* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.
          [00:00:01]
          CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY. 
          NOW, LET'S GO TO OUR AGENDA. 
          UH, FIRST UP TODAY WE HAVE, UH, REPRESENTATIVE, UH, SHANNON AND ERICKSON, UH, ALSO THE OWNER OF HOBBIT HILLS PRESCHOOLS, AND SHE WILL BE FOLLOWED BY, UH, MS. JODY LEVITT, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE CHILDREN'S CENTER. 
          AND WE'RE GONNA LEARN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE CHILDCARE NEEDS OF THE LOW COUNTRY. 
          WELCOME REPRESENTATIVE, HERON. 
          GOOD TO SEE YOU. 
          THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. 
          THIS IS LIKE ONLY HER FOURTH MEETING ALREADY THIS MORNING. 
          SO, UM, I'M, I'VE LEFT MY ROLLER SKATES IN THE CAR. 
          , UH, THAT'S HOW WE GET THINGS DONE IS JUST GET GOING AND YOU GOTTA GET GOING. 
          SO, YES, I STARTED EARLY THIS MORNING AND I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS FITTING US IN FOR THIS. 
          UM, I, I'M KIND OF WEARING TWO HATS TODAY, UH, WITH THE BUSINESS THAT I'VE RUN SINCE 1996 AND, UH, WITH THE HAT OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA HOUSE. 
          AND I'M THE CO-CHAIR OF OUR GENERAL ASSEMBLY TASK FORCE ON CHILDCARE. 
          SO I CAN TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING IN THAT REGARD. 
          NOW, THESE ARE KIND OF YOUR 50,000 FOOT VIEW, IF YOU WILL. 
          UM, JODY'S GONNA TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE ACTUAL CENTER TYPE SCENARIO. 
          AND WE'VE ACTUALLY GOT SOME ACCOMPLISHMENTS JUST TO, TO GO ALONG WITH THIS, OF THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE IN THE STATE HOUSE THIS PAST YEAR. 
          SO, LET'S SEE HERE. 
          I'M NOT NORMALLY THE ONE DOING THIS. 
          I HATE TO SAY THAT. 
          LET'S SEE IF, WE'LL, THEN I PUSH IN THE, OKAY, I GOT SOME ASSISTANCE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UM, SO SHANNON ERICKSON, 1996, UH, HOBB HILL PRESCHOOL'S, THREE LOCATIONS, UM, ABOUT, AT CAPACITY 300 CHILDREN RIGHT NOW SITTING ABOUT 2 25. 
          AND, UM, ANYWHERE FROM, UH, 40 TO 48 STAFF. 
          WE'RE SITTING RIGHT NOW AT 38. 
          UM, AND THAT, AS YOU MAY REALIZE, IS THE CRUX OF THE PROBLEM. 
          UM, CAPACITY IS THERE AND STAFFING IS NOT. 
          UM, ALSO, AND WE'LL GO THROUGH THIS, UM, WHEN THE BUSINESS MODEL IN 1996 WAS PUT IN PLACE, THE REGULATIONS WERE VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT THEY ARE NOW ON CAPACITY OF CHILDREN. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          ONE, UM, THE CAPACITY OF CHILDREN TO SPACE AND AND RATIO, ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE, ARE FEDERALLY AND STATE REGULATED. 
          UM, BUT WE DO HAVE LOCAL REGULATIONS AS WELL. 
          AND I WILL GO THROUGH THOSE, THOSE SCENARIOS. 
          UM, BUT WHAT'S HAPPENED RIGHT NOW THAT IS DETRIMENTAL IS TO THE COST OF IT FOR OUR PARENTS IS THAT STAFFING COSTS, WHERE IN 1996, UP UNTIL PROBABLY ABOUT 2018, WERE AT 50 TO 54% OF A CHILDCARE'S BUDGET. 
          WE'RE NOW SEEING ACROSS THE BOARD, THIS IS STATEWIDE AND IN FACT, QUITE NATIONAL DATA AS WELL. 
          THAT STAFFING IS 80%. 
          YOU CAN IMAGINE WHAT HAPPENS TO THE REST. 
          YOU ONLY HAVE 20% TO DO THE REST OF THE COSTS. 
          THAT'S WHY THE FEES ARE GOING UP. 
          THE COST IS GOING UP FOR THE FAMILIES THAT NEED THE SERVICES. 
          SO IF YOU'LL INDULGE ME, WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UM, THE NEXT, 'CAUSE WE DO HAVE A KIND OF A DIFFERENT SYSTEM. 
          EACH STATE FIGURES IT OUT. 
          BUT AS INTRODUCTION ON THIS, ONE OF THE ARTICLES THAT I HAPPEN TO THINK WAS DONE VERY WELL IS FROM READY NATION. 
          AND THEY DID A LOOK SEE AT EVERY STATE. 
          SO THIS IS SOUTH CAROLINA'S SUMMARY, AND I TOOK THREE POINTS THAT I THINK ARE REALLY IMPORTANT. 
          THE LACK OF QUALITY, AFFORDABLE CHILDCARE IS A $1.4 BILLION IMPACT ON SOUTH CAROLINA. 
          THAT'S A HUGE IMPACT. 
          NOW, SOME OF IT'S DIRECT, SOME OF IT'S INDIRECT, BUT LOOK AT WHO IT AFFECTS, PARENTS, BUSINESSES, TAXPAYERS GUYS, THAT'S EVERYBODY. 
          AND THAT REPORT WAS JUST DONE IN NOVEMBER OF 2023. 
          SO IT'S PRETTY CURRENT. 
          42% OF SOUTH CAROLINIANS LIVE IN WHAT IS KNOWN AS A CHILDCARE DESERT. 
          THAT'S THE FORMER CEO OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. 
          AND THAT MEANS THERE ARE CHILDREN WAITING. 
          I I'VE GOT A WAITING LIST AT OUR PRESCHOOLS. 
          WE COULD FILL THE THREE BUILDINGS UP AGAIN AND STILL HAVE 
          [00:05:01]
WAITING LISTS. 
          AND IF THE LAST, YOU LOOK AT THE LAST PIECE DOWN THERE, WHAT READ NATION SAYS, AND IN FACT, SEVERAL OF THE STUDIES HAVE SAID, HELP FOR THIS ISSUE COULD LOOK LIKE LOTS OF THINGS. 
          YOU CAN SUPPLEMENT TEACHER PAY, YOU CAN GIVE STIPENDS TO PARENTS, OR YOU CAN MAKE IT EASIER FOR BUSINESS TO PROVIDE OR HELP WITH CHILDCARE. 
          AND, AND THOSE ARE THE OPTIONS THAT WE REALLY HAVE WHEN WE LOOK AT IT HOLISTICALLY. 
          SO IN SOUTH CAROLINA, YOU HAVE TYPES AND SYSTEMS OF, OF SOUTH CAROLINA JOB CARE. 
          WE HAVE DIFFERENT TYPES. 
          IT IS, I'M JUST GONNA TELL YOU, IT'S CONFUSING. 
          SOUTH CAROLINA, WE DON'T SEEM TO DO ANYTHING. 
          IT'S A STRAIGHT LINE. 
          ACTUALLY, THIS HAS EVOLVED OVER YEARS BECAUSE WHAT WE HAD MANY, MANY YEARS AGO WITH SIMPLY HOMES THAT WERE OPERATING AS CHILDCARE FOR PEOPLE, AND THEY, THAT WAS OUR, THAT'S YOUR THIRD TIME ONE DAY ON GROUP CHILDCARE HOME. 
          THOSE MORPHED INTO, UM, A FAMILY CHILDCARE HOME AND CHILDCARE CENTERS. 
          AND THEN THE LAST ONE I INCLUDED, WHICH IS INTERESTING BECAUSE OF SOME OF THE BUSINESS MODEL PIECES, IS THE CHILD DEVELOPMENT EDUCATION PROGRAM. 
          THAT'S OUR 4K, THAT'S THE STATE 4K. 
          THE ONE THAT PARENTS GO AND QUALIFY FOR THAT IS NOT LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT'S 4K, BUT THEY GO HAND IN HAND. 
          SO THE CHILDCARE CENTERS ARE THE LARGEST NUMBERS, AND I'LL HAVE NUMBERS COMING BACK, BUT THEY ARE LICENSED OR REGISTERED TO, DEPENDING ON WHAT THEY ARE. 
          FOR EXAMPLE, A CHILDCARE CENTER IN A SCHOOL DISTRICT MIGHT BE REGISTERED AND NOT LICENSED BECAUSE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS DEALING WITH THEIR QUALITY FACTORS. 
          IT COULD BE REGISTERED IF IT'S A A, NOT-FOR-PROFIT, UH, CHURCH PROGRAM. 
          AND THEY SIMPLY, THAT REGISTRATION ALLOWS THEM TO NOT HAND OUT, UM, OR NOT DISTRIBUTE THE, THE INFORMATION OF WHO THEIR CUSTOMERS ARE. 
          FOR EXAMPLE, IF, IF YOU'RE A LICENSED, NOT-FOR-PROFIT, SAY HEAD START, YOU'RE LICENSED, BUT ALL OF YOUR DATA'S PUBLIC. 
          IF YOU'RE A CHURCH, ALL OF YOUR DATA IS NOT PUBLIC. 
          BUT THEY STILL HAVE THE SAME HEALTH AND SAFETY REQUIREMENTS. 
          SO IF THERE'S A FIRE ALARM SYSTEM REQUIRED IN A PROFIT VERSUS A NONPROFIT CHURCH, THEY STILL HAVE TO HAVE THAT. 
          BUT THEY AREN'T SHARING SOME OF THEIR CURRICULUM AND THEY'RE NOT SHARING THEIR CUSTOMER BASE AS THE SEPARATION OF THOSE, THOSE SITUATIONS. 
          BUT THAT'S THE MOST HEAVILY LICENSED OF THE, OF ALL OF THE CHOICES, UM, IN THE ENTIRE REALM OF CHILDCARE. 
          AND THE LARGEST NUMBER OF PROVIDERS THAT WE HAVE, OUR CHILDCARE CENTERS, FAMILY CHILDCARE HOMES ARE LESS THAN THAN SIX CHILDREN. 
          IF IT'S YOUR FAMILY, IT'S NOT CONSIDERED THAT IF IT'S SOMEONE ELSE'S FAMILY WITH YOUR FAMILY, MORE THAN ONE FAMILY, IT THEN HAS TO GO INTO A LICENSE OR REGISTERED. 
          THEY DIDN'T USE TO HAVE ANY REGULATION AT ALL. 
          IT'S JUST BEEN IN THE PAST FIVE TO SEVEN YEARS THAT THEY HAVE, UM, INSPECTIONS. 
          THEY CAN NOW CHOOSE TO BE LICENSED, WHICH I'M HAPPY TO SAY MANY OF THEM ARE CHOOSING. 
          IT HELPS THEM WITH THEIR INSURANCE ON THEIR ISSUE, UM, OF, OF WHAT THEY'RE DOING IN THEIR HOMES, OR THEY CAN CHOOSE TO BE REGISTERED. 
          BUT BOTH OF THEM HAVE A VISIT FROM DSS IN OUR CHECK IN HEALTH AND SAFETY GROUP. 
          CHILDCARE HOMES IS SIMPLY THE SAME SORT OF THING, BUT IT'S NO MORE THAN 13 CHILDREN. 
          AND THEN OF COURSE, OUR 4K PROGRAM LICENSED OR REGISTERED. 
          THE, AGAIN, IT GOES BACK TO A PUBLIC SCHOOL HAVING A CEP OR CEP PROGRAM. 
          UM, PARDON ME, IT USED TO BE SORT, BUT NOW IT'S C DAP. 
          SO, UM, THE SCHOOLS MONITOR THEIRS, BUT IF THE 4K PROGRAM IS IN A HEAD START OR A CHILDCARE CENTER, THEN THEY'RE GOING TO BE LICENSED AS WELL. 
          ALL LICENSED AND REGISTERED BY SOUTH CAROLINA DSS FOR STAFFING EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PROGRAMMING. 
          AND THAT'S REQUIRED. 
          THERE IS NO BABYSITTING IN SOUTH CAROLINA ANY LONGER. 
          ALLOWED. 
          PROGRAMMING IS, IS A REQUIREMENT. 
          EARLY CHILDHOOD STANDARDS ARE REQUIREMENTS. 
          SO WHEN PEOPLE SAY, I DON'T WANT MY KID JUST BABYSAT, IF THEY ARE, THEN THAT'S NOT OPERATING UNDER DSS REGULATIONS AND THERE IS A REASON FOR THAT. 
          UM, BUT THERE IS LESS PROGRAMMING REQUIRED ON OVERSIGHT FOR THOSE, UH, FAITH-BASED SCENARIOS. 
          ADDITIONAL LICENSING AND OR QUALITY PROGRAM OVERSIGHT THOUGH CAN COME FROM D-S-S-A-B-C, WHICH IS THE, UM, FEDERAL VOUCHER PROGRAM TO ASSESS PARENTS OF LOW INCOME. 
          AND DURING COVID, IT ASSISTED PARENTS WHO WERE IN ESSENTIAL SERVICES. 
          UH, SCD HECK, FOR HEALTH AND SAFETY, CLEANLINESS KITCHEN, THAT SORT OF THING. 
          SC ENDEAVORS IS THE ONE THAT KEEPS UP WITH ALL THE EDUCATION CREDITS THAT ALL THE STAFF HAVE TO DO. 
          BY THE WAY, STAFF HAVE TO DO 15 HOURS AND DIRECTORS HAVE TO HAVE 25, 21 20, SORRY. 
          OKAY. 
          UM, SOUTH 
          [00:10:01]
COUNTY FIRST STEPS THAT DOES QUALITY ENHANCEMENTS AND THAT CDEP PROGRAM, COUNTY FIRST STEPS OFFICES THAT COME IN AND ALSO DO QUALITY ENHANCEMENTS, LOCAL ZONING, BUSINESS LICENSE, AND THE LOCAL FIRE MARSHAL. 
          YOU THINK WE CAN BE BOTHERED ENOUGH IN A DAY? UM, THAT'S A LOT OF PEOPLE OVERSEEING ONE, ONE GROUP OF FOLKS. 
          UM, IN ADDITION, THE STAFFING FOR CHILDCARE IN SOUTH CAROLINA IS ONE OF THESE SAFEST. 
          AS FAR AS BACKGROUND CHECKS GO OF ANY STATE, WE REQUIRE SLED, FBI AND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CENTRAL REGISTRY FOR CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT. 
          ALL THREE FYI, EVEN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS DO NOT HAVE ALL OF THAT. 
          THIS IS A LITTLE PIECE OF INFORMATION. 
          I SHARE THAT WITH YOU TO LET YOU KNOW. 
          UM, AND I THINK YOU CAN SEE IT'S HEAVILY REGULATED AND A LOT OF OVERSIGHT, WHICH EQUALS COST, PAPERWORK, AND TIME ON ADMINISTRATION. 
          NOW IT IS CHILDREN, SO WE WANT 'EM TO BE SAFE. 
