[00:00:02]
I'D LIKE TO CALL THIS TOWN COUNCIL MEETING OF TUESDAY, MAY 12TH, 2026 TO ORDER.
IF YOU'LL JOIN ME IN STANDING AND SAY, IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, A PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY, JUSTICE FOR ALL.
IF YOU'LL CONTINUE STANDING WHILE WE HAVE PASTOR EDDIE PAT FROM WHEAT AND TERRACE MINISTRIES, SAY THE INDICATION TODAY, LET US PRAY MOST WISE AND ETERNAL.
WE THANK YOU ONCE MORE AGAIN, AS WE HAVE COME.
AND TO THIS DAY, WE ASK FATHER, THAT WHILE WE ARE HERE, THAT THE BUSINESS THAT IS TO BE CONDUCTED, THAT WE WOULD DO IT IN DECENCY AND IN ORDER, LET ALL THINGS BE DONE ACCORDING TO YOUR WILL, ACCORDING TO YOUR WING.
WE PRAY, GOD, THAT HUMANITY SHALL SURVIVE.
AND WHEN EVEN IN THE DEBATES THAT YOU RECEIVE GLORY AND HONOR, WE PRAY FOR THOSE THAT ARE HERE AND THOSE THAT ARE ON THEIR WAY.
WE PRAY FOR THIS TOWN COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR.
WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD COVER THEM AND KEEP THEM AS THEY ARE MAKING DECISIONS, SOMETIMES NOT WISE BY ALL, BUT IN CONSIDERATION OF THE WHOLE.
WE ASK, BELIEVE, AND KNOW ALL OF THESE THINGS.
IN YOUR MOST HOLY NAME, WE SAY AMEN.
[4. Adoption of the Agenda]
MR. ORLANDO.DO YOU, ORLANDO, DO YOU HAVE ANY CHANGES ON THE AGENDA FOR TODAY? NO, SIR.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, IS THERE A MOTION TO ADOPT? SECOND, WE'VE GOT A FIRST AND SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSION SEEING DONE? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? SECOND FILE RAISE IN YOUR RIGHT HAND.
[5. Approval of the Minutes]
NEXT WE HAVE A, UH, SPECIAL MEETING IN WORKSHOP MINUTES OF MARCH 31ST, 2026, THE REGULAR MEETING MINUTES OF APRIL 7TH, 2020 26.AND THE WORKSHOP MEETING MINUTES OF APRIL 28TH, 2026.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? I HAVE, SORRY, INTERRUPT YOU.
I WAS NOT ABLE TO BE HERE FOR APRIL SEVEN.
UM, SO I'M HAPPY TO APPROVE THE OTHER TWO.
IF YOU AGREE, IF YOU AGREE WITH IT, YOU CAN STILL VOTE FOR IT.
I, I DON'T HAVE ANY OBJECTION.
SO WE, I, I DID HAVE A RECOMMENDED CHANGE.
LET'S GET TO THE FIRST AND SECOND.
WHO, WHO HAD THE SECOND? MS. BECKER? MS. TURNER, GO AHEAD.
UM, ON THE MEETING MINUTES FOR TUESDAY, APRIL 7TH, UNDER THE AIRPORT BOARD, IT TALKS ABOUT MS. TURNER THANKED, AND THEN IT SAYS, MS. BECKER ALSO REPORTED.
WHICH ONE DO YOU WANNA BE? ACTUALLY, IT WASN'T, SHE, SHE, SHE WENT AND EXPANDED OFF OF WHAT YOU SAID.
UM, I CAN GO BACK AND SHOW YOU THE TAPE THERE IF YOU'D LIKE.
WE CAN, WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT.
SHE TALKED ABOUT SITUATIONAL AWARENESS TECHNOLOGY AND SHE SHE DID.
YEAH, I CAN, I CAN SHOW YOU THE TAPE.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSIONS ON THAT? ALRIGHT.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? SIGN SIGNIFY RAISING YOUR RIGHT HAND OPPOSED.
WHO WAS, WHO WAS AGAINST MS. HUNTER? AYE.
[6. Presentations and Recognitions]
UH, NEXT UP WE'LL HEAR FROM MR. ORLANDO, UH, ON HIS MANAGER'S REPORT.GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
WE HAVE A FEW UPCOMING BUDGET, UH, RELATED MEETINGS.
WE HAVE A, IN ADDITION TO TODAY'S FIRST READING AND PUBLIC HEARING, WE HAVE A THURSDAY, MAY 14TH, 5:00 PM BUDGET WORKSHOP.
IT COVERS ALL FUNDS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF STORMWATER AND CAPITAL PROJECTS.
AND THEN ON TUESDAY, MAY 19TH, FIVE O'CLOCK, BOTH HERE AT TOWN COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
UM, THE MAY 19 WORKSHOP IS TO TALK THROUGH AN OVERVIEW, THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, AS WELL AS THE STORMWATER UTILITY FUND.
AND THEN SECOND AND FINAL READING PLAN FOR, UH, THE JUNE 9TH MEETING AT 3:00 PM YOU WILL BE SEEING IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY.
UH, OUR, OUR LAUNCH OF OUR SHORT-TERM RENTAL AWARENESS CAMPAIGN.
UM, THERE IS A SHORT-TERM RENTAL ONE PAGER THAT BOB AND TEAM PUT TOGETHER A GREAT JOB TO EVERYBODY.
IT'S A ONE PAGER, UM, QR CODE DIRECTING USERS TO OUR LANDING PAGE, UPDATED OWNER OPERATIONAL PERMIT, APPLICATION, FIRE SAFETY REQUIREMENTS, INFORMATION ON THE TOWNS IN-HOUSE, RAPID RESPONSE HOTLINE, AND A FEW OTHERS.
WE ALSO, HOW HAVE A, HOW TO BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR MARKETING MATERIAL PROVIDED TO STR OWNERS, UM, TO SHARE WITH THEIR GUESTS.
WE WILL HAVE, AND YOU'LL SOON SEE, IT'S WHY I WANT TO TELL YOU THIS
[00:05:01]
PAID SUMMER DIGITAL MARKETING CAMPAIGN, A PAID SUMMER DIGITAL MARKETING CAMPAIGN, LEVERAGING GEOFENCING STRATEGIES TO REACH VISITORS SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN, RUNNING THROUGH THE SUMMER ACROSS ALL OF OUR SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS, THE MAYOR'S ARTICLE, UM, IN A JUNE ARTICLE, FULL PAGE ADS IN LOCAL PUBLICATIONS, AND THEN ALSO A DIRECT MAIL TO THE MORE THAN 7,000 SHORT-TERM RENTAL OWNERS, PLUS PROPERTY MANAGEMENT COMPANIES, PLUS TO ALL OF THE RESIDENTS.SO, UM, THOSE, THOSE DOLLARS ARE IN THE FISCAL YEAR 26 BUDGET.
THERE'S AT TAX AND SHORT-TERM RENTAL RELATED DOLLARS.
UM, WE'RE DOING A LOT OF THIS IN-HOUSE AND I, WHEREVER KELLY IS SITTING IN THE ROOM, I WANT TO GIVE A A A GREAT SHOUT OUT.
A BIG SHOUT OUT TO KELLY SPINELLA AND THE TEAM FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.
UH, K CIRCLE POCKET PARKS OPEN.
UM, IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE IT'S AT, IT'S LOCATED ON THE NORTHEAST QUADRANT OF KAGEY CIRCLE AND AT THE KIG PARK OR THE KAGEY PLAZA SHOPPING CENTER.
UM, I'VE HAD SOME POSITIVE FEEDBACK.
I'VE BEEN THERE MYSELF, AND I JUST THINK ANOTHER, UH, GREAT SMALLER PROJECT BROUGHT TO LIFE BY A, BY A CAPITAL PROJECT TEAM AND, AND MAYOR AND COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND THE BUDGET AND BEYOND.
WE CLOSED THE TOWN CLOSED ON THE NOVANT HEALTH SITE PER PURCHASE.
UM, WE USED TO CALL IT THE OLD MODERN CLASSIC MOTOR SITE.
WE CAN NOW CALL IT THE NOVANT HEALTHCARE SITE.
UM, THEY ACQUIRED IT FOR $4.34 MILLION.
UM, IT'S USED TO BE WHERE MODERN CLASSIC MOTORS WAS.
UM, THE TOWN ISSUED, WE ISSUED WITH YOUR GUIDANCE AND DIRECTIVE AN RFP LAST, WELL, SEPTEMBER 24, IT WAS 4.57 ACRES AND THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL SOUGHT, UH, HEALTHCARE ACCESS AND ULTIMATELY THROUGH THAT PROCESS SELECTED NOVANT HEALTH.
THEY PLAN TO DEVELOP AS PART OF THE CONTRACT AND PART OF PART OF THE, UM, DISCUSSIONS THROUGH THE NEGOTIATIONS, APPROXIMATELY 25,000 SQUARE FOOT MEDICAL OFFICE, UM, WITH A FUTURE INVESTMENT OF APPROXIMATELY 15,000 SQUARE FEET.
UM, IT'S INTENDED TO PROVIDE URGENT CARE, PRIMARY CARE, PHYSICAL THERAPY, UROLOGY, AND, AND, AND SEVERAL OTHER PRIMARY AND SECONDARY CARES.
THE PROJECT REPRESENTS CONSIDERABLE HEALTHCARE INVESTMENT, INCLUDING THE LAND ACQUISITION, CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT TECHNOLOGY, 46 INITIAL JOBS WITH A PROJECTION TO GROWTH TO 86 JOBS BY 2030.
UM, AND WE'RE TOLD THAT THE AVERAGE HOURLY WAGE IS APPROXIMATELY 45, CLOSE TO $46 PER HOUR.
SO THAT'S A, THAT'S A GREAT CREDIT TO MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
A GREAT CREDIT, UH, TO NOVANT AND, AND WE APPRECIATE THEIR INVESTMENT.
AND A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO BEN BROWN AND TEAM FOR ADVANCING THAT ACQUISITION OR THE SALE.
UM, AND, AND THE TOWN ACQUIRED THAT PROPERTY IN 2019 WITH THE INTENTION OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
UM, AND THEN THE TOWN ALSO IMPROVED THE SITE AND RESTORED THE SITE USING PALMETTO ELECTRIC UTILITY TAX CREDITS.
IT'S A GRANT THROUGH PALMETTO ELECTRIC, UM, AND WE GREATLY APPRECIATE PALMETTO ELECTRIC'S, UH, TRUST AND INVESTMENT IN, IN THIS SITE AS WELL.
SO, GREAT TEAMWORK ALL AROUND THE BRYANT ROAD.
REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS CLOSED ON MAY 6TH.
UH, AS A REMINDER, THAT IS FOR THE PROPERTY THAT IS OFF BRYANT ROAD, UM, IN, IN THE MUDDY CREEK NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT'S APPROXIMATELY SEVEN ACRES.
WE PUT A REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS OUT SEEKING A DEVELOPER PARTNER, UM, TO IMPROVE SOME, SOME HOMES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE'RE REVIEWING THE APPLICATIONS, SEVEN GOOD BIDS.
UM, AND THE NEXT STEP IS TO QUALIFY A SHORTLIST.
MAYOR PERRY, I'LL, I'LL WORK WITH YOU TO TALK THROUGH, UH, ESTABLISHING A BRYANT ROAD GROUP OF FOLKS VERY SIMILAR TO THE NORTH POINT, UM, GROUP, THE NORTH POINT ADVISORY, THE NORTH POINT DEVELOPMENT GROUP THAT I WORKED WITH TO TAKE A LOOK AT BIDS AND HELP NEGOTIATE, UH, A PROJECT TO BRING BACK TO TOWN COUNCIL FOR THEIR REVIEW AND CONSIDERATION.
UH, AND THE MAYOR'S YOUTH SERVICE AWARD CEREMONY IS TOMORROW, WEDNESDAY, MAY 13TH, 5:00 PM HILTON HEAD, BEACH AND TENNIS.
THE PROGRAM IS IN ITS 15TH YEAR, SO CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU AND TO EVERYBODY INVOLVED, ESPECIALLY THE YOUTH VOLUNTEERS THIS YEAR, ACCORDING TO FEDRA, WHO IS VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS, AND WE APPRECIATE HER LEADERSHIP VERY MUCH WITH THIS PROGRAM, 179 STUDENTS WHO HAVE COLLECTIVELY VOLUNTEERED OVER 20,000 HOURS OF SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO THAT'S OVERWHELMING WHEN YOU REALLY DO DO THE MATH.
HOW MANY HOURS PER, UM, AND, AND A REAL SPECIAL THANK YOU TO FAIA, WHO I BELIEVE'S WORKING ON THIS, BEEN WORKING ON THIS PROGRAM SINCE THE BEGINNING OF
[00:10:01]
TIME.HILTON HAD FIRE RESCUE MAY CARNIVAL.
IT'S AT FIRE STATION ONE SUNDAY, MAY 17TH, ONE TO FOUR CHIEF FIRE STATION ONE SHIPYARD.
RIGHT? YOU TEST ME ONCE IN A WHILE IF I KNOW ALL THE STATION NUMBERS.
UM, BUT PLEASE BRING THE WHOLE FAMILY AND JOIN AND JOIN US FOR A A A A FUN DAY FOOD RESCUE PROGRAM TURNS VISITOR LEFTOVERS INTO MEALS FOR LOCAL FAMILIES.
I SAW TWO OF THESE CONTAINERS, SO TO SPEAK.
UM, ONE WAS AT GRACO, ONE WAS AT STARBUCKS, SPONSORED BY SECOND HELPINGS.
THE POST VACATION FOOD DONATION PROGRAM ENCOURAGES VISITORS TO DROP UNOPENED NON-PERISHABLE ITEMS IN SECOND, HELPING DONATION BINS BEFORE HEADING HOME.
UM, VOLUNTEERS COLLECT THE FOOD AND DELIVER IT TO LOCAL PANTRIES AND SOUP KITCHENS.
AND THE BY MEMORIAL DAY, IT'S ANTICIPATED OR, OR EXPECTED THAT 24 DIFFERENT DONATION BINS WILL BE AVAILABLE ACROSS OUR ISLAND.
AND I, I FOUND TWO OF THEM ALREADY.
SO IT'S, IT'S, WE'RE OFF TO A GOOD START.
OUR VERY OWN OFFICE OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS HAS BEGUN AN UPDATE OF AN ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY, FOCUSING ON THE IMPACT OF ARTS AND CULTURE ON HILTON HEAD ISLANDS ECONOMY.
UM, LOOK FOR REPRESENTATIVES AND VOLUNTEERS CONDUCTING AUDIENCE SURVEYS AT UPCOMING CULTURAL EVENTS.
AND THEN, UH, ALMOST LAST SECOND TO LAST, IF YOU SEE SOME ART OUTSIDE OUR, OUR HALL, UM, NATALIE HARVEY, THANK YOU FOR, FOR HELPING CURATE THAT AND, AND WORKING WITH, UM, FOLKS, BUT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE HILTON HEAD AUDUBON SOCIETY, UM, SHARING LOCAL BIRDS AND THE LOCATIONS WHERE THE PHOTOS WERE TAKEN.
AND THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST, MEMORIAL DAY CLOSURE IN OBSERVANCE OF MEMORIAL DAY.
OUR ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES WILL BE CLOSED ON MONDAY, MAY 25TH, UM, WILL OF COURSE BE AVAILABLE FROM EMERGENCY SERVICES STANDPOINT, BUT IT WILL BE THE 33RD ANNUAL MEMORIAL DAY REMEMBRANCE CEREMONY, 9:30 AM AT VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK.
NEXT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO PRESENTATIONS AND RECOGNITIONS.
WE HAVE THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT CHARACTER EDUCATION STUDENT OF THE MONTH, UH, ANTONIO AVILA, VERONICA FROM HILTON HEAD ISLAND SCHOOL FOR CREATIVE ARTS CHARACTER TRAIT FOR THE MONTH WITH SELF-CONTROL.
ANTONIO IS HERE TODAY WITH HER PARENTS, MARIA VERONICA SOLANO AND NA ALVIA NIETO.
YOU CAN TELL MY SOUTHERN, YOU KNOW, ACCENT IS GREAT.
UH, ALONG WITH PRINCIPAL NIKKI LUCAS, COULD Y'ALL PLEASE COME FORWARD OVER HERE? OVER HERE? IT'S FINE.
SO, BUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT CHARACTER EDUCATION STUDENT OF THE MONTH FOR MARCH, 2026 FOR HILTON HU ALLEN, THIRD GRADE STUDENT, ANTONIA AVILIA.
VERONICA FROM HILTON HEAD, ALLEN SCHOOL FOR THE CREATIVE ARTS.
ANTONIA IS HERE TODAY WITH HER PARENTS, ALONG WITH PRINCIPAL NIKKI LUCAS.
THE CHARACTER TRAIT CHOSEN WAS SELF-CONTROL, THE ABILITY TO HAVE CONTROL OVER YOUR FEELINGS OR ACTIONS OR ONESELF IN PARTICULAR, ONE'S EMOTIONS AND DESIRES, OR THE EXPRESSION OF THEM AND ONE'S BEHAVIOR, ESPECIALLY IN DIFFICULT SITUATIONS.
WE DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THAT OVER HERE AT ALL.
SO THIS IS WHAT WAS WRITTEN, UH, REGARDING ANTONIO.
I NOMINATE ANTONIO AVILA, VERONICA ANTONIO PRACTICES SELF-CONTROL DAILY IN A SWARM OF OTHERS THAT DO NOT.
SHE RESISTS AND IGNORES CLASSMATES THAT PROMOTE CHAOS DURING TRANSITIONS AND PROCEEDS TO THE NEXT SESSION, ACTIVITY OR CLASS.
SHE SETS AN EXAMPLE THAT OTHERS SHOULD FOLLOW, AS SHE KNOWS WAS EXPECTED OF HER DURING, DURING THESE TRANSITIONS.
MRS. MORROW, CONGRATULATIONS FOR EXHIBITING CHARACTER TRAITS THAT ARE ESSENTIAL FOR SUCCESS AND WE ALL SHOULD FOLLOW.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I HAVE THIS FOR YOU, WHICH IS A CERTIFICATE AND A TOWN COIN.
OKAY? IT WALK RIGHT OUT HERE AND TAKE A PICTURE.
WE'RE JUST GONNA HAVE YOU MOVE A LITTLE BIT MORE THIS WAY.
OKAY? OH, WOULD YOU GUYS MOVE THAT UP? PERFECT.
NEXT UP, WE'LL HAVE BOND SCANDAL ACCEPTING, UH, FOR HIS THE, THE A LS
[00:15:01]
UM, PROCLAMATION.SO IF I CAN HAVE BOB RIGHT HERE, COME ON UP.
IS YOUR SON ALSO KYLE ATTENDING? IS HE GONNA MAKE IT TODAY? NO, WE CANNOT MAKE IT.
SO THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND, A LS AWARENESS MONTH PROCLAMATION, WHEREAS AMYOTROPHIC LATERAL SCLEROSIS, ALSO COMMONLY KNOWN AS LOU GEHRIG'S DISEASE, IS A PROGRESSIVE FATAL NEUROGENERATIVE DISEASE IN WHICH A PERSON'S SPRAIN LOSES CONNECTION WITH OUR MUSCLES, SLOWLY REDUCING A PERSON'S ABILITY TO WALK, TALK, EAT, AND EVENTUALLY BREATHE.
AND THOUSANDS OF NEW A LS CASES ARE REPORTED EVERY YEAR, AND ESTIMATES SHOW THAT EVERY 90 MINUTES SOMEONE IS DIAGNOSED WITH A LS AND SOMEONE PASSES AWAY FROM A LS AND PEOPLE WHO HAVE SERVED IN THE MILITARY OR MORE LIKELY TO DEVELOP A LS AND DIE FROM THIS DISEASE THAN THOSE WITH NO HISTORY OF MILITARY SERVICE.
AND WHEREAS ON AVERAGE, PATIENTS DIAGNOSED WITH A LS SURVIVE ONLY TWO TO FIVE YEARS FROM THE TIME OF THE DIAGNOSIS, AND THE EXACT CAUSES OF A LS ARE UNKNOWN AND THERE IS NO KNOWN CURE FOR A LS.
AND WHEREAS SECURING ACCESS TO THE NEW THERAPIES, DURABLE, DURABLE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES IS OF VITAL IMPORTANCE TO PEOPLE LIVING WITH A LS.
AND CLINICAL TRIALS PLAY A ROLE IN EVALUATING NEW TREATMENT, ENHANCING QUALITY OF LIFE, AND FOSTERING ASSISTANCE AND TECHNO ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGIES FOR THOSE LIVING WITH A LS.
AND WHEREAS THE A LS ASSOCIATION IS THE LARGEST PHILANTHROPIC FUNDER OF A FOR A A LS RESEARCH GLOBALLY AND HAS COMMITTED MORE THAN 154 MILLION TO SUPPORT MORE THAN 550 PROJECTS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES AND 18 OTHER COUNTRIES.
