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CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY.
WELCOME TO USCB CENTER FOR THE ARTS, A TRUE HUB OF OUR DOWNTOWN COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU USCB STAFF, BONNIE PINKY, AND TEAM FOR HOSTING US HERE THIS EVENING.
UM, THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU WHO ARE ALREADY IN ATTENDANCE TONIGHT.
THIS FORUM MAY ALSO BE WATCHED ONLINE.
UH, WE HAVE TWO LIVE STREAMS, ONE WHICH WILL BROADCAST ON THE CITY'S FACEBOOK PAGE AND ON THE CHAMBER'S FACEBOOK PAGE.
AND THE COUNTY CHANNEL IS HERE TONIGHT TO RECORD AS WELL.
SO IF YOU'RE NOT IN PERSON, YOU CAN WATCH ONLINE.
AND IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO REWATCH AFTERWARDS, YOU HAVE A FEW OPTIONS.
A ONE HOUSEKEEPING NOTE, IF YOU HAVE TO USE THE RESTROOM, THEY ARE STAGE LEFT WHILE USCB IS UNDERGOING RENOVATION.
SO IF YOU GO OFF THIS SIDE OF THE AUDITORIUM, YOU'LL SEE SIGNS, UH, FOR BATHROOMS, SHOULD YOU NEED THEM.
ALRIGHT, I'M MEGAN MORRIS, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE BEAUFORT REGIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
AND I HAVE THE HONOR TONIGHT TO MODERATE THE 2024 CANDIDATE FORUM FOR BOTH BEAUFORT COUNTY AND THE CITY OF BEAUFORT.
THE PURPOSE OF TONIGHT'S FORUM IS TO PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR VOTERS THAT'S YOU, TO LEARN MORE ABOUT CANDIDATES AND HEAR THEIR THOUGHTS ON KEY ISSUES.
TONIGHT'S FORUM, WE'LL HAVE THREE PARTS, THREE FORUMS IN ONE.
FIRST, WE'LL HAVE THE CANDIDATES FOR COUNTY COUNCIL AND DISTRICTS NORTH OF BROAD.
THEN WE'LL HAVE THE FOUR CANDIDATES RUNNING FOR TWO SEATS ON CITY COUNCIL.
AND THEN WE'LL HAVE THE TWO CANDIDATES RUNNING FOR MAYOR OF BUFORT.
THE FORUM TONIGHT IS A PANEL QUESTION FORMAT, AND EACH CANDIDATE WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND TO EACH QUESTION ASKED BY THE PANEL.
IN TURN, THIS IS NOT A DEBATE.
CANDIDATES MAY NOT ASK QUESTIONS OF OR SPEAK DIRECTLY TO EACH OTHER.
CANDIDATES WILL ADDRESS THE AUDIENCE.
EACH CANDIDATE HAS 90 SECONDS TO GIVE THEIR RESPONSE AND IS ALLOWED UP TO TWO 32ND REBUTTALS DURING THE FORUM IF THEY ARE BROUGHT UP BY ANOTHER CANDIDATE.
FOR THOSE IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY, I ASK THAT YOU BE RESPECTFUL LISTENERS AND REFRAIN FROM ANY COMMENTARY OR OUTBURSTS THROUGHOUT THE PROGRAM.
PLEASE HOLD YOUR APPLAUSE EXCEPT WHEN WE WELCOME CANDIDATES TO THE STAGE AND THEN WHEN WE THANK THEM FOR JOINING US THIS EVENING.
WE ENCOURAGE YOU ALL, ALL CITIZENS, ALL CITIZENS, TO CONTINUE LEARNING ABOUT THE CANDIDATES AS YOU APPROACH YOUR DAY TO VOTE.
EARLY VOTING, AS YOU KNOW, BEGINS TODAY AND ELECTION DAY IS TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5TH.
ALL QUESTIONS TONIGHT WILL COME FROM OUR PANEL, WHICH I WILL INTRODUCE SHORTLY.
THEY JUST DRAFTED THESE QUESTIONS RIGHT BEFORE WE WALKED ACROSS THE STREET.
NO, NO QUESTIONS WERE SHARED IN ADVANCE WITH ANY CANDIDATES OR CAMPAIGNS.
TONIGHT'S THREE PANELISTS REPRESENT A CROSS SECTION OF OUR COMMUNITY AND WERE CHOSEN BY THE CHAMBER.
THEY WORK TOGETHER THIS AFTERNOON TO ESTABLISH TONIGHT'S QUESTIONS.
THEY ARE MARK CUTLER, A COMMERCIAL BANKER WITH COASTAL STATES BANK, VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE BEAUFORT REGIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, BOARD OF DIRECTORS, AND MEMBER OF THE BLACK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, BOARD OF DIRECTORS, ASHLEY HAWK, PRESIDENT, AND CEO OF THE BEAUFORT AREA HOSPITALITY ASSOCIATION.
AND THIRD, JOSH WARD, A REALTOR AND VIDEOGRAPHER, MEMBER OF THE REALTORS BOARD, AND THE HELP OF BEAUFORT BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
AGAIN, I'LL SERVE AS YOUR MODERATOR.
MY GOAL, MY JOB IS TO KEEP THE FORUM ON TRACK AND ON TIME WITH THE HELP OF OUR TIMEKEEPER.
EACH CANDIDATE WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES FOR OPENING AND CLOSING STATEMENTS.
PLEASE MAKE SURE CANDIDATES THAT YOU INCLUDE WHY YOU FEEL YOU ARE A SUITABLE CANDIDATE FOR THIS ROLE WITHIN YOUR OPENING REMARKS.
AS I MENTIONED, OUR FIRST FORUM TONIGHT, UH, INCLUDES FOLKS RUNNING FOR A SEAT ON COUNTY COUNCIL AND ONE OF THE FOUR DISTRICTS NORTH OF BROAD.
THOSE CANDIDATES ARE ADAM BII CHALLENGER FOR DISTRICT ONE, GERALD DAWSON, INCUMBENT FOR DISTRICT ONE AND YORK GLOVER INCUMBENT FOR DISTRICT THREE, WHO IS RUNNING UNOPPOSED.
ADAM BII, I WELCOME YOU TO THE STAGE.
ADAM IS OUR ONLY PARTICIPANT TONIGHT FOR THE COUNTY FORUM, BUT OUR FORMAT WILL CONTINUE AS PLANNED SO HE WON'T HAVE TO TAKE TURNS ANSWERING OUR QUESTIONS.
UM, BUT OUR PANELISTS WILL PROCEED WITH THE QUESTIONS THAT THEY HAVE PREPARED.
AND ADAM, WE ASK THAT YOU STAY WITHIN THE ALLOTTED TIMEFRAME.
AM I LIVE? IS THIS WORKING? IT'S WORKING.
THANK YOU CHAMBER FOR, FOR HOSTING THIS EVENT.
UH, AS YOU SAID, MY NAME'S ADAM
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BEERY, RUNNING FOR COUNTY COUNCIL DISTRICT NUMBER ONE.UM, JUST QUICK BRIEF ABOUT ME.
I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF BEAUFORD COUNTY COUNCIL DISTRICT ONE FOR 18 YEARS EVER SINCE MOVING HERE TO TO BEAUFORT.
UM, UH, MARRIED TO MY BEAUTIFUL WIFE.
WE HAVE, UH, TWO LOVELY CHILDREN AND, UH, WE, WE JUST FIND DISTRICT ONE BE TO, TO BE A VERY SPECIAL PLACE HERE IN BEAUFORT.
UM, WHY I SHOULD BE YOUR REPRESENTATIVE.
I'M HERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AND, UH, I WANNA CONTINUE TO BE HERE FOR THE CITIZENS OF DISTRICT ONE.
THANK YOU FOR THOSE OPENING REMARKS.
PANELISTS, WITH THE FIRST QUESTION, PLEASE BEGIN TESTING.
REGARDING DISTRICT, UH, PRIORITIES, WHAT ARE THE TOP ISSUES OR OPPORTUNITIES THAT YOU THINK ARE MOST IMPORTANT FOR THE CITIZENS OF DISTRICT ONE OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS? AND HOW WOULD YOU ENSURE CITIZEN INPUT AND DECISIONS MADE ON THEIR BEHALF IF YOU WERE TO BE ELECTED? GREAT QUESTION.
UM, FIRST AND FOREMOST, IT, IT'S TOP OF EVERYBODY'S LIST IS, IS SMART GROWTH.
UH, SO SMART GROWTH SUPPORT FOR SMALL BUSINESS, UM, EQUAL DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDING COUNTYWIDE AND, AND, UH, MAKING SURE THAT OUR INFRASTRUCTURE GROWS ALONG WITH OUR POPULATION.
UH, TO ANSWER HOW, HOW I WOULD, HOW I'D GO ABOUT THAT IS THIS ISN'T NEW.
UM, PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ON COUNTY COUNCIL FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS AND IT, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO, TO, TO FOLLOW WHAT'S BEEN DONE, BUT, BUT TRY AND IMPROVE IT A LITTLE BIT.
UM, GETTING, I'M SURE IF ANYBODY AROUND THAT HAS RAN FOR A POSITION, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME FOR ME, BUT, UM, WE GET DAILY TEXT AND EMAIL SAYING, WHY DON'T, WHY DON'T WE GET A TEXT? WHY DON'T, WHY DON'T, YOU KNOW, SEND OUT TEXT MESSAGES, SEND OUT TEXT MESSAGES.
BUT WE'RE NOT DOING THAT AS A, AS A COUNCIL.
SO BEING ABLE TO REACH OUT, UH, MORE DIRECTLY TO THE CITIZENS OF DISTRICT ONE AND, AND ALL DISTRICTS AND, AND GET THEIR INPUT EARLY ON, UM, I THINK WOULD BE A GOOD STEP INTO THAT.
THIS ONE IS RELATED TO BUDGET COUNTY COUNCIL APPROVE SEVERAL BUDGETS INCLUDING GENERAL OPERATIONS, CAPITAL PLANS, THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, SCHOOL DISTRICTS, A TAX FUNDS FUNDING TO STRATEGIC PARTNERS, AND MUCH MORE.
WHAT'S YOUR APPROACH TO FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY AND OVERSIGHT OF THE COUNCIL'S BUDGETARY PROCESS AND GOALS? I THINK WE NEED TO BE RESPONSIBLE.
I THINK WE NEED TO, TO, TO GAIN TRUST TO THE, THE CITIZENS ACROSS BEAUFORD COUNTY.
THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT OF DISTRUST I FEEL WITH THE CURRENT, UH, BEAUFORD COUNTY, UM, COUNCIL.
AND I THINK REGAINING THAT TRUST IS GONNA BE A TOP PRIORITY.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE'S A ISSUE ON THE BALLOT OR A, THIS ELECTION FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
UM, I, I CAN'T SAY THAT I SUPPORT THAT.
UH, WE NEED TO GAIN THAT TRUST AND THEN MAYBE THROW THAT ON THE BALLOT IN A FEW MORE YEARS.
UM, BUT BEING RESPONSIBLE, UM, WITH, WITH THE FUNDS IS, IS GONNA BE A TOP PRIORITY.
QUESTION THREE, THE COUNTY MUST WORK WITH THE FOUR MUNICIPALITIES WITHIN COUNTY LINES AS WELL AS NEIGHBORING COUNTIES.
MANY OF OUR BIGGEST CHALLENGES, HOUSING, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, TRANSCEND THE COUNTY LIMITS AND REQUIRE A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH.
HOW WOULD YOU FACILITATE PRODUCTIVE REGIONAL COLLABORATION? AGAIN, ANOTHER GREAT QUESTION.
I THAT WHEN I WAS ASKED A SIMILAR QUESTION, UH, HOW WOULD WE HANDLE IT INTERNALLY, MY RESPONSE TO THAT WAS, YOU CAN'T HANDLE IT INTERNALLY.
WE, WE HAVE TO DO A TRI-COUNTY OR LARGER APPROACH TO, TO HANDLING SOME OF THESE ISSUES.
UM, TO LOOK AT JUST BEAUFORT COUNTY SOLELY WITHOUT THE INFLUENCE OF OUR SURROUNDING COUNTIES ISN'T WISE.
UM, SO RE REACHING OUT, UM, STRENGTHENING TIES WITH SURROUNDING COUNTIES WOULD BE A TOP PRIORITY.
QUESTION FOUR, REGARDING TESTING OF OKAY.
REGARDING TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
YOU JUST JUST SPOKE ABOUT THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS EXPRESSED GROWING DISTRUST BETWEEN THE PUBLIC AND COUNTY GOVERNMENT, AS YOU KNOW, IF ELECTED, WHAT WOULD YOU DO TO IMPROVE THIS? I, I THINK WE NEED TO BE OUT THERE.
I THINK WE NEED TO BE IN, IN, IN FUNCTIONS MUCH LIKE TONIGHT WHERE WE'RE ANSWERING QUESTIONS, UM, PUTTING OURSELVES OUT IN FRONT AND TAKING ACCOUNTABILITY.
IF SOMETHING WASN'T GOING RIGHT IN THE PAST, STAND UP AND, AND TAKE, TAKE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR IT.
TAKE YOUR LICKS AND, AND, AND, AND LET PEOPLE KNOW YOU'RE GONNA BE THERE AND YOU'RE GONNA CHANGE.
YOU'RE GONNA, YOU'RE GONNA TRY AND FIX THE PROBLEM AT HAND.
UM, SO BEING OUT, BEING OUT IN THE PUBLIC, NOT NOT HIDING FROM THE ISSUES, I THINK IS, IS THE BIGGEST AND BEST WAY TO COMBAT THAT.
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THANK YOU.QUESTION FIVE, THIS ONE IS RELATED TO GROWTH.
SOUTH CAROLINA IS A TOP STATE FOR GROWTH, AND BEAUFORT IS IN THE TOP 10 FASTEST GROWING COUNTIES.
BEAUFORT COUNTY IS INCREASING POPULATION AT ROUGHLY 2% PER YEAR.
HOW WOULD YOU WORK WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS AND SURROUNDING LEADERSHIP TO INSTILL SMART GROWTH INITIATIVES AND IMPROVE INFRASTRUCTURE TO ACCOMMODATE CITIZENS AND BUSINESSES? UH, SMART GROWTH, OBVIOUSLY, LIKE I SAID, IS, IS ONE OF THE TOP PRIORITIES.
UM, DISTRICT ONE BEING ONE OF THE MOST RURAL DISTRICTS IN THE COUNTY.
UM, MY BACKGROUND IN ARCHITECTURE I THINK REALLY LEADS ITSELF TO, TO SMART GROWTH.
I'VE, I'VE STUDIED IT IN DEPTH, UH, IN UNDERGRAD AND IN GRAD SCHOOL.
UM, NOT ONLY HOW I, HOW YOU GROW SMALL DEVELOPMENTS, BUT HOW YOU GROW AS A REGION.
UH, SO TRYING TO TIE INTO SOME OF, SOME OF THE SCHOOLING, SOME OF THE KNOWLEDGE, SOME OF THE PRACTICES THAT I'VE BEEN TAUGHT, UM, AS WELL AS WHAT I'VE LEARNED SINCE GRADUATING SCHOOL, UM, I THINK WILL, WILL BE ESSENTIAL IN, IN, IN, IN HELPING THE COUNTY TO GROW.
UM, BUT WITH THAT, WE HAVE TO GROW SMART.
WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN SOME RURAL AREAS, AND SO I, I'LL BE A, A FIGHTER FOR THOSE RURAL AREAS.
UM, THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN, AS IT, AS IT CURRENTLY EXISTS, IT SETS IN MOTION A PLAN.
UH, WE SPEND A LOT OF MONEY AS TAXPAYERS GENERATING THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, WHICH SETS AREAS OF GROSS NOT ONLY WITH WITHIN DISTRICT ONE, WITHIN ALL DISTRICTS.
AND, AND FOLLOWING THAT PLAN, WORKING WITH BEAUFORT COUNTY ZONING, UM, IS GONNA BE ESSENTIAL AS WELL BECAUSE WE NEED TO FOLLOW THE PLAN AND WHERE THERE'S, WE CAN IMPROVE ON THE PLAN, WE NEED TO DO THAT AS WELL.
MOVING ON TO OUR NEXT QUESTION.
REGARDING, UH, JOBS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, MILITARY AND TOURISM, MILITARY HOSPITALITY AND REAL ESTATE HAVE LONG DRIVEN THE REGION'S ECONOMY.
DO YOU BELIEVE THAT MULTIPLE STRONG EMPLOYMENT SECTORS CREATE A MORE RESILIENT ECONOMY? IF SO, HOW CAN THE COUNTY COUNCIL HELP CREATE A MORE DIVERSIFIED ECO ECONOMY WITHIN OUR COUNTY? I, I, TO ANSWER THE FIRST PART OF THE QUESTION, I DO, I DO AGREE THAT A DIVERSE ECONOMY IS IMPORTANT.
UM, I THINK THAT IN, IN DISTRICT ONE ECOTOURISM, UM, WE IF TO RETAIN OUR RURAL IDENTITY, YOU KNOW, PROMOTING BUSINESSES LIKE THAT WHERE PEOPLE CAN STAY IN THE AREA, WORK IN THE AREA THAT THEY LIVE, AND WE'RE NOT DRIVING TO SOUTH OF THE BROADER, OUTSIDE OF BEAUFORT COUNTY TO, TO CONDUCT, YOU KNOW, BUSINESS, DO OUR JOBS.
UM, SO THAT'S PART OF THE, THE SMALL BUSINESS, UH, AND I THINK AN INCENTIVE FOR THOSE THAT DON'T HAVE TO TRAVEL OUTSIDE, UH, OF, OF THEIR DISTRICT TO WORK IN AND, AND TO GENERATE THESE, THESE SMALLER COMPANIES, UM, SMALLER BUSINESSES AND AREAS THAT COULD ULTIMATELY USE 'EM AND HAVE THE WORKFORCE TO, TO WORK THEM.
SO I THINK I ANSWERED THE QUESTION, BUT MAYBE NOT.
CAN YOU FOLLOW UP AS FAR AS THE INCENTIVES ARE CONCERNED, WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE AND HOW YOU'VE WORKED WITH LOCAL OFFICIALS TO HELP? AGAIN, LIKE I SAID, I, I, I, I CAN'T, THE ONE INCENTIVE THAT COMES TO MIND IS IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO DRIVE, YOU KNOW, OUTSIDE OF YOUR DISTRICT, THERE'S SOME KIND OF INCENTIVE, WHETHER IT BE ON A VEHICLE TAX OR, OR A, YOU KNOW, A AGAIN, I I'M VERY NEW TO THIS, I'VE NEVER RAN, BUT, SO THE MORE I, THE MORE I'M IN IT, THE MORE I UNDERSTAND, UH, THE MORE I CAN ASK OTHERS.
AND I THINK WE COULD WORK TO FIND SOME WAYS TO, TO, TO BUILD THOSE INCENTIVES TO, TO OUTSIDE OF THE MILITARY.
HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM IS OUR BIGGEST SECTOR GENERATING 1.4 BILLION ANNUALLY AND 15,000 JOBS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
HOW DO YOU PLAN TO SUPPORT AND SUSTAIN THE HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM INDUSTRY THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY? UH, AGAIN, I, I'M SPEAKING TO DISTRICT ONE, BUT THE, THE IDEA OF ECOTOURISM, UH, SMALL FAMILY FARMING IN, IN THESE RURAL DISTRICTS, I, I THINK IS SUPER IMPORTANT.
UH, A BIG THING IS, YOU KNOW, FARM TO TABLE.
IT'S REAL HARD TO HAVE A FARM TO TABLE IF YOU HAVE TO DRIVE, YOU KNOW, 40 MINUTES TO AN HOUR TO THE NEAREST FARM.
WE HAVE TO RETAIN THESE RURAL LANDS AND, AND PROMOTE THESE SMALLER BUSINESSES, UH, IN ORDER TO HAVE THESE UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES.
WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN BEAUFORT, NOW BEAUFORT COUNTY AS A WHOLE, IS THAT WE HAVE, WE HAVE THE, THE FARMS ON ST.
AND HISTORICALLY IN DISTRICT ONE, WE HAVE THE LOCAL SEAFOOD.
AND, AND SO, UM, NOT EXPLOITING THAT, BUT, YOU KNOW, ENCOURAGING THAT THOSE BUSINESSES AND THE TOURISM AND THE HOSPITALITY THAT COMES WITH THAT, I THINK IS, IS A GOOD PATH FORWARD.
THAT WAS QUESTION NUMBER SEVEN.
WE HAVE THREE MORE QUESTIONS FOR YOU THIS EVENING.
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TO DEVELOPMENT DOWNTOWN AND THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION.THE COUNTY'S 2024 HOUSING IMPACT ANALYSIS ADDRESSED THE GROWING DEMAND FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING AND MADE A CLEAR CONNECTION BETWEEN THE ECONOMIC NEED FOR HOUSING AND THE COMMUNITY'S WORKFORCE.
AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, HOW DO YOU PROPOSE THE COUNTY'S HELP ADDRESS THIS NEED? THE LAST PART OF THE QUESTION, SIR, I'M SORRY.
UH, AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, HOW DO YOU PROPOSE THE COUNTY TO HELP ADDRESS THIS NEED? THE ADDRESS FOR HOUSING? YES.
IT, IT, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S PREVALENT.
I MEAN, IT'S OBVIOUS THAT THERE'S A NEED FOR HOUSING.
WE, THERE'S NEW APARTMENTS COMING UP ALL OVER THE PLACE.
UM, I THINK THE IDEA OF, OF LOW INCOME HOUSING IN, IN BEAUFORT COUNTY PARTICULARLY IS, IT'S NOT A REALITY.
I MEAN, EVERYTHING IS, IS EXPENSIVE.
THERE, THERE'S, THERE'S NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT.
UM, SO HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE GET TO GETTING THIS, THIS AFFORDABLE HOUSING? I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT UNIQUE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS.
UM, SO MAYBE IT'S NOT NECESSARILY IN BUFORD COUNTY, MAYBE WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE PARTNERING, PARTNERING WITH OUR NEIGHBORING COUNTIES TO, TO DEVELOP NOT ONLY THE TRANSPORTATION SECTOR, BUT THE, THE AFFORDABLE WORKFORCE HOUSING THAT WE NEED TO, TO KEEP, KEEP THE ENGINE GOING NEXT, PLEASE.
DEALING WITH PUBLIC SAFETY, SOCIAL JUSTICE, HOMELESSNESS, AND, UH, OTHER ISSUES.
UH, THE, THE 2024 POINT IN TIME COUNT SHOWED A 15% INCREASE IN HOMELESSNESS.
WHAT ACTIONS OR POLICIES WOULD YOU IMPLEMENT TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE? THAT'S A, THAT'S A STAT I, I WAS UNAWARE OF.
UM, I, I THINK IT, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT A LOCAL ISSUE, RIGHT? HOMELESSNESS IS A, IS A NATIONWIDE ISSUE.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO, TO LOOK WHAT OUR, OUR NEIGHBORS HAVE DONE AND WHAT THEY'VE DONE SUCCESSFULLY, UM, TO HELP FORMAT OUR PLAN AND HOW, HOW WE WANT TO TACKLE IT AND HOW WE CAN DROP THOSE NUMBERS, UM, BECAUSE THAT'S, THAT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE.
AND OUR FINAL QUESTION FOR YOU, MR. BARRY, WHAT POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITIES IN BEAUFORT COUNTY ARE BEING OVERLOOKED? IF YOU RECEIVED $1 MILLION GRANT FOR THE COUNTY TO USE, WHAT WOULD YOU PROPOSE FOR THE USE OF THOSE FUNDS? UNDERUTILIZED? IS THAT THE FIRST, WHAT POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITIES IN BEAUFORT COUNTY ARE BEING OVERLOOKED? WHAT IS NOT BEING DONE THAT YOU WOULD FORESEE TO BE DONE? I THINK WE, THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME MORE RESEARCH DONE INTO, UM, I WOULDN'T SAY MANUFACTURING JOBS, BUT, UH, LARGER, LARGER FORMAT, UH, JOBS, LARGER INDUSTRIES.
WE HAVE, PER THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CODE, WE HAVE AREAS THAT ARE SET UP WITHIN THE COUNTY, PARTICULARLY DISTRICT ONE.
THEY'RE GRAY IF YOU LOOK AT THE, THE ZONING MAP.
UM, BUT THEY'RE, THEY'RE UNDERUTILIZED CURRENTLY.
SO TRYING TO FIND A WAY TO, TO BETTER UTILIZE THOSE AREAS THAT ARE ALREADY SET ASIDE, UM, AND, AND BRING GOOD PAYING JOBS, UH, TO THESE AREAS WOULD BE, THAT'S WHERE I'D SPEND MY FIRST MILLION DOLLARS GIFT.
THAT CONCLUDES THE QUESTIONS THAT OUR PANELISTS PREPARED TODAY.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO YOUR CLOSING REMARKS? YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES WITH WHICH TO DO SO.
I JUST WANNA THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR TIME.
UH, I ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO GET OUT AND VOTE, UM, REGARDLESS OF WHO YOU'RE VOTING FOR, IT'S AN IMPORTANT ONE.
