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[00:00:01]

CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY.

GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.

WELCOME TO THE NOVEMBER 7TH ACCOMMODATION TAX ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

WE'VE REACHED THE, UH, PORTION OF THIS GRANT SEASON WHERE WE'RE GONNA GO THROUGH EACH OF THESE APPLICATIONS AND PUT TOGETHER A RECOMMENDATION TO SEND UP TO TOWN COUNCIL.

UH, WE DO APPRECIATE ALL THE APPLICANTS TURNING IN THEIR APPLICATIONS THIS YEAR AND THE PRESENTATIONS THAT WERE GIVEN TO US, UM, TO, FOR REVIEW OVER THE PAST TWO MEETINGS.

UH, SO THIS MEETING IS NOW CALLED TO ORDER.

UH, DID EVERYONE RECEIVE A COPY OF THE AGENDA FOR TODAY'S MEETING? YES.

ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CHANGES OR DISCUSSIONS ABOUT TODAY'S AGENDA? SEEING NONE, I'LL ASK FOR, UH, AN APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA, A MOTION TO APPROVE.

SO MOVED.

WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY RAISING YOUR RIGHT HAND.

OPPOSED.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

UH, NEXT ITEM, ITEM NUMBER THREE IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.

WE HAVE OUR MINUTES FROM THE PAST THREE MEETINGS, OCTOBER 7TH, OCTOBER 17TH AND OCTOBER 24TH.

DID EVERYONE RECEIVE COPIES OF THOSE MINUTES? HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW? AND ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS, CHANGES, EDITS TO THOSE MINUTES? LET'S START WITH, UH, MONDAY, OCTOBER 7TH, AND I'D LOOK FOR A MOTION TO APPROVE.

THERE'S A MOTION.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES FROM OCTOBER 7TH, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND APPROVED.

MOVING ON TO OCTOBER 17TH.

THOSE MINUTES, EVERYONE REVIEWED THOSE HAD A CHANCE? ANY CHANGE OR EDITS TO THOSE? SEEING NONE.

MOTION TO APPROVE FROM SOMEONE PLEASE.

SO MOVED.

SECOND AND A SECOND.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PUT, RAISE YOUR HAND.

APPROVE.

AND THEN LAST, OUR LAST MEETING FROM OCTOBER 24TH.

AGAIN, ANY QUESTIONS, EDITS, CONCERNS? DID EVERYBODY HAVE A CHANCE TO REVIEW THOSE MINUTES? OKAY.

MOTION PLEASE.

MOTION AND A SECOND.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, TREASURE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THOSE ARE APPROVED NOW TO THE FUN PART.

ITEM NUMBER FOUR, NEW BUSINESS.

UH, FIRST UP, WE HAVE THE PROPOSAL ON THE CALENDAR FOR NEXT YEAR'S, UH, MEETINGS 2025, AND MS. SMITH IS GOING TO RUN UP THOSE ON THE, THE CALENDAR THERE.

HAS ANYBODY HAD A CHANCE TO, EVERYBODY HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THESE.

UM, THIS IS OUR FIRST GO.

I BELIEVE THESE HAVE BEEN SENT TO THROUGH TOWN STAFF IN COORDINATION WITH TOWN COUNCIL AND AVAILABILITY.

SO, UM, ANY CONCERNS ON THE PROPOSED AGENDA AT THIS TIME? OKAY, ARE WE LOOKING TO APPROVE THIS SCHEDULE FOR TODAY OR, OR JUST THROWING IT OUT THERE? YES, THIS WILL BE AN ACTION ITEM FOR YOUR APPROVAL.

THIS LOOKS PRETTY MUCH LIKE EVERY YEAR.

THERE COULD OBVIOUSLY BE SOME CHANGES, UM, DEPENDING ON MEETING DATES FOR TOWN COUNCIL, WHICH THEY WILL VOTE ON IN THE DECEMBER 3RD MEETING.

UM, BUT AS OF NOW, THESE DO NOT CORRELATE WITH ANY OF THEIR MEETINGS.

UM, SO ONCE THIS GOES INTO APPROVAL, IT WILL BE OFFICIAL AND WE'LL POST THEM ON THE WEBSITE.

VERY GOOD.

UH, OPEN THIS UP FOR DISCUSSION WITH THE COMMITTEE.

ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS ABOUT THE DATES HERE? HAVE WE, UH, MOVED FORWARD ON THE IDEA OF HAVING THE, UH, APPLICANT WORKSHOP BE, UM, REQUIRED? I THINK THAT'S A CONVERSATION WE'LL TAKE UP AT OUR NEXT MEETING WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE APPLICATION PACKET FOR NEXT YEAR.

UH, THIS IS JUST THE, THE DATES OF THE SCHEDULE.

WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO DURING THIS, UH, WHEN WE GET TO THE, UH, PROBABLY THE, I DUNNO, AUGUST 4TH, NO, THAT'S NOT IT.

UM, WHEN WE GO BACK AND DO THE, I DON'T REMEMBER WHICH MEETING IT IS, WHERE WE REVIEW THE APPLICATION TO MAKE CHANGES AND EDITS, I THINK THAT'D BE THE APPROPRIATE TIME TO MAKE CHANGES.

UH, IF WE WERE TO REQUEST FIRST TIME APPLICANTS TO REVIEW OR MANDATE THEM TO COME TO THE WORKSHOP, WE WOULD DO IT AT THAT MEETING.

APRIL AND JULY ARE USUALLY THE BEST TIMEFRAME, EVEN APRIL DURING THAT DMO MEETING.

TECHNICALLY, YOU COULD, YOU COULD BRING IT UP THEN AS LONG AS WE GIVE OUR WEB ADMINISTRATOR PLENTY OF TIME TO MAKE THOSE CHANGES ON THE WEBSITE BEFORE SHE POSTS THE APPLICATION.

SO WE'LL BE SURE TO DO THAT, UH, EITHER AT THE APRIL 3RD OR JULY 10TH MEETING.

IF, IF THE SUBJECT IS THE SCHEDULE, WOULD WE CONSIDER HAVING A SECOND WORKSHOP SO THAT OUR APPLICANTS COULD HAVE AN OPTION OF CONFLICTS WITH THE, THE ONE? ABSOLUTELY.

IF WE DECIDE

[00:05:01]

THAT THOSE, UM, WORKSHOPS ARE GONNA BE MANDATORY AND WE NEED TO OPEN THE SECOND DATE, THEN WE CAN DISCUSS THAT IN THAT APRIL MEETING AS WELL, AND WE START MAKING CHANGES.

SO THIS IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WE CAN UPDATE AT A LATER TIME.

UH, I THINK WITH THAT MEETING BEING ON AUGUST 7TH, AS WE GET INTO THE APRIL 3RD AND JULY 10TH MEETINGS OF PLANNING THAT WORKSHOP, YOU KNOW, IF THE THAT'S PUT IN PLACE FOR FIRST TIME APPLICANTS TO ATTEND, UH, IT WOULD BE THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE SOMEONE FROM THEIR ORGANIZATION ATTEND THAT MEETING.

BUT WE COULD DISCUSS HAVING A, A BACKUP PLAN, UH, IN CASE THAT DATE DOESN'T WORK FOR THE APPLICANTS.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON THE SCHEDULING AND NONE? UH, I'D OPEN UP FOR, UH, APPROVAL OF NEXT YEAR'S SCHEDULE.

PLEASE.

MOTION TO APPROVE SCHEDULE.

SECOND.

ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE SIGNIFY BY RAISING YOUR RIGHT HAND.

OKAY.

THIS WILL BE OUR SCHEDULE FOR 2025 PENDING ANY CHANGES COMING FROM TOWN COUNCIL.

THEN ITEM B UNDER, UH, NEW BUSINESS IS THE REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE 2025 APPLICATION TAX GRANTS FROM MS. BURNETT.

WELCOME.

GOOD MORNING.

GOOD MORNING.

GOOD MORNING, AAX COMMITTEE MEMBERS.

GOOD MORNING.

GOOD MORNING.

MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.

THIS HAS BEEN A GREAT EXPERIENCE FOR ME.

THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT I PARTICIPATE IN AN AAX COMMITTEE MEETING.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PASSION ABOUT THIS AND YOUR PARTICIPATION.

THIS HAS BEEN WONDERFUL.

SO THANK YOU.

UH, YOU DON'T HAVE THIS INFORMATION IN YOUR PACKET, AND THAT'S BECAUSE EVEN UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE, I WAS HOPING THAT WE WILL GET SOME MONEY AND, UH, FOR QUARTER THREE, AND WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY, ANY FUNDING YET.

SO AS YOU CAN SEE, I HAVE Q3 AND Q4.

THOSE ARE ESTIMATED PROJECTIONS THAT WE HAVE.

SO WHAT I WANT TO TAKE YOU IS SHOW YOU THE REVENUE ESTIMATES AND THEN TALK ABOUT THE ALLOCATION BASED ON THAT REVENUE.

SO AS YOU CAN SEE, Q1 AND Q2 WAS RECEIVED.

SO WHAT I HAVE HERE ARE THE PRIOR TWO YEARS.

SO BETWEEN 2022 AND 2023, WE HAVE THE TOTAL AMOUNT OR, OR THE TOTAL AMOUNT.

BETWEEN THOSE TWO YEARS, THERE'S A DECREASE OF 4%.

AGAIN, WE'RE TALKING Q1 AND Q2, AND THEN WE RECEIVE IN 2024.

SO FAR WE HAVE RECEIVED $5.9 MILLION, WHICH IS A DECREASE OF 5%.

AGAIN, WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED Q3 AND Q4, UH, FUNDING YET.

SO I AM ESTIMATING, UH, DECREASE OF 8%.

UM, BASED ON ALL THE, THE NUMBERS AND THE STATISTICS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, UM, I THINK OUR NUMBER IS GOING TO BE LOWER.

IT'S GOING TO, I DON'T THINK IT WILL GO BACK AS FAR AS HOPEFULLY NOT, I DON'T THINK IT WILL GO BACK PRE COVID YEARS, BUT I AM EXPECTING A DECREASE.

SO THE ESTIMATED NUMBER THAT I'M ESTIMATING FOR 2024 FOR Q3 AND Q4 IS ABOUT $6.4 MILLION.

SO IF WE TAKE THOSE TWO NUMBERS INTO CONSIDERATION FOR 24, THE TOTAL ESTIMATE OF REVENUE THAT I'M ESTIMATING IS ABOUT $12.2 MILLION, WHICH IS ABOUT A SEVEN 8% DECREASE COMPARED TO PRIOR YEARS.

AGAIN, GOING BACK TO THE A TAX, THE PORTION WHERE IT SAYS A TAX GRANT ALLOCATION, UM, THIS ARE WHAT WE HAVE ALLOCATED IN PRIOR YEARS FOR 2022, WE ALLOCATED ABOUT $4.3 MILLION, WHICH IS ABOUT 32% OF OUR REVENUE FOR, FOR THE WHOLE YEAR.

AND THEN IN 2023, WE HAD, UH, A, A SIMILAR NUMBER, ONLY A DECREASE OF 1%, WHICH IS 4.3.

AND THEY WERE AN ESTIMATING, AGAIN, KEEPING THE 32% ALLOCATION FROM PRIOR YEARS.

I MEAN, I KNOW IT'S 32, 30 3%, I USE 32%.

SO I, I AM ESTIMATING A $3.9 MILLION ALLOCATION.

AGAIN, I DON'T HAVE A CRYSTAL BALL AND I WANT TO REMIND YOU OF THAT.

I'M HOPING THAT THE NUMBER, THE REVENUE NUMBER WILL BE HIGHER THAN WHAT I'M ESTIMATING HERE, BUT SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN, WE UTILIZE OUR TOTAL REVENUE NUMBERS TO DO A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS.

ONE OF THEM IS 30% THAT BY STATE LAW WE HAVE TO ALLOCATE RIGHT NOW TO OUR DMO.

AND THEN WE ALSO UTILIZE A TAX FUNDING FOR CIP PROJECTS.

WE ALSO USE A TAX FUNDING FOR, TO FUND OUR

[00:10:01]

GENERAL FUND AND ALSO USE AAX MONEY FOR OUR ORGANIZATIONS THAT APPLY FOR OUR GRANTS.

SO AS WE CONTINUE LOOKING AT OUR NUMBERS, IF WE HAVE A DECREASE OF 8%, FOR INSTANCE, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE AREAS, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE STATE MANDATED LAW OF 30%, ALL OF THE OTHER AREAS WILL ALSO HAVE, UH, AN 8% DECREASE IF IT'S AN 8% DECREASE.

QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? YES.

THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.

THE, THE TOTAL AMOUNTS OF GRANTS THAT WE RECEIVED THAT WERE ASKED FOR WAS 4.2.

IT WAS 4.2 SHENA, I THINK IT IS 4.2.

YES.

SO WE NEED TO MAKE SOME HARD DECISIONS AS IT RELATES TO, IF THE AMOUNT COMES BACK TO BEING REALITY $3.9 MILLION, THEN YES, YOU NEED TO MAKE SOME HARD DECISIONS IN YOUR PROPOSAL TO COUNCIL, UM, BECAUSE WE WON'T BE ABLE TO PAY THE 4.2 TO OUR, UH, ORGANIZATIONS THAT APPLY FOR THE GRANT.

OUT OF THAT 12, UH, THE, THE 12 MILLION, IF YOU GO BACK A PAGE, BACK ONE PAGE OUT OF THAT 12 MILLION WAS, WAS 15% OF THAT TOTAL TAKEN FOR HOUSING OR WAS, OR OUT OF THE A TAX FUNDING? UH, SO WE HAVE CIP, WE HAVE GENERAL FUND IS HOUSING ONE OF THEM? YES.

ERICA IS SAYING HOUSING IS ONE OF THEM.

YES.

UM, DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT NUMBER IS THAT WAS TAKEN FOR HOUSING? I DON'T HAVE THAT NUMBER.

NO, I DO NOT.

DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? THAT WAS MY QUESTION.

OKAY.

THAT WAS YOUR QUESTION.

OKAY.

UM, LET ME, UM, ERICA, DO YOU KNOW BY ANY CHANCE WHAT'S THE PERCENTAGE THAT WE NORMALLY TAKE FOR HOUSING? IT'S 15%.

SO IT'S 15%.

IS IS ERICA.

ERICA, BY THE WAY, IS OUR, UH, SENIOR BUDGET ANALYST FOR THE TOWN, AND SHE'S THE ONE THAT KEEPS ME IN LINE, BY THE WAY, WITH NUMBERS.

UM, IT IS 15% ACCORDING TO HER CALCULATIONS.

ARE YOU, ARE YOUR, UH, Q3 AND Q4 ESTIMATIONS BASED ON THE DATA FROM THE FIRST TWO QUARTERS? AND IS IT BASED ON OCCUPANCY LEVELS OR ON A DR? IT IS BASED ON THE PRIOR TWO QUARTERS AND BASED ON THE TREND THAT WE HAVE SEEN DURING THE YEAR, AND ALSO ALSO THINKING ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH OUR ISLAND AND, AND SOME OF THE, UM, ACCOMMODATION, UM, THAT, UH, CALCULATIONS THAT THE DMO IS DOING RIGHT NOW.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ANY CONCERNS, QUESTIONS? OKAY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

UH, THAT BEING THE CASE, UH, IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE GONNA HAVE A DELTA OF ABOUT $350,000, UH, ON GRANT REQUEST TO WHAT IS PROJECTED TO BE AVAILABLE.

SO JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND, UH, AS WE GO THROUGH THIS.

UM, WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST FROM THE NEW MEMBERS IS EACH OF THE APPLICANTS IS HERE ON THE SPREADSHEET.

WE'LL START IN THAT FIRST ROUND AND GO THROUGH AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS, HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT EACH OF THESE IF IT'S NEEDED.

UH, AND THEN SUM THE TOTAL AT THE BOTTOM, TAKE A LOOK AT IT AND SEE WHAT ADJUSTMENTS NEED TO BE MADE.

WE CAN GO THROUGH THAT AS MANY TIMES AS WE NEED TO, UH, TO, TO LAND ON A NUMBER THAT WE FEEL, UM, HAS A, A GOOD CHANCE OF PASSING THROUGH TOWN COUNCIL.

SO ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE WE GET STARTED? SAYING NONE.

WE'LL START AT THE TOP WITH THE ART LEAGUE OF HILTON HEAD.

I'LL OPEN THIS UP TO THE COMMITTEE FOR ANY COMMENTS.

UH, AND THEN AFTER COMMENTS ARE MADE, UH, A RECOMMENDATION FOR THE RECOMMENDATION FOR THE ART LEAGUE OF HILTON HEAD, THIS IS YOUR CHANCE.

ANY RECOMMENDATIONS, ANY CONVERSATIONS, ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE ART LEAGUE? I JUST HAD A GENERAL QUESTION.

UM, GIVEN THE FACT THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT THIS, THIS REDUCED AMOUNT, SHOULD WE DO IT ACROSS THE BOARD OR SHOULD, HOW, HOW DO YOU RECOMMEND THAT WE DO THIS? I THINK WE SHOULD LOOK AT 'EM.

I MEAN, THIS IS WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST AND THAT'S UP FOR US TO DISCUSS AND DECIDE.

BUT WHAT WE'VE DONE IS JUST TAKEN THESE ONE BY ONE VIEW THEM AS THEIR OWN AND TO JUST SEE WHERE THE CHIPS FALL.

AFTER WE GO THROUGH THAT, WE'LL SEE IF WE'RE ABOVE WHAT WE BELIEVE IS PROJECTED TO BE AVAILABLE AND WE CAN GO BACK AND START HAVING CONVERSATIONS.

BUT, UM, I THINK JUST TREATING EACH ONE INDIVIDUALLY TO START NOW, I DON'T THINK OUR GO-TO IS JUST AUTOMATICALLY CHOP 10% OFF OF EACH OF 'EM JUST TO GET STARTED.

SO, WELL, THERE ARE SOME THAT ONLY WE REIMBURSE A CERTAIN AMOUNT ANYWAYS, CORRECT? YEAH.

SO WE'LL START WITH THE ART LEAGUE OF HILTON HEAD.

ANY CONVERSATIONS ON THAT APPLICATION? I THOUGHT THAT THEIR APPLICATION WAS COMPLETE.

UM,

[00:15:01]

THEY DID A, A GREAT PRESENTATION.

UM, I THINK THEY'RE A WORTHY ORGANIZATION AND I HAVE NO, NO QUALMS, UH, GRANTING THEIR REQUESTS.

IS THAT A RECOMMENDATION FOR FULL FUNDING AT THIS POINT? YES.

OKAY.

THERE'S A RECOMMENDATION TO FULLY FUND THE, OUR LEAGUE OF HILTON, HE FOR 80,000.

IS THERE A SECOND FOR THAT? ONE? A SECOND.

OKAY.

WE'LL GO AHEAD AND PUT A PLACEHOLDER OF 80,000 THERE FOR THE ART LEAGUE OF HILTON HEAD.

NEXT ON THE LIST IS THE ART CENTER OF COASTAL CAROLINA.

UH, THE REQUEST WAS $447,000.

I'LL OPEN THAT ONE UP FOR CONVERSATION FROM THE COMMITTEE.

PLEASE.

I MOVE TO FULLY FUND AS YOUR RECOMMENDATION TO FULLY FUND $447,000 TO THE ART LEAGUE.

I'M SORRY, THE ART CENTER OF COASTAL CAROLINA.

IS THERE A SECOND TO FULLY FUND THAT SECOND.

OKAY, WE'LL PUT THAT IN FOR 447,000.

NEXT UP IS THE, UH, DAVID CARMINE'S MEMORIAL FUND.

THE APPLICATION REQUEST WAS $185,000.

I RECOMMEND THAT WE APPROVE THEIR APPLICATION IN FULL.

THERE'S A RECOMMENDATION TO FULLY FUND $185,000 IN A SECOND.

WE'LL GO AHEAD AND PLACE IN $185,000 THERE.

NEXT IS THE GOLUM MUSEUM OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND CONVERSATIONS RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THIS APPLICANT.

MR. CHAIRMAN, DURING THE DISCUSSION, WE HAD A REQUEST TO GET SOME ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL INFORMATION FROM THE GULLAH MUSEUM.

WE DIDN'T HAVE THEIR FULL LIST OF 25 EXPENSES OR A BALANCE SHEET.

LIEUTENANT COMMENT ON WHETHER WE GOT ANYTHING.

I DID RECEIVE ADDITIONAL BUDGET INFORMATION.

IT'S ON THE SPREADSHEET THAT Y'ALL HAVE UP THERE.

GIVE US ONE SECOND TO REVIEW THIS ONE, PLEASE.

I WILL START OFF WITH THIS ONE.

I THINK, UH, MY RECOMMENDATION TO START THIS ONE OFF IS TAKING IT DOWN TO LAST YEAR'S REQUEST OF $150,000.

ANY CONVERSATIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS, CHANGES TO THAT RECOMMENDATION? I'VE SEEN THAT THEY ARE, UH, BUDGET THEY PROVIDED AFTER THE FIRST MEETING, X AMOUNT REIMBURSABLE STILL EXCEEDS THE $180,000.

ASK.

I WOULD RECOMMEND TO ANYBODY ELSE WANNA CHIME IN HERE ON I I SUPPORT MARTIN'S MORENESS.

I THINK THEY'RE WHY WE NEED TO BE RESPONSIBLE IN TERMS OF WHERE THESE DOLLARS GET SPENT.

I THINK THAT'S A CRITICAL ELEMENT FOR THIS ISLAND.

