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CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY.
[I. CALL TO ORDER]
AN ORDER WORKSHOP.THE DATE IS MAY 30TH, 2024 ARE THE MISSING ONE COUNCIL MEMBER.
UM, ANYBODY HEARD FROM FRED? HE'S EN ROUTE.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE GOOD TO START.
UM, I GUESS WE'LL CALL, WE CALL THE ORDER PUBLIC COMMENT PERTAINING TO AGENDA ITEMS ONLY DONE.
[1. Hilton Head - Bluffton Chamber of Commerce Annual DMO Presentation - Ariana Pernice, Vice - President Visitor & Convention Bureau, Hilton Head Island - Bluffton Chamber of Commerce]
HILTON HEAD, BLUFFTON CHAMBER COMMERCE ANNUAL DMO PRESENTATION.I HOPE EVERYONE IS DOING WELL.
MY NAME IS ARIANA BERNICE AND I'M WITH THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND BLUFFTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
AND I'M GOING TO PRESENT THE PROPOSED MARKETING PLAN AND BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 25.
FOR ME, THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE THE DMO FOR THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON IS A GREAT PRIVILEGE, AND WE TAKE THAT VERY SERIOUSLY.
WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH THE TOWN STAFF, UM, THE TOWN COUNCIL AND THE COMMUNITY TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE HITTING THE MARK WHEN IT COMES TO, UM, APPROPRIATELY PROMOTING THE DESTINATION IN TERMS OF WHAT WE FEEL ARE THE TOGETHER FEEL, ARE THE, UM, OPPORTUNITIES TO PROMOTE FOR OTHERS TO VISIT AND ENJOY THE SAME AMENITIES AND WONDERFUL LIFESTYLE THAT WE DO EVERY SINGLE DAY.
UM, OUR ORGANIZATIONAL GOVERNANCE, UM, FOR THOSE THAT ARE NEW TO OUR PRESENTATIONS AND HOW OUR ORGANIZATION WORKS, IT REALLY IS IN LOCKSTEP WITH, UM, THE TOWN, THE COMMUNITY, UM, AND THE COUNCIL.
UM, I ACTUALLY CAN'T SEE THAT FAR EITHER, SO I APOLOGIZE FOR LOOKING DOWN.
BUT, UM, WE ARE GOVERNED BY SEVERAL DIFFERENT ASPECTS.
UH, ONE BEING OUR DMO CONTRACT WITH THE TOWN AS THE DMO, WE DO AN ANNUAL INDEPENDENT AUDIT.
UM, THAT'S OUR OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU AND, AND, UM, RECEIVE THAT FEEDBACK.
WE ARE ACTUALLY ACCREDITED BY DESTINATIONS INTERNATIONAL.
UM, WE ARE UNDER 200 ORGANIZATIONS AS DS THAT HAVE THAT ACCREDITATION AND GO THROUGH A PRETTY RIGOROUS, UM, CHECK BOX OF THINGS THAT MAKE US ELIGIBLE FOR THAT ACCREDITATION PROCESS.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS ON A DAILY BASIS.
OUR VISION IS TO, UM, ENSURE WE'RE A WELCOMING WORLD CLASS COMMUNITY, EMBRACING NATURE, CULTURE, AND ECONOMIC VIBRANCY FOR RESIDENTS AND VISITORS WITH A MISSION TO STIMULATE THE REGIONAL ECONOMY WHILE ENHANCING QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL.
SO BEFORE WE LOOK FORWARD, WE'LL LOOK BACK.
AND WE DO THAT FROM A CALENDAR STANDPOINT BECAUSE AS WE RUN ON A FISCAL YEAR ALONGSIDE WITH YOUR EFFORTS, JULY, UH, THROUGH JUNE, WE TAKE THE LAST FULL 12 MONTHS THAT WE CAN, AND THAT'S THE BEST THING TO DO IS LOOK AT 2023.
SO WE'RE IN PROCESS CURRENTLY OF FISCAL YEAR 24.
UM, SO WE'LL LOOK BACK AT 2023 YEAR IN REVIEW.
SO WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THIS, THINK ABOUT 12 MONTHS, JANUARY THROUGH DECEMBER, 2023.
THIS IS A QUICK SNAPSHOT OF HOW WE DID HEALTH WISE, UM, FROM A TOURISM PERSPECTIVE.
SO AT THE END OF THE DAY, OUR OUT MARKETING EFFORTS ARE REALLY TO GARNER EYEBALLS TO OUR VIRTUAL FRONT DOOR, WHICH IS THE WEBSITE.
BUT ULTIMATELY WE WANT TO TURN, UM, THOSE EYEBALLS THAT ARE LOOKING AND SEEKING TRAVEL TO THE TOWN OF BLUFF TO PUT A HEAD IN A BED.
THERE ARE FOUR HOTELS WITHIN THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON THAT, UM, RE OR COLLECT AN ACCOMMODATION TAX.
SO WE HAVE OLD TOWN BLUFFTON INN MONTAGE, COMFORT SUITES, AND EXTENDED STAY.
THOSE ARE THE FOUR THAT COLLECT THE ACCOMMODATION TAX THAT CONTRIBUTE TO YOUR AT TAX COLLECTIONS HERE AT THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON.
SO WITH THAT, IF YOU LOOK AT 12 MONTHS OF 2023, IT WAS 69% OCCUPANCY AS A WHOLE.
THE AVERAGE DAILY RATE, IF YOU TAKE ALL THE HOTEL ROOMS AVAILABLE, UM, AND PUT THEM TOGETHER IN TERMS OF WHAT THOSE WERE OFFERED AT DURING THE 2023, UM, CALENDAR YEAR, THEY AVERAGED A $264 95 CENTS RATE.
AND THEN THE REVENUE PER AVAILABLE ROOM WAS $183 AND 63 CENTS.
OUR ACCOMMODATION AND HOSPITALITY TAX COLLECTIONS OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS IS UP 103%.
SO I THINK WE'RE DOING PRETTY GOOD
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PARTICULAR INSTANCE.UM, AND YOU CAN SEE BY THE SHADES OF THE BARS THAT IT'S THE, UM, VISUAL FOR HOSPITALITY, LOCAL ACCOMMODATION AND STATE ACCOMMODATION COLLECTIONS.
IF YOU LOOK AT, UM, WHO IS VISITING, UM, AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING AND THEIR IMPACT IN VISITING OUR DESTINATION, THERE WAS OVER 208 MILLION, UM, IN TERMS OF THE TOTAL ECONOMIC IMPACT.
AND SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT AND YOU HAVE 208 MILLION IN ECONOMIC IMPACT.
SO EVERY TIME WE PUT A DOLLAR OUT INTO THE MARKET, WE RECEIVED $26 AND 25 CENTS RETURN OUR INVESTMENT.
SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE 208 MILLION, REALLY LOOK AT THAT AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAY TOTAL IMPACT.
SO THAT'S THEM STAYING EATINGS, BUYING GAS, HAVE A RENTAL COMPANY HAS TO COME AND CLEAN HOUSE.
ITS TOTAL ECONOMIC IMPACT, DIRECT AND INDIRECT WHEN IT'S TALKING ABOUT TOTAL COLLECTIONS.
SO THAT QUICK SNAPSHOT BRINGS US TO WHAT I'VE MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY, WHICH WAS OUR VIRTUAL FRONT DOOR.
YEARS AGO, UM, YOU WOULD SEE A MORE TRADITIONAL BRICK AND MORTAR AS BEING YOUR ONLY TIME OP OR ONLY OPPORTUNITY REALLY TO ENGAGE WITH A DESTINATION.
UM, AND TODAY WE DO STILL HAVE OUR BRICK AND MORTAR AT THE FOUR-WAY STOP, BUT WE ALSO HAVE, UM, OUR VIRTUAL FRONT DOOR.
AND IT REALLY DOES WORK AS ANOTHER, I WOULD SAY, PERSON ON OUR TEAM.
REALLY, IT'S THE ONE WELCOMING EVERYBODY VIRTUALLY AND ECHOES AND REALLY THE, THE OPPORTUNITY OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO BRING FORWARD TO ALL VISITORS THAT ARE INTERESTED IN VISITING, UM, THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON.
SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHO IS VISITING, UM, WE HAD OVER 254,000 PEOPLE VISIT IN 2023, AND THEY SHOOK THE HANDS OR HAD A REFERRAL TO A BUSINESS WITHIN THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON, AND THAT WAS AT 56,000 OF THOSE.
BUT WE ALL KNOW THAT WE CAN'T JUST HAVE THE WEBSITE ALONE AND HOPE PEOPLE FIND IT.
UM, WE HAVE A CONCERTED EFFORT IN PLACE WITH BEING ON MANY DIFFERENT CHANNELS OR PLATFORMS TO ENSURE PEOPLE ARE FINDING THEIR WAY BACK TO THE WEBSITE.
BUT ONE WAY THAT IS WORKING REALLY HARD FOR US IS OUR SOCIAL MEDIA.
AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT, SOCIAL MEDIA FOR US IN THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON AND PROMOTION FOR TOURISM HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT WE'VE GROWN OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS TOGETHER.
UM, WE'VE ALWAYS HAD A BIT OF A FACEBOOK PRESENCE.
WE'VE HAD, UH, INSTAGRAM, BUT THOSE HAVE GROWN FOR US OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS.
AND WE'VE IN ALSO INTRODUCED TIKTOK.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE ALL FAMILIAR WITH TIKTOK, BUT IT'S THE PLACE TO BE.
PEOPLE ARE MAKING DECISIONS OFF TIKTOK, WHICH IS INTERESTING TO ME.
UM, I, I BELIEVE I'VE, I'VE AGED MYSELF AND I'M PUTTING MYSELF IN A, IN A DIFFERENT GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO PROBABLY USE, UM, SOCIAL MEDIA AS A OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, UNDERSTAND NEW OPPORTUNITIES OR, OR TRENDS THAT ARE HAPPENING.
BUT, UM, I'M STILL GOING INTO MAYBE A WEBSITE OR PICKING UP A, YOU KNOW, A PRINTED PIECE TO MAKE THAT FINAL DECISION WHERE THE YOUNGER GENERATIONS ARE ACTUALLY MAKING DECISIONS ON FACEBOOK, ON TIKTOK, ON INSTAGRAM, AND THEY'RE TAKING ITINERARIES, SUGGESTIONS, THEIR BOOKING ACTUALLY THROUGH TIKTOK.
SO IT'S A REALLY BIG PLATFORM FOR, UM, UH, FOR THE YOUNGER GENERATIONS.
AND AS WE GROW THE DESTINATION AND, AND THE AWARENESS OF THE DESTINATION, IT'S ONE THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO USE AND BUILD AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
SO OUR TOTAL FOLLOWERS ACROSS ALL OF OUR ORGANIC CHANNELS ARE 48,000.
BUT THE EYEBALLS THAT HAD EXPOSURE TO THAT, UM, OPPORTUNITY ACROSS THAT WAS OVER 10 MILLION.
AND I JUST WANTED TO PLAY THINGS THAT ARE INTERESTING TO OUR FOLLOWERS, BUT IF YOU WAIT FOR IT, APOLOGIES THAT THERE'S NOT SOUND TO IT, BUT THEY LOVE NATURE, THEY LOVE THE MAY RIVER, AND THEY LOVE TO SEE THE DOLPHINS COME UP.
SO THIS IS ONE OF OUR TOP PERFORMING, UM, POST THAT WE HAD THIS PAST 2023 YEAR.
WE ALSO, UM, COMPLIMENT OUR WEBSITE, OUR SOCIAL EFFORTS WITH A RICH AND, UM, CONSISTENT OUTREACH EFFORT THROUGH PUBLIC RELATIONS.
CHARLIE CLARK ON OUR TEAM WORKS VERY CLOSELY WITH EDITORS AS WELL AS UTILIZING THE POWER OF WEBER SHANDWICK, WHO IS OUR AGENCY OF RECORD.
CHARLIE AND HER TEAM WORK DAILY TO FOSTER RELATIONSHIPS.
THESE ARE THINGS THAT YOU CANNOT PAY FOR.
THESE ARE THINGS THAT ARE EARNED, UM, DIFFERENT THAN WHAT YOU WOULD CALL PAID MEDIA.
LIKE WE'VE INVESTED IN THIS ARTICLE THAT'S GONNA SHOW UP IN GARDENING GUN.
SHE DOES, CHARLIE AND HER TEAM DO, UM, LOOK TO PICK OUT PARTICULAR PUBLICATIONS, WHETHER THOSE BE ONLINE OR PRINT.
UM, BUT SHE WORKS, UM, VERY HARD TO BUILD THOSE RELATIONSHIPS AND TELL THE STORY OF BLUFFTON IN WHICH SHE WAS ABLE TO GARNER IN 2023 WITH HER TEAM.
THAT'S OVER 1 BILLION IN IMPRESSIONS, AGAIN, EYEBALLS THAT
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HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THESE PIECES THAT WERE OUT IN THESE PUBLICATIONS.AND AGAIN, THESE ARE JUST A SNAPSHOT OF THE REALLY HIGH END, UM, PIECES THAT ARE BEING, UM, YOU KNOW, PLACED ACROSS DIFFERENT CHANNELS.
AND THAT WOULD'VE BEEN OVER 421,000 IF WE WERE TO GO OUT AND PAY FOR THAT, WHICH WE WOULDN'T WANT TO DO, UM, BECAUSE WE HAVE OTHER ASSETS THAT WE WANNA MAKE SURE ON ALL THE TIME.
AND THAT MONEY IS USED TO DO THOSE THINGS.
SO KUDOS TO CHARLIE AND HER TEAM AS THEY CONTINUE TO WORK, UM, THOSE OPPORTUNITIES AND, AND SHOW GREAT RESULTS.
THE FULFILLMENT PIECE IN MY PHONE, UM, IS ONE THAT I'M VERY PROUD OF AND I KNOW THE TOWN IS VERY PROUD OF.
WE WORKED VERY HARD A COUPLE YEARS BACK TO ENSURE THAT THE, UM, TOWN OF BLUFFTON HAD THEIR OWN PIECE.
THIS COFFEE TABLE BOOK THAT SITS VERY PROUDLY ON MY COFFEE TABLE AND MANY OTHERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND THE WORLD.
30,000 UNITS OF THESE ARE PRODUCED ANNUALLY.
UM, AND WE ARE WELL ON OUR WAY TO FULFILLING THOSE THIS YEAR.
AND, UM, FOR THE YEAR OF 2023 OF THE 30,000 WE ORDERED, WE FULFILLED 29,000 OF THOSE.
SO THIS IS ONE OF OUR TOP REQUESTED PIECES.
UM, WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT TRAVEL, HOW CAN I PLAN MY TRIP? WHAT CAN THERE, WHAT CAN I DO WHEN I COME TO BLUFFTON? AND THIS IS A COMPREHENSIVE BOOK THAT TELLS THAT DEEPER STORY, UM, PROVIDES ITINERARIES AND GIVES INSIGHT TO WHAT THEY MIGHT BE EXPERIENCED WHEN THEY'RE HERE IN PERSON.
HOW IS THAT FULFILLED OR WHERE IS IT DISTRIBUTED? GOOD EVENING.
IT IS AT BOTH OF OUR OFFICES, BOTH IN BLUFFTON AND ON HILTON HEAD.
IT IS AT ALL STATE WELCOME CENTERS, OFFICIAL WELCOME CENTERS.
THERE ARE NINE OF THOSE ACROSS THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA AAA OFFICES.
WE ALSO TAKE EMAIL AND PHONE REQUESTS AND WE FULFILL THOSE.
WE TAKE 'EM TO ALL TRADE SHOWS AND EVENTS, AND THEN THEY'RE ALSO AT EVERY MEDIA AND PUBLIC RELATION INITIATIVE THAT WE HAVE.
ANY QUESTIONS ON WHAT WE'VE DONE? CAN YOU DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN? YES, SIR, I SURE CAN.
NOW YOU DON'T HAVE, I FEEL LIKE I'M JUST WARMING UP
UM, I, I'M REALLY PROUD OF WHAT WE'VE DONE TOGETHER IN 2023.
I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY AS WE'VE GONE THROUGH A GREAT, UM, HALF OF THE FISCAL YEAR LOOKING FORWARD.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S GREAT THINGS AHEAD.
WE'VE REALLY GROWN THIS BRAND AND BRAND AWARENESS, AND I'M EXCITED TO SHARE WITH YOU KIND OF HOW WE'LL TAKE THAT SAME APPROACH, LEARNING FROM WHAT WE'VE DONE IN 23 ON THIS FIRST HALF OF THIS FISCAL YEAR AND APPLY IT TO OUR STRATEGY GOING FORWARD.
UM, AS YOU WERE TALKING, YOU KNOW ABOUT TIKTOK AND ALL OF WHERE IT'S YEAH.
YOU'RE REACHING, UM, MORE YOUNG PEOPLE.
IN OUR AVERAGE PERSON OR OR AGE GROUP, YOU KNOW, IS IT MORE FAMILIES OR IS IT MORE, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? WHAT SURE.
WHAT ARE THE, ARE YOU SEEING ANYTHING DIFFERENT? WE ARE SEEING, UM, A SLIGHT DIFFERENCE.
SO MONTAGE BEING THE OPPORTUNITY WHERE THEY ARE IS THE MOST BEDS OR ACCOMMODATIONS THAT ARE OFFERED.
UM, THAT SKEWS A BIT HIGHER END AND IT SKEWS MORE TOWARDS FAMILIES ON EXTENDED FAMILY TRIPS, ENTER, YOU KNOW, THE GENERATIONAL CONCEPT AND WE'RE GETTING A LOT OF PEOPLE, THIS DOESN'T ANSWER THE AGE QUESTION, BUT I'LL GET THERE.
THAT BRAND IS SO RECOGNIZED KIND OF ON THE WEST COAST.
AND FURTHER ONE OF OUR TOP, UM, CONTRIBUTORS TO OUR VISITOR PROFILES TODAY THAT WE DO FOR THE TOWN OF LUPTON.
WE'RE GETTING A LOT OF RESPONSES FROM CALIFORNIA AND THE WEST COAST.
I SAY THAT BECAUSE YES, WE DO SEE A LOT OF FAMILIES COMING WHO ARE BRINGING THEIR YOUNGER KIDS TO DO EXPERIENCES IN ADDITION TO, WE TEND TO SKEW YOUNGER ANYHOW, IN TERMS OF OUR VISITORSHIP.
AND WHEN I SAY YOUNGER, I'M THINKING THAT 35 TO 45, YOU KNOW, AGE RANGE AND IT GOES UP AND DOWN FROM THERE.
BUT WE HAVE THAT SWEET SPOT OF 35 TO 45.
UM, BUT IT REALLY IS A, UM, AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US.
NOW, PEOPLE WHO ARE ENGAGING ON TIKTOK NOT, MIGHT NOT BE THE MAIN DECISION MAKER IN WHERE THEY TRAVEL, BUT THEY ARE HELPING TO MAKE A DECISION, ESPECIALLY IF IT'S A FAMILY TRIP.
HEY, I'VE SEEN THIS MOM AND DAD OR FAMILY MEMBER WHO'S MAKING THE DECISION, WHAT HAVE WE CONSIDERED THIS? AND I THINK THOSE ARE SOME REALLY GREAT THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING WITHIN TRAVEL.
UM, THAT THERE'S MORE THAN ONE DECISION MAKER.
UM, THAT THERE MIGHT BE ONE PERSON WHO'S ACTUALLY CLICKING THE BUTTON, BUT THEY'RE TAKING A COLLECTIVE, YOU KNOW, ASK OF WHAT'S HAPPENING AND WHAT PEOPLE ARE DOING.
AND AS WE SEE ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE VERY HANDS-ON WHEN THEY'RE TRAVELING.
SO WHETHER THEY'RE ENJOYING A FARMER'S MARKET, WHETHER THEY'RE OUT ON THE MAY RIVER, THEY'RE EXPERIENCING SOME KIND OF HISTORICAL OPPORTUNITY.
UM, EATING OUR LOCAL, YOU KNOW, CUISINE.
THESE ARE THINGS THAT THEY'RE EXPERIENCING 'CAUSE THEY'RE SEEING IT ON ONE OF THE SOCIAL CHANNELS OR READING ABOUT IN ONE OF THE ARTICLES.
SO IT'S BEEN A LOT OF FUN TO, UH, ENGAGE THEM WITH DIFFERENT CONTENT, UM, AND SEE WHAT PICKS UP AND WHAT DOESN'T.
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AS WE MOVE FORWARD, OUR OVERARCHING GOAL HAS NOT CHANGED.IT WILL ALWAYS BE, UH, TO BUILD A MARKETING PLAN THAT DRIVES QUALIFIED VISITATION TO THE DESTINATION.
SO AT THE END OF THE DAY, ALL OF OUR OUT MARKETING EFFORTS AND THE THINGS THAT WE DO TO PUT THE BRAND IN THE OUT MARKETS 50 MILES OR FURTHER IS TO REALLY PUT THEM IN THIS QUALIFYING FUNNEL.
AND YOU CAN TELL THAT I'M IN MARKETING 'CAUSE I'M USING MY HANDS, BUT ESSENTIALLY THINK OF IT AS A FUNNEL.
