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CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY.
[I. CALL TO ORDER]
EVERYONE.WE'LL CALL THIS MEETING IN ORDER.
TODAY IS TUESDAY, APRIL 7TH, 2026.
AND WE'LL START WITH P ALLEGIANCE, FOLLOWED BY INVITATION I PLEASURE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD AND INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR EVERYONE, IF YOU WILL.
UH, PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT AND STAND AND PRAY WITH ME.
DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER, MAY OUR EYES SEE OUR EARS HERE.
OUR HEARTS SPEAK WITH THE ANTICIPATION OF EACH AND GLORIOUS DAY.
TEACH US NOT ONLY TO BE THANKFUL FOR THE GIFTS YOU PROVIDE US INDIVIDUALLY, BUT TO OPEN OUR EYES TO SEE THE STRANGERS IN OUR COMMUNITY AS OUR NEIGHBORS, AND TO SHARE OUR BLESSINGS WITH OTHERS.
TEACH US TO PROVIDE RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS TO THE AGED AND INFIRM, WIDOWED, SICK, HOMELESS, IMPRISON, AND TO THOSE WHO HAVE LOST MUCH.
BLUFFTON IS OUR HOME, WHERE THOSE WHO HAVE PLENTY AND THOSE WHO HAVE LITTLE OPENLY SHARE OUR TOWN WITH EACH OTHER, WITH THE RESPECT AND THE DIGNITY WE EACH DESERVE.
BLUFFTON IS A SAFE HAVEN AND A WORLD OF TURMOIL.
WE ARE A COMMUNITY WITH ONE BEATING HEART THAT IS KIND, TOLERANT, FORGIVING, AND LOVING AND GRACIOUS GOD, I ASK YOU TO BLESS THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON AND FAVOR ALL OF OUR PEOPLE WITH PEACE, HAPPINESS, PATIENCE, UNDERSTANDING, GOODWILL, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY LOVE.
MARSHA, I DON'T THINK THIS FRASER'S GONNA BE HERE, SO IF YOU'LL TAKE OF THAT.
[IV. ADOPTION OF THE MINUTES]
FIRST WE GOT THE ADOPTION OF THE MINUTES.IS THERE ANY CHANGES OR TO 'EM? NO, SIR.
SORRY, I DO HAVE A CHANGE THERE.
UM, AT THE BOTTOM ON MY NOTE WHERE THE CONSENT AGENDA WAS AT, EXCUSE ME, IT'S NOT THE CONSENT, THE MINUTES, THE, UM, IT HAD ME LISTED AS, UM, VOTING ON SOMETHING, WHICH I WAS NOT HERE, LET ME FIND THAT REAL QUICK.
THAT WAS, UM, SO THE MARCH MINUTES AND IT WAS, UM, YEAH, IT WAS CONSENT AGENDA.
IT SAYS A MOTION WAS MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER WOOD AND SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER VER SO THAT WAS, UH, PAGE SEVEN OF THAT.
OKAY, SO THERE'S NO CON QUESTIONS OR ANYTHING, SO MAY MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE ADOPTIVE MINUTES.
I'M GONNA GIVE YOU ADOPTED MINUTES BEFORE THOSE CHANGES.
[V. PRESENTATIONS, CELEBRATIONS, AND RECOGNITIONS]
WE HAVE PRESENTATION, CELEBRATIONS, AND RECOGNITIONS.FIRST WOULD BE THE BUFORD COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT CHARACTER STUDENT OF THE MURRAY, MR. KENNETH FORD.
KENNETH FORD IS 11TH GRADER FOR MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL.
AND HIS CHARACTER TRAITS, HONESTY AND INTEGRITY, HE CAN'T GET MUCH BETTER THAN THAT.
WOULD YOU, WOULD SOMEBODY LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT THIS YOUNG MAN? TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HIM.
WELL, KENNETH DID MY MIRACLE BABY.
HONESTY WILL TAKE YOU FARTHER THAN ANYTHING ELSE IN THIS LIFE.
DO YOU MIND IF I GET A QUICK PICTURE? SURE.
WE HAVE TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK.
SO, OH, THE THREE OF US ARE REPRESENT.
WELL, TEACHERS PLAY A CRITICAL PART, A CRUCIAL PART ROLE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF ALL STUDENT POPULATIONS.
THEY HELP CHILDREN EXPLORE THEIR TALENTS AND PURSUE THEIR INTEREST AND PASSIONS.
MANY OF US KNOW A GREAT TEACHER HAS
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MADE A DIFFERENCE IN OUR LIVES.I AM MAYOR TUBER, ALONG WITH LUPTON TOWN COUNCIL, PROCLAIM MAY FOUR THROUGH EIGHTH AS TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK AND ENCOURAGE ALL CITIZENS AND EXPRESSION APPRECIATION TO OUR TEACHERS.
AND I THINK IT SHOULD BE 52 WEEKS A YEAR.
SO THANK YOU FOR WE WOULD AGREE WHAT YOU LADIES DO.
WE WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS AND REITERATE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU GUYS DO.
UM, LINDA COULD NOT BE HERE TODAY, BUT AS A REPRESENTATIVE ON THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE AND THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS, WE'RE HERE TO THANK YOUR TOWN COUNCIL FOR HONORING OUR WONDERFUL BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL TEACHERS.
AND THANK YOU FOR THIS PROCLAMATION.
COULD WE GET ING, RANSON AND HAILEY? OH, WHICH ONES? THAT'S FROM KAPPA.
Y'ALL KNOW WHO WERE SUPPOSED TO COME UP HERE.
THIS IS ABOUT CHILD ABUSE AWARENESS PROCLAMATION.
WHERE IS IT AT? SO THIS IS TWO GROUPS OR JUST ALL ONE GROUP? THEY'RE ALL TOGETHER.
HOPEFUL HORIZONS IN CAPA CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION AND AWARENESS MONTH PROCLAMATION.
IN 2025, THERE WERE OVER 12,000 DOCUMENTED CHILDREN WITH MALTREATMENT IN SOUTH CAROLINA IN, IN 2025.
HOPEFUL HORIZONS CONDUCTED 385 FORENSIC INTERVIEWS WHILE KAPPA PROVIDED OVER 13,000 DAYS OF CARE TO 90 FOSTER CHILDREN.
PREVENTING CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT MUST BE A PRIORITY FOR EVERYONE THAT MAKES UP OUR COMMUNITY AND ALL SHOULD SUPPORT THE PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL, AND EDUCATION OF DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES.
I'M MAYOR LARRY TUBER, ALONG WITH BLUFFTON TOWN COUNCIL.
DUE HEREBY PRO PROCLAIM THE MONTH OF APRIL TO BE CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION AND AWARENESS.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING? SURE.
UM, YOU KNOW, ON BEHALF OF KAPPA, THE STAFF AND THE FOSTER FAMILIES THAT WE HAVE, UM, WE'RE INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL TO BLUFFTON AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES FOR ALL THE SUPPORT THAT YOU PROVIDE TO, UH, CHILDREN IN NEED.
WE BELIEVE THERE'S NOTHING MORE IMPORTANT THAN PROVIDING A SAFE AND HEALTHY FUTURE FOR ALL CHILDREN IN OUR AREA, AND WE TOTALLY AGREE AS WELL.
SO WE HAVE THREE GROUPS AND THEN THE FOURS ON WE.
UP NEXT WE HAVE APRIL, VOLUNTEER PROCLAMATION, BLUFFTON AND JASPER VOLUNTEERS IN MEDICINE.
MS. PAM, STEPHANIE, MS. GALE, AND DEBBIE.
AND FROM THE LEGAL AID VOLUNTEERS, A AND K WOOD, THAT FOR, FOR IT SANDY
AND FROM OUR OLD BLUFFTON SELF HELP, WE GOT MS. COURTNEY HAMSTEAD.
CARLY AND CELINE AND JULIA OR WHATEVER.
SO YOU, FOR JASPER WATER BEFORD, JASPER WATER, YOU KNOW WHAT I
NATIONAL VOLUNTEER MONTH PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR THE COUNTLESS INDIVIDUALS WHO SUPPORT OUR LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS, SCHOOLS, SERVICE CLUBS, NONPROFITS, AND COMMUNITY INITIATIVES.
I'M MAYOR LARRY TUBER LAW WITH BUCKTOWN COUNCIL.
PROCLAIM THAT MONTH OF APRIL TO BE NATIONAL VOLUNTEER MONTH.
THANK YOU LADIES FOR WHAT YOU DO AND WHO WOULD LIKE TO TALK A LITTLE BIT.
UM, OUR VOLUNTEERS, WE HAVE SO MANY VOLUNTEERS AND IN BLACKTON AND WE'RE SO VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE SO MANY OF THEM.
AND THESE ARE SOME OF OUR AGENCIES THAT WE WORK WITH ON A REGULAR BASIS THAT WE LOVE TO WORK WITH.
AND WITHOUT WORKING TOGETHER, WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO OUR JOB.
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SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.WELL, THANK YOU FOR ALL Y'ALL DO FOR OUR RESIDENTS AND EVERYONE ELSE.
I KNOW IT'S AN AMAZING AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT YOU TOUCH EACH, EACH DAY AND EACH YEAR, SO THANK YOU.
KIND OF GET IN A LITTLE BIT SO I CAN GET YOU.
AS A VOLUNTEER PHYSICIAN WITH THIS GROUP, I'VE ONLY BEEN WITH THEM FOR A YEAR.
WE TAKE CARE OF INDIVIDUALS, UM, WHO DON'T MEET THE CRITERIA FOR INSURANCES.
AND SO, UM, UP IN RIDGELAND, UH, THE NEED WAS TERRIBLE.
AND, UH, DOWN HERE AS WELL, I'M UP THERE.
UM, IF YOU KNOW OF ANY FAMILY PHYSICIANS OR INTERNAL MEDICINE SPECIALISTS, UM, WE COULD USE YOUR HELP BECAUSE THE POPULATION IS GROWING, UNFORTUNATELY WITH PEOPLE WHO CANNOT GET OR AFFORD INSURANCE.
HAVE MR. LARRY JONES, WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME UP HERE? SIR, THIS IS SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH.
THIS IS MR. JONES FROM HOPEFUL HORIZONS.
SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH CALLS ATTENTION TO THE FACT THAT SEXUAL VIOLENCE IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM.
HOPEFUL HORIZONS, OUR LOCAL OR OUR LOCAL CRISIS ORGANIZATION SERVED OVER 1300 VICTIMS IN 2025.
HOPEFUL A HORIZON URGES EVERYONE TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST HARMFUL ATTITUDES AND ACTIONS.
I MAYOR TO ALONG WITH BLUFFTON TOWN COUNSEL FOR HORIZONS AND CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION ASSOCIATION, PROCLAIM APRIL AS SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH.
MR. JONES, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK TO THE CROWD AND ADD ANYTHING? UH, WE, UH, HOPEFUL HORIZONS APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT THAT WE GET FROM TOWN OF BLUFFTON AND OTHERS, UH, THROUGHOUT THE REGION.
UH, WE SEE PEOPLE OF EVERY AGE AND, UH, SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT, UH, IS VERY DEAR TO OUR HEARTS AND DEAR TO MINE.
[VI. PUBLIC COMMENT]
COMMENT IF WE COULD GET THE DURING PUBLIC COMMENT.EACH SPEAKER IS LIMITED TO A TOTAL OF THREE MINUTES PER MEETING, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THE PERSON IS SPEAKING ON THEIR OWN BEHALF OR AS AN AGENT FOR OTHERS.
MEETING ATTENDEES MAY NOT DONATE, TRANSFER YIELD, OR GIVE ALL OR ANY PORTION OF THEIR SPEAKING TIME TO ANOTHER PERSON.
ALL PUBLIC COMMENTS ARE TO BE CONDUCTED FROM THE PODIUM AND DIRECTED TO THE TOWN COUNCIL AS A WHOLE AND NOT TO ANY MEMBER THEREOF.
ALL SPEAKERS SHALL BE MINDFUL AND RESPECTFUL OF THOSE PARTICIPATING IN OR PRESENT AT THE MEETING.
SPEAKERS SHALL BE EXPECTED TO BE CIVIL IN THEIR LANGUAGE AND SHALL REFRAIN FROM COMMENT OR BEHAVIOR THAT INVOLVES DISORDERLY SPEECH OR ACTION, NAME CALLING, PERSONAL ATTACKS, THREATS, OBSCENE OR INDECENT REMARKS AND OR DISRUPTIVE ACTIONS.
ALL SPEAKERS SHALL CONFINE THEIR COMMENTS TO ISSUES UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE TOWN COUNCIL.
SPEAKERS SHALL NOT USE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD TO PROMOTE OR ADVERTISE AWARDS, BUSINESSES, SERVICES, GOODS, OR CANDIDATES FOR PUBLIC OFFICE.
ANY SPEAKER THAT VIOLATES THESE RULES AND PROTOCOLS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT MAY BE RULED OUT OF ORDER BY THE PRESIDING OFFICER.
ANY PERSON WHOSE COMMENTS HAVE BEEN RULED OUT OF ORDER SHALL IMMEDIATELY CEASE AND DESIST FROM FURTHER IMPROPER COMMENTS.
THE REFUSAL OF AN INDIVIDUAL TO DESIST FROM FURTHER IMPROPER COMMENTS MAY SUBJECT THE INDIVIDUAL TO REMOVAL FROM THE MEETING AND OR A CITATION UNDER SECTION TWO DASH FOUR NINE.
UH, FIRST WE WILL HAVE MR. STEVE
DID I SAY THAT RIGHT? IT'S SMELTER.
[00:15:03]
I, I I'M CARRIE SMELTER AND WE'VE LIVED AT 35 BRIDGE STREET THE PAST EIGHT YEARS, AND WE ARE RESPECT, RESPECTFULLY ASKING HELP ADDRESSING THE NOISE AND SPEEDING ON OUR QUIET TOWN.STREET SPEEDING VEHICLES, CARS, TRUCKS, MOTORCYCLES TRAVEL BOTH DIRECTIONS SIGNIFICANTLY EXCEEDING THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT BY AT LEAST 15 MILES AN HOUR.
VEHICLES HEADING EAST ON BRIDGE STREET OFTEN USE THIS AS A TAKEOFF AREA TO HEAR THE LOUD EXHAUST SYSTEMS ROAR AS THEY ACCELERATE TOWARDS AJOY ROAD VEHICLES TRAVELING WEST ON BRIDGE STREET, OFTEN DOWNSHIFT AND AGAIN, LOUD EXHAUST SYSTEM, BACKFIRE LANE BETWEEN THE HOUSES.
OCCASIONALLY THESE VEHICLES CRUISE THROUGH THE INTERSECTION AT 15 PLUS MILES AN HOUR.
THE SITUATION IS WORSE BETWEEN FOUR AND SEVEN.
ANOTHER AREA OF CONCERN IS THE E-BIKES LOOKING LIKE DIRT BIKES.
THESE YOUNG RIDERS TRAVEL IN SMALL GROUPS RIDING WHEELIES IN BOTH DIRECTIONS.
AGAIN, IN TOTAL DISREGARD OF ANY SAFETY OF THEMSELVES, PEDESTRIANS, OR OTHER TRAFFIC.
THIS PROBLEM IS ESPECIALLY OBSERVED ON WEEKENDS AND DAYS.
THE SCHOOL SESSION IS NOT IN SESSION.
WE THINK THE SPEEDING TRAFFIC ISSUE HAS GOTTEN WORSE SINCE THE DRAINAGE AND LIGHTING PROJECT WAS COMPLETED WITH THE IMPROVED SURFACE CONDITION.
IT'S ALLOWED FOR INCREASED SPEED, SO WE'D LIKE HELP IN SLOWING FOLKS DOWN ON BRIDGE STREET.
THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR HELP.
MR. DEBBIE WONDER, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS IF YOU WOULD.
MY NAME IS DEBBIE WONDER AND I LIVE AT 41 BRIDGE STREET, THE OLD POST OFFICE WITH MY HUSBAND RUSTY PISTACHIO.
