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CLOSE CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY.
I'M THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF BEFORD REGIONAL CHAMBER FARMERS.
UH, THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING OUT THIS MORNING AS A BEAUTIFUL MORNING AND A BEAUTIFUL VENUE.
THIS IS THE ORIGINAL AFFAIRS 25 STATE COMMUNITY.
THIS EVENT IS A FALSE CHECK OF THE COMMUNITY, A BENCHMARKING NUMBER FOR OUR COLLECTIVE PROGRESS FOR VISION OF ECONOMIC PROSPERITY.
AFTER FIVE YEARS OF HOSTING THE ECONOMIC FORECAST, THIS EVENT HAS EVOLVED TO GIVE A DEEPER DIVE IN KEY SECTORS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE ARE EXCITED BY ACHIEVING THIS FILE.
YOU'RE IN A VERY GOOD COMPANY.
LOCAL LEADERS FROM EVERY ASPECT OF YOU ARE PRESIDENT.
THE CHAMBER IS ABLE TO HOLD PROGRAMS LIKE THIS THANKS TO OUR MEMBERS' INVESTMENT AND BECAUSE OF SUPPORTIVE CORPORATE CITIZENS HAVE STEPPED THIS POSSIBLE WITH THIS GATHER.
AND JUST TO TAKE A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE OUR SPONSORS, OUR PRESENTING SPONSOR, THE COASTAL COMMUNITY FOUNDATION, OUR REGIONAL DATA REPORT SPONSOR, THE BEAUFORT, JASPER COUNTY REALTORS, OUR PROGRAM SPONSOR THREE THREE ASSOCIATES, OUR VIDEO SPONSOR.
UH, I WROTE OUR BREAKFAST SPONSOR AND BREAKFAST DELETION.
I EVERYBODY ENJOYED IT IS CAROLINA AIR.
OUR ENTERTAINMENT SPONSOR, THE TECHNICAL COLLEGE OF THE LOCAL COUNTRY, HAS SPECIAL THANKS TO PEGGY PERRY BARR, OUR PIST AND OUR FORECAST SPONSORS GRAPHICS.
AMY BOW, STATE FARM, WHO FROM MEMORIAL HOSPITAL FROM MILITARY ENHANCEMENT COMMITTEE, USCP.
AND OF COURSE OUR VENUE SPONSOR IS DON ISLAND.
AND I'D LIKE TO INVITE AMY FERRERA, WHO HELPED PLAN THIS EVENT AND IS READY TO HELP WITH YOUR NEXT EVENT.
I THOUGHT YOU COME UP AND SAY SOME
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
I KNEW THAT THE ACHIEVE HAS PUT TOGETHER A REALLY AWESOME EVENT FOR YOU GUYS TODAY, BUT I MEAN, IT DOES VIRTUAL TO HAVE THAT VIEW IN THE BACKGROUND WHILE YOU'RE LISTENING TONIGHT, RIGHT? SO WELCOME TO THE ISLAND.
I HOPE YOU'RE ENJOYING BREAKFAST.
A QUICK SHOW OF HANDS, JUST OUT OF CURIOSITY, IS THERE ANYBODY THAT GROUP OF YOU HAS EVER BEEN HERE BEFORE TODAY? YOU TEAR IT UP.
OKAY, SO A FEW OF YOU HAVE AUSTIN.
SO THE ONES OF YOU THAT HAVE BEEN HERE BEFORE, HAVE ANY OF YOU EVER HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET ANY OF THE VACCINES
WELL, I THINK, AND I THINK AS BUSINESS LEADERS IN THE COMMUNITY, YOU ALL REALIZE THAT ANYONE ELSE THAT THE, UH, THE KEY TO SUCCESS IN ANY BUSINESS IS THE EMPLOYEES THAT YOU HAVE.
UM, AND I FEEL LIKE THOSE PEOPLE DESERVE, UH, TO BE SEEN AND SITTING HERE RECOGNIZED.
SO I'D LIKE TO JUST TAKE A COUPLE OF MINUTES TO INTRODUCE YOU TO SOME OF OUR KEY PLAYERS THAT WE HAVE HERE.
UM, MS. MORNING, UM, FIRST OFF, THE CAPTAIN OF OUR SHIFT, TED BARTLETT, OUR GENERAL MANAGER WHO I THINK YOU'VE DECIDED HAS A DATABASE FOR LANE.
UM, HE KEEPS TRACK OF EVERYTHING THAT GOES ON THIS ISLAND AND HAS THE ANSWER TO EVERY QUESTION, THE DROP OF THE CAT.
UH, THE RESPECT IN ALSO BEING, UH, LOVED AND APPRECIATED BY THIS EMPLOYEES THAT WE ARE REALLY GRATEFUL TO HAVING HIM.
UM, NEXT UP, FRANK O'HARA, RAZ HAND.
SO FRANK IS OUR CLUBHOUSE MANAGER.
UM, I'M PRETTY SURE HE DOES EXPLAIN, BUT IF HE DOES, IT'S HERE.
UM, HE IS GUY THAT KEEPS ALL OF OUR LIGHTS ON, KEEPS A ROOF BUG OR OUR HEAD.
UM, HE IS HERE RUNNING THE PUB AND, AND HELPING RUN EVENTS.
IT HELPS THAT HE KNOWS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WINE, WHICH ALWAYS SUPER COLD.
UM, HE'S OUR FEARLESS LEADER OF THE ENTIRE FOOD AND BEVERAGE DEPARTMENT, BUT ALSO KEEPS ALL OF OUR FLIP OUT OPERATIONS GOING.
WHERE'S KATHY? CHUCK THE MAP TO CHEF DEAN.
UM, NEXT UP THOUGH, OUR DIRECTOR OF MEMBERSHIP, HOLLY MASON.
SO HOLLY IS ON THE FIRST FACE THAT ALL OF OUR NEW MEMBERS MAKE TO SEE.
UM, SHE'S THE PERFECT PERSON FOR THE SHOWER.
SHE'S ALWAYS SMILING, ALWAYS HAPPY AND ENERGETIC AND ALWAYS THAT PERSON WHO'S ONLY TO GO TO SOME LITTLE EXTRA STEP JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT SHE CAN HELP SOMEBODY OUT IN THE RIGHT WAY.
UM, SHE HAS SOME MATERIALS OUTSIDE AVAILABLE FOR ANYBODY INTERESTED.
A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THAT WE HAVE MEMBERSHIPS AVAILABLE FOR NON-RESIDENTS.
SO YOU EVER HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT OUR COUNTRY CLUB MEMBERSHIPS OR DINING MEMBERSHIPS? HOLLY ARE DOWN AND MAKE THAT
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SOME OF HER FLYERS AND BUSINESS CARDS OUTSIDE IN THE FOYER HERE.UM, THEN WE HAVE, WHERE IS WILL, WILL ANGELO? YOU ARE LITERALLY RIGHT NEXT TO HOLLY, BUT, OKAY, I'M AWAY, I PROMISE.
UH, SO WILL IS OUR DIRECTOR OF SECURITY.
UM, HE COMES TO US WITH A LONG HISTORY OF LAW ENFORCEMENT, UH, BUT HE HAS MANAGED A WIN OVER THE ARMY, DRAKE, HIS COMPASSION AND IS CALLING US TO ROLL UP HIS SLEEVES AND HELP DO ANY AREA, INCLUDING MOVING TABLES SOMETIMES FOR US.
UM, HE'S REALLY BEEN A GREAT SITE.
HE KEEPS OUR ISLAND SAFE, SECURE AND ORDERLY.
UM, AND WE ARE JUST REALLY LUCKY TO HAVE HIM.
SO CHEF DEAN, HE IS OUR EXECUTIVE CHEF, IF YOU COULDN'T TELL, UM, CHEF DEAN COMES TO US AND JUST HAS MANAGED TO ADD A LITTLE EXTRA TOUCH OF ELEGANCE TO ALL OF OUR S ALL OF THE PLATES OF FOOD THAT HE PUTS OUT.
UM, AND HE DOES EVERYTHING FOR, YOU KNOW, OUR ANCE EVENTS AND FOR OUR HUB.
UM, HIS INTERACTION WITH GUESTS AND WITH MEMBERS HAS REALLY CHANGED THE WAY I THINK PEOPLE HAVE VIEWED THEIR DINING EXPERIENCES HERE AND HIS TEACHING SKILLS HAVE REALLY CULTIVATED A WONDERFUL STAFF TEAM'S KITCHEN THAT IS REFLECTED IN, UM, WHAT YOU SEE IN THE PUG NOW IS WHAT YOU SEE AT, AT OUR MEALS.
AND YOU'RE LUCKY ENOUGH TO GET TO ENJOY SOME OF HIS CANDY BROOKS ON MOUNT BUFFET THIS MORNING.
SO THIS IS CHEF DEAN, UM, YOU ALSO HAVE DAVID MORT.
HE IS OUR DIRECTOR OF, UH, TECHNOLOGY.
SO HE'S THE REASON WE HAVE MY PROS THAT ARE WORKING RIGHT NOW.
UM, HE IS PROBABLY THE PERSON THAT I ANNOY THE MOST, SO I, WHEN I CAN'T FIGURE OUT ROOM ON MY COMPUTER.
UM, AND THEN SHALEE RIGHT IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM HERE, SHALEY IS OUR VA MANAGER.
SO IF YOU EVER HAVE ANY KIND OF EVENT HERE, SHALEE IS RUNNING IT.
SHALEY, UM, TAKES HER ALL OF OUR EVENTS.
SHE MANAGES ALL OF THE SETUP, UH, ALL THE TIMELINES, KEEPS EVERYTHING MOVING ON SCHEDULE AND, UM, MANAGES ALL OF OUR STAFF FOR ALL OF OUR BANQUET EVENTS.
SO, SOUNDS LIKE AN EXHAUSTING JOB AND YOU'RE RIGHT, IT IS.
BUT WHEN SHE ALWAYS STEPPED IN THAT TO THAT POSITION, IT WAS CLEAR THAT THAT IS REALLY WHAT SHE WAS MEANT TO DO.
SHE DOES FANTASTIC JOB, BUT UM, AND FEELS A LITTLE STRANGE TO LUMP MYSELF AND SHE SUCH A CATEGORY OF AWESOME PEOPLE.
SO I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND SAY YOU ABOUT MYSELF TOO.
I AM THE SPECIAL EVENTS COORDINATOR HERE.
AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS EVERY EVENT THAT WE DO, I BOOK AND UM, AND HELP PLAN.
UM, I DO THE, UH, MEMBER EVENTS THAT WE HAVE HERE.
FUN STUFF LIKE THE MURDER MYSTERY NIGHTS AND CONCERTS ON THE RAIN.
UM, I, I HELP PEOPLE SET UP AT THEIR PRIVATE DINNERS AND PRIVATE PARTIES THAT THEY WANT TO DO.
UM, BUT AGAIN, A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A MENTOR HERE TO BOOK OUR VENUES.
SO, YOU KNOW, KEEP IN MIND THAT WE DO HAVE TWO WEDDING CEREMONY SITES AND FIVE DIFFERENT VENUES THAT CAN BE BOOKED, UH, ANYWHERE FROM 10 PEOPLE AT 250 PEOPLE.
SO, UM, I ALSO HAVE SOME PACKETS AND SOME FLYERS OUT IN THE FOYER.
FEEL FREE TO TAKE SOME OF THOSE.
AND OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, BRAD ALL WORK HERE AFTERWARDS IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT YOU KNOW I CAN HELP YOU WITH ON THAT.
UM, SO THAT BEING SAID, I'LL STOP TALKING SO YOU CAN MOVE ON TO THE REASON THAT YOU'RE HERE NOW.
BUT, UM, WE JUST ARE SO HONORED THAT YOU ALL WENT HERE.
SO, UH, THANKS AGAIN, UH, AMY AND CONVERSATION MORNING.
LIKE I SAID, IT'S GREAT AND YOU BEAUTIFUL DAY.
UH, ALSO AS WE KICK THIS OFF, I'D LIKE TO TAKE SK FOR THEIR VIDEOGRAPHY AND PHOTOGRAPHY ACCOUNTING CHANNEL AND INCOMING CHANNEL FOR BROADCASTING TODAY'S PRESENTATIONS.
UH, ALSO THANKS TO OUR BOARD MEMBERS, UH, FOR OUR BOARD MEMBERS IN THE ROOM, CAN YOU PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND? GREAT SHOW OF OUR BOARD TODAY.
YOU KNOW, THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.
UM, AND ALSO OUR, OUR AMBASSADOR ARE PROUD.
OUR AMBASSADOR ARE REALLY HEAVY LIFT AND I DON'T THINK IT GET NEAR ENOUGH RECOGNITION.
UH, OUR AMBASSADORS, CAN YOU PLEASE PUT YOUR HAND DOWN? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU ALL.
AND WITHOUT OUR BOARD, THE STAFF AND AMBASSADORS, WE COULD NEVER PULL OFF SIGNATURE JUST LIKE THIS.
SO YOU'LL SEE OUR AGENDA IN THE PROGRAM AND TO MAKE EFFICIENT USE OF OUR TIME, WE'RE GONNA DIVE RIGHT IN.
UH, WE'LL SET THE STAGE FOR TODAY'S PROGRAM WITH OUR ANNUAL ORIGINAL DATA REPORT AND I WILL JEN GRESHAM CO OF THE ATION COPY THE STAGE.
GOOD MORNING EVERYONE AND UH, THANK YOU THE
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CHAMBER FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPONSOR THE REGIONAL DEBT.I'M JANET GRESHAM, CEO OF BUFORD, JASPER COUNTY REALTORS AND WELCOME TO REGIONAL MLS.
SINCE RECEIVING OUR CHARGE BY THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS IN 1962, WE'VE SPENT MORE THAN SIX DECADES ADVOCATING FOR HOME OWNERSHIP FOR ALL AND STANDING UP FOR PROFIT PROPERTY RIGHTS AT THE LOCAL STATE AND NATIONAL LOCAL.
WE BELIEVE THAT HOME OWNERSHIP IS NOT ONLY THE PATHWAY BUILDING WELL, BUT ALSO A KEY DRIVER OF CREATING STABILITY FOR FAMILIES, ECONOMIC STABILITY AND COMMUNITY PRIDE.
AND WE'RE PROUD TO BE A PART OF THAT MISSION.
BEING ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN OUR COMMUNITIES IS AT THE HEART OF WHAT WE DO.
THAT'S WHY WE ARE DELIGHTED TO PARTNER WITH THE CHAMBER TO BRING YOU TODAY.
AS REALTORS, WE UNDERSTAND THE POWER OF DATA.
IT EQUIPS OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS, COMMUNITY LEADERS, AND LOCAL BUSINESSES WITH THE INSIGHTS THEY NEED TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS THAT PAVE THE WAY FOR BRIGHT FUTURE.
IN THAT SPIRIT, IT'S OUR HONOR TO PRESENT THE REGIONAL DATA REPORT.
MEGAN, I'LL TURN THE PROGRAM BACK TO YOU TO SHARE MORE INFORMATION.
WE'RE GONNA TURN THE LIGHTS A LITTLE BIT, SO HOPEFULLY OUR SITES, UM, WHICH ARE CHALK FULL OF INFORMATION EASIER FOR YOU ALL TO SEE.
I'M PROUD TO SERVE AS THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE BUFORT REGIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
POINT OF PRIVILEGE ON A QUICK PERSONAL NOTE, UH, AND THIS IS SOMETHING, UH, DARREN WAS KIND ENOUGH TO ASK YOU ABOUT EARLIER.
UH, MY FIRST YEAR IN THIS ROLE HAS BEEN VERY REWARDING.
I'M PROUD OF OUR TEAM VOLUNTEERS AND OUR MEMBERS, ALL OF YOU, UH, FOR ALL THE PROGRESS THAT WE ARE MAKING.
A QUICK THANKS FOR EMBRACING ME, EMBRACING US AND OUR ORGANIZATION AS WE CONTINUE OUR JOURNEY TOGETHER.
NOW IT'S TIME TO TURN OUR ATTENTION TO THE NUMBERS.
THE CHAMBER LAUNCHED THE REGIONAL DATA REPORTS FOR OUR MEMBERS AND PARTNERS WITH A STUDY CONDUCTED BY THE DARWIN MOORE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS, UH, YEARS AGO.
WE'RE NOW ABLE TO UPDATE DATA HERE IN TOWN.
THANKS TO HELP FROM A FRIEND WHO WE MET THROUGH A CHAMBER PROGRAM.
IT'S CALLED LEADERSHIP BE FIRST.
RICHARD TUNSELL IS OUR DUN GROUP.
HE'S THE FOUNDER AND PRINCIPAL FOR THE FIRM MARKET AND ANALYSIS RESEARCH AND I REALLY WORKING WITH HIM TRULY DO RICHARD, UH, TO ANALYZE THE LATEST DATA THAT HE COMPILES THIS YEAR'S REPORT.
SPOTS LIKE SPOTLIGHTS, POPULATION, WORKFORCE AND EARNINGS DATA.
I'LL HIT THE HIGH SPOTS OF THE REPORT TODAY.
YOU HAVE A COPY OF SOME KEY GRAPHS IN THE PROGRAM, BUT YOU'VE PROVIDED ON YOUR WAY END.
UH, AND THE DECK, UH, THAT WE SHARE TODAY WILL BE AVAILABLE ON THE CHAMBER WEBSITE FOR YOUR REFERENCE.
WE'RE ALSO GONNA DO A DEEPER DIVE, UH, VIRTUALLY FOR ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO JOIN US ON APRIL 11TH.
RICHARD'S STILL ON VACATION AFTER THIS 'CAUSE I WORKED HIM SO HARD SO WE'VE GOTTA WAIT TILL APRIL 11TH.
THE DATA TODAY FOCUSES ON OUR REGION, WHICH YOU SEE ON THE MAP IN FRONT OF YOU IN RED.
UH, THAT'S NORTHERN BUFORT COUNTY.
THIS YEAR WE'VE ADDED IN COMPARISONS TO SOUTH OF ABROAD, WHICH IS IN YELLOW AND JAPER COUNTY AND GREEN.
FOR MORE CONTEXT, OUR PROXIMITY AND CONNECTIVITY IS UNDENIABLE AND WORKING TOGETHER IS IMPERATIVE.
THIS MAP ALSO SHOWS WITHIN THE THE RED, OUR REGION, THE FOUR CENSUS DISTRICTS, WHICH ARE YEE SHELDON, WHICH IS INCLUDES GRACE HILL, LAKO AREAS, BUFORD AND PORT ROYAL, WHICH ARE MOUNT TOGETHER AS A CENSUS DISTRICT AND ST.
HELENA, WHICH INCLUDES LADY ISLAND AND ALL THE ISLANDS FROM RIP TO HARBOR TO WHERE WE SIT TODAY.
WHEN POPULATION AND HOUSEHOLD, DAVID, ON THE KEY FINDINGS FROM THIS SECTION AND THEN WE'LL SHARE THE GRAPHS THAT SHOW YOU, UH, IN DETAIL ARE THAT A MAJORITY OF OUR REGION'S POPULATION LIVE IN TWO OF THE FOUR CENSUS DISTRICTS.
HELENA DISTRICT AND THE BEAUFORT FOR OIL DISTRICT COMBINED, THEY HOLD 92.5% OF OUR TOTAL POPULATION IN LONDON.
HELENA WAS THE FASTEST GROWING DISTRICT FROM 2010 TO 2024.
THE BUFORD COURT ROYAL REGION IS PROJECTED TO BE THE FASTEST GROWING DISTRICT.
THE REGION IS ON A UPWARD GROWTH TRAJECTORY.
THE AVERAGE ANNUAL ANNUAL GROWTH BETWEEN 2024 AND 2029 IS PROJECTED TO BE GREATER THAN THE US AVERAGE OF 0.5% AND LOWER THAN THE STATE AVERAGE OF 1.9%.
THE AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD SIZE IN OUR REGION IS 2.36 PERSONS.
THAT'S BELOW STATE AND NATIONAL AVERAGES FOR HOUSEHOLDS.
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OCCUPANCY RATES ARE 53%, WHICH IS BELOW AND UH, STAKE AND NATIONAL AVERAGES.VACANCY RATES ARE HIGHER IN THE BUFORD REGION AT 26.3% OF ALL OF OUR HOMES.
AND UM, THAT IS PARTLY EXPLAINED BY HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF VACATION HOMES.
SO LET'S LOOK AT HOW WE CAME UP WITH THOSE KEY FINDINGS.
GAN IS OUR MAP TO RETRAIN TO POPULATE POPULATION LEVELS IN OUR REGION.
AGAIN, HERE THAT'S THE BLACK OUTLINE.
JASPER COUNTY HAS A BLUE OUTLINE AND SOUTH BROAD HAS THE RED OUTLINE.
THE DARKER THE GREEN, THE HIGHER THE POPULATION THAN SPEAK.
WHILE OUR REGION HAS SOME VARIATION, THE OTHER TWO ARE PREDOMINANTLY DARKER.
LOOKING AT SOME POPULATION GROWTH PROJECTIONS, WE SEE A HIGHER RATE OF GROWTH IN THE DARKER SHADES.
AGAIN, WE SEE SOME VARIATION IN OUR REGION AND A LITTLE MORE VARIATION IN THE SOUTH BROAD REGION, BUT JASPER IS ALMOST BULLYING THE DARKIES SHAPE.
LET'S LOOK INTO THE POPULATION DATA FROM 2010 TO 2024, OUR REGION GROUPED BY 5,000 PEOPLE.
OUR REGION IS JUST SHY OF 80,000 PEOPLE AND PROJECTED TO GROW TO ALMOST 84,000 PEOPLE BY 2029, WHICH WOULD BE A RATE OF ABOUT A A THOUSAND PEOPLE PER YEAR FOR HOUSEHOLDS FROM 2010 TO 2024.
OUR REGION GROUP AT 3,500 HOUSEHOLDS WE'RE CURRENTLY AT 31 HOUSEHOLDS AND PROJECTED TO GROW TO OVER 32,000 HOUSEHOLDS BY 2029.
AND IN BOTH CASES THERE'S STEADY GROWTH, POPULATION GROWTH TRENDS, BREAKING THE INFORMATION I JUST SHARED WITH YOU ON THE LAST GRAPH, UM, BREAKING IT DOWN IN THE CENSUS DISTRICTS YEE AND SHELDON ARE RELATIVELY FLAT.
THE ST HELENA DISTRICT GREW FROM 22,000 PEOPLE IN 2010 TO 25,000 PEOPLE.
TODAY, BUFORT FORT ROYAL GREW FROM 45,000 PEOPLE IN 2010 TO OVER 48,000 PEOPLE AND 2020 FOURTH, THAT DISTRICT IS PROJECTED TO PASS THE 50,000 PERSON MARK BY 2029.
LOOKING AT THE SAME DATA AS PERCENTAGE GROWTH RATE, THE REGION SAW A 0.5 ANNUAL, UH, INCREASE IN POPULATION FROM 2010 TO 2024.
AND OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, WERE PROJECTED TO HAVE A RATE OF GROWTH AT 1.1% PER YEAR.
AND IN BOTH CASES OUR REGION'S GROWTH RATE IS UNDER THE STATE'S AVERAGE ANNUAL GROWTH RATE.
ALRIGHT, LET'S LOOK AT ANOTHER EBOOK.
THE COLORFUL LINE GRAPH, UH, SHOWS HOUSEHOLD SIZES FOR EACH OF THE DISTRICTS SO THAT YOU CAN SEE FLUCTUATION AND EACH DISTRICT HOUSEHOLD SIZES HAVE DECREASED SINCE 2010.
I THINK OUR SLIDES ON H DEMOGRAPHICS COMING UP, WE'LL GIVE A LITTLE MORE INSIGHT INTO THAT SHIFT.
THE SECOND CHART SHOWS PERCENTAGE OF HOUSEHOLDS THAT ARE OWNER OCCUPIED IN GREEN, RENTER OCCUPIED IN ORANGE VILLAGE ORANGE, AND THEN, UH, VACANT ON THE NEW ON THAT TOP LINE THAT LOOKS RED.
OUR REGION HAS SEEN A DECREASE IN OWNER OCCUPIED HOMES SINCE 2020.
A SLIGHT INCREASE IN RENT OCCUPIED HOMES SINCE 2010.
AND AN INCREASE OF VACANT HOMES, WHICH DOES INCLUDE SEASONAL AND VACATION HOMES THAT WE'VE SEEN AN INCREASE IN SINCE 2020.
LOOKING A LITTLE CLOSER AT THAT VACANT HOME CATEGORY, WE CAN SEE BREAK OUT THE VACATION HOMES SPECIFICALLY.
UM, BUT BECAUSE THIS INFORMATION IS SPECIFICALLY PULLED FROM OUR MSA DATA, IT INCLUDES ALL OF BUFORD COUNTY AS WELL AS ALL OF JASPER COUNTY.
WE HAD 20% OF VACANT HOMES AS VACATION HOMES IN 2019.
WE'VE SEEN A SLIGHT DECREASE TO 13% BY THE END OF 2023 EACH YEAR.
