* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.
          [00:00:01]
          CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY, BLUFFTON STATE OF THE REGION. 
          ADDRESS. 
          JOINING ME RIGHT NOW IS BUFORT COUNTY'S ASSISTANT COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR OF INFRASTRUCTURE, JARED, AND WE ARE GONNA TALK ABOUT WHAT WAS THE STATE OF THE REGION, ESPECIALLY IN REGARDS TO TRANSPORTATION. 
          RIGHT? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. 
          SO I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT I HAD A LITTLE BIT OF A TOUGH TIME, UH, GETTING HERE TODAY. 
          THERE WERE A COUPLE WRECKS, COUPLE OF LIKE TIGHT SPOTS. 
          DO WE HAVE ANY PLANS IN THE REGION TO KIND OF TRY TO FIX THOSE PROBLEMS? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. 
          SO I TOO HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS GETTING TO HILTON HEAD TODAY, AND I THINK MANY OF OUR RESIDENTS AND VISITORS DO ALIKE. 
          UM, SO WHAT IT TAKES TO DO THAT IS PROJECTS AND FUNDING. 
          AND SO WE HAVE VARIOUS PROJECTS, UH, AND A FUNDING MECHANISM PROPOSED AND ACTUALLY COMING UP HERE VERY SOON WITH A NOVEMBER ELECTION AND A TRANSPORTATION REFERENDUM. 
          UH, AND THOSE PROJECTS WON. 
          UH, THE BIG PROJECTS IS THE EXISTING BRIDGE, UM, WHICH I WAS IN TRAFFIC TODAY ON. 
          AND SO, UM, THERE'S FUNDING THERE TO HELP BRING THAT PROJECT TO ITS FRUITION. 
          THAT'S, UM, THAT'S GOOD TO HEAR. 
          ARE WE GONNA HEAR ANYTHING ABOUT THAT IN TODAY'S PRESENTATION? YOU THINK? I NOTICED THAT WE HAD A SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION SPEAKER HERE. 
          YEP, ABSOLUTELY. 
          I BELIEVE, UH, SECRETARY POWELL WILL BE HERE, UH, AS WELL AS CHAIRMAN PASSMAN WITH BEAUFORT COUNTY COUNCIL. 
          SO, UM, THIS IS A LOCAL TAX, NOT A STATE TAX, SO IT WILL BE MORE IN PROBABLY, WE'LL, I WOULD EXPECT TO HEAR IT FROM CHAIRMAN PASSMAN AS FAR AS TRANSPORTATION, AS ONE COUNTY COUNCIL HAD TO APPROVE IT AND AUTHORIZE IT TO, TO MAKE IT TO THE REFERENDUM. 
          AND SO I'M SURE HE'LL BE GIVING US SOME MORE INSIGHT ON THAT TODAY. 
          WELL, THAT SOUNDS AWESOME. 
          WE CERTAINLY ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING THAT. 
          IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE OUR VIEWERS TO KNOW TODAY BEFORE WE GET STARTED ON THIS EVENT? WELL, THIS IS JUST A GREAT EVENT. 
          I'M GLAD TO HEAR THERE'S ALWAYS A GREAT CROWD. 
          UM, I THINK THE STORY IS, AND WE'LL PROBABLY HEAR SOME OF THIS TODAY TOO, IS, IS WE'RE EXPERIENCING A LARGE AMOUNT OF GROWTH, UH, BOTH AT THE STATE LEVEL AND HERE LOCALLY. 
          SO WE'VE GOT TO WORK TOGETHER TO ADDRESS THAT AND I THINK WE'LL HEAR SOME GREAT PLANS ON WHAT THE STATE OF THE REGION AND HOW WE PLAN TO ADDRESS THAT GROWTH IN OUR COMMUNITY. 
          AWESOME. 
          WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US. 
          UM, SO I AM BEING TOLD THAT WE ONLY HAVE A COUPLE OF MINUTES BEFORE WE START THE BROADCAST TODAY, SO WE MAY HAVE TO GET MORE CAUGHT UP WITH YOU LATER. 
          YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. 
          I APPRECIATE YOU JOINING ME. 
          ALL RIGHT, SOUNDS GOOD. 
          THANK YOU. 
          AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE YOU STEP RIGHT OVER HERE TODAY. 
          THIS IS THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND OF BLUFF, STATE OF THE REGION ADDRESS. 
          WE'RE SUPER EXCITED TO HOST THIS EVENT TODAY, THANKS TO EVERYBODY WHO'S ORGANIZED IT, AND, UM, WE APPRECIATE YOU JOINING US ON THE STREET. 
          GARY FROM HILTON HEAD, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. 
          WELL, THANK Y'ALL FOR BEING HERE AND, AND BROADCASTING THIS SO THE RESIDENTS CAN, NO, ALL THE RESIDENTS CAN SEE IT. 
          WE HOPE THAT IT IS A GREAT EVENT TODAY AND WE APPRECIATE YOU. 
          UH, YOU'RE SPEAKING RIGHT? I AM SPEAKING. 
          CAN YOU GIVE US ANY INSIGHT ON WHAT WE MIGHT HEAR FROM YOU TODAY? WELL, UM, HOPEFULLY EVERYBODY THAT'S WATCHING RIGHT NOW IS GONNA CONTINUE TO WATCH THROUGHOUT THE SPEECH. 
          SO THERE, THERE IS A COUPLE OF, UH, THERE'S ONE UNIQUE THING THAT'S COMING OUT TODAY, BUT I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE ARE CURRENTLY. 
          YOU KNOW, THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING, THE, THE, THE PROJECTS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON THROUGHOUT THE TOWN, UM, AND WHERE WE'RE LOOKING TO GO IN THE FUTURE. 
          SO IT CERTAINLY IS GONNA BE AN EXCITING MORNING. 
          NOW, HOOD ISLAND JUST RECEIVED ITS EIGHTH CONSECUTIVE READER'S CHOICE AWARD FOR NUMBER ONE ISLAND IN AMERICA, RIGHT? THAT IS CORRECT. 
          FOR THE EIGHTH YEAR. 
          THAT'S INCREDIBLE. 
          YEAH. 
          YEAH. 
          SO I THOUGHT ABOUT ACTUALLY PUTTING ON MY SHORTS AND FLIP FLOPS AND COMING OUT IN THE BEACH AT, BUT, UH, TO CELEBRATE, BUT THAT'S REALLY AN EXCITING THING, YOU KNOW? UM, THE EVERYBODY IN THE TOWN HAS WORKED VERY HARD TO, TO KEEP THE QUALITY UP AND TO MAKE IT JUST A SPECIAL PLACE. 
          AND, AND IT'S, TO HAVE IT EIGHT YEARS IN A ROW, THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT COMPETITION OUT THERE. 
          IT'S REALLY SPECIAL. 
          AND YOU KNOW WHAT? WE WANNA MAKE CERTAIN, WE HOLD ONTO THAT TITLE FOR A WHILE, FOR A WHILE, AND WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO WORK TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. 
          IF YOU HAD TO SAY ONE THING THAT JUST TAKES TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ABOVE AND BEYOND YOUR COMPETITORS, WHAT WOULD IT BE? YOU KNOW WHAT? UM, SO THERE'S A LOT OF, THERE'S A LOT OF QUESTIONS THAT COME EVERYBODY'S WALKING THROUGH, BUT THAT'S OKAY. 
          THAT, SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THE PARKS ARE GREAT, THE ENVIRONMENT IS GREAT, BUT YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MAKES IT SO SPECIAL FOR THE PEOPLE, RIGHT? THERE'S A GREAT PHILANTHROPIC GIVING OF TIME IN THIS COMMUNITY, AND THAT'S WHAT REALLY MAKES IT, AND THAT'S WHERE THE CHARACTER COMES FROM, ARE THE PEOPLE THAT CARE ABOUT WHERE WE ARE TODAY, CARE ABOUT THE DIFFERENT ASPECTS, ALL THE NONPROFITS. 
          AND THAT'S A REALLY SPECIAL, SUCH A DIVERSE COMMUNITY. 
          SO IT'S REALLY A LOT OF DIFFERENT AREAS THAT ARE COMING IN, BUT THAT'S WHAT MAKES IT SO SPECIAL. 
          WELL, WE REALLY, UM, ABSOLUTELY EMPATHIZE WITH THAT. 
          WE APPRECIATE YOUR PARTNERSHIP. 
          THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY. 
          I WOULD LOVE TO CATCH UP MORE WITH YOU LATER. 
          YEAH, LOVE TO. 
          I'M TOLD THAT WE ARE ABOUT TO ROLL INTO OUR EVENT. 
          YES. 
          SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          THANK YOU, HEATHER. 
          THANK YOU'ALL. 
          THANK YOU. 
          [00:05:10]
I CAN'T WAIT TILL THE MORNING HAS GONE, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT THE TIME IS JUST RIGHT AND STRAIGHT INTO MY, AND WHEN YOU COME, YOU KNOW, MY HEART WILL BE WAITING TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU NEVER ALONE AND MY DREAMS WILL COME TRUE. 
          I MAKE YOU MY, AND EVERY TIME I TOUCH YOU, YOU JUST, AND I KNOW HOW I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WIDGET STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. 
          OH, SAY WHAT? SO PROUDLY WE HELD AT THE TWILIGHT WHO BROAD STRIPES AND PRIDE THROUGH THE PAPER OR THE PARTS WE WATCHED WERE SO AND OH. 
          THANK YOU. 
          PLEASE BE SEATED AND GOOD AFTERNOON. 
          ON BEHALF OF OUR BOARD AND OUR BOARD CHAIR, JAY WENDELL, MY PLEASURE TO WELCOME YOU TO OUR 28TH ANNUAL STATE OF THE REGION. 
          BEFORE WE GO ANY FURTHER, I THINK WE SHOULD GIVE A BIG THANK YOU TO THE PARIS ISLAND 
          [00:10:01]
MARINE JAZZ BAND. 
          UNDER THE LEADERSHIP, UNDER THE LEG LEADERSHIP OF SERGEANT PLUMMER, AS WELL AS THE PARIS ISLAND MARINE CORPS COLOR GUARD, UH, AND THEN OUR NATIONAL ANTHEM VOCALIST, CORPORAL MARQUIS BROWN. 
          WHAT A LOVELY VOICE AND A GREAT WAY TO GET US STARTED TODAY. 
          WE'RE SO THANKFUL FOR THEIR SERVICE AND WE'RE REALLY GRATEFUL FOR 'EM TO BE ABLE TO ATTEND AND BE WITH US TODAY. 
          IT'S ALWAYS AN HONOR FOR THE CHAMBER TO HOST THIS EVENT, BUT THIS YEAR, WE'RE ESPECIALLY PROUD TO WELCOME YOU TO AMERICA'S NUMBER ONE ISLAND. 
          IT WAS JUST TWO DAYS AGO THAT HILTON HEAD ISLAND WON THE TOP ISLAND IN THE COUNTRY THAT WAS VOTED ON BY THE READERS OF CONDE NAST TRAVELER. 
          AND SO THAT FOLKS WAS THE EIGHTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR THAT HILTON HEAD ISLAND WAS VOTED THE TOP ISLAND IN NORTHERN AMERICA BY AGAIN, THE READERS OF CONDE NA TRAVELER. 
          YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S A TESTAMENT TO THE VISION AND THE HARD WORK OF SO MANY PEOPLE, UH, NOT ONLY IN THIS ROOM, BUT THROUGHOUT THAT MAKE IT SUCH A GREAT PLACE FOR RESIDENTS, FOR FAMILIES, FOR BUSINESSES, AND THOSE VISITORS WHO COME HERE LOOKING FOR THAT ENRICHING AND REWARDING EXPERIENCE. 
          AND, UH, FORTUNATELY WE'RE ABLE TO DELIVER THAT HERE IN THE LOW COUNTRY WITH SO MANY, MANY GREAT THINGS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR SO MANY. 
          AND THE GOOD NEWS DOESN'T STOP THERE. 
          THE SAVANNAH HILTON HEAD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WAS ALSO CHOSEN, THE NUMBER ONE, THE TOP AIRPORT IN THE COUNTRY BY THOSE SAME READERS OF CONDE NAS TRAVELER, FIVE CONSECUTIVE YEARS FOR THE SAVANNAH HILTON HEAD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. 
          ALSO ON THE LIST WAS MONTAGE PALMETTO BLUFF COMING IN AT NUMBER SEVEN OF THE TOP 20 RESORTS IN THE SOUTH. 
          AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE PALMETTO DUNES RIGHT HERE, WHERE WE ARE TODAY, UH, COMING IN THE STRONG AT NUMBER 13. 
          SO A BIG, HUGE CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THOSE FOR THAT EXCEPTIONAL RECOGNITION HILTON HAD. 
          ICE ISLAND WAS ALSO RECENT, RECENTLY RECOGNIZED BY THE US TRAVEL ASSOCIATION. 
          UH, OUR 2024 VISITOR VACATION PLANNER, WHICH IS ALSO OUR DESTINATION VISITOR GUIDE, WAS AWARDED THE PRESTIGIOUS ESTO AWARD, THE ESTO DESTINY AWARD AT A RECENT MEETING IN COLUMBUS, OHIO FOR THE BEST DESTINATION VISITOR GUIDE. 
          AND I WANT YOU TO HEAR THIS AS ONE, ONE, JUDGE PUT IT, THIS BOOK GRABS YOU AND NEVER LETS YOU GO. 
          IT'S TRULY A TESTAMENT TO THE VIBRANT, UNIQUE EXPERIENCE HILTON HEAD ISLAND HAS TO OFFER. 
          SO HOW ABOUT THAT? LET'S GIVE A BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR ALL OF THOSE. 
          AND TODAY WOULDN'T BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF OUR SPONSORS. 
          AND THIS YEAR WE'RE EXCITED TO HAVE A, ANOTHER ORGANIZATION IN ADDITION, IN OUR LINEUP, AND THAT IS OUR PRESENTING SPONSOR, ONE OF OUR PRESENTING SPONSORS, WHICH IS NOVANT HEALTH. 
          AND AT THIS TIME, I'M PLEASED TO INTRODUCE YOU TO THE SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AND MARKET PRESIDENT FOR SOUTH CAROLINA. 
          PLEASE WELCOME JASON BURN. 
          JASON, WELCOME. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          GOOD AFTERNOON. 
          I'M JASON BURN, AND I'M VERY PROUD TO BE HERE TODAY TO HELP REPRESENT NOVANT HEALTH. 
          NOVANT HEALTH IS A HEALTHCARE SYSTEM, AND WE HAVE A CAUSE STATEMENT. 
          WE WORK TO CREATE HEALTHIER FUTURES AND BRING REMARKABLE EXPERIENCES TO LIFE. 
          AND ONE WORD I WANT Y'ALL TO THINK ABOUT IS THAT WORD REMARKABLE. 
          YOU HEARD A LOT ABOUT THE REGION AND HOW THE REGION IS THRIVING, AND WE THINK ABOUT HILTON HEAD ISLAND AS AN EXAMPLE. 
          AND 50 YEARS AGO, THE VISION BETWEEN A PHYSICIAN, UM, DR. 
          LAMONT AS WELL AS A, A LOCAL LEADER, BILL BETHE. 
          AND THEY HAD A VISION TO BUILD A HOSPITAL ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND. 
          WHAT COULD THAT DO FOR THE REGION? WHAT COULD THAT DO FOR EVERYBODY THAT LIVED IN THE AREA? AND 50 YEARS AGO, THEY EXECUTED THAT VISION AND STARTED BUILDING AND THEY BUILT HILTON HEAD HOSPITAL. 
          WE ARE PROUD, UM, AS NOVANT HEALTH TO BE PARTNERING WITH COASTAL CAROLINA MEDICAL CENTER IN HARDY, AS WELL AS HILTON HEAD HOSPITAL ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND. 
          AND WE'RE ALSO PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THAT JUST LAST WEEK WE, UH, UH, ANNOUNCED OUR PLANS TO OPEN UP A NEW HOSPITAL IN THE BLUFFTON AREA. 
          AND THAT HOSPITAL, UH, WE'RE EXCITED TO SERVE AN AREA THAT'S THRIVING. 
          IF Y'ALL KNOW, IN 1857, THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON WAS FORMED IN THE BANKS OF THE BEAUTIFUL MAY RIVER IN A ONE SQUARE MILE AREA. 
          AND BLUFFTON ITSELF NOW IS 
          [00:15:01]
OVER 50 SQUARE MILES. 
          SO Y'ALL CAN IMAGINE THE GROWING, THRIVING COMMUNITY THAT'S HAPPENING HERE IN OUR AREA. 
