[00:00:01]
CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY.
WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE, PLEASE.
WE ALSO HAVE OUR MEETING MINUTES FROM FEBRUARY 25TH.
AS OF A MOTION THERE, PLEASE, I MOVE APPROVAL.
ALL IN FAVOR? UH, NEXT WE HAVE EXECUTIVE SESSION ON THE AGENDA.
AND BEFORE I ASK FOR A MOTION, I ASK THAT THE APPLICANTS, UH, PLEASE, UH, BEAR WITH US.
WE HAVE JUST A FEW ITEMS THAT WE NEED TO DISCUSS IN THE BACK ROOM HERE.
WE WILL BE BACK EXPEDITIOUSLY, I PROMISE.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO ENTER INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION? I MOVE.
I MOVE TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR DISCUSSION OF LEGAL ADVICE FROM THE TOWN ATTORNEY ON MATTERS COVERED UNDER THE ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT, SECTION 30 DASH FOUR DASH 70 A TWO RELATED TO AFFILIATED AGENCY FUNDING REQUEST.
WE ARE BACK FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION.
WE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER SIX GOING INVITE MS. ADRIANA BURNETT TO JOIN US AT THE PODIUM AS WE DO SO, I JUST WANT TO SORT OF LAY, COME ON, LAY OUT THE, UH, EXPECTATIONS HERE TODAY.
UH, WE WILL TAKE THE APPLICATIONS UP ONE AT A TIME.
UM, MS. BURNETT WILL STEP US THROUGH THEM.
WE WILL GIVE THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS AS WELL AS OUR FELLOW COLLEAGUES IN THE ROOM, OPPORTUNITY TO ASK QUESTIONS OF EITHER STAFF OR THE ORGANIZATION.
UM, WE WILL ALSO HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE ORGANIZATION'S REQUEST, AND THEN WE WILL ASK THAT COUNSEL, GIVE STAFF, UH, DIRECTION ON EACH ONE, ONE AT A TIME, UM, ON THE AMOUNT THAT WE ARE LOOKING TO, UH, RECOMMEND TO FULL COUNSEL.
UH, SO THAT'S THE WAY WE'RE GOING TO STEP THROUGH THESE TODAY.
SO, MS. BURNETT, WELCOME AND THE FLOOR IS YOURS.
GOOD MORNING COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT I ACTUALLY INVOLVED WITH AFFILIATED AGENCIES AND IT IS REALLY A PRIVILEGE TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE COMMUNITY AND THE BENEFIT THAT CAN BRING TO OUR COMMUNITY HERE AT HILTON HEAD.
I'M GOING TO START BY TALKING ABOUT THE 14TH CIRCLE SOLICITOR.
JUST BE AWARE THAT THERE'S NO PARTICULAR ORDER HERE OTHER THAN I'M JUST SELECTING ONE AND I'M JUST GOING WITH IT.
[00:05:01]
THE COMMITTEE HAS ASKED ME TO REVIEW THE APPLICATION AND YOU HAVE ASKED ME TO REVIEW THE FINANCIALS.UM, I AM NOT PROVIDING A RECOMMENDATION.
I'M JUST STATING THE FACTS AND I'M TRYING TO HOPEFULLY, UM, HELP YOU, UH, WITH SUPPORTING THE DECISION AND RECOMMENDATION THAT YOU'RE PLANNING TO MAKE.
UH, AS WE START TALKING, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANT TO DO IN THIS COMMITTEE MEETING, UM, DIVIDE THE COMMITTEE IN OF THIS SESSION INTO THREE PORTIONS.
THE FIRST ONE IS TALKING ABOUT THE APPLICATION AND SOME OF THE FINANCIAL NUMBERS THAT I HAVE SEEN.
THE SECOND PORTION IS TALKING ABOUT OUR, UM, MOUS OR OUR AGREEMENTS THAT WE HAVE WITH SOME OF OUR, OUR PARTNERS.
AND I WANT TO INVITE ANGIE STONE, OUR ASSISTANT TOWN MANAGER TO JOIN ME FOR THAT.
AND THEN THE THIRD PORTION WILL BE ACTUALLY AN INTRODUCTION PORTION.
I WANT TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY OF INTRODUCING YOU TO OUR SENIOR GRANTS ADMINISTRATOR THAT GOING FORWARD SHE WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE APPLICATIONS, BOTH THE AFFILIATED AGENCY APPLICATIONS AND ALSO A TAX.
SO THE FIRST ONE, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, THE FIRST ONE IS THE 14TH CIRCLE SOLICITOR.
THERE'S TWO APPLICATIONS HERE.
THE FIRST ONE IS THE CAREER CRIMINAL APPLICATION, AND THE SECOND APPLICATION IS A MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPLICATION.
IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THE THE PERSON REPRESENTING THIS APPLICATION IS NOT HERE THIS MORNING.
SO, UM, IF THERE'S ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE THAT I'M NOT ABLE TO ANSWER, THEN WE WILL PROBABLY HAVE TO, I WILL HAVE TO PROBABLY TAKE A NOTE AND GET BACK WITH YOU WITH AN ANSWER.
SO THE 14TH CIRCUIT CIRCUIT SOLICITOR OFFICE, UH, OFFICE, IF WE START WITH A CAREER CRIMINAL UNIT, SERVES AS A CHIEF PROSECUTING AGENCY FOR BEFOR JASPER ALLENDALE CO AND HAMPTON COUNTIES.
THIS IS THE ONLY FIVE COUNTIES CIRCLE IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
THE OFFICE IS COMPRISED OF 66 FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES, INCLUDING 26 ATTORNEYS.
THE FUNDING IS GOING TO BE DISTRIBUTED AS FOLLOWS.
FOR THE CAREER CRIMINAL UNIT, IT'S 118,500.
AND FOR THE MULTIDISCIPLINARY DISCIPLINARY COURT IT'S $50,000.
AS I'M LOOKING AT THE INFORMATION PROVIDED, I NOTICED THAT THE LAST FINANCIAL STATEMENT PROVIDED WAS FROM 2020.
SO IT DOESN'T, UM, IT DOESN'T GIMME A LOT OF INFORMATION, ESPECIALLY IT'S BEEN FIVE YEARS AND I DON'T KNOW THE NUMBERS FROM FIVE YEARS AGO ARE STILL APPLICABLE.
HOWEVER, THEY DID PROVIDE A BUDGET NUMBER AND THAT BUDGET NUMBER, UM, INCLUDES REVENUES, INCLUDES EXPENSES, AND INCLUDES OTHER PERSONNEL INFORMATION.
SO I'M, AS I'M LOOKING AT THE APPLICATION, FOR INSTANCE, I'M LOOKING AT THE FIRST ONE, WHICH IS THE CAREER CRIMINAL UNIT.
IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING FROM THAT APPLICATION THAT IT IS BASED ON PERSONNEL.
SO THEY WANT TO UTILIZE THE MONEY TO PAY FOR SALARIES.
THE OTHER SECTION IS THE MULTIDISCIPLINARY COURT.
THIS ONE IS BASED ON PROGRAMS THAT THEY ACTUALLY, UM, PURSUE TO TRAIN, TO TRAIN THE, THE PEOPLE THAT APPLIED FOR THIS, FOR THIS AND, AND THEY UTILIZE THE MONEY TO PAY FOR THOSE PROGRAMS. AND I WANT TO READ A LITTLE PORTION BECAUSE THERE'S A DOCUMENT THAT I FEEL LIKE IT IS IMPORTANT TO MENTION AS IT RELATES TO THIS APPLICANT.
UH, IS THE MEASUREMENT SESSION.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY OF REVIEWING THAT, BUT, UH, AS IT RELATES TO THE CAREER CRIMINAL UNIT, THEY'RE NOT A MONETARY NATURE IN NATURE.
PERSONNEL IS THE PRIMARY EXPENSE, AND IF I'M LOOKING AS PRIMARY EXPENSE BEING PERSONNEL, I SEE A $785,000 AS IT RELATES TO SALARIES AND BENEFITS.
AND IF I LOOK AT THE OTHER COMPONENT, WHICH IS THE MULTIDISCIPLINARY CORE, THIS ONE AGAIN, IS NOT BASED ON MONEY, BUT IT'S BASED ON PROGRAM.
AND THEY GOT THE SUCCESS OF THEIR, ON THEIR GRADUATION RATE OF DEFENDANTS WHO PLEAD INTO THE PROGRAM AND BY THE PROGRAM'S TWO YEAR, UH, RATE.
AND I NOTICED THAT IN 2019, THEY STARTED WITH 21 GRADUATES, AND IN 2024 THEY HAVE 30, 34 GRADUATES FOR THE PROGRAM.
AGAIN, THE ASK IS $168,000, 118 AND A HALF GOING TO THE CAREER CRIMINAL UNIT, AND 50,000 GOING TO THE MULTIDISCIPLINARY COURT.
ANOTHER THING THAT I WANT TO MENTION, UH, IN PRIOR YEARS
[00:10:05]
THIS PARTICULAR APPLICANT HAVE RECEIVED, UM, THE AMOUNTS, UH, REQUESTED, UM, AND THE SAME AMOUNTS, $50,000 AGAIN FOR THE MULTIDISCIPLINARY AND FOR THE CAREER CRIMINAL, 118 AND A HALF.SO THEY HAVE REQUESTED THE SAME AMOUNT FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS.
BEFORE WE GO TO COMMITTEE QUESTIONS, IS THERE A MOU WITH THIS ORGANIZATION THAT MS. STONE NEEDS TO DISCUSS WITH US? NO, I'M JUST SHAKING HER HEAD.
I JUST HAD SOME GENERAL REMARKS ABOUT THE AFFILIATED AGENCY PROCESS.
BEFORE WE GET INTO THE ACTUAL APPLICANTS.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA THANK YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR PUTTING ALL THE INFORMATION TOGETHER ASSOCIATED WITH AFFILIATED AGENCY THAT INCLUDES THE APPLICATIONS YOU PROVIDED, UH, A LINK TO ONEDRIVE SO THAT WE COULD SEE ALL THE BACKGROUND INFORMATION, UH, AND ADDITIONAL MATERIALS THAT WERE TO BE ADDED.
AND THE SUMMARY THAT YOU PREPARED AS WELL.
IT TOOK A, IT TOOK A LONG TIME.
UM, SO JUST LIKE THE ATEX PROCESS, I THINK THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE TO IMPROVE THE PROCESS.
AND I WOULD ASK THAT WE DO THAT FOR NEXT YEAR, ESPECIALLY HOW WE DEFINE AFFILIATED AGENCIES, HOW WE DETERMINE HOW MUCH WE SPEND IN THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS.
AND GIVEN THIS IS MY FIRST TIME DOING THIS, I HAD TO THINK ABOUT WHAT IS MY DECISION MAKING PROCESS.
AND, UH, FOR ME, UM, I THINK WHAT YOU'RE GONNA HEAR IS SOME COMMON THEMES IS THAT WE NEED TO SPEND OUR TAX DOLLARS EFFECTIVELY AND EFFICIENTLY.
AND THAT IS A FILTER THAT I'M GOING TO BE USING WHENEVER WE TALK ABOUT SPENDING MONEY.
AND SO, UH, FOR ME, AS I LOOK AT THE QUESTION OF THE PRIMARY BENEFICIARY, UM, I LOOK AT THE SCALE OF THE, THE BENEFITS, MEANING THAT THE BENEFITS SHOULD SERVE A LARGE SEGMENT OF THE POP OF THE PUBLIC.
AND SO THAT WEIGHS HEAVILY IN, UH, MY DECISION MAKING PROCESS.
SO ALL OF THE APPLICANTS ARE VERY WORTHY ORGANIZATIONS, UM, WITH WORTHY, UH, WORK.
AND SO THE QUESTION IS, UM, IS IT AN AFFILIATED AGENCY AND SHOULD THE TOWN BE SPENDING MONEY TO SUPPORT THESE ORGANIZATIONS? UM, WHEN I LOOK AT, UM, THE TWO AREA, THE TWO AREAS FOR THE SOLICITOR'S OFFICE, AND I LOOK AT HOW MANY, UH, INDIVIDUALS ARE TOUCHED, IT'S A VERY LOW NUMBER.
UM, FROM THE, UM, THE FIRST, WHICH IS THE CAREER CRIMINAL UNIT, THERE WERE ONLY 11, UM, INDIVIDUALS, UM, OVER THE SIX YEARS AND THE PREVENTION PROGRAM, 45 INDIVIDUALS OVER THE SIX YEARS.
SO, UM, THAT, UH, LENDS ME TO FEEL THAT IT, UM, ALTHOUGH WORTHY I WOULD NOT SUPPORT FUNDING.
I'D ECHO THE REMARKS OF MY COLLEAGUE, UH, WITH REGARD TO THE INFORMATION WE'VE BEEN PROVIDED.
UM, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR ALL THE DETAIL TO HELP US OUT.
UM, THIS PROGRAM HAS KIND OF GROWN OVER THE YEARS, BUT AS MS. HUNTER IS SAYING, THERE'S NO CLEAR PROCESS OR, OR NO CLEAR, UM, UH, DEFINITIONS AND DETERMINATIONS.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT, UM, HOW DO WE WALK THROUGH THIS? AND ALSO BEING MINDFUL OF WE HAVE AN UPCOMING BUDGET AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MANAGE THAT WITHOUT A MILLAGE INCREASE
UM, AND SO WE HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL, UH, AMOUNT OF APPLICATIONS THIS YEAR.
UM, SO IT'S GONNA REQUIRE A LITTLE BIT MORE IN OUR THOUGHT PROCESS OF, OF HOW TO FILTER THEM.
UH, WITH THAT BEING SAID, UM, AS I LOOK AT THE DESCRIPTION ON THE SCREEN OF THE 14TH CIRCUIT SOLICITOR'S OFFICE, IT SAYS THAT IT, THE OFFICE SERVES AS THE CHIEF PROSECUTING AGENCY FOR A NUMBER OF COUNTIES, UH, FIVE COUNTY CIRCUIT.
AND THEN IF YOU, UH, LOOK AT THE REST OF THE DESCRIPTION, IT ALL HAS TO DO WITH CRIMINAL PROSECUTION.
UM, AND IN MY EXPERIENCE, CRIMINAL PROSECUTION IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE STATE THROUGH ITS, UH, WHATEVER SYSTEMS OF JUDICIAL SYSTEM THE STATE HAS ESTABLISHED.
UM, AND, AND GENERALLY, UH, MUNICIPALITIES DON'T HAVE, UH, A RESPONSIBILITY WITH REGARD TO THAT.
UM, SO THIS IS A DIFFERENT KIND OF SERVICE THAT WE WOULD NORMALLY NOT BE PROVIDING.
UM, AND ALSO, UM, THERE'S NO AGREEMENT, THERE'S LONGSTANDING, UM, FUNDING IN THE SAME AMOUNT INTERESTINGLY.
UM, BUT, UH, IT'S NOT THE KIND OF SERVICE, UM, THAT, UH, THAT THE TOWN WOULD NORMALLY BE PROVIDING.
SO IT'S A LITTLE MORE DIFFICULT TO SEE HOW THEY'RE AFFILIATED WITH THE TOWN, UH, FULFILLING A RESPONSIBILITY THAT THE TOWN MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO, OR IT MIGHT HAVE DECIDED NOT TO FUND OR PROVIDE TO, TO FIND ANOTHER AGENCY TO DO THAT.
UM, SO I, I, I HAVE TROUBLE WITH THIS AGENCY IN CONTINUING THE FUNDING.
[00:15:01]
TO ME AS THOUGH IT'S A DIFFERENT GOVERNMENT'S RESPONSIBILITY IN LIGHT OF, UH, LOOKING AT, UM, THE FUNDS AVAILABLE.WE HAVE, UH, STARTED TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION A YEAR AGO WITH THE SOLICITOR'S OFFICE AS FAR AS THE POTENTIAL OF, UM, DENYING FUNDING.
UM, AND WE EVEN OFFERED UP OPPORTUNITIES TO HAVE DISCUSSIONS WITH FOLKS AT THE STATE LEVEL TO FILL THIS GAP, UM, IF IT IS NOT FUNDED.
SO, UM, I THINK YOU'VE HEARING WHAT THE DIRECTION OF THE COMMITTEE IS.
UM, I'M GONNA PAUSE A MOMENT AND INVITE, UH, OUR COLLEAGUES TO THE PODIUM SO THEY CAN GIVE THEIR THOUGHTS ABOUT THE DIRECTION THAT THE COMMITTEE IS LEANING IN.
AND IF YOU AGREE OR DISAGREE, PLEASE LET US KNOW AT THIS POINT.
MR. AL ALFRED, WE'LL START WITH YOU, SIR.
I MADE MY, CAN YOU COME UP MR. ALFRED? 'CAUSE I WANT THE PEOPLE AT HOME TO HEAR YOU
UH, I AGREE WITH THE COMMENTS MADE.
THIS IS NOT A MUNICIPAL FUNCTION, IT'S A STATE OR COUNTY FUNCTION, AND, UH, WE SHOULD NOT CONTINUE TO, UH, FUND IT IN MY JUDGMENT.
UH, THE WAY I WANT TO, UH, APPROACH THIS IS LIKE I DID IN OUR TWO-DAY EVENT AND RESPECT THE COMMITTEE PROCESS AND, UH, OUR DISCUSSIONS ARE OFFLINE DISCUSSIONS AND, UH, IT'S A TRUST OF THE COMMITTEE AND THAT'S WHY YOU'RE HERE.
AND I RESPECT YOUR, YOUR DECISIONS.
MS. BECKER, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN IN THE CONVERSATION AND THANK YOU FOR THE REPORTS THAT ARE BEING GIVEN.
AND, UM, I THINK THAT YOU GUYS ARE, UH, THE COMMITTEE AND I DO AGREE THAT TO RESPECT THE COMMITTEE'S PROCESS AND THE DECISIONS YOU COME TO, UM, THE QUESTION THAT I HAVE THAT CONCERNS ME IS THE LENGTH OF TIME FROM 2020 TO 2025, WHERE THERE'S BEEN NO ADDITIONAL INFORMATION SUBMITTED.
I'D LIKE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THAT, UM, AND GET THAT UPDATED.
THE SOLICITER IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR JUDICIAL SYSTEM AND I RESPECT THE WORK THAT HE DOES, AND I'VE HEARD HIS PRESENTATIONS IN THE PAST WITH REGARD TO THESE TWO DIFFERENT SEGMENTS, AND I THINK THEY'RE VALUABLE, UM, TO THE OVERALL, UM, TO THE OVERALL COMMUNITY, FRANKLY.
SO, UM, I'D LIKE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT WHY THE BUDGET ISN'T UPDATED FOR FIVE YEARS AND I RESPECT THE DECISION THAT YOU COME TO.
ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS PARTICULAR AGENCY? SEEING NONE, MS. BURNETT, UM, ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM, I KNOW YOU GOT SOMEONE TAKING NOTES.
UM, WHAT I'M UNDERSTANDING FROM THE COMMENTS FROM THE COMMITTEE AND OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS IS THE RECOMMENDATION HERE WOULD BE ZERO TO DENY FUNDING FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR FOR THIS ORGANIZATION.
OUR WONDERFUL SENIOR GRANTS ADMINISTRATOR IS TAKING WONDERFUL NOTES, SO, OKAY, THANK YOU.
THE SECOND, UM, AGENCY IS BEAUFORT COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
AND BY THE WAY, THE DESCRIPTIONS THAT YOU SEE HERE I ACT ARE ACTUALLY DESCRIPTIONS THAT WE TOOK OUT OF THEIR APPLICATION.
SO THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE REINVENTING THE WHEEL, TRYING TO COME OUT WITH A PURPOSE.
SO THIS ACTUALLY CAME FROM THEIR APPLICATION.
SO AS IT RELATES TO THE B FOUR COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, THEY WORK TO TRANSFORM UNDERUTILIZED PROPERTIES INTO PRODUCTIVE ASSETS, BOOST THE LOCAL TAX BASE, AND CREATE JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE COMMUNITY WHERE THEY FOCUS ON DIVERSIFYING THE COUNTY'S ECONOMY AND PRO UH, ECONOMY AND PROMOTING RESPONSIBLE GROWTH.
THE BUFORT COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION HAS FACILITATED 75 PROJECTS SINCE ITS ESTABLISHMENT IN 2017, GENERATING $503 MILLION IN INVESTMENTS AND CREATING ALL RETAINING 2081 JOBS.
THE ASK IS $42,000 FOR THIS YEAR, AND I'M TRYING TO SEE HERE, AND IT'S THE ASK THE YEAR BEFORE WAS 40,000.
THE ASK IN 2023 WAS 25,000, AND 2022 WAS $25,000.
[00:20:01]
I'M LOOKING AT THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, I NOTICED THAT THE TOTAL INCOME, UM, IT IS DOWN BETWEEN 23 AND 24, IT IS DOWN BY 38%.SO I STARTED LOOKING AT WHY IS THERE SUCH A BIG DECREASE? AND I NOTICED THAT FOR 24, THERE WAS A LINE ITEM THAT WAS THE COUNTY SITE AND JOB FUND INCOME THAT WAS REFLECTED, BUT IT WAS NOT REFLECTED IN THE, IN THE LATEST YEAR.
UM, SO THERE WAS A CHANGE IN INCOME AS WELL BETWEEN 740,000 TO $65,000.
I DON'T KNOW THE REASON WHY THEY DON'T HAVE THE SAME LEVEL OF INCOME, BUT THAT IS A BIG DECREASE IN THEIR TOTAL INCOME AS IT RELATES TO, UM, COST OF GOOD SOLD.
THEY ALSO HAVE A DECREASE OF 20%.
AND THE LINE ITEM THAT IS ACTUALLY REFLECTS IS DECREASE IS THE SPEC BUILDINGS COST, EXCUSE ME, OF $182,000 THAT IS NOT REFLECTED IN 2024.
SO AS I'M LOOKING AT THE WHOLE GROSS PROFIT, THE TOTAL INCOME MINUS THE COST OF GOOD SOLD PLUS IS THE GROSS PROFIT AMOUNT, UH, EQUATES TO ABOUT 46%.
SO IT IS A BIG JUMP IN GROSS PROFIT.
IT WENT FROM $905,000 TO $489,000.
AS I'M LOOKING AT THE EXPENSES, THE EXPENSES ALSO WENT DOWN, BUT NOT AS MUCH AS, AS THE INCOME LEVEL.
SO AS IT RELATES TO NET INCOME, THEY ARE SHOWING A DEBT LOSS FOR FISCAL YEAR 24 COMPARED TO THE YEAR BEFORE, UH, IN 2023, THE NET INCOME WAS $338,000.
IN FISCAL YEAR 24, THERE'S A LOSS OF $61,000.
SO THAT IS A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BOTH YEARS.
AND THAT'S ALL THE INFORMATION THAT I HAVE FOR THEM.
ANY QUESTIONS? IS IT THE REQUEST FROM BEAUFORT COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION IS 42,000 FOR THIS YEAR? THAT'S CORRECT.
AND IS THERE A, AN MOU THAT WE NEED TO DISCUSS WITH ANGIE? NOPE.
I WILL START WITH MS. BRYON THIS TIME.
MR. UM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH AGAIN FOR INFORMATION.
I'LL JUST SAY DITTO EVERY TIME,
UM, BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT.
UM, IT, IT'S INTERESTING THAT, UM, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS A FUNCTION OF A LOCAL GOVERNMENT, UH, A MUNICIPALITY AND A COUNTY BOTH, OFTEN, OFTEN HAVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UM, EITHER A DIRECTOR OR A A DEPARTMENT.
UH, WE DON'T HAVE THAT HERE, BUT WE HAVE, UH, WORKED WELL WITH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION OVER THE YEARS.
UM, AND, UM, IT, IT'S FUNDED BY VARIOUS, UH, MUNICIPALITIES AND THE COUNTY.
UM, BEAUFORT, BLUFFTON, PORT ROYAL, THE TOWN OF HILTON NET ISLAND, ALSO THE COUNTY PROVIDES FUNDING.
SO IT, IT, IT'S A, IT'S, UH, USING SEVERAL DIFFERENT ENTITIES WHO ALONE WOULD HAVE TO SPEND A LOT MORE MONEY TO HAVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
AND CERTAINLY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS IMPORTANT TO US.
IF YOU LOOK AT OUR PLAN, YOU SEE THAT TRYING TO FIND, UM, TO GROW OUR ECONOMY AND TO, UM, FIND OTHER WAYS TO SUPPORT, UM, OUR, OUR LOCAL AND UM, ECONOMY.
ALSO, IF YOU LOOK AT THE REPORT THAT WAS PROVIDED, UM, TO THE AMOUNT THAT WAS PROVIDED OVER THE YEARS IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UM, IT'S IMPRESSIVE, UM, THE IMPACT ON ANNUAL NET REVENUE.
UM, AND THEN THE TOWN IS PROJECTED TO SEE A POSITIVE NET REVENUE IMPACT OF 4.4 MILLION AS A RESULT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
SO IT'S CERTAINLY, UM, AN AGENCY WITH WHOM WE SHOULD HAVE A RELATIONSHIP BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE OUR OWN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, UM, OR DIRECTOR.
UM, SO I SEE A DIFFERENT RELATIONSHIP HERE AS COMPARED TO THE PREVIOUS AGENCY.
UM, AND, UM, I I WOULD SUPPORT, UH, THIS FUNDING AMOUNT THIS YEAR.
UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, I BELIEVE IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.
AND IF I, WHEN I PUT TOGETHER MY LIST OF THE TOP FIVE PRIORITIES FROM A STRATEGIC PLAN, MY PERSONAL ONE INCLUDES ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT IS SO IMPORTANT FOR US TO DIVERSIFY OUR TAX BASE AND TO PROVIDE JOBS.
SO I'M VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THE $42,000 ASK.
AND, UH, BASED ON, UH, MS. BRYSON'S COMMENTS, THE 42,000 PROVIDES A TERRIFIC RETURN ON OF INVESTMENT FOR THE TOWN.
UM, I TOO AM IN SUPPORTIVE OF THE WORK THAT THE, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION IS DOING.
THEY'VE GOT GREAT LEADERSHIP OVER THERE.
OUR VERY OWN MAYOR SITS ON THE BOARD.
SO, UM, THIS IS A CASE WHERE WE INVEST IN WHAT WE VALUE.
