* 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. [00:00:10] TWO, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. MY NAME IS DICK STEWART. I'M A MEMBER OF THE COUNTY'S ATAC, UH, STATE UH, COMMITTEE. KEN GUERRERO IS ALSO ON THAT COMMITTEE WITH ME AND HE'S HERE. UH, AND KEN MAY ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS THAT IF I CAN'T, BUT UH, I'M TASKED WITH, I WILL, UH, DOES THIS HELP. OKAY, GREAT. WE'LL HAVE TO WORK WITH IT. SURE. AND IF ANY OF THE REST OF YOU FIND I'M NOT, UH, SPEAKING UP, FEEL FREE TO RAISE YOUR HAND AND LET ME KNOW. UH, MY WIFE DESCRIBES TO ME AS A PERFECT PERSON OF PERFECT, UM, IN VOLUME CONTROL. I'M EITHER A LITTLE TOO LOUD OR A LITTLE TOO LOW ALL THE TIME, AND SHE DOES IT WITH AFFECTION AND SHE DOES IT RECOGNIZING THAT, UH, SHE HAS THE SAME TRAITS. WE HAVE BEEN MARRIED 50 YEARS IN OCTOBER, SO THERE AREN'T A LOT OF SURPRISES LEFT IN THOSE SORTS OF THINGS. AND THAT'S THE REASON WE'RE HERE TODAY IS BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT A LOT OF SURPRISES. IN THE YEARS THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING AT TAX IN THE COUNTY, THERE HAVE BEEN SORT OF, UH, PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN UNHAPPY AND DISAPPOINTED THAT THEIR EVENT DID NOT GET FUNDED BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T APPLY IN THE WAY THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE. THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE, UH, EXPECTING CERTAIN THINGS BASED ON RUMORS OR WHATEVER THEY MAY HAVE HEARD. SO OUR OBJECTIVE HERE TODAY IS TO BRING YOU UP TO DATE ON THE POLICIES THAT CONTROL WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE 2% A TAX OR STATE AAX AS WE CALLED, AND THE ORDINANCES THAT CONTROL IT, AND THEN THE BEHAVIOR THAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM OUR COMMITTEE AS WE EVALUATE YOUR APPLICATIONS IF YOU CHOOSE TO MAKE IT. THE REASON WE ARE MAKING THESE, UH, ATTENDANCE AT THESE SESSIONS, UH, IS NOT BECAUSE WE'VE MISSED YOU AND WE WANT TO SEE YOU, ALTHOUGH WE ARE HAPPY YOU'RE HERE, IS BECAUSE SOME OF THOSE FOLKS WHO'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR YEARS AND DON'T THINK THEY NEED TO COME AGAIN, ARE GOING TO BE SURPRISED IF THEY SUBMIT AN APPLICATION AND FIND OUT IT DIDN'T QUALIFY. AND SOME OF THOSE FOLKS FROM LAST YEAR HERE TODAY, REALLY HAPPY THEY CAME. UH, HAVING SAID THAT, UH, THE LAWS THAT GOVERN THIS WERE PUT IN PLACE WHEN AT TAX WERE STARTING TO BE COLLECTED. THIS IS REFERRED TO AS A STATE AT TAX COMMITTEE. THE STATE CREATED LEGISLATION AUTHORIZED LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO COLLECT 2% ON SHORT TERM ACCOMMODATIONS AT THAT TIME. THAT WAS HOTELS AND MOTELS. IT NOW INCLUDED SHORT TERM RENTALS LIKE AIRBNB, VRBO AND OTHER, UH, SHORT TERM RENTALS. UH, KEN IS ONE OF THE MANAGEMENT STAFF AT FRIPP ISLAND, WHICH IS A RESORT AND A COMMUNITY OUT HERE. AND HE UNDERSTANDS SHORT TERM RENTALS BETTER THAN I DO. SO IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ON THAT STUFF, I'M HAPPY FOR UH, KEN TO ANSWER THAT. HAVING SAID THAT, WHAT THE STATE SAID TO THE INDUSTRY IS WE'RE GOING TO BE IMPOSING THIS 2% TAX ON YOUR GUEST SO YOU CAN PASS IT THROUGH AND COLLECT IT FROM THEM. AND THE INDUSTRY IN RETURN SAYS, WELL, YOU OUGHT TO GIVE A PORTION OF THAT FOR MARKETING AND DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES BECAUSE IF WE'RE GOING TO BE PAYING MORE, SOME OF THAT SHOULD COME BACK TO HELP US BE SUCCESSFUL. SO THE STATE IN THEIR LEGISLATION, UH, CREATED A FORMULA THAT SAYS IF YOU COLLECT OVER A CERTAIN AMOUNT, YOU'RE SUBJECT TO CERTAIN REGULATIONS. WE'VE EXCEEDED THAT IN BEAUFORT COUNTY. WE'RE SUBJECT TO THOSE REGULATIONS. AND IT ALSO SAID YOU HAVE TO SPEND THAT IN A CERTAIN WAY. AND THAT CERTAIN WAY IS DEFINED BY STATE LAW AND IT'S ENHANCED BY COUNTY ORDINANCE AND IT'S ALSO ENHANCED BY POLICY MAKING. AND THAT WILL BE SOME OF THE STUFF WE'LL GO OVER HERE TODAY. BUT THAT HISTORY WORKED OUT AND WAS FAIRLY SUCCESSFUL. AND THEN OVER A PERIOD OF TIME, AS SOMETIMES HAPPENED WITH SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMS, A SECOND PORTION OF THIS WAS CREATED THAT WE'RE NOT DEALING WITH TODAY, BUT IS RELATED. AND THAT IS THE 3% ACCOMMODATION TAX, WHICH IS OFTEN TO REFER TO AS THE LOCAL ACCOMMODATION TAX. THE REASON IT'S CALLED THE LOCAL ACCOMMODATION TAX IS EACH JURISDICTION CAN CHOOSE TO IMPLEMENT IT OR NOT. SO THERE ARE PLACES IN THE STATE WHERE THEY HAVE THE 2% STATE A TAX, WHICH WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. THEY DO NOT COLLECT THE 3% AT TAX IN BEAUFORT COUNTY. AND ALL OF THE MUNICIPALITIES IN BEAUFORT COUNTY, WITH A POSSIBLE EXCEPTION OF THE PORTION OF Y EMBASSY IN BEAUFORT COUNTY, DO COLLECT BOTH THE 2% AND THE 3% TAX, 3% ALLOCATION, UH, PROCESSES DIFFERENT THAN THIS ONE. THEN IN RECENT YEARS, ABOUT 15 YEARS AGO, THE HOSPITALITY TAX WAS APPLIED. THE HOSPITALITY ATTACK IS A 2% TAX AND IF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT IMPLEMENTS IT, WHICH IS NOW ALLOWED BY STATE LAW, THAT 2% APPLIES TO ROUNDS OF GOLF BOWLING. IT ALSO APPLIES TO PREPARED FOODS AND THAT'S WHETHER YOU BUY 'EM IN A RESTAURANT AT A DELI, IN A UH, SUPERMARKET OR IN ANY OTHER AREA. AND THAT CREATES FUNDS THAT ALSO HAVE, UH, LED TO THE CREATION OF A FUNDING MECHANISM FROM THE COUNTY. WE ARE NOT THE 2% HOSPITALITY TAX COMMITTEE. WE ARE NOT THE 3% LOCAL AT TAX COMMITTEE. THIS IS THE 2% STATE AT TAX COMMITTEE. SO, UH, I THINK IF WE HAVE THAT, [00:05:02] PUT THE FIRST PAGE OF THIS UP HERE, I THINK ALL OF YOU HAVE PROBABLY SEEN THIS ON THE WEBSITE OR PRINTED IT OUT BEFORE YOU CAME HERE. THIS IS YOUR APPLICATION FOR ACCOMMODATION TAX BOARD 2% STATE FUNDS. AND I'M GONNA GO THROUGH THIS BECAUSE I WANNA BORE THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T NEED IT, BUT I WANT TO INFORM THOSE OF YOU WHO MIGHT BENEFIT FROM IT. AND I APPRECIATE THE PATIENCE OF THE REST OF THE CROWD. IT WILL THERE COME A TIME WHEN YOU WON'T HAVE TO ATTEND THESE? THERE MAY BE, I DON'T KNOW. UH, I FIND THAT IT'S BEST TO COME AND LEARN WHAT YOU CAN TO MAKE SURE YOU DON'T WASTE TIME ON AN APPLICATION IF YOU CAN BE MORE EFFICIENT. AND WHAT WE'RE ASKING YOU TO DO TO BEGIN WITH IS TO GIVE US A NAME OF THE PERSON THAT'S CREATING THE APPLICATION. THE REASON FOR THAT IS WE RECEIVE A FAIR NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS THAT THE COMMITTEE WHERE SOMEONE SAYS, WELL, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT I DIDN'T PREPARE THE APPLICATION. THAT DOESN'T INSPIRE CONFIDENCE ON THE PART OF THE FOLKS THAT ARE EVALUATING YOUR APPLICATION. I'M NOT SAYING YOU HAVE TO BE THERE, BUT I YES MA'AM. MAKE SOME COPIES. YES, PLEASE. THAT WOULD BE, AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO BRING THIS UP ON THE SCREEN IN A MINUTE OR TWO, SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO GO THROUGH IT. EVERYBODY READY TO GO? OKAY. UM, SO THE INFORMATION ABOUT WHO SUBMITS THE APPLICATION IS RELEVANT BECAUSE IN ONE CASE RECENTLY WE HAD SOMEONE WHO HAD BEEN TERMINATED BY THE ORGANIZATION THAT PREPARED THE APPLICATION. WE JUST NEED TO KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING. THEN UNDER HERE WE HAVE EVENT INFORMATION. WHAT ARE YOU PLANNING TO DO AND WHEN ARE YOU PLANNING TO DO IT? AND THE RE AND WHERE, AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS YOU'RE TRYING TO DO. WE SEE APPLICATIONS A LOT OF YEARS WHERE SOMEONE HAS SOMETHING THAT REALLY WOULD BE FUN TO DO AND THE 12 PEOPLE THAT FEEL PASSIONATELY ABOUT THAT ARE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT SUNDAY AFTERNOON IN THE MARSHES OF FUSIA AS AN EXAMPLE. BUT IN TERMS OF INVESTING AT TAX DOLLARS FOR THE COUNTY, THE COUNTY HAS SOME OBJECTIVES INCLUDING ECONOMIC BENEFITS. SURPRISINGLY ENOUGH, IT'S HARD TO, IF YOU ARE THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE COMMITTEE REPRESENTING THE APPLICATIONS, IT'S HARD TO EXPLAIN THE ECONOMIC BENEFIT OF THAT SORT OF EVENT. SO WE NEED HELP FROM YOU APPLICANTS TELLING US THE ECONOMIC BENEFITS START WITH THE LOCATION, THE DESCRIPTION AND THE EVENT TITLE, AND THEN THE ORGANIZATION SPONSORING AN EVENT. IF YOU'RE PART OF AN ORGANIZATION THAT'S A NONPROFIT AND QUALIFIED, BUT THE EVENT HAS A DIFFERENT NAME, THIS IS WHERE WE WANNA HEAR ABOUT YOUR SPONSORING ORGANIZATION. AND WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR IS A NAME STREET ADDRESS, AND WE'RE ASKING FOR PHONE NUMBER AND CONTACT INFORMATION. PRETTY BASIC STUFF. ON YOUR SECOND PAGE, IT GETS A LITTLE MORE INTERESTING WHERE WE WANT TO KNOW YOUR FEDERAL TAX ID NUMBER. IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS, THAT TELLS ME YOU GOT A LITTLE WORK YOU MIGHT NEED TO DO. BUT THAT WILL BE THE NUMBER YOU RECEIVE FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT TELLS US YOU'RE AN EXISTING ENTITY. UH, YOUR ACCOUNTANT, YOU'RE A LAWYER, SHOULD HAVE ONE. IF IT'S NOT ONE AND YOU'RE A DBA DOING THAT AND YOU PUT YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER OR SOMETHING IN HERE, WE'RE PROBABLY GONNA HAVE TO ASK YOU A FEW QUESTIONS WHEN YOU SHOW UP. SO YOU SHOULD HAVE ONE OF THOSE. NOW THERE MAY BE CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE YOU'RE NEW AND YOU'RE WORKING THROUGH A PROCESS AND YOU HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH AN ESTABLISHED ORGANIZATION THAT WILL SERVE AS YOUR FISCAL AGENT. FOR INSTANCE, THE DESIGNATING MARKET DESIGNATED MARKETING ORGANIZATION OR DMO, WHICH IS A TERM YOU'LL HEAR ABOUT FOR MOST OF BEAUFORT COUNTY, UNINCORPORATED BEAUFORT COUNTY, ALL OF UNINCORPORATED BEAUFORT COUNTY WITH A COUPLE OF EXCEPTIONS IS THE UH, BEAUFORT REGIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. I THINK I SAW ROB WELLS COME IN WITH THE CHAMBER. UM, I THINK IN THE PAST THEY HAVE SERVED