[00:00:01]
CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY.
WATCH YOUR, WHAT DISTRICT DO YOU REPRESENT? SEVENTH.
WHAT DISTRICT ARE YOU WITH? NINE TWO.
[1. Call to Order]
YOUR SEAT.WELCOME TO THE FIRST, PERHAPS, UH, HOPEFULLY NOT THE LAST JOINT, BUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD AND COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING.
UH, THIS IS GOING TO BE LIVE STREAMED ON THE COUNTY CHANNEL, AND IT'S, UH, SIX O'CLOCK AND WE'RE CALLING IT TO ORDER.
AND WE'RE GOING TO START WITH A PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, PLEASE.
AND A STATEMENT OF MEDIA NOTIFICATION AND A MOMENT OF SILENCE.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE RISE OF THE UNITED, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
HAVE THE MEDIA BEEN NOTIFIED? YES, SIR.
[3. Approval of Agenda]
UH, WE NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.UH, YOU SHOULD ALL HAVE A COPY OF THE AGENDA AT YOUR STATION.
I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE AGENDA AS WRITTEN.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE A.
ANY OPPOSED, ANY ABSTAIN? MOTION CARRIES.
[4. Public Comment Period – 30 Minutes Total]
WE NOW HAVE A PUBLIC COMMENT.UH, WE HAVE CARMEN MANNING AND HER TOPIC IS EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE.
THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME, UH, SAY A FEW WORDS AND THOSE OF YOU WHO KNOW ME KNOW THAT, UM, I TAKE A LOT OF PRIDE IN GETTING A GOOD EDUCATION, AND MY HUSBAND AND I WORK VERY HARD TO MAKE SURE OUR KIDS GOT A VERY GOOD EDUCATION.
SO THEN WE MOVED TO SOUTH CAROLINA AND OH MY GOODNESS, I WENT TO A TALK BY DR. RODRIGUEZ AND HE SAID THAT SEVEN OUTTA 10 KIDS ARE NOT AT SCHOOL LEVEL BECAUSE OF COVID.
AND WHEN I LOOKED IT UP AT US NEWS AND WORLD REPORT, THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA WAS LIKE 46TH IN THE COUNTRY.
EVEN THOUGH WE SPEND MORE MONEY THAN THE NEIGHBORING STATES, GEORGIA AND NORTH CAROLINA AND FLORIDA, WE WERE THAT FAR BEHIND.
I DON'T HAVE KIDS IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
I DON'T HAVE GRANDKIDS IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, BUT IT DOES PAIN ME.
AND I THINK THE REPERCUSSIONS ARE THERE.
AND THAT'S WHY I CALL IT EDUCATION EXCELLENCE.
EVERY TIME I COME TO A PRESENTATION, EVERY TIME I PICK UP ONE OF YOUR PLANNING DOCUMENTS OR LATS STUDIES, IT PAINS ME BECAUSE I FIND ERRORS.
AND THE ERRORS ARE BASIC MATH.
ANYTIME I SEE PERCENT, NOW READ IT OVER THREE TIMES.
PEOPLE DON'T KNOW HOW TO, THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO ADD NUMBERS.
I WAS JUST AT A, A MEETING JUST RECENTLY WHERE THE SLIDE SAID 1.45 QUADRILLION, YOU KNOW WHAT THAT IS? 1,045 BILLION.
AND I WAS LIKE, NO, THAT'S 1,450 TRILLION.
AND I JUST SAY THIS TO YOU GUYS BECAUSE YOU'RE THE GUYS THAT ARE THE LEADERS IN OUR COUNTY ON EDUCATION, AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
I WOULDN'T, I WOULD DOUBLE WHATEVER BUDGET YOU HAVE FOR MATH, UM, AND MAYBE DOUBLE IT AGAIN, BECAUSE WE ARE NOT PRODUCING PEOPLE WHO KNOW HOW TO DO MATH.
AND THAT'S NOT JUST, UH, THE GRADE KIDS AND THE PERSON GIVING YOU CHANGE AT THE STORE.
I'M TALKING ABOUT THE REPORTS THAT I SEE AND, UH, ALSO AT THE MUNICIPAL LEVEL.
AND, UM, WE'VE GOTTA DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT NUMBERS, YOU GUYS CAN'T MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS.
[00:05:02]
NEXT DIET, NEXT PERSON IS, UH, JOY COLE COLE, AND TALKING ABOUT WILLOW RUN.MY NAME IS JOY COE AND I LIVE IN BLUFFTON.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING THIS MEETING AND KEEPING US INFORMED.
THERE ARE MANY OF US WITHIN THE ROSE HILL COMMUNITY THAT HAVE QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS REGARDING THE RECENT, RECENT PURCHASE OFFER BY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR THE PROPERTY KNOWN AS WILLOW RUN.
THE PROPERTY HAS REMAINED ON THE MARKET FOR MANY YEARS BECAUSE OF THE STIPULATION IN THE NINTH AMENDMENT TO THE BUCKWALTER AGREEMENT THAT IF DEVELOPED, THE OWNER MUST CONSTRUCT THE STRONGLY OPPOSED NORTH SOUTH CONNECTOR.
THAT ROAD WOULD OPEN EXTENSIVE COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT ON LAND THAT HAS BEEN UNTOUCHED.
THE PURCHASE PROPOSAL MAKES CHANGES TO THAT AGREEMENT, WHICH RAISES QUESTIONS, ESPECIALLY WITH THE TOWN'S PROPOSED GREEN SPACE APPLICATION THAT WOULD STILL ALLOW THE TOWN TO CONSTRUCT THE ROAD.
MEMBERS OF THE IMPACTED COMMUNITIES HAVE BEEN REQUESTING INFORMATION IN A MEETING WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT SINCE EARLY JANUARY.
JUST RECENTLY OUR DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE THANK YOU VERY MUCH, CARLTON, UM, FINALLY AGREED TO MEET, BUT THEN HAD TO CANCEL AS A RESULT OF SPRING BREAK.
WE ARE AGAIN ATTEMPTING TO SCHEDULE A MEETING FOR THE WEEK OF MAY 12TH, AND HOPEFULLY THAT MATERIALIZES AS SOMEONE WHO GREW UP IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
AND AS A MOM, I HAVE A GREAT RESPECT FOR EDUCATION AND ASSURING THAT CHILDREN REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL.
I'M NOT OPPOSED TO SCHOOLS AND NEITHER ARE THE COMMUNITIES AROUND WILLOW RUN.
WHAT WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT IS THE FEASIBILITY OF BUILDING COMPLEX STRUCTURES ON WETLANDS AND WILDLIFE HABITATS THAT HAVE ACTED AS A SPONGE FOR ALL OF THE DEVELOPMENT THAT HAS OCCURRED IN THE SURROUNDING AREAS.
THE ADDITIONAL RUNOFF CREATED BY PARKING LOTS, ROADS, AND ROOFTOPS, NOT TO MENTION THE ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT SPURRED BY DEVELOPING THIS PROPERTY WILL ONLY CAUSE FURTHER DETERIORATION OF AN ALREADY COMPROMISED WATERSHED.
OUR RESPECT REQUEST THAT THE COUNTY COUNCIL AND SCHOOL DISTRICT SCHEDULE A TOWN HALL TYPE MEETING SO THAT THE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE IMPACTED CAN BE HEARD.
NEXT UP IS MR. MIKE HAGAN, WHO WISHES TO TALK ABOUT MUTUAL COOPERATION.
IT IS ALL GOOD EXCEPT FOR THE CONVOLUTED METHOD WE HAD TO USE TO ENTER THE BUILDING THIS EVENING,
BUT, UH, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, THANK THE MEMBERS OF THE COUNTY COUNCIL AND THE BOARD OF EDUCATION FOR HAVING SUCH AS A JOINT MEETING AS THIS, UH, A LITTLE OVER A MONTH AGO, THE CHAIR OF THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE VICE CHAIR, UH, ADDRESSED THE COUNTY COUNCIL AND PLEDGED THAT GOING FORWARD THEY WERE GONNA SEEK MORE ENGAGEMENT WITH THE COUNTY COUNCIL.
IT WOULD APPEAR THE SCHOOL BOARD HAS FOLLOWED THROUGH ON THAT PLEDGE.
TO YOUR CREDIT, IN FAIRNESS, THE SCHOOL BOARD HAS HAD OVER THE YEARS TO MEET THE CHALLENGES OF LIGHTSPEED GROWTH IN THIS COUNTY IN SPITE OF FUNDING LIMITATIONS THAT ARE WITH BEYOND THE CONTROL OF EITHER THE COUNTY OR, UH, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
THERE'S ALSO BEEN THE DISTRACTION OF STUDENT READING MATERIAL.
UH, IT WOULD APPEAR THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS NOT ALWAYS BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE INPUT WHEN THE COUNTY AND MUNICIPALITIES ARE REVIEWING PROPOSALS FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OR OTHER ISSUES IMPACTING STUDENT ENROLLMENT.
HOPEFULLY WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE TONIGHT WILL LEAD TO FURTHER ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN THE COUNCIL AND THE SCHOOL BOARD, PERHAPS EVEN THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A FORMAL LIAISON FUNCTION WHEREIN A FEW MEMBERS OF EACH BOARD WOULD BE FORMALLY DESIGNATED TO RECEIVE AND TRANSMIT INFORMATION AND BRIEF OTHER MEMBERS OF THEIR RESPECTIVE ENTITIES.
SUCH AN ARRANGEMENT CERTAINLY SHOULD INCLUDE THE PLANNING COMMISSION ON AN EXCHANGE WHEN FUTURE DEVELOPMENT PLANS ARE PRESENTED.
IN MY OPINION, SUCH ARRANGEMENTS WOULD SERVE THE BEST INTEREST OF BOTH ENTITIES AS WELL AS THE PUBLIC.
NEXT UP IS MR. TONY, UH, LA MARTINA.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT CONGESTION AND SAFETY.
SAY, GREEN SPACE CONGESTION WETLANDS.
I COULD SHARE VOLUMES OF DATA ON WETLANDS DEPLETION, BUT I'LL JUST SHARE A COUPLE OF DATA POINTS.
ONE ACRE OF WETLANDS CAN STORE UP TO 1,500,000 GALLONS OF WATER, ACCORDING TO THE NOAA WETLAND, SAFE COASTAL COMMUNITIES, 23 BILLION ANNUALLY BY MITIGATING THE IMPACTS OF STORMS.
[00:10:01]
WETLANDS ARE THE MOST DIVERSE ECOSYSTEM IN THE WORLD.ACCORDING TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES.
YOU NO DOUBT KNOW THE IMPACT OF DISAPPEARING WETLANDS.
YOU'RE ALSO AWARE THAT COMMUNITIES OFTEN PLACE THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE IN THE BACKSEAT WHEN IT COMES TO TAX BASE AND DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITIES BASE THEIR SUCCESS ON GROWTH.
BUT WHAT IS THE MEASURE GROWTH? A LARGER TAX BASE TO PLEASE DEVELOPERS ARE SMART GROWTH THAT PLEASES THE RESIDENTS.
THERE HAS BEEN MUCH SAID ABOUT TRAFFIC CONGESTION TOO OFTEN.
THE FIRST KNEE JERK REACTION TO CONGESTION IS TO ADD ROADS TO RELIEF CONGESTION, HOWEVER, RIGHTLY SO, THE INTER INTERSECTIONS WITH THE HIGHEST RATE OF ACCIDENTS HAVE BEEN NOTED IN, IN THE STUDY BY THE COUNTY.
I WON'T COMMENT ON THE VALIDITY OF ONE INTERSECTION OVER ANOTHER, BUT THE FACTORS AS TO WHY THERE ARE ACCIDENTS IN THE FIRST PLACE IS KEY TO PEELING THE ONION FOR BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IS NEEDED TO REDUCE THESE ACCIDENTS, THEREBY REDUCING CONGESTION.
THERE ARE PHYSICAL CONSIDERATIONS OF ROAD CONDITIONS, WHICH IS BEING LOOKED AT.
THEN THERE IS THE TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT ASPECTS SUCH AS LANE MARKERS, SPEED LIMITS, STACKING LANES, AND TRAFFIC DROP-OFFS.
WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF ACCIDENTS OUTSIDE OF THE PHYSICAL THAT ARE CONTRIBUTORY TO MULTIPLE ACTIONS? ACCIDENTS SUCH AS SPEED, RUNNING RED LIGHTS AND STOP SIGNS, FAILURE TO YIELD AND FOLLOWING TOO CLOSE OR AGGRESSIVE DRIVING.
HOW MUCH CONGESTION, CONGESTION COULD BE ELIMINATED AS ABOVE, COUPLED WITH WHAT CAN BE MEDICATED THROUGH BETTER POLICING.
AS ONE EXAMPLE I WATCH EVERY DAY, MOTORISTS RUNNING RED LIGHTS, NOT JUST INCREASING SPEED TO BEAT A YELLOW LIGHT, BUT LITERALLY RUNNING RED LIGHTS AND, UH, UM, EXCUSE ME.
SO HOW MANY NEW ROADS AND ROAD EXPANSIONS COULD BE BE ELIMINATED BY BETTER TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT AND MORE ACTIVE POLICING? HOW MUCH MONEY COULD BE SAVED BY BETTER AND MORE ACTIVE POLICING? MORE IMPORTANTLY, HOW MANY LIVES CAN BE SAVED? I DON'T LAY THIS AT DEFEAT OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THEY'RE SIMPLY, SIMPLY UNDERSTAFFED TO SERVE THE COMMUNITIES AFTER SO MUCH GROWTH OVER THE PAST FOUR DECADES.
SO IF THE SAVINGS IS BE, IS BETTER AND IT IMPROVES TRAFFIC FLOW, THE MONEY SAVED THROUGH UNDERSTANDING THE HUMAN FACTORS IN ACCIDENTS, THE SAVINGS OF THE DELETION OF PLANNED NEW ROADS, HOW MANY POLICE CAN BE ADDED TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS? NOT ONLY DOES WE REDUCE CONGESTION, NOT ONLY DO WE MAKE OUR LIVES SAFER, BUT THINK OF ALL THE OTHER THINGS, THE COMMUNITY, UH, ACTION, UH, IN THE COMMUNITIES.
SIR, YOUR YOUR TIME IS UP, SIR.
NEXT PERSON IS, UH, MS. LAMAR.
I CAN'T READ, I CAN'T READ YOUR FIRST NAME, MAN.
AND THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SPEAK AND FOR THIS JOINT MEETING.
I REALLY APPRECIATE BOTH COUNCILS.
UM, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SAY IS, UM, I HAVE BEEN A PROPONENT OF RESPONSIBLE GROWTH AND DOWN ZONING.
AND CHERRY POINT IS A PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT YOU WERE INVOLVED WITH ON THE REDEVELOPMENT PLANS THAT WERE SUBMITTED.
I DON'T HAVE TO GO INTO THE HISTORY AND, AND MAYBE ONE DAY OVER COFFEE WHO SAID? SHE SAID, AND WHAT SAID.
BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS WE WOULD LOVE FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO OWN THAT 71 ACRES.
AND IT SEEMS TO ME WITH THE 71 ACRES AND YOUR PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT'S IN FRONT OF THE EXISTING OAT T ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, A VERY NICE COMPLEX COULD BE ACCOMPLISHED THERE.
AND WOULD AC ACCOMMODATE ALL OF THE DEVELOPMENTS THAT HAVE CURRENTLY BEEN PERMITTED AND ARE IN DEVELOPMENT? THE FAMILIES AND THE CHILDREN WOULD HAVE, UM, HOPEFULLY A MIDDLE SCHOOL AND MAYBE EVEN A HIGH SCHOOL.
IF NOT, THEN PERHAPS A BEAUTIFUL PART.
I WOULD HELP YOU ANY WAY I COULD TO RAISE FUNDS TO ACCOMPLISH THIS.
AND I THINK MOST OF THE TIME WHEN THE COUNTY HAS COME TO US CITIZENS AND ASKED US FOR MONEY FOR SCHOOLS, MOST OF THE TIME WE ACCOMMODATE BECAUSE WE SEE THE NEED AND WE APPRECIATE EDUCATION.
SO I'M HERE TODAY TO SIMPLY ASK YOU TO NOT
[00:15:01]
GLOSS OVER THAT PIECE OF PROPERTY BEFORE ANOTHER DEVELOPER DECIDES TO SUBMIT PLANS AND SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT AND BEAUFORT COUNTY COUNCIL CAN DO TO ACQUIRE THAT PROPERTY.THAT CONCLUDES OUR PUBLIC COMMENTS.
[5. Growth in Beaufort County]
THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS OF COURSE, GROWTH IN THE COUNTY.AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT AFFECTS US ALL.
AND I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHO WOULD LIKE TO START OFF A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE, THE GROWTH.
UM, YOU MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE SEEN THIS MAP.
M THIS COMES FROM A STUDY THAT WAS DONE BY SO LOCO DETAILING SOUTH OF THE BROAD, THE AMOUNT OF HOW THAT ARE PROPOSED TO BE DEVELOPED OVER TIME.
HOW MUCH TIME DEPENDS UPON THE ECONOMY.
WE KNOW THAT THAT'S GOING TO BE FACTUAL BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT SOUTH CAROLINA IS A STATE THAT IS VERY ATTRACTIVE.
BUT WE HAVE TO BREAK THIS DOWN INTO TWO PARTS.
IT SAYS SOUTH OF THE BROAD, BUT IT COVERS TWO COUNTIES.
WHEN YOU BREAK IT DOWN, BUFORT COUNTY IS GOING TO HAVE SEVENTY TWO HUNDRED AND NINETY SEVEN OF THOSE HOMES SOUTH OF THE BROAD JASPER COUNTY.
OUR NEAREST NEIGHBOR IS GOING TO HAVE 45,818 HOMES THAT HAVE A TREMENDOUS IMPACT ON EVERYTHING WE DO JOINTLY, SEPARATELY, OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT, OUR ENVIRONMENT, YOU NAME IT.
THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH.
THAT IS THE GROWTH THAT WE NEED TO SOLVE THE PROBLEMS OF HOW WE ARE GOING TO DEAL WITH THIS.
AND I'D JUST LIKE TO ADD THAT THAT WAS PRESENTED AT SO LOCO, AND WE'D BE GLAD TO SHARE THAT WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD.
SOME OF YOU WERE THERE, I KNOW CARLTON WAS THERE AND YOU WERE THERE, BUT WE'D BE GLAD TO SHARE THE FULL SLIDE POWERPOINT THAT WAS DONE BY THE SUBCOMMITTEE AT SO LOCO.
SIX, UH, SIX YEARS AGO, THE DISTRICT HIRED A DEMOGRAPHIC, A DEMOGRAPHER, I SHOULD SAY, TO TAKE A LOOK AT GROWTH.
AND, UH, HE SPENT, WE SPENT A, A GOOD DEAL OF MONEY AND HE SPENT A GOOD DEAL OF TIME AND HE CAME BACK AND TOLD US THAT BLUFFTON GROWTH WOULD END IN 2021
SO, UM, THE, THE PROBLEM IS, IS THAT WE CAN'T GET AGREEMENT WITH CITIES AND COUNTY AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT ON WHAT'S GONNA GO WHERE WHEN, AND UNFORTUNATELY, OUR COUNTY AND THE SOUTHERN COUNTY ARE SO CUT UP BY WATER AND, AND WETLANDS AND SO ON, THAT THERE'S NOT A LOGICAL AND SEQUENTIAL GROWTH PATTERN OUT THERE.
AND I THINK THE ONLY THING WE CAN DO IS, IS TALK TO ONE ANOTHER AND, AND PLAN TOGETHER.
AND I THINK THAT THAT WAS MENTIONED, AND CARLTON AND I AND OTHER BOARD MEMBERS HAVE BEEN GOING TO PLANNING MEETINGS TO AT LEAST RAISE OUR HAND AND SAY, WELL, WHERE ARE WE GONNA PUT SOME SCHOOLS? AND WHAT KIND OF DATA DO YOU HAVE AS FAR AS PRICE POINTS? BECAUSE PRICE POINT OF THE HO HOMES THAT ARE BEING PURCHASED HAVE A LOT TO DO WITH HOW MANY CHILDREN WE CAN ANTICIPATE COMING, UH, AS A RESULT OF THAT HOME.
SO THIS, THIS IS REALLY, UM, REALLY HARD AND IT'S ALSO CAUSING, THERE'S A, A, A LEADING E ECONOMIC INDICATOR WHEN YOU SEE THOSE NUMBERS OF HOMES, THAT'S GOING TO BRING OTHER PEOPLE TO SERVICE THOSE HOMES.
AND THAT'S A DIFFERENT HOUSING PIECE.
AND I KNOW JUST IN, IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD IN BEAUFORT, UH, WE HAVE A A 500 HOME SUBDIVISION CURRENTLY BEING FILLED OUT.
WE HAVE A NEW APARTMENT COMPLEX OF ABOUT 340 APARTMENTS AND TWO MORE IN PROCESS OF BEING BUILT WITHIN A TWO MILE RADIUS.
[00:20:02]
AND WE HAVE NO GOOD STRONG, UH, TRAFFIC, UH, ACCOMMODATION AS FAR AS TURN LANES AND SO ON.AND I, I'M CERTAINLY, UH, NOT FOR GROWTH BECAUSE I, I LIKE IT THE WAY IT WAS, BUT IT'S COMING.
AND WE HAVE AN ISSUE IN, UH, AND BY ROBERT SMALLS INTERNATIONAL, OR IT'S ACTUALLY ROBERT SMALLS LEADERSHIP ACADEMY, RIGHT ACROSS AUSTIN WAY IS ANOTHER SUBDIVISION COMING IN OR IT'S AN APARTMENT COMPLEX.
THERE'S BEEN TALK, AND I'VE TALKED TO MR. DAWSON ABOUT A DEVELOPER THAT WANTS TO PUT IN A DEVELOPMENT ACROSS THE STREET FROM BATTERY CREEK HIGH SCHOOL, AND I DON'T KNOW WHEN IT'S GONNA END, BUT ANYBODY HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS ON HOW WE CAN BETTER SCOPE OUT THIS AND CONTROL THIS GROWTH? THERE ARE THREE WORDS THAT DEFINE GROWTH.
PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO LIVE.
THEY'RE LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO WORK.
HOPEFULLY IT'S WITHIN A CERTAIN MILEAGE OF WHERE THEY LIVE.
THEY DON'T WANNA LIVE 50 MILES FROM WHERE THEY WORK OR BE ON A BUS FOR AN HOUR AND A HALF TO GO TO WORK.
AND THEY'RE LOOKING FOR AN OUTLET FOR RECREATION, PARKS, ART CENTERS, YOU NAME THOSE KINDS OF RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES.
WE HAVE THEM, NOT ENOUGH OF THEM.
WE HAVE DIFFERENT TYPES OF PEOPLE NOW MOVING TO OUR STATE.
WE NOW HAVE PEOPLE WHO WORK FROM HOME.
ONCE THEY STARTED WORKING FROM HOME, THEY COULD LIVE ANY PLACE.
SO THEY CAME FROM THE HIGH COST NORTHEAST STATES, CALIFORNIA, WHEREVER.
