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CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY.[1. CALL TO ORDER]
ADMINISTRATION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE TO ORDER.TODAY IS MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23RD.
OUR MEETING STARTS HERE AT 2:00 PM UM, IF EVERYONE PLEASE RISE FOR PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
ALRIGHT, AND THIS MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT TODAY.
I'M SURE EVERYONE REALIZES THAT THERE IS NO INTERNET SERVICE.
UH, I'VE HEARD THAT, UM, THAT SOMEONE CUT A LINE BETWEEN HERE AND SAVANNAH, SO THAT COULD BE DANGEROUS.
UH, WHEN IT COMES TO ANYTHING THAT USES INTERNET, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE GROCERY STORES AND GAS STATIONS AND PIZZA PLACES, AND EVERYONE THAT, THAT COLLECTS MONEY, UM, IS, IS NOT GONNA BE.
SO, UM, WE DON'T HAVE, WE USUALLY CAN PULL THINGS UP ON OUR SCREEN AND LOOK AT THINGS.
SO SARAH'S GONNA HELP US, AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE MORE ON THE SCREEN FOR US TODAY TO, TO TRY TO GO THROUGH THIS.
SO IF YOU CAN JUST BEAR WITH US.
UM, AND, UM, PUBLICATION OF THIS MEETING HAS BEEN PUBLISHED, POSTED, AND DISTRIBUTED IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SOUTH CAROLINA FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT.
I WOULD ASK FOR SOMEONE TO APPROVE
[4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]
OUR AGENDA TODAY.IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
UH, ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT? SEEING NO DISCUSSION? WE'LL APPROVE THAT WITHOUT OBJECTION.
SO, UM, OUR AGENDA IS APPROVED, UH, AS WRITTEN.
[5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES- August 26, 2024]
OF MINUTES FOR AUGUST 26TH, 2024.IF I CAN ASK FOR SOMEONE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE OUR MINUTES FROM AUGUST 6TH, I CAN DO DO THAT 26TH.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU MR. GLOVER.
UM, IS THERE ANY MORE DISCUSSION? SEEING NO DISCUSSION, WE'LL MOVE, UM, ON AND AND PROVE THAT WITHOUT OBJECTION AND THERE IS NO OBJECTION.
[6. CITIZEN COMMENT PERIOD- 15 MINUTES TOTAL]
TO OUR CITIZEN'S COMMENT PERIOD.UM, IS THERE ANYONE TODAY FROM THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? AND OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE NOBODY ONLINE BECAUSE THEY CAN'T GET ONLINE.
SO, UM, WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON THEN WITH UH, NO CITIZENS COMMENTS.
[7. ASSISTANT COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR REPORT]
UH, NUMBER SEVEN ON OUR AGENDA, WHICH IS THE ASSISTANT COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR REPORT.MR. ROBINSON, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
HOW ARE YOU? I'M GREAT, THANK YOU.
ALRIGHT, CHAIRMAN AND COMMITTEE.
I HAVE A FEW THINGS TO, TO REPORT, UH, FOR THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.
UH, FIRST IS THAT THE GOVERNMENT FINANCE ASSOCIATION, THE GFOA, UM, HAS PLEASED TO INFORM US THAT OUR, UH, ACAR, SO OUR ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORT FOR LAST BUDGET YEAR, UH, QUALIFIED.
AND WE WILL RECEIVE A-G-F-O-A CERTIFICATE OF ACHIEVEMENT AND EXCELLENCE IN FINANCE AND REPORTING.
UH, SO THIS IS, UH, UH, SETS THE STANDARD FOR MUNICIPALITIES AND, UH, UM, IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
SO THAT IS AS A RESULT OF THE HARD WORK OF OUR FINANCE STAFF, OUR, OUR AUDIT, UH, TEAM.
AND, UH, MOSTLY THAT IS CHRISTINE WHO MANAGES, UH, OUR AUDIT PROCESS AND MANAGED OUR AUDIT PROCESS LAST YEAR.
IT'S A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK, UH, ALONG WITH OUR PARTNERS, UM, THAT, UH, THAT DO THAT FOR US.
SO IT'S VERY, UH, VERY SPECIAL.
IS THAT A WORTHY, UM, APPLAUSE? YES, IT IS, ABSOLUTELY.
THE FINANCE TEAM HAS BEEN VERY BUSY WORKING ON UPDATING POLICIES.
UH, THIS EVENING AT COUNTY COUNCIL, YOU, YOU'LL SEE THE THIRD READING OF OUR PROCUREMENT CODE THAT WE'RE EXCITED TO GET INTO PLACE.
IN CONJUNCTION WITH THAT, WE'VE BEEN WORKING FOR THE LAST MANY WEEKS ON OUR TRAVEL POLICY, OUR PCARD POLICY, AND TO UPDATE THE, UH, PROCUREMENT POLICY, WHICH IS, UH, ESTABLISHED BY THE PROCUREMENT CODE.
SO THOSE THINGS WE HOPE TO BE COMING, UH, COMING SOON, UH, TO COME TO COMMITTEE FOR REVIEW AND ADOPTION OF THOSE.
UH, NEXT I'M GONNA INTRODUCE, UM, VALERIE VALERIE'S GONNA GO OVER OUR BUDGET TRANSFERS FOR LAST MONTH.
AND THEN, UH, AS SOON AS VALERIE'S DONE, UH, DAVE THOMAS FROM PROCUREMENT'S GONNA COME FORWARD AND TALK WITH YOU ABOUT SOME THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN GOING ON IN PROCUREMENT, SOME OF THE ACTIVE SOLICITATIONS THAT ARE GOING ON, AND THE SOLICITATIONS THAT ARE COMING UP.
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GOOD AFTERNOON.UM, SO YES, I WANT TO RECAP THE BUDGET TRANSFERS THAT HAVE OCCURRED SINCE THE LAST MEETING.
UH, THE FIRST ONE WAS FROM PASSIVE PARKS.
SHE WANTED TO MOVE $4,000 FROM PROFESSIONAL SERVICES TO NON-CAPITAL EQUIPMENT FOR SOME TRAIL COUNTERS.
UM, AND THAT CHANGED THEIR, UM, BUDGETS, THEIR REVISED BUDGET AND THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES WENT DOWN TO WHAT 196,000 AND NON CAPITAL EQUIPMENT WENT UP TO $19,000.
THEN FLEET MADE, UH, A BUDGET TRANSFER FROM LICENSE AND PERMITS TO DOS AND SUBSCRIPTIONS TO COVER SOME PLEAD SOFTWARE.
AND, UM, DSN MOVED SOME LINE ITEMS AROUND AS WELL FROM THEIR PINECREST HOME NON-CAPITAL EQUIPMENT TO GROUNDS MAINTENANCE, AS WELL AS THEIR ADMINISTRATIVE LINE, NON-CAPITAL EQUIPMENT TO GROUNDS MAINTENANCE AS WELL TO CO BETTER REFLECT THEIR UM, NEEDS IN THOSE TWO AREAS.
ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT BUDGET TRANSFERS FOR THE LAST MONTH? ANY QUESTIONS FOR VALERIE? I DO, THIS IS A VERY SMALL AMOUNT.
YES, THAT'S WHAT I WAS THINKING, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
I MEAN, IT'S STILL SO EARLY IN THE YEAR, THEY'RE PROBABLY NOT GONNA KICK IN UNTIL DECEMBER OR JANUARY.
HOPEFULLY THESE ARE, WE DON'T LIKE TO HAVE THESE YET, SO.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? MM-HMM, MS. ALOFF, THANK YOU FOR COMING.
ALRIGHT, UM, AND LET'S MOVE ON THEN TO OUR ARPA UPDATE.
I'M SORRY, MR. THOMAS, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE I'VE BEEN UP HERE AND I'M EXCITED ABOUT HOW WE'RE DRIVING PROCUREMENT FORWARD.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE, UH, SAYINGS AT THE LAST CONFERENCE I WENT TO IN CHARLOTTE.
UH, WITH THAT SAID, UH, MY DEPUTY, UH, PROCUREMENT, UH, SERVICES DIRECTOR, SHE RECEIVED THE CPPB AWARD, WHICH, UH, EXCUSE ME, CERTIFICATION, WHICH BRINGS HER UP PAST THE CPB WARD, UH, WARD THAT SHE, UH, EXCUSE ME, DESIGNATION THAT SHE HAS.
SO WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF THAT.
SO WE'RE CONTINUING TO PUSH OUR EDUCATION FORWARD IN PROCUREMENT SO WE CAN, YOU KNOW, MAKE BEAUFORT COUNTY'S PURCHASING IS PART OF THE BEST OUT THERE.
UH, WE, AND THANKS TO YOU ALL AND OUR NEW COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AND JOHN ROBINSON, WE WERE ABLE TO HIRE TWO NEW EMPLOYEES WHO YOU'LL MEET TODAY AT THE, UH, COUNCIL MEETING, A SENIOR BUYER AND A, UH, AND OUR NEW, UH, PCARD ADMINISTRATOR.
SHE TOOK THE PLACE OF JESSICA SNOWDEN THAT JUST LEFT US.
UM, I DON'T HAVE A HUGE REPORT OR A NICE BEAUTIFUL REPORT THAT I PREPARED THAT I SENT TO JOHN LAST WEEK, UH, BECAUSE WE LOST OUR INTERNET.
SO, UH, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE'RE NOT BUSY.
WE'RE BUSY IN REDOING THE PER, UH, POLICY MANUAL.
UH, AND OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, THE CODES THIRD READING IS TONIGHT.
UM, THE POLICY MANUAL ITSELF, WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA TAKE THAT INSTEAD OF HAVING TWO MANUALS, WE HAD AN EMPLOYEE GUIDE AND THE POLICY MANUAL, WE'RE GONNA COMBINE THAT INTO ONE MANUAL, ONE BIBLE.
SO WE CAN TAKE THE CODE, WHICH IS THE LAW THAT AUTHORIZES US TO MAKE THAT POT OF COFFEE, TAKE THAT POLICY MANUAL.
AND IT'S ACTUALLY GONNA TELL US, TELL THE EMPLOYEES HOW THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO THEIR JOB AND HOW THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO THAT.
THAT METHOD, THAT PROCUREMENT METHOD, ALONG WITH OUR GUIDANCE, OF COURSE, UM, WE'VE GOT ABOUT SIX OR SEVEN SOLICITATIONS OUT THERE ON THE STREET.
CAN'T SHARE WHAT THOSE ARE 'CAUSE WE DON'T HAVE INTERNET.
UM, ONE OF THE BIG ONES WE'RE WORKING ON IS AN RFP FOR THE NEW TAX SOFTWARE, WHICH THE AUDITOR, THE ASSESSOR AND, UH, THE TREASURY USE.
WE'RE IN THE, WE'RE IN THE, UH, REVIEW PROCESS FOR THAT.
SO HOPEFULLY NEXT MONTH WE'LL BE ABLE TO BRING SOMETHING BACK.
WE'RE IN THE INTERVIEW PROCESS AND DEMO PROCESS.
UH, OF COURSE WITH ALL THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT THINGS, UH, THOSE WILL STILL CONTINUE TO GROW AS WE RENOVATE AND BUILD NEW, NEW, UH, FIRE STATIONS AND SO ON.
BUT IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON ME HERE, UH, TODAY, I'M HERE TO ANSWER THOSE.
I THINK WE'RE ALL, ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. THOMAS? WELL, LET ME JUST ASK, UM, GO AHEAD.
HOW ONE OF THE, UH, ISSUE OR ONE OF THE CONCERN, UM, DURING THE PROCUREMENT, UM, POLICY REVIEW, UH, COMING FORWARD WAS ONLY GETTING ONE BID DOING RIGHT.
UM, WHAT KIND OF CHALLENGES THAT MAKING FOR YOU AND HOW ARE YOU TRYING TO ADDRESSED THAT, UM, TO AT LEAST HAVE MORE THAN JUST ONE BIDDER? THAT'S, THAT'S A VERY, VERY QUESTION.
AND DURING THAT WHOLE PROCESS, UM, THE
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WHOLE DEFINITION OF SOLE SOURCE CAME ALIVE AND WELL FOR ME.SO, UM, IT WASN'T REALLY SOLE SOURCING.
RIGHT? AND THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION.
I'LL TRY TO ATTACK IT, UM, TWO WAYS.
UH, WHAT I THINK THEY WERE BASICALLY TALKING ABOUT IS SOLE SOURCE, WHERE YOU BASICALLY ONLY HAVE ONE VENDOR WHO CAN DO THAT.
YOU CAN DO THAT JOB THAT OFFERS THAT TYPE OF EQUIPMENT OR THAT TYPE OF SERVICE OR CONSULTING.
THEN YOU HAVE A SINGLE SOURCE, WHICH MIGHT BE THE ONLY VENDOR OUT THERE THAT CAN MEET OUR NEEDS, EITHER BY SOFTWARE OR IT MIGHT BE PRO PROPRIETARY SOFTWARE THAT NOBODY ELSE MAKES.
OR WE SELECT THAT SINGLE SOURCE VENDOR BECAUSE OF WARRANTY OR WHAT REALLY KIND OF JUSTIFIES IT IF THEY'RE THE ONLY VENDOR OUT THERE THAT CAN DO THE JOB WITH THE RIGHT SPECIFICATIONS AND THE RIGHT SERVICE ON TIME, ON THE TIME THAT WE NEED IT.
SO THAT'S WHY SOMETIMES YOU GET A LOT OF SOLE SOURCE SINGLE SOURCE PURCHASES.
'CAUSE THAT WAS THE BEST SOLUTION THAT THE COUNTY COULD MAKE USING COUNTY TAXPAYER DOLLARS.
UM, YEAH, AND SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, UM, WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO IN THE FUTURE? WELL, RIGHT NOW WE JUST PURCHASED A NEW SOFTWARE PRO, UM, PROGRAM THAT CAPTURES A MORE, A LOT MORE ANALYTICS.
UM, WHEN WE PUT OUT A SOLICITATION, WHEN WE PUT OUT A BID, WHEN WE PUT OUT AN RFP OR IF WE PUT OUT AN RFQ, IT WILL SEND OUT A WHOLE LOT MORE ADVERTISEMENTS.
IT WILL SELECT THEM BASED ON THEIR COMMODITY OR THEIR TYPE SERVICE THEY PROVIDE.
AND WE CAN ACTUALLY SEE THAT ONLINE.
UM, IF WE'RE NOT GETTING A LOT OF BITES, WE CAN MAKE PHONE CALLS AND SAY, HEY, YOU KNOW, WE GOT THIS OUT.
DID YOU GET THE NOTICE? THEY, THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO GET AN AUTOMATIC NOTICE BASED ON THEIR COMMODITY OR BASED ON THE, THE TYPE OF, UH, SERVICE THEY SELECTED.
UM, SAY IF YOU HAVE A, AN A D COMPANY LIKE BILL, UM, ENGINEERING, I'M NOT TOOTING MY HORN ABOUT BILL, BUT THEY CAN SIGN UP ON OPENGOV.
THEY CAN SELECT THE TYPE OF CONSULTING WORK THEY DO, SAY IF WE PUT OUT A AN A D SERVICE FOR THAT, UM, IT'LL AUTOMATICALLY SELECT THEM AND SEND THAT INFORMATION.
UH, AND IF THEY DECIDE TO PUT IN A PROPOSAL OR THEIR QUALIFICATIONS, THEY CAN DO THAT BASED ON THAT SELECTION AND CRITERIA.
UH, NOW HOW CAN WE SOLVE GETTING ENOUGH BIDS? UM, I'VE BEEN IN THIS BUSINESS FOR A LONG TIME.
I'VE SEEN INFLATION GO UP AND DOWN.
UH, UNFORTUNATELY I THINK MR. ROBINSON WAS SAYING THERE'S NOT A LOT OF VENDORS OUT THERE.
WHEN WE DO ROAD PROJECTS, THERE'S PROBABLY TWO OR THREE THAT ARE THE ONLY ONES OUT THERE THAT CAN DO AND PROVIDE THE ASPHALT WORK.
NOW YOU CAN GET JOE SMITH MOM AND POP, UH, COMPANIES THAT CAN DO YOUR DRIVEWAY, BUT WHEN YOU'RE TALKING, YOU KNOW, TALK TAKES A COUPLE MILLION DOLLARS JUST TO DO ONE MILE, YOU'RE NOT GOT A LOT, GET A LOT OF BID RESPONSE ON THAT TYPE OF WORK.
SAME WAY FOR SOME OF THE FA PROJECTS WE DO, A LOT OF TIMES WE DON'T GET A LOT OF TAXI RUNWAY OR RUNWAY WORK.
WE ONLY GET TWO COMP TWO, UH, COMPANIES RESPOND.
SO HOW DO WE MAKE SURE IT'S FAIR AND REASONABLE? WE HAVE TO GO IN AND WE HAVE TO DO, UH, PRICE ANALYSIS BASED ON PRIOR PROJECTS.
SOMETIMES IT'S KIND OF HARD TO DO THAT BECAUSE THE INFLATION, BUT WE CAN ADD A COUPLE PERCENTAGES TO KIND OF MAKE IT FAIR TO, OR HELP US MAKE A DECISION WHETHER IT'S FAIR AND REASONABLE.
WE CAN GOOGLE, WE CAN LOOK AT WHAT OTHER COUNTIES ARE DOING OR WHAT THEY'RE PAYING, BUT SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, THAT'S BASICALLY THE ONLY TOOLS WE HAVE.
OR WE USE OUR ENGINEERING CONSULTANTS OR OUR OWN TEAM.
THEY KIND OF HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT THE COST WAS OR WHAT DID WE THINK THE COST IS GONNA BE.
BUT THAT'S WHY A LOT OF TIMES YOU'LL SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, IN OUR, WHEN WE BRING THINGS FORWARD TO YOU, YOU'LL HAVE A FIVE OR 10% CONTINGENCY.
'CAUSE REALLY WE DON'T KNOW THE REAL WORLD COSTS WHEN YOU GET DOWN TO IT AT THE FINAL BID.
SO TRYING TO DO THE BEST WE CAN TO GET MORE BIDS, UM, WE'LL START HAVING MORE TRAINING EVENTS, YOU KNOW, MAYBE JOIN UP WITH USD BUFORT AND HAVE SOME VENDOR TRAINING THERE.
INVITE THEM TO, TO MAKE SURE THEY UNDERSTAND HOW TO USE OPENGOV AND HOW TO BID ON OUR PROCESS ON OUR SOLICITATIONS.
SO THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE'RE, WHERE WE'RE I UNDERSTAND THAT LAST, THE LATTER LANGUAGE MUCH BETTER.
UM, AND I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S GOOD TO KNOW.
ALRIGHT, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. THOMAS? I HAVE A, JUST A COMMENT.
I APPRECIATE THAT YOU ARE ADDRESSING THE ITEMS THAT WERE INCLUDED IN THE HANSWORTH SINKLER BOARD REPORT, LIKE SOLE SOURCE AND EMERGENCY PROCEDURES.
I MEAN, I READ THROUGH IT, SO THAT'S VERY, I DO APPRECIATE THAT YOU'RE COVERING ALL THOSE.
AND AS YOU JUST EXPLAINED, I HOPE THE PUBLIC LISTENS TO THAT BECAUSE YOU ARE ADDRESSING LITERALLY EVERYTHING THAT WAS LISTED IN THAT REPORT.
MR. THOMAS, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY, SIR.
WE APPRECIATE THAT AND APPRECIATE ALL THE
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WORK THAT YOU DO.AND IF WE CAN, THEN WE'LL MOVE ON THEN TO,
[8. ARPA UPDATE]
UH, NUMBER EIGHT ON OUR AGENDA, WHICH IS THE ARPA UPDATE AND OUR ARPA EXPERT, MR. HANK, WE KNEW YOU WERE COMING.IT'S A
SO, UH, CAN I USE THIS CLICKER? HOW ARE WE GONNA, LET'S SEE.
SO, AS Y'ALL KNOW, IN 2022, COUNCIL RECEIVED $37,000,317, $317,446.
AND FROM THAT DAY ON, WE'RE CHARGED WITH OBLIGATING THAT MONEY BY THE END OF THIS YEAR.
SO THAT FIRST DEADLINE IS THE END OF THIS YEAR.
AND SO A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ASKING, WHERE IS THE MONEY? HOW ARE WE OBLIGATED? IS THERE MUCH MORE TO BE USED? THE NEXT DEADLINE IS TO BE SPENT BY 2026.
THE PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE IN THE PIPELINE, THAT IS NOT AN ISSUE.
THE HARDEST ISSUE IS THIS FIRST ONE OF OBLIGATING THROUGH CONTRACT IGA INTERAGENCY AGREEMENT, ET CETERA.
SO I PUT TOGETHER SOME NUMBERS.
THESE ARE ALL THE PROJECTS THAT ARE FULLY OBLIGATED RIGHT NOW.
THERE'S SEVERAL PAGES, IF YOU'RE OKAY, I'LL GO THROUGH 'EM PRETTY QUICKLY.
BUT THE FIRST ONE WAS PREMIUM PAY.
THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE HAD ALREADY DONE, UH, HAD LINED UP.
IT WAS A BASICALLY HAZARD PAY FOR THOSE WHO WORKED THROUGH COVID AND IMMEDIATELY AFTER COVID.
AND THAT WAS THE FIRST ALLOWABLE USE OF THE ARPA MONEY.
OR SOME PEOPLE REFER TO IT AS SLRF STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT FUNDING PROGRAM.
BUT THE POINT IS PREMIUM PAY WAS DONE.
STATION ALERTING IS ALMOST DONE.
THAT IS THE ONE THAT, UH, CHIEF KLEIN PITCHED TO YOU GUYS INITIALLY.
THE COMPANY THAT WE SELECTED IS DOING A WONDERFUL JOB.
GOOD VER IS WHERE WE GAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS TO BE ALLOCATED TO EACH ONE OF THE MUNICIPALITIES FOR ELIGIBLE PROJECTS.
ALL OF THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN APPLIED FOR, MOST OF THEM HAVE ALREADY BEEN TRANSFERRED AND USED SOME IN-HOUSE PROJECTS, LIKE SOLID WASTE IMPROVEMENTS.
THAT WAS, UH, IF YOU GUYS REMEMBER, I BELIEVE WE ENDED UP BUYING ALL THE NEW DUMPSTERS AND ALL THE NEW PROGRAM FOR THE NEW PROVIDER.
THAT WAS OUR INITIAL INVESTMENT, OUR FIRST PAYMENT INTO THE HOUSING TRUST C-C-C-D-C GRANT.
THAT'S WHAT THAT'S THE RECENT ONE YOU GUYS APPROVED EARLIER THIS YEAR.
MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS STABILIZATION WAS FOR BMH TO ESTABLISH THAT PROGRAM AT THE HOSPITAL TO HELP PREVENT A LOT OF THE CROSS POLLINATION BETWEEN HOSPITAL DETENTION CENTER AND MENTAL HEALTH FACILITIES.
AND THAT IS, HAS BEEN EXPENDED TO THEM AS WELL.
THE TRAINING FACILITY, WE JUST CUT THE RIBBON ON THAT ONE A FEW MONTHS AGO FOR THOSE THAT WERE HERE, I THINK THAT WAS IN THE BEGINNING OF MIKE'S WHEN HE FIRST GOT HERE.
THE PATH PROGRAM IS THE ACTUAL EDUCATION AND INTEGRATION BETWEEN TCL AND THE HOSPITALS AND USCB AND HIGH IN HIGH SCHOOLS, ET CETERA.