AS FISCAL AGENTS FOR PEOPLE IN THEIR FIRST YEAR OR SO WHEN THEY WERE GETTING STARTED. AND YOU MAY HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THAT YOU WANNA SUBMIT. AND IF SO, YOU NEED TO TELL US THAT IN THIS ORGAN, THIS PORTION OF YOUR APPLICATION. THEN WE'LL ASK FOR YOUR 12 MONTH ACCOUNTING PERIOD. ARE YOU FROM JUNE TO JULY? ARE YOU FROM DECEMBER TO JANUARY? WE NEED TO KNOW THESE THINGS SO WE CAN UNDERSTAND YOUR, UH, ACCOUNTING REPORTS WHEN WE GET TO IT. THE COUNTY, LIKE MOST LOCAL GOVERNMENTS OPERATES FROM A JUNE TO JULY SESSION. ALRIGHT? UM, THEN YOUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS BASED ON ACCRUAL OR A CASH BASIS. THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO EVALUATE THE TYPE OF APPLICATION YOU'RE SUBMITTING. IF YOU'RE HAVING A, AN EVENT THAT LASTS FOR A SPECIFIC NUMBER OF DAYS AND INTEND TO ACHIEVE A SPEC SPECIFIC RESULT THAT'S GOING TO OCCUR WITHIN A DEFINED PERIOD OF TIME, AND THAT'S GOING TO BE A CASH EVENT, VERY SELDOM DO YOU DO MUCH ACCRUAL ACCOUNTING ON THAT SORT OF AN EVENT. YOU MAY HAVE A REASON FOR YOU DOING IT DIFFERENTLY. WE NEED TO KNOW, DID YOU OR OUR TEAM MEMBER ATTEND A WORKSHOP? IT SAYS YES. AND THEN SOMETIMES WE ARE GONNA ASK YOU AND WE GET THE COMMITTEE WHO ATTENDED JUST BECAUSE WE'RE THOSE KIND OF FOLKS. BUT YOU NEED TO BE HERE TO PARTICIPATE. I HAVE HEARD OF PEOPLE WHO DID NOT COME AND THEIR APPLICATIONS WERE NOT CONSIDERED. [00:10:02] ONE PERSON MENTIONED THAT THIS MORNING, SHE'S NICE AND WE LIKE HER, BUT SHE GOT TO SHOW UP. AND THE REASON FOR THE WORKSHOP, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, IS THAT THIS IS A THREE PARTY AGREEMENT ARRANGEMENT. THE THREE PARTIES OF THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA WHO ALLOW THE LEGISLATION TO OCCUR AND WHO COLLECTS THE 2% AND RECEIPT RETAINS A PIECE OF THAT AND SENDS THE REST OF IT BACK TO THE COUNTY. A PORTION OF THAT IS THEN ALLOCATED THROUGH THIS PROCESS. SO THE STATE'S A PARTY, THE COUNTY'S A PARTY, AND YOU'RE A PARTY. WE ON THE AT TAX COMMITTEE ARE ALL VOLUNTEERS. WE'RE SUPPORTED BY THE GREAT STAFF OF ALLISON AND THE OTHER COUNTY EMPLOYEES YOU SEE HERE BECAUSE THIS IS IMPORTANT. AND THE REASON IT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY, UNLIKE PERHAPS IN GREENVILLE OR OTHER PLACES YOU MAY HAVE LIVED, THIS IS NOT A MANUFACTURING ECONOMY. THIS IS NOT SOME OTHER KIND OF ECONOMY THAT YOU CAN IMAGINE FROM OTHER PLACES. OUR SINGLE BIGGEST DRIVER IN THE ECONOMY OF BEAUFORT COUNTY IS THE UNITED STATES MILITARY. THE SECOND BIGGEST IS TOURISM. IT'S BIGGER THAN RESORT DEVELOPMENT. IT'S BIGGER THAN RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT. IT'S BIGGER THAN MEDICAL, IT'S BIGGER THAN FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT. AND STUDIES HAVE INDICATED BY REPUTABLE PARTIES, INCLUDING THE DMO AND OTHERS, THAT WHEN YOU SPEND A DOLLAR OF AT TAX MONEY ON MARKETING IN BEAUFORT COUNTY, DEPENDING ON WHICH ORGANIZATION IS WHICH LOCATION IS DOING IT, IT PRODUCES $11 TO $14 TO THE, UH, GENERAL BUDGET OF THE BEAUFORT COUNTY TAXPAYERS. WHICH MEANS THAT INSTEAD OF PROVIDING SERVICES SOLELY BASED ON PROPERTY TAXES OR OTHER KIND OF TAXES, THE CREATION OF TOURISM ALLOWS THOSE FUNDS TO BE USED TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO PEOPLE WHO WANT THEM. SECONDARY ISSUE THAT THOUGH IS THAT UH, ONE, UH, ONE OF THE REASONS PEOPLE COME TO BEAUFORT COUNTY, EITHER TO LIVE OR TO VISIT, IS BECAUSE OF OUR HISTORY, OUR CULTURE, OUR COLLEGE, AND OUR RICH, UH, NATURE OF OUR ACTIVITIES. IN ORDER FOR US, THOSE OF US WHO LIVE HERE TO HAVE ACCESS TO THOSE THINGS, THEY OFTEN NEED TO BE SUPPORTED BY PEOPLE WHO ARE COMING HERE TO VISIT. AND THAT MEANS THAT WE HAVE TO BRING THEM HERE SO THEY CAN EXPERIENCE THOSE THINGS. STUDIES HAVE INDICATED THAT OVER 50% OF THE PEOPLE WHO COME TO BEAUFORT COUNTY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A HISTORIC CULTURAL, ECOLOGICAL EXPERIENCE WHILE THEY'RE HERE. AND MOST DO, IN SOME CASES WE FIND THAT THOSE PEOPLE HAVE, UH, A DISSATISFACTION. LESS THAN 50% FEEL LIKE THEY HAD THE EXPERIENCE THEY WANTED. SO, UH, WHERE'S THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT? BECAUSE WE HAVE GREAT STORIES TO TELL. SO OUT OF THIS SESSION, WHAT WE HOPE YOU'LL LEAVE HERE WITH IS AN UNDERSTANDING THAT WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO AND WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO CREATE BENEFITS, NOT JUST THE TOURIST, NOT JUST THE HOTELS OR THE SHORT TERM RENTAL PARTIES, BUT THE ENTIRE COUNTY BECAUSE WE CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THOSE FACILITIES AND THOSE EVENTS AND THOSE ARE ACTIVITIES. AND IT ALSO SUPPLEMENTS THE COUNTY BUDGET SO THEY CAN PROVIDE SERVICES AND FACILITIES WITHOUT HAVING TO RELY ON PROPERTY TAXES OR INCOME TAXES. OKAY? SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. NOW, HAVE THERE BEEN ANY SIGNIFICANT CHANGES FROM THE PRIOR PERIOD IN YOUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS? IF SOMEBODY GAVE YOU A HUGE CONTRIBUTION OR YOU FILED BANKRUPTCY, WE'D LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT THAT. 'CAUSE THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT MATTER. NOW, THERE WAS AN ORGANIZATION THAT WAS QUITE SUCCESSFUL FOR MANY DECADES IN BEAUFORT COUNTY WHO RELIED ON THE RESULTS OF A COUPLE OF FESTIVALS FOR THEIR PRIMARY FINANCIAL, UH, SUCCESS IN CONTINUANCE. THEY HAD TWO FESTIVALS IN ONE YEAR IN WHICH THE WEATHER WAS HORRIBLE BOTH TIMES, AND THEY HAD DID NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT RESERVES. AND SO THAT ORGANIZATION WENT OUTTA BEING, WE'D LIKE TO KNOW THAT IF THAT'S HAPPENED TO YOU IN THE LAST YEAR AND YOU'RE GONNA BE RUNNING OUTTA MONEY, WE'D LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT THAT AS PART OF THIS DISCUSSION PROCESS. DOESN'T MEAN IT WON'T HELP YOU, WE WON'T HELP YOU. IT JUST MEANS WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT AND EVALUATE IT IN THE COMPETITIVE APPLICATIONS. WHERE IS IT THAT WE LOOK AT RIGHT HERE ON, UH, THE SECOND PAGE WHERE IT SAYS WHAT YOUR ACCOUNTING PERIOD, THEN IT SAYS, HOW ARE YOUR ACCOUNTING STATEMENTS? THEN AT THE BOTTOM OF THAT, HAS THERE BEEN A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN REVENUES FROM THE PRIOR PERIOD? OKAY, NOW, IF SOMEBODY'S GIVEN YOU A BIG DONATION COUNT THAT AS REVENUES WE'D LIKE TO HEAR ABOUT. THANK YOU. YOU DID GOOD. NO, NO, BUT I LIKE YOUR STYLE. THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I WOULD'VE SAID. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT THEN DID YOU, UH, OTHER FUNDING, WE WANNA KNOW IF YOU'RE APPLYING FOR OTHER FUNDING, THAT COULD BE THE 3%, UH, LOCAL A TAX THAT THE COUNTY HAS A 2% H STACK THAT THE COUNTY HAD. YOU MAY BE APPLYING TO, UH, ONE OF THE MUNICIPALITIES FOR FUNDING FOR YOUR AGENCY. HILTON POOL OF ACCOMMODATION TAXES, BOTH 2% AND 3%. THEN DOES THE COUNTY, SO THEY HAVE MORE FUNDS, THEY COMMIT TO THOSE THINGS. SO WE'D LIKE TO KNOW WHERE ELSE YOU'RE APPLYING FOR FUNDING. IF YOU'RE APPLYING FOR FUNDING FROM PRIVATE SECTOR FOLKS OR YOU'VE GOT SOME CORPORATION THAT'S FACILITY. WE'D LIKE TO KNOW FOR A COUPLE REASONS, NOT JUST BECAUSE WE THINK IF YOU'RE GETTING HELP ELSEWHERE, WE, YOU MAY NOT [00:15:01] NEED AS MUCH. WE WANNA UNDERSTAND THAT. IT MIGHT ALSO MEAN THAT THERE'S OTHER PEOPLE THAT UNDERSTAND THE MERITS OF WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO AND TAKE, LOOK AT THAT IN, UH, CONSIDERATION OF US ASSISTING YOU IN WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO. AND I'VE SEEN THE COMMITTEE LOOK AT THAT BOTH WAYS. TELL US ABOUT IT. YES MA'AM. ON THAT NOTE, IF YOUR IS ASKING FOR A TAX DOLLARS, LET'S SAY FOR A DIFFERENT PROJECT, YOU WANT TO KNOW ABOUT THAT DIFFERENT PROJECT IN THAT AMOUNT? IF IT HAS, IF IT, IT IS A TOTALLY DIFFERENT ASK. DO YOU STILL WANNA UNDERSTAND IF I WERE RESPONDING TO THAT ON THIS APPLICATION? WHAT I WOULD PUT IS WE HAVE REQUESTED, UH, AT TAX FUNDING FOR A DIFFERENT PROJECT FROM THE CITY OF BEAUFORT AND THAT'S ALL I DO. PERFECT THAT OKAY? GOOD. MM-HMM AND APPARENTLY A COUPLE OF YOU ARE . OKAY. ALRIGHT. UM, IF YOU APPLIED FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY FUNDING, WE'RE GONNA WANNA KNOW ABOUT THAT. AND WE WANT TO KNOW ABOUT HOW MUCH ON THE NEXT PAGE, IF YOU DIDN'T APPLY, WE'RE GONNA WANT YOU TO TELL US WHY YOU DID NOT. NOW HERE'S THE QUESTION THAT SOMEONE IS GOING TO ASK AND SOME PEOPLE MAY ALREADY BE THINKING ABOUT. HOW DO WE KNOW IF YOU'RE HAVING AN EVENT THAT SOMEONE IS GOING TO BE VISITING OR STAYING IN BEAUFORT COUNTY AND GENERATING TO INCREASE ECONOMIC BENEFITS FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY AS OPPOSED TO STAYING INSIDE ONE OF THE MUNICIPALITIES? AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE IF YOU'RE STAYING ON HILTON HEAD, THE AT TAX DOLLARS ARE COLLECTED, GO TO THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD. IF YOU'RE STAYING IN THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON AT TAX DOLLARS, GO TO THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON. IF YOU'RE STAYING AT FRIPP ISLAND, WHICH IS THE UNINCORPORATED AREA OR ON DUSKY THOSE DOLLARS COME TO THE COUNTY. THOSE THINGS MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO US IN THE COUNTY. THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE WON'T PARTICIPATE, IT DOES MEAN WE NEED TO KNOW. ODDLY ENOUGH, WHEN PEOPLE CHECK IN HOTELS AND GO TO EVENTS, THEY DON'T SAY WHICH MUNICIPALITY OR WHICH LOCATION ARE YOU IN. SO WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT AND WE'RE GONNA ASK YOU TO TELL US ABOUT PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING TO YOUR EVENTS. WE'LL GET TO THAT IN JUST A MINUTE. SO THAT'S WHY WE WANNA KNOW IF YOU'VE APPLIED TO OTHER FOLKS 'CAUSE IT DOES