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CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY.
UH, IT'S CLOSE ENOUGH TO SIX 30 TO TO COUNT.
THE ACCOMMODATION TAX ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING IS TUESDAY, MAY 21ST.
UM, FOR OUR ORDER, UH, FOR OUR AGENDA, I'M GOING TO CALL THE MEDIA ORDER.
AND I'M SAM BRITT, UH, SERVING
AND WE WOULD HAVE A QUORUM FOR TODAY'S MEETING.
UM, THE ADOPTIONS OF THE MEETING, I'M SORRY, THE SECOND ORDER VISITS WILL BE THE ADOPTION OF THE MINUTES FROM THE FEBRUARY 26TH, 2024 MEETING.
DID EVERYBODY GET A CHANCE TO REVIEW THOSE? CAN I GET A MOTION? I MOVE THAT MINUTES ACCEPTED FOR THE FEBRUARY 26TH, 2024 ACCEPTED.
UM, SO NOW WE WOULD HAVE A SECTION FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
UH, IS, DID ANYBODY FILL OUT A FORM FOR COMMENT? PERFECT.
ALRIGHT, SO WITH THAT, THAT WE'LL DO THE FINANCIAL REPORT, MS. NATALIE.
UM, FOR THE QUARTER ENDING IN MARCH, 2024, THERE ARE ESTIMATED JUST SHY OF $400,000 AVAILABLE TO DISTRIBUTE.
WE HAVE SIX, UM, ORGANIZATIONS REQUESTING FUNDS IN ADDITION TO THE DMO PRESENTATION.
FOR THE MARKETING PLAN FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025.
UM, IN TOTAL, THE AMOUNT THAT'S BEING REQUESTED THIS QUARTER IS $153,632.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
UM, THIS, THE AMOUNT THAT'S AVAILABLE DOES INCLUDE SOME LAPSE GRANTS, UM, FROM THE PRIOR TWO YEARS.
SO WHEN THEY SUNSET, WE THEN PUT THEM BACK INTO THE FUND BALANCE, UM, TO PROVIDE AVAILABILITY FOR OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.
DO WE HAVE A GOOD WAY OF LOOKING FORWARD AT THAT QUARTERS MOVING FORWARD? LIKE, DO WE, YOU GUYS GET A SENSE OF WHO'S GONNA MAKE THE, WHAT WAS ALLOCATED TO THEM? IF WE HAVE A FINAL REPORT? WE DO, BUT WE'RE HESITANT TO PROJECT THAT IN CASE THEY DO COME IN.
AND THE ONLY OTHER QUESTION I'D HAVE ON THAT IS, UM, FOR OUR DMO, THAT AMOUNT'S AUTOMATICALLY ALLOCATED.
AND SO WE DO HAVE THE FULL 4 3 98 AVAILABLE FOR, FOR DISTRIBUTION, THE 350,000.
SO THAT 350,000 IS WHAT THEY ARE BUDGETING FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025.
AND THEY ARE PROJECTING THAT OFF OF THE 30% OF THE FISCAL YEAR FUNDS COMING IN FROM THE STATE.
SO THE NEW BUSINESS, UH, WOULD BE FOR THE FIRST PERSON UP WOULD BE, UH, THE HILTON HEAD LEFT IN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AS OUR DMO MM-HMM,
MY NAME IS ARIANA PERISE AND I'M AT THE HILTON ISLAND BL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
I'M HERE TO PRESENT, UM, THE FISCAL YEAR 2025, UM, BUDGET FOR YOUR REVIEW AND CONSIDERATION, IF YOU WILL.
I'LL JUST GO THROUGH A FEW SLIDES.
WE'RE GONNA LOOK BACK ON HOW WE'VE DONE TO DATE AND FOR 2023, UM, 'CAUSE WE'RE STILL IN PROCESS FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR.
AND THEN, UM, TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE PLAN AS WE MOVE FORWARD BASED ON THOSE RESULTS.
I'D LIKE TO START OFF WITH THE ORGANIZATIONAL GOVERNANCE.
I'M GONNA LOOK HERE 'CAUSE MY SITE IS NOT THAT GREAT.
I THOUGHT I COULD DO BETTER WITH THE BIG SCREENS
SO I APOLOGIZE FOR LOOKING DOWN.
UM, WE ARE LED BY OUR VISION AND MISSION, OUR WELCOMING WORLD CLASS COMMUNITY, EMBRACING NATURE, CULTURE AND ECONOMIC VIBRANCY FOR RESIDENTS AND VISITORS WITH A MISSION TO STIMULATE THE REGIONAL ECONOMY WHILE ENHANCING THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL
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THAT'S IMPORTANT.THAT, UH, WE KNOW JUST THAT WE'RE REALLY COMMUNITY CENTRIC.
THAT WE'RE THINKING OF THE COMMUNITY FIRST BEFORE WE'RE THINKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE HEADS AND THE BEDS WE WANT TO TAKE, WHAT, WHAT WE LOVE IN THE COMMUNITY AND BRING THAT FORWARD IN OUR DESTINATION EFFORTS.
UM, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE CIRCLE OFF TO YOUR RIGHT, MY LEFT, UM, AS THE DMO IN THE CENTER, WE ARE GOVERNED BY OUR CONTRACT WITH THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON.
WE HAVE AN ANNUAL INDEPENDENT AUDIT GOVERNMENT REVIEW ACCREDITATIONS IN THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND, UM, BLUFFED, CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
SO IF YOU LOOK BACK QUICKLY IN 2023, THIS IS A SNAPSHOT OF HOW THE YEAR DID AS A WHOLE DRIVING, UM, A BIT BY NUMBERS.
BUT I THOUGHT WE COULD REALLY, UM, HIT HOME HOW WELL WE'RE DOING AS, AS A DESTINATION, UM, BY THIS QUICK SNAPSHOT.
SO WHEN WE LOOK AT OCCUPANCY, A DR AND REVPAR, SO THINK ABOUT ALL THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING 365 DAYS A YEAR TO PUT THE BRAND OF BLUFFING OUT INTO THE OUT MARKETS.
IS IT DRIVING HEADS AND BEDS? IS IT PUTTING THAT, UM, PERSON WHO'S DREAMING ABOUT A WONDERFUL VACATION INTO OUR DESTINATION AND THEN EXPERIENCING IT? SO WE RAN ABOUT A 69.3% OCCUPANCY FOR THE YEAR OF 2023.
SO JANUARY THROUGH DECEMBER WITH AN AVERAGE DAILY RATE.
SO TAKING ACCOUNT ALL OF THE ACCOMMODATIONS THAT ARE OFFERED, UM, AND THAT AVERAGE OF THE RATE THAT RAN THROUGHOUT THOSE 12 MONTHS WAS $264 AND 95 CENTS PER NIGHT, WHICH THEN LEFT YOU WITH 183, UM, AND 63 CENTS REVENUE PER AVAILABLE ROOMS IF YOU TAKE ALL THE ROOMS AVAILABLE, UM, OCCUPIED OR NOT.
THAT'S WHAT WE WERE YIELDING, UM, AT THE END.
SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT LOCAL TAX REVENUE GENERATED, AND WE'RE TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION, I'M LOOKING AT THE BAR GRAPH AT THE BOTTOM.
I'M LOOKING AT ALL THREE COLLECTIONS, STATE ACCOMMODATION, TAX COLLECTIONS, LOCAL ACCOMMODATION TAX COLLECTION, AND HOSPITALITY TAX COLLECTION OF WHICH WE ONLY RECEIVED THE 30% STATE A TAX, BUT WANTED TO JUST TALK ABOUT THE OVERALL HEALTH OF THE DESTINATION.
AND YOU LOOK AT THAT BAR GRAPH, YOU CAN SEE THAT, UM, FROM A FIVE YEAR WITH A BASE YEAR OF 18, THAT WE'RE DOING QUITE WELL IN TERMS OF THESE THREE AREAS OF COLLECTIONS.
WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR VISITOR SPENDING STUDIES, WHEN THAT'S BASED OFF OUR VISITOR PROFILE STUDY AND OUR ECONOMIC IMPACT REPORT, WE'RE GENERATING 208 MILLION, UM, FROM THE EFFORTS OF TOURISM INTO THE DESTINATIONS.
THAT'S WHAT IS BEING PRODUCED DIRECTLY AND INDIRECTLY FROM PEOPLE VISITING THIS DESTINATION WITH A RETURN ON OUR INVESTMENT.
SO EVERY DOLLAR THAT WE'RE INVESTING IN OUT MARKETING, WE'RE SEEING A RETURN OF $26 AND 65 CENTS.
HOW ARE WE GENERATING THOSE LOOKS AND THOSE INTERESTS INTO THE TOWN OF LUPTON? WELL, WE START WITH OUR VIRTUAL FRONT DOOR.
BACK IN THE DAY, WE USED TO HAVE, UM, VERY FORMAL BRICK AND MORTARS.
IT WAS CONSIDERED THE OFFICIAL WELCOME CENTER TO BE TALENT AND MARKETING.
UM, BUT WITH TODAY'S CONSUMER, WE HAVE TO BE A BIT MORE NIMBLE, QUICKER TO GETTING THEIR ATTENTION IN TERMS OF HOW WE'RE SHOWCASING THE DESTINATION.
AND WE DECIDED A FEW YEARS BACK TO DO KEEP A SMALL BRICK AND MORTAR, BUT WE ARE REALLY PUSHING MAJORITY OF OUR VISITORS OR POTENTIAL VISITORS THROUGH WHAT WE CALL OUR VIRTUAL FRONT DOOR, THE BLUFFED WEBSITE.
AND SO WHEN YOU LOOK@VISITBLUFF.ORG, HOW DID IT PERFORM FOR US? AND AGAIN, THIS IS VERY DESTINATION FOCUSED, TALKING ABOUT THE EXPERIENCES YOU CAN HAVE HERE, BEAUTIFUL, BOLD IMAGERY, ITINERARIES, UM, PLACES THAT YOU CAN VISIT, SHOP, ET CETERA.
SO WE HAD OVER 254,000 VISITS TO THE WEBSITE OVER THAT 12 MONTHS.
AND THEN WE WERE ABLE TO CREATE HANDSHAKES, WHICH ARE WHAT WE'RE CALLING PARTNER REFERRALS OR A CONVERSION OF 56,000.
SO AGAIN, SOMEONE CAME TO THE WEBSITE VISIT BLUFFTON.ORG, AND THEY SAW X, Y, Z BUSINESS OR ACCOMMODATIONS, AND THEY CLICKED FURTHER INTO FINDING OUT MORE ABOUT THAT BUSINESS.
AND AT THAT POINT, WE CREATED THE HANDSHAKE AND WE HOPE THAT THEY HAVE GONE FURTHER FOR A POINT OF SALE OR BOOKING SOME TYPE OF SERVICE IN ADDITION TO THE WEBSITE.
WHAT HAS BEEN A A TREMENDOUS SUPPORT, UH, PIECE TO THIS IS SOCIAL MEDIA.
UM, IT'S, IT'S INTERESTING TO ME, DIFFERENT TO ME AS A CONSUMER AND MY LATTER PART OF, UH, MY FORTIES AND NOT MY YOUNG TWENTIES, BUT MANY OF THE YOUNGER GENERATION ARE BOOKING THEIR TRAVEL AND THEY'RE BOOKING THEIR ITINERARIES ALL THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA.
AND SO WHETHER YOU ARE BOOKING YOUR TRAVEL THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA, BEING INSPIRED BY SOCIAL MEDIA, GETTING, UM, SEEING A STORY ON SOCIAL MEDIA, PEOPLE ARE MAKING DECISIONS BASED ON WHAT THEY'RE SEEING.
AND SO IT'S AN IMPORTANT PIECE TO THE ENTIRE OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO PROMOTE THE DESTINATION.
SO I REALLY LOOK AT THEM AND FROM A HEALTH STANDPOINT, HAND IN HAND ARE, IS ONE DOING BETTER THAN THE OTHER? HOW
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CAN I ENSURE THAT WE'RE REALLY GETTING ACROSS ALL CHANNELS? UM, AS YOU KNOW, THAT TIKTOK IS THE NEW MOST IMPORTANT PIECE THAT PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT.UM, BUT FROM OUR STANDPOINT, WE STILL REALLY, UM, HAVE A STRONG FOLLOW ON FACEBOOK, FOLLOWED BY INSTAGRAM.
AND THEN WE'RE NURTURING TIKTOK BECAUSE TIKTOK HAS BEEN A NEWER PEOPLE.
WERE ON TIKTOK TALKING ABOUT BLUFFTON, BUT AS THE OFFICIAL GMO, WE HAVE ENTERED INTO THAT SPACE AND WE ARE NURTURING THAT, THAT AUDIENCE GROUP, AND WE'RE TAKING IT FORWARD TO BRING THEM AND CONNECT THEM FURTHER INTO HOW THEY CAN ACTUALLY CONSUME THE DESTINATION THROUGH VISIT BL.ORG.