AND IF YOU START TAKING PEOPLE IN AT THE TOP OF A FUNNEL AND YOU START TELLING THEM ALL ABOUT BLUFFED IN AND ALL THE THINGS THAT THEY CAN DO, YOU'RE STARTING TO QUALIFY THEM, RIGHT? IS THIS OF INTEREST, DO YOU THINK? AND WE CAN GET A LITTLE SMARTER ON HOW WE'RE MARKETING TO THEM AS THEY WORK THEMSELVES FURTHER DOWN THE FUNNEL.
HOPEFULLY AT THE END WHEN THEY'RE QUALIFIED, THEY'RE CLICKING OUT AND MAKING THAT DECISION TO TAKE THEIR TRIP TO THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON.
NOW, WE AREN'T A POINT OF SALE ON OUR WEBSITE, BUT THAT HANDSHAKE OUT TO THE ACCOMMODATIONS OR TO THE CULINARY, UH, LOCATION, TO THE HISTORICAL DESTINATION THAT THEY WANT TO VISIT, THAT'S HAPPENING BECAUSE THEY'RE COMING THROUGH THIS FUNNEL.
AND THAT IS WHY IN MARKETING, IT ISN'T JUST A ONE STOP SHOP.
WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO SERVE THEM THE MESSAGE OF BLUFFTON.
AND IF AS WE QUALIFY THEM AND THEY SAY TO THEMSELVES, OH, I REALLY AM INTERESTED IN HISTORY, OR I'M REALLY INTERESTED IN CULINARY, BLUFFTON SEEMS TO HAVE THOSE THINGS AND THEY'RE OFFERING IT, CAN I GET A LITTLE BIT MORE INFO? AND THEY START TO CLICK AND BE FED THAT INFORMATION ON SOCIAL, ON THE WEBSITE, ON THE ADS THAT THEY'RE GETTING.
SO IT REALLY DOES HELP BRING THEM THROUGH THE FUNNEL AND THEN ULTIMATELY MAKE A HANDSHAKE OUT TO A PARTNER.
NOW I SAID THERE WASN'T A SINGLE, UH, DECISION MAKER.
THERE IS ONE PERSON WHO SKEWS TO BE THE ONE THAT PUSHES THE, UH, PURCHASE BUTTON.
AND OUR RECENT VISITOR PROFILE STUDY, IT SHOWS THAT THE FEMALE IS SKEWING AS THAT DECISION MAKER AT 52% LAST YEAR.
WE SAW THAT A LITTLE DIFFERENT.
THE MALE WAS ACTUALLY MAKING THE DECISION, WHICH WAS FROM OUR STANDPOINT, A BIT OF AN ANOMALY.
WE HADN'T SEEN THAT, UM, AT LEAST IN MY TENURE, UM, BUT FEMALE AT 52% FOR THIS PAST, UM, EFFORT.
AND, AND SO SHE'S THE ONE PUSHING THE BUTTON FOR THE FAMILY OR, UM, GROUP THAT'S TRAVELING.
WE'RE LOOKING FOR AN AFFLUENT TRAVELER, A HUNDRED THOUSAND TO 200,000 HOUSEHOLD INCOME.
THEY'RE, UM, EDUCATED WITH 51% HAVING UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE OR HIGHER.
THEY HAVE A PROPENSITY TO TRAVEL TWO TO FOUR TRIPS A YEAR, AND THEIR AVERAGE LENGTH OF STAY IS AROUND FIVE NIGHTS.
SO THAT'S THE GENERAL PERSON THAT WE'RE KIND OF PUTTING THE MESSAGE OUT TO UP HERE AT THE TOP OF THE FUNNEL.
BUT AS WE'RE QUALIFYING THEM, WE'RE USING CATEGORIES OR WHAT WE ARE CALLING PERSONAS TO BRING THEM FURTHER THROUGH THE FUNNEL.
FAMILIES, WEEKENDERS, ARCH ARTS AND CULTURE AND HISTORY BUFFS, CULINARY TRAVELERS, OUTDOOR RECREATION, ENTHUSIASTS, SNOWBIRDS.
AND SO IF ANY OF THOSE THAT WE'RE TALKING TO UP HERE THAT MEET THE TARGET DEMOGRAPHIC HAVE FIT INTO ONE OF THOSE CATEGORIES, WE CAN SERVE THEM DIFFERENT INSIGHTS AND INFORMATION AND WE QUALIFY THEM A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY AS WE MOVE THEM THROUGH THE FUNNEL IN, UM, PARTNERSHIP WITH THE TOWN.
WE HAVE KEPT THE SIX AREAS OF INTEREST AS OUR FOCUS EFFORT AS WE WORK, UM, TO PROMOTE THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON IN THE OUTMARKET, THE GULLAH GEECHEE AND CULTURAL HERITAGE CORRIDOR, UM, HISTORY, CULTURE AND ARTS.
NATIONAL HISTORIC REGISTER DESIGNATIONS, NATURAL BEAUTY, WATERWAYS AND PARKS, LOCAL CULINARY AND LOCAL MARKET EXPERIENCES, FESTIVALS AND EVENTS.
THOSE ARE THE SIX THAT WE HAVE SAID ARE AND IDENTIFIED TOGETHER THAT ARE IMPORTANT FOR US TO BE PROMOTING 365 DAYS A YEAR TO THE OUTMARKET.
WHEN WE LOOK AT HOW WE'LL DO THAT AND WHAT WE'RE, UH, MEASURING SUCCESS AGAINST, IT'S THESE FIVE, UM, GOALS THAT WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US.
UM, ESSENTIALLY IT'S A LONG-TERM CONVERSATION.
WE KNOW THAT THIS IS GONNA TAKE TIME TO QUALIFY VISITORS.
THOSE THAT HAVE REPEAT, WE WANNA SPEAK TO THEM A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY THAN THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN NEW TO THE BRAND AND NEW TO THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME AND VISIT US.
AND SO WE REALLY TAKE EACH ONE OF THESE AND WE CAN BREAK IT DOWN, UM, IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT, UM, QUADRANTS.
BUT ESSENTIALLY WE WANNA BUILD THE BRAND AWARENESS AND SUPPORT THE QUALIFIED VISITATION.
WE WANNA DRIVE DEEPER DISCOVERY, RIGHT? WE WANT THEM TO GET OFF, YOU KNOW, THEIR OUTTA THEIR CAR OR OFF THE PLANE AND THEY COME RIGHT HERE AND WE WANT THEM TO DIVE A LITTLE DEEPER INTO THE DESTINATION.
EAT HERE, SLEEP HERE, EXPLORE HERE, SHOP HERE.
WE WANT YOU TO DO ALL THOSE THINGS.
SO WHEN YOU LEAVE FROM YOUR VACATION, YOU'RE TAKING THAT MENTAL SNOW GLOBE OF EXPERIENCES WITH YOU AND HOPEFULLY A FEW OTHER THINGS.
BUT, UM, MOSTLY THOSE MEMORIES WITH THEM.
WE WANNA, UM, LEVERAGE A STRATEGIC MIX OF TARGETED METHODS TO IDENTIFY AND REACH THE MOST QUALIFIED USERS.
SO I CAN'T, UM, EMPHASIZE THAT THAT FUNNEL, UM, VISUAL ENOUGH.
WE REALLY WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE MONEY THAT WE'RE PUTTING OUT IN THE OUT MARKET IS WORKING REALLY HARD FOR US AND QUALIFYING THEM AS THEY COME THROUGH THE FUNNEL.
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AND WE ALSO WANNA CREATE AN UNDERSTANDING AND RESPECT FOR THE DELICATE ECOSYSTEM OF THE DESTINATION.WE DO THAT BY TELLING OUR STORY, RIGHT? WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TELL THE STORY OF WHY THE MAY RIVER IS SO IMPORTANT TO US, WHY HISTORY IS SO IMPORTANT TO US, WHY, UM, HISTORIC DISTRICT AND THE, AND THE GROWTH THAT WE'VE SEEN IN THE TOWN IS SO IMPORTANT TO US.
IT'S THOSE STORIES THAT WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO TELL AND BRING AN EMOTION TO IT SO PEOPLE CAN TIE TAG INTO THAT AND FEEL THAT AS WELL.
AND THEN HAVE A RESPECT FOR WHERE THEY'RE VISITING AND OBVIOUSLY WANNA COME BACK IN AND, AND EXPLORE MORE AND DEEPER, UM, AS THEY, AS THEY CONTINUE TO TRAVEL HERE.
AND WE'LL ALWAYS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO EN ENHANCE THE LEISURE AND GROUP BUSINESS THROUGH QUALIFIED VISITATIONS.
SO WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT LEISURE, BUT THERE IS OPPORTUNITY TO GROW THE GROUP SPACE, THE GROUP BUSINESS, WHETHER THAT BE THROUGH REUNIONS, THROUGH CORPORATE BUSINESS TRAVEL.
THERE IS SPACE TO DO THAT AND DO IT WELL HERE.
AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THOSE ARE TALKED ABOUT, THOSE ARE, UM, EMBRACED AND THAT WE CAN BRING THEM HERE, ESPECIALLY DURING OUR NEED TIMEFRAMES, RIGHT? BECAUSE THEY HELP FILL THE GAPS, RIGHT? WE NEVER WANT THE ROOM TO GO EMPTY.
WE WANT THAT ROOM TO BE FULL BUT FULL WITH A QUALIFIED USER.
I THINK IT REALLY VISUALLY SPEAKS TO ALL THE THINGS THAT HAVE CHANGED IN MARKETING.
UM, IT IS AN ALWAYS ON MULTIPRO, MULTI-PRONGED PLATFORM OF EFFORTS THAT ARE HAPPENING 365 DAYS A YEAR.
SO AGAIN, WE'VE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT IN THE PAST WHERE YOU CAN HAVE A PRINT AD IN A MAGAZINE 15 YEARS AGO AND WE DID OUR JOB, RIGHT? EVERYONE WAS EXCITED ABOUT THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON OR WHATEVER PRODUCT THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT.
BUT HERE AND WITH TODAY'S CONSUMER AND THE WAY THAT THEY DIGEST MEDIA AND BRANDS WE HAVE TO BE ON AND OMNIPRESENT, IF YOU WILL.
AND THAT COMES THROUGH ALL THE PIECES THAT WE JUST TALKED ABOUT.
WE HAVE TO BE TALKING ABOUT PR, WE HAVE TO BE TALKING ABOUT, UM, THE BRAND ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
WE HAVE TO HAVE THIS BOOK IN ALL THE RIGHT PLACES.
UM, THE WEBSITE HAS TO BE UP TO DATE.
SEO WHICH WE COULD SPEND THREE DAYS TALKING ABOUT SEO, BUT WE WON'T.
UM, BUT SEO IS THAT, UM, EARNED WAY OF ON THE BACK END OF A WEBSITE WHEN YOU'RE PUTTING YOUR BRAND OUT THERE, WHO ELSE IS OUT THERE FIGHTING FOR THAT SPACE ON GOOGLE, RIGHT? AND I THINK THAT BACKEND OPPORTUNITY HAS TAKEN LEAPS AND BOUNDS OF, UM, ESTABLISHING THEIR SPACE, IF YOU WILL.
SO GOOGLE WANTS TO OWN SO MUCH MORE OF THE SPACE ON, UH, LIKE ON THE TOP PART OF THE WEBSITE.
AND TO DO THAT, THEY ARE DOING A LOT OF THINGS ON THE BACKEND THAT ARE MAKING HARDER FOR BRANDS, INDIVIDUAL BRANDS TO HAVE A VOICE ON THE WEBSITE AND OR I SHOULD SAY, ON, UM, GOOGLE OR ANY OF THE SEARCH ENGINES.
AND SO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS BE AHEAD OF THE GAME AND TRY TO THINK SMARTER AND THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX WHEN IT COMES TO PROMOTING OUR BRAND.
AND SO THAT'S WHY SEO IS GONNA BE CONTINUE TO BE AN IMPORTANT PIECE THAT WE HAVE TO, UM, BE IN A PLACE WHERE WE'RE IN A POSITION WHERE WE CAN ACT QUICKLY AND BE NIMBLE AND THEN WE HAVE TO TRACK REPORT AND FLEX AS NEEDED BASED ON HOW THINGS ARE PERFORMING.
THIS SLIDE SPEAKS A LOT ABOUT THE FUNNEL PIECE, BUT IT'S JUST NOW I'VE TURNED THE FUNNEL ON THE SLIDE FOR MORE OF A VISUAL APPEALING PIECE.
BUT AWARENESS, INTENT, AND CONVERSION WE'RE PULLING YOU THROUGH.
AND IN EVERY STAGE WE'RE USING DIFFERENT TOOLS IN OUR TOOLKIT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE BRAND HAS TO OFFER AND ULTIMATELY COME TO VISIT OUR WEBSITE AND ULTIMATELY THE DESTINATION.
ALL OF THAT SAID, WE ARE ASKING, UM, FOR THE $350,000 FOR THIS COMING FISCAL YEAR, UM, AGAINST THESE LINE ITEMS THAT YOU SEE.
AND IT'S THE MIDDLE COLUMN, UM, FOR OUR PROPOSED, UM, BUDGET FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR STARTING JULY ONE.
AND THAT WOULD CONCLUDE MY PRESENTATION, BUT I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, UM, REGARDING THE BUDGET OR ANY OF THE MARKETING EFFORTS THAT WE PUT IN PLACE PRIOR OR DISCUSS PRIOR.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM ANYONE, BRIDGET? YEAH, I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS AND A COMMENT.
UM, FIRST THANK YOU ARIANA, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I MENTIONED TO, UM, CHARLIE PREVIOUSLY, BUT WANTED TO RECOGNIZE THAT YOU ALL TOOK INTO CONSIDERATION SOME CONCERNS WE HAD LAST YEAR AND HOW YOU ALL WERE MARKETING, UH, BLUFFTON AND WHERE IT COULD HAVE BEEN AN INSTANCE, UM, WHERE YOU COULD HAVE IGNORED IT OR KIND OF SOLD YOU GUYS REALLY LEANED IN AND DID THE WORK.
UM, IN RECOGNIZING THAT WE DID HAVE A DISCONNECT AND SEEN THE VACATION PLAN AND OTHER THINGS THAT SPOKE, IT SEEMED TO ONE PARTICULAR
[00:25:01]
TRAVELER AND EXCLUDED, UM, YOU KNOW, REPRESENTATION THAT, UM, FOLKS OF ALL BACKGROUNDS TRAVEL AND YOU HAVE TO MARKET IN THOSE PLACES AS WELL.UM, AND SO I COMMEND YOU GUYS FOR BRINGING TRAVEL NOIR IN ESSENCE AND A FEW OTHERS HERE.
UM, AND GIVING THEM THAT OPPORTUNITY TO GET THOSE MARKETING DOLLARS TOO.
'CAUSE THAT'S, UM, THAT'S WHAT WE, WHAT WE WANTED, UM, KNOWN AT PEOPLE TRAVEL WHERE THEY SEE THEMSELVES.
UM, QUESTION FOR ME IN LOOKING AT YOUR KEY AREAS OF INTEREST AND THE TARGET PERSONAS YOU'VE IDENTIFIED, UM, YOU SPOKE ABOUT TIKTOK AND UM, IT'S GREAT TO SEE THAT YOU GUYS DO ADAPT TO THOSE TRENDS.
INSTAGRAM, WE KNOW PRETTY MUCH ALL SOCIAL MEDIA, UM, HOW PEOPLE CONSUME TRAVEL IS DIFFERENT NOW.
YOU KNOW, THE RESTAURANT YOU'RE GONNA GO TO, YOU'RE GONNA LOOK FOR THE HASHTAG OF THAT CITY OF WHATEVER'S GOING ON.
UM, SO I'M INTERESTED TO SEE IS THERE A PLAN, UM, OR HAVE YOU ALL PUT IN ANY IDEAS OF HOW YOU PLAN TO MARKET TO THOSE KEY AREAS OF INTEREST AND, UM, ADAPTING TO THOSE DIFFERENT SOCIAL MEDIA TRENDS? YES, MA'AM.
WE ARE TAKING OUR SOCIAL FIRST APPROACH REALLY UTILIZING THAT, UM, APPROACHABLE AND AFFORDABLE OPPORTUNITY TO BE WITHIN THOSE PLATFORMS AND REALLY SPEAK ABOUT THE NUANCES THAT WE'RE LOOKING, UM, TO SHOT FROM THE ROOFTOPS, START THERE, BUT ALSO HAVE IT COMPLIMENT THROUGH, UM, OUR DIGITAL ADVERTISING THAT WE SEE ON GOOGLE.
AND THEN, UM, IT WOULD COMPLIMENT AND PUSH EVERYONE BACK TO THAT, THAT WEBSITE.
AND, UM, WHAT WE'RE GETTING SMARTER AT WITH TECHNOLOGY IS SUPPORTING US ON IS BEING ABLE TO TAG EVERYTHING AND YOU'RE ABLE TO THEN DO QUICK REAL TIME REPORTS ON HOW DID THIS DO? AND BEING NIMBLE WITH OUR DOLLARS TO SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, LET'S SHIFT THOSE OVER HERE.
BUT AT LEAST WE HAVE THAT CORE AREA OF FOCUS IDENTIFIED, AND THEN WE CAN, UH, MAKE ADJUSTMENTS AS NEEDED.
BUT SOCIAL MEDIA HAS BEEN, UM, A REAL GAME CHANGER FOR SO MANY REASONS, BUT IT HAS ALLOWED US TO DO MORE REAL TIME WITH THINGS, UM, WHICH I THINK IS A REAL OPPORTUNITY FOR THE DESTINATION.
AND I WOULD JUST LASTLY LIKE TO SAY, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU GUYS TO CONTINUE TO LEAN IN ON, UM, ENSURING THAT YOU ARE, YOU KNOW, UM, SEEKING TRAVELERS AND GIVING THAT REPRESENTATION IN ALL THOSE SPACES THAT ARE CONSIDERATE OF, UM, EVERYONE WHO'S INTERESTED IN COMING AND SEEING OUR AREA.
UM, AND I DON'T KNOW IF, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN ANSWER IT, BUT Y'ALL ARE PRETTY SMART, SO YOU JUST MIGHT
UM, SO ONE THING I'M CURIOUS ABOUT, AND, AND I KNOW THIS IS HEADS AND BEDS DRIVEN MORE THAN ANYTHING.
BUT DO Y'ALL HAVE ANY INKLING OF AN IDEA? UM, I NOTICED FREQUENTLY MORE AND MORE PEOPLE FROM HILTON HEAD COMING OVER HERE.
SO I, I REALIZED THAT THEY, SOME OF THEM MAY BE STAYING ON HILTON HEAD, BUT THEN THEY WANNA GET OFF THE ISLAND AND, AND I THINK THEY'RE COMING TO BLUFFTON AND LARGER NUMBERS EACH YEAR.
AND ONE THING I FOUND INTERESTING THIS WEEKEND WAS, UH, FOR EXAMPLE, CHRIS SHOEMAKER, WHO HAS HIS BUSINESS IN UNINCORPORATED BEAUFORT COUNTY, BUT HE'S A, HE'S A STALWART OF BLUFFTON.
HIS FIVE BOATS RAN THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE WEEKEND AND THERE WERE DROVES OF PEOPLE ON THOSE BOATS.
AND SO I I'M JUST CURIOUS IF, IS THERE A CONNECTION THERE BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, THE HILTON HEAD ENVIRONMENT AND PROBABLY HIS BUSINESS AND PEOPLE LIKE HIM THAT ARE JUST, THEY'RE NOT STAYING NECESSARILY HERE, BUT THERE'S STILL A BIG SEGMENT THAT YOU'RE MARKETING FOR HILTON HEAD THAT'S COMING TO BLUFFTON? ABSOLUTELY, AND, AND THOUGH WE FOCUS ON ACCOMMODATION TAX, HOSPITALITY TAX FOR THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON IS, IS VERY IMPORTANT AS WELL.
I MEAN, I THINK WE NEED TO CONSIDER ALL OF IT IN REGARDS TO TOURISM.
UM, YOU KNOW, A RISING TIDE LIFTS ALL SHIPS IN THAT REGARD.
AND I THINK THERE IS SOMETHING THERE, COUNCILMAN WOODS, BUT I THINK THAT'S ALSO, HOW DO WE PUT THE TECHNOLOGY BEHIND TRACKING IT? AND WE'VE JUST, UM, PURCHASED INTO SOME NEW TECHNOLOGY, UM, THAT WE'RE CITED CAN GIVE US SOME, UM, INSIGHTS TO BY ESSENTIALLY DRAWING A CIRCLE AROUND DIFFERENT AREAS WE'D LIKE TO LOOK AT FOR DIFFERENT TIMEFRAMES.
AND IT CAN SHOW US WHO THOSE VISITORS ARE, HOW LONG THEY STAYED, UM, AND IT'S DONE BY YOUR GEOLOCATION.
I KNOW IT KIND OF SOUNDS A LITTLE STRANGE, BUT ESSENTIALLY IF YOU ARE IN AN APP AND THE HUNDREDS AND THOUSANDS OF APPS THAT ARE OUT THERE AND YOU HAVEN'T CHANGED YOUR PREFERENCE ON GEOLOCATION AND HOW IT CAN TRACK YOU OR YOU'VE SAID IT OR WHY YOU'RE USING IT, IT'S TRACKING YOU AND ABLE TO SEE HOW LONG YOU ARE IN A DESTINATION, WHERE YOUR HOME BASE IS, UM, THINGS OF THAT NATURE, AND THEN CAN QUALIFY YOU OF HOUSEHOLD INCOME, UM, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
SO I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE DOING GOING FORWARD WITH THE TAGGING OF DIFFERENT ADS,
[00:30:01]
UM, AND THE TIMEFRAMES OF DIFFERENT EVENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING.WE CAN START TO PUT SOME REALLY GOOD STORYLINES TOGETHER OF, YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHY PEOPLE ARE TRAVELING, THIS IS HOW THEY'RE TRANSACTING AND MOVING, UM, THROUGHOUT THE TWO DESTINATIONS.
