[00:00:01]
CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY.WE DO HAVE ONE MEMBER, ANDRE WHITE IS ON
[1. Call to Order]
INTERNET AND HE'S ALL OKAY.UH, I'D LIKE TO CALL THE MEETING ORDER.
I'D LIKE TO MOVE FOR ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA.
[2. Adoption of the Agenda]
SUB MOVED SECOND.[3. Approval of the Minutes]
NUMBER THREE, WHICH IS APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.YOU HAVE MINUTES THERE FROM FEBRUARY 21ST AS WELL AS MARCH 18TH.
UH, I'D LIKE TO MOVE FOR ADOPTION OF BOTH MEETING MINUTES.
[4. Appearance by Citizens]
I BOARD APPEARANCE BY CITIZENS.UH, ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS FROM CITIZENS? YES.
IS IT OKAY TO SAY COMMENT UNTIL THE END? I'M SORRY.
TO SAY COMMENTS UNTIL THE END OF THE MEETING? SURE, YES.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? OH, WE AT UNFINISHED BUSINESS AND MR.
[5. Unfinished Business]
BOXY HAS AN UPDATE THAT HE'S GOING TO, UH, GIVE TO THE BOTTOM.I, UH, JIM, I, NUMBER FIVE, UH, DISCUSSION OF
UM, OVER THE LAST SEVEN MONTHS SINCE WE HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED, OFFICIALLY ESTABLISHED AS AN ORGANIZATION, WE HAVE BEEN SPENDING TIME HAVING CONVERSATIONS, PERSONAL CONVERSATIONS WITH PROPERTY OWNERS IN THE STONY CORRIDOR.
UM, AND SO TODAY WHAT I WANTED TO DO WAS PROVIDE AN UPDATE IN REGARDS TO THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAVE BEEN HAVING AND, UH, AND, AND GIVE AN IDEA TO THE BOARD AS FAR AS, UM, WHERE WE CURRENTLY STAND IN THESE ONGOING DISCUSSIONS.
I DO WANT TO MAKE A POINT, UH, TO NOTE THAT THESE CONVERSATIONS ARE ONGOING WITH, UH, PROPERTY OWNERS IN THE STONY CORRIDOR, BUT AS YOU KNOW, THE, UH, WILLIAM MILTON PARKWAY PROJECT HAS BEEN IN CONSIDERATION FOR, SINCE ABOUT 2018, THAT BEEN VARIANCE, UH, CONVERSATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN HAD, UH, IN REGARDS TO, UH, WHAT THAT PROJECT WOULD LOOK LIKE FROM A DESIGN PERSPECTIVE, AND ALSO THE IMPACTS THAT IT WOULD HAVE ON PROPERTY OWNERS IN THE AREA.
SO, STARTING OUT, UH, SOME OF THE, THE MAIN ISSUES THAT WE HAVE, HAVE HEARD IN RELATIONSHIP TO THIS PROJECT ARE SAFETY, RIGHT OF WAY ACQUISITION AND, UH, THE ACTUAL MITIGATION FOR PROPERTY OWNERS.
WE TALK ABOUT SAFETY, SAFETY BEING THE, UM, THE PROPOSED ADDITION OF AN ADDITIONAL LANE IN EACH DIRECTION.
MOVING THE HIGHWAY FROM FOUR LANES TO SIX LANES WOULD CREATE A SAFETY ISSUE WITH REGARDS TO SPEED.
SO, SPEED IS, IS AN ISSUE IN THE CORRIDOR.
UM, HOW DO WE MITIGATE THAT? UM, PART OF THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'VE BEEN HAVING IS RELATED TO ADDITIONAL, UH, SAFETY REGARDS FOR PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE TRAFFIC, UM, AND ALSO ADDITIONAL ENFORCEMENT IN THE CORRIDOR TO KEEP THOSE FEESS DOWN AT RESPECTABLE LEVEL RIGHT OF WAY ACQUISITION.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE EXPANSION OF THE HIGHWAY, THERE HAS BEEN, AS, AS HAS BEEN DISCUSSED IN PREVIOUS MEETINGS, THE NEED TO POTENTIALLY ACQUIRE ADDITIONAL LAND FROM PROPERTY OWNERS IN THE STONY CORRIDOR TO EXPAND THAT PARTICULAR HIGHWAY.
SO WHAT WE HAVE BEEN VERY, VERY ADAMANT IN PORTRAYING TO BEAUFORT COUNTY, AS WELL AS THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, IS THE MESSAGE THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED FROM THE PROPERTY OWNERS
[00:05:01]
IN THE STONY COMMUNITY.AND THAT IS THAT WE DO NOT WANT ANY FURTHER IMPACT IN REGARDS TO PROPERTY ACQUISITION.
SO AS THE, THE PROCESS HAS MOVED FORWARD, AND I CAN, I CAN HONESTLY TELL YOU THAT I HAVE, AS WELL AS HAS THE MAYOR AND THE TOWN MANAGER BEEN A STRONG ADVOCATE FOR NO FURTHER PROPERTY ACQUISITION WITHIN THE STONY CORRIDOR, BUT ALSO WORKING TO, UM, TO DEVELOP ALTERNATIVES THAT WOULD NOT ACQUIRE, UH, THAT WOULD NOT REQUIRE ADDITIONAL PROPERTY ACQUISITION.
SO WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE WOULD BE TO WORK WITHIN THE EXISTING RIGHT OF WAY, UH, TO EXPAND THE NECESSARY TO THE NECESSARY WIDTH FOR, UH, FOR THE HIGHWAY TO MOVE FORWARD.
SO THERE'S CURRENTLY, AS PART OF THE, THE, THE CONVERSATIONS THAT ARE BEING HAD, AND WE'LL GO THROUGH A TIMELINE THAT WILL, THAT WILL TALK TO YOU ABOUT, UM, SOME OF THE FURTHER MEETINGS OF THE GATEWAY CORRIDOR INDEPENDENT REVIEW ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
UM, SOME OF THE PROPOSALS THAT ARE BEING PRESENTED TO THEM ALSO ARE LOOKING AT HOW TO NOT FURTHER IMPACT THE PROPERTY OWNERS IN THE STONY COMMUNITY, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO US.
SOME OF THE OTHER PIECES, UM, THAT ARE RELATED TO, UH, MITIGATION WOULD BE, UM, THE POLLUTION, THE NOISE THAT, UM, THAT ARE CURRENTLY IMPACTING, UH, PROPERTY OWNERS ALONG THE, THE 2 78 PROJECT CORRIDOR.
SO WE TALKED ABOUT MEANS BY WHICH TO APPROPRIATELY MITIGATE SOUND.
SOME OF THAT, UM, INVOLVES, YOU KNOW, PLANTING, UH, PLANTING OF TREES, NOISE BARRIERS.
WE'VE ALSO DISCUSSED THE POTENTIAL OF, UH, PROVIDING MITIGATION OPTIONS FOR HOMEOWNERS IN THAT AREA.
IE UH, UPDATING SOUNDPROOFING, WEATHERIZATION AND, AND DIFFERENT, UH, DIFFERENT CONCEPTS SUCH AS THAT.
WE'VE ALSO TALKED ABOUT SAFE ACCESS POINTS TO AND FROM, UH, UM, PROPERTY OWNERS, UH, ACTUAL RESIDENTS.
AND SO THERE ARE SEVERAL PARCELS OF TOWN ON LAND THAT WE HAVE ALSO LOOKED AT AS A MEANS BY WHICH TO PROVIDE SAFE ACCESS TO PROPERTY OWNERS, UH, IN THE STONY COMMUNITY.
WE'VE ALSO HAD CONVERSATIONS, UM, AROUND ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY.
UH, THE CONVERSATION HAS, HAS BEEN HAD RELATED TO THE ECONOMIC IMPACT THAT STONY HAS, HAS REPRESENTED ON HILTON HEAD, UM, FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME.
AND SO, UH, WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HONOR AND REPRESENT THE LEGACY OF THE SONY COMMUNITY IN REGARDS TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
SO, UH, ONE OF THE PIECES THAT WE DEFINITELY ARE CONSIDERING IS, UH, HOW DO WE SUPPORT BUSINESSES IN THE STONY COMMUNITY MOVING FORWARD? SO, SO WE ARE WORKING TO DEVELOP AN ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY PLAN THAT WOULD INFUSE CAPITAL INTO BUSINESSES AND BUSINESS OWNERS THERE IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO THAT'S A ROUGH OVERVIEW AND I'LL OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD.
UH, THOMAS, I KNOW THAT, 'CAUSE WE, WE MEET WEEKLY THAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF WORK WITH THIS TALKING TO INDIVIDUAL FAMILIES.
SO I WANNA REITERATE, UM, REALLY THE AUDIENCE HERE THAT HE IS SPENDING A LOT OF TIME TALKING TO PEOPLE WITHIN, UM, DEVELOP COMMUNITY, BUT SPECIFICALLY THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE DIRECTLY IMPACTED WITH, UM, THE CORRIDOR PROJECT.
AND SO I, I COMMEND YOU BECAUSE I KNOW THAT'S TAKEN OFF A LOT OF TIME, A LOT OF LISTENING, A LOT OF LISTENING.
AND BECAUSE YOU LISTEN WELL, YOU'RE ABLE TO REITERATE TO THESE OTHER AGENCIES TO GO TO, UH, SOUTH CAROLINA, BE A TEAM, WHAT IS NEEDED AND WHAT, WHAT THESE PEOPLE WILL FEEL
AND I THINK THAT'S A IMPORTANT POINT THAT MR. THANK YOU.
AND THERE, THERE ARE, ARE SEVERAL PROPER PROPERTY OWNERS IN THE CORRIDOR PRESENT TODAY, AND I THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TODAY IN ATTENDANCE AND, UH, AND SUPPORTING.
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ALSO IN ADDITION, YOU COMMENDING THE COMMUNITY, THOSE WHO ARE DIRECTLY IMPACTED FOR COMING OUT WESTERN MID SENTIMENT.AND BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE ADVOCATE IN THE ROOM AND THOSE WHO ARE DIRECTLY IMPACTED HAVE TO HAVE A LEVEL OF TRUST 'CAUSE ADVOCACY IS THERE AND HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE.
SO YOU LISTEN AND YOU HEARD, AND I, I HEAR A HOLISTIC APPROACH, BIG PICTURE APPROACH THAT INCLUDES SAFETY, ECONOMIC IMPACT, LAND MITIGATION, AND NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THAT.
SO I THINK THE, THE, THE TOTAL IMPACT THAT YOU HAVE CONVERSATIONS, THE DIALOGUE, UM, THE TEAM CONCEPT THAT YOU HAVE WITH, WITH, WITH THE BOARD AND THE RESIDENTS IS A GOOD THING MOVING FORWARD.
SO THOSE, THOSE, THOSE LINE OWNERS WHO THEY LIMIT AGREE THAT THEY SEE EVERY DAY.
UM, AND SOME OF US ARE FAR REMOVED FROM IT, SO, RIGHT.
I, I APPLAUD THE ONGOING WORK.
UM, AND I JUST HOPE MOVING FORWARD IT'LL CONTINUING AND GO STRONGER SO THAT THE END RESULT WILL BE WHEN NOTHING, YOU GET A HUNDRED PERCENT OF WHAT YOU WANT, BUT THE END RESULT WILL LOOK LIKE A LOT OF WHAT THEY, THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO ON ONE ANSWER.
AND THE, THESE CONVERSATIONS ARE ONGOING, AND I HAVE, UH, GIVEN MY WORD TO THE PROPERTY OWNERS IN THE, IN THE AREA THAT I WOULD HOLD THE THINGS THAT WE DISCUSSED IN REGARDS TO PERSONAL MITIGATION AND, AND DIFFERENT STRATEGIES AND CONFIDENCE UNTIL IT BECAME TIME TO DISCUSS THAT AT A, AT A DIFFERENT LEVEL.
AND SO AGAIN, YOU, YOU ARE EXACTLY RIGHT.
UM, IT, IT HAS BEEN A, UH, A JOURNEY OF TRUST AND I, I FEEL VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE EARNED SOME OF THAT TRUST FROM, UH, THE FAMILIES AND PROPERTY OWNERS.
AND AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.
JEFF, UM, I DON'T GONNA SKIP AHEAD TO THE TIMELINE OF THESE, BUT I KNOW THAT THE INTENT HERE IS THAT MR. BOX IS GOING TO GATHER SOME, UH, COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD THAT HE CAN CARRY.
AND, UH, I WANTED TO
RIGHT? UM, ONE, AS FAR AS, UH, SAFETY ACCESS IS CONCERNED, UM, I LIKE TO SEE A BROADEN THAT TO, UH, THE SAFETY AS A WHOLE.
ACCESS OBVIOUSLY IS A HUGE COMPONENT.
WE HAVE A PROBLEM AT THE, SINCE TODAY WE PROBABLY, THAT PROBABLY, UM, ONE OF THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES OF THIS PROJECT WAS TO IMPROVE SAFETY.
UM, AND WE NOT TALKED A LOT ABOUT HOW WE CAN CONNECT FROM ONE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO OTHER.
UM, IT'S ONE THING TO HAVE A CONTROLLED SIGNAL THERE.
THAT'S A WHOLE NOTHER THING TO HAVE SOME TYPE OF CROSSING IS ONE OVER THE ACTUAL HIGHWAY.
I THINK THAT, UM, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR FOLKS TO LIVE IN THE AREA.
IF WE ARE GOING TO BE GOING IN THE DIRECTION OF ALLOWING FUTURE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THOSE PEOPLE, FOLKS TO GO FROM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER.
SO THAT IS SOMETHING I WOULD LIKE TO SEE INCLUDED HERE.
AND THE OTHER ONE, UM, COUNCIL HAD MORE GIFTS.
UM, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY, WE TALK ABOUT PROVIDING CAPITAL IN THAT AREA.
WE ALSO HAVE TO REALIZE THAT STUY WAS ECONOMICALLY VIBRANT AT ONE POINT.