WE CAN SEE ON THE CHART THAT THE AMOUNT OF VACATION HOMES IS THREE TO FOUR TIMES MORE THAN STATE AVERAGE AND THE DARK LINE ON THE GRAPH REFLECTS BY STATE AVERAGE.
ALL RIGHT, TO WRAP UP THIS SECTION, LET'S COMPARE OUR REGION TO OUR NEIGHBORS.
AS I PROMISED, NUMERIC POPULATION IS THE FIRST GRAPH.
ALL THREE, NOT SURPRISINGLY HAVE SEEN AN INCREASE IN POPULATION.
THE SECOND GRAPH SHOWS RATE OF GROWTH WHERE WE SEE OUR REGION'S RATE IS LOWER THAN SOUTH ABROAD.
JASPER AND SOUTH CAROLINA AS A GOAL.
GROWTH IS FAR BETTER THAN THE ALTERNATIVE
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REDUCTION.UNFORTUNATELY, THERE ARE MANY RURAL TOWNS IN SOUTH CAROLINA THAT HAVE A DECLINING POPULATION, DECLINING BUSINESSES, LIMITED OPPORTUNITIES, AND A DECLINE QUALITY OF LIFE.
LAURA ULRICH, WHO MANY OF YOU KNOW AS HEADLINED THIS EVENT IN YEARS PAST WAS RECENTLY HOSTED AT A HOUSING FORUM AND SHARED SOME TERRIFYING STORIES ABOUT PLACES THAT ARE FACING REDUCTION.
SO LIKE THAT FOR NOT, LET'S MOVE ON TO INCOME.
OUR KEY FINDINGS ON INCOME IS THAT PER CAPITA INCOME AVERAGE IS $38,706.
FOR OUR REGION, MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME IS 71,000 THOUSAND $869.
THOSE ARE ABOUT EQUIVALENT TO THE STATE AVERAGES AND BELOW.
NATIONAL AVERAGE PER CAPITA INCOME FOR OUR REGION IS 17% BELOW NATIONAL AVERAGE.
AND THE MEDIAN INCOME IS 10% BELOW MEDIAN INCOME IN THE ST.
UM, THAT ONE IS HIGHER THAN ANY OTHER DISTRICT.
AND HIGHER INCOMES IN BUFORT COUNTY ARE, ARE CONCENTRATED SOUTH OF BROAD RIVER, WHERE THEIR, WHERE THEIR, UM, INCOME LEVEL AVERAGES AT $96,136.
BACK TO OUR HEAT MAP TO SET UP OUR DATA, THE DARKER THE ORANGE, THE HIGHER THE MEDIAN HEALTH SOUTH ABROAD DOES HAVE MORE ORANGE, DARK ORANGE THAN OUR REGION.
AND JASPER, LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT NUMBERS FOR THE FIRST GRAPH.
THE FIRST DATA SET IS PER CAPITA MEDIAN INCOME IN OUR REGION, WHICH IS CURRENTLY $38,700.
IT IS PROJECTED TO INCREASE SLIGHTLY.
THE SECOND SET IS OUR MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME, WHICH IS CURRENTLY $71,869.
THE NEXT TWO DATA SETS SHOW THE US NUMBERS FOR COMPARISON.
AND OUR PER CAPITA INCOME IS ALMOST 10,000 LESS THAN NATIONAL AVERAGE.
AND OUR MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME IS APPROXIMATELY 8,000 LESS THAN NATIONAL AVERAGE.
THE NUMBERS REFLECTED IN THE CHART OF ALL INCREASE SLIGHTLY.
NOW TAKING A LOOK AT ME AND HOUSEHOLD INCOME BY OUR CENSUS DISTRICTS, THIS SHOWS THE BEAUFORT REGION IS SLIGHTLY ABOVE STATE AVERAGE MOST OF THE TIME THE SAME.
HELENA DISTRICT IS FAR ABOVE THE OTHER THREE DISTRICTS AND MORE CLOSELY ALIGNS WITH THE SOUTH ABROAD NUMBERS.
WE SEEN THIS SHOWS THE BIGGEST INCOME GROWTH IN RECENT HISTORY OCCURRED BETWEEN 2020 AND 2024.
INCOME IN CONTEXT IN, IN COMPARISON TO OUR NEIGHBORING COUNTIES.
SOUTH ABROAD HAS A MEDIAN INCOME OF 96,000, WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY 25 MORE THAN OUR REGION AND 35,000 MORE THAN JASPER.
I KNOW WE KNOW WE'RE ALL GETTING
UM, I THINK IT'S GOOD THAT IT'S NOT TABOO TO TALK ABOUT IT 'CAUSE THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT DATA SET.
UM, ALL OF THIS DATA IS INTENDED TO HELP US UNDERSTAND OUR REGION, MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT THE BUSINESS, DRIVE PUBLIC POLICY AND BETTER UNDERSTAND THE CHALLENGES THAT WE ARE FACING.
OUR KEY FINDINGS RELATED TO AGE DEMOGRAPHICS ARE HERE.
THE BUFORD MEDIAN AGE RANGE IS 44.1.
IN SOUTH CAROLINA IT'S 40.3 AND NATIONALLY AGE AVERAGES ARE 41.7.
WE, IN OUR REGION DO HAVE A HIGH CONCENTRATION OF THOSE AGE 15 TO 24 AT 18%.
UH, THAT DEFINITELY REFLECTS OUR MILITARY PRESENCE.
CONVERSELY, UH, THE BEAUFORT REGION IS UNDERREPRESENTED IN KEY WORKFORCE AGES OF 25 TO 54 YEARS OF AGE.
THE PERCENTAGE OF 65 AND OLDER IS PROJECTED TO INCREASE IN THE BEAUFORT REGION FROM 22% IN 2024 TO 25% IN 2029.
THIS HEAT MAP SHOWS AGE VARIATION.
AGAIN, THE DARKER SHADES OF PINK REFLECT OLDER MEDIUM AGES.
THE ONLY WHITE AREAS IN ALL THREE SECTIONS OF THIS MAP ARE IN OUR REGION.
AND TWO OF THOSE THREE ARE MILITARY BASES.
THE MEDIAN AGE AT PARIS ISLAND IS JUST SHY OF 20 YEARS OLD.
THE MEDIAN AGE AT MARINE CORPS AIR STATION BUFORD IS JUST OVER 22 YEARS.
[00:25:01]
YOU CAN BET THEY HELP REDUCE OUR AVERAGE AND THEY TAKING NATIONAL SECURITY.ALL RIGHT, LOOKING AT WHERE WE LANDED WITH AGE DISTRIBUTION AT THE END OF 2024, WHERE THE ORANGE LINE IS HIGHER THAN THE BARS, WE ARE ABOVE STATE AVERAGE, WHERE THE ORANGE LINE IS BELOW THE BARS, THAT'S WHERE WE'RE LAGGING STATE AVERAGE.
NOW RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOUR BUSINESS HAS STRUGGLED RECRUITING AND RETAINING WORKFORCE.
THAT'S LESS HANDS THAN I EXPECTED.
SO EVERYBODY NEEDS TO REPORT TO ME WHAT YOU'RE DOING IF YOU DIDN'T RAISE HAND.
UM, IN, IN REPORTS THAT WE'VE CONDUCTED IN PARTNERS LIKE THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION HAVE CONDUCTED, WE DO SEE THAT IDENTIFIED AS THE NUMBER ONE CHALLENGE FOR BUSINESSES IN OUR REGION.
THE DIP IN THIS GRAPH FOR THE 25 TO 54 RANGE, UH, SHOWS THIS SHORTAGE.
WE ARE WELL ABOVE AVERAGE IS 1524, AGAIN DUE TO THE MILITARY ABOVE AVERAGE IN 55 TO EIGHT FIVE, UH, WHICH IS INDICATIVE OF A HIGH ARY POPULATION.
WE ACTUALLY SEE THESE TRENDS CONTINUING AND THE DIVIDE GETTING BIGGER AS A CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING TOWARDS THE FUTURE.
NOT ONLY ARE BUSINESSES STRUGGLING WITH THIS ISSUE NOW IMAGINE WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF THIS TRAJECTORY CONTINUES.
THE LAGGING AGE GROUPS ARE PRIMARILY THE ONES THAT HAVE CHILDREN AND ARE BUILDING FAMILIES.
WHAT WILL BE FIRST FUTURE LOOK LIKE IF OUR POPULATION IS INCREASINGLY LACKING? CRIME WORKFORCE, H CITIZENS WHO FEEL MUCH NEEDED JOBS TO HELP MEET MUCH INCREASED DEMAND.
SO LET'S ROUND THIS OUT WITH ANOTHER COMPARISON.
FOR THE STATE AVERAGE, AS I MENTIONED, IT IS AROUND 40 YEARS OLD AND RIDGELAND JASPER, IT'S 49 SOUTH OF BROAD.
THE AVERAGE AGE IS NOW 54.1 YEARS OLD.
AND AGAIN, OUR REGION IS 44 YEARS OLD.
LOOPING BACK TO THAT MILITARY POPULATION THAT I TOLD YOU IS SO YOUTHFUL, IF WE PULL THOSE OUT, WHICH RICHARD WAS ABLE TO DO BY ZIP CODE, OUR AVERAGE AGE WOULD INCREASE TO 46.
LET'S DIVE INTO WORKFORCE AND CAREER OPPORTUNITIES.
OUR KEY FINDINGS WITH THIS DATA SET IS THAT THE CIVILIAN LABOR FORCE INCREASED ALMOST EVERY YEAR SINCE 2010.
HERE IN OUR REGION, LABOR FORCE AND EMPLOYMENT ARE BACK ABOVE PRE PANDEMIC LEVELS.
UNEMPLOYMENT IN 2024 WAS AROUND 4%, WHICH DOES REFLECT A TIGHT LABOR MARKET.
74% OF EMPLOYMENT IN BEAVER COUNTY IS IN SERVICES IN RETAIL TRADE COMPARED TO 65% NATIONALLY.
WE ARE ABOVE AVERAGE AND THE NUMBER OF FOLKS WHO WORK IN THE ARTS ENTER RECREATION SECTOR AND THE HOSPITALITY SECTOR, WHICH GENERALLY PAY LOWER WAGES.
AND I CAN'T EMPHASIZE IN THAT ARMED FORCES EMPLOYMENT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO YOUR REGION.
LABOR FORCE ON THE BAR GRAPH, UH, THE GREEN LINE REFLECTS THE CIVILIAN LABOR FORCE CAPACITY AND THE ORANGE BARS, UH, SHOWED THE 2 MILLION MORE PEOPLE WITH CIVILIAN JOBS.
THE ORANGE LINE REFLECTS THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE, WHICH WE SEE DECREASE FROM, UH, 5% IN 2014 TO AN AVERAGE OF THREE TO 4% WITH THE EXCEPTION OF 2020.
AND IF WE HAD A DOLLAR EVERY TIME ANY OF US SAID THAT WE'D BE DOING ALL RIGHT.
OUR CURRENT RATE OF 4% IS IN LINE WITH STATE AVERAGE AND HISTORICALLY RARELY LOWER.
UH, AND AGAIN, I'LL LOOP BACK TO OUR FRIEND DR.
SHE SAID HERSELF, IT'S NOT LIKE THERE'S EMPLOYABLE PEOPLE JUST WAITING ON THE SIDELINES.
SO LET'S DIVE INTO WHERE FOLKS WORK.
LOOKING AT EMPLOYMENT BY SECTOR, THIS UH, CIRCLE GRAPH SHOWS THAT TWO THIRDS OF OUR COUNTY, COUNTY LABOR FORCE IS IN THE SERVICES SECTOR, WHICH INCLUDES HOSPITALITY AND EVEN HEALTHCARE.
NOT SURPRISING SINCE WE'VE HAD AN INCREASED DEMAND FOR THOSE SERVICES.
THE SECOND HIGHEST SECTOR IS RETAIL AND THE THIRD IS CONSTRUCTION.
THE CORRESPONDING CHART SHOWS HOW THOSE LEVELS RELATE TO US AVERAGES AND THAT WE HAVE SOME PROGRESS TO MAKE AND MANUFACTURING TRADE AND TWIU, WHICH STANDS FOR TRANSPORTATION, WAREHOUSING INDUSTRY AND UTILITIES.
DID I GET A CHANGE INFORMATION AND UTILITIES IS STORED BEHIND THAT YOU NEED TO KNOW.
BREAKING DOWN THAT SERVICES SECTOR BECAUSE IT IS SUCH A MAJORITY.
UH, LET'S LOOK AT THE, THE MAKEUP OF THAT HOSPITALITY IS THE BIGGEST PERCENTAGE OF OUR SERVICES SECTOR AT 36%.
UH, AND SECOND TO THAT, HEALTHCARE AND SOCIAL WORK, UH, MAKES UP 20%
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OF THAT SECTOR, UH, INDEXING AGAINST NATIONAL AVERAGES.BEAVER COUNTY IS ABOVE AVERAGE, WELL ABOVE AVERAGE ACTUALLY IN HOSPITALITY AND ARTS AND RESERVATION JOBS.
AND WHILE A GOOD PORTION OF OUR LABOR FORCE IS IS IN HEALTHCARE, WE'RE BELOW NATIONAL AVERAGE MASS.
JUST SWITCHING GEARS, THIS IS NOT MY, I WROTE, THIS IS MY FINAL SIDE.
UM, THIS IS A GLIMPSE OF THOSE ARMED FORCES AND EMPLOYEES WITHIN OUR AREA.
THERE ARE OVER 14,000 OF THEM WORKING AT OUR BASES.
UH, AND WE HAVE SEEN GROWTH IN THOSE AREAS SINCE 2010.
THERE'S NO DOUBT THEY'RE AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR REGION.
SO WHAT, SO WHAT DO WE TAKE AWAY FROM THIS? THE DATA TELLS FACTS.
THIS IS MY INTERPRETATION OF A FEW KEY TAKEAWAYS I'D LIKE YOU TO REMEMBER TODAY.
IN THE POPULATION AND HOUSEHOLD SECTION, WE'RE EXPERIENCING A HEALTHY RATE OF POPULATION GROWTH.
WE MUST ADAPT TO THESE NEW LEVELS AND OFFER DIVERSE RATE OF HOUSING AND THE INCOME SECTION.
OUR REGION'S INCOME LEVELS LAG NATIONAL AVERAGES AND WOULD BE IMPROVED BY NEW SECTORS AND BUSINESSES THAT OFFER HIGHER WAGES.
COST OF LIVING IS THE BIGGEST OBSTACLE FOR RECRUITING AND RETAINING PRIME WORKFORCE AGES.
WE NEED TO SECURE OUR FUTURE BY TAKING STEPS TO CHANGE THE CURRENT TRAJECTORY.
AND WITH LABOR FORCE, WE NEED TO ATTRACT MORE WORKERS TO OUR REGION AND CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOSE EDUCATED HERE.
WE NEED A DIVERSE SET OF BUSINESS SECTORS WHILE MAINTAINING THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR TWO STRONGEST SECTORS, HOSPITALITY AND MILITARY.
THAT'S A WRAP OF, UH, OUR PRESENTATION TODAY.
LIKE I SAID, WE WILL HAVE THIS AND MORE POSTED ON OUR WEBSITE FOR YOU AND I'M VERY INTERESTED TO HEAR YOUR FEEDBACK.
YOU WANNA GIMME A CALL OR SHOOT ME AN EMAIL ONCE YOU MUL THIS ALL OVER.
UM, I APPRECIATE YOUR THOUGHTS AND I'M SERIOUS IF YOU DIDN'T RAISE YOUR HAND EARLIER.
I WANNA HEAR WHAT MAGIC COACH YOU HAVE TO BE A FULL STACKER.
NOW ON TO THIS MORNING'S FACILITY SPONSOR.
THERE WAS AN INSPIRATION FOR THIS EVENT IN 2024.
THE COASTAL COMMUNITY FOUNDATION LED BY DARREN GOSS EMBARKED ON A JOURNEY TO DEVELOP COMMUNITY VISION STATEMENTS.
THEY USED MANY PLATFORMS TO LISTEN AND DISCUSS THE COMMUNITY'S PRIORITIES, CONCERNS AND DESIRES.
I WAS GRATEFUL TO BE A PANELIST IN ONE OF YOUR TOWN HALLS HERE IN BUFORT.
I'D LIKE TO WELCOME CARRIE FORS, VICE PRESIDENT OF GRANT MAKING AND COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP FOR THE COASTAL COMMUNITY FOUNDATION, UH, TO SHARE THEIR VISION WITH US.
IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU ALL TODAY.
SOME OLD FRIENDS AND SOME NEW FRIENDS IN THIS SPACE.
AND MEGAN, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR VISION AND YOUR LEADERSHIP LEADING WITH YOU FOR REGIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
THE FOUNDATION HAS REALLY ENJOYED WORKING WITH YOU AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR LEANING IN WITH US ON THIS VISIONING REPORT.
SO AS MEGAN SAID, MY NAME IS CARRIE FOREST.
I'M VICE PRESIDENT OF GRANT MAKING AND COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP FOR THE FOUNDATION.
I'M JOINED TODAY BY OUR PRESIDENT AND CEO DEREK GOSS, A NUMBER OF OUR STAFF FROM COASTAL COMMUNITY FOUNDATION, INCLUDING OUR SOUTH BLUE COUNTRY OFFICE.
WE HAVE DENNIS, TONY AND AMY PAGE AND DEB LASIK WHO ARE HERE WITH US TODAY.
I'D ALSO LIKE, LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THAT TWO OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS, I BELIEVE TWO OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS ARE HERE.
WENDY ZARA IS HERE AS WELL AS MARK CUTLER.
AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE REALLY PLEASED TO BE A PART OF THIS EVENT TODAY IN THIS BEAUTIFUL SPACE.
AND IN A LOT OF WAYS I APPRECIATE THE DATA THAT YOU'VE SHARED BECAUSE IT HELPS TO SET THE TABLE FOR THE VISION THAT I THINK THAT WE ALL WANT TO THINK ABOUT IN TERMS OF WHAT IS GOING TO BE A VIBRANT SOUTH LOW COUNTRY, NOT JUST FIVE YEARS INTO THE FUTURE.
BUT FROM THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION STANDPOINT, WE'RE THINKING 25 YEARS INTO THE FUTURE.
SO OUR FOUNDATION'S MISSION IS TO CREATE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE RICH IN EQUITY, OPPORTUNITY AND WELLBEING BY UNITING PEOPLE AND INVESTING RESOURCES SO THAT ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE A PATHWAY TO ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS.
AND THAT MISSION HAS GUIDED COASTAL COMMUNITY FOUNDATIONS WORK FOR 50 YEARS AND FOR 25 YEARS HERE IN THE SOUTH LOW COUNTRY, WE'VE BEEN WORKING IN BEAUFORT, JASPER HAMPTON AND COTON COUNTIES.
AND WE'VE BEEN PRIVILEGED TO IMPACT THE LAWS OF THOUSANDS IN OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH OUR GRANT MAKING AND OUR PLACE-BASED IMPACT INVESTING.
AND I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THAT MUCH OF THAT WORK HAS BEEN MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH THE GENEROUS, UH, SUPPORT OF THE LATE JOANNE AND ALAN MOSES.
THEIR GENEROSITY HAS SUPPORTED OVER 200 NONPROFITS IN THE HAMPTON, JASPER COLLEGE AND
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BEAUFORD COUNTIES.AND THEY HAVE LEFT AN INDELIBLE MARK ON THIS COMMUNITY.
SO WE BELIEVE THAT THE PILLARS OF A VIBRANT COMMUNITY TOUCH ON POSITIVE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL WELLBEING, QUALITY EDUCATION, ECONOMIC MOBILITY, COASTAL RESILIENCY, AND A VIBRANT INCLUSIVE CULTURE FOR EVERYONE.
AND THERE ARE NUMEROUS STORIES OF HOW THE FOUNDATION IS HELPING OF WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS TO MAKE IMPACT ACROSS THE SOUTH OF THE COUNTRY.
OUR MOST RECENT AND LARGEST CATALYST GRANT IN 2024 WAS TO THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT'S UNITE PROGRAM, A THREE YEAR, $2.3 MILLION GRANT TO SUPPORT THAT PROGRAM, WHICH WILL SIGNIFICANTLY EXPAND THEIR AFTER SCHOOL INITIATIVES, PROVIDING CRUCIAL SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS AND FOR THE EDUCATORS ACROSS THE COMMUNITY.
AND WE'RE ACTIVELY ADDRESSING ONE OF THE REGION'S MOST PRESSING ISSUES WE'VE HEARD OR HOUSING.
WE AWARDED A $200,000 CATALYST GRANT TO HABITAT OF HABITAT FOR HUMANITY IN THE LOW COUNTRY IN 2022 TO SUPPORT THEIR MERGER AND EXPANSION OF SERVICES IN THEIR CAPACITY TO BUILD NORTH REPAIR HOMES IN BEAUFORT AND JASPER COUNTIES.
AND MOST RECENTLY WE AWARDED AN ECONOMIC MOBILITY GRANT TO THE ST.
HELENA BELLA COMMUNITY HOUSING PROJECT TO COMPLETE CRITICAL HOMEWORK REPAIR.
FOR THOSE MOST IN NEED, IT'S REALLY GOOD TO SEE PARTNERS LIKE DALE
AND THESE INITIATIVES DEMONSTRATE OUR DEDICATION TO FOSTERING POSITIVE CHANGE HERE IN BEFORD COUNTY AND THE REGION.
SO TODAY I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU THE NEXT STAGE AND THE NEXT CHAPTER IN THIS WORK, OUR VISION FOR THE LOW COUNTRY.
SO IT WAS REALLY INTERESTING TO LOOK AT THE DATA, PARTICULARLY AROUND AGE BECAUSE WHEN WE STARTED OUR COMMUNITY VISION PROJECT IN 2024, WE STARTED WITH THE PREMISE THAT IF YOU WERE A BABY BORN IN JANUARY OF 2025, RIGHT HERE IN THE SOUTH FLORIDA COUNTRY, THAT CHILD IS GOING TO GROW UP AT A CROSSROADS OF GREAT PROMISE, GREAT UNCERTAINTY AND A LOT OF CHANGE.
SO BY 2050, WHAT'S THE COMMUNITY'S SHARED VISION FOR THAT INFANT, TODDLER, CHILD, TEEN, AND WORKING ADULT TO THRIVE? THIS IS A REALLY BIG AND IMPORTANT AND NECESSARY QUESTION THAT WE BEGAN ASKING OURSELVES LAST YEAR AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO COLLECT INFORMATION AND DO DEEP COMMUNITY LISTENING AND LEARNING.
AND WE'VE BEEN ASKING THE COMMUNITY THREE QUESTIONS.
NUMBER ONE, WHAT ARE YOUR HOPES AND DREAMS FOR YOUR COMMUNITY OVER THE NEXT 25 YEARS? TWO, IMAGINE THAT IT IS 2050 AND THOSE HOPES AND DREAMS ALL CAME TRUE.
WHAT'S THE EVIDENCE OF YOUR COMMUNITY THRIVING? AND NUMBER THREE, CAN YOU LIST THE PEOPLE AND OR THE INSTITUTIONS IN YOUR COMMUNITY WHO YOU TRUST AND WHO YOU BELIEVE WOULD HELP US PURSUE THIS COMMUNITY VISION OVER THE NEXT 25 YEARS? SO THOSE ANSWERS WILL SHAPE OUR 25 YEAR CORE COUNTY COMMUNITY VISION.
OUR NORTH STAR, WHICH WHEN COMPLETED, WILL SERVE AS OUR ROADMAP TO GUIDE AL COMMUNITY FOUNDATION'S, PRIORITIES, STRATEGIES, INVESTMENTS, AND OUR PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE COMMUNITY.
IN OUR FIRST YEAR OF LISTENING OUR COMMUNITY CONSISTENTLY WITH OR AFFIRMED FOUR TOP FINDINGS, THE FIRST IS START WITH OUR STRENGTHS.
YOU KNOW, IT IS REALLY EASY TO LIST OFF THE PROBLEMS IN A COMMUNITY, BUT IF WE FOCUS ON OUR STRENGTHS AND THAT VISION, CAN WE USE THAT TO IDENTIFY BETTER SOLUTIONS AND PLANS AND RESOURCES WHERE WE LEVERAGE THOSE STRENGTHS TO SOLVE ISSUES? NEXT, MEGAN SPOKE EARLIER ABOUT PROXIMITY AND CONNECTIVITY AND THE FOUR COUNTY REGION IS VERY DIVERSE AND IT IS COMPOSED VERY SEPARATE AND UNIQUE COMMUNITIES, BUT THEY'RE ALL INTERCONNECTED.
SO HOW DO WE BUILD BRIDGES LITERALLY AND METAPHORICALLY BECAUSE WE DO HAVE MORE IN COMMON THAN WE PROBABLY REALIZE.
WE WANNA GO BIG WISELY TO HAVE A THRIVING COMMUNITY IN 2050, WE NEED TO BEGIN WITH A BIG AND BOLD VISION.
NOW THE STAKES ARE TOO HIGH FOR SMALL PLANS AND INACTION WOULD BE A RISK.