          AND WE ARE EXCITED TO HELP PUT TOGETHER THE VISION FROM COMMUNITY LEADERS, FROM MEDICAL STAFF, FROM PHYSICIANS TO ADD A NEW HOSPITAL IN THAT BLUFFTON AREA THAT WILL HELP SERVE THOSE PATIENTS. 
          WE'RE EXCITED TO BUILD A HUNDRED BED HOSPITAL THAT WILL HAVE ADVANCED SERVICES AND CARE THAT REALLY HELP US FIND A PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO STAY IN THEIR COMMUNITIES FOR HEALTHCARE. 
          AT NOVANT HEALTH, WE'RE COMMITTED, AND AS A CORPORATE PARTNER, WE ARE EXCITED THAT THIS OPPORTUNITY WILL BRING OVER A THOUSAND JOBS TO THE LOCAL AREA. 
          WE'RE ALSO EXCITED AS A NOT-FOR-PROFIT HEALTH SYSTEM, THAT OUR ROLE ALSO IS TO REALLY THINK ABOUT CREATING THOSE HEALTHIER FUTURES, CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR COMMUNITIES TO THRIVE. 
          AND WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING TOGETHER WITH YOU ALL IN THE COMMUNITY TO CONTINUE TO SERVE THIS POPULATION. 
          SO THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH AND ENJOY YOUR LUNCH TODAY. 
          THANK YOU, JA. 
          JASON, THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND TO, UH, JOEL AND RYAN AND THE ENTIRE TEAM, WE APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT AND FOR BEING HERE TODAY, AND CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR EXCITING NEWS. 
          WE'RE ALSO, UH, PLEASED TO HAVE WITH US BACK AGAIN AS A ONE OF OUR MAJOR SPONSORS, AND THAT'S THE SAVANNAH HILTON HEAD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. 
          AND, UH, CERTAINLY WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THEM, TO GREG KELLY, LAURA LORINA, AND THE ENTIRE TEAM THAT'S WITH US. 
          YOU KNOW, THEY'VE BEEN GREAT SUPPORTERS OF NOT ONLY, UH, THE DESTINATION, THE LOW COUNTRY, BUT REALLY ENTIRE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA. 
          SO WE APPRECIATE THEM BEING HERE AND, UH, LOOK FORWARD TO, TO GREAT THINGS AHEAD THERE AS WELL. 
          I CAN'T LET THE MOMENT PASS WITHOUT, UH, ALSO REC THANKING AND RECOGNIZING THE ADDITIONAL SPONSORS WHO ARE WITH US TODAY. 
          UH, YOU'VE BEING, BEEN SEEING THEIR NAMES ON THE SCREEN AND IN YOUR ELECTRONIC PROGRAMS. UH, THANK YOU TO OUR LONGTIME SUPPORTING SPONSORS, DEPAUL, ELLA TOMBE WITH THE ALLIANCE CONSULTING ENGINEERS, ALSO JOHN REMOLD AND HIS TEAM AT THE HILTON HEAD AIRPORT. 
          AND OF COURSE, UH, THANK YOU TO OUR EVENT SPONSORS, BEING THE BEAUFORT COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, BURR AND FOREMAN, EDISON FORD CONSTRUCTION, SERVPRO, AND TAYLOR'S LANDSCAPE, WHO IS SERVING AS OUR DECOR SPONSOR TODAY WITH THE BEAUTIFUL, UH, CENTERPIECES AND GREENERY. 
          IT'S NOW AN HONOR TO INVITE OUR NEXT GUEST TO THE PODIUM. 
          HE WAS RECENTLY FEATURED IN THE GUARDIAN FOR HIS ROLE IN PRESERVING THE GULLAH CULTURE. 
          REVEREND AUSTIN IS RECENTLY RETIRED FROM QUEEN CHAPEL, A ME CHURCH AFTER THREE DECADES OF SERVICE. 
          IN ADDITION TO HIS SERVICE AS A VETERAN IN THE US ARMY, THE CHURCH HAS BEEN A FABRIC IN THE COMMUNITY, THE HILTON HEAD COMMUNITY FOR THE LAST 159 YEARS. 
          REVEREND AUSTIN HAS NURTURED COUNTLESS FAMILIES AND HAS HAD A PROFOUND IMPACT ON THE LEGACY OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND AND THE GULLAH CULTURE, JUST AS HE OFTEN DID AT HIS CHURCH. 
          WE'VE ASKED HIM TO INCLUDE A PORTION OF TODAY'S INVOCATION IN GULLAH, REVEREND AUSTIN, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE COME UP, JOIN ME FOR OUR INVOCATION BEFORE I BEGIN THE PRAYER, JUST TO SHARE WITH YOU THAT A PART OF THE BLESSING WILL BE IN GULLAH, AND I WILL THEN TRANSLATE IN ENGLISH. 
          LET US BOW OUR HEADS. 
          DEAR GOD, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS DAY AND THE MANY BLESSINGS OF LIFE. 
          GOD, YOU KNOW, EACH OF OUR NEEDS BEFORE WE EVEN ASK. 
          AND SO WE PRAY THAT YOU WOULD MEET THOSE NEEDS OF ALL PRESENT CITIZENS OF THE HILTON HEAD, BLUFFTON COMMUNITIES, AND MANY WHO ARE SUFFERING LOSS DUE TO THE RECENT HURRICANE ACCORDING TO YOUR RICHES AND GLORY. 
          WE PRAY BLESSING AND PROSPERITY UPON ALL WHO WILL SPEAK AND EACH OF US, AND THAT YOU WILL GIVE US THE STRENGTH AND THE ABILITY TO DEAL WITH THE CHALLENGES THAT ARE SET BEFORE US. 
          GIVE US THE MEANS TO COMPLETE OUR TASK WITH EXCELLENCE. 
          AND WE PRAY THAT THE PEACE OF GOD WOULD BE IN THE MIDST OF US. 
          [00:20:01]
WE THANK YOU FOR THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND BLUFFTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND ALL THE BUSINESSES IT REPRESENTS. 
          WE PRAY FOR WISDOM AND GUIDANCE FOR THE LOCAL BUSINESS LEADERS AND ACTS YOU TO GIVE THEM WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE TO ACCOMPLISH THEIR TASKS. 
          THE SCRIPTURE SHARES WITH US THAT WE OUGHT TO GIVE THANKS AND ALL THINGS. 
          SO IN THE GULLAH LANGUAGE, HONOR MUST TELL GOD THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING. 
          SO FATHER, THANK YOU GOD, THANK YOU FOR THE FOOD WHERE YOU GIVE ME THIS DAY, THIS MEAL, AND FOR ALL THE BLESSINGS YOU GIVE TO US, WE PRAY ALL THESE THINGS IN THE PRECIOUS NAME OF THE FATHER. 
          WHAT DAY IN HEAVEN DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER. 
          AMEN. 
          REVEREND ALSTON, BEFORE YOU SIT DOWN, WE HAVE A, A UNIQUE PIECE OF, UH, TREASURE HERE THAT WE'D LIKE TO PRESENT TO YOU TODAY. 
          AND IT READS, IT IS WITH YOUR HONOR AND RE REQUEST THAT WE RECOGNIZE REVEREND EDWARD B ALS, FORMER PASTOR OF QUEEN CHAPEL, A ME FOR 30 YEARS OF EXEMPLARY SERVICE AND COUNTLESS CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR COMMUNITY, HIS TIRELESS EFFORTS AND COMPASSIONABLE LEADERSHIP HAVE NOT ONLY TRANSFORMED LIVES, BUT HAVE ALSO PLACED A CR, PLAYED A CRUCIAL ROLE IN PRESERVING THE RICH GO OF CULTURE, A VITAL PART OF OUR ISLANDS HERITAGE. 
          AS QUEEN CHAPEL, A EME CELEBRATES 159 YEARS OF SERVICE, WE REFLECT ON HOW REVEREND AUSTIN'S COMMITMENT HAS STRENGTHENED BOTH THE SPIRITUAL AND CULTURAL FABRIC OF OUR COMMUNITY FOR HIS EXEMPLARY STANDARD AND WORTHINESS FOR THE PROFOUND LESSONS HE EXEMPLIFIES IN WORD AND DEED, HIS UNWAVERING DEDICATION TO THE BETTERMENT OF OTHERS AND HIS LASTING GENEROSITY AS WE PROVIDE AND PAY TRIBUTE TO REVEREND AUSTIN FOR HIS REMARKABLE 30 YEARS OF SERVICE. 
          REVEREND AUSTIN, THANK YOU AND THANK YOU FOR A WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL BLESSING. 
          THANK YOU AND CAREER. 
          THANK YOU. 
          WE WILL BE SEATED AND, UH, ENJOY YOUR LUNCH AND WHEN WE GET BACK UP, WE'LL GET STARTED WITH THE REST OF THE PROGRAM AND, UH, JUST ASK THAT AT THAT POINT IN TIME THAT WE'RE AS ABLE TO COME AS QUIET AS WE ARE NOW FOR THE SECOND PART. 
          THANK YOU. 
           ALL RIGHT, WE'RE BACK. 
          AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU FOR QUIETING DOWN AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO A, UH, PRODUCTIVE REST OF OUR LUNCH. 
          AND WE, UH, JUST ARE VERY APPRECIATIVE OF YOU BEING HERE AND ALSO YOU'RE, UM, AT ATTENTIVENESS TO OUR SPEAKERS. 
          AND THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH FOR QUIETING DOWN. 
          READY TO GO NEXT, I'D LIKE TO, UH, JUST RECOGNIZE AND THANK THE, UH, JOE AND THE BANQUET TEAM HERE AT THE HILTON. 
          UH, GREAT JOB AND THE WAIT TEAM. 
          WAIT STAFF. 
          THANK YOU ALL AND IT'S MY PLEASURE NOW TO, UH, INTRODUCE YOU TO THE DIRECTOR OF THE HISTORIC MITCHELL FREEDOM BILL PARK, FREEDOM PARK, A BOARD MEMBER OF THE CHAMBER. 
          AND HE ALSO, UH, SERVES AS A CHAIR OF OUR PUBLIC POLICY COMMITTEE. 
          SO AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO WELCOME, UH, MAUD WARD TO THE STAGE. 
          MAUD. 
          THERE YOU ARE. 
          [00:25:02]
OKAY. 
          SOME NICE INTRO MUSIC. 
          I APPRECIATE YOU. 
          GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYBODY. 
          THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. 
          SO IT IS MY JOB TO COME UP HERE AND KIND OF ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, SOME OF OUR DIGNITARIES IN THE ROOM AND DIDN'T GET TO OUR FIRST SPEAKER. 
          UH, BILL ALREADY TOLD YOU WHO I WAS, AND SO I'M GLAD TO BE HERE AND A PART OF THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND BLUFFTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. 
          UH, WE'RE GOING TO START RECOGNIZING SOME OF OUR POLITICAL, UH, THINKERS WHO ARE IN THE ROOM, UH, REPRESENTING CONGRESSWOMAN NANCY MACE. 
          WE HAVE FIELD REPRESENTATIVE RJ HEAP. 
          RJ, WHERE ARE YOU? WAVE YOUR HAND FOR US, STAN. 
          THERE YOU GO. 
          RIGHT OVER THERE. 
          THANKS FOR BEING HERE. 
          TELL THE CONGRESSWOMAN I'LL BE APPROACHING HER FOR MONEY. 
          OKAY. 
          UH, WE ARE FORTUNATE AGAIN THIS YEAR TO HAVE SO MANY OF OUR ELECTED AND PUBLIC OFFICIALS, GOVERNMENT STAFFERS, AND BOARD MEMBERS WITH US TODAY. 
          UH, PLEASE STAND TO BE RECOGNIZED WHEN WE CALL YOUR NAME. 
          WITH OUR STATE DELEGATION, WE HAVE SENATOR TOM DAVIS, ALONG WITH REPRESENTATIVE CHEF BRADLEY AND WESTON NEWTON. 
          WE HAVE BEAUFORT COUNTY BOARD CHAIR TRO PASSID, ALONG WITH BEAUFORT COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBERS LEADERSHIP AND STAFF. 
          HAVE YOU TO ALL STAND AND WAVING YOUR HANDS FOR US. 
          WE HAVE THE MAYORS TOWN COUNCIL LEADERSHIP AND STAFF WITH THE TOWNS OF BLUFFTON, HILTON HEAD ISLAND, AND THE CITY OF HARDY. 
          WOULD YOU ALL STAND AND BE RECOGNIZED? THANK YOU. 
          SO YOU CAN SEE THE COMMITMENT TO OUR NEIGHBORING CITIES OF WHAT WE'RE DOING TODAY. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. 
          UH, MEMBERS OF OUR BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD STAFF AND OUR SUPERINTENDENT, DR. FRANK RODRIGUEZ, HAVE JOINED US. 
          WOULD YOU PLEASE STAND TO BE RECOGNIZED? AND ADDITIONALLY, WE HAVE LEADERSHIP FROM THE CITY OF BEAUFORT, FORT WENTWORTH, AND THE TOWN OF PORT ROYAL. 
          WOULD YOU STAND AND BE RECOGNIZED AT THIS TIME? THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR COMMITMENT, SERVICE, AND DEDICATION TO OUR REGION. 
          UH, WE'RE ALSO PLEASED TO HAVE OUR CHAMBER CHAMPIONS WITH US TODAY AND MY FELLOW, FELLOW CHAMBER BOARD, ME MEMBERS, UH, WE APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT AND YOUR LEADERSHIP. 
          UM, WE'RE GONNA ASK Y'ALL TO STAND AND WAVE YOUR HANDS TO OUR CHAMBER CHAMPIONS, OUR MEMBERS OF OUR CHAMBER BOARD. 
          COME ON, DON'T BE SHY. 
          WELL, YOU KNOW, WE'VE ALWAYS SAID THAT THE BUSINESS ON HILTON HAD, ISLAND IN BLUFFTON DOES A STOP AT THE BRIDGE. 
          AND I'LL ADD THAT IT CERTAINLY DOESN'T STOP AT THE STATE LINE EITHER. 
          THE HYUNDAI META PLANT, THE LARGEST INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT IN THE HISTORY OF GEORGIA IS A $7.5 BILLION ASSEMBLY PLANT THAT WILL BRING MORE THAN 8,500 JOBS ON SITE. 
          YOU CAN CLAP FOR THAT CLAP. 
          THE IMPACT ON BOTH STATES WILL BE PROFOUND SHAPING OUR REGIONAL ECONOMIC FUTURE ACROSS INDUSTRIES FROM WORKFORCE AND TRANSPORTATION TO OVERALL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. 
          UH, THIS IS PART OF THE REASON WE CHOSE SPEAKERS WE HAVE TODAY BECAUSE UNDERSTANDING THE SCOPE OF THIS PROJECT IS CRUCIAL FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR REGION. 
          OUR FIRST SPEAKER, CHRIS SMITH, SERVES AS THE CHIEF PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION OFFICER IN GENERAL COUNSEL FOR HYUNDAI MOTOR GROUP META PLANT AMERICA. 
          AND MR. SMITH, I HAVE A SONATA IN THE PARKING LOT. 
          UH, SO I'M A FAN OF YOUR PROJECT ALREADY. 
          UH, HE'S BEEN AT THE HELM OF MAJOR PROJECTS BEFORE, INCLUDING A $1.7 BILLION AUTOMOTIVE ASSEMBLY PLANT. 
          AND HIS INSIGHTS WILL PROVIDE US WITH AN OVERVIEW OF HOW THE META PLANT WILL INFLUENCE EVERYTHING FROM JOB CREATION TO INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT IN OUR AREA. 
          LADIES, GENTLEMEN, PLEASE HELP ME IN WELCOMING CHRIS SMITH. 
          YOU DROP MY CAR. 
          YES. 
          I'M GONNA BE A STAR. 
          MAYBE YOU CAN DROP MY CAR AND MAYBE I LOVE YOU. 
          I LOVE THE MUSIC. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH, . 
          I WAS TELLING BILL THAT THIS, UH, THIS IS MY FIRST TIME AT THIS EVENT, BUT IT CERTAINLY HAS A VERY WARM VIBE. 
          YOU CAN KIND OF TELL A LOT ABOUT A GROUP AND YOU CAN TELL A LOT ABOUT, UM, HOW KIND OF PEOPLE KIND OF COME TOGETHER. 
          YOU CAN CERTAINLY FEEL THAT IN THIS ROOM. 
          UM, WITH THAT, UM, GOOD AFTERNOON AND BEHALF OF HYUNDAI MOTOR GROUP, META PLANT AMERICA OR H-M-G-M-A. 