NURSE RETENTION PROGRAM WAS THAT PILOT THAT WE DID WITH BOB ELLIOTT'S GROUP LAST YEAR.
WE HAVE IN THE FERRY EMBARKATION IMPROVEMENTS THAT INCLUDES ALLOCATION AND CONTRACT AT CROSS ISLAND PINCKNEY IMPROVEMENTS AND SOME PURCHASE FUNDING THAT WENT INTO THE CONDEMNATION PROCESSES.
AND THAT'S A COMBINATION OF THOSE THREE NUMBERS.
WE HELPED THE CITY OF BEAUFORT AND USCB TO ESTABLISH A CYBERSECURITY CENTER.
WE HAVE THE RECENTLY ALLOCATED 163,000 TO HARRAY FOR SOME ST.
HELENA EXPANSION THAT CAME FORWARD TO Y'ALL EARLIER THIS YEAR.
137,000 WAS THE ALLOCATED AMOUNT FOR THE LONG DRIVEWAY PROGRAM.
IF YOU REMEMBER, PATRICK PRESENTED THAT LAST YEAR, WHICH IS, IT'S ONE THING TO GET BROADBAND DOWN THE STREET.
IT'S ANOTHER THING TO HELP THAT INDIVIDUAL GET IT TO THE HOUSE.
AND THAT HAPPENS THROUGH THE PROVIDERS.
THE GULLAH FARMERS CO-OP WAS ONE OF OUR FIRST PROGRAMS TO HELP OUT ON ST.
HELENA AND ORGANIZED FOOD SUPPLY SUSTAINABILITY IN THE ECONOMICALLY, UH, AFFECTED AREA.
THAT WAS SOMETHING WE HAD A BIG, BIG PROBLEM WITH.
I KNOW IT'S STILL AN ONGOING ISSUE, BUT NOT NEARLY AS MUCH AS IT WAS AT THAT POINT.
AND SO THAT HELPED WITH SIGN-ON BONUSES, ET CETERA.
UH, AS YOU GUYS AWARDED, I BELIEVE IT WAS EARLY 2023 A MILLION DOLLARS TO HILTON HEAD.
I TOOK OFF PSD TO ELIMINATE THE ALPHABET SOUP PUBLIC SERVICE DISTRICT.
AND THEN A MULTI-YEAR PROJECT THAT WE INKED LAST YEAR WITH TOWN OF BLUFF AND BUFORD.
JASPER WATER IS FOR THE SEWER PROJECT AT THE STONY CREEK AREA.
THAT'S THE ALLOCATION THERE EARLIER THIS YEAR IS THE MORGAN ROAD WATER LINE, WHICH IS RUNNING WATER UP IN LECO AREA THAT'S HAPPENING WITH US.
AND BEAVER, JASPER WATER SEWER.
AND THAT'S JUST WATER, BUT IT'S A BIG LINE THAT HELPS GET CLEAN WATER TO AREAS THAT ARE POTENTIALLY AFFECTED.
AND IF THERE'S EVER TO BE A REUSE IN THE
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AREA OF THE CHEMICAL PLANT OR TRASK, THEN THERE'S WATER PRESSURE AND LOOPING AND VOLUME.WE ALSO FUNDED THE STUDY FOR ST.
HELENA ARTS CENTER LAST YEAR, UH, WHICH YOU GUYS HAVE GOT JUST RECENTLY GOT A REPORT ON SOME FUNDING.
WENT TO THE IT DATA CENTER IN THE NEW ARTHUR HORN BUILDING.
AND ONE OF THE ORIGINAL PROJECTS WAS THE NATIONAL PARKS SIGNAGE PROGRAM FOR THE RECONSTRUCTION ERA NETWORK.
SOME IN-HOUSE THINGS, AGAIN, PUBLIC WORKS, GARAGE IMPROVEMENTS, VEHICLE REPLACEMENTS, MOTOR GRADE PURCHASES.
AND THE INITIAL PART OF OUR AIRPORT FUNDING, YOU'LL SEE THERE'S GONNA BE A REMAINDER ON THE NEXT SLIDE OF WHAT WE HAVE TO ALLOCATE.
AND IT REALLY IS PROMISED WE JUST DON'T HAVE PAPER IN PLACE.
BUT THAT NUMBER WILL MAKE SENSE IN A MINUTE.
'CAUSE IT WAS AROUND $1.5 MILLION FOR THE AIRPORTS.
BUT THAT'S WHAT'S BEEN USED TO DATE.
AND THE DIFFERENCE ACTUALLY GOES TO COUNCIL TONIGHT.
PPE THAT WAS PAYING OURSELVES BACK FOR ALL THE MASKS AND GLOVES AND GLASS AND ALL THE THINGS THAT WE BOUGHT.
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES THAT'S BROKEN DOWN BETWEEN, INITIALLY WE HAD A CONSULTANT ON BOARD WHEN I FIRST STARTED THAT WAS HELPING WITH ARPA FI ARPA USAGE AND ADDITIONALLY A CONSULTING PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AT LABO TO GET THAT ROLE.
THAT PROJECT STARTED BACK IN NI UH, 2022 COMMUNITY CENTER PLANNING.
WE HAD ALLOCATED $3 MILLION TO THE COMMUNITY CENTERS.
THAT AMOUNT HAS BEEN USED IN DUE DILIGENCE GETTING THE SITES READY SO WE CAN RECEIVE BIDS AND WE WILL BE RECEIVING THOSE BIDS.
THEY'RE FINALIZING THE SCORES NOW.
WE SHOULD BRING THAT TO YOUR OCTOBER MEETING FOR THE DIFFERENCE.
AND THE 40,000 FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING PLANNING IS WHAT WE ORIGINALLY USED FOR DUE DILIGENCE ON THE BUCKWALTER PROPERTY.
THE LAST TWO HAVE THE DOUBLE ASTERISK BECAUSE THE WAY YOU NORMALLY OBLIGATE SOMETHING IS YOU SAY, WE ARE GONNA HAVE A MILLION DOLLAR CONTRACT AND YOU WORK, SORRY ABOUT THAT.
THE LAST TWO THINGS ARE NOT ABLE TO BE QUANTIFIED THAT WAY.
SO YOU'LL SEE A CO A CONTRACT COVERAGE NUMBER IN THE NEXT SLIDE BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT HAS BEEN SPENT TO DATE BETWEEN ALL THE INDIVIDUALS THAT WORK ON ARPA AND ADMINISTRATION AND ALSO ON THE MENTAL HEALTH DETENTION CENTER.
WE, ANOTHER INITIATIVE WAS TELEHEALTH AT THE DETENTION CENTER SO THAT WHEN SOMEBODY DOES GET BOOKED INTO THE DETENTION CENTER AND THERE ARE ASSIGNED OR THERE ARE OTHER ISSUES BACK TO THE CRISIS STABILIZATION UNIT AT THE HOSPITAL, THIS IS SO WE CAN STABILIZE THEM ON THE DETENTION CENTER SIDE AND RECEIVE THE SERVICES SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO TRANSPORT THESE INDIVIDUALS BACK AND FORTH.
IT'S DANGEROUS FOR THE TRANSPORTERS.
AND SO WE HAVE SYSTEMS IN PLACE TO, TO TREAT 'EM ON BOTH SIDES.
SO FULLY OBLIGATED MEANS COMPLETELY DONE IN THE BOOKS IS JUST UNDER $29 MILLION.
SO THE MATH WILL MAKE SENSE HERE.
THE MORGAN ROAD, COULD YOU GO BACK TO THAT AND EXPLAIN THAT ONE TO ME PLEASE? YES.
SO THAT'S OUT TO LECO YOU SAID? YES, MA'AM.
SO THAT CAME TO COUNCIL AS A SEPARATE PROJECT.
AND IT IS, SO IF YOU GO UP 21 AND YOU CROSS OVER THE WHALE BRANCH AND YOU COME TO LOW COUNTRY PRODUCE ON THE RIGHT SIDE, FARTHER UP THE ROAD IS KEEN'S NECK ROAD.
KEY'S NECK ROAD HAS A WATER LINE THAT RUNS EAST MORGAN ROAD IS SOUTH OF THAT.
I'M NOT, I THINK IT'S JUST AFTER, IT'S EITHER JUST BEFORE OR JUST AFTER LOW COUNTRY PRODUCE.
THAT WATER WATERLINE WILL THEN GET TO THOSE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE ON THE WATER THAT ARE SOUTH AND EAST OF THE OLD CHEMICAL PLANT.
AND WHAT IT ALSO DOES IS LOOPS THAT ALL THE WAY UP MORGAN ROAD.
I'LL DO IT IN REVERSE FOR YOU.
HOW ABOUT THIS? IT LOOPS IT ALL THE WAY UP TO THAT KING'S NECK LINE.
SO THEY DO WHAT YOU HAVE LOOPING.
SO THERE'S REDUNDANT PRESSURE AND VOLUME FOR IF THERE'S EVER A BUSINESS REUSE OR FIRE HYDRANTS THAT ARE NECESSARY, ET CETERA.
SO THAT MAKES THAT A COMPLETE VIABLE WATER SYSTEM.
AND IT GETS IT MAINLY TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE CURRENTLY ON WELLS.
AND WE HAVE ALL THAT IN PLACE.
I MEAN ALL THE MEMOS OF UNDERSTANDING EVERYTHING'S IN PLACE, EVERYTHING HAS GONE BACK AND FORTH.
IT HASN'T HAD THE FINAL SIGNATURE.
BUT IT YES, WE'VE NEGOTIATED BACK AND FORTH AND BACK AND FORTH AND COUNSEL APPROVED IT.
YEAH, I KNOW WE APPROVED THAT, BUT DO YOU HAVE ALL THE PAPERWORK IN PLACE, IS MY QUESTION.
THE LAST THING IS JUST TO SIGN THE AGREEMENT, SIGN THE AGREEMENTS.
THAT HAS TO COME TO ONE MORE AGREEMENT.
NO COUNCIL ALREADY APPROVED THAT.
OKAY, MR. CHAIRMAN, HAVE YOU DONE? YEP.
THE GO BACK TO THE C-C-C-D-C GRANT.
FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING, UH, WE HAVE A CONTRACT WITH THEM.
WHERE WAS THAT MONEY TURNED OVER TO THEM OR WAS IT TURNED OVER TO THE HOUSING TRUST? THE HOUSING TRUST IS WHO HOLDS THAT MONEY FOR THAT? USE THE MONEY MA'AM.
AND IT CAN ONLY BE USED IN UNINCORPORATED BUFORT COUNTY, CORRECT.
[00:25:01]
AS ACCORDING TO THE AGREEMENT THAT Y'ALL APPROVED.HAS THAT MOVED FORWARD AT ALL? DO YOU KNOW? I DON'T KNOW IF THE MONEY'S BEEN TRANSFERRED.
BUT I BELIEVE THAT'S BEEN TRANSFERRED TO THEM FOR THAT USE WITH THOSE RESTRICTIONS THAT YOU GUYS AGREED TO.
I DON'T THINK THEY'VE USED ANY OF THAT.
I DON'T BELIEVE THERE'S ANYBODY USE IT YET? NOT TO MY KNOWLEDGE, NO.
ANY MORE QUESTIONS? LET'S MOVE ON TO THE FUN STUFF THEN, HANK.
SO THERE'S, THERE'S REALLY NOT AS FUN AS I THOUGHT IT WAS GONNA BE.
BUT IF YOU LOOK AT, I WON'T MENTION ANY BUILDINGS OR SPECIFIC LOCATIONS.
WE'VE, UH, WE'RE OH, FOR TWO ON PURCHASING THE BUILDING TO RELOCATE THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
WE ARE ON OUR THIRD AT BAT AND WE HAVE AN APPRAISAL, UH, THAT'S BEEN INITIATED TO HOPEFULLY GET THAT DONE WITH THAT $3 MILLION.
BEAUFORT EXECUTIVE AIRPORT SITE WORK IS COMING TO COUNCIL TONIGHT ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, THE, THE COMMITTEE APPROVED IT LAST WEEK AT PUBLIC FACILITIES TO COME TO COUNCIL.
THE COMMUNITY CENTER, AS I SAID, THE BIDS ARE IN AND THERE'LL BE CONSIDERED BY A TEAM IN THE, UH, CIP FINANCE AND PROCUREMENT.
WE KNOW THAT THE OVERALL EXPENSE IS GONNA EXCEED WHAT WE HAVE.
SO THAT IS, UH, NOT A NERVOUS AMOUNT TO GET RID OF WHEN WE CONSIDER THE, EVEN JUST THE FIRST TWO COMMUNITY CENTERS BROADBAND INITIATIVE.
SO THIS IS, WAS A SOURCE OF A LOT OF DISCUSSION FOR A GOOD REASON.
UM, THERE WAS INITIALLY 700,000, THE TWO NUMBERS I READ EARLIER FOR THE LONG DRIVEWAY PROGRAM AND THE HAR GRAY ADDED UP TO 300,000.
AND WE'VE BEEN TALKING TO THE STATE AND DAN MORGAN HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL IN THIS.
WE ARE GONNA PUT OUT AN RFP NEXT WEEK THAT WILL PUT IT TO THE PUBLIC MARKET TO SAY, HERE ARE THE DOTS THAT WE NEED TO BE SERVED.
YOU GUYS TELL US HOW TO SERVE IT.
AND THAT WOULD COME TO YOU GUYS HOPEFULLY IN OCTOBER AT THE LATEST NOVEMBER MEETING.
PLEASE GO AHEAD, MR. DAWSON, WHO'S NOT HERE, BUT HE BROUGHT IT, HE WAS CONCERNED.
WILL THIS BE IN HIS DISTRICT? THIS WILL BE, AND THIS WAS SOMETHING ELSE I CAN REPORT IS, UH, WE MET WITH A COMPANY TWO WEEKS AGO THAT HAS RECEIVED A GRANT AND WE CAN SHARE DETAILS OF THAT.
I GUESS WE CAN VERY SOON, IF NOT NOW, THEY, THEY, COMCAST RECEIVED A VERY LARGE GRANT TO EXPAND THE NUMBER OF HOUSES ON ST.
HELENA SERVED BY HUNDREDS, NOT JUST THE 800 OR 200, BUT VERY HIGH NUMBER.
SO IT'S VERY EXCITING THAT THEY RECEIVED A GRANT FROM THE STATE.
THEY'RE THE ONLY ONES THAT HAVE RECEIVED THAT BIG OF A GRANT.
AND THAT WILL ALLOW US TO REALLY FOCUS THE MONEY ON THE REMAINING AREA.
HELENA, BUT A LOT IN LOKO AND IN, UH, BIGGEST STATE AREA.
I'M SURE MR. JOSO WILL APPRECIATE TO HEAR THAT.
AND THEN THE LAST ONE IS WHAT I MENTIONED WITH THOSE DOUBLE ASTERISK LINES.
THAT'S CONTRACT COVERAGE, THAT'S TO CONTINUE TO PAY STAFF TO WORK ON IT, BUT IT'S ALSO TO CONTINUE TO FUND THE REMAINDER FOR THE MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEM IN THE DETENTION CENTER BECAUSE OF THE WAY THAT CONTRACT WORKS, WHERE YOU CAN ONLY OBLIGATE AS YOU SPEND IT.
SO IT'S OBLIGATED THROUGH THE CONTRACT COVERAGE.
SO IF YOU GET THOSE TWO NUMBERS MAGICALLY ADDS UP TO THE EXACT THING OF $37,317,446 MAGICALLY.
SO WE HAVE TO RUN AT LEAST ONE.
SO IF FOR SOME REASON WE STRIKE OUT AND WE BECOME OH, FOR THREE ON THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, WHAT DO WE DO? NUMBER ONE, WE COULD POTENTIALLY USE THAT FUNDING TO FULLY FUND OUR OBLIGATION OUT WITH THE HOUSING TRUST WITHOUT HAVING TO AFFECT GENERAL FUND BUDGETS GOING FORWARD.
SECONDLY, WE COULD COVER OVERAGES, WHICH WE'LL KNOW MORE ABOUT IN OCTOBER IN THE COMMUNITY CENTERS AS OPPOSED TO HAVING TO GO TO GENERAL FUND DOLLARS.
AND THE LAST ONE, WHICH IS THE WAY TO REALLY USE THE MONEY, BECAUSE YOU CAN RE OBLIGATE FUNDS TO ELIGIBLE USES, WHICH WOULD BE POTENTIALLY TO REFUND OURSELVES TO REIMBURSE OURSELVES FOR THINGS WE BOUGHT WITH GENERAL FUND DOLLARS WITH ARPA DOLLARS, THEREFORE GETTING THOSE GENERAL FUND DOLLARS BACK TO USE.
AND THAT WOULD BE FOR THE PROPERTIES WE'VE BOUGHT FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BOTH BUCK WALTER AND TCL.
IT WOULDN'T BE ENOUGH TO COVER, OBVIOUSLY, BY THE MATH.
BUT THE POINT IS, I WANTED TO GIVE YOU ALL CONFIDENCE AND A SAFE FEELING THAT WE'RE NOT IN DANGER OF GIVING MONEY BACK.
ANY, UH, ANY MORE QUESTIONS FOR, FOR HANK? NO.
HANK QUESTION I'VE GOT, AND AGAIN, IT IT, I'M GETTING INTO THE WEEDS WHEN I ASK THIS QUESTION IS, I KNOW THAT WHENEVER WE HAD THE ARPA DOLLARS, THE COUNCIL SAT HERE AND WE MADE OUR LINE ITEMS OF WHERE MONEY WAS GONNA BE SPENT.
UM, HOW CLOSE ARE WE TO MEETING THOSE SAME GUIDELINES? THERE'S, THERE'S, ARE THERE PEOPLE THAT
[00:30:01]
ARE GONNA BE LEFT OUT THAT'S GONNA COME BACK AND SAY, HEY, WAIT A MINUTE, YOU COULD PUT MONEY ASIDE FOR ARPA AND IT'S NO LONGER THERE.CAN YOU START SOMEPLACE ELSE? NOT REALLY, BECAUSE THE MAJOR VARIATIONS HAPPENED.
BECAUSE IF YOU REMEMBER, WE SPOKE ABOUT, I THINK EARLIER THIS YEAR AND LAST YEAR THAT THERE WAS A LARGE NUMBER THAT WAS PUT INTO KIND OF A GENERAL INFRASTRUCTURE BUCKET THAT WE THOUGHT WAS BE USABLE FOR CERTAIN THINGS IN ROADS AND LIGHTING AND ALL THOSE THINGS.
AND THEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CAME OUT AND SAID, YOU CAN'T USE THAT.
AND SO THAT IS WHERE A LOT OF THESE CHANGES HAVE HAPPENED.
SOME CHANGES HAVE HAPPENED BETWEEN LINE ITEMS AND BUCKETS AS ALLOWABLE FROM THE ORDINANCE, BUT THERE HASN'T BEEN A MAJOR CATEGORY THAT'S BEEN LEFT OUT.
THAT WAS ACTUALLY A VERY, VERY CONCISE, UM, PRESENTATION.
SO I THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT AND THAT MADE ALL THE SENSE TO ME.
ALRIGHT, UM, LET'S MOVE ON THEN,
[9. RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO COUNCIL OF AN ORDINANCE TO PROVIDE FOR THE ISSUANCE AND SALE OF NOT EXCEEDING SEVENTY MILLION DOLLARS ($70,000,000) GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS OF 2025 OF BEAUFORT COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA; TO PRESCRIBE THE PURPOSES FOR WHICH THE PROCEEDS SHALL BE EXPENDED; TO PROVIDE FOR THE PAYMENT THEREOF; AND OTHER MATTERS RELATING County Council Agenda – Beaufort County, SC THERETO. (FISCAL IMPACT: If approved by Council and the electorate, the County will authorize the issuance of GO Bonds not to exceed $70 million dollars and pay for the debt from the existing Debt Service milage and debt service fund balance as described in the 2025 General Obligation Bond Ordinance) - David Cheatwood, & Jeremy Cook]
UH, TO, UH, NUMBER NINE, OUR FIRST AGENDA ITEM.AND, UH, THIS IS, UM, PROVIDE, UH, ORDINANCE TO PROVIDE FOR THE ISSUANCE AND SALE OF NOT EXCEEDING 70,000, $70 MILLION, NOT A THOUSAND DOLLARS, $70 MILLION GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS OF 2025 OF BUFORT COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA.
AND MR. ROBINSON, OBVIOUSLY, UM, WE WERE HERE AND OBVIOUSLY I THINK WE HAD SOME OTHER FOLKS WHO ARE GONNA BE ONLINE, UM, YES.
TO HANDLE THIS, BUT, BUT NO INTERNET.
UH, BUT THEY'RE NOT, IT'S ALL, IT'S ALL YOU.
YES, THE, UH, THE HOPE TODAY IS THAT, UM, UM, I DESCRIBE WHAT'S, UM, OUR BOND ORDINANCE IN A WAY THAT ALSO GIVES YOU SOME CONFIDENCE NOW THAT I'M FOLLOWING HANK.
UH, AND, UH, I WANT TO BEGIN BY TALKING ABOUT HOW WE GOT HERE.
UM, SO THIS PROCESS, THE, THE PROCESS THAT LED US TO THE BOND OPPORTUNITY BEGAN IN FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR.
WE, UH, WE MET, UH, AS A WORKSHOP OF COUNCIL AND DID SOME, SOME STRATEGIC PLANNING.
SOME OF THE INITIATIVES OF, OF COUNCIL THEN WERE TO, UM, WORK ON OR DETERMINE THOSE ITEMS WHICH WOULD IMPACT OUR BUDGET SO THAT WE COULD, UH, BUDGET FOR THOSE THINGS IN FY 20, IN OUR FY 2025 BUDGET.
UH, SOME OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE NEEDED TO CONSIDER THERE WERE THE IMPACTS TO OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.
SOME OF, AND WHEN I MEAN INFRASTRUCTURE, I MEAN OUR COUNTY OWNED PROPERTIES, BUILDINGS, UM, SOME OF THE, UH, CAPITAL PROJECTS.
AND THEN WE TALKED ABOUT OUR CAPITAL NEEDS WERE EXCEEDED $300 MILLION.
UH, SO WE WERE FREQUENTLY DEFERRING, UH, MAINTENANCE AND DEFERRING UPFIT OF SOME STRUCTURES AND SOME, UH, CAPITAL NEEDS UNTIL THEY ROSE TO THAT LEVEL OF, UH, OF, UH, HIGHEST PRIORITY.
SOME OTHER THINGS WE CAN, WE CONSIDERED AT THAT TIME, OR YOU CONSIDERED AS COMMITTEES OF COUNCIL WERE OPPORTUNITIES TO FO FOSTER GROWTH IN HIGHER EDUCATION, UH, AND, UM, FIND WAYS TO HELP SERVICE THE, OUR MEDICAL NEEDS IN GROWING AREAS OF BEAUFORT COUNTY.
UH, WE ALSO DISCUSSED THE NEEDS TO INVEST IN OUR PASSIVE PARKS.
UH, SOME OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT WERE THAT THEN THAT WE'VE PURCHASED SO MANY BEAUTIFUL PIECES OF PROPERTY, BUT YET HAVE NOT FOUND THE CAPITAL DOLLARS TO INVEST IN THEM IN WAY THAT MAKES THEM SAFE FOR PUBLIC VISITORS OR MAKES THEM APPROACHABLE FOR SOME OF OUR VISITORS, UH, TO ATTEND.
