May 11, 2026 Hilton Head Finance &amp; Administrative Committee

UP, WE'LL HAVE MR. BY GIVE US OUR MONTHLY FINANCIAL UPDATE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026.

AND I'LL PASS ON TO MS. BRYSON SO I CAN SECOND ANY DISCUSSION.

ALL IN FAVOR, THANK YOU.

[4.a. Town of Hilton Head Island FY2026 Monthly Financial Update – Dave Byrd, Finance Director]

WELCOME, AND GOOD MORNING, SIR.

GOOD MORNING, CHAIRMAN BROWN AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS.

UM, OKAY, SO TODAY WE'RE GONNA GO THROUGH THE HEALTH OF THE TOWN SALES TAX INFORMATION THAT WE, IT STARTED LAST MONTH REPORTING.

OKAY, THAT'S, HERE WE GO.

UM, SO THIS IS THROUGH JANUARY, JULY THROUGH JANUARY, FISCAL YEAR 2026.

UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE STILL IN A, I WOULD SAY, STABLE PATTERN FROM OVERALL SALES TAX FOR THE TOWN.

UH, YEAR OVER YEAR CHANGE CHANGE IS 0.7%, UM, WHICH REPRESENTS ABOUT 1.6 BILLION IN TOTAL SALES.

WE WENT THROUGH THIS LAST MONTH.

SO I'LL, I'LL GO THROUGH THE DEFINITIONS HERE.

LOOKING AT A SECTOR OVERVIEW, UM, TOURISM 3.4% YEAR TO DATE VERSUS, UH, LAST YEAR, VERY STRONG.

UM, RESTAURANTS RUNNING RELATIVELY FLAT, UH, WHICH IS WHAT WE SEE IN OUR AGE.

TAX AS WELL.

GROCERIES DOWN, UM, AND HAS BEEN, IT'S REALLY BY CONVENIENCE STORES AND PHARMACIES AND LIQUOR STORES.

BUT GROCERY STORES ARE REMAINING STABLE FROM A TAX PERSPECTIVE.

RETAIL, AS WE MENTIONED, IT'S OUR HIGHEST SECTOR, 1.5% YEAR OVER YEAR, WHICH IS GREAT.

UH, CONSTRUCTION'S BOOMING RIGHT NOW.

A LOT OF THAT'S RESIDENTIAL REMODELING.

32% YEAR OVER YEAR.

UM, SERVICES IS DOWN.

WE TALKED ABOUT THIS LAST MONTH.

THERE'S ONE, UH, LANDSCAPER WHO NOW IS FOUR MONTHS, HAS NOT FILED A RETURN, SO THAT'S WHAT'S REALLY DRIVING THAT ONE.

UM, BUT OVERALL 0.7%, WHICH IS VERY GOOD.

UM, LOOKING AT A MONTHLY PERSPECTIVE FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY, UM, THIS IS BY MONTH, UM, 23 THROUGH 26.

UH, BUT WE, UH, ENDED UP WITH 7.5 MILLION FAVORABLE, FOUR 4% GROWTH FROM A MONTH OF JANUARY PERSPECTIVE.

IF WE LOOK INTO TOURISM, VERY STRONG MONTH, WE WERE DOWN IN DECEMBER.

THE, SOME OF THIS COULD HAVE BEEN TIMING OF FILINGS, BUT 13% UP FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY, AND MOST OF THAT'S BEING DRIVEN BY HOTEL AND RECREATION.

ST.

R IS DOWN A LITTLE BIT, UM, BUT NOT TOO TERRIBLY.

2% IN THOSE CATEGORIES.

RESTAURANT, AS WE SAID, IS HAD A REALLY STRONG MONTH OF 5.7%, WHICH IS GREAT.

AND THEN OVERALL, UH, RELATIVELY FLAT 0.3%, UH, NEGATIVE, BUT I WOULD SAY I WOULD CALL THAT FLAT GROCERY.

UH, WE TALKED ABOUT, UH, YOU KNOW, OVERALL 3.7, THEY HAD A DOWN MONTH, 8.2%.

BUT, UH, FROM A OVERALL TREND, UH, YOU KNOW, I, I'M WOULDN'T BE TOO WORRIED ABOUT IT AT THIS POINT IN TIME.

UM, MOST OF THAT, AS WE MENTIONED, IS IN A NON GROCERY STORE.

SUPERMARKETS ARE OKAY.

AND THEN RETAIL, WHICH IS, WE HAD A REALLY STRONG RETAIL MONTH, 8.5%, WHICH IS LEADING TO THE ONE POINT HALF PERCENT YEAR OVER YEAR GROWTH, WHICH IS, UH, I THINK A VERY STRONG INDICATOR.

AND THEN OUR CONSTRUCTION, UH, AS WE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE, 32% YEAR TO DATE, 124% FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY.

UM, SO A LOT OF REMODELING HAPPENING RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS A GOOD REINVESTMENT INTO THE TOWN.

UM, SERVICES, THAT'S, WE SAID THAT'S OUR 3 MILLION, ROUGHLY A, UM, A MONTH FROM A ONE SALES TAX RETURN.

AND WE'LL, WE'LL SEE WHAT WE CAN GET FROM THE STATE ON THAT PERSPECTIVE, BUT THAT'S GONNA CONTINUE UNTIL THEY PAY.

AND THEN WE'LL HAVE TO GO BACK AND RESTATE HISTORICAL WHEN THEY DO.

AND THEN LASTLY, TELECOM, ANOTHER STRONG MONTH OF 4.7% GROWTH.

AND THEN EVERYTHING ELSE IS LUMPED INTO ALL OTHER, WHICH IS ROUGHLY, UM, ONE, ONE FILER FROM THE TEXTILE INDUSTRY.

BUT OVERALL, I WOULD SAY SALES TAX TRENDS ARE LOOKING GOOD, UM, AND EVERYTHING'S REMAINING STABLE.

SO, UM, THAT'S A, A GOOD VIEW FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE.

IF WE LOOK AT OUR REVENUES FOR THE MONTH NOW, THE REVENUES ARE CARRIED THROUGH THROUGH THE, UH, MONTH OF, UM, MARCH.

[00:05:01]

AND WE ARE, UM, UP 11% YEAR OVER YEAR.

WHEN YOU NORMALIZE ITEMS THAT ARE LISTED THERE AT THE BOTTOM RIGHT, UM, WE'RE ABOUT 1.2 MILLION HIGHER OR ABOUT 1.6 MILLION YEAR OVER YEAR.

ONE THING TO NOTE HERE IS OUR REAL ESTATE TRANSFER FEES.

LAST MONTH, WE HAD NOT COLLECTED WHEN WE DID THE REPORTING, WE HAVE NOW SINCE COLLECTED TWO MONTHS THIS MONTH.

SO A YEAR TO DATE PERSPECTIVE, WE ARE 31% HIGHER THAN LAST YEAR.

UM, WHICH IS GREAT.

AND A LOT OF THAT'S JUST HIGHER CONSIDERATION, UM, FOR PROPERTIES THAT ARE BEING PURCHASED.

UH, OH, ONE OTHER THING I WOULD WANT TO CALL OUT ON BUSINESS LICENSES.

YOU KNOW, WE ARE DOWN ONE AND A HALF MILLION, BUT WHEN YOU NORMALIZE THOSE ITEMS OUT, WE ARE ABOUT 3% HIGHER THAN LAST YEAR.

SO I WOULD SAY STRONG PERFORMANCE AND BUSINESS LICENSE AS WELL AS IN PERMITS, AS WE TALKED ABOUT 28% GROWTH YEAR OVER YEAR FROM A PERMIT PERSPECTIVE.

EXPENSES, UM, NOT A LOT OF SURPRISES FROM, UH, LAST MONTH.

UM, WE ARE RUNNING RELATIVELY FLAT ON A NORMALIZED BASIS, YEAR OVER YEAR ON EXPENSES.

UM, AND SO WHEN WE'LL GET TO OUR PROJECTED EXPENSE IN A MINUTE, BUT THIS IS OUR CIP SNAPSHOT, UH, VERY BUSY SCHEDULE.

BUT I'LL START OUT AT THE TOP WHERE OUR BEACH MAINTENANCE, WE ARE AT 91%, JUST UNDER 91%, UM, FOR THE YEAR TO THE AMENDED BUDGET.

AND WE'VE GOT, IN THE NEXT TO LAST COLUMN, WE'VE GOT OUR ROLLOVER THAT'S IN OUR 2027 BUDGET.

UM, SO WE'VE GOT ABOUT 1.4 MILLION FOR CIP ON BEACH.

IT'S GONNA BE ROLLED OVER, GETTING DOWN TO THE, UH, NON BEACH OR ALL OF CIP EXCLUDING BEACH, WHERE IT'S 71% PROJECTED FOR THE YEAR.

UH, UH, FOR TO THE AMENDED BUDGET, TOTAL BUDGET, CIP WE'RE AT 90 OR 80, JUST UNDER 81%.

AND I WOULD SAY THE BIGGEST ITEM THAT WE'RE NOT TRACKING TO RIGHT NOW IS STORM WATER, BUT THAT'S BEEN KIND OF REALIGNING, WHICH YOU'LL SEE WHEN WE GET INTO THE BUDGET.

BUT WE'RE AT 34% ON STORMWATER, OKAY.

ON OUR FUND BALANCE WALK.

WE ARE NOW PROJECTING A SURPLUS.

THIS IS IN THE BUDGET.

WE'RE 1.3 MILLION SURPLUS FOR THE YEAR AT AROUND 255 MILLION, UH, FUND BALANCE.

ONE THING TO NOTE, WE DO HAVE THE NOVANT LAND SALE IN HERE.

UH, WE DID CLOSE ON THAT ON FRIDAY.

AND THEN ALSO, UH, UP IN FEMA, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE 6 MILLION IN FEMA IN THIS PROJECTION.

WE JUST FINISHED A FEMA FEMA RECON, AND I THINK WE'RE GONNA BE ROUGHLY JUST UNDER 4 MILLION UPSIDE ON FEMA.

OKAY? UM, AND SO DEPENDING ON WHEN THAT COMES IN, IF IT COMES IN THIS YEAR, UM, IT'LL MAKE THAT FUN BALANCE HIGHER.

IF IT COMES IN IN 27, IT'LL MAKE IT HIGHER IN 27, BUT THAT IS NOT IN THIS NUMBER.

SO THE FEMA UPSIDE, WHICH IS GOOD NEWS.

SO ALL IN ALL ON FEMA, I THINK THE TOTAL WAS ABOUT 15.2 MILLION FOR IRMA, DORIAN, AND MATTHEW.

AND, UM, IRMA AND DORIAN, I THINK WE'LL BE RIGHT AT A HUNDRED PERCENT.

AND ON MATTHEW, THERE'S ABOUT ONE AND A HALF MILLION LEFT OVER THAT WE ARE GOING TO, WE'VE SUBMITTED AN EXTENSION, UM, THROUGH THE END OF DECEMBER TO SEE IF WE CAN GET APPROVAL FOR THAT.

EVERYTHING RIGHT NOW IS, UH, TO BE DUE ON MAY 31ST.

BUT, UH, GOOD NEWS FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE.

ON THE EXPENSES SIDE, UH, WE'VE GOT, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE PROJECTIONS THAT WE'RE USING NOW FOR OUR BUDGET, UM, FOR THE YEAR.

SO GENERALS RUNNING UNDER ABOUT FOUR 40 GRAND DEBT SERVICE A LITTLE BIT UNDER STORM WATER.

WE RECALIBRATED, YOU'LL HEAR MORE ABOUT THAT TOMORROW, BUT ONE AND A HALF MILLION UNDER.

AND THEN, UM, NO OTHER REALLY SURPRISES ON THE EXPENSE SIDE BASED UPON WHAT WE DID FOR THE BUDGET.

OUT HERE FROM OUR OTHER FUNDS.

AND, OH, WRONG WAY.

AND THEN WHEN YOU KIND OF PEEL THE ONION BACK A LITTLE BIT ON THE BY FUND, ON THE FUND BALANCE WALK, ONE THING TO NOTE HERE IS ON DEBT SERVICE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, WE TARGETED TWO AND A HALF MILLION AFTER EVERYTHING IS PAID FOR THROUGH ALL THE GO BONDS.

AND WE'RE GONNA BE PROJECTING ABOUT 2.9 MILLION.

SO RIGHT ON WHAT WE WERE PROJECTING THERE.

AND WE HAVE INCLUDED THE NET ASSETS RESERVE, WHICH IS GONNA BE PROPOSAL WE TALK ABOUT TOMORROW.

IT'S, UH, 7.7 MILLION.

SO IF YOU LOOK AT STORM WATER, UM, AFTER THE OPERATING RESERVE AND THAT RESTRICTION, WE'RE JUST AS SHY OVER, UH, BREAKEVEN.

SO SOMETHING TO KEEP OUR EYE ON THERE.

AND THEN, UM, WE DO HAVE THE, UH, PROPOSED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT RESERVE.

THAT'S THE NOVA THAT'S IN THERE.

WE'LL TALK MORE ABOUT THOSE TOMORROW.

BUT WE DID PUT IT IN FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE.

AND THEN, UM, GETTING OVER TO OUR OTHER FUNDS, UM, UH, NOTHING REALLY, UH, TO CALL

[00:10:01]

OUR BE PRESERVATION FEES IS STILL RUNNING STRONG, 38 MILLION PROJECTED FUND BALANCE AT THE END OF THE YEAR, UM, BEFORE RESTRICT, BEFORE RESERVES.

AND, UH, ALL OF THE OTHER FUNDS ARE REMAINING, UH, STRONG FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, LOOKING AT THEIR REVENUE.

UM, OUR PROJECTION THIS YEAR FROM A NORMALIZED PERSPECTIVE IS, UH, 110.9 MILLION, EXCUSE ME, IN 25.

IT WAS 110.9 MILLION.

WE'RE PROJECTING ONE 13.3 MILLION FOR THE YEAR ON A NORMALIZED BASIS.

SO A LITTLE BIT OF GROWTH, UM, AS YOU CAN TELL FROM A GROSS PERSPECTIVE, 1 35 VERSUS ONE 30.

BUT THAT IS WHEN YOU TAKE INVESTMENT INCOME GRANTS AND TIFF COLLECTIONS OUT, YOU GET A, A MORE NORMALIZED VIEW FOR THE TOWN.

BUT OVERALL, I WOULD SAY REALLY STRONG FROM A TOTAL REVENUE PERSPECTIVE AS WELL AS THE GENERAL FUND.

OUR, UM, OUR, UH, PROJECTION FOR THE YEAR IS 56.3 MILLION.

UM, WHEN YOU NORMALIZE OUT SOME OF THE ITEMS WE HAVE LISTED BELOW, WE'RE AROUND 51.9 MILLION FOR, THIS IS 2025, SORRY, I KEEP DOING THAT.

AND THEN WHEN YOU LOOK AT 2026, OUR BLUE BAR IS A PROJECTION OF 51.9 MILLION.

SO BASICALLY FLAT WITH THE NORMALIZED OF 2025 AND HIGHER THAN OUR BUDGET, WHICH WAS 46.5.

SO ABOUT 5 MILLION UPSIDE ON THE GENERAL FUND.

SORRY, MR. TERRY, CAN I STOP YOU, MR. BIRD RIGHT THERE.

SO 2025, REMIND ME, WHICH YEAR DID WE RECEIVE? I THINK IT WAS ABOUT 4 MILLION IN THE VRBO AIRBNB SETTLEMENT.

IS THAT THE, THAT HAPPENED IN, UH, 2020.

I, I THINK IT HAPPENED IN 20.

LET ME SEE WHERE, I WAS JUST WONDERING IF THAT WAS 2025, WHY NUMBER WAS A LITTLE BIT HIGHER.

IT'S, IT'S PROBABLY IN HERE.

HOLD ON ONE SECOND.

FORGET ME.

I KNOW.

I SAW IT IN 25.

YEAH, IT'S ON THE FOOTNOTE ON THE, UH, UH, SPECIAL REVENUES.

SO YEAH, THAT MADE A DIFFERENCE IN SPECIAL REVENUES, NOT IN THE GENERAL FUND.

RIGHT.

OKAY, SO JUMP INTO SPECIAL REVENUES.

UM, WE ARE NORMALIZED IN SPECIAL REVENUES AS 56 MILLION FOR 25 VERSUS THE ACTUAL 61.9.

OUR PROJECTION THIS YEAR IS 57.7.

SO JUST A LITTLE BIT HIGHER WHEN YOU TAKE THOSE ONE TIME ITEMS OUT.

BUT STILL, RELATIVE, REMAINING STRONG.

THEN WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR, ALL OF OUR ACCOMMODATION REVENUES, LOCAL, STATE, AND BEACH, UM, WE ARE JUST A SHADE UNDER OUR NORMALIZED 25.

UH, WE ARE MAINTAINING CONSERVATIVE VIEW AS WE TALKED ABOUT OUR, OUR, UM, LOCAL AT TAX AND BEACH IS RUNNING STRONG.

OUR REIMBURSEMENTS WE GET FROM THE STATE IS COMING DOWN, UH, WHICH IS TAKING THAT GROWTH NUMBER DOWN.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN'T REALLY CONTROL WHAT THEY DO FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE.

THEY DO KEEP A LITTLE BIT BEHIND AND DISTRIBUTE TO OTHER COUNTIES.

I JUST WANTED YOU TO REPEAT THAT 'CAUSE THAT WAS A LEARNING FOR ME.

UM, IN THAT WE HAVE OUR STATE, UH, AT TAX THAT HAS TAKEN ALONG WITH OUR HOSPITALITY, UH, I'M SORRY, UM, EACH PRESERVATION FEE.

AND SO, UH, I SOMETIMES QUESTIONED WHY THOSE TWO WERE NOT GROWING AT THE SAME RATE, BECAUSE IN THEORY YOU WOULD THINK THAT THEY DO.

UH, BUT I LEARNED THROUGH DISCUSSION WITH YOU THAT ALTHOUGH WE COLLECT THE AMOUNTS, UH, WHEN THE STATE ATEX GOES TO THE STATE, THEY DON'T DISTRIBUTE 100% BACK TO US.

THEY HAVE A FORMULA TO REDISTRIBUTED AMONGST EVERYONE.

AND SO OUR STATE ATEX MONEY MAY BE GOING DOWN AND THAT MAY NOT BE A REFLECTION OF THE ACTUAL AMOUNT THAT WAS COLLECTED GOING DOWN.

IT'S WHAT WE RECEIVE BACK.

THAT'S RIGHT.

DEPENDING ON HOW THINGS SHAKE OUT OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, BUT CONTINUING TO REMAIN STRONG.

AND I THINK IT WAS IN THE THIRD QUARTER, I THINK IT WAS 15%.

UM, OUR LOCAL ACCOMMODATION, WE'VE, UH, TALKED ABOUT IN OUR STATE WE JUST TALKED ABOUT IN OUR BEACH WE JUST TALKED ABOUT.

SO I'M GONNA KEEP GOING HERE.

HOSPITALITY, WE'RE RUNNING BASICALLY, UM, FLAT, JUST A LITTLE BIT OF GROWTH TO 2025, QUITE FRANKLY, ALL THE WAY BACK TO 23.

IT'S RUNNING CONSISTENTLY AROUND 10 AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS.

UH, PROPERTY TAXES ARE REMAINING STRONG FOR THIS YEAR.

WE'RE, UM, UM, THAT'S PART OF OUR UPSIDE WE'RE HAVING WITH OUR BUDGET, EVEN WITH THE MILLAGE REDUCTION THAT DID HAVE DID HAPPEN.

UM, BUT WE ARE STILL BEING, UH, HAVE A 5% APPRECIATION TO OUR ASSESSED VALUES, WHICH IS HELPING OFFSET THAT MILLAGE REDUCTION.

AND SAME THING IS HAPPENING WITH OUR DEBT SERVICE FUND.

WE HAD A 7% MILLAGE REDUCTION OFFSET BY 5% APPRECIATION.

SO OUR DEBT SERVICES REVENUE IS, IS RUNNING REALLY STRONG FROM THAT SIDE.

AND THEN OUR REAL ESTATE TRANSFER FEES WE'VE TALKED ABOUT ALREADY, BUT JUST A VERY CONTINUED STRONG PERFORMANCE OF, UH, LOOKING AT 6.3 MILLION THIS YEAR.

UM, MIGHT BE UPSIDE TO THAT, UH,

[00:15:01]

AND THEN LAST OUR BUSINESS LICENSES WE'VE TALKED ABOUT AS WELL.

UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SOME NORMALIZING ITEMS WHEN YOU TAKE THOSE OUT.

WE'RE RUNNING, WE'RE RUNNING WELL FROM A BUSINESS LICENSE PERSPECTIVE.

UH, 14.8 MILLION FOR THE YEAR.

AND THEN LAST PERMITS, UM, 2.5 MILLION.

UH, WE'RE PROJECTING 2.9 MILLION FROM 2.5 AND 25 AND WAY OVER OUR BUDGET.

SO THAT'S REALLY HELPING S UH, PROVIDE THE UPSIDE TO THE GENERAL FUND.

AND AS WE'LL TALK ABOUT TOMORROW, WE TOOK THAT BUDGET BACK DOWN IN 27, BACK DOWN TO THAT 1.8 MILLION NUMBER.

AND THEN OUR STATE SHARES, NO REALLY OTHER SURPRISES FROM A REVENUE PERSPECTIVE.

SO I'LL KEEP GOING.

SHORT TERM, WE TALKED ABOUT, UH, THE TIMING.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE FOURTH QUARTER, MOST OF THAT IS COMING THROUGH THE DEADLINE IS, UH, I GUESS NEXT WEEK, THE 15TH OF MAY.

SO THE TEAM'S WORKING REALLY HARD GOING THROUGH ALL OF THAT PROCESS WITH THE NEW PERMITS AND COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS RELATED TO THE SDR PROGRAM.

AND THEN, UH, STORMWATER IS RELATIVELY FLAT AS WELL AS AN INVESTMENT INCOME FROM A CASH PERSPECTIVE, 238 MILLION.

UM, WE'VE GOT AROUND 101 MILLION IN L 3 MILLION IN CASH AT THE BANK ACCOUNT, AND THE REST IS BEING INVESTED.

SO THAT IS YOUR QUICK FINANCIAL UPDATE.

I KNOW WE HAVE A BUSY AGENDA.

ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? WE'LL START WITH YOU, MS. DUN, ANYTHING? YES, THANK YOU AS ALWAYS FOR YOUR REPORT.

UM, IT'S GREAT INFORMATION.

AGAIN, LOVE THE TOWN REVENUE PIECES.

IT REALLY HELPS US UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR SECTORS OF BUSINESS.

THE TOWN FINANCIALS JUST CONTINUE TO TRACK AS WE, UM, HAVE SEEN.

UH, SO THAT IS, UH, COMFORTING TO SEE THAT.

UM, I DID HAVE A QUESTION ON PAGE 19 REGARDING THE BEACH RENOURISHMENT COSTS.

AND IT HAS TO DO WITH THE ACTUAL AND THE ENCUMBRANCE AND THEN THE CARRYOVER AND, UM, YEAH, WE'LL LET YOU FIND IT.

SO, UM, YOU'VE GOT THE ACTUAL OF OVER 28 MILLION, THE, UH, COMMITTED OF 15 FOR A TOTAL OF 44.

THE BUDGET IS 47 7, UM, YOU'RE CARRYING YOUR PRELIMINARY CARE CARRY OVER IS 600,000.

SO DOES THAT MEAN THAT WE THINK WE'RE GONNA BE COMING IN UNDER THE 47.7 MILLION? NO.

I DON'T, I DON'T THINK SO.

ALL RIGHT.

YEAH, BUT IT MIGHT BE AN OPPORTUNITY .

UM, THANK YOU FOR FOLLOWING UP ON FEMA.

UH, IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT WE'RE STILL CHASING DOLLARS FROM MATTHEW.

UH, SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR DILIGENCE ON THAT, THAT EVERY DOLLAR HELPS.

AND, UH, I ALSO WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR PUTTING A LINE ITEM OUT THERE FOR THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUNDS FROM THE SALE OF, UH, MODERN CLASSIC MOTORS.

IT'S NICE TO HAVE THAT OUT THERE SO THAT WE CAN SEE THAT, UM, IN THE LAST COMMENT OR QUESTION IS REGARDING STR.

SO AS WE FI FINALIZE, UH, THE STR RENEWAL PROCESS, UH, IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO GET THE NUMBERS THEN TO SEE, UM, WHERE WE ARE IN REGARDS TO THE NUMBER OF, IT WAS A BIG CHANGE.

AND IT'LL BE INTERESTING TO SEE IF, UH, WE'RE STEADY UP OR DOWN AND WE'LL BRING THAT NEXT MONTH.

AND I DO WANT TO RECOGNIZE MICHELLE AND SHENA FOR ALL THE WORK DONE ON FEMA.

THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ARE DEFINITELY TACKLING THAT, THAT PROJECT.

SO A LOT OF GOOD SUCCESS THERE.

ALL OF THOSE GET PROCESSED, WE WILL BE, UM, WE SHOULD HAVE ABOUT, I THINK THE, THE MATH IS, UH, 10.8 MILLION WHERE WE HAD SEVEN IN OUR PROJECTION FOR FEMA.

? YES.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I ALWAYS APPRECIATE ALL THE DETAIL.

IT, IT'S A LOT TO GO THROUGH, BUT IT'S VERY, UM, EDUCATIONAL.

UH, ONE, ONE QUICK QUESTION.

YOU KEPT SAYING SOMETHING ABOUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THIS TOMORROW, I WANTED TO LET FOLKS KNOW THIS COMMITTEE IS NOT GONNA MEET THROUGH TOMORROW.

, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE TOWN COUNCIL MEETING WHEN NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET.

UH, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING IN THE FIRST READING OF NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET, SO, RIGHT.

I JUST WANNA ASSURE FOLKS THAT, UH, YOU DIDN'T NEED TO BRING YOUR SLEEPING BACK.

SO, UM, BUT THE FEMA REIMBURSEMENT, I, I THINK I HEARD YOU SAY SOMETHING ABOUT 4 MILLION, UM, BUT I WAS LOOKING AT OTHER NUMBERS ON THE SCREEN, SO CAN YOU EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT? DID WE JUST GET 4 MILLION OR ARE WE GOING TO GET 4 MILLION? WE HAVE 7 MILLION, PROJECTED 6 MILLION THIS YEAR.

1 MILLION NEXT YEAR.

UM, WE RECEIVED ABOUT 6 MILLION IN APRIL.