FIT. NOW, UM, THE REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION, THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE. WE'VE ASKED FOR A DETAILED BUDGET. NOW MY ACCOUNTING TEACHER AND SCHOOL TOLD ME THAT A BUDGET INCLUDES BOTH REVENUES AND EXPENSES. APPARENTLY SOME FOLKS DIDN'T GO TO THAT CLASS OR DIDN'T PAY ATTENTION BECAUSE WE OFTEN RECEIVE A DETAILED BUDGET OF EXPENSES ONLY AND THAT REALLY DOESN'T GIVE US THE PICTURE THAT WE NEED. SO WE LIKE EXPENSES AND REVENUES. AND THE REASON THAT WE LIKE TO HAVE THAT IS BECAUSE YOU OUGHT TO KNOW IT. IT'S NOT COMPLICATED. WE'RE NOT TRYING TO NICKEL AND DIME YOU ON EVERYTHING, BUT WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENED. WE DO HAVE PEOPLE THAT ASK US, WHEN IS THAT GOING TO BE BIG ENOUGH THAT THEY'LL STOP ASKING FOR A TAX DOLLARS? AND THE ANSWER TO THAT IS WHEN THEY FEEL LIKE THEY'RE BIG ENOUGH THAT THEY DON'T NEED TO ASK FOR AT TAX DOLLARS, THEY WILL STOP ASKING. BUT IN THE MEANTIME THEY'LL BE COMING. THEY MAY NEVER GET TO THAT POINT. ALTHOUGH SOME ORGANIZATIONS HAVE, THEN WE ASK YOU TO PROVIDE A SPECIFIC INFORMATION CONCERNING THE NUMBER OF TOURISTS THAT WILL GENERATED BY YOUR EVENT OR PROJECT. MUST INCLUDE A DESCRIPTION OF THE METHOD USED TO DETERMINE THE TOURISM IMPACT. NOW WE HAVE HAD FOLKS TELL US THAT THEIR EVENT ATTRACTS AN INCREDIBLY LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE INCONSISTENT WITH THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT YOU WOULD SEE THERE. AND IF THEIR EVENT IS A MULTI-DAY EVENT, THEY MAY BE COUNTING THE SAME PEOPLE 10 DIFFERENT TIMES. THOSE ARE LEGITIMATE ISSUES. BUT WE LIVE IN A NEW AGE. THERE'S TECHNOLOGY AVAILABLE. YOU CAN CONTACT THE DMO, YOU CAN CONTACT THE USCB TOURISM FOLKS, THEIR MECHANISMS TO DO THIS. BUT FIRST OF ALL, LET'S TALK ABOUT WHERE THAT TOURIST IS. A TOURIST IS DEFINED BY THE STATE AS SOMEONE WHO LIVES MORE THAN 50 MILES AWAY FROM WHERE YOU'RE DOING THIS, THAT MEANS NOT IN BEAUFORT COUNTY. AND THAT MEANS YOU PROBABLY NEED TO CHECK WITH THOSE FOLKS IN THE WAY THEY DO IT. THERE ARE WAYS THAT YOU CAN DO THIS BY INTERVIEWING PEOPLE. I THINK THE DMO CAN ADVISE YOU ABOUT GEOFENCING. I SUSPECT THE BEAU, THE HILTON HEAD CHAMBER KNOWS HOW TO DO THAT. AND WHAT THAT WOULD DO IS YOU WOULD COLLECT THE PHONE NUMBERS OF ALL THE PEOPLE THAT ARE TAKING THEIR CELL PHONES INTO YOUR ORGANIZATION OR YOUR EVENT. THAT MIGHT NOT BE ACCURATE BECAUSE THEY MAY HAVE MOVED HERE AND KEPT THEIR PHONE NUMBER FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE. BUT IT'S MUCH MORE ACCURATE THAN SAYING I KNOW A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE OUT HERE AND I DON'T KNOW A HUNDRED OF 'EM. SO I GOT A HUNDRED TOURISTS HERE TODAY. THAT WON'T WORK. YES SIR. JUST WANT TO CONFIRM YOU FE INTO THAT 50, WE ARE ASKING YOU TO TELL US HOW YOU MEASURE THE PEOPLE THAT COME TO YOUR EVENT AND HOW MANY OF THOSE ARE TOURISTS AND ARE NOT, I'M NOT ASKING YOU TO FOLLOW MY DIRECTION TO WHAT YOU MIGHT DO, BUT IF YOU SAY, OH, THESE ARE ALL TOURISTS BECAUSE THEY CAME TO HILTON HEAD FROM BEAUFORT. NO, THAT DOESN'T WORK. THEY CAME TO BLUFFTON FROM [00:20:01] HARDY. NO, THE STATE LOOKS AT IT AS A 50 MILE BEYOND 50 MILE RADIUS. SO THAT WORKED. IF KEN'S HAVING AN EVENT AT FRIPP ISLAND, IT IS 50 MILES FROM FRI ISLAND TO SEA PINES. BUT THAT DOESN'T QUALIFY BECAUSE IT'S IN GEOGRAPHICALLY THE SAME COUNTY. YES SIR. UM, CAN YOU, UH, EXPLAIN AGAIN, WHY WAS OTHER FUNDING NINE FIVE FOR OKAY, UM, LET'S SAY I WAS GONNA HAVE THE UH, OKRA GUMBO FESTIVAL IN BEAUFORT. WHY WOULDN'T I APPLY TO THE CITY OF BEAUFORT FOR FUNDING? I SHOULD TELL IT. IT'S BECAUSE IT'D BEEN MEAN TO ME IN THE PAST AND THEY DON'T HAVE TRAINING SESSIONS AND THEY AREN'T NICE TO ME LIKE YOU FOLKS IN THE COUNTY. SO WHATEVER THAT REASON MIGHT BE. OR IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING LIKE, WELL WE APPLIED FOR THEM AND WE HOPE TO GET IT GRANTED, BUT WE HAVEN'T BEEN GRANTED YET. SO WE DIDN'T APPLY, DIDN'T LIST IT AS APPLIED BECAUSE WE WON'T KNOW. BUT JUST TELL US WHY YOU CHOSE NOT TO. WE THINK YOU SHOULD, BUT YOU MAY THINK YOU'RE NOT AND YOU SHOULD TELL US WHY. YOU MAY ALSO FIND THAT THERE'LL BE A CIRCUMSTANCE, I DON'T KNOW YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES, BUT THERE MAY BE SOMETHING WHERE SOMEONE HAS SAID, WE'RE GONNA DO THE FOLLOWING FOR YOU. LET'S SAY THE TOWN OF UH, HILTON SAYS, SAYS WE'RE GONNA SPEND A LOT OF MONEY AS DID THE COUNTY ON PROVIDING LAND FOR THE MITCHELLVILLE SITE. SINCE WE'RE DOING THAT THIS YEAR, WE'D LIKE FOR YOU NOT TO SHOW UP AND ASK FOR AT TAX DOLLARS. AND YOU TELL US THAT BECAUSE THAT'S A LEGITIMATE REASON NOT TO APPLY. OKAY, THANK YOU. DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? SO THAT PUTS A BIG . NO, UH, YOU WOULD JUST HAVE TO TELL US WHY YOU DIDN'T APPLY FOR ANY OTHER FUNDING. IF YOU WANT TO TELL US, WE CONSIDER THE STATEMENTS. YOU CAN DO THAT. IT'S NOT OUR, UH, JOB HERE TO TELL YOU THAT THERE'S A FEDERAL GRANT OR SOME CORPORATION'S GOT SOMETHING. THIS IS PRIMARILY FOCUSED ON THE OTHER ATAC IN THE AREA, BUT YOU CAN EXPAND IT. ATAC IT'S PRIMARILY FOCUSED ON THAT. BUT IF THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE, LET US KNOW. MM-HMM . THERE'S A HAND UP OVER THERE TOO. SO I'M COMING BACK. OKAY, SO IN THE PAST, UM, YOU, LATELY THE ATAC SEEMS TO FOCUS MORE ON DRAWING PEOPLE IN RIGHT HEADS ON BEDS. WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO GET PEOPLE TO COME TO THIS AREA PAST IT'S BEEN ENHANCING THE TOURISTS THAT DRAWING THEM IN. IT SEEMS TO BE LEANING MORE TOWARD WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO GET PEOPLE HERE? SO PAST THE CHARITABLE FOUNDATION THAT'S ASSOCIATED WITH THE ROTARY MONIES FOR A QUENCH BUGGY, WHICH IS A MOBILE POTABLE, FRESHWATER FILTERED, UM, UNIT THAT HERE IN COUNTY THAT ENHANCES THE TOURIST EXPERIENCE. DOES IT DRAW PEOPLE IN JUST TO SEE A QUENCH BUGGY TO THE CITY? PROBABLY NOT, BUT IT IS AVAILABLE TO THE COUNTY AT LARGE. AND THE REQUEST WOULD BE FOR SOMETHING LIKE REUSE. LET ME SEE IF I CAN, YOUR QUESTION IS, ARE WE FOCUSED ON OVERNIGHT TOURISM OR ARE WE FOCUSED ON THINGS THAT ENHANCE IT? THE CITY, THE THE EXACT VER EXACT VERBIAGE SAYS FACILITIES WHICH ENHANCE THE ABILITY OF THE COUNTY TO ATTRACT AND PROVIDE FOR TOURISTS. AND MY SITUATION BE PROVIDING FOR, OKAY, LET ME RESPOND TO THAT. THIS IS A COMPETITIVE OPERATION. YOU DO WHAT YOU THINK YOU NEED TO DO. BUT OUR GOAL HERE IS TO, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THOSE ARE QUALIFIED APPLICANT. LOOK AT THE ECONOMIC BENEFITS TO BEAUFORT COUNTY AND TO THE CITIZENS HERE. AND THAT MEANS ATTRACTING PEOPLE. IT ALSO MEANS RETAINING PEOPLE. IT ALSO MEANS ENCOURAGING THEM TO COME BACK BECAUSE THEY'VE HAD A GOOD EXPERIENCE. SO ALL OF THOSE THINGS WILL BE CONSIDERED, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS IS PAID BY PEOPLE STAYING IN ACCOMMODATIONS, HOTELS, SHORT TERM RENTAL, WE'RE LOOKING TO CREATE MORE OF THAT. AND HOW WE CREATE MORE OF THAT IS HAVING PEOPLE HAVE GOOD EXPERIENCES AND BEING AWARE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE AVAILABLE HERE. SO THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION IS, I DON'T KNOW WHO PROVIDED THE GRANT TO THAT AND I'M NOT SURE HOW THAT WORKED OUT, BUT THOSE ARE SORTS OF THINGS THAT WILL BE CONSIDERED. I DO KNOW THAT IN THE PAST WE HAVE DONE THINGS LIKE WE'VE HAD PEOPLE REPAIR DOCKS WHERE THERE WERE NEEDS FOR UH, PEOPLE TO HAVE ACCESS TO THOSE FOR TOURISM. THOSE THINGS WERE AVAILABLE. WHETHER IT'S 2%, 3% HOTLY, I'M NOT SURE, BUT YOU SHOULD APPLY FOR WHAT YOU THINK IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF ATTRACTING, IN RETAINING AND RECURRING VISITORS WHO STAY IN HOTELS OR SHORT TERM RENTALS. GOT SOME QUESTIONS OVER HERE. THE FUNDING APPLIED FOR, [00:25:16] FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO MAY NOT HAVE HEARD THE QUESTION WAS, IF WE'RE NEW, WE'RE JUST STARTING THIS AND AFTER WE SUBMIT THIS, WE THEN FIND SOMETHING ELSE AND WE APPLY FOR IT. DO WE HAVE TO UPDATE US? THE PROCESS WORKS WHERE THIS APPLICATION OPENS, YOU COMPLETE IT AND YOU SUBMIT IT. WE ARE NOT GONNA HAVE PEOPLE AMENDING IT, UH, FOR A PERIOD OF TIME AFTER THAT. 'CAUSE THAT WOULDN'T BE FAIR TO THE PEOPLE WHO GOT IT IN ON TIME. IF WHEN YOU COME FORWARD TO UH, BE INTERVIEWED BY THE COMMITTEE YOU CHOOSE TO SAY, I WANT TO ADD TO YOU SINCE THEN WE APPLIED FOR AND RECEIVED THE FOLLOWING, I WOULD RECOMMEND YOU FOLLOW THAT PATH. BUT DO NOT GO ABOUT TRYING TO UPDATE YOUR APPLICATION AFTER EVERYONE ELSE HAS COMPLIED WITH THAT UH, REQUIREMENT. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? YES. WANNA BE FAIR? YES MA'AM. IF YOU HAD NOT APPLIED FOR THE CITY OR THE OTHER AX OR H TAX THE PAST YEAR, BUT WE PLAN ON FOR THIS NEXT YEAR, WHICH APPLICATION WILL BE IN JANUARY. DO YOU WANT US TO TALK OF THAT AS YES. WELL I HAD A LITTLE TROUBLE HEARING THAT BUT LET ME REPEAT IT AND SEE IF I GOT IT. OKAY. IF YOU HAVEN'T APPLIED FOR, UH, GRANT FUNDING FROM THESE OTHER SOURCES, BUT YOU ANTICIPATE APPLYING AND IT'S POSSIBLY BECAUSE YOU'RE NEW, WHAT DO YOU WANNA SAY HERE? SAY WE'RE RELATIVELY NEW. THIS IS OUR FIRST ONE. WE'RE APPLYING TO THE COUNTY. WE ANTICIPATE APPLYING TO OTHER SOURCES IN THE FUTURE, BUT WE DIDN'T DO IT THIS YEAR. WHAT I DESCRIBE THAT AS SORT OF TELL US THE TRUTH. TELL US FACTS MAKE IT RELATIVELY SIMPLE. IT'S NOT GONNA BE OVERLY NUANCED OR CONFUSED 'CAUSE IN FACT THAT IS EXACTLY WHERE IT'S AT. SOME OF OUR BEST EVENTS ARE RELATIVELY NEW AND HAVE BEEN GROWING AND THE COMMITTEE TAKES INTO CONSIDERATION OF THIS. I WANT TO INSERT A WORD HERE NOW 'CAUSE SOME OF YOU I CAN TELL ARE NEW AT THIS. IF YOU'RE ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO VIEW YOUR EVENT TO BE THIS SPECIAL THING THAT NOBODY ELSE IS DOING AND IT'S GONNA BE WONDERFUL AND YOU WANNA DO IT ON THE IDEAL WEEKEND IN OCTOBER AND APRIL WHEN ALL THE HOTELS AND SHORT TERM RENTALS ARE ALREADY FULL, THE SHORT TERM RENTAL AND HOTEL FOLKS ARE NOT GONNA BE EXCITED ABOUT THAT. 