AND THE COMBINATION OF THE ROAD COMING THROUGH COMBINATION OF PROPERTY BEING BOUGHT, THINK ABOUT TOWN, UH, WE HAVE CREATED SOMETHING OTHER THAN A VIBRANT SITUATION.
SO BECAUSE THE TOWN IS AN OWNERSHIP OF SO MUCH LAND IN THAT AREA, UM, UNDER THE ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY
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GO BACK TO S POINT, UM, CROP SAFETY ACCESS.I HAVE NEVER HEARD FROM YOU HOW PEOPLE WILL GET FROM ONE SIDE OF THE OTHER, GO TO THE OTHER.
I'M, I FEEL VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE TRAVEL AND THE NOISE AND THE, UM, THE UNSAFE ENVIRONMENT COSTS.
SO COULD YOU SPEAK TO THAT? YEAH.
SO PART OF, UM, ANY DESIGN ELEMENTS THAT WILL BE, UH, SUBMITTED AS FINAL BY THE DEPARTMENT WOULD BE, UM, AND, AND THIS WOULD BE BASED IN CITY COUNCILS, UH, OR TOWN COUNCILS APPROVAL AND, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR MUNICIPAL CONSENT OR NOT, BUT, UM, WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, SAFE PEDESTRIAN ACCESS.
SO WE'VE ALSO HAD THE CONSIDERATION OF, OF A CONCEPT OF, OF A LAND BRIDGE.
AND, UM, AND WHAT THAT WOULD POTENTIALLY LOOK LIKE WOULD BE A, YOU KNOW, A SAFE, A SAFE MODE OF, OF TRANSITION FROM ONE SIDE OF 2 78 FROM THE NORTH TO THE SOUTH, AND VICE VERSA.
THAT WOULD, UH, THAT WOULD BE WIDE ENOUGH FOR, YOU KNOW, PEDESTRIAN BIKE TRAFFIC AS WELL AS, UH, MOBILITY CHALLENGE INDIVIDUALS, UH, AND GRADE IN SUCH A WAY THAT IT WOULD BE A SLIGHT GRADE SO THAT INDIVIDUALS WITH MOBILITY RELATED CHALLENGES COULD NAVIGATE THAT WITHOUT, UH, WITHOUT MUCH, UM, STRAIN STRUGGLE.
BUT, UM, IT, IT WOULD ALSO REQUIRE, THAT WOULD BE ONE OF THOSE SOLUTIONS THAT WOULD REQUIRE US TO BE BETTER STRATEGIC AS TO WHERE THAT IS LOCATED, BECAUSE IT WOULD REQUIRE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF, OF LAND TO BUILD UP THAT RAMP AND TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THE PASSAGEWAY, UM, HEIGHTS ACCEPTABLE FOR HIGHWAY TRAFFIC.
'CAUSE WITH THAT BEING THE MAIN CORRIDOR, THERE ARE VARIOUS TYPES OF, UH, TRUCK TRAFFIC THAT, THAT, UH, NAVIGATE THAT CORRIDOR, UM, IN ORDER TO BRING GOODS TO THE MARKETPLACE.
SO BEING ABLE TO HAVE ENOUGH CLEARANCE, UH, WOULD REQUIRE SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF, OF AREA, UH, TO SURFACE AREA TO BE ABLE TO BUILD THAT UP.
BUT THERE IS TOWN ON LAND ALONG THE CORRIDOR THAT, THAT COULD BE UTILIZED.
UH, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE ECONOMIC, UH, SUSTAINABILITY PORTION OF IT AS WELL, UM, ONE OF THE CONCEPTS THAT WE HAVE, UM, THAT WE HAVE PRESENTED IS, IS ALSO A, UM, A TAX INCREMENT FINANCE COMPONENT THAT WOULD PROVIDE, POTENTIALLY PROVIDE SOME OF THE FUNDS NECESSARY TO SUPPORT SUCH AN OPTION AS WELL AS THE OTHER PIECES.
UM, IN RELATIONSHIP TO SAFETY SUCH AS ACCESS.
UM, AS YOU BUILD ROADS, OF COURSE, YOU, YOU NEED TO MAINTAIN, UH, EVEN IF THEY'RE SMALL PRIVATE ROADS, THEY NEED TO BE, UH, MAINTAIN.
AND THAT WILL PROVIDE A SYSTEM OF FUNDING THAT COULD UPKEEP AND MAINTAIN, UM, ANY, UM, ADDITIONAL ROADWAYS THAT BE BUILT THAT WOULD BE UTILIZED FOR SAFETY PURPOSES.
SO COMING TO THE CHASE, YOU SEE, YOU SEE THAT BEING ABLE TO BE DONE WITH THE BRIDGE THAT WOULD OVERLAY THAT.
I, I THINK THAT THAT IS A POTENTIAL SOLUTION, AGAIN, THAT, THAT'S ONE THAT, UM, THAT WOULD BE A VERY, IT WOULD BE COSTLY AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE, I THINK WE SHOULD CONSIDER.
BUT, UM, AGAIN, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO IDENTIFY FUNDS TO ACCOMPLISH AND, UH, A MAINTENANCE PACKAGE THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO, THAT WOULD, UH, HELP TO SUSTAIN THAT WE COULD PROPOSE TO THE TOWN.
NOW, I WOULD ACTUALLY ALMOST PREFER TO BE PART OF THE, THE PACKAGE, UH, UH, FOR THE, THE, THE CONSIDERATION BY TOWN COUNCIL.
UM, IF THE PROJECT IS TO MOVE FORWARD, THAT IT WOULD BE COVERED THROUGH THE CONSTRUCTION OF, OF THE, UH, OF THE HIGHWAY EXPANSION.
I WOULD RATHER USE OTHER PHONES RATHER THAN OUR PHONES.
UM, MADAM CHAIR, I WANTED TO ENCOURAGE, UM, THOMAS TO PUSH THAT, UM, THE PEDESTRIAN ACCESS PIECE.
IT'S DIFFICULT NOW TO RETROFIT.
IF YOU DRIVE LEFT ON THE, OVER THE PARKWAY WITH PINECREST WHERE THAT GOLF COURSE IS, THERE'S A TUNNEL UNDERNEATH THAT ROAD, RIGHT? THE GOLF CARTS AND THE PEDESTRIANS YOU GET FROM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER, IT'S A LITTLE TOO LATE TO DRIVE A TUNNEL ON IT, 2 78.
UM, AND WE'VE SEEN, IF YOU, IF YOU TRAVEL THROUGH JACKSON GLOBE, THERE WAS ONE THAT ACTUALLY WENT ACROSS, UM, I 95.
SO IF WE ARE TO, TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT WE ADDRESS
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THIS, UH, THEN IT NEEDS TO BE SOMETHING THAT, THAT'S IN THE PLANNING STAGES.I, I LIKE WHERE YOU'RE GOING WITH IT.
UM, THAT'S, THAT'S OVER THE ROAD BECAUSE RETROFITTERS IS AFTER THE FACT.
IT'S DIFFICULT, BUT NOT POSSIBLE.
SO I, I THINK I WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO STAY ON THAT, BECAUSE THAT IS SOMETHING THAT'S, YOU CAN MITIGATE THE SAFETY ASPECT OF TRYING TO CROSS AND DODGE TRAFFIC, PLAY DODGE BALL WITH CARS, TRYING TO GET FROM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER, SO THAT, THAT'S A GOOD THING.
THANK YOU FOR THOUGHT, COUNCILMAN.
I, UH, UH, AIMS MADE A A, A VERY VALID POINT TOO.
THAT IS, IT'S GOOD TO HAVE AS AN OPTION, YOU KNOW, UM, DIFFERENT ACCESS POINTS, BUT YOU KNOW, THE UTILIZATION BECOMES A MATTER OF PERSONAL PREFERENCE, RIGHT? I MEAN, WE CAN BUILD IT, BUT IT'S NO GUARANTEE THAT IT'LL GET UTILIZED, BUT IT'S STILL GOOD TO HAVE IN PLACE.
AND I DON'T MEAN TO TRY TO CHARACTERIZE WHAT YOU SAID, BUT I, I THINK I KIND OF CAPTURED IT.
I THINK THE WAY I WOULD DESCRIBE IT IS, UM, BINDING THE WOUNDS OF THE COMMUNITY.
SO WE'RE ACTUALLY MAKING A PHYSICAL CONNECTION FROM ONE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO THE OTHER FOR THEIR BENEFIT.
I THINK REALLY WHAT WE ARE ATTEMPTING TO DO, AT LEAST IN MY MIND, IS PUTTING THE PIECES BACK TOGETHER.
SO, MADAM CHAIR, I'M WILLING TO MAKE A MOTION BASED ON THIS CONVERSATION IF WE THINK IT'S TIME OR WE CAN HAVE THE PUBLIC WEIGH IN.
IF THAT'S YOUR PLEASURE, I'D LIKE TO BRING A MOTION AND THEN OPEN IT FOR QUESTION AND COMMENT.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ACCEPT MR BOX THREE'S, UH, SUGGESTIONS, UH, INCORPORATED ON MAY 15TH, 2024 MEMO, UM, WILLIAM HILTON PARKWAY GATEWAY CORRIDOR MITIGATION STRATEGY WITH THE ADDITIONS OF, UH, THE COMMENTS MADE BY COUNCILMAN BROWN AND, UH, BOARD MEMBER, UH, UM, THE REVEREND, OUR PASTOR JOHNSON
I MAY OPEN UP A QUESTION OR COMMENT BEFORE WE VOTE.
MAY YOU COME FORWARD PLEASE TODAY AS SHE COMES UP, IF WE NEED TO BE MORE SPECIFIC ABOUT THE, THE, UM, AMENDMENTS TO THE MOTION FOR YOUR BENEFIT, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
CAN YOU GIMME YOUR NAME? MY NAME IS SARAH STEWART, AND MY MOTHER, SHE RESIDES ON 2 78 NEXT TO CRAZY CRAP.
MY QUESTION IS, I KNOW YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A OVERLAY.
WHERE ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT PUTTING THIS, UH, SUGGESTING THAT IT WOULD BE ON 2 78? THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION.
UH, I, I WOULD PROPOSE THAT WE UTILIZE LAND THAT'S ALREADY IN TOWN INVENTORY.
UM, THERE ARE PARCELS, ONE PARCEL IS, UM, AT THE CORNER OF SQUIRE POPE AND, UM, SQUIRE POPE AND 2 78.
AND THERE IS A PARCEL, UM, ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE AS WELL, THAT IS TOWN OWNED OR SOMEWHERE FURTHER DOWN THE LINE.
UH, BUT I, I'M DEFINITELY NOT PROPOSING TO, UM, TO ACQUIRE ANY PERSONAL PROPERTY TO, UH, TO CONSTRUCT THAT.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? GOOD MORNING, DR.
MAYOR JAMAL, TORE, UH, WE HAD A CONVERSATION WITH MR. BOXLEY, UM, EARLIER THIS MONTH OR LAST MONTH.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE BROUGHT UP, WE SHARED WITH HIM, WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THIS, PEOPLE NEED TO TAKE IN CONSIDERATION ALSO THE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES, AND THAT WITH REGARDS TO IMMEDIATE, INTERMEDIATE AND LONG-TERM ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES.
BECAUSE WE HAVE SEEN WITH REGARDS TO, WITH REGARDS TO, UH, HIGHWAYS, INTERSTATES AFFECTING, AND WHEN WE LOOK AT, I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THE FOREIGN, I'M TALKING ABOUT THE LAND OWNERS WITH REGARDS TO MITIGATION ISSUES.
MANY TIMES WE TEND TO IGNORE THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE IMPACTED BLACK COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE ENTIRE UNITED STATES HAVE BEEN THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY SYSTEM AND HIGHWAY SYSTEMS. AND WITH REGARDS TO THAT, WHEN WE LOOK AT WHAT PEOPLE ARE PLANNING, AND I THREW OUT TO HIM, I SAID, THEY MIGHT NEED TO LOOK AT, UH, FROM JENKINS ISLAND, ANOTHER PROCESS, AN ALTERNATIVE TO NOT LEAD PEOPLE TO ANOTHER ROUTE GOING THROUGH JOBS CREEK.
BUT THEN I KNOW PEOPLE WILL SCREAM ABOUT THAT, BUT THEN IMAGINE THE HOMEOWNERS, THE LANDOWNERS ON THE OTHER END OF SQUAD POP ROAD.
AND YOU MAY LOOK AT JUST THE IMMEDIACY WITH REGARDS TO THAT.
NO, BUT I'M SAYING THE LONG TERM, BECAUSE WE DEAL WITH ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES RIGHT NOW IN COASTAL GEORGIA AND COASTAL SOUTH CAROLINA REGARDING THE WAREHOUSES LOGISTICS, WE SEE, AGAIN, RETENTION
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PONDS, AGAIN, AFFECTING ALL OF US WITH REGARDS TO OUR LAND AND OUR LAND OWNERSHIP.SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT MUST BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION, NOT JUST REGARDS TO ENVIRONMENT REGARDING FAUNA, BUT ALSO REGARDING RESIDENTS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS, AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? GOOD MORNING.
GOOD MORNING AND GOOD MORNING.
AND, UM, JUST WANT TO, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU ALL FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING.
I KNOW IT'S, IT'S TOUGH AND, UM, TEDIOUS AND YOU'VE PUT A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT INTO IT.
AND, UM, I STILL WANT TO, UM, EXPRESS, UM, CONCERN ABOUT, UM, AS THE HIGHWAY DEVELOPMENT AND PLANS MOVE FORWARD, UM, IT JUST SEEMS LIKE THE DECISION HAS BEEN MADE ALREADY, UH, TO MOVE FORWARD.
AND I THINK PLANS HAVE BEEN, YOU KNOW, BEING MADE YEARS AND YEARS AGO, BUT, UM, STILL STAND FIRM ON THE IMPORTANCE OF PRESERVING THE GULLAH GEECHEE CULTURE AND, UM, AND ALL OF THE DECISIONS THAT EVERYONE'S MAKING WITH, YOU KNOW, FROM THE FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL LEVEL.