OUR FRONT WINDOWS ARE THE VIEW TO THE TRAFFIC ON THE INTERSECTION OF BRIDGE, STREET AND BOUNDARY IN OLD TOWN.
I'M HERE TONIGHT TO SPEAK ABOUT THE DANGERS OF THE TRAFFIC COMING IN AND OUT OF TOWN ON BRIDGE STREET FROM ALL JOY CURRENT, THERE ARE NO STOP SIGNS OR LIGHTS FROM THE FOUR-WAY STOP ON BRIDGE AND BOUNDARY ALL THE WAY DOWN TO AJOY BEACH.
DUE TO THIS LONG, UNINTERRUPTED STRETCH OF ROAD, THIS STREET HAS BECOME A SPEEDWAY VEHICLES OF ALL SIZES, INCLUDING THOSE WITH TRAILERS HEADING DOWN BRIDGE STREET TO AJOY WILL ACCELERATE ONCE THEY CLEAR THE STOP SIGN AT BRIDGE AND BOUNDARY BECAUSE THERE IS NOTHING TO SLOW THEM DOWN.
THERE IS A SCHOOL ZONE SPEED SIGN AT 25 MILES AN HOUR ON BRIDGE NEAR PRICHARD STREET.
BUT AFTER 3:15 PM AND ON THE WEEKENDS, IT IS NOT IN EFFECT FOR THE BUSIEST TIME OF DAY, THE EVENING RUSH HOUR A TIME WHEN MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY ARE OUT ON THE STREETS.
CONVERSELY, THE SPEEDY CARS AND TRUCKS TRAVELING INTO TOWN FROM ALL JOY ARE EVEN WORSE.
THERE'S ONLY 1 35 MILE PER HOUR SPEED SIGN AND IT IS LOCATED AT THE END OF ALL JOY NEAR SHAD.
AND THEN THERE IS NOTHING TO SLOW TRAFFIC DOWN UNTIL OUR FOUR STAR FOUR-WAY STOP WITH DRIVERS SPEEDING IN AT 40 MILES AN HOUR OVER HAYWARD BRIDGE.
DISTRACTED DRIVERS ARE EITHER BREAKING AT THE LAST MINUTE OR IN MANY CASES ILLEGALLY RUNNING THROUGH THE STOP SIGN.
WE HAVE PER PERSONALLY WITNESSED ACCIDENTS IN WAY TOO MANY NEAR MISSES.
JUST A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, A SPEEDING GOLF CART WITH UNDERAGE DRIVERS WAS GOING TOO FAST AND THEY TURNED OVER.
THE POPULATION HAS INCREASED AND EXPONENTIALLY.
AND WITH THE NEW SIDEWALK BEING BUILT DOWN ALL JOY, THIS WILL BRING IN EVEN MORE FOOT TRAFFIC INTO TOWN, AND YET NOTHING IS TO BE DONE TO ADJUST THE SPEED OF VEHICLES.
ADDITIONALLY, THERE ARE SEVEN HISTORIC CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURES BETWEEN PRICHARD STREET AND THE INTERSECTION OF BRIDGE AND BOUNDARY.
THEY ARE ALL DESTINATIONS NOTED ON TOWN WALKING MAPS AND GOLF CART TOURS.
WE ARE NOT JUST CONCERNED ABOUT OUR RESIDENCE, BUT WE ARE ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF OUR VISITORS.
SO WHAT IS THE SOLUTION? I PROPOSE A SPEED BUMP EITHER BEFORE OR AFTER HAYWARD BRIDGE.
MUCH SHORTER STREETS IN OLD TOWN HAVE THEM LIKE THOMAS HAYWARD PRITCHARD AND LAWRENCE STREET.
ANOTHER SOLUTION IS CONSISTENT, DEDICATED OFFICERS AT THE FOUR-WAY STOP GIVING TICKETS, NOT WARNINGS TO THOSE BREAKING THE LAW AND ENDANGERING PEDESTRIANS.
I WOULD LIKE TO OFFER OUR DRIVEWAY BETWEEN THE POST OFFICE AND THE RAID AS A PLACE FOR PATROL CARS TO PARK AND ENFORCE WHEN WE NEED THEM THE MOST.
THE EVENING RUSH HOUR BETWEEN FOUR AND 7:00 PM WE ARE OPEN TO OTHER IDEAS.
COUNSEL MAY HAVE TO SLOW DOWN TRAFFIC AND TO MAKE THE STRETCH OF BRIDGE STREET SAFER FOR PEDESTRIANS AND DRIVERS.
WE HOPE YOU WILL CONSIDER EVERYTHING WE HAVE TO SAY TONIGHT AND COMMIT TO A SOLUTION TO PROTECT YOUR RESIDENTS AND OUR VISITORS WHO ENJOY WALKING, RUNNING, BIKING, AND LIVING OUR BE 10.
NEXT WE WILL HAVE MS. KIMBERLY WARD.
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HI, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR COUNCIL.I LIVE AT 48 RIDGE STREET AND I'VE BEEN THERE FOR ALMOST 26 YEARS.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY.
LHAM HAS BEEN AN AWESOME PLACE TO LIVE AND RAISE OUR CHILDREN.
UH, I WANNA COMMEND THE LEADERSHIP FOR AND ALL THE IMPROVEMENTS OVER THE YEARS, ESPECIALLY ON WITH THE PARKS AND THE STREETS SKATES.
IT'S TRULY A BLESSING TO LIVE HERE AND I LOVE THE FACT THAT BLUFFTON IS CONTINUING TO IMPROVE BY ADDING MORE PARTS AND WALKWAYS.
THE IMPROVEMENTS HAVE BROUGHT MANY TO BLUFFTON OVER THE YEARS, WHICH HAS INCREASED FOOT TRAFFIC, GOLF CART, TRAFFIC, UH, BIKE AND AUTOMOBILE TRAFFIC, WHICH YOU ALL KNOW THAT FREQUENTLY.
THESE ARE IN CONFLICT WITH ONE ANOTHER.
THE OTHER DAY, GOLF CART CAR AT THE FOUR WAY STOP.
PRIOR TO THE FOUR-WAY STOP AT BRIDGE AND BOUNDARY BEING THERE, THERE WERE A LOT OF WRECKS AND WE HEARD 'EM AND SAW 'EM AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT WE HAVE THE FOUR-WAY STOP, STOP THERE NOW.
UM, BUT ALONG WITH THAT, UM, YOU HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE SCREECHING WITH THE BRAKES.
THERE ARE LESS TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS THERE BECAUSE OF THE FOUR WAY STOP, BUT THEY'RE SPEEDING UP WHEN THEY LEAVE THERE TO GO DOWN.
UH, FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, AJOY WAS A DOT DESIGN ROAD, WHICH MEANS THE CURVES ARE BANKED, WHICH ALLOW YOU TO GO A LOT FASTER THAN YOU SHOULD BE.
IF IT WAS FLAT, PEOPLE WOULD HAVE TO SLOW DOWN, OTHERWISE THE CENTRIFUGAL FORCE WOULD PULL AGAINST 'EM.
SO THEY'RE SPEEDING DOWN THERE IN ADDITION TO NOT HAVING, UH, THE SIGNS FOR THE SPEED LIMIT.
UM, SO IT JUST MAKES IT, THE CONDITIONS ARE THERE FOR SPEEDING DOWN THERE.
THE SHOULDER IS REALLY WIDE ON THE BRIDGE ALSO, WHICH MAKES IT APPEAR LIKE YOU'VE GOT THIS ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF SPACE.
THE BRIDGE DOWN AT HUGE E COVE IS VERY NARROW, SO PEOPLE ARE A LITTLE BIT SLOWER ON THAT BRIDGE, WHICH IS REALLY NICE.
SO MAYBE WE COULD PUT SOMETHING TO KIND OF NARROW IT.
SOME SORT OF VISUAL CUE, UH, CUE THAT WOULD BE A CALMING, A TRAFFIC CALMING DEVICE.
I ALSO WALK UP FROM BRIDGE STREET TO BOUNDARY EVERY DAY.
AND THE CARS COMING DOWN BOUNDARY ARE CRAZY.
AND WITH ALL THE PEOPLE COMING ON THURSDAYS FOR FARMER'S MARKET, THERE'S A LOT OF, UH, TRAVEL AND IT'S ALMOST LIKE A FESTIVAL.
AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF POINTS FOR CONFLICT IN THERE.
ALSO, BLUFFTON USED TO BE A SPEED TRAP.
I WAS CAUGHT IN IT, AND SO I DON'T SPEED THAT SPEED TRAP'S NOT THERE ANYMORE AND I UNDERSTAND, BUT MAYBE IT SHOULD BE
UH, NEXT WE'LL HAVE MS. CARRIE SMELTER.
UM, UP NEXT WE'LL HAVE MS. SHERRY COLEMAN.
GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR TOWN COUNCIL MEMBERS EVENING.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK.
I'M HERE TONIGHT TO ASK FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE IN OUR NOISE AND SPEED PROBLEM IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IN OLD BLUFFTON.
WAS I SUPPOSED TO INTRODUCE MYSELF? WE KNOW YOU.
I REMEMBER WHEN YOU FIRST MOVED HERE.
NOT JUST BETWEEN FOUR AND SEVEN FOR ME.
IT, IT'S A PROBLEM WITH SOUPED UP CARS, A SOUPED UP TRUCKS THAT DRIVERS WHO HAVE NO MUFFLER ON THEIR TRUCKS, THE GOLF CARTS.
UH, THE 12 AND 8-YEAR-OLD ADOLESCENTS WHO ROLLED OVER THAT WAS RIGHT OUTSIDE MY HOUSE, ONE OF 'EM WENT TO THE HOSPITAL.
[00:25:02]
I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE'RE STILL DOING THIS, ALTHOUGH I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN DONE IN BLUFFTON FOR US SEVERAL YEARS AGO.BUT IT'S CAUSED MORE PEOPLE TO COME TO BLUFFTON AND HANG OUT.
UH, NOT IN NEWTOWN, BLUFFTON OVER WHERE A LOT OF OTHER BARS AND RESTAURANTS ARE.
I KNOW THERE HAVE BEEN A COUPLE OF, UM, MEMBERS WHO MAY HAVE SAID THAT THE TIMEFRAME SHOULD GO REALLY LATE IN OLD TOWN AND OKAN HAS BEEN STAYING OPEN UNTIL TWO 40 ON SATURDAY NIGHTS, NOT ONCE A MONTH, BUT ALMOST EVERY NIGHT I HEAR THEM SPILL OUT ONTO THE STREET.
THE BUSINESSES ALONG BRIDGE STREET HAVE APARTMENTS UPSTAIRS THAT ARE NOT FOR LONG-TERM TENANTS.
HANK JOHNSON SAID WE WOULD NEVER HAVE TO PUT UP WITH THIS.
NO INFILL, WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO DO THIS ANYWAY.
THE CLICKETY CLACK IS DRIVING SOME OF US CRAZY ON THE BRIDGE.
WE COULD HAVE BUFFERS ON EACH SIDE OF THE ROAD TO NARROW IT SUCH AS IS SUCH.
WELL, THEY HAVE SLOWER TRAFFIC ON CALHOUN STREET AND IT'S STILL DANGEROUS.
UM, I KNOW YOU CAN TAKE CARE OF THIS.
I HAVEN'T BEEN IN SEVERAL YEARS BECAUSE OH, WELL I THOUGHT I WAS THE ONLY ONE.
AND NOW PEOPLE ARE HERE FOR ONLY EIGHT YEARS AND I'VE BEEN PUTTING UP WITH IT FOR MUCH LONGER AND I'M ASKING FOR YOUR HELP.
THANKS FOR LETTING US, UH, SPEAK BEFORE YOU TONIGHT.
UH, I SUPPORT NAME AND ADDRESS, UH, BOB COLBURN 82 BOUNDARY STREET
UH, I SUPPORT WHAT MOST OF MY, UH, NEIGHBORS AND SPOUSE HAVE SAID BEFORE THE COUNCIL, SO I WON'T GO OVER THE SAME GROUND AGAIN.
UM, I WILL PUT IN A COUPLE OF, UH, REMARKS THAT, UH, OR A COUPLE THINGS THAT I'VE NOTICED THE ELEVATION AT.
CONFEDERATE AVENUE IS ABOUT 25 FEET.
THE ELEVATION AT THE BRIDGE ON HAYWARD COAST IS ABOUT 21 FEET.
SO YOU'VE GOT A SLIGHT GRADE COMING DOWN INTO TOWN AT THIS TIME.
I DON'T SEE ANY SPEED LIMIT SIGNS ON BRIDGE STREET COMING INTO TOWN FROM AL.
UM, I DO SEE A WELCOME TO BLUFF AND SIGN PRETTY CLOSE TO THE, UM, BEAUFORT COUNTY TRANSPORTATION GARAGE.
I THINK IF WE HAD A SPEED LIMIT SIGN THERE WITH A LOWER SPEED LIMIT, AND I THINK WHAT IS NOW A 30 MILE PER HOUR SPEED LIMIT, I THINK IF WE LOWERED THAT TO 30 TO TO 25 OR EVEN 20, IT WOULD MAKE FOR A SAFER QUIETER NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, I'D ALSO LIKE TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE NOISE ISSUES IN BLUFFTON.
UM, BRIDGE CENTER IS BECOMING A LITTLE MORE OF A PROBLEM AS WE GO ALONG.
UM, SOME OF THE, UH, TRUCKS THAT DROP OFF, UH, PRODUCE AND, UH, OTHER THINGS AT BRIDGE CENTER WILL PARK OR STOP ON THE STREET.
AND, UM, WITH THEIR COMPRESSORS AND ENGINES RUNNING, CAUSING NOISE AND TRAFFIC PROBLEMS. I'M WONDERING MAYBE IF THEY COULD DROP OFF THE, UM, PACKAGES AND PROVISIONS BEHIND, UH, BRIDGE CENTER.
I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE A QUICK SHOUT OUT TO THE HAYWARD HOUSE WHO WE HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH BEFORE ABOUT, UH, UH, MUSIC AND NOISE OVER THE YEARS, BUT I THINK THEY'RE MAKING A GENUINE EFFORT, UM, TO, UH, LET OUR GUESTS KNOW THAT THIS IS A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD AND I THINK THEY, UM, ARE DOING, ARE MAKING GOOD PROGRESS IN, UH, KEEPING THEIR NOISE LEVEL DOWN AT NIGHT.
SO THANKS FOR LETTING ME SPEAK BEFORE TONIGHT.
UH, NEXT WE'LL HAVE MR. RUSTY PIPE, PISTACHIO
[00:30:03]
NAME PISTACHIO.HOW YOU DOING THERE? HI, I'M RUSSELL PISTACHIO.
MY WIFE WAS UP HERE TALKING EARLIER, UH, MS. SAKE OF BEING REDUNDANT.
THE PROBLEM WE'RE HAVING LATELY IS, UM, THE MORE TRAFFIC, THE MORE VIOLATIONS AND PEOPLE JUST BLOW THROUGH THOSE STOP SIGNS AT THE CORNER OF BRIDGE AND BOUNDARY.
THEY USE IT AS A SPEEDWAY, THEY GET FROM OUR STOP SIGN AND IT RAMP UP AND, AND TOWARDS ALL JOY.
UM, I AM HOPING THAT WE CAN FIGURE OUT A WAY EITHER TO LOWER THE SPEED LIMIT OR TO GET MORE EYES ON IT, TO EVEN NARROW THE STREET LIKE YOU WOULD MENTIONED, OR EVEN VISUALLY NARROW IT.
UM, PLANTERS, UH, MORE, UM, WE'LL HAVE TOO MANY SUGGESTIONS ON THAT, BUT IT'S, UM, IT'S DEFINITELY, IT'S, IT'S BECOME A, A PROBLEM.
WE'VE BEEN HERE ON THE GROUND MORE THAN SIX YEARS AND I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE SEEN IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS THE AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC THAT ROLLS THROUGH TOWN.
