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CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY.
[1. Call to Order]
GOT[2. Adoption of the Agenda]
AN AGENDA BEFORE US.ANY MOVEMENT THERE? A MAY OF APPROVAL.
[3. Approval of the Minutes]
HAVE OUR FEBRUARY 9TH, 2026 MEETING.[4.a. Town of Hilton Head Island FY2026 Monthly Financial Update – Dave Byrd, Finance Director]
WILL HAVE OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR, MR. DAVE BYRD.GIVE US THE FY 2026 VERY BRIEF MONTHLY FINANCIAL UPDATE.
UM, SO I HAVE JUST A QUICK UPDATE OF OUR FINANCIALS THROUGH THE MONTH OF JANUARY.
REALLY NO REAL SURPRISES THIS MONTH FROM A FINANCIAL PERSPECTIVE.
UH, AS WE TALKED ABOUT LAST MONTH, OUR GOAL IS TO SHARE SALES TAX DATA WITH Y'ALL, UH, IN THE NEXT MEETING.
THIS ONE WAS NOT THE ONE TO DO IT IN.
UM, WE ARE COMPILING THIS INTO EIGHT SEGMENTS.
UH, WE WILL, WE'RE STILL GOING THROUGH SOME OF THE DATA FROM THE STATE, I'LL SAY.
SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET THAT RESOLVED.
AND I HAVE SOME GOOD INFORMATION TO SHARE JUST FROM A HIGH LEVEL ON A REVENUE PERSPECTIVE.
WE'RE TRACKING, WE'RE SHOWING A LITTLE BIT DOWN.
YEAH, WE'RE SHOWING A LITTLE BIT DOWN FROM LAST YEAR, BUT PRIMARILY ON A NORMALIZED BASIS.
PRIMARILY, THAT'S REALLY THE TIMING OF PROPERTY TAX PAYMENTS.
THEY DID COME IN, UH, THEY DID COME IN STRONGER, SO ABOUT, I THINK ABOUT FOUR OR 500,000 HIGHER THAN WE HAD PROJECTED, WHICH IS GOOD.
SO, UM, ONCE WE UPDATE THE FEBRUARY NUMBERS, I THINK THE YEAR TO DATE WILL LOOK MUCH BETTER THAN WHAT YOU'RE SEEING NOW.
AND THEN ON EXPENSES, REALLY NO, UH, NO SURPRISES THERE FROM AN EXPENSE PERSPECTIVE.
UH, RUNNING ABOUT 1.8%, UH, YEAR TO DATE VERSUS LAST YEAR THROUGH THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY.
JUST ON THE CIP WE DID ADD THE PRELIMINARY CIP ROLLOVER, UH, WHICH YOU'LL SEE COMING UP IN THE BUDGET THAT YOU SAW A LITTLE BIT OF THAT A COUPLE WEEKS AGO IN THE CIP WORK SESSION.
OTHER THAN THAT, I'M GONNA, I, I CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, BUT WE'RE TRACKING WELL AND, UH, FROM A FULL YEAR PERSPECTIVE, UH, WE'RE TRACKING JUST A LITTLE BIT HIGHER THAN 2025, UH, FROM A YEAR OVER YEAR PERSPECTIVE IN TOTAL REVENUE FOR THE TOWN.
BUT I'M TRYING TO BE QUICK
UH, WE WELCOME COUNCILMAN ALFRED AND COUNCILMAN BECCA TO THE CONVERSATION TODAY.
UH, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THE FINANCIAL REPORT? NO, THANK YOU.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYTHING.
[5.a. Review and Discussion of the Town of Hilton Head Island's Affiliated Agency Funding Request Applications for Fiscal Year 2027 - Dave Byrd, Finance Director]
ALL RIGHT.SO THE NEXT TOPIC IS REALLY THE, UH, MOST OF THE MEETING TODAY, WHICH IS THE AFFILIATED AGENCY FUNDING REQUEST FOR 2027.
WE ATTACHED THE APPLICATIONS THAT WERE RECEIVED AS OF JANUARY 23RD, AND, UH, THERE WAS SOME FEEDBACK THAT WAS REQUESTED FROM THE COMMITTEE.
WE DID GO THROUGH AND WE HAD MEETINGS, UH, WITH EVERY, UH, EVERY, UH, COMMITTEE OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS AND KIND OF TRIED TO FILL IN THE HOLES WITH THAT.
SO YOUR CONTENT HAS EXPANDED WITH THE INVITATION FOR THE COMMITTEES TO COME PRESENT ANY INFORMATION THEY WANT TO DISCUSS, ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS RELATED TO THEIR 2027 ASK.
AND, UM, SO I'M GONNA KIND OF INTRODUCE EACH, EACH ORGANIZATION AS A, AS A THROUGH THE ORDER HERE THAT WE DO HAVE.
AND ONCE WE GET THROUGH TODAY, WE'LL CIRCLE BACK NEXT WEEK OR NEXT MONTH TO GET YOUR RECOMMENDATION GOING FORWARD FOR THE BUDGET.
AND SO FROM THAT BEING SPED, I'LL UH, INTRODUCE, UH, LEAH WITH ISLAND RECREATION ASSOCIATION.
MR. BIRD, YOU SAID YOU'LL BE COMING BACK TO US NEXT MONTH FOR OUR RECOMMENDATION.
SO YOU'RE NOT LOOKING FOR ANY FORMAL FROM US TODAY.
YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU WERE GONNA COME BACK TO US NEXT MONTH FOR OUR RECOMMENDATION, RIGHT? THAT'S WHAT WE, THE CONSIDERATION FOR APPROVAL FOR THE 2027 BUDGET FROM THE FEEDBACK FROM TODAY.
SO YOU'LL NEED SOME DIRECTION FROM THIS COMMITTEE TODAY? WE, UH, YES.
WE'RE PLANNING TO TAKE SOME FORMAL ACTION TODAY IS WHERE I'M GOING.
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AND DO I JUST CLICK THROUGH? IS IT OKAY,LEAH ARNOLD WITH THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND REC ASSOCIATION.
I KNOW I'M A DIFFERENT FACE UP HERE THAN FRANK HAS BEEN THE PAST 40 YEARS.
SO THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE THIS MORNING.
AND I'LL JUST RUN THROUGH, UM, A LITTLE INFORMATION ABOUT OUR 2025 IMPACT FROM WHAT YOU GUYS HAVE GIVEN US IN THE PAST YEARS.
AND THEN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT OUR 2027, UM, BUDGET THAT WE HAVE PRESENTED TO YOU.
UM, SO HERE YOU CAN SEE FROM OUR IMPACT FROM 2025.
WE COLLECT ALL OF OUR PROGRAM DATA THAT YOU HAD IN YOUR PACKAGE, UM, WITH THE FUNDS THAT YOU PRESENTED TO US AND GIVEN TO US IN THE PAST 2025, WE WERE ABLE TO PRODUCE OVER 124 DIFFERENT PROGRAMS AND EVENTS.
UM, WE HAD OVER 600,000 PARTICIPANT VISITS.
THAT JUST MEANS PEOPLE THAT HAVE COME THROUGH OUR DOORS AT THE ISLAND REC CENTER THAT HAVE BEEN TO OUR COMMUNITY EVENTS THAT HAVE COME OUT TO SOCCER FIELD, BASKETBALL COURTS, ANYTHING THAT WE PUT ON, UM, WE COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT ALL OF OUR VOLUNTEER HOURS.
WITH ALL OF OUR YOUTH SPORTS PROGRAMS. WE HAD OVER 20,000 HOURS FROM VOLUNTEER HOURS SAVING THE TOWN, HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN MONEY WITH ALL THOSE VOLUNTEER HOURS.
UM, WE COULDN'T ALSO DO ANY OF OUR STUFF WITHOUT OUR YOUTH SPONSORS, UM, FOR ANY OF OUR YOUTH SPORTS EVENTS.
UM, OUR COMMUNITY EVENTS, THOSE SPONSORS ARE WHAT HELP US, UM, CUT THE COST OF A LOT OF THINGS AS WELL AS OUR GRANTS AND OUR DONATIONS THAT WE'RE ABLE TO GET AS WELL.
UM, WE'VE PARTNERED WITH OVER 76 COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO PUT ON EVENTS, UM, WORK WITH THEM ON DIFFERENT EVENTS OR PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.
UM, AND SOMETHING WE ARE VERY PROUD OF IS WE'VE GIVEN ALMOST $240,000 IN CHILDREN'S SCHOLARSHIPS.
UM, WE EXPANDED THAT A FEW YEARS AGO TO ALSO INCLUDE FITNESS MEMBERSHIPS FOR ADULTS BECAUSE WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT NOBODY HAS DENIED ANY PROGRAMS AT THE ISLAND REC CENTER WHEN BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT WITH JUST 19 FULL-TIME STAFF AND A PART-TIME STAFF OF ABOUT 110 WITH SEASONAL EMPLOYEES THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER MONTHS.
SO, UM, MARKETING, JUST A PUSH THAT WE LIKE TO SEE AS WELL IS, UM, OVER 196,000, UM, PEOPLE LIKE US ON FACEBOOK.
UM, OUR GOAL THIS YEAR IS TO GET TO 200,000 WITH THAT.
UM, AND THAT'S ALL THROUGH INTERNAL MARKETING, UM, WORKING WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO GET INFORMATION OUT THROUGH PEACH JAR.
UM, BUT THEN ALSO OUR MARKETING DIRECTOR IS GREAT ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND GETTING THAT OUT.
AND THAT'S WHERE WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF IT, EVEN FROM OUR SURVEY.
YOU'LL SEE WHERE DO YOU HEAR ABOUT THE ISLAND REC CENTER? IT'S A LOT OF COMMUNITY EMAILS BEING OUT THERE.
UM, WE'RE ALSO GLAD TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE A COMMUNITY EMAIL, UM, ON THE FIRST AND THE 15TH OF THE MONTH TO OTHER COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND WITH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO BE ABLE TO GET THEIR INFORMATION OUT THERE AS WELL.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE LIKE TO DO, UM, FOR EVERYBODY.
UM, AND YOU'LL SEE HERE SOME OF OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS THAT WE WORK WITH.
WE WORK CLOSELY WITH THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND SCHOOLS, UM, TO BE ABLE TO PUT ON PROGRAMS THERE, UM, WITH OUR MU USE AGREEMENT TO BE ABLE TO USE THEIR FACILITIES, UM, BECAUSE WE HAVE TIGHT SPACES, YOU KNOW, WITH FIELDS AND USAGE.
SO BEING ABLE TO USE THE HIGH SCHOOL HAS BEEN A GREAT ASSET AS WELL AS THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AS WELL.
UM, JUST SOME THINGS WE TOOK FROM OUR ANNUAL SURVEY, UM, YOU CAN SEE THAT STOOD OUT IN OUR WORD, WORD CLOUD.
UM, PICKLEBALL OBVIOUSLY BEING UP THERE IS ONE OF THE LARGER LETTERS.
SO I'M HAPPY TODAY THAT OLD SCHOOLHOUSE PARK IS OPENING BACK UP.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF PICKLEBALL PLAYERS OUT THERE THIS MORNING WHEN I WAS PASSED THERE.
UM, IN COMMUNITY, THAT'S OUR BIG THING IS WE BUILD COMMUNITY AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT STICKS OUT IS THE REC CENTER.
WE ARE HERE FOR THE COMMUNITY AND BUILDING THAT AND GROWING IT AND MOVING FORWARD.
UM, YOU CAN SEE WE'VE EXPANDED.
OUR BIG THING LAST YEAR WAS TO EXPAND OUR ADULT AND OUR SENIOR PROGRAMMING.
UM, SOME OF OUR LARGEST INCREASE IN OUR BUDGET IS DUE TO OUR SENIOR PROGRAMMING, AND WE SAW THAT NEED, UM, NOT NECESSARILY WITH THE FACILITY, BUT THEY'RE GOING ON TWO TO THREE DAY TRIPS A WEEK.
WE'VE GOT TWO BUSES THAT ARE BUSY YEAR ROUND WITH DAY TRIPS GOING OUT AND ABOUT TO SAVANNAH, CHARLESTON, BUFORD.
UM, THEY'RE VERY SOCIAL, BUT THOSE EXERCISE CLASSES AT THE SENIOR CENTER HAVE ALSO EXPANDED, UM, WITH OUR ADDITION OF SOME DIFFERENT AEROBIC INSTRUCTORS DOWN THERE.
UM, BUT YOU CAN ALSO SEE WE DID SOME OFF THE WALL PROGRAMMING.
WE DID ADULT MINI GOLF PUTT PUTT, AND THAT HAS GOT NINE TEAMS EACH SEASON WE'VE DONE IT.
SO IT'S JUST THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX AND BE ABLE TO OFFER PROGRAMMING THAT MIGHT NOT BE DONE ANYWHERE ELSE.
UM, YOU CAN SEE OUR POOL, UM, IS HEAVILY USED.
IF YOU ARE OUT THERE NOW, THE DOME IS UP AND IT WILL COME DOWN NEXT WEEK.
UM,
BUT WE'VE OFFERED JUST THIS SPRING SEASON, UM, 250 KIDS FROM SECOND GRADERS THAT IB ELEMENTARY HAVE COME OVER AND DONE SWIM LESSONS WITH US.
SO, UM, FREE OF CHARGE TO THEM AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, THEY COME OVER AND OUR SWIM INSTRUCTORS GET IN THE POOL WITH THEM.
SO IT HAS BEEN A GREAT OFFERING WITH THAT.
UM, SOMETHING ELSE WE'RE HAPPY TO OFFER THIS SPRING SEASON.
WE STARTED UP HOMESCHOOL SPORTS, UM, AND WE HAVE ABOUT 15 HOMESCHOOL STUDENTS THAT COME IN AND DO HOMESCHOOL PE WITH US AS WELL AS THEY TAKE PARTNER OUTDOOR
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RECREATION PROGRAMS. SO WE'VE DONE A COMBO DEAL THERE, UM, TO BE ABLE TO OFFER THAT TO SOME DIFFERENT PROGRAMMING OPPORTUNITIES.SO I OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS TO KEEP IT BRIEF SO EVERYBODY CAN STAY ON TIME.
WE'LL START WITH YOU MS. BRYSON.
AND, UM, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO FOR US AND, AND OUR COMMUNITY AND AND VISITORS AS WELL.
I KNOW SOME VISITORS COME AND USE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A DAILY OR A WEEKLY, UH, OPPORTUNITY THERE, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
UM, MY MAIN QUESTION IS ABOUT THE REASON FOR THE INCREASE.
UH, LOOKS LIKE IT'S, UH, ALMOST 300,000, NOT QUITE THERE, BUT, UM, AND YOU MENTIONED INCREASE IN SENIOR PROGRAMMING, WHICH IS GREAT.
UM, I'M NOT GOING ADMIT TO BEING A SENIOR, BUT WHEN I GET TO BE A SENIOR
UM, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, AND I KNOW, YOU KNOW, UM, COSTS ARE GOING UP, UH, WITH JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING WE DO IN OUR LIVES.
SO WHAT, OTHER THAN SENIOR PROGRAMMING, WHAT'S THE REASON FOR THE COST INCREASE? REALLY OUR BIGGEST INCREASE HAS BEEN OUR INSURANCE.
UM, JUST OUR GENERAL LIABILITY INSURANCE HAS GONE INCREASED LAST FEW YEARS, BUT LAST YEAR WE REALLY SAW IT GO UP EVEN WITHOUT HAVING ANY CLAIMS. IT JUST SEEMS WITH ALL THE PROGRAMS WE COVER, THEY WANNA MAKE SURE WE ARE COVERED WITH EVENTS AND SPORTS, YOU KNOW, CONCUSSIONS AND TAKING ON, WE BROUGHT BACK ON OUR TACKLE FOOTBALL PROGRAMS, SO THE GENERAL LIABILITY HAS REALLY GONE UP WITH THAT.
AND THEN JUST STAFFING AND THE COST OF LIVING.
WE'RE TRYING TO STAY COMPETITIVE AS FAR AS HAVING STAFF THAT ARE HERE.
UM, LIKE I SAID, WE DO IT WITH 19 FULL-TIME STAFF.
A LOT OF THEM ARE LIVING OFF ISLAND AND WE WANNA GET 'EM CLOSER BECAUSE WE WORK ALL DIFFERENT HOURS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
SO IT'S JUST MAKING SURE WE CAN STAY COMPETITIVE WITH THE HOUSING MARKET AND RATE OF PAY FOR EVERYBODY.
SO, AND ALSO MAKE SURE THAT OUR PROGRAMS ARE AFFORDABLE TO FAMILIES.
WE DON'T WANNA RAISE 'EM THE COST OF THE PROGRAM WHERE FAMILIES CAN'T AFFORD 'EM.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE HAVE THAT, BUT WE'VE ALSO SEEN OUR SCHOLARSHIP NUMBERS INCREASE BECAUSE OF COST OF LIVING AND EVERYTHING ELSE GOING UP ON THE ISLAND.
UM, AND, AND SO, UM, NO INCREASE IN FEES, WHICH IS GREAT.
UM, LIKE YOU SAY, TO KEEP IT AFFORDABLE AND, AND I KNOW THE, THE TOWN IS LOOKING TO BRING ON SOME MORE PARKS, WHICH WILL GIVE YOU SOME MORE OPPORTUNITIES.
UM, BUT WILL THAT ALSO PROVIDE SOME FINANCIAL CHALLENGES AS WELL? I THINK WE'VE LOOKED AT IT, THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR WE WERE TASKED WITH BRINGING AN OPERATIONAL BUDGET TO YOU FOR A FIVE YEAR PLAN WITH THE PICKLEBALL CENTER HOPEFULLY OPENING UP WITHIN THE NEXT FEW YEARS.
SO WE HAVE PROJECTED FOR THAT RIGHT NOW.
WE HAVE ONE PART-TIME PICKLEBALL DIRECTOR ON STAFF.
WE KNOW GOING FORWARD THAT'S GONNA PROBABLY HAVE TO INCREASE TO TWO MORE FULL-TIME STAFF AS WELL AS SOME MORE PART-TIME STAFF.
'CAUSE THAT FACILITY WILL HAVE TO BE MANNED THE WHOLE TIME IT'S OPEN.
UM, SO WE KNOW THERE WILL BE SOME COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH IT, BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT WILL BE SOME PROFITS COMING IN FROM 'EM, JUST LOOKING AT PROGRAMMING THAT WILL GO ON DOWN THERE AS WELL AS BRINGING IN SOME TOURNAMENTS THAT MIGHT BRING IN SOME COSTS.
SO RIGHT NOW WE DON'T KNOW, AND IT'S HARD TO PROJECT
WE'RE DOING OUR BEST TO TRY AND FIGURE IT OUT.
YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, WE DO KNOW SOME STAFF THAT WANNA COME ON AND WORK.
WE DO KNOW WHAT WE COULD PROBABLY CHARGE FOR PROGRAMMING, BUT JUST DEPENDING ON HOW EVERYTHING SHOOTS OUT, RIGHT NOW, I THINK WE HAVE OVER 300 PICKLEBALL MEMBERS.
UM, THEY PAY A VERY MINIMAL FEE OF $75 FOR THE YEAR, UM, FOR ALL ACCESS TO OLD SCHOOL HOUSE AS WELL AS THE RECREATION CENTER COURTS.
UM, SO THAT WILL PROBABLY HAVE TO INCREASE GOING FORWARD TO NEXT YEAR.
AND JUST FIGURING OUT WHAT IS THAT COST OF PICKLEBALL GOING TO BE.
WELL, UH, KESSMAN, BRYSON ASKED MY QUESTION
UH, BUT I DO WANNA SAY, AND I'VE ALWAYS SAID TO FRANK, I LOVE THIS BUSINESS BUSINESS MODEL.
