* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:01] CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BEAUFORT COUNTY. HELLO AND WELCOME TO THE 2025 STATE OF THE REGION EVENT WITH THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND BLUFFTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. MY NAME'S HANNAH NICHOLS, PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY, AND WE ARE SO EXCITED TODAY TO TALK TO SOME OF OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS AND LEADERS IN OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY. A SPECIAL EVENT LATER TODAY, WE'RE GONNA HAVE GOVERNOR HENRY MCMASTER GIVE A KEYNOTE ADDRESS AND SEVERAL OF OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS WILL PARTICIPATE IN A ROUND TABLE DISCUSSION ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, REGIONAL GROWTH, AND MORE. SO STAY TUNED. WE ARE LIVE HERE AT THE 2025 STATE OF THE REGION ADDRESS, AND I AM JOINED RIGHT NOW BY SENATOR TOM DAVIS. HOW ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS EVENT, SIR? I'M ALWAYS LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS. I MEAN, THERE'S SO MUCH GOING ON IN THE LOW COUNTRY, PARTICULARLY SOUTHERN BEAUFORT COAST, SOUTHERN JASPER COUNTY, AND SO THE STATE OF THE REGION'S ALWAYS ON MY CALENDAR. WE LOVE IT. ARE THERE ANY, UM, PARTICULAR INITIATIVES THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING AN UPDATE ON TODAY? I MEAN, ROADS AND BRIDGES, TRANSPORTATION, MAKING OUR HIGHWAYS SAFER, BETTER SIGNALIZATION. I MEAN, THOSE THINGS CONTINUALLY CROP UP AMONG MY CONSTITUENTS. SO THAT'S THE NUMBER ONE FOCUS FOR ME, IS MAKING SURE THAT THE ROADS ARE WIDER, THE ROADS ARE SAFER, THE SIGNALIZATION IS THERE SO THAT MY CONSTITUENTS ARE SAFER. ABSOLUTELY. AND AS ONE OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS WHO DROVE HERE TODAY, I DEFINITELY APPRECIATE IT. UM, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE OUR VIEWERS TO KNOW MAYBE THAT'S COMING DOWN FROM THE STATE HOUSE? SO NEWS COMING THEIR WAY SOON. I THINK WE'RE WORKING ON, UM, ENERGY RIGHT NOW. WE'RE TRYING TO GET THOSE TWO NUCLEAR REACTORS AND FAIRFIELD COUNTY BC SUMMER TWO AND THREE UP AND RUNNING. UM, THEY'VE BEEN VERY, UH, A LOT OF INTEREST IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR IN ACQUIRING THAT ASSET, COMPLETING CONSTRUCTION. REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT 2,200 MEGAWATTS OF POWER ONTO OUR GRID, WORKING ON HEALTHCARE REFORM, EXPANDING SCOPE OF PRACTICE FROM NURSE PRACTITIONERS, PHYSICIANS ASSISTANTS, PHARMACISTS, TRYING TO MAKE ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE EASIER. A LOT ON THE PLATE FOR NEXT SESSION. ABSOLUTELY. IT CERTAINLY SOUNDS LIKE IT. UM, NOW ARE YOU PARTICIPATING IN THE ROUND TABLE TODAY OR ARE YOU JUST HERE TO SOAK UP ALL THE KNOWLEDGE? I'M HERE TO SOAK UP THE KNOWLEDGE AND TO CONTRIBUTE IF I'M ASKED. AMAZING. WELL, WE HOPE YOU ENJOY THE EVENT AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR GIVING US A FEW MINUTES OF YOUR TIME. ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. OKAY, WELCOME BACK TO THE STATE OF THE REGION ADDRESS. WE ARE HERE AT THE HILTON BEACHFRONT RESORT AND I'M JOINED NOW BY COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBER TOM RES. CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THIS EVENT TODAY? UH, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME BE HERE WITH YOU. UM, THIS IS A CULMINATION OF, UH, A LOT OF TIME THAT WE GET HELP FROM THE STATE. UH, GOVERNOR MCMASTER NOW, UH, IS GONNA TALK TO US ABOUT HOW, WHAT THEY'VE BEEN DOING TO HELP US OUT. AND, UM, I'M LOOKING TO HEAR WHAT WE COULD DO IN THE FUTURE TO HELP THE PEOPLE WE SERVE HERE RIGHT. IN BEAUFORT COUNTY, WHICH I THINK THEY'VE DONE A GREAT JOB TO DO SO FAR. SO I THINK THAT THE, THE REAL PURPOSE OF THIS EVENT IS ALL IN THE NAME RIGHT, STATE OF THE REGION, STATE OF THE REGION. SO WHAT DOES REGIONAL PARTNERSHIPS MEAN TO YOU AS A COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBER? UH, THERE'S SO MANY THINGS. IT HELPS US WITH EDUCATION. IT HELPS US WITH HOUSING, UM, ZONING. I MEAN, THERE'S SO MANY THINGS THAT THE STATE CAN HELP US WITH AND IF WE DO IT ON A REGIONAL BASIS AND WE DO IT COUNTY TO COUNTY WORK, COUNTY TO COUNTY, THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN'T GET DONE. NOW, IS THERE ANY PARTICULAR PROGRAM OR SPEAKER YOU'RE MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO TODAY? I KNOW DOORS OPEN IN, OOH, THREE MINUTES ACTUALLY. I'M JUST HERE TO, I'M A FILTER. I TAKE A LOT OF INFORMATION IN AND THEN, UM, I, ONE OF THE THINGS I TRY TO DO IS MEET WITH THE PEOPLE CONTINUALLY AND, UH, WHEN WE FIND OUT WHAT'S UH, MATTERS MOST TO THE PEOPLE WE SERVE, THIS REGIONAL APPROACH COMES TO HELP US OUT IN A VERY BIG WAY. AND WE'VE BEEN PRETTY SUCCESSFUL THAT WAY OVER THE LAST YEAR OR TWO, SO. VERY NICE. SO WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS THE TOP ISSUE FOR YOUR CONSTITUENTS AT THIS TIME? WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE, A LOT ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. IS THERE ANY ONE TAKEAWAY FOR YOU? THERE'S A COUPLE THAT ARE AT THE TOP OF THE LIST. ONE IS THAT BRIDGE, YOU KNOW, UH, WE HAVE TO GET THAT BRIDGE DONE, WHATEVER IT IS. UM, I, I THINK HOUSING IS IMPORTANT, UM, AND SOMETHING WE'RE DOING ON A VERY LOCAL BASIS, BUT IT'S REGIONAL APPROACH IS WHAT DO WE DO WITH RETENTION? HOW DO WE RETAIN NURSES IN KIDS THAT GO AWAY TO TRADE SCHOOL OR COLLEGES? WE WANT THEM TO COME BACK AND MOST DO, BUT HOW DO WE SET UP THE JOBS FOR THEM TO RETAIN THEM HERE AND, YOU KNOW, T-C-L-U-S-C-B IN WITH COUNCIL, WE'RE DOING A LOT OF THINGS TO WORK TOGETHER TO KEEP OUR KIDS BACK IN OUR REGION. AWESOME. THEY OUR LOCATION. YEP. NOW IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT I HAVEN'T ASKED YOU THAT YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH OUR VIEWERS TODAY? THE ONLY THING I WANNA SHARE IS THAT, UM, IT HAS BEEN AN HONOR TO REPRESENT THE PEOPLE OF BEAUFORT COUNTY DISTRICT 11, AND I HOPE TO DO IT FOR A LONG TIME. AND, UM, WE JUST WANT TO HEAR FROM THE PEOPLE BECAUSE [00:05:01] THAT IS WHAT MAKES US DO OUR JOB BETTER. IF WE KNOW WHAT MATTERS MOST TO THE PEOPLE, WE COULD DO A GOOD JOB. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME, MR. REET. WE APPRECIATE IT. AND STAY TUNED RIGHT HERE ON BC TV. WELCOME BACK TO THE COVERAGE OF THE STATE OF THE REGION ADDRESS TODAY WHERE WE ARE COMING TO YOU LIVE FROM THE HILTON BEACHFRONT RESORT HERE ON BEAUTIFUL HILTON HEAD ISLAND IN SOUTH CAROLINA. I AM JOINED RIGHT NOW BY LIEUTENANT LIEUTENANT COLONEL VEGA, WHO IS IN CHARGE OF OUR LOCAL J-R-O-T-C PROGRAM. CAN YOU TELL ME A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE, UM, THE PARTICIPATION FROM YOUR GROUP TODAY? YES, MA'AM. SO FIRST OF ALL, IT'S AN HONOR FOR US TO BE PRESENT AND SUPPORT THIS IMPORTANT EVENT. UH, OUR GROUP WAS CALLED AFTER, UNFORTUNATELY, UH, THE MARINE CORPS WAS NOT ABLE TO SUPPORT IT BECAUSE OF THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN. AND WE STEP IN AND, AND WE ARE HERE SUPPORTING THIS, THIS IMPORTANT EVENT. SO HOW MANY CADETS ARE IN YOUR PROGRAM? RIGHT NOW WE HAVE 125 CADETS, AND WE'RE ALL WITHIN THE PROGRAM, UH, LOOKING TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF CADETS HERE IN THE NEAR FUTURE TO A BAT ITALIAN SIZE ELEMENT. AND, UH, OUR PRINCIPAL, STEVEN SHERICK, IS SUPER SUPPORTIVE AS WELL AS OUR, UH, DR. RODRIGUEZ FROM THE DISTRICT. SO, UH, I'M PRETTY SURE WE HERE GONNA BE GROWING THE PROGRAM IN THE NEAR FUTURE. NOW ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO SOME NEWS ABOUT REGIONAL PARTNERSHIPS TODAY AND HOW THAT SUPPORTS YOU AT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT? YES, OF COURSE. , HEY, IS, UH, IS ANYTHING THAT'S GONNA HELP THE FUTURE OF OUR COUNTRY TO BE BETTER AND BE EDUCATED PROPERLY AND ALL ABOUT IT? WELL, WE ABSOLUTELY APPRECIATE YOU STEPPING IN TO SUPPORT THIS EVENT, MAKE SURE IT GOES OFF WITHOUT A HITCH AND THAT WE STILL HAVE THAT AMAZING PRESENTATION OF COLORS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING ME, LIEUTENANT COLONEL VEGA. IT WAS A PLEASURE TO SEE YOU AGAIN, AND WE APPRECIATE YOU JOINING US HERE ON BUFORT COUNTY TELEVISION. STAY TUNED AND WELCOME BACK TO THE STATE OF THE REGION EVENT COVERAGE TODAY. I'M JOINED NOW BY BUFORT COUNTY COUNCIL CHAIR ALICE HOWARD, CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THIS EXCITING EVENT TODAY? WELL, IT'S A REGIONAL EVENT WITH PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER AND TO GET TOGETHER AND HEAR ABOUT WHAT THE FUTURE MAY HOLD FOR OUR REGION IN BEAUFORT AND JASPER COUNTIES. NOW WE HAVE AN EXTRA SPECIAL KEYNOTE SPEAKER TODAY, DON'T WE TOO? YES, OUR GOVERNOR. I'M, SO, I'M VERY EXCITED THAT WE'RE GONNA HEAR HIM. I THINK IT'S THE FIRST TIME WE'VE MAYBE HAD A GOVERNOR COME TO THIS IN MY MEMORY AS FAR AS I CAN REMEMBER NOW, WHAT IS YOUR ROLE IN TODAY'S PROCEEDINGS? WELL, WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN BEAUFORT COUNTY. WE HAVE A FILM AND THEN I'LL PARTICIPATE IN A PANEL OF QUESTIONS. UH, SOME OF THE QUESTIONS WILL BE ABOUT CONSERVATION WORKFORCE HOUSING, WHICH IS A BIG ISSUE AND THE ENVIRONMENT IN THE REGION. AMAZING. NOW, IF THERE IS ONE TAKEAWAY THAT YOU'D LIKE OUR VIEWERS TO HAVE FROM TODAY, WHAT IS IT? I THINK IT'S SUCH A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO NETWORK AND GET TO TALK TO PEOPLE ON A CASUAL BASIS ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN BUFORT AND JASPER COUNTIES. AMAZING. WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR GIVING US A LITTLE INSIGHT INTO TODAY. WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU IN THE PANEL A LITTLE BIT LATER TODAY. MAKE SURE YOU STAY TUNED. WE'RE GONNA HAVE MORE EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS COMING YOUR WAY VERY SHORTLY. AND THANK YOU FOR STICKING WITH US FOR THIS LIVE COVERAGE. WE ARE GETTING READY FOR THIS EXCITING EVENT TO START AT 1130, BUT RIGHT NOW WE'VE GOT ANOTHER EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW COMING YOUR WAY ON BCTV. I'M JOINED RIGHT NOW BY FORMER BLUFFTON MAYOR LISA SOKA. LISA, HOW ARE YOU TODAY? WONDERFUL. THANK Y'ALL FOR BEING HERE. OF COURSE. NOW, CAN YOU TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT YOU AS A FORMER MAYOR AND CURRENT REALTOR ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO TODAY? WELL, I LOVE COMING TO, TO THINGS LIKE THIS, ESPECIALLY HOSTED BY THE CHAMBER 'CAUSE IT IS THE BLUFFTON HILTON HEAD ISLAND CHAMBER, UM, IN BLUFFTON. AND IT JUST GIVES US AN UPDATE ON WHAT'S GOING ON IN OUR REGION. HARDY V IS VERY IMPORTANT TO WHAT BLUFFTON DOES AND VICE VERSA. UM, HILTON HEAD IS TOO, AND IT'S JUST WONDERFUL TO HAVE OUR GOVERNOR COME, BUT TO GET A REAL GOOD FEEL OF WHERE WE'RE GOING AND WHAT'S GOING ON AND WHAT WE NEED TO, TO MOVE FORWARD. AMAZING. AND ONE THING WE HEAR A LOT ABOUT IS AFFORDABLE HOUSING. I HEAR YOU'RE ON A BOARD THAT MAY HAVE SOME GOOD INSIGHT INTO THAT. CAN YOU TELL OUR VIEWERS A LITTLE BIT MORE? I WILL. YOU KNOW, I LOOK BACK AT OLD, OLD, OLD ARTICLES THIS PAST WEEK, AND ONE I WROTE IN 2009 WAS TALKING ABOUT OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMITTEE WITH THE TOWN. UM, I'M ON A WORKFORCE HOUSING BOARD CALLED COASTAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, STARTED BY WOLF AND OTHERS ON THE ISLAND. AND WE'RE LOOKING FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING FROM HILTON HEAD ALL THE WAY THROUGH RIDGELAND JASPER COUNTY. AND WE HAVE MADE A GREAT DENT SO [00:10:01] FAR. WE HAVE 40 UNITS WE PURCHASE AND THEN WE PUT A 99 YEAR DEED RESTRICTION ON THESE UNITS AND WE RENT THEM TO WORKERS. SO WE'RE MOVING OFF THE ISLAND, WE'RE MOVING INTO BLUFFTON AND HARDY V. IT'S A FABULOUS BOARD. CC DC.ORG, IF NOT GOOGLE COASTAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION. IT'S FABULOUS. THAT'S FABULOUS. AND IT SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT TESTAMENT TO WHAT THAT REGIONAL PARTNERSHIP CAN REALLY DO TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN EVERYONE'S LIVES. IT'S, IT'S HUGE. AND, YOU KNOW, BEING MAYOR, MY FOCUS WAS THE KIDS. THESE KIDS NEED A PLACE TO LIVE OR WE ARE NOT GONNA GET THE SERVICES THAT WE'RE SO USED TO. WOW. YEAH. THAT'S A FANTASTIC INSIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. WE APPRECIATE YOU STICKING HERE WITH US ON BCTV AND WE'RE GETTING STARTED VERY SHORTLY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WELCOME BACK TO THE STATE OF THE REGION COVERAGE WITH BEAUFORT COUNTY TELEVISION. I'M JOINED RIGHT NOW BY BEAUFORT COUNTY, ASSISTANT COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, JARED FRA, WHO FOCUSES ON INFRASTRUCTURE. JARED, CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. SO STATE OF THE REGION, THIS IS ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS COLLECTIVELY IN THE REGION. WE GET HERE TO CELEBRATE ALL OF OUR GOOD THINGS THAT WE HAVE GOING AND LOOK AHEAD TO WHAT'S COMING AHEAD. SO FABULOUS. NOW, EVERY OTHER PERSON I'VE ASKED TODAY HAS MENTIONED INFRASTRUCTURE. IT'S A HUGE TOPIC ON EVERYONE'S MINDS. CAN YOU GIVE US AN UPDATE ON THAT 2 78 BRIDGE PROJECT? YES, YES, ABSOLUTELY. SO WE ARE MOVING FORWARD FULL STEAM AHEAD. SO WE ARE MOVING FORWARD ON A RESCOPE PROJECT, WHICH INCLUDES A THREE LANE EASTBOUND BRIDGE THAT COVERS BOTH BRIDGES, UM, THAT PROJECT'S MOVING FORWARD. WE ACTUALLY HAVE A PUBLIC MEETING COMING UP AT THE END OF THIS MONTH, SO OCTOBER 30TH, UM, FROM FOUR TO SEVEN AT THE ISLAND REC CENTER PUBLIC INFORMATION MEETING, COME OUT, LEARN MORE ABOUT THE RESCOPE PROJECT. AND, UM, MANY PEOPLE ALSO ARE AWARE THAT WE HAD A GRANT WE PUT IN FOR A, A LARGE BRIDGE GRANT, FEDERAL GRANT. WE'RE STILL WAITING TO HEAR BACK FROM THE FEDS ON THAT. UM, BUT WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH THE THREE LANE RESCOPE PROJECT, AS WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT OVER RECENT MONTHS. AWESOME. THAT'S A BIG RELIEF, I'M SURE FOR MANY VIEWERS OUT THERE. IF YOU HAD ONE TAKEAWAY FOR TODAY, WHAT WOULD IT BE FOR OUR VIEWERS? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. TODAY IS EXACTLY WHAT IT TAKES TO, TO INVEST IN OUR COMMUNITY AND STRUCTURE, AND THAT'S ALL THESE STAKEHOLDERS COMING TOGETHER FOR ONE SINGLE PURPOSE AND GLAD TO BE A PART OF IT AND GLAD TO LIVE HERE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY. AWESOME. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME TODAY, JARED. WE'LL LET YOU GET INSIDE. I KNOW WE'RE GETTING READY TO START VERY SOON, BUT YOU GUYS STAY TUNED. ONE LAST AMAZING EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW TODAY. BEFORE WE GET STARTED WITH THE STATE OF THE REGION TODAY, I AM JOINED BY CHAIRMAN OF THE HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE, REPRESENTATIVE NEWTON WHO SERVES BEAUFORT AND JASPER COUNTIES. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME, SIR. CAN YOU TELL US WHAT YOU'RE MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO ABOUT THIS EVENT TODAY? IT'S A PLEASURE, UH, BEING HERE. YOU KNOW, UH, HAVING DELIVERED THIS SPEECH AS CHAIRMAN OF COUNTY COUNCIL FOR 10 YEARS, IT REALLY IS A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COMMUNITY TO COME TOGETHER AND HEAR WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE REGION AND HIGHLIGHT THE WAY THAT LOCAL GOVERNMENT COLLABORATES AND WORKS TOGETHER, UM, IN WHAT THEY'RE DOING. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, SO MUCH OF WHAT IMPACTS, WHETHER IT'S HILTON HEAD, WHETHER IT'S NORTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY, QUITE FRANKLY NOW, WHETHER IT'S HARDY, JASPER, UM, IS ALL CONNECTED, UH, WITH THE REGION. AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M SURE SOME DISCUSSION TODAY WILL HIGHLIGHT THE WIDENING OF I 95, SINGLE LARGEST PROJECT THAT DOT HAS EVER AWARDED. UM, AND YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THAT'S SOMETHING THAT TRANSCENDS THE BOUNDARIES OF ANY ONE COUNTY. UM, BUT IT REALLY IS JUST A, THIS IS A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO SHOWCASE HOW GREAT THIS PART OF THE WORLD IS, HOW WONDERFUL THE LOW COUNTRY IS. AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALWAYS GLAD AND EXCITED TO HAVE THE GOVERNOR MCMASTER HERE WITH US AND LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING HIS COMMENTS TODAY TOO. ABSOLUTELY. IT SHOULD BE A GREAT EVENT. NOW, YOU HAVE SEEN LOCAL POLITICS, GOVERNMENT POLITICS, STATE POLITICS, GO ALL THE WAY THROUGH YOUR MANY YEARS OF SERVICE. WHAT WOULD BE THE TOP ISSUE FACING BEAUFORT AND JASPER COUNTIES RIGHT NOW? WELL, INFRASTRUCTURE AND GROWTH. I MEAN, THAT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT EXACTLY A STATE ISSUE, BUT, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE AND MANAGING GROWTH. I MEAN, THIS IS SUCH A WONDERFUL PART OF THE WORLD AND THE TOOLS, UM, THAT LOCAL GOVERNMENT HAS, WHETHER IT'S THE RURAL AND CRITICAL LANDS PROGRAM, WHICH WAS STARTED WHILE I WAS CHAIRMAN OF COUNTY COUNCIL, PROBABLY WILL GO DOWN AS ONE OF THE, THE MOST SIGNIFICANT THINGS THAT WE COULD DO. AND VERY INNOVATIVE IN TERMS OF MANAGING GROWTH. THAT HAS MORPHED INTO THE PENNY SALES TAX PROGRAM THAT WE AUTHORIZED STATE LAW IN THE LAST FEW YEARS. UM, AND IS REALLY ABOUT PROTECTING, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, OUR ENVIRONMENT, UH, PROTECTING THOSE, YOU KNOW, NATURAL VISTAS AND AREAS. I MEAN, GOD ONLY MADE SO MUCH OF THE EARTH, UH, AND WE GOTTA BE GOOD CUSTODIANS AND GOOD STEWARDS OF IT TO PROTECT IT FOR THE NEXT NEXT GENERATION. THAT PROGRAM IS INCREDIBLE. I HEARD ACTUALLY RECENTLY THEY PASSED 30,000 ACRES CONSERVED IN THE REGION. SO WHAT A WONDERFUL TESTAMENT TO YOUR LEGACY LOCALLY AND THROUGH THE STATE. WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR GIVING US A COUPLE OF MOMENTS OF YOUR TIME TODAY. I KNOW WE'RE EAGER TO GET INSIDE, BUT IF YOU HAD ONE TAKEAWAY FOR OUR VIEWERS, WHAT WOULD IT BE? [00:15:02] GET INVOLVED. THE ONLY WAY THAT GOVERNMENT CAN BE EFFECTIVE IS IF THEY HEAR FROM THE PEOPLE. AND THE ONLY WAY THAT ELECTED OFFICIALS CAN BE ACCOUNTABLE IS IF PEOPLE ARE INVOLVED, PARTICIPATE, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH THE, THE COUNTY CHANNEL, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH PUBLIC HEARINGS. UM, WE WORK FOR THE PEOPLE. UM, AND SO WHETHER IT'S, UH, EVERYTHING FROM COUNTY COUNCIL, TOWN COUNCIL TO STATE REPRESENTATIVE, STATE SENATE, OR THE GOVERNOR, WE WORK FOR THE PEOPLE AND WE WANT TO HEAR FROM THE PEOPLE. THANK YOU SO MUCH, REPRESENTATIVE NEWTON, AND THANK YOU FOR WATCHING TODAY. WE'RE GONNA GET STARTED WITH OUR EVENT IN A FEW SHORT MINUTES. THANKS VERY MUCH. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE STAND FOR THE PRESENTATION OF COLORS BY THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND HIGH SCHOOL, NAVY JUNIOR, ROTC, FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND OUR NATIONAL ANTHEM FEATURING FINDLAY, WATERSON. HOLD, BREATHE, GO. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY, JUSTICE FOR ALL. OH, SAY, CAN YOU SEE BY THE WHAT'S SO THE WHO'S BROUGHT STRIPES AND BRIGHT STARS THROUGH THE FIGHT, OR THE, WE WERE SO STREAMING AND THAT OUR FLAG WAS STILL THERE, THE LAND OF PLEASE BE SEATED. WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON, AND IT'S GREAT SEEING EVERYONE HERE TODAY AND WELCOME TO THE 29TH ANNUAL STATE OF THE REGION. WE'RE DELIGHTED THAT YOU'RE HERE. THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF FALL IN THE AIR. IT'S SO GREAT, UH, SEEING THE PEOPLE TALK, THE CONVERSATIONS AMONGST EACH OF YOU. AND IT'S, IT'S CERTAINLY A, A REWARDING DAY FOR US. YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU WALKED IN TODAY, YOU PROBABLY NOTICED THAT, UH, WE MIGHT'VE BEEN MISSING [00:20:01] ONE OF YOUR FAVORITE TRADITIONS, AND THAT IS THE PARIS ISLAND MARINE BAND AS, AS WELL AS THE COLOR GUARD DUE TO THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN. WE WERE INFORMED LAST WEEK, I THINK IT WAS THURSDAY, THAT, UH, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENTS, EVENTS, ALL OF THEM HAD BEEN POSTPONED AND SUS SUSPENDED. SO IN TRUE LOW COUNTRY SPIRIT AND THE CHAMBER SPIRIT, WHAT WE DO, WE QUICKLY REACTED AND PIVOTED. AND, UH, THANKFULLY, UH, UH, FILLING THAT GAP TODAY, WE HAD FINDLAY WATERSON, VERY, VERY TALENTED FROM HILTON HEAD HIGH SCHOOL. FINLEY WELL DONE. I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT, UH, I THINK A STAR WAS BORN TODAY, RIGHT HERE ON THE STAGE OF STATE OF THE REGION. SO FINLEY WELL DONE. AND SHE WAS A LITTLE BIT NERVOUS PERFORMING IN FRONT OF THE GOVERNOR, BUT I THINK SHE NAILED IT. AND, UH, YOU CAN ALSO, IF YOU LOVE THE VOICE, YOU CAN ALSO CATCH HER IN THE UPCOMING SEAHAWK PRODUCTION OF ANASTASIA, SO THAT I'M SURE THAT WILL BE A, A SPECIAL SHOW. ALSO, A SPECIAL THANKS AS WELL TO THE MEMBERS OF THE HILTON HEAD HIGH SCHOOL JUNIOR, ROTC, UH, LED BY USMC, RETIRED LIEUTENANT COLONEL, LIEUTENANT COLONEL VEGA. AND, UM, AGAIN, IT WAS LAST WEEK LATE WHEN WE REACHED OUT TO, TO THEM, AND, UH, HE MADE IT HAPPEN. THE PRINCIPAL MADE IT HAPPEN. AND, AND, UH, WE WANNA CERTAINLY RECOGNIZE PRINCIPAL SID RICH FOR, UH, BEING THEIR PERSONAL CHAUFFEUR TO GET 'EM HERE TODAY. SO THANKS TO THANKS TO EACH OF THEM. AND LAST MINUTE'S NOTICE, IT'S AN HONOR FOR US TO HOST THIS CHAMBER EVENT EACH YEAR. AND, UH, JUDGING BY TODAY'S CROWD, IT CONTINUES TO BE A CORNERSTONE, UH, GATHERING FOR OUR COMMUNITY, OUR REGION, AND A PLACE WHERE WE COME TOGETHER TO TALK ABOUT REALLY WHAT MATTERS THE MOST TO THE LOW COUNTRY. AND BEFORE WE DIVE INTO TODAY'S PROGRAM, I THINK IT'S, UH, ONLY APPROPRIATE THAT WE TAKE A MINUTE TO RECOGNIZE THOSE WHO, UH, MAKE THIS EVENT POSSIBLE. AND SO WE'RE CERTAINLY VERY, VERY GRATEFUL AND APPRECIATIVE TO OUR PRINCIPAL, UH, PRESENTING SPONSOR. AND THAT'S THE SAVANNAH HILTON HEAD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND CERTAINLY LIKE TO RECOGNIZE LONGTIME AIRPORT DIRECTOR GREG KELLY AND LORI LENA, AS WELL AS THE ENTIRE TEAM FROM THEM. AND THANK THEM FOR THEIR STEADFAST SUPPORT TO OUR REGION. YOU KNOW, IT WAS JUST RELEASED, UH, LAST WEEK FOR THE NINTH YEAR IN A ROW THAT HILTON HEAD ISLAND HAS BEEN NAMED BY CONDE NAST TRAVELERS, UH, THE READERS OF CONDE NAST TRAVELER AS THE NUMBER ONE ISLAND IN THE CONTINENTAL US. SO CONGRATULATIONS TO EACH OF YOU FOR THAT. MANY GATHERED IN THIS ROOM ARE ALSO RECOGNIZED IN THAT SAME VOTING AND HAVING FIVE HOTELS AND RESORTS LISTED AMONG THE TOP 20 IN THE SOUTH. AND LET'S GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THE WESTIN OMNI SEA PINES RESORT MONTAGE, PALMETTO BLUFF, AS WELL AS THE INN AND CLUB AT HARBORTOWN. SO A BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE TO EACH OF THEM AND CERTAINLY CAN'T LET THE MOIP PASS WITHOUT RECOGNIZING THE SAVANNAH HILTON NET INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. FOR THE SEVENTH YEAR IN A ROW, THEY'VE BEEN NAMED THE NUMBER ONE AIRPORT IN THE NATION. THE WORDS KEEP FLOWING IN. AND WE ALSO LIKE TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT WITH, UH, JUST ABOUT HALF OF ALL THOSE FLYING INTO THE AIRPORT, ABOUT HALF OF 'EM ARE HEADED OUR WAY. SO YOUR COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE AND, UH, WE'RE VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THAT. AND SO THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING TO SET THE BAR AND SET IT VERY, VERY HIGH. IT'S GOING TO BE, UH, RECOGNIZED AS ONE OF THE BEST AND QUITE, UH, REMAIN TOP AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR. SO BEING ABLE TO GET AT ONE TIME IS REALLY, REALLY GOOD TO BE ABLE TO SU SUSTAIN THAT SUCCESS IS EVEN MORE DIFFICULT. I'D LIKE TO, UH, PRESENT OUR OTHER SPONSORS, SUPPORTING SPONSORS, AND, UH, THEIR PARTNERSHIP IS EQUALLY AS CRITICAL. UH, OUR LONGTIME SUPPORTING SPONSOR, DEPAUL ELLA TOMBE WITH ALLIANCE CONSULTING ENGINEERS, UH, ELLA TOMBE, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, MR. ELLA TOMBE. ALSO JOHN RO BOL AND HIS TEAM AT THE HILTON NET ISLAND AIRPORT. JOHN, THANK YOU. AND I'D LIKE TO MEASURE THAT THE HILTON HEAD AIRPORT IS ALSO HAS BEEN NOMINATED AS ONE OF THE TOP 10 RESORTS IN THE COUNTRY BY USA TODAY. THANK YOU AS WELL TO OUR EVENT SPONSORS, THE WILSON GROUP, WHO ARE THE ARCHITECTS FOR THE HILTON HEAD AIRPORT PROJECT. ALSO JESSE SHEPHERD, THE GO ENERGETICS TEAM. AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, UH, STAGE FRONT. YOU KNOW, YOU NEVER REALLY NOTICE THE PRODUCTION TEAM UNLESS SOMETHING GOES WRONG. AND UH, FORTUNATELY FOR US AT OUR STATE OF THE REGION EVENTS AND CHAMBER BOWLS, NOTHING SEEMS TO GO WRONG AND IT RUNS SMOOTHLY. SO THANK YOU TO THE STAGE FRONT TEAM. [00:25:05] AND THEN THE BIG THANKS ALSO TO OUR DECOR SPONSOR, TAYLOR'S LANDSCAPE SUPPLY FOR THE BEAUTIFUL CENTERPIECES AND THE GREENERY THROUGHOUT THE ROOM. TAYLOR'S, WE THANK YOU THROUGH FEW OTHERS I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE AND I'D LIKE FOR THEM TO STAND WHEN THEIR NAME IS CALLED. UH, SO PLEASE STAND TO BE RECOGNIZED. WE HAVE REP REPRESENTING, REPRESENTING SENATOR TIM SCOTT. TODAY WE HAVE AL JENKINS ALSO REPRESENTING CONGRESSWOMAN NANCY MACE. WE HAVE FIELD REPRESENTATIVE SAVANNAH WHITE, ALSO WITH US, APPOINTED BY THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TO SERVE AS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE USDA FARM SERVICE AGENCY FOR SOUTH CAROLINA, AND FORMERLY WITH GO MCMASTER'S OFFICE. CODY SIMPSON FROM OUR STATE DELEGATION, WE'RE HONORED TO HAVE SENATOR TOM DAVIS ALONG WITH REPRESENTATIVE WESTON NEWTON. AND WE ALSO HAVE SOUTH CAROLINA REPRESENTATIVE MARK SMITH ATTENDING TODAY FROM BERKELEY COUNTY. LET'S RECOGNIZE BEAUFORT COUNTY COUNCIL CHAIR ALICE HOWARD AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNTY COUNCIL, THEIR STAFF AND LEADERSHIP, LOVE FOR ALL COUNTY COUNCIL TO PLEASE STAND AND THE BEAUFORT COUNTY STAFF THAT'S WITH US. WE APPRECIATE YOU FOR BEING HERE AND THANKS FOR ALL THE SUPPORT THERE. AND THEN ALSO, OF COURSE, IT WOULDN'T BE STATE OF THE REGION WITHOUT THE BLUFF AND MAYOR LARRY TOMER, HILTON HEAD ISLAND MAYOR ALLEN PERRY, AND HAR HARVILLE, MAYOR HARRY WILLIAMS AND THEIR COUNCIL'S LEADERSHIP MANAGERS AND STAFF. SO WELL DONE. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT EACH AND EVERY DAY. TODAY WE'RE ALSO JOINED BY JASPER COUNTY CHAIR, COUNCIL CHAIR JOHN KEMP. SO JOHN, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY. MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD AS WELL AS DR. FRANK RODRIGUEZ, SUPERINTENDENT. WE ALSO HAVE THE MAYOR OF MAYOR WILLIAMS FROM THE CITY OF HARDY V NO, THE CITY OF POOL. SORRY MAYOR, JUST SAYING IF YOU'RE AWAKE, THE MAYOR OF POOLER IS WITH US TODAY. SO THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH. AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE DORCHESTER COUNTY, COUNCILMAN JAY BYERS IN THE HOUSE. JAY, WELCOME. I'D LIKE TO HAVE OUR CHAMBER CHAMPIONS AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS STAND AS WELL, IF YOU WOULD STAND. WE'RE SO APPRECIATIVE AND GRATEFUL OF YOUR LEADERSHIP, YOUR PARTNERSHIP, AND WHAT YOU DO IN EACH AND EVERY DAY FOR THIS COMMUNITY. ALSO, A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT, UH, TODAY IS THE, UH, OUR BOARD CHAIR SUSANNA COOK. SHE AND HER HUSBAND DAVID, THEY'RE CELEBRATING THEIR 20TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY TODAY. AND WHAT AN EVENT TO DO IT AT, RIGHT . SO HAPPY ANNIVERSARY. THERE'S ONE MORE DIGNITARY, I PROMISE. JUST, UH, CAN'T LET THE MOMENT PASS WITHOUT RECOGNIZING THIS ONE. AND HE'S GROWING STRONGER AND CERTAINLY MORE POWERFUL BY THE DAY. AND HE HAS FOUR LEGS. UH, WE'RE JOINED TODAY BY MILITARY VETERAN JR. BROWN, HIS K NINE FRIEND, UH, WILLIE, WHO IS HERE, AND WILLIE AND HIS WILLIE'S WITH THE TEAM FROM, UH, OP FIVE OPERATION PATRIOTS. SO WE'RE DELIGHTED TO HAVE HIM WILLIE'S IN TRAINING TODAY. AND REMEMBER, JR NO ACCIDENTS IN THE HOUSE, JR IS THE, THE FOUNDER AND CEO OF THE INCREDIBLE CHARITY BASED IN RIDGELAND THAT'S PREVENTING HELPING TO PREVENT SUICIDE AMONG OUR NATION'S VETERANS AND FIRST RESPONDERS. AND THEY'RE CURRENTLY WORKING WITH VETS TO TRAIN SERVICE DOGS. AND WILLIE, AS I MENTIONED, IS IN TRAINING. UH, LET'S GIVE THEM ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE. AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU'RE DOING. IT'S NOW MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE ONE OF OUR CHAMBER'S OUTSTANDING JUNIOR LEADERSHIP STUDENTS. ISABELLA COOK IS A MEMBER OF NOT ONE, BUT FIVE HONOR SOCIETIES. SHE RUNS VARSITY CROSS COUNTRY AND TRACK FOR HILTON HEAD ISLAND HIGH SCHOOL AND SERVES AS CLUB PRESIDENT FOR THE NEWLY FORMED CLUB AMERICA CHAPTER, POWERED BY TURNING POINT USA. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING ISABELLA COOK TO INTRODUCE TODAY'S KEYNOTE SPEAKER. IT IS AN HONOR TO INTRODUCE A LEADER WHO HAS DEDICATED DECADES OF SERVICE TO SOUTH CAROLINA AS A FORMER LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, ATTORNEY GENERAL, AND NOW AS THE LONGEST [00:30:01] SERVING GOVERNOR IN OUR STATE'S HISTORY UNDER HIS LEADERSHIP, SOUTH CAROLINA IS WIDELY RECOGNIZED AS ONE OF THE MOST BUSINESS FRIENDLY STATES IN THE NATION, ATTRACTING AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF JOBS AND INVESTMENT THAT BENEFITS EVERY CORNER OF OUR GREAT STATE. BUT HE HAS LED US THROUGH TIMES OF CHALLENGE AND CONTINUES TO CHAMPION A BRIGHT FUTURE FOR SOUTH CAROLINA. PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING GOVERNOR HENRY MCMASTER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SHE'S 17 YEARS OLD. THAT REALLY DOES GIVE US HOPE. I TELL YOU, EVERY YEAR WE HAVE GIRLS STATE AND BOYS STATE UP AT THE STATE HOUSE, MIGHT HAVE 800 YOUNG PEOPLE UP THERE AND THAT USED A LOT OF THE THINGS YOU SEE ON TV JUST DISAPPEAR FROM MINE. WHEN YOU SEE THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE, WE'VE, WE GOT A GOOD GROUP COMING ALONG AND WE GONNA NEED 'EM. SO BELLA, THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UM, PEGGY, OH SUZANNE, IT YOUR 20TH ANNIVERSARY. THAT'S GOOD. I TALKED TO A FRIEND THE OTHER DAY. I WAS TALKING ABOUT THAT PEGGY AND I HAD OUR 47TH ANNIVERSARY AND HE SAID, HMM, THAT'S GOOD. HE SAID, UH, MY WIFE AND I JUST CELEBRATED OUR 65TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY. I SAID, WOW, THAT'S REALLY SOMETHING. HE SAID, YEAH, WE HAVE THE SECRET. WE KNOW THE SECRET TO A LONG HAPPY MARRIAGE. I SAID, OF COURSE, WHAT IS THE SECRET TO THE LONG HAPPY MARRIAGE? SAYS, EVERY WEEK WE FIND A NICE LITTLE QUIET RESTAURANT. GO OUT FOR DINNER EVERY WEEK. SHE GOES ON TUESDAY, I GO ON THURSDAY, PEGGY'S BACK AT THE HOUSE. WE GOT, GOT TWO BULLDOGS BACK THERE AND FOUR GRANDCHILDREN. SO WE, SHE'S STAYING BUSY, BUT SHE'D LIKE TO BE HERE. BUT I'LL TELL YOU ONE MORE STORY ABOUT MY HARDHEADED WIFE, PEGGY. I PICKED HER OUT MYSELF FROM, UH, SHE WAS FROM SPARTANBURG IN 2016, I WAS GOING UP TO CLEVELAND FOR THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION AND I GOT TO THE HOTEL AND I CALLED BACK TO PEGAS AND I'VE ARRIVED. I SAID, CAN, CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS? HERE