BUT WE WANNA USE SLINGSHOTS, NOT MOONSHOTS.
SO IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THOSE GOALS BY 2050,
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WE NEED TO TAKE THE TIME TO PLAN, PARTNER, AND PURSUE THE RIGHT LIMITED NUMBER OF PROMISING OPPORTUNITIES THAT CAN CREATE THE GREATEST IMPACT WE HAVE TO BE PREPARED IN ORDER TO SUCCEED.SO IMAGINE IF WE ACHIEVE OUR VISION FOR A THRIVING SOUTHERN LOW COUNTRY BY 2050, WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE? A COMMUNITY WHERE EVERY CHILD HAS ACCESS TO QUALITY EDUCATION IN HEALTHCARE.
A ROBUST AND DIVERSE DICHOTOMY THAT PROVIDES MEANINGFUL WORK AND LIVING WAGES.
A REGION THAT SUCCESSFULLY ADAPTS TO CLIMATE CHANGE AND PRESERVES OUR NATURAL BEAUTY AND RESOURCES.
A PLACE WHERE DIVERSITY IS CELEBRATED AND EQUITY IS NOT JUST A GOAL, BUT A REALITY AND A COMMUNITY WHERE THE ARTS AND CULTURE FLOURISH AND MISSION ALL OF OUR LIVES.
SO AS I STAND HERE WITH YOU ALL TODAY, THE COASTAL COMMUNITY FOUNDATION IS COMMITTED TO PARTNERING WITH YOU, LEVERAGING OUR COMMUNITY'S STRENGTHS AND WORKING TIRELESSLY TO CREATE THAT THRIVING SOUTH FLOW COUNTRY FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
AND THERE'S A LOT OF WORK AHEAD.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT GOES WITHOUT SAYING, ESPECIALLY HAVING SEEN ALL OF THAT DATA.
THE NEXT GENERATION IS COUNTING ON US.
SO AS WE ROLL UP OUR SLEEVES TO GET STARTED, I HAVE ONE QUESTION FOR YOU ALL, WHICH IS, WILL YOU JOIN US AS OUR COMMUNITY, COMMUNITY, COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS CONTINUE, SORRY, INTO 2025.
WILL YOU JOIN US IN HELPING TO CREATE THIS VISION? WILL YOU HELP US DREAM BIG FOR THIS COMMUNITY? WILL YOU JOIN US IN WORKING COLLABORATIVELY ACROSS SECTORS AND ACROSS THE COUNTIES? AND WILL YOU JOIN US IN CREATING INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS TO THESE CHALLENGES? TOGETHER WE CAN CREATE A VISION AND TURN IT INTO A REALITY AND WE CAN CREATE A SOUTH THIRD COUNTRY THAT IS RICH IN EQUITY, OPPORTUNITY AND WELLBEING FOR ALL.
THANK YOU ALL FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU THIS MORNING AND FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE OF SERVICE TO THIS COMMUNITY.
ALL RIGHT, NOW WE WOULD LIKE TO INVITE RUSSELL BAXLEY, CEO OF YOUTH FOR MEMORIAL HOSPITAL, UH, UH, TO SHARE, UM, INFORMATION ABOUT THE EVER IMPORTANT HEALTHCARE SERVICES IN OUR REGION.
I WAS EXCITED, UH, WHEN KIM, UH, WHEN MADE AND NICK ASKED ME TO PRESENT BECAUSE YOU SAW A LOT OF NUMBERS AND INFORMATION ON THE PRESENTATION.
YOU SAW A GROWING POPULATION, YOU SAW AN AGING POPULATION, AND YOU SAW A POPULATION THAT, UH, IS SHORT ON WORKFORCE AND THAT HAS A MATERIAL IMPACT ON HEALTHCARE IN PARTICULAR.
'CAUSE AS WE AGE, OBVIOUSLY WE ARE GOING TO NEED MORE HEALTHCARE AND WE ARE GOING TO NEED MORE PEOPLE WHO ARE ABLE TO JOIN THE WORKFORCE.
AND WE ARE SEEING TRENDS, ESPECIALLY WEAVER COUNTY, UH, WHERE THAT MATH CALCULUS DOESN'T WORK.
UH, AND I CAN TELL YOU TODAY, UH, WE NEED MORE HEALTHCARE.
IF WE GO TO THE HOSPITAL TODAY, WE ARE FULL AND HAVE FULL FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
AND UNFORTUNATELY THAT CONTINUES TO ESCALATE AND BE THE, AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE THE TREND IN BEFOR COUNTY, UH, FOR DAYS, MONTHS AND YEARS TO COME.
AND SO I'M HOPING THAT I HIT ON A FEW HIGH POINTS SPECIFICALLY IN THIS PRESENTATION TO REALLY FOCUS ON THE ISSUES AND HOW WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES OF HEALTHCARE.
UH, AND BEFORE I DO THAT, I ALSO WANT TO THANK MY TEAM HERE.
UH, BE MORE AS A LARGE TABLE HERE, UH, OF PEOPLE WHO REALLY CAN MAKE WHAT WE DO, UH, SPECIAL AND REALLY CONTRIBUTE UH, TO THE GROWTH OF YOUR BOARD, INCLUDING TWO BOARD MEMBERS, UH, PRESENT AND PAST.
UH, MS. MARINA, DO AND MS. J, MR. JERRY SCHULTZ, UH, WHO ARE HERE WHO DO A LOT OF GOOD WORK ON THIS NON-PAID BOARD.
UH, AND IT'S A VERY ACTIVE BOARD.
FAITHFUL K IS HERE WHO'S ALSO A PAST BOARD MEMBER AND WE APPRECIATE, OKAY, WE APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT SHE HAS DONE IN HER ROLE AS A BOARD MEMBER.
UM, BUT ALSO IN HER ROLE AT FOR JASPER COMP HEALTH, WHO IS A VERY GOOD PARTNER MORE, WE WORK ON A LOT OF THINGS TOGETHER TO EXPAND ACCESS TO CARE.
AND SO JUST TO KIND OF SET THE TABLE, THIS IS WHO BOOTH MEMORIAL IS, 201 BEDS.
SO WE ARE YOUR LARGEST HOSPITAL BETWEEN SAVANNAH AND CHARLESTON.
IN THAT HOSPITAL WE HAVE 300 PHYSICIANS ON MEDICAL STAFF.
WE HAVE ABOUT 18, 1800 TO 1900 EMPLOYEES.
WE HAVE THE AREAS ONLY INPATIENT MENTAL HEALTH UNIT AT FOUR AT 18 BEDS.
WE ALSO HAVE AN INPATIENT REHAB UNIT AT 18 BEDS.
WE HAVE 10 OPERATING ROOMS AND FIVE PROCEDURE ROOMS THAT IS GROWING AS WE SPEAK.
TWO CANCER CENTERS NORTH ABROAD AND SOUTH ABROAD.
AND SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE I HAVE TO EXPLAIN WHAT THAT MEANS, BUT TO THIS ROOM, I PROBABLY DON'T HAVE TO EXPLAIN WHAT BROAD ITSELF ABROAD MEANS.
UM, BUT WE DO LOOK AT THIS
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NEEDS THAT THEY HAVE AS A COMMUNITY.AND WE TRY TO FOCUS ON THAT AS WE STRATEGICALLY PLAN ON HOW WE'RE GONNA GROW AS THE ORGANIZATION.
WE HAVE A NEW CATH LAB AND AN GEOGRAPHY SUITE AND THEN EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WE DO THERE IS LISTED.
SOMETIMES WHEN I SAY IT'S EASIER TO SAY WHAT WE DON'T DO IN BE MEMORIAL, WHICH WE DON'T DO NEUROSURGERY AND WE DON'T DO A CAR SURGERY OUTSIDE OF THAT PRETTY MUCH COUNT ON US AS A COMMUNITY HOSPITAL TO SERVE THE NEEDS OF THIS COMMUNITY.
YOU MIGHT ASK, WELL WHY DON'T YOU DO THAT? WELL, WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE VOLUME TO OTHERWISE HAVE A PROGRAM THAT'S SUPPORTIVE OF NEUROSURGERY AND HEART SURGERY.
WHAT WE SAY IS PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT AND THAT INCLUDES THORACIC SURGEONS AND YOU WANT THEM CONSISTENTLY OPERATING NOT 60, 70 HEARTS A YEAR.
THAT'S JUST REALLY NOT A, NOT TO SUPPORT A VIABLE THRIVING HEART PROGRAM.
WHICH IS WHY WE PARTNER WITH IN USC, RIGHT? BECAUSE THEY DO IT ALL THE TIME AND PRACTICE IT.
GATEWAY MAKES PERFECT EVEN IN HEALTHCARE.
THIS IS WHERE WE CURRENTLY SIT OUR LOCATIONS.
AND EIGHT YEARS AGO, UH, YOU WOULD'VE SEEN MOSTLY A LOT OF DOTS NORTH, THE BROAD RIVER.
AND NOW WHAT YOU'RE STARTING TO SEE IS A WHOLE LOT OF DOTS SOUTH, THE BROAD RIVER TO INCLUDE BAIL HILL PET ISLAND.
BECAUSE BELIEVE IT OR NOT, HILL PET ISLAND IS PROBABLY MORE SHORT OF HEALTHCARE SERVICES AND PROVIDERS THAN EVEN NORTH BROAD BUFORD ST.
AND SO WE'VE BEEN CALLED AND WE WANT TO ANSWER THE CHALLENGE OF HOW DO WE EXPAND HEALTHCARE ACROSS THE COUNTY? 'CAUSE ULTIMATELY WE ARE BUFORD COUNTY MEMORIAL HOSPITAL.
YOU CAN'T REALLY STOP HEALTHCARE WITHOUT QUALITY, RIGHT? AND WHAT WE DO, WE PRESENT THIS SLIDE, WHICH IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE SLIDES BECAUSE IT VALIDATES THE GREAT CARE THAT WE PROVIDE.
AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS, WE LOOK AT OTHER HOSPITALS AND HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS, BOTH BIG AND SMALL.
I ALWAYS LIKE TO SAY WE SWING ABOVE OUR WEIGHT CLASS AND WE HAVE A LOT OF GOOD PEOPLE DOING A LOT OF WORK.
BUT FOR EXAMPLE, TWO YEARS AGO WE WENT TO WASHINGTON DC TO RECEIVE A NATIONAL AWARD FOR A TOP 5% SAFEST HOSPITAL IN THE UNITED STATES.
THAT IS NO SMALL ACCOUNTABLE, RIGHT? THAT'S BIG, THAT'S SMALL.
THAT'S ACADEMIC MEDICAL CENTERS, THAT'S COMMUNITY MEDICAL CENTERS.
AND WHAT THAT SAYS IS, IS WHEN YOU ENTER OUR HOSPITAL OR HEALTHCARE SYSTEM OR ANYWHERE ELSE IN OUR ORGANIZATION, WE ARE GONNA DO OUR VERY BEST TO KEEP YOU SAFE.
AND I WON'T GO INTO EVERY OTHER AWARD THAT WE'VE WON HERE.
BUT AGAIN, I THINK THIS SLIDE SPEAKS FOR ITSELF OF WHAT WE DO AS AN ORGANIZATION, OUR VOLUMES.
SO I MEANT WHEN I SAID WE ARE THE BUSIEST HOSPITAL BETWEEN SAVANNAH AND CHARLESTON.
AND UH, YOU CAN SEE IT RIGHT HERE IN THE NUMBER OF WHAT I CALL PATIENT CONTACTS, RIGHT? HOW MANY PATIENTS ARE WE SEEING THROUGHOUT OUR NETWORK EVERY YEAR? 9,000 ADMISSIONS AND DISCHARGES.
THAT'S ABOUT 30 PATIENTS BEING ADMITTED AND DISCHARGED EVERY DAY FROM FOR MORNING 250,000 OUTPATIENT REGISTRATIONS.
THAT'S AN MRIA CT, A PHYSICAL THERAPY VISIT THIS YEAR WE'RE REJECTED CLOSER TO 300,000 EMERGENCY ROOM VISITS.
IF YOU HAVE VISITED OUR EMERGENCY ROOM IN THE RECENT MOST COUPLE OF MONTHS, YOU HAVE PROBABLY SEEN A FULL WAITING ROOM.
PEOPLE IN THE HALLWAYS, ET CETERA.
'CAUSE WE ARE FULL AND MORE AND MORE PEOPLE ARE ARRIVING TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM.
WE DO ABOUT 120 VISITS A DAY IN THE ER.
THAT IS A WHY FOR OUR SIZE HOSPITALS.
THERE ARE NOT A LOT OF HOSPITALS OUTSIDE TRAUMA CENTERS DOING 120 VISITS A DAY.
UM, AND IN A ER THAT IS PROBABLY BUILT FOR MORE AROUND 110 A DAY, 12,000 SURGERIES THIS YEAR, THAT'LL BE 14,000 SURGERIES.
1,011 HUNDRED DELIVERIES AND 292,000 PHYSICIAN OFFICE VISITS WE EMPLOY AS PART OF OUR ORGANIZATION ABOUT 150 PROVIDERS, MEANING NURSE PRACTITIONERS, PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS, PHYSICIANS.
AND I WILL GO AHEAD AND TELL YOU IT IS NOT ENOUGH.
SO IF YOU HAVE ARE NEW TO AREA OR YOU'VE CALLED AND TRY TO GET A SPECIALIST VISIT OR MAYBE A PRIMARY CARE VISIT, YOU'VE PROBABLY HEARD AT SOME POINT IN TIME THAT VISIT WILL BE SIX TO EIGHT MONTHS.
RIGHT? WELL THERE'S A REASON FOR THAT.
SOME OF MY SLIDES WILL GO INTO WHY WE HAVE STRUGGLES ACCESSING POSITIONS AND THEN OUR FINANCIALS.
THE BIG THING I WANT TO POINT OUT HERE IS WE DIDN'T MAKE A PROFIT LAST YEAR.
NON-PROFITS ARE NOT MAKE PROFITS, UH, BELIEVE IT OR NOT.
BUT ONE THING I WANNA SAY IS WE ACTUALLY LOSE MONEY ON PATIENT CARE.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT OUR TOTAL REVENUE, TOTAL REVENUE EXCEEDS TOTAL EXPENSES.
BUT THE KEY HERE IS TOTAL EXPENSES ARE ABOUT $350 MILLION.
THAT'S ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS A DAY GIVE OR TAKE.
WE SPEND EVERY DAY ON THE HOSPITAL AND HEALTHCARE SYSTEM.
UH, THAT THREE 43 MILLION, ABOUT 200 MILLION IS SALARY, WAGES AND BENEFITS.
SO ABOUT 56 TO 58% OF ALL THE DOLLARS WE SPEND GO BACK INTO OUR STAFF ARE BENEFITS.
SO OUR OPERATING REVENUE IS THREE 31 MILLION.
SO THAT'S ACTUALLY WHAT WE GENERATE OFF OF PATIENT, UH, REVENUE.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT THAT AND SAY WHAT CAN WE MAKE ON PATIENT SERVICES ZERO, WE ACTUALLY LOSE MONEY ON PATIENT SERVICES.
WE MAKE THAT UP SPECIFICALLY IN THE FOUNDATION, WHICH IS WHY THE FOUNDATION IS SO IMPORTANT TO WHAT MEMORIAL DOES GRANT DOLLARS SUPPORT FROM OTHER MUNICIPALITIES.
THAT IS WHAT IS IMPORTANT 'CAUSE WHERE WE LOSE MONEY.
OUR COMMUNITY SERVICES, AND I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, PSYCHIATRY CARE.
WE HAVE THE AREAS ONLY IN PATIENT MENTAL HEALTH UNIT.
I CAN TELL YOU PSYCHIATRY CARE DOES NOT MAKE THE HOSPITAL MONEY.
IT IS A HEAVILY SUBSIDIZED SERVICE.
NOW YOU HAVE TO ASK YOURSELF, WHAT WOULD THIS COMMUNITY DO WITHOUT PSYCHIATRY CARE? WHAT WOULD THE MILITARY DO WITHOUT PSYCHIATRY CARE? I CAN TELL YOU HALF OF THE PEOPLE WE SEE IN OUR OUTPATIENT AND INPATIENT MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ACTUALLY SUPPORT THE
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INSTALLATIONS HERE.MOSTLY VERY SILENT, RIGHT? WHICH IS WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE MEMORIAL TO HAVE A PSYCHIATRY SERVICE THAT ULTIMATELY LOSES MONEY EVERY YEAR FROM THE HOSPITAL.
'CAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE COMMUNITY AND HOW WE THRIVE AS COMMUNITY, WHAT WE DO.
SO WE LOSE MONEY BECAUSE WE PROVIDE COMMUNITY SERVICES THAT OTHERS DON'T DO.
AND I DON'T THINK WE RECOGNIZE THAT SOMETIMES AS WE PUT SOME TYPE OF OPERATING PROFIT UP HERE.
WE'RE FORTUNATE IN A LOT OF WAYS.
BUT WHEN IT COMES TO PROVID PATIENT CARE SERVICES, IT IS MORE AND MORE DIFFICULT THESE DAYS TO PROVIDE HIGH QUALITY CARE BASED ON THE COST OF CARE FOR WHAT WE GET.
I MENTIONED THE FOUNDATION LAST YEAR WE RECEIVED CLOSE TO $3 MILLION OF SUPPORT AND THAT CONTINUES TO GROW AS WE EXPAND.
BUT CERTAIN THINGS THEY PREDICT, THEY UH, ASSIST WITH ADDICTION MEDICINE.
WE HAVE A SUBOXONE CLINIC, PHARMACEUTICAL ASSISTANCE, UH, FOOD IN SECURITIES PROGRAMS. NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW WE DELIVER 50 MEALS A DAY TO THE FOOD INSECURE IN BEFOR ST.
I DID PREPARE MEALS FOR OUR PATIENTS.
WE HAVE A PATIENT TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM.
LAST YEAR THAT PATIENT PROGRAM TO VEGAS TO TAKE PATIENTS TO AND FROM APPOINTMENTS DROVE 26,000 MILES, SAVE A LOT OF MILES DRIVING FOR PATIENTS TO AND FROM THAT SERVE 23 ZIP CODES IF YOU BELIEVE IT OR NOT, TAKING PATIENTS TO AND FROM APPOINTMENTS THAT DIDN'T HAVE TRANSPORTATION.
THE ONLY TRANSPORTATION THEY HAD SOMETIMES WAS AN AMBULANCE TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM.
WELL I CAN TELL YOU THAT IS THE WRONG PLACE FOR THEM TO BE WHEN THEY NEED PRIMARY CARE OR OTHER SOURCE OF CARE.
AND AN OUTPATIENT A YOU SEE OUR TRANSPORTATION THERE.
YOU SEE OUR WELLNESS AND CHIP MOBILE AND YOU SEE OTHER PARTNERSHIPS WE HAVE.
YOU SEE THE GOOD DAY FOR UH, PRE MEDICAL CLINIC.
THE LABS AND IMAGING THAT THOSE PATIENTS RECEIVE ARE DONE MORE A NO COST.
THE PATIENTS WITH A GOOD DAY FOR FREE MEDICAL CLINIC, THEY SIT IN OUR CAMPUS, WE DON'T CHARGE THEM RENT, WE PAY FOR THEIR UTILITIES.
WE DO EVERYTHING THAT WE NEED TO GO TO SUPPORT THE GOOD NEIGHBOR FREE MEDICAL CLINIC.
IT DOES A LOT OF GOOD WORK IN THIS COMMUNITY.
SO MY NEXT TWO SLIDES ARE EXTREMELY BUSY BECAUSE OF THE EXTREMELY BUSY AND I WILL SAY UNCERTAIN TIME IN HEALTHCARE, ESPECIALLY WITH THE CHANGE OF ADMINISTRATION.
NOW I'M NOT GONNA GET UP HERE AND TRY TO DEBATE RIGHT, WRONG OR DIFFERENT DEMOCRAT VERSUS REPUBLICAN.
ALL I'M GOING TO SAY IS THIS IS WHAT, BASED ON WHAT WE'RE HEARING, UH, FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, WHICH TRICKLES DOWN TO THE STATE IS GOING TO AFFECT HEALTHCARE.
SO CURRENTLY, AND WHY ARE WE LOOKING AT THIS, RIGHT? WELL, WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS BECAUSE HEALTHCARE ACCOUNTS FOR ABOUT 18.7% OF THE GDP IN AMERICA.
THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY BEING SPENT ON HEALTHCARE.
YOU CAN SEE THAT GRAPH RIGHT THERE.
SO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WE'RE ALL AWARE, UM, THROUGH THOSE AND EMAILS SAYING WHAT HAVE YOU'VE DONE FOR THE LAST WEEK? HAS SAID WE'RE GONNA CUT $880 BILLION AND THAT NEEDS TO COME FROM HEALTHCARE.
WELL WHAT SERVICES IS THAT GOING TO CUT? THEY'RE SAYING NOT MEDICARE.
I'LL MAKE A POINT THERE IN JUST A SECOND.
BUT THEY'RE GOING TO AFFECT HHS AND MAYBE A THOUSAND MONEY OFF.
WELL, HHS AFFECTS HOW WE DO BUSINESS THROUGH HRSA AND GRANTS AND CLAIMS PROCESSING AND PAYMENT MODELS.
SO A THOUSAND PEOPLE, A THOUSAND PEOPLE ARE LET GO FROM HHS THAT AFFECTS HOSPITALS AND HEALTH SYSTEMS BECAUSE WE RELY A LOT ON THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO PAY US THROUGH MEDICARE.
AND IF EVERYTHING SLOWS DOWN TO A SLOG, WHAT DO YOU THINK HAPPENS TO HOSPITALS OR BE FOR JASPER COMP HEALTH FOR OTHERS THAT HAVE SERVED THE COMMUNITY? PAYMENT SLOWED DOWN.
ANSWERS DON'T COME WHEN WE ASK THESE QUESTIONS AND IT BECOMES MORE DIFFICULT FOR HOSPITALS TO OPERATE TELEHEALTH RULES BASED UNCERTAINTY.
HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE HAD A TELEHEALTH VISIT WITHIN THE LAST FIVE YEARS? SO NOW, OKAY, WHAT I WILL TELL YOU IS CONGRESS DOESN'T INTERVENE BY MARCH 31ST.
HOSPITALS WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PERFORM TELEHEALTH VISITS AS YOU HAVE OTHERWISE SEEN TODAY.
WHICH MEANS IT'S GONNA BE BECOME MORE DIFFICULT TO ACCESS YOUR PHYSICIAN WHO'S ALREADY DIFFICULT TO ACCESS.
TALK ABOUT PHYSICIAN PAYMENT CUTS.
SO WE KNOW FOR A FACT THAT INFLATION IS ON THE RISE.
WELL, MEDICARE HAS ACTUALLY CUT PAYMENTS TO YOUR PHYSICIANS BY 8% OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS.
NOW TELL ME HOW THAT MAP WORKS.
RIGHT? THE COST OF CARE CONTINUES TO INCREASE.
PHYSICIANS CONTINUE TO PROVIDE MEDICARE, BUT PHYSICIANS ARE OTHERWISE SEEING PAYMENT CUTS BY 8% OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS.
SO YOU CAN SEE WHERE THERE'S A LOT OF ANGST WITH PHYSICIANS.
WHY MAYBE MORE PHYSICIANS AREN'T DOING THE WORKFORCE.
BECAUSE AS CARES BECOMING TOUGHER TO DELIVER THE GOVERNMENT'S SAYING DO MORE WITH LESS, SEE MORE WITH LESS GET PAID LESS.
RIGHT? WELL THAT DOESN'T REALLY MAKE SENSE, DOES IT? AND SO WE'RE STRUGGLING TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE CONTINUE TO PROVIDE CARE AND AN ECONOMY THAT KEEPS GOING THIS WAY WHEN PHYSICIANS ARE PAYING MUCH LESS.
AND I REMIND YOU, WE EMPLOY ABOUT 150 PROVIDERS.
SO WHEN WE SEE THESE SORT OF CUTS, IT HAS A REAL IMPACT ON HOW WE DELIVER CARE FOR COUNTY EXCHANGE PLANS.
IF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DOES ELIMINATE THE SUBSIDIES AND MAYBE THE NAVIGATORS, IT IS ESTIMATED THAT 2.2 MILLION PEOPLE WILL LOSE INSURANCE BECAUSE THE EXCHANGE CLAIMS ARE GONE.
YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENS, UH, TO EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM, MAYBE NOTHING.
WHAT HAPPENS TO THE HOSPITAL? IT'S A LOT LESS PEOPLE WITH INSURANCE, RIGHT? AND THAT IS NOT GOOD FOR HOSPITALS AND HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS.
TARIFFS WON'T TELL YOU WHETHER THEY'RE RIGHT OR WRONG.
ALL I CAN TELL YOU IS IS WE GET A LOT OF OUR SUPPLIES FROM CHINA, RIGHT? WRONG OR INDIFFERENT.
AND TARIFFS HAVE A POTENTIAL TO INCREASE OUR SUPPLY
[00:55:01]
COSTS BY 20%.IF EVERYTHING GOES INTO EFFECT, THAT'S A BIG DEAL.