IT'S JUST VERY IMPORTANT TO, YOU KNOW, REMEMBER WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT, BECAUSE EVEN I HEAR MITIGATION, IT JUST SEEMS, WHEN I HEAR MITIGATION, IT'S A, IT'S A, SOUNDS LIKE GIVE AND TAKE IN ORDER FOR YOU TO GET SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, UM, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO GIVE UP SOMETHING.
AND IT JUST SEEMS LIKE IT'S BEEN A WHOLE LOT OF GIVING UP ON PART OF OUR CULTURE AND ON OUR COMMUNITY OVER THE YEARS.
AND, UM, IT STILL IS THE SAME ISSUE.
AND, UM, SO IT'S GOOD WE'RE HEARING ABOUT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, SUSTAINABILITY, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S VERY MUCH ATTACHED TO APPROVAL OR THE OKAY OF THIS, THIS HIGHWAY.
YOU KNOW, WHAT THAT DISCUSSION HAVE TAKEN PLACE, YOU KNOW, IF THE HIGHWAY WAS NOT, UM, OR DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE HIGHWAY WAS NOT BEING IMPLEMENTED.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH THIS FOR YEARS, AND I ALWAYS REFER BACK TO THE ST.
JAMES CHURCH THAT'S GONNA BE DESTROYED FOR THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE ENTIRE, UM, HILTON HEAD FOR TOURISM.
TOURISM IS GREAT, BUT THE CULTURE OF A PEOPLE, THE SUSTAINABILITY OF A CULTURE, THE WAY OF LIFE OF OUR PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, IS WRAPPED UP IN OUR LANE AND WHO WE ARE.
SO, I MEAN, I, I HEAR THIS AND, UM, MITIGATION, LIKE I SAID, YOU KNOW, BUT WHY IS IT THAT WE ALWAYS HAVE TO, ON, I'M TALKING ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY, THE BLACK COMMUNITY, WE ALWAYS, WE'RE ALWAYS GIVING UP, OR IT'S BEING TAKEN FROM US, OR PLANS ARE BEING MADE AND WE ARE TOLD TO, OKAY, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S GONNA HAPPEN.
SO THIS IS WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO COME, YOU KNOW, TO MAKE IT A LITTLE BETTER, TO KIND OF EASE THE PAIN.
AND, UM, WE'VE BEEN UNDERGOING THIS FOR A LONG TIME, SINCE THE TOWN WAS DEVELOPED, AND, UM, IT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
BUT TODAY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS, BUT I FEEL THAT, UM, MITIGATION IS, IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE BEING EXPECTED TO DO IN ORDER TO GO ALONG WITH SOMETHING WE DON'T EVEN AGREE WITH.
SO WE DON'T AGREE WITH THE, THE HIGHWAY THAT'S COMING.
AND ALSO LOOKING AT THE ALTERNATIVE PLANS FOR A BYPASS AROUND, UM, THE STONY COMMUNITY.
AND I MUST, AND I HEAR ABOUT, YOU KNOW, UM, WHEN STON IS TALKED ABOUT, UM, IS ONE NEIGHBORHOOD, HOWEVER, WHAT AFFECTS STONEY AFFECTS ALL OF US.
YOU KNOW, THEY'RE MY FAMILY, AND EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE MY FAMILY, STILL, IT'S A RIGHT AND WRONG ABOUT A PROCESS AND HOW YOU TREAT PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, THEIR LAND AND IT'S VERY DESIRABLE, WHERE THEIR LAND IS, IS VERY DESIRABLE ON THE WATER.
AND SO WHEN PEOPLE COME HERE, THEY SEE WHAT WE HAVE AND THEY WANT IT.
AND THAT, THAT'S BEEN PART OF HISTORY FOR, YOU KNOW, SINCE THE, UM, NATIVE AMERICANS, AND IT'S STILL GOING ON TODAY, BUT SPEAKING UP ABOUT IT AND SAYING IT'S WRONG, YOU KNOW, ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL, YOU KNOW, SOUTH CAROLINA, DOT, WHOEVER IT IS, IS WRONG.
AND BEFORE YOU ALL MAKE DECISIONS, NOT YOU ALL, BUT YOU KNOW, THE ENTITY THAT'S ALL DOING THIS BEFORE ANYONE MAKES DECISIONS ABOUT WHAT GOES ON IN THE COMMUNITY, COME TO THE PEOPLE FIRST.
DON'T PLAN A ROAD, PLAN A HIGHWAY, THEN COME TO US LATER AND SAY, OKAY, THIS IS A MITIGATION PLAN AND THAT'S WHAT HAS HAPPENED AND IS WRONG.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, OTHER, UH, OPTIONS TO GO BYPASS, UH, OUR COMMUNITY SHOULD BE LOOKED TO FUND.
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UM, FROM WHAT I, UNDER, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THERE ARE CHANGES BEING MADE TO MAKE SURE THAT NO GULLAH PROPERTY, NO GULLAH COM, UM, PROPERTY OWNERS ARE, ARE AFFECTED.AND, UM, AT LEAST, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE'S TRYING TO LOOK AT THAT ASPECT OF IT AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
BECAUSE WITH THE CURRENT, UM, S-C-D-L-T PLAN, IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE THAT PLAN.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S ALL THERE IS TO IT.
UM, I HEAR MITIGATION, BUT IF YOU CAN AVOID, UM, TOUCHING OUR COMMUNITY, HAVE ANOTHER WAY, ANOTHER, UM, ALTERNATIVE TO THE CROSS ISLAND EXPRESSWAY AND REDUCE TRAFFIC AT THE SAME TIME, WHY NOT LOOK AT THAT AND TWEAK IT, MAKE IT BETTER, DO WHAT YOU CAN TO IMPROVE THE WHOLE PROCESS.
SO, UH, LIKE I SAID, I, WE APPRECIATE WHAT YOU ALL ARE DOING, BUT I KNOW IT'S, IT'S, IT'S BIGGER THAN YOU.
AND AS I SPEAK ABOUT THIS CULTURE, IT IS BIGGER THAN STONY.
IT'S THE WHOLE GULL GULLAH GEECHEE CULTURE AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO, TO PROTECT SO OUR, THE FUTURE GENERATION CAN HAVE A CULTURE OR CAN HAVE A, HAVE THEIR ROOTS AND SOMEWHERE TO COME HOME TO.
AND, UM, SO, UH, THAT'S WHAT I STAND ON.
AND, UM, I JUST, YOU KNOW, PRAY THAT, UM, GOD WILL CONTINUE TO LEAD AND GUIDE EVERYONE IN THIS PROCESS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, LIKE MY MOTHER SAID, HE HAS PLANTED US HERE AND, UM, HE HAVE US HERE FOR A REASON.
AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA BE HERE, BUT WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE PEOPLE TREAT US RIGHT AND RESPECTFULLY RESPECT OUR LAND.
DON'T THINK YOU, YOU CAN JUST TAKE OUR LAND, MAKE PLANS FOR US, AND WE DON'T SAY ANYTHING THAT THOSE DAYS ARE OVER.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? GOOD MORNING.
WELL, AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
WE DON'T WANNA BLAME YOU
BUT, UM, OH, BY THE WAY, I'M LOUISE GOING FOR ANYBODY WHO DON'T KNOW ME, AND, UM, I COME TO THESE MEETINGS, Y'ALL, AND I HAVE TO SPEAK FOR MY PEOPLE BECAUSE WHAT HURT THEM HURT ME.
AND, UM, AND I FEEL LIKE I'M, I CALLED TO BE A KEEPER OF THE GULLAH GEECHEE CULTURE.
AND, UM, AND WHEN I THINK ABOUT MY PEOPLE AND ALL, WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH ALL WE HAVE GONE THROUGH, ALL I CAN SAY TO MY PEOPLE, PLEASE DON'T GIVE UP.
YOU HAVE SOMETHING SO GREAT THAT YOUR ANCESTORS BOUGHT, CHOSE, THEY CHOSE THE LAND.
AND, AND I ALWAYS HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE WORD OF GOD.
PSALMS 47 AND FOUR SAID, GOD, CHOOSE OUR INHERITANCE.
SO GOD CHOSE THE LAND ON STONY.
GOD KNEW EXACTLY WHAT WAS GOING HAPPEN.
HE CHOSE THAT, THAT YOUR ANCESTORS SHOULD BE HONORED FOR WHAT THEY PROVIDE GETAWAY.
THE HILTON HAD ISLAND, MY GOD, WHAT A STATEMENT.
THERE SHOULD BE A MONUMENT PLACE SOMEWHERE ON STONY TO SAY THOSE WORDS.
BUT FOR US, SOMETIMES PEOPLE JUST OVERLOOK THINGS LIKE THAT.
THE, THE RECOGNITION AND THE CREDIT THAT WE SHOULD GET.
YOU KNOW? AND, UM, AND FOR US TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION TODAY, YOU KNOW, UM, AND OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, THEY GOTTA BE A STARTING POINT.
SO WE STARTED FROM A ONE, FROM A ROAD WAGON ROAD AND THEN INCREASED THE TWO LANES AND TWO OUT A FOUR.
AND IT'S LIKE, ALMOST, THAT'S NOT ENOUGH.
YOU KNOW, WHY CAN'T WE IMPROVE WHAT WE HAVE AND MAKE IT WORK? ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU GOING ON OTHER PEOPLE'S PROPERTY? OR IS IT SO SIMPLE TO DO BECAUSE YOU'RE BLACK PEOPLE AND WE JUST FEEL LIKE WE CAN WALK ALL OVER YOU, YOU KNOW, WITH NO RESPECT TO YOU.
YOU DON'T HAVE NO RIGHT, YOU HAVE IT, BUT WE WILL JUST TAKE IT FROM YOU ANYTIME WE GET READY.
AND UM, AND I ALWAYS GO BACK TO THIS BECAUSE GOD ALWAYS TAKE ME BACK TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE MAKING DECISIONS FOR US.
AND THOSE PEOPLE DON'T HAVE TO LIVE BY THAT DECISION THAT THEY ARE MAKING FOR US.
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? YOU MAKE DECISIONS, YOU LEAVE THIS MEETING, YOU GO WHEREVER YOU LIVE, OKAY?
[00:35:01]
AND, UM, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO LIVE BY THAT DECISION THAT YOU MADE FOR THESE PEOPLE ON STONEY.I WANT US TO ALWAYS THINK ABOUT THAT.
PUT OTHER PEOPLE IN, PUT OURSELVES IN THOSE PEOPLE, PLEASE.
OKAY? SO, UM, A AS, AS WE THINK ABOUT GOING FORWARD TO THIS, AND, AND I HEAR A LOT OF THINGS, I HEAR SO MUCH AND TELL, UH, UH, IT COULD MAKE ME SHAKE IN MY SHOES.
ALL KIND OF STUFF THAT PUT FAIR IN PEOPLE.
AND I DON'T THINK THAT SHOULD BE OF ANYTHING.
WE SHOULD BE ENCOURAGING THESE PEOPLE.
WE SHOULD STAND AROUND THEM AND BEHIND THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY STAY ON THEIR LAND AND BE COMFORTABLE.
BE COMFORTABLE BECAUSE SEE, WE WERE COMFORTABLE ON OUR LAND, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? BUT NOW ALL LANDS SEEM TO BE WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE WANT.
AND A LOT OF PROMISES THAT ARE BEING THAT ARE HERE, I HOPE AND PRAY THAT IS IN WRITING.
SO PEOPLE DON'T GET AMNESIA WHEN TIME TO ACT ON THESE PROMISES.
OKAY? THESE PEOPLE ARE PROMISED THINGS.
AND JUST REMEMBER NOW WHAT YOU DO UNTO OTHER PEOPLE WILL COME BACK TO YOU.
IF NOT YOU, YOUR GRANDCHILDREN, YOUR GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN.
'CAUSE GOD SAID YOU'RE GONNA REAP WHAT YOU SAW.
UM, LET ME JUST SAY SOMETHING.
UM, AS CHAIR OF THIS COMMITTEE, NO ONE'S SITTING ON THIS DESK TAKES ANYTHING LIGHTLY.
UM, WE CANNOT, WE WILL NOT STATE IN THE PAST.
WE WILL MOVE FORWARD ACKNOWLEDGING THE PAST AND THE DIFFICULTIES AND THE ISSUES IN THE PAST THAT IS IN FRONT OF EVERY PERSON'S MIND ON THIS COMMUNITY.
I AM NOT GULLAH, BUT I'M BLACK.
SO I KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT DISENFRANCHISEMENT.
I'M IN A PERSONALLY I'M IN A FIGHT RIGHT NOW FOR MY, MY FAMILY'S PROPERTY IN ALABAMA.
SO I UNDERSTAND SOMEWHAT, BUT, AND I, I DON'T MEAN TO, UM, I I SAY THIS WITH ALL DUE RESPECT.
PLEASE RESPECT THE PEOPLE ON THIS COMMUNITY.
THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH GRIT, WE HAVE ENOUGH KNOWLEDGE, WE HAVE ENOUGH BACKGROUND, AND WE'RE NOT, WE ARE NOT DUMMIES.
WE UNDERSTAND WHAT HAS BEEN DONE IN THE PAST AND WE ARE NOT GOING TO LET IT CONTINUE.
THAT IS ONE REASON MR. BOXLEY HAS BEEN SPENDING THE TIME.
HE HAS BEEN SPENDING WHAT APPEARS TO BE VERY SLOW, TRYING TO MAKE SURE EVERY STEP WE MAKE IS NOT A, THIS A MISSTEP FOR THE GULLAH COMMUNITY.
AGAIN, WE CANNOT GO BACK AND RE-LITIGATE WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE PAST, BUT WE CAN ACKNOWLEDGE IT, WE COULD LEARN FROM IT AND WE COULD LET IT ORDER OUR STICKS.
SO A LOT OF SCRIPTURE HAS BEEN TOLD TODAY, I'M A CHRISTIAN, I'M A BELIEVER, OKAY? I BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST.
AND I BELIEVE THAT WHAT PEOPLE DO IN THE DARK WILL COME TO THE LIGHT.