SO LOOKING INTO THE FUTURE, UM, WITH THE, WITH THOSE THINGS IN CONSIDERATION, THE CONVERSATION WENT TO, WELL, HOW DO WE FUND THESE PROJECTS? YOUR DIRECTION AT THE STRATEGIC PLANNING MEETING WAS TO ASK STAFF TO GO AND FIND DIFFERENT WAYS OR DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO FUND THESE.
ONE OF THOSE, WHICH IS TO, UH, THE ISSUANCE OF BONDS.
WE CAME BACK TO YOU WITH, UM, WITH OUR, UM, FINANCIAL ADVISOR IN MAY OF THAT YEAR.
UM, THAT WAS DAVID CHEATWOOD THAT CAME FROM FIRST TRY ON, UH, HE CAME AND GAVE A PRESENTATION ABOUT BOND OPPORTUNITIES AND THAT SEEMED FAVORABLE.
WE CAME FORWARD THEN WITH A BOND ORDINANCE.
UM, AND, AND THEN SINCE THEN, KIND OF STALLED FOR A LITTLE BIT.
THE FIRST BOND ORDINANCE WE CAME FORWARD WITH WAS $90.1 MILLION.
AND WE HAD A LIST OF THOSE PROJECTS.
UH, THEN, UM, SINCE THEN, STAFF, WE'VE SHARPENED OUR PENCILS.
WE'VE EVALUATED SOME OF THESE PROJECTS.
WE'VE EVALUATED THE SCOPE OF WORK IN SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS.
WE'VE REDEFINED SOME OF THE NEEDS THAT WE, THAT WE HAVE, AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO REDUCE THAT $90.1 MILLION TO $70 MILLION.
IT'S ACTUALLY 68 MILLION IN SOME CHANGE, BUT, UH, THE $70 MILLION IS A NICE ROUND NUMBER.
IT HELPS US COVER THE COST OF THE BOND ISSUANCE AS WELL.
[00:35:01]
AT THIS POINT, I WOULD BE TURNING THIS OVER TO, UH, CAN YOU PULL UP DAVID'S, UM, DAVID'S, UM, PRESENTATION FROM FIRST TRIAL.I WOULD BE TURNING THIS OVER TO, TO DAVID CHEATWOOD FROM FIRST TRY TO GO THROUGH HIS PRESENTATION AND THEN FOLLOWING THAT UP WITH, UM, WITH JEREMY COOK, UH, WHO IS OUR BOND ATTORNEY WHO PUT THE, UH, UH, ORDINANCE TOGETHER.
BUT SINCE THEY'RE NOT HERE, I'LL GO THROUGH IT FOR YOU.
HOPEFULLY I'LL BE ABLE TO, UH, COVER THEIR, UM, PRESENTATION.
YOU WILL, UH, HOPEFULLY YOU'LL SEE THIS AS FAMILIAR TO YOU.
SO VERY SIMILAR, UM, SLIDESHOW THAT HE PUT TOGETHER FOR YOU IN MAY.
UH, I DON'T REMEMBER IF THIS CAME TO FINANCE COMMITTEE OR FINANCE AND COUNCIL.
UM, ON PAGE TWO, YOU'LL SEE, UH, AN ANALYSIS OF OUR EXISTING BOND.
UH, SO THIS EXISTING BOND IS AS COMPARED TO OUR 8% CAPACITY.
UM, UH, ESSENTIALLY THE, UM, WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY $144 MILLION IN, IN OBLIGATED DEBT.
UM, THE, UH, OUR DEBT CAPACITY, UH, TO STAY UNDERNEATH THAT 8% MARK, SO THAT 8% OF THE 8% BOND OBLIGATION, EIGHT, IT IS 8% OF THE AS ASSESSED VALUE OF THE PROPERTY WITHIN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
SO THAT 8% NUMBER IS THE, UM, SETS THAT EIGHT PER SETS THAT DEBT LIMIT, WHICH WAS AT $212,000.
SO OUR $212 MILLION, I'M SORRY.
SO WE'RE WELL UNDER THAT FOR OUR BOND CAPACITY, UH, WHICH IS WHERE THE $90.1 MILLION CAME FROM IN MAY.
THAT WAS THE, THE COMFORTABLE SPOT THAT, UM, THAT WE COULD ISSUE BONDS AND STILL MAINTAIN A GOOD PER A GOOD, UM, PERCENTAGE OF CUSHION LEFT BEFORE WE, UH, GOT TO THAT BOND RATING.
SO YOU CAN SEE WHAT THE, UM, YOU EXISTING, UH, BOND DEBT SERVICE LOOKS LIKE, UH, AND WHERE OUR CAPACITY IS.
UH, SO YOU SEE WHERE OUR BOND CAPACITY IS AND HOW IT WILL TAPER OFF OVER THE, OVER THE YEARS OF THIS NEXT BOND ISSUANCE.
WHAT I JUST TALKED ABOUT WAS THE, UM, OH, LET ME BACK UP.
UH, THAT BOND CAPACITY, WHAT WILL WE, WHAT WILL WE, UH, WHAT WILL THE COUNTY DO WITH THIS BOND REVENUE? SO IF WE ISSUE A $70 MILLION WORTH OF BONDS, WE WILL FUND, UM, SEVERAL PROJECTS, UH, WITHIN THE COUNTY.
UM, THEY'RE LISTED, THEY WILL, THEY'RE LISTED IN THE ORDINANCE, UH, IN THIS, IN THIS WAY.
UH, PUBLIC WORKS PROJECTS, FACILITIES, CAPITAL PROJECTS, PUBLIC SAFETY, CAPITAL PROJECTS.
AND I CAN DEFINE EACH OF THOSE LISTS OF PROJECTS AS THE INTENT TO FUND.
UM, OUR DIRECTION HERE WAS TO LIST THEM MORE VAGUELY IN THE ORDINANCE.
SO AS WE'VE ALL LEARNED, THINGS CHANGE, UH, PRIORITIES CHANGE A LITTLE OVER TIME.
SO WE'VE DECIDED THE BEST WAY TO PUT THEM IN THE ORDINANCE IS TO FUND THEM IN LARGER BUCKETS WITH SPECIFICITY, UH, IN THE BACKGROUND.
SO IF YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE SPECIFIC PROJECTS, I'M PREPARED TO DO THAT AS WELL.
SO, UM, GOING DOWN THE LIST, YOU'LL SEE SOME OF THE PROJECTS THERE, UH, DSN CAPITAL PROJECTS.
YOU'LL, UM, IN REFERENCE TO WHAT, UM, MR. AMUNDSON JUST TALKED ABOUT.
YOU SEE COMMUNITY CENTER CAPITAL PROJECTS $5 MILLION.
SO WE EXPECT THAT THOSE THREE COMMUNITY CENTERS, UM, THAT WE INTEND TO ERECT WILL COST MUCH MORE THAN THE FUNDS THAT ARE AVAILABLE.
UH, SO THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO INVEST IN OUR COMMUNITY, UM, IN ACCORDANCE WITH, UH, YOUR STRATEGIC PLANNING DISCUSSION WITH SOME CAPITAL, UH, CAPITAL FUNDS TO HELP, UH, MAKE SURE THAT WE, UM, REALLY DO DEVELOP SOME GOOD COMMUNITY CENTERS.
YOU'LL SEE A COUPLE OF PASSIVE PAR PASSIVE PARKS PROJECTS LISTED THERE.
UH, CAPITAL PARK, CAPITAL PARKS PROJECTS, UH, AT, UH, ALMOST $6 MILLION, $5.9 MILLION FOR A FEW PROJECTS.
THERE'S SOME INVESTMENT IN THE, UH, ST.
JAMES CHURCH, UH, PROJECT OF $3.5 MILLION.
AND HOPEFULLY WITH THE, UM, THE OTHER GRANT FUNDING AND STATE INFUSION OF FUNDS AND THESE FUNDS, WE CAN FINALLY GET THE ST.
AND LASTLY, ON THE, WELL, NOT LASTLY, BUT LASTLY IN THE, UM, COUNTY PROJECTS FUND IS A FUTURE GOVERNMENT COMPLEX THAT IS $9.5 MILLION.
AND THAT IS IN REFERENCE TO, UM, THE 120 ACRES THAT WE HAVE IN OKEE, CENTRALLY LOCATED IN THE MIDDLE OF BEAUFORT COUNTY.
THERE'S OPPORTUNITY THERE FOR THIS GOVERNMENT SLASH LAW ENFORCEMENT CENTER
[00:40:01]
THERE.IS THAT STRICTLY JUST LAW ENFORCEMENT? WELL, IT'S 120 ACRES.
SO THAT IS A LOT OF PROPERTY TO ISOLATE TO ONE USE.
SO A GOVERNMENT COMPLEX THERE, AND I CAN, I CAN CERTAINLY SEE THE VISION WOULD BE A LAW ENFORCEMENT COMPLEX ON THAT SITE.
WELL, THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN MY UNDERSTANDING.
THAT WOULD BE LAW ENFORCEMENT, NOT OTHER GOVERNMENT COMPLEX, THAT IT WORRIES ME THAT IT IS SO VAGUE THAT, UM, THAT THE COUNTY SEAT MIGHT BE MOVED THERE, WHICH WOULD BE NOT A GOOD THING.
YEAH, THERE, UM, AND THE, THE REASON I THINK WE CARE, WE CAN, WE CAN CHARACTERIZE IT AS A GOVERNMENT CENTER MM-HMM.
AND BEING ABLE TO CENTRALLY LOCATE OTHER, OTHER COUNTY FUNCTIONS IN THAT AREA, UH, WOULD BE A GREAT THING FOR US TO, FOR US TO OVERLOOK THAT OPPORTUNITY WOULD BE, UH, UH, I THINK REMISS DOES IT, CAN I CONTINUE TO YES, PLEASE DO.
OF THAT AMOUNT, IS ANY OF THAT GOING TO BE REIMBURSED FROM FAA? THERE ARE SOME FAA GRANTS THERE.
NOW THIS IS, UM, IS THIS ABOVE THAT? THIS IS ABOVE THAT.
AND, AND ONE MORE QUESTION IF I CAN.
UM, THE HOSPITAL PROJECT, THAT'S, THAT WAS THEIR ASK AND THE TCL THAT WAS THEIR ASK.
THEY DIDN'T REDUCE THEIR ASK, RIGHT? NO MA'AM.
SO, SO YOU'LL SEE THOSE, THOSE COUNTY PROJECTS ADD UP TO THAT 52.6 MILLION, AND THEN THERE'S THE OTHER 16 MILLION THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THERE.
SO ONE OF THOSE WAS THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT FOR BUFORD MEMORIAL HOSPITAL, WHICH WAS 2 MILLION.
ANOTHER, UM, UM, PROJECT THAT THE HOSPITAL IS WORKING ON, WAS IT AN $8 MILLION PROJECT? RIGHT.
AND THEN THE WORKFORCE HOUSING TRAINING FACILITY FOR TCL WAS $6 MILLION.
AND THEIR, I WANNA SAY THEIR REQUEST WAS $7 MILLION.
BUT THERE'S, YOU'LL SEE IN THE REPAYMENT PLAN THAT THE, UM, THE REVENUE WOULD SUPPORT THAT INITIALLY THAT $6 MILLION IS THE LOAN THAT THEY NEED TO TAKE TO, TO GET US THERE.
UH, AND THOSE DID NOT CHANGE FROM THE MAY PRESENTATION.
THE REPAYMENT PLAN FOR EACH OF THOSE TCL AND BMH PROJECT REMAINED THE SAME.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COULD BE, UM, YEAH, UM, PUBLIC WORKS CAPITAL PROJECT BUILDING.
UM, THAT'S FOR THE COMPLETION, THE CONSTRUCTION PART.
THERE IS TWO, THERE ARE TWO PROJECTS LISTED FOR A PUBLIC WORKS.
ONE OF THOSE IS A CAP AS THE PUBLIC WORKS BUILDING.
SO THIS IS REPLACEMENT OF THE, OF THE EXISTING FACILITY.
UH, AND THE OTHER IS A, UH, FACILITIES PARKING LOT.
UH, SO AS A PARKING LOT PROJECT THAT THERE WAS $1.2 MILLION ALREADY FUNDED, UH, FROM 2024.
UH, AND THEY NEEDED SOME, UH, AN ADDITIONAL FUNDING FROM THERE OF $75,000 TO COMPLETE THAT PROJECT.
SO THE MAJORITY OF THAT IS FOR THE PUBLIC WORKS FACILITY.
UM, AND THIS PROJECT HERE IS SUPPOSED TO BRING ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENT OFFICES UNDER ONE ROOF AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
THE, THERE ARE WE STILL GONNA HAVE AN OUTCRY OF OFFICE SPACE? WELL, I HOPE NOT.
THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING THE QUESTION.
WE DO HAVE SOME, UH, PRELIMINARY PLANS, UH, THAT WERE, THAT WERE, UH, FUNDED LAST YEAR.
SO WE'VE GOT TO GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD AND WORK ON THOSE PLANS.
THERE WAS A FACILITIES MASTER PLAN, WELL, WAS IT A FACILITIES NEEDS ASSESSMENT? SO THAT SPACE ASSESSMENT TO DETERMINE HOW MUCH ROOM EACH DEPARTMENT NEEDED, UH, IT'S JUST KIND OF BUILT INTO THESE, SO THOSE DEPARTMENTS THAT THE, THE INTENT WAS TO MOVE INTO THIS NEW BUILDING, WE KNOW HOW MUCH SPACE THAT THEY, THAT THEY EACH NEED FOR THAT.
I'M GONNA ASK YOU THE SAME QUESTION I I ASKED MR. UH, FAIR LAKE.
UM, IS THIS GOING TO, IS THIS FOR TODAY OR IS THIS FOR AT LEAST 20 YEARS DOWN THE ROAD? MY HOPE IS THAT ANYTIME, UH, WE CONSTRUCT A NEW BUILDING, THAT THERE ARE 50 YEAR STRUCTURES THAT WE BUILD SOMETHING THAT LASTS WELL INTO THE FUTURE.
IF WE'RE SHORTSIGHTED ENOUGH ONLY TO BUILD WHAT WE NEED TODAY, WE'RE NOT PREPARED FOR TOMORROW.
SO WE REALLY HAVE TO THINK LONG TERM.
I JUST WANTED TO ASK THAT QUESTION.
SO, UH, AT THIS POINT, UM, WE'D LOOK TO MOVE THIS TO COUNSEL, UM, UH, FOR THREE READINGS.
UM, SO AGAIN, UH, IS THERE ANYONE WHO'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION
[00:45:01]
TO MOVE THIS TO COUNSEL? I'LL MAKE THE MOTION.UH, IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
MR. GLOVER, IS THERE ANY MORE DISCUSSION? ALRIGHT, SEEING NO DISCUSSION, UM, WE WILL PASS THIS WITHOUT OBJECTION.
IS THERE ANY OBJECTION? AND I SEE NO OBJECTION.
SO THIS WILL MOVE THEN ON TO COUNSEL.
APPRECIATE YOUR, YOUR TIME TODAY.
AND DO YOU THINK IT'S NECESSARY FOR US TO HAVE THOSE, THOSE, UM, OTHER FOLKS AVAILABLE FOR OUR FIRST READING? UM, SO IF THERE IS QUESTIONS OR HAVE THEM DO A BETTER JOB PRESENTING OR YES, SIR.
I'LL, I'LL TRY TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE BOTH HERE FOR OUR FIRST READING.
ALRIGHT, UH, LET'S MOVE ON THEN.
[10. ANNUAL DIRECT MARKETING ORGANIZATIONS (DMOs) PRESENTATION ACCOUNTING FOR FY 2024 STATE 2% ACCOMMODATIONS TAX ALLOCATION. PER BEAUFORT COUNTY CODE OF ORDINANCES, CHAPTER 66, ARTICLE II, DIVISION 1, SECTION 66-30 -Brycen Campbell, Senior Accountant, Beaufort County Finance]
UM, AND, UH, WE ARE THEN AT, UM, NUMBER 10.AND, UH, NUMBER 10 IS, UM, ANNUAL DIRECT MARKETING ORGANIZATIONS ARE DMO PRESENTATION ACCOUNTING FOR FY 2024 STATE 2% ACCOMMODATIONS TAX ALLOCATION, UH, PER BEFORD COUNTY CODE OF ORDINANCES.
AND UM, BRYSON, I THINK YOU'RE GONNA LEAD US OFF HERE AND, UH, GET US STARTED.
SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR, YOUR TIME TODAY.
SO I JUST WANTED TO INTRODUCE THE D OS.
WE HAVE ROB WELLS WITH, WHICH IS THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE GREATER BEAUFORT COURT, ROYAL CVB AND ARIANA PERISE, WHICH IS THE VICE PRESIDENT FOR THE VISITOR AND CONVENTION BUREAU FOR HILTON HEAD ISLAND AND BLUFF IN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
I'M GONNA LET THEM TAKE THE FLOOR.
WHO, WHO FLIPPED THE COIN AND FOLLOWED IT LOOKS LIKE, LIKE ROB, YOU, YOU LOST, DID YOU WIN THE COIN TOSS OR, OR DID YOU LOSE THE COIN TOSS WHILE, SPENT THE WHOLE TIME OVER THERE BY MYSELF.
AND I WAS LIKE, WHAT IN THE WORLD DID I MISS? A, A NOTE, IT'S PART MR. WALLACE, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME BEFORE YOU GUYS AND THE CONTINUED INVESTMENT AND THE PROMOTION AND ACTIVITY OF TOURISM ACTIVITY IN NORTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
UM, THE CVV SERVES NOT ONLY THE BEAUFORT PORT WAL, BUT ALSO THE UNINCORPORATED PORTIONS OF NORTHERN BEAVER COUNTY, WHICH WE CALL THE SEA ISLANDS.
THAT'S FRIPP AND HARBOR AND HUNTING AND LADIES ISLAND, LACO AND PARTS OF BURTON AND ALL THE WAY OUT TO EM EMBASSY AS WELL AS IN THE OKEE.
SO JUST KIND OF SHOW YOU A LITTLE BIT OF OUR COVERAGE AREA IN WHICH WE SEE, UH, THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR, OUR OVERNIGHT ACCOMMODATIONS TAKE PLACE IN, IN THAT AREA.
UM, REAL QUICK, THIS PAST, UH, FISCAL YEAR 23, 24, AS BRYSON WAS, WAS TALKING ABOUT THE FULL INVESTMENT INTO THE CB WAS 1.3 MILLION.
AS YOU CAN SEE, BEAUFORT COUNTY WAS 42% OF THAT.
IT INCLUDES GRANTS THAT WERE APPLIED AND FOR AND RECEIVED.
UM, YOU KNOW, THESE OFTENTIMES FLIP BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN BEAUFORT COUNTY, CITY, BEAUFORT.
SO THIS YEAR WAS, UH, YOU KNOW, IT COMES OUT TO THIS NUMBER.
SOMETIMES IT'S A LITTLE HIGHER IN THE BEAUFORT COUNTY, AND IT'S REALLY PREDICATED UPON THE GRANT RECIPIENT AND RECEIPTS ON THAT, HOW WE SPENT IT.
77% OF THE FUNDS THAT WERE SPENT IN, UH, AND WE HAVE APPROPRIATED WITH MARKETING PROMOTION, SALES.
AND FOR OURS, SALES IS RECRUITMENT OF BOTH SMALL MARKET MEETINGS FOR UNIONS, BUT ALSO SPORTING ACTIVITIES THAT COME INTO THE AREA.
SPORTS TOURISM, IF YOU WILL, OPERATIONS AND VISITOR SERVICES.
AND THEN OF COURSE, UH, OUR BREAKDOWN IS WE ALWAYS TRY TO ACHIEVE, UM, A PERSONNEL TO NON PERSONNEL PERCENTAGE DESTINATIONS INTERNATIONAL.
AND THE SOUTHEAST TOURISM SOCIETY RECOGNIZED THAT FOR A DMO OUR SIZE, THAT THAT PERSONNEL NUMBER NEEDS TO BE BETWEEN 38% AND 42%.
AND SO THIS, THIS PAST YEAR WAS 37%, WHICH WE FEEL, UH, VERY GOOD ABOUT.
BUT ALSO AT THE SAME TIME, OUR TEAM, UH, DOES A LOT OF WORK AND WE ARE A TEAM OF THREE FULL TIME AND, AND SEVERAL HELP IN THE PART-TIME SECTION, WHICH WE MANAGE AND RUN A VISITOR CENTER LOCATED AT SEVEN 13 CRAVEN STREET THERE AT THE BEAUFORT, UH, HISTORIC BEAUFORT ARSENAL.
UM, SO LET'S TALK ABOUT THE ANNUAL REPORT A LITTLE BIT.
JUST AS A REMINDER, IT'S NOT AS, UH, CLEAR AS THE SCREEN, AS A, AS HOPED IT WOULD BE, BUT I, I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT.
THE BOTTOM LINE, THE CVB UH, MARKETING MEASUREMENTS THAT RETURN A $11 TO EVERY $1 INVESTED INTO THE DMO.
AND THAT'S AN IMPORTANT NUMBER TO, TO RESONATE.
ALSO, JUST REMEMBER THAT, UH, IN NORTHERN BEAVER COUNTY THAT WE HAVE A TOURISM PAYROLL OF ABOUT $33 MILLION.
A QUARTER OF THOSE EMPLOYEES WORK JUST FOR FRUIT ISLAND AND RESORT.
JUST TO KIND OF PUT THAT IN PERSPECTIVE OF WHERE THOSE LARGER, AND THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD NUMBER FOR US.
AND THAT'S NOT THE LARGEST IN THE COUNTY, OBVIOUSLY, AND THERE'S PROBABLY MORE OF THAT GOING THERE.
BUT THAT'S A, A BIG PART OF WHAT WE DO IN SERVICING OUR, OUR STAKEHOLDERS.
AND OF COURSE, AVERAGE VISITORS SPEND IN A DAY IS $134.
NOW LET ME EXPLAIN SOMETHING REAL QUICK FOR US.
UH, OVERNIGHT VISITORS WILL SPEND TWO TO THREE TIMES MORE THAN A DAY TROOPER WHEN THEY COME TO MARKET CURRENTLY, UH, NORTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY, WE'RE SEEING ABOUT 79 TO 80% OF OUR VISITORS ARE OVERNIGHT VISITORS,
[00:50:01]
WHICH IS REASSURING, BUT ALSO IT SHOWS YOU JUST HOW LITTLE DAY TRIP SPENDING CAN TAKE PLACE IN MARKET.SO OUR PROMISE IN OUR, TO OUR STAKEHOLDERS EVERY YEAR IS HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE KEEP MOVING THE NEEDLE TO BRING MORE OVERNIGHT VISITATION TO THE MARKET, BUT WITHIN OUR INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS AND WHAT WE CAN, WHAT WE CAN SOLIDIFY.
UM, AND SO WE START HERE@BEAUFORTSC.ORG AND I JUST WANNA HIGHLIGHT SOMETHING THERE.
THE TOP GREEN BUBBLE IS 24% GROWTH IN OUR PARTNER REFERRAL.
WE, WE HIGHLIGHT PARTNER REFERRAL BECAUSE THAT IS WHERE THE TRANSACTION TAKES PLACE.
WE ARE A BOOK DIRECT ORGANIZATION.