IT'S A GREAT EXAMPLE OF WHAT AFFILIATED AGENCY IS, UH, IN A LIMITED, UM, SERVICE GOVERNMENT, YOU PROVIDE THE SUPPORT THAT A PARKS AND RECREATION, UM, YOU KNOW, DEPARTMENT WOULD AND WE APPRECIATE IT.
AND YOUR MOA, UM, DOES REQUIRE THAT YOU PRODUCE, UH, AT LEAST 50% OF YOUR INCOME AND YOU DO MUCH BETTER THAN THAT.
YOU PRODUCE ABOUT TWO THIRDS OF YOUR INCOME MM-HMM
AND SO I APPRECIATE ALL THE EFFORT THAT YOU PUT IN THAT.
AND, UM, I ALSO APPRECIATE, UH, THE FACT THAT YOU'RE GIVING AWAY $240,000 IN SCHOLARSHIPS SO THAT CHILDREN AND FAMILIES ARE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE BECAUSE RECREATION IS SO IMPORTANT FOR OUR HEALTH AND FOR OUR SENSE OF COMMUNITY.
WHO DO WE HAVE NEXT, MR. BIRD? OKAY.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE, UH, REX FROM THE COASTAL DISCOVERY MUSEUM.
HI, I'M REX FROM THE COASTAL DISCOVERY MUSEUM.
GAR, UM, THE COASTAL DISCOVERY MUSEUM HAS A REALLY LONG PARTNERSHIP WITH THE TOWN IN 2002.
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TOM PEOPLES WAS REALLY INSTRUMENTAL BOTH IN PROTECTING HONEY HORN AND GETTING COASTAL DISCOVERY MUSEUM OFF THE GROUND.AND HE SAW THAT AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE TOWN TO PROVIDE SUPPORT AND FOR THE ISLAND TO HAVE A GREAT MUSEUM.
AND I THINK OVER THE SUBSEQUENT 25 YEARS, IT'S BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL IN FULFILLING THAT WE NOW HAVE ABOUT A $2 MILLION ANNUAL BUDGET, AND WE ARE ABLE TO MAINTAIN, UH, COASTAL DISCOVERY MUSEUM'S, UM, ENTRANCE AND HONEY HORN'S ENTRANCE AS FREE OPPORTUNITIES FOR EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT WE OPERATE A FREE MUSEUM AND MAINTAIN THE PUBLIC GROUNDS FREE OF CHARGE 365 DAYS A YEAR WITH THE TOWN SUPPORT.
AND SO OUR REQUEST FOR 150,000 AS AN AFFILIATED AGENCY FUNDS A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT THE MUSEUM THAT ARE NOT FUNDABLE LIKE OTHERWISE THROUGH, UM, AT TAX, UM, OR OUR OPERATIONS.
AND, AND ONE OF THE KEY THINGS FOR ME WITH COASTAL DISCOVERY MUSEUM IS HOW MANY SCHOOL CHILDREN WE SERVE IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND I THINK BY DOING SO, WE REALLY HELP ELEVATE THE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE ON THE ISLAND, UM, THAT IS NOT A REVENUE CENTER FOR THE MUSEUM.
UM, LAST WEEK WE ACTUALLY HAD ALL OF THE EIGHTH GRADERS FROM BUFORT COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS COME TO THE MUSEUM, UM, TO CELEBRATE, UM, AMERICA'S TWO 50TH AND TO DO A LOT OF, UM, FIRST PERSON LIVE PROGRAMMING WITH, UM, EVERYTHING FROM THE, UM, UH, GULLAH THEATER THROUGH LIKE LIVE CANNON FIRINGS.
AND WE HAD A LOT OF STAFF FROM THE TOWN HELP US AS VOLUNTEERS.
UH, AND IT WAS A, IT WAS A GREAT PROGRAM AND IT WAS FREE.
AND SO IT COST US, UM, ABOUT, UH, $25,000 TO BRING IN PROGRAMMERS AND BATHROOMS AND ALL OF THIS OTHER STUFF PLUS STAFF TIME.
BUT WE ARE ABLE TO DO THINGS LIKE THAT FOR THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE WE GET THIS SUPPORT FROM THE TOWN.
UM, AND, AND I THINK WE'VE SHOWN OVER THE PAST, UM, WE'VE HAD AN MOU WITH THE TOWN, UM, FOR, UH, 19 YEARS NOW, UM, THAT HAS US AS AN AFFILIATED AGENCY WITH A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF SUPPORT FROM THE TOWN.
UM, AND THAT HAS GROWN, UM, OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS.
BUT SO HAS THE MUSEUM AND, AND OUR GROWTH FROM LAST YEAR TO THIS YEAR IS REALLY BASED ON INCREASED, UH, SALARIES FOR STAFF.
AND SO I JUST WANNA OPEN IT UP FOR, UH, ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.
UH, ALWAYS APPRECIATE THE COASTAL DISCOVERY MUSEUM.
AND AGAIN, IT'S ANOTHER GREAT BUSINESS MODEL OF THE TOWN BEING IN A POSITION TO HAVE A, UH, A, A MUSEUM FREE, UH, TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND I APPRECIATE ALL THE EFFORT THAT YOU PUT INTO NEW PROGRAMMING, LIKE WHAT YOU JUST SPOKE ABOUT WITH THE 250TH ANNIVERSARY AND ALL THE EIGHTH GRADERS COMING IN.
UM, I ALWAYS FIND THAT YOUR, UM, REQUESTS ARE REASONABLE, UH, IN NATURE.
AND SO I APPRECIATE THAT AS WELL.
UM, AND YOU, UM, ABOUT 26% OF THE EXPENSES ARE COVERED THROUGH, UH, AFFILIATED AGENCY AND ATEX.
AND SO YOU GENERATE, UH, FUNDING FOR THE REMAINDER OF YOUR PROGRAM.
SO I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
OKAY, MS. BRYSON? YEAH, MY ONLY, UH, QUESTION WAS ABOUT THE INCREASE IN THE AMOUNT REQUESTED, AND I THINK YOU ANSWERED THAT WITH REGARD TO INCREASE IN STAFF SALARIES.
AND WE, WE UNDERSTAND THAT CHALLENGE, ESPECIALLY FOR NONPROFITS IN KEEPING UP WITH SALARIES.
SO, AND, UH, BUT I APPRECIATE ALL THE MUSEUM DOES AND STAYING AT, AT A FREE MUSEUM.
YEAH, THAT IT HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE FOR US TO HIRE PEOPLE IN.
AND SO WE'VE ACTUALLY HAD TO RAISE SALARIES FOR THE PEOPLE WE HIRE, AND THAT MEANS YOU HAVE TO RAISE THE SALARIES FOR EXISTING STAFF.
'CAUSE YOU CAN'T PAY THE NEW HIRES MORE THAN THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN WORKING THERE
AND SO THAT IS A CHALLENGE THAT WE THINK WILL, WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE, BUT WE'RE WORKING, UM, TO TRY AND FIND SOME HOUSING SOLUTIONS FOR STAFF MEMBERS THAT COME IN THAT CAN HOPEFULLY ALLEVIATE SOME OF THAT EXPENSE.
I DON'T KNOW WHETHER ANY OF YOUR STAFF MEMBERS MIGHT QUALIFY FOR THEY WILL
I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THE PROCESS, BUT, UM, ANYHOW, THAT'S, THEY'VE ALREADY ASKED ME ABOUT THAT
OKAY, NOW WE'RE GONNA HAVE AHAD WITH MITCHELLVILLE PRESERVATION PROJECT.
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MORNING COUNSELORS.UH, IT'S MY PLEASURE TO COME HERE TO TALK ABOUT OUR AFFILIATED AGENCY APPLICATION FOR HISTORIC MITCHELLVILLE FREEDOM PARK.
UH, INCIDENTALLY, WE ARE WORKING ON GETTING OUR NAME OFFICIALLY CHANGED ACROSS THE BOARD WITH ALL OF OUR TAX DOCUMENTS.
SO EVENTUALLY YOU'LL SEE US AS HISTORIC VILLE FREEDOM PARK WHEN WE COME UP HERE AT NOT MITCHELLVILLE PRESERVATION PROJECT.
UM, NO KNOCK ON THE NAME, BUT WE HAVE CHANGED.
UH, THERE'S A LOT GOING ON AT THE, THE PARK AS Y'ALL ARE WELL AWARE OF.
UM, MUCH LIKE RE'S COASTAL DISCOVERY AND LEAH AT HONOR REC, WE'VE HAD A LONG STANDING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE TOWN.
AS FAR AS AN AFFILIATED AGENCY, OUR MOU IS NOT AS OLD AS THEIRS, BUT, UH, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO MAINTAIN PROPERTY WITH YOUR ASSISTANCE.
UH, OUR GROUNDS ARE FREE WHEN WE HAVE OUR NEW, UH, ARCHEOLOGICAL RESEARCH FACILITY IN AUDITORIUM, WHICH WILL OPEN IN THE FALL.
UH, THERE WILL BE AN ADMISSION TO THAT SPACE.
UH, BUT WE ARE JUST IN A, IN A POSITION OF GREAT CHANGE.
AS YOU CAN TELL, WE HAVE A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION AND ARCHEOLOGY GOING ON AT THE SITE.
SO I WANNA TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING.
AS I MENTIONED, THE FACILITY WILL OPEN IN THE FALL, UH, THAT WILL ALLOW US TO DO PROCESSING OF ARCHEOLOGICAL UH, FINDINGS ON SITE.
IT WILL HAVE A MULTIPURPOSE ROOM THAT'LL SEAT IT BY 84 PEOPLE TO OUR OWN PROGRAMS ON SITES.
WE DON'T HAVE TO GO OTHER PLACES.
AND SOME OF OUR TEAM WILL MOVE OUT THERE, UM, OUR PROGRAM TEAM, SO THEY CAN INTERFACE WITH PEOPLE ON A MORE REGULAR BASIS.
SO BASED ON OUR METRICS, WE HAD 78,000 VISITS LAST YEAR TO THE PARK THAT WE CAN TRACE THAT DOESN'T COUNT.
LITTLE PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE PHONES AND OLDER PEOPLE WHO HAVE FLIP PHONES AND JITTERBUGS,
UH, AND SO WE KNOW THAT THAT CONTINUES TO GROW AND WE, WE'VE SEEN A, A HEALTHY INCREASE OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.
'CAUSE ALL THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING OUT THERE.
UH, WE HAD HARRIET TUBMAN STATUE ON OUR SITE FOR 14 MONTHS.
UH, SO FOLKS ARE ASKING ME IF SHE'LL EVER COME BACK.
UH, WE ARE LOOKING TO SEE IF THERE'S ANOTHER STATUE THAT, UH, MR. WALKER HAS, HE MIGHT BE ABLE PUT IN THAT SPACE 'CAUSE IT WORKED OUT SO WELL FOR US.
UH, IF YOU GO TO THE PARK NOW, THE TRAIL TO THE BEACH IS PARTLY CLOSED 'CAUSE WE'RE RESURFACING THAT TRAIL AND WE HAVE MONEY FROM THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA TO DO THAT.
SO THAT'LL BE ANOTHER COUPLE OF WEEKS.
SO THAT SAME SURFACE AS YOU SEE AT THE GHOSTED STRUCTURES, WILL BE ALONG FROM THE TONY MORRISON BENCH ALL THE WAY TO THE BEACH.
IN ADDITION, WE HAVE FOUR PUBLIC ART INSTALLATIONS THAT ARE GOING TO BE EMBEDDED ALONG THAT SITE.
AND WE HAD A, A NATIONAL COMPETITION LAST YEAR.
WE PICKED FOUR, UH, UH, INSTALLATIONS AND ONE OF THEM WILL START SOON.
SO WE HAVE DOING THE CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS FOR THAT RIGHT NOW.
THE CHURCH AREA WHERE YOU SEE THE, THE FRONTAGE OF THE CHURCH WITH THE BELL, THAT AREA WILL BE COMPLETED HOPEFULLY BEFORE JUNETEENTH.
WE HAVE BENCHES THAT ARE COMING IN, UH, THAT ARE BEING INSCRIBED WITH NEGRO SPIRITUALS THAT'LL BE RIGHT THERE BEHIND THE CHURCH.
THAT WILL LEAD INTO THE SPACE WHERE WE TALK ABOUT A 4,000 YEAR OLD INDIGENOUS IMPRINT ON THAT SAME AREA, WHETHER IT BE A CORE SAMPLE WHERE YOU CAN SEE ARTIFACTS FROM MITCHELLVILLE AND ARTIFACTS FROM THIS 4,000 YEAR OLD SPACE.
UH, AND WE THINK THE FIRST NATIONS THAT WERE HERE DURING THAT TIME WERE THE ESQ MAKU, I HOPE I'M SAYING THAT CORRECTLY.
AND THE KUBO FIRST NATIONS THAT WERE HERE.
AND SO ALL, WE HAVE ABOUT THREE AND A HALF CAPITAL PROJECTS GONE ON AT ONCE, ESPECIALLY IF YOU ALSO COUNT WHAT THE TOWN IS DOING FOR US AS THE IN KIND FOR THE PARKING LOT AREA.
SO IT'S VERY BUSY IN MITCHELLVILLE.
UH, BUT WE FEEL THAT WE ARE PROVIDING THE SERVICE TO INCREASE THE HISTORY OF THE SPACE AND TO, UM, TALK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS CULTURE AS WE SIT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GULLAH GEECHEE CORRIDOR.
SO WITH THAT, I'LL BE QUIET AND ASK YOU ANY ANSWER, ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE AS FAR AS OUR PROPOSAL.
WELL, AS MY NIECE, UH, YOUNGER NIECE USED TO SAY GREAT LOB
UM, I LOVE COMING OUT TO MITCHELLVILLE LOVE BRINGING FOLKS OUT THERE, LOVE HELPING TO EDUCATE FOLKS ABOUT MITCHELLVILLE.
UM, AND I SEE THAT YOUR NUMBERS ARE FLAT, SO NO QUESTIONS
HIS NUMBERS ARE FLAT 'CAUSE THEY ALIGN TO THE MOU.
BUT, UH, YOU'RE DOING AN INCREDIBLE JOB THERE, UM, FUNDRAISING AND REALLY MAKING A DIFFERENCE.
AND IT SHOWS THROUGH EVERYTHING THAT IS BEING BUILT AND IS CONTINUED TO BE BUILT.
IT IS, UH, ACTUALLY AN EXCITING STORY AND HAS SUCH POTENTIAL.
SO I APPRECIATE THAT AND I DO NOT HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
OKAY, NOW WE'RE GONNA HAVE MARY LOU WITH PALMETTO BREEZE.
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GOOD MORNING.THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO COME AND PRESENT OUR BUDGET REQUEST.
IT'S NOT A FEBRUARY 26TH, BUT, UM, MOVE ON WITH THAT.
UM, JUST AN OVERVIEW OF OUR SYSTEM AND, AND THESE ARE THE BUSES THAT YOU SEE A LOT ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND AND OUR COMMUTER BUSES.
UH, WHAT ELSE I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT IS ONE OF THE REALLY GREAT THINGS THAT HAPPENED IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS AT PALMETTO BREEZE IS WE WERE GIFTED FROM THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION IN THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FOR SLIGHTLY USED MCI COACHES, UH, ANOTHER SERVICE, SOUTHEAST SOUTHEASTERN STAGES, WHO WAS A REGIONAL PROVIDER THAT KIND OF BOLSTERED UP WHAT GREYHOUND DOES.
SO, UM, THEY WENT OUTTA BUSINESS AND THEY HAD BUSES THAT WERE FUNDED THE SAME WAY WE'RE FUNDED.
AND SO THEY HAD THE FOUR BUSES AND SAID, WELL, WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO WITH THEM? AND THEY KNEW THAT WE HAD AGING BUSES AND WE WERE TRYING TO GET, UM, UH, FUNDING FOR REPLACEMENT.
AND SO THEY, THEY GAVE THEM TO US WITH AT NO COST.
SO THEY'RE ON OUR YARD NOW AND WE'RE GETTING 'EM, THE GRAPHICS ON 'EM, AND THEY'LL SOON BE RUNNING ON OUR COMMUTER BUSES ROUTES, WHICH COME OVER HERE.
UM, THE GREAT NEWS IS THAT THEY'RE REPLACING OH SIX AND OH SEVEN BUSES THAT ARE ABOUT A MILLION MILES ON 'EM.
SO IT, IT, IT'LL LAST FOR ANOTHER 10 TO 15 YEARS, THESE FOUR BUSES.
AND, UM, AND IT ALLOWS US TO SELL OFF THE OLDER BUSES.
WE HAVE VERY FEW WAYS TO MAKE MONEY AS A TRANSIT SYSTEM.
AND SO THAT HELPS TO OFFSET A LITTLE OF THE LOCAL MATCH MONEY.
HERE'S OUR MAP OF EVERYWHERE WE COVER.
UM, IT'S A, GEOGRAPHICALLY A VERY LARGE SERVICE AREA.
AS YOU COULD SEE, ALL OF THE COMMUTER BUSES, UM, WHICH ARE THE LONG RANGE ONES THERE, UM, ALL COME TO HILTON HEAD.
THEY DO, UH, ALSO CIRCULATE BLUFFTON, BUT THEY COME FROM ALL, ALL THE COUNTIES AND, UH, BRING FOLKS TO WORK HERE IN HILTON HEAD.
UM, THIS JUST HIGHLIGHTS WHAT WE DO FOR HILTON HEAD, ALL THE COMMUTER ROUTES, THE BREEZE TROLLEY, UM, WHICH WILL START THE SATURDAY BEFORE THE HERITAGE.
UM, THE BEACH SHUTTLE, WHICH WE'RE WORKING ON THE AGREEMENT.
IT'LL BE THE SAME AS LAST YEAR TO COVER THE OVERFLOW DOWN AT KIG.
UM, AND ALSO, UM, THINGS FOR STAFF.
AND, UM, WE WE'RE ALSO GONNA BE IN THE ST.
PATRICK'S DAY PARADE AND TAKE ALL THE DIGNITARIES AT THE END.
AND WE LOVE, UM, PARTICIPATING.
AND, UM, WE DIDN'T PROVIDE THIS LAST YEAR, BUT, UM, I THINK IT'S GREAT TO SEE HOW THOSE ARE ALL THE, UM, THE EIGHT HUNDREDS ARE THE COMMUTER ROUTES THAT COME OVER FROM, UH, BLUFF INTO OVER HERE AND THREE YEARS WORTH OF RIDERSHIP NUMBERS.
AND I, I DID WANNA POINT OUT, 'CAUSE IT WAS AFTER WE'D SENT THIS IN THAT WE, UH, LOOKED AT THE NUMBERS THAT SAID WHAT HAPPENED IN 24 TO THE COME DUNES ROUTE.
AND I DO HAVE AN ANSWER FOR THAT.
YOU CAN SEE THE THREE, THE TWO ROUTES UNDER THAT ONE ARE ALL HIGHER IN, I, I THINK THERE WAS AN ERROR IN CALCULATING, UM, UH, WHEN EIGHT, THE BUS ROUTE EIGHT 10 WAS, UH, SERVING, UM, HELPING OUT WITH THE MARRIOTT SERVICE.
AND THOSE NUMBERS SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUT BACK TO THAT ROUTE BECAUSE THE PEOPLE WERE PICKED UP, BUT THEY WERE PICKED UP BY OTHER BUSES.
UM, SO IT REALLY DIDN'T DROP IN PALMETTO DUNES.
UM, THE BREEZE TROLLEY SERVICE, WE RUN EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK, SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY UNTIL 10:00 PM FRIDAY AND SATURDAY UNTIL 11:00 AM 11:00 PM MID-APRIL THROUGH LABOR DAY.
AND, UM, AND IT DOES RUN FAIR FREE AND I RECOMMEND IT STAY FAIR FREE.