NOW WE SAY, AND NUMEROUS TIMES WE'VE HAD EVIDENCE THAT BEAUFORT COUNTY HAS A HIGH COST OF LIVING, BUT IF YOU'RE COMING FROM CALIFORNIA, WE LOOK CHEAP.
MORE AND MORE RETIREES ARE COMING.
I LIVE IN A RETIREMENT COMMUNITY.
WE NOW HAVE CURRENTLY NINETY FOUR HUNDRED AND EIGHTY ONE HOMES IN OUR RETIREMENT COMMUNITY.
AND WE'RE GOING TO GET PROBABLY A THOUSAND MORE, MAYBE MORE THAN THAT.
WE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OTHER THINGS HERE.
SO WE HAVE TO BE COGNIZANT OF THAT GROUP OF PEOPLE, THE SERVICES THEY NEED.
YES, BUT WE NEED HEALTHCARE, WE NEED POLICE, WE NEED RESTAURANTS, WE NEED ALL KINDS OF THINGS.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT GROWTH, WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT EVERY ONE OF THOSE FACTORS THAT ARE GOING TO AFFECT OUR GROWTH.
AND IT STARTS WITH THOSE THREE WORDS, LIVE, WORK, AND PLAY.
I SO AGREE WITH YOU, MR. PASSMAN.
UM, AND I THINK THAT THE GROWTH IS GONNA BE TREMENDOUS, BUT I THINK TO YOUR POINT, CURRENTLY THE, THE GROWTH WE'RE SEEING IS 52 YEARS AND UP AGE GROUP.
UM, WHICH DOESN'T MEAN THEY'RE NOT BRINGING CHILDREN WITH THEM, BUT I THINK THE MOST PRESSING ISSUES ARE IN, IN MY OPINION, HEALTHCARE IS THE THING THAT'S ON FIRE AT THE MOMENT.
UM, AND THAT'S ANOTHER AREA THAT I'M FAMILIAR WITH IN THAT PEOPLE ARE, WE, THERE'S A LOT OF DOCTORS RETIRING HERE.
NOT A LOT OF DOCTORS WORKING HERE.
NOT ENOUGH PRIMARY CARE, CERTAINLY NOT ENOUGH NURSES, NOT ENOUGH, UH, SENIOR ASSISTANT LIVING TYPE SITUATIONS, PHYSICAL THERAPY.
BUT THIS IS AN AREA OF TREMENDOUS, UH, POSSIBILITY FOR THE SCHOOLS BECAUSE I THINK THAT WE AREN'T GOING TO IMPORT PHYSICAL THERAPISTS AND X-RAY TECHNOLOGISTS, ESPECIALLY WITH THE HOME PRICES.
JUST NOT COMPETITIVE WITH LIKE COLUMBIA AND GREENVILLE.
UM, BECAUSE WE'RE A COASTAL TOWN AND BECAUSE WE ARE A RETIREMENT DESTINATION.
SO TO YOUR POINT, THEY'RE SELLING THEIR HOME IN CALIFORNIA FOR A MILLION DOLLARS AND IT WAS A, YOU KNOW, APARTMENT OVER A GARAGE, AND THEY'RE MOVING HERE AND JUST LOVING IT.
SO IT'S GONNA BE VERY COMPETITIVE TO IMPORT THAT WORKFORCE.
WE NEED TO GROW THAT WORKFORCE.
AND THAT STARTS IN K THROUGH 12.
THAT STARTS WITH THE KATE EXPANSION, WORKING WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, HAVE WORKING WITH THE COUNTY TO IDENTIFY THE MOST PRESSING NEEDS, BRINGING IN TCL AND USCB.
WE SHOULD HAVE A PIPELINE FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL.
I KNOW OF LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WANNA BE NURSES AND THEY DON'T KNOW ABOUT X-RAY TECHNOLOGY AND PHLEBOTOMY AND
[00:25:01]
THESE OTHER SERVICES THAT ARE ESSENTIAL TO RUNNING A HEALTHCARE ORGANIZATION.SO I THINK THAT'S ANOTHER AREA WHERE THE SCHOOL AND THE COUNTY SHOULD BE WORKING TOGETHER BECAUSE WE HAVE, UH, THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PIECE, AND YOU GUYS HAVE THE WORKFORCE NEED.
AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE SCHOOLS CAN REALLY, UH, WORK WITH AND WHERE THE COUNTY CAN HELP US, YOU KNOW, DEVELOP THESE PROGRAMS, BRING IN OTHER PARTNERS, BRING IN NOVANT AND, AND, UH, BEAUFORT MEMORIAL AND MUSC.
SO I SEE THAT AS A REAL OPPORTUNITY FOR THE, UH, PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN OUR ORGANIZATIONS.
MR. SMITH, IN, IN TERMS OF GROWTH, UH, JUST I WANT TO PIGGYBACK JUST, UH, RIGHT OFF OF, UH, WHAT WHAT WAS JUST, UH, SAID, YOU KNOW, IT'S GOOD TO HAVE THE RETIREMENT, UH, COMMUNITIES HERE, BUT WE HAVE A YOUNGER GENERATION HERE THAT WE DON'T HAVE NOTHING FOR THEM TO DO.
AND JUST LIKE, I, LIKE, I, LIKE I'VE TOLD US AT THE LAST, AT THE LAST, UH, MEETING, UH, WORK SESSION WE HAD HERE, AND I COME INTO AND TELL YOU GUYS ALL THE TIMES, UH, IN, IN THIS COUNTY, WE'VE BURIED ABOUT 30, 30 SOMETHING OF OUR KIDS LAST YEAR BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT, THERE'S NOTHING FOR THEM TO DO.
THERE'S NO SAFETY OUTLETS RIGHT NOW TO PLUG THIS MIC IN BECAUSE IT'S PORTABLE AT SOME POINT IN TIME, THIS MIC HAS TO BE CHARGED.
SO HOW DO YOU CHARGE IT? YOU HAVE TO DO WHAT? YOU HAVE TO PLUG IT INTO AN OUTLET.
SO IF THE KIDS DON'T HAVE ANY OUTLETS OR THE YOUNG TRADITIONAL GENERATION DON'T HAVE ANY OUTLETS FOR THEM TO GO TO, AND, AND, AND IN TERMS OF TALKING ABOUT GROWTH, THEN ARE WE SETTING, ARE WE, ARE WE SETTING THEM UP FOR, FOR DANGER AND TO NOT BE SUCCESSFUL? THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT TOO.
WE, WE TALK, WE TALK ABOUT FINDING SOMETHING FOR THE, UH, AND PROTECTING THE, UH, THE, UH, THE SENIOR, THE SENIORS OR THE ELDERLY, THE OLDER, OLDER CLASS OF PEOPLE.
BUT WHAT, WHAT, WHAT ARE WE PUTTING IN PLACE FOR THE YOUNGER GENERATION TO GO TO AND BE ABLE TO HAVE A SAFE HAVEN FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO PART PARTICIPATE IN THINGS ALSO AROUND GROWTH.
UH, ANOTHER NUGGET IS, UM, GONNA GIVE NUGGETS FOR A SECOND.
UH, ANOTHER NUGGET IS WE COME UP WITH, WITH ALL THESE, UH, APARTMENT COMPLEXES.
SO NOW YOU PUTTING A BUNCH OF PEOPLE WHO DON'T NORMALLY LIVE TOGETHER OR WHO DON'T KNOW EACH OTHER, WHO MAY NOT CARE ABOUT, OR WHO MAY NOT HAVE THE SAME LIFE CORE VALUES TOGETHER, AND YOU PUTTING ALL THEM IN ONE IN ONE IN ONE BOX, A ZIPLOC BAG, AND YOU'RE TELLING THEM, Y'ALL GOTTA LIVE TOGETHER.
LET'S SEE HOW THAT'S HOW THAT'S GONNA WORK OUT.
SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE CRIME RATE AND WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON IN BEAUFORT COUNTY FOR THE LAST 12 MONTHS, THE CRIME RATE'S GOING UP.
I WONDER WHY THAT IS, BECAUSE ALL MONEY AIN'T GOOD MONEY.
AT SOME POINT IN TIME, WE, AT ONE POINT IN TIME, WE WERE SAYING, OH, BLUFFTON GROVE IS 'CAUSE IS, IS GETTING OUTTA CONTROL.
WHO, WHO WE GONNA CAP IT? OR THE COUNSELING GOING? DOES BLUFFTON UH, TOWN COUNCIL GOING GONNA CAP IT? OKAY, WELL NOW THE COUNTY GROWTH, THEY, TO ADDRESS THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM, IT'S KIND GETTING OUTTA HAND.
BECAUSE YOU TALKING ABOUT ALL, ALL, ALL THESE SHOOTING THAT'S GOING ON IN SOME OF THESE, IN THESE APARTMENT COMPLEXES IS THAT THAT'S GOING UP QUICKLY AND YOU, AND YOU'RE JUST THROWING ANYBODY IN THEM TO GET THESE BILLS PAID.
AND SO THESE PEOPLE CAN GET PAID.
THIS, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO MONITOR TOO, BECAUSE WE, SAME WAY, YOU WANNA ATTRACT THOSE PEOPLE.
THOSE PEOPLE DON'T WANNA COME TO THE AREA WHERE THERE'S, WHERE, WHERE THERE'S A LOT OF VIOLENCE AT, WHERE THERE'S A LOT OF, THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF GOING ON.
SO WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT GROWTH, ALL THAT'S A PART OF GROWTH.
SO IT, SO IT'S GOOD FOR US TO, TO ADDRESS THE EDUCATIONAL PART OF IT AND THE PEOPLE, AND THE PEOPLE MOVING IN THE BUILDING SCHOOL'S PART OF IT.
BUT WHAT, WHAT ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE MY AGE, WHO, WHO CAN'T GO OUT ONLY, WE ONLY ONLY PLACES THERE TO GO OUT AROUND HERE IS TO JUST TO BUY FOOD AT SOME POINT.
SO, I MEAN, HELP ME, HELP ME REALLY UNDERSTAND IN TERMS OF GROWTH, WHAT ELSE ARE, ARE WE, ARE WE PUTTING IN, IN PLACE OF GROWTH WHEN WE HAVE, UH, MR. OUL, WHO, WHO ALSO, WHOSE JOB IT IS TO BRING SUSTAIN SUCCESSFUL JOBS? WE, WE HAVE A, UM, A, UH, WHAT IS IT CALLED? WE HAVE AN INDUSTRIAL PARK.
WHAT'S THE HIGHEST JOB THAT THAT INDUSTRIAL PARK BRINGS OUT THERE? HOW MANY JOBS CAN THAT INDUSTRIAL PARK OFFER US? WHICH WE'RE SITTING THERE NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT GROWTH, BUT WE, BUT WE'RE ALSO TALKING ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES WORKING HAND IN HAND.
UM, YOU KNOW, I I THINK WE'RE ALL VERY AWARE OF THE GROWTH ISSUES HERE.
UH, I THINK THE POINT OF THIS MEETING THOUGH IS WHAT CAN WE DO TO KEEP EACH OTHER INFORMED ABOUT YOUR NEEDS AND WHAT DEVELOPMENT THAT WE'RE SEEING COMING BEFORE US? UH, I KNOW EVEN I HAVE AN ISSUE KEEPING TRACK OF WHAT DEVELOPMENTS ARE OUT THERE.
YOU KNOW, WE DON'T ALWAYS GIVE THE INFORMATION IN A TIMELY FASHION OURSELVES.
SO WHAT WOULD WORK, WOULD A QUARTERLY REPORT WORK FROM OUR, YOU KNOW, FROM OUR STAFF OR FROM US, WOULD AN ORDINANCE THAT WE PUT IN PLACE THAT TRIGGERS NOTIFICATION OF
[00:30:01]
A DEVELOPMENT OF A CERTAIN SIZE THAT HAD COME BEFORE THE SCHOOL BOARD? I MEAN, I, I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT'LL WORK, BUT I, I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE TODAY TO TRY TO ADDRESS AND GET TO THE ROOT.AND I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY THERE ARE A FEW THINGS IN PLACE.
CAROL CRUNCH FIELD, WHO'S THE, UM, PLANNER FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT COMES TO EVERY, UM, NOT EVERYONE, BUT A LOT OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETINGS.
SHE ALSO IS PARTICIPATES IN THE NORTHERN REGIONAL PLAN MEETINGS AND THE SO LOCAL PLANS, AND I THINK, I KNOW OUR PLANNERS WORK CLOSELY WITH HER.
THE OTHER, ANOTHER LEG IN THAT, IN THAT CHAIR IS BEAUFORT, JASPER SEWER WATER AUTHORITY TOO.
AND, UH, THIS, THIS SUBCOMMITTEE THAT WAS FORMED AT, SO LOCO GOT ALL OF THOSE PLANNERS TOGETHER.
SO, AND THEY GET TOGETHER INFORMALLY, BUT THAT HAS BECOME MORE FORMAL.
SO I THINK WE'RE WORKING ON THAT.
UM, AT THE STAFF LEVEL, I THINK IT'S WORKING WELL, BUT WE NEED TO CONTINUE THAT.
RIGHT? AND, AND THE STAFF NEEDS TO GET TO US.
AND SOMETIMES THESE COMMISSIONS, THEY TALK TO THEMSELVES, BUT THEY DON'T TALK TO US AS A GROUP.
AND AS A GROUP, WE CAN START TO MAKE DECISIONS AND START TO PUT THINGS IN PLACE.
AND SO AS A QUARTERLY, SOME KIND OF A MORE FORMAL MEETING WITH KEY MEMBERS, UH, EITHER PLANNING COMMITTEE OR, OR OF THE, OF THE SCHOOL BOARD AND YOUR COMMITTEE THAT DOES THE SAME THING.
A A JOINT MEETING AT A, ON A SMALL TOPIC AREA, LIKE WE WE'RE ALL OVER THE MAP ON TONIGHT.
BUT IF WE COULD DO THAT AND HAVE COMMITTEE TO COMMITTEE MEETINGS ON A, ON AT LEAST QUARTERLY BASIS GOOD.
RIGHT? I, I KNOW I'M WILLING TO COMMIT TO THAT.
JUST WANNA PIGGYBACK ON WHAT MRS. HOWARD JUST SAID ABOUT THE NORTHERN REGIONAL PLANNING COMMITTEE.
UM, MR. CAMPBELL WAS A MEMBER OF THAT COMMITTEE, AND IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE SOMEBODY, UM, THERE TO REPRESENT, UM, UH, THE BOARD ABSOLUTELY.
AT THAT MEETING AND STUFF, SO, RIGHT.
AND THAT, THAT IS, THAT IS AN ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL COMMITTEE TO BE ON.
SO IT KEEPS EVERYBODY INFORMED ON THE NORTHERN SIDE OF THE BROAD RIVER
UM, WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A OPEN DISCUSSION HERE ABOUT, UH, THE GROWTH THAT HAS TAKEN PLACE AND THE GROWTH THAT IS COMING.
AND, UM, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UM, PLACES TO LIVE, WORK, AND PLAY.
AND SO WE ARE PREPARING FOR THE GROWTH AND, AND I, I, I, I THINK, UM, WE, WE ARE PUSHING THE POINT OF CONTROLLING THE GROWTH.
NO, NO ONE'S TALKING ABOUT CONTROLLING THE GROWTH.
WE ARE PREPARING FOR THE GROWTH.
AND, AND I THINK, I THINK IF WE ALL ARE REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE GROWTH THAT'S TAKING PLACE IN THIS COUNTY, WE WILL START THINKING ABOUT, OKAY, HOW DO WE CONTROL IT? AND CONTROLLING IT IS, EVERY, EVERY DEVELOPER THAT PRESENTS A PROJECT FOR DEVELOPMENT IN BEAUFORT COUNTY, IT'S ALWAYS TO, FOR THE MOST PART, AN UPZONING.
AND SO IF WE WANT TO CONTROL IT, THEN LET'S STOP UPZONING THE PROPERTY AND LET THEM BILL AS, AS IS, WHICH IS BY, RIGHT.
AND SO IF IF WE TAKE THAT INITIATIVE, THEN WE CAN CONTROL AND TRY TO STIFLE OR AT LEAST GET A HANDLE ON THE GROWTH THAT HAS ALREADY TAKEN PLACE AND THE GROWTH THAT MIGHT COME IN THE FUTURE.
THE, THE OLD ADAGE BUILD IT AND THEY'LL COME.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE OPERATING ON.
WE, WE, WE TALK ABOUT THE AGE GROUP THAT'S COMING FROM CALIFORNIA, UM, AGE 57, 50, WHATEVER.
AND SO THEY MAY NOT HAVE CHILDREN, BUT THEY, THEY SELL THEIR HOMES UP NORTH AND THEY'RE MOVING SOUTH.
SO IF WE DON'T BUILD THE HOMES, THEN, IN MY OPINION, MAYBE THEY WON'T COME.
[6. Work Force Issues ]
MM-HMMLET'S, UH, A SUBSET OF THIS, OF COURSE, IS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND WORKFORCE, UH, COMING IN TO GET THE RIGHT PEOPLE, GET THE RIGHT TRAINING AT THE RIGHT TIME.
AND THAT'S ANOTHER COMMITTEE THAT WE LOOK AT THAT A LOT IN OUR CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION.
AND I'M NOT SURE THAT WE'VE TOLD THE COUNTY COUNCIL WHAT WE, AND IN THE COUNTY, UH, SCHOOL DISTRICT AND IN ACE, WHAT WE'RE PRODUCING AND, AND WHERE ARE THE KIDS THAT ARE GRADUATING, WHERE THEY'RE GOING.
A LOT OF THEM ARE LEAVING THE COUNTY BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A WAY TO
[00:35:01]
INTEGRATE THEM INTO THE BUSINESSES THAT WE HAVE IN THE COUNTY.UH, I, I CAME FROM UP NORTH WHERE YOU HAVE UNIONS, AND I DON'T LIKE UNIONS, BUT I DO LIKE THE FACT THAT THEY DID THE KIND OF PLACEMENT FOR OUR KIDS.
THEY, THEY LEFT AND THEY GOT THEIR APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING BY THE UNION, AND THEN THE UNION, UH, PARCELED THEM OUT TO CONTRACTORS AND SO ON.
SO HOW CAN WE HELP MANAGE WORKFORCE IN THIS COUNTY? ANY, SIR, I JUST WANNA THROW THIS OUT.
BOATWRIGHT, I THINK HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD WITH, UM, ALIGNING WITH TCL AND USCB.
THEY'RE FOCUSED ON RETENTION, AND I THINK COUNCIL HAS TRIED TO HELP WITH NURSE RETENTION AND OTHERS.
SO AGAIN, RIGHT THERE, VERY IMPORTANT.
SO, MR. CHAIRMAN, SO WE DO HAVE THE NEW INTERNSHIP PROGRAM, WHICH WE WORK CLOSELY WITH YOUR STAFF FOR, WHICH I THINK CAN BLOSSOM AND COULD BE A GREAT EFFORT FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS WITH THE COUNTY.
UM, ALSO WE WORK WITH TCL, WE, WE DO SOME FUNDING AND USCB AND THE WORKFORCE TRADING CENTER.
SO I THINK THERE'S MORE WE COULD DO, BUT I REALLY LIKE OUR NEW INTERNSHIP PROGRAM AND I THANK YOUR COLLEAGUES FOR DOING IT, AND WE NEED TO EXPAND ON THAT A LITTLE BIT FURTHER.
UM, THIS HAS BEEN A VERY PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATION.
I REALLY AM LEARNING A LOT, AND I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY MAKING THOSE COMMENTS AND THOSE, UH, POINTS OF IMPROVEMENT.
I'D JUST LIKE TO TALK ABOUT A FEW THINGS VERY, VERY BRIEFLY.
I THINK WE HAVE TO NOT ONLY TALK ABOUT WORKFORCE HOUSING, WE HAVE TO HELP EXISTING LEGACY CULTURAL LANDOWNERS MONETIZE THEIR ASSETS WITHOUT HAVING TO SELL THEM OFF.
THAT'S ALWAYS A POINT OF CONTENTION.
NOW THAT I OWN A 30 ACRE FARM IN NORTH CAROLINA, I'M WORKING TO DO THAT MYSELF.
INSTEAD OF SELLING AND DEVELOPING THESE, THESE FARM, THIS FARM LAND, AND WHICH IS 30 MILES FROM GREENVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA.
GREENVILLE WAS 30,000 WHEN I WAS THERE.
EAST CAROLINA UNIVERSITY, THAT'S 94,000.
ECU HAS ADDED A, A DENTAL SCHOOL, A MEDICAL SCHOOL.
THE HOSPITAL IS FIVE TIMES WHAT IT WAS, AND NOW THEY'RE IMPROVING THE ROADS TO WHERE MY FARM IS.
SO INSTEAD OF SELLING IT, WHICH THE FARM'S BEEN IN THE, IN THE, UH, FAMILY SINCE 1866, JUST LIKE A LOT OF NATIVE ISLANDERS HERE AND OTHER PLACES I'VE LIVED, WE WANT TO KEEP THAT LAND.
I THINK IF WE CAN COME UP WITH NOVEL WAYS TO ACTUALLY MONETIZE EXISTING CULTURAL ASSETS WITHOUT PEOPLE FEELING LIKE I'VE BEEN BOUGHT OUT AND PUSHED OFF.
THAT'S THE FIRST THING ON WORKFORCE HOUSING.
THIS AFTERNOON I WAS CONTACTED BY A GENTLEMAN FROM VIENNA, UM, UH, VIRGINIA, ABOUT, HE'S PART OF A BANK CON CONGLOMERATE, AND HE'S LOOKING TO ACTUALLY MONETIZE AND AND FINANCE WORKFORCE HOUSING.
SO I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS OUT THERE, AND I THINK THIS CONVERSATION HELPS TRIGGER A LOT OF WHAT THE POSSIBILITIES ARE.
THE OTHER THING IS, I THINK WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT NEW MODES OF TRANSPORTATION.
HAVING LIVED IN THE BAY AREA, A LOT OF PEOPLE TRAVEL TO WORK BY BOAT A LOT.
NOW THERE'S SOME PROBLEMATIC ISSUES WITH THAT.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, BEAUFORT COUNTY HAS 300 ISLANDS.
ABOUT SEVEN, EIGHT YEARS AGO, A TRAFFIC STUDY WAS DONE, A HEAT MAP, AND IT SHOWED MORE THAN A THOUSAND PEOPLE COME A DAY ARE COMING FROM ST.
HELENA THAT FAR END OF THE ISLAND, UP OVER AND DOWN TO WORK ON HILTON HEAD AND OTHER PLACES.
WE SHOULD LOOK AT A SOLUTIONS TO ADDRESS THAT.
THE OTHER THING IS DIFFERENT MODES OF TRANSPORTATION, NOT ONLY WATER, BUT ALSO AIR.
MR. O2 HAS BEEN ENGAGING FOR SOME TIME NOW, UH, SKYDRIVE, WHICH IS ONE OF THOSE HELICOPTER, UH, THAT GOES FROM VERY SMALL AREAS TO ANOTHER, AND THAT CAN ALLEVIATE TRAFFIC PATTERNS.
UM, THE OTHER THING IS CONNECTIVITY.