          I'M NOT SAYING THAT WE'RE NOT VERY NEEDED REGULATIONS, BUT I'VE WATCHED THEM CREEP AND I'VE WATCHED THE PLAYERS ALSO KIND OF GROW IN HOW MANY TIMES YOUR STAFF CAN, CAN LITERALLY HAVE TO DEAL WITH SOMETHING OTHER THAN CHILDREN DURING THE DAY. 
          CAN WE ASK YOU A QUESTION? ABSOLUTELY. 
          UM, IN ANY OF THE CENTERS THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, IS THERE SOME AGE COMPONENT OR RESTRICTION? BECAUSE YOU'RE SAYING THAT THERE'S AN EDUCATIONAL COMPONENT THAT YOU HAVE TO DO ON AGE FOR STAFF OR FOR CHILDREN, FOR CHI, FOR CHILDREN, FOR THE CHILDREN, ALL OF THE RATIOS ARE BASED ON AGE AND THE CLASSROOM. 
          UH, LICENSING IS BASED ON AGE FOR EX, FOR EXAMPLE. 
          UM, AND I KIND OF THINK JODY'S GONNA TOUCH ON THIS A LITTLE BIT MORE. 
          IF IT'S AN INFANT CLASSROOM WHERE THE CHILDREN ARE NOT MOBILE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A LARGER NUMBER OF DIRECT EXITS THAT CAN BE ACCESSED BY A CRIB SO THAT IT'S A ROLLING SCENARIO. 
          UM, AND THE CHILDREN CHILD TO TEACHER RATIO IS ONE TO FIVE IN THAT LOWEST COMPONENT. 
          NOW, HERE'S THE TWIST. 
          IF YOU GO DOWN THE A, B, C VOUCHER, THE FEDERAL PIECE THAT THE STATE ALSO BACKS IN WITH THEIR STATE REQUIREMENTS, THE HIGHER YOU GET IN QUALITY, THE LOWER THE RATIOS GET IN CHILD TO TEACHER, WHICH MEANS YOU'RE NOT SERVING AS MANY CHILDREN. 
          AND THAT'S ANOTHER PIECE THAT'S CREEPING INTO THE AVAILABILITY. 
          YOU WANT QUALITY HIGH, BUT YOU'RE LOWERING THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN YOU CAN SERVE. 
          SO, GOOD QUESTIONS, MR. PASSMAN. 
          IT'S, IT'S REALLY TOUGH. 
          YES, SHANNON, I KNOW THAT, UM, THAT INSURANCE IS VERY EXPENSIVE. 
          LIABILITY INSURANCE IF YOU CAN GET IT, IF YOU CAN GET IT. 
          BUT I'M THINKING THE BACKGROUND CHECKS AND THE REGISTRATION AND LICENSING AND ALL THAT, DOES THAT HELP BRING DOWN THE COST NOW? NO, IT'S ACTUALLY, UM, WE, MY, JUST FOR, FOR MY PURPOSES, MY POLICY WAS UP, UM, THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR. 
          SO I WAS DEALING WITH THAT OVER, UH, NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER. 
          SOUTH CAROLINA HAD, UM, 17 OR 18, UH, POLICY WRITERS WHEN I DID IT LAST YEAR, UM, WERE DOWN TO FOUR. 
          AND, UH, THOSE FOUR OF MY COSTS WENT FROM 32,000 TO 69,000. 
          MM-HMM. 
          . 
          YEAH. 
          SO THAT'S WHY, UM, WHEN THAT, WHEN I TALK TO YOU ABOUT YOUR, YOUR STAFFING PERCENTAGE BEING 80%, AND THEN I TAKE A HIT, AND I MEAN, I SAY I, IT'S OUR TEAM. 
          OUR TEAM TAKES A HIT EVERY CENTER PROVIDER, AND IT'S NOT, UM, THROUGH ANY, ANY MAJOR CLAIMS. IT'S SIMPLY THE LIABILITY OF HAVING CHILDREN IN CARE, UM, OUTSIDE OF THE HOME. 
          AND IT'S HITTING ALL OF THE INDUSTRY. 
          UM, IT'S SIM IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'S SIMPLY ONE BAD ACTOR OR ONE GROUP THAT'S NOT BETTER OR WORSE THAN THE OTHER. 
          UM, I DIDN'T CLOG IT ALL UP WITH THE NUMBER OF DEFICIENCIES, BUT I WILL TELL YOU THIS, I WAS VERY INTERESTED. 
          I HAD THEM PULL THE LAST 10 YEARS OF DEFICIENCIES IN STAFFING FROM DSS AND IT STAYS AROUND 4,000, UM, CITATIONS, WHICH I FIND VERY ODD. 
          I MEAN, IT'S ALMOST EXACTLY THE SAME NUMBER OVER 10 YEARS FOR CENTERS, LICENSED CHILDCARE CENTERS. 
          AND THEN IT MOVES DOWN INTO THE HOMES AND THE GROUP HOMES AND THOSE NUMBERS STAY ALMOST STATIC. 
          IT, IT, I, I'M GONNA HAVE SOME QUESTIONS TO ASK WITH DSS WHEN I GET BACK INTO THE, INTO THE DIGGING ON THIS, BECAUSE IT BROUGHT UP AN INTERESTING SCENARIO. 
          I MEAN, I DON'T WANT TO TO SAY THERE'S A QUOTA INVOLVED, BUT IT LOOKS A LITTLE BIT ODD THAT THE NUMBERS ARE VERY SIMILAR. 
          UM, AND THE STAFFING FOR DSS, AND I'VE GOT A SLIDE ABOUT THAT. 
          UM, EVEN THOUGH WE'VE SEEN THE NUMBERS OF CHILDCARE CENTERS IN TOTAL GO DOWN, THE CHILDCARE STAFFING FTES HAVE REMAINED THE SAME. 
          AND SO WE'RE STILL PAYING THOSE 
          [00:15:01]
FOLKS TO BE IN THE REALM OF LESS PEOPLE TO ACTUALLY OVERSEE. 
          SO, UM, QUESTIONS THAT I THINK OUR, OUR GENERAL ASSEMBLY CHILDCARE COMMITTEE WILL BE LOOKING AT. 
          BUT GOOD QUESTIONS, UM, BY THE NUMBERS HERE, AND THIS IS PART OF WHAT I WAS GONNA REFER TO. 
          SO THE CENTERS BY TYPING, I'M SORRY THAT I ABBREVIATED, BUT I'LL WALK YOU THROUGH IT. 
          IN 2006, THERE WERE 1,455 CHILDCARE CENTERS. 
          THAT'S THE THREE C. 
          THERE WERE 1,037 FAMILY CHILDCARE HOMES. 
          THERE WERE 217 GROUP CHILDCARE HOMES AND 34 CEP PROGRAMS. 4K. 
          IF YOU LOOK DOWN THE LIST, YOU, YOU GREW 1455 TO 1740 TO 17 73, 17 77. 
          YOU SEE WHAT HAPPENED IN 2022. 
          COVID 2022 HAS LESS THAN IN 2006. 
          WHAT HAS OUR WORKFORCE DONE IN STATE? WHAT HAS IT DONE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY? THOSE NUMBERS DO NOT JIVE. 
          THEY DO NOT FIT BECAUSE EVERY CATEGORY IS LESS. 
          NOW, THE C DAP NUMBER, THEY NO LONGER HAVE TO HAVE LICENSING BY DSS FIRST STEPS IS TAKING OVER, RUNNING THOSE PROGRAMS. THEY'RE HIGH QUALITY AND THEY HAVE THEIR OWN REQUIREMENTS IN THEIR, THEIR FOLLOWING ALL THE, ALL THE LICENSING STUFF AND MORE FOR THEIR 4K PROGRAMS. SO THERE ARE ONLY TWO THAT ACTUALLY ASKED TO BE LICENSED THIS IN, IN 2022. 
          I IMAGINE THAT THOSE ARE CENTERS THAT WANTED IT FOR EITHER INSURANCE PURPOSES OR SOMETHING. 
          PEOPLE ARE USED TO SEEING THAT LICENSE NUMBER. 
          BUT LOOK AT THE OTHER CATEGORIES. 
          I MEAN, YOU HAVE SEEN IT A STEADY DECLINE AND SOME OF IT HAPPENED DURING COVID, BUT I WOULD TELL YOU THAT THE LARGEST PART OF IT HAS BEEN SIMPLY OVERREGULATION AND THE BUSINESS MODEL OF THE COST AND, AND NOT BEING ABLE TO KEEP THE DOORS OPEN TO PAY ALL THE BILLS AND DSS TO THEIR CREDIT. 
          AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPENED IN, AND I'LL GIVE YOU THE SCENARIO IN CHILDREN'S ISSUES, CHILDCARE CENTERS, WE STAYED OPEN OUR PRESCHOOLS, EACH SCHOOL WERE CLOSED ABOUT A WEEK OF THE WHOLE THING. 
          AND WE CLOSED THE CLASSROOMS DOWN. 
          BUT WE DID AN INCREDIBLE JOB OF KEEPING CHILDREN AND TA STAFF SAFE AND WELL, AND WE KEPT OURSELVES VERY NIMBLE AND MOBILE ON MAKING THAT HAPPEN. 
          MOST CHILDCARE CENTERS DID, AND DSS USED THE FUNDS THAT CAME FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO USE THEM AS STABILIZATION GRANTS BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T WANT US LOSING ALL OUR STAFF, RIGHT. 
          AND NOT BEING ABLE TO TAKE IN THE CHILDREN THAT WE NEEDED TO TAKE. 
          SO YES, I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S A REALITY THAT WHILE SOME OF US HAVE NOT TAKEN GOVERNMENT FUNDS FOR A LOT OF THINGS TO STAY OPEN AND KEEP THINGS RUNNING, AND THEY PROVIDED THE PAYMENT FOR THOSE ESSENTIAL SERVICES. 
          SO IF YOU WERE A TEACHER, IF YOU WERE A FIREFIGHTER, IF YOU WERE A NURSE DURING COVID, THEY WERE COVERING CHILDCARE FOR THOSE FOLKS BECAUSE THEY KNEW THAT THEY HAD TO HAVE IT AND WE NEEDED THEM TO BE ON THE JOB. 
          SO THOSE THINGS WERE A, A GOOD GROWTH AND ACTUALLY A MODEL THAT I THINK WE SHOULD LOOK AT. 
          IT'S AREAS THAT WE WANT TO, YOU KNOW, IMPROVE OUR NUMBERS OF, OF STAFF THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT, AT WHAT WE DO. 
          BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THESE NUMBERS BY SIMPLY ANY BUSINESS ANALOGY YOU CAN PUT IN THERE, THAT IS NOT A WINNING PROPOSITION. 
          GIVEN WHAT WE HAVE WITH THE BUSINESS AND THE ATTRACTION, YOU KNOW, FOR YEARS IT'S LIKE, OH, OUR SCHOOLS AREN'T GOOD ENOUGH, SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET BUSINESS. 
          WELL, OUR SCHOOLS ARE DOING WELL, WE'RE IMPROVING EVERY DAY. 
          WE'VE GOT SOME FABULOUS GREAT THINGS TO SHOW FOR WHAT WE'VE DONE IN EDUCATION. 
          AND NOW I'M GONNA TELL YOU, THIS IS GONNA BE THE PLACE THAT HOLDS US BACK. 
          IT WILL BE THE PLACE THAT PARENTS COME AND SAY, I CAN'T COME AND WORK THERE. 
          'CAUSE I GOT NOWHERE FOR MY CHILD TO GO WHEN I'M AT WORK. 
          UM, LICENSING STAFF, THIS IS THE NUMBERS THAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT IN 2014, THEY HAD 40 FTES. 
          2015 WE ADDED THE FAMILY CHILDCARE. 
          THERE YOU GO. 
          THERE'S YOUR NUMBER. 
          2015 FAMILY CHILDCARE HOMES. 
          UH, WE ADDED 16 FTES TO MONITOR THOSE. 
          AND THOSE HAVE GONE DOWN SIGNIFICANTLY AS WELL. 
          IF YOU'LL LOOK FROM 10 37 TO 6 67. 
          BUT WE'VE STILL MAINTAINED 16 FTES FOR THAT. 
          WHY, WHY HAVE THE FCH HAS GONE DOWN, YOU THINK? IS IT SAME REGULATION, SAME DAY? I MEAN, THAT AND THAT AND THE, THE, THEY HAVE TO HAVE LIABILITY INSURANCE AS WELL. 
          UM, A LOT OF PLACES LOCALES. 
          UM, I THINK JOSH, WAS IT, WERE WE TALKING ABOUT THE CHILDCARE? WE WERE, WE TALKED ABOUT IT. 
          A LOT OF PLACES DON'T HAVE 'EM ZONED. 
          THEY'RE NOT ZONED CORRECTLY TO EVEN HAVE IT. 
          UM, 
          [00:20:01]
IT'S NOT REALLY AN ANTI GROUP CHILDCARE HOMES OR FAMILY CHILDCARE HOMES. 
          IT'S SIMPLY AN UNAWARENESS OF, OF THE PROBLEM. 
          WHEN YOU ARE DOING ZONING, MOST OF YOU ARE GONNA LOOK AROUND. 
          NOW, WONDER, WHEN I PUT HOBBIT HILL AND LADIES ISLAND, THERE WAS NO ZONING FOR CHILDCARE AT ALL, ANYWHERE IN ANY COUNTY PLAN. 
          THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH US, WHETHER IT WAS A GOOD PLACE OR NOT. 
          AND I THINK IT'S THAT WAY IN MANY COMMUNITIES. 
          WE'RE NOT ENCOURAGING THOSE THINGS. 
          WE ENCOURAGE BUSINESSES TO COME, WE ENCOURAGE, UM, IT USED TO HURT MY FEELINGS, QUITE FRANKLY, AND WE'D ROLL A BUSINESS IN AND IT'D BE 300 JOBS. 
          AND I'D SAY, GREAT. 
          YAY. 
          WHAT ABOUT THOSE OF US WHO ARE HERE THAT ARE SUPPORT OF WHAT THE BUSINESSES NEED? AND WHEN HAVING HILL EXPANDED FROM ONE TO TWO TO THREE, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT LOOKING FOR PERSONAL KUDOS, BUT MY STAFF DO. 
          YOU KNOW, THEY'RE ALL GREAT, INCREDIBLE LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. 
          AND BY THE WAY, I EMPLOY MEN IN OUR CHILDCARE CENTERS. 
          I HAVE TWO INCREDIBLE MALE PRESCHOOL TEACHERS. 
          I'M VERY PROUD OF THAT. 
          SO THOSE TYPES OF THINGS HAVE TO BE INCLUDED IN THE FABRIC OF WHAT WE'RE DOING WHEN WE'RE PLANNING FOR OUR COMMUNITIES. 
          AND WE HAVE TO BE AS DELIBERATE ABOUT THOSE CHOICES AS WE ARE AT THAT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF BUSINESSES COMING, OR WE'RE NOT GONNA BRING THE RIGHT BUSINESSES IN THE RIGHT, THE RIGHT SUPPORT FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY. 