OBVIOUSLY, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO US.
[00:25:01]
BEFORE WE MOVE ON, UH, I, AGAIN, WE GET Y'ALL STEPS IN TODAY, GUYS, UM,REBECCA, UM, CAN WE HEAR WHAT YOU'RE THINKING ON THIS ONE, PLEASE? UM, AS AGAIN, UM, JUST LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY, BUT ALSO, UM, I RESPECT THE COMMITTEE'S, UM, PROCESS ON THIS.
AND I DO NOT DISAGREE IN THE DIRECTION THAT YOU'RE HEADING.
I'M NOT GONNA HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS.
IT'S JUST, UH, IT'S A COMMITTEE FUNCTION.
WE'VE GOT THE NOTES ON THAT ONE.
UH, ANY PUBLIC? CAN I JUST ONE POINT OF CLARIFICATION? ABSOLUTELY, PLEASE.
UH, I'M JOHN O'TOOLE, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE, UH, BUFORD COUNTY, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORP.
UH, JUST WITH THE, UM, INCOME LOOKING LIKE IT DROPS, UH, I'LL, I'LL EXPLAIN THIS, THAT WE GET, UM, WE PRESENTLY GET ONE, 1.3 MILS FROM THE COUNTY FOR PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT.
AND SO WE USE THAT FOR DUE DILIGENCE.
WE USE IT FOR APPRAISALS ENGINEERING AND FOR PURCHASING.
AND WE'LL, WE'LL HOPEFULLY IN THE, UH, NEXT BUSINESS WEEK, UH, APPROVE SOME FUNDS FOR BEAUFORT, UH, FOR HILTON HEAD.
UM, AND I SHOULD ADD, I'M A RESIDENT OF HILTON HEAD, SO I'M INVESTED HERE.
UM, BUT WE ONLY DRAW THOSE FUNDS WHEN WE USE THOSE FUNDS.
SO IN 20, IN FISCAL YEAR 20, UH, UH, 2324, THOSE FUNDS WERE A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS IN THE CURRENT YEAR.
AND FOR THE NEXT, UH, UH, FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, WE'RE GONNA GET A A A A 1.3 MIL SET ASIDE, WHICH IS USING TODAY'S DOLLARS, THREE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS.
SO THE INCOME ACTUALLY GREW, BUT IT DOESN'T SHOW ON OUR BALANCE SHEET UNLESS WE DRAW THOSE FUNDS DOWN.
AND WE'RE NOT IN A HURRY TO DO IT.
WE WANT TO PICK THE RIGHT PROJECTS IN EACH COMMUNITY, AND WE'RE IDENTIFYING SOME IN HILTON HEAD AS WELL AS THE OTHER COMMUNITY.
SO THE INCOME ACTUALLY DREW, UH, GREW TREMENDOUSLY, BUT WE, WE PUT THAT IN A FUND AND DRAW IT DOWN AS WE NEED IT.
SO, JUST WANTED, THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION.
IT'S, WE'RE NOT IN, WE'RE NOT IN REVENUE CRISIS.
WE'RE ACTUALLY BOOMING, BUT WE'RE PICKING THE RIGHT SPOTS.
ADRIANA, WE'RE GOOD WITH DIRECTION ON THIS AGENCY, CORRECT? MM-HMM
ALRIGHT, LET'S MOVE ON PLEASE.
THE NEXT AGENCY IS THE COASTAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
THIS ORG UH, THIS AGENCY SEEKS TO INCREASE THE AVAILABILITY OF HOMES FOR OUR LOCAL AND REGIONAL WORKFORCE BY PRESERVING EXISTING HOUSING, REDEVELOPING EXISTING PROPERTY, AND DEVELOPING NEW PROPERTY TO MEET THE DEMAND OF OUR REGION WHILE SERVING WORKING RESIDENTS.
THE CCDC WAS FOUNDED WITH THE BELIEF THAT THE HOUSING CRISIS THAT WE FACE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY AND SURROUNDING AREAS IS AN IMMINENT THREAT TO OUR QUALITY OF LIFE.
THE ASK IS $750,000, AND THEY'RE PLANNING TO ALLOCATE THE FUNDING IN TWO DIFFERENT WAYS.
THE FIRST ONE IS A DOWN PAYMENT CAPITAL FOR PURCHASE OF AFFORDABLE WAREHOUSE WORKFORCE HOUSING FOR $700,000.
AND THE SECOND ONE IS ADMINISTRATIVE OPERATIONS FOR $50,000.
LOOKING AT THEIR FINANCIALS, I UNFORTUNATELY, I DID NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO COMPARE FOR PRIOR YEARS.
I'M LOOKING AT THE 2024 NUMBERS.
THEY ARE A CALENDAR YEAR AGENCY.
UM, THEY DO REFLECT THE TOTAL REVENUE OF $1.9 MILLION.
LOOKING AT THEIR NET AMOUNT, THEIR NET, UM, THEY REFLECT A $61,500 NET.
AND ONE INTERESTING FACTOR, AND AS I'M LOOKING AT THE BALANCE SHEET THAT THEY PROVIDED, THEY SHOW NO LIABILITIES IN THEIR BALANCE SHEET.
I MEAN, SO SOUNDS TO ME THAT IT, IT THEY ARE DOING WELL.
THEY DON'T HAVE ANY LIABILITIES.
UM, AGAIN, THIS IS AN ASSESSMENT BASED ON ONE YEAR.
I DON'T HAVE A WAY OF SAYING, SEEING WHAT IS THE TREND FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS.
SO, UM, TOTAL ASSETS IS $188,000.
AND AGAIN, NO LIABILITIES FOR THIS AGENCY.
AND IS THERE MOU THAT WE NEED TO DISCUSS AT ALL? ANDREW? THERE IS AN MOU IN PLACE WITH, THERE IS AN MOU IN PLACE WITH THE CCDC.
[00:30:02]
OKAY.ONE THING THAT I FAILED TO MENTION, UM, AS IT RELATES TO THIS AGENCY, UM, THEY HAVE APPLIED IN 2025 TO RECEIVE A 600, OR THEY RECEIVE $600,000.
SO THAT'S, THAT WAS THE FIRST APPLICATION I, I SEE IN OUR, IN OUR RECORDS, $600,000 FOR 2025.
SO THE AMOUNT ON THE TABLE FOR THE COASTAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION IS $750,000? YES.
SO IT WENT UP TO SEVEN 50? YES.
SO, UM, SIGNIFICANT INCREASE FROM THE REQUEST IN PRIOR YEARS.
I DON'T QUITE UNDERSTAND HOW THAT'S HAPPENING.
I THOUGHT THEY WERE PUTTING CASH DOWN AND THEN MORTGAGING, UH, THE PROPERTIES THAT THEY PURCHASED.
BUT, UH, THAT DOESN'T IMPACT MY DECISION.
UH, THE FIRST PIECE IS THEY ASK FOR $50,000 IN ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.
UH, BUT IN THE M I'M SORRY, IN THE AFFILIATED AGENCY GRANT, IT SAYS THE ADMINISTRATIVE BUDGET IS FUNDED THROUGH DONATIONS FROM LOCAL BUSINESSES AND RESIDENTS, WHICH TOTAL IN EXCESS OF A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS IN 2024.
SO THAT JUST MADE ME QUESTION WHY THEY WERE ASKING FOR, UM, $50,000 FOR AFFILIATED AGENCY, FOR ADMINISTRATIVE OPTIONS, GIVEN THAT COMMENT.
THE OTHER IS, AGAIN, MY COMMENT ABOUT EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE USE OF FUNDS.
SO, UH, LAST YEAR THERE WAS $600,000 TO PURCHASE 14 UNITS.
AND, UH, WHEN I LOOK AT THAT COST, 600,000 DIVIDED BY 14 THOU, 14 UNITS, THAT'S $42,857 PER CONDO UNIT THAT THE TOWN IS CONTRIBUTING.
UH, IF YOU THINK ABOUT TRYING TO, UM, SUPPORT, UH, WORKFORCE HOUSING, UM, AND JUST FOR FUN, I, I TOOK THE NORTH POINT PROJECT AND SAID IF WE HAD A, WHICH IS AT 160 UNITS, IF WE WERE, UM, FUNDING THAT AT $43,000, WE'D BE SPENDING $6.9 MILLION ON NORTH POINT.
AND WE'RE NOT SPENDING ANYWHERE NEAR THAT.
UH, SO THAT SHOWS A MUCH MORE EFFICIENT USE OF FUNDS.
SO BASED ON THAT, I AM NOT SUPPORTIVE OF, UH, THIS GRANT REQUEST.
BRYSON, UM, I'M LOOKING AT IT THROUGH SOME SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT LENSES.
I'LL SAY LENSES, PLURAL,
BUT AT ANY RATE, UM, SO AS PART OF OUR CURRENT STRATEGIC PLAN, UH, WORKFORCE HOUSING IS AN IMPORTANT ELEMENT.
WE ADOPTED FINDING HOME, UM, IN 2022.
UH, AND, AND SO I, I SEE IT AS AN IMPORTANT, UM, UH, FUNCTION THAT THE TOWN COUNCIL HAS PREVIOUSLY, PREVIOUSLY ADOPTED.
AND THAT IS TO TRY TO HELP WITH WORKFORCE HOUSING IN SOME WAY.
UH, AS I'VE SAID BEFORE, WE CAN'T DO IT ALL.
IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A MENU OF OPPORTUNITIES.
UM, AND THIS CORPORATION WAS SET UP TO PROVIDE SOME OPPORTUNITY OF THAT MENU.
UM, IN ADDITION, UM, THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD, THE TOWN COUNCIL, PREVIOUS TOWN COUNCIL, REQUESTED A CHANGE TO THE ATEC STATUTES TO BE ABLE TO USE SOME FUNDS FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING.
UM, AND, UM, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE CONTINUE TO DO THAT, UM, BECAUSE WE WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THAT FINANCIAL SOURCE, UM, TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES LOOKING CAREFULLY AT THOSE OPPORTUNITIES AND MAKING SURE IT'S A GOOD INVESTMENT OF FUNDS AVAILABLE.
UM, WHILE, UH, WHILE BEING MINDFUL OF, UH, THE OTHER, UM, AGENCIES AND COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES THAT WE FUND THROUGH AAX DOLLARS.
UM, SO, UH, I WAS WONDERING, UM, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, UM, AT THE TIME, UM, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, UM, ASKED FOR FUNDING, THEN THE PROPER PROCESS THEY WERE TOLD WAS TO COME THROUGH AFFILIATED AGENCIES, AND THAT'S HOW THEY LANDED HERE.
I'VE DESCRIBED THIS PROCESSES AS GROWING LIKE TOPSY
AND WE'RE TALKING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW TO STRUCTURE THAT TODAY.
UM, SO I LOOK BACK AT OUR BUDGET FOR 24, 25 TO SEE, UM, HOW WE HAD ALLOCATED ATEX FUNDS, UM, AND, UM, FOR, UH, FOR HOUSING.
AND WE HAVE A HOUSING FUND, A SEPARATE FUND CALLED A HOUSING FUND.
AND FOR THE BUDGET FOR 24 25, IT'S $4 MILLION.
UH, 1 MILLION COMES FROM STATE A TAX, WHICH IS WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, ANOTHER PRIOR YEAR, HOUSING FUNDS, UM, OF 2 MILLION AND PRIOR YEAR FUNDS FROM ARPA, UH, AMERICAN RESCUE PROTECTION, I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT ARPA STANDS FOR, BUT SOME SORT OF AMERICAN RESCUE RESCUE PLAN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UM, OF A MILLION DOLLARS, A TOTAL
[00:35:01]
OF 4 MILLION.AND THEN I LOOKED TO SEE, UM, HOW THOSE FUNDS WERE TO BE ALLOCATED.
UM, AND THE TOWN HAS SOME WORKFORCE HOUSING PROJECTS AS WELL.
MS. TONER MENTIONED NORTH POINT, AND WE'VE SET ASIDE A MILLION DOLLARS OF THAT 4 MILLION FOR NORTH POINT.
UM, THEN, UH, THE TOWN ALSO PURCHASED SOME PROPERTY ON BRYANT ROAD, UM, IN THE MUDDY CREEK AREA.
AND WE'VE SET ASIDE IN THE BUDGET A MILLION DOLLARS, UH, FOR THE BRYANT ROAD PROJECT, AND THEN ALSO RECOGNIZING THAT, UH, THAT PROPERTY IS PART OF A, A LARGER NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WE THOUGHT, UM, NEEDED SOME MORE OPPORTUNITIES.
UM, AND SO WE'VE CREATED THE MUDDY CREEK NEIGHBORHOOD STABILIZATION, CIP, AND THAT AMOUNT IS 1.5 MILLION.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE AN AGREEMENT, UH, WITH, UM, OTHER, UH, MUNICIPALITIES AND THE COUNTY AND THE, UH, AND TWO COUNTIES, BEAUFORT, JASPER HOUSING TRUST DUES, AND THAT AMOUNT IS 89,206.
AND THEN THERE'S SOME OTHER WORKFORCE HOUSING COSTS THAT HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN IT OF A LITTLE OVER ALMOST $411 MILLION, TOTALING THAT $4 MILLION.
SO, UH, IN, IN THE ADOPTED BUDGET FOR 24 25, WE DON'T HAVE, UM, ATEX FUNDS SET ASIDE FOR, UM, UH, AN AGENCY LIKE THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
UM, AND, UH, I'M SORRY, I SHOULD BE SAYING COASTAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
I KNEW I LEFT OUT ONE OF THE SEAS.
UM, SO IT, IT, AND LOOKING AT OUR, THE FORECAST OF OUR BUDGET YEAR, UM, THE COMING BUDGET YEAR, AND, UH, WITH OUR GOAL OF NOT INCREASING MILLAGE RATE, UM, YOU KNOW, WHERE DO WE LOOK FOR FUNDS? UM, AND SO THAT'S WHY I WAS LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, DO WE HAVE ATEX FUNDS AVAILABLE AND WHAT HAVE WE ALLOCATED? WE DON'T YET KNOW WHAT OUR, UM, UH, PLAN IS GONNA BE FOR THE HOUSING FUND FOR THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR OF 25 26.
UM, AND SO I DON'T YET KNOW IF WE'RE GONNA HAVE ANY OTHER FUNDS AVAILABLE WITHIN THE HOUSING FUND, UM, TO, TO FUND THIS REQUEST.
UM, BUT I'M ALSO MINDFUL THAT WHILE, UH, MAYBE WHAT WE WOULDN'T WANT TO BE INVESTING IS, AS MS. HUNTER POINTED OUT THAT AMOUNT, UM, THAT THERE HAVE BEEN 14 UNITS ACQUIRED, UM, AND, AND GIVEN SOME RELIEF TO WORKFORCE HOUSING WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO I THINK THERE'S, UM, THERE'S A LOT TO BE SAID FOR THIS TYPE OF REQUEST.
UM, MY QUESTION IS, ARE THERE FUNDS AVAILABLE, BECAUSE WE'VE ALREADY DECIDED WHICH COURSE WE WANT TO FOLLOW WITH SOME OF OUR HOUSING FUNDS.
SO, UM, UM, AS, AS YOU CAN TELL, I'M A LITTLE BIT CONFLICTED ABOUT IT.
I I WOULDN'T SUPPORT THE 750,000, BUT THE QUESTION IS, UH, WOULD I SUPPORT A LOWER AMOUNT? AND MR. CHAIR, I'M SORRY, I CAN'T GIVE A CLEAR DECISION ON THAT AT THIS POINT BECAUSE I HAVE SOME REMAINING QUESTIONS ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THERE ARE FUNDS AVAILABLE.
SO I'M, I'M ASSUMING THAT THE FUNDS QUESTION REFERS TO OUR NEXT FISCAL YEAR, OUR NEXT 2026 YEAR.
UM, I'M NOT IN POSITION TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION RIGHT NOW, BUT, UH, IT'S SOMETHING THAT I WILL MAKE SURE I ADDRESS DURING OUR MEETINGS, UPCOMING MEETINGS THAT, UH, WE'RE HAVING AS IT RELATES TO BUDGET.
UM, WHERE I AM WITH THIS ONE, UM, MS. BURNETT, UM, IT WAS PART OF DISCUSSION WHEN WE GRANTED THE 600,000 AND, UM, AT THAT POINT, UM, YOU WERE JUST ON THE HEELS OF SETTING UP THE AT TAX, UM, OPPORTUNITY WITH THE, UH, AMOUNT THAT WE CAN USE TOWARDS HOUSING.
UM, TO MS. BRYSON'S POINT, AT THAT TIME, THERE WAS, UH, SOME CALCULATIONS DONE TO OFFER THAT WE HAD ATEX DOLLARS AVAILABLE TO MAKE SOME ALLOCATIONS.
WE CHOSE, UH, CCDC AS WELL AS HABITAT, UM, AS, UH, AGENCIES THAT WILL ASSIST IN OUR, UH, HOUSING EFFORTS, UM, AS WE CONTINUE TO GET BETTER AT THIS PROCESS.
UM, I THINK THERE'S BEEN A QUESTION, UM, POSED TO COUNCIL ABOUT HOW ANY AGENCY THAT IS WILLING TO HELP US WITH HOUSING GETS TO THE TABLE TO HAVE THE DISCUSSION.
SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE KEEP THAT DOOR OPEN.
UM, BUT AS FAR AS, UH, THE, UH, REQUEST THAT'S IN FRONT OF US, UM, I'VE ALWAYS VIEWED THE ORIGINAL, UH, ALLOCATION AS SORT OF A STARTUP, UH, SHOT IN THE ARM TO GET THEM GOING.
AND OBVIOUSLY THEY ARE GOING, THEY'VE ALREADY PURCHASED
UM, AND I, AND PROBABLY MORE ON, ON THE WAY.
UH, SO AT THIS POINT I AM, UH, NOT IN FAVOR OF SUPPORTING, UM, THE REQUEST OF 750 K AND TO BE MORE DIRECT, MY, UH, SUGGESTION WOULD BE ZERO.
[00:40:02]
ALL RIGHT.I WILL, BEFORE YOU MOVE YOU, DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? MAY I ASK A QUESTION? SURE.
UM, SO BASED ON, ON THE DISCUSSION THAT WE JUST HAD WITH ABOUT AT TAX, IS THE COMMITTEE'S THINKING THAT MAYBE WE CAN POTENTIALLY UTILIZE AT TAX FOR ANYTHING IN RELATION TO HOUSING GOING FORWARD, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO EXPLORE? IS THAT WHAT I HEARD? WELL, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE ARE DOING, WE, WE HAVE ALREADY SAID AS A BODY OKAY.
THAT A PERCENTAGE OF OUR AT TAX DOLLARS CAN BE USED FOR HOUSING.
UM, WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND MOVING FORWARD AS WE GO THROUGH THIS EXERCISE OF TRADITIONAL AT TAX, WHICH GOES TOWARDS TOURISM RELATED OPPORTUNITIES.
OBVIOUSLY THE TOWN ALSO HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PAY ITSELF AT TAX DOLLARS TO USES THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH TOURISM.
UM, SO WE ARE, WE'RE GOING THROUGH THAT EXERCISE OF APPLIANCE, SOME PERCENTAGES YES.
AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT AS WE'RE HAVING THAT CONVERSATION, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HOUSING AS WELL.
SINCE WE HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY.
AND TO MS. BRYSON'S POINT, AS WE'RE MOVING FORWARD, WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND AS WE'RE PROJECTING AT TAX DOLLARS, WHAT IS GOING TO BE AVAILABLE.
SO WE'RE NOT IN THE DARK AS FAR AS WHAT WE CAN USE OR NOT USE.
THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION.
UH, LAST YEAR WHEN THIS PROPOSAL CAME BEFORE THE FINANCE COMMITTEE AND COUNCIL, IT WAS A BRAND NEW ORGANIZATION WITH A BRAND NEW CONCEPT AND NO PRIOR EXPERIENCE HERE OR ELSEWHERE.
UH, NOW WE ARE IN A SITUATION WHERE THEY'VE HAD A YEAR OF OPERATION AND AS I LOOK AT IT, THEY HAVE DONE WHAT THEY SAID THEY WERE GONNA DO.
WORKFORCE HOUSING IS A ONE OF OUR HIGHEST PRIORITIES IN TERMS OF WHERE THE TOWN SHOULD BE SPENDING ITS DOLLARS AND ITS EFFORTS.
UH, I UNDERSTAND THAT THE BANG FOR BUCK, IF MS. HUNTER INDICATES IS NOT GREAT.
UH, THE SAME WAS TRUE FOR HABITAT, WHICH WE APPROVED LAST YEAR AS WELL.
UH, WE ARE FORTUNATE THAT WE'VE HAD SOME PRIVATE AGENCIES WHO HAVE IN FACT PUT WORKFORCE HOUSING ON THE MARKET AND AVAILABLE ALREADY.
BUT IN TERMS OF WHAT THE TOWN HAS DONE, UH, WITH ITS DOLLARS, THESE 14 UNITS THAT CCDC PUT ON ARE THE ONLY ONES THAT COME OUT OF ANY TOWN EXPENDITURES.
AND UNTIL WE GET INTO A POSITION WHERE WE CAN HAVE A BIGGER, UH, RESULT FROM TOWN DOLLARS, I WOULD BE IN FAVOR OF SUPPORTING A GRANT.
UH, NOT IN THE AMOUNT OF SEVEN 50, BUT IN A SMALLER AMOUNT.
DO YOU HAVE A SMALLER AMOUNT IN MIND, MR. ALFRED? YEAH, I'M THINKING IN THE FOUR TO $500, A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS RANGE.
DECIMAL, I KNOW YOU SAID THAT YOU WERE GOING TO SIT TIGHT, BUT I WANNA STILL OFFER THE OPPORTUNITY IF YOU HAD ANY REACTION TO ANYTHING THAT'S BEEN SAID, MS. BECCA.
SO, UM, THANK YOU AGAIN AND, UH, WITH REGARD TO CCDC, UM, I DO HAVE A QUESTION.
DO WE KNOW THAT THOSE 14 UNITS WERE PURCHASED, UM, HERE ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND WITHIN OUR TOWN LIMITS, OR ARE THEY IN OTHER AREAS? I BELIEVE THEY'RE ON HILTON HEAD.
I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN CONFIRMATION OF THAT AS WELL AS CONFIRMATION THAT OF ALL THOSE UNITS THAT HAVE BEEN PURCHASED, UM, WHETHER THEY'RE HERE ON HILTON HEAD OR ELSEWHERE, HOW MANY VACANCIES CURRENTLY EXIST.
UM, CCDC IS OUTSIDE OF THE REALM OF WHAT I WOULD THINK OF AS AN AFFILIATED AGENCY, AND THEREFORE, UM, I AM NOT IN, UH, IN AGREEMENT TO DO ANY FUNDING AND IT WOULD BE A ZERO FOR ME.
OKAY, MS. BURNETT, UM, IS ANYONE FROM CCDC THAT CAN ANSWER MS UH, BECCA'S QUESTION DIRECTLY? AS FAR AS THE AMOUNT OF, THERE'S NO ONE, NO, UNFORTUNATELY THERE'S NO ONE.
UM, BEFORE WE GIVE YOU NODS HERE, UM, I WANNA GIVE ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON THIS PARTICULAR REQUEST.
UH, ANY FINAL THOUGHTS FROM MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, UH, MR. CHAIR AND, AND,
[00:45:01]
UM, APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS OF, UH, ALL MY COLLEAGUES ON THE TOWN COUNCIL.UM, AND, AND I GUESS YOU HEARD ME BEING A LITTLE FUZZY ABOUT WHAT I WOULD DO.
UM, SO WHAT I'M GONNA SUGGEST IS THAT, UM, WE ASK THE STAFF TO LOOK TO SEE IF THERE ARE ANY FUNDS AVAILABLE, UM, FOR THIS ORGANIZATION TO THE TUNE OF SOMETHING THAT MR. ALFRED IS SUGGESTING.
UM, CERTAINLY LOWER THAN $750,000 LOWER THAN 600,000 OF LAST YEAR.
UM, YOU KNOW, I WOULD EVEN SAY MAYBE 300,000, BUT MAYBE SOMETHING IN THE 300 TO $500,000 RANGE.
UM, AND, AND PUT IT LIKE AS AN ASTERISK DOWN AT THE BOTTOM IF FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE OKAY.
THAT'S WHERE I'M THINKING AT THIS POINT.
UM, SO I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE MOVING ALONG HERE.
SO I APPRECIATE WHERE MS. BRYSON IS GOING.
UM, SO I'M GOING TO ASK AS YOU TAKE YOUR NOTE HERE, UM, THAT THIS PARTICULAR, UH, ITEM BE, UH, TAKEN BACK UP AT THE END ONCE WE GO THROUGH ALL OF 'EM.
'CAUSE IT MAY REQUIRE A SEPARATE MOTION ON THIS PARTICULAR ONE DEPENDING ON HOW WE COME OUT ON THE REST OF THEM.
SO LET'S JUST PUT AN ASTERISK NEXT TO IT.
WE'LL COME BACK TO IT AT THE END.
THE NEXT AGENCY IS THE COASTAL D MUSEUM.
THE MUSEUM WAS FOUNDED IN 1985.
THE COASTAL DISCOVERY MUSEUM HAS BEEN HILTON HEAD, HILTON HEAD ISLAND CENTER OF PRESERVATION EDUCATION AND CELEBRATION FOR THE PAST 25 YEARS.
THE MUSEUM IS A 5 0 1 C3 AND DOESN'T CHARGE ADMISSION FEE, BUT VOLUNTARY DONATIONS ARE ACCEPTED.
THE ASK THIS YEAR IS 141,650 AND THE ALLOCATION IS AS FOLLOWS.
UH, THEY WOULD LIKE TO USE THE MONEY FOR SALARY, SALARY EXPENSES FOR TO SUPPORT THE SALARY FOR A DIRECTOR OF FINANCE, 50%, A CURATOR OF EDUCATION, 70% A MUSEUM EDUCATOR, 70% FOR A TOTAL OF 111,650.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, THEY ARE REQUESTING 50% FOR A HORTICULTURALIST FOR $30,000.
SO AS I'M LOOKING AT THE COASTAL DISCOVERY MUSEUM FINANCIALS, UH, I ACTUALLY WENT BACK TO 2022 AND TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE ASK AND THE CHANGES AS IT RELATES TO, TO EXPENSES AS IT RELATES TO INCOME.