UM, AND, UH, I THANK YOU THAT FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET IN FRONT OF YOU THIS EVENING.
CARS ALL OVER BEAUFORT COUNTY ARE BEING TARGETED BY THIEVES.
WE WANT TO REMIND YOU NOT TO LEAVE VALUABLES IN YOUR CAR AND TO KEEP YOUR DOORS LOCKED.
IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION ABOUT RECENT THEFTS, PLEASE CONTACT THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE OR CRIME STOPPERS.
THE BEAUFORT COUNTY LIBRARY SERVES AND SUPPORTS THE COMMUNITY FOR LEARNING, FOR LEISURE FOR LIFE.
OUR LOCATIONS ARE GATHERING PLACES THAT ALLOW ALL RESIDENTS FREE ACCESS TO EDUCATION, TECHNOLOGY, AND LITERACY DEVELOPMENT, YOUR LIBRARY, AS MANY RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO YOU, SUMMER READINGS AND EVENTS, FREE WIFI AND PUBLIC COMPUTERS, ACCESS TO MEETING ROOMS AND STUDY ROOMS, PLUS MULTIPLE DIGITAL RESOURCES.
VISIT YOUR LOCAL BEAUFORT COUNTY LIBRARY.
YOUR LIBRARY CARD IS WAITING FOR YOU.
ALL RIGHT, WE JUST HELD, UH, OUR FORUM FOR COUNTY CANDIDATES, AND NOW WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO THE CITY OF BUFORT COUNCIL CANDIDATES.
UM, WE WELCOME OUR CANDIDATES TO THE FORUM THIS EVENING,
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UH, FOR THE SAKE OF TRANSPARENCY, BOTH, UH, TO THE CANDIDATES AND TO THOSE WATCHING, ESPECIALLY IF THEY'VE JUST JOINED ONLINE.ARE HERE AT USCB CENTER FOR THE ARTS.
I WILL BRIEFLY GO OVER THE FORMAT RULES, UH, FOR TONIGHT'S FORUM.
I AM MEGAN MORRIS, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE BEAUFORT REGIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, AND I HAVE THE HONOR OF MODERATING THE 2024 CANDIDATE FORUM.
THE PURPOSE OF TONIGHT'S FORUM IS TO PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU, THE VOTERS, TO LEARN MORE ABOUT CANDIDATES AND TO HEAR THEIR THOUGHTS ON KEY ISSUES.
TONIGHT'S FORUM IS A PANEL QUESTION FORMAT.
EACH CANDIDATE HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND TO EACH QUESTION ASKED BY OUR PANEL IN ALTERNATING TURNS.
CANDIDATES MAY NOT ASK QUESTIONS OF OR SPEAK DIRECTLY TO EACH OTHER.
CANDIDATES ARE HERE TO ADDRESS THE AUDIENCE.
EACH CANDIDATE HAS 90 SECONDS TO GIVE THEIR RESPONSE TO EACH QUESTION, AND THEY'RE ALLOWED UP TO TWO 32ND REBUTTALS DURING THE FORUM IF THEY ARE BROUGHT UP BY ANOTHER CANDIDATE.
NOW, IN THE SPIRIT OF DEMOCRACY BACKSTAGE, AS WE DREW CARDS FOR THE ORDER, UH, THE FOUR CANDIDATES UNANIMOUSLY DECIDED THAT IF THEY HAD ANY EXTRA 32ND REBUTTAL CARDS LEFT, THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO TIE THEM ONTO THE CLOSING REMARKS.
UM, ALL QUESTIONS, UH, ASKED THIS EVENING WERE SET BY THE PANEL JUST A SHORT WHILE AGO.
NONE OF THEIR QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN SHARED IN ADVANCE WITH ANY CANDIDATE OR CAMPAIGN.
TONIGHT'S THREE PANELISTS REPRESENT A CROSS SECTION OF OUR COMMUNITY AND WERE CHOSEN BY THE CHAMBER.
THEY WORKED TOGETHER THIS AFTERNOON TO ESTABLISH TONIGHT'S QUESTIONS, AND THEY ARE MARK CUTLER COMMERCIAL BANKER WITH COASTAL STATES BANK, VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE BEAUFORT REGIONAL, UH, CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, BOARD OF DIRECTORS, MEMBER OF THE BLACK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
SECOND, WE HAVE ASHLEY HOUCK, PRESIDENT, AND CEO OF THE BEAUFORT AREA HOSPITALITY ASSOCIATION.
AND THIRD, WE HAVE JOSH WARD, A REALTOR AND A VIDEOGRAPHER, A MEMBER OF THE REALTORS BOARD, UM, A MEMBER OF THE HELP OF BEAUFORT BOARD AND A CHAMBER AMBASSADOR.
AGAIN, MY ROLE AS MODERATOR IS TO KEEP THE FORUM ON TRACK AND ON TIME WITH THE HELP OF OUR TIMEKEEPER.
EACH CANDIDATE WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES FOR OPENING AND CLOSING STATEMENTS.
AND THE ORDER FOR THOSE OPENING STATEMENTS, AS I MENTIONED, WAS, WAS DETERMINED BY A RANDOM DRAWING.
UH, JUST BEFORE TONIGHT'S FORUM, WE HAVE ASKED ALL THE CANDIDATES TO KEEP THEIR RESPONSES BRIEF AND WITHIN THE TIME ALLOTTED SO THAT WE CAN COVER MORE TOPICS TONIGHT.
I ASK THAT YOU ALL IN THE AUDIENCE, BE RESPECTFUL LISTENERS AND REFRAIN FROM COMMENTARY OR OUTBURSTS THROUGHOUT THE PROGRAM.
PLEASE ALSO HOLD YOUR APPLAUSE EXCEPT WHEN WE ARE WELCOMING OUR CANDIDATES AND THANKING THEM FOR JOINING US THIS EVENING.
NOW WE WELCOME TO THE STAGE CITY OF BEAUFORT COUNCIL CANDIDATES, UH, STANDING FOR ELECTION ON NOVEMBER 5TH IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER.
JOSH GIBSON, NEIL LIP SITS, AND MITCH MITCHELL.
FEEL FREE TO GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE AS THEY TAKE THEIR SEATS.
ALL RIGHT, NOW THAT WE HAVE EVERYONE IN PLACE, NEIL DREW THE LOWEST CARD.
SO HE WILL BEGIN WITH OPENING REMARKS, AND THEN THE ORDER WILL PROCEED ACROSS THE STAGE AND LOOP BACK AROUND.
SINCE NEIL IS FIRST FOR OPENING REMARKS, MITCH WILL ANSWER, ANSWER THE FIRST QUESTION FIRST.
JULIE WILL ANSWER THE SECOND QUESTION FIRST, SO ON AND SO FORTH.
UM, WE'LL KEEP TRACK OF IT, DON'T YOU GUYS WORRY.
NEIL, WOULD YOU LIKE TO BEGIN WITH OPENING REMARKS? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UM, AS EVERYBODY NOTE, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU TO THE CHAMBER FOR HOSTING THIS.
I'VE LIVED IN BEAUFORT FOR 65 YEARS, MY ENTIRE LIFE GOING ON 66.
I'VE GOTTEN TO REALLY KNOW BUFORT.
I WAS BORN AT BUFORT MEMORIAL HOSPITAL, GREW UP ON BAY STREET, UH, HAD A FAMILY RETAIL STORE, WHICH I HELPED OPERATE.
AND THEN I STARTED MY OWN STORE SHORTLY AFTER, WITH THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF MY WIFE, MICHELLE, AND MY SON ADAM.
FROM THERE, UH, I RE, AFTER I RETIRED, I WENT AHEAD AND STARTED VOLUNTEERING.
I WAS ON THE TAX EQUALIZATION BOARD OF BEAUFORT COUNTY.
I LEARNED A LOT ABOUT MILL RATES, HOW THEY WORK AND EVERYTHING THERE.
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I DECIDED I WASN'T DOING ENOUGH.AND WITH THE HELP OF OUR STATE REP, SHANNON ERICKSON, I GOT A CALL FROM GOVERNOR NIKKI HALEY, AND I WAS APPOINTED TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA BOARD OF NURSING.
I WAS ON THERE FIVE AND A HALF YEARS.
OKAY? SO I WAS ON THERE FIVE AND A HALF YEARS, CAME BACK, RAN ON CITY CITY COUNCIL.
MY TOP THREE PRIORITIES FOR CITY COUNCIL, NUMBER ONE BY FAR IS THE HENRY C. CHAMBERS WATERFRONT PARK.
WE NEED TO FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING ON, GET A RESOLUTION FOR IT.
NUMBER TWO, UH, IS THE MARINA DOWNTOWN.
WE NEED TO GET A NEW CONTRACT, GET IT NEGOTIATED.
NUMBER THREE, PIGEON POINT PARK.
WE, UH, OR EXCUSE ME, PIGEON POINT MARINA, WE NEED TO GET THAT REDONE FOR THE RESIDENTS OF BUFORT.
I AM MITCH MITCHELL, CITY COUNCILMAN RUNNING FOR REELECTION.
I'M A NATIVE BEEF ETONIAN, HAVING GROWN UP IN THE TOWNSHIP OF SHELDON, UH, IN THE NORTHERN MORRIS PORTION OF THE COUNTY.
I'M A GRADUATE OF ROBERT SMALLS HIGH SCHOOL, SOUTH CAROLINA STATE COLLEGE.
I JOINED THE MARINE CORPS ON THE DAY I GRADUATED FROM SOUTH CAROLINA STATE.
SERVED SIX YEARS ACTIVE DUTY, GOT OUT, PURSUED MY LIFELONG DREAM, WHICH WAS INSPIRED BY THE, UH, NOT THE SAME JETS, BUT JETS FLYING OUT OF THE MARINE CORPS, AIR STATION BEAUFORT.
I TRULY LIVED MY DREAM THROUGHOUT MY WORKING CAREER.
WHEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT ITSELF, BOTH FROM MY MILITARY REQUIREMENTS AND MY CIVILIAN REQUIREMENTS, I CHOSE TO COME BACK HOME BECAUSE I DID NOT LEAVE HOME BECAUSE I DID NOT LIKE BEAUFORT.
MY SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER, MS. FRIDA MITCHELL, TOLD ME ON THE DAY THAT KELLY AND I WERE LEAVING TO GO TO EL TORO, CALIFORNIA.
AND CAN YOU IMAGINE NEW WINGS, NEW CAR, AND A NEW WIFE? AND MY FIRST ASSIGNMENT WAS EL TORO, CALIFORNIA, JUST SOUTH OF DISNEYLAND.
IT WAS HARD FOR ME TO THINK OF WHAT THE SIGNIFICANCE OF WHAT SHE WAS SAYING, BUT WHAT SHE SAID WAS THERE WAS PLENTY OF WORK HE HAD TO DO.
SO WHEN THAT DECISION WAS PURELY MINE, I CAME BACK HOME BECAUSE I WANTED TO BE HERE, AND I HIT THE GROUND RUNNING, HAVING SERVED WITH THE BEAUFORT HISTORY MUSEUM, PENN CENTER, AND ALSO ON THE COUNTY'S PLANNING COMMISSION.
AND WHEN I JOINED THE CITY AS A COUNCILMAN, I CONTINUED TO WORK REOPENING THE CHAR CHARLES LYNN BROWN COMMUNITY CENTER, PUTTING MY WEIGHT BEHIND PARKS THAT MARCY OAK IS, IS GETTING AND CER AND MAKING SURE THAT THE CITY HAS A BALANCED BUDGET AND RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT.
UM, HELLO, MY NAME IS JULIE CRENSHAW, AND OBVIOUSLY I'M RUNNING FOR CITY COUNCIL.
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, I WANT YOUR VOICES TO BE HEARD WHEN I BECOME A CITY COUNCILWOMAN.
TRULY, I MEAN THAT, UM, THIS COMMUNITY IS ENGAGED, BUT WE NEED TO BE BETTER LISTENERS.
AND THE THINGS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO CONCENTRATE ON ARE GROWTH MANAGEMENT.
WE NEED A LONG-TERM MANAGEMENT PLAN TO DEAL WITH THE GROWTH THAT IS HERE AND THE GROWTH THAT IS COMING.
INFRASTRUCTURE INTEGRITY, THE WATERFRONT PARK, THE MARINA, THE LEASE ON THAT.
UH, WE NEED TO FIND OUT WHAT WE NEED TO DO WITH THAT.
UM, AND THEN TAXATION, WASTEFUL SPENDING IS ANOTHER HUGE FACTOR.
ONE, ONE OF THE THINGS I'M RUNNING ON TOO AS WELL.
UM, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, GET A HANDLE ON GROWTH INPUT FROM THE CITIZENS.
AND I'VE GOT TIME TO DO THIS, AND I'M WILLING TO DO IT.
UM, SO I HOPE THAT YOU WILL CONSIDER ME AND VOTE FOR ME.
HI, UH, I'M JOSH GIBSON, AND I GREW UP HERE, UH, SINCE AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER.
MY PARENTS MOVED HERE WHEN I WAS TWO.
UM, AND I'VE GOT A COUPLE OF THINGS I WANNA SAY TONIGHT.
UM, THE FIRST THING, I HAD A KIND OF A LITTLE SPEECH WORKED OUT ABOUT HOW WE'RE GONNA START.
AND I'LL, I'LL CONDENSE THAT AS BEST I CAN.
THERE ARE THREE THINGS THAT I WANT YOU TO WALK AWAY FROM TONIGHT KNOWING THAT I THINK WOULD BE IMPORTANT FOR ALL THESE CANDIDATES TO ANSWER FOR YOU.
THERE ARE THREE REAL IMPORTANT QUESTIONS THAT YOU NEED SPECIFIC SOLUTIONS TO THAT WE HAVE GOING FORWARD.
UM, THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE, I THINK RIGHT NOW IS WHO IT'S GONNA, WHO ARE YOU GONNA VOTE FOR, FOR MAYOR, AND WHO ARE YOU SUPPORTING? BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT DECISION TO MAKE ABOUT WHO'S GONNA BE THE, THE LEADER OF THIS CITY GOING FORWARD.
AND I THINK THAT EVERYBODY OWES EVERYBODY AN ANSWER.
AND I'M GONNA VOTE FOR, FOR PHIL CROMER.
HE'S THE PERSON I'M THAT I WOULD SUPPORT IN THAT, IN
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THAT OFFICE.THE SECOND QUESTION IS ABOUT, IS ABOUT GROWTH.
WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO TO GET A HANDLE ON IT? WE'VE GOT THOUSANDS OF APARTMENTS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN PERMITTED, THAT HAVE NOT EVEN STARTED CONSTRUCTION YET.
THEY'RE GONNA ADD 44% OF THE, TO THE POPULATION OF BEAUFORT BY 2030 IF THEY ALL GET BUILT BY THE NEXT CENSUS.
AND THAT'S GONNA MEAN 44% LONGER LINES AT THE, WHEN THE BRIDGE OPENS, IT'S GONNA BE 44% MORE PEOPLE IN THE PARKING LOTS AT THE GROCERY STORES.
IT'S GONNA MEAN YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO GET YOUR KIDS UP THAT MUCH EARLIER TO GET THEM TO SCHOOL ON TIME EVERY DAY.
BUT IF ALL OF THAT POPULATION GROWTH HAPPENS, AND THE LAST THING IS TAXES.
AND THE, AND THE PEOPLE WHO VOTED FOR THE BUDGETS TO MAKE THOSE TAXES GO UP ARE MITCH AND NEIL.
AND THERE'S NO DENYING THAT THEY WILL ARGUE WITH YOU AND SAY THAT YOUR TAXES DID NOT GO UP, THAT THEY DID NOT VOTE TO INCREASE YOUR TAXES.
BUT WHEN YOU GO TO PAY YOUR TAXES BILL, IT WILL BE MORE MONEY THAN IT WAS BEFORE.
AND THAT, TO ME, IS A TAX INCREASE.
THAT CONCLUDES OPENING REMARKS.
WE DO HAVE ONE REQUEST FOR A REBUTTAL FROM MR. MITCHELL.
SO I CANNOT SIT HERE IDLY AND BE ACCUSED OF HAVING RAISED YOUR TAXES.
NO ONE ON COUNCIL RAISED YOUR TAXES.
IT'S A REASSESSMENT, REASSESSMENT YEAR.
THE FIRST THING I DID WHEN I GOT MY TAXES WAS I CALLED MS. EBONY SANDERS BECAUSE I WAS ANGRY.
AND THEN WHILE I WAS WAITING FOR THE APPOINTMENT, I LOOKED AROUND AT WHAT HAPPENED WITH MY NEIGHBOR'S TAXES.
AND SOME OF THEM WENT UP MORE THAN MINE.
YOUR TAXES WENT UP BECAUSE YOUR PROPERTY WAS WORTH MORE.
ONE MORE REBUTTAL FROM LIPIDS.
MY PROPERTY TAXES OR THE VALUE OF MY HOUSE WENT UP 80%.
IF, UM, THE CITY ROLLED BACK THE MILLAGE RATE, IF YOU WERE TO LOOK AT A HOUSE, THAT WAS WHERE MY HOUSE WAS BEFORE THE ROLL, BEFORE THE COUNTY WENT UP ON THE, ON THE, UM, VALUES.
IF YOU COULD FIND A HOUSE THE SAME PRICE, YOU WOULD SEE THAT MY HOUSE ACTUALLY WENT DOWN 9% IF YOU DO THE MATH.
SO, UM, I DO KNOW ABOUT ASSESSMENTS, I DO KNOW ABOUT MILLAGE RATES AND ANYWAY, I'M JUST OFFENDED.
THEY SAY THE CITY RAISED OUR TAXES.
THE COUNTY ASSESSMENT RAISED OUR TAXES.
PLEASE DO SO, MY REBUTTAL TO THAT WOULD BE, THERE WAS A MOMENT WHEN THE LAST BUDGET WAS PASSED THAT PHIL CROMER MADE AN EFFORT TO SAY, LET'S LOOK AT THE BUDGET AND SEE, SINCE THE ASSESSMENTS HAVE GONE UP SO MUCH, SO MUCH FASTER THAN INFLATION, THAT WE SHOULD LOOK AT THE CITY BUDGET AND SEE WHERE WE CAN SAVE SOME MONEY TO GET THE NUMBERS BACK DOWN TO WHERE THEY SHOULD BE.
SO THEY'RE MORE IN LINE WITH A NORMAL INCREASE, UH, IN TAXES.
UH, THAT WOULD HAPPEN OVER TIME.
BOTH OF THOSE PEOPLE ON, AT THAT, AT THAT TABLE OVER THERE.
AND THE, THE OTHER TWO PEOPLE WHO AREN'T HERE, WHO ARE ALSO ON CITY AND WHO ARE ALSO ON CITY COUNCIL, SHUT 'EM DOWN IMMEDIATELY BEFORE HE EVEN HAD THE CHANCE TO DISCUSS WHAT WE COULD SAVE MONEY ON IN THE BUDGET.
SO YOUR TAXES DIDN'T GO UP SO MUCH.
SO THEY HAD A CHANCE AND THEY CHOSE NOT TO ANY OTHER REBUTTALS AT THIS TIME.
THAT CONCLUDES OPENING REMARKS.
WE'RE GONNA TURN IT OVER TO OUR PANEL NOW FOR QUESTION NUMBER ONE.
AGAIN, MITCH, YOU WILL HAVE THE FIRST RESPONSE, FOLLOWED BY JULIE AND JOSH, THE NEIL.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU TO OUR PANELISTS, UH, UH, TO OUR, OUR REPRESENTATIVES HERE.
WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER TO BE THE MOST CRITICAL ISSUE FACING, UH, THE CITY TODAY? AND HOW SPECIFICALLY DO YOU PLAN TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE? UH, I, I THINK, UH, WITHOUT A DOUBT, UH, NEIL MENTIONED IT IN HIS OPENING REMARKS, UH, MAKING SURE THAT CHAMBERS PARK IS VIABLE IS NUMBER ONE, IT'S THE MOST URGENT.
UH, AND, UH, TOWARD THAT END, UH, WE IMMEDIATELY UPON LEARNING BACK IN JUNE, UH, THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PROBLEMS FACING CHAMBERS PARK, I I JUST WANNA SAY, UH, UH, THERE'S, YOU SHOULD NOT FEAR THAT CHAMBERS PARK IS SOMEHOW GONNA CATASTROPHICALLY FALL INTO THE BEAUFORD RIVER.
UH, WE'VE BEEN ASSURED THAT THAT, THAT THAT IS NOT THE CASE.
BUT OUR CITY MANAGER IMMEDIATELY ENGAGED.
WE HAVE HAD WORKSHOPS, UH, WE HAVE PLANS TO ESTABLISH A CITIZEN, UH, COMMITTEE TO, TO LOOK AT THAT.
UH, WE HAVE EN ENGAGED AND THERE'S FUNDS AVAILABLE.
WE'VE TALKED TO OUR STATE LEGISLATORS, OUR, UH, FROM SHANNON ERICKSON TO, TO, UH, REPRESENTATIVE RIVERS
[00:35:01]
TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S FUNDS AVAILABLE FOR THAT.SO THAT IS, THAT IS WITHOUT DOUBT THE NUMBER ONE, SO, WELL, YOU DIDN'T ANSWER NUMBER TWO AND THREE, SO I'LL STOP THERE.
AND IF ANY POINT, UM, A CANDIDATE NEEDS A QUESTION REPEATED, PLEASE JUST SAY SO BEFORE YOUR TIME BEGINS.
MS. CRENSHAW? UM, YES, THAT I WILL AGREE WITH MITCH ON THIS.
THE, UM, THE WATERFRONT PARK IS MY NUMBER ONE, AND WITH THAT WOULD BE THE MARINA.
WE ACT ACTUALLY HAVE A NULL AND VOID LEASE RIGHT NOW.
SO WE NEED TO FIGURE THAT OUT.
ARE WE GONNA STAY WITH SAFE HARBOR? ARE WE GONNA LOOK AT OTHER, OTHER ENTITIES TO POSSIBLY RUN IT, OR SHOULD WE RUN IT OURSELVES? I DON'T KNOW.
I WON'T KNOW UNTIL I'M ELECTED, BUT, UM, THE WATERFRONT PARK IS THE HEARTBEAT OF THE CITY, UM, AND IT'S GONNA TAKE A LOT OF MONEY TO FIX IT.
UM, BUT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE EVERYONE INVOLVED IN THIS.
I WANT EVERY STAGE OF PUTTING THIS BACK TOGETHER AS PART OF HEARING YOUR VOICES AND WHAT YOU WANT.
AND I EVEN TELL PEOPLE THAT COME TO ME AND SAY, JULIE, I CAN'T VOTE FOR YOU.
BUT I SAID, WELL, THE WATERFRONT PARK IS LIKE MY NUMBER ONE ISSUE.
SO BASICALLY I TOLD THEM, YOU NEED TO GET INVOLVED TOO.
IT'S NOT JUST THE CITY, IT'S EVERYBODY IN BEAUFORT.
SO I THINK I'D SAY THAT THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE THAT, THAT CONCERNS ME MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE IS THE, IS THE EXPLOSIVE RATE OF HOW EXPENSIVE IT IS TO LIVE IN BEAUFORT THESE DAYS.
AND PART OF THAT IS HOW FAST WE'RE GROWING.
AND PART OF THAT IS HOW YOUR TAXES HAVE BEEN BEEN INCREASING SO QUICKLY.
UM, THERE, YOUR TAXES HAVE ON THE LAST, SINCE 2022 AND 2023 HAVE GONE UP ROUGHLY AROUND TWO OR THREE TIMES THE RATE OF INFLATION.
AND I THINK WE ALL KNOW THAT INFLATION IS HIGH ENOUGH AS IT IS.
THE GROWTH OF THE CITY IN THAT SAME CONTEXT IS NOT PROVIDING ANY TAX RELIEF THAT'S BEEN BEING PROMISED TO YOU WHEN THEY SAY, WE'RE GONNA BUILD ALL THESE NEW BUILDINGS, AND THAT'S GONNA INCREASE THE TAX BASE.
AND THAT MEANS YOU'RE GONNA NOT HAVE TO, YOUR TAXES WON'T GO UP SO MUCH THAT IS PROVED TO BE ENTIRELY THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.
AND SO ALL OF THESE APARTMENT BUILDINGS THAT ARE COMING ONLINE THAT ARE CHANGING THE CHARACTERISTICS OF BUFORT, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT BECAUSE I DON'T WANT US TO TURN INTO A MOUNT PLEASANT OR A, OR A, UH, OR A MYRTLE BEACH OR, UH, OR ANY OF THESE OTHER PLACES ALONG THE COAST THAT HAVE GOTTEN SO OVERDEVELOPED SO QUICKLY THAT THE CITY COULD NOT KEEP UP WITH THE PACE OF THE, OF THE GROWTH THAT WAS GOING ON.
AND I THINK THAT THAT'S REALLY THE, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW, THAT WE NEED TO GET OUR, WE NEED TO GET OUR AHEAD OF THIS BEFORE IT GOES TOO BAD.