SO I WOULD PLAY JUST A LITTLE EXAMPLE OF HOW YOU INSPIRE.
SO SAM, IF YOU CAN SEE THE SCREEN IS MOVING, UM, ON THIS, ON THE PHONE.
AND THAT'S JUST SHOWING ONE OF OUR MOST POPULAR, UM, SOCIAL VIDEOS AND REELS THAT WE HAD, UM, ON ONE OF OUR SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS HERE AT EXPLORE BUFF.
SO, AND THIS WAS A REALLY GREAT VIDEO.
THEY DON'T, YOU KNOW, WE, WE, WE SEE IT EVERY DAY.
SO IT'S BEEN EXCITING FOR THEM.
SO, SO GOING INTO PUBLIC RELATIONS, COMPLIMENTING OUR PAID EFFORTS, OUR PAID EFFORTS, AGAIN, ARE THOSE, UH, PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE DO WITH GARDENING GUN OR SOUTHERN LIVING OR INVESTING INTO SOCIAL MEDIA EFFORTS OR DIGITAL ADS.
PUBLIC RELATIONS IS REALLY THE OPPORTUNITY TO FORM FORMAL RELATIONSHIPS, BUILD LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE EDITORIAL TEAMS OF MAGAZINES.
AND CHARLIE CLARK AND HER TEAM, UM, WHO I WORK SIDE BY SIDE WITH, REALLY GO, UM, EVERY DAY TO TALK ABOUT THE TOWN OF BLUFF AND SHOUTING IT FROM THE RED TRIBES, TRYING TO REALLY ENSURE THAT THAT STORY OF BLUFFTON IS BEING TOLD AND TOLD ACCURATELY.
SO JUST AS A QUICK WRAP UP OF, UH, PUBLICATIONS THAT HAVE SPOKEN ABOUT OR WRITTEN ABOUT, UM, THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON, YOU CAN SEE HERE PURE WOW, TRAVEL AND LEISURE, FORBES, GLAMOR.
THESE ARE JUST A SNAPSHOT OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, BUT THE TOTAL FOR THE YEAR, UM, YOU CAN SEE HERE AT JUST FROM 108 STORIES IN MENTIONS REALLY WOULD'VE TAKEN US, UM, TO PURCHASE SOMETHING OF THAT EXPOSURE AMOUNT WOULD'VE COST NEARLY $422,000.
WE DIDN'T PAY ANYTHING FOR IT, BUT IT TOOK SOMEONE'S TIME AND ENERGY AND RELATIONSHIPS TO BUILD THOSE AND PITCH THOSE STORIES.
UM, AND SO THAT'S WHY THAT PR PIECE IS SO IMPORTANT AND INTEGRAL TO THE OVERALL MARKETING EFFORT.
SO THIS BOOK THAT WE'RE ALSO VERY PROUD OF IS OUR ACTUAL PHYSICAL PIECE THAT WE DO PRODUCE.
I'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT DIGITAL ONLINE AND THAT, YOU KNOW, THE WORLD IS NOW ONLINE, BUT THERE'S SOMETHING TO BE SAID ABOUT SOMETHING YOU COULD PICK UP, A COFFEE TABLE BOOK THAT YOU CAN KEEP AND IT INSPIRES YOU AS WELL.
SO WE FEEL THIS IS A WONDERFUL COMPLIMENT.
WE WORKED VERY HARD SIDE BY SIDE WITH THE TAB LEFT.
AND TO ENSURE THAT ONE, WE HAD A PIECE, TWO, THAT YOU HAD YOUR OWN PIECE, UM, AND THREE, THAT IT WAS REPRESENTATIVE OF WHAT, UM, THE COMMUNITY WOULD, WOULD WANNA SEE IN THIS BOOK AND BE PROUD OF.
AND SO THIS IS GOING INTO OUR THIRD YEAR.
UM, WE'VE HAD 30,000 COPIES THAT, UM, WE ARE GOING THROUGH THIS THIS YEAR, 2024.
UM, SO WE WANTED TO JUST KIND OF SHOWCASE.
AND IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT, I'M HAPPY TO TO LEAVE THIS COPY.
AND I KNOW THERE'S MANY COPIES HERE AT THE OFFICE AS WELL.
UM, BUT WHERE IS IT DISTRIBUTED? AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT PIECE TO THIS CONVERSATION.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, IT'S DIGITALLY OFFERED.
SO IF YOU WERE ON THE WEBSITE, YOU COULD DOWNLOAD IT.
SECONDLY, WE OFFERED AT BOTH OF OUR OFFICES HERE IN BLUFFTON AS WELL AS ON, ON THE ISLAND, AS WELL AS ALL THE STATE WELCOME CENTERS.
THERE'S NINE STATE WELCOME CENTERS.
AND AS WE GET A LOT OF DRIVE TRAFFIC STILL TO THIS DESTINATION.
SO A VERY IMPORTANT TOUCH POINT.
UH, WE MEET REGULARLY WITH OUR, UH, WELCOME CENTER REPRESENTATIVES AND WE'RE TALKING CONSTANTLY ABOUT OUR DESTINATION, UM, AAA OFFICES.
IF YOU EMAIL, YOU CALL, YOU, WALK IN, WE CAN HAVE THAT FULFILLED FOR YOU.
WE TAKE IT TO ALL OF OUR TRADE SHOWS, UM, PR AND EVENTS THAT WE HAVE.
SO AGAIN, WE PRODUCE AROUND 30, WE PRODUCE 30,000 COPIES.
AND AS OF 2023, UM, WE FULFILLED 29,000 IN CHANGE OF THOSE.
WE HAVE A REALLY GOOD FOUNDATION.
WE WORK REALLY CLOSELY WITH THE TOWN AND THE COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND AND HOW TO BUILD UPON THE SUCCESSES, LEARN FROM CERTAIN THE OPPORTUNITIES, AND, AND MOVE FORWARD TOGETHER.
SO AS WE LOOK FORWARD TO 24 25, OUR CONTINUED OVERARCHING GOAL IS REALLY, UH, TO TAKE THIS PLAN THAT WE'RE GONNA PRESENT AND, AND ENSURE QUALIFIED VISITATIONS TO THE DESTINATION.
SO WE WANNA ENSURE THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE COMING HERE EMBRACE THE SAME, UM, VALUES AND QUALITY OF LIFE THAT WE ENJOY AND REALLY CAN, UM, EXPERIENCE A DESTINATION FOR
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ALL IT HAS TO OFFER.BUT WHO IS THIS PERSON WHO'S TRAVELING? SHE SKEWS FEMALE.
LAST YEAR WE NOTICED THAT IT HAD SKEWED A BIT MORE MALE, WHICH WAS AN, AN ANOMALY FOR US.
WE HADN'T HAD THE MALE TAKE EITHER DECISION MAKER IN THIS, UM, CONVERSATION IN THE TIME THAT I HAD BEEN HERE.
SO IT'S NOW GONE BACK THROUGH ALL OF OUR SURVEYING, UM, BACK TO SKEWING FEMALE, 52% WITH MALE RIGHT BEHIND AT 47%.
SO IT'S ALMOST REALLY A, A COLLABORATIVE DECISION, BUT THEY'RE CHOOSING TO COME TO, TO HILTON HEAD.
WE'RE LOOKING FOR THE AFFLUENT TRAVELER ANYWHERE FROM A HOUSEHOLD INCOME OF A HUNDRED THOUSAND TO, TO JUST UNDER 200,000 HOUSEHOLD INCOME.
THEY'RE EDUCATED, 51% HAVE AN UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE OR HIGHER, AND THEY LOVE TO TRAVEL TWO TO FOUR TRIPS PER YEAR AND THEY LIKE TO STAY.
SO THEY'RE HERE FOR FIVE NIGHTS AT MINIMUM.
BUT THEN WE TAKE IT A LITTLE FURTHER AND BREAK IT DOWN, WELL, WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO? WHO ARE YOU? AND SO WE TARGET THIS LITTLE ORANGE BONE ASIDE TO PEOPLE WHO WITH ITINERARIES, DIFFERENT IMAGERY, DIFFERENT STORIES, UH, TO FAMILIES, WEEKENDERS PEOPLE WHO ENJOY ARTS CULTURE AND HISTORY, CULINARY, OUTDOOR RECREATION, AND THOSE WHO TRAVEL IN THE OFF SEASON, WHICH IS REALLY GREAT, RIGHT? 'CAUSE THAT HELPED BUILD THE BEDS, UM, IN THOSE TIMES WHEN WE KNOW IT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT.
SO AGAIN, IN COLLABORATION WITH THE TOWN, WE SIT DOWN PRIOR TO THE THE PLAN BEING BUILT AND WE WALK THROUGH THE, THE KEY KEY AREAS OF INTEREST.
IS THERE ANY ADJUSTMENTS THAT NEED TO BE MADE? IF THERE'S THINGS THAT ARE ARISING THAT MAYBE THEY WANT PULL FORWARD OR, UM, OR, OR BRING INTO THE AREAS OF INTEREST THAT AREN'T THERE CURRENTLY.
SO WE HAVE, AGAIN, AGREED UPON THE GU GEECHEE AND CULTURAL HERITAGE CORRIDOR.
THAT'S GONNA BE A VERY IMPORTANT PIECE GOING FORWARD AS IT HAS, UH, BEEN IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS AS WE FOCUSED IN ON THAT HISTORY CULTURE IN THE ARTS.
UM, NATIONAL HISTORIC REGISTER DESIGNATIONS, THE NATURAL BEAUTY WATERWAYS AND PARKS WHERE IT REALLY PLAY UP.
THE PARKS COMPONENT OF IT IS THERE'S SO MANY WONDERFUL OFFERINGS HERE.
LOCAL CULINARY AND LOCAL MARKET EXPERIENCES.
THERE ARE SO MANY WONDERFUL LITTLE GROUPINGS OF RESTAURANTS THAT YOU COULD REALLY SPEND JUST THREE DAYS EATING YOUR WAY THROUGH FROM BUCK WE DOWN, UM, TO HISTORIC DOWNTOWN, JUST EXPLORING DIFFERENT WAYS TO, UM, EXPERIENCE THE, THE DESTINATION THROUGH FOOD.
AND THEN WE HAVE A WONDERFUL FESTIVAL AND EVENTS.
OUR FIVE, UM, STRATEGIES OR GOALS THAT WE'RE GONNA BE, OR EXCUSE ME, UM, STRATEGIES THAT WE'RE GONNA BE WORKING TOWARDS, UM, DIDN'T CHANGE MUCH FROM LAST YEAR, BUT WHAT HAS CHANGED IS HOW WE'RE GONNA DO IT.
WE'RE GONNA BUILD OFF SOME OF THE LESSONS THAT WE'VE LEARNED AND, AND SOME OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE PRESENTED THEMSELVES AND REALLY, UM, BUILD UPON THE SUCCESSES AS WELL.
SO ONE, WE'RE GONNA BUILD BRAND AWARENESS.
WE ALWAYS NEED TO HAVE THAT CONSTANT DRUMBEAT.
365 DAYS A YEAR, UH, LOOKS DIFFERENT TODAY THAN IT DID LAST YEAR OR THE YEAR PRIOR.
WE HAD A REALLY, UM, INTERESTING OPPORTUNITY THAT WE DON'T OFTEN GET THE CHANCE TO TALK ABOUT, BUT I THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT ONE TO NOTE AND IT CAN HAVE KIND OF, UM, YOU CAN APPLY IT TO ALL BUSINESS.
UM, I THINK THOUGHTS WHEN YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT, UM, HOW YOUR BUSINESS IS DOING.
REMEMBER WE WERE OPEN ESSENTIALLY THREE YEARS BEFORE ANYBODY ELSE WAS, RIGHT? WE JUST HAVE THE REST OF THE WORLD OPEN RIGHT NOW.
PRIOR TO THAT, IT WAS ABOUT A YEAR AGO THAT THE REST OF THE COUNTRY OPENED UP IN TERMS OF HOW THEY WERE ACCEPTING VISITORS.
AND JUST RECENTLY, YOU KNOW, THE WORLD OPENED UP.
PEOPLE HAVE CHOICES NOW, BUT THEY HAVEN'T THOUGHT THROUGH FROM OUR POINT OF VIEW.
WE HAD THAT OPPORTUNITY OF BEING THE ONLY ONES REALLY OPEN AND DOING IT WELL, DOING IT SAFELY THREE YEARS PRIOR TO EVERYBODY ELSE.
WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT THOSE NEW VISITORS AND THE VISITORS THAT HAD CALLED US, YOU KNOW, THEIR HOME FOR THEIR TRIPS, YEARS AND YEARS, UM, IN THE MAKING, THEY, THEY HAD DONE SO, AND THEN VISIT US DURING COVID, THAT WE CONTINUE TO SECURE THOSE, UM, REPEAT AND NEW OPPORTUNITIES AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
WE CAN'T LOSE 'EM AS THEY EXPERIENCE NEW OR HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRAVEL OUT TO NEW PLACES.