WE DO NOT CHARGE COMMISSION OR ANYTHING OF THAT NATURE FOR OUR HOTELS, FOR PEOPLE TO BOOK THEIR ROOMS ONLINE AT OUR WEBSITE.
WE PASS THOSE DIRECTLY TO THE OPERATOR, THE HOTEL, THE SHORT TERM RENTAL, THE RESORT, AND LET THEM CAPTURE A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE REVENUE THAT COMES IN AT THAT POINT.
UH, NOT ONLY CAN THEY SERVICE THE VISITOR AT THAT POINT, NOT TIME, BUT ALSO ALLOWS THEM TO RE THE FINANCIAL BENEFIT.
IT'S A, IT'S A DEFINITE A, A A BETTER ECONOMIC IMPACT FOR US.
AND WE HAD 420,000 PARTNER REFERRALS FROM OUR WEBSITE, WHICH IS, AS THE MODEL GOES, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE PASSING THROUGH A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THAT, UH, SHARE OF REVENUE TO THEM.
UM, THAT IS UP YEAR OVER YEAR.
WE'VE ALSO HAD AN INCREASE IN OUR PAGE 44%, UH, AS HIGHLIGHTED BY THE SECOND.
WHY IS THAT IMPORTANT? WELL, OUR WEBSITE'S VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE'RE ABLE TO USE THAT TRACKING MECHANISM ON OUR WEBSITE.
THAT ALSO GIVES US A LITTLE BIT OF INSIGHT TO WHOM COMING TO THE MARKET, BUT ALSO WHEN THEY'RE GOING TO, EXCUSE ME, JUST HAPPY WITH A BUTTON THERE, BUT ALSO HOW LONG IT TAKES FOR THEM TO SEE AN AD AND SHOW UP IN MARKET.
SO IN UNINCORPORATED BEAUFORT COUNTY, IT'S ABOUT 38 DAYS FROM BEING SERVED AN AD TO SHOWING UP IN MARKET, WHICH IS COOL BECAUSE IT'S A LITTLE LONGER FOR TRIP ISLAND.
SUMMER VACATIONS, YOU PLAN THOSE OUT A LITTLE FURTHER IN ADVANCE.
BUT IF WE HAD TO GO OUT AND FIND PEOPLE TO COME STAY OVERNIGHT, WE'RE GETTING HAVE A LITTLE BIT BETTER TRACKING ON JUST HOW LONG IT'S GONNA TAKE US TO SERVE THE AD AND SHOW THOSE.
IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT FOR FESTIVALS AND EVENTS, THAT'S USUALLY ABOUT A 17 TO 20 DAY WINDOW, MAINLY BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE LOOKING AT THEIR WEATHER OUT TO MAKE SURE THE WEATHER'S GONNA BE GOOD THAT WEEKEND.
BUT THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE'RE ABLE TO TRACK AND SHARE WITH OUR STAKEHOLDERS AND OF COURSE, SHARE WITH THOSE PARTNERS THAT INVEST IN US.
ALRIGHT, I'M NOT GONNA BORE TOO MUCH ON THE SOCIAL MEDIA SIDE.
WE'RE VERY ACTIVE IN SOCIAL MEDIA.
WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF GROWTH AND ACTIVITY ENGAGEMENT ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PAGE, UM, AS WELL AS OUR INFLUENCERS THAT COME TO TOWN TO SHOWCASE AND HIGHLIGHT THE AREA.
WE'LL BRING IN AN INFLUENCER, THEIR SOCIAL MEDIA REACH HAS TO, YOU KNOW, CRITERIA, BUT, AND WE GET A LOT OF, RUN, A LOT OF, A LOT OF GOOD ENGAGEMENT FROM THESE PE PEOPLE COMING AND SHARING OUR AREA WITH THEIR AUDIENCE, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR US.
AND OF COURSE, OUR PUBLIC RELATIONS EFFORTS HAS ALWAYS BEEN A MAIN PART OF OUR STRATEGY BECAUSE IT ALLOWS US TO REACH PEOPLE THROUGH THE WRITTEN WORK AND THROUGH OTHER AUDIENCES.
AND THE PEOPLE TRUST SEEM TO, DIDN'T TRUST THOSE WRITERS A LITTLE BIT MORE.
UH, AND THIS YEAR WE GENERATED RUN AROUND FOUR AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS IN, IN PR VALUE, WHICH IS PRETTY GOOD FOR, FOR, FOR THIS PAST YEAR.
UH, MOVING ON, WE SERVED OVER 17 MILLION IMPRESSIONS.
UH, 252,000 CLICKS FROM THOSE ADS CAME INTO OUR SITE.
BUT OUR, OUR GOAL IS TO, IS TO TAKE THOSE AVERAGE COSTS PER CLICK.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THOSE, THOSE COSTS ARE DOWN.
AND SO WE'RE SERVING THE RIGHT PEOPLE, THE RIGHT ADS SO THAT WE CAN KEEP THOSE COSTS DOWN.
$3 IS A VERY RESPECTABLE AVERAGE COST PER CLICK, UM, NEWSLETTER.
JUST SHOWING YOU GUYS KIND OF THE ACTIVISTS IN THE REPORT.
I'M NOT GONNA TO TO, TO HARP ON IT TOO MUCH, BUT I DO WANNA TALK ABOUT OUR PODCAST.
UH, OUR, THE INTERCOASTAL PODCAST IS A HUNDRED AND SOME ODD PODCAST EPISODES WE LAUNCHED.
COMING OUT OF THE, OUT OF THE PANDEMIC, UM, HAS BEEN A, A GREAT TOOL FOR US TO HAVE OUR STAKEHOLDERS IN THE AREA TO COME AND TELL THE STORY OF NORTHERN RUPERT COUNTY THROUGH THEIR OWN WINS, THROUGH THEIR OWN EYES, AND HOW IT BENEFITS THEIR BUSINESS.
AND, UM, I'M VERY PROUD OF THE PODCAST BECAUSE IT'S A PIECE OF MEDIA THAT WE OWN AND IT'S, UH, THE REACH CONTINUES TO GROW AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
UM, OUR SALES INITIATIVES ARE PRETTY HIGH.
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO WORK WITH A, UM, BRING IN SMALL MARKETS.
WE, WE CAN'T SERVE LARGE CONVENTIONS.
WE DON'T HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE, BUT WE ARE ABLE TO GO OUT AND, AND BRING IN SMALL MARKETS AND MEETINGS AND BE ABLE TO SERVICE THOSE.
AND GIVEN OUR LIMITED SPACE IN NORTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY, AND AS INFRASTRUCTURE OPPORTUNITY ARISES, MAYBE WE CAN HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT A LARGER MEETING SPACE IN NORTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY COULD LOOK LIKE.
UH, BUT AT THIS TIME WE, WE, WE SEE THAT THESE EVENTS COMING IN, AND ONE THAT I WANNA HIGHLIGHT IS THE VETERINARIANS, UH, ENCOURAGEMENT BY THE SEA, WHICH IS A VERY LARGE, UH,
[00:55:01]
CONFERENCE FOR OUR AREA.ABOUT 450 ATTENDEES SPREAD THROUGHOUT BEAUFORT COUNTY.
UH, WE SAW THE VAST MAJORITY OF THOSE STAYING IN SHORT TERM RENTALS OUT ON FRIPP AND HARBOR ISLAND, BUT ALSO IN THE CITY OF BEAUFORT.
SO IT WAS A GREAT, UH, YOU KNOW, MULTI LOCATION, UM, UH, PLACE FOR US TO, TO HAVE.
AND IT'S ALL FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
UH, THE SPORTS COUNCIL IS, UH, IS, IS A BIG PART OF WHAT WE DO IN DRAWING SPORTS TOURISM.
UH, WHILE YOU WON'T SEE IT HERE, UM, WE, WE HAVE THE LUXURY OF, OF WORKING WITH SPORTS, UH, TEAMS THAT COME INTO THE AREA.
UH, WE HAD ONE IN JULY, SO IT DIDN'T MAKE THIS REPORT, BUT ONE WITH PARKS AND REC AND, AND THEY DID A TREMENDOUS JOB.
I I, I DO WANNA TALK ABOUT PARKS AND REC AND THE JOB THEY DID WITH THE LITTLE LEAGUE WORLD.
UH, THE DIXIE YOUTH WORLD SERIES THAT THEY HOSTED HERE, FROM TOP TO BOTTOM, FROM THE PARKS AND REC STAFF TO, UH, THE, THE T-V-C-T-V FOR, FOR TELEVISING THE GAMES, THE RESPONSE THAT WE RECEIVED ON OUR FOLLOW UP SURVEYS FROM FAMILIES THAT CAME INTO THE AREA AND ENJOYED IT.
AND KUDOS TO THE COUNTY FOR, FOR, FOR KNOCKING THAT OUTTA THE PARK, WHAT PUN DEFINITELY INTENDED.
UM, BUT IT WAS A TREMENDOUS ASPECT ALSO FOR THE RECORD IS ABOUT $1.1 MILLION IN ECONOMIC IMPACT.
SO WHEN AS YOU LOOK FOR FUNDING THOSE TYPES OF TOURNAMENTS AND EVENTS, WE HOPE THAT WE CAN COME ALONGSIDE PARKS AND REC AND, AND ENCOURAGE THOSE, THOSE EVENTS COMING INTO THE AREA.
UM, LET'S GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF TRAVEL INSIGHT.
UH, I DO WANNA SAY THAT 69%, UH, CURRENTLY 69% OF ALL OF OUR VISITORS COME FROM OUTTA STATE, WHICH IS KIND OF COOL.
OUR NUMBER ONE MARKET, WHETHER IT BE FROM FRIPP ISLAND OR IN THE CITY OF BEAUFORT, IS ACTUALLY, UH, GREENVILLE, SPARTANBURG AREA, WHICH IS KIND OF INTERESTING.
UM, COLUMBIA, CHARLOTTE, ATLANTA, ALWAYS KEY.
BUT AUGUSTINE, UH, AUGUSTA GEORGIA'S, UH, RIFLE BECOMING ONE OF OUR, OUR FAVORITE SPOTS.
RALEIGH DURHAM, AS FAR AWAY AS JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA.
ALRIGHT, VISITOR SPIN, WHICH I SENT AGAIN, LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THEY STAY OVERNIGHT.
REMEMBER THAT 1 34 NUMBER, THIS IS THE VISITOR SPEND FOR OVERNIGHT ACCOMMODATIONS.
THIS IS ALL OF NORTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THAT, 92% OF THOSE, UH, PEOPLE STAYING IN ACCOMMODATIONS ARE VISITORS, OBVIOUSLY.
BUT, UH, THEY'RE SPENDING AROUND $300, UH, FOR THEIR STAY, WHICH IS, IS PRETTY GOOD.
RESTAURANT SPEND IS ABOUT 31% OF ALL RESTAURANT SPEND ARE BY VISITORS.
BUT LOOK AT THE, THE, THE AMOUNT SPENT, IT'S A LITTLE BIT HIGHER, ABOUT $30 MORE THAN THE LOCAL SPEND, WHICH IS ALSO ATTRIBUTES TO WHAT THEY'RE DOING THERE.
UM, THE REASON WE TRACK VISITOR SPEND AND VISITOR PROFILE IS BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHERE WE SPEND OUR AD DOLLARS, THE RETURN COMES BACK.
IT ALSO BENEFITS FOR US TO USE THE DOLLARS MORE THAN JUST INVESTMENT AND ADVERTISING PROMOTION.
WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO TELL OUR STAKEHOLDERS HOW TO BETTER PREPARE TO SERVICE THOSE FOLKS THAT ARE COMING IN THAT AREA, BUT ALSO WHAT THEIR INTERESTS ARE, WHAT THEIR, WHAT THE EXPECTATIONS OF COMING TO THE MARKET ARE.
AND SO, AS OUR DEMOGRAPHICS CHANGE, WHO COMES TO THE MARKET, WHO WE TARGET, THOSE THINGS CHANGE, WE OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO KEEP UP AND, AND, AND FOLLOWING THAT.
SO THAT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE INSIGHT TO THAT PROFILE.
THEN I WANNA SHOW YOU THE UNINCORPORATED HEAT MAP.
THIS IS STRICTLY JUST FOR UNINCORPORATED BEAUFORT COUNTY.
WE SIT DOWN WITH OUR PARTNERS THAT DO BUSINESS IN THAT AREA, AND WE SHOW THEM THIS IS THE WHERE YOU SHOULD BE SPENDING YOUR ADVERTISING DOLLARS.
THIS IS WHERE WE SPEND OUR ADVERTISING DOLLARS IN PROMOTING THE UNINCORPORATED PORTIONS IN NORTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
THESE ARE THE TARGET MARKETS WE SEE RETURN FROM.
AND IF I HAD $1 TO MY NAME AND I HAD TO GO OUT THERE AND FIND SOMEONE TO COME STAY OVERNIGHT, I WOULD GO TO GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA.
IF I HAD $5, I WOULD INCLUDE GREENVILLE AND ATLANTA AND MAKE CHARLOTTE A PART OF IT.
BUT IF I NEEDED THE BIGGEST RETURN ON INVESTMENT, Y'ALL CAN DO THE MATH HERE.
COLUMBIA RIGHT NOW SPENDS MORE PER VISIT THAN ANY OTHER CITY THAT COMES TO THE AREA.
SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ARE CONSIDERING TARGETING MORE.
MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT HAS TO DO WITH, UH, UH, STATE GOVERNMENT, BUT WE'LL SEE HOW THAT GOES.
HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS I WANT.
TURN IT OVER TO MY COUNTERPART IN THE SOUTHERN END HERE.
I KNOW YOU MAY NOT KNOW EXACTLY BUT THE, THE WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY NIGHT WITH PARIS ISLAND.
UM, YEAH, SO THAT'S A, THANKS FOR THE QUESTION.
SO HER QUESTION WAS, UH, PARIS ISLAND GRADUATES AND, UH, WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRI FRIDAY, BUT PRIMARILY THEY'RE WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT.
UM, OUR STUDIES INDICATE THAT THEY DO LEAVE TOWN AS SOON AS THE MARINE GRADUATES.
AND I, I UNDERSTAND THEY'RE PROBABLY TIRED OF SEEING THAT PLACE.
UM, BUT, UH, WE ARE GRATEFUL THAT CURRENTLY, UH, PARIS ISLAND IS SEEING SOMEWHERE AROUND 12% OF TOTAL VISITATION IN NORTHERN ROOF RIVER COUNTY.
WHEN I FIRST ARRIVED TO TOWN, IT WAS PRETTY HIGH.
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DIVERSIFY HOW WE BRING PEOPLE TO TOWN AND NOT SO, UM, NEEDED ON MILITARY GRADUATION.
BUT LET ME STATE THIS, UH, THIS FISCAL YEAR, THIS CALENDAR YEAR WITH THE, WITH THE MARKET, SOFTENING A LITTLE BIT FOR LEISURE TRAVEL PARA ISLAND HAS BEEN A GOOD SUPPLEMENT.
AND THAT NUMBER WILL PROBABLY INCREASE AS FAR AS THE TOTAL NUMBER OF VISITATION COUNTS.
I SAID I, I DO HAVE THREE QUESTIONS THAT A, A, UH, COUNCIL PERSON HAS ASKED ME TO, UH, READ.
AND AGAIN, FOR BOTH YOU, AND YOU'VE ACTUALLY ANSWERED, I THINK SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS ALREADY.
BUT LEMME PUT YOU ON A SPOT AND MS.
[01:00:01]
PICE, YOU'RE GETTING THE, THE BENEFIT OF ONE AFTER, UH, ROB HERE.BUT, UM, FIRST QUESTION IS, HOW MUCH DID YOU RECEIVE IN STATE AT TAX FUNDS LAST YEAR FROM BUFORT COUNTY? YEAH.
UH, TOTAL NUMBER THAT WE RECEIVED FROM BEAUFORT COUNTY WAS ABOUT $550,000 IN SOME CHANGE.
AND THAT INCLUDES THE STATE 2% ATTACHED GRANT INCLUDED IN THE DESIGNATION.
SO THAT TOTAL NUMBER IS THE STATE 2% ALLOCATION.
UM, THE LOCAL APPROPRIATION, WHICH WAS THE $150,000, WHICH WE, WE SINCE GONE AWAY SINCE THE ORDINANCE CHANGE AND THEN THE GRANT FROM THE 2%.
SECOND, UH, THE THREE QUESTIONS.
WHAT SPECIFICALLY DID YOU SPEND, UH, ON THOSE DOLLARS AND TO PROMOTE TOURISM IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS OF BEAUFORT COUNTY? YEAH, SO THAT'S A, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
SO, THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR ADVERTISING SPEND INCLUDES UNINCORPORATED BEAUFORT COUNTY IN THE PROMOTION OF OUR AREA.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN WE PROMOTE BEAUFORT PORT IN THE SEA ISLANDS, IT MAY BE HUNTING ISLAND LIGHTHOUSE THAT WE'RE LEADING WITH IN THE CONVERSATION AS FAR AS DIRECT PLACEMENT FOR AN INDIVIDUAL SPOTS OR ATTRACTIONS.
WHEN WE CO-OP WITH SOME OF OUR FOLKS, MAYBE IT'S TRIP ISLAND, MAYBE IT'S UH, PENN CENTER, MAYBE IT'S IN A FESTIVAL EVENT THAT'S TAKEN PLACE.
THOSE CO CO-OPS ARE DESIGNATED IN THERE.
SO FOR THE FIRST ONE, THE TOP OF MY HEAD IS AROUND $30,000 FOR MAYBE SEVERAL FESTIVALS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO CO-OP.
BUT IN GENERAL, THAT $550,000 THAT WE SPENT, UH, GOES TOWARDS THE ADVERTISING PROMOTION, MARKETING, SALES FOR NORTHERN BEAUFORD COUNTY, WHICH INCLUDES A VA FOR OUR REGION.
YOU KNOW, THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR ROOMS ARE IN THE UNINCORPORATED PORTION OF THE COUNTY.
'CAUSE FRUIT ISLAND, HARBOR ISLAND, I MEAN, WE'RE TALKING, YOU KNOW, A, A GREAT DEAL OF, OF OUR ROOM COUNT COMES FROM THAT AREA.
AND, UH, THE LAST QUESTION AGAIN, AND I I LOVED ALL THE FACTS YOU HAD IN YOUR PRESENTATION, BUT, UM, HOW, HOW DO YOU GATHER DATA TO SHOW THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT OF THESE FUNDS, UM, TO INCREASE THE HEADS AND THE BED? SO HOW, HOW DID YOU ALL THAT INFORMATION YOU JUST GAVE US, THAT'S PERFECT.
WHERE'D THAT COME FROM AND HOW'D YOU GET THAT? I APPRECIATE THAT.
THAT'S, THAT'S MY FAVORITE PART OF THIS, RIGHT? SO, UM, MARKETING IS GREAT.
A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW EXACTLY HOW TO MAKE THEIR PLACEMENT IN ADS.
AND ONE OF THE BETTER ADVERTISING PEOPLE MINES IN THE, IN THE ROOM HAPPENS TO BE RIGHT HERE IN ARIANA.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID IS WE STARTED DOING GEOFENCE TRACKING TO, TO QUALIFY WHO'S A LOCAL AND WHO'S A VISITOR AS TO COME INTO THE AREA.
WE ALSO WORK WITH SEVERAL COMPANIES TO DO SOME DATA RESEARCH ON VISITOR SPENDING, COMPLETELY JUST VISITOR SPENDING.
IT'S ME DATA IS WHAT IT'S CALLED.
BUT WE USE IT WITH A COMPANY THAT HELPS US, UH, TREAT AND WE GEOFENCE THOSE AREAS IN ORDER TO IDENTIFY LOCALS AND VISITORS THAT GO TO THAT AREA AND THEN SEGMENT, SEGMENT THEIR SPENDING.
WHILE WE DO, ARE ENCOURAGED BY LOCALS GOING AND VISITING OUR ATTRACTIONS, UM, THAT'S NOT WHAT YOU'RE ASKING THE D OS TO DO.
YOU'RE ASKING US TO, TO CONTINUE TO PUT TOURISM DOLLARS TO GOOD USE IN OUR MARKETPLACE TO HELP OFFSET TAXES IN OUR AREA, BUT ALSO TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE FOR THOSE.
AND SO WE NEED TO KNOW WHERE OUR FOLKS ARE COMING FROM SO THAT WE CAN SPEND THE MONEY APPROPRIATELY SO WE HAVE THOSE MEASURES IN PLACE.
THAT'S WHY I'M ABLE TO TELL YOU DIRECTLY, I KNOW EXACTLY WHERE MY MARKETS ARE FOR, FOR THE UNINCORPORATED PORTION OF THE COUNTY AND THEY ARE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT THAN THE CITY OF THAT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW AND FOR TOWN OF FORT WOOD, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.
MR. GLOVER, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING? YEAH, UM, THAT LAST SLIDE YOU JUST SHOWED, UM, GOT MY ATTENTION, UH, FROM THE VARIOUS AREAS.
UM, THE ONE THAT REALLY, UM, I WANTED TO KNOW MORE ABOUT IS THE REAL DARK ONE.
IS THAT THE CHATHAM? IS THAT THE CHAPEL HILL, RALEIGH AREA? IT'S GO.
REMEMBER I PUT 4,000 SLIDES IN THERE, BUT I GOT, IS THAT SHARP? WE'RE GONNA GET THERE IN JUST A SECOND.
I SECOND I CAN SEE'EM ALL LAST ONE BEFORE YOU SAY IT.
YEAH,
I CAN SEE IT ON MOUNTAIN RALEIGH DUR, EVEN THOUGH MINE IS IN BLACK AND WHITE.
UH, BUT, UH, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE.
YES, IT IS, IT IS THAT RALEIGH DURHAM MARKET AND WHICH INCLUDES FAYETTEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA AS WELL.
IT'S THE LAST, IT IS LITERALLY THE LAST LIE.
I CAN SEE IT ON MY LITTLE SHOE HERE, RIGHT THERE.
BUT IF YOU LOOK AT IT FROM THE SIZE OF THE CHARGE AND THEY SHOW A GREAT FLOW OF PEOPLE COMING IN AND OUT OF THE AREA, WHEN WE MAKE A DECISION ON WHERE TO PLACE ADVERTISING, WE'VE GOTTA KNOW HOW WE'RE GONNA GET THAT RETURN.
AND SO WHILE WE SEE PEOPLE COMING FROM THAT AREA, IT MAY COST ME MORE MONEY TO GO ADVERTISE IN THAT MARKET AND I MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GET AS MUCH REACH AS WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? UH, MR. WELS, AGAIN, THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR CONTINUED INVESTMENT IN THE DO.
UM, AND NEXT WE HAVE, UM, UH, MR. PERIS WHO'S WITH THE HILTON HEAD, BLUFFTON, UM, UH, CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
MS. PICE, THANK YOU FOR COMING.
UM, AGAIN, FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS ARIANA PERISE.
I'M THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE VISITOR AND CONVENTION BUREAU OF THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND BLUFFTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
[01:05:01]
UM, IT'S MY PLEASURE THIS AFTERNOON TO BRING FORWARD WHERE WE'VE BEEN FOR THE, UM, CALENDAR YEAR OF 23 AND TALK TO YOU ABOUT OUR FISCAL YEAR PLANS FOR FISCAL YEAR 24, 25.NOW, THAT'S A LOT OF MEMORY THERE, INVOLVED IN CALENDARS AND FISCAL YEARS, UM, BUSINESS.
