOR, UH, MAJOR GENERAL JOHN FREMONT.
UH, HE WAS ACTUALLY A LOCAL BOY, SO TO SPEAK.
UH, HE WAS BORN AND GREW UP IN, UH, SAVANNAH, GEORGIA, JUST, UH, SOUTH OF US.
AND, UH, WENT TO, UH, COLLEGE IN THE COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON, UH, UP JUST NORTH OF US IN CHARLESTON.
HE SERVED IN THE ARMY AND, UH, PRIMARILY INITIALLY AS A, UM, EXPLORER, AS ARMY FORTS WERE GENERALLY NAMED FOR ARMY OFFICERS.
UH, AND HE WAS, UH, CONNECTED LOCALLY.
UH, THIS IS, UH, MORE THAN LIKELY WHY THE FORT WAS NAMED FOR HIM.
THE FORT WAS CONSTRUCTED ON A SITE, UH, DIRECTLY ACROSS THE RIVER FROM, UH, THE PARIS ISLAND, UH, UH, NAVAL STATION.
AND THE SITE SELECTED WAS 170 ACRES, WHICH INCLUDED THE TWO, UH, ARTILLERY, UH, BATTERIES, UH, FORT, UH, FOR FREMONT, OF COURSE, HAD BATTERY FOREIGNNESS AND BATTERY JESSUP.
UH, BUT THEN ADJACENT TO THE BATTERY SITE WAS AN ADMINISTRATIVE QUADRANGLE, A VERY TYPICAL MILITARY TYPE, UH, ADMINISTRATIVE SQUARE.
UH, WE ARE SITTING IN THE NUMBER THREE GUN POSITION OF A THREE GUN BATTERY BATTERY JESSUP, WHICH HAD THREE 10 INCH DISAPPEARING
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CARRIAGE, LARGE CALIBER GUNS BREACH LOADING GUNS.THEIR PURPOSE WAS TO, UH, ENGAGE THE WARSHIPS THAT MIGHT, UH, BE ENTERING THE HARBOR, UH, AND FORT ROYAL SOUND.
WE'RE HERE NOW AT THE SECOND BATTERY, UH, THAT WAS PART OF FORT FREMONT.
THIS IS BATTERY FOR N UH, WAS NAMED FOR A ARMY OFFICER, UH, THAT WAS ACTUALLY KILLED DURING THE SPANISH AMERICAN WAR.
UH, DURING THE BATTLE OF SAN JUAN HILL, UH, BATTERY FOR NANCE MOUNTED TWO, UH, BRITISH MAID, 4.72 INCH ARMSTRONG QUICKFIRE GUNS.
UH, THEY WERE CALLED QUICKFIRE BECAUSE THEY LOADED, UH, WERE LOADED WITH A COMPLETE CARTRIDGE AND IT, UH, IN TIME OF ACTION, THEY COULD FIRE FOUR TO SIX ROUNDS PER MINUTE.
THE PURPOSE OF BATTERY FOR NANCE WAS TO DEFEND THE MINEFIELD, WHICH WAS THE OTHER COMPONENT OF THE ENDICOTT COAST ARTILLERY OR OR COAST DEFENSE SYSTEM.
UH, A MINEFIELD, UH, WITH CONTROLLED MINES.
CONTROLLED MEANING THAT THEY WERE CONNECTED ELECTRICALLY TO SHORE AND COULD BE FIRED ON COMMAND FROM SHORE.
THAT, UH, CONTROL STATION WOULD'VE BEEN, UH, PROBABLY SHARED WITH THE PLOTTING ROOM.
AND IN ORDER TO PROTECT THE MINE FIELD, OBVIOUSLY AN ENEMY WOULD WANT TO INTERFERE WITH THAT.
MIGHT SEND VESSELS, UH, SMALL SHIPS IN HERE AT NIGHT TO TRY TO INTERFERE.
AND THIS BATTERY WOULD TAKE THOSE VESSELS UNDER FIRE IF THERE WAS SOME, UH, THERE WAS SUSPECTED THAT, UH, UH, THEY WERE DOING SOMETHING TO INTERFERE WITH THE MINES, SUCH AS, UH, PULLING UP THE CABLES AND CUTTING THOSE.