NEIL, FIRST OF ALL, UM, BEFORE I SAY MY NUMBER ONE ISSUE, I AM GONNA SAY THIS, IF WE ROLL BACK THE TAXES, WHAT SERVICES DO YOU WANT? CUT? DO YOU WANT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CUT? THE POLICE DEPARTMENT CUT.
UM, PUBLIC WORKS, THEY'RE OVERWORKED.
WE NEED TO INCREASE 'EM SOMEHOW OR ANOTHER, BUT MY NUMBER ONE PRIORITY DEFINITELY IS THE HENRY C. CHAMBERS PARK.
UH, IT IS THE CROWN JEWEL OF BEAUFORT.
WE NEED TO FIND A RESOLUTION, FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING ON, GET A RESOLUTION FOR IT.
UH, IT IS PART OF A VIABLE DOWNTOWN.
DOWNTOWN IS THE HEARTBEAT OF THE CITY.
THE HENRY CHAMBERS PARK IS THE CROWN JEWEL.
UH, RIGHT NOW THERE'S A, UM, COMMITTEE GOING ON.
I'M A PART OF CALLED THE TIGER TEAM.
WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE DOWNTOWN MORE VIABLE.
UH, I'M NOT GONNA GO INTO DETAILS ON WHAT THAT'LL BE COMING OUT SOON ENOUGH, BUT DOWNTOWN IN GENERAL, WE NEED TO REALLY GET A DIVERSE AMOUNT OF BUSINESSES DOWN THERE.
WE NEED TO, UM, MAKE SURE IT IS VERY LIVELY DAY AND NIGHT, UH, THE PARK, WE DO NEED THAT AS OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY.
WE DEFINITELY HAVE TO GET THAT SO WE CAN HOLD EVENTS AND EVERYTHING.
THAT CONCLUDES QUESTION ONE, MS. CRENSHAW, YOU'LL BE THE FIRST TO ANSWER THE PANEL'S.
UH, THIS SECTION COVERS JOBS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, MILITARY AND TOURISM.
HOW CAN THE CITY MANAGE GROWTH WHILE PRESERVING BELFORT'S IDENTITY AND ENSURE THAT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES BENEFIT ALL THE COMMUNITIES WITHIN OUR AREA? SO, UM, PLEASE INTO THE MICROPHONE.
SO WE DEFINITELY NEED TO GET A HANDLE ON OUR GROWTH.
I, I BELIEVE IF WE WORK WITH THE LOCAL COLLEGE, THE LOCAL COLLEGE, AND, UM, THE,
[00:40:01]
UH, WHAT IS IT? THE, THE TECHNICAL COLLEGE, WE CAN WORK TOGETHER AND CREATE JOBS, UM, AND IMPROVE THE ECONOMIC ECONOMIC WELLBEING OF THE CI OF THE CITY.UM, AND BASICALLY I WOULD WANT THE INPUT OF THE CITIZENS, AGAIN, HOW, HOW WE NEED TO HAVE A CONVERSATION, BASICALLY.
IS THAT MR. GIBSON, CAN YOU ASK THE QUESTION AGAIN? CAN YOU, DO YOU MIND ASKING THE QUESTION AGAIN SO I GET THE FULL QUESTION? YEAH, THANKS.
UH, HOW CAN THE CITY MANAGE GROWTH WHILE PRESERVING BELFORT'S IDENTITY AND ENSURE THAT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES BENEFIT ALL THE COMMUNITIES WITHIN OUR AREA? I'M SORRY, WHAT? SO I THINK THAT THERE, THERE, THERE ARE SEVERAL THINGS THAT THE CITY CAN DO ABOUT THIS.
ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK ABOUT WHEN I THINK ABOUT, UH, THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO PRESERVE, TO BUILD GROWTH IN THE CITY FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, MAKE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING HERE, WHO HAVE JOBS HERE THAT ARE OUTSIDE JUST THE, THE, THE TOURISM AND THE MILITARY AREA.
THERE ARE A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT COME TO MIND.
ONE IS THEY'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF GREAT WORK, UM, AROUND THE AIR STATION, UM, WITH PARTNERS LIKE THE OPEN LAND TRUST AND STUFF LIKE THAT TO PRESERVE SPACE AROUND THE AIR STATION TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS A SAFE PLACE, THAT IT HAS ROOM AROUND IT SO THAT WE CAN PRESERVE THE, THE AIR STATION, WHICH IS A HUGE PART OF OUR ECONOMY.
WE NEVER REALLY FULLY CAN APPRECIATE HOW BIG THAT IS.
THE SECOND THING THAT I THINK ABOUT IS THAT IS WHEN I WAS ON THE CHAIRMAN OF THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS, THE HOSPITAL CAME TO US AND SAID, WE NEED TO, TO BUILD A DAYCARE CENTER SO THAT WE HAVE A PLACE FOR THE NURSES, UH, WHO ARE WORKING AT, AT THE HOSPITAL TO, FOR THEIR CHILDREN TO GET CHILDCARE WHILE THEY'RE AT WORK.
BUT THE CITY CODE REQUIRES THAT WE HAVE 10 FOOT CEILINGS IN THE, IN, IN FOR ANY COMMERCIAL BUILDING.
AND CAN WE GET A VARIANCE SO WE CAN USE SOME PRE-MADE BUILDINGS TO BUILD A DAYCARE CENTER.
AND THROUGH, YOU KNOW, I, THIS SOUNDS HUMP BRAGGY, BUT THROUGH THE LEADERSHIP THAT I HAD ON THIS, ON, WHEN I WAS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS, WE GOT THAT DONE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE HOSPITAL COULD, COULD GET THROUGH THE PAPERWORK OF THE, OF THE, AND, AND THROUGH THE, THE RED TAPE SO THAT THEY COULD HAVE THE FACILITIES THAT THEY NEED.
AND THE RESULT OF THAT IS THEY'VE GONE DOWN FROM 97 TRAVELING NURSES TO JUST SOMEWHERE IN THE LOW TWENTIES.
SO THOSE PEOPLE ARE LIVING HERE AND WORKING WITH US NOW INSTEAD OF JUST COMING THROUGH TOWN.
PLEASE, PLEASE REPEAT THE QUESTION AGAIN.
HOW CAN THE CITY MANAGE GROWTH WHILE PRESERVING BEAUFORT IT'S IDENTITY AND ENSURE THAT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES BENEFIT ALL THE COMMUNITIES WITHIN OUR AREA? THANK YOU.
WELL, RIGHT NOW WE'RE WORKING WITH USCB AND TCL TO CREATE JOBS IN CYBERSECURITY, NURSING, HEALTHCARE.
BOTH OF 'EM HAVE, UM, SIMILAR PROGRAMS. WE CAN GO FROM TWO YEAR TO FOUR YEAR.
UH, AND THAT'S CREATING JOBS FOR NURSES.
UH, WE'RE, UM, HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BE A CYBERSECURITY HUB FOR A MARINE, A MARINE CYBER SECURITY HUB.
UH, ONE THING MANAGING GROWTH WOULD BE PUBLIC, TRANS, UH, TRANSPORTATION, INCREASING THAT, UH, WE'VE GOT THE PALMETTO BREEZE AND WE CAN, UM, INCREASE THAT.
I KNOW OUR BEAR HAS BEEN PUSHING FOR A TROLLEY SERVICE, POSSIBLY, YOU KNOW, SERVICING THE, UH, BEAUFORT PORT, ROYAL LADIES ISLAND AREA.
UH, THE COMMERCE PARK, WE'RE CREATING JOBS OUT THERE.
IT'S MOVING ALONG SLOWLY, BUT WE ARE GETTING 'EM, AND WE'VE GOT A LOT OF INTEREST.
IN FACT, I KNOW, UH, FROM WHAT I HEAR, THEY'RE EVEN LOOKING TO DO A SECOND COMMERCE PARK SOMEWHERE BECAUSE THIS ONE'S GONNA FILL UP QUITE QUICKLY.
SO, UM, WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS, CREATING JOBS THAT WAY WITH T-C-L-U-S-C-B, I THINK THAT IS THE WAY TO GO.
ONE OF THE BIG THINGS I'M REAL BIG ON IS THEIR MARINE BIOLOGY PROGRAM, U SCBS, THEY'RE CREATING A MARINE BIOLOGY PROGRAM.
PRITCHARD'S ISLAND'S GOT THE POTENTIAL OF BEING THE TOP ON THE EAST COAST OF THE UNITED STATES OR UP THERE WITH ONE OF THE TOP ONES.
AND I'M A VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THAT.
THAT CONCLUDES QUESTION TWO, MR. GIBSON, YOU'LL RESPOND FIRST TO QUESTION THREE.
MAYBE I SHOULD HAVE KEPT MY MOUTH QUIET.
UM, SO, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UH, IN THE CITY OF BEAUFORD AND, AND THE COUNTY IS VERY IMPORTANT, AS A MATTER OF FACT, ON MY STRATEGIC GOALS.
THAT IS NUMBER ONE, ENVIRONMENTALLY SAFE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
IT WAS ALSO ONE OF MY GOALS BACK IN 20 WHEN I RAN BECAUSE, UH, OUR MAIN INDUSTRY HERE IN BEAUFORT IS SERVICE.
[00:45:01]
WHILE THAT'S GOOD FOR THE TOURIST SIDE OF IT, IT DOESN'T DO MUCH FOR THE LONG TERM, UH, VIABILITY OF SOMEONE WHO'S TRYING TO MAYBE RAISE A FAMILY, UH, AND WAS NOT FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO GO TO COLLEGE AND MAYBE DID NOT GO TO TCL AND BECAME A PLUMBER OR, OR, OR AN ELECTRICIAN, BUT FIND THEMSELF ABOUT 25 YEARS OLD AND HAVE A FAMILY, UH, MAYBE A FEW KIDS, AND IT'S A LITTLE MORE DIFFICULT TO THEN, YOU KNOW, TURN THE KEY AND, AND, AND GET GOING.SO I, I LOOK FORWARD TO, YOU KNOW, I, MY MY HISTORY IS IN AVIATION.
SO I LOOK AT GULFSTREAM IN SAVANNAH, I LOOK AT BOEING IN CHARLESTON, I LOOK AT BMW IN GREENVILLE.
AND, AND THERE'S NO REASON WHY SOME OF THAT INDUSTRY COULDN'T BE HERE IN BEAUFORT, BUT WE NEED TO PROTECT OUR HISTORIC DISTRICT.
SO THE PLACE TO PUT THOSE BUSINESSES OUT IS OUT IN COMMERCE PARK, AND WE'RE WORKING ON THAT NOW.
THAT CONCLUDES THE ROUND FOR QUESTION TWO PANEL.
CAN WE HAVE QUESTION THREE, PLEASE? YEP.
UH, DO YOU BELIEVE IT IS IMPORTANT TO SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES? AND THEN DO YOU ALSO BELIEVE IT'S IMPORTANT TO SUPPORT VETERAN WOMEN AND MINORITY OWNED BUSINESSES? AND HOW CAN WE BRING MORE BUSINESSES TO THE CITY? YES, ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE IMPORTANT.
UH, MY, UH, YOU KNOW, MY FAMILY IS ALL, ALL RUNS, HAS ALL RUN SMALL BUSINESSES WITHIN THIS TOWN.
AND ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO HELP THEM SUCCEED IS VALUABLE FOR THIS CITY.
WE HAVE HAD, IT CAN BE CHALLENGING WHEN YOU ARE A SMALL BUSINESS PERSON TO DEAL WITH THE CITY AND SOME OF THE RED TAPE THAT YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH TO GET STUFF GOING AND TO GET, MAKE IT SUCCEED.
I, I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE A WAY WHERE WE CREATE MORE OF A, A PATHWAY FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE COMING AND ASKING FOR HELP FROM THE CITY.
THE PEOPLE WHO ARE TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THING, THE PEOPLE WHO ARE TRYING TO COMPLY WITH ALL OF THE REGULATIONS THAT THEY HAVE TO, TO GET HELP WHEN THEY COME IN TO THE CITY HALL AND THEY, AND THERE'S AN ADVOCATE THERE FOR THEM TO SAY, LET'S DO THIS TOGETHER.
AND MORE AND LESS OF THE, YOU CAN'T DO THIS BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE YOUR PAPERWORK FILLED OUT.
RIGHT? THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE OF A SENSE OF AN OMBUDSMAN ATTITUDE TOWARDS, TOWARDS LOCAL BUSINESSES THAN THERE IS A SENSE OF HERE'S WHAT YOU CANNOT DO TOWARDS LOCAL BUSINESSES SO THAT WE CAN HELP THEM SUCCEED.
SO WE CAN HELP THEM GROW AND THEN BUILD SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSES THAT WILL SUPPORT THEIR FAMILIES AND HELP THEM BE GREAT CITIZENS FOR THE CITY.
OKAY, WELL, WE'RE TALKING MY, UM, CUP OF TEA NOW.
I, LIKE I SAID, I RAN A SMALL BUSINESS AND YES, THAT IS WHERE I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE SMALL BUSINESS AND BIG BOX STORES COMING IN THE CITY.
WE COULD DO IT BY, UM, DIFFERENT REGULATIONS WE CAN DO TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR THEM TO OPEN.
UH, WE'VE GOT THE BEAUFORT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, WE'VE GOT THE BLACK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, UH, WORKING THROUGH THEM.
THEY CAN GET GRANTS AND LOANS SO THEY CAN, UM, OPERATE WITH THE MILITARY.
THE MILITARY ALSO HAS SOME RESOURCES WHERE THEY DO HELP THE, UM, EXITING, EXITING PEOPLE LEAVING FROM, UM, PI AND NAVAL HOSPITAL AIR STATION.
SO YES, I FEEL LIKE WE CAN, UM, WE, WERE ALREADY DOING A LOT OF THE STUFF.
A LOT OF THINGS ARE ALREADY HAPPENING.
AND WITH THE TIGER TEAM, LIKE I SAY THAT WE'RE WORKING ON DOWNTOWN, UH, THAT'S COULD BE, I HOPE, A BIG CATALYST, UH, SMALL BUSINESS DOWNTOWN.
SMALL BUSINESSES ARE REALLY THE BACKBONE OF, OF, OF, OF AMERICA.
UH, WE HEAR THAT FROM THE NATIONAL LEVEL TO THE STATE LEVEL.
UH, AND NOW WE'RE HEARING IT AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.
UM, STAFF, UM, AND THE DIRECTION OF SCOTT MARSHALL, UM, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, KURT FREEZE, UH, DOING EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER TO STREAMLINE THE PROCESS FOR BUSINESSES WHEN THEY'RE TRYING TO BE PERMITTED.
UM, WE'VE ALSO LOOKED AT CHANGES TO THE ORDINANCES TO MAKE SURE THAT THINGS HAPPEN.
ZONING, UM, UH, ADDITIONAL DWELLING UNITS SO THAT FOLKS CAN LIVE CLOSE IN TOWN.
UH, WE'VE LOOKED AT POSSIBLY HAVING, UH, BUSINESSES WHERE THE FIRST LEVEL OF, OF, UH, OF A DEVELOPMENT OR STRUCTURE IS FOR BUSINESSES SO THAT WE CAN HAVE RESTAURANTS, UH, MAYBE ENTERTAINMENT IN THE DISTRICTS THAT ALLOW THAT.
SO I THINK EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS THAT AND WE ARE WORKING TOWARD DOING THAT AND EVERYTHING WE CAN DO.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, YOU KNOW, UH, WE WHO HAVE BEEN BLESSED TO BE ELECTED, WE DON'T HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS, SO PLEASE, YOU KNOW, KEEP PING US AND SHARING YOUR IDEAS.
[00:50:01]
WELL, I WILL HAVE TO SAY I AGREE WITH ALL OF THESE GUYS.I THINK WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE, UM, FOR THE BUSINESSES AND THE RESTAURANTS.
UM, WE NEED TO LISTEN TO THE BUSINESS OWNERS AND FIND OUT EXACTLY WHAT THEY'RE STRUGGLING WITH AND TRY AND WORK WITH THEM ON IT.
MY HUSBAND AND I WENT TO CHARLESTON LIKE THREE MONTHS AGO AND THERE ARE NO BOUTIQUE STORES DOWN THERE ANYMORE.
AND I WOULD, I WOULD HATE TO LOSE THE BOUTIQUE SMALL STORES THAT WE HAVE HERE.
UM, AND THE RESTAURANTS TOO ARE STRUGGLING.
WE'VE GOT SOME NEW STATE LAW THAT IS PROHIBITING PEOPLE FROM STAYING OPEN.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU SAW THE RECENT ARTICLE, CHARLESTON'S CLOSING FOUR OF THEIR RESTAURANTS.
UM, I'M NOT GONNA GO INTO DETAIL 'CAUSE IT WILL, YOU KNOW, ABOUT UP MY TIME.
BUT ANYHOW, IT'S ALL ABOUT LISTENING TO THE BUSINESS OWNERS, HAVING OPEN COMMUNICATION WITH THEM AND WORKING WITH THEM.
PANEL HOSPITALITY AND ACCOMMODATION TAXES ARE THE THIRD LARGEST REVENUE SOURCE FOR THE CITY AND THE SECOND LARGEST INDUSTRY IN OUR REGION.
DO YOU SUPPORT ONGOING INVESTMENT IN THE HOSPITALITY AND SPECIFICALLY TOURISM INDUSTRY? 100%.
UH, TOURISM IS ONE OF THE, UM, THREE LEGS OF OUR ECONOMY.
WE'VE GOT THE TOURISM, WE'VE GOT THE MILITARY, AND THEN INDUSTRY THAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET IN THE THIRD LAKE.
UH, THE PROBLEM I SEE WITH THE, UM, RESTAURANTS, AS SHE WAS ALLUDING TO CLOSING UP, I'M ON THE MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE GONNA BE TAKING TO THE LEGISLATE IS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE INSURANCE THAT THEY'RE PAYING.
THEY'RE PAYING THROUGH THE NOSE AND INSURANCE, UNBELIEVABLE AMOUNT.
THE RESTAURANTS IS GONNA CAUSE SOME OF OUR BEST RESTAURANTS TO CLOSE, NOT JUST US, IT'S ALL ACROSS THE REGION, EVERYWHERE.
IF THEY DON'T DO SOMETHING, I THINK THERE'S MAYBE ONE, MAYBE TWO INSURERS IN THE WHOLE STATE THAT'LL INSURE THE RESTAURANTS FOR THAT SERVE ALCOHOL.
AND THAT'S DEFINITELY A PROBLEM.
UH, I SUPPORT THE WHOLE INDUSTRY, THE HOTELS, THE, UM, JUST EVERYTHING TOURS, UM, THE HORSE AND CARRIAGE TOURS, GOLF CART TOURS, AND I THINK WE'VE GOT A REALLY GOOD THING GOING AND WE DON'T WANNA MESS IT UP AND THROW, YOU KNOW, A MONKEY WRENCH IN THERE.
SO THE, THE SHORT ANSWER AND THE LONG ANSWER IS YES, YES AND YES.
UM, YOU KNOW, UH, THE HOSPITALITY, UM, INDUSTRY AND, AND BEAUFORD, IT'S VERY OBVIOUS TO EVERYONE THE IMPORTANCE OF IT AND THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING TO SUPPORT THAT.
UM, SO, SO I COULD JUST SAY YES AND, UH, SHARE IDEAS WITH US THAT YOU, WHERE YOU THINK WE CAN DO BETTER.
UM, I KNOW I WAS TALKING AND I'LL SHARE THE, YOU KNOW, MENTION NEIL IN THIS, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE IDEAS THAT NEIL SHARED WITH ME, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER IT WILL GO ANYWHERE, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE, UM, ABSORB A LOT OF POLICE ENERGY WHEN WE BLOCK OFF BAY STREET BETWEEN CHARLES AND CARTER AT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THERE'S ANOTHER WAY TO DO THAT.
UM, MAYBE WE COULD MAKE, UH, BAY STREET MORE OF A, AN AREA WHERE, UM, MORE TIME IS SPENT WHERE IT CAN JUST BE A WALKABLE AREA VERSUS HAVING THE CARS GO THROUGH IT.
SO, YOU KNOW, I I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS I TRY TO DO VERY WELL IS TO REALIZE THAT I DON'T HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS.
AND TO REACH OUT TO OTHERS WHO HAVE IDEAS THAT THEY COULD SHARE WITH ME SO THAT I CAN, YOU KNOW, BRING IT TO COUNCIL OR SUPPORT THE WORKSHOPS TO BRING SOME OF THESE TO FRUITION.
I TOTALLY BACK UP HOSPITALITY TAX.
I, UH, I LOVE THE FEEL OF DOWNTOWN BEAUFORD, UM, HOW IT'S ALIVE.
IT, IT FEELS ALIVE, IT'S ACTIVE.
THE ONLY CONCERN I HAVE IS, AND I KNOW IT'S SORT OF, BUT THE HOSPITALITY WORKERS CAN'T AFFORD TO LIVE HERE.
THEY CAN'T LIVE IN THE SAME TOWN.
I MEAN, THEY CAN'T LIVE IN BEAUFORT.
AND THAT CONCERNS ME TREMENDOUSLY.
UH, THE, I'M, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT ANYBODY WHO'S EXCITED ABOUT ATTACKS THAT DOESN'T REALLY THROW THE IDEA OF, IT DOESN'T THROW ME AT ITS CORE.
I UNDERSTAND THE NECESSITY OF IT.
OF COURSE, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO TAX PEOPLE TO FUND THE CITY GOVERNMENT.
I DON'T GET EXCITED ABOUT IT THOUGH.
I WILL SAY THIS ABOUT THE HOSPITALITY TAX IS YOU PAY IT EVERY TIME YOU GO OUT TO GO EAT DINNER.
EVERY TIME YOU GO TO, TO, TO, OUT TO OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE OR EVERY TIME YOU
[00:55:01]
GO TO MCDONALD'S, EVERY TIME YOU EAT OUT, YOU PAY THE HOSPITALITY TAX.SO IT'S NOT JUST A TAX ON THE TOURIST, WHICH IS OFTEN, IT'S OFTEN IT'S OFTEN SOLD THAT WAY.
IT IS IMPORTANT OBVIOUSLY, TO INVEST IN, IN OUR, IN OUR CITY AND OUR, IN OUR TOURISM BUSINESS.
AND, BUT I WOULD ALSO SAY THAT WE ARE WINNING THE TOURISM BUSINESS.
IF WE'RE GOING TO COLLECT ATTACKS, THAT IS ONLY TO GET MORE TOURISTS HERE.
IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TOURISTS.
IT SEEMS LIKE THAT'S GOING PRETTY WELL ALREADY.
IF WE'RE GOING TO LET COLLECT ATTACKS, THERE ARE THINGS WE COULD USE IT FOR, LIKE THE WATERFRONT PARK, LIKE FIXING YOUR ROADS, ALL THE KIND OF THINGS THAT THE CIVIC GOVERNMENT IS SUPPOSED TO, TO ENGAGE IN.
AND I THINK THAT WE SHOULD, I, I'M NOT OPPOSED TO THE IDEA OF THE HOSPITALITY TAX, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO RETHINK THE WAY THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SPENDING IT AND SPENDING IT MORE ON SOME OF THE BASIC NEEDS THAT, THAT THE CITY HAS, BECAUSE WE'RE DEFINITELY LACKING BUDGETING IN SOME AREAS FOR SOME OF THE IMPORTANT STUFF WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF.
WHAT ARE THE KEY ISSUES DIVIDING OUR COMMUNITY AND HOW DO YOU PROPOSE THOSE ISSUES BE ADDRESSED WHILE PROMOTING CIVILITY AND UNITY? YEAH, I'M PAUSING BECAUSE I'M THINKING.
UM, I, I HAVEN'T REALLY GIVEN A LOT OF THOUGHT TO WHAT IS DIVIDING OUR CITY.
UM, I THINK WE HAVE PRETTY MUCH SOME COMMON, UM, MORE COMMON, MORE IN COMMON THAN WE HAVE DIVIDING US.
UM, I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF CONCERN ABOUT THE GROWTH, UM, THE TRAFFIC.
UM, BUT I DON'T NECESSARILY SEE THAT AS A, A DIVISION.
UM, THE, THE, THE GROWTH IS JUST BECAUSE OF THE REALITY THAT THOSE OF YOU WHO CAME HERE AND FOR THOSE LIKE MYSELF WHO CAME BACK, UM, SAW THE BEAUTY OF WHAT'S HERE.
AND I, I, I DON'T KNOW HOW WE STOPPED THAT UNLESS WE CREATE A PLACE WHERE NO ONE WANTS TO BE.
SO, UM, IF THERE'S A DIVISION THERE, I THINK IT WOULD BE TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR INFRASTRUCTURE KEEPS UP SO THAT THE QUALITY OF LIFE CAN, CAN KEEP UP WITH, WITH, WITH THAT GROWTH.
UM, SO I DUNNO, THAT QUESTION WAS VERY CHALLENGING FOR ME.
I, I DON'T SPEND A LOT, I HAVEN'T SPENT A LOT OF TIME THINKING ABOUT THE DIVISION.
I'VE MORE OR LESS BEEN THINKING ABOUT HOW WE MOVE FORWARD.
I'VE BEEN PART OF MY CAMPAIGN IS KNOCKING ON DOORS, UM, AND I'VE, SOME PEOPLE JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE CITY.