SO AGAIN, CONSTANT DRUMBEAT OF THOSE QUALIFIED VISITORS.
WE WANNA DRIVE, UM, EXCUSE ME, DEEPER DISCOVERY AND EXPLORATION OF THE DESTINATION.
WE WANNA GET THEM OUT IN THE WATERWAY TO COME UP AND EXPERIENCE THE CULTURE THROUGH FOOD AND THROUGH DIFFERENT EVENTS, THROUGH DIFFERENT TOURS THAT THEY CAN TAKE.
WE ALSO WANNA TAKE, UM, THOSE THAT ARE IN OUR TARGET, UH, FUNNEL OF PEOPLE WHO ARE QUALIFIED TO COME DOWN.
WE WANNA REALLY DIVERSIFY HOW THEY EXPERIENCE THE DESTINATION.
SOMETIMES WITH VISITATION, THEY ONLY EXPERIENCE WHAT THEY KNOW, RIGHT? WE, WE UNDERSTAND THAT WITH REPEAT VISITATION, THAT SOMETIMES THEY STAY ON THAT SAME ITINERARY THEY'VE DONE FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS.
WELL, LET'S GET THEM OUT AND EXPLORE A LITTLE DEEPER.
UM, SO THAT'LL BE FUN TO DO AND CREATE NEW ITINERARIES.
UM, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE A RESPECT AND UNDERSTANDING OF OUR DELICATE ECOSYSTEM.
SO AGAIN, LOOKING AT WHO THE VISITOR IS AND MAKING SURE WE SHARE THE SAME VALUES AND JUST ENHANCE, THIS IS AN IMPORTANT PIECE.
ENHANCE LEISURE AND GROUP BUSINESS THROUGH QUALIFIED VISITATION.
SO WE DO HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO HOST GROUPS OF ALL SIZES.
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AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, OFF SEASON, ESPECIALLY THAT WE'RE DOING OUR JOB AND OUR PART TO BRING THEM HERE AND EX AND BRING THEM FORWARD TO THE OPPORTUNITY OF HOSTING THEIR GROUP HERE.THE TRAVEL JOURNEY ABOUT THIS, UM, I LOVE THIS SLIDE.
IT REALLY JUST SHOWS YOU HOW YOU CONSTANTLY HAVE TO HAVE SOMETHING FIRING WITH SOMETHING ELSE.
BACK IN THE DAY, WE COULD, YOU KNOW, PUT ONE PRINTOUT AD UH, OUT IN THE MARKET AND IT WAS GOOD.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A DESTINATION, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OUR BUSINESS.
WE HAVE LESS THAN THREE SECONDS WITH A CONSUMER OR POTENTIAL VISITOR TO HELP THEM MAKE A DECISION.
AND WE CAN'T JUST DO IT ONCE, WE HAVE TO HAVE IT ON REPEAT.
SO HOW ARE WE DOING THAT? AND WE USE ALL THESE TOOLS IN OUR TOOLBOX TO MAKE SURE THAT HAPPENS.
SO IT'S WITH DEEP RESEARCH THAT WE'RE MAKING THE BEST CHOICES FOR WHAT ADS WE'RE SERVING AND REACHING THE RIGHT PEOPLE.
AND CHARLIE AND HER TEAM ARE PITCHING THE RIGHT STORIES.
SO PEOPLE AT THE EDITORIAL SIDE OF THESE BIG MAGAZINES CAN TALK ABOUT THE DESTINATION.
UM, WE'RE MAKING SURE ON SOCIAL MEDIA WE'RE SHOWING THE RIGHT THINGS AND WE'RE RESPONDING TO ALL THE MESSAGES THAT WE GET.
WE HAVE THIS BOOK THAT WE TALKED ABOUT THAT, UM, IS SUCH A GREAT REPRESENTATION.
AND THEN THE WEBSITE, WHICH CONTINUES TO BE ANOTHER, I THINK, EXTENSION OF OUR TEAM.
'CAUSE IT'S WORKING VERY HARD FOR US.
I TALK OFTEN ABOUT THE FUNNEL AND I KNOW IT'S A BUT IT'S A NICE VISUAL AND A VISUAL PERSON.
SO IF YOU THINK ABOUT A FUNNEL, HOW ARE WE PULLING PEOPLE THROUGH THAT RIGHT FUNNEL? SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT A FUNNEL, IT'S REALLY BROAD, AT TOP, REALLY WIDE.
AND WE HAVE ALL THE PEOPLE THAT WE'RE TARGETING AND IT'S KIND OF LIKE CASTING A FAIRLY LARGE NET.
AND AS WE PULL THAT NET IN AND WE QUAL OR QUALIFY, WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO? WHAT DO YOU, WHEN DO YOU LIKE TO TRAVEL? WHAT TYPE OF TRAVEL DO YOU LIKE? THEY KEEP GETTING A LITTLE BIT FURTHER IN.
AND AS THEY GET DOWN, HOPEFULLY THEY'RE LANDING ON OUR WEBSITE AND SHAKING THE HAND OF OUR BUSINESS.
AND THAT'S REALLY OUR, WHAT WOULD YOU CALL OUR POINT OF SALE OR NOT A POINT OF SALE, BUT THAT'S THE, THE HANDSHAKE IS WHAT WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR BEFORE.
SO WITH THAT, WE'VE PROPOSED THIS BUDGET, UM, AND THIS BUDGET LOOKS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN, UM, WHAT IT ORIGINALLY DID WHEN WE SUBMITTED, WE HAD OUR FIRST CONVERSATIONS.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'VE, WE'VE ADJUSTED OUR BUDGET DOWN TO 350,000, UM, FOR THIS COMING FISCAL YEAR.
WE HAVE, UM, PROTECTED THE, THE ASSET THAT WE'VE TALKED AT LENGTH ABOUT AND ENSURE THAT THOSE PIECES CAN BE DEVELOPED AND DEVELOPED WELL GOING INTO THE NEW FISCAL YEAR.
UM, AND THEN WE'VE PUT ALONGSIDE THE, THE SOTHEBY FOR COUNTY PIECE AS WELL, JUST FOR YOUR REFERENCE.
DON'T TAKE ANY QUESTIONS, ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO FOR US IN LOVE AND, UH, BRING IN VISITORS TO OUR COMMUNITY.
AFTER THE INTRODUCTION OF THE REVENUES DRIVEN, WATCH YOUR EYES.
IS THAT SPECIFIC TO LOVE? IT IS.
AND SO THIS IS BASED OFF, AND I CAN READ THIS WITH ALI, BUT WE'VE PRODUCED TWO PIECES FOR YOU.
THIS IS THE, UM, VISITOR PROFILE STUDY.
SO THE VISITOR PROFILE STUDY WE HAVE TO DO TO CREATE THE ECONOMIC IMPACT REPORT.
AND AGAIN, I SAY WE WE'RE A PARTNERSHIP WITH, UM, COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON SCHOOL OF TOURISM, UM, OF BUSINESS AND OFFICE OF TOURISM ANALYSIS.
SO WE HAVE TO DO ONE TO DO THE OTHER.
AND WE HAVE A ROLLING CADENCE OF SURVEYS THAT WE DO TO ENSURE THAT WE GET ENOUGH, UM, BASED ON WHO'S, UM, REQUESTING A VISITOR GUIDE.
WE ASK THEM THEIR INTENT TO TRAVEL THEIR TIMEFRAME, WE REACH BACK OUT TO 'EM.
AND THAT'S HOW WE GET TO THESE TWO THINGS.
I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT REALLY WASN YES.
JUST FOR OUR LITTLE COMMUNITY.
AND THAT'S, WHICH IS FANTASTIC.
IT IS, IT IS DIFFERENT FROM, FROM HOME.
PROBABLY MORE OF A CURIOSITY QUESTION.
YOU MENTIONED 254,000 VISITORS TO THE WEBSITE.
HOW MANY, HOW MANY WOULD BE NEW OR WOULD YOU CLASSIFY AS NEW VISITORS? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
I CAN LOOK INTO IT AND GET THAT BACK TO YOU.
I DON'T HAVE IT BROKEN OUT RIGHT HERE, BUT I CAN GET THAT FOR YOU.
UM, YOU DID THESE WORK, THEY'RE NOT ON OH, OUR ARE, THAT'S WHY WE'RE ALL LOOKING AT EVERY WEEKEND.
JUST THAT'S WHY WE'RE ALL TRAINING AROUND THE BEST VIEWPOINT
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WE CAN GET.SO, UM, YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING ON THIS, RIGHT? JUST IF YOU RECOMMEND THAT MARKETING PLAN IS PRESENTED.
UH, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
SO, UM, CAN I GET A MOTION TO RECOMMEND THE MARKETING PLAN IS PRESENTED? I MITCHELL, SO MOVE SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.
SO THAT WOULD BRING US TO THE GRANT APPLICANT PRESENTATIONS FOR THIS EVENING.
UH, WE WILL START OFF WITH THE SOCIETY OF LOUGHTON ARTIST 30TH ANNIVERSARY.
IT'S A VERY IMPRESSIVE PRESENTATION YOU ALL JUST HAD, UM, WE WERE TOLD TO SEND BY SHANNON THAT WE DIDN'T NEED TO DO A PRESENTATION, THAT YOU GUYS WOULD JUST HAVE ASK US QUESTIONS.
SO YOU'RE WELCOME TO PRESENT IF YOU WANT TO, BUT CERTAINLY BE READ YOUR APPLICATION AND WE HAVE QUESTIONS.
SOMETIMES YOU GUYS KIND OF GET IT OFF.
IS THERE SOMETHING YOU WANNA SAY ABOUT YOUR FANTASTIC.
UM, I THINK THAT OUR BIG PUSH, UH, IN LISTENING TO THE CHAMBERS ALSO IS SOCIAL MEDIA.
AND WE'RE VERY ACTIVE ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
WE HAVE THOUSANDS OF FOLLOWERS.
WE ALSO HAVE A PUBLICITY AGENT THAT, UM, THAT SHARES ALL OF OUR, UH, PRESS RELEASES AND, AND, UM, ADVERTISING INFORMATION, UH, ALMOST STATEWIDE.
AND, UM, SO WE WERE VERY FORTUNATE.
WE TAKE PART IN, UM, ALL OF THE FESTIVALS IN BLUFFTON AND, AND THEY'RE ALL GREAT MONEY MAKERS FOR US.
BUT, UM, BUT WE'VE HAD A REALLY GOOD YEAR AND, UM, WE'RE ONLY HALFWAY THROUGH OUR 30TH ANNIVERSARY YEAR.
AND, UM, AND WE'RE MOVING AHEAD.
Y'ALL HAD A GREAT PRESENCE AT THE MAY FESTIVAL TWO WEEKS AGO ALREADY.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE A QUESTION? ANY CONCERNS OVER THE APPLICATION? I DON'T, NO.
UM, SO WITH THAT SAID, UM, ANYBODY WANNA MAKE A MAKE I'LL MAKE THIS ONE.
SO I WOULD MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE REQUESTED AMOUNT OF $20,000 FOR THE SOCIETY OF LUFF AND ARTIST 30TH ANNIVERSARY.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? WE'LL, ALL THIS IN FAVOR A AYE AYE.
OUR NEXT, UH, PRESENTATION AND APPLICANT WILL BE THE HILLHEAD ORCHESTRA EXHIBIT 2024 CONCERT.
UM, THIS WILL BE THE FOURTH YEAR THAT THE SYMPHONY WILL BE PRESENTING.
IT IS, UH, CONCERT AT ART AND FAMILY PARK IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE HISTORIC BLUFFTON ARTS AND SEAFOOD FESTIVAL OCTOBER 17TH.
UH, WE'VE BEEN TOLD BY THE SEAFOOD FESTIVAL, BIG ANNIVERSARY, SO THEY'RE ASKING US TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING EVEN KNOW BIGGER AND BETTER THAN WE'VE DONE BEFORE.
WE'LL HAVE TO FIGURE OUT EXACTLY WHAT THAT IS.
UM, BUT THE OTHER PRESENTATION THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING, UM, NOW FOR A FEW YEARS IS THE HOLIDAY POPS CONCERT OUT AT ST.
GREGORY, THE GREAT, UH, PARISH LIFE CENTER.
UM, WE ARE SEEING GROWTH IN BOTH LOCATIONS.
UM, AS NOTED IN THE APPLICATION, UM, WE DID SEE A DIP IN OUR TOURIST NUMBERS THIS PAST YEAR, AND WE'RE VERY CONCERNED BY THAT.
UH, WE HAVE INITIATED SOME THINGS THIS YEAR THAT WE THINK WILL HELP A LITTLE BIT.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE, UH, MADE CONNECTIONS WITH WELCOME CENTERS AROUND THE STATE SO THAT WE'RE NOW GETTING RACK CARDS OUT AT BROCHURES OUT THAT WAY.
UM, AND WE CONTINUE TO WORK ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND OUR WEB PRESENCE.