THE INDIGO ERA OF FORT WAS A FORMIDABLE TECHNOLOGY.
IT REPRESENTED STATE-OF-THE-ART TECHNOLOGY, DEFENSE TECHNOLOGY OF ITS TIME AGAINST THE STATE-OF-THE-ART, ART THREAT, WHICH WOULD BE THE BATTLESHIP.
THE LIFE FOR THE SOLDIERS AT FORT FREMONT WAS DISCIPLINED AND REGIMENTED.
THEY EVEN HAD MEALTIMES WHERE SPECIFIED LENGTHS OF TIME, 15 MINUTES FOR LUNCH, 15 MINUTES AT BREAKFAST, 20 MINUTES AT SUPPER.
THEY HAD TO PRACTICE THEIR SKILLS.
THEY WERE TRAINING AND DOING MAINTENANCE CONSTANTLY, IF YOU CAN IMAGINE WITH THESE BIG GUNS.
THEY HAD TO HAVE SKILLS IN AND PRACTICE THE SKILLS IN ARTILLERY MINE LAYING SIGNALING, WHICH INVOLVED IN OUR CASE AT FORT FREMONT, THE USE OF THE FIRE CONTROL TOWER, WHICH WAS A PRETTY SOPHISTICATED AND, UM, ADVANCED SIGNALING TECHNIQUE.
THEN THEY ALSO HAD TO, UM, PRACTICE THE TYPICAL MILITARY SKILLS, MARCHING AND DRILLING, SMALL ARMS, FIRE, FIRST AID, AND SO FORTH.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, THEY ALSO, UM, HAD PARTICIPATED IN ATHLETICS.
THEY HAD PHYSICAL TRAINING, PT, AND THEY ALSO HAD SPORTS TEAMS. SO THIS WAS TO KEEP THEM PHYSICALLY FIT SO THAT THEY COULD CONTINUE THEIR, THEIR DUTIES.
'CAUSE THEY WERE, IT WAS PRETTY RIGOROUS AT FORT F FREEMONT.
WHEN EVENTUALLY THE DECISION WAS MADE TO MOVE A DRY DOCK AND THE COALING STATION AND THE NAVY STATION UP TO CHARLESTON, THEN THIS FORT NO LONGER BECAME SIGNIFICANT.
THERE WAS NOTHING LEFT HERE THAT WAS TO BE PROTECTED.
AND AT THAT POINT, 1911, THE LAST TROOPS WERE TRANSFERRED OUT, AND FORT WAS CLOSED IN 1901, THE MAYOR OF CHARLESTON AND THE UNITED STATES SENATOR PITCHFORK, BEN TILLMAN FROM SOUTH CAROLINA, WANTED THIS TO MOVE FROM BEAUFORT COUNTY TO CHARLESTON COUNTY 'CAUSE THERE ARE MORE VOTES IN CHARLESTON COUNTY.
AND THE MAYOR WANTED THE US CORPS OF ENGINEERS IN, IN THE NAVY TO DREDGE THE HARBOR IN CHARLESTON.
'CAUSE BATTLESHIPS IN THOSE DAYS REQUIRED 26 FEET OF WATER.
CHARLESTON'S NATURAL HARBOR IS 15 FEET OF WATER.
PORT ROYAL IS 30 FEET OF WATER.
IN ORDER FOR CHARLESTON TO SUSTAIN ITS PORT, ITS COMMERCIAL PORT, IT HAD TO DREDGE THE HARBOR.
WELL, IF THEY COULD GET THE NAVY UP THERE, THEY GET THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS TO DREDGE THE HARBOR.
AND THE, UH, THE PLAY FOR PITCHFORK, BEN TILLMAN, THE US SENATOR IN 1900 WAS THAT HE'D GET A WHOLE LOT MORE VOTES FROM VOTES FROM THE LARGEST CITY IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
SO IT WAS A POLITICAL COMMERCIAL OPERATION, AND THEY MOVED THE NATION AND IT WAS DONE, BOOM, LIKE THAT.
