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CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY.
I'D LIKE TO WELCOME EVERYONE TO OUR FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE MEETING TODAY.
LOOKS LIKE THE TOWN CLOCK IS LOW AHEAD OF THE INTERNET CLOCK, BUT
UM, TODAY'S AGENDA HAS BEEN BEFORE COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
ALL IN FAVOR, MINUTES FROM OUR MAY 29TH AND JUNE 26 MEETINGS OF 2025.
ALL IN FAVOR? NEXT WE HAVE PRESENTATIONS.
WE'LL HAVE AN UPDATE FROM THE COASTAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, UH, MR. ALLEN WOLF.
ALAN WOLF, UM, PRESIDENT SEARCH GROUP AND CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD FOR THE CCDC AND JUST WANTED TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE.
YOU ALL HAVE, UH, A COUPLE GRAPHS THERE, WHICH SHOW 17 UNITS HERE ON HILTON HEAD THAT THE COASTAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION HAS PURCHASED.
AND 15 OF THOSE WERE, UH, FUNDED PARTIALLY WITH TOWN FUNDS FROM THE AFFILIATED AGENCY FUNDING REQUEST.
WE'RE CLOSING ON OUR 18TH THIS WEEK, UH, ON FRIDAY, WHICH WILL BE IN FOREST COVE.
SO YOU CAN SEE FOREST COVE HAS TWO UNITS.
THERE'LL BE THREE THEREAFTER THAT, UM, PRETTY GOOD DISBURSEMENT ACROSS THE ISLAND AND I THINK A VERY GOOD REPRESENTATION ACROSS, UH, THE WORKFORCE, WHICH IS ON THE NEXT SLIDE.
YOU CAN ALSO SEE THE 50% UNITS THERE.
UM, VERY HIGH DEMAND FOR THOSE FOUR UNITS WHEN THEY CAME UP.
THOSE ARE ROUGHLY RUNNING FOR A THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR A TWO BEDROOM, UM, WHICH WERE JUST IN EXTREMELY HIGH DEMAND, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE ON THE ISLAND.
SO THE APPLICATION PROCESS WORKED WELL, PUT LOCAL WORKERS IN, IN EVERY CASE IN THOSE UNITS.
AND WE'VE NEVER HAD A SHORTAGE OF LOCAL WORKER APPLICATIONS, OF COURSE, FOR ALL THE UNITS THAT WE'VE HAD AVAILABLE.
SO VERY HAPPY, UM, WITH THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE AT HILTON HEAD AND ARE WORKING VERY HARD TO CONTINUE TO RAISE FUNDS, YOU KNOW, IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, PUBLIC SECTOR, EVERYWHERE WE CAN TO CONTINUE OUR WORK.
UH, CAR LETHA POINTED OUT, THERE ARE NO SURGE EMPLOYEES UNFORTUNATELY YET IN ANY OF THOSE UNITS.
THESE ARE ALL JUST WORKERS IN GENERAL FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
ANY QUESTIONS I CAN ANSWER? YES.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING TODAY AND UPDATING US.
UM, YOU TALKED ABOUT THERE'S NO SHORTAGE OF FINDING PEOPLE, UM, TO FILL THESE SLOTS.
WHAT KIND OF WAITING LIST DO YOU HAVE? UH, IT DEPENDS ON THE PRICE POINT.
WHAT I REFERENCED IN PARTICULAR WAS THE 50% UNITS HAD VERY HIGH DEMAND.
UH, THE WAIT LIST VARIES DEPENDING ON RENTAL RATE.
THERE'S ONE TABBY WALK AVAILABLE RIGHT NOW, A TWO BEDROOM THAT JUST OPENED UP AT THE BEGINNING OF, UH, AUGUST, I BELIEVE.
SO THERE'S A FEW APPLICATIONS THAT ARE PENDING, AND IF THERE'S A $1,000 UNIT, THERE'LL BE 50 APPLICATIONS PENDING.
SO IT JUST DEPENDS ON THE PRICE POINT, WHICH DRIVES HOW LONG THAT LISTED IS.
UM, WHEN YOU SEE THE A MI RANGE DISTRIBUTION, IS THAT WHAT YOU WERE LOOKING FOR IN REGARDS TO THE DISTRIBUTION? IT IS MORE FAVORABLE THAN WE HAD LOOKED FOR ORIGINALLY.
IT WAS ALWAYS PREMISE THAT WE WOULD HAVE ONE UNIT, UM, AT 50%, TWO UNITS AT 80%, AND ONE UNIT AT 120%.
SO WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ADD MORE 50% UNITS THANKS TO SOME DONATIONS THAT WE'VE RECEIVED ALONG THE WAY.
UM, THE 100% UNITS ARE NOT PART OF OUR ORIGINAL PRESCRIPTION, BUT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT TO HAVE EVEN LOWER THAN 120%.
SO I THINK IT'S BETTER DISTRIBUTION THAN WE HAD ORIGINALLY PROMISED OR NEEDED.
THE, UH, ORIGINAL RUBRIC WAS BASED ON A PROPERTY TAX ABATEMENT, WHICH IS OFFERED AT THE STATE LEVEL.
IF YOU HAVE ONE UNIT OF 50%, TWO UNITS TO 80 AND ONE AT ONE 20, THAT HAS BEEN A VERY DIFFICULT THING TO GET AHOLD OF BECAUSE WE'RE DEALING WITH COLUMBIA, WHO THEN TALKS TO THE COUNTY.
AND COLUMBIA'S BEEN INCREDIBLY CHALLENGING TO GET A SINGLE PROPERTY TAX ABATEMENT COMPLETED YET.
SO I, UM, I KNOW THAT WHEN YOU WENT IN AND PURCHASED THESE, UM, OPPORTUNITIES, THERE WERE MANY TIMES PEOPLE ALREADY LIVING IN THEM.
UM, HOW MANY WOULD YOU SAY HAVE JUST RETAINED THERE VERSUS BRINGING NEW, UM, RENTERS INTO THIS PROGRAM? I WOULD SAY ESTIMATE 50% OF THE UNITS PROBABLY STILL HAVE THE ORIGINAL TENANTS FROM WHEN WE BOUGHT IT.
THE ONE THAT WE'RE BUYING THIS FRIDAY, FOR EXAMPLE, HAS TENANTS THAT HAVE LIVED THERE FOR THREE OR FOUR YEARS, SO THAT'S ANOTHER EXAMPLE.
ONE THAT WILL KEEP THOSE TENANTS IN PLACE
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AND IMMEDIATELY LOOK FOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE THEM INTO A PURCHASE SCENARIO.I'M SURE WE COULD GET THE EXACT NUMBER IF YOU'D LIKE.
AND WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED DURING THIS PROCESS? THERE HAD TO BE SOME LEARNING SINCE YOU ROLLED OUT A NEW PROGRAM.
THE, THE NUMBER ONE THING IS THERE ARE CERTAIN COMMUNITIES ON HILTON HEAD THAT ARE HIGHLY, UM, DESIRABLE FOR NON-LEGAL STATUS RESIDENTS.
AND WE ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO RENT TO THOSE FOLKS, SO THEY DON'T QUALIFY FOR OUR APPLICATION PROCESS.
WE'VE HAD TO BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE BUYING A UNIT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S DEMAND FOR LEGAL RESIDENT WORKERS.
UM, SO THAT'S DEFINITELY BEEN ONE, ONE PIECE OF IT.
UH, WE'VE LEARNED THAT THE THIRD PARTY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM WASN'T AS NECESSARY AS WE THOUGHT THAT IT MAY BE.
OUR PROGRAM MANAGER, CAR LUTHER FRAZIER HAS MANAGED UP TO A HUNDRED UNITS IN HER REAL ESTATE PROFESSION PREVIOUSLY, AND SHE'S BEEN ABLE TO DO A WONDERFUL JOB OF BRINGING ALL OF THOSE UNITS IN HOUSE.
SO WE'RE ROUGHLY 85 TO 90% OF THE UNITS ARE NOW BEING SELF-MANAGED, WHICH SHAPES US 8% AND ALLOWS US TO OFFER MORE AFFORDABLE RENT.
UM, AND IT'S JUST A, A LOT HARDER TO RAISE MONEY THAN WE THOUGHT.
FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING FOR THE COMMUNITY.
REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR, YOUR, THAT'S A BIG TEAM, BUT I'LL TAKE CREDIT IF YOU LIKE.
YEAH, WELL PASS IT ALONG TO THE WHOLE TEAM.
UM, AND, UH, YOU MENTIONED FUNDRAISING IS TOUGH PART OF IT.
UH, CAN YOU GIVE US SOME IDEA ABOUT THE, THE, THE TYPES OF FUNDS THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO ACQUIRE? I KNOW A LOT OF IT'S PRIVATE FUNDING.
PERCENTAGE OF PRIVATE FUNDING.
AND THEN WHAT ABOUT, UM, OTHER FUNDING FROM LIKE THE TOWN AND THE COUNTY SURE.
WE'VE RAISED ABOUT $12 MILLION TO DATE, I'D SAY.
AND OF COURSE OUR GOAL THERE IS TO SPEND IT BY BUYING UNITS.
SO IT'S ALL BEEN EXPENDED, UM, FOR THE MOST PART.
AND I'D SAY THAT OF THE 12 MILLION, UH, 1.2 EXACTLY.
SO 10% HAS BEEN THROUGH MUNICIPAL FUNDS, 600 FROM THE TOWN OF HILTON AND 600 FROM BEAUFORT COUNTY THROUGH THE BEAUFORT, JASPER HOUSING TRUST.
WE HAVE SECURED, UM, DONATIONS OF ROUGHLY TWO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS.
AND WE'VE SECURED PRIVATE MORTGAGES, UM, OF ANOTHER, SAY MILLION AND A HALF.
UH, WE'VE CON WE'VE SECURED BANK MORTGAGES OF JUST OVER 2 MILLION BETWEEN THE TWO MARKETS ON HILTON HEAD AND BLUFFTON.
AND THEN WE'VE SECURED, UM, YOU KNOW, ROUGHLY THE BALANCE IN ALTRUISTIC CAPITAL, WHICH IS AT A 3% RETURN.
SO BELOW MARKET RETURN ON A 10 YEAR PROMISSORY NOTE FROM INVESTORS.
UM, WE ARE EMBARKING ON A HOUSING TRUST FUND EFFORT, WHICH IS NOT NEW TO AMERICA.
UM, THERE'S BEEN A VERY SUCCESSFUL $70 MILLION RAISE UP IN CHAR, CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA.
AND THAT SAME FIRM IS DOING IT IN CHARLESTON FOR 50 MILLION.
SO WE ARE JUST RECEIVED OUR FIRST DRAFT OF THE LEGAL DOCUMENTS ON THAT YESTERDAY.
THE IDEA THERE BEING WE'D BE ABLE TO OFFER A SECURE INVESTMENT FOR PEOPLE, NOT JUST AN UNSECURED PROMISSORY NOTE INVESTMENT.
SO WE THINK WHAT WE HAVE THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY, UM, TO, TO MAKE A BIG IMPACT ON THE FUNDRAISING SIDE BECAUSE IT'S ASKING, YOU KNOW, LESS FOR JUST DONATIONS, BUT, BUT OFFERING SOMEONE A SECURITY INSTRUMENT.
AND THAT'LL BE USED IN OUR GOAL IS 10 MILLION ON HILTON HEAD TO WORK ON THE NOVANT HEALTH PROJECT FOR THE, FOR THE APARTMENTS, AND THEN 40 MILLION OFF ISLAND AND ACROSS BEAUFORT AND JASPER COUNTY.
THE ARRAY OF DIFFERENT FUNDING SOURCES.
UM, THE TOWN, WE ARE BLESSED WITH LOTS OF DIFFERENT FUNDING SOURCES, SO IT'S IMPRESSIVE THAT CCDC HAS BEEN ABLE TO HAVE A, A VARIETY OF FUNDING SOURCES AND NOT RELY ON ONE OR TWO FUNDING SOURCES.
IT WAS ALWAYS PREDICATED $1 FROM PUBLIC.
WE'D GO OUT AND FIND THE OTHER FOUR.
I THINK WE'VE OVERACHIEVED IN THAT, YOU KNOW, INITIAL GOAL.
YES, BRYSON, UH, AGAIN, MR. DO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF, UH, QUESTIONS.
SO THE REPORT THAT YOU ARE PROVIDING US, UH, IS FOR THE 17, HOPEFULLY SOON TO BE 18 PROPERTIES HERE ON HILTON HEAD.
UM, JUST FOR, UH, BETTER CONVERSATIONAL UNDERSTANDING, HOW MANY UNITS DO YOU GUYS HAVE IN YOUR PORTFOLIO TOTAL? UH, OTHERS WOULD BE OFF OF HILTON HEAD.
23 OFF ISLAND IN THE BLUFFTON OR BEAUFORT UNINCORPORATED MARKET.
UM, AND THAT TAKES US TO 40, WHICH WILL BE 41 AS OF THIS WEEK.
UM, IT WAS INTERESTING AS I LOOKED AT THESE GRAPHS, UM, BUT THERE'S A LARGE AMOUNT THAT'S WITHIN THE 50, 80% A MI MM-HMM
UM, GUESS MY QUESTION IS GOING TOWARDS AS THE MARKET STARTS TO SHIFT, UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF CONDOS THAT ARE GOING ON TO THE MARKET NOW.
THE SHORT TERM RENTAL MARKET IS NOT WHAT IT ONCE WAS.
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I WOULD AGREE WITH THAT.UM, AND I APPRECIATE YOU, UH, LOOKING FOR FUNDING, UM, FOR THE NOVANT PROJECT, BUT IN TERMS OF THESE UNITS THAT WILL BE SOON AVAILABLE AND NOT WANTING THEM TO BE SHORT TERM RENTALS, UM, CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ANY STRATEGIES THAT YOU MAY HAVE AS FAR AS FUNDRAISING OR KEEPING YOUR EYES OPEN SO THAT YOU CAN CATCH THESE DEALS AS THEY COME ABOUT? UH, SHORT-TERM RENTALS WOULD BE A PRIORITY FOR SURE.
UM, ANYTIME WE CAN GET ONE BACK TO THE LONG-TERM RENTAL MARKET, THAT'S IDEAL.
UM, IT'S STILL A VERY COSTLY PROPOSITION ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
YOU KNOW, THE AVERAGE PRICE OF THOSE UNITS COMING BACK IS GONNA BE 300 TO 350,000, WHICH IS THE HIGH END OF OUR WHAT WE CAN STOMACH.
UM, BUT TO THE EXTENT THAT WE CAN RAISE FUNDS THAT WILL REMAIN A HIGH TARGET.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY INSIDE INFORMATION TYPICALLY ON WHEN THOSE ARE COMING UP.
WE ARE MORE TYPICALLY CONTACTED WHEN THERE'S A BULK OF UNITS COMING AVAILABLE.
FOR INSTANCE, EIGHT CORDIAL UNITS I THINK ARE AVAILABLE OFF MARKET RIGHT NOW.
UM, THEY DO NOT MEET THE CRITERIA THAT WE NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN OUR PROGRAM, NOR DO WE HAVE THE FUNDING SITTING THERE.
BUT WE, WE TYPICALLY WOULD GET CONTACT WHEN BIGGER CHUNKS COME AVAILABLE, IT SEEMS LIKE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? WE'RE GOOD.
THANK YOU MR. WOLF WILL THANK YOU.
UH, COME IN TO SEE US AND KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.
NEXT WE WILL HAVE MR. TROY TO GIVE US A MONTHLY FINANCIAL UPDATE ON THE YEAR 2026.
MR. CHAIRMAN, COMMITTEE MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
UM, COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I WANTED TO EMPHASIZE.
YOU SEE THE REPORT HERE, BUT JUST TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, JUST SOME OF THE MECHANICS AND SOME OF, UH, OUR PROCESS.
SO YOU CAN KIND OF LOOK UNDER THE HOOD A LITTLE BIT INTO WHAT, UM, IS HAPPENING BEHIND THE SCENES AT FINANCE.
UM, FIRST I WOULDN'T WANNA LET THIS MOMENT GO BY WITHOUT RECOGNIZING OUR BOND RATING UPGRADE.
AND SO JUST RECENTLY, STANDARD AND POORS HAS UPGRADED THE TOWN TO A TRIPLE A.
AND SO THAT MAKES THE TOWN A TRIPLE, TRIPLE A, WHICH IS ONE OF TWO COMMUNITIES IN SOUTH CAROLINA THAT, UM, HAS ACHIEVED THAT.
AND SO, UM, OUR TAKEAWAY ON THAT, IT'S ONE, IT'S A, IT'S A MATTER OF PRIDE, I THINK, FOR OUR COMMUNITY, BUT IT ALSO HELPS POSITION TOWN COUNCIL, UM, IN THE BEST POSSIBLE PLACE FOR FUTURE DECISIONS, WHATEVER THE FUTURE DECISIONS TOWN COUNCIL MAY MAKE.
AND SO, UM, WE WANNA TAKE A MOMENT TO CELEBRATE THAT.
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ACCOUNTS PAYABLE GENERALLY.