OKAY, SO YOU HAVE SEEN THIS PRESENTATION BEFORE IN WORKING WITH THE STAFF.
WE INCORPORATED A COUPLE DIFFERENT SLIDES THAT SPEAK TO OUR BUDGET AS WELL AS THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF TOURISM TO SOUTHERN BEAUFORD COUNTY.
UM, SO IF YOU WILL, I'LL WALK THROUGH THOSE SLIDES AGAIN, I DON'T HAVE TO SPEND A LONG TIME ON THEM, UH, BUT PLEASE STOP ME ALONG THE WAY IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS.
AS A DESIGNATING MARKETING ORGANIZATION OR DMO FOR SOUTHERN BEFORD COUNTY, THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND LEFT AND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IS CHARGED WITH DRIVING AWARENESS AND CONNECTING VISITORS TO OUR DESTINATIONS, OUR COMMUNITIES AND BUSINESSES WITH OUR VISION OF A WELCOMING WORLD CLASS COMMUNITY, EMBRACING NATURE, CULTURE AND ECONOMIC VIBRANCY FOR RESIDENTS AND VISITORS WHO LED TO ALSO DRIVE THE MISSION HOME TO STIMULATE THE REGIONAL ECONOMY WHILE ENHANCING THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL.
WE'VE USED THIS SLIDE TO KIND OF UNDERSTAND HOW WE ALL WORK TOGETHER, UM, FROM AN ORGANIZATIONAL GOVERNANCE AS YOUR DMO FOR SOUTHERN BUFORT COUNTY.
UM, I'M GONNA HAVE TO GO WITH MY SLIDES 'CAUSE I CANNOT SEE THAT FAR.
UM, WE HAVE OUR COUNTY COUNCIL AND FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
WE ALSO HAVE AN ANNUAL INDEPENDENT AUDIT.
WE HAVE OVERSIGHT FROM THE STATE TOURISM OF S-C-P-R-T AND THEIR TURK BOARD.
UM, WE ARE ACCREDITED BY DESTINATIONS INTERNATIONAL AS WELL AS THE US CHAMBER.
UM, AND WE ALSO HAVE OUR OWN, UM, BOARD OF DIRECTORS AT OUR CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
SO WHERE WERE WE OVER THIS PAST YEAR? I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE, FOR OVER JANUARY THROUGH DECEMBER OF 23, WE WERE BEING TALKED ABOUT IN A GOOD WAY.
AND WE WERE BEING SHOUTED FROM THE ROOFTOPS FROM LIKES OF TRAVEL AND LEISURE, CONDE NAST TRAVELER, A A RP, FODDERS GARDENING GUN, SO ON AND SO FORTH.
PEOPLE ARE REALLY TALKING ABOUT NOT JUST BLUFFTON UNINCORPORATED, BUT ALSO OF DUSKY.
THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS HAPPENING, UM, IN SOUTHERN BUFORT COUNTY.
BUT AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, WE HAVE REALLY DRIVEN A LOT OF OUR INQUIRIES AND PEOPLE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN, UM, SOUTHERN BUFORT COUNTY TO OUR VIRTUAL FRONT DOOR.
SO AS YOU KNOW THAT THERE ARE THE PHYSICAL BRICK AND MORTARS OF, UM, VISITOR CENTERS, UM, WE ARE ABLE TO TRACK AND REALLY UNDERSTAND THAT VISITOR WHEN THEY COME TO OUR WEBSITE.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE CALLING IT, THE VIRTUAL FRONT DOOR.
SO WITH THAT WEBSITE, WE HAD OVER 402,000, UM, FOR THE LAST CALENDAR YEAR.
UM, WHICH WE WERE ABLE TO CREATE 81,000, UM, OVER 81,000 HANDSHAKES OUT TO PARTNER BUSINESSES.
SO THAT'S US AS ROB WAS TALKING ABOUT.
WE'RE CREATING THOSE OPPORTUNITIES OF BRINGING PEOPLE NOT JUST THE DESTINATION AS A WHOLE, BUT INDIVIDUAL BUSINESSES, UM, FORWARD SO THEY CAN, UM, MEET THE VISITOR VIRTUALLY AND, AND OBVIOUSLY CREATE THE, UM, TRANSACTION ON THE OTHER SIDE.
NOT ONLY DOES THE WEBSITE WORK VERY HARD FOR US, BUT IT'S COUPLED WITH A PARTNER, UM, PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR STRONG SOCIAL MEDIA, UM, WITH OUR SOCIAL MEDIA.
THOSE TOGETHER REALLY WORK HARD TO DRIVE OUR OVERALL OCCUPANCY.
AS YOU CAN SEE, IT WAS UP IN OCCUPANCY OVER 13% FOR THE CALENDAR YEAR.
WE ARE WORKING ON BRINGING THAT A DR UP AS WELL AS THE RETURN, UM, PER AVAILABLE ROOM.
BEFORE YOU GO ON, CAN I GO BACK TO THAT SARAH, PLEASE? YES.
YOU HAVE EXPLORER BLUFFTON AND HOTEL BLUFFTON.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THAT IS IN UNINCORPORATED FOR? I MEAN, BLUFFTON HAS THEIR OWN.
SO WHAT PART OF THIS IS UNINCORPORATED? I CAN'T GET THE BREAKOUT FOR YOU.
I DON'T HAVE THE PERCENTAGE BREAKOUT FOR UNINCORPORATED INCORPORATED.
WE JUST HAVE THE TOTAL NUMBER.
SO WHEN WE LOOK AT, THIS IS ONE OF THE NEWER SLIDES THAT WE PUT IN THE ESTIMATED IMPACT OF TOURISM IN THE BLUFFTON AREA ON BEAUFORT COUNTY.
SO AGAIN, HOW DO WE, UM, RECEIVE THESE DETAILS? WE WORK WITH OUR PARTNER OUT OF COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON, WHO IS OUR ECONOMIST.
UM, AND THEIR, THEIR GROUP HELPS PUT TOGETHER THAT ECONOMIC IMPACT ON OUR BEHALF THAT IS SENT TO YOU GUYS EVERY SINGLE YEAR.
AND IT TALKS ABOUT WHO ARE WE RECEIVING IN TERMS OF VISITORS.
SO OVERNIGHT VERSUS DAY TRIP, WHICH I THINK IS VERY IMPORTANT 'CAUSE THEY TRANSACT VERY DIFFERENTLY.
BUT OVER, UM, OVERARCHING, WE HAD A TOTAL OF 486,000.
AND THEN WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT NUMBER THAT, UM, OF TOTAL VISITORS, THEIR OUTPUT, UM, WAS UP 6% TO LAST YEAR IN TERMS OF TOTAL INVESTMENT INTO THE AREA.
AND HOW ARE WE RECEIVING THOSE FUNDS IN TERMS OF THOSE VISITORS, EXCUSE ME, WITH THAT OUTPUT? UM, IT'S WITH OUR MARKETING AND OUR MARKETING EFFORTS RIGHT HERE, AS YOU SEE ON THE LAST BAR GRAPH TO YOUR RIGHT, UM, WHICH IS THE 8.8 MILLION OR 8.9 MILLION, UM, IN RETURN ON THE TA LOCAL TAX REVENUE.
BUT IT'S ONLY WITH 338,000 IN THE MARKET.
[01:10:01]
OVER THE PRIOR YEAR.ONE OF THE OTHER PIECES THAT WE USE IN OUR OUT-MARKETING EFFORTS IS OUR FULFILLMENT PIECE.
AND THIS IS THAT BOOK THAT TALKS ABOUT ALL OF OUR REGION IN SOUTHERN BUFORT COUNTY.
SO DUSKY BLUFFTON AS A WHOLE, AS WELL AS HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
AND WE DO 80,000 OF THOSE PIECES.
UM, AND WE HAD, OR EXCUSE ME, THERE'S A HUNDRED THOUSAND IN FULFILLMENT.
SO WE HAD, EXCUSE ME, THIS YEAR WE HAD OVER, UM, A HUNDRED IN THAT YEAR AND THEY WERE FULFILLED.
WE DID HAVE SOME MEDIA IN THE MARKET.
SO IN ADDITION TO OUR GOOGLE ADS AND OUR SOCIAL MEDIA THAT WENT OUT AS WELL AS OUR WEBSITE, THAT'S WORKING REALLY HARD.
WE HAVE PARTNERED WITH OTHER PUBLICATIONS TO HELP SPREAD OUR WORD TO A, A DESIRED DEMOGRAPHIC OF TRAVELERS.
AND THAT'S WITH GARDENING GUN.
SO THAT WAS A VERY STRONG PARTNERSHIP THAT WE DID.
UM, AGAIN, WE WALKED THROUGH THIS EARLIER, BUT I'M HAPPY TO GO THROUGH THIS AT LENGTH IF YOU'D LIKE, BUT YOU HAVE THE DETAILS OF THAT PERFORMANCE THERE.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT OUR PUBLIC RELATIONS EFFORTS, CHARLIE CLARK AND HER TEAM, ALONG WITH WEBER SHANDWICK, WHO IS OUR AGENCY OF RECORD, HELPS TO KEEP, UM, BLUFFTON INKY TOP OF MIND 365 DAYS A YEAR.
SO OVER THE CALENDAR YEAR WE HAD OVER 108 MENTIONS, WHICH THAT AD EQUIVALENT, THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE DON'T BUY.
THOSE ARE JUST RELATIONSHIP BASED.
HAVE YOU HEARD THE STORY? DO YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON? ARE YOU INTERESTED IN WRITING A LITTLE BIT MORE? THAT EQUATED TO A VALUE OF WHAT THOSE 108 MENTIONS TO OVER 421,000 IN AD VALUE.
SO WITH THAT, THE LESSONS THAT WE, UM, WERE ABLE, YOU KNOW, TO GAIN FROM THOSE EFFORTS IS ALSO LOOKING AT WHAT TRENDS ARE IN FRONT OF US.
WHERE ARE WE LOOKING FORWARD IN TERMS OF OUR 24 25 EFFORTS.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON AREAS OF INTEREST, WHICH ARE THE GULLAH GEECHEE, CULTURAL HERITAGE CORRIDOR HISTORY, CULTURE AND ARTS, NATIONAL HISTORIC REGISTER DESIGNATIONS, THE BEAUTIFUL WATERWAYS AND PARKS, CULINARY AND LOCAL, UM, MARKETS AND FAIRS, FESTIVALS AND EVENTS.
THE DESIRED TRAVELER DEMOGRAPHIC, THE ONES THAT WE'RE GOING AFTER AND TARGETING IS ROB WAS MENTIONING EARLIER.
UM, THEY SKEW A BIT MORE FEMALE IN THE HOUSEHOLD.
THEY'RE AN AFFLUENT TRAVELER WITH THE HOUSEHOLD INCOME REALLY BEING 250,000 PLUS THEY HAVE AN UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE.
THEY LOVE TO TRAVEL WITH TWO TO FOUR TRIPS PER YEAR AND THEY'RE SPENDING ON AVERAGE ABOUT FIVE NIGHTS.
AND THEN WE CAN FURTHER SEGMENT, UM, OUR EFFORTS AND THE TYPE OF TRAVEL THEY ARE.
AND WITH MARKETING TODAY, AS WE'VE ALL BEEN WORKING THROUGH ALL THE DIFFERENT WAYS TO GET THE MESSAGE OUT, IT REALLY IS AN ALWAYS ON APPROACH.
SO WHETHER IT BE THROUGH THE WEBSITE OR AN AD THAT THEY'VE SEEN OR A, YOU KNOW, A PRINT AD PIECE OR MULTIPLE SOURCES, THAT'S REALLY HOW YOU HAVE TO CONNECT WITH YOUR VISITOR TODAY.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, NO LONGER ARE THE DAYS WHERE YOU CAN PUT ONE AD IN A PAPER AND WALK AWAY AND THINK THAT YOU'VE DONE YOUR JOB OR YOU THINK THAT THAT ONE PAGE AND THAT AD AND THAT MAGAZINE IS GOING TO GET THE ATTENTION OF THE TRAVELER YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.
CONSUMERS TODAY ARE BOMBARDED WITH INFORMATION ABOUT BRANDS AND WHAT THEY WANT YOU TO, TO BELIEVE AND THINK AND DO.
UM, AND SO WE HAVE TO CUT ABOVE THAT NOISE AND, UM, REACH OUR BRAND A LITTLE DEEPER AND, UM, STAY RELEVANT WITH THEM ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, DURING DIFFERENT PLATFORMS. SO WE BECOME TOP OF MIND WHEN THEY'RE THINKING ABOUT TRAVEL.
UH, THERE ARE SEVERAL SLIDES TO THIS, BUT I JUST WANNA TALK ABOUT THE OVERARCHING GOAL, UM, OF THE MARKETING PLAN IS TO DRIVE QUALIFIED VISITATION TO OUR SOUTHERN BEAUFORD COUNTY AREA TO FESS ISLAND AND THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON.
SO ALL IN, WE JUST REALLY WANNA ENSURE THAT THE PERSON THAT WE'RE PULLING THROUGH THE FUNNEL, SO WHEN YOU'RE OUT IN THE OUT MARKET AND YOU HAVE, UM, A HUGE NET TO CAST THAT WHEN WE'RE CASTING THAT NET, THAT WE'RE CAPTURING, UM, QUALIFIED VISITATION.
AND THEN WHEN WE'RE PULLING IT IN THAT WE'RE KIND OF SIFTING THROUGH THOSE THAT ARE ACTUALLY REALLY HAVE THE INTENT TO TRAVEL, RIGHT? SO AS WE FURTHER BRING THEM THROUGH THAT FUNNEL OR BRINGING 'EM FURTHER INTO THAT NET, WE ARE MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE QUALIFYING THEM ACROSS DIFFERENT, UM, TOUCH POINTS.
SO AT THE END OF THE DAY WHEN THEY'RE LOOKING TO TRAVEL, WE KNOW THAT THERE'S INTENT AND THEY'RE PICKING US.
I'M GONNA SKIP AHEAD 'CAUSE THIS ONE OF THOSE STRATEGIES HAS SEVERAL BULLETS.
IT'S TINY, BUT HOPEFULLY YOU CAN SEE IT ON YOUR SCREENS.
UM, THIS IS THAT BUDGET BREAKDOWN THAT, UH, WE WORKED WITH ITS STAFF ON ENSURING WE'RE DETAILED.
AND I THINK IT ANSWERS ONE OF THE QUESTIONS.
UM, CHAIRMAN LAWSON ON THAT, YOU HAD ASKED LIKE, HOW WAS THE MONEY SPENT AND WHERE WAS THAT DIRECT OPPORTUNITY? AND I'M JUST GONNA LOOK AT MY SHEET.
I THINK THE THREE QUESTIONS WERE, UM, HOW MUCH DID YOU RECEIVE IN STATE AT TAX FUNDS? YES.
SO ON OUR, UH, WE RECEIVED FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS ARE IN FRONT, UH, ARE YOU ABLE TO SEE THE SCREEN IN FRONT OF YOU? YES.
SO FISCAL YEAR 24 WE BUDGETED 3 85 AND OUR ACTUAL WAS 3 55, 2 68.
UM, AND THIS YEAR THE ORIGINAL BUDGET THAT WE PROPOSED IS ACTUALLY 150 LESS.
[01:15:01]
NOW THAT YOU ARE SEEING THIS ONE, BECAUSE AT THE DAY WE WERE HERE TO PRESENT LAST TIME, WE WEREN'T AWARE OF THE REDUCTION OF 150,000.SO WE'VE RIGHT-SIDED THAT BUDGET AND THAT'S THE NEW BUDGET THAT YOU SEE IN FRONT OF YOU.
SO WITH THE REDUCTION IN FUNDS, WE HAVE, UM, PUSHED THROUGH THE BUDGET TO ACCOMMODATE REALLY THE VIRTUAL TOUCH POINTS FOR THE BRAND.
SO THE WEBSITE, SOCIAL MEDIA, I THINK IMAGERY AND VIDEO IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT AS WE MOVE FORWARD, ESPECIALLY WITH ALL THE NEW ACTIVITY HAPPENING IN UNINCORPORATED OFTEN AS WELL AS, UM, DUSKY.
AND SO THOSE ARE REALLY THE AREAS THAT I FOCUSED ON FOR THIS COMING FISCAL YEAR'S.
UM, PROPOSED BUDGET AND YOU CAN SEE WHERE I HAVE REDUCED OR TAKEN AWAY COMPLETELY MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES, THINGS OF THAT NATURE, BECAUSE THOSE ARE REALLY WONDERFUL TO HAVE.
AND I DO BELIEVE IN THEM AND I THINK THAT THEY HELP SUPPORT THE OVERALL MESSAGE OF WHO WE ARE.
'CAUSE WE'RE ALIGNING WITH THE BRAND THAT, UM, IS RELEVANT TO THE DESIRED CONSUMER WE'RE GOING AFTER.
BUT IF THE FUNDING ISN'T THERE, THEN I WOULD GO AFTER THE ONES THAT I'VE PROPOSED IN FRONT OF YOU.
SO THAT SHOULD ANSWER NUMBER ONE.
AND I THINK IT ALSO ANSWERS NUMBER TWO IS WITH THE SECOND QUESTION WAS WHAT SPECIFICALLY, UH, DID YOU SPEND THOSE DOLLARS ON? YES SIR.
AND THEN I THINK THE THIRD WAS THE DATA.
LIKE WHERE ARE WE GETTING OUR DATA, OUR INFORMATION? SO I SPOKE ABOUT THE COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON AND THE GREAT PARTNERS OF OURS.
UM, PRIOR TO THAT WE WORKED WITH THE USCB WHO HAD THAT ARM WITH THEM, BUT THEY NO LONGER HAVE THAT DEPARTMENT.
I DON'T BELIEVE IT WORKS IN THE SAME CAPACITY.
AND SO WE'VE, WE'VE ENSURED THAT WE HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY WITH COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON.
THEY HAVE THE ECON ECONOMISTS THERE WITH THEM TO HELP US GIVE THAT ECONOMIC ECONOMIC IMPACT.
IN ADDITION TO THAT ANNUAL EFFORT THAT IS DONE THROUGH SURVEYING AND OUTREACH TO THOSE THAT HAVE VISITED OR SAID THAT THEY HAD THE INTENT TO VISIT.
WE ALSO WORK WITH REAL TIME DATA, UM, EFFORTS SUCH AS, UM, OUR WEBSITE ANALYTICS, GOOGLE ANALYTICS, ALL OF YOUR SOCIAL PLATFORM ANALYTICS.
AND ALSO MOST RECENTLY WE'VE, WE'VE TIED INTO, UM, PLATFORMS THAT ARE STRICTLY RESEARCH THAT EITHER ARE SPECIFIC TO DMO OR TO COMMUNITY EFFORTS SUCH AS TCO, UM, IN PLACE OR AI.
THOSE MIGHT BE TERMS OR, OR COMPANIES YOU'RE AWARE OF.
BUT THEY'VE BEEN REALLY HELPFUL IN OUR EFFORTS AND THEY DO A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT ROB WAS SPEAKING TO, WHICH IS THE GEOFENCING OR TARGETING WHERE YOU CAN LITERALLY, I'M GONNA USE PROBABLY NOT THE CORRECT TERM, BUT LASSO AN AREA IF YOU WILL, OR CIRCLE AN AREA AND YOU CAN HONE IN ON WHAT THAT PERSON IS DOING.
UM, WHILE THEY'RE HERE, YOU CAN DETERMINE IF THEY WERE DAY TRIPPERS, YOU CAN DETERMINE IF THEY WERE OVERNIGHT GUESTS WHERE THEY'RE, UM, SPENDING THEIR TIME WHILE HERE REALLY BASED ON CELL PHONE DATA UNDERSTANDING AND HOW THEY'RE TRANSACTING AS WELL AS CREDIT CARD DATA.
CAN YOU, UM, DO YOU SPECIFICALLY KNOW HOW ANY OF THESE EFFORTS HAVE INCREASED OVERNIGHT AT DUSKY SINCE THAT'S PART OF US? I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE'RE INTERESTED IN OVERNIGHT STAYS NOT DAY TRIPPERS BECAUSE THEY DON'T, THEY DON'T QUALIFY THIS.
DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA OF HOW THIS HAS IMPACTED DUSKY? WE CAN GET THAT RESEARCH FOR YOU.
I DON'T HAVE THAT SPECIFIC PULL DATA PULL FOR YOU, BUT WE CAN ABSOLUTELY LOOK AT IT, UM, AND PULL THAT AND SEND IT BACK THROUGH TO YOU.
AND THAT WOULD BE THROUGH ONE OF THE PIECES THAT WE JUST SPOKE ABOUT WITH SARCO IN PLACE OR AI.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS THAT WE HAVE? VERY WELL DONE.
UM, IS THERE ANY ACTION THAT, UM, THIS COMMITTEE WOULD LIKE TO TAKE? I THINK AT THIS POINT THIS WAS DONE FOR, UM, INFORMATION PURPOSES.
'CAUSE AGAIN, THE, THE MONIES HAVE BEEN, UM, HAVE BEEN ALREADY ALLOCATED.
UM, SO ANY, ANY OTHER ACTION NON-ACTION OR QUESTIONS THAT WE HAVE? NO.
YOU ALWAYS DO A GREAT JOB IN PRESENTATION.
UM, I THINK THAT, UH, YOUR PRESENTATION, UH, MS SHE YEAR HAS, HAS ACTUALLY ANSWERED A LOT OF QUESTIONS THAT, THAT WE'VE HAD IN THE PAST.
AND AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL FOR, FOR COMING OUT TODAY.
UM, WE DO HAVE A COUNCIL MEETING AT FIVE.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO GET DONE EARLIER THAN THE FIVE O'CLOCK TIME IF WE CAN.
[11. RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO COUNCIL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO ADOPT AND IMPLEMENT THE LOCAL ACCOMMODATIONS TAX AND LOCAL HOSPITALITY TAX GRANT FUNDING POLICY - John Robinson, Acting CFO]
MOVE ON THEN TO, UM, UH, NUMBER 11, WHICH IS, UM, UH, AUTHORIZATION AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO ADOPT AND IMPLEMENT THE LOCAL ACCOMMODATIONS TAX AND LOCAL HOSPITALITY TAX GRANT FUNDING POLICY.AND MR. ROBINSON, YOU'RE BACK UP HERE WITH US AGAIN.
SO, UH, QUICKLY, EARLIER THIS YEAR, UM, COUNCIL, UH, COMMITTEE AND COUNCIL ADOPTED, UH, AN UPDATED, UM, HOSPITALITY ACCOMMODATION STACKS ORDINANCE.
WE FOLLOWED UP THOSE ORDINANCES IN JUNE AND APPROVED, UH, WELL APPROVED IN JUNE, THE BUDGET FOR ACCOMMODATION AND HOSPITALITY TAXES.
[01:20:01]
FINAL PIECE OF THAT IS TO, UH, HOPEFULLY ADOPT A RESOLUTION FOR A POLICY THAT, UM, DETERMINES HOW WE WILL AWARD THOSE LOCAL ACCOMMODATIONS AND HOSPITALITY TAXES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE BUDGET.WE, UH, STAFF, UM, OUR FINANCE STAFF WROTE THE FIRST VERSION OF THIS.
WE BOUNCED THIS DOCUMENT BACK AND FORTH AND THEN HELD A, UH, A FINANCE COMMITTEE WORKSHOP TO GO THROUGH THE, UH, THE DOCUMENT.