          THAT'S WHY I'M TRYING TO SHARE WITH YOU THESE NUMBERS. 
          AND HERE ARE THE CITATIONS. 
          SO YOU CAN SEE THE NUMBERS ARE, ARE KIND OF CLOSE, BIG, BIG JUMP UP IN 2022 AND 2023. 
          AND I'M ON THE GROUP CHILDCARE HOMES. 
          AND I'M GONNA SAY THAT THEY PROBABLY JUST GOT MORE VISITS BECAUSE IT WAS, UM, POST COVID OR COVID RELATED. 
          YES. 
          MM-HMM. 
          . 
          AND I WILL TELL YOU FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, WHILE WE HAD COVID SITUATIONS, WE HAD MORE PARENT COMPLAINTS DURING THAT TIME BECAUSE PARENTS WERE ACTUALLY HOME AND, AND, AND VERY HYPERSENSITIVE TO EVERYTHING. 
          I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND IT WAS PART OF THAT TIME, RIGHT? EVERYBODY WAS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING ON. 
          UM, BUT DSS WAS, UM, IF YOU'LL LOOK AT THE NUMBERS ON THE CHILDCARE CENTERS, THEY, THEY HOVERED AROUND THE SAME THING. 
          SO BARRIERS TO ENTRY AND COST OF PROVIDING SERVICES, STARTUP COSTS ARE CRAZY. 
          AND IF YOU WANT TO FIND OUT, UM, ABOUT IT, THERE'S PLENTY OF PEOPLE, JODY CAN TALK TO YOU ABOUT IT. 
          UM, BE FROM MEMORIAL IS HAVING TO GO THROUGH THAT RIGHT NOW WITH WHAT THEY'RE DOING TO PROVIDE CARE FOR THEIR STAFF AND THE PLANT THAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY WORKING ON. 
          UM, I, I HAVE A, A FRIEND WHO HAS PUT ONE IN SOMERVILLE RECENTLY AND SAID SHE KIND OF EDUCATED FOLKS THERE ON WHAT SHE NEEDED WITH ZONING AND ASSISTANCE WITH CURB CUTS AND THE TRAFFIC STUDY, AND THEY WANTED A PUMP STATION. 
          I COUNTED THE SAME THING WHEN I PUT HOBBIT HILL TWO ON LADIES ISLAND. 
          I HAD TO PAY $50,000 FOR MY OWN PERSONAL PUMP STATION. 
          THOSE COSTS WE MITIGATE FOR OTHER BUSINESSES WHEN THEY'RE COMING, WE'RE NOT DOING THE SAME THING. 
          AND I'M NOT ASKING FOR A HANDOUT. 
          JAVI WILL PAY FOR IT. 
          WE'VE BEEN THERE SINCE 2001, AND I'M VERY PROUD OF THE BUSINESS THAT WE'VE DONE. 
          BUT AGAIN, I'M GONNA MENTION TO YOU THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT MEASURING AND EQUIPPING WHAT WE NEED IN OUR COMMUNITIES. 
          AND IT'S GOTTA BE ALL INCLUSIVE. 
          SO THE FILL FACILITY AND THE PLANT, MR. PASSMAN ASKED ABOUT AGES. 
          WE'RE ALSO REQUIRED TO HAVE CERTAIN SQUARE FOOTAGES INSIDE AND OUTSIDE PER CHILD. 
          AND THEY COME IN WITH A DATE MEASURE AND THEY MEASURE EVERYTHING. 
          AND IT'S QUITE AN ORDEAL. 
          UM, WE'RE REQUIRED IF WE CHANGE ANYTHING IN THE BUILDINGS OR IF WE'RE BUILDING A NEW, NOW OBVIOUSLY BUILDING NEW, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE ARCHITECTURAL ENGINEER DRAWINGS WITH THE STAMP. 
          BUT IF WE CHANGE ANYTHING IN THE BUILDING, I'M TALKING A DOORWAY, A A, A KITCHEN BAR, I MEAN ANYTHING. 
          IT HAS TO BE ARCHITECTURAL, ENGINEERED, STAMPED DRAWINGS. 
          THAT'S ABOUT A $5,000 PIECE. 
          JUST ANYTHING OUT THE BOX, IF YOU CAN EVEN GET ONE THAT WANTS TO COME IN AND DO THAT SMALLER JOB. 
          UM, CONSTRUCTION, REHAB OF THE FACILITY. 
          WE HAVE EVERYTHING. 
          A A PUBLIC SCHOOL HAS, UH, WE'RE REQUIRED TO HAVE ALL THE FIRE MONITORING, THE POOL STATIONS, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THOSE THINGS. 
          WE HAVE TO HAVE THE RIGHT TYPE OF EGRESS AND INGRESS AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU HAVE A SCHOOL ARE PUT ON TOP OF CHILDCARE CENTERS. 
          UM, PART OF IT'S FEDERAL, PART OF IT'S STATE AND PART OF IT'S LOCAL, UM, REGULATION REQUIREMENTS ARE 
          [00:25:01]
REALLY JUST EVERY 15 MINUTES OF THE DAY, EVERY CHILD IS LOGGED WHERE THEY ARE AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING BY STAFF. 
          EVERY 15 MINUTES, A LOG IS HAD, HAD AN ENTRY IS MADE ON EVERY CHILD ON WHERE THEY ARE AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING. 
          IF THAT'S NOT HEAVY PAPERWORK, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS. 
          IT'S, I UNDERSTAND THE SAFETY PIECE. 
          AND WHAT IT BOILS DOWN TO IS, IS CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT NOT BEING IN PLACE AND KNOWING WHERE YOUR CHILDREN ARE, BECAUSE LITTLE CHILDREN CAN BE A LITTLE SQUIRRELY AND THEY CAN BE A LITTLE BUSY AND THEY HAVE INDEPENDENT THOUGHTS AND WE WANT 'EM TO HAVE ALL THAT. 
          BUT YOU GOTTA KNOW WHERE THEY ARE. 
          BUT YOU CAN IMAGINE WHAT IT DOES TO YOUR TEACHERS AND STRESS IN THE CLASSROOM, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT'S HAPPENING. 
          YOU HAVE, UM, THE BUSINESS LICENSE TAX RIGHT OFF THE BAT, PROPERTY TAXES FOR ANYTHING LARGE ENOUGH TO HOLD A CHILDCARE CENTER AND THE LAND FOR THE PLAYGROUND, WHICH IS A REQUIREMENT OF LAW. 
          YOU CAN IMAGINE WHAT THAT DOES. 
          WE OFFSET THAT FOR LOTS OF BUSINESSES, BUT NOBODY THINKS ABOUT THE INVESTMENT THAT COMES ALONG WITH CARING FOR THE CHILDREN. 
          AND SOME OF US HAVE THAT AS A HUGE EXPENSE EVERY JANUARY. 
          OUR INSURANCE AND MY PROPERTY TAXES ARE DUE, ALL DUE ON THE SAME WEEK. 
          BY THE WAY. 
          THAT'S NOT A NICE SYSTEM. 
          WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET THAT CHANGED. 
          ANYWAY, UM, UTILITY HOOKUP FEES, EQUIPMENT, MONTHLY USAGE. 
          DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH WATER WE USE IN PRESCHOOL? I MEAN, EVERY FLUSH OF EVERY TOILET AND THE LORD HELP US IF BATMAN GOES DOWN THE TOILET WITH HIM AND IT HAPPENS A LITTLE, YOU KNOW, OR LEGOS OR WHATEVER IT HAPPENS TO BE. 
          UM, IT'S KIND OF FUNNY. 
          OUR PLUMBERS ARE SO GREAT ABOUT IT. 
          THEY, THEY REALLY, GOD BLESS 'EM. 
          AND ARE YOU REQUIRED TO HAVE THOSE SMALL TOILETS FOR THE KIDS? YES. 
          YES. 
          I MEAN, IT'S ALL SPECIAL. 
          EVERYTHING IS MADE FOR THEM. 
          YES. 
          AND WHAT ABOUT LANGUAGE BARRIER? HAVING CHILDREN ? IT'S NOT A REQUIREMENT, BUT IT'S A NECESSITY IF YOU'RE GOING, THAT'S A BUSINESS MODEL CHOICE. 
          UM, DO WE EMPLOY PEOPLE WHO HAVE DIFFERENT LANGUAGES? YES, AND WE'D LIKE TO. 
          INTERESTINGLY THOUGH, LET ME TELL YOU THAT WE HAVE A VERY DIVERSE COMMUNITY IN, IN OUR SCHOOLS. 
          I'M VERY PLEASED TO TELL YOU. 
          WE, I LOVE HOW DIVERSE OUR SCHOOLS ARE AND THE PARENTS BRING THEM THERE AND LITERALLY WILL SAY TO ME, I DON'T WANT THEM SPEAKING WHATEVER, WHATEVER LANGUAGE IT IS, I WANT YOU TO TEACH THEM GOOD ENGLISH. 
          AND THEY WANT THE IMMERSION, AND THEY WANT THE IMMERSION EARLY, AND THEY WANT THEIR CHILDREN TO HAVE BOTH LANGUAGES, BUT SCHOOL TO BE STANDARD ENGLISH AND PARENTS OF OTHER DIALECTS AND AND CULTURES REALLY SEE THAT VALUE AND THE IMMERSION OF YOUNG CHILDREN, THEY PICK UP THE LANGUAGE SO QUICKLY THAT IT'S REALLY A BENEFIT. 
          AND THEY JOCKEY BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THE TWO LANGUAGES THAT THEY SPEAK NORMALLY WITHOUT EVEN AN AN EYE MOVEMENT. 
          I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S THE BEST WAY TO LEARN IT. 
          IF WE ALL WERE GIVEN THAT OPPORTUNITY, WE'D KNOW A WHOLE LOT MORE. 
          I MEAN, THEIR MINDS, YOU LEARN MORE FROM BIRTH TO FIVE THAN YOU DO FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS OF YOUR LIFE. 
          HOW ABOUT THAT NEXT SEVEN? IT'S CRAZY. 
          UM, ALRIGHT, SO LET'S GO DOWN THE, THE BARRIERS AND THE, AND THE PROBLEMS STILL. 
          SO, TRAFFIC STUDIES, AND HERE'S WHAT'S INTERESTING. 
          TRAFFIC STUDIES FOR US AREN'T LIKE A SCHOOL, BUT THEY'RE TREATED LIKE A SCHOOL. 
          WE DON'T HAVE DROP OFF ALL AT THE SAME TIME AND PICK UP ALL AT THE SAME TIME. 
          WE'RE KIND OF LIKE, UH, ALMOST A, A MALL, IF YOU WILL, OR, I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S ALL DAY LONG. 
          IT, YOU KNOW, SPANS IN THE MORNING, SPANS IN THE EVENING. 
          SO IT'S REALLY NEEDS TO CARVE OUT ALMOST OF A DIFFERENT CATEGORY. 
          UM, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT DOES COME UP. 
          DSS LICENSURE FEE. 
          YOU PAY A FEE, UH, A TAX BASED ON THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN YOU ENROLL. 
          AND THAT LICENSE ENROLLMENT IS LISTED OF HOW MANY CHILDREN YOU, YOU CAN, UM, CENTRAL REGISTRY CHECKS AND FBI AND SLED BACKGROUND CHECKS. 
          UM, CENTRAL REGISTRIES ARE $8, BUT THEY'RE EVERY YEAR NOW. 
          UM, AND FBI AND SLED NOW NONPROFIT, IT'S 26 25 FOR Y'ALL TO DO BOTH THOSE IF YOU'RE A NONPROFIT, UH, WE'RE NOT HAVING TO PAY ANYTHING RIGHT NOW FOR BACKGROUND CHECKS. 
          OKAY, SUPER NICE. 
          SO THE STATE'S STILL COVERING THAT. 
          OKAY. 
          OURS RUN AROUND 60. 
          YEAH, I'M NOT GONNA TELL ON YOU. 
          DON'T WORRY. 
          NOBODY HEARD THAT. 
          UM, NO, THAT'S GOOD THAT THERE'S, AND THAT'S PART OF THE, THE FEDERAL MONEY THAT CAME TO HELP THE CENTER STAY OPEN, OPERATING IN LEGAL, UM, THE INSURANCE. 
          WE'VE TALKED ABOUT REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE. 
          [00:30:01]
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT LEGOS, UM, SCHOOL SUPPLIES, SECURITY, FIRE MONITORING. 
          YOU KNOW, WE NEVER HAD TO CONTEMPLATE SECURITY BEFORE, BUT WE ARE NOW. 
          AND THERE ARE CENTERS IN MORE METROPOLITAN AREAS THAT ARE LITERALLY HAVING A SECURITY PERSON ON SITE. 
          UM, WE USED TO HAVE AN OPEN DOOR POLICY. 
          WE DON'T HAVE THAT ANYMORE. 
          YOU'RE WELCOME TO COME IN, BUT YOU'RE GONNA COME TO THE DOOR. 
          YOU'RE GONNA GET ASKED WHY YOU'RE THERE. 
          YOU KNOW, A WHOLE LOT OF DIFFERENT TRANSPORTATION. 
          HUB HILL HAS BUSES. 
          WE PICK CHILDREN UP FROM THINGS. 
          WE GO ON FIELD TRIPS, AND THEN WE HAVE THE FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL REGULATIONS. 
          STAFF PAY, SALARIES, BENEFITS, PAYROLL COSTS, AND THAT 60, 80% OF THE INCOME. 
          ONE OF THE THINGS WE DO TO TRY TO BRING STAFF IN IS, IS MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE NO COST CHILDCARE. 
          AND WE ARE LUCKY TO HAVE SOME OF THOSE. 
          THE OTHER BARRIERS TO ENTRY ARE, ARE FINDING A QUALIFYING FACILITY. 
          WE HAVE BUSINESSES THAT ARE BUILDINGS THAT ARE SITTING THERE EMPTY, BUT GETTING ONE OF THOSE REHABBED TO BE CHILDCARE, EVEN IF IT'S A GREAT FACILITY, EVEN IF IT'S A PUBLIC SCHOOL, WE'RE GONNA REQUIRE MORE THAN THAT AND IT'S COSTLY TO DO THAT. 
          UM, QUALIFIED STAFF. 
          HAS ANYBODY TRIED TO FIND ANYBODY WHO DOESN'T, WHO CAN PASS THE BACKGROUND CHECK? AS AS, I MEAN, WE'VE GOT REALLY HARD STIFF RULES ABOUT IT. 
          I'M NOT GONNA PLAY WITH WHO GETS ON THAT, BUT IT'S DIFFICULT THESE DAYS TO FIND SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING ON THEIR RECORD. 
          AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE TO WORK IN CHILDCARE. 