AND GIVEN THAT THEY CAME BACK AND PROVIDED THE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THAT WE ASKED FOR, UM, I WOULD SUPPORT THE FULL RECOMMENDATION HAPPENS AS WE GO THROUGH THE LIST.

COMING BACK IS OBVIOUSLY WORTH THE ORGANIZATION.

OKAY.

OKAY.

LET'S GO AHEAD AND PUT IN THE $180,000 TO FULLY FUND THAT ONE CHAIRMAN.

FROM LOOKING AT THE LIST OF, OF THE TAX REIMBURSABLE AMOUNTS, IT SEEMS LIKE THE DIFFERENCE OF, OR THE GOLD MUSEUM SAYING THAT PEOPLE, PEOPLE'S ASKS THAT WERE MORE THAN THE MAX REIMBURSEMENT.

SO PLACES WHERE WE WOULD SAVE MONEY REGARDLESS BECAUSE WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T ASK.

THAT'S CORRECT.

SO THERE, THERE ARE GONNA BE HAVE TO BE SOME PLACES WHERE WE'RE GOING CHOICES, CORRECT? YEP.

CORRECT.

UM, I I WOULD SAY THAT IT, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT TO GO THROUGH THE LIST ON THIS INFORMATION AT THE LAST MINUTE TRYING TO AS A LINE ITEM THING.

AND, UM, ALMOST, UH,

[00:20:01]

IT SEEMS LIKE WE'VE DISCUSSION ABOUT IT IN GENERAL AS, UM, JUST GOING THROUGH THE LIST, WE'RE GONNA GET TO THE END OF THE LIST.

WELL, THIS IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY ON EACH OF THESE APPLICATIONS TO RAISE CONCERNS OR MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT YOU THINK DOWN THE LINE.

YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY IF WE'RE LOOKING AT A 350,000 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT'S BEEN ASKED FOR AND WHAT IS GOING TO BE AVAILABLE, UH, ASSUMING THAT THAT NUMBER IS RIGHT, I'M LOOKING AT THIS LIST AS A WHOLE AND ON THIS FIRST PASS, TRYING TO SAY, OKAY, I I, WE CAN GO THROUGH THIS AND FULLY FUND ALL OF 'EM ON THE, THE FIRST GO IF YOU LIKE.

AND THEN IN ROUND TWO WE'LL DO THE EXACT SAME THING AND MAKE THOSE CHANGES.

SO AS WE'RE GOING THROUGH EACH OF THESE, LET'S HAVE THE CONVERSATION OF, IT'S NOT THAT I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THE APPLICANTS ARE WORTHY OF FULL FUNDING, IT'S, WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE THAT FUNDING AVAILABLE.

SO WE KNOW WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO CUT SOME OF THESE DOWN OF, UM, WHAT'S GONNA BE RECOMMENDED TO TOWN COUNCIL.

IF YOU WANNA DO IT ON THE SECOND PASS, THAT'S WELCOME, BUT THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO YEAH, THAT'S, IS THAT OKAY? OKAY.

ISN'T IS THERE A CONSIDERATION TO THE FACT THAT THE NUMBER WE'RE WORKING IS DETERMINED? YEAH, IT MAKES OUR, OUR JOBS REALLY HARD.

IT'S NOT TOWN STAFF'S FAULT, IT JUST HASN'T BEEN REPORTED FROM THE STATE.

SO WE'RE KINDA SHOOTING IN THE DARK RIGHT NOW.

YEAH, IT'S NOT A CRITICISM, IT'S MORE OF A SHOULD.

DO WE, IS IT A RECOMMENDED AS THE MANDATE THAT WE GET TO THAT 3.8 NUMBER WITH A 350,000 REDUCTION OR IS IT A RECOMMENDATION? UNFORTUNATELY, EXCUSE ME.

UNFORTUNATELY THIS IS, THIS IS ALL WE HAVE RIGHT NOW.

I WON'T BRING IT UP AGAIN.

, I THINK WHAT HE'S ASKING IS THAT I THINK WHAT HE'S, WHAT HE'S ASKING IS THAT WITHOUT KNOWING THE NUMBER, IF WE GO OVER THE 3.8 IN OUR RECOMMENDATIONS, THEN THE ULTIMATE DECISION WOULD RELY ON, BECAUSE IT COULD BE FOR ALL WE KNOW, IT COULD BE 4 MILLION.

UM, 'CAUSE WE DID HAVE A PRETTY GOOD THIRD AND FOURTH QUARTER.

SO IF IT, UH, SO THEN THOSE CUTS WOULD COME FROM THE TOWN COUNCIL? CORRECT.

THAT'S OKAY.

OKAY.

ANY OTHER CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE, UH, GOLDEN MUSEUM OF HILTON NET ISLAND? OKAY, WE'LL LEAVE 180,000 THERE AND THEN MOVE ON TO HARBORTOWN MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION.

UH, THE APPLICATION REQUEST WAS FOR $29,000.

THE, UH, MAX REIMBURSABLE, ACCORDING TO THE TOWN IS 14,000 905 1.

I'M NOT SURE.

DID YOU HAVE ANY CONVERSATION WITH MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION ABOUT THEIR BUDGET, SHANNON? UH, YES.

THEY ALSO SENT, UM, AN ADDITIONAL BUDGET INFORMATION THAT'S BEEN UPDATED AS WELL ON THEIR FORM.

SO THOSE NUMBERS ARE, ARE, HAVE BEEN UPDATED BASED OFF WHAT THEY JUST RECENTLY SENT.

ALRIGHT.

I WAS WORKING OFF THE LAST SAID.

SHE'S, IT LOOKS ON THE, THE REIMBURSABLE IF YOU'RE LOOKING ON THAT ONE.

UH, FOR CATEGORY TWO, UH, THE REQUEST WAS FOR 19,720 WITH AN ELIGIBILITY OF 47.

SO THEY'RE GOOD ON THE 19 7 2.

UH, THEY ALSO HAVE PLENTY OF ROOM FOR, UH, CATEGORY FOUR, WHICH THE REQUEST WAS 2,610 WITH THE MAXIMUM REIMBURSEMENT OF 6,440.

AND THEN FOR CATEGORY FIVE, 6,670 WAS THE REQUEST WITH THE MAXIMUM REIMBURSEMENT OF 19,320.

SO THEIR MAXIMUM REIMBURSEMENT, UH, AVAILABLE WOULD BE 72,760.

YEAH.

THANK YOU.

OKAY.

HARBORTOWN MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION, $29,000 IS THE REQUEST.

ANY RECOMMENDATIONS HERE RECOMMEND, I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE APPROVE THAT REQUEST IN FULL.

ANY OTHER CONVERSATIONS, CONCERNS? OKAY, LET'S PUT 29,000 THERE.

HILTON HEAD, AUDUBON SOCIETY, UH, THE REQUEST WAS FOR 21,400.

I BELIEVE THIS IS THE ONE WHERE THEY SHOWED A PROFIT FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS, SO I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE MAYBE CAN CUT THIS BACK.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS? LOOKS LIKE THE REQUEST WAS FOR 21,400, BUT THEIR MAXIMUM REIMBURSEMENT IS ONLY 20,764.

THEY DO HAVE A HIGH TOURISM NUMBER, UM, AT 87%.

[00:25:01]

DO YOU HAVE A RECOMMENDATION FOR, I RECOMMEND WE CUT THIS BACK TO 15.

ANY OTHER CONVERSATIONS FOR THE AUDUBON SOCIETY? OKAY, LET'S PUT 15,000 THERE.

IF YOU DON'T MIND, AS WE PUT THESE IN BELOW THE REQUEST, CAN YOU CHANGE THE FONT OR HIGHLIGHT THE SALE SO WE KNOW WHICH ONE'S AT A QUICK GLANCE, MAYBE CHANGE THAT TO RED OR YELLOW.

JUST YEAH, THAT'S FINE.

GREAT.

OKAY.

WE WILL MOVE ON TO THE HILTON HEAD CHORAL SOCIETY.

THE REQUEST WAS FOR $20,000.

UM, MAXIMUM REIMBURSEMENT ELIGIBILITY IS 37,360.

I'LL OPEN THIS ONE UP FOR CONVERSATIONS, PLEASE.

THIS, THIS PARTICULAR ORGANIZATION, I'M A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE LODGING INDUSTRY AND, YOU KNOW, I'M LOOKING AT THESE IN TERMS OF BRINGING PEOPLE TO THE ISLAND TO ATTEND EVENTS.

AND THERE ARE SEVERAL IN HERE THAT I DON'T THINK REALLY GENERATE THE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE, BUT THEY ARE STILL A PART OF THE COMMUNITY AND THEY ARE STILL, THEY'RE, THEY'RE SO INTEGRATED WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AND THIS IS ONE OF THOSE, UM, THEY WORK WITH THE SYMPHONY.

THEY DO, YOU KNOW, ALL THAT.

SO, UM, I THINK WE SHOULD FUND THEM.

I'M NOT SURE IF, IF, YOU KNOW, IF, IF, IN TERMS OF TOURIST NUMBERS, IF THAT MIGHT BE WHERE WE START IN TERMS OF HAVING TO CHOP A LITTLE BIT.

UM, THIS MIGHT BE ONE THAT WE WANNA LOOK AT BECAUSE IT REALLY DOES NOT BRING IN THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE.

UM, YOU KNOW, THEIR PERCENTAGE WAS PRETTY LOW.

I WOULD AGREE WITH, WITH THAT.

I MEAN, THE TOURISM NUMBERS COME IN AT 9%, UM, ACROSS FOR THE, THE CHORAL SOCIETY.

UM, IT, IT'S JUST NOT, IT'S NOT GONNA GENERATE HEADS AND BEDS, BUT TO YOUR POINT, IT'S, IT'S BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG TIME AND A BIG PART OF THE ISLAND AND WHAT HAPPENS IN THE ARTS AND CULTURES.

SO IS THERE A RECOMMENDATION FOR A PLACEHOLDER ON THIS ONE? WHAT WAS THE PRIOR REQUEST FROM LAST YEAR? YEAH, 15,000 LAST YEAR.

AND THAT WAS APPROVED THROUGH TOWN COUNCIL.

I RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE TO PUT IN $15,000 TO MATCH LAST YEAR'S AWARDED FROM TOWN COUNCIL.

UM, WE DIDN'T SEE THAT NUMBER GROW YEAR OVER YEAR IN TOURISM.

AND TO SEE IT JUMP FROM 15 TO 20,000 IN THE, IN THE GRANT, YOU KNOW, YOU WOULD HOPE TO SEE THE TREND OF ALSO TOURISM INVOLVEMENT IN GOING UP AS WELL.

WE'RE NOT SEEING THE GROWTH ON THAT SIDE.

UM, AND AGAIN, JUST LOOKING DOWN THE SLATE, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO MAKE SOME CUTS AT SOME POINT, I THINK AS A PLACEHOLDER, PUTTING 15,000 HERE, UM, TO GET US IN THE RIGHT BALLPARK, MAYBE BE A GOOD PLACE TO START.

BUT I'LL LEAVE THAT TO YOU GUYS FOR A RECOMMENDATION HERE.

I WOULD AGREE WITH THAT.

I WOULD SUPPORT A RECOMMENDATION FOR 15,000.

ANYONE OPPOSED TO THAT RECOMMENDATION AT THIS TIME? OKAY, LET'S PLACE 15,000 THERE AND FORMAT THAT CELL PLEASE.

NEXT IS THE CONCOURSE DAILY.

UH, THE APPLICATION WAS, THE REQUEST WAS FOR $350,000 AND THAT'S A REDUCTION FROM LAST YEAR'S ASK OF $362,000.

ANY RECOMMENDATION FOR THE CONCOURSE I RECOMMENDED FULLY FUND.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS? OKAY, LET'S PLACE 350,000.

CONCOURSE DE AGAINST X IS THE HILTON HEAD DANCE THEATER.

LAST YEAR'S REQUEST WAS FOR 20,000.

THIS YEAR IS FOR 23,000.

THIS IS, AGAIN, ONE OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT I THINK DOESN'T NECESSARILY BRING IN THE NUMBERS.

UH, DOESN'T REALLY, YOU KNOW, GENERATE THE TOURISM, BUT IT IS SO IN INGRAINED IN THE COMMUNITY AND IT, IT IS INVOLVED IN SO MANY OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE SUPPORT AS WELL.

SO I WOULD, I DEFINITELY SUPPORT THEM.

I THINK THEY'RE DOING A GREAT JOB, UM, BUT I'M NOT NECESSARILY SURE THAT WE CAN INCREASE THEIR FUNDING.

DO YOU HAVE A RECOMMENDATION THERE? UM, I'M NOT SURE WHAT THEY GOT LAST YEAR, BUT MAYBE WE COULD GO BACK WITH LAST YEAR.

I BELIEVE LAST YEAR WAS 20,000, SO I WOULD RECOMMEND 20,000.

ANYBODY YOU OPPOSED TO PUTTING A PLACEHOLDER OF 20,000?

[00:30:02]

I RECOMMEND WE, UH, ALIGN THOSE WITH THE OTHER, WITH THE CHORAL SOCIETY.

TAKE IT DOWN TO 15.

ANY OTHER CONVERSATIONS THERE? WE HAVE ONE FOR 20,001 FOR 15,000.

WE'LL SAY FOR THE DANCE THEATER, UM, THEIR NUMBER IS SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN THAT OF THE OTHER APPLICANT.

NOT THAT I'M TRYING TO MEASURE ONE AGAINST THE OTHER, BUT HAVING A, A $3,000 INCREASE, UM, I WOULD, I, I WOULD SECOND THE RECORD.

UH, I WOULD RECOMMEND, LET'S PUT IN 20,000 THERE AS WELL.

UH, TO HOLD IT.

NEXT UP IS THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND AIRPORT.

UH, THE APPLICATION REQUEST WAS FOR $150,000.

UH, THAT'S THE MATCHES LAST YEAR'S REQUEST AS WELL.

COMMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND AIRPORT.

OUR RECOMMENDATION ON THIS ONE IS GONNA BE FULL FUNDING.

UH, THEY BRING THE TOURISTS TO THE ISLAND.

THEY'RE EXTREMELY INVOLVED WITH EXPANDING OVER THERE.

UM, YOU KNOW, THE, SEEMS LIKE THE ORGANIZATION'S FOCUS IS TO DRAW IN MORE TRAFFIC TO THE ISLAND, UH, HAVING THOSE DESTINATIONS COME DIRECTLY TO US AS OPPOSED TO OUTSIDE MARKETS.

SO I WOULD RECOMMEND 150,000 FULL FUNDING FOR THE AIRPORT.

I AGREE BEING THAT THEY'RE IN THE MID MIDDLE OF A MAJOR UPGRADE.

150,000 PLEASE FOR THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND AIRPORT.

NEXT IS THE HILTON HEAD BRIDGE ASSOCIATION.

REQUEST IS FOR $21,000.

LAST YEAR'S REQUEST WAS FOR 15,000 CONVERSATIONS ON THIS ONE, PLEASE.

15,000.

I WOULD RECOMMEND MATCHING LAST YEAR'S, UM, AS A PLACEHOLDER HERE OF 15,000.

THEY DO A FANTASTIC JOB.

UM, BUT THAT RETURN ON INVESTMENT PER DOLLAR, I DON'T, I DON'T SEE IT MATCHING.

GOING UP $6,000 FROM LAST YEAR'S APPLICATION.

THAT'S ME.

15,000 PLEASE.

FOR THE BRIDGE ASSOCIATION.

FAX IS THE HILTON HEAD LAND TRUST.

THIS YEAR'S REQUEST IS FOR $47,000.

UH, LAST YEAR'S REQUEST WAS FOR 36,000.

I'M SORRY, THE APPROVED AMOUNT WAS FOR 36,632.

THE E CONVERSATION PIECES HERE OR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE HOLTON HEAD LAND TRUST.

UH, THE TOTAL BUDGET FOR THE ORGANIZATION IS 83,000.

MAXIMUM REIMBURSEMENT IS 52,000 WITH A TOURISM RATE OF 92%.

THAT IS A $10,000.

UM, ABOVE LAST YEAR'S REQUEST, THEY REQUESTED 37,300, BUT ELIGIBILITY ONLY PUT THEM AT 36 6.

I'M GONNA RECOMMEND THAT WE PUT $37,000 HERE FOR THE LAND TRUST MATCHING LAST YEAR'S AWARDED AMOUNT.

THE CONVERSATION PIECES, I'LL SECOND THAT AGAIN, WE'RE, WE CAN MAKE ANOTHER RUN.

LET'S SEE AT THE END OF THIS, WHERE IT SETTLES AND WE CAN MAKE ADJUSTMENTS COMING THROUGH, BUT, OKAY.

NEXT ON THE LIST.

COLTON HEAD ISLAND REC ASSOCIATION.

UH, THIS IS FOR THE WING FEST, OYSTER FEST AND JEEP FEST.

UH, THEY'VE REQUESTED $75,000 THIS YEAR.

LAST YEAR THEY WERE AT 60,000 WAS THE REQUEST AND THE APPROVED AMOUNT FROM TOWN COUNCIL.

CONVERSATIONS ON THE REC CENTER'S REQUEST, PLEASE.

THIS IS ONE THAT WE'VE SEEN EACH OF THESE EVENTS GROW YEAR OVER YEAR.

UH, THEY'VE RELOCATED, UH, WHERE THE EVENT IS HELD.

UM, I THINK THEY DO A

[00:35:01]

FANTASTIC JOB.

I'M GONNA RECOMMEND FULL FUNDING HERE FOR THE REC CENTER.

SECOND, SECOND, 75,000 PLEASE IF THERE'S NO OBJECTIONS.

NEXT ON THE LIST IS THE ST.

PATRICK'S DAY PARADE.

UH, LAST YEAR THEIR REQUEST WAS FOR 86,000 ELIGIBILITY, UH, AND AWARDED FROM TOWN COUNCIL WAS $74,065.

THIS YEAR, THE REQUEST IS $80,000 FOR THE ST.

PATRICK'S DAY PARADE.

ANY THOUGHTS? FUNDING TWO RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE FULLY FUND.

ANY OBJECTIONS FOR A PLACEHOLDER OF 80,000? I'M READING THE, UH, YEAR CORRECTLY.

8,388 IS THE MAXIMUM REIMBURSEMENT.

THAT'S CORRECT.

IT LOOKS LIKE, UH, CATEGORY FOUR FOR THEM.

THE REQUEST WAS FOR 15,200 WITH A MAXIMUM REIMBURSEMENT OF 2006.

UH, I'M GONNA RECOMMEND BY LOOKING AT THE SHEET HERE OF WHAT'S MAXIMALLY AVAILABLE.

UM, JUST PLACING IN THAT PLACE.

ORDER 68,388.

OKAY, I AGREE.

AGAIN, IF, IF THEY'RE ABLE TO GET THAT CHANGE BEFORE IT GOES TO TOWN COUNCIL AND GET THAT, THAT LINED UP SO THERE'S MORE ELIGIBILITY AND CATEGORY FOUR THAT WOULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

BUT RIGHT NOW, I MEAN THE BUDGET FOR THAT PROJECT IS 4,000 AND THE REQUEST IS 15 TWO.

SO THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT JUST DON'T ALIGN ON THAT ONE.

WE'LL LEAVE IT AT 68.

3 88.

MAXIMUM REIMBURSEMENT AMOUNT X IS THE HILTON HEAD.

WINE AND FOOD RHYTHM AND BRUISE FEST.

, OH NO, I'M SORRY, WE'RE ON THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND WINE AND FOOD.

THIS, UM, THIS IS A NEW, UH, EVENT AND CLEARLY THEY'VE HAD SOME GROWING PAINS, UM, OR JUST GETTING IT STARTED HAS BEEN A LITTLE HARDER THAN THEY EXPECTED.

UM, I WOULD LIKE TO FUND THEM AGAIN FOR ANOTHER YEAR AND SEE HOW IT GOES.

UM, THE REASON THAT I'M RECOMMENDING THAT IS BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THEY ARE INTERTWINED WITH THE WINE FOOD FEST, WHICH IS GROWN INCREMENTALLY EVERY YEAR, AND I THINK THEY'RE ON THE RIGHT TRACK.

UM, I WOULD LIKE TO RECOMMEND THAT WE FULLY FUND THEM AND GIVE THEM ANOTHER SHOT.

YEAH, I WOULD AGREE.

UH, I WOULD SECOND THAT PUTTING IN 30,000 HERE.

ANY OBJECTIONS TO THAT? IT WAS PLACED 30,000 THERE.

AND THEN AGAIN, HILTON NET ISLAND WINE AND FOOD FEST.

THIS IS FOR THE WINE AND FOOD FEST ITSELF.

UH, NOT RHYTHM AND BRUISE.

UH, THIS APPLICATION WAS FOR $130,000.

RECOMMEND FULLY FUNDING THIS.

UM, 75% TOURISTS AT THIS EVENT.

AND THIS THING HAS GROWN EVERY YEAR.

CAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE INTO THE, IT REALLY DOES.

AND THAT'S NOT AN INCREASE FROM LAST YEAR'S REQUEST EITHER.

ON WHAT WAS, UH, APPROVED BY TOWN COUNCIL, THEY HELD TRUE TO 130,000.

PLACE.

130,000 PLEASE.

AND FOR THE WINE AND FOOD FEST, HILTON HEAD, MLK COMMITTEE FOR JUSTICE, THE APPLICATION WAS FOR $5,000.

THE MAXIMUM REIMBURSEMENT FOR THIS ONE WOULD BE $2,980.

ACCORDING TO THE APPLICATION WITH A 4% TOURISM.