THE WHOLE IDEA OF MAKING IT FAIR FREE WAS TO ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO GET ON THE TROLLEY AND THAT RESULTS IN LOWER CONGESTION ON THE SOUTH END.
AND THAT'S REALLY WHY THIS TROLLEY STARTED, BECAUSE THE CIRCLE TO CIRCLE COMMITTEE GOT A CONSULTANT IN TO LOOK AT THE SOUTH END OF THE ISLAND, AND THEY MADE GREAT RECOMMENDATIONS WITH THE BICYCLES AND THE LANES AND ALL THE INFRASTRUCTURE.
BUT ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS WAS THE TROLLEY.
AND THESE ARE THE ROUTES, SOME OF THE ROUTES THAT SERVE HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
UH, WE MEANT TO CHANGE THIS ONE OUT.
I'M SORRY THAT THAT'S THE BLUFFTON ONE, BUT IT DOES SHOW, WE SERVE, UM, A LOT OF THE EMPLOYERS AND, AND THERE'S ANOTHER ONE THAT WE SHOULD HAVE HAD IN HERE, BUT WE SERVE A LOT OF THE EMPLOYERS ON HILTON HEAD.
AND IF SOMEONE CALLS AND SAYS, HEY, I GOT SOME EMPLOYEES AND I HAVE A BUSINESS AT THIS AND SUCH A PLACE AND CAN
[00:30:01]
YOU BRING PEOPLE HERE? WE ADJUST THE ROUTE FOR ANY BUSINESS THAT CALLS AND SAYS THEY HAVE WORKERS COMING FROM THE OUTLYING COUNTIES.SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT FLUID IN THAT WAY, JUST TRYING TO GET EVERYBODY IN TO WORK.
WE ALSO, UM, PLAY A, A VERY SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN THE EMERGENCY EVACUATION AND FOR HILTON HEAD, WHAT WE DO HERE IS WE GIVE ONE OF OUR CUTAWAY BUSES SIMILAR TO THE BUS YOU'RE LOOKING AT, TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO USE.
UM, THAT'S HOW WHAT WE'VE WORKED OUT.
AND THEN WE DO TAKE, UM, WE DO HAVE A BUS THAT WE STAGE HERE.
UH, IT USED TO BE THE SAM'S CLUB, BUT IN THE PORT ROYAL PLAZA TO ALLOW ANY CITIZENS OR ANYBODY THAT NEEDS TO GO TO A SHELTER TO, TO GO ON THAT BUS.
AND WE TAKE THEM TO THE JASPER COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL COMPLEX AND, AND BACK AGAIN.
AND, AND IT'S NOT JUST HURRICANES, ALTHOUGH EVERYBODY SAYS HURRICANES, ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN WHERE WE NEED BUSES TO HELP OUT.
WE CAN HELP OUT IF THERE'S A MAJOR FIRE AND YOU NEED FOLKS TO BE ABLE TO SIT IN A BUS, YOU NEED THE FIREFIGHTERS TO HAVE AIR CONDITIONING.
WE CAN DO, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THINGS.
AND SO I ENCOURAGE, UM, THE TOWN TO REMEMBER THAT.
AND THIS IS WHAT OUR ASK IS FOR THIS YEAR.
UM, HOW WE DO THIS IS WE TAKE THE URBANIZED AREA, WHICH IS TOWN OF BLUFFTON, TOWN OF HILTON, HAD AN UNINCORPORATED BUFORD SOUTH OF BROAD AND DIVIDE THAT UP BY POPULATION.
AND HILTON HAD PORTION ON THAT IS 378,201.
BUT OUR ASK IS 55,000 ADDITIONAL, AND WE ASK FOR SOME CONTRIBUTION TO HELP THE COMMUTER ROUTES.
UM, IF, WHILE I KNOW WE'RE ALL STRUGGLING WITH PRICE INCREASES AND EVERYTHING GOING ON HERE, I THINK THE RURAL COUNTIES ARE STRUGGLING HARDER THAN WE ARE.
AND SO WE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT YOU HAVE SUPPORTED THE COMMUTER ROUTES EVERY YEAR.
UM, I ALWAYS GET ASKED WHAT'S THE, UH, RETURN ON INVESTMENT? AND THIS WAS CALCULATED BY THE AMERICAN PUBLIC TRANSIT ASSOCIATION THAT, UH, EVERY DOLLAR SPENT ON PUBLIC TRANSIT RETURNS $5 IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
UM, SO IT DOES, IT, IT IS MEASURED, UM, NATIONWIDE.
AND THAT THAT'S THE NUMBER THAT, UM, THE ASSOCIATION SAID, I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT HOW PUBLIC TRANSIT'S FUNDED, UM, IN THE FUTURE AND WE CAN CONTINUE OUR CURRENT GRANT, LOCAL MATCH SCENARIO.
BUT IN MY OPINION, I BELIEVE WE'RE GETTING TOO BIG FOR THAT.
AND, UM, THE NEXT, BECAUSE WE, OUR ASK GOES UP AS COST GOES UP AND WE'RE HITTING EVERYBODY'S GENERAL FUNDS FOR MONEY.
AND I THINK IT'S TIME FOR US TO HAVE DEDICATED FUNDING.
I'VE SAID THAT MANY, MANY YEARS, BUT WE WE'RE, WE'RE GETTING TO THAT TIPPING POINT.
THERE'S REALLY ONLY TWO WAYS IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA THAT WE CAN FUND PUBLIC TRANSIT BESIDES THE GRANT AND LOCAL MATCH.
AND THAT'S SALES TAX, SALES TAX INITIATIVES WHILE WE WERE ON THE 2024 SALES TAX.
AND, UM, SO THAT'S OUT FOR THIS YEAR.
AND THEN THE OTHER WAY THAT WE CAN BE, UM, FUNDED IS THROUGH MILLAGE, WHICH CAN COME FROM ANY LOCALITY.
BUT WE, WE'VE HAD DISCUSSIONS, THERE'S BEEN SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT MILLAGE AND, UH, THE NEED FOR THAT, UH, WITH BEAUFORT COUNTY.
AND, UH, MY HOPE IS THAT ONE DAY SOON THERE WILL BE MILLAGE LEVERAGED AND WE'LL CAN GET OUT OF EVERYBODY'S GENERAL FUNDS.
ANY QUESTIONS? UM, BEFORE I GET INTO THE QUESTIONS, I'M GONNA MAKE SURE I'M CLEAR ON THE REQUEST AMOUNT.
UM, MR. BIRD, WE HAVE 449, 5 69 IF MY GLASSES ARE WORKING CORRECTLY.
AND I THINK MAYBE YOUR PRESENTATION HAD A DIFFERENT NUMBER IN IT AS FAR AS THE REQUEST.
OH, WELL, YOU KNOW, WE FINE TUNE EVERYTHING AND I THINK OUR, OUR ASK IS A LITTLE LESS PERFECT.
THAT'S, THAT'S NEW SINCE THE APPLICATION WAS PRESENTED.
BUT WE CAN MAKE THAT, YOU'LL MAKE THAT ADJUSTMENT.
I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT NUMBER THAT SHE MENTIONED.
SO CAN YOU REPEAT THAT SO THAT STAFF CAPTURES IT? PLEASE? LEMME JUST GO BACK 1 4 33 2 0 1.
WELL, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AND FOR THE PUBLIC TO KNOW, THE REASON I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS IS THAT THIS ORGANIZATION HAS COME BEFORE US ALMOST MONTHLY
[00:35:01]
PROCESS.UM, AND SO WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT YOUR FINANCIALS AND, AND HOW YOU ALLOCATE, UH, THE FUNDING.
UM, SO, UH, YOU'LL PROBABLY BE GLAD THAT I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR YOU,
UH, AND WE'VE HAD THE CONVERSATION, UH, TO TALK, UH, AS WELL.
UM, BUT YOU PROVIDE AN IMPORTANT SERVICE, UH, TO THE ISLAND.
AND AGAIN, WE DO NOT HAVE A PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ORGANIZATION HERE.
AND SO YOU PROVIDE THAT SERVICE TO US, NOT ONLY LOCALLY FOR WORKERS AND OUR, UM, VISITORS, BUT ALSO BRINGING THOSE IMPORTANT, UM, EMPLOYEES, UM, FROM OFF ISLAND TO SUPPORT OUR BUSINESSES HERE.
UH, AND SO THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT WHEN I TALKED TO YOU ON THE PHONE IS ABOUT THE STATE'S, UH, CONTRIBUTION.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY AREA ALONG WITH THE OTHERS THAT YOU IDENTIFIED.
AND YOU HAD GIVEN ME SOME, UM, SOME FACTS THAT, UM, THE STATE GRANT HAS BEEN $6 MILLION FOR, FOR YEARS SINCE THE BEGINNING.
AND THAT WAS ORIGINALLY DIVIDED BETWEEN SEVEN TRANSIT SYSTEMS AND NOW DIVIDED AMONG 30.
SO I THINK ABOUT THE COST OF, UH, SUPPORTING PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.
YOU KNOW, THE COSTS HAVE GONE UP, UH, TREMENDOUSLY, UH, BUT THE STATE ALLOCATION HAS NOT.
UM, YOU ALSO GAVE ME SOME FACTS ABOUT, UH, HOW WE COMPARE TO OUR NEIGHBORS.
AND I BELIEVE YOU SAID THAT, UH, OUR STATE CONTRIBUTES ABOUT 10% VERSUS 25% IN NORTH CAROLINA, FLORIDA, AND GEORGIA MM-HMM
AND SO I THINK THERE'S THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE STATE TO, UM, SHOW MORE SUPPORT AS WELL.
AND SO I WOULD APPRECIATE, AND THERE COULD BE SOME MORE FACTS AS WELL IN REGARDS TO THIS, UM, TOPIC.
I'D APPRECIATE IF YOU COULD PUT SOME SPEAKING POINTS TOGETHER FOR US, BECAUSE I KNOW I WOULD PERSONALLY LIKE TO REACH OUT TO OUR COALITION, UM, AND TO OTHERS IN, UH, THE SOUTH CAROLINA LEGISLATION TO MAKE THIS, UM, SOMETHING FOR THEM TO LOOK AT AND PROVIDE MORE FUNDING FOR.
I THINK THAT WOULD HELP US, IT WOULD BE MY PLEASURE TO DO THAT BECAUSE WE'RE, WE WE'RE TRYING OUR, UH, STATE ASSOCIATION IS TRYING TO MAKE HEADWAY ON THIS AS WELL, BUT I THINK IT'D BE POWERFUL TO HAVE LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES ALSO JOIN IN, UH, IN MAKING THE BUSINESS CASE.
UM, AND THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING TO PUT PENCIL TO PAPER, UH, AND YOU'VE BEEN DOING THAT ALL ALONG.
AND, UH, WE SEE IT EVEN TODAY WITH YOUR REDUCED ASK.
OKAY, MS. BRYSON? YES, I ECHO, UM, WHAT MY COLLEAGUE JUST SAID ABOUT THAT.
AND ACTUALLY I THINK I MENTIONED AT OUR LAST MEETING AND, AND YOU HAVE BEEN COMING MONTHLY, THANK YOU.
UM, THAT, UH, THE SOKO THE, UH, SOUTHERN, UH, LOW COUNTRY REGIONAL BOARD, UH, PROBABLY DON'T HAVE THE CORRECT TITLE, BUT SOKO, YOU KNOW, SOKO, UH, SO WE HAD A MEETING WITH LOCAL DELEGATION MEMBERS, UM, WAS IT LAST WEEK OR TWO WEEKS AGO ON A MONDAY MORNING.
UM, AND SO I DID MENTION TO SENATOR DAVIS, UM, THIS REQUEST TO INCREASE THE STATE FUNDING.
HE ASKED ME SOME QUESTIONS I DIDN'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO, AND I GAVE HIM YOUR NAME.
UM, AND I DON'T KNOW WHETHER Y'ALL, WHETHER HE HAD REACHED OUT TO YOU OR NOT, BUT HE SEEMED TO BE INTERESTED IN, IN, UM, THAT REQUEST TO INCREASE THE STATE FUNDING.
HE WAS ASKING ME HOW THAT MATCH WORKED AND I SAID, I'M SORRY, SENATOR DAVIS, YOU'LL NEED TO ASK MS. ZONY ABOUT THAT.
SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO REACH OUT SPECIFICALLY TO SENATOR TOM DAVIS, UM, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW IS A GOOD TIME TO DO THAT, UM, BEFORE THEY GET TO, UH, HAMMERING OUT THEIR, UH, STATE BUDGET TO FINALIZING THAT.
UM, AND ALSO, AND I APOLOGIZE FOR, AS I TELL THE CHAIR, I'M SO BAD WITH NAMES, THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM JASPER COUNTY WAS THE OTHER MEMBER OF LOCAL DELEGATION, SO HE HEARD IT, HE DIDN'T RESPOND TO THAT BECAUSE I DIDN'T ASK HIM THAT QUESTION.
BUT I DID ASK SENATOR DAVIS, UM, SINCE HE'S ONE OF OUR REPRESENTATIVES, SO PLEASE DO REACH OUT TO HIM.
I THINK YOU'LL FIND SOME INTEREST THERE.
AND THOSE TALKING POINTS WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL BECAUSE WE CAN FOLLOW UP WITH THAT AS WELL WITH OUR OTHER MEMBERS OF DELEGATION.
I'LL SEND THOSE ON TODAY OR TOMORROW.
AND AND YOU MIGHT WANNA SEND THOSE TO SENATOR DAVIS AS WELL? YES MA'AM.
UM, AND OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR LOCAL DELEGATION AS A BASIS FOR THAT CASE.
AND THEN, UM, I, I DID, UH, NOTE, UM, THAT YOUR REVISED REQUEST TO 4 430 $3,201, UM, IS JUST UNDER THE, THE CURRENT, ASSUMING IT'S APPROVED TOMORROW, UH, WOULD MOVE THE AFFILIATED AGENCY FOR THIS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR TO 402,528.
AND MY ROUGH MATH, UM, IS IT, SO THE INCREASE IS JUST UNDER 31,000, UM, OVER THE CURRENT YEAR, ASSUMING IT'S APPROVED TOMORROW BY THE TOWN COUNCIL MEMBERS.
SO TWO READINGS I GUESS FOR THE BUDGET ORDINANCE AMENDMENT, BUT ANY RATE, UM,
[00:40:01]
SO I APPRECIATE THAT INCREASE.I, I THINK I AGREE WITH MS. HUNTER, KEEP PUTTING THAT PENCIL AND WE APPRECIATE THE STRUGGLE WE KNOW FEDERAL FUNDING IS QUESTIONARY AT AT THIS POINT.
UM, SO I THINK ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO HELP CONTINUE TO PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION, THIS TYPE OF TRANSPORTATION FOR THOSE WHO COMMUTE, OUR WORKERS WHO COMMUTE, AS WELL AS THOSE WHO ARE COMMUTING ON THE ISLAND AND THOSE WHO USE THE PALMETTO BREEZE, UM, THE SHUTTLE AS WELL.
SO, UH, SO APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU DO WITH WHAT LIMITED RESOURCES YOU HAVE.
UM, I DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, MARY LOU, BUT I WANT TO JUST TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO HELP US SORT OF SHIFT FROM WHAT I WOULD DESCRIBE AS CRISIS TIME.
'CAUSE WE'RE TALKING TO YOU A LOT HERE LATELY.
AND IN A NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCE, WE MAY SEE YOU ONCE A YEAR.
WHEN YOU ARE ASKING, AND THE CONDITIONS HAVE CHANGED, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU MENTIONED THAT THE STATE FOLKS PUT FORTH A GRANT TO SORT OF GET THIS GOING AND NOW THERE'S MORE COMPETITION MM-HMM
WE'VE GONE FROM OUR SORT OF RURAL AREAS THAT ONCE WE'RE VERY DEPENDENT UPON HILTON HEAD AS, UH, A PLACE TO TO WORK.
AND NOW THOSE AREAS ARE STARTING TO GET DEVELOPED.
SO THOSE CONDITIONS HAVE CHANGED OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS.
SO I'D LIKE FOR US AS WE CONTINUE TO DIALOGUE, TO SORT OF SHIFT JUST A LITTLE BIT AWAY FROM THE MONEY AND LET'S SHIFT AS FAR AS US BEING PROACTIVE ABOUT THIS SITUATION.
AND I'M GONNA GIVE SOME EXAMPLES AND AS YOU BRING UP THE TALKING POINTS BACK TO US, I'D LIKE SOME RESPONSE TO, TO SOME OF THESE.
UM, WE HAD TALKED ABOUT, UM, THE BOARD MAKEUP AND HILTON HEAD HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO SELECT AND APPOINT OUR BOARD MEMBER.
UM, TO MY COLLEAGUES POINT, IF WE'RE GOING TO, UM, HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR DELEGATION, I'D LIKE FOR US ALL TO BE READING OFF THE SAME SHEET OF MUSIC.
AND IF THE FOLKS THAT ARE SITTING ON THE BOARD UNDERSTAND WHERE WE ARE TRYING TO GO IN A 5, 10, 15 YEAR PLAN, THEN THAT ONLY HELPS THE SITUATION.
UM, THE OTHER ONE IS THE LOCAL ROUTE OPPORTUNITY.
AND I MENTIONED TO THIS TO ALL OF TOWN COUNCIL DURING, UM, A MEETING A FEW WEEKS BACK BECAUSE THE CONDITIONS HAVE CHANGED.
YOU KNOW, WE ARE INVESTING IN OUR COMMUNITY WITH PROJECTS LIKE NORTH POINT I I WALK TO TO WORK EVERY MORNING.
I AS A PHYSICAL THING, TRYING TO STAY HEALTHY,
BUT AS I WALK TO WORK, I PASS BY A NUMBER OF FOLKS AT THE SAME TIME EVERY MORNING THAT ARE EITHER ON A BIKE OR WALKING.
AND I KNOW THEY'RE NOT DOING THIS EXERCISE LIKE I AM.
THEY'RE ALL ON THEIR WAY TO WORK.
SO AS WE BRING 157 NEW UNITS TO HILTON HEAD, I THINK THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT A PERCENTAGE OF THOSE FOLKS THAT MAY NEED TRANSPORTATION.
UM, SO THE MORE FOCUS THAT WE CAN PUT ON HILTON HEAD, PARTICULARLY IF OUR COSTS ARE GOING UP, I MEAN IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO GIVE YOU MORE MONEY TO OPERATE, BUT ARE REALLY WANT TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW WE CAN BE A LITTLE BIT MORE FOCUSED ON OUR AREA AND NOT NECESSARILY JUST SUBSIDIZING FOR OTHER AREAS, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
AND THE TROLLEY'S ONLY SEASONAL AND WE PICK UP A LOT OF RESIDENTS AS WELL.
AND WE HEAR IT WHEN THIS TROLLEY ENDS, SO, OH NO, YOU KNOW, NOW I'VE GOTTA GO BACK TO WHATEVER.
PEOPLE CAN'T REALLY UBER AND, UM, AND WE HAVE TERRIBLE WEATHER WHERE YOU CAN'T WALK OR RIDE A BICYCLE AT TIMES.
SO WE REALLY HAVE BEAUTIFUL WEATHER, BUT THERE ARE TIMES IT ISN'T GONNA WORK OUT.
I, UM, THINK THAT WE SHOULD SERVE THE NORTH POINT, THE, THE, UM, UH, WORKPLACE HOUSING.
THERE SHOULD BE REGULAR BUS SERVICE THERE TO GET PEOPLE ALL OVER THE ISLAND TO WORK.
AND AGAIN, UM, IT, IF A FAMILY COMES IN WITH ONE CAR, THEY CAN MAKE THAT WORK.
I'VE BEEN PLACES WHERE WE HAD GREAT BUS SERVICE AND PEOPLE WOULD RIDE IN AND SAY THEY SOLD THEIR CARS, THEY DIDN'T NEED 'EM ANYMORE.
