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CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY.
[I. CALL TO ORDER ]
UH, ACCOMMODATION TAX ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING FOR TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18TH, 6 0 5.I'M MIKE VALDI, SOUTH ER, SAM, BRI.
[III. ADOPTION OF MINUTES ]
I HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE MINUTES? SO MOTION.[V. FINANCIAL REPORT ]
WELCOME.THIS IS THE QUARTERLY FINANCIAL.
UM, WE DID SEE AN INCREASE WHEN COMPARING, UM, THE QUARTER OR FISCAL YEAR 24 TO THIS SAME QUARTER IN FISCAL YEAR 25, UH, OVER $42,000 OR OVER 18%.
CURRENTLY THERE'S $706,350 AVAILABLE FOR DISTRIBUTION.
WE DID INCLUDE SOME LAPSE GRANTS, UM, IN THIS QUARTER AND WE DID RECEIVE THREE APPLICATIONS.
UM, BUT TWO HAVE BEEN, UM, RESCINDED AND WE ONLY HAVE ONE APPLICANT FOR YOUR, UM, REVIEW AND CONSIDERATION.
AND IT IS FOR THE 2025 MAYFEST WEEKEND FROM THE ROTARY CLUB OF LONDON FOR $24,000.
THEY HAVEN'T COMPLETED THEIR FINAL ALL OR PRESENTED EVERYTHING FOR LAST YEAR.
YEAH, THEY'RE WAITING MAY FOR MAYFEST.
I THINK I UPDATED THE STACK REPORT.
MAYBE RIGHT BEFORE, I'M SORRY.
IT SAYS WE APPROVED 25 AND THEY EXPENDED APPROXIMATELY 15 AND THE FINAL REPORT WASN'T COMPLETE.
I HAD THE REPORT, BUT NOT ALL THE BACKUP.
SO I HAD, WELL, MOST OF IT, BUT THERE WERE A COUPLE OTHER INVOICES THAT I HAVE SINCE RECEIVED.
ANY OLD BUSINESS WE NEED TO DISCUSS? NO.
[VII.1. Grant Application Q&A: The Rotary Club of Bluffton - MayFest ]
MARY, WELCOME.SO I THINK YOU ALL KNOW ME, BUT I'M MARY O'NEILL, UM, PAST PRESIDENT OF, UM, THE REITERING CLUB OF BLUFFS.
AND WE ARE REQUESTING FOR OUR MAYFEST, UM, WEEKEND $24,000.
AND TO ANSWER, JUST SO SHANNON REALLY HELPED ME THEM, 'CAUSE I WAS ON THE ROAD AND I COULDN'T GET THOSE FINAL, DIDN'T HAVE THOSE FINAL INVOICES.
SO SHE ACTUALLY GOT THEM BECAUSE WE WERE QUESTIONING WHETHER WE TURNED IN THE FINAL REPORT.
SO THEN I'LL ASK YOU, HOW CLOSE TO THE, TO THE AWARD DID YOU COME? I THINK WE'RE OVER.
I MEAN, I THINK WE SPENT MORE I OKAY.
BECAUSE THE, THE, THE, THE STAFF REPORT WE HAVE HAS IT ROUGHLY $10,000 LESS THAN THE TOTAL, THE TOTAL ALLOCATED TO YOU.
AND, AND IT DOES SAY THERE WAS SOME STUFF COMING IN.
THAT'S WHY I WAS SEEING IF YOU OH.
AND NOW THAT YOU SAY YOU'VE GOT IT IN, SHE'S THINKING X EXCEL'S WORKING ON IT.
IT'S NOT ALL IN OR NO, WE JUST, I KNOW THAT WE DID GET EVERYTHING IN.
YOU'RE VERY FRUGAL AND SOMETIMES WE, WE GO OVER.
SO THAT WAS JUST WHY I WAS ASKING.
NO, I DON'T THINK THE AMOUNT THAT WAS ELIGIBLE FOR REIMBURSEMENT TOTAL
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AT ABOUT $16,600.ONCE WE CALCULATED THE TOURISM PERCENTAGE FOR SOME OF THE EXPENSES LIKE THE RESTROOM, THEY WERE ALLOCATED 25,000 AND THEY SPENT 16 EIGHT.
IT'S JUST WHAT SHANNON'S EXPLAINED BECAUSE OF THE PERCENTAGE.
SO IT'LL COME UP IN, WE MIGHT AS WELL GO AHEAD AND BRING IT UP.
SO YOU DO KNOW THAT SOME OF THOSE EXPENSES ARE ONLY ALLOCATED AGAINST YOUR TUR OH YEAH.
SO, AND, AND I I'M SO USED TO IT.
BUT WE DO HAVE PEOPLE THAT HAVE IT SET UP HERE THAT MAY HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT MAYFEST.
EVERYBODY WANTS, SO DOES MY WIFE.
I MEAN, IT IS, IT IS NOT REAL EXCITING TO BE DOWN THERE RIGHT NOW, GUYS.
BUT WE DO, I'M HOPING, YOU KNOW, WE DO THAT VACATION PLANNER, WHICH IS SENT OUT TO THEIR 140,000 PEOPLE AND THAT ALSO IS THE E-BLASTS AND EVERY SINGLE PLACE THAT WE, UM, ADVERTISE DEFINITELY HAS THE DIGITAL, WE DO TARGET MARKETING.
I MEAN, I THINK I DO EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING, BUT I MEAN, EVEN SEAFOOD FESTIVAL THIS YEAR I THOUGHT WAS LIGHTER THAN USUAL.
BUT THEN THAT WAS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, MOST THE NORTH CAROLINA BLEW AWAY.
SO I MEAN, I, WE CAN'T, SO AND JUST AS JUST ABUNDANCE OF OVER, YOU'RE USING OUTSIDE OF 1 0 0 9, RIGHT? OR IS THAT, IS THAT YOUR PUR NUMBER? OH 9 0 0 1 OH NO, I EVEN DO 20.
I I DO FROM BUFORD OUT, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? MY ZIP IS? YEAH.
WHO WHO ARE YOU COUNTING AS A RESIDENT? NOT, NOT A TOURIST, JUST ANYONE IN 1 0 1 0 9.
IS IT NOT A TOURIST OR ARE YOU USING 2 8 2 6? I DO ALL OF HILTON HEAD NOT A TOURIST.
I DO ALL OF UP, INCLUDING BUFORT, NOT A TOURIST.
I PROBABLY USED, PLEASE FORGIVE ME.
WHAT DO WE, WHAT DO WE DETERMINE WAS THE JUROR 1 0 9 AND OH ONE AND ONE OH OR DID WE GO BE
ANYBODY ELSE OUTTA OF THOSE TWO ZIP CODES? THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S WHAT I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT.
SO I WANT TO CLARIFY THAT FOR YOU.
WELL THEN WE HAD HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF TORRES, BUT OKAY.
AND YOU BASED YOUR PROJECTIONS FOR THIS ONE AT 25%.
ONLY USING OH NINE AND ONE OH AS A, AS A RESIDENT.
I'LL BE GLAD TO
CAN THEY RETRO THEIR LAST YEAR, LAST YEAR'S REPORT? UH, IF THEY HAD A WAY TO CAPTURE IT, I'M SURE WE CAN, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THEY GOT A WAY TO CAPTURE IT.
YOU GOT A WAY TO CAPTURE IT DIFFERENTLY.
I CAN GO BACK AND GO THROUGH EVERY ONE OF THOSE SHEETS AGAIN.
SIMPLY PROBABLY NOT, NOT VERY.
AND AND THIS YEAR YOU'RE CAPTURING THE WAY YOU DID IN THE PREVIOUS ON THE, ON THE ON, ON THE, IT'S STILL THE CLEANEST WAY ON THE SHUTTLES.
SO WHAT THEY PUT THE PEOPLE ON THE SHUTTLE AND THEN THEY ASK 'EM WHEN THEY COME ON, ON OFF WHERE THEY, WHERE THEY CAME IN FROM IT.
SO OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE LOTS OF 2 9, 9 1 0 AND 2 9, 9 0 9.
BUT YEAH, I MEAN THEY'RE, YEAH, WE HAVE A LOT MORE TOURISTS THEN.
BUT HOW CAN WE COUNT A HILTON HEAD PERSON AS A TOURIST? WE CLARIFIED THAT.