WE WORKED AGAIN TOGETHER, MOVED THE DOCUMENT BACK AND FORTH, TOOK SOME INPUT, UH, RAN THIS THROUGH OUR LEGAL DEPARTMENT, AND WE HAVE THE DOCUMENT THAT'S BEFORE YOU.
IN THE PAST, THE, UH, THE COUNTY DID NOT HAVE A POLICY FOR THE AWARDING OF OUR, UH, OUR GRANT AWARD FOR A AND A LOCAL A AND H TAX DOLLARS.
THIS, UH, POLICY THAT'S IN FRONT OF YOU VERY MUCH REFLECTS THE POSITIVE NATURE OF OUR STATE A AND A TAX PROGRAM.
SO WE TOOK THE POSITIVE LESSON LEARNED FROM JONATHAN SULLIVAN AND HIS GROUP'S, UH, WORK, AND TRIED TO INCORPORATE, UH, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY DID INTO OUR, UH, LOCAL ACCOMMODATIONS TAX ONE OF, UM, AWARD PROGRAM.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THAT IS REALLY GREAT ABOUT THIS IS IT CREATES AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE, UH, MADE UP OF STAFF AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AS WELL AS, UH, MEMBERS OF THE HOSPITALITY AND ACCOMMODATIONS, UM, GROUPS IN OUR AREA.
SO WE HAVE A, UM, A WELL THOUGHT OUT, UH, PLAN TO MOVE FORWARD AND IMPLEMENT THE BUDGET, UH, THAT YOU'VE ALREADY APPROVED MR. ROBINSON FOR THE, UH, PURPOSE OF ANY RESIDENT WHO MIGHT BE WATCHING THIS IN RETROSPECT, CAN YOU EXPLAIN A TAX VERSUS H TAX? CERTAINLY ACCOMMODATIONS TAX ARE THOSE, UM, UM, 3%, IT'S LOCAL, 3% ACCOMMODATIONS TAX IS THOSE, UM, TAXES ON, UM, HOTEL ROOMS AND, UM, MAYBE BED AND BREAKFAST OR, OR THOSE TYPES OF, UH, SHORT TERM RENTALS AND HOSPITALITY TAX ARE, ARE ALL OF THOSE 2% LOCAL HOSPITALITY TAX ON FOOD SERVICES AND OTHER, OTHER QUALIFYING, UM, SERVICE PROVIDERS FOR HOSPITALITY.
MS. WELL, I, I APPRECIATE THE, UM, UM, THE REPORT ITSELF.
UM, I, UM, I, I, I SAID BEFORE AND I, I'M, I'M GLAD TO KNOW THAT, UH, THREE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WOULD BE INVOLVED.
UM, I AM VERY MUCH IN, I'M GOING TO, BIG STEWART SAID SOMETHING, UH, I'M GOING TO FOLLOW UP ON.
AND, UM, LOOKING AT THE, UM, MAKEUP OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE, UH, IS HEAVILY, UM, SLATED TO GOVERNMENT STAFF.
AND WHAT DICK SAID WAS, UM, STEWART SAID WAS THAT, YOU KNOW, THE STAFF HAS AN ADVANTAGE A LOT OF TIMES OVER LAY PEOPLE.
AND YOU MAY END UP WITH A STAFF DRIVEN COMMITTEE WHERE I LIKE A COMMUNITY SORT OF DRIVEN COMMITTEE AND, YOU KNOW, STAFF BEING MAYBE ADVISORS PER SE TO GUIDE, BUT THE DECISION WILL BE LEFT UP TO STAFF.
THIS IS ONE WHERE, UM, IT'S, IT'S TOO HEAVILY STAFF.
IT'S ONLY THREE OF SEVEN ARE STAFF, FOUR OF THEM ARE RESIDENTS.
HOW DO YOU, HOW DO YOU FOUR, IT'S FOUR STAFF MEMBERS AND THREE, UH, THREE ABOVE.
IT'S ONE COUNCIL, ONE STAFF MEMBER.
IF YOU CONSIDER THE MEMBER OF THE STATE AT TAX COMMITTEE WOULD ALSO BE A RESIDENT, THEN HE'S A RESIDENT.
PRIOR TO THIS, UH, PRIOR TO, PRIOR TO THIS AWARD POLICY, THERE WAS NO POLICY AND IT WAS ALL A STAFF DECISION.
SO THIS IS A GREAT DEPARTURE, UH, FROM THE PAST AS WELL AS THE PUBLISHED EVALUATION PROCESS.
[01:25:01]
IS DONE, UH, RIGHT IN THE RIGHT IN THE POLICY.UM, SO IT'S MUCH MORE TRANSPARENT THAN THE PREVIOUS PROCESS.
YOU KNOW, MR. RIVER, WE COULD CONSIDER, YOU COULD CONSIDER REMOVING THE MEMBER OF COUNTY COUNCIL FINANCE COMMITTEE.
YOU MAKE THAT A LIAISON LIKE WE DO TO STATE ATEX.
WHEREAS, YOU KNOW, THE LIAISON DOESN'T REALLY, THEY JUST KINDA LISTEN AND GUIDE AND THEN YOU COULD PUT ONE EXTRA, UM, MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC.
ONE EXECUTIVE STAFF MEMBER, ONE, UM, COUNTY FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
AND THE OTHER FIVE ARE ALL RESIDENTS.
THE ONLY THING IS FIRST TIME YOU KICK THIS OFF, IT'S GONNA BE A LITTLE BIT, UM, DIFFERENT.
NONE OF 'EM HAVE EXPERIENCE ON THIS AND HAVE TO LEARN THE RULES.
AND THAT'S WHY I THINK FINANCE COMMITTEE WAS PUT ON, IT COULD ALWAYS CHANGE.
IT'S NOT SET IN STONE, BUT IF THAT'S A DISCOMFORT TO THE COUNCIL, THEY COULD MAKE THAT ONE A LIAISON INSTEAD OF A MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE.
IF, IF THE COMMITTEE, UH, WOULD GO ALONG WITH THE LIAISON, I WOULD THINK THAT WOULD BALANCE IT UP.
I CAN GO ALONG WITH THE LIAISON STAFF.
WILL THAT BE TO COUNCIL? CERTAINLY ACCEPT DIRECTION FROM, UH, FROM COMMITTEE.
THAT'LL BE THE COUNCIL PERSON.
ANYBODY ELSE WANNA WEIGH IN ON THAT ONE? I BE HELPFUL.
I, I THINK THAT MIGHT BE A GOOD IDEA BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, ALL THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES WE'RE LIAISONS.
WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT PART OF THE COMMITTEE.
I I I SEE COUNCILMAN GLOVER'S POINT ON THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T, WHEN YOU'RE A LIAISON TO STORMWATER, YOU DON'T VOTE ON THEIR DECISIONS.
YOU'RE JUST THERE AS A LIAISON STORMWATER BOARD WHEN THEY VOTE ON THEIR BUDGET, PROPOSE FOR COUNTY COUNCIL.
THAT MIGHT BE A GOOD, A GOOD MOVE.
WELL, YOU KNOW, I'VE READ THIS 20 TIMES AND IT NEVER OCCURRED TO ME.
BUT WE DON'T WEIGH IN ON THE STATE AT TAX EITHER.
SO IF WE WANNA BE CONSISTENT, AND I'M SORRY TO DO THIS TO MR. ROBINSON.
WE'VE BEEN THROUGH THIS A HUNDRED TIMES, BUT THAT MIGHT BE A GOOD CHANGE BECAUSE THERE'S A LIAISON FROM FINANCE COMMITTEE, BUT A NON, THEY'RE NOT, THEY DON'T VOTE.
SO IF WE MAKE THAT, UM, COUNTY COUNCIL FINANCE COMMITTEE MEMBER AT, UH, LIAISON ROLE THAT LEAVES SIX VOTING MEMBERS.
UM, IS SIX VOTING MEMBERS WHAT WE WANT TO DO.
SO WE WANNA MAKE IT, SAY ADD, I THINK SIX IS FOUR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO SAY? SO ADD AN ADDITIONAL MEMBER TO WHERE IT SAYS THREE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ADD SELECTED VIA APPLICATION PROCESS.
AND THEN WE'RE AT SEVEN VOTING MEMBERS AND A LIAISON.
I THINK THAT'S A GOOD RECOMMENDATION.
AND I ONLY SAY THAT BECAUSE, UM, UM, EVEN THOUGH I, I LOVE AND TRUST ALL THE OTHER COUNCIL PEOPLE, ONE OF US IS ON THAT COMMITTEE, THERE MIGHT BE SOME UNDO SOMETIMES INFLUENCE THAT HAPPENS.
SO AGAIN, I THINK THIS MIGHT BE THE BETTER SOLUTION TO BE ACTING IN THE RESOLUTION EVER.
DO WE NEED A MOTION TO AMEND IT OR? YES, BUT I'D LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT'S AN UNEVEN NUMBER ON THE COMMITTEE.
IT WOULD BE, THERE WOULD BE SEVEN VOTING MEMBERS IF WE ADD, WELL, WHO'S THE OTHER? YOU'RE PUTTING IT DOWN HERE.
PUT JUST FOUR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
AND I THINK ONCE THEY GET THE, GET KIND OF THE RULE BUG DOWN, I THINK HAVING MORE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC IS BETTER, WILL BE BETTER.
SO WE NEED SOMEONE TO MAKE THAT MOTION THAT WE'VE JUST TALKED ABOUT.
UM, IS THERE SOMEONE THAT, MR. GLOVER, YOU BROUGHT IT UP.
YOU WANNA MAKE A MOTION? UH, I'LL MAKE THE MOTION THAT WE, UH, MAKE THE, UM, A LIAISON POSITION, UM, FROM COUNTY COUNCIL AND WE, UH, INCREASED THE PUBLIC, UM, PARTICIPATION TO FOUR MEMBERS.
IS THERE A SECOND FOR THAT? NO, I'LL SECOND.
IS THERE ANY MORE DISCUSSION? NO, THAT'S, THAT SOUNDS GOOD TO ME.
UH, SEEING NO DISCUSSION, IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO THE CHANGE THAT WE JUST MADE? NO.
UM, THIS WILL BE THEN MOVED ON TO COUNTY COUNCIL.
NO, YOU HAVE TO, TO GO BACK TO THE MOTION FOR AS AMENDED.
SO, UM, UH, THEN, UH, IS THERE A MOTION TO ACCEPT IT AS IT'S BEEN AMENDED? SO MOVE SECOND.
SO WE'RE GONNA VOTE ON THIS AS AMENDED.
IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO THAT? SO, NO OBJECTION.
IT HAS BEEN, UM, APPROVED AND WILL BE PASSED ON THEN, UM, UH, TO, AS A RESOLUTION TO COUNTY COUNCIL.
IT'LL BE, UH, CORRECTED AT THE NEXT COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING.
ALRIGHT, LET'S KEEP MOVING HERE.
[12. DISCUSSION AND APPROVAL FOR THE BEAUFORT COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION TO PURCHASE 500 ACRES FROM CHILTON TIMBER & LAND COMPANY. FISCAL IMPACT: $13,070.00 / acre; $6,535,000 total - John O’Toole, Executive Director, Beaufort County Economic Development Corporation]
NUMBER 12, UM, DISCUSSION APPROVED FOR THE BEAUFORT COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION TO PURCHASE 500 ACRES FROM CHILTON TIMBER LAND COMPANY.[01:30:01]
$13,070,000, UH, OR I'M SORRY, IT'S THE $13,070 PER ACRE.AND WE HAVE MR. O'TOOLE, OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE BUFORT COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
MR. TOOL, THANK YOU FOR COMING.
I KNOW, UH, I'M ON, ON THE NEXT FOUR AGENDA ITEM.
UH, I'VE ASKED KATE SCHAFER TO, UH, UH, BE HERE WITH ME, UH, BECAUSE I THINK THIS PROJECT SPEAKS OF, UH, THE BEAUFORD BALANCE, THAT BALANCE BETWEEN, UH, ENVIRONMENT AND WHAT WE, WHAT WE, UH, LOVE ABOUT BEAUFORT COUNTY.
UH, WE HAVE BEEN TELEGRAPHING THIS TO COUNCIL FOR YEARS, UH, UH, AS WE, UH, WORK THROUGH THE DETAILS SOME 500 ACRE TRACK.
UH, WHAT'S NEAT ABOUT IT IS, UH, IT'S, IT'S CLOSER TO 95.
WE, UH, UH, KELLY BRUNSON AND I, UH, JUST HAD LUNCH WITH SOME DEVELOPERS WHO THOUGHT THIS WAS, UH, MADE THE SITE MORE INTRIGUING.
UH, THE PURCHASE AGREEMENT THAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR PACKETS, UH, WOULD ALLOW FOR US TO DO, UH, DUE DILIGENCE.
UH, UH, WHILE YOU'RE GOING THROUGH YOUR REVIEW PROCESS, THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, UH, UH, HAS, UH, ALLOCATED OR AGREED TO PAY FOR 50% OF THAT DUE DILIGENCE.
SO THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE IS PAYING ATTENTION, UH, TO BUFORD AND EXCITED ABOUT THIS AS A POTENTIAL SITE.
WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS ASK KATE JUST TO COMMENT A LITTLE BIT OF HOW THIS FITS INTO A, A VIEW OF BUCKFIELD AND THE BALANCE I SPEAK OF.
UH, KATE SCHAFFER WITH THE OPEN LAND TRUST.
JUST TO SPEAK ABOUT THE PROPERTIES TO ALL CARDINAL DIRECTIONS FROM THIS LOCATED THIS LOCATION PROPERTY.
UM, THEY ARE CONSERVATION PRIORITIES BECAUSE THE CONNECTIVITY WOULD THEN CONTINUE FROM THE ACE BASE AND NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE TO THE NORTHEAST, UM, TO THE, THE BEAUFORT COUNTY COTTON HALL PARK, AND THE STATE WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA THAT JUST OPENED LAST WEEK, UM, TO THE SOUTHWEST, UH, HELPING TO CREATE A LAND BRIDGE OF CONNECTED PROTECTED PROPERTIES THROUGH THIS AREA OF NORTHERN BEAUFORT, JASPER, AND HAMPTON COUNTY, WHILE RIGHT SIZING AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY.
SO, UM, TO JOHN'S POINT ABOUT BALANCE, THESE PROPERTIES HAVE BOTH VALUE FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND CONSERVATION.
AND BY WORKING TOGETHER PROACTIVELY, WE CAN APPROACH THIS OPPORTUNITY HAND IN HAND TO SEE SOME CONSERVATION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BENEFITS.
AND, UH, UH, WE ARE WORKING ALSO WITH, UM, COASTAL CONSERVATION AND THE STATE LAND BANK.
AND HANK HAS BEEN WITH US ON THIS JOURNEY AS WELL.
I SAY THAT IN CASE THIS IS FAVORABLY LOOKED UPON IF IT'S NOT, FORGET I MENTIONED HANK'S NAME,
UH, BUT, UH, HANK HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL.
UH, UH, WHAT WE ARE ALSO WORKING ON WITH HANK AND LEGAL ARE COVENANTS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE DEVELOPMENT THAT COULD OCCUR HERE, UH, IS, UH, UH, UH, UH, COPACETIC WITH WHAT, UH, BEAUFORT COUNTY RESIDENTS WOULD LIKE.
UH, UH, TWO, UH, UH, MEETINGS THAT WE'VE HAD WITH GERALD DAWSON, WHOSE DISTRICT THAT THIS IS, WE'D INVOLVE THE PUBLIC A LOT IN THE PLAN FOR THIS, BUT WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO RIGHT NOW IS TO PRESERVE THIS OPPORTUNITY.
AND, AND AS YOU SAW THE, THE PARCEL UP THERE EARLIER, IT'S AN 832 ACRE PARCEL.
AND IN OUR DUE DILIGENCE, WE'LL SEPARATE OUT AND CONTINUE TO WORK WITH, UH, KATE AND, UH, UH, NATE BARRY WITH THE STATE LAND BANK, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, THE 500 ACRES THAT WE PICK HAVE THE LOWEST IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT.
UH, LET'S SEE, UH, OTHER POINTS WORTH MENTIONING, UH, WOULD BE THAT, UH, AS, AS YOU READ THROUGH THIS, UH, WE'RE VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THE, UH, 1.3 MIL THAT'S BEING SET ASIDE.
UH, AND, UH, UH, WE'VE HAVE ARRANGEMENTS WITH A, UH, PINNACLE FINANCIAL, UH, UH, PARTNERS TO CREATE A, A CREDIT FACILITY AS PART OF THAT.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT, AND WE, WE PROJECTED THIS TO COUNCIL, WHEN YOU APPROVE THE 1.3, THAT ALL PURCHASES THAT WE WOULD MAKE FROM THIS WOULD COME BACK TO YOU, UH, UH, IN THOSE COVENANTS WILL HAVE A, A CONDITION.
LET'S JUST SAY WE'RE THREE YEARS INTO THIS, AND SOME FUTURE COUNSEL SAYS THAT BEAUFORT COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CEASES TO EXIST FOR SOME REASON.
UH, THE COUNTY WOULD HAVE FIRST POSITION BEFORE IT WENT TO FORECLOSURE TO BUY OUT THE, THE REST OF THAT PROPERTY.
SO YOUR INVESTMENTS WOULD BE PROTECTED, UH, FOR THAT.
UH, THE FINANCIAL INSTITUTION WOULD, UH, LIKE AT THE END OF YOUR APPROVAL PROCESS, A STATEMENT OF SUPPORT.
AND THEY UNDERSTAND, UH, THAT THIS, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT, UH, FUTURE COUNCILS COULD HAVE DIFFERENT FUNDING
[01:35:01]
PRIORITIES.AND, UH, ONE OTHER, UH, CAVEAT, UH, UH, THAT I, WE'LL WORK WITH PLANNING AND ZONING ON THE USE OF THIS PROPERTY, AND WE WOULD HOPEFULLY, UH, USE IT IN OUR DISCUSSIONS WITH THE TOWN OF YY TO DEVELOP GROWTH BOUNDARIES, WHICH, UH, I KNOW THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT WOULD LIKE TO DO AS WELL.
I'M GONNA BE WITH, UH, Y EMBASSY'S PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD NEXT TUESDAY.
UH, NO, I'M SORRY, OCTOBER 1ST.
AND I WILL PROJECT THAT AS WELL.
BUT, UH, IT'S A UNIQUE PARTNERSHIP IF YOU HAVE A LITTLE UNDERSTANDING OF, OF BEAUFORT COUNTY HISTORY.
UH, THIS WAS APPROACHED IN THE PAST AND NOT IN SYMPHONY OR IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS.
AND, UH, I THINK WE'RE HEADED TOWARDS, TOWARDS A MUCH MORE POSITIVE OUTCOME BY WORKING WITH KATE AND GRANT AND HANK, UH, AND ROB MERCHANT AND, UH, MARK DAVIS.
SO I THINK WE'RE ON THE RIGHT TRACK HERE.
UH, I, I HOPE YOU ARE COMFORTABLE WITH IT AND WILL APPROVE IT.
ANY QUESTIONS? DID I READ THAT IN DECEMBER OF 2023? IT WAS APPRAISED FOR SEVEN AND A HALF MILLION IN CHANGE, BUT WE'RE ONLY PAYING SIX AND A HALF MILLION.
UH, THERE ARE DIFFERENT APPRAISALS.
WE'VE, WE HAVE, UH, THE OWNER HAD AN APPRAISAL OF 15,000 AN ACRE.
WE HAD SOME THAT WERE AT 10 AND REALLY WORKING AS YOU READ THROUGH THE, UH, UH, AGENDA INFORMATION STATEMENT BEFORE YOU, UH, THIS IS PART OF A 2,900 ACRE MM-HMM.
AND, UH, YEAH, WE'VE GOTTEN IT DOWN FROM THE HIGHER END OF THE APPRAISAL.
AND I THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY INTERESTING.
IT SAYS, YOU'RE GONNA TERMINATE HUNTING LICENSES.
I NEVER EVEN THOUGHT, NEVER OCCURRED TO ME.
IT REALLY, REALLY WOULDN'T BE GOOD FOR BUSINESS.
WOULDN'T
I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY WITH 500 ACRES AND RAIL, HAS THAT EVEN BEEN CONSIDERED? IS THERE ANY DUE DILIGENCE ON US, YOU KNOW, USING PART OF THIS AS, AS BEAUFORT COUNTY PROPERTY TO, TO HAVE A SOLID WASTE RECYCLING PLACE THAT WOULD THEN YOU HAVE ACCESS TO RAIL, I WOULD SAY IF YOU PAY FOR THE RAIL, UH, ANYTHING'S POSSIBLE, BUT, BUT WITH, WITH KATE SCHAFER AS A CRITICAL PARTNER TO YOU, NOT JUST KATE SCHAFER, BUT, UH, UH, THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS THAT WE HAVE, UH, I WOULD SAY WE CAN ASK ANY QUESTION, BUT, UH, WE'LL HAVE A RESPECTFUL DIALOGUE TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE, FOR A LOT OF GREAT REASONS CONCERNED ABOUT, UH, THE ACE BASIN, THE PO ITALICO AND, AND SO ON, THAT THIS, THIS PROJECT'S, UH, UH, UH, BEST PRACTICE REFLECTS THE FACT THAT THIS IS A COMMUNITY THAT DESIGNATED A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS TO THE GREEN PENNY AND HAS DONE A LOT FOR CONSERVATION.
UH, WE, WE'LL, WE'LL CONSIDER EVERYTHING, BUT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO HAVE A, A, A VERY OPEN CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT.
BUT YOU SAID IT HAD RAIL, OR IT DOESN'T HAVE RAIL, IT HAS RAIL SIDING.
IT WOULD BE ABOUT, UH, WELL, I, I WON'T GUESS ON THE PRICE, BUT IN EXCESS OF A MILLION DOLLARS TO RUN CSX INTO IT.
BUT IT, A CSX HAS RIGHTS ADJACENT TO, UH, WHAT I'LL CALL THE NORTHWEST SIDE OF THE PROJECT, UH, PROPERTY, IF I MIGHT, MR. CHIP? YES, I MIGHT.
UM, THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN IN THE MAKING AS, UH, JOHN SAID FOR, FOR YEARS NOW, THE CHILDREN, THE CHILDREN FOLKS HAVE BEEN INTERESTED IN PARTNERING WITH, WITH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION TO ACTUALLY, UH, SELL THE PROPERTY AND DEVELOP THIS INTO, UH, UH, A PARK, A DEVELOPMENT PARK.
UM, THERE WAS CONCERN OF THE, UH, ACE BASIN RUNNING THROUGH THIS AREA.
AND SO THE ACE BASIN FOLKS AND THE, UM, COASTAL CONSERVATION LEAGUE, UH, OPEN LAND TRUST, ALL OF THOSE FOLKS WERE INVOLVED IN PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.
SO I, I'M, I'M JUST GLAD TO SEE THAT THE PARTNERSHIP HA HAS DEVELOPED IS CURRENTLY WORKING TOGETHER, UH, SO THAT WE CAN MOVE THIS PROJECT FORWARD.
SO, UH, THAT HAVING BEEN SAID, IF THERE'S NO OTHER DISCUSSION, I'M READY TO MAKE A MOTION.
I, I, I MOTION SAID, BUT YEAH.