AND IT'S DEFINITELY A, A DISREGARD FOR, UM, SAFETY AT THIS POINT.
OCCASIONALLY WHEN I HAVE EXTRA TIME, I WILL SET MY PHONE UP AND VIDEOTAPE THAT INTERSECTION.
AND EVEN TODAY I VIDEOTAPE FOR 10 MINUTES AND SAW SEVEN CARS AND 10 MINUTES BELOW IT THROUGH THE STOP TIMES.
AND, UM, THAT IT WAS AT THREE 30 TODAY.
SO IT, IT IS DEFINITELY, I LOG IT AS OFTEN AS I CAN, BUT NOW I START TO FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, I A PAIN IN THE ASS BASICALLY.
BUT, UM, JUST WANTED TO RE EVERY, ALL MY NEIGHBORS, WE ALL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE SPEED LIMIT OR THE, THE SPEEDING, THE NOISE AND ALL THAT.
AND I'M JUST HERE IN SOLIDARITY.
NEXT WE'LL HAVE MR. ROCHELLE JONES.
I'M ROCHELLE JONES AND I'M HERE BEARING GOOD NEWS.
I WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT TO, UH, THE WHOLE TOWN OF BLUFFTON, ALL THE PEOPLE IN BLUFFTON, THE NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER.
SO, UM, EVERY YEAR, THE FIRST THURSDAY IN MAY IS THE NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER.
AND I'VE BEEN, UM, BASICALLY IN BLUFFING DOING THIS EVERY YEAR.
AND I WAS LIKE, FOR THE WHOLE TOWN OF BLUFFING AND ALL YOU COUNCILMAN, BECAUSE OUR COUNTRY NEEDS PRAYER AND WE NEED TO COME TOGETHER AS ONE BECAUSE WE'RE ALL GOD'S CHILDREN AND WE NEED TO READ, UH, SECOND TIME SEVEN 14, WHICH SAYS, IF ALL IF MY PEOPLE WHO ARE CALLED BY MY NAME WILL HUMBLE THEMSELVES AND PRAY AND SEEK MY FACE AND TURN FROM THEIR WITH THE LORD, THEN I WILL HEAR FROM HEAVEN AND I'LL FORGIVE THEIR SINS, AND I WILL, I'LL FORGIVE THEIR AND THEN I'LL HEAL THEIR LAND.
SO I THINK OUR LAND NEEDS HEALING, AND I THINK WE SHOULD COME TOGETHER ALL AS ONE BIG BODY AND JUST GLORIFY GOD AND JUST PRAY FOR OUR COUNTRY, PRAY FOR OUR COMMUNITY, AND PRAY FOR, UH, I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO POINT IT TO THEM.
SO I THINK I'M GONNA HAVE YOU COME AND PRAY,
UM, UM, SO IT'LL BE THURSDAY AT 6:00 PM AT THE VETERANS MEMORIAL PARKS OVER BY KROGER'S, UM, UP WALTER ROAD.
AND I INVITE EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM TO COME AND BRING A THOUSAND PEOPLE WITH THEM.
AND WE ALL COME TOGETHER AND WE ALL COME TOGETHER AND JUST QUALIFY GOD AND PRAY FOR OUR COUNTRY.
AND I, THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
AND CAP NEXT WE'LL HAVE COMMUNICATIONS
[VII. COMMUNICATIONS FROM MAYOR AND COUNCIL]
FROM MAYOR AND COUNCIL WILL START ON MR. WOOD SIDE.I, I JUST, I HOPE, UM, THAT EACH OF YOU WERE ABLE TO CELEBRATE THE EASTER HOLIDAY WITH FAMILY OR FRIENDS OR SOMEONE.
UM, I HOPE THAT YOU WEREN'T ALONE AND, UH, IF YOU WERE, WE STILL HAVE A LOT TO LOOK FORWARD TO.
AND SO I JUST ASK THE GOOD LORD.
UH, AS I SAID EARLIER IN THE PRAYER, JUST BLESS EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US IN THE TOWN OF LOVE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
I GOT PLENTY TO SHARE, BUT I THINK GETTING ALL THIS WORK DONE FIRST WOULD BE BETTER THAN WHAT I'M GONNA SAY.
[VIII. WORKSHOP AGENDA ITEMS]
ON TO A WORKSHOP MEETING ITEM.[00:35:01]
TO ADD THAT I DID MESSAGE THE CHIEF WHILE WE WERE SITTING HERE AND ASK FOR HIM TO WORK WITH THE SAFETY TEAM AND HIS OFFICERS SHOULD DO SOME EXTRA PATROL AND, AND FOR THE STOP SIGN AND EVERYTHING OVER HERE IS TO DO SOME ENFORCEMENT, SO WE'LL, RIGHT.I GUESS, DID Y'ALL HEAR WHAT STEVEN WAS JUST SAYING? I TALK TO HIM, SIR.
SO CHIEF, IT'S MORNING WORK TIME, AND IT'S EVENING.
FIRST WE HAVE AMENDMENTS TO THE TOWN OF BLUFFS MUNICIPAL CODE, ORDINANCE CHAPTER 23, UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE, ARTICLE FOUR, THE ZONING DISTRICTS AND ARTICLE FIVE DESIGN STANDARDS TO ESTABLISH A PLAN UNIT, DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT FOR VILLAGE AT VER AND RELATED STANDARDS.
AND TO ADD APPENDIX TO A, TO INCLUDE THE MASTER PLAN BUILDING AND SIGNED STANDARDS FROM THE SOON TO EXPIRE VILLAGE AT
UM, WE ARE HERE THIS EVENING TO RECEIVE SOME DIRECTION FROM YOU.
UM, WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF, UM, UH, VERY CLOSE TO HAVING THE VILLAGE OF DEER, UH, DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT THAT IS GOING TO EXPIRE.
UH, IF YOU GUYS REMEMBER, IT'S BEEN ALMOST TWO YEARS NOW.
UM, AND WE DID THE EXACT SAME THING WITH BLUFFTON VILLAGE.
UH, SO WE'RE GONNA GET SOME DI UH, DIRECTION FROM YOU, UM, AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS PROCESS.
UH, JUST TO GET TO GIVE YOU SOME BACKGROUND INFORMATION, VILLAGE OF VERDE, IT'S LOCATED OFF OF HIGHWAY ONE 70 ACROSS FROM ONE OF THE, UM, REAR UM, ENTRANCES TO SUN CITY, UH, HERE, JUST FROM A DEVELOPMENT RIGHT STANDPOINT, JUST, UH, I'M NOT GONNA GO THROUGH ALL OF THESE, BUT YOU CAN SEE, UH, VILLAGE OF VERDE, UM, THAT ALL OF THE COMPONENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT DEVELOPMENT.
UH, FROM A LOCATION AND ZONING MAP STANDPOINT, UH, YOU CAN SEE THAT IT IS LOCATED ALONG ONE 70 AND IS ADJACENT TO LANDS THAT ARE OWNED BY BEAUFORT COUNTY THAT ARE IN THE, UH, PRESERVE.
FROM A TIMELINE STANDPOINT, UH, THIS DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT CAME THROUGH IN 2002.
INITIALLY IT HAD 510 UNITS, 200,000 SQUARE FEET OF COMMERCIAL SPACE.
UM, THERE WAS A FIRST AMENDMENT IN 2011 WHERE IT REDUCED THAT TO, UH, 404 UNITS, UH, 404,000 SQUARE FEET OF, OF THE, UH, COMMERCIAL SPACE TO 30,000 SQUARE FEET OF CIVIC, UH, SPACE.
UM, AND, AND IT, UH, REQUIRED A 5%, UM, OF AFFORDABLE WORKFORCE HOUSING AT THAT TIME.
UM, AND THEN WHAT HAPPENS FROM THE GOVERNING CODE, IT ACTUALLY THEN, UM, THE REGULATIONS CHANGED FROM, UM, AN OLDER VERSION OF THE, THE ZONING ORDINANCE TO WHAT WAS THEN THE UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE.
SO IN 2011, IT WAS, THEY WERE ACTUALLY REQUIRED TO FOLLOW DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS, UH, THAT ARE IN THE UDO.
SO THERE'S A SECOND AMENDMENT IF SOME OF YOU, UH, WERE ON COUNCIL AT THAT TIME IN, UH, 2017, WHERE WE BROUGHT FORWARD.
AND THEY ACTUALLY, UH, THEY ADDED AND CHANGED, UM, BY, BY PROVIDING A LAND USE OF THE, UH, HEALTH HUMAN CARE TO THAT, IF YOU GUYS REMEMBER.
UM, SO THIS EVENING, WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR, UM, IS TO PROVIDE SOME DIRECTION, UM, UH, FOR US TO AIR DOCUMENTATION, UM, TO FILE THE NOTICE OF EXPIRATION.
WE'LL WORK WITH OUR LEGAL TEAM, UH, AND THEN TO INCORPORATE THAT, UH, PLAN UNIT DEVELOPMENT INTO THE UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE, UM, AS ITS OWN, UM, REGULATION, AGAIN, SIMILAR TO WHAT WE'VE DONE WITH, UH, BLUFFTON VILLAGE FROM A TIMELINE, AS YOU CAN SEE HERE TONIGHT.
UH, OR FOR THE WORKSHOP, UH, WHAT WE PLAN TO DO IS BRING THIS TO PLANNING COMMISSION AS A WORKSHOP IN JUNE, UH, FOR AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO PROVIDE INPUT.
AND THEN WE'RE GONNA SCHEDULE MEETINGS, UH, WITH THE RESIDENTS OF, UM, SEAGRASS STATION AND THE VILLAGE OF VERDE OVERALL DEVELOPMENT.
UH, I HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THE PRESIDENT OF THE, UM, UH, HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION FOR SEAGRASS STATION.
UH, SO THEY'RE VERY APPRECIATIVE THAT WE'VE ACTUALLY REACHED OUT TO THEM AND HAVE, YOU KNOW, GIVEN 'EM AN OPPORTUNITY TO LET THEM KNOW THAT WE'RE GONNA COME OUT, DISCUSS AND EXPLAIN WHAT ALL THIS MEANS TO THE RESIDENTS SO THEY'RE FULLY AWARE OF THIS MOVING FORWARD.
UH, FROM THERE WE'LL BRING UP TO PLANNING COMMISSION FOR THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS, THE TOWN COUNCIL FOR SECOND, UH, FIRST AND SECOND READING, AND THEN WORK ON THAT, UM, EXPIRATION DOCUMENT SO THAT WAY IT'S ALL TAKEN CARE OF.
AND THEN WHEN IT EXPIRES ON, UH, I BELIEVE IT'S, UH, DECEMBER 17TH, UH, THERE WILL BE JUST THE NATURAL TRANSITION OVER TO THE UDO FOR REGULATIONS.
UM, WITH THAT I'M HAPPY TO PROVIDE, UM, ANY, UM, RESPONSES TO ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
UM, I'M GONNA START WITH THE QUESTION.
CLARIFY THAT THOSE 400, I MEAN, WHAT WAS IT, 404 DU? YES, SIR.
ARE THEY BUILT, UM, LET ME GO BACK TO THIS PAGE.
UM, SO YOU CAN SEE HERE THAT IT IS A, IT IS A COMBINATION.
SO THERE WAS THE 134, UH, THROUGH THE, THE TOWN HOMES AND SINGLE FAMILY UNITS, UH, 250, UM, FOR THE APARTMENT UNITS.
[00:40:01]
UH, THE 120 HOTEL ROOMS, UM, THAT WAS A TOTAL OF 60 RESIDENTIAL UNITS.'CAUSE WE COUNT THE HOTEL ROOM AS A HALF A UNIT.
UM, THERE WAS SOME CONVERSION, UM, DURING THAT TIME, WHICH WAS ALLOWED BY CODE.
UM, SO, UM, I THINK IN YOUR STEP, UM, IN THE, UH, I DON'T HAVE A COPY OF IT IN FRONT OF ME.
I PROVIDED THE DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS, UM, UM, IN THE, UH, ATTACHMENT, UM, FOR THE PACKET.
AND THAT EXPLAINED HOW WE WENT THROUGH A CONVERSION RATE, UH, WHERE THEY WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE SOME OF THOSE, UH, CHANGES.
BUT ARE THERE RD ANY RDUS REMAINED? UM, I BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE NINE, THERE'S ROUGHLY NINE, UM, DWELLING UNITS THAT ARE LEFT OVER.
AND, UM, WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON DOING IS ANY OF THOSE UNITS THAT ARE STILL, STILL OUT THERE, UM, THAT THE, UM, THE, I BELIEVE IT'S THE BANKS, THE BANK OF KANSAS, UM, IS THE, THE DUCK DECLARANT OF THOSE UNITS.
UH, WE WOULD WORK TO HAVE THOSE UNITS THEN GO INTO OUR DENSITY BANK.
UH, SO WE WOULD THEN HAVE THOSE ASSOCIATED WITH A THANK YOU QUESTIONS.
MS. BURTON? UM, I THINK I READ IN THE STAFF, IN YOUR STAFF REPORT THAT THERE'S NINE, UH, WORKFORCE HOUSING THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE BUILT.
IS THERE ANY WAY THAT WE CAN REQUIRE THOSE TO NO, WE, WE COULDN'T REQUIRE THEM.
UM, JUST THE WAY THAT THE, THE DOCUMENT WAS WRITTEN AT THAT TIME IS THAT IT WAS, THAT THEY WERE, THEY WERE THERE.
UM, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY THAT, UM, IT HAD TO, UM, WE HAD TO BE LIKE PHASED THROUGH.
LIKE YOU HAVE TO, IF YOU DO ONE THIS, THEN YOU HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, HAVE SOME, UM, THAT ARE, UH, DEVELOPED AT THAT TIME.
UH, SO THESE ARE THE, THE RESIDUAL TYPE OF UNITS WE WERE ABLE TO ALLOCATE.
I BELIEVE IT WAS 12, UM, 12 UNITS THROUGH, UM, THE CROWN, UM, AT ONE 70, UM, WHERE THEY ARE ABLE TO HAVE AFFORDABLE UNITS IN THE APARTMENT COMPLEX.
UM, AND THEN ONCE THIS IS, UM, INCORPORATED INTO THE UDO, IS THERE A WAY THAT A PROPERTY OWNER COULD GET ADDITIONAL DENSITY AT THAT TIME? THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GONNA WORK ON.
SO AGAIN, FOR THE WORKSHOP STANDPOINT, THIS IS, THAT'S WHERE WE GET SOME INPUT FROM YOU.
UM, WHAT WE CAN DO IS, UM, WE'LL LOOK INTO HOW WE'RE GOING TO REGULATE THE, UM, THE, THE UNITS MOVING FORWARD.
UM, SO BASED OFF OF LIKE THE LANDS THAT'S OUT THERE, UM, SO THERE'S, THERE'S VERY LITTLE LAND THAT IS LEFT OUT THERE.
UM, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE AERIAL, UM, THERE'S REALLY ONLY, LIKE, I DON'T KNOW IF MY, MY MOUTH, SO EVEN SHOW UP, IT WON'T SHOW UP UP THERE, UM, ALONG THE FRONTAGE, UM, THERE'S ONLY LIKE ONE OR TWO PARCELS THAT'S ABOUT MAYBE AN ACRE, AN ACRE AND A HALF, UM, AFTER, UH, THE SITES THAT ARE BEING DEVELOPED ARE DEVELOPED.
I'M, I'M GOOD WITH THIS MOVING FORWARD, UM, AND INCORPORATING IT INTO THE UDO, I THINK MY BIGGEST CONCERN WOULD, I WOULD JUST WANNA MAKE SURE, UM, MORE DENSITY COULD NOT BE ADDED AND THAT WE SOMEHOW CONTROL THAT.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR HIM? UM, I'VE SEEN THIS BEFORE, BUT I'LL GET BACK TO YOU.
SO THE, THE PROPERTY OUT ADJACENT TO ONE 70, ISN'T THAT DESIGNATED FOR COMMERCIAL? YES, SIR.