WE, UM, IF FOR PEOPLE WHO, UM, FOR THE AUDIENCE HERE, WE DO HAVE A JUNE 30TH YEAR END.
GENERALLY, WE LOOK TOWARD GOODS AND SERVICES DELIVERED BEFORE JUNE 30TH.
GENERALLY WHAT HAPPENS IS WE GET BILLED IN JULY.
AND, UM, AND SO THEN THOSE, UH, INVOICES ARE APPROVED AND TURNED BACK INTO FROM THE DEPARTMENTS INTO, UM, FINANCE FOR PAYMENT.
UM, AND SO THEY'RE GENERALLY, WE HAVE A CUTOFF AND WE ASK OUR DEPARTMENTS TO TURN ALL THESE IN BY JULY 31ST.
UM, THERE ARE GENERALLY, UM, WE GET VAST MAJORITY OF THOSE IN BY JULY 31ST, BUT THEN THERE'S INVARIABLY A NUMBER THAT NEED TO HAVE SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH THE VENDORS, UM, WHETHER IT'S, UM, THE QUALITY OR THE QUANTITIES OF GOODS OR SERVICES DELIVERED.
AND THEY HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE VENDORS AND WORK OUT THOSE, UM, DIFFERENCES.
UM, AND SOME OF THAT SPILLS OVER INTO AUGUST.
AND SO, UM, WE THINK WE HAVE A REALLY GOOD CUTOFF NOW FOR OUR JUNE 30TH.
SO OUR ACCOUNTS PAYABLE IS LOOKING, UM, LIKE WE HAVE, WE'VE ACHIEVED THAT, A GOOD CUTOFF FOR, UM, JUNE 30TH.
UM, A LITTLE BIT ON OUR ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE, JUST THROUGH OUR GOVERNMENTAL ACCOUNTING, WE HAVE, UM, KIND OF A THREE-PRONGED TEST FOR OUR RECEIVABLES.
IT NEEDS TO BE DUE, MEASURABLE AND AVAILABLE.
WE GENERALLY WILL HAVE OUR AVAILABILITY WINDOW OPEN THROUGH JULY 31ST.
AND SO GENERALLY IF WE RECEIVE FUNDS THROUGH JULY 31ST, AND IT WAS DUE JUNE 30TH, AND WE'LL ACCRUE IT BACK INTO JUNE 30TH.
AND SO WHAT, UM, HAPPENS FROM A PRACTICAL STANDPOINT IS THAT MOST OF OUR COLLECTIONS IN JULY ARE BOOKED BACK INTO JUNE.
AND SO IF YOU LOOK AT JULY FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, THERE ISN'T A LOT THERE.
UM, BECAUSE IT'S, JUNE WILL LOOK ALMOST LIKE A DOUBLE MONTH FOR BOTH SPENDING AND, UM, REVENUES JUST BECAUSE OF THE WAY THAT OUR MECHANICS OF RECORDING THESE TRANSACTIONS HAPPEN.
WE ARE REPORTING ON FISCAL 2026, AND I, I FELT LIKE THIS WOULD BE GOOD INFORMATION AS WE KIND OF DISCUSSED THAT.
BUT OUR FINANCE, OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT IS WORKING ON, UM, JUST SAW IT COME ACROSS MY DESK, THE COMPENSATED ABSENCES, ACCRUED SICK LEAVE, OPEP PENSION INFORMATION,
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FIXED ASSETS, CONSTRUCTION WORK IN PROGRESS.ALL THAT HAPPENS AFTER WE GET ALL OUR INVOICES IN THROUGH ACCOUNTS PAYABLE, BUT THAT'S HAPPENING AS WE SPEAK.
AND SO, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO REPORT OUR REVENUES SUPPORTED OUR BUDGET COMFORTABLY FOR 2025.
UM, OUR EXPENDITURES AND EXPENSES WERE WITHIN BUDGET FOR 2025.
WE'RE STILL WORKING ON, UM, SOME OF THE DETAILS.
WE'VE GOT SOME CATEGORIES, CATEGORIES TO CORRECT.
WE FIND A FEW THINGS BOOKED INTO THE WRONG PLACE.
AND WE DO THE, DO SOME OF THOSE CORRECTIONS AT THE END OF THE YEAR.
UM, WE DO THOSE DURING THE YEAR IF WE FIND THEM, BUT WE ESPECIALLY TAKE A HARD LOOK AT THOSE AT THE END OF THE YEAR.
AND WE'RE DOING THAT WORK RIGHT NOW.
WE'VE GOT OUR BUDGET POSTED FOR 2026.
UM, THE TOWN'S, UH, DEPARTMENTS ARE STARTING THEIR WORK FOR 2026.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO DO, WHETHER IT'S, UM, CAPITAL PROJECTS, WHETHER IT'S, UM, JUST THE NORMAL GOOD WORK THAT THE DEPARTMENTS ARE DOING IN THERE, OFTEN RUNNING.
UM, AND THERE'S MUCH TO DO FOR 2026.
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR AUDIT TOO.
UM, 'CAUSE I, I LIKE, I DO LIKE TO POINT TO THAT.
UM, WE DO, THE TOWN HAS, UM, ENGAGED AN INDEPENDENT AUDITOR WITH MALDEN AND JENKINS.
UM, AND THEY'LL DO THEIR AUDIT FOR JUNE, JUNE 30TH, 2025.
AND SO WE, THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT HAVE BEEN PROVIDING INFORMATION TO THEM, UM, ALREADY.
SO WE, UM, AS WE GO THROUGH THE CLOSING PROCESS, UM, WE LIKE THAT THEY CAN DO AS MUCH WORK ON THE INTERIM BASIS AND WE LIKE TO MAKE THAT, UM, AS, UM, AN ONGOING CONVERSATION AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
AND SO WE PROVIDE INFORMATION AS EARLY AS WE DO, UM, SO THAT THEY CAN DO THEIR WORK, ALL THE WORK THAT THEY NEED TO DO.
SO GENERALLY OUR BASIC SCHEDULE IS, IS THAT WE TRY TO GIVE THEM A CLEAN TRIAL BALANCE JUNE 30TH TRIAL BALANCE BY THE END OF AUGUST.
AND SO WE'RE, WE'RE IN PRETTY GOOD SHAPE ABOUT THAT SEPTEMBER.
BETWEEN US AND THE AUDITORS, WE DO, UM, A BUNCH OF FINANCIAL REPORTING SCHEDULES THAT ARE GONNA GO INTO, UM, OUR ANNUAL REPORT.
OCTOBER, OUR INDEPENDENT AUDITORS COME ON SITE AND THEY'RE HERE DOING THEIR WORK.
UH, THEY ACTUALLY DO A LOT OF WORK OFFSITE, BUT OCTOBER IS THE DEDICATED PIECE WHERE THEY ARE ONSITE.
AND THEN NOVEMBER, WHAT WE DO IS BETWEEN US, WE, THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT AND THE OUTSIDE AUDITORS PUT TOGETHER THE, WHAT WE CALL AN ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORT OR ACT FOR, UM, THAT YOU'LL GET TO SEE THE OUTPUT, UM, IT'S COMING UP.
AND SO THEN, UM, OUR AUDIT WILL BE PRESENTED, UM, TO TOWN COUNCIL AT A REGULARLY SCHEDULED PUBLIC MEETING.
SO YOU'LL GET TO SEE, UM, THE OFFICIAL FINANCIAL RESULTS, BUT YOU ALSO GET TO SEE, UM, WHAT, UM, THE AUDITORS FEEL ARE IMPORTANT FINANCIAL COMPONENTS.
THEY'LL TELL YOU SOME OF THAT AND THEY'LL ALSO TELL YOU ABOUT THEIR FINDINGS.
AND SO THEY'LL, UM, ANYTHING THAT THEY FOUND DURING THE AUDIT PROCESS, AND THEY'LL MAKE THAT REPORT TO TOWN COUNCIL.
AND SO AS WE WORK THROUGH THESE NUMBERS, WE'RE, WE'RE MAKING REALLY GOOD PROGRESS ON THE WHATS, WHAT ARE THE NUMBERS, AND WE'RE STILL, UM, DOING SOME EXTRA WORK ON THE WHYS OF THE NUMBERS.
BUT, UM, ALL IN ALL, I THINK THAT WE HAVE AN EXCELLENT FINANCIAL REPORT.
UM, I DO LIKE TO, UM, TALK A LOT ABOUT, OR, UH, I GUESS A, A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY PART OF, UH, A MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT TO, UM, THE FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE.
HOW DID THAT START? HOW DID, HOW DID WE EVEN START THAT? IT STARTED BACK IN COVID AND DURING COVID, UM, TOWN COUNCIL PASSED A BUDGET, UM, FOR 2021, FISCAL 2021 AND EARLY 2020.
OF COURSE, COVID HAD JUST STARTED TOWN COUNCIL, UH, PASSED A BUDGET, BUT, UM, WAS EXPECTING, UM, ONE THAT OUR REVENUE'S GONNA SUPPORT OUR BUDGET.
AND THERE WAS A REAL NERVOUSNESS ABOUT THAT.
AND DO WE NEED TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS? THE EXPECTATION WAS IS THAT WE ARE GOING TO MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS, AND THE QUESTION WAS, HOW MANY ADJUSTMENTS DO WE NEED TO MAKE? AND SO, UM, THOSE ARE THE QUESTIONS THAT OUR FORMER FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE CHAIR TRIED TO GET ME TO FOCUS ON IN THE MONTHLY REPORTS SAYS, OKAY, HOW ARE WE DOING? DO WE NEED TO MAKE ANY ADJUSTMENT? AND SO ANSWERING THOSE TWO QUESTIONS, I KNOW THOSE ARE FROM ANOTHER DAY, BUT ANSWERING THOSE TWO QUESTIONS WE'RE DOING VERY WELL.
AND THERE'S NO NEED, IN MY OPINION, TO MAKE ANY ADJUSTMENTS TO THE 2026 BUDGET.
WE FINISHED 2025, WELL, WE'RE STARTING 2025, UM, STILL VERY, VERY EARLY, BUT WE'RE STARTING 2026, UH, VERY, VERY WELL.
SO THERE'S NO NEED TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS.
THERE'S PLENTY OF WORK THAT THE BUDGET SUPPORTS, UM, THE
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TOWN TO DO.UM, MOVING RIGHT ALONG, UM, WITH THAT, UM, JUST KNOW THAT OUR SIX BUDGETED FUNDS, UM, ALL REPORTED AN INCREASE OF FUND BALANCES, WHICH IS ALWAYS GOOD TO REPORT, AND THAT HELPS TO PROVIDE TOWN COUNCIL ADDITIONAL FLEXIBILITY FOR YOUR FUTURE DECISIONS.
AND SO WITH THAT, I'LL OPEN FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, WELCOME BACK.
UM, AND, UM, I, I WANNA LOOK AT THE CHARTS THAT YOU PROVIDED TO US.
FIRST OF ALL, THE ONE THAT'S SHOWING ON THE SCREEN, UM, LOOKS AS THOUGH, AND GOSH, I THINK IT'S EVERY CATEGORY.
WE HAD AN INCREASE, UM, IN RECEIPTS ABOVE WHAT WE FORECAST FOR THE BUDGET.
SO THAT'S ALWAYS GOOD NEWS TO HAVE MORE MONEY.
UM, AND THEN I DID FLIP OVER TO THE NEXT SLIDE AND LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE STAND WITH REGARD TO REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES.
UM, IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE IN GOOD STEAD THERE AS WELL.
AND I KNOW THAT, UM, WE ARE STILL WORKING ON CLOSING OUT, UH, FISCAL YEAR 25 THROUGH JUNE 30.
UM, BUT IT LOOKS AS THOUGH, AND, AND WE HAVE A CIP WORKSHOP COMING UP FOR FULL TOWN COUNCIL TOMORROW.
SO I'M ALWAYS LOOKING AT HOW MUCH ARE WE GOING TO CARRY FORWARD? UM, AND, AND THINKING ABOUT HOW, WHAT'S THE BEST USE OF THOSE FUNDS? DO SOME OF 'EM NEED TO GO INTO OUR RESERVES? DO SOME OF 'EM NEED TO GO INTO THE PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE PLANNED FOR, UH, FY 26? SO, UM, IF YOU CAN HELP ME OUT WITH THE BOTTOM LINE, IT LOOKS AS THOUGH, UM, WE ARE, UM, WE HAVE EXCESS REVENUES OF ALMOST $15.6 MILLION, UM, THAT'S ABOVE BUDGET.
I, I LIKE TO LOOK AT THE, THE NUMBER, JUST A LITTLE ONE COLUMN TO THE LEFT, THE 12.8, UM, THAT'S A CONTRIBUTION TO THE FUND BALANCE.
SO IT'S A CONTRIBUTION TO, UM, FUTURE TOWN ACTIVITIES AT, UM, TOWN COUNCIL DISCRETION.
WE LIKE TO THINK OF THOSE AS ONE TIME SAVINGS, UM, WHETHER THEY'RE, UH, REVENUE OF B ABOVE PROJECTIONS OR SPENDING BELOW, UM, WHAT WAS PROVIDED FOR IN THE BUDGET.
AND, YOU KNOW, YOU LOOK AT WHAT WAS THE NUMBER ONE THING THAT WAS, UH, UH, LESS THAN BUDGETED ON THE SPENDING SIDE WAS OPEN POSITIONS.
UM, THE NUMBER TWO THING AFTER THAT WAS, UM, A PLANNED FIRETRUCK LEASE PAYMENTS THAT WERE, OUR FIRST PAYMENT IS GONNA HAPPEN AFTER THE FISCAL YEAR.
SO THOSE ARE ONE TIME THINGS WERE MUCH CLOSER TO FULLY STAFFED NOW THAN WE WERE, UM, SOME TIME AGO.
UM, BUT WE CAN APPRECIATE THAT, UM, THOSE SAVINGS HAPPENED AND WE CAN TALK, AND I, I THINK THOSE ARE REALLY GOOD CONVERSATIONS FOR TOWN COUNCIL, FOR FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER WOULD HAD A GOOD YEAR.
AND, AND WOULD WE LIKE TO DEPLOY THOSE INTO RESERVES, OR WOULD WE LIKE TO DEPLOY THOSE INTO CAPITAL PROJECTS? WOULD WE LIKE TO SAVE THEM FOR A RAINY DAY OR SAVE THEM FOR A FUTURE DECISION? ALL OF THOSE ARE, UM, AMONG THE CHOICES THAT YOU HAVE.
SO, SO BASED UPON THE NUMBERS NOW IN FRONT OF US, WHAT'S THE, WHAT'S THE AMOUNT BASED ON THE WORK TO DATE THAT WE WOULD BE LOOKING FOR CARRYING FORWARD TO BE ABLE TO SPEND AN FY 26? UH, WELL, YOU PART OF, UM, PART OF WHAT YOU COULD CONSIDER IF YOU, UM, WERE TO DO THAT WAS THE 12.8, IT IS GOOD TO KEEP SOME OF THAT INTO, UM, TO GROW THE FUND BALANCE AS OUR EXPECTATIONS OF FUTURE, UM, BUDGETS ARE GOING TO GROW.
AND IT'S OUR EXPECTATION THAT, UM, FY 27 BUDGET WILL BE MORE THAN FY 26, WE THINK.
UM, AND SO THAT, UM, OUR POLICY, THE TOWN'S POLICY IS BASED ON THE BUDGET.
UM, AND SO A PERCENTAGE OF THE BUDGET, SO OUR EXPECTATIONS ARE, IS THAT THOSE, THE BUDGETARY POLICY AMOUNTS WILL GROW.
AND SO THAT COULD HELP, UM, SATISFY THE POLICY AS WELL.
SO, SO LOOKING AT, AND I USE THE VERB SPIN, THAT'S PROBABLY IMPROPER IN MY THINKING, ALLOCATE, UM, YES.
AS POSSIBLE ALLOCATION OF, OF FUNDS GOING FORWARD, RIGHT.
AND, AND THE TOWN COUNCIL COULD RESERVE IT.
WE WANNA SET THIS MONEY ASIDE FOR A PURPOSE IN OUR SAVINGS ACCOUNT.
AND, AND SO, UH, I AM ASSUMING THESE WILL BE THE SAME NUMBERS AVAILABLE FOR OUR WORKSHOP TOMORROW MM-HMM
UH, WHAT ARE THE POSSIBILITIES FOR THE FUNDS AVAILABLE MM-HMM
AND WHERE SHOULD WE THINK ABOUT, UM, ALLOCATING THOSE FUNDS? YES.
UM, AND THE, THE OTHER THING, AND I APOLOGIZE FOR MAKING YOU FLIP BACK TO THE PREVIOUS SLIDE.
UM, AND, AND SO IN LOOKING AT, UM, THE REVENUE STREAMS, UH, AGAIN, I, I NOTICED THAT, UM, COMPARING TO BUDGET, UH, IN THE COLUMN, UH,
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THE FY 25 BUDGET, THE PERCENT OF BUDGET PLUS OR MINUS, IT LOOKS AS THOUGH ALL OF THOSE EXCEEDED WHAT WAS, UH, BUDGET, WHAT WAS FORECAST.AM I CORRECT IN THAT? I SEE 106%, 139% MM-HMM
UM, AND, AND YOU GO ON DOWN AND, AND I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO KNOW, PARTICULARLY FOR THE LARGE INCREASES.