AND I DO HAVE SOME OBSERVATIONS AND AT THE SAME TIME SOME QUESTIONS.
SO LOOKING BETWEEN, UM, 2024 AND 2025, I NOTICED THAT THERE'S AN EX, THERE'S, UH, A DONATION HERE FROM SANTA LENA DONATIONS THAT THEY HAVE NOT RECEIVED DURING THE LAST THREE YEARS.
BUT NOW IN 25, THAT AMOUNT IS AS PART OF THEIR BUDGET FOR 25 AND IS AS PART OF THEIR BUDGET FOR 26.
UH, WHICH I FIND VERY INTERESTING BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT RECEIVED A DONATION IN THE LAST THREE YEARS BY ADDING THAT DONATION, IT INCREASES THEIR TOTAL INCOME BY $200,000 TO AN AMOUNT OF $1.9 MILLION COMPARED TO THE YEAR BEFORE OF 1,000,009.
UM, IF WE LOOK AT THAT AND TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION, WE'RE LOOKING AT, AT AN INCREASE IN INCOME BY 13%.
HOWEVER, I'M LOOKING AT THE PERSONNEL AND I'M LOOKING AT THE EXPENSES FOR PERSONNEL.
THE PERSONNEL EXPENSES HAVE INCREASED BY BETWEEN 23 AND 24.
AND IF I'M LOOKING BETWEEN 24 AND WHAT THEY'RE BUDGETING FOR 25, I SEE AN INCREASE OF 35%.
SO PERSONNEL EXPENSES ARE INCREASING AT A RAPID RATE COMPARED TO THE REVENUE THAT THE, THE MUSEUM IS SHOWING IN THEIR FINANCIALS.
ANOTHER, UM, ANOTHER, UM, OBSERVATION AS IT RELATES TO PROPERTY RENTAL INCOME.
UM, NOTICE THAT THE LAST TIME THEY REFLECTED PROPERTY RENTAL INCOME WAS IN 2024.
I DON'T SEE THE AMOUNT BUDGETED IN 25, NOR I SEE IT IN 2026.
ONE THING THAT I DO WANT TO MENTION AND MAKE YOU AWARE IS AS LOOKING AT ALL THE DIFFERENT CONTRIBUTIONS THAT THE TOWN IS DOING AS IT RELATES TO THE MUSEUM, UM, I'M LOOKING AT 2025 AND I CAN GO BACK ACTUALLY TO
[00:50:01]
PRIOR YEARS IF THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT ME TO, BUT I'M LOOKING AT 2025.UM, THE ASK WAS $107,700 FOR AFFILIATED AGENCY FUNDING AND THEY ALSO, UM, RECEIVED FOR, UH, EIGHT TAX GRANT MONEY FOR $400,000.
AND THEY ALSO RECEIVE CIP FUNDING FOR 628,500.
AND ALSO THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT IS ALSO PROVIDING, UM, WHAT THEY CALL BOOKKEEPING SERVICES FOR THE COST.
I'M LOOKING AT ALL THE DIFFERENT PEOPLE WITHIN MY TEAM THAT ARE DOING SOME KIND OF WORK FOR ON BEHALF OF THE MUSEUM.
AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NINE DIFFERENT PEOPLE.
AND THE COST ASSOCIATED WITH THE NINE PEOPLE IN MY TEAM IS ABOUT $57,000.
SO IF I ADD THE $57,000 TO ALL THE DIFFERENT GRANTS AND CIP FUNDING THAT WE HAVE PROVIDED, WE HAVE A TOTAL FOR 2025 OF $1.2 MILLION COMPARED TO 2024.
IN 2024, THE TOTAL IS $573,000.
COMPARING 2023, THE TOTAL IS $1.3 MILLION.
SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE YOU AWARE THAT, UM, THEY, THEY RECEIVE ADDITIONAL FUNDING OTHER THAN THE AFFILIATED AGENCY FUNDING.
UM, MS. STONE, THE MOU WITH, UH, COASTAL DISCOVERY MUSEUM.
UM, JACOB, IF YOU CAN ADJUST MS. STONE'S MIC FOR THE NEXT TIME.
UM, BUT THERE IS AN MOU IN PLACE THAT SPEAKS TO MANAGEMENT FEE AND THE MAINTENANCE OF THE GROUNDS THAT BELONG TO THE TOWN IS WHAT YOU'RE DESCRIBING, CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
AND, UM, DO WE KNOW OFFHAND IF THE MOU ALSO COVERS THE ACCOUNTING PORTION THAT MS. BURNETT HAS BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION? IT DOES.
UM, BUT THERE, THERE MAY BE SOME OPPORTUNITY HERE TO HAVE FURTHER DISCUSSION ABOUT THE MOU AND MAYBE SOME REVISIONS TO IT ALONG THE WAY.
GIVEN THAT THERE IS A, A, A POSITION LISTED IN THEIR, THEIR POSITIONS THAT WOULD, UM, PERHAPS BE ABLE TO ASSUME SOME OF THAT RESPONSIBILITY.
YEAH, THEY DO HAVE A FINANCE DIRECTOR.
SO MY ASSUMPTION IS, AND, AND A QUESTION IS WHY IS THIS PERSON NOT DOING THE FUNCTIONS THAT, UH, THE FINANCE TEAM, UH, STAFF, UH, ARE DOING RIGHT NOW? OKAY.
UM, ANA, I THINK I'M GOING TO THE RIGHT ROTATION.
UH, COASTAL DISCOVERY MUSEUM, UM, I REALLY SEE THIS AS A, UM, GREAT EXAMPLE OF AN AFFILIATED AGENCY.
THIS IS TOWN OWNED LAND AND, UH, THE COASTAL DISCOVERY MUSEUM RUNS OUR MUSEUM ON BEHALF OF THE TOWN.
AND, UM, OTHERWISE THE TOWN WOULD BE RUNNING IT.
SO I THINK IT MEETS THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT, UH, DESCRIPTION OF AFFILIATED AGENCY, IT ALSO HAS A HIGH NUMBER OF USERS, 129,000 PEOPLE COME TO THE COASTAL DISCOVERY MUSEUM.
AND IT'S STRUCTURED IN SUCH A WAY, IT MAY SEEM LIKE WE'RE SPENDING A LOT OF MONEY ON IT, BUT THAT'S BECAUSE WE HAVE DECIDED AS A TOWN THAT WE WANT IT TO BE FREE AND ACCESSIBLE AND ONLY PROGRAM CHARGES FOR SPECIAL TYPES OF PROGRAMS, UM, OCCUR.
SO THAT IS THE, THE BUSINESS MODEL.
I APPRECIATE THE TRANSPARENCY REGARDING ALL OF THE OTHER BENEFITS, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT ORGANIZATIONS ARE GETTING, THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT I FEEL FELT WAS LACKING IN THE PAST.
SO THAT THERE'S A LOT OF TRANSPARENCY ABOUT THE OTHER BENEFITS INCLUDING THE MANAGEMENT FEE, UM, THE LANDSCAPING SUPPORT ACCOUNTING, ET CETERA.
AND I THINK IT'S GREAT THAT WE ARE CALLING THAT OUT AND MAKING THAT TRANSPARENT.
UM, I DID HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, IT IS A CULTURAL ASSET AND I'M VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THE COASTAL DISCOVERY MUSEUM.
I JUST HAD A QUESTION REGARDING THE, UH, HORTICULTURE SALARY AT 50% IN THE, UH, WRITEUP, IT TALKS ABOUT THAT THIS INDIVIDUAL, UH, WOULD WORK ON THE INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT, UH, STRATEGY AND ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY LANDSCAPING.
AND I KNOW THAT THAT HAS, UH, YOU KNOW, A FOCUS OF OUR TOWN RESOURCES AS WELL.
AND SO, ALTHOUGH THEY'RE ONLY ASKING FOR 50%
[00:55:01]
AT $30,000, I JUST HAD A QUESTION AS TO IS THERE ANY DUPLICATION OF EFFORT BETWEEN WHAT THE TOWN PROVIDES AND THE HORTICULTURIST WOULD PROVIDE? BUT OTHER THAN THAT QUESTION THAT I'M JUST LOOKING FOR AN ANSWER FOR, I AM SUPPORTIVE OF THE, UM, AMOUNT ASKED FOR.UM, AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE WANNA GO INTO THE M MO MOU NOW, OR DO YOU WANNA WAIT FOR COMMENTS ON THE MO? WELL, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS YOU'VE ASKED AND A FEW THAT, UH, MS. BURNETT HAVE, UH, BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION, I'M GOING TO ASK THAT MR. WICKS COME UP AND GO THROUGH THOSE AT THAT TIME.
WE CAN ASK HIM THE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MOU, BUT WAIT REX, BECAUSE WE MAY HAVE MORE THAT COME FROM MS. BRYON
UM, AND THE, THE AMOUNT, UM, THAT MS. T IS REFERENCING FOR THE COASTAL DISCOVERY MUSEUM IS 141,650.
WE'LL, WE'LL PUT A PEN IN YOUR MOU QUESTIONS AS WELL.
MS. BRISON, UM, I AGREE THAT, UH, THERE'S A STRONG RELATIONSHIP HERE.
WE HAVE A LONGSTANDING AGREEMENT.
UH, IT RUNS FROM 2017 TO 2027, UM, AND IT'S TOWN ON PROPERTY.
UH, THE DISCOVERY MUSEUM, UH, TAKES CARE OF OUR PROPERTY AND HAS, UM, FOCUSED ON REBUILDING HISTORIC BUILDINGS THERE.
UM, AND AS MS. HUNTER MENTIONED, UH, WITHOUT, UH, CHARGING THE PUBLIC TO COME THERE TO SEE THIS MAGNIFICENT FACILITY.
UM, AND, AND I NOTED IN ADDITION TO THE NUMBER THAT YOU MENTIONED, THAT SINCE, UM, UM, SINCE 2007 WHEN THEY FIRST HOSTED VISITORS AT HONEY HORN, WHICH WHERE THE, HOW THE PROPERTY, THE WHOLE PROPERTY'S NAME, UH, THEY'VE REACHED OVER 1.7 MILLION PATRONS, INCLUDING OVER 1 MILLION TOURISTS.
UM, AND THE TOWN GRANT HAS PROVIDED SUPPORT OVER THE PAST 23 YEARS, AND GOVERNMENTAL FUNDING PROVIDES APPROXIMATELY 30% OF THEIR OPERATING BUDGET.
THEY HAVE, UH, OTHER SOURCES OF INCOME, UM, GRANTS AND, AND DONATIONS.
UM, AND, UM, I DID NOTE THAT WITH REGARD TO ST.
HELENA, AND, AND MR. GARMENTS CAN CERTAINLY ADDRESS YOUR QUESTION, UM, THAT THEY HAD, UM, UH, RECENTLY COMPLETED A $1.8 MILLION PROJECT TO RENOVATE THE EXISTING HAY BARN INTO AN EXHIBIT, SORRY EXHIBITION SPACE TO TELL THE STORY OF ST.
ATLANTA NAMED IN 1526 ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND AND IN 1566 ON PARIS ISLAND AS THE FIRST EUROPEAN CAPITAL IN NORTH AMERICA.
AND THE FIRST CHAPTER OF AMERICAN HISTORY IS NOW IN, UM, THE FOURTH AND EIGHTH GRADE TEXTBOOKS IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
UM, SO THERE'LL BE AN INCREASED DEMAND FOR EDUCATORS TO COME TO THAT.
SO I'M JUST WONDERING IF MAYBE THERE'S A DIFFERENCE IN THE, IN THE AMOUNT FROM, UH, SOMETHING REFERRED TO ST.
I SEE SAINT HELENA IN HERE IN ST.
HELENA AS WELL, UM, IS WHAT I KNOW.
BUT, UM, AT ANY RATE, UM, PERHAPS THAT MR. GARANCE CAN ADDRESS THAT QUESTION MM-HMM
IN ADDITION, UM, TO THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE HORTICULTURIST.
UM, I DO NOTE, UM, THAT, UH, IN THE APPLICATION, THE DISCOVERY MUSEUM HAS RAISED $60,000 OF A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS GOAL TO DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE MASTER PLAN TO INCLUDE A BOTANICAL GARDEN.
AND THAT WOULD BE, UM, RESPONSIBILITY OF THAT HORTICULTURIST POSITION.
SO I THINK THE RELATIONSHIP ALSO TO THE TOWN'S, UH, NEW, UH, PEST MANAGEMENT POLICY IS BECAUSE IT'S CERTAINLY, UM, AN AREA WHERE WE COULD SEE THE USE OF ORGANIC MATERIALS AND HOW THEY FUNCTION BECAUSE OF THE SIZE OF THE PROPERTY.
UM, SO, BUT MR. GARIC CAN BETTER ADDRESS THAT QUESTION THAN I CAN, BUT I THINK THAT'S PART OF IT, IS THAT THAT'S NOT THE ONLY THING THIS HORTICULTURIST WOULD BE DOING.
UM, AND, AND I'M, I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THE FULL REQUEST IS MY BOTTOM LINE.
MR. GARIC, IF YOU COULD APPROACH PLEASE, SIR.
YEAH, I THINK, I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF QUESTIONS.
SO DO YOU HAVE AN ORDER YOU'D LIKE ME TO ANSWER THEM IN? ABSOLUTELY.
ELENA, UH, QUESTION AS FAR AS THE INCOME SIDE OF IT, PLEASE.
UH, ONE OF THE REASONS WE HAVE, WE'VE HAD THAT SORT OF PAUSE IN SANTA ELENA DONATIONS IS 'CAUSE WE WERE CONSTRUCTING THE BUILDING AND THEN DEVELOPING THE EXHIBITION.
UM, WE HAVE A PROJECTION, UM, ABOUT A YEAR OUT OF OPENING THAT EXHIBITION.
AND SO I HAVE STARTED, UM, ACTIVELY FUNDRAISING FOR THAT.
AND WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH MARINE CORPS MARINE RECRUIT, UH, CORE DEPOT, PARIS ISLAND ON ARTIFACT LOANS.
AND WE'RE BRINGING ARTIFACTS FROM THE ACTUAL SITE TO THE MUSEUM DOING THAT EXHIBITION AND THEN DEVELOPING EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING, UM, FOR ALL OF THE, ALL OF THE SCHOOL KIDS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
UM, AND WE REACH, UH, SIX TO 7,000 KIDS A YEAR THROUGH OUR PROGRAMS. A LOT OF THOSE ARE KIDS ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND IN BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS.
UM, AND SO THAT, THAT, THAT IS MOVING FORWARD AND I THINK IT WILL CREATE A REAL HISTORICAL FOCUS FOR COASTAL DISCOVERY MUSEUM AND SERVING THE COMMUNITY AS, AS
[01:00:01]
TELLING AND TELLING THAT STORY.NEXT, UH, CAN WE FOCUS AROUND THE SALARY INCREASE? AND PLEASE GIVE US, UM, A BIT MORE PARTICULARS ABOUT THE HORTICULTURAL, UH, OPPORTUNITY, THE OVERALL SALARY INCREASE IN THE MUSEUM OVER YEARS? YEAH.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE, UM, WENT THROUGH A STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS TWO YEARS AGO AND MADE THE DETERMINATION THAT TO BETTER CARE FOR OUR PROPERTY AND SERVE THE COMMUNITY WE NEEDED TO GROW OUR STAFF.
AND SO I AM IN THE PROCESS OF DOING THAT.
WE HAVE ACTUALLY ADDED A SECOND MUSEUM EDUCATOR WHERE THE REQUEST HAS NOT BEEN ADDED TO OUR AFFILIATED AGENCIES, UM, THAT WE ARE FUNDING INDEPENDENTLY BECAUSE WE NEEDED MORE STAFF TO COVER, PARTICULARLY OUR LIVE ANIMAL PROGRAMMING AND A LOT OF THAT, UM, UM, PROGRAMMING THAT WE DO FOR FAMILIES AND SCHOOL GROUPS.
UM, AND I HAVE ADDED A DEPUTY DIRECTOR TO MY STAFF TO FREE UP MY TIME SO THAT I CAN FOCUS ON FUNDRAISING, UM, FOR SANTA ELENA FOR OTHER PROJECTS.
AND THIS IS PRIMARILY LIKE PRIVATE FUNDRAISING.
AND SO WE WANNA BRING, WE WANT TO GROW THE MUSEUM BUT BRING MORE PRIVATE MONEY TO THE TABLE SO THAT WE'RE NOT INCREASING OUR TOWN REQUEST.
AND SO YOU DO SEE OUR SALARY GO UP WITH THE HORTICULTURALIST POSITION IN PARTICULAR.
UM, WE ARE WORKING ON PLANNING A BOTANICAL GARDEN AT THE MUSEUM AND I THINK ONE OF OUR BIGGEST ASSETS IS THE 70 ACRE HONEY HORN PROPERTY.
A LOT OF PEOPLE, UM, FROM THE TOWN OF HILTON HAD ISLAND USED THAT PROPERTY FOR LEISURE ACTIVITIES, EVERYTHING FROM RUNNING TO DOG WALKING, AND WE REALLY WANT TO ENHANCE THAT PROPERTY FOR THE COMMUNITY.
UM, I WAS DOWN IN FLORIDA A COUPLE WEEKS AGO LOOKING AT TWO BIG BOTANICAL GARDENS, UM, THAT ARE DRAWS FOR THEIR CITIES AND THAT PEOPLE THOROUGHLY ENJOY.
AND THAT'S MY VISION AT, AT COASTAL DISCOVERY MUSEUM AND HONEY HORN IS THAT WE REALLY ACTIVATE THIS OUTDOOR SPACE AND WE CANNOT DO THAT WITHOUT A HORTICULTURALIST.
AND SO, UH, I I THINK THAT'S ACTUALLY A, LIKE A COST SAVINGS FOR US VERSUS HIRING AN OUTSIDE FIRM TO COME IN AND DO ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE LANDSCAPING.
I WANT TO GROW THAT CAPACITY IN-HOUSE TO HAVE A HORTICULTURALIST.
UM, AND WE HAVE ACTUALLY HAVE A PART-TIME PERSON THAT WE HIRED, UM, THREE WEEKS AGO.
UM, AND SHE'S ALREADY MADE A HUGE IMPACT ON, ON WHAT WE CAN DO ON THAT PROPERTY.
AND SO I THINK THAT'S A, THAT'S A BIG INVESTMENT FOR THE TOWN AND FOR THE COMMUNITY.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE THE INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT.
I THINK AS PART OF THAT, WHAT WE WANNA LOOK AT ARE, UM, LANDSCAPING OPPORTUNITIES THAT REQUIRE LESS HERBICIDES AND PESTICIDES, UM, THAT ARE DESIGNED FROM A HORTICULTURAL PERSPECTIVE RATHER THAN FROM AN APPLICATION PERSPECTIVE.
AND I THINK HONEY HORN'S A GREAT, UM, PROPERTY TO PILOT A PROGRAM LIKE THAT, UM, WHERE WE'RE IN ALIGNMENT WITH WHAT THE TOWN'S DOING AND WE'RE ALSO SORT OF A TEST SITE FOR, FOR SOME OF THOSE ACTIVITIES.
UM, THE BOOKKEEPING AND ACCOUNTING PIECE.
UM, SO ON, ON THE BOOKKEEPING AND ACCOUNTING, THE, YOU KNOW, OUR DIRECTOR OF FINANCE, UH, ALSO DOES A LOT OF OTHER LIKE MANAGEMENT, UH, AT THE MUSEUM.
BUT I WOULD SAY THE, THE ORIGINAL MOU WITH THE TOWN GOING BACK OVER 20 YEARS, ALWAYS HAD THE TOWN COVERING OUR ACCOUNTING.
UM, AND WE DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE, UM, ACCESS TO THE MUNI SYSTEM.
AND SO I THINK IF WE HAD FULL ACCESS TO THE MUNI SYSTEM, WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO RELIEVE, UM, SOME OF THAT WORK ON THE TOWN STAFF.
UM, AND SO I THINK THAT'S A MATTER OF BRINGING OUR PERSONNEL TOGETHER AND WORKING OUT SOME OF THOSE DETAILS.
UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE, WE, I WOULD SAY OUR DIRECTOR OF FINANCE PREPARES AND SUBMITS ALL OF THE REQUESTS TO THE TOWN, DOES ALL OF OUR HIRING AND EMPLOYEE PAPERWORK AND ALL OF THAT.
AND SO, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF WE COULD SEPARATE FROM THE TOWN AND THE $57,000 WITHOUT ADDING A $57,000 STAFF POSITION TO THE MUSEUM SO THAT WE HAD A DIRECTOR OF FINANCE AND A BOOKKEEPER.
UM, 'CAUSE I THINK THAT THAT'S ESSENTIALLY WHAT WE'D NEED.
AND SO I, I THINK THAT THIS IS PROBABLY A SEPARATE, UM, MEETING BETWEEN THE MUSEUM AND TOWN STAFF TO REALLY LOOK AT OUR MOU AND SEE WHERE WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO MODIFY THAT, UM, TO, UH, EITHER HAVE COST SAVINGS OR INCREASE BENEFITS.
UM, WE HAVE OUR TOWN MANAGER WITH US TODAY, AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO APPROACH THAT.
I JUST WANNA MAKE A STATEMENT.
UM, I THINK THIS IS, THIS IS PART OF THE
[01:05:01]
PROCESS.THIS IS WHY IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE THESE DISCUSSIONS.
WE'VE IDENTIFIED AN AREA THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE BEST EFFICIENCY OKAY.
UH, AS FAR AS OUR, UM, RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COASTAL DISCOVERY MUSEUM.
SO, UM, WHAT I'M HEARING IS THAT WE NEED TO SET ASIDE SOME TOWN FOR, UH, MR. GARNER AND STAFF TO WORK TOGETHER TO COME UP WITH A SOLUTION THAT MAKES SENSE, UH, AS FAR AS THE ACCOUNTING PIECE IS CONCERNED.
UM, WHILE, WHILE YOU WERE TALKING TO THE TOWN MANAGER, I WONDER AT SOME POINT, UH, IF IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL FOR US TO ASK THE TOWN MANAGER FOR RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT ANY OF THESE FUNDING APPLICATIONS AND I DON'T KNOW WHETHER WE WAIT TILL THE END OR I, I HATE TO MAKE HIM JUMP UP AND DOWN.
WE'LL HAVE HIM COME AT THE END.
SO DON'T, DON'T LEAVE YET BECAUSE I KNOW MS. TURNER MENTIONED THAT SHE HAD SOME MOU QUESTIONS THAT OKAY.
AND UM, SO ONE OF THE THINGS THEY ASKED US TO DO IS TAKE A LOOK AT THE MOU AND YOUR MOU JUST HAPPENS TO BE OLDER THAN, LET'S SAY THE ISLAND WRECK.
AND SO WHEN I LOOK AT THE ISLAND WRECK, IT'S AN EVOLUTION AND I THINK A STRONGER MOU.
AND SO I WOULD SAY AT SOME POINT WE SHOULD, UM, HAVE A CONSISTENT APPROACH FOR THE MOU.
SO I THINK THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO ALIGN, ALIGN YOUR DOCUMENT WITH WHERE WE'RE GOING IN THE FUTURE.
UM, THERE IS A MENTION OF AN ANNUAL REPORT.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE AN ANNUAL REPORT OR IF I MISSED IT.
UH, BUT THERE'S, UH, SUPPOSED TO BE AN ANNUAL REPORT AND, UM, THAT I THINK THAT THOSE ARE MY ONLY, ONLY COMMENTS.
SO WE, WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOU WORKING WITH TOWN STAFF ON NOT ONLY THE BOOKKEEPING PIECE OF THE MOU, BUT UM, A LITTLE BIT MORE CONSISTENT WITH THE CURRENT EXPECTATIONS OF ABSOLUTELY.
I THINK, I THINK THAT MOU HAS SORT OF BEEN RECYCLED SURE.
SINCE 2007 AND NOT SIGNIFICANTLY CHANGED.
AND I THINK THAT BOTH THE MUSEUM AND THE TOWN HAVE GROWN AND WE COULD PROBABLY ADDRESS THAT OUT OF CYCLE AND LOOK TO RENEW THAT MOU AND UPDATE IT IN THE COMING YEAR.
AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT I, THAT EVEN THOUGH I'D HAD A QUESTION ABOUT THE HOR CULTURE AS I AM SUPPORTIVE OF THE ENTIRE GRANT AMOUNT.
SO BEFORE WE MOVE ON, UM, I WILL AGAIN OFFER THE OPPORTUNITY TO OUR COLLEAGUES, MS. BECCA, ANYTHING ON THIS ONE THAT YOU WANNA BRING TO US? I FULLY SUPPORT.
MR. ALFRED, CAN YOU COME UP, SIR, SINCE YOU GOT MORE THAN JUST A
WE GONNA HAVE TO PUT MICROPHONES OVER THERE.
MR. ORLANDO
UM, ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS PARTICULAR APPLICATION? THE NONE.
MS. BARNETT, YOU HAVE WHAT WE NEED HERE.
THE NEXT AGENCY IS THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND RECREATION ASSOCIATION.
UM, THE ASSOCIATION, THE, UH, REC CENTER WAS CREATED IN 19, ESTABLISHED IN 1977, IS DEDICATED TO PROVIDING AND MANAGING RECREATIONAL SERVICES, COMMUNITY EVENTS, AND THE ISLAND YOUTH CENTER, A PROJECT DEVELOPED AT THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND ROTARY CLUB.
THE ASSOCIATION OVERSEES THE SCHEDULING OF THE ISLAND RECREATION AND SENIOR CENTER, ALONG WITH TOWN OWNED PARKS.
THE ASK IS 1,252,366, AND THE ALLOCATION IS FOR RECREATIONAL SERVICES, AQUATIC, SENIOR CITIZEN ACTIVITIES, ATHLETIC PROGRAMS, FITNESS PROGRAMS, YOUTH AND TEAM PROGRAMS. AGAIN, AS I'M LOOKING AT THE FINANCIALS AND
SO AS I'M LOOKING AT THE REVENUES, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I, I, I JUST WANT TO MENTION, THE OTHER INCOME AND THE COMMUNITY EVENTS HAS INCREASED BY 12%.