AND I'M GONNA DO THIS FROM MEMORY, SO BEAR WITH ME.

UM, BUT THERE IS ANOTHER, I WANT TO SAY, UH, 3 MILLION THAT WE, NO, 2 MILLION THAT HAS BEEN APPROVED.

UH, WE JUST HAVEN'T RECEIVED PAYMENT YET, SO THAT'S GONNA BE UPSIDE.

AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE, UH, ANOTHER COUPLE MILLION THAT WE ARE, UM, UH, HAVE SUBMITTED, BUT WE ARE GOING, WE, IT HASN'T BEEN, IT JUST GOT SUBMITTED ON THE 8TH OF MAY, SO WE'RE GONNA WAIT AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS WITH THAT.

BUT IF

[00:20:01]

SO THAT WOULD BE ROUGHLY 3.8 MILLION.

UM, UPSIDE, UM, VERSUS WHAT WE HAVE IN OUR PROJECTIONS ON OUR FINANCIALS.

I MAY BE PROBABLY ME, WE MAY BE GETTING MORE MONEY THEN.

AND CAN YOU GO BACK TO THE SLIDE THAT DOES HAVE THE FEMA NUMBERS ON IT? UM, YEAH, ABOUT, SORRY, IT'S IN THE CAPITAL LINE.

YEAH, IT'S IN THE CAPITAL LINE, YEAH.

FEMA REIMBURSEMENT.

YEAH, SO THAT'S WHY I WAS CONFUSED ABOUT THE NUMBERS.

THAT'S CAPITAL AND FEMA IS INCLUDED IN THE, PARDON ME, THE 8 MILLION.

ALWAYS WORRY ABOUT IF WE'VE COUNTED ON THAT MONEY.

AND IT EITHER DOESN'T COME IN AS LATE COMING IN AND A PARTICULAR BUDGET YEAR, BUT SOUNDS AS THOUGH YOU'RE COMFORTABLE WITH THE FEMA REIMBURSEMENT AND WHERE WE STAND FOR FFY 25, 26 AND 27.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE'LL PROBABLY COME THROUGH THE BUDGET AMENDMENT IN JULY FOR ANYTHING THAT WOULD HAPPEN RELATED TO THAT AND ANY OTHER ITEMS THAT MIGHT HAPPEN THAT WE WOULD WANNA ACCOUNT FOR.

OKAY, GREAT.

YEAH, AND, AND I ECHO THE COMMENTS OF MS. TURNER ABOUT, IT'S GOOD TO SEE BUSINESSES, LOCAL BUSINESSES, AND IN FACT, OUR TOURISM ECONOMY DOING WELL.

UM, EVEN THOUGH THERE'S A SLIGHT DIP IN STR REVENUE, UM, THAT, THAT'S OFFSET BY SOME OF THE OTHER REVENUES.

AND, AND FOLKS OUT THERE THAT ARE SITTING HERE TODAY AND WHO ARE LISTENING TO US AT SOME POINT IN TIME, UH, CAN HOPEFULLY UNDERSTAND THE DIVERSITY OF OUR INCOME STREAMS, OUR REVENUE STREAMS, WHICH HELP OUR ECONOMY HERE.

UH, THAT'S NOT TO BE LOST IN, IN LOOKING AT ALL THE NUMBERS, SO THANK YOU.

WE'VE GOT, UH, OUR COLLEAGUES IN THE AUDIENCE IF ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS AS TO THE FINANCIAL REPORTING.

GOOD, GOOD, GOOD.

MR. BUR, JUST, UM, ONE OTHER THING I'D ADD AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

YOU MENTIONED THE REAL ESTATE TRANSFER FEE, UH, SORT OF AN UPTICK THERE.

UM, I THINK I HEARD YOU SAY IS BASED ON VALUE, NOT NECESSARILY TRANSACTION, UM, BUT I'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENTIAL, UM, MOVING FORWARD.

SO JUST SO WE GOT OUR EYES ON THAT.

AND KIMBERLY, UM, WE ARE WORKING RIGHT NOW TO PEEL BACK THE ONION ON WHAT'S GOING ON.

IT'S TAKING SOME TIME TO TRY TO DO WHAT WE DID WITH SALES TAX, THE SAME WAY WITH REAL ESTATE.

SO, UM, I AM KEEPING MY FINGERS CROSSED THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE MORE DETAILED INFORMATION ON THAT FOR YOU.

GREAT REPORT AS ALWAYS.

OUR NEW BUSINESS, WHICH IS A PRESENTATION OF THE DESTINATION MARKETING ORGANIZATION FOR FISCAL YEAR 2027, MARKETING PLAN, BUDGET, AND INDUSTRY METRICS.

WE WILL MOVE ON TO

[5.a. Presentation of the Destination Marketing Organization FY2027 Marketing Plan, Budget and Industry Metrics- Ariana Pernice, Vice President of the Visitor & Convention Bureau]

MS. ARIANA ISSA WILL BE PRESENTING.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.

MY NAME IS ARIANA PERISE.

I'M THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE VISITOR AND CONVENTION BUREAU FOR THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND BLUFFTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

AND I'M CHASE HODEL, THE RESEARCH MANAGER FOR THE HILTON HUNT ISLAND OF BLUFFTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

AND WE ARE HERE TO PRESENT, UM, TO YOU OUR FISCAL YEAR 26 27 DMO MARKETING PLAN.

WE, UM, JUST FOR REFERENCE, WE HAVE DONE OUR WORKSHOP TOGETHER.

WE HAVE PRESENTED TO AT A AND COUNCILMAN BROWN, YOU CHALLENGED US TO COME BACK TO THIS MEETING WITH REALLY NOT REVISITING THE ENTIRE PRESENTATION OF THOSE TWO, BUT TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS THAT CAME FROM THAT.

AND SO I HOPE THAT THE PRESENTATION TODAY ANSWERS THOSE QUESTIONS.

UM, SO WE'LL WALK THROUGH IT, BUT AT ANY POINT, PLEASE LET US KNOW.

WE CAN STOP AND DISCUSS.

SO A QUICK OVERVIEW, WE'RE GOING TO REVIEW THE DMO BUDGET, UM, COUNCILMAN TENNER.

I THINK THOSE ARE SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAD IN TERMS OF PUTTING FISCAL YEAR 26 BUDGET AS WELL AS THE ACTUAL YEAR TO DATE.

AND SO THOSE HAVE BEEN INCLUDED AND WE CAN TALK THROUGH THAT.

UM, AGAIN, ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY OF DISCUSSION IS GOLF PARTNERSHIP, LOCAL EVENTS, AND THEN IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS.

SO DIVING RIGHT INTO THE BUDGET, UM, WE WANNA JUST REITERATE THAT THIS IS OUR FIRST YEAR IN PARTNERSHIP USING A NEW FORM.

THIS IS THE TUR FORM FOR 30% FUNDS RECEIVED BY THE DMO AND UM, THAT THIS COMPARISON OF, UM, OUR CURRENT FISCAL YEAR BUDGET OF FISCAL YEAR 26, AS WELL AS THE YEAR TO DATE SPEND AGAINST THAT BUDGET ARE, HAVE BEEN INCLUDED.

HOWEVER, UM, IT IS NOT AN APPLES TO APPLES COMPARISON AS WE'VE TALKED THROUGH.

UM, SO YOU WILL SEE, UM, SOME NUANCES IN THERE THAT WE NEED TO TALK

[00:25:01]

THROUGH.

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, NOTE THAT IF YEAR TO DATE SPEND LOOKS HIGHER THAN WHAT WAS BUDGETED, IT'S BECAUSE THAT RECONCILES AT THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR.

WE DON'T CURRENTLY HAVE THAT RECONCILED TOWARDS THE, THE 30%, UM, BUT WE WILL BE ON BUDGET AS, AS DISCUSSED.

SO THOSE WILL BE SOME NUANCES THAT WE SEE.

ANYTHING TO ADD? SO IF WE LOOK AT OUR BUDGET BREAKDOWN, THIS IS ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS WITHIN THE BUDGET, UH, EXCUSE ME, WITHIN THE CONTRACT IS OUR REVENUES.

AND SO WE'RE GONNA FOCUS ON THE HIGHLIGHTED OR, UM, AREA THAT IS OUTLINED HERE OF THE 3.7.

THAT IS THE PROJECTED AMOUNT THAT WE WOULD RECEIVE FROM THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND AS THE DMO FOR 30% FUNDS.

THIS IS HARD TO SEE , BUT, UM, BASED ON THE FORM AND WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH ANGIE AND TEAM, WE HAVE USED, THERE ARE SEVEN, UM, SEVEN AREAS OF, UH, FOCUS WITHIN THE FORM THAT THEY IDENTIFY.

AND SO WE ARE USING SIX OF THOSE, AS YOU CAN SEE.

UM, AND THE ONE THAT WE'RE NOT USING IS THE VISITOR SERVICES ONE, NUMBER SIX, BUT ALL ARE LISTED FOR YOUR REFERENCE.

UM, BUT WE WILL BREAK THEM DOWN BY SECTION.

SO WE'RE USING, AGAIN, GONNA FOCUS ON NUMBER ONE FIRST.

AND SO AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, THIS ONE IS GOING TO BE NOW CATEGORY ONE ADVERTISING, WHICH INCLUDES PRINT, DIGITAL, BROADCAST, SOCIAL, ET CETERA.

AND SO WE'VE IDENTIFIED WITHIN THOSE 30% FUNDS THAT WILL BE ALLOCATED, HOW WE WILL BUDGET AGAINST THOSE, UM, AS WELL AS PULLING THOSE THROUGH.

SO AGAIN, HELP ME IF YOU'D LIKE ME TO GO LINE BY LINE OR IF YOU'D LIKE TO BREAK IT DOWN, HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO PROCEED? YES, THANK YOU.

UH, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR PUTTING YOU'RE WELCOME.

THAT TOGETHER.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

UH, THE POINT THAT I WAS LOOKING FOR, AND THE REASON WHY I WANTED TO SEE THAT IS TO SEE IF THERE'S BEEN A SHIFT IN ON HOW YOU'RE SPENDING MONEY MM-HMM .

AND SO I THINK THAT WOULD BE WHAT'S VALUABLE IN THIS CONVERSATION.

'CAUSE THERE ARE SOME AREAS THAT ARE GOING DOWN SIGNIFICANTLY MM-HMM .

UH, FOR BUDGET NEXT YEAR, AND OTHERS THAT GO ARE GOING UP.

AND SO IF YOU COULD JUST EXPLAIN MM-HMM .

UH, WHAT THE THOUGHT PROCESS IS BEHIND THAT.

COUNCILMAN TENNER.

I THINK WHERE WE NEED TO, IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT IN THE WAY THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IT.

THIS IS GOING TO BE WHERE WE'VE IDENTIFIED, AND I'M GOING TO USE, UH, LINE ONE A MEDIA BUYS.

WE'VE GIVEN YOU EXAMPLES OF HOW WE COULD SPEND WHAT WE'RE, WE'RE FORECASTING TO BE 240,000 AGAINST THIS LINE ITEM WHERE YOU CAN SEE IN THE YEARS PAST, IT WAS, UM, CLOSE TO 500,000.

IT'S NOT TO SAY WE ARE NOT INVESTING IN PRINT MEDIA AND THE EFFORTS THERE, WE'RE JUST USING DIFFERENT FUNDS TO SUPPORT THOSE EFFORTS.

FUNDS THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF THE 30%.

SO THOSE ARE NOT, UM, REPORTED ON, BUT AGAIN, THAT LINE ITEM COULD, COULD BE WELL CLOSE TO THE 4 88, BUT JUST USING DIFFERENT FUNDS, UM, THAT DON'T IMPACT THE 30% FUNDS.

AND SO FROM THE 30% FUNDS, WE HAVE ALLOCATED 240,000 FOR THIS FISCAL COMING FISCAL YEAR.

UM, AND SO THE ADJUSTMENTS THAT YOU'LL SEE WILL BE SOMEWHAT OF THOSE NUANCES, RIGHT? LIKE THERE ARE DIFFERENT AREAS OF FUNDING FOR US AS WE SAW ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDE AND FROM OR TWO SLIDES PREVIOUS.

AND FROM THAT, WE HAVE STILL MET THE NEEDS OF THE ENTIRE, UM, BUDGET THAT YOU'VE SEEN IN THE PAST OR THE NEEDS OF THE BUSINESS.

HOWEVER, WE'RE JUST FUNDING THEM IN DIFFERENT WAYS SO THAT WHAT WE'RE PRESENTING TO YOU TODAY WITHIN THESE SIX CATEGORIES ARE THE WAYS THAT WE'VE ALLOCATED, UM, TO 30% FUNDS AGAINST THOSE LINE ITEMS, BUT NOTING THAT THERE ARE, UH, ADDITIONAL FUNDS FUNDING CERTAIN AREAS, SEEING IF MS. TURNER HAD ANOTHER QUESTION ABOUT, YEAH.

SO THANK YOU FOR BREAKING THESE DOWN BY SECTION.

UM, AND, AND I, I DID, I WASN'T ABLE TO BE THERE FOR OUR ATEX COMMITTEE, BUT I DID WATCH IT ONLINE AND I REMEMBERED THEY, THEY STRUGGLED WITH THAT FIRST SCREEN THAT YOU SHOWED US WITH THE REALLY TINY PRINT.

AND I ACTUALLY HAD A BLOW UP OF THAT REALLY TINY PRINT, AND I FILLED IN NUMBERS FROM WHAT YOU PRESENTED TO THE ASAX COMMITTEE ON THAT DAY.

UM, AND I DID NOTICE, AND, AND JUST LOOKING AT THE, UH, THE FIRST, UH, I GUESS THAT'S THE TOTAL OF SECTION ONE ADVERTISING AMOUNT BUDGETED WAS 1.6.

ACTUAL SPENT WAS ALMOST 500,000 OVER.

AND THE AMOUNT BUDGET IS 1.9.

UM, AND I THOUGHT THAT THE, THE ATEX COMMITTEE ASKED AN EXCELLENT QUESTION, WHICH LED TO THE RESPONSE YOU GAVE TO MS. TURNER.

AND THAT IS THAT THE LAST COLUMN HERE AMOUNT BUDGETED FOR 26 27 IS THE 30% MONEY MM-HMM .

UM, AND THAT THE OTHER TWO COLUMNS WERE FROM THE TOTAL MONEY THAT THE DMO COLLECTS FROM DIFFERENT SOURCES.

SO IT IS HARD TO CARRY, UH, TO COMPARE APPLES TO ORANGES.

UM, BUT MY MAIN QUESTION IS, UM, IF THERE WAS A AMOUNT BUDGETED OF 1.6 AND ACT FOR 25, 26 AND ACTUALLY SPENT WAS ALMOST 500,000 MORE, UM, THEN I GUESS WHEN YOU ADD UP ALL THE SECTIONS, THEN THE MONEY MUST BALANCE SOMEWHERE.

OTHERWISE YOU'RE 500,000 IN THE HALL, 500,000 IN

[00:30:01]

THE HALL.

I, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE IS, AGAIN, WE JUST HAVEN'T DISTRIBUTED THE FUNDS, YOU KNOW, IN THE, WE HAVE DIFFERENT REVENUE FUND FUNDING LINES THAT WILL ABSORB THE OVERAGES THAT YOU'RE, UM, TALKING ABOUT, LIKE THE 500,000.

AND SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE IS, AGAIN, IT'S NOT AN APPLES TO APPLES COMPARISON, WHICH IS SOMEWHAT OF THE CHALLENGE THAT WE ARE PRESENTED, UM, IN, IN USING THE FISCAL YEAR 25, 26 BUDGETED OR ALLOCATED.

SO, UM, THERE IS NOT A, A SHORTFALL WE ARE, UM, ON BUDGET AND THE DIFFERENCE THAT YOU'RE SEEING, WE'LL BE ANTICIPATED OVER OR WE'LL BE COVERED THROUGH ADDITIONAL FUNDING THAT WE HAVE.

AND I DO WANT TO CLARIFY THAT THAT AMOUNT BUDGETED FOR 25 26 IS NOT, UH, FROM THE TOTAL.

THAT IS FOR THE 30% THAT CAME FROM HILTON HAD LAST YEAR.

SO THAT 4 88 YOU'RE SEEING THERE WOULD BE THE, UH, WHAT WAS ALLOCATED FOR 30% AND THEN THAT 1.132 MILLION, UM, THAT'S THE TOTAL AGAINST EVERYTHING, WHETHER IT BE FROM 30% OR NOT, WE JUST DON'T ALLOCATE THAT TO THE 30% AT THE END OF, UNTIL THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR.

SO AT THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR, THAT NUMBER WILL BE ALLOCATED SO THAT IT MEETS THE BUDGET THAT WE SET FOR 30% AT THE 488,000.

SO THAT'S KIND OF THE NUANCE THERE IS WE JUST DON'T DO THE ALLOCATIONS UNTIL THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR.

SO THE MIDDLE COLUMN IS ALL REVENUE BEING SPENT, UM, AGAINST ALL REVENUE STREAMS, EXPENSES AGAINST ALL REVENUE STREAMS. AND WHERE THE FIRST COLUMN OF SPEND IS JUST THE 30% AND THE LAST COLUMN IS 30%.

AND A NEW WAY TO LOOK AT IT.

SO COLUMN ONE AMOUNT VOTED FOR 25, 26 IS THE 30% YES.

AS IS THE AMOUNT BUDGETED FOR 26, 27 AT THE VERY END.

BUT THE MIDDLE COLUMN IS FROM ALL SOURCES.

THAT'S WHY IT'S SO CONFUSING.

EXACTLY.

AND I UNDERSTAND, UM, THAT'S A CHALLENGE THAT WE HAVE JUST, IT'LL BE THIS YEAR.

RIGHT? RIGHT.

SO I THINK AS WE MOVE THROUGH THIS YEAR, AND THEN WE HAVE AT LEAST SOMETHING TO LOOK AT, UM, BUT GOING FORWARD, WHAT YOU WILL ONLY SEE ARE 30% AGAINST 30%, WHETHER THAT BE BUDGETED OR ACTUAL.

SO WE WON'T HAVE A DISCREPANCY.

WELL, AND THAT IS BECAUSE OF THEIR ACCOUNTING PRACTICES.

SO THEY CHOOSE TO, UH, ALLOCATE AT THE END OF THE YEAR MM-HMM .

SO THEY TAKE ALL THEIR EXPENSES AND ALLOCATED TO ALL THE VARIOUS AREAS.

YOU SAW THE REVENUE SLIDE WHERE THERE'S SEVERAL COLUMNS INCLUDING BLUFFTON AND BEAUFORT, BUT AS WELL THE SOUTH CAROLINA, UM, PRT, ET CETERA.

SO THEY, THEY'RE ALLOCATING AGAINST ALL OF THESE, UM, VERSUS, UH, TAKING, UM, AN INVOICE OR AN EXPENSE AND ALLOCATING IT AT THAT POINT IN TIME.

AND, UH, YOU KNOW, MY EXPERIENCE AS A BUSINESS PERSON WAS WE ALLOCATED, YOU KNOW, UH, MONTHLY, UM, AS OPPOSED TO WAITING UNTIL THE END OF THE YEAR.

SO IT IS A DIFFERENT, UH, PHILOSOPHY AND AS YOU HAVE A NEW CFO, IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING TO TAKE A LOOK AT AND CONSIDER.

'CAUSE WE'LL STILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM, UH, IN THE FUTURE IF YOU ARE ALWAYS TRACKING JUST TOTAL AMOUNT OF MONEY ON YOUR ACTUAL VERSUS WHAT IS ALLOCATED ALONG THE WAY.

SO SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT.

YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

UM, BUT, AND I THINK THE WAY WE'VE RECONCILED, BUT I THINK YOU'VE ALREADY, UH, SPENT SOME TIME TALKING ABOUT THE CHANGE AND ADVERTISING BASED UPON THE CHANGE IN THE WAY PEOPLE LOOK FOR THINGS MM-HMM .

UM, AND SO MOVING FROM MEDIA BUYS TO A OR, OR DIGITAL PROMOTIONS AND JUST GIVING AN EXAMPLE, SO THE INCREASE IN DIGITAL PROMOTION, AND, AND I'M NOT, I'M NOT TRYING TO TELLING YOU HOW TO DO THIS, BELIEVE ME, I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE NUMBERS.

SO IF YOU LOOK AT DIGITAL PROMOTIONS FROM HALF MILLION TO 750,000, THAT TELLS ME THERE'S AN INCREASE.

UM, BUT AS I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'VE SAID BEFORE IN OUR WORKSHOP AND AT THE AT TAX COMMITTEE MEETING, IS THAT THAT IS BASED UPON WHERE YOU NEED TO MARKET BASED UPON WHERE THE MARKET IS RIGHT NOW.

CORRECT.

RIGHT.

SO THAT IS A, A GREAT EXAMPLE OF WHERE WE'RE SHIFTING TO BE RELEVANT AND STAY AHEAD OF THE CURVE, UM, FROM 503 TO SEVEN 50,000.

SO WANNA DO ANOTHER SECTION OR YEP.

ARE YOU OKAY? OKAY.

VIDEOGRAPHY TO BE VERY STRONG FOR THE DESTINATION.

SO HERE AGAIN, WE'RE IN SECTION TWO, IT'S PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS AND PUBLICATIONS.

WE'VE HELD HANDS IN NOTING THAT WE ARE NOT DEVELOPING THE PLANNER WITH 30% FUNDS, BUT WE ARE FULFILLING IT WITH 30% FUNDS.

AND THE BACK, BACK GROUND TO THAT EFFORT IS REALLY THAT, JUST LIKE WE WOULD THINK OF ANY DIGITAL OR SOCIAL AD OR EFFORT THAT WE HAVE IN A PRINT PUBLICATION THROUGH A THIRD PARTY, WE CONSIDER THIS A POINT OF ADVERTISING AND PROMOTION INTO THE FULFILLMENT WE FELT WAS A RELEVANT CHARGE WITHIN THIS CASE.

AND SO HERE, AGAIN, THAT'S THE LINE NUMBER TWO.

AND THEN WHEN YOU WORK, WORK INTO SECTION THREE, MARKETING, SUPPORT, CREATIVE PHOTOGRAPHY, VIDEOGRAPHY, AS WELL AS RESEARCH.

UM, SO IT'S KIND OF A HEAVY LINE, BUT YOU'LL SEE HERE THAT AGAIN, WE'RE PUTTING EMPHASIS ON THE FACT THAT WE NEED THE PHOTOGRAPHY

[00:35:01]

UM, WE NEED TO HAVE THAT, UM, IN PERSON PEOPLE KIND OF UNDERSTANDING LIKE THE SENSE OF PLACE AND HAVING THAT VISUAL TO MAKE THAT.

BUT REALLY A, A HEAVY LION'S SHARE OF THIS FALLS INTO RESEARCH.

AND I, UM, WOULD LIKE CHASE TO SPEAK TO THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE.

SO WHAT YOU'LL SEE HERE IS LISTED KIND OF OUR MAJOR PLATFORMS THAT WE USE FOR RESEARCH.

UH, ZICO IS KIND OF MARKET LEVEL GEOLOCATION KIND OF HIGH LEVEL.

HOW IS HILTON HEAD ISLAND, UH, DOING IN GENERAL? UH, PLACE AREA IS A LOT MORE PROPERTY SPECIFIC.

THAT'S THE PIECE WHERE WE CAN GET DOWN INTO EVENT INFORMATION FOR PARTNERS OR FOR CERTAIN PROPERTIES AND WE CAN KIND OF DRILL DOWN AND BE MORE SPECIFIC ABOUT THEIR PROPERTIES RATHER THAN THE ISLAND AS A WHOLE.

UM, UH, THE CFC REPORTS THERE, THAT'S THE COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON.

WE PARTNER WITH THEM TO DO OUR ECONOMIC IMPACT REPORTS AND OUR VISITOR PROFILE STUDIES.

UM, THE REASON YOU SEE THE ZERO THERE FOR ACTUAL SPEND IS JUST BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT BEEN INVOICED FOR LAST YEAR'S YET.

UM, THAT USUALLY HAPPENS, UH, AROUND THIS TIME EVERY YEAR.

SO THAT'S WHY THAT'S SHOWING UP LIKE THAT.

UM, USCV EVENT RESEARCH FOR LOCAL EVENTS.

UM, SAME THING.

WE PARTNERED WITH THE, UH, USC BEAUFORT TO DO ON THE GROUND EVENT RESEARCH FOR, UH, PARTNERS.

AND WE'LL TALK MORE ABOUT THAT AS WE GET, UH, FURTHER INTO THE PRESENTATION.

UM, BUT AGAIN, AT THE TIME THIS WAS DONE, UM, UH, SOME OF THE EVENTS THAT HAPPEN EARLY IN THE YEAR, JANUARY, FEBRUARY, MARCH, JUST HADN'T BEEN BILLED YET.

SO THAT'S WHY THAT NUMBER LOOKS A LITTLE BIT LOW.

AND THEN, UH, KEY DATA DASHBOARD IS OUR LODGING INFORMATION THAT WE USE FOR BOTH HOTELS, HOMES, AND VILLAS.

AND THEN THE TWO SOURCE PIECE THAT JUST GIVES US INSIGHT INTO HOW THE HILTON HEAD MARKET IS PERFORMING OVERALL, UH, AS WELL AS AGAINST SOME OF OUR COMPETITIVE MARKETS.

YES, MA'AM.

NO, IT'S OKAY.

SO , I, HE SAW ME MOVING TOWARDS THE BUTTON.

I KNOW.

I WAS LIKE, I'M NOT GONNA CHANGE IT.

WE GOT IT.

UH, SO I JUST WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE ON THE VACATION PLANNER PIECE, WHICH IS THE, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO SAY THAT.

CAN PINNACLE YES.

PINNACLE, YES.

I KNEW I'D SAY IT WRONG.

UM, THAT WAS A SAVINGS FROM THE 30% FUNDS OF $203,000.

SO IN THEORY, WE SHOULD BE PICKING UP ADDITIONAL BENEFIT BY NOT HAVING THAT WITHIN, UM, OUR 30%.

UM, CAN YOU JUST TALK ABOUT THE REDUCTION, UM, OF THE COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON ECONOMIC REPORTS? UM, IS IT JUST AN ALLOCATION CHANGE MM-HMM .

FOR US? OR IS IT AN OVERALL REDUCTION IN YEAH, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S NO SURVEYS, IT'S AN ALLOCATION THING.