          AND THEN ALL THE REGULATIONS, UM, WE'RE REQUIRED TO DO CPR FIRST AID AND BLOOD BOARD PATHOGEN TRAINING, UM, TAKEAWAYS AND POTENTIAL STRATEGIES TO REDUCE BARRIERS TO ENTRY CUT UNNECESSARY REGULATIONS TO FRAY UPFRONT COSTS LIKE THE TRAFFIC STUDY, UTILITY HOOKUPS, BUSINESS LICENSE TAXES, INCENTIVE COST REDUCTIONS, LIKE LOWER PROPERTY TAXES IS BEING DONE IN KENTUCKY. 
          THEY ARE GIVING CHILDCARE HOMES AND BUSINESSES EITHER A DISCOUNT OR A FULL YEAR OF NO TAXES IF THEY WILL MAINTAIN THEIR SERVICES. 
          SO IF THEY CLOSE, THEY'RE GONNA OPEN IT OR THEY'RE GONNA CHARGE 'EM. 
          I'M NOT QUITE SURE HOW THAT WORKS. 
          BUT ANYWAY, UM, THE IDEA IS TO GIVE THEM WIGGLE ROOM ON THEIR BUDGETS AS WE NAVIGATE THIS NEXT PIECE. 
          UM, AND STREAMLINE THE PERMITTING FOR THINGS, UH, MAKE IT A PRIORITY WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT COMES THROUGH OUR PERMITTING GROUPS AND HELP THE COMMUNITY ACCESS WITH AFFORDABILITY. 
          UM, MAKE SURE EVERY PIECE OF GOVERNMENT IS UTILIZING THAT PRE-TAX CHILDCARE DEDUCTION FROM THEIR PAYROLL. 
          NUMBER ONE, IT SAVES YOUR STAFF MEMBER A LOT OF MONEY. 
          NUMBER TWO, IT'S GOOD FOR, FOR YOU BUSINESS WISE, AND YOU ENCOURAGE THOSE FOLKS TO DO IT. 
          SOME OF THEM AREN'T. 
          THEY DON'T KNOW TO, THEY'RE NOT SAVVY ENOUGH TO UTILIZE THAT. 
          ENCOURAGE EMPLOYERS TO PROVIDE, UH, A CHILDCARE STIPEND OR REIMBURSEMENT FOR CHILDCARE AND FIND A WAY TO, TO MAKE THAT A GOOD THING FOR THEM. 
          SET UP LOCAL GOVERNMENT CHILDCARE STIPEND FOR ESSENTIAL COMMUNITY WORKERS LIKE THE FEDERAL AND STATE DID FOR A B, C. 
          THE READY NATION SAID, INVESTMENTS IN CHILDCARE, INVESTMENTS IN OUR ECONOMY. 
          AND THE READ NATION REPORT DATA SHOWS THAT THE COST OF NOT DOING MORE IS GREATER THAN THE COST OF SHORING UP THE SYSTEM. 
          AND SOME POINTS OF VIEW FROM EXPERIENCE TARGET BUSINESSES THAT YOU WANT IN YOUR COMMUNITY THAT WILL CONTRIBUTE. 
          DO NOT LET GOVERNMENT PUT A LONG-TERM BURDEN ON TAX CITIZEN TAXPAYERS. 
          YOU NEED TO HAVE REVIEWS. 
          SUNSETS. 
          THIS IS NOT A POLICY THAT JUST SHOULD BE IN PLACE AND STAYS THERE FOREVER. 
          THESE ARE THINGS THAT YOU WORK THROUGH JUST LIKE YOU DO WITH OTHER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CHOICES. 
          GOVERNMENTS NEED TO MAINTAIN PROPERTY ON THEIR PROPERTY TAX ROLES FOR THE COMMUNITY. 
          SO THE IDEA IS TO INCENTIVIZE AND TARGET THEM WHILE CIRCUMSTANCES WARRANT IT. 
          MEETING COMMUNITY NEEDS INCREMENTALLY. 
          PARTNER WITH THE PRIVATE NON POP PROFIT AND INDEPENDENT BUSINESS COMMUNITY ON THIS. 
          THIS IS NOT A GOVERNMENT ROLES INTO CHILDCARE TYPE OF A PROBLEM BECAUSE YOU'RE GONNA BE SITTING THERE. 
          TECHNICAL COLLEGE TRIED IT. 
          BEAUFORT HIGH TRIED IT. 
          WE'VE HAD PLACES TRY CHILDCARE AND TRY TO DO IT. 
          IT TAKES A BUSINESS RUNNING THE NIMBLE BUSINESS PART OF IT. 
          GOVERNMENT DOES NOT NEED TO STEP IN AND FIX A PROBLEM. 
          YOU ALSO WANT THE INVESTMENT FROM THAT BUSINESS IN THE COMMUNITY FOR ALL OF THE TAXES IT BRINGS EVENTUALLY, AND THE PAYROLL TAXES THAT SUPPORT EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WE DO. 
          ALL THOSE THINGS. 
          SO REMEMBER THAT YOU GET WHAT YOU MEASURE AND WHAT YOU PRIORITIZE. 
          AND THOSE ARE THE DATA POINTS ON WHERE I GOT WHAT I GOT. 
          AND IF YOU WANT MORE INFORMATION, THERE IS THE DSS AND THE A BC VOUCHER AND THE FIRST STEPS 4K. 
          AND I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS 
          [00:35:01]
AT ALL, AND THAT IS ALL OF MY INFORMATION. 
          AND I KNOW JUST OVERLOADED YOU AND I'M SORRY, I WISH IT WAS MORE SIMPLE. 
          UH, I, WE PROBABLY COULD GET TO A, A BETTER SOLUTION IF IT WERE. 
          WHAT'S THE AVERAGE COST OF THE, UH, PARENT TODAY IN BEAUFORT? I DID A MARKET ANALYSIS A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, AND INFANT CARE IS AVERAGING AROUND $225 A WEEK. 
          THAT'S ZERO TO ONE. 
          YOUR TODDLER RATIOS GO UP A LITTLE BIT. 
          IT'S ALL BASED ON RATIOS. 
          I MEAN, JUST, IT HAS TO BE TO PAY FOR THAT STAFF PERSON IN THERE. 
          UM, THE TODDLER ROOM GOES DOWN TO ABOUT 1 95, 200. 
          UM, AND, AND THEN INCREMENTALLY IT SHOULD GO TO A LOWER COST. 
          THE PIECE I I MENTIONED TO YOU ON THE 4K EARLIER, AND THANK YOU FOR THAT, IS WHILE WE HAVE 4K IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND WE HAVE 4K WITH OUR FIRST STEPS IN, IN CEP, WHAT IT'S DONE IS TAKE THE, THE, THE ONE MONEYMAKER, AND I HATE TO CALL CHILDREN THAT, BUT IT'S THE ONE RATIO THAT ACTUALLY ALLOWS US TO HAVE FUNDING THAT WOULD SPREAD INTO THE AREAS THAT DON'T PAY FOR THEMSELVES. 
          AND SO WITH THE REMOVAL OF THAT, IT HAPPENED TO THE CHILDCARE INDUSTRY WHEN KINDERGARTEN GOT MOVED INTO THE WORLD, AND THEN WE SAW THE SAME THING HAPPEN WITH 4K. 
          YOU'VE LOWERED THE BUSINESS MODEL TO VERY FEW FOUR YEAR OLDS. 
          AND, AND THAT'S GOOD. 
          I MEAN, I'M NOT A, I'M A PROPONENT OF EARLY EDUCATION. 
          I'M NOT SAYING IT'S A BAD THING. 
          I'M SAYING THAT THE BUSINESS MODEL FOR YOUR ZERO TO THREE, I WARNED FOLKS IN, IN THE STATE THAT IT WAS GONNA HAPPEN. 
          AND IT IS HAPPENING. 
          YOU CAN'T PAY THE BILLS WITH THE RATIOS AND THE REQUIREMENTS WITH JUST A ZERO TO THREE POPULATION. 
          IT'S JUST NOT POSSIBLE. 
          SO THERE'S WHERE WE ARE ON THE, ON THAT, SHANNON, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR, UM, SHINING THIS LIGHT FOR EVERYBODY TO SEE. 
          I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY, HOW MANY PEOPLE UP HERE HAVE GRANDCHILDREN OR WHATEVER THAT THEY'RE ASSISTING. 
          BUT AS OF NOVEMBER, I WILL HAVE SEVEN, MY SEVENTH GRANDCHILD UNDER FOUR YEARS OLD. 
          CONGRATULATIONS. 
          A WITH THREE. 
          WELL, THAT'S JUST A LITTLE ONE. 
          THEY GOT, THEY GOT THAT MANY BIGGER ONES TOO. 
          AND I'M TELLING YOU, IT, IT'S A MAJOR ISSUE. 
          I MEAN, IT'S MY DAUGHTER'S. 
          I HAVE ONE DAUGHTER THAT HAS TWO, ANOTHER ONE THAT HAS TWO. 
          ANOTHER ONE THAT'S GOING IN NOVEMBER WILL HAVE HER THIRD LESSON. 
          FOUR YEARS. 
          WELL, LESSON THREE ACTUALLY. 
          AND I KNOW YOU SAY, WELL, THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE DONE THAT IF THEY CAN'T AFFORD IT, BUT SOMEBODY AFFORDED US. 
          UM, AND IT'S, IT'S MAJOR BECAUSE THEY'RE VERY PRODUCTIVE AND HAVE GREAT OPPORTUNITIES TO WORK. 
          BUT WHEN YOU TAKE, YOU SAY BEAUFORT, IT'S $200. 
          I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANY PLACE IN BLUFFTON FOR $200. 
          IT'S MORE THAN THAT. 
          I DID NOT, YEAH, I DID NOT DO THE MARKET ANALYSIS IN BLUFFTON. 
          I WOULD TELL YOU THAT BLUFFTON AND HILTON HEAD ARE HIGHER COST, RIGHT? UM, ANY MORE METROPOLITAN AREAS, COLUMBIA, CHARLESTON ARE GOING TO BE PUSHING THE $300 MARK ON AN INFANT PER WEEK. 
          RIGHT? AND FROM WHAT YOU'RE JUST SAYING, WITH YOUR OWN PERSONAL BUSINESS, SOMETHING'S GOTTA CHANGE. 
          THE ONLY WAY THAT YOU CAN CHANGE THIS WITHOUT GOVERNMENT STEPPING IN AND DOING SOMETHING TO HELP WITH THE COST OF IT IS GO UP ON THE RATES. 
          AND THAT'S GOING UP TO THE YOUNG PARENTS WHO HAVE TO HAVE THEIR KIDS. 
          SO IT, I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT THIS PROBLEM THAT YOU'RE SHOWING EVERYONE DIRECTLY AFFECTS OUR PROBLEM AS FAR AS WORKFORCE. 
          MM-HMM . 
          BECAUSE WHEN YOU HAVE A COUPLE OF KIDS AND IT'S GONNA COST YOU $500 A WEEK OR MORE TO PUT YOUR KIDS IN CARE FOR EIGHT HOURS WHERE YOU CAN GO TO WORK, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST NOT WORTH IT. 
          YOU JUST STAY HOME. 
          UM, YOU'RE STAYING HOME OR THERE, OR EVEN, AND, AND I DON'T WANNA SAY IT'S WORSE, BUT EVEN MORE DIFFICULT IS THE, THE FAMILIES WHO ARE WORKING FROM HOME ARE TRYING TO DO IT. 
          DO BOTH OF THOSE THINGS, RIGHT? AND AS A PARENT, I CAN TELL YOU AS AN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATOR, I CAN TELL YOU THAT THAT PUTS MORE STRESS ON THE FAMILY TO HAVE THE WORK AT HOME AND YOUR CHILD AND TRY TO JUGGLE ALL OF THAT. 
          UM, WE ALREADY HAVE A HIGHER MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE IN THE STATE, IN THE NATION, PROBABLY IN THE WORLD DUE TO COVID. 
          WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF THAT NOW WITH FAMILIES AND CHILDREN. 
          UM, WE'RE ALSO SEEING A, A HIGHER RATE OF CHILDREN WITH SPEECH NEEDS. 
          MASKING WAS NOT GOOD FOR CHILDREN TO LEARN HOW TO SPEAK CORRECTLY. 
          UM, A LOT OF CHILDREN WERE SCREEN TIMED BECAUSE PARENTS WERE TRYING TO JUGGLE DOING THE BEST THEY COULD. 
          UM, THEY WEREN'T IN SCHOOL. 
          THOSE THINGS. 
          H HILL DOESN'T DO SCREEN TIME. 
          WE PLAY TOGETHER AS LITTLE PEOPLE. 
          AND AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO SEE OUR, OUR SCHOOLS EVEN MOVE AWAY FROM SOME OF 
          [00:40:01]
THE SCREEN TIME. 
          SO THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS GOING, A LOT OF DYNAMICS IN THIS ISSUE. 
          BUT WHAT YOU HIT ON IS STRESS. 
          AND YOU CAN'T BE STRESSED AND NOT FEEL GOOD ABOUT WHERE YOU'RE LEAVING YOUR CHILD AND, AND EXPECT SOMEONE TO GO TO WORK AND BE PRODUCTIVE LIKE THEY WOULD BE IF THEY WERE HAPPY AND CONTENT WITH WHERE THEIR CHILD IS AND SECURE IN KNOWING THAT THEY'RE IN A GOOD PLACE AND THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO AFFORD IT, AND THAT THAT THINGS ARE GONNA BE GOOD FOR THEIR CHILD WHILE THEY'RE GONE. 
          THOSE ARE THINGS YOU JUST CANNOT REPLACE IN A SOCIETY. 
          AND THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY THE CRITICAL PIECE RIGHT NOW. 
          I'M WORRIED ABOUT PARENTS AND I'M WORRIED ABOUT CHILDREN. 
          THE STAFFING OF IT. 
          WE HAVE MA WE'VE GOT A, A, A BILL THAT STARTED IN THE SENATE. 
          IT CAME FROM DISCUSSIONS WITH THE CHILDCARE INDUSTRY AND OUR COMMITTEE THAT CHANGES SOME OF THE REQUIREMENTS RIGHT NOW. 
          UM, YOU HAVE, I KNOW IT'S GONNA SOUND ODD, BUT YOU, YOU ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA ONCE YOU TURN 18. 
          WE WERE LEAVING OUT A WHOLE GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO HAD GEDS OR WORKFORCE CERTIFICATES. 
          AND I ACTUALLY HAD THAT HAPPEN. 
          ONE OF THE STAFF THAT, THAT WE HAD, THAT WE, WHEN SHE TURNED 18, WE COULDN'T HAVE HER WORK WITH US ANYMORE BECAUSE SHE DIDN'T FIT WITH THE HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA. 
          WE'RE GONNA HAVE A BILL. 
          I THINK OUR CONFERENCE COMMITTEE IS REACHED AN AGREEMENT THAT WE'LL TAKE CARE OF EITHER, UM, TOMORROW OR MAYBE A LITTLE BIT LONGER. 
          AND I HOPE WE GET IT DONE TOMORROW. 
          FINGERS CROSSED. 
          THAT WILL BROADEN THAT AND LET THOSE FOLKS WITH WORKFORCE CERTIFICATES AND THOSE GEDS BECOME PART OF THE WORKFORCE FOR CHILDCARE. 