I'M LOOKING AT PAYROLL EXPENSE SPECIFICALLY FOR MAIN AND STAFF, YOUTH, ADULT ATHLETIC STAFF, AND NEW PROGRAM STAFF HAS INCREASED BY 3%.
AS I'M LOOKING AT THE PAYROLL TAXES AND INSURANCE AND OTHER BENEFITS, I SEE AN INCREASE OF 7% BETWEEN, AGAIN, THIS IS BETWEEN 25 AND 26.
[01:10:01]
PROGRAM, SENIOR FOR SENIOR TRIPS, I SEE AN INCREASE OF 26%.AND AS I'M LOOKING AT YOU TEAM PROGRAMS SPECIFICALLY FOR DISCOVERY CLUB SUMMER DAY CAMP, I SEE AN INCREASE IN 16%.
THE TOTAL FACILITIES, UM, BETWEEN, AGAIN, 26 AND 25, AND AGAIN, THESE ARE BUDGETED NUMBERS.
SOMETHING THAT I, I FORGOT TO MENTION, IT IS AN INCREASE OF 2%.
AND AS I'M LOOKING AT THE WHOLE GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSE, I SEE A 4% INCREASE.
UM, I'M NOT ABLE TO ACTUALLY VERIFY ACTUALS AND PASS TRENDS WITH FINANCIALS AT THIS POINT.
THE, AGAIN, THE NUMBERS REFLECTED OUR BUDGETED REVENUES AND EXPENSES PROVIDER FOR FISCAL YEAR 25 AND 26.
UM, THERE IS A PRESENTATION, IT LOOKS LIKE A POWERPOINT PRESENTATION, KIND OF LIKE A PICTURE.
AND I SEE THAT THERE IS, UH, 2021 AND 22 YEARS REFLECTED AND I SEE IN THIS GRAPH, UH, AN INCREASE IN REVENUES AND EXPENSES FOR IN 2022.
UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S ALL THE FINANCIAL INFORMATION THAT I HAVE AT THIS POINT.
AND, OH, I DO HAVE TO MENTION, I'M SORRY, MR. BROWN.
UM, THE REC CENTER IS ANOTHER AGENCY THAT RECEIVES FUNDING FROM OTHER SOURCES.
UM, SO IT'S FROM LOOKING AT 2025, I'M LOOKING FOR, THE AFFILIATED AGENCY GRANT IS A MILLION ADO AT 167,366 FOR EIGHT.
FOR THE CIP BUDGET IS $520,000.
AND LIKE THE COSTAL DISCOVERY CENTER, THIS AGENCY ALSO RECEIVES BOOKKEEPING SERVICES FROM THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT, UM, AT A TOTAL COST OF $46,000.
SO THE TOTAL AMOUNT FOR 2025 IS $1,000,001.8 MILLION.
AND THE REQUEST BEFORE US IS 1.2 5 2 360 6, CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.
AND I'M LOOKING AT, AGAIN, THE YEAR BEFORE FOR THE REC CENTER IS 1,000,100 67,366.
AND IT INCLUDES THE ACCOUNTING SERVICES THAT, UH, MS. BURNETT SPOKE ABOUT.
UM, SO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE TOTAL AMOUNT THAT WE ARE ALLOCATING TO OUR WONDERFUL PARTNER IN THE ISLAND RECREATION CENTER, AND YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT BOOKKEEPING.
UM, TO ME, THIS ONE ALSO QUALIFIES FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION AS FAR AS THE MOU IS CONCERNED.
I KNOW WE JUST VISITED THAT MOUA SHORT TIME AGO, BUT WITH ANYTHING ELSE, WE CONTINUE TO EVOLVE.
WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO GET BETTER.
SO I THINK THIS IS APPROPRIATE FOR US TO HAVE A DISCUSSION WITH OUR PARTNERS OVER AT THE REC CENTER ON THIS AS WELL.
WITH THAT, WE WILL GO TO MS. BRYSON FIRST ON THIS ONE.
UM, I, I THINK I'LL JUST TRY TO START OUT WITH BOTTOM LINE.
BOTTOM LINE IS I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THE REQUEST
UM, THIS IS CLEARLY, UM, AN EXAMPLE OF AN AFFILIATED AGENCY.
UM, THE TOWNS WONDERFUL RECREATIONAL, UH, AREAS, UH, PARKS, BUILDINGS, ET CETERA.
UM, ISLAND RECREATION DOES THE PROGRAMMING FOR US, HELPS US WITH THE, UH, LOOKING AFTER THOSE PROPERTIES.
UM, WE DO NOT HAVE A PARKS AND RECREATION APARTMENT, BUT TYPICALLY A, A TOWN WOULD HAVE A PARKS AND RECREATION APARTMENT TO LOOK AFTER ITS, UH, PARK FACILITIES AND TO DO ITS PROGRAMMING.
SO THIS IS, IN MY VIEW, AN ESSENTIAL, UH, PUBLIC SERVICE OF A TOWN.
UM, AND SO I DO SEE IT BEING AFFILIATED.
UM, UM, AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, IT'S A GREAT SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY, UM, IN SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS FROM THE SENIOR CENTER TO, TO CHILDREN'S ACTIVITIES TO ADULTS LIKE ME, ACTIVITIES,
SO, UM, IT'S A, IT'S A GREAT SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY AND AN ESSENTIAL FUNCTION OF, OF, UH, OF MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT.
AND I, I DID WONDER ABOUT WHAT'S THE INCREASE FOR, UM, AND I LOOKED FROM THEIR APPLICATION, UH, WHICH SAYS THE FUNDING REQUEST, UM, IS A 5.5% INCREASE.
UH, SO BASED ON MY REALLY ROUGH CALCULATIONS, IT'S ABOUT AN $85,000 INCREASE IN THE AFFILIATED AGENCY FUNDING.
UM, AND IT DOES SAY THAT THE OVERALL, THEIR OVERALL FISCAL YEAR 26 BUDGET HAS A 3.5% INCREASE, SO IT'S OFFSET BY SOME OTHER INCOME.
UM, SO, UM, AT ANY RATE, UM, UH, BOTTOM LINE IS, I'M SUPPORTIVE.
[01:15:01]
FUNCTION.OKAY, MS. DONNA, I DITTO WHAT, UH, MS. BRYSON SAID, UH, SO I WON'T REPEAT IT, BUT, UH, I LOVE THIS BUSINESS MODEL AND ONE OF THE REASONS THAT I DO IS THEY HAVE A GOAL TO SUPPORT, UH, 50% OF THEIR OPERATIONS THROUGH THEIR OWN FUNDING, WHICH I THINK IS A, A WONDERFUL WAY TO GO.
AND THEN I'M ALSO IMPRESSED THAT THE CARMINE CARMINE FOUNDATION PROVIDES SCHOLARSHIPS FOR FAMILIES IN NEED.
AND THAT PRO PROVIDES A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE THAT MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE, TO PARTICIPATE.
UM, I THANK THEM FOR ALL THE DATA THAT THEY PROVIDED FOR THEIR RESULTS AND THE IMPACTS THAT THEIR PROGRAMS HAVE.
IT WAS A WELL PUT TOGETHER, UM, APPLICATION AND IT HAS A HIGH NUMBER OF USERS, 651,000 PARTICIPANT VISITS.
SO I'M VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THE $1.2 MILLION.
OKAY, MS. BECCA, ANYTHING? SO, I AGREE WITH THE COMMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE, AND I DO WANNA SAY THAT IN MY MIND, UM, THE ISLAND REC IS A VERY SOUND, UM, AND GOOD EXAMPLE OF WHAT I AFFILIATED AGENCY SHOULD BE WITH THE TOWN.
UM, AND SO I'M FULLY SUPPORTIVE.
I DO, UM, WANNA JUST MENTION WHETHER IT'S APPROPRIATE HERE OR NOT.
I'M GONNA SAY IT BECAUSE I'VE BEEN SAYING IT QUITE A BIT, BUT I'M NOT GETTING TRACTION.
WE NEED A BETTER SENIOR CITIZEN, UH, DEPARTMENT COMING OUT OF ISLAND REC.
UM, MORE SPACE, MORE ACTIVITIES, UM, AND THE REST.
BUT, UM, HAVING SAID THAT, I'M FULLY SUPPORTED AND THIS IS A PRIME EXAMPLE OF A BEST USE, UM, AFFILIATED AGENCY, UM, AGREEMENT WE HAVE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. ALFRED.
ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM? APPLICANT YOU? ANY WORDS? YOU GOOD? OKAY.
OKAY, MS. BURNETT, YOU HAVE WHAT YOU NEED THERE.
THE NEXT AGENCY IS THE LOW COUNTRY REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY, OR LRTA, KNOWN AS PALMETTO BREEZE IS ONE OF THE 10 PUBLIC TRANSPORT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS ESTABLISHED IN THE SOUTH CAROLINA LAW AND SERVES AS THE PRIMARY PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION PROVIDER FOR BUFORT COLTON HAMPTON, JASPER ALLENDALE COUNTIES.
SINCE IT'S FOUNDING IN 1978, THE LRTA HAS BEEN A KEY RURAL TRANSPORTATION PROVIDER OFFERING CHRIS, UH, CRITICAL TRANSIT SERVICES TO THE REGION.
PALMETTO BRIDGE SERVICES INCLUDE 24 FIXED ROUTE COMMUTER LINES, 12 URBAN AND 12 RURAL DEMAND RESPONSE SERVICES IN BUFORT COUNTY, AND COORDINATED TRIPS TO ESSENTIAL DESTINATIONS SUCH AS THE REGIONAL HE HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS.
THE ASK FOR THIS UPCOMING YEAR IS 507,051, AND THE DISTRIBUTION IS AS FOLLOWS.
LOCAL CONTRIBUTION MATCH ASSISTS FOR DAILY RURAL COMMUTER PROGRAM FOR $55,000.
BREEZE TRULY SEES AN EXTENSION FOR $20,000 BREEZE TROLLEY PASSENGER FARES, SO SERVICE CAN REMAIN FREE $35,000.
LOCAL MASH ASSISTS FOR SECURING 53 0 7 FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION GRANT A SMALL URBANIZED AREA OPERATIONS FOR 397,051.
AS I'M LOOKING AT THEIR FINANCIALS, UH, I DID NOTICE THAT THEIR BUDGET FOR THE NEW YEAR HAS INCREASED FROM 1.2 TO $2.8 MILLION IN BUDGET.
UM, IT SEEMS LIKE THE OPERATION IS INCREASING.
UM, I DID NOTICE THAT THE FUNDING THAT THEY USED TO GET FROM THE FEDERAL AND STATE HAS DECREASED.
THE FEDERAL GRANT IS NOW LOWER, LOWER BY $1.2 MILLION, AND THE STATE GRANTS IS, HAS DECREASED TOO BY ALMOST $300,000.
SO THIS PARTICULAR AGENCY HAS INCREASED THEIR ASK FOR THE PRIOR YEAR.
AND MY ASSUMPTION IS, IS DUE TO THE LOSING GRANT MIGHT BE ONE OF THE, UM, AREAS WHY THEY'RE LOOKING TO INCREASE THE FUNDING IN ADDITION TO THEIR OPERATIONS.
AND THIS ORGANIZATION, MS. STONE, THEY HAD AN MOU IN PLACE FOR THE
[01:20:01]
SUMMER SEASON TO PROVIDE TROLLEY SERVICES FROM USCB TO KIG THAT HAS EXPIRED.AND THERE'S NOT AN MOU TO COVER THE BROADER, UH, SERVICES.
SO, UM, WHEN I THINK ABOUT THIS ORGANIZATION, THEY PROVIDE A COUPLE OF SERVICES TO US.
THE FIRST ONE IS THE BROADER TRANSIT STRATEGY OF BRINGING WORKERS ONTO THE ISLAND.
UM, AND SO THOSE WORKERS ARE COMING FROM, UM, YOU KNOW, MANY MILES AWAY TO COME AND WORK ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
AND IT IS A FACTOR, UH, BECAUSE THERE MAY NOT BE AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT IS AVAILABLE ON THE ISLAND.
AND SO THEY LIVE FURTHER OUT AND NEED THAT PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IN ORDER TO, UH, SUPPORT THE EMPLOYERS.
SO THAT'S AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE CONTINUES IN THE FUTURE.
WHAT I, UM, DID NOT UNDERSTAND IS WHAT THE USAGE IS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT PIECE OF THE EQUATION.
UM, THE SECOND AREA THAT THEY PROVIDE SUPPORT, UH, IS ON THE TROLLEY ON THE ISLAND.
SO AGAIN, THIS IS A DECISION THAT HAS BEEN MADE THAT THIS IS A FREE SERVICE, UM, THAT IS PROVIDED FOR TRANSPORTATION AROUND THE ISLAND FOR TOURISTS AS WELL AS RESIDENTS.
AND SOME EMPLOYEES ALSO USE THAT AS WELL.
UM, THE REQUEST IS A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE OVER THE PRIOR YEAR, AND WHEN I LOOK AT THE FINANCIAL, UH, POSITION HISTORICALLY AND MOVING FORWARD, UH, I FEEL FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION, UM, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE INTERESTING TIMES.
IT'S AN IMPORTANT SERVICE, AND YOU'RE NOT GETTING THE FUNDING AND SUPPORT FROM THE ENTITIES THAT YOU'VE HAD IN THE PAST.
AND I REALLY WORRY ABOUT YOUR FINANCIAL FUTURE BECAUSE OF THAT.
AND, AND SO I QUESTION WHAT CAN BE DONE, UM, YOU KNOW, TO FURTHER SUPPORT, SUPPORT YOU.
UH, IT WAS INTERESTING WHEN I WAS DOING SOME RESEARCH ON THAT, THERE WAS, UH, A COMMENT MADE THAT THE SALES TAX REFERENDUM WAS GOING TO PROVIDE, UH, A PORTION OF THAT MONEY TO SUPPORT YOU.
I'LL BE HONEST, I WAS NOT AWARE OF THAT.
UM, I THINK THAT COULD HAVE BEEN PERHAPS MORE BROADLY COMMUNICATED, UH, BECAUSE THAT WOULD'VE BEEN A NICE WAY FOR THIS ORGANIZATION TO RECEIVE FUNDING.
UM, SO, UH, THERE'S ALSO BEEN A REQUEST TO ADD ADDITIONAL SERVICES ONTO HILTON HEAD FOR $20,000, AND THAT'S TO HAVE THE TROLLEY DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON, UH, AS WELL.
SO I UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS.
UH, I'M, LIKE I SAID, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE CHANGE THAT YOU'RE RECEIVING IN FUNDING.
AND SO NOW IT, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE COMING TO THE TOWN TO ASK FOR SOME ADDITIONAL SUPPORT.
AND, UM, SO I'M JUST WORRIED ABOUT THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF MONEY OF YOUR REQUEST, WHICH WAS $507,000, AND HOW WE CAN ACCOMMODATE THAT OR NOT ACCOMMODATE ALL OF THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, WITHIN OUR BUDGET, UM, I'M SUPPORTIVE OF, OF YOUR, UM, OF YOUR SYSTEM.
AND IT'S JUST A MATTER OF HOW MUCH MONEY IN REGARDS TO THE FUNDING THAT WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO GIVE YOU, AS WELL AS MY CONCERN ABOUT YOUR, YOU KNOW, FUTURE FUNDING FROM OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AND WHAT WE CAN DO TO HELP YOU WITH THAT.
I'M GONNA INVITE THE APPLICANT UP AFTER I GET, UH, ANY QUESTIONS THAT MS. BRYSON MAY HAVE.
I'M TRYING TO KEEP NOTE OF WHAT THE CONCERNS ARE, SO, OKAY, MS. BRYSON? UM, YES.
UM, I, I, UM, ECHO A LOT OF THE COMMENTS OF MS. HUNTER.
UM, AND, AND I LOOK AT IS, IS THIS A, A TYPICAL FUNCTION OF A LOCAL GOVERNMENT, ESPECIALLY A MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT, A TOWN OR A CITY? UM, AND MY EXPERIENCE IS, YES.
UM, MOST CITIES AND TOWNS DON'T HAVE THEIR OWN BUS SERVICE, SO TO SPEAK, THEIR OWN, UM, MASS TRANSIT SYSTEM.
SOME DO, UH, USUALLY THE VERY LARGE CITIES, UM, BUT MOST OF THEM CONTRACT OUT WITH A, UH, A PRIVATE ENTITY TO PROVIDE THAT SERVICE.
AND A LARGE PART OF THOSE, UH, THE FUNDING OF THOSE SERVICES COMES FROM FEDERAL FUNDING.
UM, SO, UM, AS MS. HUNTER SAYS IN UNCERTAIN TIMES AND ALREADY SOME REDUCTION IN FUNDING, UM, AND, AND, AND LOOKING AT, UH, THE BASIS OF THE REQUEST, UM, AND IT SAYS, CONSISTS OF 55,000 TOWARD LOCAL MATCH FOR DAILY RURAL COMMUTER PROGRAM, 20,000 TOWARD EXTENDING THE BREEZE TROLLEY SEASON.
YOU WERE SPEAKING OF 35,000 TO COVER THE COST OF BREEZE TROLLEY PASSENGER TRIPS, UM, TO BE PAID BY THE TOWN.
SO THE SERVICE CAN REMAIN FAIR FREE.
[01:25:01]
TROLLEY SERVICE AND $397,051 TO COVER THE LOCAL MATCH NEEDED TO SECURE, UH, 5 3 0 7 FTA GRANT, THAT'S A FEDERAL GRANT EARMARKED FOR SMALL URBANIZED AREA OPERATIONS.UM, SO, UM, I, I DO THINK THAT THEY NEED AN INCREASE IN FUNDING.
UM, AND MY QUESTION IS, UH, YOU KNOW, WITH ONLY SO MANY AVAILABLE FUNDS, WE DON'T YET KNOW THE EXACT TOTAL.
UM, WE KNOW THAT THERE'S AN INCREASE IN REQUEST OVER, UH, PRIOR YEARS.
UM, BUT WHAT IF WE TAKE OUT THE 20,000 FOR THE HOLIDAY SEASON AND LOOK AT THE REST OF IT FOR FULL FUNDING? IS MY QUESTION FOR OTHER COMMITTEE MEMBERS SUBJECT TO WHATEVER, UM, THE CHAIR COMMENTS ABOUT AND THE MY QUESTION'S BEING ADDRESSED.
UM, OBVIOUSLY THIS IS, UH, AN IMPORTANT FUNCTION OF OUR COMMUNITY, UM, IN MY MIND A LOT BIGGER THAN THE DISCUSSION WE'RE HAVING TODAY TO MS. TURNERS POINT.
OBVIOUSLY THERE'S DEMAND IN OUR REGION AROUND THIS TOPIC THAT WE'VE GOTTA GET OUR HEADS AND ARMS WRAPPED AROUND.
SO IT'S A BIGGER DISCUSSION WITH OUR COUNTERPARTS AT THE COUNTY, UM, IS HOW WE EXPAND IN THIS AREA.
UM, SO I AM IN SUPPORT OF US COMING UP WITH A, A NUMBER THAT MAKES SENSE FOR US LOCALLY, UH, TO KEEP THE, UM, THE SYSTEM IN OPERATION.
UH, SO AT THIS POINT, I'M GONNA ASK THAT THE APPLICANT COME UP AND, UM, AS YOU COME, I'VE GOT A LIST OF QUESTIONS HERE, BUT AS YOU GIVE YOUR ANSWERS, I WANT YOU TO REALLY BE THINKING ABOUT YOUR REQUEST OF 507,051, AND THE STAFF IS MAKING A RECOMMENDATION TO US TAKING INTO, UH, ACCOUNT, UH, WHAT THEY'VE REVIEWED AND ALSO OUR CAPABILITIES AS A MUNICIPALITY AS FAR AS OUR FINANCIAL, UH, RESTRAINTS.
AND THAT NUMBER'S COMING OUT TO BE 260 K.
SO WITH THAT SORT OF, UM, LENS TO LOOK THROUGH, UM, CAN WE START WITH THE QUESTION THAT MS. TURNER HAD ABOUT COMMUTE COMMUTER STATISTICS, UM, AS FOLKS COME ON TO THE OUTLET? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
OH, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
UH, MY NAME IS BRIAN SULLIVAN.
I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF LRTA.
UM, I TOOK OVER IN NOVEMBER, WE HAD A 10 YEAR TERM, UH, SHE RETIRED IN NOVEMBER AND I WAS BLESSED BY THE BOARD TO BE SELECTED TO TAKE OVER THE PROGRESS THAT SHE HAD MADE, UM, WHICH INCLUDED THE, THE INCEPTION OF THE TROLLEY HERE ON THE ISLAND, AS WELL AS A LOT OF VERY VALUABLE COMMUTER SERVICES.
UM, THE DAILY COMMUTER PROGRAM RUNS 362 DAYS A YEAR.
IT'S AVERAGES ABOUT 200, 210 PASSENGERS PER DAY.
SO THAT'S, UH, BASICALLY 400 PASSENGER TRIPS PER DAY IN AND OUT, UM, THAT DIRECTLY AFFECT THE ISLAND ECONOMY.
AND SO THE PORTION OF OUR REQUEST THAT APPLIES TO THAT SERVICE IS REALLY JUST, IT'S JUST THE 55,000 THAT HAD HISTORICALLY BEEN JUST 50.
UH, WE, WE FELT IT WAS NECESSARY TO INCREASE THAT NUMBER.
UH, SINCE OUR RURAL COMMUNITIES, THE FIVE COUNTIES THAT FUND THE MAJORITY OF THAT SERVICE ARE CARRYING THE BRUNT OF THAT, WE THOUGHT, UM, IT WAS, IT WAS TIME TO INCREASE IT.
SO WE, WE MADE AN INCREASE IN 10%, UM, FOR THAT LINE ITEM.
SO, UM, OBVIOUSLY THAT NUMBER GOES UP DURING THE HIGH SEASON.
IN FACT, STARTING TODAY, UM, ONE OF OUR ROUTES WAS ADJUSTED TO ACCOMMODATE THE MARRIOTT VACATION RESORTS.
SO WE HAVE A LOT OF H TWO B UH, PASSENGERS THAT ARE STARTING TODAY.
AND, UH, AS, AS THE FUNDING, UH, FORMULAS WORK, IT'S, LIKE I SAID, IT'S CARRIED, THE COSTS ARE CARRIED MOSTLY BY THE FIVE COUNTIES.
YOU ANY FOLLOW UP TO THAT PARTICULAR QUESTION? AT THE, NO.
YEAH, THAT DOES, UH, CREATE ANOTHER QUESTION IN MY MIND AS I UNDERSTAND THAT THE FIVE COUNTIES ARE FUNDING AND, UH, ARE, I THINK I HEARD YOU SAY THAT THE TOWN IS BEING ASKED TO INCREASE A LITTLE BIT MORE.
ITS FUNDING IS COMPOSED AS COMP AS COMPARED TO SPREADING IT OUT, SAY A 10% INCREASE, UH, ACROSS THE BOARD.
SO YOU'RE ASKING US FOR A LITTLE BIT MORE INCREASE THAN THE OTHER AREAS BECAUSE OF OUR DEMAND IS THAT ACTUALLY THEIR INCREASE IS MUCH HIGHER.
SO OUR OVERALL BUDGET, JUST LIKE THE REQUEST HERE IS MUCH HIGHER.
THE REQUEST WE'RE MAKING FOR THE LOCAL MATCH FOR THE RURAL SERVICE TO THE FIVE COUNTIES IS SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER.
AND WE THOUGHT IT'D BE IMPORTANT, I THOUGHT IT WAS GOOD PUBLICITY FOR THE TOWN TOO, IF IT IS ACCEPTED AND, AND GRANTED THAT THEY COULD SAY, OR WE CAN SAY THE TOWN IS GIVING MORE, YOU STEPPED UP TO SUPPORT THAT SERVICE.
I'M SORRY I MISUNDERSTOOD YOU.
THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION.
UM, AS FAR AS, UH, FUTURE FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY, RIGHT? WAS ANOTHER QUESTION.
CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT? ABSOLUTELY.
UH, THERE'S A COUPLE THINGS THAT'S COMPLICATED.
[01:30:01]
IN FEDERAL FUNDING, FEDERAL GRANT MONIES, WHAT HAPPENS IS WE GET ANNUAL GRANTS THROUGH THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION, AND THOSE GRANTS CAN SIT THERE SOMETIMES AS LONG AS SIX, SEVEN YEARS, DEPENDING ON THE GRANT, DEPENDING ON WHAT THE USAGES ARE.FOR EXAMPLE, DURING COVID, A LOT OF GRANTS WERE, WERE BASICALLY PUT ON HOLD AND THEN WE WERE USING CARES ACT MONEY AND AR OR A OR A RPA MONEY, UM, IN LIEU OF THAT.
AND SO WE HAD A LOT OF GRANTS THAT WERE SITTING THERE NOT BEING USED IN THE PAST THREE YEARS.
OUR NEW FINANCE DIRECTOR, UH, CHRISTINE HEER, AND SHE'S WITH ME HERE TODAY, SHE CLEANED THAT ALL UP.
WE WANTED TO USE THOSE OLD GRANTS.
AND SO THAT'S THAT THE, THE DROP OFF YOU'RE SEEING THERE IS REALLY, BECAUSE WE DON'T, WE'VE CLEANED THOSE UP.
WE DON'T HAVE THOSE GRANTS AVAILABLE ANYMORE.
UM, ANOTHER COMPLICATING FACTOR IS THAT WE WON'T KNOW OUR FEDERAL GRANTS TO MATCH THIS, THE, THE TOWN'S FISCAL YEAR UNTIL NEXT SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE ALWAYS KIND OF IN ARREARS WITH THAT.
THE GOOD NEWS FOR THIS AREA IS THAT THE POPULATION'S GROWING.
SO THE APPROPRIATIONS FROM THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION FOR OUR URBAN AREA, THOSE ARE BASED ENTIRELY ON POPULATION.
SO AT THE COST OF AREAS THAT ARE LOSING POPULATION, WE ARE THEORETICALLY GAINING APPROPRIATIONS THROUGH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
UM, WE DON'T SUSPECT THAT BIG OF A DROP OFF IN OUR APPROPRIATIONS.
IF ANYTHING, WE EXPECT SOME GROWTH, EVEN EVEN WITH THE NEW ADMINISTRATION IN WASHINGTON.