YOU KNOW, WE, UM, WE ALSO, YOU KNOW, UH, WE PRODUCE NUMEROUS OF 'EM, SO WE MAKE SURE THAT WE, UH, MAKE SURE THAT THE TOTAL BILL IS ALLOCATED CORRECTLY TO, UM, HILTON HEAD RATHER THAN THE WHOLE THING.

MY MAIN QUESTION IS CATEGORY IS THE DESTINATION PHOTOGRAPHY 75,000 COMPARED TO JUST UNDER 17,000.

SO I GUESS YOU'RE NO LONGER USING MY CELL PHONE PHOTOS.

YOU, YOU NEED TO UPGRADE .

THEY'RE STILL RELEVANT.

UM, THAT'S OUR USER GENERATED CONTENT.

BUT I THINK WHAT'S IMPORTANT HERE AND WHAT WE'RE SEEING, UM, WHEN YOU WENT BACK TO SECTION ONE IS THAT WE NEED TO HAVE THOSE VIDEOS AND, AND PHOTOGRAPHY KIND OF REAL TIME SEASONALLY APPROPRIATE EVENT APPROPRIATE.

SO, UM, AGAIN, I THINK JUST THINKING THROUGH HOW THE CONSUMER IS REALLY DIGESTING TRAVEL AND TOURISM, IT'S IMPORTANT.

UM, AND PEOPLE ARE SPENDING A LOT MORE TIME ON THOSE DIGITAL SPACES.

UM, YOUTUBE IS A BIG COMPONENT OF WHERE YOU JUST NEED TO HAVE AN ARSENAL OR LIBRARY OF, UM, VIDEOS.

AND WHETHER THAT BE SHORT FORM OR LONG FORM, WE NEED TO HAVE THAT AT OUR DISPOSAL.

SO IT COSTS A LITTLE BIT MORE TO DO THAT.

UM, BUT THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE HOPE ARE, WE'RE CREATING, UH, FROM YOUR LENS AND IN WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE TEAM HERE, UM, THAT MAJORITY OF THOSE ARE EVERGREENS.

WE'RE MAKING THAT INVESTMENT UPFRONT AND, AND BEING SPECIFIC OR SEASONALLY SPECIFIC WHERE APPROPRIATE AS WELL.

MORE CHANGEABLE COPY, IF YOU WILL ON THE WEBSITE.

SO IT WOULD JUST BE MORE OF A VISUAL OPPORTUNITY ACROSS ALL PLATFORMS, WHETHER THAT BE YOUTUBE OR THE WEBSITE.

SHE'S OVERHAULED, UH, HOW WE, UH, USE OUR CRM MM-HMM .

AND SO WE'RE HERE IN THE NUMBER, SECTION FOUR IS GROUP SALES AND MARKETING.

UM, I THINK THIS IS AN EXCITING NEW OPPORTUNITY FOR US AS WE HAVE OUR NEW DIRECTOR OF SALES IN PLACE.

WE'RE, UM, OUR NEW CRM PLATFORM, WHICH IS SIMPLEVIEW.

UM, WE HAVE ALWAYS HAD OUR, UM, FOOT IN THIS SPACE.

WE'VE DONE A GREAT JOB.

BUT AGAIN, JUST A NEW PERSON, A NEW VISION, AND HOW SHE HAS KIND OF BROKEN THIS OUT, SO YOU'LL SEE HER ALLOCATION HERE.

AND CHASE, I KNOW YOU HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE IN TERMS OF THE SEM OR, UM, THE CRM PIECE.

YEAH, I MEAN, IT'S JUST A COMPLETE OVERHAUL AND HOW WE HAD, UH, LOOKED AT GROUP SALES.

OUR NEW DIRECTOR OF SALES IS FANTASTIC.

SHE'S REALLY HIT THE GROUND RUNNING.

SO NOT ONLY IS IT, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ATTENDING THE RIGHT KIND OF TRADE SHOWS, BUT IT'S ALSO MAKING SURE THAT OUR WEBSITE WORKS FOR BRINGING IN THOSE MEETINGS.

UM, SO WE'VE REDESIGNED OUR MEETINGS AND GROUP SITE, UH, TO KIND OF REACH THOSE PEOPLE.

UM,

[00:40:01]

WHICH IS HOW WE MANAGE GROUP LEADS THAT COME IN TO MAKE SURE WE'RE GETTING MAXIMUM EFFICIENCY OUT OF THAT.

UM, SO, UH, SHE'S BEEN, UH, FANTASTIC IN MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING THE MOST, UH, FOR THE, UH, INVESTMENT THAT WE PUT INTO THESE PLATFORMS. YEAH, I'M REALLY EXCITED AS WE TURN ON THE, UM, WEBSITE COMPONENTS.

AS YOU'LL SEE OVER THE NEXT FEW, UM, WEEKS AND MONTH, OUR, THERE ARE GONNA BE A SPECIFIC SECTION FOR MEETING PLANNERS.

SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT HAVING THEM KIND OF HAVE TO LOOK AND SEARCH, IT'LL BE A SPECIFIC AREA FOR THEM.

THEY COME IN, FIND WHAT THEY NEED, UM, PUT IN THEIR RFP, SO JUST A MORE, UM, STREAMLINED WAY FOR THEM TO ENGAGE ON THAT PORTION OF OUR WEBSITE.

SO IT'LL BE GREAT.

UM, EXCITED FOR YOU TO SEE THAT.

AND THEN FROM THERE WE GO INTO DESTINATION PR.

THIS IS THE PUBLIC RELATIONS COMPONENT OF OUR BUSINESS.

UM, AND ONE THAT CHARLIE CLARK, UM, AND NOW HEATHER IS, UH, WOOLWINE IS LEADING AND IT'S, UM, WITH WEBER SHANDWICK AND IT'S A, IT'S A REALLY GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO EARN, NOT PAY FOR OUR OPPORTUNITIES AND USING THAT CONSTANT, YOU KNOW, ALWAYS ON APPROACH TO OUTREACH AND TALK, TALKING ABOUT THE REALLY TOPICAL, UM, MOMENTS WITHIN THIS DESTINATION THAT ARE OF IMPORTANCE.

AND THEN SECTION SEVEN IS OTHER, AND THAT IS WHERE WE HAVE ALL OF OUR, UM, PAYROLL AND OPERATIONS.

AND I DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU WANTED TO GO THROUGH THIS.

I KNOW WE WENT THROUGH IT A BIT, A BIT WITH, UM, OUR WORKSHOP, BUT WE'RE HAPPY TO SPEAK TO ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE HERE.

MY ONLY COMMENT IS YOU DIDN'T HAVE THE NUMBER FOR THE BUDGETED FOR LAST YEAR AND IT WAS $1,053,000.

SO ESSENTIALLY SMALL REDUCTION.

RIGHT.

AND OUR ADMIN FEE DID GO DOWN THIS YEAR BY 4%, CORRECT.

ON THIS, GOOD ON SECTION SEVEN.

BUT I NOTICED THAT, UM, IN THE DOCUMENTS WE'VE BEEN PROVIDED BEFORE, THERE WAS A TOTAL OF ONE THROUGH SIX.

UM, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER YOU HAVE A SLIDE UNDER THAN THE ONE WITH THE REALLY SMALL NUMBERS, UNFORTUNATELY.

YEAH, RIGHT THERE.

, YEAH.

YEAH, YEAH.

UM, SO, UM, I NOTICED THAT, UM, YOU'VE GOT BUDGETED FOR 26, 27, ALMOST 2.7 MILLION.

AND, UM, THAT ACTUAL SPENT, WHICH WAS FROM DIFFERENT SOURCES WAS 2.7 MILLION.

AND THE AMOUNT BUDGET FROM THE 30% WAS 2.3 MILLION.

SO I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, IF INDEED THE MIDDLE COLUMN OF WHAT WAS ACTUALLY SPENT WAS 2.7 MILLION, THEN YOU'RE USING 30%, WHICH IS THE SAME, THE 30%, WHICH IS THE SAME AS ALL FUNDS OF ALMOST 2.7 MILLION.

SO AS OPPOSED TO BUDGET FOR TWO, UH, 30% WAS 2.3 MILLION.

SO I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW USING ALL THE FUNDS WAS 2.7 MILLION AND NOW USING JUST 30% IS 2.7 MILLION.

SO THE MIDDLE COLUMN IS YEAR TO DATE.

IT IS, UH, THROUGH THE END OF FEBRUARY, UH, IS WHEN WE PUT THIS TOGETHER.

AND PART OF THAT IS ALSO BECAUSE THE LINE ITEMS YOU'RE SEEING HERE ARE THE LINE ITEMS WE HAVE DESIGNATED AS BEING FOUR 30% FOR THIS UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR, BUT IT DOES NOT INCLUDE EVERY LINE ITEM WE HAVE.

IT JUST INCLUDES THOSE THAT WERE TOUCHED BY 30% FUNDS.

SO AGAIN, IT'S A, THIS HAVE TO DO WITH THEIR ACCOUNTING METHOD .

SO PART OF IT IT IS AS WELL, UM, IF YOU ADD UP ALL THE NUMBERS, UH, FOR AMOUNT BUDGETED FOR, IT DOESN'T MATCH THE BUDGET.

UM, YOU KNOW, SO I WENT THROUGH MY LITTLE RECONCILIATION THING AGAIN AND THERE ARE SOME MISSING ITEMS BECAUSE THE BUDGET WAS ACTUALLY 3.9 MILLION AND WHEN YOU ADD IT UP, IT'S UH, 3.4 OR FIVE.

SO THERE, YES, THERE ARE SOME EXPENSES THAT, AND SOME YOU'RE NO LONGER, UH, CHARGING US, LIKE CORRECT.

CORRECT.

AND THAT'S THE CREATIVE DESIGN OF THE VACATION PLANNER.

BUT THERE WERE OTHER PIECES AS WELL THAT WEREN'T INCLUDED.

AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS IS THAT THE TOTAL DOESN'T TIE TO LAST YEAR'S BUDGET.

AND I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THOSE NUANCES WHERE WE ARE TRYING OUR BEST TO SHOW APPLES TO APPLES, BUT AGAIN, WE ONLY TOOK THE LINE ITEMS TO SHARE AND COMPARE THAT WE WERE GOING TO PUT AGAINST THE NEW EFFORT OF 30% DOLLARS.

SO AGAIN, TO YOUR POINT, UM, COUNCILWOMAN TENNER, THERE IS NOT, WE HAVE NOT INCLUDED EVERY SINGLE LINE ITEM.

AND AGAIN, COLUMN, I'M GONNA CALL IT COLUMN ONE, WHICH IS THE BUDGETED NUMBER FOR 25, 26, IS THOSE IDENTIFIED.

SO WE COULD KEEP THEM THE SAME, UM, AS ONES THAT WE WOULD PULL FORWARD INTO OUR NEW EFFORT OF 30%.

THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT WE BUDGETED FOR IN 25, 26 YEAR TO DATE AS OF FEBRUARY.

THAT'S THAT COLUMN THERE.

AGAIN, NOT ALL LINE ITEMS, BUT ALSO NOT A FULL FISCAL YEAR.

SO THERE ARE SOME NUANCES THERE.

AGAIN, IT'S NOT GOING TO LOOK LIKE WHAT YOU WERE PRESENTED IN THE PRIOR YEAR, WHICH IS THE FULL AMOUNT OF LINE ITEMS, UM, AGAINST ALL MONIES OR REVENUES RECEIVED.

I THINK THAT'LL BE BETTER

[00:45:01]

UM, AND WHILE WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS WONDERFUL SLIDE RIGHT HERE, , I DON'T KNOW, WE CAN BARELY SEE.

RIGHT, RIGHT, RIGHT.

AND, AND I REMEMBER OUR, OUR ATEX COMMITTEE STRUGGLING WITH THIS AS WELL, BUT THOSE OTHER SLIDES THAT YOU USE TODAY WHERE THEY'RE BLOWN UP, PLEASE PROVIDE THOSE WITH WHOEVER IS LOOKING AT 'EM IN THE FUTURE.

I THINK.

YES, YOU CAN CERTAINLY READ 'EM A LOT BETTER.

UM, I'M NOT GONNA BE THE PERSON TO TELL YOU HOW TO FORMAT, BUT I LIKE THAT A LOT BETTER.

YOU CAN CERTAINLY READ THE NUMBERS THEN.

UM, AND THE ONLY DIFFERENCE THAT I NOTICED, AND I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN TO IT YET, IS A TOTAL SLIDE LIKE THIS, EVEN THOUGH AS MS. HUNTER'S EXPLAINING TO ME, EVEN THOSE NUMBERS DON'T MATCH UP TO WHAT YOU ACTUALLY HAVE.

SO IT'S BIT CONFUSING.

UM, BUT I THINK AS, AS WE GO THROUGH, UH, ANOTHER YEAR AT LOOKING AT, UH, HOW TO COMPARE HOPEFULLY APPLES TO APPLES, UM, THAT THIS WILL IMPROVE.

WELL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR FEEDBACK AND YOUR PATIENCE AS WE KIND OF WORK THROUGH HOW BEST TO ONE, I THINK THE BIGGEST ONE IS HOW WE'RE GONNA SHOW IT , BECAUSE IT'S HARD TO SEE.

BUT, UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR DIRECTION ON THAT AND WE'LL MOVE THROUGH.

SO WE'RE, WE'RE OKAY WITH, UM, BUDGET AND THEN WE'LL MOVE INTO GOLF.

THAT WAS THE NEXT PIECE ON THE AGENDA.

AND WE HAD TALKED A LITTLE BIT MORE, OR I SHOULD SAY AT A HIGHER LEVEL OF, OF REALLY TRYING TO PUT OUR ARMS AROUND WHAT THE GOLF PARTNERSHIP MEANS TO THE DESTINATION, TO THE DMO, TO THE COMMUNITY AND HOW WE WORK ALONGSIDE THE LOW COUNTRY GOLF OWNERS ASSOCIATION OR L-G-C-O-A.

I TRIED TO BE AS SIMPLE IN OUR EFFORT TO PUT THAT IN FRONT OF YOU.

UM, THE LOW COUNTRY, UM, GOLF OWNER, GOLF OWNERS ASSOCIATION REALLY FOCUSES ON, AND I GUESS, UM, WHICH WE CAN CONNECT IT TO A PRESENTATION WOULD BE THEIR SUPPLEMENTAL REQUEST.

IT IS REALLY TO ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE PRESENCE AT SPECIFIC GOLF TRADE SHOWS, AT CONFERENCES, SOCIAL MEDIA EFFORTS, PAID MEDIA EFFORTS, USING INFLUENCERS, AND HAVING A, AN E-NEWS OR E-NEWSLETTER COMMUNICATION.

WHERE YOU SEE THE PARTNERSHIP AND COLLABORATION COME TOGETHER IS WE HELP MANAGE THE MICROSITE ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND.ORG, WHICH RECEIVES RFPS.

AND WE DO THAT BY PUTTING OUT PAID MEDIA OR ADVERTISEMENT ON DIGITAL SOCIAL PLATFORMS. BUT IT'S, AGAIN, NOT SOCIAL POSTS, IT'S JUST THE DIGITAL MARKETING.

AND IF YOU GO THROUGH NEXT, THESE ARE EXAMPLES OF WHAT WE DO WITH WHAT YOU'RE SEEING IN THE BUDGET IS A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.

AGAIN, IT'S TO ALLOCATE THESE TYPE OF ADS ACROSS RELEVANT CHANNELS TO GET PEOPLE, AND IT CONNECTS THEM DIRECTLY BACK TO, UM, THE GOLF MICRO SITE.

SO, UM, OUR EFFORT IS REALLY TO SUPPORT THE RFP COMPONENT OF THAT PARTNERSHIP TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE ARE QUALIFIED, UM, VISITORS COMING TO THE ISLAND WHO ARE INTERESTED IN GOLF, THOSE, UM, RFPS THAT ARE RECEIVED TO GO RIGHT TO THE GOLF COURSES.

UM, AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A COMPONENT OF THAT ALSO THAT JUST MAKES SURE THAT THAT MICROSITE IS UP AND RUNNING AND A HUNDRED PERCENT WORKING.

ALL THE INFORMATION IS IN THERE THAT THEY NEED.

AND THAT'S REALLY OUR ROLE IN THAT RELATIONSHIP.

WE DON'T SUPPORT IT IN, UM, WITH THE 30% DOLLARS IN ANY OTHER WAY.

ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS PIECE? WELL, THANK YOU FOR THE NICE COLORFUL BUBBLES.

, .

UM, I, I THINK I STILL HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW THIS WORKS.

I'M, I'M LOOKING IN THE LIGHT GREEN BUBBLE AT, UH, UNDER, UH, LOW COUNTRY GOLF ASSOCIATION.

AND APOLOGIZE IF I'M NOT SAYING THE TOTAL TITLE RIGHT? NO, IT'S SOCIAL MEDIA AND PAID MEDIA, AND THEN UNDER THE BLUE BUBBLE, WHICH I GUESS IS THE DMO, THE CHAMBERS MM-HMM .

PAID DIGITAL MEDIA.

SO I, I'M SEEING MEDIA IN BOTH PLACES, WHICH SEEMS TO BE A DUPLICATION.

UM, AND I'M SURE THERE'S DIFFERENT MEDIA THAT YOU'RE USING, SO THERE'S MORE EXPLANATION I SUPPOSE THERE.

UM, THEN ALSO THINK OF THE GOLF MICROSITE AND, AND YOU KNOW, AS I'VE SAID BEFORE, I DO PLAY GOLF.

I DON'T INVITE ANYONE TO COME WATCH ME .

UM, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE GO TO GOLF NOW, WE GO OTHER PLACES TO LOOK FOR, IF WE'RE LOOKING FOR PARTICULAR PLACE WHERE WE WANNA PLAY GOLF, THAT'S WHERE WE GO.

WE DON'T GO TO, UM, A DMO MICROSITE MM-HMM .

UM, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE FINDING IN THE MARKET OUT THERE, UM, BUT I I, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE DOING IT THAT WAY.

UM, UH, ANYHOW, I I I'M SORRY, I STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND IT.

IT SEEMS TO BE STILL, THERE'S SOME DUPLICATION.

UM, AND, UM, MAYBE WE JUST NEED MORE PARAGRAPHS INSTEAD OF BULLETS.

IF THEY'RE INCLUDING THEMSELVES IN A, YOU KNOW, I'M GONNA USE A, A LEISURE, BUT, YOU KNOW, LIKE A, A GOLF SPECIFIC PUBLICATION, UM, THAT COULD HAVE SOME, YOU KNOW, UM, AN ONLINE COMPONENT OR AN ARTICLE THAT'S ONLINE OR, UM, THOSE TYPE OF EFFORTS.

AND WE'RE HAPPY TO PROVIDE ANY OTHER INFORMATION.

AND YOU'RE CORRECT, THERE ARE SEVERAL DIFFERENT TYPES OF MEDIA.

YOU KNOW, I THINK FROM A STRAIGHTFORWARD TRADE SHOWS, CONFERENCES, SOCIAL MEDIA, SELF EXPANDER, PAID MEDIA WOULD BE,

[00:50:01]

INFLUENCERS, THEY JUST HAD A GROUP IN FOR THE HERITAGE.

UM, AND THEY DID A GREAT PIECE THERE FOR A FEW DAYS, WHICH WAS WONDERFUL TO SEE, GREAT AWARENESS RELEVANT GROUP THAT WAS IN, AND THEN THEY DO AN E-NEWSLETTER.

SO AGAIN, THERE IS NO DUPLICATION FROM WHERE THE DOLLARS ARE BEING USED ON, ON FROM THE 30% VERSUS THE DOLLARS THAT THEY REQUEST, UM, AND SUPPLEMENTAL.

AND THAT'S REALLY KIND OF THE, UM, I THINK THE GREAT PIECE ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP IS WE'RE FOCUSED IN THE AREAS THAT OUR, UM, SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS IN.

AND WE HAVE BUILT THIS MICROSITE IN, IN AND OF THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND.ORG LARGER, UH, WEBSITE, WHICH IS A VERY STRONG PLATFORM.

AND THE ADS ARE RELEVANT, WE KNOW WHERE TO PLACE THOSE ADS.

UM, AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT.

UM, AND SO AGAIN, IT'S A PARTNERSHIP THAT'S WORKING JUST LIKE WE'RE GONNA EXPLAIN THE EVENTS COMPONENT, UM, LATER TO HELP SUPPORT THESE LOCAL EVENTS.

AND, AND THEN WHEN I LOOK BACK AT THE BUDGET, UM, UNDER ADVERTISING AND GOLF MARKETING, UM, AND LOOKED AT THE, UM, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WANNA GO BACK TO THAT SLIDE YEP.

I'LL WAIT ON YOU.

UH, YEAH.

SO GOLF MARKETING, SO MOUNTAIN BUDGET UNDER THE 30% AS I UNDERSTAND IT IN THAT FIRST COLUMN FOR 25, 26 IS ALMOST 136 MILLION MM-HMM.

ACTUALLY SPENT FROM ALL FUNDS, 63.4 MILLION, AND THEN MOUNTAIN BUDGETED A HUNDRED THOUSAND, WHICH IS A NUMBER THAT WE'VE SEEN BEFORE.

UM, SO, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I'M GOING KIND OF SCRATCHING MY HEAD, TURNING MY HEAD LIKE A LITTLE DOG GOING, LIKE, I DON'T UNDERSTAND.

UM, AND AGAIN, MAYBE IT'S ACCOUNTING, MAYBE IT'S DIFFERENT FOCUS.

UM, BUT, UM, IT, IT JUST CREATES MORE QUESTIONS IN HOW THIS RELATIONSHIPS WORKS, THIS RELATIONSHIP WORKS, AND WHETHER OR NOT THERE'S DUPLICATIONS.

MS. HUNTER.

UM, SO WHEN YOU, IF YOU GO BACK TO THE BUBBLE SLIDE , UM, IT TALKS ABOUT THE PIECES THAT YOU ARE, SO THE BLUE PART IS, UH, WHAT WE'RE PAYING FOR WITH THE A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.

SO THE GOLF MICRO MICROSITE.

UM, DO YOU DO ANYONE ELSE'S MICROSITE OR IS THIS THE, UH, AND CAN YOU CLARIFY WHAT YOU MEAN AGAIN? WELL, YOU HAVE A LINE ITEM THERE CALLED GOLF MICROSITE.

THAT SPACE FROM WHERE, BECAUSE THEY ALL HAVE INDIVIDUAL WEBSITES, YOU KNOW, SO WE HAVE THIS ONE WEBSITE THAT HELPS MEET ALL THOSE NEEDS, AND THEN THE, IF AN RFP COMES IN AND THEY WANNA PLAY AT THIS COURSE OR THIS COURSE, THEY CAN PUT, THESE ARE THE, THIS IS THE TYPE OF COURSE THAT WE WANT.

IS, IS THAT, DO YOU HAVE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS WHERE YOU'RE DOING THEIR MICROSITE? WE USED TO HAVE A SPECIFIC, IT JUST REALLY DEPENDS ON HOW YOU LOOK AT IT, BUT YES, WE USED TO HAVE A GULLAH MICROSITE THAT WAS SPECIFIC, AND WE'VE REVAMPED THAT TO WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MR. OXLEY.

SO THAT LOOKS A LITTLE DIFFERENT TODAY, BUT UP UNTIL THIS PAST YEAR, WE WOULD'VE CALLED THAT A MICROSITE AS WELL.

WE HAVE CONVERTED THAT BASED ON ALL THE EFFORTS THAT HE'S PUT INTO PLACE AND DOING SUCH A GREAT JOB THERE THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY NOW, UM, IT ISN'T AS IN DEPTH.

UM, HE HAS MORE, UM, PIECES THAT WE CAN CONNECT ONTO IT.

SO IT HAS EVOLVED.

AND THE, THEY'RE NOT TAKING RFPS PER SE, SO THIS MICROSITE FOR GOLF DOES STILL HAVE THAT RFP COMPONENT WHERE THEY'RE TAKING IN THE INQUIRY OF, I WANNA BRING A GROUP THERE.

I WANNA BRING, YOU KNOW, A GOLF GROUP HERE.

AND I'M LOOKING AT THESE THREE COURSES.

I'M LOOKING FOR THIS QUOTE TO WHAT IT WOULD COST TO PLAY.

SO THERE'S A COMPONENT OF TRANSACTION, IF YOU WILL.

UM, NOT THAT WE'RE TRANSACTING, BUT WE'RE GIVING THAT TRANSACTION OVER TO THE COURSE.

SO AGAIN, THERE IS THAT COMPONENT THAT STILL ALLOWS IT TO BE, UM, THE MICROSITE PIECE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

SO, NO, WE DON'T, CURRENTLY, GOLF IS THE MICROSITE COMPONENT THAT WE DO STILL HAVE ON THE SITE, UM, TO HELP SUPPORT THOSE RFPS AND OUTREACH EFFORTS FOR GROUPS.

SO IN THEORY THAT GOLF MICROSITE COULD BE THERE OR COULD BE IN THE, IN THE ACTUAL ORGANIZATION OF THE LOW COUNTRY, WHATEVER.

SURE.

BUT I THINK WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, AND I THINK THIS GOES INTO OUR EVENTS COMPONENT TOO, WHY ARE WE ASKING THESE, UM, ORGANIZATIONS TO WORK WITH US MM-HMM .

BECAUSE WE'VE ESTABLISHED OURSELVES AS AN ORGANIZATION, AS THE DMO, THAT WE HAVE THE STRONGEST AND FURTHER FURTHEST OUTREACH TO REACH THE MOST QUALIFIED AUDIENCES.

SO I WOULDN'T LOOK AT IT FROM A PERSPECTIVE OF WE'RE DOING SOMETHING NET NEW DIFFERENT, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE DOING AN ENHANCED VERSION OF WHAT WE'RE DOING FOR ALL THE EVENTS THAT WE'VE BEEN ASKED TO HOLD HANDS WITH IN THAT CAPACITY, WE'RE REACHING TO THE MOST QUALIFIED, THEY'RE NOT, UM, IN WORKING WITHIN

[00:55:01]

THIS IS THE TIME THAT WE'RE COMING.

AND THEN THAT GETS VETTED OUT TO THEM, JUST LIKE A MEETINGS AND GROUP INQUIRY WOULD COME IN.

AND THE HOTELS LOOK AT IT THAT WAY, UM, FROM AN RP STANDPOINT.

UM, SO AGAIN, WE'RE DOING THAT SAME LEVEL OF OUTREACH FROM, UH, THE MEETINGS AND GROUP SITE, THE GOLF MICRO SITE FROM AN RFP STANDPOINT.

SO FORGIVE ME, THE, THE MEETINGS AND GROUPS WOULD TRANSACT LIKE THAT.