SO I'M LOOKING AT BUSINESS LICENSES, UM, AND IT LOOKS AS THOUGH, UM, THERE WAS ALMOST 4.9 MILLION ABOVE WHAT WAS BUDGETED.
AM I MEETING THAT CORRECTLY NOW? YEAH.
AND IT, IT INCLUDES, SO PART OF THAT 4.9 INCLUDES THE ONE TIME AIRBNB SETTLEMENT FUNDS.
AND SO THAT'S A, A PIECE OF THAT.
AND SO IT'S IN THE BUSINESS LICENSE, IT'S IN THE LOCAL AT TAX AND IT'S IN THE BEACH FEES AS WELL.
UM, BUT THAT WAS, UM, PART OF THE BUDGET ORDINANCE TO, TO TAKE THOSE FUNDS AND ALLOCATE THOSE FUNDS AMONG THOSE REVENUE CATEGORIES.
AND, AND WHILE THERE WAS AN ACTIVE LAWSUIT AND IT WAS HOPED FOR MM-HMM
IT WAS NOT PLANNED FOR AT THE TIME THE BUDGET WAS PREPARED.
AND, AND, AND I THINK THAT'S A REALLY GOOD WAY TO SAY IT, AS A PART OF, UM, THE REASON THAT WE HAVE, UM, AN AMOUNT OF REVENUES WERE GREATER THAN SPENDING, UM, YEAH, WE HAD SOME ONE-TIME SAVINGS, BUT WE ALSO HAD SOME ONE-TIME REVENUES AND, UH, THOSE ARE GOOD NEWS FOR TOWN COUNCIL TO CONSIDER.
AND THEN THE BEACH PARKING AND SERVICES AN INCREASE THERE.
UM, THE TOWN COUNCIL DID INCREASE THE FEES, UH, NOT EVEN MID-YEAR, PAST MID-YEAR.
UM, SO THERE'S, UH, A SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE THERE, BUT NOT THE SAME KIND OF INCREASE WE MIGHT BE LOOKING IF YOU COMPARE YEAR EVERY YEAR TO NEXT YEAR.
AND AND MORE OF THAT WAS PLANNED FOR IN 26 THAN WHAT WAS PLANNED FOR IN 25.
AND SO I, I WOULD POINT TO THE BOTTOM BOX AND, AND NOTE THAT THERE'S A COUPLE THAT WERE SEVERAL THAT WERE LESS THAN THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
THE FIRST ONE ON, ON THE LIST IS A TAX INCREMENT FINANCING.
AND SO BASICALLY WE, WE HIT THE CAP, AND SO THAT LIMITED WHAT THE TOWN COULD COLLECT.
UM, AND SO EVEN THOUGH IT'S BRACKETED AND A REDUCTION FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR, I CONSIDER THAT A SUCCESS BECAUSE IT COLLECTED ALL THE MONEY IT WAS SUPPOSED TO COLLECT, WE'RE HAPPY, AND THIS IS ALL THAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO COLLECT.
AND WE ATTAINED THAT IN THE, UM, SECOND, UM, EXTENSION, OR THE FIRST EXTENSION, THE SECOND PHASE OF THAT, UM, TIF PROGRAM.
UM, WE NOTED HOSPITALITY TAX GAVE US A LITTLE BIT OF PAUSE, AND WHEN WE LOOKED AT THAT, IT, IT, WE, WE CONTEMPLATED THAT.
IT'S LIKE, WELL, WAIT A MINUTE, EVERYTHING'S UP, BUT HOSPITALITY IS SLIGHTLY DOWN.
WE FURTHER WENT IN AND, AND WE LOOKED AT GROCERY RECEIPTS, GROCERY RECEIPTS ARE UP.
AND SO WE'RE, WHAT WE'RE STARTING TO THINK, 'CAUSE LIKE, WELL, PEOPLE ARE EATING IN MORE THAN EATING OUT.
IT'S JUST A DIFFERENT ECONOMIC PICTURE.
AND SO I, I, I THINK SOME OF THESE NUMBERS ARE HELPFUL IN JUST TAKING THE PULSE OF THE ECONOMY, AND I THINK THAT'S MAYBE, UM, A DIFFERENT WAY THAT PEOPLE CAN SPEND THEIR TIME ON THE ISLAND IS THAT THEY'RE SPENDING THEIR TIME EATING IN INSTEAD OF EATING OUT.
WE'RE SEEING A LITTLE SHIFT THERE, AND IT'LL BE INTERESTING TO FOLLOW THAT ONE CLOSELY.
AND THEN, UM, WE TALKED EARLIER TODAY ABOUT SHORT TERM RENTALS.
UM, THIS IS, IT'S NOT BEEN IN PLACE THAT LONG, BUT THIS IS THE FIRST REDUCTION.
UM, THAT'S INTERESTING PIECE OF INFORMATION THAT WE SHOULD ALL CONTEMPLATE, AND IT'S PROBABLY WORTH A DISCUSSION AND PROBABLY WORTH, UM, US TO DIG IN FURTHER AND KIND OF ANALYZE THAT, UM, FURTHER BECAUSE, UM, THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE, OKAY, BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MUCH AGAINST ALL THE OTHER TRENDS WE'D WANNA KNOW MORE.
SO PICKING UP ON THOSE LAST TWO, PARDON ME, THE HOSPITALITY TAX AND SHORT-TERM RENTAL TAX, UH, SHORT-TERM RENTAL FEES, SORRY.
UM, AND KEEPING AN EYE ON THOSE.
SO I, I KNOW YOU'LL KEEP AN EYE ON 'EM MONTHLY, DAILY, WHATEVER,
UM, BUT AS FAR AS THIS COMMITTEE IS CONCERNED, WHEN DO YOU THINK WE SHOULD SAY, HEY, IS THERE A TREND HERE? AND TO YOUR INITIAL QUESTION THAT AROSE DURING, UH, QUESTIONS THAT AROSE DURING COVID, UM, ARE THERE ANY ADJUSTMENTS WE NEED TO MAKE DURING FY 26 AS A RESULT OF THOSE CHANGES IN PERCENTAGES? MY RECOMMENDATION IS THAT, UM, BECAUSE THE HOSPITALITIES WAS, WAS JUST VERY SLIGHT, UM, THAT WE REALLY WANNA KEEP AN EYE ON THAT SHORT TERM RENTALS.
WE REALLY WANT TO DIG INTO THAT AND REALLY UNDERSTAND THAT, UM, REDUCTION MORE.
AND SO I, I THINK YOU'LL, YOU'LL GET MORE INFORMATION FROM US COMING, UM, IN THE FUTURE ABOUT TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHY IT'S LESS.
UM, BUT, UM, JUST KNOW THAT, UM, YEAH, I, I WOULD SUGGEST TO THE F AND A COMMITTEE IS THAT OKAY,
[00:30:01]
THESE ARE, THESE ARE DATA POINTS THAT, UM, WE PAY ATTENTION TO AND WE'LL WANNA FOLLOW UP AND SAY, LET'S, LET'S MAKE SURE TO SEE HOW THAT IS, UM, A MONTH FROM NOW, TWO MONTHS FROM NOW, A QUARTER FROM NOW.YEAH, MR. CHAIRMAN, I'M THINKING OF AFTER THE FIRST QUARTER OF FY 26, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE JULY, AUGUST, AND SEPTEMBER, UH, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE THE PEAK, THE, THE LAST PART OF THE PEAK SUMMER MONTHS FOR TAKING A LOOK AT THOSE AND SEEING WHAT YOUR REPORT WOULD SHOW TO US AT THAT TIME.
UNLESS OTHER COMMITTEE MEMBERS FEEL DIFFERENTLY ABOUT THAT.
BUT IT LOOKS AS THOUGH THAT'S WHEN WE SHOULD TAKE ANOTHER GOOD LOOK AT IT.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WERE SURPRISED AT DURING THE COVID PROCESS IS THAT, OR THERE USED TO BE WHAT WAS CALLED A, A SHOULDER SEASON THAT REALLY DIDN'T HAPPEN, IS THAT PEOPLE STAYED, UM, SURPRISINGLY LONGER.
AND MAYBE WERE GETTING KIND OF BACK TO A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A SHOULDER SEASON MAYBE.
UM, BUT I THINK, UM, IT CERTAINLY, UM, REQUIRES SOME MORE ATTENTION AND SOME MORE FOLLOW UP.
UM, YOU POINTED OUT A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT I WAS GONNA POINT OUT ON THIS FIRST SLIDE, AND I, AND I THINK IT BEARS REPEATING, UH, IN REGARDS TO THE AIRBNB SETTLEMENT.
SO WHEN WE LOOK AT SOME OF THESE NUMBERS, LIKE THE BUSINESS LICENSES AND THE LOCAL AT TAX, UH, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT'S A GOOD ONE.
IT SHOWS THAT WE'RE UP $1.9 MILLION, BUT WE CREDITED BACK, UH, $1.5 MILLION FROM THE AIRBNB SET SETTLEMENT.
SO REALLY WE'RE ONLY UP, UH, YOU KNOW, $460,000.
SO WE NEED TO KEEP THAT IN MIND AS WE TAKE A LOOK AT THESE NUMBERS.
THEY'RE STILL STRONG AND THEY'RE STILL OVER THE PRIOR, BUT, UH, THOSE ARE ONE TIME BENEFITS, UH, THAT WE WILL NOT BE, UH, SEEING MOVING FORWARD.
UM, AND THANK YOU FOR DIGGING IN ON THE HOSPITALITY PIECE.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I HAD.
'CAUSE I WAS SURPRISED BY THAT, GIVEN THAT SOME OF THE OTHER NUMBERS ARE UP, THAT THE HOSPITALITY WAS DOWN SLIGHTLY.
SO THANK YOU FOR DIGGING IN AND SEEING THAT GROCERY RECEIPTS ARE GOING UP AND, AND I'M ASSUMING RESTAURANTS THEN ARE GOING DOWN.
AND, UH, THAT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE TALK ABOUT IN REGARDS TO SHORT TERM RENTALS, UM, IS THAT PEOPLE PERHAPS ARE PURCHASING MORE GROCERIES, EATING IN, AND, UM, NOT GOING OUT TO RESTAURANTS.
SO, UM, THAT IS INTERESTING THAT YOU OBSERVED THAT AS WELL.
UM, IN REGARDS TO OUR RESULTS ON THE NEXT PAGE, UH, THERE WAS TALK ABOUT, UH, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN REVENUES AND EXPENSES AND, AND THE FACT THAT, UM, THERE WAS A BENEFIT OF $12.8 MILLION.
BUT IF I HEARD YOU CORRECTLY, YOU SAID THAT JULY REALLY IS THE MONTH WHERE WE GO BACK IN AND WE, UM, CODE, UM, EXPENSES THAT COME IN THAT HAVEN'T HIT YET, UM, HIT IN JULY, BUT THEN WE CODE THEM BACK TO THE PRIOR YEAR.
SO THAT $12.8 MILLION IS, IS A, UM, IS NOT OUR ACTUAL, UM, YOU KNOW, FISCAL YEAR END BECAUSE WE WILL BE HAVING ADJUSTMENTS TO THOSE NUMBERS AS YOU, UH, AC YOU KNOW, TAKE THOSE EXPENSES AND APPLY THEM BACK TO THE PRIOR MONTH.
WE EXPECT SOME ADJUSTMENTS, BUT THE NUMBER OF ADJUSTMENTS IS GOING DOWN, AND SO IT'S GETTING, UH, WE'RE NARROWING THAT, BUT YES, YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT.
IS THAT IT? OUR EXPECTATION IS THAT WE'LL BE ADJUSTED, BUT NOT, UM, SIGNIFICANTLY.
OH, WELL I THOUGHT I HEARD YOU SAY THAT IT WOULD ALMOST BE LIKE ANOTHER MONTH.
BUT THIS, UM, INCORPORATES THAT.
AND SO, UM, AND SO MOST OF THE JULY ACCRUALS ARE IN THESE NUMBERS.
AND I WAS GONNA ASK YOU IF YOU, YOU IF YOU USED ACCRUALS OR NOT.
UH, AND SO THAT IT'S KIND OF, IT'S ODD, UM, A LITTLE BIT.
GOVERNMENTAL ACCOUNTING IS A MODIFIED ACCRUAL BASIS EXCEPT FOR YOUR GOVERNMENT-WIDE STATEMENTS.
UM, AND THEN THAT'S WHERE WE PUSH EVERYTHING INTO A FULL ACCRUAL BASIS, UM, WHICH IS WHAT MOST PEOPLE WOULD EXPECT.
UM, AND SO DURING THE YEAR, THOUGH, ANY MONTH TO MONTH IS MOSTLY ON A CASH BASIS, AND THEN WE MOVE IT TO A MODIFIED ACCRUAL BASIS AT JUNE 30TH.
AND SO JUST KNOW THAT AS YOU SEE INTERIM NUMBERS, THEN THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT.
FOR ALL US ACCOUNTING NERDS OUT THERE,
UM, AND THEN YOU ALSO MENTIONED THAT ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE'RE AT $12.8 MILLION IS A FIRE TRUCK LEASE DID NOT COME IN, UM, AS PLANNED.
HOW MUCH WAS THAT WORTH? DO YOU RECALL? IT WAS, UM, ABOVE 800,000.
SO IT WASN'T, UM, THAT SIGNIFICANT.
WELL, UH, AGAIN, EXCELLENT BUSINESS RESULTS.
UM, IT IS INTERESTING, UH, WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR TOTAL REVENUE, UH, AND WHERE WE'VE ENDED AT $56 MILLION, AND THEN YOU GO FORWARD AND YOU TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT OUR BUDGET
[00:35:01]
IS MM-HMMUH, THE TOWN IS VERY CONSERVATIVE AND, UM, HOW THEY BUDGET REVENUE AND THE BUDGET FOR THE REVENUE NEXT YEAR IS, UH, ABOUT $47 MILLION IN THAT CATEGORY.
SO IT JUST, UH, GOES TO SHOW YOU HOW CONSERVATIVE YOU ARE IN THAT, UH, PLANNING.
AND IT GIVES US CONFIDENCE TO, WHEN WE LOOK AHEAD TO SAY, OKAY, ARE WE GONNA HAVE ENOUGH REVENUE IN 26 TO SUPPORT THE BUDGET? WE CAN COMFORTABLY SAY YES.
UH, THOSE ARE ALL MY QUESTIONS.
UH, SO MR. TROY, WELCOME BACK.
UM, LOOKING FORWARD TO YOU, UH, SORT OF DEVELOPING, UH, A NEW RHYTHM WITH THIS NEW COMMITTEE.
UM, AND MS. BRYSON BROUGHT UP, YOU KNOW, FIRST QUARTER, UH, REPORTING.
UM, I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE SORT OF GO IN THAT DIRECTION.
UM, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT I WANTED TO, TO SORT OF MAKE A STATEMENT ABOUT, YOU MENTIONED THAT WE STARTED THIS EXERCISE DURING COVID.
I MEAN, WE CAN DEFINE COVID AS A CRISIS TO SOME DEGREE.
UM, AND, UM, I'M GLAD THAT THIS PROCESS HAS STARTED.
I'LL ALSO ADD THAT WE'RE NOT ALWAYS GOING TO BE IN THAT LEVEL OF A CRISIS.
AND THE QUESTION BEFORE YOU AS A FINANCE DIRECTOR AND THE TOWN MANAGER WAS, WELL, WHAT, IF ANYTHING, DO WE NEED TO CHANGE? OKAY.
AND I CAN IMAGINE THERE WERE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT PERSONNEL LAYOFF OR CUTTING BACK ON CIP PROJECTS AND SO ON.
WE ARE IN A DIFFERENT DAY NOW AND I'M NOT QUITE SURE THAT WE ARE LOOKING TO ASK YOU ABOUT THOSE TYPE OF RECOMMENDATIONS AS FAR AS MANIPULATING OUR BUDGET IF WE NEED TO.
HOWEVER, THERE ARE SOME HOT TOPIC ITEMS AT THE MOMENT THAT COULD GIVE THE TOWN SOME FINANCIAL HEARTBURN.
UM, WE TALKED ABOUT BUSINESS LICENSE AND TAKE ASIDE THE SETTLEMENT.
LET'S REALLY LOOK AT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AND WHAT SOME OF THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE SUPPORTING THAT LINE ITEM ARE DOING.
YOU MENTIONED THAT RESTAURANTS MAY BE DOWN.
WELL, I THINK AS WE'RE MAKING DECISIONS IN THE FUTURE, WE NEED TO BE VERY CONSCIOUS OF THAT.
UM, SO I'M, I'M TRYING TO PLANT A SEED HERE,
WE CAN HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE SKY FALLING DOWN ON A NUMBER OF TOPICS, BUT THE NUMBERS ARE WHAT THEY ARE AND THE DECISIONS THAT WE MAKE WILL AFFECT THE NUMBERS DOWN ROAD.
AND I'D ALSO LIKE TO POINT OUT TO THE PUBLIC THAT EFFECT IS JUST A PERCENTAGE AS FAR AS OUR COLLECTIONS ARE CONCERNED WHEN IT COMES TO BUSINESS LICENSES AND TAXES THAT WE TAKE IN.