AND I PERSONALLY CANNOT SLEEP AT NIGHT IF THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE DO AS A BOARD THAT ARE NOT RIGHT THAT MR. BOXING DOES.
SO PLEASE, AS WE GO FORTH, PLEASE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, THAT THE PEOPLE ON THIS BOARD ARE TRYING TO DO THINGS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE, THE MISTAKES THAT WERE MADE IN THE PAST DON'T KEEP REOCCURRING.
AND I DO FEEL THAT THAT STATEMENT HAD TO BE MADE TODAY AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
I WOULD JUST ADD THAT, UM, UM, THIS IS DEFINITELY A VERY PASSIONATE ISSUE.
AND I, I WANT TO ASSURE YOU THAT I AM WORKING ON BEHALF OF THE GULLAH COMMUNITY AND THE RESIDENTS TO MAKE SURE THAT FOR ONE, UM, THE PROPERTY OWNERS AND FAMILIES ARE NOT MISTREATED.
AND FOR TWO, THAT THE OUTCOMES ARE, ARE SOMETHING THAT IS ACCEPTABLE TO THOSE THAT THAT OWN PROPERTY THERE IN, IN THE AREA.
SO WITH THAT, WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR THAT NEEDS AN AMENDMENT, I BELIEVE.
I HAD ALSO, I HAD, MAY YOU COME FORWARD PLEASE.
I HAVE TO COME UP HERE AND SPEAK.
CAN YOU GIVE US OUR NAME JUST FOR THE RECORD? RANDY STEWART.
AND I'VE BEEN COMING TO THESE MEETINGS AND I TOLD MY SISTER SARAH, LONGER THAN ANYONE,
[00:40:01]
NEXT PERSON WAS COUSIN.I'VE BEEN COMING TO THESE MEETINGS AND I DON'T GET PAID TO COME TO THESE MEETING.
I CAN'T STAY FROM BEGINNING TO END.
'CAUSE WHAT I'VE BEEN SAYING IS BRIEF AND SOMETHING LIKE THE YOUNG LADY SAID, WE NEVER WANTED THESE THINGS.
I COME IN, YOU ASK ME THE RIGHT, I HAVE THE RIGHT TO SAY WHAT I WANT TO HAVE AND WHAT I DON'T.
AND WHEN I SAY I DON'T WANT THIS END OF MEETING, I APPLY BY COMING TO THE MEETING.
I DON'T HAVE TO STAY HERE AND LET Y'ALL TRY TO MANEUVER ME TO THE RIGHT TO GET THIS, TO GET THAT.
AND THAT'S WHAT THIS BEEN GOING ON.
TWO YEARS AGO, YOU HAD A, A LOCAL GUY DOING A NEWS REPORT TWO, THREE YEARS AGO AND SAID, TWO YEARS, GET READY.
GET THE BEST OUTTA YOUR PROPERTY.
'CAUSE THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN.
WE ALL KNOW IT, BUT THEY KEEP BRINGING YOU HERE AND MAKING YOU THINK IT'S NOT HAPPENING.
DOT SUPPOSED TO SUGGEST TO THE TOWN THAT JAVIS CREEK WAS THE BEST WAY TO DO THIS, BUT SOMEHOW IT GOT TURNED AROUND AND IT AIN'T COMING THROUGH J CREEK.
IT'S GOING TO COME TO THE HEART OF THE GEECHEE FELLOW COMMUNITY.
THE POWER LINE, RIGHT? THAT'S FOR THE TRAFFIC ISSUE.
THIS OTHER STUFF IS JUST FOR THE GATEWAY OF HILTON HEAD.
STARTED FROM MATH WARD PLAN ONE, THE BEAUTIFICATION OF 2 78, THE DESTRUCTION OF THE GEECHEE GALA COMMUNITY.
THAT'S WHY I GET SO ENRAGED WITH PEOPLE WHO GETS UP HERE BECAUSE THEY FEEL THEY CAN TALK A LITTLE BIT BETTER, A LITTLE BIT SMARTER, BUT DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY HECK THEY'RE DOING OR TALKING ABOUT A WHO THEY DEALING WITH.
AND TO GO FORWARD, LIKE YOU SAY, WE, WE AIN'T TALKING ABOUT THE PAST.
TO KEEP THIS FROM GOING ANY FURTHER, THIS TOWN NEEDS TO RECONFIGURE WARD ONE, BECAUSE I LIVE ON THE BEGINNING OF THE ISLAND.
WE'RE THE KEEPING OF THE GATE.
THE END OF THE ISLAND WAS THE EDUCATORS, THE MIDDLE WAS THE FARMERS.
WE ALL HAD DIFFERENT BELIEF AND DIFFERENT WAY OF LIFE.
AND IF YOU GO BACK TO CHURCH RELIGION, HOW MANY BLACK AFRICAN OWNED CHURCHES ON THIS ISLAND THAT'S BEEN THERE FOR 50 YEARS, 60 YEARS? SIX OR SEVEN OF THEM.
WHY? BECAUSE WE THINK WE DO THINGS A LOT DIFFERENT.
AND THAT'S WHAT RELIGION AND CHURCH REPRESENTS.
YOU KNOW, AS KIDS, IT WAS CHAPLAIN AGAINST STONY SPANISH, WELL AGAINST POPE.
WE HAVE, THEY'RE LIKE TO SAID, THE FISHERMEN, THE FARMERS, THE MECHANICS, THE EDUCATORS.
THAT'S WHY WE HAD DIFFERENT CHURCHES.
BUT NOW WHEN YOU PUT THE WHOLE GEECHEE GULL IN ONE BAG, YOU'RE NOT HELPING ALL.
'CAUSE WE ARE NOT GETTING HELP ON THE NORTH END, END OF THE ISLAND.
I AIN'T NEVER KNOW WHAT THE HECK A PICKLEBALL COAT IS.
YOU KNOW, PICKLE, THAT'S MY HIGH SCHOOL, ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
THAT SCHOOL WILL HAVE SUCH A PART IN DESEGREGATION.
BLACK KIDS DIDN'T GO TO WHITE SCHOOL.
I KNEW NOTHING ABOUT DESEGREGATION UNTIL I GOT TO SCHOOL.
NOW WHEN I GOT HOME AND SAW WHAT IT WAS, AND IT'S SAD AND Y'ALL KNOW IT IS THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD IS IN THE STONY COMMUNITY.
I ASKED SOMEONE THAT WORKED FOR THE TOWN THE OTHER DAY WHERE THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT HE SAID? NOTHING.
BECAUSE THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD DIDN'T TELL HIM.
IT'S A HIDDEN SECRET THAT I WAS BORN AND RAISED ON THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD, THE CITY.
THAT'S WHERE MY SCHOOL, THE COURTHOUSE.
THAT PROBABLY IS SO FREAKING VALUABLE.
[00:45:01]
ONE THEY WERE SAYING THEY'RE GONNA BUILD A PUMPHOUSE UH, WATER, THE MOST VALUABLE PART OF THE ALLEY.NOW THE HISTORY PART OF IT, COMING BACK TO ME AGAIN.
WE'VE BEEN IN MEETING WHERE THEY WANTED TO REPLACE MY BUILDING, MY MAMA HOUSE.
NOW THE TOWN WANTS TO TEAR IT DOWN.
AND THAT BUILDING HAS BEEN LICENSED FOR HOW MANY YEARS.
CHECK BACK OUT AND SEE HOW LONG THAT BUILDING HAS BEEN LICENSED AS A BUSINESS.
IT WENT FROM MY FATHER ARTHUR SEAFOOD TO ME AS WILLIAM SEAFOOD.
IT WAS THE FAMILY BUSINESS, CAPTAIN DS.
IF I'M GONNA LET THE TOWN CAME, MY BUILDING DOWN, AIN'T NOTHING MY MAMA CAN SAY TO STOP WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT.
BUT BROWN TELL THEM, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, I CAN'T 'CAUSE I GET EMOTIONAL ABOUT THIS.
I HAD TO GO TO VILLE TO TAKE MY GRANDSON TO SCHOOL, DO WORK AND GET HERE ON TIME.
AND I PROMISE PEOPLE TO COME CHECK ON ME.
LIKE I SAID, I'M 62 YEARS OLD SINCE I WAS 26.
I BEEN COULDN'T FRIGGING MEETING AND WE'RE STILL DEALING WITH THE SAME THING.
AND IT WENT FROM MASTER WARD ONE TO MASTER WARD TWO.
NOW IT'S THE TRAFFIC AND IT IS NOT THE TRAFFIC 'CAUSE OF NEW ROADS COMING AND IT'S HOLDING THE TOWN OF INTERNET IS HOLDING UP THE STATE FROM DOING WHAT THEY NEED TO DO.
AND THAT'S WHY WHEN YOU SEE WE GO TO THE MEETING AND SAY, HEY, THIS IS WHAT WE DO, WE GO TO THE NEXT ONE.
THEY HAVE EXTENDED IT JUST LIKE THE LAST MEETING WHEN I SHOWED YOU JUST SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
OKAY, DO THE RIGHT THING HOME, GIRL.
WE AIN'T TALKING ABOUT THE PATH.
AND LIKE I TELL YOU BEFORE, INSTEAD OF PUTTING A PICKLE BALL CODE, YOU SHOULD PUT AN EDUCATIONAL CENTER SO THE
AND THERE'S SOMETHING I SHOULD SAY THAT SHOULD GET ON RECORDED, BUT I WON'T.
OKAY? MM-HMM,
OKAY? AND I ADVISED MY PARENTS WHEN THE TOWN WAS COMING WITH BROKERS TO BUY PROPERTY.
I HAVE SEALED MY PARENTS FROM THAT WINDOW.
CAUCASIAN ISLAND LOCAL, FALL INTO THAT TRAP AND GOT RESCUED IT OUT.
THOSE ARE PLACE I PUT SHRIMP ON THE DOCK AT THESE PLACE.
YOU SEE THAT ME IN THE HISTORY BOOK, THOSE SHRIMP WAS THE SQUIER PO TO THAT SAME BUILDING THAT AIN'T THERE.
THE CO THE TOWN JUST TORE DOWN A ARTIFACT FROM THAT THAT I'VE HAD IN MY YARD.
AND I BOUGHT THOSE THINGS TO KEEP HISTORY GOING, TO KEEP A PART OF HISTORY.
YOU KNOW, I'M NOT COMFORTABLE NO MORE.
I'M NOT COMFORTABLE IN MY OWN COMMUNITY WHERE I WAS BORN AND RAISED RIGHT IN THAT HOUSE ONE AWAY.
WILLIAM HILTON PARKWAY, EIGHT KIDS.
I WAS THE FIRST KID THAT WAS BORN IN THAT HOUSE, NUMBER FOUR.
AND I STILL LIVE ON THAT PROPERTY TO THE DAY AND I OWN OTHER PROPERTY.
BUT GOD HAVE, LIKE YOU SAY, GOD HAVE PUT ME THERE.
THAT'S WHERE HE WANTS ME TO BE.
AND ALL THE EVIL THAT THIS WORLD CAN BRING UP HAVE BEEN TRYING TO REMOVE ME FROM THAT.
BUT I AIN'T GOING NOT WITH MY EYES OPEN.
YOU'LL HAVE TO THANK, THANK YOU.
SORRY DUDE, I'VE BEEN HOLDING MR.
[00:50:01]
WE APPRECIATE YOU.ANY OTHER, ANY OTHER COMMENTS, HEATHER? GOOD AFTERNOON, HEATHER WRATH FOR THE RECORD.
I'VE SPOKEN WITH EACH OF YOU INDIVIDUALLY ABOUT MY FAMILY'S HISTORY IN HAWAII AND, UM, THE OFFICE OF HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS, WHICH THIS COMMITTEE IS, I I'M LOOKING TO SEE, OR I'M LOOKING TO SEE SOME SYNERGY AND SOME MODELING WITH THE OFFICE OF HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS.
AND WHAT THIS COMMITTEE IS DOING, ONE OF THE REPORTS THAT JUST CAME OUT FROM OJA OFFICE OF HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS IS THE ISLAND BY ISLAND FOCUS GUIDE THAT HAS AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND THEN A FULL DOCKET RANGING FROM EDUCATION TO LAND USE TO HOUSING, HEALTH, ET CETERA.
I ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO TAKE A LOOK AT THESE REPORTS.
THOMAS, I'LL EMAIL YOU THE LINK.
I THINK THAT IT'S REALLY GOOD AS WE LOOK TO THE FUTURE OF WHAT THIS COMMITTEE IS DOING, UM, AND WE'RE REALLY BEING ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, NAIL DOWN THE NEEDS NEIGHBORHOOD BY NEIGHBORHOOD AS THE GENTLEMAN JUST SAID, I THINK THAT THIS WOULD BE A REALLY GREAT RESOURCE FOR Y'ALL.
ONE OTHER COMMENTS? OKAY, I THINK WE'RE BACK TO THE, UM, AMENDED PROPOSAL.
SO YOU HAD A MOTION ON THE FLOOR AND WE HAD AN AMENDMENT.
YEAH, WE HAVE A YES, WE HAVE A SECOND.
YEAH, WE HAVE I, MR. JOHNSON SAID YES.
OKAY, SO ARE ALL IN FAVOR? COURT ORDER.
I BELIEVE THAT CLERK HAD ASKED FOR SOME SPECIFICS TO THE, IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT, YES, SIR.
THAT WAS RELYING ON THE NOTES OF THE MADAM CHAIRMAN
SPECIFICALLY, WE ARE BEING ASKED TO PUT IN SOME TYPE OF OVERHANGING BRIDGE FOR SAFETY.
SO IT WAS PART OF THE, A SAFETY RECOMMENDATION IN REGARDS TO, UM, UM, SAFE CROSSINGS, UM, ACROSS, ALONG THE 2 78 CORRIDOR.
UM, THE OTHER WAS A CONVEYANCE OF THE CONVEYANCE OF TOWN ON PROPERTY.
UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, THE COMMUNITY IS BEING, UM, UM, DEVELOPED IN A, IN A WAY THAT IS, UM, LET ME SEE OUR IMPACT OF LANDFILL, ECONOMICALLY VIABLE TOWN OWNERSHIP TO, FOR, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PURPOSES.