AND THEN FROM THE EVENTS COMPONENT, WE'RE BRINGING QUALIFIED AUDIENCES INTO, UM, THOSE SPECIFIC TIMES THAT WE NEED AND TO GET PEOPLE ON THE ISLAND FOR, TO ATTEND THOSE EVENTS.

SO AGAIN, IT'S ALL WORKING TOGETHER IN THE AREAS OF EXPERTISE THAT WE HAVE, WHICH IS OUTREACH.

OH, LEMME, LEMME SEE IF I CAN HELP HERE.

UH, I THINK THIS IS A, I THINK THIS IS A GOOD START.

THE, THE BUBBLE GRAPH.

I, I THINK IT'LL BE HELPFUL, UH, FOR COUNCIL AND ALSO THE ATAC COMMITTEE IF WE START TO ASSIGN NUMBERS TO THESE RESPONSIBILITIES.

UM, OBVIOUSLY, UM, THE LOWCOUNTRY GOLF ASSOCIATION'S GONNA SHOW UP TO ATAC WITH A BUDGET AND AN ASK, YOU GUYS ARE ULTIMATELY TAKING THE 30% AND YOU GOT ALLOCATIONS OF THAT 30%.

AND JUST SO THERE'S CLARITY IN THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS, I THINK WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHERE THE DOLLARS LINE UP AS FAR AS THE OBVIOUS, UH, ITEMS THAT ARE SEPARATED.

AND THE OBVIOUS ITEMS THAT ARE RUNNING TOGETHER.

I THINK THAT'S, THAT WILL HELP EVERYBODY AS FAR AS MAKING A DECISION ABOUT ALLOCATION OF AT TAX DOLLARS AND UNDERSTANDING IF THERE'S DUPLICATION OR NOT.

BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S STILL QUESTION THERE IS, IS WHAT I'M HEARING FROM THIS COMMITTEE.

I'M SURE THE AT TAX WILL STILL HAVE QUESTIONS AS WELL.

UM, SO I, I LIKE THE FACT THAT IT'S NOW BEING TERMED AS A PARTNERSHIP.

UH, SO AS WE BUILD THE BUDGET AND BUILD THE ASK, PARTICULARLY ON THE LOW COUNTRY GOLF SIDE OF THINGS, THEY'RE VERY INTENTIONAL.

ABOUT THE NUMBERS ASSOCIATED WITH THESE THINGS IN THE BUBBLE IS PERFECT.

MY HEAD GOES IMMEDIATELY AS WE HAVING THIS DISCUSSION.

PERFECT.

SO FROM OUR DISCUSSION TODAY THOUGH, BUT IT IS CLEAR AND THAT WE'RE USING THE HUNDRED THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR, FOR THOSE THREE BLUE ITEMS, THAT THAT'S HOW WE WILL DISTRIBUTE OURS.

SO WE CAN WORK WITH L-G-C-O-A TO, UM, UNDERSTAND HOW THEY'RE BREAKING THEIR REQUEST OUT YES.

ON THEIR SIDE.

LIST YOUR EVENT, GET IT OUT THERE, LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT YOU HAVE SOMETHING GOING ON.

SO WE'RE GOING BACK TO LOCAL EVENTS.

THAT WAS A QUESTION OF HOW WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO CONNECT OURSELVES AT A DEEPER LEVEL WITH LOCAL EVENTS.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT LOCAL EVENTS, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SUPPLEMENTAL GRANT REQUESTS, AS YOU KNOW, UM, WE'VE BEEN, UM, A PARTNER OF, AND A REQUESTER OF SUPPLEMENTAL GRANTS.

IT'S VERY THROUGHOUT THE YEARS CURRENTLY, WE'RE IN A SUPPORTING ROLE.

AND WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? SO WHEN WE LOOK AT JUST THE OVERALL, HOW DO PEOPLE FIND EVENTS HERE ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND? IF THEY'RE IN THE OUT MARKETS, THEY USE, UM, THE TOOL OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND.ORG, WHICH THERE'S A LOCAL EVENTS PAGE, UM, THERE.

AND AS YOU CAN SEE FROM JUST THE 2025 PERFORMANCE, IT'S YIELDED OVER 274,000 VIEWS AND THEN CREATED WHAT WE'RE CALLING A HANDSHAKE OUT TO THE EVENT PARTNER OF 217,000 FOR THE YEAR.

SO AGAIN, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? BASICALLY, WHEN THE VISITOR COMES AND THEY'RE LOOKING FOR WHAT TO DO DURING THEIR TIME HERE, THEY CAN CONNECT, THEY CAN GO TO THIS PAGE THAT YOU'RE SEEING ON YOUR LEFT, MY RIGHT, AND THAT THEY CAN, UM, CLICK ON AN EVENT.

THEY CAN SORT BY MONTH, THEY CAN SORT BY A SPECIFIC DATE OR A CATEGORY, AND IT'S HILTON HEAD ISLAND SPECIFIC.

WHERE CAN WE THEN PARTNER AT A DEEPER LEVEL WITH OUR, UM, PARTNERS HERE ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND? WE HAVE WORKED CLOSELY WITH ANGIE, UM, AT THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND AND THE TEAM TO UNDERSTAND WHERE WE CAN INSERT OURSELVES AS A PARTNER IN THE SUPPLEMENTAL RE, UH, GRANT REQUEST PROGRAM.

AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS FROM, UM, THE TIME SOMEONE RAISES THEIR HAND IS AN EVENT THAT THEY WANNA QUALIFY FOR SUPPLEMENTAL GRANT, WE WILL IMPLEMENT, OR WE'RE WORKING THROUGH WHAT THOSE DETAILS LOOK LIKE TO IMPLEMENT OUR, UM, LANGUAGE OF, HEY, HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT INCORPORATING, UM, OR REACHING OUT TO THE CHAMBER FOR SUPPORT.

IF YOU GO BACK ONE SLIDE, WHAT YOU'RE GONNA SEE HERE, UM, IS THAT FIRST SCREEN WITH LIKE A LOGIN AND THERE, UM, WHETHER IT'S NOT MEMBER SPECIFIC, IT IS OPEN TO ANYBODY HERE ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND WHO HAS AN EVENT, THEY CAN LIST THEIR EVENT.

SO THAT'S KIND OF LIKE THE FOUNDATION PIECE,

[01:00:01]

WE KNOW THAT YOU'RE APPLYING FOR SUPPLEMENTAL GRANT REQUESTS, SO WE KNOW THAT IT MEETS THOSE REQUIREMENTS OF BEING 50 MILES OR FURTHER.

UM, AND THEN WE HAVE A WHOLE PR PROGRAM AND CAMPAIGN THAT IN THE OUT MARKETS IS PUSHING, HEY, CHECK OUT LOCAL EVENTS ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND.

SO THIS LOGIN IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

IT'LL BE LIKE THE FIRST STEP TO PROMOTING YOUR EVENT.

THE SECOND COMPONENT IS WORKING WITH THE AT TAX COMMITTEE AND ANGIE, TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE CAN, UM, ASK THOSE EVENTS THAT ARE APPLYING, HOW CAN WE FURTHER HELP YOU? AND THAT WOULD BE THROUGH THE FORM THAT YOU'VE CREATED.

SO WE'VE PUT TOGETHER A FORM, UH, NOW WHERE PEOPLE WHO APPLY FOR ATAC, UH, CAN COME IN AND REQUEST A LEVEL OF COLLABORATION WITH THE DMO.

UM, WHETHER THAT BE THROUGH PAID PROMOTION, UH, OBVIOUSLY ORGANIC PROMOTION, EVENT RESEARCH, PARTNERING WITH USCB, UM, GETTING PLACE I REPORTS ON THEIR, ON, UM, ON THEIR EVENTS.

SO THE IDEA WOULD BE THIS WOULD BE A MORE ELEVATED FORM OF SUPPORT, SOMETHING THAT HAS, IN SOME CASES SOME DOLLARS BEHIND IT, RATHER THAN JUST BEING ORGANIC.

UM, WITH A FOCUS ON THOSE EVENTS THAT OBVIOUSLY, UH, OUR AT TAX APPLICANTS DIDN'T DO THAT.

I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT CAME FROM.

UM, UH, UH, UH, ATEX APPLICANTS TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE ARE THE EVENTS THAT ARE REACHING THOSE, UM, VISITORS WHO ARE 50 MILES OR FURTHER OUT.

SO AGAIN, WE'RE WORKING, UM, AT THE VERY, UH, FIRST TOUCH POINT WITH THOSE EVENTS AND THOSE COM UM, GROUPS THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BROADCASTING THAT THEY HAVE AN EVENT HERE.

AND THEN ALSO A PART OF THE BUSINESS SIDE OF THAT EFFORT IN OUTREACH, WHICH IS, UM, THE ATEX COMMITTEE.

SO THAT WOULD BE KIND OF THE FOUNDATIONAL COMPONENT WITHIN THE CONTRACT.

THEY'VE ALSO REQUIRED US AND ASKED US TO WORK CLOSELY WITH, UM, AN IDENTIFIED SET OF EVENTS THAT HELP MEET NEEDS WITHIN THOSE NEED TIMEFRAMES.

SO WHETHER THOSE BE IN WINTER OR, UM, FALL TIMEFRAMES IS REALLY IN EARLY SPRING.

WE, WE'VE IDENTIFIED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH, UM, THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD, THE ONES THAT YOU SEE ACROSS THE TOP AND THE BLACK.

UM, IT'LL BE THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND GALA CELEBRATION, HILTON HEAD ISLAND WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL, HILTON HEAD ISLAND SEAFOOD FESTIVAL, UM, CONCORD, DALE LAGON AND CRESCENDO.

AND IN ADDITION, AND ONES WE'LL WORK TOWARDS THE NEW YEAR, UM, WOULD BE RBC, HERITAGE, HILTON HEAD ISLAND JAM SONGWRITER FESTIVAL IN JUNETEENTH.

UM, THAT LIST CAN EVOLVE AND CHANGE, BUT IT IS WHERE IT IS TODAY BASED ON, UM, THE DISCUSSIONS THAT WE'VE HAD.

SO WE'VE PUT PRIOR, UM, EFFORTS IN PLACE OF HOW WE'VE SUPPORTED THE, UM, FIVE THAT WE HAVE SUPPORTED FOR THE, UM, PRIOR YEAR.

AND, UM, THOSE ARE SOMETHING THAT WE'VE HAD IN PLACE.

AND THEN WE'VE LEFT ROOM TO PUT THE NEW EFFORTS IN PLACE AND WE'RE ALLOCATING, UM, AROUND $2,000, UM, IN ADDITION TO, TO PROMOTE AND PUSH THOSE EFFORTS OUT.

AND THAT IS A CONVERSATION THAT WILL LOOK A LITTLE DIFFERENT PROBABLY TO EACH, UM, EVENT.

BUT WE MEET WITH THE EVENT, UM, LEADERS AND PRIOR TO THEIR EVENT AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALIGNED.

AND AGAIN, THERE'S NO DUPLICATION AND THAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET THE, THE BIGGEST REACH, UM, AND EFFORT OUT OF THOSE $2,000.

IN ADDITION, WE'VE ALSO PUT IN PLACE OUR BUDGET FOR RESEARCH COVERAGE.

UM, IT DOES COST TO HAVE SURVEYING OUT, UM, IN, AT THE EVENT.

AND THAT RANGES DEPENDING ON HOW MANY DAYS THEY'VE REQUESTED RESEARCH.

AND THAT, UM, INTERCEPT SURVEY IS SOMETHING REQUIRED AT THE SUPPLEMENTAL LEVEL.

AND I DO WANNA CLARIFY HERE ON SOME OF THESE NUMBERS, UM, SPECIFICALLY THE, UH, PLACER NUMBERS THAT YOU'RE SEEING THERE, UM, WITH THE, UH, ATTENDANCE, UM, THAT IS IN AN EVENT THAT HAS MULTIPLE DAYS, THAT IS, UM, ONE DAY OF ATTENDANCE, LIKE ONE OF THE MARQUEE EVENTS.

SO THOSE NUMBERS LOOK LOWER FOR SOME OF THE MULTI-DAY EVENTS.

THAT'S JUST BECAUSE WE'RE LOOKING AT A SINGLE DAY IN THIS INSTANCE.

BUT OBVIOUSLY THE TOTAL NUMBER WOULD BE HIGHER MS. PRICE.

HAVE DIFFERENT KIND OF PROMOTION VEHICLES, IF YOU WILL.

FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU , UM, UNDER OUR CONTRACT.

AND I'M GLAD YOU, UH, I APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION THAT YOU'VE BEEN MAKING, AND THAT IS BY SECTIONS OF OUR NEW CONTRACT.

THAT'S REALLY HELPFUL TO LOOK AT, UM, MEASURING THE PERFORMANCE, LOOKING AT THE PERFORMANCE.

SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.

UM, AND I HAD ASKED BEFORE ABOUT PROMOTION OF LOCAL EVENTS AND HOW, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT ARE THE STATS YOU HAVE FROM THAT? AND AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, I LISTENED TO THE, UM, PRESENTATION AND QUESTIONS FROM OUR ATAC COMMITTEE OR ATAC, UM, AND THEY ASK PARTICULARLY, HOW CAN YOU HELP OUR ORGANIZATIONS? SO NOW YOU'VE ALREADY REACTED TO THAT AND, AND MADE A PLAN WITH A FORUM, UM, AND, AND ALREADY HAVE SOME DATA.

SO THAT'S VERY HELPFUL AND I, I WANNA COMMEND YOU FOR THAT.

AND I HOPE THAT THIS WILL HELP OUR LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS, MOST OF WHOM HAVING WORKED WITH NONPROFITS, UH, BEFORE, ARE SO FOCUSED ON THE EVENT ITSELF AND GETTING EVERYTHING DONE AND MAKING EVERY, UH, MAKING SURE THINGS RUN WELL.

THEY DON'T HAVE TIME TO DO STATS , AND THEY DON'T, THEY

[01:05:01]

WHEREAS WE HAVE A, A BIGGER, UM, A BIGGER ARM, IF YOU WILL, TO BE ABLE TO PROMOTE LOCAL EVENTS THROUGH THESE EFFORTS.

AND TO BE ABLE TO HAVE STATS LIKE THIS, I, I THINK SHOULD PROVE, UM, INVALUABLE.

AND SO THE, THE NUMBER THAT YOU HAVE, UM, FOR PROMOTIONAL BUDGET, DO I ADD UP ALL THOSE TWO THOUSANDS ACROSS AND COME UP WITH A TOTAL NUMBER AND THAT'S INCLUDED IN YOUR 3.7 MILLION BUDGET? YEAH.

SO THAT'S GONNA BE ALLOCATED.

THERE'S A LITTLE NOTE THERE AT THE BOTTOM THAT'S GONNA BE ALLOCATED THROUGH.

UM, UH, THE BUDGET LINE ITEMS ARE ALREADY THERE.

UM, SO WHATEVER THAT NUMBER WAS LISTED FOR, UH, I BELIEVE THEY'RE LINES ONE E AND ONE H, UH, THEY'LL BE ALLOCATED FROM THOSE LINE ITEMS. OKAY.

THIS IS FANTASTIC TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT OUR, UM, LOCAL EVENTS AND TO REALLY LEVERAGE THE POWER OF THE CHAMBER.

UH, WITH THAT.

AS, UH, COUNCILMAN BRYSON SAID, YOU KNOW, THE PEOPLE RUNNING, UM, THESE EVENTS AREN'T ALWAYS EXPERTS IN MARKETING, AND SO BEING ABLE TO HAVE, UH, ADDITIONAL SUPPORT IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

UM, SO I'M VERY, VERY PLEASED WITH THAT.

UM, THE, THE, UH, ITEM THAT YOU SHOWED WHERE ANYONE CAN GO IN AND ADD AN EVENT, THAT IS SOMETHING WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE COMMUNICATE, UH, TO PEOPLE SO THAT THEY'RE AWARE THAT THEY HAVE THAT EXTRA AVENUE OF, UH, CREATING AWARENESS.

AND I'M SURE IN OUR ATAC TRAINING, THEY'LL BE TRAINED THAT WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE TRAINING AS WELL.

UM, SO THAT THEY CAN LEVERAGE THAT.

UM, THE ATTENDANCE PIECE, UH, OF COURSE CAUGHT MY EYE AND ONE OF THE REASONS THAT IT CAUGHT MY EYE IS I DIDN'T KNOW IF IT WAS ILLUSTRATIVE OR ACTUAL.

AND, UM, THE REASON THAT I ASK THAT IS WE HAVE ANOTHER ORGANIZATION COMING HERE TODAY.

UM, AND SO ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE'RE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAD TALKED AS A TOWN ABOUT GETTING, UM, PLACER INFORMATION IS TO VALIDATE SOME OF THE NUMBERS THAT WE SEE.

'CAUSE IT IS SO HARD TO IDENTIFY HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE ATTENDING AN EVENT.

UM, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, WITH MULTI-DAY EVENTS, YOU'RE DOING ONE CAPTURE, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, THE CONCOURSE DE ELEGANCE SHOWS 2000 VISITS, BUT IN THEIR MATERIALS, THEY SHOW 18,000 ATTENDEES AND EVEN, AND IT'S ONLY A COUPLE OF DAY EVENT MM-HMM .

AND SO I, I THINK THERE'S SOME OPPORTUNITY TO FIGURE OUT HOW, HOW WE ALIGN THOSE TWO MM-HMM .

SO THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE GETTING NUMBERS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE FEEL CONFIDENT WITH.

UH, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, UH, WE CAN WORK ON.

BUT I REALLY APPRECIATE THIS.

IT'S, I LOVE THAT IT'S INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET AND WE'RE USING OUR FUNDS TO HELP SUPPORT OUR ORGANIZATIONS.

AND, UM, I THINK THIS IS A, A DEFINITE ONE.

I'LL ALSO POINT OUT JUST ON THE CONCOR PIECE, UM, WITH AN EVENT THAT'S TAKES UP THAT MUCH, YOU KNOW, AREA OF THE ISLAND, THE BIGGER THE AREA, SOMETIMES THE, UM, HARDER IT IS TO GET A, A FIRM NUMBER LIKE THAT.

SO IN ADDITION TO IT JUST BEING ONE DAY, IT ALSO IS JUST BECAUSE IT'S ACROSS THE ENTIRE GOLF COURSE, THAT CAN, UM, PLAY A PART IN THAT AS WELL.

SO I JUST WANNA EMPHASIZE THAT, UM, AS WE'RE LOOKING AT SOME OF THESE NUMBERS.

AND I THINK, AGAIN, THAT GETS TO THE LEARNINGS ON HOW WE CAN USE THIS TECHNOLOGY AND LEVERAGE IT.

SO THAT EFFORT, UM, TO WORK ALONGSIDE ANGIE, THE ATAC COMMITTEE, UM, WE'LL PUT THAT IN PLACE AND MAKE SURE IT'S FORMALIZED FOR THIS NEXT SESSION THAT GOES THROUGH.

ANYTHING.

THAT'S IT.

ANYTHING ELSE ON THAT? OKAY.

THAT'S IT.

UH, ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR, UH, THE TEAM HERE? WE'LL, WE'LL START WITH YOU, MS. BRYSON.

NONE OF THESE FIVE PARAGRAPHS MENTIONED THOSE PILLARS, THOSE NEW PILLARS, OTHER THAN THERE'S ONE OR TWO SENTENCES THAT TALK ABOUT, UM, CHANCES TO EAT SEAFOOD AND ALSO GULLAH, UH, CUISINE.

UM, FIRST OF ALL, I, I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE, UM, PROVISIONS WITHIN OUR CONTRACT, UH, WITH THE CHAMBER AS THE DESIGNATED MARKETING ORGANIZATION, UM, WHICH WE SIGNED IN DECEMBER OF LAST YEAR, SO BARELY FIVE MONTHS AGO.

UM, BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF IMPORTANT PROVISIONS THAT, YOU KNOW, SAID.

I, I APPRECIATE THAT THE REPORT FOLLOWS THOSE CONTRACT TERMS, UM, THE KEY TERMS. BUT THE ONE, AS YOU KNOW, THAT HANGS ME UP, UM, IS, AND, AND WE DIDN'T HAVE A SCREEN ABOUT IT TODAY, WHICH WAS DISAPPOINTING.

UM, AND THAT IS THE PILLARS, THE CHANGE IN THE PILLARS.

UM, SO THE, THE CONTRACT, UM, CLEARLY CALLS FOR, UH, DIFFERENT PILLARS OTHER THAN THOSE THAT YOU PROPOSED IN THE MARKETING PLAN.

UM, ARTICLE SIX, UM, ROMAN NUMERAL ONE SAYS, MARKETING APPROVAL SAYS THE MARKETING PLAN SHALL NOT, MAY SHALL DEMONSTRATE ADHERENCE TO THE PROMOTION OF THE TOWN'S GOAL OF SUSTAINABLE AND RESPONSIBLE TOURISM PRACTICES IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE TOWN'S STRATEGIC PLAN BY PROMOTING THESE ITEMS, ECOTOURISM, ARTS AND CULTURE, HILTON HEAD, ISLAND HISTORY, WELLNESS AND RECREATION, UH,

[01:10:01]

HEREIN THE CORE VALUES.

AND TO ME, THIS IS, UM, AN ESSENTIAL TERM, UM, IN OUR AGREEMENT.

IT'S WHAT WE AGREED TO.

IT'S WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING FOR YEARS.

I WENT BACK AND LOOKED AT MARKETING PLANS FROM PREVIOUS YEARS, , AND I CAN CLEARLY SEE THE LINE OF ECOTOURISM.

UM, BUT IT, IT'S DISAPPEARED.

UM, THE NEW PILLARS ARE COASTAL OUTDOORS, GOLF, RACKET AND SPORTS, CULINARY AND DINING, CULTURAL AND CULTURE AND HERITAGE EVENTS AND COMMUNITY.

UM, AND, AND SO FOR ME, PARTICULARLY, ECOTOURISM DISAPPEARS.

UM, AND, AND THIS WILL BE TODAY THE FIFTH TIME I'VE MENTIONED THIS MM-HMM .

UM, I ACTUALLY LOOKED BACK ON MY CALENDAR TO FIND, SO I'D HAVE ACTUAL DATES.

UM, NOVEMBER 17TH, 2025, UM, I MET WITH, AND, AND COUNCIL MEMBERS MET WITH THE CONSULTANT, THE CHAMBER WORKING ON THE CHAMBERS, THE CHAMBERS STRAP PLAN, NOT THE DMO, NOT THE TOWN STRAP PLAN, BUT THE CHAMBER STRAP PLAN.

AND AT THAT TIME, I RAISED THE QUESTION ABOUT THESE PILLARS AND HOW THEY DID NOT COMPORT WITH THE PILLARS WE'VE BEEN USING FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW.

UM, ON DECEMBER 9TH, 2025 AT THE TOWN COUNCIL MEETING WHERE THERE WAS A QUARTERLY REPORT ON DMO MARKETING, I AGAIN RAISED, UM, THE QUESTION ABOUT THE STATUS OF THE WORK ON THE CHAMBER'S, WORK ON THE CHAMBER OF STRAT PLAN, AND UNDERSTOOD THAT THE STRAT PLAN WOULD BE ADOPTED THIS YEAR, 2026 CALENDAR YEAR.

AND I MENTIONED MY CONCERN ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE PROPOSED PILLARS AND THE PILLARS THAT WE HAD AGREED TO, UM, AND ESPECIALLY ECOTOURISM.

AND I UNDERSTOOD FROM THE CHAMBER REPRESENTATIVE THAT YOU WOULD GO BACK TO THE STRAT PLAN CONSULTANT AND CONVEY THAT CONCERN.

THEN ON DECEMBER 18TH, 2025, AT A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE TOWN COUNCIL, WHEN WE APPROVED THE NEW CONTRACT, I REMARKED SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE MARKETING FOCUS BEING OUR CORE VALUES.

AND I READ THAT SAME LANGUAGE OUT THAT DAY SAYING, I'M SO GLAD THAT WE'RE STILL CONTINUING THOSE CORE VALUES.

AND THE MARKETING PLAN.

ON MARCH 31, WHEN WE HAD OUR WORKSHOP, WE REVIEWED, UM, THE MARKETING PLAN.

AND WHEN I SAW, AGAIN, THOSE NEW PILLARS, I WAS ALARMED.

AND I ASKED ABOUT A BREACH OF THE CONTRACT OF A MATERIAL TERM, NOTING THAT IT WAS BARELY THREE MONTHS SINCE WE HAD SIGNED A CONTRACT THAT SAYS SPECIFICALLY THAT THE MARKETING PLAN SHALL INCLUDE THOSE FIVE PILLARS, AND THEY DON'T APPEAR ON THAT SAME DAY OF THE WORKSHOP.

UH, WE WERE PROVIDED, UH, TWO VOLUMES FROM CONDE NAST.

CONDE NAST, GREAT ORGANIZATION, THEY'RE TRAVELER MAGAZINE.

UM, I LOOK AT IT WHENEVER I CAN.

I DON'T PERSONALLY SUBSCRIBE TO IT, BUT I, I, I HAVE FRIENDS WHO DO, AND I ALWAYS LOOK AT IT.

SO THIS TIME I LOOKED AT PARTICULARLY THE VOLUME FROM NOVEMBER, 2025, THE ARTICLE ABOUT HILTON HEAD ISLAND.

NOW, MOST OF THESE ARTICLES ARE SHORT, SO MOST PEOPLE LIKE ME GO LIKE, GREAT PICTURES.

THAT'S GREAT SITE.

I WANNA GO THERE.

LET ME GO AND LOOK UP SOME MORE ABOUT THAT SITE.

AS YOU GUYS KNOW, I LIKE TO TRAVEL.

UM, SO I LOOKED AT THE PARAGRAPHS IN HERE, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 PARAGRAPHS, AND I'M GONNA READ TWO OF THE PARAGRAPHS FOR YOU, WHICH AGAIN, ALARMED ME AS TO THE CHANGE IN THESE PILLARS.

HERE'S THE FIRST PARAGRAPH I'M GONNA READ SECOND PER PARAGRAPH IN THE ARTICLE.

THE ISLAND IS SO MUCH MORE THAN A BEACH ESCAPE.

IT'S AN ECO MINDED COMMUNITY THAT INVITES SLOW INTENTIONAL TRAVEL.

VISIONARY DEVELOPER CHARLES FRASER SET THE STANDARD EARLY ON SHAPING HILTON NET ISLAND WITH A CONSERVATION FIRST APPROACH THAT HAS PRESERVED 12 MILES OF UNSPOILED SHORELINE AND ACRES OF PROTECTED FOREST AND WETLANDS.