UH, I'M GONNA RECOMMEND ZERO FUNDING FOR THIS ONE.

ARE YOU GONNA RECOMMEND WHAT? ZERO FUNDING? ZERO FUNDING FOR THIS ONE? UH, WE COULD PUT A PLACEHOLDER IN THERE.

LIKE A TOURISM OF 4%.

UM, I THINK WE HAD THIS APPLICATION LAST YEAR AS WELL.

THEY WERE AWARDED 4,513.

I WOULD AGREE.

AGAIN, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THAT JUST DOES NOT, THE NUMBERS DON'T ADD UP IN TERMS OF TOURISM NUMBERS.

UM, IT'S A GREAT CAUSE IT'S SO WONDERFUL ORGANIZATION AND I WOULD LIKE

[00:40:01]

TO HELP IN SOME WAY, BUT IT'S GIVEN THE FACT THAT WE'VE GOTTA CUT SOME MONEY, I THINK THIS MIGHT BE, YOU MIGHT BE CORRECT.

SO I WOULD SUPPORT YOUR RECOMMENDATION.

ANY OTHER CONVERSATIONS? I I WOULD, UH, AGREE WITH THE MAXIMAL MAX, UH, REIMBURSEMENT.

I AM OKAY WITH PUTTING IN 2,980 AS WE CYCLE THROUGH THIS.

WE'RE NOT GONNA MOVE THE NEEDLE ON $2,000 ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.

AGREE, IF, IF THE ASK IS FIVE AND THE, AND THE AXI TWO NINE KIND OF IN MARTIN'S CAMP HERE, THAT, THAT ION WHAT THEY'VE ASKED FOR AND I THINK WE'VE, I DON'T QUITE AGREE WITH IT.

I BELIEVE THEY CAN SUSTAIN THE EVENT AND, AND GET THEIR NUMBERS IN LINE.

OKAY.

LET'S PUT IN THE PLACE ORDER OF THE MAXIMUM REIMBURSEMENT AMOUNT OF $2,980 PLEASE.

NEXT ON THE LIST IS THE HILTON HEAD SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA.

OTHER REQUEST WAS FOR $350,000 THIS YEAR.

ANY CONVERSATIONS ON THAT ONE? GIVEN THE FACT THAT WE HAVE TO, UH, CUT QUITE A, QUITE A BIT OF MONEY OUT OF THIS PROPOSAL.

I, I RECOMMEND WE, UH, KEEP HIM WHOLE TO PREVIOUS YEAR'S, UH, GRANT, LAST YEAR'S RECOMMENDATION.

SO WE HAVE A, A RECOMMENDATION TO FULLY FIND AND THEN A RECOMMENDATION FOR, LEMME FIND THAT ONE HERE.

UH, 330,000.

ANY OTHER CONVERSATIONS ON? ONE OF THE REASONS I WOULD RECOMMEND FULL FUNDING IS THAT, THAT THEY'RE INCREASING, UM, ACTUALLY PROGRAMMING WITH THAT.

SO, YEAH, I, I AGREE.

I I KNOW WHERE YOUR SENTIMENT IS TO, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOTTA REDUCE AT SOME POINT, BUT I FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE CONTINUED TO GROW AND CONTINUED TO, UM, SPREAD THEIR WINGS AND HAVE MORE OF AN OFFERING.

I DON'T, I WOULD RECOMMEND FULLY FUNDING ON THIS ONE AS WELL AS WE GET STARTED AND THEN WE CAN ADJUST IT COMING BACK IF THAT'S NEEDED BE.

BUT I DON'T, THEIR NUMBERS ALIGN.

I MEAN, WITH THE FULL REIMBURSEMENT OF 764,000, THEY'RE WELL UNDER WHAT THEY'RE ELIGIBLE FOR AND THEIR TOURISM NUMBER CONTINUES TO GROW AND THEIR COLLABORATION ACROSS ALL ORGANIZATIONS, UH, IS EVIDENT.

SO THAT'S MY THOUGHTS.

THE THREE, LET'S HOLD THREE 50 THERE.

LEAN ENSEMBLE THEATER.

THE APPLICATION IS FOR $55,000.

LAST YEAR'S REQUEST WAS FOR, UH, 50,000.

I GIVE YOU A MINUTE TO REVIEW THAT.

ONE.

MAXIMUM REIMBURSEMENT FOR THIS ORGANIZATION IS 90,255.

TOURISM IS AT 21%.

UM, ANY RECOMMENDATIONS HERE? I RECOMMEND FULL FUNDING.

AS I SEE THIS ORGANIZATION IS GROWING EVERY YEAR AND NONE OF OFFERINGS THAT THEY'RE GIVING TO THE COMMUNITIES.

I WOULD AGREE WITH THAT.

I CONCUR.

I CONCUR.

ANY OBJECTIONS TO FUND A PLACEHOLDER? 55,000 FOR THE LIEN ENSEMBLE.

OKAY.

50,000, 55,000.

IT IS, UH, LOW COUNTRY GOLF COURSE OWNERS ASSOCIATION.

THE REQUEST THIS YEAR IS FOR $200,000.

UH, LAST YEAR'S APPLICATION WAS, I THINK A HUNDRED THOUSAND.

I THINK WE LEARNED DURING THE APPLICATION PROCESS THAT THEY HAD FUNDS COMING FROM ANOTHER GOVERNMENT SOURCE.

I FORGET WHETHER IT WAS NOW BEAUFORT COUNTY OR THAT WAS PULLED FROM THEM.

OH, UH, YEAH, THAT WAS PULLED FROM THEM.

UH, I BELIEVE IT WAS THE DMO HAD A EAR TAG AMOUNT RIGHT.

IN PREVIOUS YEARS FOR THEIR SUPPLEMENTAL GRANT THAT CAME IN.

AND THOSE MONIES AND EFFORTS WERE TRIGGERED TOWARDS THE LOW COUNTRY GOLF COURSE OWNERS ASSOCIATION.

UM, THERE'S NO SUPPLEMENTAL.

THEY INCREASED IT A HUNDRED TIMES, RIGHT? RIGHT.

THIS IS JUST ONE

[00:45:01]

OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS THAT IS FOCUSING ON SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS EVERY DAY ON THIS ISLAND, WHICH IS DRAWN IN FOLKS TO PLAY ONE OF OUR MANY GOLF COURSES.

UM, IT'S A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE, BUT WHAT THEY BRING IN, UH, WE SAW THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF WHAT HAPPENS IF 12 PLUS MILLION DOLLARS.

UM, ANY RECOMMENDATIONS HERE? I RECOMMEND FULL FUNDING.

I THINK IT'S, IT'S HARD TO, TO SHOW AN INCREASE LIKE THAT, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE'RE JUST FILLING A HOLE IN THE OVERALL BUDGET FROM ONE BUCKET OF TAX DOLLARS, IF YOU WILL, TO ANOTHER.

AND I THINK LISTEN TO THEIR PROGRAM, HEARD THAT THEIR AVERAGE STAY IS IN THE FOUR FIVE DAY RANGE.

SO THEY ARE OUR PEOPLE WHO ARE SPENDING RESTAURANTS.

SO I WOULD SUPPORT THE FULL FUNDING POINT.

ANY OBJECTIONS TO FULLY FUND $200,000 FOR THE LOW COUNTRY GOLF COURSE OWNERS ASSOCIATION.

NEXT ON THE LIST IS, UH, LONG COVE CLUB.

THIS IS FOR THE SOUTH CAROLINA DARIUS RUCKER LADIES COLLEGIATE EVENT THAT OCCURS.

UH, THE REQUEST WAS FOR 65,450.

UH, MAXIMUM REIMBURSEMENT ELIGIBILITY HERE IS 61,897.

SO WE'LL KEEP THAT AS OUR STARTING POINT.

UM, OPEN THIS ONE UP FOR DISCUSSION AND CONVERSATIONS.

UH, I, I THINK WE ALL KNOW THE VALUE OF THIS EVENT AND FUNDING FOR THE MAXIMUM REIMBURSABLE AMOUNT.

OKAY, LET'S PUT IN 61,897 PLEASE.

NEXT ON THE LIST IS LOW COUNTRY GOLA.

THE APPLICATION WAS FOR A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS, WHICH IT EQUALS LAST YEAR'S REQUEST AND GRANTED AMOUNT FROM TOWN COUNCIL.

ANY RECOMMENDATIONS OR CONVERSATIONS TO HAVE ABOUT LOW COUNTRY GOLA THAT THE, UH, AMOUNT OF PROMOTION THAT, THAT THEIR SERVICES PROVIDE FOR THE ISLAND? I RECOMMEND FULL FUNDING.

ANY OBJECTIONS FROM THERE? NO, I, I, I CONCUR AND I, THEIR DATA SAYS 82%, UH, TOURIST, 11% VISITOR.

SO THEY'RE DOING EXACTLY X DOLLARS THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING, YEAH, THEIR DASHBOARD FROM THEIR WEBSITE OF WHAT'S BEING USED AND WHAT THEY CAN VALIDATE.

UM, YOU KNOW, IT HELPS ALL THE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS WITH THE EFFORTS THAT THEY PUT IN.

SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND PUT A HUNDRED THOUSAND THERE.

NEXT ON THE LIST IS THE MITCHELLVILLE PRESERVATION PROJECT REQUEST OF $190,000.

A MATCH IS LAST YEAR'S REQUEST AND APPROVAL FROM TOWN COUNCIL AS WELL.

MAXIMUM REIMBURSEMENT IS THIS ONE IS 495,673, SERVING AT A 50% TOURISM FROM THEIR NUMBERS.

I'LL GO AHEAD AND RECOMMEND FULL FUNDING FOR THIS PROJECT.

WE'VE WATCHED THIS ONE CONTINUE TO GROW OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, AND I THINK THEIR VISION AND PRESERVATION IS RIGHT ON POINT.

MY RECOMMENDATION IS FULL FUNDING HERE.

I AGREE.

AS I THINK THAT THEY'RE PIONEERING.

UM, THEY'VE LISTENED TO US IN TERMS OF TRYING TO DEMONSTRATE WHERE PEOPLE ARE COMING FROM.

THEY, THEY TALKED ABOUT THEIR AI WORK AND THEIR, THEIR SCANNING OF QR CODES AT THEIR LOCATION.

SO WE'RE GETTING BETTER DATA TO SUPPORT IT.

SO BETTER DATA AND IT'S MORE IMPACTFUL DATA.

I THINK THEY'RE TWO.

I AGREE.

TRENDING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

190,000, UM, FOR MITCHELLVILLE.

NEXT ON THE LIST IS THE NATIVE ISLAND BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY.

THE APPLICATION WAS FOR $225,000.

UH, THAT MATCHES LAST YEAR'S APPLICATION AND WHAT WAS ALSO APPROVED FROM TOWN COUNCIL.

EXCUSE ME.

I WOULD RECOMMEND FULL FUNDING ON THIS ONE.

UM, I THINK THEY ARE EMBARKING IN A NEW DIRECTION.

UM, THEY HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, THEIR, THEIR, UH, PRESENTATION'S GONNA BE ENTIRELY DIFFERENT AND I THINK THAT, UM, I THINK WE'RE GONNA SEE BIG THINGS FROM THIS, THIS GROUP.

SO I WOULD RECOMMEND FULL FUNDING

[00:50:02]

YOUR RECOMMENDATION FOR FULL FUNDING OF 225,000.

DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY OBJECTIONS TO THAT? OKAY.

225,000.

NEXT UP IS THE ROTARY CLUB OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND FOR $40,000.

THIS IS A FIRST TIME APPLICANT, UM, SEEKING FUNDING FOR THE PURCHASE OF A WATER TANK, UH, TO BE USED AT ANY EVENT.

THAT WAS TO TAKE PLACE ON THE ISLAND, UH, AS A SOURCE OF HYDRATION FOR ALL THAT COME OPEN THIS ONE UP FOR CONVERSATION PLEASE.

FOR ME.

THIS ONE COMES DOWN TO THE QUESTION OF ELIGIBILITY.

I'M NOT SURE WHERE WE STAND, UM, OF WHAT TURK WOULD SAY THAT THIS IS.

OKAY.

AGAIN, TURK WILL NOT GIVE US THE ANSWER.

THEY TRY TO STAY OUT OF IT, BUT IT WOULD GO THROUGH THE PROCESS.

I THINK IT'S A WORTHY CAUSE.

I'M JUST NOT SURE THAT THE ACCOMMODATION TAXES CAN BE USED TO PURCHASE EQUIPMENT THAT GOES TO A BEACH.

YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THAT WOULD BECOME A TOWN'S INITIATIVE IF THE TOWN WANTED TO OFFER THAT AS A SERVICE.

UH, I JUST DON'T KNOW IF THE ACCOMMODATION TAX DOLLARS THAT ARE MEANT FOR HEADS AND BEDS AND STIRRING TOURISM, UM, WOULD FUND THIS.

AS I READ THROUGH THE TURF REQUIREMENTS, IT INDICATES SERVICING TOURISTS IS VALID.

I THINK THE RESPONSIBILITY HERE THOUGH, IS ALSO TO ED'S CONCEPT IN MIND.

KINDA A TOUGH TERM.

BUT THE REALITY IS UNLESS FOLKS CAN GENERATE NEW AT DOLLARS, THEN COMMITTEE OR THE ORGANIZATION BEGINS TO.

SO BALANCING QUESTION THERE, WE ALL AGREE THIS WOULD BE A GREAT THING TO DO.

IT'D BE LOVELY TO HAVE THE TOWN DO IT.

IF WE'RE FACING A QUARTER OF A MILLION DOLLAR, $300,000 DROP.

IT'S A LITTLE DIFFICULT TO ADD SOMETHING NEW THAT SOME OF US HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT TURK ELIGIBILITY.

UH, I FEEL IT MEETS TURK ELIGIBILITY, BUT SADLY WE HAVE TO MAKE, UH, CUTS SOMEWHERE.

I THINK THAT THIS, UH, THIS IDEA AND THIS CONCEPT SHOULD BE APPROVED BY TOWN COUNCIL AND COME OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND IF NEEDED BY OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT PROJECT THIS AN ELEMENTAL IDEA AND CONCEPT FOR THE TOWN AND THE FACT THAT WE SHOULDN'T BE.

YEAH.

I CAN ALSO, UH, IF WE CAN REMEMBER FROM THEIR PRESENTATION, THEY ARE ALSO SEEKING A LOT OF, UH, SO THIS MIGHT BE A REIMBURSABLE AMOUNT WHERE THEY MAY ASK $40,000 AND ONLY NEED 20,000.

AND THE OTHER ITEM THAT WE SHOULD REMEMBER TOO IS THAT ONCE THEY PURCHASE THIS, THIS IS A ONE TIME THING.

YEAH, IT'S DONE.

YEAH, IT'S ONE AND DONE.

MM-HMM.

, WE DON'T KNOW DEFINITIVELY WHETHER ABOUT ELIGIBILITY FOR THIS YET.

THAT ULTIMATE DECISION TO, I MEAN, IT'S ON THIS BODY TO MAKE THE RECOMMENDATION OF WHETHER OR NOT WE THINK IT'S, IT'S UP TO US.

UH, IF WE WANNA RECOMMEND THAT TOWN COUNCIL APPROVE AND SPEND THIS MONEY, THEN IT WOULD GO UP TO TURK TO SEE IF IT'S ELIGIBLE.

AND AGAIN, I'M NOT, I THINK IT'S A FANTASTIC CAUSE AND A GREAT IDEA.

I JUST DON'T KNOW IF IT'S GONNA PASS, YOU KNOW, WHEN IT'S VIEWED UNDER THE MICROSCOPE.

I THINK EVEN IF WE WEREN'T TO FULLY FUND THIS ONE, WHEN WE GO TO TOWN COUNCIL AND WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, WE GIVE 'EM A WRITE UP AND SAY, HERE'S WHERE WE STAND ON THIS.

WE WOULD HIGHLIGHT THIS ONE AND SAY, WE THINK THIS IS A WORTHY CAUSE.

YOU SHOULD GET BEHIND.

WE WOULD DO IT.

WE'RE JUST UNCERTAIN OF WHETHER OR NOT, YOU KNOW, AAX DOLLARS CAN BE SPENT THERE.

IT'S NOT NO TO THE IDEA OR WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO.

IT'S DOES IT FALL TO THIS BODY AND THIS COMMITTEE TO MAKE THAT RECOMMENDATION? UH, FOR ME, I, I WOULD BELIEVE THAT IT WOULD BE COVERED UNDER TUR FOR THE FACT THAT IF YOU'RE GONNA COVER OTHER SERVICES LIKE BATHROOMS. SO, UM, I WOULD JUST SAY TO THAT COMMENT THAT I AGREE WITH YOU, BUT THAT USUALLY COMES FROM THE TOWN'S GENERAL FUND.

YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT GONNA COME FROM THIS COMMITTEE THAT IS MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS AND GRANTS TO ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE DRAWING, PUTTING, YOU KNOW, MONEY IN THE BUCKET WHEN IT COMES TO TOURISM.

SO THIS IS A TOUGH ONE.

THERE MIGHT NOT BE A MORE, UH, LIKES THE VISION OF CHARLES FRAZIER AND THE FOUNDERS OF, I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE FUND

[00:55:01]

AND AT LEAST RECOMMEND AND LET, LET THE CHIPS FALL WHERE THEY MAY WITH REGARDS TO TOWN COUNCIL'S FINAL, FINAL DECISION.

BUT I JUST FEEL LIKE SOME FORM OF FUNDING, IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FROM US AND THEN WE'LL LET THE CHIPS FALL WHERE THEY MAY.

I JUST THINK IT'S THAT CRITICAL.

IT'S JUST SPEAKS OUR, AS A COMMUNITY.

I THINK THAT WE SHOULD FUND IT TOO, AND HOW COUNCIL DECIDE ABOUT THE ELIGIBILITY, BUT ALSO LET THE THEM DECIDE IF IT NEEDS TO COME FROM GENERAL FUND FUNDING.

YEAH.

SIMILAR TO WHAT WE DID WITH HABITAT.

OKAY.

RECOMMENDATION FOR FULL FUNDING THERE.

OKAY.

LET'S PUT A PLACE HOLDER OF 40,000 FOR THE ROTARY CLUB.

NEXT IS THE SEA TURTLE PATROL.

THE REQUEST IS FOR $70,000, MAXIMUM REIMBURSEMENT OF $70,000.

UH, LAST YEAR THEIR REQUEST WAS FOR 70,000.

IT WAS ALSO APPROVED BY TOWN COUNCIL.

I'LL MAKE A RECOMMENDATION FOR FULL FUNDING ON THE SEA TURTLE PATROL ON 90% TOURISTS.

YEAH.

ANY OBJECTIONS TO FULLY FUND THE SEA TURTLE PATROL PLACE? 70,000 THERE PLEASE.

SHELTER COVE HARBOR COMPANY $293,800.

I OPEN THIS ONE UP FOR CONVERSATIONS PLEASE.

THE MAXIMUM REIMBURSEMENT IS 389,936, UH, WITH THE 78% TOURISM NUMBER.

UM, WITH THIS IS A 12 WEEK EVENT THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER.

UH, I KNOW WITHOUT QUESTION THAT THESE FIREWORKS BRING PEOPLE TO THIS ISLAND, NO QUESTION ABOUT IT.

UH, WE DEFINITELY NEED TO SUPPORT THIS.

UM, I DID HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BUDGET.

I KNOW THAT THERE WAS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PROVIDED FOR US.

NO, NO ADDITIONAL, UM, WE TOOK THE BUDGET DETAILS LISTED IN THE APPLICATION THAT WEREN'T NECESSARILY WITHIN THE, THE BUDGET THEY PROVIDED, BUT THEY WERE DISCLOSED WITHIN THE APPLICATION AND THE PORTIONS THAT IN THE, THOSE TEXT BOXES.

SO WE HAD SOME INFORMATION TO BASE NUMBERS OFF OF, EVEN THOUGH IT WASN'T TECHNICALLY IN THE OVERALL BUDGET.

UM, I, I, I, EVERYBODY WHO LIVES HERE, WE ALL KNOW THIS IS ABSOLUTELY A WORTHY ORGANIZATION AND WE NEED TO SUPPORT IT A HUNDRED PERCENT.

ANY OBJECTIONS TO FULLY FUND HERE? $293,800 TO SHELTER COVE HARBOR COMPANY.

TEDX HILTON HEAD.

A REQUEST OF $10,000.

UH, I BELIEVE THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE FROM PREVIOUS YEARS.

LAST YEAR'S APPLICATION WAS FOR 45,000.

THAT WAS, UH, APPROVED BY TOWN COUNCIL AS WELL.

THEY REDUCED THEIR REQUEST BY $35,000.

UH, AND IT'S A FANTASTIC EVENT, A GROWING EVENT.

THERE'S NO QUESTION IN MY MIND THAT FORTUNATELY $10,000 OF ACCOMMODATION TAX IS A GOOD USE OF MONEY HERE FOR TEDX AS THEY WEAN THEMSELVES OFF AND ARE, ARE STRIVING TO BE INDEPENDENT.

I THINK A $10,000 IS NOT A SIGNIFICANT ASK FOR WHAT THEY'RE DOING HERE ON THE ISLAND.

SEEING AS THEY, THEY'VE SAID THIS IS THEIR LAST YEAR.

THEY PLAN ON ASKING AND THERE'S ESTABLISHING THAT EVENT AND THEY'VE ESTABLISHED IT NOW AND THEY'RE LOOKING TO GO FORWARD.

10,000 PLEASE.

BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF HILTON HOOD APPLICATION IS FOR $40,000 A MATCHES LAST YEAR'S REQUEST AND APPROVED AMOUNT FROM TOWN COUNCIL.

ANY OBJECTIONS TO FULLY FUND THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF HILTON HEAD? SEEING NONE, LET'S PUT 40,000 THERE.

OKAY.

THIS IS, UH, THE COASTAL DISCOVERY MUSEUM, UH, FOR A $400,000 REQUEST.

LAST YEAR, THE APPLICATION IN AWARDED AMOUNT WAS 375,000.

AGAIN, TURNING TO THE COMMITTEE FOR CONVERSATIONS AND RECOMMENDATION.

I WOULD RECOMMEND FULL FUNDING.

UM, I KNOW THESE LARGE DOLLARS ARE HARD TO SUPPORT WHEN WE'RE, WE KNOW, WE MAY HAVE TO CUT SOME NUMBERS.

UM, IN THE PAST WE'VE, WE'VE SUPPORTED THE MUSEUM WITH SOME CAPITAL FUNDS TO BUILD OUT THEIR, UH, LAYS AND BUILDINGS AND THEY ARE INCREASING ATTENDANCE AND THEIR TOURISM NUMBERS ARE JUST,

[01:00:02]

I AGREE.

AS THEY ALSO FIT THE MODEL OF CULTURAL ENVIRONMENTAL TOURISM, WHICH WE'RE TRYING TO GROW.

AND, UM, THEY DO.

ANY OBJECTIONS TO FULLY FUND 400,000 TO THE COASTAL DISCOVERY MUSEUM ON THIS FIRST PASS? OKAY.

400001ST TEE OF THE LOW COUNTRY.

UH, THEY HAVE, THEIR BUDGET IS FINALIZED IN NOVEMBER.

YOU'LL SEE THAT ON YOUR, YOUR REMARKS.

UH, AND WE'LL GET IT TO TOWN STAFF.

UM, LOOKING AT LAST YEAR'S FROM 40,000 TO 50,000 THIS YEAR, THIS ONE HAS A QUESTION MARK AGAIN ON, UM, WHAT'S THE REIMBURSABLE AMOUNT HERE? WE'RE NOT SURE WHAT THAT IS QUITE YET BECAUSE WE'RE WAITING ON SOME NUMBERS TO COME IN AS A PLACEHOLDER.

WE COULD PUT THE NUMBER HERE.

AGAIN, THIS WOULD OUR RECOMMENDATION TO TOWN COUNCIL, UM, YOU KNOW, WAITING FOR THOSE FINAL DETAILS TO COME IN.

WHATEVER NUMBER WE PUT HERE IS GONNA BE HIGHER THAN ZERO.

SO, UH, RIGHT NOW ELIGIBILITY SHOWS ZERO 'CAUSE THEY'RE MISSING SOME ITEMS, BUT THEY SHOULD GET THOSE TO US IN NOVEMBER.

ANY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE FIRST TEE OF THE LOW COUNTRY? CHRIS, I'M NOT SURE WHERE THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT ALLOWED PER TURK COMES FROM IF WE DON'T HAVE THE DATA, BUT THAT'S $388,000 IN THESE SPREADSHEETS.

MM-HMM.

.

SO I WOULD RECOMMEND FULLY FUNDING THIS.

YEAH, I THINK EVERYTHING'S GONNA COME FROM CATEGORY ONE.

I DON'T SEE THERE BEING AN ELIGIBILITY ISSUE FOR 50,000.

UM, TYPICALLY THOSE ARE FUNDED AT A HUNDRED PERCENT OR HAVE THE ABILITY TO BE, AND AGAIN, WITH THE MAXIMUM ALLOWED BY TURK BEING THAT 3 88, UH, I DON'T THINK WE'RE IN JEOPARDY OF IT NOT BEING, IT'S JUST, UH, THEM GETTING IN SOME DOCUMENTS.

WELL, I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT DOLLARS BEING INVESTED AND SPENT BY THE ORGANIZATION.

ABSOLUTELY.

THAT'S ALL PLACE.

50,000 FOR THE FIRST SEAT OF THE LOW COUNTRY HERITAGE LIBRARY.

UH, THE GRANT REQUEST WAS FOR 143,000 LAST YEAR'S REQUEST AND APPROVAL WAS FOR $135,000.

LOOKS LIKE THE MAXIMUM REIMBURSABLE IS 1 39.

YEAH, THAT'S CORRECT.

IT HAS A HIGH TOURISM NUMBER, BUT IT GOING OFF OF THE MAX REIMBURSABLE AMOUNT, UH, THE MOST WE CAN MAKE A RECOMMENDATION AT THIS TIME IS THAT 1 39, 445 IF WE WERE TO CHOOSE.

SO 135,000 AND REALLY WHERE THEY'VE OVER SHOT HERE IS IN THAT CATEGORY TWO.

UH, IT'S ONLY AT AN 80% REIMBURSABLE DOLLAR AMOUNT.

THEY REQUESTED 20,000 FOR CATEGORY TWO WITH A MAXIMUM REIMBURSEMENT OF 13 1 45.

I HAD SOME QUESTIONS WHEN WE, WHEN WE MET ABOUT THE, UM, VALIDATION FOR THEIR WAS FULLY SUPPORTIVE.

I ALSO NOTE THAT IN THE LAST THREE YEARS THEY'VE AVERAGED 2330.

WELL, THEY'VE DONE 23, 31 AND $31,000 OF PROFIT.

SO IT, I WOULDN'T BE ADVERSE TO IN 135,000 LAST YEAR.

THAT'S WHAT WAS APPROVED BY TIME COUNCIL.

YES.

135.

ANY OBJECTIONS TO PLACING THE HERITAGE LIBRARY AT 135,000? HEARING NONE.

WE'LL PUT 135,000 MATCHING LAST YEAR'S REQUEST.

THE OUT TOWN FOUNDATION IS NEXT ON THE LIST.

72,000 THAT MATCHES LAST YEAR'S REQUEST AND APPROVED AMOUNT BY TOWN TOWN COUNCIL.

UM, THEY HAVE A MAXIMUM REIMBURSEMENT AMOUNT OF 289,000.

THAT'S OUR HIGHEST TOURIST PERCENTAGE.

YEAH, THE

[01:05:01]

EVENT THEY PUT ON TOO.

THIS IS WAY MORE THAN JUST THE WORK THEY DO ON THE WATERWAYS, BUT THE, THE PADDLE EVENT, UM, A FANTASTIC EVENT THAT HAPPENS ON OUR WAYS WATERWAYS THAT BRING IN A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF FOLKS FROM INSIDE.

UH, I'M SORRY, FROM OUTSIDE THE 50 MILE RADIUS? YES.

THEIR MAINTENANCE OF THE WATERWAYS IS ONLY FUNDING 72,000 TO THE OUTSIDE FOUNDATION.

ANY OBJECTIONS? OKAY.

AND THEN THE SANDBOX, THE REQUEST IS FOR $64,000.

THAT IS ABOUT A $3,000 INCREASE FROM LAST YEAR'S APPROVED AMOUNT OF 60,765.

THEY HAVE A MAXIMUM REIMBURSEMENT OF 82,000 SERVING AT AT 69% TOURISM.

UH, THEIR CATEGORY TWO REQUEST OF 27 5 20 IS A COUPLE HUNDRED DOLLARS OVER WHAT'S ALLOWED, UH, FOR THAT CATEGORY.

SO IF WE CAN SUM UP, I CAN PULL OUT A CALCULATOR OR IF YOU CAN SUM IT, 21,192 AND REIMBURSEMENT.

THAT'S, THAT'S MAX REIMBURSEMENT.

BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE REQUEST ON CATEGORY TWO, THEY'VE OVERSHOT WHAT'S ELIGIBLE TO COME IN JUST BY A COUPLE HUNDRED DOLLARS THERE.

SO THE REQUEST IS FOR 64, BUT WE WOULD HAVE TO REDUCE THAT BY 27.

FIVE 20.

WELL, WE'RE JUST SHIFTING $803 THERE.

YEAH, IF THEY WANT, I MEAN, IF THEY HAD THE ABILITY TO SHIP SOME OF THOSE DOLLARS UP INTO A DIFFERENT CATEGORY, THEY WOULD BE ELIGIBLE IF THEY MOVED TO CATEGORY ONE.

YEP.

YEP.

YOUR RECOMMENDATION.

FULL FUNDING.

WHAT IF YOU WANTED ONLY FUND WITHIN THE EXPENSE CATEGORIES? SO YOU'RE, IF YOU'RE SUGGESTING IS TO TAKE ROUGHLY 3000 OFF THE MATCH, THAT'S FINE.

WELL, I THINK THEY HAVE PLENTY OF ROOM IN CATEGORY ONE.

IF THEY WERE TO MOVE SOME OF THEIR EXPENDITURES AROUND, YOU KNOW, THEY STILL HAVE 6,000 IN CATEGORY ONE IF THEY WERE OR THREE OR CATEGORY THREE.

SO 64,000 FOR THE BEST.

SO IS THE CLASSIFICATION OF LIKE EXPENSES LIKE THAT TRADITION? SURE, YEAH, THEY CAN, IF THEY END UP SPENDING MORE IN CATEGORY ONE THAN THEY'RE BUDGETED TO DO, YOU KNOW, THEY WOULD JUST HAVE LESS REIMBURSABLE DOLLARS COMING FROM THAT OTHER CATEGORY.

CATEGORY TWO, THEY COULD STILL MAX OUT AT THEIR ELIGIBILITY OF, UM, 27, 520, I'M SORRY, FUND, KNOWING THAT THERE'S A $3,000 MISMATCH REVERSIBLE, THEY WOULDN'T GET THAT $3,000 ANYWAY.

ONLY FUNDED $64,000 FOR THE SANDBOX.

OKAY.

THAT CONCLUDES OUR, OUR FIRST PASS HERE.

UH, LOOKS LIKE WE'RE AT THAT $4,186,065, WHICH PUTS US ABOUT 294 OVER THE ANTICIPATED AMOUNT.

UM, SO WE HAVE SOME SIGNIFICANT CONVERSATIONS AND WORK TO DO HERE TO, I I, I KNOW THAT THIS NUMBER COULD SHIFT AND IT COULD BE HIGHER.

DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE MAKING A RECOMMENDATION AT $300,000 OVER WHAT IS BEING PRESENTED FROM TOWN STAFF OF WHAT THEIR ESTIMATE, ESTIMATE, UH, DOLLARS BEING ALLOCATED ARE.

UM, WE'RE GONNA GO THROUGH THESE AGAIN, BUT LET'S HAVE A CONVERSATION OF THE PAST OF THE WHOLE, LET'S SEE, UH, WHAT EVERYBODY'S THOUGHTS ON, ON HOW WE CAN REDUCE THIS NUMBER NOW THAT WE'VE GONE THROUGH AND TALKED ABOUT EACH OF THESE.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO REVIEW ALL THE HIGHLIGHTED YELLOW ONES AND HAVE MORE CONVERSATION OR GO THROUGH AND SEE WHERE WE CAN SHAVE A LITTLE BIT OFF ON EACH OF THESE NUMBERS WHILE WE'RE STILL IN SESSION? IS THERE ? UNFORTUNATELY THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE THE CASE.

UM, HOWEVER, WE'LL CALL THE STATE AGAIN, UM, TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY UPDATE ON THE NUMBER FOR QUARTER THREE.

SO NOW THE QUESTION COMES TO THE COMMITTEE OF WHAT RECOMMENDATIONS ARE YOU WANTING TO MAKE TO TOWN COUNCIL? ARE YOU WANTING TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION THAT IS ABOVE

[01:10:01]

WHAT WE PREDICT TO BE AVAILABLE AND PUT THAT IN THE LAP OF TOWN COUNCIL TO MAKE THE DECISION IN THE CUTS? OR DO WE WANT TO GO THROUGH THIS, TRY OUR BEST TO GET IT IN THE, THE RIGHT REALM FOR TOWN COUNCIL? AGAIN, THEY CAN COME BACK AS THEY HAVE IN YEARS PAST WHERE WE HAVEN'T HAD, UM, QUESTIONS ANSWERED ON ELIGIBILITY AND THEY WERE TO COME BACK AND FULLY FUND.

SO IF THEY'RE GONNA GO THROUGH EACH OF THESE AND SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT NUMBERS CAME IN, WE HAVE 4.1 MILLION AND THEY CAN MAKE THE ADJUSTMENTS.

BUT I THINK WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS JUST TIGHTEN THE KALEIDOSCOPE OF, OF WHAT THEY'RE VIEWING HERE.

I I FEEL THAT WE, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT IT AND, UH, SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING WE CAN TIGHTEN UP.

BUT, UM, THE ULTIMATE DECISION IS GONNA FALL ON TOWN COUNCIL WHERE TO MAKE CUTS AND DIFFICULT AS, AS THAT DECISION IS.

PART OF IT IS BECAUSE SOME OF THE FUNDING HAS BEEN TAKEN AWAY FOR OTHER THINGS, UM, IN THIS OR YEAR IT'S REALLY AFFECTING THIS FUNDING.

SO, UM, BEING THE TOWN COUNCIL MADE THAT DECISION, I BELIEVE THAT SOME OF THE CUTS SHOULD FALL ON THEM AS WELL.

YEAH, IT'S TWOFOLD WITH THE REDUCTION IN WHAT'S ANTICIPATED TO COME IN BEING DOWN EIGHT, 9% PLUS THE ADDITIONAL FUNDS COMING OFF THE TOP TO FOCUS ON WORKFORCE HOUSING, WHICH IS A, A BIG INITIATIVE FOR THIS TOWN.

UH, IT'S, UH, SOMETHING THAT HAS TO BE FOCUSED ON, BUT WHAT IT DOES TO THIS COMMITTEE IS, UH, LIMIT OUR RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR SURE.

YOU KNOW, UM, BUT THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE, YOU KNOW, TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND MAKE THOSE DECISIONS.

MY MY VIEW IS THAT WE DON'T NEED TO GET DOWN TO THE, THE LOWEST NUMBER WE CAN, BUT I THINK WE HAVE SOME RESPONSIBILITY TO THE ORGANIZATIONS AND THE TOWN COUNCIL TO TRY TO MOVE IT DIRECTIONALLY TOWARD WHERE WE THINK THAT NUMBER'S GONNA BE BACK THROUGH THESE AGAIN AND SEE IF WE CAN SHARPEN IT A LITTLE BIT.

AGAIN, THAT'S NOT A, UM, CRITICISM OF ANYONE THAT'S, THAT'S APPLIED ANY OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS.

THEY ALL DO FINE WORK, BUT MORE MONEY COMES IN THEN SOME OF THOSE FUNDS CAN BE RESTORED.

BUT I THINK WE NEED TO SHAVE SOME DOLLARS OFF WHERE WE STAND.

SIR, IS THERE ANY HISTORICAL DATA AVAILABLE TO US ABOUT SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCES WHO MAKE CUTS RECOMMENDATION TO TOWN COUNCIL AND THEN THE FUNDING CHA NUMBER CHANGED.

THAT'S WERE NOT NECESSARY.

DO WE HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO REVISIT HISTORICAL WE BACK WHERE FROM? UM, THEY HAVE MADE CHANGES.

TOWN COUNCIL HAS, UM, BUT NOT IN A SENSE WHERE WE CAME AT A LOWER NUMBER AND THEY WERE ABLE TO UTILIZE MORE MONEY AFTERWARDS.

YEAH, I THINK WHAT WE VOTE ON AND MOVE TO RECOMMEND A TOWN COUNCIL IS GONNA BE THE FINAL DECISION.

WHAT WE'RE GONNA WRITE UP AND SEND THE TOWN COUNCIL AS TO WHAT WE FEEL SHOULD BE RECOMMENDED TO THESE ORGANIZATIONS.

AGAIN, WE'RE, WE'RE SHOOTING IN THE DARK THOUGH.

WE REALLY ARE.

UH, I FEEL LIKE THE NUMBER'S PROBABLY GONNA COME IN A LITTLE HIGHER, UM, THAN WHAT WE'RE ANTICIPATING JUST BECAUSE OF THE EVENTS THAT HAVE HAPPENED WITH, UH, DIFFERENT FOLKS CHOOSING TO CHANGE THEIR DESTINATION OVER THE LAST QUARTER.

UH, WITH THE STORMS THAT CAME THROUGH, WE, WE DEFINITELY SAW AN INCREASE OF OCCUPANCY ACROSS THE ISLAND OVER A THREE, FOUR WEEK STRETCH THERE.

SO WHO KNOWS, UM, WHAT THAT WILL REALLY DO.

BUT WE CHRIS, CAPTURE THIS LIST THAT IF, IF THE FUNDING WERE THERE, THIS IS WHAT WE WOULD RECOMMEND.

SO THAT TOWN COUNCIL KNOWS WHERE WE STOOD PRIOR TO MAKING CUTS IN ANTICIPATION OF FEWER DOLLARS COMING IN.

I UNDERSTAND THE RECOMMENDATION HAS TO BE ONE PLAN, BUT WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO PRESENT THIS AS IT SITS NOW AS IF THE MONEY IS THERE.

THIS IS WHAT WE WOULD PREFER TO RECOMMEND.

I THINK THAT'S IT.

I THINK THAT'S A GREAT, I, UM, SUGGESTION.

UM, AGAIN, MY Q3 AND Q4 ARE JUST ESTIMATED NUMBERS, SO IF THIS IS YOUR IDEAL RECOMMENDATION, THEN I THINK YOU NEED TO GO AHEAD AND LEAVE IT.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I THINK YOU NEED TO ALSO THINK ABOUT WHERE DO WE CUT 254,000 IF WE NEED TO.

UM, LET ME ASK YOU THIS.

WERE, WHEN YOU WERE MAKING, WHEN YOU WERE MAKING YOUR PASS AT, AT WHAT YOU THINK THE FINAL NUMBERS WILL BE, WERE YOU TAKING IN, INTO ACCOUNT, UM, WHAT STEVE WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT AT MAYBE NUMBERS WERE UP BECAUSE WE BECAME A DESTINATION, UH, FOR A LOT OF TRAVELERS BECAUSE OF STORMS? UH, NO, I DID NOT.

WERE YOU JUST USING PREVIOUS YEARS OR JUST FOLLOWING THE TREND OF THIS YEAR, WHAT YOU'VE SEEN FROM THE PRIOR? YEAH, SO I'M USING THE TRENDS FROM PRIOR YEARS AND IN ADDITION TO, UM, LOOKING AT THE DMO AND WHAT THEY'RE USING IN THEIR METRICS MEASUREMENTS, SO I'M USING BOTH.

UH, AGAIN, THIS IS AN ESTIMATED NUMBER.

UM, I WISH I HAD A CRYSTAL BALL, AND I CAN TELL YOU THIS IS THE REAL NUMBER.

[01:15:01]

WHAT I'M DOING RIGHT NOW.

I'M ACTUALLY ASKING MY STAFF TO CALL THE STATE AGAIN WHILE WE'RE HAVING THIS MEETING AND SEE THEY CAN GIVE US A BETTER IDEA FOR Q3.

HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET, UM, A BETTER NUMBER, UM, TODAY, BUT THEY HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION YET.

IF WE'RE GOING OFF OF THIS NUMBER OF BEING A DEFICIT OF STILL $294,000, TO YOUR POINT, GOING THROUGH AND SHAVING 2000 OFF OF EACH OF THESE ISN'T GONNA SOLVE OUR PROBLEM OF BEING OVER.

YOU KNOW, IT'S GONNA TAKE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO SOME OF THESE.

UM, SO LET'S DO ANOTHER PASS ON THESE.

KEEP THAT IN CONSIDERATION.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE COULD ALWAYS GO BACK TO PASS ONE, YOU KNOW, LOOK AT OUR FIRST GO IF WE WANNA GO THROUGH.

BUT LET'S GO THROUGH ON PASS TWO AND TRY TO, TO SHRINK THAT NUMBER A LITTLE BIT, UH, TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION AS TO LAST YEAR'S TOWN COUNCIL AWARDED AMOUNT, KNOWING THAT WE HAVE A HARD DECISION HERE OF, OF WHAT TO DO.

UM, AGAIN, THIS ISN'T A SLIGHT ON ANY OF THE APPLICANTS THAT YOU'RE NOT AWARE.

THE CALL IS A FULL FUNDING, BUT YOU CAN SEE THE NUMBERS WE'RE UP AGAINST, AND WE DON'T WANNA GIVE ANYBODY FALSE HOPES.

UH, IT'S GONNA TAKE A LITTLE BIT FROM ALL OF US TO, TO GET INTO THE REALM OF WHERE WE NEED TO BE.

BUT WE, BUT WE CAN, WE CAN MAKE A RECOMMENDATION THAT IF THE, THE NUMBERS COME BACK.

'CAUSE I, I THINK WE WOULD CLASSIFY AS WHAT WE'VE HAVE TO WORK WITH TODAY IS A CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATE.

I KNOW THERE'S NO CRYSTAL BALL.

WE ALL KNOW THERE'S NO CRYSTAL BALL, BUT IT'S A CONSERVATIVE, UH, ESTIMATE IF THE, THE FUNDING DOES BECOME AVAILABLE, WE WOULD PREFER TO MAKE OUR RECOMMENDATION BE OUR FIRST ROUND NUMBER IS VERSUS THERE'D HAVE TO BE SOME LANGUAGE WITH OUR RECOMMENDATION TO TOWN COUNCIL TO THAT WE EXPRESS THAT CLEARLY.