          AND THEY NEED TO BE, UM, NOT EVERY CLASSROOM IS GONNA HAVE TWO TEACHERS. 
          THEY CAN HAVE A TEACHER AND AN ASSISTANT AND THOSE, THOSE ARE REALLY NEEDED POSITIONS. 
          YES, SIR. 
          THANKS FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. 
          THE, UH, REQUIREMENT, REGULATION REQUIREMENT, WHICH SAYS THE CHILD HAVE TO BE MONITORED EVERY 15 MINUTES AND RECORDED. 
          UM, CAN THAT BE ADJUSTED WITH VIDEO MONITORING? NOT, NOT CURRENTLY IN THE REGULATION. 
          NO. 
          NO. 
          IT'S, IT IS LITERALLY GOTTA BE A WRITTEN TEACHER, UH, INITIALED ENTRY ONTO A DOCUMENT. 
          OKAY. 
          THE OTHER QUESTION IS THE LIABILITY, UM, AND ACCIDENT POLICY OR INSURANCE THAT THE STATE NOW USED TO HAVE. 
          17, I THINK YOU SAID, AND WE ONLY HAVE FOUR. 
          WHAT CAN THE STATE DO ABOUT I I'M ACTUALLY LOOKING INTO THAT. 
          UM, WE HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM WITH WIND AND HAIL INSURANCE, IF Y'ALL ARE PROBABLY FAMILIAR WITH THAT PROBLEM. 
          AND THE STATE ACTUALLY HAS AN INSURANCE, UM, SITUATION WHERE YOU CAN PURCHASE A SINCE PURCHASE INSURANCE THROUGH THAT IF THEY CAN'T GET IT ANYWHERE ELSE. 
          I'M ACTUALLY TALKING TO STATE FOLKS AT, ON OUR LEVEL ABOUT WHAT WE COULD DO FOR AN EXCHANGE BECAUSE IT'S A REQUIREMENT OF LAW THAT WE HAVE IT. 
          SO IT SHOULD BE A REQUIREMENT OF LAW THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT IT'S THERE. 
          IT'S THE SAME LAW. 
          WHY DON'T WE, UM, SO THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH TIME FOR EVERYONE, LET'S, UM, BRING JODI UP NOW AND THEN WE CAN CIRCLE BACK WITH QUESTIONS FOR THE TWO OF THEM. 
          'CAUSE MAYBE SOME OF THE INFORMATION FROM JODI WILL, WILL ANSWER SOME OF THE QUESTIONS I HAD. 
          I HAD SOME QUESTIONS I WAS GONNA ASK HER, BUT I GUESS YOU, YOU SAID WE'LL CIRCLE BACK AROUND. 
          LET'S, LET'S, UH, HEAR FROM JODY FIRST AND THEN WE'LL BRING 'EM BOTH IN FOR QUESTIONING. 
          SO DON'T GO FAR, SHANNON. 
          I'M, I'M SORRY. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          ALLOWED. 
          IF WE CAN PUT UP THE OTHER POWERPOINT, THAT WOULD BE FABULOUS. 
          THERE WE GO. 
          FIRST OF ALL, LET ME SAY THANK YOU TO Y'ALL FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. 
          UM, I'LL BE HONEST, I DIDN'T KNOW THIS GROUP EXISTED UNTIL DAN INVITED US TO COME, COME TALK. 
          SO AS A CITIZEN OF BEAUFORT COUNTY AND OUR COMMUNITY, I'M THRILLED TO SEE THAT WE'RE ALL WORKING TOGETHER. 
          UM, JUST FOR TRANSPARENCY SAKE, JUST SO YOU KNOW, SHANNON BRINGS BOTH THE GOVERNMENTAL SIDE AND THE FOR-PROFIT SIDE. 
          I BRING THE NON-PROFIT SIDE AND THE BOOTS ON THE GROUND SIDE. 
          SO YOU'RE, YOU MAY HEAR A FEW DIFFERENT THINGS. 
          WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS FIVE, WELL, LET ME STEP BACK AND SAY, I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR ABOUT 10 YEARS. 
          THE CHILDREN'S CENTER ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND THAT I REPRESENT HAS BEEN AROUND FOR 57 YEARS. 
          IT'S THE SECOND OLDEST NONPROFIT ON OUR ISLAND. 
          FIVE YEARS AGO, WE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN HAVING THIS CONVERSATION AS MUCH AS WE SHOULD HAVE. 
          IT WAS NOT AN ISSUE. 
          FIVE YEARS AGO, PEOPLE DIDN'T REALLY SEE CHILDCARE AS THEIR PROBLEM UNLESS THEY HAD SMALL CHILDREN. 
          [00:45:01]
SO, UM, IT, IT WARMS MY HEART TO KNOW THAT WE HAVE, UM, FINALLY SEEN THE LIGHT, IF YOU WILL. 
          UM, AND JUST FOR PURPOSES OF MY CONVERSATION, I'M GONNA MIX THE TERMS EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND CHILDCARE. 
          BUT IN MY MIND, THEY'RE ONE AND THE SAME AS SHANNON POINTED OUT, CHILDCARE IS NOT JUST BABYSITTING, IT IS TRULY AN OVERALL EXPERIENCE AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE CHILD. 
          SO, UM, AND IT'S ALL ABOUT QUALITY. 
          THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT THERE AREN'T CHILDCARE CENTERS DOING HIGH QUALITY EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION, BUT WHAT I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT IS AN EQUIVALENT OF BOTH. 
          SO WHY DOES IT MATTER TO YOU? SHANNON'S TOUCHED ON A LOT OF THIS. 
          LOCAL EMPLOYMENT IS CRITICAL. 
          UM, KINDERGARTEN READINESS, IT'S ALL ABOUT GETTING THESE KIDS READY TO ENTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 
          THESE ARE OUR FUTURE. 
          THESE KIDS ARE GONNA BE SITTING IN THE SPOTS YOU ARE SITTING IN IN YEARS TO COME. 
          PUBLIC ASSISTANCE AND CRIME. 
          WHAT DOES EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION HAVE TO DO WITH PUBLIC ASSISTANCE AND CRIME? WELL, IT ACTUALLY, OOPS, I HIT THE WRONG BUTTON. 
          DID I DO THAT RIGHT? THERE WE GO. 
          UM, SO A LOT OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY IS WHAT IS CONSIDERED AFFORDABLE CHILDCARE. 
          SHANNON TALKED ABOUT COSTS WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT AN INFANT, TUITION IS AROUND 2, 2 25 A WEEK. 
          THE COST IS CLOSER TO $600 A WEEK. 
          THERE IS NO WAY IN HECK I COULD CHARGE A PARENT $600 TO CARE FOR THEIR INFANTS. 
          NO WAY. 
          SO IT'S A BALANCING ACT, RIGHT? I DID SOME STUDY IN, UM, IN BEAUFORT COUNTY. 
          THE AVERAGE, UM, IF YOU WERE TO USE A 7% OF MEDIAN INCOME, A 7% OF INCOME AS WHAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED AFFORDABLE FOR CHILDCARE, AND THAT'S KIND OF WHAT THE NATIONAL GURUS SAY, 7% IS, IS A GOOD NUMBER. 
          THAT WOULD BE $5,860 IN BEAUFORT COUNTY, AND IT WOULD BE $4,300 IN JASPER COUNTY. 
          THE AVERAGE INFANT CARE COST RIGHT NOW IS $7,000. 
          UM, AND THE COST AT THE CHILDREN'S CENTER FOR THAT SAME CARE IS 30,000 A YEAR. 
          SO I'M GETTING SEVEN, I'M SPENDING 30. 
          THERE'S A, THERE'S A, A, A BIG DIFFERENCE BECAUSE OF THOSE ECONOMIES OF SCALE. 
          YOU DON'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF CENTERS OFFERING INFANT TO 2-YEAR-OLD PROGRAMMING. 
          IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE FROM A BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE. 
          YOU'RE LOSING SO MUCH MONEY WHEN I TELL YOU I HAVE MOTHERS CALLING ME IN TEARS SAYING, I, I NEED A PLACE FOR MY BABY SO I CAN GO BACK TO WORK. 
          THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN JUST INFREQUENTLY. 
          THAT'S A WEEKLY CALL THAT I GET. 
          I GET CALLS FROM PEOPLE OUTSIDE THE STATE THAT SAY, I'M, I'M, I JUST GOT A JOB, TEACHER, NURSE, WHATEVER. 
          AND WE'RE LOOKING TO COME DOWN, TELL ME WHAT YOUR WAIT LIST IS LIKE FOR INFANT CARE. 
          AND I TELL THEM, AND I'M VERY HONEST, IT PROBABLY WON'T BE FOR TWO YEARS BEFORE I CAN TAKE CARE OF YOUR BABY. 
          BECAUSE AGAIN, SHANNON TALKED ABOUT, UM, RATIOS OF ONE STAFF PERSON FOR FIVE BABIES. 
          I HAVE 50 CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF TWO ON MY WAIT LIST RIGHT NOW. 
          SO THE NUMBERS JUST, JUST DON'T JIVE. 
          LOW INCOME FAMILIES ARE PARTICULARLY, UM, OKAY, ARE PARTICULARLY HURT BY THIS BECAUSE THEY'RE REALLY THE ONES THAT HAVE TO DECIDE, AM I GONNA GO TO WORK OR AM I GOING TO PAY FOR CHILDCARE? FORTUNATELY, WE HAVE SOME STATE FUNDING IN THE FORM OF A, B, C SCHOLARSHIPS, AND THAT'S GOOD. 
          ABOUT 50% OF MY FAMILIES, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY TENURE HISTORY, 50% OF MY FAMILIES ARE RELYING ON THE 
          [00:50:01]
AGENCY VOUCHERS. 
          BUT THAT'S FOR ONE YEAR. 
          SO WE DON'T, WE AS A BUSINESS DON'T KNOW THAT THAT INCOME STREAM IS COMING AND THEY AS A FAMILY DON'T KNOW FOR SURE THAT THAT WILL BE RENEWED. 
          SO, SO IT'S AN ONGOING CYCLE. 
          WORKFORCE CHILDCARE, WORKFORCE CHILDCARE. 
          AND IT'S ESPECIALLY MORE DIFFICULT WHEN IT'S A SINGLE FAMILY HOUSEHOLD, WHETHER IT'S A SINGLE MOM OR A SINGLE FATHER. 
          I HAVE BOTH. 
          LET'S TALK ABOUT A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR KIDS. 
          SO SHANNON TOUCHED ON THIS, BIRTH TO FIVE IS THE MOST CRITICAL PART OF ANYONE'S LIFE. 
          THAT'S WHEN THE, THE BRAIN IS DEVELOPING. 
          THAT'S WHEN ALL THOSE IMPORTANT SYNAPSES ARE CLOSING IN THE BRAIN. 
          AND IF THEY'RE NOT BEING USED AND DEVELOPED AS WE GET OLDER, THEY'RE NOT STRONG TO CONTINUE TO DEVELOP. 
          SO BIRTH TO THREE IS INCREDIBLE. 
          BIRTH TO FIVE IS CRITICAL. 
          DID YOU KNOW, WELL, MOST OF YOU PROBABLY KNOW THIRD GRADE READING SCORES TRULY ARE A PREDICTOR OF LIFE OUTCOMES, RIGHT? YES. 
          BUT 18 MONTH VOCABULARY SKILLS ARE A PREDICTOR OF THOSE THIRD GRADE READINGS, READING SCORES. 
          SO IF WE DON'T GET 'EM EARLY, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO WORK THAT MUCH HARDER TO GET THEM LATER. 
          A BABY FORMS 700 NEW NEUROLOGICAL CONNECTIONS PER SECOND DURING THE FIRST YEAR OF LIFE. 
          SO IT'S CRITICAL. 
          THIS, I REALLY, I KNOW Y'ALL CAN'T SEE THIS, BUT I REALLY LIKE THIS BRAIN PICTURE BECAUSE IT TALKS ABOUT WHAT PARTS OF THE BRAIN ARE BEING DEVELOPED DURING THOSE EARLY YEARS. 
          AND THERE'S WORDS ON HERE LIKE PROBLEM SOLVING, SELF-MONITORING, AWARENESS, MENTAL FLEXIBILITY. 
          NOW, I TALKED ABOUT FUTURE WORKFORCE. 
          WHAT IS IT THAT OUR EMPLOYERS REALLY ARE LOOKING FOR IN A NEW HIRE? IT'S NOT SPECIFICALLY THAT THEY KNOW HOW TO DO A, B, C AND BUILD THIS WIDGET OR, OR RUN THAT CASH REGISTER. 
          IT'S THAT THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE. 
          THEY CAN PROBLEM SOLVE, THEY CAN COMMUNICATE ALL OF THOSE SOFT SKILLS. 
          THAT'S WHAT THE BRAIN IS DEVELOPING BETWEEN AGES, BIRTH TO FIVE, NO DOUBT. 
          ALL OF THESE ARE THE TOP 15 QUALITIES. 
          AND THESE PICTURES SHOW YOU THESE LITTLE KIDS. 
          TEAMWORK, PROBLEM SOLVING, CONFIDENCE, TEAMWORK, BUILDING TOGETHER, PROBLEM SOLVING, ALL OF THESE IMPORTANT THINGS THEY'RE DOING IN AN EARLY CHILDHOOD CLASSROOM EVERY DAY AS THEY GROW , THIS IS KIND OF A SAD THING, KINDERGARTEN READINESS. 
          WE SPEND A LOT OF MONEY ON KINDERGARTEN READINESS. 
          SOUTH CAROLINA, THESE ARE 22, 23 NUMBERS. 
          38.3% OF OUR KIDS ARE READY FOR KINDERGARTEN HERE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY, IT'S 35% IN JASPER COUNTY, IT'S 15%. 
          SHAMELESS PLUG. 
          THE CHILDREN'S CENTER'S GRADUATING CLASS THIS YEAR MASTERED 96.75 OF THEIR KINDERGARTEN READINESS SKILLS. 
          SO IT WORKS. 
          IF YOU WORK AT IT, IT DOES. 
          OUR KIDS ARE GOING TO SCHOOL, THEY'RE READY, THEY'RE GOING TO SUCCEED. 
          UM, SO, SO THIS IS REALLY CRITICAL TO THE, TO THE PART OF OUR, OUR SOCIETY THAT WE JUST DON'T PAY MUCH ATTENTION TO. 
          SOCIETAL IMPACTS. 
          I TALKED ABOUT THE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE AND THE CRIME. 
          KIDS WHO RECEIVE EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION ARE 25% MORE LIKELY TO GRADUATE HIGH SCHOOL. 
          THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO GET A BACHELOR'S DEGREE. 
          THEY'RE LESS LIKELY TO HAVE ACADEMIC PROBLEMS, LOST EARNINGS BECAUSE OF NO CHILDCARE, $1.22 BILLION A YEAR. 
          THAT'S, THAT'S AWFUL. 