IT'S A PLACE WHERE EVERY TRAVELER AND EVERY FAMILY MEMBER CAN FIND WHAT SPEAKS TO THEM, WHETHER THAT'S PEACEFUL RELAXATION ON YOUR OWN OR A GROUP BIKE RIDE FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY.

IT GOES ON IN THE NEXT PARAGRAPH TO SAY, AND I'M NOT, THIS ONE'S A LITTLE BIT LONGER, I WON'T READ THE WHOLE THING HERE.

PRESERVATION AND PLAY GO HAND IN HAND FOR TRAVELERS SEEKING OUTDOOR ADVENTURE, THIS NATURAL PLAYGROUND.

AND IT GOES ON TO TALK ABOUT, UM, NATURE LOVERS CAN EXPLORE THE SEA PINES FOREST PRESERVE, WHERE BOARDWALKS ON THEIR WAY THROUGH ANCIENT WETLANDS AND CENTURIES OLD SHELL RINGS, WHISPER TALES OF INDIGENOUS LIFE.

SPEAKING TO HISTORY, IT MENTIONS PINKNEY ISLAND.

UM, AS YOU NAVIGATE THESE TRAILS AND WATERWAYS, YOU WILL COME TO UNDERSTAND HOW SINCERE AND FAR REACHING THIS ISLAND'S, THIS ISLAND'S COMMITMENT TO CONSERVATION REALLY IS ENSURING THAT GENERATIONS TO COME CAN EXPERIENCE THE FLORA AND FAUNA THAT MAKE THIS PLACE SO SPECIAL.

[01:15:01]

UM, SO, SO MY POINT IS, I, I CANNOT APPROVE A MARKETING PLAN THAT CHANGES THESE PILLARS.

UM, IT IT, YOU KNOW, AS I SAID, I PLAY GOLF.

MY HUSBAND'S PLAYING TENNIS RIGHT NOW, .

UM, SO THE NEW PILLARS INCLUDE GOLF AND RACKET SPORTS, BUT IT'S NOT MENTIONED IN THE CONDE NAST ARTICLE.

EVENTS AND COMMUNITY.

I, I'M GLAD WE'RE PROMOTING LOCAL EVENTS AND COMMUNITY THAT IS SO IMPORTANT.

BUT A LOT OF THOSE LOCAL EVENTS AND COMMUNITY ARE RELATED TO THOSE THINGS THAT I'VE TALKED ABOUT, THE PILLARS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT.

SO, I, I, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE'RE GOING TO THROW AWAY SOMETHING THAT IS SO ESSENTIAL, SUCH A CORE VALUE TO OUR COMMUNITY HERE.

WE WANT PEOPLE TO COME HERE.

IT SUPPORTS OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES, IT SUPPORTS OUR ECONOMY, BUT WE WANT FOLKS TO VALUE WHAT WE VALUE.

AND WHEN WE TAKE OUT OUR ENVIRONMENT AND THAT COMMUNITY VALUE, THEN WE HAVE LOST SOMETHING VERY CRITICAL, NOT JUST TO OUR MARKETING AND OUR BUSINESSES, AND NOT JUST TO THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE, BUT INDEED TO OUR ENVIRONMENT.

WE DON'T WANT NUMBERS OF PEOPLE WHO COME AND TRASH OUR BEACHES.

WE WANT FOLKS WHO VALUE OUR ENVIRONMENT.

WE WANT FOLKS WHO VALUE THE HERITAGE HERE.

THOSE SHOULD BE THE FOCUSES OF OUR MARKETING.

YOU CAN TELL I'M STILL UPSET ABOUT THIS.

ALL THE OTHER STUFF HAS BEEN GREAT.

DON'T GET ME WRONG ABOUT THAT.

IT'S MUCH IMPROVED.

I WENT TO THE THINK WEBSITE THIS WEEKEND BECAUSE I REMEMBERED FROM THE WORKSHOP, AND I WANTED TO SEE THAT BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE A LOT OF THE DATA APPEARS NOW, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.

BUT HERE'S SOMETHING I ALSO NOTICED, AND THAT IS THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON DESIGNATED DESTINATION MARKETING PLAN.

AND FOR 25, 26, I LOOKED AT THEIR EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, AND THEY HAVE SIX PILLARS, IF YOU WILL.

ONE OF THEIR PILLARS IS GULLAH GEECHEE CULTURAL HERITAGE CORRIDOR.

ANOTHER ONE IS HISTORY, CULTURAL AND ARTS.

THEY MENTION NATURAL BEAUTY, WATERWAYS AND PARKS.

AND THEN THEY MENTION LOCAL CULINARY AND LOCAL MARKET EXPERIENCES.

AND THEN THEY MENTION THE SPECIFIC DESTINATION WE WANT TO BE KNOWN FOR WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT.

PEOPLE DON'T COME HERE.

I REMEMBER YOUR CONSULTANT AT OUR WORKSHOP SAYING, PEOPLE LOOK FOR SPECIFIC THINGS.

THEY LOOK FOR VEGETARIAN, DIM SUM AND BLUFFTON .

NOW, I'M A PESCATARIAN.

THAT MEANS I'M A VEGETARIAN WHO EATS FISH.

I WOULD NEVER GO TO BLUFFTON TO LOOK FOR VEGETARIAN DUM SUM.

I MIGHT GO TO SAN FRANCISCO OR SOME OTHER MARKET.

I MIGHT GO TO CHARLESTON OR SAVANNAH WHERE THEY'RE KNOWN FOR THEIR FOODIE CULTURE, OR ASHEVILLE WHERE I USED TO LIVE.

I WANT US TO PROMOTE OUR LOCAL CULINARY FOLKS.

WE HAVE WONDERFUL RESTAURANTS HERE.

WE HAVE FARM TO TABLE.

WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, SEAFOOD TO TABLE, BUT THE FOCUS SHOULD BE THOSE PILLARS THAT WE IDENTIFIED OVER THE YEARS AND NOT THE NEW PILLARS.

AND I CANNOT APPROVE THE MARKETING PLAN WITH THOSE NEW PILLARS.

THAT WE SUPPORT AND THAT WE PROMOTE ABOUT BEING MINDFUL AND CONSCIOUS OF THE ENVIRONMENT ALL COME FROM OUR COMMUNITY.

IS THERE A RESPONSE FROM THE TEAM? YES.

AND COUNCILMAN, UH, WOMAN BRYSON, THANK YOU FOR YOUR FEEDBACK.

I KNOW THAT THIS IS, UM, A, A BIG POINT FOR YOU AND A PASSIONATE POINT FOR YOU.

UM, AND I JUST HAVE TO REITERATE AND, UM, ADVOCATE FOR THE WORK THAT'S BEING DONE.

THE PILLARS ARE, AS WE SAW THEM STANDING, UM, AND I'M GONNA SHOW A VISUAL OF THESE THAT WE ARE FAMILIAR WITH IN THIS FORM FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.

UM, THOSE ARE BEING TRACKED AND THEY WILL CONTINUE TO BE TRACKED AGAINST THE PILLARS THAT WERE REIMAGINED IN THE WAY THAT, UM, YOU'RE SEEING IT IN AS IN THIS FORM.

SPEAK TO ALL OF THOSE FORMS, UM, AND, AND THE PILLARS THAT YOU'VE SEEN.

UM, AND I THINK WHAT WE'RE SAYING TO YOU IS IN THE MARKETING PLAN THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO TRACK.

AND THESE ARE ALL OF THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE, AS YOU CAN SEE WITHIN OUR, UM, ISLAND KIND EFFORT THAT'S OUT RIGHT NOW AND BEING PUSHED.

THAT WAS AN, UM, AN EVOLUTION FROM MAKE THE PROMISE.

UM, AND WE'RE WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH THE TOWN, EVERYTHING THAT WE SPEAK TO.

AND YOU CALLED OUT THE CONDE NASTA ARTICLE, AND I WANT IT JUST FOR, FOR RECORD TO NOTE THAT THAT IS ONE ARTICLE, ONE COMPONENT OF OUR EFFORT THAT IS MULTIFACETED.

WE ARE NOT JUST PUTTING ONE ARTICLE OUT THAT SPEAK TO ONLY THOSE THINGS, BUT I THINK THAT WE'VE HELD HANDS IN THE PAST THAT WE SPEAK TO THE BREADTH OF WORK IN WHICH WE CONSTANTLY ARE SPEAKING AGAINST THESE PIECES.

NOT ONLY IS IT ARE WE SPEAKING TO IT, THE INITIATIVES

[01:20:01]

WE ARE COMMUNITY FIRST, COMMUNITY CENTRIC IN OUR EFFORTS, AND THAT WE WORK VERY HARD AND THAT WE SIT ALONGSIDE NOT ONLY THE TOWN, BUT ALSO OUR COMMUNITY.

AND THAT WE HAD OVER 175 PLUS, YOU KNOW, UM, ENGAGEMENTS WHEN WE WERE RE UH, VAMPING OUR STRATEGIC PLAN THAT STILL FALLS IN AND SUPPORTS THE TOWN'S, UM, STRATEGIC EFFORTS AS WELL AS THEIR LARGER OUR PLAN.

WE CONTINUE TO MAKE THOSE EFFORTS ALONGSIDE AND BE IN LOCKSTEP WITH YOU.

UM, SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON THESE FIVE PILLARS THAT MEAN SO MUCH TO US AS A COMMUNITY.

UM, AND WE WILL TRACK AGAINST THOSE SO WE CAN REPORT OUT TO THEM.

AND THOSE ARE IN THE MARKETING PLAN.

THESE ARE JUST, UM, A DIFFERENT WAY.

YEAH, THEY ARE ACTUALLY IN THE MARKETING PLAN.

UM, PATSY, THE, UH, I'M SORRY, COUNCIL, SHE HAD TO PULL IT UP FOR ME.

I I DID.

I DIDN'T HAVE THAT.

THE SHARED VALUES ARE THERE, AND THEN THE TRANSLATION INTO HOW THOSE WILL SHOW UP TO THE PUBLIC IS THERE AS WELL.

SO WE DIDN'T LOSE THEM.

WE ADDED THEM BACK SO THAT THEY WERE A PART OF THE MARKETING PLAN.

THEY ARE BOTH GOING TO BE REPORTED ON.

AND THE, THE PART THAT IS, UM, OUTWARD FACING TO THE MARKET IS MORE ALIGNED WITH WHAT RESONATES WITH OUR VISITORS NOT TO, UM, UH, NOT TO SAY THAT THE, UM, ECOTOURISM IS NOT IMPORTANT.

THAT IS A CRITICAL PART OF JUST ABOUT ALL OF WHAT WE DO HERE.

SO, UM, THEY ARE IN THE, THE MARKETING PLAN.

SORRY, YOU'RE, YOU'RE LOOKING AT SOMETHING ON YOUR IPAD.

I'M PULLING UP MINE FROM TODAY.

UM, SO WHERE IN THE MARKETING PLAN DOES THIS NOW APPEAR? IT WAS NOT IN WHAT I SAW OF THE WEEKEND.

UM, COULD GO WHERE TO GO.

PAGE 13, .

PAGE 14, 13 OR 14 IN THE ANNUAL PACKAGE THERE.

SO WE WERE JUST SHOWING THE PRESENTATION FOR IT'S RIGHT AFTER.

YEAH, IT'S SHORTLY AFTER THIS.

THERE WE GO BACK.

ONE MORE GOING THE WRONG WAY.

NO, IT'S BACK FURTHER, RIGHT? YEP.

ONE MORE.

THERE WE GO.

SO EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE DOING HERE IS STILL CHARTING TOWARDS THESE FIVE.

WE'RE JUST SHOWCASING AND WE'RE DEFINING OUR COMMUNITY CORNERSTONE THAT WE USE OUR SHARED VALUES AS A COMMUNITY AS WELL AS WITH THE TOWN AND PARTNERSHIP.

AND THEN FROM THERE, JUST HOW WE'RE BREAKING THOSE DOWN A LITTLE BIT FURTHER ON THE NEXT COUPLE PAGES IS JUST HOW WE'RE SPEAKING TO THEM.

EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE TRACKED TOWARDS THESE SHARED VALUES.

SO NOTHING COUNCILWOMAN, UM, BRYSON IS, IS ESSENTIALLY CHANGING.

WE ARE STILL CHARTED AND ALIGNED ON OUR FIVE YEAH.

NICE PICTURES.

UM, NICE TO HAVE THOSE IN THERE.

UM, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE MARKETING PLAN, AND THEN CAN YOU GO FORWARD TO THE NEXT PAGE? THANK, THANK YOU, CINDY.

SO THERE, , THESE WERE CALLED OUT WITH SPECIFIC ITEMS. GO BACK TO THE PREVIOUS PAGE.

NICE PICTURES WITH, WITH NAMES.

UM, AND THEN I'M GONNA LOOK OVER HERE AT YOUR DEFINING COMMUNITY CORNERSTONE.

IT'S NOT THE SAME.

IF YOU LOOK IN THE 20 25, 20 26 DEMONSTRATING OUR VALUES, THERE'S PARAGRAPHS, AND I APOLOGIZE, THIS COPY OF THE PAGE, I, I CAN MAYBE PULL UP THE WHOLE THING HERE.

UM, BUT THIS IS ON PAGE EIGHT OF THE CURRENT MARKETING PLAN.

TO SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT'S MISSING FROM THIS, THESE VISITOR EXPERIENCES ASSOCIATED WITH THE VALUES ON THE OTHER PAGE.

THERE'S A PARAGRAPH ABOUT ECOTOURISM HERE.

WE JUST HAVE A NICE PICTURE.

IF YOU LOOK AT ARTS AND CULTURE, THERE'S A PARAGRAPH ABOUT THAT.

THERE'S A NICE PICTURE HERE.

UM, IT'S VERY, VERY DIFFERENT RECREATION.

AND THERE'S A BIKE SHOWN IN RECREATION.

NOW, GO TO THE NEXT PAGE.

LOOK, THERE'S, THERE'S NOT PARAGRAPHS, BUT THERE'S BULLETS ABOUT ALL THESE NEW PILLARS.

IT'S NOT THE SAME.

IT'S NICE.

UH, FIVE NICE PICTURES IN THE NEW MARKETING PLAN, BUT NOT THE FEATURED CORE VALUES, WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT THE CONTRACT CALLS FOR.

THIS DOES NOT MEET THE CONTRACT TERMS. OKAY.

UM, I'VE GOT SOME COMMENTS, BUT I'LL, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD TO THE DISCUSSION, MS. TURNER? WELL, AS I'VE SAID BEFORE, FIRST OF ALL, I RESPECT COUNCILMAN BRYSON'S, UM, POINT OF VIEW AND, AND FEELINGS ABOUT THIS.

UM, AND WHERE I MENTIONED BEFORE, THE WAY I SEE IT IS THE PRIOR PAGE IS YOUR STRATEGIC VALUES AND THE, AND THEN THE PAGE THAT WE HAVE IN FRONT OF IT ARE THE TACTICALS THAT ALIGN UNDERNEATH THEIR STRATEGIC.

AND WE TALKED ABOUT TRYING TO MAP THOSE SO THAT IT IS CLEARER HOW THOSE TWO PIECES, UH, ALIGN, UM,

[01:25:01]

AND, UM, I'M NOT SURE THAT THAT WILL, UM, YOU KNOW, MEET EVERYTHING THAT, UH, COUNCILMAN BRYSON IS LOOKING FOR, BUT I THINK IT HELPS TO SHOW HOW THE TWO PIECES INTERSECT.

AND THAT'S JUST HOW I SEE THAT.

AND COUNCILWOMAN, UH, TENOR, ANGIE AND I HAVE DONE THAT EXERCISE AND, AND MASH, BUT WE CAN MAKE THAT MORE OF A PUBLIC OPPORTUNITY, OR AT LEAST BRING THAT TO, UM, TO THE GROUP AS A WHOLE SO WE CAN LOOK AT IT TOGETHER.

SO JUST TO ADD, UM, AS YOU ALL SHOW UP IN FRONT OF FULL COUNCIL WITH THIS ENHANCEMENT MM-HMM .

UM, I, I, I THINK THE BACK END OF IT, UM, IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

WE'RE GOING TO OBVIOUSLY ASSOCIATE SOME TYPE OF METRIC WITH THESE AS WELL AS THE CORE VALUES.

AND THAT RETURN, SO TO SPEAK, I THINK IS GONNA BE VERY IMPORTANT AS HOW THAT'S DISPLAYED AND COMMUNICATED.

UM, TO MS. BRYSON'S POINT, UM, I'M JUST THINKING AHEAD.

WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE A CONVERSATION NEXT YEAR AND NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT BIKING MEANT TO OUR COMMUNITY UNDER ECOTOURISM.

WE, WE'VE GOT TO UNDERSTAND THAT.

UM, SO I THINK THERE'S A WAY TO GET THERE.

UM, AND, UM, I WOULD, UH, STRONGLY ENCOURAGE THAT WHEN YOU SEE US AGAIN.

UM, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE SORT OF LEAD WITH, UM, AND HAVE SOME, UH, JUST NICE PRETTY SLIDES TO SHOW WHERE WE'RE GOING.

UM, OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A CONCERN OF MS. BRYSON.

WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ALL CON CONTINUE THIS EFFORT OF TYING THINGS TOGETHER.

I'M GONNA PAUSE WITH US FOR A MOMENT, UM, BECAUSE AGAIN, WE HAVE OUR COLLEAGUES IN THE ROOM.

ANYBODY WANT TO COMMENT? YES.

MS. BECCA, PLEASE.

THANK YOU, UM, FOR INVITING US UP TO, TO SPEAK THIS MORNING.

UM, AND I DO WANNA TAKE A MOMENT AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

I THINK THAT THE WORK THAT THE CHAMBER DMO HAS DONE WITH THE TOWN WITH THE NEW CONTRACT IS, IS HISTORIC FOR HILTON HEAD.

THE TRANSPARENCY, THE COOPERATION, THE PARTNERSHIP, THE COLLABORATION IS EVIDENCED IN EVERYTHING THAT WE JUST SAW.

AND THEN I WANNA ADDRESS THE TOPIC THAT YOU WERE JUST SPEAKING TO.

FOR ME, I AGREE WITH, UM, COUNCILWOMAN HUNTER, THIS IS THE TACTICS.

THIS IS WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO EMPLOY.

AND AS WE EMPLOY THAT, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE REACHED OUT TO THOSE WHO ARE LOOKING AT THIS AND FINDING WAYS TO RELATE IT TO THEIR LIVES AND THEIR INTERESTS.

IN MY OPINION, I APPRECIATE THE WAY THAT THIS HAS BEEN DONE AND THE WAY IT'S BEEN PRESENTED, AND I HOPE THAT WE CONTINUE TO EXACT, DO EXACTLY WHAT'S BEEN PRESENTED HERE TODAY.

THIS EXPLAINS TO ANYONE WHO IS INTERESTED IN COMING TO HILTON HOOD AND FINDING WHAT IT IS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO DO, WHAT THEY'D LIKE TO KNOW, WHAT THEY'D LIKE TO EXPLORE, LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT WE STAND FOR AND HOW TO FIND THOSE VALUES WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.

SO THANK YOU FOR THE GOOD WORK THAT WAS DONE IN PRESENTING THIS IN THIS FORMAT, AND I HOPE THAT IT CONTINUES TO BE THE PRIMARY WAY THAT WE MARKET TO THE PUBLIC.

THANK YOU, MS. BECCA.

SO YOU HAVE ONE OTHER THING.

GO AHEAD, PLEASE.

YES, I DO.

I DO HAVE ONE OTHER THING ON A DIFFERENT TOPIC.

MOVING ON TO METRICS.

SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT THE METRICS AS IDENTIFIED IN THE CONTRACT, AND THEN ON THE CONTRACT IT ALSO SAYS THAT, UH, TO INCLUDE, BUT NOT LIMITED TO.

SO, UM, I KNOW ONE OF THE THINGS IN THE CONTRACT TALKS ABOUT THE ECONOMIC, UM, BREAKOUT OF HOW VISITORS SPEND THEIR MONEY.

AND IN THE CONTRACT IT SAYS BY INDIVIDUAL AND THAT REALLY DOESN'T RESONATE.

AND, UM, SO I WOULD ASK THAT WE LOOK AT THAT BY PARTY, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S HOW IT'S DONE IN THE, UM, SURVEY MM-HMM .

AND IT'S JUST A LOT MORE MEANINGFUL.

UH, IT'S HARD TO TRANSLATE, YOU KNOW, THAT I, I HAVE A AIRBNB AND I SPLIT IT BETWEEN HOW MANY PEOPLE, UM, YOU KNOW, SO I WOULD JUST ASK FOR THAT.

AND THEN THE SECOND PIECE IS, AND I'VE SAID, UM, I'LL CONTINUE WITH THIS MESSAGE JUST TO MAKE SURE.

UM, WE ALWAYS NEED TO COMPARE OUR METRICS TO SOMETHING.

SO COMPARING IT TO THE PRIOR YEAR AT THE SAME PERIOD AGAIN, SO THAT WE CAN SEE IF WE'RE IMPROVING, UM, NOT IMPROVING, MAINTAINING, ET CETERA.

IT JUST GIVES A GOOD REFERENCE POINT.

[01:30:01]

UH, SO I'M UNDERSTANDING FROM, FROM STAFF, Y'ALL CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG HERE.

UH, MR. BIRD AND MS. STONE, UM, WE ARE NOT TAKING OFFICIAL ACTION ON THIS.

UM, THE CHAMBER TEAM, AS WELL AS STAFF HAVE CAPTURED THE COMMENTS AND THE CONCERNS AND THERE WILL BE AN ADDITIONAL PRESENTATION TO FULL TOWN COUNCIL AT SOME POINT JUNE 9TH, I THINK IT IS THAT CORRECT? AM I? YES.

OKAY, PERFECT.

SO YOU GUYS HAVE THE INFORMATION WE LOOK FORWARD TO, TO SEEING YOU SOON.

APPRECIATE IT.

UH, I GUESS I SHOULD TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THAT.

UM, , ANYBODY SIGNED UP? UH, SANDA? YES, MR. WILLIAMS? I'LL PASS.

UM, MR. HOAGLAND, YOU START THE, START THE CLOCK OVER IF YOU GET IT ON ZERO, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE.

SKIP HOAGLAND WINDMILL HARBOR.

EXCUSE MY HAT.

YOU RECENTLY VOTED TO ILLEGALLY CONTINUE TRANSFERRING APPROXIMATELY 8 MILLION IN TAXPAYER FUNDS FOR THE CHAMBER AND BILL MILES HERE TODAY.

THAT VOTE WAS MADE DESPITE DECADES OF UNANSWERED QUESTIONS ABOUT FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTING, INDEPENDENT OVERSIGHT, AND ILLEGAL CRIMINAL USE OF OUR TAX FUNDS.

ALAN PERRY HERE TODAY SAID HE SAW RECEIPTS OF INVOICES FOR TAX USE WITH BILL MILES.

WHERE IS IT? SO TODAY I'M ASKING EACH OF YOU A DIRECT QUESTION.

TAMARA, MELINDA, ALEX IS A WASTE OF TIME.

ARE YOU WILLING RIGHT NOW TO REQUIRE FULL COMPLIANCE WITH FOIA PUBLIC RECORD LAWS REGARDING HOW EVERY TAXPAYER DOLLAR TRANSFER OF THE CHAMBER WAS SPENT? ALL ILLEGAL ADVERTISING AND SPONSORSHIP REVENUES GENERATED, ALL COMPENSATION PAID TO BILL MILES, ALL CONTRACTS AND VENDOR PAYMENTS.

WHY IRS FEDERAL TAX OBLIGATIONS WERE VIOLATED CAUSING TAX EVASION ALL A TAX FUNDS SENT TO CANADA OVER 2 MILLION.

THIS IS NOT COMPLICATED, MELINDA.

IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY DURING YOUR CAMPAIGNS.

YOU ASK THE PUBLIC FOR TRUST, YOU TOOK AN OATH TO PROTECT TAXPAYER MONEY AND PROVIDE OVERSIGHT LIKE YOUR OWN MONEY.

A VOTE TO CONTINUE FUNDING WITHOUT TRANSPARENCY IS NOT OVERSIGHT.

IT'S BREAKING THE LAW.

OVERSIGHT MEANS VERIFICATION.

SO I'M ASKING YOU TONIGHT, WILL YOU COMMIT TO FORCING FULL DISCLOSURE AND COMPLIANCE WITH FOER REQUESTS REGARDING CHAMBER AND DMO FINANCIAL RECORDS? YES OR NO? THE CHAMBERS VIOLATED THE NEW CONTRACT.

WILL YOU CANCEL THIS AGREEMENT AND HIRE A NEW LEGAL DMO AD AGENCY? BECAUSE WHEN PUBLIC OFFICIALS CONTINUE FUNDING MILLIONS OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS WITHOUT REGARDING FULL ACCOUNTABILITY ABILITY, THEY ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY AND LIABILITY FOR THAT DECISION.

THE PUBLIC DESERVES TRANSPARENCY AND ANSWERS.

MELINDA, PATSY, WILL YOU COMPLY? YES OR NO? ALEX, WHAT CAN, WHAT QUALIFICATIONS DO YOU HAVE TO SERVE AS CHAIRMAN OF A FINANCE COMMITTEE? SHOULDN'T THIS BE AN INDEPENDENT CPA FROM OUR COMMUNITY? NOT AN INSIDER LIKE YOU WHO VOTES IN FAVOR OF ILLEGAL TAX USE? WHY ISN'T OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR OF DAVID BYRD STOPPING THIS? ALEX, YOU TALK ABOUT COLONIZATION, YET YOU STILL VOTE IN FAVOR OF TAX ROBBERY TO BOTH THE BLACK AND WHITE RESIDENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY.

THIS CHAMBER PRESENTATION IS A FRAUD.

TOURISM IS GENERATED FOR FREE BY AI, SOCIAL, SOCIAL, UH, UH, UH, LOCAL, UH, UH, LOCAL SEARCH AND, UH, ALL MEDIA.

THIS IS ABOUT ILLEGAL CRIMINAL TAX USE.

IT'S NOT ABOUT, UH, HEADS AND BEDS.

SHOW ME THE MONEY.

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU BOOKED A HOTEL ROOM ON A CHAMBER WEBSITE? AS MAYOR, I WILL FIX THIS IN 72 HOURS.

IT'S GOT TO END.

YOU KEEP ON LISTENING TO THESE PRESENTATIONS THAT ARE FRAUDULENT.