UH, AND JUST FOR YOUR INFORMATION, UH, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT OF COURSE OUR MAYOR HAS TO APPROVE, UH, TO ADD IT TO THE AGENDA, BUT RIGHT NOW WE'RE THINKING THAT JANUARY 14TH WILL BE THE DATE WHEN YOU WILL PROPOSE TO COUNCIL.

SO WE STILL HAVE A FEW, SOME TIME TO CHANGE THE NUMBERS, BUT AGAIN, I DON'T WANT TO GIVE FALSE HOPE THAT THE NUMBER IS GOING TO COME BACK HIGHER THAN WHAT IT IS.

UM, BUT WE, WE, WE WON'T BE PRESENTED IN DECEMBER LIKE WE DID LAST YEAR.

SO YOU WILL BE PRESENTED ON JANUARY 14TH.

AT LEAST THAT'S THE TENTATIVE DATE.

UM, LET ME ASK YOU, THIS IS IN THE PACKET THAT THE TOWN COUNCIL WILL RECEIVE.

WILL ALL OUR PASSES BE IN THAT PACKET OR WILL JUST BE OUR FINAL RECOMMENDATION? I MEAN, I'M GLAD THE MAYOR IS HERE TO SEE THIS DISCUSSION BECAUSE HE, HE KNOWS THAT OUR FIRST RECOMMENDATION WILL BE THIS, BUT WILL ALL THREE OF OUR PASSES BE IN THERE BEFORE FOR OUR FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS OR NO? NO.

SO THERE WON'T BE ANY OF OUR DELIBERATIONS REALLY NOTICEABLE TO THEM.

FOR MEMBERS NOT, WE CAN INCLUDE THAT.

IT, IT BASICALLY WILL BE YOUR RECOMMENDATION.

AND THEN THERE'S OF COURSE, A STAFF REPORT AND A LETTER.

UM, WHEN YOU PRESENT, OUR CHAIRMAN TRADITIONALLY PRESENTS TO TOWN COUNCIL, SO WITHIN THAT PRESENTATION, YOU CAN INCLUDE WHATEVER IT IS THAT YOU THINK IS VALUABLE INFORMATION TO THEM, INCLUDING PREVIOUS PASSES.

AND WHAT COULD IDEALLY BE USED WITH MORE FUNDS.

I THINK OUR RECOMMENDATION TO TOWN COUNCIL, WE WOULD HIGHLIGHT THAT, LOOK, THIS IS WHERE REALLY THE NUMBER WE WERE WANTING THE FUND.

WE SEE THESE ORGANIZATIONS BEING WORTHY OF ALL THIS, BUT WE'RE ALSO BEING REALISTIC, NOT KNOWING WHAT THAT NUMBER IS.

IF WE HAVE TO MAKE CUTS, THIS IS OUR SECONDARY.

SO THE ONE WE'RE GONNA PASS AND RECOMMEND IS GONNA BE THE ONE WE FEEL MOST COMFORTABLE WITH, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE CAN'T SAY, YOU KNOW, WE REALLY WANT IT TO DO THIS, BUT WE SHARPEN THE PENCIL AND GOT DOWN TO THIS.

IF THAT MONEY IS THERE, LET YOU YIELD BACK TO WHAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT ON THE OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS AND GET THEM TO BOOST THOSE NUMBERS BACK UP TO THAT FIRST PASS.

WE'LL BE SURE TO INCLUDE, UM, THE FIRST ROUND PASSING AND WHATEVER'S ULTIMATELY VOTED ON AND RECOMMENDED FROM THIS COMMITTEE.

GREAT.

I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THEY, THEY'RE AWARE OF OUR DELIBERATIONS FROM NOW UNTIL WE GET TO THE END OF THIS PROCESS OF WHAT WE ARE, WHAT WE ARE THINKING, AND WHAT WE ARE GOING THROUGH, UM, BEFORE THEY START VOTING.

ANY OTHER CONVERSATIONS BEFORE WE MAKE ANOTHER PASS HERE? WE'RE GONNA MAKE ANOTHER PASS, BUT I'M NOT SURE IF ANYBODY'S CHANGED THEIR POSITION ON WHERE THEY STAND WITH PASS NUMBER ONE.

SO THIS COULD BE, I AGREE.

UM, MAYBE WE SHOULD JUST START, IS THERE ANYTHING ON THIS LIST THAT YOU SEE, UM, LET'S JUST CALL 'EM OUT.

IF YOU HAVE A DISCUSSION AND ONE YOU'D LIKE TO SEE A CHANGE MADE, UM, TO SHARPEN THIS, IF NOT, THEN YOU KNOW, PASS ONE WILL BE THE ONE WE CAN VOTE ON.

ARE THERE ANY OF THESE THAT WE'D LIKE TO DISCUSS AND MAKE A CHANGE TO AFTER LOOKING AT THE FIRST PASS? UH, ONE THING THAT I THINK WE NEED TO KEEP IN MIND IS THAT WHEN WE START TAKING MONEY FROM SOME OF THESE SMALLER ORGANIZATIONS, IT'S GONNA HAVE A GREATER IMPACT THAN IT IS ON SOME OF THESE LARGER ORGANIZATIONS, AND WE NEED TO KEEP THAT IN MIND.

MM-HMM, , UM,

[01:20:01]

SOME OF THESE LITTLE BUDGETS ARE VERY TINY, AND THREE AND $4,000 CAN MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE TO THOSE FOLKS.

SO I WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE LOOK AT SOME OF THE LARGER AMOUNTS AND SEE IF WE CAN TRIM THOSE FIRST AND SEE WHERE WE WIND UP AND THEN MOVE ON FROM THERE.

YEAH, I WOULD AGREE.

I THINK OUR, OUR FIRST PASS HERE, WE'VE KIND OF NOTCHED DOWN ON SOME OF THE SMALLER ONES.

UM, THE ONES THAT WERE SIGNIFICANT YEAH.

EXCLUSIVELY THOSE SMALLER ONES THAT, AGAIN, THOSE ARE THE SMALLER ORGANIZATIONS THAT THE TOURIST NUMBER DOESN'T DRIVE THE SAME AS THE OTHERS AS WELL, AND I THINK THAT'S WHY THEY'RE, THEY SEE THE, THE FIRST CUT.

UH, I WOULDN'T RECOMMEND GOING THROUGH THIS.

I I'M PERSONALLY NOT GONNA GO THROUGH AND RECOMMEND ANYTHING YOU SEE ON YELLOW HERE TO BE REDUCED ANY FURTHER.

THAT'S FOR SURE.

UM, ANY REDUCTIONS THAT COME ARE GONNA COME FROM THE OTHER APPLICANTS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF IT, SOME OF THE LARGER ORGANIZATIONS PROVIDE THE MOST EARNED AND, UM, ALSO HAVE THE GREATEST IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY.

SO, UM, YOU'RE MAKING IT WORSE.

.

SO I KNOW THAT YOU MENTIONED SAYING WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU TAKE $2,000 OFF EACH THING, AND OF COURSE, THE SMALLER ORGANIZATIONS THAT WOULD HAVE GREATER IMPACT MM-HMM.

COULD THEORETICALLY LOOK AT A PERCENTAGE THAT, BUT, UM, WE, THIS, ONCE AGAIN, I I, THERE'S A PART OF ME THAT SAYS, BEING THAT WE DON'T KNOW THE EXACT NUMBER, UM, YOU HUMOR HUMOR ME FOR THIS.

CAN WE GO THROUGH AND TAKE A, IF IT'S PROJECTED, THERE'S A 9% DECREASE ACROSS THIS, JUST DO A, A BLANK 9% DECREASE ON ALL OF THESE AND SEE WHERE THAT STANDS.

IF I MAY, IF YOU TOOK 5% OFF OF THIS CURRENT ROUND, YOU GET $209,000, WHICH GETS US WITHIN CLOSE RANGE.

SO I, IF YOU WANT TO TAKE THAT APPROACH, I WOULD LOOK MORE AT 5%.

I THINK WE ALSO MAY WANT TO JUST LOOK AT SOME OF THE ONES THAT ARE LOOKING FOR INCREASES.

OBVIOUSLY COSTS ARE UP, WE UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT, BUT THOSE THAT ARE HOLDING THE NUMBER, I WOULD, I WOULD TRY TO SUPPORT THAT MORE SO THAN THOSE LOOKING FOR BIGGER INCREASES AND NO, THE, I HAVE A QUESTION.

ONE OF THESE REPRESENT A, AN ASK THAT'S MORE THAN WHAT THEY'RE ELIGIBLE FOR, RIGHT? WE'VE DONE THAT DUE DILIGENCE WITH THAT.

THAT'S RIGHT.

OKAY, SO THAT BEING SAID, WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF THE 5% ACROSS THE BOARD, WHICH IS, WELL, ANOTHER WAY OF LOOKING AT IT.

SO THE ONES THAT DROPPED OUT FROM LAST YEAR TOTAL, 366,000.

SO IN THEORY, IF WE KEEP EVERYBODY WHOLE FROM LAST YEAR, IN OTHER WORDS, KEEP 'EM THE SAME, INSTEAD OF GIVING THEM AN INCREASE, WE ARE AT THE TARGET NUMBER ALSO.

THAT MAKE SENSE.

DO WE LOOK AT IT AS MAYBE SOME OF THESE LARGER ORGANIZATION ORGANIZATIONS HAVE THE ABILITY TO REPLACE WITH OTHER FUNDING THE MONEY THAT MIGHT BE CUT? IS THAT SOMETHING THEY MAY NOT BE? I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE ABLE TO REPLACE THAT FUNDING, BUT THEY MAY, MAY HAVE TO MAKE A CHANGE TO THEIR OVERALL BUDGET AND MARKETING EFFORTS.

YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S NOT A GENERAL ANSWER TO THAT, THERE WOULD HAVE TO BE A CASE BY CASE.

YES.

SOME, SOME COULD APPLY FOR AFFILIATED AGENCY, BUT THE ONE OF THE ISSUES WOULD BE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT A GENERAL DECLINE IN THE, THE AMOUNT OF RESOURCES THAT ARE GONNA BE AVAILABLE IN TOTAL.

SO THAT'S GONNA BE AFFECTED AS WELL.

UM, SO THE FUNDING MIGHT NOT BE THERE FOR THAT.

UH, LET'S MAKE ANOTHER PASS HERE.

UM, AND LET'S LOOK AT LAST YEAR'S RECOMMENDATION AND AWARDED AMOUNT FROM TOWN COUNCIL VERSUS THIS YEAR'S REQUEST AND SEE IF WE CAN FIND SOME MIDDLE GROUND ON SOME OF THESE, UH, FOR PAST TWO AND TRY TO SHRINK THAT DEFICIT A LITTLE BIT, UH, BETWEEN THE TWO.

ANY OBJECTIONS TO THAT? PASSING THROUGH? OKAY.

WE'LL START AT THE TOP WITH THE ART LEAGUE OF HILTON HEAD.

UH, TOWN COUNCIL APPROVED LAST YEAR, 75,000.

THE REQUEST FOR THIS YEAR IS FOR 80,000, AND I'LL LEAD US OFF, LET'S GO AHEAD AND PUT IN LAST YEAR'S TOWN COUNCIL AWARDED AMOUNT OF 75,000.

AGAIN, WHEN WE GO TO TOWN COUNCIL, THIS NUMBER THAT WE WERE TO THROW OUT, IF WE WERE TO APPROVE THE SECOND ROUND, WE WOULD BE SURE TO SAY, LOOK, THE ONLY REASON YOU'RE SEEING A REDUCTION HERE AS THE RECOMMENDATION IS BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF FUNDING THAT'S AVAILABLE.

UH, AND THERE'S A LOT OF CIRCUMSTANCES THAT TIE INTO THAT.

UM, ONE BEING JUST A, A DECREASE IN THE, THE POOL THAT'S AVAILABLE.

ALSO, THE BURDEN OF THE 15%, UM, THAT HAS REDUCED OUR AMOUNT AS WELL.

SO THAT'S WHY THIS BODY IS GONNA GO THROUGH, MAKE A RECOMMENDATION FOR REDUCED AMOUNTS TO THESE ORGANIZATIONS.

NOT BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT ELIGIBLE, THEY DON'T MEET THE THRESHOLD.

UM, WE JUST HAVE TO FIND SOME, SOME SAVINGS AT SOME POINT.

ART CENTER, COASTAL CAROLINA, LAST YEAR WAS 430,000.

[01:25:01]

THIS YEAR IS 447,000.

THE RECOMMENDATION HERE, WE JUST GOING THROUGH AND REDUCING FROM THE OLD ONE, OR WE GOING THROUGH EACH ONE HERE ONE BY ONE.

YEAH.

LET'S GO AHEAD AND REDUCE THIS ONE DOWN IF YOU'RE OKAY WITH IT.

TO 430,000, THAT'S LAST YEAR'S APPROVED AMOUNT.

DAVID CARMINE MEMORIAL FOUNDATION.

LAST YEAR WAS 181,000.

ANY RECOMMENDATIONS TO JUST THIS ONE OR LEAVE AS IS FOR APPLYING LAST YEAR'S NUMBERS AS A WAY TO LOOK AT THIS? I I MUCH AS WE'RE ALL SUPPORTERS OF ALL OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO JUST PLUG IN FOR THE REST OF THESE JUST TO GET THAT SUM TOTAL AGAIN AT THE BOTTOM? OKAY.

ALL RIGHT.

I'M JUST GONNA READ THESE OFF, OR IF YOU NEED ME TO, OR YOU CAN FOLLOW, I, I THINK IT WOULD BE EASIER TO DO THAT, TO PLUG THAT IN AND THEN REVIEW SOME OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR MORE SIGNIFICANT INCREASES AND, AND, UH, BUT ALSO, UH, USE THE REASONING OF WHY THEY WERE ASKING FOR MORE MONEY.

FOR EXAMPLE, UM, SOME, A PLACE LIKE THE ART CENTER MIGHT BE ASKING FOR MORE MONEY, COST OF ELECTRICITY.

I BE EASIER TO WORK BACKWARDS FROM THIS AS WELL.

LET'S GET THESE NUMBERS IN FROM LAST YEAR'S APPROVALS AND THEN GO BACK AND SEE.

OKAY.

DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY OPPOSITION TO THAT? ALL RIGHT, WE'LL GIVE UH, TOWN STAFF A MOMENT TO PLUG THESE NUMBERS IN.

IT JUST AGAIN, LEAVING IT DOES, IT, DOES YOUR APPLICATION PROCESS LESS? YOU CAN LEAVE THAT ONE AT THREE 50.

YEAH, THANK YOU.

I THINK WE WOULD REVIEW IT NOW AND LOOK AT UP BACK.

NO, IF YOU COULD, LET'S JUST PUT 'EM IN AT LAST YEAR'S APPROVAL AMOUNT.

UM, SO GOING BACK, I'M SORRY.

I WANNA KEEP THE, THE RECOMMENDATIONS, THE ONES THAT ARE IN YELLOW AT THAT NUMBER FOR NOW.

YOU'LL SEE CONCORD STAYS THE SAME.

THEY HAD A REDUCTION IN THEIR ASK OF 12,000.

THAT'S WHY THAT ONE HASN'T MOVED.

THOSE STAYED THE SAME.

THOSE TWO STAYED THE SAME AS LAST YEAR.

SHOULD BE THREE 30 FOR THE SYMPHONY, UH, THIS TIME TO HAVE THIS KIND OF DISCUSSION.

WHILE WE'RE WAITING FOR THIS, WHAT I'M CONCERNED IS, AND, AND I'M, WE'RE NOT GONNA SUPPORT MORE APPLICATION REFLECTED THEIR IN, WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO RECOGNIZE THAT BY STAYING FLAT TO OF DECISIONS WE'RE HAVING TO MAKE.

BUT YEAH, I THINK WE'LL DIFFICULT FOR US TO MAKE CONSIDERATE, GIVE ALL THE CONSIDERATION OR INITIATIVES THAT WE HAD HOPED TO SUPPORT.

I AGREE.

IN THE, IN THE FACT.

I I, I THINK THAT THE OPTIC IS TO WORK BACKWARDS FROM THIS LIST THOUGH, RIGHT? YEAH, WE'LL GO BACK THROUGH AND THEN THOSE ONES THAT WE SAW, I'LL JUST, YEAH, I WOULD AGREE.

LIKE IF THE SYMPHONY'S OFFERING MORE SERVICES AND THEY'RE GENERATING, THEY'RE GENERATING A BIGGER RESPONSE, THEN WE SHOULD FUND THAT SO WE CAN, IF WE WORK BACKWARDS FROM THIS AS OPPOSED, I THINK THE OTHER WAY WOULD'VE TAKEN MORE.

I AGREE WITH YOU A HUNDRED PERCENT.

YEAH.

HUGE TURTLE WAS 70.

YEAH, THANK YOU.

YOU CAN LEAVE TEDX AT 10,000.

THEY HAD A REDUCTION IN THEIR ASK.

[01:30:14]

OKAY, SO THIS SECOND PASS IS JUST LOOKING AT WHAT WE DISCUSSED IN PAST ONE, UH, SOME REDUCTION IN SOME OF THE, THE REQUESTS AND THEN PAIRED UP WITH WHAT WAS APPROVED BY TOWN COUNCIL.

UM, NOW I THINK OUR JOB IS TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE DIFFERENCE.

I'LL JUST USE THE EXAMPLE OF THE LOW COUNTRY GOLF COURSE OWNERS ASSOCIATION.

THERE'S A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE REQUEST LAST YEAR AND THE REQUEST THIS YEAR.

AGAIN, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE APPLICANTS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT.

THEY'VE TAKEN ON THE BURDEN OF MARKETING THEMSELVES, UH, WHERE THEY HAVE BEEN RECEIVING THOSE FUNDS JUST FROM A DIFFERENT SOURCE OR FROM, UH, ASSISTANCE FROM THE DMO.

THEY'RE NOW TAKING THAT ON THEMSELVES.

SO I'M JUST USING THAT AS AN EXAMPLE.

WE'LL START AT THE TOP AND COME ON DOWN.

BUT IF WE'LL LOOK AT WHAT LAST, WHAT THIS YEAR'S REQUEST IS AND LAST YEAR'S, UM, APPROVED AMOUNT FROM TOWN COUNCIL.

AND THEN I THINK WE JUST FIND SOME MEDIUM GROUND THERE AND TRY TO FIND A NUMBER WE FEEL REALLY COMFORTABLE ABOUT, UH, FOR PAST THREE.

AND THEN WE'LL LOOK AT PAST ONE AND PAST THREE KIND OF TO MAKE OUR DECISION CONVERSATIONS THERE.

EVERYBODY OKAY WITH THAT? WELL, IF WE, UH, ADD THE HUNDRED BACK IN FOR GOLF, WE'RE, WE'RE AT, UM, WE'RE STILL ABOUT 60 OVER, I THINK, RIGHT? CAN WE GO DOWN? CAN YOU GO DOWN, SCROLL DOWN PLEASE.

SO WE WOULD BE A 3 9 62 MM-HMM.

, COULD YOU HAVE LIKE THAT CELL GREEN PLEASE? THE ONE THAT WE'VE GONE THROUGH AND DISCUSSED AND CHANGED OR, OKAY.

YELLOW.

OKAY.

NOW LET'S START UP AT THE NOW THAT WE SEE 'EM SIDE BY SIDE, UH, I THINK WE SHOULD MAKE ONE MORE PASS HERE AND ON EACH ONE, WEIGH WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT IN THE FIRST PASS AND ON THE SECOND PASS OF WHAT WAS APPROVED LAST YEAR.

AND THEN MAKE A REP RECOMMENDATION ON A NUMBER THAT WE'RE GOING TO VOTE ON AND APPROVE TO TAKE THE TOWN COUNCIL.

UH, AND THEN AGAIN, WE WOULD INCLUDE, HERE'S WHAT WE REALLY WANTED TO DO IN PASS ONE AND FUNDING WAS AVAILABLE.

WE'VE DONE OUR BEST TO PRESENT TO YOU WHAT, WHAT TOWN STAFF HAS PRESENTED TO US AS WHAT WE BELIEVE IS GONNA BE, UH, AVAILABLE FOR REIMBURSEMENT DOLLARS.

AND THEN ULTIMATELY PUT THAT IN THE HANDS OF TOWN COUNCIL, UH, TO MAKE THE THE FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS AND AWARDS.

CAN I ASK YOU IF I PARDON MY NAIVETY, IF I SHOULD KNOW THIS, HAS, DOES THE CHAIRMAN PRESENT THIS VERBALLY OR JUST ELECTRONICALLY? VERBALLY AT THE MEETING THAT WORKS.

THAT COULD HELP US.

YEAH, I THINK WE COULD GO TO BAT, UM, FOR WHERE THIS COMMITTEE REALLY STANDS ON WHAT IT IS.

BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA MAKE A RECOMMENDATION IN REDUCED AMOUNTS JUST TO PLAY BALL AND MAKE SURE THAT THE NUMBER IS CORRECT OR CLOSER TO, I I STILL THINK WE'RE GONNA BE OVER, NO QUESTION.

'CAUSE WE'RE GONNA GO IN AND ADD ON THIS THIRD PASS BACK TO, UM, SOME OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS.

AGAIN, I, I REALLY FEEL LIKE OUR HEARTS ARE IN WHERE WE'RE RECOMMENDING ON, ON NUMBER PASS NUMBER ONE, BUT LET'S DO OUR BEST TO TRY TO SHRINK IT A LITTLE BIT IF WE CAN.

ANYBODY WANNA TAKE A LOOK? I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO GO THROUGH THESE, BUT IF YOU HAVE ONE YOU WANTED TO CALL OUT AND WE'LL HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT MAKING THAT ADJUSTMENT.

I'D LIKE TO START THERE.