I THINK YOU WERE IN ONE OF THOSE WORKSHOPS.
WE CLARIFIED THAT, THAT WE WERE ONLY GOING TO USE THE OH NINE AND ONE OH AS, AS AS NOT A TERM.
IT'S JUST DOESN'T SEEM MUCH LIKE A, A TOUR TO ME.
THAT THAT WAS WHAT WE, BECAUSE IT WAS SO HARD TO QUANTIFY AND QUALIFY BECAUSE YOU KNOW, FOR A WHILE WE HAD 50 MILES.
IT WAS HARD TO TELL IF THEY WERE OH YEAH.
IN GEORGIA 50 MILES OUT OR WHETHER THEY WERE NOT IN GEORGIA 50 MILES OUT.
SO THAT'S WHY WE WERE TRYING SO HARD TO QUANTIFY WHAT THAT WAS.
HILTON HAD, THAT'S WHY I WAS CLARIFYING WITH STAFF.
THAT'S WHAT, WHAT THE DECISION WAS MADE.
AND THAT'S GONNA STAY LIKE THAT BECAUSE I'M GETTING READY TO WRITE A FEW OTHER GRANTS.
YOU DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO.
THAT WAS YOU, YOU HAD THE SAME QUESTIONS? NO, UH, I DON'T HAVE, THE REPORT WASN'T COMPLETED BUT, UM, I GUESS IT WAS.
ALRIGHT, SO I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO TRY TO MAKE THIS EASIER.
UM, I WOULD MAKE A MOTION TO GRANT $18,880 BASED UPON THE CURRENT INFORMATION IN THE APPLICATION, BUT WITH THE ABILITY TO GO UP TO THE FULL ASK OF 24,000 BASED UPON TOURISM
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CAN I GET A SECOND? I SECOND THAT A DISCUSSION.
I JUST THINK IT'S GONNA BE IMPORTANT, HARD FOR HER TO QUANTIFY BASED UPON THIS.
AND WE ARE TRYING TO GO OFF THESE APPLICATIONS, RIGHT? SO WE HAVE TO GO WITH WHAT'S IN FRONT OF US.
AND I AND WE'VE DONE IT IN THE PAST WHERE WE CAN AWARD UP TO IT AND SHE QUALIFIES FOR WHAT SHE QUALIFIES BASED TO EVEN ON HER, HER CURRENT APPLICATION.
SO THAT'S WHY I DID IT THAT WAY.
SO LAST TIME WE DID THAT TOWN COUNCIL WAS LIKE, WHY, I UNDERSTAND WHY.
I'M JUST GONNA TELL YOU THAT THEY'RE GONNA QUESTION IT.
SO, BECAUSE I ONLY REQUESTED 15 ORIGINALLY LAST TIME.
SO WHAT I WOULD ALSO TELL YOU, I MEAN, UH, STAFF WOULD'VE BE EASIER TO AWARD UP TO 24,000 BASED UPON TOURISM NUMBER.
BECAUSE WE WOULD ONLY TAKE THAT ANYWAY.
SO LIKE WE WOULDN'T GO OVER IT.
WE WOULD TAKE WHAT EXPENDITURES COME IN 'CAUSE IT'S ALL REIMBURSEMENT BASED.
SO THINGS THAT ARE ELIGIBLE AT THE TOURISM RATE, WE WOULD USE THAT CALCULATION.
SO IT WOULD BE UP TO WHATEVER THAT TOTAL AMOUNT IS.
SO WOULD YOU LIKE A CLEANER MOTION? OKAY.
SO I, I WOULD MOTION TO AWARD THE FULLY REQUESTED AMOUNT OF $24,000 UP TO, BASED ON THE TOURISM MEMBERS.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
OKAY, BUT ARE WE CLEAR? CAN SHE GO BACK TO LAST YEAR'S REPORT THAT WAS JUST FILED? I MEAN THAT MIGHT BE MUST ANOTHER FIVE COUPLE THOUSAND BUCKS.
I MEAN, THEY DIDN'T TAKE IN ALL THAT.
THEY, I'M NOT TRYING TO MAKE WORK FOR PEOPLE.
I DUNNO THAT IT WOULD BE THAT.
NUMBERS ARE, YEAH, THERE'S NO WAY TO GUESSTIMATE THAT.
NOT HER DOING THE WORK IS THE, IS THE FINAL.
I THINK WE THE CHECK AND HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE.
UH, UH CAN I THINK ABOUT IT?
IT JUST WOULD JUST GIMME A DEADLINE TOMORROW.
WE'LL GIVE Y'ALL WIND THURSDAY.
GET WITH SHANNON TO FIGURE THAT OUT.
IF SHE CAN FIGURE IT OUT A DIFFERENT WAY.
SHE SAYS SHE'S THE ONE RECONCILING.
UM, EVERYBODY NEEDS HAVE BEEN THERE.
[VII.3. Policy Updates Regarding Eligible Reimbursables ]
OKAY.SO THE NEXT THING IS POLICY UPDATES REGARDING ELIGIBILITY IN
HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO THIS? JUST A FEW QUESTIONS.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THE RECOMMENDATION AND THE REASONING BEHIND IT.
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UM, SO WITH SOME OF THE REQUESTS COMING IN FOR FACILITIES, IT WAS REQUESTED THAT MAYBE ATAC UH, MAKE A RECOMMENDATION FOR TOWN COUNCIL TO INCLUDE IN MAYBE THEIR, UM, GUIDELINES IN THE INSTRUCTIONS SIMILAR TO HOW WE HAVE THE 50 50 BUDGET RULE.UM, AND YOU KNOW, LIKE THE PRE-APPLICATION QUALIFICATION, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
IF YOU WANTED TO ALSO ADDRESS PERSONNEL AND OPERATIONAL EXPENDITURE EXPENDITURES FOR FACILITIES.
UM, SO IN YOUR DOCUMENT I'VE REFERENCED TWO UM, DOCUMENTS.
THE FIRST ONE IS THE SOUTH CAROLINA REVENUE RULING.
AND THE SECOND ONE IS, UM, FROM TURK THAT GOES INTO SPECIFICALLY, UM, THOSE TYPES OF EXPENSES OR EXPENDITURES AND WHAT THEIR, UM, GUIDELINE AND RECOMMENDATION IS.
SO SPECIFICALLY THIS WOULD BE A QUESTION 19 THAT YOU HAVE HERE.
UH, CAN ACCOMMODATION TAX FUNDS BE USED TO FUND LOCAL GOVERNMENT SALARIES? RIGHT.
SO WE ARE GONNA USE THIS MORE THAN LOCAL GOVERNMENT BECAUSE SOME OF THESE ARE NOT LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
IT WAS JUST MORE SUPPORT ON THEIR, THEIR VIEWPOINT IS PROBABLY NOT BEST PRACTICE.
SO THAT MEANS THAT WE DON'T DO THE WELCOME CENTER ANYMORE.
'CAUSE THAT'S DONE WITH LOCAL, UM, ATAC.
SO NOBODY WHO WOULD COME UP BEFORE US WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR SALARIES IF WE GO FORWARD ON THIS FOUR FACILITIES.
WELCOME CENTERS ARE, THEY HAVE THEIR DIFFERENT CATEGORY WITHIN YOUR, UM, WITHIN THE ELIGIBLE, I THINK THERE'S LIKE SEVEN OR EIGHT OF THEM.
SO THERE'S, YOU KNOW, YOUR ADVERTISING PROMOTION, THERE'S FACILITIES FOR CIVIC AND CULTURAL EVENTS, AND THEN THEY DO HAVE ONE SPECIFICALLY FOR OPERATIONS OF, OF A WELCOME CENTER, WHICH IS WHAT THE HAYWARD HOUSE USED TO, UM, SERVE AS FOR THE TOWN.
NIKKI, DO YOU NEED A COPY OF THAT? YES, PLEASE.
I WAS JUST USING IT TO READ IT TOO.
SO THIS KIND OF FALLS IN WHAT WE'RE ALL TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH AND, AND I APPRECIATE THE EFFORT YOU HAVE DONE.
THIS IS JUST KIND OF OUR STAFF RECOMMENDATION FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
UM, THE FIRST ONE IS TO EXCLUDE PERSONNEL EXPENSES FROM ANY CONSIDERATION.