THE FORT DID ITS JOB, THE DETERRENT FOR ANYBODY THAT WISHED TO ATTACK THESE.
IN FACT, THE WHOLE INDICO SYSTEM, ALTHOUGH NEVER CHALLENGED IN, UH, THIS ERA
[01:25:01]
HERE IN THE UNITED STATES, PROVIDED SOME 300 MAJOR GUNS, COASTAL GUNS, TO PRO, UH, PROTECT MAJOR AREAS, AND LEFT THE UNITED STATES AT THE BEGINNING OF THE 20TH CENTURY WITH AS WELL DEFENDED, UH, COASTLINE AS ANY PLACE IN, IN THE WORLD.BUT I, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT IT'S A MAGNIFICENT ARTIFACT OF AN ERA, AND IT'S AN ERA THAT HAS BEEN NEGLECTED, UH, THE TURN OF THE 20TH CENTURY, UM, THE NAVAL STATION ACROSS THE RIVER HERE.
AND, UM, SO IT'S A, IT'S A PIECE OF HISTORY THAT'S DISAPPEARING AND THE FRIENDS OF FORT FREMONT AND BEAUFORT COUNTY HAVE PRESERVED IT BEFORE THE USE OF THE PUBLIC.
AND, UH, AS A MEMORIAL TO THAT MOMENT IN HISTORY, FORT FREMONT CLOSES A 350 YEAR STORY OF HOMELAND SECURITY ADDRESSING EUROPEAN IMPERIALISM IN THE 19TH CENTURY.
IT'S A TALE OF HOW GEOGRAPHY, TECHNOLOGY, AND NATIONAL SECURITY CREATES A TRANSITION FOR AMERICA TO BECOME A GLOBAL POWER.
IT'S ALSO A WONDERFUL SNAPSHOT OF AMERICA.
IN THE BEGINNING OF THE 20TH CENTURY, THE FRIENDS OF FORT FREMONT AND BEAUFORT COUNTY HAVE A VALUED PARTNERSHIP WORKING IN TANDEM TO PRESERVE THE FORT'S INTEGRITY AND PROMOTE THE HISTORICAL, NATURAL AND CULTURAL ASPECTS OF THE FORT.
MOST IMPORTANT, WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR CREATIVE WAYS TO ENHANCE THE VISITOR EXPERIENCE.
ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS PARTS OF A HURRICANE IS STORM SURGE.
WHAT IS STORM SURGE? YOU ASK? STORM SURGE IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE WINDS OF A COASTAL STORM PUSH WATER ON THE LAND.
IN ADDITION, LARGE AND DESTRUCTIVE WAVES RIDE IN ON THE TOP OF THE SURGE.
THESE WATER SURGES THEN WREAK HAVOC AND CAN CAUSE MAJOR DAMAGE IN FLOODING MANY MILES FROM THE STORM, NOT LIMITED TO COASTAL PROPERTIES.
STORM SURGES FROM SEAWATER TRAVELING UP STREAMS AND RIVERS CAN FLOOD INLAND HOMES TOO.
AND IS IT STRONG, ABLE TO CARRY AWAY CARS AND DEMOLISH ENTIRE COMMUNITIES? IT DOESN'T TAKE EXTREME WIND TO MAKE STORM SURGE HAPPEN.
LOW END HURRICANE WINDS FROM SANDY CREATED A STORM SURGE THAT LEVELED PARTS OF NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY IN 2012.
STORM SURGE IS WHAT OFFICIALS USE WHEN DETERMINING WHO TO EVACUATE.
ONCE WATER STARTS TO RISE, THE DESTRUCTIVE RUSH CAN QUICKLY COVER A LOT OF GROUND HOMES, CARS, PEOPLE, PETS.
IF YOU GET ANYTHING FROM THIS VIDEO, LET IT BE THIS.
WHEN OFFICIALS SAY IT IS TIME TO EVACUATE, GO.
DON'T FALL VICTIM TO STORM SURGE.