          THOSE ARE PARENTS THAT HAVE CHOSEN EITHER BECAUSE THERE IS NO CHILDCARE AVAILABLE OR BECAUSE IT'S JUST TOO DARN EXPENSIVE NOT TO GO BACK INTO THE WORK WORKPLACE PLACE. 
          HERE'S A REALLY INTERESTING THING, AND 
          [00:55:01]
I'M NOT AN ECONOMIST, SO DON'T ASK ME THE NUMBERS, BUT PEOPLE HAVE HAVE RESEARCHED THIS FOR EVERY $1 WE PUT INTO EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION ON THE BACKSIDE, EITHER IN ADDITIONAL TAXES, LESS PUBLIC ASSISTANCE, MORE INCOME FOR THE FAMILIES, IT YIELDS $6 AND 30 CENTS. 
          NOW, DARN IT, I I CHALLENGE YOU TO FIND ANYTHING ELSE THAT RETURNS THAT KIND OF, OF RETURN ON AN INVESTMENT. 
          OKAY? SO I HOPE I'VE CONVINCED YOU WITH SHANNON'S HELP THAT THIS IS AN IMPORTANT TOPIC. 
          SO WHAT'S HOLDING US BACK CAPACITY, CERTAINLY SHANNON TALKED ABOUT STAFFING. 
          UM, JUST A LITTLE BUGABOO. 
          WHEN WE WERE IN COVID, WE HEARD ABOUT THE HEROES OF OUR COMMUNITY, OUR FIREFIGHTERS, OUR NURSES, OUR HEALTHCARE WORKERS, OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS. 
          BUT NEVER ONCE DID I HEAR SOMEONE SAY, YOUR CHILDCARE TEACHERS ARE HEROES. 
          WELL, THEIR HEROES, BECAUSE THEY ALLOWED ALL THOSE OTHER HEROES TO GO TO WORK. 
          SO OUR STAFFING IS AN ISSUE. 
          STAFFING COSTS SINCE 2021 IN MY BUDGET HAVE INCREASED 49%. 
          TWO REASONS. 
          ONE, CHILDCARE TEACHERS USED TO BE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAY SCALE. 
          THEY USED TO BE PART OF THAT WHOLE LOW INCOME CROWD. 
          OUR BOARD TOOK A REALLY IMPORTANT DYNAMIC STEP AND RAISED OUR CHILDCARE, UM, WAGES 21% TO GET CLOSER TO ALLOWING OUR PEOPLE TO HAVE A LIVING WAGE. 
          SO YES, THAT WAS PARTLY ON US THAT IT WENT UP SO HIGH, BUT IT WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO BECAUSE CHILDCARE WORKERS DON'T HAVE, IN MOST CASES THE BENEFITS THAT COME ALONG WITH MOST, UM, PROFESSIONS. 
          THEY GET SOME PAID TIME OFF, BUT VERY FEW, UNLESS THEY'RE CONNECTED TO A CHURCH OR UM, A A LARGER ORGANIZATION DON'T HAVE HEALTH BENEFITS, DON'T HAVE RETIREMENT, DON'T HAVE, UM, ANY OF THOSE OTHER BENEFITS THAT COME ALONG. 
          INSURANCE, SHANNON TOUCHED ON THAT MY INSURANCE HAS GONE UP 72% SINCE 19, OR SINCE 2021. 
          AND OUR FOOD COSTS, WE FEED OUR KIDS BECAUSE IF THEY DON'T HAVE HEALTHY BODIES, THEY CAN'T HAVE HEALTHY MINDS. 
          THAT'S GONE UP 10% AS WELL. 
          UM, THE OTHER PIECE IS CAPACITY. 
          WE HAVE TWO CENTERS ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND THAT ACCEPT INFANTS AND TODDLERS. 
          WE HAVE A WHOLE LOT MORE INFANTS AND TODDLERS. 
          AND IT'S, IT'S THE SAME KIND OF DYNAMIC ALL ACROSS THE COMMUNITY. 
          AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT. 
          IT'S JUST TOO DARN EXPENSIVE TO PUT THAT AS PART OF YOUR BUSINESS MODEL. 
          HERE'S ANOTHER INTERESTING PIECE. 
          WE TALK ABOUT STAFFING AND RATIOS. 
          RIGHT NOW I HAVE A STAFF OF ABOUT 23, AND THAT INCLUDES ME AND OUR ADMIN PEOPLE. 
          AND, AND LET ME TELL YOU, SHANNON TALKED ABOUT THE GREAT RESOURCES FROM THE STATE, THE A BC SCHOLARSHIP. 
          WE ARE PART OF THE FREE LUNCH PROGRAM. 
          IT TAKES ME A WHOLE PERSON JUST TO GET THROUGH THE PAPERWORK THAT GOES WITH THAT STUFF. 
          IT'S NUTS. 
          IT'S, AND I'LL TELL YOU, SORRY SHANNON. 
          NO, NO, NO. 
          THE STATE TECHNOLOGY. 
          AWFUL. 
          UGH. 
          I HAD TO LOG IN TWICE JUST TO GET ONE PIECE OF PAPER THIS MORNING. 
          IT WAS, IT'S JUST CRAZY. 
          BUT ANYWAY, SO WE HAVE LOW WAGES FOR CHILDCARE WORKERS. 
          SO WHY ARE PEOPLE, WHY WOULD PEOPLE EVEN WANT TO GO INTO THAT, THAT INDUSTRY, THAT JOB, THE AVERAGE, UM, CHILDCARE WORKER IN SOUTH CAROLINA, NOT EVEN $15 AN HOUR, NOT EVEN, UM, NO BENEFITS. 
          IT'S A HIGH STRESS. 
          PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU WANNA BE PUT IN A BOX WITH 15 LITTLE BALLS OF ENERGY EVERY DAY FOR EIGHT HOURS A DAY. 
          I DON'T SEE IT. 
          OKAY, ONE HAND I'M NOT EVEN INTERESTED IN THAT. 
          DONE THAT. 
          AND I GO TO THE STATE HOUSE. 
          I DO . 
          EXACTLY. 
          THAT'S A GOOD, SO, YOU KNOW, SO THE, THE FUNNEL IS, IS MORE LIKE THIS. 
          INSTEAD OF LIKE THIS, UM, I TALKED TO KELLY ECKY OVER AT TECHNICAL COLLEGE OF THE LOW COUNTRY. 
          SHE RUNS THEIR EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAM. 
          THEY HAD FOUR 
          [01:00:01]
GRADUATES IN MAY, THEY HAVE 32 ENROLLED. 
          THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT ALL THOSE 32 ARE GONNA GRADUATE FOUR PEOPLE FOR HOW MANY CENTERS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY? OH MY GOODNESS. 
          US B'S PRETTY MUCH THE SAME THREE GRADUATES IN MAY AND SEVEN GRADUATES IN THE FALL. 
          SOMEHOW WE'VE GOTTA MAKE THIS MORE ATTRACTIVE TO PEOPLE TO MAKE IT, MAKE THEM UNDERSTAND THAT THEY ARE HEROES. 
          THEY ARE SO IMPORTANT. 
          UM, TURNOVER IN OUR INDUSTRY, AVERAGE IS ABOUT 70%. 
          A LOT OF THAT, SHANNON TOUCHED ON IT'S STRESS, IT'S TURNOVER. 
          ALL MY TEACHERS ARE ALONE IN THEIR CLASSROOMS BECAUSE I CAN'T FIND ENOUGH STAFF TO PUT TWO PEOPLE IN A CLASSROOM SAFETY FOR OUR KIDDOS RATIOS. 
          I COULD DOUBLE THE NUMBER OF KIDS AND JUST PLAIN OLD HAVE SOMEBODY TO TALK TO ALL DAY THAT ACTUALLY UNDERSTANDS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. 
          SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S REALLY, UM, THE, THE WORKFORCE PIECE IS SIGNIFICANT. 
          I LIKE THIS GRAPHIC HERE. 
          UM, EVEN THOUGH IT'S OUT OF SIOUX FALLS, THE, THE GRAPHIC ITSELF, AFFORDABILITY, $4,600 A YEAR, CURRENT TUITION CLOSER TO 12, ACTUAL COST CLOSER TO 17. 
          THAT'S, THAT'S WHY IT'S SO VERY HARD TO BALANCE THE BUSINESS OF CHILDCARE. 
          MY ORGANIZATION JUST WENT THROUGH A BIG REWRITE OF OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE KEPT GRAPPLING WITH WAS THE TERM, THE BUSINESS MODEL IS BROKEN. 
          HOW DO WE FIX THE BUSINESS MODEL? AND I HAVE A LOT OF SMART PEOPLE ON MY BOARD, AND NONE OF US COULD REALLY COME UP WITH HOW TO FIX THE BUSINESS MODEL. 
          SO IT'S A BALANCING ACT. 
          WE NEED CHILDCARE. 
          WE NEED CHILDCARE NOW FOR OUR CURRENT EMPLOYERS. 
          EVERY PLACE I GO, I SEE A, WE'RE HIRING SIGN AND, AND IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A, WE'RE HIRING SIGN FOR SOMEONE WITH A PHD. 
          A LOT OF OUR BUSINESSES IN OUR ECONOMY ARE FOR YOUNGER AND ENTERING THE WORKFORCE KIND OF PEOPLE. 
          THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE YOUNG CHILDREN. 
          THEIR CAREERS HAVEN'T TAKEN OFF, SO THEY CAN'T AFFORD THOSE HIGHER COSTS. 
          I HAVE TWO CHILDREN THAT ARE PAYING CHILDCARE. 
          UM, THEY LIVE BACK WHERE WE MOVED FROM AND WHEN THEY TELL ME THE DOLLARS THAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE SPENDING MORE ON CHILDCARE THAN THEY ARE ON THE MORTGAGE FOR THEIR HOUSE. 
          AND IT JUST SCARES ME TO DEATH. 
          MY DAUGHTER'S EXPECTING IN OCTOBER. 
          AND I WENT UP THERE AND WE DID A THOROUGH SEARCH OF CHILDCARE PROVIDERS FOUR MONTHS AGO BECAUSE WE KNEW THAT IF SHE WANTED TO GO BACK TO WORK AND MAINTAIN HER CAREER, SHE HAD TO HAVE CHILDCARE. 
          AND THINK ABOUT IT, IT'S, IT'S THE WOMEN WHO SUFFER THE MOST BECAUSE IT'S THE WOMEN WHOSE CAREERS ARE PUT ON HOLD IF THERE'S NOT CHILDCARE TO BE HAD. 
          AND THAT'S JUST NOT FAIR. 
          THAT'S JUST NOT RIGHT BECAUSE THE WOMEN IN OUR COMMUNITY PROVIDE JUST AS MUCH TO THE BOTTOM LINE OF OUR COMMUNITIES AND OUR ECONOMIES, UM, STABILIZATION AS THE MEN. 
          SO IT'S CRITICAL. 
          UM, WE'VE GOTTA KEEP OUR PARENTS EMPLOYED. 
          WE'VE GOTTA LOWER OUR RESPONSIBILITY FOR, UM, PUBLIC ASSISTANCE. 
          ALL THESE PEOPLE, IF THEY WOULD BE WORKING, THEY WOULD HAVE MORE TO DO FOR THEIR FAMILIES. 
          SO IT REALLY IS A CRITICAL ISSUE, NOT JUST NOW, BUT FOR IN THE FUTURE. 
          WE CAN NO LONGER MAKE THIS. 
          IT'S A NOT MY PROBLEM ISSUE BECAUSE IT'S ALL OF OUR PROBLEMS. AND IF WE DON'T DEAL WITH IT NOW, I HATE TO SAY, BUT IT WILL BECOME A SERIOUS QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUE FOR ALL OF US IN THE FUTURE. 
          SO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME AND FOR ALL THE TALENT THAT YOU'VE PUT INTO THIS. 
          THANK YOU JODY. 
          UM, I'LL START THE QUESTIONING. 
          WE'RE RUNNING A LITTLE OVER. 
          SO I, UH, UH, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PATIENCE AND UH, JOSH, I KNOW YOU HAD YOUR HAND UP WHEN, UH, MS. ERICKSON FINISHED, SO YOU WANNA LEAD OFF THE QUESTIONING. 
          UM, SURE. 
          I'M A LITTLE SCATTERED, SO BEAR WITH ME. 
          BUT, UM, SO 
          [01:05:01]
YOU'D MENTIONED, IF I REMEMBER RIGHT, THAT HOBB HILL HAS LIKE 225 KIDS NOW AND THEN, UM, 38, UH, TEACHERS FOR THAT. 
          RIGHT? SO WOULD YOU SAY THAT, UM, YOUR ISSUES, 'CAUSE YOU SAID YOU COULD HAVE 300 TOTAL. 
          SO WOULD IT BE DUE TO THE RATIOS OR STAFFING IN GENERAL? JUST NOT HAVING ENOUGH PEOPLE WILLING TO WORK THAT JOB BECAUSE, UM, I, I THINK WHEN I WAS LOOKING AT THE RATIOS EARLIER, YOU COULD HAVE UP TO 12 FOR, UM, FOUR YEAR OLDS. 
          SO I DIDN'T KNOW IF IT WAS BECAUSE OF THE, THE RATIOS, THE SQUARE FOOTAGE REGULATION THAT YOU BROUGHT UP, OR, UM, JUST STAFFING OVERALL. 
          JOSH, THANKS FOR LISTENING TO ALL THAT. 
          GETTING ALL THAT. 
          IT'S ALL THE ABOVE. 
          UM, EACH CLASSROOM HAS A A DEFINITION OF HOW MANY CHILDREN IT CAN HOLD BASED ON SQUARE FOOTAGE FIRST, AND THEN CHILD TO TEACHER RATIOS ON WHAT WE PUT IN THERE. 
          SO WHAT JODY MENTIONED TO YOU WAS SHE'S GOT CLASSROOMS WITH ONE TEACHER. 
          WE TRY REALLY HARD NOT TO DO THAT, BUT IT HAPPENS SOMETIMES AND ONE TEACHER MATCHES TO THE 12 CHILDREN. 
          THAT'S NOT OPTIMAL, BUT SOMETIMES IT HAPPENS. 
          I PREFER ONE TO 10 AND FOUR YEAR OLDS. 
          BUT THE, THE REALITY IS, IF I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH CHILDREN TO PAY FOR THE SECOND TEACHER AND FOUR YEAR OLDS TO MAKE IT UP TO THE 24 MARK OR THE 20 MARK BY BRINGING IN A SECOND PERSON, I CAN'T PUT TWO MORE IN THERE. 
          SO I'M HAVING TO HOLD PEOPLE AWAY. 
          I HAVE A WAITING LIST. 
          I MEAN, OUR WAITING LIST ARE, ARE INCREDIBLE. 
          I, THEY, THEY ABSOLUTELY OVERWHELMED ME WITH, WITH FEAR ABOUT WHAT, WHERE CHILDREN ARE AND WHAT'S GOING ON. 
          BUT I CAN'T PUT IN TWO EXTRA CHILDREN TO MAKE IT 14 TO ONE. 