AND ALREADY ESCALATING EXPENSE CLIMATE THAT WE SIT IN TODAY.
AND THEN YOUR HOSPITAL DAY CRISIS, YOU KNOW, THIS IS NO SURPRISE, BUT THERE'S A STUDY DONE BY UCLA THAT SHOWS BY 23 2 80 5% OF ALL BEDS WOULD BE OCCUPIED.
WHY IS THAT? NOT BECAUSE WE HAVE A SHORTAGE OF BEDS, BECAUSE WE HAVE A SHORTAGE OF NURSES, WE HAVE A SHORTAGE OF PHYSICIANS, WE HAVE ENOUGH BEDS.
IF YOU LOOK AT HOSPITALS AND SAY I WANNA SEE A PATIENT ROOM, WE HAVE PROBABLY PLENTY OF ROOMS. WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH NURSES.
AND THAT IN ITSELF IS THE PROBLEM.
SO IF I, IF I SAID, ALL RIGHT, THAT'S NATIONAL.
NOW HOW IS NATIONAL DRIVING RIGHT? LOCALLY, WHAT THE STATE CLIMATE IS? WELL FIRST AND FOREMOST, I DON'T HAVE TO REPEAT THIS, MAYBE DID A REALLY GOOD JOB AT KIND OF LOOKING AT WHAT OUR POPULATION DEMOGRAPHICS ARE.
BUT 1.5 MILLION SOUTH CAROLINAS WOULD BE OVER 65 UH, BY THE YEARS THAT 2035, RIGHT? SO THAT IS AN AGING POPULATION THAT IS GOING TO NEED MORE HEALTHCARE.
WE ALMOST 13,000 NURSES BY THAT SAME TIME, RIGHT? SO AS WE'RE GAINING PEOPLE IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA AND WE'RE GETTING OLD, WE ARE LOSING NURSES, RIGHT? AND SO RIGHT NOW THAT SHORTAGE IS PROBABLY TAKING AROUND FIVE TO 7,000, BE 13,000 BY THAT YEAR, RIGHT? THAT IS A BIG PROBLEM FOR HOSPITALS AND HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS AND PRACTICES AND EVERYONE SERVING COMMUNITIES OVERALL.
SOUTH CAROLINA HAS TO BE SHORT.
IF YOU LOOK AT STATISTICS STATISTICALLY, WE ARE ONE OF THE WORST STATES ON POPULATION TO PHYSICIAN RATIO.
AND WE ARE FOLLOWING FURTHER AND FURTHER BEHIND THE STATE AS THE STATE GROW.
SO WE CAN'T RECRUIT PHYSICIANS TO PRODUCE 'EM FAST ENOUGH.
HOW DOES THAT AFFECT YOU FOR COUNTY? WELL IN PARTICULAR TODAY BASED ON OUR STUDIES, UH, WE ARE 40 PCP SHORTS AND APPROXIMATELY 70 SPECIALS OF SURGEONS SHORT TODAY BASED ON THE 200,000 POPULATIONS THIS POPULATION GROWS.
BUT WE DON'T DO A BETTER JOB OF GETTING PROVIDERS TO THIS AREA.
THAT'S GONNA GET A LOT WORSE THAN IT IS TODAY.
SO SOUTH CAROLINA IS A NON MEDICAID EXPANSION.
SOUTH CAROLINA AND ALL STATES DURING THE COVID PANDEMIC AND SUB SUBSEQUENTLY AFTERWARDS STOPPED WHAT THEY CALL THE REDETERMINATION PROCESS.
WHICH MEANS EVERY YEAR YOU HAVE TO WITH MEDICAID YOU HAD TO SAY, HEY, WE'RE STILL HERE.
YES, I STILL NEEDED ALL THE QUALIFICATIONS.
AND SO MORE PEOPLE WENT ON THE MEDICAID RULES AND MORE PEOPLE STAYED ON MEDICAID RULES.
WHICH IS GREAT BECAUSE DURING COVID MORE PEOPLE NEEDED HEALTHCARE, RIGHT? WELL SINCE WE, WE STARTED THE REDETERMINATION PROCESS, ALMOST 500,000 PEOPLE HAVE COME OFF THE MEDICAID RULES OF THE STATE.
NOW THAT MAY BE GOOD OR BAD, BUT FOR HOSPITALS AND HEALTH SYSTEMS, THAT IS BAD BECAUSE THAT'S 500,000 LESS PEOPLE WITH INSURANCE, RIGHT? AND THERE IS NO NECESSARILY UNDERSTANDING WHETHER THEY WENT TO THE EXCHANGE OR THEY ANOTHER INSURANCE PLAN, RIGHT? THEY ARE UNCOVERED AND UNCOVERED.
PATIENTS ULTIMATELY END UP AT THE HOSPITAL AND HOSPITALS HAVE TO SUBSIDIZE THAT COVERAGE.
AND HOW DO YOU THINK THAT COVERAGE CAN SUBSIDIZE? CURRENTLY INFLATION COSTS ARE OUTPACING HOSPITAL REVENUE GROWTH.
I JUST EXPLAINED TO YOU, WE LOSE MONEY ON PATIENT CARE OVERALL.
IF YOU LOOK AT JUST HOSPITAL INDUSTRY STANDARDS, TOTAL REVENUE IS UP ABOUT 45%.
TOTAL EXPENSES ARE UP 49%, RIGHT? SO AGAIN, WE CONTINUE TO SEE THE COST OF CARE ESCALATING.
WE DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO INCREASE REVENUE, BUT ULTIMATELY IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH.
SO WHAT ARE WE DOING RIGHT? WHAT DO WE DOING TO ADDRESS THESE NEEDS? BOTH HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE LOOK AT THIS AND SAY, HOW DO WE FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL? HOW DO WE FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE STATE LEVEL? HOW DO WE FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE LOCAL LEVEL? WELL, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT IS GOING TO BE THE BIG KEY, RIGHT? BECAUSE IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT WE DEAL, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHERE WE BUILD HOSPITALS, PHYSICIAN PRACTICES, IMAGING CENTERS ARE JUST BREAKS AND MORTAR, RIGHT? AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE PEOPLE THAT MAKE OUR FACILITIES WORK.
SO WE HAVE TO DEVELOP MORE PEOPLE.
SO LET'S TALK ABOUT PHYSICIANS AND APPS.
APPS WOULD BE A NURSE PRACTITIONER, WORK PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT, RIGHT? WHO ARE VERY KEY INSTRUMENTAL TO HOW WE DELIVER CARE.
'CAUSE IT TAKES A TEAM AND THEY WORK AS TEAM 'CAUSE TEAMWORK, BUT MAKES THE DREAM WORK.
THAT'S WHAT WE SAY IN HOSPITALS AND HOW SYSTEMS ARE ANYWHERE ELSE.
AND HEALTHCARE IS A TEAM SPORT.
AND SO YOU CAN SEE WE HAVE ACTUALLY DONE A FAIRLY DECENT JOB COMPARED TO MOST ESPECIALLY IN THE MARKET OF RECRUITING PRIMARY CARE DOCTORS.
ALL OF THOSE ON THE TOP ARE ALL PHYSICIANS.
AND ALL STARTED IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, WE ACTUALLY HAVE SEEN NORTH BROAD, REMEMBER TWO DIFFERENT ECOSYSTEMS WE'VE ACTUALLY SEEN A LITTLE BIT OF A SLOW DOWN IN DEMAND FOR PRIMARY CARE.
WE HAVE SOME AVAILABILITY, WHICH MEANS THAT I THINK WE ARE KIND OF HITTING THE POINT WHERE NORTH BROAD, WE CAN TAKE A BREATH FOR PRIMARY CARE.
NOW, SOUTH BROAD, NOT SO MUCH.
WE ARE STILL BOOKING UP EIGHT TO 10 MONTHS FOR A PRIMARY CARE APPOINT SOUTH OF BROAD RIVER.
BUT NORTH OF BROAD, WE FEEL LIKE WE'RE GETTING TO A GOOD PLACE.
AND YOU SEE SOME OF OUR PSYCHIATRY PROVIDERS AS WELL.
AND THE SPECIALISTS, AGAIN, WE ACKNOWLEDGE SPECIALTY CARE IS DIFFICULT.
FOR EXAMPLE, YOU HAVE ABOUT TWO AND A HALF NEUROLOGISTS TO SERVE TWO AND A THOUSAND PEOPLE IN THIS PERIOD.
WE'VE RECRUITED ORTHOPEDICS, CARDIOLOGY, PLASTIC SURGERY, PULMONOLOGY, GASTROENTEROLOGY, MEDICAL ONCOLOGY, GENERAL SURGERY, MORE PULMONOLOGY.
BUT AGAIN, WE ARE JUST GROWING TOO FAST.
WE ARE AGING TOO FAST AND WE NEED MORE SPECIALTY CARE AND IT IS HARD TO KEEP UP.
EVEN IF WE RECRUIT THIS MANY PROVIDERS TO START THESE MANY NEW PRACTICES OVER THE COURSE OF TWO YEARS, IT IS STILL A DIFFICULT TASK TO KEEP UP WITH
[01:00:01]
THE NEED HERE.WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT OUR PATH PROGRAM.
THIS CONTINUES TO BE A GREAT SUCCESS.
I WANT TO RECOGNIZE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA, BEAUFORT.
OBVIOUSLY BEAUFORT COUNTY, THE CITY OF BEAUFORT HAVE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL AND REALLY HELPING DRIVE THE PATH PROGRAM.
UM, BUT WE HAVE TRAINED ALMOST A HUNDRED PEOPLE THERE THAT OTHERWISE WERE NOT PATIENT CARE TECHS, NOT CNAS, WE'RE NOT PHLEBOTOMISTS.
UM, AND WE PUT THEM AT THE BEDSIDE SITE, WHICH HAS BEEN VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE TALK ABOUT THE NURSING SHORTAGE.
THERE'S A SHORTAGE OF EVERYTHING.
I, WE KNEW WHAT A RESPIRATORY THERAPIST WAS BEFORE THE COVID PANDEMIC.
PROBABLY NOT MANY, BUT I CAN TELL YOU DURING THE PANDEMIC, RESPIRATORY THERAPIST BECAME AS IMPORTANT AS ANYONE ELSE 'CAUSE THEY WERE THE ONE MANAGING EVENTS.
AND DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, WE HAD 40 EVENTS GOING AT THE HOSPITAL ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS.
ON A TYPICAL DAY, IF YOU OUTSIDE OF THE TABLE, YOU PROBABLY HAVE FIVE.
SO YOU CAN IMAGINE HOW FAR THESE THERAPISTS WERE STRETCH TO MANAGE THOSE EVENTS FOR THERE'S A SHORTAGE, STATE LABORATORY, MEDICAL ATTACKS, YOU NAME IT.
THERE'S PROBABLY A SHORTAGE WITHIN OUR INDUSTRY.
SO WE ARE TRYING HARD, UH, IN ORDER TO GROW OUR PEOPLE FROM WITHIN.
WE ALSO RECENTLY LAUNCHED A PROGRAM IN THE HIGH SCHOOLS, DUAL ENROLLMENT FOR CERTIFIED MEDICAL ASSISTANTS.
THOSE RELATED, WE BEEN TO A PHYSICIAN OFFICE.
I SEE NOT SEEING THAT IS WE TAKE YOU TO THE ROOM, TAKE YOUR VITALS, STARTS DOCUMENTATION PROCESS, AND IN THE PHYSICIAN INTERESTS THE ROOM.
SO THAT'S WHAT CERTIFIED MEDICAL ASSISTANT DOES FOR US.
USCB AND US HAVE PARTNERED WITH A, UH, PARTNERED TOGETHER WITH THE CITY AND WITH THE COUNTY TO BUILD A NEW NURSING SATELLITE CAMPUS FOR THEM.
SAVE THE OFF SKILLS LABS AND IN HOPES OF REALLY INCREASING THEIR ENROLLMENT OPPORTUNITIES, WE WANT TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT ARE ENROLLED IN USCB IN HOPES THAT THEY STAY IN BUFORT AND OTHERWISE INCREASING THE NURSING SUPPLY IN BEFOR AS WELL.
SO WE TALK A LOT ABOUT HOUSING.
I'VE BEEN TALKING TO MEGAN A LOT ABOUT CHILDCARE.
IF YOU HAVE CHILDREN, YOU PROBABLY UNDERSTAND THIS, BUT CHILDCARE IS A REAL ISSUE.
IF BUFORD KELLY, IT IS ABOUT IT.
AND SO WE JUST CUT THE RIBBON, UH, ON A GREATER CHILDCARE CENTER ON OUR CAMPUS TO HELP EXPAND ACCESS AND REDUCE THE COST OF CARE, UH, CHILDCARE BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THAT'S IMPORTANT TO OUR NURSES, TO OUR TECHS, TO OUR PATIENT REGISTRATION ACCESS COACH, TO OUR HOUSEKEEPERS WHO ARE ALL USING THIS CURRENTLY TO KEEP THEIR KIDDOS, UH, ON CAMPUS AT AN AFFORDABLE RATE.
I KNOW WE HAVE A HOUSING PRESENTATION.
I KNOW WE SPOKE ABOUT HOUSING.
I KNOW THE COASTAL COMMUNITY HAS DONE A LOT OF GOOD THINGS WITH HOUSING.
I'LL JUST SAY WE HAVE, UM, WE ARE WORKING ON AND WE POTENTIALLY ARE GOING TO BREAK RAIL ON ONE OF THREE SITES, UH, FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING.
AND THE ONE THAT IS NEAREST, UM, THE START WOULD BE THE, UH, LIVEWELL TERRA BY YOUTH MEMORIAL.
SO THIS IS 120 UNITS THAT IS PARTNERED WITH CITY OF LOFTON, BEFOR COUNTY, UH, AND DEN COOPER COMPANIES TO BUILD WORKFORCE HOUSING USING LOW INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDITS.
SO THOSE THAT WILL LIVE HERE WILL FALL ANYWHERE BETWEEN 80 AND 40% OF THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME.
AND SO WE ARE FOCUSING ON FIRST RESPONDERS, HEALTHCARE WORKERS, TEACHERS, ET CETERA.
AND JUST SO YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT A YOUTH MORAL ONLY.
THIS IS NOT FOR SERVICE JUST FOR YOU FROM MORE EMPLOYEES.
THIS IS FOR ANYONE AND EVERYONE, RIGHT? BECAUSE WE'RE TAKING TAX CREDITS, WE ARE OPENING THIS UP TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC, WHICH IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE THINK THAT AS YOU FLOOD THE MARKET WITH MORE OF THESE UNITS, THAT YOU CREATE THE PLAYBOOK FOR OTHERS TO FOLLOW BECAUSE WE'LL TAKE A PARTNERSHIP.
ONE PERSON, ONE COUNTY, ONE TOWN, ONE INSTITUTION CANNOT DO THIS ON THEIR OWN.
IT WILL TAKE UNIQUE AND INNOVATIVE PARTNERSHIPS TO DELIVER THE HOUSING AND THE AFFORDABLE CHILDCARE THAT WE NEED IN ORDER TO RETAIN THE WORKFORCE THAT IS NECESSARY TO KEEP THIS COMMUNITY GOING.
AND IT'LL TAKE THINGS LIKE THIS TO DO RIGHT? IT'LL TAKE GOOD PARTNERSHIPS AND GOOD PEOPLE DOING THE RIGHT THING.
OUR OTHER COMMUNITY INVESTMENT.
SO IF YOU THINK OF NORTH BROAD, WE CONTINUE TO INVEST IN THE HOSPITAL HERE.
WE ARE CURRENTLY UNDERGOING A $24 MILLION INNOVATION OF OUR OPERATING SUITES.
SO I TOLD YOU WE'RE DOING ABOUT 14,000 SURGERIES A YEAR RIGHT NOW.
WHEN I ARRIVED AT YEARS AGO, THAT WAS 7,000, RIGHT? AND SO WE'VE DOUBLED OUR SURGERIES OR WE HAVEN'T DOUBLED OR INCREASED OUR NUMBER OF OPERATING SUITES.
AND SO WE ARE INCREASING OUR NUMBER OF OPERATING SUITES TO CONTINUE TO ALLOW FOR THE INCREASE IN SURGERIES AT THE ORGANIZATION.
WE ARE DOUBLING DOWN ON PSYCHIATRY CARE 'CAUSE WE NEED TO BECAUSE THAT IS EVER INCREASING, UH, BECAUSE WE ARE INSTALLING A NEW CSU IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM.
SO IF YOU GO TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM IN THE NEXT EIGHT MONTHS AND YOU SEE CONSTRUCTION, WE ARE ONE OF 13 HOSPITALS THAT ARE PILOTING A CRISIS STABILIZATION UNIT IN THE ER FOR PSYCHIATRIC PATIENTS.
BECAUSE BELIEVE IT OR NOT, NOT EVERY PATIENT QUALIFIES FOR AN INPATIENT STAY RIGHT IN SERVICE.
SOMETIMES THAT'S SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT THAT.
WELL, JUST BECAUSE THEY DON'T QUALIFY FOR INPATIENT STATE DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE FEEL THEY'RE SAFE TO BE DISCHARGED TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO A LOT OF TIMES THEY LEAVE LINGER IN EMERGENCY ROOM, WHICH IS AN INAPPROPRIATE SETTING, RIGHT? AS OTHER PEOPLE ARE SEEKING CARE FOR OTHER VERY ACUTE CARE KIND OF CONCERNS, WE'RE STRUGGLING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT DO WE DO WITH THIS PATIENT THAT WE CAN'T QUITE FIGURE OUT OR WE CAN'T SEND 'EM HOME OR THEY DON'T HAVE A HOME, RIGHT? WHAT DO WE DO WITH IT? WELL NOW WE'LL HAVE AN OBSERVATION UNIT WHERE FOR 48 HOURS WE CAN TREAT THEM, WE CAN STABILIZE THEM, WE CAN MANAGE MEDICATIONS AND FIND THE APPROPRIATE COMMUNITY RESOURCES RIGHT IN ORDER TO DO THAT WHILE ALSO FOCUSING ON THE PATIENTS THAT
[01:05:01]
CONTINUE TO ARRIVE AT THE ER.WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THIS PROJECT AND GEOGRAPHY SUITE.
THESE THREE COMMITMENTS ALONE REPRESENT A $27.2 MILLION INVESTMENT BACK IN MEMORIAL HOSPITAL AND BACK IN NORTH BEAUTIFUL COUNTY PRIMARY CARE.
WE HAVE SEVERAL PRIMARY CARE PROJECTS UNDERWAY.
SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS.
UH, A NEW BUILDING WILL BE COMING IN THREE YEARS AT THE MAY RIVER CROSSINGS OFF OF ONE 70.
AND THEN WE RECENTLY ANNOUNCED A FREESTANDING EMERGENCY ROOM AND URGENT CARE CENTER ON THE ISLAND HILL HEAD.
REMEMBER I'VE SAID THAT HI HAD PROBABLY STRUGGLES MORE THAN MOST WITH HEALTHCARE ACCESS.
AND SO THIS WILL BE ONE OF THE FIRST OF ITS KIND.
YOU MAY SAY WELL SEEN A FREE STATE ED JUST DOWN THE ROAD.
LOTS OF PEOPLE HAVE FREESTATE EDS.
THE DIFFERENCE HERE IS, IS THIS ALSO HAS AN URGENT CARE TRAP.
BECAUSE IF WE GO BACK AND SAY WE NEED TO REDUCE THE COST OF HEALTHCARE IN THIS, IN THIS COMMUNITY, IN THIS COUNTRY, ET CETERA, I WILL TELL YOU THERE'S $90 MILLION IN A YEAR IN GROSS IN UNNECESSARY EMERGENCY ROOM VISITS.
HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE BEEN INJURED OR SICK OR YOU HAVE A CHILD OR A FAMILY MEMBER AND YOU SAY, I DON'T KNOW IF I SHOULD GO TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM OR SHOULD I GO TO THE URGENT CARE? RIGHT? THAT IS A DIFFICULT DECISION TO MAKE.
A LOT OF PEOPLE ERR ON THE EMERGENCY ROOM SIDE, RIGHT? WELL THAT IS A LOT MORE EXPENSIVE THAN URGENT CARE AND STUDIES SHOWED THAT 90 MILLION OF THAT COULD HAVE GONE BACK TO AN URGENT CARE.
AND SO THIS NEW MODEL COMBINES BOTH.
AND SO WHEN A PATIENT PRESENTS TO A MODEL LIKE THIS, YOU'RE TRIAGED AND IF YOU ARE AN URGENT CARE PATIENT, YOU WILL GO DOWN THE URGENT CARE TRACK.
YOU WILL RECEIVE AN URGENT CARE BILL SAVING YOU THE EMPLOYER OR THE INSURANCE COMPANY.
IF YOU'RE AN EMERGENCY ROOM PATIENT, IE GOT FULL PAYROLL LABS, I HAD A CT, I HAD AN ULTRASOUND, WHICH ALL THAT WILL BE THERE.
YOU'LL PROBABLY GET AN EMERGENCY ROOM VISIT.
BUT WE BELIEVE 60 PEOPLE ARRIVE PER DAY IN THIS EMERGENCY ROOM.
40 OF THOSE WILL BE URGENT CARE PATIENTS AND ONLY 20 WILL ACTUALLY REQUIRE AND NEED EMERGENCY ROOM CARE IS MODELS LIKE THIS THAT REALLY HAVE TO DRIVE THE FUTURE OF HEALTHCARE.
IF WE WANT TO BRING HEALTHCARE COSTS IN, IT'S NOT CUTTING INSURANCE.
IT'S NOT REDUCING THOSE WHO ON MEDICAID OR OTHER THAN TOBACCO NATURE.
IT'S NOT PUSHING MEDICARE PEOPLE OVER TO MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PLANS.
IT IS INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS LIKE IF THAT WILL HELP THE COMMUNITY AND DRIVE DOWN THE COST OF CARE BY HAVING PEOPLE AT THE RIGHT SIDE OF CARE.
AND THAT'S THE KEY FOR A LOT OF HEALTHCARE WASTE.
AND THEN LASTLY, WE GO AROUND IN THE LAST MONTH ON OUR
THIS HAS BEEN A LONG TIME COMING, BUT THIS REALLY IS THE FUTURE, THE EVOLUTION OF EVEN MORE HOW WE REALLY EXPAND THE CARE TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR SOUTH BROAD.
LEMME TELL YOU WHY SUPPORT FOR NORTH BROAD, OKAY? BECAUSE WE ARE FULL TODAY.
WE REMAIN FULL OF THE HOSPITAL.
BUT WHAT IF I TOLD YOU IF I HAD 120 PATIENTS IN MY HOSPITAL, 20 TO 30 OF THOSE ACTUALLY COUNT SYMPTOMS, RIGHT? MORE AND MORE PEOPLE SOUTH ABROAD ARE CHOOSING YOUTH MEMORIAL FOR THEIR CARE AND BEING ADMITTED TO THE HOSPITAL.
AND SO IN ORDER FOR US TO EXPAND THAT CAPACITY AND CAPACITY FOR MORAL WAGE TO MAKE CAPACITY TO BLOCK THEM, SO WE GOTTA RELOCATE THOSE BLOCKIN PATIENTS TO BLOCK THEM IN ORDER TO EXPAND CARE FOR PATIENTS IN BUFORT, RIGHT? AND THAT'S WHY THIS IS SO IMPORTANT FOR BOTH WHEN WE DO THIS IS ABOUT A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS PROJECT, 7 MILLION IN CONSTRUCTION, 23 MILLION IN EQUIPMENT, 10 MILLION IN PROFESSIONAL FEES.
AND YEAR ONE WILL CREATE 250 JOBS FOR $16.2 MILLION IN SALARY WAGE OF BENEFITS.
AND YOU MAY SAY, HEY, IT FEELS LIKE WE NEED A LOT MORE THAN THIS.
WELL, LEMME TELL YOU SOMETHING, I PROBABLY DO, RIGHT? BUT UNFORTUNATELY, WHAT WE HAVE TO RECOGNIZE AND REALIZE IS NOT POSSIBLE OR CONCEIVABLE THAT WE'RE GONNA FIND A THOUSAND PEOPLE TO WORK AT BRAIN HOSPITAL.
WE CAN'T FIND ENOUGH PEOPLE TO WORK IN THE HOSPITALS IN THIS COMMUNITY TODAY, RIGHT? SO, SO WHAT, WHAT, WHAT MAKES US BELIEVE THAT WE CAN FIND A ANOTHER, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER THOUSAND EMPLOYEES, RIGHT? SO WE HAVE TO BUILD FOR TODAY, WE HAVE TO BUILD FOR WHAT WE CAN STAFF.
WE HAVE TO BUILD FOR STATE STAFFING RATIOS AND FOR THE PROVIDERS WE CAN RECRUIT TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND THERE'S FACILITIES LIKE THIS THAT DO, RIGHT? AND SO THAT'S WHY WE BELIEVE THAT SMART GROWTH, APPROPRIATE GROWTH, PATIENT FOCUSED GROWTH IS EXACTLY WHAT THIS COMMUNITY NEEDS IN ORDER TO BUILD A SUSTAINABLE AND VIABLE HEALTHCARE ECOSYSTEM FOR THE FUTURE.