AND THEN THE SECOND ONE IS IF YOU WANNA CONSIDER A CAP FOR OPERATIONAL EXPENSES.
SO LIKE FOR UTILITIES OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
YOU, WE ARE GOING TO EXCLUDE SALARIES FOR OKAY.
FOR FACILITIES, FOR THE, FOR WHAT? AMUSING MM-HMM
IF THAT'S, IF THAT'S A RECOMMENDATION THAT YOU GUYS WOULD LIKE TO CONSIDER FOR A POLICY.
ARE WE GONNA VOTE IN THESE SEPARATELY OR ALTOGETHER? UM, IT'S UP TO YOU.
YOU CAN VOTE ON THEM SEPARATELY IF YOU WANT AND THEN IF YOU WANT TO HAVE DISCUSSION ON THE CAP OR IF YOU'RE GOOD WITH IT, YOU CAN VOTE ON THEM TOGETHER.
LET'S DISCUSS IT FIRST AND THEN WE'LL SEE HOW IT GOES AND OKAY.
WE CAN DO IT TOGETHER OR SEPARATE.
BECAUSE I THINK WE NEED TO ADD ONE MORE THING TO THIS.
I, I'D LIKE THE FACT THAT WE'RE GONNA EXCLUDE SALARY BECAUSE IT'S TOO HARD TO KEEP UP WITH.
YEAH, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT.
WHERE'S THE CAP ON OPERATING FROM? I JUST RECEIVED ONE.
SO THIS IS WHAT THE, UM,
SO WHEN WE HAD WELCOME CENTER.
AND SO THERE'S ALL LONGER HAVE A WELCOME CENTER THAT WE NEED IT.
SO THIS IS JUST TO MAKE ALL THOSE THINGS.
SO THEN THE SECOND THING THAT SHE'S DOING IS AGAIN, ON THE BACK HERE THAT IT'S A CAP OF 25%.
SO IF THEIR, IF THEIR OPERATING EXPENSES COME TO A MILLION DOLLARS MAKING UP OBVIOUSLY THAT THE CAP WOULD BE 25% OF THAT IN THAT OPERATING FUND WILL NOT INCLUDE SALARIES THAT WOULD BE OTHER THAN HAYWARD HOUSE ELECTRICITY AND ALL OF THAT.
SO IT'LL NEVER INCLUDE, IT WILL NEVER INCLUDE CAPITAL.
THERE WAS ONE FOR THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S CONSTRUCTION.
SO IN THAT DOESN'T, THAT DOESN'T SOUND AN EXPENSE.
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YES, JUST LIKE PREVIOUS.WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TWO DIFFERENT, UM, OKAY.
SO MY PROBLEM WITH THE CAP IS THERE'S GONNA BE DIFFERENT SIZE OPERATION MM-HMM
THAT WE'RE GONNA SEE COME THROUGH HERE.
UM,
IT'S HARD NOT TO BE AUTOMATICALLY PREJUDICIAL TO THE LARGER OPERATIONS BECAUSE THEY'RE GONNA GONNA HAVE SUCH A, A LARGER BUDGET.
UM, MY PROBLEM COMES 25% OF A MILLION DOLLARS IS MUCH GREATER THAN A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.
UM, SO I WOULD, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE CAN DO IT.
UM, BUT I'D ALSO LIKE TO SEE LIKE A, AN APPLICANT MAXIMUM CAP PER YEAR.
IF THERE WAS A WAY TO DO THAT.
UM, WITHOUT GETTING IN TROUBLE.
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, YOU TAKE SOMEBODY WHO AGAIN HAS A, A 50,000 SQUARE FOOT MUSEUM, THERE ARE OPERATING COSTS ARE GONNA BE SO MUCH GREATER THAN A 2000 SQUARE FOOT MUSEUM, FOR EXAMPLE.
AND IT'S JUST UNFAIR TO THE, THE SMALLER APPLICANT.
UH, JUST BECAUSE, UH, I, I LOVE THE CAP AND I, I THINK WE NEED THAT.
I JUST SEE IT BEING, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE AN APPLICANT CAP AS AN ADDITION TO A OVERALL CAP AND THAT'S FINE.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE INCLUDED, SO IT'S ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
UM, IT CAN BE THE 25% OR THE AMOUNT OF TA, WHICH WHICHEVER IS LESS.
BUT, SO IF YOU WANNA ALSO INCLUDE A HARD FIXED DOLLAR AMOUNT, THAT'S FINE.
WE WOULD JUST NEED TO KNOW WHAT YOU WOULD RECOMMEND.
SO, SO I, AGAIN, I WOULD SAY THAT A, A FACILITY LIKE THE, THE SOUTH CAROLINA AQUARIUM IN CHARLESTON, THEY'RE GONNA HAVE HUGE COSTS.
THEY'RE GONNA HAVE ALL THOSE TOURISM, THEY'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO JUSTIFY THE COSTS THAT GO THROUGH THERE.
BUT IT WOULD STILL BE UNFAIR TO USE THEM AGAINST THE, THE, THE BIG BATTLESHIP.
I DON'T MOST THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER.
SO, AND JUST A VERY DIFFERENT OPERATION.
SO, UM, AND THIS IS STILL ALL NEW? NO.
SO WE DON'T KNOW WHAT, WHAT THIS LOOK LIKE, BUT CAN WE LIKE START, I SUGGEST IT WOULDN'T BE JUST STARTED OFF TO BE ABLE TO BE CHANGED, YOU KNOW, UP TO $25,000 ON JUST MAKING THE NUMBER.
CAN YOU ADD THE PHRASE TO BE, TO BE REVIEWED ANNUALLY? WE PUT THAT IN THE, IN THE MOTION.
IT WOULD HAVE TO APPLY ANNUALLY ANYWAY.
WE, THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO APPLY.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LIKE OUR, OUR GUIDELINE.
I THINK THE PROBLEM THERE STILL BECOMES, I I SAW, GIVE A HALF A MINUTE.
I WAS GONNA SAY, KEEP IN MIND YOU'RE GONNA VOTE ON THIS AND THEN TOWN COUNCIL'S GONNA VOTE ON THIS AND THEY PROBABLY DON'T WANNA VOTE ON IT EVERY YEAR.
THEY'RE NOT GONNA WANNA RE RELITIGATE THIS EVERY YEAR WOULD BE MY GUESS.
WE NEED TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT'S, UH, YEAH.
UM, I WONDER IF IF, AND IF YOU SAW THE APPLICATIONS OR SEEN IT, COULD YOU PUT UP TO A MAXIMUM OF 10% OF YOUR OPERATING BUDGET? I MEAN, I THINK WE CAN SAY WHATEVER WE WANNA SAY.
SO WE CAN, WE CAN FIND THAT NUMBER UP TO THEIR OPERATING.
SO THEY, IF THEY GOT A MILLION DOLLAR MM-HMM
WHILE WE SAY YOU'RE CAPING IT AT 25, SAYS THEY GET TWO 50, THEY'RE GONNA GET CAPPED AT 10% OF OPERATING BUDGET, OF ELIGIBLE OPERATION BUDGET.
SO NOW DO YOU NEED TO DEFINE OPERATIONAL BUDGET? YEAH.
SO THAT AGAIN, BUT IT'D BE, I DON'T KNOW.
I, THERE'S AN ACCOUNT
I'M OBVIOUSLY VERY NEW TO THIS.
I'M LISTENING TO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
COULD WE DO A LARGE AND SMALL APPLICANT? YOU CAN'T DO THAT.
WELL, AND THE OTHER THING TO MAYBE CONSIDER IS, I MEAN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT UTILITIES.
UM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE WOULD BE LIKE OPERATIONAL, MAYBE UTILITIES, ESSENTIALLY YARD WORK.
THERE'S A LOT OF LANDSCAPING BECAUSE, WELL, IT'S THIRD PARTY.
BUT I WOULD THINK OF, OF THE HARD FIXED COST.
YOUR, YOUR UTILITIES, BUT INSURANCE AND YOU REMOVE PERSONNEL, YOU'RE TAKING A PRETTY BIG CHUNK OUT.
BUT IF THEY THIRD PARTY NOW, I'M TRYING TO THINK, IF YOU WERE THIRD PARTY, LIKE YOUR LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE, WOULD THAT BE AN ELIGIBLE EXPENSE? MM-HMM.
