* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:01] CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY OF THE, UH, TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND HOUSING ACTION COMMITTEE FOR MAY 14TH, 2025. AND WE ARE CALLED TO ORDER. UH, THE FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS IS THE ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA. IS THERE A MOTION TO DO SO? SO MOVED. SANDY WEST MOVES KATIE, RIN SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA AS WRITTEN, SAY, AYE. THOSE OPPOSED? IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. UH, NEXT IS APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES. UH, THESE ARE THE MINUTES OF OUR LAST FULL MEETING, UH, FEBRUARY 26TH. UH, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES AS DRAFTED? UH, STUART BELL MOVES. IS THERE A SECOND? KATIE? AGAIN, THANKS FOR THE DOUBLE THE DOUBLE SECONDS. CARRIE . UH, THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES? UH, PLEASE. AYE. I SAY, AYE. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY UNFINISHED BUSINESS. UH, QUINCY HAS A REPORT. UH, GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. UM, I WANNA KEEP MY PROGRAM UPDATES RATHER SHORT. UM, SO WORK GROUP MEETINGS. UH, SO TOWN STAFF CONVENED WITH THE HOUSING ACTION COMMITTEE WORK GROUPS, AS YOU KNOW, UH, TO DISCUSS, UH, SEVERAL ONGOING PROJECTS TO INCLUDE THE BRYANT ROAD, RFQ, THE MONEY CREEK NEIGHBORHOOD STABILIZATION PLAN, UH, THE HOUSING DISPLACEMENT MITIGATION SUPPORT PLAN, AS WELL AS A COMMUNICATIONS PLAN. UM, THE DRAFT OF BOTH THE RFQ AND THE MONEY CREEK NEIGHBORHOOD STABILIZATION PLAN ARE BOTH UNDER REVIEW, UH, MULTIPLE WORK GROUP MEETINGS AND DISCUSSIONS WITH THE COMMUNITY RESPONSE TEAMS. LEAD PARTNERS WERE HELD TO ALIGN THE PLAN, MEANING THE HOUSING DISPLACEMENT PLAN WITH THE RECOMMENDATION FROM THE COMMUNITY SERVICE AND PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE. UM, ALSO PROGRESS CONTINUES ON, UH, SITE PLANNING AND BUILDING DESIGN ELEMENTS FOR THE HABITAT PROJECT ON SPANISH WELLS. UH, THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT. THANK YOU, QUINCY. WE ARE MOVING ALONG. UH, THE NEXT ITEM IS WORK GROUP UPDATES. AND, UH, A LOT OF THIS IS, UH, JUST, UH, PARROTING WHAT, UH, QUINCY JUST SAID, UH, BETWEEN MEETINGS. WE'VE HAD FOUR, UH, WORK GROUP SESSIONS, UH, TO REVIEW THE, UH, DISPLACEMENT PLAN, UH, REVISIONS, WHICH WE'LL BE TAKING UP FOR, UH, CONSIDERATION TODAY. UH, COMMENTS ON THE REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS AT, AT THE BRYANT ROAD, UH, PROPERTY. THE SEVEN ACRES THAT THE TOWN HAS ACQUIRED. UH, THE NEIGHBOR, THE NEIGHBORHOOD STABILIZATION PLAN, UH, FOR MUDDY CREEK, UH, WHICH IS, UH, QUITE LENGTHY AND, AND IMPRESSIVE, UH, AT THIS POINT. UH, AND THOSE ARE TO BE TAKEN UP AT FUTURE MEETINGS. AND THEN UPDATES ON, UH, THE HABITAT, UH, PROPERTY, UH, WHICH IS NOW, UH, UH, SIX HOMES PLANNED, UH, ON THE SPANISH WELLS, UH, PROPERTY. UH, SO THAT WORK CONTINUES. UH, LET'S MOVE TO, UH, MS. STEWART, UH, THE HOME SAFETY AND REPAIR PROGRAM. PLEASE FOR YOUR REPORT. WELCOME. GOOD MORNING ALL. VERONICA STEWART FOR THE RECORD. SINCE FEBRUARY THE LAST TIME I PROVIDED YOU ALL WITH AN UPDATE FOR THE HOME SAFETY AND REPAIR PROGRAM, I WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW THAT WE HAVE COMPLETED 18 PROJECTS SINCE THAT TIME, WITH ROUGHLY EIGHT STILL UNDER CONTRACT. UM, THIS PROGRAM TEAM REMAINS FOCUSED ON COMPLETING THE REMAINING CONTRACTS AS WELL AS ACTIVELY RESEARCHING FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES TO ENSURE THE PROGRAM SUSTAINABILITY. WHILE THIS IS NOT MANDATORY, WE HAVE ASKED THAT ALL CONTRACTORS PRETTY MUCH COMPLETE ALL OF THEIR PROJECTS BY JUNE THE 30TH, TO ENSURE TIMELY COMPLETION AND REDUCE THE NUMBER OF CARRY ON PROJECTS INTO THE UPCOMING PHYSICAL YEAR. UM, TO GIVE YOU ALL A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION FOR REGARDING THE PROGRAM FROM ITS INCEPTION, UM, TO DATE, WE HAVE COMPLETED 103 PROJECTS. THAT'S PRETTY BIG. UM, AS MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY, EIGHT PROJECTS STILL REMAIN UNDER CONTRACT. AND RIGHT NOW WITHIN THIS PROGRAM'S BUDGET, WE HAVE ROUGHLY $80,000. UM, THERE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSIONS WITH, UM, PARTNERS SUCH AS SE HOUSING TRUST FUND, AS WELL AS BEAUFORT, JASPER HOUSING TRUST. HOWEVER, WE ARE CURRENTLY EVALUATING ALL AVAILABLE OPTIONS TO DETERMINE THE BEST FEASIBLE AND NECESSARY COURSE FOR OUR COMMUNITY. ANY QUESTIONS? QUESTIONS FOR MS. STEWART? THANKS FOR ALL YOU'RE DOING. THANK YOU. [00:05:01] OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM IS CONSIDERATION OF THE, UH, HOUSING DISPLACEMENT SUPPORT PLAN. UH, QUINCY, PLEASE. ALRIGHT, GOOD MORNING AGAIN. UM, SO AT THE, UH, COMMUNITY SERVICE AND PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING, UH, THAT WAS HELD ON MARCH 17TH, THERE WAS A MOTION MADE TO REFER THE HOME MATTERS. UM, HILTON HIT ISLAND DISPLACEMENT MITIGATION SUPPORT PLAN BACK TO THE HOUSING ACTION COMMITTEE FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION AND CLARIFICATION OF WHERE THE PLAN SHOULD RESIDE. UM, SO WORKING WITH OUR WORK GROUPS AS WELL AS OUR LEAD PARTNERS, UH, WE'VE MADE SOME REVISIONS TO THE, UH, HOUSING DISPLACEMENT PLAN, AND I WILL OUTLINE SOME OF THOSE PROVISIONS AS FOLLOWING. UH, THE TOWN'S ROLE HAS BEEN CLARIFIED, THE STATE VIEWING, UH, UPON RECEIVING INFORMATION ABOUT A DISPLACEMENT EVENT, THE TOWN WILL NOTIFY, UH, THE LEAD PARTNER WHO WOULD THEN COORDINATE AND LEAD THE TARGETED RESPONSE. UH, THE VOLUNTARY DISPLACEMENT QUESTIONNAIRE HAS BEEN RENAMED AND REFINED INTO A TEMPLATE SURVEY FOR COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO USE. UH, THE PLAN NOW INCLUDES A CLEARLY DEFINED SEVEN STEP RESPONSE AND COORDINATION STRUCTURE TO GUIDE RESPONSE EFFORTS. UH, THE ROLE OF THE LEAD PARTNER HAS BEEN CLARIFIED TO INCLUDE ACTIVATING AND COORDINATING THE COMMUNITY RESPONSE TEAM. AND THE PLAN NO LONGER FEATURES TOWN SALES LOGOS REFLECTING A MORE COLLABORATIVE COMMUNITY PARTNER LED INITIATIVE. SO IF YOU LOOK THROUGH YOUR PACKETS, UM, AND YOU LOOK AT THE HOUSING DISPLACEMENT PLAN, UM, TOWARDS THE SECOND, SECOND TO LAST PAGE, YOU'LL SEE THE STEP-BY-STEP, UM, STRUCTURE THAT WE'VE INCLUDED IN THE PLAN. UH, THAT'S ALSO AN IMPROVEMENT FROM THE ORIGINAL DOCUMENT. UM, ALL IN ALL, UH, WE, WE WORK TO CLARIFY THE TOWN'S ROLE AND CLARIFY THE ROLE OF THE LEAD PARTNER. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS, LINDSAY? I DO. OH, GO AHEAD. I WAS GONNA MAKE THE STATEMENT, IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHY ARE WE EVEN DOING THIS? BECAUSE THE TOWN IS BASICALLY ABSOLVING ITSELF OF ANY RESPONSIBILITY. SO I, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY IT'S EVEN BEING BROUGHT UP IN THIS COMMITTEE. AND AGAIN, BECAUSE IT WAS CLEARLY THOUGHT OF THE TOWN SHOULD HAVE NO INVOLVEMENT. UH, AND WE BASICALLY GUTTED THE INTENT, AND IT'S FINE AS A COMMUNITY THING AND YOU KNOW, UH, SANDY'S ORGANIZATION RUNNING IT. BUT AGAIN, IT'S, IT'S WINDOW DRESSING. IT'S, THE TOWN ISN'T DOING ANYTHING IN THIS REGARD. I GUESS THAT'S ALL, THAT'S MY 2 CENTS. WELL, THE ONE QUESTION I HAD QUINCY IS, UM, THE STATEMENT THAT YOU MADE THAT THE REMOVAL OF THE TOWN SYMBOLS AND SO FORTH, IS TO SHOW GREATER COLLABORATION WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, OR IS IT TO SHOW, AND YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ANSWER THIS, THAT THE TOWN REALLY DOES WANT TO DISTANCE ITSELF FROM ANYTHING RELATED TO HOUSING. SO I THINK THAT, AND IT WAS VERY CLEAR IN THE COMMUNITY SERVICES AND PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE THAT THAT WAS TO BE TAKEN OFF, RIGHT? UM, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, UM, THIS IS MEANT TO BE A COMMUNITY LED RESPONSE AND A MORE COLLABORATIVE PLAN. AND HENCE WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT IT, IT WAS CLEARLY, CLEARLY ILLUSTRATED AS SUCH. SO REMOVING THE TOWN SYMBOLS AND SEALS AND LOGOS AND SUCH WILL, WILL CLEARLY DEFINE WILL, WILL CLEARLY ILLUSTRATE THAT. BUT THAT'S PROBABLY THE BEST RESPONSE I COULD GIVE. SO THANK YOU. SURE. AGAIN, JUST COME BACK TO THE SAME THING. THE TOWN'S CLAIMING NO ROLE IN THIS. SO WHY IS IT EVEN BEFORE THIS COMMITTEE? LET'S SEE, MY, MY ISSUE IS, WE, WE RECOMMENDED A PLANT TO THE COUNCIL. IT NEVER GOT TO THEM. IT GETS STYMIED BY A COMMUNITY SERVICE COMMITTEE WHO I, I, I RESEARCHED IT. I DON'T SEE HOW THEY HAVE ANY AUTHORITY TO TELL US TO REDRAFT THE PLAN. UM, AND IF THAT'S TRUE, IT NEVER GOT TO THE COUNCIL. IT GOT TO A COUPLE COUNCIL MEMBERS, BUT IT NEVER GOT TO THE COUNCIL. SO IF THE COMMUNITY SERVICES HAD NO AUTHORITY TO TELL US TO REVISE THE PLAN, UH, MY RECOMMENDATION IS THAT WE JUST SEND IT BACK TO THE COUNCIL THE WAY WE HAD IT. FULL COUNCIL, FULL MAYOR COUNCIL. UM, UM, ANYWAY, THAT'S MY THOUGHTS ON IT. I DON'T LEGALLY SEE HOW THAT COMMITTEE CAN TELL US. WE HAVE TO REVISE OUR PLAN BEFORE IT GETS TO THE FULL COUNCIL. MY COMMENTS, OTHER QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS? UH, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY WITH, WITH WITH, WITH MY HOME AGENCY DOING A LOT OF THE HEAVY LIFTING ON THIS, I DO FEEL LIKE THIS PLAN PUTS US IN A BETTER PLACE THAN WE WERE WHEN THE CHIMNEY COVE DEBACLE HAPPENED A FEW YEARS AGO. UM, WE HAVE BUILT A COALITION, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT, AND IF, AND THERE IT IS DEFINITELY ON THE RADAR, NOT ONLY OF THE CITIZENS OF THIS TOWN, BUT I THINK DEVELOPERS WHO ARE WANTING TO DEVELOP NEW PROPERTY OR REDEVELOP EXISTING, AT LEAST IT IS IN THE ETHER. IT'S OUT THERE AND THEY UNDERSTAND IF PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE AFFECTED, THERE NEEDS TO BE A PLAN. SO IN THAT REGARD, I FEEL LIKE THE DISPLACEMENT PLAN THAT IS BEFORE [00:10:01] US RIGHT NOW IS A BIG STEP FORWARD THAN WHERE WE WERE A COUPLE YEARS AGO. AND, AND I DO WANT TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ACKNOWLEDGE PROGRESS WHERE THERE IS PROGRESS. UM, THAT SAID, UM, WHEN I LOOK AT THE LOGISTICS OF WHEN THE NEXT BIG DISPLACEMENT COMES, WE ARE STILL AT THE BOTTOM LINE, VERY ILL PREPARED FOR IF WE HAVE THE BIG ONE. UM, WE HAD A GREAT EXERCISE, IF YOU WILL, WITH THE DIAMOND COVE DISPLACEMENT EARLIER THIS YEAR, MUCH SMALLER SCALE BECAUSE, UM, THE DEVELOPER WAS HONORING LEASES. IT WAS A ROLLOUT SITUATION, SO WE DIDN'T HAVE TONS OF PEOPLE DISPLACED ALL AT THE SAME TIME. WE UTILIZED SOME OF THE GAME PLAN IN THIS FRAMEWORK, AND IT SERVED US WELL. WE, WE, WE HAVE REHOMED ALL BUT LIKE THREE OR FOUR PEOPLE WHO ARE STILL THERE BECAUSE THEIR LEASE IS STILL GOING. BUT THAT SAID, YOU KNOW, OUR AGENCY SHOULDERED, I MEAN, TO TO DATE, THE, THE BILLS ARE OVER $15,000 TO HELP PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, GET INTO NEW HOUSING, WHICH WE TAPPED OUR COFFERS TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. THE FACT THAT WE NOW HAVE A, UM, A FUND TO HELP WITH THAT IS AWESOME. BUT I THINK THERE'S NOT EVEN ENOUGH MONEY IN THE FUND RIGHT NOW TO HELP US OFFSET SOME OF OUR COSTS. SO, UM, SO WE'VE GOT A FUNDING ISSUE. AND I THINK THE OTHER ISSUE THAT IS STILL IN PLAY IS IF WE HAVE A MAJOR DISPLACEMENT, I DON'T HAVE ANY PLACE THAT WE AT DEEP WELL CAN PUT PEOPLE. SO THE CONVERSATIONS THAT NEED TO BE HAPPENING WITH, WITH PEOPLE WHO DO HAVE ACCESS TO HOUSING, I AM, I'M GONNA BE MAKING THOSE PHONE CALLS AND SENDING THOSE EMAILS AND HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS, BUT I CAN'T SHARE WITH YOU, HAVING A PARTNER LIKE THE TOWN TO HELP ME IN THAT PROCESS WOULD BE HUGE BECAUSE SOMETIMES IT TAKES THE GORILLA IN THE ROOM TO GET PEOPLE TO THE TABLE. AND I'M NOT SURE ONE NONPROFIT OR EVEN A GREAT COALITION OF NONPROFITS IS GOING TO HAVE THE OOMPH TO GET THE RIGHT PEOPLE AROUND THE TABLE FOR THAT. SO WHILE I'M EXCITED THAT WE'VE MADE PROGRESS AND, AND I THINK SOME OF IT IS VERY IMPORTANT PROGRESS, THERE'S STILL A COUPLE OF AREAS WHERE IF WE HAVE A MAJOR DISPLACEMENT TOMORROW, WE ARE STILL GOING TO BE STRUGGLING. AND WHEN I SAY WE, I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT JUST THE COMMUNITY RESPONSE TEAM, I'M TALKING ABOUT OUR WHOLE COMMUNITY. THERE WILL BE RAMIFICATION. SO MY MY CAUTION IS WHILE WE'VE MADE GOOD PROGRESS, WE ARE NOWHERE NEAR DONE. AND I FEEL LIKE WE ARE GOING TO NEED MORE RESOURCES AROUND THE TABLE FROM, UM, FROM WHETHER IT'S THE TOWN OR OTHER PARTNERS THAT WE CAN PUT TOGETHER. BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE DON'T HAVE ANY PLACE TO PUT PEOPLE SHORT TERM. AND, AND THAT IS REALLY THE, THE HALLMARK OF A TRUE DISPLACEMENT PLAN. SO THOSE ARE JUST MY COMMENTS I'D LIKE TO SHARE TODAY. AGAIN, I DO NOT WANNA UNDERESTIMATE THE PROGRESS THAT HAS BEEN MADE BECAUSE IT IS SIGNIFICANT, BUT TO GET THE BALL ACROSS THE FINISH LINE, WE'RE GOING TO NEED MORE RESOURCES THAN WHAT'S CURRENTLY IN THIS PLAN. THANK YOU. YES. I I WANT TO REITERATE THAT I THINK I'VE SAID FROM DAY ONE, TOWN SUPPORTS THE HERITAGE GOLF CLUB SUPPORTS ALL THESE VARIOUS THINGS THAT ARE GOING WITH OTHER MONEY, BUT IT STILL SUPPORTS THOSE THINGS. THEY CAN'T FIND FUNDS TO SUPPORT A DISPLACEMENT THING IN A, IN A MULTIMILLION DOLLAR BUDGET THAT WE'VE JUST PUT FORTH. UH, IS I, AM I, I DO NOT DISAGREE WITH ANYTHING THAT'S BEEN SAID. I WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT I THINK THAT EVERYBODY HAS MADE GREAT POINTS THUS FAR. AND I THINK WE SHOULD LEAN HEAVILY INTO WHAT SANDY SAID BECAUSE OF HER ROLE AND DEEP WELL'S ROLE IN THE ENTIRE, UM, PROJECT. BUT WHAT, TO DENNIS'S POINT, WHAT ARE, WHAT IS THE NEXT STEP? WHY ARE WE LOOKING AT THIS? IS IT GOING TO GO BACK IN FRONT OF THE COMMITTEE AND THEN COUNCIL, OR WHY EVEN WOULD, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE ONLY THING THAT THE TOWN HAS TO DO WITH THIS PLAN IS THE VOLUNTARY, UM, QUESTIONNAIRE FOR DEVELOPERS. SO WHAT IS THE NEXT STEP? I GUESS I'M JUST SORT OF CONFUSED AND, AND ALSO THE MOTION AT THE BACK REITERATES [00:15:01] THE HISTORY SAYING THIS WAS REJECTED, GONE BACK, OR THINK, OH, WHY IS THAT EVEN IN A TOWN PRONOUNCEMENT? YOU KNOW, WHY IT BASICALLY, THE TOWN DISTANCING THEMSELVES FROM THE WHOLE THING. SO THE, WHAT IS MISSY LUECK, DIRECTOR OF PLANNING FOR THE RECORD? UM, THE RECOMMENDATION BEFORE YOU TODAY IS TO REVIEW THIS REVISED PLAN AND MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO TOWN COUNCIL. UM, IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT THIS PLAN WOULD GO, UM, TO TOWN COUNCIL, UM, IF IT MOVES OUT OF HOUSING ACTION COMMITTEE. UM, AND TO SPEAK TO, YOU KNOW, THE STRUCTURE OF THE DISPLACEMENT PLAN, EVEN THE PRIOR VERSION AND WHAT'S BEFORE YOU TODAY, THE TOWN'S ROLE AND THE ROLE OF THE HOUSING ACTION COMMITTEE IS THE REASON WHY WE HAVE A PLAN BEFORE US. IT'S WHY, AS SANDY MENTIONED, WE'RE BETTER PREPARED AS A COMMUNITY. WE HAVE THAT COMMUNITY, UM, SUPPORT STRUCTURE THAT'S THERE TO ASSIST WHEN WE ARE FACED WITH DISPLACEMENT EVENTS. UM, AND WITHOUT OUR HOUSING FRAMEWORK, WITHOUT THE HOUSING ACTION COMMITTEE. UM, AND PRIORITIZING THIS AS A PROJECT THAT WAS PUT BEFORE YOU, THE TOWN ACTED IN THAT ROLE TO BRING THIS DOCUMENT TO WHERE IT IS TODAY. AND SO THAT IS STILL, UM, YOU KNOW, THE TOWN'S EFFORT THAT IS CONTRIBUTING TO THE PLAN THAT'S BEFORE YOU. UM, AND WE CREATED, UM, A LOT OF, UH, COLLABORATIVE EFFORT IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE COMMUNITY RESPONSE TEAM, THE STRUCTURE, THE, UM, WHEN WE DID SCENARIO PLANNING AND TESTING TO, UM, EVALUATE THE PLAN'S EFFECTIVENESS, ALL OF THAT WORK WAS DONE COLLABORATIVELY, BOTH WITH THE HOUSING ACTION COMMITTEE'S WORK GROUP, UM, BUT WITH ALSO WITH THOSE COMMUNITY PARTNERS. THE COMMUNITY LED ASPECT OF THE PLAN ITSELF WAS ALWAYS PART OF THE STRUCTURE. UM, THE TOWN WAS MORE OF THE, THE CONVENER OF GETTING ALL OF THESE RESOURCES ASSEMBLED, UM, IN A COHESIVE MANNER, IN A WAY THAT AN INDIVIDUAL FACING DISPLACEMENT DOESN'T HAVE TO KNOW THAT STRUCTURE, KNOW ALL THE AGENCIES THAT THEY MAY HAVE TO CONTACT, BUT THAT THIS STRUCTURE THAT HAS BEEN CREATED AND WAS EVEN IN THE PREVIOUS, UM, ITERATION OF THE PLAN STILL REMAINS, UH, WHAT THIS STRUCTURE OF THE PLAN, UH, PRODUCES. IT ASSEMBLES A TEAM AND A STRUCTURE TO PROVIDE RESOURCES IN A COLLABORATIVE, UM, ENDEAVOR FOR THAT INDIVIDUAL OR INDIVIDUALS FACING DISPLACEMENT. AND SO, YES, AS SANDY INDICATED, WE AS A COMMUNITY ARE, UM, BETTER EQUIPPED, UM, AS A COMMUNITY THAN WE WERE. UM, AND, AND WE KNOW THAT THERE'S MORE WORK TO DO AS WELL. UM, THERE'S MORE WORK TO DO IN, YOU KNOW, WORKFORCE HOUSING AS A PROGRAM, UM, WITHIN THE TOWN. UM, AND WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE EXTREME CHALLENGES WITH FINDING THAT AVAILABILITY OF UNITS. UM, AS A REGION, IT'S A CHALLENGE AND WE'RE WORKING WITH ADDITIONAL PARTNERS, UM, GOING FORWARD TO UM, TRY TO SOLVE SOME OF THOSE HURDLES AS WELL. BUT, UM, BUT THE TOWN'S ROLE STILL IS, UM, TO BE A, YOU KNOW, TO NOTIFY THE LEAD AGENCY WHEN THERE'S A DISPLACEMENT. UM, AND THAT WAS STILL THE ROLE IN THE PRIOR VERSION, UM, AND TO ENACT THAT COMMUNITY RESPONSE TEAM IN A DISPLACEMENT. OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE HOUSING ACTION COMMITTEE? ARE WE ABLE TO TURN DOWN THIS RECOMMENDATION AND RECOMMEND THE COUNCIL TAKE UP THE ONE WE SENT BEFORE, IF, IF THAT WERE SO MOVED? UH, YES. UH, LET, ASKING THAT QUESTION, I WANNA MAKE SURE WE PUT DOWN THE ROUTE THAT WE COULD LET, LET ME JUST SAY, UH, WELL FIRST OF ALL, THE, THE HEROES HERE ARE THE AGENCIES, UH, SANDY, WITH, WITH DEEP WELL, AND DALE DOUBT THAT WITH, WITH UNITED WAY AND SCOTT WMAN AND THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF THE LOW COUNTRY, THAT IS A STRONG TEAM. AND WE'VE SEEN EVIDENCE ALREADY OF THEM DOING STRONG WORK, UH, REGARDLESS OF THE TOWN'S INVOLVEMENT OR NOT. AND OBVIOUSLY IN THIS VERSION, IT'S MORE NOT, UH, THIS, THIS DOCUMENT HAS, HAS BECOME MORE TIMID, UH, WITH, WITH TIME. UH, BUT HAVING SAID ALL THAT, I'M, I'M READY TO VOTE FOR IT, UH, AND PASS IT ALONG BACK TO TOWN COUNCIL, UH, BECAUSE IT, IT DOES PUT THE TOWN'S IMPRINT ON, ON SOMETHING. WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT FOR TWO YEARS. UH, I DON'T THINK IT'S GONNA GET ANY BETTER. UH, AND, UH, I'M, I'M READY TO VOTE FOR IT. I DON'T PRETEND TO INFLUENCE ANY OF YOUR VOTES ON, ON THIS, BUT I, I, I THINK IT'S TIME TO, TO VOTE FOR IT, CONTINUE TO MOVE ON, AND THEN DO THE BEST WE CAN TO, TO, TO KEEP THE TOWN, UH, AS INVOLVED AS, AS THEY NEED TO BE. BUT THE, THE HEAVY LIFTING IS BEING DONE BY DEEP WELL, [00:20:01] THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION AND, AND THE UNITED WAY OF THE LOW COUNTRY. WHY WOULDN'T IT GO BACK TO THE COMMITTEE THEN TO COUNCIL AGAIN? IT, IT DOES NOT, IT, IT, IT GOES TO COUNCIL. I KNOW, BUT WHY IT, IF THAT WAS THE ROUTE THAT IT WENT THE FIRST TIME, WHY WOULDN'T IT GO THAT SAME ROUTE AGAIN? I, I'M, I'M CONFUSED PROCEDURALLY, AND I DON'T HAVE A TON OF EXPERIENCE IN THIS JURISDICTION, BUT IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS, I'VE, ANY COUNCIL LEVELS, I JUST AM, I'M, I'M NOT TRYING TO MAKE IT ANYTHING DIFFICULT, I JUST AM CURIOUS AS TO WHY THIS WOULD GO STRAIGHT TO COUNCIL VERSUS GOING BACK TO THE COMMITTEE. I'M NOT SURE WHY I WENT TO THE COMMITTEE IN THE FIRST PLACE. SO , RIGHT. AND KATIE, I THINK IT'S A REALLY FAIR POINT, ISN'T THAT I JUST, I DON'T THINK ANY OF US EXPECTED THAT THIS WAS GOING TO GO TO, UM, COMMUNITY SERVICES. WE THOUGHT THIS WAS, I'LL JUST SPEAK FOR MYSELF. I THOUGHT THIS WAS GOING TO TOWN COUNCIL, WHAT WE VOTED ON AND WHAT WE WORKED ON COLLECTIVELY. SO THAT WAS A SURPRISE. BUT I THINK IT'S A FAIR POINT, AND I THINK WE HAVE SOMEONE HERE CAN GIVE US AN ANSWER TO THAT. GOOD MORNING, SEAN LEININGER, ASSISTANT TOWN MANAGER. UH, SO AS FAR AS, LET'S GO BACK TO THE, TO THE ORIGINAL PLAN. AND THE REASON THAT THAT WENT, YOUR RECOMMENDATION WAS TO TOWN COUNCIL. TOWN COUNCIL HAS A COMMITTEE PROCESS WHEREBY THEY REVIEW THE, AT THE DISCRETION OF THE MAYOR AND WORKING WITH THE, THE