IF WE WANT PEOPLE TO STOP TRAVELING, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS SOUTH CAROLINA HAS GIVEN AND THE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT THE US GOVERNMENT HAS CREATED TO CONNECT GROUPS AND PEOPLE, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WHALE BRANCH IN THAT AREA HAS CONNECTIVITY SO THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO DRIVE IN AND WORK.
WE ALSO NEED TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE CAN WORK FROM HOME.
SO THERE'S SO MANY THINGS THAT CAN BE DONE.
UM, I JUST WANNA SAY A COUPLE MORE THINGS AND I'LL MOVE ON.
UH, THE NORTHERN PLANNING COMMISSION OR WHATEVER THE PROPER NAME IS, AND IT'S CLOSE ENOUGH.
SO LOKO IS THE EQUIVALENT SOUTH OF THE BROAD, AND WE'VE ATTENDED THAT.
ONE OF THE THINGS THIS CHAIR HAS DONE IS HE HAS ENABLED US TO BE COMPENSATED FOR GOING TO MEETINGS WHERE I NEVER WOULD'VE
[00:40:01]
ATTENDED BEFORE.AND WE'VE LEARNED SO MUCH, SO MUCH FROM ATTENDING YOUR MEETINGS.
I HAD NO IDEA THE COMPLEXITY OF WHAT THE COUNTY COUNCIL DOES WITH, UM, AND THE NURSE RETENTION.
THAT PROGRAM THAT YOU WERE ALLUDING TO, WE HELPED CREATE THAT ABOUT EIGHT YEARS AGO.
AND IT WAS A PERSON WHO RETIRED HERE AND CAME AND SAID, WE GOT A MASSIVE LOSS FOR LACK OF NURSES, AND THEY PUT TOGETHER SOMETHING.
SO THERE'S SO MANY PEOPLE HERE.
HUMAN INTELLECTUAL TALENT IS HERE.
I AM VERY PLEASED, AND THANK BOTH OF YOU FOR BRINGING THIS, THESE TWO GROUPS TOGETHER.
I'M LISTENING AND I'LL CONTRIBUTE AND HELP ANY WAY I CAN.
MA'AM? UH, I'VE BEEN LISTENING AS WELL.
UM, I THANK COUNTY COUNCIL FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
UM, I THANK THE BOARD, UH, BUT I, I'M LISTENING TO ALL THE CONVERSATIONS THAT ARE GOING ON IN THE COMMENTS AND, UH, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT REALLY, UH, CAUGHT ME IS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE HUMAN, HUMAN PART OF THIS GROWTH.
SO THE COMMENT IS MADE, WELL, IF WE DON'T BUILD THE HOUSES, THEY WON'T COME HERE.
I KNOW WHEN I MOVED HERE IN 92, THAT WAS THE MINDSET, AND THEN THE MINDSET BECAME, IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL COME.
SO WE BUILT SCHOOLS IN BLUFFING, AND IT HAD, WHAT, OVER 800% GROWTH.
SO WHAT DO WE REALLY WANT FOR THIS PART OF SOUTH CAROLINA? DO WE WANT THE GROWTH? IF, IF SO, WE NEED TO EMBRACE IT AND WORK TOGETHER FOR THAT GROWTH.
I ST HELENA ISLAND, THEY DIDN'T WANT THE GROWTH.
THEY HAD A TWO-LANE HIGHWAY UNTIL ONE DAY THERE WAS A PARADE AND THERE WAS AN AMBULANCE TRYING TO GET TO SOMEONE ON ST.
HELENA, BUT THEY COULDN'T GET THERE BECAUSE OF THE TRAFFIC.
THE NEXT YEAR, THEY EXPANDED THE ROAD, AND WITH THAT EXPANSION, YOU KNOW, CAME PUBLIX AND ALL OF THAT.
SO I LISTEN TO LIVE, WORK, AND PLAY.
WE'RE DOING THE WORK PART BECAUSE WE ARE EXPANDING IN CERTAIN AREAS FOR PEOPLE TO COME HERE AND WORK.
BUT WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE THE PLAY PART IN THAT.
I'M TALKING ABOUT FOR THE KIDS NORTH OF ABROAD.
WE DON'T HAVE A, UH, MOVIE THEATER OF A DRIVE THROUGH.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE BEEN, BUT I HAVEN'T BEEN TO SIT UP IN MY CAR AND HOOK THE SPEAKER ON IT OR WHATEVER THEY DO NOW.
BUT THE PLACE THAT OUR KIDS HAVE TO GO, OR OUR PARENTS HAVE TO TAKE THEM, THEY HAVE TO DRIVE TO BLUFFTON.
WE HAVE TO LEAVE THIS PART OF THE COUNTY TO GO PLAY.
BUT OUR KIDS ARE NOT GOLFING EVERY DAY.
SO WHEN THEY GRADUATE, THERE'S NO PLACE FOR THEM TO BE IN BEAUFORT.
'CAUSE I HAVE TWO KIDS AND THEY LEFT HERE.
THEY MAY COME VISIT ME, BUT THEY'RE NOT GONNA COME HERE AND LIVE.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THIS, REMEMBER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE.
SO IF YOU WANT TO STOP THEM FROM COMING, THEN YOU DO THAT.
YOU DON'T BUILD ANYTHING, YOU DON'T MAKE IT ATTRACTIVE, WHATEVER THAT DRAW IS.
BUT YOU HAVE, WE HAVE THREE MILITARY BASES IN, IN BEAUFORT, AND THEY'VE SEEN THE WATER AND THEY'VE SEEN HOW BEAUTIFUL IT IT IS AND WHAT IT CAN BE, AND THAT'S WHY THEY COME BACK.
SO I'M FOR GROWTH, BUT MANAGEABLE GROWTH.
I'M NOT FOR STOPPING PEOPLE FROM COMING HERE.
IF YOU BUILD APARTMENTS, THAT'S OKAY.
[00:45:01]
THEY'LL GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER.BUT WE HAVE TO WORK COLLECTIVELY SO THAT WE KNOW HOW MANY SCHOOLS WE NEED TO BUILD, WHAT WE NEED TO DO FOR THE KIDS AS WELL.
NOT JUST THE ADULTS WHO ARE COMING HERE.
YOU HAVE CHILDREN WHO ARE COMING HERE.
THANK ANYBODY ELSE THAT HASN'T SPOKEN, UH, ALREADY ON THIS TOPIC, WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY.
YEAH, THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE TALK ABOUT GROWTH AND, UH, THERE'S NEEDS, BUT THE BIGGEST PROBLEM I THINK FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS LAND AND BASICALLY OBTAINING LAND IN THE GROWTH AREA.
AND YOU CAN'T, PARTICULARLY SOUTH OF ABROAD, YOU MIGHT CAN DO IT NORTH OF ABROAD, BUT ON THE SOUTH OF ABROAD, YOU HAVE TO PLAN NOW FOR 50, 60 YEARS FROM NOW BECAUSE THE, THE LAND IS GONNA BE TAKEN.
AND, AND SO I DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU ARE WITH, WELL, THE SCHOOL BOARD IS WITH THAT, UM, AS FAR AS PREPARATION OF LAND, PURCHASING IT AND THEN HAVING TO SIT THERE, UH, FOR THAT 50 YEAR RUN OR WHATEVER, THAT'S A BIG INVESTMENT.
BUT IF THE GROWTH IS COMING THERE, YOU'RE GONNA NEED SOMEPLACE.
UH, SO I'M GONNA LEAVE THAT ALONE.
I WANNA TALK ABOUT, YOU ASKED A QUESTION ABOUT MANAGING WORKFORCE, AND, UM, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT NURSING, UM, AND WE ARE DOING SOME THINGS, UM, IN THE COUNTY WITH, UM, WITH A BEAUTIFUL MEMORIAL HOSPITAL, UM, AROUND TCL.
UM, YOU ARE DOING SOME THINGS AS WELL.
I, I DON'T KNOW, AND HELP ME, UH, WITH THIS DUDE, WE HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT YOU ARE DOING, AND DO YOU HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT WE ARE DOING? AND, AND, AND BASICALLY, UM, BECAUSE THERE ARE TIMES WHEN WE RECEIVE REQUESTS AND, AND, AND MY HEART IS FOR NURSING BECAUSE THERE'S A NEED FOR IT.
AND AT THE COUNTY LEVEL, I MAY JUMP ON SOMETHING, BUT IT MAY NOT BE THE BEST THING TO DO.
UH, IF THERE'S A COORDINATING EFFORT BEING GOING ON AT THE SAME TIME.
THERE IS ONE NURSING PROGRAM THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, THE TECHNICAL COLLEGE IS WORKING WITH, COUNTY COUNCIL IS SUPPORTING.
WE ALL SUPPORTING THIS EFFORT.
BUT I WANT TO GO BEYOND, UM, NURSING BECAUSE, UM, IT'S HARD FOR ME TO FIND A PLUMBER.
AND SO THERE ARE OTHER CRAFTSMEN OUT THERE THAT WE ALSO NEED TO BE LOOKING AT AS WE DEVELOP A WORKFORCE, UM, THAT CAN MEET THE POPULATION AND OUR NEEDS AND STUFF.
AND I'LL JUST STOP IT RIGHT THERE.
YOU KNOW, WE ARE, WE ARE BUILDING MORE, UH, CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND IN TWO OF OUR SCHOOLS AND PART OF THIS NEW REFERENDUM.
AND, UH, WE ALSO PARTICIPATE WITH THE, UH, UH, ACADEMY FOR CAREER EXCELLENCE.
UH, THE ACE AND YOUR POINT IS VERY VALID BECAUSE WE ARE TRAINING EMS, WE ARE TRAINING HAIRDRESSERS AND BARBERS, AND WE WERE TRAINING ELECTRICIANS AND BODY SHOP AND MARINE TECH AND SO ON, BUT WE'RE NOT GETTING OUT TO THE COUNTY AND SAYING, THIS IS WHO WE'RE GRADUATING.
THIS IS HOW MANY, AND WE HAVE WAITING LISTS FOR SOME OF THEM.
SO WE, WE, THAT'S WHY WE'RE EXPANDING, UH, IN THE DISTRICT, BUT WE HAVEN'T SHARED THAT WITH YOU.
AND THEN YOU ALL CAN COME BACK TO US AND SAY, WE KNOW WHAT'S COMING.
IN FACT, I WAS AT A, AT A COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING AND YOU GAVE A, UH, ZONING FOR A NEW COMPANY OUT OF TRASH PARKWAY.
AND SO I, I WENT RIGHT BACK TO DR. RODRIGUEZ AND SAID, THERE'S A NEW BUSINESS COMING IN.
WE NEED TO HAVE OUR CTE PERSON CONTACT THAT BUSINESS OWNER AND SAY, WHAT DO YOU NEED? WHAT KIND OF FOLKS DO YOU NEED? AND THEN WE SEE WHAT WE'RE DOING TO PROVIDE THAT.
AGAIN, THAT'S THAT COMMUNICATION THAT WE CAN GET BY PARTICIPATING.
AND, YOU KNOW, UH, TAB COMES TO AND LISTENS TO OUR MEETINGS AS WELL.
BUT FRANKLY, THERE HAS TO BE MORE OF THAT.
AND THAT'S WHY MR. DALLAS AND I GO AND, AND OTHER BOARD MEMBERS, MR. SMITH GOES, UH, TO COUNTY COUNCIL MEETINGS TO LISTEN, TO HEAR ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING.
SO WE CAN COME BACK TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND SAY, HERE IS A NEED AND WE'RE
[00:50:01]
GONNA, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO DO THAT.AND, AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN THEN HAVE THESE MEETINGS TOGETHER AND MAKE SOME DECISIONS TO MAKE AND MAKE THINGS HAPPEN.
AND MR. SMITH, YOU'RE, YOU'RE WANTING TO SAY SOMETHING? OH, YEAH.
UM, BUT, AND, AND, AND THAT, AND THAT IS TRUE.
AND ALSO, UM, IN, IN THE, IN THE, IN, IN THE TIMEFRAME, WHEN THOSE MEETINGS DO HAPPEN, I THINK WE HAVE TO COME UP WITH A, A, A WRAPAROUND TO WHERE THE INFORMATION IS TRANSFORMED.
BECAUSE JUST ON FRIDAY WHEN WE, WHEN WE WERE HAVING THE WORK SESSION, I THINK THAT WAS, I THINK THAT WAS FRIDAY WE WAS HAVING THE WORK SESSION.
WE WERE, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THESE MEETINGS AND OUR CTE PERSON, UH, WAS, WAS STATING THAT I THINK THAT, THAT THEY WERE, THAT THEY HAD JUST WORKED WITH, UM, SOMEONE FROM THE COUNTY IN, IN TERMS OF WHAT THESE JOBS LOOK LIKE, AND IN TERMS OF BRINGING THESE JOBS.
SO I I, AT, SO THE QUESTION THEN COMES TO ME IS, HOW DO WE KNOW THAT THESE ARE JOBS THAT THE COMMUNITY AS WELL NEED? THESE ARE JOBS THAT THE COMMUNITY IS LOOKING FOR, BUT BUT ALSO, HOW ARE WE GETTING THE INFORMATION OUT TO GET PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND WHERE THE NEEDS COULD, COULD POSSIBLY BE IN THIS COUNTY? AND ALSO WHAT OUR PEOPLE ARE QUITE INTERESTING IN, OR WHAT PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN.
BECAUSE, UH, I WAS, AFTER I LEFT HERE FRIDAY, I WAS TALKING TO SOMEONE, I'M KIND OF JUMPING AROUND.
I WAS TALKING TO SOMEONE, WE WAS TALKING ABOUT THE EMS JOBS AND THE FIGHT OR FRIDAY SAID, MR. SMITH, AND TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, AN EMS JOB AND A NURSING JOB ARE NOT REALLY FAR FROM EACH OTHER.
SO WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE SKILL SETS, ONCE AGAIN, EVERYBODY MAY NOT BE GOING TO COLLEGE, OR SOME PEOPLE MAY NOT BE GOING TO, UH, TO HAVE THE SKILLS TO WANNA BE A NURSE.
SO THEY, THEY MAY WANNA DO SOMETHING ELSE.
THEN, THEN, THEN THE, THE, AT THE, THE, UM, THE MENU AS WHEN YOU GO TO A RESTAURANT AND YOU SIT DOWN, THE MENU IS REALLY NOT AS BIG AS WE SEEM IT, IT MAY SEEM TO BE, IT MAY BE A BIG MENU TO YOU, BECAUSE THAT MAY BE MORE OF YOU, OF, OF WHAT YOU, YOU HAVE A TASTE FOR.
BUT IF YOU GAVE, BUT IF, BUT IF YOU KEEP SERVING SEAFOOD TO SOMEONE OR YOU OFFERING THEM SEAFOOD, BUT THEY'RE LIKE BURGER AND PIZZA, THEN THAT MENU IS NOT AS REALLY AS BIG AS YOU THINK THAT YOUR MENU IS.
SO, WHICH BRINGS YOU THE POINT OF, IN TERMS OF FORMING OUR, FORMALIZING OUR MENU IN TERMS OF WHAT THE COMMUNITY NEEDS, I THINK THAT WE ALL HAVE TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE CREATING IN THE MENU AND WHAT OUR COUNTY DESIRES AND, AND NEEDS VERSUS WANT ARE REALLY CALLING FOR BE.
BECAUSE, UH, BECAUSE PRIOR TO THAT, I THINK I WAS AT A PLANNING MEETING, I THINK ME AND MRS. ME AND MRS. UM, MRS. MRS. HOW MRS. HOWARD WAS THERE, AND, AND THEY WERE SAYING SOMETHING THAT, UH, IN TERMS OF ONE OF THE, THE BUILDING CODES WERE THAT SOMETHING WAS SOMETHING HAD CAME FORTH IN, IN TERMS OF BUILDING, BUT THEY WERE SAYING THAT THEY COULDN'T GET IN CONTACT WITH, WITH DISTRICT STAFF, OR THAT THEY, OR THE QUESTION WAS, OKAY, WELL, WELL, WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A, A QUESTION IN TERMS OF HOW WOULD THE, HOW WOULD THE SCHOOL DISTRICT FEEL ABOUT THIS? AND, AND I, I WENT INTO PARTICULARS OF IT, BUT THEY WERE SAYING THAT, HEY, OH, WELL WE, THEY COULD, WE CAN'T GET IN CONTACT WITH SCHOOL DISTRICT STAFF.
AND THEN ONE PERSON SAID, YEAH, WELL, WE DID GET IN CONTACT WITH, UM, UM, UM, MRS. UM, THE SAME PERSON YOU JUST CALLED, UM, BILL MM-HMM
MS. MS. REFIELD, ABOUT, ABOUT SOMETHING.
AND SO, ONE, ONCE AGAIN, SOMETIMES STAFF, SOMETIMES STAFF MAY NOT BE TALKING, OR SOMETIMES THEY MAY THINK THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT OUR ACTUAL COUNCIL KNOWS AND WE DON'T KNOW.
SO THEREFORE THERE'S A DISCONNECT THERE.
SO, SO THAT'S WHY I SAID I BOUGHT THE ISSUE ABOUT WRAPAROUND, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO CREATE A, A, A ENGINE WHERE WE CAN ALL UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON IN OUR COMMUNITY IN, IN TERMS OF WHAT THAT LOOK LIKE AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO BRING.
BECAUSE IF WE DON'T KNOW THEN, THEN WE, WE CAN'T RESPOND.
AND SOMETIMES THINGS MAY, THEY MAY BE GOOD FIT FOR, FOR SOME COMMUNITIES, AND THEY MAY NOT BE GOOD FIT FOR OTHER COMMUNITIES.
OH, ALSO, ALSO REAL QUICK, ALSO IN TERMS OF THE LAY Z MIDDLE SCHOOL TOO, IN TERMS OF GROWTH, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UH, CUTTING OFF AND, AND PUTTING A LIGHT AT LA Z MIDDLE SCHOOL.
WE, WE WILL GET TO THAT IN A MINUTE.
UM, WE, WE, WE JUST APPROVE IN OUR FUNDING FOR NEXT YEAR.
UM, UM, WE ARE MOVING FROM 28, UH, 28 HOURS ON 48 HOURS OFF TO 24 72.
UM, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU ARE DOING.
I DON'T KNOW WHETHER YOU ARE AWARE OF, I ASKED THE QUESTION, ARE WE GETTING HOMEGROWN FOLKS? AND, UM, UM, YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T GET A SATISFACTORY ANSWER FROM STAFF, BUT I WANT TO LET YOU KNOW.
YES, I WROTE DOWN SOME THINGS, EM, EMTS, IN THIS AREA, WE HAVE HOSPITALITY.
[00:55:01]
HOSPITALITY, YOU THINK OF JUST RESTAURANTS.WE HAVE HOTELS THAT IS AN INDUSTRY WHERE INDIVIDUALS CAN EARN A GOOD LIVING.
SO IT'S THE IDEA OF EXPOSING OUR YOUTH TO THAT INDUSTRY, WETTING THEIR APPETITE.
UM, GOLF MAJOR, THAT IS ANOTHER INDUSTRY THAT IS HIGH TECH.
NOW, TO BE A SUPERINTENDENT OF A GOLF COURSE, YOU HAVE TO KNOW A LOT OF THINGS.
SO HOSPITALITY IS ONE, LAW ENFORCEMENT, WE HAVE THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, WE HAVE SLED, WE HAVE ALL OF MUNICIPALITIES.
HERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE THAT CAREER, WHAT IT TAKES TO BE HEALTHCARE, NOT ONLY IN THE HOSPITALS, BUT ALL OF THE SUPPORT SYSTEMS IN THE HOSPITAL THAT ARE NEEDED.
AEROSPACE, INDUSTRY, HIGH TECH.
AND FINALLY, MARINE, WE'RE SURROUNDED BY WATER.
MARINE TECHNOLOGY IS AN IMPORTANT PART.
SO OUR CHALLENGE, THAT'S WORKFORCE THAT'S NEEDED.
YOUR ABILITY TO WET THE APPETITE OF KIDS AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL, ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AND CERTAINLY THE HIGH SCHOOL LEADS THEM TO A DIFFERENT CAREER THAT THEY MAY NOT HAVE EVEN TALKED ABOUT.
YOU KNOW, WE ALWAYS TALKED ABOUT, WELL, WHEN I WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL, THIS JOB DIDN'T EVEN EXIST.
SO THE DISTRICT IS DOING A GREAT JOB OF BRINGING KATE AND BRINGING THE CHILDREN AND TEACHING THEM THE JOBS THAT ARE HERE AND NEED TO BE FILLED, BUT THEY'RE NOT GONNA STAY HERE BECAUSE THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO LIVE HERE.
SO IF WE DON'T ADDRESS THE WORKFORCE HOUSING AND MAKE IT AFFORDABLE FOR THEM TO LIVE HERE, IT'S GOING TO CONTINUE TO TAKE OUR GREAT CHILDREN TO OTHER STATES.
UM, THIS, THIS QUESTION MAY BE BETTER RESERVED FOR NUMBER SEVEN, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE KIDS, WHICH IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
BUT WHAT ABOUT YOUR WORKFORCE ISSUES WITH, WITH YOUR STAFF, RIGHT? AND YOUR, YOUR TEACHERS.
THAT'S THE NEXT ON THE AGENDA.
I FIGURED IT MAY FLOW INTO, INTO THE NEXT PART OF THE AGENDA, BUT I WANNA BRING THAT UP.
[7. FY25/26 Beaufort County School District Budget Challenges]
DR. RODRIGUEZ, ARE YOU READY TO TALK OF OUR BUDGET CHALLENGE? DO YOU HAVE BUDGET CHALLENGE? I SAID, DO YOU HAVE BUDGET CHALLENGES? ARE WE OFF MAYBE? YEAH.CAN YOU READ THAT? CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? YES.
UM, THOUGHTFUL AND ENJOYABLE CONVERSATION, LISTENING TO YOU ALL TALK ABOUT, UM, UH, WORKFORCE, UH, MATTERS.
AND THERE'S QUITE A BIT THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS DOING IN RELATION TO, UH, WORKFORCE MATTERS AND, AND MANNER IN WHICH WE SELECT OUR CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS. UM, WE, WE DO THAT BY LOOKING AT WORKFORCE NEEDS IN THE AREA AND BY LOOKING AT, UH, REGIONAL WORKFORCE NEEDS AS WELL.
UM, AND WE TAP IN, UH, TO WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT IN ORDER TO FIND OUT, UH, WHAT THOSE NEEDS ARE AS WELL.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S HOW WE GO ABOUT SELECTING THE PROGRAMS THAT, THAT WE OFFER WITHIN, WITHIN OUR SCHOOLS.
THEY'RE TIED TO, UM, UH, TO THE NEEDS THAT ARE, THAT ARE OUT THERE.
UH, AND I'LL GET TO THE BUDGET REAL QUICK, COLONEL, BUT JUST SORT OF TAKE A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE IN IT, IN THE CONVERSATION.
UM, I HEARD A LOT ABOUT, UH, NURSING.
UM, WE STARTED A BIOMEDICAL PROGRAM AT, UM, AT BEAUFORT HIGH SCHOOL, IN WHICH OUR STUDENTS, UH, ARE LEARNING AND GETTING CERTIFIED IN, FOR EXAMPLE, PHLEBOTOMY OR OTHER, UH, UH, MEDICAL RELATED, UH, SKILL SETS.