'CAUSE THEY DON'T NEED YOU. IF YOU WANNA DO SOMETHING AND I'LL USE A BEAUFORT FILM FESTIVAL AS AN EXHIBIT. WHEN THEY FIRST, AN EXAMPLE WHEN THEY FIRST STARTED DOING THAT, THEY WERE DOING IT ON A WEEKEND, I THINK IT WAS VALENTINE'S WEEKEND WHEN ALL THE HOTELS IN BED AND BREAKFAST. SO WE DON'T NEED TO DO THAT 'CAUSE WE'RE FULL. LET'S EXPAND THAT. AND NOW WE'RE ABOUT A FIVE OR 10 DAY, UH, FESTIVAL AND THEY'RE DOING IT EARLY IN FEBRUARY WHEN MANY OF THE HOTELS AND RESTAURANTS WERE VIRTUALLY, UH, SEEKING PEOPLE TO COME IN AND STAY AND PEOPLE TO COME IN. IT'S BEEN A GREAT FESTIVAL AND IT'S GROWING, UH, WILD AND THEY'RE FULLY SUPPORTIVE OF THAT FESTIVAL FOR THAT REASON. AND THAT SUPPORT GOES BEYOND ATAC TO PERSONAL PARTICIPATION AND SPONSORSHIP. SO THINK IN THE CONTEXT OF WHAT WE'RE THINKING, WHICH IS NOT WHETHER YOUR EVENT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO DO SOMETHING BECAUSE YOUR POTENTIAL TO ATTRACT PEOPLE AND GET 'EM TO STAY WHEN THE HOTEL AND THE SHORT TERM RENTAL ROOMS ALREADY FULL IS REALLY QUITE LOW. IF YOU CAN DO IT IN WHICH WAY THAT COMPLIMENTS THE INDUSTRY AND PRODUCE THOSE ECONOMIC BENEFITS THAT THE COUNTY COUNCIL AND WE ARE TASKED TO LOOK FOR, THEN THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE VIEWED FAVORED. SOMEONE ELSE HAD A QUESTION, I THINK. OKAY, THANK YOU FOR THOSE. ALRIGHT. DE PROVIDE A DETAILED MARKETING PLAN THAT WILL BE UTILIZED IN CHRIS TOURISM AS A RESULT OF COMPLETION OF THIS EVENT PROJECT. NOW I KNOW THIS IS GONNA SOUND COMICAL, BUT THERE WAS A SUBMISSION SEVERAL YEARS AGO, NOT TO THIS COUNTY THAT SAYS OUR ADVERTISING AND MARKETING IS GONNA CONSIST OF TELLING PEOPLE ABOUT IT IN SUNDAY CHURCH, WHICH WAS GREAT, BUT I'M RELATIVELY SURE THAT THE FOLKS IN CHARLOTTE AND ATLANTA AND GREENVILLE, WHICH ARE THREE OF OUR DESTINATION MARKETS THAT COME HERE OFTEN DON'T COME DOWN HERE SUNDAY FOR THAT, THAT CHURCH SESSION. SO PRINTING UP MATERIALS TO PASS OUT AT THE CHURCH REALLY VIABLE. BUT A DETAILED MARKETING PLAN PROBABLY MEANS A LITTLE MORE THAN THAT. IF YOU'RE NEW AT THIS AND YOU WANT SOME INFORMATION, PLEASE CALL ON YOUR D OS AND YOUR D OS. THERE ARE TWO OF THEM. THEY'RE DESIGNATED MARKETING ORGANIZATIONS. THAT'S WHAT DMO MEANS. THE BEAUFORT CHAMBER IS THE, UH, COUNTY'S DESIGNATED MARKETING ORGANIZATION FOR EVERYTHING NORTH OF THE BROAD RIVER AND THE UNINCORPORATED AREA SOUTH OF THE BROAD RIVER IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREA. THE DESIGNATED MARKETING ORGANIZATION IS THE HILTON HEAD BLUFFTON CHAMBER. THEY BOTH HAVE SOPHISTICATED MEANS BY WHICH THEY CAN HELP YOU DEVELOP A MARKETING PLAN. THEY BOTH HAVE EXPERIENCE BUYING ADS, PLACING ADS, MEASURING RESULTS SO FORTH. THEY CAN HELP YOU DO THAT IF THAT'S NOT SOMETHING YOU HAVE PARTICULAR EXPERTISE. AND I DON'T KNOW THIS FOR A FACT, BUT I WOULD ASSUME THEY CAN PROBABLY NEGOTIATE BETTER DEALS SINCE THEY DO THAT MORE OFTEN THAN YOU OR YOUR ORGANIZATION MIGHT. SO CALL ON THEM. EXCUSE ME. YES. WHAT WHAT, WHAT WAS THE FIRST ONE WAS THE COMMERCE AND WHAT WAS THE FIRST? THE FIRST ONE WAS THE BEAUFORT REGIONAL CHAMBER. IF BUFORT CONVENTION, EXCUSE ME, THE BEAUFORT CONVENTION IN VISITOR BUREAU. I'M SORRY, YOU LITTLE SENIOR WELLS RIGHT HERE FOR EVERYBODY KNOW ROB IS THE, YOU NEED TO KNOW ROB IS THE HEAD OF THAT AND UH, HE, HE'S SORRY [00:30:01] FOR THAT CONFUSION. YOU SAID ATLANTA, GREENVILLE AND WHAT WAS THE THIRD AREA? CHARLOTTE. I MENTIONED CHARLOTTE. I KNOW. WERE YOU THINKING IT WAS GONNA BE OHIO OR NEW JERSEY? I WAS. HOW DID YOU KNOW? I I DON'T KNOW, IT'S JUST SOMETHING DIDN'T, I THINK I WAS THINKING FLORIDA. HONESTLY, I THOUGHT IT WAS SOMEWHERE THERE. WELL, I, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO TALK TO ROBIN. HE'LL GIVE YOU A BREAKDOWN ON ALL OF THAT HIGH LEVEL OF DETAIL. ALRIGHT? IF YOU DON'T PROVIDE THAT DOCUMENTATION, IT'S GONNA BE DISCOURAGING AND YOU'RE PROBABLY NOT GONNA GET ANY MONEY AND WE'RE NOT GONNA CONSIDER YOUR APPLICATION ON THE NEXT PAGE, WE ENCOURAGE YOU. THIS IS WHERE YOU SAID ALL OF THAT INFORMATION JUST GOT UPLOADED. THIS ONE SAYS NO FILES UPLOADED THAT I'M HOLDING. AND THE REASON IT SAID THAT IS 'CAUSE I DIDN'T DO IT. NOW AFTER THAT, THERE'S ONE OTHER QUESTION AND THAT IS, DID YOU RECEIVE FUND IN THE LAST TWO YEARS FROM COUNTY AT TAX? UH, WE GOT THAT IN THERE BECAUSE SOMETIMES FOLKS RECEIVED MONEY AND THEY HAVEN'T FILED THEIR REIMBURSEMENT AND SO THE MONEY IS STILL SITTING OUT THERE. AND AS A RESULT OF THAT, WE'RE GONNA WANNA UNDERSTAND A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THAT. LET ME TELL YOU WHY. THERE HAVE BEEN CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE AWARDS HAVE BEEN MADE AND FOR EVENTS BEYOND FOLKS CONTROL LIKE COVID OR SOME OTHER EVENTS, ALL THOSE FUNDS WERE NOT USED AND THOSE FUNDS WERE THEN RETURNED OR RETAINED BY THE COUNTY. WE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THAT BECAUSE THAT FITS INTO OUR, UH, ALLOCATION PROCESS. WE NEED TO KNOW IT ABOUT IT AS WELL BECAUSE IF YOUR ORGANIZATION IS ONE OF THOSE THAT'S GUNGHO AND GREAT THINGS ARE GONNA HAPPEN AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE HUNDREDS OF VOLUNTEERS AND WONDERFUL WORK, AND TURNS OUT THEY DIDN'T SHOW UP AND THE VENUE WOULDN'T COOPERATE WITH YOU AND YOU DIDN'T HAVE YOUR EVENT, THAT'LL AFFECT OUR WILLINGNESS TO THINK THAT SOMEHOW THEY'RE GONNA SHOW UP THIS YEAR AND YOU'RE GONNA MAKE YOUR EVENT HAPPEN. SO PERFORMANCE WILL MATTER ON THAT. SO TELL US IF YOU RECEIVE FUNDS AND THEN WE'LL LOOK BACK AND SEE HOW THOSE WORKED. THERE'S NO SHAME IN RETURNING FUNDS THAT YOU DON'T USE. IF YOU WERE GONNA SPEND A CERTAIN AMOUNT AND SOMETHING HAPPENED, FOR INSTANCE, YOU WERE GONNA HAVE TWO PERFORMANCES, YOU END UP ONLY HAVING ONE. THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH RETURNING THOSE FUNDS, BUT YOU DO NEED TO MANAGE THAT AND YOU NEED TO REPORT IT BACK TO US. ALSO, IF YOU HAD THE EVENT AND YOU SPENT THE MONEY AND YOU USED AAX DOLLARS IN THE PAST, WE GOT GREAT RESULTS. STAFF WAS APPRECIATIVE OF YOUR INFORMATION, WE WERE APPRECIATIVE OF YOUR PERFORMANCE. THAT MAKES IT EASIER FOR US TO HAVE CONFIDENCE IN YOU GOING FORWARD. IS THAT REASONABLE? OKAY, THANK YOU. NOW I WANT TO TURN TO THE NEXT PAGE. AND THIS IS A REVIEW OF THE PURPOSE OF THIS AND I'M JUST GONNA READ THROUGH THIS. SO YOU'LL SEE WHAT THE COUNTY HAS DONE AND WHAT WE'RE UH, TASKED TO DO HERE. AND THAT IS THAT THE COUNTY REQUEST MUST NOT BE USED AS ADDITIONAL SOURCES OF REVENUE, PROVIDE SERVICES NORMALLY PROVIDED BY THE COUNTY, BUT TO PROMOTE TOURISM AND ENLARGE ITS ECONOMIC BENEFITS THROUGH ADVERTISING, PROMOTION AND PROVIDING THOSE FACILITIES AND SERVICES WHICH ENHANCE THE ABILITY OF THE COUNTY TO ATTRACT AND PROVIDE FOR TOURISM. TOURISM RELATED EXPENDITURES INCLUDE ADVERTISING AND PROMOTION OF TOURISM, PROMOTION OF ARTS AND CULTURAL EVENTS, CONSTRUCTION MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION OF FACILITIES FOR CIVIC AND CULTURAL ACTIVITIES INCLUDING CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE OF ACCESS AND OTHER NEARBY ROADS AND UTILITIES FACILITIES, CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, LAW ENFORCEMENT, FIRE PROTECTION STUFF. IF YOU WANT TO BE HIRING POLICE AND DOING THAT, THIS IS ALLOWED. NOW THERE HAVE BEEN CIRCUMSTANCES IN THE STATE WHERE THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS HAVE SPENT TOO MUCH MONEY BUYING POLICE CARS AND OTHER THINGS THAT WAS UNRELATED TO THEIR OR OUTSIZED TO COMPARE TO THEIR TOURISM ACTIVITIES. WE HAVE A STATE COMMITTEE, UH, IT'S CALLED THE TURK COMMITTEE, THE TOURISM EXPENDITURE REVIEW COMMITTEE. THEY REVIEW THESE EXPENDITURES AND SAY WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE BEING DONE PROPERLY. THERE HAVE BEEN MUNICIPALITIES THAT HAVE BEEN PUNISHED AND SAID YOU HAD TO RETURN SOME OF THOSE MONIES AND YOU HAD TO TREAT THINGS DIFFERENTLY IN THE YEARS AHEAD. WE HAVE NOT HAD THAT EXPERIENCE. WE DON'T ANTICIPATE, ANTICIPATE HAVING THAT EXPERIENCE, BUT THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE LOOKING OVER OUR SHOULDERS TO SEE THAT WE COMPLY WITH THE ORDINANCES. ADDITIONAL THINGS INCLUDE PUBLIC FACILITIES SUCH AS RESTROOMS, DRESSING ROOMS, PARKS AND PARKING LOTS, TOUR TOURISM, SHUTTLE TRANSPORTATION IS ELIGIBLE FUNDING CONTROL AND REPAIR OF WATERFRONT EROSION INCLUDING BEACH RENOURISHMENT AND THEN OPERATING VISITOR INFORMATION CENTERS. THOSE ARE ALL ELIGIBLE. IF ANY OF YOU'RE PLANNING BEACH RENOURISHMENT, YOU PROBABLY NEED TO GO TO A MUNICIPALITY THAT HAS A BEACH LOOKING FOR US TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT STUFF. I CAN ASSURE YOU THE MUNICIPALITY HAS BEEN HERE IN THE REMAINDER OF THE AT TAX FUNDS MAY BE CANDIDATES FOR THAT, BUT I DOUBT THAT ANY OF YOU ARE HERE TODAY BECAUSE YOU'RE IN THE BEACH RENOURISHMENT BUSINESS. OKAY? APPLICATION EVALUATION SCORING. WE GET, UM, LOTS OF DIFFERENT WAYS TO DO THIS WHEN WE DISCUSS IT AND WE'RE TRYING TO BRING SOME STRUCTURE TO THIS. WHAT I'M ABOUT TO GO THROUGH WITH YOU [00:35:01] IS AN OUTLINE OF A PROCESS THAT WE'RE YOU GOING TO BE CONSIDERING. YES, MA'AM. DO YOU HAVE THAT FORM TO SHOW UP THERE? BECAUSE A LOT OF US DON'T HAVE THAT FORM READ NOW. SO IF THERE'S ANY WAY WE CAN HAVE IT ON THE SCREEN, IT'S NOT A FORM, IT'S A DOCUMENT, BUT, UH, WHERE ARE OUR GUYS AT? IS THAT THE DRAFT FORM OF THIS SCORING? IT IS. YOU DO YOU WANNA SHARE THAT? I'M, I'M HAPPY TO SHARE IT. OKAY. UH, AND I'M HA THIS HAS NOT BEEN APPROVED YET BY THE COMMITTEE. IT WILL BE CONSIDERED, OUR COMMITTEE DOESN'T MEET RANDOMLY, PERIODICALLY, WE WILL BE MEETING AGAIN IN SEPTEMBER, BUT WE'RE LOOKING TO HAVE A