CHAIRS OF THE COMMITTEES. THINGS ARE, ARE REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE FOR FOR ACTION. IN THIS CASE, YOUR RECOMMENDATION WOULD, AGAIN, BE TO TOWN COUNCIL TO WHICHEVER PLAN, WHATEVER YOU DECIDE TO MAKE A MOTION FOR TOWN COUNCIL TO DO, IT'LL THEN BE THE, THE MAYOR WILL THEN WORK WITH THE CHAIRS AND DECIDE WHETHER THAT GOES TO THE FULL COUNCIL OR WHETHER THAT GOES TO A, GOES TO A COMMITTEE. SO DON'T, DON'T CONCERN, I, I KNOW YOU WANNA KNOW CLARITY ON THE PROCESS, BUT CASE, CASE BASIS IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. NOT NECESSARILY ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS, BUT THAT GENERALLY THERE IS A COMMITTEE PROCESS THAT THAT, THAT IS, THAT IS INVOLVED. THE COMMITTEE'S MADE A DECISION ON THIS. WE'LL WORK WITH, WITH THE COUNCIL ON, ON WHAT THEIR DIRECTION IS ON, ON HOW TO MOVE THIS FORWARD. I, I WOULD JUST ASK THAT YOU MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL. WE'LL FIGURE OUT THE PROCESS OF AS IT MOVES FORWARD FROM THERE. IT COULD STILL GO BACK TO COMMITTEE UNTIL I HAVE A CHANCE TO POSSIBLY, BUT I, I I'M NOT GONNA MAKE A DECISION FOR COUNCIL. I CAN'T SPEAK FOR THEM. YEAH, I JUST, YEAH, WE HAVE OUR TOWN MANAGER HERE. AND NOT TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT, BUT I MEAN, I WOULD BE, I DON'T THINK THIS SHOULD BE LIKE, WE'RE JUST GOING TO FIGURE IT OUT ON THE FLY. THERE MUST BE A PROCESS, AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT KATIE'S TRYING TO GET AT. WHAT IS THE PROCESS? DOES THIS GO BACK TO COMMITTEE SINCE IT WAS REJECTED BY COMMITTEE AND ASKED TO BE REDONE? MAYOR HAS, OR DOES THIS GO NOW TO TOWN COUNCIL? SO THE MAYOR HAS SOME AUTHORITY OVER WHAT IS PLACED BEFORE DIFFERENT AGENDAS. AND SO THAT'S, I CAN'T, I, I'M NOT, I CAN'T SPEAK FOR HIM. I DON'T WANT TO, I'M NOT GONNA SPEAK FOR THE TOWN MANAGER, WHICH, AND HE'S NOT GONNA SPEAK FOR THE MAYOR EITHER. UM, BUT THAT'S THE PROCESS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE. YOUR RECOMMENDATION, AGAIN, IS GONNA BE THE TOWN COUNCIL. WE'LL FIGURE OUT THE PROCESS MOVING FORWARD AS WE WORK WITH THE MAYOR, UH, ON YOUR RECOMMENDATION, AND WE'LL PROVIDE THAT CLARITY TO YOU AS SOON AS WE CAN. BUT THERE IS, THERE IS TYPICALLY, THERE IS A COMMITTEE PROCESS, BUT THE COMMITTEE HAS WEIGHED IN ON THIS ALREADY. GOT IT. OKAY. WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF YOU DID NOT GET A POSITIVE, UM, VOTE HERE TO REFER THE AMENDED PLAN TO THE TOWN COUNCIL? WHAT HAPPENS TO THE ORIGINAL PLAN AT THAT POINT? 'CAUSE THE COUNSEL'S NEVER REALLY REJECTED THE ORIGINAL PLAN. THAT WOULD BE A CONVERSATION I NEED TO HAVE WITH, UH, OUR TOWN ATTORNEY. I, I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S ANYTHING THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD NECESSARILY REQUIRE IT TO BE ADVANCED. I DON'T KNOW THERE'S ANYTHING THAT WOULD SAY THAT IT, IT COULDN'T BE ADVANCED. UH, THERE MIGHT BE, I MEAN, THAT'S A BIG ISSUE BECAUSE WE HAVE A PLAN THAT WE APPROVED NOW WE'RE ASKED TO APPROVE ANOTHER PLAN, BUT THE FIRST PLAN WAS NEVER REALLY REJECTED BY TOWN COUNCIL. IT WAS REJECTED BY ANOTHER COMMITTEE. SO I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED MYSELF, , TO SAY THE LEAST. AND THAT'S WHERE I WOULD ENCOURAGE THE COMMITTEE TO STAY FOCUSED ON THE PLAN AND THE CONTENTS OF THE PLAN AND WHAT YOUR RECOMMENDATION IS TO TOWN COUNCIL. UH, IT'S OUR JOB, OUR DUTY TO THEN WORK WITH THE MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL TO, TO, TO DETERMINE WHAT THAT PROCESS IS. SO I, I PUT YOUR EFFORTS INTO THE PLAN AND WE'LL, WE'LL PUT OUR EFFORTS INTO THE PROCESS. OKAY. THANK YOU, SEAN. THE, THE INTENT IS FOR THIS TO GO BACK TO TOWN COUNCIL. UH, AND I, I HAVE HEARD THE, THE MAYOR OPINE THAT, UH, IN HIS DISCRETION, THAT IS, THAT IS THE WAY THIS WILL GO. UH, THAT'S NOT DEFINITIVE, THAT'S NOT THE FINAL ANSWER, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I HAVE HEARD. UH, I WOULD ECHO JUST THIS, JACK, BECAUSE I MET WITH THE MAYOR AND HE DID SAY, I, I KNOW THINGS CAN CHANGE, BUT HE DID SAY THAT WHATEVER, IF ANYTHING IS TO BE REFERRED, IT WILL GO TO TOWN COUNCIL. SO I, I PERSONALLY HEARD THAT FROM HIM. I DON'T UNDERSTAND. MINE WAS MORE OF JUST A PROCEDURAL QUESTION. I, YOU KNOW, I I ALWAYS UNDERSTOOD [00:25:01] IT THAT WHEN SOMETHING IS PROPOSED TO TOWN COUNCIL, IT GOES TO A COMMITTEE. THE COMMITTEE CAN EITHER REJECT OR APPROVE, AND THEN IT PROCEEDS TO COUNCIL. AND IN ALL OF MY PAST EXPERIENCE IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS IN THE STATE, THAT'S HOW EVERYTHING HAS ALWAYS GONE. I'VE NEVER ACTUALLY HAD ANYTHING TO BE SENT BACK AND THEN BE SENT TO COUNCILS. THAT WAS WHY I JUST, I'M A LITTLE BIT CONFUSED. MY BACKGROUND IS MORE IN LAND, SO IT'S MORE WITH PLANNING COMMISSIONS SPECIFICALLY. THAT MIGHT BE WHAT, WHY I'M CONFUSED. SO THAT'S ALL. I I THINK THE FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS HERE IS, IS A MOTION FOR THIS PLAN. AND, AND WE WILL SEE WHERE THAT GOES. AS I SAY, I PLAN TO, UH, VOTE IN FAVOR OF THIS. UH, YOU CAN ALL VOTE YOUR, YOUR CONSCIENCE ON IT. UM, IS THERE, IS THERE A MOTION TO, UH, APPROVE THIS PLAN AND SEND BACK TO TOWN COUNCIL? I MOVED. IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND. SARAH. OKAY, SO HANNAH, THAT WAS A MOTION BY SANDY GILLIS. SEC. SECOND BY BY SARAH JONES ANDERSON. UH, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ARE WE GONNA VOTE THOSE IN FAVOR OF, UH, APPROVING THIS PLAN AND SENDING IT ALONG TO TOWN COUNCIL? UH, SAY, AYE. LET, LET'S DO IT BY HAND AS WELL. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. THOSE OPPOSED TWO. IT, IT IS APPROVED BY A VOTE OF SIX TO SIX TO TWO. UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR, WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THANKS FOR TWO YEARS OF, UH, . VERY FRUSTRATING WORK ON THIS. UH, THE, I THINK THAT AS I AND OTHERS HAVE SAID, I THINK THAT THE BIGGEST THING IS THAT HAS, THAT HAS COME OUT OF IT IS THAT THREE GREAT SERVICE AGENCIES IN THE TOWN ARE, ARE ON THE CASE, UH, FOR ANY, ANY DISPLACEMENT THAT THAT HAPPENS. IS THERE ANY NEW BUSINESS HEARING? NONE. UH, AND BY THE WAY, I SHOULD HAVE ASKED FOR COMMENTS ON THE DISPLACEMENT PLAN BEFORE WE VOTED OR ON ANY OTHER ISSUE. ARE, ARE THERE OTHER, OTHER COMMENTS THAT NEED TO BE MADE TO THOSE ISSUES OR TO, UH, ANY ISSUE COMING BEFORE THIS COMMITTEE? MS. HENDERSON? I THINK THE REAL QUESTION HERE IS, SANDY, WHAT CAN THE COMMUNITY DO THAT'S, IF YOU KNOW, THIS IS A COMMUNITY PROJECT, WE ALL NEED TO KNOW WHAT WE NEED TO BE DOING. SO I THINK IF THAT COULD GET OUT SOMEHOW, COMMUNICATION, THAT'D BE GREAT. THE COMMENTS, AND I, I THINK SINCE