AND I THINK THERE IS ITINERARY OPPORTUNITIES.
THERE'S, UM, THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO BEST MESH THEM IN TERMS OF SHARING OPPORTUNITIES.
UH, WE'VE TALKED, UM, OFTEN ABOUT HOW WE CAN EVEN DO THINGS ABOUT PROMOTION OF EVENTS THAT MIGHT BE IN ONE LOCATION, BUT BOTH REALLY SHARE IN THE VISITORSHIP RIGHT.
AND, UM, WE'RE GONNA BE DOING THAT IN THE COMING VACATION PLANNER.
WE JUST CAME OFF THAT MEETING AND, AND WE'LL BE DOING MORE OF THAT IN GENERAL.
THANK YOU MS. BUR, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
[2. Lowcountry Regional Transportation Authority - Mary Lou Franzoni, Executive Director]
REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY.THANK YOU FOR INVITING US TO COME AND PRESENT OUR, UH, BUDGET REQUEST AND TO JUST DISCUSS WHAT'S HAPPENING AT PALMETTO BREEZE AND, UM, SO WE APPRECIATE COMING IN, FILLING Y'ALL IN.
GUESS I'VE PUSHED SOMETHING ON HERE, HERE WE GO.
SO, UH, NOT A WHOLE LOT OF CHANGE, BUT I'LL, UM, UH, REITERATE ALL THE THINGS THAT HAVE CHANGED.
WE DO HAVE THE SAME COMMUTER ROUTES.
WE DO SIX, SEVEN COMMUTER ROUTES FROM ALL OF THE, UH, OUTLYING COUNTIES TO BRING PEOPLE TO WORK ONCE THEY GET TO BLUFFTON.
IT USED TO BE MAYBE FOUR YEARS AGO THAT WE REALLY DIDN'T HAVE THAT MANY PEOPLE IN BLUFFTON THAT WANTED, THAT CAME FROM THE OUTLYING AREAS.
WELL, THAT'S ALL CHANGED WHEN THEY COME TO OUR FACILITY, WHICH IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER, UH, IN THE MORNING AND AGAIN IN THE EVENING.
AND WE HAVE A BUS OF 49 PASSENGER BUS THAT TAKES ALL THE WORKERS THAT HAVE COME FROM THE OUTLYING AREAS ALL AROUND BLUFFTON.
WE DO RSI, WE GO OUT TO BUCK WALTER, WE GO TO THE WILTS OF HARDY WALMART, WE DO ZAXBY'S.
UM, WE GO TO ALL OF THE FOLKS THAT, UH, HAVE JOBS HERE.
I THINK THAT PEOPLE AT THE KROGER'S WORK THERE.
UH, I MEAN RIDE OUR BUSES AND, UM, PUBLIX.
SO IF SOMEBODY, UM, CALLS US AND SAYS, HEY, I GOT A JOB IN BLUFFTON.
I LIVE IN HAMPTON AND I'M WORKING AT WHEREVER THE PLACE IS.
WE DO, WE, WE REROUTE THE BUS A LITTLE BIT IN BLUFFTON TO MAKE SURE THAT IF PEOPLE ARE COMING FROM THE OUTLYING COUNTIES, WE'LL FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET THEM WHERE THEY'RE GOING AND THE SAME.
SO WE'RE VERY, UM, UH, FLEXIBLE.
AND SO IF SOMEBODY'S RIDING TO A NURSING HOME TO WORK THERE AND THEN THEY DON'T ANYMORE THEN AND SOMEBODY WANTS A DIFFERENT SERVICE, WE'LL MOVE IT ON OVER.
AND WE TRY TO TAKE CARE OF EVERYBODY FOR PEOPLE THAT COME FROM THOSE OUTLYING COUNTIES.
UM, ONCE THEY START WITH OUR SERVICE, WE GIVE THEM THE FIRST WEEK FREE.
AND I DON'T KNOW, YOU KNOW, THAT IF YOU'RE NEW TO A JOB, YOU GET YOUR, UH, UH, SUPERVISOR TO WRITE US A LITTLE NOTE AND THEY SEND IT IN AND WE GIVE 'EM THEIR FIRST WEEK FREE.
WE LOOK AT THAT AS PEOPLE COMING IN FOR THESE JOBS ARE NEEDING SOME CASH AND MONEY AND THEY MAY NOT HAVE A BUS FARE TO START OUT.
WE LET 'EM COME TO WORK THEIR FIRST WEEK AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THEY GET PAID AND, UH, AND THEY PAY FOR THE NEXT WEEK.
UM, THAT'S WHAT 8 0 4 IS THE CIRCULATOR BUS AROUND BLUFFTON, BECAUSE WE DO BLUFF AND BREEZE, AND I'LL SHOW YOU A MAP AND EVERYTHING.
UM, WE'RE REQUIRED WHEN, UH, A TRANSIT PROVIDER DOES FIXED ROUTE SERVICE, WHICH IS NOT THE COMMUTER BUT REPEATED SERVICE THROUGH THE DAY, YOU HAVE TO, UH, PROVIDE COMPLIMENTARY A DA SERVICE.
UH, AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS IF SOMEONE CANNOT GET TO THE BUS OR CANNOT NAVIGATE RIDING A BUS AND THEY NEED TO GO SOMEWHERE, WHETHER IT'S TO GROCERIES OR WHEREVER, IF THEY'RE WITHIN THREE QUARTER OF A MILE, EITHER SIDE OF OUR ROUTE, UM, THEY FILL IN AN APPLICATION AND COULD QUALIFY FOR A DA TRANSPORTATION.
AND ONCE THEY QUALIFY, THEY CALL AND, UH, WE'LL GO RIGHT TO THEIR DOOR, PICK 'EM UP, TAKE 'EM RIGHT TO THE GROCERY STORE, TO THE DOCTOR OR WHEREVER THEY NEED TO GO.
AND, UM, RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE'RE RUNNING THE BLUP AND BREEZE, UM, FAIR FREE, IT'S ON A PROMOTION, THE THOSE A DA TRIPS ARE FREE AS WELL.
SO WE WILL GO GET FOLKS THAT CAN'T RIDE THE BUS AND TAKE 'EM WHERE THEY NEED TO GO.
AND I THINK THAT'S A VERY USEFUL SERVICE.
AND, UM, AND WE HELP WITH SPECIAL EVENTS.
AND I HAVE TO SAY WE WERE HAPPY TO HELP OUT TODAY FOR THE GROUNDBREAKING.
AND, UH, WE ARE PARTNERS WITH THE TOWN AND, UH, I COMMITTED, UH, YEARS AGO THAT WHENEVER AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMES ONLINE, AND HOPEFULLY IT WILL SOON, THAT WE ARE COMMITTED TO PROVIDING TRANSPORTATION BECAUSE THOSE ARE PEOPLE THAT NEED US.
THEY'RE USUALLY ONE CAR FAMILIES, AND SO THEY
[00:35:01]
NEED TO HAVE A WAY TO GET INTO THE NETWORK THAT'S OUR COMMUTER BUS MAP.UM, SO WE HAVE A VERY LARGE REACH OF FOLKS, UH, THAT WE BRING INTO, UM, TO BLUFFTON AND HILTON HAD TO GO TO WORK.
UM, THIS IS A BLUFFTON BREEZE.
UM, WE STARTED IT I THINK THREE YEARS AGO AND WE ONLY JUST HAD IT IN JUST IN BLUFFTON AND UP AND DOWN THE BLUFFTON PARKWAY.
WE EXPANDED IT, UM, A YEAR AGO AND WE'RE, WE HAVE A, UH, THE OKEE ROUTE.
AND SO, UM, THE TRANSFER POINT IS AT THE, UH, IN BUCK WALTER PLACE.
UH, AFTER YOU GO AROUND THE CIRCLE, THERE'S A PLACE WHERE THE TWO BUSES MEET AND UH, ONE BUS WILL GO BACK TO OKEE AND IT GOES TO THE FOOD LION AND UP TO, UM, 'CAUSE BY THE MEDICAL BUILDINGS, BY THE WALMART IN FRONT OF, UM, ALL THOSE STORES AND OVER BY THE WALMART.
AND WE DO HAVE AT LEAST ONE DEDICATED RIDER THAT GETS OFF TO GO TO UFCB FROM IN TOWN.
BUT WE'RE PROMOTING EVERYWHERE WE CAN WITH THE FREE PROMOTION.
WE'RE GETTING READY TO PUT, UM, UH, LIKE WAY FINDS PUT SIGNS ON THE BUS STOP POLES.
SO IF PEOPLE WALK BY, THEY'LL SEE A MAP, THEY'LL SEE SOMETHING, THEY'LL STOP AND LOOK AT IT AND GO, OH WOW, YOU CAN RIDE THE BUS HERE.
WE ALSO SERVE THE RV PARK AND WE DO GET A LOT OF PEOPLE COMING TO OLD TOWN AND WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT COME TO THE FARMER'S MARKET FROM THE RV PARK.
SO THAT, THAT WAS REALLY GOOD TO SERVE THEM AND TO KNOW THAT THEY REALLY LIKE TO COME OUT INTO TOWN.
THIS IS A BLUP AND BREEZE ROUTE.
IT IS A LITTLE BUSY, BUT UM, THAT PART WE ADDED IS THE TO THE LEFT, AND THAT'S UP TO OKEE AND YOU CAN SEE WHERE THE STAR IS.
THAT'S THE TRANSFER POINT AT THE BUCKWALTER, UH, PLACE.
AND, UH, RIDERSHIP IS BUILDING.
WE'RE TRYING VERY HARD TO PROMOTE AND TO GET PEOPLE, I DON'T KNOW SO MUCH OUTTA THEIR CARS, BUT JUST TO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S AN ALTERNATE WAY TO GET AROUND.
WE HAVE, I KNOW WE HAVE, UM, I ALMOST KNOW THE PEOPLE BY NAME, BUT WE HAVE SOMEBODY THAT GOES TO PHYSICAL THERAPY ON BLUFFTON PARKWAY THAT GETS ON UP AT THE WALMART.
AND SO THAT'S BEEN A GOD CENTER, AN EVERYDAY RIDER.
WE'VE GOT COLLEGE STUDENTS, WE'VE GOT, UM, THE RV PARK FOLKS AND UH, WE'VE GOT SOME REGULAR RIDERS.
SO, UH, IT'S BUILDING, EVEN WITH THE TROLLEY SERVICE ON HILTON HEAD, IT BUILT SLOW AND THEN, UM, WHEN WE ADDED ANOTHER ROUTE, IT REALLY TOOK OFF.
SO, SO WE'RE REAL HOPEFUL TO KEEP MARKETING AND, AND, UH, KEEP WORKING ON IT AND, UM, CONTINUE TO, UH, UH, IMPROVE THE RIDERSHIP.
AND, UH, WE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT THAT WE'RE GONNA PUT ROUTE INFORMATION AT THE STOPS.
WE DO, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A MOBILITY MANAGER THAT'S BILINGUAL WHO SPEAKS TO BETWEEN 20 AND 30, UH, LATINOS, UH, EVERY MONTH THAT, UM, DON'T SPEAK GOOD ENGLISH AND SHE HELPS THEM TO NAVIGATE THE SYSTEM.
WE ALSO USE, UM, A LANGUAGE SERVICE.
SO IF SOMEONE CALLS THERE IN ANY LANGUAGE, OUR DISPATCHERS IMMEDIATELY CAN CALL THE LANGUAGE SERVICE AND GET AN INTERPRETER.
AND WE'VE DONE RUSSIAN, WE'VE DONE CHINESE, WE CAN DO ANY LANGUAGE IF PEOPLE CALL.
SO I THINK THAT'S A REALLY GREAT FEATURE WITH THE VISITORS IF THEY NEED SOMETHING THAT'S OUR LITTLE A DA VAN IF YOU SEE IT AROUND.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING, UH, THE SERVICE TO THE, UM, FOLKS THAT, UH, THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITY ACT, THE, UM, THE, UH, FOLKS THAT NEED DOOR TO DOOR SERVICE, WE DO WITH THESE VANS.
AND WE HAVE SOME THAT ARE HIGHER UP BUT LOOK LIKE THE AMAZON VAN, BUT PAINTED LIKE THAT, IF YOU SEE THEM, THAT'S OUR A DA VANS.
IF ANYBODY ASK ABOUT IT OR ANYBODY THAT LIVES NEAR OUR BUS ROUTE OR WOULD NEED THAT TRANSPORTATION THAT, YOU KNOW, JUST HAVE 'EM CALL US BECAUSE WE OFFER THAT.
AND IF SOMEBODY IS 65 OR 70 YEARS OLD AND DOESN'T REALLY DRIVE, THAT'S ENOUGH.
YOU KNOW, THE DOCTOR CAN SAY NO, THEY CAN'T REALLY GET OUT IN THIS TRAFFIC AND GET ANYWHERE.
AND THEY, THE APPLICATION IS SIGNED BY THE DOCTOR AND THEN THEY GET ON OUR SERVICE AND WE HELP 'EM GET WHERE THEY NEED TO GO.
WE ALSO DO, HOPEFULLY WE WON'T DO IT THIS YEAR, BUT WE DO, UM, UH, EVACUATION SERVICES.
IF THERE'S A HURRICANE, THEY'RE CALLING FOR A REALLY RECORD YEAR.
BUT, UM, IN THE EVENT THAT WE DO HAVE, UM, MANDATORY EVACUATIONS, WE OPEN OUR, OUR, UH, CONFERENCE ROOM AND MAKE IT A CALL CENTER AND WE TAKE CALLS FROM EVERYBODY AND WE, UH, WE DON'T DEPLOY THE DRIVERS TILL THE AFTERNOON BECAUSE IN THE SHELTERS DON'T OPEN TILL SIX O'CLOCK AND PM SO WE, PEOPLE CALL IN A LOT OF TIMES JUST TO SEE, IS THERE TRANSPORTATION? YES THERE IS.
DO YOU NEED IT? AND THEN WE MAKE SURE THAT EVERY SINGLE PERSON THAT CALLS US, UH, EITHER GETS PICKED UP OR SAYS THEY DON'T NEED A RIDE.
I MEAN, WE FOLLOW UP ON EVERYBODY, MAKE SURE THEY GET WHERE THEY'RE GOING.
AND, UH, WE MADE IT THROUGH MATTHEW AND A COUPLE MORE TIMES WE DEPLOYED AFTER THAT AND IT WORKS REALLY WELL.
[00:40:01]
BROOKSHIRE BASICALLY SAYS, IF YOU NEED SERVICE, WE HAVE A REGISTRY ONLINE, YOU CAN GO TO OUR WEBSITE, YOU SIGN UP FOR THE REGISTRY.EVERYBODY THAT'S ON THE, WE GET A LOT OF ACTION RIGHT BEFORE A HURRICANE.
OUR MOBILITY MANAGER AND OUR DISPATCHERS CALL EVERY SINGLE PERSON ON THE REGISTRY.
DO YOU STILL WANNA BE ON OUR REGISTRY? DO YOU STILL NEED A RIDE? OKAY.
AND IF THEY'RE NOT ANSWERING PHONE'S DISCONNECTED, WE MARK 'EM OFF.
AND SO WE HAVE A VERY CURRENT LIST WITH EVERY HURRICANE.
AND SO IF ANYBODY IS NERVOUS OR DOESN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO AND NEEDS TO GO TO THE SHELTER, TELL 'EM TO JUST CALL, YOU KNOW, PALMETTO BREEZE.
IT'S JUST THE MAIN NUMBER AND WE TAKE CARE OF 'EM.
AND THIS IS OUR, OUR BUDGET, UH, NUMBERS.
AND WE HAVE BOTH URBAN, WELL THIS IS JUST THE URBAN SIDE OF THE BUDGET HERE AND UH, WE'RE ASKING FOR THE EXACT SAME MATCH AS LAST YEAR, WHICH IS ALWAYS GOOD.
BUT WHAT YOU'LL SEE WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR BUDGET, UM, YOU SEE THE FEDERAL SIDE, THAT'S ALL FEDERAL GRANT MONEY AND THE STATE, UM, WE'RE DOING A LOT OF WORK TO TRY TO GET THE STATE TO INCREASE HOW THEY MATCH.
I'M ON THE, UH, SOUTH CAROLINA, UH, TRANSIT ASSOCIATION, STATE ASSOCIATION AND WE'VE UM, DONE A LEGISLATIVE, UM, MEETING IN MARCH OF THIS YEAR, UH, RECEPTION WITH ALL THE LEGISLATORS.
AND THE REAL GIST OF IT IS THAT WHEN THEY STARTED THE PROGRAM WHERE THE STATE HELPED, UH, THE TRANSIT SYSTEMS IN 1989, THEY GAVE 6 MILLION TO TRANSIT.
AND GUESS WHAT? THEY GIVE 6 MILLION NOW.
AND WE HAD A HANDFUL OF SYSTEMS AND THERE'S 29 SYSTEMS. AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO GET THE STATE TO LOOK AT THAT AND LOOK AT INCREASING THAT.
IF THE STATE INCREASES THEIR MONEY, IT MEANS LESS LOCAL MATCH REQUIRED.
AND STATES I'VE WORKED, BESIDES THIS STATE, THE STATE AND THE LOCAL ARE USUALLY EQUAL.
THE STATE PUTS IN THE, YOU KNOW, TO HELP WITH THE LOCAL.
UM, HOW WE, UH, GET OUR MONEY IS WE SPEND MONEY FIRST AND THEN WE GET REIMBURSED, BUT WE DON'T GET REIMBURSED EVERYTHING.
IF IT'S AN OPERATIONS LINE, WE GET 50% OF OUR MONEY BACK.
IF IT'S UH, UH, PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE, AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S SEPARATED, UH, PROJECT MANAGEMENT, THOSE ARE ALL 80%.
SO WHEN WE SPEND A HUNDRED DOLLARS AND WE, UH, APPLY TO GET OUR MONEY BACK, WE GET $80 IF IT'S, UM, MAINTENANCE AND WE GET, UH, $50 IF IT'S OPERATIONS.
AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE TO HAVE THE MATCH TO CONTINUE, CONTINUE OUR SERVICES.
AND YOU CAN SEE EVERYTHING CHANGED WHEN THE, UM, 20 20 CENTS CAME UP, CAME, UM, GOT REFRESHED BECAUSE WE DO THE URBAN SERVICE BUDGET, UM, AS A PERCENT OF POPULATION.
AND SO, UM, YEAH, BLUFFTON IS GROWING AND SO IT'S UNINCORPORATED BUFORT, BUT UM, THIS PERCENTAGE WILL STAY UNTIL 2030 THE NEXT CENSUS.
ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? QUESTIONS? WHAT ABOUT YOUR FEE SCHEDULE FOR
UM, PEOPLE NOT KNOWING HOW MUCH TO PAY OR HOW THEY PAY TO BE A BARRIER THAT SAYS I'LL JUST DRIVE MY CAR.
SO WE'RE PROMOTING JUST GET ON, JUST TRY IT, YOU KNOW.
AND SO, UH, IT'S, OUR BOARD APPROVED THE FAIR FREE THROUGH, UH, TO TILL SEPTEMBER 30.
AND SO THE COMMUTER BUSES, THEY PAY A LOT MORE.
IF YOU'RE COMING UP OUT OF UM, HAMPTON COUNTY, YOU'RE GONNA PAY $4 A ONE WAY RIDE.
AND UH, SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT HOW WE GET OUR GRANT MONEY, SO LET'S SAY WE SPEND A HUNDRED DOLLARS AND WE COLLECTED $20 IN FARES, THIS IS HOW THEY DO IT.
TAKE THE A HUNDRED DOLLARS MINUS THE FARES, THEY CALL IT CONTRA.
NOW YOU HAVE $80 AND IF IT'S OPERATIONS, YOU'RE GONNA GET 40 BACK.
AND IF IT'S PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE, YOU'RE GONNA GET, UM, MY BACK.
RIGHT? WE TOOK THE $20 OFF, YOU GET 80% OF YOU GET $664.
THAT'S WHAT YOU GET OUT OF THE A HUNDRED BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO DEDUCT THE FAIRES FIRST BEFORE YOU GET YOUR PERCENTAGE.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT REALLY WAS WHAT YOU WERE ASKING.
WE RAISED THE FAIRES, WHAT IT REALLY DOES IS IT MAKES THE GRANT LAST LONGER.
IT DOESN'T GIVE US MORE WORKING MONEY.
IS THAT THE FURTHEST DISTANCE? THAT'S THE HIGHEST FAIR $4, YES SIR.
SOMEONE WANTED TO GO FROM BLUFFTON TO HILTON HEAD.
WHAT WAS F FA B? DEPENDS WHICH SERVICE THEY'RE USING.
IF THEY GET ON THE, UM, COMMUTER BUS THAT GOES BACK AND FORTH, UM, IT'S OUR LOCAL FAIR 'CAUSE THEY'RE NOT GOING VERY FAR.