I'LL START WITH THE GOAL MUSEUM.

UM, I WOULD RECOMMEND FULLY FUNDING TAKING THAT IN.

PASS THREE HERE BACK TO 180 5.

WHERE DO WE GO TO UP FOR DISCUSSIONS? I MEAN, I RECOMMEND FOLEY FUNDING MUSEUM.

I RECOMMEND FOLEY FUNDING THE ARTS CENTER OF COASTAL CAROLINA TOO.

US OF, ALL RIGHT, SO WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND PLUG IN 180 BACK INTO THIS ONE.

GOING DOWN THE LIST.

UH, THE REC ASSOCIATION

[01:35:01]

HERE, GOING FROM THE REQUEST THIS YEAR OF 75,000 TO 60,000.

UM, LET'S PUT 70,000.

THAT'S MY RECOMMENDATION.

UH, I'LL OPEN UP TO YOU FOR ANYBODY ELSE TO MAKE A, I JUST WANNA GO BACK.

MARTIN SUGGESTED THAT WE MOVE ART CENTER BACK TO THE 4, 4 7.

OKAY.

YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

UH, LET'S JUST START AT THE TOP AGAIN.

I KIND OF SKIPPED OVER, UH, ART LEAGUE OF HILTON HEAD FRESH PASS WAS 82ND ON LAST YEAR'S RECOMMENDATION AND APPROVED AMOUNT WAS 75.

I'M OKAY WITH LEAVING THIS ONE AT 75 AGAIN, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION AT SOME POINT.

THE ART CENTER, UH, BELIEVE THIS WAS A 3% INCREASE OVER LAST YEAR, WHICH IS WELL BELOW, UM, THE ECONOMIC IMPACT THAT THEY'RE FEELING.

THE ONLY REASON I'M RECOMMENDING WE CONSIDER A, A RECOMMENDED IN ROUND TWO WAS AT THIS POINT WE'VE ALMOST JUST BEEN FOCUSING ON.

THAT'S A WHILE.

IT'S A SMALLER ASK.

IT'S ALSO A LARGER PERCENTAGE OF THEIR TOTAL BUDGET, AND IT MIGHT BE AS, AS I IMPACTFUL.

SO I HATE NOT GET WHAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR TYPE OF MEAT IN THE MIDDLE HERE.

I THINK IT WOULD, OUR CONSIDERATION, YOU WANNA DO WE MIDDLE OF THOSE 17,000 DIFFERENCE.

SO 4,300, UH, 438,500.

YOU OKAY WITH THAT? THAT'S LIKE IN THE MIDDLE OF THOSE TWO FOR DIFFERENCE HERE IS 4,000.

IF WE'RE GONNA USE THAT SAME KIND OF MATRIX, MOVE THIS ONE UP TO KINDA SPLIT THE DIFFERENCE ON EACH OF THESE IS THAT BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THERE IS AN INCREASE YEAR OVER YEAR OF EXPENSES, SO THIS ONE WOULD GO TO 180 3.

UH, IF YOU DO THAT ACROSS THE BOARD, WE'RE JUST GONNA GET BACK WHERE WE WERE.

I DON'T THINK THAT MAKES ANY SENSE.

YOU'RE RIGHT.

WE'RE, WE'RE ACTUALLY, WE'RE GONNA BE BELOW, UM, WHAT WE DID IN PASS ONE IS, SO PASS TWOS WE'LL BE LOWER THAN PASS ONE.

PASS ONE IS OUR PIE IN THE SKY.

PASS TWO IS WHAT WAS RECOMMENDED.

WE'RE GONNA BE HIGHER THAN ROUND TWO HERE, BUT LOWER THAN ROUND ONE, I BELIEVE.

UH, WE DISCUSSED THE GOLDEN MUSEUM.

I THINK IF WE'RE GONNA USE THAT MATRIX, WE DO NEED TO APPLY THE SAME THING HERE.

PUT THEM AT 1 65.

THIS ONE WOULD STAY THE SAME.

THERE'S NO INCREASE.

AND THIS WOULD STAY 15.

ORAL SOCIETY WOULD STAY AT 15 CONCOURSE AT THREE 50.

ALL OF THOSE WOULD STAY THE SAME UNTIL WE GET DOWN TO THE ST.

PATRICK'S DAY PARADE.

UH, THAT ONE WOULD STAY THE SAME AS WELL.

THE REC CENTER, WE'VE ALREADY MET IN THE MIDDLE THERE ON THAT ONE.

WE CAN TAKE THAT ONE UP.

$250 IF YOU, I'M SORRY, $2,500 ON THE REC CENTER.

72,500, IS THAT CORRECT? 15.

YEAH.

UH, BOTH THE WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL RHYTHM AND BREW WOULD STAY THE SAME.

IT'S JUST A QUESTION, MR. CHAIRMAN, IF WE CAN GO BACK TO REC CENTER.

IF YOU WANT TO TAKE HALF IT, IT WOULD BE 6 67 5.

YES.

67, CORRECT.

SORRY, I APOLOGIZE.

I WOULD SAY THE SAME.

AT 2,980.

[01:40:03]

TIFFANY ORCHESTRA AT 3 40 52 5, 1 50.

THAT STAYS THE SAME AT 61 8 97.

THE NEXT THREE STAY THE SAME.

I THINK THE ROTARY CLUB IS ONE THAT WE NEED TO HAVE MORE DISCUSSION ON BEING THAT'S THE FIRST TIME APPLICANT.

I DON'T WANT TO SUGGEST THAT WE CUT THAT ONE IN HALF BETWEEN NON EXISTING IN A FIRST TIME APPLICANT.

ANY REDUCTIONS ON THIS ONE OR LEAVE IT AT 40,000? I THINK I APPLAUD THE INITIATIVE, BUT I THINK IT'S, IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A STRETCH WITH REGARDS TO THE USE OF ACCOMMODATION TAXES.

UH, AND I KNOW WE'VE HAD ALREADY HAD PLENTY OF DISCUSSION ON THIS, BUT SINCE WE WERE RUNNING SHORTENED FUNDS THIS, AND IT'S A NEW, NEW APPLICATION, I, I THINK, UH, WE MIGHT HAVE TO PASS ON THIS.

I THINK MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD, I, I FEEL THE SAME WAY AGAIN.

WHEN WE GO TO TOWN COUNCIL AND WE SAY, LOOK, WE REALLY WANNA AWARD THEM A $40,000 GRANT.

WE PUT THAT BALL IN THE, THE COURT OF TOWN COUNCIL.

I MOVE THAT.

WE, UH, COME BACK TO IT AT THE, AS THE LAST ITEM.

OKAY, LET'S SKIP THAT ONE.

WE'LL GO DOWN THE SEA TURTLE PATROL.

IT STAYS AT 70,000.

WHO WANTS TO DO THE MATH ON THAT ONE? 269,200 FEDEX STAYS AT 10,000 BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB STAYS THE SAME.

UH, THAT WOULD GO UP 3 7 5 387 55.

FIVE FIVE, I'M SORRY, AT 500, SORRY, NOT 50, SORRY.

FIRST TEE AT 45.

HERITAGE LIBRARY WOULD STAY AT 1 35.

LET'S TALK ABOUT HERITAGE LIBRARY.

WE RECOMMENDED THAT ONE DOWN TO 135 FROM THEIR REQUEST OF 1 43.

UH, WE KIND OF TOOK THAT ONE DOWN.

WAS THAT BASED OFF OF ELIGIBILITY, REIMBURSEMENT DOLLARS OR DID WE JUST MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO REDUCE BASED ON LAST YEAR'S NUMBER? I THINK JUST STAYING STABLE, STAYING THE SAME FOR THIS PAST.

DO YOU WANNA PUT IT BACK OR LEAVE IT AT 1 35? I BELIEVE THAT LEAVE IT AT 1 35 OUTSIDE FOUNDATION STAYS THE SAME IN THE SANDBOX.

LET'S JUST ROUND THAT ONE UP TO 62,000.

WE STILL HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE ROTARY CLUB FOR DISCUSSION WITHOUT THAT ONE VOID, BUT WE'VE GOTTEN THAT DOWN FROM 294 TO 109 IN THAT.

I, I, I BELIEVE THAT, THAT THIS NUMBER IS UNDERESTIMATED, UM, MIGHT BE, OR EITHER INCREASING FUNDING IN OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO WHAT THEIR ASK WAS OR FUNDING THIS.

I, I THINK THAT THIS ITEM, IF, IF NOT H FITS AT TAX SPENDING, IT DEFINITELY FITS THE GENERAL FUND AND SOMETHING THAT THE TOWN SHOULD INVEST IN.

SO, UM, NOT SURE IF IT SHOULD COME OUT OF THIS BUDGET.

UM, CONSIDERING THAT OTHER ORGANIZATIONS ARE LOSING A LOT OF MASKS, THINGS WOULD BE, ARE WE READY TO ADD SOMETHING NEW? IF WE ARE, WE ARE GOING DOWN AND, AND FUNDING, HOWEVER, IT'S EFFORT.

I THINK I WOULD RECOMMEND NOT FUNDING THIS FROM THIS BODY, BUT HIGHLY SUPPORTING IT IN FRONT OF TOWN COUNCIL

[01:45:01]

WHEN WE MAKE OUR RECOMMENDATIONS.

SO IF WE HAD TO MAKE A, A DECISION HERE, THIS ONE WAS A KIND OF A, A QUESTION MARK FOR THE ENTIRE COMMITTEE OF THE ELIGIBILITY.

WE'RE FULLY BEHIND IT, FULLY WANT IT TO BE SUPPORTED.

HONESTLY, I BELIEVE IT'S JUST AN INITIATIVE THAT THE TOWN IS GONNA TAKE ON THOUGH.

THEY'RE ALSO TRYING TO SELL PRIVATE SPONSORSHIP DOLLARS TO FUND THE ENTIRE PROJECT.

MM-HMM.

.

YEAH.

THERE'S A GOOD CHANCE OF NEED THAT NEED THAT WHOLE REIMBURSEMENT.

THAT'S RIGHT.

OKAY.

AS LONG AS YOU GUYS ALL ADVERTISE ON IT, WE'RE, I MEAN, LEAVING IT OFF, WE STILL ARE A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS OVER.

SO INCLUDING IT, THEN WE BECOME $140,000 A HUNDRED.

IT'S, AND WE'RE GONNA NEED TO GO BACK THROUGH THESE AGAIN.

AND, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THESE THAT WE REDUCED, WHEN WE START THINKING ABOUT THE GROWTH THAT SOME OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS HAVE HAD, WE HAVE AUTOMATICALLY REDUCED THEM JUST TO, JUST TO LOOK AT IT.

BUT NOW ON THIS, I HATE TO DO THIS, BUT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO MAKE IT PASS ONE MORE TIME ON HERE.

IF WE CAN ADD A FIELD AND THEN TALK ABOUT THE ONES THAT NEED TO BE BUMPED BACK UP CLOSER TO WHAT WE REALLY FEEL SHOULD BE RECOMMENDED FOR THAT ORGANIZATION.

A LOT OF THESE BEING THE, THE LARGER, STRONGER ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE REALLY DRIVING TOURISM DOLLARS, THE ONES THAT THEIR DOLLARS GO A LITTLE BIT FURTHER AS WELL.

UH, AND THEIR TOUCH IS A LITTLE LARGER.

SO, UM, I, AS I SAID EARLIER, I, I WOULD MOVE FOR IF, FOR FULLY FUNDING THE ART CENTER AND THE SYMPHONY, UM, FOR THE SERVICES THEY PROVIDE.

UH, I DON'T, FOR ME, I DON'T SEE A PROBLEM WITH BEING A, I THINK THAT THIS NUMBER'S UNDER UNDERESTIMATED SO LAST QUARTER.

SO, UM, OKAY.

IF YOU HAVE ONE THAT YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO, UH, CHANGE BACK ON THIS SHEET, LET'S GO AHEAD AND, UH, IN THE THIRD ROUND THERE, WE'LL JUST MAKE A CHANGE AND, AND THE YES, I DIDN'T MEET IN THE MIDDLE OF, SO KNOW IF THAT WAS SITE OR OH, SURE.

LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT IT.

SORRY.

UH, ART LEAGUE.

YOU'RE RIGHT.

WE DIDN'T, IF WE CAN MOVE THAT ONE BACK TO, UM, 77 500.

YEAH, YOU'RE WELCOME.

THANK YOU FOR POINTING THAT OUT.

YEAH.

IN THAT COLUMN, 77,500, YOU COULD PUT IT IN THE THIRD, THE THIRD COLUMN.

YOU CAN PUT IT IN THE THIRD.

WE, WE JUST OVER.

YEP.

ANY OTHER STICK OUT FROM THIS QUICK PASSING? EVERYTHING LOOKS OKAY.

OKAY.

ANY CHANGES TO LOOKING AT THE THIRD COLUMN HERE FOR THE THIRD ROUND? ANY CHANGES TO THE ART LEAGUE? IS EVERYBODY COMFORTABLE WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF 77,500? WE'LL SAY THE SAME THERE.

UM, WE'LL JUST MAKE A CHANGE IN THIS THIRD ROUND.

IF YOU DON'T MIND.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO ADD ANOTHER COLUMN.

JUST MAKE A CHANGE.

UH, FOR THE ART CENTER OF COASTAL CAROLINA RECOMMENDATION, I RECOMMEND FULLY FUNDING IT BECAUSE IT'S SUCH AN ECONOMIC DRIVER.

I WOULD, I WOULD AGREE.

MY QUESTION, IF WE'RE LOOKING AT TOURISTS AND VI AND VISITORS, 10 OR SO, DOES THAT JUSTIFY, I KNOW IT'S A GREAT ORGANIZATION AND IT, IT PROVIDES A LOT TO THE ISLAND, BUT BASED ON NUMBERS.

DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? YEAH, I THINK IF IT WAS A ONE TIME EVENT, YOU MAY LOOK AT IT THAT WAY, BUT BECAUSE IT'S STRETCHED OUT OVER A WHOLE PORTFOLIO OF A YEAR, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE GONNA HAVE LOCAL ENGAGEMENT AND YOU'RE COMPETING AGAINST ALL OF THOSE LOCAL PEOPLE THAT ARE PURCHASING TICKETS.

I JUST THINK THAT THEY DO SERVE OUR TOURISM MARKET EXTREMELY WELL.

UM, ONE, ONE OF THE METRICS, CHRIS, WE'VE LOOKED AT IN THE PAST IS, YOU KNOW, WHAT DOES IT COST PER TOURIST? AND I THINK THEY'RE IN THE $11 RANGE PER TOURIST, SO IT'S A BIG NUMBER.

BUT IN TERMS OF SO MANY DIFFERENT EVENTS, AND THEY BRING IN SO MANY PEOPLE AND A LOT OF THOSE PEOPLE ARE PEOPLE WHO STAY HERE FOR A WEEK.

YEAH.

ALSO, AND IT IS A, IT'S AN EXPENSIVE, IT, IT'S AMOUNT OF MONEY THEY'RE GENERATING OFF THAT $11 IS YEP.

LET'S NOT FORGET THAT OUR CHAIRMAN'S GONNA RECOMMEND THAT WE USE COLUMN ONE, OUR FIRST ROUND RECOMMENDATION, AND THAT REQUIRED HER TO THIRD.

I THINK WE'RE SHARING THE BURDEN.

WE'RE NOT DRAMATICALLY IMPACTING, ALTHOUGH I DON'T WANNA MINIMIZE THE IMPACT OF REDUCED TASKS, BUT I THINK WE'RE OF SHARING

[01:50:01]

THE BURDEN WITH EVERYONE AND SETTING, HAVING IT BE AT, SO I'M, I'M OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THIRD QUARTER NUMBERS JUST BECAUSE SHORT OPERATIONS THAT WE HAD A, A PRETTY BIG SPIKE.

CHRIS MAY ONE MORE NUMBER.

MARTIN BROUGHT UP THE ECONOMIC IMPACT AND I, I DON'T KNOW THAT I BELIEVE ALL OF THE ECONOMIC IMPACT NUMBERS THAT WE SEE WITHIN THE APPLICATIONS, BUT THE ESTIMATED ECONOMIC IMPACT FOR THE ART CENTER IS A LITTLE OVER THREE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS.

SO DIFFICULT TO NOT CUT A BIG NUMBER IN HERE.

'CAUSE IT DOES IMPACT OTHER ORGANIZATIONS POINT IS TO REALLY FOCUS ON THOSE THAT DRIVE AT TAX DOLLARS.

NOT THAT ONE.

I THINK I'M GONNA MAKE THE RECOMMENDATION THAT WE MOVE THAT ONE BACK TO FULL FUNDING.

UH, I KNOW IT IS A, A LARGER ORGANIZATION, BUT I, I BELIEVE THEIR IMPACT IS SIGNIFICANT.

UM, AND IT'S, IT'S A, A GOOD SPEND OF THE TOWN TO INVEST IN THAT.

ANY OBJECTIONS TO THAT? NO, BUT I THINK WE SHOULD TALK ABOUT IF WE DON'T GET FULL FUNDING, IF WE DON'T GET THE DOLLAR AMOUNT, WHERE'S THAT MONEY THAT WE'RE ADDING BACK INTO THEM GONNA COME FROM? WHO'S, OKAY, SO WOULD YOU, WOULD YOU LIKE TO LEAVE? YOU KNOW, WE CAN TAKE A VOTE AND, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR RECOMMENDATION WOULD COME FROM ROUND ONE.

THIS IS THE RECOMMENDATION WE'RE MAKING.

EVEN THOUGH IT'S ABOVE WHAT WE KNOW, THE PREDICTIONS ARE COMING IN, THIS IS REALLY WHERE WE FEEL THE APPLICANTS, WHERE THEY STAND THEIR ELIGIBILITY.

IF WE HAD THE FUNDS AVAILABLE, THIS IS WHAT WE WOULD RECOMMEND FOR EACH OF THESE.

AND THEN IT WOULD LEAVE IT DOWN TO THOSE NUMBERS COMING IN FROM, UH, FROM THE STATE AND TOWN COUNCIL WOULD REVIEW, YOU KNOW, WAY.

ALRIGHT.

WE'RE GONNA RECOMMEND, UM, THE FIRST ROUND OF FUNDING, IF NOT OUR BACKUP PLAN WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, THE THIRD, USE THESE NUMBERS AS OF, OF WHERE WE'VE DONE THE WORK FOR YOU TO GO BACK AND SHAVE YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS FROM LAST YEAR VERSUS THIS YEAR'S REQUEST AND HAVE DONE OUR BEST TO, TO KIND OF GET CLOSER TO WHAT THAT THAT NUMBER IS.

YES.

SO, AND IF THERE'S A SHORTFALL, THEN ROUND THREE WOULD BE OUR, OUR RECOMMENDATIONS FURTHER DELIBERATIONS, BECAUSE THEY'RE GONNA DELIBERATE FROM THERE YEAH.

THEMSELVES.

AND THE ORGANIZATIONS WILL BE THERE TO, YEAH.

YEAH.

THE, THE ONLY CONCERN I THINK LOOKING AT THIS WHOLE LIST WOULD BE THE, UH, LOW COUNTRY GOLF COURSE OWNERS ASSOCIATION, WHICH THEY'RE MORE RELIANT NOW ON ACCOMMODATION TAX FUNDING VERSUS THE DMO.

RIGHT.

UH, UNLESS WE CAN FIND A WAY FOR THE DMO TO, UH, I GUESS RESTART OR, OR AGAIN, CONTINUE SUPPORTING THE GROUP IN 2025.

I FEEL LIKE WE'RE SPLITTING, WE'RE SPLITTING THE, UM, BURDEN OF THAT WITH THE DMO.

THE DMO SHOULD, IF WE COULD, I I'D LIKE TO, AGAIN, BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY'VE PICKED UP, I DON'T WANNA PUNISH THEM THE SAME WAY.

UM, I MEAN, I'M JUST TAKING THAT ONE UP MAYBE TO 1 75.

YOU KNOW, THEY'VE TAKEN ON THE BURDEN OF MARKETING THEMSELVES, DOUBLING THE BURDEN, GIVING THEM HALF OF, OR KNOCKING OFF HALF OF THEIR, UH, THE DIFFERENCE IS A SIGNIFICANT, UH, REDUCTION IN THEIR ASK.

AGAIN, I, I THINK WE'RE GONNA GO THROUGH, UH, AND TAKE A VOTE AS WHAT TO RECOMMEND.

I THINK THAT THE FIRST ROUND IS THE ONE WE'RE GONNA VOTE ON FOR WHAT WE'RE GONNA RECOMMEND, BUT THEN WE'LL HAVE NUMBERS THROUGH THE THIRD ROUND AS OUR CONTINGENCY PLAN.

I THINK IT WAS MENTIONED BEFORE.

WHEN DO WE ROUGHLY GET THESE NUMBERS? AND THEN WHEN IS IT PRESENTED? IT'S GONNA BE PRESENTED AT JANUARY 14TH THERE.

UH, DO YOU HAVE AN ESTIMATED TIME OF WHAT THE STATE HAS TOLD YOU? SHOULD IT BE BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR OR DID THEY GIVE YOU A SO COUNCIL, IS THAT ANY WORD FROM THE STATE AS TO WHAT THIS NUMBER IS? THEY, OKAY.

SO IS THERE A CHANCE THAT WE GO INTO JANUARY 14TH WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT THAT NUMBER IS? I'M, I'M HOPING RIGHT NOW WE PROBABLY BEGIN.

UM, I'M HOPING HAVE BETTER NUMBER.

OKAY.

THAT'S FOR Q3, BUT Q4 YOU WON'T HAVE JANUARY 14TH.