AND THEY'RE GETTING SOME INDUSTRY CERTIFICATIONS THROUGH THAT, THROUGH THAT PROCESS AS WELL, WHICH THEN ALSO
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ALLOWS THEM, UH, AS THEY CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD, EITHER INTO, UH, TCL PROGRAMS OR, UH, OR, OR OTHER NURSING TYPE PROGRAMS THAT, THAT MAY BE OUT THERE, UH, FOR THEM TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF.SO, SO THERE IS A, A PREPARATION COMPONENT, AND SOME WITH THE INDUSTRY CERTIFICATIONS THEY RECEIVE CAN GO RIGHT INTO THE WORKFORCE, UH, AS WELL WITH SOME OF THOSE, IF THEY CHOOSE TO DO THAT RATHER THAN, THAN CONTINUE, UH, IN A POST-SECONDARY INSTITUTION.
UH, WELDING, UH, UH, AUTO MECHANICS, I HEARD, UH, MR. PASSMAN TALK ABOUT, UH, MARINE MECHANIC PROGRAMS. THESE ARE THINGS THAT ARE SITTING RIGHT IN OUR, EITHER ACE OR IN ONE OF OUR LOCAL HIGH SCHOOLS, AND WE TRY NOT TO DUPLICATE, UH, PROGRAMS WITH ACE.
UH, SO THAT, SO THAT, UM, WE CAN HAVE MORE EXPOSURE FOR, FOR OUR STUDENTS AND, AND I DONE AND, AND TAP INTO, YOU KNOW, THE VARIETY OF INTERESTS AND NEEDS THAT THEY HAVE.
SO, JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT OUT THERE AND, AND, UH, WE'RE CHECKING TO SEE IF WE HAVE, UH, WE HAD SOME SHIFTS HERE LOCALLY, UH, IN, IN THE BUILDING AS YOU CAN SEE WITH SOME OF THE, THE WORK THAT'S BEING DONE.
BUT, UH, IF I CAN GET SOME OF THE CHOICE OPTIONS FOR, FOR YOU BEFORE YOU LEAVE, AND WE'LL PUT THAT IN YOUR HANDS AS FAR AS WELL AS OUR COMMUNITY REPORT CARD OR REPORT THAT WE, UH, THAT WE OFFER.
'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT COLONEL ASKED FOR.
SO, UH, WITH RESPECT TO CHALLENGES, UM, UH, AS IT RELATES, UH, TO THE BUDGET, ONE OF, UH, THE CRITICAL ASPECTS THAT WE'RE, WE'RE DEALING WITH, UH, CERTAINLY ON A, ON A REGIONAL, ON A, ON A, A REGIONAL LEVEL, UH, UP AND DOWN THE COAST OF SOUTH CAROLINA, UH, COMES TO COMPENSATION FOR EDUCATORS.
UM, ONE OF OUR COMPETITORS, ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF UP THE ROAD NORTH, IS LOOKING AT AN, UH, $65,000 BEGINNING, UH, TEACHER COMPENSATION.
OKAY? AND, AND SO THERE'S A MARKET DEMAND AROUND THAT.
AND, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT WE HAVE DONE, UH, JUST LIKE WE DID THE LAST TIME, UH, WE MADE A, A, A, A BIG MOVE WITH RESPECT TO, TO COMPENSATION.
UM, WE LOOKED INTERNALLY FIRST TO DO SOME THINGS INTERNALLY FIRST.
UM, AND, AND THAT'LL BE PART OF OUR, OUR, OUR BUDGET PROCESS.
BUT THE COMPENSATION ISSUE, UH, IS, IS A BIG PIECE.
UM, YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THE REASONS WHY, UM, YOU TALKED ABOUT, UH, UM, THE COST OF, OF HOUSING AS AN EXAMPLE, RIGHT? UM, AND THE THREE WORDS THAT MR. PASSMAN MENTIONED, RIGHT? LIVE, WORK, AND PLAY, RIGHT? UH, AND IN ORDER TO LIVE, RIGHT? THAT, THAT, THAT COMPENSATION PIECE FOR, FOR EDUCATORS IS CERTAINLY A, A FACTOR.
SO, UM, SO, SO, SO WE'RE LOOKING AT, UH, AT AN INCREASE, UH, COMPENSATION THERE.
WE HAD A BUDGET WORKSHOP WITH THE BOARD, UM, ON FRIDAY WHERE WE TALKED ABOUT THAT, AND WE GOT ANOTHER ONE AT THE NEXT BOARD MEETING, UH, COMING UP, UH, TO DISCUSS THAT WITH THEM.
UH, RECRUITING EFFORTS, UM, ACROSS THE COUNTRY, EDUCATION AND TEACHERS IS A CRITICAL SHORTAGE.
UM, FOR EXAMPLE, AND FOR INSTANCE, ANY COHORT OF TEACHERS ENTERING THE PROFESSION ON ANY GIVEN YEAR, BY THE FIFTH YEAR, 50% ARE GONE.
UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, YOU HAVE NORMAL RETIREMENTS, UH, AND, AND, AND, UH, THINGS THAT GO ALONG WITH, WITH THAT TRANSITIONS MOVEMENTS FROM, FROM ONE COUNTY TO ANOTHER, UH, MOVEMENT FROM ONE STATE TO ANOTHER, ALL OF THOSE ISSUES.
BUT THERE IS ANOTHER ONE THAT IN NOVEMBER, WAS BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF SUPERINTENDENTS.
AND, AND THAT IS A, A, A VERY SERIOUS ISSUE.
AND THAT IS THE FACT THAT COLLEGES OF EDUCATION, COLLEGES OF EDUCATION HAVE SEEN RIGHT AROUND A 70% REDUCTION IN PEOPLE ENTERING THE COLLEGES OF EDUCATION.
OKAY? SO, SO THAT IS ONE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT SCHOOL DISTRICTS ACROSS THE NATION FACE, UH, IN, IN THE RECRUITMENT OF, UH, OF EDUCATORS AND, AND, AND TALENT INTO THE SYSTEMS. WHAT DO WE DO? UH, WE, WE HAVE, UH, HIGHER HIRING FAIRS THAT WE, THAT WE OFFER.
ONE OF THE MOST CRITICAL SHORTAGE AREAS IS IN SPECIAL NEEDS EDUCATION.
THAT IS ONE THAT, UH, UM, EXPERIENCES, UH, A LOT OF BURNOUT BECAUSE TYPICALLY THERE'S JUST A LOT OF, UH, UM,
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UM, MEETINGS AND PAPERWORK ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH, UH, WITH THINGS LIKE, LIKE SPECIAL EDUCATION THAT'S NOT NEW, BUT IT'S, BUT IT'S, UH, UH, SORT OF EXACERBATED AT TIMES.SO WE HAVE A SPECIFIC, UH, SPECIAL EDUCATION, HIRING FAIR, UH, THAT WE, THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE.
UM, WE HAD THIS YEAR, UH, SOMETHING UNIQUE AND NEW THAT, UH, I'M NOT AWARE OF ANYBODY ELSE DOING ANYWHERE, BUT IT WAS A, UH, UH, A HIRING FAIR AND CONNECTION WHERE, WHERE WE HAD A, A TWO DAY EVENT, ONE IN WHICH WE BROUGHT, UH, PEOPLE IN, UH, THE NIGHT BEFORE, THE CANDIDATES IN THE NIGHT BEFORE, UH, WE HAD PRINCIPALS, WE HAD, UH, SOME BOARD MEMBERS THAT ATTENDED AND, UH, AND, AND, AND HAD A MORE OF A, A, A CONNECTION AND A GET TO KNOW EVENT WITH, WITH THEM, AND OFFER A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THE LOW COUNTRY, UH, UH, UH, REALLY DOES EXCEPTIONALLY WELL, RIGHT? BECAUSE YOU'RE TRYING TO BRING PEOPLE IN AND, AND, AND GET THEM TO, TO, UH, A SPACE WHERE YOU CAN THEN INTERVIEW THEM AND, AND OFFER, UH, OFFER POSITIONS IF THEY'RE THE RIGHT CANDIDATES, FOLLOWED BY THE NEXT DAY ON SATURDAY.
WE HAVE, UH, VISITS TO, UM, STATE UNIVERSITIES ACROSS THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, AND THEN SOME OUTSIDE OF THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
UH, IT'S IN TERMS OF, UH, RECRUITING FAIRS THAT, THAT WE DO, THAT WE OFFER, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE ADVERTISING SIGNIFICANTLY AROUND, UH, AROUND OUR EFFORTS, UH, IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AROUND HIRING, UM, THE, THE, ONE OF THE CHALLENGES WE FACE IN THOSE ADVERTISEMENTS.
AND, AND WE ALSO FACE IT, BY THE WAY, UM, WHEN WE'RE INTERVIEWING CANDIDATES, RIGHT? AND, AND THAT COMES IN, IN, IN THE WAY OF, UM, WHAT'S THE FINAL COMPENSATION THAT YOU'RE GONNA OFFER, RIGHT? AND, AND, AND SO THERE, THERE'S SOME, SOME CHALLENGES AROUND THAT.
BUT THERE IS SOME LEGISLATION THAT IS, THAT IS OUT THERE, UH, RIGHT NOW THAT THAT LOOKS TO REQUIRE, UM, UH, SPECIFIC, UM, SALARY AMOUNTS WHEN YOU'RE DOING INTERVIEWS AND, AND, AND OFFERING CANDIDATES, UH, JOBS BY SPECIFIC DATE.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT, WHAT FORMAT THAT WILL END UP IN, YOU KNOW, AS IT GOES FROM THE HOUSE TO THE SENATE OR THE SENATE TO THE HOUSE.
AND IT COMES BACK AND FORTH AND WHERE IT LANDS, UH, SOME OF THAT MIGHT SHIFT.
UM, UM, BUT WE'RE VERY VISIBLE IN COMMUNITY EVENTS.
IF YOU WERE AT THE AIR SHOW, YOU WOULD'VE SEEN, UH, SOME OF OUR TEAM THERE.
IF YOU, IF YOU WERE AT MAY FEST IN BLUFFTON, YOU WOULD'VE SEEN OUR TEAM THERE LAST YEAR.
YOU'LL, YOU'LL SEE US AGAIN THIS YEAR.
WE WORK CLOSELY WITH OUR, WITH OUR LOCAL UNIVERSITIES AND, AND, AND PARTNERSHIPS THERE.
UM, AS AN EXAMPLE, JUST, JUST RECENTLY, VERY RECENTLY, UM, THE STATE DISCOVERED, UM, A STRUCTURAL FLAW FLAW IN THE STATE'S, UH, PRIMARY FUNDING FORMULA, UH, FOR TEACHER SALARIES.
AND, UH, TRADITIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS, TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND TRADITIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE EXPERIENCING, UH, A LOSS OF FUNDING DUE TO THE FORMULAS INCLUSION OF TRUE OF TWO PROPORTIONAL CALCULATIONS THAT COMPOUND THEIR IMPACT ON THE DISTRICTS.
CONSEQUENTLY, THE CALCULATION IS DISPROPORTIONATELY ALLOCATING HIGHER PER STUDENT FUNDING TO STATE SPONSORED CHARTER SCHOOLS, UH, COMPARED TO TRADITIONAL, UH, SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
BCSD, FOR EXAMPLE, YOUR BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT RECEIVED A REDUCTION OF 2.9 MILLION FOR THE 25 26 SCHOOL YEAR IN THIS LINE ITEM.
AND THIS IS, THIS IS NEW INFORMATION HOT OFF THE PRESS, UH, ACTUALLY TODAY, UH, AS AN EXAMPLE, RIGHT? SO, UM, UH, DESPITE, UM, UM, A LINE ITEM, YOU KNOW, WITH A STATE MINIMUM TEACHER SALARY INCREASES, UM, THAT IS AN IMPACT THAT, THAT WE FACE AND THAT WE SEE.
ONE OF THE OTHER FACTORS, WHEN I FIRST GOT HERE IN 2019, UM, THE, THE RETIREMENT COMPENSATION, THIS, THE YEARS RECOGNIZED, WENT UP TO 24 YEARS.
WE HAVE SYSTEMATICALLY ADDED A YEAR, UH, INTO THAT AS WELL EVERY YEAR.
SO, SO THAT, THAT, THAT WORK HAS BEEN IMP IMPORTANT.
UH, WE'RE NOW, UH, PROPOSED IN THIS BUDGET TO GET TO 30.
UM, BUT YOU HAVE SOME SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT ARE OUT THERE RECOGNIZING 40 BECAUSE OVER A 10 YEAR PERIOD, UM, THEY'VE, THEY'VE DONE THAT.
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THOSE ARE JUST SOME INITIAL CHALLENGING THOUGHTS.UH, MS. CROSBY, ARE THERE ANY OTHERS THAT YOU CAN THINK OF? VERY PROCESS.
THAT WOULD BE THE ONLY, I'D HAVE A MICROPHONE.
SO SHE'S TALKING ABOUT THE, UH, LATE, UH, UH, LEGISLATIVE PROCESS.
SO A LOT OF THESE BILLS IMPACT OUR BUDGETS, RIGHT? BUT THEY WON'T BE SOLIDIFIED OR WON'T BE FINALIZED OR IN PLACE, UM, TILL ESSENTIALLY WE'RE SO FAR DOWN THE ROAD WITHIN OUR BUDGET, RIGHT? THAT THERE'S VERY LIMITED TIME FOR ANY REACTION TO, UH, TO ANY OF THOSE, UH, LEGISLATIVE IMPACTS.
IS THERE, DID I CAPTURE IT? I DID.
I GOT A THUMBS UP FROM TANYA, SO THAT'S A GOOD THING, GUYS.
WHEN YOU SAID YOU'RE RAISING THE, TRYING TO GET THE AGE UP TO 30, YOU MEAN WHERE THEY CAN GET INCREASES UP TO? SO THE, THE RETIREMENT, UH, WOULD BE RECOGNIZED 30 YEARS OF RETIREMENT WOULD BE RECOGNIZED AS OPPOSED TO ONLY UP TO 24.
BUT THEY DON'T RETIRE AT 20, I, I DON'T WANT 'EM RETIRING AT 20.
ASK ME, UM, WHAT IS THE STARTING SALARY BEING PROPOSED FOR THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR? THE STARTING, THE STARTING SALARY WE ARE PROPOSING FOR THE UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR IS $60,087.
AND IS THAT, UM, FIRST YEAR TEACHER BACHELOR'S DEGREE? YES, SIR.
DO YOU HAVE STEPIN GUIDE FOR BACHELOR'S, MASTER'S DOCTORATE? YES, SIR.
UM, YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT THE LATE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS CREATES SOME ISSUES, OBVIOUSLY AS YOU'RE IN YOUR BUDGET PROCESS.
UM, IS THERE ANYTHING WITH OUR BUDGET PROCESS AS CREATING ISSUES FOR YOU WITH RECRUITING? UM, PROBABLY, UH, THE SAME, SAME, SAME, UH, UH, TIMELINE WITH THE, UH, WITH THE READINGS.
WE USUALLY CAN'T SOLIDIFY OUR BUDGET, UH, FINALIZE IT RIGHT? UNTIL USUALLY, UH, VERY LATE IN JUNE.
UM, AND, AND THE IMPORTANT NOTE HERE IS AS WE MOVE THROUGH OUR, THROUGH OUR, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE IN HIRING SEASON, RIGHT? AND WE'VE BEEN IN HIRING SEASON FOR, FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS, FOR SURE.
RIGHT? WELL, WE TAKE THAT BACK.
OKAY, BUT, BUT THE THICK OF IT, RIGHT? WITH, WITH, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE NOTIFIED THAT PEOPLE ARE RETIRING AND THEN YOU'VE GOT, UH, GRADUATES AND WE'RE ALL COMPETING FOR THE SAME GRAD, RIGHT? UH, FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS ALL THE WAY THROUGH, UH, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE DOING, WE'RE WE'RE DOING THAT BY, BY THE END OF JUNE, UH, MOST CANDIDATES OR MANY CANDIDATES ARE PROBABLY GONE.
WOULD YOU SAY THAT'S TRUE, MS. WALTON? TRUE.
SO, UH, SO, SO THE LATER WE GO WITH IT WITHOUT FINALIZING, RIGHT, UH, THAT, THAT, THAT HOLDS US FROM OFFICIALLY SAYING, HERE'S A, HERE'S A SPECIFIC, UH, SAL.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE, WHAT THE LA WHAT THE FINAL VERBIAGE OR LANGUAGE IN, IN THE LEGISLATION THAT'S OUT THERE IS GOING TO BE.
UH, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S SOMETHING UNDERSTAND AND, AND FOLLOW UP TO THAT QUESTION, UM, THIS COUNCIL VOTED TO GIVE FISCAL AUTONOMY TO THE SCHOOL BOARD.
AND, AND I BELIEVE WE WERE WAITING ON THE STATE TO TAKE SOME ACTION.
I DON'T THINK THAT ACTION HAS OCCURRED YET.
IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO LOCALLY TO, TO MAKE SURE OUR BUDGET PROCESS IS SPED UP SO THAT YOU CAN GO EFFECTIVELY RECRUIT AND HAVE A BETTER IDEA OF WHAT YOUR BUDGET'S GONNA LOOK LIKE? I, I WOULD.
MR. CROSBY, YOU HAVE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS ON THAT? YOU CROSBY? WELL, SHE'S OUR CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER.
I'M GONNA TRY TO STAND SOMEWHERE WHERE YOU CAN ALL SEE ME
THAT MIGHT BE A LITTLE MORE DIFFICULT, BUT GOOD EVENING.
UH, TANYA CROSBY, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER.
UM, SO THE LEGIS, UH, THE PROCESS, UH, IF YOU DID YOUR BUDGET EARLIER, UH, OR, OR IF WE HAD A CONVERSATIONS EARLIER, UM, WE WOULD KNOW NO MORE INFORMATION THAN WE KNOW NOW.
UH, WE ARE WAITING, WE HAVE HAD ONE BUDGET PROJECTION FROM THE STATE, UH, THE THROUGH THE HOUSE WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE, AND WE'RE UTILIZING THAT TO FOLLOW THROUGH WITH OUR BUDGET AND, AND ASSUME THAT NOTHING WILL CHANGE.
HOWEVER, THE SENATE COULD CHANGE THE BUDGET, AND WE WILL GET, UH, WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN THAT SENATE PROJECTION YET.
I'M NOT SURE IF THEY'VE ENDED THEIR SESSION OR NOT, BUT, UH, WE EXPECT IT THIS WEEK OR NEXT WEEK.
UH, BUT WE HAVE ALREADY BEEN THROUGH ONE READING OF OUR BUDGET, UH, WHICH WE HAVE TO DO IN ORDER TO, FOR OUR TIMELINE TO WORK WITH YOURS, TO MAKE SURE WE CAN GET THREE READINGS IN BY JUNE 30TH, UNLESS WE WERE TO INSERT SPECIAL CALLED MEETINGS FOR BOTH THE BOARD AND THE COUNCIL, WHICH WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, QUITE DISRUPTIVE.
I DON'T, I THINK WHAT THE PROCESS THAT WE HAVE NOW IS THE BEST WE HAVE WITH REQUIRING, WITH REQUIRED READINGS OF
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THREE, UH, SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THREE COUNCIL.UH, SO AS LONG AS WE HAVE, DO NOT HAVE FISCAL AUTHORITY, I BELIEVE THAT WE WILL STILL NEED TO CONTINUE, YOU KNOW, WITH THE THREE MEETINGS.
SO WE, WE COMMENT AS EARLY AS WE CAN, UH, AND, BUT WE WOULD HAVE NO MORE INFORMATION IF WE CAME EARLIER.
SO THAT, THAT WOULD BE, AND JUST TO POINT OUT, AS WE TALKED, THEIR FIRST PRESENTATION OF COUNSEL WILL BE BEFORE THEIR BOARD ACTUALLY CERTIFIES THE BUDGET.
SO, BUT WE'RE GONNA ADJUST TO THAT.
SO THAT WILL HAPPEN, RIGHT? SO MAY 19TH, THERE IS A FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE MEETING, SO WE'LL BE PRESENTING AT THAT.
IF ANY OF YOU WOULD LIKE A LITTLE PREVIEW BEFOREHAND, OR YOU CAN REWATCH THE, UH, BOARD MEETING FROM FRIDAY WORK, FRIDAY'S WORK SESSION.
AND THEN WE'LL BE DOING SOMETHING WITH ANY UPDATES ON TUESDAY, MAY 6TH AS WELL.
SO YOU COULD WATCH THAT ON THE COUNTY CHANNEL AS WELL, OR I'M HAPPY TO MEET WITH ANYONE.
UH, GIVE YOU A PREVIEW OF THE INFORMATION.
MR. PASSMAN, THIS IS A FEDERAL FUNDING STATUS OF FEDERAL FUNDING.
SO OUR POSITION IS THAT, OH, FIRST OF ALL, WE HAVE RECEIVED NO REDUCTIONS IN FEDERAL FUNDING AS OF NOW.
UM, WE DO EXPECT, NO, WE ARE NOT EXPECTING ANY IN THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS THE FEDERAL FUNDING YEAR HAS ALREADY BEEN, UH, THE FEDERAL BUDGET HAS ALREADY BEEN APPROVED THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30, WHICH AFFECTS NEXT, THE 25 26 SCHOOL YEAR.
SO WE ARE NOT EXPECTING FUNDING CUTS FOR NEXT YEAR.
IT IS THE FOLLOWING YEAR, THAT MIGHT BE IN QUESTION.
SO WE ARE, UM, HAVING SOME, WE HAVE A FEW SAFETY NETS, UH, TO HELP OFFSET ANY REDUCTIONS.
UM, BUT WE DO RECEIVE PROBABLY $27 MILLION OF FEDERAL FUNDING OVERALL WITH THE BULK OF THAT BEING THE FOOD SERVICE PROGRAM, PROBABLY 10, NINE OR $10 MILLION OF THAT.
SO WE DO HAVE A FEW IDEAS AND THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING, UM, TO BE ABLE TO OFFSET SOME OF THAT, BUT IT WILL NOT OFFSET $27 MILLION.
BUT I DON'T ANTICIPATE A FULL, A FULL CUT OF ANYTHING.
UH, BUT WE ARE JUST MONITORING IT VERY CLOSELY FROM THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
BUT I THINK WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO BE ABLE TO GET MORE INFORMATION.
MR. CHAIRMAN, UM, I WATCHED YOUR WORKSHOP, SO CAN YOU TALK AT ALL ABOUT, I HEARD SOMETHING ABOUT COMPRESSING GEARS ONE THROUGH FIVE.
SO WE MENTIONED THAT THAT WAS INTRIGUING.
UM, SO IT'S ACTUALLY, UH, AN IDEA FROM CHARLESTON COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT.
THEY ARE ACTUALLY, UM, WE'RE CALLING IT CONSOLIDATING, UH, STEP ZERO THROUGH FIVE IN THE STEP SCHEDULE.
THAT WOULD BE ACROSS EVERY LEVEL OF EDUCATION, BACHELOR'S, BACHELOR'S PLUS, UH, EIGHTEENS, MASTERS, AND SO ON.