I AM, YOUR HUSBAND HENRY. I'M GETTING READY TO DO A NOMINATE SPEECH FOR DONALD TRUMP AT THE NATIONAL CONVENTION REPUBLICAN. HAVE YOU EVER SEEN SUCH A THING IN YOUR WILDEST DREAM? SHE SAYS, SON, I HATE TO TELL YOU, I NEVER SEEN YOU IN ANY OF MY WILDEST DREAMS. , THAT'S MY GIRL . BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT I CAME TO TELL YOU, . I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT YOU ARE AMONG THE LUCKIEST PEOPLE ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH. GOD CREATED THIS PLACE WHERE WE ARE, BUT WE HAVE CREATED, HE CREATED THE LAND, THE WATER, BUT WE HAVE CREATED THE INSTITUTIONS AND WE HAVE BUILT THE PEOPLE. AND IT TOOK SOME BUILDING TO DO. LEMME TELL YOU, I'LL READ YOU A QUOTE FROM 1739 REPORT TO KING GEORGE. THIS WAS FROM ONE OF HIS PEOPLE, UH, B ROBERTS AND WH TOM. THIS WAS JUNE 9TH, 1739. IT SAYS TO HIS EXCELLENCY, JAMES GLENN ESQUIRE, CAPTAIN, GENERAL GOVERNOR AND COMMANDER IN CHIEF ANOVA, HIS MAJESTY'S PROVINCE OF SOUTH CAROLINA AND SO FORTH. CHARLESTOWN, THE METROPOLIS OF THE PROVINCE OF SOUTH CAROLINA IS PLEASANTLY SITUATED BETWEEN KPA AND ASHLEY RIVERS, WHICH FORM A SPACIOUS AND CONVENIENT HARBOR. THE CLIMATE OF CAROLINA, FORMERLY CALLED FLORIDA BY THE SPANISH, AS YOU REMEMBER, IS EXTREMELY AGREEABLE AND WHOLESOME AND COMPARED WITH THE REST OF THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE, MAY WELL BE LOOKED UPON AS THE MOST TEMPERATE PART OF THE HABITABLE EARTH ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE EQUATOR. IT IS THE FAIREST AND MOST FRUITFUL PROVINCE BELONGING TO GREAT BRITAIN. IT GOES ON TO SAY IT IS WELL WATERED WITH A GREAT NUMBER OF FINE RIVERS, SOME OF THEM NAVIGABLE FOR SEVERAL HUNDRED MILES AND AGAINST THE STREAM. IT HAS ODIFEROUS WOODS GREEN ALL THE YEAR AND PRODUCES SUCH FRUIT AS THEY WHO ONCE TASTE OF IT WILL DESPISE THE WATERY TASTE OF THAT. IN ENGLAND, ITS SILK IS PREFERABLE TO ANY AND ITS RICE IS THE BEST IN THE WORLD. IT GOES ON TO SAY. SO THAT IS NO WONDER OF CHARLESTOWN, WHICH A FEW YEARS AGO WAS A SMALL AND INCONSIDERATE PLACE, [00:35:01] BE NOW A VERY GREAT AND FLOURISHING TOWN ADORNED WITH HANDSOME AND COMMODIOUS BUILDINGS, BOTH PRIVATE AND PUBLIC, AMONGST WHICH THE CHURCH OF ST. PHILIP MAY JUSTLY BE RECKONED THE FINEST STRUCTURE IN AMERICA. IT FINISHES BY SAYING, THIS TOWN AND PROVINCE MAY JUSTLY BE ESTEEMED, THE MOST FLOURISHING OF ANY OF HIS MAJESTY'S DOMINIONS IN AMERICA. AND AS I SAID, PUBLISHED ACCORDING TO THE ACT OF PARLIAMENT IN 1739. BUT ALL OF THAT THAT WAS THERE THEN IS STILL HERE NOW. WE HAVE GREAT CITIES, THEY'RE GETTING GREATER. THE SMALL TOWNS ARE, ARE WAKING UP, BEAUTIFYING, CLEANING UP. OUR ECONOMY IS BOOMING. WE KNOW THAT OUR SUCCESS IS BASED ON, UH, ECONOMIC GROWTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL HERITAGE AND OUR EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE. WILBER ROSS, SECRETARY OF COMMERCE UNDER DONALD TRUMP, FIRST IN HIS FIRST TERM, SAID THAT THE TECHNICAL COLLEGE IN SOUTH CAROLINA, THE TECHNICAL COLLEGE SYSTEM OF WHICH WE HAVE 16, IS THE FINEST IN THE WHOLE COUNTRY. PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD WANT TO COME AND INVEST HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS AND BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN SOUTH CAROLINA. I WAS WONDERING WHY IS THAT? IS IT, IS IT BECAUSE OF WHAT THE YOU HAVE IN THE ENVIRONMENT? IS IT BECAUSE WHAT IS IT? BECAUSE WELL, WE ARE ABSOLUTELY UNIQUE AND THE MORE I READ ABOUT IT AND THE MORE I LISTEN TO OBSERVATIONS OF OTHER PEOPLE WHO KNOW WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT, I HAVE COME TO AGREE WITH THEM COMPLETELY. AND THAT GIVES ME GREAT, GREAT HOPE FOR THIS PLACE. AND OUR PEOPLE, OUR CHILDREN, OUR GRANDCHILDREN, THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER GREAT STATES OF COURSE NOW THEY'RE NOT AS OLD AS WE ARE. THEY HAVEN'T BEEN THROUGH, WE WON OF THE ORIGINAL 13. I'M THE HUNDRED AND BELLA, I'M THE HUNDRED AND 17TH GOVERNOR OF SOUTH CAROLINA. I GO OUT TO THESE OTHER STATES OUT WEST, THEY MIGHT HAVE THE 35TH GOVERNOR, THE 44TH GOVERNOR. AND I WONDER WHY DO WE LISTEN TO ANYTHING THOSE FOLKS SAY THEY THEY AIN'T BEEN THROUGH A THING. BUT WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH IT ALL THE GORGEOUS NATURAL ENVIRONMENT. JUST THE OTHER DAY I WAS IN THE BOTTLE OF FOREST, IT'S 18,000 ACRES IN DORCHESTER COUNTY. I WAS INTRODUCED TO A TREE, NOT JUST ANY OLD TREE, IT WAS A TREE. I THINK THEY CALLED IT A TUPELO CYPRESS TREE. IT WENT STRAIGHT UP TO THE SKY, NO LIMBS TILL IT GOT WAY UP THERE. IT WAS ABOUT AS BIG AROUND, I GUESS IT WAS ABOUT EIGHT OR NINE FEET THROUGH THE CENTER AS WE WERE STANDING ON THE BOARDWALK GOING UP TO IT. YOU KNOW HOW OLD THAT TREE WAS? AT LEAST 1,800 YEARS OLD. THAT IS THE BOTTLE OF FOREST HAS THE OLDEST, LARGEST UNCUT OLD GROWTH FOREST IN THE WHOLE WORLD. THEY HAVE BIRDS THAT COME IN THERE EVERY YEAR. THEY GO BACK AND THEY MIGRATE, COME TO THE SAME HOLE IN A STUMP AND PRODUCE YOUNG. THIS IS A REMARKABLE PLACE. A FEW YEARS AGO I WAS IN A MEETING IN COLUMBIA AND OUR SPEAKER WAS CHRISTIE, TODD WHITMAN. SHE HAD BEEN THE GOVERNOR OF NEW JERSEY FOR I THINK TWO TERMS. I THINK THIS WAS IN BUSH, BUSH TWO, BUSH, W BUSH. AND ALSO SHE'D BEEN THE, THE GOVERNOR OF NEW JERSEY. AND WE WERE STANDING UP IN THE, IN THE CAPITAL CITY CLUB, WHICH SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE BEEN TO IN THAT BUILDING ON VET STREET, GERVAY AND MAINE. AND WE WERE LOOKING OUT AND I WAS TELLING HER HOW BEAUTIFUL EVERYTHING WAS. 'CAUSE THERE'S THE CONGREGATE, THE BROADEN, THE SLU RIVERS MERGING TO FORM THE CONGREGATE, WHICH BY THE WAY, ALL THOSE NAMES CAME FROM THE INDIAN TRIBES, THE NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBES. WE WERE LOOKING AT THAT, LOOKING BEYOND AT ALL THE GREEN, WHICH YOU SEE IN ABUNDANCE WHEN YOU FLY TO THIS PLACE. IT IS JUST, JUST SOMETHING TO SEE. AND I WAS EXPLAINING THE GREAT UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA RIGHT THERE AND ALL THE PROMISE OF, OF THE LAND IN THE STATE. AND SHE LOOKED OUT OVER IT AND SAID, YES, YOU REALLY HAVE SOMETHING GREAT HERE. I HOPE YOU DON'T MESS IT UP, . SO MY GOAL IS TO BE SURE WE DON'T MESS IT UP AND ALL OR NOT TO MESS IT UP. WE GOT TO APPRECIATE WHAT WE HAVE. SO I'LL TELL YOU, THERE IS NOT A STATE THAT CAN KEEP UP WITH US RIGHT NOW. WE WORK TOGETHER, WE COMMUNICATE, COLLABORATE, COOPERATE. OTHER PLACES DON'T DO THAT. WE HAVE GREAT LEADERS, WE HAVE GREAT RESOURCES THAT THE LEADERSHIP IS, A LOT OF 'EM BEEN INTRODUCED TO YOU RIGHT NOW, BUT THIS, THIS IS A SPECIAL PLACE. SO WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? LET ME A LITTLE MORE HISTORY. FIRST, I THINK WHY IS IT THAT WE ARE THE WAY WE ARE? WHY IS IT THAT THESE LEADERS, BUSINESS LEADERS, WANT TO INVEST HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS AND BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN SOUTH CAROLINA INSTEAD OF SOMEPLACE ELSE? WELL, THEY'VE ALL ENDED UP, BECAUSE I ASKED THEM AFTER WE HAVE THE CONVERSATIONS, WHY IS IT THAT YOU HAVE COME TO THIS PLACE OUT OF ALL OF 'EM? AND THEY SAY IT'S THE TAX [00:40:01] STRUCTURE, IT'S THE EDUCATION, IT'S THE TECHNICAL COLLEGE SYSTEM. AND WE SPEND HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN OUR TECHNICAL COLLEGES TO TEACH PEOPLE HOW TO, HOW TO DO ALL THESE SOPHISTICATED TASKS THAT ARE COMING ALONG NOW AS WELL AS THE BASIC ONES THAT ARE ESSENTIAL. AND TO SAY IT'S ALWAYS THE PEOPLE, IT IS THE PEOPLE OF SOUTH CAROLINA. SO I STARTED WONDERING, WHAT IS IT ABOUT THE PEOPLE? WELL, I'LL TELL YOU, WE ARE AGAIN, WE ARE UNIQUE. WHERE'D WE COME FROM IN THE BEGINNING? WELL, THE SP UH, SPANISH AND THE FRENCH WERE FIGHTING OVER THIS VERY PLACE. A LOT OF THE NAMES AROUND HERE CAME FROM THAT, LIKE SAINT ANITA, SAINT ALINA ISLAND, FOR EXAMPLE. BUT THEY WERE FIGHTING OVER IT. AND FINALLY I THINK THE SPANISH, THE FIRST AND THE FRENCH RAN THEM OUT. AND THEN THE ENGLISH CAME AND JEAN BO, I THINK DOWN ON PARIS ISLAND, I THINK THAT WAS IN 1607. HE WAS A FRENCHMAN. I THINK A LOT OF STATES DON'T GO BACK THAT FAR OF THE ORIGINAL 13 COLONIES. WE, WE ARE OLDER THAN THE REST OF THE COUNTRY, OF COURSE. BUT PEOPLE CAME FROM, WHEN THE ENGLISH CAME, THEY BROUGHT WITH THEM PEOPLE, UH, FROM NINE DIFFERENT EUROPEAN COUNTRIES FROM GERMANY, OF COURSE, UH, FRANCE, FROM ENGLAND, SCOTLAND, SO FORTH. NINE DIFFERENT COUNTRIES CAME AT DIFFERENT TIMES. SOME TO FOR RELIGIOUS FREEDOM, OTHERS FOR A BETTER LIFE. OTHERS WERE, WERE RUN OUT OF TOWN LIKE THE FRENCH HUGIN KNOTS, UH, IN FRANCE. THEY GOT GOT RUN OUT DISCRIMINATED. THEY COULDN'T GET A BUSINESS LICENSE IF YOU WEREN'T A CATHOLIC OVER THERE. SO THEY CAME OVER HERE. BUT ALSO WE CAME FROM WHERE ELSE WE COME FROM. WE CAME FROM 19 DIFFERENT WEST AFRICAN CULTURES. THESE ARE THE AFRICAN AMERICAN PEOPLE. THEY, THEY DIDN'T ASK TO COME. THEY WERE BROUGHT TODAY. THOSE DIFFERENT CULTURAL AREAS CONSIST OF MAKE UP FOUR DIFFERENT WEST AFRICAN COUNTRIES. BUT ALSO THERE ARE ALREADY PEOPLE HERE. THOSE ARE THE NATIVE AMERICANS OR THE INDIANS. HOW LONG HAVE THEY BEEN HERE? NOBODY KNOWS FOR SURE, BUT IT'S AT LEAST 10,000 YEARS. AND FOR IDENTIFICATION, THE RIVERS AND STREAMS MOSTLY IN THE STATE ARE NAMED, NAMED FOR THOSE CONGREGATE ESTO AND SO FORTH. SO THAT WAS THE MIXTURE. THAT'S WHERE WE CAME FROM. THE OTHER COLONIES WEREN'T LIKE THAT. AND OVER THE YEARS THEY HAD TO LEARN, THEY HAD TO WORK TOGETHER. THEY FOUGHT, FOUGHT EACH OTHER, UH, FOUGHT OTHERS. AND WE'VE BEEN OUR STATE IN THE COLONIAL PERIOD AND SINCE THEN HAS BEEN IN EVERY WAR, HAS SUFFERED EVERY BLOW FROM NATURE, HURRICANES, FIRES, EARTHQUAKES, EARTHQUAKE IN CHARLESTON IN 1880 SOMETHING I THINK WAS FELT IN NEW YORK CITY. I CAN'T REMEMBER WHERE IT WOULD BE ON THE RICHTER SCALE, BUT IT'S RIGHT AT THE TOP NOW. WE'VE BEEN THROUGH ALL OF THAT, INCLUDING THE CIVIL WAR, WORLD WAR I, WORLD WAR II. WE'RE RIGHT NOW THE MOST MILITARY FRIENDLY STATE IN THE WHOLE COUNTRY. WE HAVE EIGHT MAJOR MILITARY INSTALLATIONS HERE, VETERANS FLOCKED TO SOUTH CAROLINA. BUT THAT, THAT WAS THE CRUCIBLE IN WHICH OUR CHARACTER AND CULTURE WAS FORMED IN THOSE DECADES BEGINNING. AND IT STILL PERSISTS TODAY. AND THAT HAS MADE US A STRONG, RESILIENT, RELIABLE PEOPLE. MARK CLARK GENERAL IN WORLD WAR II, LATER PRESIDENT OF THE CITADEL FOUR STAR GENERAL SAID THAT THERE'S MORE PATRIOTISM IN THIS PLACE THAN ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD. PER SQUARE INCH SAID, HE'S BEEN EVERYWHERE. I HEARD TWO CHAIRMAN SAW AND HEARD. I WAS SITTING RIGHT WHERE WESTERN IS SITTING AT THE 25TH AND THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY UP IN SPARTANBURG, CELEBRATING THEIR LARGEST, MOST SUCCESSFUL BMW PLANT IN THE WORLD. AND I THINK THEY HAD 15 OF THEM. AND THEY SAID IN DIFFERENT WORDS, FIVE YEARS APART, SAID SOUTH CAROLINA IS A HANDSHAKE STATE. HE SAID, TOM, HE SAID, I'D RATHER HAVE YOUR HAND IN MINE AND YOUR WORD THAN A SIGNED CONTRACT. NOW PEOPLE PUT THEIR MONEY WHERE THEIR MOUTH IS, AND THAT'S WHY BILLIONS OF DOLLARS ARE COMING TO SOUTH CAROLINA. IT IS BECAUSE OF THE PEOPLE AND WHO ARE THE PEOPLE. WE ARE THE PEOPLE, THE PEOPLE OUTSIDE THERE OF THE PEOPLE, THE RICH PEOPLE, THE POOR PEOPLE, THE BIG PEOPLE, THE LITTLE PEOPLE. WE ARE THE PEOPLE. AND WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE, WE ARE DIFFERENT. WE HAVE SOMETHING THAT OTHERS WON'T. THESE BUSINESSES, IF THEY PUT THE MONEY IN THE WRONG PLACE TO GO BROKE, THEY HAVE PROBLEMS. THAT'S WHY THEY'RE COMING HERE. SO WE NEED TO, TO KNOW THAT WE NEED TO APPRECIATE IT. AND WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE BELIEVE, I THINK MORE THAN ANY OTHER STATE IN THE RULE OF LAW, WE'VE BEEN HERE LONGER. AND ALSO, AGAIN, BACK TO OUR BEGINNINGS. THERE'S A PLACE IN LONDON, IT'S CALLED THE ENDS OF COURT. MAYBE YOU'VE LAWYERS PARTICULARLY MAY HAVE HEARD OF IT. THAT'S WHERE THE PEOPLE THAT HAD THE MONEY AND HAD THE TALENT COULD GO TO GET A LEGAL EDUCATION. BACK THEN, THERE WEREN'T NO LAW SCHOOLS ANYWHERE. SO WE HAD PEOPLE [00:45:01] HERE GOING OVER THERE TO, TO LEARN. NOW YOU HAD TO HAVE SOME MONEY AND YOU HAD TO STAY FOR A WHILE. THE ENDS OF COURT WERE LIKE HOTELS AROUND ALL THE, THE COURTS AND SYSTEMS. THAT'S WHY THEY CALL 'EM THAT. AND YOU GET A ROOM, YOU STAY AND YOU GO PARTICIPATE WITH THE LAWYERS AND WATCH THE CASES AND DO YOUR STUDYING AND ALL THAT IN LONDON. AND SO WHY IS THAT IMPORTANT? OUR DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE HAD FOUR SIGNERS. ALL FOUR WERE LAWYERS. ALL FOUR HAD ATTENDED THE, THE MIDDLE TEMPLE IN THE ENDS OF COURT IN LONDON. THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES HAD FOUR SIGN FROM SOUTH CAROLINA. THREE OF 'EM WERE LAWYERS. ALL THREE HAD ATTENDED THE MIDDLE TEMPLE IN THE ENDS OF COURT IN LONDON FOR THEIR LEGAL EDUCATION. THE FOURTH FELLOW NAMED PIERCE BUTLER WAS THE RICHEST MAN IN THE UNITED STATES, LIVED IN CHARLESTON. THAT IS WHERE THE, THAT IS WHERE THE, THE RULE OF LAW. OH, AND ALSO I THINK THAT DURING THE COLONIAL PERIOD, THERE WERE ABOUT 140, 150 LAWYERS OR MEN FROM THE COLONIES THAT ATTENDED THE ENDS OF, OF COURT 64 WERE FROM SOUTH CAROLINA MORE THAN ANY OTHER STATE. VIRGINIA WAS SECOND, BUT ABOUT 40. SOME OF 'EM HAD ONE OR TWO ALSO. JOHN LOCKE VISITED HERE AND HE WROTE THE FUNDAMENTAL CONSTITUTION, WHICH WE OBSERVED. WE NEVER DID A, NEVER DID ENACT. IT DIDN'T HAVE TO. THEY FOLLOWED IT. AND JOHN LOCKE'S ONE THAT'S ON ALL THE READING LISTS OF ALL THE GREATS IN THE PAST, YOU OUGHT TO SEE ANYBODY SEEN THOMAS JEFFERSON'S READING LIST. ALL THOSE FELLAS, JOHN ADAMS, THOMAS JEFFERSON. THEY WERE DEEP, DEEP IN THE LAW. AND I THINK THAT THAT IS THE THING THAT HAS INFUSED OUR, OUR, OUR ENTIRE BEING HERE AND WHY WE HAVE SUCH RESPECT FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND BECAUSE WE HAVE RESPECT FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT. WE HAVE EXCELLENT LAW ENFORCEMENT AND WE HAVE GOOD PUBLIC SAFETY AND A LOT OF THINGS WE NEED TO DO. AND I WOULD URGE THE MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE HERE TO MAKE, MAKE THAT MAKE OUR JUDICIAL SYSTEM AS STRONG AS YOU CAN, PARTICULARLY WITH THE MAGISTRATES ALL THE WAY UP TO THE CIRCUIT JUDGES AND EVERYWHERE ELSE. 'CAUSE WE, WE HAVE SOME THINGS WE NEED TO DO THERE. BUT LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE HAVE A, WE HAVE MORE OPPORTUNITY IN OUR STATE THAN ANY OTHER STATE IN MY OPINION. WE HAVE HOW MUCH LAND. WE HAVE WATER ALL OVER THE PLACE. DID YOU KNOW THAT ONE HALF OF THE SALT MARSH ON THE EAST COAST IS IN BEAUFORT AND MAYBE JASPER COUNTIES? THAT'S REMARKABLE. YOU NEED TO FLY ON A PLANE AND LOOK DOWN TO SEE IT, TO REALLY APPRECIATE IT. OH, IT'S, IT'S GORGEOUS. BUT WE HAVE 20 MILLION ACRES AND MY GOAL IS TO SEE, AND RIGHT NOW ABOUT 1.6 MILLION ARE COVERED BY CITY LIMITS, TOWN LIMITS, THOSE KIND OF THINGS THAT ARE, I'D CALL THAT THE CONCRETE PRONE AREAS. 