AND ANYTIME THEY WANTED TO GO OUT OF TOWN, THEY JUST RENTED A CAR AND IT WAS WAY BETTER FOR 'EM.
SO, I MEAN, I COULD SEE HILTON HEAD MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION WHERE WE'RE PROVIDING TRANSPORTATION, GETTING THE CARS OFF THE ROAD, GETTING PEOPLE AN AFFORDABLE WAY TO GET AROUND.
I THINK IT WOULD BE A, A REAL BONUS.
SO IT'S REALLY A MATTER OF FUNDING.
UH, NEXT WE HAVE, UH, JOHN O'TOOLE AT THE BEAUFORT COUNTY EDC.
[00:45:01]
WHY DON'T WE KEEP GOING? UH, WE'LL MOVE WITH, UH, GENE WITH THE OUTSIDE FOUNDATION IF POSSIBLE.THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO, TO BE HERE THIS MORNING.
I'M JEAN FRU AT THE OUTSIDE FOUNDATION.
OUR ASK, UM, AS AN, UH, HOPEFUL AFFILIATED ORGANIZATION IS CENTERED AROUND OUR COMMUNITY-BASED OYSTER SHELL RECYCLING AND BED RESTORATION PROJECT, ONE OF THE THREE AREAS OF PROGRAMMING FOR THE OUTSIDE FOUNDATION.
OVER THE LAST EIGHT YEARS, OUR PROGRAM HAS DIVERTED 200 TONS OF SHELL FROM THE LANDFILL AND MADE USE OF THAT SHELL TO BUILD 35 REEF IN AND AROUND THE HILTON HEAD AREA SHORELINES.
THESE LIVING SHORELINES ARE BASICALLY USING A READILY USABLE NATURAL INFRASTRUCTURE RECYCLED SHELL, AND WE BELIEVE THAT THIS PROGRAM AND ITS OUTCOMES DIRECTLY ALIGNED WITH THREE OF THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD'S STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN GOALS.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE, WHAT WAS HAPPENING PRIOR TO OUR PROGRAM, WHICH BEGAN IN 2018, THERE WAS, BUT ONE REEF BUILT OVER THAT PREVIOUS 15 TO 20 YEARS.
AND THAT REEF WAS BUILT DIRECTLY, UH, KIND OF SOUTH OR ACTUALLY NORTH OF THE CROSS ISLAND BRIDGE BY, UH, A LOCAL GROUP.
SPECIFIC TO OUR REQUEST FOR 46,000 IS, IS REALLY AN UNDERSTANDING THAT WITH THE REDUCTION IN OUR AT TAX FUNDING THIS YEAR, WE HAD TO SHIFT SOME OF OUR TOTAL AWARD TO ADVERTISING AND PROMOTION.
AND SO THE THOUGHT OF NOT BEING ABLE TO GET OUR WORD OUT, UH, OUR IMPACT CONVEYED TO RECRUIT VOLUNTEERS BECAUSE WE ARE MOSTLY VOLUNTEER BASED, FORCED US TO TAKE SOME MONEY AWAY FROM OUR CATEGORY SIX SHORELINE RESTORATION.
AND SO WE ENDED UP WITH ABOUT $15,000, WHEREAS WE HAD, UM, UH, WELL, WELL MORE THAN THAT LAST YEAR, CLOSE TO CLOSE TO 30.
SO SPECIFIC TO OUR REQUEST, HERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE FEEL WE'RE ALIGNED WITH THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD AS A GREAT PARTNER.
THE LAST EIGHT YEARS, THE REEFS THAT WE HAVE BUILT ARE ADDRESSING THREE AREAS OF YOUR STRATEGIC PLAN.
SO WE'VE ALREADY GOTTEN A JUMP ON YOUR PLAN, SPECIFICALLY INVESTING IN STORM WATER MANAGEMENT.
FOR THE 35 REEF THAT WE'VE BUILT IN AND AROUND, WE'VE PROBABLY GOT AROUND TWO ACRES WORTH OF REEF RESTORED NOAH ESTIMATES THAT RESTORED VALUE, AND THAT'S THE NATIONAL SOCIOGRAPHIC UH, ADMINISTRATION.
THEY ESTIMATE THAT EVERY ACRE OF REEF THAT YOU RESTORE HAS A VALUE OF ABOUT $23,000.
SO WE'RE ALREADY AT ABOUT TWO ACRES RESTORED.
ONE ACRE OF SALT MARSH THAT IS RETAINED AND ACTUALLY ENHANCED BY THE BUILDING OF THESE CAN ABSORB 1.5 MILLION GALLONS OF STORM WATER.
SO THESE LIVING SHORELINES ARE IN FACT THAT THEY ACTUALLY GROW AND MATURE AND THEY ACTUALLY ENHANCE AS WELL AS PROTECT OUR SHORELINES.
SO 1.5 MILLION GALLONS OF STORM WATER.
SO IN A SENSE, THESE REEFS ARE DOING A GREAT JOB FROM MITIGATING FLOOD FLOODING WITH RESPECT TO STRATEGIC PLAN NUMBER SIX, REINFORCING ISLAND RESILIENCE, SHORELINE PROTECTION.
THESE REEFS PROVIDE A NATURAL BREAKWATER, WHEREAS GRAY INFRASTRUCTURE STRUCTURE DOESN'T ABSORB ANY FORCE THAT ACTUALLY REFLECTS IT OR REDIRECTS IT.
WE KNOW THAT BASICALLY THE BULKHEADS THAT HAVE BEEN BUILT, THE ROCKS THAT HAVE BEEN DROPPED, UM, OFTEN HAVE TO BE REPLACED, REPAIRED, AND THEY CAUSE LATERAL DAMAGE.
THEY ABSORB, THEY PROTECT THE MARSHES BEHIND THEM AND ACTUALLY BE BY WAY OF THEIR CONSTRUCTION.
THEY ACTUALLY ENHANCE THE ACCUMULATION OF SEDIMENT.
STORM DAMAGE MITIGATION IS ANOTHER AREA OF RESILIENCE.
MOST OF THESE REEFS, WE PLANT SPARTINA GRASS BEHIND THEM.
OUR LARGEST REEF ALONG THE 18TH FAIRWAY OF HARBORTOWN HAS OVER 3,500 BAGS IN PLACE, A SERIES OF SEVEN REEF.
AND WE HAVE PLANTED OVER 10,000 NEW SPARTINA PLANTS.
AND THE EFFECT THAT WE HAVE FILMED VIA DRONE, UH, IS DRAMATIC
[00:50:01]
DURABILITY.LIVING SHORELINES ARE INCREDIBLY DURABLE.
SO SUPPORT FOR THIS PROGRAM ISN'T SOMETHING THAT KEEPS NEEDING TO BE REPLACED.
WE KNOW THAT WHILE OUR BE TREE NOURISHMENT IS VITAL TO THE HEALTH AND PROTECTION OF OUR SHORELINE, WE ALSO KNOW THAT WE HAVE TO KEEP REPLACING IT.
OYSTER REEFS JUST GET BETTER WITH TIME.
AND SINCE THEY'RE REBAR INTO THE GROUND AND THE OYSTERS ATTACH VERY QUICKLY, THEY'RE PRETTY SOLID STRUCTURES.
WE CAN BLEND THEM WITH GRAY INFRASTRUCTURE, WHICH IS A REALLY IMPORTANT POINT TO MAKE.
SO AS THE TOWN OF HILTON HAD PLANS PROBABLY TO USE SOME NATIVE SHORELINES OR OTHER SORT OF OPTIONS TO CONTROL OR MITIGATE FLOODING AND PROTECTED SHORELINES, THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING WILL CONTINUE.
WE CAN BLEND IT WITH OTHER FORMS OF SHORELINE RESTORATION FOR HILTON HEAD STRATEGIC PLAN FOR THE FOR THE TOWN STRATEGIC PLAN.
NUMBER NINE, PROTECTING ENHANCING ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY.
UH, THAT SPEAKS TO ALL OF THE PROGRAMS OF THE OUTSIDE FOUNDATION, BUT WITH THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM, WE KNOW THAT LIVING SHORELINES ARE JUST, THAT THEY'RE CREATING HABITAT.
AND OUR RECREATIONAL FISHING INDUSTRY, UH, OUR COMMERCIAL FISHERIES ARE SUPPORTED BY THE ADDITION OF NEW REEFS.
35 OF THEM OVER THE LAST YEAR.
THAT LAST EIGHT YEARS IS REALLY IMPACTFUL.
SO WE'RE PROVIDING ESSENTIAL HABITATS FOR BABY FIN FISH, SHRIMP, CRAB.
THOSE ARE THE TOP THREE WITHIN OUR STATE IN TERMS OF COMMERCIAL FISHERIES.
WE'RE ALSO PROVIDING A SOLID FORM OF SUBSTRATE FOR BABY OYSTERS TO ATTACH.
WE LIVE IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT'S VERY SUBSTRATE LOW, VERY LARVAL RICH, WHICH MEANS THAT WE GOT LOTS OF BABY OYSTERS OUT THERE, BUT WE HAVE MUD GRASS AND PRETTY MUCH NOT EL MU MUCH ELSE WITHIN OUR SALT MARSHES.
SO ADDING THIS HARD SUBSTRATE IS CRITICAL TO MAINTAINING OUR HEALTHY HABITAT.
WE ALSO KNOW THAT THESE REEFS ARE, ARE DOING A GREAT JOB FOR CLEANING OUR WATER.
A SINGLE THREE INCH OYSTER CAN FILTER TWO AND A HALF GALLONS OF WATER AN HOUR.
SO AS RUNOFF FROM NEW STRUCTURES ATTEMPTS TO REACH, UH, OUR WATERWAYS NOT ONLY DOES THE GRASS FILTER AND ADDING MORE GRASS AND RETAINING SALT MARSH, BUT WE KNOW THAT OUR OYSTERS ARE DOING A GREAT JOB, UH, OF LIMITING THE AMOUNT OF, UH, RUNOFF POLLUTANTS THAT REACH OUR WATER.
THE WHOLE CONCEPT, THE WHOLE BUSINESS PLAN BEHIND THIS IS, IS REALLY PRETTY NEAT BECAUSE AT THE SAME TIME THAT WE'RE DIVERTING FROM THE LANDFILL, WE'RE ACTUALLY USING A FREE SUBSTRATE, MORE OR LESS FREE.
THE, THE FEE THAT WE TALK ABOUT IN THIS PRICE IS, IS REALLY CAPTURING SHELL.
WE DO HAVE A MODEL PROGRAM WITHIN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, BUT UNFORTUNATELY THE STATE NO LONGER WISHES TO FUND THAT.
AND SO REPRESENTATIVE BRADLEY WAS ABLE TO GET US FUNDING AND IN THE THREE YEARS THAT WE HAD THAT FUNDING, WE TRIPLED, ALMOST QUADRUPLED THE NUMBER OF RESTAURANTS THAT WE COULD CAPTURE FROM.
WE WENT FROM JUST AROUND 20 TONS OF SHELL A YEAR TO LAST YEAR.
WE DID 41 TONS OF SHELL AND WE WERE ABLE TO GET A SPECIALIZED TRAILER THAT HAS A HYDRAULIC LIFT.
AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO ACTUALLY ENHANCE.
SO WE'RE CONTROLLING BASICALLY THE AMOUNT OF TRASH WASTE MANAGEMENT, UM, AT THE SAME TIME THAT WE'RE ENHANCING AND FINALLY VOLUNTEER POWER.
AS I STAND HERE THIS MORNING, THERE'S A WHOLE GROUP FROM THE OSHA LIFELONG LIVING INSTITUTE OVER THERE AT COASTAL DISCOVERY MUSEUM.
AND THEY'RE BAGGING THIS MORNING AT THE SAME TIME.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE GETTING A REALLY NEAT TALK ON WHAT IT'S LIKE OR WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHY DO WE DO THIS? WHAT IS THE VALUE OF LIVING SHORELINES? AND SO THROUGHOUT THE MONTHS FROM ABOUT OCTOBER THROUGH MAY, WE INVITE COMMUNITY GROUPS TO COME OUT AND TO, AND TO BAG SHELL, AND WE HAVE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF DEMAND FOR THAT.
ANY REDUCTION IN SHELL THAT WE CAN CAPTURE IS PROBLEMATIC BECAUSE THEN WE CAN NO LONGER INVITE GROUPS TO COME OUT BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH SHELL.
WE'RE FORTUNATE THAT WE GOT A GOOD CAPTURE AT THE SEAFOOD FESTIVAL.
IF WE GO UP TO THE BEAUFORT TR UH, OYSTER FESTIVAL, WE ACTUALLY CAPTURE MORE SHELL THERE THAN ANYWHERE ELSE.
AND IT ALL COMES BACK HERE, WHICH IS REALLY TERRIFIC BECAUSE IT ENHANCES THE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT WE CAN DO.
WE'RE GONNA BUILD SEVEN OR EIGHT MORE REEF THIS SUMMER.
I'M PLEASED TO SAY THAT HOPEFULLY FOR THE THIRD YEAR IN A ROW, THE LEADERSHIP TEAM FROM THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD WILL COME OUT AND BUILD THEIR OWN REEF, UM, WHICH IS NICE.
SO THAT PARTNERSHIP IS, IS VERY VALUABLE, BUT WE PROVIDE HANDS-ON OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO LEARN ABOUT THE VALUE OF THIS NATURAL RESOURCE, WHY IT'S NOT TRASH, AND TO ACTUALLY PARTICIPATE IN BUILDING STRUCTURES THAT WILL LAST GENERATIONS
[00:55:01]
TO COME.HOW DO WE MEASURE OUR IMPACT? WELL, EVERY TIME WE DO A PICKUP, BECAUSE WE PARTNER WITH I TWO RECYCLE AND THEY ARE VERY METRIC ORIENTED, OUR DRIVERS ARE KEEPING A LOG ON THE WEIGHT.
WHAT WE'VE ALSO RECENTLY BEEN ACCEPTED AS THE ONE OF THE FIRST NONPROFITS IN THE UNITED STATES TO BE A MEMBER OF CIRCULAR SOLUTIONS.
CIRCULAR SOLUTIONS IS A WORLDWIDE COMPANY THAT USES BLOCKCHAIN, UH, METHODOLOGY.
AND WE ARE NOW BEING TIPPED A TRAILER ONCE IT MAKES ITS LOOP IS BEING TIPPED OVER BY ARBOR NATURE AND A NICE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN I TWO RECYCLE.
WE KNOW EXACTLY HOW MUCH SHELL WE'RE COLLECTING NOW, UH, AND WE CAN ACTUALLY CONVERT THAT INTO NUMBER OF BAGS AND NUMBER OF BAGS IS CONVERTED INTO REEF.
AND THEN THE S-E-D-N-R KEEPS ALL THE METRICS ON HOW MANY ACRES AND THE ACTUAL DIMENSIONS OF THOSE REEFS.
AND SO WE'RE PLEASED TO BE ABLE TO, UH, MORE OR LESS SAY THAT WE CAN, WE CAN KEEP REALLY GOOD STATISTICS ON WHERE THIS INVESTMENT WOULD GO AND THE IMPACT THAT IT WOULD MAKE.
AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE.
UM, I, I'VE SAID IT BEFORE, I'LL SAY IT AGAIN AND I MAKE NO APOLOGIES FOR SAYING THIS.
HILTON HEAD ISLAND WANTS TO SAY WE HONOR THE ENVIRONMENT, BUT IN MY BOOK, WE'RE STILL ENVIRONMENTAL LIGHT
THIS IS A WAY OF MAKING US STRONGER.
AND AND THANKS SO MUCH FOR POINTING OUT PORTIONS OF THE STRAT PLAN THAT YOUR PROGRAM CONNECTS WITH IT.
IT'S REALLY HARD AS A NEW AFFILIATED AGENCY TO COME AND ASK FOR MONEY, UH, BECAUSE THERE'VE BEEN A LOT OF AGENCIES OVER THE PAST WHERE FUNDS HAVE BEEN PROVIDED AGREEMENTS WITH THE TOWN AND THEN SOME THAT WE DECIDED LAST YEAR WERE NO LONGER REALLY AFFILIATED WITH US.
UM, SO IT IT'S TOUGH AS A NEW AGENCY TO, TO TRY TO CROSS THE THRESHOLD.
UM, BUT IN, IN GOAL NUMBER NINE, PROTECT AND ENHANCE ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY.
I, I, I NOTED AS YOU DID, UM, THAT WE WANNA EXPAND OUR RECYCLING PROGRAMS. IT SAYS ACROSS ALL TOWN MANAGED PARKS AND PUBLIC FACILITIES, AND I THINK WE CLAIM THE BEACH AS PART OF OUR, OUR FACILITIES.
BUT ANOTHER ONE, UM, THAT YOU MENTIONED IN YOUR PRESENTATION MATERIALS IS 9.7 AN AWARENESS CAMPAIGN WITH LOCAL SCHOOLS FOR COASTAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION EDUCATION.
AND THAT'S DONE WITH KIDS IN KAYAKS, AS YOU MENTIONED IN YOUR PRESENTATION MATERIALS.
SO TO ME, THERE'S A, A STRONG AFFILIATION WITH, WITH HELPING OUR ENVIRONMENT.
UM, AND, AND THE INFORMATION THAT YOU PROVIDED ABOUT THE NUMBERS, UM, AND HOW, UM, THE VALUE OF USING THE RECYCLED OYSTER SHELLS TO BUILD REEFS IS GREAT DATA.
UM, AND THE FACT THAT STATE FUNDING DISAPPEARED, IT SOUNDS LIKE A SIMILAR SONG THAT WE'RE HEARING, UH, WITH PALMETTO BREEZE.
SOME STATE FUNDING, UM, HAS NOT BEEN INCREASED, UM, BUT HAS BEEN DECREASED ACTUALLY BASED ON THE RATIO OF THE AMOUNT AVAILABLE AND THE NUMBER OF, UH, TRANSIT AUTHORITIES REQUESTING FUNDS.
SO THE FACT THAT STATE FUNDING DISAPPEARED, IT'D BE GREAT IF WE COULD ASK OUR LOCAL DELEGATION TO GO BACK AND FIND SOME MORE MONEY.
UM, AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO KEEP DOING THAT.
UM, SO, UH, AND, AND I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT, UH, THE TOWN OF HILTON ED LEADERSHIP TEAM WILL GO BACK AND BUILD ANOTHER REEF AGAIN THIS YEAR.
UM, I, I, I CONFESS I'VE BAGGED AT LEAST SEVERAL BAGS OVER AT COASTAL DISCOVERY AND I'M GLAD THERE'S A PARTNERSHIP.
I LOVE HEARING THE PARTNERSHIPS WITH OUR OTHER AGENCIES ON THE ISLAND, UH, WITH COASTAL DISCOVERY, A GOOD PARTNER THERE IN, IN PROVIDING A PLACE FOR THE OYSTER SHELLS TO BE LOCATED UNTIL THEY CAN BE BAGGED AND MOVED ON TO REEFS.
SO THAT'S A GREAT PARTNERSHIP.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT, UM, UH, WE WANT TO PRESERVE OUR BEACHES AND AS YOU SAID, RENOURISHMENT, WE HAVE TO DO EVERY SO MANY YEARS AND WE'RE GLAD TO HAVE THE BEACH PRESERVATION FEES TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
BUT IF THERE'S OTHER METHODS TO HELP OUR SHORELINE, LIKE THE REEF BUILDING, THEN CERTAINLY THAT'S ANOTHER CONTRIBUTION TO OUR ENVIRONMENT.
UM, AND, AND PERHAPS TO LESSEN SOME OF THE AREAS WHERE WE HAVE TO FIND OFF THE EROSION IN THE FUTURE.
UM, SO, UM, I'M ENCOURAGED BY, UM, THIS APPLICATION.
UM, I THINK WE OUGHT TO FIND A PLACE FOR IT.