UM, SO WHAT WE'VE DONE, UH, IS FOLLOW IN LINE WITH THE CHARLESTON MODEL IS CONSOLIDATE THOSE.
SO INSTEAD OF STARTING AT 50, OKAY, SO WE PLAN TO GIVE A $4,000 INCREASE TO GET US TO 55,000.
BUT WHEN COMPRESSING, UH, AND, AND CONSOLIDATING THOSE FIVE STEPS, WE'RE MOVING UP ANOTHER 5,000.
SO STEP 0 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 WILL ALL BE AT $60,000.
SO EACH YEAR, A BRAND NEW TEACHER COMING IN AT 60,000 WOULD BE ELIGIBLE, UH, FOR ONLY THE COST OF LIVING INCREASE THAT OCCURRED AFTER THIS YEAR.
SO THEY WOULD START AT 60, WHICH WOULD SORT OF FAST TRACK THEM FIVE YEARS AHEAD OF SCHEDULE.
AND THE NEXT YEAR, IF WE GAVE A THOUSAND DOLLARS INCREASE TO TEACHERS, THEY WOULD RECEIVE A THOUSAND DOLLARS, BUT THERE WOULD BE NO STEP INCREASE FOR THEM FOR THE, UNTIL THEY REACHED, UH, STEP SIX.
SO, UM, BUT IT, IT, A BENEFIT OF $5,000 ADVANCING, UH, IS QUITE A, QUITE AN ACCOMPLISHMENT, YOU KNOW, IN THAT LEVEL, IN THAT PROFESSION.
SO WE'RE LOOKING TO, AND THE COST IS, UH, IS MINIMAL COMPARED TO THE COST OF MOVING THE ENTIRE SCALE UP.
SO, UH, IT'S A $2 MILLION COST, UM, PER, UH, THOUSAND DOLLARS OF TEACHER SALARY INCREASE.
BUT THE JUST MOVING, JUST CONSOLIDATING THOSE ITEMS IS LESS THAN, LESS THAN $2 MILLION, A MILLION AND A HALF.
UM, SO IT'S A BIG MOVE AND A BIG, UH, CHANGE FOR TEACHERS WITH A LESSER IMPACT ON THE BUDGET.
I APPLAUD YOU FOR THINKING OF THAT AND FOR DOING IT.
I THOUGHT IT WAS FA AN EDUCATOR.
I WOULD'VE LOVED TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT.
SO I GIVE YOU CREDIT FOR DOING THAT.
I GIVE CREDIT TO CHARLESTON
[8. Lobeco Property owned by the District that is the location of a County Public Library]
WE, WE NOW NEED TO MOVE, WE KIND OF TALK ABOUT A PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT WE ARE BOTH KIND OF LANDLORD AND TENANT, UH, THAT IS THE PROPERTY AND LOKO, THAT IS A LOCATION OF ONE OF YOUR LIBRARIES.AND IT'S, THIS IS, UH, OUR LI I MEAN THE, THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT'S LAND.
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SELL IT OR GIVE IT AWAY.WE CAN'T GIVE IT AWAY, BUT WE, WE LIKE, WE'D LIKE TO NOT HAVE CONTROL OF THAT BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S MORE OF A LIABILITY, NOT AN ASSET.
IT'S NOT BIG ENOUGH TO PUT A SCHOOL AND HAVE REALLY NO NEED FOR IT.
RIGHT NOW, THERE'S THE LIBRARY AND THERE IS A BUILDING THAT NEEDS A LOT OF WORK THAT, UH, SELF-HELP, UH, NOT SELF-HELP.
UM, HEAD START, HEAD START, HEAD START, HEAD START WAS USING.
BUT IT'S, IT'S REALLY, IT'S REALLY A TEAR DOWN, I BELIEVE.
BUT WE'D LIKE TO FIGURE OUT A WAY, AND THERE'S, THERE'S A NUMBER OF WAYS THAT WE CAN DO THIS.
ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WOULD REALLY BE NICE IF WE COULD FIGURE OUT A PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT YOU HAVE THAT WE COULD USE AND WE COULD FIGURE OUT A SWAP, BECAUSE THAT'S A LOT EASIER, UH, TO DO BECAUSE OF THE REGULATIONS THAT THE STATE, UH, GIVES US ABOUT, UH, GETTING RID OF, UH, PROPERTY THAT THE DISTRICT OWNS.
HOW MANY YEARS AGO WAS IT THAT COUNCILMAN DAWSON AND YOURSELF AND, AND CHUCK ATKINSON AND MYSELF, WE MET OUT THERE, IS THAT ABOUT COUPLE YEARS, COUPLE YEARS AGO? IS THAT RIGHT? MM-HMM
ABOUT THREE, ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO.
SO, WELL, WE, WE ARE WORKING ON A VERY COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF OUR PROPERTIES NOW.
UM, I'M LOOKING TO MIKE MOORE TO SEE IF HE HAS ANY COMMENTS.
AND WE DO HAVE A LIST OF EXCESS PROPERTIES THAT WE CAN DISCUSS NOW, OR AT ANY POINT, YOU KNOW, IF WE WANNA LOOK AT, AT OPTIONS DOWN THE ROAD, SO WE CAN GET OUR PLANNING PLANNERS TOGETHER, STICK THEIR, PUT THEIR HEADS TOGETHER AND, AND COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT, UH, THEY CAN BRING TO BOTH BODIES AND SEE IF WE COULD FIND A WAY TO, UH, ACCOMMODATE BOTH NEEDS.
THAT'D BE, I THINK WE CAN, WE CAN LOOK AT THAT.
COUNCILMAN, UH, DAWSON, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANNA MENTION ON THAT? NO, I REFER TO, UM, STAFF TO ACTUALLY PROCEED WITH THIS.
UM, AND JUST MAYBE SOMETHING THAT WE CAN WORK OUT.
[9. Discussion on the possibility of redesigning Lady’s Island Middle School to include the creation of a potential park on adjoining property]
IS THE POSSIBILITY OF REDESIGNING LADIES ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL TO INCLUDE A CREATION OF A POTENTIAL PARK ON ADJOINING PROPERTY.UH, I ATTENDED AND, UH, MM-HMM
HOWARD ATTENDED A MEETING OF THE, UH, GREEN SPACE FOLKS, AND LARRY, WHO'S ONLINE WAS THERE TOO.
AND, UM, THAT PROPERTY AS A, AS YOU COME ON THE HIGHWAY, HIGHWAY OR ROAD OUT TO, UH, UH, FRIPP ISLAND AND SO ON, IS RIGHT BY WHERE WE TURN IN NOW TO GO TO LADIES ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL.
IT'S, UH, ADJOINS OUR PROPERTY.
AND THE GREEN SPACE FOLKS SAY THEY'D LIKE TO GIVE IT TO THE DISTRICT.
AND WE TALKED TO, UM, MR. BARIO ABOUT, UH, COULD WE USE IT AS A PARK, THE GREEN SPACE, PEOPLE JUST WANT IT LEFT GREEN.
UH, WE DON'T WANT TO, UH, SPEND A LOT OF MONEY TRYING TO MAKE IT INTO A, A GREEN SPACE.
MAYBE USE THE BRUSH HOG TO GO THROUGH AND CUT THE WEEDS DOWN ONCE OR TWICE A YEAR.
AND IT COULD BE USED FOR SOMETHING LIKE A, UH, UH, A RE RENAISSANCE FAIR OR SOME OF THAT TYPE THAT COULD BE USED.
IT COULD BE USED, UH, WITHOUT A WHOLE LOT OF WORK INTO A FARMER'S MARKET OUT THERE.
SO, UH, I'VE TALKED TO OUR BOARD, IT'S BEEN DISCUSSED TO OUR BOARD AND IN OUR COMMITTEE MEETINGS, AND WE'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THE COUNTY COUNCIL'S THOUGHTS ARE ON, ON THIS.
IF, IF I MAY, UH, THIS, THIS PROJECT'S BEEN, A LOT OF, A LOT OF WORK HAS GONE INTO THIS PROJECT, AND I JUST WANNA REMIND EVERYBODY, IT STILL HAS NOT GONE THROUGH DUE DILIGENCE YET WITH THE GREEN SPACE COMMITTEE.
I THINK THEY'RE HAVING A SPECIAL CALL MEETING MAY 16TH, UH, TO, TO HEAR IT.
UH, THEN IT HAS TO GO TO NATURAL RESOURCES.
BUT IF IT DOES COME THROUGH, I, I WANT TO THANK Y'ALL FOR EVEN WILL THE WILLINGNESS TO EVEN ACCEPT THAT PROPERTY.
UH, I HAVE, I'VE TALKED TO KEVIN PHILLIPS OVER AT THE CITY OR TOWN OF PORT ROYAL, UH, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WAYS TO OFFSET ANY MAINTENANCE COST ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
AND HE'S PUTTING ME IN CONTACT WITH THE FOLKS THAT RUN THE SATURDAY'S FARMER'S MARKET.
SO MAYBE WE CAN, WE CAN COORDINATE AN EFFORT IF, IF IT GOES THROUGH AND EVERYTHING WORKS OUT, IF Y'ALL TAKE THE PROPERTY, MAYBE WE CAN COORDINATE SOMETHING TO GENERATE SOME FEES TO OFFSET ANY MAINTENANCE COST ON THAT.
IT, IT IS GONE THROUGH A GREEN SPACE APPLICATION.
LIKE I SAID, IT'S STILL IN DUE DILIGENCE THERE, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF MOVING PARTS WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD AND GREEN SPACE COMMITTEE, AND I WAS PURPOSELY NOT THERE.
I I WANTED TO STAY OUT OF IT AND LET THE GREEN SPACE COMMITTEE
[01:25:01]
BE INDEPENDENT.UM, HOPEFULLY THAT MOVES FORWARD.
AND I, I, I THINK THIS WOULD BE A GREAT PLACE TO BRING SOME IDENTITY TO LADIES ISLAND.
AND WITH THE, IF WE CAN WORK OUT AN AGREEMENT TO HAVE ACCESS TO THE PARKING LOT AFTER HOURS, I THINK WE COULD HAVE OYSTER ROAST, AND IT COULD BE LIVE OAK PARK, BUT FOR LADIES ISLAND.
SO I THINK IT'D BE WONDERFUL FOR THE COMMUNITY, THE, THE PROPERTY IS BEING LOOKED AT BY A, A PRIVATE WANTS TO PUT A GAS STATION OR, OR SOME KIND OF, UH, I THINK STORAGE UNITS.
AND, AND WE'D RATHER NOT HAVE THAT, UH, AT THAT LOCATION.
IS THIS THE LAND THAT WE SPOKE ABOUT IN OUR WORK SESSION ON FRIDAY? YES, IT IS.
SO WHY DOESN'T THE COUNTY JUST PURCHASE IT AND TAKE OVER YOUR LIABILITY AND EVERYTHING INSTEAD OF THE DISTRICT? I, I THINK MY UNDERSTANDING WAS THE PROXIMITY TO THE SCHOOL AND HAVING IT, HAVING ACCESS, UH, SORRY.
'CAUSE THERE'S TWO LOTS, RIGHT? WE DID LOOK AT THE MAP.
THERE'S A LOT THAT WE ALREADY OWN.
THAT, THAT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING DUE TO THE PROXIMITY TO THE SCHOOL.
I THINK THAT WAS THE, THE POINT THAT THEY WERE YEAH.
WE, UM, IN THE PROCESS NOW OF, UM, ADDING A TRAFFIC LIGHT THERE.
HOW DOES THAT NOT, NOT AT THAT LOCATION.
IT'S, IT'S, UH, FARTHER TO THE EAST.
FURTHER EAST OR FARTHER WEST? WEST, FARTHER WEST, YEAH.
BUT I'M JUST UNDER, I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND.
AND, UM, UM, SO I WAS NOT AWARE OF THAT, BUT JUST WONDERING HOW, UM, AND IS THE, THE, THE OTHER QUESTION IS, IS THAT, UH, WOULD THAT PROPERTY BE IN THE COUNTY OR IN THE CITY OF BEAUFORT THAT, IF I MAY ANSWER THAT, IT'S IN, IT'S IN THE COUNTY.
I KNOW IT'S KIND OF PIGEONHOLED THROUGHOUT THERE, BUT IT, IT'S, UM, THAT PARTICULAR PARCEL IS IN THE COUNTY, RIGHT? IT IS, YEAH.
UH, WELL, THERE'S A COUPLE I DEFINITELY SAID ABOUT THIS.
UM, UH, FIRST I'LL START OFF BY SAYING THAT ACTUALLY I GO RIGHT BACK TO WHAT MR. UH, WHOEVER WAS SPEAKING ABOUT ACTUALLY THERE, UH, IN, IN TERMS OF THAT STOPLIGHT AND ALSO WANTING TO CLOSE THAT ENTRANCE, UH, ON THE, ON ANOTHER PART, UM, THERE'S DEFINITELY A PROBLEM, UH, BECAUSE THE COM, BECAUSE NOT LONG AGO WE HAD A SITUATION HAPPEN, OH, I DON'T SAY HELENA.
AND IF WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT ENTRANCE, WE WOULD DEFINITELY HAVE HAD A LOT OF MORE PROBLEMS THAN WHAT, THAN, THAN WHAT WE FACED AT THAT TIME, BECAUSE WE HAD, BECAUSE WE HAD THAT INTEREST THAT HELPED US OUT.
AND THE PRO THE PROJECT THAT THE COUNTY IS PROPOSING, OR, OR, OR IS MANDATING, IT'S, IT'S, UH, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A PROBLEM BECAUSE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT CLOSING, CLOSING AND PUTTING A TRAFFIC LIGHT THERE, AND THEN HAVING US, HAVING US USE THE, THE, UH, THE BACK, THE, THE, THE BACK, UM, ENTRANCE.
UH, AND Y'ALL HAD A MEETING UP AT, AT
AND, UH, THAT COUGAR ROAD IS WHAT IT'S CALLED, AND WHAT WE TOLD THEM AT THAT MEETING, THAT WE WANT TO KEEP THAT ROAD OPEN.
AND IT'S, RIGHT NOW IT'S, IT'S AN ISSUE WITH TRAFFIC.
THE TRAFFIC DEPARTMENT HAS TO LOOK AT IT.
IS HERE, YEAH, BRIAN, IF HE'S BRIAN BOWER, IT'S BRIAN AND BRIAN, I'M SORRY, BRIAN'S HERE.
SO YEAH, WE DID DISCUSS AT THE GREEN SPACE COUGAR DRIVE, AND, UH, COUNTY ENGINEERING IS OPEN TO STAYING OPEN.
IT DOES, UH, COME OUT ONTO, EXCUSE ME, 21, WHICH IS DOT ROUTE.
SO THEY WOULD HAVE TO HAVE SOME SAY IN IT ALSO.
BUT COUNTY ENGINEERING'S NOT OPPOSED TO IT STAYING OPEN, STAYING OPEN, AS LONG AS THERE'S SOME, UH, RESTRICTIONS ON IT BEING RIGHT IN, RIGHT OUT, OR POSSIBLY A GATE WHEN IT'S NOT DROP OFF PICKUP.
BUT, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE NOT OPPOSED TO IT, UH, STAYING OPEN.
WELL, WELL, WELL, I MEAN, AND, AND, AND THAT'S FINE.
BUT ALSO, UH, YOU KNOW, EVEN, EVEN WITH THE CONVERSATION ABOUT THE GREEN SPACE, YOU KNOW, AND, AND, UH, JUST BEING RESPECTABLE, WE DO HAVE REPRESENTATIVES, AND IT'S A REASON WHY WE ARE REPRESENTATIVES.
AND I THINK THAT WE SHOULD BE MORALLY A PART OF THESE CONVERSATIONS SO THAT WE CAN MORE, UH, BETTER EDUCATE OUR PEOPLE IN TERMS OF UNDERSTANDING AND GETTING THEIR CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT'S GOING ON WHEN THESE PROJECTS DO, UH, TAKE PLACE.
I JUST WANT TO, YOU KNOW, UH, PUT THAT FYI REMINDER OUT THERE, UH, IN, IN TERMS OF LA OF LA MIDDLE SCHOOL, UH, THAT I BELIEVE THAT I, MRS. GORDON AND POSSIBLY, UH, A COUPLE OTHERS, WE, WE, WE ARE REPRESENTATIVE OF THAT, OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THAT AREA.
AND, UH, WE DO HAVE CONSTITUENTS THAT GO THERE.
SO, UH, IN, IN TERMS OF, I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT I THINK
[01:30:01]
IF THAT INFORMATION COULD BE BROUGHT BACK TO THE PUBLIC, BECAUSE IN THE LAST PUBLIC MEETING THAT WE HAD AT OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL, THERE WAS A SERIOUS, UH, PUSH.SO IF WE COULD FINALIZE THAT INFORMATION AND GET IT OUT TO THE PUBLIC, THAT WOULD BE, UH, GRACIOUS.
AND ALSO IF WE COULD PIN IT DOWN, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT'S ONE THING TO HAVE THESE MEETINGS, BUT TO BE ABLE TO PIN DOWN INFORMATION AND UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE SAYING.
SO JUST NOT SAYING THAT IT'S SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN TALKED ABOUT.
THE NEXT THING WE KNOW, UH, THAT A DECISION IS MADE, AND THAT'S WHAT'S, THAT'S WHAT'S FINAL.
I THINK THAT IS, IF WE'RE GONNA COMMUNICATE, THEN WE COULD EFFECTIVELY COMMUNICATE IN THAT.
AND THAT WAY EVERYONE'S ON THE SAME PAGE AND PEOPLE FEEL THAT THEY'VE BEEN INVOLVED AND THEY'VE BEEN INCLUDED IN, IN THE PROCESS.
MR. SMITH, IF, IF I MAY RESPOND TO THAT, UM, I PLANNED ON LOOPING EVERYBODY IN YOU IN PARTICULAR, AND MS. GORDON AS WELL FOR THIS PROJECT, BUT I WANTED IT TO GO THROUGH THE GREEN SPACE COMMITTEE WITHOUT INTERFERENCE.
I WANTED IT TO BE A, I WANTED TO STAND ALONE ON THE MERITS.
IT'S A NEW PROGRAM NOW THAT IT'S STARTING TO COME OUT OF THAT.
THAT'S WHEN I WAS, YOU KNOW, Y'ALL HAD HAD THAT MEETING LAST FRIDAY.
I BELIEVE NOW THAT EVERYBODY'S KIND OF WELL VERSED ON IT A LITTLE BIT, IF IT GETS THE, THE THUMBS UP FROM THE GREEN SPACE COMMITTEE MAY 16TH FOR DUE DILIGENCE OR TO MOVE FORWARD TO THE NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE, THAT'S WHEN I WAS PLANNING ON HAVING THAT CONVERSATION WITH YOU.
I WASN'T TRYING TO KEEP ANYBODY IN THE DARK.
IT JUST WAS NOT RIPE YET FOR, FOR DISCUSSION, AND I APPRECIATE THAT.
BUT JUST, JUST, JUST A PRE-UP NOTE THAT THIS IS SOMETHING YOU MAY HEAR, MAY HEAR, THAT'S JUST, JUST CAUSE I APPRECIATE THAT.
I MEAN, I'M NOT OVER LOOKING THAT, BUT I, THAT, THAT'S ALL.
AND IN, IN TERMS OF THE GREEN SPACE, I DO THINK THAT, UH, AS A COMMUNITY PERSON THAT ANY, ANY GREEN SPACE, I MEAN, ANY SPACE THAT COULD POSSIBLY USE FOR THE GOOD OF THE COMMUNITY AS WELL AS THE STUDENTS, I THINK WILL BE A GREAT THING.
AND I DON'T SEE WHY WE WOULD NOT, EVEN IF WE HAVE A, A PROJECT OF STUDENTS, WE, WE, WE TALK ABOUT CTES, UH, YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT GOLF COURSE AND, AND DIFFERENT SKILL SETS.
SOME PROPERTY DO, DO SOME DIFFERENT THINGS ON WRITING, UH, IN TERMS OF THE MAIN, MAIN MAINTENANCE OF THAT AND SOME OTHER THINGS, I THINK WE WOULD HAVE SOME OPPORTUNITIES WITH THAT GREEN SPACE.
SO I, I, I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING WHERE IT MAY GO AND, AND WHAT OPPORTUNITIES THAT IT, IT MAY, MAY, UH, BRING US AND OKAY.
BRING US MR. MR. CHAIRMAN, BEFORE YOU MOVE ON.
COULD I, COULD I HAVE STAFF, UM, BRIAN, UH, MR. PHIL FURLEY? YEAH, SURE.
UM, SPEAK ABOUT THE ROAD THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT, UH, COMING ACROSS FROM GAY STREET, UH, INTO, UH, INTO LADIES ISLAND FOR ACCESS AND EGRESS.
HOW DOES THAT RELATE TO THIS PART PARTICULAR PROPERTY? IS IT SEPARATE OR IS IT PART OF THAT PROPERTY OR WHAT? I'M NOT, I'M JUST LOST.
SO WE WILL NEED A SMALL PORTION FOR EASEMENT, FOR DRAINAGE, AND POSSIBLY FOR RIGHT OF AWAY.
UM, AND THAT WOULD BE, COME OUT OF THE ENGINEERING WOULD BUY THAT PORTION OF EASEMENT AND RIGHT AWAY.
UM, BUT SO IT IS THE SAME PROPERTIES, A SEPARATE PARCEL NEXT TO IT, THAT'S NOT SUBJECT, RIGHT? YES.
SO I'M GONNA WEIGH IN, UH, SOUTH OF THE BROAD HILTON HEAD.
UM, I, I AM FAMILIAR WITH THIS AREA THOUGH, BUT I'VE HEARD A COUPLE DIFFERENT THINGS BETWEEN IF WE'RE GONNA OWN THE PROPERTY AND BUSH HUG IT ONCE OR TWICE, LIVE OAK PARK, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, IT'S, THERE'S A FACILITY YOU CAN RENT, THERE'S A BASKETBALL COURT, THERE'S OYSTER ROASTS OR TWO DIFFERENT VISIONS OF THIS SPACE.
AND I THINK FROM MY POINT OF VIEW, WHEN ON HILTON HEAD, THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD OWNS, UM, THE ROWING AND SAILING CENTER, WHICH SOUNDS SIMILAR, IT'S GOT A DOCK, IT'S GOT AND THE LIABILITY, THE MAINTENANCE, THE SECURITY, UM, PARTICULARLY NEXT TO A SCHOOL.
I THINK THAT DEPENDING ON WHAT THE VISION IS FOR, HOW THIS WOULD BE USED AND WHAT THE GREEN SPACE IS IDEAS FOR, ARE SOMETHING TO REALLY CONSIDER.
BECAUSE I KNOW THAT, UM, WE MANAGE A LOT OF PROPERTY
SO THAT DOES, JUST AS I HEAR THESE THINGS, I THINK IT WOULD HAVE TO COME BACK AT SOME POINT WITH, UM, THOSE ARE TWO VERY DIFFERENT USE CASES.
BUT STEP ONE IS GETTING THE PROPERTY.
SO WE, WE CAN HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS DOWN THE ROAD, BUT I THINK WE GOTTA GET THE PROPERTY FIRST.