I MEAN, THEY CAN'T, UNLESS IT WAS A HOTEL OR SOMETHING, RIGHT? OR A CORRECT.
SO THERE'S, AND AGAIN, UNFORTUNATELY I DON'T HAVE A, I THINK THE, IS THIS, WHAT'S THAT? THIS, OKAY.
SO, UM, YOU HAVE THE PROPERTY THAT'S LOCATED, UH, ALONG THE FRONTAGE HERE.
UH, THAT WAS LAND THAT WAS DESIGNATED TO BE THAT CAR VILLAGE, UH, WHICH HAS SINCE, UH, FALLEN THROUGH.
SO THEY'RE ACTIVELY, UM, UM, TRYING TO SELL THAT PIECE OF PROPERTY.
UH, THE PROPERTY THAT'S ADJACENT TO IT AT THE MAIN ENTRANCE RIGHT HERE.
UM, THERE IS, UH, PLANS THAT ARE BEING PERMITTED RIGHT NOW FOR A CONVENIENCE STORE AND POTENTIAL FUTURE.
UH, LITTLE, UH, KIND OF LIKE STRIP CENTER HERE.
I SAY STRIP CENTER, A MULTI-TENANT BUILDING.
UM, AND THEN THERE'S LAND THAT'S ADJACENT OVER HERE, UH, THAT AS OF RIGHT NOW IS UNDEVELOPED.
SO THAT'S WHERE WE WOULD WORK THROUGH FROM THE DEVELOPMENT STANDPOINT OF IT.
UM, SIMILAR TO WHAT IS, UH, WHAT WE DID WITH, UH, BLUFFTON VILLAGE IS WE COULD THEN JUST ASSESS THE, UM, THE AMOUNT OF SQUARE FOOTAGE THAT COULD THEN POTENTIALLY BE ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE PROPERTIES AND THEN LIST IT IN THE, IN THE UDO.
AND ARE THEY, THIS IS A POA, I'M ASSUMING OF SOME KIND.
THERE'S A, THERE'S A MASTER POA, UH, FOR THE ENTIRE PROPERTY, AND THEN YOU HAVE A SEPARATE, UM, POA
[00:45:01]
FOR, UH, THE RESIDENTS, UM, AS WELL AS THEN I THINK JUST AGAIN, THAT MASTER POA THAT REGULATES EVERYTHING, BUT THEN THE RESIDENTS HAVE THEIR OWN SEPARATE POA AS WELL.AND THEN THE LAND BEHIND THE BACK OF THE PROPERTY, CAN IT BE DEVELOPED? UH, THE LAND BACK HERE IS ALL, UM, THIS IS ALL WETLANDS THROUGH HERE.
AND THEN AS YOU ACTUALLY GET OUTSIDE OF THE PERIMETER OF THE VILLAGE OVER THERE, UH, THIS IS OWNED LAND THAT IS OWNED BY BUFORT COUNTY.
I BELIEVE BUFORT COUNTY SURROUNDS THE ENTIRE, THE ENTIRE DEVELOPMENT.
UM, THAT'S WHERE THAT FUTURE, UM, OT REGIONAL PARK THAT POTENTIALLY GOES THERE.
AND MY LAST QUESTION, I KNOW THAT, UM, WE HAVE HAD YEARS TO, YOU KNOW, DENY UNITS TO KIND OF BEAT US AT OUR OWN GAME ON THAT ONE.
AND, UH, I'VE OFTEN WONDERED, YOU KNOW, IF THEY WOULD'VE HAD TO BUILD THE NINE UNITS, IT WOULD'VE BEEN A FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY TO THEM.
I PROBABLY HAVE ALREADY ASKED THIS QUESTION, THE TOWN MANAGER LEGAL BEFORE, BUT, UH, HAVE WE CLOSED THAT OUT WITH 'EM? I MEAN, IN OTHER WORDS, IS THERE A WAY TO GO BACK? I MEAN, THEY SHOULD ALMOST HAVE TO GIVE US SOMETHING 'CAUSE THEY DIDN'T BUILD THE NINE UNITS.
I'M, I'M, I'M GONNA LOOK OVER THIS WAY.
UM, I KNOW THERE ARE SOME, THERE'S BEEN CONVERSATIONS.
UM, YEAH, I'LL, I'LL LET, UM, RICHARDSON TALK 'CAUSE I KNOW LEGAL'S BEEN HAVING SOME CONVERSATION WITH, UM, UM, THEIR LEGAL COUNSEL.
BUT THE, AND PART OF WHAT'S IN YOUR PACKET AS WELL IS THERE SHOULD BE SOME, UH, LEFTOVER COMMERCIAL SQUARE FOOTAGE THAT SHOULD HOPEFULLY COME BACK TO THE TOWN.
AND WE CAN TAKE THOSE AND PUT 'EM IN OUR BANK AND EXPIRE 'EM.
BUT I'LL LET RICHARDSON TALK MORE IN DEPTH.
SO WITHOUT, WITHOUT GETTING TOO MUCH INTO TOO MUCH DETAIL, UM, WE HAVE LOOKED INTO THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS ONE WHERE I THINK, UM, GIVEN THE NATURE OF VEE, THE, UH, HOW THAT FIRST AMENDMENT CAME ABOUT WITH SECURITY BANK OF KANSAS CITY AND THE FIRST SUBDIVISIONS THAT CAME ON THROUGH, UM, THE SINGLE FAMILY, UH, THERE'S 20 AFFORDABLE UNITS THAT WERE REQUIRED UNDER THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
THEY WERE NOT INCORPORATED IN THAT FIRST LARGE SCALE DEVELOPMENT.
AND SO WHEN CROWN CAME UPON, UH, WHEN CROWN CAME OUT AND HAD 250 SOMETHING ODD RESIDENTIAL UNITS THAT THEY WERE CONSTRUCTING, UH, THE TOWN AT THE TIME WORKED WITH THEM ON MAKING, ENSURING THAT THEY COULD GET THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT, I THINK IT WAS 10% OR WHATEVER IT WAS OF THE TOTAL, OR 50% I THINK, OF THE 20 TO BE BILLED CLOSE TO THAT.
UH, BUT THEN IT'S BEEN THAT THEY WERE GOING TO JUST RETIRE.
THEY HAD TAKEN THE POSITION THAT THEY'RE GONNA RETIRE THE REST.
THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BILL THEM.
THAT THERE'S NO OBLIGATION TO BILL, IS JUST, IF THEY BUILD ALL 440 UNITS, ONLY THEN WOULD THEY HAVE TO HAVE 20 OF THEM BE AFFORDABLE.
SO THEY HAVE JUST DECIDED TO MORE OR LESS ABANDON THOSE DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS.
UH, WE HAVE BEEN IN TALK WITH SECURITY BANK OF KANSAS CITY.
THEY WERE THE SUCCESSOR DEVELOPER THROUGH FORECLOSURE ADDRESS, NOT REALLY A DEVELOPER BY NATURE.
UM, AND HAD TALKED TO THEM ABOUT NEXT STEPS AND HOW TO WRAP THIS UP ALONG WITH SOME OUTSTANDING OBLIGATIONS THAT THEY HAVE.
UM, WE ARE, WE HAVE PUSHED BECAUSE OF COUNCIL'S COMMITMENT TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO AND HOW WE CAN ENCOURAGE THE DEVELOPMENT OF THAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
BUT RIGHT NOW, THERE'S NOT REALLY ANY, THERE AREN'T ANY SITES THAT ARE PREPPED FOR THAT.
UM, EVERYTHING IS COMMERCIAL ON THAT FRONT EDGE WITH THE BRIGHT HOLDINGS AND, UM, THE, UH, CONVENIENCE STORE.
SO THERE'S NOT REALLY A SITE FOR IT AT THE MOMENT EITHER FOR THOSE NINE UNITS TO GO.
SO IT'S TRYING TO, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE CAN DO TO, AS WE WRAP UP THIS DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, EITHER PRESERVE THOSE NINE UNITS OR CREATE SOME FLEXIBILITY WHERE MAYBE THEY COULD BE BUILT ON ONE OF THE OTHER SITES.
AND WE, WE LEARNED FROM THIS, WE DID, IT HAS BEEN A LEARNING EXPERIENCE.
THIS, THIS ONE HAS BEEN A, UH, IT'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT FROM ANY OF THE OTHER DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS THAT THE TOWN HAS.
AND SO, UM, YOU CAN, YOU NOW, IT IS A, WHEN THAT COMMITMENT IS MADE, IT IS EXPECTED WITH EACH SUCCESSIVE APPLICATION TO, TO QUOTE COUNCILMAN HAMILTON, WE KNOW BETTER.
WHERE'S OUR, WHERE'S OUR ANCHOR? SHOW US WHAT'S OURS.
SO IT'S RIGHT HERE WHERE THE, THE MOUSE IS POINTING THAT GET TO CLEAR SPOT RIGHT THERE.
SO, UM, THIS IS THE OLDER THAT HAS AN OLDER VERSION OF IT.
ANYTHING ELSE FROM COUNCIL? NOT, AND THAT'S
[00:50:01]
JUST A WORKSHOP YOU, DID YOU GET THE INFORMATION YOU NEEDED CODE? YES, SIR.[X. FORMAL AGENDA ITEMS]
FORMAL AGENDA ITEMS ON THE OF CONSIDERATION OF PUBLIC FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR WALL RIAL BY MARI FERRIS AT 89 BRIDGE STREET, WITH A FISCAL IMPACT OF 50% OF THE COST NOT TO EXCEED $4,250.SO I HAVE BEFORE YOU THE NEXT RECOMMENDATION COMING OUT OF THE PUBLIC ART COMMITTEE.
UM, IN JANUARY, THEY RECEIVED A REQUEST, UM, TO SUPPORT AMY MURAL.
UH, WE LOCATED AT 89 BRIDGE STREET, UM, AT THE BLUFFTON BOOKSTORE IN FEBRUARY, THEY PASSED RECOMMENDATION TO YOU ALL FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
SO THE INITIAL REQUEST WERE FOR, FOR $5,000 FOR A PUBLIC FACING MURAL.
UM, IT IS ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE BUILDING FACING THE OYSTER FACTORY PARK AND PARKING LOT.
UM, THE REQUESTER IS THAT LEFT THE BOOKSTORE, WHICH IS A BUSINESS THERE, RENOVATING THAT BUILDING ON THE CORNER.
AND THE ARTIST THAT HAVE SELECTED IS MARY FERRIS.
SO THIS IS AN IMAGE OF THE BUILDING.
UM, AND THEY, THE WHITE AREA RIGHT THERE IS WHERE THE MURAL, UM, WOULD BE LOCATED.
AND THAT FACES IS THE, UH, PARKING LOT THERE AT OYSTER FACTORY PARK.
THIS IS A, UH, INITIAL RENDERING OF WHAT THE MURAL MAY LOOK LIKE.
UM, AND THIS IS THE DESCRIPTION FROM THE ARTIST, BUT IT'S BASICALLY, UM, SOME INDIVIDUAL IS READING BOOKS ALONG THE, UH, THE RIVER BANK WITH THE MARTIAN RIVER IN THE BACKGROUND.
UM, THERE IS ONE RECOMMENDED ADJUSTMENT TO INCORPORATE SOME ADULTS IN THE IMAGE AS WELL.
SO THAT, UH, WILL BE IN THE FINAL RENDERING.
THE, UH, MIRROR WILL BE PUT ON EXTERIOR GRADE ALUMINUM COMPOSITE PANELS, AND, UH, THEY WILL BE FULLY REMOVABLE.
AND IT'S OF A PROFESSIONAL GRADE AC CLIP PAINTS THAT IS UV RESISTANT AND WEATHERPROOF CLEAR COAT, UH, WHICH WILL HELP CLEAN, IF THERE'S EVER ANY KIND OF GRAFFITI ON IT, IT'D EASIER TO CLEAN OFF OF IT.
THE TIMELINE IS ABOUT SIX WEEKS, UM, FOR COMPLETION INSTALLATION.
AND THEN WITH THE COATING ON IT, IT JUST NEEDS SOME MILD SOAP AND WATER TO, TO CLEAN IT OVER TIME.
THE PROPOSED BUDGET IS OUTLINED HERE WITH A TOTAL COST OF THE MURAL IS $8,500.
AND AGAIN, THEY REQUESTED SUPPORT OF 5,000.
UH, THE PUBLIC ART COMMITTEE, UH, ULTIMATELY RECOMMENDED APPROVAL AT 50% OF THE FINAL COST UP TO A MAXIMUM OF 4,250.
THERE ARE SOME CONDITIONS THAT THE IMAGE WILL INCORPORATE SOME, UM, ADULTS IN THE IMAGE.
UM, BECAUSE THE, THE, THE BUSINESS WILL SUPPORT I ONLY CHILDREN'S BOOKS, POLICY BOOKS FOR, FOR ADULTS AS WELL.
AND SHOULD THE BUSINESS CLOSE IN THE, IN THE CONTRACT, THE TOWN WOULD HAVE FIRST RIGHT REFUSAL ON JAIL.
AS MENTIONED, IT CAN BE REMOVED FROM THE WALL, UH, WITHOUT DAMAGING THE THE PIECE.
ANY QUESTIONS? QUESTIONS FROM COUNSEL? I, I NEED, I NEED CLARITY.
UM, I KNOW FIRST RIGHT OF REFUSAL USUALLY GIVES YOU AN OPTION TO DO SOMETHING, BUT SO IF THE OWNER DECIDED THAT THEY LIKED THE MURAL AND WANTED TO KEEP THE MURAL, EVEN THOUGH THE BUSINESS CLOSED AND THEY WANTED TO RELOCATE, ARE THEY ALLOWED TO DO THAT? UH, NO.
NOT WITHOUT TALKING TO US FIRST.
SO, I MEAN, THEY'D PROBABLY NEGOTIATE WITH THE TOWN FOR COMPENSATION OR SOMETHING AT THAT TIME.
UM, BUT THE WAY WE'RE WRITING THE GRANT AGREEMENT FOR THE, THE, THE, UH, AWARD IS THAT WE WOULD HAVE THE OPTION TO TAKE THE PIECE OFF AND KEEP IT FOR THE TOWN FOR THE PUBLIC'S BENEFIT, UM, SHOULD THEY CLOSE.
AND IT WOULD NO LONGER BE ON THE RIGHT FURTHER.
AND I WOULD IMAGINE THAT THAT SAME RIGHT WOULD BE GIVEN TO THEM, THAT IF THEY WANT TO KEEP IT AND MOVE IT TO A DIFFERENT LOCATION OR WHATEVER, RENT IN THEIR HOUSE, UM, IF THEY PAID US BACK OUR GRANT MONEY, THEN WE WOULD PROBABLY LET 'EM DO THAT.
THEY WOULD'VE TO NEGOTIATE IT AT A TIME.
UM, WE CAN TALK ABOUT ADDING SOMETHING, SOME LANGUAGE IN THE CONTRACT FOR THAT
BOTH THOSE, UH, CONCERNS IS, IS MAJOR.
UM, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE OUR LANGUAGE THAT WE PUT IN THERE DOESN'T HAVE ANY GRADE LINES.
A MOTION FROM SOMEONE LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION.
MAYOR, I'LL MAKE THE MOTION ON FORMAL AGENDA ITEM ONE AS WRITTEN IN, UH, ON THE AGENDA.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
THAT'S UNANIMOUS, MS. MARSHALL.
UP NEXT, WE HAVE CONSIDERATION OF AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZED AND ELECTRONIC
[00:55:01]
DEVELOPMENT CENTER AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE TOWN OF GOMAN AND THE BUFF ORTHODON LLC.MR. DAVID, NO, DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL PROJECTS.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR COUNCIL, GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.
I'VE HAD BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING.
ANOTHER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE GRANT REQUEST.
THIS IS FOR AN ORGANIZATION, A NEW ORGANIZATION CALLED THE BLUFF ORTHODONTICS, GO THROUGH EQUIPMENT.
AS YOU KNOW, THIS IS ANOTHER ONE OF THE, UH, WE CALL THE EIV ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE PROGRAM.