THAT'S JUST A PERCENTAGE OF THE PICTURE.
THE BIGGER ECONOMIC PICTURE ARE THOSE THAT ARE CONTRIBUTING TO THE CAUSE OKAY.
AND WHAT THEIR ECONOMICS LOOK LIKE.
WHAT THEIR BOTTOM LINES LOOK LIKE, I THINK IS IMPORTANT FOR US AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT STATEMENT, NOT A QUESTION, NOT LOOKING FOR YOU TO RESPOND, MR. TROY.
JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT OUT LOUD.
AND, UM, DEFINITELY LOOKING FORWARD TO OUR, UH, FIRST QUARTER REPORT.
TOWN COUNCIL SPENT A LOT OF TIME, UM, GOING THROUGH THE PRIORITIES FOR THE 2026 BUDGET.
THERE'S NO REASON NOT TO PROCEED WITH THAT FULL SPEED ADD ON THE 2026 BUDGET.
THIS GIVES YOU A LITTLE BIT OF FLEXIBILITY AS WE GO FORWARD.
IF ISSUES COME UP DURING THE YEAR OR THAT HELPS YOU, HELPS POSITION TALENTS TOWN COUNCIL AS YOU CONSIDER THE 2027 BUDGET.
AND SO YOU'VE, YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF OPTIONS.
AND, UM, I THINK THAT'S, UM, THE HEART OF MY REPORT.
I HAVE TWO OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS WITH US TODAY, MS. BECKER.
MR. ALFRED, ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ON THE FINANCIAL REPORT AT THIS POINT? NO.
WE WILL MOVE ON TO OUR NEW BUSINESS, UH, CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTION, DELINEATING NAMES AND AREAS OF FOCUS FOR TOWN COUNCIL SUBCOMMITTEES AND MR. SEAN.
COMMITTEE MEMBERS, UM, COUNCIL MEMBERS IN THE AUDIENCE.
UM, ALL RIGHT, LET'S HAVE A LITTLE FUN WITH THIS ITEM.
UM, THE LAST NAMING EXERCISE I HAD WAS FOR OUR PUPPY.
WE GOT A SMALLER DOG, AND, UH, ITS NAME IS BEANS, SO FRANK AND BEANS.
SO HOPEFULLY THIS NAMING IS, UM, IS STRAIGHTFORWARD, UM, AND, AND PAINLESS AS POSSIBLE.
UM, SO AS YOU ALL KNOW, UH, TOWN COUNCIL ADOPTED, UM, UM, CHANGE TO THE MUNICIPAL CODE.
[00:40:01]
UM, THAT PROVIDED SOME ADDITIONAL CLARITY ON, UM, ON HOW, UH, STANDING AS A COUNCIL WOULD BE, UM, WOULD BE GOVERNED BASICALLY, UM, COUNCIL AUTHORIZED TWO OR MORE STANDING COMMITTEES TO BE CREATED, UH, THAT THE NAMES WOULD BE ADOPTED BY RESOLUTION OF TOWN COUNCIL.UH, ALONG WITH, UH, WHAT I WOULD SAY IS THE GENERAL PROGRAM OF WORK OR AREAS OF FOCUS.
AND SO, UH, WHAT WAS BEFORE YOU IN YOUR, IN YOUR STAFF REPORT AND PACKET FOR THIS MEETING? UM, WENT THROUGH AND, UM, I TOOK SOME LIBERTIES ON SOME NAMES.
SO, UH, RIGHT NOW, UM, THERE WERE TH WELL, THERE WERE THREE COMMITTEES OF TOWN COUNCIL CURRENTLY.
UH, ONE HAS NOT BEEN ACTIVE, UH, FOR THE PAST, UH, MANY MONTHS.
UM, TWO COMMITTEES ARE ACTIVE FINANCE ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE, WHICH WE'RE AT TODAY.
UH, AND THEN THE COMMUNITY SERVICES AND PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE, UM, WHICH, UH, COUNCILWOMAN BECKER CHAIRS AND, UM, AND THEY HANDLE SOME ADDITIONAL WORK, UH, OF THE, OF THE TOWN.
UM, WHAT WE TRIED TO DO IS THERE'S NEVER BEEN A FORMAL DELINEATION OF THOSE AREAS OF FOCUS.
UH, THERE'S BEEN SORT OF GENERAL, UH, WORK AREAS THAT HAVE CHANGED OVER, UM, OVER THE YEARS AS WE'VE GONE FROM SIX TO FIVE, TO FOUR TO THREE TO TWO COMMITTEES NOW.
AND SO THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THESE COMMITTEES IS, UH, IN THE NAMING IN PARTICULAR, IS SO THAT MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, UM, AND STAFF GENERALLY KNOW, UH, WHICH COMMITTEES ARE GONNA HANDLE WHICH TYPES OF BUSINESS.
AND, UM, AND SO I DON'T WANNA GET CAUGHT UP ON THE WORDS TOO MUCH, BUT I DO WANNA GET THEM RIGHT SO THAT MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC GENERALLY KNOW WHAT TYPES OF BUSINESS THEY'RE GOING TO EACH EACH COMMITTEE.
AS YOU HEARD, YOU GOT THE FINANCIAL UPDATE THIS MORNING FROM, UH, FROM JOHN TROYER, YOU HEARD FROM ALAN WOLFE AS IT RELATED TO FUNDING APPROVAL, UH, GRANT FUNDING APPROVAL, UH, FROM THE SOUTH CAROLINA AT TAX FUND, UH, TO CCDC, WHICH ARE FINANCIAL MATTERS.
AND SO OBVIOUSLY THAT MAKES SOME SENSE TO COME TO THE FINANCE ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE.
UM, I WILL SAY THAT, UM, AS WE GO THROUGH AND WHAT I PUT TOGETHER, UH, WAS TRYING TO GIVE YOU A GENERAL MISSION, UM, AND THEN THE AREAS OF FOCUS, IF YOU LOOKED AT THE RESOLUTION, THERE WERE, UM, UH, EIGHT 10 ITEMS, UM, UNDER EACH COMMITTEE.
UM, BUT IN THE STAFF REPORT, I TRIED TO ROLL 'EM UP INTO SOME GENERAL CATEGORIES.
UM, AND WHAT I'VE INCLUDED FOR CONSIDERATION AND TO START THE DISCUSSION, WERE TO KEEP THE FINANCE ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE NAME THE SAME AS IT CURRENTLY IS.
AND THAT THE COMMUNITY SERVICES AND PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE NAME, UH, FOR CONSIDERATION WOULD BE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND PUBLIC SERVICES COMMITTEE.
UH, 'CAUSE I THINK IT, I THINK THAT MORE ACCURATELY REPRESENTS, UH, THE WORK BELOW IT, UH, OR UNDER IN GENERAL ITS AUTHORITY.
UM, AND WE CAN, WE CAN COME AND HOPEFULLY FINALIZE A RECOMMENDATION FROM THE COMMITTEE TO TOWN COUNCIL.
UM, I HAVE NO DOG IN THE FIGHT.
UM, FRANK AND BEANS AREN'T HERE TO HELP ME WITH THIS.
UM, SO I HAVE NO DOG IN THE FIGHT.
AND, AND QUITE FRANKLY, I THINK IF THE COMMITTEE CAN SETTLE ON NAMES THAT THEY FEEL ARE APPROPRIATE FOR THE WORK THAT THEY'D LIKE TO CONDUCT FROM A COUNCIL BODY, UM, STANDPOINT, UH, IN SUPPORT OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN AND THE WORK THAT'S IN FRONT OF YOU, THEN, UM, AND WE'LL ADVANCE THAT TO TOWN COUNCIL.
SO, UH, IN GENERAL, THE FINANCE ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE, UH, HANDLES FINANCIAL MATTERS, INCLUDING REVENUE AND EXPEND EXPENDITURES DOES GET INVOLVED A LITTLE BIT IN THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS.
UH, WE HAD, UH, THE SMALL, SMALL BUSINESS MINORITY OWNED, UH, PROGRAM.
I THINK WE BROUGHT SOME OF THAT, UH, THROUGH COMMITTEE FOR RECOMMENDATION.
UM, AND, UH, AND GENERALLY THE FINANCE ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE HAS HANDLED INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENTS WITH, UH, WITH COUNTY, WITH, UM, BEAUFORT, JASPER HOUSING TRUST, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS THAT, UM, ARE BEYOND THE WALLS HERE AT TOWN HALL WITH OTHER GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES, UM, ALSO ARE AFFILIATED AGENCY AGREEMENTS.
UH, AND SO DMO HAS, UM, BEEN PART OF THE DISCUSSION AT FINANCE ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE IN THE PAST, UM, OUR, UH, ARRANGEMENTS WITH, UM, UH, ISLAND REC CENTER AND, AND SOME OTHERS.
SO, UM, IN GENERAL, THAT'S KIND OF BEEN WHAT'S UNDERNEATH THE, THE PURVIEW.
UH, ALSO ANYTHING RELATED TO PENDING LEGISLATION.
UM, UH, AS ITEMS COME THROUGH THE STATE HOUSE, THERE MAY BE A NEED TO GET A POSITION FROM TOWN COUNCIL.
[00:45:01]
THOSE DIRECTLY TO COUNCIL FOR RESOLUTION, UM, OPPOSING OFFSHORE DRILLING.UH, BUT SOMETIMES THEY NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE, UM, VETTING AND INPUT FROM TOWN COUNCIL IF THEY'RE GONNA IMPACT OUR OPERATIONS AND FUNDING.
SO, UH, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS HAVE BEEN, UH, UH, BROUGHT THROUGH THE FINANCE ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE.
AND THEN MORE RECENTLY WITH OUR, UM, WITH OUR PARTNERSHIP AND CREATING THE GULLAH GEECHEE HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, UM, AS THE, THE TOWN, UH, CONTINUES TO SUPPORT, UH, AND HAVE THAT, UH, ORGANIZATION CONNECTED, UM, HAVING, UH, UM, SOME OVERSIGHT AND INPUT ON, UH, MATTERS RELATED TO THAT, UH, CORPORATION.
SO THAT'S WHAT'S FOLDED INTO THE MISSION.
UM, A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL ON THE AREAS OF FOCUS, UM, BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S, IT'S ON THE FINANCIAL OVERSIGHT, UM, THOSE ITEMS THAT I JUST MENTIONED, UH, INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONSHIPS, UH, AND THEN, UH, OVERSIGHT OF THE, THE TOWN'S DESTINATION MARKETING, ORGAN ORGANIZATION, DMO.
UM, AND THEN AS WE, AS YOU LOOK AT, AND I, I PUT THIS OUT THERE, AS YOU LOOK AT THE STRATEGIC PLAN, THERE'S SOME GOALS THAT TOWN COUNCIL ADOPTED THAT MAKE THAT, THAT SEEM TO FIT ALMOST PERFECTLY, UH, WITHIN THAT, UNDER, UNDER THAT UMBRELLA.
UM, I DO WANNA POINT OUT THAT WHEN YOU GET DOWN TO THE ACTION ITEMS, SOME OF THE ACTION ITEMS MIGHT BE APPROPRIATE FOR FINANCE, ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE OR WHATEVER THE NAME IS.
AND THERE MIGHT BE A COUPLE ACTION ITEMS THAT NEED, UH, TO GO TO THE OTHER COMMITTEE.
SO JUST WANNA, UH, WE WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT SOME THINGS, UM, WITHIN A GOAL MAY NEED TO GO TO DIFFERENT COMMITTEES, BUT, BUT IN GENERAL, I THINK THERE'S SOME OPPORTUNITY FOR SOME ALIGNMENT.
CAN WE JUST PUT BACK MY, SORRY, MY STAFF REPORT.
I'LL BRING THIS UP, UM, IN A MINUTE.
UM, AND THEN, SO THAT'S FINANCE, ADMINISTRATIVE OR WHATEVER THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS TO TOWN COUNCIL, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND PUBLIC SERVICES COMMITTEE, UM, AS A PART OF THIS EXERCISE, AND IT WAS BROUGHT UP WHEN COUNCIL CONSIDERED THE RECOMMENDATION TO DO TWO OR MORE, RATHER THAN HAVE THE THREE COMMITTEES, PUBLIC PLANNING COMMITTEE, UM, WAS IN, IN PLAY UNTIL, UH, BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR.
UM, BUT THAT ONE WAS NOT POPULATED.
UM, PUBLIC PLANNING COMMITTEE, WHICH HAD BEEN PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS BEFORE THAT, UH, HANDLED MOST PLANNING RELATED OR CODE RELATED ITEMS. UM, AND, AND I SAY CODE, IT WAS PRIMARILY, UM, ITEMS THAT WERE ASSOCIATED, ASSOCIATED WITH THE LAND MANAGEMENT ORDINANCE OR BUILDING CODE.
MUNICIPAL CODE AMENDMENTS STILL TYPICALLY WENT TO, UM, A DIFFERENT COMMITTEE, WHETHER IT WAS, UM, THE, THE FINANCE COMMITTEE OR, UH, INTERGOVERNMENTAL, BUT LAND MANAGEMENT ORDINANCE CODES, BUILDING CODES TYPICALLY WENT TO, UM, THE PLANNING DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS, WHICH BECAME PUBLIC PLANNING.
SO, YOU KNOW, AS WE TRIED TO LOOK AT THREE COMMITTEE, THE WORK OF THREE COMMITTEES TO FUNNEL THAT DOWN INTO TWO UMBRELLAS UNDER THESE TWO COMMITTEES, AND THEN LOOKING AT THE STRATEGIC PLAN AND, AND TRYING TO PUT TOGETHER, UH, SOMETHING THAT MADE SENSE.
SO FOR THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PUBLIC SERVICES COMMITTEE, UM, THAT IS TYPICALLY LIKE, UM, UTILIZATION OF TOWN PROPERTIES, THE CIP, SO INFRASTRUCTURE, FACILITIES, AND THEN ALSO SOME SERVICES.
UM, UM, SO WE TOOK INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT, UH, THROUGH WHAT WAS THE COMMUNITY, UM, COMMUNITY SERVICES AND PUBLIC SAFETY.
UM, WE'VE TAKEN, UH, OPERATIONS LIKE THE TROLLEY SERVICE TO, TO PUBLIC PLANNING THAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE HERE UNDER A SERVICE.
UM, LOOKED AT, UH, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT RELATED ITEMS OR COMMUNITY RELATED ITEMS SUCH AS PARKS, UM, RECREATION, ARTS, CULTURE, THOSE TYPES OF ITEMS, UH, GOING THROUGH THAT COMMITTEE, UH, EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS EFFORTS, SO, UH, OPERATIONAL ITEMS AS IT RELATES TO THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE.
UM, AND THEN THERE'S BEEN THE ONE, THE PERSONNEL, SO IT USED TO BE A PERSONNEL COMMITTEE HAD A LAW APPOINTMENTS, THE BOARDS, COMMITTEES, TASK FORCES, UH, AND COMMISSIONS.
UM, THE PERSONNEL OR APPOINTMENTS OF BOARDS AND COMMITTEES HAVE BEEN, UM, HANDLED BY THAT COMMUNITY SERVICES.
SO THEY'RE STILL FOLDED INTO THIS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PUBLIC SERVICES, UM, COMMITTEE.
UM, IT HA IT WOULD HANDLE THE ZONING LAND USE, UH, WORKFORCE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT THAT WERE UNDER PUBLIC PLANNING UNDER THIS CURRENT PROPOSAL.
UH, BUT CERTAINLY O OPEN TO, UM, TO INPUT FROM THE COMMITTEE AND WE'LL, WE'LL PROVIDE A, A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL BASED ON YOUR RECOMMENDATION.
[00:50:01]
TOO MUCH MORE.I THINK YOU SEE WHAT'S IN FRONT OF YOU AND I, AND I HOPE YOU UNDERSTAND THAT IN GENERAL, WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET WITH SORT OF TWO UMBRELLAS AND AREAS OF WORK.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT WE'VE HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS SINCE THE PACKET WENT ON, ABOUT SOME O OPTIONS THAT MAY BE IN FRONT OF US.
SO I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM THE COMMITTEE, UH, WHAT YOUR IDEAS ARE, AND THEN LIKE TO DELIVER, UH, WHAT YOU RECOMMEND, UH, TO TOWN COUNCIL.
UM, AND I THINK MR. LINEER WILL BRING THIS THROUGH TOWN COUNCIL, UH, NEXT MONTH BASED ON WHAT YOU COME UP WITH.
UM, I DO HAVE, UH, SANDA, IF YOU WANNA POP IT UP, UM, THAT OTHER ONE, ONE SHEET.
UM, I DID, UM, GRAB THE PAGE FROM OUR STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN THAT LISTS THE 10 GOALS, BECAUSE THAT WAS A COMMENT THAT I RECEIVED OFFLINE, UM, BEFORE THE MEETING.
AND, UM, AND DO HAVE THIS HERE IF THAT'S SOMETHING YOU WANT TO, TO HAVE, UH, AVAILABLE.
SO MR. CHAIR, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AND THEN LET'S WORK THIS OUT SO THAT WE HAVE A, A POSITIVE RE RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL THAT DELIVERS WHAT YOU EXPECT.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR THE REPORT.