SO WITH THAT, I WOULD BE HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, THE ONLY ONE THAT I HAD SPECIFICALLY, UM,
[00:30:01]
YOU GUYS ARE STILL SHARING THE STAGE, UH, EXPENSES AS PART OF THE LEFT AND SEAFOOD FESTIVAL.CORRECT? WE, WE GET THE TENT IN THE STAGE AND THEN WE LEAVE IT THERE FOR THEM TO USE OR I JUST BECAUSE THAT'S INCLUDED, CAPTURED IN THE COST.
ANYBODY ELSE HAVE A QUESTION? THEY, THEY'RE GREAT EVENTS, BY THE WAY.
YOU ANSWERED MINE ABOUT THE, THE ATTENDANCE AND THE LAB THERE.
AND, AND WE WANT TO CONTINUE WORKING WITH THE HISTORIC, OFTEN ARTS AND SEAFOOD FESTIVAL TO SEE HOW WE CAN HAVE THAT LEVERAGE THIS.
I'M ALSO LOOKING AFTER YOUR SEAL AND I'M SAYING IN ANOTHER YEAR WE NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT THAT 200TH ANNIVERSARY.
AND JUST TO COMMENT, UM, THE, UH, TOURISM WAS DOWN.
I MEAN, THE OTHER THING THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT INTERNALLY IS, ESPECIALLY THIS IS MORE FOR THE, UH, THE SEAFOOD FESTIVAL, THE FREE CONCERT.
I MEAN, IT'S HARD TO GET, WE DON'T WALK AROUND TAKING LICENSE PLATES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT LIKE THEY USED TO.
UM, BUT WE'RE THINKING THAT WE MAY SEE MORE OF THE LOCAL POPULATION PARTICIPATING IN THE CONTEST AND SOME OF THE NON-LOCALS MAYBE AREN'T DOING THAT.
UM, SO WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHETHER THAT'S WAYS THAT WE CAN INCENTIVIZE THE, THE, THE VISITORS AND TOURISTS TO BE MORE ACTIVE IN IT.
WOULD ANYBODY LIKE TO MAKE MOTION? I MOVE THAT, UM, WE AWARD THE 40 3006 32 TO THE HILTON MID SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA.
I SECOND ANY DISCUSSION? OKAY.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, STATE AYE.
I JUST RECEIVED A PHONE CALL, SO I APOLOGIZE.
DID YOU FIND A THREE SECOND CLIP? NO, I MINUTE, TWO MINUTES.
NO, I'LL, UM, I'LL CUT IT DOWN.
I'LL HEAR IT DOWN TO MAKE SURE I SEND IT OUT LATER.
UM, SO THE, THE NEXT, UH, PRESENTATION WOULD BE FROM BLACKWOOD TO 2024 RIVER AND ROOTS FESTIVAL.
20, UM, YEAH, 2024 ROOTS AND RIVERS FESTIVAL.
SEPTEMBER 14TH, UM, WHICH IS A SATURDAY FROM 2:00 PM TO 8:00 PM AT OR FACTORY PARK IN, UM, TON SOUTH CAROLINA.
UM, LAST YEAR WAS OUR INAUGURAL YEAR AND WE HAD A, I THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT, UM, YEAR.
IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL DAY, A LOT OF ATTENDANCE.
UM, 21 VENDORS, ABOUT 25, UH, VOLUNTEERS.
AND ACTUAL, WELL APPROXIMATE ACTIVITIES IS 511.
WE DIDN'T HAVE ANYONE TO DO LIKE THE HEAT LAMPS AND SURVEYS LIKE WE INTENDED, UM, LAST YEAR.
UM, WE HAD VISITORS FROM 11 STATES, UM, IN 22 CITIES AND TOWNS COMBINED.
SAY, SAY THAT ATTENDANCE FROM WHERE? OH, ATTENDANCE IS FROM, WE HAD STATES, UH, OHIO, GEORGIA, MICHIGAN, TEXAS, ONTARIO, WHICH IS NOT STATE, BUT, UM, VIRGINIA, TENNESSEE, MASSACHUSETTS, PENNSYLVANIA, AND ASOT, OHIO.
UM, SO WE ARE LOOKING TO DO THE SAME FORMAT AGAIN, BUT A LITTLE BIT BIGGER, UH, THIS TIME WITH MORE OF A PRESENCE ON, UH, MARKETING AND, UH, UH, AS YOU SAID,
[00:35:02]
THERE ARE WAYS THAT WE CAN LOOK TO INCREASE OUR REACH.SO WE ARE ALSO LOOKING AT, UM, GOING TO MARKET SOONER WHEN IT COMES TO MARKETING ADS IN JULY, AUGUST, JULY AND AUGUST FOR THE PRINT ADS.
AND THEN AUGUST IS SEPTEMBER FOR THE DIGITAL SOCIAL MEDIA ADS.
OUR PROJECTED REACH FOR, UM, PRINT IS 174,000.
REACH IN PRINT, UM, FOR DIGITAL IS A LITTLE OVER 700,000 FOR DIGITAL.
WE ALSO INTEND TO PLACE AGAIN, RADIO ADS AS WELL.
UM, SOCIAL MEDIA AND INFLUENCER MARKETING.
UM, ONE OTHER THING THAT WE LEARNED, UM, WE ARE DEFINITELY GONNA HAVE, UH, MEETINGS WITH THE, UH, SECURITY AND THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.
THIS YEAR WE HAD A COUPLE LITTLE SNAP BOOTHS, UM, JUST PEOPLE NOT PAYING FOR, UH, TICKETS
SO WE ARE, WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THAT.
UM, BUT ALSO WITH THAT WE ARE REDUCING THE, UM, TICKET PRICE, OUR UBER TICKET PRICE, UM, IN THE, UM, AT, AT THE DOOR TICKET PRICE AS WELL.
THESE GUYS WILL BE PERFORMING AGAIN THIS YEAR.
UM, AND THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
DO YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME? I HAVE A QUESTION.
I WAS JUST WONDERING WHAT PERIODICALS, UM, YOU'RE GOING TO BE ADVERTISING IN.
SO WE ARE DOING, UM, BLUFFTON MONTHLY.
HILLHEAD MONTHLY, CH TWO LOCAL WIFE SAVANNAH BLUFFTON, SUN, UM, POSTING COURIER.
UM, AND OH GOSH, THERE'S ANOTHER ONE OUT OF CHARLESTON, UM, THAT I DON'T HAVE LISTED HERE THAT WE, UM, ALSO APPROACHED.
UM, SO THAT'S FOR PRINT AND THE RADIO.
THE RADIO IS IHEARTRADIO, SPOTIFY AND, UM, NPR AND GGPV.
I DIDN'T QUITE UNDERSTAND YOUR TICKET SALES.
YOUR SAYING YOU HAD PROBLEMS WITH PEOPLE NOT PAYING WHEN THEY ENTERED, THEY DIDN'T ENTER TECHNICALLY.
SO THE WAY THAT WE HAD A CROWD OFF WAS ON THE EAST WING.
SO IF YOU ARE LOOKING AT YOU GOING DOWN NORTH FACTORY PARK, DOWN NORTH STREET AND YOU ARE LOOKING AT THE LEFT SIDE, WE HAD THAT, UM, PART CORRALLED OFF THE OTHER SIDE.
WE HAD OPENED JUST BECAUSE IT WAS A LAST MINUTE CHANGE AND BECAUSE WE DID NOT HAVE THE GATES UP, UM, THE SECURITY COULD NOT ENFORCE OUR TICKET PRICE AND THE PEOPLE TO PAY TICKETS.
SO THEY JUST ROLLED THEIR GOLF CARTS UP AND, AND WATCH THE SHOW'S WORTH IT.
WE HAVE ADDITIONAL, UM, WE ARE APPLYING FOR ADDITIONAL, UM, FENCING AND THEN WE ARE GONNA HAVE A SPECIFIC, UM, COMMUNICATION AND STRATEGY PLAN WITH THE, UM, WITH THE SECURITY THIS YEAR.
ARE YOU SELLING ANY TICKETS ONLINE? YES, WE ARE STILL, WE SOLD TICKETS ONLINE, BUT IT WAS THE TICKETS AT THE DOOR.
THAT WAS, THAT WAS THE SNAP WE LEARNED.
I WAS SAFE ON, ON THE INFORMATION THAT WE GOT.
IS THERE A, DO YOU HAVE A DATE ALREADY ESTABLISHED? YES.
AND THE TIME IS FROM TWO TO EIGHT? YES, TWO TO EIGHT.
TICKET PRICE IN ADVANCE IS 15 AND AT THE DOOR IS 20.
I WAS FORTUNATE TO GO THIS PAST YEAR.
I I THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT EVENT, ESPECIALLY, ESPECIALLY FOR FIRST TIME EVENTS.
AND YOU DIDN'T EVEN KNOW IF THAT HAPPENED, DID YOU? I, NO, I WAS, I THINK WHAT YOU'RE DOING THIS YEAR, YOU KNOW, AND FURTHER I KIND OF LEARNED ABOUT IT'S ONE AS A SPONSOR, BUT TWO KIND OF LAST MINUTE.
ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? I'LL MOVE, UM, I MOVE THAT 25 REQUEST QUESTION FOR THE 2024 RIVER AND MOSS FESTIVAL.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR A AYE, UNANIM, THANK YOU.
I'M REPRESENTING THE COMMITTEE AS WELL.
[00:40:08]
THANK.THE NEXT PERSON ON THE AGENDA WILL BE THE MLK OBSERVANCE COMMITTEE, THE NINTH ANNUAL BLUFFTON JUNETEENTH FUL WEEKEND PLEASE.
I AM REPRESENTING THE TON MLK AT SERVICE COMMUNITY FOR THE NINTH ANNUAL JUNETEENTH FESTIVAL.
UM, THIS EVENT IS, UM, SET TO HAVE TWO, UH, THREE EVENTS.
UM, ONE BEING THE THIRD ANNUAL BLACK FOOD TRUCK FRIDAY FESTIVAL, UM, RR AND B RODEO, UM, WHICH IS GONNA BE HELD AT BUCK WALTER COMMERCE PARK ON JUNE 14TH FROM FIVE TO 10:00 PM AND THEN, UH, SATURDAY AGAIN, UH, JUNE 15TH AT BURN CHURCH DISTILLERY FROM 4:00 PM TO TWO, UM, 10:00 PM UH, WE WILL HAVE SHUTTLES FROM THE RED CEDAR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND ON SUNDAY THERE WILL BE A JAZZ BRUNCH FROM 11:00 AM TO 2:00 PM TICKETS ARE $75.
UM, A DAY OF PURCHASE IS A HUNDRED AND UH, WE WILL HAVE COMMUNICATIONS AND SOCIAL MEDIA AND DIGITAL, HOLD ON, SORRY.
WE CURRENTLY DO HAVE A SPONSORSHIP FROM SEVEN SPONSORS.
WE ARE ALSO LOOKING TO HAVE COMMUNICATIONS, UM, TO IHEARTRADIO 1 0 9, 1 0 4 0.9 TO SERVE W-H-H-I-W-T-O-C AND SC LIVING MAGAZINE.
UM, RILEY MILLER WILL BE THERE THE DAY.
UM, THE DAY OF AS WELL ON THE RILEY MILL WILL BE BROADCASTING THERE IN, UM, THE OTHER DAY OF THE SATURDAY WITH WJ RILEY MILL AND WJCO.
MM-HMM,
IT IS A FRIDAY, UM, NINTH JUNE 14TH.
UHHUH
SO THAT'S THE, I GUESS, NEWER PARK BY THE POLICE STATION NEAR THE DON RYAN CENTER.
WHAT'S GONNA TAKE PLACE THERE? SO THAT IS THE FOOD TRUCK FESTIVAL.
UM, THERE'LL BE, I GUESS WE'LL HAVE, WE'LL HAVE A MECHANICAL BULL RIDING.
SO COWBOY, BRINGING COWBOY HATS, COWGIRL BOOTS, DRESS UP,
UM, AND UH, THERE'LL BE A MECHANICAL BULL RIDING, UM, KID ZONE.
JUST A REALLY FUN TIME FOR FAMILY INCLUSIVE EVENT.
UH, THE, CAN I STILL RELAX? OKAY.
IS IT, UM, NECESSARY TO HAVE INSURANCE? YES, THERE WILL, THERE WILL BE INSURANCE AS WELL.
UM, I CAN'T, I CAN'T REMEMBER THE NAME, BUT I KNOW IT IS FIREHOUSE UM, ENTERTAINMENT THAT DOESN'T, AND THEY, UM, WE WILL HAVE INSURANCE AS WELL FOR, FOR THAT.
HOW HAVE YOU TRACK THE TOURIST RATE LAST YEAR? UM, USCB, WHAT WE HAD VOLUNTEERS FROM USCB HOSPITALITY INSURANCE TO, UM, DO, UH, TABLETS AND, UM, HANDHELDS AND, UM, FOR SURVEYS.