IT'S RIDICULOUS.

IT'S ABOUT ILLEGAL CRIMINAL USE OF OUR TAX MONEY.

YOU PEOPLE ARE AVOIDING THAT.

WHY? ANYONE ELSE, CINDY, SIGNED UP? NO, SIR.

ANYONE ELSE WANNA SPEAK TO THIS TOPIC? SEEING NONE.

WE WILL MOVE ON.

CONSIDERATION OF

[5.b. Consideration of a Resolution Authorizing the Town Manager to Execute an Intergovernmental Agreement with the South Carolina Department of Transportation for the Sea Pines Circle Improvement Project - Shawn Gillen, Assistant Town Manager]

A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE TOWN MANAGER TO EXECUTE AN INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT WITH THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FOR THE SEA POND CIRCLE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT.

AND WE HAVE ASSISTANT TOWN MANAGER SEAN GILLAND, HERE TO PRESENT.

WELCOME SIR.

UH, MR. CHAIR COUNCIL, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US.

UH, THE INE CIRCLE PROJECT IS, UH, UH, HAS BEEN

[01:35:01]

MOVING FORWARD.

IT CAME, WE CAME TO THE CONCLUSION WITH THE, UH, SOUTH CAROLINA DOT THAT IT WOULD BE BEST FOR THEM TO MANAGE THE INITIAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE, OF THE PLAN FOR THE INE CIRCLE.

WHAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU IS AN AGREEMENT WITH SOUTH CAROLINA DOT THAT, UH, TRANSFERS $300,000, UH, FROM THE CITY, WHICH IS IN THE BUDGET TO THE, THE DOT.

THEY'LL TAKE THE, UM, INE CIRCLE PROJECT TO ABOUT 30% DESIGN.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS TO NOTE IN THE AGREEMENT IS WE SET UP, UH, PROTECTIONS.

THIS ISN'T JUST AN OPEN CHECKBOOK, THIS IS IF IT GOES TO 300,000 AND IT LOOKS LIKE IT MIGHT GO OVER, THEY HAVE TO HIT PAUSE.

COME TO THE TOWN COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL FOR ANY, UM, INCREASE IN FUNDING OR SCALE BACK IN SCOPE.

SO THAT'S THE ESSENCE OF WHAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU.

IF I AM HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

AND THANKS TO OUR CIP TEAM, DON ADAM HERE IN THE BACK WHO DID THE HEAVY LIFTING ON THIS, SO, OKAY.

UH, MS. DONNA.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.

UM, I KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CONVERSATION ABOUT THE SEA PINE CIRCLE AND AT ONE POINT IN TIME THERE WAS SOME DESIGN AND OPTIONS THAT WERE LOOKED AT.

I WAS NOT ON COUNCIL AT THE TIME THAT, UH, THAT OCCURRED, SO I'M NOT AS FAMILIAR, FAMILIAR WITH THAT WORK.

UM, I, BUT I DO HAVE A SERIES OF QUESTIONS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO ASK.

UM, IN THE DOCUMENT, IT SAID, AS IT WAS DECIDED THAT THE PROJECT WOULD BE LED BY SOUTH CAROLINA DOT.

CAN YOU TALK ABOUT HOW THAT DECISION WAS MADE AND WHY? IT WAS, UH, WITH THE, WITH THE, UH, CIP STAFF, TALKING WITH THE DOT STAFF AND THE MOST EFFICIENT WAY TO GET THIS TO, UH, SOME SORT OF DESIGN PHASE THAT'S, WE COULD HAVE SOMETHING TO LOOK AT, UH, IS, UH, RATHER THAN HAVING OUR TEAM AND OUR CONSULTANT DO THE DESIGN WORK, GO TO DOT FOR APPROVALS, WE WOULD JUST HAND IT TO THEM TO TAKE IT TO THAT 30% DESIGN.

THAT'S REALLY THE, IN ESSENCE, HOW IT WAS DECIDED.

UM, YEAH, AND AS I THOUGHT ABOUT IT, WE WOULD NEED DOT APPROVAL ANYWAY BECAUSE THREE OF THE FOUR ROADS, UH, CONNECTING ARE WITHIN THEIR PURVIEW.

UM, SO, OKAY.

SO THIS IS OUR OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS WHETHER THAT'S THE APPROACH THAT WE WANNA TAKE.

UM, HAVE WE DONE OTHER PROJECTS LIKE THIS? HAVE, HAVE, I DO.

HAS THE TOWN HAS THE, AND YOU KNOW, YOU HAVEN'T BEEN IN THE, AT THE TOWN VERY LONG, BUT I WAS WONDERING IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE DONE BEFORE, UH, WORKING FROM MEMORY.

I BELIEVE THIS, THERE HAS BEEN AGREEMENTS OF THIS NATURE IN THE PAST, BUT I CAN'T GIVE YOU THE SPECIFIC EXAMPLE.

I'D HAVE TO GO BACK AND ASK.

'CAUSE ONE OF MY QUESTIONS WOULD BE WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED FROM THAT, UH, EXPERIENCE? DID IT GO WELL? UM, DID WE FIND SOME THINGS THAT DID NOT GO WELL THAT WE MIGHT WANNA CONSIDER AS WE PUT THIS AGREEMENT TOGETHER? AND, AND MAYBE YOU CAN SPEAK TO YOUR EXPERIENCE IN DOING THIS IN OTHER PLACES, I THINK YEAH, I COULD SPEAK TO THAT.

I THINK WHAT WE DID IN THIS WAS TO TRY TO BRING THAT EXPERIENCE TO BEAR IS LIKE KEEP THE SCOPE AS NARROW, AS NARROW AS WE CAN SET THE LIMITS ON WHAT THE EXPENDITURES ARE.

SO I THINK THIS IS THE SCOPE CREEP DOESN'T COME IN, ALL OF A SUDDEN THE COST BECOMES HALF A MILLION INSTEAD OF 300,000.

SO THAT'S REALLY THE ESSENCE OF WHAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR, IS WE NEED TO HAVE THEM APPROVE THIS STUFF BECAUSE ALL, ALL THE ROUTES THAT, MOST OF THE ROUTES THAT ARE COMING IN THERE ARE DOT ROUTES AND, BUT WE ALSO WANNA MAKE SURE WE, WE HAVE A CONCISE SCOPE FOR WHAT'S, WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN AT THE CIRCLE.

UM, IT SAYS ON PAGE 1 95 THAT SOUTH CAROLINA DOT WILL DEVELOP ENGINEERING ANALYSIS AND DESIGN DEVELOPMENT.

UM, SO WHEN THEY DO THAT, ARE THEY GONNA BE PROVIDING US OPTIONS OR IF NOT, HOW DO WE PROVIDE OUR TOWN RELATED FEEDBACK ABOUT THE DESIGN? UH, MY UNDERSTANDING IS AT THAT POINT, WE WILL HAVE THE OPTIONS THAT, THAT ARE FEASIBLE FOR THAT SET AND THAT'S GETS US SOMETHING THEN WE CAN START TO GATHER FEEDBACK FROM TOWN COUNCIL, FROM THE COMMUNITY.

SO THAT GETS US TO THE POINT WHERE WE GOT SOMETHING ON PAPER TO LOOK AT.

THAT'S OKAY.

SO WE WILL HAVE OPTIONS AND WE WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE OUR FEEDBACK AND INPUT THAT INPUT UNDERSTANDING.

UM, ON PAGE 1 97, IT SAYS THE TOWN IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTENANCE OF ANY ROTOR STRUCTURE THAT IS NOT ON THE STATE HIGHWAY SYSTEM.

SO DOES THAT MEAN NOW WE'RE PICKING UP THE MAINTENANCE FOR GREENWOOD, WHICH IS PRIVATELY OWNED? HANG ON, I'M, I'M TRACKING HERE.

UM, NO, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT IS THE CASE.

THAT IT'S A PRIVATE ROAD.

THAT'S NOT THE CASE HERE.

SO ANY ROAD THAT'S WITHIN OUR JURISDICTION, IT'S WOULD BE UNDER OUR CONTROL THEN? YES.

BUT IF IT'S A PRIVATE ROAD, NO.

SO WE SHOULD PROBABLY CHANGE THAT LANGUAGE.

UM, IT ALSO SAID THAT DOT MAY DO THE WORK OR THEY MAY CONTRACT FOR

[01:40:01]

IT.

IT'S UP FOR THEM TO DECIDE.

UM, SO I JUST THOUGHT THAT WAS INTERESTING.

UM, I HAD A QUESTION REGARDING THE, THE BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR, BUT THAT'S BEEN FIXED, UH, 'CAUSE WE HAD IT IN THERE TWICE.

UH, RIGHT, 300.

WE HAVE 350,000 IN THE CAPITAL PLAN FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026.

BUT WE ALSO HAD IT LISTED IN FISCAL YEAR 2027.

BUT WE'RE GONNA BE PAYING THE $300,000 30 DAYS AFTER THE CONTRACT IS SIGNED.

SO IT'LL HIT IN THIS FISCAL YEAR, NOT NEXT FISCAL YEAR.

SO IT'LL BE THIS FISCAL YEAR.

I DON'T KNOW IF WE NEED THE EXTRA 300,000 FOR FISCAL YEAR.

27 SEEMS REDUNDANT.

UM, AND THEN THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT WE DO NOT HAVE FUNDING FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THIS DESIGN, YOU KNOW, SO WE'LL HAVE A DESIGN, BUT WE'LL HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO FUND IT ALONG WITH THE OTHER MANY NEEDS THAT WE HAVE IN REGARDS TO ROADS.

THAT IS CORRECT.

THOSE ARE ALL MY QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS.

MS. BRYSON IS, MY QUESTION IS ABOUT COST OVERRUNS.

UM, YOU MENTIONED, UM, THAT, UH, THERE'S A FIXED NUMBER OF THE 300,000, UM, AND I'M LOOKING AT, UM, YEAH, THERE WE GO.

UH, AND, AND IF YOU SCROLL ON DOWN BEYOND, IT'S IN ARTICLE SIX, UNDER GENERAL TERMS. YEAH, THERE WE GO.

COST OVERRUN.

SO, UM, SUBSECTION C, IF IT BECOMES APPARENT THE COSTS WILL EXCEED THE FUNDING AVAILABLE MEANING OF 300,000 S-C-D-O-T WILL PROVIDE THE TOWN NOTICE.

UM, BUT THE NEXT SENTENCE IS THE TROUBLING ONE TO ME.

IT SAYS THE TOWN SHALL REMIT TO S-C-D-O-T WITHIN 30 DAYS, A RECEIPT OF THE NOTICE, THE ADDITIONAL FUNDS NEEDED TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT.

UM, BUT THEN IT GOES ON IN THE LAST SENTENCE TO SAY, IF THE TOWN HAS NOT HAD THE ADDITIONAL FUNDING NEEDED, A-C-D-O-T AND THE TOWN WILL MUTUALLY AGREE ON A REVISION OF THE PROJECT SCOPE AND TERMINI THEN IS ACCORDANCE WITH THE AVAILABLE BUDGET SO THAT, THAT, UH, SECOND UH, SENTENCE, THE TOWN SHALL REMIT THE ADDITIONAL FUNDS DOESN'T GIVE US A CHOICE.

UM, SO I THINK THAT SENTENCE NEEDS TO BE CHANGED AS WELL TO COMPORT WITH THE LAST SENTENCE.

UM, AND SO I, I WOULD SAY THAT WE NEED TO, TO CHANGE THAT AS WELL AS THE SEC, UH, SENTENCE THAT MS. TONER POINTED OUT ABOUT, UM, UH, MAINTAINING ROADS THAT ARE OUTSIDE THE STATE SYSTEM.

UM, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, I, I, UM, I'M GLAD TO SEE THIS MOVE FORWARD, UM, THE COMMUNITY AND, AND, UH, CERTAINLY OUR GUESTS HAVE BEEN ASKING TO ADDRESS THE TRAFFIC ISSUES AT SEA PINE CIRCLE.

THIS IS A WAY TO MOVE THAT FORWARD AS I UNDERSTAND.

UM, AND IT SEEMS AS THOUGH IT'S STILL GOING TO BE A COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT WITH OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COMMUNITY TO HAVE INPUT.

WE DON'T WANT S-E-D-O-T TO GO IN A ROOM SOMEWHERE AND DESIGN THIS WITHOUT COMMUNITY INPUT.

UM, SO, UH, KNOWING THAT THAT'S GOING TO CONTINUE AND I HOPE STAFF WILL PRESS ON THAT, UM, UM, IN THE EVENT THAT FULL TOWN COUNCIL APPROVES THIS AGREEMENT.

BUT THOSE ARE THE TWO CORRECTIONS THAT I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE ESSENTIAL CORRECTIONS TO THE AGREEMENT.

UM, BEFORE YOU LEAVE MR. GILLAND AGAIN, UH, MS. BECCA, MS. D ALFRED, MAYOR, ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THIS TOPIC? YOU DO, YES, PLEASE COME UP, SIR.

UH, THANK YOU.

UM, I WANNA RAISE TWO, TWO POINTS, UH, BUT HOW THIS CAME ABOUT.

FIRST OF ALL, THE TOWN HAS BEEN WORKING WITH KIMLEY HORN AND PARTICULARLY WITH JONATHAN GUY FOR SOME YEARS ON THIS PROJECT.

THERE HAVE ALREADY BEEN A FAIR NUMBER OF DESIGNS THAT HAVE BEEN PRESENTED.

UM, IT WAS ESSENTIALLY THE CSA GROUP FROM SEA PINES THAT WAS PUSHING FOR, TO HAVE THE STATE INVOLVED.

IT'S A STATE OWNED CIRCLE.

THREE OUT OF FOUR SPURS ARE STATE, SO THE STATE NEEDS TO BE INVOLVED THERE.

IT'S MUCH EASIER FOR THE TOWN AND FOR THE STATE TO DO THIS THAN IT IS FOR THE TOWN TO DO IT.

SO IT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE FROM WHERE I COME FROM TO HAVE THE STATE, THE STATE INVOLVED WITH THE, WITH THE PROJECT.

UM, THE KEY POINT AS I SEE IT IN TERMS OF TRYING TO DEAL WITH THE STATE IS WILL THE TOWN HAVE, UH, AN IMPORTANT SAY AS TO WHAT THE DESIGN LOOKS LIKE? TO ME, THAT'S THE KEY.

AND THE, UH, TOWN MANAGER AND I HAVE DISCUSSED THIS SEVERAL TIMES, AND, UM, HIS UNDERSTANDING OF DEALING WITH STATE OFFICIALS IS THAT THAT WILL ABSOLUTELY HAPPEN.

THERE WILL BE NO PLANS THAT THE TOWN DOESN'T FULLY AGREE WITH, AND I THINK WE CAN CONTEMPLATE THAT.

NOT ONLY WILL WE HAVE HEARINGS HERE, BUT WE WILL DO A LOT OF PUBLIC HEARINGS

[01:45:01]

AS WELL ON THE PROJECT.

NOW, THE TWO POINTS THAT I WANTED TO MENTION IN PARTICULAR, ONE OF IS, THE FIRST ONE IS THE DATES THAT ARE AT THE END OF THE CONTRACT ARE FAR OFF IN THE FUTURE.

UH, I, I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY PUT THEM THAT FAR OFF, BUT I CAN ASSUME THAT THE STATE MAY HAVE CONTEMPLATED THE LENGTHY, UH, UH, PROCESS OF TRYING TO SELECT AN ENGINEER TO DO THIS WORK.

UH, I THINK THAT IS NOT THE WAY IT'S GONNA HAPPEN.

IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.

UH, WHAT DOES MAKE SENSE IS TO CONTINUE TO USE KIMLEY HORN AND JONATHAN GUY ON THIS PROJECT.

UM, IT, UH, MR. GUY WAS HERE RECENTLY AND I HAD A CHANCE TO CHAT WITH HIM ABOUT IT.

HE INDICATED THAT THE STATE WILL ACCEPT THE TOWN RECOMMENDATION AS TO WHO THE OUTSIDE ENGINEERING CONSULTANTS SHOULD BE.

I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THE TOWN MANAGER ON THAT AND, UM, HIS POSITION IS, I, I UNDERSTAND IT IS, YES, IT MAKES SENSE FOR JONATHAN GUY AND KIMLEY HORN TO GO FORWARD WITH THIS.

AND YES, HE WILL MAKE THAT POINT KNOWN TO DOT.

UM, WHAT THAT MEANS ESSENTIALLY IS THAT THOSE LONG DATES ON THERE ARE, DON'T HAVE TO BE THAT WAY.

UH, IT'S ENTIRELY POSSIBLE THAT, UH, MUCH OF THIS COULD BE DONE WITHIN A MATTER OF A COUPLE OF MONTHS.

A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO, MR. GUY MADE A PRESENTATION TO A NUMBER OF PEOPLE HERE IN, UH, CONFERENCE ROOM THREE.

AND ONE OF HIS PROPOSALS, UH, HAD AN A LEVEL RADIO SERVICE RATING, BUT IT INVOLVED A CIRCLE THAT WAS CONSIDERABLY SMALLER THAN I WOULD ANTICIPATE THAT TOM WOULD BE HAPPY WITH.

UM, AT THAT POINT, THIS WAS OVER A YEAR AGO.

UH, I DID ASK MR. GUY IF HE COULD COME BACK WITH OTHER PLANS THAT MADE THE CIRCLE SOMEWHAT LARGER, BUT DIDN'T SHOOT FOR AN A LEVEL OF SERVICE.

WE DON'T HAVE ANY A LEVEL SERVICE ROADS AROUND HERE.

WE DON'T HAVE ANY B LEVEL OF SERVICE ROADS AROUND HERE.

SO I THINK WE, UH, THAT'S WHERE THE MATTER WAS LEFT.

THERE WAS NO FURTHER WORK DONE IN THE LAST YEAR ON THAT.

BUT I THINK IF THAT, THAT POINT IS, IS, UH, MADE THAT, UH, THERE ARE REALISTIC POSSIBILITIES, WE WILL COME UP WITH A DESIGN AND, AND NOT TOO DISTANT FUTURE.

MR. GUY ALSO INDICATED WHEN I CHATTED WITH HIM LAST WEEK, THAT HIS FIRM HAS DONE A LOT OF ADDITIONAL WORK ON CIRCLES, PARTICULARLY OUT WEST, AND HE HAS A NUMBER OF, UH, ADDITIONAL CONCEPTS AND APPROACHES THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE AVAILABLE TO US.

SO I THINK I CAN MOVE ALONG A LOT FASTER.

AND I THINK THE PATH OF, UH, HAVING THE STATES LIKE KIMLEY HORN IS THE ONLY ONE THAT REALLY MAKES SENSE.

THE SECOND POINT IS THAT THE TOWN HAS INDICATED TO CSA AND THE SEA PINES PEOPLE, THE, UH, LEADERSHIP IN GENERAL THAT WE WOULD ENDEAVOR TO HAVE THE GREENWOOD DRIVE PROJECT AND THE CIRCLE PROJECT COMBINED.

KIMBERLY HORNER HAS WORKED ON BOTH.

THEY HAVE DESIGNED SOLUTIONS POTENTIALLY FOR BOTH.

UM, THAT IS NOT IN THE CURRENT CONTRACT.

UH, I UNDERSTAND WHY IT'S NOT, IS BECAUSE GREENWOOD IS A PRIVATE ROAD AT THIS POINT.

IT IS NOT PUBLICLY OWNED.

UH, BUT I THINK WE WILL HAVE TO TURN OUR ATTENTION TO FIGURING OUT HOW ARE WE GONNA GO ABOUT DEALING WITH THAT ASPECT OF IT.

THANK YOU, MR. ALFRED.

MR. BROWN? YES.

JUST AS A A A POINT OF CLARITY, UM, WHEN AND IF THE WORK IS TO BEGIN AT THE CIRCLE, IT DOES REQUIRE MY UNDERSTANDING OF MUNICIPAL CONSENT SO THAT WE HAVE THAT IN OUR FAVOR TO PROTECT WHATEVER'S DONE THERE.

SO I JUST WANNA MAKE THAT KNOWN.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

UM, SOME NOTES HERE, SO I'LL MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S AGREEMENT AMONGST US UP HERE.

UM, AND I'M GONNA SORT OF WORK BACKWARDS HERE IF THAT'S OKAY.

UM, IT SEEMS THAT MR. ALFRED IS ASKING FOR LANGUAGE THAT WILL ASSURE EFFICIENCY THROUGH WORK THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE, UH, WITH A QUALIFIED, UH, TEAM AND, UM, THAT THIS SHOULD, THAT SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE AGREEMENT.

IS THERE AGREEMENT THERE TO YES.

MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION? PERFECT.

UM, AND UH, SECTION SIX THAT THERE WAS SOME CONCERN ABOUT THE COST OVERRUNS AND ADDITIONAL FUNDING US SORT OF BEING ON THE HOOK WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING THE ADDITIONAL COST THAT WE CLEAN THAT UP.

AND YOU OKAY WITH THAT MS. TURNER AS WELL? AND MS. TONER, UM, WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE ROAD RESPONSIBILITY? I THINK IT WAS ON PAGE 1 97 THAT WAS NOT REAL CLEAR AS TO WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN WITH

[01:50:01]

GREENWOOD.

WE DON'T WANNA ASSUME THE RESPONSIBILITY WITHOUT HAVING THE CONVERSATION.

YEAH, THAT'S IN ARTICLE SIX SECTION, UM, F ON MAINTENANCE RESPONSIBILITY, LAST SENTENCE.

SO WITH THAT, WAS THERE SOMETHING ABOUT TIMING TOO THAT MR. ALFRED MENTIONED? HE DID MENTION COMMON, BUT I WAS TRYING TO PICK THAT UP IN THE EFFICIENCY PIECE OF HAVING A CONSULTANT THAT'S ALREADY DONE THE WORK YEAH.

GET US THERE A LITTLE SOONER.

UM, BUT IF WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT, LET'S, LET'S DO IT.

WHEN HE WAS TALKING, I, I THOUGHT HE MENTIONED SOME LANGUAGE ABOUT THE TIMING OF APPROVAL OF THE ENGINEER AND I WAS SCROLLING THROUGH.

I COULDN'T FIND THAT.

UM, MAYBE MR. ALFRED COULD POINT US TO THAT SECTION IN THE AGREEMENT.

LAST PARAGRAPH.

THE VERY LAST PARAGRAPH.

UM, ENTIRE AGREEMENT.

VERY LAST PARAGRAPH OF THE AGREEMENT.

IS Q, ENTIRE AGREEMENT STILL NOT SEEING IT? I'M NOT SEEING THE DATES, NO.

DO YOU SEE IT MS. TONER OR MR. RAP? I SEE EXHIBIT A WITH PROJECT DETAILS AND MAP, BUT UM, THE VERY LAST PARAGRAPH IS UNDER, UM, I THINK THAT'S ROMAN NUMERAL SIX.

IT'S A VERY LONG ONE.

GENERAL TERMS, VERY LAST PARAGRAPH IS ENTIRE AGREEMENT.

WELL I LOOK FOR SOMETHING ABOUT TIMING THEN.

IF THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT TIMING, LET'S, UH, LET'S ADDRESS THAT WHEN IT COMES TO, TO FULL COUNCIL.

NEXT STEPS.

IT'S IN THE STAFF REPORTING .

THANK YOU MR. ALFRED .

MR. WILLIAMS? NOTHING, HONOR.

CAN WE GET A MOTION ON THE TABLE SO WE CAN GET SOME PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS? UM, I, I'LL MOVE THAT WE RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE AGREEMENT SUBJECT TO THOSE REVISIONS THAT WE HAVE JUST DISCUSSED.

WE'LL MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENT HERE.

UH, ANYONE SIGNED UP? CYNTHIA? YES.

I'LL PASS THOSE MR. OVENS.

I PRESS IT ONE MORE TIME.

THERE YOU GO.

HELLO.

UM, I'VE BEEN TRYING, I, I'VE REALLY HEARD EVERYTHING STEVE SAID, BUT I UNDERSTOOD THAT THE, UH, STATE IS ALREADY PAYING, UH, THROUGH LATS KIMLEY HORN TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM OF THE CIRCLE.

SO NOW WE'RE GONNA HAVE THEM SOLVING IT UNDER WITH THE STATE FUNDS, AND WE'RE PAYING FOR ONE OVER ON THIS SIDE.

ARE WE GONNA BE OBLIGATED TO EVEN LOOK AT THE ONE THAT THEY COME KIMLEY HORN COMES UP WITH THROUGH LATS? UM, I, I DON'T KNOW.

THIS ALL CAME OUT AT A MEETING FROM QUITE A LONG TIME AGO.

THEY WERE DOING A LOT MORE THAN THAT, BUT THE CIRCLE WAS ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS THEY WERE SOLVING.

AND, AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS A CONTRACT ALREADY GIVEN AND EVERYTHING.

ANYWAY, THAT'S, IT'S A QUESTION I'M REALLY PUTTING OUT.

I'M NOT REALLY, I DON'T KNOW ANY ANSWERS, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE ONLY OBLIGATED TO, TO ACCEPT WHAT WE HAVE PAID FOR, BUT THE STATE HAS PAID DIFFERENTLY, MAYBE WE DON'T HAVE TO ACCEPT THEIR PLAN.

I DON'T KNOW.

MAKES IT, WE'LL, WE'LL GET STAFF TO TAKE THE QUESTION AND GET BACK TO YOU ON IT, MR. EVANS, HUH? WE'LL GET STAFF TO TAKE THE QUESTION AND GET BACK TO YOU WITH AN ANSWER.

YEAH, MR. CHAIR, I THINK MR. EVANS MAY ASKING ABOUT, THERE'S A QUARTER STUDY THAT LEY HORN IS DOING WITH LATS FROM, I THINK 95 ALL THE WAY DOWN TO SEA PINE CIRCLE.

AND MAYBE THAT MIGHT HELP STAFF TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.

I KNOW I ATTENDED A COMMUNITY MEETING OVER AT PALM ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, UH, SORRY, COMMUNITY ROOM, UM, PALM ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE COMMUNITY ROOM, UM, SEVERAL MONTHS AGO.

AND I KNOW THAT THEY'RE GOING THROUGH ANOTHER SERIES OF COMMUNITY MEETINGS NOW LOOKING AT THAT SAME FULL CARTER OR STUDY.

SO PERHAPS THAT'S WHAT THE QUESTION WHERE, WHERE THAT FUNDING QUESTION ARISES.

UH, THIS WAS A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT TO INCLUDE CSA TO, TO MOVE IN THIS DIRECTION.