          I HAVE TO KEEP ALL OF THOSE ON THE WAIT LIST UNTIL I GET TO THE POINT WHERE I CAN HIRE SOMEONE OR FIND A DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT AVENUE TO SEND THEM. 
          AND IT'S THE TEACHER RATIO RIGHT NOW ON MY CLASSROOMS THAT ARE THE MOST PROBLEMATIC. 
          THERE'S NO STAFF OUT THERE TO DO THAT. 
          AND THAT'S WHY I BROUGHT UP THE PIECE ABOUT BRINGING IN MORE PEOPLE WHO CAN BE QUALIFIED. 
          RIGHT. 
          OKAY. 
          SO I GUESS THE WAIT LIST WOULD SAY, EVEN THOUGH, UM, IT'S PRETTY EVIDENT THAT IT'S A, A COST BURDEN FOR MOST FAMILIES, THE WAIT LIST WOULD SAY THAT EVEN THOUGH THAT'S THE CASE, PEOPLE ARE STILL WILLING TO, TO SACRIFICE THAT IN ORDER TO GO BACK TO WORK. 
          UH, WHICH THIS IS A, THEY, THEY'RE FINDING WAYS TO DO IT. 
          I MEAN, JODY'S ABOUT HALF, WE'RE NOT QUITE THAT HIGH, BUT OVER THE COURSE OF ALL THE YEARS OF OUR OPERATION, I DID A, B, C BACK WHEN WE HAD THE GREAT RECESSION BECAUSE FAMILIES THAT WERE WITH US ACTUALLY CAME TO US AND SAID, PLEASE HELP US DO THAT. 
          AND WE DID IT DURING COVID. 
          AND WE'VE CONTINUED BECAUSE WE'VE SEEN THE, THE NEED, I MEAN, JODI'S ANALOGY OF WHAT IT ACTUALLY COSTS TO DO ON THE INFANT SPECTRUM OF THAT ZERO ACTUALLY BELOW H TWO, WOULDN'T YOU SAY, JODY? IT'S THE BELOW H TWO AND WE'RE ONE OF THE ONLY PLACES THAT DO IT. 
          AND WE DO IT WELL BECAUSE WE'RE PRETTY PICKY ABOUT THOSE RATIOS. 
          WE, I PREFER ONE TO FOUR SO THAT YOU'VE GOT TWO TEACHERS WITH EIGHT CHILDREN. 
          RIGHT. 
          BUT PARENTS CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY THE, JUST THE CLASSROOM STAFF, NOT TO MENTION WHAT HAS TO GO INTO IT WITH ALL THE OTHER STUFF. 
          AND YES, THE STATE DSS SYSTEM, I MEAN, AT ONE POINT IN TIME WITH THE ABCS, AND I GET THIS FROM CONSTITUENTS, I'M LIVING THIS PROBLEM ON BOTH SIDES. 
          THEIR, THEIR PAYMENTS CAN BE IN ARREARS SIX, EIGHT WEEKS. 
          HOW DO SMALL CENTERS THAT DON'T HAVE THE, THE ABILITY TO DO THAT? I MEAN, THEY'RE WORKING ON IT, BUT LITERALLY, DSS HAS THE SAME PROBLEM WITH STAFFING THAT WE ALL HAVE. 
          THERE ARE TWO PEOPLE THAT WORK IN THAT DEPARTMENT, AND WE HAD A SITUATION WITH A, A CONSTITUENT THAT SOMEBODY WAS OUT ON MATERNITY LEAVE AND SOMEBODY ELSE WAS ON VACATION, AND THERE WAS NOBODY TO DO CHECKS UNTIL SOMEBODY GOT BACK. 
          SO IT, IT'S, IT'S JUST HOW MUCH STRESS CAN THE INDUSTRY TAKE? RIGHT. 
          SO, UM, AND I KNOW OTHERS PROBABLY HAVE QUESTIONS, SO I'LL TRY TO WRAP THIS UP. 
          I DO, UM, IN PREPARATION, I LOOKED AT WHAT THIS CITY HAS, AND I DO APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU OUTLINED IN YOUR PRESENTATION WHAT STEPS WE COULD TAKE TO TRY TO HELP AND DO OUR PART, UM, WITH THE, THE TAX BREAKS AND BUSINESS LICENSE FEES AND STUFF. 
          UM, I, FROM WHAT I WAS ABLE TO FIND IN THE CITY, WE HAVE SEVEN FACILITIES AND I COULD HAVE MISSED SOME AND A TOTAL CAPACITY OF ABOUT 377. 
          SO THAT'S NOT A WHOLE LOT. 
          AND IT TELLS ME THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF ROOM TO GROW INTO WHAT WE COULD PROVIDE FOR CHILDCARE FACILITIES. 
          SO I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION. 
          ONE THING THAT I WILL POINT OUT, UM, IS, SO I DID LOOK AT THE SQUARE FOOTAGE REQUIREMENTS, WHICH IT SEEMS SILLY TO ME THAT YOU'D HAVE TO HAVE 75 
          [01:10:01]
SQUARE FEET OF OUTDOOR PLAY SPACE FOR EACH CHILD. 
          I COULD SEE THE, THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENT OF 35 SQUARE FEET ON THE INSIDE, BECAUSE YOU MAY HAVE TO HAVE EVERYBODY INSIDE AT ONE TIME, BUT OUTSIDE YOU COULD PROBABLY STAGGER HOW YOU TAKE KIDS OUT. 
          SO THAT REQUIREMENT SEEMS IT'S A LITTLE LEEWAY ON THAT, ON THE OUTSIDE, OR BOTH ON THE OUTSIDE. 
          BUT YOU, WHAT THEY DO IS LOOK AT YOUR LARGEST CLASSROOM CAPACITY. 
          OKAY. 
          SO IF YOU'RE GONNA TAKE A WHOLE CLASSROOM OUTSIDE, WHAT'S THAT GONNA LOOK LIKE? THERE'S EVEN A CAVEAT WHERE YOU CAN TAKE THEM TO A PUBLIC PARK OR FACILITY, BUT THEN WE GET INTO THE TRANSPORTING OR ACCESS AND THE RATIOS WITH BUSES, AND LET'S NOT EVEN TALK ABOUT THE BUS INSURANCE, BUT SO IT, YOU, YOU, YOU KIND OF SEE IT'S A, IT'S, IT'S A BIG BALL OF WAX COVERED IN RUBBER BANDS. 
          RIGHT. 
          UM, AND SO THE LAST THING THAT I SAW ON THE, ON THE WEBSITE, IT LOOKED LIKE THE, UM, A MI REQUIREMENTS WERE BASED ON STATE A MI, WHICH I THINK BEAUFORT COUNTY I KNOW IS, UM, IS A, A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN WHAT YOUR NORMAL, UH, A MI IS FOR, FOR THE STATE. 
          BUT IT LOOKED LIKE FOR, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW, HOW TO READ THE CHART. 
          LIKE I SAID, A FAMILY OF ONE AND THEN 39, YOU COULDN'T MAKE MORE THAN 39,000, BUT A FAMILY OF ONE WOULD EITHER BE ONE PARENT OR ONE CHILD. 
          SO EITHER YOU'RE NOT COUNTING THE CHILDREN OR YOU'RE NOT COUNTING THE PARENT IN THAT CHART. 
          AND I COULDN'T TELL WHICH WAY IT WAS, BUT I DO KNOW THAT IF IT IS COUNTING THE PARENT FAMILY OF ONE, THEN FOR A SINGLE MOM OR DAD THAT'S WORKING AS AN ESSENTIAL EMPLOYEE, I KNOW IN BUFORT THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN 39,000 STARTING OUT. 
          SO THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE TOO MUCH TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE SCHOLARSHIP. 
          SO MAYBE THERE'S SOME WORK ON THE, THE NUMBERS THERE THAT WOULD ALLOW IT, YOU KNOW, TO BE MORE WITHIN REACH FOR YOUR ESSENTIAL COMMUNITY. 
          RIGHT. 
          THERE IS A FEDERAL REQUIREMENT, AND THEN THERE IS A STATE PLAN. 
          I HAVE BEEN WORKING FOR YEARS WITH DSS TO GET THAT STATE PLAN TO BE, UH, A LITTLE MORE MALLEABLE, UM, BECAUSE OUR STATE PLAN HAS TO MEET C FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS. 
          UM, ONCE THEY DO THAT THOUGH, UM, THERE'S SOME WIGGLE ROOM IN THOSE, IN THOSE SCENARIOS. 
          BUT THE FEDERAL MONEY IS 98% OF THE DOLLARS. 
          UM, AT LEAST IT USED TO BE, I'M ASSUMING IT STILL IS. 
          I HAVEN'T LOOKED AT THIS YEAR'S BUDGET. 
          BUT FEDERAL MONEY PAYS FOR THOSE, THOSE, THOSE VOUCHERS, THOSE PIECES THAT GO TO THE WORKING FOLKS THAT ARE NOT AT THE RIGHT HIGH ENOUGH INCOME. 
          SO TYPICALLY THEY ARE THE LARGEST, UM, DECIDER OF WHAT THAT BRACKET IS. 
          STATE COULD CHANGE THAT THE STATE COULD ADD TO IT. 
          THERE HASN'T BEEN A PUSH TO DO MUCH OF THAT. 
          WE DID SEE IT JUST LAST YEAR WITH SOME IMPROVEMENTS FOR THOSE ESSENTIAL WORKERS AND DURING COVID. 
          OKAY. 
          BUT THAT'S BEEN THE, THE, THE BIGGEST PUSH. 
          AND ONE THING THAT JODY HIT ON, AND I THINK WE REALLY NEED TO WRAP OUR HEADS AROUND, IT'S THE COST OF ACTUALLY DOING THE SERVICE. 
          WHEN YOU MAY SEE, OH, WELL, THE VOUCHERS COMING IN, YOU'RE RIGHT. 
          BUT THE VOUCHERS ARE COMING IN BASED ON WHAT THE RATE IS THAT EACH SCHOOL CHARGES, NOT THE ACTUAL COST. 
          SO, AND, AND USUALLY IT'S VARYING DEGREES. 
          IT CAN BE, YOU KNOW, 80, 40, WHATEVER, AND THEY HAVE COPAYS, BUT IT'S STILL NOT COVERING THE ACTUAL COSTS. 
          IT'S ACTUALLY COVERING WHAT THE FEES ARE. 
          AND BECAUSE I WEAR THE TWO HATS, I'M PROBABLY KEENLY AWARE OF THE COST DIFFERENTIAL AND TRIED REALLY HARD. 
          HOBBIT HILL IS GOING TO ALWAYS BE AS LOW A COST DOWN TO THE PENNY AS I CAN MAKE IT. 
          SO IF YOU GUYS HAVE, IF YOU CHARGE 2 25 AND IT COSTS YOU 600, THAT DELTA OF 400 IN THE MIDDLE IS NOT BEING COVERED BY THE VOUCHER. 
          SO YOUR SERVICE IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THAT LEVEL OF SERVICE IS STILL MORE THAN WHAT YOU'RE BRINGING IN. 
          EXACTLY, EXACTLY. 
          OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS, BECAUSE I'M A NONPROFIT, WE DO A LOT OF FUNDRAISING. 
          FIVE YEARS AGO, I WAS REQUIRED TO RAISE ABOUT $350,000 TO BALANCE MY BUDGET ANNUALLY. 
          THAT'S NOW UP TO $780,000 TO BALANCE MY BUDGET ANNUALLY. 
          AND I'M, MY CENTERS ARE, ARE CALLED FOR PROFIT. 
          CAN I JUST GO ON RECORD HERE SAYING THAT THERE'S NO, THERE'S NO CHILDCARE OF ANY TYPE RIGHT NOW IN THE NATION THAT IS SHOWING ANY PROBLEMS. THERE'S JUST NO WAY TO DO IT. 
          AND MAINTAINING THE STAFF AND, AND KEEPING THEM HAS BECOME THE, THE TARGET THAT HAS TO BE MET. 
          AND THAT'S BEEN WITHOUT THEM THEN WE DON'T, WE CAN'T MAINTAIN EVEN WHAT WE'VE GOT. 
          SO, UM, THE NUMBERS MAKE ME, MAKE ME SAD. 
          I WANNA SEE MORE PEOPLE IN OUR EARLY CHILDHOOD JUST BECAUSE I THINK IT'S A WONDERFUL, UH, VOCATION. 
          BUT IT'S ALSO, UM, SOMETHING 
          [01:15:01]
THAT'S DIRELY NEEDED IN OUR COMMUNITY. 
          IF YOU CONSIDER, I DON'T KNOW IF MAYBE WITH THE AGE OF SOME OF US IN THE ROOM, WE MIGHT REMEMBER THE BOOK. 
          EVERYTHING I NEEDED TO KNOW I LEARNED IN KINDERGARTEN. 
          WELL, IT'S STILL TRUE. 
          YOU KNOW, WE LEARNED HOW TO PLAY NICE IN THE SANDBOX AND GET ALONG AND HOLD HANDS AND TREAT EACH OTHER KINDLY AND THOSE THINGS, IF THEY'RE NOT DONE IN THESE EARLY CHILDHOOD SCENARIOS, IF A CHILD IS SET IN FRONT OF A SCREEN OR, OR IN A SITUATION THAT'S NOT STIMULATING THAT BRAIN, WE AS SOCIETY ARE GONNA PAY THE COST OF IT AT SOME POINT IN TIME, WHICH IS WHAT JODY TRIED TO OUTLINE, OUTLINE FOR YOU. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          WELL, THANK YOU. 
          I HAVE ONE MORE. 
          DO WE HAVE A STATE CURRICULUM FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD? NO, BECAUSE I KNOW I HAVE TWO GRANDDAUGHTERS IN GEORGIA AND THEIR CHILDCARE CENTER HAS A CURRICULUM, AND EVERY DAY I GET SOME, I AM ON THEIR PORTAL, I GET AN UPDATE. 
          CURRICULUM IS UP TO THE CENTER, BUT WE HAVE STANDARDS. 
          YOU OKAY, BUT NOT A SET CURRICULUM THAT EVERYBODY SHOULD WELL, THE STANDARDS ARE THE, ARE THE REQUIREMENTS OF WHAT THEY LEARN AT WHAT AGE AND STAGE. 
          YEAH. 
          THEY CAN CHOOSE, UM, OUR CAP PROGRAM, OUR 4K PROGRAM. 
          MM-HMM. 
           HAS THREE OR FOUR, UH, STATE CHOICES THAT THEY CAN CHOOSE FOR ONE OF THOSE. 
          BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT CHOICES IN THAT EARLY BRAIN DEVELOPMENT AND, AND PIECES. 
          BUT THERE HAS TO BE SOME TYPE OF PROGRAMMING. 
          IT'S REQUIRED BY DSS. 
          YES. 
          AND I WOULD BE REMISS, UH, REPRESENTATIVE SSON AND JODY, IF I DIDN'T ASK, HAS THERE BEEN AN INTENTIONAL EFFORT TO PARTNER WITH YOUR FEDERAL PARTNERS? I MEAN, I REPRESENT HEAD START, EARLY HEAD START. 