SO HOPEFULLY YOU FOUND THIS PRESENTATION INSIGHTFUL.
HOPEFULLY YOU TOOK SOMETHING AWAY FROM IT.
AND AGAIN, I APPRECIATE THE SAME, AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING AS AN ORGANIZATION AND FACT THE WHOLE MH TABLE WITH STAND UP REAL QUICK.
WE HAVE A LITTLE ANNOUNCEMENT TO MAKE.
EACH MONTH THE CHAMBER CELEBRATES MEMBERS WHO REACH MILESTONES IN THEIR MEMBERSHIP.
EARLIER THIS MONTH WE LEFT ONE OFF THE LIST ON PURPOSE.
WHY? UH, BECAUSE IT IS A VERY BIG MILESTONE TODAY IN FRONT OF ALL OF YOU.
WE'D LIKE TO CELEBRATE FOR MEMORIAL VALLEY 50.
5 0, 50 YEAR MEMBER OF THE CHAMBER.
[01:10:04]
THIS I GET A, HERE WE GO.ALRIGHT, AND EVERYBODY ELSE MAKE SURE YOU GET YOUR PICTURE TAKEN BEFORE YOU LEFT, BEFORE YOU LEAVE TODAY, WE'D LOVE TO HAVE, UH, ALL OF YOU, UH, CATALOG ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA.
UH, I'D LIKE TO WELCOME JENNIFER TUCKER TO THE PODIUM.
SHE'S PAST CHAIR THAT SHE REPORTED DIRECTORS, SHE AND HER HUSBAND OF CAROLINA AIR, AND SHE IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE BEFORD TRUST FOR HOUSING TRUST.
UH, THANK YOU FOR SPONSORING OUR BREAKFAST THIS MORNING.
WE FIGURED YOU WERE THE PERFECT PERSON TO INTRODUCE OUR NEXT SPEAKER.
UM, I'M JUST HAPPY TO BE HERE ON BEHALF OF, UM, CAROLINA AIR RIGHT NOW AS THE BREAKFAST SPONSOR.
SO I'VE BEEN PUT ON MY CAROLINA AIR HAT.
UM, WE ARE A OVER 40-YEAR-OLD, SECOND GENERATION FAMILY BUSINESS OF HVAC CONTRACTING HERE IN BEAUFORT.
AND, UM, MY HUSBAND, WHERE HE WAS, UM, HE, HE, OH, HE, UM, HE TAKES CARE OF DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS.
WE WORKED TOGETHER FOR NEARLY 20 YEARS.
UM, AND I DECIDED IT WAS TIME TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
SO, UM, I WAS OUT LOOKING AND THIS HOUSING OPPORTUNITY CAME AVAILABLE AND I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO COME INTO THE BEFORD, JASPER HOUSING TRUST, KIND OF WHEN IT WAS JUST GETTING STARTED.
UM, I HAVE THE PLEASURE THIS MORNING OF WELCOMING CLAUDE HICKS, OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE BEFORD JASPER HOUSING TRUST, UM, TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE STATE OF HOUSING IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, LET'S WELCOME CLAUDE HICK.
YOUR CHECK IS IN THE MAIL FOR ANYONE WHO WONDERS WHY PEOPLE WANT TO COME LIVE HERE.
IT IS FEBRUARY 28TH, BY THE WAY.
UH, MY WIFE STILL LIVES IN PENNSYLVANIA WHILE SHE IS, UH, MANAGING OUR DAUGHTER'S WEDDING.
UH, THAT WILL BE HAPPENING IN AUGUST, THE MOST PAINFUL POINT IN MY ENTIRE LIFE.
SO ABOUT, I GUESS IT WAS THREE OR FOUR WEEKS AGO.
WE TALK EVERY MORNING, WE TALK EVERY EVENING AND WE START OUT SAYING, WHAT'S THE TEMPERATURE THERE,
I SAID, WELL, IT IS GONNA BE CHILLY.
WHAT'S THE TEMPERATURE THERE? SHE SAID, TWO
WE DON'T TALK ABOUT THE WEATHER ANYMORE.
THANK YOU JENNIFER, FOR THAT NICE INTRODUCTION.
I WANNA TAKE A FEW MOMENTS TO TALK ABOUT, UH, WHAT WE HAVE SPOKEN TO, UH, WITH RESPECT TO GROUPS IN THIS AREA OVER A HUNDRED TIMES SINCE I GOT HERE.
THE FIRST GRADE, EVERYBODY WANTS TO KNOW, WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO ABOUT HOUSING? HOW FAST CAN YOU DO IT? AND DOES IT HAVE TO BE NEAR MY NEIGHBORHOOD? THOSE ARE THE THREE THINGS THAT WE GET THE MOST WITH PERSPECTIVE.
WE HAVE A VERY SIMPLE MISSION.
OUR MISSION IS TO CREATE RESERVE WORKFORCE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
THAT IS A HUGE TASK WRITTEN IN A VERY SIMPLE MISSION.
WE ARE A 5 0 1 C3, UH, AND OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS CONSIST OF THE NINE MUNICIPALITIES AND TWO COUNTIES, ALONG WITH ADDITIONAL MEMBERS OF THE BOARD THAT MAKE UP BEAVER HOUSING TRUST.
WE BEGAN WITH A SIMPLE QUESTION, WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT HOUSING IN BEAVER CHESWICK COUNTIES? THAT WAS A LONG CONVERSATION.
IT WAS ANCHORED BY VA ROBINSON STUDY ON HOUSING AND WHAT WE NEEDED.
AND THE INITIAL APPROACH WAS A VERY SIMPLE ONE.
NO SINGLE ENTITY HAD THE ABILITY TO TACKLE HOUSING IN THEIR AREA WITHOUT RELYING ON OTHER REGIONS IN THE AREA.
SO, UH, BEAVER, JASPER HOUSING TRUST WAS FORMED OUT OF THAT IDEA.
AND IT HAS GROWN OUT OF THAT IDEA TO, IN ITS FIRST FULLY FUNCTIONING YEAR.
LAST YEAR, UH, WE HANDED OUT ALMOST $2 MILLION TO GRANTEE THROUGHOUT AVERT ADJUSTMENT COUNTY.
AVERT MEMORIAL HOSPITAL IS ONE.
[01:15:01]
IS ANOTHER.DEEP WELL IS ANOTHER THAT TAKE THOSE FUNDS AND THEN APPLY 'EM DIRECTLY TO RECIPIENTS ALL ACROSS BOTH COUNTIES.
AS WE TALK ABOUT HOUSING, HOUSING, WHY HOUSING MATTERS, ECONOMIC GROWTH.
YOU CANNOT GROW AN ECONOMY WITHOUT HAVING PLACES FOR PEOPLE TO LIVE.
IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO DO ALL LIFE.
PEOPLE TALK ALL THE TIME ABOUT UNDERSTANDING THE CONNECTION BETWEEN HOUSING AND THE QUALITY OF LIFE.
IF YOU LIVE IN SUBSTANDARD HOUSING, THE ODDS ARE ASTRONOMICAL THAT YOU WILL ALSO HAVE HEALTH ISSUES.
YOU WILL ALSO HAVE EDUCATIONAL ISSUES, YOU'LL ALSO HAVE CHILDCARE ISSUES.
AND A FAMILY THAT IS FUNCTIONING THE WAY THAT IT SHOULD BE, THAT HAS ALL OF THE BARRIERS IN FRONT OF IT, IS GOING TO STRUGGLE.
REGIONAL COLLABORATION IS THE ONLY WAY THAT WE CAN DO THIS WHEREVER WE GO.
THE QUESTION IS, WHAT IS SOMEBODY ELSE DOING ABOUT THIS? OPEN HEAD HAS TAKEN ON A VERY DIFFERENT APPROACH, NOT A UNIQUE APPROACH AT ALL, BUT VERY DIFFERENT WITH RESPECT TO TRYING TO KEEP WORKFORCE RESIDENTS ON THE ISLAND.
BUFORD, CITY OF BEAUFORT, FOR EXAMPLE, WE ARE PARTNERING WITH TO CREATE A HOME REPAIR PROGRAM SPECIFIC TO THE CITY OF BEAUFORT.
BUT ALL OF THESE HAPPEN BECAUSE OF THE REGIONAL APPROACH, REGIONAL APPROACH BETWEEN CITIES, COUNTIES, MUNICIPALITIES, TOWNS, AND HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER TO CREATE HOUSING.
SO WHEN WE LOOK AT, WHEN WE LOOK BACK AT BUILDING PERMITS, BUILDING PERMITS ARE A SIGN OF HOW RAPIDLY A GROWING POPULATION KEEPS UP WITH THE AMOUNT OF HOUSES THAT NEED TO BE BUILT AND THE NUMBER OF PERMITS THAT NEED TO BE.
UM, CONSTRUCTION
OUR BUILDING PERMITS ARE GOING DOWN.
THEY'RE LEVELING OFF A LITTLE BIT AND YOU, A LOT OF YOU ARE LOOKING AND SAYING, WAIT A MINUTE, THERE'S A BUILDING GOING ON EVERYWHERE.
BUT THE BUILDING PERMITS FOR HOUSING HAVE BEEN LIMITED.
BUILDING PERMITS FOR COMMERCIAL RIGHT BEFORE RESTAURANTS FOR COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS HAS GROWN A LITTLE BIT.
BUT HOUSING HAS HAD A VERY DIFFICULT TIME, ESPECIALLY HOUSING THAT CAN BE ACCESSED BY PEOPLE EARNING MEDIA INCOME OR BELOW.
SO TODAY, ACROSS THE COUNTRY, THERE ARE 8.2 MILLION HOUSING UNITS THAT ARE NEEDED TODAY.
IT'S ESTIMATED WITHIN THE NEXT 10 YEARS THAT WILL RISE TO ABOVE 10 MILLION.
THAT WHEN YOU LOOK ACROSS THE COUNTRY, THAT MEANS 10 MILLION FAMILIES DO NOT ONLY DO NOT HAVE ACCESS, THEY DON'T HAVE A CHOICE.
THEY DON'T HAVE, THEY CAN'T LOOK AROUND AND SAY, I'VE GOT OPTIONS HERE.
ULRICH FROM THE FEDERAL RESERVE OF VIRGINIA.
SHE SPOKE RECENTLY TO SYMPOSIUM HERE.
AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT, UM, HER WORDS ON THIS PARTICULAR SLIDE STOPPED THE ENTIRE ROOM.
YOU DIDN'T HEAR ANYBODY SAY ANYTHING, YOU DIDN'T HEAR ANYBODY EVEN GAS, WHICH THEY SHOULD.
BUT THE FEDERAL RESERVE DOES IS IT LOOKS AT HOW MANY HOUSING UNITS ARE OCCUPIED BY PEOPLE WHO CAN AFFORD A MEDIUM PRICE HOUSE WITHOUT GOING OVER 30% OF THEIR ANNUAL INCOME IN RENT PAYMENTS OR MORTGAGE PAYMENTS.
THEY LOOK AT IT EVERY YEAR AFTER ALL RATE INFORMED US ALL THAT SHE DID THIS KIND OF A DRAMATIC WAY THAT IN THE LAST 21 YEARS, BEAVER CHESTER COUNTY HAS FAILED TO HAVE ONE RESIDENCE THAT QUALIFIED UNDER THOSE STANDARDS THAT IF NOTHING ELSE SHOULD WEIGH EVERYBODY UP.
THAT THIS IS NOT AN AFFORDABLE PLACE TO LIVE.
BUT THE REQUESTS AND REQUIREMENTS AND THE DEMANDS FOR SERVICES ARE RISING ON A DAILY BASIS.
HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE WALKED TO A RESTAURANT AND WAITED 45 MINUTES TO AN HOUR TO GET YOUR FOOD? I WENT INTO MY DOCTOR'S OFFICE AND THERE'S A SIGN ON THE, ON THE VERY FRONT WHERE YOU CHECK IN.
IT SAYS, NOT EVERYBODY SHOWED UP FOR WORK TODAY.
THEY AREN'T SEEING SHORTAGES THAT ARE ASTRONOMICAL.
SO I HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE.
[01:20:01]
YOU CAN'T PROVIDE HOSPITAL SERVICES WITHOUT WORK DUST.YOU CANNOT RUN A BANK WITHOUT TELLERS.
YOU CANNOT RUN A FIRE DEPARTMENT, A POLICE DEPARTMENT, A SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, AN EMS DEPARTMENT WITHOUT WORKERS.
AND YET THIS AREA IS STRUGGLING AS IT HAS NEVER DONE BEFORE TO TRY AND FIND THOSE WORKERS.
AND THEIR FIRST QUESTION, THE VERY FIRST QUESTION IS, WHERE CAN I LIVE? WHAT APARTMENT RENTS? LIKE WHEN YOU SAY THAT THE AVERAGE APARTMENT RENT BEFORE ONE BEDROOM IS EXCEEDING $2,000, A TWO BEDROOM IS EXCEEDING $2,400 AND A THREE BEDROOM IS NOW COSTING OVER $3,000.
THEY TEND TO TAKE A LOOK AND SAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
AND THEY GO TO COLUMBIA WHERE THEY GO TO GREENVILLE, WHERE THEY GO TO SOMEWHERE ELSE TO WORK OR CHARLOTTE WHERE THEY CAN GET, THEY HAVE A VARIETY.
THEY HAVE OPTIONS AT WHETHER WANTS TO LIVE.
WHEN WE TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT COST, BURDENING MEANS, COST BURDEN ESSENTIALLY SAYS YOU'RE SPENDING MORE THAN 30% YOUR INCOME ON RENT OR ON A HOUSE PAYMENT.
LOOK ALL THE WAY OVER TO THE RIGHT HAND SIDE.
46% OF RENTERS IN OUR AREA PAY MORE THAN 30% OF THEIR INCOME AND RENT SOME PAY AS HIGH AS 50 TO 60% OF THEIR INCOME.
IF YOU'RE PAYING 50% OF YOUR PAY FOR RENT, YOU HAVE HARD CHOICES ABOUT CHILDCARE.
YOU HAVE HARD CHOICES WHEN YOU GO TO THE GROCERY STORE.
YOU HAVE HARD CHOICES WITH RESPECT TO TRANSPORTATION.
SO WE LOOKED AT THIS AREA AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE THIRD ONE DOWN, A HUNDRED PERCENT OF MEDIA FAMILY INCOME OR A FAMILY OF FOURS, $106,000 FOR THEM NOT TO EXCEED 30% OF THEIR INCOME, THEIR HOUSING COSTS CAN COST THEM MORE THAN 2,600 A MONTH.
IF YOU BUY A REASONABLE HOUSE, 350, $400,000 ADD UP, YOUR MORTGAGE PAYMENT, YOUR TAXES, YOUR INSURANCE, THE COST OF MAINTAINING THAT LOAN, YOU ARE NOW WAY, WAY, WAY ABOVE 30%.
TAKE A LOOK RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE AND RUSSELL WILL PROBABLY RECOGNIZE THIS TERM.
THOSE PEOPLE WHO MAKE TOO MUCH TO QUALIFY FOR TAX CREDIT HOUSING, BUT DON'T MAKE ENOUGH TO PAY $3,000 A MONTH IN RENT.
THAT MIDDLE RIGHT THERE IS WHERE ALL OF YOUR YOUNG PROFESSIONALS, IT'S WHERE ALL OF YOUR SHERIFFS, YOUR POLICEMEN, YOUR TEACHERS, YOUR NURSES, THEY RESIDE RIGHT THERE, RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE.
THEIR OPTIONS ARE ALMOST ZERO.
WHAT THEY DO THEN IS THEY MAKE CHOICES.
THEY TAKE ON A ROOMMATE, THEY WORK AN EXTRA JOB, THEY DO WHATEVER THEY NEED TO DO TO BE ABLE TO PAY THE RENT AND MAKE IT OUR PAYMENT AND PAY THEIR INSURANCE AND ALL THE REST OF THE THINGS THAT WE PAY ON A DAILY BASIS.
WHAT CAN THE STATE DO? I HAVE TO TELL YOU, MY PARENTS ARE BORN AND RAISED IN CHARLESTON.
I WENT TO SCHOOL, HIGH SCHOOL IN COLUMBIA.
DEALING WITH THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA IS LIKE WRESTLING A BEAR.
YOU MIGHT GET A PUNCH IN HERE OR THERE, BUT THE BEAR'S GONNA WIN.
THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA HAS A LONG WAY TO GO WITH RESPECT TO UNDERSTANDING WHAT'S HAPPENING IN ITS OWN STATE.
MYRTLE BEACH IS NOW ON A PER CAPITA BASIS, THE FASTEST GROWING PLACE IN THE UNITED STATES ON A PER CAPITA BASIS.
MYRTLE BEACH, IT'S ALMOST STAGGERING.
THINK ABOUT WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT COLUMBIA GREENWOOD HARBURG.
JENNIFER AND I WENT TO THE QUALIFIED ALLOCATION PLAN MEETING DOWN IN COLUMBIA OR UP IN COLUMBIA, WESTERN COLUMBIA, WHEREVER IT'S, AND THE GUY FROM GREENVILLE STOOD UP AND SAID, WE SHOULD GET ALL THE TAX CREDITS.
WE DID THE BEST JOB OF DEVELOPMENT.
WE HAVE THE NEED, WE GIVE 'EM ALL TO US, AND THE REST OF YOU CAN JUST FIGURE IT OUT ON YOUR OWN.
FOR A LONG TIME, THE STATE AND ITS QUALIFIED ALLOCATION PLAN HAD A LITTLE SENTENCE THAT SAID, YOU CAN ONLY APPLY FOR TAX CREDITS IF YOU HAVE 1000 JOBS WITHIN ONE MILE OF YOUR PROPOSED PROJECT.
NOWHERE DID BUFORD AND JE COUNTY
[01:25:01]
DID THAT QUALIFY.SO FOR YEARS, NOTHING CAME HERE.
AN OCCASIONAL THING WOULD HAPPEN, LIKE HAVING A COUPLE YEARS AGO WHERE AN OPPORTUNITY ZONE WAS CREATED IN BUFORD AND TWO PROJECTS WOULD BE BUILT ON SIDE BY SIDE, ONE FAMILY, ONE SENIOR.
BUT THE ODDS OF THAT HAPPENING AGAIN, EXCUSE ME AGAIN, ARE SLIM.
THE STATE HAS TO FIGURE OUT HOW IT GETS ITS MONEY FROM COLUMBIA TO GIVE JUDGMENT ACCOUNTS.
WE HAVE QUALIFIED TRUST IS QUALIFIED TO BE ONE OF TWO ENTITIES IN THE AREA THAT'S QUALIFIED TO ACCESS THE STATE $20 MILLION FUND FOR HOME REPAIR.
YOU THINK, OH, THAT, THAT SOUNDS GOOD.
THAT SHOULD, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
TWO YEARS AGO THAT HOME REPAIR FUND, $20 MILLION REPAIRED ONE PORCH AND ONE FRONT DOOR IN YORK COUNTY AND THAT WAS IT.
THE STATE HAS GOTTA FIGURE OUT HOW IT REDUCES RED TAPE.
HOWEVER, IT CUTS SOME BUREAUCRACY TO GET MONEY TO ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING PARTS OF THE STATE.
IT'S ALMOST LIKE COLUMBIA DOESN'T REALIZE WE'RE HERE.
AND I KNOW MANY OF YOU PROBABLY REALIZE THAT A LONG TIME AGO, BUT WE HAVE TO GET THEM TO BRING RESOURCES HERE.
WE HAVE TO GET THEM TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO THIS IN A WAY THAT BENEFITS WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO.
EVERYONE ASK ME, WHEN IS, WHEN CAN YOU BUILD THAT DEVELOPMENT? NORMAL TAX TRACK DEVELOPMENT IN THIS AREA TAKES FIVE YEARS FOR THE MINUTE THAT SOMEBODY IDENTIFIES THE PROPERTY TO THE MINUTE THAT THEY OPEN THE DOOR.
WELL, FIVE YEARS, WHAT ARE ALL THESE PEOPLE GOING TO DO FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS? THEY'RE GONNA GO SOMEWHERE ELSE TO FIND ANOTHER JOB AND ANOTHER PLACE WHERE THEY CAN LIVE.
WHAT CAN WE DO LOCALLY? NUMBER ONE IS PARTNER.
NUMBER TWO IS TAKE A LOOK AT OUR INFRASTRUCTURE COSTS THROUGH DEVELOPERS HAVE COME IN MY OFFICE IN THE LAST MONTH AND SAID THEY WERE GONNA WALK AWAY FROM THEIR DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE THE HOOKUPS AND THE FEES CHARGED BY COUNTY MUNICIPALITY ARE SO BIG AND THE WATER SEWER HOOKUPS ARE SO EXPENSIVE.
THEY CAN'T, THEY CAN'T DO DEAL.
THEY CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHERE TO GET THE MONEY FROM.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM.
WE ARE GOING TO, THE TRUST IS GOING TO SPONSOR A FORUM THIS FALL IN WHICH WE ARE GOING TO ASK DEVELOPERS, MUNICIPALITIES, GENERAL CONTRACTORS, INVESTORS, LENDERS, TO COME TO THE TABLE TO TALK ABOUT HOW WE REDUCE RED TAPE AND BUREAUCRACY AND TO OPEN UP OPPORTUNITIES TO BUILD WORKFORCE HOUSING.
FINALLY, WE NEED TO OVERCOME RESISTANCE TO PUBLIC SUPPORT.
I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY MEETINGS THAT I'VE BEEN TO IN MY CAREER WHERE PEOPLE STAND UP AND SAY, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A REALLY GOOD IDEA.
CAN YOU DO IT IN THE TOWN NEXT TO US? BECAUSE PRIMARILY OF THE PERCEPTION THAT PEOPLE HAVE ABOUT WHO'S LIVING THERE, WORKFORCE HOUSING, AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS THE ONLY HOUSING IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WHERE YOU CAN DISCRIMINATE AGAINST IT BASED ON WHO'S GOING TO LIVE THERE.
PEOPLE HAVE THIS IMAGE OF WHO'S GONNA LIVE THERE.
OH MY GOSH, THAT'S GONNA BE AWFUL.
LET ME TELL YOU WHAT THE AVERAGE SENIOR WORKFORCE OR SENIOR TAX CREDIT DEVELOPMENT IN THE UNITED STATES LOOKS LIKE.
WOMEN OVER 72, THEY HAD A HOUSE, HAD A HUSBAND, HUSBAND DIED, CAN'T PAY TAXES, CAN'T PAY THE INSURANCE, SOLD THE HOUSE, LOOKED AROUND AND NOBODY WAS GONNA TAKE A IN.
THEY COME TO US, THEY QUALIFY, THEY WORK LIVING ON A FIXED INCOME.
THEY OCCUPY OUR APARTMENTS UNTIL THEY EVEN PASS AWAY OR HAVE HEALTHCARE ISSUES THAT DON'T ALLOW 'EM TO WORK TO LIVE ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS.
THEY STAY FOREVER 'CAUSE THEY HAVE NO OTHER OPTIONS.
THEY PAY THEIR RENT FIVE DAYS IN ADVANCE BECAUSE THEY'RE AFRAID OF LOSING THEIR APARTMENT.
ON THE FAMILY SIDE, THERE IS MORE DUE DILIGENCE DONE ON A TAX CREDIT FAMILY COMING INTO APPLY THAT IS GONE ON ANY MARKET RATE PRODUCT THAT WE HAVE IN THIS AREA.
DO YOU THINK IT IS TOUGH TO GET INTO AN APARTMENT PERIOD,
[01:30:01]
TRY TO GET INTO A TAX CREDIT APARTMENT? WHAT WE ARE LOOKING AT IS HOW DO WE USE THOSE DOLLARS, USE THOSE RESOURCES TO CREATE WORKFORCE HOUSING, TO CREATE AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT IS ACCESSIBLE, THAT KEEPS THAT YOUNG FAMILY HERE.THEY'RE GOING TO CHOOSE THIS AREA AS A PLACE TO RAISE THEIR FAMILY AS A PLACE THAT THEY WANT TO INVEST THEIR DOLLARS.
THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT HERE BECAUSE YOU HAVE PEOPLE LIKE YOU WHO SIT IN A RING AND SAY, I KNEW THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH HOUSING.
I KNEW THAT WE NEED TO BE SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
AND PEOPLE ARE COMMITTING TO ACTUALLY MOVING FORWARD AND DOING SOMETHING ABOUT IT TO CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR EVERYONE WHO WANTS TO LIVE HERE TO ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO DO SO.
ALL RIGHT, WE'RE MOVING ON TO THE FINAL PIECE OF OUR PROGRAM TODAY.
UH, THE STATE OF GOVERNMENT LED BY COURTNEY WHO CHAIRS THE CHAMBERS PUBLIC POLICY COMMITTEE AND THE COUNTRY BANK COUNCIL.