SOME OF THEM DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT, WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE COUNTY.
UM, AND THAT DIVIDES US A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE THOSE OF US THAT WANNA ENGAGE WORK SO HARD AND, AND THEY'RE, WHEN WE ARE ENGAGED, WE'RE ENGAGED.
UM, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE PEOPLE THAT SAY THAT THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
I'D LIKE TO GET THEM ENGAGED IN WHAT'S GOING ON AND GET INVOLVED IN GOVERNMENT AND BE A PART OF THIS SYSTEM AND, AND CARE ABOUT IT.
UM, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I SEE THE DIVISION.
IT'S SORT OF LIKE, WELL, I REALLY DON'T CARE AND I DON'T WANT TO GET INVOLVED, BUT YOU SHOULD CARE.
UH, AND THAT'S WHY I'M DOING THIS 'CAUSE I CARE.
SO BASICALLY WE JUST NEED TO LISTEN TO OUR COMMUNITY BASIC ONCE, ONCE AGAIN.
SO I THINK THAT THIS IS ONE OF THOSE ISSUES.
MOSTLY WHEN I THINK ABOUT OUR ISSUES THAT WE'RE ASKED TO ADDRESS WITH CITY COUNCIL, MY FIRST INSTINCT IS TO SAY, LET'S START WITH THE CITIZENS AND WORK OUR WAY UP FROM THERE AND FIND OUT WHAT THE ANSWER IS.
THIS IS ONE OF THOSE DECISIONS THOUGH, WHERE I THINK IT'S MORE OF AN, AN ISSUE OF LEADERSHIP FROM THE TOP THAT SETS THE TONE FOR EVERYBODY ELSE.
AND I'M GLAD THAT MITCH HASN'T SPENT A LOT OF TIME THINKING ABOUT THIS BECAUSE MAYBE HE HASN'T BEEN ATTACKED PERSONALLY LIKE I HAVE WHEN I'VE BEEN RUNNING FOR CITY COUNCIL.
AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN SET A NEW TONE FOR THAT.
I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE CITY 'CAUSE WE TALK ABOUT PRESERVATION A LOT, ABOUT, ABOUT WHAT WE'RE GONNA SET, WHAT, WHAT BUILDINGS WE'RE GONNA SAVE, HOW WE'RE GONNA SAVE THEM.
ARE THEY WORTH SAVING? THERE'S ANOTHER THING THAT'S WORTH SAVING IN THIS CITY THAT'S BEEN HERE FOR 300 YEARS TOO.
AND THAT'S THE CIVILITY THAT WE USED TO LIVE BY HERE IN THIS TOWN.
AND IT HAS CHANGED IN THE LAST FEW YEARS.
IT IS NOT THE SAME AS IT USED TO BE WHEN I GREW UP HERE.
AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT FROM MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.
AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT SOMEBODY CALLED ME TODAY AND THEY SAID THAT NEIL
[01:00:01]
LIPITZ WAS AT A MEETING THE OTHER DAY AND HE SAID THAT IF JOSH GIBSON GETS ELECTED TO CITY COUNCIL, HE'S GONNA FIRE THE CITY MANAGER AND THE POLICE CHIEF.I NOT, I KNOW THAT'S NOT TRUE BECAUSE NOT ONLY HAVE I NEVER SAID IT, I'VE NEVER THOUGHT IT IN MY ENTIRE LIFE.
AND WE HAVE GOT TO STOP LYING BEHIND PEOPLE'S BACKS AND SAYING THINGS AT SECRET MEETINGS AND EXECUTIVE SESSION AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
AND DO THI TO HAVE OUR DISCUSSIONS IN PUBLIC AND BE HONEST WITH EACH OTHER SO THAT WE CAN WORK TOGETHER TO BUILD A BETTER BUFORT.
CIVILITY IS DEFINITELY DIVIDING US, UH, FROM OUTSIDE SOURCES.
I WON'T SAY WHERE, BUT, UM, ANYBODY'S ON THE INTERNET, THEY KNOW WHERE IT'S COMING FROM.
UH, WHAT I WAS GONNA SAY BEFORE THAT COMMENT, UH, DESTRUCTION OF OUR TREES AND LOSING OUR CHARACTER, I THINK IS REALLY DIVIDING US.
UH, IT'S NOT THE BEAUFORT I GREW UP IN FOR BECAUSE OF CIVILITY, BECAUSE OF JUST THE WHOLE TOWN JUST CHANGING, JUST CLEAR, CUTTING EVERYTHING.
BUT AS FAR AS A DIVISION AMONG THE PEOPLE, I MEAN, I REALLY CAN'T FIND, FIND ONE.
I MEAN, EVERYBODY SEEMS TO GET ALONG.
I MEAN, THERE'S NO RACIAL DIVIDE THAT I CAN SEE, OR AT LEAST I, THERE IS ONE.
SO, UM, I DON'T CARE WHETHER, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE BLACK OR WHITE OR GAY OR STRAIGHT OR WHATEVER.
WE ALL COME FROM THE SAME THING.
SO, UM, I CAN'T SEE A DIVIDE HERE.
UM, I JUST SEE MORE, UM, COMING TOGETHER.
COUNCILMAN MITCHELL, WOULD YOU LIKE TO USE YOUR REBUTTAL? YEAH, I GUESS I WANT TO HAVE ANY TIME LEFT OVER, UM, USING MY REBUTTAL IN MY CLOSING COMMENTS, BUT, YOU KNOW, UM, I, I, I, I SENSE SOME LACK OF CIVILITY RIGHT HERE NOW, UM, THAT WE SHOULD ADDRESS.
UM, FOR ONE THING, UH, NO CITY COUNCILMAN CAN FIRE ANYBODY EXCEPT THEMSELVES,
UM, SO I, I WOULD, I WOULD JUST KEEP IN MIND THAT, UM, WE, WE DON'T HAVE TO DO THESE BACK AND FORTH ATTACKS.
UH, WE CAN JUST ANSWER THE QUESTION THAT CONCLUDES QUESTION NUMBER FIVE.
THE MILLAGE RATE IN THE CITY REMAINED THE SAME THIS YEAR, BUT PROPERTY VALUES INCREASED.
WHAT IS YOUR APPROACH TO FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY IN MANAGING TAX REVENUES WITHOUT RISKING THE DISPLACEMENT OF LOWER TO MIDDLE CLASS INCOME FAMILIES? MR. CRENSHAW, CAN YOU REPEAT THAT AGAIN? YEP.
THE MILLAGE RATE IN THE CITY REMAINED THE SAME THIS YEAR, BUT PROPERTY VALUES INCREASED.
WHAT IS YOUR APPROACH TO FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY IN MANAGING TAX REVENUES WITHOUT RISKING THE DISPLACEMENT OF LOWER TO MIDDLE INCOME FAMILIES? WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I, I WOULD REDUCE THE MILLAGE.
I WOULD HAVE THE LAST TIME, IF I'D BEEN PART OF THAT BUDGET, I WOULD'VE, I WOULD'VE GONE WITH PHIL CROMER ON IT.
DEFINITELY, I WOULD'VE MADE A MOTION.
UM, AND BASICALLY THE WASTEFUL SPENDING.
I WOULD KEEP MY EYE ON THE BUDGET AND, AND MAKE SURE THAT THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN.
AND BASICALLY, IT'S A, IT'S A TWO-WAY STREET.
WE'VE JUST GOTTA WORK TOGETHER AND SEE WHERE THE NEED IS.
AS FAR AS, WHAT WAS THE LAST PART OF THE QUESTION? UH, WHAT WOULD YOU HELP TO STOP THE DISPLACEMENT OF LOWER TO MIDDLE INCOME FAMILIES? OKAY, THAT'S A GOOD ONE.
THAT IS A NATIONWIDE PROBLEM, BUT I SERIOUSLY THINK THAT IT'S DOABLE AND WE CAN FIGURE IT OUT.
UM, WE JUST NEED TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION AND FIND OUT WHERE THE NEED IS.
CAN YOU ELABORATE ON WASTEFUL SPENDING, PLEASE? WASTEFUL SPENDING? YEAH.
UM, WELL, IT'S KEEPING THE EYE ON THE BUDGET.
IT IS, UM, UH, REDUCING THE MILLAGE AND BASICALLY, THAT'S IT.
IS THAT ENOUGH FOR YOU? NO, I JUST WANTED YOU TO IDENTIFY WASTEFUL SPENDING, BECAUSE I WASTE HEARD YOU STATE THAT A FEW DIFFERENT TIMES.
WASTEFUL SPENDING IS, UM, AN ACT THEREOF OF TAXATION, BASICALLY.
[01:05:03]
I'LL BE HAPPY TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT WASTEFUL SPENDING.THE CITY JUST SPENT AROUND $400,000 ON A STUDY TO BUILD A SIDEWALK THAT'S ABOUT TWO OR THREE BLOCKS LONG ON DUKE STREET AT THE 1600, 1800 BLOCK DUKE STREET IN THAT AREA.
THAT WAS THIS A, A, A SIDEWALK THAT WAS PRO PROMISED TO THOSE RESIDENTS WHO LIVED IN THERE, WHO, WHO BOUGHT HOUSES THERE OVER A DECADE AGO.
I CANNOT GET MY HEAD AROUND WHY IT TAKES $400,000 TO SP TO BUILD A SIDEWALK, TWO OR THREE BLOCKS LONG.
I COULD GET ME AND FIVE OF MY FRIENDS, AND WE COULD CALL THE CONCRETE COMPANY AND WE COULD BUILD A, A SIDEWALK OVER A WEEKEND FOR THAT, FOR THAT, FOR THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY.
AND THAT'S JUST TO LOOK AT IT.
THAT'S NOT EVEN TO DO THE CONSTRUCTION.
THEY ADD ON ALL THESE PRO, ALL THESE PIECES TO IT.
THEY ADD ON ALL OF THESE DRAINAGE PROJECTS WHERE THERE'S NO FLOODING, THERE'S NO FLOODING, BUT WE NEED TO ADD A DRAINAGE PROJECT TO EVERYTHING TO BUILD A SIDEWALK.
IT MAKES NO SENSE TO ME WHEN WE LOOK AT THOSE THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND I FORGOT, WHAT WAS THE FIRST HALF OF YOUR QUESTION? UH, WITH THE MILLAGE RATE REMAIN THE SAME FOR PROPERTY VALUE INCREASING.
IT RAISED TAXES OVERALL FOR THE CITY.
SO WHAT IS YOUR APPROACH TO BE PHYSICALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR MANAGING THAT TAX REVENUE AND THEN KEEPING IT FROM DISPLACING LOWER TO MIDDLE INCOME FAMILIES THAT MIGHT BE OVER LEVERAGED WITH THEIR EXPENSES? WELL, THE FIRST STEP THAT I WOULD TAKE WAS, LIKE, AS JULIE SAID, WAS TO FOLLOW PHIL KROMER LEAD AND ACTUALLY TAKE A LOOK AT THE BUDGET AND SEE WHERE THE, I MEAN, WITH THE 55, $60 MILLION BUDGET THAT WE'VE GOT, WHERE WHEREVER IT IS RIGHT NOW, I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT YOU CAN'T LOOK AT IT EVERY YEAR AND SAY THERE'S SOMETHING IN THERE THAT WE DO THAT WE CAN LOOK AT.
THE INCUMBENTS BOTH VOTED TO, TO KEEP ALL THE MONEY IN THERE AND NOT EVEN LOOK AT IT AND HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT IT.
USE ONE AT, AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE ROUND, YOU MAY USE ONE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR INFORMATION.
WE DID ROLL BACK THE, UH, MILLAGE RATE, UH, WHEN WE, DURING THE REASSESSMENT, WE DID ROLL IT BACK A LITTLE BIT SO THAT THE, IT WOULD BE INCOME, UH, REVENUE NEUTRAL IS THE TERM.
UH, THE COUNTY, I BELIEVE, DID THE SAME THING THE SCHOOL DISTRICT DID NOT.
SO THEY'RE THE ONES THAT HAD, YOU KNOW, A BIG WINDFALL.
IF YOU CHECK IT, YOU'LL SEE THAT, UM, THE CITY DID HAVE A SLIGHT ROLLBACK IN OUR MILLAGE RATE.
ALSO, THERE'S A, UM, WORD CALLED INFLATION.
I MEAN, YES, THE CITY IS GETTING MORE MONEY IN, BUT THE, THE INFLATION RATE IS GOING CRAZY AND TRYING TO GET ANYTHING DONE BECAUSE OF THE ARPA MONEY, THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN MONEY, CONTRACT RATES HAVE GONE UP.
I MEAN, WHAT PROJECT THAT MIGHT HAVE COST, UH, $1 MILLION BEFORE COVID RIGHT NOW MIGHT BE ABOUT 2 MILLION.
UM, 2, 3, 2 TO TWO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS.
I MEAN, THAT'S HOW BAD IT IS TRYING TO GET ANYBODY TO DO ANYTHING.
UH, THAT SHOULD SETTLE DOWN BECAUSE THE ARPA MONEY RUNS OUT THE END OF THE YEAR.
SO, UM, AS FAR AS KEEPING, UM, THE MIDDLE CLASS IN THEIR HOUSE HOUSES, UH, THAT IS A PROBLEM.
AND, UH, WE DO HAVE TO, I MEAN, MEAN THE PROBLEM, THE CULPRIT OF A LOT OF THIS IS CALLED INFLATION, AND HOW DO WE DEAL WITH IT? I MEAN, THAT'S NOT A NATIONAL PROBLEM, AS MS. GRENSHAW SAID.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT REDUCING TAXES, UM, THE OTHER PART OF THAT QUESTION IS WHAT DO YOU WANNA DO WITHOUT, OKAY, UM, IT WAS MENTIONED EARLIER.
UH, DO YOU WANT LESS POLICE PROTECTION? UH, MAYBE YOUR HOUSE IS ON FIRE, YOU WANT LESS FIRE PROTECTION.
UM, THERE, THERE ARE NO FREE LUNCHES HERE.
UM, WE WANNA HAVE A VIBRANT CITY, UH, WHERE FOLKS COME TO VISIT.
UM, THERE ARE SERVICES THAT ARE REQUIRED TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN AS FAR AS HOW DO WE ALLOW FOLKS WHO MAY BE LESS FINANCIALLY FORTUNATE TO KEEP THEIR STAY IN THEIR HOUSES? I'LL USE THE NORTHWEST QUADRANT AS AN EXAMPLE OF THAT.
SOME OF THOSE HOUSES JUST, YOU KNOW, THE, THE CHALLENGE OF FIXING THEM UP, UH, BECAUSE THEY'RE IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT, UM, REALLY ARE FORCING SOME PEOPLE, FOLKS OUT OF THEIR HOUSES.
I THINK WE CAN ROLL BACK SOME OF THE REQUIREMENTS ON THAT, WHERE SOME OF THOSE HOUSES COULD LOOK AS DESIRABLE AS, UH, THE HISTORIC DISTRICT SHOULD BE, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME NOT BURDENING THOSE FOLKS WITH SUCH SIGNIFICANT, SIGNIFICANT COST.
FIRST, I FORGOT TO MENTION, UM, KEEP AN EYE ON THE BUDGET.
REDUCE THE MILLAGE AND RUBBER STAMPING WAS THE THIRD ONE THAT I WANTED TO TELL YOU.
[01:10:01]
YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE, THE GREATEST EXAMPLE OF THIS IS EXISTS RIGHT NOW IS WHAT JUST HAPPENED ON THE POINT WITH THE PUMP STATION THAT WAS ABOUT TO GO DOWN.THEY, THE, THE INCUMBENTS WERE READY TO WRITE A CHECK FOR $10 MILLION OF TAX MONEY TO BUILD A PUMP STATION THAT THEY CANNOT EVEN TELL YOU WHOSE IDEA IT WAS TO CREATE THAT PUMP STATION.
NOBODY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WAS ASKING FOR IT.
AND THE AMOUNT OF EFFORT THAT IT TOOK, THE CITIZENS, THE GOOD CITIZENS OF THAT NEIGHBORHOOD TO STAND UP AND SAY, HEY, GET A GET, GET CONTROL OVER THIS.
PLEASE DON'T SPEND OUR MONEY AND, AND, AND ON SOMETHING THAT WE HAVEN'T EVEN ASKED FOR.
WE HAVE GOT TO GET TO A SITUATION WHERE WE'RE ASKING THE CITIZENS WHAT THEY WANT AND NOT TELLING THEM WHAT THEY NEED.
WE HAVE THREE MORE QUESTIONS REMAINING FOR THESE FOUR CITY COUNTY COUN, CITY COUNTY COUNCIL CANDIDATES, UH, TO FILL TWO SPOTS, UH, ON ELECTION DAY.
UH, IF YOU'RE JUST JOINING ONLINE, WE ARE GOING TO PROCEED WITH OUR CITY MAYORAL FORUM AS THIS CONCLUDES, BUT WE HAVE THREE MORE QUESTIONS FOR OUR PANELISTS, SO PLEASE ASK THE NEXT ONE.
QUALITY OF LIFE IN OUR COASTAL TOWN IS A MAJOR DRAW AND REASON FOR LIVING HERE, BUT THERE IS A LAG IN ATTRACTING PRIME WORKFORCE AGE PEOPLE.
WHAT MEASURES WOULD YOU PROPOSE TO ENSURE BUFORT IS AN ATTRACTIVE, AFFORDABLE PLACE FOR YOUNG PROFESSIONALS AND FAMILIES? JOSH, YOU'LL BEGIN.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT THAT WE CAN DO.
I, I FEEL LIKE I, I'M REALLY DISAPPOINTED IN HOW MUCH THE CITY FAILS TO USE OUR LEVERAGE THAT WE HAVE WITH DEVELOPERS TO MAKE OUR CITY, THE CITY WE WANT IT TO BE.
I FEEL LIKE SO MANY TIMES THEY COME AT THERE, THERE ARE A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, AND THESE ARE NOT LIKE LO I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT LOCAL DEVELOPERS.
I'M TALKING ABOUT SOME, YOU KNOW, REITS AND INVESTMENT COMPANIES OF, OF, OF THAT COME IN FROM OUTTA STATE AND WANNA BUILD THESE, THESE BIG, THESE BIG PROJECTS.
AND ALL THEY, AND ALL THEY WANT TO DO IS SQUEEZE EVERY PENNY THEY CAN OUT OF OUR, OUT OF OUR CULTURE THAT WE HAVE HERE, AND THE, AND, AND THE, THE, THE BEAUTIFUL LIFESTYLE THAT WE HAVE HERE THAT WE GET TO LIVE WITH.
THE, THERE ARE WAYS THAT YOU CAN WORK WITH THEM AND SAY, IF YOU'RE GOING TO BUILD AN APARTMENT COMPLEX THAT HAS, YOU KNOW, 200 UNITS IN IT, THAT YOU ARE GOING TO BE REQUIRED TO OFFER A CERTAIN SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THEM TO, UH, TO UNDER MARKET RATES SO THAT WE CAN GET PEOPLE WHO CAN LIVE THERE NOW, WHO THOSE PEOPLE ARE AND HOW WE, HOW WE QUALIFY THOSE PEOPLE.
THAT'S A COMPLICATED DECISION FOR THE CITY.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO IS THAT YOU CAN SAY THAT YOU COULD, WE COULD, THE CITY COULD LEAN IN TOWARDS THE IDEA OF WORKING WITH THESE DEVELOPERS AND SAY, WOULDN'T IT BE GREAT IF YOU'VE, FOR YOUR DEVELOPMENT, IF YOU'VE HAD A POLICE OFFICER LIVING THERE? SO IF WE COULD OFFER ONE OP ONE APARTMENT IN THIS COMPARTMENT COMPLEX WHERE A POLICE OFFICER LIVES, WHO'S A CITY EMPLOYEE, THEN THAT CITY EMPLOYEE, THEN THAT POLICE OFFICER IS NOW LIVING IN THE CITY THAT HE'S POLICING.
AND SO THAT'S A WIN-WIN ADVANTAGE THAT THE POLICE OFFICER IS HAVING A BETTER LIFESTYLE.
HE'S LIVING HERE WITH US, AND HE'S, AND, AND EVERYBODY'S DOING BETTER.
WOULD YOU REPEAT THE QUESTION? QUALITY OF LIFE IN OUR COASTAL TOWN IS A MAJOR DRAW AND REASON FOR LIVING HERE, BUT THERE IS A LAG IN ATTRACTING PRIME WORKFORCE, AGE PEOPLE.
WHAT MEASURES WOULD YOU PROPOSE TO ENSURE BUFORT IS AN ATTRACTIVE, AFFORDABLE PLACE FOR YOUNG PROFESSIONALS AND FAMILIES? OKAY, FIRST OF ALL, UM, WHAT MR. GIBSON WAS JUST REFERRING TO IS ALREADY HAPPENING.
WE GOT POLICE OFFICERS, UM, IN SOME OF THE COMPLEXES, WE'VE GOT DIFFERENT RATES ON SOME OF 'EM WHERE THEY ARE AFFORDABLE RATES.
UH, THEY ARE DIFFERENT LEVELS THEY GO INTO.
UH, THE WAY I WOULD PROPOSE IS HAPPENING ALREADY, IS BRINGING IN, UM, AND DEVELOPING INDUSTRY SUCH AS OUR CYBERSECURITY, THE NURSING, HEALTHCARE, UH, THAT WILL BRING SOME OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE HERE.
HOPEFULLY THEY'LL STAY HERE AND BE A PART OF THE COMMUNITY AND A VIABLE PART OF THE COMMUNITY.
BUT, UM, CYBERSECURITY IS WHERE I THINK HAS THE MOST POTENTIAL.
UM, USCB IS, UM, WORKING ON IT.
THEY'VE GOT THE CYBER CENTER, TCL, UM, THEY'VE GOT A CYBER TWO YEAR PROGRAM.
SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE DEVELOPING A PROGRAM ALSO WHERE THE PEOPLE CAN GO FROM THE SCHOOLS AND GET A CERTIFICATE AND GO RIGHT INTO THE INDUSTRY ON THERE.
AND I FEEL THAT THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE REALLY NEED TO CONCENTRATE ON THERE.
AND IT IS SO MUCH POTENTIAL IS UNBELIEVABLE.
YEAH, WE, WE, WE DEFINITELY NEED TO DO MORE, UM, TO KEEP OUR YOUNG FOLKS WHO'VE GONE AWAY ELSEWHERE TO COLLEGE OR HOPEFULLY, UH, MORE AND MORE GOING RIGHT HERE TO USCB
[01:15:01]
OR TO THE TECHNICAL COLLEGE IN, IN, IN, IN, IN THE CITY AND IN THE AREA.IT'S KIND OF LIKE THE DOG CHASING HIS TAIL.
UH, THE HOUSING QUESTION KEEPS COMING UP, UM, AND UNTIL SUPPLY, UH, REACHES THE LEVEL WHERE, UH, THE DEMAND IS NOT SUCH THAT IT DRIVES UP PRICES, IT, IT, IT'S, IT'S GONNA BE A CHALLENGING IT ISSUE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, THE THINGS THAT NEIL MENTIONED IN TERMS OF, OF NURSING, CYBER, UM, THE TRAINING THAT'S TAKING PLACE AT TCL, UH, BUT AS THOSE FOLKS STAY HERE, WE NEED PLACES TO, TO SHELTER THEM.
AND TOWARD THAT GOAL, WE HAVE QUITE A FEW HOMES, UH, STRUCTURES WITHIN THE CITY THAT ARE IN A STATE, SOMEWHAT DILAPIDATED.
AND THE CITY SET ASIDE $50,000 IN OUR LAST BUDGET BACK IN JANUARY.
UM, YOU KNOW, DURING OUR RETREAT, AND MOST RECENTLY, WE, UH, HAVE APPROVED ANOTHER A HUNDRED THOUSAND, WHICH THE HOUSING TRUST IS GOING TO MATCH.
SO WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING TO HELP ALONG THE WAY.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S KINDA LIKE TESTING THE APPETITE.
WE'LL SEE HOW THIS GO AND WHETHER THERE'S APPETITE FOR MORE.
THIS IS A MAJOR ISSUE IN BEAUFORD, BUT IT'S A MAJOR ISSUE EVERYWHERE NATIONWIDE.
UM, GROWTH IS GOOD, BUT IT'S GOTTA BE GOOD GROWTH BECAUSE THERE'S SOME CITIES THAT GROW SO FAST, THE CRIME RATE GOES UP.
WE DON'T WANT THAT TO TO HAPPEN.
SO BASICALLY UNDERSTANDING WHERE WE'RE COMING FROM AND ASKING QUESTIONS AND TALKING TO EACH OTHER AND TRYING TO FIG FIGURE THIS OUT IS PART OF THE SOLUTION TO IT.
HOW DO YOU PERCEIVE THE PARKING SITUATION IN DOWNTOWN BEAUFORT, GIVEN THAT BUSINESS OWNERS OFTEN CITE IT AS A MAJOR CONCERN FOR BOTH EMPLOYEES AND CUSTOMERS? WHAT SPECIFIC WAYS WOULD YOU RECOMMEND IMPROVING DOWNTOWN PARKING? EVERY TIME I GO DOWNTOWN, I'VE ALWAYS FOUND A SPACE.