UM, AND, UM, I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THIS REQUEST.
AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THE INFORMATION THAT YOU SHARED.
I LEARNED A LOT, UH, THROUGH YOUR PRESENTATION, AND I HAVEN'T YET HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO BAG UP AS I'VE SEEN OPPORTUNITIES.
THEY HAVEN'T ALIGNED TO MY, UH, SCHEDULE.
SO I HOPE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD OPPORTUNITY, UH, BECAUSE I THINK WHAT YOU DO IS REALLY INCREDIBLE.
IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE CIRCLE OF LIFE, UH, YOU KNOW, IT REALLY, UH, EMULATES THAT WITH TAKING THE
[01:00:01]
OYSTERS AND THEN USING, UH, THEM TO, UH, BRING THEM BACK TO LIFE.UM, BUT AS I MENTIONED LAST, I'M REALLY HAVING A CONFLICT, UM, WITHIN MYSELF, UM, BECAUSE I KNOW THE VALUE OF WHAT YOU DO, BUT I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER THIS IS AN AFFILIATED AGENCY OR NOT.
AND SO THAT'S WHERE MY INNER CONFLICT IS.
UM, YES, IT ABSOLUTELY ALIGNS WITH THE STRATEGIC PRIORITIES, BUT, UM, WHEN I LOOK AT HOW WE DEFINE AN AFFILIATED AGENCY, THE WAY IT'S LAID OUT IN THE, UH, FORM RIGHT NOW, IT'S, IT'S LIKE YOU JUST NEED TO MEET ONE OF THOSE AREAS WHERE I FEEL LIKE AN AFFILIATED AGENCY, UM, SHOULD ALIGN TO PROVIDING PROGRAMS AND SERVICES FREQUENTLY OFFERED THROUGH GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS AND OTHER MUNICIPALITIES.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF OTHER MUNICIPALITIES SUPPORT THIS TYPE OF WORK.
SO THAT WOULD BE IMPORTANT FOR ME TO KNOW.
UM, AND THEN THE OTHER PIECE IS, UM, DOES IT ALIGN WITH MANAGING PROPERTY OWNED BY THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD? AND THEN WITHIN, ONCE YOU MEET THOSE KIND OF CRITERIA, THEN IT GETS IN, IN MY THOUGHT PROCESS.
UM, YOU KNOW, THEN DOES IT ALIGN TO THE STRATEGIC PLAN? SO FOR ME, AGAIN, I AM, I'M STILL TRYING TO DETERMINE WHETHER IT'S AN AFFILIATED AGENCY.
IT'S NOT THAT THE WORK ISN'T VALUABLE.
UM, AND THEN BEING A NEW AGENCY, WE DO ASK FOR FINANCIAL RESULTS.
SO I'M GONNA ASK YOU ABOUT YOUR FINANCIAL RESULTS, UH, THAT I SAW, UH, IN THE MATERIALS.
AND, UM, THE ORGANIZATION HAS RUN A NEGATIVE NET INCOME FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS.
UM, AND, UH, BASED ON THAT TREND, IF YOU CONTINUE TO RUN OUTTA EQUITY IN ABOUT THREE OR FOUR YEARS, UM, I NOTICED IN THE CURRENT APPLICATION YOU INDICATE THAT YOU'RE, YOU, UH, ARE LOOKING TO EITHER BREAK EVEN OR, OR PROVIDE A, A BIT OF A NET IN, UH, INCOME OPPORTUNITY.
WHAT, SO CAN YOU EXPLAIN, UH, WHY YOU'RE AT A NET INCOME LOSS FOR THREE YEARS? BECAUSE YOUR REVENUE HAS DOUBLED OVER THAT TIME PERIOD FROM 2023 TO 2025.
SO IT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE IT'S A LACK OF REVENUE, BUT, UM, I JUST DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU COULD PROVIDE ANY INSIGHT ON THE FINANCIALS.
WELL, YOU KNOW, MUCH LIKE LEAH MENTIONED, OUR, UM, OUR GENERAL LIABILITY INSURANCE HAS, HAS JUST GONE THROUGH THE ROOF, UH, OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
AND SO WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO OFFSET THAT.
WE HAVE GONE FROM HAVING A CONTRACTOR BASED ORGANIZATION TO ADDING SOME PART-TIME EMPLOYEES.
AND WITH THAT CAME SOME ADDITIONAL, UM, PRICES.
UM, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THE LOSS OF FUNDING FROM THE STATE, UM, AS OF, YOU KNOW, UM, LAST YEAR CAUSED US TO, TO HAVE TO DRAW MONEY.
WE HEAVILY SCHOLARSHIP OUR KIDS IN KAYAKS PROGRAM.
UM, SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT MOVING OUR PROGRAM TO THE ST.
HELENA AREA, UM, THESE ARE ALL, THERE'S FOUR TITLE ONE SCHOOLS UP THERE.
WE PAY A HUNDRED PERCENT FOR THOSE KIDS TO GO, NO QUESTIONS ASKED.
AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO GET SOME GRANT IN SUPPORT, SOME GRANTS IN SUPPORT OF THAT.
IN PARTICULAR, THE FRIENDS OF KSE, THEY HALED OUR GRANT THIS YEAR.
UM, WE'VE GONE TO THE BUFORT FUND.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT INTERESTED IN FUNDING THAT.
SO THERE'S BEEN SOME STRUGGLES WHERE WE HAVE SEEN AN INCREASE IN COMMUNITY SUPPORT, UM, FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, BASIC, UM, TYPES OF NEEDS.
UM, AND MOST OF OUR FUNDRAISING, UM, HAS HAD TO BEEN SHIFT, HAS SHIFTED REALLY KIND OF TO DELIVERING ON THE KIDS IN KAYAK PROGRAM AND OUR LEARN TO PADDLE PROGRAM.
AND SO ONE OF THE AREAS IN WHICH WE'VE, UH, YOU KNOW, HAD TO KIND OF CHUG ALONG IS THE, THE COMMUNITY BASED OYSTER SHELL PROGRAM, BECAUSE WE PRETTY MUCH HAVE EXHAUSTED A LOT OF OUR GRANT OPPORTUNITIES AND FUNDING FOR THAT.
AND SO, UH, THERE'S A GOOD CHANCE WE'VE BEEN RUNNING AT A BIT OF A DEFICIT WITH THAT.
UH, BUT AGAIN, THE WHOLE THOUGHT OF SLOWING THAT PROGRAM DOWN, JUST, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST SO IMPORTANT I THINK FOR OUR ISLAND, OUR PROPERTY VALUES, OUR ECONOMIC SORT OF GOALS.
AND SO, UM, I'D HAVE TO SIT DOWN AND KIND OF GO SORT OF LINE BY LINE AND TAKE A LOOK AT WHERE, YOU KNOW, THAT SORT OF NET THAT DEFICIT HAS, HAS COME FROM.
BUT I THINK IT'S A COMBINATION OF ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
YEAH, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, UH, IT'S A BIT OF A STRUGGLE AS A SMALL NONPROFIT TO BE RUNNING THREE PRETTY HUGE PROGRAMS. UM, AND, YOU KNOW, AND TO BE DOING IT AT A VERY GRASSROOTS LEVEL, BEING RELYING ON, ON, ON A LOT OF, UM, EMPLOYEES AND SUCH, OR NOT EMPLOYEES, BUT RATHER VOLUNTEERS.
UM, SO I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS HERE.
AND, UM, AS MY COLLEAGUES HAVE MENTIONED ALREADY, UM, THIS IS, THIS IS YOUR FIRST TIME BEFORE US AS FAR AS IT IS AFFILIATED AGENCY IS CONCERNED.
SO OBVIOUSLY IDEA HOW TO PREPARE.
UM, SO OBVIOUSLY THERE, THERE, THERE ARE A LOT MORE QUESTIONS, UM, FOR YOU.
[01:05:01]
THE STATE FUNDING, I THINK IT WAS LIKE $25,000, UM, THAT YOU HAD GOTTEN THAT FOR A FEW, FEW YEARS AND THEN IT WENT AWAY.ANY PARTICULAR REASON AS TO WHY THAT WENT AWAY? EARMARKS.
SO, UH, REPRESENTATIVE BRADLEY, UM, WE'VE BEEN PURSUING THIS FOR SENATOR DAVIS AND THEY HAVE SIMPLY SAID THAT, UH, NO ONE'S INTERESTED IN, IN PROVIDING EARMARKS.
SO WE'D GOTTEN THAT THROUGH PARKS AND REC AS THROUGH AN EARMARK THREE YEARS.
UH, AND IT MADE A TREMENDOUS DIFFERENCE.
UM, THE S-E-D-N-R ELEVATED OUR PROGRAM TO A MODEL PROGRAM WITHIN THE STATE DURING THAT TIME.
AND SO THIS PROGRAM HAS RUN REPLICATED IN GREENVILLE, MYRTLE BEACH, UM, AMONG OTHER PLACES TO ATTEMPT TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM OF HAVING TO GO AND BUY STATE OUTTA STATE SHELL, WHICH COMES OUT OF OUR POCKETS AS STATE TAXPAYERS TO THE TUNE OF SEVERAL HUNDRED THOUSAND A YEAR, PARTICULARLY.
'CAUSE IT HAS TO BE SHIPPED AND IT'S HEAVIER SHELL THAN OUR LOCAL SHELL.
SO, SO, YEAH, I MEAN, IT'S JUST COMES DOWN TO THE, THEY JUST CLOSE THE DOOR ON EARMARKS.
SO YOU MENTIONED, UM, THE STATE HAS SOME REGULATIONS AROUND MAKING SURE THAT WE PUT BACK, UM, THROUGH SED AND R.
UH, SO LOCAL HARVESTERS, ARE THEY REQUIRED TO PUT BACK A CERTAIN AMOUNT? IS THAT A THING? INDEED, THEY ARE.
IF THEY HAVE A COMMERCIAL FISHERIES LICENSE FOR OYSTERING, THEY HAVE TO PUT A PERCENTAGE BACK EACH YEAR.
BUT IT'S REALLY ON THE HONOR SYSTEM.
SO IF YOU TALK TO LARRY TOMER, YOU'LL FIND THAT HE HAS A LOT OF FRUSTRATION.
LARRY ALSO SELLS SOME OF HIS SHELL, SO THAT'S ALSO AN OPTION FOR THEM TO DO.
SO ONE OF THE GREATEST THREATS WITH LOSS OF FUNDING TO OUR PROGRAM IS YOU'RE JUST GONNA HAVE OUT-OF-STATE SHELL VENDORS COME IN, THEY'RE GONNA BUY SHELL FROM RESTAURANTS, RESTAURANTS ARE GONNA MAKE MONEY OFF OF THAT, THAT SHELL'S GONNA GO ELSEWHERE.
AND CHANCES ARE, WE'RE GONNA PROBABLY END UP BUYING SOME OF IT BACK.
SO IT'S REALLY KIND OF ODD, BUT THAT'S A REALITY.
UM, WHEN YOU HAVE A, YOU KNOW, A FAIRLY INEXPENSIVE SUBSTRATE INFRASTRUCTURE TYPE THING, AND YOU HAVE NEIGHBORING STATES THAT HAVE GREAT DEMAND.
SO NORTH CAROLINA, GEORGIA, FLORIDA, THESE ARE ALL STATES WHERE SEA LEVEL RISE IS A HUGE THREAT.
AND AS A RESULT, THEY'RE LOOKING FOR ALL KINDS OF WAYS IN WHICH THEY CAN CREATE, UM, YOU KNOW, MITIGATING TYPES OF STRUCTURES.
UM, THE STRUCTURES THAT ARE AVAILABLE THROUGH NATIVE SHORELINES AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS ARE AMAZING, BUT THEY'RE INCREDIBLY EXPENSIVE.
UM, YOU ANSWERED MY INSURANCE QUESTION THAT I HAD ON MY LIST HERE.
UM, AND YOU TOUCHED ON THE SCHOLARSHIPS.
UM, I, I DID THINK OF ANOTHER REASON WHY I, I ACTUALLY GOT PAID A REAL SALARY A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.
SO MY SALARY WAS KEPT INCREDIBLY LOW FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
'CAUSE WE WERE SO SMALL AND JUST, AND SO THEY, THEY, THEY ACTUALLY INCREASED MY SALARY, WHICH WASN'T IN THE BUDGET, BUT THEY KNEW THAT THEY HAD TO, UM, TO, TO BASICALLY ALLOW ME TO, UH, EXPAND THE WORK THAT I'VE BEEN DOING, UH, INTO PROPERLY ADEQUATELY.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S ANOTHER FACTOR.
IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT MY SALARY ACROSS THE LAST FIVE YEARS, BIG DIFFERENCE.
SHOULD READ MY NOTES BECAUSE THAT WAS MY NEXT QUESTION.
I, I, I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO PREPARE.
SO THE, THE, IT IT LOOKS AS IF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SALARY IS, IS DOUBLING.
BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE MEDIAN SALARY ACROSS 10 YEARS, 12 YEARS, I'M, I'M JUST, YEAH.
IT, I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT BETTER WHAT THE SUCCESSION OF THIS LOOKS LIKE.
BECAUSE THAT IS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SALARY, THAT IS TO RUN THE OUTSIDE EVERYTHING, ALL OF THE EVENTS AND WHATNOT.
AND TODAY WE'RE TALKING A LOT ABOUT, WELL, MAINLY ABOUT JUST THE OYSTER PRO PROGRAM.
SO I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW, AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER THIS RIGHT NOW, BUT I WANT YOU TO BE THINKING ABOUT THIS.
I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE 90,000 THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AS FAR AS A SALARY FOR EXEC DIRECTOR WOULD GO TOWARDS THIS PROGRAM? THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT MY THOUGHT IS.
SO FROM MY SALARY, UM, THERE IS A, UH, $12,000 LINE IN THE OYSTER SHELL RECYCLING SUB BUDGET.
AND THAT IS DIRECTED AT THE DIRECTOR, THE, THE, OR BASICALLY THE, THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR, BECAUSE I OVERSEE ALL THE GRANT WRITING AND A LOT OF THE COORDINATION WITH THE STATE AGENCIES AND THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF, UM, LARGER ORGANIZATIONS LIKE PEW NATURE CONSERVANCY, SE, UH, THE, UM, THE, UM, COASTAL CONSERVATION LEAGUE.
THESE ARE ALL VERY, VERY IMPORTANT PARTNERS IN THE WHOLE PICTURE OF HOW WE DO THIS.
UM, WE DO HAVE A PROGRAM MANAGER WHO IS, WHO ALSO HAS A SALARY, AND THAT'S A MUCH, A MUCH LARGER SALARY THAN, THAN
[01:10:01]
WHAT THE DIRECTOR'S GETTING THERE.SO THE, THE, THE SUB PORTIONS OF YOUR BUDGET THAT RELATE TO THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM, HAS STAFF HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW THAT AND COMMENT ON THAT AT ALL? HAVE WE LOOKED AT THAT STAFF? I HAVE THAT DOCUMENT AND CAN, CAN EASILY SHARE IT.
THAT'S JUST MY SIMPLE QUESTION.
I CAN, I CAN ABSOLUTELY SEND THAT.
THE WHOLE PROGRAM COSTS ABOUT 105,000, 107,000.
UH, WE ARE CIRCLING BACK TO MR. JOHN OTU.
HOPEFULLY YOU WERE CUTTING THE DEAL.
WHILE YOU OUTSIDE
YEAH,
UH, SHOULD I BEGIN? PLEASE DO, SIR.
SO I'LL WALK YOU THROUGH A LITTLE PRESENTATION.
YOU HAVE MY SUBMISSION AND I APOLOGIZE, UH, TO COUNCIL MEMBER TURNER AND BRYSON, WHO, WHO SAT THROUGH SOME OF OUR PRE, UH, STRATEGIC, UH, UH, SESSIONS LAST, LAST WEEK.
SO SOME OF THIS MIGHT BE, UH, COVERED AGAIN, BUT I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, UH, IN YOUR PACKET, UH, YOU'LL SEE, UH, OR IN THIS PRESENTATION, OUR MISSION AND VISION, AS YOU JUST HEARD, UH, FOR NONPROFITS COLLABORATION WITH SO MANY ENTITIES, UH, IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
UH, OUR, OUR FOCUS IS TO DIVERSIFY THE ECONOMY, TRY TO CREATE WELL PAYING JOBS, AND WE'LL TRY TO SHOW YOU SOME RESULTS ON THAT.
OUR BUDGET REQUEST, UH, IS FOR 42,000.
UH, OVER THE, UH, EIGHT YEARS THAT WE'VE BEEN, UH, DOING THIS, UH, HILTON HEAD HAS PAID US 247,000, UH, DOLLARS.
AND HOPEFULLY YOU CAN SEE THAT, UH, THE COUNTY, UH, HAS EARMARKED $11 MILLION.
UH, OF THAT $11 MILLION, 5 MILLION IS HELD IN CASH AND LAND TODAY.
UH, ACQUISITIONS THAT WE'VE MADE AND CASH IN THE BANK, UH, OR I'M SORRY, IN THE SITE AND JOBS FUND HELD BY THE COUNTY.
AND THEN OVER THIS PERIOD OF TIME, UH, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO, UH, SECURE GRANTS, UH, SOME OF THE UTCS HERE ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND AS WELL, UH, BUT SOME $3 MILLION IN, UH, GRANTS TO SUPPORT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
AND SO, WHEN YOU LOOK AT, UH, UH, HOW BEAUFORT COUNTY IS STACKING UP, SO, UH, WHILE WE DO WANT TO BE VERY ATTENTIVE TO WHAT HILTON HEAD ISLAND, UH, WANTS TO SEE, AND, UH, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO LISTEN TO YOUR STRATEGIC SESSION.
I KNOW THIS IS IMPORTANT TO YOU, UH, BUT WE ALSO LOOK AT IT AS A, UH, UH, ON A, UH, UH, UH, MACRO LEVEL, UH, BEAUFORT COUNTY OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS, REALLY, POST, UH, PANDEMIC IS STACKING UP QUITE WELL COMPARED TO SOUTH CAROLINA, WHICH IS A GROWING STATE, UH, FOR JOB CREATION.
THEY'RE AT 28, WE'RE AT 30, NATIONAL AVERAGE 22.
SO WE'RE OUTPACING BOTH THE STATE AND THE NATION, AND NOW ALL GROWTH IN ITSELF, ESPECIALLY FOLLOWING, UH, UH, AN ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP.
UH, WE ARE REALLY MINDFUL OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE DO IN BEAUFORT COUNTY, THAT THEY DON'T UPSET THE ENVIRONMENT.
UH, AND TO DATE, WE'VE DONE SOME 88 PROJECTS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN OPPOSED, UH, BY AN ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP, OR, UH, NOT IN MY BACKYARD GROUP, ALTHOUGH I JUST READ A TEXT.
SO THAT COULD CHANGE TOMORROW NIGHT.
UH, BUT
AND SO HOW DO WE STACK UP AGAINST, UH, OTHER COMMUNITIES IN THE STATE? UH, AND YOU CAN SEE MYRTLE BEACH IS PHENOMENAL.
I DON'T THINK WE WANT, UH, JUST ANY GROWTH IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
WE WANT GROWTH, UH, THAT KIND OF MAINTAINS THE ENVIRONMENT WE JUST HEARD ABOUT.
UH, BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT OTHER, UH, UH, UH, GREAT AREAS LIKE GREENVILLE, COLUMBIA, SPARTANBURG, FLORENCE, SUMTER, WE STACK UP PRETTY WELL.
SO THOSE WOULD BE THE RESULTS IN THE FISCAL YEAR WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW, WHICH WILL END AT THE END OF JUNE.
AND YOU CAN SEE OUR TARGETS OFF TO THE, UH, OFF TO THE, UH, UH, RIGHT THERE.
UH, BUT WE'RE, UH, SHOOTING FOR $70 MILLION INVESTMENT.