          I WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS OUR DEEPEST GRATITUDE FOR THE WARM WELCOME THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED IN THIS COMMUNITY AND THAT ME AND MY FAMILY HAVE RECEIVED IN THIS COMMUNITY. 
          IT IS TRULY AN HONOR FOR US 
          [00:30:01]
TO BE PART OF SUCH A VIBRANT AND SUPPORTIVE AREA. 
          THIS AFTERNOON, I'D LIKE TO SHARE SOME INFORMATION ABOUT HOW THE META PLANT AND, UM, THE PROGRESS THAT WE'VE MADE SO FAR. 
          LEMME FIRST START OFF WITH TALKING ABOUT HOW WE ARE GETTING TO THE FUTURE FAST. 
          HERE WE GO. 
          THERE WE GO. 
          UM, AND SO, UH, HOW ARE WE GONNA THE FUTURE FAST BY COMPLETING CONSTRUCTION AND STARTING TO PRODUCE VEHICLES? THE PROJECT HAS BEEN EXTREMELY COMPLEX BECAUSE OF THE LARGE NUMBER OF SHARE STAKEHOLDERS IN THIS PROJECT. 
          WE HAVE AT LEAST 16 KEY CATEGORIES OF STAKEHOLDERS. 
          THOSE INCLUDE THE THREE GEORGIA ENTITIES SUCH AS THE GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, QUICK START, GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION. 
          ALSO, WE HAVE THE JOINT DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, WHICH INCLUDES CHATHAM COUNTY, BRYAN COUNTY, EFFINGHAM COUNTY, AND BULLOCK COUNTY. 
          WE ALSO HAVE THE FOUR UTILITIES, ELECTRICITY, WHICH IS BEING PROVIDED BY GEORGIA POWER GAS, WHICH IS BEING PROVIDED BY CITY OF CLAXTON WATER WASTEWATER, WHICH IS BEING PROVIDED BY BRYAN COUNTY AND FIBER, WHICH IS BEING PROVIDED BY PAC FIBER AND AT AND T. 
          THEN WE ALSO HAVE ON THE SITE, NOT ONLY HYUNDAI, THE OEM OR ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURER, BUT FOUR ONSITE AFFILIATES. 
          THESE ARE HYUNDAI RELATED COMPANIES. 
          AS I WAS TELLING BILL EARLIER, THESE ARE COMPANIES WITHIN THE HYUNDAI FAMILY. 
          HYUNDAI HAS SOME 30, 40 OR SO KIND OF RELATED ENTITIES. 
          EVERYTHING FROM SHIPBUILDING TO LOGISTICS. 
          THOSE FOUR AFFILIATES ARE VIS GLOVIS, TRANSIT AND STEEL. 
          AND I'LL TALK ABOUT THOSE AFFILIATES HERE SHORTLY. 
          BUT ON, IN ADDITION TO THE OEM, AGAIN, MY COMPANY HYUNDAI, THERE'S THESE FOUR AFFILIATES. 
          THEN ON TOP OF THAT, THERE'S ALSO THE BA, THE BATTERY JOINT VENTURE WITH LG. 
          AND THEN LASTLY, WE HAVE 10 OFFSITE SUPPLIERS LOCATED IN THIS AREA. 
          SO THERE'S A LOT OF PLAYERS INVOLVED IN THIS PROJECT, WHICH MAKES THINGS COMPLEX. 
          HOWEVER, THIS PROJECT'S GONE EXTREMELY WELL THROUGH ELABORATE COORDINATION BETWEEN ALL THESE CATEGORIES OF STAKEHOLDERS. 
          SO FAR, WE'VE WORKED VERY, VERY WELL TOGETHER BECAUSE OVER THE LAST TWO AND A HALF YEARS, WE DEVELOPED DIFFERENT COMMUNICATION CHANNELS, CONTROLS, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, TRUST. 
          LET ME WALK YOU THROUGH KIND OF THE, THE, THE BIG PICTURE OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT ITSELF, UM, AND HOW THIS STARTED. 
          SO IN JANUARY, 2022, A SMALL GROUP WENT AND VISITED SITES THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES LOOKING FOR THE BEST LOCATION FOR THE META PLANT. 
          UM, THAT PROCESS TOOK PLACE FROM JANUARY THROUGH APRIL, 2022. 
          WE MADE OUR PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT AND CHOSE THE BRYAN COUNTY SITE IN, UH, MAY, 2022. 
          IN JULY, JUST A COUPLE MONTHS LATER, WE SIGNED THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WITH THE STATE OF GEORGIA AND THE JOINT DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY. 
          THEREAFTER, SITE PREPARATION BEGAN UNDER THE EDA, THE JOINT DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL THE CLEARING WORK, GRADING, GRUBBING, UH, ET CETERA. 
          IN OCTOBER, 2022, WE HAD OUR GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY. 
          I KNOW MANY OF YOU ATTENDED THAT EVENT. 
          AND THEN CONSTRUCTION BEGAN IN EARNEST JANUARY, 2023. 
          CONSTRUCTION LASTED NINE, NINE AND A HALF MONTHS THEREAFTER. 
          EQUIPMENT INSTALLATION AND TRIAL WORK BEGAN. 
          WE DID HAVE SOME PROBLEMS DURING LAST YEAR WITH ALL THE RAIN, THE EXCESSIVE RAIN ON THE SITE, AND SO WE WERE HAVING TO OVERLAP SOME OF THOSE RESPONSIBILITIES OR SOME OF THOSE, UM, ACTIVITIES WITH CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT INSTALLATION, TAKING PLACE CONTEMPORANEOUSLY THIS MONTH. 
          THIS AGAIN, THIS IS OCTOBER. 
          THIS, UH, THIS YEAR WE WILL START PRODUCING CUSTOMER VEHICLES AHEAD OF SCHEDULE AND LESS THAN TWO YEARS AFTER BREAKING GROUND ON THE MEGA SITE. 
          AND I'LL SHOW YOU SOME VIDEOS HERE SHORTLY, SHOWING THE PROGRESS THAT WE'VE MADE. 
          THE AMERICAN ASSEMBLED, THE ONYX FIVE EV EV FIVES WILL BE ON SALE AT US DEALERSHIPS NEXT MONTH. 
          AND THEN THE GRAND OPENING CELEBRATION IS PLANNING TO TAKE PLACE. 
          WE PLAN TO TAKE PLACE, UM, FIRST QUARTER OF NEXT YEAR. 
          SO, UM, HYUNDAI BUILT THIS PLANT EXTREMELY FAST. 
          UM, AND THIS IS SUPPORTED WHEN WE COMPARE OURSELVES WITH SOME OF OUR EV COMPARE, UH, COMPETITORS. 
          AND I KNOW THIS IS A VERY BUSY CHART, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE VERY BOTTOM ROW, THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT ROW, AND THAT IS THE NUMBER OF MONTHS FROM ANNOUNCEMENTS TO STARTED PRODUCTION. 
          AND WITH THAT, THOSE NUMBERS SHOW THAT WE BEAT OUR COMPETITORS BY A VERY, VERY LARGE MARGIN. 
          HYUNDAI WILL PRODUCE VEHICLES AT LEAST 20 MONTHS FASTER THAN RIVIAN, 16 MONTHS FASTER THAN FORD, 23 MONTHS FASTER THAN VIN FAST AND 17 MONTHS FASTER THAN SCOUT. 
          WE'RE ALMOST LAPPING THE COMPETITION WITH REGARD TO THE SPEED OF THIS PROJECT. 
          [00:35:01]
LEMME SHOW YOU A QUICK VIDEO THAT SHOWS YOU THE PROGRESS THAT WE MADE AS WELL AS WHAT THE PLANT'S GONNA LOOK LIKE. 
          [00:42:44]
ALL RIGHT. 
          UM, SO THAT'S, UH, WELL, THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT WE ACCOMPLISHED THAT IN JUST 28 MONTHS. 
          UM, I KIND OF JOKE THAT THE PROJECT HAS AGED ALL OF US, LIKE IN DOG YEARS, BUT, UH, IT'S CERTAINLY BEEN A FUN PROJECT. 
          UM, AND WE'RE REALLY EXCITED FOR IT TO KIND OF, KIND OF BE WRAPPED UP IN US START PRODUCING VEHICLES FOR SALE. 
          UM, I WILL NOTE THAT THIS VIDEO IS PROBABLY ABOUT TWO MONTHS, UM, OLD. 
          SINCE THEN, WE'VE ADDED LANDSCAPE AND TREES. 
          AND IF YOU DRIVE BY THERE NOW IT LOOKS, IT LOOKS REALLY A LOT MORE ATTRACTIVE. 
          UM, BUT, UH, WITH THAT BEING SAID, UM, LET ME KINDA SHOW YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT, UM, THE PLANTS KINDA LOOK LIKE, UM, GOING FORWARD. 
          AND SO THIS, THIS MEGA SITE IS HUGE. 
          IT'S OVER 2,900 ACRES THAT'S LARGER THAN TYBEE ISLAND. 
          THERE'S 13 BUILDINGS AT THE MEGA SITE. 
          THAT'S THE SEVEN OEM OR THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURING BUILDINGS. 
          AGAIN, THE HYUNDAI BUILDINGS, UTILITY STAMPING, WELD PAINT, GENERAL ASSEMBLY. 
          THE MAIN OFFICE BUILDING IN THE EXHIBITION HALL. 
          EXHIBITION HALL WILL BE COMPLETED SOMETIME NEXT YEAR. 
          THAT'S THE VERY LAST COMPONENT OF THAT. 
          THAT'S WHERE WE'LL BE ABLE TO WELCOME TOURISTS AND GUESTS. 
          UM, THERE'LL BE DIFFERENT, UH, DISPLAYS THERE OF HYUNDAI, KIA AND GENESIS VEHICLES. 
          UM, AND IT'S GONNA BE A REAL KIND OF SHOWSTOPPER WHEN IT COMES TO KIND OF SHOWING OFF OUR BRAND. 
          UM, THERE'S ALSO GONNA BE FIVE AFFILIATES ON SITE, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, MOBIS, WHICH WILL MANUFACTURE THE MODULES AND THE BSAS, OR BATTERY BATTERY SYSTEMS, ASSEMBLY TRANSIT, WHICH WILL MANUFACTURE THE SEATS. 
          GLOVIS CONSOLIDATION CENTER OR CC. 
          AND THAT BASIC GLOVIS IS BASICALLY THE LOGISTICS ARM FOR HYUNDAI. 
          IT'LL BRING IN PARTS FROM THE SUPPLIERS, SORT THOSE PARTS, AND THEN SHIP THOSE OFF TO THE OEM FOR ASSEMBLY ON THE VEHICLE. 
          AND THEN HYUNDAI STEEL, WHICH WILL DO STEEL BLANKING. 
          UM, ALSO THE, THE BATTERY JOINT VENTURE, WHICH IS THE VERY BACK PART OF THE, OR VERY TOP OF THE SLIDE, RIGHT? UM, THIS RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE, UM, THE LA THE LAKE, UM, WHICH I'LL NOTE IS 170 ACRES. 
          UM, WITH ALL THE RAIN WE HAVE RECENTLY, THAT LAKE IS NOW FILLED. 
          SO  IT, IT TOOK SOME TIME, BUT I THINK IT'S SOME 30 FEET DEEP. 
          UM, AND THEN ALSO 
          [00:45:01]
TOO, YOU'LL NOTICE, UM, AT THE, UH, ABOUT THE SEVEN O'CLOCK POSITION, THERE IS SOLAR PANELS THERE. 
          THAT'LL PROVIDE 5% OF THE ELECTRICITY THAT'LL BE USED ON SITE. 
          AND THEN UNDER THOSE SOLAR PANELS ARE 1800 CAR COVERED PARKING SPACES FOR OUR EMPLOYEES. 
          SO THAT'LL GIVE THEM SHELTER DURING THE HOT SUMMER DAYS AND THEN, UH, SHELTER WHEN IT RAINS AS WELL. 
          AND THEN, UM, YOU'LL NOTICE TOO, IN FRONT OF THE WHOLE BUILDING OR IN FRONT OF THE WHOLE PROJECT, IS THE ECHO PARK AND SPORTS FIELD. 
          THAT'LL BE FOR THE EMPLOYEES TO BE ABLE TO USE AND ENJOY. 
          AND I'LL NOTE THAT THE ECHO PARK WILL BE LARGER THAN THE FORESIGHT PARK IN SAVANNAH. 
          SO SOME OF THE KEY NUMBERS, AND AHAD MENTIONED THIS, UM, DURING THE INTRODUCTION, BUT $7.5 BILLION INVESTMENT ON SITE. 
          THAT'S JUST AT THE MEGA SITE ITSELF. 
          AND AGAIN, THAT INCLUDES THE FOUR ONSITE AFFILIATES AND THE BATTERY JOINT VENTURE. 
          THE TOTAL JOBS AT THE MEGA SITE WILL BE 8,500 JOBS. 
          THAT'LL TAKE SOME TIME FOR US TO RAMP UP. 
          UM, SO FAR THE OEM, AGAIN, JUST, JUST THE HYUNDAI ITSELF, NOT THE AFFILIATES. 
          WE'VE HIRED SOME 900 PEOPLE. 
          UM, I THINK THE AFFILIATES ARE CERTAINLY KEEP, UM, UM, PACES WELL AND, UM, WE'RE CERTAINLY STAFFED UP WELL ENOUGH TO START PRODUCING VEHICLES. 
          UM, OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS, WE'LL BE ABLE TO ADD ADDITIONAL SHIFTS AND ADDITIONAL LINES AS WELL TO REACH THAT 8,500 JOBS. 
          THE, UH, HYUNDAI'S INVESTMENTS FOR THE PROJECT IS EXPECTED TO CREATE 40,000 JOBS THAT'S DIRECT AND INDIRECT JOBS AND WILL CREATE $4.6 BILLION IN INDIVIDUAL EARNINGS EVERY YEAR. 
          THAT'S GONNA BE A HUGE ECONOMIC IMPACT FOR THE ENTIRE REGION. 
          UM, AND THEN FINALLY, IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT WE HAVE 10 OFFSITE SUPPLIERS IN THE REGION. 
          THESE ARE ALL TIER ONE OFF OFFSITE SUPPLIERS. 
          THESE 10 OFFSITE SUPPLIERS HAVE INVESTED APPROXIMATELY $1.25 BILLION, AND THEY WILL CREATE 6,900 JOBS IN ADDITION TO THE JOBS I MENTIONED EARLIER ON SITE. 
          AND SO THEY'LL HAVE A HUGE IMPACT AS WELL. 
          AND I'M SURE, UM, THIS COMMUNITY ITSELF WILL SEE SOME OF THAT IMPACT DIRECTLY AS WELL. 
          SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, AGAIN, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR SUCH A WARM WELCOME. 
          ME AND THE COMPANY HAVE RECEIVED, UM, FROM THIS WONDERFUL COMMUNITY. 
          WE'RE EXCITED TO WORK HAND IN HAND WITH YOU AND CONTRIBUTE TO OUR REGION'S CONTINUED GROWTH AND SUCCESS. 
          THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH. 
          BE A STAR. 
          WOW. 
          DID, DID, UH, DID YOU LEARN ANYTHING? I LEARNED A LOT. 
          PRETTY IMPRESSED EVEN CHRIS. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UH, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND, AND SHARING THAT GREAT INFORMATION. 
          UM, HE'S GOT A CELEBRATION BACK AT THE PLANT TODAY THAT, UH, UH, WITH THE FIRST CARS ROLLING OFF SOMETIME IN OCTOBER, THEY'RE GONNA BE CELEBRATING THAT. 
          AND THAT'S, UH, REALLY SPECIAL FOR US TO BE HERE AFTER OCTOBER 1ST HEAR THE PRESENTATION. 
          SO THANK YOU AGAIN. 
          HURRICANE HELENE BROUGHT SOME UNEXPECTED CHALLENGES TO THE LOW COUNTRY AND, UH, THE ENTIRE STATE AND COUNTRY AS WELL. 
          AND THOSE EFFECTS ARE, ARE STILL, UH, BEING FELT, A BEING FELT. 
          BUT I'D LIKE TO GIVE A BIG HEARTFELT THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, STATE GOVERNMENTS, COUNTY GOVERNMENTS, UH, TOWN STAFFERS, COUNTY STAFFERS, ALL THAT HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN HELPING, RESTORING POWER, CLEARING TREES, UH, PALMETTO, ELECTRIC LINEMEN, DOMINION, ENERGY LINEMEN, JUST ALL OF THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN IN THE TRENCHES. 