UM, AND, UM, AND I HOPE THAT FRANKEN BEANS WILL DO AS WELL AS YOU WILL IN THE FUTURE,
ALTHOUGH WHEN I GO TO A PICNIC, I'M A VEGETARIAN, I ALWAYS LOOK FOR THE VEGGIE BURGERS, BUT I HAVE NEVER NAMED A DOG VEGGIE BURGER
UM, SO I, I'M GLAD YOU LEFT THIS SLIDE UP BECAUSE THAT'S ACTUALLY WHERE I WANNA START.
UH, WHEN WE HAD OUR, UH, STRATEGIC PLAN WORKSHOP, UM, IN FEBRUARY, I REMEMBER THE CONSULTANT WAS, UH, LEADING US THROUGH A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE TOWN COUNCIL COMMITTEES.
UM, AND, AND ONE OF THE THINGS, UM, THAT I WAS ADVOCATING FOR, AND THAT IS MORE FLEXIBILITY, WHICH WE ACHIEVE THROUGH THE AMENDMENTS TO THE MUNICIPAL CODE, RATHER THAN NAMING COMMITTEES AND THEN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT GOES WHERE, WHAT ITEM GOES WHERE, UM, TO HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY OF AT LEAST TWO STANDING COMMITTEES, MEANING THAT WE COULD HAVE TWO, THREE, HOWEVER MANY WE MIGHT NEED.
AND INSTEAD OF THEN ADOPTING STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN GOALS AND, AND SHOEHORNING THEM THROUGH NAME COMMITTEES THAT WE INSTEAD, I, I SAID THAT WAS TURNING THE PROCESS ON ITS HEAD ONCE WE DECIDE ON THE GOALS, THEN IS WHEN WE SHOULD ESTABLISH THE COMMITTEES.
UM, AND THAT'S IN ESSENCE WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW.
UM, SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I THEN LOOKED AT THESE 10 STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS AND SAID, OKAY, UM, IF WE'RE GONNA USE TWO BUCKETS, ASSUMING THAT THERE'S TWO COMMITTEES, AND WHAT I'VE ALSO CONSISTENTLY SAID IS, I'M OKAY WITH TWO AS LONG AS THE WORK IS BALANCED.
UM, BUT IN LOOKING AT A PRIOR PROPOSAL THAT CAME BEFORE THIS COMMITTEE, THE WORK WAS UNBALANCED.
SO, UM, WHEN I LOOKED AT THIS LIST, UH, TWO, TWO DEFINITE STREAMS EMERGED IN, IN, IN MY HEAD AND LOOKING AT 'EM.
AND IN, IN THIS COMMITTEE, UH, OR, OR A COMMITTEE, UM, WOULD BE FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
UM, INSTEAD OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE, I'VE ALWAYS WONDERED WHY WE WERE CALLED ADMINISTRATIVE, BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY THE JOB OF THE TOWN MANAGER AND HIS STAFF
UM, SO FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
AND IN LOOKING AT THIS LIST, UM, THEN I WOULD PLACE, UM, THE, THE FOLLOWING GOALS, UM, UNDER FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
UH, THE FIRST ONE IS, UM, NUMBER FIVE, SUPPORT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND BUSINESS RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION, WHICH SEEMS TO FIT WITH FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
AND THEN THE SECOND ONE, BECAUSE IT RELATES TO, UM, THE GULLAH CULTURE AND BUSINESSES ON THE ISLAND AND, AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE G GALA ON THE ISLAND.
THEN I WOULD PUT NUMBER SEVEN, PRESERVE, PROTECT AND CELEBRATE GULLAH GEECHEE CULTURE AND HERITAGE.
UM, AND THEN BECAUSE, UH, WORKFORCE DRIVES OUR ECONOMY, I WOULD PUT NUMBER EIGHT, ADVANCED WORKFORCE HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES, UM, UNDER FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE.
AND THEN, UM, THE LAST ONE I PUT UNDER THERE, UM, IS PROTECT AND ENHANCE ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY BECAUSE, UM, THE SUSTAINABILITY OF OUR ENVIRONMENT WILL DRIVE OUR ECONOMY AS WELL.
SO THOSE ARE THE 1, 2, 3, 4 THAT I WOULD PICK OUT OF THE LIST OF 10, UM, TO GO TO FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
AND TO THAT I WOULD ADD THE USUAL TYPE OF WORK, AND THAT IS REVIEWING FINANCIAL REPORTS AS WE'VE DONE TODAY.
UM, I, I WOULD ALSO NOTE THAT DURING OUR, UM, START PLAN WORKSHOP IN FEBRUARY, ANOTHER GOAL WAS MENTIONED, AND THAT IS SEEKING ALTERNATIVE REVENUE SOURCES.
UM, SO ALTHOUGH THAT'S NOT INCLUDED AS A SEPARATE GOAL, I SEE IT FOLDING INTO THE WORK OF THE FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE.
SO IT ADD THOSE, UM, THOSE, UH, LINE ITEMS AT LEAST
[00:55:01]
TO THE LIST OF FOCUS AREAS.UM, THEN, UH, THE OTHER COMMITTEE WORK THAT I SEE, UH, IS DRIVEN BY, UM, FOUR OF THE REMAINING, UM, SIX, I THINK, UM, GOALS UNDER STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN GOALS.
AND THAT IS I SEE A LOT OF, UM, PUBLIC SAFETY AND ALSO INFRASTRUCTURE EMPHASIS.
SO I WOULD NAME THE OTHER COMMITTEE PUBLIC SAFETY AND INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND UNDER THAT THERE WOULD BE NUMBER TWO, INVEST IN STORMWATER MANAGEMENT INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND IT WOULD BE NUMBER THREE, ENHANCE MAJOR CORRIDORS AND STREETS.
AND IT WOULD BE NUMBER FOUR, ENHANCE PUBLIC SAFETY READINESS AND FACILITIES.
AND THEN BECAUSE ISLAND RESILIENCE DEALS BOTH WITH, UH, STORM WATER INFRASTRUCTURE AND WITH, UM, RECOVERY, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE RECOVERY AND PUBLIC SAFETY FROM, UH, FUTURE SHOCKS AND STRESSORS IS WHAT IS DESCRIBED UNDER THERE, INCLUDING WEATHER EVENTS, ENVIRONMENTAL PRESSURES, AND NATURAL DISASTERS.
SO, SO THOSE ARE THE FOUR AREAS.
UM, FOUR GOALS THAT I'LL INCLUDE UNDER PUBLIC SAFETY AND INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND THEN IN ADDITION TO THAT, THE TRADITIONAL FUNCTIONS OF ANOTHER COMMITTEE, AND THAT IS MANAGING APPOINTMENTS TO BOARDS, COMMISSIONS, AND COMMITTEES.
I WOULD ADD THEN WITH REGARD TO NUMBER 10, UM, ENHANCED COMMUNITY WELLBEING THROUGH IMPLEMENTATION OF PARKS AND REC MASTER PLAN PROGRAM ENHANCEMENTS.
A LARGE PART OF THAT IS GONNA BE OPERATIONAL IF YOU LOOK AT THE ACTION STEPS UNDER THE STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN.
UM, SO, BUT THERE MAY BE SOME THAT HAS TO DO WITH INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE PARKS AND, AND MAYBE PUBLIC SAFETY OF THE PARKS.
SO I ADDED A REVIEW OF INFRASTRUCTURE AND SAFETY OF PARKS AND RECREATION MASTER PLAN.
NOW THAT LEAVES NUMBER ONE, PROTECT ISLAND CHARACTER THROUGH MANAGING GROWTH.
THE WAY I SEE THAT IS THAT IS A VERY LARGE, UM, UH, GOAL WITH A LOT OF ACTION STEPS.
AND, AND WHAT I DO UNDERSTAND IS THAT THE TOWN COUNCIL'S GOING TO BE LOOKING AT SETTING UP A, AN LMO TASK FORCE, UH, IN SEPTEMBER.
UM, AND SO A LOT OF THAT WORK WOULD GO THROUGH THAT TASK FORCE AS OPPOSED TO ONE OF THE TWO COMMITTEES.
UM, SO THAT'S WHERE I WOULD PUT NUMBER ONE.
UM, AND I WOULD SAY IT'D GO THROUGH THE TASK FORCE AND OF COURSE TO THE TOWN COUNCIL.
AND THEN THERE MAY BE SOME ELEMENTS OF, UM, UH, IN ADDITION TO LMO REWRITE, THERE MAY BE SOME INTERIM, UM, ACTIONS THAT NEED TO BE TAKEN WITH REGARD TO MANAGING GROWTH, PARDON ME, UM, SUCH AS AMENDMENTS TO THE MUNICIPAL CODE FOR SHORT TERM RENTALS, SUCH AS DO WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING ELSE WITH REGARD TO, UH, SUBDIVISION SIZE LOT SIZES? AND SO IN THAT CASE, I THINK WE HAVE TO MAKE A DETERMINATION AS TO WHICH ONE OF THOSE FITS BEST UNDER WHICH COMMITTEE AS OPPOSED TO ASSIGNING THEM ALL TO ONE COMMITTEE OR THE OTHER.
BECAUSE IN, IN THE CONCEPT OF BALANCING, UM, WE DON'T WANT TO OVERLOAD ONE COMMITTEE ONE WAY WITH PUTTING ALL OF GROWTH MANAGEMENT THERE.
INSTEAD SEND IT ON THE LMO TASK FORCE AND TOWN COUNCIL WITH PERHAPS SPECIFIC ACTION STEPS BEING ASSIGNED TO WHICHEVER COMMITTEE IT'S APPROPRIATE.
SO I KNOW I JUST RIPPED APART YOUR PROPOSAL
UM, AND, UM, AND THAT I WOULD THEN, UM, REVISE THE RESOLUTION TO ADDRESS THOSE IS, IS WHAT I WOULD PROPOSE.
AND, AND THE LAST SMALL TECHNICAL THING IN THE RESOLUTION IS THERE IS A PARAGRAPH THAT SAYS, UM, SUMMARY FIVE RULES AND PROCEDURES, AND THAT'S ACTUALLY REPETITIVE FROM THE MUNICIPAL CODE.
SO I WOULD JUST STRIKE THAT ALL TOGETHER THAT TALKS ABOUT ME ESTABLISHING RULES AND PROCEDURES.
COUNCIL MAY SO, MR. CHAIR, I KNOW THAT'S A LOT, UM, BUT, UM, THERE IS A LOT BEFORE US TO CONSIDER.
UM, AND, AND I WANNA FOCUS ON DOING THE WORK OF A THREE YEAR STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN AS OPPOSED TO ONE YEAR OF ASSIGNMENT TO COMMITTEES, BECAUSE THIS DOES TAKE CARE OF, UM, FISCAL YEAR 26, 27, AND 28 UNDER THE STRAT PLAN.
AND I RECOGNIZE THAT THERE MAY NEED TO BE SOME ADJUSTMENTS DURING THAT TIME BECAUSE WE MAY NEED TO ADJUST SOME THINGS IN THE STRAT PLAN.
UM, BUT I THINK THIS GIVES US A STRONG FOUNDATION TO MOVE FORWARD IN ACCOMPLISHING OUR STRATEGIC PLAN.
[01:00:01]
GREAT.UH, FIRST OF ALL, IN REGARDS TO THE NAME, I LIKE THE CHANGE, THE PROPOSED CHANGE TO FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
ALTHOUGH FAC MAKES PROBABLY A, WELL, I DON'T KNOW A BETTER ACRONYM THAN FED, YOU GO FROM, IT ALMOST SOUNDS LIKE FACT, YOU KNOW? YEAH.
UM, SO FOR WHAT THAT'S WORTH, BUT NO, I THINK IT, UH, I THINK IT CLEARLY DESCRIBES WHAT WE SHOULD BE FOCUSING ON.
UM, YOU KNOW, MY, UM, DESIRE TO FOCUS ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
SO I THINK BY STATING THAT IT REALLY CALLS IT OUT, UH, IN REGARDS TO WHERE WE WANNA FOCUS.
UM, I ALSO, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK IS INTERESTING IS IF WE THINK ABOUT THE FLOW OF WORK, IF ANYTHING FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION SHOULD FLOW THROUGH, IT FEELS LIKE ANYTHING THAT GOES THROUGH THE PLANNING COMMISSION SHOULD FLOW THROUGH THE SECOND TEAM, WHICH IS THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND PUBLIC SERVICES COMMITTEE OR WHATEVER THAT NAME IS.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WAS THINKING ABOUT AS WELL IS MUNICIPAL CODE AND WHERE THAT SHOULD FIT.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU SAID THAT IN THE PAST, UH, FINANCE HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN MUNICIPAL CODE, SO THAT COULD BE SOMETHING TO CONSIDER AS WELL.
AND I AGREE WITH YOUR COMMENT THAT WHEN WE LOOK AT, AND I LOOKED AT ALL THE ACTION ITEMS UNDERNEATH EACH, UM, INDIVIDUAL STRATEGIC PLAN GOAL, THERE PROBABLY IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO PICK OUT SPECIFIC TACTICS AND HAVE THEM ALIGNED TO DIFFERENT TEAMS. SO, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WAS LOOKING AT WAS, YOU KNOW, ASSESSING THE FEAS FEASIBILITY OF ISLAND TROLLEY AND BEACH SHUTTLE SYSTEM.
AND PART OF THAT FEASIBILITY IS THE ECONOMICS ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
THAT MIGHT BE A GOOD AD FOR THE FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TEAM TO TAKE A LOOK AT.
AND SO WE WOULD NEED TO GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
BEYOND THAT, I AM NOT GOING TO COMMENT BECAUSE I REALLY WANT TO HEAR FROM MY FELLOW TOWN COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, THAT HAVE JOINED US TODAY AND HEAR WHAT THEIR OPINIONS ARE REGARDING, UM, THE DIVISION OF WORK.
UM, UM, JUST, JUST ONE QUESTION.
UM, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE, WE PROVIDING SOME CLARITY.
AS FAR AS OUTCOME IS CONCERNED HERE, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO SETTING AGENDAS AROUND THE STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN, THE MAYOR HAS THE LIBERTY, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF IF TOWN COUNCIL DECIDES TO TAKE FORMAL ACTION ON ADDING SOMETHING TO AN AGENDA, UM, HAS THE LIBERTY TO SETTING THE AGENDAS AT THE TOWN COUNCIL LEVEL AS WELL AS COMMITTEE LEVELS.
AM I CORRECT IN THAT STATEMENT? YES, SIR.
OKAY, WE WILL ASK, UH, LADIES, FIRST, MS. CCA, ARE YOU GIVING ME SIGN LANGUAGE THAT YOU DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY? IS THAT WHAT THAT MEANT, MS. ALFORD? I DO NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY ON WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE MS. PRICE'S RECOMMENDATIONS IN WRITING.
UM, AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND TO WHAT I'VE LISTENED TO.
UM, I'D LIKE TO REMIND, UM, US AS A TOWN COUNCIL THAT OUR JOB IS TO SET POLICY AND IT'S NOT TO MICROMANAGE THE TOWN MANAGER'S, UM, WORK AND THE STAFF THAT HE ASSIGNS IT TO.
AND SO THE DETAIL ORIENTED LIST THAT I JUST LISTENED TO, IN MY OPINION, STRAYS OUT OF OUR BOX.
AND I THINK THAT WE, UM, NEED TO KEEP IN MIND OUR GOALS.
UM, CHAIR, WHAT I HEARD YOU SAY WAS A REMINDER THAT IN FACT IT IS THE MAYOR'S, UH, ONE OF HIS ENHANCED DUTIES BEYOND WHAT WE ALL DO WITH OUR SINGULAR VOTE, UM, TO ASSIGN ITEMS TO AGENDAS AS HE SEES THE NECESSARY TO GO TO THOSE.
AND I THINK A LOT OF THAT IS IN COLLABORATION WITH THE TOWN MANAGER AS HE SEES THE STAFF'S WORK AS WELL.
SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE, UM, AND I WOULD LOVE WHEN I'M TALKING, IF PEOPLE WOULD PAY ATTENTION, THAT'S JUST, UM, A COMMON COURTESY.
BUT BEYOND THAT, UM, WHAT I THINK THE NAMES ARE FINE, WHAT'S IN A NAME, UM, QUITE HONESTLY, I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO GET WRAPPED UP AROUND THAT.
I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE'RE WHITTLING DOWN, UM, THESE TO TWO, UH, COMMITTEES.
UM, THOUGH IF WE HAVE TWO COMMITTEES, THAT'S THE WAY THEY SHOULD STAY AS IT IS.
YOU SEE THAT THE PREVIOUS AGREEMENT THAT WE WOULD ALL CONTRIBUTE AT THE COMMITTEE LEVEL, REGARDLESS IF WE SIT ON THE COMMITTEE OR NOT, IS OPEN AND AVAILABLE.
[01:05:01]
THE COMMI COMMITTEE NAMES ARE FINE AS IS.THE ASSIGNMENTS OF THE DUTIES, UM, AS SEAN OUTLINED, I THINK IS ALSO APPROPRIATE, UM, GIVEN WHAT I'D SAID PREVIOUSLY ABOUT STAYING IN OUR BOX, STAYING IN OUR LANE, HOWEVER YOU'D LIKE TO SAY IT.