I'M COURTNEY WORLD, THREE OF THREE ASSOCIATES AND I'M PROUD TO SERVE ON THE CHAMBER'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR OVER 25 YEARS.
THREE OF THREE HAS BEEN DEDICATED TO INVESTING IN COMMERCIAL RETAIL OFFICE, MULTIFAMILY AND HOSPITALITY PROJECTS THAT SUPPORT THE ECONOMIC GROWTH AND VITALITY OF OUR COMMUNITY.
OUR FOCUS IS ON INFO DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE WE BELIEVE RESPONSIBLE PLANNING IS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL TO NEGATIVE.
WE'RE DEEPLY COMMITTED TO THE DIFFERENT REGION TO EVALUATE ITS RICH HISTORY, ITS PRISTINE ENVIRONMENT, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, PEOPLE, OUR WORK IS DRIVEN BY THE GOAL OF BUILDING TO SUSTAINABLE AND DRIVING ECONOMY FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.
THAT'S WHY THE 3 0 3 ASSOCIATES TEAM IS PROUD TO SPONSOR TODAY'S EVENT.
AND TO LEAD TODAY'S DISCUSSION WITH SOME OF THE REGION'S MOST JUDICIAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, PLEASE JOIN ME AND WELCOM MEET OUR DISTINGUISHED PANEL FOR THE STATE OF THE GOVERNMENT DISCUSSION WITH TAB KAEPERNICK, VICE CHAIRWOMAN BEAVER COUNTY COUNCIL, MAYOR BILLER, CITY OF BEAVER, AND MAYOR KEVIN PHILLIPS TOWN FORT WILL WE'LL BEGIN BY ASKING EACH PANELISTS TO BE PREPARED FOR
WE'LL OPEN THE FLOOR TO QUESTIONS.
BUT BEFORE WE BEGIN, I WANNA TAKE A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE THE DEDICATION OF OUR COUNTY AND MUNICIPAL COUNCILS FOR FOSTERING A STRONG AND VIBRANT BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
THE CHAMBER GREATLY APPRECIATES THEIR COMMITMENT TO COLLABORATION, TO SMART GROWTH, AND TO ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY.
THEIR WILLINGNESS TO ENGAGE WITH LOCAL BUSINESSES AND IMPLEMENT POLICIES THAT SUPPORT ECONOMIC ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS INVALUABLE.
WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT PARTNERSHIPS TODAY AND THE THRIVING BUSINESS CLIMATE DOESN'T HAPPEN BY ACCIDENT.
IT REQUIRES PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN BOTH THE PUBLIC AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
AND WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR THEIR LEADERSHIP TO SHAPE THE FUTURE WHERE BUSINESSES AND COMMUNITIES PROSPER TOGETHER.
THE FIRST QUESTION TO START, PLEASE SHARE THE TOP TWO OR THREE PRIORITIES OF YOUR COUNCILS IN 2025.
MAYOR QUIVER, WE'LL START WITH YOU.
OKAY, WELL, THE, UH, TOP THREE, AND I'LL SAY THESE ARE IMMEDIATE PRIORITIES.
NUMBER ONE IS GONNA BE OUR WATERFRONT PARK, AND I'M SURE EVERYBODY'S AWARE OF THE SITUATION THERE.
UH, IT IS A VITAL COMPONENT NOT ONLY TO OUR ECONOMY, BUT ALSO TO OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE IT'S SUCH A GATHERING PLACE FOR US.
AND THAT'S FIRST AND FOREMOST.
WE HAVE, BEING IN ONE COUNTRY, WE NEED TO BE MORE RESILIENT.
AND SO, UH, WE HAVE FOUR MAJOR STORMWATER PROJECTS THAT ARE GONNA BE UNDERWAY HERE WITHIN THE NEXT TWO YEARS.
AND THE IMMEDIACY OF THIS IS BECAUSE SOME OF THAT, THESE PRODUCTS ARE BEING FUNDED BY HARPER MONEY.
AND SO THERE IS A DEADLINE TO GET THOSE COMPLETED.
AND I THINK THE THIRD THING, UH, THIS IMMEDIATE IS OUR CODE UPDATES BECAUSE WE ARE EXPERIENCING EXPLOSIVE GROWTH IN THE AREA AND WE HAVE TO GET OUR CODE OR DEVELOPMENT CODE IN LINE WITH OUR PLANS.
AND SO, UH, THOSE ARE THE FIRST THREE IMMEDIATE.
AND THERE'S ONE LONGER TERM, UM, ONE THAT I WOULD SAY WE NEED TO DIVERSIFY OUR ECONOMY.
YOU'VE HEARD THAT A LITTLE BIT EARLIER, BUT WE'VE GOTTA KEEP THAT MISSING MIDDLE, AS I CALL IT, TO TAKE THE PHRASE FROM THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, THE, UH, 25 TO 55 EUROS.
WE HAVE TO KEEP PEOPLE HERE AND GET 'EM SOME HIGHER PAYING JOBS SO THEY CAN LIVE HERE AND CONTRIBUTE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
SO I DON'T THINK IT WOULD SURPRISE ANY OF YOU THAT ONE OF OUR, OUR TOP PRIORITIES IS TO RESTORE PUBLIC TRUST.
[01:35:01]
UNDER A RAIN CLOUD THAT'S, WE MIGHT CALL IT A TORRENTIAL RAIN CLOUD FOR THE LAST 18 MONTHS.AND THAT IS GOING AWAY JUST LIKE WE HAVE HERE.
OUR GOAL IS TO REGAIN THE PUBLIC TRUST.
HOW WE DO THAT, THAT'S IN MY QUESTION THREE, SO I'LL CIRCLE BACK.
BUT WE NEED THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND, AND ALL OF YOU, ALL OF OUR CONSTITUENTS THAT WE WORK FOR YOU, THE COUNCIL PEOPLE WORK FOR YOU, THE ADMINISTRATION, AND ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES THAT WORK.
OUR SECOND PRIORITY IS WE HEARD OVER AND OVER, WHERE'S THE MONEY GO? WHY DO YOU NEED MORE MONEY? WHAT ARE YOU DOING? SO WE ARE OUTLINING, UM, I CALL IT BUCKETS OF FUNDS.
SO JUST LIKE IN YOUR HOME, ONE BUCKET OF FUNDING WOULD BE OPERATING EXPENSES, PUTTING THE LIGHTS ON, UH, PAYING OUR PEOPLE AND SO ON.
ANOTHER BUCKET WOULD BE MAINTAINING OUR FACILITIES.
WE HAVE 131 BUILDINGS WITH 900,000 SQUARE FEET.
THAT TAKES A LOT OF MAINTENANCE.
THERE'S ROOFS, THERE'S ELEVATORS, THERE'S ALL KINDS OF THINGS IN THERE.
THE NEXT BUDGET WOULD BE PARKS AND RECREATION.
WE CLAUD JUST TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HAVING FAMILIES HERE, WE KEEP FAMILIES HERE AND KEEP SENIORS HAPPY BY HAVING PARKS AND RECREATION.
SO WE WILL HAVE THAT BUCKET THERE AND THEN WE'LL HAVE A BUCKET FOR CAPITAL FUNDS.
AND THOSE WOULD BE NEW THINGS WE WANT IN SUN CITY.
BUT SO FOR EXAMPLE, WE WANT TO HAVE A LAW ENFORCEMENT CENTER.
WHERE'S THAT MONEY GONNA COME FROM? WE WANT HAVE, YOU KNOW, UPGRADE THINGS AND WE WANT TO HAVE NEW OPPORTUNITIES.
SO THAT BUCKET WOULD BE THERE.
AND THEN WE HAVE ENTERPRISE FUNDS, WHICH WOULD BE LIKE THE AIRPORT.
THEY GENERATE REVENUE TO COVER THEIR EXPENSES.
SO BY MAKING THAT CLEAR TO THE PUBLIC, WE THINK WE COULD RESOURCE SOME PUBLIC TRUST.
AND THEN THE LAST PART, THE THIRD PART, THERE'S LIKE A HUNDRED OF 'EM FOR US.
BUT THE THIRD ONE WOULD BE, WHERE'S THAT MONEY GONNA COME FROM? SOME ONLY, SOME OF IT COMES FROM MILLAGE, A LOT OF IT.
BUT WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO GET MONEY FOR TRANSPORTATION? OUR REFERENDUM WENT DOWN, WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO GET MONEY FOR, UM, CAPITAL PROJECTS LIKE THE LAW ENFORCEMENT CENTER.
SO DISCUSSIONS OF A POSSIBLE REFERENDUM IN 2026.
ANY THOUGHT? OKAY, THANK Y'ALL.
UM, FIRST OFF, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR Y'ALL, EVERYBODY BEING HERE.
AS WE'VE HEARD, YOU KNOW, A COMMUNITY, OF COURSE WE DO HAVE SOME CHALLENGES GOING FORWARD, BUT WHEN I LOOK OUT, I SEE THIS VERY DIVERSE GROUP OF PEOPLE HERE THAT ARE FOCUSED, THAT ARE ENGAGED, WORKING TOGETHER.
UM, I KNOW WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA BE ALRIGHT AND GET, AND GET THROUGH THOSE CHALLENGES THAT WE TALKED ABOUT.
SO FROM THE TOWN OF PORT OIL FOR, UM, TOP TWO PRIORITIES THAT WE JUST HAD OUR RETREAT.
SO THAT WAS GOOD TO TALK ABOUT.
NUMBER ONE, WHAT WE'RE FOCUSED ON IS ONE THING THAT IS GONNA BE WORKING WITH SAFE HARBOR.
OUR PARTNERS AT SAFE HARBOR THAT OWN THE, UH, PORT PROPERTY AND FOR OIL, WE'VE BUILT SOME REALLY GOOD MOMENTUM WITH THEM.
IF YOU'VE READ RECENT ARTICLES, WE'VE JUST SETTLED, UH, HAVE A SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT IN PLACE WITH THEM THAT WE JUST CLEARED UP SOME ISSUES THAT WE'VE HAD GOING FORWARD.
UM, AND SO THIS YEAR'S REALLY GONNA BE FOCUSED ON CONTINUING THAT RELATIONSHIP, BUILDING ON THAT MOMENTUM AND STARTING TO GET, YOU KNOW, SOME PROJECTS GOING WITH THE PORT DEVELOPMENT.
'CAUSE THAT'S GONNA BE FUNDAMENTAL TO WHAT PORT WORLD IS FOR THE NEXT, YOU KNOW, A HUNDRED YEARS.
AND THEN NUMBER TWO IS GONNA BE FINISHING CAPITAL PROJECTS.
SO WE'VE GOT SOME CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT WE'VE DESIGNATED MONEY FOR, SOME THINGS THAT THE TOWN NEEDS.
ONE'S GONNA BE A CAUSEWAY INTEREST INTO SANDS BEACH.
THE OTHER'S GONNA BE GETTING THE UH, SPANISH MOSS TRAIL ACROSS REBO ROAD, CONNECTING THAT INTO THE TOWN.
AND THEN THE OTHER ONE'S GONNA BE BUILDING BACK OUR STRENGTH DOCKS AND DATA DOCKS AND HAVING MORE PUBLIC, UM, ACCESS TO THE WATER ON THE TOWN.
SO WORKING WITH SAFE HARBOR, BUILDING ON THE MOMENTUM THAT WE HAVE.
AND THEN NUMBER TWO, FINISHING THE CAPITAL PROJECTS.
OUR SECOND QUESTION, REFERRING TO THE CHAMBER'S ANNUAL PUBLIC POLICY AGENDA, CAN YOU PROVIDE INSIGHT INTO ONE OR TWO POLICY ISSUES YOUR COUNCIL'S ACTIVELY WORKING ON THAT IMPACT? LOCAL BUSINESSES COUNCIL TAB STUFF WITH YOU? SO I LOOKED AT THE POLICY STATEMENT.
ONE OF OURS IS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND I WANNA RECOGNIZE JOHN O'TOOLE, WHO'S OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
AND HE, IN 2024, WE HAD NEW PRIVATE INVESTMENT OF OVER $110 MILLION AND JOB CREATION 239 WITH AN AVERAGE COMPENSATION OF $74,000.
THERE ARE SOME, FOR EXAMPLE, THERE'S TL AND COMPANY AEROSPACE, 125 JOBS, THERE'S CS INSTRUMENTS IN GERMANY, THEIR CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS MOVING HERE AT 13 JOBS.
AVERAGE COMP, AVERAGE COMPENSATION, 69 GRAND SOLOMON FROM DETROIT.
UM, THEY WILL BUILD NEW 63 JOBS.
AVERAGE COMPENSATION 121,000 AND MASTER CORP, WHICH IS A HOSPITALITY LAUNDRY SERVICE IS, UM, 1 64 JOBS.
AVERAGE COMPENSATION ABOUT 40 MILLION.
SO OBVIOUSLY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS IMPORTANT TO US, BUT WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, YOU HEARD CLAUDE TALK ABOUT YOU NEED WORKFORCE HOUSING BECAUSE THERE HAS TO BE A PLACE FOR THEM TO LIVE.
SO YOU HEARD RUSSELL BAXLEY TALK ABOUT WE PARTNER WITH THE HOSPITAL, WE ARE A PROUD PARTNER WITH THEM AND A PROUD PARTNER WITH THE BEAUFORT JASPER HOUSING TRUST FUND.
[01:40:01]
WE HAVE PURCHASED, UM, LAND IN DOWNTOWN BEAUFORT THAT FROM TCL THAT WE WILL USE FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING AND WE'VE DONE SOME OTHER THINGS, BUT WORKFORCE HOUSING IS A PRIORITY BECAUSE IF YOU BRING COMPANIES HERE, THEY, THE WORKERS HAVE TO HAVE SOMEWHERE TO LIVE.AND THE THIRD ONE FROM THAT IS, UM, INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO I NOTICED THE READING THE POLICY, IT SAYS VOTER APPROVED 2018 REFERENDUM TRANSPORTATION.
WELL YOU ALL KNOW THE REFERENDUM THAT WERE PASSED IN 2018, HARD TO BELIEVE IT SO MANY YEARS AGO, BUT MANY PROJECTS WEREN'T FINISHED, RIGHT, BECAUSE COVID HIT SUPPLY CHAIN HIT.
NOW THE PROJECTS ARE MORE THAN THEY WERE.
SO WE HAVE MET WITH THE, UM, MAYORS AND WE WILL BE LOOKING AT WHICH OF THOSE PROJECTS SHOULD BE THE PRIORITY LIST TO GET THOSE IMPLEMENTED SHOVELS IN THE GROUND, GET MOVING ON THAT, AND WE WILL GO WITH OUR MUNICIPALITIES ON THAT.
AND FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, YOU UNDERSTAND BOAT RAMPS, BOT DOCKS ARE VERY IMPORTANT HERE.
AND WE DID A WHOLE STUDY AND THERE'S OVER A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS CHALLENGES THERE.
BUT THAT GOES TO QUALITY OF LIFE.
SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE PRIORITIES IN THOSE POLICY STATEMENTS.
UM, SO ISSUES THAT WE'RE WORKING ON, AGAIN, THIS IS GREAT 'CAUSE WE JUST HAD OUR RETREAT, SO IT'S ALL FRESH IN MY MIND.
SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING THROUGH A MAJOR OVERHAUL OF OUR ENTIRE PLANNING, PLANNING CODE.
UM, WE'VE BEEN AT THAT FOR MONTHS.
WE BROUGHT IN A, A, A CONSULTANT.
YOU ALWAYS GOTTA HAVE A CONSULTANT.
SO WE RUB SOMEONE IN TO WORK WITH OUR PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
THEY ACTUALLY JUST HAD A, A MEETING LAST NIGHT.
THEY'RE HAVING THESE WORKSHOPS.
AND WHAT WE DID WAS WE IDENTIFIED KIND OF WITH THE DEVELOPMENT WE WERE SEEING IN FOR ROYAL, WHAT WE WERE SEEING WAS, WAS A LOT OF OUR LARGE SCALE MULTIFAMILY UNITS AND LARGE SCALE DEVELOPMENTS, WHAT THEY WERE, WHERE THEY WERE BASICALLY NATIONAL DEVELOPERS COMING IN THAT HAVE A SET PRODUCT.
THEY CAN DO THAT PRODUCT ANYWHERE.
UM, AND THEY JUST LOOKING FOR THE PLACE THAT THEY CAN COME IN AND IT JUST MAKES SENSE.
THEY NEED THE LAND, THEY NEED THIS.
IF IT CHECKS ALL THE BOXES, BOOM, THEY CAN JUST BUILD WHATEVER THEY'VE BUILT 10 OTHER TIMES AROUND THE COUNTRY TO PUT IT RIGHT HERE.
UM, WE SAW THAT WE ALSO WERE HEARING FROM DEVELOPERS THAT THERE WAS A LOT OF REDUNDANCY.
OUR DEVELOPMENT CODE THERE, IT WAS CLUNKY, IT WAS BULKY, UM, IT JUST HAD STUFF IN THERE THAT WAS UNNECESSARY.
SO WE'VE GOT TOGETHER AND UNLEASHED OUR PLANNING DEPARTMENT, WORKING WITH THAT CONSULTANT, WORKING WITH OUR PLANNING DEPARTMENT, UM, TO ACTUALLY TO TRY AND STREAMLINE OUR DEVELOPMENT PROCESS, BUT ALSO MAKE IT TO WHERE IT IDENTIFIES PROJECTS THAT FIT INTO PORT ROYAL AESTHETICALLY THAT JUST FEEL RIGHT, THAT THE TYPE OF DEVELOPMENTS THAT WE WANT, WHETHER THAT'S RESIDENTIAL, WHETHER THAT'S MULTIFAMILY, WHETHER THAT'S BUSINESSES.
SO NOW WE CAN IDENTIFY PROJECTS AND DEVELOPERS THAT FIT WITH THE, THE, THE CHARACTER OF PORT ROYAL.
BUT THEN ONCE WE'VE IDENTIFIED THOSE PEOPLE, NOW WE CAN STREAMLINE THAT PROCESS OF DEVELOPMENT.
HOPEFULLY THAT TRICKLES DOWN TO A LOWER COST ON DEVELOPMENT AND WE KNOW THAT AFFECTS THE BOTTOM LINE AND AFFECTS, UM, THE PEOPLE.
NUMBER TWO IS THOSE CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT I TALKED ABOUT.
SO REALLY WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS FIGURE OUT WAYS TO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU ATTRACT PEOPLE TO POOR OIL, IF THE PEOPLE ARE THERE, THEN WE THINK THE BUSINESSES WILL FOLLOW.
SO AGAIN, IT SPANISH SQUASH TRAIL, BRINGING THAT, THAT'S GONNA ALLOW PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER BEAVER COUNTY ACCESS ON A BICYCLE DOWN INTO PORT WORLD FOR THE DAY.
WHEN WE BUILD BACK THE DAY DOCKS, NOW WE'VE GOT PEOPLE AND FOLKS THAT CAN COME AND SPEND TIME IN PORT WORLD ON THE DAY WHEN WE OPEN UP THE CAUSEWAY.
UM, PROTECTING AND PRESERVING THE ENTRANCE TO SANDS BEACH.
NOW YOU'VE GOT PEOPLE SPENDING ALL DAY ON THE BEACH.
UM, THAT'S THE GOAL AND IDEA OF PORT WORLD IS TO CREATE AVENUES FOR PEOPLE TO BE, TO COME TO
AND OF COURSE THAT WILL ATTRACT BUSINESSES AND THEY WILL SPEND MONEY.
AND THAT IS GOOD BECAUSE WE CAN GET THE MONEY OUT OF THE BUSINESSES AND THE BUSINESS REVENUES AND WE CAN KEEP THOSE TAXES LOW ON THE RESIDENTS THAT LIVE IN THE TOWN.
SO THOSE ARE THE TWO, UM, THOSE ARE THE, THERE'S, THERE YOU GO.
SO, UH, WELL, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER ABOUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE DEALING THE WATERFRONT PARK AND DOING THE STONE WATER, WE ALSO, UH, LOCALLY TO HELP OUT LOCAL BUSINESSES.
WE HAVE A MAIN STREET PROGRAM.
WE HAVE A DOWNTOWN OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT THAT WORKS CLOSELY, MAINLY IN OUR CORE DOWNTOWN AREA.
WE'VE ALSO ON THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING FRONT, UH, AS HEARD CLAUDE MENTIONED EARLIER, UH, WE'VE STOOD UP A HOME REPAIR PROGRAM, UH, IN THE CITY OF BEFORD TO HELP OUT THOSE WHO, UH, ARE HAVING, UM, FINANCIALLY DIFFICULT SITUATIONS AND ALSO LIVING IN UNSAFE HOUSING.
WE ALSO HAVE PARTNERED WITH THEM AS WELL AS THE OTHER MUNICIPALITIES IN, UM, SUPPORTING THE HOUSING TRUST.
AND WE HAVE, I THINK IT'S THREE, UH, LI JACK, OUR LOW INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDIT PROJECTS GOING ON IN BEAUFORT RIGHT NOW.
TWO OF 'EM THE CLUB MENTIONED THAT ARE ON THE BOUNDARY STREET AREA.
UH, WE ALSO WORK VERY CLOSELY, UH, UH, WITH THE BEAUFORT COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
THEY'RE WORKING WITH US TO BRING BUSINESSES AND JOBS TO OUR COMMERCE PARK.
WE ALSO, UH, SUPPORT THE BEAUFORT DESERT CORRIDOR AND THE SOUTH COAST CYBER CENTER.
AND WE DO THAT BECAUSE WE WANT TO TRY TO DIVERSIFY OUR ECONOMY AND GET HIGHER PAYING JOBS.
AND WE THINK WITH INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY, THIS IS THE PATH THAT WE NEED TO TAKE.
[01:45:01]
UM, AND I GUESS A COUPLE THINGS.YOU'VE ALREADY MENTIONED, UM, THE COUNCIL'S DESIRE TO IMPROVE.
CAN YOU PLEASE GIVE US SOME SPECIFICS ON HOW THIS IS GONNA BE ACCOMPLISHED AND HOW YOU'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE PUBLIC INPUT? I'D LOVE TO.
SO WE'RE DOING A COUPLE OF VERY SIMPLE THINGS TO ME, BUT HOPEFULLY WE'LL GENERATE TRUST FROM THE PUBLIC.
FIRST OF ALL, WE ARE DOING MORE WORKSHOPS OUT IN THE OPEN.
UM, EVERYBODY TALKS IN WASHINGTON ABOUT SUNLIGHT AS BESTS, DISINFECTED AND BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.
WELL, WE'RE GOING TO DO MORE AND MORE OF OUR WORKSHOPS.
WE'VE ALREADY DONE FOUR IN LESS THAN SIX WEEKS.
AND THESE ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
AND IF YOU CAN'T COME TO THEM BECAUSE POSSIBLY WORK, YOU CAN WATCH 'EM ON THE, UH, BEAVER COMMON CHANNEL.
WE ARE ALSO DOING A CHAT WITH COUNCIL.
WE DID ONE NORTH THE NEXT MONTH, ONE SOUTH.
RESIDENTS COME, THEY CAN ASK A QUESTION, CRITICIZE US FOR SOMETHING, GIVE US KUDOS FOR SOMETHING, MAKE A SUGGESTION.
AND UH, THE FIRST ONE WE HAD THIS YEAR IN BLUFFTON WAS OVER 50 PEOPLE AND REALLY A GREAT CROWD.
WE ALSO STARTING OUR COUNCIL MEETINGS AT SIX O'CLOCK INSTEAD OF FIVE O'CLOCK.
WE'RE DOING OUR EXECUTIVE SESSIONS BEFORE THE COUNCIL MEETING SO PEOPLE DON'T HAVE TO WAIT WHILE WE GO IN AND COME OUT.
AND WE ARE LIMITING OUR EXECUTIVE SESSIONS TO TRULY LEGAL ADVICE, UH, LAND PURCHASE AND PERSONNEL AND DOING MORE OF OUR, UH, WORK IN PUBLIC.
I HAD, WE, OH, WE EXPANDED PUBLIC COMMENT TO 30 MINUTES.
NOBODY'S TAKEN 30 MINUTES YET.
BUT PEOPLE USED TO SAY, WELL THAT'S ONLY FIVE IF IT'S 15 MINUTES, THAT'S ONLY THREE.
YOU KNOW, FIVE PEOPLE, THREE MINUTES, WE'VE EXPANDED IT TO 30 MINUTES AND IF WE NEED TO ADD IT ON THE END, WE'LL DO THAT.
WE TOOK THAT TIP FROM THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL, SO I'LL THANK THEM FOR THAT.
AND WE ARE STRENGTHENING OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE MUNICIPALITIES WE'VE ALREADY MET TWICE, TWICE IN TWO MONTHS.
AND SO I THINK THAT'S REALLY A GREAT THING BECAUSE WE HEAR WHAT OUR MUNICIPALITIES ARE WORKING WITH AND WE TALK ABOUT HOW WE CAN COLLABORATE.
SO THAT, AND ALSO MAKING OUR FINANCES A LITTLE MORE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
WE'RE COMMUNICATING SOCIAL MEDIA.
THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GOING WITH THIS.
THANK YOU MAYOR BER, YOU'VE ALREADY TOUCHED ON THE REVISIONS TO THE VIEW FOR DEVELOPMENT CODE.
COULD YOU GIVE US MORE SPECIFICS, PLEASE, ABOUT WHAT ARE THE GOALS OF THIS REVISION AND THE ASSOCIATED TIMELINES? UM, CERTAINLY THE GOALS AND REALLY TO SIMPLIFY AND CLARIFY THE DEVELOPMENT CODE AND MAKE IT MORE USER FRIENDLY, EASIER TO, YOU KNOW, BE MORE PREDICTABLE AND SO FORTH.
UM, AND, AND THE GOAL IS TO, TO MAKE IT IN LINE WITH OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND OUR OTHER PLANS.
UH, I THINK OVERALL WE ARE TRYING TO BALANCE GROWTH WHILE STILL PRESERVING OUR HISTORIC, CULTURAL AND UM, NATURAL RESOURCES.
SO THAT'S THE, THE MAIN GOALS.
BUT WE HAVE SEVERAL CHAPTERS THAT HAVE BEEN GOING THROUGH.
UM, ONE OF 'EM IS LAND DEVELOPMENT, UH, CHAPTER SEVEN AND CHAPTER NINE, UH, WHICH IS ALSO DEALING WITH DEVELOPMENT REVIEW PROCESSES.
THAT'S THE MAJOR PORTION OF OUR CODE.
AND THEY'VE SPENT ALMOST A YEAR NOW GOING OVER THAT, UH, FINDING COME AND THEY REVISED OVER A HUNDRED PAGES.
UH, SO THAT'S GONNA BE COMING FORWARD IN COUNCIL, I BELIEVE IN THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING.
THEY'RE ALSO WORKING ON CHAPTER FIVE, WHICH DEALS WITH LANDSCAPING, UH, TREES AND PARKING STANDARDS.
WE'RE GONNA TRY TO INCREASE AND REQUIRE TREE COVERAGE AT CANOPY.
UH, AS YOU KNOW, US IN DEVELOPMENTS WE'VE SEEN LATELY, THEY CLEAR CUT EVERYTHING.
WE'RE GONNA BE REQUIRING SOME, UM, STRONG RETREAT REQUIREMENTS.
UH, AND THAT SHOULD BE COMING TOWARD TO US PROBABLY, HOPEFULLY BY THE END OF SPRING.
AND THEN THE LAST IS THE FINAL CHAPTERS TWO THROUGH FOUR, WHICH IS ZI AND DESIGN.
AND, UH, THAT'S GONNA BE, UH, HOPEFULLY COMPLETED BY THE END OF THE SUMMER.
AND IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, WHEN THESE, UM, CHANGES, PROPOSED CHANGES COME TO COUNCIL IN THE PACKETS, OFTEN IN THE RED LINE VERSION SO THAT ANY LANDMAN COULD LOOK AND EASILY SEE WHAT CHANGES ARE BEING PROPOSED.
AND MAYOR PHILLIPS, YOU'VE ALSO, UM, MENTIONED SOME OF THE CHANGES YOU'RE MAKING TO YOUR CODE, BUT IT WAS ABOUT, I THINK NINE MONTHS AGO OR SO THAT PAROLE ENACTED IN MORATORIUM ON MULTIFAMILY HOUSING, WHICH I THINK IS DEFINED AS THREE UNITS OR MORE.
SO I JUST WANTED TO GET AN UNDERSTANDING FROM YOU OF WHAT'S HAPPENED IN THAT TIME AND UM, WHAT PROGRESS HAVE YOU MADE AND WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
AND REAL QUICK, JUST WANT TO, UM, TOUCH ON SOMETHING THAT COUNCIL ATTACHED THAT THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE MUNICIPALITIES RIGHT NOW IS, I JUST FEEL THAT AT AN ALL TIME HIGH.
I MEAN WE, HERE IN FEBRUARY, WE ALREADY HAVE HAD A MEETING WITH, UH, THE CITY OF BEAUFORT AND THE TOWN OF
WE'VE HAD, WE'VE HAD A JOINT COUNCIL MEETING THAT, UM, COUNCILWOMAN TAB WAS AT WITH OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS AS WELL, COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBERS AS WELL.
WE HAD A MEETING WITH ALL THE MANAGERS AND THE TOWN, THE TOWN MAYORS AND COUNCILWOMAN, COUNCILWOMAN, UH, TAB AND HOWARD WERE AT THAT AS WELL TOO.
SO THE COLLABORATION, AGAIN, WE'VE ALREADY HAD
[01:50:01]
TWO JOINT MEETINGS HERE, IT'S JUST FEBRUARY.BUT I WOULD ASK THAT WE NEED HELP FROM Y'ALL.
WITH THAT, THE COLLABORATION, PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE TO REACH OUT TO ANY OF US WITH ANY THOUGHTS, CONCERNS.
YOU GUYS ARE ON THE FRONT LINES EVERY DAY WORKING YOUR JOB AND WORKING YOUR BUSINESSES.
SO PLEASE LET US KNOW WHAT YOU'RE SEEING AND HOW WE CAN HELP.
SO, UM, THIS IS MY LAST QUESTION, SO I GIVE YOU THAT PLUGIN.
UM, SO REALLY QUICK, THE MORATORIUM MORATORIUMS GOING GREAT.
UM, IT REALLY IS, IT'S BEEN A GREAT TOOL.
UM, AS A MUNICIPALITY, I WOULD ENCOURAGE ANYONE TO LOOK INTO USING ONE IF YOU'RE GONNA DEFINE IT AND MAKE IT TEMPORARY.
AND THE GOAL FOR US WAS IN THE TAMPA POOR WORLD, WE WERE SEEING, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR POPULATION IS, IS IS PRETTY HIGH COMPARED TO, YOU KNOW, ORLEANS CITY OF BEFORD.
NOW A LOT OF THAT MEAN, WHAT YOU'RE SEEING IS IN APARTMENT COMPLEXES UP AND DOWN, UM, SAVANNAH HIGHWAY, ROBERT SMALLS, UM, AND THEN PARIS ISLAND GATEWAY AS WELL TOO.
AND AGAIN, WHAT WE WERE SEEING WAS A LOT OF THAT GROWTH WAS JUST THESE NATIONAL DEVELOPERS THAT BUILD APARTMENT COMPLEXES.
THEY COME IN LOOKING FOR A PLOT, THEY PLOP DOWN 500 UNITS AND THEN THEY, THEY CATCH THE CHECK AND THEY BOUNCE AND THEN THE TOWN WAS LEFT TO SIT THERE TO DEAL WITH WHAT THE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO PROVIDE SERVICES FOR ALL THOSE PEOPLE AND THE CONGESTION THAT IT BUILDS AND, AND WHAT THAT BRINGS TO THE TOWN.
AND, AND WE WANT TO KEEP THAT QUALITY OF LIFE HIGH THAT WE ALL HAVE TALKED ABOUT AND ENJOY TODAY.
SO, UM, LAST YEAR WE DID DO A ONE YEAR MORATORIUM ON MULTI-FAMILY APARTMENT COMPLEXES.
AND WHAT IT'S ALLOWED US TO DO, IT'S JUST GIVEN US A CHANCE TO BREATHE.
IT'S JUST GIVEN US A CHANCE TO PUMP THE BRAKES AND ASSESS WHERE WE'RE AT, WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON AND WHAT WE WANT TO DO GOING FORWARD.
UH, I MEAN IT'S, THINK ABOUT IT LIKE EVEN IN A FOOTBALL GAME, YOU GOT HALFTIME, UM, AND WHERE YOU GO, TIME OUT, PAUSE, WHAT'S GOING ON? HOW DID WE GET HERE AND HOW DO WE MOVE GOING FORWARD? SO, AND IT'S IN THAT TIME ONE, IT'S ALLOWED OUR PLANNING DEPARTMENT TO SAY, OKAY, NO NEW APPLICATIONS ON MULTIFAMILY.
AND JUST FOR A HEADS UP, WE ALREADY HAD 3000 UNITS ALREADY APPROVED IN SOME LEVEL OF PLANNING.
SO THOSE ARE STILL COMING DOWN THE PIPE.
WE STILL GOT THOUSANDS THAT ARE STILL BEING DEVELOPED AND PLANNED FOR THE TOWN OF COURT WORLD.
SO WHAT IT DID WAS IT ALLOWED OUR PLANNING DEPARTMENT TO PUMP THE BRAKES AND NOT TAKE ANY NEW APPLICATIONS, GIVE THEM A LITTLE BIT OF ROOM BREATHING ROOM 'CAUSE IT'S HOW DO YOU WORK ON A PROBLEM WHILE YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, DRINKING FROM THIS FIRE HOSE.
AND SO THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO WHAT THEY'RE, WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS WORK ON OUR CODE AND WE SHOULD BE AT OUR RETREAT.
WE WERE TOLD BY THE PLANNING DIRECTOR KNOW REPS THAT WE SHOULD BE SEEING, UM, UH, APRIL 1ST SHOULD WE SHOULD, WE SHOULD HAVE THE, UM, THE PLAN, UH, OUR, OUR UPDATED PLANNING, UH, CODE BACK IN FRONT OF TOWN COUNCIL FOR US TO START DEBATING.
PROBABLY HAVE FIRST READING IN APRIL AND MAY.
AND THEN AT THAT POINT, YOU KNOW, THE GOAL IS ALWAYS TO HAVE THIS NEW PLANNING CODE COINCIDE WITH THE, THE SUNSET OF THE MORATORIUM.
SO, UM, AGAIN, IT'S BEEN GREAT.
IT'S REALLY JUST GIVEN US A CHANCE TO BREATHE AND JUST SLOW DOWN FOR A SECOND AND LOOK AT THE DEVELOPMENT THAT WE WERE GETTING.
IS THAT WHAT WE WANT? IS THAT WHAT WE WANT TO CONTINUE? AND THEN MAKE THE CHANGES THAT WE WANT TO MAKE, WHICH WE'RE CURRENTLY DOING AND GONNA IMPLEMENT THOSE GOING FORWARD.
SO THANK YOU MEGAN, DO WE HAVE TIME FOR A FEW QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE? 22? SURE.
WE GOT A MIC IF YOU STAND, IF YOU'LL STAND ACTUALLY COURT ROYAL AND 3 0 3 ASSOCIATES A PIECE OF LAND ON ROAD.
WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN THERE? IT'S UNDER CONTRACT, UM, CURRENTLY TO ANOTHER DEVELOPER FOR POTENTIAL SITE OF VA MEDICAL.
CARLTON, I THANK MADAM PRESIDENT.
UM, THIS HAS BEEN A FANTASTIC JOB.
I'VE LEARNED A LOT SITTING BACK, TAKING NOTES.
APPRECIATE THE COMPLIMENTS COMING FROM THOSE PEOPLE ON THE DIOCESE UP THERE ABOUT THINGS THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD HAS DONE.
MY ACTUAL QUESTION RELATES TO FUNDING.
HAVING WORKED ABROAD AND ENGAGING HIGH NET WORTH INDIVIDUALS, THERE'S SUCH A DEMAND FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS TO COME INTO THE US.
THERE'S AN IMMIGRANT INVESTOR VISA PROGRAM, WHICH IF A FOREIGNER PAYS OR INPUTS $850,000 INTO A PROJECT, THEY'RE ABLE TO COME TO THE US, BRING THEIR FAMILY LIVE.
THAT PROJECT CREATES 10 JOBS WITHIN TWO YEARS.
AT YEAR FIVE, THEY ARE GIVEN US CITIZENSHIP.
THAT'S THE SOURCE OF FUNDING THAT MAY BE ATTRACTED TO SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT ARE UNDERWAY.
NOW IT IS UP FOR REVIEW GOING TO SOMETHING NEW IN TERMS OF FOREIGNERS COMING IN, BUT RIGHT HAND IN EXISTENCE AND IT FUNDS A LOT OF MAJOR PROJECTS.
SO JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU.
THAT MAY BE FOR CONSIDERATION.
MR. TOM ROSS FROM, AND A LOT OF, UH, RESORT COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS IN THE HOUSING IS
[01:55:01]
WHAT'S HAPPENED WITH THE SHORT TERM RENTAL MARKET AND THAT SHORT TERM RENTALS ARE AFFECTING THE AVAILABILITY OF HOUSING.ARE ANY, ARE ANY OF THE GOVERNMENT'S LOOKING INTO DOING ANYTHING WITH SHORT TERM HOUSING? SO, YEAH, I CAN TELL YOU THE TOWN OF PORT WORLD, WE JUST VOTED AT THE LAST YEAR.
WE PUT A, WE, UH, PUT A CAP ON THOSE IN THE RESIDENTIAL AREAS.
SO WE JUST, IT TOOK US A WHILE TO GET THERE, BUT WE JUST HAD TO VOTE.
UM, WE WERE SEEING THE SAME THINGS THAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT, UM, SHORT TERM RENTALS, WHILE THEY, THEY DO HAVE AN EFFECT ON AFFORDABILITY, AFFORDABILITY, AVAILABILITY.
SO YEAH, THE TOWN OF POOR WORLD LAST YEAR WE ENDED UP, I THINK THAT WE VOTED ON THAT IN DECEMBER, WAS TO PUT A CAP ON SHORT TERM RENTALS IN THE RESIDENTIAL AREAS.
NOW AGAIN, A LOT OF POOR WORLD IS, UM, APARTMENT COMPLEXES AND HOA NEIGHBORHOODS AND THE HOA NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE THEIR OWN RULES THAT THEY WANT TO DO IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.
BUT FOR THE TOWN OF WHOLE WORLD, WE DID ACTUALLY VOTE ON A SHORT TERM ORDINANCE AT THE END OF LAST YEAR.
SO, UH, CITY OF BEAUFORT HAS HAD ONE FOR A LONG TIME.
I THINK WE MAY HAVE BEEN ONE OF THE FIRST COMMUNITIES IN THE STATE TO, TO ACTUALLY HAVE A, A POLICY WITH THE SHORT TERM RENTALS.
AND WE CAP UH, IT TO 6% FOR EACH IDENTIFIED NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, AND THIS IS ME PERSONALLY SPEAKING AND NOT COUNCIL, SO I DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO COUNCIL IN THE CITY.
BUT I, I HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THE PROLIFERATION OF SHORT TERM RENTALS.
UM, THEY'VE CREEPED INTO A LOT OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND, UH, IT DOES TAKE SOME HOUSING STOCK, YOU KNOW, AWAY FROM THE, UH, POTENTIAL FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UM, WHAT I WAS HOPING WHEN WE DID THESE ADUS AND ALL THAT IS THAT WOULD BE LONG TERM RENTAL VERSUS SHORT TERM, BUT THAT'S NOT THE WAY I THINK IT'S TURNING OUT.
I WOULD PREFER TO SEE IF YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A SHORT TERM RENTAL, IT OUGHT TO BE ON OWNER OCCUPIED OR OWNER ADJACENT PROPERTY.
'CAUSE I THINK OTHERWISE YOU'RE INVITING COMMERCIAL CREEK INTO RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS.
SOMETIMES THEY'RE CLUSTERED TOGETHER AND YOU MAY HAVE ONE OWNER OCCUPIED, UH, HOME IN A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT'S SURROUNDED BY SHORT-TERM RENTALS.
IT'S, THAT AFFECTS THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE.
AND SO, UM, THAT'S MY PERSONAL OPINION.
SO YOU COULD SHOOT THE GUARDS.
NOW,
WE JUST HAD, WE HAVE A, UM, POLICY THAT ONE PERSON LIKE KEVIN PHILLIPS CAN ASK TO HAVE A SHORT TERM RENTAL ON HIS PROPERTY.
AND WE JUST WENT THROUGH THIS ON COUNCIL.
UM, SO I UNDERSTAND THE, UH, THE DIFFERENT SIDES OF SHORT-TERM RENTALS.
I LIVE IN AN HOA, SO WE ARE RESTRICTED, BUT I WILL SAY THERE'S ONE TINY UPSIDE OF SHORT-TERM RENTALS, AND THAT IS ACCOMMODATIONS TAX.
I'LL JUST THROW THAT OUT THERE BECAUSE THAT HELPS THE COUNTY FUND SOME OF OUR, UM, PEER REPAIRS, OUR BULK REPAIRS, WE GIVE GRANTS TO DIFFERENT GROUPS.
SO THAT'S A TINY UPSIDE OF SHORT TERM RENTALS.
NOW YOU COULD DO A, THAT'S FINE TOO.
I THINK RECURRING THEME WE'VE HEARD HERE TODAY IS COLLABORATION.
HOW WE'VE GOT TO CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER FOR THE FUTURE HEALTH AND BENEFIT OF OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I THINK OUR PANEL'S DONE A GREAT JOB OF EXEMPLIFYING THAT AND HOW WE'RE MOVING FORWARD IN A MORE COLLABORATIVE SPIRIT THAN THE OTHER HALF BEFORE.
UM, SO I'D LIKE TO THANK OUR PANEL AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR INSIGHTS TODAY AND FOR YOUR COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP ON YOUR RESPECTIVE COUNCILS IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
NOW BEFORE WE WRAP UP, WE'VE GOT ONE MORE THING AND THAT'S THE CRISIS.
AND I'D LIKE TO ENTER, UM, INTRODUCE AND INVITE BOB TO THE PODIUM AND OF COURSE I'LL HAVE A COUPLE WORK.
WE DID RUN A LITTLE LONG TODAY, BUT WE HAD AN AMBITIOUS AGENDA AND I HOPE FOR YOU TO SEE THAT IT WAS CHOCK FULL OF GREAT INFORMATION.
SO WE HAVE SOME DOOR PRIZES AFTER THAT WE'RE OFFICIALLY ADJOURNED, BUT HANG OUT AND CHIT CHAT AND NETWORK IF YOU'D LIKE TO.
PLEASE DON'T LEAVE IT BECAUSE YOUR NAME IS IN THE, UH, BOWL COMING OUT THE AREA.
FOR A GREAT TURNOUT, FOR GREAT SUPPORT FOR OUR CHAMBER.
AND I WAS ASKED, AND I'M GONNA BE REAL CANDID ABOUT THIS, WHY DID I MOVE UP IN MY SUPPORT OF THE CHAMBER THIS YEAR TO VISIONARY? IT IS BECAUSE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE SUPPORTS EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN OUR COMMUNITY, EVERY BUSINESS IN OUR COMMUNITY, SO THAT WE ARE ALL WORKING TOGETHER.
I'M SITTING HERE LOOKING AT COURTNEY WITH A SMILE.
PLEASE, IF YOU KNOW ANYONE WHO BUSINESS, WHO IS NOT A MEMBER OF THE CHAMBER, LET US ALL KNOW WE ARE HERE.
I HAVE SOME EXTRA TIME THAT I CAN DO THAT.
[02:00:01]
BUT BEING A REALTOR, I HAVE TO MAKE ONE COMMENT.UH, CLAUDE, IS CLAUDE STILL HERE? IF NOT, I'M SURE THIS CAN GET TO HIM.
AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE THERE ARE EMPLOYEES WORKING.
I HAVE TWO EMPLOYEES THAT I OF THE HOSPITAL THAT I HAVE PUT IN THEIR NEW HOMES AND THEY ARE DRIVING FROM HAMPTON BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T AFFORD HERE.
THINK OF DRIVING BACK AND FORTH EVERY DAY.
AND I'M NOT CRITICIZING HAMPTON, BUT WE REALLY NEED TO LOOK AT THAT.
LET'S GET THAT BOWL OVER HERE, RIGHT? OKAY.
WELL, WHAT IS THE FIRST PRIZE? BOB STATE FARM.
AMY BOWMAN, RAISE YOUR HAND PLEASE.
I KNEW SHE WASN'T GONNA BE THERE.
OKAY, WHAT DO WE GOT NEXT?
WE HAVE ROUND OF GOLF FOR TWO CARD INCLUDED RIGHT OUT HERE ON KNOCKOFF.
HOW'S THAT? LET'S SEE WHO'S GOT STACY LAMB.
AND THE NEXT ONE OF THE SAME THING OUT OF THIS BEAUTIFUL COURSE IS BEN COTTAGE.
IF THIS KEEPS GOING, I'M GONNA HAVE TO PLAY MIKE MC.
NOW JANET, THE REALTORS WILL KNOW WHERE YOU ARE IF YOU'RE NOT IN THE OFFICE.
WHAT WE GOT, THIS IS NOT OH, COMPLIMENTARY TICKET FROM THE CHAMBER FOR AN AFTER HOURS.
THIS IS FOR ALL BUSINESS AFTER HOURS IN 2025.
AND THEN WE'VE GOT FROM CAROLINA AIR THERMAL COFFEE, HOT OR COLD? I'VE GOT ONE JUST LEFT.
OKAY, LET'S TRY CHRIS MCSWAIN.
[02:05:04]
JEREMY TAYLORTHAT'LL TEACH THESE PEOPLE FOR LEAVING EARLY FAITH POLKEY GOODIE BAY FROM USCB AND I MEAN, IT IS HEAVY.
ALSO, MAKE SURE YOU ASK, UH, MAYOR PHILLIPS ABOUT HIS SOCKS SPEAKING TO SCB IS IF HE'S STILL HERE, AND I'M GONNA MURDER THIS LAST NAME, I'M SURE ERIC WVI.
BOB, YOU GOTTA TELL HIM ABOUT THE GRAND PRIZE YOU HOLDING.
THIS IS A $150 GIFT CARD FOR PLUMS. SALT IS THAT ENTIRE GROUP.
SO SOMEBODY'S GONNA HAVE A NICE, NICE TIME.
THANK YOU TO ALL OF THOSE WHO DONATED THOSE PRIZE.
AND YES, BOB HIMSELF PICKED UP THAT GIFT CARD, SO THANK YOU, BOB.
SO A QUICK REMINDER, UH, WE'LL SHOOT YOU AN EMAIL AFTER THIS, UM, NEXT WEEK, NICE WEEK.
UH, AND IT'LL HAVE A LINK TO OUR VIDEO THAT WE'VE BEEN FILMING THROUGHOUT TODAY.
SO, UH, THANK YOU AND EVERYONE FOR, FOR PARTICIPATING FOR BEING HERE.
UM, I HAVE SOME CLOSING REMARKS.
THEY'RE SOMEWHERE IN HERE, BUT BELIEVE THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS THAT YOU'RE TO THE CHAMBER, UH, AND FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ALL MOVING FORWARD.
YOU'RE WATCHING BEAUFORT COUNTY TV, LIVE, WORK, PLAY LAY.
WELCOME TO HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SOUTH CAROLINA'S ONLY GOLD LEVEL BICYCLE COMMUNITY.
AS YOU'VE OBSERVED, ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR ACTIVITIES IS TO GET AROUND ON BIKE.
WHILE YOU'RE HERE, LET ME FILL YOU IN ON SOME OF THE BASICS OF GETTING AROUND THE ISLAND ON BIKE.
IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING YOU SHOULD BE WEARING A BIKE HELMET.
AND IT'S ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT FOR CHILDREN 12 AND UNDER.
YOU'VE PROBABLY NOTICED WHAT YOU'D CALL SIDEWALKS.
YOU WANNA STAY OFF THE ROADS AND STAY ON THESE MULTI-USE PATHWAYS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
ALSO, NOTE THE MANY DRIVEWAYS AND INTERSECTIONS ALONG THE PATHWAY.
THE STOP AND YIELD SIGNS ARE MEANT FOR YOU.
THE BICYCLIST MAKE A POINT TO CROSS THE STREET AT INTERSECTIONS, TRAFFIC LIGHTS OR CROSSWALKS.
AND BEFORE CROSSING INTERSECTIONS, BE SURE TO MAKE EYE CONTACT WITH THE MOTORIST.
IT'S BEST TO WALK YOUR BIKE ACROSS MAJOR INTERSECTIONS INSTEAD OF RIDING.
AND REMEMBER, OBEY THE SAME TRAFFIC RULES AS VEHICLES AND RIDE WITH TRAFFIC.
IF FOR SOME REASON YOU'RE BIKING ON THE ROAD WHEN IT INTERSECTIONS, PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE WALK, DON'T WALK SIGNALS.
AND REMEMBER, WE SHARE THE LEISURE PATHWAYS SO WHEN YOU'RE COMING UP BEHIND SOMEONE, ALERT THEM BY BELL OR VOICE SO THEY KNOW WHEN SOMEONE IS APPROACHING.
IF YOU NEED TO STOP ON THE PATHWAY, BE SURE TO MOVE OFF TO THE SIDE.
THERE ARE ALSO 30 PATHWAY KIOSKS WITH MAPS OF THE ISLANDS THAT WILL HELP DIRECT YOU ON YOUR RIDE.
AND PLEASE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ALL OUR TOWN PARKS THAT HAVE BIKE RACKS, RESTROOMS, AND DRINKING MODES.
THESE CAN BE LOCATED ON THE KIOSK MAPS.
WE ALSO HAVE 12 PUBLIC BEACH ACCESS POINTS WHERE YOU CAN RIDE THE HARD PACK BEACH AT LOW TIDE FOR A UNIQUE BIKE RIDE.