          AND ACTUALLY, UM, WE HAVE SOME PEOPLE THAT ARE MISSING TODAY BECAUSE OF THAT. 
          THE, UH, CERTAINLY THE DEVASTATION IS IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA IS BEYOND MEASURE AND IT'S, UH, RE REMINDS US ALL OF THE POWER OF MOTHER NATURE. 
          BUT IT ALSO, I THINK AT THIS TIME, IT REMINDS US OF THE COLLECTIVE RESILIENCE THAT WE ALL HAVE AS A, AS A REGION. 
          AND THAT COLLECTIVE RESILIENCE IS IMPORTANT AND IMPERATIVE TO PUSH ON AND PUSH THROUGH, UH, IN SITUATIONS JUST LIKE THIS. 
          SOUTH CAROLINA'S SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION, AS YOU KNOW, WAS SCHEDULED TO JOIN US TODAY AND THE KEY TO THAT PHRASE WAS, WAS SCHEDULED TO JOIN US TODAY. 
          BUT AS YOU CAN UNDERSTAND, HE'S PART OF THE, UH, STATE'S EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TEAM. 
          AND SO, UM, UH, HE ISN'T ABLE TO BE WITH US TODAY. 
          HE SENDS HIS REGARDS AND HE IS GRACIOUSLY AGREED TO COME BACK AND, UH, FOR A TRANSPORTATION SUMMIT THAT WE WILL BE HOSTING, WHERE YOU'LL JOIN US TO TALK ABOUT LOTS OF IMPORTANT THINGS AND TRANSPORTATION ISSUES FROM 2 78 BRIDGE QUARTER PROJECT TO THE WIDENING OF ONE 70, EXPANSION OF ONE 70, ADDRESSING ALL THE GROWTH IN HARDY V 
          [00:50:01]
AND JUST A LOT, LOT MORE. 
          SO WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, UH, HAVING HIM BACK VERY, VERY SOON FOR THAT TRANSPORTATION SUMMIT. 
          NOW TO INTRODUCE OUR NEXT SPEAKER. 
          EVERYBODY SEEMED TO HAVE LEARNED A LOT FROM, UH, OUR FIRST SPEAKER AND I THINK WITH OUR MAYORS AND, UH, CHAIR OF COUNTY COUNCIL THAT, UH, YOU'RE GONNA LEAVE FEELING THE SAME WAY ABOUT BEING ENLIGHTENED AND INFORMED AND, UH, HOPEFULLY LEAVING HERE OPTIMISTIC. 
          SO IT'S MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE TO YOU THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BEAUFORT COUNTY COUNCIL CHAIRMAN JOE PASSMAN. 
          SO I HAVE A TOUGH ACT TO FOLLOW AFTER THAT ONE. 
          UM, LET ME START OFF BY SAYING, YOU KNOW, WHEN EVERYBODY SITS DOWN, YOU START TALKING TO EACH OTHER AND YOU DECIDE ABOUT WHO'S GOING TO DO WHAT OR WHAT'S GOING TO BE SAID. 
          WELL, I SAT WITH THREE MAYORS OF OUR MUNICIPALITIES AROUND THERE AND THEY DECIDED THAT I WAS THE OLDEST GUY THERE. 
          SO WITH THAT, I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT THE STATE OF THE REGION. 
          NOW. 
          REGION MEANS A LOT OF THINGS. 
          AND YOU'RE GONNA HEAR FROM ME WHAT I THINK OUR REGION MEANS AND IT TIES INTO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WERE JUST DONE BY OUR PREVIOUS SPEAKER. 
          SO IF I CAN GET THIS TO WORK, MAYBE, ALRIGHT, WHAT AM I DOING WRONG? I'M PRESSING THE RIGHT BUTTON. 
          YES, THERE IT IS. 
          OKAY. 
          SOUTH CAROLINA IS GROWING. 
          SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? GROWTH IS INEVITABLE. 
          WE ARE ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING REGIONS. 
          GROWTH BRINGS OPPORTUNITIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES, NOT JUST FOR THE GOVERNMENT, BUT EVERYONE IN OUR COUNTIES. 
          SO OUR REGION IS GROWING. 
          THIS CHART SHOWS YOU HOW FAST WE'RE GROWING. 
          OUR KEY MESSAGE HERE IS, AS LONG AS OUR COUNTY GROWS, SO MUST OUR VISION AND EFFORTS TO MATCH THE NEEDS OF OUR PEOPLE AND THE DEMANDS OF TOMORROW. 
          AND AS YOU CAN SEE, JASPER COUNTY, OUR NEIGHBOR IS GROWING VERY FAST. 
          SO IS OUR STATE. 
          AND THAT'S WHAT I SAID, OUR BEAUTIFUL COUNTY, OUR BEAUTIFUL REGION. 
          WE HAVE TO HAVE THE VISION FOR THE FUTURE. 
          SO WHAT HAVE WE DONE BECAUSE OF THIS GROWTH THAT IS ALREADY HERE AND WILL BE WELL, WE'RE GROWING THROUGH CONSERVATION. 
          LOOK WHAT WE'VE DONE. 
          GREEN SPACE, IT'S THE FIRST IN THE STATE THAT ALLOWS US TO DO CERTAIN THINGS. 
          WE HAVE, AS YOU CAN SEE BY THE SLIDE, PROTECTED TWO PROPERTIES SO FAR, GREGORY NECK, WHICH WAS IN JASPER COUNTY. 
          EVEN THOUGH THIS WAS A BUFORD COUNTY REFERENDUM AND MITCHELLVILLE, UH, HERE ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND, OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, THE HILTON HEAD AIRPORT IS NOW BEING IMPROVED. 
          LAUREL BAY PATHWAY IS BEING IMPROVED. 
          WE NEED TO GROW OUR SERVICES NOT ONLY FOR TODAY, BUT FOR THE FUTURE. 
          OUR LIBRARY, THE SIXTH IS OPEN. 
          WE REVITALIZE THE CHARLES LYNN BROWN RECREATION CENTER. 
          OUR WORKFORCE IS BEING ENHANCED BY PROJECTS SUCH AS THE BEAUFORT MEMORIAL AND THE USCB, UH, OPENING OF THE SIMULATING TRAINING. 
          WE ARE GETTING READY TO BEGIN THE ARTHUR E. BROWN WORKFORCE TRAINING CENTER AT TCL. 
          AGAIN, THE WORKFORCE THAT WE NEED NOW AND WELL INTO THE FUTURE WITH THE GROWTH THAT'S HAPPENING. 
          WE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO COLLABORATE AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING. 
          WE HAVE WORKFORCE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING, PROJECT PARTNERSHIPS, BEAUFORT, JASPER HOUSING TRUST, BEAUFORT MEMORIAL HOSPITAL, AND THE CC 
          [00:55:01]
DC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION. 
          WE ARE INCREASING OUTREACH TO REDUCE THE STIGMA THROUGH PUBLIC SERVICES. 
          AGAIN, AND I CAN'T EMPHASIZE ENOUGH, THESE ARE SCALABLE AND SUSTAINABLE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING FOR EVERYONE IN OUR REGION. 
          AND I'M GOING TO DEFINE THE REGION AS WE GO ALONG. 
          WE HAVE INVESTMENTS IN LOCAL EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS LIKE THE USCB, BEAUFORT AND BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT PARTNERSHIPS. 
          OUR RELATIONSHIPS ARE KEY TO OUR FUTURE GROWTH LATS, THE LOCAL AREA TRANSPORTATION STUDY STUDY. 
          THEY DEAL WITH ALL THE ROADS IN OUR COUNTIES, NOT JUST BUFORT, NOT JUST JASPER, BUT OTHER COUNTIES AS WELL. 
          SO LOCO THE SOUTHERN LOW COUNTRY REGIONAL BOARD, WHICH IS BUFORT, JASPER COUNTY AND THE MUNICIPALITIES. 
          THEREIN, WE TALK ABOUT THE ISSUES THAT AFFECT US, THE REGIONAL, UM, ALLIANCE CENTER, SCA, THAT'S THE SEVEN COUNTY REGION FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND OUR OWN BEAUFORT COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION. 
          SO HERE ARE OUR RELATIONSHIPS. 
          THESE ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. 
          WHEN WE TALK ABOUT A REGION, WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT MORE THAN BEAUFORT COUNTY, MORE THAN JASPER COUNTY. 
          IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, SO LOCO, YES, IT'S BEAUFORT AND JASPER COUNTY. 
          IF YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT THE SCA, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SEVEN COUNTIES. 
          IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT LATS OR LOW COG, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT FOUR COUNTIES. 
          THE FUTURE IS OUR REGION. 
          THOSE COUNTIES THAT SURROUND US, WE CAN'T DO IT ALONE. 
          OUR PROBLEMS ARE THEIR PROBLEMS. THEIR PROBLEMS ARE PROBLEMS. AND THE SOLUTIONS ARE WITH ALL OF US WORKING TOGETHER, WE'VE DONE SOME THINGS HERE IN BUFORT COUNTY TO IMPROVE OURSELVES. 
          WE NOW HAVE A NEW ADMINISTRATOR. 
          HE CAME IN JULY AND HE'S ALREADY FACED A LOT OF THINGS THAT HAVE TO BE DONE. 
          MICHAEL MOORE, A WONDERFUL PERSON WHO WILL BE HERE FOR A LONG TIME TO LEAD US. 
          WE'VE RATIFIED AND APPROVED AN ENTIRELY NEW PROCUREMENT PROGRAM FOR PURCHASING IN OUR COUNTY. 
          AND WE'VE INCREASED COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND TRANSPARENT TRANSPARENCY THROUGH ENGAGEMENT EVENTS. 
          SO GROWTH BEGINS WITH US. 
          EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM IS AFFECTED BY THE GROWTH THAT WE HAVE. 
          SO WE HAVE TO HAVE A VISION AND WE HAVE TO HAVE VALUES. 
          SO WHAT'S OUR VISION? WELL, WE WANNA IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE THAT EVERYBODY HAS AND WANTS TO HAVE. 
          WE HAVE TO IMPROVE THE SAFETY ON OUR ROADS. 
          WE HAVE TO IMPROVE AND INCREASE OUR INFRASTRUCTURE. 
          WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO CONSERVE OUR NATURAL RESOURCES. 
          WE HAVE TO ENHANCE EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS AND RE RES RESILIENCY. 
          OUR VALUES ARE THE QUALITY THAT WE'RE GOING TO BRING TO THE TABLE. 
          OUR INTEGRITY, OUR INNOVATION, OUR ACCOUNTABILITY, OUR COLLABORATION AND OUR LEADERSHIP. 
          I'VE CHOSEN THIS SLIDE AS AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR FUTURE. 
          THE QUALITY OF LIFE THAT WE HAVE IS AFFECTED BY EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THOSE WORDS ON THIS PAGE. 
          AND EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THOSE WORDS AFFECTS US PERSONALLY, PROFESSIONALLY, WHETHER WE LIVE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY OR JASPER COUNTY, WHETHER WE'RE COMING TO WORK HERE OR GOING TO PLAY HERE, ALL OF THOSE AFFECT US. 
          SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A REFERENDUM IN NOVEMBER AND TWO COUNTIES ARE GOING TO HAVE BASICALLY THE SAME KIND OF A REFERENDUM. 
          JASPER COUNTY IS GOING TO HAVE A 15 YEAR REFERENDUM TO RAISE $470 MILLION OVER THAT TIMEFRAME. 
          BEAUFORT COUNTY IS GONNA HAVE A 10 YEAR REFERENDUM TO RAISE $950 MILLION. 
          900 MILLION OF THAT AFFECTS ROADS, BRIDGES, AND PATHWAYS. 
          50 MILLION IS FOR THE NEW GREEN BELT CONSERVATION THAT WILL REPLACE THE GREEN SPACE THAT ENDS AT THE END OF THIS YEAR, JASPER COUNTY 
          [01:00:01]
WILL HAVE 20% OR $94 MILLION OF THEIR REFERENDUM SET ASIDE FOR GREENBELT PROJECTS TO PROTECT OUR ENVIRONMENT. 
          SO WHY THE REFERENDUM? WELL, AS THIS SLIDE SHOWS, A STUDY WAS DONE FOR A PERIOD OF TIME ENDING IN 2023. 
          THE STATISTICS ARE HORRIBLE, BUT THEY MAKE A POINT. 
          WE'VE HAD OVER 400 FATALITIES, 13,000 INJURIES, 43,000 CRASHES. 
          THAT'S IN VEHICLES. 
          WE'VE HAD ANOTHER 450 BICYCLE PERCE, UH, PEDESTRIAN CRASHES, 370 INJURIES, AND 780 PLUS FATALITIES. 
          THE HOTSPOTS SHOW THE ROADS. 
          THOSE ARE THE ROADS THAT WE TRAVEL ON TO LIVE, WORK AND PLAY. 
          THESE SHOW ARE FOUR COUNTIES IN OUR AREA THAT ARE AFFECTED BY THESE. 
          THAT'S WHY THE LOW COG STUDY WAS DONE. 
          SO WHAT MUST BE DONE? THREE KEY ELEMENTS AFFECT US GREATLY. 
          ONE IS CALLED THE TRIANGLE. 
          AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THE TRIANGLE IS, IT'S ROUTE 1 72 78 AND ARGENT BOULEVARD. 
          THAT TRIANGLE IS ONE OF THE MOST CONGESTED AREAS. 
          EXAMPLE, TODAY I LIVE RIGHT OFF ONE 70 TO GET HERE, WHICH IS NOT A GREAT DISTANCE. 
          TOOK ME ONE HOUR AND 15 MINUTES AND GOING THROUGH TWO ACCIDENTS, GETTING HERE. 
          THAT'S A DAILY ROUTINE FOR PEOPLE. 
          IT IS TROUBLESOME. 
          IT AFFECTS OUR QUALITY OF LIFE. 
          IT CAN BE REPAIRED 46 IMPROVEMENTS. 
          THAT IS 46 AT THE CIRCLE IN BLUFFTON GOING OUT TO JASPER COUNTY AND THE US 2 78 QUARTER, WHICH IS THE BRIDGE AND ALL THE WAY TO EXIT EIGHT, GROWTH IS NOT COMING. 
          IT IS HERE. 
          WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO RESPOND TO THE GROWTH THAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR REGION. 
          AND REMEMBER, OUR REGION IS ALL OF THE COUNTIES THAT I DE DESCRIBED TO YOU, BUT IT'S ALSO ALL THE PEOPLE THAT CROSS THE SAVANNAH RIVER, THAT LIVE IN GEORGIA, THAT WORK IN OUR AREA OR THAT WE WORK THERE. 
          IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE FORWARD STRATEGICALLY, AND IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO GROW TOGETHER. 
          THE QR CODE WILL TAKE YOU TO OUR WEBSITE TO GET MORE AND MORE INFORMATION, AND I THANK YOU FOR LISTENING AND I HOPE THAT YOU UNDERSTAND IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE AND WE ALL LOVE IT HERE. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, LET'S WELCOME BLUFFTON MAYOR, LARRY TUBER. 
          WELL, I, I HAD ALL INTENTIONS OF JUST COMING HERE AND LAUGHING AND STUFF BECAUSE I THOUGHT HARRY WAS GOING BEFORE ME, BUT I GUESS I BETTER BE A LITTLE MORE SERIOUS ABOUT WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. 
          UM, BEFORE I GET INTO MY PRESENTATION SPEECH, I DON'T HAVE A ALL THAT FANCY STUFF LIKE THE COUNTY DOES. 
          UM, , I I WANNA MAKE IT VERY CLEAR BEFORE I PUT MY FOOT IN MY MOUTH THAT WHEN IF I SAY I OR WE OR WHATEVER, I MEAN EVERYONE INVOLVED IN THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON, EVEN FORMER MAYOR LISA SKA. 
          SO IF I SAY SOMETHING, NOT INCLUDING SOMEONE, PLEASE KNOW, I DON'T MEAN TO. 
          SO LET'S GET THIS SHOW ON THE ROAD. 
          THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. 
          THANK YOU FOR THE CHAMBER AND THE MANY PEOPLE WHO HELPED PUT THIS EVENT TOGETHER. 
          AND OF COURSE, AS I'M OFTEN REMINDED MYSELF BEFORE ANY EVENT, THANK YOU TO MY WIFE TINA, 36 YEARS, AND HER JOB'S BIGGER NOW THAN IT USED TO BE. 
          NOW THAT I'M MAYOR, UM, THE LAST 10 MONTHS OF SERVING AS MAYOR HAS BEEN ONE OF THE GREATEST HONORS 
          [01:05:01]
AND PRIVILEGES OF MY LIFE. 