WE DIDN'T, I DIDN'T ASK FOR PUBLIC COMMENT BEFORE WE VOTED, LET'S REAFFIRM THAT VOTE IF, IF, IF WE COULD. UH, THOSE, THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE, UH, DISPLACEMENT PLAN BEING SENT TO APPROVE BY US AND SENT FORWARD TO TOWN COUNCIL, UH, RAISE YOUR HAND PLEASE. SIX. THOSE OPPOSED? TWO. OKAY. THE MOTION CARRIES BY, BY VOTE, SIX TO TWO. ANY OTHER, UH, NEW BUSINESS? I, I HAVE, UH, SOMETHING I WANNA SAY AT THE END OF THE MEETING HERE, AND THEN ANY OTHERS ON THE COMMITTEE THAT, THAT WISH TO TALK CAN HAVE THEIR OPPORTUNITY AS WELL? UH, I'VE WRITTEN DOWN MY COMMENTS HERE BECAUSE, UH, I'VE CHOSEN THESE WORDS CAREFULLY. AFTER THIS MEETING CONCLUDES TODAY, I'LL BE RESIGNING AS CHAIR AND AS A MEMBER OF THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND HOUSING ACTION COMMITTEE, IT HAS BECOME EMINENTLY CLEAR, I THINK TO ALL OF US THAT TOWN GOVERNMENT HAS NOT PLACED THE COMMITTEE IN A POSITION TO EFFECTIVELY CONTRIBUTE TO CRITICALLY NEEDED HOUSING INITIATIVES IN SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNITY'S WORKFORCE. HOUSING ACTION COMMITTEE MEMBERS WERE RECRUITED TWO YEARS AGO BASED ON THEIR WIDE EXPERIENCE AND ABILITY TO CREATIVELY INCREASE THE TOWN'S CAPABILITIES AND INITIATIVES AND WORKFORCE HOUSING. HOWEVER, THE ACTUAL FUNCTION RE RELEGATED TO HOUSING ACTION COMMITTEE HAS BEEN ROUTINE AFFIRMATION OF REPORTS FROM TOWN STAFF HOUSING FOR OUR WORKFORCE IS DIRECTLY CONNECTED TO THE FUTURE QUALITY OF LIFE. FOR ALL OF US ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND, OUR QUALITY OF LIFE REQUIRES A WORKFORCE THAT IS AVAILABLE, CAPABLE AND SUSTAINABLE. THIS IS WITHOUT DOUBT, THE MOST PRESSING PRIORITY FACING OUR COMMUNITY NOW AND IN THE COMING DECADES. AND THERE'S ALSO NO DOUBT THAT OUR WORKFORCE CRISIS IS CREATED [00:30:01] AND PERPETUATED BY LACK OF HOUSING AND TRANSPORTATION FOR WORKERS. DESPITE THAT TOWN ACTIONS ON IMPORTANT HOUSING MATTERS ARE PAINFULLY SLOW AND REPEATEDLY DELAYED, AND HOUSING ACTION COMMITTEES WITHOUT THE MEANS TO EXPEDITE THEM. THREE PRIME EXAMPLES ARE THE DISPLACEMENT PLAN, TWO YEARS AND COUNTING THE COMMUNICATIONS PLAN TWO YEARS AND COUNTING THE REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE BRAT ROAD TRACK. TWO YEARS SINCE THAT PROPERTY WAS PURCHASED, EACH OF THESE THREE ESSENTIAL PARTS OF THE PLAN HAS LINGERED FOR TWO FULL YEARS WITHOUT RESOLUTION. GOOD INTENTIONS AND GOOD REPORTS ARE IMPORTANT, AND WE HAVE HAD PLENTY OF BOTH GOOD INTENTIONS AND GOOD REPORTS, BUT IT IS THE ACTUAL OUTCOMES THAT MATTER. AND THE ONLY TRUE MEASURE OF OUR OUTCOMES IS THE NUMBER OF WORKERS WHO DECIDE TO KEEP THEIR JOBS HERE BECAUSE THEY CAN LIVE HERE OR EASILY COMMUTE TO THE ISLAND. YES, THERE HAVE BEEN A FEW SMALL WINDS AND WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THAT, BUT THEY PALE IN COMPARISON TO THE IMMENSE SIZE OF THE PROBLEM WE'RE FACING. MEANWHILE, POLITICALLY MOTIVATED MISINFORMATION CONTINUES TO ABOUND, AND THE WORKFORCE CRISIS IS WORSENING RATHER THAN APPROVING, IMPROVING. AND THAT'S SIX YEARS AFTER THE TOWN FIRST COMMITTED TO WORKFORCE HOUSING AS A CRI CRITICAL PRIORITY IN THEIR STRATEGIC PLAN. SIX YEARS. THE NECESSARY SOLUTIONS REQUIRE POLITICAL COURAGE, ACTION ON MULTIPLE FRONTS, BOLD, INTELLIGENT PLANS, MEANINGFUL BUDGET ALLOCATIONS, AND URGENT DECISIONS. MANY COMMUNITY PARTNERS ARE WILLING TO PLAY THEIR APPROPRIATE ROLES, BUT I HOPE THAT TOWN GOVERNMENT CAN FIND THE WILL TO MOVE FORWARD AT AN AGGRESSIVE PLACE PACE IN PLAYING ITS PIVOTAL ROLE HERE, I AM TRULY SADDENED THAT I AND THE HOUSING ACTION COMMITTEE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO CRACK THE CODE TO MEANINGFULLY ASSIST TOWN GOVERNMENT IN THIS ENDEAVOR. I WANT TO THANK ALL THE HOUSING ACTION COMMITTEE MEMBERS FOR THEIR HARD WORK AND SUPPORT DURING MY TERM HERE. I WON'T TRY TO INFLUENCE YOU REGARDING YOUR DECISIONS AS CONTINUING MEMBERS OF HOUSING ACTION COMMITTEE. I'M ALSO THANKFUL, VERY THANKFUL TO MISSY AND TO QUINCY AS THEY TRANSITION TO THEIR NEXT ENDEAVORS. AND TO, TO NICK. DAVE, WE, WE WISH YOU ALL THE BEST GOING FORWARD. AND I SAY TO THE TOWN LEADERS, HERE'S YOUR OPPORTUNITY FOR A FULL RESET. WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH IT TO BETTER ENSURE THE VIBRANT FUTURE OF OUR COMMUNITY, FUTURE GENERATIONS ON HILTON HEAD WILL JUDGE YOUR LEADERSHIP BASED ON YOUR EFFORTS TO SOLVE THE WORKFORCE CRISIS. THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS. THANK YOU. ARE THERE OTHER, UH, COMMENTS FROM ANYONE ON THE, ON THE DIOCESE? SANDY? UM, SO THANK YOU, JACK. I HAVE SPENT A GREAT DEAL OF TIME EVALUATING, SEEKING SOME COUNSEL, AND FRANKLY, IN PRAYER OVER WHAT I AM GOING TO SHARE. AND I AM RESIGNING AS THE VICE CHAIR AND MEMBER OF THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLANDS HOUSING ACTION COMMITTEE. IMMEDIATELY. I DID NOT ARRIVE AT THIS DECISION LIGHTLY OR EASILY, AND SOME OF WHAT I'M GOING TO DO IS READ FROM A LETTER THAT I DRAFTED TO SEND TO THE MAYOR AND THE TOWN MANAGER AND TOWN COUNCIL. BUT UPON REFLECTION OF THAT INITIAL DECISION, I DECIDED I NEEDED TO ATTEND THIS MEETING. I NEEDED TO SUPPORT TO THE BEST I CAN, THE WORK THAT WE HAVE DONE. AND I WANTED THE CHANCE TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR SERVING ON THE COMMITTEE. SO THAT OF, AS WE ALL KNOW, IN 2003, THIS TEAM WAS FORMED AND I WAS EAGER TO ACCEPT THE APPOINTMENT TO JOIN THE, THE TALENT THAT'S AROUND THIS TABLE. THE HOUSING ADVISORY COMMITTEE WAS RENAMED TO THE HOUSING ACTION COMMITTEE, WHICH TO ME SIGNIFIED THAT THERE WAS REAL EMPHASIS FOR URGENCY. UNFORTUNATELY, MEANINGFUL ACTION HAS FAILED TO MATERIALIZE. THE HOUSING ACTION COMMITTEE HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH REVIEWING REPORTS INSTEAD OF LEVERAGING ITS MEMBERS' EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE TO GENERATE REAL SOLUTIONS. SOME TOWN COUNCIL MEMBERS CLEARLY DO NOT CONSIDER HOUSING A PRIORITY, SLOWING THE PROGRESS ON KEY INITIATIVES LIKE THE DISPLACEMENT PLAN, THE COMMUNICATIONS PLAN, AND THE BRYANT ROAD. UM, TRACKED RFQ, WHICH HAVE BEEN MENTIONED [00:35:01] ON MARCH 17TH, THE COMMUNITY SERVICES AND PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING WAS A COMPLETE EMBARRASSMENT TOWN STAFF. JACK AND I ENDURED A BROW BEATING AND THE TOWN ATTORNEY WAS SUMMARILY DISMISSED. AN UNACCEPTABLE SHOW OF LEADERSHIP DISAGREEMENTS CAN BE EXPRESSED WITHOUT RESORTING TO ABUSE AND INTIMIDATION. AFTER THAT MEETING, I MET WITH MR. ORLANDO ON APRIL 16TH AND MAY 7TH. I MET WITH MAYOR PERRY TO SHARE MY DEEP CONCERNS AND FRUSTRATIONS. PERHAPS FORMING THE HAC WAS A MISTAKE FROM THE START. CLEARLY, SOME MEMBERS OF TOWN COUNCIL DO NOT CONSIDER