1.6 OUT OF 20. WE NOW HAVE ABOUT 3 MILLION ACRES THAT ARE PROTECTED BY CONSERV CONSERVATION EASEMENTS. WE NOW HAVE ABOUT 4.7 MILLION ACRES THAT ARE COVERED BY FARMLAND AND FORESTS. MY GOAL IS TO SEE THAT WE HAVE EASEMENTS, WE HAVE PROTECTIONS, WE HAVE PUBLIC PARKS, LANDS THAT WILL NOT BE DISTURBED OF AT LEAST 10 MILLION ACRES IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS. IT'S GONNA TAKE SOME WORK. BUT IF WE ARE SMART, WE NEED TO NEED TO COUNT ON GOOD THINKING AND SMART ZONING. BUT THAT'S NOT GONNA BE ENOUGH, I DON'T THINK. WHEN PEOPLE GO ON VACATION, THEY USUALLY DON'T GO TO LOOK AT BUILDINGS. YOU MIGHT GO TO NEW YORK TO SEE A PLAY. YOU MIGHT WANT TO GO UP IN THE, UH, JOHN HANCOCK OR IS THAT IN CHICAGO? I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN GO TO CHICAGO RIGHT NOW. BUT USUALLY PEOPLE DON'T GO TO LOOK AT BUILDINGS. THEY MIGHT GO TO BE IN A BUILDING FOR A WHILE. THEY MIGHT COME TO BEAUFORT. THEY MIGHT GO TO CAMDEN, THEY MIGHT GO TO GEORGETOWN. THEY MIGHT GO TO CHARLESTON TO LOOK AT SOME OLD HOMES AND SOME GREAT WORKS OF ART. OR THEY MIGHT WANT TO LOOK AT THE GREATEST WORKS OF ART AT ALL. AND THOSE ARE THOSE THAT ARE OUT THERE IN NATURE. SO WE HAVE TO PROTECT THAT. AND IF WE DO THAT, IF WE'RE SMART, WE CAN HAVE IT ALL. WE ARE NOW REGARDED AS THE CONFLUENCE OF COMMERCE, CONSERVATION AND PRESERVATION. WE HAVE MORE OLD CHURCHES. WE HAVE MORE OLD FORESTS. WE HAVE ENORMOUS THINGS HERE IN OUR STATE THAT THEY JUST DON'T HAVE ANYWHERE, ANYWHERE ELSE. SO MY MESSAGE TO YOU IS WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS GOOD. YOU'VE GOT GREAT LEADERSHIP. YOU'RE LIVING IN ARGUABLY CERTAINLY THE, THE MOST BEAUTIFUL STATE I BELIEVE IN THE COUNTRY. AND THIS, THIS PLACE. IF YOU LIKE SALT WATER, IF YOU LIKE MARSHES, IF YOU LIKE LIVE OAK TREES, IF YOU LIKE ALL THOSE KIND OF THINGS, YOU'RE NOT GONNA FIND ANY PLACE ANY BETTER THAN THIS. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING. [00:50:01] I WANNA URGE YOU TO, TO KEEP IT UP, I WANT YOU TO BE SURE TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE GOT TO EDUCATE THE YOUNG PEOPLE. YOU'D BE, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'D BE SURPRISED OR NOT, BELLA COULD PROBABLY ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS, BUT I SAW SOME INTERVIEWS AND READ ABOUT SOME WHERE THEY ASKED A GROUP OF, I THINK IT WAS HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES TO NAME A, A MEMBER OF THE US SUPREME COURT. ANYONE THE NUMBER ONE RESPONSE JUDGE JUDY . AND THEY HAD ANOTHER ONE. THEY WANTED TO KNOW WHO ANDREW JACKSON WAS. AND THEY SAID ONE OF MICHAEL'S BROTHERS. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH. I I LOOK AT SOMETIMES LOOK AT THE YOUNG PEOPLE, THEY'RE LIKE PUPPIES. THEY LIKE TO CRAWL AROUND AND THEY'RE FALLING ALL OVER EACH OTHER AND HAPPY. BUT WE GOTTA TELL 'EM THAT THERE'S A BIG WORLD OUT THERE AND IT'S TIME TO START LEARNING SOME THINGS. TIME TO BE, YOU CAN PLAY AND YOU CAN WORK AND STUDY. THE TRICK IS NOT TO TRY TO DO 'EM BOTH AT THE SAME TIME, BUT TO BE SERIOUS ABOUT THEIR STUDIES. 'CAUSE THEY, THEY ARE IN THE BEST PLACE THEY CAN BE IN THE WHOLE WORLD. AND I ALWAYS TRY TO TELL 'EM AND TELL YOU TO TELL YOUR CHILDREN, THIS IS THE BEST PLACE IN THE WHOLE WORLD. THIS PLACE SOUTH CAROLINA, THIS HISTORIC, GORGEOUS, INFLUENTIAL CONSEQUENTIAL STATE. I LEFT SOMETHING OUT, YOU KNOW, WHERE THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR WAS WON RIGHT HERE, CORNWALL. I READ THE THING THE OTHER DAY, LORD GENERAL CORNWALL SAID, WE CAN'T BEAT 'EM. WE CAN'T FIND 'EM, WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T BEAT 'EM. THE SOUTHERN CAMPAIGN'S OVER. SO THEY WENT ON, WENT ON BACK UP NORTH AND THEY HAD A LITTLE CLEANUP OPERATION THERE. BUT THAT HISTORY, THAT HISTORY, AND BY THE WAY, WE, THEY COULDN'T FIND FRANCIS MARION'S HIDE OUT. AND WE BOUGHT SNOWS ISLAND THE OTHER DAY WHERE IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE, WE CAN'T FIND IT EITHER, BUT WE . WE ARE, WE ARE STILL LOOKING. BUT LET ME FINISH WITH ANOTHER ONE FOR YOU TO REMEMBER. AND THAT IS THE, UH, ABOUT THE TRAVELING SALESMAN WHO WAS GOING AROUND THE COUNTRY YEARS AGO WHEN THEY HAD PAYPHONES. I SEE SOME BALD HEADS AND OUT THERE. REMEMBER EVERYBODY REMEMBERS PAYPHONES, . I REMEMBER PAYPHONES. AND UM, WHEN HE WAS OUT OF TOWN, HE'D ON SUNDAY, HE'D LIKE TO GO TO CHURCH. SO HE WAS WAY UP NORTH SOMEWHERE. AND HE WENT INTO A, A CHURCH ON SUNDAY, WENT OUT AND WENT A LITTLE SOCIAL HALL AND HE WAS GETTING HIM A CUP OF COFFEE. HE LOOKED OVER AND THERE WAS A PAYPHONE, IT HAD A SIGN UP OVER IT. HE WENT AND LOOKED, IT SAID, CALLS TO HEAVEN. $10. WELL, HE DIDN'T HAVE $10 WORTH OF CHANGE, SO OF COURSE HE COULDN'T MAKE THE CALL, BUT HE TOOK A TOOK NOTE. NEXT TOWN HE WENT TO, HE WAS AWAY FROM HOME, FOUND A LITTLE CHURCH, WENT IN, SURE ENOUGH THERE WAS A TELEPHONE UP THERE, PAYPHONE ON THE WALL, HAD THE LITTLE SIGN ON IT CALLS THE HEAVEN $10. WELL, HE STARTED LOOKING THEREAFTER. SOMETIMES HE WOULD SEE IT, SOMETIMES HE WOULDN'T. WELL, HE CAME TO SOUTH CAROLINA, MUST HAVE BEEN HERE IN THE LOW COUNTRY SOMEWHERE. AND HE WENT TO A LITTLE CHURCH AND LOOKED OVER AND SURE ENOUGH THERE WAS A PAYPHONE. WENT OVER AND HAD A LITTLE SIGN ON IT. HE SAID, CALLS TO HEAVEN. 10 CENTS. HE SAID 10 CENTS. PREACHER CAME BY AND SAID, PREACHER, TELL ME THIS. EVERYWHERE ELSE HE'S CALLS TO HEAVEN. A $10. HERE'S 10 CENTS. WHY IS THAT? HE SAID, SON, THAT'S EASY. CALLS TO HEAVEN. HERE ARE LOCAL CALLS. , THANK YOU ALL. WELL, THANK YOU GOVERNOR FOR SUCH AN INSPIRING SPEECH FOR YOUR VISION AND FOR ALL YOUR WORK. AND PLEASE, LET'S GO AHEAD AND GIVE HIM ANOTHER RUN OF APPLAUSE. WELL, HELLO EVERYONE. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS SUSANNA COOK AND I'M YOUR PROUD BOARD CHAIR FOR THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND ALSO PROUD MOM OF ISABELLA COOK. AT THE END OF OUR INVOCATION TODAY, PLEASE UH, ENJOY YOUR LUNCH AND THEN, UH, WE WILL, UH, BE BACK WITH OUR PROGRAM RIGHT AFTER THAT. SO AT THIS MOMENT, I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO JOIN ME IN WELCOMING TO THE STAGE OUR PASTOR FROM THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND COMMUNITY CHURCH, TODD COLLIN. WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. UH, MY WIFE CYNTHIA AND I MOVED HERE, UH, 18 YEARS AGO. AND, [00:55:01] UH, WE WERE, WE HAD VISITED HILTON HEAD FOR, FOR MANY YEARS, BUT WE JUST COULDN'T BELIEVE WHAT A BEAUTIFUL PLACE, UH, IN WHICH WE LIVE. AND, UH, I I, I WAS LISTENING TO GOVERNOR, UH, MCMASTER. THANK YOU GOVERNOR SO MUCH FOR REMINDING US OF THE BEAUTY OF THE PLACE IN WHICH WE LIVE. UH, MY INVOCATION TODAY WILL REALLY BE CENTERED AROUND GOD, BLESSING THAT AND GOD GIVING US GUIDANCE AS WE STEWARD IT AND HOPEFULLY STEWARD IT WELL, UH, BILL AND CHARLIE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME TO GIVE THE INVOCATION. UH, TODAY. BILL TOLD ME I HAVE 15 MINUTES. YOU DON'T TELL PASTORS YOU HAVE 15 MINUTES, BUT I PROMISE I'M JUST GONNA PRAY FOR A MOMENT. BUT LET'S ASK FOR GOD'S BLESSING AND HIS GUIDANCE HERE IN THE SOUTH CAROLINA LOW COUNTRY. WOULD YOU PRAY WITH ME? GRACIOUS AND HEAVENLY FATHER, WE COME TO YOU TODAY WITH GRATEFULNESS FOR THE BEAUTY AND THE VIBRANT REGION IN WHICH WE LIVE. AND TODAY WE RECOGNIZE THAT WE NEED YOUR BLESSING AND WE NEED YOUR GUIDANCE AS WE STEWARD IT WELL. AND SO TODAY, I PRAY FOR YOUR BLESSING, FOR OUR REGION. WOULD YOU CONTINUE TO BLESS US BY PROTECTION FROM FACTORS THAT WE CANNOT CONTROL? I ASK FOR YOUR BLESSING ON THE RETURN OF FINANCIAL INVESTMENT AND WORK EFFORT COLLECTIVELY FOR THE BUSINESSES AND THOSE WHO ARE IN BUSINESS AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE ECONOMY IN OUR, OUR REGION. MAY YOU PROTECT THOSE FIRST RESPONDERS AS THEY HELP PROTECT US EVERY DAY. LAW ENFORCEMENT, FIRE PREVENTION, HEALTHCARE WORKERS, ESSENTIAL UTILITY WORKERS, AND THE SUCH. MAY YOU ALSO ENCOURAGE THOSE IN EDUCATION IN OUR REGION, THE ADMINISTRATION, FACULTY, STAFF, ALL OF OUR TEACHERS WHO GIVE THEIR TIME SELFLESSLY ADDING TO THE VALUE OF OUR STUDENTS. MAY YOU GIVE VISION TO COMMUNITY LEADERS, THOSE INVOLVED IN SOCIAL, SPIRITUAL, AND ENVIRONMENTAL CAUSES. MAY YOU GIVE WISDOM TO OUR POLITICAL LEADERS, MANY WHO ARE HERE, NATIONAL, STATE, AND ESPECIALLY OUR LOCAL LEADERS HERE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY, BLUFFTON HARDY, HILTON, HEAD AND BEYOND. MAY YOU PROVIDE FOR THOSE IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO ARE IN GREAT NEED, MAY YOU PROVIDE FOOD, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND OPPORTUNITY FOR SUCCESS. BUT GOD, MAY YOU GUIDE US. MAY YOU GUIDE EACH ONE OF US TO WISDOM ON HOW WE SHOULD LEAD AND LIVE AND LOVE. YOUR WORD TELLS US THAT IF WE ASK FOR WISDOM, THAT YOU WOULD GIVE IT IN GREAT GENEROSITY. AND I PRAY THAT YOU WOULD DO THAT. GOD GUIDE US TO WISDOM. AND LASTLY, WOULD YOU GUIDE US TO KINDNESS? WOULD YOU GUIDE US TO KINDNESS IN OUR PURPOSES, IN OUR PURSUITS, WHILE WE'RE PURSUING SUCCESS? WOULD YOU GUIDE US TO BE KIND TO THOSE AROUND YOU? MAY EACH OF US, REGARDLESS OF OUR AFFILIATIONS, IDENTIFICATIONS, ASSOCIATIONS, OR LEANINGS, WOULD YOU ALLOW US TO LEAD WITH KINDNESS? MAY WE BE GOOD STEWARDS OF THIS REGION THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN TO US IN THE PLACE IN WHICH WE LIVE NOW. BLESS US IN OUR TIME TOGETHER HERE TODAY. I PRAY THAT YOU BLESS US THROUGH TO OUR BODIES. IN YOUR NAME WE PRAY. AMEN. THANK YOU. LET'S WELCOME BACK TO OUR STAGE BOARD CHAIR, SUSANNA COOK. HELLO. HELLO EVERYBODY AND WELCOME BACK. WE ARE VERY MINDFUL OF YOUR TIME TODAY. THANK YOU. SO LET'S KEEP THIS PROGRAM MOVING FORWARD. I WANT TO NOTE THAT WE WERE, WERE ALSO THRILLED TO HAVE WHITE HOUSE SENIOR POLICY ADVISOR, BRITTANY BALDWIN JOINING US TODAY FOR A DC UPDATE. UNFORTUNATELY, SHE ALSO LET US KNOW LAST WEEK THAT SHE'S UNABLE TO BE HERE DUE TO THE SHUTDOWN AND THE CURRENT RESTRICTIONS ON GOVERNMENT TRAVEL. WE LOOK FORWARD TO WELCOMING HER BACK TO THE LOW COUNTRY VERY SOON. WE'RE CHANGING THINGS UP THIS YEAR. SO INSTEAD OF OUR LIVE PODIUM REMARKS, WE HAVE ASKED OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS TO PROVIDE A BRIEF FIVE MINUTE VIDEO OVERVIEW OF THE RESPECTIVE COMMUNITIES. THEN WE WILL HAVE THEM [01:00:01] JOIN TOGETHER ON STAGE FOR A CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT'S WORKING, WHAT'S CHANGING, AND WHAT'S AHEAD FOR OUR REGION. MODERATING THIS PANEL WILL BE NONE OTHER THAN THE LOW COUNTRIES OWN WSAV ANCHOR ANDREW DAVIS. SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT OUR LEADERS HAVE TO SAY. MY NAME IS ALICE HOWARD AND I'M HONORED TO BE THE CHAIR OF COUNTY COUNCIL. IT IS AN HONOR TO BE HERE TODAY TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE MANY THINGS WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED IN THE LAST YEAR. AND FIVE MINUTES IS REALLY NOT ENOUGH TIME. BUT I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE TOGETHER AND WHERE WE'RE GOING IN THE FUTURE. FIRST, LET'S TALK ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE. BECAUSE NOTHING SHAPES OUR REGION'S FUTURE MORE THAN HOW WE CONNECT TO ONE ANOTHER IN THIS COUNTY OF ISLANDS. THE HIGHWAY 2 78 BRIDGE PROJECT IS MOVING FORWARD THANKS TO THE RENEWED PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN BEAUFORT COUNTY, THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD, THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, AND THE STATE INFRASTRUCTURE BANK. WE'VE ALSO PRIORITIZED FUNDING FOR THE REMAINING 2018 SALES TAX PROJECTS. AND WE'RE EXPECTING SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS ON THOSE. THE BEAUFORT COUNTY AIRPORT TERMINAL EXPANSION AT HILTON HEAD ISLAND AIRPORT IS A $35 MILLION INVESTMENT. IT WILL BE COMPLETED THIS SPRING. THAT MEANS MORE FLIGHTS, MORE CONVENIENCE, AND FEWER ROAD TRIPS TO SAVANNAH OR CHARLESTON TO CATCH A FLIGHT. THE PROGRESS ISN'T JUST ABOUT ROADS AND AIRPORTS, IT'S ABOUT PEOPLE. AND BEAUFORT COUNTY IS INVESTING IN THE SERVICES THAT TOUCH LIVES EVERY DAY. NEW PARKS AND RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES, THRIVING LIBRARIES, EXPANDED PROGRAMS FOR OUR NEIGHBORS WITH DISABILITIES, INTERNET CARE SERVICES, AND COORDINATED ANIMAL SERVICES. WITH JASPER COUNTY, NOTHING HAS A GREATER IMPACT ON THE DAY-TO-DAY LIVES OF PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY THAN LOCAL GOVERNMENT. AND WE ARE PROUD TO SUPPORT THESE VITAL COMMUNITY SERVICES. AND OF COURSE, WE CAN'T TALK ABOUT BEAUFORT COUNTY UNLESS WE TALK ABOUT OUR BIGGEST ASSET, OUR NATURAL BEAUTY. IT'S NOT JUST A BACKGROUND FOR POSTCARDS, IT'S OUR HERITAGE, IT'S OUR ECONOMY. AND MOST IMPORTANT, IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY WITH THE PROGRAMS SUCH AS GREEN SPACE AND THE RURAL AND CRITICAL LANDS PROGRAM. TO DATE, WE HAVE PRESERVED OVER 30,000 ACRES. I'D LIKE TO REPEAT THAT. 30,000 ACRES HAVE BEEN PUT UNDER CONSERVATION IN OUR REGION. NOT ONLY HAVE WE DONE THAT, BUT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON STORM WATER IN THE LAST YEAR. PLASTIC REDUCTION AND UPGRADING AND PUTTING IN NEW SEWAGE SYSTEMS WITH OUR PARTNERS. THESE THINGS ALL HELP OUR COMMUNITY TO BE MORE RESILIENT AND TO PRESERVE IT FOR THE NEXT GENERATION. I WON'T PRETEND THAT THE ROAD HAS ALWAYS BEEN SMOOTH. WE'VE HAD SOME TOUGH MOMENTS AND WE HAVE THE SCARS TO PROVE IT. THOSE MOMENTS OF STRUGGLE HAVE SHAPED US AND THEY HAVE PREPARED US FOR THE WORK AHEAD. COUNTY COUNCIL REMAINS COMMITTED TO TRANSPARENCY, ENGAGEMENT, AND EARNING OUR COMMUNITY'S TRUST EVERY DAY. BEAUFORT COUNTY IS STRONGER TODAY THAN IT HAS EVER BEEN. AND AS WE LOOK AHEAD, WE DO SO WITH COMMITMENT TO KEEP BUILDING, KEEP HELPING EACH OTHER AND KEEP MOVING FORWARD TOGETHER. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TRUST, YOUR PARTNERSHIP, AND YOUR INVESTMENT IN OUR REGION'S FUTURE. OH HEY, HOW ARE Y'ALL DOING? UH, ALAN PERRY HERE, MAYOR OF HILTON HEAD. IT'S GREAT TO SEE ALL, ALL Y'ALL OUT THERE IN THE AUDIENCE AND UH, WANNA GIVE A SPECIAL THANKS FOR GOVERNOR MCMASTER TO BE WITH US TODAY. TODAY WE'RE GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HILTON HEAD ISLAND THEN [01:05:01] AND NOW. YOU KNOW, HILTON HEAD ISLAND IS A CULMINATION OF GREAT STEWARDSHIP AND IT REALLY GOES BACK TO WILLIAM F HILTON WHEN HE FOUND THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND. AND THEN IT GOES, YOU KNOW, THROUGHOUT GENERATIONS AND THE DIFFERENT CULTURES THAT HAVE BEEN HERE THAT HAVE MADE THIS COMMUNITY SUCH A GREAT PLACE. THE DECISIONS THROUGH DEVELOPMENT THAT HAVE BEEN MADE, MADE OVER THE PAST 60 PLUS YEARS HAVE MADE THE TRUE DIFFERENCE IN WHY HILTON HEAD ISLANDS IS A SPECTACULAR PLACE TO CALL HOME AND TO VISIT. EVERY GREAT COMMUNITY IS MADE UP OF GREAT LEADERSHIP, AND I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO REALLY MAKE UP THE TEAM. ALEX BROWN, STEVE ALFRED, TAMMY BECKER, PATSY BRYSON, STEVE DESIMONE, AND MELINDA TONNER. IN ADDITION, YOU KNOW, GREAT LEADERSHIP AT THE TOWN STARTS AT THE TOP, AND THAT IS WITH MARK ORLANDO AND HIS STAFF THAT REALLY DRIVE THE POLICIES AND PROGRAMS THAT THE COUNCIL PUTS INTO PLACE. WITHOUT THAT LEADERSHIP, WE WOULD NOT BE AS GREAT AS WE ARE. AS THE OLD SAYING GOES, YOU MUST KNOW WHERE YOU'VE BEEN, TO KNOW WHERE YOU'RE GOING. SINCE THE LAST STATE OF THE REGION, WE HAVE ADDRESSED MANY ISSUES, FOLLOWED THROUGH ON SOME MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADES THROUGHOUT OUR PARKS AND PUBLIC SPACES, IMPROVED THE SAFETY OF OUR STREETS AND IMPLEMENTED TRAFFIC CALMING MEASURES, INCLUDING A MAJOR PROJECT ADDRESSING PEDESTRIAN SAFETY ON WILLIAM HILTON PARKWAY BETWEEN BEACH CITY ROAD AND DILLON ROAD. UPDATED ON FIRE AND RESCUE FLEET STARTED THE LARGEST BEACH RENOURISHMENT PROJECT IN OUR TOWN'S HISTORY. APPROVED THE DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP FOR AN INNOVATIVE WORKFORCE HOUSING, PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP WITH ONE STREET ADVANCED. THE WORK OF THE GULLAH GEECHEE HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION STRATEGIC PLAN APPROVED A FIRST OF ITS KIND ENVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE MUNICIPAL PEST MANAGEMENT POLICY FOR ALL TOWN OWNED LAND THAT PROTECTS PEOPLE, ANIMALS, AND THE ENVIRONMENT