AND WHAT, UH, PERIODICALS IS THIS GOING TO BE ADVERTISED IN? LEMME GO BACK TO THAT.
UM, PERIODICALS ARE SE LIVING, UM, THAT IS ALL THAT IS LISTED RIGHT NOW FOR PRINT AND DIGITAL SC LIVING MAGAZINE.
ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? YOU HAVE A MOTION I MOTION REQUESTED NOTES OF 20,000 FOR JUNETEENTH FESTIVAL WEEKEND.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, UNANIMOUS.
[00:45:01]
THANK YOU.UH, UP NEXT WOULD BE THE HISTORIC WEAPON FOUNDATION IS THE HAYWARD HOUSE WEAPON CENTER.
SO THIS IS THE FIRST QUARTER ALLOCATION ON THEIR PHYSICAL BUDGET, NOT THE CALENDAR YEAR.
UM, THROUGH THE GENEROUS SUPPORT OF OUR GRANTS SUCH AS BLUFFTON EIGHT TAX LAST YEAR, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SUSTAIN AND ENHANCE OUR OPERATIONS OF THE HAYWARD HOUSE AS BLUFFTON WELCOME CENTER, UM, A PREMIER EVENT RENTAL VENUE AND A MUSEUM.
THIS SUPPORT HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN BOOSTING OUR PERSONNEL TO COORDINATE COMMUNITY EVENTS, INCREASED BENEFITS FOR VISITORS AND RENTERS BY AMPLIFYING RENTAL VENUE SPACE, PARTNERING WITH LOCAL BUSINESSES ON VISITOR OUTREACH PROJECTS AND PRESERVING AND MAINTAINING THE HAYWARD HOUSE AND OTHER HISTORICAL PROPERTIES TO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME THAT QUICK
YOU GUYS USED TO DO TOURS, YOU'RE BACK GOING TOURS AGAIN.
WE'RE, WE'RE PROMOTE, WE'RE ACTIVELY TRYING TO PROMOTE OUR TOURS IN A LARGER SPHERE.
UM, YEAH, WE DID GET A GOLF CART SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE GOLF CART TOURS.
WE DO WALKING TOURS THROUGH BLUFFTON.
UM, WE'VE BEEN BUILDING UP OUR VOLUNTEERS TO BE ABLE TO FACILITATE ALL OF THOSE TOURS AS WELL.
UM, AND WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON OUR WEBSITE TO GET OUR LISTINGS HIGHER AND EVERYTHING, SO WE COME UP ON A BETTER SEARCH FIELD.
UM, AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE HAVE ALSO BEEN SCHEDULING AND COORDINATING A TON OF ARTS AND CULTURAL EVENTS FOR THE TOWN.
LIKE NOT TO THE TOWN, LIKE IN OLD TOWN LOVETON, WE'LL BE IN OLD TOWN, BLUFFTON DOING IT.
UM, WE HAD A T SOCIAL, WE PLAN ON DOING LIKE FOUR T SOCIALS A YEAR.
UH, WE HAVE MONTHLY LIVING HISTORIANS THAT COME THROUGH DURING THE FARMER'S MARKET ON THURSDAYS, SO THEY ROAM OUR GROUNDS AS WELL AS THE FARMER'S MARKET AND KIND OF GARNER INTEREST IN WHAT WE'RE DOING THAT WAY.
UM, WE HAVE OUR LOOP PEOPLE CELEBRATION COMING UP, WHICH YOU'LL HEAR ABOUT.
UM, WE PARTNERED WITH THE SOUTH CAROLINA ACTORS GUILD.
THEY ARE, UM, REPRODUCTION, I DON'T WANNA SAY REPRODUCTION IS, BUT THEY, UM, REENACTOR, THANK YOU.
LIVING HISTORIANS THAT REENACT HISTORY.
AND SO WE'VE PARTNERED WITH THEM TO DO A THREE DAY EVENT IN NOVEMBER.
UM, THAT'S GOING TO BE A HUGE THING.
WE'VE RENTED OUT MARTIN FAMILY PARK FOR IT.
I'M HOPING TO GET CANON IF ANYBODY REMEMBERS THAT.
THAT'LL BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
UM, WE'LL DO THE SCOTTISH, THE SCOTTISH HERITAGE DAYS, WHICH WE DID IN JANUARY.
WE JUST GOT DONE WITH OUR SPRING LECTURE SERIES.
UM, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO THAT IN THE FALL.
WE'RE HOSTING THE SYMPOSIUM FOR THE BLUFFTON HISTORICAL PRESERVATION SOCIETY, UH, BOOK SIGNINGS TALKS.
WE HAVE FAM TOURS COMING THROUGH GHOST HUNTERS.
WE ARE HOSTING SOME, UH, NON-PROFITS ON THE GROUNDS AS WELL.
UM, AS WELL AS OTHER LOCAL BUSINESSES LIKE THE LOW COUNTRY WEDDING PROFESSIONALS.
WE'RE HOSTING A NETWORKING GROUP FOR THEM IN AUGUST.
SO LOTS OF EXCITING THINGS GOING ON THAT BRING PEOPLE IN.
AND WITH OUR RENTAL SPACE, UM, WE'VE BEEN AMPLIFYING OUR RENTAL SPACE AND BY DOING THAT, WE ARE HOPING TO EXTEND THE REACH OF PEOPLE WHO ARE COMING TO RENT FROM US WHILE KEEPING OUR PRICES LOW SO THAT THERE'S MORE MONEY FOR THEM TO SPEND AT LOCAL, OTHER LOCAL BUSINESSES, WHICH IS GREAT.
UM, WE'RE HOPEFUL IN THIS AVENUE.
UM, WE WERE EXPECTING 20,000 VISITORS ALL YEAR THIS YEAR, AND WE'VE ALREADY HAD AS OF APRIL 17,000 COME THROUGH THE DOOR.
WE'RE DOING VERY WELL AND WE'RE WELL KNOWN IN OLD TOWN AS THE PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO COME POP OVER
[00:50:01]
AND GET INFORMATION.THE FRIENDLY PLACE PEOPLE WALK THEIR DOGS THROUGH THERE EVERY DAY.
HAVE YOU DONE ANYTHING DIFFERENT TO, TO DRIVE THOSE ADDITIONAL VISITORS? YEAH, I MEAN, THE AMPLIFICATION OF OUR SPACE AND DOING MORE EVENTS THERE.
YOU KNOW HOW OLD TOWN IS, THERE'S SOMETHING GOING ON DOWN THERE.
PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
AND SO BY DOING MORE EVENTS AND HAVING MORE ACTIVITIES ON THE GROUNDS, THAT'S GARNERED MORE INTEREST.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT IT, IT LOOKS AWESOME AND IS A GOOD REPRESENTATION OF OUR TOWN.
AND THAT DRAWS A LOT OF PEOPLE AND THEY SEE THE BEAUTIFUL AZALEAS WHEN THEY'RE BLOOMING IN OUR, IN OUR AWESOME LANDSCAPING.
AND THEY'RE LIKE, OH, WHAT'S GOING ON OVER HERE? AND THEY COME OVER AND WE TELL 'EM ALL THE THINGS.
UM, MARKETING ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND INCREASING OUR WEB PRESENCE.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THAT A FAIR BIT.
WE'RE TRYING TO GET MORE YOUNGER FAMILIES INVOLVED WITH WHAT WE GOT GOING ON AT THE HOUSE TO CREATE A SUSTAINABLE INTEREST IN THE CULTURE OF OUR TOWN, WHICH HAS BEEN GOING WELL.
WE HAVE HAD A MEMBERSHIP DRIVE AND WE HAD A COUPLE OF YOUNGER MEMBERS JOIN THAT HAVE FAR OUTREACH, WHICH IS NICE TO OTHER LOCAL COMMUNITIES SUCH AS SAVANNAH AND BEFOR INTO GEORGIA AND NORTH CAROLINA AND THE LIKE.
SO THEY'RE BRINGING FAMILY MEMBERS IN, WHICH IS GREAT AS A VENUE.
DO YOU HAVE A PREFERRED, UM, VENDOR LIST THAT YOU SHARE WITH THAT WOULD GENERATE MORE BUSINESS FOR, UM, LOCAL PHOTOGRAPHERS AND FLO AND CATERERS? YES, MA'AM.
AND, UM, THROUGH, WE ARE TRYING TO CREATE ALMOST LIKE PACKAGES.
UM, WE WANT, WE HAVEN'T, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS.
WE'VE STRATEGIZED WE'VE MADE A REALLY SOLID PLAN WHERE WE WANT TO GO TO THE, THE AIRBNBS, THE LODGINGS, THE RESTAURANTS AND CREATE SORT OF LIKE A PACKAGE THAT WE CAN OFFER TO OUR RENTERS, UM, WHICH WOULD BE HUGE CONSIDERING THERE ARE A FAIR BIT OF AIRBNBS IN OLD TOWN LOUGHTON NOW.
SO WE FIGURED THAT'LL MAKE EVERYBODY HAPPY.
UM, WHILE WE HAVE THE OAK GROVE.
WE COULD EVEN USE THAT AS AN AVENUE FOR PEOPLE TO SET UP AND HAVE THEIR EVENT.
AND THEN IT'S JUST, IT JUST MAKES SENSE TO RENT THE AIRBNBS IN THAT SURROUNDING AREA TO GET READY FOR YOUR EVENT AND THE LIKE.
AND THEN GOING OUT TO EAT AND SHOPPING AND EVERYTHING OF COURSE IN OLD TOWN IS AMAZING.
ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? WE GET A MOTION I TO MOVE BACK.
WE RENT THE HAYWARD HOUSE 40,000.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
SO THE, UH, NEXT PRESENTATION WILL BE FROM THE HISTORIC WELCOME FOUNDATION.
THIS IS FOR THE LUKE PEOPLES MUSIC CELEBRATION.
I'M SYLVIA COKER AND I'M A MEMBER OF THE HISTORIC LUCK FOUNDATION AND I AM CHAIRMAN OF THE LU PEOPLES, UM, CELEBRATION.
AND, UM, I'M SURE YOU'VE READ THE GRANT APPLICATION.
SO YOU KNOW THAT LU PEOPLES IS A, IS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF TON'S CULTURAL HERITAGE.
AND I LOVE THING THAT THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE RECOGNIZED THAT, UH, THE GALA, UM, CULTURAL TOURISM IS GETTING TO BE A REALLY LARGE THING IN THIS AREA IN SAVANNAH.
THEY'VE GOT THE OWENS THOMAS HOUSE, WHICH HAS THE SLAVE WATERS AND ALL OF THAT.
AND PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO REALLY, UM, COME TO THIS AREA INTERESTED IN THAT.
IT'S UNIQUE, IT'S DIFFERENT THAN OTHER PLACES.
AND ONE THING THAT LOVE THE NEEDS IS SOMETHING THAT'S UNIQUE AND DIFFERENT.
WELL, THIS, UM, CELEBRATION WILL BE REALLY UNIQUE AND DIFFERENT BECAUSE WE'VE GOT MARLENE SMALLS IS GONNA GET TOGETHER A BLENDED CHOIR, UM, FROM TABERNACLE BAPTIST CHURCH AND, AND BEAUFORT, BUFORD CAMPBELL, UM, A ME, UM, MEMBERS AND THE HALLELUJAH SINGERS.
AND THEY'RE GONNA HAVE A, A WONDERFUL, UH, CHOIR OF 25 TO 30 VOICES AND THEY'RE GOING TO REALLY DO JUSTICE TO, UM, LOU PEOPLE'S MUSIC.
YOU KNOW, HE WAS SO IMPORTANT TO HIM.
[00:55:02]
SPIRITUALS AND THE GULLAH, UM, PEOPLE.AND HE DEDICATED HIS LIFE TO THAT.
AND HE IS JUST A REALLY IMPORTANT PART OF BLACKTON HISTORY.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT WILL BE CELEBRATING.
UM, LEADING UP TO THAT WE'LL HAVE AN EXHIBIT, AN EXHIBIT AT THE HOUSE ABOUT PEOPLES.
WE'VE GOTTEN ALL KINDS OF, ITS ORIGINAL MUSIC AND EVERYTHING.
I THINK IT'S GONNA BRING A LOT OF PEOPLE FROM THE SURROUNDING AREAS HERE BECAUSE WE ALREADY HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE FROM SAVANNAH WHO ARE GONNA WANNA COME BECAUSE A LOT OF HIS FAMILY WAS FROM THERE, BUT ALSO FROM, UH, ANYBODY WHO FOLLOWS, UM, UH, AND HAS AN INTEREST IN THAT CULTURE.
UM, THE GULL CULTURE, UM, IT'S A ONE TIME EVENT.
IT'S NOT GONNA BE A REPEATED EVENT.
AND THE REASON WE'RE APPLYING SEPARATELY WAS ONCE I REALIZED, YOU KNOW, THAT I WAS GONNA BE TO DO JUSTICE FOR THE MUSIC, WE WOULD NEED TO HAVE, UM, MARLENA SMALLS, IT WAS GONNA BE QUITE EXPENSIVE.