UM, THERE IS CONCERN IN THE INDUSTRY THAT, UM, THE FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION IS GONNA FOCUS ON WHAT THEY CONSIDER TO BE FEDERAL ISSUES, AND THAT THERE'S DISCUSSION AT THE DOT THAT PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IS CONSIDERED A LOCAL ISSUE.
SO WE ARE KEEPING A VERY CLOSE EYE ON THAT AND, UH, WE'RE DOING THAT ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
UM, TO MS. HUNTER'S POINT, THE, THE, THE ISSUE WE HAVE WITH LOCAL MATCH IS THE LACK OF A DEDICATED, UH, FUNDING SOURCE.
AND THE REFERENDUM IN NOVEMBER DEFINITELY WOULD'VE CAUGHT, UH, ADDRESSED THAT ISSUE FOR US.
UM, WE HAD, UM, WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH BEAUFORT COUNTY.
UM, THEY HAD KIND OF INCREASED OUR PRESENCE IN THE, THE DESCRIPTION OF THAT.
BUT AS A DIRECT RECIPIENT OF THAT, JUST LIKE THE COUNTY OR THE TOWN, WE WERE NOT LAWFULLY ALLOW, ALLOWED TO PROMOTE IT, WE COULD EDUCATE TO THE EXTENT THAT WE COULD EDUCATE, BUT WE COULDN'T PROMOTE IT.
SO WE FEEL THE PAIN BECAUSE, UM, IT WOULD'VE DEFINITELY ADDRESSED THAT ISSUE.
THIS REQUEST WOULD BE SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER, AS WOULD THE REQUEST TO OUR OTHER, WE HAVE A TOTAL OF NINE LOCAL MATCH PROVIDERS NOW.
SO, UM, SO WE'RE GONNA SEE THIS UNTIL THERE IS A, A DEDICATED FUNDING SOURCE, MOST LIKELY THROUGH SOME SORT OF SALES TAX REFERENDUM, HOPEFULLY, UH, BEAUFORT COUNTY IN 2026 QUESTIONS.
SO DO MOST MUNICIPALITIES HAVE SOME TYPE OF, UM, STRUCTURE, FUNDING STRUCTURE LIKE THAT TO HELP SUPPORT AND PROVIDE MONIES ON A REGULAR BASIS? YES.
THE, THAT'S THE, THE SHORT ANSWER IS YES.
UM, EVEN IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, IF WE'RE NOT THE BIGGEST IN TERMS OF, UH, OPERATING, UH, UH, STATISTICS OR ONE OF THE BIGGEST WITHOUT ONE.
SO, UH, OBVIOUSLY HORRY COUNTY, MYRTLE BEACH, UH, WITH THE COAST, RTA COMET IN, UH, COLUMBIA, THEY HAVE DEDICATED FUNDING SOURCES.
AND I THINK IN EVERY CASE IT'S A TAX, IT'S A SALES TAX.
UH, SO TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT QUESTION, OUR, OUR NEIGHBORS AND BLUFFTON, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, HAVE EXPANDED THEIR LOCAL SERVICE OF, UM, THE BREEZE.
UM, HAVE THEY IDENTIFIED A, A FUNDING SOURCE THAT THEY HAVE NOW COMMITTED TO THAT THEIR PROCESS IS MUCH LIKE YOURS? WE MET WITH, UH, THE DIFFERENCE AREAS.
WE MET WITH STAFF FIRST, UH, SEVERAL WEEKS AGO TO REVIEW THE REQUEST, WHICH IS SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN LAST YEAR.
SO THIS, THEY HAD THE EXACT SAME QUESTIONS YOU HAVE, UM, IN FACT, VERY SIMILAR ABOUT THE FUNDING MECHANISMS AND HOW, UH, BASICALLY HOW TRANSIT IS FUNDED ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND THEN SPECIFICALLY HOW IT IS OR ISN'T FUNDED HERE IN THE LOW COUNTRY.
SO, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, NO, I, I, AGAIN, IT'S COMING OUTTA GENERAL FUND.
YOU KNOW, IN THE PAST FOLKS HAVE MENTIONED SHOULD WE BE, UH, AN ALLOWABLE AT TAX, UH, DISTRIBUTION? AND I BELIEVE THAT WAS THE RESOLUTION OF THAT WAS NO, THAT PUBLIC TRANSIT CANNOT BE.
UM, THE LAST QUESTION I HAD ON MY LIST WAS THE, UH, INCREASE IN SERVICES FOR THE HOLIDAYS.
I THINK THERE'S A $20,000 NUMBER ATTACHED TO THAT.
UM, I GUESS WE GONNA NEED TO UNDERSTAND SURE.
THAT BEFORE WE PUSH A NUMBER TO MS. BURNETT.
SO, UNLIKE, UH, THE REST OF OUR OPERATION FOR THIS, FOR FISCAL 26, UM, I WANTED TO SHOW SOME GROWTH.
UM, THE TROLLEYS VERY NEAR AND DEAR TO ME PERSONALLY.
UM, THE HOLIDAYS ARE NEAR AND DEAR TO ME PERSONALLY, AS THEY ARE, I THINK, ACROSS THIS ISLAND.
AND WE REALIZED DURING DECEMBER THAT WE FEEL LIKE WE'RE MISSING SORT OF AN OPPORTUNITY TO EGG, UM, SERVE PRIMARILY
[01:35:01]
RESIDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES BECAUSE I THINK WE SERVE PRIMARILY VISITORS AND THEIR FAMILIES IN THE SUMMER.UM, PLUS THE INVESTMENT THAT THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES, BUSINESSES, UH, DEVELOPMENTS INVEST IN DECORATING THEIR PROPERTIES FOR THE HOLIDAYS.
AND I FEEL LIKE PEOPLE DON'T SEE 'EM.
UM, IF YOU'RE DRIVING YOURSELF, YOU REALLY AREN'T SEEING THEM AND ENJOYING THEM.
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, ALL THE, ALL THE PLACES THAT ARE JUST THE HIGHLIGHTS, AND THEY HAPPEN TO BE, THE VAST MAJORITY OF THEM HAPPEN TO BE ALONG OUR ROUTES.
AND SO, UM, IN, IN, IN THE SPIRIT OF TRYING TO SHOW SOME MO MODEST GROWTH IN WHAT WE PROVIDE TO THE, THE TOWN OF HILMAN ISLAND, WE CAME UP WITH THAT NUMBER.
BASICALLY IT'S ABOUT A, A 50% MATCH ON THE OPERATING COSTS.
IT WOULD, IT WOULD COST FOR THE TROLLEY TO OPERATE FOR FOUR WEEKS IN DECEMBER.
UM, I KNOW MS. STONE MENTIONED THAT WE DON'T CURRENTLY HAVE A MOU, WHAT WE HAD WAS EXPIRED.
UM, AND THERE ARE TIMES THAT WE SEE INCREASES IN OUR VISITATION, UM, ON HILTON HEAD.
UM, PRIME EXAMPLE WOULD BE, UH, MEMORIAL DAY, UM, AND THE POPE AVENUE AREA.
UM, AND YOU ALL HAVE PROVIDED ADDITIONAL SERVICES DURING THOSE TIMES.
UM, IS THAT, UH, A SIDE COST THAT COMES TO THE TOWN OR IS THAT INCLUDED IN THIS AMOUNT? IT IS, IT IS, IT IS AN ADDITIONAL COST.
UM, THERE IS AN AGREEMENT THAT IS ALMOST FINALIZED, BASICALLY TO REPLACE THE EXPIRED ONE FROM LAST YEAR.
WE DO A NEW AGREEMENT EVERY YEAR, BASICALLY VISIT ENUMERATES EXACT DATES, UH, FROM MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND ALL THE WAY THROUGH LABOR DAY.
AND SO, UM, PENDING APPROVAL BY THE TOWN, THE, THE, THE STAFF.
UM, THAT RATE DID GO UP A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE OF OUR OPERATING COSTS GOING UP A LITTLE BIT, BUT IT'S STILL OPERATED AT A GREAT DISCOUNT WHEN COMPARED TO IF, IF YOU HAD SOUGHT A PRIVATE CONTRACTOR TOP RATE THAT SHUTTLE.
SO THAT SERVICE WOULD START THE FRIDAY OF MEMORIAL DAY AND RUN EVERY FRIDAY, SATURDAY, SUNDAY, AND EVERY HOLIDAY THROUGH LABOR DAY.
SO THAT, THAT, THAT NUMBER'S NOT INCLUDED IN WHAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IN THERE IS A NUMBER THAT WE HAVE USED IN THE PAST AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THOSE AGREEMENTS.
UH, THAT OBVIOUSLY THAT'S SOMETHING OPERATIONAL THAT THE TOWN MANAGER'S DEALING WITH.
UM, BUT I THINK IT'S VERY, UH, IMPORTANT TO THIS DISCUSSION AS WE ARE LOOKING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T LOSE, UH, COVERAGE IN, IN OUR AREA.
UM, IT ALSO SEEMS YOU USE THE WORD COMPLICATED
IT SEEMS AS IF YOU ARE MORE KNOWLEDGEABLE WITH YOUR FINANCIAL GRANTS AND OPPORTUNITIES OUT OF CYCLE FOR US WITH AFFILIATE AGENCIES.
I THINK YOU MENTIONED SEPTEMBER IS WHEN YOU'LL HAVE BETTER NUMBERS.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, THE TOP OF MY MIND, WHAT I'M THINKING IS AS WE COME TOGETHER WITH MOUS, I THINK UNDERSTANDING THE TIMING OF OUR DISCUSSION WITH PAL BREEZE IS IMPORTANT.
I DON'T THINK THAT IT'S APPROPRIATE THE WAY WE'RE CURRENTLY DOING IT.
WE JUST DON'T HAVE GOOD INFORMATION TO MAKE GOOD DECISIONS.
SO JUST PLANTING THAT SEED WITH STAFF AS WELL AS WE MOVE THIS ALONG.
ANY, YES, MS. B, ONE MORE QUESTION ABOUT THE HOLIDAY SEASON.
I, I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA AND I CERTAINLY SUPPORT REDUCING, UH, ENCOURAGING MASS TRANSIT OPPORTUNITIES FOR TRAVEL AND TAKING A LOT OF CARS OFF THE ROAD IF WE CAN.
UM, SO I CERTAINLY AM SUPPORTIVE OF THAT.
BUT DID YOU TELL, DID YOU TELL US THAT 20,000 IS A MATCHING NUMBER WITH OPERATIONS? SO BASICALLY WE APPLIED THE SAME FORMULA THAT WE TRIED TO APPLY ALL THE TIME, WHICH IS A 50 50 MATCH FOR OPERATING MONEY.
THAT'S HOW THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION GRANTS ARE STRUCTURED.
SO BASICALLY FOR EVERY DOLLAR CONTRIBUTED BY THE LOCAL MATCH PARTNER, THERE'S AN ADDITIONAL DOLLAR PAID THROUGH THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION.
SO WE WOULD PORTION OFF BASICALLY AN ADDITIONAL $20,000, MAYBE A LITTLE BIT EXTRA JUST IN CASE OF OUR FEDERAL GRANT MONEY TO PROVIDE THAT SERVICE IN DECEMBER.
SO IF WE REDUCE THE REQUEST BY 20,000, IT WOULD ALSO REDUCE THE MATCHING FUNDS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, SO, CORRECT.
SO IT, IT'D BE A LITTLE, IT'D BE MORE THAN A $20,000 REDUCTION IN THE MONEY COMING IN AND GOING OUT FOR YOU? CORRECT.
SO I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT MY COLLEAGUES DON'T HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.
MS. BECKER, YOU'RE GOOD? OKAY, MS. ALFORD, YOU'RE GOOD.
ALL RIGHT, MS. BURNETT, UM, WE'VE GOT A REQUEST IN FRONT OF US OF SLIGHTLY OVER 500 K AND A RECOMMENDATION FROM STAFF FOR 260 K AS THEIR PLEASURE OF THE COMMITTEE TO GIVE MS. BURNETT A NUMBER HERE.
[01:40:01]
REQUEST MINUS 20,000 A HOLIDAY TIME.THEIR REQUEST, WHAT I SAID ABOUT 4 87 OR 51.
YOUR FEELINGS ON THAT, MS. TURNER? I, ALTHOUGH I'M SUPPORTIVE, IT'S A BIG INCREASE AND I'M, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THAT AND I'M LOOKING FOR SOME GUIDANCE PERHAPS, UH, FROM, UM, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO BALANCE, UH, TO COME UP WITH A NUMBER.
I DON'T HAVE A NUMBER IN MY HEAD RIGHT NOW, BUT, UM, KNOW, LOOKING AT THE WHOLE PORTFOLIO AND HOW IT FITS IN.
SO, MS. BURNETT, CAN YOU HELP US, I KNOW YOU'VE MADE A RECOMMENDATION OF 260 K, SO CAN YOU GIVE US SOME UNDERSTANDING AS TO HOW WE GOT TO THAT NUMBER PLEASE? YES.
SO TWO 60 THAT, THAT YOU SEE THERE IS ACTUALLY REFLECTED IN PRIOR YEARS FUNDING.
SO WE'RE JUST INCREASING THE, THE NUMBER.
SO LAST YEAR WAS TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY THREE FIVE NINETY FIVE.
UM, SO WE'RE JUST INCREASING THE AMOUNT TO TWO 60.
SO THERE WAS NO, NO SCIENCE BEHIND IT, JUST LOOKING AT LAST YEAR'S NUMBER AND JUST MAKING, ROUNDING UP THE NUMBER.
AND WE ALSO, AGAIN, HAVE TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THAT MR. SULLIVAN IS NOT NECESSARILY PRIVY AT THIS POINT TO UNDERSTAND WHERE HE IS FINANCIALLY BECAUSE OF THE SEPTEMBER UM, DATES.
UH, SO MS. BRYSON IS SUGGESTING FOUR TO 87.
MS. TURNER IS NOT COMFORTABLE WITH GOING, UH, THAT HIGH.
UM, IS THERE ANYTHING IN THE MIDDLE THAT WE CAN PUT ON THE TABLE TO TALK ABOUT
UM, I I, I'M LOOKING AT PRIOR YEARS IN, UH, FISCAL YEAR 2023.
IT WAS 282,000 4 0 4, AND IN FISCAL YEAR 20 24, 2 7 7 842.
UM, SO IF YOU TAKE THE HIGHEST OF THE NUMBERS, IT'S CLOSER TO 300,000.
UM, SO IF, IF WE'RE LOOKING AT FOUR 80, UM, MINUS 300,000, SPLIT THE DIFFERENCE.
SO, UH, UH, 350,000, NO, A LITTLE BIT HIGHER THAN THAT.
3 93 90, THANK YOU TO YOUR CALCULATION.
FOR DISCUSSION PURPOSES, I'M GOING TO PUT THREE 50 OUT THERE TO SEE HOW MS. TURNER REACTS TO IT.
AND THEN, AND THEN IF WE CAN, UM, YOU KNOW, AT THE END, TOTAL IT ALL UP AND KIND OF SEE WHERE WE ARE.
SO CAN WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THREE 50 FOR THE MOMENT ON THIS ONE? YES.
AND AGAIN, MY COLLEAGUES IN THE ROOM.
UH, ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT MOVING FORWARD WITH THREE 50? THAT'S GOOD, THANK YOU.
OKAY, MS. BURNETT, LET'S CAN ON PLEASE.
THE NEXT ONE IS MITCHELLVILLE, THE PRESERVATION PROJECT.
THE HISTORIC MITCHELLVILLE FREEDOM PARK IS DEDICATED TO PRESERVING, PROMOTING AN HONOR IN HISTORIC MITCHELLVILLE, THE FIRST SELF-GOVERNED TOWN OF FORMERLY SLAVE PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES.
HMFP SHARES THE POWERFUL STORY OF MITCHELL V'S.
RESIDENTS AND THEIR PURSUIT OF EDUCATION, SELF-SUFFICIENCY AND FULL PARTICIPATION IN THE FREE SOCIETY THROUGH ENGAGING EXHIBITS, SIGNATURE EVENTS GUIDED TOWARDS AN EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM SUCH AS LECTURES, FORUMS, AND CULTURAL EXPERIENCES.
H-F-H-M-F-P PROVIDES IMMERSIVE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES TO THE PUBLIC.
THE REQUESTED AMOUNT IS $105,000, AND THE FUNDING UTILIZATION ACCORDING TO THE APPLICATION AS SITE MAINTENANCE, STAFF SUPPORT OPERATIONS AND UTILITIES FOR A TOTAL OF $105,000.
UM, LOOKING AT THE OTHER SOURCES OF FUNDING AS IT RELATES TO THE MITCHELLVILLE PRESERVATION PROJECT, IF WE'RE LOOKING AT 2025, THE AFFILIATED AGENCY FUNDING WAS $105,000.
LOOKING AT A TAX FUNDING, IT WAS 190,000.
AND LOOKING AT 2025 CIP BUDGET, THE AMOUNT WAS 1,000,054 702 FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT OF 1,349,702.
LOOKING AT THE FINANCIALS, UM, THE ONLY THING THAT CAUGHT, CAUGHT MY EYES WAS THE TOTAL EXPENDITURES COMPARED TO THE PRIOR YEAR.
AND, UM, BY PRIOR YEAR, I'M TALKING ABOUT THE YEAR ENDING IS DECEMBER, SO I'M COMPARING THE END OF DECEMBER, 2023 AGAINST DECEMBER, 2024.
THE ONLY THING THAT I SEE THAT IS, UM, A BIG INCREASE IS THE TOTAL EXPENDITURES.
SO IT WENT FROM $1.4 MILLION TO $1.9 MILLION
[01:45:01]
AS ALMOST AN INCREASE OF $500,000.SO I'M LOOKING AT THEIR FINANCIALS.
THE ONLY THING THAT I SEE IS AN INCREASE IN PROGRAMMING THAT GENERATED THE INCREASE IN, IN, IN THE EXPENDITURES.
THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT I SEE THAT IS, UH, FOR ME FROM A FINANCIAL PERSPECTIVE, IS A RED FLAG.
AND OTHER THAN THAT, UM, NO MORE COMMENTS ON FINANCIALS.
STONE, WE DO HAVE AN MOU WITH MITCHELLVILLE, UM, AND IT SPECIFICALLY LISTS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND I THINK WE CAN PROBABLY REVISE THAT MOU MAYBE TO BROADEN THE, WHAT THE FUNDING IS FOR.
AND AS FAR AS THE, UM, MS. BURNETT MENTIONED THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT, UH, THAT IS TOWN OWNED PROPERTY, UM, THAT'S OKAY.
SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTINUE THE INVESTMENT THERE.
THE MOU DOES NOT SPEAK TO THAT, UM, A LARGE DEGREE DOES IT? THERE'S ALSO A LEASE IN PLACE YES.
THAT COVERS SOME OTHER, UM, PERFECT ASPECTS.
UH, LEMME MAKE SURE I GET MY AMOUNT RIGHT HERE THAT WE ARE ASKING FOR.
IT'S NOT THE 1.3 THAT YOU JUST MENTIONED.
I THINK MS. BRYSON IS UP CORRECT.
I THINK THEY'RE AFFILIATED AN ESSENTIAL SERVICE.
UH, WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL, UH, OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR COMMUNITY, UM, TO RESPECT THE HISTORIC NATURE OF THIS BEAUTIFUL PARK.
UM, IT'S A FLAT ONE OH 5,000 SINCE 2022, SUPPORTIVE OF FULL FUNDING REQUEST AFFILIATED AGENCY.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, IT'S, AGAIN, IT'S A CATCH CULTURAL ASSET.
IT'S LAND THAT'S OWNED BY THE TOWN, AND SO IT'S A GOOD EXAMPLE OF AN AFFILIATED AGENCY AND I WANNA COMPLIMENT THEM ON THEIR CAPITAL DRIVE.
UM, THEY'VE BEEN VERY ACTIVE AND SUCCESSFUL AND ARE CON CONTINUING TO DO THAT.
AND SO THAT'S A WONDERFUL WAY TO MANAGE THAT PROCESS.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE WHERE THE DECISION IS THAT IT'S FREE ACCESS TO A HISTORICAL SITE THAT REALLY HAS UNTAPPED FUTURE POTENTIAL.
SO I AM VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THE $105,000 GRANT.
UM, WE CONTINUE TO IMPROVE OUR, UH, OFFERING DOWN AT MITCHELLVILLE.
UH, TOWN IS A TRUE PARTNER ALONG WITH THIS EFFORT.
UM, SO AT THIS POINT, I'D OFFER THAT THE EXEC DIRECTOR AT LEAST COME UP AND ANSWER THIS BURNETT'S QUESTION ABOUT THE EXPENDITURE INCREASE.
UH, AMUD WARD, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR HISTORIC MITCHELLVILLE FREEDOM PARK.
FOR THE RECORD, UH, WE DID ADVANCE, UH, SOME OF OUR OFFERINGS LAST YEAR AND WE ALSO HAVE SEVERAL, UH, CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS HAPPENING AT ONCE.
SO I THINK WHAT YOU'RE SEEING IN THOSE EXPENDITURES IS US EXPEND MONEY TO BUILD THINGS IN THE PARK.
SO MOST NOTABLY LAST JUNE, WE OPENED GHOSTED STRUCTURES IN THE PARK THAT ARE ALIGNED WITH THE HISTORIC HOMES THAT WOULD'VE BEEN IN THE 1860S, SEVENTIES AND EIGHTIES.
UH, OBVIOUSLY THAT WAS A LARGE SCALE PROJECT.
UH, IT'S $1.2 MILLION PROJECT THAT WE RECEIVED FUNDING FROM THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA TO DO.
UH, AND ALL OF THE THINGS THAT GO AROUND THAT IS REALLY THE MAIN REASON WE HAD THAT BIG, LARGE INCREASE IN EXPENDITURES FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
AND OF COURSE, THERE'LL BE MORE, 'CAUSE WE'RE WORKING ON A, UM, ARCHEOLOGICAL RESEARCH FACILITY THAT WE HOPE TO OPEN NEXT YEAR, SOMETIMES SECOND QUARTER OR RIGHT BEFORE THE SUMMER.
THAT'LL BE A 4,000 SQUARE FOOT BUILDING.
UH, THAT WILL ALLOW US TO ACTUALLY HAVE PEOPLE IN PLACE ON THE SITE AND DO PROGRAMS ON THE SITE INSTEAD OF US RENTING OTHER PLACES.
SO THIS WOULD BE A, A BOON TO THE ORGANIZATION SPECIFICALLY TO HAVE THAT BUILDING THERE SO THAT WE'LL SEE ANOTHER VARIANCE IN SOME OF THOSE EXPENDITURES.
FORTUNATELY FOR THAT, UH, WE DID RECEIVE $2.5 MILLION FROM THE MELLON FOUNDATION TO COVER THAT EXPENSE.
UH, AND SO WE HAVE THAT FUNDED ALREADY.
UH, WHILE I HAVE, UH, THE FLOOR, I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THE MOU SITUATION.
UM, THE MOU IS SHOULD BE DESIGNED FOR WHAT WE HAVE IN THE, IN THE UTILIZATION SITE, MAINTENANCE STAFF, SUPPORT OPERATIONS AND UTILITIES.
UH, ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO I HAD APPROACHED THIS COMMITTEE ABOUT TRYING TO CHANGE HOW IT IS CODED UNDER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
UM, 'CAUSE THAT WAS NEVER OUR INTENTION, BUT FOR THOSE WHO'VE BEEN AROUND LONG ENOUGH, WHEN I FIRST GOT HERE, THE TOWN WAS PAYING THE SALARY.
AND SO SOME KIND OF WAY IN THE TRANSLATION OF MAKING THIS AN AFFILIATED AGENCY, THAT LANGUAGE KIND OF SPILLED OVER INTO THAT.
AND SO THAT'S WHY IT'S CODED THAT WAY.
BUT OUR UTILIZATION IS WHAT THE, UH, FUNDS ARE GONNA GO FOR.
[01:50:01]
TO WORKING ON THOSE REVISIONS OF THE MOU.UM, MR. ALFRED? ANY? THANK YOU, SIR.
THE NEXT APPLICANT IS SANDALWOOD COMMUNITY FOOD PANTRY.
THIS ORGANIZATION WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2009.
IT IS A 5 0 5 0 1 C3 NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION SERVING LOW INCOME FAMILIES WHOSE EARNINGS FALL BELOW THE POVERTY LINE.
AS DEFINED BY THE US DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, SANDALWOOD PROVIDES ESSENTIAL FOOD HYGIENE SUPPLIES AND CLOTHING TO CLIENTS WHO RELY ON THESE RESOURCES FOR THEIR DAILY NEEDS.
THE PANTRY PRIMARILY SERVES THREE KEY POPULATIONS, THE GALA, HISPANIC AND IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES, MANY OF WHOM WORK IN HILTON HEAD ISLANDS HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY.
UM, ONE THING THAT I FAILED TO MENTION AT THE BEGINNING, UH, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT THIS ORGANIZATION APPLIES FOR AFFILIATED AGENCY FUNDING.
THE AMOUNT THAT THEY'RE REQUESTING IS 97,500, AND THE FUNDING UTILIZATION IS RESILIENT FOOD PANTRY PHASE SIX, COST AND PARKING LOT, 97,500 AGAIN, IS THE TOTAL AMOUNT.
UM, I DON'T HAVE, OF COURSE, I DON'T HAVE, UM, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT I SEE THEIR FINANCIALS WHEN I'M LOOKING AT THEIR FINANCIALS.
I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW IF THESE NUMBERS ARE COMPARABLE TO OTHER FOOD PANTRY ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE HAVE ON THE ISLAND.
SO I CANNOT PROVIDE YOU ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE AS IT RELATES TO THIS.
STONE, ANY MOUS WITH THE FOOD PANTRY? NOT FOR FOOD PANTRY SERVICE, NO.
THERE'S A LEASE, UH, THAT YOU VOTED ON RECENTLY, BUT THAT'S THE ONLY.
OKAY, MS. TURNER, ALL SANDALWOOD.
UH, I'M VERY SUPPORTIVE OF SANDALWOOD AND THEIR MISSION.