DOES THAT GIVE YOU ENOUGH? YES, MA'AM.
SPECIFIC, JUST THOSE TWO? YES.
LUMPED IN THE ONE? YES, MA'AM.
ARE WE READY TO VOTE ON THE MOTION? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
[6. New Business]
ANDRE.THOMAS, I THINK YOU'RE, YOU'RE AT, UH, RIGHT ITEM ITEM SIX, NEW BUSINESS.
I'D LIKE TO, UH, RECOGNIZE MAYOR ALLEN PERRY AND THANK HIM FOR BEING PRESENT TODAY.
UM, ITEM NUMBER SIX ON THE AGENDA, NEW BUSINESS, UH, DISCUSSION OF THE WILLIAM HILTON PARKWAY GATEWAY CORRIDOR PROJECT TIMELINE.
UH, AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, UH, BEEN IN THE DISCUSSIONS, UM, AS, AS HAS BEEN ALLUDED TO.
UH, THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN GOING FOR, UH, SINCE ABOUT, UH, 2018.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE IN REGARDS TO WHERE WE ARE CURRENTLY AND THE PATHWAY TO, UM, PROPOSED, UM, VOTE FOR MUNICIPAL CONSENT.
SO, UH, THIS BEING THE MONTH OF MAY, UM, WE STARTED OUT THE MONTH OF MAY, UM, HOSTING, UH, UH, OF HAVING DISCUSSIONS WITH BEAUFORT COUNTY, UH, THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, HILTON HEAD ISLAND, AS WELL AS MYSELF, UM, PRESENT, UM, DISCUSSING THE CURRENT DESIGN AND ALTERNATIVES THAT COULD BE, UM, LESS IMPACTFUL IN THE STONY IN
[00:55:01]
THE STONY COMMUNITY.UM, MAY THE FIFTH, WE HAD THE INDEPENDENT REVIEW ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING AT WHICH TIME THE PRESENTATION OF ALTERNATIVES AND FINDINGS WERE PRESENTED BY LOCK MUELLER.
UM, THE CONSULTANT THAT WAS HIRED BY THE, UM, THE CONSULTANT THAT WAS APPROVED AND HIRED BY THE, UM, THE INDEPENDENT REVIEW COMMITTEE, UM, THEIR CHARGE HAS BEEN TO THE INDEPENDENT REVIEW COMMITTEE'S CHARGE HAS BEEN TO SELECT THE CONSULTANT AND HAVE THAT INDEPENDENT REVIEW PRESENTED TO THEM AS A COMMITTEE.
AND THEY WILL AT SOME POINT MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE LARGER BODY OF TOWN COUNCIL AS TO WHAT THE, UH, WHAT THE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE FOR THE HIGHWAY EXPANSION.
UM, THEY HAVE A MEETING ON JUNE THE 12TH THAT I LIKE TO MAKE EVERYONE AWARE OF.
AS YOU SEE THERE ON THE TIMELINE, THERE'S A MEETING, UM, OF THAT INDEPENDENT REVIEW ADVISORY COMMITTEE AT WHICH TIME, UH, THEY WILL DISCUSS VARIOUS ALTERNATIVES AND FINDINGS, UM, AND PROBABLY AT THAT POINT, UH, MAKE SOME SORT OF A RECOMMENDATION TO TOWN COUNCIL, UH, WITHIN THE NEXT WEEK.
AND, UH, CURRENTLY WE ARE HAVING ONGOING DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, UM, THE MAYOR, THE TOWN MANAGER, UM, IN REGARDS TO THE PROPOSED, UH, HIGHWAY DESIGN.
UM, AND ONCE WE GET, UM, A LITTLE BIT FURTHER DOWN THE WAY, YOU'LL SEE IN JUNE, UM, AND WE DON'T HAVE A DATE AS OF YET, AN OFFICIAL DATE FOR TOWN COUNCIL TO CONSIDER, UM, MUNICIPAL CONSENT.
BUT, UM, AT THAT POINT, TOWN COUNCIL WILL VOTE EITHER YES, WE APPROVE OF THE PROJECT, OR NO, WE DON'T APPROVE OF THE PROJECT.
UM, SO WHAT I WOULD ENCOURAGE, UM, ALL CONCERNED CITIZENS TO DO IS TO MAKE SURE AND, AND CHECK THE WEBSITE TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE AWARE OF THE DATE WHEN THAT AGENDA ITEM HITS TOWN COUNCIL.
UM, AGAIN, THESE DATES ARE NOT, UM, AS FAR AS A JUNE DATE, I, I'M, I AM ANTICIPATING THAT THAT PARTICULAR, UH, VOTE WOULD COME BEFORE TOWN COUNCIL IN JUNE, BUT IT IS NOT WRITTEN IN STONE AT THIS PARTICULAR POINT.
UM, BUT I WOULD ENCOURAGE, AGAIN, ALL CITIZENS TO MAINTAIN A, A LEVEL OF AWARENESS ABOUT THAT SO THAT YOU CAN BE PRESENT AND THAT YOUR VOICE CAN BE HEARD.
UM, I WOULD ANTICIPATE THAT WE WOULD HAVE SOME TYPE OF WORKSHOP.
SO YOU SEE THE WEEK OF MAY THE 20TH THROUGH THE 24TH, WHICH IS NEXT WEEK.
THAT THERE, THAT THERE MAY BE SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION RELATED TO THE, UM, THE GATEWAY CORRIDOR PROJECT, UM, COMING FORWARD.
SO, UM, AT THIS POINT, UM, WE ARE NEARING THE, THE, THE END OF THIS PROCESS.
AND, UM, AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE WAS AWARE OF WHERE WE ARE CURRENTLY AND, UM, THE PROPOSED PATHWAY FORWARD.
UM, AND AT THAT, AT THIS TIME, I'LL ATTAINED QUESTIONS.
IS THAT FOR THE, FOR HIS FIRST QUESTION? YES.
JUST CLARIFY AGAIN, I'M YOLANDA COHEN MCKINNEY.
UM, JUST, JUST ONE QUESTION REGARDING THE, UM, PROPOSAL, THE SC DTS PROPOSAL AND MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT PARTICULAR PROPOSAL, UH, THEY'RE REALLY PUSHING, UH, THE FACT THAT, UM, THERE WILL BE NO IMPACT TO THE GULLAH GEECHEE COMMUNITY, AND I JUST WANTED TO HEAR YOUR INPUT REGARDING THAT.
I THINK THAT THE, THE ONE IMPORTANT FACTOR TO CONSIDER IS THAT THERE HAS ALREADY BEEN SIGNIFICANT IMPACT, UM, THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE HIGHWAY, UM, YOU KNOW, AND SUBSEQUENT EXPANSIONS HAVE CREATED SIGNIFICANT IMPACT, WHETHER THAT IS LOSS OF PROPERTY ON THE PART OF, UH, THAT THAT HAS BEEN DESCRIBED, UM, PREVIOUSLY, UM, THE LOSS OF PROPERTY BY GULLAH, UH,
[01:00:01]
PEOPLE, OR WHETHER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SOUND, WHETHER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT POLLUTION, WHETHER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UM, SAFE CROSSINGS FOR PEDESTRIANS, IT HAS ALREADY BEEN IMPACTED.UM, NOW ARE THERE OPTIONS THAT ARE BEING PRESENTED THAT WOULD MINIMIZE OR ELIMINATE ANY FURTHER IMPACT FROM A LAND RIGHT OF WAY ACQUISITION PERSPECTIVE? YES.
OUR, OUR MAYOR, OUR TOWN MANAGER, MYSELF AND COUNCIL COUNCILMAN AMES, AS WELL AS COUNCILMAN BROWN, HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN SEVERAL DISCUSSIONS AND HAVE OFFERED FEEDBACK ON OPTIONS THAT WOULD NOT REQUIRE ANY ADDITIONAL RIGHT OF WAY ACQUISITION.
HOWEVER, WHAT WE DO KNOW IS THIS, IS THAT MOVING FROM FOUR LANES TO SIX LANES CREATES SOME LEVEL OF IMPACT.
SO THAT THE QUESTION WITH IS THERE AN IMPACT IS, IS YES, THERE IS AN IMPACT, IS THERE, ARE THERE THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS THAT WOULD REDUCE, UM, OR ELIMINATE PROPERTY ACQUISITION? YES.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE BEEN STANDING FIRM ON, IS ELIMINATING THE, UH, RIGHT OF WAY ACQUISITION AND FURTHER LAND LOSS BY PROPERTY OWNERS IN THE STONY COMMUNITY.
DID THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? UH, NOT REALLY.
ASK YOU MR. BOTLEY, IT'S JUST BECAUSE, I MEAN, THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE WHAT IS BEING STATED AT IS THAT THERE IS NO IMPACT AND AND YOU'RE SAYING THERE IS AND THERE IS IMPACT.
SO IT JUST NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S DISCREPANCY AND IT IS FALSE INFORMATION.
IF THAT'S WHAT THIS, UH, S-T-D-O-T IS SAYING, THAT IS NO IMPACT TO THE CULTURE, THEN THAT NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY ARE USING, YOU KNOW, AS A, AS A STATEMENT.
AND WHEN WAS THAT STATED? UH, IT IS IN ALL OF, I'VE BEEN COMING TO MEETINGS AND LOCK MUELLER HAS USED IT AND ALL OF THE, THE, THE INFORMATION.
SO THAT ALTERNATIVE ONE, UH, TO THE EXPANSION OF HIGHWAY TWO C OF AN EIGHT IS THE, UH, SC DLTS PROPOSED, UM, OPTION.
IT STATES, UH, NO IMPACT AND THEY HAVE A NUMBERING SYSTEM, A RATING SYSTEM.
IT'S NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT IS WHAT THEY'VE SAID.
WELL, NO IMPACT, I MEAN, RATHER SIGNIFICANT, BUT, BUT, BUT WHAT YOU JUST HEARD US SAY, MM-HMM,
WILL THAT BE RELATED TO S-C-D-O-T? YES, BECAUSE THEY'RE, THEY HAVE A RATING SYSTEM AND WHETHER IT'S NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT OR NOT, THAT THEY'RE NOT, THEY RATED THE LOWEST.
SO IF IT'S ONE TO FOUR, THEY ARE LIKE ONE ON THE, ON THE SCALE OF ZERO TO FOUR AS FAR AS IMPACT.
SO THAT NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED.
THAT'S WHAT THE, THAT'S WHAT THE CONVERSATIONS ARE ABOUT.
SO THAT WILL BE RELAYED TO THEM AND AND CORRECTED.
AND SO, SO TO YOUR POINT THERE, THERE IS DEFINITELY, UH, RECOGNIZED IMPACT, IMPACT, THE RATING SYSTEM TO MY UNDERSTANDING WAS RATING THE OPTIONS BASED ON THE LEAST TO THE MOST IMPACT AND THE LOWER THE NUMBER, THE LEAST AMOUNT OF IMPACT.
NOW, WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THE OTHER ALTERNATIVES THAT HAVE BEEN PRESENTED THAT CREATE, UM, OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OR, UM, AESTHETIC IMPACTS, I KNOW THAT ONE OF THE RAISED, UM, FLYOVERS WAS CREATING LIKE A 24 FOOT ABOVE THE EXISTING CROSS ISLAND PARKWAY CONCRETE, UH, STRUCTURE, UH, THAT WOULD BEGIN TO, TO RAISE AT ABOUT, UH, SQUIRE POPE ROAD AND UM, AND CONTINUE ON TO THE UM, CROSS ISLAND PARKWAY.
SO FOR FAMILIES THAT LIVE IN THE STONY COMMUNITY, THEY WOULD NOW BE FORCED TO LOOK AT CONCRETE PILLARS, UM, WHERE RIGHT NOW THEY'RE LOOKING AT GREEN GRASS.
AND SO THERE'S AN IMPACT THERE.
UM, THE OTHER PIECES THAT IN REGARDS TO THAT RATING SYSTEM, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, UM, THERE'S COSTS THAT ARE, THAT ARE CONSIDERED MM-HMM,
I CAN GO DEEPER INTO IT AND I WON'T AT THIS TIME, BUT, UM, WITH THAT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT THAT'S DONE, THAT WAS DONE AND THAT QUESTIONNAIRE, 'CAUSE I READ THROUGH IT AND UM, A LOT OF WHAT'S IN THERE IS NOT CORRECT.
[01:05:01]
'CAUSE IT WAS A QUESTION THAT ASKED, UM, WELL, THERE WAS, AND IT WAS A RATING SCALE AS WELL, ASKING IF THERE'LL BE ANY TYPE OF, UM, COMMUNITY OR, UM, A GROUP WITHIN THE COMMUNITY WHO, WHO MAY OPPOSE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE PROJECT AND IT, IT STATED NO OR A VERY LOW AND IT'S JUST A LOT OF, UM, INCONSISTENCIES AND JUST THAT I JUST WANTED TO ADDRESS THE, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT TERM NO, NO, UH, NO, UH, IMPACT RIGHT.TO, TO THE CULTURE AND, UM, 'CAUSE IN AND WHAT WAS WRITTEN AND DID NOT SAY SIGNIFICANT, IT SAID NO IMPACT.
SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE, YOU KNOW, GET, SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT.
AND IF THAT'S NOT WHAT IS MEANT, THEN THAT NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED WITH S-C-D-O-T.
AND, AND THAT IS, THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THE ADVOCACY HAS EXISTED AND, AND HAS BEEN STRONG ON THE ON AS, AS A COLLECTIVE BODY FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE TO TOWN MANAGERS, MYSELF AND TOWN COUNCIL IN REGARDS TO LET'S LIMIT OR ELIMINATE THE AMOUNT OF RIGHT OF WAY IMPACT.
WE'VE GOT HISTORIC BUSINESSES THAT HAVE BEEN IN THE STONY COMMUNITY SINCE, YOU KNOW, 1950, 1950S.