I MEAN, WE WOULD LOVE TO GET TO THE SPOT AND I THINK WE WILL, UH, GET TO THE SPOT WHERE WE'RE FUNDED, WHERE WE HAVE DEDICATED FUNDING SOURCE AND WE CAN EXPAND THE ROUTES THAT WE HAVE.
'CAUSE WE USE ALL OUR MONEY TO DO WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW.
[00:45:01]
PLAN IS, YOU KNOW, DEVELOP MORE ON HILTON HEAD OR YEAR ROUND AND A CONNECTOR BETWEEN THE BLUFF AND BREEZE AND HILTON HEAD.AND THAT'S THE LONG TERM GOAL OF, OF UM, HELPING TO RELIEVE THE TRAFFIC ACROSS THE BRIDGE.
UM, WE LIKE OUR LUPTON BREEZE.
IS THERE A HILTON HEAD BREEZE? THERE'S THE BREEZE TROLLEY.
SO THAT THAT STAYS ON ON THE ISLAND.
YEAH, IT JUST STAYS ON HILTON HEAD.
IT, IT, UH, THERE'S TWO ROUTES.
THERE'S A SOUTH ALLEN ROUTE OVER THERE AND THEN THERE'S THE MID ISLAND AND THOSE TROLLEYS STAY OVER THERE AND THEY RUN AT FROM ONE O'CLOCK TILL LIKE 10 O'CLOCK.
AND OUR SERVICE HERE RUNS EIGHT TO FIVE.
'CAUSE WE LOOK AT MORE LIKE WE'RE TRYING TO JUST HELP WITH THE COMMU UH, TRANSPORTATION OF THE CITIZENS, GOING ABOUT THEIR DAILY, UH, BUSINESS.
AND ON HILTON HEAD WE'RE LOOKING AT VISITORS AND TOURISTS.
THEY'RE GOING OUT TO DINNER AND COMING BACK FROM THE BEACH.
WHEN WE FIRST STARTED OVER AT HILTON HEAD, WE, THE SERVICE WAS AT NINE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING AND NO ONE RODE.
I MEAN, IT WASN'T UNTIL AFTERNOON THAT ANYBODY EVEN GOT ON THE BUS.
SO THE NEXT YEAR WE CHANGED IT AND MADE IT MORE OF AN EVENING THING.
AND, AND UH, IT, IT'S DOING REALLY WELL.
UM, DAN, SO I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE TO BE AN ELEPHANT ONE STEP AT A OR ONE BITE IT AT A TIME, BUT, UM, WHEN WE FIRST GOT INTO THIS, WE LONG TERM, THERE WAS A GOAL OF THE CONNECTION BETWEEN HILTON HEAD AND BLUFFTON EVENTUALLY.
SO THE WORKFORCE COULD MIGRATE BACK AND FORTH AND I KNOW YOU GOTTA GET YOUR RIDERSHIP UP TO GET TO THAT POINT.
DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS WHEN THAT MIGHT EVER HAPPEN? WELL, I'M, I'M VERY HOPEFUL.
SO YOU'RE LEADING ME INTO THE ONE SOLUTION THAT'S NOT FAR AWAY.
AND THAT IS THE PENNY SOUTH TAX THAT'S GOING ON.
THE REFERENDUM IN NOVEMBER OF, OF, IN THAT TRANSPORTATION TAX IS INCLUDED, MASS TRANSPORTATION.
IF THAT PASSES, OF COURSE THE MONEY DOESN'T COME FOR A YEAR.
WE'VE GOTTA DO A LOT OF PLANNING.
UM, BUT THEN WE WOULD HAVE RESOURCES TO EXPAND THE BUS SYSTEM AND I MEAN IT'S, IT'S A GAME CHANGER.
IT, SO WE'RE REALLY, REALLY HOPING THAT THAT COMES TO FRUITION.
AND THEN YOU WERE GONNA BUILD BUS SHELTERS AT SOME POINT ONCE YOU ESTABLISHED YOUR BLUFF IN ROUTE? RIGHT.
AND WE CERTAINLY CAN AT ANY TIME.
UM, BECAUSE WE HAVE GRANT MONEY TO PURCHASE SHELTERS.
AND, AND UM, IF SOMEONE ON THE BLUFFTON STAFF WANTED TO CONTACT ME, I COULD WORK WITH THEM.
HOW IT'S NORMALLY DONE IS YOU DO A PARTNERSHIP WHERE WE WOULD BUY PURCHASE OF SHELTERS WITH OUR GRANT MONEY AND THEN WHOEVER'S PUTTING IT IN WOULD WOULD HELP WITH THE PAD.
AND UH, WE ALSO HAVE, UM, THE SHELTERS NOW HAVE SOLAR LIGHTS IN 'EM AND I MEAN THEY'RE REALLY NICE AND WE WOULD LOVE TO PUT SHELTERS UP AND SO IF SOMEONE FROM THE TOWN STAFF WANTS TO UH, CONTACT US, WE CAN GET IT GOING AND UM, I HAVE NOT, IT'S A PARTNERSHIP, RIGHT? WE DON'T REALLY LIKE, YEAH, WE DON'T BUILD PADS AND WE DON'T HAVE A TON OF MONEY, BUT WE COULD PARTNER UP AND, AND REALLY MAKE IT HAPPEN.
STAFF WAS JUST STARING AT ME AND I WAS STARING AT THEM.
SO, UM, MY LAST QUESTION IS, IT'S ACTUALLY A THOUGHT OR REQUEST POSSIBLY, BUT UM, SO MAYBE WHEN YOU DO YOUR NEXT PRESENTATION YOU CAN MAYBE DO A BAR GRAPH FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS SHOWING THE RIDERSHIP NUMBERS.
IT'S A GOOD VISUAL TOOL FOR US TO SEE THAT.
AND I CAN SEND YOU, WE HAVE UM, UH, WE HAVE A GRAPH WHERE WE COUNT, WE, WE, IT'S A VISUAL OF RIDERSHIP NOW AND I I CAN SEND THAT ON AND THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
WE COULD BE SHARED WITH Y'ALL.
YEAH, SO I HAVE A COMMENT AND A QUESTION.
UM, SO IN TERMS OF, UH, YOUR RIDERSHIP YOU SAID IS, IS NOT WHERE YOU WANT IT TO BE.
UM, I KNOW ONE OF THE SOLUTIONS THAT WAS PROPOSED BEFORE, UM, AND I HOPE BLUFFTON GETS TO IT, IS UM, IDENTIFYING A COMMUTER LOT, YOU KNOW, BEING IN THIS AREA.
UM, MANY PEOPLE DON'T LIVE HERE WITHOUT HAVING TRANSPORTATION 'CAUSE YOU JUST, YOU NEED IT.
AND SO, UM, IT'S AN INCONVENIENCE TO BE ABLE TO TRY TO GET TO A ROUTE LIKE IF THERE'S NOT A STOP NEARBY.
AND SO I THINK IF WE MAKE IT MORE CONVENIENT FOR RESIDENTS TO BE ABLE TO FREQUENT IT, KIND OF HOW WE SEE HOW MUCH YOU ALL ARE UTILIZED DURING EVENTS.
YOU KNOW, IF PEOPLE KNOW I CAN PARK MY VEHICLE IN THIS AREA, THEN EVERYONE'S GONNA DRIVE THERE, PARK 'CAUSE THEY KNOW THEY CAN GET ON THE SHUTTLE AND THAT SHUTTLE'S GONNA STOP BACK EVERY 30 MINUTES.
SO I THINK THAT'S UM, IMPERATIVE TO COME, COME TOGETHER WITH SOME TYPE OF COLLABORATION ON THAT.
UM, 'CAUSE IF WE DON'T IDENTIFY THAT CONVENIENCE FOR CITIZENS, THEN IT'S GONNA BE LIKE WHAT'S THE PURPOSE? I MIGHT AS WELL GET IN MY CAR AND GET THERE ANYWAYS 'CAUSE I'M NOT GONNA TREK THREE MILES OR WHATEVER IT IS AND THEN WAIT AND I CAN REALLY BELIEVE THIS AREA IN, IN BLUFFTON AND HILTON HEAD AND EVEN ONE 70 AND
[00:50:01]
AS IT CONGESTS UP MORE AND MORE AND MORE.YOU CAN'T BUILD YOUR WAY OUT OF IT.
AND SO PEOPLE HAVE TO HAVE TO CHANGE WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
AND I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING HERE AND COMING FROM UP NORTH, THEY'RE VERY FAMILIAR WITH TRANSIT SERVICES AND HOW THEY HELP OUT.
AND I THINK IT'S, I CAME IN 2014 AND YOU KNOW, IT WAS A LOT LESS PEOPLE THEN AND IT WASN'T LIKE IT IS NOW AND PEOPLE REALLY DIDN'T HAVE ANY REASON TO THINK DIFFERENTLY.
BUT I THINK YOU LOOK AT OUR ROADS TODAY AND IF SOMEBODY COULD LET A FAMILY COULD LET GO OF ONE CAR, ONE CAR INSURANCE, ONE REPAIR, ONE EVERYTHING, AND AND BE ABLE TO USE THE BUS INSTEAD OF THE OTHER CAR, IT WOULD MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE TO THEM AND TO OUR TRAFFIC ISSUES AND OUR SAFETY ON THE ROADS AND ALL THE THING, I MEAN THEY ALL GO TOGETHER AND YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT TRANSIT IS PART OF THE SOLUTION, BUT I THINK THAT PENNY SALES TAX IS, IS GONNA BE OUR JUMP OFF POINT IF THAT DOESN'T COME THROUGH.
THAT'S WHAT PALMETTO BREEZE NEEDS IS SOME KIND OF DEDICATED FUNDING DIFFICULTY IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
YOU'RE ONLY ALLOWED TO USE SALES TAX OR UH, PROPERTY TAX.
AND THE THIRD ONE IS, UM, YOU CAN UM, TAG ONTO THE VEHICLE REGISTRATION, WHICH I BROUGHT UP AT ONE TIME, BUT YOU KNOW, TO ALL THE BUDGET PRESENTATIONS.
BUT THERE'S VERY FEW FUNDING MECHANISMS. I WORKED IN OTHER STATES WHERE THEY ALLOW LOCALITIES OR COUNTIES TO, TO RAISE FUNDS HOW THEY WANT TO AND DEDICATE 'EM TO, UH, TRANSIT AND TRANSPORTATION.
IN SOUTH CAROLINA, IT'S NOT THAT WAY.
SO THAT'S WHY IT'S, IT'S DIFFICULT, UM, IF YOU DON'T HAVE A DEDICATED FUNDING SOURCE.
SO WE'RE WORKING ON GRANTS AND LOCAL MATCH AND SO IT GOES UP VERY SLOW, YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS GROWING WELL THAT'S WHERE THAT PARTNERSHIP HOPEFULLY IS GONNA COME IN AT.
AND MY QUESTION IS, UM, YOU MENTIONED SPECIAL EVENTS AND I WASN'T AWARE OF, UH, POLICY THAT YOU ALL HAVE WHEN IT COMES TO EVENTS.
SO IF AN EVENT ORGANIZER WANTED TO USE YOU ALL BECAUSE YOU'RE A FEDERALLY FUNDED TRANSIT AUTHORITY, YOU HAVE TO ACTUALLY PUT BIDS OUT TO PRIVATE CHARTERS FIRST AND THEN IF THEY DON'T RESPOND WITHIN A CERTAIN TIME, THEN YOU'D BE ABLE TO OFFER A QUOTE RIGHT? TO SOMEONE TO UTILIZE YOUR SERVICE EXPERIENCE.
SO LET ME TALK ABOUT THAT FOR THE TOWN AND FOR, FOR EVERYBODY.
SO WHAT HAPPENS IS, UM, WE ARE PROHIBITED FROM COMPETING WITH PRIVATE CHARTER COMPANIES AND THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON PROBABLY 20 OR 30 YEARS.
SO IN THE BEGINNING THERE WAS NO RESTRICTIONS AND PUBLIC TRANSIT COULD OPERATE THINGS IN THE EVENING AND MAKE, MAKE SOME MONEY AND, AND ALL OF THAT.
AND THEN THE CHARTER PROVIDERS COMPLAINED BECAUSE, UM, THE GOVERNMENT PAYS FOR OUR BUSES, IT PAYS FOR OUR INSURANCE, IT PAYS FOR EVERYTHING.
SO THE MAN THAT'S BUYING ALL HIS OWN THINGS, THAT'S UNFAIR TO HIM.
SO WHAT HAPPENS IS WE CAN PROVIDE, WE CALL IT SPECIAL EVENTS, NOT CHARTERS 'CAUSE WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO DO CHARTERS.
WE DO SPECIAL EVENTS FOR OUR PARTNERS.
SO IF IT'S THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON, LIKE TODAY, THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON NOT, YOU KNOW, UM, THE ROTARY OR THREE NORTH OR WHATEVER THAT GROUP IS, THERE'S GROUPS THAT DO THIS AND THEY GET A TAX MONEY, WELL THEY'RE A PRIVATE ENTITY IN OUR VIEW, BUT IF THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON, THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD, THE TOWN OF UH, CITY OF BEAUFORD OR ANY OF THE COUNTIES THAT WE, THAT WE PARTNER WITH, WE'RE TAKING THEIR LOCAL MONEY AND THEY ASK US IF WE CAN HELP 'EM, WE DO IT AND WE DO IT AT IT'S A VARIABLE RATE.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT CHEAPER THAN THE CHARTER COMPANIES.
SO WHAT HAPPENS IS IF UM, AN ORGANIZATION, I'LL JUST USE THE ROTARY 'CAUSE WE ENDED UP DOING SOMETHING FOR THEM, THEY COME TO US AND THEY SAY, HEY, WE KNOW YOU CAN'T REALLY DO THIS, BUT EVERYBODY WE'VE CALLED IS, IS IS BOOKED AND IT'S GOTTA BE AT LEAST TWO WEEKS IN ADVANCE, THREE WEEKS IN ADVANCE.
WE HAVE A CHARTER WEBSITE THAT THE FTA FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION SET UP THAT WE GO IN AND THERE'S PROBABLY A HUNDRED, 150 CHARTER OPERATORS FOR THIS AREA AND THEY'RE FROM ALL OVER.
BUT WE PUT IT IN AND SAY WE WE'RE IN BLUFFTON AND THIS ISN'T WHAT'S THE SITUATION? CAN ANYBODY DO IT? AND AND WE KEEP THAT RECORD THAT WE DID IT AND THEN ALL THE RESPONSES THAT COME BACK AND SOMETIMES SOMEBODY WILL SAY, YEAH, I CAN DO THAT.
AND THEN WE'LL TELL WHOEVER IS DOING IT, WELL THESE PEOPLE SAID THEY CAN DO IT AND, AND WE HAVE TO BACK OUT.
BUT IF YOU GO, WE GET ALL THE WAY UP TO A WEEK BEFORE AND NO ONE CAN DO IT.
WE'VE GOT ALL THE NOS, NO ONE CAN DO IT, THEN WE GO AHEAD AND DO THE EVENT.
AND I KNOW IT'S DIFFICULT IF WE DID SOMETHING FOR YOU LAST YEAR AND THEN THIS YEAR WE'RE SAYING THAT WE CAN'T DO THAT BECAUSE, UM, THAT THAT'S OUR RULES AND I UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY ARE, BUT IT'S KIND OF DIFFICULT SOMETIMES FOR SOMEBODY CALLING US TO UNDERSTAND WHY, RIGHT.
WE, WE DIDN'T JUST START THE POLICY.
IT'S BEEN LIKE THAT FOR A LONG TIME.
I JUST WANTED EVERYONE TO BE ABLE TO KIND OF THOSE WHO DIDN'T KNOW THAT, TO KNOW THAT YEAH.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, IN THIS, IN THIS SOCIETY, IF WE'RE GONNA HAVE A A FREE MARKET THAT'S SUPPOSED TO, EVERYONE SHOULD BE ABLE TO COMPETE ON THEIR OWN LAURELS.
IT SEEMS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE THAT YOU ALL IN TERMS ARE GONNA BE SLIGHTED BECAUSE YOU CANNOT COMPETE WITH, UM, PRIVATE ENTITIES.
BUT PRIVATE ENTITIES PAY FOR ALL THEIR CAPITAL AND WE DON'T.
AND SO THAT THEY WENT TO THE GOVERNMENT OF FTA AND SAID, THIS ISN'T FAIR.
[00:55:01]
YEARS TO REALLY GET THE TRACTION TO WHEN YOU GO INTO BUSINESS THAT THAT BECOMES A, A PART OF, YOU KNOW, THE RISK THAT YOU TAKE.SO, BUT UM, HOPEFULLY WE, YOU KNOW, SOME SUCCESS COMES WITH YOU ALL.
UM, JUST ONE COMMENT OR ONE QUESTION FIRST.
THE, RIGHT NOW, YOUR SCHEDULE FOR BLUFF AND BREEZE, TELL US WHERE DOES IT GO, WHEN DOES IT GO? IS THERE A SET SCHEDULE WHERE YOU OH YEAH, THERE ABSOLUTELY IS.
WE HAVE, WE HAVE TWO BUSES THAT RUN THE, JUST THE BLUFFTON PART BECAUSE IT TAKES TWO HOURS TO MAKE THE WHOLE LOOP.
SO IT'S HOURLY SERVICE AND THEN WE HOURS TO MAKE A LOOP IN BLOW.
AND, AND WE GO FROM BUCK WALTER, WE COME DOWN THE PARKWAY, THEN WE GO UP BUCK ISLAND, THEN WE COME DOWN ARLEY WAY OR WHATEVER.
WE GO INTO OLD TOWN, WE GO UP TO MALL MAR, WE GO DOWN TO TANGER, YOU KNOW.
AND WE DON'T, WE DON'T WANT 'EM TO SPEED AND, AND I GIVE 'EM RECOVERY TIME.
THEY GET ABOUT 15 MINUTES AT THE END OF EVERY TWO HOURS.
SO IF THEY'RE LATE, THEY CAN CATCH BACK UP OR GO TO THE RESTROOM.
WELL, I, I LIKE DAN'S IDEA, YOU KNOW, ABOUT THE, UM, SHELTER AND, AND TO GET MORE PEOPLE INTERESTED AND MORE RIDERS.
I THINK IF IT WAS A LITTLE BIT EASIER, AND THERE WERE SHELTERS THAT SAID BUS ARRIVES AT 10 30 AND RETURNS AT 1130 OR WHATEVER.
AND, AND I THINK IT'S ABSOLUTELY CORRECT, YOU PUT UP A COUPLE NICE BUS SHELTERS AND PEOPLE ARE GONNA BE CURIOUS, WHAT IS THAT? AND OH, THERE'S A MAP AND THERE'S A SIGN, AND WOW, DID YOU KNOW THIS? 'CAUSE I THINK THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT WE ARE OUT THERE.
AND NOT EVERYONE, YOU KNOW, IS, HAS THE CAPABILITIES OF GOING ONLINE AND LOOKING AT YOUR WEBSITE AND, YOU KNOW, SO.
ANY MORE QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL? I, I HAVE ONE.
SO, AND THIS IS DIRECTED TO OUR DMO.
UM, ARE THEY PART OF OUR MARKETING AT ALL? I MEAN, AS FAR AS RIDERSHIP WITH, YOU KNOW, HAVE YOU COME TO BLUFFTON OR WHATEVER, IS THERE A BLURB OR ANYTHING SAYING THEY'RE OUT THERE OR THE BUSES? YEAH.
AND DMO DO YOU MEAN THE CHAMBER? CORRECT.
WE PARTNER WITH THE CHAMBER A LOT AND, UH, UH, I HAVE A MARKETING GUY AND HE SENDS MESSAGES OUT AND, UH, I THINK WE, WE TAG ONTO SOME OF WHAT THEY'RE DOING TO GET STUFF OUT TO VISITORS.
AND YEAH, I HAVE A MARKETING GUY THAT HELPS A LOT.
'CAUSE 'CAUSE HE REALLY IS INTO IT.
AND, UM, HE'LL BE PUTTING TOGETHER THE, THE MAPS AND DISPLAYS FOR THE BUS STOPS NOW.
AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET SOME SHELTERS GOING.
IF THAT'S, NO ONE ELSE HAS ANYTHING ELSE.
THANK YOU FOR COMING AND, UM, YOU'RE WELCOME.
PUSH THAT DOWN BUTTON FOR THE NEXT ONE.
[3. Discussion of Carryover Items from May 16, 2024 Budget Workshop Meeting]
WE GOT SOME DISCUSSION OF CARRYOVER ITEMS FROM THE MAY 16TH BUDGET WORKSHOP MEETING.SO, UM, CARRY OVER ITEMS. THERE WEREN'T REALLY MUCH THAT CAME UP DURING OUR DISCUSSION, UH, DURING THE MEETING.
UM, I DID GET WITH, UM, IN MY NOTES, I DID GET WITH COUNCILMAN FRAZIER AFTERWARDS, AND SHE WASN'T UNABLE, UH, TO ATTEND THE MEETING, BUT, UM, AND TALK ABOUT A COUPLE THINGS THAT SHE WOULD'VE BROUGHT UP THAT NIGHT.
UH, ONE OF WHICH WAS ONE THAT WE ACTUALLY TOUCHED ON THAT NIGHT, WHICH SHE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THE, UH, WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, UM, AS WE DISCUSSED THAT NIGHT, THAT, UH, ACTUALLY BETWEEN THE INITIAL PRESENTATION AT FIRST READING AND WHEN WE HAD A FIRST WORKSHOP, WE INCREASED THAT NUMBER ABOUT $144,000.