WE, WE HAVE SOME, UM, REALLY GOOD EXAMPLES OF HOW WE'VE DONE SOME MUTUALLY, UH, BENEFICIAL INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENTS THAT WOULD ADDRESS ALL OF THOSE ISSUES IN IT ONCE, ONCE THAT IS DECIDED TO GO FORWARD OR NOT.
[10. Discussion on working together to allow communities to increase utilization of School District Assets/Building after Hours]
UP A GOOD SEGUE TO THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA.AND THAT HAS A DISCUSSION ON WORKING TOGETHER TO ALLOW COMMUNITIES TO INCREASE UTILIZATION OF SCHOOL DISTRICT ASSETS AND BUILDINGS AFTER HOURS.
AND WHO WOULD LIKE TO, I, I'VE HEARD THAT YOU HAD SOMETHING THAT YOU WANTED TO SAY ABOUT THAT.
YOU HAVE SOME, UH, IS THIS HAN YES.
WE HAVE SOME FAMILIES THAT ON HILTON HAD THAT WANT TO, UH, USE THE TRACKS, IF YOU WILL, TO RUN SOME OF THE CROSS COUNTRY KIDS.
SO, AND I KNOW DR. RODRIGUEZ, YOU HAD FIELDED SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS.
WHERE DOES THAT STAND? I MEAN, I, THIS IS A GREAT SEGUE TO THAT.
[01:35:01]
A NUMBER OF TEAMS, THERE ARE COACHES THAT WANT TO HAVE ACCESS.IT'S A, IT'S A DIFFICULT ISSUE.
AND IT'S A DIFFICULT ISSUE IN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT COUSE AGREEMENTS.
AND, UH, UNFORTUNATELY, COACHES WANT TO COACH THEIR OWN TEAMS IN ISOLATION.
THEY DON'T WANT TO COACH THEIR TEAMS WITH OTHER COMPETITORS.
YOU KNOW, AND, AND THAT'S, THAT'S ONE ISSUE.
THE OTHER, THE OTHER ISSUE IS, IS, UH, A LIABILITY, UH, INSURANCE ISSUE THAT HAS TO BE WORKED OUT.
AND I THINK, AND I'VE TALKED TO DR. RODRIGUEZ AT SOME LENGTH ABOUT THIS, AND WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, UH, HOW IT COULD BE DONE.
COULD IT BE DONE? YES, IT COULD BE DONE, BUT IT WOULD HAVE TO BE DONE WITH OUR, OUR STUDENTS GETTING FIRST PRIORITY FOR, FOR THE FACILITIES.
SO WOULD THAT MEAN THAT THEY COULD COME IN AT, UH, FIVE, SIX O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING AND WE WOULD, WE WOULD BE, UH, AFTER SCHOOL, OR THEY COULD COME IN AFTER DINNER AT, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING LIKE THAT COULD BE WORKED OUT.
BUT, BUT IT WOULD HAVE TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S INSURANCE LIABILITY KIND OF ISSUES AND ANY, ANY KIND OF MAINTENANCE AS A RESULT OF IT.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND, UH, A LOT OF, ESPECIALLY PEOPLE THAT HAVEN'T BEEN IN THE SCHOOLS LATELY, UH, IT'S A LOT DIFFERENT THAN IN 1966 WHEN I GRADUATED.
AND THE FOOTBALL FIELD WAS ONLY USED IN THE FALL, UH, BY THE FOOTBALL TEAM.
WE DIDN'T EVEN PRACTICE ON IT.
NOW WE HAVE THE FIELD TURF AND, AND MODERN FACILITIES, BUT WE HAVE GIRLS SOCCER, BOY SOCCER, GIRLS LACROSSE, BOYS LACROSSE, AND THEN FOOTBALL OF COURSE.
AND WE HAVE OTHER CLUBS THAT WANT TO USE IT AND JVS FOR ALL OF THOSE THINGS, AND JVS FOR ALL OF THAT.
SO THOSE FIELDS ARE FULLY USED, AND WE, WE HAVE TO WORK AROUND IT.
AND IT WOULD, IT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE, UH, A LOT OF COORDINATION MADE IT.
IT'S GOOD TO HEAR THAT YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT IT, AND IF YOU CAN INCLUDE ME IN THOSE MEETINGS GOING FORWARD, I'D LOVE TO BE PART OF THAT.
I, I, I WANNA SPEAK ON, OH, GO AHEAD.
YOU, UH, I, I'D LIKE TO SPEAK ON, UM, THE, THE UTILIZATION OF YOUR FACILITIES.
UM, AND, UH, ONE OF MY, UH, MEETINGS, UM, ON RECREATION ACTIVITY, UH, THERE WAS A GENTLEMAN THERE WANTING JUST TO WORK WITH HIS CHILDREN ON PLAYING SOCCER.
WE DON'T HAVE A SOCCER FIELD, NOWHERE.
UM, BUT YOU HAVE GREEN SPACE, UH, ON YOUR CAMPUS AND, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU WOULD DO THAT WITH LIABILITY, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
BUT I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE ACCESS ALL, UM, OUR COMMUNITY HAVE ACCESS TO THOSE FACILITIES THAT YOU HAVE.
AND ONE IN PARTICULAR, UM, WHEN, WHEN, WHEN, UM, WE RAISED, UM, THE ST.
HELEN SCHOOL, UH, THE COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL THAT WAS BUILT IN, UH, 54, UM, ONE OF THE BUILDING, UH, THAT WAS LEFT UP BECAUSE THE COMMUNITY SAID WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THAT REMAIN WAS THE GYMNASIUM.
RIGHT? AND NOW WE CAN'T GET ACCESS TO IT.
UM, BUT THE COMMUNITY WANT, WANTED, WANTED THAT GYMNASIUM TO REMAIN THERE.
AND BASICALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, HOW CAN WE WORK THROUGH THAT, UM, TO MAKE IT AVAILABLE TO THE COMMUNITY AND STUFF.
YOU SPEND A COUPLE MILLION DOLLARS REFURBISHING IT, AND IT'S AN EXCELLENT FACILITY NOW.
BUT, YOU KNOW, JUST HAVING ACCESS TO IT, I DON'T NEED TO WORK OUT THINGS NOW, BUT WE HAVE A, YOU KNOW, OUR PALS, UM, ERIC BROWN IS WORKING, AND HE'S BROUGHT BACK AN AGREEMENT ON SOME OF YOUR FACILITIES.
AND, UM, BUT THAT WAS LEFT OFF.
SO IF YOU CAN WORK THAT OUT AND STUFF FOR, SHE'LL LOVE TO HAVE THAT, UH, AVAILABLE AND STUFF.
SO THAT, THAT PAL THAT PAL'S MODEL IS, IS REALLY A, A, A, A GOOD MODEL TO, TO YOU LOOK AT, BECAUSE THAT IS A COUNTY SPONSORED, UH, ACTIVITY, WHICH HAS, AND YOU ALL HAVE LIABILITY AND SO ON.
SO, UH, I'M CERTAIN THAT THERE'D BE A WAY THAT WE COULD FIGURE OUT, WELL, I HOPE WE CAN.
I WOULD LOVE TO, IF WE CAN SIT DOWN AND, AND, AND WORK IT OUT.
CHAIR, CAN I WEIGH IN? I'M NOT SURE THIS IS FEASIBLE.
THE LIABILITY AND THE MAINTENANCE CALLS SINCE IN 28 MONTHS, I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD.
WHEN I LOOK AT HOW MUCH MAINTENANCE AND DETERIORATION IN THE FIELDS THAT HAVE BEEN DONE FROM OUR USE, THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY.
WE'VE ALL HEARD OF SOME ACTIVITIES THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE AT OUR SCHOOLS
[01:40:01]
WHERE SOMEONE WAS SHOCKED THAT DAMAGES OUR REPUTATION.AND WE, AS A PUBLIC SCHOOL, WE TAKE EVERY PERSON WHO SAYS, I'M ELIGIBLE TO GO TO YOUR SCHOOL.
AND SO WE HAVE TO BE EXTREMELY CAUTIOUS ABOUT PROTECTING THE ASSETS AND PROTECTING THE REPUTATION.
'CAUSE OTHERWISE PEOPLE SAY, WELL, I'M NOT GONNA GO TO YOUR SCHOOL.
'CAUSE THERE MAY BE A SHOOTING THERE, AND IT'S NOT EVEN US.
THAT'S THE REALITY THAT WE DEAL WITH.
SO WHATEVER THE POINTS ARE, THAT'S MY PARTICULAR POSITION.
SHOULD IT COME TO A VOTE? RIGHT.
AND, AND, AND THAT'S, THAT'S THE ISSUE, UH, WITH PRIVATE GROUPS.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE COULD LOOK AT AT, WITH COUNTY, LIKE THE PALS PROGRAM THAT THAT'S BEING DONE, UH, IN MANY DIFFERENT VENUES.
CAN I, CAN I, SO, YOU KNOW, I'VE LOOKED AT SOME OF THE PHYSICAL FACILITIES THAT THE COUNTY HAS CREATED.
I'VE HEARD MULTIPLE PEOPLE SAY, WE NEED YOU, THAT WE NEED MORE ATHLETIC ASSETS IN THE COUNTY.
I DID NOT KNOW THAT WAS A COUNTY ISSUE.
SO WHY ARE WE GOING TO EN ENTERTAINMENT? FOR ME, SCHOOL SCORES, DO WHATEVER WE HAVE TO DO TO MAKE SURE SAFE, UH, CLASSROOMS ARE SAFE, WHICH THEY ARE, BUT EVEN MORE.
AND THAT TEACHERS DON'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH A LOT OF ISSUES IN THE CLASSROOMS. THAT'S WHERE I'D LIKE TO SEE OUR MONEY SPENT.
ONE MORE THING, PLEASE, IF I MAY.
MR. CHAIRMAN, UH, DR. RODRIGUEZ, TALK ABOUT SOAR FOR A MINUTE.
WE DID SOME JOINT THINGS TOGETHER WITH SOAR AT SCHOOLS.
HOW DOES THAT DIFFER FROM WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW? SOAR WERE OUR STUDENTS AND THEY WERE FIELD TRIP, UH, TO, TO, TO THAT EVENT.
AND THAT WAS AT, UM, AT, AT THE COUNTY PARK, AT THE, UH, UM, RIGHT HERE.
A LITTLE BIT OLDER, BUT IT'S HAPPENED
UM, BUT WE TALKED ABOUT EVEN OPENING UP MORE OF THE SCHOOLS FOR SOAR IN PARTICULAR, IN WHERE, WHERE DOES THAT STAND? UH, THOSE ARE EVENTS THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE FIELD TRIP TO.
SO, SO THAT WAS HELD AT A COUNTY, AT A, AT A COUNTY FACILITY AT BURTON WELLS.
SO, UH, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THEY'LL CONTINUE THAT EVENT AND, AND OUR STUDENTS WOULD CONTINUE TO GO THERE TO BURTON WELLS.
WELL, I ENJOYED ATTENDING THAT, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO MORE.
AND WHATEVER WE CAN DO AS COUNCIL, LET US KNOW.
I LIKE MY CO WELL, WHAT DO I CALL YOU? MY CO DISTRICT PERSON.
LOVE THE SPIRIT OF, AND I, I ACTUALLY AGREE WITH YOU.
I THINK THAT FACILITIES SHOULD BE USED BY THE COMMUNITY.
AND I KNOW AT HILTON HEAD, WE RENT OUT THE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER FOR THE NUTCRACKER.
WE HAVE, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE, WE DO HAVE A VERY, UH, AGGRESSIVE FACILITY USE PLAN THAT REQUIRES A MILLION DOLLARS OF LIABILITY COVERAGE FOR THE EVENT AND THAT SORT OF THING BECAUSE, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE WE DO SEE A LOT OF LAWSUITS.
AND I THINK THE THING ABOUT THE ATHLETICS FIELDS, I DO THINK ATHLETIC FIELDS ARE A LITTLE BIT HARDER.
AND THERE'S A COUPLE OF REASONS FOR THAT.
UM, AND MY CHILDREN, UH, WHEN THEY WERE AT A PRIVATE MIDDLE SCHOOL BEFORE GOING TO THE PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL, THEY RAN CROSS COUNTRY AND THEY RAN AROUND JARVIS PARK.
YOU KNOW, THERE ARE DEFINITELY PLACES TO RUN.
THE PROBLEM WITH THE FIELDS IS, LIKE YOU SAID, IN THE SPRING, IT'S GIRLS AND BOYS SOCCER, JV, AND WE ALSO, AND LACROSSE, BOYS AND GIRLS VARSITY AND JV, WE HAVE TRACK AND FIELD, WE HAVE, UH, SOCCER, WE HAVE ALL THESE DIFFERENT SPORTS.
WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH FIELDS AS IT IS IN ADDITION TO WHICH WE HAVE THE MIDDLE SCHOOL THAT SHARES THE FIELDS, THEN YOU HAVE THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
SO THERE'S, IT'S VERY TIGHT SCHEDULE DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR TO GET IN ON THE FIELDS.
THE OTHER PROBLEM WITH ATHLETICS IS WE SEE A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE BEING INJURED BECAUSE OF FIELD MAINTENANCE ISSUES, BECAUSE THE, YOU KNOW, THE DIFFERENT THINGS, IT'S A, UM, A BIG SOURCE OF LIABILITY.
YOU WANNA MAKE SURE, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO LIKE OUTDOOR AREAS, THAT THEY'RE MAINTAINED FOR THE SAFETY OF THE CHILDREN.
ONE OF THE PROBLEMS THAT SCHOOLS HAVE, I THINK THAT IS ABOVE AND BEYOND OTHER, UM, GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS, IS WE ARE IN CHARGE OF PEOPLE'S CHILDREN DURING THE DAY.
AND THAT IS A VERY HIGH NO ROOM FOR, UM, ERROR BAR.
AND SO I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT, HAPPY TO TALK TO MY CO DISTRICT PERSON.
UH, I'LL COME UP WITH BETTER TITLE, UM, YOU KNOW, IN ACTUALLY PRETTY NICE.
UH, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY, BUT I THINK WITH THE ATHLETICS, IT'S GOING TO BE PARTICULARLY CHALLENGING BECAUSE WE, WE NEED MORE ATHLETIC FIELDS ON HILTON HEAD AS IT STANDS RIGHT NOW, JUST TO MANAGE ALL THE STUFF THAT WE'VE GOT GOING ON WITH OUR STUDENTS.
SO, UM, I AGREE THAT WE COULD DO MORE POSSIBLY, BUT RECOGNIZING THAT THE, THE, UH, YOU HAVE RENTING THESE FACILITIES LIKE THE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER OR THE GYMS, JUST A LOT OF LIABILITY FOR US INVOLVED.
AND IT'S A PRETTY COMPLICATED PROCESS, BUT WE SHOULD BE ABLE, I MEAN, WE HAVE THAT PROCESS IN PLACE ALREADY.
WE HAVE A FACILITIES USE AGREEMENT, UM, THAT CAN BE, UM, EXECUTED FOR THE FACILITY.
[01:45:01]
MR. CHAIR.SO MR. CARTER JUST SAID SOMETHING WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT IN THE COUNTY, JUST LIKE SPIT BALLING, HAVING A SPORTS FACILITY, AND NOT ONLY WOULD THAT SERVE THE PUBLIC, BUT IT WOULD BRING IN TOURNAMENTS, LIKE WHEN WE HAD THE DIXIE TOURNAMENT, WHICH GENERATES AT TAX.
AND THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY, BUT AS I JUST SAID TO MR. CARR, SOMEBODY'S GOTTA PAY FOR IT, SOMEBODY'S GOTTA FUND IT.
AND, UM, THOSE ARE DISCUSSIONS WE'RE HAVING, BUT THAT HA THAT ISN'T LOST ON US.
AND FIELDS SOUTH OF THE BROAD ARE AN ISSUE.
AND SO WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL THOSE RECREATIONAL FACILITIES, AND, AND I THINK YOU, YOU KNOW, WE, WE TALKING ABOUT FACILITIES AND ALL I'M ASKING FOR IS, UH, A DIALOGUE, UM, WITH PALS SO THAT IF THERE'S POSSIBILITY WE CAN UTILIZE SOME OF THOSE FACILITIES.
UM, AND I DO SAY THAT THE GYMNASIUM THERE ON ST.
HELENA IS NOT BEING UTILIZED, AND THE COMMUNITY WANT ACCESS TO IT.
AND IF THAT'S POSSIBLE, YOU KNOW, THROUGH LIABILITY INSURANCE, WHATEVER, AND STUFF, WE CAN ACTUALLY DO THAT.
QUESTION IS, UM, CAN WE GET INTO A, A DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT? THAT'S ALL.
UH, FIRST OFF, LEMME STOP BY SAYING THAT, UH, I, I DEFINITELY REMEMBER AS A STUDENT.
UM, HAVING ACCESS TO, UH, PUBLIC FACILITIES, I REMEMBER AS A STUDENT, UH, SITTING ON THE GYM, GYMNASIUM, RECREATION, YOUR BA OUR BASKETBALL PRACTICE WAS AT ST.
HENA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL GYMNASIUM.
SO WHERE DID THE, WHERE DID THE, UM, WHEN THAT STOPPED? I, WHEN THAT STOPPED? I'M NOT, I DON'T, I DON'T REMEMBER, IN OTHER WORDS, WHEN THE TRUCK FELL OUT, THE TRUCK, I'M NOT SURE.
BUT WHEN IT COMES TO FACILITIES, HOW I LOOK AT IT AS A TAXPAYER AND AS A, UM, A CONCERN THAT, UH, THE, THESE ARE ALL THE PEOPLE'S, THESE ARE ALL THE PEOPLE'S, UH, FACILITIES AT THAT END OF THE DAY.
SO I DON'T HAVE A A A, I DON'T TAKE ISSUE WITH ALLOWING THE COUNTY OR, OR PEOPLE TO USE OUR FACILITIES IN, IN TERMS OF THE, THEY, WE HAVE, WE'VE HAVE PLAYS AT OUR FACILITIES.
WE'VE HAD DIFFERENT THINGS THAT HAS HA THAT WE'VE HAD AT OUR, AT, AT THESE FACILITIES TO GIVE PEOPLE ACCESS IF THEY HAVE INSURANCE.
WE'VE HAVE, WE HAVE CHURCHES THAT, THAT, THAT ARE IN SOME OF OUR SCHOOLS IN DIFFERENT FACILITIES.
SO WE DO, SO THE COMMUNITY DOES HAVE SOME TYPE OF ACCESS.
LET, LET'S PUT THAT OUT THERE.
ONE, SOME OF THE COMMUNITY DOES HAVE SOME TYPE OF ACCESS TO SOME OF OUR, OF OUR, OF OUR FACILITIES.
BUT IN, IN TERMS OF SPORTS, I, I DIDN'T SAY MUCH BECAUSE I WAS WAITING TO SOMEONE TO SAY, BECAUSE I WAS LAST TOLD THAT THERE WAS A CONVERSATION TAKING PLACE WITH THE RECREATION.
AND OUR, OUR, OUR, UM, OUR FACILITIES DIRECTOR, I THOUGHT THAT THEY WERE FROM MY CENTER, THAT THE NEW, THE NEW COUNTY FACILITIES DIRECTOR THAT, THAT THEY JUST HIRED, HIRED, WELL, WHAT'S HIS NAME NOW? ERIC BROWN.
AND I THOUGHT MR. OTTINGER OR SOMEONE FROM THE DISTRICT WERE HAVING A CONVERSATION.
AND SO I WAS WAITING TO SEE WHAT THE PROPOSAL WAS GOING TO BE, BECAUSE I, FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, THEY WAS GONNA, THEY WAS SUPPOSED TO BRING A PROPOSAL TO US.
NOW WHERE THAT POGO PROPOSAL GOT BOGGED DOWN AT, OR REVEREND WHO, WHO WAS IN THAT CONVERSATION, THAT PROPOSAL, I KNOW WILLIAM SMITH WASN'T, THE, WASN'T, WASN'T THE PART OF THAT CONVERSATION.
MR. MOORE, CAN YOU WEIGH IN ON THAT OR ARA I NEED TO PUT HER ON THIS SPOT.
SO I KNOW I, I DON'T HAVE THAT AMNESIA, BUT, OKAY.
SO APPARENTLY MAYBE THE CON MAYBE WE WERE WAITING FOR THE CONVERSATION OR THE CONVERSATION, UH, NEEDS, NEEDS TO TAKE PLACE.
BUT, UM, SO IN, IN TERMS OF THAT, I'M WAITING TO LOOK AND SEE WHAT THAT CONVERSATION LOOKED LIKE IN TERMS OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, IN TERMS OF INSURANCES AND, AND THOSE THINGS.
AND WORKING OUT A PROPOSAL UPON THE COUNTY USING OUR FACILITIES AND US SHARING FACILITIES.
BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S ALL PUBLIC.
THAT'S MY, THAT'S MY, THAT'S MY, AND, AND, AND MAYBE, AND MAYBE WE, WE MAY NEED TO COME UP WITH, WITH A A, LIKE HOW YOU GIVE AT TAX MONEY.
WE GIVE BMH ALL THAT MONEY, OR WE GIVE SOME OTHER PEOPLE ALL THAT MONEY.
MAYBE WE MIGHT NEED TO GIVE KIN SOME MONEY TO USE TO USE THE FIELDS SO WE CAN ALL GET WHAT WE WANT DONE, I BELIEVE IF WE WORK TOGETHER, OKAY.
YOU KNOW, BUT I'M NOT, I'M NOT, I'M NOT FINISHED.
AND THEN ALSO MR. GLOVER, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT THERE WAS A NEED, UH, FOR SOMEONE WANTING TO USE THE SEAL IN THE GYM.
BECAUSE NORMALLY I, I, I WILL SAY IF THEY, IF THEY CONTACT ME, WE KNOW, I KNOW WE NORMALLY SEND THEM BECAUSE WE HAVE HAD PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY TO, UH, UTILIZE, MAKE, UH, HAVE UTILIZATION OF THAT GYM.
SO WE HAVE HAD A COUPLE PEOPLE,
[01:50:01]
AND ALSO WE HAVE A, UM, A A, A FUNERAL BEING USED IN, UH, BEING TO HAVE A FUNERAL IN THAT GYM.SO I DO KNOW THAT WE DO, UH, DO, DO THAT.
BUT I JUST THINK IN, IN TERMS OF THIS RIGHT HERE, AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT KIDS, UH, OVER DIFFERENT, UH, ENTITIES.
AND I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND ADJUST THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM.
PRI PRIVATE SCHOOLS VERSUS PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
SO, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE SITTING THERE AND WE PLAYING AROUND AND WE PUTTING TOOTING THE, KICKING THE BALL IN THE ROAD.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS IS A PUBLIC INSTITUTION, AND WE WANT THE PUBLIC KIDS WHO PROBABLY ARE LESS, LESS INCLINED, WHO CAN'T AFFORD TO HAVE TO HAVE THE RIGHT TO UTILIZE THE FIELDS FIRST.