I DON'T KNOW WHY, UM, EVERYBODY'S SCREAMING.
THERE'S NO SPACES, I HAVEN'T HAD ANY PROBLEMS. YOU HAVE TO WALK A LITTLE BIT, MAYBE, UH, PARK OVER AT THE, UM, 500 CARTER RAT AND WALK A LITTLE BIT, BUT I'VE ALWAYS FOUND PARKING THERE.
HOWEVER, THERE IS A FUTURE PARKING PROBLEM COMING.
AND ONCE THESE DEVELOPMENTS DOWNTOWN COME, UM, BECOME A REALITY, THE HOTEL, THE APARTMENT BUILDING, THE, UM, RESTAURANT, NEW RESTAURANT, WHICH IS GONNA TAKE UP A NUMBER OF SPACES, UH, WE ARE GONNA HAVE TO FIGURE A WAY TO GET A PARKING GARAGE.
I MEAN, IT'S GONNA HAVE TO BE A REALITY AT SOME POINT.
I MEAN, NOT EVERYBODY LIKES IT.
I'M NOT SAYING I DO, AND I DON'T.
BUT WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT, UH, WITH OUR GROWING DOWNTOWN, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO COME UP WITH A SOLUTION.
UH, THE PARKING GARAGE PROBABLY WOULD BE THE MOST VALUABLE WAY OF DOING IT, I THINK.
UH, PARKING IS A CHALLENGE, RIGHT?
UM, AS WE, AS THE CITY GROWS, UNLESS YOU WANNA WALK VERY FAR, THEN, YOU KNOW, AS THE CITY BECOMES DENSER, THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE SKYSCRAPERS IN, IN CITIES BECAUSE YOU, IT'S NOWHERE TO GO BUT UP.
BUT IN THE MEANTIME, YOU KNOW, WE COULD, WE COULD DEVELOP THINGS LIKE THEIR PARK, EMPTY PARKING SPACES RIGHT ACROSS FROM CITY HALL, UH, IN THE COUNTY BUILDING AND MAYBE A GOOD, GOOD, YOU KNOW, TROLLEY SYSTEM THAT OPERATES FREQUENTLY ENOUGH SO THAT FOLKS AREN'T WORRIED ABOUT WAITING TOO LONG OR MAYBE DEVELOPING, UM, WITHIN THE CITY A MORE, YOU KNOW, RIDEABLE, BICYCLING, YOU KNOW, UM, PATHWAYS TO GET TO DOWNTOWN, MINUS SITTING IN A CAR.
SO, UH, I'M SURE THE BRIGHT IDEAS OUT THERE, YOU KNOW, JUST, JUST SHARE IT WITH US SO THAT THOSE OF US WHO ARE SITTING ON COUNCIL CAN ACT ON THEM.
I TEND TO AGREE WITH YOU, MITCH AND, AND NEIL.
I'VE NEVER REALLY HAD A PROBLEM PARKING DOWNTOWN, BUT I DON'T REALLY NEED TO PARK DOWNTOWN.
I CAN WALK, I'D RATHER WALK OR RIDE MY BIKE.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY LEE AND I FELL IN LOVE WITH THIS PLACE, IS THAT WE, WE SAW FOLKS JUST RIDING AROUND AND WALKING EVERYWHERE.
THAT'S WHAT KEEPS THE TOWN ALIVE.
AND I, I DON'T SEE A PARKING GARAGE.
[01:20:01]
MIGHT SEE, UM, A, A PARKING AREA WHERE A TROLLEY MIGHT COME AND PLAY, OR PALMETTO BREEZE MIGHT COME INTO PLAY.IT'S GONNA TAKE SOME PRIVATE AND PUBLIC, UM, GETTING INVOLVED IN IT, BUT AT THIS POINT, I DON'T, I DON'T REALLY SEE IT AS A PROBLEM RIGHT THIS MOMENT.
I, I, THE, THE PARKING GARAGE OR A PARKING GARAGE IS GOING TO BE A MASSIVE INVESTMENT FOR THE CITY THAT IS OBVIOUSLY UNFUNDED RIGHT NOW.
IN THE MEANTIME, I AGREE WITH THE, THE IDEA, AND I'VE SPOKEN TO THE MAYOR ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT, ALTHOUGH I'M NOT SPEAKING FOR HIM, ABOUT THE IDEA OF CREATING SOME SORT OF A TROLLEY SYSTEM.
AND I AGREE WITH MITCH ABOUT THAT, THAT THAT COULD BE VIABLE.
IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE IDEA OF RUNNING A LOOP THAT GOES DOWN TO BAY STREET, AROUND TO BOUNDARY, YOU KNOW, MAYBE ONE LOOP THERE AND ONE THAT GOES DOWN BLADEN STREET AND RUNS AROUND TO BOUNDARY, THAT WOULD OPEN UP A LOT OF PARKING SPACES FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO PARK OUT CONVENIENTLY, WHO ACTUALLY WANTED TO GO DOWNTOWN BUT COULDN'T PARK DOWNTOWN.
IT WOULD ALSO SERVICE THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS WHO WANT TO GO DOWNTOWN AND DO BUSINESS, BUT DON'T WANT TO DRIVE THEIR CAR DOWN THERE.
MAYBE THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THEY'RE NOT AS MOBILE AS THEY WANT TO BE, AND IT'S HARDER FOR THEM TO GET DOWNTOWN TO GO TO GO DO BUSINESS AND GO TO RESTAURANTS AND STUFF LIKE THAT SO THAT THEY COULD JUST WALK OUT OF THEIR HOUSE, GET ON THE TROLLEY, AND GO DOWNTOWN, HAVE DINNER, AND COME BACK AND TO CATCH A RIDE BACK HOME.
THAT WOULD BE A, THAT WOULD BE A, A GREAT, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD INTERMEDIATE SOLUTION TO THE LONG-TERM PROBLEM ABOUT HOW WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO AS WE GET AS BIG AS WE'RE GOING TO BE SOMEDAY.
UM, BUT I AM ANXIOUS ABOUT THE IDEA OF WHAT THE SCALE OF THE BUDGET WOULD COST, UH, TO PULL OFF THE CITY TO BUY A PARKING GARAGE, BECAUSE THE PRIVATE GARAGE, AS THAT HAVE BEEN PROPOSED, HAVEN'T ACTUALLY SOLVED ANY OF THE CITY'S PUBLIC PARKING PROBLEMS. SO THIS IS KIND OF A FOLLOW UP FOR ALL THE CANDIDATES.
I FEEL LIKE YOU GUYS PASSED OVER THE SECTION WHERE IT COVERS EMPLOYEES OF BUSINESSES, YOU KNOW, EACH ONE OF YOU ANSWERED RELATED TO LIKE, PEOPLE THAT LIVE HERE, YOU KNOW, PARKING, BUT AS OF RIGHT NOW, A LOT OF EMPLOYEES HAVE TROUBLE FINDING PARKING AND, YOU KNOW, HAVING TO WALK, YOU KNOW, HALF A MILE JUST TO BE ABLE TO GET TO THEIR CURRENT JOB.
IF YOU GUYS WOULD LIKE TO RESPOND ON THAT, LET'S GO IN THE SAME ORDER THAT WE ANSWERED AND WE'LL GIVE YOU EACH 30 SECONDS.
I DUNNO HOW MUCH THE PARKING'S BEING UTILIZED AT 500 CARTER RED STREET, BUT THERE IS PARKING ALONG IN THERE, AND EVENTUALLY MAYBE, UM, THERE'S A LOT NEXT DOOR.
MAYBE IT COULD BE ACQUIRED TO FOUR MORE PARKING AND THE CROSS STREET FROM THERE.
THERE'S A SMALL LOT THAT THAT WHOLE AREA COULD BE DONE FOR, UH, PARKING RIGHT THERE BEHIND 500 CARTER RAT.
AND I THINK THAT COULD BE SET ASIDE FOR EMPLOYEES.
I KNOW THE WACOVIA BUILDING, UM, SHE GRACIOUSLY LETS A LOT OF 'EM USE THE PARKING FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THE WOMAN THAT OWNS IT.
SO, UM, ANYWAY, I THINK THERE IS, UM, SPACES THERE, YOU JUST HAVE TO FIND THEM.
AND ALSO SPACE ACROSS FROM BLACKSTONES NEED THAT COULD BE REDEVELOPED.
MITCH, WOULD YOU LIKE TO CONTINUE YOUR COMMENT? I, I, I, I, I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT.
I, I THINK, UH, THERE ARE FOLKS WHO ARE, WHO ARE PROBABLY, UH, PROFESSIONALLY TRAINED TO MAYBE DO A SURVEY OR STUDY OF THE AREA TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHERE WE COULD MAYBE HAVE SOME DESIGNATED DESIGNATED PARKING.
UM, BUT IT JUST GOES BACK TO THIS, EACH QUESTION THAT WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH FOR SOME TIME.
UM, THE, THE GARAGE IDEA IS NOT ATTRACTIVE.
UM, BUT I DON'T, I DON'T HEAR THE ALTERNATIVE TO IT.
UM, I'VE BEEN DOWNTOWN AT TIMES WHEN I COULDN'T FIND PARKING EITHER, SO, AND THERE WAS A BIG, UH, SPACE SITTING SITTING THERE THAT MAYBE COULD HAVE ACCOMMODATED A, A, A LEVELED PARKING LOT, A TIERED PARKING LOT.
MR. CRENSHAW, MR. GIBSON, WOULD YOU ALL LIKE TO ADD IT ONTO YOUR RESPONSE? SURE.
UM, YEAH, I MEAN, I THINK THAT THERE'S A, THERE'S A PARTNERSHIP HERE THAT THE CITY NEEDS TO WORK WITH, WITH THE EMPLOYERS OF THE EMPLOYEES TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE TAKEN CARE OF.
I MEAN, WE'RE, WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE WHO ARE OFTEN MAKING, BEING PAID HOURLY, UM, THAT FOR THEM TO PARK THEIR CAR AT A, AT A PARKING METER TO WHEN THEY GET DOWNTOWN, IS TAKING MONEY AWAY FROM THEIR WAGE FROM WHILE THEY'RE WORKING.
WHAT USUALLY HAPPENS IS THAT THEY GO TO THE CLOSEST NON METERED SPACE THAT THEY CAN FIND, AND THEN THEY END UP ON PLACES LIKE NEW STREET AND STUFF LIKE THAT, WHERE THEY'RE PARKING IN RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS, BECAUSE THERE, THAT'S NOT METERED OVER THERE.
I THINK, I THINK THE, THE, THE, THE OWNERS COULD WORK WITH THEIR EMPLOYEES BETTER TO FIND PLACES FOR THEM THAT WOULD GIVE THEM A BETTER SPACE, A MORE ORGANIZED WAY TO DO IT.
MS. CRENSHAW, DID YOU HAVE AN ADDITIONAL COMMENT? UH,
[01:25:01]
ONCE AGAIN, I REALLY DON'T SEE A PARKING DECK FIXING THE SITUATION AT ALL.UH, I JUST THINK I, I'VE TALKED TO THE OWNERS AND TALKED TO THE EMPLOYEES.
THEY, THEY'VE NEVER SAID ANYTHING TO ME THAT THEY'RE HAVING PROBLEMS. BUT I MEAN, THIS IS THE FIRST I'VE HEARD OF IT.
I MEAN, I USED TO WORK DOWNTOWN.
THERE'S DEFINITELY A PROBLEM WITH EMPLOYEE PARKING, AND THE REASON WHY PEOPLE GO PARK OVER ON NEW STREET IS THERE'S ONLY A TWO HOUR LIMIT FOR PARKING IN SPACES.
SO YOU CAN'T HAVE A SIX, EIGHT HOUR SHIFT AND THEN GET A TICKET BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT SPECIFIED AS BEING AN EMPLOYEE.
WE DO HAVE ONE FINAL QUESTION TONIGHT, SO I'LL ASK OUR PANELISTS TO SHARE THAT.
NOW, THE CITY HAS BEEN IN PROCESS OF UPDATING CODE OF ORDINANCES.
HOW DO YOU PLAN TO ADDRESS CONCERNS ABOUT COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT, PERMITTING PROCESSES, AND REGULATORY BURDENS? COUNCILMAN MITCHELL, YOU'RE UP FIRST.
I'M SORRY, CAN YOU REPEAT THE QUESTION? YES.
THE CITY HAS BEEN IN PROCESS OF UPDATING CODE OF ORDINANCES.
HOW DO YOU PLAN TO ADDRESS CONCERNS ABOUT COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT, PERMITTING PROCESSES, AND REGULATORY BURDENS? YES.
UH, THE CITY IS UNDERGONE OVER THE LAST YEAR A COMPLETE, UH, REVIEW OF ALL OF OUR, OUR CODES.
AND WHEN IT COMES TO COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT, I, THE ONE THAT COMES TO MIND ARE PROBABLY THE, THE NUMEROUS RENTAL UNITS THAT'S, UH, COMING UP AROUND ROBERT SMALLS AND PARIS ISLAND GATEWAY.
UH, MANY OF THOSE DEVELOPMENTS, UH, CLEAR CUT THE AREA, UM, DID NOT ADD ANY AMENITIES FOR THE FOLKS WHO WERE LIVING THERE.
UH, WE HAVE ADDRESSED OUR ORDINANCES TO REQUIRE CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF TREE CANOPY, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE AREAS ARE NOT CLEAR CUT.
UM, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME, UH, IT MUST BE REMEMBERED THAT A LOT OF THE DEVELOPMENT THAT YOU SEE NOW THAT'S CAUSING SO MUCH DISCUSS WERE PERMITTED SOMETIME AGO, UH, EVEN BEFORE COVID.
AND NOW THE DEVELOPER SEES A TIME WHEN IT'S PROFITABLE FOR THEM TO, TO, TO, UH, TO, TO PUT THEIR, THEIR, THEIR UNITS INTO PRODUCTION.
SO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO AS WE GO FORWARD IS TO LISTEN TO THE CITIZENS, UM, DETERMINE HOW MUCH GROWTH IS, IS ENOUGH, AND HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT THE DEVELOPERS DON'T EXCEED WHAT THE CITY ALLOWS.
I THINK THAT WE NEED TO TAKE A PAUSE VERY SOON AND REVIEW OUR CODES AND ORDINANCES AND FIND OUT EXACTLY WHAT HAS BEEN APPROVED THAT'S SITTING IN THE COFFERS RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE THIS LAST BIT OF APARTMENT UNITS, AND I KNOW THAT WASN'T COMMERCIAL, BUT THAT WAS APPROVED 20 YEARS AGO.
SO I DON'T, YOU KNOW, I, FRANKLY, I DON'T KNOW WHAT, WHAT ELSE IS OUT THERE.
SO I'D LIKE TO SEE AN EXPIRATION DATE WHEN THESE THINGS ARE APPROVED, MAYBE A TWO OR THREE YEAR EXPIRATION DATE IF THEY'RE NOT LIKE UNDER CONTRACT WITH A CONTRACTOR AND DOING SOMETHING.
UM, THAT'S HOW I WOULD APPROACH IT.
I GOT WAY MORE TO SAY ABOUT THIS THAN I HAVE TIME FOR TONIGHT,
UM, BUT I'LL GO AS FAST AS I CAN.
I HAVE A FRIEND OF MINE WHO'S AN ARCHITECT WHO LIVES OUT IN CALIFORNIA.
SHE GREW UP HERE IN BEAUFORT AND STILL OWNS A HOUSE HERE.
SHE CALLED ME THE OTHER DAY AND SAID, I'M TRYING TO GET A FENCE PERMIT JUST TO PUT UP A SIX FOOT TALL DOG EAR, CHARLESTON GREEN PRIVACY FENCE ON MY SIDE YARD, LIKE IS ON ALMOST EVERYBODY'S SIDE YARD IN THIS TOWN.
AND WHEN I TALKED TO THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY, THEY TOLD ME I NEEDED TO SEND THEM A 3D RENDERING OF WHAT THE FENCE WAS GONNA LOOK LIKE BEFORE THEY COULD APPROVE IT.
THIS WOMAN IS BUILDING HOUSES IN MALIBU, CALIFORNIA, PROBABLY THE MOST RESTRICTIVE PLACE YOU COULD EVER WANNA BUILD ANYTHING IN YOUR LIFE.
AND SHE'S SAYING, I HAVE NEVER MET THIS LEVEL OF RESISTANCE TOWARDS GETTING STUFF DONE.
WE NEED MORE OF AN OMBUDSMAN OF SOMEBODY WHO'S A, WHO'S, WHO'S A, A FACILITATOR WORKING WITH THE CITY.
AND TO CHANGE THAT ATTITUDE FROM WHAT YOU CANNOT DO TO HERE'S HOW YOU GET TO WHAT YOU WANT TO DO.
I CALLED THE CITY THE OTHER DAY BECAUSE I'VE GOT SOME ROTTEN PICKETS ON MY PORCH AND I NEED TO REPLACE 'EM.
AND I KNOW, AND I KNOW BECAUSE I'M INVOLVED WITH THE CITY THAT I NEED TECHNICALLY A BUILDING PERMIT TO DO THAT FOR AN IN KIND REPLACEMENT.
THEY SAID, WE NEED TO SEND, YOU NEED TO SEND US A SAMPLE OF THE PICKET THAT YOU'RE GOING TO USE TO REPLACE IT WITH.
AND I SAID, IT'S GOING TO BE THE SAME ONE AS THE ONE BEFORE.
[01:30:01]
SAID, WE STILL NEED A PIECE OF IT.SO I AM GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE A PIECE OF WOOD DOWN TO THE CITY, A PIECE OF SOUTHERN YELLOW PINE TREATED AND SHOWED IT TO THEM AND SAY, THIS IS WHAT IT'S GOING TO BE.
THAT LEVEL OF, OF RESTRICTION IS ABSURD.
THE CITY HAS BEEN REVIEWING OUR, OUR CODES AND WE'VE UPDATING THEM.
THEY'RE BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMISSION, NOW WE'RE WAITING TO GET 'EM BACK.
UH, SOME OF 'EM WILL BE, UM, AS COUNCIL MITCHELL SAID, REQUIRING MORE GREEN SPACE AT THESE DEVELOPMENTS.
SO THEY'RE NOT JUST CLEAR CUT, THEY HAVE TO PUT MORE, WE BE, UM, PROTECTING OUR, A LOT OF THE TREES.
UM, LIVE OAKS, UH, OUR, UM, WHAT DO YOU CALL THE TREE, THE TERM FOR IT, THE TREES.
ANYWAY, WE'LL BE PROTECTING OUR TREES.
UH, THE CODES ARE GOING TO BE TRYING TO MAKE THINGS EASIER AS FAR AS, UM, HAVING TO BRING THE PINE IN.
THERE'S SOME PEOPLE WHO, UM, MAKE THINGS BAD BY, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO GET AROUND THE CODE.
SO I GUESS THAT'S WHY, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE REQUIRING IT BECAUSE THEY ARE PEOPLE WHO TRY TO SKIRT THE CODES.
I CAN'T ANSWER FOR, UM, WHAT GOES ON RIGHT THERE, WHY THEY'RE REQUIRING THAT.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR QUESTIONS FROM THE PANEL THIS EVENING.
WE WILL NOW GIVE EACH CANDIDATE TWO MINUTES FOR CLOSING REMARKS, AND WE WILL DO THAT IN THE OPPOSITE ORDER, UH, THAT THEY DREW FOR, FOR OPENING REMARKS.
SO WE'RE GONNA START WITH JOSH GIBSON, THEN MS. CRENSHAW, COUNCILMAN MITCHELL.
AND FINALLY, COUNCILMAN LIPITZ.
UH, HANNAH, PLEASE NOTE THAT, UH, GIBSON, CRENSHAW AND LIPITZ MAY HAVE UP TO 30 SECONDS EXTRA.
WELL, THE FIRST THING I WANNA SAY IS THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT TONIGHT.
IT MEANS SO MUCH TO US THAT, THAT YOU WOULD TAKE THE TIME TO PARTICIPATE.
I WISH THIS ROOM WAS FULL, BUT WE, WE'VE GOT EVERYBODY WE'VE GOT HERE, AND THANKS FOR DOING THAT.
IT MEANS SO MUCH TO ME, AND I WANNA THANK THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FOR MAKING THIS HAPPEN.
I WISH THERE WERE MORE FORUMS LIKE THIS THAT WE COULD, WHERE WE COULD GET TOGETHER AND HAVE THESE DISCUSSIONS 'CAUSE THEY'RE SO IMPORTANT FOR THE CITY.
SO, I'LL, I'LL END THE SAME WAY THAT I STARTED WITH THE SAME THREE QUESTIONS THAT I ASKED YOU AT THE BEGINNING OF IT.
AND I WONDER IF YOU HAVE AN ANSWER TO THEM.
WHO ARE YOU GONNA VOTE FOR? FOR MAYOR? I'M GONNA VOTE FOR PHIL CROMER.
I THINK HE'S THE BEST PER CANDIDATE FOR MAYOR.
WHAT SPECIFICALLY ARE YOU GONNA DO ABOUT CONTROLLING GROWTH IN THIS CITY? I AM GOING TO A ADVOCATE FOR A SHORT-TERM MORATORIUM ON NEW APARTMENT PERMITS WHILE WE WORK THROUGH THE TWENTY FOUR HUNDRED AND THIRTY ONE APARTMENT PERMITS THAT WE ALREADY HAVE ON THE BOOKS RIGHT NOW, THERE'LL BE PLENTY OF THEM IN LINE WHILE WE WORK THROUGH IT AND COME UP WITH A NEW SYSTEM.
SO FOR HOW WE'RE GONNA REGULATE HOW FAST WE GROW, BECAUSE WE ARE OUTPACING THE ABILITY OF THE CITY TO CATCH UP WITH IT.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE DON'T THINK ABOUT A LOT, BECAUSE THEY'RE, BECAUSE THEY'RE KIND OF DISCONNECTED IT.
WHEN YOU KEEP ADDING NEW AND NEW, BIGGER AND BIGGER BUILDINGS, THEN YOU CHANGE THE REQUIREMENTS OF WHAT YOU NEED FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO SERVICE THOSE BUILDINGS, TO KEEP YOUR INSURANCE RATES WHERE THEY ARE.
IF WE GET TO A POINT WHERE WE HAVE, THERE'S GONNA BE A TIPPING POINT WHERE WE WILL NEED ANOTHER BUILDING, AND THAT'S GONNA BE, THAT'S GONNA BE TALL ENOUGH THAT WE'RE GONNA NEED ANOTHER LADDER TRUCK.
WHEN THAT HAPPENS, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO BUY ONE.
AND IF WE DON'T BUY IT, WHAT HAPPENS IS THE INSURANCE COMPANIES WILL LOWER YOUR INSURANCE RATE, THAT THE SAFETY OF YOUR INSUR, OF WHERE YOU ARE, THAT YOUR INSURED, AND THEY'RE GONNA RAISE YOUR INSURANCE RATES.
SO EVEN IF THE CITY DOESN'T TAX YOU, YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY IS GONNA TAX YOU FOR THAT.
WHEN THAT HAPPENS, ALL OF THESE ADD-ON COSTS THAT HAPPEN WITH THIS STUFF ARE GOING SO FAST THAT WE CANNOT GET CONTROL OF THEM THE WAY IT'S RUNNING RIGHT NOW.
AND THE LAST THING I'LL TELL YOU ABOUT THAT IS ABOUT THE TAXES.
LOOK, I'LL STAY HERE WITH YOU.
WE CAN GO OVER 'EM TOGETHER AFTER TONIGHT IF WE'VE GOT WIFI IN HERE.
AND I WILL GO THROUGH IT AND I'LL SHOW YOU HOW YOUR TAXES WENT UP.
I MEASURE HOW MY TAXES ARE AND THE, THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT THEY COST.
I DON'T KNOW HOW THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS ME MEASURE THEM.
YOU CAN TELL 'EM MILLAGE RATE'S ALL YOU WANT TO, WHEN I GO TO MY BANK, THEY TALK TO ME IN DOLLARS.
AND THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE WAY THAT I THINK ABOUT IT.
IF IT'S MORE DOLLARS THAN IT WAS BEFORE, THEN IT WENT UP.
AND THEN I CAN'T, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS CONVERSATION IS WHERE YOU'RE SAYING, WE DIDN'T RAISE YOUR TAXES, BUT YOU HAVE TO PAY MORE.
THAT DOES NOT MAKE SENSE TO ME.
AND I'M LOST ABOUT THAT, AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN FIND A WAY TO WORK ON THAT.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK EVERYBODY THAT CAME OUT.
UM, THIS IS, THE FORUMS ARE HARD FOR ME, SO I'M, I'M GLAD YOU PUT UP WITH ME TONIGHT.
BUT BASICALLY, I'M STILL RUNNING ON THE, MY THREE ITEMS, WHICH IS GROWTH MANAGEMENT, INFRASTRUCTURE INTEGRITY, WHICH HAS TO DO WITH THE WATERFRONT PARK MARINA AND TAXATION WITH THE WASTEFUL SPENDING AND RUBBER STAMPING.
BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, IT IS THE INPUT FROM THE CITIZENS.
[01:35:01]
HEAR YOUR VOICE.AND I FEEL NOW THE, THE COUNCIL IS NOT LISTENING TO THE CITIZENS.
I FEEL THAT THEY ARE TONE DEAF.
SO THIS IS THE REASON WHY, HOLD ON.
THIS IS THE REASON WHY I, YOU SHOULD, YOU SHOULD VOTE FOR ME OVER THE INCUMBENTS.
ONE IS THE CITY COUNCIL NEEDS NEW ENERGY, NEW STRENGTH, NEW PERSPECTIVE.
I AM THAT PERSON THAT CAN BRING IT TO THE TABLE.
YOU ARE THE CITIZENS OF BUFORD.
THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS THAT THIS ENTITY NEEDS TO LISTEN TO YOU.
I I FIRST WANNA, UH, THANK THE CHAMBER FOR HOSTING US THIS EVENING.
I WANNA THANK ALL OF YOU, UH, FOR COMING OUT, UM, TO HEAR WHAT, WHAT WE HAVE TO SAY AND HOPEFULLY, UH, MAKE A MORE INFORMED DECISION, UM, UH, WHEN YOU VOTE.
UM, SO, SO I, I, UH, BROKE DOWN MY PRIORITIES IN TERMS OF, UH, WHAT I CONSIDER IMMEDIATE REQUIREMENTS, UH, WHICH WOULD BE FIXING CHAMBERS PARK, RIGHT? UM, WE HAVE A DRAINAGE SITUATION I KNOW OF, WE'VE BEEN CRITICIZED FOR MAYBE, UH, WHAT, WHAT SOME WOULD SEE AS, UH, DOING MORE ON THE POINT NEIGHBORHOOD THAN THE, THAN THE CITIZENS ON THE POINT NEIGHBORHOOD WANTED.
BUT WE LISTENED TO THE POINT NEIGHBORHOOD, RIGHT? SOMETIMES YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW UNTIL THE CITIZENS SPEAK UP.
WE, WE ALL HAVE BETTER THAN 2020 HINDSIGHT, I HAVE EVEN BETTER THAN THAT.
BUT WE ADDRESS THEIR CONCERNS.
AND I THINK WE ARE GETTING TO WHERE THE POINT CITIZENS FEEL WE SHOULD BE ON THEIR DRAINAGE CONCERNS.
AND WE'VE USED THAT MONEY THAT'S NOT GONNA BE SPENT ON THE POINT TO FINANCE, UH, THE INFLATED COST OF WHAT THE OTHER DRAINAGE PROJECTS WILL COST.
UM, AND THEN THE MARINA, UH, I DON'T FAULT ANYONE FOR THE FACT THAT WE DISCOVERED THAT WE DON'T HAVE A, A VALID CONTRACT.
UH, I DON'T THINK ANY OF THOSE FOLKS WHO WERE INVOLVED WITH THAT MISSTEP DID IT INTENTIONALLY.
SO WHY ARE WE JUST BEATING EACH OTHER UP ABOUT IT? WHY DON'T WE MOVE FORWARD WITH TRYING TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM? BECAUSE I THINK WE WANT A MARINA.
UM, AND GOING FORWARD STRATEGICALLY, I JUST GOT THE 32ND NOTICE.
SO ENVIRONMENTALLY SAFE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, HOUSING, AND WHEN I SAY HOUSING, I MEAN THE UNHOUSED TOO, AND TRAFFIC.
OKAY? MORE PEOPLE WANT TRAFFIC.
I DON'T HAVE THE ANSWERS TO IT, BUT I KNOW WHAT I DON'T KNOW, AND I'M WILLING TO GO OUT AND GET THE EXPERTS TO HELP US WITH THAT.
OKAY? WHEN I FIRST RAN FOR COUNCIL, I PROMISED THAT I WOULD MAKE NO PROMISES, AND I KEPT THAT PROMISE.
UM, SO, UM, THE ONE THING I SAID I WOULD DO IS SOUTHSIDE PARK THAT I WOULD, UM, HELP GET THAT DEVELOPED.
I GET A PLAN FOR IT, AND WE GOT THE PLAN FOR IT.
WE PUT A TOGETHER, A TASK FORCE COUNCIL VOTED ON IT.
ALL FIVE OF US INCLUDE THE MAYOR.
AND WE ALL AGREED ON THE FUNDING, UH, HEALTHCARE, NURSING, HAVING BEEN ON THE HEALTH ON THE NURSING BOARD, I WAS TRYING TO WORK TO GET MORE HEALTHCARE HERE.
AND WITH THE BEAUFORT MEMORIAL PATH PROGRAM, I FEEL I'M SUCCESSFUL THERE.
UH, CYBERSECURITY THAT LI, LIKE I SAY, IS IN ITS INFANCY.
THAT IS THE FUTURE OF BEAUFORT, I BELIEVE.
I'VE BEEN IN BEAUFORT FOR 65 YEARS MY ENTIRE LIFE.
I'VE BEEN HERE ALMOST 66 YEARS, NOT THREE YEARS OR LESS THAN THREE YEARS.
HOW CAN SOMEBODY KNOW ABOUT BEAUFORT SO MUCH WHEN THEY HADN'T BEEN HERE IN BEAUFORT? UM, AS FAR AS OUR TAXATION, I'VE GOT TO ADDRESS THIS.
UM, MR. GIBSON KEEPS TALKING ABOUT HIS WIFE'S HOUSE.
UH, IT WAS LIKE ABOUT $560,000, I BELIEVE.
UM, THE LAST ASSESSMENT, THIS TIME IT WAS $1.2 MILLION.
UH, IT HAD GONE UP TO, DON'T YOU THINK IT SHOULD HAVE GONE UP? SOME, SHOULDN'T HE BE PAYING THE FAIR, FAIR SHARE OF TAXES, INFLATION, AND EVERYTHING ELSE? IT'S A 15% CAPITAL ON, UM, IN, ON THE, ON THE RATES THAT IT CAN GO UP.
SO IT'S NOT GOING UP MORE THAN 15% IN A FI FIVE YEAR PERIOD.
NONE OF Y'ALLS WILL, BUT I MEAN, THAT'S NO EXCUSE FOR, UM, TAXES GOING UP.
A LOT OF IT WAS ON THE COUNTY END.
UM, FOR THAT, I AM GONNA, UM, CLOSE WITH BEAUFORT AS MY HEART, MY HOME.
[01:40:01]
SO I'M ASKING FOR YOUR VOTE.PLEASE VOTE S FOR CITY COUNCIL TO REELECT ME.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR FORM FOR THE CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATES THIS EVENING.
PLEASE GIVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE TO THESE FOUR CITIZENS.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TONIGHT.
AND NOW, WITH JUST A COUPLE MINUTE TRANSITION, WE WILL TRANSITION OVER TO THE MAYORAL FORUM FOR THE CITY OF BUFORT.
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IN FACT, MOST SNAKES ARE BENEFICIAL AND THEY'RE GOOD INDICATORS OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH.
ALL ANIMALS NEED GOOD QUALITY HABITAT.
JOIN US FOR COASTAL KINGDOM, A FIELD TRIP THROUGH THE LOW COUNTRY, AND A CHANCE TO MEET SOME OF THE ANIMALS THAT LIVE HERE.
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LET THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND AIRPORT HELP YOU TAKE OFF TO YOUR NEXT DESTINATION.
PLUS, THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND AIRPORT IS GROWING.
A NEW PASSENGER TERMINAL IS UNDERWAY, WHICH WILL PROVIDE COMFORT, HASSLE-FREE NAVIGATION, AND A TRUE FIRST CLASS EXPERIENCE.
TO BOOK FLIGHTS OR FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT HILTON HU AIRPORT.COM.
WELCOME TO THE CITY OF BUFORT MAYORAL FORUM.
FOR THE SAKE OF TRANSPARENCY, BOTH TO THE CANDIDATES AND TO OUR AUDIENCE AS FOLKS HAVE COME AND GONE ONLINE AND HERE IN PERSON AT USCB CENTER FOR THE ARTS, I AM GONNA REPEAT A FEW OF OUR FORMAT, UH, AND RULE, UH, INTRODUCTIONS.
I AM MEGAN MORRIS, I'M THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE BEAUFORT REGIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
AND I HAVE THE HONOR OF MODERATING THE 2024 CANDIDATE FORUMS. TONIGHT, WE BEGAN WITH THE COUNTY, MOVED ON TO THE CITY, AND NOW WE CONCLUDE WITH THE CITY MAYORAL CANDIDATES.
THE PURPOSE OF TONIGHT'S FORUM IS TO PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU, THE VOTERS, TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CANDIDATES AND HEAR DIRECTLY FROM THEM HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT KEY ISSUES.
THIS IS A PANEL QUESTION FORMAT.
EACH CANDIDATE HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND TO EACH QUESTION ASKED BY THE PANEL.
CANDIDATES MAY NOT ASK QUESTIONS OF OR SPEAK DIRECTLY TO EACH OTHER.
THE CANDIDATES ARE HERE TO ADDRESS YOU, THE AUDIENCE.
EACH CANDIDATE IS ALLOWED UP TO TWO 32ND REBUTTALS THAT THEY MAY USE DURING THE FORUM.
ALL CAN, ALL QUESTIONS WERE ESTABLISHED BY A PANEL JUST A SHORT WHILE AGO.
NO QUESTIONS WERE SHARED IN ADVANCE WITH ANY CAMPAIGNS OR CANDIDATES.
TONIGHT'S THREE PANELISTS REPRESENT A CROSS SECTION OF OUR COMMUNITY AND WERE CHOSEN BY THE CHAMBER.
THEY WORK TOGETHER THIS AFTERNOON TO ESTABLISH TONIGHT'S 10 QUESTIONS.
FIRST, WE HAVE MARK CUTLER, COMMERCIAL BANKER WITH COASTAL STATE'S BANK, VICE CHAIR OF THE BEFOR REGIONAL OF CHA OF COMMERCE, BOARD OF DIRECTORS, AND A MEMBER OF THE BLACK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
SECOND, WE HAVE ASHLEY HAWK, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE BEAUFORT AREA HOSPITALITY ASSOCIATION.
AND THIRD, WE HAVE JOSH WARD, A REALTOR AND VIDEOGRAPHER, MEMBER OF THE REALTORS BOARD, AND MEMBER OF THE HELP OF BUFORT BOARD AND A CHAMBER AMBASSADOR.
SO MY JOB IS TO KEEP THE FORM ON TRACK AND ON TIME WITH HELP FROM OUR TIMEKEEPER.
EACH CANDIDATE WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES FOR OPENING AND CLOSING STATEMENTS.
THE ORDER FOR THOSE OPENING STATEMENTS WAS DETERMINED BY A RANDOM WITHDRAWAL RIGHT BEFORE THEY CAME ON STAGE.
FOR THOSE OF YOU IN THE ROOM WITH US TODAY, I'LL ASK YOU TO REFRAIN FROM ANY COMMENTARY OR OUTBURST OR APPLAUSE, EXCEPT WHEN WE WELCOME OUR CANDIDATES.
AND THEN THANK THEM FOR JOINING US THIS EVENING.
OUR TWO CANDIDATES FOR CITY OF BEAUFORT, COUNCIL, MAYOR, AND ALPHABETICAL ORDER, OUR PHIL KROMER AND JOSH TI.
THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE.
PHIL, I UNDERSTAND YOU DREW THE LOWER CARD,
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SO YOU WILL BE, BEGIN TONIGHT WITH YOUR OPENING REMARKS MARKS.UM, WELL, I WANNA SAY THANKS TO EVERYBODY FOR SHOWING UP THIS EVENING FOR THIS DEBATE.
ALSO, I WANT TO THANK, UH, THE, UH, CHAMBER AS WELL AS USCB FOR HOSTING THIS EVENT TONIGHT.
I'M A NATIVE OF CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA.
I MARRIED A LOCAL, UH, BEAUFORT GIRL, AMELIA AMAR.
I HAVE TWO MARRIED DAUGHTERS AND FOUR GRANDCHILDREN.
UH, MY EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND, I HAVE A JOINT MASTER'S DEGREE IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION FROM THE COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON AND THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
I ALSO HAVE A, A RISK MANAGEMENT AND PUBLIC ENTITIES CERTIFICATION FROM THE INSURANCE INSTITUTE OF AMERICA.
I'M A VETERAN, HAVING SERVED IN THE US ARMY AND THE ARMY RESERVES.
AND IN MY PROFESSIONAL CAREER, MOST OF IT'S BEEN SPENT IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR.
UH, I WAS A TOWN ADMINISTRATOR IN RIDGELAND, SOUTH CAROLINA, A TOWN MANAGER IN PORT ROYAL.
UH, LATER WAS HIRED BY THE MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH CAROLINA AS A RISK MANAGER WORKING WITH OUR CITIES AND TOWNS AROUND THE STATE.
UM, I RETIRED FROM THAT ORGANIZATION IN 2014, MOVED BACK TO BEAUFORT, DECIDED TO CONTINUE MY PUBLIC SERVICE, RAN FOR CITY COUNCIL.
WAS FORTUNATE TO HAVE WON TWO TERMS. UH, I WAS A TERM LIMIT PERSON, SO I STEPPED DOWN AFTER THAT SECOND TERM.
AND THEN IN, IN THE SPECIAL ELECTION, IT WAS JUST HELD THIS PAST YEAR FOR MAYOR.
I THREW MY NAME IN THE HAT, AND I WAS FORTUNATE TO WIN THAT ELECTION AS WELL.
UH, HERE I AM 11 MONTHS LATER RUNNING FOR REELECTION, AND I'M RUNNING BECAUSE THERE'S MORE TO DO.
UH, 11 MONTHS IS NOT ENOUGH TO GET THE, UH, TO TAKE CARE OF THE ACTIVITIES AND THE ISSUES THAT ARE FACING THE CITY.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE TO HAVE, UH, UH, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF OUR COMMUNITY, UH, AND THE, UM, PRESSURE THAT'S PUTTING ON THE CHARACTER AND CHARM AND, UH, OF OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, ALSO WANT TO, UH, MAKE SURE THAT THE CITY IS A GOOD STEWARD OF OUR RESOURCES, UH, AND CONTINUES TO DO, UM, CONTINUES TO DO, UH, AND TO ENCOURAGE PUBLIC, UH, INVOLVEMENT AND, AND ENGAGEMENT.
GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY, AND THANKS FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT.
UM, SINCERELY APPRECIATE THE CHAMBER PUTTING ON THIS EVENT AND GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE FOR THOSE AT HOME.
WE HAVE A FULL HOUSE HERE TONIGHT.
UM, MY NAME IS JOSH TI AND I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT I AM A NATIVE HERE TO BEAUFORT.
UM, FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES, MY JOURNEY BEGAN AT MOSSY OAKS ELEMENTARY, WHERE I MET MY NOW WIFE.
UM, I GRADUATED FROM BEAUFORT HIGH SCHOOL AND SHORTLY AFTER THAT, AT THE AGE OF 22, MY LIFE DID TAKE A TRAGIC TURN WHEN I LOST MY TWIN BROTHER TO AN OVERDOSE.
THAT IGNITED A PASSION FOR ME TO GET INVOLVED WITH PUBLIC SERVICE.
AND, AND MY PATH WAS, UH, I WAS LED TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WHERE I'VE SERVED FOR THE LAST 11 YEARS WITH THE LADIES ISLAND, ST.
FIVE YEARS IN, I WAS AWARDED FIREFIGHTER OF THE YEAR AND PROMOTED TO THE RANK OF A LIEUTENANT, WHICH IS MY CURRENT RANK TODAY.
UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, I WORK AS A REAL ESTATE AGENT AND I HAVE WITH THE HOMES FINDER REALTY GROUP FOR THE PAST SIX, SIX YEARS.
AND THEN, UM, I ALSO HELP MY, MY WIFE WITH A SMALL BUSINESS ON CARTER STREET, A CLOTHING STORE ROOTED, ALTHOUGH I DESIGNATED MOST OF MY RESPONSIBILITIES TO HER SISTER, WHO'S SITTING NEXT TO HER TONIGHT, BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE I JUST GET IN THE WAY IF I GET INVOLVED TOO MUCH IN THAT.
UM, TOGETHER WE ALSO RAISE, UH, ARE RAISING OUR TWO SMALL CHILDREN.
SCARLET ROSE JUST TURNED FIVE ON OCTOBER 4TH, AND OUR SON WILL TURN FOUR JACOB WALKER.
HE'LL TURN FOUR ON VALENTINE'S DAY, WHICH IS MY BIRTHDAY AS WELL.
AND MY FAMILY REALLY IS THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND WHY I DECIDED TO GET INVOLVED IN THE FIRST PLACE.
UM, AND I'M VERY THANKFUL THAT THEY ENCOURAGED ME TO CONTINUE IN THIS DIRECTION.
UM, THE SKILLSET THAT I FEEL LIKE I BRING TO, TO COUNCIL AND THAT I WOULD BRING AS MAYOR, UH, STEMS FROM MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
WE IDENTIFY A NEED, WE HAVE A THOROUGH UNDERSTANDING OF THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE, AND WE WORK WITHIN A TEAM TO COLLABORATE AND, UH, APPROPRIATELY UTILIZE IN THE MOST EFFICIENT MANNER THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE.
AND THAT'S BEEN THE EXPERIENCE THAT I'VE HAD FOR THE LA LAST 11 YEARS.
AND I FEEL LIKE THAT CARRIES OVER EXACTLY WITH WHAT YOUR ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITY IS AS MAYOR.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR OPENING REMARKS.
COUNCILMAN STI, PLEASE, YOU'LL ANSWER FIRST FROM OUR PANEL.
WHAT ARE YOUR TOP PRIORITIES AS MAYOR? SHOULD YOU BE ELECTED TO THIS NEXT TERM? UH, GOOD QUESTION.
SO THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY IS CIVILITY.
WE REALLY NEED TO BRING CIVILITY BACK TO COUNCIL BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S GONNA HELP US.
UM, IT'S, IT'S ESSENTIAL FOR MOVING THE NEEDLE ON ANYTHING THAT WE DO.
THE FIRST CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT IS GONNA STEM FROM PREPARATION, WHICH I THINK IS THE NEXT, UM, PRIORITY TO IDENTIFY, AND I'LL USE THE WATERFRONT PARK AS AN EXAMPLE.
THE WATERFRONT PARK, WE HAD SEVERAL STUDIES.
ONE IN 2016, ONE IN 2019 IN THE LATEST IN, UH, 24 JUNE OF 24.
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SEVERE CONCERNS WITH THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE PARK ITSELF.AND IN 2019, IT WAS IDENTIFIED THAT THE MUD HAD BUILT UP SO MUCH UNDERNEATH IT THAT 90% OF THE PILINGS IN THE, IN THE CENTER WERE INACCESSIBLE.
AND THE REPORT THAT WE GOT IN 24 WAS MUCH LIKE THOSE.
BUT MY CONCERN IS, IS WE DID NOT PREPARE ENOUGH BEFOREHAND TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE.
AND SO NOW MOVING FORWARD, THE PATH IS GONNA BE ROUGHLY THE SAME NO MATTER WHO'S IN THE SEAT.
BUT I THINK THAT I WILL DO A BETTER JOB AT MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE PREPARED FOR NOT ONLY THOSE PROJECTS, BUT DEVELOPING A MAINTENANCE PLAN TO KEEP UP WITH OUR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS IN GENERAL.
I, MY TOP PRIORITIES WOULD BE INFRASTRUCTURE, OBVIOUSLY.
AND AS JOSH ALLUDED TO, THE WATERFRONT PARK IS IMPORTANT.
UH, I WILL SAY THAT THE WATERFRONT PARK, THE, THE TWO STUDIES IN 2 20 16 AND 2019 INDICATED THAT IF WE ENCAPSULATED SOME OF THOSE PILINGS, WE COULD EXTEND THE LIFE OF THAT PARK, UH, WHICH WE DID, UH, AS COUNCIL.
AND THEN IN 24, WE GOT THE REPORT THAT BECAUSE OF THE SHOING AND THE FACT THAT THERE WAS SOME, STILL SOME DETERIORATION OF THOSE PILINGS THAT, UH, IT WAS TIME FOR REPLACEMENT.
WE'RE ENGAGING, UH, CONSULTING ENGINEERS RIGHT NOW TO GIVE US SOME OPTIONS AND ALSO, UH, GIVE US COST ESTIMATES ON WHAT IT'S GONNA BE TO REPLACE THE PART.
UH, I ALSO THINK STORM WATER'S A BIG ISSUE BECAUSE WE HAVE TO BE MORE RESILIENT AGAINST SEA LEVEL RISE AND FLOODING.
SO WE'VE GOT SEVERAL PROJECTS THAT ARE GOING TO, UH, UNDERTAKE HERE IN THE NEXT TWO YEARS.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE A BIG ISSUE, AND I THINK THE MOST CHALLENGING ISSUE IS GONNA BE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UM, THAT IS, UH, A VERY DIFFICULT THING.
IT'S A REGIONAL THING THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO, UM, UH, WITH OUR, UH, FRIENDS IN BOTH JASPER AND BEAUFORT COUNTY.
AND WE'RE PART OF THE BEAUFORT COUNTY, UH, BEAUFORT, JASPER HOUSING TRUST TO, TO, UH, WORK ON THAT.
AND ALSO NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION.
ANOTHER NEW PROGRAM WE STOOD UP.
NEXT QUESTION IS, AS MAYOR, HOW WOULD YOU EFFECTIVELY COLLABORATE WITH OTHER MUNICIPALITIES AND STRATEGIC PARTNERS FOR THE MOST EFFICIENT USE OF CITY RESOURCES AND GREATER RESULTS FOR THE COMMUNITY? WELL, WE CURRENTLY, UM, DO ENGAGE WITH, UH, OUR, UH, FELLOW, UH, INTER INTER OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, AH, OUR FELLOW, UH, GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES.
WE HAVE, SO LOCO, WHICH IS THE SOUTHERN, UH, LOW COUNTRY GROUP, IT'S MADE UP OF, UM, MEMBERS FROM BEAUFORT AND JASPER COUNTIES.
UH, WE HAVE THE NPI, WHICH IS THE NORTHERN REGIONAL PLANNING, UH, COMMISSION.
WE WORK CLOSELY WITH THE COUNTY, UH, AND ALSO DO QUARTERLY MEETINGS WITH PORT ROYAL.
UH, UH, THAT'S HOW WE GET TOGETHER AND MEET AND TALK ABOUT ISSUES THAT ARE AFFECTING, UH, OUR AREA.
UM, SO THE MAYOR DID TOUCH ON SOME OF THE REGIONAL BODIES THAT WE HAVE, AND I THINK THAT THOSE ARE IMPORTANT.
I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THE QUARTERLY MEETINGS WITH PORT ROYAL BECAUSE WE ACTUALLY HAVEN'T HAD A MEETING, I THINK IT'S BEEN ALMOST TWO YEARS NOW THAT WE HAVEN'T MET WITH PORT ROYAL.
AND I THINK THAT'S A SHAME BECAUSE THERE ARE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE REALLY SHOULD BE HAVING WITH THEM AND WITH OUR COUNTY REPRESENTATIVES.
SO I THINK MAKING SURE THAT WE DO TAKE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES TO BRING EVERYBODY TO THE TABLE SO THAT WE CAN A, UNDERSTAND THEIR NEEDS AND THEIR VISION, BUT THEY CAN UNDERSTAND OURS AS WELL.
WE JUST RECENTLY, UM, DID AWAY WITH OUR MPC, WHICH WAS THE PLANNING BODY THAT TOOK INTO CONSIDERATION REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE COUNTY, FROM PORT ROYAL, AND FROM THE CITY.
AND THE CITY STOOD UP THEIR OWN PLANNING COMMISSION.
BUT I THINK SINCE WE DID LOSE THAT, WE REALLY DO NEED TO HIGHLIGHT AND, AND MAXIMIZE THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE TO MEET WITH THE OTHER MUNICIPALITIES AND THE COUNTY TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALL IN LOCKSTEP IN OUR VISION.
SOME OF OUR, OUR IDENTIFIED GOALS, UH, OVERLAP IN OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, BUT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE HITTING THE CHECKPOINTS NECESSARY TO KEEP THE BALL MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
AND THAT IS GONNA TAKE US SITTING DOWN TOGETHER, AND WE HAVEN'T DONE THAT IN A WHILE.
THIS NEXT QUESTION IS IN REGARDS TO THE CURRENT CLIMATE IN BEAUFORT.
WHAT ARE THE KEY ISSUES DIVIDING OUR COMMUNITY AND HOW WILL YOU ADDRESS THESE WHILE PROMOTING ENGAGEMENT, CIVILITY, AND UNITY FOR THE GREATER GOOD? DO I GET THIS QUESTION FIRST? RIGHT.
UM, SO AGAIN, I THINK THIS COMES BACK TO COMMUNICATION.
WE NEED TO BRING EVERYBODY TO THE TABLE.
UM, I'M SURPRISED THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVEN'T MET WITH HBF IN THE LAST YEAR, BUT WE DO HAVE, UM, A DISCONNECT WITH THE HISTORIC BEAUFORT FOUNDATION.