UM, SINCE THEN, WE HAVE FOUND OUT THAT WE DID RECEIVE, UM, APPROVAL FOR OUR GRANT.
UM, WE, WE WILL LOOK AT GETTING EVERYTHING SIGNED AND THAT WILL START JULY ONE AND WE'LL SUPPLEMENT OUR FUNDS FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM UP TO $544,000 FOR THE FISCAL YEAR STARTING IN JULY ONE.
UM, IF YOU REMEMBER BACK ABOUT TWO, THREE BUDGETS AGO, WE WERE AT ABOUT $190,000 FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
SO THIS IS ABOUT A 250% INCREASE ON WHERE WE WERE A COUPLE YEARS AGO.
UM, AND YOU HEARD WITH, UH, COUNCILMAN HAMILTON TALKING ABOUT, UM, VICKI AT THE GROUNDBREAKING TODAY, SHE'S REALLY TAKEN THAT PROGRAM AND I THINK WE COULD GIVE HER AN UNLIMITED CHECKBOOK AND SHE WOULD GET, SHE WOULD GO NONSTOP.
SO, UM, WE DO HAVE TO HAVE SOME BOUNDARIES IN THERE, BUT WE ARE, UM, AT A, AT 544 FOR THE COMING FISCAL YEAR WITH THE BUDGET.
UM, ONE OTHER ITEM THAT, UM, THAT COUNCILMAN FRAZIER BROUGHT UP WAS RELATED TO, UH, PROCESS, UH, WITH PAYMENTS.
UM, SHE BROUGHT UP A QUESTION ABOUT OUR POLICE.
WE ONLY, UM, AND CAME UP, UM, AND DISCUSSED WITH THE CHIEF AND, UH, WE'LL WORK WITH, UH, FINANCE, TRYING TO FIGURE THIS OUT.
RIGHT NOW, OUR POLICE ONLY TAKE CASH PAYMENTS AFTER EVERYTHING THAT WE JUST WENT THROUGH WITH THE, UM, TOWING COMPANIES AND ALL OF THAT.
[01:00:01]
UM, THEY KIND OF RUN SEPARATELY THAN WE DO FROM THE FRONT OFFICE UP HERE.SO WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT TRYING TO GET THOSE TIED IN SO WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN TAKE MULTIPLE FORMS OF PAYMENT AND WE CAN HOLD OURSELVES ACCOUNTABLE TO THE SAME WAY WE'RE HOLDING OTHERS.
SO THEY'RE WORKING ON THAT RIGHT NOW, AND WE'LL MAKE SURE WE GET THAT TRANSITION TAKEN CARE OF AS SOON AS WE CAN.
TICKETS, WHATCHA YOU TALKING ABOUT? TAKE CASH.
SO IF YOU COME IN AND YOU ASK FOR A COPY OF YOUR, LIKE, POLICE REPORT, OH, THEY ONLY TAKE CASH AT THE FRONT COUNTER.
SO IF YOU NEED MULTIPLE COPIES AND IT'S, SAY YOU ASK FOR FOUR COPIES AND IT MAY BE $20.
WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT HAVE TO GO TO LIKE PUBLIX OR KROGER AND GET CASH BACK OR GO TO THE ATM AND COME BACK AND THEN PAY.
SO AGAIN, BE ABLE TO ACCEPT UNDUE BURDEN ON OUR CITIZENS.
SO WE'RE GONNA WORK AND MAKE SURE JUST LIKE, UH, WHERE, UH, CUSTOMER SERVICE UP HERE, WE CAN TAKE CASH CHECK CARD, WE'RE GONNA WORK AND GET THEM SIGNED UP AND BE THE SIMILAR TO WHAT WE DO HERE AT TOWN HALL SO WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN ACCEPT ALL FORMS OF PAYMENT.
UM, THE OTHER THING THAT I HAD IS THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, BEAUFORT COUNTY IS LOOKING AT AND UM, I'LL GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON IN JUST A SECOND, BUT THEY ARE LOOKING AT, AT THAT WENT THROUGH THEIR, UM, LEMME SEE THE COMMUNITY SERVICES AND LAND USE COMMITTEE IS TO POTENTIALLY AMEND THE SINGLE USE PLASTIC ORDINANCE.
UM, IT CAME OUT IN THE LOW COUNTRY INSIDE TRACKS.
I'M NOT SURE IF I SENT IT ON THE WEEKLY REPORT OR NOT, BUT, UM, THEY MENTIONED THAT THEY WERE GONNA TRY TO COORDINATE WITH ALL THE TOWNS SO WE WOULD MATCH, UM, IT DID PASS THEIR COMMITTEE, BUT WHEN IT WENT TO COUNTY COUNCIL FOR FIRST READING ON MONDAY, IT FAILED FOUR TO SEVEN AT FIRST READING.
UM, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THEY'RE GONNA GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE LANGUAGE AGAIN AND THEN LOOK AT TRYING TO BRING IT BACK.
BUT WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS WITH THIS IS MORE, UM, EXPANDING IT FROM JUST SINGLE USE BAGS TO HELP TO, UH, STRAWS, STYROFOAM, UM, AND CONTAINERS SIMILAR TO THAT.
UM, SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, AND AND AGAIN, IT MAY OR MAY NOT GO FORWARD, WE'LL KEEP, WE'LL THEY REACHED OUT TO US TO LET US KNOW THAT IT'S POTENTIALLY COMING DOWN.
UM, BUT ONCE IT FAILED AT FIRST READING, WE'LL SEE WHAT THEY COME BACK WITH AND IF IT'S GONNA CONTINUE FORWARD.
UM, AGAIN, WHETHER THE COUNTY MOVES FORWARD OR NOT, IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT COUNCIL WANTS TO, UH, LOOK INTO, STAFF WILL BE MORE THAN GLAD TO LOOK.
UM, BUT WHO, WHO BROUGHT THAT UP? WHO'S, WHO'S PUSHING FOR IT? THE COUNTY.
SO IT WENT THROUGH THEIR COMMITTEE, IT CAME FROM THE COUNTY AND THEN THE COUNTY SAYS NO.
SO IT WENT THROUGH COMMITTEE, IT WENT TO THE COUNTY.
I HAVE NOT LOOKED AT THE RECORDING FROM THE MEETING ON MONDAY, BUT, UM, ONE OF THE GROUPS THAT IS PUSHING FOR IT REACHED OUT TO ALL TOWN MANAGER AND SAID THEY'RE GONNA GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE LANGUAGE BASED ON THE DISCUSSION THAT COUNTY COUNCIL HAD AND SEE IF THEY CAN AMEND THE LANGUAGE TO GET IT TO SOMETHING THAT COUNTY COUNCIL MAY SUPPORT.
UM, ALL THAT BEING SAID, ONE OF THE, UM, THINGS THAT COUNCILMAN FRAZIER BROUGHT UP WAS IF WE, IF, IF WE DO TAKE ACTION LIKE THAT, OR IF WE WANNA LOOK AT WAYS TO ENCOURAGE OUR RESTAURANTS TO, UH, BE MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS AND LOOK AT WHETHER IT'S COMPOSTABLE, WHETHER IT'S UM, CARDBOARD, NON-PLASTIC, NON STYROFOAM TO-GO CONTAINER SERVING OR UH, UTENSILS AND SO FORTH.
UM, SHE BROUGHT UP ABOUT LOOKING AT SOME SORT OF PROGRAM.
SHE'S TALKED ABOUT IT FOR A WHILE NOW WITH WHAT'S COMING WITH THE COUNTY.
IT WAS KIND OF AN OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF REVISIT IT AND SEE IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT MAY BE FEASIBLE.
DO YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT YOUR THOUGHTS AND THEN I CAN TALK ABOUT SOME OPTIONS IF YOU WANT ME TO? SURE.
SO YEAH, SO THIS CAME UP, UM, BEFORE AS A SUGGESTION.
AND SO WHEN I GOT THE EMAIL, I THINK, UH, LIKE LAST MONTH SOMETIME IT WAS MENTIONED THAT THE COUNTY WAS MAKING THE PROPOSAL.
UM, A LOT OF OUR FOOD AND BEVERAGE, UM, BUSINESSES ARE ALREADY WORKING ON A SYSTEM WHERE THEY DO USE A LOT OF, UM, COMPOSTABLE FOOD ITEMS IN TERMS OF LIKE TO GO.
AND SO, UM, THE THOUGHT WAS IF THAT DOES BECOME SOMETHING THAT'S ENFORCED, OR EVEN IF WE WANTED TO TAKE THE LEAD TO, UM, YOU KNOW, WORK ON HOW DO WE MAKE THINGS A LITTLE MORE ENVIRONMENTAL FRIENDLY, UM, WHAT COULD WE DO IN TERMS OF INCENTIVIZING THOSE WHO DO IT BECAUSE IT IS A HIGHER COST.
IT'S NOT AN EXTREMELY HIGHER COST, BUT IT IS A HIGHER COST FOR FOOD AND BEVERAGES WHO CHOOSE TO GO FROM STYROFOAM TO USING, UM, YOU KNOW, MORE ECO-FRIENDLY ITEMS. AND A SUGGESTION THAT CAME OUT WAS THAT IN ORDER TO DO THAT, YOU CAN'T WAIVE, YOU KNOW, CERTAIN FEES, BUT WE COULD PUT THEM ON, UH, LIKE A REIMBURSEMENT TYPE SYSTEM WHERE THEY SHOW WHATEVER THEIR PURCHASES ARE EITHER FOR A QUARTER OR FOR A YEAR, THEN THEY COULD GET X AMOUNT OF, UM, OF THOSE FUNDS JUST FOR THEIR, UM, I GUESS YOU WOULD CALL 'EM, LIKE THEIR PAPER SUPPLIES.
THEY WOULD GET A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF THOSE FUNDS BACK, WHETHER IT'S FROM LIKE H TAX OR WHATEVER IT IS.
[01:05:01]
UM, AND SO THE IDEA WAS IF THE COUNTY IS GONNA GO TO THAT ROUTE, UM, IT'D BE GOOD TO AT LEAST THINK OF IT AND NOT WAIT UNTIL WE GET THERE TO TRY TO COME UP WITH A SOLUTION TO AT LEAST HAVE SOMETHING READY TO SAY, WELL THIS IS WHAT WE COULD OFFER.UM, THOSE WHO WOULD OPT INTO, UM, INTO THAT ENFORCEMENT IF IT CAME TO THAT.
AND ONE OF THE, KIND OF THE OPTIONS THAT I, UH, MENTIONED TO COUNCILMAN FRAZIER, IF IT WAS SOMETHING THAT IF IT GOES INTO PLACE, IF WE WANNA SAY, HEY, WE REALIZE THERE'S A, A ADDITIONAL COST AND COMPLYING IS WE COULD LOOK FOR, UH, THE ONLY ONES THAT THIS WOULD REALLY AFFECT WOULD BE THOSE THAT ARE PAYING H TAX TO THE TOWN, THE HOSPITALITY TAX 'CAUSE THEY'RE A FOOD AND BEVERAGE PROVIDER IS WE COULD LOOK AND SAY, HEY, WE'LL PROVIDE, WE CAN'T DISCOUNT, WE CAN'T DO ANY OF THAT KIND OF STUFF, JUST LIKE PROPERTY TAXES.
BUT IT MAY BE A GRANT PROGRAM WHERE IT'S $50 A QUARTER OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, A QUARTER TO HELP OFFSET COSTS.
UM, BUT WE COULD PUT SOME GUIDELINES, PUT, PUT SOME GUIDES, SOME BULLET POINTS IN PLACE IF IT WAS SOMETHING THAT COUNCIL WANTED TO LOOK INTO, UM, 'CAUSE IT WOULD BE A PROGRAM THAT COUNCIL WOULD HAVE TO VOTE TO PUT INTO PLACE.
AND IF WE DID WANT TO PUT THE RESTRICTIONS OR THE EXPAND THE SINGLE USE PLASTIC, UM, ORDINANCE LIKE WITH THE COUNTY, WE WOULD HAVE TO ADOPT THAT AS WELL.
SO IT'S, I DON'T THINK IT'S A CONVERSATION THAT HAS TO BE SOLVED TONIGHT, RIGHT? IT WAS REALLY MORE OF COUNCILMAN FRAZIER JUST WANTING TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION TO PUT IT IN COUNCIL'S HEAD, UH, ESPECIALLY WITH THE COUNTY ACTUALLY APPROACHING THE SINGLE USE PLASTIC, UM, ORDINANCE AND LOOKING TO EXPAND IT.
UM, SO JUST KIND OF THOUGHTS IN THE HEADS, SOME IDEAS, AND AS WE GO INTO THE BUDGET, SHOULD THIS HAPPEN, IT MAY BE SOMETHING WE WANNA REVISIT OR A PROGRAM WE MAY WANNA LOOK AT PUTTING IN PLACE.
YEAH, I, THAT'S, THAT COULD GET VERY COMPLICATED IN MY OPINION.
NOT I'M, I'M OPEN-MINDED TO LISTEN AND HEAR WHAT EVERYBODY HAS TO SAY RIGHT OFF MY, OFF THE BAT.
I, I THINK OF THE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PLASTIC CONTAINERS THAT ARE USED IN THE GROCERY STORE EVERY TIME YOU GO TO BUY A CHICKEN SALAD OR A SALAD OR, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO WITH THOSE PEOPLE? YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY, THEY CREATE MORE PLASTIC TRASH THAN ALL THE RESTAURANTS TOGETHER, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? BECAUSE THEIR VOLUME IS JUST SO HIGH.
UM, AND IF WE TRY TO FUND THE, THE ONES THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, LIKE MYSELF AND, AND YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, MM-HMM
UM, SO I DON'T KNOW HOW WE COULD, YOU KNOW, SEPARATE JUST THE ONES THAT ARE PAYING H TAX, WHICH I GUESS THE GROCERY STORE PAYING H YOU HAVE A LIST ALL THAT PREPARED FOOD, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF THAT THAT'S NOT PREPARED THAT'S IN A PLASTIC CONTAINER AS WELL.
SO I MEAN, IT, IT'S, UM, IT COULD GET, AND AGAIN, WE DIDN'T WANT TO ALL ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT.
WE DIDN'T WANT TO DESIGN IT AND BUILD IT AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO IMPLEMENT IT TONIGHT.
IT WAS REALLY MORE OF JUST SOMETHING THAT SHE WOULD'VE BROUGHT UP AT FIRST READING TO SAY AS WE, YOU KNOW, SHOULD THIS COME INTO PLACE? THIS IS SOMETHING THAT SHE'S HAD IN THE BACK OF HER MIND THAT SHE'S REALLY, UM, I KNOW WE'VE DISCUSSED IT SEVERAL TIMES, BUT JUST WITHOUT WHETHER COUNSEL IS GONNA, YOU KNOW, PUT, IF IT'S NOT PUT IN PLACE, THEN THE, THE OTHER OPTION WOULD BE TO OFFER IT AS, UM, ENCOURAGEMENT SHOULD THAT HAPPEN.
BUT AGAIN, IT'S NOT, WE'RE NOT HERE TO LEGISLATE IT TONIGHT TO WRITE THE BULLET POINTS.
IT WAS REALLY MORE JUST TO PUT THAT IN YOUR MIND, PUT IN YOUR FORESIGHT AND GOING TO IT, UM, TO RESPOND TO COUNCILMAN OR MERE, UM, TO, UH, COUNCILMAN WOODS' ADAGE IS, UM, DO YOU EAT THE ELEPHANT ONE BITE AT A TIME? I DON'T KNOW WHY YOU WOULD EAT THE ELEPHANT.
YOU'D BE THERE FOREVER TRYING TO EAT IT.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, IN TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, BEING APPREHENSIVE BECAUSE OF THE PLASTICS, IT'S LIKE WE KNOW IT'S A PROBLEM.
YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANNA NEVER ADDRESS IT.
SIMILAR TO OUR APPROACH WITH SEPTIC, WE KNOW THAT SEWER FOR SOME HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE PREFERENCE.
AND TO SAY, WELL, EVERY, IF EVERYONE'S ON IT, YOU KNOW, LET'S JUST STICK TO WHAT WE HAVE.
IT'S, WE KNOW WE'RE NOT GONNA SOLVE IT OVERNIGHT.
YOU, SOME PEOPLE ARE GONNA OPT IN, SOME PEOPLE ARE NOT.
UM, IT'S AT LEAST IF WE WENT TO THAT UM, CHOICE, WE WERE PREPARED WITH SOMETHING OPPOSED TO TRYING TO MAKE SOMETHING UP ON THE FLY.
I AM ALWAYS ABOUT HOW CAN WE MITIGATE SITUATIONS AND NOT WAIT FOR IT TO BE A PROBLEM THAT WE'RE TRYING TO REACT TO.
I'D RATHER BE PROACTIVE IF, UM, IF, IF IT PRESENTS ITSELF.
AND LIKE I SAID, I HAVEN'T WATCHED THE COUNCIL MEETING FOR MONDAY.
UM, SO I'LL, AS PART OF PUTTING THE WEEKLY REPORT TOGETHER FOR TOMORROW, I'LL GO AND SEE IF I CAN'T FIND THE LINK.
SEND THE TIME STAMP WITH THAT AND SEND IT OUT WITH COUNCIL.
AND IF YOU WANT TO GO BACK AND WATCH IT, I'LL WATCH IT AS WELL AND WE CAN SEE WHAT THE DISCUSSION WAS AND JUST KIND OF EDUCATE OURSELVES ON WHAT POTENTIALLY MAY BE COMING OR POTENTIALLY NOT.
BUT AGAIN, IT WAS, UH, SOMETHING THAT WOULD'VE BEEN DISCUSSED DURING THE FIRST READING IF, UM, THE FIRST WORKSHOP IF COUNCILMAN FRAZIER WOULD'VE
[01:10:01]
BEEN HERE.SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE IT GOT ITS DUE, ITS SAME TIME AND DISCUSSION AS IT WOULD HAVE BEEN.
LET ME MAKE A QUICK OBSERVATION.
THE, UM, 'CAUSE YOU WEREN'T HERE.
UM, AND WE SUPPORTED IT, BUT IT WAS A HEAVY LIFT TO GET THE BAG BAND, UH, AND UM, TO GET EVERYBODY IN THE, ALL OF THE MUNICIPALITIES I THINK JOINED IN WITH THE COUNTY TO DO THAT, BUT THAT WAS A VERY HEAVY LIFT.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS I LEARNED ABOUT THAT AFTER THE FACT, UH, THE COASTAL CONSERVATION LEAGUE CAME TO ME LIKE A YEAR LATER AND WANTED TO GO BACK AND REVISIT THAT, BUT I SAID, I, I, I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST A PUTTING A BULLET IN YOUR HEAD, BUT WHAT WE LEARNED FROM THAT WAS, UH, FROM CHARLESTON, THE, THE PLASTIC BAGS THAT WE APPROVED, WE GOT PEOPLE TO USE WAS NOT THE RIGHT MILL WEIGHT.
THE WHOLE IDEA WAS TO KEEP THE WILDLIFE IN THE, IN THE RIVERS AND THE WATERWAYS FROM EATING THIS STUFF.
SO WE PASSED A BAG BAN THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
AND AGAIN, THERE'S SUPPOSED TO BE A THICKER BAG THAT THE PORPOISES AND EVERYTHING CAN'T EAT.
AND SO WHEN WE GO DOWN THIS ROAD, AND I'M NOT SAYING I'M GONNA POUR IT, BUT IF WE GO DOWN THIS ROAD, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO OUR HOMEWORK TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT OVERLOOKING ANYTHING.
AND IT GOES TO CONSERVATION LEAVE IS THE ONE THAT REACHED OUT AND CALLED 'EM IN.
THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ARE MAKING THE PUSH AGAIN.
SO I'M SURE THEY'RE NOT GONNA LET LIE, BUT, WE'LL, WE'LL KEEP YOU, LIKE I SAID, I WANTED TO GIVE IT ITS DISCUSSION JUST LIKE IT WOULD'VE HAD.
AND THEN I'LL SEND OUT, UM, SOME MORE INFORMATION WITH THE REPORT TOMORROW ON WHAT THEY'RE PROPOSING.
AND THEN YOU CAN SEE THE COUNCIL MEETING AGAIN.
FIRST READING WAS NO, SO WE'LL SEE IF THEY GO BACK AND REVISIT AND LOOK TO CHANGE OR BRING ANYTHING BACK.
AND UH, WE CAN WE'LL KEEP YOU UP TO DATE ON THAT.
YEAH, BUT SHE MUST HAVE, I DIDN'T GET ANY, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HEARD ABOUT IT.
IS THAT, UM, NO, THAT WAS IN OUR EMAIL.
SO, UM, WE HIT EVERYTHING I THINK MENTAL HEALTH.
THE OTHER ONE I HAD A NOTE ON WAS THE MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCATE.
BUT WE'VE, I'VE ALREADY TALKED TO JOE ON THAT CHIEF AND HE'S, UM, REACHING OUT TO THE COASTAL EMPLOYER.
AND HE'S ALSO WORKING WITH, IT'S THE RIGHT, THE RIGHT DIRECTION, RIGHT DIRECTION TO LOOK AT HAVING ADDITIONAL MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT DURING, AND WHETHER IT'S THROUGH, UM, WITH PARTNERSHIPS OUTSIDE OF JUST OUR ADVOCATE THEMSELVES.