I WAS GONNA, YEAH, THIS VERY, BEEN IN THE WORKS FOR A LONG TIME.
SO IS THAT OFFICIALLY A MOTION? YEAH, I, I MOVED THAT WE APPROVED E-D-E-D-C TO ACTUALLY, UH, PURCHASE THE 500 ACRES OF THE CHILDREN, UH, TIMBER AND LAND COMPANY FOR THE PRICE LISTED AS 6,530,000.
[01:40:01]
TO MOVE IT TO COUNCIL, RIGHT.IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND IT.
AND SO IT'S BEEN SECONDED AND, AND THE DISCUSSION, AND MR. HERON IS WHISPERING IN MY EAR RIGHT NOW AS A PAST COUNCIL MEMBER, IS, WHERE'S THE MONEY COMING FROM? SO THAT'S THE FIRST THING THAT WE'D LOOK AT IS, IS, UM, WHERE IS THE MONEY GONNA COME FROM FOR A PURCHASE OF $6 MILLION PROPERTY? SO THAT'S, I'M ASSUMING THAT THAT'S PART OF THE 1.3 MILLS THAT IS BEING SET ASIDE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
AND IN COM, UH, FULL DISCLOSURE, OUR BOARD DID A-R-R-F-P FOR PROPOSALS ON FINANCING.
AND, UH, UH, UH, WE HAD, UH, KELLY, SIX OR SEVEN RESPONSES, SEVEN RESPONSES.
AND, UH, UH, UH, PINNACLE, UH, WAS DEEMED THE BEST.
AND WE HAVE A FOLLOW-UP MEETING WITH THEM ON WEDNESDAY.
WE WON'T CLOSE ON THIS UNTIL, UH, PRESUMABLY FEBRUARY AT THE EARLIEST.
BUT, UH, AND I, I SHOULD SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF THIS PARTNERSHIP, WE'RE GONNA MOVE, UH, UH, WITH KATE'S GROUP, UH, THE GROUP SHE'S REPRESENTING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PRESERVE THE, THE, UH, UH, POSITION OF, UH, THE, THE SOUTH CAROLINA LAND BANK TO PURCHASE THE 29 2400 ADJACENT ACRE.
SO THAT'S, THAT WAS IN THE, UH, MOTION MADE BY MY BOARD AND WE'LL HONOR THAT.
SO, UM, IF, IF WE UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING CORRECTLY, WE GOT A MOTION AND A SECOND.
AND THIS IS NOT GOING TO FISCALLY AFFECT US AT ALL, BECAUSE AGAIN, WE'VE ALREADY GOT THE 1.3, THAT'S THE, THE SEED MONEY FOR US TO START WITH THIS.
SO, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION BEFORE WE TAKE A VOTE? NO, NO DISCUSSION.
I JUST WANT TO JUST COMMENT, UM, THAT, UH, APPRECIATE THE, UM, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BOARD WORKING WITH, UH, SOME OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL GROUP OUT THERE.
OPEN LAND, TRUSTING AND COASTAL CONSERVATION.
AND IF YOU GOT THEM ON YOUR SIDE, I'M WITH YOU.
WE, UH, UH, TOOK A, A, AN APPROACH THAT SOME IN GOVERNMENT AT THE TIME THOUGHT WAS WRONG, BUT IT WAS VERY OPEN, UH, AND HONEST KATE.
YEAH, I THINK IS WISE, JUST STEP IN AND ADD SOME PRAISE FOR JOHN AND HIS TEAM BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN VERY OPEN-MINDED AND, YOU KNOW, WE'VE SHARED INFORMATION VERY OPENLY FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS NOW.
UM, AND IT'S LED TO REALLY PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATIONS.
WE'RE ALSO IN THE PROCESS OF PUTTING TOGETHER GRANT MONEY TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, WHERE'S MONEY GONNA COME FROM? UM, AND FEEL VERY CONFIDENT ABOUT THE TIMELINE AND THE ABILITY TO MOVE TOGETHER TO CREATE, UM, LIKE I SAID, MULTIPLE SUCCESSES ON THE ECONOMIC AND THE CONSERVATION FRONT.
SO, UM, THANKS TO JOHN AND HIS TEAM FOR THAT OPPORTUNITY.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALRIGHT, UH, WE WILL PUT THIS TO VOTE.
UM, IS THERE ANY OBJECTION, WE'LL PASS THIS WITHOUT OBJECTION AND I SEE NO OBJECTION.
UM, THIS WILL BE MOVED FORWARD TO COUNSEL FOR APPROVAL.
[13. DISCUSSION AND APPROVAL FOR THE BEAUFORT COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION TO PURCHASE 18.2 ACRES OF FULLY SERVED INDUSTRIAL LAND -134 PARKER DRIVE. (FISCAL IMPACT: $460,000.00 - $25,000 per acre) - John O’Toole, Executive Director, Beaufort County Economic Development Corporation]
MOVE ON THEN.UH, MR. OTU, I THINK YOU'RE BACK UP HERE AGAIN.
UM, AND THIS IS, UM, UH, UH, FOR COUNCIL TO PLACE LAND PURCHASED BY PROJECT MICRO INTO AN EXISTING MULTI-COUNTY INDUSTRIAL PARK.
I THINK YOU HAVE ONE MORE BEFORE THAT.
UM, AND THIS IS FOR DISCUSSION AND APPROVAL FOR THE BUFORT COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION TO PURCHASE 18.2 ACRES OF FULLY SERVED INDUSTRIAL LAND, UM, LOCATED AT 1 34 PARKER DRIVE.
AND THE FISCAL IMPACT OF THIS WOULD BE $460,000, WHICH IS $25,000 PER ACRE.
AND, AND I THINK THE LAST QUESTION ASKED IS THE MOST IMPORTANT AS, AS WE APPROACH ADDITIONAL LAND PURCHASES, UH, UH, PEN PINNACLE FINANCIAL PARTNERS IS GONNA MAKE A $15 MILLION, UH, CREDIT FACILITY AVAILABLE TO US.
SO WE, WE WILL USE THAT CREDIT FACILITY TO MAKE THE PURCHASE YOU JUST APPROVED.
AND THIS ONE, THIS ONE, UH, UH, TRY TO HANDLE THIS AS DELICATELY AS POSSIBLE.
UH, THIS IS ADJACENT TO AN EXISTING INDUSTRY THAT'S IN THE MIDST OF, UH, DOING A LEASE BACK ON ITS FACILITY.
UH, WHAT WE ARE LOOKING TO DO IS, UH, JUST KEEP IN MIND JUST AROUND THE CORNER AT THE BEAUFORT COMMERCE PARK, AND, AND JUST SO YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A 72,000 SQUARE FOOT SPEC BUILDING THAT WE'RE ABOUT TO SIGN A CONTRACT ON A NEW ONE.
WE HAVE A LAUNDRY SERVICE IN THE COMMERCE PARK INVESTING $35 MILLION, AND THERE'LL BE MORE TO COME ON THAT.
SO WE HAVE ACTIVITY IN THE COMMERCE PARK.
UH, WE'RE SELLING ACREAGE IN THE COMMERCE PARK FULLY SERVED JUST LIKE THIS ONE FOR 40,000 AN ACRE.
WE'RE LOOKING TO BUY THIS LAND FOR 25,000 AN ACRE.
AND, UH, IT HELPS AN INCUMBENT BUSINESS WITH CASH FLOW.
SO IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S LIKE A GRANT, IF YOU WILL, BUT WE'RE GETTING VALUE BACK THAT WE ARE GOING TO COMMENCE DUE DILIGENCE
[01:45:01]
ON IF IT PROVES, UH, THAT, UH, UH, THAT THE LAND YOU'RE LOOKING AT THERE IS NOT VIABLE.WE WOULD PULL THE PLUG ON THIS AS WE DO THE DUE DILIGENCE, BUT WE THINK, UH, THAT THIS IS A GREAT PARCEL ON PARKER DRIVE AND, UH, WE'D ASK FOR YOUR APPROVAL ON THIS.
ANY, UH, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? SOMEONE LIKE TO MAKE A, UH, A MOTION? I SO MOVE MR. CHAIR.
IF I MIGHT, IF I MIGHT ASK JOHN, THE FUNDING FOR THIS IS GONNA COME OUT YOUR BUDGET AS WELL OUTTA THAT CREDIT FACILITY? YES.
SO, MR. GLOVER, YOU MADE A MOTION? YES.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
ANY, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION BEFORE WE PUT THIS TO VOTE? MR. MR TO, UM, THE, THE PROPERTY AS IT LOOKS THERE COMING OFF OF PARKER DRIVE WOULD BE LIKE AN ENTRANCE INTO THAT PROPERTY? YES.
AND SO ON THE, ON BOTH SIDE, THERE ARE SOME TYPE OF BUSINESSES GOING ON RIGHT NOW? YES.
UH, UH, ON THE LEFT SIDE, WELL, ACTUALLY ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE ON RIGHT HAND, NOT ON THE LEFT ON, YEAH, NOT ON THE LEFT.
WE'LL VET ALL THAT OUT IN THE DUE DILIGENCE, WHETHER, WHETHER, UH, UH, BUT WE DID RUN IT INITIALLY BY, UH, THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT AND, UH, DOESN'T SEEM TO BE ANY ISSUES, BUT WE'LL, WE'LL VET THAT THROUGH DUE DILIGENCE.
AND AGAIN, WE WENT OUT FOR REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FROM, UH, ENGINEERING FIRMS. AND, UH, THE FIRST PROJECT WAS AWARDED, UH, BASED ON PRICE TO, UH, UH, THE ONE WE JUST WENT OVER TO ALLIANCE CONSULTING ENGINEERING.
AND THIS ONE WILL BE, UH, UH, THOMAS AND HUT.
WE'LL DO THE DUE DILIGENCE ON THIS ONE FOR US.
ANY MORE DISCUSSION? SEE NO DISCUSSION.
IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO THE MOTION THAT'S ON THE FLOOR? SEE NO OBJECTION.
UM, THIS ALSO, UH, WILL BE MOVED FORWARD TO COUNTY COUNSEL.
YOU DON'T SEE ME IN YEARS, AND
[14. RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO COUNCIL TO PLACE LAND PURCHASED BY PROJECT MICRO INTO AN EXISTING MULTI-COUNTY INDUSTRIAL PARK (FISCAL IMPACT: Allocation of revenue would be 99% to Beaufort County and 1% to Jasper County in the Beaufort County portion of the park and 99% to Jasper County and 1% to Beaufort County in the Jasper County portion of the park. This project would fall within the Beaufort County portion of the park) - John O’Toole, Executive Director, Beaufort County Economic Development Corporation]
NOW YOU CAN'T GET RID OF ME.UH, UH, NEXT UP, UH, WOULD BE, LET ME JUST MAKE SURE I'VE GOT THE RIGHT ONE TO, TO PUT IN A MULTI-COUNTY INDUSTRIAL PARK.
WE DO THE, AND FOR NEWER COUNCIL MEMBERS, A WHILE BACK, WE HAD, UH, WILL JOHNSON FROM, UH, HAYNESWORTH, SINKLER AND BOYD GO OVER TAX POLICY AS IT RELATES TO, UH, UH, TO, UM, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES.
THE COMMERCE DEPARTMENT HAS JOB, JOB CREDITS THAT IT OFFERS IN ORDER FOR THE COMPANY TO AVAIL THEMSELVES TO THAT.
WE HAVE TO PUT THEIR PROJECT IN A MULTI-COUNTY INDUSTRIAL PARK.
UH, WHAT, UM, AND THEN ALSO WHEN WE GET TO THE NEXT PART, UH, TO EQUALIZE TAXES, TO PROVIDE AN INCENTIVE IN SOUTH CAROLINA, WE'LL, WE'LL RECOMMEND AN SSRC.
LET ME TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PROJECT.
WELL, IN INITIALLY WE'VE DONE THIS FOR PROJECT GARDEN, WHICH WAS, UH, MATERIALS RESEARCH GROUP IN THE COMMERCE PARK.
WE DID IT FOR, UH, PROJECT BURGER, WHICH WAS SHELL RING.
UH, WE'VE DONE IT FOR STONEWORKS.
UH, AND WE'VE DONE SIMILAR THINGS FOR BURNT CHURCH, UH, DISTILLERY.
SO OUR, OUR, OUR THOUGHTS ARE TO TREAT ALL, UH, UH, DIVERSE OR OR MANUFACTURING PROJECTS, UH, EQUALLY WHEN THEY COME INTO BEAUFORT COUNTY.
SO THAT'S WHY THESE ARE BEFORE YOU.
UH, GERALD DAWSON AND I MET WITH, UM, UH, UH, THE GENTLEMAN WHO IS MOVING THIS OPERATION FROM SALT LAKE CITY TO GARDENS CORNER.
THE PLACE WHERE, UH, BLUE SKY PROCESSING WAS, UH, THEY ARE GOING PLANNING ON CREATING 42 JOBS THAT PAY IN EXCESS OF, UH, A HUNDRED AND I'LL JUST SAY $120,000 A YEAR.
SO IT'S A GOOD AVERAGE COMPENSATION.
SO A LOT OF, UH, A LOT OF RESIDENTS ARE WONDERING WHY WITH THE MARINE CORPS AIR STATION, WE DON'T HAVE MORE OF THAT HERE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
THE GENTLEMAN, UH, UH, GERALD WILL REMEMBER AT THE END OF LUNCH, HE GOES, YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN GREAT.
WHAT CAN I DO FOR YOU? HE SAID, GIVE US FIVE MORE LEADS.
UH, SO THIS COULD BE A GATEWAY PROJECT.
UH, THE IMPACT, UH, UH, FROM THIS PROJECT OVER THREE YEARS FOR WAGES, $17 MILLION IN WAGES, UH, UH, SALES, 34.9 MILLION, AND, UH, I'M, I'M SORRY, SALES OVER THREE YEARS.
AND, UH, UH, UH, SO IT HAS A GREAT ECONOMIC IMPACT.
SO THE REQUEST IS TO PUT IT IN AN MCIP, THAT'S CALLED A MULTI-COUNTY INDUSTRIAL PARK.
AND YOU HAVE TO GIVE SOME PERCENT AWAY TO A A A A COUNTY YOU COLLABORATE WITH.
UH, WE HAVE, WE'LL PUT THIS INTO AN EXISTING MCIP THAT WE HAVE, UH, UH, WITH JASPER COUNTY AND, UH, UH, THE ADMINISTRATOR.
[01:50:01]
AND ANDY FOLGER WAS, UH, MORE THAN WELCOME, UH, TO DO IT.AND, UH, I GUESS HE'S WORKING THROUGH SOME MCPS WITH BUFORT COUNTY, BUT VERY AMENABLE TO DOING THIS WITH US.
SO IT'S A, IT'S A MECHANISM WITH, WITHIN SOUTH CAROLINA TAX POLICY TO OFFER, PUT THEM IN AN MCIP AND THEN THE SSRC TO EQUALIZE THEIR TAXES.
ALRIGHT, ANY MORE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? NO QUESTION.
I JUST COMMENT THAT, UM, AS JOHN SAID, THIS IS MY DISTRICT ALSO AT THE, AT THE OVERPASS, UH, GARDENS CORNER AT 21 INTER SIX GARDEN CORNER.
THE HEMP, UH, FOLKS WERE IN THAT BUILDING AND THEY HAD A GOOD OPERATION GOING, THEN COVID HIT AND THEN THEY, THEY SHUT DOWN.
AND, AND THE VA THE BUILDING WAS JUST VACANT.
SO I'M GLAD TO SEE JOHN RECRUITED, UM, UH, THIS GUY TO COME IN AND ACTUALLY, UM, IS GOING TO OPEN UP, UH, UH, THE BUSINESS AND, AND UTILIZE THE, THE BUILDING AND THE PROPERTY THERE FOR, UM, A VALUABLE ASSET TO THE COUNTY AS FAR AS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS CONCERNED.
I THANK YOU FOR YOU JOB THAT YOU JOB.
IS THAT A MOTION? MOTION FOR APPROVAL? WELL, THAT'S A MOTION, SO I'LL SECOND IT.
ANY MORE DISCUSSION, MR. TILL YOU'RE, IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE GONNA BE BATTING A THOUSAND HERE SO FAR.
SO, UM, WE'LL PROVE THIS WITHOUT OBJECTION.
UM, IT HAS BEEN APPROVED AND MOVED ON TO COUNTY COUNCIL.
[15. RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO COUNCIL TO ENTER IN TO A SPECIAL SOURCE REVENUE CREDIT AGREEMENT WITH PROJECT MICRO (FISCAL IMPACT: Company will be offered equivalent to base FILOT – 6% over 20-year period) - John O’Toole, Executive Director, Beaufort County Economic Development Corporation]
NEXT UP IN YOUR PACKET, AND I KIND OF TOUCHED ON IT ALREADY, IT'S OUR HOPE TO, UH, TREAT ALL MANUFACTURERS EQUALLY.THE ONES WE DON'T LIKE, UH, TREAT EVERYONE THE SAME.
SO THE, UH, UH, SECOND PAGE, UH, JUST BEHIND THE AGENDA INFORMATION STATEMENT, UH, OR SUMMARY SHOWS AN SSRC.
UH, AND THIS IS IF, IF YOU UNDERSTAND SOUTH CAROLINA IN OUR, UH, OUR STATE, UH, CONSTITUTION, THERE'S LIKE A 10, 10%, UH, TAX RATE ON MANUFACTURERS.
THERE WERE REASONS AT, AT THE TIME, IN 1895 WHEN THEY PUT THAT TOGETHER.
THEY WANTED TO MAKE SURE, UH, INTERLOPERS AND, AND PEOPLE FROM THE NORTH DIDN'T BUY UP THE SOUTH.
UH, SOUTH CAROLINA WOULD NOT BE THE STATE IT IS TODAY IF, IF YOU DIDN'T USE TAX POLICY, UH, FILOS AND SRCS, UH, TO, UH, EQUALIZE THAT TAX RATE.
SO THIS IS NOT OUT OF THE ORDINARY.
AND IF COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO WEREN'T HERE THE LAST TIME, UH, WILL, UH, JOHNSON, UH, UH, BRIEFED ON ON S SRCS AND PHILOS, WE'D BE HAPPY TO DO A SESSION.
UH, FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO WANT TO DIVE DEEPER INTO THIS, UH, WILL JOHNSON COULDN'T BE WITH US TODAY.
HE HAD A DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENT, BUT, UH, VERY ACCESSIBLE AND EXPLAINS IT VERY WELL.
COULD YOU EXPLAIN TO THE PUBLIC WHAT SSRC AND FILO STANDS FOR? OH, THANK YOU.
WE USE A LOT OF ACRONYMS IN THE YEAH, I APOLOGIZE.
UH, UH, AND THERE WERE SOME, UH, CODE CHANGES IN 2022 THAT THEY PUT MECHANISMS IN PLACE THAT WE DON'T REALLY USE THE FEE IN LIEU OF TAXES BECAUSE OTHERWISE YOU WOULD FOREGO CERTAIN REBA UH, REIMBURSEMENTS FROM THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
THIS SPECIAL SOURCE REVENUE CREDIT ALLOWS US TO, UH, COME UP WITH AN AGREEMENT ON TAXES.
AND IN YOUR PACKET, UH, YOU CAN SEE, UH, THAT AGREEMENT AND THE ANNUAL FILING THAT THE COMPANY WOULD HAVE TO DO ON ITS TAXABLE PROPERTY IN ORDER TO, UH, UH, PAY THE, UH, UH, SSRC RATE OF, UH, TAX PAYMENTS.
AND SO IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, OVER 20 YEARS, THIS, UH, THIS, UH, COMPANY, WE CALL IT PROJECT MICRO, UH, BUT IT'S, UH, TL AND CO IS THE NAME OF THE COMPANY.
THEY'LL SAVE A QUARTER MILLION DOLLARS OVER 20 YEARS.
UH, AND THE NET PRESENT VALUE OF THAT IS 134, UH, $34,000.
AND IF YOU USE THAT AS THE BACKDROP, UM, UH, OF THE 42 JOBS THAT ARE PAYING WELL OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND, UH, IT'S A VERY GOOD GESTURE.
AND, UH, AS GERALD COULD, UH, GERALD COULD SEE WHEN WE HAD LUNCH WITH TIM DEED DONATO, UH, WHO IS RUNNING THE COMPANY, WE CAN LEVERAGE THAT INTO A GREAT RELATIONSHIP, A LOW COUNTRY WELCOME AND MORE LEADS FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY.
ALRIGHT, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? IS THERE, UH, SOMEONE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION? PLEASE MOVE FOR APPROVAL.
[01:55:03]
SAME THING HERE.WE'RE GONNA MOVE THIS TO COUNCIL.
IS THERE, UH, ANY OBJECTION? SEEING NO OBJECTION.
THIS WILL ALSO BE MOVED TO COUNCIL, SO THANK YOU.
UH, BETTER THAN O THAT'S RIGHT.
MR. CHAIRMAN, UH, QUICKLY I'D LIKE TO, UH, JUST, UH, SAY THAT THIS IS REALLY A GREAT DAY IN BEAUFORT COUNTY, UM, FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
UH, THE PROJECT THAT CAME FORWARD LONG OVERDUE.
UM, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING A LOT OF JOBS CREATION IN THE COUNTY AND I JUST WANT TO THANK THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UH, BOARD AND MR. O'TOOLE FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD AND THIS COUNCIL FOR SUPPORTING THIS ENDEAVOR.
I THINK IT'S A GREAT DAY FOR BEFORD COUNTY.
[16. RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO COUNCIL OF A RESOLUTION TO ACCEPT AN SC AERONAUTICS COMMISSION OFFICE GRANT FOR $750,000 FOR HXD TERMINAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT - Jon Rembold; Airports Director]
MOVE FORWARD THEN.NEXT UP WOULD BE, UM, UH, NUMBER 16 ON OUR AGENDA.
AND THIS IS, UM, UH, MR. JOHN REBEL FROM THE AIRPORT'S DIRECTOR IS COMING BEFORE US.
AND, UM, IT IS A RESOLUTION TO ACCEPT A SOUTH CAROLINA AERONAUTICS COMMISSION OFFICE GRANT FOR $750,000 FOR THE HXD TERMINAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT.
MR. BLE, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
USUALLY I'M IN FRONT OF PUBLIC FACILITIES, BUT IT'S GOOD TO BE HERE WITH FINANCE AND AS JOHN TOLD ME ON THE WAY UP, THE JOHNS ARE GETTING IT DONE TODAY, SO DON'T MESS IT UP SO WE HAVE A STREAK.
BUT BEFORE I START THIS, I JUST, I WANNA LET YOU KNOW THAT, UM, IF YOU WEREN'T AT PUBLIC FACILITIES BACK IN AUGUST, YOU, YOU DIDN'T HEAR, UH, COUNCILMAN CUNNINGHAM SAY THAT HE'S GONNA RUN OUR 5K COMING UP AT THE AIRPORT.
SO I'M HERE TO MAKE ANOTHER PLUG FOR THE 5K AND TO TELL YOU THAT SINCE MIKE'S GONNA BE RUNNING IT, LOGAN HAS TO RUN IT.
SO THEY'RE BOTH OFFICIALLY SIGNED UP.
WE CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THEM ON THE 12TH.
AND, UM, I THINK ONE'S MORE EXCITED THAN THE OTHER.
I'LL LET YOU KNOW WHO THAT IS.
YOU CAN FIGURE THAT OUT ON YOUR OWN.