IT IS, UM, IT'S, UH, SOMETHING THAT MY LOCAL COMMUNITY THAT I LIVE IN PALMETTO HALL IS VERY MUCH ASSOCIATED WITH AND SUPPORTS THROUGH FUNDRAISING AND, AND OTHER TYPES OF ACTIVITIES INCLUDING VOLUNTEERING.
UM, MS. STONE MENTIONED THE LEASE.
UH, WE HAD OUR FIRST READING AND, UH, WE DID PASS, UH, THE LEASE, UH, FOR THE ABILITY, UH, FOR THIS ORGANIZATION TO BUILD A RESILIENT PANTRY, UH, AT A DIFFERENT LOCATION.
AND I'M VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THAT.
UM, IN REGARDS TO THIS SPECIFIC REQUEST OF 97,500, IT IS, UH, FOR CO COST ASSOCIATED, ASSOCIATED WITH BUILDING OUT THE PARKING LOT.
AND, UM, IN THE, UM, AGREEMENT FOR THE LEASE, THERE WAS SPECIFIC LANGUAGE THAT WE WOULD NOT PAY FOR ANY FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS TO THE PROPERTY.
UM, SO, UH, BASED ON THAT, UM, I AM NOT SUPPORTIVE OF THIS SPECIFIC REQUEST, BUT SUPPORTIVE OF SANDALWOOD AS A ORGANIZATION AND THE LEASE.
I, IT'S WONDERFUL COMMUNITY SERVICE, UH, WOULD A VALUE, UH,
AND I ENCOURAGE THEM TO GO ON, WHICH IS WHY I ALSO AM SUPPORTIVE OF THE LEASE, UM, IN THINKING ABOUT, UH, WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE AFFILIATED.
UM, AND DUE TO THE LEASE TERMS, WE, I THINK WE HAVE SECOND READING THIS AFTERNOON, WHICH I'M GOING TO SUPPORT AS WELL.
UM, AND, UH, I'M NOT, UH, INCLINED TO GO AHEAD AND, AND, UH, APPROVE ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
UM, UH, IT, IT'S A, IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A STRETCH FOR ME TO SAY AFFILIATED, ALTHOUGH, UM, WE ARE LEASING THE PROPERTY TO THEM, BUT I THINK IT'S FOR A COMMUNITY SERVICE AND, UM, I, I'D LOOK FOR THEM TO, UH, FOR THEIR FUNDRAISING ACTIVITIES FOR THE CONSTRUCTION.
SO I, I WOULD ALSO AGREE NO FUNDING.
THIS IS A, A GREAT ORGANIZATION.
UM, OBVIOUSLY WE FEEL SO AS A COUNCIL, UM, TO THE POINT THAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE MADE ABOUT US, UH, AUTHORIZING A LONG-TERM LEASE WITH THE PANTRY FOR, UH, GROUNDS AND FACILITY.
UM, I THINK THAT SHOWS A COMMITMENT TO THE ORGANIZATION AND, AND THE CAUSE.
UM, BUT I TOO AM UH, NOT IN A POSITION TO SUPPORT THE REQUEST AND, UM, NO FUNDING WOULD BE MY SUGGESTION AS WELL.
AND MR. ALFRED CONCUR, ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM?
[01:55:01]
OKAY, MS. BURNETT, WE'RE GOOD.THE NEXT ORGANIZATION IS THE C TURTLE PATROL.
IT IS A 5 0 1 C3 NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO PROTECTING SEA TURTLES ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
THE ORGANIZATION FINANCIALLY SUPPORTS AND CONDUCTS SEA TURTLE, NEST MONITORING, HASHING ACTIVITY, OBSERVATION, AND A STRANDING RESPONSE ALONG 20 MILES OF HELTON HEAD ISLAND BASIS.
THROUGH PUBLIC EDUCATION AND OUTREACH, THEY RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF SEA TURTLE CONSERVATION, A CRITICAL EFFORT TO ENSURE THE SURVIVAL OF THIS ENDANGERED SPECIES.
THEY ASK, UH, BEFORE I GO TO THE ASK, I DO WANT TO MAKE THE COMMITTEE AWARE THE, THE C TURTLE PATROL, UH, THEY DO GET ALL THEIR SOURCES OF FUNDING.
LAST YEAR IN 2025, THE AFFILIATED AGENCY, UM, GRANTED 73,488 TAX MONEY, $70,000 FOR A TOTAL OF 143,480 FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025.
THE ASK FOR THIS FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026 IS 97,500.
AND THE ALLOCATION IS AS FOLLOWS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SALARY, 70% $35,000 PART-TIME ADMINISTRATIVE CONSULTANT STIPEND, 70% $12,000 ANNUAL STORAGE UNIT FEE, 5,500 ANNUAL LEASE FEES, WORKING FACILITY $45,000.
THE TOTAL AMOUNT, AGAIN, IS 97,500.
AS I'M LOOKING AT THE FINANCIALS, UM, I'M LOOKING AT FISCAL YEAR 23 AND 24.
THE BOTH EXPENSES AND REVENUES ARE LINE.
THERE IS A, A SMALL INCREASE, BUT I DON'T SEE ANYTHING THAT WILL CREATE SOME, UM, CONCERNS ON, ON ON MY PART.
THE BOTH EXPENDITURES IS ABOUT 176,000 FOR 23 AND THE 2024 EXPENDITURES THAT ABOUT $185,000.
SO I HAVE NO CONCERNS ON THE FINANCIALS.
SO THE AMOUNT FOR FORCE IS 97,500 AND MS. STONE, THIS ORGANIZATION, AS FAR AS MOU IS CONCERNED, UH, THERE'S NO MOU FOR SEA TURTLE PATROL.
WE DO HAVE A SEPARATE MOU WITH, UH, AMBER CUAN FOR, UH, SOME WORK THAT SHE DOES, UM, UNRELATED TO, TO THIS GRANT, THOSE OPERATIONAL FUNDS THAT ARE ALLOCATED BY THE TOWN MANAGER TO PERFORM ITEMS OUTSIDE OF WHAT WE'RE DISCUSSING TODAY? THAT'S CORRECT.
UM, WHILE WE'RE ON THE MOU, UH, JUST WANNA MAKE THIS COMMENT, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THIS ORGANIZATION, UM, CONTINUES TO BE AN, AN ASSET FOR US, UM, IN ADDITION TO WHAT WE'RE PAYING THEM OPERATIONALLY.
UM, AND TO STAY IN LINE WITH US HAVING MORE OF A CONSISTENT PROCESS, UM, I WOULD ENCOURAGE THAT WE HAVE THE DISCUSSION WITH THE ORGANIZATION AROUND PUTTING TOGETHER SOME TYPE OF MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING FOR THE FUTURE.
FIRST OF ALL, I'M HIGHLY SUPPORTIVE OF SEA TURTLE PATROL AND GOT A WONDERFUL GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS.
UM, AND THEY, I, I THINK THEY DO PROVIDE AN ESSENTIAL SERVICE ON TOWN PROPERTY
UM, BECAUSE, UH, INDEED WHO DOES OWN THE BEACH
UM, SO, UM, AND, AND CERTAINLY AN ESSENTIAL SERVICE WITH US DURING, UH, BEACH TREE NOURISHMENT.
UM, AND ALSO, UH, HELPING TO, TO PATROL OUR BEACHES AND TO PROTECT THE SEA TURTLES.
UM, IF WE DIDN'T HAVE THEM, WE'D HAVE TO HAVE AN INCREASE IN OUR STAFF, I THINK, TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THIS ESSENTIAL GOVERNMENTAL SERVICE.
IT'S AN UNUSUAL GOVERNMENTAL SERVICE.
UM, BUT, UH, YOU CAN COMPARE IT TO, UM, OTHER KINDS OF SPECIAL ENVIRONMENTAL NEEDS THAT, UM, OTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENTS MIGHT HAVE.
AND SO I DO SEE AN AFFILIATION HERE AND I SUPPORT FULL FUNDING OF 97,500.
UH, WE NEED TO SUPPORT, OH, WE NEED TO SUPPORT THIS ORGANIZATION BECAUSE HAVING WORLD CLASS BEACHES INCLUDES PROTECTING OUR NESTING SEA TURTLES, AND THEY DO MORE THAN THAT AS WELL IN PROVIDING EDUCATION, UH, TO VISITORS AND RESIDENTS ALIKE.
THE TOWN AND CHAMBER CONTINUES TO MARKET AND FOCUS ON THIS WORK, WHICH CREATES MORE AWARENESS AND DEMAND FOR PROGRAMMING.
AND THE FOCUS ON THE ENVIRONMENT IS ONE OF OUR KEY VALUES.
[02:00:01]
THE GRANT OF $97,500.AL ALFRED, ANYTHING TO ADD? NO, SIR.
UM, THINK WE'RE GOOD? THE APPLICANT HAS ANYTHING TO ADD? YES.
KATHY SANDERS, TREASURER OF SEA TURTLE PATROL.
I'M JUST FILLING IN FOR AMBER TODAY 'CAUSE UNFORTUNATELY SHE WASN'T ABLE TO COME, BUT SHE WILL BE HERE THIS AFTERNOON.
UM, WE JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE TO HELP US GROW AND YOUR SUPPORT.
UM, WE ARE A SMALL ORGANIZATION THAT'S FAST GROWING AND YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND GUIDANCE ALONG THAT WAY IS GREATLY APPRECIATED.
OKAY, MS. BONNET, THE LAST AGENCY FOR THIS MORNING IS THE CHILDREN'S CENTER.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT THIS ORGANIZATION APPLIES FOR AFFILIATED AGENCY FUNDING.
THE CHILDREN'S CENTER IS A 5 0 1 C3.
IT IS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION COMMITTED TO PROVIDING AFFORDABLE, HIGH QUALITY EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND CHILDCARE SERVICES FOR WORKING FAMILIES, INCLUDING A MULTICULTURAL BILINGUAL PROGRAM.
SINCE IT'S FOUNDED IN 1967, THE CHILDREN'S CENTER HAS REMAINED STEADFAST IN ITS MISSION TO ENSURE THAT ALL CHILDREN, REGARDLESS OF FINANCIAL BACKGROUND, HAVE ACCESS TO A STRONG EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION.
WHILE STARTED AS A SMALL PROGRAM SERVING 15 CHILDREN, HAS EXPANDED TO SUPPORT ABOUT 110 CHILDREN DAILY WITH MANY MORE FAMILIES ON A GROWING WAITING LIST.
THEY ASK FOR, THIS APPLICATION IS $80,000, AND THEY'RE PLANNING TO UTILIZE THE FUNDING FOR OPERATIONAL SUPPORT TO HELP KEEP CHILDCARE AFFORDABLE.
I DID NOTICE LOOKING AT THEIR FINANCIALS, AND I HAVE FINANCIALS FOR YEARS 2022 AND, AND, AND YEARS 2023, UM, THE 22 REVENUE NUMBERS ARE HIGHER THAN THE 20 TO THREE NUMBERS BY ABOUT $300,000.
EXPENDITURES, UM, HAVE INCREASED.
SO REVENUES HAVE DECREASED AND REVENUES HAVE DECREASED.
I MEAN, EXCUSE ME, REVENUES HAVE DECREASED AND EXPENDITURES HAVE DECRE INCREASED BY ABOUT $200,000.
UM, AGAIN, I DON'T HAVE ANY ANYWHERE ELSE TO COMPARE.
IF THIS IS AN ORGANIZATION THAT IS MANAGING THEIR FINANCIALS PROPERLY, I DO NOTICE THAT THEIR EXPENDITURES ARE HIGHER THAN THE REVENUES.
AND NO MOU WITH THESE? NO SIR.
AND YOU, AND THE CURRENT REQUEST IS $80,000? THAT IS CORRECT.
MS. BRYSON, ONE QUICK QUESTION.
WHO OWNS THE LAND WHERE THE CHILDREN'S CENTER IS LOCATED? THE CHILDREN'S CENTER DOES, THERE WAS AN EXCHANGE OF PROPERTY BETWEEN THE TOWN AND THE CHILDREN'S CENTER IN 2008 NINE.
UM, THE TOWN RECEIVED PROPERTY OVER WHERE THE SECOND TRAFFIC CIRCLE ON MATTHEWS DRIVE, MEANING MATTHEWS MARSHLAND EXISTS NOW AND A SITE FOR THE, WHICH IS WHERE THEY USED TO BE.
AND THE SITE FOR THE CURRENT LOCATION WAS TRADED TO THE CHILDREN'S CENTER FOR THAT TO FACILITATE, NUMBER ONE, THEY NEEDED TO REBUILD AND TO FACILITATE THE, UM, ROAD IMPROVEMENTS THAT WERE MADE BY THE TOWN FOLLOWING THAT.
I, I, I KNOW THEY'RE LOCATED, UH, NOT I, I NOT NEAR JARVIS PARK, BUT CLOSE TO JARVIS PARK.
AND, AND I THOUGHT I'D HEARD IN THE PAST THEY'D BEEN ON SOME SORT OF TOWN PROPERTY.
UH, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
SO, UM, FIRST OF ALL, IN, IN LOOKING AT THE AFFILIATED AGENCY QUESTION, UM, I HAVE TO DISCLOSE MY BIAS.
MY MOM HAD A DAYCARE CENTER FOR PROBABLY 40 YEARS, IN FACT, IN GASTON COUNTY IN NORTH CAROLINA AT ONE TIME SHE HAD FOUR CENTERS.
SO DID MY SISTER AND MY BROTHER-IN-LAW, AND MY BROTHER AND MY FATHER
UM, SO I I I VERY, VERY SUPPORTIVE OF C CHILDCARE.
EARLY CHILDHOOD IS SO ESSENTIAL TO, UM, THE WELLBEING OF OUR CHILDREN.
UM, BUT THE QUESTION IS, IS THIS A A A LOCAL GOVERNMENT, PARTICULARLY A TOWN OR CITY FUNCTION? GENERALLY, IT IS NOT.
UM, THE FUNDING OFTEN COMES FROM, UH, SOURCES LIKE UNITED WAYS FOR THE NOT-FOR-PROFIT AGENCIES.
UM, AND FROM CERTAINLY THE FEES THAT, UH, PARENTS PAY FOR CHILDCARE.
UM, IN SOME CASES, UH, THERE MIGHT BE SOME COUNTY FUNDING IF IT'S A PART OF A SOCIAL SERVICES ORGANIZATION.
[02:05:01]
IT NOT BEING ON TOWN PROPERTY AND NOT A RESPONSIBILITY FOR MAINTAINING TOWN PROPERTY, UM, AND GENERALLY, UM, IF RELATED TO A GOVERNMENTAL FUNCTION, IT'S MORE LIKELY A COUNTY FUNCTION RATHER THAN A TOWN FUNCTION.UM, WHILE I'M SUPPORTIVE OF, UH, THIS WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY FOR CHILDREN IN OUR COMMUNITY, I DON'T SEE IT AS BEING, UH, THE TYPE OF AFFILIATED AGENCY THAT THE OTHERS WE HAVE DISCUSSED WOULD BE.
AND SO, UH, RELUCTANTLY I'M NOT SUPPORTIVE OF THIS FUNDING HONOR.
UH, YES, IN REGARDS TO THE CHILDREN'S CENTER, I, UM, APPLAUD WHAT THEY DO.
IT'S, UH, VERY IMPORTANT WORK.
UM, MY SON HAS BENEFITED FROM PROGRAMS SUCH AS THIS.
HE WAS NOT ABLE TO AFFORD TO PAY FULL-TIME CHILDCARE FOR HIS CHILDREN SO THAT HE COULD GO TO WORK.
AND SO HE WAS ABLE TO, UM, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF PROGRAMS IN ILLINOIS THAT PROVIDED REDUCED RATES, GAVE HIS CHILDREN A SAFE PLACE TO GO AND ALSO RECEIVE SOME EDUCATION ALONG THE WAY.
UM, SO VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THE VISION.
UM, BUT I SUPPORT, UM, MS. BRYSON'S COMMENTS THAT I DON'T SEE THIS AS AN AFFILIATED AGENCY.
UM, I HAVE TO ALSO ADMIT MY BIAS IS HERE.
UM, MR. COLTRANE JUST JERKED MY MEMORY.
UM, YOU ARE LOOKING AT, UM, A PRODUCT OF THE CHILDREN'S CENTER I ATTENDED WHEN IT WAS IN THAT OLD SPOT OFF OF
A LOT OF ACCIDENTS COMING RIGHT THROUGH THAT FOUR WAY STOP SIGN IN THE PARKING LOT OF THE CHILDREN'S CENTER.
UH,
UM, IT JUST, IT, IT TOUCHES SO MANY AREAS.
UM, UH, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, UM, IT, IT IS A HUGE UNDERTAKING AND, YOU KNOW, NOT ONE THAT THE, THE TOWN IS PREPARED TO PARTICIPATE IN.
SO I TOO WILL NOT BE SUPPORTING THE, THE REQUEST.
I DON'T THINK MR. ALFRED WENT TO THE CHILDREN'S CENTER.
IS THAT CORRECT?
WE'LL GET A PIN IN THAT COMMENT.
UH, ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ONE? NONE.
IS THERE REPRESENTATIVE, OH, I'M SORRY.
SOMEBODY, COULD YOU PLEASE APPROACH THE, THE APPLICANT IS HERE TO APPROACH WELCOME.
NO APOLOGIES NECESSARY, BUT THANK YOU.
I'M THE DIRECTOR AT THE CHILDREN'S CENTER CURRENTLY.
UM, AS WAS STATED, THIS WAS OUR FIRST OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN ABOUT THIS, UM, AFFILIATED AGENCY.
UM, AND I SITTING HERE TODAY, I'VE LEARNED SO MUCH AND, AND REALLY AM HUMBLED BY THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
I WOULD JUST SUGGEST THAT, UM, THE WORK OF THE CHILDREN'S CENTER IS NOT JUST TO ENSURE THAT OUR CHILDREN ARE PREPARED FOR THE FUTURE, BUT IT TRULY IS AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ISSUE FOR OUR TOWN, BECAUSE WITHOUT CHILDCARE AVAILABLE, UM, PEOPLE WILL NOT BE WORKING HERE ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
SO IT, IT, THIS STUDY AFTER STUDY HAS SHOWN THAT IT REALLY WORKS AT BOTH ENDS.
IT WORKS FOR THE PARENTS BEING ABLE TO BE EMPLOYED CURRENTLY AS WELL AS PRE PREPARING OUR CHILDREN FOR THE FUTURE.
UM, I WILL ALSO SAY THAT THE CHILDREN'S CENTER IS ONE OF ONLY TWO LOCAL, UM, FACILITIES THAT OFFER INFANT AND TODDLER CARE.
AND SO THE WAIT LISTS ARE INCREDIBLY LONG FOR THOSE FAMILIES.
UM, I HAD A MOTHER IN MY OFFICE JUST THIS MORNING BEFORE I CAME OVER WHO SAID, I REALLY THOUGHT I WAS GONNA HAVE TO QUIT MY JOB BECAUSE I HAD NO PLACE TO TAKE MY BABY.
SO I WOULD OFFER UP THAT, THAT THERE IS A VALUE TO THE TOWN TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT ECONOMIC BASE FOR OUR COMMUNITY IN SUPPORTING OF CHILDCARE, ESPECIALLY AFFORDABLE CHILDCARE, BECAUSE WE CANNOT PUT THE COST OF TUITION, THE ACTUAL COST OF CHILDCARE ON OUR PARENTS AND EXPECT THEM TO BE ABLE TO REMAIN EMPLOYED, AND WERE NOT PARTAKE IN PUBLIC, UM, PROGRAMS THAT ARE NECESSARY.
SO I WOULD JUST SHARE THAT AND THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME TO LOOK AT THIS OPPORTUNITY TODAY.
DON'T, DON'T LEAVE, DON'T LEAVE
SO THERE MAY BE SOME REACTION TO SOME OF WHAT YOU SAID.
[02:10:01]
I, FOR ONE, HAVE.UM, I, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE KEEP THE LINES OF COMMUNICATION OPEN WITH YOUR ORGANIZATION.
UM, WE JUST FINISHED OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSION.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WAS SOMETHING THAT CAME OUT AS A PRIORITY FOR US.
UM, THAT OBVIOUSLY THREADS THROUGH A LOT OF DIFFERENT AREAS.
AND TO YOUR POINT, CHILDCARE IS IMPORTANT.
UM, JUST SORT OF THINKING THROUGH, IF WE'RE TRYING TO ATTRACT CERTAIN BUSINESSES HERE ON HILTON HEAD, MAYBE THOSE THAT ARE WILLING TO ASSIST WITH CHILDCARE MM-HMM
FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES ARE THOSE THAT BUBBLE UP TO THE TOP FOR US.
SO THERE'S, THERE'S CREATIVE WAYS FOR US TO ENGAGE WITH ONE ANOTHER.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE THAT YOU CONTINUE TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS, PARTICULARLY AROUND, UM, NOT JUST ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, BUT OUR FINDING HOME, UM, FRAMEWORK THAT WE'RE WORKING TO HAVE HOUSING MORE AFFORDABLE.
AND THIS OBVIOUSLY, I'VE, I'VE SAID MANY TIMES THAT, UH, WE CAN ARGUE DAY AND NIGHT ABOUT AMIS AND THAT SORT OF THING, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, SOMEWHERE AROUND 30% OF SOMEONE'S INCOME IS WHAT SHOULD GO TOWARDS HOUSING.
THAT WAY THERE'S AN APPROPRIATE AMOUNT LEFT FOR CHILDCARE AND OTHER SERVICES.
SO WE DEFINITELY NEED TO KEEP THE LINES OF COMMUNICATION OPEN AS WE, AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
ANYTHING FROM ANOTHER THOUGHT? UH, ALONG THOSE LINES, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UM, UH, WE, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF EMPLOYERS ON THE ISLAND.
UM, AND I KNOW NOVAT IS LOOKING AT SOME WORKFORCE HOUSING AND, AND INCLUDING I THINK SOME OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHILDCARE.
SO PERHAPS THERE MIGHT BE A COOPERATIVE PROGRAM THERE.
UM, AND ALSO WORKING WITH MR. O'TOOLE WHO WAS HERE EARLIER WITH ECO, UH, BEAUFORT COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TRYING TO ATTRACT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO PERHAPS INCLUDE, UM, AN EXTRA STAR
UM, SO I THINK THERE ARE A COUPLE OF OTHER OPPORTUNITIES THERE.
UM, AND I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD TO STAY IN TOUCH WITH THE TOWN TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY OTHER WAY WE CAN ASSIST.
BECAUSE BELIEVE ME, I KNOW I RAN MY MOM'S MAIN DAYCARE CENTER FOR ABOUT SIX MONTHS AND ALSO DID HER SUMMER PROGRAM FOR SCHOOL AGED KIDS ONE SUMMER.
I THOUGHT I WAS CRAZY, BUT
UM, TOTALLY UNDERSTAND THE ECONOMIC CHALLENGES OF, AND YOU'VE GOTTA HAVE GOOD FOLKS THERE TOO.
YOU GOTTA HAVE GOOD FOLKS TO LOOK AFTER THE CHILDREN AND THEY NEED A DECENT WAGE AS WELL.
SO, UM, GOSH, I WISH WE COULD DO MORE, BUT THOSE ARE SOME OTHER IDEAS BUBBLING UP.
ANYTHING MS. DONNA? UM, I'M VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THE CONCEPTS YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT.
I, I LIKE TO TIE IN TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND I THINK THERE'S SOME ITEMS THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO TO HELP PROVIDE SUPPORT THROUGH THOSE, UM, THROUGH THAT LENS.
UM, SORRY THERE WAS SOMEONE BEHIND YOU.
MR. WARD, DO YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL COMMENTS? COME ON UP, PLEASE.
SO WE CAN MAKE SURE OUR LISTENERS AT HOME CAN.
YEAH, I, I THINK YOU TOUCHED ON WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY.
AS A ENTITY THAT DOES A LOT OF PROGRAMS WITH THE CHILDREN'S CENTER, UH, WE RECOGNIZE THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF KIDS THERE WHO, YOU KNOW, THEIR PARENTS COULD NOT GO TO WORK IF THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE CHILDREN'S CENTER.
THERE'S NO OTHER SITUATION LIKE THAT AROUND.
SO, ALL THE THING I WAS GONNA SAY IS, IS MAYBE IN AS WE MOVE FORWARD, THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES TO TALK ABOUT HOW ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WORKS WITH THE CHILDREN'S CENTER, BECAUSE I KNOW AS SOMEONE WHO'S GONNA BE TRYING TO PULL THE WORKFORCE IN VERY SOON, THAT RESOURCES, LIKE THE CHILDREN'S CENTER IS GONNA BE NECESSARY FOR BE TO, UH, ATTRACT TALENT, UH, TO COME AND DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO OUT THERE.
AND, AND, UM, JUST THAT'S YOU, YOU WERE, YOU WERE GETTING WHERE I WAS GOING, UH, WHEN SHE ACTUALLY CAME UP.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT, UH, I THINK THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES THERE BECAUSE THIS IS A REALLY, REALLY DEEP ISSUE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING ON THE, ON THE ISLAND.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO LAY MY SUPPORT.
CAN I MAKE ANOTHER STRANGE SURE.
SO IN, IN LOOKING AT HOW SUPPORTIVE THIS IS OF OUR WORKFORCE, WHICH SUPPORTS OUR TOURISM INDUSTRY, I AM WONDERING IF THERE'S ANY SORT OF STRING THAT TIES THIS TO ATEX FUNDING.
I'M JUST GONNA THROW THAT WILD IDEA OUT THERE.
WE'VE APPLIED FOR ATEX FUNDING IN THE PAST AND WE'RE TOLD THAT CHILDCARE DOES NOT QUALIFY.
AND I'LL JUST THROW IN, UM, WE ARE WORKING, WE, THE CHILDREN'S CENTER IN CONJUNCTION WITH SEVERAL OTHERS WITH, UM, SO LOCO IN LOOKING AT AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROMOTE FROM THE STATE A TRI SHARE PROGRAM WHERE AN EMPLOYER ALONG WITH THE STATE AND PARENTS ARE HELPING TO
[02:15:01]
AFFORD SOME OF THOSE COSTS.THE OTHER THING I WILL SHARE IS WE'RE WORKING WITH UNITED WAY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF THE LOW COUNTRY AND BLUE, UM, BEAUFORT COUNTY ON THEIR SELF SUSTAINABILITY, UM, INITIATIVE AND CHILDCARE RATES NUMBER THREE IN ROADBLOCKS TO, UM, INDIVIDUAL SELF SUSTAINABILITY.