BEEN UP TO ABOUT NINE OF THESE THUS FAR.
UH, AND THIS ONE'S RELATED TO HEALTHCARE.
AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A, THE APPLICANT HAS TO APPLY, HAVE TO MEET CERTAIN RECOMME CERTAIN, UM, TARGETS, UH, TO GET CERTAIN AMOUNTS OF MONEY FOR THIS GRANT.
AND REMEMBER, THIS IS A REIMBURSEMENT GRANT, SO WE PAY IT BACK AFTER THEY'VE PAID THE FEES THE FIRST TIME.
SO THE DETAILS, UH, THE ABOVE ORTHODONTICS AND NICE NEW ORTHODONTIC FACILITY LOCATED AT, UH, 1 0 6, 1 0 7 FOR SIMMONS STREET, 2,459 SQUARE FEET HAVE A CAPITAL INVESTMENT COST OF $773,000.
THEY'LL ADD TWO NEW JOBS IN YEAR ONE AND TWO NEW JOBS IN YEAR TWO OR THREE ON AN AVERAGE SALARY OF $42,000.
YOU LOOK AT THE, UH, THE WORKSHEET WE ALWAYS SHOW TO YOU, THE FIRST, UH, MATRIX UP THERE IS THE AMOUNT THE GRANT WOULD BE WORTH TO THE APPLICANT OVER FIVE YEARS.
UH, MOST OF THAT IS, UH, TAKEN UP BY CAPACITY, FEES AND A DISCOUNTED BUSINESS LICENSE FEES TO THE ACCOUNT.
AND DOWN BELOW THE SECOND MATRIX IS WHAT THE TOWN WOULD SEE A REVENUE PORTION AFTER THE FIVE YEAR.
SO, UH, THIS IS A SMALLER GRANT AS FAR AS THE CAPITAL COST, BUT THIS ONE IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT AS FAR AS THE BENEFIT FOR THE BENEFIT FOR THE, UH, THE, UH, CLIENT AND THE BENEFIT FOR THE TOWN.
BUT THOSE ARE THE NUMBERS THERE.
AND, UH, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR WE CAN MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE OR HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THAT QUESTIONS MS. BURDEN? WE DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
ANY QUESTIONS? MR. WOODS? DAVID, IF YOU WOULD PUT THAT, UM, PUT THE NUMBERS BACK ON THERE, PLEASE.
SO FOR A DENTIST OFFICE, THE CAPACITY FEE IS $40,000.
THE, THE TOTAL CAPACITY FEE WOULD BE $40,000.
BUT WE PRORATED BASED ON THE AMOUNT OF CAPITAL INVESTMENT OR THE AMOUNT OF JOB, OR THE NUMBER OF JOBS GIVEN.
SO YOU CAN SEE THERE AT YEAR ONE, IT WOULD ONLY BE 12,000 THAT WE WOULD ALLOCATE FOR THEM BECAUSE THEY HAVE A, A LOWER NUMBER OF INVESTMENT OR A LOWER NUMBER OF JOBS.
SOMEBODY LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION.
I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE TOWN MANAGER TO ENTER INTO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GRANT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE TOWN OF LUPTON AND THE ORTHODONTICS.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
NEXT WE HAVE ITEM NUMBER THREE, CONSIDERATION
HEATHER, WE GOT HEATHER ON MINE.
YOU DO HAVE ON A CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION TO APPROVE THE STRATEGIC PLAN FOR 2027.
IT IS KEVIN, I'M HEATHER THIS EVENING.
UH, SO I'M VOTED, UH, WHILE SHE'S OUT.
UM, SO, UH, WE ARE HERE CON UH, CONSIDERATION OF THE RESOLUTION TO ADOPT THE STRATEGIC PLAN THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE.
UH, JUST A QUICK BACKGROUND INFORMATION AS YOU GUYS, UH, REMEMBER AND HELP TO FACILITATE, UM, THE WORKSHOP BY THE BRIDGE GROUP.
THAT WAS BACK IN NOVEMBER, UH, WITH THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, UH, STARTING IN JULY OF THIS YEAR, UH, THROUGH JUNE 30TH, 2028.
UH, SO SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN, THERE'S THE SEVEN, UH, STRATEGIC INITIATIVES.
UM, ACTION ITEM, UM, ACTION AGENDA ITEMS ON THERE.
AND OF THAT, THE SEVEN DEPARTMENTS WILL HAVE CROSS, UH, FUNCTIONAL COLLABORATION.
SO, UH, JUST, I'M GONNA, I'M NOT GONNA GO THROUGH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THESE ITEMS, BUT, UH, THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS SPECIFICALLY FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UH, WE HAVE, UH, UH, QUITE A FEW ITEMS. UM, WE HAVE 11 ACTION ITEMS TOTAL, UM, INCLUDING, UH, EXPLORING WAYS THAT WE CAN, UH, USE PROPERTIES TO REDEVELOP FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UH, SOME FEE AND LIE STRUCTURES, UH, POSSIBLE TINY HOMES.
AND THEN ANY ZONING IMPLICATIONS THAT WE CAN LOOK AT, UH, FROM A PHYSICAL SUSTAINABILITY STANDPOINT.
WE'RE LOOKING AT WAYS THAT WE CAN, UM, UM, UH, HAVE A, UM, LET'S SEE THE, UH, CONDUCT A USER FRIENDLY AND PERMANENT FEE AUDIT.
[01:00:01]
UH, THAT'S TO HELP DETERMINE IF OUR FEES ARE ALIGNED WITH THE COST OF STAFF TIME.SO THAT'S ONE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING.
UM, NEXT WE HAVE THE BAY RIVER AND, UH, SURROUNDING WATERSHEDS.
UH, AN EXAMPLE OF THIS, THERE'S A TOTAL OF 14 ACTION ITEMS. UH, INCLUDES EVALUATING THE LOW IMPACT DESIGN STANDARDS, UH, THAT'S WORKING ON OUR SOLO CODE DESIGN MANUAL.
UH, AFTER A COUPLE YEARS, WE'VE NOW DETERMINED LIKE WHAT WORKS, WHAT DOESN'T WORK, AND THEN WE REALIGN AT THAT POINT.
UH, FROM TALENT ORGANIZATIONAL STANDPOINT, WE HAVE 10 ACTION ITEMS. UM, SO ONE EXAMPLE IS THE LAUNCH, THE BLUFF AND TALENT PIPELINE.
UM, THIS IS, UH, WAYS THAT WE CAN STRENGTHEN OUR LOCAL WORKFORCE, UH, BY EXPANDING, UM, EXISTING, UM, INTERNSHIPS AND INCREASING THE PRESENCE AT REGIONAL, UH, JOB FAIRS.
FROM AN INFRASTRUCTURE STANDPOINT, WE'VE GOT 17 TOTAL ITEMS. UH, ONE OF 'EM, UM, SPECIFICALLY FOR LIKE ROAD, UH, RESURFACING AND MAINTENANCE.
UH, THIS IS A PROACTIVE APPROACH, UM, SPECIFICALLY WITH PUBLIC SERVICES FOR ROAD MAINTENANCE VERSUS BEING A REACTIVE APPROACH TO IT.
UH, FROM AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STANDPOINT, WE'VE GOT 11 ACTION ITEMS. UM, ONE OF 'EM HERE IS TO CREATE AND IMPLEMENT AI TRAINING, UH, THROUGH THE DON RYAN CENTER.
UM, AND THIS WILL HELP LOCAL BUSINESSES FOR THEM TO BE MORE EFFICIENT IF THEY CAN USE AI, UM, FROM AN EFFICIENCY STANDPOINT IN THEIR BUSINESS MODEL.
UH, FROM A QUALITY LIFE, UM, INITIATIVE, WE HAVE 20 ACTION ITEMS THAT ARE COMING OUT OF THAT ONE.
UM, AND YOU CAN SEE QUITE A FEW DIFFERENT ITEMS INCLUDING, UM, UH, THE INTEGRATION OF THE BEST MANAGEMENT, UH, POLICY THAT'S COME IN FRONT OF YOU A COUPLE TIMES SO FAR.
UH, WE TALKED ABOUT STRATEGIC PLANNING FOR, UH, PERFORMANCE OFFICE CENTER, UH, AS WELL AS MANY MORE THAT ARE OUT THERE.
UM, SO WITH THAT, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, AS YOU KNOW THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT STAFF HAS WORKED ON, TOWN MANAGER, ASSISTANT TOWN MANAGERS, DEPARTMENT HEADS, UM, AS WELL AS YOURSELVES.
UH, SO WE'RE REALLY, UM, HAPPY TO HAVE THIS IN FRONT OF YOU AND TO START MOVING FORWARD FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS.
UH, CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE, AND IF NOT, I DO HAVE A MOTION FOR THAT RESOLUTION.
MR. MARTIN, ANY QUESTIONS? NO, NO QUESTIONS.
SO KEVIN, YOU AND CHRIS MAY REMEMBER, UH, YEARS AGO WHEN WE DID THE STRATEGIC PLAN, THE BOOK, AND I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT PERIOD OF TIME THAT IT CAME OUT, BUT BEFORE WE EVER WENT INTO THE NEXT STRATEGIC PLAN, FOR SURE, STAFF HAD IN THERE TABS AND, AND IN EACH CATEGORY IT LISTED WHETHER SOMETHING WAS COMPLETED OR NOT COMPLETED, OR A CARRYOVER.
DO YOU REMEMBER THAT? MM-HMM
SO I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD, IT'S A RECOMMENDATION TO THE TOWN MANAGER.
I THINK IF, IF WE COULD GO BACK AND HAVE SOMETHING AS A COUNCIL BECAUSE IT'S A, IT'S VOLUMINOUS VOLUME OF INFORMATION.
I WAS READING IT AGAIN YESTERDAY AND TODAY IT'S, IT'S A STAGGERING AMOUNT OF DATA AND IT'S VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR A COUNCIL TO KNOW WHERE WE ARE IN THAT PROCESS.
UH, I MEAN, WHEN YOU JUST REALLY GET YOUR HANDS ON IT AS A, AS A SIDEBAR, I DON'T KNOW THAT THIS COUNCIL WOULD ENTERTAIN THE THOUGHT, BUT I, I DID TALK TO MARY WILLIAMS. HE, UH, VOLUNTEERED TO ME THAT THEIR STRATEGIC PLAN, HE'S DIVIDED IT UP WITH EACH COUNCIL MEMBER TO TAKE A PORTION AND JUST MAKE SURE THAT WHERE THEY KNOW THAT THINGS ARE GETTING ACCOMPLISHED IN THAT STRATEGIC PLAN.
SO I KNOW THE STAFF DOES THAT.
I KNOW THE STAFF PUT AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF WORK IN THERE.
UH, IT'S A GREAT MODEL FOR US TO OPERATE ON.
BUT ANYWAY, I THINK IF Y'ALL WOULD CONSIDER THE TAB APPROACH ON COMPLETIONS OR CARRYOVERS, IT HELPS THIS COUNCIL UNDERSTAND BETTER WHAT THAT BOOK'S ABOUT.
WE CAN, WE CAN ABSOLUTELY DO THAT.
UM, SO THE WAY WE HAVE IT SET UP IN THE NEW PROGRAM, IT'S ALL WEB BASED, UM, AS OF RIGHT NOW.
UM, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, ONCE JULY ONE HITS, WHAT WE CAN DO IS THEN KIND OF GO BACK SINCE THEN THAT ACTUALLY COMPLETES THE STRATEGIC PLAN FOR THAT, THAT TWO YEAR CYCLE.
AND WE CAN KIND OF GIVE YOU AN ASSESSMENT ON, ON WHAT, WHAT HAPPENED IN THAT TIER TWO YEAR TIMEFRAME.
AND, AND WE WILL ALSO, UH, SEND OUT THE LINK TO COUNSEL ON WHERE WE'RE, WHERE YOU CAN NOW GO TO THE SOFTWARE ONLINE AND TRACK IT.
AND WE UPDATE IT MONTH BY MONTH FOR EVERY ITEM.
UM, JUST, AND YOU CAN ALWAYS GO IN THERE AND CHECK ANYTHING IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS.
IF YOU EVER WANT A PRINT COPY, WE CAN NO, I COPY TOO.
READ AND I DON'T LOOK AT IT MONTHLY, BUT I CERTAINLY MIGHT LOOK AT IT QUARTERLY OR, YOU KNOW, BI ANNUALLY.
UH, WE DO, UM, BE A MOTION HERE, PLEASE.
IF NOTHING ELSE, UM, THERE'S A MOTION.
WOULD SOMEBODY LIKE TO MAKE, I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION TO ADOPT THE TIME I'D STRATEGIC PLAN WITH FISCAL YEAR 2027.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
[01:05:01]
THANK YOU, KEVIN.UP NEXT, NUMBER FOUR, WE HAVE CONSIDERATION OF FUNDING REQUEST SUPPORTING THE LOW COUNTRY REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY.
MR. NATALIE? GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
UM, YES, I AM HERE TO INTRODUCE MARY LOU FROM LRTA, AND SHE IS REQUESTING A SUPPLEMENTAL REQUEST FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR TOWN COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME AND SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT THE LOW COUNTRY REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY.
UM, THE SLIDE THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT NOW WAS OUR REQUEST FOR LAST YEAR'S BUDGET.
UM, WELL, THE ORIGINAL 3, 320 8,000.
AND, UM, I WAS NOT, UM, HERE FOR LAST YEAR, BUT CAME BACK, UM, THIS YEAR AND WENT THROUGH WITH CHRISTINE, ALL OF EVERYTHING TO TRY TO, UH, UH, SEE WHAT WE COULD DO WITH OUR, UH, SHORTFALL IN THE BUDGET.
AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE DID IS WE DID A PROJECTED BUDGET TO END THE YEAR AND WORKED BACK FROM THAT.
AND SO IN DOING THAT, WE, WE CHANGED OUR, UM, REVISION.
WE REVISED IT AND, AND, UH, OUR SHORTFALL INSTEAD OF BEING 140,000 OR SOMEWHERE AROUND THERE FROM BLUFFTON, IS NOW AT 93,000.
UM, BUT I REALLY WANTED TO TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND IN THIS AREA AND WHAT IT IS, HOW IT CAME ABOUT, AND, UM, AND WHY WE COME ASKING FOR MONEY EVERY YEAR.
UM, I'LL START OUT WITH SAYING THE REALLY ROBUST SYSTEMS THAT YOU SEE IN, IN CHARLESTON, THE CARTA COMET SAVANNAH, THEY ALL HAVE A DEDICATED SOURCE OF FUNDING.
AND SO THOSE FOLKS AREN'T GOING TO THE MUNICIPALITIES GENERAL FUNDS AND ASKING FOR MATCH MONEY THE WAY WE'RE FUNDED.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY DEDICATED FUNDING SOURCE.
AND THAT'S HOW IT STARTED, UH, WITH LRTA AND WE GET GRANT FUNDS.
UH, WHEN I CAME WE WERE ONLY GETTING RURAL GRANT FUNDS AND THAT'S 'CAUSE WE WERE ALL RURAL.
WE WEREN'T, DIDN'T HAVE ORGANIZED AREAS.
AND I STARTED IN 2014 AND UH, IN THE CENSUS OF 2010, BLUFFTON AND HILTON HAD BECAME AN URBANIZED AREA.
WITH THAT CAME URBANIZED FUNDING.
THE FUNDING IS FROM THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION WITH AN ADDITIONAL AMOUNT OF MONEY FROM THIS SOUTH CAROLINA DOT FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.
AT THAT TIME, THROUGH ALL THE STUDIES AND EVERYTHING THAT WAS GOING ON, THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON, THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD AND UNINCORPORATED BUFORT COUNTY, AGREED THAT THEY WERE GONNA PARTNER IN THIS TRANSPORTATION, THE URBAN TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.
AND SO THAT'S HOW WE TOOK OFF WITH THE URBAN SERVICES, WHICH INCLUDES THE BLUFFTON BREEZE AND, UM, WELL ALL THE SERVICES OPERATING IN THE URBAN AREA ARE NOW FUNDED BY THE URBAN GRANT.