WE'RE GONNA WANT TO HAVE, UM, IT FILMED.
WE REACHING OUT TO SOUTH CAROLINA EDUCATIONAL TELEVISION TO SEE IF THEY'LL BE INTERESTED.
IF NOT, WE HAVE A, ANOTHER, UM, GROUP THAT, UM, THAT WILL BE INTERESTED, BUT IT WOULD BE A LITTLE MORE EXPENSIVE.
SO WE'RE GONNA GO THE SOUTH CAROLINA EGB ROUTE FIRST AND THAT WILL, UM, REALLY BE ABLE TO PUT IT, IF WE CAN GET IT FILMED AND GET IT OUT THERE.
I KNOW THAT THE, UM, SOUTH CAROLINA COMMITTEE FOR THE HUMANITIES WANTS A COPY OF IT.
THEY TALKED TO ME ALREADY ABOUT THAT TO HAVE A FILMED COPY TO GO INTO THEIR ARCHIVES.
AND I THINK THAT IT WILL BE SOMETHING THAT WILL GO BEYOND THE PRODUCTION, THE BEYOND THE CELEBRATION ITSELF AND BRING ATTENTION TO, UM, OUR AREA.
AND IT'S GONNA BE AT CAMPBELL A ME, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, ONE OF OUR LANDMARK, UM, HISTORIC CHURCHES.
AND I THINK THAT THAT'LL BE LOVELY FOR PEOPLE TO GET TO BE ABLE TO BE THERE TOO.
UM, WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP THE PRICE POINT SO THAT IT'LL BE INCLUSIVE, UM, FOR LOTS OF PEOPLE.
SO WE'RE HOPING TO KEEP IT AROUND 20 TO $25, UM, WHERE PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO COME AND THEY'LL BE A LOVELY RECEPTION AFTERWARDS AT THE HAYWARD HOUSE.
AND WE DO HAVE FOUR SPONSORS IN ADDITION TO WHATEVER ELSE, TO TICKET PRICE AND HOPEFULLY A GRANT GRANT MONEY.
ANY QUESTIONS? HAD A FEW, UM, THE DATE'S BEEN SET.
OCTOBER 25TH AT, UH, CAMPBELL AMB AT SIX O'CLOCK.
AND SO FORGIVE ME 'CAUSE YOUR, YOUR INITIAL APPLICATION CAME TO REVIEW SOONER THAN I THINK YOU WERE QUITE READY FOR.
SO WE HAVE THE DATE, WE HAVE THE VENUE SET UP AND THAT'S GOOD.
AND THEN WE'RE FUNDING, WHAT ARE WE FUNDING? YOU WOULD BE FUNDING? I'M ACTUALLY ASKING FOR THE FUNDING FOR THE MARLENE SMALLS, UM, UH, TO CONTRACT HER.
I ALREADY HAVE A CONTRACT WITH HER FOR $4,000.
DOING WHAT? UM, SHE IS GOING TO START IN AUGUST AND SHE'S GONNA HAVE REHEARSALS IN BOTH BLUFFTON AND IN BUFORT WITH, SHE IS, SHE HAS A GROUP CALLED THE ULU SINGERS AND SHE IS A, SHE, UM, WORKS WITH THIS GROUP AND SHE'S GONNA PULL THESE CHOIRS TOGETHER TO LEARN THE MUSIC AND PUT ON THE, UH, PRODUCTION.
AND WE'LL ALSO HAVE PEOPLE FROM THE, UM, AREA WHO WILL BE SPEAKING, UM, ANNA MCCRACKEN.
AND, UM, THERE'S BEEN SEVERAL THAT ARE, ARE GONNA SPEAK.
SO, UM, THERE'S CERTAIN THINGS WE CAN DO FOR YOU AND CERTAIN THINGS THAT WE CAN'T.
THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN'T, OKAY.
WE CAN'T PAY, WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T PROVIDE FUNDING FOR PERFORMANCES.
WE CAN HELP YOU WITH THE LOCATION EXPENSES, WE CAN HELP YOU WITH THE ADVERTISING EXPENSES, SOME TRANSPORTATION HELP.
THERE'S CERTAIN THINGS WE CAN DO THROUGH THE CHARTER FOR A TAX.
UM, WELL I HAVE A BUDGET THAT HAS ALL OF THE ITEMS THAT ARE GONNA BE INCLUDED.
SO YOUR APPLICATION, I THINK WHAT WE'VE DONE, AND I'M LOOKING AT STAFF, IS WE PULLED OUT THE ELIGIBLE PARTS THAT WERE IN YOUR APPLICATION THAT COULD BE, THAT WERE ELIGIBLE FOR YOUR EVENT.
AND AGAIN, WE, WE REVIEWED THIS A COUPLE OF
[01:00:01]
WEEKS AGO AND, AND KNEW THERE WAS SOME ISSUES COMING UP WITH YOUR EVENT AND I THINK YOU'VE ANSWERED MOST OF THOSE QUESTIONS ALREADY, BUT SOME OF THAT STUFF THAT YOU REQUESTED FUNDING FOR, I MAY, I'M SORRY.UM, SPEAKING TO HER BEHALF, WE DID FIND OUT TWO DAYS AGO THAT WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE A MARKETING VIDEO FOR THIS THAT WE CAN PUT OUT TO THE PUBLIC AND THAT DID COME WITH A PRETTY HEFTY PRICE TAG THAT WE WERE NOT EXPECTING.
IS IT POSSIBLE THAT WE COULD IN RESUBMIT OR INCLUDE THAT WHAT'S OUR NEXT DAY TAX DEADLINE AND THAT MEETING? OKAY.
UH, SO NOT TO INTERRUPT TOO MUCH FROM OUT THERE, BUT I'M SORRY.
SO IN, IN THE PAST WHEN SOMEBODY'S CAME FOR AS A FIRST TIME APPLICANT, CERTAINLY STAFF CAN HELP YOU THROUGH THE PROCESS OF WHAT YOU'RE ELIGIBLE FOR, WHAT YOU'RE NOT.
UM, AUGUST 20TH IS THE NEXT ATECH MEETING.
UM, I JUST WANT YOU TO BE AWARE, UH, SO, UM, YOUR CURRENT APPLICATION IS FOR $5,000? YES.
AND THE WAY THAT WE HAVE IT SET IN HERE, THE, THE $1,200 FOR YOUR FACILITIES, IS THAT REPRESENTING THE, THE HAYWARD HOUSE LOCATION OF THE GROUNDS COMMON GROUND? MM-HMM.
I'M SORRY, I, IF YOU GUYS HAVE QUESTIONS, I DON'T, IT, UM, WOULD THAT, UM, SO THE VIDEO THAT YOU'RE DISCUSSING, WOULD THAT BE PART OF THE MARKETING? UM, THAT'S NOT ME.
SO WHAT I I IN, PER YOUR APPLICATION THAT'S CURRENTLY IN FRONT OF IS I BELIEVE THE ELIGIBLE PART OF THOSE, UH, APPLICANTS FOR THE 5,000 IS $3,200 BASICALLY.
UM, CAN I ASK YOU THIS, YOU GUYS, ANYTHING YOU WANT, CAN WE BE APPROVED FOR THAT AMOUNT AND THEN RETURN AT THE NEXT MEETING, UM, WITH A SECOND GRANT APPLICATION? YEAH, SO WHAT I WOULD SAY TO DO IS WE CAN CERTAINLY VOTE ON WHAT'S IN FRONT OF US AND YOU GUYS CAN CERTAINLY, WE CAN DO AN ADDENDUM TO THIS GRANT OR IN ADDITION TO THIS GRANT ON A FOLLOW UP MOTION.
I'M LOOKING AT STAFF TO MAKE SURE SOME OF THIS STUFF, I DON'T ACTUALLY KNOW, I I'VE NOT HAD THIS HAPPEN.
USUALLY WHAT HAPPENS IS WE SAY COME BACK.
BUT SO AS A COMMITTEE, I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT YOU ARE COMFORTABLE WITH WHAT'S BEEN PRESENTED IN ORDER TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO TOWN COUNCIL.
SO I'LL ASK YOU, WE CAN CERTAINLY IN THIS DISCUSSION, WE'RE GONNA MAKE A MOTION.
AND THERE'S GONNA BE DISCUSSION.
WE CAN, WE CAN CERTAINLY APPROVE WHAT'S IN FRONT OF US.
UM, OR YOU CAN REFORMULATE YOUR, YOUR REQUEST KNOWING THAT WE SUPPORT YOUR EVENT, BUT, AND COME BACK WITH A FULLY DEVELOPED APPLICATION WITH, AND I KNOW YOU'VE SUBSEQUENTLY PROVIDED SOME INFORMATION THAT WEREN'T, WASN'T ON YOUR APPLICATION INITIALLY WITH THAT, ALONG WITH A BETTER BUDGET IN UNDERSTANDING WHAT'S ELIGIBLE FOR A TAX FUNDING.
AND THEN WE CAN VOTE ON, AND YOU CAN PRESENT IT BEFORE THE JULY DEADLINE AND WE CAN VOTE ON IT IN OUR NEXT MEETING AUGUST, WHICH WOULD THEN BE APPROVED IN ABOUT TWO WEEKS AFTER THAT, UH, THE BEGINNING OF SEPTEMBER.
AND THAT WOULD BE IN FRONT OF YOUR DEADLINE OR, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT WOULD HAPPEN.
SO IF YOU COME BACK AND FORTH WITH AN ADDENDUM TO THIS APPLICATION, IT'S NOT HAPPENED.
SO I DON'T KNOW THAT I, I'VE, AND I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR A LITTLE BIT.
UM, SO I DON'T KNOW HOW TOWN COUNCIL OR THE COMMITTEE UP HERE WOULD, WOULD VIEW THAT.
SO IT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE YOU'RE SAYING IT'D BE BETTER NOT TO DO IT NOW AND TO COME BACK WITH AN ADDENDUM WITH A, NOT AN ADDENDUM, BUT A NEW APPLICATION.
SO IF, IF YOU'RE WILLING, WHAT WE'LL DO IS WE'LL MAKE A MOTION TO, TO TABLE YOUR
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REQUEST UNTIL THE NEXT APPLICATION PERIOD.AND THEN, LIKE I SAY, WE, I THINK IT'S AN INCREDIBLE EVENT.
I THINK THE, THE BACKBONE'S ALL THERE IS GONNA BE FANTASTIC.
UM, BUT SO MUCH OF WHAT'S IN HERE JUST SHOWS THAT YOU DIDN'T HAVE A GOOD GRASP OF WHAT WE WERE ABLE AND I'M NOT ABLE TO PROVIDE YOU.
AND SO JUST THAT I BELIEVE THAT YOU HAVE SUPPORT FROM THIS COMMITTEE AND WOULD HAVE TOWN COUNCIL THAT YOU WOULD CERTAINLY WANT TO GIVE US A FULL APPLICATION WITH ALL THE ELIGIBLE EXPENSES LAID OUT WITH YOUR BUDGET BECAUSE IT'S DEVELOPING.
I MEAN, JUST AS SHE SAID, YOU JUST NOW HAVE A VIDEO COMING UP WITH SOMETHING YOU'RE, YOU'RE DEVELOPING WHAT THESE EXPENSES ARE GOING TO BE IN A BETTER, BETTER DETAIL.
AND WE'RE FINALLY, IT WOULD BE MUCH BETTER TO PUT IT ALL IN ONE APPLICATION ONE TIME THAN A LOT OF WHAT WAS IN THIS BUDGET OF PROJECTIONS.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, AS YOU GET, I WAS LOOKING AT IT AND I WAS THINKING THAT'S A LITTLE LOW SO WE CAN COME BACK WITH MUCH MORE ACCURATE.
IT'D BE BETTER FOR YOU TO DO THAT BECAUSE YOU CAN HAVE A BETTER IDEA OF WHAT YOU AND I CAN TALK TO AND FIND OUT WHAT'S ELIGIBLE.
IS THAT, IS THAT OKAY WITH YOU THAT TABLE THIS UNTIL THE NEXT? I APPRECIATE YOU ABSOLUTELY HELPING ME WITH THAT.
YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL BEFORE YOU LEAVE? THANK YOU.
YEAH, I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE TABLE THE, UH, LOCAL PEOPLE'S MUSIC CELEBRATION.
UM, AND THEY WILL COME BACK WITH, UH, NEW APPLICATION FOR FUNDING.
AM I SAYING THAT RIGHT? YOU SAID IT.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, MATT? AYE.
UH, SO THE NEXT THING ON OUR AGENDA WOULD BE THE REVIEW FOR THE CHANGES TO THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON CODE OF ORDINANCE CHAPTER 24, WHICH IS TAXATION, WHICH IS HOW WE GET FUNDED AND HOW WE DISTRIBUTE THOSE FUNDS.
SO WE GAVE A PRESENT OR WE, I DID, UM, I THINK I GOT THE WRONG ONE.