'CAUSE THE CONCERN WAS THE, UM, POSITION WHEN IT WAS ORIGINALLY BUDGETED.
AND, UM, I'M GRATEFUL TO COUNCIL WHO A AGREED, UM, AND VOTED IN FAVOR OF IT.
IT WASN'T, IT WASN'T FOR AN ADVOCATE, IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A FULL-TIME POSITION FOR A CERTIFIED MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL, LIKE A BEHAVIOR SPECIALIST, UM, WHO HAD THOSE QUALIFICATIONS TO BE ABLE TO GIVE THE TYPE OF SERVICES THAT WOULD BE NEEDED IN A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS FOR LIKE DEESCALATION IN.
UM, CURRENTLY OUR ADVOCATE IS LIMITED IN WHAT THEY'RE ABLE TO DO, AND IT'S MORE LIKE A FOLLOW UP.
UH, DEFINITELY BEING ABLE TO GIVE, UM, TRAIN CRISIS TRAINING AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT IN TERMS OF IF SOMEONE IS IN THE THICK OF, UM, HAVING, YOU KNOW, THAT MELTDOWN, WE DON'T HAVE SOMEONE RIGHT NOW WITH THE QUALIFICATIONS TO BE ABLE TO, UM, TO TALK THEM DOWN OR WALK THEM DOWN.
AND THAT WAS WHAT THAT POSITION WAS SUPPOSED TO BE BUDGETED FOR.
SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE ARE VISITING THAT AND WE ARE, UM, MAKING THAT, MAKING WHAT IT WAS BUDGETED FOR.
WE ARE ACTUALLY DOING RIGHT BY THAT.
AND, AND AS YOU, UH, I THINK YOU ALL ARE AWARE, IF NOT, THEN OUR CURRENT MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCATE IS LEAVING HER LAST DAY IS IN JUNE.
AND SO WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS OF REPLACING HER.
SO, UM, THAT WILL BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT AS WELL AS WITH THE PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE MAY POTENTIALLY HAVE WITH, UM, THE COASTAL GROUP AND THE RIGHT GROUP.
THEN THEY MAY HAVE PEOPLE WHO CAN ACTUALLY BE IN THERE WHEN WE DEESCALATE, THEY CAN ACTUALLY PROVIDE COUNSELING.
ONE OF THE RISKS THAT WE DON'T RUN INTO IS WE DON'T WANNA RUN INTO, IS IF WE ACTUALLY PROVIDE COUNSELING BY OUR PEOPLE AND SOMETHING NEGATIVE COMES OF THAT, IT CAN OPEN UP SOME POTENTIAL.
BUT IF WE HAVE PARTNERS THAT CAN, WE CAN DEESCALATE, THEY CAN COUNSEL AND IT'S A GREAT PARTNERSHIP TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY GETS EXACTLY WHAT THEY NEED OUT OF THE, OUT OF THAT RESPONSE.
UM, SO TONIGHT, UH, AS WE KNOW WE'VE HEARD FROM POTENTIAL PARTNER, SOME OF OUR, UH, PARTNERS THAT WE HAVE, WE ALSO USE THIS AS A CHANCE TO KIND OF REVISIT ANYTHING THAT COMES UP FOR FIRST READING.
UM, WE JUST KIND OF COMPLETED THAT.
THERE WASN'T REALLY ANYTHING MAJOR THAT CAME UP DURING FIRST READING FOR OUTSIDE OF THE DISCUSSION THAT TOOK PLACE.
SO, UM, I'M GONNA START WITH JUST THE, WHERE WE ARE IN THE PROCESS.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS IS COUNCIL BUDGET WORKSHOP NUMBER TWO.
THIS IS WHERE WE FOCUS ON CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMS. SO THIS IS OUR CIP PROJECTS.
[01:15:01]
THAT'S KIND OF REDUNDANT.THIS IS OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS.
UM, SO, UM, WE'RE GONNA GO THROUGH THOSE TONIGHT AND TALK ABOUT THE FUNDING AND THEN THE DIFFERENT PROJECTS AND WHICH FUNDING SUPPORTS EACH PROJECT.
SO, UH, JUST AS A REMINDER, THIS IS OUR PROPOSED 2025 CONSOLIDATED BUDGET.
YOU CAN SEE IT TOTALS A LITTLE OVER, UH, 90,600,000 OF WHICH THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM FUND MAKES UP ABOUT 36.5% OF THE OVERALL BUDGET.
UM, THAT IS A DECLINE FROM THIS CURRENT BUDGET YEAR.
AS WE TALKED ABOUT, WE'RE COMPLETING SOME PROJECTS, SO THERE'S NOT NEARLY AS MUCH FUND BALANCE MOVING FORWARD.
SO AGAIN, THE GOAL IS TO SEE THAT NUMBER CONTINUE TO DECLINE AS WE GET PROJECTS COMPLETED, BUT CONTINUE TO STAY HIGH ENOUGH THAT WE'RE ACCOMPLISHING THE GOALS THAT COUNCIL WANTS TO ACCOMPLISH.
SO WHERE DID THE FUNDING COME FROM? UM, WE'RE GONNA KIND OF GO THROUGH THE DIFFERENT FUNDS AND TALK ABOUT HOW THEY MOVE TO FUND AND WHAT PROJECTS THEY FUND.
SO THE GENERAL FUND SENDS OUT ABOUT ONE POINT, UH, $2 MILLION TO THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.
YOU CAN SEE THESE ARE THE PROJECTS THAT THOSE FUNDS ARE LOOKING TO GO FOR FOR FISCAL YEAR 25.
UM, ONE OF THE NEWER ONES THAT YOU'LL SEE AND THERE'S A PUBLIC ART PROGRAM THAT'S OUR NEW PUBLIC ART COMMITTEE.
WE'VE BEEN STARTED SETTING FUNDING ASIDE FOR THEM TO DO PROJECTS.
ACTUALLY ONE OF THE FIRST PROJECTS THAT THEY JUST VOTED ON THAT YESTERDAY, TUESDAY.
TUESDAY, WAS TO PARTNER WITH BLUFF AND BREEZE TO DO WRAPS ON THE BUS TO HELP DRAW MORE ATTENTION AND TRY TO BRING OUT, UH, MORE RIDERSHIP TO, UM, DRAW ATTENTION TO BLUFF AND BREEZE.
SO THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THEY WERE GONNA PUT OUT FOR BIDS.
AS WELL AS, UM, SOME ART IN FRONT OF SQUIRE POPE AND AS WELL AS, OR OYSTER FACTORY PARK.
THERE'S BEEN PLACES RESERVED FOR THOSE AND THAT'S WHERE THIS FUNDING WILL GO TO HELP PUT THOSE PRO ART, UH, PIECES IN PLACE.
HOSPITALITY TAX, AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS MAKES UP A LARGE PORTION OF IT.
IT'S JUST SHORT OF $5 MILLION.
AND A LOT OF THESE ARE GOING INTO, UH, OUR, UM, TOURISM FACILITIES, OUR PARK FACILITIES, UM, SOME ROADS, SEWER PROJECTS, EVERYTHING THAT KIND OF TIES INTO BRINGING PEOPLE INTO TOWN AND SUPPORTING OUR RESTAURANTS, OUR BUSINESSES AND ALL OF, UM, EVENTS AND HOSPITALITY.
AND IT'S REALLY, UM, SOMETHING THAT, UM, COUNCIL WOULD HAVE TO, BUT THEY'RE 2 CENTS IN ON.
UM, AND IT MAY BE TOO LATE THIS YEAR, BUT GOING FORWARD, GOOD TIME IN HOSPITALITY TAXES.
WELL, THE, THE, UM, THE, THE FIRST YEAR, I BELIEVE, IF I SAY THIS CORRECTLY, WE DID THE, UM, LAND PURCHASE FUND, I THINK IT WAS A MILLION DOLLARS.
AND THEN AFTER THE NEXT SECOND YEAR, WE CUT IT TO 500,000.
UM, I'M WONDERING, YOU KNOW, WITH THE COST OF EVERYTHING IS ESCALATED SO HIGH AND WE'VE SPENT THE MONEY, SO WE DON'T HAVE THAT MONEY TODAY.
UM, SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO REFUND IT FOR 500,000.
AND I GUESS THE QUESTION I WOULD PUT OUT THERE IS SHOULD WHEN WE SPEND THE MONEY, SHOULD THE MINIMUM BE A MILLION DOLLARS INSTEAD OF 500,000? 'CAUSE YOU'RE NOT GONNA BUY ANYTHING WITH $500,000 AT ALL.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN TO LATER IN THIS YEAR IS THE SAME THING THAT WE DID THIS PAST FISCAL YEAR WHEN WE DID OUR CARRY FORWARD BUDGET AMENDMENT.
WE ACTUALLY PUT AN ADDITIONAL, I THINK IT WAS $2 MILLION INSTEAD OF THAT MONEY JUST GOING STRAIGHT INTO FUND BALANCE, WE PUT IT INTO THE LAND PURCHASE PROGRAM.
AND THAT ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, HELPED BRING THAT FUND UP SO WE COULD DO THE PURCHASE OF BUCK ISLAND.
UM, AND IT ALSO HAS US, UH, GAVE US THE AMOUNT OF FUNDING WE NEEDED TO, UM, FOR WHAT WE'RE OBLIGATED FOR ON OUR PARTNERSHIP.
SO THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS WE WERE LOOKING AT AS WE MOVE FORWARD INTO THE CARRY FORWARD BUDGET.
IF COUNCIL WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT, UM, ADDRESSING IT WITHIN ACTUAL FUNDING, WE WOULD HAVE TO KIND OF GO BACK AND MAKE SOME CHANGES BETWEEN NOW AND SECOND READING.
CHRIS, IS THERE ANYTHING I MISSED ON THAT? YOU GOOD DO SECOND READING IS SECOND READING.
SECOND READING IS AT THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING.
WE'D HAVE TO FIX IT BETWEEN NOW AND SECOND READING.
UM, JUST, UH, IF YOU'LL HELP ME, UH, CHRIS NEL, I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE ANTICIPATING ABOUT $3 MILLION IN SURPLUS
SO THERE SHOULD BE FUNDS AVAILABLE WHEN WE DO CARRY FORWARD.
UM, RIGHT NOW WE'RE LOOKING, WE'LL SAY BETWEEN TWO AND $3 MILLION OF, OF REVENUES OVER EXPENDITURES THAT WE WOULD HAVE AVAILABLE AND CARRY FORWARD THAT WE COULD THEN USE TO PUT THAT MONEY INTO LAND ACQUISITION WHEN WE DO CARRY FORWARD AMENDMENT.
IS THIS TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION WHAT WE'VE ALREADY GOT IN THE PIPELINE? UH, WHEN WE GET TO THE ACTUAL PROJECTS, YOU'LL SEE IT DOES TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION BECAUSE TECHNICALLY WE STILL HAVE ABOUT $3 MILLION IN THE PIPELINE AND WE MAY HAVE A COUPLE MILLION
[01:20:01]
DOLLARS OF THAT HELD FOR A PROJECT, BUT IT WON'T BE SPENT UNTIL NEXT FISCAL YEAR.SO WHEN WE GET THERE, YOU'LL SEE THOSE FUNDS STILL AVAILABLE, UH, ARE STILL SHOWING AS BEING SPENT NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
I'M, I'M IN, UH, AGREEMENT WITH DAN, BUT I ALSO THINK, I THOUGHT THAT WE, UH, TALKED ABOUT HOW WE GOING TO SPEND THE MONEY WHEN WE DO PUT MONEY IN LAND ACQUISITION BECAUSE EVERYBODY, AS YOU REMEMBER, EVERYBODY WANT TO SELL US SOMETHING.
SO I LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE IDENTIFY WHEN WE WANT MAKE A PURCHASE AND, AND BEFORE WE JUST SAY THAT WE, WE WANT TO SAVE ON ONE BANK, $10 MILLION TIME THAT LOOKED LIKE WE GOT IT TO SPEND, BUT LET'S ALL BE ON THE SAME PAGE OF WHY WE SPENDING IT AND WHAT WE AND WHAT THE PURPOSE WHEN WE DO PURCHASE IT, HOW ARE WE GOING TO AIRMARK IT? WELL, YEAH, I MEAN I'M, WE GOTTA HAVE IT IN THE BUDGET BEFORE, YOU KNOW, AND WE GOTTA BE READY TO PULL THE TRIGGER, SO TO SPEAK.
IF SOMETHING CRITICAL COMES UP, UM, YOU KNOW, AND NOT HAVE TO WAIT TILL THE NEXT YEAR OR, OR YOU KNOW, WE GOTTA HAVE IT, WE GOTTA HAVE THE MONEY TO BE SHOPPING.
IF CRITICAL, IF SOMETHING CRITICAL SUMS UP COMES UP, WE DO HAVE FUND BALANCE THAT CAN BE USED FOR ONETIME PURCHASES THAT WE CAN THEN REPLENISH AS WE NEED TO.
UM, AND SOMETHING LIKE LAND ACQUISITION WOULD BE AN IDEAL ONETIME PURCHASE FOR THAT FUND BALANCE.
UM, JUST BECAUSE WE DON'T, IT'S NOT SITTING IN THE LAND ACQUISITION FUND DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE CAN'T USE THOSE FUNDS TO BUY LAND.
SHOULD SOMETHING, SOMETHING POP UP.
LET ME PUT THE QUESTION A DIFFERENT WAY.
UM, WHAT WOULD STAFF RECOMMEND, I GUESS WHAT EXACTLY ARE YOU ASKING? PARDON ME? WHAT EXACTLY ARE YOU ASKING? IN OTHER WORDS, SHOULD THE LAND ACQUISITION $500,000 MOVE UP TO MAYBE 1 MILLION MINIMUM? DID HE HAVE IT THERE AND THEN YOU COULD ALWAYS BUILD IT UP OVER TIME INSTEAD OF GOING TO THE FUND BALANCE, UH, AND TAKING MONEY, YOU, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO GO BACK AND REPLENISH IT IF YOU TAKE IT FROM THE FUND BALANCE.
SO I'M SAYING WE PROBABLY SHOULD, AND I THINK COUNCILMAN HAMILTON JUST SAID HE'D SUPPORT IT, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO SAY THERE NEEDS TO BE A MINIMUM WHENEVER WE, WE DEPLETE THAT LINE ITEM.
AND SO THE QUESTION IS WILL WE GET A STAFF RECOMMENDATION TO MOVE THAT NUMBER UP OR WERE HOW WOULD YOU DO IT? OR YOU JUST, ARE YOU ASKING FOR A POLICY THAT DEFINES A MINIMUM BALANCE THAT REMAINS IN THERE? I'M ASKING YOU FOR A RECOMMENDATION BASED ON THE COMMENTS.
I MEAN, STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS WHAT YOU SEE PRESENTED.
BUT IF YOU THINK BASED ON THE COMMENTS, IF YOU ARE WANTING TO SEE A MINIMUM BALANCE, KIND OF LIKE WHAT WE HAVE DONE FOR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM WHERE WE'VE SET THOSE FUNDS ASIDE, WE CAN ALWAYS PUT A PROGRAM IN PLACE TO SAY WE WANT TO KEEP A MINIMUM OF X IN THERE.
'CAUSE THAT WOULDN'T BE A STAFF.
I THINK YOU'RE PUTTING THE STAFF ON THE SPOT BY ASKING THAT QUESTION.
UM, PLUS UNLESS YOU ASK HIM, UM, TO FUND THE MONEY, CHRIS, YOU GOT A MILLION DOLLARS
THAT'S WHY I MADE THE COMMENT ABOUT THE GOAL WAS TO BRING IT WHEN WE DO CARRY FORWARD, 'CAUSE WE WILL HAVE THE MONEY AVAILABLE THEN TO THEN PUT INTO THE ACCOUNT MY, WHEN WE BRING THAT, WE CAN HAVE A PROGRAM TO DISCUSS AT THAT TIME TO SAY THAT WE'RE GONNA PRIME IT AND THIS IS GONNA BE THE MINIMUM THAT WE'RE GONNA KEEP IN THERE.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE SOLVED TONIGHT.
AND, AND WE GOTTA REMEMBER TOO, WE'VE GOT MONEY IN OTHER THINGS, YOU KNOW, THAT WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO OR WHO WE'RE GOING TO SPEND IT ON OR WHAT WE'RE GONNA FIX WITH IT OR ANY OF THAT.
UM, MY BIGGEST GOAL IS, IS TO, MY PERSONAL FEELING IS I WANNA KNOW THAT WE HAVE MONEY AVAILABLE IF SOMETHING COMES UP THAT WE CAN BUY SOME CRITICAL LAND OR TAKE SOME DENSITY UNITS OFF OR WHATEVER WE DO.
I DON'T, I DON'T WANT TO COME, I DON'T WANT AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO DO SOMETHING THAT WE ALL SAYING WE'RE IN AGREEANCE OF DOING.
AND THEN YOU GUYS SAY, WELL, WE DON'T HAVE THEM.
SO, AND WHEN IT COMES TO LAND PURCHASES OR DENSITY PURCHASING DENSITIES OR WHATEVER, IT'S, IT'S ALL EXPENSIVE.
SO, SO, YOU KNOW, HOWEVER Y'ALL WANT TO HANDLE, IT'S FINE WITH ME.
I JUST WANNA MAKE THAT CLEAR THAT, SO AS OF RIGHT, AS OF RIGHT NOW, THE, THE BUDGET IS BALANCED BASED ON WHAT'S PRESENTED.
SO INCREASING IT BY HALF A MILLION DOLLARS WOULD REQUIRE US TO FIND HALF A MILLION SOMEWHERE ELSE TO REDUCE.
UM, SO MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE THIS IS A GREAT DISCUSSION ITEM FOR STRATEGIC PLANNING IN THE PROCESS.
UM, AND THEN AS LONG AS WE KNOW THAT GOING INTO THE BUDGET PROCESS, THEN WE CAN PROGRAM IT IN THIS.
[01:25:01]
SIR.NO, I APPRECIATE THE DISCUSSION.
UM, THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT TOPIC AND AS WE FOUND OUT THROUGH THIS YEAR, IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS A PRIORITY THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BUY LAND, TAKE THE DENSITY OFF THAT COUNCIL IS WILLING AND EXCITED TO TAKE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO.
SO IS LARRY ON IT ON IT NOW, SIR? NO, LARRY'S THE ONLY PERSON THAT SAID THAT.
OH, I THOUGHT I HEARD Y'ALL SUPPORTED
I VOTED ON IT, BUT I'M AGREEING.
I, I TOOK, I TOOK, I TOOK THE VOTE TO BUY THE LAND ON BUCK ISLAND.
THAT IT, IT WAS SUPPORTED THOUGH.
YEAH, AGREED WITH THAT ONE TOO.
ALRIGHT, SO, UM, LOCAL ACCOMMODATIONS TAX.
UM, THIS ONE IS LOOKING A LITTLE OVER $1.6 MILLION.
AGAIN, A LOT OF PARKS, ROADS, UM, THINGS THAT BRING PEOPLE TO OUR COMMUNITY THAT THEY USE WHILE THEY'RE HERE.
UM, SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE TAKING CARE OF THOSE.
UM, YOU'LL SEE IN THERE AS WELL, UH, SQUIRE POPE CARRIAGE HOUSE, UH, AS WE GO FORWARD.
THAT'S THE FINISH OUT FOR THE WELCOME CENTER AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT WHEN WE GET INTO THE PROJECTS FOR NEXT YEAR.
NOW THESE ARE HIS FAVORITE THINGS.
THESE ARE ONES THAT ARE SEWER AND RUNOFF PROTECTION OF THE MAY RIVER.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, UM, WE HAVE HISTORIC DISTRICT THAT SAYS PHASE SIX, THAT'S FOUR FIVE N SIX.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE THE COMPREHENSIVE DRAINAGE PLAN AND THE MAY RIVER ACTION PLAN RESTORATION.
THOSE ARE THE ONES WHERE THEY'RE DOING THE STUDY FOR RIGHT NOW.
WHAT COMES OUT OF THOSE WOULD BE THE PROJECTS WE WOULD LIKE TO DO, NOT THE ONES THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO ASK QUESTION ON.
THIS IS MORE FIXING THE DRAINAGE ISSUES LIKE COUNCILMAN HAMILTON BROUGHT UP ABOUT, UH, CROOKED CREEK LAST OFF A WHILE AGO,
AND THEN LAST IS OUR DEBT SERVICE FUND.
AND THESE ARE ONES THAT TRANSFER OUT TO THE CAPITAL.
AGAIN, IT'S ABOUT 8.2 MILLION.
UM, MOST OF THESE ARE PARKS, AGAIN, ROADS.
UH, ONE OF THE BIG ONES YOU SEE IS, UH, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
THAT'S THE BUCKWALTER, UH, MULTI-COUNTY COMMERCE PARK.
SO THAT'S WHERE WE'RE DOING THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM OUT THE, OUR PROJECT OUT THERE.
THEN WE'LL GET INTO A LITTLE MORE DETAIL HERE IN A MINUTE.
[4. Capital Improvement Program Fund]
A MINUTE AGO, THE CI, THE CIP BUDGET MAKES UP A LITTLE SHORT OF 37% OF THE CONSOLIDATED OVERALL BUDGET.UM, THE, UM, IT REPORTS FINANCIAL RESOURCES THAT ARE RESTRICTED, COMMITTED, ASSIGNED FOR EXPENDITURES RELATED TO CAPITAL OUTLAYS LAND ACQUISITION, WHICH WE JUST HAD A GOOD CONVERSATION ABOUT.