BETTER THAN EVER. WE ACQUIRED 26 ACRES OF LAND IN THE MITCHELLVILLE HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD TO PROTECT PROTECTED FROM DEVELOPMENT THROUGH THE BEAUFORT COUNTY GREEN SPACE TAX PROGRAM. AND IN A SIMILAR VEIN, WE AC ACQUIRE ACQUIRED ADDITIONAL PROPERTY TO REAL ESTATE TRANSFER FEES, ESTATE ACCOMMODATIONS, TAX LAND SALE PROCEEDS, AND OUR LOCAL HOSPITALITY TAX. THE TUNE OF OVER JUST 30 ACRES OF INVESTMENT OF APPROXIMATELY $19 MILLION TO PROTECT AREAS FROM REDEVELOPMENT, MISALIGNED WITH THE TOWN'S CHARACTER. WE ALSO REDUCED PROPERTY TAXES AND INCREASED OUR FUND RESERVES, AND IN DOING SO, BECAME ONE OF TWO MUNICIPALITIES IN THE STATE WHO CARRY AAA BOND RATING ACROSS ALL THREE BOND RATING AGENCIES. THAT'S AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF WORK IN A SHORT TIMEFRAME. IT IS OUR JOB TO PROTECT AND HELP PRESERVE THE RESILIENT SPIRITS OF THIS COMMUNITY, PEOPLE AND BUSINESSES WHO ARE ROOTED IN THE TRADITIONS OF ARTS, CULTURE, ENVIRONMENTALISM, HERITAGE, LOVE OF RECREATION AND WELLNESS, AND TO ENABLE THE PURSUIT OF IT, OF HARMONY BETWEEN MODERN LIFE AND OUR NATURAL ENVIRONMENT. EXPONENTIAL GROWTH ON THE ISLAND DURING THE PAST SEVERAL DECADES AND IN OUR NEIGHBORING MUNICIPALITIES HAS CREATED REAL AND PERCEIVED CHALLENGES AND IN SOME CASES UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES THAT WE MUST ADDRESS RIGHT NOW. AND WE'RE DOING THAT THROUGH OUR NEW STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN THAT HAS 10 SPECIFIC GOALS RANGING FROM INVESTING IN STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORTING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND BUSINESS RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION JUST IN MFU. SO WHAT'S NEXT FOR HILTON HEAD ISLAND? WELL, IT'S EASY TO SAY, BUT DEFINITELY HARDER TO DO. WE MUST PROTECT OUR QUALITY OF LIFE AND IMPROVE UPON IT. AT EVERY CHANCE THAT WE GET. WE MUST TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER. SO WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE NOW AND IN THE FUTURE IN TERMS OF MANAGING GROWTH? THE LMO REWRITE IN CODE ENFORCEMENT ARE MUSTS. WE ALSO MUST MAINTAIN OUR FINANCIAL STABILITY AND PROMOTE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THAT AAA BOND RATING ACHIEVEMENT. WE ARE NATIONAL OUTLIERS AND STATEWIDE THOUGHT LEADERS IN MANAGING PUBLIC FUNDS, AND WE NEED TO KEEP IT THAT WAY. TO THAT END, WE'VE INCREASED FUND BALANCE REQUIREMENTS AND ARE MAKING INFORMED, THOUGHTFUL DECISIONS REGARDING OUR CASH SMART DEBT STRATEGIES. TO GET OUR WORK DONE, WE MUST KEEP PROTECTING OUR ECONOMIC DRIVERS ENHANCING TOURISM SIGNATURE EVENTS SUCH AS THE RBC HERITAGE, WHILE PROMOTING NEW DRIVERS SUCH AS AN INCREASE IN HEALTHCARE EXPANSION. WE MUST FACILITATE THE PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS THAT CAN MAKE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON OUR WORKFORCE HOUSING AVAILABILITY ON ISLAND. WE'RE EXCITED THAT POINT SHOULD BE BREAKING GROUND IN LATE 2025, AND THAT WE'RE ISSUING ANOTHER REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS AND PROPOSALS REGARDING ANOTHER DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP FOR PROPERTY ON BRYANT ROAD. WE HAVE TO KEEP CARING FOR OUR HOME AND EACH OTHER. THAT'S DEMONSTRATED IN OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE NEED FOR BEACH RENOURISHMENT NOW AND INTO THE FUTURE BY REMOVING ABANDONED BOATS THAT PRESENT ENVIRONMENTAL AND NAVIGATIONAL HAZARDS FOR OUR WATERWAYS BY ASSESSING AND IMPROVING OUR STORM WATER INFRASTRUCTURE AND PRIORITIZING A MASTER PLAN TO IMPROVE HOW WATER MOVES THROUGHOUT THIS ISLAND BY REINVESTING IN OUR STREETSCAPES TO MAKE IT SAFER. WHETHER YOU WALK, BIKE, OR DRIVE A NEW MASTER PLAN FOR THE WILLIAM HILTON PARKWAY CORRIDOR AND THE HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS WILL BE CONSIDERED TO MINIMIZE NEGATIVE IMPACTS IN THE AREA. AND OF COURSE, PAVING MITCHELLVILLE ROAD. IT'S DEMONSTRATED IN THE ONGOING SUPPORT WE PROVIDE TO [01:10:01] THE GULLAH GEECHEE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AND THEIR COMMITMENT TO BUSINESS, INCUBATION STRATEGIES, PUBLIC EDUCATION, SUPPORT AFFILIATED AGENCIES AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS AS WELL. PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS SPECIFIC TO THOSE HISTORIC COMMUNITIES. CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, PATTERSON AND TAYLOR PARKS CONTINUE BARRIER FREE IMPROVEMENTS, CARING FOR EACH OTHER IN OUR HOME MEANS. FIRE RESCUE, PUBLIC SAFETY, PROVIDING LATEST TECHNOLOGIES AND TOOLS TO KEEP US SAFE AND ENFORCE THOSE RULES WE PUT INTO PLACE TO PROTECT AND PRESERVE OUR COMMUNITY. I'M EXCITED TO SAY THAT INCLUDES NEW FIRE RESCUE HEADQUARTERS TOO. AND IF I DARE SAY IT, CARING FOR EACH OTHER ALSO MEANS HAVING SOME FUN. WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT PARTNERS SUCH AS THE ISLAND RECREATION CENTER AND EVENTS THAT PROMOTE COMMUNITY, THE RBC, HERITAGE, HILTON HEAD ISLAND JAM, CRESCENDO, AND LANTER PARADE, AND THE NUMEROUS LOCAL FESTIVALS THAT TOWN SUPPORTS BY PROVIDING WORLD CLASS SPACES AT ALL OF OUR PARKS. THOUSANDS OF TOWN EMPLOYEE VOLUNTEER HOURS AND SPONSORSHIP FUNDING TO KEEP THE GOOD TIMES AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, PHILANTHROPIC DOLLARS ROLLING FOR ALL. AND THIS TIME NEXT YEAR, WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT OUR AMAZING NEW PICKLEBALL COMPLEX AT CROSSING PARK, DESIGNED WITH A WORLD CLASS DIVISION AND PLAYING SPACE FOR THE DISCERNING PICKLEBALL PLAYER. UNDERSTANDING OUR NOW REALLY RELIES UPON WHERE WE'VE BEEN AND WHERE WE'RE GONNA GO FOR TOMORROW. OUR COMMUNITY BELONGS TO ALL OF US, EVERY SINGLE RESIDENT, EVERY SINGLE GUEST, AND THOSE FUTURE GENERATIONS TO COME. THERE'S A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO. THERE'S A LOT OF WHY BEHIND THE SCENES WE'RE TRYING TO MAYBE RECTIFY SOME OF THE MISTAKES IN THE PAST, BUILD UPON THAT AND MAKE TO TOMORROW EVEN A BETTER DAY. YOU KNOW, WE ARE COMMITTED TO LISTENING TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF OUR RESIDENTS AND OUR GUESTS BECAUSE WE WANT HILTON HAD TO BE THE BEST PLACE TO BE. IT ALREADY IS, BUT IT NEEDS TO STAY THAT WAY. SO WE WILL COME AND MEET AND TALK AND LISTEN, YOU KNOW WHAT? BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO DO AS LEADERS. LISTEN TO OUR COMMUNITY AND FIGURE OUT THE BEST WAY TO MOVE FORWARD. AGAIN, HILTON HAD BELONGS TO US ALL, AND LET'S MAKE CERTAIN WE TAKE CARE OF IT FOR THE NEXT GENERATIONS. WHEN I THINK ABOUT BLUFFTON, I TAKE IT PERSONALLY VERY PERSONALLY. I'M A FOURTH GENERATION COMMERCIAL FISHERMAN AND RESIDENT OF BLUFFTON. MY GREAT-GRANDFATHER CAME HERE IN 1913 AND STARTED AN OYSTER AND SHRIMP BUSINESS. TODAY I AM PROUD TO CARRY ON THAT LEGACY AS A COMMERCIAL FISHERMAN. I DON'T JUST MEASURE THE STATE OF BLUFFTON WITH NUMBERS. I MEASURE IT BY LOOKING AROUND THE DINNER TABLE AND HAVING DISCUSSIONS WITH MY CHILDREN, MY GRANDCHILDREN, AND LISTENING. IT JUST ASSURES ME THAT THE DECISIONS THAT WE MAKE AT TOWN HALL ARE VERY IMPORTANT. I RAN FOR MAYOR TO BE A VOICE FOR THE RIVER AND FOR THE PEOPLE WHO LOVE BLUFFTON. OUR STORY IS ALWAYS CONNECTED TO THE RIVER, THE LAND, AND THE WAY WE TREAT EACH OTHER. THIS YEAR WE OPENED THE TOWN'S NEW WELCOME CENTER AT THE HISTORIC SQUIRE POPE CARRIAGE HOUSE. A ONCE NEGLECTED BUILDING, NOW WELCOMING VISITORS EVERY DAY. THIS HOUSE SURVIVED IN THE BURNING OF BLUFFING DURING THE CIVIL WAR, AND ITS REHABILITATION IS A SUCCESS FOR THE TOWN AND ITS HISTORY. WE ALSO OPENED THE NEW RIVERSIDE BARN PARK, THE TOWN'S LARGEST PARK YET IT HAS 37 ACRES OF TRAILS, OPEN FIELDS, AND A PLAYGROUND WITH A ZIP LINE MISTING STATION, AND NUMEROUS PLAY EQUIPMENT FOR ALL AGES AND ABILITIES. THIS PARK IS DEFINITELY KID APPROVED. BEGINNING FEBRUARY, 2026, THE RESTORED BARN WILL BE READY FOR RENTALS, FOR WEDDINGS, FOR REUNIONS, AND ALL TYPES, TYPES OF CELEBRATIONS. THE TOWN IS ALREADY ACCEPTING RESERVATIONS. ALSO, KIT APPROVED IS THE TOWN'S FIRST SPLASH PAD LOCATED AT OSCAR FRAZIER PARK. THIS AMENITY IS 4,100 SQUARE FEET OF SPRAY FEATURES AND PLENTY OF SEATING FOR ANYONE WHO DOESN'T WANT TO GET WET. GOOD LUCK ON THAT. THE SPLASH PAD OPENED LAST NOVEMBER. THESE PROJECTS DON'T JUST ADD BEAUTY. THEY GIVE US PLACES TO GATHER AND CONNECT AS NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS. RECENTLY LEFT AND PASSED A WETLANDS PROTECTION ORDINANCE, THE FIRST OF ITS KIND IN SOUTH CAROLINA. THIS DOUBLES BUFFER ZONE REQUIREMENTS AND ENSURES FUTURE GROWTH WILL GIVE PLENTY OF SPACE TO PROTECT [01:15:01] SPECIES AND NATURE IN OUR WETLANDS. WE'RE ALSO COMPLETING THE HISTORIC DISTRICT SEWER PROJECT, REPLACING SEPTIC TANKS AND CONNECTING NEIGHBORS TO SEWER LINES. THIS PROTECTS THE MAY RIVER FROM SEPTIC POLLUTION IN BLUFFTON. MOST NEIGHBORHOODS WERE PLANNED AND BENEFITED FROM INFRASTRUCTURE. HOWEVER, BLUFF IN'S, OLDEST NEIGHBORHOODS DID NOT HAVE THAT BENEFIT. HERE'S SOME BIG NEWS. LOUGHTON IS LEADING AN INITIATIVE TO PRESERVE NEARLY 300 ACRES IN THE BUCK WALTER AREA AND PUT IT UNDER CONSERVATION EASEMENTS BY DOING THIS, THIS TAKES ABOUT A THOUSAND HOMES AND MORE THAN A MILLION SQUARE FEET OF COMMERCIAL SPACE OFF THE BOOKS. THE TOWN IS WORKING WITH BEAUFORT COUNTY'S GREEN SPACE PROGRAM TO CREATE A 300 ACRE PARK AND FOREVER PROTECT THESE PARCELS FROM GROWTH. THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE TOWN DOING WHAT IT CAN, WHEN IT CAN TO PROVIDE OPEN SPACES AND PROTECT LAND. BLUFFTON HAS A SMALL TOWN FEEL WITH THE CONVENIENCES OF A BIG CITY THROUGH THE TOWN'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GRANTS. THE TOWN IS ALSO TRYING TO BRING MEDICAL AND OTHER SERVICES TO THE FASTEST GROWING AREAS OF BLUFFTON, MAINLY IN THE BUCK WALTER WEST AREA. THIS YEAR WE AWARDED NEARLY 10 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GRANTS, BRINGING 56 MILLION IN INVESTMENTS, 90,000 SQUARE FEET OF COMMERCIAL SPACE AND 150 NEW JOBS. OUR DON RYAN CENTER FOR INNOVATION HAD ITS BIGGEST YEAR YET IT IS CURRENTLY SUPPORTING 18 COMPANIES. INTRODUCED NEARLY 1200 PEOPLE TO AI THROUGH ITS SEMINARS, AND SINCE 2013 HAS HELPED GUIDE MORE THAN 300 BUSINESSES. A SECOND. DRCI LOCATION IS NOW UNDER CONSTRUCTION IN BUCK. WE PLACE IT WILL OFFER CO-WORKING SPACE, CHILDCARE AND RESOURCES FOR STARTUPS AND SMALL BUSINESSES. AND BECAUSE GROWTH MEANS NOTHING WITHOUT A STRONG FINANCIAL FOUNDATION, BLUFFTON HAS OBTAINED AND MAINTAINED MOODY'S AAA BOND RATING, THE HIGHEST CREDIT RATING FOR A MUNICIPALITY. OF COURSE, BLUFFTON ISN'T JUST PROJECTS AND ORDINANCES, IT'S ABOUT HOW WE COME TOGETHER FROM SUPPORTING THE AMERICAN LEGIONS VETERANS DAY PARADE TO HOSTING THE CHRISTMAS PARADE. OUR EVENTS BUILD A SPIRIT THAT MAKES BLUFFTON SO WELCOMING. THAT'S THE KIND OF RELATIONSHIP I WANT US TO KEEP PERSONAL, REAL NEIGHBOR TO NEIGHBOR. THE FUTURE HOLDS CHALLENGES, BUT ALSO OPPORTUNITIES. NEXT YEAR THE BARNETT RIVERSIDE PARK WILL OPEN FOR WEDDINGS AND GATHERINGS. WE'LL KEEP STRENGTHENING OUR ECONOMY, WE'LL KEEP PROTECTING OUR RIVER AND WE'LL KEEP PRESERVING THE CHARACTER THAT MAKES BLUFFTON BLUFFTON. I PLAN TO LIVE HERE UNTIL I DIE, JUST LIKE MY ANCESTORS DID. AND I JUST WANT TO LEAD BLUFFTON BETTER FOR MY CHILDREN, MY GRANDCHILDREN AND YOURS. THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SHARE THE STORY OF WHERE WE ARE, WHERE WE'VE BEEN, AND WHERE WE'RE HEADED. MY MAMA ALWAYS SAID THAT RAPID GROWTH IS LIKE A BOX OF CHOCOLATES. YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO GET, BUT MAMA DIDN'T KNOW HARDY BELT. WELL, WE PLAN EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO GET. MM, A PEANUT BUTTER CUP. MY FAVORITE. YEAH. REMEMBER JOHN'S EARLY 2016 WHEN BETH SAID, RUN HARRY RUN. YEAH, I REMEMBER SHE SAID RUN JOHN. RUN. THAT'S WHEN OLD HARDY MET NEW HARDY AND WE STARTED TO BECOME ONE HARDY BILL. WANT A PIECE OF CHOCOLATE? THERE'S MY BUS. VAL. IT WAS 2017. I BELIEVE YOU WERE IN HIGH SCHOOL AT THE TIME [01:20:01] WHEN PRESERVED COMMUNITIES PURCHASED EAST DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT 7,500 ACRES BOARDED ON THE WEST BY WETLANDS AND A CONSERVATION EASEMENT. THIS DISTRICT WOULD BECOME THE PROTOTYPE FOR HARDEE'S FUTURE PLANNING OF DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS, BALANCING HOMES, SHOPS, PARKS, CITY SERVICES, AND CONSERVATION. WOULD YOU LIKE A PIECE OF CHOCOLATE? THANK YOU. MY BOSS IS HERE, GRANDPA. HI BRIANNA. DURING YOUR YEARS WITH THE CITY, YOU ARE A PIONEER GUIDING US THROUGH THIS PROCESS. THE NEW ROAD WILL BE COMPLETE THIS YEAR AND MORE INTERIOR ROADS ARE PLANNED. OUR SIDEWALKS AND A BIKE LANE WILL BE INSTALLED. THE YMCA IS PUTTING UP BEAMS AND WILL OPEN NEXT SPRING. HARTWOOD OPENED A BEAUTIFUL NEW CHARTER SCHOOL THIS SEPTEMBER AND WE JUST APPROVED A NEW CROSS SCHOOL COMPLEX NEXT TO SUN CITY. AND NEW COMMUNITIES OF ALL TYPES ARE IN CONSTRUCTION. WANT A PIECE OF CHOCOLATE? NO. THANK YOU. BACK TO THE RANCH. HI MATT. MATT. OVER A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS OF FEES WERE ATTACHED TO PROVIDE FOR ROADS, FIRST RESPONDERS, PARKS, AND MORE PRESERVED DONATED LAND TO THE YMCA OSPREY VILLAGE AND THE CITY FOR FUTURE USE. THE CONSERVATION EASEMENT WAS DEEDED TO THE CITY AND SOMEDAY THIS WILL BE A BEAUTIFUL PASSIVE RECREATION PARK. HOW ABOUT A CHOCOLATE? I'M GO FOR A SWEAT. JOSH. NEW COMMERCE IS ON THE WAY. PARKERS, PUBLIX AND MORE SO FAMILIES WON'T ALWAYS NEED THE HIGHWAYS FOR THEIR EVERYDAY NEEDS. DARE WE HOPE FOR A HOSPITAL. BUT DON'T WORRY, NO COSTCO, THAT'S ANOTHER BUS STOP PIECE OF CHOCOLATE. MY SHIP JUST CAME IN. SO WHY ARE WE DOING ALL OF THIS? FAMILY, YOUNG AND OLD SCHOOLS. YMCA GAS, GROCERIES, PLAYGROUNDS, NEW ROADS WITH FIRST RESPONDERS IN HEALTHCARE NEARBY A CITY WITHIN A CITY. THAT'S WHAT HARDY'S PLAN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS WILL BE. THERE'S SOMETHING SWEET FOR EVERYONE IN HARDY V'S. BOX OF CHOCOLATES. I DON'T KNOW IF WE EACH HAVE A DESTINY OR IF WE'RE JUST FLOATING AROUND ACCIDENTAL, LIKE ON A BREEZE. I THINK MAYBE IT'S BOTH. WATCH AS HARDY V'S. DESTINY CONTINUES TO FLOAT BY. NOT SURE IF I'VE EVER SEEN A VIDEO EXACTLY THAT HAS CREDITS AT THE END OF IT FROM STATE REGION. SO I KNOW I REALIZE THIS. CHECK, CHECK. THERE WE GO. YOU KNOW IT'S BAD WHEN YOU MAKE A GOOD JOKE AND NOBODY CAN HEAR IT, SO, BUT I AM ANDREW DAVIS FROM WSAV. I'LL BE YOUR PANEL LEADER TONIGHT. AND NO ONE TOLD ME I HAD TO FOLLOW HARRY WILLIAMS, SO I HAVE NO GOOD JOKES ANYMORE. UM, JUST HONORED TO BE HERE, BE PART OF THIS GREAT REGION THAT WE HAVE IN THE GREAT AREA. BUT IT'S NOT ABOUT ME TALKING, IT'S ABOUT OUR LOCAL LEADERS. SO I'D LIKE TO INVITE ALL OF THEM UP HERE. GOOD NEWS. THEY WILL NOT BE SINGING FOR YOU TONIGHT, BUT THEY WILL TALK. SO PLEASE WELCOME COUNTY CHAIRMAN ALICE HOWARD AS WELL AS HILTON HEAD MAYOR. ALAN PERRY, BLUFFTON MAYOR LARRY TUBER. AND YES, THAT MAN, HARDY MAYOR, HARRY WILLIAMS ICE. MICHELLE, THAT'S NOT PARTISAN IT, THAT'S THE AFTER SHOW, HARRY IS WHAT YOU GET OFF OF THAT. BUT THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US TODAY. I WANNA GET JUST A, A QUESTION OR TWO IN ABOUT SORT OF THE AREA AND WHAT'S GOING ON AND, AND YOUR BELIEFS ABOUT THE FUTURE FOR EVERYTHING WE HAVE ALREADY HEARD FROM THE GOVERNOR. WE'VE HEARD FROM VARIOUS PEOPLE, UM, CHAIRMAN HOWARD FIRST FOR YOU. THE COUNTY'S ACTUALLY MADE VERY STRONG PROGRESS ON GREEN SPACE AND LAND PRESERVATION. THE [01:25:01] QUESTION IS, CAN WE HAVE SOME UPDATES ON WHERE THINGS STAND AND HOW YOU'RE WORKING WITH TOWNS SOUTH OF THE BROAD TO MAKE SURE THOSE EFFORTS ARE COORDINATED ACROSS THE ENTIRE