VERSUS KIDS WHO MAY, WHO MAY, WHO MAY BE IN DIFFERENT INSTITUTIONS, WHO MAY HAVE, HAVE A CREDIT LINE DIFFERENTLY THAN WHAT WE HAVE TO, TO, TO SUSTAIN WHAT WE HAVE.
SO I THINK, I THINK IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT WE ALL WORK TOGETHER FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THE GOOD, OF THE COMMUNITY AND FOR THE KIDS.
UM, BASICALLY SHARED WITH ME THAT THEY WORKED OUT A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, UH, HIS COUNTERPART, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO UTILIZE FACILITIES, UH, THE GROUNDS, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
I DON'T KNOW TO WHAT EXTENT, BUT THAT'S WHAT, UH, HE WORKED OUT.
I ASKED HIM SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE GYM AND HE SAID, THAT HAS NOT BEEN WORKED OUT.
AND SO, UH, WE ARE POLICY BOARD.
AND MY QUESTION WOULD BE HOW DO WE MOVE FORWARD WITH A POLICY THAT WE CAN, THE COMMUNITY CAN UTILIZE? UM, I'M NOT GONNA SAY JUST SING HELL ON THE GYM, BUT YOU TALK ABOUT THE PERFORMING ARTS, YOU TALK ABOUT ALL THE FACILITIES AND STUFF, RIGHT.
TO ME, IT'S THE SAME THING, RIGHT? YEAH.
[12. Facilities Report from Both Entities]
SEGUE INTO FACILITIES REPORT.THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT, UH, ASKED FOR A FACILITIES REPORT FROM BOTH THE, UH, COUNTY AND THE DISTRICT.
AND DO YOU HAVE SOMEONE THAT'S READY TO GIVE THAT? YEP.
SO MAYBE WHEN HE COMES BACK, DO YOU WANNA GO AHEAD WITH THE DISTRICT FACILITIES? YOU WENT OUT THAT WAY.
I'M THE CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER, SO I NEED SOME INFORMA.
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO KNOW ABOUT THE FACILITIES?
WELL, AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TWO BOND REFERENDUMS OUT RIGHT NOW.
UH, THE 2019 WE'RE FINISHING UP.
UM, MOST ALL PROJECTS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED.
WE'RE IN THE CLOSEOUT STAGE OF, UH, PAPERWORK AND FINISHING CONTRACTS.
AND SO WE'RE HOPING BY THE END OF THE SUMMER TO BE COMPLETELY DONE WITH THE 2019.
UM, THERE'S NO NEW PROJECTS, UH, GOING FORWARD.
EVERYTHING'S UNDER CONTRACT AND ACTUALLY ALL THE WORK HAS PRETTY MUCH PHYSICALLY BEEN DONE.
SO THERE'S NO MORE REAL WORK TO DO OUTSIDE OF PAPERWORK GIVEN.
SO, I MEAN, AT THE END OF THIS SUMMER, THAT WILL ALL BE DONE.
AS OF RIGHT NOW, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT MONEY COMING BACK.
UM, SO
WE'RE ACTUALLY FINISHING WITH ABOUT $3 MILLION LEFT OVER AT THE END.
SO THAT'S WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.
UM, AND SO,
SO THE 2023 REFERENDUM, UM, WE ARE JUST KIND OF GETTING RAMPED UP.
YOU KNOW, UH, HILTON HEAD HIGH SCHOOL WAS THE FIRST PROJECT OUT OF THE GATE.
UH, IF YOU'VE BEEN BY THERE, IT'S, UH, COMING UP PRETTY QUICKLY.
IT'S GONNA BE CLOSED IN, IN SHORT ORDER.
SO THAT'S ALL EXCITING TO SEE.
UH, WE'RE CURRENTLY FINISHING UP THE PERMITTING AT MAY RIVER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, SO WE HOPE TO BE ABLE TO BREAK GROUND THIS SUMMER THERE.
UM, WE'VE HAD SOME ISSUES GETTING SOME FINAL PERMITS THROUGH THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON AND GETTING, UH, SOME FINAL THINGS FROM PALMETTO BLUFF, BUT HOPEFULLY WE'RE GETTING THROUGH THAT IN THE NEXT MONTH, AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO BREAK GROUND THERE.
LADIES, ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL, WHICH IS A REPLACEMENT SCHOOL.
WE JUST, UM, UH, WENT THROUGH SCHEMATIC DESIGN, UH, DRAWINGS TODAY.
UH, WE'LL BE TAKING THAT BACK TO THE SCHOOL AND THE PUBLIC TO SHOW WHERE WE ARE.
WE ACTUALLY ARE WORKING, UM, TO HAVE THE ZONING CHANGE THERE.
SO ALLOW A THREE STORY STRUCTURE.
UM, AND SO THAT IS IN THE PROCESS.
WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT BLUFFTON, UH, EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER.
UH, WE'RE IN THE EARLY STAGES OF DESIGN THERE.
WE ALSO ARE WORKING TO REZONE THAT
[01:55:01]
PROPERTY THROUGH THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON, WHICH HAS TO BE DONE, UH, IN ORDER TO GET, UH, THE SCHOOL SITE ON THAT PROPERTY.BUT THAT'S ALL PROGRESSING WELL, WE'RE ABOUT AT SCHEMATIC DESIGN WITH THAT PROJECT, TRYING.
WE'VE GOT FOUR PILOT PROJECTS WHERE WE'RE WORKING ON THE SAFETY AND SECURITY, UM, WHICH INVOLVES PARKING LOTS, UH, CAMERA, ADDITIONAL CAMERAS, ADDITIONAL, UH, DOOR SECURITY MEASURES.
AND WE'RE ABOUT TO FINISH THOSE IN THE NEXT COUPLE MONTHS.
THOSE FOUR PILOT PILOT PROJECTS.
AND THEN WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE REMAINING PROJECTS.
TRENT MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL, CTE.
UH, WE TALKED EARLIER ABOUT OUR CTE PROJECTS.
UM, WE HAVE AN ADDITION AT MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL.
IT'S, UM, FOR CLARIFICATION, CT IS CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION.
SO WE'VE GOT, UH, THAT ONE THAT BROKE GROUND, THE STEEL'S UP.
UH, I BELIEVE WE'RE ABOUT TO HAVE THE ROOF ON.
SO THAT'S GONNA OPEN, UH, LATE, WE'LL FINISH THAT ONE LATER THIS YEAR.
UH, WE ARE ALSO STARTING AS FAR AS CAREER AND TECHNICAL ED, CTE PROJECTS.
UM, THERE'S ANOTHER ONE AT BLUFFTON HIGH SCHOOL, WHICH WE ARE JUST NOW AWARDING.
SO THAT ONE'S JUST ABOUT TO GET STARTED.
THAT'LL BE A TWO STORY STANDALONE BUILDING.
UM, THAT'S GOING TO GREATLY INCREASE THE ABILITY TO DO THOSE PROGRAMS AT BLUFFTON HIGH SCHOOL.
'CAUSE RIGHT NOW THEY'RE JUST WORKING IN CLASSROOMS. THE NEW BUILDING WILL HAVE TWO HIGH BAY AREAS, UH, WHICH I KNOW I BELIEVE HAS FIREFIGHTING AND CONSTRUCTIONS, UH, WILL GO IN THERE ALONG WITH, UH, THEIR JRTC WILL MOVE INTO THAT BUILDING.
I, I SKIPPED THAT AT THE MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL, CTE THAT WE'RE WORKING ON.
THAT ALSO IS GONNA ACCOMMODATE THE NEW JRTC PROGRAM THERE, BEAUFORT HIGH SCHOOL.
UM, WE ARE JUST GETTING STARTED ON THAT PROJECT WITH AWARD TO ARCHITECTS, AND WE'RE ABOUT TO AWARD TO THE CONTRACTOR.
SO THAT ONE'S JUST GETTING UNDERWAY.
THAT IS, OH, YOU'RE PUTTING, UM, SLIDES OUT.
YEAH, SO, SO THAT'S, UH, BEAUFORT HIGH SCHOOL, I BELIEVE.
SO IT'LL HAVE A SMALLER STANDALONE BUILDING, UH, WITH HIGH BAY AREAS, BUT IT'S ALSO GONNA BE RENOVATING THE EXISTING BUILDING.
IS THERE ANYTHING I MISSED? SO IF YOU KNOW WHERE THE MOBILES ARE AND THAT, THAT PAD, IT'S GONNA BE KIND OF IN THAT SECTION OF THE BUILDING.
AND IT'S A MUCH SMALLER BUILDING THAN SOME OF THE OTHERS BECAUSE WE'RE RENOVATING A LOT OF THE SPACES INSIDE THE BUILDING.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS QUICKLY? UM, 3 MILLION.
YOUR, ARE YOU BOUND BY THE
AND SO WE HAVE A PLAN TOGETHER THAT WE'RE, HAVE PRESENTED AS FAR AS HOW TO SPEND THAT FUND.
WHAT NEW PLAYGROUNDS IN, IN THAT FOOTPRINT AS PRINCIP CARRYING LESS MUD.
AND THAT WAS KIND OF, SO ACTUALLY COST US SAVINGS, BECAUSE IT'LL BE LESS MAINTENANCE AND THERE'LL BE LESS DIRT COMING IN WITH THEM.
BUT THAT'S THE TYPE OF PROJECTS, UH, THAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THE REFERENDUM.
NOTHING OUTSIDE THE SCOPE OF THE REFERENDUM RIGHT.
AND JUST REMEMBER THAT, UM, EATING A LITTLE BIT OF DIRT IS ALWAYS GOOD FOR KIDS.
IS BOTH ON YOU? I, I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION.
I JUST WANNA SAY, YOU KNOW, WE, WE TAKE A LOT OF HEAT, SO THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY HERE TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS ON HOW YOU'VE HANDLED YOUR REFERENDUMS COMING IN UNDER BUDGET, CITIZEN LED OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.
WHEN I'M OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, I HEAR NOTHING BUT GOOD THINGS ABOUT IT.
AND I THINK Y'ALL HAVE DONE A MODEL, UM, THAT SHOULD BE REPLICATED.
SO THANK Y'ALL AND THANK YOUR STAFF TOO.
IT'S, IT'S ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL.
UH, ALSO, UM, JUST TO, SO WE, HAVING THIS MEETING, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR THE GENERAL, UH, FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC, UH, IF ANYONE WANTS TO USE ANY OUR, OUR FACILITIES, UH, COULD YOU TELL THEM, UH, WHAT, WHERE THEY CAN FIND THE INFORMATION AT AND WHAT'S THE PROCESS, WHAT THAT PROCESS LIKE? BECAUSE FROM MY SAID, WE DO HAVE A PROCESS FOR THAT, CORRECT? YES, WE DO.
WE HAVE A FACILITIES USE PLAN.
UM, AND I HAVE IT UP ON MY SCREEN.
I FORGET WHAT AR BUT WE HAVE AN ADMINISTRATIVE BRAG THAT ADDRESSES THAT.
AND AS FAR AS THE CONVERSATION EARLIER, IF I CAN ADD AS FAR AS AN AGREEMENT WITH PALS, IF THERE'S AN INTEREST, WE, THEY JUST NEED TO ADD THAT TO THE LIST FOR US TO TALK ABOUT BECAUSE WE USE, UH, A LOT OF THE PALS FACILITIES.
AND SO THAT'S ALL I'M REFERRING TO.
I'M REFERRING TO THE APPLICATION WHEN SOMEONE WANTS TO RENT OUT
[02:00:01]
A FACILITIES AS IN THE CHURCH, HAVE THE CHURCH RENTS OUT OUR FACILITIES, WHAT'S THAT PROCESS? WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? AND WHERE CAN THEY FIND AN APPLICATION AT FOR THE PUBLIC? SO JUST SO YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SAY, A SINGLE USE AND SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA USE EITHER MULTI FACILITIES OR MULTI USES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.LIKE A CHURCH, A CHURCH IS GONNA USE IT, YOU KNOW, EVERY WEEKEND THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
IF IT'S A SINGLE USE, THAT CAN TYPICALLY BE HANDLED AT THE SCHOOL, YOU JUST NEED TO GO ASK THE SCHOOL.
UM, 'CAUSE THEY HAVE TO CHECK FOR AVAILABILITY.
UM, AFTER THAT WE HAVE A SET OF REGULATIONS, LIKE WE TALKED ABOUT.
WE REQUIRE INSURANCE, WE REQUIRE, THERE, THERE COULD BE SOME FEES.
UM, AND THOSE ARE ALL SPELLED OUT IN THE REGULATIONS.
SO IF IT'S SINGLE USE, THAT'S HOW IT WORKS.
IF, IF THERE ARE QUESTIONS, UH, WE CAN GET INVOLVED AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL.
IF IT'S A MULTIPLE USE, TYPICALLY THE DISTRICT LEVEL GETS INVOLVED.
BUT AGAIN, IT'S KIND OF THE FIRST QUESTION IS, IS THIS FACILITY AVAILABLE? SO IT GOES TO THE PRINCIPAL, YOU KNOW, IS THAT DATE OR THAT TIME NOT BEING USED BY THE SCHOOL? AND IF SO, UM, THEN IT FALLS KIND OF THE SAME PROCESS.
UM, IT'S PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD.
IS THAT A DECISION LEFT UP TO THE PRINCIPAL OR IF IT'S AVAILABLE THEN IT HAPPENS IN MOST CASES, IF IT'S AVAILABLE, IT HAPPENS.
SO, I MEAN, AS LONG AS YOU MEET ALL THE CRITERIA.
NOW, THE ONLY CASE I'D SAY IS THAT IF A GROUP HAS HAD A BAD HISTORY OF USE OF THE FACILITY, SURE.
THEN, UH, WE DO HAVE THE RIGHT TO DENY THAT.
BUT OUTSIDE OF THAT, IF IT'S AVAILABLE, UM, THERE AREN'T MANY CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE IT'D BE TURNED DOWN.
I WILL SAY, Y'ALL WERE TALKING, IF I CAN ADD ST.
HENA, WE DID JUST SIGN AN AGREEMENT NOT TOO LONG AGO WITH A GROUP THAT IS GONNA USE ST.
HELEN GYM FOR BASKETBALL PRACTICE.
SO JUST SO YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALREADY ONE GROUP STARTING TO USE ST.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I APPRECIATE YOU, OUR FACILITY.
ROBERT, YOU READY TO TALK ABOUT THE, THE COUNTY? I'M HANK AND I'LL JUST KIND OF PLAY MC, WE'VE KIND OF WEREN'T SURE WHAT YOU WANTED TO TALK ABOUT.
WE WERE PREPARED TO TALK ABOUT POOLS AND WE CAN GET INTO THAT.
BUT IF YOU WANT KIND OF A GREATER FACILITIES UPDATE, UH, FIRST OF ALL, WE'RE ENVIOUS 'CAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A REFERENDUM OR A PENNY SET ASIDE TO DO THESE KIND OF THINGS.
SO THE BUDGET'S NOT QUITE AS BIG TO DO THOSE BIG THINGS.
BUT, UH, ROBERT GETSY IS OUR INTERIM DIRECTOR FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS, AND HE CAN SPEAK TO ALL THE BUILDINGS AND AUDITOR'S, THE ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR OVER PARKS.
BUT OUR IMPROVEMENTS ONGOING ARE PART OF OUR ANNUAL CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN.
SO THE BIG PROJECTS THAT ROBERT CAN GO INTO DETAIL MORE ON OUR RENOVATION OF THE ADMINISTRATION BUILDING.
WE HAVE UPCOMING IMPROVEMENTS TO DIFFERENT PARKS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, OTHER FACILITIES.
I WASN'T SURE HOW DEEP YOU WANNA GO DOWN INTO.
IT'S NOT AS EXCITING AS, UH, AS A NEW SCHOOL.
UH, BUT THE POOLS ARE PERTINENT BECAUSE WE'RE, WE, THEY'RE ON YOUR PROPERTY AND, UH, IF A WANTS TO TALK TO THAT OR YOU WANT ME TO GO AHEAD? YEAH, JUST, YEAH.
I DON'T NEED TO STEAL HIS THUNDER.
I HAD TO SEND OUT A SEARCH ARTICLE.
UM, WHAT WE'VE GOT, UH, CERTAINLY DOWN IN BLUFFTON IS THE BLUFFTON POOL IS NEARING COMPLETION, UH, IN EXCESS OF $2 MILLION RENOVATION THAT HAS GONE ON NOW.
UH, IT WAS A VERY UNIQUE PROJECT.
AND THE, THE, THE COW WALL, THE EXTERIOR WALL THAT WAS ADDED AS A PROTOTYPE, UM, OF COURSE WE HAVE THREE, THREE FACILITIES THAT ARE ALL DESIGNED THE SAME.
OF COURSE, BLUFFTON POOL, BEAUFORT HIGH SCHOOL AND BATTERY CREEK POOL, ALL ARE SCHEDULED FOR RENOVATION OF THE SAME TYPE.
UH, WE'RE GONNA TAKE LESSONS, TAKE LESSONS LEARNED BASICALLY FROM THE FIELD WITH THE BLUFFTON POOL.
IT TOOK A LITTLE LONGER THAN EXPECTED, UH, BUT THAT SHOULD AID US IN MOVING FORWARD WITH THE OTHER PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE.
UH, NEXT ON THE LIST WOULD BE BEAUFORT HIGH SCHOOL.
UM, I HAD SPOKEN WITH PARKS AND REC EARLIER TODAY IN REGARDS TO THE HIGH SCHOOL.
WE HAD ANTICIPATED THAT BATTERY CREEK WOULD BE NEXT ON THE SCHEDULE.
UH, NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT BEAUFORT HIGH SCHOOL DUE TO SOME OF THE DEFICIENCIES THAT NEED TO BE REMEDIED SOONER THAN LATER AT BEAUFORT HIGH SCHOOL.
SO, UH, THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE THE WORKS.
UH, IT WOULD GO OUT FOR BID, UH, WITHIN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.
WE'D LIKE TO GET THE CLOSEOUT DONE ON, UH, BLUFFTON POOL.
UH, WE WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THOSE LESSONS LEARNED, HAVE THE ENGINEERS APPLY THOSE, UH, DO SOME, UH, INFIELD CHECKING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE ROOFS AND THE STRUCTURES THAT WE, UH, HAD ISSUES WITH ARE THE SAME OR WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO MODIFY FOR, FOR FUTURE CONSTRUCTION ON THOSE, THOSE ARE MOVING FORWARD.
WE HAVE OVER 97 PROJECTS CURRENTLY WITHIN CAPITAL PROJECTS IN MY DIVISION THAT'S NOT WITHIN, THROUGH, THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY IN EXCESS OF 110 MILLION THAT WE MANAGE RIGHT NOW.
AND AGAIN, WE HAVE ADMIN RENOVATION THAT IS GOING ON.
WE HAVE NEW PARKING LOTS, WE HAVE, UH, EXTENSIVE RENOVATIONS TO OUR DETENTION CENTER.
SO THERE'S ANY NUMBER OF DIFFERENT PROJECTS THAT ARE ONGOING THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
[02:05:01]
THAT ARE BEING PUT INTO PARKS AND RECREATION, ACTUALLY, THAT IS ALREADY BUDGETED.UH, AND THERE'S MORE COMING, UH, EACH FISCAL YEAR.
UH, WE HAVE, UH, EXTENSIVE PROJECT GOING ON AT THE BUCK WALTER RECREATION THAT IS NOW, UH, ENTERED INTO, WE'VE GOT FINAL PERMITTING AND CAN LOOK TO GO TO BID AT THE BUCK WALTER RECREATION COMPLEX FOR CONSTRUCTION.
SO ANY QUESTIONS? QUESTIONS ON ANY OF THOSE OR? YES, SIR.
AND, AND, AND IN TERMS OF THE RE IN REDOING YOUR POOLS, UH, DID YOU, DID YOU, DID Y'ALL, UH, INVOLVE THE COMMUNITY? ANY, I CAN'T SPEAK TO PRIOR TO WHEN I CAME INTO THE PROJECT.
SO, UH, I TOOK OVER AS INTERIM DIRECTOR HERE WITH, UH, WITHIN THE LAST FEW MONTHS.
I'VE BEEN WITH CAPITAL PROJECTS NOW FOR TWO YEARS, SO I CAN'T ASK TO THE INPUT.
HANK MAY BE ABLE TO, TO HAVE SOME DISCUSSION ON THAT.
BASICALLY WHAT WE ARE DOING THOUGH IS WE ARE BRINGING THE FACILITIES UP TO, UH, WELL, BETTER STANDARDS, I WOULD SAY.
YOU KNOW, AND WE'RE IMPROVING ON DEFICIENCIES THAT NEED TO BE FIXED.
THE POOL DECKING, UH, THE COW WALL, THE ROOFING, THE HVAC SYSTEMS, UH, BLUFFTON FOR EXAMPLE, HAS A, UH, UH, ENVIRONMENTALLY CONTROLLED, UH, TO GET RID OF THE MOISTURE AND THE, THE POOL ODOR FROM THE CHLORINE, FOR EXAMPLE.
UH, THAT SYSTEM IS GOING TO BE VERY EFFICIENT AT GETTING RID OF, UH, EXCESS MOISTURE THAT MAY CAUSE RUST ON THE ROOF, FOR EXAMPLE.
THESE, THESE ARE, UH, MAINTENANCE AND REBUILDS OF EXISTING FACILITIES.
SO IT'S NOT A, A NEW FACILITY.
LIKE I KNOW THAT THERE'S A MEETING COMING UP TO TALK ABOUT THE COMMUNITY CENTER IN ST.
HELENA OR THE ONE IN SHELDON, AND THERE'LL BE ANOTHER ONE ON DUSKY THAT WILL HAVE COMMUNITY MEETINGS ON.
BUT THESE ARE REALLY RESTORING BUILDINGS THAT AGED AND DETERIORATED.
AND WE'VE, IN THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, HAVE STARTED ALLOCATING MONEY TO REBUILD THEM AS THEY ARE.
BUT WITH, AS YOU SAID, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY CODE, BUT TO A NEW HIGHER STANDARD.
AND, AND, AND, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT TO, TO UNDERSTAND IT, THE REASON WHY I'M, WHY I'M ASKING, I'M ASKING THAT IS BECAUSE IN TERMS OF WHEN YOU KIND OF, LIKE, I LOOK AT IT AS ALMOST AS REMODELING YOUR HOUSE.
WHEN YOU REMODEL YOUR HOUSE, YOU MAY ADD A LITTLE SUB, ADD CERTAIN THINGS TO IT TO KIND OF MAKE IT MORE LIVABLE.
OR YOU MAY NEED AN ELEVATOR IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE ONE.
JUST, BUT IN TERMS OF THE POOLS, UH, WE MEAN SOME PEOPLE WERE TALKING, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT EITHER THE CURRENT COUNTY POOLS THAT WE HAVE, DON'T HAVE STUFF AS SAUNAS, STEAM ROOM, WHIRLPOOLS, JUST A COUPLE OF THOSE DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT, UH, THINGS.
AND I THINK THAT IN TERMS, WE TALK ABOUT A LOT OF TIMES ABOUT FINANCIAL, UH, MONEY AND WAYS, HOW TO RAISE CAPITAL.
AND I THINK HAVING SOME OF THOSE THINGS IN, IN TERMS OF RIGHT NOW, WE LOOK AT BEAVER COUNTY AS A COUNTY AS A WHOLE.