AND THE A LS ASSOCIATION IS COMMITTED TO MAKE A LS LIVABLE AND CURE IT FOR EVERYONE EVERYWHERE.
AND WHEREAS A LS AWARENESS MONTH PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY TO INCREASE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THE DIRE CIRCUMSTANCES OF PEOPLE LIVING WITH A LS ACKNOWLEDGE THE TERRIBLE IMPACT OF THIS DISEASE HAS ON THOSE INDIVIDUALS AND THEIR FAMILIES AND SUPPORT RESEARCH TO ERADICATE THIS DISEASE.
NOW, I THEREFORE, ALAN R. PERRY, MAYOR OF THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND DO HEREBY PROCLAIM MAY, 2026 IS A LS AWARENESS, AWARENESS MONTH, AS I CALL UPON ALL AMERICANS TO JOIN IN SUPPORTING A LS RESEARCH, ADVOCATING FOR INCREASED FUNDING, AND STANDING IN SOLIDARITY WITH THOSE AFFECTED BY THIS RELENTLESS DISEASE.
I KNOW YOU WANNA SAY A FEW WORDS.
AND I'LL, I WILL BE QUICK, BUT, SO MY WIFE, UH, WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A LS IN JANUARY, UH, MARCH OF 2020, AND SHE PASSED AWAY IN, UH, JANUARY OF 2022.
UM, THOSE THAT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT, IT'S A VERY, VERY DIFFICULT DISEASE, BUT I WILL SAY THAT THIS WAS A WONDERFUL COMMUNITY TO LIVE IN WITH IT.
UM, THE COMMUNITY AND THE FRIENDS HERE WERE, UH, UNBELIEVABLE TO US.
AND I JUST WANNA SHARE A MORE RECENT, UH, EXAMPLE OF THAT.
UM, A WEEK AGO SUNDAY, I WAS GOING FOR A WALK ON THE BEACH, AND I GOT DOWN TO THE END OF THE, THE BEACH MAT PATH, AND THERE WAS A GENTLEMAN IN A POWER WHEELCHAIR THERE.
SO I STRUCK UP A CONVERSATION WITH HIM.
TURNS OUT HE HAS A LS UH, SOMEWHAT RECENTLY DIAGNOSED.
HE WAS VISITING THE ISLAND FROM MAINE, AND, UH, HE EXPRESSED HIS APPRECIATION FOR THE SUPPORT HERE, THE, THE WONDERFUL BEACH PAT MATHS, UH, THE, THE VERANDA OVERLOOK FOR A DA AT ISLANDERS BEACH PARK AND THE FREE BEACH WHEELCHAIRS THAT ARE MADE ACCESSIBLE, SO WONDERFUL, UH, SUPPORT FROM THE TOWN.
UH, SO WE JUST WANT TO THANK FOR THAT.
AND OF COURSE, HE WAS A VISITOR, BUT THERE ARE MANY, MANY PEOPLE LIVING HERE ON THE ISLAND WITH THIS DISEASE.
ONE IN 300 PEOPLE WILL GET IT.
UM, SO, UH, AND THEN THE LAST THING IS, UH, IF YOU, IF YOU SEE SOMEBODY STRUGGLING WITH WHAT MAY BE THIS OR MAYBE A SIMILAR KIND OF DISEASE, UM, YOU KNOW, A KIND WORD, A HELLO, A HELPING HAND IS PROBABLY GONNA BE ONE OF THE BRIGHTEST SPOTS IN THEIR DAY, IN A VERY TOUGH DAY, OKAY? SO APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT AND YOUR KINDNESS AND THE RECOGNITION.
NEXT WE HAVE PIKE MONTH, SO, UH, RELO AND BILL ZILLA COME ON UP.
AND CHARLIE QUIG, MY, MY APOLOGIES SHOULD HAVE KEPT ON READING WITH BIKE WALK HILTON HEAD.
SO THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND BIKE MONTH PROCLAMATION.
WHEREAS FOR MORE THAN A CENTURY, THE BICYCLE HAS BEEN AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE LIVES OF MOST AMERICANS.
AND WHEREAS TODAY, MILLIONS OF AMERICANS ENGAGE
[00:20:01]
IN BICYCLING BECAUSE IT IS A VIABLE AND ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND FORM OF TRANSPORTATION, AN EXCELLENT FORM OF FITNESS, AND PROVIDES QUALITY FAMILY RECREATION.AND WHEREAS BIKE WALK, HILTON HEAD ISLAND IS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND AND THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
BLUFFTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HAS PROMOTED BICYCLING EDUCATION AND AWARENESS THROUGH ANNUAL BICYCLE EVENTS AND THE BIKE WALK AMBASSADOR PROGRAM.
AND WHEREAS THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND IS A VACATION DESTINATION WHERE VISITORS ENJOY BICYCLING ON PATHWAYS AND THE BEACH, AND WHEREAS HILTON HEAD ISLAND RESIDENTS INCREASINGLY RIDE BICYCLES FOR PLEASURE EXERCISE AS A MEANS OF COMMUTING TO AND FROM WORK.
AND WHEREAS THE LEAGUE OF AMERICAN CYCLISTS, THE PALMETTO CYCLING COALITION BIKE WALK, HHI, KICKING ASPHALT BIKE CLUB AND RIDERS THROUGHOUT OUR AREA ARE PROMOTING GREATER PUBLIC AWARENESS OF BICYCLE OPERATION AND SAFETY.
AND WHEREAS THE LEAGUE OF AMERICAN BICYCLISTS DESIGNATED THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND AS A BICYCLE FRIENDLY COMMUNITY, AS THE GOLD LEVEL AT THE GOLD LEVEL IN 2020 19, AND AGAIN IN 2024 UNTIL 2027, AND WHEREAS MAY 11TH TO 17TH, 2026 IS BIKE TO WORK WEEK, AND MAY 15TH, 2026 IS BIKE TO WORK DAY.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, ALAN, OUR PREMIER, THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND, HEREBY PROCLAIM MAY, 2026 IS BIKE MONTH.
I PROMISED TO TAKE LESS OF MY THREE MINUTES A LOT.
SO, UH, BUT YES, I, I JUST WANTED TO, UM, SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT, UH, BICYCLING IN GENERAL, AND HE DID COVER IT.
IT'S BEEN A PASSION OF MINE, UH, FOR MANY YEARS.
AND, UH, I WANT YOU TO TAKE IT FROM A GUY WHO HAS BICYCLED IN NORTHERN ITALY, THE STREETS OF MANHATTAN, AND, UH, DOWNTOWN WASHINGTON, DC DURING THE 200TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION, THAT WHAT I FIND HERE IS SUCH A UNIQUE INVALUABLE ASSET THAT WE HAVE.
AND I IMPLORE YOU, UH, THANK YOU FOR THE RECOGNITION OF THE BIKE MONTH, BUT I IMPLORE YOU TO CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN AND EXPAND, UH, THIS VALUABLE ASSET FOR THE COMMUNITY.
AND, UH, RARELY DO YOU SEE SO MUCH SUPPORT FOR PEOPLE LIKE THAT ON THEIR OWN FROM BIKE WALK, HILTON, HEAD KICKING ASPHALT, THEY'RE GREAT CLUBS AND ORGANIZATION.
SO I THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, AS WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE BUDGET, MAKE SURE THAT WE ADDRESS THAT AND DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE, THE IMPORTANCE OF BIKE BIKING TO THE RESIDENTS OF HILTON HEAD.
LET'S GRAB A, GRAB A PICTURE, COME UP RIGHT UP FRONT.
[7. Reports from Members of Town Council]
ALL RIGHT.NEXT, WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO, UM, GENERAL REPORTS FROM TOWN COUNCIL.
IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'D LIKE TO START OFF WITH THIS ONE FOR A MOMENT.
UM, I, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE REST OF COUNCIL, BUT I IMAGINE, SO THAT WE'VE BEEN RECEIVING A LOT OF COMMUNICATIONS REGARDING 2 29 MARSHLAND ROAD AND THE DEVELOPMENT THAT'S, THAT IS LOOKING TO GO THERE, AND THERE IS A NATIONAL CONSERVANCY THAT IS BACK IN THAT AREA.
UM, TOWN COUNCIL HAS BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY TO CHANGE SOME LAND MANAGEMENT ORDINANCE, AND IN THE PAST THREE AND A HALF, FOUR YEARS, WE HAVE DONE SO IN CERTAIN AREAS WE ARE NOT DONE WITH IT.
IT IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY MR. ORLANDO HAS ASKED THAT WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A PAUSE WITHIN SOME OF THESE MEETINGS SO WE CAN ENACT SOME OF THE LEGISLATIONS AND ORDINANCES THAT ARE ABOUT READY TO GO.
UM, THIS IS A DELICATE AREA AND IT NEEDS TO BE PROTECTED.
IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE OVERDEVELOPED.
WE LOOK VERY HARD AT CONSERVATION AND PRESERVATION.
IN THE PAST FOUR YEARS, WE'VE SPENT ABOUT $65 MILLION BUYING 80 ACRES OF LAND, TAKING OFF OVER 450 HOMES, TAKING OFF MULTIPLE, MULTIPLE HOTELS AND ROOMS THERE.
WE'VE BEEN ASKED TO PURCHASE THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY FROM THE COMMUNITY, FROM DIFFERENT INDIVIDUALS IN THE COMMUNITY.
TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THE OWNER OF THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY IS NOT INTERESTED IN SELLING, AND THEREFORE WE HAVE TO ABIDE BY THE RULES AND REGULATIONS, WHICH ARE SET BEFORE IN FRONT OF US.
I THINK THAT EVERY ONE OF US ON, ON THIS DAAS HAS THE SAME DESIRE TO PROTECT THIS ISLAND IN A WAY THAT IT HADN'T BEEN IN THE PAST.
AND WE'RE MOVING TOWARDS A POSITION W WHAT WILL BE IN A BETTER POSITION TO DO JUST THAT.
[00:25:01]
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A STATEMENT SO THAT I HOPE THAT EVERYBODY CAN HEAR OUT THERE THAT WE ARE AWARE OF WHAT'S GOING ON.WE HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THE DEVELOPERS AND WE ARE LOOKING TO CORRECT THE ITEMS THAT WERE WRONG BACK IN 2014.
MR. ORLANDO, AM I FORGETTING ANYTHING THAT NO, NO, SIR.
NOT, NOT AS IT COMES TO MIND, BUT THANK YOU.
OUR JOB IS POLICY, NOT THE OPERATIONAL SIDE, UM, BUT WE ARE PUSHING TO PROTECT.
SO WITH THAT, ANY OTHER GENERAL YES, MA'AM, GO AHEAD.
MAY I JUST ADD A COUPLE OF WORDS? UM, ON THAT TWO 20, UH, NINE MARSHLAND IS ALSO KNOWN AS DRIFTWOOD, AND SO IF YOU HAVEN'T HEARD IT IN ONE NAME, YOU'VE LIKELY HEARD IT IN ANOTHER.
AND THIS IS A PROJECT MAYOR, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT, THAT HAS DRAWN CONSIDERABLE ATTENTION AND RIGHTFULLY SO FROM THE RESIDENTS ACROSS THE ISLAND, BUT SPECIFICALLY WITHIN INDIGO RUN.
UM, THE TOWN STAFF HAS BEEN INCREDIBLE TO WORK WITH AS WE AND, AND THE INDIGO RUN, UM, TEAM AND MYSELF HAVE MET SEVERAL TIMES WITH THE DEVELOPER, UM, TO TRY TO CREATE THE BEST COMMUNITY THERE.
ONE THAT WILL PROTECT NOT ONLY THE RESIDENTS OF INDIGO RUN FROM THE DEVELOPMENT, BUT EVEN MORE IMPORTANTLY IN THIS CASE FROM WHAT WE CALL A ERY OR THE CONSERVATIVE.
SO CONSERVANCY THAT YOU MENTIONED, UM, THE WORK'S NOT DONE.
I KNOW THAT ON ONE-ON-ONE WHEN I'VE SPOKEN TO THE DEVELOPERS, WE'VE TRIED TO CREATE A, UM, A GOOD NEIGHBOR APPROACH AND TO LOOK FOR SOLUTIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES TO REDUCE ANY TYPE OF IMPACT.
UM, AS I'VE SAID TO THE NATURAL RESOURCES THERE AS WELL AS THE COMMUNITY.
I CONGRATULATE THE TOWN AND THE STAFF FOR BEING AS HARDWORKING TOWARDS MAKING, UM, THE BEST IMPROVEMENTS TO THAT PLAN, UM, AS WILL BE POSSIBLE.
AND SO, UM, MORE TO COME AND, UM, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR DILIGENCE.
THE EMAILS, THE STAYING ON TOP OF THINGS.
I KNOW THAT THE COMMUNITY ITSELF HAS REACHED OUT.
THERE'S A, UM, THERE'S AN ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY THAT'S GOING ON AND COMMENTS WERE DUE TODAY.
SO, UM, WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS NEXT, BUT I CAN FULLY, UM, APPRECIATE WHAT YOU SAID THAT THERE ISN'T ONE PERSON ON THIS COUNCIL WHO WANTS TO SEE ANYTHING DETRIMENTAL HAPPEN IN THAT AREA.
AND TO THE FULL EXTENT THAT WE HAVE ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO, UM, THAT'S WITHIN THE LIMITS OF WHAT WE HAVE ON AUTHORITY TO, WE ARE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH THAT GOAL.
SO THANK YOU OTHER MS. BRYSON, JUST TO ADD A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION TO THOSE COMMENTS.
I AGREE WITH THE COMMENTS MADE BEFORE THE LMO TASK FORCE IS ONE OF ITS FIRST ITEMS FOR CONSIDERATION, UM, A REVISIONS TO OUR WETLAND PROTECTION.
AND SO THE, THE FINAL MEETING DURING THIS CYCLE OF THE L TASK FORCE WILL BE NEXT THURSDAY NIGHT AT SEVEN O'CLOCK.
THAT'LL BE SHORT TERM RENTALS AND NOT WETLAND PROTECTION AFTER THAT.
IT'S AT FIVE O'CLOCK IN THIS SAME ROOM.
UM, AND, UH, THEN THE STAFF WILL BE WORKING ON REVISIONS TO THOSE ORDINANCES, INCLUDING WETLANDS PROTECTION.
WE'LL COME BACK TO THE LMO TASK FORCE AND THAT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE PROCESS, UH, BEFORE IT COMES BACK TO TOWN COUNCIL FOR ADOPTION.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, WORKING ON IT.
I KNOW IT'S GONNA TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME, BUT IT DOES HAVE OUR ATTENTION, UH, THAT AS WELL AS OTHER ITEMS, UH, THAT THE LMO TASK FORCE IS REVIEWING.
OTHER, UH, GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS, COMMENTS, I DO HAVE ONE OTHER ON DIFFERENT TOPIC, KNOWING THAT IT'S BIKE MONTH, UH, NEXT WEEK, UM, A DIFFERENT KIND OF A TOPIC, THINKING ABOUT BICYCLING.
THE RIDE OF SILENCE IS NEXT WEDNESDAY, MAY 20TH AT SEVEN O'CLOCK AT BEGIN, AT 7:00 PM IT BEGINS AT PORT ROYAL, UH, SHOPPING PLAZA AND GOES, UH, DOWN TO ABOUT LIVINGTON, TURNS AROUND AND COMES BACK.
UM, IT'S DONE IN HONOR OF THOSE CYCLISTS WHO HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES ON ROADS, UM, THROUGHOUT OUR COUNTRY.
IT STARTED IN 2003 WHEN I, UM, AN ENDURANCE CYCLISTS WAS KILLED IN TEXAS.
UM, AND OUR COMMUNITY HAS BEEN HONORING THOSE KILLED ACROSS THE NATION ON BICYCLES, UM, FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.
UM, I KNOW THAT MR. ALFRED AND I HAVE RIDDEN A NET A NUMBER OF YEARS.
UM, I HOPE TO RIDE AGAIN NEXT WEDNESDAY NIGHT.
WE WILL HAVE A SHERIFF'S, UH, ESCORT, UH, FOR SAFETY REASONS, BUT BE AWARE OF THAT.
AND PLEASE REMEMBER CYCLISTS WHENEVER YOU'RE DRIVING AND RIDING ON THE ROADS.
I JUST WANNA CONFIRM THE LOCATION BECAUSE ON MY CALENDAR IT SAYS MAIN STREET.
UH, IT'S AT PORT ROYAL SHOPPING CENTER IN FRONT OF MAIN STREET RESTAURANT.
ITSELF IN FRONT OF MAIN STREET RESTAURANT.
APPRECIATE THAT CLARIFICATION.
THAT'D BEEN IN THE WRONG PLACE, OTHERS.
SO I, I'D LIKE TO END ON, UH, UM,
[00:30:02]
SORRY.IT'S NOT MAIN STREET LIKE TO, YOU KNOW, FINISH THIS UP ON SOMETHING REALLY EXCITING, UH, REALLY POSITIVE, UM, THE GIVING OF OUR COMMUNITY IS WHAT MAKES US SO SPECIAL AND SO GREAT.
NOT LAST WEEKEND, THE WEEKEND BEFORE LAST, THERE WERE ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE DIFFERENT NON-PROFIT EVENTS, AND A TOTAL OF ABOUT $1.1 MILLION WAS RAISED OVER A FOUR DAY PERIOD FOR VARIOUS CHARITIES ON THE ISLAND.
AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WHAT THE CHARACTER IS, THAT'S THE CHARACTER AND THAT IS A VERY GREAT THING.
AND THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THAT WE DO BY REINVESTING IN OUR COMMUNITY HELPS US BRING THE PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE THAT ALLOW THEM TO DO THAT, TO PROVIDE THOSE KINDS OF FUNDS TO THESE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS.
I DON'T WANT TO MENTION 'EM ALL BECAUSE I DON'T WANNA LEAVE ANYONE OUT BECAUSE I KNOW THERE WERE SOME THAT I, I WAS NOT AWARE OF.
BUT TO RAISE $1.2 MILLION IN FOUR DAYS AMONGST DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS IN ONE COMMITTEE IS AWESOME.
SO I JUST, I WANNA MAKE THAT RECOGNITION TO THEM.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE'LL MOVE ON TO, UH, CO UH, COMMITTEE REPORTS, LOW COUNTRY ERIE TRANSPORTATION STUDY.
MS. BECKER, I DO NOT HAVE A REPORT.
WE HAVEN'T HAD A MEETING SINCE THE LAST, OKAY.
ALRIGHT, MR. ALFRED, LOW COUNTRY COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS.
AIRPORT'S BOARD, NO REPORT, BUT I DO WANT TO MENTION WE HAD OUR RIBBON CUTTING TODAY FOR THE AIRPORT.
UH, PHASE ONE IS COMPLETE AND IS OPEN, AND THEY HAD MANAGED THEIR PROJECT ON TIME, ON BUDGET WITH NO DEBT AND NO, UH, PAYMENT FROM THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD.
SO IT WAS, UH, A VERY NICE EVENT THIS MORNING.
UH, MS. BRYSON, UH, WHAT COUNTRY COUNSEL OR SO LOCO? YES, SO LOCO, UM, YES, WE MET ON APRIL 28TH, THE 10:00 AM IN HARVILLE.
UM, AND WE DISCUSSED UNDER NEW BUSINESS AN UPDATE FROM, WE HAD A REPORT, AN UPDATE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF BEAUFORT JASPER HOUSING TRUST, UH, WITH A PRESENTATION.
AND THESE ARE AVAILABLE ON THE, UH, TOWN OF HARVILLE'S WEBSITE UNDER SO LOCO OR SOUTHERN LOW COUNTRY REGIONAL BOARD.
UM, ALSO, UM, THAT ORGANIZATION IS WORKING ON A HOUSING DIRECTORY.
UM, THEY'RE ALSO ADDRESSING HOME REPAIRS.
THERE'S A HIGH DEMAND FOR HOME REPAIRS.
IT'S A TOUGH ISSUE BASED UPON THE CIRCUMSTANCES AND THE FUNDING AVAILABLE AND OTHER ISSUES.
BUT I COMMEND THAT PRESENTATION TO YOU ON THAT WEBSITE.
IN ADDITION, THERE WAS A PRESENTATION FROM THE SCORE MENTORING PROGRAM, UH, WHICH, UH, IS, IS SOLELY A MENTORING PROGRAM.
THEIR, UH, WEBSITE IS SCORE.ORG/SC LOWCOUNTRY.
AND AGAIN, THAT PRESENTATION IS AVAILABLE ON THE WEBSITE.