AND ALL OF THAT BEARS, UM, BEARS OUT IN HOW OUR ECONOMIC, HOW OUR QUALITY OF LIFE, UM, IS ON THIS ISLAND.
SORRY, MR. CHAIR, ONE MORE THING.
UM, I'M, I'M JUST STARTING TO SERVE ON THIS SO LOCO BOARD GOING TO MY FIRST MEETING NEXT WEEK.
SO
WELL, MAY I SAY THANK YOU? THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION, FOR YOUR FEEDBACK.
UM, I HAVE A ROCKSTAR THAT I NEED TO INTRODUCE.
WE WE'RE NOT, WE'RE, WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT DONE.
ON MY LIST THAT DID NOT ASK FOR ANY FUNDING, BUT I WANT TO AT LEAST, UH, BROACH THE TOPIC WITH THE COMMITTEE.
AND THAT IS, UH, THE USCB EVENT MANAGEMENT HOSPITALITY PROGRAM.
THEY HAVE NOT ASKED FOR ANYTHING THIS YEAR.
UM, BUT WE DO HAVE AN MOU WITH THEM, UM, THAT NEEDS SOME ATTENTION AS WELL.
MS. STONE, AM I CORRECT IN THAT? YES, SIR.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE THE COMMITTEE AWARE THERE'S NO ACTION TO BE TAKEN TODAY AS FAR AS THE FUNDING AMOUNT, BUT LOOK FORWARD IN THE FUTURE TO REVISIT THAT MOU WITH THEM.
AND JUST TO CLARIFY, WE DID NOT GET AN APPLICATION FOR AFFILIATED AGENCY FOR USCB THIS YEAR.
UM, IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING, AND THIS IS PROBABLY A QUESTION FOR, UH, OUR TOWN, UM, ATTORNEY, IF A LETTER WAS SENT TO THEM OR NOT, AS IT RELATES TO THE COMPLIANCE AND ANYTHING THAT NEEDED TO BE PROVIDED TO THE TOWN AS OF TODAY, THAT HAS NOT HAPPENED.
IF YOU CAN REPORT BACK TO US ON THAT, THAT'D BE GREAT.
I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT YOU WERE MOVING ALONG.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
UM, I, I DO WANT TO COMMEND ANGIE, ANGIE STONE FOR TAKING THE TIME FOR READING ALL THOSE MOUS AND ACTUALLY CREATING THE LIST THAT YOU HAVE SEEN.
UM, IT IS, UM, IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE DO NEED TO WORK ON AND, AND ESPECIALLY WITH OUR PARTNERS, MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE RIGHT DOCUMENTATION IN PLACE GOING FORWARD.
UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, I WANT TO COMMIT, UH, MICHELLE, MICHELLE BONDS.
CAN YOU PLEASE STAND UP AND COME AND JOIN US FOR A FEW MINUTES? UM, MICHELLE JOINED OUR TOWN LAST YEAR.
SHE ACTUALLY, UM, WE HAD OUR PREVIOUS SENIOR ADMINISTRATOR, GRANTS ADMINISTRATOR RETIRED, AND MICHELLE CAME AND JOINED US FROM NORTH CAROLINA.
AND SHE IS AGAIN, OUR NEW SENIOR GRANTS ADMINISTRATOR.
AND SHE'S DOING AN OUTSTANDING JOB.
UM, SHE HAS SO MANY IDEAS AND SHE'S HAS A, AN ABILITY TO RESEARCH GRANTS THAT I HAVEN'T SEEN BEFORE.
SO, UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO, TO INTRODUCE MICHELLE AND ALSO TO MAKE YOU AWARE THAT MICHELLE WILL BE WORKING ON THE APPLICATIONS STARTING ON FISCAL YEAR 26 FOR AFFILIATED AGENCIES AND AT TAX.
AND ALSO SHE PUT A LIST TOGETHER FOR ALL THE COMMENTS AND ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT YOU HAVE RECOMMENDED TODAY.
SHE HAS SOMETHING TO SHOW US, SO.
YES, MS. BRYSON? UM, I, I DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU'RE HEADED NEXT, MR. CHAIR, BUT WHAT I WAS GONNA SUGGEST IS THAT WE KIND OF REVIEW THE LIST OF WHAT WE'RE THINKING ABOUT AND ASK THE TOWN MANAGER FOR HIS COMMENTS AT SOME POINT.
I'VE GOT MY LIST ON, ON MY, MY NOTES HERE TO HEAR FROM MR. ORLANDO.
UM, AND THE FINANCE TEAM HAS BEEN TAKEN NOTES OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN SUGGESTING HERE, MS. BRYSON.
SO I THINK THIS IS WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR.
UM, UH, YOU WANNA RUN US THROUGH THIS MS. BURNETT REAL QUICKLY? SURE.
UM, SO THE 14TH CIRCUIT CIRCUIT SOLICITOR'S OFFICE, UH, THE ASK WAS 168,500.
THE RECOMMENDATION FROM, FROM THE COMMITTEE IS NOT TO GRANT THAT REQUEST, UH, BEFOR COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
THE COMMITTEE HAS GRANTED THE, THE REQUEST FOR 42,000.
THE NEXT ONE IS COASTAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
UM, WE NEED, UH, THE COMMITTEE HAS REQUESTED MORE
[02:20:01]
INFORMATION, AND SO WE ARE GOING TO PUT A SPENDING FOR NOW UNTIL WE GET ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE.UH, AS IT RELATES TO THE COST OF THE SCORING MUSEUM, THE ASK WAS 141,650.
THE COMMITTEE HAS GRANTED THAT AMOUNT.
THE NEXT ONE IS THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND RECREATION ASSOCIATION.
THE A WAS 1.1 MILLION 252,366.
THE COMMITTEE HAS GRANTED THAT AMOUNT.
THE LOW COUNTRY REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY, THE A WAS 507,051, THE COMMITTEE.
UM, AFTER DISCUSSION, UH, YOU MENTIONED $350,000.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE AND DOUBLE CHECK THAT THAT'S STILL THE AMOUNT.
I KNOW THERE WERE SOME CONVERSATIONS, SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THREE 50 IS REFLECTING WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO RECOMMEND.
WE'LL COME BACK TO THAT ONE ONCE YOU GET TO THE BOTTOM LINE, PLEASE.
UH, THE NEXT ONE IS THE MITCHELLVILLE PRESERVATION PROJECT.
THE AMOUNT REQUESTED IS 105,000, AND THE COMMITTEE GRANTED THAT AMOUNT.
THE NEXT ONE IS SANDALWOOD COMMUNITY FOOD PANTRY.
AT THIS TIME, THE COMMITTEE HAS DECIDED NOT TO GRANT THE REQUEST.
UH, C TOTAL PATROL 97,500 IS THE REQUEST.
THE COMMITTEE GRANTED THAT AMOUNT, AND THE LAST ONE IS THE CHILDREN'S CENTER FOR $80,000.
THE COMMITTEE, UM, DECIDED NOT TO GRANT THAT AMOUNT.
SO THE REQUEST, THE TOTAL REQUEST WAS $3.2 MILLION.
UH, AS WE ADD THE DIFFERENT, THE, THE AMOUNTS THAT WE HAVE IN THE F AND A RECOMMENDATION COLUMN, NOT INCLUDING THE PENDING MORE INFORMATION AND A QUESTION MARK ON THE THREE 50 WE ADD AT ONE POINT OR ALMOST $2 MILLION, 1 MILLION 988 516.
THAT'S ABOUT A 40% IN, UH, DECREASE IN WHAT WAS REQUESTED.
SO LET'S TAKE UP THE, UH, LOOK, COUNTRY REGIONAL TRANSPOR, UH, TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY FIRST.
I KNOW WE, THROUGHOUT THE 350, WE SEE WHERE THAT LAND THAT LANDS US AS A BOTTOM LINE.
UM, I GUESS THE QUESTION TO THE COMMITTEE IS, ARE WE STILL COMFORTABLE WITH, WITH THAT NUMBER? OH, I'M SORRY.
I SUPPORTIVE OF THE 1.9 AT, UM, AND, AND I LOOK BACK AT, AT PRIOR YEARS, IT, IT LOOKS LIKE YOU GO BACK TO 2022, FY 2022, IT WAS A LITTLE OVER 1.9 MILLION, 23, LITTLE OVER 1.9 MILLION.
24, 2,000,025 WAS HIGHER, 3,250,000 PLUS.
AND IF YOU TAKE OUT, UM, THE TWO ALLOCATIONS WE MADE FROM ATEX MONEY, UM, TO CCDC AND HABITAT, SO TRACK 1.1 MILLION, IT'S ABOUT 2.1 MILLION.
UM, YOU KNOW, THAT I, I WON'T CALL OUT A LOT OF MONEY, BUT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE 390,000 FOR, UM, LRTA, UH, THAT WOULD PUT US, UH, A LITTLE OVER 2 MILLION.
UM, BUT, UM, I AM NOT GONNA CRAWL ABOUT THE 40,000.
IT MAY BE VERY IMPORTANT TO, UM, LRTA.
UM, SO THAT WOULD BE MY ONLY OTHER THOUGHT IS INCREASE THAT A LITTLE BIT.
UM, ANY COMFORT IN MOVING OFF OF THAT THREE 50 MS. DONNA? I'D LIKE TO BE IN A POSITION TO SHOW A DECREASE TOTAL AMOUNT OF FUNDING.
UM, I THINK WE'RE GONNA STAY WITH THAT THREE 50 MS. BRYSON.
UM, THE, UH, COASTAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION IS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS 1.9 NUMBER THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING.
UM, LET'S MAKE SURE YOU WEREN'T TALKING ABOUT COASTAL DISCOVERY MUSEUM
SO, UM, WITH THIS ONE, OBVIOUSLY, UM, MS. BRYSON WAS, UH, SUPPORTIVE OF A NUMBER THERE, UM, AS WELL AS NON COMMITTEE
[02:25:01]
MEMBER MR. ALFRED.UM, SO, BUT I, I DON'T WANNA HOLD UP THE BUDGETARY DELIBERATIONS HERE.
SO, UM, HERE, SO MS. BRYSON, UM, I'M ASKING IF YOU WANNA MAKE A SEPARATE MOTION ON THAT PARTICULAR ONE OR WE GO WITH ZERO SO THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD.
THAT'S WHAT I WAS THINKING, IS THAT FOR OUR NUMBER TO RECOMMEND THAT WE GO WITH A ZERO, BUT WITH A REQUEST TO TAKE A LOOK AT OTHER POSSIBLE, UH, ATEX, IF THERE'S ATEX MONEY THAT MIGHT BE, UH, AVAILABLE FOR PARTIAL FUNDING.
AND I THINK THAT FULL COUNTY COUNCIL LOOK AT THAT.
I'M SORRY THAT THAT ALIGNS WITH OUR DISCUSSION AROUND, UH, ATEX DISTRIBUTIONS.
YOU KNOW, CURRENTLY WE HAVE A PROCESS FOR TOURISM RELATED TURK MONIES TO BE ALLOCATED.
WE DO NOT HAVE A PROCESS FOR THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING MONIES TO BE DISTRIBUTED.
SO, TO MS. BRYSON'S POINT, UH, WE'D LIKE TO SEE, UM, WHAT WOULD BE AVAILABLE AND START TO PUT TOGETHER THE BONES OF A PROCESS TO DO SO.
I, I, AT THIS POINT, I DON'T THINK THAT THE AFFILIATE AGENCY PROCESS NEEDS TO HAVE THAT IN IT.
I THINK IT'S TO, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TWO SEPARATE ANIMALS HERE.
AND GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO WEIGH INTO A PROCESS THAT IS MORE ALIGNED WITH OUR FINDING HOME THAT WE CONTINUE TO DISCUSS AT A, AT A HIGH LEVEL.
SO AT THIS POINT, IT LOOKS LIKE THE 1 MILLION 988 516 IS THE NUMBER THAT WE ARE DEALING WITH.
UM, NOW, UM, AND MR. ALFRED, I'LL GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU'D LIKE TO ADD TO THE CONVERSATION AS FAR AS THE NUMBER THAT WE HAVE? NO.
MR. ORLANDO, COULD YOU APPROACH PLEASE, SIR.
UM, WE'RE JUST LOOKING FOR YOU TO REACT TO THE DISCUSSION AS FAR AS THE AMOUNTS THAT ARE, UH, BEING PROPOSED AND HOW IT ALIGNS WITH THE O OVERALL BUDGET PROCESS THAT YOU ARE CURRENTLY WORKING ON.
I, YOU KNOW, AND YOU ASKED ME FOR MY REACTION, AND I, AND I ALWAYS SAID, AND, AND AS I'VE, I'VE SAID BEFORE, GETTING INTO THIS ROOM, YOU KNOW, IT IS THE WILL OF COUNSEL, HOW YOU FUND YOUR AFFILIATED AGENCIES.
I TOOK A LOOK AT THE FY 22 ACTUAL DISTRIBUTION FOR AFFILIATED AGENCIES.
IT, IT WENT UP IN 20 TO 20, 24 TO 3.5, AND, AND THE ACTUAL 2024 WAS CLOSE TO 2.4 AT LEAST ON HERE.
SO WE'RE, I BELIEVE WE'RE GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION IN, IN MY OPINION.
I, I ALWAYS TAKE A LOOK AT BUDGET FROM A, FROM A WHOLE BUNCH OF DIFFERENT LENS LENSES.
YOU KNOW, I THINK A A TOWN MANAGER WILL ALWAYS GET UP AND, AND, AND SAY, YEAH, WE'RE, WE'RE ZERO BASED.
RIGHT? IT'S A, IT'S A NEED VERSUS A TREND.
AND I ALWAYS TRY TO TAKE A LOOK BACKWARDS AND SEE IF WE SEE IF WE NEED IT.
AND I ALWAYS ASK THAT QUESTION, DO WE NEED IT? AND REALLY THE HARD QUESTION TO ANSWER IS, WHAT IF WE DON'T FUND IT? AND SO I THINK THE PROCESS THAT'S IN PLACE, ESPECIALLY WITH MORE THAN, MORE THAN JUST THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS PARTICIPATING HAS BEEN HEALTHY.
IT'S, IT'S BEEN HELPFUL TO ME.
I SEE WHERE YOUR HEADS ARE AT.
WE DO HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO, RIGHT.
THE, THE APPLICATION PROCESS, WE KNOW WHY IT'S STARTED.
IT'S A, IT'S A PUBLIC BENEFIT DIFFERENT THAN A AFFILIATION OF AGENCY ISLAND REC BEING A GOOD EXAMPLE.
SO I THINK THE APPLICATIONS ARE, ARE, ARE WHAT THEY ARE.
THEY'RE SOUND, WE CAN GET A, A BETTER PROCESS IN PLACE.
BUT AS THEY REACT TO A $2 MILLION BUDGET, ASK, UH, IT, IT WILL PLUG INTO OUR BUDGET.
IT IS NOT SO MUCH THAT I CAN'T FIND THEM.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.
UM, I HAVE TO UN FUND OR UNCUT SOME OF THE, SOME OF THE BUDGET PLANNING THAT I'VE BEEN DOING.
I, I HAVE A BALANCED BUDGET RIGHT NOW.
IT WAS ANTICIPATING LESS EXPENDITURE.
RIGHT? SO I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT.
I'M LOOKING AT THE LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY OF OUR FUNDS.
EVERYONE KEEPS SAYING, YOU KNOW, THE NEW NORMAL, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS YET, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE MANY YEARS IN THE REAR VIEW MIRROR YET TO TRULY KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS.
WE ARE ALWAYS CAUTIOUS AND STRATEGIC AS WE PLAN OUR MONEY.
IF I HAVE SOME CONCERNS WITH THIS,
[02:30:01]
YOU WILL ALL BE THE FIRST TO KNOW.ANY QUESTIONS OF THE TOWN MANAGER? NO.
UH, MR. ORLANDO, UM, WE, WE WILL CONTINUE TO GET BETTER AT THIS.
UM, I WANNA COMMEND YOU AND YOUR STAFF FOR THE INFORMATION THAT THEY HAVE PROVIDED US.
UM, YOU KNOW, I LIKE TO BE KNOWN FOR SHORT MEETINGS,
SO WE JUST WANNA THANK THE STAFF FOR PUTTING IN THE EFFORT TO BRING US GOOD INFORMATION SO THAT WE CAN MAKE GOOD DECISIONS.
SO THANK YOU AND I APPRECIATE THAT.
AND IF I COULD JUMP IN A, A, A HUGE, A HUGE THANK YOU, A, A VERY BIG AND SPECIAL THANK YOU TO MS. ADRIANA, HER WHOLE TEAM, MICHELLE, SHE BRINGS MICHELLE UP.
BUT WE CAN EASILY SAY THE SAME ABOUT ADRIANA AND OUR APPLICANTS, RIGHT? THE FOLKS THAT HAVE TAKEN TIME TO EXPLAIN NOT WHAT THEY NEED ONLY, BUT WHY THEY ARE REQUESTING THE FUNDS.
SO I, I THINK IT'S, IT'S, UH, COMMENDABLE AND ESPECIALLY TO THE THREE OF YOU SITTING UP THERE.
THIS IS A BETTER PROCESS THIS YEAR THAN LAST.
AND I BELIEVE IT'LL BE EVEN MORE CLEAR NEXT YEAR.
I, I WILL ASK FOR SOME CLARITY AS WE MOVE FORWARD STRAIGHT TO BUDGET OR TO TOWN COUNCIL.
AS YOU MAKE YOUR MOTION, I WOULD ASK THAT THROUGH, THROUGH THE MOTION.
YOU WANNA KNOW WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO WITH THESE RECOMMENDATIONS.
IT COULD BE A SEPARATE ONE, BUT IT, IT WOULD SURE.
HELP ME MOVING OUT OF COMMITTEE.
AS OF LAST YEAR, WE PUT, WE PLUGGED THE DOLLARS STRAIGHT INTO THE BUDGET.
AND THIS YEAR THERE WERE SOME QUESTIONS PERTAINING TO SHOULD THIS BE A COUNCIL DECISION PRIOR TO ME BRINGING BUDGET FORWARD? FIRST READING, DID I CONCERN, DID I CONFUSE YOU? NO, IT'S NOTHING.
OKAY, MR. ORLANDO, UM, ARE WE CLEAR ON, UH, WHAT THE TOWN MANAGER IS ASKING US? YES.
UM, SO WHAT, WHAT I'M SUGGESTING IS, AS WE GIVE THE MOTION ON THE NUMBER AMOUNT, UM, THAT WE ALSO, UM, CONSIDER THAT WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF MEETING WITH THE TOWN MANAGER ABOUT BUDGET.
THAT THESE NUMBERS WE'VE HAD, UH, MOST OF COUNCIL HERE FOR MOST OF THE MEETING, UM, THAT THESE NUMBERS HAVE BEEN VETTED, UH, THAT THEY GO INTO WHAT HE IS BALANCING OKAY.
AND BE APPROPRIATE FOR THE FIRST READING THAT WE WILL SEE, UH, AT WHATEVER DATE WE HAVE ON THE BOOKS.
THAT'S WHAT I'M SUGGESTING TO THE COMMITTEE.
WANNA GET YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT BEFORE WE GET INTO OFFICIAL MOTIONS ON IT? I AGREE WITH THAT.
I THINK WE'VE HAD A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY FOR DISCUSSION HERE AND, UM, UH, EXCEPT FOR THE MAYOR, THE REST OF TOWN COUNCIL HAS BEEN HERE AND, AND HAD A CHANCE TO WEIGH IN.
UM, SO I, I SEE THIS AS PART OF THE BUDGET PROCESS, UM, AND GOING FORWARD AND, UM, I THINK WE OUGHT TO DO THAT THIS YEAR.
UM, YES, WE HAD ORIGINALLY TALKED ABOUT PERHAPS GOING THROUGH THIS AGAIN DURING THE WORKSHOP PROCESS, BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, BASED OFF OF THE FEEDBACK FROM OUR OTHER TOWN COUNCIL MEMBERS, THEY, UH, WERE SUPPORTIVE OF THIS PROCESS AND SUPPORTIVE OF OUR, UH, DECISIONS.
SO I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO ADD EXTRA TIME, UH, TO COVER THESE AGAIN.
SO, MR. CHAIR, I CAN MAKE A MOTION BASED ON THAT, IF WE'RE READY.
I MOVE THAT WE RECOMMEND TO THE FULL TOWN COUNCIL TO INCLUDE IN THE FIRST READING OF THE FY 25 26 BUDGET, $1,988,516 FOR AFFILIATED AGENCIES AS SET FORTH, UM, ON THE REPORT FROM OUR STAFF ON OUR SCREEN.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? READY FOR THE QUESTION? ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.
WE'VE GOT A COUPLE MORE ITEMS TO TAKE CARE BEFORE WE LEAVE.
WE'VE GOT A THREE O'CLOCK TOWN COUNCIL MEETING.
I KNOW WE HAVE THE FINANCIAL REPORT ON THE AGENDA.
UM,
AND, UH, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSION AROUND AND PROVEN THE PROCESS.
UM, I THINK WE'VE SAID THAT QUITE A FEW TIMES DURING THIS MEETING, BUT I WANNA MAKE SOME OFFICIAL ACTION AROUND THAT.
IF MS. BRYSON CAN HELP US WITH THAT, THAT'D
[02:35:01]
BE GREAT.UM, READY TO MAKE A MOTION, UH, A MOVE THAT WE RECOMMEND TO THE FULL TOWN COUNCIL, THAT IT REQUESTS THAT THE TOWN MANAGER DEVELOP A POLICY FOR FUNDING OF AFFILIATED AGENCIES, INCLUDING THE PROCESS, AND THEN ALSO THE TOWN MANAGER REVIEW WITH HIS STAFF THE MEMORANDUMS OF UNDERSTANDING WITH AFFILIATED AGENCIES.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.
YOU HAVE SOMETHING ELSE, MS. ORLANDO? YES.
THE MOTION READ, OR WAS, WAS VOTED ON, THAT WAS ADDING THE AFFILIATED AGENCY FUNDING REQUEST TO FIRST READING OF BUDGET.
DID I, WAS THAT CLEAR? MM-HMM
SO MY QUESTION IS, IS THIS COMING TO THE TOWN COUNCIL AGENDA PRIOR TO FIRST READING OF BUDGET? YEAH.
MESSAGE HER LOUD AND CLEAR QUESTION.
I JUST, QUESTIONS CAN ARISE DURING THE WORKSHOP DISCUSSIONS, WHICH ARE BETWEEN MA'AM FIRST AND SECOND READING.
WE APPRECIATE ALL YOUR HARD WORK, YOUR TEAM'S HARD WORK.
AND, UH, THE ONLY THING LEFT ON THE AGENDA NOW IS PUBLIC COMMENT.
IS ANYONE HERE THAT WOULD LIKE TO APPROACH THE COUNCIL ON ANYTHING THAT IS NOT ON TODAY'S AGENDA? SEEING NONE, WE, WE'LL MOVE ON TO ADJOURNMENT.
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR ATTENTION AND YOUR PATIENCE.
YOU'RE WATCHING BEAUFORT COUNTY TV, LIVE, WORK, PLAY.
I'M THE OFF PARK RANGER HERE AT DREW ISLAND STATE PARK.
COME SPEND THE DAY WITH ME HERE WE ARE AT DRY STATE PARKS MARINA.
I AM OVER MANAGING THE SLIPS HERE AT THE MARINA.
48 OF 'EM ARE 25 BY 15 FOOT SLIPS, AND THEN WE HAVE TWO 50 FOOTER SLIPS.
UM, I'VE BEEN OVER THE MARINA PROGRAM FOR A FEW YEARS NOW, AND, UH, WHEN I FIRST STARTED, WE HAD EIGHT SLIPS FILLED OUT OF 50.
AND, UM, AFTER RUNNING IT FOR ABOUT 13 MONTHS, WE WERE ABLE TO REACH FULL OCCUPANCY.
UM, AND AS OF RIGHT NOW, I'VE HAD A WAIT LIST WITH ABOUT 15 EVER SINCE.
UM, WE GIVE SPECIAL OFFERS ON, UH, SLIP PRICES FOR THE 25 BY 15 FOOT SLIPS.
UM, IF YOU, YOU CAN DO A SIX MONTH OR A 12 MONTH, THERE'S THE ONLY TWO WE OFFER.
IF YOU DO THE 12 MONTH AND YOU CHOOSE TO PAY UP FRONT, YOU GET A 10% DISCOUNT.
IT'S $2,700 RATHER PAYING, UM, MONTH BY MONTH.
IT'S TWO 50 A MONTH, WHICH ADDS UP TO THREE GRAND.
AND THEN THE SIX MONTH LEASE IS $1,500.
UM, WHETHER YOU PAY IT ALL UP FRONT OR IN $250 PAYMENTS, I'M RESPONSIBLE FOR GENERATING INVOICES FOR OUR CURRENT LEASERS, AS WELL AS SETTING UP NEW CONTRACTS, UM, AS WELL AS RESPONSIBLE FOR CLEANING OF THESE PEDESTALS, CHECKING THE UTILITIES, THE WATER, THE POWER.
WE HAD A COLD SNAP RECENTLY HAD TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, I SET A DRIP SO THESE WOULDN'T BE WITHOUT, UM, RUNNING WATER FOR THE, UM, PEOPLE THAT COME OUT HERE OFTEN.
UM, AS WELL AS, UM, YOU KNOW, KEEPING UP WITH THE LEASERS THEMSELVES AND GETTING TO KNOW 'EM ON A FACE-TO-FACE BASIS.
AND KNOWING, UM, KNOWING WHO I HAVE HERE AT THE MARINA, WE HAVE A FEW REGULARS, UM, AND THEY'RE A VITAL PART IN KEEPING THE, UH, MARINA UP TO DATE.
THEY LET ME KNOW IF SOMEONE'S BOATS COME LOOSE OR IF THERE'S BEEN DAMAGE TO A STORM.
UM, THE WATER'S DOWN RIGHT NOW, SO IT'S, UH, UM, IT IS A BIT OF AN ISSUE KEEPING TRACK OF, UM, THE SAFETY OF THESE BOATS.