I PRESENTED TO TOWN COUNCIL FOR FIRST READING OF THE, UM, I COMMENT THE TAX CHAPTER 24 TAXATION OF OUR TOWN ORDINANCE.
AND IT WAS BROUGHT TO LIGHT THAT THE LANGUAGE THAT IS IN OUR CURRENT ORDINANCE SAYS THAT THE COMMITTEE HAS PURVIEW OVER ALL ACCOMMODATIONS TAX GENERATED.
AND THEN WHEN YOU LOOK FURTHER DOWN INTO THE ARTICLE, IT TALKS ABOUT LOCAL ACCOMMODATIONS AND THAT THAT IS SET BY THE BUDGET.
SO THERE WAS CONFLICT IN THERE.
SO THE RECOMMENDATION TO TOWN COUNCIL, WHICH WAS APPROVED AT FIRST READING, UM, LAST WEEK WAS THAT WE CHANGED, WE CHANGED THE WORD FROM ALL TO STATE AND WE DID A COMPARISON OF OTHER JURISDICTIONS IN OUR REGION AND WHAT THEIR COMMITTEES OVERSEE AND EVERYBODY OVERSEES STATE ACCOMMODATIONS TAX.
BEAUFORT COUNTY ALLOWS FOR APPLICATIONS TO BE, UM, SUBMITTED FOR THEIR LOCAL HOSPITALITY AND LOCAL ACCOMMODATIONS TAX.
BUT THAT REVIEW IS DONE AT THE STAFF LEVEL AND IT IS NOT DONE BY THE COMMITTEE.
THE OTHER THING THAT WE, UM, NOTICED WAS THAT EVERYBODY THAT WE REVIEWED HAS AN ANNUAL ACCOMMODATIONS TAX APPLICATION.
[01:10:01]
AND I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE NOT CHANGE THAT.IT GIVES AN OPPORTUNITY JUST AS WE SAW THIS EVENING, WHERE THEY CAN COME BACK AND COME IN AND, AND REQUEST FUNDING.
SO I DO LIKE THAT WE ARE ON THE QUARTERLY BASIS SO THAT WE HAVE MORE AVAILABILITY FOR ORGANIZATIONS TO COME IN.
UM, SO I WANTED TO BRING THAT TO THE COMMITTEE'S ATTENTION.
THE OTHER THING THAT WE ARE, THAT WE ARE RECOMMENDED THAT DID GET APPROVED IS, UM, THE REMOVAL OF THE LIMIT FOR A LOCAL ACCOMMODATIONS TAX.
CURRENTLY IT STATES THAT UP TO 10% CAN BE TRANSFERRED TO OUR GENERAL FUND.
WE'RE RECOMMENDING THAT WE REMOVE THAT, ESPECIALLY WITH THE, UM, TOWN OF LEFT AND WELCOME CENTER COMING ONLINE, UM, PROJECTED IN JANUARY.
SO THAT THAT WILL OPEN THAT UP FOR MORE SUPPORT OF THE LOCAL ACCOMMODATION STACKS FOR THOSE, UM, OPERATIONS.
'CAUSE YOU ARE GETTING CONTROL OF TRADE OFF THE 10% FOR SO THE LOCAL, WHEN YOU TAKE OUT THE WORD, OH, WHEN YOU CHANGE THAT ONE WORD TO STATE.
YOU SAID SOMETHING ABOUT IT BEING SOME KIND OF CONFLICT OR THE FUNDING OR, YES.
SO I THOUGHT I HAD THE RIGHT PRESENTATION UP, BUT I THINK I PULLED THE WRONG ONE.
SO THIS MIGHT SHOWED A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
AND YOU DON'T HAVE THE SCREEN.
SO
SO THEY HAD A HOSPITALITY TAX COMMITTEE THAT WOULD REVIEW APPLICATIONS AND THEY WOULD MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO TOWN COUNCIL AT THAT TIME FOR HOSPITALITY TAX FUNDS.
THEN IN MARCH OF 2007, BY RESOLUTION, THEY CREATED THE COMMITTEE BECAUSE THE TOWN HAD A HOTEL AND STARTED RECEIVING STATE ACCOMMODATIONS TAX FUNDS.
SO IT WAS A STATE REQUIREMENT THAT THEY NEEDED TO FORM A COMMITTEE.
AND SO THAT'S HOW ATAC THEN WAS STARTED IN TWO THOU.
AFTER THAT, IN 2019, WE CODIFIED THAT.
BEFORE THAT IT WAS DONE BY RESOLUTION.
AND SO IN 2019 WE CODIFIED IT.
WE GENERATED THE ATAC IN OUR CODE, UM, AS WELL AS THE DMO WITH THE LANGUAGE.
'CAUSE CURRENTLY BEFORE THAT IT WAS THAT THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE WAS OUR DMO.
AND NOW IT IS NOT STATED WHO IS OUR DMO.
WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH A PROCESS SO IT DOESN'T DESIGNATE WHO IT IS.
UM, SO THIS JUST TALKS ABOUT WHAT YOU ALL KNOW THE REQUIREMENTS BY STATE.
UM, I INCLUDED THAT ON THE LOCAL SIDE.
THERE WAS NOT THAT REQUIREMENT FOR THE COMMITTEE WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE STATE CODE.
AND THEN HERE'S THE COMPARISON OF, UM, THE COUNTY, THE CITY OF BEAUFORT HILTON HEAD.
WE LOOKED AT PORT ROYAL AND THEN ALSO THE CITY OF CHARLESTON.
UM, AND WHEN THEY HAVE THEIR, UM, APPLICATIONS AND, AND WHO REVIEWS THEM.
SO HERE'S WHERE IT TALKS ABOUT THE LANGUAGE AND I HAVE HIGHLIGHTED WHERE IT'S, UM, STATED THAT THE COMMITTEE WILL REVIEW THE EXPENDITURE OF REVENUE GENERATED FROM ALL ACCOMMODATIONS TAX.
AND THEN WHEN YOU LOOK FURTHER ALONG IN THAT SAME ARTICLE, IT'S IN A DIFFERENT DIVISION WHEN IT TALKS ABOUT LOCAL ACCOMMODATIONS TAX, IT SAID IT, IT SHOULD BE SET BY THE BUDGET.
SO THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF CONFLICT.
AND THEN MR. PRINGLE, THIS MIGHT BE TALKING ABOUT WHAT YOU WERE QUESTIONING.
THIS IS STILL ON THE LOCAL SIDE.
WE HAD A TA A CAP AT UP TO 10% TO TRANSFER TO OUR GENERAL FUND.
WE'RE RECOMMENDING THAT WE REMOVE THAT SO THAT MORE AVAILABILITY OF THE LOCAL ACCOMMODATIONS TAX FUND CAN BE TRANSFERRED TO THE GENERAL FUND.
THIS DOES NOT TOUCH ANY OF THE STATE.
THE STATE IS FOR THE COMMITTEE TO REVIEW.
THIS ONLY LOOKS AT THE LOCAL ACCOMMODATIONS TAX.
AND SO THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO CHANGE THE WORD FROM ALL TO STATE FOR THE COMMITTEE.
AND THEN THIS WAS APPROVED, UM, FOR FIRST READING LAST WEEK BY TOWN COUNCIL.
AND I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY COMMENTS OR FEEDBACK.
IT'LL GO FOR SECOND READING, UM, JUNE 11TH THAT I CAN TAKE BACK TO TOWN COUNCIL.
AND THE TRADE OFF OF THAT'S GONNA BE IS THE STATE ACCOMMODATION TAXES.
UM, WE'RE GONNA BE, WE'RE GONNA GET,
[01:15:01]
WE'RE, WE'RE NO LONGER GONNA HAVE TO ALLOCATE MONEY FOR OUR WELCOME CENTER.AND THAT'S GONNA BE HANDLED ON THE LOCAL, THROUGH THE STAFF AND COUNCIL, THROUGH THE LOCAL TAXES.
AND THEN THE, IN THE APPLICATIONS, WE ALWAYS HAVE TO REVIEW LIKE ENFORCEMENT, LIKE LAW ENFORCEMENT TO HANDLE THESE EVENTS.
THAT'S GONNA BE TAKEN OUT OF LOCAL, OUT OF OUR, OUT OF THE LOCAL.
SO IT'S NOT PART OF THE APPLICANTS.
AND, UH, THERE WAS ONE MORE THING, AND FORGIVE ME, I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT IT WAS.
THERE WERE THREE THINGS THAT WERE CHANGING THAT WE'VE BEEN REVIEWING THAT'S NOT GONNA BE THERE ANYMORE.
BUT CERTAIN, CERTAIN THINGS THAT AS ALWAYS BEEN IN THE, THE AT TAX COMMITTEE PURVIEW TO APPROVE THE ALLOCATION FOR FUNDING FOR IT WILL BE TAKEN OUT OF OUR, UH, PURVIEW AND OUT OF THE STATE ACCOMMODATIONS, TAXES AND PUT SOLELY ON INTO THE LOCAL ACCOMMODATIONS, UH, FOR THE WELCOME CENTER, WHICH IS WHATEVER IT'S GONNA BE, START IN WHEN IT HAPPENS, BUT IN, IN, IN, IN ALL EXPECTATIONS FIRST OF THE YEAR.
SO THAT'S WHY THE HAYWARD HOUSE WAS APPLYING PER QUARTER FOR THEIR FUNDING AS OPPOSED TO THE ANNUAL GIFTING THAT WE NORMALLY DO OR THEIR WELCOME CENTER SERVICES.
WHEN WE SEE AN APPLICATION THAT INCLUDES, UM, SECURITY THROUGH, THROUGH THE TOWN OF LOUGHTON FORCE, UH, WE DON'T HAVE TO PUT THAT IN THROUGH OUR FUNDING.
IT'S AUTOMATICALLY GONNA BE TRANSFERRED OUT.
THE TOWN WILL SUPPORT THAT THROUGH THEIR LOCAL, THROUGH THE LOCAL ACCOMMODATIONS TAX.
SO BUDGET IN, UM, CURRENTLY THE HAYWARD HOUSE THAT SERVES AS OUR WELCOME CENTER IS FUNDED THROUGH STATE ACCOMMODATIONS TAX.
SO RIGHT NOW WHAT'S PROPOSED IN THE FISCAL YEAR 25 BUDGET IS THAT WHEN THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON WELCOME CENTER COMES ONLINE, THAT IS GONNA BE FUNDED THROUGH LOCAL ACCOMMODATIONS TAX AND HOSPITALITY TAX.
THEY'RE NOT GONNA TOUCH STATE AS OF RIGHT NOW.
AND SO I JUST, THE REASON WE PUT THIS BACK ON OUR AGENDA SO YOU GUYS KNOW, IS OBVIOUSLY WE'VE HAD A, WE'VE HAD THIS DISCUSSION BACK WHEN IT INITIALLY CHANGED.
THERE WAS A A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT IT.
AND AS WE MOVED FORWARD, UM, WE JUST WANTED TO MAKE IT CLEAR WHAT THE, THE, THE DEMARCATION OF WHAT WE HAVE PURVIEW AND WHAT THE TOWN'S GONNA TAKE OVER AND WHAT THEY'RE GONNA DO WITH IT AS FAR AS WHAT WE KNOW.
AND, UH, JUST WANTED TO BE CLEAR THAT WE DON'T HAVE CONTROL OVER THAT FUNDING ANY LONGER.
AND THESE GUYS WILL TAKE A GREAT RESPONSIBILITY OF THIS FUNDING.
WELL, THEY'LL BE DRIVEN BY COUNCIL.
AND THEN WE JUST HAVE ONE MORE ITEM.
I BELIEVE WE'RE GONNA HAVE A, A WORKSHOP AGENDA AND A DATE.
WHAT'S OUR OPTIONS? UH, JULY IS WHAT WE WERE CONSIDERING AND WAS TALKING WITH CHRISTIE, UH, THE END OF JULY THE 29TH.
WHAT IS THAT?
WHAT, UH, NORMALLY HAPPENS IS IT IS A KIND OF A THING OF WHAT WE DO AND THEN APPLICANTS GET TO FILL THAT OUT.
BUT I BELIEVE WHAT WE WANTED TO HAVE, FORGIVE ME 'CAUSE YOU TALKED TO CHRISTIE BETTER THAN I DID ABOUT IT.
WE REALLY NEED TO KIND OF GIVE AN IDEA OF, OF WHAT THE COMMITTEE ROLES ARE AS BEING ON HERE AND WHAT WE'RE, WE'RE BOUND BY.
AND THEN, UM, CERTAINLY LIKE THE NEED FOR SCORING SHEET.
SO WE'VE HAD THESE WORKSHOPS IN THE PAST.
WAS IT GONNA BE A WORKSHOP FOR APPLICANTS AND US OR WAS IT GONNA BE A, A WORKSHOP FOR US? YOU'LL BE ALL TOGETHER SO IT DON'T HAVE TO BE A PUBLIC FORUM.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, WE WERE HAPPY TO CREATE THE, THE AGENDA HOWEVER YOU WISH.