[02:10:01]
WATCHING AND WE HOPE YOU ENJOY YOUR STAY ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND TODAY.WE ARE CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF THE ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE DEPARTMENT OF BEAUFORT COUNTY.
THIS IS MOMENTOUS BECAUSE WE HAVE SERVED THE CITIZENS OF BUFORT COUNTY FOR 50 YEARS AND LOOK TOWARD THE FUTURE AND, UH, CONTINUING TO SERVE.
AND WE ALSO HAVE WITH US TODAY ALL FOUR DIRECTORS OF THE DEPARTMENT, MR. SKEE VON HARTON, MR. DONALD BUD BOYNE, MR. STEVE DONALDSON, AND MYSELF.
TODAY WE HAVE JOINING US MULTIPLE COMMUNITY PARTNERS, INCLUDING DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH.
WE HAVE, UH, HOPEFUL HORIZONS PROBATE COURT, GOOD NEIGHBOR, FREE MEDICAL CLINIC, AND SEVERAL OTHERS JOINING US.
SINCE 1974, THIS DEPARTMENT HAS UNDERGONE MANY CHANGES AND CHALLENGES, BUT THERE ARE CERTAIN CONSTANTS, THINGS THAT HAVE NOT CHANGED.
NUMEROUS PEOPLE HAVE ANSWERED A CALL TO PUBLIC SERVICE, NOT BY ACCIDENT, BUT BY CHOICE.
DEDICATING THEMSELVES TO MEETING THE NEEDS OF THE CITIZENS IN THIS COUNTY.
A PASSION FOR SERVING OTHERS IS ROOTED IN OUR BELIEF THAT WE CAN AND DO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THIS WORLD.
THROUGH OUR SERVICE, WE UNDERSTAND THAT OUR WORK TRANSLATES TO HEALTHY INDIVIDUALS, WHICH CREATES THRIVING COMMUNITIES AND LEADS TO BRIGHTER FUTURES FOR EVERYONE.
ANOTHER CONSTANT IS OUR COMPASSION FOR OTHERS DEMONSTRATED BY WELCOMING EVERY PERSON THROUGH OUR DOOR WHO STRUGGLES WITH OPEN ARMS, WITH KINDNESS, A SENSE OF SECURITY, KNOWING THAT HELP IS HERE AND WE CARE ABOUT THEM.
AND WHILE OTHERS MAY TURN AWAY FROM THE ISSUES THAT ARE CAUSED BY SUBSTANCE USE AND ADDICTION, WE DAILY ANSWER THAT CALL TO SERVE WITH PASSION AND COMPASSION.
FOR THE PAST 50 YEARS, WE HAVE STAYED STEADFAST IN OUR COMMITMENT AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO IN THE YEARS TO COME.
THIS YEAR ON OUR 50TH ANNIVERSARY, THE BUFORT COUNTY ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE DEPARTMENT HAS BEGUN OPERATING AS NEXUS CARE OF BEAUFORT COUNTY.
THIS CHANGE ACKNOWLEDGES THAT STIGMA SHOULD NEVER BE A BARRIER TO ANYONE SEEKING HELP.
AND WE ARE COMMITTED TO PROVIDING A FULL CONTINUUM OF SERVICES, INCLUDING PREVENTION OF SUBSTANCE USE, INTERVENTION, TREATMENT, AND RECOVERY FOR THOSE WHO CONTINUE ON THEIR JOURNEY.
WE ARE TRULY A COMPASSIONATE ALLIANCE FOR RECOVERY EMPOWERMENT.
THOSE OF YOU THAT KNOW ME KNOW I'M NEVER SHORT ON WORDS,
I KNOW THE NAME HAS CHANGED, BUT THE MISSION REMAINS THE SAME.
AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I'M AS PROUD OF YOU ALL TODAY AS I WAS 50 YEARS AGO.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, AND GOD BLESS YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO.
KEEP ON KEEPING ON, BE THE PEOPLE THAT THE PEOPLE NEED.
UM, IT IS TRULY A BLESSING, UM, TO BE IN THE ROLE THAT I AM WITH BEAUFORT COUNTY, UM, AND TO HELP THE CITIZENS OF BEAUFORT COUNTY.
SO THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH AND THANK YOU, UM, FOR BEING WILLING TO SAY YES, UM, TO THE JOB AT HAND AND TO BE A GREAT BOSS.
AND WHEN I MEAN GREAT BOSS, I MEAN GREAT BOSS AND MAKING WORK FUN FOR US.
SO ON BEHALF OF THE STAFF AND ON BEHALF OF AUDRA, WE WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT YOU WITH THIS.
OH, 50 YEARS, CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF SERVICE.
BEAUFORT COUNTY HOME TO PARIS ISLAND THAT WELCOMES 19,000 RECRUITS EACH YEAR IS HOME
[02:15:01]
TO AN ABUNDANCE OF VETERANS.HOWEVER, THEY ONLY HAD ONE VA OFFICE THAT IS SO CAROLINE FURMAN JOINED TO BEAUFORT COUNTY.
I CAME ABOARD, UM, JULY OF, OF 2023 AND THE FIRST THING THAT I DID WAS A DEMOGRAPHIC STUDY.
AND WITH 25,000 VETERANS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY, THEY'RE GEOGRAPHICALLY DISPERSED FROM HILTON HEAD, UH, SUN CITY UP TO, UM, ST.
SO WE CREATED A, A PROGRAM WHERE ONCE A WEEK WE WOULD TRAVEL TO THE FOUR CORNERS OF THE COUNTY TO MEET VETERANS WHERE THEY WERE.
AFTER I COMPLETED THE STUDY AND REALIZED THAT WE HAVE PER COUNSELOR, 12,565 VETERANS PER COUNSELOR, UM, I REQUESTED ADDITIONAL FTES, WHICH THE COUNTY VERY GRACIOUSLY GRANTED ME TO.
UM, THE PLAN WAS, IS TO CREATE A, A, UH, SATELLITE OFFICE HERE IN BLUFFTON AND TO HAVE THE THIRD PERSON DROVE BETWEEN THE, UM, THE ISLANDS AND, YOU KNOW, THE NORTH OF THE AIR STATION.
SO WE'RE STILL WORKING ON THAT, BUT WE'LL, WE'LL CONTINUE TO, TO SEE THOSE FOLKS, UM, IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO COME, YOU KNOW, TO, UH, TO CLEARWATER.
WELL, IT, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, AND AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, YOU SAW TODAY THAT SHE, SHE THANKS HER TEAM.
I MEAN, SHE THANKS THE PEOPLE THAT WORK WITH HER.
I MEAN, SHE ACKNOWLEDGES THAT SHE CAN'T DO HER JOB WITHOUT A GOOD STAFF.
AND THAT'S EMBLEM EMBLEMATIC OF HOW SHE APPROACHES THIS JOB.
AND SO, AND AGAIN, I THINK THE WORD THAT I WOULD USE IS PROACTIVE.
YOU'RE NOT SITTING BACK AND ANSWERING THE PHONE IN CASE A VETERAN CALLS AND ANSWERING QUESTIONS.
YOU'RE ACTIVELY GOING OUT, IDENTIFYING THEM, FINDING OUT WHERE THEY ARE, MAKING SURE PROACTIVELY THAT THEY'RE AWARE OF THEIR BENEFITS.
THAT'S WHAT SHE BRINGS TO THE TABLE.
SENATOR TOM DAVIS SAYS, THIS NEW OFFICE IS A SYMBOL FOR GROWTH IN THE POSITIVE STEPS THE VA IS WILLING TO TAKE, NOT JUST THE PHYSICAL, UM, STRUCTURE HERE IN BLUFFTON THAT SYMBOLIZES THE REACHING OUT.
IT'S THE HIRING OF NEW FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES FOR THE VETERANS' OFFICE BY THE COUNTY.
'CAUSE THOSE ARE INDIVIDUALS THAT ACTUALLY GET OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY AND, AND KNOCK ON DOORS AND MAKE SURE VETERANS ARE AWARE OF THEIR BENEFITS.
SO IT'S THE FACILITY HERE, IT'S SYMBOLIC OF THAT REACHING OUT, BUT ALSO THE HIRING OF NEW EMPLOYEES TO REACH OUT TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO I'M REALLY PROUD OF WHAT OUR COUNTY DELEGATION AND WHAT OUR COUNTY IS DOING FOR OUR VETERANS COMMUNITY.
I THINK IT'S AN EXAMPLE FOR THE REST OF THE STATE.
PART OF THE NEW APPROACH INCLUDES VETERAN OUTREACH FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
UM, THE ONLY THING THAT I CAN SAY IS, YOU KNOW, EVERYONE ON MY TEAM, EVERY ONE OF THE STAFF AT VETERANS AFFAIRS, WE HAVE A PASSION FOR FOR HELPING VETERANS.
IT'S, IT'S A TRUE LIFE PASSION.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHEN YOU HAVE THAT, THAT MOTIVATION, UM, THEN YOU WORK, YOU WORK HARD TO, TO HELP EACH INDIVIDUAL VETERAN, WELL, MYSELF AND REMY WANNA DO IS WE'RE GONNA ACTUALLY, WE'RE GONNA BE WHAT WE CALL BOOTS ON THE GROUNDS.
WE'RE GONNA BE OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY ACTIVELY MAKING THE, THE VETERANS AWARE THAT WE'RE HERE AND, UH, MAKING SURE THEY KNOW THAT THESE, UH, SERVICES WILL BE AVAILABLE TO THEM.
AND, UH, AGAIN, JUST PROMOTING THE FACT THAT SHOWING THE VETERANS THAT WE APPRECIATE AND RECOGNIZE THE SERVICE AND WANNA ENSURE THAT THEY GET THE BENEFITS THEY'RE ENTITLED TO.
WE LIKE TO TELL THE VETERANS, WE'RE HERE TO SERVICE YOU.
UH, THIS IS THE BENEFIT THAT YOU'VE EARNED.
UH, WE NEED YOU TO COME AND SEE US RIGHT HERE IN OUR OFFICE AND WE CAN ASSIST YOU IN GETTING, UH, ALL THE BENEFIT THAT YOU'RE ENTITLED TO.
UH, IF YOU GET A 10%, 20%, WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP YOU, UH, GO A LITTLE HIGHER, UH, YOUR PERCENTAGE WISE, UH, DEPENDING ON THE SITUATION.
FOR BCTV, I'M CHLOE G TWO THREE.
SEE, RETIREMENT IS THE LONG GAME.
WE CAN'T PLAY ABOUT OUR FUTURE OR OUR FINANCES.
AND NO MATTER WHAT HAND WE'RE DEALT, WE STILL WORK OUR WAY TO THE WIN.
MAKE MOVES AND MAKE THEM EARLY SET UP GOALS.
DON'T WORRY ABOUT A SETBACK, BOYFRIEND, JUST SAVE UP, STACK UP TO REACH THEM.
LET'S PUT OURSELVES IN THE RIGHT POSITION.
NOW IS THE TIME TO PLAY WITH PURPOSE.
[02:20:01]
PREGAME TO GREATER THINGS.WE ARE HERE TODAY TO EXPLAIN THE IMPACT OF STORMWATER TO OUR COMMUNITY AND TO EXPLAIN HOW INSTALLING A RAIN BARREL HELPS PROTECT OUR LOCAL WATERWAYS.
WE'RE DOING THIS BY GOING OVER THE PARTS OF THE RAIN BARREL AND HOW TO INSTALL IT.
A RAIN BARREL IS A STORMWATER BMP, WHICH MEANS IT'S A BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICE.
BMPS ARE ACTIONS AND DEVICES THAT HELP PREVENT OR TREAT STORMWATER POLLUTION AND URBAN RUNOFF.
SOME BE PEAS INCLUDE RAIN GARDENS, NATIVE VEGETATION, FOREST PAVERS, AND RAIN BARRELS.
RAIN BARRELS REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF WATER THAT FLOWS OFF A PROPERTY BY FACILITATING THE CAPTURE OF ROOF WATER FOR LATER USE.
THE STORED WATER CAN BE USED TO AGGREGATE LANDSCAPES.
WATER CONTAINER PLANTS FILL BIRD BATHS AND WASH CARS.
BUT DO REMEMBER THIS, WATER IS NON-POTABLE, MEANING IT IS NOT SAFE TO CONSUME BY STORING WATER.
RAIN BARRELS REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF WATER THAT CAN BECOME STORM WATER RUNOFF.
STORM WATER RUNOFF PICKS UP AND CARRIES POLLUTANTS, SUCH AS SOIL FERTILIZERS, LITTER, TRASH, AND ANIMAL WASTE DIRECTLY INTO THOSE STORM DRAINS YOU SEE ON THE SIDEWALKS AND ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.
EVERYTHING PICKED UP BY STORM WATER FLOWS INTO A STORM SEWER, WHICH THEN GOES DIRECTLY INTO OUR MARSHES AND OCEAN WITHOUT BEING CLEANED OR TREATED.
BECAUSE WE ARE CLASSIFIED AS AN MS FOUR PERMIT.
MS FOUR STANDS FOR MUNICIPAL SEPARATE STORM SEWER SYSTEM.
WE, THIS CAN HELP PREVENT SERIOUS FLOODING IN OUR AREA AND MINIMIZES THE VOLUME OF WATER TO THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT.
THIS IS JUST AN OFFICIAL WAY OF EXPLAINING THAT WE HAVE TWO SEPARATE UNDERGROUND SYSTEMS. THE FIRST SYSTEM IS THE STORM WATER THAT GOES INTO THE STORM DRAIN THAT THEN EMPTIES INTO THE MARSHES.
AND SECOND, THE HOUSEHOLD WASTEWATER, WHICH IS DIRTY WATER.
YOU FLUSH DOWN YOUR TOILET OR THAT GOES DOWN YOUR SINK DRAIN.
NOW THAT WE COVERED THE BASICS OF STORM WATER, LET'S START BY COVERING THE NECESSARY PARTS OF A RAIN BARREL.
ALL RAIN BARRELS SHOULD HAVE THE FOLLOWING PARTS, A TIGHT FITTING LID WITH A SCREENED INLET TO PREVENT DEBRIS AND MOSQUITOES FROM GETTING INTO THE BARREL.
AN EMERGENCY OVERFLOW, IT ALLOWS WATER TO ESCAPE WHEN YOUR RAIN BARREL IS FULL.
REMEMBER TO DIVERT THIS AWAY FROM YOUR FOUNDATION, A SPIGOT TO TURN THE FLOW OF WATER ON AND OFF.
ONCE YOUR RAIN BARREL HAS WATER IN IT AND YOU WANT YOUR RAIN BARREL TO BE A DARK COLOR OR OPAQUE TO PREVENT SUNLIGHT, PENETRATION STILL CAUSE ALGAE GROWTH.
IF YOU WANT TO ADD A RAIN BARREL TO YOUR PROPERTY, REMEMBER THAT THE BEST WAY TO CARE FOR YOUR RAIN BARREL IS TO USE IT.
ENSURE YOU PLACE THE RAIN BARREL IN A STRATEGIC LOCATION WHERE IT'LL BE EASILY ACCESSIBLE, HOWEVER YOU PLAN TO USE IT.
SO IF IT'S FOR GARDENING AND WATERING PLANTS, PLACE IT AS CLOSE AS YOU CAN TO WHERE YOU NEED THE MAJORITY OF THE WATERING.
PUT IT SOMEWHERE, YOU KNOW, YOU'LL SEE IT OUT OF SIGHT.
OUTTA MIND IS A SAYING FOR A REASON.
AFTER ALL, WHEN PLACING THE BARREL, KNOW THAT THE WATER CAN BE DIRECTED FROM THE ROOFTOP INTO THE BARREL BY GUTTERS, DOWNSPOUTS, A RAIN CHAIN OR EVEN SIMPLE SHEET FLOW.
WE INSTALLED OURS BY CUTTING, HAVING A PROFESSIONAL CUT THE GUTTER SO THAT IT WOULD BE AESTHETICALLY PLEASING.
JUST BE SURE THAT YOU INSTALL YOUR RAIN BARREL AT LEAST ONE TO THREE FEET ABOVE GROUND TO ENSURE YOU'RE ABLE TO FIT A WATERING CAN UNDERNEATH THE SPIGOT, AS WELL AS INCREASE THE WATER PRESSURE OF THE FLOW COMING OUT.
ALSO, IT'S A VERY GOOD IDEA TO SECURE YOUR RAIN BARREL WINDFALL.
A 55 GALLON RAIN BARREL CAN WEIGH OVER 450 POUNDS.
WE JUST RECENTLY INSTALLED OURS, BUT WE HAVE PLANS TO SECURE IT WITH A STRAP THAT'S BOLTED TO OUR BRICK BUILDING, HELP MINIMIZE THE POLLUTION OF OUR PRECIOUS WATERWAYS RIGHT IN YOUR BACKYARD BY INSTALLING YOUR RAIN BARREL TODAY.
THANK YOU FOR KEEPING OUR LOCAL WATERWAYS CLEAN AND ENJOY YOUR NEWLY INSTALLED RAIN BARREL.
HI EVERYONE, I'M MARIA WALLS, YOUR BEAUFORT COUNTY TREASURER.
IF YOU'VE EVER WONDERED WHAT'S E-BILLING OR MY BEAUFORT COUNTY, I'D LIKE TO GIVE YOU A SNEAK PEEK BECAUSE MY BEAUFORT COUNTY IS YOUR ONE STOP LOCATION ONLINE TO MANAGE AND PAY YOUR BEAUFORT COUNTY PROPERTY TAX BILLS.
SIMPLY TYPE IN MY BEFOR COUNTY.COM OR DOWNLOAD THE APP IN THE APP STORE AND YOU'LL CONTINUE TO LOG IN.
SO HERE YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE AS A GUEST.
IF YOU DON'T WANNA CREATE AN ACCOUNT OR IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO CREATE AN ACCOUNT, YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIGN UP FOR E-BILLING, STORE YOUR PAYMENT INFORMATION, AND MANAGE ALL OF YOUR TAX BILLS FROM A SIMPLE DASHBOARD SCREEN.
TO MANAGE YOUR PROPERTY ACCOUNTS IN YOUR DASHBOARD, SIMPLY CLICK LINK ACCOUNT AND TALK TO TAXBOT WHO IS HAPPY TO ASSIST YOU IN SIGNING YOU UP.
YOU CAN SEARCH FOR A PROPERTY BY YOUR PIN, WHICH IS YOUR PARCEL IDENTIFICATION NUMBER, YOUR A IN, YOUR ALTERNATE
[02:25:01]
IDENTIFICATION NUMBER, OR SIMPLY USING AN OWNER'S LAST NAME AND MAILING ZIP CODE.ONCE YOU'VE SEARCHED, GO AHEAD AND SELECT THE PROPERTIES THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO ASSOCIATE WITH YOUR PROFILE.
YOU CAN EITHER CHOOSE TO KEEP GOING OR LET TAXBOT KNOW THAT YOU'RE FINISHED BY PAYING YOUR TAXES, FINDING ANOTHER PROPERTY, OR SIMPLY GOING BACK TO THE DASHBOARD.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ALSO SIGN UP FOR E-BILLING, YOU CAN DO THAT BY CLICKING MANAGE E-BILLING AND SIGN UP EACH PROPERTY TO RECEIVE YOUR BILL ELECTRONICALLY.
WANNA KNOW WHERE YOUR PAYMENT INFORMATION IS STORED OR YOUR RECEIPTS? GO AHEAD AND CLICK YOUR WALLET IN THE WALLET.
EACH RECEIPT YOU'VE PAID ONLINE IS AVAILABLE FOR OBSERVATION, DOWNLOAD AND PRINTING RIGHT HERE.
NEED TO UPDATE YOUR PROFILE, NO PROBLEM.
SIMPLY CLICK THE ICON IN THE TOP RIGHT HAND CORNER AND YOU CAN UPDATE YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION AND MANAGE YOUR PAYMENT METHODS.
AN ADDED BONUS WHEN YOU USE AN ECHECK TO PAY ON BUFORD COUNTY, THERE'S NO ADDITIONAL COSTS.
YOU HAVE YOUR BILL AND YOUR ELECTRONIC RECEIPT ALL IN ONE LOCATION AND AT YOUR FINGERTIPS, WHATEVER YOU NEED IT.
IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT USING MY BEAUFORT COUNTY OR TAXES IN GENERAL, PLEASE CALL MY FRIENDLY STAFF AND I AT 8 4 3 2 5 5 2 6 0 0.
OR YOU CAN VISIT US@BEAUFORTCOUNTYTREASURE.COM.
BEAUFORT COUNTY DISABILITIES AND SPECIAL NEEDS DEPARTMENT PROVIDES A VARIETY OF SERVICES AND PROGRAMS TO INDIVIDUALS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES AS WELL AS THEIR FAMILIES.
EARLY INTERVENTION, ADULT DAY PROGRAMS, RESIDENTIAL AND INDEPENDENT LIVING AND RESPITE CARE.
EVEN A SUMMER CAMP FOR YOUNG CHILDREN, ONE IN FOUR AMERICANS HAVE SOME FORM OF DISABILITY.
IF SOMEONE IN YOUR FAMILY COULD BENEFIT FROM THESE SERVICES, CONTACT DSN TODAY, BEAUFORT COUNTY DSN CHANGES DISABILITIES INTO POSSIBILITIES.
VISIT BEAUFORT COUNTY ESC.GOV AND CLICK ON DISABILITIES AND SPECIAL NEEDS.
EMERGENCY VEHICLES ARE EVERYWHERE.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU HEAR THEIR SIRENS? PULL OVER AND PUT YOUR BLINKERS ON.
MOVE SAFELY TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND LET THEM PASS.
IF YOU AREN'T ABLE TO PULL OVER, PLEASE SLOW DOWN.
PAY ATTENTION TO TRAFFIC AND TRY NOT TO RUBBERNECK.
KEEP ALL YOUR ATTENTION ON THE TRAFFIC AROUND YOU.
MORE PEOPLE AROUND THE ROADS DRIVING TO WORK, SCHOOL OR THE BEACH AND JUST LIVING THEIR LIVES.
OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, FIRE POLICE THAN EMS SAVE LIVES EVERY DAY.
WE NEED TO HELP THEM DO THEIR JOBS SAFELY AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE'LL ALL GO HOME TO OUR FAMILIES.
I'M SARAH BROCK, CLERK TO COUNCIL FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY COUNCIL.
DID YOU KNOW BEAUFORT COUNTY HAS 29 ACTIVE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS? THESE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS SERVE A VITAL ROLE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY AND ALLOW CITIZENS LIKE YOU TO GET INVOLVED WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND ADVISE YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS ON A WIDE RANGE OF ISSUES.
MEMBERS SERVE IN A VARIETY OF CAPACITIES FROM ADVISING COUNCIL REGARDING THE SELLING AND PURCHASING OF LAND HEARING APPEALS, ALLOCATING AT TAX MONIES, ADVOCATING FOR SPECIFIC ORGANIZATIONS, WORKING ON STORM WATER RELATED ISSUES, ZONING ISSUES, DESIGN REVIEW, HISTORICAL PRESERVATION, YOU NAME IT.
VISIT WWW.BEAUFORTCOUNTYSC.GOV/COUNCIL/BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS TODAY TO SEE A LIST OF OUR ACTIVE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AND FILL OUT AN APPLICATION.
SIGN UP TODAY SO YOU CAN HAVE A HAND IN MAKING OUR COMMUNITY EVEN GREATER THAN IT ALREADY IS.
THE FIX IT TICKET IS ACTUALLY REALLY GREAT 'CAUSE IT GIVES SOME ANIMAL OWNER A CHANCE TO FIX THE PROBLEM BEFORE WE ACTUALLY GIVE THEM A TICKET.
UM, AND IT RANGES FROM ANYWHERE FROM LICENSING AN ANIMAL, UM, VACCINATIONS, UH, FOR RABIES, WHETHER AN ANIMAL IS RUNNING AT LARGE, UM, UM, AND ESPECIALLY FOR THE PIT BULLS BECAUSE IT'S MANDATORY FOR THEM TO GET NEUTERED.
SO IT GIVES THE OWNERS A CHANCE TO GET THEM NEUTERED, GET THEM FIXED BEFORE WE ISSUE THEM A TICKET ALSO, YES, WE HAVE NOTICED THAT UH, POPULOUS NUMBERS HAVE GONE DOWN, UM, YOU KNOW, GREATLY, UM, JUST THE ANIMAL, THE THE AMOUNT OF ANIMAL THAT WE INTAKE HAS GONE DOWN.
NOW, IF ANYONE NEEDS ASSISTANCE WITH FIXING, YOU KNOW, GETTING THEIR ANIMALS SPAYED OR NEUTERED, UH, PLEASE REACH OUT TO, UM, BEAUFORT COUNTY AND WE CAN ASSIST THEM, YOU KNOW, THE BEST THAT WE CAN IN MAKING SURE THAT THEIR ANIMAL IS FIXED AND UP TO DATE, UM, PER OUR CLINIC.