WE HAVE A PROJECT HERE ON HILTON HEAD THAT WILL HOPEFULLY, UH, COME, UH, BE ABLE TO BE ANNOUNCED AT SOME POINT SOON.
UH, AND I'LL EXPLAIN THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON IT FOREVER.
UH, BUT, UH, RIGHT NOW WE'RE AT JUST UNDER $60 MILLION IN INVESTMENT, 165 JOBS.
[01:15:01]
UH, THE JOBS ARE WELL PAYING AND, UH, WE, IN TERMS OF INCENTIVES AND SITE GRANTS, UH, UH, 275 OF THAT IS A, UH, UTILITY TAX CREDITS, UH, COMING IN AND A A A $200,000, UH, UH, GRANT FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE.OF THAT 30,000, UH, WAS EARMARKED FOR SPARTINA, UH, WHICH IS BUILDING ITS HEADQUARTER HEADQUARTERS IN BLUFFTON.
UH, SO MOST OF THAT IS MONEY COMING IN FROM AWAY.
UH, SINCE INCEPTION, UH, WE'VE, UH, DONE, UH, JUST OVER $9 MILLION.
WE'VE, UH, PLAYED A ROLE IN SOME $900 MILLION, UH, THIR, OH, NEARLY 3,200 JOBS, AVERAGE COMP OVER THAT TIME, 60 K AND INCENTIVES, UH, TO COMPANIES.
AND I LIKE TO NOTE, 'CAUSE SOME PEOPLE LOOK AT IT, MULTIPLY OR DIVIDE $32 MILLION BY, UH, 3.1 MILLION.
MOST OF THOSE INCENTIVES COME FROM THE STATE, THEREBY, RIGHT? FOR COMPANIES THAT ARE HIRING IN TARGETED SECTORS BY THE STATE.
ONLY 1.5 MILLION OF THAT, UH, UH, WAS FROM COUNTY SITE AND JOB FUNDS.
SO WE'RE NOT, WE'RE, WE'RE PRETTY AUSTERE IN OUR USE OF SITE AND JOB FUNDS.
SOME PEOPLE, UH, LIKE TO ASK, WELL, WHAT, WHAT DO THE QUALITY OF THE JOBS YOU'RE ATTRACTING LOOK LIKE? AS YOU CAN SEE, OVER THE LAST, UH, FIVE YEARS, THE QUALITY OF THE JOBS IS, UH, INCREASED IN TERMS OF ANNUAL COMPENSATION BY NEARLY 90%.
AND I GUESS IF YOU'RE WATCHING THE MOUSE, YOU'RE LIKE, THIS GUY MOVES HIS HAND A LOT, BUT I APOLOGIZE,
I THINK I HEARD THIS, UH, AT YOUR, UH, AT YOUR, UH, STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSION.
SO, UH, AND WE HAD RUN THIS, I THINK, ALEX, YOU HAD REQUESTED THIS SOME TIME AGO.
SO I'LL REMIND YOU OF THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THE WORK WE'VE DONE.
IT'S A LITTLE DATED, BUT TO GET IT UPDATED COSTS US ABOUT $2,000 FROM CLEMSON.
BUT IF YOU WANT REFRESHED NUMBERS, WE CAN GET THOSE FOR YOU.
UH, SIX, UH, $66 MILLION OF INVESTMENT ON THE ISLAND HERE.
UH, UH, JOBS NEW AND RETAINED 255, UH, INCENTIVES, UH, 3.3 MILLION.
UH, AND NO, AND, AND KEEP THIS IN THE BACK OF YOUR MIND.
UH, I, THERE, THERE WERE ALL GREAT PRESENTATIONS TODAY.
I WANT, I, I WOULD LIKE YOU TO CONSIDER OURS NOT AS AS MUCH OF AN ASK, BUT A REVENUE CREATOR, UH, FOR HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
SO, IN SALARY, UH, UH, 14.3 MILLION.
AND, UH, COMPANIES THAT ARE HERE, UH, UH, L THREE HARRIS BEING ONE, AND I'LL COVER THAT IN A SECOND.
UH, SO YOU'VE GIVEN US 247,000, AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACHIEVE THESE RESULTS AND PROVIDE INCENTIVES TO YOUR COMPANIES OF, UH, 225,000.
SO, UH, HOPEFULLY YOU WOULD LOOK AT THAT AS, UH, UH, UH, MOVING YOUR AGENDA FORWARD.
OUR APPROACH TO THE WORK, AND AGAIN, I APOLOGIZE FOR PEOPLE WHEN TO CONVERGE AND SAW THIS, BUT REALLY THE COMPANIES WE'RE WORKING WITH, UH, ARE REALLY, UH, CONCERNED ABOUT SALES GOODS AND SERVICES.
WHY GOVERNMENT INVEST IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TOWNS AND CITIES THROUGHOUT, UH, A VERY SUCCESSFUL SOUTH CAROLINA TO CREATE JOBS FOR THEIR RESIDENTS, CREATE, UH, TAXES, UH, AND, UH, ABLE TO SUPPORT THE SERVICES PEOPLE EXPECT.
BUT WHEN WE'RE NOT, UH, DOING THE DEALS AS A COLLECTIVE, AND, AND WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH, UH, UH, NICK TAY, AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH MICHELLE IN HER NEW ROLE, WE HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THESE OTHER ASPECTS, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, UH, HOUSING, AND, UH, GREAT STRIDES FORWARD AT NORTH POINT, AND HOPEFULLY, UH, UH, BRYANT ROAD AS WELL, UH, COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL REAL ESTATE.
AND, AND WE, UH, ARE, ARE POISED TO HELP, UH, HILTON HEAD PURCHASE LAND FOR THE PRESERVATION OF PLACES FOR PEOPLE TO WORK.
AND IF YOU'VE BEEN TO MANY OF OUR THINGS, WE HAVE COMPETING INTEREST.
WE HAVE THE GREEN PENNY, AND CERTAINLY PRESERVING THE ECO, UH, THE ENVIRONMENT.
WE HAVE COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT.
WE HAVE HOU MARKET RATE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT, AND A PIECE OF THAT BALANCE HAS TO BE PRESERVING LAND FOR PEOPLE TO MAKE A LIVING, UH, FUTURE GENERATIONS TO MAKE A LIVING.
AND SO, UH, OUR APPROACH TO THE WORK, AND, UH, WE HAD A, A, UH, THE MAYOR IS ON OUR BOARD.
UH, UH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER TURNER ATTENDED OUR, UH, STRATEGIC
[01:20:01]
SESSION.UH, BUT OUR APPROACH IS MARKETING, BUSINESS RETENTION, SITE DEVELOPMENT, GRANTS, UH, UH, TWO COMPANIES, PROJECT MANAGEMENT, AND I'LL EXPLAIN SOME OF THOSE SHORTLY.
COORDINATING WITH PARTNERS, PUBLIC POLICY, AND THEN MEASURING IT.
AND, AND, UH, IN YOUR SURVEY THERE WAS QUESTION, WELL, WHAT THE STATUS OF AN MOU? AND PERHAPS WITH YOUR NEW ALIGNMENT, WE CAN STRUCTURE AN MOU, SO HILTON HEAD CAN ASK FOR EXACTLY WHAT IT WANTS, AND OUR STAFF WILL KNOW, UH, WHAT TO DELIVER.
BUT, UH, WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOUR, UH, NEWLY CONSTITUTED, UH, UH, STAFF.
OUR RECENT PROJECTS, JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF SOME THINGS THAT WE WORKED ON IN THE LAST YEAR, UH, I THINK, UH, UH, BEFORE YOU MADE THAT DECISION TO TRANSFER THE LAND, UH, THE, UH, UH, REPORT THAT WE HAD, UH, UH, GOTTEN.
KELLY BRUNSON, UH, OUR SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER, WORKED WITH STAFF TO GET THIS, UH, UH, ECONOMIC IMPACT ON THE INVESTOR, UH, THAT YOU ENDED UP APPROVING ON NORTH POINT.
AGAIN, KELLY BRUNSON, UH, WORKED WITH THE CHAMBER TO USE PLACER AI, UH, TO ACTUALLY, UH, ANALYZE WHERE THE DRIVE, WHERE THE, UH, FOLKS WERE COMING FROM.
AND, AND YOU MAY NOT HAVE KNOWN WE WERE WORKING ON IT.
WE WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH BEN BROWN, UH, ON THIS.
BUT WE ALSO WERE IN DIRECT CONTACT WITH, UH, UH, RBC UH, COM, UH, UH, COMMUNITY INVESTMENTS, UH, AS THEY WERE DOING THEIR DUE DILIGENCE ON WHETHER TO FINANCE THE DEAL.
UH, L THREE HARRIS, UH, THIS IS ONE WHERE WE HAVE REFRESHED A RETENTION AGREEMENT, UH, UH, THREE TIMES THE INITIAL AGREEMENT AND TWO UPDATES.
UH, I, I, I, I, THEY'VE CHANGED STAFF.
SO, UH, WE REACHED OUT TO STEVE SCHOENBERG, THE OPS MANAGER, UH, AND, UH, THIS IS WHAT WE GET WHEN WE WORK WITH EMPLOYERS.
SOME OF IT'S, UH, UH, BELOW THE RADAR.
I, I I, I WILL SAY DURING YOUR, UH, STRATEGIC SESSION, UH, THAT IT WAS COMMENTED THAT LIKE, IT'S A FRAN, IT, IT'S A, A MINDSET BUSINESS RETENTION, I WOULD SAY, NO, IT'S NOT A MINDSET.
IT'S GOT TO BE DILIGENTLY APPROACHED IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE YOUR EXISTING CUSTOMERS FEEL PAID ATTENTION TO.
AND WE DO THAT JUST IN, I, I ENDED UP PUTTING A, A WORD UP THERE, PERSEVERANCE ON THIS ONE.
I, I KNOW YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT IT.
I EXPECT YOU MIGHT HAVE QUESTIONS EVEN TODAY ON IT.
UH, BUT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THIS INVESTOR.
THEIR INVESTMENT, UH, WAS EXPECTED WHEN WE STARTED WITH THEM TO BE ABOUT 23 MILLION.
TODAY, IT'S ANTICIPATED IT'LL BE 30 MILLION.
WE EXPECT A LETTER OF INTENT ANY DAY.
THE NATURE OF THE DEAL, UH, UH, KEPT CHANGING.
THE COUNTY WAS GONNA HAVE THE DEVELOPER BUY THE LAND FROM HILTON HEAD.
NOW IT APPEARS THE COUNTY WOULD LIKE TO BUY IT.
AND WE'RE WELL AWARE OF WHAT HILTON HAD RESIDENTS 'CAUSE WE DID THOSE COMMUNITY MEETINGS EXPECTING THE DEAL AND WHAT THE COUNCIL EXPECTS IN THE DEAL.
UH, BUT WITHOUT THE STEADY, UH, ATTENTION OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THIS WOULD'VE, UH, THIS WOULD'VE DIED A COUPLE OF TIMES.
NOW, IF, UH, IF WE GET IT ACROSS THE FINISH LINE, THEN WE'LL ALL BE DANCING.
BUT AS, UH, WE WERE AT NORTH POINT, UH, UH, I THINK, UH, UH, IT WAS MADE VERY CLEAR BY THE GENTLEMAN WHO KEEPS TALK, UH, KEPT SPEAKING ABOUT THE NUMBER OF DAYS IN ORDER TO GET COMPLICATED DEALS MOVE FORWARD, YOU HAVE TO BE DILIGENT ABOUT IT.
A PROJECT THAT WE CONTINUE TO MARKET, OR A PROPERTY OF YOURS THAT WE CONTINUE TO MARKET IS PALMETTO BAY BUSINESS PARK.
UH, WE'RE LOOKING, UH, FORWARD TO MAYBE DOING SOME, UH, PLANNING ON THAT SITE, BRINGING SOME, UH, UH, COUNTY AND STATE DOLLARS TO HELP YOU, UH, DEVELOP THAT SITE AS IT'S BEEN, UH, UH, THERE FOR A WHILE.
I DON'T THINK THE NEW PICKLEBALL COURTS, UH, AFFECT THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY.
I DON'T BELIEVE THEY DO IN TERMS OF UNDERUTILIZED SITES, UH, WHICH, UH, YOU KNOW, THE MAYOR'S MADE IT VERY CLEAR INFILL, UH, I THINK TO LAFAYETTE PLACE, OUR STAFF HAS BEEN WORKING WITH CHASE BANK ON, UH, UH, THAT PROPERTY AS WELL AS A PROPERTY IN BLUFFTON.
SO IT'S A NEW FINANCIAL, UH, COMPANY COM, UH, COMING INTO THE AREA.
UH, BUT WE'RE WORKING WITH MICHELLE AND NICK TAY ON, ON FIGURING OUT WHICH PROJECTS.
AS YOU CAN SEE, BUFORD MEMORIAL BREAKING GROUND JUST ABOVE THE, UH, UH, SEA PINE CIRCLE INFILL IS PROBABLY THE BEST OPPORTUNITY, UH, FOR HILTON HEAD.
AND AGAIN, WE CAN BUILD SOME METRICS AROUND THAT.
I'VE GOT A MEETING IN A COUPLE OF MINUTES ON THE COAST GUARD FACILITY.
UH, MAYOR WROTE A LETTER OF IN SUPPORT OF THIS, UH,
[01:25:01]
UH, IT WAS ANNOUNCED, UH, AS YOU WOULD LOGICALLY THINK THAT THE, UH, COAST GUARD FACILITY'S GONNA BE 250 MILES FROM THE OCEAN, UH, IN BIRMINGHAM.BUT, UH, WE'RE GONNA WORK WITH SENATOR SCOTT AND SENATOR GRAHAM TO, UH, UH, TRY TO DEVELOP SOMETHING AT THIS UNDERUTILIZED REGIONAL ASSET IN TERMS OF BUSINESS RETENTION.
AND I'LL TRY TO GET THROUGH THIS QUICK.
UH, BUT, UH, WE, WE'VE DONE 14 COMPANY VISITS IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS AND HAVE BEEN ASSISTING, UH, 20 COMPANY, 22 COMPANIES OVER THAT PERIOD OF TIME TERMS OF MARKETING AND ATTRACTION.
WE HAVE A CURRENT, UH, DIGITAL CAMPAIGN FOR THE BENEFIT OF, UH, YOUR COMMUNITY.
UH, THIS WAS FUNDED BY SANTI COOPER.
UH, KELLY BRUNSON APPLIED FOR A GRANT TO FUND THIS DIGITAL CAMPAIGN ON A FRIDAY, AND THE FUNDING WAS APPROVED ON A MONDAY, AND SHE JUMPED RIGHT INTO IT.
SO, UH, UH, RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEOPLE WHO WANT TO SEE, UH, YOUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UH, UH, PROGRESS.
SO ON THE, ON THE LEFT, UH, MAYOR HAD, MAYOR HAD SUGGESTED THAT A LOT OF FINANCIAL FIRMS WERE DISAPPOINTED WITH THE TAMPA MARKET.
SO WE HAVE A, AN INTENSE CAMPAIGN GOING ON THERE.
UH, AFTER THE NEW YORK ELECTIONS, THERE WERE A LOT OF, AS YOU CAN SEE, SOME, SOME OF THESE BOROUGHS.
UH, WE'RE NOT HAPPY WITH THE ELECTION OF THE MAYOR IN NEW YORK, SO WE'RE, WE'RE FOCUSING ON THOSE BOROUGHS AS WELL.
IN TERMS OF, UH, EXISTING PROPERTY, UH, WE ARE, UH, HELPING AND IF YOU SEE IT, WHETHER IT'S ON OUR WEBSITE OR ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA, UH, PUMPING OUT THIS INFORMATION, AS A MATTER OF FACT, UH, UH, THE FIVE ENTERPRISE LANE, I, I WASN'T EVEN AWARE WE WERE MARKETING IT UNTIL IT SHOWED UP ON MY FEED.
UH, BUT, UH, KELLY BRUNSON AND BRIAN WANT TO DO A VERY GOOD JOB OF, UH, UH, GETTING THAT OUT THERE.
CONVERGE ON WHHI, UH, WE TRY TO GET OUR STORY OUT, UH, TO FOLKS.
UH, IF YOU'VE NOT LISTENED ON THE CHANNEL, UH, UH, ALAN WOLF, UH, ALAN WOLF TELLS, UH, UH, A GREAT STORY OF HOW, UH, HIS WORK WITH US AND OUR PERSEVERANCE OVER FIVE YEARS HAS GOTTEN THIS, UH, LEGENDS, WHICH YOU MAY SEE AS A PUB, UH, BUT THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA SEES IT AS A, A MANUFACTURING FACILITY.
AND SO THAT'S, UH, WHAT I HAVE, I, I'LL JUST WRAP UP, BUT, UH, UH, BASICALLY THE, UH, UH, CLEMSON REPORT SAID THAT THE WORK THAT WE HAVE DONE IN THE FIRST SEVEN YEARS, UH, UH, ADDS UP TO AN ECONOMIC IMPACT, UH, OVER THAT PERIOD OF TIME, UH, UH, TO $1.1 BILLION.
AND I, I, I JUST, UH, AS YOU'RE LOOKING AT DIFFERENT WAYS TO APPROACH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, I, I WAS REMINDED BY CARLTON DALLAS, UH, UH, CHAIRMAN OF THE, UH, BOARD OF EDUCATION THAT FROM 2014 TO 2016, HILTON HAD, UH, HAD HIRED A GENTLEMAN TO DO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT JUST FOR HILTON HAD.
AND OVER THOSE TWO YEARS, UH, THERE WERE NO TANGIBLE RESULTS.
UH, I THINK WITH YOUR, YOUR NEW, UH, STRUCTURE, HAVING MICHELLE IN PLACE, UH, WORK, CONTINUING TO WORK WITH NICK TE, UH, WE CAN CONTINUE TO GET RESULTS FOR HILTON HEAD.
ALRIGHT, WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND I APPRECIATE THE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING, UM, SUPPORT TO HILTON HEAD SPECIFICALLY, SINCE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FUNDING FROM HILTON HEAD.
UM, SO YOUR BUSINESS MODEL IS TO, UH, DRIVE BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES AND BRING ECONOMIC GROWTH AND JOBS TO OUR COMMUNITY, UH, AS WELL AS THE COUNTY.
AND SO I DID GET TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT STRATEGIC, UH, PLAN COMMUNITY FEEDBACK SESSION, AND I, I LEARNED A LOT, UM, ABOUT ALL THE WORK THAT, UH, YOU ARE DOING AS WELL AS ALL THE ASSETS AND BENEFITS THAT WE HAVE THAT WE CAN MARKET, UM, FOR THESE OPPORTUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTY.
NOW, UM, BEAUFORT COUNTY PROVIDES THE MAJORITY OF THE FINANCIAL SUPPORT.
AND SO WHAT YOU ASKED FOR THIS YEAR IS 42,000 FROM THE VARIOUS MUNICIPALITIES, AND THAT HAS INCREASED JUST $2,000 FROM LAST YEAR.
AND EACH ONE IS, UH, ASKED FOR 42,000.
SO HILTON HEAD IS ASKED FOR 42 BLUFFTON, ET CETERA.
UM, THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION AT THE CONFERENCE ABOUT WHETHER, UH,
AND IT WOULD BE HARD TO, UM, YOU KNOW, STAND UP OUR OWN ORGANIZATION, UH, FOR THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY.
UM, IT, I, IT REALLY TOOK, UM, AWAY THE MESSAGE POINT THAT YOU SAID THAT, UM, ALONG WITH PROVIDING MONEY, THE TOWN ALSO NEEDS TO BE AN ACTIVE PARTNERSHIP.
AND SO I'M VERY, UM, EXCITED THAT MICHELLE IS INVOLVED IN THAT PROCESS AND THAT WE NEED TO PARTNER AND IDENTIFY AS WE HAVE POTENTIAL, UH, SITES FOR FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES.