UM, IN THE PAST WE DID DO A MORE FOR ORGANIZATIONS TO ASK QUESTIONS ON HOW TO COMPLETE THE APPLICATION AND TAKE THEIR FEEDBACK ON WHAT DOES AND DOESN'T WORK.
WE CAN JUST HAVE IT BE SOLELY FOR PROCESS.
UM, QUESTIONS FOR THE COMMITTEE.
WE'RE HAPPY TO, TO PUT TOGETHER WHAT WILL WORK FOR YOU GUYS FOR THE WORKSHOP.
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN HERE NOW? FIVE YEARS.
ANYWAY, IT WASN'T SO LONG AGO THAT WE HAD A WORKSHOP THAT WAS, UH, IN SOME, SOME STAFF AND STUFF.
IT WAS LAST SUMMER, IT WAS ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO MAYBE.
AND WE TALKED ABOUT SIMPLIFYING THE PROCESS AND UM, RE RE KIND OF, I DON'T KNOW, REFOCUSING HOW THOSE APPLICANTS COME TO US.
AND THEN AFTER THAT WE HAD THE APPLICANTS SHOW
[01:20:01]
UP FOR ANOTHER WORKSHOP.BUT UM, LIKE RIGHT NOW, THE NEED FOR THE SCORING SHEET, WHETHER IT NEEDS TO BE IMPROVED, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD DISCUSS AND HOW TO PUT THE NUMBERS INTO THAT SCORE SHEET.
SOME OF THOSE NUMBERS ARE STATIC, LIKE THE PERCENTAGE OF TOURISM DRAW AND WHERE YOUR ADVERTISING GOES AND ALL THAT STUFF.
THAT'S, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO PULL THAT OUTTA THE APPLICATION.
AND SO REALLY IN MUCH OF THOSE NUMBERS, WE SHOULD BE VERY SIMILAR THERE WHERE IT GETS SUBJECTIVE, IT CAN MOVE DOWN THERE.
SOME, SOME OF THAT SUBJECTIVITY.
SO THOSE CAN CHANGE WIDELY, BUT SOME OF THAT STUFF'S JUST VERY, IT'S, IT SHOULD BE THE SAME THING.
AND WHETHER WE NEED THE SCORING SHEETS, UM, HAS BEEN DISCUSSED TOO.
SO, WELL THERE'S OTHER TOPICS LIKE UPDATING MAYBE SOME OF THE WAY WE'VE LOOKED AT WHAT'S REIMBURSABLE FOR ADVERTISING, LIKE HOW WIDE DO WE GET WITHIN THE DEFINITION OF MARKETING? ARE WE STICKING WITH JUST PAYING FOR ADVERTISING AND HOW ARE WE GONNA HANDLE SOCIAL MEDIA GOING FORWARD BECAUSE IT'S BECOMING MORE POPULAR.
SO THERE'S JUST SOME THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DISCUSS TO SEE HOW WE WANNA BE HANDLING FROM THE REIMBURSEMENT SIDE ONCE AND IT NEEDS TO GET TO THAT POINT AFTER THE REWARDS WORDS.
SO, AND, AND JUST LIKE WHAT, WHAT WE CONSIDER, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WE HAVE AN APP, SO I I I ADVERTISE WORLDWIDE
SO, BUT HOW DO WE DEFINE THAT? AND THEN YOU ALSO TAKE SOMEBODY WHO, WHO MAY TAKE THE SAME APPROACH AND SAY, BUT I'M GEOFENCING ATLANTA OR CHARLOTTE.
SO THEN THAT BROADENS THAT BECAUSE THAT GEOFENCING ACTUALLY IS VERY SPECIFIC TO THAT AREA.
SO WE NEED TO PUT A BETTER DEFINITION OF WHAT WE'RE CONSIDERING ADVERTISING IN THE, IN THE WIDTH AND BREADTH OF THAT.
SO, UH, SO THE WORKSHOP'S GONNA BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
UH, THAT'S WHAT WE GOTTA DISCUSS.
THEY CAN COME IN AND LISTEN TO WHAT WE TALK ABOUT, BUT UH, WE CAN MAKE IT JUST FOR US TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS.
OR WE CAN DO THE ONE YOU WERE IN MOST RECENTLY, I BELIEVE, WHERE THE APPLICANTS WERE OUT THERE AND GOT ASK ALL THE GREAT QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW TO DO IT.
I THINK I'D REALLY LIKE TO SEE US GET TOGETHER AND UH, PERHAPS MAKE SOME CHANGES IN THE SCORING SHEET IF WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE WITH THE SCORING SHEET.
'CAUSE SOME OF THE THINGS I THINK ARE, I MEAN, I TRY TO BE REAL BY THE BOOK WHEN I'M, WHEN I'M FILLING THOSE OUT AT HOME, WHEN I'M, I READ THAT AND SOME OF THE STUFF IS NOT APPLICABLE TO, UH, AND SO THERE MAYBE SHOULD BE AN ALTERNATIVE.
I THINK IT WOULD BE OPEN TO DISCUSSION FOR, FOR US RATHER THAN HAVING A FORUM OPEN TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC WHO, WHO WOULDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
CAN WE HAVE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION PRIOR TO OR AFTER A, I DON'T KNOW.
I'M NOT, I DON'T, I MEAN LIKE, LIKE INSTEAD LIKE WE HAD A SIX O'CLOCK MEETING, COULD, COULD WE HAVE A SIX O'CLOCK MEETING FOR US? AND IT'S SIX 30 FOR GENERAL PUBLIC? EVERYBODY.
WHAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND IS YOU'RE SAYING THAT YOU CAN'T HAVE TRAINING FOR THIS COMMITTEE UNLESS THE PUBLIC'S HERE? NO, WE CAN DO THAT PART.
CAN WE MEET MORE THAN TWO PEOPLE TOGETHER? WELL, NO, IF YOU HAVE A QUORUM ON A COMMITTEE, THEREFORE YOU CAN MAKE A VOTE.
SO I'LL, I'LL ASK TO GET CLARIFICATION ON IF IT NEEDS TO BE A PUBLIC MEETING, IF YOU DO HAVE A FORUM, UM, OR IF IT CAN BE LIKE A WORKING SESSION.
CAN'T WE HAVE FOR THE COMMITTEE TO KIND OF, I'M SORRY.
THEM MINIMUM BLOCK
HONESTLY, I DUNNO THE ANSWER TO THAT.
IF THEY CAN STAY AT THE MEDICAL, THEY CAN COME TO OUR MEETING.
JUST GIMME THE DATES AND I'LL, WE WILL GO AND ASK TO SEE WHAT THE REQUIREMENT IS, IF IT CAN BE A MORE OF A COMMITTEE WORKING MEETING, UM, OR IF IT NEEDS TO BE AN OPEN MEETING FOR THE PUBLIC.
I DON'T, I HONESTLY DON'T, I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT.
SO I WILL ASK SO THAT I THINK IDEALLY WE WOULD LIKE TO GET TOGETHER AS A, AS A, YOU WOULD LIKE IT TO BE A, A CLOSED WORKSHOP AT 35 COMMITTEE 45 MINUTE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
THEN IF WE NEEDED TO AN OPEN UP, OPEN IT TO PUBLIC AND HAVE THEIR QUESTIONS SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO SPIN STAFF OR TIMES THEY CAN'T STOP YOU GUY FROM COMING.
THAT'S NOT ALL TOGETHER AT THE SAME TIME.
SO REGARDLESS, DO WE HAVE A GOOD DATE THAT WOULD WORK FOR EVERYBODY? I PULLED UP THE JULY CALENDAR, UM, ON WHAT WE HAVE STILL ON JULY 25TH.
SO IT LOOKS LIKE WE'VE GOT ITEMS ON ALMOST EVERY DATE WITH THE EXCEPTION OF FRIDAY.
UH, FRIDAYS AND THEN THEY'RE KIND OF SPORADIC.
SO I THINK WE WERE LOOKING AT MAYBE LATER IN THE MONTH, I BELIEVE THE 29TH IS MARKED OUT BECAUSE WE ADDED THAT AS A PLACEHOLDER BECAUSE THAT'S A DATE THAT WORKED FOR CHRISTIE.
[01:25:01]
THERE IS A MEETING THAT IS SCHEDULED HERE FROM FOUR TO FIVE ON THE 29TH.AND WE DON'T NEED TO HAVE IT AT SIX O'CLOCK.
WE CAN HAVE IT IN THE MORNING OR IF ANOTHER TIME OR ANOTHER DATE DOES WORK BETTER.
IS THAT A WHAT DAY OF THE WEEK? IS THAT THE 29TH? IT'S A MONDAY.
WHAT'S MY BIRTHDAY? I'M NOT COMING.
NOW WE KNOW WHEN YOUR BIRTHDAY IS.
UM, IS THERE ANOTHER DATE THAT WE CAN LOOK AT? UH, THE STATE'S GONE ONE THE WEEKS CERTAINLY THAT THE 30TH.
I DON'T, I MEAN THE DAY AFTER.
IS THERE ANY, WHAT WAS THERE? OKAY, THERE'S A MEETING AT FOUR.
OH, WERE YOU GONNA BE RETURN TO HEALTH? I'LL BE BACK.
WOULD YOU LIKE A MORNING, EARLY AFTERNOON? I KNOW WITH WORK SOMETIMES IT'S DIFFICULT OR DO YOU WANNA LOOK AT A SIX O'CLOCK MEETING WORKSHOP? WHAT I THINK WOULD BE IDEAL IF ERIC COULD MAKE IT WOULD BE THERE WAS A MEETING AT FOUR O'CLOCK, BUT HAVING, IF WE CAN DO WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, HAVING A LITTLE SMALL SESSION, JUST US, WE'RE ABOUT 30, 30 MINUTES IS PROBABLY MORE THAN ENOUGH.
AND THEN IF YOU WANNA DO AN OPEN FORUM FOR APPLICANT'S RIGHT AFTERWARDS.
SO START US AT FIVE 30 AND HAVE THAT AT SIX.
SO WE'LL LOOK AT A FIVE 30 YOU GUYS JULY 30TH MEETING.
SO WE'LL GET AN ANSWER TO HOW TO HANDLE IF IT'S PERMITTED AND WE'LL BE REACHING OUT.
I DIDN'T REALIZE EVERYBODY LEFT.
WE APPRECIATE WE, WE NEED A VOLUNTEER.
SHE IS ALLOWED TO COME TO THE WORK SECTION.
MOST PEOPLE GET THE MONEY AND RUN.
WE HAVE A, DON'T WE NEED A MOTION TO END THE, I THINK A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
THANKS FOR WATCHING BEAUFORT COUNTY TV.
HI, I'M ANGEL KOSKI, BUSINESS MANAGER FOR THE COUNTY SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLING DEPARTMENT AND CONVENIENCE CENTER DECAL PROGRAM.
WE WANT TO REMIND ALL BEAUFORT COUNTY RESIDENTS THAT BEGINNING THURSDAY, APRIL 1ST, THE BUFORT COUNTY DECAL SYSTEM WILL GO LIVE AT ALL COUNTY CONVENIENCE CENTERS.
IF YOU HAVE NOT APPLIED FOR A DECAL, PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR INFORMATION USING THE ONLINE FORM@BUFORTCOUNTYSC.GOV SLASH SW DECAL ONLY VERIFIED BUFORT COUNTY RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY OWNERS WILL BE ALLOWED TO APPLY FOR DECALS.
COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION VEHICLES WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO USE COUNTY CONVENIENCE CENTERS.
VEHICLES SHOULD BE PREPARED TO STOP WHEN THEY ENTER THE COUNTY CONVENIENCE CENTERS AS ATTENDANCE WILL BE SCANNING DECALS.
IF YOU HAVEN'T RECEIVED YOUR DECAL, YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO DROP OFF YOUR ITEMS. IF YOU HAVE APPLIED FOR A DECAL AND HAVE NOT RECEIVED IT, PLEASE VISIT THE LINK ON THE SCREEN AND FILE A HELP REQUEST.
ONLY ONE DECAL WILL BE ISSUED PER BEAUFORD COUNTY PROPERTY.
EACH PROPERTY WILL BE ALLOWED THREE VISITS PER WEEK TO THE CONVENIENCE CENTER.
AS THIS NEW PROGRAM ROLLS OUT, WE CONTINUE TO ASK FOR THE PUBLIC'S PATIENCE.
OUR CONVENIENCE CENTER STAFF IS HAPPY TO ASSIST YOU AND DIRECT YOU TO SOMEONE WHO CAN ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS.
FOR PROPERTY OWNERS WHO DON'T WANNA PARTICIPATE, YOU CAN MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR INDIVIDUAL CURBSIDE COLLECTION FROM A PERMITTED WASTE HAULER OF YOUR CHOICE AND AT YOUR OWN EXPENSE.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON PRIVATE HAULERS, THE DECAL PROGRAM AND COUNTY CONVENIENCE CENTERS, PLEASE VISIT THE LINK ON THE SCREEN.