SO THEN NOW AGAIN, THAT 50,000 SQUARE FOOT FACILITY IS GONNA HAVE A WHOLE LOT MORE MAINTENANCE THEN OUT THAT CARRIER.
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DOES COUNCIL, THIS 25% COULD BE DECREASED OR I'M SORRY.SO THE 25% COULD BE DECREASED.
TO 10, LIKE YOU WERE SAYING, OR YOU SAY 25% OR $50,000, WHICHEVER IS LESS BASED ON YOUR, I MEAN I DON'T, YEAH.
AND THEN HOW WE WOULD DO IT AT THE STAFF LEVEL IS WHEN THE INVOICES COME IN FOR REIMBURSEMENT, WE WOULD JUST APPLY WHATEVER THAT PERCENTAGE IS OR LOOK AT WHAT THEIR TOURISM NUMBERS ARE.
CAN WE ASK BECKY
WHAT, WHAT'S YOUR ANNUAL BUDGET ROUGHLY? UH, 160.
NO, THAT'S JUST FOR HAYWARD HOUSE.
THAT'S WHAT, SO ABOUT 600,000.
HOW MUCH OF THAT IS HARD FIXED COST? YOU KNOW, UM, I WOULD SAY THE TAKING PAYROLL OUT, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT YOUR LANDSCAPING, YOUR MAINTENANCE.
SO MAYBE LOOKING AT THE FACILITY WOULD BE ONE 60 MORE THAN HALF IS FIXED HARD OPERATING COSTS WITHOUT, I HAPPEN TO HAVE THE BUDGET.
UM, SOMETHING IN FRONT? NO, I GUESS NOT.
UM, BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S NOT DOING THAT FOR US.
SO 200,000 OR HARD FIXED COSTS, THAT'S INCLUDING LIKE REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE AND UPKEEP OF THE HOUSE.
SO THAT'S NOT ALWAYS THE, IT DOESN'T ALWAYS LOOK THE SAME, BUT IT'S ALL THE SAME PERIOD NEEDS TO BE DONE, YOU KNOW, QUARTERLY OR WHATNOT.
THAT INDICATIVE OF LIKE OUR LARGEST APPLICANT.
I, I HAVEN'T SEEN THE WHOLE HISTORY OF EVERYBODY.
BECAUSE WE USED TO HAVE THE HAYWOOD HOUSE AS OUR WELCOME CENTER.
SO THE WAY THAT THOSE FOLKS ARE GONNA APPLY TO WAS GONNA BE THROUGH A, A, A CIVIC CULTURE BAR, A MUSEUM TYPE THING.
AND SO JUST ON THE RADAR THERE'S GOING BE SOME PEOPLE THAT WAY.
AND IF I MAY, THE OTHER THING TO CONSIDER IS THE APPLICANT HAS TO JUSTIFY THAT THE FACILITY DRAWS TOWARDS 'EM.
SO LIKE THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE THAT DEFENSE TO YOU ALL AS THE COMMITTEE.
SO WHILE YOU MAY HAVE LIKE A, A THRESHOLD OR WHATEVER IT IS, YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO AT THAT THRESHOLD, IT'S WHAT'S ELIGIBLE AND YOU CAN REDUCE IT TO WHATEVER YOU SEE THAT, I LIKE THE WORDING THAT WE'RE GONNA PUT SOMETHING THERE AS A PERCENTAGE OR WHATEVER'S LESS BASED ON TOURISM.
IT'S LIKE WE TALKED ABOUT IN OUR MEETING, IS IF WE CAN TIE THAT TO A TOURIST.
IT SHOULD BE TIED TO THE TOURISM, EVEN A REVENUE.
BECAUSE THERE'S SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE JUST USING AND TURK AND THE STATE REVENUE RULING RECOMMEND TYING IT TO.
IT'S PRETTY MUCH THE SAME, RIGHT? IT'S GOT THE ANNUAL, IT BREAKS DOWN BY THESE CATEGORIES.
SO YOU'VE GOT FACILITIES, BUT PRETTY MUCH ALL OF THIS WAS A ONE TIME CAPITAL COSTS THAT THEY PLAN TO HAVE THIS BACK WOULD BE ALL INELIGIBLE THINGS NOW THAT THEY'RE NO LONGER IN THE WELCOME CENTER.
BUT EVEN IF THE TOTALS IT OUT.
SO IF YOU'RE CURIOUS HOW MUCH OF THE TOTAL IT IS ABOUT A THIRD FLOOR.
THERE'S A REASON WHY WE TOOK OUR THING OFF TODAY.
OTHER THAN MAYBE PUTTING AN ANNUAL CAP ON ONE, UH, APPLICANT.
SO DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT NUMBER WOULD BE? SO IF WE USE THIS ONE FOR INSTANCE, WHAT THAT'S NOT THE NUMBER YOU NEED TO USE.
JUST GO AHEAD USING IT FOR A, OOPS.
BUT THEN, THEN, THEN 2 68 25, THAT'S FIVE WITHIN.
AND THAT, THAT EXCLUDES ADVERTISING NOW, RIGHT? YEAH.
THE OTHER THING TOO, SO LIKE IF SOMEBODY COMES IN AND HAS LIKE A PROJECT OR THEY WANT TO RENOVATE OR CONSTRUCT SOMETHING THAT WILL BE DIFFERENT.
THIS IS JUST FOR OPERATING OR THE BUILDING THE FACILITY.
SOUNDS LIKE ALMOST UNIVERSITY.
[00:30:01]
WHAT'S OUR CURRENT RUNNING TOTAL NOW? ROUGHLY EACH, EACH QUARTER.OH, IT'S BEEN PROBABLY IN THE SEVENS FOUR.
WHAT WAS, WHAT WAS IT DAY SEVEN, SEVEN SOMETHING LAST.
ARE ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT WHAS? NO, NO.
OH, IT'S OVER 700,000 AND IT RUNS BETWEEN SIX 50 AND SEVEN 50.
SO THE LAST TWO QUARTERS WE'VE GOTTEN RECEIVED FROM, UM, THE STATE OVER 275,000 EACH QUARTER.
BUT THEN, YOU KNOW, THERE'S THE DISTRIBUTIONS, THERE'S THE DMO, THERE'S THE 5% GENERAL FUND, 15 TO UM, WHAT IS D WHAT IS DMO DESIGNATED MARKET ORGANIZATION CHAMBER.
UM, SO, SO NEXT QUARTER SHOULD BE HIGHER, YOU WOULD THINK, RIGHT? WELL THERE'S A COUPLE THAT HAVE, THEY'RE GONNA ROLL OVER, AREN'T THEY? I'M SORRY.
THERE'S A, THERE'S A FEW THAT HAVE, WE HAVE SOME SORT OF NORMAL QUARTERLY SPEND AND NOW THERE'S A COUPLE THAT JUST PULLED THEIR, THEIR APPLICATION THAT'LL COME UP FOR NEXT QUARTER TO THE NEXT QUARTER.
UM, I, I'LL LOOK AT THAT NUMBER AS BEING SEVEN.
IS THAT THAT 7 0 6 FOR US TO AWARD? CORRECT? YES.
WHAT WAS THE LAST QUARTER YOU HAVE? DO YOU HAVE A HANDY? UH, WELL, THIS WAS AFTER THE AWARD.
SO THE REMAINING BALANCE FROM THE PRE PREVIOUS QUARTER WAS 524,000.
AFTER THE AWARDS AND LAST QUARTER WE AWARDED ALMOST A HUNDRED AND SOMETHING.
SO THAT WOULD TAKE US UP TO SEVEN.
SO IT RUNS AROUND RIGHT AROUND 700.
IT, IT JUST, I KNOW IT VARIES.
AND OUR BEST QUARTER IS ALWAYS AFTER THE FOURTH, FOURTH QUARTER.
WHY DON'T WE JUST START OFF, LET'S, LET'S DO THAT.
LET'S, UM, I THINK LET'S MAX IT AT 50 FOR NOW WITH THE MAXIMUM REQUEST OF $50,000 ANNUALLY.
AND THERE'S ALWAYS THE, THE UNICORN THAT MIGHT GET SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES FOR SOMETHING ELSE IF NEED BE.