AND THE COLLABORATION THAT THE MAYOR TAKES WITH THE TOWN MANAGER IN TERMS OF SETTING THE AGENDAS.
UM, AND PART OF THAT DISCUSSION I'M CERTAIN IS BASED ON THE WORKLOAD.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE THAT, UM, STATEMENT HERE AND I'LL BE READY TO PREPARE A BETTER STATEMENT LATER.
ANNA, YOU WANTED TO WAIT TO HEAR FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS BEFORE YOU MADE ADDITIONAL COMMENTS AS YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD, UM, AFTER LISTENING TO COUNCIL REBECCA HAS PROPOSED, I DON'T HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS.
UM, HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD? I, I'VE GOT SOME THOUGHTS HERE THAT I WANT TO GIVE SEAN, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE I'M HEARING FROM EVERYBODY FIRST.
WITH REGARD TO STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN GOALS, THOSE ARE POLICY DECISIONS.
UM, AND, AND I THINK, AND, AND I APOLOGIZE TO MR. ALFRED, IF YOU WANNA SEE MY HANDWRITTEN VERSION OF WHAT I JUST READ OUT, I'M HAPPY TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU, FOR YOU TO TAKE A LOOK AT, TO COMMENT.
UM, BUT, UM, I, I'D BE HAPPY TO TYPE IT UP, UH, OR HAVE IT TYPED UP BY ONE OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS FOR FOLKS TO TAKE A LOOK AT.
UM, AND I'M HAPPY TO GO BACK THROUGH ANYTHING, UH, IN THE LIST THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
UM, AND AS I SIT HERE, I MAKE A LOT OF NOTES.
I MAY NOT BE LOOKING AT YOU, BUT I'M LISTENING TO YOU AND MAKING NOTES.
UM, MS. KOLAND, THIS, THIS IS, UH, THIS IS WHAT I'M SORT OF THINKING HERE.
UM, OBVIOUSLY WE WANT TO IN MIND THAT WE WANT EFFICIENCY, I THINK IS ONE OF OUR MAIN GOALS TO BE ABLE TO MOVE THINGS ALONG.
AND AS WE LOOK AT OUR STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN, UM, OBVIOUSLY THE 10 GOALS, BUT WHEN WE START TO GET INTO THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF THAT, THERE'S A LOT MORE ON THE TABLE.
UH, SOME OF WHICH WILL COME DIRECTLY TO COUNCIL, SOME OF WHICH WILL STAND FOR WORKSHOPS, UM, GROWTH MANAGEMENT, OBVIOUSLY WE ARE GOING TO BE CONSIDERING A TASK FORCE TO HELP US DEAL WITH COMPONENTS OF THAT.
SO THERE'S A LOT ON THE TABLE HERE.
AND, UM, I'M, I'M SORT OF WHERE YOU ARE WITH, WITH FRANKEN BEANS.
UM, I, I WANNA TRY TO SIMPLIFY THIS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO MOVE ON WITH THE VERY IMPORTANT WORK THAT'S INCLUDED IN THIS PLAN.
AND I, I SORT OF PREFACE THAT AGAIN WITH THE, THE MAYOR'S ABILITY TO MOVE STUFF ACCORDINGLY.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I'M OKAY WITH THE, THE NAMES EITHER WAY, AND I THINK I'M HEARING FROM MY COLLEAGUES UP HERE THAT, YOU KNOW, MAKING SOME SLIGHT CHANGES TO THE, UH, THE NAMES IS OKAY FOR US TO RECOMMEND TO TOWN COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION.
I THINK IT WAS FINANCE AND ECONOMIC, UH, DEVELOPMENT.
AND THE OTHER ONE WAS PUBLIC SAFETY AND INFRASTRUCTURE.
UM, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK WE CAN PROPOSE THAT TO TOWN COUNCIL AND, AND SEE WHAT WE GET.
UM, BUT AS FAR AS THE DUTIES ARE CONCERNED, UM, YEAH, AS I WENT THROUGH THE PACKET, I WAS MORE FOCUSED ON MISSION, VERY BROAD TO A DEGREE.
AND I THINK IT GAVE US A LOT OF FLEXIBILITY AND KNOWING THAT WE WANT TO POINT BACK TO ACTION PLAN AS A GUIDE, AS WE'RE DETERMINING WHERE WE'RE GOING TO MOVE THINGS.
SO, UM, I KNOW MS. BRYSON HAS MENTIONED, UH, THAT, UM, I THINK FOUR AND ONE AND A HALF AS WAY I DESCRIBE IT
UM, I GUESS WHAT I'M ASKING YOU, MR. COLAN, IS THERE A WAY TO INCORPORATE THE STRATEGIC PLAN INTO THE MISSIONS AND THAT WE NOT GET SO DETAILED WITH THE AREAS OF FOCUS WITH THE BULLETS? I'M JUST POSING A QUESTION TO STAFF.
YEAH, I THINK, I THINK ABSOLUTELY.
UM, AND I THINK, UM, MS. BRYSON DID A GOOD JOB, UM, IN SUMMARIZING.
SO I, I, IF, IF I WERE TO TAKE A CRACK AT THE 10 GOALS, I HAD 'EM FOUR AND SIX, KNOWING THAT PARKS AND RECREATION IS MORE OPERATIONAL, BUT, AND ALSO LMO HISTORICALLY, UM, HAD GONE THROUGH THE PUBLIC PLANNING AND OR NOW THE
[01:10:01]
COMMUNITY SERVICES.SO, UM, I, I CERTAINLY THINK THERE'S, UM, A WAY TO FOLD THAT INTO THE UMBRELLA STATEMENT AND NOT GET INTO ITEMIZING EVERY LINE ITEM.
UM, AGAIN, I, I, I DON'T THINK, UM, A RESOLUTION SHOULD, UH, THE, THE MAYOR WILL USE IT AS A, AS A GUIDE.
UM, BUT IF WE PUT GOALS, YOU KNOW, 2, 3, 4, AND FIVE, UM, UM, THAT GO TO THE COMMITTEE, I THINK GENERALLY THE ITEMS COULD GO THAT WAY.
UM, I THINK, I THINK IF THE, UM, IF WE WERE PROGRAMMING THESE FOR A COMMITTEE, THEY'RE GONNA GO JUST ABOUT ALONG THE LINES THAT MS. BRYSON, UM, HAD OUTLINED OR IS INCLUDED GENERALLY IN, IN THE PACKET MATERIAL BEFORE YOU, UM, LONG ANSWER CHAIRMAN BROWN.
THOSE ITEMS THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THE GOALS OUTLINED IN GOALS ADOPTED BY TOWN COUNCIL, UH, COULD BE ROLLED INTO, UM, THE, UH, AN OVERARCHING MISSION WITH THOSE GENERAL CATEGORIES.
UM, VERY CLEAR, UM, TO GUIDE THE, THE ASSIGNMENTS TO COMMITTEE.
I HAVE MAYBE A SUGGESTED COMPROMISE OF TRYING TO FOLD THESE IDEAS INTO ONE.
AND, AND THAT IS, AND NOW I'M GONNA TAKE THE RESOLUTION.
IF, IF YOU COULD PUT THE RESOLUTION UP ON THE SCREEN, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE RECOMMENDING.
UM, SO WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST IS TO CHANGE THE NAMES, UM, TO FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE AND PUBLIC SAFETY AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE.
SO THAT WOULD APPEAR IN THE THIRD, WHEREAS, AND ALSO UNDER NUMBER ONE, UNDER THE RESOLUTION, UM, SORRY, NUMBER TWO UNDER THE RESOLUTION THEN WITH REGARD TO MISSIONS AND AREAS OF FOCUS, WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST, AND I'M NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH LINE BY LINE HOW TO CHANGE THIS, UM, BUT TO TAKE OUT AREAS OF FOCUS AND ONLY INCLUDE MISSION.
AND WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE DO WITH REGARD TO MISSION INCLUDE UNDER THE FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE, IF THEY'RE NOT ALREADY INCLUDED UNDER MISSION, UM, FROM THE STRAT PLAN, THE GOALS, SUPPORT, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND BUSINESS RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION.
AND ERIC, I'LL JUST SAY WHICH NUMBERS THEY ARE.
SO THAT WOULD BE, UM, NUMBER FIVE.
AND THEN NUMBER SEVEN, WHICH IS PRESERVE, PROTECT AND CELEBRATE GULLAH GEECHEE CULTURE AND HERITAGE.
I THINK THERE'S SOME OF THAT LANGUAGE ALREADY IN THERE.
JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THESE ARE INCLUDED.
UM, THEN NUMBER EIGHT, ADVANCED WORKFORCE HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES.
NUMBER NINE, PROTECT AND ENHANCE ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY AND THAT THEY'RE NOT INCLUDED UNDER THE PUBLIC SAFETY AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE.
I WOULD INCLUDE NUMBER TWO, THAT PLAN INVEST IN STORMWATER MANAGEMENT INFRASTRUCTURE.
NUMBER THREE, ENHANCE MAJOR QUARTERS AND STREETS.
NUMBER FOUR, ENHANCE PUBLIC SAFETY READINESS AND FACILITIES.
NUMBER SIX, REINFORCE ISLAND RESILIENCE.
AND TO THE EXTENT, UM, AND I THINK THE OTHER ITEMS I MENTIONED, EXCEPT FOR SEEKING ALTERNATIVE REVENUE SOURCES, I WOULD INCLUDE THAT UNDER THE MISSION OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WITH REGARD TO, NUMBER ONE, PROTECT ISLAND CHARACTER THROUGH GROWTH, MANAGING GROWTH, I WOULD PUT THAT UNDER BOTH COMMITTEES, MAYOR AND MANAGER, THEN DECIDING WHICH WAY TO DIRECT WHICH TOPIC.
AND THEN WITH REGARD TO NUMBER 10, I WOULD LEAVE THAT OFF OF EITHER ASK FOR REACTION TO THAT FROM MY COLLEAGUES AND, AND IF, UM, THAT SEEMS TO BE A CONSENSUS IDEA, I'D BE PREPARED TO MAKE A, IT'S GETTING COMPLICATED
UM, SO WHAT I HEAR YOU SAYING IS YOU WANNA REMOVE THE AREAS OF FOCUS AS THEY'RE LISTED TODAY AND, UH, IDENTIFY THEM BASED OFF OF THE, UH, STRATEGIES OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
UM, WHAT THAT DOES WHEN I LOOK AT THE LIST OF AREAS OF FOCUS FOR FINANCE IS REMOVE A LOT OF ITEMS THAT AREN'T CONSIDERED IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
SO, UM, THAT'S WHERE I GET A CONCERN.
YOU KNOW, DMO ISN'T LISTED TO A STRATEGIC ITEM, BUT IT'S A BIG, UM, A BIG PIECE OF WHAT WE DO, THE ACCOMMODATIONS
[01:15:01]
AND HOSPITAL TECH, HOSPITALITY, TAXES, ET CETERA.SO I'M AFRAID BY STRIPPING ALL THAT OUT AND JUST ALIGNING TO THE, UM, YOU KNOW, STRATEGIC PLAN ITEMS WE'RE MISSING KEY PIECES OF WHAT IT IS THAT, UH, WE'RE FOCUSING ON.
SO THAT'S MY INITIAL REACTION TO THAT PROPOSAL.
I COULD SAY, WHAT I WAS SAYING WAS TO REMOVE AREAS OF FOCUS AND TO USE THE EXISTING MISSION STATEMENT AND TO ADD ELEMENTS FROM THE STRAT PLAN.
SO NOT TAKING OUT, SO IF YOU LOOK AT, UH, FINANCE ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE, IT DOES HAVE I AGREE, UM, AT TAX DMO AND OTHER MATTERS IN THERE.
SO I'D LEAVE ALL THOSE IN THERE AND THEN ADD THOSE ELEMENTS FROM THE STRAT PLAN.
SO I THINK, AND YOU CAN HELP ME TRANSLATE HERE, MR. GOLDEN.
WHAT, WHAT, THAT'S WHAT I UNDERSTOOD, I THINK WAS ADDING TO THE MISSION, ELIMINATING THE AREAS OF FOCUS.
UM, AND, BUT TO HAVE THOSE, UM, THOSE REFERENCES PARTICULARLY ASSIGNED, UM, FOR THE GOALS ASSIGNED, UM, AGAIN, MY FOUR AND SIX, IF WE SAY 10 IS OPERATIONAL, THEN IT WAS FOUR AND FIVE.
LMO INCLUDES SOME OTHER AMENDMENTS AS WELL.
UH, UH, MS. HUNTER YOU MENTIONED, UH, MUNICIPAL CODE, IT ALWAYS DEPENDED ON THE, THE, HE NEEDED THE CONTEXT IN MUNICIPAL CODE, LIKE FLOOD REGULATIONS TYPICALLY WENT THROUGH PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS 'CAUSE IT IMPACTED, UH, DEVELOPMENT.
BUT IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT OPERATIONS, UH, OR FEES AT A, FOR PARKING, THAT WENT TO FINANCE ADMINISTRATIVE.
SO I, I THINK THERE, I THINK THE MUNICIPAL CODE HAS ALWAYS BEEN SORT OF A SPLIT ASSIGNMENT.
UM, AND THEN LMO UM, TYPICALLY HAS GONE TO ONE COMMITTEE, BUT THAT, THAT'S GONNA BE A HIGH ORDER MAGNITUDE LIFT WITH, AND YOU'RE GONNA HAVE THE, THE BENEFIT OF THE LMO TASK FORCE TO HELP.
YOU'RE ALSO GONNA HAVE THE PLANNING COMMISSION THAT'S REQUIRED TO BE PART OF THAT PROCESS, UH, AS WELL.
SO, UH, SO UH, CHAIRMAN COMMITTEE MEMBERS, YEAH, I UNDERSTAND THEM.
IT WOULD BE THE MISSION STATEMENTS GENERALLY AS THEY'RE WRITTEN THERE, UH, TO INCLUDE, UM, THE REMAINING GOALS ASSIGNED AS IDENTIFIED BY MS. BRYON IF THERE'S NO OBJECTION.
UM, AND THEN YOU WOULD KNOW THE GENERAL ASSIGNMENTS FOR THOSE ACTION OR THOSE ACTION ITEMS FOR THOSE GOALS WOULD GO, UH, KNOWING THAT THE MAYOR ULTIMATELY RIGHT.
UH, HAS THAT AUTHORITY IN WORKING WITH COMMITTEE CHAIRS, HAS THAT AGENDAS APOLOGIZE MS. HUNTER, IF I INTERRUPTED YOUR FLOW TRAIN OF THOUGHT, I WANTED TO COME BACK, COME BACK AND TRY TO EXPLAIN WHAT I HAD NOT PARTLY DONE BEFORE.
UH, THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
YOU'RE COMFORTABLE WITH THERE NOT BEING ANY OMISSION OF THINGS THAT ARE CURRENTLY BEING TAKEN CARE OF THAT WOULD FOLD INTO A RECONSTRUCTED MISSION OF WORDS? CORRECT? YES.
GOING TO ASK FOR A MOTION THEN.
I'M GONNA OPEN IT UP FOR A PUBLIC COMMENT HERE.
UM, I, I WOULD MOVE TO RECOMMEND FOR ADOPTION, A RESOLUTION OF THE TOWN COUNCIL TO ESTABLISH STANDING COMMITTEES, TO APPROVE COMMITTEE NAMES AND TO DELINEATE AREAS OF FOCUS REACH COMMITTEE BY REVISING THE DRAFT IN FRONT OF US.
CHANGE THE TWO COMMITTEE NAMES TO BE FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, PUBLIC SAFETY AND INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND ALSO, UH, MAKE THE SAME WITH REGARD TO MISSIONS AND AREAS OF FOCUS.
AFTER MAKING THE NAME CHANGES, TO REMOVE THE SECTIONS CALLED AREAS OF FOCUS.
AND TO ADD TO THE MISSION STATEMENTS FOLLOWING, OR FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ADD ACTION PLAN GOAL NUMBER FIVE, SUPPORT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND BUSINESS RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION.
NUMBER SEVEN, PRESERVE, PROTECT AND CELEBRATE GULLAH GEECHEE CULTURE AND HERITAGE.
NUMBER EIGHT, ADVANCE WORKFORCE HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES.
NUMBER NINE, PROTECT AND ENHANCE ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY.
NUMBER ONE, PROTECT ALL CHARACTER THROUGH MANAGING GROWTH AND FOR THE MISSION STATEMENT FOR PUBLIC SAFETY AND INFRASTRUCTURE TO ADD FROM THE STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN GOALS.
NUMBER TWO, INVEST IN STORMWATER MANAGEMENT INFRASTRUCTURE.
[01:20:01]
MAJOR CORRIDORS AND STREETS.NUMBER FOUR, ENHANCE PUBLIC SAFETY READINESS AND FACILITIES.
NUMBER SIX, REINFORCE ISLAND RESILIENCE.
NUMBER ONE, PROTECT ISLAND CHARACTERS THROUGH MANAGING GROWTH.