I THINK Q3 IS GONNA HAVE THE BIGGEST SHIFT.

YEAH, Q4 IS GONNA BE WHAT IT IS.

YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST NOT AS IMPACTFUL AS WHAT WE'RE GONNA SEE COMING FROM THE THIRD QUARTER OF THIS YEAR.

SO, UH, THE ONLY ANYBODY WANNA MAKE A CHANGE TO ANYTHING THAT'S IN ROUND THREE? UH, WE USED ROUND TWO JUST TO MEASURE AGAINST LAST YEAR'S RECOMMENDATIONS AND APPROVED AMOUNTS.

SO, UM,

[01:55:01]

WE CHANGING THE LOW COUNTRY.

YEAH.

I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A CHANGE TO THE LOW COUNTRY GOLF COURSE OWNERS ASSOCIATION TO 175.

WE ALSO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION THAT USE THE NUMBER THAT'S CLOSEST TO WHAT THE BETTER ESTIMATE IS AT THE TIME FOR THAT ROUND.

UH, CAN YOU ELABORATE ON THAT? IF THEY'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA GET A BETTER IDEA OF THIRD QUARTER NUMBERS AND THERE'S GONNA BE FOURTH QUARTER AND FOURTH QUARTER DOESN'T REALLY CHANGE THAT MUCH.

WE'LL HAVE A BETTER ESTIMATE OF HOW MUCH IS AVAILABLE AND THEN USING THE ROUND THAT'S CLOSEST TO THERE.

YEAH.

TOWN COUNCIL WILL USE THAT NUMBER.

AGAIN, WE'RE GONNA VOTE TODAY TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION BEING A LITTLE BIT IN THE DARK AS TO WHERE WE ARE.

WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME BACK AND MAKE A CHANGE TO WHAT OUR RECOMMENDATION IS GONNA BE.

THE TOWN COUNCIL.

RIGHT.

SO TODAY IS THE DAY THAT, YOU KNOW, EVEN THOUGH WE'RE 294,000 AND, UH, THE FIRST ROUND, I THINK THAT'S THE ONE WE'RE GOING TO, TO VOTE ON TO RECOMMEND THE TOWN COUNCIL WITH HOPES THAT THAT FUNDING OF 4,186,065 IS AVAILABLE.

RIGHT.

BUT THEN WE WILL HAVE THIS SECOND NUMBER OF JUST OVER 4,028,965 AS IF THAT NUMBER'S NOT THERE.

WE'VE KIND OF DONE SOME WORK TO SHAVE OFF HALF OF THAT DIFFERENCE.

UM, MR. CHAIRMAN, MY ONLY OTHER, UH, CHANGE WOULD BE THAT I WOULD ASK THAT THE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA AND BECAUSE THEY ARE PROVIDING A D ADDITIONAL OFFERINGS BE PUT TO 345,000.

ANY OBJECTIONS TO THAT? OKAY, LET'S PUT 345,000 THERE.

I'D LIKE TO JUST POINT OUT THAT THE SHELTER CODE, I CAN'T SAY THIS GROUP SOMETHING THAT WE ALL KNOW DOES.

THEY WERE SAYING THAT EXPENSES FOR FIREWORKS HAD GONE UP DRAMATICALLY.

SO YOU WANNA MOVE THAT ONE UP TO, UM, JUST AS A TAKE THAT TO 280,000.

ANY OBJECTIONS TO THAT? OKAY, LET'S GO.

280,000 FOR SHELTER TO COPE HARDWARE COMPANY.

OKAY.

ANY OTHER, UM, APPLICANTS OR RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WANT TO BE AMEND IT BEFORE WE TAKE A VOTE? SEE, NONE I WOULD OPEN, UH, A MOTION.

SO MOVE, WHAT IS YOUR MOTION, PLEASE MOVE FOR, I MOVE FOR APPROVAL OF, OF THE, UH, FIRST ROUND AS THE FIRST OPTION, AND ROUND THREE IS THE FALLBACK OPTION TO PRESENT TO TOWN COUNCIL.

I'M GONNA TAKE THAT UP AS TWO DIFFERENT MOTIONS, IF YOU DON'T MIND.

OKAY.

MOTION NUMBER ONE IS GONNA BE, IF I'M HERE TO CORRECT, UH, TO RECOMMEND WHAT IS IN OUR FIRST ROUND OF $4,186,065.

IS THAT YOUR MOTION? YES.

IS THERE A SECOND? I SECOND.

OKAY.

UH, THEN A VOTE.

UH, TAKE A VOTE HERE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE RECOMMENDATION OF $4,186,065, UH, DETAILED BY EACH ORGANIZATION, UH, ON THIS SHEET SIGNIFY BY RAISING YOUR RIGHT HAND, PLEASE.

ANY OBJECTIONS? ANY OF STATION? OKAY.

THAT WILL BE OUR FIRST RECOMMENDATION TO TOWN COUNCIL.

NOW WE'LL TAKE UP THE SECOND MOTION OF APPROVING, CORRECT ME IF THIS IS WRONG, BUT, UH, APPROVING, UH, THE THIRD PASS AS OUR CONTINGENCY PLAN OF SOMETHING, WE'LL OFFER THE TOWN COUNCIL AS IF THERE NEEDS TO BE A REDUCTION BECAUSE NUMBERS ARE MET.

THEN OUR RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE TO FALL ON, UH, THE THIRD PASS.

IS THAT YOUR MOTION? COULD THAT BE STATED IN THAT MANNER WHERE, WHERE IT CLEARLY SAYS, IF NECESSARY SURE.

THAT IF NECESSARY, OUR ROUND THREE WOULD BE OUR RECOMMENDATION FIRED, WHATEVER'S APPROPRIATE LANGUAGE.

CAN WE MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S, THAT, THAT'S, UM, COMPLETELY OBVIOUS IN THE, IN THE PACKET FOR THAT TOWN COUNCIL, LET'S DO THIS.

THE, THE MOTION IS GONNA BE TO APPROVE, UM, THE THIRD PASS AND THEN WE'LL OPEN THAT UP FOR DISCUSSION.

THERE'S A MOTION TO APPROVE

[02:00:01]

THE THIRD PASS AS A CONTINGENCY PLAN TO THE TOWN COUNCIL.

IS THERE A SECOND FOR THAT? SECOND.

OKAY, I'LL OPEN THAT UP FOR DISCUSSION.

THAT BEING MARKING THIS RECOMMENDATION, UM, I WOULD JUST WANT TOWN COUNCIL TO BE, BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT HERE, SO I WANT THEM TO BE AWARE THAT, UM, WE DIDN'T HAVE THE FINAL NUMBERS AND THAT THERE WILL BE AN OFFICIAL LETTER FROM THE CHAIRMAN.

SO THE CHAIRMAN WILL GET TO LOOK AT IT, REVIEW IT, APPROVE IT.

ALRIGHT, WE HAVE A MOTION.

UM, AND A SECOND WILL NOW VOTE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF, UM, OUR THIRD PASS HERE OF 4,044,765, UH, TO BE INCLUDED IN THE PACKET.

THE TOWN COUNCIL, UH, SIGNIFY BY RAISING YOUR RIGHT HAND AND THE OPPOSED OKAY.

APPROVE THERE.

OKAY, THAT BRINGS US TO, UM, THE PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION.

DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS TODAY? NO PUBLIC COMMENTS.

I OPEN IT UP IF YOU LIKE.

OH, SORRY.

SURE.

IF YOU DON'T MIND, PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND YOUR ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE.

SURE.

I'M KRISTY COHEN.

UH, ON BEHALF OF THE DARIUS WRECKER INTERCOLLEGIATE, I JUST WANTED TO ASK THAT TOWN STAFF RECONSIDER, UH, PUTTING THIS ON THE AGENDA NOT UNTIL JANUARY 14TH.

THAT REALLY PUTS EVERYBODY WHO HAS A FIRST QUARTER EVENT OR AN EARLY SECOND QUARTER EVENT AT A HUGE DISADVANTAGE.

YOU HAVE TO MAKE COMMITMENTS FOR ADVERTISING.

WE'RE USED TO HAVING A NOVEMBER OR EARLY DECEMBER DATE AND WAITING TILL JANUARY UNFORTUNATELY MAKES THE MONEY THAT WE GENEROUSLY RECEIVED VIRTUALLY UNHELPFUL BECAUSE THERE'S, YOU HAVE TO MAKE ADVERTISING COMMITMENTS MORE THAN SIX WEEKS IN ADVANCE.

MY EVENT ALONE IS AT THE BEGINNING OF MARCH IN ST.

PATRICK'S DAY PARADE, THERE WOULD BE OTHER ONES THAT THIS REALLY DETRIMENTALLY AFFECTS.

UM, LAST YEAR, THE, THE MEETING WAS IN DECEMBER WHERE IT WAS DISCUSSED MID, I BELIEVE MID-DECEMBER.

THAT WAS HARD ENOUGH BECAUSE MOST MAGAZINES AND THINGS NEED COMMITMENTS BEFORE THEN, BUT I DON'T THINK ANY OF US, ME INCLUDED, FEEL COMFORTABLE MAKING COMMITMENTS AND TAKING THAT KIND OF FINANCIAL RISK BECAUSE AS WE'VE SEEN HERE TODAY, ANYTHING CAN REALLY HAPPEN WITH, UH, YOUR GRANT WHEN IT GETS TO TOWN COUNCIL.

SO IN THE PAST, WE'VE ALSO DONE A MEETING IN NOVEMBER AROUND THANKSGIVING TIME, WHATEVER THAT MEETING IS.

SO ANYWAY, I JUST WOULD REALLY ASK THAT WE RECONSIDER THAT JANUARY BECAUSE, UM, IT'S JUST, IT'S A REAL CHALLENGE OTHERWISE, YEAH, I'LL BE SURE TO INCLUDE THAT IN MY REPORT.

OKAY.

AND WHEN I MEET WITH THEM ON THE RECOMMENDATION OF, YOU KNOW, MOVING THIS, IT USED TO BE HISTORICALLY IN THE SAME CALENDAR YEAR THAT WE HAVE THIS EVENT AND IT'S GOT MOVED TO JANUARY, WHICH DOES PUT A, A STRESS ON ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE, AS YOU MENTIONED, IT REALLY DOES.

MAY I SAY SOMETHING AND, AND I APOLOGIZE TO ALL OF YOU IF IT, IF, IF IT PUTS ANY KIND OF, UM, DISTRESS ON YOUR ORGANIZATIONS.

UM, THE REASON WHY WE'RE DOING IT IN JANUARY THIS YEAR IS BECAUSE WE JUST HAD ELECTIONS.

SO WE HAVE TWO NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THEY'RE NOT GOING TO, UM, BE ACTING AS COUNCIL MEMBERS UNTIL JANUARY.

THAT'S THE REASON WHY IN THIS PARTICULAR YEAR, WE'RE DOING IT IN JANUARY TO ALLOW THE, THE NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS TO BE SWORN AND BE PARTICIPANT AND BE PART OF THIS, UM, DECISION AS IT RELATES TO THE A TAX GRANTS.

YEAH, I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THAT.

I'M JUST NOT SURE HOW TO BALANCE IT WITH, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF MONEY THAT ACTUALLY WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO, I MEAN, WE JUST WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO USE, UM, OR WE HAVE TO TAKE A HUGE FINANCIAL RISK AND HOPE THAT THE NEW COUNCIL SUPPORTS SOME VERSION UP THERE OF WHAT, UM, THE AT TAX COMMITTEE HAS GIVEN.

SO THAT, THAT'S JUST, UH, I UNDERSTAND, BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, THERE'S A BALANCE TO APPLICANTS.

THE WHOLE REASON WE'RE DOING THIS IS TO SUPPORT EVENTS.

BUT IF IT REALLY HURTS EVENTS, THEN WOULD THAT BE SOMETHING THAT THE CURRENT COUNCIL WOULD BE WILLING TO TAKE UP? MAYBE THEY TAKE UP ONLY FIRST QUARTERS, EARLY SECOND QUARTER EVENTS, OR IS THERE A HAPPY MEDIUM THAT WE COULD COME UP WITH, YOU KNOW, SATISFY BOTH.

UH, MR. CHAIRMAN, IF YOU DON'T MIND, I WILL BRING THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF OUR TOWN MANAGER AND SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING HE WOULD LIKE TO DO WITH THIS.

YEAH, BEFORE I OPEN IT UP, I JUST, I'M CURIOUS ABOUT NEXT YEAR'S CALENDAR.

WE HAVE, UH, OUR SCHEDULE OF 2025, BUT DO YOU ANTICIPATE IN 2025

[02:05:01]

TOWN COUNCIL MOVING THIS MEETING BACK INTO DECEMBER SINCE IT'S NOT BEING AN ELECTION YEAR? YES.

UH, I THINK I, UH, WE CAN ACCOMPLISH THAT.

AGAIN, THIS YEAR IS A SPECIAL YEAR BECAUSE OF THE ELECTIONS, BUT, UH, I DON'T SEE AN ISSUE WITH MOVING IT TO DECEMBER.

OKAY.

I WAS JUST GONNA ASK YOU, I CERTAINLY AGREE WITH YOUR SENTIMENT.

I DON'T KNOW THAT HAVING TWO NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS IS THE REASON TO MOVE THIS BACK.

I RECOGNIZE WHAT YOUR THOUGHT PROCESS IS, BUT I THINK IF IT DOES SOME HARM TO CERTAIN ORGANIZATIONS, I DON'T KNOW IF WE AS A, UH, COMMITTEE CAN MAKE A RECOMMENDATION THAT TOWN COUNCIL HOLD THAT MEETING EARLIER.

I THINK IT'S REALLY GONNA DEPEND ON WHETHER OR NOT THE STATE GETS THE NUMBERS IN FRONT OF TOWN COUNCIL.

YOU KNOW, WE CAN DEFINITELY GO TO THEM AND REQUEST THAT THEY MOVE THIS AGENDA ITEM.

WHAT SCHEDULE SEE THAT HAPPENING? I'M SORRY, WHAT IS THIS? THE SCHEDULE FOR THE DECEMBER TOWN COUNCIL MEETING? SO DECEMBER 3RD IS THE NEXT, UH, TOWN COUNCIL MEETING.

MEETING MEETING IS THE FIRST, SO WE HAVE ONE IN ON NOVEMBER 12TH.

OF COURSE, WE'RE NOT READY FOR THAT ONE.

AND THEN THE OTHER ONE IS DECEMBER 3RD.

I GUESS MY POINT IS THAT IF, IF IT'S HISTORICALLY BEEN DONE IN DECEMBER, AND THE RATIONALE IS THE ELECTION, WHILE WELL THOUGHT OUT, WE NEVER HAVE THOSE NUMBERS FINALIZED BY DECEMBER.

WE'RE, WE'RE STILL MAKING ESTIMATES, OBVIOUSLY.

UM, YEAH, NORMALLY WE, WE, BY, BY THIS MEETING, WE NORMALLY HAVE Q3.

UH, WE NORMALLY HAVE THE REVENUES FOR Q3, RIGHT.

SO THE ONLY ESTIMATED QUARTER THAT WE, WE, WE, THE ONLY ESTIMATE WE DO IS Q4.

SO THIS IS, UM, A DIFFERENT YEAR.

UNFORTUNATELY, WE ARE NOT ABLE TO GET THE NUMBERS, BUT, UH, AGAIN, WE'RE CALLING THE STATE AGAIN AND SEE IF WE CAN GET A LEASE, IF NOT THE REVENUE, AT LEAST INFORMATIONAL, WHAT WE SHOULD BE EXPECTING FOR Q3.

BUT I WILL BRING THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF THE TOWN MANAGER, IF THAT'S OKAY WITH YOU.

YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

I'LL AMEND MY THOUGHT.

THEN IN THE EVENT THAT WE DO GET THIRD QUARTER NUMBERS, I WOULD ASK THAT THIS COMMITTEE ASK TOWN COUNCIL TO, TO DO THAT SO THAT PEOPLE ORGANIZATIONS CAN HAVE WHAT THEY, WE'LL PUT A DRAFT TO TOWN COUNCIL AND TO THE TOWN MANAGER, UH, MAKING THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS.

UH, YOUR, YOUR POINTS ARE WELL TAKEN AND WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE VOICE THOSE CONCERNS TO THEM AS WELL.

I, I DO UNDERSTAND IT BEING AN ELECTION YEAR WITH TWO NEW MEMBERS COMING IN, BUT, UM, I DON'T, WE'LL MAKE THE REQUEST.

OKAY.

SEE WHAT WE, THANK YOU.

YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS, MR. PLUCKER? THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.

JAMES, JAMES PLUCKER, A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC NOW, SAT IN THAT HOT SEAT FOR THREE YEARS, SAT ON OPPOSITE SIDES ON THREE OTHERS.

UM, THE FIRST THREE YEARS I WAS ON THIS COMMITTEE, WE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM.

WE WERE FORTUNATE, WE'RE UNFORTUNATE, I GUESS DURING THE COVID YEARS THAT I WAS, UH, ALSO GOT A CHANCE TO BE CHAIRMAN THAT WE HAD SUFFICIENT FUNDS TO MEET ALL, ALL THE, UH, PROJECTS.

THAT'S NOT THE SAME ANYMORE.

I THINK YOU'VE DONE AN ADMIRABLE JOB OF TRYING TO SPLIT THE BABY AS IT IS.

UM, MY RECOMMENDATION, I'D ASK THE, UH, THE FINANCE CHAIR IS THERE, ARE THERE ANY WORKSHOPS WITH TOWN COUNCIL BETWEEN NOW AND THE END OF THE YEAR? ? I AM NOT AWARE OF ANY WORKSHOPS.

OKAY.

CAN, IS THERE ANY OPPORTUNITY TO SCHEDULE A WORKSHOP OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? OR IS THAT, AND AND THE TOPIC WILL BE TO TALK ABOUT ATAC YES.

AND HOW IT WORKS AND ALL THAT? YES.

UM, OUR MAJOR IS THE DECISION MAKER FOR THE AGENDA ITEMS. MM-HMM.

.

UM, ACTUALLY RIGHT NOW, UH, THERE'S, UH, A MAYOR MEETING THAT TO TALK ABOUT AGENDAS FOR THE NEXT, UM, TWO MONTHS OR THE NEXT YEAR.

MM-HMM, .

UM, I CAN GO AHEAD AND SUBMIT THAT TO, TO THEIR ATTENTION.

AND AS PART OF THAT, I WOULD ASK THAT THE TWO, UH, COUNCIL PEOPLE ELECT ALSO BE INVITED TO THAT TO PUT THEIR 2 CENTS IN IF THEY COULD AS WELL.

OKAY.

AND THAT THE AT TAX CHAIR BE INVITED TO THAT WORKSHOP TO MAKE THE PRESENTATION ALONG, ALONG WITH YOU AS WELL AS THE FINANCE DIRECTOR, BECAUSE THAT'S TRYING TO GET MORE INFORMATION TO THEM.

SO IF, IF THERE'S A CONSENSUS, I KNOW THERE'S NO BUSINESS CAN BE DONE AT THAT MEETING, BUT IF THERE'S A CONSENSUS AS TO THE NUMBERS, PERHAPS IT GIVES MORE CLARITY TO THESE FIRST QUARTER APPLICANTS TO GET SOMETHING DONE.

'CAUSE RIGHT NOW WE'RE TRYING TO, TRYING TO MAKE A WHEEL THAT'S NEVER BEEN MADE BEFORE.

AND I UNDERSTAND YOUR POSITION.

UM, BUT AGAIN, UH, CONGRATULATE YOU ON, UH, WORKING THROUGH THE, UH, THE DIFFICULTIES.

'CAUSE I'VE BEEN THERE AND I UNDERSTAND THEM.

AND THERE ARE GONNA BE SOME ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE, UM, THAT ARE DISAPPOINTED IN WHAT YOU'VE DONE.

AND THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOBBY DIRECTLY TO TOWN COUNCIL.

'CAUSE WE'VE SEEN IT HAPPEN IN THE PAST WHEN WE'VE HAD TO MAKE THESE TOUGH DECISIONS AND LET THE, UH, TOWN COUNCIL MAKE THEM.

ALL YOU CAN DO, AND THE IDEA OF THIS COMMITTEE IS TO GIVE THEM YOUR BEST EFFORT TO MAKE A CLEAN RECOMMENDATION BASED ON THE INFORMATION YOU HAVE.

BE ABLE TO GIVE THEM WHY

[02:10:01]

YOU MADE THAT RECOMMENDATION.

BECAUSE ALL YOU CAN DO IS ASK THEY, THEY TRUST YOU AND ASK, THE IDEA IS TO KICK THE, THE, UH, THE TOWN COUNCIL'S TRUST.

AND AS LONG AS THIS COMMITTEE'S WORKING TO DO THAT AND GIVE THEM THEIR YOUR BEST RECOMMENDATION BASED ON THE INFORMATION YOU HAVE, THEN YOU'VE DONE YOUR JOB.

YOU DON'T ALLOCATE THE FUNDS, YOU DON'T DO ANY OF THOSE THINGS.

YOU'RE JUST RECOMMENDING TO THEM HOW, BASED ON THE 20 PLUS HOURS OF APPLICATIONS YOU HEARD AND ALL THE WORK YOU'VE DONE IN YOUR, YOUR OFFICES AT HOME AND OTHERWISE YOU'RE MAKING YOUR BEST EFFORTS.

SO I THANK YOU.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS? SEEING NONE, UH, I'LL SEEK A MOTION.

OH YES.