AND CONSTRUCTION OF CAPITAL, CAPITAL FACILITIES AND ASSETS.
UM, THEY ARE PRIMARILY NON-RECURRING IN NATURE.
THAT MEANS IT'S BUILDING A PROJECT OR IT'S ONE AND DONE.
UM, ANYTHING THAT'S GREATER THAN 5,000, UH, EXCEPT FOR ROADS BUILDING AND COMPUTER SOFTWARE, UM, FALLS INTO THIS.
AND ANY AND ANY OF THOSE PROGRAMS HAVE TO BE $50,000 OR MORE.
SO WE USE OUR GUIDING DOCUMENTS TO FIGURE OUT WHICH PROJECTS THAT WE ARE GONNA SUPPORT.
AND, UM, THEY START WITH OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, WHICH LEADS INTO OUR STRATEGIC PLAN.
UH, WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MAY RIVER SHED ACTION PLAN A MINUTE AGO.
UM, OUR OLD TOWN MASTER PLAN, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD PLANS, UH, CORRIDOR PLANS, ALL THOSE GREAT PLANS THAT COUNCIL HAS ADOPTED TO GIVE, UH, DIRECTION AND, UH, TO COUNT TO STAFF ON HOW THEY WANT TO SEE THINGS ADDRESSED OR WHAT PRIORITIES THERE ARE.
WE USE THOSE TO GUIDE THE FUNDING AND THE PRIORITY OF THE PROJECT MOVING FORWARD.
UM, SO WITH THAT PROCESS, WE REVIEW THE CURRENT NEEDS AND AVAILABLE FUNDING SOURCES.
UM, WE BRING Y'ALL A PRIORITIZATION OF CIP PROJECTS WHEN WE HAVE OUR ANNUAL STRATEGIC PLANNING WORKSHOP EVERY YEAR.
UM, WE TAKE 'EM, UH, THROUGH PLANNING COMMISSION, UM, AS THEY GO THROUGH.
AND THEN WE BRING 'EM TO TOWN COUNCIL CONSIDERATION FOR APPROVAL DURING THE YEAR.
YOU SEE 'EM AT WORKSHOPS WHEN WE HAVE OUR QUARTERLY WORKSHOPS.
WE BRING UPDATES, GET INPUT, AND THEN THE GOAL IS TO GET 'EM TO COMPLETION, WHICH IS ALWAYS THE PRIMARY GOAL.
UM, SO THE PROJECT WORK, AS YOU CAN SEE, IT MAKES THE PLANNING AND DESIGN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, ANY ACQUISITION, PERMITTING, CONSTRUCTION, AND THEN ULTIMATELY, UH, COMPLETION AND TURNOVER TO PUBLIC SERVICES FOR MAINTENANCE.
SO WHERE DOES, AGAIN, THE SOURCES OF REVENUES COME FROM? WE WENT THROUGH SEVERAL OF THESE ON WHAT PROJECTS THEY'RE FUNDING, BUT YOU CAN SEE WHAT MAKES UP, UH, THE FUNDING FOR THAT GOES IN THE CIP PROJECTS.
UH, THE LARGEST OF WHICH IS THE TIF WHERE WE'RE TRANSFERRING IN FROM THE TIF BOND.
UM, AND THEN, SORRY, THE MOST, THE LARGEST IS CIP FUND BALANCE.
THESE ARE PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN FUNDED THAT ARE CONTINUING FORWARD FROM THE PREVIOUS FISCAL YEAR.
UM, AND THEN HOSPITALITY MAKES UP, UH, THE THIRD LARGEST AT ABOUT 15%.
[01:30:01]
AND THEY MAKE A TOTAL OF ABOUT $33.2 MILLION TO FUND OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS.AND AGAIN, WHERE THEY GO BROKEN UP INTO CATEGORIES, YOU'LL SEE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FACILITIES, HOUSING.
UM, OUR LARGEST BY FAR IS PARK PROJECTS FOLLOWED BY STORMWATER AND SEWER.
THIS KIND OF GIVES YOU A LAYOUT OF WHERE OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS ARE OCCURRING THROUGHOUT THE TOWN AND THEN THE ONES WITHIN THE OLD TOWNS.
SO A LITTLE BIT FOR THE KIND OF BROKEN DOWN, UM, BASED ON THE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES WITHIN THE 20 FOR THE 25, UM, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS IS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, HOUSING AND LAND ACQUISITION.
UM, YOU CAN SEE THE BREAKDOWN OF THOSE.
THERE'S ONLY A FEW PRO ONE PROJECT FOR EACH OF THOSE.
AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THAT'S THE MULTI MUL, MUL, EXCUSE ME, THE MULTI-COUNTY COMMERCE PARK.
THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE THE PARTNERSHIP, UM, WITH, UH, NIK TO BUILD THE FACILITIES OVER THERE ON OUR PROPERTY NEXT TO THE PD.
ALSO HAVE THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT.
THAT IS WHAT WE BROKE GROUND ON TODAY THAT WILL CARRY FORWARD INTO NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
AND THEN LAND ACQUISITION, AS YOU CAN SEE THAT SHOWS, UM, WITH THE 500,000 OUTAGE IS SHORT OF 3 MILLION.
UM, NOW, RIGHT NOW WE KNOW ABOUT 2 MILLION OF THAT IS BEING HELD WITH THE MOU THAT WE HAVE.
SO WE'LL BE SITTING AT ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS AVAILABLE BASED ON THAT BEING, UH, HELD TALKED ABOUT.
WE HAVE PLANS TO GET THAT BACK UP.
SO, UM, SOME NEXT ONE IS FACILITIES.
THESE ARE TOWN OWNED, UH, BUILDINGS.
YOU CAN SEE WE HAVE THE SQUIRE POPE CARRIAGE HOUSE, THE LAW ENFORCEMENT CENTER, UM, FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS IS, THESE ARE, UM, INCLUDES, UM, HVAC AND FINISHING OUT WHERE THEY ARE PUTTING AN IMPOUND LOT IN THE BACK SO THEY CAN HOLD CARS ON SITE, NOT HAVE TO PAY, UM, OUT TO, UM, TOW COMPANIES TO HOLD ANYTHING THAT IS, UH, EVIDENCE.
WE HAVE THE SARAH RILEY HOOKS COTTAGE, WHICH IS THE BEGINNING OF RENOVATIONS OUT THERE AT SARAH RILEY HOOKS.
UM, THIS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, WE SHOULD BE FINISHING UP IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.
WE ACTUALLY STUDIED EVERY FACILITY THAT WE HAD.
WE LOOKED AT THE POTENTIAL GROWTH TO SEE WHAT WE MAY NEED, UM, IN TERMS OF SPACE WHEN IT COMES TO, UM, BUILD OUT AND HIRING A FUTURE STAFF, HIRING A POLICE, AND LOOK AT SOME RECOMMENDATIONS.
WE'RE EXPECTING TO GET THAT BACK SHORTLY.
A COUPLE OTHER THINGS THAT WE'RE GETTING WITH THAT STUDY IS ONE IS GONNA BE A MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE SO WE CAN START PLANNING FOR FUTURE IMPROVEMENTS TO ROOFS, HVAC AND FEATURES LIKE THAT, THAT ARE EXPENSIVE AND THAT COME UP ON REPLACEMENT EVERY 10, 20 YEARS OR SO.
AND THEN THE OTHER THING THEY'RE GIVING US IS SOME A DA, UM, RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE MAY NEED TO MAKE FOR OUR FACILITIES TO MAKE THEM MORE A DA COMPLIANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE FOLLOWING FEDERAL GUIDELINES.
SO WE'RE PUTTING SOME FUNDS ASIDE TO, IN ANTICIPATION OF GETTING THOSE A DA, UM, IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE BEING RECOMMENDED SO WE CAN GO BACK AND MAKE THOSE IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR FACILITIES.
SO SOME OF THE ONES THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO HAVE THAT WE COMPLETED THIS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR OR WILL BE COMPLETING THIS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR.
UM, TOWN HALL IMPROVEMENTS, THERE'S A PICTURE OF THAT PRETTY GENERATOR THAT PERS WHENEVER IT CRANKS UP, I CAN HEAR IT OUT MY WINDOW.
I THINK IT'S ALSO WHERE THE MAYOR MAY CRASH WHENEVER THE NEXT HURRICANE COMES.
UM, WE ALSO, UH, TALKED ABOUT THE SPACE NEEDS ASSESSMENT.
AND THEN SQUIRE POPE CARRIAGE HOUSE, THAT'S BEEN THE, THE RENOVATIONS TO THE ACTUAL HISTORIC PORTION OF THE HOUSE WILL BE COMPLETED THIS FISCAL YEAR.
WHAT YOU'LL SEE IN THE FUTURE IS WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT THE UPFIT FOR THE WELCOME CENTER ON THE INSIDE.
THAT'S WHAT FISCAL YEAR 25 IS.
YOU CAN SEE THE WELCOME CENTER PORTION OF IT.
AND THEN AS WELL FOR THE LAW ENFORCEMENT CENTER, THIS IS WHERE WE TALKED ABOUT THE IMPOUND LOT AS WELL AS, UM, AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM BEING REPLACED.
IS IT, THIS IS WHAT, EVERY TIME I TURN AROUND, THEY'RE GONE.
TRACY, THIS IS TRACY'S PROGRAMS. UM, SO THIS IS TO CONTINUE TO ADD ADDITIONAL PUBLIC SAFETY CAMERAS AND REPLACE ONES THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR ABOUT SIX YEARS NOW.
SO WHEN YOU START TALKING ABOUT TECHNOLOGY AND THE QUALITY OF CAMERAS THAT ARE FIVE, SIX YEARS AGO, IT'S JUST LIKE ANYTHING WITH TECHNOLOGY, IT'S TIME TO START REPLACING OR UPGRADING.
SO SHE WORKS IN, UM, CONSULTATION WITH PUBLIC SERVICES AND THE POLICE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE KEEPING OUR SECURITY CAMERAS UP TO DATE AND EXPANDING 'EM INTO NEW PARKS AND FACILITIES AS WE NEED TO.
THIS IS TO MAKE SURE TO REPLACE SOME OF OUR WIRELESS ACCESS POINTS, UM, UM, AND TO REPLACE SOME SWITCHES WITHIN THE FACILITIES TO MAKE OUR, UM, MAKE SURE EVERYTHING OPERATES EFFICIENTLY IN SERVERS.
[01:35:01]
SO FOR 24, WHAT WAS COMPLETED IS, UM, SEVERAL THINGS.WE'VE, UH, IMPLEMENTED NEW BUSINESS LICENSE SOFTWARE, UM, WHICH WE'VE RECEIVED SEVERAL COMMENT COMPLIMENTS ON FROM BUSINESSES THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY AND ITS EASE OF USE.
UM, ALSO FIXED SOME, UH, ISSUES AT THE WATERSHED AND POLICE DEPARTMENT BUILDINGS TO UPDATE SWITCHES AND UH, WIRELESS SPOTS TO MAKE THINGS WORK BETTER.
AND ALSO REPLACE WIRELESS ACCESS POINTS IN OUR TOWN PARKS.
AGAIN, WHEN YOU PUT 'EM IN SIX, EIGHT YEARS AGO, TECHNOLOGY THAT WAS THERE DOESN'T, DOESN'T MATCH TO WHAT WE HAVE TODAY.
SO IT'S TIME TO START REPLACING SOME OF THOSE THINGS.
FEEL LIKE SOMEBODY'S PLAYING A TRICK ON ME.
I FELT LIKE SOME, I FELT LIKE SHE SITTING BACK THERE WITH A CLICKER AND EVERY TIME I WENT ONE WAY SHE WENT THE OTHER.
I THINK HE WAS JUST MESSING WITH IT.
SO WE'D GIVE HIM MORE MONEY TO GET A NEW ONE.
WE'VE CUT OFF PURCHASING FOR THE YEAR RIGHT NOW.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS IS OUR LARGEST 11.5 MILLION.
THIS SHOWS YOU WHAT IS BEING PLANNED FOR FISCAL YEAR 25 FOR PARKS.
UM, WE HAVE OYSTER FACTORY PARK.
THIS IS THE, UM, WE'RE LOOKING AT, UM, THE BATHROOMS AND SOME OTHER THINGS DOWN THERE.
THIS IS CONTIN, I THINK, UH, SHA SHADE CELLS FOR, UM, THE PLAYGROUND THAT'S OVER THERE.
UH, NEW RIVERSIDE PARK, THAT'S, THAT'S THE BIG ONE.
THAT'S WHERE ALL THE MONEY'S GOING TOWARDS.
AND THEN NEW RIVERSIDE TRAIL AGAIN, THAT'S WHAT WE'VE GROUND BROKE TODAY THAT WE'LL TAKE IT AND CONTINUE THE IMPROVEMENTS, UH, FOR PHASE ONE AND THEN INTO PHASE TWO OF THAT.
WELL TWO AND THREE INTO THAT PROGRAM.
UM, THE BUCK WALTER PLACE, WEST PARK IMPROVEMENTS, THAT'S THE ONE THAT WE PURCHASED FROM EVERCORE.
UM, IF YOU'VE GONE OUT THERE, YOU'VE SEEN SOME LANDSCAPING IN, BUT THE NEXT PHASE IS TO PUT LIGHTINGS SOME SHELTERS OUT THERE.
AND THE, UH, THOSE FEATURES THAT WE, OUR COMMUNITY COMES TO EXPECT WITHIN THE FACILITIES AND PARKS THAT WE OPERATE TO MAKE SURE IT'S MEETING OUR EXPECTATIONS.
SO IN 24, SOME THAT WE'VE COMPLETED, YOU CAN SEE THE SHADE CELLS OVER AT BUCK WALTER PARK FOR THE PLAYGROUND AREA.
THERE'S A VERY, VERY BEAUTIFUL PICTURE OF THE OYSTER FACTORY PARK POST RENOVATIONS.
UH, EVEN THOUGH THERE STILL ARE A FEW PUNCH ITEMS, LISTS THAT ARE BEING DONE, UM, PUNCH LIST ITEMS. UM, WE ALSO, UM, COMPLETED SOME HARDSCAPE AND DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS OUTTA OYSTER FACTORY.
UM, DON'T, DOES NOT LOOK LIKE WE'RE GONNA HAVE.
WELL, IF YOU DRIVE BY, CONSTRUCTION HAS NOT STARTED YET.
SO THE SPLASH PAD AT AT, UM, OSCAR FRAZIER'S NOT GONNA BE OPEN.
WE'RE WAITING ON DEC PERMIT FOR THAT, BUT WE'RE STILL HOPING LATE SUMMER WE'RE GONNA HAVE THAT UP AND RUNNING.
SO I THINK I SAW SOME, UM, EQUIPMENT AND THE, THE, THE EQUIPMENT'S IN.
WE'RE WAITING ON OUR DHEC PERMIT AND WE'VE BEEN FIGHTING WITH OUR STATE.
OUR STATE LEGISLATORS ARE WORKING TO HELP US, BUT ONCE WE GET A DH PERMIT, THEY'LL, THEY'RE READY TO ROCK AND ROLL.
SO, QUESTION ON, UM, BOTTOM PICTURE.
HOW IS THAT AREA GONNA BE USED? SO IT'S JUST A CONGREGATION AREA.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE SEEN JUST SINCE IT'S REOPENED IS WE'VE SEEN PEOPLE TRY TO PUT TABLES UP THERE.
SO WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA LOOK TO AMEND THE REGULATIONS FOR USING THAT WHEN PEOPLE RENT IT TO REMOVE, TO MAKE IT SO THAT THEY CAN'T PUT ANY OF THE OYSTER TABLES UP THERE.
'CAUSE WE'RE TRYING, WE DON'T WANT IT DAMAGED FROM THEM.
DRAGGING THOSE OYSTER TABLES UP THERE.
BUT YOU CAN PUT REGULAR BANQUET TABLE.
UH, YEAH, LONG AS THEY HAVE THE, THE COVERED FEET.
SO IT'S NOT JUST METAL OR I AGREE.
WE DON'T, THEY DON'T NEED TO BE.
WHERE WOULD THE OYSTER TABLES RESIDE? IN THE GRAVEL AREA.
SO WHAT ABOUT CHAIRS? UM, TABLES AND CHAIRS GO TO THE TABLE, BUT RIGHT NOW IT'S JUST KIND OF UNINVITING.
RIGHT NOW IT'S JUST, IT'S A SPACE THAT PEOPLE CAN REPURPOSE FOR WHATEVER THEY NEED, BUT WE DON'T WANT THEM DRAGGING THE HUGE OYSTER TABLES THAT WE HAVE.
THEY MAY PUT TABLES AND CHAIRS THERE.
YEAH, BUT I MEAN AROUND THE, THE BASE OF THE TREE IS THAT, IS THAT A BENCH? YES, THAT'S A BENCH AROUND THE BASE OF THE TREE THERE.
AND A LOT OF PEOPLE LIKE SIT ON THE EDGE OVER HERE TOO.
IF, IF YOU GO OUT THE, I'VE SEEN A COUPLE UP THERE WITH A LITTLE SMALL TABLE HAVING A PICNIC, UM, THROUGH THE WEEKEND OR IN THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS.
THE SIDE THAT YOU CAN'T SEE ON THE PITCHER THAT, THAT YOU WOULD BE LOOKING AT FROM THE WATER IS ACTUALLY ELEVATED FOR SEATING AROUND THE EDGE OF IT.
AND THE FIRE PITS RIGHT THERE.
YEAH, RIGHT NEXT TO THE FIRE PIT IN THAT, IN THAT HALF WALL.
BUT OUTSIDE OF THE BENCH AND THE SEATING, THERE IS NO PURPOSE FOR THAT POSITION UNLESS THERE'S AN EVENT GOING ON OR UNLESS PEOPLE JUST WANT TO GO
[01:40:01]
AND USE IT.I'M ASSUMING YOU'LL HAVE DANCING THERE AT SOME POINT ALREADY.
THEY CAN BE SPREAD LIKE A, UH, ARTIST LOOKING AT A CANVAS.
AN EVENT PLANNER WOULD SEE THAT.
AND IT'S THE OPTIONS OF WHAT, WHAT AND HOW THAT SPACE COULD BE UTILIZED IS, IS VERY, IT'S, I CAN'T SEE THAT FAR.
BRIDGET
SO WHEN THE SPLASH PAD COMES, BRIDGET'S HAVING A BEACH PARTY AND WE'RE ALL GONNA BE THERE IN OUR BATHING SUITS AND HANG OUT.
NOW THE LANGUAGE HE WOULD UNDERSTAND IS IMAGINE FRANKIE BEVERLY AND MAZE CAME FOR A CONCERT.
THAT WOULD BE THE BAND STAND RIGHT THERE.
PROBABLY THE DANCE FLOOR SINCE THE, I I SEND THAT SET UP ON THE OTHER ONE BY THE WATER.
MAKE SURE YOU PUT, MAKE SURE YOU PUT SOME BAND, SOME BARRIERS AROUND BEFORE THEY START DANCING.
AND I'VE SEEN, I'VE SEEN DAN DANCE AND HE DON'T DANCE WITH ANY RHYTHM.
SO FOR 25, WHAT DO WE HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH? AGAIN, WE HAVE SEVERAL PARK IMPROVEMENTS.
I MENTIONED THE SHADE PAVILION AT BUCK WALTER PARK.
UM, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE RAN RESTROOMS AT OYSTER FACTORY.
UM, WE KNOW THEY NEED SOME IMPROVEMENTS AND ALSO LOOKING AT WAYS THAT WE MAY BE ABLE TO ADD, UH, A COUPLE ADDITIONAL FACILITIES WHILE WE'RE, UH, RENOVATING.
UM, AGAIN, WE ANTICIPATE THE SPLASH PAD GOING IN PAST JULY ONE.
SO WE'VE GOT THAT IN THE BUDGET MOVING FORWARD INTO THE BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR, AS WELL AS SHADE SALES OVER THE PLAY AREA OVER THERE.
UM, AND THEN NEW RIVERSIDE BARN.
UM, AGAIN, THE BIG PORTION OF THE PLAYGROUND AND THE BARN RENOVATIONS WILL TAKE PLACE IN NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
THE ROADS, UM, MOST OF THESE ARE, UH, STREET SCAPES.
SO WE HAVE IN THE BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR TO DO THE BOUNDARY.
THAT'S OUR, THAT AND PRICHARD ARE OUR NEXT TWO.
AND THEN CALHOUN WILL BE THE LAST ONE.
UM, SO WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF, UM, GETTING BOUNDARY READY TO GO OUT TO BID RIGHT NOW.
UM, SO THAT'S ALL THAT FUNDING IN THERE IS TO COMPLETE THAT IN NEXT FISCAL YEAR? WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE? I KNOW IT IS, BUT I MEAN, UM, AT SOME POINT BRING, DO A LITTLE WORKSHOP AGAIN ON THE BOUNDARY STREET.
SO WE CA COUNCIL HASN'T SEEN THE DRAWINGS IN QUITE SOME TIME.
YES, IT WOULD BE GOOD TO BRING THAT ONE IN PRICHARD AS PART OF ONE OF THE WORKSHOPS COMING UP FOR COUNCIL IN THE NEXT, UH, COUPLE QUARTERS THAT'S SEE HEATHER DOWN TO MAKE SURE.
AND BY THE WAY, THE THE NEW RIVERSIDE PARK.