AND I WOULD ALSO, AND I LEFT OUT, I'M SORRY, ADD TO THE MISSION STATEMENT OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
UM, DO ALTERNATIVE REVENUE SOURCES AND ON THE DRAFT RESOLUTION BEFORE US TO DELETE NUMBER FIVE, RULES AND PROCEDURES.
SO I WANNA MAKE SURE WE DID NOT MISS
THE, UM, WE, WE YOUR MOTION AT THE BEGINNING, JUST THAT WEISE TO INCLUDE WHAT YOU HAVE ROLLED OFF.
BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GIVEN THE COMMITTEE COMFORT AND THE ITEMS THAT WERE IN AREAS OF FOCUS THAT SHOULD BE FOLDED INTO THE MISSION FOCUS.
UM, THE EXAMPLES MS. TURNER MENTIONED EARLIER.
SO THAT'S, YES, THAT'S CLARIFICATION OF MY MOTION TO INCLUDE THE DRAFT MISSION STATEMENT AND TO INCLUDE OR ADD THOSE THAT I LISTED.
I'LL SECOND IT SO THAT WE CAN HAVE CONVERSATION.
WE WILL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
UH, HAS ANYBODY SIGNED UP? NO.
ANYONE ELSE WANT TO COMMENT ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM? CAN'T SEE NOTHING.
THIS GENERAL, NO, IT'S NOT GENERAL.
I JUST WANNA SAY WOW, YOU KNOW, AS, AS AN EXPERIENCED EXECUTIVE COACH, WHAT I JUST LISTENED TO IS YOU MAKE MY CASE OF WHAT I SPOKE ABOUT AT THE TALENT COUNCIL MEETING LAST WEEK.
THAT IS THIS STRATEGIC PLAN A DISTRACTION BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE ALL YOU'RE DOING IS ADMINISTRATIVELY TRYING TO MOVE THINGS AROUND.
AND WHY WOULD YOU RECOMMEND THAT THE MISSION STATEMENT OF YOUR COMMITTEE BE BASED ON A STRATEGIC PLAN THAT CHANGES SOMETIMES THE NUMBER OF TIMES WE CHANGE A BABY'S DIAPER? REALLY THINK THROUGH WHAT YOU'RE ASKING AND TO SAY YOU DON'T WANT TO BE CALLED ADMINISTRATIVE.
EVERYTHING I JUST HEARD WAS ADMINISTRATIVE.
WHY MAKE A STRATEGIC PLAN IF YOU'RE JUST GONNA HAVE MEETINGS ABOUT MEETINGS AND NOW YOU JUST WANNA MOVE THINGS AROUND ON YOUR COMMITTEES AND CHANGE THIS NUMBER TO THAT NUMBER, I THINK, I THINK YOU'RE MAKING A BIG, BIG MISTAKE.
AND I THINK IT ENDS UP EXACTLY WHERE I SAID YOU WOULD END UP WHEN I SPOKE AT TOWN COUNCIL MEETING.
YOU WON'T ACCOMPLISH ANY GOALS.
AND ONCE AGAIN, THE RESIDENTS OF THIS TOWN WILL BE LET DOWN DUE TO POOR LEADERSHIP.
UM, ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION? NO, NOTHING FOR ME.
UM, I ALSO WANNA REMIND US THAT WE ARE TAKING THIS TIME TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO TELL YES SIR.
AT THAT POINT, UM, WHAT'S ON THE TABLE WILL HAVE BEEN BEFORE ALL MEMBERS OF COUNCIL AND THERE WILL BE OPPORTUNE TIME FOR US TO MAKE A COLLECTIVE DECISION IF THIS IS THE DIRECTION THAT WE WANT TO GO.
UM, I WOULD, I WOULD JUST ADD BEFORE WE CALL THE QUESTION HERE, UM, WE SPENT, UH, I GUESS TWO DAYS TALKING ABOUT THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
WE ALSO HAD A WORKSHOP AROUND IT AND ULTIMATELY WE MADE THE DECISION TO APPROVE IT.
UM, I HAVE NOT ASKED MR. ORLANDO TO SHARE HIS, UH, PROUDFUL SPREADSHEET
[01:25:01]
AM I GOING TO ASK HIM FOR THATUM, BUT I JUST WANT, I, I WANT US TO BE MINDFUL THAT THERE'S A LOT OF WORK BEFORE US.
AGAIN, THIS IS SIMPLY A RECOMMENDATION FOR SOME GUIDANCE.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE MAYOR DOES MAKE THE CALL AS FAR AS WHAT GOES WHERE.
AND THAT DECISION COULD BE WRAPPED AROUND EFFICIENCY.
MORE THAN AREAS OF FOCUS AT THE END OF THE DAY.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE CLEAR ON THAT PIECE.
UH, SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I AM PREPARED TO CALL THE QUESTION HERE IF THERE'S NO MORE DISCUSSION FROM MY COLLEAGUES NOW.
UH, MS. BRYCE HAS MADE THE MOTION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY RAISING YOUR RIGHT HAND, PLEASE.
ALRIGHT, MS. NEXT WE WILL HEAR FROM MS. MICHELLE, OUR SENIOR GRANTS ADMINISTRATOR ON COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT ENTITLEMENT PROGRAM.
GOOD MORNING CHAIRMAN AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS IS A GREAT DAY TO BE HERE.
SO THIS IS THE REQUIRED FIVE YEAR CONSOLIDATED PLAN, UM, AS AN ENTITLEMENT COMMUNITY.
YOU GUYS ARE REQUIRED TO SUBMIT THESE PLANS EVERY FIVE YEARS.
AND IT IS INTERESTING YOU GUYS WERE TALKING ABOUT THE STRATEGIC PLAN 'CAUSE THAT IS ACTUALLY WHAT A CONSOLIDATED PLAN REALLY IS.
ESSENTIALLY IT IS A STRATEGIC PLAN.
A LOT OF THE DATA IS PROVIDED ALREADY BY HUD AND THE AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY, WHICH IS ALSO CENSUS DATA.
SO THIS PLAN IS TEMPLATED, UM, FROM HUD.
JUST TO GIVE YOU SOME LITTLE BACKGROUND ON IT.
UM, IN 2015, OF COURSE YOU GUYS KNOW PROBABLY BETTER THAN I DO,
AND ON MAY 14TH, 2025, HUD ISSUED ACTUALLY OUR ALLOCATION FOR PROGRAM YEAR 2025, WHICH WAS IN THE AMOUNT OF $210,564.
AND THAT IS REQUIRED TO BE PART OF THIS PLAN AS WELL, WHICH WE'LL TALK ABOUT.
THE 20 25 20 29 CONSOLIDATED PLAN WILL COVER THE TOWN'S THIRD YEAR, FIVE YEAR PLAN, WHICH IS KIND OF WEIRD.
UM, IT IS REQUIRED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM THE TOWN HAS PREPARED EVERY FIVE YEARS AND GATHER PUBLIC INPUT THROUGH ITS DEVELOPMENT.
SO WE DO HOLD PUBLIC MEETINGS.
WE ACTUALLY, UM, OBTAIN PUBLIC COMMENT THROUGH EMAILS, PHONE CALLS, WHATEVER, WHATEVER WAY WE CAN GRAB IT, WHICH IS WONDERFUL.
WE DID LEARN THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS THAT THAT'S AN AREA FOR IMPROVEMENT.
UM, WE'D LIKE TO SEE MORE PEOPLE PARTICIPATE IN THE PUBLIC MEETINGS FOR, FOR THE CDBG PROGRAM, WE THINK WE WOULD BE A HUGE VALUE.
SO I'VE WORKED WITH OTHER STAFF ALREADY ON WAYS WE CAN IMPROVE THAT A LOT.
UM, AND I'M EXCITED TO, TO KIND OF GET GOING ON THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT.
SO JUST KNOW THAT WE ARE WORKING ON THAT AND RECOGNIZE THAT AS AN AREA OF A MAJOR IMPROVEMENT.
UM, THE PUBLIC NEEDS ASSESSMENT MEETING TOOK PLACE ON MAY 22ND, 2025, WHICH IS A REQUIREMENT AS WELL.
UM, THE CONSOLIDATED PLAN WAS DRAFTED BASED ON THE INPUT THAT WE DID RECEIVE, BUT WE ALSO TOOK INTO ACCOUNT A LOT OF THE IMPACT THAT, OR INPUT THAT YOU GUYS RECEIVED FROM THE LAST PLAN AS WELL.
'CAUSE WE SAW AFTER WE REVIEWED IT THAT IT WAS STILL VERY RELEVANT TO THIS PARTICULAR PLAN AS WELL.
SO WE DID TAKE THAT IN CONSIDERATION.
UM, THEN THE PLAN WAS BA BASICALLY SENT BACK OUT FOR MORE COMMENT ON JUNE 10TH, 2025.
SO THAT WAS A 30 DAY COMMENT PERIOD.
SO THIS IS ALL REQUIREMENTS FOR, FOR THE PROGRAM.
UM, THE CONSOLIDATED PLAN IS IMPLEMENTED THROUGH ANNUAL ACTION PLAN.
SO WHEN YOU DO YOUR FIVE YEAR CONSOLIDATED PLAN, IT AUTOMATICALLY INCLUDES YOUR FIRST YEAR ACTION PLAN, WHICH IS FOR 2025.
SO THAT'S JUST AN AUTOMATIC, IT'S INCLUDED IN THIS PLAN.
THE NEXT YEAR'S ACTION PLAN 26 WILL BE A SEPARATE DOCUMENT.
UM, THE ACTION PLAN PROVIDES A CONCISE SUMMARY OF THE ACTIONS, ACTIVITIES, AND SPECIFIC FEDERAL AND NON-FEDERAL RESOURCES THAT YOU USE FOR FUNDING.
UM, IDENTIFIES YOUR NEEDS AND SPECIFIC GOALS FOR THIS PARTICULAR YEAR PROGRAM.
THE ACTION PLAN PROPOSES ALLOCATING ALL OF ITS 2025 FUNDS TO TAILOR PARK TO CONTINUE SUPPORTING THAT PROJECT AND ITS PLANNING, DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION PHASE.
AND TO KIND OF PROVIDE SOME OF THAT CRITICAL MOMENTUM TO KEEP PUSHING THAT FORWARD.
UM, AND THAT DOES ALIGN WITH THE BUDGET, STRATEGIC PLAN, ALL OF THAT.
WE MAKE SURE THAT ALIGNS WITH THAT FOR YEARS TWO THROUGH FIVE.
THE PLAN OUTLINES BROAD GOALS SUCH AS PUBLIC FACILITIES AND IMPROVEMENTS, PUBLIC SERVICES, HOUSING ACTIVITIES, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION.
WE ALWAYS WANNA MAKE SURE WE INCLUDE THAT SPECIFIC PROJECTS ASSOCIATED WITH THESE GOALS WILL BE DEVELOPED ANNUALLY IN ALIGNMENT WITH THIS PLAN.
THE TOWN'S STRATEGIC PLAN AND THE TOWN'S BUDGET.
AND ALSO WE TOOK INTO ACCOUNT, OBVIOUSLY THE TOWN'S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
WE TAKE IN ALL THE PLANS THAT WE HAVE,
[01:30:01]
UM, WHICH WAS A GREAT LEARNING EXPERIENCE BEING NEW TO THE TOWN.LEARNED QUITE A BIT GOING THROUGH SOME OF THOSE DOCUMENTS.
THAT WAS THE REQUIRED DEADLINE THAT WE HAD TO MEET.
SO SOME OF OUR MEETINGS WERE CANCELED AND SO THAT KIND OF DELAYED THE PROCESS.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THIS DOCUMENT IS NOW IN HUD REVIEW FOR 45 DAYS.
SO THIS IS A GREAT TIME FOR YOU GUYS TO REVIEW AND PROVIDE ANY COMMENT AND FEEDBACK AS WELL.
ONCE THE PLAN'S ACCEPTED, THERE WILL BE A GRANT AGREEMENT.
HOPEFULLY WE WILL GET NEXT MONTH.
TYPICALLY THAT'S THE TIME PERIOD WHERE YOU WOULD GET IT.
WE'LL COME BACK BEFORE YOU TO ACCEPT THE HUD FUNDING AGREEMENT, WHICH IS FOR THAT $210,000 THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER.
WE CAN SUBMIT AMENDMENTS AT ANY TIME JUST TO KNOW THIS TOWN, THIS PLAN ACTUALLY IS VERY FLEXIBLE.
SO EVEN THOUGH IT'S ALREADY BEEN SUBMITTED TO HUD, WE CAN MAKE CHANGES TO THIS.
IF THERE ARE SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES, WHAT HUD CONSIDERS SUBSTANTIAL, THEN WE HAVE TO JUST HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
SO IT'S REALLY A VERY FLEXIBLE PLAN, UM, WHICH IS WONDERFUL BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, AS WE JUST MENTIONED, THINGS CAN CHANGE.
UM, SO THE PLAN WAS WRITTEN TO PROVIDE FOR THAT FLEXIBILITY.
SO WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THE PROGRAM YEARS AHEAD OF US, WE PUT IN ALL THOSE DIFFERENT USES SO THAT THE TOWN CAN, CAN LOOK AT EACH YEAR SEPARATELY AND INDEPENDENTLY AND SAY, WHAT ARE OUR NEEDS THIS YEAR? IS IT TO CONTINUE FUNDING THE PARTS, WHICH IS REALLY STRATEGICALLY FUNDING THE PARKS IS, IS VERY, IT IS A GOOD MOVE BECAUSE IT'S KIND OF A REALLY
YOU DON'T RUN INTO A LOT OF THE OTHER REQUIREMENTS, SUCH ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEWS.
SOMETIMES IF WE'RE JUST DOING DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION, UM, WHEN YOU'RE DOING HOUSING, WE DO, WE HAVE TO DO THINGS SUCH AS ENVIRONMENTAL RUSE OR YOU KNOW, VERY IN DEPTH INCOME CHECKS.
THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS TO THAT.
WE DID MEET WITH A HUD REP, UM, FROM THE GREAT PLAINS AREA WITH THE MAYOR LAST WEEK TO GET SOME MORE INFORMATION ABOUT UTILIZING HUD HOUSING FUNDING AS WELL AS OTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE TOWN CAN LOOK FOR AND KIND OF DISCUSS, YOU KNOW, AS OPPORTUNITIES TO LOOK AT THAT FOR THE FUTURE IF WE DON'T DECIDE TO USE THE CDBG FUNDING IN ITSELF, THAT THERE ARE OTHER AVENUES THE TOWN CAN TAKE.
AND SO IT WAS A GREAT RESOURCE TO MEET WITH THE HUD REP, UM, AND SEE WHAT THOSE OPPORTUNITIES WERE.
AND HE DID MENTION THAT HUD RIGHT NOW, JUST LIKE A LOT OF OTHER FEDERAL PROGRAMS ARE UNDERGOING REVIEW RIGHT NOW.
SO THERE COULD BE A LOT OF CHANGES COMING DOWN, WHICH COULD BE GREAT CHANGES, CHANGES THAT WILL BENEFIT LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND HOW THEY CAN UTILIZE CDBG FUNDING MUCH MORE EFFICIENTLY.
UM, AND WITHOUT A LOT OF THE KIND OF THE CONSTRAINTS THAT WE FEEL SOMETIMES THAT KIND OF HOLD OUR PROJECTS BACK, SUCH AS HOUSING, HOUSING CAN BE HELD BACK QUITE DRAMATICALLY BECAUSE OF TIMING CONSTRAINTS WITH THIS KIND OF FUNDING.
UM, BUT THE NEXT STEP WOULD BE THE FUNDING AGREEMENT.
AND THEN ALSO NEXT STEP WILL ALSO BE OUR CAPER PROGRAM, WHICH IS, OR THE PLAN, WHICH IS BASICALLY THIS MESS, THE ASSESSMENT OF WHAT ACTIONS YOU GUYS TOOK PLACE LAST YEAR.
SO THAT'LL BE THE NEXT, UM, ASSESSMENT.
BUT OTHER THAN THAT, THAT IS A QUICK SUMMARY OF THAT BIG LONG PLAN.
I HOPE YOU GUYS ENJOY THAT BIG READ
UM, IT WAS MY FIRST EXPERIENCE ACTUALLY WRITING THIS.
UM, AND WE'LL START A LOT EARLIER NEXT TIME FOR SURE.
'CAUSE I THINK IT DESERVES A LOT OF TIME SPENT ON THIS, ESPECIALLY WITH THE NEW STRATEGIC PLAN.
I THINK WE CAN REALLY IMPROVE THIS PLAN AS WELL FOR NEXT TIME.
UM, MICHELLE, FOR, UM, PRESENTING THIS, IT IS A WEALTH OF INFORMATION
AND ACTUALLY I LEARNED A LOT BY READING IT BECAUSE IT HAS A LEVEL OF DETAIL THAT, UH, WE DON'T NORMALLY SEE, UM, IN UNDERSTANDING, UM, WHAT OUR COMMUNITY LOOKS LIKE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I, UM, THINK ABOUT IS, YOU KNOW, IT'S $210,000, YOU KNOW, WE POTENTIALLY HAVE THAT FOR FIVE YEARS.