WELL, THE OTHER THING THAT YOU HAVE WOULD BE, I'M SORRY, THE OTHER THING YOU'D HAVE IS THIS IS THE, THE AWARD FOR THE MUSEUM IN OUR OPERATIONAL, IF THEY'RE HAVING A SPECIAL EVENT, THEN THEY ALWAYS COME, THEN THEY'D COME IN AND ASK FOR THIS SPECIAL EVENT ANYWAY.
SO THERE'S GONNA BE THAT, THAT I'M ASSUMING WE'RE GOING EXCLUDE FROM THE OPERATIONAL REQUEST.
I'M SORRY, WHAT WERE YOU GONNA SAY? I WAS JUST GONNA SAY THAT IF DOWN THE ROAD ROAD YOU FIND THAT 50,000 IS TOO LOW, JUST HAVE CONSIDERATION OF THAT.
SO, UM, AGAIN, YOU CAN HAVE IT AS A GUIDELINE.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO BY IT ALL THE TIME.
THAT'S NOT GONNA BE, YOU KNOW, IF THEY COME IN AND AND REQUEST OPERATIONAL FUNDS, WOULD THEY AUTOMATICALLY GET IT? IT WOULD BE, IF YOU WANT TO THROW THE PERCENTAGE, THE TOURISM FOR SURE.
OR WHATEVER THAT CAP IS, BUT IT'S A GUIDELINE.
IS IT A, IS IT A GUIDELINE OR IS IT A CAP? WELL, IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IT, IT WOULD BE A CAP WITHIN THE GUIDE.
THE GUIDELINE, WE CURRENTLY HAVE A 50 50 FOR THE BUDGET.
AND WE'LL HAVE TO GET A FEEL FOR WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
BUT NO ONE EVER COMES CLOSE TO IT.
WE DON'T CARE IF, IF EVERYBODY'S EXCEEDING IT, THEN WE CARE.
AND THE I YOU GUY, UM, THE FUND IS SET UP THAT THE FUND CAN RUN OUT AND MEAN AND WE OBVIOUSLY, WE PROBABLY NOT.
WHAT I'M SAYING IS IF YOU COME LATE TO THE PARTY AND SUBMIT AN APPLICATION IN THE FOURTH QUARTER AND THERE'S NO MONEY.
YOU'RE, THAT'S JUST THE WAY THE YEAH.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND.
WE HAVE TO AWARD MONEY OUT THE NEXT QUARTER
YEAH, IT'S LONG STORY NOW THAT, THANK YOU.
SO WHAT THE THIRD THING YOU WANT, YOU WANNA ADD VOTE OF THESE TWO FIRST THEN BRING YOUR THIRD THING UP? YEP.
SO WE HAVE IN ALL OUR NOTES EVERYTHING THAT THERE HAS TO BE A PRE-MEETING, CORRECT? YES.
SO ANY EVENT NEEDS TO HAVE A PRE MEETING NEW YES.
WITH WHO? WITH US OR? NO, NO, WITH THE STAFF.
SO THEY KNOW HOW TO DO THE APPLICATION.
MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE CALLING YOU.
WAS THERE A THIRD THING THAT YOU WANTED DO? THAT'S IT.
SO WE, UH, WE'RE GONNA NEED A MOTION.
DO YOU HAVE TO VOTE? YEAH, I THINK THEY HAVE TO DO IT SEPARATELY BECAUSE OF THIS LOT STUFF IN, ACTUALLY NO, BECAUSE IT'S ONE AGENDA ITEM.
SO I YOU WANNA NO, YOU GO AHEAD.
DO MY, I WOULD MAKE A MOTION TO FOLLOW STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION REGARDING, UM, HARD, SORRY, UH, REGARDING, UM, THE MUSEUM, HARD CIVIC CENTER
[00:35:01]
OPERATIONAL FUNDS, EXCEPT WOULD, UH, MOVE TO PUT A 50,000 PER YEAR CAP ON ANY ONE APPLICATION PER ONE APPLICANT.ANNUALLY? OR DO YOU WANNA HAVE A PERCENTAGE CAP? SO LET ME, AND THEN LET ME, AND THEN THE TOURISM PERCENTAGE.
SO THAT'S WHY I SAY I, I WANNA FOLLOW YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
WITH THE EXCEPTION OF HAVING A CAP ADDED $250,000.
SO IT'S 25% ANNUALLY, ANNUALLY BASED UPON YOUR TOURISM, BUT YOU CAN'T EXCEED 50,000 TOTAL.
SO I'M GONNA UPDATE, CAN YOU SEE WHAT'S, IF YOU TYPE IT, I'LL READ IT.
SHOULD YOU SAY SOMETHING LIKE, SUBJECT TO A 25% CAP? NO.
SO I'VE GOT, OKAY, I, I'M READING IT INSTEAD.
GO BACK LIKE YOU HAD IT ORIGINALLY, WHICH YOU WENT NO MORE THAN 25% ANNUALLY.
TAKE THAT 50,000 OUT RIGHT NOW.
AND THEN AT THE END, PUT CAPPED AT A MAXIMUM OF 50,000 AT THE VERY END AFTER LESS WHICHEVER'S RIGHT THERE.
MAXIMUM, UH, ANNUAL OF $50,000 PER YES, THAT'S FINE.
TIME AFTER THE WORD LESS PERFECT.
JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL IS COUNT THAT ONE.
DO I HAVE A SECOND, SECOND DISCUSSION? MM-HMM.
ANY OTHER BUSINESS NEED TO BE DISCUSSED? WE HAVE UPDATE
[VIII.1. Scoring Sheet Updates ]
TO SCORE SHEETS.SO I EMAILED THE ONES WE INTRODUCED LAST QUARTER AUGUST TO REVIEW.
AND IF YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS ON WHAT YOU WANT DO WITH 'EM, THAT'S THE DISCUSSION ITEM.
WE DON'T HAVE TO VOTE ON THAT.
WELL, I LIKE THE ORIGINAL ONE THAT I GOT THE FIRST TIME.
WHAT I USED TODAY, THEY USED LAST TIME TOO.
I THINK THAT'S JUST A VERY, IT'S A LITTLE SUBJECTIVE BECAUSE IT'S, YOU KNOW, 25%, BUT, YOU KNOW, SUBJECT TO ANY SORT OF, UM, EXCLUDED EXPENSE OR NOT, YOU KNOW, I THINK
AND HAVING TWO SEPARATE CATEGORIES THAT HAVE TO ADD 'EM TOGETHER, COME UP WITH 15 POINTS.
CAN WE JUST HAVE ALL ONE OF THE VERSIONS THAT I SENT YOU? I, THAT'S THE ONE I LIKED.
AND I THINK THE SECOND PART OF THE QUESTION IS HOW DO TIE THOSE SCORES INTO WHAT'S AWARDED FUNDING? THAT'S A QUESTION FOR COUNCIL.
'CAUSE DO YOU KNOW WHY I SAY THAT? YOU KNOW WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AT ALL? IS THERE SOMETHING WE HAVE TO HAVE ON THE OUTSIDE ON THE CURB? NO.
SO, SO WE, WE DO A SCORE SHEET, RIGHT? DO THOSE GO ANYWHERE? YES, THEY GO TO COUNCIL.
SO SHE TAKES OUR SCORE SHEET, SHE MULTIPLIES ADS AND ADVISES THEM AND THEN COUNCIL SEES WHAT THE TOTAL SCORE AT EACH PERSON SCORES IN THE AVERAGE.
AND THEN THERE WAS A PERIOD OF ABOUT TWO MEETINGS THAT WE TOOK.
IF SOMEONE SCORED 30 OUT OF 40, THEY WERE IN THEORY GONNA GET 75% OF THE AWARDED AMOUNT.
AND WE SAID THAT THAT WAS HARD TO DO BECAUSE ULTIMATELY WE THINK WE WERE TALKING ABOUT HAVING TO GO
SO, UM, WHAT, WHAT WE, WE DEVELOPED THIS A VERY LONG TIME AGO AS A WAY FOR US TO GO, OH, WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY.
WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHO TO GET,
[00:40:01]
WHO'S MORE DESERVING.AND THEN PUT THAT TO COUNT COUNCIL AND THAT THEY GOT TO VOTE BASED UPON THE WAY WE SET IT UP BASED UPON THOSE POINTS.
IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE WE DECLINED SOMEBODY BASED UPON THE ABILITY OF US TO HAVE THE FUND.
BUT, UM, PARTICULARLY AT LEAST TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS KIND OF WANNA SEE THOSE SCORES.
I KNOW AT LEAST TWO OF 'EM REALLY, REALLY LIKE TO SEE THE SCORES TO KIND OF SEE HOW, HOW THEY GOT THERE.
DO THEY GET A, DO THEY GET MORE THAN THE MINUTES? THEY GET THE MINUTES AND THEN THEY GET THE LITTLE REPORT YOU GUYS PUT TOGETHER FOR 'EM? KIND OF WHAT OUR DISCUSSIONS WERE.
THE STAFF REPORT, THE APPLICATIONS, THE MATRIX, RIGHT? YEP.
PUT TOGETHER BASED ON THE SCORES.
SO THAT'S THE, THE ORIGINATION OF THE SCORE SHEET WAS KIND OF US TO GO BACK AND GO YOU SCORED SIX.
SO TECHNICALLY NOBODY CAN SCORE FOUR.
IS IS COUNCIL LOOKING FOR A WAY TO PRESENT IT? DO A AWARD? THAT AWARD? NO, I BELIEVE WHEN IT WAS CREATED, THAT WAS THE INTENT WAS THAT THE SCORES, THAT WAS WHAT WAS CONVEYED WAS THAT THE SCORE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE TAUGHT WITH PERCENTAGE OF WHAT WAS AWARDED OR SOME SORT OF A GUIDE TO SUPPORT YOUR RECOMMENDATION.
THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S THE WAY WE CAME UP WITH IT WHEN WE CAME UP WITH IT.
WAS THE, BECAUSE BACK THEN, LITERALLY WHEN MARY SAYS THEY WOULD SIT IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM AND GO, HEY, CAN YOU REDUCE ME BY 2000? SO THEY COULD HAVE IT.
AND THAT WAS WAY US TO BE ABLE TO, TO GO BACK AND CHANGE THAT.
UM, I LIKE THE SCORING SYSTEM JUST SHOWS A LOT OF THE, IT GIVES US A CHANCE TO QUANTIFY WHAT OUR THOUGHTS ARE PERSONALLY.
BUT IT ALSO, IT'S HARD TO TIE THAT UNLESS WE SLOTTED IT.
WE TALKED ABOUT SLOT RATE AND YOU EITHER GOT ALL YOUR MONEY OR YOU GOT A PORTION OF YOUR MONEY BASED ON HOW FAR THAT YOU WENT.
SO IT IS GONNA KEEP COMING UP.
SO IF YOU GUYS HAVE THOUGHTS ON IT AND DEVELOP THOUGHTS ON IT, PLEASE SHARE.
Y'ALL, Y'ALL ARE SO NEW TO IT THAT, YEAH.
IT, UH, IT DOES SEEM THOUGH, IF YOU GET TO A CERTAIN, UH, ANY SORT OF HARD AND FAST PERCENTAGE ALMOST SEEMS CRUEL.
'CAUSE ALTHOUGH WE WANT THIS TO BE OBJECTIVE, THERE IS SOME SUBJECTIVITY IN HOW THEY PUT, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T HAVE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE SUPER, SUPER PROFESSIONAL FINANCIAL STAFF PUTTING THESE THINGS TOGETHER.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? I DON'T MEAN YOU GUYS, I MEAN THE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE APPLICANTS THAT THEY MISCLASSIFY, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S, SO IT SEEMS LIKE IF YOU GOT TO 70%, YOU SHOULD GET THE WHOLE THING IN MY EYE.
I MEAN I, I CAN SEE THAT BEING A LOGICAL RIGHT.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE WERE SAYING.
IS THERE, WE, IF WE WERE GONNA TRY TO TIE IT TO AN AWARD, WE WERE GONNA SAY IF YOU GET TO 70 YOU PASS.
IF YOU'RE 50 TO 70, YOU GET SOME PERCENTAGE OF IT.
THAT MAKES, THAT MAKES ABSOLUTE SENSE TO ME.
AND IF COUNCIL HAD SOME RECOMMENDATIONS FOR Y'ALL TO GIVE TO US, WE WOULD BE, I THINK THEY WOULD LIKE, THEY WOULD CONSIDER THEY VALUE YOUR INPUT AND YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THEY'RE GOING TO GO WITH IT, BUT THEY VALUE WHAT YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS ARE.
'CAUSE YOU HANDLE THAT ALL THE TIME.
SO, JUST SO YOU GUYS KNOW, IN, UH, THE FEW YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN DOING IT, I'VE BEEN, IT'S BEEN MORE THAN A FEW YEARS, ISN'T IT? I'VE HAD, I'VE HAD COUNSEL CHANGE TOOLS.
MAYBE THREE, BUT RARELY DO THEY CHANGE OUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
UH, ONE TIME THEY GAVE MORE MM-HMM
AND ONE TIME THEY GAVE LESS AND ONE TIME THEY ACTUALLY GAVE MONEY THAT WE SUGGESTED.
SO THERE'S THREE TIMES THAT I CAN RECALL, JUST SO THAT THEY DO VALUE WHAT OUR IS THE LAST ONE THEY CHANGED IT.
DIDN'T THEY CHANGE A ROTARY ONE? I THOUGHT I SAW THAT A ROTARY PUT IN FOR X, BUT THEY GOT X PLUS SOMETHING MORE OR I JUST READ THAT WE, THEY PUT IT LAST.
THE LAST TIME THEY ASKED FOR 15 AND WE AWARDED 24.
AND THEN IN THE LAST TOWN COUNCIL MEETING, WE, UM, GAVE THE WHOLE $40,000 FOR HPC AND THEY ONLY GAVE 20.
ARE WE THERE YET? I THINK WE'RE THERE.
UM, CAN I GET A MOTION TO ADJOURN? I'D LIKE TO STAY ON THE WATER.
I THINK WE GET IT OUTTA HERE BY EIGHT 30.
[00:45:13]
YOU ARE WATCHING BC TVS.UH, I WE'RE, WE'VE GOT A LOT TO TALK ABOUT AND WE'RE GONNA TRY TO TALK ABOUT AND A ALL OF THIS AND A VERY SMALL KIND OF PRESENTATION TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC ABOUT WHAT WE WANT TO DO.
UH, IF Y'ALL REMEMBER, UH, WE STARTED WORKING ON A NEW SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER OPPORTUNITY LAST YEAR.
UM, BECAUSE WE KNEW, AND WE HAVE KNOWN THAT TRYING TO RECRUIT LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS TO BE CLASS ONE CERTIFIED, WHICH IS WHAT THE STATE REQUIRED.
UH, YOU KNOW, TO BE IN OUR SCHOOLS AS SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS, WHICH ARE, IS, IS A SPECIAL, I THINK WE ALL AGREE THAT THAT IS REALLY SPECIAL CANDIDATE, UH, THAT WE CONSIDER TO BE THAT CLOSE AN ASSOCIATION TO OUR KIDS.
UM, AND, BUT WE KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER PROGRAM BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY FACTORS IT CREATES, NOT ONLY IN OUR SCHOOLS, BUT WHAT OUR WHAT WHAT OUR COMMUNITIES AS WELL.
BECAUSE THE SCHOOL IS A MELTING POT OF THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE SERVE.
SO HAVING THAT RIGHT PERSON IN THAT JOB AND THAT ROLE TO PROVIDE SECURITY TO OUR KIDS LEADERSHIP, TO OUR KIDS, UH, AND GIVING THE CONFIDENCE TO THE STAFF TO WORK IN THE SCHOOLS.
I MEAN, IT'S IMPORTANT TO FIND THAT RIGHT PERSON.
SO IT'S DIFFICULT TO FIND A CLASS ONE OR A CLASS ONE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER, FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW, IS ONE THAT GOES TO THE ACADEMY FOR 12 WEEKS, SPENDS 12 WEEKS FOR THE MOST PART IN COLUMBIA.
AND WE DO SOME OF THE TRAINING HERE LOCALLY, BUT EVERYTHING ELSE, UH, HAS TO BE DONE IN COLUMBIA.
AND THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ATTRACT TO BE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS THAT REALLY DON'T WANT TO GIVE UP THEIR LIFE AND THEIR FAMILY TO GO TO COLUMBIA AND GO THROUGH BOOTCAMP TO BE A CLASS ONE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER.