ANYONE ELSE? ANYONE ELSE THAT HAS NOT SIGNED UP? WANNA SPEAK ON THIS TOPIC, MR. COLON? SURE.

GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. CHAIR.

COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, SEAN, UH, VICE PRESIDENT WITH CINE CSA.

UM, I WANT TO THANK THE COMMITTEE AND TOWN COUNCIL AND URGES SUPPORT OF THE FUNDING AGREEMENT BE AND BE EXECUTED WITH, UH, S-C-D-O-T.

[01:55:01]

UM, A COUPLE POINTS OF CLARIFICATION.

UH, CSA OWNS GREENWOOD DRIVE, UM, AND CURRENTLY MAINTAINS IT.

UM, I DON'T THINK THE AGREEMENT, UM, AS CURRENTLY WRITTEN CAN OBLIGATE THE TOWN TO TAKE ON OUR MAINTENANCE RESPONSIBILITY.

UH, BUT THERE COULD BE SOME CLARIFICATION ON THAT ON THAT ONE POINT.

UM, I THINK THIS IS THE RIGHT APPROACH ON HOW TO HANDLE THIS.

UH, THE TOWN MAINTAINS SOME, UM, SOME OVERSIGHT AND CONTROL OF THE OPTIONS, UH, TO ULTIMATELY SELECT AND, UM, AND DOT THROUGH THEIR ENGINEERS, UH, SELECTED KIMLEY HORN WOULD CERTAINLY MAKE SENSE.

UH, WE'LL PRESENT OPTIONS THAT CAN BE SUPPORTED BY S-C-D-O-T.

SO, UH, WE LOOK FORWARD TO BEING A PARTNER AS THIS THING ADVANCES AND, UH, URGE YOU TO RECOMMEND ON A TOWN COUNCIL SUPPORT FOR THIS FUNDING AGREEMENT.

WE'VE HEARD THE COMMENTS? YES.

MS. BECCA, PLEASE.

SO JUST TO FOLLOW UP ON, UM, MR. EVANS' COMMENTS, THERE IS A 2 78 CORRIDOR STUDY PUBLIC MEETINGS, A SERIES OF MEETINGS THAT IS, UM, COMING FORWARD AND LATS IS, IS PART OF THAT, AND JUST FOR, IT'S POSTED ON MY FACEBOOK PAGE.

BUT IF Y'ALL ARE INTERESTED, UM, IT IS ON MAY 28TH AT THE LIBRARY AND IT STARTS AT FOUR 10 AND IT IS TO DISCUSS THE LOW COUNTRY AREA TRANSPORTATION STUDY LATS.

AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE CONDUCTING A STUDY BETWEEN US 17 AND THE SEA PINE CIRCLE.

AND SO THAT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THAT TO COME FORWARD.

AND I BELIEVE THE FUNDING HE WAS REFERRING TO AS FUNDING THAT PREVIOUSLY HAD BEEN APPROVED, THEREFORE LI UM, RESULTING IN THIS, UM, COMMUNITY INPUT DATE.

THANKS.

THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION.

WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE DS.

WE'VE GOT A MOTION ON THE TABLE.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ? OKAY.

ALL IN FAVOR? OKAY, THANK YOU.

UM, I'M GONNA ASK FOR A BREAK, .

LET'S, LET'S STRETCH OUR LEGS A LITTLE BIT.

WE'LL COME BACK.

HAVE BEFORE US ITEM C, CONSIDERATION AND RECOMMENDATION FOR ADDITIONAL 2025 A TASK GRANT FUNDING FOR HILTON AND ISLAND CONQUEROR, THE ELEGANCE.

I WANNA BRING BACK THIS MEETING TO SESSION .

UM, WE NOW

[5.c. Consideration and Recommendation for Additional 2025 ATAX Grant Funding for HHI Concours d'Elegance - Dave Byrd, Finance Director]

AND MR. BIRD, WELCOME BACK.

GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIRMAN AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS.

UM, SO ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO, UH, TOOK A MEETING WITH CONCOURSE TO DISCUSS THEIR CURRENT FUNDING SITUATION GOING FORWARD, AND THAT, UH, WAS REGARDING ACCOUNTS PAYABLE THAT THEY OWED FROM LAST FALL, PLUS ONGOING WORKING CAPITAL NEEDS FOR THE ORGANIZATION.

THAT LED IT TO A MARCH 31ST SPECIAL AEC MEETING, UM, WHERE, UH, CONCOURSE PRESENTED THEIR NEEDS FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING THROUGH THE AEC PROGRAM, UM, WHICH THEN TURNED INTO A FOLLOW-UP MEETING ON APRIL 23RD IN THE SCHEDULED AEC MEETING TO ANSEL FURTHER QUESTIONS.

AT THAT MEETING, THE COMMITTEE VOTED FOUR ZERO ON DENIAL OF THE REQUEST OF FUNDING.

UM, IN THE STAFF REPORT, YOU DO HAVE A HISTORY OF WHAT WAS REQUESTED FROM CONCOURSE GOING BACK TO 2022 AND WHAT WAS AWARDED.

UM, UH, AND THEN, UM, SINCE THAT POINT IN TIME, YOU ALSO HAVE IN THE MEMO HERE THAT WE DO HAVE $121,000 OF UNSPENT ATEX FUNDING FROM THE CALENDAR YEAR 2025.

BUT, UM, SINCE THAT POINT IN TIME, WE DID PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA FOR TODAY TO, UH, HAVE THE COMMITTEE CONSIDER, UH, FUNDING REQUESTS FROM ATEX.

BUT I DID GET A PHONE CALL LATE LAST WEEK, I GUESS, UH, FROM RICK SABLE THAT THEY HAVE SECURED A SPONSORSHIP.

SO, BUT, UH, THEY ARE HERE.

RICK IS HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE AND, UH, GO FROM THERE.

SO I'LL JUST BRING RICK STABLE UP.

THAT'S A PRETTY PICTURE CHAIRMAN BROWN AND THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND THE TOWN LEADERSHIP.

WELCOME.

[02:00:04]

UH, I'M HERE FOR GOOD NEWS.

THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND CONCORD ELEGANCE IS ENTERING 2026 WITH RENEWED ENERGY, EXPANDED RESOURCES, AND A STRENGTHENED FOUNDATION FOR THE FUTURE.

I'M PLEASED TO SHARE THAT WE'VE SECURED A MULTI-YEAR SPONSORSHIP COMMITMENT THAT BRINGS NOT ONLY THE SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL SUPPORT WE REQUIRED, BUT ALSO A ROBUST MARKETING RESOURCE AND STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES.

THIS CONCOR IS NO LONGER SEEKING ADDITIONAL FUNDING FROM THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD BEYOND THE CURRENT AT TAX AWARD PRESS.

PLEASE TRUST FIRST OF ALL, THAT THE AT TAX MONEY THAT WAS AWARDED TO US FOR 2026 WILL BE USED AS REQUIRED TO MARKET THE ISLAND AND SUPPORT TOURISM.

THIS NEW SPONSORSHIP POSITIONS THE CONCOR FOR LONG-TERM GROWTH AS ONE OF THE PREMIER EVENTS OF THE LOW COUNTRY.

THIS NEW PARTNERSHIP WILL ALLOW US TO ACCELERATE OUR PLANNING FOR 2026 AND BEYOND.

IT ENSURES THAT THE CONCOR CONTINUES TO ELEVATE THE CULTURAL, ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY IMPACT IT BRINGS TO HILTON HEAD ISLAND.

AND AS I'VE SAID BEFORE, WE FULLY ARE COMMITTED TO DELIVERING AN EXCEPTIONAL 2026 CONCOR.

NOW, WITH THE ADDED STRENGTH OF A SPONSOR INVESTED IN OUR LONG-TERM SUCCESS, THE CONCOR HAS ALWAYS BEEN DEFINED BY ITS PEOPLE, OUR VOLUNTEERS, OUR PARTNERS, OUR COMMUNITY, AND THE THOUSANDS OF GUESTS WHO JOIN US EACH YEAR WITH THE NEW MULTI-YEAR COMMITMENT.

WE'RE BETTER POSITIONED THAN EVER TO ENHANCE THE VISITOR EXPERIENCE, EXPAND OUR PROGRAMMING, AND CONTINUE SUPPORTING THE CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS THAT BENEFIT FROM THIS EVENT.

AND THAT BRINGS ME TO WHY I'M HERE TODAY.

EFFECTIVELY, I'M GONNA CUT TO THE CHASE BECAUSE THIS IS REALLY ABOUT, UH, AS WE ENTER THIS NEW CHAPTER, WE BELIEVE THERE'S MEANINGFUL WAYS THAT THE TOWN CAN SUPPORT THE CONCOR IN WAYS THAT DON'T REQUIRE THE ADDITIONAL FUNDING, BUT WOULD SIGNIFICANTLY ELEVATE THE EVENT, STRENGTHEN OUR PARTNERSHIP, AND REINFORCE THE TOWN'S ROLE IN ONE OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND'S CULTURAL EXPERIENCES.

UH, I'M NOT GONNA HIGHLIGHT THOSE AT THIS POINT, BUT I HAVE FIVE POINTS THAT I WOULD LIKE THE TOWN TO CONSIDER, UH, DURING THE COURSE OF 2026 AND 2027 EVENT THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE, IN THIS CASE NOT ASKS FOR MONEY.

UH, BUT THESE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PARTNERSHIP WAYS THE TOWN CAN ELEVATE THE EVENT THAT BRINGS MORE ATTENTION ON A REGIONAL AND NATIONAL BASIS.

THIS IS, UH, A CULTURAL VALUE TO THE AREA AND A CONSIDERABLE ECONOMIC IMPACT TO OUR COMMUNITY.

THE CONCOR IS STEPPING INTO A NEW ERA OF STABILITY AND GROWTH.

WE HAVE A COMMITTED MULTI-YEAR SPONSOR.

WE HAVE A DEDICATED VOLUNTEER BASE.

WE HAVE A CLEAR VISION FOR THE FUTURE.

AND WITH THE TOWN SUPPORT IN THESE PRACTICAL, VISIBLE AND MEANINGFUL WAYS, WE CAN ENSURE THAT THE 2026 CONCORD ELEGANCE IS NOT ONLY EXCEPTIONAL, BUT A POINT OF PRIDE FOR THE ENTIRE ISLAND.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF THIS REMARKABLE, UH, REMARKABLE EVENT.

UH, RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED, RICK SABLE.

OKAY, MR. SABLE.

WELL, THANK YOU.

UM, OBVIOUSLY WE'RE PLEASED THAT YOU HAVE FOUND A SPONSOR AND THE ASK IS NO MORE.

UM, AND APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE TODAY.

UM, WE'LL STILL ALLOW COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS OR MAKE ANY COMMENTS, IF THAT'S OKAY WITH YOU.

UM, MS. BRYSON, YOU HAVE ANYTHING? UH, INDEED.

GOOD NEWS.

THANK YOU FOR THAT AND, UH, WISH YOU WELL.

UM, AND I THINK IT'D BE GREAT TO SEE THE FOLLOW UP, UH, PARTICULARLY, UH, COMMUNICATION WITH OUR ATACS, THE ATAC COMMITTEE.

THAT FULL FINANCIAL PICTURE.

UM, BECAUSE THE REQUEST WAS BEFORE THEM SO THAT THEY ALSO HAVE THIS NEWS.

SO IF YOU HAVE A STATEMENT THAT YOU'RE MAKING TO THE TOWN, I THINK IT'D BE, UH, IMPORTANT TO INCLUDE THAT COMMITTEE AS WELL, SINCE THEY LABORED OVER THIS OVER TWO MEETINGS.

UM, AND I, I THINK, UH, IT'S GONNA BE INTERESTING TO SEE YOUR PROPOSED REQUEST FOR NEXT YEAR FOR AT TAX FUNDING AND HOW THIS NEW SPONSORSHIP WORKS OUT.

I THINK THAT WILL BE VERY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT INFORMATION.

UM, I THINK IT'S ALSO WOULD BE HELPFUL BASED ON THE QUESTIONS FROM, UM, THE ATAC COMMITTEE OR ATAC, UM, TO POINT OUT WHAT CHANGES THE ADDITIONAL CHANGES YOU'RE MAKING, UM, IN YOUR FINANCIAL, UM, MANAGEMENT.

UH, BECAUSE THERE'VE BEEN SOME ISSUES OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS, WHICH CREATED THIS FINANCIAL SITUATION.

MM-HMM.

I KNOW YOU REPORTED TO THE ATAC COMMITTEE, UM, CUTS IF YOU WILL, CHANGES IF YOU WILL, IN, IN EXPENSES.

UM, UH, AND I, I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO HAVE A COMPLETE REPORT, UM, TO, UM, THAT COMMITTEE AS WELL AS TO OUR STAFF ABOUT HOW THOSE CHANGES ARE ACTUALLY BEING MADE BEFORE YOU MAKE YOUR REQUEST FOR THE FUNDING APPROVED FOR THIS YEAR, I THINK WE NEED TO SEE

[02:05:01]

MS. DUNNER, I'M RELIEVED.

YOU TOO.

UH, I, I'M SURE YOU ARE.

UM, YOU KNOW, THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO, UH, AT THIS POINT IN TIME, FIND SOMEONE, UH, THAT IS GOING TO SIGN A MULTI-YEAR, WHICH IS VERY GOOD NEWS.

THIS ISN'T JUST A ONE YEAR, BUT A MULTI-YEAR.

AND THAT YOU HAVE ALL THESE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES WITH THIS, UH, GROUP OR ORGANIZATION OR PERSON, UH, REGARDING STRATEGIC PLANNING, MARKETING, AND POTENTIAL SPONSORSHIPS.

SO, UM, LIKE I SAID, I'M REALLY RELIEVED, UM, BUT I ALSO WANNA THANK THE ATECH COMMITTEE.

UM, I THINK THEY DID AN INCREDIBLE JOB OF LOOKING THROUGH, UM, THE REQUEST, UH, THINKING, UH, LOOKING AT THE FINANCIALS, UH, ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS AND, UH, AND THEIR ULTIMATE VOTE, UM, BECAUSE OF CONCERN REGARDING PRECEDENTS MOVING FORWARD.

SO I WANNA THANK THEM FOR ALL OF THAT WORK THAT THEY DID, UM, AS I THINK IT'S LED US HERE TO THIS MOMENT TODAY.

UM, I ECHO, UM, COUNCILMAN BRYSON'S SUGGESTIONS ABOUT FOLLOW UP.

UM, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WAS WORRIED ABOUT IS EVEN IF YOU DID RECEIVE THE FUNDING, YOU DID IDENTIFY A LOT OF, UM, WAYS TO REDUCE EXPENSES.

WE ALSO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE EXPERIENCE IS GOOD, VERY GOOD, AND THAT IT CONTINUES TO IMPROVE AND BRING MORE PEOPLE ON THE ISLAND AND MAKE THE EVENT EVEN BIGGER THAN IT IS TODAY.

SO IT'S A BALANCING ACT OF MANAGING MONEY AND, AND THE EXPERIENCE.

WELL, UM, PERSONALLY, UH, I LOVE THIS EVENT.

UH, LAST YEAR WAS THE FIRST YEAR WE UPGRADED OUR TICKETS AT WHICH WE PURCHASE.

AND, UH, WE WERE ABLE TO ENJOY THE BENEFITS OF BEING IN THE TENT WITH THE FOOD AND, AND HAVING A FRONT ROW VIEW.

AND THAT WAS THE CAR THAT I PERSONALLY PICKED, UH, TO WIN.

UH, IT'S AN INCREDIBLE EVENT AND I'M GLAD IT'S GONNA BE HERE BECAUSE IT IS ONE OF OUR SIGNATURE EVENTS.

UM, AND THEN MY LAST COMMENT IS JUST FOR THE NONPROFITS ON THE ISLAND, YOUR STORY, UM, MAYBE ISN'T UNUSUAL.

THERE ARE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT I, WHEN I LOOK AT THEIR FINANCIALS, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT.

AND I THINK THIS IS, UH, IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE A PAUSE AND SAY, WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THIS? UM, YOU KNOW, MOVING FORWARD.

SO, UH, AGAIN, I'M RELIEVED AND CONGRATULATIONS.

THANK YOU, MS. STABLE.

CAN YOU, UH, DEFINE MULTI-YEAR? ARE, ARE YOU IN A POSITION TO SAY THAT PUBLICLY YET HAVE TAKEN A POSITION FOR THREE YEARS.

THREE YEARS? OKAY.

UM, MS. BECCA, MR. ALFRED, MAYOR, ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM? I JUST WANNA SAY THAT, THAT I AGREE, MS. HUNTER.

UH, WHAT Y'ALL HAVE DONE IS EXACTLY WHAT WE NEED TO SEE HAPPEN IS FOR THE ORGANIZATIONS TO STEP UP AND OWN THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE, UH, A GREAT PRODUCT, BUT ALSO A FINANCIALLY STABLE PRODUCT.

UM, I HAD THE PLEASURE OF MEETING WITH, WITH THE MEMBERS SEVERAL TIMES WHEN WE TALKED JUST ABOUT THAT, ABOUT HOW DO YOU STABILIZE THE PROJECT, HOW DO YOU STABILIZE THE ORGANIZATION? UM, IT'S GONE ON FOR WAY TOO LONG, RIGHT? THIS EVENT HAS BEEN HERE SO LONG, WE DON'T WANNA LOSE IT, AND IT IS VALUABLE TO OUR COMMUNITY.

SO I DO CONGRATULATE Y'ALL IN FINDING THAT THREE YEAR SPONSORSHIP MAKES THE DIFFERENCE AND WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE GOING FORWARD.

AND I TELL YOU, WE'VE GOT OTHER EVENTS THAT, THAT ARE HERE THAT HAVE THREE AND FIVE YEAR SPONSORSHIPS, AND IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE TO THOSE ORGANIZATIONS.

LET THIS BE A LESSON.

PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND HOW YOU'RE MOVING FORWARD.

THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER EVENTS THAT HAVE ALMOST FAILED, UM, THAT MEAN A LOT TO OUR COMMUNITY.

THERE WAS A REALIZATION OF HOW TO MOVE IT FORWARD.

AND IT IS A VERY, VERY POIGNANT POINT TO YOUR SAYING THAT PAY ATTENTION AND BE STABLE, BE FRUGAL, BUT BE HERE AGAIN NEXT YEAR.

SO, CONGRATS.

THANK, THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

ANYTHING ELSE? OKAY.

UH, THANK YOU AGAIN.

CONGRATULATIONS.

UM, IF YOU COULD, UH, GIVE WITH STAFF TO SUBMIT YOUR OFFICIAL LETTER YES.

UM, OF DECLINING THE REQUEST.

AND I HEARD YOU SAY THAT THERE ARE SOME POINTS THAT YOU'VE HIGHLIGHTED AS FAR AS SOME FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES IF YOU CONCLUDE THAT AS WELL.

THAT WAY WE CAN SHARE THAT WITH THE, UH, THE WHOLE CO TOWN COUNCIL AND AS WELL AS THE ATAC COMMITTEE TO MS. BRYSON'S POINT.

OKAY? ALRIGHT, WILL DO.

IF SOMEONE WANTS TO SPEAK TO THIS TOPIC.

UH, SINCE WE DON'T NORMALLY HAVE THIS TYPE OF CROWD HERE, I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY SHOWED UP FOR THIS TOPIC.

OBVIOUSLY WE WEREN'T TAKING ANY ACTION, BUT, UH, WE WILL OPEN THE FLOOR

[02:10:01]

UM, HOLD ON MR. HOAGLAND.

LET ME SEE IF THERE'S ANYBODY ELSE BEFORE YOU GO.

ANYBODY.

MR. PETERSON, UH, CONCOURSES.

CONGRATULATIONS.

THE CHAMBER AND OTHERS AND THIS COUNCIL NEED TO FOLLOW YOUR LEAD.

A TAX FUNDS UNDER THE LAW CAN ONLY BE USED FOR TOURISM, PROMOTION AND MARKETING UNDER SOUTH CAROLINA CONSTITUTIONAL LAW.

ALL TAX FUNDS CAN ONLY BE USED FOR THE PUBLIC GOOD REASON, BENEFIT, AND PURPOSE.

CONCOR IS NO DIFFERENT.

AND AGAIN, I'M GLAD THIS WAS SOLVED.

THIS COUNCIL CONTINUES TO ALLOW THE ILLEGAL CRIMINAL USE OF MILLIONS OF TAX FUNDS BY MANY NONPROFITS, INCLUDING THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OPERATIONS, THE LOW COUNTRY GOLF OWNERS ASSOCIATION TIED TO THE CHAMBER OF CRIMINAL OPERATIONS.

THIS MUST BE FIXED LIKE THE CONCOURSE.

WHY DOES THIS FINANCE COMMITTEE AND OUR ENTIRE COUNCIL KEEP VIOLATING THE LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA AND VOTING IN FAVOR OF THIS BASICALLY TAX THEFT? IT'S ALSO FEDERAL TAX EVASION BY THESE IRS 5 0 1 DASH C SIX NONPROFITS.

DO YOU UNDERSTAND MELINDA AND PATSY FEDERAL LAWS PREVAIL, PREVAIL OVER STATE LAW AND STATE LAW.

PROVI PREVAILS OVER LOCAL RULES, CODES, AND ILLEGAL VOTES BY OUR ENTIRE COUNCIL.

AND OUR MAYOR DO ALL HAVE VIOLATED THE LAW.

OUR MAYOR COMMITTED CRIMINAL FRAUD WITH BILL MILES TO TRY AND HIDE MILLIONS OF TAX FUNDS.

LAST 35 YEARS, PERHAPS 150 MILLION DISAPPEARED AND UNACCOUNTED FOR THE CHAMBER.

IRS UBIT TAX, UH, UH, EVASION IS ENORMOUS.

THE LAWYERS GIVE ILLEGAL VICE COMMITTING CO MALPRACTICE AND CRIMINAL CONTRACT FRAUD.

HOW WAS YOUR CONTINUED VIOLATIONS ALLOWED TO CONTINUE? WE MUST ALL MUST, WE MUST ADD LOCAL VOLUNTEERS, CPAS, TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE TO STOP YOUR CORRUPTION, THE ALL THE CORRUPTION.

PLEASE READ THE FREE INSTRUCTIONS TO MAYORS AND COUNCILS ON CITY DOGE.COM.

I REPEAT CITY DOGE.COM, TYPE IT INTO YOUR TELEPHONES AND TYPE IT INTO YOUR COMPUTER, YOUR COMPUTER, AND READ IT AND FOLLOW IT.

IT'S THE LAW.

IT LET ME, AS MAYOR AND LET ME SAY, LET, LET ME SERVE ON THIS FINANCE COMMITTEE WITH TWO INDEPENDENT CPAS.

I, AGAIN, WILL STOP MILLIONS OF THIS TAX THEFT IN 72 HOURS AND THAT'S A PROMISE.

ANYONE ELSE WANNA SPEAK ON THIS PARTICULAR TOPIC, MR. FERGUSON? SURE.

HI DAVE FERGUSON.

UH, I'M JUST FINISHING UP MY FIRST, UH, YEAR AS A ATAC COMMITTEE MEMBER.

CONGRATULATIONS.

I'M GLAD.

UH, IT WAS VERY TOUGH ON US TO COME TO THAT DECISION.

MR. BIRD, DID YOU SAY YOU FOUND OUT A WEEK AGO ABOUT THEM GETTING THE, OKAY, SO THAT'S WHAT'S REALLY UPSETTING ME RIGHT NOW.

'CAUSE I'VE SAT HERE NOW FOR THREE HOURS, WHICH MEANS I TOOK THREE HOURS OUTTA MY BUSINESS.

WE WERE REQUESTED TO BE HERE.

WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN INFORMED OF THIS.

THAT IS JUST POOR COMMUNICATION FROM LEADERSHIP.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE RESPONSIBLE OR THE TOWN IS.

UM, AND ONE OTHER THING I, I WANNA RECOMMEND TO THIS COMMITTEE THAT WE DO A PUBLIC WORKSHOP WITH THE ATAC COMMITTEE WITHIN THE NEXT 30 TO 60 DAYS.

BECAUSE I REALLY THINK WE NEED TO GET TOGETHER ON THE PROCESS AND THE PROPER VERIFICATION SO THAT WE CAN TRUST EVERYTHING THAT COMES TO THE DAIS, UM, SO THAT WE DON'T RUN INTO THIS SITUATION AGAIN.

'CAUSE IF WE DON'T, I THINK WE WILL.

CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE RENAMING, THE ROWING AND SAILING CENTER AT SQUARE FOLK COMMUNITY PARK TO HILTON HEAD ISLAND FISH AND CO-OP PARK.

UM, I WANT TO ALSO RECOGNIZE AND THANK OTHER MEMBERS OF THE ATAC COMMITTEE THAT HAVE BEEN HERE TODAY, AND APPRECIATE YOUR DUE DILIGENCE AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

UM, NOT ONLY THIS, BUT A CONTINUING EFFORT TO GET BETTER AT WHAT WE DO.

SO WE THANK Y'ALL FOR, FOR YOUR EFFORTS.

ALRIGHT, NEXT UP,

[5.d. Consideration of a Resolution Authorizing the Renaming the Rowing and Sailing Center at Squire Pope Community Park to Hilton Head Island Fishing Cooperative Park - Thomas Boxley, Executive Director, Gullah Geechee Historic Neighborhoods Community Development Corporation]

AND WE HAVE MR. THOMAS BOXY HERE TO PRESENT.

GOOD MORNING.

AS PART OF OUR ONGOING, UH, MISSION TO SUPPORT THE CULTURAL PRESERVATION OF THE GULLAH COMMUNITY, WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT THE NAME BE CHANGED, UH, WITH THE ROWING AND SAILING CENTER PARK AT, UH, SQUIRE POPE TO THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND FISHING COOPERATIVE

[02:15:01]

PARK.

UM, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE CDC APPROVED, UM, IN FEBRUARY.

WE ACTUALLY HAD STARTED HAVING DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THIS IN NOVEMBER.

AND THIS WAS BORN OUT OF, UM, A NEED TO PRESENT A MORE CULTURALLY SIGNIFICANT, UM, NAMING THAT IS MORE ACCURATELY REFLECTS THE HISTORY OF THE SITE.