UH, THERE WAS ALSO AN UPDATE FROM AN E-BIKE SUBCOMMITTEE OF SO LOCO, UH, DAN WOOD TOWN COUNCIL MEMBER FROM BLUFFTON PUT TOGETHER A GROUP TO LOOK AT, UM, WHAT OTHER JURISDICTIONS ARE DOING WITH REGARD TO REGULATIONS OF E-BIKES.
UM, DID NOT COME UP WITH A MODEL ORDINANCE, BUT MADE SOME SUGGESTIONS ABOUT HOW TO, UM, HAVE ADOPT REGULATIONS.
MENTIONED THAT THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND HAD ALREADY ADOPTED SOME REGULATIONS ON E-BIKES.
UM, A CONCERN IS ABOUT ENFORCEMENT, AND CERTAINLY WE'VE HAD CONCERNS IN OUR COMMUNITY, UM, THAT IS THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND COMMUNITY ABOUT RECKLESS RIDING, UM, SOME CHANGES THAT ARE NEEDED TO STATE LEGISLATION, UM, AND ALSO, UM, A NUMBER OF JURISDICTIONS, THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS WITHIN.
SO LOCO ARE GOING TO BE HAVING WORKSHOPS BY THEIR LOCAL GOVERNING BOARDS REGARDING E-BIKE REGULATION.
UH, THE MAY MEETING, THE NEXT MEETING WILL BE MAY 26TH AT 10:00 AM IN BLUFFTON.
THE TOPIC SO FAR, OR REPORT FROM THE COUNTY'S, UM, SALES TAX COMMITTEE, ALSO KNOWN AS THE TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
UM, THE REPORT FROM THE CHAIR OF THAT COMMITTEE WAS MADE TO THE COUNTY COUNCIL LAST NIGHT.
UM, THE CHAIR IS LISA SOCAL, FORMER MAYOR OF TOWN OF BLUFFTON.
SHE'LL BE MAKING THE REPORT TO SO LOCO AT THE MAY MEETING.
ALSO A REPORT FROM A 20 YEAR, UH, REGIONAL PLANNING COMMITTEE.
AND THOSE ARE THE PR, UH, SO FAR THE PLANNED TOPICS FOR THAT, UH, MAY MEETING.
USUAL, LOTS GOING ON AT THE ISLAND REC.
I'LL JUST HIGHLIGHT A FEW HERE.
THERE WAS A FAMILY FUN DAY ON MAY 2ND.
97 FAMILIES CAME AND ENJOYED, UH, THIS ALL AMERICAN FOOTBALL CAMP WITH 150 KIDS AS WELL AS COLLEGE ATHLETES.
THIS IS THE FIRST SEASON SINCE COVID THAT WE HAVE FIELDED A TEAM IN THE SAVANNAH LEAGUE.
UM, GATOR FOOTBALL HAS FREE CONDITIONING CLINICS GOING ON ON FRIDAY NIGHTS.
UH, OFFICIAL PRACTICES WILL START IN JUNE.
THERE'S AN ADULT CORN HOLE LEAGUE, UH, FIVE TEAMS PLAYING AT THE BANK WEEKLY.
AND LASTLY, THIS GOLF TOURNAMENT HOSTED AT THE MID ISLAND TRACK ON APRIL 25TH, HAS 60 PARTICIPANTS.
NEXT ON THE BEAUFORT COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, UH, WE HAD
[00:35:01]
OUR MEETING LAST WEEK, AND A COUPLE OF ITEMS THAT ARE DIRECT INTEREST TO US IS, UM, WE HAD ASKED THAT THEY REACH OUT AND DO SOME TEST AREAS TO DO SOME ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SEARCHES.UH, BUSINESS RECRUITMENT, THEY RAN A CAMPAIGN FROM FEBRUARY 10TH TO MARCH 13TH.
IT WAS TO GENERATE AWARENESS AND INTEREST.
UM, THE TARGET PROSPECTS WERE 267.
CHIEF OFFERING OFFERS, UH, UH, OFFICERS OPERATIONS, VICE PRESIDENTS INDUSTRIES INCLUDED CYBERSECURITY TECHNOLOGY, FINANCIAL SERVICES, HEADQUARTERS, UH, HOSPITALITY, SUPPLY CHAIN, LIFE SCIENCES, LIGHT MANUFACTURING, AND MEDICAL SUPPLIERS.
UM, THE CAMPAIGN, UM, HAD 126 UNIQUE OPENS, UH, WITH AN OPEN RATE OF 82.4%.
THE BENCHMARK IS A 31 TO 40% OPEN RATE.
YOU KNOW, UNIQUE CLICKS WERE AT 22.2%, WHICH THE BENCHMARK IS TWO TO 4%.
SO THAT TELLS YOU THAT THERE WAS GREAT INTEREST IN WHAT IS BEING OFFERED IN THIS AREA, UM, AND HOW COMPANIES ARE LOOKING TO MOVE TO OTHER SPOTS.
UM, THIS WAS IN THE NEW YORK AREA.
THERE IS ONE THAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS, IS FOCUSED IN THE TAMPA AREA.
AND WE'LL HAVE THOSE NUMBERS PROBABLY COME IN JUNE, JULY OR AUGUST.
UM, SOME OF THE COMPANIES THAT THEY, THEY, UH, WERE, THEY USED IN THEIR ADS, UH, WERE LOCKHEED MARTIN, UM, CS INSTRUMENTS, LIFE SCIENCES, UH, SURVIVING, NOT JUST SURVIVING, BUT LIVING, UM, AND THEN THE GAY FISH COMPANY OUT OF, OUT OF, UH, BUFORT.
UM, SO IT HAD STRONG RESPONSES AND THIS IS SOMETHING WE'LL LOOK TO CONTINUE TO DO, TO SEE WHAT INDUSTRIES WE CAN ATTRACT HERE TO DIVERSIFY OUR ECONOMY A LITTLE BIT.
SO, VERY POSITIVE RESULTS ON THAT.
MR. BROWN, GALLOG GEECHEE, HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
THE CDC WILL MEET ON WEDNESDAY, MAY 20TH AT 10:00 AM THE AGENDA WILL INCLUDE DISCUSSION REGARDING THE 2026 STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS, CONSIDERATION OF A POTENTIAL NAME CHANGE ASSOCIATED WITH THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ACT, AN EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR MATTERS RELATED TO EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE AND LEGAL MATTERS ASSOCIATED WITH THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ACT.
OKAY, THANK YOU, MS. BECKER, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND PUBLIC SERVICES.
UM, THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND PUBLIC SERVICES COMMITTEE MET ON TUESDAY, APRIL 28TH, AND WE CONDUCTED INTERVIEWS FOR VARIOUS COMMITTEES, COMMISSIONS, AND BOARDS WHERE THERE ARE VACANCIES.
AND, UM, WE WILL BE MAKING THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE FULL TOWN COUNCIL FOR THEIR REVIEW AND DECISION MAKING.
THE, UM, NEXT, OUR LAST MEETING, UM, ON MAY 11TH WAS CANCELED DUE TO A LACK OF AGENDA ITEMS. OKAY.
AND THEN MR. BROWN, LAST FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE.
YES, MR. MAYOR, AT THIS POINT, THE F AND A COMMITTEE WILL MEET ON MONDAY, JUNE 8TH AT 10:00 AM AT THIS POINT, THERE'S ONLY ONE AGENDA ITEM, WHICH IS THE MONTHLY, UH, FINANCIAL UPDATE, BUT I'M SURE WE WILL PROBABLY FIND SOMETHING TO ADD TO THAT AGENDA.
YES, THE, I BELIEVE IT IS THE LOW, UH, LOW COUNTRY AREA TRANSPORTATION STUDY.
UH, WE'LL HAVE A PUBLIC OPEN HOUSE ON MARCH 28TH FROM FOUR TO SIX AT OUR LOCAL LIBRARY, DEALING WITH AN UPCOMING STUDY OF US 2 78 FROM I 95, ALL THE WAY TO SEA PINE CIRCLE, AND THAT THAT IS TRAFFIC RELATED.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WILL HAPPEN IN THE SHORT TERM, UH, BUT IT IS, I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT, THAT THERE WILL BE EFFORTS DEALING WITH THE ENTIRE CORRIDOR THERE.
MAY 28TH, RIGHT? YEAH, YEAH, IT'S MAY 28TH.
THERE ARE TWO OTHER MEETINGS AS WELL, IF THAT ONE'S NOT CONVENIENT, AND I BELIEVE IT'S BEEN POSTED TO THE TOWN, UM, THE TOWN'S WEBSITE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION.
[8. Public Hearing]
THANK YOU'ALL.UH, NEXT WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE PUBLIC HEARING AND FIRST READING OF THE CONSIDERATION OF AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING THE CONSOLIDATED BUDGET FOR THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND FOR FISCAL YEAR 2027, ENDING JUNE 30TH, 2027.
MR. ORLANDO TOWN MANAGER WILL BE MAKING THE PRESENTATION.
HELLO, MAYOR COUNCIL, JUST MAKING SURE THIS WORKS.
IT'S MY HONOR TO PRESENT TO YOU THE PROPOSED TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND FISCAL YEAR 27, CONSOLIDATED BUDGET.
WHAT YOU WILL SEE IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY AND WHAT IS IN YOUR PACKETS, I BELIEVE, IS A COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL PLAN THAT INCLUDES BOTH OPERATING AND CAPITAL PRIORITIES ALIGNED WITH YOUR, UH, ALIGNED WITH YOUR DIRECTIVE.
BEFORE WE START, I DO WANT TO GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF SOME ECONOMIC CONDITIONS THAT WE CONSIDERED, UM, WHEN PREPARING OUR BUDGET FOR YOUR REVIEW.
AND I'LL ALSO PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE BUDGET STRUCTURE THAT YOU'LL SEE THIS AFTERNOON.
SO BEFORE I DIVE INTO THE PRESENTATION, AS YOU KNOW, NATIONALLY, THE ECONOMY CONTINUES TO SEND MIXED SIGNALS IS
[00:40:01]
SOMETHING DAVE AND I AND, AND THE FINANCE TEAM HAVE TALKED A LOT ABOUT, UH, AS WELL AS ME TO YOU.WHAT'S APPARENT IS THAT THE COST THAT MOST DIRECTLY IMPACT LOCAL GOVERNMENT, CONSTRUCTION, LABOR, INSURANCE, CONTRACTED SERVICES, INFRASTRUCTURE, DELIVERY, THOSE REMAIN ELEVATED CURRENT INTEREST RATES, AFFECT BORROWING COSTS, CAPITAL PLANNING, AND PRIVATE INVESTMENT DECISIONS.
SO THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE KNOW NATIONALLY AND, AND, AND, AND OBVIOUSLY THE SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA AND SPECIFICALLY OUR REGION, AS WE KNOW, CONTINUES TO EXPERIENCE STRONG POPULATION GROWTH AND IMMIGRATION.
AND THEN HILTON HEAD ISLAND LOCALLY REMAINS ONE OF THE MOST DESIRABLE COASTAL COMMUNITIES IN THE COUNTRY.
SO QUALITY OF LIFE, NATURAL ENVIRONMENT, TOURISM, ECONOMY, LONG TERM DESIRABILITY, CONTINUE TO ATTRACT RESIDENTS, VISITORS, AND INVESTMENT.
WHILE THIS GROWTH STRENGTHENS OUR ECONOMY AND EXPANDS OUR TAX BASE, IT ALSO PLACES INCREASING PRESSURE ON INFRASTRUCTURE, ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS, WORKFORCE AVAILABILITY, AND PUBLIC SERVICES.
AS WE EVALUATE IT, AS, AS DAVE AND HIS TEAM AND I, UM, EVALUATED FINANCIAL TRENDS, DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY, TOURISM PERFORMANCE, OPERATIONAL METRICS, LONG-TERM OBLIGATIONS, IT BECAME CLEAR THAT HILTON HEAD ISLAND, AS WE KNOW, IS TRANSITIONING FROM THAT ACCELERATED POST PANDEMIC ECONOMY THAT WE ALL EXPERIENCED INTO A NORMALIZED WAY MORE NORMALIZED PERIOD OF GROWTH.
AND SO REVENUE STREAMS ARE STABILIZING.
YOU WILL SEE THAT IN OUR BUDGET.
THE NUMBERS TELL, TELL, TELL THE TALE REVENUES ARE STABLE.
OPERATIONAL DEMANDS, COST OF SERVICE DELIVERY INTERNAL EXTERNALLY, RIGHT? INTERNALLY THROUGH US, THE STAFF, AND THROUGH CONTRACTED SERVICES AS WELL AS CAPITAL PROJECT DELIVERY.
THOSE COSTS, AS WE KNOW, ARE NOT STABILIZING AT THE SAME PACE.
SO HENCE, THIS CREATED THE CENTRAL CHALLENGE OF THIS BUDGET THAT I'VE TRIED TO PUT TOGETHER FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
UM, JUST LIKE PAST SEVERAL BUDGETS, THE CHALLENGE IS NOT IDENTIFYING OUR NEEDS.
IT'S PRIORITIZING INVESTMENTS RESPONSIBLY AND SUSTAINABLY THAT ARE CONSISTENT WITH OUR PREMIER COASTAL COMMUNITY EXPECTATIONS.
AND SO HOPEFULLY YOU SEE A LOT OF THOSE PRIORITIES JUMPING OUT AT YOU THROUGH THIS BUDGET PROCESS.
SO IN RESPONSE, THE TOWN HAS SPENT THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, RIGHT? THIS ISN'T THE FIRST YEAR THAT WE'VE HAD THIS ISSUE, ISN'T THE FIRST YEAR WE'VE LOOKED AT OUR BUDGET THIS WAY.
WE'VE TAKEN THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS PRIORITIZING YOUR GOALS AND OBJECTIVES AS A COUNCIL IN AN ELECTED BODY.
AND WE'VE ALSO STRENGTHENED THE TOWN'S OPERATIONAL FINANCIAL POSITION.
AND I ALWAYS THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO KICK OFF THIS BUDGET AS WE END THE ONE PRIOR, RIGHT? WE'VE ESTABLISHED, YOU'VE ESTABLISHED A VERY CLEAR STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN.
WE HAVE DIVERSIFIED REVENUES THROUGH TARGETED PROGRAMS AND USER BASED FEES.
WE HAVE IMPROVED SERVICES AND CONTROLLED IN MANY TIMES, REDUCED OPERATING COSTS.
AND WE'VE SEEN THAT THROUGH THE PAST.
WE'VE INVESTED IN WORKFORCE RETENTION, ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY TECHNOLOGY, AS WELL AS MODERNIZING OUR OPERATIONS.
WE'VE STRENGTHENED FINANCIAL RESERVES, WE'VE ACHIEVED AAA BOND RATING FROM THE RATING AGENCIES.
I THINK, I THINK BEN SAID AAA, TRIPLE TRIPLE A.
UM, WE HAVE BECOME MORE DISCIPLINED AND DATA INFORMED, RIGHT? AND HOW, HOW PROJECT SERVICES AND LONG-TERM FINANCIAL DECISIONS ARE PRIORITIZED AND EVALUATED.
AND SO THOSE ARE ALL THE THINGS THAT WE'RE THINKING ABOUT AS WE, AS WE PREPARE BUDGET, RIGHT? IT'S NOT JUST A NEEDS ATTACHED WITH EXPENDITURES, MATCHED WITH REVENUES.
SO AS YOU REVIEW THE BUDGET, OUR INTENT IS THAT WE CONTINUE TO ACHIEVE AND A ADVANCE THESE PAST ACHIEVE AGAIN AND ADVANCE THESE PAST ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
YOU'LL SEE A BUDGET IN A, IN A CONSOLIDATED FORMAT, UM, AS IN PAST YEARS, GENERAL OPERATING FUND, THE GENERAL FUND, WHICH SUPPORTS DAY A DAY-TO-DAY, I SHOULD SAY DEBT SERVICE.
IT REFLECTS OUR FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS IN CREDIT QUALITY.
THE CIP PROGRAM, THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM FUND, REPRESENTS OUR LONG-TERM INVESTMENT STRATEGY FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORTATION, FACILITIES, PARKS, AND SO ON, SO FORTH.
STORM WATER UTILITY FUND REMAINS CRITICAL TO FLOOD MITIGATION, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, AND OUR LONG TERM STORM WATER RESILIENCE.
THE GULLAH GEECHEE HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION FUND SUPPORTS PRESERVATION, REINVESTMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS IN GULLAH, GEECHEE, HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS, HOUSING FUND ADVANCES, WORKFORCE HOUSING INITIATIVES, AND THEN THIS YEAR, DIFFERENT THAN LAST, AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT THIS TODAY AS WELL AS DIVE IN QUITE A BIT MORE AT, AT WORKSHOP.
BUT THIS YEAR, DIFFERENT THAN LAST, IT DEFINES, IT DEFINES A SPECIAL REVENUE FUND.
AND IT, AND, AND, AND THE INTENT THERE IS THAT IT PROVIDES A MORE DEFINED PRESENTATION OF ALL OUR REVENUES, RIGHT? THE SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS TO IMPROVE THE CLARITY OF ALL REVENUES ALIGNED WITH EXPENDITURES, INCLUDING TARGETED FUND BALANCE GROWTH AT THE BEGINNING AND AT THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
SO YOU'RE GONNA SEE A DIFFERENT BUDGET THIS YEAR SIMPLY BECAUSE OF THAT SPECIAL REVENUE AND THE WAY WE PUT THAT IN THIS BUDGET.
EACH FUND, AS YOU WILL SEE, AND AS IN THE PAST YEARS, THEY SHOW REVENUE SOURCES, YOU, UH, SOURCES
[00:45:01]
OF FUNDS.THEY SHOW EXPENDITURE PRIORITIES, USES OF FUNDS, OPERATIONAL CAPITAL INVESTMENTS, AS WELL AS OUTCOMES.
AND THE OUTCOMES, YOU'LL SEE SOME HIGHLIGHTS, AND I WON'T READ THROUGH 'EM ALL, BUT YOU'LL SEE THOSE, THOSE HIGHLIGHTS BECAUSE THAT'S INTENDED TO SHOW HIGHLIGHTS OF REVENUES AND USE AND HIGHLIGHTS OF EXPENDITURES, ALL ALIGNED TO OUR OPERATIONAL PRIORITIES AS WELL AS YOUR STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN AS ADOPTED.
I DO WANNA TAKE A MOMENT BEFORE I START.
I'VE TYPICALLY TRIED TO SAY THANK YOU AT THE END, BUT WE'RE ALWAYS SO QUICK AT THE END OF A PRESENTATION.
I, I DO WANT TO BE, UH, MEANINGFUL AND, AND, AND SPEND A MOMENT TO THANK OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR DAVE BIRD, FOR HIS LEADERSHIP AND STEWARDSHIP, UM, AS OUR FINANCE LEADER AND, AND HOW WE'VE PREPARED THIS BUDGET.
UM, DAVE, DAVE HAS A GREAT TEAM.
JOHN CARPENTER AND ERICA MEIR.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE BOTH HERE TODAY.
SO I DO WANNA SAY A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO THEM.
UM, I WANNA THANK OUR SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAM, OUR SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAM, BALANCED SERVICE DELIVERY EXPECTATIONS.
THEY BALANCED OPERATIONAL REAL REALITIES, AND THEY ALSO TOOK A LOOK AT LONG-TERM PRIORITIES.
SO OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS, OUR ASSISTANT TOWN MANAGERS, THEY'VE DONE A GREAT JOB, A VERY SPECIAL THANK YOU TO LISA STAFFER, OUR HR DIRECTOR.
SHE'S KEPT OUR WORKFORCE STRATEGY AT THE FOREFRONT OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
AND I DON'T JUST MEAN THE, THE, THE, THE BENEFIT PART OF IT, BUT JUST ORGANIZATIONAL NEEDS, PARTICULARLY RECRUITMENT, RETENTION, CAPACITY, ALL AT THE FOREFRONT OF HOW WE PREPARED OUR BUDGET.
AND FINALLY, THANK YOU TO YOU, MAYOR COUNCIL, YOU, YOU INVESTED TIME IN THE STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS THAT'S HELPED ME ALIGN A BUDGET WITH YOUR, WITH YOUR STATED CLEAR GOALS AND PRIORITIES AS WELL AS FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND ENGAGEMENT UP UNTIL WE GET IN HERE TODAY.
SO I APPRECIATE THAT AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE PRESENTATION.
DAVE'S, DAVE'S OVER MY RIGHT SHOULDER TO MY LEFT.
IF, IF I NEED HIM, UM, HE'LL PROVIDE ADDITIONAL DETAIL IF NEEDED.
UM, BUT AT MO MOSTLY DAVE WILL BE AVAILABLE AND OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR WILL BE AT THE TABLE WITH ME AS WELL AS SOME OTHERS, UM, AT OUR WORKSHOPS THIS THURSDAY AND TUESDAY.
SO WITH THAT, I'LL START, I'LL START JUMPING IN.
I WAS LOOKING FOR THIS, IT'S RIGHT HERE.