AND THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS WITH OUR FUNDING IS WHEN AN AREA BECOMES URBAN, THEN THE RURAL FUNDING NO LONGER EXISTS FOR THAT AREA, BUT THE URBAN DOES.
IT'S PRETTY COMPLICATED AND UM, I CAN TALK ABOUT IT FOR A REALLY LONG TIME, BUT WHAT I REALLY WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS WHAT WE DO FOR IN TON AND A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T EVEN REALIZE THOSE BIG MCI BUSES THAT LOOK LIKE GREYHOUND BUSES ARE COMMUTER BUSES.
AND THE REASON WE HAVE MCI BUSES IS 'CAUSE UH, WE GET A MILLION MILES OUT OF EACH BUS.
THEY RUN TO ALLENDALE, TO HAMPTON COUNTY, TO UM, COLLETON COUNTY.
AND UH, WE'RE JUST RETIRING OUR OH SIX AND OH SEVEN BUSES AND THEY ARE OVER A MILLION MILES.
UM, SO WE DO THAT TO BRING PEOPLE IN FOR, UH, FROM THE OUTSIDE COUNTIES WHERE THEY DON'T HAVE AS MUCH EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY TO BETTER JOBS IN THE BLUFFTON AND HILTON HEAD AREA.
AND IT SEEMS THAT WHEN I FIRST STARTED, THERE WAS NOT THAT MANY JOBS IN THE OUTLYING COUNTIES.
AND NOW THERE ARE MORE JOBS THEY'VE DONE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
SO THEY STILL COME IN INTO THIS AREA FOR GOOD PAYING JOBS AND THEY RIDE OUR BUSES.
WE ALSO DO THE BLUFF AND BREEZE, WHICH IS, UM, THE URBAN SERVICE THAT WE'RE DOING IN BLUFFTON.
IT RUNS UP AND DOWN THE PARKWAY AND IT GETS YOU OUT TO OTT.
AND UM, WE NOW, UH, STARTING ACTUALLY THIS WEEK, UH, THAT BUS IS MEETING OUR COMMUTERS EVERY MORNING.
SO WE'RE GONNA NOW MARKET TO ALL THE BIG EMPLOYERS TO SEE IF WE COULD GET MORE PEOPLE COMING IN ON THE LARGE BUSES TO GET ON THE BLUFF AND BREEZE TO GO TO WORK AND BACK.
THE OTHER THING IS, UM, WE DO A DA SERVICES, WHICH IS FOR, UH, FOLKS THAT, UM, FILL IN AN APPLICATION.
THEY'RE UNABLE TO RIDE THE BLUFF AND BREEZE AND WE'LL WE'LL COME DOOR TO DOOR TO THEIR HOUSE FOR $2 EACH WAY.
THAT'S WITHIN IF THEY'RE IN WITH THREE IN, WITHIN THREE QUARTERS OF A MILE OF A BUS ROUTE.
AND WE'LL TAKE 'EM WHEREVER THEY WANT TO GO DOOR TO DOOR.
UH, WHETHER IT'S THE DOCTOR, THE GROCERY STORE, UH, THE HAIRDRESSER.
SO THAT SERVICE IS A, IS AVAILABLE.
WE HAVE 25 CLIENTS IN OUR DATABASE CENTER IN BLUFFTON.
[01:10:01]
SERVE THE OD DIALYSIS CENTER.WE GO TO THE GOODWILL JOB SET TRAINING CENTER AT THE GOODWILL.
UM, AND, AND WE ALSO HAVE WHAT WE CALL COORDINATED, WHICH IS JUST REALLY A DIAL AIDE THAT'S A MILEAGE BASE.
SO ANYONE UM, IN THE AREA CAN CALL BUFF, UH, PALMETTO BREEZE AND SEE IF THEY CAN GET, UH, HOOKED UP WITH A REGULAR, UH, DOOR TO DOOR RIDE.
AND IF IT'S UNDER, I THINK IF IT'S UNDER EIGHT MILES, IT'S $5 ONE WAY.
BUT THEY CAN CALL PALMETTO BREEZE MOBILITY MANAGER.
IT'S A MILEAGE BASED AND WE TAKE A LOT OF PEOPLE ALL AROUND BLUFFTON, WE TAKE A GROUP OF MEMORY MATTERS FOLKS TO MEMORY MATTERS.
WE ALSO TAKE THEM TO, UM, UH, PROGRAMS THEY HAVE AT ST.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS WE DO FOR THE COMMUNITY.
AND I LIKE WHAT YOU SAID IN YOUR PRAYER, YOU KNOW, THOSE OF US THAT HAVE A LOT ARE IN COMMUNITY WITH THOSE OF US THAT HAVE A LITTLE, AND IT'S A WAY TO MAKE THAT WORK FOR EVERYBODY TO GET AROUND THE TOWN.
THE OTHER THING I LOOK AT IS THE GROWTH.
HOW MUCH GROWTH WE HAVE IN THIS AREA AND HOW MANY CARS ARE ON THE ROADS.
AND A SOLUTION HAS TO HAPPEN FOR THE WHOLE AREA.
AND UM, I'M CERTAINLY CHAMPIONING IT WITH EVERYONE TO TALK ABOUT THE WAYS TRANSIT CAN BE FUNDED.
ONE IS THE DEDICATED, IS THE, UM, SALES TAX THAT REFERENDUM AND UH, WE WERE ON IT IN 24.
THE ONLY OTHER WAY THAT TRANSIT CAN BE FUNDED BESIDES THE SCENARIO WE'RE IN, WHICH IS UM, GRANTS AND LOCAL MATCH, THAT'S HOW WAS BASICALLY HOW WE'RE FUNDED IS THROUGH MILLAGE.
AND WE'VE HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH BEAUFORT COUNTY ABOUT MILLAGE BECAUSE THERE, UM, OVER A MILLION DOLLARS ON THEIR LOCAL MATCH SIDE BECAUSE THEY'RE MATCHING, UH, UNINCORPORATED BEAUFORT IN BOTH URBAN AREAS AND THEY'RE ALSO DOING ALL THE MATCH FOR THE BEAUFORT COUNTY RURAL SERVICE.
SO I LOOK AT HOW THIS IS GOING AS THE AREA GETS BIGGER AND WHAT'S THE NEXT STEPS FOR US.
AND I THINK IT IS THAT WE SECURE A, A DEDICATED FUNDING AND THEN, UM, GO AFTER LARGE GRANTS THAT, UM, WILL BUILD FACILITY IN BEAUFORT OR, YOU KNOW, PUT IN A PARK AND RIDE LOT, UH, WHAT YOU NEED TO BE A ROBUST TRANSIT SYSTEM IN A GROWING AREA.
AND UM, THAT'S WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO, TO FUND US AND UH, TO FUND THE LOCAL BATCH THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR QUESTIONS.
MS. BUR, I I DO HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS.
UM, START WITH HOW MANY PEOPLE RIDE THE BUS? UM, DOES LOUGHTON BREEZE IN BLUFFTON ON AVERAGE ON A DAILY BASIS? I WOULD JUST BE, OR YEARLY, HOWEVER I COULD HAVE BROUGHT MY RIDERSHIP NUMBERS.
I'M GONNA SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE HAVE 30, 30 OR 40 PEOPLE THAT RIDE A DAY, UM, IN ALL THE SERVICE AND IT IS GROWING.
UM, I DON'T WANT TO, YOU KNOW, SAY WE HAVE ALL THESE PEOPLE, BUT YOU KNOW, I KNOW WE HAVE, WELL I THINK FOR ME, WHEN YOU'RE COMING AND ASKING FOR THIS MUCH MONEY TO KNOW WHAT THE RIDERSHIP IS AND THEN ALSO COMPARE IT TO YEAR OVER YEAR, IS IT INCREASING? IS IT DECREASING? I MEAN, I THINK THAT INFORMATION, UM, IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO HAVE WHEN DETERMINING, YOU KNOW, WHETHER TO, TO PROVIDE MORE MONEY.
I I TOTALLY THINK AGREEING THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
UM, SO I WANNA ASK, WE'RE, AND I THINK YOU CONFIRMED IT, THAT WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE COMMUTER BUSES, BUT YOU SAID THAT JUST THIS WEEK, UM, THAT THE BLUFFTON BRIEF STARTED TO MEET THE COMPUTER COMMUTER BUSES.
SO THEY WERE NOT DOING THAT PRIOR TO THIS WEEK? WELL, PRIOR TO THAT, THE COMMUTER BUSES COME IN FROM OUTSIDE AND THEY HAD ONE OF THE, THE COMMUTER BUSES THAT RAN AROUND BLUFFTON.
BUT THAT'S LIKE ONE TIME IN THE MORNING, ONE TIME AGAIN IN THE EVENING.
BUT THE, THE BEAUTY OF USING THE BLUFF AND BREEZE IS THAT WE GO A LOT OF PLACES AND WE GO EVERY HOUR.
AND SO IF SOMEBODY USES THAT BUS TO COME IN, THEY CAN USE THE BREEZE THROUGHOUT THE DAY DAY WHETHER THEY'RE COMING BACK AT A DIFFERENT TIME OR WHATEVER THEY NEED TO DO.
SO HOOKING IT TO THE BLUFF OF BREEZE GIVES MORE OPPORTUNITY.
I THINK I WAS JUST A LITTLE SURPRISED THAT THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN BEFORE.
YEAH, WE, THEY HAD THEIR OWN COMMUTER BUS THAT TOOK 'EM AROUND.
UM, AND THEN THE DOOR TO DOOR SERVICE THAT YOU MENTIONED FOR $2, HOW FAR IN ADVANCE DO YOU HAVE TO BOOK THAT? AT LEAST A DAY BEFORE? UM, WE TAKE BOOKINGS NO MORE THAN TWO WEEKS 'CAUSE THAT'S TOO LONG.
AND, AND WE ALSO, WHEN YOU BOOK EITHER A COORDINATED OR AN A DA RIDE, WE HAVE A A PHONE CALL THAT CALLS YOU THE DAY BEFORE AND LETS YOU KNOW THAT YOU HAVE A RIDE THE NEXT DAY.
AND BECAUSE IT'S A LOT FOR PEOPLE TO REMEMBER AND WHEN THEY GET OLDER AND ALL THAT.
BUT, BUT WE DO GET RIDERSHIP THERE.
THE $2 RIDES, THEY HAVE TO BE WITHIN THREE QUARTERS OF A MILE OF THE, OF THE BLUFFTON BREEZE.
SO WITHIN THE CORRIDOR OF WHERE
[01:15:01]
THAT BUS RUNS, WE, WE PROVIDE, IT'S CALLED COMPLIMENTARY SERVICE.SO IF SOMEBODY CAN'T GET TO A BUS STOP, IT'S PUBLIC TRANSIT, WE'LL GO, COME AND GET 'EM.
AND THEN JUST CONFIRMING THE NUMBERS THAT ARE CURRENTLY ON THE SCREEN, THIS IS JUST FOR THE URBAN SOUTH ABROAD.
THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY OF THE, UM, COMMUTER BUSES THAT NO, BECAUSE YOU DON'T, THE COMMUTERS ARE CONSIDERED RURAL.
A SMALL PORTION IS URBAN THAT GO FROM BLUFFTON TO HILTON HEAD.
SO THAT KIND OF IS IN THE URBAN POT.
BUT UM, A LITTLE BIT OF THE COMMUTER, BUT MOST OF THE COMMUTER FROM THE RURAL AREA ARE IS IN THE RURAL SERVICES AND YOU GUYS DON'T PAY ANY MONEY TOWARDS THE RURAL.
THANK, I THINK THAT'S IT FOR NOW, BUT I MIGHT HAVE FOLLOW UP.
THANK YOU, UM, FOR SHARING HERE TONIGHT.
BUT CAN YOU SHARE A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHERE YOUR COMMUTERS GO OR YOUR BUSES GO IN, IN THE TOWN OF TON? WHAT BUSINESSES OR WHAT HAVE UM, WELL I DO KNOW A LOT OF THE PLACES THEY GO TO.
UM, I HAVE TO SAY I'VE BEEN BACK SINCE ABOUT JANUARY AND SO I MAY BE WRONG ON SOME OF THEM, BUT WHAT I DO REMEMBER, THEY DEFINITELY SERVE RSI, WE'VE ALWAYS SERVED RSI GO OUT TO BUCK WALTER.
THERE WAS, UM, AN ASSISTED LIVING OUT THAT WAY.
I KNOW THAT WE SERVE, WE GO TO BASICALLY IF SOMEBODY, UH, WANTS TO RIDE OUR BUS AND SAYS, OH I GOT A JOB AT THE HARDY BILL WALMART, CAN YOU GET, TAKE ME TO THERE AND WE'LL TELL 'EM YES WHAT TIME WE'RE GONNA GO THERE.
UM, I KNOW WE GO, WE UH, WE DO THE HOLLY EXPRESS, I THINK THE KROGER ON IN BELL FAIR.
I KNOW WE DO SOME OF THE BUSINESSES IN BUCK WALTER.
UH, YOU KNOW, AND I KNOW WE GO OUT TO HARD, UH, UP TO THE WALMART AT HARVILLE, THOSE AREAS PEOPLE WORK THERE.
UH, UH, SO, AND, AND ALONG THE WAY, 'CAUSE IF SOMEBODY WORKS AT ANY OF THE BUSINESSES ALONG THE WAY AND THEY JUST CALL US AND SAY, WE'VE GOT, UH, I NEED TO START CATCHING THE BUS AND I WORK AT THE WENDY'S, WE'LL TELL 'EM HOW TO COME OUT, WHAT TIME TO COME OUT.
AND THEN WE TELL THE DRIVER, WATCH FOR THAT PASSENGER.
'CAUSE THEY'LL BE, YOU KNOW, GETTING ON AT THE WENDY'S.
AND ONCE THEY GET ON, THE DRIVERS KNOW WHO THEIR PEOPLE ARE AND THEY MAKE SURE PEOPLE GET WHERE THEY NEED TO GO.
AND, AND THE OTHER THING THAT COMMUTERS REALLY DO IN THE SUMMER IS IT ALLOWS A LOT OF THE TEENAGERS AND SCHOOL TEACHERS AND PEOPLE IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS TO COME TO WORK HERE IN THE SUMMER WHEN WE NEED MORE EMPLOYEES AND THEY HAVE FREE TIME.
AND SO OUR BUSES DO GET FULLER IN THE SUMMERTIME.
UM, LOOKING AT THIS, THE ORIGINAL MEANS WHAT YOU GUYS ASKED FOR ORIGINALLY, CORRECT? YES SIR.
THE REVISED IS WHAT WE AGREED TO GIVE YOU, CORRECT? NO SIR.
THE REVISED IS WHEN WE REVISED OUR BUDGET BASED ON YEAR END PROJECTIONS IN, IN, IN MADE FOR A SMALLER OVERALL BUDGET, WHICH WOULD MAKE FOR A SMALLER OVERALL MATCH TO THE GRANT.
I BELIEVE LAST YEAR YOU GAVE US, SO, SO WE'VE GOT $41,000 FROM THE ORIGINAL TO THE RE REVISED, BUT THEN THE SHORTFALL YOU HAVE AS 93,000.
YOU PAID US $194,829 OF THE 328 9 11 WE ASKED FOR.
BUT THE REVISED BUDGET IS 2 87, SO WE ASKED FOR LESS.
SO YOU THAT WOULD MAKE THE 93 AND THE, I THINK THAT IT WAS, DID WE ORIGINALLY, WHAT DID WE AGREE TO PAY? 194.
SO THE I SEE WHAT YOU'RE STANDING, YEAH, THE 93,000 IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT COUNCIL APPROVED AND MRS. FISCAL BUDGET AND THEIR CURRENT REVISED ASK OF 2 87 8 8 7.
MR. WOOD, ANY QUESTIONS? YES, PLEASE.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, YOU RETIRED, DIDN'T YOU? I DID.