WHEN WILL IT BE ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC? SO THE PLAYGROUND IS SUPPOSED TO BE OPEN THE END OF THIS CAL, END OF THIS CALENDAR YEAR.
SO, UM, WHAT WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM IS ONCE THE PLAYGROUND RESTROOMS AND ALL THAT ARE READY TO OPEN, THEY'LL, THEY'LL MOVE THE FENCE.
SO IT'S JUST OVER THE AREA THEY'RE ACTUALLY CONSTRUCTING IN AND THE PLAYGROUND WILL OPEN.
SO WE'LL LOOK TO HAVE LIKE PROBABLY GROUND BREAK THE PARK AND THEN SIX MONTHS LATER OR SO, NINE MONTHS LATER, GROUND BREAK THE BARN OR NOT GROUND BREAK RIBBON CUTS.
IT LOOKS LIKE PRETTY, UM, SUBSTANTIAL EXTERIOR PROGRESS BEING MADE ON THE BARN.
I THINK THEY'VE TAKEN FROM THE ROAD.
YEAH, IF YOU PULL UP TO THE FENCE, YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE THEY'VE POURED THE FOUNDATION FOR HOW THE, THE EXPANSION FOR THE BARN.
SO THEY'VE GOT THE WATER AND EVERYTHING, THE UTILITY'S ALREADY IN PLACE AND THE FOUNDATION FOR THE BARN, BUT THEY'VE REMOVED ALL THE, UM, THE RED THAT WAS THE BARN TO PRESERVE IT FOR PUTTING IT BACK ON WHENEVER THE EXPANSION IS DONE.
BUT THEY'RE ALSO BUILDING THE BATHROOMS RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS THE OTHER MAJOR, UH, PART OF THE, UH, PLAYGROUND.
AND THEN THEY'LL HAVE THE SHELTERS AND THEN THE PLAYGROUND TO INSTALL.
AND THEN WE WILL, LIKE I SAID, WE'LL BE ABLE TO DEDICATE THAT ONE BEFORE THE BARN'S READY AND THEN WE'LL MOVE TO THE BARN AND THEN DEDICATE IT.
SO FOR 24 WE HAD SOME PATHWAY PEDESTRIAN SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS.
SOME OTHER ONES ARE IN, UH, A DIFFERENT LOCATION LIKE BRIDGE STREET.
BRIDGE STREET WAS COMPLETED, BUT WAS CONSIDERED MORE OF KIND OF A FELL UNDER THE SEWER PROGRAM VERSUS ROADS.
BUT SOME OF THESE HIT MULTIPLE TOPICS.
UM, I'VE NOTICED TODAY THERE WERE SIGNS UP IN THE PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS IN A FEW LOCATIONS.
THE BIG LIME YELLOW OR LIME GREEN, WHATEVER, LIME GREEN I SHOULD SAY.
ARE WE GETTING READY TO PUT A FEW MORE UP? UM, I'LL HAVE TO GET YOU AN ANSWER TO THAT.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT'S THE NEXT STEP, WHAT THE NEXT ONE IS.
IT SEEMS LIKE THAT'S A SIMPLE TOP OF MY HEAD THING TO DO.
SO ANYWAY, YOU CAN CHECK ON THAT.
IT'S PUBLIC SERVICES, IT'S REGULAR MAINTENANCE.
[01:45:01]
PEOPLE WIPE 'EM OUT, THEN THEY GO BACK OUT AND REPLACE THEM.I'M I DON'T MEAN THE ONE IN THE ROAD.
I MEAN THE ONES THAT SHOWING THE BIG SIGN WITH THE PEDESTRIAN POINTING AT AT THE ROAD.
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING PAT, PAT KNOWS I'M TALKING ABOUT INSTALLED THE STAGE ONE CONSTRUCTION OF BRIDGE STREET IS BRIDGE STREET.
WELL THIS IS RIGHT OUT ON UH, MAY RIVER ROAD.
THAT COULD BE A DOT THING PERHAPS THAT TO MY KNOWLEDGE THAT WAS NOT, THAT WAS, I WANNA CHECK THAT AND LOOK AT IT.
WE'LL CHECK ON THAT AND YEAH, I'LL REACH OUT TO PUBLIC SERVICES, SEE IF THEY DID IT.
YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING WORK.
SO, UM, COMPLETION IN 24, LIKE I SAID, THIS IS WHERE THE BRIDGE STREET STREET SCAPE ACTUALLY SHOWED UP.
IT WASN'T IN STREETS, IT'S IN STORMWATER AND SEWER BECAUSE ONE OF THE MAIN PURPOSE OF THAT WAS TO PUT IN, UM, BRAND NEW, UH, STORMWATER DRAINS THAT DID NOT EXIST.
UM, YOU CAN ALSO SEE PHASE TWO C AND TH UH, SEWER EXTENSION PHASE TWO AND THREE.
AND YES, IT WILL BE DONE THIS FISCAL YEAR.
ALL THE CONNECTIONS HAVE BEEN MADE.
WE'RE SIMPLY NOW, UM, DEALING WITH THE HOMEOWNERS ON FIXING THEIR GRASS AND EVERYTHING.
SO YOUR COMMENTS OKAY,
AND THEN, UH, COMPREHENSIVE DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS.
AGAIN, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT GOES ON ONGOING.
UH, HAYWARD COVE DRAINAGE BASIN IS THE REPORT.
THE STUDY WE DID WAS FOR THAT ONE.
UM, FOR FISCAL YEAR 25, WE'RE LOOKING AT HISTORIC DISTRICT, UH, COMPLETING FOUR, FIVE, AND SIX.
THAT ONE'S, UH, FINALIZING DESIGN, GETTING READY TO GO OUT TO BID RIGHT NOW.
AND THEN PRITCHARD STREET DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENT, WE TALKED ABOUT BOUNDARY.
PRITCHARD STREET WILL BE, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE WENT OUT THERE AND DID THE SEWER, ONE THING WE DID NOT PUT IN IS WE DID NOT PUT ANY, UH, STORMWATER DRAINAGE ON IT.
SO WE'RE WORKING ON THAT, GETTING THAT IN PLACE AS PART OF, UM, NEXT PHASE.
SO LAST COUPLE OF SLIDES, THIS IS VERY BUSY.
UM, BUT WHAT THIS DOES, AND THIS IS IN YOUR BUDGET BOOK, THIS SHOWS YOU WHERE THE FUNDING IS COMING FROM FOR EACH CAPITAL PROJECT.
AS YOU LOOK FROM THE LEFT TO RIGHT, YOU'LL SEE THE DIFFERENT LINE, THE DIFFERENT FUNDING SOURCES, WHETHER IT'S H TAX, LOCAL ACCOMMODATIONS, TAX, GEO BOND, TIFF, THIS JUST KIND OF TELLS YOU WHEN WE KIND OF BROKE IT DOWN IN THE FRONT OF EACH FUND.
THIS IS KIND OF THAT SUMMARY OF ALL PROJECTS.
SO IF YOU EVER ARE CURIOUS ON WHAT'S FUNDING THE BOUNDARY STREET STREETSCAPE, YOU CAN COME IN HERE AND SEE THAT 130,000 IS COMING FROM H TAX.
1.7 MILLION SEVEN 5 MILLION IS COMING FROM TIFF.
SO THIS GIVES YOU THE BREAKDOWN.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS IN YOUR BUDGET BOOK THAT WAS PRESENTED TO COUNCIL.
IT'S ONE OF THE BIG SHEETS THAT FOLD OUT.
ONE OF THE OTHER ONES THAT'S IN THERE THAT'S VERY BUSY AS WELL IS KIND OF A FIVE YEAR OUTLOOK FOR THE CIP UH, PROGRAM.
SO YOU CAN SEE FOR FISCAL YEAR 25 THE PROJECTS THAT ARE AND THE FUNDING ASSOCIATED WITH IT, AS WELL AS 26 AND THEN 27, 28.
AND AS WE REALLY GET ABOUT A COUPLE YEARS OUT, THAT'S WHEN WE WILL START LOOKING AT PRIORITIZING THE NEXT LINE OF PROJECTS.
UM, AND LOOKING AT COUNCIL INPUT ON WHAT NEEDS TO BE, UM, AS WE COMPLETE THINGS.
WHAT NEEDS TO BE COMING ONLINE? AGAIN, YOU HAVE A FOLD OUT, BIGGER VERSION IN YOUR BUDGET BOOK WHENEVER YOU SHOULD.
YOU WANNA LOOK AT THAT OR, UM, I, I KNOW THAT Y'ALL HAVE WORKED HARD TO, BECAUSE YOU'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH, YOU'RE GETTING MORE PROJECTS DONE, WHICH MEANS THE VOLUME OF CARRYOVER MONEY THAT USED TO TAKE PLACE BEFORE YOU GOT HERE WAS A STAGGERING SUM OF MONEY.
UM, WHAT DO WE HAVE, DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT THE CARRYOVER IS ON THE PROJECTS NOW? UM, CIP FUND BALANCE IS $13.5 MILLION.
YOU'VE GOTTEN IT WAY DOWN COMPARED TO WHERE IT WAS BEFORE YOU GOT HERE.
NOW SOMETHING DOESN'T GET COMPLETED JUNE 30TH AND IT'S GONNA COMPLETE JANUARY, JULY 15TH.
WE MAY STILL HAVE SOME CARRY OVER FOR THAT BECAUSE IT RUNS FISCAL YEAR, BUT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ANTICIPATING BASED ON WHERE WE ARE, UH, HOPING TO HAVE COMPLETE BY THE END OF THE YEAR.
SO AFTER THAT, TO WRAP UP AGAIN, PROPOSED CONSOLIDATED BUDGET.
UM, WE TALKED ABOUT GENERAL FUNDS, SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS, THE STORM WATER AND DEBT SERVICE AT OUR FIRST WORKSHOP, CIP, THIS WORKSHOP, ALL THAT TOGETHER MAKES UP OUR TOTAL BUDGET OF A LITTLE OVER, UM, 990,620,000, UM, AGAIN, WHICH IS A SLIGHT
[01:50:01]
DECREASE.AGAIN, MOST OF THAT IS BECAUSE OF THE CAPITAL CIP CARRY FORWARD AS WELL AS THE, UM, SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS.
BUT THE GENERAL FUND IS UP A LITTLE OVER 2%.
AND THEN, UH, STORM WATER IS UP A LITTLE BIT AND THEN DEBT SERVICES UP A LITTLE BIT.
BUT OVERALL IT'S ABOUT A 2% DECREASE OVER OUR BUDGET FROM LAST YEAR.
AGAIN, THE PROCESS, WE ARE AT THE SECOND WORKSHOP COUNCIL WILL HAVE OUR PUBLIC HEARING AND SECOND AND FINAL READING AT OUR, UM, COUNCIL MEETING ON JUNE THE 11TH.
WE'VE ALREADY ADVERTISED THAT.
WE'LL HAVE THAT AS THE FIRST ITEM, UM, FOR THE AGENDA AFTER PUBLIC HEARING AND ALL OF THAT.
AND THEN WE'LL DO THE PUB, UM, PUBLIC HEARING ON THE BUDGET AND SECOND AND FINAL READING.
OKAY, ANY QUESTIONS? DO YOU HAVE ANY MORE MONEY THAT I CAN FIND? I CAN FIND YOU FOR? I GOT IDEAS ALREADY, YOU KNOW, AS WELL AS I DO.
IF Y'ALL COME AND Y'ALL SAY Y'ALL WANT IT DONE, WE'LL FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
SO IF
SO IF, UH, NO ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, UH, I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DID NOT THANK, UH, SENIOR STAFF, THE ONES WHO AREN'T HERE, THE ONES THAT ARE HERE AS WELL AS NATALIE AND HER TEAM IN FINANCE, CHRIS, HEATHER.
AND THEY'RE HELPING IN GETTING THIS DONE.
THEY MAKE THE PROCESS SO MUCH SMOOTH, SMOOTH, MORE SMOOTH THAN ANY PROCESS I'VE EVER HAD.
UM, THANK Y'ALL FOR YOUR INPUT THROUGHOUT THE BUDGET PROCESS.
SHOULD YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS BETWEEN NOW AND SECOND READING, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT.
UM, BASED ON THE COMMENTS THAT WE'VE RECEIVED UP TO THIS POINT, WE DO NOT SEE ANY CHANGES THAT WILL BE MADE BETWEEN FIRST READ BETWEEN UM, WELL THE, JUST THE ONE GETTING THE GRANTS THAT UM, WE RECEIVED $144,000 GRANT FROM FIRST READING TILL SECOND READING.
UM, SO RIGHT NOW WHAT WOULD BE PRESENTED TO YOU IS WHAT WAS PRESENTED AT THE FIRST WORKSHOP.
UM, WITHOUT THAT, THANK Y'ALL VERY MUCH.
ANY MORE QUESTIONS FROM COUNSEL? WE HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN THAT MOTION.
WE, THANKS FOR WATCHING BC TV.
WINTER IS A GREAT TIME FOR STARGAZING SKIES ARE GENERALLY CLEAR AND DURING THIS TIME OF YEAR WE'RE LOOKING INTO AN AREA IN OUR GALAXY WHERE THERE ARE NOT QUITE AS MANY STARS.
IT ALSO GETS DARK PRETTY EARLY SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO STAY OUT LATE TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO STARGAZE.
AND SINCE WE'RE IN THE LOW COUNTRY, RARELY DOES IT GET TOO COLD TO BE OUTDOORS.
THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE WINTER SKY IS THE WINTER HEXAGON, A SERIES OF SIX BRIGHT STARS IN SIX DIFFERENT CONSTELLATIONS THAT MAKE UP A ROUGH HEXAGON SHAPE IN THE SKY.
YOU CAN START FROM A FAMILIAR CONSTELLATION, ORION AND STAR HOP TO ALL OF THE OTHER STARS AND OTHER CONSTELLATIONS.
SO WE'RE GONNA START WITH ORION.
DO YOU GUYS KNOW HOW TO FIND ORION? NO.
WELL, IT'S A PRETTY FAMILIAR CONATION.
A LOT OF PEOPLE CAN FIND IT BECAUSE THERE'S THREE STARS AND HIS BELT.
SO YOU GUYS SEE HIS BELT UP THERE? YES.
SO YOU JUST START WITH ORION'S BELT AND WE'RE GONNA FIND ALL THE OTHER SIX STARS BY STARTING FROM ORION.
SO WE SEE HIS BELT AND THEN UP AT THE TOP OF HIS SHOULDER, THAT ONE LOOKS KIND OF REDDISH.
AND DOWN AT THE BOTTOM CORNER IS RIGEL.
RIGEL IS THE STAR THAT'S IN THE WINTER HEXAGON THAT MARKS HIS KNEE.
SO IF WE GO TO ORION, WE CAN ACTUALLY FOLLOW HIS BELT UP AND AWAY AND YOU'RE GONNA COME TO ANOTHER REDDISH LOOKING STAR.
AND YOU SEE SORT OF A V SHAPE.
OKAY? SO THAT MARKS THE FACE OF TAURUS, THE BULL AND TAURUS, THE BULL.
YOU BASICALLY SEE THAT VHA FOR HIS FACE AND YOU CAN FOLLOW HIS HORNS UP IN AWAY.
AND THE ONLY PART THE REST OF THE BULL THAT WE SEE IS THIS LITTLE CLUSTER OF STARS OVER HERE.
IT MARKS HIS SHOULDER AND THOSE ARE CALLED THE PLEISS OR THE SEVEN SISTERS.
IF YOU'VE EVER HEARD OF THOSE CONSTELLATIONS THROUGH
[01:55:01]
BINOCULARS, IT LOOKS ALMOST LIKE A LITTLE TINY MINIATURE DIPPER CONSTELLATION.SO ORION'S UP THERE WITH THE BOWL AND THEN IF WE TAKE HIS BELT AGAIN AND WE FOLLOW IT DOWN TOWARDS THE HORIZON, YOU FIND ANOTHER REALLY BRIGHT STAR.
AND SIRIUS IS THE BRIGHTEST STAR THAT WE CAN SEE IN THE SKY.
IT'S ONLY 8.5 LIGHT YEARS AWAY, WHICH IN ASTRONOMY TERMS IS PRETTY CLOSE AND SERIOUS MARKS CANIS MAJOR, WHICH BASICALLY MEANS THE BIG DOG.
AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO FIND CANIS MINOR, THE LITTLE DOG.
SO IF WE USE SIRIUS AND WE USE BETAL JUICE, WHICH MARKS OR RYAN'S SHOULDER AND YOU MAKE A TRIANGLE, YOU FIND ANOTHER BRIGHT STAR OVER TO THE LEFT.
THAT ONE IS CALLED PRO CION AND THAT MARKS CANIS MINOR, THE LITTLE DOG.
AND THAT ONE'S ACTUALLY KIND OF A STRETCH.
THERE'S ONLY TWO STARS, SO YOU HAVE TO BE IMAGINATIVE WHEN YOU THINK OF THAT ONE REPRESENTING A DOG.
OKAY? SO WE FOUND FOUR OF THE CONSTELLATIONS THAT ARE PART OF THE WINTER HEXAGON AND THOSE FOUR ARE ACTUALLY DEPICTED IN THE SKY TOGETHER.
SO YOU'VE GOT ORION WHO WAS A GREAT HUNTER WITH HIS TWO HUNTING DOGS, CANIS MAJOR AND CANIS MINOR.
AND THEN HE IS HUNTING TOURIST, THE BULL AND TOURIST, THE BULL AND GREEK MYTHOLOGY.
UH, ONE OF THE STORIES THAT REASON WHY WE SEE ONLY HALF OF HIM IS BECAUSE IT WAS ZEUS TAKING ON THE FORM OF A BOWL BECAUSE HE FELL IN LOVE WITH A PRINCESS WHO LIVED ON AN ISLAND AND HE WENT TO GO ABDUCT HER AND HE'S SWIMMING.
SO SINCE HE'S IN THE WATER, ONLY HALF OF HIS BODY IS STICKING OUT AND WE ONLY SEE THE TOP HALF.
SO TO FIND THE OTHER COUPLE CONSTELLATIONS, WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA GO BACK TO ORION AND WE'RE JUST GONNA DRAW A LINE STRAIGHT UP THE MIDDLE, SORT OF IN BETWEEN HIS SHOULDERS AND HIS FEET UP AND AWAY.
AND YOU ARE GOING TO COME TO A STAR CALLED CAPELLA.
NOW THOSE NAMES DON'T MAKE A LOT OF SENSE, BUT ARJA IS THE CHARIOTEER.
SO IT'S A TRIBUTE TO THE CREATOR OF THE CHARIOT.
AND CAPELLA ACTUALLY MEANS THE SHE GOAT
OKAY, THOSE ARE CALLED THE KIDS.
OKAY? AND SO THE LAST ONE IS ACTUALLY GEMINI, THE TWINS.
SO YOU GO BACK TO ORION AND FIND RIGEL, WHICH MARKS HIS KNEE AND GO THROUGH BETAL JUICE THAT MARKS HIS SHOULDER AND DRAW A LINE OVER AND YOU ACTUALLY SEE TWO STARS.
SO THERE'S TWO STARS SIDE BY SIDE.
THOSE ARE CASTOR AND POLLOCKS AND CASTOR AND POLLOCKS FOR THE TWO GEMINI TWINS.
AND THOSE ACTUALLY YOU CAN SEE PRETTY WELL LITTLE STICK FIGURES.
THERE'S TWO GUYS STANDING WITH THEIR ARMS AROUND ONE ANOTHER AND THEIR LITTLE TRIANGLE LEGS COMING OUT IN THE BOTTOM.
AND CASTOR AND POLLOCKS ARE AN INTERESTING STORY.
IN GREEK MYTHOLOGY, THEY WERE TWINS, BUT THEY ALSO HAD A TRIPLET SISTER ALL WITH DIFFERENT FATHERS.
A MORTAL MOTHER AND CASTOR WAS IMMORTAL AND POLLOCKS WAS MORTAL.
AND WHEN POLLOCKS WAS KILLED IN BATTLE, 'CAUSE THEY WERE ARGONAUTS, UH, HIS BROTHER ASKED TO SHARE HIS IMMORTALITY AND ZEUS CAST THEM BOTH INTO THE SKY, UM, AS A CONSTELLATION SO THAT THEY COULD BE TOGETHER FOREVER.
SO IF WE GO BACK, WE CAN SEE RIGEL AND ORION, AND YOU CAN SEE ALDEVRON AND TAURUS AND ARJA AND CAPELLA AND CASTOR AND POLLOCKS AND GEMINI, AND PRO CION AND THEN SIRIUS.
AND THAT MAKES SIX STARS THAT MAKE UP BASICALLY A HEXAGON SHAPE.
ONCE YOU LEARN TO FIND THE STARS AND THE CONSTELLATIONS OF THE WINTER HEXAGON, YOU KNOW, ALMOST HALF THE NIGHT SKY WINTER'S A GREAT TIME TO START STARGAZING BECAUSE YOU CAN START FROM A FAMILIAR CONSTELLATION, WHICH WILL POINT THE WAY TO THE OTHER CONSTELLATIONS OF THE WINTER HEXAGON.
NEXT TIME THE TEMPERATURES TURN COOLER, THE SALT MARSH CORD GRASS BECOMES BROWN AND THE DECIDUOUS TREES DROP THEIR LEAVES HEAD OUT TO SPEND SOME TIME UNDER THE NIGHT SKY.