UM, AND COUNCILWOMAN TABER, NICK HAS REACHED OUT TO VOLUNTEER AT THE RACE TOO.
SO JUST BIG THANKS TO HAVE, UM, ADMINISTRATION AND COUNCIL INVOLVED IN THAT EVENT.
THIS IS OUR FIFTH YEAR, I THINK I SAID FOURTH AT THE, AT THE MEETING OF COUPLE OF LAST MONTH, BUT IT'S ACTUALLY OUR FIFTH TIME DOING IT.
SO GLAD TO SEE IT, IT GROWING AND UH, IT'S A GREAT EVENT TO JUST KIND OF SHOWCASE THE AIRPORT.
ALRIGHT, THE ITEM BEFORE YOU TODAY, THIS IS PROBABLY THE EASIEST ONE YOU'LL HAVE TODAY.
ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS SAY YES.
THE DELEGATION WENT, UM, WORKING FOR US ALL THE TIME IN COLUMBIA.
WE WORKED ON THIS A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO AND IT CAME THROUGH AS AN AIRMARK IN THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET.
AND, UM, SENATOR DAVIS BRIEFED IT HERE WHILE A COUPLE YEARS AGO ACTUALLY.
UH, BUT IT WAS BROUGHT JUST BY OUR ENTIRE DELEGATION, WORKING HARD IN COLUMBIA TO FIND SOME FUNDING FOR THAT TERMINAL IN, UH, AT THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND AIRPORT.
SO THIS IS, SINCE THE PROJECTS IS NOW UNDERWAY, WE ARE INCURRING THE, UH, UH, CONTRACTOR PAY REQUESTS.
AND, AND SO WE'RE PAYING THE BILLS.
WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO DRAW THIS FULL $750,000 FROM, UM, SOUTH CAROLINA AERONAUTICS.
I SAY FROM THEM, THEY'RE THE CUSTODIANS OF THAT EARMARK OF THE GOVERNOR'S EARMARK.
SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE THE, UH, THE AGENCY FROM WHOM WE, WE DRAW THE FUNDS.
SO THIS JUST COMES BEFORE YOU AS, AS KIND OF THE, THE FORMAL ACCEPTANCE OF THOSE FUNDS.
ANY QUESTIONS? THAT'S GOOD NEWS.
SOMEONE LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION, PLEASE? I'LL MAKE THE MOTION.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
ALRIGHT, MR. BRA, YOU THANK YOU.
IS THERE ANY MORE DISCUSSION? NO.
WE'LL APPROVE THIS WITHOUT OBJECTION.
UM, THIS WILL ALSO BE MOVED TO COUNSEL.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE AND WAITING HERE THIS LONG PROBLEM.
WE SHOULD PROBLEM PUT YOU AT THE FIRST OF THE LIST INSTEAD.
BUT NO, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
[17. RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF A CONTRACT CHANGE ORDER FOR AN ADDITIONAL $10,958.49 IN FUNDING FOR THE COMPLETION AND CLOSEOUT OF THE FIRE STATION 34 PROJECT (FISCAL IMPACT: $10,958.49 to be paid from Account # 4000-80-1330-54420 CIP Contingency Fund) - Hank Amundson, Special Assistant to the County Administrator]
UH, NUMBER 17.AND THIS IS, UM, CONTRACT CHANGE ORDER FOR AN ADDITIONAL $10,958 AND 49 CENTS IN FUNDING FOR THE COMPLETION AND CLOSE OUT OF THE FIRE STATION 34 PROJECT.
AND MR. MUNSON, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AGAIN.
UM, WE'LL SEE IF YOU'RE AS GOOD AS MR. O'TOOLE AT THOUSAND.
I DON'T KNOW, YOU KNOW, WHEN PEOPLE GET ENOUGH HITS IN A ROW AT FIRST IT'S FUN 'CAUSE IT'S A RALLY, BUT THEN IT BECOMES PRESSURE LIKE YOU'RE GONNA BE THE ONE WHO MESSES IT'S PRESSURE.
BUT SO BASICALLY THIS HAS BEEN A LONG PROJECT THAT CAME BEFORE YOU GUYS AT THE END OF LAST YEAR BECAUSE THERE WAS ORIGINAL CONTRACT FOR ABOUT 1.2 MILLION, UM, WITH A CONTINGENCY THERE, THERE WAS A LARGE CHANGE ORDER AT THE END OF LAST YEAR TO GET THIS DONE.
SO COUNCIL MET, WE GAVE A VERY HARD DEADLINE AND A FIRM NUMBER.
UM, STAFF WORKED WITH THE CONTRACTOR THROUGH A LITTLE BIT OF PAIN AND PUSHING AND WE GOT IT FINISHED ON TIME AND WE GOT IT FINISHED WITH SATISFACTION.
HOWEVER, UH, THE CLOSEOUT PERIOD TAKES TIME AFTER THAT JANUARY DEADLINE, WHICH WAS FOR THE STAFF TO BE ABLE TO MOVE INTO THE BUILDING.
BUT WE, AFTER THAT YOU THEN HAVE A GENERATOR THAT GETS DELIVERED LATER SO YOU DON'T GET YOUR
[02:00:01]
FINAL BILL UNTIL MID LATE JULY.WHEN WE GOT THAT BILL THERE WAS THIS, THIS $10,900 DIFFERENCE.
NORMALLY THAT WOULDN'T HAVE TO COME HERE, BUT BECAUSE YOU GUYS HAD ALREADY ADJUSTED THIS CONTRACT AND YOU DID APPROVE A FINAL NUMBER AND THAT'S IN EXCESS OF APPROVABLE NUMBERS, WE WANTED TO BRING THIS BACK TO YOU FOR YOUR APPROVAL TO FINALLY CLOSE OUT.
STATION 34, UH, THE STATION 34 SAGA.
WE SEE THAT THE MONEY IS, UH, COMING OUT OF THE CIP CONTINGENCY FUND, SO YES.
UM, MONEY IS ALREADY AVAILABLE AND ALLOCATED.
UM, ANY QUESTIONS? ANY YOU HAVE SOMEONE THAT CAN MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THIS? I'LL MAKE THE MOTION.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND IT.
AND, UH, SO THIS WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTIONS.
DO I SEE ANY OBJECTIONS? I DO NOT.
[18. RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO COUNCIL THE DEMOLITION OF THE AGNES MAJOR COMMUNITY CENTER TO BE PERFORMED BY PUBLIC WORKS - Hank Amundson, Special Assistant to the Administrator]
THEN TO NUMBER 18.UM, YOU'RE BACK UP HERE, HANK.
I THINK, UH, ONE MORE HIT SIT DOWN, DEMOLITION OF THE AGNES MAJOR COMMUNITY CENTER TO BE PERFORMED BY PUBLIC WORKS.
SO WE HAVE, UH, AS PART OF OUR COMMUNITY CENTER PROJECTS THAT WE'RE BUILDING AT A AGNES MAJOR IN WESLEY FELIX AND IN DUSKY, UM, THERE'S AN OLD EXISTING BUILDING THAT WAS USED BY THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB THAT HAS OVERTIME DETERIORATED AND THAT NEEDS TO BE DEMOLISHED IN ORDER TO CLEAR THE WAY, WHETHER IT'S AT THE EXACT SITE OR ON SITE ON THE PARK TO BUILD THE NEW COMMUNITY CENTER.
WE'VE ALREADY HAD, UH, ASBESTOS AND MOLD REMEDIATED.
WHAT HAS HAPPENED IS PUBLIC WORKS STEPPED UP AND SAID THAT THEY COULD DO THE DEMOLITION IN-HOUSE.
SO THERE'S NO FISCAL IMPACT TO US EXCEPT FOR STAFF TIME.
THE REASON IT'S HERE IS BECAUSE IT'S DESTROYING COUNTY PROPERTY.
AND SO I NEED APPROVAL TO DESTROY A COUNTY BUILDING.
IS THERE A SECOND TO THAT MOTION? I'LL SECOND IT.
UH, ANY MORE DISCUSSION? SEEING NO DISCUSSION, WE WILL APPROVE THIS WITHOUT OBJECTION.
UM, WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU'RE MOVING, UM, HAZARDOUS MATERIAL, DO WE HAVE THE PROPERTY EQUIPMENT FOR OUR STAFF? HERE'S THE GOOD NEWS.
WE'VE ALREADY HAD A PRIVATE CONTRACTOR REMOVED FOR THE HAZARDOUS MATERIAL.
THAT'S WHY WE CAN DO IT IN HOUSE.
'CAUSE IT'S NOW JUST STICKS AND BOARDS AND CONCRETE.
I JUST WANNA KNOW MR. DAWSON'S THE BIG WINNER TONIGHT.
WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE? HANK, HANK, IF, IF YOU WOULD GIVE ME AN UPDATE, UM, ON WHERE WE ARE WITH THE NEW BUILDING AS WE TEAR THIS DOWN, JUST GIMME AN UPDATE I WHERE WE ARE WITH THE NEW BUILDING RIGHT NOW? NO.
SO THAT I CAN SHARE THAT WITH THE COMMUNITY.
ALRIGHT, SO WE GOING TO NUMBER 19
[19. RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO COUNCIL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO ENTER INTO A FACILITY USE AGREEMENT WITH THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT - Eric Brown, Parks and Recreation Director]
AND UM, WE'VE GOT, UH, ERIC BROWN FROM PARKS AND RECREATION, WHO'S OUR DIRECTOR THERE.AND THIS IS, UM, UH, LOOKING FOR A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO ENTER INTO A FACILITY USE AGREEMENT WITH THE BUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT.
MR. BROWN, THANK YOU FOR COMING TODAY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE AS WELL.
I'M NOT SEEN YOU SITTING OUT THERE WAITING FOR US.
THANK YOU GUYS AND GOOD AFTERNOON.
YES, A LONG WAITED, UH, PROCESS AND UH, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY, UM, YES, BRITTANY OWED ME, UH, I TOLD YOU SO BECAUSE WE THOUGHT THAT THIS PROJECT OR THIS AGREEMENT WOULD BE FINISHED TWO MONTHS AGO, BUT THE SCHOOL BOARD ASKED FOR SOME FOR ADDITIONAL INSURANCE AND WE WERE, UM, ABLE TO GET THE INSURANCE.
I WANT TO THANK BRITTANY FOR HER DUE DILIGENCE ON GETTING THAT INSURANCE THAT'S NEEDED.
SO THE SCHOOL BOARD HAVE, UM, SIGNED OFF ON IT AND NOW IT'S IN, UM, THE COUNCIL CORNER TO SIGN OFF ON.
AND THIS AGREEMENT WILL ALLOW US TO HAVE SHARED USAGE WITH OUR REC CENTER AND THE SCHOOL BOARD PROPERTY WHEN IT COMES TO THE FIELDS.
UM, THIS WILL GET OUR KIDS IN SCHOOL HOME SOONER BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE TO TRAVEL AS FAR TO PLAY A GAME WHEN THEY DON'T HAVE A FIELD AT THEIR FACILITY.
AND VICE VERSA WOULD GIVE US A CHANCE TO, UM, HAVE MORE OF BEAUFORT COUNTY KIDS AND ADULTS ON OUR, UM, COUNTY SCHOOL FIELDS AS WELL.
I JUST WANNA THANK YOU AND BRITTANY FOR GETTING THIS DONE.
I CAN REMEMBER WHEN PEOPLE WEREN'T ALLOWED TO WALK ON THE TRACK AT BEAUFORT MIDDLE BECAUSE OF A PREVIOUS SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS, BUT I'M SO GLAD THAT Y'ALL WORKED WITH DR. RODRIGUEZ AND THANKS TO HIM AND THE SCHOOL BOARD FOR GETTING THIS DONE SO OUR CHILDREN AND OTHER PEOPLE CAN USE JOINT FACILITIES.
WHEN I FIRST GOT ON COUNCIL LAST YEAR, I WAS VERY SURPRISED THAT THE DISTRICT HAD TO PAY TO USE OUR FACILITY FOR, I THINK IT WAS ROBERT SMALLS MIDDLE SCHOOL.
IT'S LIKE, WHY ARE THEY PAYING? WE'RE ALL THE SAME THINGS.
SO THIS IS A GREAT STEP AND I SPOKE TO A COUPLE SCHOOL BOARD, UH, MEMBERS.
WELL, I'LL, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE IT.
[02:05:01]
GO.IF YOU WANNA SAY DISCUSSION NOW.
NO, I, I I, I I ECHO EVERYTHING THAT WAS SAID.
UM, I, I NOTICE IN THE AGREEMENT THAT IT'S ONLY FOR THE FACILITY.
I MEAN FACILITY, UM, RECREATIONAL FACILITY BUT NOT THE BUILDINGS.
AND, UM, I HAVE ONE BUILDING THAT I WOULD LOVE SOME CONSIDERATION FOR ON ST.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT COMMUNITY SAID WHEN THEY RAISE THAT SCHOOL, THE OLD 54 SCHOOLS, THAT WE WANT TO KEEP THE GYM THERE FOR THE COMMUNITY.
SO I'M HOPING THAT THERE MAY BE SOME CONSIDERATION FOR ACTIVITIES IN THAT FACILITY AND THOSE ARE STILL CONTINUED.
THOSE ARE CONTINUATION OF MEETINGS THAT WE'LL CONTINUE TO HAVE AND MAKING SURE THAT BOTH PARTIES, UH, CAN COME TO SOME TYPE OF SAFE AGREEMENT AND, AND, UM, SOMETHING THAT WILL BE FEASIBLE FOR BOTH OF US.
AND NOT MONEY MONET, YOU KNOW, MONETARILY, BUT DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT CAN BE FEASIBLE FOR BOTH OF US.
YEAH, AND I, I'VE JUST GOT ONE QUESTION AND, AND UM, OBVIOUSLY EVERY AGREEMENT THERE'S A PRO AND A CON SO WE KNOW WHAT THE PROS ARE.
IS THERE ANY CON WHAT WHAT I MEAN OVERUSES OF FIELDS OR WHAT, WHAT COULD BE SOMETHING THAT MIGHT BE THE I DON'T KNOW OF ANY CONS.
SO I WAS TRYING TO THINK OF ONE, BUT YEAH, YEAH, THERE ARE ANY CONS.
I MEAN, THE ONLY THING IF, IF THERE'S ANY AFTER HOURS, UM, WE WON'T PAY FOR FIELDS.
SCHOOL BOARD WOULDN'T PAY FOR FIELDS.
BUT IF THERE'S A JANITORIAL UM, FEE FOR AN AFTER HOUR, WE'LL AGREED THAT WE WILL COVER THOSE.
AND BY, RIGHT, I MEAN IF, IF SOMEONE HAD TO COME IN FOR OVERTIME TO DO, UM, A PROGRAM THAT, OR SUPPORT ACTIVITY THAT WENT OVER, WE'LL BE GLADLY AND ON BOTH PARTIES WE'LL BE GLADLY UM, JUST OPEN UP TO LOCK UP AND DO RIGHT.
AND WE DON'T ANTICIPATE ANY OF THAT.
BUT OUR ADULT LEAGUES, OUR LEAGUES ARE, THAT ARE PLAYED AT NIGHT.
SO WE'RE WORKING OUT THOSE LOGISTICS AND, UM, FROM THE SCHOOL BOARD, DR.
CAVE HAVE BEEN, UH, TREMENDOUSLY, UH, HELPFUL WITH US AND HE'S WORKING WITH US AND WE HAVE A FEW MEETINGS WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD NOW.
ALRIGHT, MR. CHAIRMAN, CHAIRMAN, DID YOU GET WHO MADE THE MOTION AND THE SECOND? YES SIR.
ALRIGHT CHAIRMAN, ANY MORE DISCUSSION? GOOD MR. LOVE THAT THIS IS A REALLY, A TRULY A WIN-WIN FOR THE COMMUNITY.
UM, THESE FACILITIES BEEN THERE FOR YEARS AND LIKE MRS. HOWARD SAID YOU COULDN'T HAVE ACCESS TO IT.
SO I THINK THIS IS A REALLY A WIN-WIN.
AND, UM, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO, UM, BEAUFORT HIGH SCHOOL HAVING THE BEST FOOTBALL TEAM BECAUSE OF THIS
UH, ANY MORE DISCUSS DISCUSSION? I'M NOT THE COACH THOUGH.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MR. MR. BROWN, I APPLAUD YOU AND, UH, BRITTANY AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR WORKING OUT THIS AGREEMENT, UM, TO UTILIZE THE FIELDS, UH, OUT AT, UH, DALE CENTER.
WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A, WHAT I WOULD CALL A FABULOUS FIELD OUT THERE, UM, WITH, UH, BATHROOMS, UH, PUBLIC BATHROOMS AND EVERYTHING, BUT PARKING IS ISSUE.
SO I'D LIKE FOR US TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND GIVE SOME SORT CONSIDERATION TO ACTUALLY LOOKING INTO YES.
ALRIGHT, SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND, AND VOTE IF THERE'S NO MORE DISCUSSION.
IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO THIS? SEEING NO OBJECTION.
UM, THIS HAS GOTTEN THIS, UH, COMMITTEE'S APPROVAL.
SO AGAIN, MR. BROWN, WE AGAIN APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE.
WE'RE GLAD YOU'RE HERE WITH US AND, UH, GLAD THAT YOU, YOU'VE COME AND, AND YOU'RE PART OF OUR TEAM NOW.
[20. RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO COUNCIL OF A RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SOCIAL MEDIA GUIDELINES - Hannah Nichols, PIO]
NUMBER 20.UM, LET'S RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO COUNSEL RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE BUFORT COUNTY SOCIAL MEDIA GUIDELINES.
UM, SO ONE OF MY RESPONSIBILITIES AS YOUR PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER IS TO CREATE AND IMPLEMENT A COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNICATIONS PLAN.
AND ONE THING THAT WE NOTICED WHEN WE DID OUR LAST SOCIAL MEDIA AUDIT WAS THAT IN ADDITION TO THE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT NOT KNOWING EXACTLY HOW MANY PAGES WERE OUT THERE, WE DIDN'T HAVE ACCESS TO SOME, A FEW WEREN'T CONNECTED TO OUR VOIA ARCHIVING SOFTWARE AND THERE WAS ACTUALLY NO SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY IN PLACE.
UM, I WANT TO BE CLEAR, THIS IS NOT FOR EMPLOYEES PERSONAL PAGES THAT IS ADDRESSED IN THE PERSONNEL HANDBOOK.
THIS IS SOLELY FOR DEPARTMENTS UNDERNEATH ADMINISTRATION THAT ARE USING SOCIAL MEDIA TO DISTRIBUTE CONTENT, OUTREACH, COMMUNICATION, THAT SORT OF THING.
UM, BUT THE POLICY CURRENTLY DOES NOT EXIST.
SO THE GOAL WAS TO CREATE SOMETHING THAT WAS JUST A BEST KIND OF PRACTICES GUIDEBOOK AND THAT ALLOWED FOR SUCCESSION PLANS.
SO THAT SHOULD SOMEONE WHO'S CURRENTLY OPERATING A PAGE FOR A DEPARTMENT LEAVE, THERE IS A PLAN IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T LOSE ACCESS TO THAT PAGE.
[02:10:01]
THAT WE HAVE ACCESS FOR FOIA PURPOSES.YES, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO AMEND ITEM 20 TO REMOVE THE WORD GUIDELINES AND REPLACE IT WITH POLICY.
'CAUSE THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE DOING.
IS THERE A SECOND TO THAT MOTION? I'LL SECOND IT.
UH, I THINK MR. DAWSON GOT THERE FIRST, SO, UM, OH, OKAY.
UM, BUT, UH, ALRIGHT, SO ANY MORE DISCUSSION REGARDING MAKING IT A POLICY AND NOT A GUIDELINE? AND YOU'RE OKAY WITH THAT MS. NICHOLS? OF COURSE.
UH, ANY MORE DISCUSSION? ALRIGHT.
UM, SO WE HAVE A, UM, A, A AMENDMENT TO CHANGE IT TO GUIDELINES.
UM, IF THERE'S NO OBJECTION, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND DO THAT AND THEN CHANGE TO POLICY CHANGES FROM, FROM GUIDELINES TO POLICY.
AND THEN, UM, WE WILL THEN IS CAN I HAVE SOMEONE MAKE A A MOTION A MOTION TO THE AMENDMENT TO MAKING THAT? WELL, WE DID MAKE THE AMENDMENT ALRIGHT, NOW WE'RE GONNA TAKE ACTION ON THAT.
THEN I WILL MAKE THE MOTION TO APPROVE THIS AS AMENDED.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
ANY MORE DISCUSSION? I, I'M SHOCKED HOW MANY THERE ARE SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES.
BUT I'M GLAD TO SEE IT'S GONNA BE KINDA REIGNED IN AND THIS NUMBER IS NOT COUNTING THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN CREATED AND ABANDONED OVER THE YEARS, SO WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN MOVING FORWARD.
ANY MORE DISCUSSION? I WILL APPROVE THIS WITHOUT OBJECTION AND WE SEE NO OBJECTION.
THANK YOU MS. NI, THANK YOU FOR COMING.
[21. BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS APPOINTMENTS & REAPPOINTMENTS]
UM, NUMBER 21 ON OUR AGENDA BOARDS AND COMMISSION APPOINTMENTS AND REAPPOINTMENTS.I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND READ ALL FOUR AND THEN, UM, I'D LIKE TO ASK TO VOTE ON 'EM ALL AT ONE TIME UNLESS SOMEONE HAS AN OBJECTION TO THAT.
IF THEY DO, WE WILL PULL OUT AND VOTE ON 'EM ALL SEPARATELY OR WE WILL VOTE ON WHICHEVER ONE THEY'D LIKE TO PULL OUT.
BUT, UM, FOR PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD, UM, RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE APPOINTMENT OF, UH, ELIZABETH COMP PUERO TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD.
UM, AND, UH, GO ON THEN TO LOW COUNTRY REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY.
RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE APPOINTMENT OF JOHN HOAK TO THE LOW COUNTRY REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY.
UM, THE FOURTH ONE IS KEEP BUFORT COUNTY BEAUTIFUL BOARD AND THAT IS RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL OF APPOINTMENT OF CONSTANCE HOPE CUNNINGHAM.
UH, AGAIN, THAT'S TO THE BUFORT COUNTY, UH, BEAUFORT COUNTY.
WAIT, KEEP BUFORT COUNTY BEAUTIFUL BOARD.
AND THE FINAL ONE IS, UM, THE DIS DISABILITIES AND SPECIAL NEEDS BOARD AND WE'VE GOT A RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE TO THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF FAYE PATRICK ALSTON.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS FOR THE DISABILITIES AND SPECIAL NEEDS BOARD.
UM, AND AGAIN, IF, IF NO ONE HAS ANY OBJECTION, WE'RE GONNA VOTE THOSE AT ONE TIME.
SEEING NO OBJECTION, I'D ASK FOR SOMEONE TO MAKE THE, UM, A MOTION TO APPROVE ALL FOUR.
ALRIGHT, IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU MS. HOWARD.
UH, SO ANY MORE DISCUSSION ON THESE FOUR CANDIDATES? SEEING NO DISCUSSION, WE'LL APPROVE THEM WITHOUT OBJECTION AND THEY ARE ALL APPROVED.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT NEEDS TO COME BEFORE THIS COMMITTEE? GOOD MEETING.
UM, WE ARE ADJOURNED AT FOUR 16.