REGION? WELL, WE WE'RE DOING A, I THINK A GREAT JOB WORKING TOGETHER WITH SOUTH OF THE BROAD TOWNS. UH, WE'VE GOT A GOOD PROJECT THAT WAS MENTIONED BY MAYOR TUBER, 300 ACRES AND THAT ONE THAT'S IN THE PROCESS. WE'RE DOING OUR DUE DILIGENCE ON IT. WE JUST NEED THE WILLING LANDOWNERS. WE'VE GOT THE MONEY . SO ANYONE OUT THERE THAT WANTS TO APPLY FOR GREEN SPACE, PLEASE DO. AND WE'VE WORKED ON TWO PROJECTS IN JASPER COUNTY. REALLY INTERESTING. SO SOME OF THE LANDOWNERS HAVE NOT RESPONDED AS WELL AS YOU HOPED, OR YOU JUST THINK IT'S TAKING SOME TIME. IT JUST TAKES TIME, I THINK. I THINK WE'LL, WE'LL SEE MORE AND MORE COME FORWARD. YEAH, BECAUSE HILTON HAD GOT NO LAND LEFT, SO THEY'D LIKE ALL THAT YOU CAN OFFER OVER THERE. SO, BUT THEY HAD, THEY WERE FIRST OUTTA THE GATE TO APPLY AND WE DID THE WONDERFUL PROJECT IN MITCHELLVILLE. UM, THE OTHER ONE WOULD BE GOING FROM GREEN SPACE TO THE ROADS OUT HERE, THE 2 78 BRIDGE PROJECT OF COURSE. WHERE ARE WE SORT OF IN THIS AND HOW'S THE COLLABORATION GOING WITH THE COUNTY AND THE TOWN AS WELL? WELL, I HOPE MAYOR PERRY AGREE. WE HAD A GREAT JOINT MEETING WITH THEIR COUNCIL. WE RESOLVED A LOT OF ISSUES. THAT WAS, UM, HOW LONG AGO WAS THAT? IT'S BEEN A LITTLE WHILE, BUT A YEAR AGO. IT WAS A YEAR AGO. STARTED A YEAR AGO. BUT IT IS TAKEN A WHILE. UH, WE'RE JUST WAITING TO GET STARTED WITH CONSTRUCTION AND GET GOING ON IT. AND THE MAYOR MIGHT WANNA COMMENT TO THAT TOO. I I WOULD THINK HE MIGHT. SO, YEAH, YOU KNOW, SINCE, UM, SINCE THE, THE COUNTY AND THE STATE REALLY HAVE KIND OF MOVED FORWARD WITH THE BRIDGE PROJECT WITH THEMSELVES, IT'S BEEN THE TOWN'S FOCUS ON THE CORRIDOR AND WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO WITH THE LIGHT SYSTEMS, WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO WITH, UH, SQUIRE, POPE AND SPANISH WELLS AND STAFF AND CONSULTANTS HAVE BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY ON THAT OVER THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS. UM, COUNCIL WILL BE GOING INTO, UH, TWO BY TWO MEETINGS TO DISCUSS THESE DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE OUT THERE. AND THEN WE'LL BE BRINGING THAT TO THE PUBLIC NEXT MONTH IN A WORKSHOP SO THAT, UH, THE COMMUNITY CAN SEE, UM, WHAT, WHAT DIRECTION THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AND GET YOUR INPUT AND REALLY START TO HOPEFULLY ADDRESS THE TRAFFIC PATTERNS, BUT UM, HOPEFULLY HAVE SOMETHING IN PLACE PRIOR TO THE, THE BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION. WELL, AND THAT IDEA, WHEN MIGHT WE SEE THAT CONSTRUCTION START AT THIS POINT? DO WE KNOW IF WE TALKED TO DOT FOR ANY POSSIBLE DATE? UM, WE, WE HAVE SOME ENVIRONMENTAL WORK TO DO AND AS SOON AS THAT'S APPROVED BECAUSE WE'VE CHANGED THE SCOPE, IT WILL START. SO, BECAUSE I KNOW YOU GET THAT QUESTION ALMOST AS MUCH AS I DO EVERY DAY, SO THAT'S WHY I ASKED. SO, UM, MAYOR, WHILE WE HAVE YOU HERE, SO SHORT TERM RENTALS OF COURSE, BIG TOPIC RECENTLY. I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. I YOU'VE NEVER HEARD OF IT. SO NONE OF US HAS EVER BEEN TO A MEETING, SO I THINK WE'RE STILL IN A MEETING RIGHT NOW. IN FACT, UH, BIG TOPIC THIS WEEK, OBVIOUSLY THE SPECIAL MEETINGS. WHERE IS THE CONVERSATION SORT OF EVOLVING FROM HERE? AND THERE WAS A LOT OF BACKLASH TO THIS SO FAR FROM THE PEOPLE AND YOU REALLY LISTENED TO WHAT THE PEOPLE SAID? WELL, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW. I DON'T KNOW IF I WANNA SAY BACKLASH, RIGHT? UM, A A DIFFERENT SECTION OF THE COMMUNITY SPOKE UP AND STARTED SPEAKING, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO REALLY TALK ABOUT WHERE WE'RE GOING BECAUSE THAT'S A COUNCIL DECISION AND YOU KNOW, WE KNOW THAT, THAT OUR NUMBER ONE INDUSTRY AND ECONOMIC DRIVER IS, IS, IS SHORT TERM RENTALS, TOURISM, HOSPITALITY. THERE'S GOTTA BE A FINE BALANCE. SO I, I THINK WHERE WE'RE GONNA SEE PART OF THE CONVERSATION REALLY PUT REST ON, AND THAT'S THE LAND MANAGEMENT ORDINANCE REWRITE, WHICH IS MOVING ALONG AND YOU KNOW, IT'S TAKEN, IT'S TAKEN SOME TIME, BUT GOOD THINGS DO TAKE TIME. UM, WE'VE GOT CODE WRITERS THAT ARE WORKING ON THIS, STAFF IS WORKING DILIGENTLY ON IT, BUT WE NEED TO ADDRESS THE SIZE OF SOME OF OUR STRUCTURES, CORRECT. SOME OF THE WRONGS, AS I SAID IN THE VIDEO, THAT THAT CAME AROUND IN 2014. UM, ADDRESS MASS AND SCALE ADDRESS LOCATIONS WHERE SHORT-TERM RENTALS MAY OR MAY NOT NEED TO BE. SO THAT'S GONNA BE DISCUSSIONS THAT WE'LL BE HAVING, UM, GOING INTO NEXT YEAR. YEAH, WORKFORCE HOUSING, OBVIOUSLY. THE OTHER KEY TO THAT, WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SHORT TERMS AND THEN THE NEED FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING ON THE ISLAND RIGHT NOW, NORTH POINT HAS BEEN A BIG TOPIC OF DISCUSSION FOR EVERYBODY AND WHERE THAT STANDS RIGHT NOW. WHEN IS CONSTRUCTION, WHEN ARE WE GONNA GET THAT REALISTIC TIMELINE? SO FIRST OF ALL, WE'RE, WE'RE SO HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE THAT, UH, RBC AND FIRST CITIZENS ARE, ARE CAPITAL PARTNERS AND EQUITY PARTNERS IN THIS PROJECT. AND, UM, WE HOPE THAT WE'LL BE SEEING GROUND BROKEN BY THE END OF THIS YEAR. AND, UH, WE'LL START LEASING UP UNITS IN ABOUT 18 MONTHS, WHICH IS GREAT NEWS. AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 160 UNITS, APPROXIMATELY A 57 UNITS, 157 UNITS, UH, WORKFORCE HOUSING FOR EVERYBODY HERE. LARRY, OBVIOUSLY YOU GUYS ARE WORKING ON A SERIES OF PROJECTS, INCLUDING WORKING WITH THE HOSPITALS RIGHT NOW, WHERE YOUR PROJECTS STAND AND HOW MUCH MORE DO WE NEED IN THIS AREA FOR THE WORKFORCE? I DON'T KNOW IF THERE COULD BE A, YOU SHOULD BE. I DON'T THINK THERE, THERE'S A NUMBER THAT YOU COULD PROJECT TO SAY HOW MUCH WE NEED. UM, IF ANYONE PLANS ON GROWING OR EXPANDING OR ATTRACTING OTHER BUSINESSES TO THE AREA, WE GOTTA HAVE A PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO WORK, I MEAN, TO, TO LIVE THAT CAN AFFORD TO LIVE THERE. SO WE ARE DOING LITTLE, LITTLE [01:30:01] BITS AT A TIME. UM, THE BIG, THE DEAL WITH BEAUFORT MEMORIAL HOSPITAL, YOU KNOW, WAS A, A GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENT. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING HOW QUICK THAT FILLS UP. I'M SURE IT'LL BE FULL OF THE FIRST 30 DAYS OR BEFORE. UM, WE'RE WORKING ON A SMALL 13 OWNER, UM, OWNER, UH, HOUSES, YOU KNOW, AFFORDABLE OWNERS. UM, HOPEFULLY THIS PROJECT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR LIKE SEVEN YEARS, BUT THE GROUND'S BROKE, THE INFRASTRUCTURE'S SOMEWHAT IN AND HOPEFULLY IT WON'T BE LONG BEFORE THAT'S COMPLETED, BUT THAT'S JUST A DROP IN THE BUCKET COMPARED TO WHAT WE NEED TO DO. UM, WE, WE'VE GOT THINGS IN THE MAKINGS THAT I'M NOT GONNA TALK ABOUT BECAUSE NO NEED TO, I WASTE TIME WHEN EVERYBODY WANTS TO KNOW EVERYTHING AND YOU DON'T KNOW YOURSELF. SO I CAN'T GIVE YOU A TRUE ANSWER, BUT, UM, THAT'S, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO US AND, AND WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS. IT'S JUST LIKE A SNAIL. AND OBVIOUSLY HARRY, THE NEXT SPOT FOR EVERYBODY'S GONNA LOOK IS GOING TO BE THE HARDY BILL AND JASPER COUNTY AREA. RIGHT NOW YOU GUYS ARE GROWING ON A REGULAR BASIS, WORKFORCE HOUSING. HOW MUCH IS THAT IN PLAY WHEN YOU'RE GETTING PEOPLE COMING TO BLUFFTON, TO HILTON HEAD AND THROUGHOUT BEAUFORT COUNTY? WELL, I THINK THE KEY TO, UM, THE HOUSING CONVERSATION IS THAT THERE'S NO ONE SINGLE ANSWER. THERE'S NO SILVER BULLET THAT'S GONNA SOLVE EVERYTHING. IT'S GONNA TAKE A LOT OF SMALL INITIATIVES. EVERY ONE OF OUR COMMUNITIES IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT. AND HARDY DOES HAVE THE ADVANTAGE RIGHT NOW OF HAVING A LOT OF SPACE. AND WE HAVE A LOT OF HOMES BUILT OR, UH, ENTITLED 20,000 HOMES AND 3000 APARTMENTS. AND THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE THERE HAS TO BE LEVELS. AND SOMEONE SAID TO ME RECENTLY, YOU NEED STEP UPS SO THAT PEOPLE CAN COME HERE IF THEY, THEY CAN'T OWN, THEY HAVE APARTMENTS THAT THEY CAN START OFF WITH. THEY CAN STEP UP TO THE NEXT LEVEL. WE HAVE ENTRY LEVEL HOMES COMING AND THEN WE, WE NEED STEPS ALL THE WAY. AND OF COURSE WE HAVE THE LAST STEP WHERE A LOT OF US LIVE, AND THAT'S IN, UH, SUN CITY, IN MARGARITAVILLE. UH, SO IT, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT EACH ONE OF THESE THINGS, UH, EXIST WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY AND PROVIDE IT BECAUSE HARDY V IS LOOKING AT JUST IN OUR INDUSTRIAL ZONE, PROBABLY IN THE NEXT 10 YEARS, 10 TO 12,000 NEW JOBS. AND THEY'RE GONNA NEED PEOPLE TO, UH, LIVE. THEY'RE GONNA NEED DOCTORS AND NURSES AND, AND POLICEMEN TO KEEP 'EM SAFE. AND SO ALL THE OTHER INDUSTRIES THAT COME WITH THE JOBS THAT ARE COMING, UH, ARE VERY IMPORTANT. AND GERWIN HOWARD TOO, YOU TALKED ABOUT THE GREEN SPACE AND THE NEED TO KEEP THAT, BUT THERE'S A BALANCE THERE BECAUSE THERE NEEDS TO BE WORKFORCE HOUSING IN THE COUNTY BEYOND EVERYTHING OUT THERE AND ESPECIALLY THAT OKEE AREA. WHERE IS THE BALANCE OR HOW DO YOU MAKE THAT BALANCE? I THINK A, I THINK A LOT OF IT HAS TO DO WITH LAND USE PLANNING AND HOW THE MUNICIPAL AREAS HANDLE THEIR LAND USE SO THAT THERE IS A PLACE FOR MORE INTENSE DEVELOPMENTS SUCH AS THE APARTMENTS IN, UH, THE BALTER AREA. AND THROUGH THAT, IF WE, AND THAT ALSO HELPS TRANSPORTATION IF, IF YOU HAVE MORE INTENSE DEVELOPMENT AND, AND THEN LEAVE THE OTHER AREAS, UM, FOR CONSERVATION OR FARMLAND. MAYOR TUBER, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT GROWTH. OBVIOUSLY YOU GUYS CONTINUE TO GROW ON A REGULAR BASIS, BUT YOU WANNA KEEP THE CHARM THAT IS BLUFFTON AND KEEP IT THAT BEAUTIFUL TOWN THAT IT IS. UM, ARE THERE PLANS TO ANNEX ADDITIONAL LAND AS PART OF A GROWTH STRATEGY TO KEEP THAT, THAT IDEA TO IT? NOT AT THIS TIME. ALRIGHT, THAT'S ENOUGH. THANKS SO MUCH . SIMPLE ANSWER. WE GOT IT OUT THERE. IS THERE A NEED THOUGH? SO YOU DON'T BELIEVE AT THIS POINT, CONSIDERING THE GROWTH THAT'S THERE, YOU DON'T NEED TO POTENTIALLY ANNEX MORE LAND? NO, I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO. I THINK THAT EVENTUALLY THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN UNINCORPORATED BEAUFORT COUNTY ARE GOING TO WANT TO BE A PART OF THE TOWN. YOU KNOW, JUST THEY USE THE, IN OUR AMENITIES, YOU KNOW, OUR BOAT LANDS, OUR PARKS AND EVERYTHING ANYWAY. SO I THINK LITTLE BY LITTLE AS THEY SEE WHAT WE ARE TURNING THE TOWN INTO, WHAT THE SCAPES AND WHAT WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WHAT OUR VISION IS AS FAR AS PRESERVATION AND ALL SOMEDAY THEY'LL WANT TO BE A PART OF THE TOWN. IT'S, WE'RE NOT GOING OUT SEEKING PEOPLE TO ANNEX INTO THE TOWN. UM, NO. UM, WE'VE BEEN THROUGH THAT AND MOST OF THEM THAT WANTED TO COME INTO THE TOWN WANTED TO UP ZONE SO THEY COULD BUILD THREE TIMES MORE THAN WHAT THEY COULD BUILD IN THE COUNTY. AND WE LAST FIVE YEARS, WE'VE SAID NO, NO, NO AND A NO AGAIN. AND THAT'S WHERE WE STAND TODAY. AND SAME THING, MAYOR HARRY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT [01:35:01] A HUGE GROWTH THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE NUMBERS. AND HOW DO YOU MANAGE THAT GROWTH, KEEP SORT OF THAT FEEL WITHOUT JUST GETTING OVERBLOWN QUICKLY? WELL, A COUPLE OF THINGS. NUMBER ONE, A CO A FEW YEARS AGO WE SAW WHAT WAS HAPPENING AND SO WE DECIDED TO ADOPT, UM, GROWTH BOUNDARIES SO THAT WE, WE PUT A CIRCLE AROUND THE AREA AND WE SAID, OKAY, THERE HAS TO BE A REAL GOOD REASON IF WE'RE GONNA GO BEYOND THAT. BUT THE OTHER THING, AND I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT THE REASON I CHOSE THE MESSAGE I DID TODAY ON THE VIDEO, ALTHOUGH I HOPE EVERYBODY WAS ENTERTAINED, UM, BUT THE MESSAGE IS, IS THIS, WE HAVE THESE PLANNED DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS AND WE'RE TRYING TO PLAN WHAT SMART GROWTH IS. AND, AND THAT'S WHAT WE TRIED TO IDENTIFY TODAY, WHAT SMART GROWTH IS, HAVING INTERIOR ROADS TO KEEP PEOPLE OFF THE MAIN ROADS, THAT HELPS THAT SITUATION THAT ALICE IS TALKING ABOUT. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WITHIN THOSE DISTRICTS HAVE A VARIETY OF HOUSING, SCHOOLS, HOSPITALS, PUBLIC SERVICES LIKE POLICE AND FIRE, SUBSTATIONS, O-Y-M-C-A, YOU KNOW, OTHER SERVICES WITHIN THESE DISTRICTS AND EACH ONE OF OUR DISTRICTS, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO. AND ON TOP OF IT, THAT DISTRICT, AS I MENTIONED, 1300 ACRES OF A CONSERVATION EASEMENT THAT WE'RE GONNA TURN INTO A GREAT PARK. WE BELIEVE IN HARDY VERY STRONGLY THAT DEVELOPMENT, GROWTH, PRESERVATION AND CONSERVATION ARE NOT INCOMPATIBLE GOALS. BUT HAVE YOU STARTED THE PLANS FOR THAT INFRASTRUCTURE TOO? YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT POLICE, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT FIRE, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SCHOOLS, EVEN WATER, SEWER RIGHT NOW, WHICH ARE STILL SOMETHING THAT'S A CHALLENGE FOR YOU. I KNOW, YES. AND AND THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT. EACH ONE OF THESE, UM, DISTRICTS ARE REQUIRED TO DO ROADS NOW WE'RE REQUIRING SIDEWALKS. AND HERE'S ANOTHER THING THAT WE'RE, WE'RE GETTING BETTER AT. WE HAVE, UH, IN FACT A RIBBON CUTTING TOMORROW AT WHAT IS KNOWN. THE MORGAN TRACK NEXT TO MARGARITAVILLE, THAT LANDOWNER DEVELOPER PLEDGED $8 MILLION UPFRONT BEFORE ANY HOUSES ARE, ARE CLOSED OFF TO IMPROVE THE INTERSECTION OF JOHN SMITH AND 2 78, INCLUDING A NEW LIGHT. AND THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT WE ALL, AND I KNOW WE ALL WORK WITH THESE DEVELOPERS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS GETTING IN PLACE AS THE START GETTING BUILT. WELL, GROWTH HAS BEEN THE BIGGEST TOPIC HERE. WE'LL LET EVERYBODY GO BECAUSE HARRY WANTS TO DANCE. UM, SO, UM, CHAIR HOWARD, JUST START FOR ME IF YOU WOULD, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT GROWTH, WE TALKED ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE, ET CETERA. WHAT IS THE THING YOU BELIEVE OUR REGION COULD DO BETTER TO TRY TO DEAL WITH SOME OF THESE THINGS AND MAKE OUR REGION BETTER, CREATING THAT? WELL, I THINK WE'VE, WE'VE STARTED DOING IT, BUT COOPERATING WITH EACH OTHER, UH, GOING BACK TO MAYOR, TO NOT, THEY'RE NOT PLANNING TO ANNEX ANYWHERE, BUT WHEN SOMEONE'S READY, THEY WILL. UH, NOT HAVING WHAT I CALL, UH, ANNEXATION WARS. WE'RE NOT DOING THAT. WE'RE ALL COOPERATING. THE MAYORS MEET, THEY INVITE MYSELF AND OUR VICE CHAIRMAN TO COME MEET AND, AND WE LISTEN. MOSTLY LISTEN AND ALL THOSE THINGS WORK TOGETHER SO THAT WE'RE LISTENING TO EACH OTHER. UH, AND THEN WE KNOW WHAT EACH OTHER'S PROBLEMS ARE. AND OF COURSE, TRAFFIC IS UNANIMOUS PROBLEM AMONGST ALL OF US, BUT THERE ARE OTHER ISSUES. WORKFORCE HOUSING, WE, WE ONLY HAVE A FEW MINUTES LEFT. TRAFFIC WILL TAKE, TAKE US THE NEXT SEVEN HOURS, SO WE'LL BE FINE. SO MAYOR PERRY, WHAT DO YOU THINK, WHAT'S THE THING WE ARE, DO WE NEED TO DO INTO THE FUTURE? THAT'S IMPORTANT? WELL, I WANNA FOLLOW UP ON THAT. YOU KNOW, WE, WE, WE DO ALL MEET ON A REGULAR BASIS AND TALK ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE AREA. UM, FOR HILTON HEAD, IT IS ABOUT, UH, LAND ACQUISITION, UH, COMMERCIAL STRUCTURE, ACQUISITION ACQUISITIONS, UM, PROTECTING WHAT WE HAVE AND MAKING CERTAIN THAT WE'RE NOT GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND. GROWTH IS GONNA HAPPEN, REDEVELOPMENT IS GONNA HAPPEN. THAT'S WHAT WE WOULD PREFER, BUT WE'VE GOTTA DO IT IN SUCH A WAY THAT IT IS NOT NEGATIVE, NEGATIVELY AFFECTING OUR CHARACTER AND OUR LIVELIHOODS. AND, AND MAYOR WILLIAMS, IS IT COMMUNICATION FOR YOU? IS THERE SOMETHING ELSE YOU THINK WE ALL NEED TO DO BETTER OR THAT YOU COULD DO BETTER TO TRY TO HELP THIS PROCESS INTO THE