THIS A KEY ISSUE OR KEY PRIORITY, DESPITE THE NEGATIVE IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITY'S QUALITY OF LIFE. FORMING HAC WITHOUT REAL COMMITMENT WASTES EVERYONE'S TIME AND IT DAMAGES THE TOWN'S REPUTATION AND CREDIBILITY. WHILE APPARENTLY THE TOWN HAS ABANDONED WORKFORCE HOUSING AS ITS TOP PRIORITY, I HAVE NOT LOST MY COMMITMENT TO THIS ISSUE. I WILL CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON HOUSING OUTSIDE OF HAC BECAUSE THIS IS THE ONE ISSUE THAT UNRESOLVED WILL HAVE A DISASTROUS IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITY. MY DECISION IS NOT INTENDED TO INFLUENCE MEMBERS OF THIS COMMITTEE. I DEEPLY APPRECIATE THE TIME AND TALENTS ALL OF YOU HAVE VOLUNTEERED AND PROVIDED. I ALSO GREATLY APPRECIATE AND, AND, AND WANT TO THANK MISSY AND QUINCY AND NICK DAY FOR ALL OF THEIR EFFORTS. AND I'M SADDENED BY THE ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO WORK. IN CLOSING, I OFFER A SUGGESTION. I SUGGEST THE TOWN COUNCIL PUSH, PAUSE AND EVALUATE ITS COMMITMENT TO MAKING PROGRESS, REAL PROGRESS ON HOUSING CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE AND TOWN COUNCIL'S COMMITMENT TO THIS COMMITTEE. IN MY HUMBLE OPINION, TOWN COUNCIL HAS A LOT OF SOUL SEARCHING TO DO SO THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU. I MEAN, IT'S BEEN A, AN HONOR AND A PLEASURE TO SERVE WITH YOU. I KNOW EVERYBODY'S HEARTS ARE IN THE RIGHT PLACE AND WE WANT TO MAKE PROGRESS. I JUST FEEL THAT I CAN SPEND MY TIME ELSEWHERE AND HOPEFULLY HAVE A GREATER IMPACT. THANK YOU. SANDY, ARE THERE OTHER COMMENTS FROM HOUSING ACTION COMMITTEE MEMBERS? QUESTION JACK. WHAT HAPPENS, UM, WITH THE LEADERSHIP OF THIS COMMITTEE, NOW THAT YOU'VE BOTH RESIGNED? WHO, UH, WHO IS INVOLVED IN, UM, UH, FILLING THOSE POSITIONS, FILLING THE POSITIONS? UH, IS IS DONE BY, UH, THE TOWN COUNCIL. UH, H HOW GET THERE FROM HERE, THAT'LL BE UP TO THEM, MISSY AND OTHERS. UH, IS THAT, IS THAT ACCURATE? CORRECT. THE APPOINTMENTS WOULD BE MADE BY, UH, TOWN COUNCIL TO THIS COMMITTEE, BUT THROUGH THE RULES OF PROCEDURE FOR THE HOUSING ACTION COMMITTEE, THE CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR CAN BE, UM, SELECTED AT BY THE, THE REST OF THE BODY, UM, AT THE NEXT MEETING. OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE COMMITTEE? IS THERE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? UH, ANYBODY? NO. WAIT, I THOUGHT WE DID THE PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION OR ARE THERE OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS? HEARING NONE. IS THERE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? THANK YOU. MOTION TO ADJOURN THOSE. ADJOURN OF ADJOURNMENT. AYE. AYE. THANK YOU ALL. THANKS FOR WATCHING BEAUFORT COUNTY TV. HEY GUYS, I'M SAM WORLEY. I'M THE OFF PARK RANGER HERE AT DREW ISLAND STATE PARK. COME SPEND THE DAY WITH ME. HERE WE ARE AT DREW ISLAND STATE PARKS MARINA. I AM OVER MANAGING THE SLIPS HERE AT THE MARINA. UM, WE HAVE 50 SLIPS. 48 OF 'EM ARE 25 BY 15 FOOT SLIPS, AND THEN WE HAVE TWO 50 FOOTER SLIPS. UM, I'VE BEEN OVER THE MARINA PROGRAM FOR A FEW YEARS NOW, AND, UH, WHEN I FIRST STARTED WE HAD EIGHT SLIPS FILLED OUT OF 50. AND, UM, AFTER RUNNING IT FOR ABOUT 13 MONTHS, WE WERE ABLE TO REACH FULL OCCUPANCY. UM, AND AS OF RIGHT NOW, I'VE HAD A WAIT LIST [00:40:01] WITH ABOUT 15 EVER SINCE. UM, WE GIVE SPECIAL OFFERS ON, UH, SLIP PRICES FOR THE 25 BY 15 FOOT SLIPS. UM, IF YOU, YOU CAN DO A SIX MONTH OR A 12 MONTH IS THE ONLY TWO WE OFFER. IF YOU DO THE 12 MONTH AND YOU CHOOSE TO PAY UP FRONT, YOU GET A 10% DISCOUNT. IT'S $2,700 RATHER PAYING, UM, MONTH BY MONTH. IT'S TWO 50 A MONTH, WHICH ADDS UP TO THREE GRAND. AND THEN THE SIX MONTH LEASE IS $1,500. UM, WHETHER YOU PAY IT ALL UPFRONT OR IN $250 PAYMENTS, I'M RESPONSIBLE FOR GENERATING INVOICES FOR OUR CURRENT LEASERS AS WELL AS SETTING UP NEW CONTRACTS, UM, AS WELL AS RESPONSIBLE FOR CLEANING OF THESE PEDESTALS, CHECKING THE UTILITIES, THE WATER, THE POWER. WE HAD A COLD SNAP RECENTLY HAD TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, I SET A DRIP SO THESE WOULDN'T BE WITHOUT, UM, RUNNING WATER FOR THE, UM, PEOPLE THAT COME OUT HERE OFTEN. UM, AS WELL AS, UM, YOU KNOW, KEEPING UP WITH THE LEASERS THEMSELVES AND GETTING TO KNOW 'EM ON A FACE-TO-FACE BASIS AND KNOWING, UM, KNOWING WHO I HAVE HERE AT THE MARINA, WE HAVE A FEW REGULARS, UM, AND THEY'RE A VITAL PART IN KEEPING THE, UH, MARINA UP TO DATE. THEY LET ME KNOW IF SOMEONE'S BOATS COME LOOSE OR IF THERE'S BEEN DAMAGE TO A STORM. UM, THE WATER'S DOWN RIGHT NOW, SO IT'S, UH, UM, IT IS A BIT OF AN ISSUE KEEPING TRACK OF, UM, THE SAFETY OF THESE BOATS. UM, THE MARINA'S LIKE MY BABY, I'VE HAD A CHANCE TO, UM, WATCH IT GROW. UM, A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY ABOUT THE MARINA. UM, WE HAD AN OLD MARINA THAT USED TO BE RIGHT HERE. UM, AND THEN IN 2008 WE HAD A REALLY BAD STORM THAT CAUSED ENOUGH DAMAGE THAT OVER THE YEARS AFTER THAT, UM, THE MARINA BEGAN TO SINK. UM, LATER WE GOT THE BUDGET TO REDO THE MARINA, UM, WHICH IS WHAT YOU SEE HERE, AS WELL AS REDOING THE, UH, BATHHOUSE UP ON THE HILL, REMODELED ALL THE BATHROOMS, UM, SHOWERS, ALL THAT GOOD STUFF, ADDED HEAT AND AIR TO IT. UM, SO YEAH. SO NEXT WE'RE GONNA GO TO ANOTHER FACILITY WHERE I'LL DEMONSTRATE SOME OF THE RESPONSIBILITIES I HAVE AS OUR SAFETY OFFICER HERE AT AND STATE PARK. HERE WE ARE AT DRY ISLANDS GAS STOCK RIGHT NEXT TO OUR TACKLE SHOP. UM, AND HERE I'M GONNA SHOW YOU ONE OF THE RESPONSIBILITIES AS SAFETY OFFICER IS CHECKING ALL OF OUR FIRE EXTINGUISHERS. UM, THIS IS THE BIGGEST ONE WE HAVE ON PARK. IT'S A 20 POUNDER. UM, IT'S RATED SPECIFICALLY FOR THE GAS DOCK. AND WHAT WE DO WHEN WE INSPECT A FIRE EXTINGUISHER, UM, IS FIRST TAKE IT OFF ITS STAND AND YOU CHECK THE GAUGE, UM, SEE IF IT'S NOT UNDER OR OVERCHARGED. BUT THE MAIN THING THAT YOU WANT TO CHECK, UM, AS SOMEONE WHO'S NOT A, UM, A CERTIFIED FIRE TECH IS, UM, IF YOU TURN IT UPSIDE DOWN, LIKE SO IF THE WEIGHT SHIFTS GRADUALLY, THAT MEANS YOU KNOW THAT THE CONTENTS ISN'T CLUMPED UP TOGETHER. AND YOU CAN KEEP DOING THAT JUST TO SEE. BUT IF YOU FEEL A BIG PLUMP, THAT MEANS IT'S CLUMPED UP TOGETHER AND IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. UM, AND I DO THIS WITH ALL 42 FIRE EXTINGUISHERS. WE HAVE ON PARK, WE HAVE 'EM IN THE CAMPGROUNDS, EVERY FACILITY, OUR CABINS, VILLAS, UM, OUR TACKLE SHOP, AS WELL AS THE GAS STOCK. AND THE MAIN THING IS TO CHECK THAT AND TO CHECK THE CHARGE. AND THEN WHEN YOU'RE DONE, YOU CAN JUST HANG IT BACK UP AND THEN YOU CAN SIGN OFF ON THIS SPECIFIC MONTH, UM, WHICH THIS IS JANUARY. UM, AND I'LL NOTE THAT ONCE A YEAR I