SO AS WE, AS WE LOOK AT OUR BUDGET, RIGHT, I'LL TAKE A LOOK AT SOME COMMUNITY FACTORS, AND I'M GONNA GO FAST LIKE I HAVE DONE IN PAST YEARS.
I'M GONNA GIVE MYSELF A LITTLE BIT OF TIME.
PLEASE SLOW ME DOWN IF YOU WANT ME TO GO BACK, BUT I'M JUST GONNA KEEP GOING WITH PACE IF, IF NO HANDS COME UP, UM, MAYOR PERRY, I'LL, I'LL LOOK TO YOU FOR SOME, SOME GUIDANCE THERE.
UM, WE'LL TALK ABOUT OUR STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT OUR BUDGET, AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE PROCESS.
ALL RIGHT? SO IT'S ALWAYS INTERESTING TO, TO PUT THIS IN A BUDGET PRESENTATION, NOT SO MUCH FOR MAYOR AND COUNCIL AND ME, BUT I THINK TO REMIND OUR COMMUNITY OF WHAT WE'RE BUDGETING FOR, WHO WE'RE BUDGETING FOR, RIGHT? 54 SQUARE MILE TOWN, UH, MEDIAN AGE OF 59, A HOUSEHOLD, MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME OF 95, AND A POPULATION OF, OF A LITTLE MORE THAN 38.
UM, WE KNOW FROM, UM, 24 CENSUS THAT APPROXIMATELY 40,000 JOBS ARE ON OUR ISLAND AND POPULATION BY AGE BREAKDOWN.
YOU SEE ON THE RIGHT, RIGHT SIDE OF OUR SCREEN.
UM, I WON'T GO THROUGH ALL THIS.
WE CAN SLOW DOWN AND LOOK AT THIS AT WORKSHOP, BUT AS WE LOOKED AT OUR BUDGET, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE'VE LOOKED AT TOURISM, WE'VE LOOKED AT HEALTHCARE AND WELLNESS, WE'VE LOOKED AT REAL ESTATE, PROPERTY MANAGEMENT, CONSTRUCTION AND ECONOMIC INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO REALLY UNDERSTAND IS THAT, THAT THAT WEB AROUND OUR ECONOMY, AND WE CAN SEE SOME, SOME, SOME GREAT FEEDBACK ON HERE, WHETHER WE'RE LOOKING AT ANNUAL TOURISM, WHETHER WE'RE LOOKING AT HEALTHCARE INVESTMENT, NOVANT, UH, HILTON HAD HOSPITAL ALONE, BUT THE NEW NOVANT, THE NEW BEAUFORT MEMORIAL, UM, THE NOVANT INVESTMENT IN MULTIFAMILY HOMES, THE NORTH POINT INVESTMENT, OUR BRYANT ROAD, UH, FUTURE INVESTMENT, AND THEN ALSO THE REAL ESTATE AND PROPERTY MANAGEMENT, CONSTRUCTION SUPPORT, SECOND HOME AND RETIREE MARKETS, RIGHT? GENERATE THE DEMAND FOR REAL ESTATE.
UM, AND, AND A LOT OF OUR PROPERTY TAXES AND OUR PROPERTY TAX BASE IS GROWING BECAUSE OF THAT.
WE'VE SEEN THIS BEFORE, ABOUT 35, 30 4,000 606 5 HOUSING UNITS.
HALF OUR MULTIFAMILY, HALF SINGLE FAMILY.
ONE IN FIVE OF THOSE PROPERTIES IS A SHORT TERM RENTAL.
WE KNOW WHERE OUR LARGEST EMPLOYERS, EMPLOYEES AND OUR LARGEST EMPLOYERS ARE, SURGE GROUP LEADING, BUT, UM, COASTAL RESTAURANTS, SEA PINES, NOVANT, NOVANT CLIMBING.
UM, THIS IS INTENDED TO SHOW YOU THAT OUR GROSS SALES AND IF ON FINANCE COMMITTEE, YOU'VE SEEN THIS BEFORE, BUT OUR DAVE BIRD TEAM WITH THE FINANCE COMMITTEE DID A GREAT ANALYSIS.
THE GROSS SALES BY FISCAL YEAR IS, IS NOT GROWING.
YOU CAN SEE TOURISM, RESTAURANT, RETAIL, TELECOMS, AND OTHER ARE ALMOST STABLE, RIGHT?
[00:50:01]
RIGHT ACROSS THE SCREEN, YOU CAN SEE THE FAR RIGHT SCREEN IS JUST SIMPLY YEAR TO DATE.SO NOTHING'S JUMPING OUT AT US FROM TRENDS.
NOTHING'S SKYROCKETING, NOTHING'S DECLINING.
WE KNOW THAT OUR RECENT AAA BOND RATING FROM ALL THREE RATING AGENCIES, MOODY'S, FITCH, S AND P, THEY HAVE SAID THAT WE HAVE A GREAT, UH, FINANCIAL POSITION GROWING TAX BASE, NON-PROPERTY TAX, DIVERSE NON-PROPERTY TAX REVENUES, PRUDENT FISCAL MANAGEMENT, GREAT AND STRONG FUND BALANCE WERE HIGHLY LIQUID, GREAT RATIOS.
UM, AND SO, UH, UH, AN ACHIEVEMENT OF OF PAST BUDGET PUSHING INTO THIS.
189 NEW BUSINESSES OPENED IN 25 64, CLOSED ABOUT 14,600 BUSINESSES, HALF OF WHICH ARE SHORT-TERM RENTALS, HALF OF WHICH ARE BRICK AND MORTAR, AS I WOULD CALL IT, OR, OR NON SHORT-TERM RENTAL.
UM, IT GENERATES CLOSE TO $15 MILLION IN BUSINESS LICENSE REVENUE AND SOME PROPER IN A, IN A VERY HEALTHY, STRONG PROPERTY TAX COLLECTION.
OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS, ASSESSED AND MARKET VALUES HAVE INCREASED APPROXIMATELY 32.5%.
SO ASSESSED VALUE IS ON THE RISE MARKET VALUES IS ON THE RISE.
WE HAVE A STRONG ASSET MANAGEMENT POSITION.
THE TOWN OWNS AND CONTROLS CLOSE TO 2000 TOTAL ACRES IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS.
THE TOWN HAS ACQUIRED THROUGH THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND MORE THAN 80 ACRES, SO $51.5 MILLION OF TOWN FUNDS, 13 AND SOME CHANGE OF THE BEAUFORT COUNTY GREEN SPACE FUNDS.
AND THAT IF, IF YOU DO THE MATH, IT ELIMINATES ABOUT 450 RESIDENTIAL UNITS.
YOU CAN SEE UP HERE, 193 HOTEL ROOMS AND, AND, UH, MORE THAN 50,000 SQUARE FEET OF COMMERCIAL SPACE.
WE MANAGE 27 PARKS, 14 MILES OF ROADS, 72 MILES OF PATHWAYS, 24 TOTAL TOWN BUILDINGS.
AND WE COULDN'T FIT IN HERE HOW MANY MILES OF BEACH WE WE MANAGE, BUT WE'RE MOVING ON FROM BEACH FOR NOURISHMENT.
WE'RE STARTING TO FOCUS, FOCUS UP HERE.
OUR ORG CHART REMAINS THE SAME, UM, THE SAME ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE.
UM, THE HEADCOUNT REMAINS THE SAME WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE AMENDMENTS YOU'VE MADE TO THE FY 26 BUDGET TO CALIBRATE THE EMPLOYEES AS, AS ALIGNED WITH THE NEW SHORT-TERM RENTAL PROGRAM.
UM, A FULL-TIME COUNT OF 290 AND A PART-TIME COUNT OF 16.
AND YOU CAN SEE ON THE FAR RIGHT, 137 IS GENERAL AND 153 IS FIRE RESCUE.
YOU DID RECEIVE SOME MATERIALS OVER TIME THAT THOSE NUMBERS WERE A BIT DIFFERENT.
IT WAS BECAUSE WE HAD SOME TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES IN THE, IN THE MIX, AND WE ALSO HAD SEVEN MEMBERS OF TOWN COUNCIL COUNTED IN THE MIX.
I'VE REMOVED THOSE FOR CLARITY FOR THE PRESENTATION THROUGH THE STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN.
WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT IS ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE PROCESS, RIGHT? THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DRIVES THE STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN.
THE STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN DRIVES THE ANNUAL BUDGET.
AND WE'VE ALWAYS TALKED, AND WE'VE SAID, IF IT'S IN THE STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN, LET'S WORK THE FUND IT.
IF IT'S NOT IN THE STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN, DON'T PROPOSE IT IN THE BUDGET.
I, I'M, I'M CONFIDENT TO TELL YOU, AND I, AND MY POSITION IS THAT THOSE 10 PRIORITIES THAT YOU SEE THROUGH THERE THROUGH UP ON THE SCREEN FROM PROTECT ISLAND CHARACTER THROUGH MANAGING GROWTH, ALL THE WAY DOWN TO PARKS AND REC MASTER PLAN IMPLEMENTATION ARE, ARE WELL FUNDED AND PRIORITIZED IN THIS BUDGET.
OUR BUDGET GOALS REMAIN THE SAME.
I TOOK A LOOK AT THESE THIS YEAR, ESPECIALLY WITH A NEW TEAM AND THOUGHT IT, THESE, THESE ARE GREAT, IN MY OPINION, GREAT BUDGET GOALS, ENHANCE COMMUNITY AMENITIES INCLUDING REC, LEISURE, PUBLIC FACILITIES, MAINTAIN HIGH QUALITY MUNICIPAL SERVICE DELIVERY, FOSTER A WORKPLACE CULTURE OF INNOVATION, CUSTOMER SERVICE, EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT, INVEST IN TRANSFORMATIVE CAPITAL PROJECTS, WHETHER BIG OR SMALL, IN MY OPINION.
AND LONG-TERM INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE, PROTECT AND ELEVATE THE ISLAND'S IDENT IDENTITY, INCLUDING ENVIRONMENTAL AND CULTURAL ASSETS.
AND ALSO IN LAST BUT NOT LEAST, UM, LEVERAGE FISCAL PLANNING AS A TOOL FOR PROGRESS, INNOVATION AND, AND IMPROVEMENT.
WE'RE HERE RIGHT HERE ON MAY 12TH.
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PROCESS LEADING UP TO TODAY.
WE DID HAVE A-C-I-P-A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT WORKSHOP A COUPLE MONTHS AGO THAT CIP AS WE, AS WE KNOW, AND AS WE'VE TALKED, THAT CIP WORKSHOP HELPED ME IDENTIFY YOUR PRIORITIES FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS.
IT HELPED ME START REALLY UNDERSTANDING, UM, YOUR DIRECTIVE ON USE OF FUNDS, NOT JUST PROJECT PRIORITY, BUT USE OF FUNDS FOR PARTICULAR PROJECTS.
UM, AND I THINK THAT THAT WORKSHOP THIS YEAR, DIFFERENT THAN LAST HAS PAID A, A, A, A GOOD DIVIDEND AS WE'RE PREPARING OUR BUDGET THIS YEAR.
SO I THINK THAT THERE'S SOME ROOM TO BE OPEN-MINDED
[00:55:01]
AND, AND KEEP IMPROVING THAT PROCESS EVEN FOR NEXT YEAR.MS. HUNTER AND I HAD A SIDEBAR COMING INTO TODAY, AND I APPRECIATE, I APPRECIATE YOUR, YOUR INPUT ON THAT.
UM, BUT WE'RE HERE ON MAY 12TH, THURSDAY, WE'RE GOING TO WORKSHOP THIS, UM, AFTER PUBLIC HEARING AND FIRST READING, WE'LL WORKSHOP GENERAL DEBT, CDC HOUSING AND SPECIAL REVS AND SPECIAL REVS DIFFERENT THIS YEAR.
SO I KNOW WE'LL SPEND SOME TIME ON THAT.
TUESDAY IS CAPITAL PROJECTS AND STORMWATER, WHICH ARE CO-RELATED.
AND THEN JUNE 9TH, SECOND AND FINAL READING AND, AND ANOTHER BUDGET HEARING.
SO WHEN WE TALK CONSOLIDATED BUDGET, WE'RE, WE KNOW, RIGHT? WE'VE SEEN THIS BEFORE, GENERAL CAP DEBT, STORM, GULLAH GEECHEE, CDC HOUSING.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS NEW AND I'M GONNA SAY THAT UNTIL WE GET PAST THAT SECTION, BUT THE CONSOLIDATED BUDGET ACCOUNTS FOR THE ROLLUP OF ALL SIX FUNDS ALONG WITH SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS.
AND IT PROVIDES A TOTAL REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE VIEW FOR THE TOWN, NOT JUST REVENUES ASSIGNED TO THE EXPENDITURES.
AND THEN THE UNBUDGETED REVENUES ARE CAPTURED IN FUND BALANCE, AND THEN WE PULL 'EM OUT AND REALIZE WHAT THEY ARE ON THE AUDIT.
THIS IS A PUSH FORWARD, A COMPREHENSIVE, INCLUSIVE, COMPLETE LOOK AT OUR BUDGET.
SO I APPRECIATE DAVE'S DAVE'S HARD WORK, UM, TO GET US HERE IN A, IN A, IN A LITTLE BIT OF TIME.
I THINK DAVE'S SONG IS, IS HIS POWER SONG IS, WE'VE GOT A LONG WAY TO GO IN A SHORT TIME TO GET THERE, BUT, BUT YOU DID A GOOD JOB HERE.
YOU'LL SEE A BUDGET PROPOSAL OF $233,284,719.
WHAT YOU WILL SEE HERE, AND FROM THE ORIGINAL BUDGET IN 26, YOU WON'T SEE SPECIAL REVENUES BUDGETED, BUT YOU WILL SEE THEM HERE.
SO WHAT YOU, YOU WILL SAY IS A HUNDRED SEVENTY FOUR SEVEN ELEVEN, JUMPING TO 2 33.
BUT, BUT ADD THAT 85 TO IT TO TRULY UNDERSTAND THAT NET DIFFERENCE.
GENERAL FUND IS INCREASING 12% DEBT SERVICE FUND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUNDS, STORMWATER UTILITY FUNDS, CDC, GULLAH, GEECHEE, HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD CDC FUND AND HOUSING FUND ARE ALL DECREASING FOR DIFFERENT REASONS.
UM, AND YOU'LL SEE THE SPECIAL REVENUE FUND TRANSFERRED IN THERE.
SO WE HAVE MEASURED BUDGET OVER BUDGET, AND, AND I'M, AND I'M SURE WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THIS AT WORKSHOP, WE'VE MEASURED 27 PROPOSED VERSUS 26 AMENDED, AND 26 AMENDED, WE KNOW HAD SOME DEBT IN THERE.
AND SO I THINK IT'S JUST IMPORTANT THAT, THAT WE REALIZE WHAT WE'RE MEASURING AND THERE'S JUST DIFFERENT WAYS TO LOOK AT IT.
BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE 233 MILLION IN CHANGE CONSOLIDATED BUDGET PROPOSAL, YOU'LL SEE THAT 121 MILLION IN CHANGE COMES FROM OPERATING REVENUES, PROPERTY TAXES, 26 MILLION, BUSINESS LICENSE, ALMOST 15.
AND, AND I WON'T READ TO YOU EVERY LINE, BUT, BUT WHAT SHOULD JUMP OUT AT US IS STORMWATER UTILITY FEES AT FIVE SIX, LOCAL AT TAX AT SEVEN, UM, STATE AT TAX AT 12 FOUR BEACH PRESERVATION FEES AT 14 SEVEN, AND HOSPITALITY TAX AT TEN EIGHT.
WHAT WHAT'S IMPORTANT IS THAT THESE ARE PROJECTED REVENUES, BUT THEY'RE BASED ON CONSERVATIVE ASSUMPTIONS AND THEY'RE BASED ON PAST TRENDS.
AND SO NEVER IN HISTORY HAVE WE OVER PROJECTED REVENUES.
WE ARE STILL COMING IN THE DOOR AT VERY CONSERVATIVE.
UM, IN EXAMPLES, SOMEWHERE IN GENERAL FUND, YOU WILL SEE PERMIT FEES.
WE, WE DIDN'T TRY TO UNDERSTAND THE GROWTH OF PERMIT FEES.
WE DON'T WANNA, WE DON'T WANT TO RELY TOO MUCH ON PERMIT FEES TO BALANCE OUR, OUR OPERATING BUDGET.
SO WE'VE JUST LEFT PERMIT FEES FLAT THIS YEAR.
WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR TOWN COUNCIL TO SEE IS THAT THESE, THESE, THESE REVENUES THAT ARE PROJECTED BASED ON TRENDS IN, IN OUR KNOWLEDGE, UM, ARE CONSERVATIVE IN NATURE.
THE LARGEST JUMP, RIGHT? THE LARGEST JUMP IS PROPERTY TAX.
THESE SHOW A HUNDRED BECAUSE THEY'RE NOW TR BEING TRANSFERRED IN INTO OUR BUDGET.
BUDGET REVENUES, TOTAL USE OF FUND BALANCE, WE'RE PROPOSING TO USE A FUND BALANCE OF $35.1 MILLION FOR ONE-TIME USES.
YOU WILL SEE THAT THE USE OF FUND BALANCE IS VERY CLEAR.
WE'RE USING SOME STORMWATER FUND BALANCE, SOME PRIOR YEAR CAPITAL PROJECT FUND BALANCE, CDC FUND BALANCE, AND THAT CAME FROM THE $5 MILLION GRANT FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, SPECIAL REVENUE GRANTS BEACH PRESERVATION FEE.
SO IN THIS BUDGET, BEACH PRESERVATION FEE, UM, IS, IS PROPOSED TO, TO BE USED FROM, FROM, FROM FUND BALANCE, EXCUSE ME, UM, FOR 35.1 MILLION ON TOP OF THAT, THE TRANSFERS IN 72 5 AND YOU CAN SEE THE TRANSFERS IN.
[01:00:01]
AND THEN OTHER FINANCE SOURCES IS REALLY PROCEEDS FROM THE FIRETRUCK LEASE.SO THOSE, THOSE REALLY MAKE UP THE GENERATED REVENUES TO BALANCE THE BUDGET.
UM, THE BUDGET TRANSFERS THE 72 5, THE BUDGET TRANSFERS HERE.
I WANT TO JUST MAKE SURE THAT WE SLOW DOWN AND I SHOW YOU THAT THOSE BUDGET TRANSFERS AT 72 5 MADE UP OF ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENT TYPES OF FUNDS.
16 MILLION, 16.6 IS IN GENERAL.
AND IN GENERAL, WE'VE TRANSFERRED HOSPITALITY, BEACH PRESERVATION STATE AT TAX, SOME STORMWATER FOR, FOR, UH, SOME OPERATING AND PEOPLE, UM, ELECTRIC FRANCHISE AND SHORT-TERM RENTAL FEES.
AND, AND WE KNOW ABOUT THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL FEES AS WE TALKED AND SO, SO ON SO FORTH.
SO A VERY, UM, DETAILED, UM, BUT WIDE ARRAY OF REVENUE SOURCES ARE, ARE BUILDING THE STRENGTH OF OUR BUDGET.
IF, IF WE ONLY LOOKED AT PROPERTY TAX, AND I TRY TO SAY THIS EVERY YEAR, BUT IF WE ONLY LOOKED AT PROPERTY TAX AND BUSINESS LICENSE DIFFERENTLY, AS A VERY SMALL TOWN WITH 40,000 PEOPLE, OUR BUDGET DOES NOT EVEN HAVE THE STRENGTH AT, AT ALL THAT WE NEED.
SO WE'VE TO REALLY UNDERSTAND THOSE TRANSFERS IN THOSE TOURISM AND, AND, AND OTHER, OTHER RELATED REVENUES EXPENDITURES.
SO YOU WILL SEE SOME OF THIS TWICE, SOMETIMES EVEN THREE TIMES.
BUT THIS IS THE CONSOLIDATED BUDGET.
AND THEN I'LL BREAK IT DOWN INTO GENERAL STORMWATER AND, AND SOME OTHER FUNDS.
BUT YOU WILL SEE A SALARY AND BENEFIT.
UM, IT, IT'S UP FROM THE 26 ORIGINAL AND AMENDED.
UM, AND, AND I'LL EXPLAIN THAT, MOST OF THAT'S IN GENERAL FUND, AND THERE'S A COUPLE SALARIES IN CDC FUND AND THERE'S, UH, SEVERAL MORE IN STORMWATER.
UM, OVERALL OUR OPERATING COSTS WENT DOWN, RIGHT? GENERAL FUND OPERATING WENT UP, BUT OVERALL, OUR OPERATING IS DOWN.
AND, AND I WON'T GO THROUGH EVERYTHING, BUT YOU CAN SEE WHERE THE EXPENDITURES 145 MILLION OPERATING ALONG WITH THE TRANSFERS OUT TO BALANCE.