[01:30:02]
UM, AND BECAUSE OF THE MODERN CLASSIC PURCHASE, UH, WE HAVE ALLOCATED THE MONEY FROM THAT SALE INTO A FUND THAT WE ARE SAVING TO SUPPORT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WHICH, UH, IS SOMETHING THAT I'M VERY, UH, SUPPORTIVE OF AND FEEL THAT WE NEED ON THE ISLAND.SO, UM, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, UH, BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR ALL THE INFORMATION IN THE PRESENTATION.
UM, THERE'S A PAGE, AND I APOLOGIZE, WE'RE NOT CATCHING THE NUMBER OF THE PAGE, BUT WHERE YOU'RE SHOWING, UH, FOR FISCAL YEAR 25, 26, THE RESULTS.
UM, AND AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THAT WOULD BE COUNTYWIDE BEAUFORT COUNTYWIDE.
UM, CAN YOU PULL THAT SLIDE BACK UP AND YES.
SO, AND I APPRECIATE, UM, THE FOLLOWING SLIDES WHICH TALK ABOUT SPECIFIC PROJECTS ON HILTON HEAD THAT'S VERY HELPFUL TO KNOW ABOUT.
SO OF THE 59.6 MILLION INVESTMENTS AND 165 JOBS FOR FISCAL YEAR 25, 26, WHAT PORTION OF THOSE ARE ON HILTON HEAD? CAN YOU, CAN YOU TELL ME? NONE CURRENTLY NONE.
CURRENTLY WORKING ON THE ONE THAT YOU MENTIONED, IT'S STILL BEING NEGOTIATED, SO.
UM, SO THAT'S VERY HELPFUL TO KNOW.
UM, I APPRECIATE THAT THE AMOUNT THAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR IS THE SAME FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR, THE 42,000, PREVIOUS TO THAT IT WAS 40,000.
UM, SORRY, I WASN'T ABLE TO ATTEND THE FULL STRAP PLAN, UH, DISCUSSION, BUT I DID SIT IN ON THE ALMOST HOURS WORTH OF PRERA PLAN DISCUSSION, WHICH WAS ALSO VERY INFORMATIVE.
UM, SO, UM, AND, AND I KNOW, UM, THERE WAS A NOTE IN THE AUDIT, BUT I RECALL THAT THAT WAS STRAIGHTENED OUT, SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE WAY CERTAIN REVENUE WAS REPORTED, BUT THAT WAS STRAIGHTENED OUT.
SO, UH, OTHER THAN THAT, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
COULD, COULD I JUST MAKE TWO COMMENTS? SURE.
UH, ONE WOULD BE THAT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, A LOT OF THESE THINGS HAVE, UH, HAVE A LONG, UH, UH, PROCESS THAT THEY GO THROUGH.
SO, UH, UH, THE LONE PALMETTO ONE WOULD BE, UH, AN EXAMPLE OF ONE OF THE LONGER ONES WE'VE WORKED ON.
UH, SO NOT EVERY YEAR DO WE PLACE, UH, A PROJECT IN EVERY COMMUNITY, BUT HOPEFULLY, UH, YEAR AFTER YEAR, YEAR YOU'RE PAID ATTENTION TO.
AS FAR AS THE AUDIT, UH, WE BOUGHT, UH, OUR FIRST PIECE OF LAND LAST APRIL.
SO THE AUDIT AUDIT ENDED IN JULY.
WE CLASSIFIED AS AN ASSET THAT 14.77 ACRES, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN LISTED AS A CONTINGENT ASSET BECAUSE UPON THE SALE WE HAVE AN AGREEMENT TO RETURN THOSE FUNDS TO THE COUNTY.
UH, OUR LAST PRESENTATION IS GONNA BE AMBER, WAS SEA TURTLE PATROL.
LESS THAN 24 HOURS AGO I WAS ON HAWAII.
UH, THERE'S A LITTLE BIT JET LAG GOING ON RIGHT NOW, SO APOLOGIZE FOR THAT.
WELL, AS A TOWN AFFILIATED AGENCY, WE PROVIDE A SERVICE THAT NO ONE ELSE CAN.
OUR EVENT IS DAILY, SIX MONTHS OUT OF THE YEAR.
THAT'S PATROLLING THE BEACH, AS YOU KNOW, FOR SEA TURTLE NESTS, PROTECTING THEM, TAKING THE DATA REQUIREMENT THAT IS NECESSARY FOR THE BIOLOGICAL REVIEW FOR THE BEACH RE NOURISHMENT, WHICH WE ALSO PARTICIPATED IN THIS YEAR.
UM, OUTSIDE OF THAT, WE DO A LOT TO PROTECT, PRESERVE THE HABITAT AND THE EDUCATION ASPECT.
THAT IS PART OF OUR FIVE YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN THAT WE SUBMITTED TO BECOME A TOWN AFFILIATED AGENT.
WE ARE INVOLVED WITH MANY EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES, USCB AND THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM.
WE HAVE CURRICULUM THAT IS IMPLEMENTED ANNUALLY AT IB FOR EVERY GRADE AT USCB, WE HAVE A GENETICS LAB WHERE WE EVALUATE THE DNA THAT WE COLLECT FROM NESTS.
AND WE ARE CURRENTLY DISCUSSING A HOSPITALITY ASPECT TO THAT BECAUSE MANY OF THE ECOTOURISM, UM, REQUESTS HAVE TO DO WITH WHAT, YOU KNOW, ENVIRONMENTAL AND AS A HOSPITALITY CAMPUS, THEY SHOULD BE STARTING TO UNDERSTAND THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMPONENT OF HILTON HEAD, WHICH MAKES US VERY UNIQUE.
AND BEING ABLE TO TRAIN STUDENTS TO BE ABLE TO, UM, COMMUNICATE THAT.
PART OF THAT MIGHT BE INVITING TOURISTS TO SEE OUR GENETICS
[01:35:01]
LAB.AND, UM, OF COURSE WE GIVE EDUCATION TO TOURISTS AT THE CELEBRATION PARK, JUNE, JULY AND AUGUST WEEKLY.
AND ALSO IN THE RESORTS THAT WE HAVE PARTNERED WITH.
SO PART OF HOSPITALITY AS WELL, THEY'RE SEA TURTLE FRIENDLY CERTIFIED.
THEY HAVE A CRITERIA TO BE MET AND A LOT OF EDUCATION GOES ON WITHIN THAT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
UM, ALSO USES OUR INFORMATION FOR ECOTOURISM AND HAS HEAVILY LEANED ON US IN THE LAST FEW YEARS.
UM, RESPONSE TO STRANDING INCIDENTS THAT HAPPENS YEAR ROUND, UM, IN THE WINTER.
BUT ALSO THE MARINE MAMMAL ASPECT, WHICH I AM THE ONLY CERTIFIED MARINE MAMMAL STRANDING COORDINATOR THAT DOES NECROPSIES.
AND THAT'S ONE THING THAT WE DON'T WANT TO LEAVE LAYING AROUND ON OUR BEACHES, PARTICULARLY IN THE SUMMER MONTHS WHEN THEY'RE HEAVILY TRAFFICKED.
SO I CAN'T THINK OF VERY MANY ASPECTS OF THIS ISLAND THAT WE ARE NOT INTEGRATED INTO FROM THE ART ASPECT WITH RICHARD GRANT, CRESCENDO, UM, ART LEAGUE TO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE AT THE CHAMBER.
UM, THE LOW COUNTRY ENVIRONMENTAL CLUB WITH ROTARY, UH, SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS.
IF YOU CAN THINK OF ONE, I CAN PROBABLY GIVE YOU AN ANSWER.
44TH ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL SEA TURTLE SYMPOSIUM.
UH, WE WERE THE ONLY SOUTH CAROLINA FACTION REPRESENTED.
BRIAN SHAMBLIN, WHO DOES THE GENETICS AT UUGA AND NOW USCP IS PARTICIPATING.
UM, JUST FOR YOUR OWN INFORMATION, WE DO A LOT MORE NEST DATA GATHERING THAN WE HAVE IN THE PAST.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, THE TREND IS GOING TO MEAN THAT WE WILL HAVE A VERY HIGH YEAR IN 2026.
WE HAVE BEEN OPERATING OUT OF A TENT IN A PARKING LOT FOR, UM, DECADES, AND THE TOWN HAS BEEN GRACIOUS TO LEND US THOSE TWO SPOTS.
UM, FOR WHEN THIS RESTRUCTURING OF THIS ORGANIZATION HAPPENED IN 2018, UM, STARTED WITH A BUDGET OF ZERO AND A RESTRICTION THAT WE COULD NOT ASK FOR MONEY FROM THE TOWN FOR FIVE YEARS.
IT'S BEEN SEVEN BEFORE I APPLIED.
SO THIS IS MY THIRD TOWN AFFILIATED REQUEST.
THIS IS A TRANSITION PERIOD FOR US.
WE ARE, UM, EXPONENTIALLY GROWING AND, UH, WE HAVE ONE SALARY THAT IS, WELL, I WOULD CALL IT PART-TIME.
IT'S ABOUT HALF OF THE LOWEST ONE THAT YOU'RE GONNA HEAR ABOUT
UM, OUR TENT IS BEING RETIRED AND THE TOWN PROVIDED RENT IN THE LAST ASK FOR, UM, I DID NOT USE IT FOR THE FIRST SIX MONTHS.
I OPTED TO STAY IN THE TENT, SO THERE WILL BE MONEY LEFT OVER FROM MY LAST ASK, WHICH WAS 97 5.
AND THIS YEAR IT IS LESS, REGARDLESS OF THE FACT THAT WE, A LARGE PORTION OF IT, PORTION OF IT IS RENT.
THIS IS OUR RENTAL FACILITY, UM, AS THE FIRST TIME WE'VE HAD A ROOF OVER OUR HEADS, UM, SINCE 2018.
AND IT HAS BEEN, UM, VERY, WE HAVEN'T ACTUALLY HAD TIME TO USE IT YET.
WE WILL BE MOVING IN FULLY ON, UM, MARCH THE 14TH AS THE TRANSITION YEAR BECAUSE A, WE GOT A SPACE, BUT ALSO BECAUSE WE'RE IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE TOWN TO RENT TOWN PROPERTY.
AND SO THIS IS A TEMPORARY FACILITY FOR A YEAR AND A HALF.
THE LEASE IS, AND HOPEFULLY BY THEN WE WILL NOT HAVE TO ASK FOR RENT ANYMORE.
SO OUR BUDGET ASK IS FOR 94,415.
WE HAVE A STORAGE UNIT THAT WE'VE HAD FOR THREE YEARS THAT CONTAINS THE TANKS THAT WE WILL BE, UM, IMPLEMENTING IN OUR FACILITY AND A HATCH SLING THAT HOPEFULLY WE WILL GET PERMITTED FOR.
SO THAT IS PART OF OUR ECOTOURISM LAUNCH.
THIS FACILITY WILL BE MANNED FOR SEVEN DAYS A WEEK BY US, SO WE WILL HAVE TO HIRE THE SALARY.
UH, PORTION OF THIS ASK IS FOR MY PART-TIME SALARY AND STIPEND, AND THE OTHER TWO PORTIONS ARE RENT.
AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT, I
[01:40:01]
CAN DEFINITELY TELL YOU THE ANSWER.AND I THINK THAT IS IT FOR ME.
UM, AND, UH, IT SOUNDS LIKE A, A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO SHOWCASE WHAT SEA TURTLE PATROL IS DOING HERE ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND AND FOR SOUTH CAROLINA.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT KIND OF SERVICE FOR US.
UM, EXCITING TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THE BIOLOGICAL RESEARCH AND THE COOPERATION, UH, WITH UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA.
DO I HAVE THE RIGHT, UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA? DOES ALL THE GNA SAMPLING FOR GEORGIA, SOUTH CAROLINA AND NORTH CAROLINA BEACHES.
UH, OUR PROGRAM WAS THE ONLY ONE SELECTED TO HELP WITH THAT DNA ANALYSIS AND, UH, IT EXTENDS INTO PATERNAL DNA THIS PAST YEAR AND THIS YEAR.
AND WE HAVE ALWAYS DONE SINCE 2010, THE MATERNAL DNA ASPECT OF IT.
SO WE WERE GIVEN THAT PRIVILEGE BASED ON THE ADVANCED PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE COMPARED TO OTHER PROGRAMS IN THE STATE.
AND YOU ALSO HELPED WITH BEACH REN NOURISHMENT, UH, MAKING SURE THE NEST AREAS WERE PROTECTED.
SO THAT WAS VALUABLE CONTRIBUTION TO US DURING THIS YEAR AS AN AFFILIATED AGENCY.
SO, UM, AND IT LOOKS AS THOUGH THERE'S A REDUCTION IN THE REQUEST.
UM, SO I, I THINK YOU CERTAINLY HELP OUT WITH OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, UM, WITH THE, UH, PROTECTING AND PRESERVING THE ENVIRONMENT.
UM, AND THERE'S SOME ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HERE TOO, BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF FOLKS COME JUST TO LEARN ABOUT THE SEA TURTLES AND TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT PROGRAM.
UM, AND SO THAT'S ANOTHER PART OF OUR STRATEGIC PLAN.
UM, SO WITH THE REDUCTION IN THE REQUESTS, I'M CERTAINLY SUPPORTIVE OF THE REQUEST.
UH, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO, UH, BECAUSE IT, IT THINGS JUST POP UP AND YOU ARE THERE TO HANDLE THEM.
UH, LIKE WHEN SOMETHING COMES AS SHORE THAT'S NOT SUPPOSED TO BE THERE, UH, YOU KNOW, 24 7, YOU'RE, YOU'RE THERE TO TAKE CARE OF IT.
UM, YOU PROVIDED, UH, THE NECESSARY MONITORING OF THE SEA TURTLE NEST, UH, ON BEHALF OF THE TOWN, WHICH WE NEED TO DO.
AND YOU AND YOU HAVE FREE EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS TO THE PUBLIC.
AND WHEN I HAVE PEOPLE IN TOWN, WE COME TO THE TURTLE TALKS 'CAUSE IT'S A GREAT INFORMATION AND GREAT FRIEND DOWN IN CELEBRATION PARK.
UM, AND WHAT'S AMAZING IS YOUR ORGANIZATION HAS SO MANY VOLUNTEERS AND THEY ARE SO PASSIONATE, UH, ABOUT WHAT IT IS THAT THEY DO.
UM, SO WE PROVIDE ABOUT 40% OF YOUR FUNDING TODAY, UH, BETWEEN, UM, AFFILIATED AGENCY AND AT TAX.
AND YOU'VE GOT OTHER FUNDING THAT COMES FROM GRANTS AND CONTRIBUTIONS.
UM, SO WE APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU DO AND I'M SUPPORTIVE OF YOUR REQUEST, ESPECIALLY SINCE IT'S LESS THAN LAST YEAR
WE HOPE NOT TO PAY RENT OUTSIDE OF $1 IF POSSIBLE.
UM, SO BASED ON WHAT WE'VE DISCUSSED AND WHAT I'VE HEARD, UM, IT, IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S ONE ORGANIZATION THAT WE PROBABLY NEED TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE DISCUSSION ON, AND THAT'S OUTSIDE FOUNDATION.
SO, UM, JUST SO THAT WE CAN START A DISCUSSION, UM, I ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON THE OTHERS THAT ARE BEFORE US.
SO, MR. CHAIR, ARE YOU ASKING FOR A MOTION ON ALL THE OTHERS EXCEPT FOR OUTSIDE FOUNDATION? FOR NOW? YES.
UH, I'LL, I'LL MOVE TO APPROVE THE FY 2027.
SEE, HOW DO I DO THIS? I MOVE TO INCLUDE THIS IN THE BUDGET.
UH, COUNCILWOMAN BRYSON, WE WERE ACTUALLY, THIS IS GOING TO COME BEFORE YOU NEXT MEETING WITH A RESOLUTION FOR, UM, APPROVAL OF ALL OF THEM.
IF, IF THAT'S WHAT YOU CHOOSE TO DO.
THAT GIVES YOU GUYS ENOUGH TIME TO SORT OUT THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS AS WELL.
I THINK THERE WAS SOME CONFUSION ABOUT WHEN WE WERE ACTING, SO, OKAY.
SO WE'RE JUST TALKING
MS. BRYSON WAS ABOUT TO MAKE A MOTION.
SO I'LL MAKE SURE THAT STAFF AND THE APPLICANTS ARE CLEAR
[01:45:01]
ON THE NEXT MEETING.UM, SO IT SEEMS AS IF THERE WAS, UH, ALIGNMENT WITH WHAT'S BEING REQUESTED FROM ALL OF THE OTHERS.
AND WE'RE GONNA TAKE IT AS JUST THAT FOR THE CONVERSATION FOR THE MOMENT, OKAY? MM-HMM
UM, SO WITH THAT, UM, AND THERE IS A NOTE HERE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE CORRECT AMOUNT FOR PAMELA RE RIGHT.
I'D LIKE TO FIRST OFF, ASK OUR COLLEAGUES IN THE ROOM IF THEY WANT TO MAKE ANY COMMENTS ON OR HAVE QUESTIONS FOR ANY OF THE REQUESTS OUTSIDE OF OUTSIDE FOUNDATION.
I HAVE JUST A VERY MINOR MATTER FOR COMPLETION OF THE, THE RECORDS AT THE LAST SESSION.
UH, I POINT NOTED THAT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BUREAU DID NOT SUBMIT ITS 5 0 1 C3 LETTER AND REQUESTED THAT THEY DO, SO THAT HAS NOT YET HAPPENED.
ALL RIGHT, NOW LET'S TALK, UM, OUTSIDE FOUNDATION.
UM, AND SINCE WE'RE NOT TAKING ANY ACTION HERE, UM, I'M GOING TO I GUESS START THE DIALOGUE.
HOPEFULLY, UM, I LEARNED SOME THINGS EVEN TODAY.
UM, I, I THINK WE'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, A FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION BEFORE US, WHICH IS, DOES THIS ORGANIZATION QUALIFY AS AN AFFILIATE AGENCY? AND THEY CURRENTLY DO NOT HAVE AN MOU WITH US.
IS THAT CORRECT, MS. STONE? OKAY.
UM, BUT THEN THERE'S ALSO THE QUESTION OF LEAST IN MY MIND, DO WE WANT OUR OYSTER SHELLS GOING SOMEWHERE ELSE? THAT, THAT'S A HUGE CONCERN OF MINE JUST BY LISTENING TO THE PRESENTATION TODAY.
THE FACT THAT INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE IN THE OYSTERING BUSINESS COULD SELL AND MAKE MONEY FOR OUR OYSTERS TO GO SOMEWHERE ELSE, WHICH THEN LEAVES US SOMEWHAT VULNERABLE, I THINK IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO CONSIDER.
WE NEED TO HAVE A DISCUSSION AROUND THAT.
IN MY MIND, I'D ALSO, UM, YOU KNOW, ASK AS A RESPONSE TO MS. BRYSON'S ENVIRONMENTAL LIGHT.
LIKE WHERE, WHERE ARE WE WITH THIS WHOLE IDEA OF THE SHORELINE PROTECTION? OKAY.
UM, AND THE FACT THAT STAFF HAS NOT HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO UNDERSTAND AT A GREATER DETAIL AS TO THE COST OF THAT, I THINK THAT'S A FURTHER DISCUSSION THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN.
UM, THE, THE THING THAT I SORT OF CHALLENGING US HERE IS ARE THERE CREATIVE SOLUTIONS HERE THAT WE'RE NOT THINKING ABOUT? THERE ARE A NUMBER OF OUR RESTAURANTS ON HILTON HEAD THAT PROBABLY ARE SERVING OYSTERS AND, AND THEY ARE MORE, UM, THEN CERTAIN TO PAY US BUSINESS LICENSE FEES.