          DURING MY TIME AS A COUNCIL MEMBER COUNCILMAN, I LIVE BY PHILOSOPHY OF KEEPING ONE HAND ON THE WHEEL OF OUR TOWN JUST TO MAKE SURE WE STAY ON COURSE AND DON'T TURN INTO SOME TOWN BLUFFTON THAT WE DON'T ALL WANT. 
          SINCE BECOMING MAYOR, I'VE BEEN PRETTY HAPPY TO PLACE BOTH HANDS ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND HAVE COME TO FIND A NEW APPRECIATION FOR THE TIME AND WORK THAT GOES INTO BEING A MAYOR OF A TOWN AS BUSY AS BLUFFTON. 
          I FEEL NOW THAT IT'S AN APPROPRIATE MOMENT TO THANK MY PREDECESSOR FOR HER TWO DECADES OF SERVICE. 
          LISA, YOU MADE IT LOOK EASY, BUT I'M HERE TO TELL Y'ALL IT'S NOT A LOT OF MOVING PARTS, A LOT OF PAIN IN THE BACK IN, I'M, I'M SO GRATEFUL FOR STEVEN, STEVE, OUR TOWN MANAGER, CHIEF BABITZ. 
          UM, THESE GUYS ARE ON THE JOB, ANSWER MY CALLS, KEEP ME INFORMED. 
          UM, THEY'RE, THEY ARE MY TWO GO-TO GUYS. 
          AND, UM, ALONG WITH EVERYONE UNDER THEM, ALL OF OUR LEADERSHIP STAFF, THE GUYS CUTTING THE GRASS, CLEANING UP OUR PARTS, ALL OF THAT, IT'S NOT WHAT LARRY TUB'S DOING IN BLUFFTON, IT'S WHAT THEY ARE DOING IN BLUFFTON, ALONG WITH THE LEADERSHIP OF COUNCIL, WHO FORTUNATELY WE ARE ON THE SAME BOAT MOST OF THE TIME, THE SAME PAGE. 
          UM, WE DON'T ALWAYS AGREE ON ISSUES, BUT I THINK ALL OF COUNCIL'S HEARTS ARE IN THE RIGHT PLACE. 
          AND, UM, THAT, THAT MAKES IT A LOT EASIER FOR ME BECAUSE IT'S NOT WHAT I DO. 
          I'M NOT A STRONG MAYOR. 
          I HAVE TO TAKE AND LISTEN TO THEM AND MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS THAT, THAT WE THINK WE SHOULD BE MAKING. 
          UM, IT'S SAD THAT A, THE MARK OF A GOOD LEADER IS TO TAKE THE BRUNT, TAKE THE BRUNT GOOD, AND PASS THE CREDIT TO THEIR TEAM WHEN THEY HAVE SUCCESS. 
          FOR THE FA LAST 11 YEARS IN ELECTED OFFICE, I'VE ALSO BEEN PROUD TO BE INVOLVED IN WHAT IS GOING ON IN OUR TOWN. 
          AND ALWAYS HUMBLE TO HEAR THE FEEDBACK OF THINGS EVEN WHEN THEY'RE NOT PERFECT. 
          AND THEY COULD BE BETTER. 
          TALK TO US. 
          LET US TEACH US, TELL US, GIVE US IDEAS THAT WE CAN DO THINGS BETTER IN THE FUTURE. 
          AS MANY OF YOU KNOW OR MAY NOT, I ENTERED, UM, PUBLIC SERVICE FOR THREE SIMPLE REASONS TO PROTECT OUR NATURAL ENVIRONMENT. 
          NUMBER ONE, TO IMPROVE THE TOWN SO THAT OUR CHILDREN WANT TO RAISE THEIR CHILDREN THERE AND THOSE CHILDREN RAISE OTHER CHILDREN THERE AND FUTURE, JUST THE WHOLE FUTURE GENERATIONS. 
          I'D BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T MENTION WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE LAST FEW DAYS AND WEEKS. 
          THE FLOODING FROM HURRICANE HELENE. 
          UM, IT'S, IT'S BEING FELT TENFOLD BY OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN UPSTATE GEORGIA, WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA, EASTERN TENNESSEE. 
          AND LET'S NOT FORGET FLORIDA. 
          IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ALL THE FLOODS, BUT, UM, THOSE WINDS WERE PRETTY TOUGH DOWN THERE TOO AND WIPED OUT A LOT OF FOLKS. 
          THE STORMS COULD BE UNPREDICTABLE AND I'M PROUD THAT WE ARE JUDGED BY OUR RESPONSE, WHICH HAS ALWAYS BEEN STRONG. 
          WHETHER IT'S HELPING OUR FRIENDS ACROSS THE RIVER, OR FLYING AND TRUCKING AID ACROSS THE STATE. 
          THESE STORMS ONLY STRENGTHEN AND RESOLVE AND BRING US CLOSER. 
          OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS ARE WITH ALL THOSE AFFECTED BY THESE STORMS, AND I'M CONFIDENT THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO COME BACK STRONGER. 
          AS ALWAYS, LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT THE MANY WAYS WE'RE WORKING TO IMPROVE THE BLUFFTON WAY OF LIFE. 
          TWO, UH, OVER OVERARCHING THEMES, THE AMOUNT OF INVESTMENT THAT BLUFFTON PUTS ON PUBLIC PROJECTS AND THE PROTECTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT. 
          THIS YEAR, THE TOWN IS SPENDING OVER $30 MILLION ON PUBLIC PROJECTS. 
          THESE INCLUDE SEWER PROJECTS, SIDEWALKS, LIGHTING, STREETSCAPE, PUBLIC PARKS, RESILIENCE, AND MANY MORE. 
          IT'S A LARGE INVESTMENT, BUT THESE ARE PROJECTS WHICH WILL ADD TO OUR QUALITY OF LIFE AND PROVIDE SERVICE TO OUR GROWING COMMUNITY FOREVER BASED ON DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS, WHICH WE WANNA FIND OUT WHERE WE ARE ON DEVELOPMENT. 
           BASED ON THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS FOR BLUFFTON RESIDENTIAL BUILD OUT STANDS AT 78%. 
          THAT MEANS 22 MORE PERCENT ARE STILL GONNA COME. 
          THE COMMERCIAL BUILD OUT STANDS AT 36%. 
          WHAT THIS MEANS IS THAT BLUFFTON POLICIES, PROGRAMS, 
          [01:10:01]
AND PROJECTS ARE CURRENTLY GEARED TO ATTRACT MORE COMMERCIAL PROJECTS SO THAT THEY CAN SERVICE THE RESIDENTS WHO WE ARE ALREADY, WHO ARE ALREADY THERE. 
          THIS IS WHY BLUFFTON IS PUSHING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND PRIORITIZING ATTRACTING BUSINESSES SUCH AS MEDICAL, CHILDCARE AND OTHER SERVICE INDUSTRIES. 
          WE NEED MORE BUSINESSES TO SERVE OUR RESIDENTS. 
          THIS ACCOMPLISHES TWO THINGS, MORE CONVENIENCES FOR THOSE WHO LIVE HERE AND FEWER PEOPLE ON THE MAJOR ROADS. 
          SINCE BUSINESSES ARE CLOSER TO WHERE THEY LIVE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WHAT IS THE TOWN DOING TO ACCOMPLISH THIS? BLUFFTON HAS GIVEN A HANDFUL OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GRANTS TO INCENTIVIZE LOCATING TO THE LOCATING TO THE FASTEST GROWING AREAS OF BLUFFTON, WHICH ARE WEST OF BUCK, BUCK WALTER PARKWAY, AND AROUND THE NEW RIVERSIDE AREA. 
          THE TOWN IS BREAKING GROUND ON THE BUCK WALTER ECONOMICAL DEVELOPMENT PROJECT THAT WILL PROVIDE FLEX WORKING SPACE FOR SERVICES. 
          THESE BUILDINGS WILL PROVIDE INNOVATORS, STARTUPS, AND SMALL BUSINESSES, A PLACE TO LAND WITH AVAILABLE RENTAL SPACE, CO-WORKING SPACES, AND THE SUPPORT AND RESOURCES OF THE DON RYAN CENTER OF INNOVATION. 
          AS YOU MAY ALREADY KNOW, THE DON RUN CENTER FOR INNOVATION IS THE TOWN'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT INVOLVED IN ATTRACTING, RETAINING, SUPPORTING BUSINESSES IN OUR REGION. 
          AFFORDABLE HOUSING. 
          THAT'S A HOT TOPIC AS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF HOW EVERY ISSUE IS CONNECTED WITH EACH OTHER. 
          BLUFFTON ECONOMIC EFFORTS. 
          IT IT, IT AFFECTS BLUFFTON ECONOMIC EFFORTS. 
          AS OF LAST YEAR, ABOUT A THIRD OF THE US HOUSEHOLDS SPEND MORE THAN A THIRD OF THEIR INCOME ON HOUSING. 
          MOST HOMES IN THE US ARE IN THE RANGE OF $400,000, WHICH IS A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE COMPARED TO PREVIOUS YEARS. 
          THE AVERAGE RENT HAS RISEN 25% SINCE THE PANDEMIC WITH MOST RENT EXCEEDING 2000 TO $3,000 A MONTH FOR A TWO BEDROOM APARTMENT. 
          WITHOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSES, THE BUS BUSINESS HOUSING, THE BUSINESSES WE ATTRACT WON'T HAVE ENOUGH WORKERS. 
          SO IT IS A MUNICIPAL ISSUE TO HELP PROTECT OUR LOCAL ECONOMIES BY PROMOTING AFFORDABLE HOUSING. 
          WE BROKE GROUND THIS SUMMER ON A COMMUNITY FOR 12 FAMILIES ON MAY RIVER ROAD. 
          THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMITTEE COMMUNITY CALLED THE MAY IS NOW UNDER CONSTRUCTION, THE TOWN ONE OF 2023 STATEWIDE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FOR ITS HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. 
          THIS PROGRAM GIVES INCOME QUALIFIED RESIDENTS UP TO $20,000 A YEAR FOR HOME REPAIRS, WHICH CAN KEEP THEM SAFE AND DRY. 
          THIS PROGRAM IS KEEPING OUR RESIDENTS IN THEIR HOMES AND HALTING THE COMPOUNDING OF THE HOUSING CRISIS. 
          IF THE TOWN COULD FIX A PROBLEM, WHICH WILL KEEP PEOPLE IN THEIR HOMES, THAT'S A SMALL PRICE TO PAY. 
          BLUFFTON IS PROUD OF THIS PROGRAM, IS PROGRAM IS BEING USED AS A TEMPLATE FOR OTHER CITIES AND TOWNS IN SOUTH CAROLINA. 
          BLUFFTON IS ALSO ONE, ONE OF THE EIGHT GOVERNMENT AGENCIES INVESTING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS COLLECTIVELY AS A MEMBER OF THE BEAUFORT JASPER HOUSING TRUST. 
          A SPECIAL THANKS GOES OUT TO SENATOR TOM DAVIS FOR HIS SUPPORT ON THIS. 
          THANK YOU, TOM. 
          ANYTIME A NEW DEVELOPMENT IS BEFORE TOWN COUNCIL, WE ENCOURAGE AND PROMOTE A SECTION OF THAT DEVELOPMENT DEVOTE BE DEVOTED TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING. 
          THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM, BUT HAS TAKEN STEPS TO BE A PART OF THE SOLUTION. 
          UM, OLDER OLDEST NEIGHBORHOODS SUCH AS THE HISTORIC DISTRICT, BUCK ISLAND, SIMPSONVILLE COMMUNITY, AND THE GO THROUGH ROAD SCHULTZ, UH, MISSED A PAGE OR SOMETHING IN THOSE AREAS. 
          IN THOSE AREAS, THE TOWN IS LEADING THE CHARGE TO CONVERT THE THEIR SEPTIC TANKS TO SEWER CONNECTIONS, HELP WITH DRAINAGE AND CONSTRUCT SIDEWALKS AND INSTALL LIGHTING. 
          CURRENTLY THE TOWN IS FINISHING UP ITS SEWER PROJECTS IN HISTORIC DISTRICT AND HAVE ADDED SEWER TO THE BUCK ISLAND SIMMONS COMMUNITY. 
          AGAIN, THESE PERS THESE PROJECTS ARE PERSONAL TO ME. 
          PROVIDING SEWER OPTIONS TO RESIDENTS IS WHY I'M MAYOR TODAY. 
          UM, I HAVE TO BE A VOICE FOR THE RIVER AND THE ENVIRONMENT BECAUSE THEY CAN'T TALK. 
          EXCUSE ME, RIGHT? SO RIGHT OUTSIDE THE TOWN LIMITS IS A COMMUNITY CALLED STONY CREEK WATER AND POLLUTIONS POLLUTANTS. 
          NO, NO BOUNDARIES. 
          WHAT HAPPENS IN ONE AREA? IT AFFECTS DOWNSTREAM AS WELL. 
          FOR YEARS, THE TOWN IS CONDUCT CONDUCTED MICRO, MICRO, I ALWAYS SPIT THIS OUT. 
          TEST ON THE MAY RIVER AND RESULTS FROM STONY CREEK ARE ALARMING. 
          THESE TESTS DE DETECTED HUMAN FECAL COLIFORM IN 
          [01:15:01]
THE RIVER'S HEADQUARTERS, WHICH IS DIRECTLY LINKED TO FAILING SEPTIC SYSTEMS. AND I'VE BEEN PREACHING THIS FOR ABOUT 20 YEARS NOW, WHILE THE TOWN IS NOT THE LEAD AGENCY, TOWN STAFF LED THE GRANT APPLICATION PROCESS TO HELP THE COUNTY. 
          AND THERE WAS MY OTHER PAGE. 
          GET, UH, $6 MILLION. 
          UM, GRANT. 
          SO WE HAVE SANITARY SEWER GOING INTO THOSE AREAS THAT WE KNOW ARE DEGRADING OUR, OUR RIVER. 
          UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW THIS HAPPENED. 
          I THINK JOE DID THIS TO ME. 
          , NOT REALLY. 
          ALL RIGHT, SO COUPLE OF MORE, UH, LITTLE THINGS ABOUT WHAT THE TOWN HAS. 
          THE, THE BOND RATING. 
          MOODY'S GAVE US A TRIPLE A BONDING RATING, THE HIGHEST RATING FOR A LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENCY, ONE OF ONLY FIVE MUNICIPALITIES. 
          WE ARE ONE OF ONLY FIVE MUNICIPALITIES IN SOUTH CAROLINA TO ACHIEVE THIS STATUS. 
          I THINK HILTON HEADS ONE OF THEM. 
          I'M PRETTY SURE. 
          UM, THE GREATER BLUFFTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AWARDED THE DON RYAN CENTER OF INNOVATION, MEMBER OF THE YEAR, THE GOLDEN OYSTER AWARD PRESERVATION. 
          SOUTH CAROLINA AWARDED THE BLUFFTON FORMER MAYOR ULKA ELECTED OFFICIAL HONOR AWARD FOR HER EFFORTS IN HISTORICAL PRESERVATION. 
          I THINK I'VE SAID ENOUGH. 
          THANK YOU ALL FOR ALLOWING ME TO TELL YOU WHAT IS GOING ON AND I WON'T BORE YOU ANYMORE. 
          LET'S WELCOME TO THE STATE OF THE REGION STAGE HARVILLE MAYOR HARRY WILLIAMS. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. 
          LARRY, I GOTTA MAKE SURE I HAVE MY PAGES IN THE RIGHT ORDER. 
          YOU TAUGHT ME A LESSON AS MICHAEL CORLEONE ONCE SAID, . 
          JUST WHEN I THOUGHT I WAS OUT, THEY PULLED ME BACK IN. 
          ACTUALLY, IT WAS MY WIFE BETH, WHO PUSHED ME BACK IN WHEN SHE BEGAN TO REALIZE HOW MUCH TIME I WOULD BE AT HOME. 
          . 
          THANK YOU DEAR. 
          SO IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'LL BE STUCK WITH ME FOR ANOTHER FOUR YEARS. 
          I JUST HOPE THAT I DON'T BECOME LIKE BENJAMIN FRANKLIN'S GUEST WHO LIKE FISH BEGIN TO SMELL AFTER TWO TERMS. BUT I DIGRESS. 
          HARVILLE CONTINUES TO CHANGE. 
          MOST NOTABLY, WE BEGIN NEXT MONTH WITH THE NEW CITY MANAGER AT THE HELM OF STARSHIP HARVILLE, MR. JOSH GRUBER, WHOM YOU MAY HAVE HEARD OF. 