AND THEN WHEN I, WHEN I SAID WE'RE USING FUND BALANCE, AND I DON'T MEAN TO JUMP AROUND ON US, BUT I'LL STOP JUMPING IN A SLIDE OR TWO WHEN WE SAY THE TOTAL USE OF FUND BALANCE, 35 MILLION, AS WE LOOK AT A CONSOLIDATED THIS YEAR, AS WE SEE A FUND BALANCE SURPLUS OF 15.2 TO START THE YEAR, WHICH BUILDS OUR FUND BALANCE EVEN FURTHER.
SO WHILE WE'RE USING FUND BALANCE AND MOST OF IT, AND SOME OF IT H AND BEACH, H TAX AND BEACH, WE'RE ALSO GROWING OUR FUND BALANCE, UM, TO START, UH, PROJECTED 15.2.
ANY QUESTIONS YET? KEEP GOING.
SO I'VE PROPOSED A BUDGET TO, YOU SHOULD BE THE HIGHLIGHT, BUT ZERO.
IT'S JUST A GIVEN ZERO PROPERTY TAX INCREASE.
IT'S 19.4 MILLS, WHICH IS THE SAME MILLAGE AS CALIBRATED LAST YEAR.
THE 5.1 FOR DEBT, AND THE 14.3 FOR GENERAL.
OUR MILL VALUE, UM, CONTINUES TO CLIMB.
IF YOU JUST LOOK AT THE LAST FEW YEARS, RIGHT? IT WAS ABOUT A MILLION, AND IT'S CLIMBING, GETTING UP TO CLOSE TO 1.4 MILLION.
UM, IN, IN OF MILL VALUE ESTIMATE.
SAMPLE IS BASED ON, AND I WOULDN'T SAY THAT WE CAN FIND MANY $500,000 PROPERTIES ANYMORE, BUT I LEFT IT ALONE.
THERE'S A MILLION DOLLAR PROPERTY VALUE.
WE TOOK A LOOK AT A 4% TAX VALUE IN A 6%.
AND AS YOU LOOK, WE'VE HIGHLIGHTED HHI OPERATIONS, DEBT, AND THE STORM WATER FEE, $150 RATE.
WHAT YOU, WHAT YOU WILL SEE ON HERE IS AT A BASE, IT'S ABOUT 20% OF YOUR TAX BILL.
SO AS WE DIVE INTO THE SIX FUNDS, UM, AND WHAT YOU SEE UP HERE IS THE SIX FUNDS WITHOUT THE TRANSFERS TO BALANCE THE CONSOLIDATED.
YOU SEE THAT GENERAL FUND INCREASED 12% AT 7.2 MILLION.
AND I MENTIONED ALL THIS EARLIER, UM, DEBT SERVICE, CAPITAL PROJECTS, STORM WATER, CDC, AND HOUSING IS GOING DOWN.
AND I'LL EXPLAIN THE EXPENDITURES OR THE REVENUES AND THE EXPENDITURES KINDA LIKE THAT.
SO WE KNOW, WE, WE CALL OUR GENERAL FUND THE OPERATING ACCOUNT, RIGHT? IT'S FINANCIAL RESOURCES EXCEPT THOSE, UH, EXPENDITURES, GENERAL GOVERNMENT, ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICE, PUBLIC SAFETY, FIRE, ALL OUR OPERATING, ALL OUR DEPARTMENT COSTS AND THOSE, AS WELL AS THOSE ONE-TIME
[01:05:01]
PROJECT COSTS THAT ARE CAPTURED IN THOSE DEPARTMENTS.UM, PRINCIPAL SOURCES OF REVENUE AS, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, TAXES, BUSINESS LICENSE, LOCAL A TAX PERMIT FEES.
AND SO YOU'LL SEE PROPERTY TAXES TRANSFERRED INTO GENERAL FUND, NOT THE FULL PROPERTY TAX, BUT THE ONES TRANSFERRED, UM, INCREASED 8% LOCAL, A TAX BUSINESS LICENSE.
VERY STRONG REVENUES, VERY CONSERVATIVE PROJECTIONS TO PRESENT TO YOU ALL, A $67.6 MILLION GENERAL FUND BUDGET OF THAT.
THE HIGHLIGHT IS THAT YOU WILL SEE TRADITIONALLY WE HAVE IN THE PAST, I HAVE PROPOSED AND, AND EVEN PRIOR, THE USE OF BEACH PRESERVATIONS FEES.
AND IN 26, 240 8,000, RIGHT? REMEMBER WHY IT WAS THE YEAR WE WERE, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT DEBT, CASH, UM, FUND BALANCE.
AND ESPECIALLY AS WE STARTED TO LOOK AT A 47 AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS PROJECT COST FOR BEACH RENOURISHMENT, WE DID NOT USE ANY FUNDS LAST YEAR IN THAT REGARD, OTHER THAN 2 48 FROM THE BEACH PRESERVATION FEE DEBTS IN PLACE.
UM, YOU ARE ALL AWARE OF THAT.
WE'RE BACK TO A YEAR OF, OF, OF A PROPOSAL USING BEACH PRESERVATION FEE.
AND SO WHAT I WANTED TO DO IS SHARE WITH YOU, WHILE I KNOW IT'S IN A REVENUE STREAM AND A LOOK AT THAT PORTION OF REVENUE, I JUST THINK IT'S, IT'S GOOD TO PAUSE FOR A SECOND HOW WE'RE USING THAT.
WE'VE USED IT FOR SHORE BEACH, BEACH TROLLEY FACILITIES.
THAT'S THE, THE, THE STAFF AND THEIR CONTRACTS, THE JANITORIAL, AND THEN SOME AT THE BEACHES, UM, FACILITY, BEACH OPERATIONS AND STAFFING, PUBLIC SAFETY BOAT REMOVAL, 20 5K.
THAT WAS A HIGHER NUMBER LAST YEAR.
UM, WE REMOVED CLOSE TO 11, I THINK 10 OR 11, UM, FIRE RESCUE STAFFING AND OUTSIDE FOUNDATION AFFILIATED AGENCY FUNDING.
THAT WAS AN APPLICATION THROUGH FINANCE COMMITTEE.
SO I, FOR THE MOST PART, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS, RIGHT? GENERAL FUND PROPERTY TAXES, LOCAL AT TAX, UM, 8% INCREASE.
WE ASSUMED A 2% GROWTH LOCAL AT TAX.
WE ASSUMED A 1.5% GROWTH BUSINESS LICENSE.
UM, EMS, IT'S AN INCREASE OF 4 25.
AND, AND WE'VE HAD SOME QUESTIONS ON THIS LATELY.
PROPOSED INCREASE IN AMBULANCE FEE SCHEDULE PER TIME CODE.
THE RATES NEED TO BE SET AT 150% OR ABOVE THE MOST RECENT MEDICARE FEE SCHEDULE.
SO YOU WILL SEE IN THE BUDGET A, A SHIFT FROM 6 26 TO SIX 60 BASE FEE.
WE HAVE TO, IT'S, IT'S BASED UPON THAT MEDICARE FEE SCHEDULE.
HENCE THE INCREASE BEACH PRESERVATION FEE.
WE TALKED ABOUT H TAX, NO CHANGE FROM 26.
WE'RE, WE'RE USING THE SAME AMOUNT STATE AT TAX.
I ASKED DAVE AND JOHN, THEY HELPED ME WRAP MY HEAD AROUND WHY WE'RE PROJECTING THAT.
WE'RE SEEING STATE AT TAX NUMBERS DOWN AND, AND HENCE 11% DECREASE IN OUR OPERATING BUDGET FOR THAT USE.
SHORT TERM RENTAL PERMIT FEE, 3.6 MILLION.
THAT'S A PLANNED INCREASE OF 1.3.
THAT WAS BASED UPON A FEE WE TALKED ABOUT AT ORDINANCE.
AND THEN PUT IN PLACE POST ORDINANCE, YOU SEE THE EXPENDITURES, PERSONNEL, UM, UP 2.7, BUT A PERSONNEL COST OF 43 OPERATING 18.
UM, THAT'S UP 5.4, UM, CONTRACTED.
UM, AND THAT HAS A LOT TO DO WITH OUR, OUR, OUR RESET FRANCHISE FEE WITH SHORE BEACH.
UM, AFFILIATED AGENCIES ARE UP 18.3.
THAT IS THE PROPOSAL STRAIGHT FROM FINANCE COMMITTEE TO ME AND ME TO YOU FOR CONSIDERATION.
SO A, A SUBTOTAL OF THOSE EXPENDITURES FROM AN OPERATING OF 64 MILLION.
AND THEN OUR TRANSFERS, TRANSFERS, CDC FUND, THAT IS GENERAL FUND TRANSFER TO CDC FOR FULL FUNDING OF TWO EMPLOYEES.
AND THEN THIS IS A TRANSFER TO SPECIAL REVENUE TO BALANCE THE BUDGET AND THEN TRANSFERS OUT FUND BALANCE SURPLUS EVEN IN GENERAL FUND.
WE'RE GROWING THAT FUND BALANCE.
AFFILIATED AGENCIES, MAYOR, COUNCIL, I KNOW THIS CAME THROUGH COMMITTEE, BUT I DO THINK IT'S JUST IMPORTANT TO PUT IN THE PRESENTATION SO I CAN SHOW YOU WHAT THE REQUEST WAS AND WHAT THE FINANCE ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION WAS.
UH, THANK YOU CHAIRMAN, COUNCILMAN BROWN FOR, FOR YOUR GUIDANCE AND, AND DIRECTIVE ON THESE AFFILIATED AGENCIES, ESPECIALLY WITH OUR TEAM AND, AND YOUR COMMITTEE'S.
[01:10:01]
UM, GUIDANCE AND INPUT.BUT YOU CAN SEE ISLAND REC, UM, 1.5 COASTAL DISCOVERY 149 MITCHELLVILLE PRESERVATION, SAME AS PRIOR YEARS.
UH, YOU WILL SEE SOME UP HERE THAT AREN'T FUNDED THIS YEAR, BUT BECAUSE THEY WERE PART OF 24 AND 25 ACTUALS, WE'VE LEFT THEM ON THERE.
LRTA, PALMETTO BREEZE, UM, 433 BEAUFORT COUNTY, EDC, THE SAME.
UM, AND SEA TURTLE PATROL, HILTON HEAD ISLAND AND, AND NEW THIS YEAR OUTSIDE FOUNDATION.
AND WE'VE USED, AS I SAID, OUTSIDE FOUNDATION FUNDS.
WE'VE USED, UM, BEACH PRESERVATION FEE, EVERYTHING ELSE COMING AT A GENERAL FUND AS WE NEED IT.
AND AGAIN, EXPENDITURES PRETTY MUCH IN THE GENERAL PERSONNEL MAKES UP A A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THEM.
SO THE $67.6 MILLION SALARIES AND BENEFITS, UH, AS, AS I'VE SHARED WITH YOU, THE, THE PERSONNEL COST 64%, BUT IT'S UP.
AND THAT THAT FUNDS 282 POSITIONS IN GENERAL FUND 153 OF THOSE.
UM, IT ALSO INCLUDES, UH, BLESS YOU, INCLUDES A FULL YEAR OF NEW HEAD COUNT FOR THOSE NEW SIX MEMBERS OF OUR TEAM FOR SHORT-TERM RENTALS.
AND THEY'RE IN DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS.
AND THEN SOME PART-TIME, PART-TIME SUPPORT, UH, CONTINUED SUPPORT, NOTHING NEW THERE.
I HAVE IN THE BUDGET, AGAIN, PRESENTED TO YOU A 4% PERFORMANCE BASED INCREASE.
PLUS WE ARE GETTING NEAR THE END OF A CLASS IN COMP STUDY.
AND, AND I HAVE PUT IN THE BUDGET, UM, WHAT I BELIEVE APPROPRIATE DOLLARS.
I WOULD LIKE TO BRING THAT REPORT TO FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE WHEN IT'S, WHEN IT'S READY AND PREPARED SO THERE'S NO SURPRISES.
AND I TALK, I TALK WITH YOU, UH, ABOUT OUR FINDINGS.
WE CONTINUED TO FUND THE 401K AND ALL THE OTHER BENEFITS, THE HOLIDAYS, THE POLICE OFFICERS RETIREMENT, WHICH HAS TO DO WITH OUR FIRE RESCUE, PAID TIME OFF BUYBACK OPTION, AND SOME PLANNED OVERTIME FOR FIRE RESCUE.
UM, I I, I WON'T GET INTO ALL THIS.
YOU'VE SEEN A LOT OF THIS IN THE PAST, BUT IT'S A SMALL INCREASE.
BUT TRAVEL, LMO AMENDMENTS, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT EVENTS, ALL THE EVENTS ARE STILL IN HERE, SAME AS LAST YEAR, INCLUDING CRESCENDO LANTERN PARADE, 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR.
THERE'S SOME EXTRA DOLLARS THERE.
AND THEN THE FOURTH ANNUAL HILTON HEAD ISLAND JAMS SONGWRITER FESTIVAL.
WE ARE NOT COMPLETE ON THAT CONTRACT.
I PLACED THOSE DOLLARS IN THE BUDGET.
HOWEVER, I HAVE A THOUGHT AND I WILL MAKE A PROPOSAL ON HOW WE ADVANCE THAT CONTRACT THIS YEAR, DIFFERENT THAN LAST YEAR.
UM, THE DOLLARS ARE PLACED IN THE BUDGET FOR, FOR WHEN WE'RE READY TO LOOK AT IT.
RBC SPONSORSHIP AGREEMENT, THE SAME WAY THE DOLLARS ARE IN THE BUDGET.
I WILL BRING TO YOU THE RBC SPONSORSHIP AGREEMENT DIRECT THOUGH HOLIDAY LIGHTING MATCHING FUNDS FOR ELK HOG, UM, LEASE PAYMENTS, FIRE TRUCKS, A DA ASSESSMENT AND SOME PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENT ASSESSMENT.
IT'S A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS IN THAT.
UM, BUT I'M GONNA HOLD OFF ON THAT AND TALK WITH YOU ONCE BUDGET'S ADOPTED ABOUT A FEW OF THOSE THINGS.
AND I MENTIONED THE WATERWAY, UH, THE BOATS, UM, PUBLIC SAFETY STIPENDS REMAIN IN THERE FOR THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
THERE'S APPROXIMATELY 15 PEOPLE AND WE DO A $550 MONTH STIPEND SHORE BEACH SERVICE CONTRACT THAT'S HELPED WITH THE REDUCTION TOWN HALL SECURITY AFFILIATED AGENCY WE MENTIONED, AND THEN SOME TRANSFERS OUT, AS I TALKED ABOUT, RIGHT? THE PLAN TRANSFER TO THE GENERAL FUND FOR FUTURE USE, RIGHT FUND BALANCE.
SO IF THE, THE BUDGET INCREASED ABOUT 4 MILLION, OR EXCUSE ME, 7 MILLION, 3 MILLION APPROXIMATE GOING INTO FUND BALANCE.
SO IT'S A $4 MILLION APPROXIMATE GENERAL FUND INCREASE TRANSFER IS WELL TO THE GULLAH GEECHEE HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS FOR PERSONNEL COSTS.
AND THEN TRANSFER THIS SPECIAL REVENUE FUND FOR PRIOR YEAR GRANTS.
UM, IT FUNDS FIRE RESCUE, THEIR BUDGET WHILE THE LARGEST, UM, 24.8 MILLION.
IT FUNDS 153 PEOPLE, MORE THAN 50% OF OUR STAFF.
PLUS, UM, THEY'RE THE BACKBONE OF THIS COMMUNITY AND, AND, AND THIS ORGANIZATION AND ARE, AND I'M, I'M PROUD TO, TO, TO HELP THEM WHERE THEY NEED IT.
AND I APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT AND GUIDANCE.
PUBLIC SAFETY, 12 FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES, FINANCE 25 HR FUNDS, OUR SMALL HR TEAM, UM, TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION.
UM, AND WE CAN TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THIS IN, IN WORKSHOP, BUT I WON'T GO THROUGH ALL THOSE BULLET POINTS RIGHT NOW.
THE, THE BALANCE GENERAL FUND, OUR OPERATING HAS ONLY INCREASED A LITTLE BIT.
UM, WE'VE IMPROVED OUR FUND BALANCE AND WE HAVE 4% IN HERE FOR PERFORMANCE BASED AND CLASS AND COMP, UM, ADDITIONAL
[01:15:01]
PERCENTAGE.SO, AND I MENTIONED, UH, SOME OF THESE, SO I'M, I'M JUST JUMPING OVER THEM, RIGHT? ALL THE, ALL THE EVENTS, THE BUDGET CONTINUES TO FUND BEAUFORT COUNTY CHANNEL 110 MEETINGS PER YEAR.
AND WHAT'S BEEN GREAT IS THAT WE HAVE LEFT SOME CONTINGENCY IN THERE TO FUND SPECIAL MEETINGS AS NEEDED.
AS SOON AS I THINK THAT WE FUNDED ALL THE MEETINGS, WE NEED, SOMETHING POPS UP.
AND THE BUDGET HAS A LITTLE BIT OF ROOM IN THERE FOR US TO FUND THOSE EXTRA MEETINGS.
ANY QUESTIONS? BUDGET? SORRY,
I, I DIDN'T KNOW HOW WE WERE GONNA EXACTLY DO THAT.
'CAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH MATERIAL THAT YOU'RE GOING THROUGH AND IT'S A LOT TO CONSUME AND YOU QUESTIONS ALONG THE WAY.
PLUS YOU'VE GOT WORKSHOPS COMING UP, SO I REALLY WASN'T QUITE SURE HOW WE WANTED TO DO IT FOR TODAY.
RIGHT? SO I, BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA GO IN MORE DEPTH YEAH.
WHAT I, WHAT I WAS THINKING ON THAT, 'CAUSE I WAS JUST THINKING ABOUT THAT A MINUTE AGO AS WELL.
UM, AS WE KIND OF GO THROUGH SOME OF THESE THAT HE'S GOT OUTLINED, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'VE GOT QUESTIONS THAT CAN'T BE ANSWERED NOW THAT WE GIVE HIM DAVE AND THE FINANCE TEAM TO COME BACK DURING THE, THE, THE WORKSHOP, BUT I WOULD ASK THE QUESTIONS NOW, IF WE CAN GET THE ANSWER, THAT'S GREAT, BUT IF THERE'S SOMETHING WE CAN'T, THEN WE CAN ALSO GET IT IN THE WORKSHOP.
BUT AS WE GO THROUGH THESE, I'LL TAKE ANY OTHER SUGGESTIONS, BUT THAT'S WHAT I THINK.
I WASN'T SURE IF MELINDA HAD A FOLLOW UP TO THAT OR JUST PROCESS.
UM, I HAVE THE SAME QUESTION THAT, UM, I'VE HAD.
SO WITH RE I'VE GOT A NUMBER OF THEM.
I THINK THE ONE THAT I'M GONNA, A COUPLE THAT I'M GONNA ASK ABOUT IS, UH, WE HAVE A COUPLE OF NEW IMPORTANT, UM, EVENTS AND THEY'VE NOW BECOME REGULAR EVENTS AND I'M EXCITED ABOUT THAT, BUT I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE TRACKING THE IMPACT TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO, UM, ONE EXAMPLE IS THE SONGWRITERS FESTIVAL ON ALL OF OUR EVENTS, WE ALWAYS TRY TO LOOK AT WHAT IS THE ECONOMIC BENEFIT TO THE COMMUNITY AS WE'RE PUTTING MONEY TOWARDS, UM, TOWARDS THEM.
AND SO I'D LIKE TO SEE US HAVE THAT EFFORT UNDERTAKEN WITH REGARD TO THE, UM, JAMS SONGWRITER, UH, FESTIVAL THAT WE HAVE, SO THAT WE CAN, UM, TRACK THAT APPROPRIATELY SO THAT LATER THERE'S NO QUESTIONS ASKED ABOUT WHY IT'S SUCH AN IMPORTANT EVENT TO THE ISLAND.
UM, I THINK THERE'S A CONVERSATION THAT NEEDS TO BE HAD AND AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE FUTURE AND, AND HOW WE GOT TO WHERE WE ARE WITH REGARD TO BEACH SHUTTLE.
UM, AND THERE'S A WEST IN HERE FOR $350,000 FOR TWO SALARIED EMPLOYEES FOR THE CDC, I'D LIKE TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THAT AS WELL.
UM, I CAN HEAR ALREADY 174 TH MILLION DOLLARS RIGHT TO 233 AND THE REACTION.
SO I WANNA UNDERSTAND EACH OF THESE CATEGORIES AS WE'RE GOING THROUGH SO THAT WHEN WE'RE GETTING QUESTIONS, UM, AM I NOT, IS IT NOT WORKING? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.