SO I HAD OUR TRAINING STAFF PUT TOGETHER A TRAINING SYLLABUS FOR A, WHAT WE CALL A CLASS THREE.
UH, AND IT WAS A CLASS THREE DESIGNATION FOR SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER.
WHAT THAT DID IS IT ALLOWED US TO CREATE A TRAINING SYLLABUS THAT WE COULD TAKE A PERSON, UM, YOU KNOW, OF, OF ANY AGE.
UM, AND THAT WE WOULD BRING THEM INTO LAW ENFORCEMENT ENVIRONMENT, YOU KNOW, WITH BLUFFTON OR BEAUFORT OR PORT ROYAL OR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
UH, AND WE WOULD TRAIN THEM HERE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
ALL OF THEIR TRAINING WOULD BE DONE RIGHT HERE.
UH, IT WOULD BE EIGHT WEEKS, MAYBE A LITTLE MORE THAN EIGHT WEEKS OF TRAINING.
UH, WE WOULD LIKE TO START THIS, UH, OUR FIRST CLASS.
WE'D LIKE TO START IT IN JUNE.
UH, THAT WAY WE CAN GET 'EM THROUGH THE PROGRAM AND BE READY FOR DEPLOYMENT, UH, WHEN SCHOOL STARTS IN AUGUST.
UH, I, I THINK IT'S AN AWESOME PROGRAM.
WE, WE, WE SENT THE TRAINING SYLLABUS TO THE ACADEMY THAT TRAINS ALL OF OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
THEY APPROVED IT, UH, WITH THE BLESSING OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA TRAINING COUNCIL.
SO WE ARE READY TO GET THIS THING MOVING AND GET IT STARTED.
AND I THINK FOR US, UH, WE JUST NEED TO KIND OF TELL OUR CITIZENS, YOU KNOW, WHO ARE WE LOOKING FOR? UH, THE ROLE IS SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER.
IT'S A CLASS THREE LAW ENFORCEMENT DESIGNATION.
UH, THEY HAVE ARREST POWERS, UH, AND THEY HAVE ALL THE POWERS OF ANY OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER ON THE SCHOOL GROUNDS, UH, THAT THEY'RE ASSIGNED TO.
SO WHAT DO YOU THINK, JOE, SHERIFF? I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA, AND THANK YOU FOR TAKING LEAD ON THIS.
UM, WE HAVE FOUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN BLUFFTON THAT CURRENTLY ARE NOT STAFFED BY CLASS THREE OR HIGHER OFFICERS.
AND I THINK THAT THIS PROGRAM IS GONNA ATTRACT PEOPLE TO THESE POSITIONS AND IT'S GONNA PROVIDE MORE OF A SECURITY BLANKET FOR OUR SCHOOLS TO INCLUDE OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
SO WE'RE DEFINITELY EXCITED ABOUT IT.
WE'RE EXCITED TO BE PART OF IT.
WHO, WHO DO WE WANT TO ATTRACT? I THINK WE'VE GOT A, WE'VE GOT AN ENORMOUS NUMBER OF RETIRED MILITARY FOLKS HERE MM-HMM
THAT ARE ABLE TO RETIRE FAIRLY YOUNG AND MAY BE LOOKING FOR THAT JOB.
THEY MAY HAVE CHILDREN IN OUR SCHOOLS AND WITH THE, WITH THE PROGRAM THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO PUT TOGETHER.
UM, THEY'LL BE HOME WHEN THEIR CHILDREN ARE HOME, NOT IN SCHOOL.
AND, UM, AND I'VE ALWAYS SAID, YOU AND I HAVE HAD THIS CONVERSATION, SHERIFF, WE, WE NEED TO GET INTO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IF WE, IF WE WAITED UNTIL HIGH SCHOOLS WERE TOO LATE.
I'M, I'M GLAD THAT YOU TOOK THE LEAD ON IT.
UM, I'M EXCITED TO SEE IF WE CAN GET SOME PEOPLE IN, BUT I REALLY THINK THE YOUNG RETIRED MILITARY PEOPLE ARE, THEY'RE JUST MADE FOR THIS,
[00:50:01]
YOU KNOW, AND WE'VE GONE THROUGHOUT OUR CAREERS, UH, IN THE COUNTY OF BEAUFORT AND WE'VE HAD CONVERSATION AFTER CONVERSATION WITH DIFFERENT PEOPLE THAT SAY, YOU KNOW, I'M RETIRED, I'D LIKE TO FIND SOMETHING TO DO.AND THEN YOU START TALKING TO 'EM AND THEY'RE A RETIRED TEACHER, RETIRED LAW ENFORCEMENT, RETIRED FIRE DEPARTMENT, RETIRED MILITARY, RETIRED BANKERS, RETIRED, I MEAN, RETIRED, THIS, THAT, AND THE OTHER.
THEY'RE STILL, STILL AT AN AGE THAT THEY COULD, UM, THEY COULD DO THIS JOB WITH NO PROBLEM AT ALL OF ANY KIND.
UM, AND THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT, THAT I'D LIKE TO SEE.
I'D LIKE TO SEE, UH, THOSE THAT ARE STILL, THAT STILL FEEL LIKE THEY CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
THAT MAYBE HAVE ALWAYS LOOKED AT LAW ENFORCEMENT AS BEING A JOB, BUT BECAUSE OF THE PAY AND BECAUSE OF THE, YOU KNOW, THE WORKING CONDITIONS AND FAMILIES AND, AND ALL THAT, THEY JUST DIDN'T WANNA DO IT.
BUT HERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO MAKE $45,000 A YEAR STARTING PAY TO WORK BASICALLY THE SCHEDULE OF THE TEACHING AND SUPPORT STAFF OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, WHICH IS A PRETTY GOOD SCHEDULE.
IT IS, UH, TO HAVE BENEFITS, UH, TO BE IN THE RETIREMENT SYSTEM AND TO BE ABLE TO BRING THEIR MATURITY, UH, THEIR LIFE EXPERIENCE AND, AND YOU KNOW, TO TO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AGE KIDS WHO WILL BENEFIT GREATLY FROM JUST HAVING THAT OPPORTUNITY TO SOCIALIZE AND BE AROUND, UH, THESE FOLKS THAT BRING A LOT TO THE TABLE.
AND I, WE, IN OUR COMMUNITIES, YOU TAKE BLUFFTON AND BEAUFORT AND, AND IN THE COUNTY AND IN PORT ROYAL, THOSE PEOPLE ARE HERE.
AND THEY'RE LOOKING FOR THINGS TO DO.
AND I JUST THINK THIS IS AN AWESOME OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO, YOU KNOW WHAT, JUST DO IT KINDA LIKE NIKE.
UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S, THE TRAINING IS, I THINK THEY'LL ENJOY THEIR TRAINING.
AGAIN, IT'S ALL DONE RIGHT HERE.
THEY, THEY'LL STAY AT HOME, THEY'LL SLEEP IN THEIR OWN BED, THEY'LL HAVE THEIR OWN PILLOW, AND THEN THEY CAN COME TO TRAINING.
AND ONCE THEY'RE CERTIFIED, UH, THEN THEY'LL START THE SCHOOL YEAR, UH, AUGUST OF THIS YEAR.
SO, I MEAN, I KNOW YOUR COMMUNITY REPRESENTS THAT OPPORTUNITY AS WELL.
SO WHAT ELSE, WHAT ELSE DO YOU THINK THIS, UM, THIS PROGRAM'S GONNA DO IN TOTALITY FOR WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH? I THINK, I THINK THIS PROGRAM, ONE WILL BE ABLE TO GET US OVER THE TOP.
I THINK WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET, WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET A POLICE OFFICER IN EVERY SCHOOL IN BEFOR COUNTY, WHICH IS IMPORTANT.
A POLICE OFFICER AND I, AND I, AND YOU KNOW, WE, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS, THERE'S A LOT OF TRAINING THAT GOES ALONG WITH THIS JOB.
AND YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT A SECURITY OFFICER.
THIS IS A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER, UH, THAT'S GONNA BE WELL TRAINED, UH, IN THIS.