          AND WE SAY GOODBYE TO MICHAEL J ZIBO, WHO IS CAPTAIN OUR STARSHIP, TO SO MANY WONDERFUL ACHIEVEMENTS. 
          MIKE'S DEVELOPMENT OF A PROFESSIONAL STAFF IN HIS TENACIOUS PURSUIT OF INVESTMENT INTO OUR CITY HAVE MADE HARDY VA FIRST CLASS ORGANIZATION AND THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGE GROWTH RATE IN THE STATE. 
          PLEASE ACKNOWLEDGE MIKE AND WISH HIM WELL AS HE BEGINS HIS NEXT ADVENTURE. 
          NOW, RATHER THAN LOOK BACK AT 2024, JOIN ME ON AN ENHANCED MAGIC CARPET RIDE TO OCTOBER 3RD, 2042 AND SEE THE FUTURE OF HARDY. 
          [01:20:03]
UM, WE HAVE A GREAT MEDIA TEAM, I MUST SAY FOR PERSPECTIVE, HERE'S A LOOK AT HARDY V'S. 
          58 SQUARE MILES, WHICH STRETCHED FROM SOUTHERN JASPER COUNTY AND HEADING NORTHEAST, ENDING AT ONE 70 ACROSS FROM OLDFIELD AND INCLUDES 10 MILES OF I 95 STARTING FROM THE SOUTH. 
          OUR CARPET LOOKS DOWN OVER 20 MILLION SQUARE FEET OF WAREHOUSING AND LIGHT MANUFACTURING ALONG HIGHWAY 17, STRETCHING FROM THE HARDY V COMMERCE PARK AT EXIT FIVE TO OUR SOUTHERN BORDER AT THE FORMER SHERWOOD PLANTATION. 
          ALONG HIGHWAY 17, WE SEE AN OEM, AN ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURER EMPLOYING OVER A THOUSAND WORKERS. 
          MR. SMITH, I'M SORRY YOU LEFT. 
          I WANTED YOU TO SEE THIS. 
          IT'S STILL OPEN. 
          A NEW EXIT, THREE SERVICES, 75,000 CARS PER DAY, TRAVELING ON SIX LANES OF I 95 AND IS SURROUNDED BY 1600 ACRES OF GAS STATIONS, HOTELS, RESTAURANTS, AND OF COURSE ANOTHER STARBUCKS AND MCDONALD'S . 
          JUST WEST OF THIS EXIT WE SEE HOMES AND APARTMENTS OFF BURG ROAD AND HUNDREDS OF WORKERS COMMUTING FROM THESE HOMES AND FROM ALL OVER THE REGION TO GOOD PAYING JOBS IN THE FACTORIES, WAREHOUSES, AND THE BUSINESSES AROUND THE EXIT. 
          PROSPERITY HAS REPLACED THE CORRIDOR OF SHAME. 
          AS WE GO NORTH, WE COME TO OUR HISTORIC DOWNTOWN THAT HAS BEEN TOTALLY REVITALIZED WITH NEW STREETS SCAPE, NEW SMALL BUSINESSES AND PEOPLE SHOPPING, EATING, AND RECREATING IN OUR SMALL TOWN, USA, OUR RE OUR RECREATION COMPLEX BEHIND CITY HALL HAS HUNDREDS OF KIDS PLAYING BASKETBALL, SOCCER IN THE PLAYGROUND, IN THE DOG PARK, AND RIDING THEIR BIKES TO THE REC CENTER ON A NEW TRAIL THROUGH THE WETLANDS. 
          A SOLEMN DAYS BRING HUNDREDS TO OUR NEW MEMORIAL PARK TO HONOR OUR VETERANS AND FIRST RESPONDERS. 
          AND IS THAT A SPLASH PAD? I SEE  AS WE GO UP TO EXIT EIGHT, WE SEE A RECONFIGURED EXIT AND NEW COMMERCE AND A BIG PICTURE OF A BIGGIE, A BEAVER WITH A RED HAT JUST OFF I 95. 
          BUT DON'T TELL ANYONE IT'S A SECRET . 
          AS WE HEAD EAST ALONG 2 78, WE SEE THOUSANDS OF HOUSES OFF JOHN SMITH ROAD, HILTON HEAD LAKES, MARGARITAVILLE, AND SUN CITY. 
          TRAVELING UP AR BOULEVARD, WE SEE 9,500 HOMES FROM RIVERTON POINT TO HEARTHSTONE LAKES. 
          MANY OF THESE NEW RESIDENTIAL UNITS IN THIS DISTRICT WILL BE STARTER HOMES AND APARTMENTS TO ACCOMMODATE YOUNG FAMILIES IN THE WORKFORCE. 
          WE SEE KIDS RIDING THEIR BIKES ON SIDEWALKS TO THE NEW CHARTER SCHOOL PARKS AND POLICE AND FIRE SUBSTATIONS ON THE CITY OWNED 80 ACRES PROVIDE FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT AND SAFETY. 
          1300 ACRES OF A CONSERVATION EASEMENT HAS BEEN CONVERTED FOR PASSIVE RECREATION ACTIVITIES. 
          PARENTS ARE DRIVING TO PUBLIXS, GETTING GAS AT PARKER'S, GOING TO OF COURSE A STARBUCKS AND A WENDY'S. 
          WENDY'S, ALL WITHOUT GOING ON THE MAJOR ROADS OF 1 72 78 OR ARJUN BOULEVARD. 
          AND WITH ALL THE RETIREES, HARDY WILL SURELY BE BLAMED FOR THE BANKRUPTCY OF THE SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION. 
          I THINK I GOTTA GO TO THE NEXT ONE, RIGHT OKAY, WE SEE THE, UH, THE TRIANGLE WIDENED WITH ARJUN BOULEVARD ONE 70 AND 2 78, AND THEY WILL 
          [01:25:01]
HAVE MORE LIGHTS THAN BROADWAY IN MANHATTAN. 
           OT CROSSING WILL BE ON ITS 10TH MASTER PLAN, INCLUDING THE RUMOR THAT COSTCO IS COMING, SETTING A NEW GUINNESS WORLD RECORD FOR THE LONGEST RUNNING RUMOR ON THE PLANET . 
          BUT WE WILL ALWAYS HAVE STARBUCKS AND WENDY'S ON 2 78 WITH HARDY V'S GROWING POPULATION AND BLUFFTON THOUSANDS, THE CLAMOR TO HAWK GROWTH WILL INCREASE WITH EVERY NEW WALL HAMMERED IN PLACE. 
          BUT AS THE SAYING GOES, FREEDOM IS NOT FREE. 
          THE FREEDOM FOR INDUSTRY TO EXERCISE THEIR ZONING RIGHTS DOES COME WITH A PRICE. 
          THE FREEDOM FOR PEOPLE TO MOVE ANYWHERE IN THE UNITED STATES HAS STRESSED OUR ROADS AND OUR INFRASTRUCTURE. 
          THE QUESTION IS, HOW DO WE PAY FOR THE PRICE OF FREEDOM? JASPER COUNTY'S REFERENDUM CALLS FOR $470 MILLION, BUT HAS $756 MILLION ON THEIR LIST OF NEEDS. 
          BEAUFORT COUNTY'S REFERENDUM CALLS FOR 950 MILLION, BUT THEIR ORIGINAL LIST WAS 1.6 BILLION. 
          WHERE WILL WE, AS A REGION COME UP WITH NEARLY $2.4 BILLION IF THESE REFERENDUMS FAIL? HOW CAN WE EVEN BEGIN TO FIX OUR ROADS UNTIL WE FIRST FIND THE FUNDING? WE CAN APPEAL TO THE STATE INFRASTRUCTURE BANK, BUT AS WITNESSED BY THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND BRIDGES AND EXIT THREE, THE STATE ONLY HELPS THOSE WHO HELP THEMSELVES. 
          THEY REQUIRE A MATCH. 
          AND I CAN TELL YOU FIRSTHAND, AND SENATOR DAVIS AND OUR DELEGATION CAN CONFIRM, GETTING MONEY FROM THAT BANK IS MORE TORTUROUS THAN WATER BOARDING, AND IT TAKES A HECK OF A LOT LONGER. 
          THE ANSWER FOR SOME PEOPLE IS TO HALT THE GROWTH. 
          JASPER'S REFERENDUM DEVOTES 20% OR 94 MILLION TO GREENBELT INITIATIVES, AND BEAUFORT COUNTY CALLS FOR ANOTHER 50 MILLION. 
          IN ADDITION TO THE A HUNDRED MILLION ALREADY COLLECTED, THESE FUNDS WILL BE DEVOTED TO STRATEGIC LAND PURCHASES THAT WILL PREVENT THE DEVELOPMENT OF SENSITIVE LANDS. 
          THAT IS ONE WAY TO PREVENT GROWTH, BUT WHAT IF THE REFERENDUMS FAIL? HOW DO WE PROTECT THESE ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AREAS? NOW, I, I CANNOT AND WILL NOT ADVOCATE FOR THE PASSAGE OF, OF THESE REFERENDUMS, BUT I CAN ASK THE QUESTIONS. 
          IF THEY DON'T PASS, WILL MY MAGIC CARPET FLY OVER TRAFFIC JAMS AS WORKERS TRY TO GET TO THEIR JOBS IN HARDY BLUFFTON AND HILTON HEAD, JUST LIKE I TRIED TO GET HERE THIS MORNING? WILL OUR ROADS BE CLOGGED AS ACCIDENTS ARE CLEARED UP, WILL DEVELOPMENT SPREAD TO AREAS WE WANT TO PRESERVE? THESE ARE TOUGH QUESTIONS THAT WE MUST FACE AS A REGION. 
          OUR ROADS, OUR ENVIRONMENT, AND OUR WORKERS ARE ALL CONNECTED. 
          BUT ENOUGH FOR THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON, MY MAGIC CARPET RIDES IN SUNSHINE OVER A GLORIOUS NEW LOW COUNTRY REGION THAT HAS MET ITS CHALLENGES WISELY. 
          WE SEE ECONOMIC PROSPERITY FOR WHAT HAS BEEN ONE OF THE COUNTRY'S POOREST COUNTIES. 
          WE SEE THOUSANDS OF BETTER PAYING JOBS FOR THE REGION. 
          NEW TAX REVENUES HAVE COME TO OUR SCHOOLS AND IMPROVED OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM. 
          OUR STUDENTS SEE A FUTURE OF OPPORTUNITY, AN INCENTIVE TO GET HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMAS AND HIGHER DEGREES, STRONG NEW FAMILIES FILL OUR NEW HOMES, AND OUR CHILDREN HAVE CAREER OPPORTUNITIES TO STAY IN THE REGION OF THEIR BIRTH. 
          YES, EVERYTHING HAS A PRICE, BUT IF WE FACE OUR CHALLENGES HEAD ON WITH THE FORCE OF THE ENTIRE LOW COUNTRY, OUR MAGIC CARPET RIDE WILL BE A PLEASURE CRUISE. 
          NOW PLEASE CHECK THE SEAT POCKETS IN FRONT OF YOU AND RETRIEVE YOUR BELONGINGS FROM THE OVERHEAD. 
          AND THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING HARDY V'S. 
          MAGIC CARPET FOR YOUR FUTURE TRAVEL NEEDS. 
          THANK YOU. 
          IT'S TIME NOW TO WELCOME HILTON HEAD ISLAND MAYOR ALLEN PERRY. 
          HEY, 
          [01:30:06]
WELL, UM, HARRY, I JUST THINK YOU ROCKED, UH, ALL OF OUR TRAINS HERE. 
          UM, NOT SURE HOW TO FOLLOW THAT. 
          THANK YOU FOR, UH, FOR SETTING ME UP FOR FAILURE. 
          APPRECIATE THAT. 
          . 
          I HAD A SPEECH WRITTEN, BUT I, I DON'T KNOW, I MIGHT HAVE TO CHANGE IT UP A LITTLE BIT. 
          BUT ANYWAY, YOU KNOW, GOOD AFTERNOON. 
          THANK YOU FOR, FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE WITH ALL OF Y'ALL. 
          AND, AND I, IT IS, IT IS DIFFICULT TO FOLLOW MAYOR WILLIAMS. HE'S SUCH A CREATIVE FOOL, UM, , BUT IT'S EVEN MORE DIFFICULT WHEN HE IS JUST POACHED YOUR DEPUTY TOWN MANAGER JOSH, AS WE CALL HIM THE QUITTER GRUBER. 
          SO MAYBE FEELING A JUST A LITTLE SORE ABOUT THAT AND HAVING TO SIT AT THE TABLE WITH HIM AND THEN LISTEN TO HIM AND ALL. 
          Y'ALL LAUGH AT HIM, BUT REALLY IN ALL SERIOUS, NO. 
          UH, HARRY IN HARDY, YOU'RE GETTING A GREAT SERVANT LEADER IN JOSH GRUBER. 
          UH, WHAT HE'S DONE FOR THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD IS PHENOMENAL, AND WHERE HE'S GONNA TAKE Y'ALL IS ALSO GOING TO BE PHENOMENAL. 
          UM, YOU'RE THE SECOND OLDEST AT THE TABLE, SO YOU NEED SOMEBODY YOUNGER TO COME IN AND HELP YOU THERE, HARRY. 
          BUT, UM, WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN WITH WITHIN THE COMMUNITY IS THAT WE'RE ALL GONNA WORK TOGETHER. 
          HAVING JOSH AND HARDY V, HAVING LARRY IN BLUFFTON, HAVING THOSE IN, IN IN PORT ROYAL, KEVIN AND, AND PHIL AND BUFORT, UM, AS A MUNICIPALITY, WE'RE GONNA WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE THIS WHOLE LOW COUNTRY A WONDERFUL PLACE TO THE CHAMBER PRESENTING SPONSORS NOVANT HEALTH AND THE SAVANNAH HILTON HEAD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, AS WELL AS ALL THE ADDITIONAL SPONSORS OF THIS WONDERFUL EVENT. 
          YOUR EFFORTS TO PULL US TOGETHER FOR THIS PROGRAM AND TO HEAR FROM LOCAL LEADERS IN OUR REGION IS APPRECIATED MORE THAN YOU KNOW, I'D ALSO LIKE TO RECOGNIZE AND THANK OUR TOWN COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR THEIR TIRELESS WORK TO SERVE CI, THE CITIZENS OF AMERICA'S FAVORITE ISLAND, DAVID AMES, ALEX BROWN, PATSY BRYSON, TAMARA BECKER, STEVE ALFRED, AND GLEN STANFORD. 
          AS MANY OF YOU KNOW OR MAY NOT KNOW, DAVID AND GLEN WILL BE RETIRING FROM TOWN COUNCIL SOON, AND THIS DESERVES A SPECIAL THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU HAVE DONE TO MAKE A POSITIVE IMPACT IN OUR COMMUNITY. 
          AND FINALLY, I'D LIKE TO THANK THE VOLUNTEER. 
          I, NO, I'M NOT DONE YET, AND FI, I'D LIKE TO THANK THE VOLUNTEER MEMBERS OF OUR TOWN ADVISORY BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO THE REVITALIZATION, MODERNIZATION, AND PRESERVATION OF THE ENVIRONMENT WE LOVE SO DEEPLY. 
          TO SAY THAT THE TOWN IS MOVING FORWARD IN UNPRECEDENTED STRATEGIC WAYS MIGHT BE AN UNDERSTATEMENT FOR 2024. 
          THESE NEXT TWO SLIDES PROVIDE A SNAPSHOT OF WHAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO TACKLE THROUGH THE NEXT YEAR. 
          TAKEN DIRECTLY FROM OUR STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN, WE'VE REAFFIRMED OUR COMMITMENT TO PRESERVING THE THINGS WE LOVE ABOUT OUR ISLAND, CONSERVING WHAT WE CAN, SO IT'S HERE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS AND BECOMING MORE THOUGHTFUL AND COLLABORATIVE IN OUR COLLECTIVE DECISION MAKINGS. 
          I BELIEVE OUR EFFORTS HAVE RESULTED IN SOME MAJOR WINS IN HOW WE CARE FOR AND PRESERVE OUR COMMUNITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT FUNDED BY OUR BEACH PRESERVATION FEE. 
          I'M PLEASED TO SHARE THAT WE ARE ONCE AGAIN RENOURISHING THE BEACH OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND BEACHES OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND IN 2025. 
          AND AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, THIS IS A HEAVY LIFT AND TOWN STAFF WILL BE WORKING DIRECTLY WITH NEIGHBORHOODS, COMMUNITY MANAGERS, EVENT PLANNERS, THE CHAMBER OF CONVERSE AND MORE TO HELP EVERYONE UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT, TIMING, AND OTHER IMPORTANT DETAILS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS NECESSARY MEASURE TO PROTECT OUR BELOVED COASTLINE. 