UM, I THINK I'M EXTREMELY EXCITED AND HAPPY THAT ALL THE PREPARATION THAT WE'VE DONE OVER THE YEARS THROUGH BUDGETING HAS PUT US IN THIS VERY, UM, GOOD POSITION WHERE WE HAVE THE RATINGS THAT WE HAVE THAT WE'RE NOT LOOKING TO INCREASE MILLAGE, THAT EVERYTHING THAT, UM, WE'RE DOING FALLS WITHIN, UM, A BUDGET THAT'S CONSERVATIVE AS, AS YOU'VE SAID.
AND, UM, AND I JUST STATED, BUT I ALSO NEED TO EXPLAIN ONE NUMBER VERSUS THE OTHER MOVING FORWARD.
AND SO THOSE DETAILS, UM, ARE IMPORTANT EITHER NOW OR LATER AT SOME TIME.
I IF, IF YOU'RE ALL ASKING, UM, I, I THINK MS. BECKER'S QUESTIONS AND, AND COMMENTS HELP ME BECAUSE WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS TAKE THEM IN AND ADDRESS THEM AT THURSDAY'S WORKSHOP AND THE CAPITAL PROJECT ONES AT TUESDAY'S WORKSHOP.
UM, I, I CAN ANSWER ALL OF THESE RIGHT NOW, BUT I THINK SINCE IT'S ON YOUR MIND, IF YOU, IF YOU NEED THE ANSWER RIGHT NOW TO CONSIDER FIRST READING, I'LL ANSWER IT.
OTHERWISE, IF THERE'S THINGS YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT AND THAT I SPECIFY A WORKSHOP, I'D BE HAPPY TO DO THAT TOO.
I'M HAPPY TO WAIT FOR A WORKSHOP.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE EVERYONE KNOWS I'M ZOOMING IN OUR GRANDDAUGHTER GRADUATES, UM,
[01:20:01]
IN ATLANTA ON THE 14TH.AND, UM, THERE'S NO WAY FOR ME TO MAKE IT FROM GRADUATION HERE FOR THE, FOR THE MEETING, BUT I WILL BE ON ZOOM.
OKAY, MR. OFFER, I'M CURIOUS AS TO WHY, UH, STATE A TAX FUNDS WOULD DECLINE WHEN LOCAL AT TAX FUNDS ARE INCREASING.
OKAY, MS. DO ANYTHING ELSE? YES.
UM, SO AGAIN, IT'S A LOT TO CONSUME, UH, ESPECIALLY WITH THE NEW APPROACH OF HAVING A CONSOLIDATED VIEW.
UM, I'M VERY GLAD TO SEE THAT WE HAVE A CONSOLIDATED VIEW BECAUSE OUR SPECIAL FUNDS ARE SO IMPORTANT TO THE OPERATION OF OUR TOWN AND TO THE BENEFIT OF OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO, UM, SLOW DOWN IN THAT AREA AT THE WORKSHOP SO PEOPLE CAN UNDERSTAND HOW THE, THE ITEMS ARE FLOWING, UM MM-HMM
AND, UM, AND I KNOW YOU AND I TALKED, I'D LIKE TO SIT DOWN WITH DAVE TO GO THROUGH IT MYSELF PERSONALLY, UH, BECAUSE MM-HMM
IT'LL JUST HELP TO SOLIDIFY IT IN MY MIND.
UM, I CONCUR WITH COUNCILMAN BECKER'S COMMENT.
UH, WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO BE PUT IN A POSITION TO BE ABLE TO, UM, EXPLAIN THE VARIANCE IN THE OVERALL SIZE OF THE BUDGET.
AND THERE ARE A LOT OF MOVING PIECES, UM, AND I KNOW YOU'RE COMPARING IT TO THE PRIOR YEAR'S BUDGET, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE PUBLIC ALSO IS GONNA BE LOOKING AT WHAT WE SPENT ON AN ACTUAL BASIS IN PRIOR YEARS.
AND SO HAVING SOME KIND OF VARIANCE ANALYSIS THAT, THAT GIVES THE LARGEST IMPACTS BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT DEBT THAT WE HAD THIS YEAR THAT ADDED $54 MILLION.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE SPENDING ALL, ALL THAT DEBT TODAY.
SOME WE SPENT FOR THE BEACH RENOURISHMENT PROJECT, BUT THE GO BOND, YOU KNOW, WE SPENT FOR THE PURCHASE OF THE, UM, FIRE AND RESCUE HEADQUARTERS, BUT WE'RE BOOKING MY WORDS, YOU KNOW, THAT MONEY FOR OTHER PURPOSES MOVING FORWARD.
UM, AND WE'VE GOT THE SPECIAL REVENUE THAT WE'RE SHOWING IN A, IN A NEW AND DIFFERENT WAY.
SO, UM, I THINK IT'S GONNA BE REALLY IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO EXPLAIN THAT AND, AND DO, UH, SOME TYPE OF VARIANCE ANALYSIS.
I THINK IT'S ALSO, UM, AN OPPORTUNITY TO SLOW DOWN DURING THE WORKSHOP TO BE ABLE TO A, ASK SOME SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ABOUT AREAS THAT, UM, HAVE LARGE, UM, YOU KNOW, INCREASES OR LARGE DECREASES JUST SO, UM, THE TOWN COUNCIL MEMBERS UNDERSTAND AS, AS WELL AS THE PUBLIC.
UM, AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I LOOK FORWARD TO THAT TIME WHERE WE CAN SLOW DOWN A LITTLE BIT AND, AND GO THROUGH THAT.
UM, WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THE CHANGES AS WELL IS WE ARE IDENTIFYING HOW MUCH WE'RE GOING TO BE ADDING TO FUND BALANCES, RIGHT? WITH THIS.
SO EVEN THOUGH WE ARE BRINGING IN MONEY AND WE'RE SPENDING IT, WE ALSO, UM, BUDGETING THAT WE'RE GOING TO ADD TO OUR FUND BALANCES AS WELL.
SO I THINK THAT IS A, A POSITIVE, UH, CHANGE WITH THESE, UM, ITEMS. UM, AND THAT'S ALL MY COMMENTS FOR NOW.
I, I WOULD AGREE WITH THAT VARIANCE ANALYSIS.
YOU KNOW, THIS BEING THE FIRST YEAR WE'VE DONE THAT, I THINK IT, IT NOT ONLY HELPS THIS YEAR, BUT IT WILL HELP NEXT YEAR AS WE COME BACK TO UNDERSTAND THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
SO I JUST, I THINK THAT'S A REALLY GOOD CALL.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS, MS. BRYSON? MY APOLOGIES FOR MY ALLERGY ATTACK,
UM, I'M LOOKING AT, IN DOING THAT VARIANCE ANALYSIS, IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I POINTED OUT DURING OUR DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE BUDGET, AND THAT IS INCLUDING THE SPECIAL REVENUES FUND IS, IS THE MAIN DIFFERENCE.
BUT EXPLAINING THAT BECAUSE, UH, IN THE PAST WE'VE TRANSFERRED IN AS A BUDGET ORDINANCE AMENDMENT USUALLY DURING THE SPRING TERM, AND THAT'S WHEN THAT DIFFERENCE SHOWS UP.
BUT IN COMPARING THE FY 2024 ACTUAL AND FY 2025 ACTUAL WHERE A SPECIAL REVENUES FUND IS SHOWN, IT WOULD BE GOOD TO EXPLAIN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THOSE AND 2027.
UM, SO, UM, I DON'T HAVE A PAGE NUMBER IN MY BOOK.
I, I'M SORRY, THE TITLE IS FY 2027, PROPOSED CONSOLIDATED BUDGET EXPENDITURES, ALL FUNDS.
THAT'S THE PAGE I'M LOOKING AT, BUT I THINK THERE, UM, AND PERHAPS SOME OF THE EXPLANATION THERE HAS TO DO WITH THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS.
YEAH, MINE DOESN'T HAVE PAGES ON IT, PAGE NUMBERS, BUT ANYHOW, I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL IN EXPLAINING, BECAUSE IN PRIOR YEARS WE NOTICED WE, AND WE WERE ASKED ABOUT BIG INCREASES, BUT IT HAD TO DO WITH THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS BEING MOVED OVER.
[01:25:01]
AND SO THIS TIME IT'S THE SPECIAL REVENUES SHOWING UP AT A DIFFERENT TIME OF THE YEAR.UM, SO I, I THINK THAT'D BE HELPFUL.
YES, SORRY, THURSDAY TO GO THROUGH THOSE BECKER.
I JUST WANTED TO ADD, UM, TO THAT, THAT I KNOW FROM HAVING REVIEWED THIS AND HAVING ANY CONVERSATIONS WITH YOU, THAT THERE'S AN AWFUL LOT OF GOOD THINGS WITHIN THIS BUDGET THAT, UM, AS YOU'RE DISCUSSING IT AND WE'RE MOVING FORWARD, EVERYONE WILL HEAR.
AND SO I'M EXCITED TO HEAR ABOUT THOSE TWO.
SO JUST WANTED TO PUT A POSITIVE NOTE ON IT.
THIS, THIS IS ALL, THIS IS ALL VERY HELPFUL.
ARE YOU, MAY I ASK A QUESTION, SIR? ARE YOU COMFORTABLE THAT WE EXPLAIN THAT AT THE WORKSHOP OKAY.
AS OPPOSED TO RIGHT NOW? OKAY.
I THINK WE UNDERSTAND IT, BUT WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT PUBLIC DOES AS WELL.
JUST SAY, YOU KNOW, SINCE, SINCE YOU BROUGHT UP SOMETHING THAT I JUST, I'VE DONE A LITTLE RESEARCH ABOUT OTHER MUNICIPALITIES IN THE AREA CLOSE BY AND UP AND DOWN THE COAST.
AND WE ARE BY FAR, AT 19 MILLS, 19, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE OVER 19 MILLS, THE LOWEST, UH, WITHIN THE AREAS, YOU KNOW, UM, I'VE SEEN 'EM AS HIGH AS 107 MILLS, UM, IN SOME OTHER AREAS, YOU KNOW, NORTH MYRTLE BEACH JUST WENT FROM 35 TO 40 MILLS AND MYRTLE BEACH IS AT 75 OR EITHER RIGHT AT 75 MILLS.
SO TO COME IN AT 1719 MILLS AND BE ABLE TO DO WHAT WE DO, THAT JUST SHOWS A VERY STRONG FINANCIAL ORGANIZATION.
THE NO MILLAGE INCREASE, BUT TO CONTINUE OUR GOOD SERVICES IS INCREDIBLE.
UM, SO CONGRATULATIONS ON LOOKING AT OPERATIONS, UM, AND HOW TO FUND THAT.
AND AS THE MAYOR SAID, WE, WE ARE INDEED FORTUNATE TO HAVE SUCH A DIVERSE SOURCE OF REVENUES, AND THAT'S CLEARLY, UM, SEEN IN, UM, THE CONSOLIDATED BUDGET AND ESPECIALLY THE TRANSFERS IN, 'CAUSE THAT'S WHERE A LOT OF THOSE MONIES COME FROM, IS OUR DIVERSE, UM, INCOME STREAM.
SO NO MILLAGE INCREASE, SAME LEVEL OF SERVICES, ADDITIONAL, UH, OPPORTUNITIES IN THIS BUDGET, UM, AND DIVERSE INCOME STREAM.
AND LET'S NOT FORGET THOSE POSITIVE THINGS.
IF YOU ADD THE SDR PROGRAM, I WILL SAY THIS BIG PICTURE, GENERAL FUND WENT UP 7 MILLION, 3 MILLION WENT IN FUND BALANCE, 4 MILLION WENT INTO SOME OPERATING AND SOME CLASS COMP AND, AND PERSONNEL.
EVERYTHING ELSE IS A REDUCTION, RIGHT? CAP PROJECTS IS A REDUCTION, DEBT'S A REDUCTION, EVERYTHING.
UM, IT'S, AND, AND THIS IS AN EASY EXPLANATION TO YOU, OUR, UH, OUR, OUR BUDGET THIS YEAR IS STATUS QUO IF WE DIDN'T TAKE THE BIG BANDAID OFF WITH THE SPECIAL REPS.
SO I, I APPRECIATE ALL, ALL THE GREAT FEEDBACK SO FAR, AND WE'LL TALK A LOT ABOUT IT AT WORKSHOP.
I HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT THE WORKSHOPS AT FIVE O'CLOCK, SO I DON'T SHOW UP IN THE ROOM AT THREE O'CLOCK.
IT'S JUST A SHOUT OUT THAT THAT'S AT FIVE O'CLOCK, OUR CIP PROGRAM.
UM, AND, AND AS THIS PRESENTATION IS ON LINE, I, I WILL SAY TO YOU, BEN, BEN WILL TELL ME I SHOULDN'T HAVE BACKED UP LATER, BUT IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT YOU TAKE A LOOK AT YOUR BUDGET RIGHT HERE.
THAT IS WITHOUT THE, THOSE, THOSE CONSOLIDATED REVENUES, SPECIAL REVENUES, YOU CAN SEE WHAT I JUST SHARED WITH YOU RIGHT HERE OF THE SEVEN TWO ABOVE 3, 2, 9 IS GOING INTO FUND BALANCE.
THE REST OF IT IS ON PAPER RIGHT HERE.
SO THAT'S WHY I SHOWED THOSE SIX FUNDS WITHOUT THOSE TRANSFERS OF REVENUES, BECAUSE WE HAVE A DIFFERENT WALK AS WE SHOW YOU FUND BALANCE THIS YEAR.
ALRIGHT, I'LL CATCH BACK UP HERE.
AND, AND THE REST OF THIS, WE KNOW, RIGHT? WE, WE, WE ALWAYS REVIEW PRIOR YEAR PROJECTS TO CARRY FORWARD.
UM, WE HAVE A LONG LIST MORE PROJECTS THAN FUNDS.
UM, WE HAD A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM WORKSHOP THAT HELPED CONSIDERABLY, NOT FROM A DOLLARS STANDPOINT, BUT FROM A PRIORITIZATION STANDPOINT.
UM, PLANNING COMMISSION HAS REVIEWED AND RECOMMENDED THE PRIORITY PROJECTS AS RECOMMENDED BY US.
UM, AND SO THIS ISN'T SOMETHING YOU'RE SEEING FOR THE FIRST TIME.
UM, NOR NOR THE COMMUNITY PLANNING COMMISSION PRIORITIZES FIRST TIME WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT A TOTAL NUMBER OF 55.2 MILLION, RIGHT IN THE ORIGINAL 77.6, THE 1 24 0.6.
THAT WAS BECAUSE OF A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF DOLLARS PUT IN THERE FOR LAND ACQUISITION, UM, AS WELL AS THE PROJECT AT, UM, US POST OFFICE FOR NORTH POINT.
BUT YOU SEE A BUDGET PROPOSED TO YOU FOR $55 MILLION, $4.8 MILLION IN THOSE, THOSE FEES, AND THAT
[01:30:01]
GENERATED INCOME.AND THE REST OF IT IS TRANSFERS IN MOSTLY BEACH H TAX FIRETRUCK, TIFF, WE'RE SPENDING THE, THE REMAINING TIFF DOLLARS STATE, A TAX ELECTRIC FRANCHISE AND STORMWATER UTILITY FEE.
AND SO A DIVERSIFIED USE OF FUNDS, IT'S, UH, OR SOURCE OF FUNDS, EXCUSE ME, UM, THE USE OF FUNDS IN OUR, IN OUR PRIORITY PROGRAMS, BEACH PATH, ROAD PARK FACILITY, STORM WATER, FLEET AND LAND.
YOU CAN SEE THAT THOSE MAKE UP A $53.9 MILLION.
AND THEN TO BALANCE THE BUDGET, THE FUND BALANCE SURPLUS, FUTURE USE OF 1.2 TO BALANCE THAT BUDGET.
SO, UM, I WILL JUST SET THE TABLE FOR WORKSHOP EVERY YEAR.
WE, WITH THE, WITH THE DOLLARS WE HAVE THE REVENUES AND THE FUND BALANCE WE HAVE, WE CAN'T EXPECT THAT THESE ARE ALWAYS UP.
THE MEASUREMENT, THE MEASUREMENT SHOULDN'T BE A DECREASE AS NEGATIVE IN A PO IN A, IN A UP IS, IS POSITIVE.
IN CAP PROJECTS, WE ARE BUILDING A LOT OF PROJECTS.
UM, WE ARE DIVERSIFIED IN OUR FUNDING SOURCES, BEACH FEE, H TAX, AND YOU CAN SEE UP HERE, AND I THINK THIS IS, THIS IS VERY TELLING, UM, YOU KNOW, BEACH PROGRAM IS 7.4 MILLION.
THE REASON WE CAN'T, YOU KNOW, GREATLY IMPROVE THE PARK OR THE, LET'S CALL IT THE PATHWAY SYSTEM BEYOND, WE USE STATE, WE CAN'T USE BEACH FOR PATHWAYS.
AND SO SOURCES OF MONEY HAVE TO BE MATCHED WITH USES OF MONEY.
WE HAVE SOME SOFT COSTS IN THERE, BUT AS WE KNOW, THAT GROWS OVER TIME WHEN WE ACQUIRE PROPERTIES AND WE AMEND A BUDGET TO CAPTURE THOSE FUNDS, AND THERE'LL BE MORE OF THAT IN THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
I'M EXCITED TO BRING THOSE FORWARD.
BEFORE WE TALK ABOUT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO, LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT WE'RE LANDING THE AIRPLANE ON SINCE THE AIRPORT, UH, OPENING WAS TODAY WE COMPLETED BEACH RENOURISHMENT.
IT'S, FOR THE MOST PART COMPLETE ON TIME, ON BUDGET.
IT WAS OUR FIRST TIME WITHOUT SCOTT LIGGETT AND REALLY WITHOUT STEVE RILEY, UH, RENOURISHING THE BEACH, AN AMAZING THANK YOU TO JEFF INGER, CHRIS CREED, SEAN GILL, EVERYBODY, BUT WE'RE COMPLETING THAT BARKER FIELD SOCCER, OLD SCHOOLHOUSE PARK, PICKLE BALL, MITCHELLVILLE ROAD PAVING AND DRAINAGE, UM, ACQUIRED PROPERTY AND STARTED THE RELOCATION AND, AND, AND UPFIT FOR THE FIRE RESCUE HEADQUARTERS FOUR OFFICE WAY.
IT IS ON THE UPSTAIRS IN THE ENTIRE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS STORMWATER CAPITAL PROJECTS AND TRANSPORTATION.
UM, AND YEAH, ON THE, ON THE BOTTOM, EXCUSE ME, WE ACQUIRED THE REMAINDER OF THE FLEET APPARATUS, FIRE APPARATUS FLEET, AND WE ACQUIRED YOU, YOU, YOU VOTED, YOU ACQUIRED OVER 15 ACRES OF LAND AND TOWN PROPERTY, SOME THROUGH THE GREEN SPACE AND SOME DIRECT THROUGH THROUGH YOU THIS YEAR, UH, ISLANDERS BEACH PARK.
AS SOON AS WE CAN GO POST SEASON, WE WILL IMPROVE THAT.
YOU WILL SEE SOME PRICE MOVEMENT.
WE REDUCED ONE OF THE PATHWAYS AND WE, WE ELIMINATED SOME OF THE COMPONENTS OF THE PARK AS WE TALKED AT WORKSHOP.
PHASE ONE PICKLEBALL CROSSINGS PARK, WE HAVE OUR WETLAND PERMIT, OUR FEDERAL WETLAND PERMIT.
THAT WAS A BIG LIFT AND A FINAL TO-DO MORE OR LESS.
UH, DRB, UH, IF, IF NOT ALREADY, IT'LL BE APPROVED SOON.
UM, PHASE TWO PUMP TRACK WILL ALSO BE FUNDED IN THIS BUDGET IF, IF APPROVED PATTERSON PARK.
THAT TOOK A LITTLE BIT OF TIME.
IT'S TAKEN A LITTLE BIT OF TIME BECAUSE THERE'S A WETLAND PERMIT AND AN ENCROACHMENT PERMIT WE NEEDED.
AND SO WE NEED TO EITHER SHIFT THE ROAD OR IMPACT THE WETLAND AND WE COULDN'T, WE COULDN'T HAVE IT BOTH WAYS AND, AND GREAT JOB TO THE TEAM FOR HELPING TO FIGURE THAT OUT.
WE WILL MOVE THOSE DOLLARS FORWARD THOUGH AND GET STARTED ASAP.
NORTH POINT ACCESS, SPANISH WELLS ROAD, SQUIRE, POPE ROAD, FOLLY FIELD ROAD, GUMTREE ROAD VEHICLE AND PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, SOME INTERSECTIONS.
AS WE TALKED ABOUT THE GATEWAY CORRIDOR PLAN.
UM, I THINK GET STARTED AS FAST AS WE CAN ON THAT SPANISH WELLS ROAD, UM, INTERSECTION.