THE ONLY PERSON WHO REALLY HAVE THOSE ARE THE MILITARY BASE OR THE YMCA.
AND SOMETIMES WHEN THE YMCA POOL CLOSES DOWN, THEN EVERYONE HAS TO GO TO THE BEFORD HIGH POOL.
THEY GO TO DIFFERENT POOL, DIFFERENT POOLS ON THIS SIDE OF TOWN.
UH, NORMALLY YOU CAN, YOU CAN GO OVER TO THE, UH, BEEF BEFORD HIGH, SO THEREFORE, BUT YOU CAN GO OVER TO THE POOL, BUT YOU CAN'T GET THE SAUNA.
SO ONCE YOU GET MORE AMENITIES, THEN I THINK THAT THAT ALSO, THAT ALSO BRINGS CAPITAL AND THAT THAT BRINGS YOU UP THE STATUS.
THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING IN TERMS OF WHAT WAS THAT PROCESS LIKE IN TERMS OF BILLING OR REMODELING THOSE AMENITIES THAT WE DO HAVE.
I WAS HERE, I'M HERE A LITTLE BIT LONGER THAN ROBERT, BUT NOT THAT LONG.
BUT WHEN I CAME IN, IT WAS, WE NEED TO FIX THESE POOLS 'CAUSE THEY'RE ALMOST UNUSABLE.
SO WE HAD TO FIND THE MONEY TO MAKE THEM USABLE, SAFE, AND UP TO STANDARD.
UH, AS FAR AS FUTURE FACILITIES, THAT'S A COUNCIL DECISION LONG TERM OF HOW WE WOULD PICK AND GROW OR EXPAND FACILITIES.
BUT I JUDGE IF I'M COUNCIL, THEY'RE OPEN TO THAT.
UH, THE HARD PART AS I REFERENCED, IS FUNDING.
AND SO THAT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT ALL OF US HAVE TO CONSTANTLY CHASE.
UM, JUST TO KIND OF WRAP UP, THIS HAS BEEN GREAT, A WONDERFUL EVENT.
I'VE GOT A A COUPLE OF THINGS FOR HOMEWORK FOR THE COUNTY.
UH, WE NEED TO WORK ON MEETING QUARTERLY ON SPECIFIC SUBJECTS.
AND I THINK EVERYONE HERE AGREED THAT WAS A GOOD IDEA.
AND I KNOW WE CAN'T VOTE, BUT I, I THINK THE NODDING OF THE HEADS, EVERYBODY LIKED THAT.
I I WILL MAKE SURE THAT THE SLIDE THAT, UM, IN THE WHOLE PACKET OF SLIDES THAT JOE PASSMAN TALKED ABOUT, ABOUT GROWTH IN BEAUFORT COUNTY, IT, IT COVERS NORTH OF THE BROAD AND SOUTH OF THE BROAD.
WE'LL GET THAT INFORMATION OUT SO THAT ALL THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS HAVE IT.
AND MOST OF THE COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE SEEN THAT.
AND ALSO, UM, I THINK WE HEARD THAT WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH OUR, UH, PAL OUR PARKS AND REC PROGRAM AND YOUR FACILITIES TO WORK TOGETHER.
AND THE, UH, LADIES ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL PROJECT POSSIBILITIES THERE.
AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR EVERYBODY'S PARTICIPATION THIS EVENING.
[11. Student Achievement]
BEFORE YOU CLOSE OUT, THERE'S ONE ITEM ON THE AGENDA THERE.WE ARE NOT GONNA TALK ABOUT THAT ON, WELL,
[02:10:01]
IT'S, IT'S, WE CAN, WE'RE PREPARED TO TALK ABOUT IT, BUT WE'VE BEEN AT THIS NOW FOR A COUPLE HOURS AND I'M, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT YOUR TIME AND IF, UH, IF THERE'S DESIRE, WE WE CAN DO IT.UH, WHAT'S THE, I DON'T THINK, WHAT'S THE WILL OF THE, UH, THE GROUP? WELL, IF THE SUPERINTENDENT SUPERINTENDENT'S PREPARED, HE'S PREPARED, AIRED FIVE MINUTES.
I KINDA FEEL LIKE THAT'S SUCH A BIG BITE AT THE END OF THE NIGHT THAT MAYBE WE COULD HAVE LIKE A, A ANOTHER OUR NEXT, IF WE'RE GONNA DO A QUARTERLY MEETING, MAYBE WE COULD PUT THAT KIND OF AT THE FRONT OF THE NEXT AGENDA.
SO I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG HIS PRESENTATION IS, BUT IT COULD BE FOOD FOR THOUGHT FOR WHEN WE COME BACK.
THAT'S LIKE A BULLET POINT LIST.
UM, SINCE, SINCE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT IS SUCH A BIG ISSUE FOR THE DISTRICT, I MEAN, THAT'S THE REASON YOU CREATE A SCHOOL DISTRICT, RIGHT? AND SO THE SUPERINTENDENTS PUT TOGETHER SOME INFORMATION THAT SHOULD BE ENLIGHTENING.
SO IF, IF HE HAS A RELATIVELY BRIEF PRESENTATION, MAYBE HE CAN PROCEED.
I THINK WE SHOULD THAT THAT'S THE GOAL OF THE SCHOOL.
UH, SOME MEMBERS OF MY TEAM ARE COMING BY AND, UH, HANDING OUR COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBERS A COMMUNITY REPORT AS WELL AS OUR SCHOOL CHOICE BOOK BECAUSE THERE WERE A LOT OF COMMENTS OR, OR CONVERSATIONS ABOUT CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION.
AND THEN, UH, A SHEET THAT SORT OF LETS YOU KNOW WHICH PROGRAMS ARE AT WHICH SCHOOLS.
IT'S AN EASY, UH, QUICK, UH, QUICK LOOK AT IT.
UM, ROBIN, CAN YOU PULL THAT UP? WELL, IT'S GONNA BE ON THE, UH, THE FIRST ONE, RIGHT? YEAH.
IT'S LIKE SLIDE IT, GO FROM BEGINNING RIGHT UP HERE.
UM, SO WE'RE LOOKING AT, UH, GO AHEAD AND GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO WHAT I'VE DONE HERE IS I'VE SHARED WITH YOU 2024 SC READY.
THAT'S WHAT, UH, THE ASSESSMENT THAT OUR THIRD THROUGH EIGHTH GRADERS TAKE.
AND THEN ON THIS SIDE, 2024, UH, END OF COURSE EOC UH, EXAMS. OKAY.
AND THEN WE'RE GONNA GO A LITTLE DEEPER INTO IT.
BUT THE FIRST THING I'LL TELL YOU IS THE BLUE OVER HERE ON SC READY, UM, ELA, THAT IS THE HIGHEST THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS SCORED ON THE CURRENT STATE ASSESSMENT THAT STARTED BACK IN 2016.
SO WE, WE HAVE ACHIEVED THE HIGHEST SCORE.
THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS SCORED ON THAT MATH.
ON THE OTHER HAND, MATH IS AN AREA AND, AND, UH, THE YOUNG LADY WHO SPOKE AT THE BEGINNING SPOKE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MATH.
MATH IS WHAT WAS HIT THE HARDEST IN IMPACT FROM THE PANDEMIC ACROSS THE NATION.
SECRETARY CARDONA FROM THE US DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SAID THAT THE IMPACT ACROSS THE NATION WAS DECADES.
DECADES COMING OUT OF THE PANDEMIC.
OKAY? WE HAVE BEEN GROWING, BUT, BUT THAT IT'S THE AREA THAT WAS HIT THE HARDEST.
[02:15:01]
END OF COURSE, EXAMS, ENGLISH TWO.ENGLISH TWO IS THE HIGHEST THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS SCORED ON THE CURRENT STATE ASSESSMENT SINCE 2016.
YOU SEE HERE, THIS PURPLE IS COLLEGE OR CAREER READINESS.
COLLEGE OR CAREER READINESS SCORE IS THE HIGHEST THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS ACHIEVED IN COLLEGE OR CAREER READINESS.
GREEN IS YOUR GRADUATION RATE.
THE GRADUATION RATE IS THE HIGHEST THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS EVER SCORED ON THE GRADUATION RATE.
LEMME TELL YOU ABOUT OUR STRATEGIC PLAN REAL QUICK.
I HAVE SET BOLD AND AUDACIOUS GOALS FOR OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT.
THEY'RE BOLD, THEY'RE AUDACIOUS.
THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE BEEN IN EDUCATION BEFORE YOU KNOW THAT YOU, YOU KNOW IT.
AND WE SET THEM HIGH AND WE DID THAT ON PURPOSE.
OKAY? 'CAUSE WE WANT TO PUSH HARD TO TRY TO GET THERE.
AND I WANT EVERYBODY TO KNOW 75, 75, 92, 90 2% GRADUATION RATE.
THAT'S A FIVE YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN.
OKAY? IS THIS YOUR FIRST YEAR? YES.
SO HOW TALL IS THE TASK? THAT'S GREAT.
IT'S VERY TALL, RIGHT? YOU CAN SEE HERE THIS IS AN INCLINE IN ELA AND MATH.
IF YOU'RE WONDERING WHY GRADUATION RATE, THAT'S 88.6.
ISN'T THAT SAME TRAJECTORY IS BECAUSE MOVING GRADUATION RATE HALF A POINT IS A MASSIVE UNDER.
IT'S A LOT, RIGHT? THOSE OF YOU, AGAIN, HAVE BEEN IN EDUCATION.
SO WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE? LET'S LOOK AT IT BY NUMBERS.
IN ELA, WE'RE LOOKING FOR A 19.4 INCREASE TO HIT THE TARGET.
IN MATH, WE'RE LOOKING FOR A 30.1 INCREASE TO HIT THE TARGET IN GRAD RATE, WE'RE LOOKING FOR A 3.4 INCREASE TO HIT THE TARGET.
SO LET'S TALK ABOUT WHERE WE ARE IN THE 2024 ACADEMIC ASSESSMENTS.
'CAUSE I KNOW YOU RECEIVED A DOCUMENT, UH, FROM SOMEONE.
SO I WANT TO DO ADDRESS THAT IN THIS PRESENTATION.
SO WHAT YOU CAN SEE, YOU SEE IN BLUE, EVERYWHERE THAT'S IN BLUE IS THE HIGHEST THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS EVER SCORED FOR THOSE SUBGROUPS AT THOSE GRADE LEVELS.
DOWN ON THE BOTTOM, YOU SEE ELA GROWTH FROM 21 TO 2024.
WHY DID WE DO THAT? I STARTED HERE IN 20 19, 20 20, 20 19, 20 20.
THAT YEAR, IF YOU RECALL, IN MARCH, THERE WERE NO ASSESSMENTS.
'CAUSE SCHOOLS SHUT DOWN IN MARCH.
OKAY? SO THERE WERE NO STATE ASSESSMENTS.
2021, THEY STARTED STATE ASSESSMENTS AGAIN.
AND THEN YOU SEE 2024 WAS THE MOST RECENT.
SO IF YOU SUBTRACT 2021 FROM 2024, YOU SEE THE GROWTH, RIGHT? SO YOU CAN SEE GENERALLY EVERYBODY'S GROWING ON EVERY CELL IN ELA, ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS.
AND WHAT YOU CAN SEE IS THE ONES THAT ARE HIGHLIGHTED IN GREEN ARE THE ONES THAT ARE GROWING THE FASTEST.
THE FASTEST, OKAY? MATH 2024 SCORE MATH I TOLD YOU, IS THE AREA THAT'S HIT THE HARDEST BY THE PANDEMIC.
WHAT YOU SEE IN BLUE ARE THE SCORES THAT ARE THE HIGHEST THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS EVER SCORED ON THE CURRENT STATE ASSESSMENT.
WHAT YOU SEE IN YELLOW IS WHERE THEY SURPASSED THEIR PRE PANDEMIC SCORE, BUT WE WANT TO GET TO THE HIGHEST.
AND SO WE'RE STILL CLIMBING AND WE'RE STILL MAKING GROWTH IN MATH, BUT THAT'S THE AREA HIT THE HARDEST.
AND THEN OF COURSE, AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE ON THE BOTTOM THE MATH GROWTH AND YOU CAN SEE WHICH GROUPS ARE GROWING THE FASTEST.
THEY'RE ALL GROWING PRETTY MUCH.
UH, DIFFERENT GRADE LEVELS HAVE A LITTLE DIFFERENT, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS WE WANNA TALK ABOUT OUR HISPANIC POPULATION FOR A SECOND, 'CAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF US TO RECOGNIZE WHEN I CAME FROM IN PALM BEACH COUNTY, MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS, THOSE ARE, UH, IN THE STUDENTS RECENTLY ARRIVED LEARNING LANGUAGE, RIGHT? THEY TAKE THE SAME TEST JUST LIKE THEY DO HERE, RIGHT? BUT HERE'S, HERE'S THE DIFFERENCE FROM WHERE I CAME FROM, WHERE I CAME FROM.
A MULTILINGUAL LEARNER COULD BE A SPANISH SPEAKING STUDENT FROM A HISPANIC BACKGROUND, OR IT COULD BE A HAITIAN CREOLE STUDENT.
[02:20:01]
IN BEAUFORT COUNTY, WE DON'T REALLY HAVE A HIGH HAITIAN CREOLE POPULATION, RIGHT? SO FOR US IT'S HISPANIC MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS.THOSE LEARNING LANGUAGE ARE HISPANIC STUDENTS.
IT TAKES ABOUT FIVE YEARS TO ACQUIRE LANGUAGE.
BUT ON DAY ONE, THEY'RE TAKING THE TEST RIGHT IN THEIR FIRST YEAR.
THOSE MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS ARE BUILT IN TO HISPANIC POPULATION TO, TO, TO, TO, TO THE SUBGROUP THAT THE, THAT, UH, FEDERAL GOVERNMENT RECOGNIZED.
THIS IS END OF COURSE EXAMS. THE BLUE HIGHEST SCORES THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS EVER SCORED FOR ANY OF THOSE EOCS BY SUBGROUP DOWN ON THE BOTTOM AND GREEN, YOU SEE WHO, WHICH ONES ARE GROWING THE FASTEST.
YOU SEE, THEY'RE ALL GROWING, RIGHT? 11.9, 13.6, 16.9, 11.5.
BUT THOSE ARE THE ONES GROWING THE FASTEST AND THEY HAVE THE MOST TO GROW RIGHT NOW.
NOW TOOK THESE SLIDES, WENT A LITTLE FURTHER.
YOU SEE SY 24 SY 22 SY 23 SY 24.
THAT STANDS FOR SCHOOL YEAR 2023 OR SCHOOL YEAR 2024.
I PUT THAT ON THERE BECAUSE DURING MY ADMINISTRATION IN THE A, IT'S THE HIGHEST THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS EVER SCORED ON THE CURRENT STATE ASSESSMENT.
AND WE HIT THAT NUMBER IN THIRD GRADE HERE IN 2022.
BUT YOU CAN SEE MOST OF THEM ARE 2024.
SO THERE IS GROWTH THAT IS HAPPENING ON THE BOTTOM.
AND YOU CAN SEE WE'VE HIT THE HIGHEST HERE.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE SURPASSED PRE PANDEMIC SCORES IN THESE TWO AREAS.
AND YOU CAN SEE A LOT OF THEM ARE 20 19, 20 16.
UH, SO, SO THOSE ARE THE TARGETS WE WANT TO GET TO THE HIGHEST AND GO BEYOND THAT.
'CAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO HIT 75, 75, 92.
AGAIN, THE SAME THING YOU SEE THE YEAR WHERE WE'VE HIT THE HIGHEST MOST OF THOSE CASES IS DURING MY ADMINISTRATION.
ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS FROM JUST A QUICK QUESTION.
UM, HOW MUCH, UM, MANDATORY ARE YOU MAKING ALGEBRA FOR ALL STUDENTS? COULD YOU ASK THAT AGAIN? ALGEBRA FOR ALL STUDENTS, IS IT, IS IT MANDATORY? YES, SIR.
UH, ARE SOME OF OUR STUDENTS BEGIN TAKING ALGEBRA IN SEVENTH GRADE AND SOME OF OUR STUDENTS BEGIN TAKING ALGEBRA IN EIGHTH GRADE AND IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A, A READINESS FOR IT.
UH, BUT THEN IN NINTH GRADE, OUR STUDENTS TAKE ALGEBRA.
UM, THERE YOU MIGHT HAVE, UM, UM, DR.
STRATOS, THERE'S SOME SPECIAL ED STUDENTS THAT MIGHT NOT.
YES, THERE MAY BE SOME SPECIAL ED STUDENTS WITH, UH, SEVERE, UM, AND PROFOUND, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT MAY NOT BE NO, I UNDERSTAND THAT.
MR. UH, UH, THAT REAL QUICK? UH, I JUST WANT, I JUST, I JUST WANTED TO, UH, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YOU'RE NOT, IT'S NOT ON.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO DEFINITELY THANK EVERYONE FOR COMING UP BECAUSE SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE SCHOOL BOARD FOR THE, UH, LAST SIX YEARS SINCE I, I RAN ON, UH, COUNTY COUNCIL AND SCHOOL BOARD COMING TOGETHER TO HAVE A, HAVING A JOINT MEETING.
AND IT MEANS A LOT TO THE COMMUNITY.
A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN HAPPENED AND FOR US TO ACTUALLY MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
LISTEN, I I I, I GIVE, I GIVE KUDOS TO EVERYONE FOR, FOR COMING OUT AND MAKING THIS HAPPEN TODAY.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT AND THE COMMUNITY DOES AS WELL.
SO I JUST WANT TO, TO LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT PUBLICLY.
AND THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING AND LET'S MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS NOT THE ONLY ONE THAT WE EVER DO, THAT WE DO THIS IN THE FUTURE.
AND NEXT TIME YOU GUYS CAN HOST IT.
[02:25:09]
THANKS FOR WATCHING BC TV NEARLY 93 MILLION MILES AWAY FROM US.THE SUN IS THE ONLY STAR IN OUR SOLAR SYSTEM AND IS JUST ONE OF BILLIONS IN THE MILKY WAY GALAXY.
IT IS ESSENTIAL TO LIFE HERE ON EARTH.
WITHOUT THE SUN, PLANTS WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO PHOTOSYNTHESIZE MAKING THE ENERGY THAT ULTIMATELY FUELS ALL LIVING THINGS AND PRODUCING OXYGEN FOR US TO BREATHE.
THE SUN ALSO DRIVES OUR CLIMATE AND WEATHER.
LET'S EXPLORE SOME OF THE PROPERTIES OF THE SUN.
THE SUN IS MADE UP MOSTLY OF THE ELEMENT HYDROGEN.
AT ITS CORE, IT'S UNDERGOING NUCLEAR FUSION, FORMING HELIUM AND SMALL AMOUNTS OF OTHER ELEMENTS LIKE OXYGEN AND IRON.
THIS PRODUCES HUGE AMOUNTS OF ENERGY.
THE SUN'S ENERGY COMES IN THE FORM OF HEAT.
VISIBLE LIGHT AND INVISIBLE LIGHT TAKES ABOUT EIGHT AND A HALF MINUTES FOR THE LIGHT THE SUN IS PRODUCING TO REACH OUR EYES.
SO IF THE SUN DISAPPEARED, IT WOULD TAKE ABOUT EIGHT AND A HALF MINUTES BEFORE WE FOUND OUT ABOUT IT.
WE CAN SEE THE POWER OF THE SUN'S HEAT IN ACTION BY BUILDING A SOLAR OVEN LIKE THIS ONE, USING NOTHING BUT THE SUN'S ENERGY.
WE CAN ACTUALLY USE THIS OVEN TO COOK FOOD ON A REALLY WARM DAY WITH LOTS OF SUNLIGHT.
ONE OF THESE SOLAR OVENS CAN REACH TEMPERATURES OF UP TO 200 DEGREES.
IT'S THE UV RAYS, THE INVISIBLE LIGHT THAT CAUSE SUNBURNS AND CAUSE DAMAGE TO OUR SKIN.
THESE BEADS CHANGE COLOR IN THE PRESENCE OF UV RAYS IN THE FULL SUN.
YOU CAN SEE THAT THEY CHANGE COLORS INDICATING THAT UV LIGHTS ARE REACHING THE EARTH OR OUR SKIN.
WHAT ABOUT IN THE SHADE? EVEN IN THE SHADE, THE BEADS CHANGE COLOR A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE SOME UV RAYS ARE REACHING US.
NOW, IF WE APPLY SUNSCREEN, THE BEADS WON'T CHANGE COLOR AS MUCH IN THE SUN BECAUSE THE CHEMICALS IN THE SUNSCREEN ARE BLOCKING THE UV RAYS FROM REACHING THE BEADS OR OUR SKIN.
THE SUN'S LIGHT IS VERY POWERFUL, SO YOU SHOULD NEVER LOOK DIRECTLY AT IT.
IF YOU EVER WISH TO OBSERVE THE SUN DIRECTLY, YOU SHOULD WEAR A PAIR OF SPECIAL GLASSES LIKE THESE, OR USE OPTICS THAT ARE PROTECTED BY FILTERS.
THE SUN IS VERY ACTIVE, FLUCTUATIONS IN ITS MAGNETIC FIELD CAUSE SUNSPOTS, SOLAR FLARE, AND MASSIVE BURSTS OF ENERGY AND CHANGES IN MAGNETISM IN ITS OUTER LAYERS.
IF THE INVISIBLE FORMS OF ENERGY PRODUCED DURING THESE SOLAR STORMS HIT EARTH, THEY CAN CAUSE ALL SORTS OF PROBLEMS WITH OUR ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS. SOMETIMES THE SUN, MOON AND THE EARTH COME INTO ALIGNMENT AND A SOLAR ECLIPSE HAPPENS.
YOU MAY WONDER HOW THIS CAN HAPPEN BECAUSE THE MOON IS SO TINY IN RELATION TO THE SUN.
SO LET'S LOOK AT AN EXAMPLE THAT'S ABOUT TO SCALE.
IF THE SUN'S THE SIZE OF A BASKETBALL, THE MOON IS ABOUT THE SIZE OF A TINY PENCIL DOT.
IF I'M THE EARTH ON THIS SCALE, THE MOON IS ABOUT THREE INCHES AWAY, AND IT'S JUST LARGE ENOUGH TO OBSCURE THE VIEW OF THE SUN FROM THE EARTH.
BUT THE MOON ORBITS IN BETWEEN THE EARTH AND THE SUN EVERY MONTH.
SO WHY AREN'T THERE ECLIPSES EVERY MONTH? THAT'S BECAUSE THE MOON'S PATH AROUND THE EARTH IS TILTED SLIGHTLY IN RELATION TO THE EARTH'S PATH AROUND THE SUN.
SO ONLY OCCASIONALLY DOES THE MOON CAST ITS SHADOW ONTO THE EARTH.
LIFE IN THE LOW COUNTRY REVOLVES AROUND THE SUN.
SO NEXT TIME YOU'RE OUTSIDE SOAKING UP SOME RAYS, THINK ABOUT JUST HOW IMPORTANT THE SUN IS TO LIFE AS WE KNOW IT.