CRITERIA SIMILAR TO THE ONE I'M ABOUT TO DESCRIBE, AND THAT WOULD INCLUDE SCORINGS BASED ON THE THOROUGHNESS OF THE PROPOSAL. ZERO TO FIVE, WE FIND SOME PROPOSALS, JUST LEAVE YOU WITH MORE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS AND IT WAS SUBMITTED ON TIME. THOSE SORTS OF THINGS. THEN THE MANAGEMENT CAPABILITY, IF YOU'VE GOT THESE GRANDIOSE PLANS AND IT'S JUST YOU AND YOUR DOG, UH, THEY'RE PLANNING TO DO THIS, WE'RE GONNA WANNA TALK TO YOU ABOUT YOU AND REALLY ASSERT, ASSESS THE CAPACITY OF YOUR DOG TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT TASK. AND I, I SAY THIS JOKINGLY BECAUSE WE NEED TO BE A LITTLE HALF-HEARTED ABOUT THIS, BUT, OR LIGHTHEARTED ABOUT THIS. BUT YOU REALLY NEED TO DEMONSTRATE SOME CAPACITY TO DO WHAT YOU'RE PLANNING TO DO. AND SOME OF THESE, UH, REQUESTS COME IN WITH, UH, RELATIVELY HIGH NUMBERS REQUESTED FOR FUNDING. AND WE DON'T WANT TO BE IN A POSITION WHERE THOSE OF YOU WHO, UH, MAY HAVE RECEIVED LESS FUNDING THAN YOU COULD HAVE. SO WHY DID YOU GIVE MONEY TO THOSE FOLKS WHEN THEY DIDN'T PERFORM VERY WELL IN IT? I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT, BUT I'M GOING TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION WITH A LOGICAL AND COMPLETE ANSWER TO YOU BEFORE I VOTE. SO THE MANAGEMENT CAPABILITIES MATTERS. CAN I SCROLL DOWN? SAY THAT AGAIN. WHAT WAS THAT LITTLE SCROLL DOWN? KEEP GOING. AND KEEP IN MIND THESE HAVE NOT YET BEEN APPROVED. SO THESE ARE DRAFTS, BUT I WANT YOU TO SEE THE, UH, ACTIVITY THAT WE'RE CONSIDERING. AND I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THE MOTIVATION ABOUT WHY THIS IS HERE. BUT WE'RE GONNA GET A PAPER COPY BEFORE WE LEAVE IT. I DON'T KNOW THAT FOR A FACT. WE DIDN'T. WE'RE PRINTING OUT SOME THE DRAFT, IT SAYS DRAFT SO IT'S NOT APPROVED, BUT THAT'S THE THOUGHT PROCESS. COULD WE GET SOME MORE? AND WE DON'T PLAN TO CHARGE YOU FOR THAT EITHER, BUT COULD WE GET SOME MORE, THE ONES WITH THE TAX, THE 2%, 3% THAT OKAY. WHAT? EMAIL THAT TO EVERYBODY AFTER. I'LL EMAIL ALL OF THESE DOCUMENTS TO YOU GUYS AFTERWARDS. THANK YOU. YEAH, ALL OF YOU CAME BECAUSE YOU RECEIVED AN EMAIL, RIGHT? YES. YOU FEEL FREE TO RESPOND TO THAT EMAIL WITH A REQUEST FOR THESE SORTS OF DOCUMENTS, BUT I DON'T WANT MAKE SURE YOU SIGN UP OR SIGN IN WITH YOUR EMAIL. I'LL HAVE THAT LIST TO GET THAT TO YOU. AND WHEN YOU RESPOND, WOULD YOU INCLUDE THAT? THIS IS WHERE DICK SAID TO SAY, I TOLD YOU SO. THIS IS WHY YOU CAME TO THAT MEETING. I KNOW EVERYBODY WILL SMILE AND CHUCKLE JUST LIKE THAT WHEN THEY READ THAT. OKAY. SO, UH, THIS IS WHERE WE'VE ASKED IF YOU'VE RECEIVED PRE PREVIOUS STATE 2% AT TAX GRANT FUNDS WAS A PROJECT SUCCESSFUL? AND KEEP IN MIND WHEN WE SAY STATE 2% A TAX FUNDS, THAT'S 'CAUSE THE STATE LAW CREATED IT. IT'S STILL ADMINISTRATIVE BY A COUNTY. OKAY. IT'S NOT LIKE YOU'RE GETTING IT FROM SOME MYSTERIOUS STATE AGENCY OUT THERE. OKAY? THEN PROMOTION OF TOURISM AND ECONOMIC BENEFITS. WE'RE PROPOSING A PRETTY HIGH LEVEL OF SCORING ON THAT. DOES WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING TO DO INCLUDE A MECHANISM TO COLLECT VISITOR DATA AND OUR TICKET SALES? HOW ARE YOU MEASURING THAT? WHAT ARE YOU DOING? OKAY, NOW THERE ARE ORGANIZATIONS THAT COME TO US AND PROMISE WONDERFUL THINGS AND THEN TURNED OUT IT IS A GREAT THING EXCEPT INSTEAD OF SIX DAYS THAT THEY WERE GONNA DO IT FROM, UH, EARLY MORNING UNTIL EARLY EVENING, THEY'RE OPEN FOR ONE DAY FOR THREE HOURS. UH, THOSE SORTS OF THINGS ARE, ARE PROBLEMATIC IN TERMS OF SUCCESS. DOES THE APPLICANT INCLUDE IN DESCRIBE A MECHANISM TO CONDUCT VISITOR SURVEYS AND EVALUATE IMPACT? HOW DO YOU DO THAT? NOW, RECENTLY I HAD SOMEBODY SAY, WELL, HOW DO WE KNOW WHICH HOTELS OUR GUESTS ARE STAYING IN? WE'RE NOT ASKING YOU TO TELL US THAT. IF YOU KNOW IT, I MEAN, I WOULDN'T MIND HEARING IT, BUT WE'RE NOT ASKING YOU TO TELL. WE'RE WE'RE ASKING YOU TO TELL US HOW YOU'RE COUNTING THOSE FOLKS AND THIS IS WHERE YOUR D OS CAN BE HELPFUL. AND THERE ARE OTHER MECHANISMS THAT SOME ORGANIZATIONS HAVE BEEN USING QUITE SUCCESSFULLY. SOME MECHANISMS CAN BE FAIRLY EXPENSIVE, SOME ARE NOT. AND UH, DOES THE APPLICANT OFFER RETAIL SALES AT THE FACILITIES SITE EVENT? WE'RE CURIOUS ABOUT THAT BECAUSE THAT IMPLIES SOMETHING THAT ATTRACTS PEOPLE. THAT IMPLIES YOU NEED TO GO. I JUST NEED TO, I WAS LOOKING FOR THE OUT TO GET TO THE REST ROOM, SO I APOLOGIZE. I HAVE TO WALK AROUND EVERYBODY. OH, YOU LOOKED FIDGETY. I RECOGNIZE THAT FROM WHAT INSTITUTE? MIDDLE SCHOOL. IF ANYONE ELSE IS FIDGETY, THAT'S THE DOOR. IF YOU SEE ME STARTING GET FIDGETY, IT'LL BE TIME FOR US TO ALL GO. SO [00:40:01] RETAIL ITEMS OFTEN PROMOTE THE AREA THEY GO WITH IT. IT, UH, WHEN PEOPLE GO BACK HOME, IT GENERATES A GREATER STAY AND PEOPLE ARE MORE INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING IN THE ORGANIZATION. WE'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING AND FRANKLY, IT CAN BE A SOURCE OF PROFITS AND REVENUES FOR YOU. AND SOME ORGANIZATIONS MISS THAT OPPORTUNITY. OUR FOOD AND BEVERAGE SALES OFFERED AT THE FACILITY SITE AND EVENTS. NOW, THIS IS AN INTERESTING PROCESS. IT CAN BE OFFERED BY YOU, IT CAN BE OFFERED BY THE RESTAURANTS OR ORGANIZATIONS NEAR YOU. IT CAN BE OFFERED BY PEOPLE WITH FOOD TRUCKS. WE'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND THAT. YOU WOULD BE SURPRISED TO KNOW HOW MANY COMPLAINTS WE RECEIVE FROM RESTAURATEURS ABOUT ORGANIZATIONS THAT FILL UP THEIR PARKING LOTS IN THEIR AREA WITH FOOD TRUCKS THAT DON'T HAVE TO PAY BUSINESS LICENSES AND MAY NOT BE PAYING HOSPITALITY TAXES. WE'RE NOT SAYING THAT'S BAD, BUT WHAT WE ALSO KNOW AS AN OFFSET IS IF SOMEONE COMES TO AN EVENT OR A FACILITY AND THERE ARE FOODS OFFERINGS AVAILABLE, THEIR STAY PERIOD IS USUALLY LONGER. SO THEY'RE IN THE AREA LONGER, THEY WILL, UH, SPEND MORE MONEY AND THEN MORE LIKELY STAY OVERNIGHT. THESE ARE MEASUREMENTS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO UNDERSTANDING THE SUCCESS OF THAT ACTIVITY. OKAY, LOST MY SPACE HERE. YEP. HOW MANY VISITORS HAVE YOU ATTRACTED IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS? IF YOU'RE A REGULAR ORGANIZATION, YOUR ACTIVITY IS OPEN AND YOU'RE DOING THINGS, WHAT'S BEEN THE SUCCESS? NOW WE SAY THAT BECAUSE WE RECEIVE APPLICATION FROM FOLKS WHO ARE FACILITY BASED ACTIVITIES AND IN SOME CASES THEY'RE ONLY OPEN A FEW HOURS A WEEK OR, UH, MAYBE A FEW DAYS OUTTA THE MONTH OR THEY SAY THEY'RE GOING TO BE OPEN AND THEN THEY DON'T. NOW, THE REASON I'M MENTIONING THIS TO YOU IS BECAUSE THE WAY OUR COMMITTEE WORKS IS, LET'S SAY THEY'RE, UH, X NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS AND X NUMBER OF COMMITTEE MEMBERS. WE DIVIDE THOSE APPLICATIONS UP AMONG THE MEMBERS AND ONE MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE WILL BE THE LEAD PERSON FOR YOUR EVALUATION AND THEY WILL EVALUATE YOUR APPLICATION. THEY WILL READ IT, THEY WILL ASK SOME QUESTIONS FOR ME, IF I GET SOMETHING THAT'S FACILITY BASED AND SAYS THEY'RE GONNA BE OPEN AND DOING CERTAIN THINGS, I GO FIND OUT, I'LL DO IT ONLINE AND I'LL GO IN PERSON TYPICALLY AND ASK TO SEE IF THEY'RE OPEN. I'LL GO AT VARIOUS TIMES A DAY OR CALL AT VARIOUS TIMES A DAY, SEE IF ANYBODY OPENS, UH, ANSWERS THE TELEPHONE. AND I SAY THIS TO YOU BECAUSE I DON'T THINK PEOPLE MISLEAD US. I THINK PEOPLE CONSIDER THEMSELVES, UH, OPTIMISTIC AND ARE OFTEN MISLED ABOUT WHAT'S ACTUALLY GOING TO HAPPEN. I KNOW PEOPLE THAT HAVE OPEN MUSEUMS AND, UH, DISTRIBUTION CENTERS AND THEY'RE GONNA CHANGE THOSE DISPLAYS ONCE A QUARTER. WE'RE CHANGING OUR MAJOR DISPLAYS AND THREE YEARS LATER THAT QUARTER HAS NOT YET EXPIRED AND THEY HAVEN'T CHANGED IT. AND THERE'S NO REASON FOR SOMEBODY TO GO BACK TO THAT SITE UNLESS THEY WERE SO ENAMORED OF YOUR, THEIR EXPERIENCE. THEY WANNA TAKE SOMEBODY WITH THEM. SO THAT DYNAMIC, UH, THAT ALL FITS INTO THIS PROCESS OF BEING OPEN AND WELCOMING THE FOLKS. BUT YES, IN THIS DOCUMENT YOU'RE USING THE TERMS VISITORS AND TOURISTS AND SOME A TYPES COMMISSIONS HAVE DEFINITIONS BETWEEN THE TWO. ARE YOU USING THEM INTERCHANGEABLY OR ARE YOU DEFINING VISITORS DIFFERENTLY THAN TOURISTS? WELL, THE COMMITTEE HAS NOT TO MY KNOWLEDGE, ISSUED A GLOSSARY OR A DICTIONARY, BUT WHAT THE STATE HAS DONE IS DEFINED A TOURIST AS SOMEONE WHO LIVES FURTHER THAN 50 MILES AWAY FROM THE ACTIVITY. I WOULD SUGGEST THAT THE VISITORS POSSIBLY ANYBODY OTHER THAN THAT. OKAY, SO BUT YOU'RE LOOKING AT VISITORS AS WELL IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE? YEAH. OKAY. AND HERE AGAIN, THIS IN MY VIEW NOW THE, LIKE I SAY, THE COMMITTEE HADN'T REVIEWED THIS AND HADN'T ISSUED AN OPINION ON, BUT IF WE'RE GONNA HAVE SOMETHING IN THIS COUNTY THAT CELEBRATES THE ECOLOGY OF THE COUNTY OR OUR CULTURAL, IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THAT AVAILABLE FOR OUR RESIDENTS, OUR VISITORS, OUR SCHOOL CHILDREN AND STUFF, IT'S GOING TO INCLUDE BEING PARTIALLY BECAUSE IT'S SUPPORTED BY TOURISM BECAUSE OF THE BIGGEST ECONOMIC DRIVER HERE. SO IT'S GOING TO ATTRACT BOTH OF THOSE. IT'S LIKE OUR REALLY GREAT RESTAURANTS IN THIS COMMUNITY BENEFIT FROM PEOPLE WHO COME HERE AND DIE IN AS WELL AS PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE AND DIE. OKAY. GOING BACK ONE, WHAT IS THE EXPECTED RETURN ON INVESTMENT FOR THE PROPOSED PROJECT? MM-HMM . UM, AS A NONPROFIT, I'M DEFINITELY NOT EXPECTING A RETURN ON MY INVESTMENT. BUT ARE DO YOU MEAN THE COUNTY? WHAT IS THE COUNTY'S RETURN ON YOUR INVESTMENT? YOUR INVESTMENT IN US? WELL, LET ME RESPOND TO THAT. UM, AND THANK YOU FOR ASKING THE QUESTION. THE COMMITTEE HAS NOT REVIEWED THIS. SO THIS IS MY OPINION AND NOT THE COMMITTEE, BUT THE DIFFERENCE IN MY OPINION BETWEEN A FOR-PROFIT AND NON-PROFIT ENTITY IS A NON-PROFIT ENTITY DOES NOT HAVE TO PAY INCOME TAXES. THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU SHOULD GO BROKE OR DEPEND ON THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS FOREVER. IT MEANS THAT IF YOU'RE HAVING THIS EVENT, WHAT'S THE ECONOMIC IMPACT ON YOU AND THEREFORE [00:45:01] THE ECONOMIC IMPACT WOULD BE ON THE FOLKS WHO ARE PROVIDING THE FUNDING AND WHAT THE RETURN ON. IF YOU DON'T KNOW AND YOU CAN'T MEASURE IT, THIS IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO START THINKING ABOUT THAT. BECAUSE I KNOW A LOT OF GREAT EVENTS THAT WERE FUNDED BY VARIOUS PEOPLE THAT OPERATED FOR A LONG TIME, AS LONG AS THE FOUNDER WAS ALIVE AND WOULD PUT THEIR PERSONAL ENERGY AND DRIVE AND HELP YOU MAKE THAT SUCCESSFUL. AND WHEN THE FOUNDER, UM, DECIDED TO STOP DOING THAT, THOSE EVENTS JUST WENT AWAY BECAUSE OF LACK OF ENERGY TO REPLACE IT. SO YOU'LL NEED TO LOOK AT THIS. IS THIS GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO PROVIDE A RETURN ON INVESTMENT TO YOUR ORGANIZATION, TO THE COUNTY AND SO THAT WE CAN EVALUATE THAT? THAT'S THE WAY I WOULD DEFINE THAT QUESTION. OKAY. IS YOUR APPLICANT PART OF A BROADER MARKETING NETWORK? MARKETING NETWORKS ARE EMERGING ALL THE TIME. UH, VRBO IS A MARKETING NETWORK. AIRBNB IS A MARKETING NETWORK. MARRIOTT'S REALLY A MARKETING NETWORK AND THERE ARE ORGANIZATIONS LIKE VISIT SOUTH CAROLINA, THERE'S THE BARBECUE TRAIL. WE HAVE AN OYSTER TRAIL THAT SOME PEOPLE ARE PROPOSING HERE. IF YOU'RE PART OF ANY OF THOSE TYPE THINGS, YOU'RE BEING EVALUATED AND PROMOTED ACROSS THOSE THINGS WE'D LIKE TO KNOW. HERE'S THE REASON THAT I THINK THIS WILL BE IMPORTANT IN THE YEARS AHEAD. IF SOMEONE IS VERY INTERESTED IN, LET'S SAY THE RECONSTRUCTION ERA AND THEY COME TO BEAUFORT COUNTY AND THEY GO TO THE INSTITUTE FOR THE RECONSTRUCTION ERA, WHICH IS AT USCB OR THEY GO TO THE NATIONAL PARK FOR THE RECONSTRUCTION ERA, WHICH HAS SITES IN BEAUFORT, HILTON, HEAD BLUFF, AND BEYOND BEAUFORT COUNTY, THOSE FOLKS ARE PROBABLY GONNA BE LOOKING AT OTHER SITES THAT ARE INTERESTING TO THEM AND RELATED TO THAT, IF THEY'RE INTERESTED IN THE ENVIRONMENT AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT SOMETHING THAT HAS A NETWORK OF ENVIRONMENTAL SITES, THAT WOULD BE IN MY MIND AT LEAST AS INTERESTING AS THE BARBECUE TRAIL THAT OUR STATE FUNDED AND WE PUT IN PLACE ACROSS THE STATE. I DON'T THINK WE HAD ANYBODY ON THE BARBECUE TRAIL IN BEAUFORT COUNTY. AND THE LAST TIME I CHECKED ON THE BARBECUE TRAIL, THE FIRST 10 ITEMS I CHECKED, SEVEN OF THEM HAVE EITHER CHANGED NAMES OR GONE OUT OF BUSINESS SINCE THE TRAIL SITE WAS PUT UP. SO WE'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND IF YOU'RE A PART OF THAT, AND IF YOU'RE NOT A PART OF THAT, WE WILL PROBABLY ASK YOU AND YOU, WHEN YOU COME TO US, IF THE COMMITTEE APPROVES THIS, WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE AND WHAT WOULD BE, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN THERE? SO DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? UNDERSTAND THAT. OKAY. SO FACILITIES, THIS IS A VALUATION OF FACILITIES IN PARTICULAR. ARE THE FACILITIES OPEN TO THE PUBLIC? IF YOU'VE GOT SOMEPLACE WHERE YOU'RE DOING SOMETHING, YOU WANNA HAVE SOMETHING AND THE DOORS ARE LOCKED, THAT'S A PROBLEM WE'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND. IT'S COMPLETELY LEGITIMATE, NOT ASKING YOU TO CHANGE YOUR BUSINESS PLAN. WE'D JUST LIKE TO KNOW. NOW THERE ARE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, BUT THEY'RE ONLY OPEN TO THE PUBLIC IF THEY ARRIVE IN CERTAIN WAYS. FOR INSTANCE, IF A TOUR BUS PULLS UP, THEY WON'T LET YOU GET OFF. I DON'T KNOW WHAT, THAT'S A DECISION THEY CAN MAKE AND WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND IF A SCHOOL BUS PULLS UP, I THINK THEY WILL, BUT I'M NOT SURE WE'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND THOSE THINGS. MAKE SENSE? OKAY. UM, IS THERE DEDICATED PARKING AS WE'RE EVALUATING FACILITIES, A LOT OF FOLKS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THIS. IF YOU, WHILE, UH, LIKE I HAVE ENJOYED THE WEATHER FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF THREE WEEKS, THERE ARE PLACES THAT HAVE DEDICATED PARKING AS LONG AS HADN'T ARRANGED, BUT IN THE LAST FEW HOURS WHEN THEY DO OTHERWISE THEY HAVE DEDICATED PONDING. THESE ARE THINGS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER AS YOU'RE EVALUATING YOUR ATTRACTIVENESS AS TOURIST AND VISITORS IN THE AREA. IS ADEQUATE BUS PARKING A SPACE TO TURN AROUND IF YOU HAVE SCHOOL BUSES COMING TO LEARN ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE DOING, OR YOU HAVE PERFORMANCE BUSES OR YOU HAVE BUSES FULL OF OTHER PEOPLE THAT COME AND PARTICIPATE IN YOUR EVENT, DO YOU HAVE A PLACE FOR 'EM TO PARK? DO YOU HAVE A PLACE FOR 'EM TO TURN AROUND? AND HOW'S THAT WORK? LET'S UNDERSTAND IF YOU'RE IN A LOCATION THAT'S, SAY AN URBAN SETTING AND YOU DON'T HAVE PARKING, BUT THERE'S PARKING NEARBY, JUST TELL US THAT. 'CAUSE WE'LL UNDERSTAND BECAUSE FOR INSTANCE, IN THE DOWNTOWN BEAUFORT AREA WHERE THERE ARE TOUR BUS THAT COME THROUGH, THEY CHECK IN AT THE VISITOR CENTER AND THEN CERTAIN THINGS HAPPEN. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY ARE, BUT THAT'S THE SOLUTION FOR THE DOWNTOWN TOUR BUS ACTIVITY. I SUSPECT THERE'S SOME SIMILAR SITUATIONS IN HILTON HEAD IN BLUFFTON. I DON'T KNOW THAT FOR A FACT. I DO KNOW THAT BUSES WERE MEETING CRUISE SHIPS IN PORT ROYAL AND BUSING PEOPLE OFF THE CRUISE SHIP INTO DOWNTOWN BEAUFORT AND THINGS. THESE ARE THE SORTS OF THINGS WE'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND, UH, FOR YOU TO ACCOMMODATE THESE ACTIVITIES. IS THERE AN ADDITIONAL COST? COST FOR PARKING? YES SIR. PARKING, THEY PROVIDE FREE PARKING FOR ANYBODY WHO WANTS IT. AND VIP PARKING. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T WANT IT FREE, I'M ASSUMING THE VIP PARKING'S A LITTLE BETTER AND ADDITIONAL A LITTLE BIT BETTER. UH, JUST TELL US THAT. YEAH. AND TELL US HOW MUCH YOU CHARGE AND YOU KNOW, JUST TELL US THE FACTS. OKAY. I I THOUGHT YOU WERE GONNA BE LIKE THIS LADY OVER HERE. SO [00:50:01] VIP IS SOMEBODY WHO DONATED THERE ON THAT LIST. IS THAT ? THAT'S HOW SHE CAN. OKAY, THANKS. ALL RIGHT. AND, UH, IS THERE AIR CONDITIONER HEATING? UH, THIS IS A REAL ISSUE FOR SOME SITUATIONS BECAUSE IF YOU'VE BEEN OUTSIDE IN SOME LOVELY ENVIRONMENTS OVER THE LAST A WEEK OR TWO LIKE I HAVE BECAUSE MY WIFE AND I ARE MOVING AND SHE'S GIVEN ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO RELIVE THE ENJOYMENT OF THE LAST MOVE WE MADE 20 YEARS AGO, AIR CONDITIONING IS IMPORTANT AND UH, WE WANNA UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'VE GOT. AND I'VE BEEN TO SOME PLACES WHO HAVE GREAT SITES AND INFORMATION AND THEY DON'T HAVE AIR CONDITIONING AND THEY'VE ALWAYS PLANNED TO, WE'RE ALWAYS INTERESTED TO DO IT, BUT A LOT OF FOLKS ARE NOT GONNA TELL THEIR FRIENDS, YOU OUGHT TO GO OVER THERE IN AUGUST AND SPEND TIME SITTING AROUND. SO IF YOU DON'T REALLY HAVE AIR CONDITIONING, DON'T TELL US THAT. AND ONCE AGAIN, THE COMMITTEE HADN'T APPROVED THIS, BUT IF I'M YOUR DESIGNATED PORTION, UH, PERSON ON THE COMMITTEE, MY PLAN IS TO GO OUT THERE ON ONE OF THESE HOT DAYS AND SEE IF YOU ACTUALLY HAVE AIR CONDITIONING. OKAY? IF IT'S COLD DAY, HEATING'S A DIFFERENT STORY. BUT WE STILL NEED IT. ARE THE ADEQUATE PUBLIC RESTROOMS? NOW, ADEQUATE IS INTENTIONALLY VAGUE HERE, BUT THOSE OF YOU WHO EITHER HAVE SMALL CHILDREN OR HAVE SMALL GRANDCHILDREN UNDERSTAND GOING TO MULTIPLE PLACES WITHOUT ADEQUATE PUBLIC RESTROOMS IS NOT AN ENJOYABLE THING FOR MANY PEOPLE. I MENTIONED EARLIER THAT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO VISIT HERE AND MOVE HERE WHO REALLY ARE INTERESTED IN CULTURAL, ENVIRONMENTAL, AND ARTISTIC EVENTS. IF THEY GO PLACES, THEN THEY HAVE A BAD EXPERIENCE BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE A SUITABLE, UH, RESTROOM SOLUTION FOR OLDER FOLKS OR FOR CHILDREN. THAT'S GONNA REFLECT POORLY ON THE INDUSTRY AND IT'S GOING TO REFLECT POORLY ON THE ATTRACTIVENESS OF PEOPLE TO RETURN. SO WHEN THOSE PEOPLE ARE SURVEYED, SOME SIGNIFICANT PERCENTAGE OF THOSE PEOPLE REPORT THAT THEY HAD A LESS AND WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE VISITING THOSE LOCATIONS HERE. WE'D LIKE FOR THEM TO HAVE A GOOD EXPERIENCE AND NOT ONLY WANT TO COME BACK, BUT RECOMMEND TO THEIR FRIENDS THAT THEY COME HERE. AND IF YOU'RE A LOCAL GROUP AND YOU LIVE HERE AND YOUR GRANDCHILDREN COME TO TOWN, AND IF THEY'RE SMALL, YOU'RE GONNA WANNA GO SOMEWHERE WHERE THEY HAVE RESTROOMS OR YOU'RE GONNA NEED TO PLAN ACCORDINGLY. PRETTY BASIC. YES MA'AM. OKAY. ANOTHER SPECIFIC. SORRY. OKAY, NOW WE KNOW EVERYBODY THAT COMES TO SEE YOU GOES TO THE BATHROOM TOO, RIGHT, JEN? OKAY. SO AS YOU KNOW, HYDRATION IS IMPORTANT IN THOSE MONTHS. SO WOULD THIS QUENCH BUGGY, FOR EXAMPLE, BE CONSIDERED A FACILITY PROVIDING POOL POTABLE WATER OR WOULD IT BE CONSIDERED IT WOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED A RESTAURANT RESTROOM, WHICH IS WHAT THIS TIME? NO. UM, A FACILITY FOR WATER THOUGH. THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION IS TELL US ABOUT IT AND THE COMMITTEE WILL TAKE IT UNDER CONSIDERATION. I DO NOT HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO MAKE THAT DECISION BY MYSELF. I HAVE A FEELING YOU'RE GONNA APPLY FOR ONE OF THOSE THIS YEAR. WELL, WHAT IF I PICK THE WRONG 1, 2, 3? AM I THE ONLY 1, 1, 2, 3? WHAT IF, WHAT IF I SHOULD HAVE DONE IT MARKETING AND I PICKED FACILITIES? AND WOULD THE, WOULD THE COMMITTEE CONSIDER CHANGING THAT DESIGNATION TO A DIFFERENT NUMBER REGARDLESS OF THE FACT THAT I JUST TELL US THE FACTS ON WHAT YOU WANNA DO AND IT FITS IN WHAT WE'RE FUNDING, WE WILL APPROVE IT AND IF WE DON'T, WE WON'T, WE'LL LET YOU KNOW. BUT YOU CAN CHANGE IT TO A DIFFERENT CATEGORY. BUT THEY'LL SCORE IT BY WHAT? . OKAY, SO YOU AND I SHOULD TALK SEPARATELY, BUT RESPONDING GENERALLY TO THE SITUATION. THIS IS NOT A GAME TO BE PLAYED. THIS IS A SITUATION WHERE WE'RE ALLOCATING FUNDS TO TRY TO ACHIEVE A CERTAIN OBJECTIVE. IF YOU CAN HELP US DO THAT, WE WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE IT. AND THAT'S WHAT OUR TASK AND OUR RESPONSIBILITIES ARE TO THE CITIZENS OF BEAUFORT COUNTY AS DELEGATED TO US FROM YOUR BEAUFORT COUNTY COUNCIL AS DELEGATED TO THEM BY THE STATE LAW. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO. IF YOU QUALIFY FOR TWO, YOU CAN ONLY PUT ONE THOUGH ONE CATEGORY. THAT'S NOT A QUESTION, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW TO ANSWER IT, BUT THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION IS TELL US WHAT YOU THINK YOU WANT TO DO AND WE'LL SEE WHETHER OR NOT DESERVE ONE. IF YOU'RE NOT SURE ABOUT IT, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT I DON'T WANNA GET TOO CONTORTED TO TRY TO GET INTO THIS, THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE PLANNING TO SAVE A TURTLE NEXT YEAR NEED TO EXPLAIN TO US HOW THAT TURTLE IS GONNA QUALIFY FOR THESE ECONOMIC BENEFITS. AND I LIKE TURTLES A LOT. YES. ALRIGHT. CAN I ASK A QUESTION RELATED TO THAT? SO IF SOMEONE HAD AN ENDEAVOR THAT WAS GOING TO ENHANCE A A, AN EVENT THAT WAS DRAWING IN A LOT OF TOURISM OR MULTIPLE EVENTS RIGHT? THROUGHOUT A YEAR, SOMETHING LIKE WHAT YOU'RE DESCRIBING MIGHT QUALIFY FOR THAT. OH, I'M SORRY, BUT THAT'S ALL RIGHT. . UM, IT SAID IF SOMEONE HAS HAD AN ENDEAVOR THAT WAS GOING TO ENHANCE AN EVENT OR SOMETHING THAT WAS BRINGING TOURISTS IN, UM, OR MULTIPLE EVENTS, THAT SOUNDS LIKE IT COULD BE RELEVANT. WHAT ARE THOSE EVENTS? UM, DO THE PEOPLE ORGANIZING THOSE EVENTS BELIEVE THAT IT WOULD ENHANCE IT AND MAKE THEM MORE SUCCESSFUL AND, AND UH, YOU KNOW, BRING IN MORE TOURISTS THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE GREAT INFORMATION TO HAVE. AND, AND I AM [00:55:01] A ROTARIAN AND THAT'S A NON-PROFIT I'M REPRESENTING TODAY. . OKAY. UM, I'M A ROTARIAN TOO AND THAT'S NOT THE NON-PROFIT I'M HERE REPRESENTING, BUT WE EXPECT IF YOU RESTROOM ANSWERS, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A LOT OF PORTA-POTTIES WHEN WE HAVE THIS EVENT. THAT'S PERFECTLY OKAY. IF YOU'RE GONNA HAVE WATER STATIONS, THAT'S OKAY. IF YOUR WATER STATIONS HAVE TO BE RUN BY PEARLSTEIN AND ON ONE SIDE OF THE BUCKET, RELAX ON ONE SIDE OF WATER ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BEER, WE'RE PROBABLY GONNA HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT SLIGHTLY DIFFERENTLY. SO THESE ARE THE SORTS OF THINGS THAT WILL COME UP IN THE DISCUSSION. DID SOMEONE ELSE HAVE YES MA'AM. UM, SO IF WE ARE, SO BETWEEN AUGUST NOW AND AUGUST NEXT YEAR, IF I'M HOSTING MULTIPLE EVENTS THAT I WOULD LIKE SOME AT TAX FUNDS FOR, WOULD I PUT IN A DIFFERENT APPLICATION FOR EACH ONE AT THE SAME? LIKE, DO WE ONLY DO THIS ONCE A YEAR? WE TYPICALLY DO AT TAX GRANTS ONCE A YEAR, RIGHT? YOU SHOULD APPLY FOR EVERYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO HAVE FUNDING FOR THAT YOU THINK QUALIFIES. YOU CAN AS SEPARATE AVERAGE, YOU CAN SUBMIT THEM IN ONE OR SEPARATELY, HOWEVER YOU CHOOSE TO DO IT. IS THERE A PREFERENCE FOR THE COMMITTEE? IS THERE AN EASE OF NOT ONE THAT I CAN COMMUNICATE TO YOU TODAY? THIS IS A DRAFT WE'RE GOING THROUGH HOW WE'RE EVALUATING THIS PROCESS. SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO. NOW. IF YOU'RE SOMEONE WHO HAS A FIRST FRIDAY EVENT EVERY FRIDAY, THAT'S PROBABLY GONNA BE A LITTLE TRICKY ON THE 52 WEEK. YEAH, YEAH, DEFINITELY. NO, YEAH, I, BUT THAT'S JUST MY OPINION, NOT THE COMMITTEES. WE WANNA SEE THINGS THAT MAKE THAT STUFF HAPPEN. MM-HMM . ALRIGHT NOW. OKAY. UM, AND VISITORS BRING THEIR OWN FOOD AND BEVERAGE TO THE FACILITY AND SITE EVENT. WE JUST WANNA UNDERSTAND THAT BECAUSE IT RELATES TO H TAX, IT RELATES TO OTHER SORTS OF ACTIVITIES GOING ON. I'M NOT OPPOSED TO THAT SORT OF STUFF, BUT IF SOMEBODY SHOWS UP AND THEY BRING OUT THEIR COOKERS AND THEY'RE GRILLING AND THEY'RE ONLY SERVING THEIR 75 FRENCH STUFF, IT'S SOMETHING YOU NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT IN YOUR ACTIVITIES. I DON'T KNOW HOW THE COMMITTEE'S GONNA TREAT THIS, BUT I THINK WE WANT TO KNOW, AND THERE'S THE FACILITY OFFER SPACE FOR VISITORS, SIT DOWN AT PICNIC TABLES, BENCHES, CHAIRS, ET CETERA. KNOW A LOVELY PLACE THAT WAS CREATED AS AN OPENAIR PARK AND ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO HAVE COME PICNICS AND STUFF. NOT A TRASH CAN ANYWHERE AROUND IT, NOT A TABLE, ANYWHERE AROUND. SO BRING YOUR CHAIRS, BRING YOUR TABLE AND THROW YOUR TRASH ON THE GROUND, WAS KIND OF WHAT HAPPENED AT THAT EVENT. I'M JUST SUGGESTING TO YOU, AND I THINK THE COMMITTEE HAS ASKED YOU, THINK THROUGH THIS AND SEE WHAT YOU WANT TO DO IN THE CONTEXT OF WHAT YOU'RE, SOME EVENTS DON'T REQUIRE SEATING, SOME DO. JUST TELL US WHAT YOU THINK. NOW, THE VISITOR EXPERIENCE AND SERVICE CRITERIA, THIS IS PRETTY IMPORTANT. WHAT'S THE OVERALL MESSAGE OR THEME YOU'RE TRYING TO CONVEY TO YOUR VISITORS IN THE SITE EVENT? AND IF IT'S WELL OYSTERS TASTE GREAT, THAT'S, THAT'S FINE. IF IT'S, WE GOT BETTER SEAFOOD HERE AND YOU SHOULD LIKE IT AND COME BACK, WHATEVER, IT JUST KIND OF TELL US WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE. AND AS YOU GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS, THINK OF IT IN THE CONTEXT OF THIS ENTIRE PROCESS OF ECONOMIC BENEFITS. PEOPLE SPENDING THE NIGHT GENERATING AT TAX DOLLARS. THEY'RE AN ADMISSION FEE FOR VISITORS TO EXPERIENCE THE SITE. IF THERE IS, TELL US IF THERE'S NOT, TELL US. WE JUST LIKE TO UNDERSTAND IS THERE ADEQUATE SIGNAGE AVAILABLE FOR VISITORS TO NAVIGATE THE SITE AND EVENT? AND I SAY THIS BECAUSE SOME OF THE PLACES YOU ARRIVED, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOMETHING GOING ON. YOU MAY HAVE HAD THAT WHEN YOU ARRIVED HERE THIS MORNING, BUT THE NICE FOLKS UP FRONT SENT YOU DOWN THE HALL TO THE FIRST CLASSROOM, RIGHT? YOU NEED TO HAVE SOME ACTIVITIES INSIDE ON WHAT YOU'RE GONNA DO WITH PEOPLE. AND PARTICULARLY IF YOU'RE DOING THINGS THAT HAVE ODD TIMES OR DIFFERENT LOCATIONS, PEOPLE DON'T NORMALLY EXPECT. AND I SAY THIS BECAUSE YOU CAN HEAR PEOPLE COMPLAINING ABOUT MIXED UP MESSAGES WITH DRIVING AND SO FORTH. SO JUST BE THINKING ABOUT SIGNAGE. SO WE'LL BE ASKING ABOUT IT AND YOU CAN FURTHER DEMONSTRATE YOUR PROFESSIONALISM OF HOW YOU TREAT FOLKS WHEN THEY ARRIVE. AND IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE HEARING COMPLAINTS FROM PEOPLE ATTENDING, IT'S EITHER THE QUALITY OF THE PROGRAM OR THEM NOT FIGURING OUT WHERE THE WATER WAS OR WHERE THE RESTROOM WAS OR SOMETHING EQUALLY IMPORTANT. SO THINKING ABOUT HOW YOU COMMUNICATE THAT TO PEOPLE, OUR GUIDES ON SITE TO ASSIST IN WARM VISITORS. DO YOU HAVE DOCENTS? DO YOU HAVE PEOPLE THERE? IF YOU'RE TELLING A STORY, WHAT IS THAT STORY AND WHO'S GONNA COMMUNICATE THAT STORY? AND THE NEXT ONE'S, HOW ARE THOSE PEOPLE TRAINED TO INTERACT WITH VISITORS? NOT JUST TO SAY WHAT'S GOING ON, BUT TO LET THEM KNOW THE STORY IN A POSITIVE FASHION AND HOW YOU ENGAGE PEOPLE IS IMPORTANT. SO WHAT TRAINING DO YOU DO? AND YOU MAY NOT BE DOING ANY, BUT MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING YOU WANNA BE START LOOKING TO DOING IN THE FUTURE, MAY SEE THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE COMMITTEE WANTS TO SEE MORE OF. AND WE MAY SEE THAT THAT'S SOMETHING WHERE THERE'LL BE SOME TRAINING THAT NEEDS TO BE DEVELOPED THAT YOU COULD TAKE A USE, YOU COULD USE THAT IN YOUR ORGANIZATIONS. AND WHAT INTERPRETED MATERIALS OF STORYTELLING METHODS DOES THE APPLICANT PROVIDE DISPLAYS, AUDIO GUIDES TO ENHANCE A VISITOR EXPERIENCE? [01:00:01] IF I'M HERE TO TELL YOU ABOUT LIVE OAKS AND MY VISITOR EXPERIENCE IS TO HAVE YOU STAND UNDER ONE, THAT'S GREAT. BUT I PROBABLY WANNA HAVE A LITTLE HANDOUT MATERIAL TO TELL YOU MORE ABOUT THE OAKS. SOMETHING YOU CAN TAKE WITH US AND MAYBE SOMETHING THAT WOULD HAVE CAUSED SOMEBODY TO REALIZE I NEED TO COME BACK TO BEAUFORT COUNTY AND STAY THERE AND ADD ANOTHER DAY OR TWO TO MY TOURISM PLAN SO I COULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? OKAY. SO THE COMMITTEE ONCE AGAIN HAS NOT APPROVED THAT. WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW THAT RUBRIC IS GOING TO WORK, BUT WE DO THINK IT'S FAIR FOR YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT THOSE ARE THE SORTS OF THINGS WE'RE LOOKING AT AND WE HOPE THAT WILL HELP YOU THINK THROUGH SOME THINGS. LIKE IF YOU HAVE YOUR QUENCH UH, BASKET, BUGGY BUGGY, YOU HAVE SOME SIGNAGE ON IT SO THAT FOLKS WOULD UNDERSTAND WHERE IT IS AND NOT CONFUSE YOU WITH THE GOLF CART, UH, PEOPLE WHO MAY HAVE A DIFFERENT BEVERAGE PROGRAM GOING ON. SO, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YES, MA'AM. SO I CAN SEE YOUR EYES JUST ABOVE THE TALL SHOULDER IN FRONT OF A LOT OF QUESTIONS TO ANSWER THE APPLICATION. VERY SHORT. THEN CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE SCHEDULE FOR AFTER THE APPLICATION SUBMISSION? I ASSUME THERE'S A PRESENTATION PORTION IN WHICH WE HAVE THE LUXURY OF A FEW MINUTES TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS FOR YOU. AND, UH, UM, THANK YOU FOR ASKING THE QUESTION. I SHOULD HAVE CLARIFIED THAT EARLIER. THE WAY THIS PROCESS WORKS IS WE HAVE A VARYING NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS EACH YEAR. WE TRY TO DEAL WITH 'EM ALL IN ONE DAY. SO WE LIKE YOUR APPLICATION TO BE AS COMPLETE AS POSSIBLE SO THAT WE UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO BEFORE YOU COME TO SEE US. WHEN YOU COME TO SEE US, THE LEAD PERSON ON YOUR APPLICATION FROM THE COMMITTEE WILL REVIEW IT WITH THE REST OF THE COMMITTEE AND WE WILL ALL BE FAMILIAR WITH YOUR APPLICATION. WE WILL WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU ON THE BASICS ABOUT IT. WE DON'T