          WE SERVICE OVER, UH, FOR, FOR THIS REGIONAL AREA, OVER A THOUSAND CHILDREN AND THE MOST DISADVANTAGED AND VULNERABLE CHILDREN WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. 
          UH, SOME OF THE, THE ISSUES ARE VERY REAL. 
          HOWEVER, YOU KNOW, LOCALLY, IF WE TRY TO INTENTIONALLY WORK TOWARDS RESOLVING OUR ISSUES BY PARTNERING AND MAKING A CONCERTED EFFORT, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE TO ADDRESS, UH, THE WORKFORCE AND, AND ALL THE ELEMENTS THAT COME TO THAT. 
          UH, AND GETTING THOSE CHILDREN KINDERGARTEN READY IS A HUGE ELEMENT. 
          BUT ONE THING I WILL ADD, THE NUMBERS DO ARE A LITTLE TAINTED BECAUSE THE KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS ACTUALLY ADMINISTER THE ASSESSMENT. 
          UM, IT IS A HUGELY, HUGELY DISADVANTAGED FOR A 5-YEAR-OLD COMING INTO A NEW ADV, A NEW ATMOSPHERE TO BE ADMINISTERED THAT ASSESSMENT BY THE TEACHER WHO HAS TO, NOW, IF IT, IF THEY COME IN 90% READY AS A KINDERGARTEN TEACHER, THEN WHAT, WHAT JOB DO I HAVE? SO THAT IS A LITTLE SKEW IN, IN, IN HOW THAT'S APPLIED. 
          SO MOST, MOST CHILDREN I KNOW FOR A HEAD START AND EARLY HEAD START WHEN I GRADUATING CLASS, ABOUT 90% AS WELL. 
          THOSE CHIL, THOSE CHILDREN TEST VERY WELL WHEN THEY'RE LEAVING THEIR 4-YEAR-OLD. 
          THERE'S ARBITRARILY THEY HAVE A 50% DROP BY THE TIME THEY GET TO THEIR KINDERGARTEN CLASSROOM. 
          SO I THINK THAT'S A LITTLE, UH, SOMETHING WE NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO OF HOW THAT'S APPLIED. 
          BUT I, I DO IMPLORE THAT WE NEED TO HAVE A CONVERSATION INTERNALLY, YOU KNOW, UH, HEAD START RIGHT NOW FOR THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, WE UH, UH, APPLY ABOUT $151 MILLION OF FUNDING ACROSS THE STATE, ABOUT 14 MILLION HERE REGIONALLY. 
          UH, SO WE CAN DEFINITELY, UH, HELP ONE ANOTHER BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE TURNOVER YOU HAVE BECAUSE WE'RE ABLE TO PAY, UH, UH, COMPENSATE OUR STAFF APPLY BENEFITS, AND THERE'S SOME DELEGATION THAT WE CAN DO THAT WILL HELP YOUR STAFFING. 
          UM, BUT WE ALL HAVE HUGE WAIT LISTS, SO. 
          WELL, AND MR. WILLIAMS, YOU KNOW, YOU AND I ARE ALREADY YEAH, YEAH. 
          WE WE'RE, WE'RE HAVING A CONVERSATION. 
          I HAVE TWO EMPTY CLASSROOMS AND WE'RE CONVERSATING ABOUT CAN WE PARTNER WITH HEAD START TO FILL THOSE CLASSES? I WAS GETTING READY TO, TO JUST GIVE YOU KUDOS BECAUSE OF THE, THE C DAP PROGRAMS FIRST STEPS AND HEAD START AND EARLY HEAD START HAVE BEEN PARTNERING ACROSS THE STATE DOING INCREDIBLE WORK. 
          IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT MOST PLACES DON'T HAVE OPEN SPACE, BUT I'M ALWAYS OPEN TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ON HOW WE CAN STRENGTHEN THE, THE PIECES OF IT. 
          I WILL AGREE WITH YOU ON HOW WE TEST THE CHILDREN. 
          CHILDREN, I, I'VE SAID IT WHEN WE TEST FOUR YEAR OLDS, WHEN YOU PLUCK A CHILD OUT OF THEIR ENVIRONMENT AND SEND THEM AWAY FROM THEIR PARENTS TO A, A TEACHER THEY'VE NEVER MET BEFORE, AND TEST THEM TO SEE IF THEY'RE READY FOR 4K OR NOT. 
          YOU, YOU'VE GOT CHILDREN WHO SIT THERE AND WON'T OPEN THEIR MOUTH, AND WE CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHY THEY DON'T KNOW ANYTHING. 
          AND THE SAME THING HAPPENS WHEN THEY ARE THEN INTRODUCED TO A BRAND NEW KINDERGARTEN TEACHER IN A PROBABLY BIGGER BUILDING THAN MOST OF WE'VE EVER SEEN. 
          AND WE TEST SOME THERE AS WELL. 
          TESTING FOR ME IS, IS A LITTLE INNOCUOUS. 
          UM, IT'S ONE PICTURE OF ONE DAY OF A CHILD IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES. 
          I THINK THE OVERALL LEARNING OF ALL OF US IS BIGGER THAN THAT. 
          SO I, I LIKE A MORE HOLISTIC APPROACH, BUT GIVEN THE MEASUREMENT TOOLS THAT WE USE RIGHT NOW, THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE. 
          BUT, 
          [01:20:01]
UM, PARTNERSHIPS ARE, ARE HAPPENING AND THEY'RE GOOD AND THEY'RE STRONG, AND WE SHOULD EMPLOY ALL AREAS THAT WE CAN DO THAT. 
          OUR FAMILIES NEED US TO DO IT, AND THE CHILDREN NEED US TO DO IT, AND OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS US TO DO IT. 
          SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. 
          TRULY APPRECIATE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU, REPRESENTATIVE ERICKSON AND JODY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UH, I THINK THIS WAS VERY INFORMATIVE AND RAISE THE AWARENESS QUITE A BIT. 
          UM, I HAVE, UH, ENOUGH IDEAS TO FILL JULY'S AGENDA. 
          SO, UH, THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US TODAY, AND WE WILL SEE YOU AT THE FOURTH TUESDAY OF JULY. 
          ENJOY THE SUMMER. 
          HEY, COOL. 
          THANKS FOR WATCHING BC TV. 
          WHEN PEOPLE THINK ABOUT THE HILTON HEAD HUMANE ASSOCIATION IS VERY INTERESTING BECAUSE IF YOU ASK THEM, TELL ME WHAT YOU DO, MOST OF 'EM WILL SAY, WELL, YOU TAKE IN DOGS AND CATS AND ADOPT 'EM OUT. 
          WELL, THEY DEFINITELY SEE US AS WE ARE, WHICH IS A SAFE HAVEN FOR THE STRAIN, ABANDONED AND ABUSED DOGS AND CATS OF THE LOW COUNTRY UNTIL 2012. 
          THEY WOULD'VE BEEN SPOT ON. 
          AS YOU LOOK AT US IN 2012, WE HAVE THREE DISTINCT ELEMENTS TO OUR ORGANIZATION. 
          WE HAVE DECOR OUR SHELTER, WE HAVE OUR SPAY NEUTER CLINIC, AND WE HAVE OUR LITTER BOX THRIFT STORE. 
          A COUPLE YEARS AGO, OUR BOARD GOT TOGETHER, LOOKED AT THE FUTURE OF THE HUMANE ASSOCIATION AND SAID THAT THERE'S ALWAYS GONNA BE A NEVER ENDING SUPPLY OF DOGS AND CATS UNLESS WE ACTIVELY DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. 
          SO WE INSERTED INTO OUR STRATEGY, THE IDEA OF BECOMING PROACTIVE IN SPAY NEUTER WITH THE, UH, MERGER WITH SNACK AT THE END OF 2011. 
          IT PUT US INTO A GREAT POSITION TO PUT OUR MISSION INTO ACTION. 
          IN JANUARY OF 2012, WE WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO, TO BECOME FOLDED INTO THE HILTON HEAD HUMANE ASSOCIATION FAMILY OF WE ARE NOW PART OF THE HILTON HEAD HUMANE ASSOCIATION, AND, UH, COULDN'T BE HAPPIER WHEN, WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO, TO LEARN AND ACCOMPLISH A SNACK, LET'S JUST LOOK AT THE PAST MONTH. 
          UH, WE SPAY NEUTERED APPROXIMATELY 600 DOGS AND CATS, BUT ALONG WITH THAT, WE HELPED ALMOST A HUNDRED PEOPLE THAT COULDN'T AFFORD TO GET IT DONE. 
          I THINK THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTION WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO MAKE, THANKS TO THE PEOPLE THAT SUPPORT US. 
          EVERYBODY LOVES THE LITTER BOX AND PEOPLE WHO'VE NOT BEEN TO THE LITTER BOX NEED TO GO AND FALL IN LOVE WITH IT BECAUSE IT IS A HIGH ENERGY, VERY FUN, UM, ALWAYS WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT OF WONDERFUL PRODUCTS, OF WONDERFUL PEOPLE SERVING YOU THERE. 
          I LOVE THIS PLACE. 
          I LOVE THIS PLACE. 
          I COME IN HERE AND GET GOOD BARGAINS. 
          YOU FIND ALL SORTS OF GOODIES HERE. 
          ANYTHING THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR FOR YOUR HOUSE OR FOR YOUR FAMILY, YOU'LL FIND IT HERE. 
          WE STARTED THE LITTER BOX A FEW YEARS AGO AS A VERY SMALL THRIFT STORE, PRIMARILY TO HELP WITH OUR FERAL CAT PROGRAM. 
          IT HAS GROWN TO OVER 15,000 SQUARE FEET AND ITS LOCATION ON OLD WILDHORSE ROAD. 
          WE HAVE A GREAT TEAM OF, OF VOLUNTEERS. 
          WE LOVE TO SEE THE LITTLE KIDS COME IN, AND WE LOVE TO SEE THE FAMILIES COME IN, BUY THINGS, AND, UM, WE APPRECIATE ALL OF THE WONDERFUL DONATIONS THAT WE GET. 
          REALLY POSITIVE REACTION. 
          PEOPLE ARE USUALLY IMPRESSED BY HOW BIG THE STORE IS. 
          THEY DON'T EXPECT IT TO BE THIS SIZE. 
          AND, AND THE BEAUTY OF THE LITTER BOX TRULY IS THAT IT'S ALSO A NETWORK, UM, FOR THE ANIMALS. 
          SO THEY DISPLAY PICTURES OF THE ANIMALS. 
          THEY TALK ABOUT THE ANIMALS. 
          THEY PROMOTE THE ANIMALS. 
          SO THE LITTER BOX NOT ONLY, UM, HELPS US 
          [01:25:01]
ASSIST THE ANIMALS OVER AT THE SHELTER AND THE, AND FAMILIES IN NEED, AND ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS THAT WE RELY ON THE LITTER BOX FOR, BUT THEY ALSO NOW ARE BECOMING GREAT ADOPTION FACILITATORS. 
          SO THERE'S NOT A BETTER PLACE TO SPEND MONEY, BUT AT THE LITTER BOX, BECAUSE YOU GET WAY MORE FOR YOUR INVESTMENT. 
          NOT ONLY DO YOU WALK OUT WITH SOMETHING THAT'S FABULOUS, BUT YOU JUST SAVED A LIFE AS WELL. 
          EVEN THOUGH THINGS HAVE CHANGED OVER THE YEARS, THE ONE THING THAT, THAT STAYS THE SAME IS THE END RESULT OF OUR PROVIDING HOMES AND CARE FOR THE ANIMALS IS FINDING THE, THE RIGHT HOME FOR THEM TO END UP IN. 
          HE'S BROUGHT US A LOT OF JOY. 
          HE'S BROUGHT US, HE'S LIKE HAVING ANOTHER CHILD IN THE HOUSE, AND HE'S VERY, HE'S VERY CALMING FOR JOE. 
          HE KEEPS ME VERY BUSY. 
          HE'S VERY PLAYFUL, HE'S VERY LOVABLE, AND HE'S ABSOLUTELY GRATEFUL FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO FOR HIM. 
          YOU BRING HIM A BALL OF KIBBLE FOOD IN THE MORNING, AND HE STANDS UP IN HIS HIGH LEGS. 
          HE DANCES FOR JOY. 
          UNLIKE KIDS, WE HAVE CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN. 
          I, I MUST SAY HE'S THE MOST GRATEFUL, UNCONDITIONAL FRIEND YOU CAN HAVE. 
          HE, HE JUST, HE'S SO HAPPY FOR EVERYTHING. 
          I LIKE BIG DOGS. 
          AND SHE SAID, OH, ARE YOU THE ONE THAT CALLED ABOUT THE DOBERMAN? AND I SAID, YOU HAVE A DOBERMAN ? AND I SAID, I WANT TO SEE IT. 
          SO, UM, SHE WENT AND SHE GOT IT, AND THE MINUTE HE WALKED OUT THE DOOR, , SEE, I LOVED HIM, BUT HE CAME AND HE HONESTLY STOOD BESIDE ME AND LEANED AGAINST ME AND LOOKED UP AT ME WITH THOSE BIG BROWN EYES, AND I LOOKED DOWN AND THAT WAS IT. 
          I WANTED HIM, WHAT, WHAT HE HAS MADE ME THE HAPPIEST WOMAN AROUND . 
          YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M LONELY. 
          NOT THAT I DON'T HAVE CHILDREN, AND THEY DO COME SEE ME. 
          THEY'RE WONDERFUL TO HAVE FIVE CHILDREN AND 14 GRANDCHILDREN, AND THEY LIKE TO COME SEE ME TOO. 
          BUT THAT'S NOT FOR EVERY DAY. 
          THIS GUY SLEEPS WITH ME, AND HE IS SUCH A, HE'S JUST MY BEST FRIEND. 
          I TALKED TO HIM AND HE REALLY UNDERSTANDS ALMOST EVERYTHING I SAY. 
          THERE WASN'T ANY THAT I WAS INTERESTED AFTER I SAW HIM, WHAT COULD I DO, BUT TAKE HIM. 
          RIGHT? THAT'S WHAT WE COULD DO WITH THE MERGER, WITH SNACK AT THE END OF 2011, IT PUT US INTO A GREAT POSITION TO PUT OUR MISSION INTO ACTION. 
          TWO PARTS. 
          ONE, NEVER FORGET TO TAKE CARE OF HOMELESS DOGS AND CATS, TREAT THEM MEDICALLY AND FIND THEM GREAT HOMES, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, MAKE CERTAIN THAT WE CUT DOWN ON THE NUMBER OF UNWANTED ANIMALS REPRODUCED. 
          THE ONE THING THAT I'D LIKE TO EMPHASIZE IS WE AS AN ASSOCIATION, GET ABSOLUTELY NO PUBLIC FUNDING. 
          ALL OUR REVENUE COMES FROM THE GENEROSITY OF THE COMMUNITY AND THE LITTER BOX. 
          SO WITHOUT THOSE TWO ELEMENTS, WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO ANYTHING. 
          AND WE THANK YOU.
* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.