AND SO I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THOSE BUILDINGS REMAIN, YOU KNOW, THOSE STRUCTURES REMAIN AND OPERATE, YOU KNOW, UNDERGO OWNERSHIP.
AND SO THAT'S CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE, RIGHT? AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE FIGHTING FOR ON THE GROUND.
I, I CAN TELL YOU THAT BEYOND THE SHADOW OF A DOUBT.
OKAY? BECAUSE YES SIR, MY CONCERN IS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A SIX LANE HIGHWAY NOW.
I WAS COMING OUT 77 COLUMBIA THE OTHER DAY AND I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS 20 SOMETHING, I'M GOING TO SCHOOL.
WHEN THEY WERE BUILDING THAT THING, YOU HAD TO GO TO 26 TO 20 TO GET TO NORTH CAROLINA.
AND I WAS JUST ON THAT SUNDAY IN THE SIXTH LANE.
AND WE HAVE FOUR LANE AND STONY COMMUNITY.
NOW WHY YOU WANT TO EVEN THINK ABOUT SIX IN SUCH A SMALL LITTLE PIECE OF LAND SIX, THE INTERSTATE, OUR INTERSTATE DON'T HAVE SIX LANES.
SEE THAT'S WHY Y'ALL DON'T WANT ME HERE.
OR THESE WHOLE MEETINGS, SIX LANES AND COMPOSE.
WHO WOULD EVEN COME UP WITH AN IDEA LIKE THAT? I MEAN THAT'S WHAT WE PAYING PEOPLE TO THINK FOR SIX LANE.
WHERE WE GOING? ATLANTA, YOU DON'T HAVE THAT MUCH LAND.
MIAMI WHERE I DROVE DON'T HAVE THAT MUCH.
AND LIKE I SAID PAST, BUT FUTURE NEXT MEETING, LIKE YOU SAID, WE NEED TO START GETTING MORE REIN REPRESENTATION IN THE TOWN COUNCIL.
TOWN COUNCIL NEED TO BE BREAKDOWN AND REFIGURE WARD ONE NEED TO HAVE THREE, AT LEAST THREE REPRESENTATIVE.
AND I MEAN, BECAUSE IT AIN'T WORKING AND IT WILL NEVER WORK.
SO FUTURE BOSS LADIES, YOU'VE MADE A STATEMENT SAYING WE AIN'T WORRYING ABOUT THE PAST BUT THE FUTURE, LET'S START WORKING ON THIS TODAY.
'CAUSE IF YOU DON'T NOW I GOT EIGHT GRAND BOYS AND I HOPE TWO OF THEM CAN GET ON ONE OF THOSE SEATS AND THEY'RE ALREADY 21 TO TWO.
OKAY? 'CAUSE THE WAY IT IS TODAY, IT'LL BE THE DEATH OF THE SALAD.
'CAUSE ANYTHING BROWN CAN VOTE FOR, WE CAN BRING UP TO THE TABLE WHEN IT COMES TO TOWN COUNCIL.
IT COULD BE SHOT DOWN AND YOU COULD HAVE TWO OF 'EM VOTING FOR, BUT IT'S GOING TO BE THREE AGAINST THE REST.
THAT'S WHAT YOU NEED TO FIGHT ABOUT.
'CAUSE IF WITHOUT THAT JUST DOESN'T MATTER BECAUSE WHEN YOUR EYES ARE GONE CLOSE YOUR KIDS AND GRANDKIDS GREAT GRAND AND YOU GONNA HAVE A LEG TO FIGHT ON.
AND THAT'S ALL I'M TRYING TO PROVIDE THE FUTURE.
IT AIN'T EVEN ABOUT MY KIDS, ABOUT MY GRANDKIDS.
BECAUSE MY GREAT GRANDDADDY, I NEVER, NEVER EVEN TALK ABOUT MY GRANDDADDY.
ONLY THING MY DADDY EVER TOLD ME ABOUT MY GRANDDADDY THAT HE COULD HAVE BEEN ANYTHING HE WANTED TO BE.
BUT MY GRANDDADDY DIED AND WHEN TIME WAS HARD, HE GOT TOOK AND ABANDONED BY THE TUMORS.
THE HOUSE WAS IN SO BAD SHAPE, MY GREAT GRANDDADDY.
[01:10:01]
THAT'S WHEN I USED TO CUT THAT YARD AND I SAW THAT PUMP DOWN THERE AND I THOUGHT ABOUT IT.I REALLY FEEL HE DIDN'T WANT TO SELL CRAZY.
CRAB WOULD'VE NEVER BEEN THERE.
THAT WAS THE BEST PART OF THE STEW PROPERTY, RIGHT? A LOT OF MY FAMILY MEMBERS DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
BUT WE HAD YOUR GREAT GRANDDADDY HAD TO SELL THAT PROPERTY SO LIFE COULD GO ON.
HE DIDN'T WANT TO, BUT RIGHT WHERE YOU SEE THE CRAZY CRAB AT ME AND DAN GRAYSON PLAYED SOFTBALL BEFORE HE BECAME A PROFESSIONAL WORLD, SENIOR CHAMPION RIGHT THERE.
ALL WE GOTTA, WE APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS.
YOU WANT ME TO COME HERE AND WHEN I STAY, YOU SHUT ME UP.
I'M SAYING, I THINK AND SO BIG POLITICIAN, THEY CALL LIKE FILIBUSTER, STOP RUNNING THIS REST OF CRAP DOWN PEOPLE'S THROAT.
'CAUSE WE AIN'T SEE YOU KEEP SAYING, LET'S NOT GOING BACK, BUT YOU GOING FORWARD AND LEAVING US BEHIND ALL THE TIME HOME.
YOU KNOW, AS A KID, WHEN PEOPLE USED TO BULLY ME AND THEY GOT OFF THE BIKE, I JUST TOOK A A STICK AND THROW IT IN THE WHEEL AND THAT'S HOW THE WHOLE THING.
MAY YOU PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE.
I'M NOT GONNA STATE MY NAME UNTIL THE CONVERSATION ENDS.
AND I DID IT BEFORE I DO THIS ENOUGH.
SO I I I TRAVELED THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE GU GET YOU AREA WITH REGARDS TO THIS.
AND SO NOW, UH, MR. BOXING AND I HAD A CONVERSATION.
AMIR JAMAL TORRES, AS I STATED THE FIRST TIME AND BOXING.
AND I HAD A CONVERSATION, WHICH ONE OF THE THINGS I SHARE WITH HIM.
AND, AND I HEAR PEOPLE HERE AND I HEAR FAMILY MEMBERS.
AND SO AGAIN, LET Y'ALL KNOW, MY FAMILY GO BACK TO AT LEAST 1814 HERE ON THIS ISLAND AND IN BLUFFTON.
SO IT'S THE MURRAYS, THE WALTERS GREENS AND RESINS.
AND THAT'S JUST ONE PART OF IT.
SO WHAT I SHARE WITH HIM, AND I'M HEARING FOLKS SAY CERTAIN THINGS, BUT THEN I ALSO UNDERSTAND, I WANNA FIND OUT FROM YOU ALL, WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SEE THE COMMUNITY DO? WHAT MUST THE COMMUNITY DO? BECAUSE WHEN I HAD THE CONVERSATION WITH HIM, I SAID, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I KNOW FOR A FACT WHAT HAPPENS, AND I SAID IT TO HIM, AND I HAVE NO SHAME ABOUT IT, THAT PEOPLE ON HILTON HEAD WILL BE SILENT.
THERE'LL BE A FEW THAT WILL SAY SOMETHING, BUT OTHERS WILL NOT SAY ANYTHING.
AND THAT A CLEARING CALL MUST BE MADE FOR EVERYONE ON THE ISLAND.
GULLAH, GET YOU PEOPLE IN PARTICULAR THAT NOT STAND UP AND SPEAK OUT.
IT CANNOT BE TWO PEOPLE, THREE PEOPLE, OR FIVE PEOPLE.
SO I WANNA KNOW, AND I'M THROWING IT OUT THERE TO Y'ALL AND SAY, WHAT DO Y'ALL THINK THE PEOPLE SHOULD BE DOING? THROW IT OUT THERE RIGHT NOW, AND THEN THE COMMUNITY, THEN WE MUST TAKE THAT BACK TO THE PEOPLE.
WE MUST TAKE IT TO THE CHURCHES, TO OUR SOCIAL ORGANIZATION, TO WHEREVER WE ARE, TO OUR FAMILY MEMBERS.
WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO US? AND WHAT OCCURRED WAS BECAUSE WE SAT SILENT.
WE KNOW THINGS THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED, BUT WE'VE SAT SILENT.
WE'VE SEEN LAND TAKEN FROM US.
AND SOME OF US WHO SAY THAT WE ARE ACTIVISTS, ADVOCATES, WE HAVE SEEN THEM TAKE LAND FROM US.
AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THEM ARENA, GUESS WHAT? IT WAS? BENJI WANTS AND SOPHIE WANTS PROPERTY.
THAT WAS THE OTHER PART THAT THE TOWN OF HILTON HAD GOT 10 YEARS AGO.
SO PEOPLE KNEW ABOUT IT AND SAID NOTHING ABOUT IT.
SO I'M SAYING THAT'S WHY I SAY IT'S NOT ON YOU ALL.
IT'S ON YOU ALL TO THROW OUT TO THE PEOPLE TO SAY WHAT YOU WANT THEM TO DO.
AND THEN FOR THE PEOPLE NOW TO ALSO SAY, OKAY, THE BALL IS IN OUR COURT AND WE NEED TO ACT.
AND SO NOW IT'S TIME FOR US TO ACT.
SO I'M JUST THROWING IT OUT TO YOU ALL.
YOU MIGHT WANNA MAKE SOME SUGGESTIONS TO SOME PEOPLE SO THEY CAN HEAR THAT NOW AND JUST SAY, OH, WE NEED TO TAKE THIS BACK.
SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, I THINK THAT THE BIGGEST THING THAT, THAT OUR CITIZENS AND OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS CAN DO IS TO STAY ENGAGED TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN THESE MEETINGS OCCURRED AND WHEN, WHEN THIS VOTE GOES BEFORE TOWN COUNCIL, AND EVEN BEFORE THAT, WHEN, WHEN THE NEXT MEETING ON JUNE THE 12TH OF THE WILLIAM HILTON PARKWAY GATEWAY CORRIDOR INDEPENDENT REVIEW ADVISORY COMMITTEE OCCURS THAT BE IN ATTENDANCE, BE IN ATTENDANCE, SO THAT YOUR VOICE CAN BE HEARD.
WHAT, WHAT TIME IS THAT MEETING? UH, 1:00 PM THAT'S THE THING WE NEED.
WE NEED AT A TIME WHERE THE COMMUNITY CAN ACTUALLY COME AND
[01:15:01]
PARTICIPATE AND ASK FOR WORK.PLEASE NOT BE IN THE EVENING HOURS.
I WILL DEFINITELY SEND THAT INFORMATION UP TO, UH, THE SCHEDULING BODY AND UH, AND SEE WHAT WE CAN MAKE HAPPEN ON THAT END.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? CAN I SAY THIS ONE? THIS ONE LAST THING, LOUISE GOING AGAIN.
UM, THE MOST DIS ENCOURAGING THING IS FOR US TO ATTEND MEETINGS, MIXED STATEMENT AFTER STATEMENT AFTER STATEMENT.
AND IT SEEMED LIKE PEOPLE ARE LISTENING.
IT SEEMED LIKE THEY'RE LISTENING, BUT THEN WE GET NO RESULTS.
THAT'S THE WORST THING IN THE WORLD THAT HAPPENS TO OUR PEOPLE.
AND THAT'S WHY A LOT OF TIMES OUR PEOPLE FEEL LIKE THEY'RE NOT TREATED RIGHT, BECAUSE IT'S LIKE NOBODY LISTENS, BECAUSE WHAT I'M SAYING, YOU DON'T HEAR BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT TO HEAR BECAUSE I'M NOT SAYING WHAT YOU WANT ME TO SAY.
AND, UH, AND OUR PEOPLE GET DISCOURAGED BECAUSE OF THAT.
AND THEY SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT THE HECK WITH IT? BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT LISTENING TO ME AND NOTHING GOOD IS GOING TO HAPPEN FOR ME AND MY COMMUNITY.
AND A LOT OF TIMES YOU DON'T SEE PEOPLE BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE LOST FAITH.
AND AND THEY SAY, 'CAUSE THEY USUALLY TELL US ONE THING AND THEY GO AHEAD ON AND DO SOMETHING ELSE.
AND I THINK THAT IS ONE THING THAT NEED TO CHANGE.
WE HAVE TO TURN THAT AROUND AND PEOPLE SAY THEY'RE LISTENING, THEN DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
LET US KNOW THAT YOU ARE LISTENING.
LET US SEE THAT YOU ARE LISTENING TO US AND THAT YOU HEAR US AND WITH THIS STONEY, UM, UM, WHAT WE GOING THROUGH.
IF THERE IS SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT TO PREVENT IT.
AND LIKE I SAY, YOU ALREADY HAVE FOUR LANES, THEN WORK WITH WHAT YOU GOT AND LEAVE THE PEOPLE ALONE.
AND IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP THE PEOPLE FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE, MAYOR, IF THERE'S ANYTHING YOU CAN DO TO HELP THE PEOPLE FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE IN THEIR COMMUNITY ON THIS LAND THAT THEIR ANCESTORS PURCHASED, THAT GOD ALLOWED THEIR ANCESTORS TO PURCHASE FOR THEM.
SO WE WOULD HAVE A PLACE HERE.
IF THERE ANYTHING YOU CAN DO TO HELP THESE PEOPLE, PLEASE DO IT.
AND BECAUSE YOUR DECISION, YOUR DECISION GONNA MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO OUR PEOPLE.
AND LIKE I SAY, YOU ARE GONNA BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THOSE DECISIONS THAT YOU MAKE.
IT DOESN'T MATTER WHETHER IT'S YOU MAYOR OR LOUISE COHEN, YOU ARE GONNA BE RESPONSIBLE FOR 'CAUSE GOD SAID YOU'RE GONNA REAP WHAT YOU SAW.