          I'M ALSO REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE UPCOMING RENOVATIONS, UPGRADES, AND REDEVELOPMENT OF SOME OF OUR MOST VISITED PUBLIC PARKS. 
          ISLANDERS BEACH PARK WILL SEE IMPROVED PARKING AND PATHWAYS, BOARDWALK REPLACEMENT, AND NEW PLAYGROUND CROSSINGS PARK IS SET FOR RENOVATION OF THE HOCKEY RINK BASKETBALL COURTS, A NEW SKATE PARK AND BMX PUMP TRACK AND DRUM ROLL PLEASE. 
          THE ADDITION OF 18 GLORIOUS PICKLEBALL COURTS. 
           CAN NEVER HAVE ENOUGH. 
          PATTERSON AND TAYLOR FAMILY PARKS, WHICH WILL BE BUILT IN HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS WILL CELEBRATE CULTURE AND HISTORY, PROVIDE A NEIGHBORHOOD RESPITE AND MEANINGFUL PLACES TO GATHER. 
          AND NOW THAT WE'VE COMPLETED PHASE ONE OF THE SHELTER COVE COMMUNITY PARK, WE'RE MOVING ON TO PHASE TWO, WHICH IS GOING TO OCCLUDE A FIRST IN THE NATION. 
          FIRST IN THE NATION BEST BUDDIES AND MIRACLE 
          [01:35:01]
RECREATION PARTNERSHIP, PLAYGROUND EXPERIENCE THAT WILL EMBRACE ALL CHILDREN IN THEIR VARYING PHYSICAL AND DEVELOPMENT ABILITIES. 
          IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS ACROSS THE ISLAND ARE A HUGE PRIORITY FOR OUR TOWN COUNCIL AND OUR RESIDENTS AND OUR GUESTS. 
          I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT OUR TEAM IS MOVING AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE TO EXECUTE, EXECUTE THESE IMPORTANT QUALITY OF LIFE INITIATIVES. 
          OUR DEDICATION TO PRESERVING THE ISLAND'S PAST AND CONSERVING THE RICH TAPESTRY OF OUR LOCAL CULTURE IS ALSO BEING DEMONSTRATED THROUGH OUR COLLABORATION WITH THE BEAUFORT COUNTY GREEN SPACE PROGRAM 1 31 AND ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF AGO, WE JUST CLOSED ON THE 26 ACRE ACRES AT MITCHELLVILLE PARK. 
          IT HASN'T BEEN EASY, BUT WE GOT IT DONE, AND I WANNA THANK THE COUNTY AND THE GREEN SPACE COMMITTEE FOR GETTING US THERE. 
          IN TERMS OF ECONOMIC GROWTH, OUR STAR THAT CONTINUES TO RISE IS THE RBC HERITAGE HELD THE WEEK AFTER THE MASTERS WITH A $20 MILLION PURSE. 
          THE HERITAGE IS LIKE ANY OTHER STOP ON THE PGA TOUR AND IT'S GENERATING MORE, WAY MORE THAN A GREAT TIME AND COMMUNITY TRADITION. 
          IT DRIVES TANGIBLE POSITIVE ECONOMIC IMPACT ANNUALLY. 
          THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN WITHOUT TOURNAMENT DIRECTORS. 
          STEVE WILMONT, THE HERITAGE FOUNDATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS, RBC, AND ALL SPONSORS SAY A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO THOSE FOLKS FOR ALL YOU DO TO ENSURE THE RBC HERITAGE ONGOING SUCCESS. 
          AND LET'S NOT FORGET THE UPCOMING CONCORD DE ELEGANCE, OUR SECOND LARGEST ANNUAL EVENT DEMONSTRATING SIGNIFICANT ECONOMIC IMPACT. 
          IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR, WHICH I'M HOPE MOST OF YOU ARE, IT'S THE CELEBRATION THAT TELLS THE INTRICATE STORY OF AUTOMOTIVE ARTISTRY AND INNOVATION WITHIN A UNIQUE SETTING THAT DEFINES HILTON HEAD ISLAND. 
          SIMPLY PUT, IT'S AN AUTOMOTIVE UTOPIA. 
          OH, AND IF YOU HAVEN'T HEARD YET, THAT SUNDAY, DARYL HALL OF HALL AND OATES WILL BE SINGING THE NATIONAL ANTHEM. 
          HOW COOL IS THAT? I ALSO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE TOWN'S RENEWED FOCUS ON UNDERSTANDING THE 21ST CENTURY NEEDS OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND'S BUSINESS COMMUNITY. 
          MY MIND GOES TO A RECENT WIN IN OUR CURRENT TOWN'S COUNCIL'S APPROVAL OF THE PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT OF NORTH POINT. 
          TO ADDRESS OUR URGENT WORKFORCE HOUSING NEEDS, ONE STREET RESIDENTIAL PARTNERS WILL CONSTRUCT 160 APARTMENTS MADE UP OF ONE, TWO, AND THREE BEDROOM OPTIONS WITH QUALITY AND MODERN NEIGHBORHOOD CONVENIENCES AT THEIR CORE. 
          WHAT'S INNOVATED HERE IS THAT THESE HOMES ARE EXCLUSIVELY FOR OUR ISLANDS WORKFORCE, AND THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING. 
          OUR TOWN STAFF ARE WORKING HARD TO IDENTIFY AND ATTRACT MORE PARTNERS WHO UNDERSTAND OUR WORKFORCE HOUSING NEEDS AND ARE WILLING TO THINK OUTSIDE OF THE BOX WITH US ON ATTRACTIVE AND SENSIBLE SOLUTIONS. 
          WE'RE ALSO LOOKING FOR WAYS TO DEVELOP AND EXPAND NEW BUSINESSES THAT MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR ISLANDS RESIDENTS AND VISITORS. 
          I'M EXCITED TO SHARE THAT ON MONDAY, WE RELEASED A HEALTHCARE PROVIDER REQUEST FOR A PRO FOR PROPOSALS FOR THE OLD MODERN CLASSIC MOTOR SITE WITH THE GOAL OF ATTRACTING HIGH PAYING JOBS AND EVEN MORE WORLD-CLASS HEALTHCARE ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND AND PERHAPS LASTING LIST, BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST IS A GLANCE AT WHAT WE'RE ACCOMPLISHING FROM A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PERSPECTIVE. 
          I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE SEEN A COMMUNITY CALENDAR LATELY, BUT WE ARE BOOKED THROUGH THE END OF THE YEAR WITH TOWN SUPPORTED EVENTS AND SPONSORED EVENTS AND FESTIVALS. 
          WE HAD A VERY SUCCESSFUL, VERY SUCCESSFUL SECOND HILTON HEAD ISLAND SINGER SONGWRITER JAMS JUST A WEEK AND A HALF AGO. 
          THERE WERE REALLY, I THINK THERE WERE PROBABLY MORE THAN 30, BUT WE'RE FIGURING ABOUT 30 GRAMMY WINNERS. 
          WE'RE HERE ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND. 
          THAT'S AMAZING. 
          SPEAKING OF GRAMMYS GRAMMY AWARD-WINNING MUSICIAN, CHARLTON SINGLETON OF RANKING TANK FAME WILL HELP US KICK OFF OUR HILTON HEAD ISLAND CRESCENDO CELEBRATION OF ARTS, CULTURE AND HISTORY ON OCTOBER 15TH AT THE SHELTER COVE COMMUNITY PARK. 
          AND IF YOU'VE NEVER SEEN OUR LANTERN PARADE AT THE END OF NOVEMBER, IT IS TRULY AN AMAZING SPECTACLE. 
          EVERY ONE OF THESE COMMUNITY EVENTS YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN TIED BACK TO HILTON HEAD ISLAND SIGNATURE HOSPITALITY, OUR SPIRIT OF GIVING BACK TO OUR NEIGHBORS AND COMMUNITIES, AND A UNIQUE BLEND OF IN INDIVIDUALS WHO LIVE AND WORK HERE. 
          NOW LET'S TALK COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FROM A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE. 
          AS SOME OF YOU'RE AWARE, TOWN COUNCIL TOOK A MOMENTOUS STEP PROTECTING 
          [01:40:01]
ITS GULLAH GEECHEE HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS. 
          IN 2022, THROUGH THE CREATION OF THE GULLAH GEECHEE HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, TOWN COUNCIL HAD IDENTIFIED A SIGNIFICANT THREAT TO THE RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES IN A HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS DUE TO AN ONGOING ABSENCE OF VIA VIABLE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES, LACK OF ACCESS TO SAFE, RESPECTABLE, AND QUALITY, AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPTIONS, AND LIMITED ACCESS TO CRITICAL SKILLS, TRAINING AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS. WE HAVE WORKED TOGETHER TO ESTABLISH A PLAN FOR LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY, AND TO PROMOTE AND INVEST IN THE CULTURAL ASSETS THAT EXIST BECAUSE OF THE GULLAH GEECHEE NATIVE ISLANDERS IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS. 
          WE WOULD NOT BE WHERE WE ARE TODAY, IF NOT FOR THE GUIDANCE AND COLLABORATION WITH THE GULLAH GEECHEE CDC BOARD OF DIRECTORS, INCLUDING CHAIRWOMAN SHIRLEY PEACHES, PETERSON. 
          I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THOMAS BOXLEY, THE DIRECTOR OF THE GULLAH GEECHEE, CDC, WHO IS HERE WITH US TODAY AS WELL. 
          SO ALL THAT SAID, WHAT ABOUT THE FUTURE? WHERE ARE WE HEADED AS AN ISLAND WHEN IT FEELS LIKE SO MANY THINGS, ALBEIT GOOD THINGS ARE HAPPENING AT THE SPEED OF LIGHT? HILTON HEAD ISLAND'S, IMMEDIATES, FUTURE AND MY HUMBLE OPINION WILL BE DEFINED BY THREE THINGS, IMPROVING OUR COMMUNICATION WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. 
          THIS MEANS EVERYTHING FROM THE CHANNELS AND MEDIUMS WE USE TO REACH PEOPLE, BUSINESSES, VISITORS, AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS, TO ENGAGING IN REAL TIME FEEDBACK AT COMMUNITY EVENTS AND TOWN COUNCIL WORKSHOPS. 
          BEFORE DECISIONS HAVE BEEN MADE, OR IN SOME INSTANCES, SOLUTIONS HAVE EVEN BEEN PROPOSED. 
          CAREFUL AND THOUGHTFUL REPURPOSING OF ANTIQUATED COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS AND PROPERTIES ALONG WITH SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT IN IMPROVING THE TRANSPORTATION CORRIDORS, TALKING ABOUT THE TOWN AC ACQUISITION OF AT RISK PROPERTIES THAT ARE CRITICAL TO THE FUTURE OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, SUCH AS THE PNC BANK AT FOUR OFFICE WAY AND THE OLD WILD WINGS PROPERTY IN THE KANEY BEACH AREA. 
          THE STABILIZATION OF THE OLD SAM'S PROPERTY BUILDING, TURNING THE OLD GRACO PROPERTY ON 2 78 INTO AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A NEW ANCHOR STORE, MICROBREWERY AND CAR STORAGE FACILITY, OUR PENDING CLOSING ON THE ENCHILADAS PROPERTY AND THE IMPROVEMENT TO OUR ALLENS ROADS AND QUARTERS, WHICH CONNECT THESE IMPORTANT PROPERTIES. 
          THERE'S A SAYING THAT HARM AVERTED IS BENEFIT UNSEEN. 
          WELL, I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT IN TAKING THIS APPROACH, WE HAVE ACQUIRED 28 ACRES OF PROPERTIES IN THE PAST YEAR ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND. 
          THIS LAND IS NOW PRESERVED FROM DEVELOPMENT IMPACTS AND LOCATIONS THAT ARE JUST NOT SUITABLE FOR DEVELOPMENT. 
          WE ALSO INVESTED IN LAND THAT WILL BE USED FOR ANOTHER WORKFORCE HOUSING SITE, ALONG WITH THE SPACE FOR TOWN STAFF AND BEACH PARKING, AND FINALLY, ENHANCED COLLABORATE, COLLABORATION AND NEW RELATIONSHIPS WITH ALL OF YOU HERE TODAY. 
          BY WORKING TOGETHER, I THINK WE WILL HAVE SIGNIFICANT OPPORTUNITY TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE RIGHT SIZE, THE COLLECTIVE MIX OF RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL, AND TOURISM RELATED INFLUENCES THAT AFFECT ALL OF OUR COMMUNITIES. 
          HILTON HEAD ISLAND IS EXPERIENCING A TRANSFORMATION MO TRANSFORMATIVE MOMENT FILLED WITH NEW OPPORTUNITIES TO PRESERVE AND ENHANCE WHAT WE CHERISH MOST ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY. 
          WITH THE LEADERSHIP OF OUR DEDICATED TALENT MANAGER, MARCO ORLANDO AND OUR TALENTED TEAM, STAFF, MOTIVATED TEAM IN PLACE, WE CAN BE CONFIDENT THAT HILTON HEAD ISLAND IS INCAPABLE HANDS IN PROGRESSING TOWARDS CHERYL SHARED GOALS AND PRIORITIES. 
          I SHOULD ALSO TAKE A MOMENT TO THINK AND ACKNOWLEDGE MY AWESOME AND SUPPORTIVE WIFE. 
          SHE KEEPS ME GROUNDED, WHICH I NEED AND GOING, AND IF SHE LOVES ME HALF AS MUCH AS SHE LOVES THIS COMMUNITY, I'M A BLESSED INDIVIDUAL. 
          THANK YOU. 
          NOT DONE YET. 
          THIS ISN'T, THE GRAMMYS ISN'T TAKING ME OFF STAGE. 
          IN CLOSING, THE FUTURE OF OUR REQUIRE REGION REQUIRES THAT TOGETHER WE ALL MOVE FORWARD FROM A PLACE OF INTELLIGENCE AND COMPASSION. 
          WE MAY NOT ALWAYS AGREE ON THE HOW, BUT THE VARIETY IN OUR PERSPECTIVES AND EXPERIENCES WILL HELP US HONOR OUR PAST AS WE WORK TO PRESERVE THE HEALTH AND PROSPERITY OF OUR COMMUNITIES FOR DECADES TO COME. 
          GOD BLESS OUR NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS WHO HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY HELENE. 
          WE ARE SO FORTUNATE THAT WE'RE HERE TODAY. 
          SO MANY OF OUR FRIENDS AND LEADERS AND FAMILY DON'T HAVE THIS PRIVILEGE. 
          LET'S BE THANKFUL FOR WHERE WE ARE. 
          THANK YOU ALL. 
          HOW ABOUT THAT? LET'S GIVE A, UH, BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE, MAYOR PERRY, MAYOR WILLIAMS, MAYOR TO AND CHAIRMAN PASSMAN, 
          [01:45:03]
AND I'D JUST LIKE TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO EACH OF YOU AND THANK YOU FOR BEING RESPECTFUL AND MINDFUL AND, UH, WE APPRECIATE THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH, ACCOMPLISH A LOT IN A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME. 
          I HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT REST OF YOUR DAY. 
          IN CLOSING, I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE OUR GREAT TEAM AT THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND WORKING ON YOUR BEHALF EACH AND EVERY DAY. 
          AND SO WITH THAT, HAVE A GREAT, WONDERFUL, BEAUTIFUL REST OF YOUR LOW COUNTRY DAY. 
          ENJOY JOY. 
          THANKS FOR BEING PART OF THE 28TH ANNUAL STATE OF THE REGION. 
          HELLO, MY NAME IS EBONY SANDERS. 
          I AM THE BEAUFORT COUNTY ASSESSOR. 
          OUR GOAL AT THE BEAUFORT COUNTY ASSESSOR'S OFFICE IS TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC IN THE AREAS OF REAL PROPERTY TAXATIONS IN AN EFFORT TO MEET THAT GOAL. 
          WE ARE HERE TODAY TO SHOW YOU A SERIES OF VIDEOS STARTING WITH THIS ONE CONCERNING THE BEAUFORT COUNTY ASSESSOR'S OFFICE WAGE. 
          START BY GOING TO THE BUFORT COUNTY WEBSITE, WWW.BEAUFORTCOUNTYSC.GOV, AND YOU CAN GO THERE TO LOCATE OUR WEBPAGE. 
          TO BEGIN, WHEN YOU'RE AT THE WEBPAGE, YOU'LL START BY GOING TO THE GOVERNMENT TAB ON YOUR PAGE. 