NEED YOU TO TELL US HOW IMPORTANT, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER THAT, LET'S CALL IT MARSH PONY PONIES. WE'RE NOT HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE MERITS OF MARSH PONIES. WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE STRUCTURE OF YOUR EVENT AND WHAT'S HAPPENING. SO IT'S A RELATIVELY CONFINED, UH, PROCESS OF ASKING SPECIFIC DETAILS ABOUT YOUR PROJECT. YOU MAY NOT GET A LOT OF QUESTIONS BECAUSE YOUR APPLICATION MAY HAVE BEEN SO COMPLETE THAT EVERYBODY FEELS LIKE IT'S OKAY AND IT'S AN INTERACTION THAT TYPICALLY TAKES FIVE TO SEVEN MINUTES PER SO MAY I ASK A FOLLOW UP THEN? SURE. SO ON THE APPLICATION, THERE'S REALLY ONLY ONE QUESTION IN WHICH THERE'S A ROOM FOR A FREE FORM ANSWER, WHICH IS PLEASE CLEARLY AND CONCISELY DESCRIBE YOUR EVENT PROJECT. THAT'S THE ONLY PART. SO IN THE UPLOADS THAT ARE NOT BUDGET OR SPECIFIC INFORMATION REQUIRING TOURISTS, IT'S REALLY DEFAULTS DOWN TO THE DETAILED MARKETING PLAN. THEN IN THE UPLOAD THAT YOU WANT A LOT OF THIS INFORMATION TO BE INCLUDED, LET ME RESPOND BY SAYING WE WANNA UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE DOING. WE'D LIKE FOR YOU TO COMMUNICATE IT TO US. IF THAT DETAILED DESCRIPTION IS A PLACE YOU CAN DO THAT, WE'D REALLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO THAT. IF THERE'S SOME OTHER PLACE YOU THINK YOU CAN DO IT BETTER, FEEL FREE TO DO THAT WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO. WHAT WE ARE NOT TRYING TO DO IS EVALUATE 50 DIFFERENT PROPOSALS WITH 50 DIFFERENT STRUCTURES AND 50 DIFFERENT CRITERIA. WE DON'T THINK THAT'S FAIR, WE DON'T THINK IT'S REASONABLE. WE WANT TO COMMUNICATE TO YOU WHAT OUR OPPORTUNITIES FOR, UH, HELPING YOU ARE IN THE CONTEXT OF THE POLICIES AND THE REGULATIONS THAT APPLY TO THIS FUNDING MECHANISM. AND WE'D LIKE FOR YOU TO GIVE US THE INFORMATION THAT YOU'VE GOT THAT WILL HELP US MAKE GOOD DECISIONS. THE MECHANISM BY WHICH YOU DO THAT IS INTENDED TO BE DESCRIBED HERE. AND THAT DETAILED DESCRIPTION IS A PLACE WHERE I WOULD PUT MOST OF THE VERBIAGE THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. THANK YOU. MM-HMM . YES SIR. OR IS THAT A MA'AM? I CAN'T SEE THAT. WELL, IT'S OKAY. YOU GOT LOOK A LITTLE BIT LIKE AN ANGEL WITH A HALO BEHIND YOU IN THAT WINDOW. , WHAT'S THE ELIGIBILITY AGAIN FOR THIS CRITERIA? MARKETING FACILITY, IF YOU WILL LOOK AT PAGE, IT IS DESCRIBED FOR YOU, BUT WHEN WE SEND THIS OUT IN THE CRITERIA, IT'S HERE. IT'S ALSO LISTED ON THE WEBSITE, BUT I'M GOING TO ADVERTISING AND PROMOTION OF TOURISM, GENERATION OF PUBLICITY, INCREASED TRAFFIC, PROMOTION, ARTS AND CULTURAL EVENTS AND CONSTRUCTION MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONAL FACILITIES, SPECIFIC AND CULTURAL ACTIVITIES. CRIMINAL JUSTICE, JUSTICE SYSTEM, PUBLIC FACILITIES SUCH AS RESTROOMS, DRESSING ROOMS, PARKS AND PARKING LOT, TOURISM, SHUTTLE, TRANSPORTATION CONTROL AND REPAIR OF WATERFRONT EROSION AND OPERATING VISITORS CENTERS. NOTED AND THANK YOU SO MUCH. THAT'S WHAT'S LEGALLY ELIGIBLE. THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT ALL OF THOSE WERE EQUALLY TREATED AS PRIORITIES. THE FUNDAMENTAL ISSUE IS HEADS IN BEDS CREATING OVERNIGHT STAYS AND HOTELS AND RESTAURANT SHORT TERM. YES SIR. UM, TWO YEARS AGO THE STATE LEGISLATURE ADDED WORKFORCE HOUSING TO ELIGIBILITY FOR APEX FUNDS. COUNTY GOING TO, ARE Y'ALL GOING TO LOOK AT WORKFORCE HOUSING AS AN OPTION FOR, [01:05:02] FOR THIS YEAR? UH, THANK YOU. UM, I WILL RESPOND TO THAT QUESTION, BUT LET ME RESPOND IN THIS FASHION. WE ARE HERE TODAY TALKING ABOUT THE 2% A TAX COMMITTEE, WHICH IS THE STATE AT TAX COMMITTEE FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY. RIGHT. THAT COMMITTEE IS REPRESENTING THE INFORMATION ON HOW YOU APPLY FOR A GRANT FROM THAT. AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE AS IT RELATES TO THE QUESTION YOU RAISED IN WORKFORCE HOUSING. I ALSO HAPPEN TO BE ON THE BOARD OF THE BEAUFORT, JASPER HOUSING TRUST, WHICH IS, UH, SPONSORED BY SIX MUNICIPALITIES IN TWO COUNTIES TO SUPPORT WORKFORCE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING. SO I KNOW THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION. WHAT THE STATE LAW ALLOWS IS UP TO 3%, EXCUSE ME, UP TO 5% OF THE 3% LOCAL ATAC TO BE USED TO SUPPORT WORKFORCE HOUSING. THOSE FUNDS DO NOT FOLLOW THROUGH THIS COMMITTEE WHAT THE BEAUFORT COUNTY COUNCIL MAY CHOOSE TO DO AND HOW THEY MAY CHOOSE TO DO IT, OR ANY MUNICIPALITY WILL BE A DECISION FOR THOSE FOLKS TO MAKE. OUR COMMITTEE IS NOT THAT COUNCIL AND WE DON'T HAVE THAT AUTHORITY. ALONG THOSE SAME LINES, WE WERE RESTORING A HISTORIC CHAPEL. DOES THAT FALL UNDER THE TAX COMMITTEE? UM, THIS IS THE 2% COMMITTEE, IF YOU FEEL LIKE IT FITS INTO THE CRITERIA WE DESCRIBED FEEL FEE TO APPLY UNDER THE 3%, WHICH IS REFERRED TO AS THE LOCAL AT TAX. THERE ARE CRITERIA THERE THAT MAY BE THE REASON YOU WANNA APPLY THERE. IF IT'S H TAX AND YOU GOT SOME CONNECTION BETWEEN THAT AND THE COLLECTION OF FOODS, FEEL FREE TO APPLY THERE. THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT I CAN TELL YOU, WHICH IS THE BETTER WAY TO GO. I CAN TELL YOU THAT THIS IS THAT FUND THAT FOR THE 2% THAT ? YES MA'AM. I THINK THAT'S, YEAH. YES. I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS. ONE IS WE'LL BE AT THE END OF THIS PROCESS, BE ABLE TO SEE OUR APPLICATION SCORE. WE HAVEN'T APPROVED A SCORING MECHANISM. WE MAY NOT APPROVE A SCORING MECHANISM. IF WE DO APPROVE A SCORING MECHANISM, THEN I WOULD PREFER THAT WE MAKE IT AVAILABLE, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT. OKAY. NOW MY OTHER QUESTION IS AFTER, WOULD YOU, WOULD YOU LIKE TO KNOW? I WOULD. OKAY. BECAUSE I THINK IT HELPS US TO IMPROVE OUR GRANT WRITING SKILLS. OKAY. WHERE WE WERE GOOD AT, WHERE WE NEEDED HELP AT, THINGS LIKE THAT. WELL, I I DON'T DISAGREE WITH THAT AND I WOULD SUPPORT THAT, BUT I JUST RAISED THIS QUESTION THAT I HAVE BEEN WITH SOME FOLKS AND SAID, YOU KNOW, YOUR AIR CONDITIONING DOESN'T WORK. WELL, IT DOES. MOST OF THE DAYS. WELL, YOU KNOW, WE ARE GONNA HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF THAT GIVE AND TAKE SORT OF STUFF. AND I'VE HAD SOME FOLKS TELL ME THE SIGNS ARE EASILY READABLE AND THE SIGNS ARE EASILY READABLE EXCEPT THEY'RE IN FRONT OF THE PARKING LOT AND THEY'RE 30 INCHES HIGH. SO IF THERE'S A CAR PARKED THERE, YOU CAN'T SEE THE SIGNS. SO IT'S GONNA BE A, YOU KNOW, IF WE DO THIS, IT'S A PROCESS THAT'S LIKE EVERY OTHER RELATIONSHIP. THERE'LL BE SOME RIGHT. EVOLUTION AS TIME GOES BY . CORRECT. OKAY. SO THE OTHER QUESTION IS, AFTER THE DEADLINE, UM, FROM DEADLINE TO DISBURSEMENT, LIKE WHAT DOES THAT TIMEFRAME LOOK LIKE? WE ASK YOU IN HERE WHEN YOU NEED THE MONEY, UH, AND WHAT NORMALLY HAS BEEN DONE IS WE WILL, THE COMMITTEE WILL RECEIVE THE APPLICATIONS. YOU THE DEADLINE WILL PASS AND WE WILL RECEIVE THE APPLICATIONS. THE CHAIRMAN WILL ALLOCATE IT OUT TO THE MEMBERS. KEN AND I WILL GET OUR, UH, SHARE EACH, UH, AND THEN WE'LL SCHEDULE A DATE. I THINK IT'S IN LATE SEPTEMBER, EARLY OCTOBER THIS YEAR. AND WE WILL HAVE YOU COME AND TALK WITH US ABOUT THE PRESENTATION AFTER THAT, WE AS A COMMITTEE MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE OF COUNTY COUNCIL. THE FINANCE COMMITTEE OF COUNTY COUNCIL RE UH, REVIEWS IT AND IF THEY APPROVE IT, THEY SEND IT FULL COUNSEL AND FULL COUNSEL APPROVES IT. THEN THE ALLOCATIONS ARE MADE. UH, FROM THERE, ACTUAL FUNDING PROCESS AS IT CURRENTLY OPERATES IS IF WE AWARD X DOLLARS, YOU'LL GET 50% OF THAT, UH, IN ADVANCE. AND THEN THE OTHER 50% AFTER YOU SUBMIT YOUR, UH, FULL RECEIPTS AND DOCUMENTATION WILL BE, UH, REIMBURSED TO YOU. THANK YOU. MM-HMM . YES. USE THE BACK AGAIN. THAT'S OKAY. IS IT POSSIBLE TO GET THOSE DATES FOR THE FALL? WELL, IT'S GONNA BE ON YOUR WEBSITE AND YOU'RE GONNA RECEIVE NOTICES ABOUT THIS STUFF. DO YOU HAPPEN TO KNOW ALLISON WHEN WE'RE MEETING? UM, I BELIEVE THE PRESENTATION DAY IS SEPTEMBER 25TH. IT'S POSTED ON THE WEBSITE, UM, ALL THE DATES AND THEN IT'S, I BELIEVE PROBABLY EARLY JANUARY WHERE THE FUNDS WOULD BE AWARDED. AND THE APPLICATION PERIOD FOR GRANTS OPENS TODAY. IT OPENS TODAY AND CLOSES ON SEPTEMBER 23RD. SO OPEN TODAY THROUGH SEPTEMBER 23RD. OKAY. SEPTEMBER 10TH. SEPTEMBER 10TH PRESENTATION. ALISON KNOWS THE ANSWERS TO THIS AND I'M NOT LISTENING TO, AND I OBVIOUSLY DON'T KNOW IT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD RIGHT NOW, BUT IT'S ON THE WEBSITE, BUT IT IS ON THE WEBSITE. I WAS GONNA CAUTION YOU THAT THAT WAS TRUE AND WE WERE DOING IT TWO DAYS LATER. YOU WERE GONNA HAVE A VERY BUSY TWO DAYS, SO THAT'S GOOD. WE'VE GOT A COUPLE. EXACTLY. OKAY. OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY. I HOPE THIS HAS BEEN BENEFICIAL TO YOU. UH, IT'S NOT THAT IT'S PARTICULARLY FUN FOR US. [01:10:01] IT'S NOT THAT IT'S PARTICULARLY ENJOYABLE, ALTHOUGH WE DO LIKE SEEING YOU, WE'D LIKE FOR YOU TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO. TOURISM AND TOURISM RELATED ACTIVITIES IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT, NOT JUST TO THE ECONOMIC WELLBEING OF BEAUFORT COUNTY, BUT IF YOU CARE ABOUT THE WATERS, YOU WANT TO GO SOMEPLACE WHERE YOU CAN LEARN ABOUT IT. IF YOU CARE ABOUT ART, YOU WANNA GO SOMEWHERE WHERE YOU CAN PARTICIPATE IN THAT. IF YOU CARE ABOUT ANY PARTICULAR ISSUE, WHETHER IT BE FILM, BURGE, WHATEVER, MUSIC, ALL OF THOSE THINGS NEED TO BE PUT IN THE CONTEXT OF WHAT IS THIS BIGGEST ECONOMIC DRIVER IN THIS COUNTY. WE HAVE HUGE OPPORTUNITIES AND SOMETIMES BEING ABLE TO CAPTURE OPPORTUNITIES MEANS YOU HAVE TO SAY NO TO SOME FOLKS AND WE'D LIKE TO NOT SAY NO TO YOU IF WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO FITS INTO ACHIEVING THOSE GOALS. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. * 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.