SO I, I, I ASKED THAT QUESTION INTENTIONALLY 'CAUSE I WANTED PEOPLE UP HERE TO REALIZE, UM, SHE ALSO SITS ON LAPS AND UM, I COMMEND YOU WHEN THEY GOT IN A PINCH THAT YOU CAME OUTTA YOUR RETIREMENT TO HELP TRY TO GET THIS ORGANIZATION BACK ON TRACK.
I KNOW THERE'S OTHER THINGS YOU WOULD RATHER BE DOING RIGHT NOW.
THAT BEING SAID, UM, MARY LOU AND I, I'VE ALWAYS SAID, UH, SUPPORTED THE REGIONAL CONCEPT BECAUSE WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.
THERE'S TIMES WE HAVE TO LOOK AT OUR OWN BACK DOOR, BUT YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE AS WELL.
THE ONLY ISSUE THAT I REALLY HAVE IS, AND I NEED HELP FROM YOU ON THIS, I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO PROVIDE SOME INFORMATION TO THE TOWN MANAGER, IF YOU WILL.
[01:20:01]
UM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE READER, THE RIDERSHIP FOR, LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, HAMPTON IS OR JASPER COUNTY IS.I KNOW THEY MAKE BIG VOLUMES GOING TO HILTON HEAD.
AND BY THE WAY, WHAT IS A PAX TRIP? PAX TRIP? WHAT IS PASSENGER, PASSENGER TRIP THAT'S ON THERE SOMEWHERE? SO THEY THEY HAVE HIGHER NUMBERS THAN WE HAVE.
AND, AND, AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT YOUR FORMULA, WHAT YOU ARE GOING BY IS POPULATION.
WELL, WE, ON THE RURAL SIDE, WE MAKE IT RIDER'S POPULATION AND NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN THE COUNTY TO KIND OF LEVEL IT OUT.
UM, ON THE URBAN SIDE WE DO A POPULATION.
UH, AND THAT STARTED WHEN WITH LATS, WHEN WE FIRST WERE HOW DO WE DIVVY THIS UP? WE DON'T HAVE URBAN RIDERS, WE DON'T HAVE URBAN ROUTES.
AND IT WAS DONE ON A POPULATION BASIS.
WELL, THAT'S THE REASON FOR MY QUESTION.
BECAUSE WHEN I STARTED REALLY GOING THROUGH IT, I STARTED THINKING, OKAY, I, I PICKED UP ON THE POPULATION IDEA AND IT IS SIMPLE, SIMPLE MATH.
HOWEVER, UM, WHEN YOU LOOKED AT THE NEEDS OF HILTON HEAD, FOR EXAMPLE, WITH YOUR CARAVANS COMING OUT FROM HAMPTON AND JASPER WITH MUCH GREATER RIDERSHIP, AND I KNOW YOU DON'T JUST GO THERE, GO TO OTHER LOCATIONS.
SO WHERE I'M GOING WITH THIS IS, I THINK IT'S 92% OF THE TOWN IT RESIDES IN PUDS WITH ONLY A MINIMAL AMOUNT OUTSIDE THE PUDS.
AND I DON'T THINK YOU'RE PROBABLY PICKING UP A LOT OF THE RIDERSHIP AT THE PUDS.
WE GO IN SOME OF 'EM WITH THE, WITH OUR DOOR TO DOOR SERVICE.
CAN YOU PROVIDE US SOME NUMBERS? YES.
WHAT RIDERSHIP IS FOR JASPER, WHAT IT IS FOR, UH, HAMPTON, WHAT IT IS FOR OTHER LO YOU KNOW, NEARBY LOCATIONS.
BECAUSE I THINK WE'RE PROBABLY ASKED BEING ASKED PER CAPITA MORE BASED ON POPULATION AND NOT RIDERSHIP AND, AND WHAT HAS CONCERNED ME ON THE LAST ASPECT OF IT, BECAUSE I HEAR Y'ALL, WHEN YOU, WE GIVE YOUR REPORTS THAT THE RIDERSHIP HAD BEEN DIMINISHING HERE IN BLUFFTON TO SOME DEGREE.
THAT'S WHY I SAID THAT THE HAMPTON AND ALLENDALE.
YOU KNOW, WE WERE TIMES WE HAD TO PUT EXTRA BUSES OUT THERE AND IT'S NOT LIKE THAT ANYMORE.
AND THEY HAVE JOBS, THEY HAVE MORE JOBS THAN THEY EVER HAVE.
AND SO WE DON'T GET AS MANY PEOPLE COMING IN.
AND I THINK THE REASON ON THE URBAN SIDE, WE WENT WITH A POPULATION SPLIT, UM, BECAUSE IT'S A SMALLER AREA, WHEREAS A RURAL, IT'S THE WHOLE COUNTY, RIGHT? THE WHOLE COUNTY.
WHEREAS HERE IT'S AN URBANIZED AREA THAT'S THREE DIFFERENT ENTITIES AND THAT WAS THE LOGICAL WAY TO SPLIT IT UP.
ANYWAY, IF YOU CAN PROVIDE SOME NUMBERS, WE'LL WE'LL GIVE YOU ALL THE RIGHT NUMBERS.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR ANY COUNSEL? OKAY, SO, UM, BECAUSE IT'S A REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING FROM A PARTNER AGENCY THAT YOU APPROVED IN THE BUDGET, IT WOULD REQUIRE
IT'S UP TO COUNSEL WHETHER YOU WANT TO APPROVE, AMEND, DENY, OR IF YOU'RE ASKING FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, YOU CAN ALWAYS TABLE AND, UM, UNTIL YOU GET MORE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, UM, IT'S UP TO COUNSEL WHAT DIRECTION YOU WOULD LIKE TO GO.
SO WE WOULD TABLE IT IF WE WANT MORE INFORMATION OR IF YOU DON'T FEEL LIKE YOU'RE READY TO MAKE A DECISION TONIGHT, IF YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE READY TO MAKE A DECISION TONIGHT, YOU FEEL FREE, YOU CAN DO SO.
WHAT IS THE WILL OF COUNSEL? WELL, I WILL SAY THAT I, STEVEN HELPED ME FIND THAT THE, THE LEFT AND BREEZE RIDERSHIP FOR FISCAL YEAR 25 WAS 36 88, WHICH COMES OUT TO ABOUT 10 PAST FISCAL A DAY.
SO, UM, LET'S SAY 300 A MONTH.
UM, SO THAT'S JUST BASED ON, IT WAS IN THE PACKET.
I JUST SOMEHOW MENTIONED RIDERSHIP SYSTEM FISCAL YEAR, UM, THAT, THAT ANSWERED MY QUESTION.
BUT ABOUT, OKAY, SO DOES SOMEBODY WANT, SO, SO I WAS LOOKING AT THE SAME NUMBER.
I'M SORRY MAYOR, GO RIGHT AHEAD.
I WAS LOOKING AT THE SAME NUMBERS A MINUTE AGO ON MY SCREEN.
I NEED TO DIVIDE IT OUT LIKE YOU DID, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE NUMBERS WERE PRIOR YEAR, FOR EXAMPLE.
I KNOW, AND I THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL JUST TO SEE IF THE TREND IS UP FOR NOW.
IT'S STILL IN A, A GROWING PHASE AND I, I WANNA SAY I THINK WE'RE ONLY ON ABOUT YEAR FOUR MAYBE OF THE BLUFFTON BREEZE AND, UM, IT STARTED WITH ONE ROUTE.
NOW WE HAVE TWO ROUTES AND I THINK IF WE COULD GET A ROUTE THAT TOOK PEOPLE TO THE BEACH THAT WE'D BE FULL.
BUT, YOU KNOW, PART OF BUILDING A TRANSIT SYSTEM IS HAVING ENOUGH DESTINATIONS THAT PEOPLE ARE COMFORTABLE AND WANT TO RIDE IN.
[01:25:01]
AND IT'S, IT'S HARD GETTING STARTED.NOT TO BRING UP HILTON HEAD, BUT THE FIRST TWO YEARS ON THE TROLLEY OVER THERE WEREN'T ROBUST.
WE HAD ONE ROUTE AND THAT WAS ALL WE HAD.
WE ADDED THE SECOND ROUTE AND, AND IT TOOK OFF.
AND SO I FEEL LIKE THAT, UM, I WOULD HATE TO SEE YOU VOTE TO NOT HAVE PUBLIC TRANSIT IN BLUFFTON BEFORE WE'VE REALLY HAD A CHANCE TO, TO, YOU KNOW, GET IT ESTABLISHED.
WELL, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SEE THE TREND OF IT.
WHAT HA WHAT HAS IT DONE EACH YEAR? AND I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
AND, AND WITH THAT, LET'S SAY IT HAS STAYED THE SAME OR GONE DOWN, LIKE HAVE YOU ALL TRIED DIFFERENT ROUTES TO SEE IF MAYBE THE ONES THAT YOU'RE DOING AREN'T NECESSARILY THE RIGHT ONES? LIKE WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO CHANGE THAT? TO SEE IF PEOPLE CAN INCREASE RIDERSHIP, BUT I HAVE A HARD TIME JUSTIFYING AN ADDITIONAL 93,000 ON TOP OF THE 194,000 THAT WE'VE ALREADY GIVEN FOR 36 88, 3,688 PEOPLE A YEAR.
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT INCREASE.
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE OUR PUBLIC TRANSIT, BUT WHATEVER, SOMETHING'S NOT WORKING.
BUT 'CAUSE THOSE NUMBERS, WHEN YOU ADD, WHEN YOU DIVIDE THAT UP TO HOW MUCH MONEY PER PERSON, I MEAN THAT'S A LOT.
AND SO I I'M EITHER NO OR I'M GOING TO NEED MORE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION BEFORE I CAN.
WELL I GUESS I URGE YOU TO THINK ABOUT, UM, JUST SEE A WHOLE IDEA OF HAVING PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AVAILABLE TO THE CITIZENS FOR THOSE THAT, AND SOMETIMES PEOPLE DON'T EVER THINK THEY'RE GONNA BE ON A BUS AND THEN THE CARS BREAK OR SOMETHING HAPPENS AND IT'S AVAILABLE AND, UM, I, I WOULD JUST HATE TO SEE YOU LOOK AT THOSE NUMBERS AND GO, YEAH, WE DON'T WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ANYMORE BECAUSE I THINK THAT THAT HURTS THE COMMUNITY.
YEAH, I I DON'T THINK WE'VE SAID THAT.
NO, WE ALREADY GAVE, SO THIS CAN'T BE WHAT WE SAID.
I GUESS FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, I LOOK AT WHAT WE STRUGGLE EVERY DAY WITH.
WE, WE TRY TO MAKE ALL THE MONEY WE CAN MAKE, HOW WE MAKE MONEY, WE SELL ADVERTISING.
WE, UH, ALL OF OUR SCRAP METAL GETS SOLD.
WE, UM, HOW ELSE DO WE MAKE MONEY? WE DO SPECIAL EVENTS ONLY FOR OUR PARTNERS.
WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO COMPETE WITH CHARTER OPERATORS.
SO ANYTIME ONE OF THE PARTNERS THAT'S OUR PARTNER WANTS A SPECIAL EVENT AND WE'VE DONE 'EM FOR THE TOWN, WE DO THAT.
THAT'S ANOTHER WAY WE MAKE MONEY.
WE DO IN SALE BUSES, WE SELL OUR BUSES, OLD BUSES ON DRUG DEALS.
I GUESS WHAT I'M SAYING IS, IS THAT, UM, IT'S KIND OF THE CHICKEN AND THE EGG.
SO IF YOU SAY, OKAY, WELL WE ONLY WANT HALF THAT MUCH SERVICE AND SO WE'RE GONNA TAKE THAT AWAY, YOU'RE NOT GONNA GET MORE RIDERS.
THE SYSTEM'S JUST GOING TO CIRCLE THE DRAIN AND GO.
AND I GUESS THAT'S WHAT I WAS LOOKING AT, KNOWING PUBLIC TRANSIT, THAT IT ISN'T, I MEAN I THINK THERE'S THINGS WE CAN DO AND THERE'S THINGS WE CAN LOOK AT, BUT AS FAR AS SAYING, OKAY, WE ONLY WANT HALF OF THIS, OR WE ONLY WANT TO PAY FOR HALF OF THIS, IT REALLY ISN'T, IT DOESN'T WORK WELL THAT WAY.
WELL, UNTIL YOU CAN GIVE US MORE INFORMATION, I'M GOING TO MOVE TO DENY AND INVESTIGATE MORE INFORMATION.
CAN I JUST SAY ONE THING? NO MA'AM.
ONLY ONE PERSON CAN TALK UNTIL YOU CAN BRING US THE INFORMATION THAT WE REQUESTING IS GOING TO BE MY OPINION THAT WE DENY WITH THE OPTION THAT YOU COME BACK AND SHOW US, GIVE THE NUMBERS THAT WE, THAT WE THINK BLUFFTON NEEDS TO HEAR THAT WE, UM, I'LL BE HAPPY TO SEND ALL THOSE RIDERSHIP REPORTS TO STEVEN TOMORROW.
YEAH, AND I MEAN THE SYSTEM, IT'S THE SYSTEM CHANGE, UH, COUNCILWOMAN BURDEN ASKED THE QUE AND I'M, SAME THING WITH MY THINKING IS, AGAIN, I'M NOT OPPOSED, BUT I JUST NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS.
'CAUSE I WAS HERE WHEN YOU FIRST STARTED COMING TO BLUFFTON AND I KNOW THAT WE WERE GONNA HAVE LITTLE PLACES FOR PEOPLE TO THE ROOF OVER THEIR HEAD.
WE WERE GONNA HAVE A A A TIE BETWEEN HILTON HEAD AND BLUFFTON WORKFORCE, WHICH HASN'T BEEN ABLE TO TAKE, YOU KNOW, TRANSPIRE YET.
SO I, I REMEMBER ALL OF THIS, BUT I THINK ALL WE NEED TO KNOW IS ARE WE GAINING ON THE ISSUE? GIVE US A LITTLE BETTER UNDERSTANDING ABOUT HOW THE RIDERSHIP WORKS AND THEN ALSO IF IT'S NOT WORKING, WHAT IS YOUR PLAN OF ACTION TO MAKE IT WORK? I MEAN, WE ARE, WE WE GONNA JUST DO THE SAME THING AND THEN THE RIDERSHIP'S GOING DOWN.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY WHAT THIS COUNCIL IS ASKING.
WELL, I COULD SAY THAT THIS COUNCIL, WE CARE ABOUT WHAT WE'RE SPENDING OUR PEOPLE'S MONEY ON.
AND IF IT DOESN'T MAKE CLEAR, UNDOUBTEDLY CLEAR COMMON SENSE TO US, WE'RE NOT GOING TO SPEND IT.
YOU KNOW, WE'LL FIND SOMETHING THAT'S MORE USEFUL TO PRESERVE LAND, BUILD A PARK, SIDEWALKS, YOU KNOW, PICKS UP OTHER STUFF.
[01:30:03]
AWARE OF STUFF.SO ANYWAY, IT UP TO COUNSEL IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO MAKE A MOTION TO DENY IT OR IF SOMEBODY WANTS, LET, MAKE A MOTION TO, TO APPROVE.
I DID WANNA MAKE ONE LAST POINT IS THAT THIS LOCAL MATCH THAT WE'RE ASKING YOU FOR, FOR THE YEAR WE'RE IN CURRENTLY THE $287,000 THAT IS LEVERAGED ON A $2.9 MILLION BUDGET.
AND SO THAT MONEY BRINGS IN 1.2 MILLION OF FEDERAL MONEY AND 75,000 FROM S-C-D-O-T.
AND SO THAT'S HOW MUCH IT COSTS TO RUN A BUS SYSTEM.
THE 2.9 MILLION IS OUR SOUTH OF THE BROAD URBAN BUDGET.
SO I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT IN PERSPECTIVE.
UM, WHAT THE LOCAL MATCH IS A VERY SMALL, BUT YES, BUT WITHOUT THE MATCH, WE CAN'T DRAW DOWN THE, THE FUNDS.