BEFORE WE ADJOURN, I JUST WANNA EXPRESS THANKS TO SHENA AND THE, AND THE TOWN STAFF FOR ALL THE WORK THAT THEY DID TO GIVE US THE INFORMATION WE NEED TO WORK ON AND FOR THE FINANCE FOLKS FOR, FOR PROVIDING AS MUCH AS THEY POSSIBLY CAN TO US.

AND ALL THE APPLICANTS WHO REALLY I THINK THAT ARE, UM, THIS IS MY SECOND YEAR ON THE COMMITTEE, DID A MUCH BETTER JOB IN GENERAL TRYING TO GET INFORMATION TO US.

SO THANK YOU ALL.

ANYTHING ELSE FROM THE COMMITTEE? JUST ECHO THE SENTIMENTS.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO EVERYBODY ON THIS COMMITTEE, TOWN STAFF FOR ORGANIZING, UH, RECEIVING ALL THE APPLICATIONS AND GETTING 'EM TO US.

UH, IT'S A LOT OF DOCUMENTS.

YOU GUYS KNOW, YOU ASSEMBLE 'EM FOR EACH OF YOUR ORGANIZATIONS THAT THEY GET TO BE ON THE RECEIVING END OF ALL THOSE APPLICATIONS AND THEN DELEGATE IT OUT TO US.

THAT'S MUCH APPRECIATED.

UM, WE'RE GONNA DO EVERYTHING WE CAN FOR EACH OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS TO PUSH THESE THROUGH TO TOWN COUNCIL.

TRY TO GET SOME ANSWERS AS WELL WHEN IT COMES TO THE TIMING OF THESE THINGS.

SO, UM, IF THERE'S NO OTHER BUSINESS TO BE CONDUCTED, I'D LOOK FOR, UH, LOOK TO ADJOURN.

ANY OBJECTIONS FOR ADJOURNED? THANK YOU.

THANKS FOR WATCHING BEAUFORT COUNTY TV.

HERE'S WHAT'S HAPPENING IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.

GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY.

.

LOT OF GOOD NETWORK GOING ON OUT THERE.

JUST LIKE A CHAMBER OF COMMERCE EVENT.

RIGHT? THAT'S PERFECT.

PERFECT.

WELL, GOOD MORNING LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.

MY NAME IS JOHN RUMBLE.

I'M THE AIRPORTS DIRECTOR HERE AT HILTON HEAD ISLAND AND I WANTED TO WELCOME ALL OF YOU TODAY, ALL OF OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS, MEMBERS OF OUR AIRPORTS BOARD WHO ARE HERE, MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA, AND A BIG WELCOME TO UNITED AIRLINES.

OUR NEWEST AIRLINE PARTNER.

YESTERDAY AFTERNOON, UNITED AIRLINES STARTED THEIR, UH, AIRLINE SERVICE HERE AT HILTON HAT ISLAND WITH THEIR DIRECT CONNECTION TO WASHINGTON DULLES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.

AND WE'RE LUCKY TODAY TO HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM BOTH UNITED AIRLINES AND WASHINGTON DULLES AIRPORT, AND YOU'LL HEAR FROM THEM IN JUST A FEW MINUTES.

BUT UNITED SERVICE REPRESENTS REALLY A GIANT LEAP FOR US ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND.

IT CONNECTS OUR AIRPORT AND OUR ISLAND TO THE REST OF THE WORLD.

LITERALLY, THE NEW SERVICE DIRECTLY CONTRIBUTES TO OUR MISSION AT THE AIRPORT OF PROVIDING THE MOST EFFICIENT, SAFE, AND RELIABLE TRAVEL OPTIONS TO OUR RESIDENTS AND OUR VISITORS TO THE ISLAND.

IT'S AN UNDERSTATEMENT TO SAY THAT WE'RE EXCITED TO HAVE UNITED HERE AT HILTON HEAD.

WELCOME UNITED.

AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE OUR UNITED AIRLINES REPRESENTATIVE, UH, NOEL DEMAR COME UP TO THE PODIUM AND SAY A FEW WORDS.

NOEL, I HAVE TO GIVE A QUICK INTRODUCTION TO NOEL.

SHE'S BEEN INVOLVED FROM THE VERY BEGINNING WITH UNITED AS FAR AS GETTING THE STATION READY FOR SERVICE.

SO, UM, SHE'S DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB.

WE'VE, UH, WORKED A LOT OF THINGS OUT IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS AND GLAD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

THANK YOU, JOHN.

GOOD MORNING.

GOOD MORNING.

ON BEHALF OF THE 90,000 UNITED EMPLOYEES, UM, AT UNITED, THANK YOU FOR YOUR WARM WELCOME.

THIS MORNING.

I'D LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE OUR NEW HILTON HEAD AREA EMPLOYEES.

THIS IS A NEW LOCATION FOR US AND THIS TEAM WILL BE HELPING TO MAKE THESE FLIGHTS A GREAT SUCCESS.

UNITED AIRLINES IS ABSOLUTELY THRILLED TO BE HERE AND TO WELCOME HILTON HEAD TO THE UNITED AIRLINES FAMILY AS WE LAUNCH A NEW SERVICE TO OUR HUBS IN WASHINGTON, CHICAGO, AND NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

[02:15:01]

ADDING A NEW ROUTE LIKE HILTON HEAD, WE'LL CONNECT CUS CUSTOMERS TO OUR BUSTLING HUBS, OFFERING MORE OPTIONS TO TRAVEL TO HUNDREDS OF LOCATIONS AROUND THE GLOBE.

AT UNITED, THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE OUR CUSTOMERS IS MORE THAN JUST A TRANSACTION TO US.

IT'S AN INTERACTION.

EVERY CUSTOMER, EVERY FLIGHT, EVERY DAY.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO SHARING ALL THAT UNITED HAS TO OFFER WITH NEW AND RETURNING CUSTOMERS TO HILTON HEAD AND THE SURROUNDING AREAS ON BEHALF OF UNITED, THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING US TO CONNECT YOU TO THE WORLD.

THANK YOU NOELLE.

AND NOW I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE DION BERRY, WHO'S OUR REPRESENTATIVE FROM WASHINGTON DULLES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.

DION, WELCOME.

GOOD MORNING.

ON BEHALF OF METROPOLITAN WASHINGTON AIRPORT AUTHORITY, IT'S WITH GREAT PLEASURE TO WELCOME THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND AIRPORT TO OUR, TO YOUR NATION'S CAPITAL, AND TO THE DULLES INTERNATIONAL AIRLINE SERVICE FAMILY.

YOU'RE JOINING A LARGE FAMILY OF UNDER OF MORE THAN 140 MEMBERS FROM ALL ACROSS THE GLOBE.

LOCATED IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA, JUST OUTSIDE WASHINGTON.

DC DULLES INTERNATIONAL IS ONE OF UNITED'S FASTEST GROWING HUBS.

TOGETHER WITH ITS STAR ALLIANCE PARTNERS, UNITED OFFERS 271 NONSTOP FLIGHTS TO 127 NONSTOP DESTINATIONS ACROSS FIVE CONTINENTS, PROVIDING EASY CONNECTIVITY, BIG AND SMALL TO COMMUNITIES, BIG AND SMALL.

SOON DULLES INTERNATIONAL WILL HAVE THE SILVER LINE METRO RAIL ACCESS TO DOWNTOWN WASHINGTON DC TAKING PASSENGERS FROM THE AIRPORT TO THE CITY AND UNDER AN HOUR WITHOUT HAVING TO TRANSFER TRAINS.

THIS WILL MAKE DULLES INTERNATIONAL, ONE OF ONLY A HANDFUL OF AIRPORTS IN THE COUNTRY WITH A STATION ON ITS CITY SYSTEM, SUBWAY, SUBWAY SYSTEM.

HOWEVER, IF YOU CHOOSE TO STAY IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA, IT'S GROWING AREA.

AND I ENCOURAGE YOU TO VISIT MANY BEAUTIFUL AWARD-WINNING WINERIES, SHOPPING DISTRICTS, AND HISTORIC, UH, TOURIST DESTINATIONS THROUGHOUT OUR AREA AS THE AIRPORT AUTHORITY.

IT'S OUR GOAL TO MAKE DULLES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT THE PREDOMINANT GATEWAY, NOT ONLY TO THE WASHINGTON DC METRO REGION, BUT FOR THE ENTIRE EAST COAST.

IN AN EFFORT TO HELP OUR FAMILY MEMBERS, AIRPORTS LIKE HILTON HEAD GET BETTER CONNECTED TO THE NATION'S CAPITAL AND TO THE WORLD.

AGAIN, WELCOME TO THE DULLES INTERNATIONAL FAMILY.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, DIONNE.

WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO BE LINKED UP WITH WASHINGTON DULLES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IN UNITED.

AND NOW, AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO HAVE OUR HOMETOWN MAYOR JOHN MCCANN, COME UP AND SAY A FEW WORDS.

I KNOW THIS IS ONE OF HIS FAVORITE THINGS TO DO, SO WELCOME MR. MAYOR.

I'D LIKE TO HEAR THAT BACKGROUND SOUND EFFECTS AGAIN TOO, LIKE THE YOUNG LADY JUST GOT, JUST NOW.

I MEAN, IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE REALLY IN AN AIRPORT.

IT FEELS REALLY GOOD.

WELL, ON BEHALF OF THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND, I WELCOME YOU ALL TODAY, SUSAN.

IT'S NICE HAVING YOU HERE WITH US.

UH, THERE IS NO BETTER PLACE FOR THE FRIENDLY SKIES OF UNITED TO FLY OVER THE, OVER THE NUMBER ONE ISLAND IN THE COUNTRY.

HILTON HEAD, ISLAND ISLAND OPERATES A LARGE DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT NETWORK ALL THROUGH THE WORLD.

I MUST TELL YOU A PERSONAL STORY.

WHEN I WAS DATING MY WIFE VALERIE, SHE LIVED IN SAN FRANCISCO AND I FLEW THE UNITED FLIGHT EVERY FRIDAY AFTERNOON AT FOUR O'CLOCK FROM NEW YORK TO SAN FRANCISCO.

UH, MONTHS AND MONTHS IN A ROW, WORTHWHILE TRIP.

BUT I MUST TELL YOU, WHEN YOU FLY THE SAME PLANE EVERY WEEK THE SAME TIME, IT'S THE SAME MOVIE.

YOU GET THE SAME MOVIE FOR A HOME MONTH.

SO I HAVE VERY, VERY MEMORABLE AND, UH, DEAR EXPERIENCES FLYING UNITED ALL THROUGH THE COUNTRY.

IT WAS VERY GOOD FOR US.

OUR GOAL IS TO ENSURE THE, THE WELCOMING AND THE CARE OF OUR PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE, OUR RESIDENTS AND OUR TOURISTS.

AND I FEEL THEY'RE IN SAFE HANDS WITH THE, WITH THE UNITED COMING IN.

UM, ALL THIS HAS BEEN PUT TOGETHER BY JOHN RUMBLE AND HIS PEOPLE.

ALL TOO OFTEN, WE GIVE OURSELF A LOT OF CREDIT, THE TOWN ITS EMPLOYEES, BUT JOHN AND HIS STAFF HAS DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB ON THIS.

JOHN, ON BEHALF OF THE TOWN, I THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH.

I'M HAPPY PERSONALLY TO HAVE UNITED HERE AND BACK INTO MY LIFE, AND I THANK YOU WOLF FOR COMING AND GO UNITED.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

NOW

[02:20:01]

WE'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE OUR CHAIRMAN OF COUNTY COUNCIL, MR. STU RODMAN.

THANKS STU.

THANK YOU, JOHN.

APPRECIATE YOU ALL.

UH, BEING HERE, UM, THE EXPANSION OF ALL OF THE AIRLINES HERE WILL BE A SIGNIFICANT EVENT FOR HILTON HEAD AND FOR THE AREA, BOTH FROM AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STANDPOINT AND FOR A TOURIST STANDPOINT.

I THINK WE'LL PROBABLY PICK UP BETWEEN ALL THE AIRLINES, PROBABLY A HUNDRED THOUSAND ADDITIONAL PEOPLE COMING THAT WOULD NOT HAVE OTHERWISE COME TO THE AREA FOR BOTH TOURISM AND FOR CORPORATE HOSPITALITY.

SO IT'S GONNA BE GREAT.

A LITTLE HISTORY.

UH, I USED TO WORK FOR UNITED TECHNOLOGIES, WHICH WAS ORIGINALLY UNITED AIRCRAFT.

AND 90 YEARS AGO UNITED AIRCRAFT, UNITED AIRLINES AND BOEING WERE ALL THE SAME COMPANY.

IN FACT, UNITED WAS ACTUALLY STARTED BY BOEING.

SO I REFRESHED MY MEMORY ON THE HISTORY.

SO 90 YEARS AGO, UNITED HAD, UM, 60 PILOTS.

THEY HAD 40 AIRPLANES.

THEY WERE BASICALLY IN THE UH, AIR CARGO BUSINESS AND, UM, THEY, THE NUMBER OF PASSENGERS BOARDING DAILY WAS ABOUT 25, AND IT TOOK FOUR OR FIVE DAYS TO FLY ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

SO THERE WERE PROBABLY A HUNDRED PEOPLE IN ROUTE AT ANY PARTICULAR TIME.

THE STEWARDESSES WERE REGISTERED NURSES AND THE HUBS ARE THE SAME AS THEY ARE TODAY FOR THE MOST PART.

SO SOME, SOME INTERESTING HISTORY.

BUT, UH, WE DO WELCOME UNITED.

APPRECIATE YOUR COMING HERE.

LOOK FORWARD TO A, UH, LONG RELATIONSHIP, UH, WITH YOU.

AND JUST AGAIN, THANK YOU AND THANK YOU, JOHN FOR ALL YOU'VE DONE.

THANKS, STEPHEN.

I SHOULD GO WITHOUT SAYING THAT WE CAN'T DO WHAT WE DO HERE AT THE AIRPORT WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD AND, UM, COUNTY COUNCIL AS WELL.

AND NOW, ANOTHER VERY IMPORTANT PERSON I WANNA INTRODUCE, SHE'S KIND OF SNEAKING AWAY OFF THE SIDE THERE, BUT, UM, THE PERSON WHO I REFER TO AS THE NUMBER ONE CHEERLEADER FOR THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND AIRPORT IS, UH, LESLIE RICHARDSON.

AND, UM, THERE SHE IS.

I THOUGHT SHE SNUCK OFF WITH HER CREW.

SHE'S ALWAYS GETTING THE CREW MOVING AROUND TO THE RIGHT PLACE.

UM, WHEN I MENTIONED TO LESLIE THAT, THAT WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE SOME MORE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN THESE EVENTS, SHE JUMPED UP AND, AND BASICALLY JUST KIND OF PUSHED ME OUT OF THE WAY AND SAID, I GOT THIS.

OKAY, .

UM, AND, AND SHE IS GREAT.

SHE IS THE BIGGEST CHEERLEADER FOR THE AIRPORT.

I'M SUPER HAPPY TO HAVE HER AND HER GROUP INVOLVED.

AND THE YACHT CLUB WAS HERE YESTERDAY, UH, FOR THE FIRST FLIGHT INN IN THE FIRST DEPARTURE.

SO EVERYBODY GOT A REAL GOOD FEELING OF THAT SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY WHEN THEY CAME TO HILTON HEAD ISLAND.

AND THE ONES LEAVING CERTAINLY, UH, WILL MISS IT WHILE THEY'RE GONE, BUT I'M SURE IT'LL COME RIGHT BACK.

SO, LESLIE, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, JOHN.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

WELL, I HOPE YOU ALL GOT TO SEE MY STAFF HERE.

THEY'RE SO AMAZING AND THEY HAVE MADE THE MOST INCREDIBLE CUPCAKES WITH HHH TWO IAD, SO BE SURE YOU TAKE ONE BECAUSE IT'S GONNA BE A COLLECTOR'S ITEM.

ANYWAY, I AM LESLIE RICHARDSON AND WE LOVE THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND AIRPORT.

WE'RE SO EXCITED.

WE ARE SO EXCITED.

AND MY DAUGHTER HAS JUST ACCEPTED A JOB IN WASHINGTON DC SO I PROMISE I WAS TALKING TO YOU YESTERDAY ABOUT SALES.

WE WILL BE GOING ON THIS FLIGHT SO MANY TIMES.

WE ARE SO EXCITED.

AND I JUST CAN'T TELL YOU, JOHN REBO AND HIS LEADERSHIP HAS REALLY BEEN AMAZING, AND YOU HAVE DELIVERED ON ALL THE PROMISES YOU MADE, SO THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT.

I DID MENTION THIS IS A CHAMBER OF COMMERCE EVENT, SO NO EVENT WOULD BE COMPLETE WITHOUT THE CHAMBER BEING HERE AND SAYING A FEW WORDS.

SO I WANT TO HAVE OUR CHAMBER PRESIDENT, CEO, BILL MILES COME UP AND RIGHT AFTER BILL SPEAKS, WE'RE GONNA DO OUR RIBBON CUTTING AS WELL.

BILL, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.

AND IT IS AN EXCITING DAY FOR HILTON HEAD ISLAND.

AND WHEN YOU THINK BACK, MAYBE A YEAR AGO, TWO YEARS AGO, AND WE WOULD'VE SAID APRIL 1ST, WE'LL BE AT THE AIRPORT ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND FOR RIBBON CUTTING FOR UNITED.

SOMEBODY WOULD'VE THOUGHT, THAT'S PROBABLY THE BEST APRIL FOOLS JOKE GOING.

SO, UH, THE GREAT THING IT IS, IT'S NOT.

AND, UH, ON BEHALF OF CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, IT'S OUR PLEASURE TO WELCOME UNITED AS WELL AS THE AIRPORT IN DULLES TO THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND FAMILY.

IT'S INDEED A PLEASURE TO HAVE, UH, YOU SERVICING OUR LOCAL AIRPORT HERE.

AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT ALL THE GREAT THINGS TO COME AND THE PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE WILL HAVE AS WE MOVE FORWARD WILL BE ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC.

SO THIS IS GREAT, NOT ONLY FOR OUR, OUR LOCAL RESIDENTS, IT'S GREAT FOR OUR VISITORS.

AND IF YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A THRIVING COMMUNITY, YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE A VIBRANT AIRPORT.

AND THIS AIRPORT RIGHT NOW IS VIBRANT AND LOTS OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN MAKING THAT HAPPEN.

AND FROM JOHN REBOLT, HIS BOARD OF DIRECTORS, THE COUNTY, THE TOWN, SO MANY PEOPLE, UH, HAVE HELPED THIS DAY COME TO FRUITION.

SO, ON BEHALF

[02:25:01]

OF THE CHAMBER, WE THANK YOU, WE SALUTE YOU, AND WE'RE HONORED TO HAVE UNITED SERVICING HILTON HEAD ISLAND.

HAVE A GREAT DAY, MR. MAYOR.

OKAY.

SO IT UP JUST A LITTLE BIT WHERE YOU WANT THEM.

COME ON.

COME ON.

VERY MUCH.

CAN EVERYONE JUST TAKE ONE STEP INTO, CLOSER TO EACH OTHER? OKAY.

CLOSER TOGETHER.

OKAY.

Y'ALL COME THIS WAY JUST A LITTLE BIT.

OKAY.

1, 2, 3.

AS WE CLOSE, I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR BEING HERE TODAY.

DON'T FORGET, WE DO HAVE SOME, UH, REFRESHMENTS OVER ON THE SIDE, SO PLEASE TAKE ADVANTAGE.

I ALSO WANT TO THANK OUR PARTNERS WITH THE FAA, THE SOUTH CAROLINA AERONAUTICS COMMISSION, AND OF COURSE, THE TOWN, THE COUNTY.

AND I'M GONNA THANK TSA.

NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE THANK TSA, BUT THEY WENT THROUGH A LOT WITH US, SO WE THANK THEM FOR THEIR FLEXIBILITY.

YAY, TSA.

AND AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL.

AND WE'LL DO PHOTOS UP FRONT.

AND THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.

THIS IS OUR SECOND YEAR.

AS MEMBERS OF THE LIBRARY, WE, UH, WE LOOK UPON THIS LIBRARY AS ONE OF THE REASONS WE'VE DECIDED TO COME HERE TO BEGIN WITH, AND ALSO TO STAY AS LONG AS WE DO.

UH, WE'RE FROM CANADA, EASTERN CANADA, NEWFOUNDLAND, AND LABRADOR.

AND, UH, WE SEEK OUT, UH, LENGTHY STAYS EACH WINTER WHERE TO GO.

AND IN THE LAST COUPLE YEARS, IN FACT, IT'S OUR RETURNS OUR FOURTH YEAR, UH, WHERE WE CAN ENJOY AN EXTENDED PERIOD, BUT ALSO HAVE A FULFILLING EXPERIENCE.

AND FOR US, BEING MY WIFE AND I, LYNN, UH, BEING AVID READERS, WE FIND THAT THIS LIBRARY IS ONE OF THE BEST EQUIPPED, UH, THAT WE'VE EVER RUN INTO.

UM, IT IS, WE'VE NEVER YET NOT BEEN ABLE TO OBTAIN A BOOK THAT WE'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR.

AND, UH, THIS LIBRARY PERHAPS DOESN'T REALIZE HOW IMPORTANT IT, UH, THE ROLE IT PLAYS IN THE COMMUNITY AND ATTRACTING PEOPLE NOT ONLY TO COME HERE, BUT TO STAY LONGER AND, UH, THEN PROVIDE A, A WONDERFUL, FULFILLING EXPERIENCE FOR THOSE WHO DO THAT.

SO THAT'S GREAT.