AND I THINK THAT WE NEED TO BRING THEM TO THE TABLE, HAVE A CONVERSATION, TRY TO UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER, TRY TO UNDERSTAND WHERE THAT, UH, DISCONNECT IS COMING FROM, AND THEN WORK TOGETHER BETTER WITH THEM IN, IN ADDITION, I THINK THAT WE HAVE, UM, A LOT OF POVERTY THAT PLAGUES OUR COMMUNITY THAT WE DON'T REALLY PAY ATTENTION TO MUCH.
AND MAYBE WE'LL TALK ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT LATER IN REGARDS TO HOW WE COULD DO BETTER WITH OUR PROCESS, BUT THAT DRIVES THE PRI UH, THAT, THAT DRIVES OUR CRIME RATES UP.
UM, WE'VE, WE'VE NEGLECTED OUR YOUTH IN MANY WAYS, AND I THINK THAT
[01:55:01]
WE CAN DO A BETTER JOB AT, UM, NOT ONLY PROVIDING THINGS FOR OUR YOUNGER FOLKS TO DO, BUT UM, WORKING WITH THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE PROGRAMS IN PLACE THAT INSTILL A FOUNDATION OF LEADERSHIP.UM, AND I THINK ALL OF THOSE GO A LONG WAY IN REGARDS TO ESTABLISHING NOT ONLY A COMMUNITY THAT WE CAN BE PROUD OF, BUT A FUTURE THAT'S SUSTAINABLE, MORE CIVIL, UM, WHERE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER, WHERE THE KIDS UNDERSTAND, UM, THE, THE ROLES OF PUBLIC SERVANTS, WHETHER IT'S POLICE OR FIRE.
UM, AND MAYBE WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT.
I, WELL, I'LL AGREE THAT I THINK COMMUNICATION'S THE BIG PROBLEM AND THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF TALK BACK AND FORTH IN THE NEWSPAPER TRYING TO DIVIDE THE COMMUNITY, AND THAT'S NOT A GOOD THING.
ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE THINGS I RAN ON BACK IN DECEMBER WAS TO TRY TO BRING SOME CIVILITY BACK TO THE, UH, CITY GOVERNMENT.
UH, I THOUGHT WE HAD A GOOD, UH, GOOD START ON THAT.
BUT RECENTLY THINGS HAVE GOTTEN, UH, KIND OF SOUTH, AS YOU CAN TELL BY READING IN THE NEWSPAPER AND THESE DIFFERENT BLOGS.
UH, BUT, UH, COMMUNICATIONS, IT, I, I THINK WE CAN, UH, IMPROVE THAT BY SITTING DOWN AND TALKING TO ONE ANOTHER.
UH, JOSH MENTIONED THE, UH, HISTORIC BEFOR FOUNDATION.
WE HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH, OR I HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH THEM TO TRY TO BRING THEM BACK TO THE TABLE.
AS I MENTIONED ABOUT THE, THE, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION PROGRAM.
THEY'RE GONNA BE A KEY COMPONENT, UH, COMPONENT IN THAT AS WELL.
THERE ARE ISSUES OUT THERE THAT WE, IF WE JUST SIT DOWN, WE CAN IDENTIFY THOSE EARLY ON, SIT DOWN AND TALK ABOUT 'EM.
WE CAN AVOID ALL THESE LAWSUITS THAT HAVE BEEN GOING BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN TWO BIG DEVELOPERS IN THE COMMUNITY.
UH, AND, AND THAT'S WHERE WE'VE BEEN DRAWN INTO THE MIDDLE OF THAT.
SO, JUST A REMINDER FOR OUR CANDIDATES ON THE STAGE, WHEN HANNAH HOLDS UP 30 SECONDS, THAT MEANS YOU HAVE 30 SECONDS REMAINING.
AND WHEN SHE HOLDS UP TIME, THAT'S WHEN YOU'LL BE ASKED TO WRAP UP YOUR COMMENTS.
MAYOR KROMER, THIS IS FOR YOU.
HOW WILL YOU LEAD COUNSEL TO OVERSEE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO, UH, TO CITY RESOURCES, CONTRACTS, AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES? REPEAT THAT AGAIN.
HOW WILL YOU LEAD COUNCIL TO OVERSEE AND ENSURE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO CITY RESOURCES, CONTRACTS, AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES? WELL, I THINK WE DO A PRETTY GOOD JOB OF THAT NOW.
UM, HAVING ACCESS TO, TO THOSE RESOURCES.
UH, I THINK ONE OTHER THING WE NEED TO DO, UH, IS SOMETHING THAT HASN'T BEEN DONE IN THE PAST.
WE HAVE A GROWING HISPANIC COMMUNITY AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ON OUR WEBPAGE A, A SPANISH LANGUAGE, UH, WEBPAGE FOR THEM TO, TO, TO BE ABLE TO FIND OUT WHAT IT IS TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS, UH, THE, WHAT THEY NEED TO DO TO START A BUSINESS AND SO FORTH.
THE WORDING OF THAT QUESTION IS STRANGE, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.
BUT, UM, I THINK JUST MAKING SURE THAT MEMBERS IN THE COMMUNITY BUSINESSES, UM, ARE VERY FAMILIAR WITH WHAT CONTRACTS WE HAVE IN PLACE, WHAT OPPORTUNITIES EXIST, WHAT INCENTIVES MIGHT BE IN PLACE TO HELP THEM SUCCESSFULLY, UH, OR BE SUCCESSFUL.
AND SO PART OF THAT IS ON THE WEBSITE AND JUST BEING MORE FAMILIAR WITH IT.
WHEN I FIRST, UH, GOT ON CITY COUNCIL, I WASN'T VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE RESOURCES THAT WERE AVAILABLE ON THE SITE.
AND THEN THE MORE THAT I BEGAN TO EDUCATE MYSELF AND BE FAMILIAR WITH IT, I SAW THERE'S ACTUALLY A LOT ON THERE.
AND SO I THINK WORKING WITH INDIVIDUAL NEIGHBORHOODS, WORKING WITH BUSINESSES, AND MAYBE CREATING SOME KIND OF A EDUCATION CAMPAIGN TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE KNOW WHAT RESOURCES EXIST AND THAT COUNCIL KNOWS WHAT RESOURCES EXIST.
'CAUSE A LOT OF TIMES WE COULD GET LOST IN THAT MIX TOO, AND THEN NOT EVEN BE ABLE TO, UM, BE FAMILIAR ENOUGH TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS WHEN WE'RE IN THE PUBLIC.
SO I THINK FOR US TO BE VERY FAMILIAR WITH IT, UM, FOR OUR CITY MANAGER TO WORK WITH COUNCIL TO IDENTIFY MAYBE WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN GET THE COMMUNITY MORE INVOLVED AND ENGAGED, UM, AND FAMILIAR WITH WHAT RESOURCES EXIST, IS PROBABLY GONNA GO A LONG WAY IN PROVIDING SUCCESS TO SMALL BUSINESSES AS WELL.
GIVEN THAT THE CITY OF BEAUFORT HAS ALLOCATED FUNDS TO RESTORE AND BUILD SOUTH SIDE AND WASHINGTON STREET NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS, HOW DO YOU PROPOSE FUNDING THE RESTORATION OF WATERFRONT PARK, THE SECOND MOST POPULAR TRACTION IN NORTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY AND ENSURING ITS PRESERVATION FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS? OKAY, WELL, WE WE'RE OBVIOUSLY GONNA, SORRY.
UM, WELL, TO BE PERFECTLY FAIR AND TRANSPARENT HERE, WHEN WE APPROVED THE FUNDS FOR SOUTHSIDE PARK, UH, I WAS COMPLETELY UNAWARE OF THE CONDITION OF THE WATERFRONT PARK.
WE DIDN'T GET THAT INTEGRITY STUDY UNTIL JUNE.
WE APPROVED, I THINK IT WAS EITHER, I THINK IT WAS IN MARCH THAT WE APPROVED THE FUNDS FOR SOUTHSIDE PARK.
I THINK WE REALLY NEED TO LOOK AT MAYBE A BETTER WAY.
UM, THE WAY THAT WE FUNDED SOUTHSIDE WORKS FOR NOW, AND I AM IN FAVOR OF, UM, FUNDING AND MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT PARK.
I THINK WE CAN FIND A BETTER WAY TO, TO FINANCE THAT PARK AND THEN UTILIZE FUNDS FOR THE WATERFRONT.
[02:00:01]
THIS GOES BACK TO WE'VE HAD OVER 10 YEARS TO PREPARE FOR FUNDING AND EARMARK FUNDS AND WORK WITH OUR, OUR STATE AND FEDERAL REPRESENTATIVES.UM, AND SO I THINK WE'RE BEHIND THE EIGHT BALL.
BUT YES, TO THAT QUESTION SPECIFICALLY, UM, THERE'S, THERE'S A PROBABLY A BETTER WAY FOR US TO FINANCE SOUTH SIDE PARK MOVING FORWARD.
AND THEN THAT WOULD FREE UP OUR LOCAL AT TAX H TAX DOLLARS TO WHERE WE COULD USE THOSE FOR RESTORATION OF THE WATERFRONT PARK, WHATEVER THAT TURNS OUT TO BE.
UM, TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION, THE SOUTH SIDE PARK, THOSE WERE DONE, BUT WITH REVENUE BONDS AND THOSE WERE, UH, FINANCED, UH, UH, BASICALLY IS GONNA BE THROUGH THE, A TAX MONIES THAT WE COLLECT TO PAY FOR THAT.
AS FAR AS THE WATERFRONT PARK IS CONCERNED, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO GET FEDERAL AND STATE GRANTS.
UM, THERE'S NO WAY THAT WE CAN HANDLE IT ON OUR OWN.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT THE COST OF THE REPLACEMENT'S GONNA BE OR, OR THE REPAIR.
SO, UM, IT WILL BE MAINLY FROM GRANTS COMING FROM THE STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, WE HOPE.
NEXT QUESTION IS, IF FUNDS BECOME AVAILABLE TO IMPROVE PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE CITY, HOW WOULD YOU RECOMMEND COUNCIL AND ADMINISTRATION APPROACH THE PROCESS TO DETERMINE PROJECTS? UH, WE, WE DO THAT NOW.
UM, THE BEST WAY TO DO IT IS TO ASK, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY FIND OUT WHAT'S THE GREATEST NEED, IDENTIFY THAT NEED OR THAT AREA, GO TO THE, THE RESIDENTS WHO LIVE IN THAT AREA AND FIND OUT WHAT ARE THE OPTIONS THAT, UH, THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE DONE TO, TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM AND THEN COME GET WITH OUR ENGINEERS AND, AND COME UP WITH A BETTER WAY OF DOING THINGS.
TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, THE KING STREET PROJECT, UH, WE TURNED IT OVER TO AN ENGINEER.
THEY CREATED, UH, BASICALLY A CADILLAC, UH, THAT INCLUDED A PUMP STATION AND ALL THAT.
THE NEIGHBORS DID NOT WANT THAT.
UH, THEY THOUGHT IT WAS OVERKILL.
UM, BASICALLY YOU COULD HAVE ATTACKED IT, UH, AND USED A, A, A VOLKSWAGEN INSTEAD OF A CADILLAC.
SO BY WORKING WITH THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE AREA, YOU CAN COME UP WITH SOME OPTIONS, UH, AND THEN GO BACK TO YOUR ENGINEERS, HAVE THEM DEVELOP, UH, SOME ALTERNATIVES, AND THEN, UH, FIND OUT WHAT THE COST OF EACH IS AND THEN MOVE ON FROM THERE.
SO I THINK THE CITY HAS DONE A FAIRLY GOOD JOB AT IDENTIFYING THE PRIORITIES AND PUTTING THOSE IN LIST.
I THINK WHAT WE CAN DO BETTER AT IS ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY BEFORE THAT PROJECT GOES TO THE ENGINEERING PHASE AS THE MAYOR WAS ALLUDING TO.
BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS IS, IS WE'LL SPEND HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS GETTING THE PROJECT ENGINEERED AND THEN FIND OPPOSITION IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OR THE COMMUNITY AND HAVE TO BACK UP AND PUNT.
SO I THINK FOR US, IT'S GONNA BE VERY IMPORTANT ONCE THAT LIST IS IDENTIFIED, FIR FIRST TO FOCUS ON STORM WATER AND RESILIENCY LONG TERM, BUT THEN TO ENGAGE THE NEIGHBORS, UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY WANT, WHETHER THAT'S THROUGH SURVEYS OR HOWEVER WE COLLABORATE, AND THEN PASS THAT INFORMATION ONTO THE ENGINEER TO WHERE WE KNOW THAT THE STUDY THAT WE GET AFTERWARD, OR THE DESIGN THAT WE GET AFTERWARD IS IN LINE WITH WHAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS AND FEELS LIKE IS NEEDED.
AND THEN IN ADDITION TO THAT, I FEEL LIKE WE REALLY NEED TO DEVELOP A MAINTENANCE PLAN, ESPECIALLY REGARDING OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO JUST, UM, REPLACE THE ENTIRE THING ALL AT ONE TIME.
IF IT'S, UH, OUR STORM, OUR STORM WATER DRAINS, MAKING SURE THOSE ARE CLEANED ON A REGULAR BASIS, I THINK WE CAN DEVELOP A BETTER MAINTENANCE PLAN OVERALL FOR OUR INFRASTRUCTURE THAT ADDS LONGEVITY TO ITS LIFE.
UM, TITANIUM DIOXIDE BEFORE I CLOSE WILL BE SOMETHING THAT'S UTILIZED IN TEXAS AND IN CHARLESTON RIGHT NOW.
BASICALLY A SUNSCREEN FOR YOUR ROADS BRINGS DOWN THE TEMPERATURE, IT INCREASES THE LONGEVITY AND THE FLEXIBILITY OF IT.
UM, THOSE ARE OPTIONS THAT WE CAN LOOK AT, BUT WE GOTTA THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX.
WITH THE RECENT EXAMPLE OF HURRICANE HELENE, DO YOU BELIEVE THE CITY SHOULD INVEST IN RESILIENCY PROJECTS? AND HOW DO YOU PLAN TO IMPROVE EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION AND COORDINATION WITH REGIONAL PARTNERS? UM, SO THIS STORM WAS A LEARNING CURVE FOR ME, BUT, UM, I THINK THAT AS A MUNICIPALITY, WE NEED TO DEVELOP A EMERGENCY RESPONSE REGARDLESS OF IF THE COUNTY STANDS ONE UP OR NOT.
SO WE NEED TO KNOW, A, WHAT OUR RESOURCES ARE, BUT B, WORK WITH WORK WITH THE COUNTY AND THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND, AND UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY INTEND TO DO.
BUT IF IN A CASE LIKE WE HAD WITH THIS LAST STORM WHERE WE WERE NOT PREPARED AND WE DIDN'T EXPECT TO GET HIT AS HARD AS WE DID, WE CAN ALSO DEPLOY OUR RESOURCES AND WORK FOR OUR CONSTITUENTS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, WE UNDERSTAND THE NEEDS IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, AND THEN WE DEPLOY RESOURCES EFFECTIVELY IN AN EFFICIENT MANNER.
UH, EVEN IF THE COUNTY DOESN'T DECIDE TO DO THAT, OR MAYBE IT TAKES, UH, BECAUSE THEY'RE A LITTLE BIT LARGER, MAYBE IT TAKES THEM A LITTLE BIT LONGER TO, TO STABILIZE AND, AND COME MOBILIZE AND COME TOGETHER.
UM, SO US HAVING A PLAN INDEPENDENT OF THE COUNTY WOULD PROBABLY PROVE BENEFICIAL, UM, IN BOTH SCENARIOS.
A, IF THE COUNTY STANDS, THERE'S UP, OR B, IF THEY DECIDE NOT TO, THEN WE CAN,
[02:05:05]
SO I CAN, BUT I CAN FROM WITHOUT EXPERIENCE BECAUSE I HAVEN'T SAT, MY UNDERSTANDING IS, IS THE MAYOR SITS ON THAT BOARD AND COMMUNICATES WITH OUR, UM, OUR PARTNERS, WHETHER IT BE DOMINION ENERGY, UM, OR THE, THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.SO I THINK THAT MAKING SURE THAT NOT ONLY ARE THOSE PHONE CALLS MADE, BUT THAT THEY HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT OUR NEEDS ARE TO MAKE SURE THAT NOTHING FALLS THROUGH THE CRACKS.
AND SO I THINK IN THIS CASE, UM, I WAS VERY UNFAMILIAR WITH WHAT WAS TAKING PLACE.
I DIDN'T KNOW IF THE COUNTY WAS STANDING ANYTHING UP.
IT WAS TWO DAYS AFTER THE STORM WHEN I CALLED AND SAID, HEY, ARE WE, ARE WE GONNA GO AHEAD AND, UM, STAND UP AN EOC OR YOU KNOW, FIND OUT, UTILIZE ONE OF THE SCHOOLS THAT WE HAVE, UM, TO BRING OUR RESOURCES TOGETHER.
I'M RUNNING ON, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S THE THOUGHT IS COMMUNICATION.
UH, WITH HURRICANE HELENE, UH, WE WERE SURPRISED IN THE SENSE THAT THE DAMAGE THAT WAS, UH, OCCURRED FROM THAT STORM.
THE COUNTY, WHEN WE WENT TO BED THAT NIGHT, THE COUNTY, THE LAST WORD WE HEARD FROM THEM FROM THE EOC WAS THAT THIS WAS GONNA BE A RAIN EVENT WITH GUSTS UP TO ABOUT 45 MILES AN HOUR.
THEY DIDN'T EVEN STAND UP, I DON'T BELIEVE THEIR EOC THROUGH THE NIGHT.
AND IF THEY DID, IT WAS VERY PARTIAL.
UM, WE PROBABLY, IN HINDSIGHT LOOKING BACK, WE COULD HAVE STOOD UP SOMETHING.
WE HAVE A, A ROOM UP IN OUR POLICE, UH, HEADQUARTERS, UH, ON THE SECOND FLOOR, AN OPERATION CENTER THAT WE COULD HAVE STOOD UP SOMETHING THERE.
UM, WE NORMALLY WE HAVE SOMEBODY LIKE JJ UH, SVE, WHO'S OUR ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER.
HE IS OUR CONTACT WITH THE EOC, WITH THE COUNTY.
WE ALSO HAVE OUR POLICE AND FIRE.
THEY'RE ALWAYS THERE IN CONTACT WITH THE EOC.
UM, IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, AFTER THE STORM, WE, LIKE I SAID, WE WERE PREPARED, WE SENT CREWS OUT.
I WAS IN CONTACT WITH THE CITY MANAGER AND WITH DOMINION THE WHOLE TIME.
AND WE WERE ABLE, UNFORTUNATELY, UH, DOMINION HAD ALREADY PREPOSITIONED A LOT OF THEIR, UH, TRUCKS AND A CREWS AND, AND AIKEN COUNTY, AND THEY HAD TO BRING IN PEOPLE FROM, FROM VIRGINIA TO COME DOWN.
BUT WE WERE ABLE TO GO THROUGH, AND RIGHT NOW WE'RE STILL IN THE PROCESS OF CLEANING UP.
UH, NEXT QUESTION IS, WHAT TOOLS AND SOLUTIONS WOULD YOU USE TO SUPPORT DILAPIDATED AND INHABITABLE STRUCTURES? UH, THIS COULD BE, YOU KNOW, SPECIFICALLY LOOKED AT FOR THE DOWNTOWN AREA THAT HAVE A LOT OF RESTRICTIONS IN TERMS OF RESTORATION, SEVERAL HOUSES THAT ARE NOT ABLE TO BE RESTORED DUE TO THE COST OF THAT RESTORATION.
WELL, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE STOOD UP A NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION PROGRAM THIS YEAR AND WE ADDED A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS TO THE $50,000 ALREADY APPROPRIATED.
SO WE HAVE 150,000 THAT'S GONNA BE MATCHED BY A HUNDRED THOUSAND FROM THE, UM, HOUSING BEAUFORT, JASPER HOUSING TRUST.
SO THAT GIVES US A QUARTER OF A MILLION DOLLARS.
WE HOPE TO, UH, ALSO ENGAGE OTHER PARTNERS, INCLUDING THE BLACK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND OTHERS, UH, TO ADDRESS THE DILAPIDATED HOUSES IN THAT AREA.
AS FAR AS IS CHANGING, IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT CONTRIBUTING VERSUS NON-CONTRIBUTING BUILDINGS, IS THAT NO MORE IN RELATION TO THE RESTRICTIONS FOR THE HISTORIC ASSOCIATION? LIKE MORE IN TERMS OF LIKE HISTORICAL HOMES THAT ARE DILAPIDATED THAT NEED TO BE RESTORED TO A CERTAIN, LIKE LEVEL STANDARD OF RESTORATION? YEAH, YEAH.
UH, TO A CERTAIN STANDARD, UH, IF THEY'RE ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER, UM, AND I BELIEVE THEY ARE, THEY, THEY CAN'T TAKE THOSE OFF.
THOSE ARE CONTRIBUTING BUILDINGS.
THE ONLY WAY THEY'RE GONNA GO AWAY IS IF THEY'RE DEMOLISHED.
UM, BUT WHAT YOU WANNA DO IS YOU WANT TO GET IN THERE.
THAT'S WHAT THIS NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION PROGRAM'S ABOUT, ESPECIALLY FOR HOMES THAT PEOPLE ARE LIVING IN THAT CAN'T AFFORD TO FIX IT UP OR PUT A ROOF ON IT.
UH, AND THERE, IF THERE'S A GAP BETWEEN WHAT THAT CONTRIBUTING BUILDING REQUIRES VERSUS WHAT THE ALTERNATIVE MATERIALS CAN BE, WE HOPE TO HAVE THAT GAP FILLED BY ONE OF THE PARTNERS.
UM, SO HERE'S THE REALITY IS WE HAVE, IN OUR HISTORIC DISTRICT, WE HAVE A PRESERVATION DISTRICT AND WE HAVE A CONSERVATION DISTRICT.
AND I THINK RIGHT NOW WE MORE OR LESS RULED THE SAME, UM, EVEN THOUGH THERE IS, THERE IS DIFFERENT REGULATIONS, BUT THE PROBLEM IS, AND I I'M TOTALLY IN FAVOR OF, UM, THE NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION PLAN ADVOCATED FOR THAT PRETTY HEAVILY, BUT I THINK THAT'S THE GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIZING A PROBLEM THAT WAS CREATED THROUGH OVERREGULATION.
AND SO WHILE THAT WORKS TEMPORARILY, I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT NEEDS TO BE THE LONG-TERM SOLUTION.
I THINK WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN IS, IS WE NEED TO SIT DOWN WITH THE NEIGHBORS.
WE NEED TO SIT DOWN WITH THE HISTORIC BEAUFORT FOUNDATION, UM, AND TRY TO UNDERSTAND IF WE CAN ROLL BACK SOME OF THOSE REGULATIONS WHERE MAYBE THEY'RE NOT NEEDED.
SO THE, THESE HOUSES WERE BUILT IN A DIFFERENT ECONOMY.
THEY WERE BUILT TO REFLECT THE ECONOMY OF THEIR TIME FOR THE FAMILIES OF THEIR TIME WITH THE MATERIALS THAT WERE READILY AVAILABLE IN THAT TIME.
AND SO FOR US NOW TO HOLD THAT SAME STANDARD, EVEN THOUGH THOSE MATERIALS ARE SO MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE AND HARD TO FIND, IT AUTOMATICALLY PUTS THOSE FAMILIES THAT ARE STILL IN THAT SAME ECONOMIC CLASS AT A, AT A
[02:10:01]
BURDEN.AND, AND I THINK THE ANSWER IS GOING TO BE ROLL BACK SOME OF THOSE REGULATIONS AND, AND TREAT THE CONSERVATION DISTRICT DIFFERENT THAN THE PRESERVATION DISTRICT.
WE HAVE THREE MORE QUESTIONS WITH INCREASING HOUSING COSTS.
HOMELESSNESS IS A GROWING CONCERN IN OUR AREA.
WHAT SPECIFIC ACTIONS OR POLICIES DO YOU PLAN TO IMPLEMENT TO ADDRESS AND REDUCE HOMELESSNESS? THIS IS MY QUESTION.
UM, SO WHEN I FIRST GOT ON COUNCIL, I STARTED PARTAKING IN THE POINT IN TIME COUNTS.
I'VE DONE THAT FOR TWO YEARS NOW, AND IT GAVE ME A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT OUR NEED WAS.
WE DID SEE ABOUT A 15% INCREASE THIS YEAR.
UM, AND I WAS WORKING WITH ANNA RAMIREZ, WHO WAS WITH THE COUNTY AT THE TIME.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT SHE HAS RECENTLY LEFT THE COUNTY, BUT SHE PUT ME IN CONTACT WITH HEATHER IN CHARLESTON, WHO, UH, RUNS 180 PLACE.