FUTURE? WELL, I THINK, UM, FOR US WORKING WITH THE COUNTY, AND THAT'S A, UH, AN AREA THAT WE'VE TAKEN GREAT STRIDES IN, WE'RE NOW MEETING REGULARLY AND TALKING ABOUT SHARED SERVICES, AND THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR THE TAXPAYERS IN, IN OUR AREA AND FOR THE BUSINESSES. WE HAVE TO BE AS EFFICIENT AS WE CAN WITH OUR TAX DOLLARS. I ALSO WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO EVERYBODY IN OUR REGION WITH THE FORMATION OF SO LOKO BACK IN 2017. I THINK WE CAN ALL THANK, UH, FORMER MAYOR [01:40:01] SOKO FOR THAT, BUT AS, AS MAYOR PERRY ALLUDED TO, WE MEET EVERY SINGLE MONTH FOR THE LAST EIGHT YEARS AND TALK ABOUT OUR COMMON PROBLEMS AND OUR COMMON CHALLENGES. AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT. MAYOR TUBER, JUST CLOSE THIS OUT. WHAT THINGS COULD WE DO BETTER FOR WHEN IT COMES TO GROWTH IN OUR AREA? WELL, I, I THINK THE RELATIONSHIP THAT WE'RE BUILDING NOW AS A GROUP, A REGIONAL LOOK, AND, AND JUST TO PUT IT SIMPLE, JUST RESPECT FOR EACH OTHER AND EVERYBODY, WE ALL HAVE THE SAME ISSUES AND THE SAME PROBLEMS, BUT THE LEADERS NOW, WE DO MEET AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH, IF NOT MORE OFTEN THAN THAT. UM, AND THERE'S NO POWER STRUGGLES OR ANYTHING AS FAR AS I CAN SEE. WE ALL JUST WANT TO HELP EACH OTHER. HARRY NEEDS TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON IN, IN BLUFFTON SO THAT HE CAN MAKE BETTER DECISIONS. YOU KNOW, WHEN IT COMES TO DEVELOPMENT AND WHAT, MAKE SURE YOU GOT YOUR ROADS AND YOUR INFRASTRUCTURE BEFORE THE PEOPLE GET THERE IN YOUR SCHOOLS. YOU DON'T WANNA WAIT UNTIL YOU'VE GOT EVERYTHING'S, EVERYBODY'S STANDING ON TOP OF EACH OTHER AND YOU'RE TRYING TO DO SOMETHING ON GROUND LEVEL. UM, IT'S BEEN, UM, A PLEASURE REALLY TO ME FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS TO, TO MEET AND STAY IN TOUCH AND STAY ON TOP OF THINGS. AND, UM, WE ALL LIVE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY. IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU LIVE ON HILTON HEAD BE OR, OR, UM, BLUFFTON OR ST. ALNA, OUR TAX CHECKS GO TO BEAUFORT COUNTY FOR THE MOST PART. YOU KNOW, EVERY, EVERYTHING WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE SMALL AMOUNT THAT THAT COMES TO THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON. SO WE'RE ALL EQUAL , YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WE ALL CONTRIBUTE TO EVERYTHING THAT'S NEEDED. SO WORKING TOGETHER IS ESSENTIAL AND I JUST HOPE WE CONTINUE AND, AND GET SOME STUFF DONE. STOP TALKING ABOUT IT. DO IT. I LIKE THAT ANGLE. SO THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME, , PLEASE GIVE THEM ROUND OF APPLAUSE AND RIGHT. LET'S GIVE ANOTHER GREAT RUN OF APPLAUSE TO OUR LOCAL LEADERSHIP. WELL, WHAT ANOTHER GREAT EVENT, AND I CANNOT LET US ALL GO AND FINISH THE EVENT TODAY WITHOUT GIVING A HEARTFELT THANKS TO THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND AND BLUFFTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. BILL MILES AND YOUR TEAM, CHARLIE CLARK, WHEREVER YOU ARE, YOU GUYS ARE SUCH AN AMAZING GROUP, A GREAT PROFESSIONAL TEAM, AND WE THANK YOU REALLY FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO FOR THIS COMMUNITY. SO LET'S GIVE THEM A BIG RUN OF APPLAUSE ALL HERE. WE REPRESENT A VARIETY OF BUSINESSES, COMMUNITIES, AND THAT WE'RE ALL UNIFIED HERE TODAY, THANKS TO THEM. AND, UH, I, I FEEL PARTICULARLY, UM, ENERGIZED AND INSPIRED BY OUR GOVERNOR'S SPEECH. IT WAS REALLY, TRULY INSPIRATIONAL TO HEAR HIS WORDS, THE HISTORY ABOUT SOUTH CAROLINA, AND FOR HIM TO REMIND US HOW FORTUNATE WE ARE TO LIVE IN SOUTH CAROLINA, THIS BEAUTIFUL STATE, BUT ESPECIALLY HERE IN THE LOW COUNTRY. THIS LAND IS BEAUTIFUL. THIS IS GOD'S LAND, AND WE ARE ALL CALLING THIS PLACE HOME. SO GIVE YOURSELF A RUN OF APPLAUSE FOR CHOOSING THIS PLACE. 'CAUSE IT IS AMAZING. I WANNA THANK YOU AGAIN, ALL OF YOU FOR BEING PART OF ALL THE LEADERSHIP ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND. THANK YOU TO ALL THE LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES, UH, ALL THE REPRESENTATIVES. THANK YOU, ALL THE MAYORS AND CHAIRMAN HOWARD FOR EVERYTHING. YOUR VISION IS INSPIRATIONAL. THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. I LIKE IN PARTICULAR THE THEME THAT IS VERY CONSISTENT THROUGHOUT ALL OF THEM, WHICH IS TO LEAVE THIS PLACE BETTER FOR THE NEXT GENERATION BECAUSE THE NEXT GENERATION IS THE ONE THAT IS GONNA CONTINUE THE MISSION AND CARRY THE TORCH. SO LET'S DO WHAT WE CAN DO BEST, WHICH IS BE THE BEST THAT YOU CAN IN ALL YOUR ORGANIZATIONS, IN YOUR JOBS, IN YOUR COMMUNITIES, IN YOUR BUSINESSES. DO THE BEST, CHOOSE TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND DO IT FOR THE NEXT GENERATION. SO AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY. THANK YOU FOR BEING AT THE 29TH STATE OF THE REGION. WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU NEXT YEAR FOR THE BIG 30. AND, UH, HAVE A WONDERFUL LOW COUNTRY AND SOUTH CAROLINA BEAUTIFUL DAY. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY. HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY. [01:45:23] AND WE HAVE HEARD SO MANY WONDERFUL THINGS TODAY AT TODAY'S STATE OF THE REGION ADDRESS. WE LEARNED A LOT ABOUT REGIONAL PARTNERSHIPS AND LOCAL EFFORTS. WHAT CAN YOU COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBER TABER SHARE WITH US ABOUT WHAT COUNTY COUNCIL NEEDS TO DO MOVING FORWARD? WELL, COUNTY COUNCIL'S BEEN ENGAGING WITH THE MUNICIPALITIES AND JASPER COUNTY ON REGIONAL APPROACH. FOR EXAMPLE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WORKFORCE HOUSING INFRASTRUCTURE, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT TO US, OUR TRANSPORTATION, OUR ROADS. WE'RE ALSO WORKING ON GREEN SPACE, PROTECTING AND CONSERVING THE LAND. UH, WE MEET, AS THE MAYOR SAID IN THERE ONCE A MONTH AT SO LOCO SOUTHERN LOW COUNTRY MEETING. AND WE TALK ABOUT DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THE PLASTIC BAG ORDINANCE WILL BE COMING UP THIS MONTH, AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE ALL COLLABORATE. WE'RE COLLABORATING WITH JASPER COUNTY FOR THE ANIMAL SHELTER. WE JUST COLLABORATE. WE COLLABORATED WITH HILTON HEAD FOR THE BRIDGE, AND WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO COLLABORATE BECAUSE THE BOTTOM LINE IS EVERYBODY RUNS THROUGH BUFORT COUNTY. NOW. IS THIS SENSE OF COLLABORATION AND RENEWED PARTNERSHIP NEW OR HAS THIS JUST ALWAYS BEEN KIND OF GOING ON AND WE JUST HAVEN'T HEARD SO MUCH ABOUT IT? WELL, I, I CAN ONLY SPEAK SINCE I'VE BEEN VICE CHAIR THIS YEAR, SO I BELIEVE THERE'S BEEN SOME COLLABORATION IN THE PAST. WE HAVE UPPED OUR GAME. MS. HOWARD AND I, WE DO MEET WITH, AS YOU HEARD IN THERE, THE DIFFERENT MUNICIPALITIES REGULARLY. AND WE ARE ACTIVELY ENGAGING THEM IN EVERYTHING WE DO BECAUSE WE NEED SUPPORT FROM OUR MUNICIPALITIES AND FROM JASPER COUNTY. SO WE'VE KIND OF UPPED OUR GAME TO BE REALLY COLLABORATIVE AND REALLY CONVERSATIONALLY WITH THEM. WE'VE HEARD SO MUCH ABOUT THIS REGIONAL EFFORT TOWARDS MANAGING GROWTH. DO YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON THAT? UH, THAT'S A BIG CHALLENGE, MANAGING GROWTH. AND AS YOU KNOW, OUR COUNCIL HAS BEEN VERY CONSCIOUS ABOUT NOT UPZONING, BECAUSE WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT IS THE IMPACT ON OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, ON OUR ROADS, ON OUR SYSTEMS. MANAGING GROWTH IS TOUGH BECAUSE GROWTH IS GONNA HAPPEN. WE NEED TO, OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN CALLS FOR IT TO BE NORTH OF THE BROAD. AS YOU KNOW, I LIVE SOUTH OF ABROAD AND WE ARE SLAMMED, SO WE ARE TRYING TO MANAGE THE GROWTH THAT WAY. WELL, BEAUFORT COUNTY COUNCIL, VICE CHAIRWOMAN, TABER, WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND IS THERE ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO GIVE OUR VIEWERS AS A TAKEAWAY TODAY? I THINK THE BIGGEST THING IS WE DO COLLABORATE WITH THE OTHER MUNICIPALITIES, BUT WE, AS ONE OF THE PEOPLE SAID IN THERE, WE COLLABORATE WITH OUR RESIDENTS. WE HOLD OUR CHAT WITH COUNCIL ONCE A MONTH. WE HOLD OUR MEETINGS ALL OVER THE COUNTY. YOU DON'T HAVE TO COME TO THE ADMIN BUILDING, WE'RE COMING TO THE RESIDENTS. SO WE MAY COLLABORATE WITH MUNICIPALITIES, BUT WE COLLABORATE WITH OUR RESIDENTS AND WE WANT TO HEAR FROM THEM. WE WANT TO LISTEN TO THEM. THAT'S WHAT I WOULD LEAVE EVERYBODY WITH. AWESOME. WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. WE HOPE YOU ENJOYED THE EVENT AND STAY WITH US HERE ON BEAUFORT COUNTY TELEVISION. WELCOME BACK TO BC TV'S COVERAGE OF THE 2025 STATE OF THE REGION HOSTED BY THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND AND BLUFFTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. I'M JOINED NOW BY DR. FRANK RODRIGUEZ, WHO IS OUR SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS HERE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY. I WANNA KNOW WHAT YOU TOOK AWAY FROM THIS EVENT TODAY. WELL, OBVIOUSLY WE LIVE IN A VERY DYNAMIC REGION AND A VERY DYNAMIC AREA, AND IT'S REALLY GREAT TO HEAR FROM OUR LOCAL LEADERS, ELECTED OFFICIALS ABOUT THE WORK THAT THEY'RE PLANNING MOVING FORWARD, RIGHT? BECAUSE THAT HELPS US, UH, PLAN FOR, FOR OUR STUDENTS WITHIN OUR SCHOOLS AS WELL. SPEAKING OF THAT PLANNING, WE HEARD A LOT ABOUT REGIONAL EFFORTS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, MANAGEMENT OF GROWTH. HOW DOES AN EVENT LIKE THIS HELP YOU PLAN FOR THE STUDENT POPULATION HERE? SURE. I MEAN, ONE OF THE THINGS REALLY IMPORTANT WE HEARD A LITTLE BIT TODAY ABOUT IS THE ROADS AND THE WORK, UH, NEEDED ON ROADS WHILE OUR, OUR, OUR COMMUNITY'S MOST PRECIOUS CARGO IS ON THOSE ROADS, ON THEIR WAY TO SCHOOL AND ON THE WAY HOME FROM SCHOOL, UH, FIVE DAYS A WEEK, RIGHT? AND SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE, UH, THAT WE'RE PLANNING OUR OWN TRANSPORTATION NEEDS FOR STUDENTS THAT WE'RE CONNECTING AND COLLABORATING WITH OUR COMMUNITY LEADERS. UH, ALL OF THAT IS IMPORTANT. WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT NEEDS. UH, WE HAVE CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS WITHIN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UH, OUR STUDENTS ARE, OUR GRADUATES ARE READY FOR CAREERS RIGHT HERE LOCALLY WITHIN OUR DYNAMIC REGION. YEAH, WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT THAT RETENTION OF TALENT HERE AND MAKING SURE THAT THE YOUTH ARE PRIORITIZED. SO WHAT'S NEXT FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT AND GIVE US LIKE A 12 MONTH VIEW? WELL, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE IN THE MIDST OF THIS SCHOOL YEAR RIGHT NOW. THINGS ARE GOING VERY WELL AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE CONTINUE THOSE EFFORTS SUPPORTING OUR STUDENTS. UM, AS WE LOOK AHEAD INTO THE FUTURE, WE WANT [01:50:01] TO TAP INTO SOME OF THOSE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT NEEDS THAT ARE THERE. UH, IDENTIFY SOME CAREER ACADEMIES THAT WE CAN HAVE WITHIN OUR SCHOOLS THAT ARE PROJECTED TO BE IMPACTFUL WITHIN, UH, WITHIN THE COMMUNITY MOVING FORWARD. UH, WE'VE GOT A FEW NEW SCHOOLS THAT ARE GONNA BE GEARING UP TO OPEN AND WE'RE BUILDING, UH, FOR INSTANCE HERE ON HILTON HEAD HIGH, UH, HIGH SCHOOL, UM, HAVE THE RENOVATION PROJECT, THE NEW BUILDING FOR HILTON HEAD HIGH SCHOOL, UH, OVER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN BLUFFTON, UH, TO DEAL WITH THE GROWTH WITHIN, WITHIN BLUFFTON AND WITHIN OUR SCHOOLS, AND THEN EVEN A NEW ONE OVER IN LADIES ISLAND. SO THERE'S, UH, THERE'S A LOT OF EXCITEMENT, A LOT OF ENERGY, UH, TRYING TO MAKE SURE OUR STUDENTS GET A STATE OF THE ART LEARNING ENVIRONMENT THAT SOUNDS INCREDIBLY EXCITING. AND AS THE WIFE OF A SCHOOL TEACHER IN OUR AREA, I CAN SAY WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING ALL OF THAT COME TO FRUITION. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME HERE TODAY. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IF YOU HAVE A TAKEAWAY FOR OUR VIEWERS. OH, I THINK IT'S JUST, UH, PAY ATTENTION CLOSELY TO WHAT'S HAPPENING WITHIN YOUR COMMUNITIES AND WITHIN YOUR COUNTY, AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE ENGAGED AND INVOLVED AND SUPPORT THIS, UH, EFFORTS THAT ARE UNDERWAY IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE WE KEEP THIS VIBRANT, UH, UH, AND DYNAMIC, UH, REGIONAL AREA. FANTASTIC. DR. RODRIGUEZ, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND THANK YOU FOR WATCHING BEAUFORT COUNTY TV. AND WE ARE BACK HERE AT THE CONCLUSION NOW OF THE 2025 STATE OF THE REGION. I'M JOINED BY BILL MILES, WHO IS THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND BLUFFTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US TODAY. WELL, WE'RE DELIGHTED TO HAVE YOU HERE AND EVERY YEAR, UH, BEAUFORT COUNTY TV MAKES IT REALLY, REALLY SPECIAL AND BROADCASTING IT AND THEN THE VIDEOS THAT YOU DO. SO THANK YOU. AWESOME. NOW, THIS IS A CORNERSTONE EVENT FOR THIS COMMUNITY, IS THAT CORRECT? IT IS. IT, UH, BRINGS IN, UH, THE REALLY THE ENTIRE REGION AND WE WERE DELIGHTED TO HAVE THE GOVERNOR WITH US AND THEN, UH, CERTAINLY, UH, ELECTED OFFICIALS THROUGHOUT THE STATE THAT WERE ALSO HERE, UH, FOR OUR 29TH. AND, UH, UH, NEXT YEAR WILL BE OUR 30TH. WOW. SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THOSE PLANS ARE GONNA LOOK LIKE, BUT, UH, IT WILL BE SPECIAL INDEED. IT'S GOTTA BE BIG. THAT'S RIGHT. SO WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO GIVE AS A TAKEAWAY FOR OUR VIEWERS TODAY? BECAUSE WE HEARD A LOT ABOUT A VARIETY OF TOPICS, ANYTHING FROM ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ALL THE WAY TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING? YEAH, I THINK REALLY THOSE TWO ARE VERY, VERY IMPORTANT. BUT ALSO THE, THE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS AND THE THE DIFFERENT, UH, MUNICIPALITIES THAT ARE WORKING TOGETHER NOW, IT SEEMS LIKE BETTER THAN EVER THE COMMUNICATION IS THERE. THE PLANNING IS THERE, UM, UH, AND REALLY MUTUAL RESPECT. AND I HEARD THAT IT STARTED WITH THE GOVERNOR'S MESSAGE TODAY AND THEN THAT CARRIED OUT THROUGHOUT THE, UH, THROUGHOUT THE AFTERNOON WITH OUR, UH, ELECTED, UH, MAYORS AND CHAIR COUNTY COUNCIL. WE HEARD THAT TOO. AND WHEN YOU SPEAK TO YOUR COUNCIL, EXCUSE ME, WE DEFINITELY HEARD THAT TODAY AS WELL. AND WHEN YOU REACH OUT TO THOSE CHAMBER MEMBERS AND THOSE IN YOUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY, WHAT IS THEIR TOP CONCERN? YEAH, SO THEIR TOP CONCERN REALLY IS INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORTATION, UM, UH, GROWTH, AND THEN ALSO, UH, HOUSING. THOSE REALLY ARE WHAT STICKS OUT WITH THE MEMBERSHIP. AND, YOU KNOW, THOSE TOP THOSE, THOSE TOP FOUR REALLY HAVEN'T CHANGED THROUGHOUT A NUMBER OF YEARS. YEAH. AND WE HEARD THAT DISCUSSED KIND OF AT LENGTH TODAY. WHAT DO YOU THINK THE CHAMBER CAN DO TO HELP SUPPORT SOLUTIONS IN THOSE AREAS? YEAH, CONTINUE BRINGING TOGETHER TO GROUPS TOGETHER, GROUPS LIKE THIS AND, UH, MAKING SURE THAT, UH, UH, THE RESIDENTS, THE BUSINESSES, THE COMMUNITY IS BEING HEARD BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF REALLY IMPACTFUL PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THIS REGION. AND, UH, IDEAS AND INPUT ARE ALWAYS GOOD AND WELCOME AND NEEDED. AND SO IF WE CAN BE A A, A CONVENER OF THAT, THEN I THINK THAT WILL CONTINUE TO GO A LONG WAY. IS THERE ANYTHING I DIDN'T ASK YOU THAT YOU WISH I HAD? WELL, I JUST WANNA SAY ONCE AGAIN, THANKS FOR BEING HERE. AWESOME. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME TODAY, MR. MILES. AND THANK YOU GUYS FOR WATCHING BEAUFORT COUNTY TV AND WELCOME BACK TO BC TVI AM JOINED NOW BY THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND MAYOR ALAN PERRY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SPEAKING WITH US. WELL, THANKS FOR HAVING US. SO WE JUST HEARD A LOT ABOUT REGIONAL GROWTH PARTNERSHIPS, ECONOMIC IMPROVEMENTS. WHAT IS NEXT ON THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD DOCKET? WELL, THERE'S A LOT, RIGHT? YOU KNOW, UM, WE, WE'VE GOTTA ADDRESS THE CORRIDOR FROM THE BASE OF THE BRIDGE THROUGH SPANISH WALLS ROAD AND HOW THAT'S GONNA BE AFFECTED BECAUSE WE KNOW WE'VE GOTTA IMPROVE TRAFFIC LOW THROUGH THERE. AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE'LL BE WORKING ON, UH, IN NOVEMBER WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON, BUT WE'LL ALSO BE BRINGING IT TO THE PUBLIC IN NOVEMBER AFTER THAT WE'RE, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THE LAND MANAGEMENT ORDINANCE AS WELL, AND WE HOPE TO HAVE THAT PRETTY MUCH WRAPPED UP BY THE END OF THE YEAR. THEN WE'RE GONNA HAVE A COMMUNITY COMMITTEE TASK FORCE THAT WILL COME TOGETHER AND VET ALL THE CHANGES THAT WILL BE COMING AROUND, UM, TO MAKE CERTAIN WE'VE, WE DIDN'T MISS ANYTHING. WE KNOW THAT UNINTENDED [01:55:01] CONSEQUENCES ARE THE WORST THING THAT CAN HAPPEN, SO LET'S MAKE CERTAIN IT'S BEING LOOKED AT WITH ALL EYES. THAT MAKES SENSE. AND WE HEARD A TON ABOUT HOW WE'VE GOT THIS RENEWED ENERGY TOWARDS COLLABORATION IN OUR REGION. DO YOU FEEL THAT? IS IT, IS IT COMING YOUR WAY? OH, ABS ABSOLUTELY. I MEAN, IT'S, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN IN OFFICE NOW FOR THREE YEARS AND I THINK THAT IT'S BEEN THERE FOR THE THREE YEARS AND, UM, WE, YOU KNOW, WE, AS IT WAS STATED, WE GET TOGETHER ONCE A MONTH THROUGH, SO LOCO WE GET TOGETHER AT OTHER TIMES, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE REGION AND HOW WE ALL NEED TO ADDRESS THOSE CHANGES AND THAT GROWTH PATTERN BECAUSE EACH ONE OF US IS AFFECTED DIFFERENTLY. THAT MAKES SENSE. AND, UM, I'M RUNNING OUT OF QUESTIONS HERE. I'M SO SORRY. THAT'S OKAY. UH, HIGHWAY 2 78 CORRIDOR BIG DEAL. UM, BRAND NEW BRIDGE COMING YOUR WAY. I HEARD THAT YOU GUYS ARE WORKING ON THE LIGHTING SYSTEMS FOR THE, WELL, WHAT, WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON IS, IS THE LIGHTING SYSTEMS AND ALSO THE INTERSECTIONS THEMSELVES TO SEE IF WE CAN CREATE A WAY TO GET RID OF THE LIGHTS, UM, TO, TO MOVE TRAFFIC A LITTLE BIT BETTER, AT LEAST TO A POINT OF DIS UM, DIS AND TO A POINT WHERE IT, UH, BREAKS APART, RIGHT? SO TO THE CROSS ISLAND. UM, SO THAT'S, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE WORKING ON. YES. FANTASTIC. AND AS WE CONSIDER KIND OF OUR REGIONAL GROWTH PLAN IS HILTON HAD CONSIDERING PUTTING MORE, UM, MORE PROPERTIES THROUGH THE GREEN SPACE PROGRAM? WELL, YEAH, UM, WE, WE DEFINITELY ARE RIGHT. THERE'S, THERE'S MORE OPPORTUNITIES THAT COME AROUND AND, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WILL REACH OUT TO US AND SAY THEY'RE INTERESTED IN SELLING THEIR PROPERTY. SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO LOOK AT THAT AS AN AVENUE FOR FUNDING, BUT WE'RE NOT GONNA LET IT HINDER US FROM BUYING OTHER PROPERTIES. WELL, AND THAT NATURAL ENVIRONMENT CONTRIBUTES SO MUCH TO WHAT MAKES HILTON HEAD SPECIAL. CONGRATULATIONS ON BEING VOTED ONCE AGAIN. AMERICA'S BEST ISLAND. THANK YOU. IS THERE ANY TAKEAWAY FOR OUR VIEWERS YOU'D LIKE TO LEAVE WITH US TODAY? YOU KNOW, YEAH. UM, I THINK IT WAS SAID GREAT BY GOVERNOR MCMASTER. WE'RE FORTUNATE TO LIVE IN A GREAT STATE AND A GREAT PART OF THE STATE, THE LOW COUNTRY. AND, AND I THINK WE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT, UM, YOU CAN ALWAYS FIND A PROBLEM IF YOU LOOK FOR PROBLEMS, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO LIVE AND ENJOY IT TO A POINT WHERE WE SHOW THAT VALUE AND SHOW THAT APPRECIATION. MAYOR PERRY, WE APPRECIATE YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TODAY. THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US HERE ON BCTV AND WE ARE BACK ON BCTV. I'M JOINED NOW BY BLUFF IN TOWN MAYOR LARRY TUBER. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TALKING WITH US TODAY. SURE. IT'S MY PLEASURE. NOW, WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT WHAT WE HEARD IN THERE AT THAT ROUND TABLE? WE HEARD A LOT ABOUT MANAGING GROWTH IN REGIONAL PARTNERSHIPS. WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS? WELL, I DON'T THINK WE HEARD ANYTHING THAT WE DIDN'T ALREADY KNOW. MM-HMM. UM, LIKE I SAID IN THERE, YOU KNOW, WE MEET ONCE A MONTH OR MORE THE AREA MAYORS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY AND, AND DISCUSS WHAT ALL THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE HAVING THAT WE DISCUSSED IN THERE. UM, THESE ARE NOT BRAND NEW ISSUES. THEY'VE BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG TIME, BUT HOPEFULLY FINALLY WE'RE STARTING TO COME TOGETHER AS A TEAM AND MAKING SOME OF THEM COME TO REAL LIFE. YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN TALK, TALK, TALK FOR SO LONG, BUT, UM, HOPEFULLY WE'LL START SEEING MORE PROGRESS EVERY, EVERY YEAR, UM, BECAUSE IT'S, WE'LL HAVE A NEW LIST TO DO OR NEW THINGS THAT NEED TO BE DONE IF WE DON'T GET THESE OUT OF THE WAY FIRST. NOW, IS HARDY V INCLUDED IN THAT COLLABORATIVE EFFORT? BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THAT IS WHERE A LOT OF THE GROWTH IS HAPPENING IN OUR AREA, AND NO ONE IS GONNA FEEL THAT MORE THAN BLUFFTON, RIGHT? HARDY V IS INVOLVED, VERY INVOLVED IN THE SO LOCO MEETINGS AND STUFF. MAYOR WILLIAMS IS PART OF HARDY V'S. IN BEAUFORT COUNTY PARTS IN JASPER. SO IT'S STILL REALLY IMPORTANT TO HAVE HIM THERE AND HEAR WHAT HE'S GOT COMING AND, YOU KNOW, PLANNED SO THAT WE CAN KIND OF ALL GET A GRIP ON WHAT, WHAT EVERYBODY NEEDS TO DO, NOT JUST ONE AREA. AND WE HEARD A LOT OF GREAT THINGS COMING OUT OF THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON. FROM YOUR LITTLE FIVE MINUTE SEGMENT, WHAT IS NEXT FOR YOU GUYS? WHAT'S, WHAT'S THE TOP, THE TOP BILL FOR RIGHT NOW? I'LL JUST SAY MORE LAND PRESERVATION AND MORE IMPROVEMENTS FOR QUALITY OF LIFE. ALL RIGHT. WELL, LARRY TUBER, WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. IS THERE ANY TAKEAWAY YOU'D LIKE TO LEAVE OUR VIEWERS WITH TODAY? JUST THANKS FOR HAVING ME AND WE'LL JUST, WE'RE JUST GONNA KEEP DOING THE BEST WE CAN AND HAVE A VISION THAT'S GONNA SOMEDAY MAKE EVERYONE PROUD. I THINK THEY CAN ALREADY BE PROUD. THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD HAPPENING IN THE TOWN OF LEFTON. AND YOU GUYS STAY TUNED HERE ON BC TV AND WE ARE BACK AT THE 2025 STATE OF THE REGION HERE IN BEAUTIFUL HILTON HEAD ISLAND. I'M JOINED NOW BY CHARLIE CLARK, WHO IS THE VICE PRESIDENT OF COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND BLUFFTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY, AND CONGRATULATIONS [02:00:01] ON THIS INCREDIBLE EVENT. IT'S GREAT. IT'S JUST SO GREAT TO SEE THE ENTIRE REGION COME TOGETHER. I MEAN, YOU HEARD WHEN WE'RE ANNOUNCING WHO'S HERE, I MEAN, WE HAVE, FOR THE FIRST TIME WE HAVE, WE HAVE FOLKS COMING OVER FROM POOLER, PORT WENTWORTH, JASPER COUNTY. IT REALLY IS A REGION AND WE'RE LOOKING AT IT THAT WAY. AND YOU GUYS ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO YOUR 30TH YEAR OF THIS EVENT, IS THAT CORRECT? YEAH, WE HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR 29 YEARS. THIS IS THE 29TH ANNUAL, NEXT YEAR WILL BE 30. SO IT'S JUST A, IT'S A CORNERSTONE EVENT. IT'S, UH, I THINK EVERYONE'S AWARE OF IT. THAT'S WHY WHEN, WHEN THE GOVERNOR COMES TO SPEAK OR WE TRY TO LOOK AT THINGS FROM LIKE A BIG PICTURE PERSPECTIVE TOO, AND THEN BRING IT ON DOWN TO THE LOCAL LEVEL. WELL, WE CERTAINLY FELT THAT IN THE ROOM TODAY. AND AS WE HEARD THERE WAS A LOT OF TALK ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, MANAGEMENT OF GROWTH PARTNERSHIPS. WHAT IS ONE TAKEAWAY THAT YOU WOULD LIKE OUR VIEWERS TO HAVE FROM ALL OF THIS INCREDIBLE INFORMATION? I THINK THE FACT THAT OUR LEADERS REALLY ARE WORKING TOGETHER. YOU CAN SEE IT, WE HEAR ABOUT IT EVERY DAY BEHIND THE SCENES, BUT THE GROWTH THAT'S HAPPENING, YOU KNOW, WHAT HAPPENS IN HARDY IMPACTS, BLUFFTON, WHAT'S HAPPENING IN BLUFFTON IS IMPACTING HILTON HEAD. THERE'S NO MORE MY TOWN, YOUR TOWN. IT'S OUR TOWN AT THIS POINT. SO I THINK THAT WAS, TO ME, THE BIG TAKEAWAY FROM THEM IS THAT WE REALLY ARE WORKING TOGETHER. WE GET IT. WE UNDERSTAND HOW ONE IMPACTS THE OTHER, SO LET'S JUST TRY AND SOLVE IT TOGETHER, WHATEVER THOSE CHALLENGES MAY BE. AND WE'VE ASKED WHAT PEOPLE THINK THOSE CHALLENGES ARE. YOU KNOW, WE'VE ASKED OUR MEMBERS, WE'VE ASKED RESIDENTS, AND LO AND BEHOLD, THAT'S, THAT'S THE TOP ISSUE AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, IS GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT ALONG WITH WORKFORCE, WORKFORCE MATTERS TOO. WELL, AND IT'S ALL ABOUT FINDING THAT BALANCE, RIGHT. BETWEEN ALL OF THOSE THINGS, YOU KNOW, AND I THINK YOU CAN LOOK AT BALANCE. I THINK HILTON HEAD ISLAND REALLY DOES A GREAT JOB OF THAT BALANCE. YOU KNOW, THEY'VE BEEN COEXISTING WITH VISITORS AND RESIDENTS FOR SINCE THE FIFTIES. MM-HMM . IT WAS BUILT TO BE WHAT IT IS. SO THAT BALANCE IS IMPORTANT, THAT QUALITY OF LIFE THAT EVERYBODY APPRECIATES SO MUCH THAT TOURISM BRINGS, NOT JUST TO HILTON HEAD ISLAND, BUT TO THE WHOLE REGION. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE, UH, TAX REVENUE THAT'S COMING IN, UH, LAST YEAR ALONE TO HILTON HEAD ISLAND, IT'S LIKE $50 MILLION DIRECTLY FROM VISITORS. SO IT HELPS PAY FOR ALL THOSE THINGS YEAR ROUND THAT WE ALL GET TO ENJOY. MM-HMM . AND THE GROWTH OF BLUFFTON. AND LOOK AT HARDY, THAT'S LITERALLY THE FASTEST GROWING AREA IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA. SO I THINK FOR ME, THE HEARTENING THING WAS JUST TO HEAR THEM TALK ABOUT, WE GET IT, WE'RE DOING GROWTH TOGETHER AS A UNIT. SO IN YOUR ROLE AT THE CHAMBER, YOU'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR MORE BUSINESSES AND MORE OF THOSE COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO GET INVOLVED. SO HOW CAN SOMEONE FIND MORE ABOUT YOU, MORE ABOUT WHAT WE SPOKE ABOUT TODAY, WHERE CAN YOU DIRECT THEM? THIS IS A REALLY INVOLVED COMMUNITY. I DON'T KNOW THAT I'VE EVER LIVED ANYWHERE WHERE PEOPLE ARE MORE INVOLVED. SO IF YOU GO TO HILTON HEAD BLUFFTON CHAMBER.ORG, WE HAVE A WHOLE PLETHORA OF WAYS YOU CAN GET INVOLVED, WHETHER YOU WANNA KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING IN GOVERNMENT, WHETHER YOU WANNA GET INVOLVED WITH OUR SCHOOLS, WHETHER YOU WANT TO GET IN JOB WITH, WITH MILITARY VETERANS AND A POINT, THERE'S SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE. SO IF YOU WANNA GET CONNECTED AND PLUGGED IN, GREAT PLACE TO DO IT. WE'VE GOT OVER 1300 MEMBERS, THAT'S A LARGE CHAMBER BY NATIONAL STANDARDS AND JUST REALLY A VOICE FOR BUSINESS THROUGHOUT THE REGION. WELL, YOU HEARD IT HERE. GO TO THAT WEBSITE, GET INVOLVED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY, AND WE WILL SEE YOU NEXT TIME HERE ON BCTV. THANK YOU, CHARLIE. THANKS. YOU ARE WATCHING BC TV LIVE, WORK, PLAY. THE COUNTY IS ONE OF THE OLDEST FORMS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN THE UNITED STATES. EARLY SETTLERS FROM ENGLAND BROUGHT THE TRADITION OF COUNTY GOVERNMENT TO AMERICA. TODAY, MORE THAN 3000 COUNTY GOVERNMENTS PROVIDE SERVICES THAT AFFECT ALMOST EVERY CITIZEN'S LIFE. SOUTH CAROLINA'S 46 COUNTIES ARE VERY REPRESENTATIVE OF HOW COUNTY GOVERNMENT HAS EVOLVED NATIONALLY. THE COUNTY UNIT IN SOUTH CAROLINA WAS REGARDED AS A LOCAL EXTENSION OF STATE GOVERNMENT, BUT A STATE CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM MOVEMENT IN THE EARLY 1970S LED TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY, PASSING THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT LAW, ALSO KNOWN AS THE HOME RULE ACT. IN 1975, THE HOME RULE ACT GREATLY EXPANDED COUNTY AUTHORITY AND CHANGED THE NATURE OF COUNTY ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION TO WHAT WE KNOW TODAY. BEAUFORT COUNTY WENT FROM HAVING A BOARD OF DIRECTORS TO A COUNTY COUNCIL. MEMBERS OF THE 1975 COUNCIL INCLUDED CHAIRMAN ARTHUR HORN, VICE CHAIRMAN, GRADY THAMES, LEROY BROWN, GARY FORDHAM, [02:05:01] WILLIAM GRANT, HARRIET, KAISER LING, DAVID JONES, BILL MCBRIDE, AND BOOKER WASHINGTON. AS THE NEW COUNCIL SOUGHT TO DISTINGUISH ITSELF, COUNCIL MEMBERS DESIRED AN OFFICIAL SYMBOL THAT WOULD REPRESENT THE JURISDICTION'S IDENTITY AND UNIQUE CHARACTER COUNCIL APPOINTED AN AD HOC COMMITTEE TO UNDERTAKE THE TASK AND CARRY OUT A CONTEST FOR THE BEST COUNTY SEAL DESIGN. HARRIET KLIN WAS A MEMBER OF COUNTY COUNCIL, AND IT WAS HER IDEA BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING THAT COULD SIGNIFICANTLY IDENTIFY OUR BEAUTIFUL BEAUFORD COUNTY. WE MET THEN UP AT A, I THINK IT WAS A CAROLINA BANK, AND SOME YEARS AGO, BACK THERE ON WEST STREET, AND THEN WE PUT 'EM IN PILES. YOU KNOW, LIKE GOOD, BAD MAYBE UNTIL WE FINALLY GOT IT DOWN TO THE ONE THAT WE NOW USE. COUNTY COUNCIL APPROVED THE SEAL COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION, WHICH REFLECTED THE COUNTY'S HISTORY, TRADITIONS, AND NATURAL BEAUTY. THE SEAL'S COLORS OF BLUE AND GREEN REPRESENT THE COLORS OF THE COUNTY'S OUTDOOR ENVIRONMENT WITH ITS MANY WATERWAYS, MARSHLANDS, AND MARITIME FOREST. THE FIVE IMAGES WITHIN THE SEAL DEPICT SOME OF THE COUNTY'S DISTINGUISHING FEATURES, ANCIENT LIVE OAK TREES, THE SEAFOOD INDUSTRY, RICH NATURAL RESOURCES, AND RARE MARINE ECOLOGY, LOW COUNTRY ARCHITECTURE, AND MILES OF RIVERS, CREEKS, AND INLETS. I WAS REALLY IMPRESSED. I THOUGHT IT ENCOMPASSED WHAT THE, WHAT WE AS A BODY WERE LOOKING FOR A SEAL THAT WOULD, WHEN YOU LOOKED AT IT AND JUST THOUGHT ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT, IT REALLY COVERS THE ASPECTS OF BEAUFORT COUNTY. SO HE DID A GOOD JOB OF BRINGING TOGETHER THE THINGS THAT WE, UH, WHOLE SO THERE AND WHAT WE REALLY LIKE ABOUT BEAUFORT COUNTY. COUNCILMAN BILL MCBRIDE WAS IN OFFICE WHEN THE CONTEST WAS HELD AND WAS PRESENT WHEN THE COMMITTEE REVEALED THE WINNING DESIGN. I THINK COUNCIL WAS ECSTATIC ABOUT IT. UH, WE THOUGHT THAT THE, THE SIMS ON THE SEAL REPRESENTED, UM, ASPECTS OF LIFE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY. THERE IT IS, A SLIGHT CHANGE IN THE ORIGINAL DRAFT THAT WAS PRESENTED TO US WHERE YOU HAVE THE SHRIMP BOAT TODAY. INITIALLY, THAT WAS A PLEASURE CRAFT, A SAILBOAT YACHT TYPE BOAT. AND, UH, IT WAS CHANGED BY COUNTY COUNCIL BECAUSE WE FELT THAT THE SHRIMP BOAT WAS A BETTER REPRESENTATION, UM, OF A MORE COMPREHENSIVE, UH, ASPECT OF BUFORD COUNTY LIFE BECAUSE YOU HAD OTHER THINGS ON THE SEAL THAT REPRESENT THE PLEASURE AND RECREATION, THE FISHING AND THE BEACH. SO THEY THOUGHT THE SHRIMP BOAT, WHICH WAS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF BEFORD COUNTY CULTURE, SHRIMPING, ESPECIALLY AT THAT TIME, WOULD BE REFLECTED ON THE SALE. THE WINNER OF THE CONTEST WAS AN ARTIST FROM HILTON HEAD ISLAND, THE LATE LEE PAYNE, WHOSE DESIGN WAS SELECTED FROM MORE THAN 126 CENTURIES SUBMITTED FROM AS FAR AWAY AS INDIANA AND TENNESSEE. HE WAS AWARDED $250 FOR HIS DESIGN. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, HE CAPTURED THE LEGACY OF OUTDOOR BEAUTY, CULTURE, AND HISTORY THAT HELPED TO DEFINE IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF LIFE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY. TO SEE MORE BEAUFORT COUNTY MOMENTS GO TO THE BEAUFORT COUNTY LIBRARY HOMEPAGE AND CLICK ON THE LOCAL HISTORY TAB. * 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.