AS YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE SITE OF, UM, A FORMER BUSINESS THAT WAS ONCE VERY, VERY PROMINENT IN THE GULLAH COMMUNITY THAT PROVIDED, UM, NOT ONLY SEAFOOD, UM, AT A, AT A COST THAT WAS NEGOTIATED AT A MORE FAIR RATE, BUT ALSO A COMMUNITY, A COMMUNITY AREA THAT, UM, THAT HAS SIGNIFICANT SIGNIFICANT, THAT HAS SIGNIFICANCE DATING BACK TO AS EARLY AS 1966 PREDATING THE TOWN OF HILTON HEADS INCORPORATION.

SO WITH THIS, WE FELT LIKE IT WOULD BE AN APPROPRIATE, UM, OPPORTUNITY TO RENAME THIS PARK IN A WAY THAT, UH, THAT WOULD GIVE THE, THE COMMUNITY WITHIN WHICH IT SITS A SENSE OF PRIDE.

SO WITH THAT, I'LL OPEN IT UP TO ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.

I LOST TRACK OF WHERE I WAS GOING FIRST.

, MS. BRYSON, GO AHEAD.

FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU MR. BOXLEY AND THANK YOU TO THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION FOR THIS REQUEST.

UM, I, I'VE, I'M ALWAYS FASCINATED TO LEARN ABOUT THE HISTORY, UM, OF IT, AND, AND THANKS TO, UM, MR. BARNWELL FOR ALWAYS PROVIDING ME WITH INFORMATION ABOUT THE HISTORY.

UM, SO, UM, THERE, THERE'S CERTAINLY A, A NICE DISPLAY THERE ABOUT THE FISHING CO-OP AND WHAT THEY DID TO PRESERVE THE ISLAND AND, AND CERTAINLY THE, THE WATERS HERE AND THE FISHING AND, UH, INDUSTRY.

SO I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THIS REQUEST AND THANK YOU FOR BRINGING IT TO OUR ATTENTION.

THANK YOU, MS. DUNNER.

YES, THANK YOU.

AND I WANNA PERSONALLY THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DID REACHING OUT TO THE FAMILIES, UH, TO GET FEEDBACK IN ORDER TO MAKE THIS, UM, RECOMMENDATION.

AND I FULLY SUPPORT IT, AND I PROBABLY SHOULDN'T SAY THIS OUT LOUD, BUT I THINK IT'S THE BEST PLACE TO SEE A SUNSET ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE ISLAND.

AND THERE IT IS, FUN TO GO BECAUSE THERE IS A COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE THAT COME OUT FOR THAT AND IT IS JUST GORGEOUS.

SO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.

UM, MR. ALFRED, MS. BECCA, MAYOR, ANYBODY? MR. ALFRED? UH, I THINK THE IDEA OF RECOGNIZING THE CULTURAL HERITAGE IS, IS A VERY GOOD ONE.

UH, I SUPPORT THAT ASPECT OF IT.

WE ARE GOING FROM A NAME SAILING AND ROWING CENTER THAT INDICATES THINGS THAT GO ON THERE CURRENTLY TO A NAME THAT INDICATES THINGS THAT WENT ON THERE IN THE PAST.

UH, I HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF CONCERN IN TERMS OF TOURISTS AND RESIDENTS AND OTHERWISE AS TO WHETHER THEY WILL THINK THE PARK IS APPROPRIATE IF THEY'RE NOT GOING THERE TO FISH.

UM, SO WHILE I AM GENERALLY IN FAVOR OF THE CONCEPT, I THINK, UH, I WOULD FEEL BETTER IF THERE WAS AFTER PHISHING COOPERATIVE, TWO MORE WORDS AND SOMETHING ELSE SAILING, WHATEVER IT IS THAT INDICATES WHAT GOES ON THERE TODAY.

UM, I'M GONNA ASK FOR A MOTION, BUT BEFORE I DO, SO I WANT TO ADDRESS MR. ALFORD'S CONCERN, UH, MR. BOX, I JUST ASK THAT AS WE MOVE THIS ALONG, THAT WE ARE IN LOCKSTEP WITH THE ISLAND RECREATION CENTER, WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR NOT ONLY, UH, THE MANAGEMENT OF THAT PARK, BUT OBVIOUSLY THE PROGRAMMING THAT GOES ALONG THERE.

SO I THINK WE CAN, UM, JUST COMMUNICATE WITH THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS UNDERSTAND THAT WE STILL HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY THERE AS WELL.

YEAH, I THINK I'VE SEEN PEOPLE FISH THERE TOO, BUT CERTAINLY, UM, ROWING, UM, KAYAKING, UM, LOTS OF ACTIVITIES THERE, UH, BASED, UH, BUT HAVING SAID ALL THAT, I MOVE THAT WE RECOMMEND TO THE FULL TOWN COUNCIL THAT WE RENAME, UM, THE ROWING AND SAILING CENTER AT SQUIRE POPE COMMUNITY PARK TO HILTON HEAD ISLAND FISHING COOPERATIVE PARK WITH AN ABBREVIATED NAME OF FISHING CO-OP I SECOND.

SORRY, I GOT A LITTLE ANTSY OVER THERE, MR. BROWN.

ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS IN THERE? UH, MR. WILLIAMS? THANKS, HEATHER WRATH.

GOOD AFTERNOON, HEATHER WRATH FOR THE RECORD.

UM,

[02:20:01]

I THOUGHT YOU WERE GONNA SKIP PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS.

AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR 10 YEARS, SO I DIDN'T WANNA LOSE MY CHANCE.

UM, I WAS CHAIR OF PARKS AND RECREATION WHEN WE BUILT AND NAMED THIS PARK.

I SPOKE AT THE LAST MEETING, BUT I DON'T THINK MS. BRYSON AND MS. HUNTER WERE AT THAT MEETING.

MAYBE IT WAS THE GULLAH GEECHEE CDC MEETING THAT I SPOKE AT REGARDING THIS.

AND I REMEMBER IT WAS 10 YEARS AGO BECAUSE MY SON WAS BORN ON DECEMBER 3RD, AND WE HAD THE RIBBON CUTTING ON DECEMBER 2ND, AND I MISSED THE RIBBON CUTTING.

SO, UM, AND HE JUST TURNED 10 IN DECEMBER.

SO I'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS NAME CHANGE.

I ACTUALLY WAS CHAIR PARKS AND REC WHEN WE DID THE NAME.

I VOTED AGAINST IT.

I THINK IF I REMEMBER, WE TRIED TO REALLY TIE IN THE NAME OF THE COMMUNITY OR WE TRIED TO TIE IN THE COMMUNITY WITH THE NAMING.

AND, UM, UNFORTUNATELY, UM, THAT DIDN'T WORK.

WE HAD A LOT OF PROMISES FROM GROUPS THAT RODE AND SAILED AT THE TIME TO HELP CONTRIBUTE TO THE COST OF THE PARK IN ORDER FOR THE PARK TO BE BUILT.

THOSE FUNDS WERE NEVER REALIZED.

UM, TO MR. ALFRED'S COMMENT, THERE IS VERY LITTLE ROWING THAT HAPPENS THERE, UNFORTUNATELY, AND I'D LIKE THERE TO BE A LOT MORE BECAUSE MY KIDS LOVE TO ROW AND THERE'S ZERO SAILING.

BUT WHAT IS THERE ON AN ONGOING BASIS, AND IT WAS STARTED WITH MR. BEN GREEN, WHO WAS A SECOND GRANDFATHER AND MY CHILDREN, OR THIRD GRANDCHILD OR, UM, GRANDFATHER, AND MY CHILDREN, UM, WAS A LOT OF FISHING.

UM, HE RAN THAT FISHING PROGRAM AND THAT FISHING PROGRAM HAS NOW BEEN TAKEN OVER BY THE ISLAND REC CENTER UPON HIS PASSING.

THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR THE SENSE OF HISTORY THAT OCCURS UP AND DOWN SQUARE POPE ROAD.

IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO HONOR THE BASF CONFLICT, WHICH OF COURSE, THE FISHING CO-OP HAD A HUGE PRESENCE IN.

UM, AND AGAIN, THE COMMUNITY WAS NOT INVOLVED IN THE INITIAL NAMING.

AND SO THIS HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN ON MY HEART AND ON MY MIND FOR A DECADE, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THOMAS BOXLEY AND THE ORGANIZATION AND THE BOARD TO MOVE THIS FORWARD.

AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

CONSIDERATION OR AUTHORIZATION TO EXECUTE WETLAND IMPACT DOCUMENTS, INCLUDING A DECLARATION OF RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS AND A WETLAND AND STREAM MITIGATION PURCHASE AGREEMENT FOR PATTERSON PARK PROJECT AND MR. GILLEN, MS. HERE, ONCE AGAIN, FLOOR GENERAL, SIR.

ANYONE ELSE? ALL RIGHT, WE WILL BRING IT BACK ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION WITH THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS.

ALL RIGHT.

READY FOR THE QUESTION? ALL IN FAVOR.

ALL RIGHT, NOW WE HAVE

[5.e. Consideration of Authorization to Execute Wetland Impact Documents, Including a Declaration of Restrictive Covenants and a Wetland and Stream Mitigation Purchase Agreement for Patterson Family Park Project - Shawn Gillen, Assistant Town Manager]

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.

UH, COMMITTEE MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US BEGIN.

UH, TWO THINGS THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR TODAY, AND THIS HAS TO DO WITH PATTERSON PARK.

THE, UM, THE ORIGINAL DESIGN HAD, UH, A BRIDGE THAT WENT THROUGH THE WETLANDS AREA AND HAD A MAJOR IMPACT ON THE WETLANDS.

AND, UH, DUE TO THAT, THESE, THE PROJECT WAS SCALED BACK TO OR ALTERED, NOT SCALED BACK, REALLY, IT WAS JUST ALTERED, THEY MOVED THE ROADWAY.

YOU REQUIRED SOME PROPERTY AND, BUT THERE IS STILL A SMALL 0.27 ACRE A WETLAND IMPACT.

SO WE'RE REQUIRED TO DO TWO THINGS, BUT ALSO IT GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY TO PUT SOME RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS OVER THE WETLANDS TO GIVE THEM PERMANENT PROTECTIONS, WHICH IS A GREAT THING.

AND SO THAT'S THE FIRST THING WE'RE ASKING FOR, IS A DECLARATION OF RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS TO BE PUT OVER THE WETLANDS IN PERPETUITY.

THE SECOND IS, UM, UH, BECAUSE THERE IS THAT IMPACT TO, TO GET THE PERMIT TO, UH, MOVE FORWARD WITH THE PROJECT, WE NEED A WETLAND AND, AND STREAM MITIGATION PURCHASE, UH, OF A CREDIT, ONE CREDIT.

AND, UH, SO ONCE THAT IS IN PLACE, THEN WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THE, UH, FINAL, UH, TO THE, TO MOVE IT TO BID AND, AND GET THE PRO THE PROJECT UNDERWAY.

SO, UH, WITHOUT GOING THROUGH THE, THE MEMO IN DETAIL, I'LL STOP THERE AND THEN WE MAY GET, ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.

OKAY, MS. DONNA? YES.

SO, UH, I'M SUPPORTIVE OF, UM, THIS WORK.

I ECHO YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT THE FACT THAT IT'S GREAT THAT WE CAN PUT PERMANENT PROTECTIONS ON THE WETLANDS, AND, UH, BECAUSE OF THIS, I LEARNED SOMETHING NEW ABOUT, UH, WETLAND MITIGATION BANKS AND THE FACT THAT WE'LL BE BUYING $15,000 IN COLLETON COUNTY TO HELP PROTECT, UH, SOME WETLANDS THERE.

SO THANK YOU.

OKAY, MS. BRYSON? YES, I'M ALSO SUPPORTIVE.

UM, TWO, TWO TECHNICAL QUESTIONS.

WELL, ONE TECHNICAL QUESTION, ONE COMMENT, UM, AND THAT IS THE APPROVAL FROM THE, UM, ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS, UM, THAT STATED DECEMBER 5TH, 2025, THAT WAS INCLUDED IN OUR PACKAGE.

UM, JUST TO REMARK THAT, UM, OUR, OUR REQUEST WAS SUBMITTED ON MARCH 31ST, 2025.

IT TOOK 'EM UNTIL DECEMBER 5TH, 2025 TO RESPOND.

SO I WOULD HOPE THAT THE CORPS OF ENGINEER CAN BE MORE RESPONSIVE TO OUR REQUEST IN THE FUTURE.

[02:25:01]

UM, BUT, UM, THE, THE TOP OF THE SECOND PAGE OF THAT LETTER SAYS THIS VERIFICATION IS VALID UNTIL MARCH 14TH, 2026, UNLESS PRIOR TO THE STATE, THE SUBJECT IS SUSPENDED, REVOKED, OR IS MODIFIED SUCH THAT THE ACTIVITY NO LONGER COMPLIES WITH THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THIS NWP.

SO MY QUESTION IS, UM, AND THERE IS SUBSEQUENT APPROVAL FROM THE STATE, UM, BUT HAS THIS EXPIRED? AND SO DO , DOES THIS TAKE CARE OF THAT? UM, WAS THERE A SUPPLEMENTAL RESPONSE FROM THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEER? UM, BECAUSE IT APPEARS AS THOUGH WE'RE COMPLYING WITH THE, UM, UH, SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES, UM, IN TAKING THESE ACTIONS.

UM, BUT I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT SOME EXPIRATION FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AT THE SAME TIME.

I CAN GET THAT ANSWER FOR YOU.

I CAN GET OFF, UH, UM, ON THE FLY AT THIS MOMENT, BUT WE'LL HAVE AN ANSWER FOR YOU BY THE TIME THIS GETS TO COUNCIL.

GOOD.

I, I HOPE IT HASN'T EXPIRED .

I, I, AND CAUSE ANOTHER PROBLEM WITH THIS, BUT, UM, IF SO, MAYBE SOME OF OUR FEDERAL DELEGATION COULD ASSIST US.

BUT, UM, THE OTHER COMMENT I'VE GOT, PARDON ME, IS, IS THE FACT THAT, UM, THE OTHER BANK, UH, THAT WE HAD PREVIOUSLY, I GUESS, OR SO, SORRY, UM, THE OTHER BANK THAT WE THOUGHT MIGHT BE ELIGIBLE, UM, DOESN'T HAVE ANY MORE, UH, SPACE OR, OR UNITS OR WHATEVER THEY'RE CALLED TO SELL.

UM, AND BECAUSE THIS GOES TO ANOTHER COUNTY, IS IS THERE SOMETHING ELSE THAT WE CAN DO, UH, ABOUT THIS KIND OF MITIGATION, UM, OTHER THAN SENDING IT OFF TO ANOTHER COUNTY, UM, I, WHICH I I SUPPORT WETLANDS PRESERVATION.

DON'T GET ME WRONG ABOUT THAT.

UM, BUT I JUST WONDERED IF THERE WAS SOMETHING CLOSER TO HOME THAT COULD BE DONE IN, IN LIEU OF THAT, THAT'S A COMMENT AND MAYBE SORT OF A QUESTION.

YEAH, I, I DON'T BELIEVE THERE IS, BUT WE'LL INVESTIGATE THAT.

UH, THEY, THEY TELL US WHERE TO PURCHASE THESE FROM SURE.

AND KEEP IT LOCAL IF THEY CAN, SINCE THEY COULD NOT THIS GO AROUND, WE HAD TO MOVE OUT, BUT WE'LL, WE'LL DISCUSS THAT WITH THEM TO SEE IF IN THE FUTURE, IF THERE'S AN OPTION.

I'M, I'M GOING LIKE, I, I ALWAYS TURNED MY HEAD, LIKE I SAID EARLIER, WITH A CURIOUS DOG GOING LIKE, UM, WHY ARE WE PAYING THIS OLD PAPER COMPANY MONEY? IT SOUNDS LIKE MAYBE THEY WERE IN TROUBLE BEFORE AND THEY HAD TO ESTABLISH THIS BANK, BUT I'D LIKE TO KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THEM BEFORE THIS COMES BEFORE THE FULL TOWN COUNCIL.

YES, MA'AM.

MR. MAYOR, MS. BECCA, ANYTHING ON THIS TOPIC? GOOD.

WILL HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEMS. HAS ANYONE SIGNED UP? CYNTHIA, MR. HOAGLAND HILTON HAD CITY DOGE FREE INSTRUCTIONS FOR MAYORS AND CITY AND COUNTY COUNCILS, WE MUST END THE A TAX COMMITTEE FROM RECOMMENDING ILLEGAL TAX USE.

ALL RIGHT.

SO WE'VE CAPTURED SOME NOTES, UM, FOR FURTHER CLARIFICATION WHEN THIS GETS TO COUNCIL.

UM, CAN I GET A MOTION? YES, SIR.

I MOVE TO RECOMMEND, UH, THAT THE FULL TOWN COUNCIL APPROVE, UH, GRANTING AUTHORITY TO EXECUTE THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTS RELATED TO WETLAND IMPACT BEING A DECLARATION OF RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS AND A WETLAND AND STREAM MITIGATION PURCHASE AGREEMENT FOR PATTERSON FAMILY PARK PROJECT.

SECOND.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

ANYONE SIGNED UP FOR THIS SENDA, MR. WILLIAMS? NO COMMENT.

ANYONE ELSE WANNA SPEAK TO THIS? OKAY.

FURTHER DISCUSSION HERE.

ALL IN FAVOR? PERFECT.

NOW WE

[6. Public Comment - Non Agenda Items]

WE MUST STOP THE TOWN COUNCIL FROM VOTING FOR ILLEGAL TAX USE AND STOP THE LAWYER'S MALPRACTICE.

WHAT CITY? DOGE DELIVERS A SIMPLE LOCAL BLUEPRINT TO PROTECT TAX MONEY? EVERY MUNICIPALITY ALREADY HAS A FINANCE COMMITTEE.

THE PROBLEM IS THAT, THAT IN MANY CITIES, THOSE COMMITTEES REPORT TO THE SAME STAFF WHO CREATE THE BUDGETS, CONTROL VENDOR PAYMENTS, AND HIRE THE AUDITORS.

MOST ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE NOT CPAS.

MUNICIPAL BUDGETS AND AUDITS ARE COMPLEX.

WITHOUT INDEPENDENT FINANCIAL EXPERTISE, COUNCILS OFTEN HAVE TO RELY ON THE SAME INSIDERS THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO OVERSEE.

CITY DOGE FIXES THIS LOCALLY, LEGALLY, AND FAST.

THE CITY DOGE BLUEPRINT AS FOLLOWS, APPOINT INDEPENDENT VOLUNTEERS.

CPAS RECRUIT LOCAL OR OUT OF TOWN CPAS WITH MUNICIPAL FINANCE EXPERIENCE

[02:30:01]

AUDIT COMPLIANCE EXPERIENCE PREFERRED NO CONFLICTS OF INTEREST WITH TOWN VENDORS, CONTRACTS OR INSIDERS MAKE THE COMMITTEE INDEPENDENT.

UNDER CITY DOSE.

THE FINANCE COMMITTEE DOES NOT REPORT TO STAFF.

IT REPORTS DIRECTLY TO THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

IT PROVIDES PUBLIC FACING SUMMARIES UNDER FOIA AND OPEN RECORD RULES REQUIRE INDEPENDENT BUDGET REVIEW BEFORE APPROVAL.

THE CITY DOGE FINANCE COMMITTEE REVIEWS BUDGET ASSUMPTIONS AND LINE ITEM GROWTH, VENDOR AND CONTRACT SPENDING, LEGAL FEES, SETTLEMENTS AND UNUSUAL TRANSFERS.

GRANT COMPLIANCE AND RESTRICTED FUNDS OFF BOOK ACCOUNTS AUTHORITIES AND PASS THROUGH EN UH, ENTITIES.

TAKE CONTROL OF THE YEAREND AUDIT PROCESS.

THE CITY DOGE FINANCE COMMITTEE, NOT STAFF SHOULD SELECT AND HIRE THE EXTERNAL AUDITOR.

REQUIRE MEANINGFUL TESTING IN HIGH RISK AREAS, REQUIRE MANAGEMENT LETTER TRANSPARENCY AND FOLLOW UP.

RECOMMEND ADDITIONAL FORENSIC OR COMPLIANCE REVIEWS WHEN NEEDED.

PUBLISH PERFORMANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY METRICS.

CITY DOGE CREATES A STANDARD SCOREBOARD SPENDING TRANSPARENCY, CONTRACT CONTROLS, PROCUREMENT, INTEGRITY, AUDIT QUALITY AND INDEPENDENCE EXCEPTIONS FOUND AND CORRECTED AND MEASURABLE PERFORMANCE OUTCOMES.

CITY DOGE RESTORES TRANSPARENCY.

CITIZENS CAN SEE WHERE THE MONEY GOES.

ACCOUNTABILITY, INDEPENDENT OVERSIGHT, NOT INSIDER.

OVERSIGHT, COST CONTROL, WASTE AND DUPLICATION GET EXPOSED.

PUBLIC TRUST FACTS, RECORDS AND MEASURABLE OUTCOMES.

TAXPAYERS' MONEY SHOULD BE PROTECTED LIKE FAMILY MONEY AND CITY DOGE MAKES THIS HAPPEN.

WHY? TRADITIONAL AUDITS FAIL TAXPAYERS MOST.

YOUR IN AUDITS ARE SELECTED AND MANAGED BY STAFF MANAGERS AND ATTORNEYS.

IF, IF, IF, IF THE FOX CONTROLS ARE RECORDS, THE AUDIT RARELY, RARELY FINDS A MISSING.

HINTS.

STANDARD FINANCIAL, MR. OMAN ON OLAND PROVIDED BY MANAGEMENT.

MS. OLAND YOUR TIME UP.

ANYONE ELSE? MS. RAF PLEASE.

HEATHER WRATH FOR THE RECORD.

THESE ARE COMMENTS REGARDING AT TAX.

FIRST I WANNA TAKE THE, I WANT TO, SORRY.

FIRST, I WANNA THANK THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND STAFF FOR TAKING SERIOUSLY ITS RESPONSIBILITY OF AS A STEWARD OF TAX DOLLARS.

I ALSO WANTED TO RECOGNIZE THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT AND STAFF FOR THE WORK THAT THEY DO TO ENSURE ACCOUNTABILITY, TRANSPARENCY, AND PROPER OVERSIGHT WITHIN THE AT TAX PROCESS.

THOSE SAFEGUARDS MATTER AND THEY'RE IMPORTANT TO MAINTAINING PUBLIC TRUST.

MY COMMENTS THIS MORNING ARE NOT ABOUT REDUCING ACCOUNTABILITY THERE ABOUT MAKING SURE OUR ADMINISTRATION OF THE LAW REMAINS ALIGNED WITH BOTH THE STATUTE ITSELF AND THE ORIGINAL LEGISLATIVE INTENT BEHIND IT.

I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF SERVING ON THE AT TAX COMMITTEE ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS AND DURING THAT TIME I WAS MENTORED BY JOHN CURRY WHO HELPED CRAFT SOUTH CAROLINA'S ACCOMMODATIONS TAX FRAMEWORK ALONGSIDE REPRESENTATIVE KAISER LING OF BEAUFORT.

WHAT I LEARNED FROM MR. CURRY ON THAT DAAS WAS THAT THE INTENT OF AT TAX WAS ALWAYS BROADER THAN SIMPLY FUNDING OUT OF MARKET ADVERTISING.

IN FACT, MR. CURRY HAD THE DISTINCT PLEASURE OF CORRECTING ME ON THAT DAIS, VERY STERNLY.

THE SAME ONE THAT YOU SIT ON RIGHT NOW.

IT WAS A MOMENT OF LEARNING FOR ME AS I HOPE THAT IT IS FOR YOU TODAY.

THE LAW WAS DESIGNED TO SUPPORT TOURISM RELATED EXPENDITURES THAT STRENGTHENED DESTINATIONS, PROMOTE EVENTS AND CULTURAL ASSETS, AND ENHANCE THE VISITOR EXPERIENCE IN WAYS THAT BENEFIT OUR LOCAL ECONOMY WHILE THE VISITORS ARE HERE.

THAT'S WHY I BELIEVE THERE'S A DISCONNECT BETWEEN OUR STATE LAW AND THE PORTIONS OF THE CURRENT DELIVERABLES.

GUIDANCE DISTRIBUTED BY TOWN STAFF TO NONPROFITS.

THE GUIDANCE REPEATEDLY NARROWS ELIGIBILITY TO OUT OF MARKET REACH AND EXCLUDE CERTAIN LOCALLY DISTRIBUTED OR VISITOR FACING MATERIALS SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY MAY BE SEEN AS ON THE ISLAND RESPECTFULLY.

THAT LANGUAGE DOES NOT APPEAR IN THE STATUTE.

THE LAW SAYS TOURISM RELATED.

IT DOES NOT SAY EXCLUSIVELY OUT OF MARKET.

A BROCHURE IN A HOTEL LOBBY, AN EVENT PROGRAM FOR VISITORS OR MATERIALS SUCH AS ISLAND EVENTS MAGAZINE, THAT IMPROVED VISITOR EXPERIENCES AFTER ARRIVAL ARE STILL TOURISM RELATED EXPENDITURES THAT SUPPORT OUR ECONOMY, OUR BUSINESS, AND REPEAT VISITATION.

I FULLY SUPPORT DOCUMENTED STANDARDS AND FISCAL OVERSIGHT.

THAT'S GOOD GOVERNANCE, BUT ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES SHOULD NOT UNINTENTIONALLY NARROW THE BROADER FLEXIBILITY PROVIDED UNDER STATE LAW.

HILTON HAS STAFF HAS WORKED HARD TO MAINTAIN IN INTEGRITY WITHIN THE AT TAX PROCESS, AND

[02:35:01]

I DO APPRECIATE THAT.

MY HOPE SIMPLY IS WE REVISIT WHETHER THE CURRENT GUIDE GUIDANCE, WHICH IS LISTED HERE FULLY REFLECTS THE BREADTH AND INTENT OF THE AT TAX LAW.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, I THINK WE SHARE THE SAME GOAL RESPONSIBLY INVESTING IN TOURISM DOLLARS IN WAYS THAT STRENGTHEN HILTON HEAD ISLAND SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR ARTS AND CULTURE.

ANYONE ELSE? ALRIGHT.

OUR CROWD HAS THINNED.

DEAR , MS. TO, WE WILL GET IN GETTING EXCITED THAT PEOPLE WERE COMING TO SEE US, BUT OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE GONE.

UM, WE THANK EVERYBODY FOR THEIR ATTENTION.

OBVIOUSLY WE THANK STAFF FOR THEIR GUIDANCE AND ASSISTANCE ALONG THE WAY AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS, UH, FOR BEING, UM, HERE TODAY AND WILL BRING US TO OUR FAVORITE PART OF THE MEETING, WHICH IS ADJOURNMENT.