AND WHAT 180 PLACE DOES IS IT'S A MODEL THAT COULD WORK HERE AS WELL, BUT IT WOULD GIVE US THE ABILITY TO BRING OUR RESOURCES TO TOGETHER AND PROVIDE A FORM OF CONTINUUM OF CARE THAT WOULD REACH THE, THE VARIETY OF NEEDS THAT OUR HOMELESS POPULATION HAS BECAUSE IT'S SUCH A COMPLEX ISSUE.
AND RIGHT NOW, IF YOU TALK TO ANYBODY WITH UNITED WAY, THEY'LL TELL YOU THAT THE ISSUE THAT WE HAVE IS OUR RESOURCES ARE TOO SCATTERED.
SO I THINK THEY CALL IT THE BEAUFORT SHUFFLE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
BUT BASICALLY IF ANYBODY'S GONNA GET HELP, THEY GOTTA TAKE OFF AN ENTIRE DAY OF WORK.
THEY'VE GOTTA GO TO DIFFERENT PLACES THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO FOR US WORKING TOGETHER TO BRING THOSE RESOURCES INTO ONE PLACE AND HAVING SOME KIND OF A SHELTER STOOD UP IS GONNA BE THE WAY THAT WE TAKE THE NEXT STEP FORWARD.
AND I THINK CHARLESTON HAS THAT MODEL THAT WORKS, AND IT'S JUST A MATTER OF COMMUNICATING FURTHER WITHIN THEM TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP.
UH, I AGREE WITH, WITH JOSH ON THE HOMELESSNESS ISSUE, BUT I WILL DISAGREE ON ONE THING.
I THINK YOU CAN'T HAVE ONE CENTER AND HAVE THEM GO THERE BECAUSE THERE'S NO TRANSPORTATION FOR A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE.
SO IT MIGHT BE BETTER TO HAVE LITTLE SATELLITE, UH, BED, UH, BED PLACES THAT THEY COULD GET A SH UH, YOU KNOW, HAVE A SHELTER AND ALSO TAKE A SHOWER AND ALL THAT.
BUT I AGREE THAT THO THEY NEED TO HAVE SERVICES, UM, AVAILABLE TO THEM SO THAT THEY CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT.
BUT I THINK IT, THE, THE SINGULAR APPROACH IS NOT GONNA WORK BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE TRANSPORTATION TO GET TO THOSE SHELTERS.
UM, THIS IS NOT REALLY A REBUTTAL, BUT I GUESS KIND OF IS, IS, UH, MY UNDERSTANDING IS IF YOU DON'T HAVE A A SPECIFIC LOCATION FOR THEM, THEN THEY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO GET IDENTIFICATION.
AND THEY DO NEED AN ADDRESS TO BE ABLE TO GET AN ID AND AN ID IS WHAT PREVENTS MANY OF THEM FROM GETTING A JOB.
SO THAT'S WHY I THINK WE WOULD HAVE, UM, BETTER SUCCESS WITH, UH, AN IDENTIFIED LOCATION IF, IF TRANSPORTATION WAS THE ISSUE, UM, YOU COULD HAVE SOME KIND OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION OR MAYBE YOU COULD USE THE WAY OF WAY OF TRAIL.
BUT I THINK WE CAN GET CREATIVE AND FIND A WAY TO RESOLVE THAT TRANSPORTATION ISSUE, BUT ALSO HAVE A, A SPOT TO WHERE THEY CAN HAVE AN IDENTIFICATION.
HOW DO YOU PLAN TO ADDRESS THE PRESSURES OF GENTRIFICATION WHILE PREVENTING THE DISPLACEMENT OF LONGTIME RESIDENTS, PARTICULARLY THOSE FROM HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES LIKE THE GULLAH GEECHEE, AND STILL ATTRACT INVESTMENT AND DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN BEAUFORT.
MARK? SAY THAT AGAIN? HOW DO YOU PLAN TO ADDRESS THE PRESSURES OF GENTRIFICATION WHILE PREVENTING THE DISPLACEMENT OF LONGTIME RESIDENTS, RESIDENTS, PARTICULARLY THOSE FROM HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES LIKE THE GULLAH GEECHEE AND STILL ATTRACT INVESTMENT AND DEVELOPMENT TO BUFORT? WELL, THE GENTRIFICATION THING IS TOUGH BECAUSE I THINK WHAT, WHAT'S DRIVING ALL THIS, UH, AND DRIVING THEM OUT, OUT OF THEIR HOMES IS GONNA BE THE, THE, THE PROPERTY VALUES, UH, WITH, BUT THEY, WHEN THEY GO UP, UM, AND PEOPLE MOVING IN, IT DRIVES UP THE, UH, PROPERTY VALUES FOR 'EM.
THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO STAY THERE.
UH, THE BEST THING TO DO, LIKE I SAID, WE STOOD UP THIS NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION PROGRAM WITH AN ATTEMPT TO KEEP THEM IN THEIR HOMES SO THEY WOULDN'T HAVE TO BE MOVED OUT.
UH, AS FAR AS CONTROLLING THE PROPERTY VALUES AND, AND AS THE, THE VALUES INCREASE, HOW, HOW THEY CAN STAY IN THAT, THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT I DON'T THINK THE CITY CAN HANDLE BY ITSELF.
AND I'M GOING TO JUST TIE BACK INTO WHAT I TALKED ABOUT IN REGARDS TO REGULATION, BECAUSE I THINK A LARGE PART OF WHAT'S MADE, UM, THE HOUSING OR THE HOUSING REPAIR PORTION OF THIS ISSUE UNAFFORDABLE FOR A LOT OF FAMILIES IS THE FACT THAT THERE IS SUCH A STRINGENT, EXPENSIVE PROCESS THAT THEY HAVE TO WORK THROUGH IN ORDER TO MAKE THOSE REPAIRS.
AND SO I THINK ONE, US REEVALUATING THAT PROCESS, BUT THEN TWO, IDENTIFYING PARTNERS, UM, THAT ARE WILLING TO HELP US MEET THAT NEED AND HELP THOSE HOMEOWNERS,
[02:15:01]
WHETHER IT'S PROVIDING A LOW INTEREST OR, UM, A NO INTEREST, UH, FUNDING TO HELP THEM MAKE REPAIRS.UH, SO THE, THE ANSWER IS GONNA BE COMPLEX, AND I KNOW THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO BRING, UM, NOT ONLY OUR, OUR PARTNERS, UH, WHETHER IT'S PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT OR NONPROFITS TO THE TABLE TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WITH OUR NEIGHBORS, BUT I THINK ALSO IT'S GONNA BE, UM, LESS REGULATIONS WHERE NEEDED.
WHAT UNTAPPED OR POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITIES DO YOU SEE FOR THE CITY OF BEAUFORT THAT WE HAVE YET TO EXPLORE OR DEVELOP? UM, I THINK IT'S IN OUR YOUTH.
SO WHEN I FIRST RAN, UH, FOR COUNCIL LAST TIME, I TALKED ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF EXPLORER PROGRAMS FOR OUR YOUTH.
AND, UM, PROUD TO SAY THAT THIS YEAR WE DID STAND UP TO EXPLORER PROGRAMS, ONE THROUGH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, ONE THROUGH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I THINK TAPPING INTO, UM, WHAT OUR YOUTH CAN PROVIDE TO THIS COMMUNITY IS OUR MOST UNTAPPED POTENTIAL.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO, IF GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY, STAND UP A YOUTH COUNCIL, WE MEET ONCE A MONTH.
I WOULD LIKE TO MAYBE HAVE A YOUTH COUNCIL MEET ONCE A QUARTER WITH THE OVERSIGHT OF THE MAYOR OR A COUNCIL MEMBER AND MAYBE HAVE THEM TACKLE IDEAS FOR HOW WE COULD BETTER ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY OR MAYBE HOW WE COULD BETTER ENTERTAIN THE YOUNG, YOUNG PEOPLE HERE.
BUT IT ALSO GIVES THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO BUY INTO LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO BE A PART OF THE PROCESS.
AND WE DON'T EVEN UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT RIPPLE EFFECT COULD BE.
IF SOMEBODY STARTS HERE IN NINTH OR 10TH GRADE AND THEY START WORKING ON A YOUTH COUNCIL AND THEN, UH, IN 10 OR 15 YEARS THEY'RE IN THE STATE HOUSE ADVOCATING FOR MONEY TO COME BACK HERE FOR OUR PRIORITIES, THAT COULD BE A, A A WAY FOR US TO HAVE A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE THROUGH THE NEXT GENERATION AND GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTAKE IN THE PROCESS.
I THINK OUR YOUTH IS OUR MOST UNTAPPED POTENTIAL.
UH, I WILL AGREE THAT I THINK THE USE OF THE MOST UNTAPPED THING WE HAVE, THE PROBLEM IS WE'VE GOTTA KEEP 'EM HERE IN BEAUFORT.
UH, WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH JOBS OR HIGHER PAYING JOBS FOR THEM TO STAY HERE.
I I, WE HAVE WHAT WE CALL THE MISSING MIDDLE HERE, 25 TO 55 YEAR OLDS WHO HAVE TO GO AWAY TO MAKE A LIVING, AND THEN THEY END UP COMING BACK HOPEFULLY WHEN THEY RETIRE.
BUT IN ORDER TO DO THAT, WE HAVE TO DIVERSIFY OUR ECONOMY.
WE'RE TOO HEAVILY DEPENDENT ON TOURISM IN THE MILITARY.
WE NEED TO COME STAND UP SOMETHING ELSE.
WE'RE WORKING ON THAT TRYING TO, THROUGH TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION.
WE'VE STOOD UP THE BEAUFORT DIGITAL CORRIDOR, WE'VE DONE THE SOUTH COAST CYBER CENTER, AND HOPEFULLY BY CREATING THOSE JOBS, WE CAN KEEP OUR YOUTH HERE AND GET THEM ENGAGED AND INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY.
IT'S OUR PREPARED QUESTIONS FOR TONIGHT, UH, BECAUSE THIS IS SUCH A BIG DECISION FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND BECAUSE YOU HAVE BEEN SO EFFICIENT AT AT GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS.
UH, HANNAH, WILL YOU PLEASE SET THE TIMER FOR THREE MINUTES.
UH, YOU EACH HAVE CLOSING TIME TO MAKE CLOSING REMARKS, ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO ELABORATE ON FURTHER, UH, ANY REASONS THAT, UH, YOU WOULD LIKE TO VIE FOR, UH, FOLKS TO VOTE FOR YOU OR ANYTHING WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO TALK ABOUT TONIGHT? YOU EACH HAVE THREE MINUTES NOW TO DO SO, AND WE'RE GONNA GO IN OPPOSITE ORDER AS WE DID OPENING REMARKS.
SO COUNCILMAN STI, YOU'LL BEGIN.
SO FIRST I JUST WANT TO AGAIN, TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR COMING OUT TONIGHT AND FOR BEING A PART OF THIS AND GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE AND SHARE OUR VISIONS WITH YOU.
UM, I REALLY DO WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE, PROBABLY THE MOST VALUABLE LESSON THAT I'VE LEARNED IN THE SHORT TIME THAT I HAVE BEEN ON COUNCIL AND, AND, AND THAT STEMS FROM ACTIVELY LISTENING.
BUT WHAT IT IS IS SHORTLY AFTER COMING ON COUNCIL, I HAD A, A PRETTY, UM, COMPLEX ISSUE AND I WAS TRYING TO BEST UNDERSTAND WHERE I FELL ON THE MATTER.
SO I WAS TRYING TO GET ALL THE INFORMATION THAT I COULD.
BUT THE LESSON THAT I LEARNED REALLY QUICK IS THERE IS SO MUCH VALUE AND YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH EVERYBODY, BUT PRIORITIZE THE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE AN OPPOSING PERSPECTIVE THAN YOU DO.
SO UNDERSTAND THE MATTER, LEARN AS MUCH AS YOU CAN ABOUT IT, BUT THEN SPEAK WITH ANYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY THAT'S WILLING TO REACH OUT AND ENGAGE THAT HAS AN OPPOSING VIEWPOINT, BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES THEY'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT BALANCE THAT YOU NEED TO BE A FAIR REPRESENTATIVE.
AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE ARE.
SOMETIMES YOU CAN GET LOST IN THE MIX OF REPRESENTING YOUR OWN BEST INTEREST, BUT THE REALITY IS, IS WE'RE REPRESENTING 14,000 THAT LIVE IN THE CITY OF BEAUFORT FOR THE GREATER GOOD OF NOT JUST THE CITY BUT OUR REGION.
AND SO UNDERSTANDING, UM, AND BEING AS BALANCED AS YOU CAN IN YOUR JUDGMENT HAS BEEN THE MOST VALUABLE LESSON THAT I'VE LEARNED.
AND THEN THE LAST THING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS I WOULD JUST LIKE TO, TO THANK MY WIFE AND MY FAMILY.
UM, THIS HAS BEEN A, A REALLY HARD ROLE FOR ME TO, TO JUMP INTO.
I'M NOT RETIRED, UM, I HAVEN'T MISSED A MEETING AND I DEVOTE A LOT OF TIME TO THIS AND A LOT OF ENERGY TO IT BECAUSE I REALLY DO CARE ABOUT IT.
AND NOT ONLY HAS MY WIFE STOOD BY MY SIDE, BUT SHE HAS ENCOURAGED ME ALONG THE WAY TO CONTINUE TO FIGHT
[02:20:01]
FOR WHAT I FEEL LIKE WE NEED IN REGARDS TO CHANGE AND HELPING BEING A PART OF THE PROCESS AS, AS A, A WISE FRIEND WOULD, WOULD TELL ME, BE THE THEY.SO BE THE, BE THE INDIVIDUALS THAT YOU ALWAYS WANT TO POINT THE BLAME TO AND BE A PART OF BRINGING POSITIVE CHANGE TO YOUR COMMUNITY.
I'VE LIVED HERE MY ENTIRE LIFE, AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT MY INTENTIONS ARE IN REPRESENTING IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS TO HELP BRING THAT POSITIVE CHANGE.
AND I'M JUST SO THANKFUL TO HAVE A FAMILY AND A WIFE THAT STANDS BEHIND ME AND DECIDE ME AND ALL OF THAT.
WELL, I WANT TO THANK, UH, EVERYONE FOR COMING OUT THIS EVENING.
I WANT TO THANK THE CHAMBER AS WELL AS USCB FOR HOSTING THIS EVENT AGAIN.
UM, BASICALLY IN CLOSING, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT, UH, I HAVE THE EDUCATION, UH, BACKGROUND, THE, THE EXPERIENCE HAVING BEEN, UM, IN PUBLIC SECTOR GOVERNMENT FOR QUITE A WHILE.
I'VE BEEN, UH, ON, SERVED ON COUNCIL.
I'VE SERVED AS MAYOR FOR THE LAST 11 MONTHS.
I CAN DEVOTE FULL TIME TO THE JOB.
UH, AND I THINK I HAVE THE DEMEANOR I CAN GET ALONG WITH PEOPLE, UH, AND TRY TO GET SOME THINGS DONE.
UH, I JUST APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVED AS YOUR MAYOR FOR THE LAST 11 MONTHS AND WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR VOTE, UH, IN NOVEMBER THE FIFTH.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR CANDIDATE FORMS TONIGHT.
PLEASE GIVE THESE FOLKS A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
THANKS AGAIN, UH, TO OUR HOST, UH, USCB, THANK YOU TO ALL THE CANDIDATES WHO PARTICIPATED TONIGHT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH TO OUR PANELISTS WHO WORK FOR HOURS TODAY AND OF COURSE TO OUR CHAMBER TEAM FOR HELPING US PULL THIS TOGETHER.
UH, REMEMBER, MAKE SURE YOU GO AND VOTE, IF NOT EARLY, BETWEEN NOW AND NOVEMBER 2ND, THEN ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5TH, ENCOURAGE SOMEONE ELSE TO VOTE TOO.
UH, THERE ARE SOME HANDOUTS IN THE LOBBY ON THE 1% TRANSPORTATION, UH, 1% SALES TAX FOR TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE.
THOSE ARE FROM BEAUFORT COUNTY.
SO PLEASE GRAB ONE OF THOSE ON YOUR WAY OUT.
AND IF YOU'D LIKE TO REWATCH ANY OF THIS, YOU CAN DO SO, UH, THROUGH THE CHAMBER OR CITY'S FACEBOOK PAGE AS WELL AS ON THE COUNTY CHANNEL.
THANK YOU FOR BEING ENGAGED IN YOUR COMMUNITY.
A METEOR SHOWER THAT OCCURS WHEN SKY AND WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE JUST RIGHT IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST SPECTACULAR ASTRONOMICAL EVENTS THAT YOU CAN OBSERVE DURING A GOOD SHOW.
SOMETIMES HUNDREDS OF SHOOTING STARS AND FIREBALLS STREAK ACROSS THE SKY.
EVERY HOUR A METEOROID IS BASICALLY A ROCK FLYING AROUND IN OUTER SPACE.
IF ONE OF THOSE SPACE ROCKS ENTERS THE EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE, IT IS THEN CALLED A METEOR.
THE EARTH'S GRAVITY PULLS THE METEOR TOWARDS IT AND THE RESISTANCE, THE METEOR EXPERIENCES MAKES IT VERY, VERY HOT.
WHAT WE SEE FROM THE GROUND IS ACTUALLY THE GLOWING HOT AIR AROUND THE SUPER HOT SPACE ROCK AS IT ENTERS THE EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE.
MOST METEORS COME FROM DEBRIS LEFT BEHIND FROM COMETS.
SO COMETS ARE BASICALLY DIRTY SNOWBALLS THAT ARE ORBITING AROUND OUR SOLAR SYSTEM.
AND THEY'RE MADE UP OF DIFFERENT COMPONENTS LIKE GAS AND DUST AND ICE AND LITTLE BITS OF ROCKS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS WE'RE GONNA MAKE A MODEL COMET HERE IN THE LAB SO YOU GUYS CAN SEE THE DIFFERENT COMPONENTS OF A COMET AND SEE HOW AS THAT COMET MELTS WHEN IT GETS CLOSE TO THE SUN, IT SHEDS DEBRIS THAT EVENTUALLY WILL BECOME A METEOR SHOWER.
SO WE'RE GONNA START OUT WITH JUST WATER.
AND WATER IS MADE UP OF HYDROGEN AND OXYGEN, THE SAME ELEMENTS THAT WERE PRESENT IN THE VERY EARLY FORMATION OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM.
COMETS ALSO CONTAIN SPACE DUST, AND THAT'S LIKE MINERALS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
NOW I HAVE SOME REGULAR OLD DIRT TO REPRESENT THE SPACE DUST.
YOU HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND THAT DIRT HERE ON EARTH CONTAINS LIVING THINGS LIKE, UM, FUNGI AND BACTERIA, WHICH WOULD NOT BE PRESENT, UM, IN A COMET.
IT WOULD JUST BE THE MINERALS.
I'M GONNA PUT JUST A LITTLE BIT OF THE DIRT IN THERE.
AND THEN THE COMETS ALSO CONTAIN ORGANIC, UM, MATERIALS.
SO THINGS THAT CONTAIN CARBON, HYDROGEN, OXYGEN, NITROGEN.
[02:25:01]
UM, BASICALLY THE ELEMENTS THAT MAKE UP THE VAST MAJORITY OF LIFE ARE THOSE ORGANIC, UM, COMPOUNDS.AND SO EVEN IN THE EARLY FORMATION OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM, THERE WERE SOME VERY SIMPLE SUGARS PRESENT.
SO WE'RE ACTUALLY USING SODA TO REPRESENT THOSE SUGARS.
AND THEN AMMONIA, WHICH IS THE SAME KIND OF STUFF THAT'S, UH, MAKES WINDOW CLEANER, SO STINKY, THAT'S ANOTHER, UM, ORGANIC MATERIAL THAT YOU MIGHT FIND IN THE COMET.
I'M GOING TO STIR UP OUR INGREDIENTS TO GET IT ALL EVENLY MIXED BECAUSE THEY'RE ALL MIXED UP TOGETHER.
AND OUTER SPACE IS GENERALLY REALLY COLD, SO THE COMET'S ALSO GONNA CONTAIN CARBON DIOXIDE, BUT WHEN IT'S FAR AWAY FROM THE SUN, IT'S FROZEN SOLID.
SO HAVE YOU GUYS EVER SEEN DRY ICE? OKAY, SO IT'S BASICALLY CARBON DIOXIDE, UM, THAT IS FROZEN AND IT DOESN'T EVER HAVE A LIQUID STATE.
SO WHAT THIS IS DOING IS THIS IS WELL BELOW FREEZING TEMPERATURES, SO IT'S ESSENTIALLY FREEZING SOLID EVERYTHING THAT I PUT INTO THE BOWL.
SO WHAT I'M GONNA HAVE YOU DO IF YOU'LL COME AROUND HERE WITH ME, IS KIND OF HOLD THE BAG UP JUST A LITTLE BIT RIGHT OVER THE BOWL, SINCE IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT MESSY.
AND DON'T HOLD IT TOO HARD BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS CAN TELL, SEE HOW IT LETS SOME OF THE AIR OUT.
THE CARBON DIOXIDE IS TURNING DIRECTLY.
I'M GONNA PUT IT DOWN INTO THE BOWL THIS TIME.
OKAY, SO LET'S SEE IF WE HAVE A COMET.
AND IT'S NOT PERFECTLY ROUND, BUT THAT IS OUR COMET.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT AS THE, UM, DRY ICE IS SUBLIMATING TURNING BACK INTO GAS, THAT IT'S ESSENTIALLY PIECES OF THE COMET ARE MELTING OFF.
AND AS THE COMET PASSES BY, UH, THE SUN AND IT HEATS UP IN THAT CARBON DIOXIDE AND ICE MELTS, LITTLE PLUMES COME OFF THE BACK OF THE COMET AND THAT'S WHAT LEAVES A DEBRIS TRAIL BEHIND.
AND WHEN THE EARTH PASSES THROUGH THAT DEBRIS STREAM, THEY BURN UP IN OUR ATMOSPHERE AND BECOME A METEOR SHOWER.
MANY COMETS HAVE LEFT TRAILS IN DIFFERENT REGIONS ALONG THE PATH OF THE EARTH'S ORBIT.
SO THE EARTH PREDICTABLY ENCOUNTERS THESE DEBRIS FIELDS AS IT GOES AROUND THE SUN THROUGH THE COURSE OF A YEAR.
WE CAN COUNT ON REGULAR OCCURRENCES OF THESE METEOR SHOWERS DURING CERTAIN TIMES OF THE YEAR.
THE LDS PROCEEDS, ORIONIDS, LEONIDS, AND GEMINIDS ARE ALL MAJOR METEOR SHOWERS ASSOCIATED WITH COMET TRAILS.
METEOR SHOWERS ARE USUALLY NAMED FOR THE CONSTELLATION IN THE REGION OF THE SKY WHERE THEY APPEAR TO ORIGINATE.
IF YOU WATCH A METEOR SHOWER, YOU MAY NOTICE THAT THEY APPEAR TO BE ALL OVER THE SKY, BUT THE TAILS POINT BACK TO THE SAME GENERAL REGION.
THIS REGION WHERE ALL THE METEORS SEEM TO COME FROM IS CALLED THE RADIANT.
THIS OPTICAL ILLUSION IS ALL A MATTER OF PERSPECTIVE.
THE METEORS ARE USUALLY COMING TOWARDS US FROM THE SAME ANGLE, BUT WHEN THEY GET CLOSER TO US AS THEY ENTER THE ATMOSPHERE, THE EFFECTIVE PERSPECTIVE MAKES THEM SEEM TO GET FURTHER APART.
IT'S LIKE LOOKING AT TRAIN TRACKS, EVEN THOUGH WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE PARALLEL TO ONE ANOTHER OFF IN THE DISTANCE.
IT LOOKS LIKE THE TRAIN TRACKS COME TOGETHER.
USUALLY THE SIZE OF PARTICLES ENTERING THE EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE IS NO LARGER THAN A GRAIN OF SAND, SO THEY BURN UP REALLY QUICKLY AND PRODUCE A SPECTACULAR SHOW.
VERY RARELY, A REALLY LARGE PIECE OF METEOR MAKES IT ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE ATMOSPHERE AND FALLS TO EARTH.
LARGE IMPACTS BY METEORITES ARE VERY RARE, BUT NASA SCIENTISTS SAY THAT THOUSANDS OF TINY SPECS OF SPACE ROCK HIT THE GROUND EVERY YEAR, MOSTLY UNNOTICED.
MOST METEORITES WEIGH LESS THAN ONE POUND, AND ONLY FIVE TO 10% OF METEORS MAKE IT THROUGH THE EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE.
A LARGE METEOROID, WHICH COMES FROM AN ASTEROID RATHER THAN A METEOR SHOWER IMPACTS EARTH METEOR CRATER IN ARIZONA IS ONE SUCH LOCATION.
SO DON'T WORRY THAT ANY SPACE ROCKS ARE GOING TO BE CAUSING MAJOR PROBLEMS BY CRASHING INTO EARTH.
ANYTIME SOON, CHECK YOUR CALENDAR FOR A METEOR SHOWER.
SET UP A SLEEPING BAG ON THE LAWN AND WATCH ONE OF THE MOST SPECTACULAR SHOWS IN THE SKY.