THAT'S JUST MY OPINION, BUT THERE'S SOME SOFT COSTS IN THERE THAT WE CAN TALK ABOUT POST BUDGET APPROVAL.
AND THEN THESE ROADS, NOT JUST THE INTERSECTIONS, BUT A BUT A STREET SCAPE, PED SAFETY, UM, TRAFFIC CALMING APPROACH TO ALL OF THOSE STREETS.
WE HAVE OUR DOLLARS IF THE REFERENDUM DOLLARS ARE CAPTURED, IF THE TIFF DOLLARS ARE CAPTURED, THERE'S WAYS TO IMPROVE THESE ROADS OVER TIME.
WE'VE PUT SOME SOFT COSTS TO GET STARTED ON THE, THE HEAVIER LIFTS.
AND THEN WE'VE USED TIFF IN SOME OTHER DOLLARS.
WE'VE, WE'VE, WE'VE FUNDED THAT GUMTREE ROAD IMPROVEMENT PROJECT, UM, WITH ALL THE DOLLARS WE HAVE JONESVILLE BARN FIRE RESCUE HEADQUARTERS IN THE RELOCATION OF THE EMERGENCY OPS CENTER, JARVIS CREEK PUMP STATION,
[01:35:01]
AND MORE FIRE RESCUE LADDER TRUCKS.BUT WE'RE GETTING CLOSE TO THE END.
IT'S JUST CAPTURING THE LEASE PAYMENTS.
UM, YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN THE MAP.
JEFF INGER WANTED ME TO SHOW YOU
THIS IS NOT IT, IT WAS WAY BUSIER.
BUT THESE ARE OUR PROJECTS, PLANNING, DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, AND WHAT YOU HAVE HERE, AND I WON'T GO THROUGH THESE, BUT I ENCOURAGE YOU TO LOOK AT THIS AND THE COMMUNITY LOOK AT THIS.
YOU HAVE A PROJECT WITHIN A PROGRAM, RIGHT? BEACH FIRST WE'VE IDENTIFIED WHETHER IT'S MAINTENANCE PROJECTS, WHICH MOST OF THE TIME IS JUST DEREK'S DOING GREAT WORK OR A PROJECT MANAGER THERE.
WE NEED A VISION, A DESIGN IN A, IN A CONTRACTOR.
AND SO EITHER MAINTENANCE OR DISCRETIONARY, WE CONTINUE TO HOLD THIS IN HERE AT YOUR DIRECTION.
ROLL OVER, ROLL FORWARD MONEY FROM 26 TO 22ND SEVEN EXAMPLE, BEACH RENOURISHMENT IS NOT COMPLETELY DONE THROUGH SOME DOLLARS.
AND WE'LL USE THAT FOR SAND FENCING AND SOME OTHERS.
UM, IF THERE'S NEW FUNDING REQUESTS, WE'LL ROLL FORWARD.
NEW FUNDING, TOTAL FUNDING PLANNING COMMISSION PRIORITY.
AND SO THAT I CAN BE CLEAR AND IN PAST, UM, YOU KNOW, IF WE, WE PUT A PATTERSON PARK AND WE'RE IN THE DESIGN YEAR TO AVOID FOLKS WONDERING IF WE'RE CONSTRUCTING.
IN YEAR ONE, WE'VE BEEN VERY DELIBERATE TO PUT WHETHER IN THIS NEXT FISCAL YEAR PLAN, SCHEDULE IS DESIGNED AND OR PERMITTING AND OR CONSTRUCTION.
UM, AND SO I'M NOT GONNA GO THROUGH ALL THESE PROJECTS.
I THINK I HIGHLIGHTED SOME OF THE, THE LARGER ONES.
THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT OF PROJECTS.
IF I, IF I GO THROUGH ALL 'EM, SIGNAL SYSTEM MAINTENANCE, MASTER ARM IMPROVEMENTS, THE NORTH POINT SITE IMPROVEMENTS, UM, TABBY WALK, ENTRANCE, RELOCATION.
WE'RE IN SOME DESIGN FOLLY, FIELD ROAD SAFETY.
WE ARE FINALLY AT THE POINT OF MS. BECKER.
UM, WITH S-C-D-O-T, THEY HAVE APPROVED A PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENT PLAN.
IT'S THE FIRST TIME ON OUR ISLAND.
WE HAVE, WE HAVE PROPOSED A REDUCTION OF SPEED, SOME RAISED CROSSWALKS, SOME BETTER INTERSECTIONS, SIGNAGE, EVEN EVEN SIGNAGE THAT TELLS YOU HOW FAST YOU'RE GOING ON A DOT ROAD, WHICH IN THE PAST HAVEN'T DONE.
SO THE DOT HAS BEEN AMAZING TO WORK WITH AND, AND HELPFUL.
AND SO THOSE DOLLARS YOU WILL SEE IN HERE, WE'LL GO QUICK ON THOSE THIS YEAR.
UM, MENTIONED GUMTREE ROAD, INDIGO RUN CIRCLE ENHANCEMENTS.
THERE IT IS ALMOST THE LA PRETTY MUCH THE LAST ROUNDABOUT THAT WE HAVEN'T PUT SOMETHING IN THE MIDDLE TO CREATE SOME MASS AND SCALE AND, AND, AND CALM TRAFFIC AS WELL AS AN AESTHETIC IMPROVEMENT.
DIRT ROADS ARE STILL IN THERE.
MAYOR COUNCIL, THROUGH THE LAND ACQUISITION MANUAL DISCUSSION, WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT RIGHT OF WAY ACQUISITION, BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SYSTEMS. AND SO THOSE DIRT ROADS, SOME OF THEM ARE GETTING READY TO GO, BUT WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT ACQUISITION DIFFERENTLY.
UM, AND SOME CONTINGENCY, PUBLIC ART REC CENTER ISLAND REC, YOU SEE THAT THE ISLAND REC HAS MADE A, A PROPOSAL OF $770,000 CROSSINGS PARK, PHASE ONE PICKLE SPORTS ARENA, WHICH IS SKATE PARK AND PUMP TRACK, PATTERSON PARK, AND SO ON SO FORTH.
YOU'LL SEE HERE THAT THERE'S SOME ROLL FORWARD.
WE'RE GETTING CLOSER TO THE END OF TAYLOR FAMILY PARK AND WE'LL ROLL FORWARD THOSE DOLLARS THAT ARE ENCUMBERED, BUT UNSPENT IN THE CIP FACILITY AND EQUIPMENT COASTAL DISCOVERY REQUEST FOR DIS FOR, FOR, FOR THOSE STATED, UH, PROJECTS, DISCOVERY HOUSE PAVILION, SO ON SO FORTH.
UM, BUT FOR A TOTAL OF 742,600, IT'S OUR ASSET.
IT'S THE TOWN'S, UH, HISTORIC ASSET.
AND, UH, I APPRECIATE THE GOOD WORK THAT REX AND THE BOARD HAVE DONE TO TAKE CARE OF THE ASSET AND, AND MAKE THOSE REQUESTS FOR, FOR THE REINVESTMENT.
JONESVILLE HORSE BARN, MITCHELLVILLE FREEDOM PARK.
THIS YEAR, I GUESS THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN ON THE FRONT PAGE BECAUSE WE ARE FINALLY AT A POINT WHERE THE PARKING LOT, OUR PORTION PROMISED, TALKED ABOUT WILL BE UNDER CONSTRUCTION THIS YEAR AT MITCHELLVILLE, A DA PARKING LOT, SOME OF THOSE STORM WATER IMPROVEMENTS OUT THERE.
AND WE WERE WORKING CLOSELY WITH AHMA AND, AND THE ENTIRE TEAM OUT THERE.
FIRE RESCUE HEADQUARTERS, THAT'S THE PLANNED.
A, A ADDITIONAL EXPENDITURE TO MOVE OUR EMERGENCY OPERATION CENTER INTO THE BUILDING.
STORM WATER, LET'S TALK ABOUT THIS AT WORKSHOP, BUT A $4.2 MILLION STORM WATER PROGRAM.
UM, SEVERAL PROJECTS FOR CONSTRUCTION, INCLUDING THE NON PUD AND AND AND AND PUD MAINTENANCE AGREEMENTS, SOME PUMP STATION REPAIRS AS WELL.
AND FOR A TOTAL PROGRAM AT 53.9 DEBT, AND FOR TIME'S SAKE, I'M BEHIND ON MY INTERNAL CLOCK, YOU WILL SEE, UH, A DEBT OF $11.5 MILLION.
[01:40:01]
PROPOSED BUDGET.YOU WILL SEE THE ORIGINAL 26 OF 18.
WE'VE BORROWED SOME DOLLARS, BUT WE'VE PAID DOWN OUR, OUR, OUR TOTAL ANNUAL REVENUE NEED AND THEN EXPENDITURES, 8.6, PRINCIPAL TWO EIGHT INTEREST.
WHILE INTEREST IS GOING UP, UM, THE PRINCIPAL PAYMENTS ARE HIGHER AS WELL.
UM, FOR A TOTAL EXPENDITURES OF 11 FIVE, WE CAN TALK ABOUT THIS AT WORKSHOP.
$93 MILLION OF DEBT REDUCTION SINCE 2018, EVEN WITH BORROWED FUNDS AND AN ADDITIONAL $8.6 MILLION.
ADDITIONAL, I THINK I SAID ADDITIONAL TWICE, BUT MAYBE ON PURPOSE.
UM, DEBT REDUCTION PLAN FOR 27, THE SERIES 25 SPECIAL OBLIGATION FOR BEACH PRES BONDS, GEO BONDS, ALL OF THE ISSUANCE, THE PAYMENTS, UH, INTEREST IN PRINCIPLE, UM, DEBT PAYMENTS OFFSET BY REVENUES WILL RESULT IN AN ENDING DEBT SERVICE FUND BALANCE OF 2.7.
AND WHAT YOU DON'T SEE UP HERE IS ANY DETAIL ON STORMWATER THERE IN THE STORMWATER FUND.
SO THERE YOU HAVE IT, IT'S A DECREASE OF 19 SIX.
THESE ARE ALL OF OUR OUTSTANDING ISSUES.
UM, NOT FOR TODAY, BUT SOMETHING FOR THE COMMUNITY TO ALWAYS BE AWARE OF.
BUT YOU CAN SEE THE INTEREST PRINCIPLE TOTAL.
I ALWAYS TAKE A LOOK AT BALANCE AFTER 27 IN FINAL PAYMENT SCHEDULE AS WE'RE LOOKING AT OUR BUDGET, BUT WE'RE GETTING CLOSER.
IT'S, IT'S, IT'S WILD THAT WE'RE GETTING CLOSER TO SOME OF THOSE OUT YEARS THAT SEEMED FURTHER OUT.
BUT THE 28, UM, AND THE 28 THROUGH THERE WAS LOOKING FOR THAT.
SO YOU SEE THE DEBT THAT WENT DOWN, RIGHT? WE HAD 64.5 AND 25.
WE ISSUED NEW DEBT, 19 MILLION, 35 MILLION IN 26 FISCAL.
THERE WERE CALLABLE BEACH BONDS.
WE PAID OFF THE BEACH BONDS, RIGHT? WE PAID OFF THE OLD PROJECT BEFORE WE FUNDED THE NEW PROJECT.
7.5 REDUCTION GEO BOND WHILE WE BORROWED.
WE HAD 8.6 MILLION SCHEDULED DEBT PAYMENTS IN 26 FOR AN ENDING BALANCE OF 86.7.
YOU'LL SEE NO NEW DEBT PROPOSED.
YOU SEE SCHEDULED DEBT PAYMENTS AND AN ENDING BALANCE OF 77.
SO REALLY SINCE 25, WHEN THE 35 GO AND THE 19 BEACH PRES FOR, FOR OUR BEACH FOR NOURISHMENT PROJECT IT, THE NET INCREASE WAS 13.3 MILLION.
SO WE'RE GETTING CLOSER BACK TO WHERE WE WERE IN 2024.
STORMWATER UTILITY FUND, $7.5 MILLION OF PROJECTED REVENUES.
THE PREMISE, THE MOST OF THEM, 5.6 IN UTILITY FEES, 1.6 IN FUND BALANCE OUR RATE WHILE HIGH IN THE REGION.
WE PERFORM AND OUTPERFORM ANY OTHER, UH, U UTILITY MUNICIPALITY.
UM, AND, AND WE'RE PROUD OF IT.
WE'VE MADE SOME ADJUSTMENTS THIS YEAR.
I THINK THAT WE'RE LEANER IN OUR OPERATING.
UM, NOT, I THINK THAT I'M PROPOSING A BUDGET THAT'S LEANER, BUT YOU WILL SEE THAT SALARIES AND BENEFITS WENT DOWN AND WE TOOK THOSE DOLLARS.
AND THAT'S WHY YOU SEE A LITTLE BIT OF GENERAL FUND INCREASE.
WE FUNDED WHAT WE USED TO FUND WITH STORMWATER IN GENERAL FUND.
WHAT DOES THAT DO? IT FREES UP DOLLARS IN STORMWATER FOR FUTURE CONSIDERATIONS.
I'D RATHER INVEST IN PROJECTS THAN AND TRY TO HAVE THE GENERAL FUND HELP FUND MORE FOLKS OPERATING DOWN.
AND THAT'S TRAVEL, THAT'S TRAINING THOSE THINGS.
AND, AND YOU'LL SEE MONITORING POA SYSTEMS CIP STORM WATER PROGRAM TRANSFERS OUT, UM, TO CIP AND 375 TRANSFERRED OUT.
UM, THAT'S FOR PEOPLE IN SOME STREET SWEEPING.
THERE'S SIX FOLKS IN OUR STORMWATER TEAM.
SOMETIMES I THINK THERE'S 20, BUT THERE'S SIX.
AND THEY HAVE A GREAT LEADER AND JEFF AND A AND A GREAT DEDICATED TEAM.
AND I MENTIONED A LITTLE BIT, A LOT OF BIT ABOUT THIS ALREADY IN, IN, AND WE CAN TALK AT THIS ABOUT THIS MORE IN THE WORKSHOP.
UM, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, IT'S IMPORTANT TO JEFF THAT I, THAT I MENTIONED.
THEY'RE IN THE STORM WATER, UTILITY WATER QUALITY BUSINESS, RIGHT? WATER QUALITY, LMO COMPLIANCE, STATE PERMITTING, MS FOUR, PERMITTING, ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, PUMP STATION MAINTENANCE, MONITORING, CORRECTIVE MAINTENANCE.
WE ARE DIVERSIFIED ACROSS THE ISLAND.
UH, I THINK WE'VE, WE'VE DONE A GOOD JOB SHOWING YOU THE COMPLEXITY OF THIS PROGRAM.
THERE'S A RESERVE POLICY THAT RIGHT NOW THERE'S A $5 MILLION RESERVE.
MY RECOMMENDATION IS TO REDUCE THAT TO $3 MILLION THIS YEAR.
ONE, IT'S A, IT'S A ONE YEAR OP OPERATING, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT ALSO REFLECTS FUTURE SPENDING, RIGHT? SO IF WE HAVE A 5 MILLION RESERVE, THAT MEANS INSTEAD OF THREE, IT'S TWO MORE MILLION DOLLARS THAT WE COULD BE INVESTING.
AND I FEEL COMFORTABLE AND CONFIDENT
[01:45:01]
THAT A 3 MILLION RESERVE IS, UH, IS APPROPRIATE AND WE WILL ADJUST THIS, UM, EVERY YEAR BASED UPON ANY ADDITION OF NEW FIXED ASSETS.SO, UM, AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, ON TOP OF THE 3 MILLION, THE FUND BALANCE RESERVE AFTER USE RIGHT AFTER, AFTER RESERVE IS STILL ANOTHER $1.1 MILLION.
GULLAH GEECHEE, HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD CDC, UM, NOTHING NEW TO US.
IT'S A, IT'S A NONPROFIT, UM, ESTABLISHED BY TOWN COUNCIL, UH, WITH APPOINTMENTS TO THE BOARD.
AND THE BOARD HAS PROPOSED THE BUDGET THAT WE SEE HERE TODAY.
UH, THE FOCUS OF THE CORPORATION AS WE KNOW, IS TO ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR COMMUNITY RESIDENTS IN THE GULLAH GEECHEE HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND THE PRIMARY SOURCE OF REVENUE ARE STATE AND COUNTY GRANTS.
AND I WOULD ALSO SAY GENERAL FUND TO SUPPORT THE, THE BUDGET IN PAST YEARS.
THE GENERAL FUND SUPPORTED ONE EMPLOYEE IN THIS YEAR PROPOSED AS I PROPOSED THE BUDGET.
IT'S, IT'S IS FUNDING BOTH EMPLOYEES, BUT YOU SEE THE REVENUES, THE USE OF FUND BALANCE FROM THE GRANT.
UM, SOME INVESTMENT INCOME FUND, A PLANNED FUNDRAISE, A MEMORY MATTERS, LEASE BACK FOR A PORTION OF THE YEAR, AND THAT WILL BE ATTACHED TO SALARY.
AND THEN A TRANSFER FROM, FROM GENERAL FUND, UM, AND OPERATING.
SO SALARIES AND BENEFITS ARE UP.
I'VE EXPLAINED THAT THERE'S TWO PEOPLE.
UH, AND, AND YOU CAN SEE THEIR PROPOSED USE OPERATING PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, GRANTS AND INCENTIVES.
CAPITAL OUTLAYING LAND ACQUISITION PLAN.
SO THAT COMES FROM FUND BALANCE.
I I MENTIONED THIS, THERE'S NO SENSE IN IN THIS, BUT WE CAN TALK ABOUT THIS AT WORKSHOP.
HOUSING FUND USED TO FUND AN ACCOUNT FOR THE COST ASSOCIATED WITH DEVELOPMENT IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGIES RELATED TO OUR WORKFORCE HOUSING PROGRAM.
UM, AND THEN SOURCES OF REVENUE OR EITHER TRANSFERS FROM STATE AND OR PRIOR YEAR FUND BALANCE.
AND SO REVENUES THIS YEAR TRANSFER FROM STATE AT TAX AND USE OF FUND BALANCE FROM PAST YEAR.
UM, WE'VE BEEN FOCUSED ON NORTH POINT THIS PAST YEAR THAT DIDN'T, THAT DIDN'T PULL ANY DOLLARS OUT OF THIS EXCEPT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FOR THE, THE STREET THROUGH THE POST OFFICE AND THE MILLION DOLLARS OF, OF DEVELOPER AGREEMENT, UM, ALIGNED DOLLARS, UM, THAT, THAT WE KNOW ABOUT FROM, FROM PAST YEARS.
AND THOSE, YOU CAN SEE RIGHT HERE, THE MILLION DOLLARS FROM, FROM ARPA.
SO PLANNED EXPENDITURES THIS YEAR.
FINALLY, UM, THE MUDDY CREEK PROJECTS, THOSE ARE CAPITAL PROJECTS.
THE BRYANT ROAD PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP.
I'LL LET YOU KNOW ABOUT THE STATUS OF THAT.
I TODAY IN MY TOWN MANAGER REPORT YOU FOR JASPER HOUSING TRUSTEES AND A FUND BALANCE, UH, INCREASE OF $619,000.
I'M, I'M, I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT WE FINALLY KNOW WHAT WE'RE PLANNING ON DOING OUT THERE.
UM, STORM WATER MAINTENANCE, DITCH CLEARING, NEW SIDEWALKS, MULTIPLE CROSSWALKS, NEIGHBORHOOD IDENTIFICATION, SOME WAY FINDING, UM, AND LIGHTING AT CROSSWALKS.
NEXT STEPS, CONCEPT DRAWINGS, MEET WITH THE RESIDENTS, GET SOME FEEDBACK AND REVIEW IN THE BEGINNING.
ENGINEERING DESIGN, PERMITTING IMPLEMENTATION THIS YEAR.
SO IT'S, IT'S A MILLION AND A HALF DOLLARS.
IT, IT, IT WILL GO A LONG WAY WITH THE PLANNED EXPENDITURES.
THOSE REAL I'D SAY, UH, ON THE GROUND, IMPROVEMENTS TO SIDEWALKS, CROSSWALKS, LIGHTING, SOME, SOME INVESTMENT OUT THERE.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE YOUR MARK TO A MILLION DOLLARS TOWARDS THAT BRYANT ROAD PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP, UH, AGREEMENT THAT WE'LL TALK ABOUT SOON.
SO THE SPECIAL REVENUES, WE CAN TALK ABOUT THIS AT A WORKSHOP AT THE TR UH, THE PROPOSED SPECIAL REVENUES AND FUND BUDGET REVENUES, 86.422 MILLION.
AND THE USE OF THEM IS SIMPLY TRANSFERS OUT INTO THE DIFFERENT FUNDS I JUST TALKED ABOUT.
AND THEN AN INCREASE IN FUND BALANCE IN THE SPECIAL REVENUES ARE AT TAX.