AND I, I THINK THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT'S, IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
AND I THINK WITH THE YOUNG CHILDREN TARGETING THE RETIREES MM-HMM
WHETHER THEY'RE RETIRED TEACHERS, RETIRED MILITARY IS IMPORTANT.
THEY'VE GOT THE LIFE EXPERIENCE FOR THE, FOR THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
AND, AND TO GET THAT STARTED OFF.
SO I THINK
POSSIBLY A THIRD COMING ON BOARD.
I'VE GOT NINE JOE, I HAVE FOUR.
SO I MEAN, IN TOTAL, AND HERE'S THE THING.
IT, IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU WORK AT THE CITY OF BEAUFORT OR THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON, UH, OR PORT ROYAL OR FOR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
YOU KNOW, WE WANT YOU TO COME TO WORK.
AND LAW ENFORCEMENT TO BE A CLASS THREE SRO, DOESN'T MATTER WHERE YOU GO, DOESN'T MATTER WHO YOU ARE EMPLOYED BY.
THE WORK ENVIRONMENT'S BASICALLY THE SAME.
THERE MAY BE A DIFFERENCE IN UNIFORM THAT YOU WEAR AT THE SCHOOL THAT YOU'RE ASSIGNED TO, UH, TO PAY.
I MEAN, EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE BASICALLY THE SAME.
SO ALL WE WANT PEOPLE TO DO IS PUT THEIR APPLICATIONS IN, GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIT DOWN AND EXPLAIN THE PROGRAM IN DETAIL.
AND IF YOU REALLY HAVE AN INTEREST IN IT, UH, THEN LET'S, LET'S, LET'S GET STARTED.
AND, AND ONE THING THAT I WANT TO HIT ON IS THIS PROGRAM IS IMPORTANT AND, AND REASON BEING IS NONE OF OUR KIDS SHOULD FEEL AFRAID GOING TO SCHOOL.
UM, THEY SHOULD BE GOING TO SCHOOL TO LEARN AND NOT WORRYING ABOUT THEIR SAFETY.
UM, AND WHAT THIS DOES IS THIS PROVIDES ANOTHER LAYER OF SAFETY FOR ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS, ESPECIALLY THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
UM, IT ALSO PROVIDES PEOPLE WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO MENTOR THESE YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN MM-HMM
UH, AS THEY'RE COMING UP THROUGH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
AND SO, LIKE THE SHERIFF SAID, IF YOU TRULY WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE, UH, THIS IS A POSITION THAT YOU REALLY, REALLY WILL BE MAKING A DIFFERENCE.
I JUST HOPE THE APPLICATION START POURING IN.
AND IF YOU GET MORE THAN, THAN YOU NEED THEN AND, AND WE NEED TO GO TO BEAUFORT OR WE NEED TO GO TO, UH, THE, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE OR, OR PORT ROYAL, WE JUST NEED, WE NEED TO PUT THESE PEOPLE TO WORK.
WE NEED TO FILL THESE VACANCIES, UH, AND LET'S MAKE OUR SCHOOLS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY AS SAFE AS THEY POSSIBLY CAN.
[00:55:01]
THINK THE UNIQUENESS OF THIS PROGRAM, THESE OFFICERS WILL BE TRAINED BY PEOPLE THAT HAVE CHILDREN IN THESE SCHOOLS.THEY HAVE THE SAME DESIRES, THE OUTCOMES THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
SO I'M, I'M LOOKING FORWARD, LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.
WELL, I MEAN, THE GREAT THING ABOUT IT IS THAT WE ARE, WE WILL BE DOING THE TRAINING TOGETHER.
IF YOU GET, IF YOU GET, IF YOU HIRE ONE OR TWO AND YOU HIRE FOUR AND YOU KNOW, AND I CAN FILL THE NINE THAT WE NEED, WE'RE ALL GONNA BE TRAINING TOGETHER.
SO THIS IS GONNA BE ONE TRAINING SYLLABUS TO BENEFIT, UH, THE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER PROGRAM.
I MEAN, THIS IS GOING TO BE, THIS, THIS PROGRAM IS FOR SOUTH CAROLINA AS A WHOLE.
THIS IS NOT JUST FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY.
BUT I'M EXCITED THAT WE'RE GOING TO START THIS AND INITIATE, YOU KNOW, THE SRO CLASS THREE POSITION HERE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
AND WE'RE GONNA SHOW THE STATE IT WORKS.
AND THE GREAT THING ABOUT THE TRAINING TOGETHER, SHERIFF, IS YOU'RE CREATING A NETWORK BEFORE YOU EVEN GET STARTED.
SO YOU'RE GOING TO KNOW PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT SCHOOLS WHERE IF YOU CAN RUN INTO A PROBLEM, YOU HAVE SOMEBODY ELSE THAT YOU CAN CALL AND GET SOME ADVICE OR TALK TO THEM ABOUT THINGS GOING ON IN THEIR SCHOOL AND THE CURRENT TRENDS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THEIR SCHOOL.
SO IT'S A GREAT COLLABORATION OF ALL THREE DEPARTMENTS IN THE ENTIRE COUNTY GETTING TOGETHER BECAUSE HAVING THAT NETWORK AND PEOPLE THAT YOU CAN RELY ON FOR ADDITIONAL ADVICE IS INVALUABLE.
WELL, I TELL YOU WHAT I MEAN, I WANT, I WANT PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO, TO MAKE THOSE PHONE CALLS OR GO ONLINE AND RESEARCH, YOU KNOW, UH, JUST THE, THE, THE CLASS THREE SRO, UH, THROUGH ALL AGENCIES.
SO I THINK LINDSEY, IF WE CAN, I MEAN AT THIS POINT, I THINK IF WE PUT THAT INFORMATION ON THIS VIDEO FOR BLUFFTON, BEAUFORT, PORT ROYAL AND THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE WEBPAGE AND PHONE NUMBERS, UH, I THINK WE'LL HOPEFULLY WE'LL START GETTING CALLS.
THAT SOUND GOOD TO Y'ALL? YES, SIR.
GOOD MORNING DARRYL LLOYDS COUNSEL.
AND AGAIN, IT'S GREAT TO BE BACK HERE AND CELEBRATING, UH, THE BIRD'S BIRTHDAY ANOTHER YEAR.
AND I AM SO, UH, EXCITED ABOUT THE TURNOUT AND I'M SURE THAT YOU ALL WILL ENJOY THE REST OF THE FESTIVITIES.
I'M JERRY ASHBURN ON TOWN COUNCIL.
WHAT A GREAT DAY TO CELEBRATE THE BIRTHDAY FOR THE BIRDS.
THIS IS OUR SEVENTH YEAR DOING THIS.
WHAT A GREAT AMENITY HERE IN DOWNTOWN PORT ROYAL.
THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERYBODY TO SEE SOME NATURE AND FOR US TO DO SOME, SOME REAL GOOD THINGS WITH THE, WITH WATER RECLAMATION.
I HOPE YOU GET A CHANCE TO WALK THE AREA.
AND ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.
I'LL TURN THIS OVER TO OUR MAYOR, MAYOR ST.
SAM
I'M NOT GONNA HOLD UP THE SHOW 'CAUSE IT'S GETTING A LITTLE WARM OUT HERE, BUT AT LEAST WE GOT GOOD WEATHER TODAY.
I'M GOING TO HAVE PETE COME UP WHO IS THE BRAINCHILD BEHIND THIS.
SO PETE, COME ON UP AND GET PEOPLE ROLLING.
ALRIGHT, LET'S HAVE A GOOD DAY FOR PETE.
THERE'S NOTHING LIKE THIS ON THE SOUTH CAROLINA COAST.
IT'S ONE OF THE WONDERFUL POINTS WHERE YOU CAN GOD GO BY HERE ANYTIME OF DAY, NIGHT OR DAY.
AND YOU, YOU'LL SEE PEOPLE WALKING THIS THING, UH, WITH THEIR DOGS, WALKING IT, UH, WITH THEIR FAMILIES.
BUT I WANNA WELCOME THAT, WELCOME YOU AND I WANTED TO THANK ALL OF OUR SPONSORS FOR YEARS TRIP UBON, MASTER NATURALS PROGRAMS. ALL OF THESE FOLKS HAVE SPONSORED THIS THING AND IT'S ALL BEEN VOLUNTEERS ALL THE WAY.
WE'RE GONNA SING HAPPY BIRTHDAY.