AND TO ME THERE'S A DISCONNECT THERE BECAUSE IF THIS IS TRULY IMPORTANT TO US, THEN MAYBE WE NEED TO HAVE A BIGGER CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW WE MAKE THAT A PART OF THEY'RE DOING BUSINESS ON HILTON HEAD.
I'M JUST PUTTING IT OUT THERE AS CREATIVE THOUGHT.
UM, SO TO ME THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES IN THIS CONVERSATION.
UM, BUT AS FAR AS, UH, A RECOMMENDATION AT OUR NEXT MEETING, I THINK WE, WE, WE MAY NOT BE THERE YET, BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ALL CONTINUE IN THE CONVERSATION ALRIGHT.
THAT THIS DOES NOT DIE BECAUSE IT SHOULD NOT DIE.
UM, AND AGAIN, I'LL GO BACK TO IF WE'RE TRULY ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AND WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD WE LET A PROGRAM LIKE THIS GO AWAY? RIGHT.
UM, AND THE OTHER PART OF IT IS THE OUTSIDE FOUNDATION HAS A WHOLE OTHER SLEW OF ITEMS THAT THEY, THAT THEY DO.
UM, YEAH, THEIR BUDGET HAS GONE UP.
YES, IT COSTS MORE TO ENSURE EVENTS LIKE PADDLE FEST AND THAT SORT OF THING.
UM, BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE TODAY.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE OYSTER PROGRAM AND I THINK WE NEED TO FIND A WAY TO FOCUS OUR CONVERSATION ON JUST THE OYSTER PROGRAM.
WITH THAT, I'LL STOP AND ASK FOR REACTIONS TO MY COMMENTS.
UM, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT WAS, WAS, UM, HAVING THEM LAY OUT EXACTLY THE PROGRAM COSTS FOR THE OYSTER PROGRAM AND WHAT FUNDING THEY CURRENTLY HAVE AND WHAT THE GAP IS.
UM, I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
[01:50:01]
YEAH, I, I AGREE WITH THAT.I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO KNOW.
FRU TRYING TO, TO DO A PRESENTATION WITHOUT HAVING DONE ONE BEFORE HERE.
SO NOT KNOWING WHAT THE QUESTIONS ARE, IT'S DIFFICULT TO PREPARE.
SOME OF THE OTHER FOLKS ARE A BIT SEASONED
SO, UM, YEAH, I THINK A LITTLE BIT MORE FINANCIAL INFORMATION ABOUT THAT PARTICULAR PROGRAM.
AND, AND AS WE HEARD THE PRESENTATION TODAY, I GOT TO THINKING ABOUT AND LOOKING AT THE STRAT PLAN ABOUT, UM, UH, HELPING, UH, KIDS IN SCHOOLS LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR ENVIRONMENT.
AND I'M WONDERING IF THAT COULD BE A PART OF OUR CONSIDERATION AS WELL.
EVEN THOUGH THE APPLICATION IS FOCUSED ON, UM, THE OYSTER SHELL RECYCLING PROGRAM, WHICH IS, I I AGREE.
UM, MR. BROWN, THAT'S, UH, JUST THINKING ABOUT OUR RESTAURANTS AND WHAT HAPPENS TO ALL THOSE SHELLS AND IF THEY'RE SENT SOMEWHERE ELSE AND SOLD, AND THEN WE HAVE TO TURN AROUND AS TAXPAYERS THROUGH THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA AND BUY THOSE SAME SHELVES BACK, IT'S LIKE, WOULDN'T IT BE BETTER TO KEEP THEM HERE? UM, AND KEEPING THEM HERE HELPS OUR ECONOMY AND OUR ENVIRONMENT.
AND SO THAT IS AN AFFILIATION OF THE TOWN IS TO PROTECT OUR ENVIRONMENT AND OUR ECONOMY.
UM, BUT I'M WONDERING IF, IF WE COULD THINK ABOUT, BECAUSE I THINK THAT THE APPLICATION INCLUDED A REFERENCE TO THE KIDS IN KAYAKS PROGRAM, UM, AND, AND THAT PERHAPS WE COULD THINK ABOUT PART OF THE FUNDING GOING TOWARDS THAT AS WELL.
SO MAYBE SOME DETAILS ABOUT THAT, UH, THE FINANCIAL ASPECT OF KIDS IN KAYAKS, HOW MUCH THAT COST AS WELL.
UM, AND TO THINK ABOUT THAT AS PART OF THE FUNDING ANALYSIS.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, I, I THINK FOLKS KNOW I'M PASSIONATE ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT AND TRYING TO DO MORE THAN WE ARE DOING NOW.
AND THIS IS A WAY OF RECOGNIZING A PROGRAM THAT IS DOING THAT.
I MEAN, AND THEN I THINK ABOUT IT, AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND, I DON'T PRETEND TO UNDERSTAND THE SCIENCE OF REEFS VERSUS GROINS OR THE BREAKWATER STRUCTURES.
THE BREAKWATER STRUCTURES WE'RE PUTTING ON THE HEEL OF THE ISLAND NOW COST A LOT OF MONEY.
AND, AND I'M THINKING ABOUT THE REEFS THAT WE HAVE THAT PROVIDE, UM, THE ENVIRONMENT FOR ONE OF OUR KEY, UH, ECONOMIC DRIVERS.
AND THAT IS OUR, OUR FISHING INDUSTRY HERE.
UM, SO IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING THAT KIND OF ENVIRONMENT AND THE, AND FORGIVE ME, I'M NOT THE SCIENTIST YOU GUYS ARE, BUT THE, THE FLUSHING THE STORM WATER, UM, THAT HAPPENS, UM, FROM THE REEFS.
SO THERE'S THE BENEFIT OF PROVIDING SOME SORT OF EROSION PROTECTION PLUS, UM, UH, THE RECYCLING PLUS THE, UM, NURTURING OF OUR, OUR FISHING INDUSTRY ALL IN ONE.
AND WHY ARE WE NOT AFFILIATED THAT WAY? THAT, THAT'S THE WAY I SEE IT.
UM, AND I THINK IF, IF WE DECIDE THAT THE ENVIRONMENT, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO PROTECT HERE, THEN ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO, WE SHOULD BE DOING.
UM, SO I'M, I'M ENCOURAGED BY PROGRAMS LIKE THIS.
UM, I'M ENCOURAGED BY, UH, THE WORK WITH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, THE NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS THAT ALSO HELP OUT WITH THE OUTSIDE FOUNDATION.
UM, AND, AND I, I, UM, MAINTAIN THAT I'M SUPPORTIVE OF IT.
MR. ALFRED AND MS. BECCA, ANY COMMENTS? YEAH.
AT THIS TIME? THANK YOU THOUGH.
ARE WE CLEAR STAFF AS FAR AS DIRECTION? ALRIGHT, SO MR. CHAIR, I THINK WE OUGHT TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THE PRESENTERS DON'T HAVE TO COME BACK AND MAKE A PRESENTATION THAT IF THERE'S ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WE'VE ASKED FOR THEN TO FURNISH THAT TO THE STAFF FOR US TO REVIEW BEFORE OUR NEXT MEETING.
UM, BUT WE CERTAINLY WANT YOU TO BE HERE
WELL I THINK, UH, WITH YOU BEING SORT OF PREMATURE IN YOUR MOTION, THEY PROBABLY ALREADY KNOW WHAT WE GOT, BUT
SO YES, YES TO MS. BRYON POINT.
Y'ALL WANNA COME BACK AND SEE US NEXT TIME? PLEASE DO
LET ME FIND MY, YOU'RE WELCOME TO STAY, BUT IF THOSE OF YOU WHO, UH, NEED TO GO SOMEWHERE ELSE,
[6.a. Consideration of a Resolution of the Town Council of the Town of Hilton Head Island to approve the Program Year 2026 Annual Action Plan as required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for Participation in the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Entitlement Program - Michele Bunce, Senior Grants Administrator]
WE'RE GONNA HAVE CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION OF THE TOWN COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND TO APPROVE THE PROGRAM YEAR 2026 ANNUAL ACTION PLAN AS REQUIRED BY THE US DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT FOR PARTICIPATION IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT ENTITLEMENT PROGRAM.
[01:55:01]
AFTERNOON, MAYOR BRITON BROWN AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, COMING FOR YOU TODAY.THIS IS THE ANNUAL ACTION PLAN, WHICH IS A REQUIREMENT, UM, OF BEING A-C-D-B-G ENTITLEMENT COMMUNITY.
THIS IS YOUR SECOND YEAR ACTION PLAN THAT'S PART OF THE FIVE YEAR ACTION PLAN THAT YOU JUST APPROVED LAST YEAR, WHICH IS YOUR 2025 TO 2029.
SO IN THE ACTION PLAN, BASICALLY IT IS JUST THAT, IT'S WHAT ACTIONS YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE TO UTILIZE THE FUNDING ALLOCATION FOR THAT YEAR.
UM, AS WE HAD DISCUSSED, WE HAVE SOME PARK PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN USING CDBG FUNDING THAT WE WANTED TO FINISH OUT AND KIND OF BRING THEM ACROSS THE FINISH LINE WITH THIS FUNDING UNTIL WE DECIDE WHAT OTHER TYPES OF ACTIVITIES OR PROJECTS WE MIGHT HAVE IN THE COFFERS FOR THIS FINDING LATER ON.
SO THAT'S WHY YOU SEE TAYLOR AND PATTERSON IN HERE TO FINISH THEM UP 'CAUSE THEY'RE, THEY'RE GETTING CLOSE.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE SEEING THE PROGRESS OF THE PARKS, BUT I DRIVE BY TAYLOR EVERY DAY AND IT'S EXCITING TO SEE THAT PROJECT UNDER UNDERWAY.
SO, UM, THAT'S THE PLAN FOR THE USE OF THESE PARTICULAR, THIS YEAR'S FUNDS AND WE ARE LOOKING ALREADY RESEARCHING OTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO USE CDBG FUNDING AND WE CAN BRING THAT INFORMATION BACK TO YOU TO CONSIDER.
THERE'S LOTS OF THINGS THAT WE CAN USE IT FOR, LIKE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WE CAN USE IT FOR JOB TRAINING.
THERE'S A LOT OF NEW THINGS THAT MAYBE WE HAVEN'T KIND OF UNDISCOVERED YET THAT WE CAN UTILIZE THE SPENDING FOR IN THE FUTURE.
QUESTIONS? I THINK I LOST TRACK OF
SO, UM, I, I WANTED, UM, TO AMEND THE ACTION PLAN.
I KNOW YOU HAVE, UH, PUBLIC FEEDBACK THAT YOU DO AND YOU SAID YES MA'AM.
NO ONE PROVIDED ANY PUBLIC FEEDBACK, BUT I ACTUALLY DID.
WE DID, WE HAD ONE OTHER FROM, UM, MS. PEARSON FROM THE SANDALWOOD FOOD PANTRY.
SO I DO HAVE SOME UPDATES THAT ARE GONNA HAVE TO BE DONE TO THIS PLAN.
BECAUSE OF THE, THE 30 DAY COMMENT PERIOD.
WAS KIND OF IN THIS PROCESS AS WELL.
SO THERE ARE SOME UPDATES THAT WILL HAVE TO BE DONE FOR THAT.
AND, UH, I, 'CAUSE I PROVIDED SOME COMMENTS AS WELL.
I WROTE AN EMAIL IN JANUARY SAYING THAT I COULDN'T ATTEND THE PUBLIC SESSION.
UM, AND IT WAS HOPING TO ATTEND FEBRUARY, BUT I HAD AN OBLIGATION
UM, YOU KNOW, WE, UH, IT'S A PROGRAM THAT WE'VE HAD IN THE PAST THAT WE HAVE FUNDED THROUGH A SPECIFIC GRANTS.
AND SO I'M ALWAYS LOOKING FOR THE OPPORTUNITY FOR SPECIFIC GRANTS TO SUPPORT THAT.
AND UM, IT SOUNDS LIKE IT, IT IS ELIGIBLE, BUT IT, UH, DOESN'T IMPACT AS MANY PEOPLE, UH, OBVIOUSLY AS, AS THE PARK DOES.
SO I JUST WANTED THAT NOTED IN SURE.
AND THEN, UM, YOU KNOW, CONTINUED, UH, THOUGHT REGARDING THAT SUPPORT.
I KNOW, UH, PART OF THE PROCESS, UM, AND FEEDBACK THAT I RECEIVED ON THAT IS ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLEXITY OF DOING THIS HIGHER PER UNIT COST LIMITED COMMUNITY IN WIDE IMPACT AND AVAILABILITY OF MORE SUITABLE FUNDING ME MECHANISMS. AND THAT THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY, UH, THAT MAY BE COMING OUR WAY FROM THE, UH, JASPER BEAUFORT HOUSING TRUST, UH, TO BE ABLE TO FUND THAT.
BUT THESE DOLLARS ARE BIGGER PROBABLY THAN THAT
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I'D APPRECIATE THE CONSIDERATION OF THAT IN THE FUTURE.
UH, I'M NOT RECOMMENDING A CHANGE, UH, FOR THIS YEAR BECAUSE WE'RE FINISHING OUT THOSE PARKS, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, ALWAYS LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES FOR THAT PROGRAM.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS AND FEEDBACK FROM THAT.
YES, I AGREE WITH MS. TANNER ON THE LATERAL SEWER PROGRAM.
UM, AND, AND WHILE IT DOESN'T SERVE AS MANY FOLKS, IT DOES IMPROVE, UM, UH, THE ENVIRONMENTAL AREA AND ALSO DURING TIMES OF STORM WATER INCURSION.
SO I THINK IT'S BROADER THAN, IT'S CERTAINLY VERY, VERY IMPORTANT TO THE INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED, BUT ALSO I THINK IT, THERE'S A BROADER SERVICE THERE.
UM, SO I, I HOPE THAT WE CAN INCLUDE THAT CONSIDERATION AND CERTAINLY THE KIND OF NOTES THAT MS. TANNER AND I ARE TALKING ABOUT, UM, IN THAT.
AND SO THAT LEADS ME TO THE QUESTION OF, BECAUSE WE'RE IN THE SECOND YEAR, UM, I'M LOOKING AT THE RESOLUTION BEFORE US TO, UH, RECOMMEND THE TOWN COUNCIL APPROVE THE BLOCK GRANT ENTITLEMENT PROGRAM 2026 ANNUAL ACTION PLAN.
SO WOULD THAT BE AN AMENDMENT TO THE PLAN THAT'S ATTACHED TO INCLUSION OF LATERAL SEWER? WOULD THAT BE AN AMENDMENT TO THE PLAN THAT'S ATTACHED TO THE RESOLUTION OR WOULD THAT BE FOR THE NEXT CYCLE? IT WILL BE PART OF THE NEXT CYCLE, BUT IF YOU REMEMBER TO, UM, WHEN WE DISCUSS THE 25 29 PLAN, INSTEAD OF ALWAYS LISTING SPECIFIC PROJECTS IN THAT,
[02:00:01]
THAT KIND OF TIED THE TOWN'S HANDS A LITTLE BIT MORE, IT WAS A LITTLE BIT MORE RESTRICTIVE.SO WE USED MORE OF THE BROADER TERMINOLOGY AS FAR AS WHAT WE COULD FUND SO THAT WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO GO BACK AND DO THOSE AMENDMENTS AND WE CAN LOOK AT OTHER PROJECTS THAT WOULD FIT WITHIN THOSE GENERAL SCOPES SO THAT WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO DO AN AMENDMENT FOR YOU.
SO DOES THAT MEAN WE NEED TO INCLUDE A CONDITION FOR ANY AMENDMENTS TO THIS PLAN THAT'S ATTACHED? NO, THIS PLAN IS, IS GOOD TO GO RIGHT NOW.
THIS IS THE SECOND YEAR AND IT'S THE SECOND, WHICH CAN BE A LITTLE CONFUSING BECAUSE LAST YEAR WHEN YOU DO YOUR FIVE YEAR CONSOLIDATED PLAN, YOUR FIRST YEAR ACTION PLAN IS INCORPORATED INTO THAT.
THIS IS REALLY THE FIRST TIME YOU SEE THIS LIKE INDEPENDENT ACTION PLAN.
'CAUSE YOUR FIRST ONE'S PART OF YOUR FIVE YEAR.
I, I'M JUST WANTING TO MAKE SURE FOR PURPOSES OF EMOTION
UM, THAT, UH, INSTEAD OF, UH, THE RESOLUTION LANGUAGE HERE, THE TITLE, I'M ONLY GONNA READ THE TITLE OUT
UM, WOULD IT BE, DO I NEED TO ADD SOMETHING SUBJECT TO SOMETHING OR UM, WOULD THAT COME UM, NEXT TIME WE WOULD ACT, IT'S THE NEXT TIME.
JUST, JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE DON'T GREAT QUESTION
FAIL TO INCLUDE SOME LANGUAGE.
UM, I'M THINKING AHEAD A LITTLE BIT HERE OR THE, THE NEXT TIME.
AND YOU MENTIONED THAT GUESS THE REQUIREMENTS, UM, AND GUIDELINES HAVE CHANGED A BIT, AND I KNOW WE HAVE HISTORICALLY HAD, UH, INVITATIONS TO THE COMMUNITY TO COME OUT AND PARTICIPATE IN THE PUBLIC COMMENTING PROCESS, OKAY? MM-HMM
AND YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB WITH ASKING FOLKS TO PARTICIPATE EVEN ONLINE.
BUT I WANNA, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT AS THE NEW STUFF COMES ONLINE, THAT WE COMMUNICATE THAT, UH, PROBABLY A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY.
UM, BECAUSE THERE'S PROBABLY SOME FATIGUE AND SHOWING UP.
AND MS. TURNER'S ASKING, CAN WE DO SEWER? I MEAN,
WE'VE BEEN ASKING THAT QUESTION FOR 50 YEARS, RIGHT? YEAH.
SO I, I WANT US TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE PUSHING OUT THE NEW AREAS OKAY.
SO THAT WE CAN MAYBE GENERATE SOME ADDITIONAL COMMENTS, UH, TO WHAT WE MAY CONSIDER IN THE NEXT PLAN.
UM, CAN WE GET A MOTION ON THE FLOOR SO THAT WE CAN SURE.
OPEN UP THE, THE PUBLIC 20 COMMENT.
I MOVE TO RECOMMEND THAT WE FORWARD TO THE TOWN COUNCIL A RESOLUTION OF THE TOWN COUNCIL, THE TOWN OF HILTON, ET ISLAND, SOUTH CAROLINA, TO APPROVE THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT, CDBG ENTITLEMENT PROGRAM 2026.
ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM? OKAY.
SO YOU MAY WE'LL BRING IT BACK FOR THE QUESTION.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR.
AND MME. CLARK, I JUST READ OUT THE TITLE TO THE RESOLUTION.
UH, PUBLIC COMMENT ON NON AGENDA ITEMS. ANYONE SIGNED UP? ANYONE HERE? SEEING NONE WILL MOVE FOR ADJOURNMENT AT 1203.
YOU'RE WATCHING BCTV 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.
[02:05:01]
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, WILLIAM GRANT, HARRIET KLING, 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 K WAS A MEMBER OF COUNTY COUNCIL, AND IT WAS HER IDEA BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING THAT COULD SIGNIFICANTLY IDENTIFY OUR BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL COUNTY.
WE MET THEN UP AT, UH, 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 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 DEAR, 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 IS A SLIGHT CHANGE IN THE ORIGINAL ON DRAFT THAT WAS PRESENT TO US WHERE YOU HAVE THE SHRIMP BOAT TODAY.
INITIALLY, THAT WAS A PLEASURE CRAFT, A SAILBOAT AND 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 BECA 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 BEAUTIFUL COUNTY CULTURE SHRIMPING, ESPECIALLY AT THAT TIME, WOULD BE REFLECTED ON THE SEAL.
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.