          THEN YOU WILL FIND DEPARTMENTS AND UNDER ASSESSOR. 
          WHEN YOU SELECT ASSESSOR, THE PAGE WILL DIRECT YOU TO OUR WEBPAGE. 
          ON THE ASSESSOR'S WEBPAGE, YOU WILL FIND A HOST OF INFORMATION THAT YOU CAN DO RESEARCH ON. 
          YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR PARTICULAR PROPERTY, BUT YOU CAN ALSO ACTUALLY ON FIND ONLINE APPLICATIONS WHERE YOU CAN APPLY FOR LEGAL RESIDENCY APPLICATIONS AS WELL AS AG USE. 
          SO LET'S LOOK AT THE LEGAL RESIDENCY APPLICATION. 
          TO BEGIN, YOU'LL SEE THERE'S A LINK THAT YOU CAN APPLY FOR THE LEGAL RESIDENCY APPLICATION. 
          YOU SELECT OUR LINK, AND HERE THE APPLICATION IS PROVIDED FOR YOU. 
          MY SUGGESTION WOULD BE TO READ THE ENTIRE APPLICATION THOROUGHLY BEFORE YOU BEGIN, AS YOU WILL NEED CERTAIN DOCUMENTS TO SUBMIT WITH YOUR APPLICATION. 
          IF YOU CHOOSE NOT TO APPLY ONLINE, YOU CAN ALSO APPLY IN PAPER FORM. 
          GO BACK TO THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE WEBPAGE, GO TO FORMS, AND HERE YOU'LL SEE A LIST OF ALL THE FORMS THAT OUR OFFICE SUB SUPPLY OUR TAXPAYERS. 
          YOU CAN ACTUALLY DOWNLOAD THESE FORMS AND PRINT THEM OFF AND SUBMIT THEM IN WRITING. 
          YOUR APPLICATION CAN BE MAILED INTO OUR OFFICE AS WELL. 
          YOU CAN MAIL THEM BY USING OUR MAILING ADDRESS, WHICH IS LOCATED IN OUR CONTACT INFORMATION ON OUR WEBPAGE. 
          YOU CAN ALSO FAX YOUR APPLICATION IN ALONG WITH YOUR DOCUMENTS TO THE FAX NUMBER THAT'S LISTED ON OUR WEBPAGE. 
          AGAIN, THE FORM SECTION OF OUR WEBPAGE DOES HAVE A LOT OF INFORMATION THERE. 
          YOU CAN BROWSE, YOU CAN NAVIGATE THROUGH THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF APPLICATIONS AND SELECT THE ONE THAT'S MOST APPROPRIATE FOR YOUR SITUATION. 
          ADDITIONALLY, ON OUR WEBPAGE, YOU'LL FIND INFORMATION ABOUT WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO. 
          IT'S A SHORT VIDEO BLAINE'S ASSESSOR'S OFFICE ROLE IN THE TAXATION PROCESS. 
          ANOTHER PART OF OUR ONLINE WEB PAGES THAT WOULD BE VERY INTERESTING, MAYBE BENEFICIAL, IS TO DOWNLOAD THE 2018 REASSESSMENT GUIDE BY SELECTING THE REASSESSMENT GUIDE. 
          YOU CAN ACTUALLY DOWNLOAD THIS PARTICULAR BROCHURE AND READ IT AT YOUR CONVENIENCE OR READ IT WHILE YOU'RE ONLINE. 
          IT WILL GIVE YOU MORE DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT OUR OFFICE AND WHAT WE DO AND HOW WE CAN HELP YOU AS A TAXPAYER WITH REGARDS TO YOUR REAL PROPERTY, UM, VALUATION. 
          RETURNING TO THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE WEBPAGE, YOU WILL SEE THAT YOU CAN CONTACT US BY REACHING US AT 8 4 3 2 5 5 2 4 0 0. 
          OUR LOCATION IS LISTED ON OUR WEBPAGE AS WELL. 
          WE HAVE THREE DIFFERENT OFFICES. 
          WE HAVE TWO SATELLITE OFFICES, ONE LOCATED IN BLUFFTON, ONE LOCATED IN HILTON HEAD, AND OUR MAIN CAMPUS IS HERE IN BEAUFORT, SOUTH CAROLINA. 
          IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THE ADDRESSES FOR THOSE LOCATIONS AND FIND THE ONE'S CLOSEST NEAR TO YOU, YOU CAN GO GO BACK TO OUR PAGE TO RESOURCES. 
          SELECT OFFICE LOCATION AND THE ADDRESSES TO OUR BUILDINGS OR LOCATIONS ARE LISTED THERE. 
          ADDITIONALLY, WHAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL TO A LOT OF OUR TAXPAYERS, THEY WOULD LIKE TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THEIR PROPERTY VALUE OR TIES IN THEIR SURROUNDING AREAS. 
          YOU CAN USE OUR PROPERTY MAX FEATURE UNDER RESOURCES TO SEARCH FOR REAL PROPERTY BY YOUR PERSONAL PIN NUMBER. 
          YOUR A IN NUMBER OR YOUR NAME AND YOUR SITE ADDRESS IS HELPFUL TO HAVE AS WELL. 
          IF YOU WANT TO SEARCH FOR A PARTICULAR ONE BY YOUR SIDE EFFECT IN THE NEAR FUTURE, WE'RE GONNA DO A SERIES OF VIDEOS THAT WILL GIVE YOU MORE DETAILED INFORMATION ON THE PROPERTY MAX PORTION OF OUR WEBSITE. 
          ANOTHER FEATURE THAT YOU MAY FIND VERY, VERY INTERESTING CAN FOLLOW US ON TWITTER. 
          OUR TWITTER ADDRESS IS 
          [01:50:01]
LOCATED HERE ON OUR WEBPAGE, AND YOU CAN ACTUALLY LINK TO OUR TWITTER ACCOUNT AND YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE ANY NEW UPDATED EVENTS THAT ARE OCCURRING WITH THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE THAT'S IMPORTANT TO YOU AS A TAXPAYER OR JUST INFORMATION THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SHARE. 
          THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AND ALLOWING ME TO INTRODUCE MYSELF. 
          YOU CAN GAIN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION BY GOING TO WWW.BEAUFORTSC.GOV. 
          YOU CAN CONTACT US BY CALLING US AT 8 4 3 2 5 5 2 4 0 0, AND YOU CAN ALWAYS SEND A MESSAGE TO US USING OUR CITIZEN GRAHAM THAT'S LISTED ON OUR WEBPAGE. 
          AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. 
           EVERY DAY WE TAKE SHOWERS, FLUSH OUR TOILETS AND USE OUR SINKS. 
          THE WASTEWATER THAT IS DRAINED NEEDS TO BE CLEANED BEFORE IT'S RETURNED TO THE ENVIRONMENT. 
          SO WHERE DOES IT GO? AS THE WATER LEAVES THE HOMES, IT GOES INTO SEWAGE PIPES AND TRAVELS BY GRAVITY AND LIFT PUMP STATIONS TO A WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY. 
          WHEN THE WASTEWATER ARRIVES AT THE WATER TREATMENT FACILITY, THE FIRST STOP IN THE TREATMENT PROCESS IS THE HEADWORKS AT THE HEADWORKS RAGS AND OTHER LARGE OBJECTS ARE REMOVED WITH A BAR SCREEN AND ANY SAND IN THE WATER IS ALSO REMOVED. 
          THE WASTEWATER IS MIXED WITH MILLIONS OF HUNGRY BACTERIA READY TO BEGIN CONSUMING ORGANIC MATERIAL IN THE WATER. 
          THEN IT IS SENT TO AERATION BASINS. 
          THE AERATION BASINS ARE WHERE THE WORKFORCE OF HUNGRY BACTERIA DOES ITS JOB. 
          LARGE ROTATING PADDLES STIR UP THE MIXTURE, ADDING OXYGEN TO THE WATER, CREATING A PERFECT ENVIRONMENT FOR BACTERIA TO THRIVE. 
          THESE BACTERIA ABSORB THE WASTE MATERIAL AS FOOD AND USE IT TO GROW AND MULTIPLY. 
          AS THE BACTERIA INGESTS THE WASTE, THE BACTERIA MULTIPLIES AND CONVERTS THE WASTE MATERIAL INTO SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT CALLED BIOMASS. 
          THIS BIOMASS IS ACTUALLY THE POPULATION OF BACTERIA IN THE WATER. 
          HERE YOU CAN SEE THE BIOMASS JUST BENEATH THE SURFACE. 
          EACH DAY, TECHNICIANS TAKE SAMPLES OF THIS BIOMASS AND PERFORM TESTS TO DETERMINE IF THE PROPER ENVIRONMENT FOR THE BACTERIA IS BEING ACHIEVED. 
          TECHNICIANS ALSO TEST THE PH OF THE BIOMASS AND CALIBRATE EQUIPMENT TO ENSURE PROPER READINGS. 
          COMPUTER SYSTEMS ALSO MONITOR THE CONDITIONS INSIDE EACH OF THE AREAS OF THE TREATMENT FACILITY. 
          THE BACTERIA REMAINS IN THE AERATION BASIN ON AVERAGE FOR 22 HOURS BEFORE LEAVING THE AERATION BASIN FOR THE NEXT LOCATION. 
          IN THE PROCESS, THE NEXT STEP HAPPENS IN THE CLARIFIERS. 
          THE MOTION OF THE WATER IS GREATLY REDUCED IN THE CLARIFIERS, ALLOWING THE BIOMASS TO SETTLE TO THE BOTTOM. 
          THE CLEAR WATER REMAINS ON THE TOP AND THE BIOMASS ON THE BOTTOM IS REMOVED BY SWEEPS. 
          THE BIOMASS THAT HAS BEEN SWEPT AWAY LEAVES THE CLARIFIERS UNDER THE PULL OF GRAVITY, AND THEN IS PUMPED TO ONE OF TWO LOCATIONS. 
          SOME OF THE BIOMASS RETURNED TO THE HEADWORKS TO START THE PROCESS ALL OVER AGAIN, READY TO CONSUME MORE WASTE MATERIAL. 
          THE OTHER PORTION IS SENT FOR DEWATERING BECAUSE THE BACTERIA MULTIPLIES A PORTION. 
          EACH DAY NEEDS TO BE REMOVED FROM THE PROCESS SO THE SYSTEM ISN'T OVERPOPULATED WITH BACTERIA. 
          THIS HAPPENS AT A BELT PRESS WHERE THE WATER IS REMOVED FROM THE BIOMASS, A POLYMER IS ADDED TO THE BIOMASS, CAUSING IT TO COAGULATE. 
          THEN A BELT AND A SERIES OF DRUMS PRESSES ALL THE WATER OUT OF THE BIOMASS. 
          THE DRIED BIOMASS IS NOW CALLED BIOSOLIDS. 
          A CONVEYOR BELT TAKES THE BIOSOLIDS AND LOADS IT ONTO A TRUCK TO BE TAKEN TO A LANDFILL BACK AT THE CLARIFIERS. 
          THE CLEAR WATER ON TOP RUNS OVER THE EDGES OF THE WEIRS FLOWING OUT OF THE CLARIFIERS TO BE TREATED IN THE NEXT STEP. 
          THE NEXT STEP IS FILTRATION. 
          LARGE DISC FILTERS FILTER OUT ANY OTHER SOLID PARTICLES IN THE WATER. 
          THE WATER FLOWS INTO THE OUTSIDE OF THE DISCS AND EXITS THROUGH THE CENTER OF THE FILTRATION SYSTEM. 
          AFTER THIS, THE WATER IS DISINFECTED BY ULTRAVIOLET LIGHTS. 
          BY THE END OF THIS STEP OF THE PROCESS, THE WATER HAS ALREADY MET VERY HIGH QUALITY STANDARDS AND IS SUITABLE FOR MANY USES. 
          [01:55:01]
DEPENDING ON THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY LOCATION, THE WATER THAT LEAVES THE FACILITY MIGHT BE SENT TO ONE OF THREE GENERAL LOCATIONS. 
          SOME WATER IS SENT TO GOLF COURSES FOR IRRIGATION. 
          SOME OF THE WATER IS SENT TO THE BEAUFORT RIVER, AND SOME FACILITIES SEND THE WATER TO AN AREA KNOWN AS THE GREAT SWAMP. 
          THE GREAT SWAMP IS A PROJECT THAT IS REPLENISHING WETLANDS THAT WE'RE DRYING AS A RESULT OF RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT. 
          THESE WETLANDS ARE NOW HOME TO A VARIETY OF SPECIES OF ANIMALS AND PLANT LIFE. 
          SO THE NEXT TIME YOU WASH YOUR DISHES OR TAKE A SHOWER OR FLUSH YOUR TOILET, YOU CAN BE SURE THAT BECAUSE OF BEAUFORT, JASPER WATER AND SEWER AUTHORITIES EFFORTS AND TECHNOLOGY, WHAT LEAVES YOUR HOUSE AS WASTE IS ACTUALLY BEING TURNED INTO CLEAN WATER THAT IS BENEFITING THE ENVIRONMENT. 
          HI EVERYONE. 
          I'M MARIA WALLS, YOUR BEAUFORT COUNTY TREASURER. 
          IF YOU'VE EVER WONDERED WHAT'S E-BILLING OR MY BEAUFORT COUNTY, I'D LIKE TO GIVE YOU A SNEAK PEEK BECAUSE MY BEAUFORT COUNTY IS YOUR ONE STOP LOCATION ONLINE TO MANAGE AND PAY YOUR BEAUFORT COUNTY PROPERTY TAX BILLS. 
          SIMPLY TYPE IN MY BEAUFORT COUNTY.COM OR DOWNLOAD THE APP IN THE APP STORE AND YOU'LL CONTINUE TO LOG IN. 
          SO HERE YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE AS A GUEST. 
          IF YOU DON'T WANNA CREATE AN ACCOUNT OR IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO CREATE AN ACCOUNT, YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIGN UP FOR E-BILLING, STORE YOUR PAYMENT INFORMATION, AND MANAGE ALL OF YOUR TAX BILLS FROM A SIMPLE DASHBOARD SCREEN. 
          TO MANAGE YOUR PROPERTY ACCOUNTS IN YOUR DASHBOARD, SIMPLY CLICK LINK ACCOUNT AND TALK TO TAXBOT WHO IS HAPPY TO ASSIST YOU AND SIGNING YOU UP. 
          YOU CAN SEARCH FOR A PROPERTY BY YOUR PIN, WHICH IS YOUR PARCEL IDENTIFICATION NUMBER, YOUR A IN, YOUR ALTERNATE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER, OR SIMPLY USING AN OWNER'S LAST NAME AND MAILING ZIP CODE. 
          ONCE YOU'VE SEARCHED, GO AHEAD AND SELECT THE PROPERTIES THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO ASSOCIATE WITH YOUR PROFILE. 
          YOU CAN EITHER CHOOSE TO KEEP GOING OR LET TAXBOT KNOW THAT YOU'RE FINISHED BY PAYING YOUR TAXES, FINDING ANOTHER PROPERTY, OR SIMPLY GOING BACK TO THE DASHBOARD. 
          IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ALSO SIGN UP FOR E-BILLING, YOU CAN DO THAT BY CLICKING MANAGE E-BILLING AND SIGN UP EACH PROPERTY TO RECEIVE YOUR BILL ELECTRONICALLY. 
          WANNA KNOW WHERE YOUR PAYMENT INFORMATION IS STORED OR YOUR RECEIPTS? GO AHEAD AND CLICK YOUR WALLET IN THE WALLET. 
          EACH RECEIPT YOU'VE PAID ONLINE IS AVAILABLE FOR OBSERVATION, DOWNLOAD AND PRINTING RIGHT HERE. 
          NEED TO UPDATE YOUR PROFILE, NO PROBLEM. 
          SIMPLY CLICK THE ICON IN THE TOP RIGHT HAND CORNER AND YOU CAN UPDATE YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION AND MANAGE YOUR PAYMENT METHODS. 
          AN ADDED BONUS WHEN YOU USE AN ECHECK TO PAY ON BY BEFORD COUNTY, THERE'S NO ADDITIONAL COSTS. 
          YOU HAVE YOUR BILL AND YOUR ELECTRONIC RECEIPT ALL IN ONE LOCATION AND AT YOUR FINGERTIPS, WHATEVER YOU NEED IT. 
          IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT USING MY BEAUFORT COUNTY OR TAXES IN GENERAL, PLEASE CALL MY FRIENDLY STAFF AND I AT 8 4 3 2 5 5 2 6 0 0, OR YOU CAN VISIT US@BEAUFORTCOUNTYTREASURE.COM.
* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.