SO IT ADDS UP TO QUITE A SIGNIFICANT FUND MM-HMM
AND ALTHOUGH I KNOW THE PARK IS A WONDERFUL IDEA, I WONDER IF WE COULD USE THIS MONEY FOR OTHER NEEDS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR COMMUNITY, UM, NEEDS THAT ARE LISTED, UH, AND IDENTIFIED AS WE THINK ABOUT, UH, SEWER CONNECTION.
UH, HOME REPAIR PROGRAMS, WE'RE LOOKING FOR GRANTS MM-HMM
TO SUPPORT THOSE PROGRAMS MM-HMM
AND SO, UM, I'D LOVE FOR US TO THINK ABOUT, UM, OTHER STRATEGIES.
I'M NOT SAYING THAT WE NECESSARILY WANNA CHANGE IT TODAY.
WHEN, WHEN IS THIS ACTUALLY DO? SO THIS, THIS HAS ALREADY BEEN SUBMITTED.
IT'S BEEN SUBMITTED, IT HAD TO BE.
SO IT IS BY JULY, BUT WE CAN MAKE AMENDMENTS TO IT AS LONG AS THEY'RE NOT CONSIDERED SUBSTANTIAL.
SO THIS HAS ALREADY BEEN SUBMITTED MM-HMM
[01:35:01]
THINK ABOUT THAT MOVING FORWARD.BUT YOU DO BRING UP SOME GREAT POINTS IN THAT DEPENDING ON HOW THIS MONEY IS USED, IT MIGHT CREATE EVEN MORE WORK ON BEHALF OF THE TOWN TO BE ABLE TO, UH, DO THAT.
SO I THINK IT'D BE A HEALTHY DISCUSSION TO UNDERSTAND, UM, HOW WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO USE IT DIFFERENTLY IN THE FUTURE.
AND WHAT THAT MIGHT MEAN IN REGARDS TO EXTRA WORKLOAD.
AND WE'LL BE HAPPY TO PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.
THE MEETING THAT WE HAD WITH THE HUD REP AND THE MAYOR WAS VERY BENEFICIAL.
HE OFFERED A LOT OF DIFFERENT OPTIONS TO LOOK AT TO HELP WITH OUR, WITH OUR HOUSING OPTION, WHETHER IT WAS THE HOME SAFETY REPAIR OR OTHER PROGRAMS, UM, THINGS THAT WE HADN'T REALLY DISCUSSED YET.
AND SO THOSE, YOU KNOW, WE'D BE HAPPY TO PUT MORE INFORMATION TOGETHER TO LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, CDBG FUNDING VERSUS OTHER OPTIONS TO ADDRESS THOSE.
I THINK ABOUT MUDDY CREEK INFRASTRUCTURE, I MEAN MM-HMM
I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO CONSIDER MOVING FORWARD.
I THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK AND UH, I DO APPRECIATE THAT AND DEFINITELY IS A LENGTHY DOCUMENT.
I I I I'M NOT GONNA ADVOCATE FOR AMENDING IT.
BUT, BUT I DO AGREE THAT WE NEED TO LOOK FOR FUNDING FOR THOSE KIND OF HOME REPAIRS AND SEWER CONNECTIONS BECAUSE IT, IT HELPS SO MANY FOLKS AND IT ALSO HELPS OUR COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU THINK OF SEWER OVERFLOW.
SO, UM, I, I HOPE THAT WE'LL CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR FUNDING FOR THOSE IMPORTANT, UH, ELEMENTS ON OUR, IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, AND, AND THE OTHER QUESTION THAT I HAD WAS ABOUT THE JULY 13 DEADLINE MM-HMM
UM, AND, AND IS IT TYPICAL THAT WE DON'T ACT ON THIS UNTIL AFTER THE DEADLINE OR NO, THERE WAS SOME FUD WITH, OR WELL, A LOT OF THE FEDERAL PROGRAMS WERE KIND OF ON A LITTLE BIT OF A DELAY BECAUSE OF A LOT OF THE CHANGES THAT ARE ONGOING.
AND THEN WE HAD SOME CHANGES IN SOME OF OUR MEETINGS BEING CANCELED.
SO IT WAS JUST KIND OF LIKE A PERFECT STORM.
NORMALLY YOU WOULD SEE THIS BEFORE.
BUT NOT UNUSUAL
BUT THE NICE THING IS, THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, I BROUGHT OUT THE FACT THAT IT IS FLEXIBLE AND YOU CAN MAKE CHANGES.
UM, IT'S JUST GOING THROUGH PUBLIC MEETING, WHICH IS NOT A, A THING AT ALL, TRYING TO GET MORE FEEDBACK BY ANY MEANS.
UM, WELL STORYTELLING HERE, UH,
AND OBVIOUSLY OUR COMMUNITY HAS CHANGED A LOT WHEN WE THINK ABOUT 2015 TO NOW, PARTICULAR AROUND OUR AVERAGE MEDIAN INCOME MM-HMM
COMMUNITY BLOCK GRANT IS ASSOCIATED WITH A MI.
CORRECT MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WE ARE GRANDFATHERED IN TO A DEGREE
UM, THE POINT IN MY STORY IS THAT I AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUES AS FAR AS, AS WE START TO DEVELOP OUR NEXT BUDGET AROUND INITIATIVES THAT ARE IN OUR STRATEGIC PLAN.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS ONE ONLY WAY THAT WE ARE GOING TO MAINTAIN AN A MI LEVEL IS THROUGH AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND THERE ARE COMPONENTS THAT COME ALONG WITH THAT.
AND SOME OF THOSE HAVE BEEN MENTIONED HERE TODAY WITH SEWER CONNECTIONS AND HOME REPAIR.
AND I KNOW THAT WE LEARNED A LOT WHEN WE STOOD UP OUR OWN PROGRAM THROUGH OPERA FUNDING.
UH, SO I WOULD BE CURIOUS AND I'M, UH, ASKING THAT STAFF BE PREPARED AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE MEETING TO HELP US BETTER UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN WHAT WE WERE ALREADY WORKING ON AS FAR AS DISTRIBUTING FUNDING AND WHAT WOULD BE ADDITIONAL WITH THESE TYPE OF FUNDS.
AND IF THE QUALIFICATIONS LINE UP AT ALL, I KNOW THAT IN ORDER TO BE APPROVED FOR HOME REPAIR YOU HAD TO FIT WITHIN A CERTAIN A MI WELL HOW DOES THAT LINE UP WITH WHAT HUD IS SUGGESTING? OKAY.
JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION.
VERY SIMILAR FOR US, UM, AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
UM, WITH NOT JUST CHANGING THIS PLAN.
BECAUSE THERE MAY BE SOME CHANGES HERE, BUT JUST THAT UNDERSTANDING HELPS US AS WE PROGRAM THAT OUT.
MOVING FORWARD WITH OUR NEXT FISCAL BUDGET AS WELL.
AND PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION TOO ON OTHER FUNDING SOURCES.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE LOOKED AT WHEN WE DISCUSSED HUD FUNDING WITH THE REP WAS THE TIMELINESS OF HUD FUNDING SOMETIMES CAN BE THE CHALLENGE TOO.
AND WE DO HAVE A TIMELINESS REQUIREMENT TO EXPEND THESE FUNDS, WHICH LUCKILY WE HAVE EXPENDED
[01:40:01]
EVERYTHING JUST ABOUT RIGHT NOW EXCEPT FOR ABOUT A HUNDRED THOUSAND THAT WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT.BUT EVERYTHING ELSE HAS BEEN EXPENDED.
WE'VE MET THAT TIMELINESS REQUIREMENT AND SOMETIMES THAT'S WHERE THE HOUSING, WHAT WE'VE SEEN HAS BEEN THE CHALLENGE IS THAT TIMELINESS.
UM, BUT IT'S NOT THAT IT CAN'T BE OVERCOME, IT'S JUST PLANNING.
BUT DEFINITELY WE WILL BE HAPPY TO PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION ON THAT.
WHAT IS THAT WE'D LIKE TO LEARN MORE AS WELL.
WHAT IS THAT REQUIREMENT IN REGARDS TO SPEND? DO YOU NEED TO SPEND IT IN THAT FISCAL YEAR OR NO? NO.
SO YOU CAN, YOU CAN HAVE UP TO LIKE TWO, THREE YEARS.
IT JUST DEPENDS ON THE PROJECT.
AND IF YOU'VE, YOU KNOW, SUBMITTED ANY KIND OF EXTENSION REQUEST OR ANYTHING OF THAT NATURE.
SO YOU SAID THERE'S ABOUT A HUNDRED THOUSAND.
IT'S ABOUT A HUNDRED THOUSAND IS WHAT'S LEFT IN THE FORD SHELL RING PROJECT, WHICH IS ACTUALLY FOR THE TOWNS PORTION OF THAT PROJECT WE FEEL IS WE ARE DONE WITH OUR PORTION.
SO THEREFORE WE DON'T WANNA LOSE THOSE FUNDS.
SO WE, WE WILL, OUR PLAN IS TO COME BACK TO YOU TO ASK FOR THOSE FUNDS TO BE, UH, REALLOCATED TO A DIFFERENT PROGRAM YEAR SO THAT WE DON'T LOSE THEM, WE KEEP THEM.
UM, WE HAVE TO HAVE A PUBLIC MEETING ABOUT THAT, WHICH WILL BE GREAT TO HAVE SOME INPUT ON THAT.
UM, AND SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL GIVE YOU THIS INFORMATION THAT YOU'RE REQUESTING NOW BEFORE THAT TO KNOW HOW WE BEST WANT TO UTILIZE THOSE FUNDS.
UM, SO I MOVE THAT WE RECOMMEND COUNTY COUNCIL ADOPT THE RESOLUTION, TRYING TO FIND IT, SORRY, UP ON THE SCREEN YOU WANT SO I COULD, I WAS GONNA RUN IT UP THERE TO YOU
IT'S JUST SLOW TO BRING IT UP.
REC, UH, RECOMMEND A FULL TOWN COUNCIL ADOPTION OF THE RESOLUTION TO APPROVE THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT ENTITLEMENT PROGRAM 2025 TO 20 29 5 YEAR CONSOLIDATED PLAN AND THE ANNUAL ACTION PLAN FOR PROGRAM YEAR 2025.
ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM? ANYONE SIGNED UP? SEND.
APPRECIATE YOU ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION HERE.
ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY RAISING YOUR RIGHT HAND.
NEXT ITEM, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT ON NON-AG AGENDA ITEMS. HAS ANYONE SIGNED UP HERE, SANDIA? YES, SIR.
I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS THE, UH, IMPORTANCE OF ETHICS IN RELATION TO THE AT TAX COMMITTEE, BUT BEFORE I DO, I WANT THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND THAT I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET THE ATTENTION OF THE TOWN COUNCIL AND THE TOWN LEADERSHIP FOR WELL OVER TWO MONTHS ON THIS ISSUE RIGHT NOW.
AND NO ONE WANTS, SEEMS TO WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT.
THE AT TAX COMMITTEE IS A CENTRAL ROLE IN GUIDING HOW HILTON HAD INVESTS MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN ACCOMMODATIONS, TAX REVENUES.
THESE FUNDS ARE MEANT TO STRENGTHEN TOURISM THE BACKBONE OF OUR ECONOMY, WHILE ALSO SERVING RESIDENTS THAT MAKES ETHICAL STEWARDSHIP NOT JUST IMPORTANT, BUT ESSENTIAL.
THE CHALLENGE, OF COURSE, IS THAT TAX DOLLARS OFTEN GO TO ORGANIZATIONS, NONPROFITS, AND PROJECTS THAT DIRECTLY INVOLVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS OR THEIR ASSOCIATES.
THIS CREATES THE PERCEPTION AND SOMETIMES THE REALITY OF CONFLICTS OF INTEREST, EVEN WHEN EVERYONE IS ACTING IN GOOD FAITH.
IF RESIDENTS BELIEVE DECISIONS ARE BEING INFLUENCED BY PERSONAL OR FOREIGN OR FINANCIAL TIES, TRUST ERODES.
ETHICS IN THIS CASE MEANS GOING BEYOND WHAT IS LEGALLY REQUIRED TO DO.
IT MEANS, NUMBER ONE, FULL DISCLOSURE OF RELATIONSHIPS AND AFFILIATIONS BEFORE FUNDING VOTES ARE TAKEN.
NUMBER TWO, CLEAR RECUSALS WHENEVER THERE IS A HINT OF CONFLICT.
NUMBER THREE, TRANSPARENCY AND SCORING AND RECOMMENDATIONS SO RESIDENTS CAN SEE HOW THESE DECISIONS ARE MADE.
AND LASTLY, MOST IMPORTANTLY, MAKING SURE ALLOCATIONS ALIGN WITH THE TRUE PURPOSE OF AT TAX SUPPORTING TOURISM WHILE BENEFITING THE BROADER HILTON HEAD COMMUNITY.
WE ALL KNOW THAT PERCEPTION IS REALITY AND PUBLIC SERVICE.
IF RESIDENTS PERCEIVE FAVORITISM, EVEN WHEN NONE EXISTS, CONFIDENCE IN THE PROCESS SUFFERS.
AND WHEN TRUST IS LOST, EVERY DOLLAR WE SPEND IS QUESTIONED.
AND EVERY PROJECT FUNDED IS OVERSHADOWED BY DOUBT.
[01:45:01]
BUT THE OPPOSITE IS ALSO TRUE.WHEN THE, A TAX PROCESS IS SEEN AS ETHICAL, TRANSPARENCY AND FAIR RESIDENTS ARE FAR MORE LIKELY TO SUPPORT TOURISM INVESTMENTS AND TO TRUST THAT THEIR GOVERNMENT IS ACTUALLY WORKING FOR THEM.
HILTON HEAD'S REPUTATION AS A WORLD-CLASS DESTINATION DEPENDS NOT ONLY ON OUR BEACHES AND ON OUR, ON OUR AMENITIES, BUT ALSO ON OUR GOVERNANCE.
WE SHOULD BE KNOWN NOT ONLY FOR ATTRACTING VISITORS, BUT FOR FOR HOW RESPONSIBLY WE STEWARD THE FUNDS THAT THE VISITORS GENERATE.
SO I URGE THE TOWN AND SPECIFICALLY THIS COMMITTEE TO STRENGTHEN ETHICAL GUARDRAILS AROUND AT TAX NOW WITH CLEARER POLICIES, STRONGER DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENTS, AND A COMMITMENT TO TRANSPARENCY.
SOMETHING MOST OF YOU RUN ON BECAUSE IN THE END, THE WAY WE SPEND THESE DOLLARS IS JUST NOT ABOUT TOURISM, IT'S ABOUT TRUST.
WITHOUT TRUST, A LEADER IS NOTHING.
YOU ANYONE ELSE MOVE THE NEXT ITEM.
THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING WITH US TODAY.
I WANTED TO THANK HIM FOR HIS SERVICE.
THIS IS THE LAST TIME HE WILL PRESENT TO THIS COMMITTEE.
UM, HE'S ALWAYS BEEN VERY PATIENT WITH US, UM, AND BRING A LITTLE BIT OF COMIC ALONG WITH IT.
UM, HE WILL BE DEARLY MISSED HERE.
UM, AND WE WISH HIM WELL IN HIS FUTURE ENDEAVORS.
I HEARD HE HAD TO GO TAKE CARE OF FRANKEN BEANS.
THANKS FOR WATCHING BEAUFORT COUNTY TV.
THIS IS NATALIE HEFTER FROM THE COASTAL DISCOVERY MUSEUM AND THIS IS YOUR BEAUFORT COUNTY MOMENT.
TRUCK FARMING WAS INTRODUCED IN SOUTH CAROLINA IN 1868 UP NEAR CHARLESTON, BUT IT WASN'T UNTIL THE MID 1870S WHEN THE PORT ROYAL AUGUSTA RAILROAD RAN THROUGH THIS REGION.
THE TRUCK FARMING BECAME A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF OUR ECONOMIC INDUSTRY HERE.
OUR FARMERS HERE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY RELIED UPON THIS LONG GROWING SEASON THAT WE HAVE TO GROW PRODUCE THAT WAS NEEDED IN URBAN AREAS AND PARTICULARLY UP NORTH.
AS THESE FARMERS GREW THEIR POTATOES, TOMATOES, CORN, BROCCOLI, ASPARAGUS, AND LETTUCE.
LETTUCE WAS ACTUALLY AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR CROPS HERE.
AT ONE TIME, BEAUFORT WAS EVEN KNOWN AS LETTUCE CITY.
AS YOU TRAVEL PARTS OF BEAUFORT COUNTY AND SEE LARGE SCALE FARMS TODAY, REMEMBER THAT THIS HAS ALWAYS BEEN AN IMPORTANT PART OF BEAUFORT COUNTY'S HISTORY.
THIS IS NATALIE HEFTER FROM THE COASTAL DISCOVERY MUSEUM, AND THIS HAS BEEN YOUR BEAUFORT COUNTY MOMENT.
TO SEE MORE BEAUFORT COUNTY MOMENTS GO TO THE BEAUFORT COUNTY LIBRARY HOMEPAGE AND CLICK ON THE LOCAL HISTORY TAB.