UM, THE MARINA'S LIKE MY BABY, I'VE HAD A CHANCE TO, UM, WATCH IT GROW.
UM, A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY ABOUT THE MARINA.
UM, WE HAD AN OLD MARINA THAT USED TO BE RIGHT HERE.
UM, AND THEN IN 2008, WE HAD A REALLY BAD STORM THAT CAUSED ENOUGH DAMAGE THAT OVER THE YEARS AFTER THAT, UM, THE MARINA BEGAN TO SINK.
UM, LATER WE GOT THE BUDGET TO REDO THE MARINA, UM, WHICH IS WHAT YOU SEE HERE, AS WELL AS REDOING THE, UH, BATHHOUSE UP ON THE HILL, REMODELED ALL THE BATHROOMS, UM, SHOWERS, ALL THAT GOOD STUFF, ADDED HEAT AND AIR TO IT.
SO NEXT WE'RE GONNA GO TO ANOTHER FACILITY WHERE I'LL DEMONSTRATE SOME OF THE RESPONSIBILITIES I HAVE AS OUR SAFETY OFFICER HERE AT DRY AND STATE PARK.
HERE WE ARE AT DRY ANDS GAS STOCK RIGHT NEXT TO OUR TACKLE SHOP.
[02:40:01]
YOU ONE OF THE RESPONSIBILITIES AS SAFETY OFFICER IS CHECKING ALL OF OUR FIRE EXTINGUISHERS.UM, THIS IS THE BIGGEST ONE WE HAVE ON PARK.
UM, IT'S RATED SPECIFICALLY FOR THE GAS STOCK.
AND WHAT WE DO WHEN WE INSPECT A FIRE EXTINGUISHER, UM, IS FIRST YOU TAKE IT OFF ITS STAND AND YOU CHECK THE GAUGE, UM, SEE IF IT'S NOT UNDER OR OVERCHARGED.
BUT THE MAIN THING THAT YOU WANT TO CHECK, UM, AS SOMEONE WHO'S NOT A, UM, A CERTIFIED FIRE TECH IS, UM, IF YOU TURN IT UPSIDE DOWN, LIKE SO IF THE WAKE SHIFTS GRADUALLY, THAT MEANS YOU KNOW THAT THE CONTENTS ISN'T CLUMPED UP TOGETHER.
AND YOU CAN KEEP DOING THAT JUST TO SEE.
BUT IF YOU FEEL A BIG PLUMP, THAT MEANS IT'S CLUMPED UP TOGETHER AND IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.
UM, AND I DO THIS WITH ALL 42 FIRE EXTINGUISHERS.
WE HAVE ON PARK, WE HAVE 'EM IN THE CAMPGROUNDS, EVERY FACILITY, OUR CABINS, VILLAS, UM, OUR TACKLE SHOP, AS WELL AS THE GAS STOCK.
AND THE MAIN THING IS TO CHECK THAT AND TO CHECK THE CHARGE.
AND THEN WHEN YOU'RE DONE, YOU CAN JUST HANG IT BACK UP AND THEN YOU CAN SIGN OFF ON THIS SPECIFIC MONTH, UM, WHICH THIS IS JANUARY.
UM, AND I'LL NOTE THAT ONCE A YEAR I HAVE, UM, A CERTIFIED FIRE TECH COME OUT AND HAVE THESE SERVICED.
I JUST HAD THIS ONE SERVICED, UM, IN DECEMBER, RIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS.
SO THIS ONE'S PRETTY MUCH GOOD FOR A WHOLE NOTHER YEAR.
UM, ANOTHER ASPECT OF BEING A SAFE OFFICER HERE AT DRY ISLAND STATE PARK IS, UM, FACILITY INSPECTIONS, MAKING SURE EVERYTHING'S SAFE, MAKING SURE WE'RE STAYING UP TO DATE ON, UM, SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE ON OUR, UM, HVAC, ON ANYTHING THAT NEEDS IT, LOOKING FOR STRUCTURAL DAMAGE, LOOKING FOR ANYTHING THAT MIGHT NEED REPLACING OUR ATTENTION.
UM, AND OF COURSE FILING THE, UM, MONTHLY PAPERWORK FOR OUR FIRE EXTINGUISHER INSPECTIONS AS WELL AS THE FACILITIES.
UM, SO WE CAN STAY UP TO DATE AND BE OFFICIAL.
NEXT, WE'RE GONNA GO AND WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THE LAKE.
HERE WE ARE ON OUR MAIN CAUSEWAY BRIDGE HERE AT DREW ISLAND STATE PARK.
UM, PERSONALLY, THIS IS MY FAVORITE PART ABOUT COMING TO WORK, IS DRIVING ACROSS THIS CAUSEWAY BRIDGE AND LOOKING OUT AT THE LAKE EVERY DAY.
UM, AS I SAID EARLIER, THE LAKE'S DOWN PRETTY LOW RIGHT NOW.
UM, EVERY WINTER THEY DROP THE LAKE A FEW FEET, BUT THIS YEAR IS THE 10 YEAR LOW.
EVERY 10 YEARS THEY DROP THE LAKE SIGNIFICANTLY LOW, UM, TO KILL AN INVASIVE HYDRILLA PLANT, AS WELL AS FOR PEOPLE TO WORK ON THEIR DOCKS.
AND SINCE THE DAM AND THE TOWERS ARE SO OLD, IT GIVES THEM A CHANCE TO MAINTENANCE THOSE AS WELL.
UM, LAKE MURRAY IS 50,000 ACRES, UM, OF MANMADE LAKE AND DR.
ISLAND, UM, BENEFITS FROM THIS LAKE HEAVILY.
UM, IT BRINGS SO MUCH, SO MANY GUESTS TO OUR PARK.
UM, THEY COME TO HANG OUT HERE AT THE SHELTERS.
UM, PITCH A HAMMOCK LAY OUT AT THE LITTLE BEACHY AREA WE HAVE AT OUR OLD OFFICE.
UM, IT BRINGS A LOT OF VISITORS COME SUMMERTIME.
UM, ALSO IN THE SUMMERTIME, UM, BRINGS ALL OF OUR BIG GAME TOURNAMENTS.
DREW ALLEN'S KNOWN FOR ALL OF ITS FISHING TOURNAMENTS.
WE HAVE 'EM YEAR ROUND, JUST ABOUT EVERY WEEKEND.
UM, TO HIGHLIGHT ONE BIG ONE, DREW ISLAND GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO HOST THE WORLD BASS CHAMPIONSHIP, WHERE WE HOSTED 25 COUNTRIES, UM, FOR A WEEK AND WATCHED THEM SHOOT OUT EVERY DAY AND COME IN AND SAW THE BIG WEIGH-INS.
AND THAT'S JUST ONE OF THE MANY BIG ONES THAT WE HAVE HERE.
UM, THAT'S A BIG JOB FOR OUR OPENING SHIFT HERE AT DREW ISLAND IS TO, UM, DIRECT ALL THE BOATERS FOR THOSE TOURNAMENTS AND, AND PARK 'EM AND MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN HOUSE ALL THOSE FISHERMEN FOR, UH, FOR THOSE TOURNAMENTS.
WE HAVE THE BIG BASS, UH, CHALLENGE, AND WE HAVE A BUNCH OF SMALL TOURNAMENTS RANGING ANYWHERE BETWEEN 15 BOATS ALL THE WAY UP TO 150.
IF YOU'LL NOTICE, OVER HERE IS OUR FRONT CAMPGROUND, WHICH IS NEWLY RENOVATED.
UM, IT RECEIVED, UM, UPGRADES FOR ELECTRICAL, UP TO 50 AMP SERVICE, UM, NEW WATER, AND EVEN ADDED, UH, SEWER HOOKUPS AS WELL.
SO, UM, WHEN THIS ONE OPENS UP, HOPEFULLY EARLY SPRING, UM, IT'LL BE OPEN FOR THE GUESTS TO ENJOY A BRAND NEW CAMPGROUND WITH, UM, BRAND NEW FACILITIES.
UM, NEXT WE'RE GONNA GO AND WALK THROUGH ONE OF OUR VILLAS AND MAKE SURE IT'S READY FOR A GUEST CHECK-IN HERE WE ARE AT DREW ISLANDS VILLAS.
UM, THIS IS VILLA ONE BEHIND ME, BUT WE HAVE FIVE VILLAS, UM, VILLAS ONE, THREE AND FIVE ARE THREE BEDROOMS AND VILLAS TWO AND FOUR ARE TWO BEDROOMS. UM, THESE ARE A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE THAT, YOU KNOW, AREN'T INTO THE CAMPING LIFE OR THE TENT LIFE, UM, GLAMPING AS PEOPLE CALL IT.
UM, THESE PRICES RANGE ANYWHERE BETWEEN 1 35 A NIGHT TO MAYBE EVEN, UH, AS FAR AS TWO 50 A NIGHT, DEPENDING ON TIME OF YEAR, TWO BEDROOM, THREE BEDROOM.
UM, IF IT'S A WEEKEND WEEKDAY OR IF IT'S THE ONLY ONE LEFT.
UM, BILL IS ONE AND TWO ARE THE NEWLY REMODELED INSIDE AND OUT, NEW FURNITURE, NEW PAINT FLOORS, ALL THAT GOOD STUFF.
UM, THERE IS A DOCK BEHIND VILLA ONE.
IT IS THE ONLY DOCK THAT WE HAVE, UM, HERE AT THE VILLAS, BUT IT IS A COMMUNAL DOCK.
AND THE REASON THAT IT'S, IT'S ONLY BEHIND VILLA ONE IS BECAUSE VILLA ONE IS OUR HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE VILLA.
UM, BUT ANY VILLA CAN USE THAT DOCK AS
[02:45:01]
THEY PLEASE.UM, BUT WE'RE HERE TO DO A WALKTHROUGH OF THE VILLA, SO IF YOU WANNA FOLLOW ME, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND DO A WALKTHROUGH AND, UH, I'LL LET YOU KNOW EVERYTHING THAT GOES IN WITH THAT.
SO, AS YOU'LL SEE, I USED A KEY CARD.
WE WERE ABLE TO INSTALL, UM, KEY CARD LOCKS AT ALL OF OUR VILLAS AND OUR CAMPER CABINS, AS WELL AS THE BATHHOUSES FOR THOSE.
UM, MAKES IT EASIER IN CASE, UH, OUR METAL KEYS GET LOST.
UM, AND IT'S BEEN A REAL, UH, TREAT TO USE.
SO THIS IS THE INSIDE THE VILLA ONE.
UM, WHAT I'M IN HERE TO DO IS TO WALK THROUGH IT AND MAKE SURE THAT IT'S READY FOR A GUEST, UM, DOWN TO THE NITPICKY STUFF.
UM, MAKE SURE THAT THE, UM, IT WAS CLEANED PROPERLY AND THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY COMPLAINTS OUT OF OUR GUESTS WHILE THEY STAY WITH US.
SO THEY HAVE THE BEST, UM, EXPERIENCE, UM, TOTAL.
SO WE ALWAYS, UH, CHECK THE FIREPLACE TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WORKS GREAT, WHICH IT DOES REMOTE'S PROGRAMMED AND EVERYTHING.
AND TURN THAT BACK OFF BECAUSE IT IS A LITTLE WARM IN HERE.
UM, WE TRY TO CHECK EVERY LAMP TO MAKE SURE THAT IT LIGHTS UP.
UM, EVERY LIGHT IN THE VILLA, WE WANNA MAKE SURE WORKS.
UM, OF COURSE WE, WE CHECK THE TV, MAKE SURE THEY WORK.
AND IN THE BATHROOM, WE'RE GONNA CHECK AND MAKE SURE ALL THE LIGHTS WORK LIKE THE REST OF THE VILLA.
MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE TOWELS HAVE BEEN, UH, PUT IN PROPERLY AND, AND STORED.
WE WANNA CHECK THE CLEANLINESS OF THE, UH, THE TUBS AND MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S NO DIRT HAIR OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING LOOKS GOOD.
UM, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UH, WE HAVE RUNNING WATER, FLUSH THE TOILETS, YOU KNOW, CHECK BEHIND, MAKE SURE EVERYTHING'S CLEAN.
THEN WE GO IN TO CHECK IN THE FIRST BEDROOM.
I LIKE TO DO IT IN A BIG CIRCLE SO I DON'T MISS ANYTHING WALKING THROUGH THESE VILLAS.
WE CHECK ALL THE DRAWERS TO MAKE SURE THAT A GUEST DIDN'T LEAVE ANYTHING BEHIND AND PREVIOUS STAY.
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE WANT TO CHECK UNDER THE BEDS TO MAKE SURE THERE'S NOTHING OVER THERE THAT, UM, WOULD CAUSING ISSUE FOR A GUEST.
CHECK AROUND IN THE NIGHTSTAND AS WELL.
WANNA RUN OUR HAND ACROSS THE TABLE? MAKE SURE THERE'S NO DIRT OR CRUMBS LEFT FROM ANY PREVIOUS DAY.
I WANNA CHECK THESE LIGHTS RIGHT HERE.
MAKE SURE ALL THEY'LL TURN ON.
WE'LL GO OUTSIDE REAL FAST AND WE'LL CHECK THE, UM, PORCH TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING LOOKS GOOD.
MAKE SURE THE LIGHTS OUT HERE WORK FOR OUR GUESTS.
ALSO DO A VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE FIRE PIT.
MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING ON OUR OUTDOOR PATIOS WORK PROPERLY.
ONE, TWO, AND THREE ARE THE ONLY ONES THAT HAVE THIS, UH, OUTDOOR PATIO RIGHT NOW.
BUT, UH, IT IS A PLAN FOR THE FUTURE TO HAVE THE REST OF THEM INSTALLED.
WE'LL GO BACK IN AND FINISH THE WALKTHROUGH.
SOMETIMES THERE'S SOME DISHES THAT ARE STILL LEFT IN HERE.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE, UM, CLEAN AND IF SO, PUT THEM AWAY, UM, AND WIPE DOWN ANYTHING THAT NEEDS IT.
UM, ON THE COUNTERS, WE WANT TO RUN OUR HAND ACROSS THE COUNTER, MAKE SURE THERE'S NO CRUMBS OR ANY RESIDUE STILL LEFT.
UM, AS WELL AS CHECKING THE MICROWAVE AS WELL.
WE ALWAYS WANT TO CHECK THE DISH, MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S NO, UM, STUCK ON STAINS OR ANYTHING, ANY KIND OF SPATTER INSIDE THE MICROWAVE.
AND CHECKING EVERY CABINET TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NOTHING THAT SHOULDN'T BE IN THERE, AND THAT EVERYTHING'S WHERE IT SHOULD BE
[02:50:14]
RIGHT MIRROR AND EVERYTHING LOOKS GOOD IN HERE.WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE LAST BEDROOM.
ALL RIGHT, NOW THIS WAS THE LAST ROOM IN THE VILLA TO WALK THROUGH.
NOW THAT EVERYTHING LOOKS GOOD, I'LL RADIO THE OFFICE UP FRONT, LET THEM KNOW THAT THE GUESTS CAN CHECK IN.
THANKS FOR JOINING ME TODAY HERE AT ISLAND STATE PARK.
I'M GONNA GO BACK TO THE OFFICE AND FINISH UP SOME ADMINISTRATIVE STUFF FOR HEAD OUT FOR THE DAY.
UM, WHAT YOU SAW HERE TODAY WAS JUST A FEW OF THE MANY THINGS WE GET TO DO AND EXPERIENCE HERE AT DREW ISLAND.
SO I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO COME OUT, ENJOY THE STATE PARKS AND SEE IT FOR YOURSELF.
HERE'S WHAT'S HAPPENING IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME TO THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND AIRPORT.
MY NAME IS JOHN RUMBLE AND I'M BLESSED TO BE THE AIRPORT DIRECTOR AND THE LEADER HERE AT HILTON HEAD.
THANKS FOR BEING HERE WITH US TODAY.
WE'RE EXCITED TO SHARE SOME VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION WITH YOU.
AND THEN AFTER THAT, WE ASK THAT EACH OF YOU THEN HELP US SPREAD THAT GOOD NEWS.
THE AIRPORT'S MISSION IS TO PROVIDE THE MOST CONVENIENT AIR TRAVEL OPTIONS POSSIBLE FOR OUR RESIDENTS AND VISITORS TO ACCESS OUR ISLAND AND OUR REGION, WE CAN BRING OUR RESIDENTS, OUR VISITORS, AND OUR BUSINESS TRAVELERS DIRECTLY TO HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
TODAY, WE TAKE ANOTHER VERY POSITIVE STEP TOWARDS ACHIEVING THAT MISSION.
IT IS NOW MY PLEASURE TO WELCOME MR. BRIAN THOMAS, THE MANAGER OF DOMESTIC NETWORK PLANNING FOR OUR NEWEST AIRLINE PARTNER DELTA AIRLINES.
BRIAN, THANK YOU JOHN, AND GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.
IT'S, UH, CERTAINLY A PLEASURE FOR ME TO BE HERE.
UH, MY NAME'S BRIAN THOMAS, AS HE MENTIONED, AND IT'S MY HONOR TO REPRESENT THE OVER 80,000 DELTA EMPLOYEES FROM AROUND THE WORLD.
AS AN ATLANTA NATIVE AND AVID GOLFER, UH, I'VE VISITED, UH, HILTON HEAD MANY TIMES OVER THE YEARS, SO THIS IS PARTICULARLY EXCITING FOR ME TO SHARE THIS GREAT NEWS.
BEGINNING MAY 23RD, DELTA WILL LAUNCH THREE TIMES DAILY SERVICE FROM OUR HUB IN ATLANTA, THE LARGEST AIRLINE HUB IN THE WORLD.
IN ADDITION, BEGINNING JUNE 8TH, WE'LL START SATURDAY ONLY SERVICE FROM OUR HUBS AT NEW YORK'S LAGUARDIA AIRPORT.
WITH SERVICE FROM EACH OF THESE HUBS, DELTA WILL OFFER CONVENIENT CONNECTIVITY ACROSS THE UNITED STATES AND AROUND THE WORLD.
FROM BOTH THE LAND AND LAGUARDIA, WE WILL OPERATE ON AN EMBRAER ONE 70 AIRCRAFT.
THIS AIRCRAFT FEATURES, UH, DIRECT ALL ACCESS, UM, MEANING NO MIDDLE SEATS WITH THE ADDITIONAL HILTON HEAD SERVICE WITH DELTA WILL SERVE FIVE LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT SOUTH CAROLINA, COMPLIMENTING CHARLESTON, COLUMBIA, MYRTLE BEACH IN GREENVILLE, SPARTANBURG, ON BEHALF OF THE DELTA FAMILY, WE LOOK FORWARD.
UH, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR JOINING US HERE TODAY.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO JOINING THE COMMUNITY AND BRINGING YOU DELTA'S AWARD-WINNING CUSTOMER SERVICE AND INDUSTRY LEADING OPERATIONAL RELIABILITY.
AND NOW IT'S MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE OUR MAYOR, MAYOR JOHN MCCANN, WHO LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS.
WHEN I BECAME MAYOR AND HE TOLD ME ONE OF MY JOBS WAS INTRODUCING EVERYBODY AND THEN GET THE HELL OUT OF THE WAY.
OKAY, SO WE'LL START WITH THAT.
GLAD YOU'RE HERE ONE NIGHT AND WELCOME HOME.
WELCOME BACK TO THE AIRPORT HERE.
UH, I'D LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT JOHN RUMBEL, HE'S, HE'S A ROCKSTAR.
HE'S PUT ALL THIS TOGETHER AND YOU'VE DONE A GREAT JOB, JOHN.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE BECOME THE VOICE IN THE FACE OF THE AIRPORT.
AND, AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE ALONG THE WAY.
I'D LIKE TO WELCOME THE AIRPORT BOARD OFFICIALS.
I SEE SOME OF THEM HERE, AND I THANK YOU CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
BILL, THANK YOU FOR COMING THIS MORNING, UH, FROM THE TOWN.
WE HAVE, UH, UH, STEVE RILEY, OUR TOWN MANAGER, DAVID AMES, BILL HAWKINS HERE THIS MORNING, UH, FROM THE COUNTY.
MY NEW FRIEND LARRY WENT TOGETHER LAST NIGHT AND AGAIN TODAY, LARRY, GOOD BEING WITH YOU ALONG THE WAY.
UM, AND IF I MISS ANYBODY ELSE, I APOLOGIZE, BUT, UH, EVERYBODY ELSE WELCOME HERE.
I PICK UP THIS CALL FROM BILL, JUST SO YOU KNOW WHERE I GOT IT FROM.
[02:55:01]
JOHN MCCANN, THE MAYOR OF THE NUMBER ONE ISLAND IN THE COUNTRY.AND I MUST SAY THAT FOR THE LAST THREE OR FOUR MONTHS, THE ONE THING I'VE BEEN HEARING FROM THE CITIZENS IS, WHEN IS DELTA COMING BACK? EXCUSE ME? WHEN IS DELTA GONNA COME BACK TO ATLANTA? WHEN'S DELTA GONNA BE HERE? AND WE'RE HAPPY TO SAY TODAY DELTA IS HERE.
DELTA IS BACK WHERE IT BELONGS, AND WE'RE THRILLED TO HAVE THEM HERE ALONG THE WAY.
I MEAN, DELTA REACHES DESTINATIONS ALL OVER THE WORLD.
THE DELTA BEAM BACK HERE WILL BE GREAT FOR OUR ECONOMY.
IT WILL BE GREAT FOR THE CITIZENS AND THE VISITORS OF THIS COMMUNITY.
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO A LONG, LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIP WITH DELTA.
UH, THIS AIRPORT IS ONE OF THE KEY ASSETS OF THE ISLAND, UH, AND THE AIR, THE AIRPORT HERE.
WHEN I FIRST STARTED COMING HERE IN 1988, THERE WAS A LITTLE BUILDING AROUND THE CORNER AND YOU WALKED OUTSIDE AND THE METAL DETECTOR WAS IN THE STREET, SO YOU DIDN'T HAVE IT IN A BUILDING LIKE THIS.
HERE, UH, WE'VE COME A LONG WAY.
AS YOU COULD SEE, UH, THE AIRPORT AS WELL MANAGED.
THE PEOPLE ON HILTON HEAD ARE A GREAT, GREAT, UH, COMMUTER.
UH, WE'RE GLAD YOU'RE HERE, BRIAN.
AND, UH, WE THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING THIS MORNING.
WELL, THE, THE MAYOR MENTIONED BILL MILES, AND I HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT THERE'S NO WAY THAT WE COULD HAVE THIS KIND OF GOOD NEWS WITHOUT THE STEADFAST SUPPORT OF OUR CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND VISITOR CONVENTION BUREAU.
SO I'D LIKE TO INVITE BILL UP TO THE PODIUM TO SAY A FEW WORDS.
AND, UH, IT IS A GREAT DAY FOR HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT OUR 2.7 MILLION VISITORS, YOU THINK ABOUT OUR 40,000 PLUS RESIDENTS AND BEING ABLE TO HAVE TWO ICONIC BRANDS THAT COME BACK TOGETHER.
DELTA AIRLINES AND HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
BRIAN, WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR BELIEF IN OUR ISLAND, IN OUR DESTINATION, IN OUR RESIDENTS, AND IN OUR VISITORS.
AND THE SERVICE TO ATLANTA WILL BE SO, UH, SIMPLY SPECTACULAR.
AND THEN ALSO BEING ABLE TO ADD IN, UH, SERVICE TO NEW YORK.
AND THAT'S CERTAINLY A BIG MARKET FOR US.
AND ONE THAT, UH, UH, WE WILL HOPEFULLY AND, AND MOST LIKELY SEE TO BE A LONG, FRUITFUL AND PROSPEROUS RELATIONSHIP.
HILTON HEAD ISLAND WAS NAMED THE NUMBER ONE DESTINATION BY, UH, TRAVEL LEISURE READERS AS WELL AS CONDE NAST READERS.
AND THAT SPEAKS VOLUMES ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE HERE ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
AND IT'S, UH, A WONDERFUL DAY TO, UH, FOR US TO BE ABLE TO CELEBRATE, SAY THANK YOU FOR BELIEVING IN US AND WELCOMING DELTA AIRLINES BACK.
THE AIRPORT BOARD, BEAUFORT COUNTY COUNCIL TO HILTON ISLAND TOWN COUNCIL, ALL THOSE WHO HAVE MADE TODAY POSSIBLE.
AND, UH, THE EXTENSION OF THE RUNWAY HAS BEEN A HEAVY LIFT AND YOU'VE LED THE WAY GREATLY.
UH, PRIOR TO THE LAUNCH OF COMMERCIAL JET SERVICE AT HILTON HEAD ISLAND AIRPORT IN THE SUMMER OF 2018, THE ANNUAL ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THIS AIRPORT WAS JUST OVER $166 MILLION.
NOW, WITH THE ADDITION OF THE JET SERVICE AND OUR NEWEST AIRLINE PARTNER, DELTA, I WOULD SAY ITSELF, IT'S SAFE TO GUESS THAT THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THIS AIRPORT IS GONNA BE LAUNCHED INTO THE STRATOSPHERE.
THIS IS GONNA BE GREAT FOR THE TOWN AND FOR THE COUNTY, FOR OUR RESIDENTS, FOR THE VISITORS, AND FOR ALL THE PEOPLE WHO CHOOSE TO TRAVEL FOR BUSINESS THROUGH HILTON HAT ISLAND AIRPORT.
SO WE WOULD JUST WANT TO SAY TO CLOSE UP THAT THE AIRPORT IS VERY THANKFUL TO ALL OF OUR PARTNERS, SPECIFICALLY DELTA AIRLINES, THE, UH, THE AIRPORTS BOARD, OF COURSE, IT DOES A LOT OF THE WORK WITH US, THE TOWN OF HILTON, HAT ISLAND, BEAUFORT COUNTY, THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, AND EVERYBODY ELSE.
THERE'S A LONG LIST OF OTHERS WHO HAVE INVESTED THEIR GRIT AND THEIR ENERGY INTO THESE PROJECTS TO HELP US GET THESE ACCOMPLISHED.
THERE'S A LOT MORE WORK TO DONE TO BE DONE, BUT WE APPROACH THAT JOYFULLY AND WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT IT, AND WE KNOW IT'S GONNA BENEFIT EVERYBODY ON THE ISLAND.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, YOU'RE CLEAR FOR TAKEOFF,