HAVE, UM, A CERTIFIED FIRE TECH COME OUT AND HAVE THESE SERVICED. I JUST HAD THIS ONE SERVICED, UM, IN DECEMBER, RIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS. SO THIS ONE'S PRETTY MUCH GOOD FOR A WHOLE NOTHER YEAR. UM, ANOTHER ASPECT OF BEING THE SAFEST OFFICER HERE AT DREW ISLAND STATE PARK IS, UM, FACILITY INSPECTIONS, MAKING SURE EVERYTHING'S SAFE, MAKING SURE WE'RE STAYING UP TO DATE ON, UM, SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE ON OUR, UM, HVAC, ON ANYTHING THAT NEEDS IT, LOOKING FOR STRUCTURAL DAMAGE, LOOKING FOR ANYTHING THAT MIGHT NEED REPLACING OR ATTENTION. UM, AND OF COURSE FILING THE, UM, MONTHLY PAPERWORK FOR OUR FIRE EXTINGUISHER INSPECTIONS AS WELL AS THE FACILITIES. UM, SO WE CAN STAY UP TO DATE AND BE OFFICIAL. NEXT, WE'RE GONNA GO AND WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THE LEAK. HERE WE ARE ON OUR MAIN CAUSEWAY BRIDGE HERE AT DREW ISLAND STATE PARK. UM, PERSONALLY THIS IS MY FAVORITE PART ABOUT COMING TO WORK, IS DRIVING ACROSS THIS CAUSEWAY BRIDGE AND LOOKING OUT AT THE LAKE EVERY DAY. UM, AS I SAID EARLIER, THE LAKE'S DOWN PRETTY LOW RIGHT NOW. UM, EVERY WINTER THEY DROP THE LAKE A FEW FEET, BUT THIS YEAR IS THE 10 YEAR LOW. EVERY 10 YEARS THEY DROP THE LAKE SIGNIFICANTLY LOW, UM, TO KILL AN INVASIVE HYDRILLA PLANT, AS WELL AS FOR PEOPLE TO WORK ON THEIR DOCKS. AND SINCE THE DAM AND THE TOWERS ARE SO OLD, IT GIVES THEM A CHANCE TO MAINTENANCE THOSE AS WELL. UM, LAKE MURRAY IS 50,000 ACRES, UM, OF MANMADE LAKE ANDRE ISLAND. UM, BENEFITS FROM THIS LAKE HEAVILY. UM, IT BRINGS SO MUCH, SO MANY GUESTS TO OUR PARK. UM, THEY COME TO HANG OUT HERE AT THE SHELTERS. UM, PITCH A HAMMOCK LAYOUT AT THE LITTLE BEACHY AREA WE HAVE AT OUR OLD OFFICE. UM, IT BRINGS A LOT OF VISITORS COME SUMMERTIME. UM, ALSO IN THE SUMMERTIME, UM, BRINGS ALL OF OUR BIG GAME TOURNAMENTS. DREW ALLEN'S KNOWN FOR ALL OF [00:45:01] HIS FISHING TOURNAMENTS. WE HAVE HIM YEAR ROUND, JUST ABOUT EVERY WEEKEND. UM, TO HIGHLIGHT ONE BIG ONE, DREW ALLEN GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO HOST THE WORLD BASS CHAMPIONSHIP, WHERE WE HOSTED 25 COUNTRIES, UM, FOR A WEEK AND WATCHED THEM SHOOT OUT EVERY DAY AND COME IN AND SAW THE BIG WEIGH-INS. AND THAT'S JUST ONE OF THE MANY BIG ONES THAT WE HAVE HERE. UM, THAT'S A BIG JOB FOR OUR OPENING SHIFT HERE AT DREW ISLAND IS TO, UM, DIRECT ALL THE BOATERS FOR THOSE TOURNAMENTS AND, AND PARK 'EM AND MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN HOUSE ALL THOSE FISHERMEN FOR, UH, FOR THOSE TOURNAMENTS. WE HAVE THE BIG BASS, UH, CHALLENGE AND WE HAVE A BUNCH OF SMALL TOURNAMENTS RANGING ANYWHERE BETWEEN 15 BOATS ALL THE WAY UP TO 150. IF YOU'LL NOTICE, OVER HERE IS OUR FRONT CAMPGROUND, WHICH IS NEWLY RENOVATED. UM, IT RECEIVED, UM, UPGRADES FOR ELECTRICAL, UP TO 50 AMP SERVICE, UM, NEW WATER, AND EVEN ADDED, UH, SEWER HOOKUPS AS WELL. SO, UM, WHEN THIS ONE OPENS UP, HOPEFULLY EARLY SPRING, UM, IT'LL BE OPEN FOR THE GUESTS TO ENJOY A BRAND NEW CAMPGROUND WITH, UM, BRAND NEW FACILITIES. UM, NEXT WE'RE GONNA GO AND WALK THROUGH ONE OF OUR VILLAS AND MAKE SURE IT'S READY FOR A GUEST CHECK-IN HERE WE ARE AT GER ISLANDS VILLAS. UM, THIS IS VILLA ONE BEHIND ME, BUT WE HAVE FIVE VILLAS, UM, VILLAS ONE, THREE AND FIVE ARE THREE BEDROOMS AND VILLAS TWO AND FOUR ARE TWO BEDROOMS. UM, THESE ARE A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE THAT, YOU KNOW, AREN'T INTO THE, THE CAMPING LIFE OR THE TENT LIFE, UM, GLAMPING AS PEOPLE CALL IT. UM, THESE PRICES RANGE ANYWHERE BETWEEN 1 35 A NIGHT TO MAYBE EVEN, UH, AS FAR AS TWO 50 A NIGHT, DEPENDING ON TIME OF YEAR, TWO BEDROOM, THREE BEDROOM, UM, IF IT'S A WEEKEND WEEKDAY OR IF IT'S THE ONLY ONE LEFT. UM, VILLAS ONE AND TWO ARE THE NEWLY REMODELED INSIDE AND OUT, NEW FURNITURE, NEW PAINT FLOORS, ALL THAT GOOD STUFF. UM, THERE IS A DOCK BEHIND VILLA ONE. IT IS THE ONLY DOCK THAT WE HAVE, UM, HERE AT THE VILLAS, BUT IT IS A COMMUNAL DOCK. AND THE REASON THAT IT'S, IT'S ONLY BEHIND VILLA ONE IS BECAUSE VILLA ONE IS OUR HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE VILLA. UM, BUT ANY VILLA CAN USE THAT DOCK AS THEY PLEASE. UM, BUT WE'RE HERE TO DO A WALKTHROUGH OF THE VILLA, SO IF YOU WANNA FOLLOW ME, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND DO A WALKTHROUGH AND, UH, I'LL LET YOU KNOW EVERYTHING THAT GOES IN WITH THAT. SO AS YOU'LL SEE, I USED A KEY CARD. UM, THESE ARE NEW TO US. WE WERE ABLE TO INSTALL, UM, KEY CARD LOCKS AT ALL OF OUR VILLAS IN OUR CAMPER CABINS, AS WELL AS THE BATHHOUSES FOR THOSE. UM, MAKES IT EASIER IN CASE, UH, OUR METAL KEYS GET LOST. UM, AND IT'S BEEN A REAL, UH, TREAT TO USE. SO THIS IS THE INSIDE THE VILLA ONE. UM, WHAT I'M IN HERE TO DO IS TO WALK THROUGH IT AND MAKE SURE THAT IT'S READY FOR A GUEST, UM, DOWN TO THE NITPICKY STUFF. UM, MAKE SURE THAT THE, UM, IT WAS CLEANED PROPERLY AND THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY COMPLAINTS OUT OF OUR GUESTS WHILE THEY STAY WITH US. SO THEY HAVE THE BEST, UM, EXPERIENCE, UM, TOTAL. SO WE ALWAYS, UH, CHECK THE FIREPLACE TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WORKS GREAT, WHICH IT DOES REMOTES PROGRAMMED AND EVERYTHING. I'M TURN THAT BACK OFF BECAUSE IT IS A LITTLE WARM IN HERE. UM, WE TRY TO CHECK EVERY LAMP TO MAKE SURE THAT IT LIGHTS UP. UM, EVERY LIGHT IN THE VILLA, WE WANNA MAKE SURE WORKS. THERE'S NO BURNED OUT BULBS. UM, OF COURSE WE, WE CHECK THE TV, MAKE SURE THEY WORK. UM, I'LL DO THAT AS WELL. AND WE WILL TURN THAT BACK OFF. AND IN THE BATHROOM WE'RE GONNA CHECK AND MAKE SURE ALL THE LIGHTS WORK LIKE THE REST OF THE VILLA. MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE TOWELS HAVEN'T BEEN, UH, PUT IN PROPERLY AND, AND STORED. WE WANNA CHECK THE CLEANLINESS OF THE, UH, THE TUBS AND MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S NO DIRT HAIR OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING LOOKS GOOD. UM, FLOORS THAT LOOK DECENT. UM, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UH, WE HAVE RUNNING WATER, FLUSH THE TOILETS, YOU KNOW, CHECK BEHIND, MAKE SURE EVERYTHING'S CLEAN. THEN WE GO IN TO CHECK IN THE FIRST BEDROOM. I LIKE TO DO IT IN A BIG CIRCLE SO I DON'T MISS ANYTHING WALKING THROUGH THESE VILLAS. WE CHECK ALL THE DRAWERS TO MAKE SURE THAT A GUEST DIDN'T LEAVE ANYTHING BEHIND IN PREVIOUS STAY. MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE WANT TO CHECK UNDER THE BEDS TO MAKE SURE THERE'S NOTHING UNDER THERE THAT, UM, WE'RE CAUSING ISSUE FOR A GUEST. EVERYTHING LOOKS CLEAN. CHECK AROUND IN THE NIGHTSTAND AS WELL. CHECKING THE LAMP. WANNA RUN OUR HAND ACROSS THE TABLE? MAKE SURE THERE'S NO DIRT [00:50:01] OR CRUMBS LEFT FROM ANY PREVIOUS DAY. WE'RE GOOD. WANNA CHECK THESE LIGHTS RIGHT HERE? MAKE SURE ALL THAT ALL TURN ON. WE'LL GO OUTSIDE REAL FAST AND WE'LL CHECK THE, UM, PORCH TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING LOOKS GOOD. MAKE SURE THE LIGHTS OUT HERE WORK FOR OUR GUESTS. ALSO DO A VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE FIRE PIT AND MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING ON OUR OUTDOOR PATIOS WORK PROPERLY. ONE, TWO, AND THREE ARE THE ONLY ONES THAT HAVE THIS, UH, OUTDOOR PATIO RIGHT NOW, BUT, UH, IT IS A PLAN FOR THE FUTURE TO HAVE THE REST OF 'EM INSTALLED. WE'LL GO BACK IN AND FINISH THE WALKTHROUGH. SOMETIMES THERE'S SOME DISHES THAT ARE STILL LEFT IN HERE. WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE, UM, CLEAN AND IF SO, PUT THEM AWAY, UM, AND WIPE DOWN ANYTHING THAT NEEDS IT. UM, ON THE COUNTERS, WE WANT TO RUN OUR HAND ACROSS THE COUNTER, MAKE SURE THERE'S NO CRUMBS OR ANY RESIDUE STILL LEFT. UM, AS WELL AS CHECKING THE MICROWAVE AS WELL. WE ALWAYS WANT TO CHECK THE DISH, MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S NO, UM, STUCK ON STAINS OR ANYTHING, ANY KIND OF SPATTER INSIDE THE MICROWAVE. AND CHECKING EVERY CABINET TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NOTHING THAT SHOULDN'T BE IN THERE AND THAT EVERYTHING'S WHERE IT SHOULD BE. RIGHT. THE MIRROR AND EVERYTHING LOOKS GOOD IN HERE. WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE LAST BEDROOM. ALL RIGHT, NOW THIS WAS THE LAST ROOM IN THE VILLA TO WALK THROUGH. NOW THAT EVERYTHING LOOKS GOOD, I'LL RADIO THE OFFICE UP FRONT AND LET THEM KNOW THAT THE GUESTS CAN CHECK IN. THANKS FOR JOINING ME TODAY HERE AT DRY STATE PARK. I'M GONNA GO BACK TO THE OFFICE AND FINISH UP SOME ADMINISTRATIVE STUFF WHERE I HEAD OUT FOR THE DAY. UM, WHAT YOU SAW HERE TODAY WAS JUST A FEW OF THE MANY THINGS WE GET TO DO AND EXPERIENCE HERE AT DREW ISLAND. SO I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO COME OUT, ENJOY THE STATE PARKS AND SEE YOU FOR YOURSELF. THE SCALE OF OUR SOLAR SYSTEM IS DIFFICULT TO FATHOM. WHEN SCIENTISTS SAY OUTER SPACE, THEY MEAN SPACE. SO TO GET AN IDEA OF WHAT THE SIZE OF OUR SOLAR SYSTEM IS LIKE, WE'RE GONNA CREATE A SCALE MODEL USING LANDMARKS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY. WE'RE GONNA SHRINK THE SOLAR SYSTEM DOWN FROM 3.5 BILLION MILES TO THE SIZE OF THE DISTANCE FROM THE HUNTING ISLAND LIGHTHOUSE TO THE TRAIN STATION, WHICH IS ABOUT 32 MILES. SO LET'S GO. WE ARE STARTING HERE AT THE CENTER OF A SOLAR SYSTEM. OUR SUN, THE SUN IS THE ONLY STAR IN OUR SOLAR SYSTEM, BUT MORE ON THAT LATER. ALL OF THE PLANETS AND EXTRA SOLAR OBJECTS LIKE ASTEROIDS AND COMETS IN OUR SOLAR SYSTEM ORBIT AROUND THE SUN. AT THE SCALE WE ARE USING THE DIAMETER OF THE SUN WOULD BE ABOUT ONE THIRD OF THE HEIGHT OF THIS LIGHTHOUSE. THE FIRST FOUR PLANETS ORBITING AROUND THE SUN ARE ROCKY PLANETS AND RELATIVELY CLOSE. THE FIRST ONE IS MERCURY. AND ON OUR SCALE ONLY ABOUT A THIRD OF A MILE AWAY FROM THE SUN AND SMALL ABOUT THE SIZE OF A PONG WALL. MERCURY IS THE SMALLEST PLANET IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM, AND IT TAKES ONLY 88 EARTH DAYS FOR IT TO MAKE A COMPLETE REVOLUTION AROUND THE SUN. [00:55:01] BECAUSE IT IS SO CLOSE TO THE SUN, ITS SURFACE TEMPERATURES ARE EXTREME RANGING FROM HUNDREDS OF DEGREES BELOW FREEZING AT NIGHT TO SEVERAL HUNDRED DEGREES DURING THE DAY. NEXT COMES VENUS, A LITTLE MORE THAN HALF A MILE AWAY FROM THE LIGHTHOUSE ON OUR SCALE AND ABOUT FOUR INCHES IN DIAMETER. VENUS HAS A VERY THICK ATMOSPHERE CREATING A GREENHOUSE EFFECT THAT RESULTS IN EXTREMELY HOT TEMPERATURES ON THE PLANET'S SURFACE. IT ALSO HAS VOLCANOES, SOME OF WHICH ARE THOUGHT TO BE ACTIVE. VENUS IS ONE OF THE PLANETS THAT IS EASILY VISIBLE IN THE NIGHT SKY FROM EARTH. IN FACT, IT IS THE BRIGHTEST OBJECT OTHER THAN THE MOON. NOW HERE WE ARE AT EARTH'S LOCATION, JUST LESS THAN A MILE AWAY FROM THE SUN. EARTH WOULD BE JUST A LITTLE BIT LARGER THAN VENUS. THE EARTH IS HIGHLY UNIQUE AMONG ALL PLANETS. IT SUPPORTS A VAST DIVERSITY OF LIFE JUST OVER ONTO HARBOR ISLAND. HERE WE ARE AT MARS, A LITTLE MORE THAN A MILE AWAY FROM OUR SUN. MARS IS THE LAST OF THE ROCKY PLANETS. IT IS A PLANET SIMILAR TO EARTH HAVING AN ATMOSPHERE, SIMILAR GEOLOGY, AND EVEN FROZEN WATER PRESENT, IT TAKES ABOUT TWICE AS LONG FROM MARS TO GO AROUND THE SUN THAN THE EARTH DOES. NASA'S CURIOSITY ROVER HAS BEEN ON THE SURFACE OF MARS SINCE 2012. EXPLORING AND ANALYZING THE PLANET BETWEEN MARS AND THE GIANT PLANETS IS AN ASTEROID BELT. ON OUR SCALE, THE ASTEROIDS WOULD BE TINY, LIKE THE GRAINS OF SAND WASHING IN AND OUT WITH THE TIDE. JUPITER IS COMPARATIVELY FAR AWAY, MORE THAN FIVE TIMES THE DISTANCE FROM THE SUN AS EARTH. AND IT'S HUGE. IT'S MORE THAN TWICE THE MASS OF ALL THE PLANETS COMBINED. CONVECTION FROM THE INTENSE HEAT IN JUPITER'S CORE CREATES VIOLENT WEATHER ON THE PLANET. THE RED SPOT IS A HUGE STORM, LARGER THAN THE DIAMETER OF EARTH. JUPITER ALSO SPINS VERY RAPIDLY, WHICH IS WHAT CREATES ITS STRIPED APPEARANCE. NEXT COMES SATURN TWICE THE DISTANCE FROM THE SUN. AS JUPITER AND A LITTLE BIT SMALLER, SATURN IS SURROUNDED BY RINGS MADE UP OF ICE, DUST, AND CHUNKS OF ROCK. DOUBLE THE DISTANCE AGAIN, AND WE REACH URANUS ON OUR SCALE ABOUT 15 MILES AWAY. AND THE SIZE OF THE BEACH BALL. URANUS IS UNIQUE FROM THE OTHER PLANETS BECAUSE IT ROTATES ON ITS SIDE IN RELATION TO THE SUN. NEPTUNE, THE OTHER ICE GIANT IS ONCE AGAIN NEARLY TWICE THE DISTANCE FROM THE SUN AS ITS NEAREST NEIGHBOR. NEPTUNE AND URANUS ARE ABOUT THE SAME SIZE, AND BOTH PLANETS HAVE METHANE IN THEIR ATMOSPHERES, MAKING THEM APPEAR BLUE. LITTLE IS KNOWN ABOUT THEM DUE TO THEIR EXTREME DISTANCES FROM EARTH. HERE AT THE YEE TRAIN STATION, WE'VE REACHED THE END OF OUR JOURNEY THROUGH THE SOLAR SYSTEM. THIS IS THE HOME OF THE KUPER BELT, AN AREA OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM CONTAINING COMETS, ASTEROIDS, AND OTHER SMALL ICY OBJECTS. THE KUPER BELT IS HOME TO PLUTO ONCE THE LAST PLANET AND THE SOLAR SYSTEM. BUT NOW CONSIDERED A DWARF PLANET PLUTO WOULD ONLY BE ABOUT THE SIZE OF A WALL ON OUR SCALE, BUT THIS IS NOT THE EDGE OF OUR SOLAR SYSTEM. THERE'S MORE BEYOND PLUTO. THE FURTHEST KNOWN OBJECT THAT IS PART OF OUR SOLAR SYSTEM IS THREE TIMES FURTHER AWAY FROM THE SUN THAN PLUTO. AND THE ACTUAL EDGE OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM EXTENDS EVEN FURTHER. SO THE NEXT TIME YOU TAKE A TRIP, IMAGINE YOU'RE TAKING A TRIP THROUGH THE SOLAR SYSTEM AND THINK ABOUT ALL THE SPACE OUT THERE. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.