WHAT WE'VE HEARD THE MOTION PASS ARE ARE WHO ARE YOU, ARE YOU WITH? SHE'S A FINANCE DIRECTOR.
DID YOU WANNA MAKE A COMMENT BEFORE WE GO ABOVE HERE? SAY THERE WAS ONLY 3,600 PASSENGERS FOR THE BLOCK AND BREATHE AND THAT'S RIGHT.
BUT YOU'VE ALSO HAD THE COMMUTER BUSES THAT COME IN HERE, BUT I THOUGHT YOU SAID THAT THAT MONEY WAS USED FROM THE BULL MONEY.
BUT THERE'S A BEAUFORT COMMUTER, THERE'S AN 8 0 4 DOES THIS AREA? YEAH.
THERE IS AN URBAN ON THE STREET, THERE'S URBAN COMMUTER THAT DRAWN FROM URBAN SOUTH OF THE BROAD OR IS THAT NORTH OF THE BROAD.
AND I THINK THAT THAT IT'S JUST NOT ALL CLEAR.
IT BRINGS PEOPLE IN FROM ALLENDALE CO JASPER AND IT BRINGS THEM IN HERE TO THE, OUR ANNEX AND THEN IT GOES AROUND BLUFFTON AND DROPS OFF PEOPLE TO WORK.
AND THAT'S THAT NUMBER, THAT'S THE WAY I'VE ALWAYS UNDERSTOOD IT.
DO THEY RECEIVE FUND IT WHEN, WHEN YOU, AND THAT'S THIS FUNDING RIGHT HERE FROM THE TOWN LEFT.
WHEN YOU GO BACK TO YOUR SIDE, THAT'S BEEN ON THE WHOLE TIME.
IS THAT INCLUDING THE BUFORT COMMUTER 13,000, THAT NUMBER RIGHT THERE? NO, THAT DOESN'T, THAT SOUTH OF THOSE ARE, THAT'S SAYS SOUTH OF THE BROAD URBAN ONE'S MONEY AND ONE'S PEOPLE.
WELL IS THAT FUNDING, THAT'S FUNDING THOSE 15,000 PASSENGERS? BECAUSE THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S FIRST TIME I THINK I'VE HEARD THAT.
IT'S BEEN MY, IT IS A, IT IS A LEFT IN BUS.
THE 8 0 4 IS A BLUFFTON RAPID.
THAT'S THE COMMUTER THAT CIRCULATES, UM, BLUFFTON AFTER THEY ALL COME IN, IT GOES AROUND BLUFFTON AND IT DROPS OFF PASSENGERS TO WORK IN THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON.
WELL I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO FIND OUT HOW MANY PASSENGERS ARE USING THAT BUS.
AND WE HAVE, WELL THAT'S ANNUALLY 13,000 THOUSAND ON THAT.
AND THEN YOU'VE GOT YOUR BLUFF AND BREEZE FIVE 11 AND YOUR, YOUR
SO YES, IT'S BEAUFORT COUNTY, BUT IT'S BLUFFTON, THOSE ARE BLUFF AND BUSES.
I THINK JUST A BOTTOM LINE, RIDERSHIP NUMBER YEAR OVER YEAR WOULD BE VERY, VERY HELPFUL.
WELL, I'LL, I'LL WE'LL MAKE SOME RIDERSHIP CHARTS FOR YOU TOMORROW, BUT JUST WHAT OUR, OUR MONEY IS BEING SPENT ON AND WHAT THE RIDERSHIP HAS BEEN FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS.
THIS ONE HERE JUST IS A VERY CLEAR YES NO PROBLEM BECAUSE THIS ONLY SHOWED THAT WE HAD 211,000 PASSENGERS, BUT EVERYTHING IN YELLOW WAS BLUFFTON.
THOSE ARE BLUFFTON PASSENGERS IN YELLOW.
IT'S NOT, IT GOES TO BUCK WALTER, WE DON'T GET REVENUE FROM FOLKS THAT LIVE IN OAKLAND.
OAKLAND, HOW ABOUT THAT? BUT, BUT IT SERVES BUCK WALTER.
SO THE 8 0 4 BUS, THE 13,169, I KNOW YOU'VE GOT THAT ROUTE ON YOUR WEBSITE SOMEWHERE, RIGHT? YES.
UM, IS THERE A TIME TO THIS MONEY TO YOU? EXCUSE ME SIR, IS THERE A TIMELINE ON THIS MONEY REQUEST? WELL, IT'S THE BUDGET WE'RE IN NOW, AND I, I'M GONNA BE TOTALLY HONEST WITH YOU.
WE PROBABLY, WE, WE SHOULD HAVE THREE TO FOUR MONTHS OF OPERATING MONEY AT THE RESERVE.
WE HAVE LIKE MAYBE $200,000, WHICH IS ONE OR TWO PAYCHECK PAYROLLS AND WE DON'T HAVE A RESERVE LIKE WE NEED.
AND SO I GUESS I'M TRYING TO SAY THAT, THAT WE'RE ON A VERY THIN LINE UNTIL WE GET SOME KIND OF DEDICATED FUNDING.
AND IT'S BEEN LIKE THAT SINCE THE DAY I GOT HERE.
ASK AND I KNOW IT WAS ASKED BEFORE IF WE WENT OUT TO THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD IN BEAVER COUNTY FOR THEIR MID-YEAR ASK AND WE DID, UM, TOWN OF HILTON HAD DID AGREE TO PAY THEIR SHORTFALL AND WE'VE INVOICED
[01:35:01]
THEM.AND BUPA COUNTY, WE'RE STILL WORKING ON THEM.
WE'RE GONNA MEET WITH THEM NEXT WEEK.
HAVE Y'ALL TRIED DIFFERENT ROUTES IN BLUFFTON LIKE OVER THE YEARS, IF YOU SEE SOME ARE NOT BEING RIDDEN AND BEING USED AGAIN, THEY'LL TRY DIFFERENT THINGS? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
THE, THE FIRST PLAN THAT WAS STARTED WAS GOING TO BE A DOWNTOWN SHUTTLE FOR PARKING.
AND THEN THAT GOT PLANNED OUT AND SCRAPPED.
AND, AND THEN WE STARTED WITH JUST THE ONE BLUFFED BREEZE BUS AND WE DIDN'T REALLY HAVE THAT MANY RIDERS.
AND, AND, BUT THEN WE STARTED DOING THE DUSKY FERRY SHUTTLE FROM TANAR OUTLETS TO UM, TO, TO, UM, BUCKINGHAM LANDING.
AND THAT WE TOOK A, OUR RIDERSHIP WENT WAY UP, YOU KNOW, DOING THAT.
BUT I, I GUESS WHAT I'M SAYING IS WE'RE TRYING TO BUILD THE RIDERSHIP AND UH, AND WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT WITH THIS NEW ITERATION THAT WE CAN GO TO SOME OF THESE BUSINESSES, THE CALL CENTERS, UH, WALMART, UM, MEDICAL BUILDINGS THAT WE SERVICE AND COME RIGHT BY AND START MARKETING TO THE EMPLOYEES THAT WORK THERE AND TO THE HR PEOPLE TO, TO TRY TO MAKE THIS MORE OF A, MORE PEOPLE AWARE THAT, THAT THIS IS AN OPTION.
WHO WANTS TO MAKE A MOTION SO THAT HAVE A CHOICE? WE CAN JUST SAY NO RIGHT NOW OR WE CAN ASK FOR THEM TO SEND THE NUMBERS THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR SHOULD ASK FOUR YEARS SO THAT WE CAN, SO WE CAN LOOK AT THAT AND SAY YES OR NO AFTER THAT.
RICHARDSON, WHAT DO YOU SUGGEST FROM A, FROM A PURELY ADMINISTRATIVE STANDPOINT? AND I MEAN, I, I UNDERSTAND YOU'LL WANT TO GET MORE INFORMATION BEFORE MAKING A DECISION ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, BUT IF THERE IS A DENIAL TONIGHT THAT DOESN'T PREVENT A CONSIDERATION NEXT MONTH OR THE MONTH AFTER, GIVES EVERYBODY THE TIME TO PUT EVERYTHING TOGETHER TO WIN AND, AND MAKE SURE THAT COUNCIL CAN HEAR IT.
UM, AND YOU PULL THE ROUTES, GET THE NUMBERS, SEE WHAT THE PRO, WHERE THE PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE, IF ANY, AND BE ABLE TO MAKE A DECISION ON THIS ADDITIONAL FUNDING REQUEST.
SO YOU CAN DENY IT AND YOU CAN TABLE IT, UH, WHICHEVER ONE IS YOUR PREFERENCE.
BUT I WOULD BE IN MORE IN FAVOR PERSONALLY OF JUST TABLING.
SO THERE'S NOT A NEGATIVE CONNOTATION OF A, OF A NEGATIVE VOTE.
UM, I WOULD ALSO LIKE FOR YOU TO GET WITH THE TOWN MANAGER.
I I'M GONNA HAVE TO GO SIT DOWN WITH HIM AFTER THE FACT AND GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT'S GOING ON HERE.
OR MAYBE YOU COME TO MEET WITH HIM AND I CAN SIT WITH I, YOU KNOW, I, I GOTTA GET MY HEAD WRAPPED AROUND WHERE ALL THE ROUTES EXACTLY ARE WHAT YOU'RE DOING DAY TO DAY.
AS AFTER WE SEE THE NUMBERS AND THE RIDERSHIP AND HAVE A BETTER CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT YOUR LONG TERM GOAL IS.
BUT IF THE NUMBERS AREN'T THERE, WE'RE NOT SUCCEEDING.
SO THAT'S ALL I'M TRYING TO SAY.
MARY, CAN I ASK JUST A QUESTION? 'CAUSE I SEE THE BUSES ALL THE TIME AND MM-HMM
BUT I, I CAN'T SEE IN 'EM AND TELL IF THEY'RE EMPTY OR FULL WHEN THE BUS LEAVES, SAY HAMPTON OR ESTELL OR WHATEVER, WHERE YOU RUN AND YOU COME THROUGH HARDY BILL AND COME TO BLUFFTON, DO YOU CONTINUE ON TO GO TO HILTON HEAD? THEY DO NOT ALL OF 'EM.
THE BUSES COME IN, ONE BUS IS DEDICATED TO BLUFFTON AND THEN THE OTHER BUSES GO TO DIFFERENT AREAS AND THEY HAVE, THEY DON'T ALL SERVE THE SAME AREA ON HILTON HEAD.
ONE GOES TO, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT BUSINESSES, BUT ONE SERVES ALL THE BLUFFTON BUSINESSES.
SO THE, WHEN WE ASK ABOUT RIDERSHIP, THE PEOPLE THAT, WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU COME INTO BLUFFTON, IF YOU'VE GOT 40 PEOPLE ON YOUR BUTT OR JUST SAY 25, WHATEVER THE REALISTIC NUMBER MAY BE, DO Y'ALL COUNT HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE GETTING OFF IN BLUFFTON OR JUST PAY HOW MANY PEOPLE YEAR? WE ONLY COUNT WHEN THEY GET ON.
BUT, BUT WHAT HAPPENS IS, SHE CALLED IT THE ANNEX.
WHEN THEY GET TO PALMETTO BREEZE, PEOPLE GET OFF THE BUSES BECAUSE THEY KNOW AND THEY HAVE NEW SIGNS.
NOW THEY'LL SAY KIG OR THEY'LL SAY SEA PINES AND THEN THE ONE THAT DOES BLUFFING.
AND SO THEY MIGHT HAVE BEEN ON THE ALLENDALE BUS, BUT IT'S THE HAMPTON BUS THAT DOES THE BLUFFED ROUTE.
SO THEY ALL, IT'S A SWITCH AROUND ALL, ALL AT OUR LOT.
SO PEOPLE CHANGE BUSES TO THAT COME FROM OUTSIDE, THEN THEY GET ON THE BUSES TO THEIR FINAL DESTINATIONS.
SO WHAT ARE YOU REALLY SAYING? THERE'S REALLY NO WAY TO MEASURE ON A DAILY BASIS UNLESS WE DID A, A SURVEY, WHICH CAN BE DONE.
I'VE GONE OUT THERE AND STOPPED EVERY BUS ONE MORNING AND COUNTED EVERY SINGLE PERSON ON EVERY BUS BECAUSE SOMEONE REALLY WANTED TO KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE THERE WERE ON THAT DAY.
[01:40:01]
UM, THE WAY OUR DATA GOES, IT'S VERY HARD ON ANY TO SAY WHAT'S ON EACH BUS.WE DON'T HAVE ELECTRONIC FAIR BOXES THAT COUNT EVERYTHING AND THAT YOU RUN A REPORT, THEY HAVE DROP BOXES AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE PRETTY BASIC AND SO WE WERE MODERN.
WE COULD JUST RUN A REPORT AND TELL YOU, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY RIDE WHERE THEY GET OFF, WHERE THEY GET OFF, ALL THAT DATA'S AVAILABLE WHEN YOU HAVE THE ELECTRONIC FORM.
OKAY, SO DANIEL WANNA MAKE A MOTION.
I JUST MAKE THE MOTION TO TABLE FOR THIS EVENING TO LET MORE INFORMATION COME BACK AND GIVE US A CHANCE TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE RIDERSHIP.
MAYOR CHAIR A SECOND ON THAT MOTION.
I'LL SECOND ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
[XI. CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS]
AGENDA UP NEXT? THIS IS THE CONSENT AGENDA.SO ANYONE ON COUNCIL WOULD LIKE TO PULL ANYTHING? I'LL MOVE THE THERE A SECOND.
[XII. EXECUTIVE SESSION]
TO MOVE IN THE EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR LEGAL ADVICE RELATING TO OBLIGATIONS AND NORTH BUCK WALKER NINTH AMENDMENT? SO MOVE PURSUANT TO FREEDOM ACT 34 PAST SEVEN.IS THERE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? SO MOVE THERE.
YOU'RE WATCHING BEAUFORT COUNTY TV, LIVE, WORK, PLAY.
I'M DENNIS ADAMS, AND THIS IS A BEAUFORT COUNTY MOMENT.
FORREST GUMP, THE PRINCE OF TIDES, THE GREAT SANTINI.
THESE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE BIG HOLLYWOOD MOVIES FILMED IN BEAUFORT COUNTY DURING THE 1980S AND 1990S.
BUT THE EARLIEST BIG SCREEN PRODUCTION, A SHOT HERE DATES BACK NEARLY A CENTURY.
LATE IN NOVEMBER, 1917, AMERICAN FEATURE FILMS OF GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA SENT A COMPANY OF ACTORS ON LOCATION TO ST.
HELENA ISLAND AND AMONG THE ANTEBELLUM MANSIONS OF BEAUFORT.
IN THE WORDS OF THE BEAUFORT GAZETTE, THE RISE AND FALL OF THE CONFEDERACY IS ONE OF THE MOST REMARKABLE AND STUPENDOUS MOTION PICTURE SCENARIOS EVER ATTEMPTED BY ANY DRAMATIST.
IT CERTAINLY WAS A COSTUME DRAMA WITH OVER 640 PIECES OF PERIOD CLOTHING SHIPPED IN FOR THE ACTORS.
JOINING THE PRODUCTION JUST BEFORE FILMING WAS ONE WILLIAM CUNNINGHAM OF PEERLESS FILM COMPANY OF LOS ANGELES.
HE LENT A HOLLYWOOD TOUCH TO THE PRODUCTION.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE FILM HAS DISAPPEARED.
IT WOULD SEEM THAT THE STUDIO EXAGGERATED ITS CLAIMS OF THE MOST IMPRESSIVE MOVING PICTURE SINCE THE BIRTH OF A NATION.
I'M DENNIS ADAMS, AND THIS HAS BEEN YOUR BUFORT COUNTY MOMENT.
TO SEE MORE BUFORT COUNTY MOMENTS GO TO THE BUFORT COUNTY LIBRARY HOMEPAGE AND CLICK ON THE LOCAL HISTORY TAB.