SO, UM, IN YOUR DELIBERATION, UM, WHEN WE ARE NOT THERE, PLEASE THINK ABOUT US.
WE ARE JUST IN THESE BLACK BODIES.
WE DIDN'T ASK TO BE IN THE BLACK.
THESE BLACK BODIES, GOD CHOSE TO PUT US IN THESE BUTTONS.
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? SO WE BE BLACK 'CAUSE WE CAN'T HELP IT.
AND LIKE THEY ALWAYS SAY, YOU CAN CHOOSE YOUR FRIENDS, BUT YOU CAN'T CHOOSE YOUR FAMILY.
AND WE CAN CHOOSE BEING WHO WE ARE.
SO WE JUST ASKING PEOPLE TO JUST, JUST KIND OF WALK IN OUR SHOES IN YOUR MIND, OKAY? AND ALWAYS DO THE RIGHT THING.
UM, MR. JAMAL ASKED, WHAT IS IT THAT WE WOULD NEED FROM YOU? ONE THING THAT WOULD GO A LONG WAY IS FOR THE COMMUNITY TO UNITE TOGETHER, TO SUPPORT THIS BOARD.
YOU HAVE A CDC BOARD THAT HAS NEVER EXISTED.
YOU'VE NEVER HAD A GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT WAS EMPOWERED TO SUPPORT YOU, TO RALLY BEHIND YOU, TO BE YOUR VOICE.
THAT THAT DIDN'T EXIST BEFORE.
AND WHAT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO US IS FOR YOU TO RALLY YOUR COMMUNITIES TO SAY, LET'S GIVE THEM THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT.
LET'S SUPPORT THEM IN THE EFFORTS.
LET'S LISTEN TO THEM, RIGHT? WE FEEL YOUR PAIN, WE FEEL YOUR PASSION.
UM, AND WE MAY NOT LIVE IN YOUR COMMUNITY, BUT WE HAVE A VESTED INTEREST IN WHAT HAPPENS TO YOU.
BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS TO YOU HAPPENS TO US ALL.
AND BEFORE YOU KILL IT AND SAY, WHAT'S NOT GOING TO BE DONE? BECAUSE IT WASN'T DONE 20 YEARS AGO WHERE WE DIDN'T EXIST 20 YEARS AGO.
WE DIDN'T EXIST FIVE YEARS AGO.
WE DIDN'T EXIST TWO OR THREE YEARS AGO WHEN WE ARE HERE NOW.
[01:20:02]
AND IF WE WERE TO BE SUCCESSFUL, WHAT WOULD, WHAT WILL HELP US HELP YOU IS FOR A RALLY OF SUPPORT.YOU ENGAGE WITH THOSE PERSONS WHO HAVE YOUR EAR.
HAVE THEM TO SAY, OKAY, LET'S GIVE THESE PEOPLE A CHANCE.
INSTEAD OF, UH, US FIGHTING AGAINST GOING ANOTHER, LET'S TRY TO WORK TOGETHER.
'CAUSE THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY THAT DID NOT EXIST BEFORE.
THIS IS A VOICE THAT WE DID NOT HAVE BEFORE.
THESE ARE SEATS IN THE TABLE, AT THE TABLE IN THE ROOM THAT WE DID NOT HAVE BEFORE.
GIVE US THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT UNTIL WE SHOW YOU WE NO LONGER DESERVE IT.
THAT HAS NOT BEEN ALLOWED TO HAPPEN YET.
I THINK IF WE WOULD WORK TOGETHER AS A TEAM, RIGHT? TRUST LIVES ON A TWO-WAY.
STREET COMMUNICATION LIVES ON A TWO-WAY.
STREET COOPERATION LIVES ON A TWO-WAY STREET.
AND SO WHAT DO WE NEED? WE NEED YOUR INPUT.
YOUNG MEN, THE MAN THAT LEFT TALKED ABOUT VOTING AND REPRESENTATION, THE LAST VOTING CYCLE, UNLESS HE SAID THAT WE HAD STAYED HOME.
THE MINISTER ALLIANCE MADE AFFORDABLE OR MADE AVAILABLE TO YOU, SOLD TO THE POLLS.
ALL THE CHURCH BUSES WERE AVAILABLE TO TAKE PEOPLE TO THE POLLS.
NAACP HAS REACHED OUT TO ME AND SAYS, WE WANNA HAVE A SOULS TO THE POLLS.
SO WE DON'T, THE APATHY, THE SILENCE THAT, UM, THAT JAMAL WAS TALKING ABOUT THAT EXISTED IS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE.
RIGHT? THE THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED.
WE CAN'T UNDO WHAT'S HAPPENED TO YOU.
BUT WHAT WE CAN DO TOGETHER IS ROLL UP OUR SLEEVES AND WORK TOGETHER AS A TEAM.
MM-HMM,
MONITOR RESOURCES BEHIND VOICES THAT YOU DID NOT HAVE TWO YEARS AGO, THREE YEARS AGO, FOUR YEARS AGO.
GIVE US THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT.
CHAMPION THE COMMUNITIES RADICAL.
LOOK, LISTEN, Y'ALL COME HEAR WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY.
RIGHT? I BELIEVE THAT THEY HAVE THE, OUR BEST INTEREST AT HEART.
WHAT DO WE NEED? WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT.
THAT'S THE ONLY, WE WANNA BE IMPACTFUL BECAUSE THEY'RE TRYING TO DIVIDE AND CONQUER US.
AND IF WE SIT THERE AND ALLOW US TO BE DIVIDED, THEY WON'T CONQUER US.
BUT WE NEED YOU TO HELP US FIGHT FOR YOU.
SO WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT FROM THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.
I WAS TOLD ONE TIME THAT WE COULD NOT BE TRUSTED.
THAT ALL WE SEE SITTING UP HERE IS A BUNCH OF ETTES COME.
I'VE BEEN IN THIS ISLAND FOR 25 YEARS.
I HAVE A VESTED INTEREST IN THIS ISLAND FOR 25 YEARS.
I GO TO FOOTBALL GAMES, BASKETBALL GAMES, BASEBALL GAMES.
AND THEY ASK ME, WHAT CHILD IS YOURS? I DON'T HAVE A BIOLOGICAL CHILD IN THE GAME.
WHAT ARE ALL MY KIDS? SO IF YOU BELIEVE IN THIS ISLAND AND YOU BELIEVE IN WHAT'S BEST FOR YOU, THAT YOU'VE GOT A COMMITTEE, A, C, D, C IS HERE, THAT'S FIGHTING FOR YOU.
WE NEED YOU TO HELP US HELP YOU WIN.
'CAUSE IF WE FIGHT AGAINST EACH OTHER, WE'LL NEVER WIN.
WE'LL NEVER GET NEXT ELECTION TIME.
IF YOU WANT TWO, THREE PEOPLE MORE THAN ALEX ON, ON THE BOARD, NOMINATE THEM AND THEN COME OUT AND SUPPORT 'EM YOUNG.
WE WANT, AND IF WE OUGHT TO CHANGE, WE WANT, WE HAVE TO STAND UP AND DEMAND IT NOT AROUND THE EDGES, RIGHT? GET SOME PERSONS, IF WE WANT CHANGE, IF WE WANT A DIFFERENT LOOK, IF WE WANT OUR VOICES HEARD, WHAT ARE OUR VOICES IN THE OFFICE? THAT'S THE WAY WE IMPACT CHANGE.
WHEN YOU'VE GOT CHANGE AGENTS THAT'S WILLING TO FIGHT, YOU FIGHT WITH US.
THAT IS WHAT YOU NEED, PASTOR.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE SAY AS A BOARD WHEN WE MEET AND WE ARE FIGHTING FOR YOU.
[01:25:01]
YES MA'AM.MORNING, MS. BELINDA STEWART YOUNG.
I STAY AT ON THE, UM, STEWARD GATEWAY NAME IS THE STEWARD GATEWAY.
I JUST WANNA SAY A FEW THINGS HERE.
FIRST OF ALL, AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR HARD WORK AND I'M GLAD THAT WE DO HAVE THIS COMMITTEE TO SPEAK FOR US.
AND I, I HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I WANNA SPEAK AND I'M GLAD THE MAYOR IS HERE ALSO.
I DON'T THINK I'VE EVER GOTTEN TO SPEAK IN HIS PRESENCE.
BUT HERE'S TODAY, UM, THESE ARE SOME SUGGESTIONS THAT YOU TAKE.
THIS IS FOR THE FUTURE BECAUSE WHAT'S IN THE PAST IS IN THE PAST, SOME THINGS WE CANNOT CHANGE IS SET AND WE CANNOT CHANGE, UNFORTUNATELY.
AND IT'S VERY UNFORTUNATE, BUT WE STILL TALK ABOUT IT BECAUSE ON THAT STEWART PROPERTY OVER THERE, MY GRANDMOTHER WORKED, SHE WORKED IN THE OYSTER FACTORY AND SHE SAVED HER NICKELS AND DIMES SHE SAVED SO THAT SHE COULD BUY HER AND MY GRANDFATHER.
BOTH OF THEM WORKED SO THAT THEY COULD BUY THAT PROPERTY OVER THERE.
AND I'M SURE THEY MAY NOT HAVE THOUGHT IT AT THAT TIME, BUT THEY WANTED THIS LAND TO GO TO THEIR DESCENDANTS.
THAT'S WHERE THEY PASSED THE LAND OFF FOR WHAT WE CALL NOW GENERATIONAL WEALTH.
AND THEY PUT US IN A BEAUTIFUL SPOT FOR THAT.
AND A LOT OF BLACK PEOPLE DON'T HAVE THAT BECAUSE OF THE WAY WE'VE BEEN TREATED.
AND THE WAY, WHEN I SAY THAT, I MEAN, WHEN WE GET JOBS, WE DON'T GET THE SAME PAYCHECKS THAT OTHER PEOPLE GET.
OUR, WE CAN DO THE SAME JOB, BUT OUR PAY IS MUCH LESS.
SO IT, WE HAD TO REALLY LEARN HOW TO SAVE AND WE COULDN'T SAVE AS MUCH AS OTHER PEOPLE COULD.
BUT THEY SAVED TO GIVE US THIS, THIS LAND.
I WANT MY GRANDCHILDREN TO HAVE IT PASS IT ON DOWN TO THEM.
AND THAT'S WHY I DON'T WANT IT TAKEN AWAY FROM US ANY MORE THAN IT ALREADY HAS BEEN.
BUT JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO THE NEXT MEETINGS WITH OTHER PEOPLE OTHER THAN US.
THAT THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WE WANT.
WE WANT OUR LAND FOR GENERATIONAL WEALTH, FOR OUR, OUR DESCENDANTS, JUST LIKE OTHER PEOPLE DO WITH THEIRS.
THIS IS, THIS IS MY SUGGESTION HERE.
I DON'T, I DON'T CARE IF I GET CREDIT FOR IT.
I DON'T CARE WHO TAKES IT AND RUN AND SAY NO, I WANT THE CREDIT.
I'LL, I'LL BRING IT LIKE I DID IT.
JUST THINK ABOUT THIS DOING THIS, AND THIS IS NOT NECESSARILY FOR YOU, BUT AS YOU PASS IT ON TO PEOPLE IN MARYLAND, GOING FROM MARYLAND TO UM, MARYLAND TO INTO VIRGINIA, OVER THERE BY VIRGINIA BEACH, THERE'S A CHESAPEAKE BAY BRIDGE TUNNEL THERE.
NOW IT'S A TUNNEL FOR A LITTLE WHILE.
IT GOES BACK INTO A TUNNEL AND IT COMES BACK UP.
I THINK IT'S ABOUT 13 OR 17 MILES LONG.
AND THEN THERE'S A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN GET OFF ON THE SIDE TO BUY YOUR LITTLE REFRESHMENTS OR SOMETHING YOU CAN DO THAT HILTON HAD IS ONE OF THE TOP, IT IS THE TOP, I BELIEVE RESORT AREA IN THE UNITED STATES, WHICH IS GOOD.
NOT BECAUSE I'M NOT A TOURIST.
BUT ANYWAY, IN THE FUTURE, RATHER THAN BOTHER OUR LAND, IT WOULD BE WONDERFUL.
I MEAN, JUST THINK OF HOW GOOD THIS WOULD BE TO HAVE A TUNNEL BRIDGE LIKE THAT ON HILTON HEAD AND TO TOP THEIRS.
THEY ONLY HAVE ONE PLACE WHERE YOU CAN GET OFF ON EACH SIDE TO TOP THEIRS.
WHAT IF WE HAD THE TUNNEL PART AND AQUARIUM SET THERE WITH THE LITTLE CHILDREN AS THEY GO THROUGH? THEY COULD GET OUT OF THE CAR AND THEY COULD SEE THE FISH, THE SHARKS, THE SHRIMPS, ALL OF THAT IN THE SEA.
HAVE ANOTHER SPOT WHERE YOU COULD GET OFF ON THE TUNNEL PART OR THE BRIDGE PART.
UM, AND FISH HAVE A LITTLE AREA THERE WHERE YOU COULD FISH.
I MEAN, THIS WOULD BE A BIG PROJECT.
SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO START BE WORKING ON NOW.
AND SOMETHING THAT DOES NOT INTERFERE WITH PEOPLE'S HOMES.
OR IF IT DOES, THAT'S ANOTHER THING THAT I I I HAVE, IF IT DOES INTERFERE WITH SOMEONE'S HOME, IT'S NOT ALWAYS GOOD TO INTERFERE WITH THE LEAST AN AREA WHERE THERE'S THE LEAST AMOUNT OF HOMES BECAUSE YOU KEEP HITTING THE SAME PEOPLE
[01:30:02]
TO TAKE A PERSON'S HOME.IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW MANY HOMES YOU TAKE TO TAKE THE INDIVIDUAL HOME HURTS.
AND WHEN YOU KEEP COMING BACK TO TAKE MY PROPERTY, TO TAKE MY LAND, AND YOU DON'T, YOU HAVE ALL THESE OTHER PLACES YOU COULD.
SO WHAT IF YOU RUN IT THROUGH HILTON HAND PLANTATION? YOU'RE TAKING MY LAND.
WHY NOT SOMETIMES TAKE THEIR LAND? YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T MATTER IF IT'S 50 PEOPLE THERE AND FOUR OVER.
YOU KEEP TAKING THE SAME PEOPLE'S PROPERTY UNTIL IT'S, IT'S GONE AND YOU HAVE NO MORE.
BUT HERE'S SOME THINGS LIKE I SAID, THAT YOU COULD DO FOR THE FUTURE.
AND LIKE I SAID, IF SOMEBODY SAYS, WELL, I'M GONNA TAKE THAT IDEA, I DON'T CARE.
MY NAME DOESN'T HAVE TO BE ANYWHERE ON IT.
I THINK THAT'S ABOUT ALL THAT I HAD TO SAY.
OH, AND YEAH, THE OTHER BRIDGE.
YOU HEARD THAT? THANK YOU MISS.
I DON'T ANY OTHER COMMENTS THAT NEED TO BE MADE.
NO, I WAS TRYING AND THEN IT, IT WAS SHORT.
BUT MY NAME IS SHARON SHERMAN.
AND YOU HAD MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT THE NAACP IS WHAT MADE ME KIND OF WAKE UP EVEN MORE.
UM, I DON'T KNOW WHEN THAT HAPPENED.
I JUST WANTED TO CONFIRM YOU WITH THAT.
MY THING IS, UM, ALL I WANTED TO SAY IS THAT COMING HERE, I LOVE IT HERE.
I THOUGHT I WAS RETIRED, BUT I'M NOT
UM, AND I HAD BECAME INVOLVED FOR THAT REASON BECAUSE OF THE LAND.
THAT'S HOW I MET MR. ALEX BROWN.
UM, TRYING TO GET SOME SITUATIONS TAKEN CARE OF.
ME COMING IN AND VISITING AND COMING ACROSS THAT BRIDGE.
AND IT WASN'T UNTIL ONE DAY BECAUSE I GOT A LITTLE TURNED AROUND.
I HAD TO PULL OVER INTO A PARKING LOT.
YOU PROBABLY WON'T UNDERSTAND IT BECAUSE IF YOU'RE HERE, YOU ARE USED TO IT.
BUT WHEN YOU COME BACK, IT'S A SMELL THAT TELLS ME I'M HOME.
AND KNOWING THAT I HAVE RELATIVES WHEN I CAME ACROSS THAT BRIDGE, I COULD POINT OVER AND UM, LOOK TO SEE WHOSE CAR IS OVER THERE.
I CAN ALSO UNDERSTAND HOW YOU SAYING YOU WANNA WIDEN IT.
I'M LIKE, WHERE, WHERE, WHERE? WHERE'S IT GOING TO GO AGAIN? I'M, I'M SCRAMBLING.
BUT I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU EXPLAINING WHAT THE CDC WAS AND YOUR STANCE FOR WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO AND ARE GOING TO DO.
AND I THINK IT IS A BLESSING THAT I CAME AT A TIME THAT YOU GUYS ARE HERE BECAUSE HE SAID WASN'T HERE WHAT? TWO YEARS AGO.
SO IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT YOU THINK WE CAN DO, LET ME KNOW WITH THE NAACP, BECAUSE THERE'S NEW PEOPLE HERE.
AND WE'RE GOING TO DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO IF IT'S ABOUT VOTING ABOUT LAND.
'CAUSE I'M IN A FIGHT RIGHT NOW WITH MY MOTHER FOR HER LAND.
SO I'M WATCHING AND I'M LISTENING AND I'M PAYING ATTENTION.
SO I'M GONNA BE QUIET RIGHT NOW AND GO BACK TO MY SEAT.
WHAT ARE THE COMMENTS? CAN I SAY ONE OTHER THING? YES.
UM, I, I, I KNOW I, I HEARD A LOT ABOUT THE COMMUNITY AND TRYING TO GET, UM, PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY TO BE THE MEETINGS AND, AND, AND SOMETIME IT IS SO HARD TO DO THAT BECAUSE LIKE THE MEETINGS ARE HELD DURING THE DAYTIME.
AND, AND, AND OF COURSE THE, THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS, YOU HAVE TO DO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO AND YOU HAVE OTHER THINGS TO DO TOO.
BUT I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND, SOMETIME IT'S HARD TO GET THE COMMUNITY TO COME OUT AT THE SAME TIME.
SO ONE O'CLOCK, 10 O'CLOCK MEETINGS, PEOPLE AT WORK.
OKAY? UM, BUT I THINK WHAT IS SO IMPORTANT IS WHEN WE TALK TO PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY, AS WE TALK
[01:35:01]
TO THEM AND THEY SHARE THE BURDEN, WHATEVER IS ON THEIR HEART WITH US, THOSE OF US WHO ARE AVAILABLE TO BE AT THESE MEETINGS AT CERTAIN TIMES, AND WE CAN COME, WE BRING THE MESSAGE BACK TO YOU.AND THE OTHER THING I, AND Y'ALL, EXCUSE ME.
I HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE WORD OF GOD.
AND I HAVE TO SAY THIS, THAT, THAT JESUS NEVER USED THE CROWD.
IT WAS THE FEW, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? AND UM, AND I WAS SUPPOSED TO READ THIS AND MAKE SURE I GET IT RIGHT, WHETHER IT WAS JE PHA OR GIDEON WHO WAS FIGHTING THE BATTLE AND IT HAD 30,000, AND GOD TELL HIM, YOU GOT TOO MANY.
SO OF COURSE HE SAID, WHO WAS SCARED? YOU GO BACK HOME.
WELL, FOR 20,000 US WE WENT BACK HOME.
HE TELL YOU GOT TOO MANY, BUT YOU TAKE 'EM DOWN TO THE BROKEN, I'LL, I'LL, I'LL, I'LL, I'LL, I'LL CHOOSE THEM FOR YOU.
YOU KNOW? AND UM, SO HE TELL, GIVE HIM A TEST.
SO, OKAY, THOSE ONES WHO, WHO WHO YOU TAKE TO THE BROKEN, THEY GONNA DRINK WATER.
IF THEY, IF THEY DRINK LIKE, LIKE THE DOG OR, YOU KNOW, GET DONE, THEY GOT DONE IN THEY DRUNK.
WELL WHAT PROBABLY ABOUT ABOUT 6,700 OF THEM.
BUT THE ONE THAT SCOOPED THE WATER UP AND LOOK IT UP LIKE A DOG, OKAY? BUT THOSE GUYS, WHEN THEY WERE LOOKING AT WATER, THEY COULD SEE, THEY WERE WATCHING TO SEE IF THE ENEMY WERE COMING.
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? YOU PUT THEM OFF TO, TO THEMSELVES.
OKAY? SO A LOT OF TIMES GOD IS NOT GOING TO USE THE BIG NUMBER THAT WE WANT.
AND, AND I'M JUST SAYING THAT ABOUT US WHO CAN COME TO, TO THE MEETINGS.
AND SOMETIME IT'S GOING TO BE THE LITTLE, THE FEW WHO CAN BRING THE MESSAGE FROM THE COMMUNITY BACK TO, TO THE, TO THE COMMITTEE OR, OR TO HAVE WHOEVER WE NEED TO BRING THAT BACK TO.
AND UM, AND EVEN THOUGH WE WANT THE CROWD TO COME, SOMETIMES THE CROWD JUST CAN'T COME.
BUT, UM, BUT WE, COMING FROM THE COMMUNITY, WE GONNA BRING THE MESSAGE TO OUR COMMITTEES OR WHOEVER OUR REPRESENTATIVES ARE.
SO I JUST WANT Y'ALL TO KNOW THAT I APPRECIATE YOU.
I'VE SIT IN NOT Y'ALL'S PLACE.
'CAUSE I'VE NEVER BEEN, YOU KNOW, IN THE CDC UM, COMMITTEE, BUT MANY OTHER COMMITTEES.
AND I KNOW THE COMMITMENT, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT, THAT YOU HAVE AND UM, AND, AND, AND SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO TAKE, TAKE CERTAIN STAND.
BUT, BUT, BUT I, WE, AS A PRAYING PEOPLE, WE HAVE TO ASK GOD, WHICH STAND TO TAKE AND WHAT TO DO AND HOW TO DO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO.
AND I MEAN, I KNOW WE GONNA DO THAT BECAUSE WE, WE ARE GOD FEARING PEOPLE.
SO I THANK YOU ALL FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
OKAY? KEEP ON DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND, AND ANYTIME YOU FEEL LIKE YOU NEED TO ASK ME ANYTHING, LOUISE, WHAT YOU THINK WE CAN DO TO HELP, FEEL FREE TO CALL ME.
WHAT OTHER COMMENTS DO WE HAVE? YES, ALEX, I I WANTED TO JUST, UH, RESPOND TO BROTHER JAMAL'S QUESTION AS WELL.
UM, NOT ONLY SUPPORT FOR THE CDC AS NEEDED, BUT I'M, I'M STEALING THIS FROM ONE OF THE ELDERS, MR. BARNWELL.
SO I'M GONNA TRY TO BE VERY DIRECT WITH THIS COMMENT.
HAVE LONG TERM PLANS FOR YOUR GENERATIONAL PASS DOWN OF YOUR LAND.
GULLAH LAWS SOMETIMES GETS IN OUR WAY BECAUSE THE ELDERS ARE THE ONES THAT CAN SEE.
I REMEMBER HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH MY DAD ABOUT MY GRANDDAD TELLING SOME OF HIS SIBLINGS THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE A SEAT BECAUSE HE WAS THE OLDEST.
HAVE CONVERSATIONS YOUNG AND OLD ABOUT YOUR LONG-TERM PLANS FOR YOUR PROPERTY.
AND MAKE SURE THAT THOSE CONVERSATIONS ARE RELEVANT TO THE ENVIRONMENT THAT WE'RE IN.
I DON'T THINK ANYBODY, EXCEPT FOR MR. BARNWELL IS STILL GROWING CORN AND THAT SORT OF THING.
MAKE SURE WE ARE LISTENING TO OUR YOUNGER GENERATIONS AS TO WHAT THEY WANT TO HAVE HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE SO THEY CAN MAINTAIN GENERATION WEALTH OF, AND THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE ARE GONNA SOLVE AT PUBLIC MEETINGS HERE.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GONNA SOLVE AT
[01:40:01]
THE GRASSROOTS LEVEL, INDIVIDUALLY UNDER THE TREE WITH OUR OWN FAMILIES.AND THAT'S SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE DON'T DO THAT.
AND WHATEVER DECISIONS WE MAKE, WHATEVER RECOMMENDATIONS WE MAKE ARE GONNA BE ALL IN VAIN.
WE'RE TRYING TO PROVIDE A ROADMAP FOR SUSTAINABILITY, BUT THAT STARTS WITH THE FOLKS THAT ARE OWNING THE LAND AT THE MOMENT.
SO THAT'S MY RESPONSE TO YOUR QUESTION, JAMAL, AS FAR AS WHAT CAN THE COMMUNITY DO? AND WE'RE STILL GROWING CORN, OAK, CROOK AND GREENS, JUST TO LET YOU KNOW THAT.
THAT'S WHY WE DON'T WANT NO POLLUTION OVER THERE.
MR. BOXING, ARE YOU, OH, GO AHEAD.
CAN YOU GUYS, GUYS GOING WITH THE TIMELINES CHAIR? I BELIEVE ANDRE IS TRYING TO SPEAK.
YOU GUYS, CAN YOU GUYS, CAN YOU GUYS, CAN YOU GUYS HEAR ME? YES.
WE HAVE LITTLE BACKGROUND NOISE.
I, UNFORTUNATELY, UNFORTUNATELY THE WAY WHERE I WAS QUIET, QUIET, BUT I JUST WANTED, JUST WANTED TO SPEAK TO, UM, UM, BEING GOAT ON THE CDC BOARD AND FAMILY, FAMILY EXPERIENCING THE SITE FLIGHT IN TERMS, IN TERMS OF, UH, UH, THE, THE LAND OWNERSHIP AND THE STEWARDSHIP OF, UH, UH, NOT JUST FAMILY LAND, BUT OF THE NATIVE COMMUNITY.
UM, AND, AND SORT OF, I CARRY THAT WITH SORT OF WANTING TO BE ON THIS BOARD AND WANTING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND WANTING TO MAKE AN IMPACT, UH, AND WANTING TO BRING RESOURCES THAT BECOME AVAILABLE TO ME TO, TO, TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY BEYOND JUST MY LAND.
IT JUST, IT JUST SEEMS LIKE, UH, I, I DON'T KNOW IF EVERYBODY JUST KNOWS THAT, LIKE, LIKE WHO, LIKE, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME ON OUR COMMUNITY, ON OUR BOARD THAT ARE COME HERE, BUT THERE'S ASS LIKE ME, WE'RE DIFFERENT GENERATIONS, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, ME AND ALEX.
UM, BUT WE REPRESENT SORT OF THE STORIES THAT WE'VE HEARD, UH, FROM OUR ELDERS, UM, AND SORT OF OUR OWN INTERPRETATION OF WHAT THAT SHOULD BE TO CARRY THE TORCH FORWARD.
UM, AND I THINK, SO THERE'S THAT TOO.
IT'S NOT JUST, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, FOLKS THAT YOU MAY NOT BE FAMILIAR WITH OR YOU STILL HAVEN'T BEEN, AREN'T AS ROOTED IN THE, IN, IN THE, IN OUR STORY.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? WELL, THAT CONCLUDES MY REMARKS AND THAT WAS NOT A, A, UM, AN AGENDA ITEM THAT REQUIRES ANY TYPE OF FORMAL, UM, ADOPTION OR VOTE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR SHARING THAT TIMETABLE.
UH, IF WE HAVE NO OTHER COMMENTS, WE ARE AT THE POINT OF ADJOURNMENT.
DO WE HAVE ANY PER COMMENTS FOR THIS FLOOR? THEN? I NEED A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
[7. Adjournment]
MOVE TO ADJOURN.