YOU CAN SEE STATE AT TAX $12.4 MILLION IN, EXCUSE ME, TOO MANY CLICKS.
AND, AND WE'VE SEEN THIS BEFORE, WE'VE SHOWED YOU THE REQUIRED TO THE DMO, UH, THE SUPPLEMENTAL.
WE HAVEN'T DONE IN, IN, IN SEVERAL YEARS.
[01:50:01]
THE COMMUNITY, THE 30% REQUIRED TO THE DMO, HOW WE'VE USED IT AND HOW WE'RE PROPOSING IT IN THE CIP $5.4 MILLION PROPOSAL IN THIS CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM WHERE IN PAST YEARS IT WAS ZERO.UM, GENERAL FUND, 3.1, UM, AND FUND BALANCE.
YOU WILL SEE AT THE END OF ALL OF THOSE PLANNED REVENUES AND, AND PROPOSED EXPENDITURES, A FUND BALANCE OF A LITTLE MORE THAN $6 MILLION.
THIS GIVES A CLEARER BREAKDOWN, UM, OF THE, AT TAX STATE, AT TAX GENERAL FUND 3.1.
THERE'S SOME TRANSFERS OF THAT AS I MENTIONED TO HOUSING CIP 5.4 AND THEN HOUSING FUND I MENTIONED.
AND THEN SPECIAL REVENUE FUND, A TAX GRANTS AND DMO, THOSE SPECIAL REVENUES PAY FOR THOSE GRANTS AND OR PROPOSED RESERVE POLICIES.
FORGIVE ME, THIS IS IN YOUR PACKET.
AND WHAT I WILL DO IS I WILL GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, WHICH IS THE CALIBRATED.
WHAT WE HAVE PREFERRED THIS, THIS SHOULDN'T LOOK LIKE THIS IN THE BUDGET BECAUSE THERE'S SOME THINGS IN HERE THAT AREN'T AS CLEAR AS AS, AS WE NEED THEM TO BE FOR YOU.
SO WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS AS SOON AS THIS PRESENTATION IS OVER, PUT THIS DECK ONLINE.
THERE'S ABOUT THREE SLIDES MISSING EARLY ON AND THEN THIS WILL CHANGE.
BUT I JUST WANNA PUT THIS AS IS ONLINE.
AND, AND DAVE, IF SOMEBODY CAN WRITE ON HERE, DELETE AND USE THIS BECAUSE WHAT YOU'LL VOTE ON TONIGHT, FIRST READING WOULD NEED AN AMENDMENT TO INCLUDE THIS AS PART OF THE ORDINANCE OR AS PART OF YOUR, YOUR, YOUR CONSIDERATION.
BUT YOU'LL SEE GENERAL FUND FUND BALANCE INCREASE FROM 40 RIGHT NOW THAT WE HAVE TO A 50 BASEMENT, A MINIMUM IN THAT ANYTHING ABOVE 55 RIGHT NOW, OUR 55 MAX, AS YOU'VE PUT IN PLACE PAST YEARS, ANYTHING ABOVE THE 55 TRANSFERS AUTOMATICALLY AT THE END OF EVERY YEAR TO THE, TO THE DISASTER FUND.
SO RIGHT NOW, THAT NATURAL DISA, DAVE, WE SHOULD CALL THAT NATURAL DISASTER FUND.
'CAUSE RIGHT NOW WE DON'T HAVE A SOURCE OF REVENUE TO GROW OUR NATURAL DISASTERS, RIGHT? REMEMBER SOME YEARS AGO IT WAS 20, WE MOVED IT TO 36 WITH A LOT OF WORK AND I'D LIKE TO KEEP MOVING THAT UP.
AND I THINK THAT A REVENUE SOURCE IS EVERYTHING ABOVE THAT 55 IN THE GENERAL FUND.
UM, STORMWATER RE REDUCED TO 3 MILLION CAPITAL PROJECTS.
THIS IS THAT THAT SALE OF, OF THE NEW NOVANT HEALTHCARE SITE, THE TOWN COUNCIL DESIGNATES RESERVES OF 4.3 FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
THAT SOURCE OF MONEY IS, IS PROCEEDS REAL ESTATE TRANSFER FEE LEAVE, LEAVE ALONE BEACH PRESERVATION FEE.
SO IT WAS 20, WE MOVED IT, UM, WELL IT WAS 12, THEN WE MOVED IT TO 20 AND WE'RE PROPOSING THIS YEAR A MINIMUM OF 40.
UM, AND THEN THAT MINIMUM WILL INCREASE ABOUT $3 MILLION A YEAR FOR A TARGET OF 60 MILLION MINIMUM BY THE END OF 2033 PLAN PROJECTED ON TRACK.
AND THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST, THIS, THIS, THIS SHOULD BE CALLED THE NATURAL DISASTER FUND BALANCE.
NATURAL DISASTERS IS JUST TYING THAT ANYTHING OVER 55 DOWN TO A, A FUNDING STREAM FOR, FOR OUR NATURAL DISASTERS TO GROW THAT ACCOUNT.
SO, UM, YOU CAN SEE PROJECTED RESERVE FUND BALANCE AT THE END OF THE FISCAL, UM, PLANNED AND, AND, AND I WOULD SAY ENCUMBERED 135,000,767 NOT, AND, AND AGAIN, PROBABLY FOR WORKSHOP BASED UPON OUR BEACH PRESERVATION REVENUE, RIGHT? BEACH PRESERVATION FEES, INVESTMENT INCOME EXPENDITURES, INCLUDING TRANSFERS THIS YEAR TO GENERAL CIP TO BUILD ISLANDERS BEACH PARK TRANSFERS TO.
BUT WITH A CAPITAL PROJECT IN 29, A LOT OF MAINTENANCE IN YEARS BETWEEN.
AND ANOTHER PROJECT IN 23, AT LEAST ON PAPER PROJECTED, WE WILL HAVE $105 MILLION IN THE BEACH PRESERVATION FEE PLANNED AND IN, IN OUR ACCOUNT AND FUND BALANCE BY THE END OF THE TERM OF OUR CURRENT DEBT ON BEACH
[01:55:01]
PRESERVATION, THE SEVEN YEARS.WE, WE HAVE SOME DECISIONS AND YOU HAVE SOME POLICY DECISIONS AND I HAVE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS O OVER TIME, I HOPE I'M HERE IN 23 3 TO SEE THIS COME TO FRUITION AND BUILD SOME MORE PROJECTS OTHER THAN ISLANDERS.
BUT, BUT I, I, I THINK THE MESSAGE HERE FOR FUND BALANCE IS THAT AS A STRONG SOURCE OF FUNDS, THE REASON WE'RE USING SOME OPERATING IS IT'S FREEING UP SOME OF THESE OTHER DOLLARS THAT ARE BUILDING THOSE OTHER FUNDS.
WE CAN'T HAVE ALL OUR DOLLARS IN THE BEACH PRESERVATION FUND BALANCE.
WE HAVE TO HAVE SOME DOLLARS IN THE FUND BALANCE FOR OTHER FUNDS.
UH, MR. MANAGER, BEFORE YOU GO TOO FAR AHEAD, CAN YOU BACK UP, I GUESS TWO SLIDES TO THE REVISED, UH, RESERVE POLICY AND UM, FOCUSING IN ON THE 4,341,500 TOWN COUNCIL DESIGNATES RESERVES FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
I AM TOTALLY IN FAVOR OF US RECOGNIZING, UH, FUNDING FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
BUT I GUESS I'M JUST, I'M, I'M JUST CURIOUS TO KNOW HOW WE'RE WORDING THIS.
IS THIS SAYING THAT WE'RE GONNA PUT 4.3 ASIDE AS A RESERVE AND THAT'S OUR BASELINE OR ARE WE GOING TO BE ABLE TO SPEND AGAINST THAT 4.3? 'CAUSE IF SOMETHING COMES UP THIS YEAR THAT WE FEEL ARE IMPORTANT FOR US TO SPEND DOLLARS ON, DOES THAT MEAN WE CAN'T GO INTO THAT? IS THAT THE WAY WE'RE READING THIS? WE'LL BE MORE CLEAR.
WAY I READ THAT IS THAT'S TO USE BECAUSE WE DIDN'T ESTABLISH A A A MINIMUM AND IF WE ESTABLISH A MINIMUM, IF WE SAID, OH, TOWN COUNCIL DESIGNATES A FOUR THREE MINIMUM, THAT WE'RE GONNA KEEP THAT IN THERE.
THIS JUST, YOU DESIGNATE THE RESERVE FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
SO WE'LL BE REALLY CLEAR ON THAT.
UH, THAT WAS A GREAT QUESTION.
BE
THE INTENT WAS TO PUT IT ASIDE, CAPTURE THAT MONEY FROM THE SALE OF THE PROPERTY AND THEN, UH, MAKE SURE THAT IT'S SAVED SO THAT WE CAN USE IT ON PURPOSE FOR SOME OPPORTUNITIES.
I WOULD EXPAND A LITTLE BIT FURTHER FOR BUSINESS RECRUITMENT RETENTION, UH, BUT ALSO MAKE THE STATEMENT THAT IT'S NOT FOR THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FOR US TO HAVE IN THE MANAGEMENT.
AND THANK YOU FOR GOING BACK TO THIS SLIDE BECAUSE THERE HAVE BEEN A COUPLE OF CHANGES TO THE PROPOSED, UH, FUND BALANCE STRATEGY.
AND I DIDN'T KNOW IF WE WERE GONNA TALK ABOUT THAT TONIGHT OR WE WERE GONNA TALK ABOUT IT IN THE WORKSHOP.
UM, BUT THE CHA THERE WERE TWO CHANGES AND THERE WERE SOME CHANGES THAT I HAD REQUESTED.
THE FIRST ON THE GENERAL FUND, IT SAID THAT YOU WOULD AUTOMATICALLY TRANSFER ANY AMOUNT OVER 55 TO THE DISASTER FUND.
AND MY QUESTION WAS, WELL, IF WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE UN WE HAVE ENCUMBERED, UM, CONTRACTS THAT WE'RE GONNA CARRY FORWARD, IF WE MOVED ALL THE MONEY OVER, THEN WE'D HAVE TO GO BACK AND BORROW, YOU KNOW, FIND MONEY TO PAY FOR THE ENCUMBERED.
SO WE ADDED SOMETHING TO SAY THAT THE ENCUMBERED AMOUNT THAT WASN'T SPENT IN THE CURRENT YEAR WILL BE SAVED AND THEN ANY EXCESS OVER THAT WOULD MOVE OVER TO NATURAL DISASTER.
SO I HOPE THAT MAKES SENSE, UH, TOO.
AND THEN THE SECOND CHANGE AS WAS ASSOCIATED WITH THE BEACH PRESERVATION FEE, BECAUSE IT SAID SOMETHING ALONG THE LINE OF, OH, I HAVE THE OLD, UM, THAT YOU, OH, I'LL GO RIGHT THERE.
THE OLD, THE OLD WORDING WAS BASICALLY, UH, WHATEVER YOU HAVE IS YOUR MINIMUM.
AND I SAID, WELL, WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU HAVE AN EVENT AND NOW YOU'RE DOWN TO $10 MILLION? UH, AND SO NOW WE THANK YOU FOR CHANGING THAT.
SO THAT, UH, WE ARE MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO INCREASE THAT RESERVE ALONG WITH, UM, THE RECOGNITION OF WHAT IS GONNA BE NEEDED FOR TREE NOURISHMENT IN THE FUTURE.
AND WHAT, AND THIS IS A NEW PROPOSAL, UM, BUT WHAT YOU SAW WITH THE SLIDE A COUPLE SLIDES LATER WAS THAT WE'LL BE, YOU KNOW, UM, THE PLAN IS FOR HOW MUCH IS COMING IN, WE'LL BE ABLE TO MEET THAT MINIMUM MOVING FORWARD.
UH, SO THAT, THAT'S A CHANGE AS WELL.
'CAUSE YOU DIDN'T HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THAT.
TO, TO MAKE A LITTLE SENSE OF THAT ONE, I'LL GO BACKWARDS.
THE BEACH PRESERVATION WAS 12.
WE WORKED TOGETHER TO INCREASE THE 20.
AND THEN THIS YEAR WHERE IT SAYS INSTEAD OF ENDING FUND BALANCE, THAT WAS AN OVERSIGHT ON MY END TALKING WITH DAVE ON, ON MY PART.
IT'S INTENDED TO NOT DIP BELOW A CERTAIN LINE, NOT JUST BE ENDING FUND BALANCE.
THAT'S, THAT'S FIRST AND FOREMOST.
SECOND, OVER TIME WE'VE CHANGED FUND BALANCE IN GENERAL FUND TO BE A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF EXPENDITURE.
IT USED TO BE 35 AND WE WENT TO
[02:00:01]
40 AND WE ARE NOW PROPOSING 50.SO EVEN WITH GENERAL FUND GOING UP THAT FUND BALANCE OF A MINIMUM BASEMENT, CALL IT 50 AND A MAXIMUM OF 55 IN THE PAST THAT IT, IT, IT WAS, IT WAS OFF TO ME, IT WAS A BASEMENT OF 35 AND A CEILING WELL ABOVE AND IT'S A LONG WAY TO GO IN BETWEEN.
AND SO WE'VE TIGHTENED IT UP 50 TO 55 AND THEN A TRANSFER FOR TRYING TO PROVIDE SOME CLARITY TO MS. TURNER'S.
ANYTHING FITS ENCUMBERED, RIGHT? IF THERE'S A CONTRACT, WE KEEP IT.
IF IT'S NOT, IT, IT'S NOW A SOURCE OF FUNDS IN THE NATURAL DISASTER FUND TO GROW THAT FUND BECAUSE AS WE KNOW, THAT USED TO BE 20 AND IT STAYED 20 FOR A LONG TIME.
IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE CONTINUE TO GROW THAT.
SO MR, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT THESE ARE THE TYPES OF POLICIES THAT HAVE PUT US IN THE POSITION THAT THIS TOWN FINDS ITSELF IN WITH AAA RATINGS, ET CETERA.
UM, AND I AM PROUD, UM, FROM 2018 YOU SAW IT TO HAVE BEEN PART OF, OF HAVE THIS HAVING THIS BUILD THE WAY IT IS.
BUT I'M EVEN MORE PROUD MARK OF THE JOB THAT YOU AND YOUR STAFF HAVE DONE AND THE COUNCILS HAVE DONE TO IMPROVE AND IMPROVE AND IMPROVE AND CONTINUE TO PUT US IN THIS GOOD FINANCIAL POSITION.
SO CONGRATULATIONS TO Y'ALL AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THIS HAPPEN, MS. PRESTON.
SO JUST TO GIVE THE TOWN ATTORNEY A HEADS UP WHEN WE HAVE OUR MOTION, BECAUSE THERE IS A REVISION TO THE RESERVE POLICY ON EXHIBIT E, WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO KNOW, GOING TO, NEED TO KNOW EXACTLY HOW TO WORD THAT MOTION TO ADOPT THIS ORDINANCE WITH THAT CHANGE TO IT'S, UM, PARDON ME, PAGE FOUR OF EXHIBIT E.
WHERE IS, UM, COMPARING THAT TABLE IN FRONT OF US ON THE SCREEN TO WHAT'S PRINTED OUT IN THE EXHIBIT? UM, PARDON ME IN THE EXHIBIT TO THE ORDINANCE EXHIBIT E PAGE FOUR IS WHAT WE'RE CHANGING.
AND IN LIGHT OF THAT, BECAUSE OF THE QUESTION THAT MR. BROWN RAISED AND MS. TURNER AGREED WITH, AND I AGREE AS WELL, DO WE NEED TO HAVE IN THAT, I GUESS IT'S A GREEN COLUMN, A PROPOSED MINIMUM BALANCE POLICY FOR THOSE FUNDS FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT? OR DO WE LEAVE THAT BLANK? ANYHOW, WE'VE GOT TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO ON FIRST READING FOR THAT.
UM, PERHAPS WE LEAVE IT BLANK AT THIS POINT FOR FIRST READING AND THEN WE COME UP WITH WHATEVER APPROPRIATE LANGUAGE CHANGES NEED TO BE FOR SECOND READING.
I WOULD PROPOSE THIS BECAUSE I THINK IT'S, IT'S THE INTENT AS WELL AS THE WAY I READ IT IS CLEAR IF WE NEED TO CLARIFY IT, LET'S DO THAT ADMINISTRATIVELY AND BEFORE SECOND READING.
BUT I WOULD USE THIS AS THE BA AS THE NEW BASE FOR THAT EXHIBIT AS PART OF YOUR, YOUR YOUR RECOMMENDATION AS MY RECOMMENDATION.
THAT'S OKAY WITH MY COLLEAGUES.
I JUST WANTED ASK THE QUESTION OF HOW DO WE DO THAT? YEAH, I JUST, I WOULD EXPAND A LITTLE BIT MORE ON, ON THAT, THAT NEW FUND THAT'S BEEN CREATED FOR BUSINESS RECRUITMENT.
WE HAVE SET THOSE POLICIES IN MY MY OPINION IS THERE TO BE SET TO TRACK BRANDON DRIVE AND THEN COME UP WITH THAT POLICY AS WE START TO ADDRESS SOME OTHER ITEMS, UH, DOWN THE ROAD.
SO I GUESS THEN THE QUESTION IS, SHOULD IT BE A PART OF THE RESERVE POLICY? I MEAN, WE NEED TO SOMEHOW SHOW WHERE IT IS, UM, AND IT, WE'RE SAVING IT FOR THOSE KIND OF PROJECTS.
WELL, COULDN'T YOU DO THAT JUST BY MOVING THAT NUMBER OVER TO THE COLUMN TO THE LEFT WHERE IT'S THE PROJECTED FUND BALANCE, BUT THERE'S NO, UH, RESTRICTED, NO MINIMUM.
AND WE'VE LEFT IT, I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T MEAN TO INTERRUPT.
WE'VE LEFT IT IN CAPITAL PROJECTS BECAUSE IT'S LAND.
THE PROCEEDS WERE LAND, I WOULD IMAGINE A, A LAND ACQUISITION MAY HAVE TO DO WITH THAT.
SO IT'S, IT'S, IT'S YOUR, THAT'S HOW WE'VE PROPOSED IT.
I'M NOT RESTATING I'M, CAN SOMEONE RESTATE
WHAT WOULD YOU RECOMMEND? KEEP IT UP LIKE THIS FOR RIGHT NOW, AND THEN CAN ADDRESS IT POLICY WISE? BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, YES, SIR.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS IS A $4.3 MILLION LAND PROCEED FROM A MODERN, CLASSIC MOTOR SITE FROM NOVANT.
AND, AND WHEN IT WAS ACQUIRED, YOU WANTED TO KEEP THOSE DOLLARS FOR FUTURE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
IT IS SIMPLY IN YOUR FUND RIGHT NOW, USING IT AS A POLICY DECISION SAVING.
[02:05:01]
A LINE IN YOUR FUND BALANCE RESERVE POLICY TO PROVIDE CLARITY OF WHERE THE DOLLARS ARE AND WHY THEY'RE THERE AND THAT THEY SHOULDN'T BE USED FOR SOMETHING ELSE.YEAH, AND WE CAN CLARIFY THAT.
WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL FIX THAT SENTENCE BEFORE WORKSHOP AND BEFORE SECOND AND FINAL.
BUT THE USE OF IT, Y'ALL CAN, YOU CAN PULL IT OUTTA YOUR PHONE BALANCE AND USE IT THROUGH THE YEARS WE NEED TO.
AND, AND THEN MAYBE DURING THIS YEAR, AT SOME POINT WE CAN HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT THE POLICY IS.
THIS IS A WAY TO PUT IT IN THE BUDGET AND TO SAVE IT FOR THAT.
I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THE FINANCE COMMITTEE COULD DO.
I'M SMILING TOO 'CAUSE IF DAVE'S SMILING, I'M SMILING.
UH, TOTAL OPERATING REVENUE, 125.5 MILLION TRANSFERS IN 72.
AND WE CAN LOOK AT THIS IN THE, IN THE WORKSHOP AND, AND OPERATING EXPENSE TRANSFERS OUT TO BALANCE A FUND BALANCE GROWTH SURPLUS OF 15.2 AND A NET FUND BALANCE USE OF 19.8 BALANCES OUR BUDGET.
AND AGAIN, WE WILL EXPLAIN THE 85.3 MILLION, UM, OR I SHOULD SAY THE $86.422 MILLION OF SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS IN OUR, IN OUR BUDGET.
UM, ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL BEFORE? I THOUGHT THAT WAS A GREAT, GREAT FIRST LOOK.
I APPRECIATE THE METHOD IN WHICH YOU PUT THIS TOGETHER.
UM, BUT IT, IT WAS A GREAT JOB.
SEEING THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS AT THIS POINT IN TIME, I'LL GO AHEAD AND OPEN IT UP FOR, UH, THE PUBLIC HEARING, FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS.
DOES ANYBODY WISH TO SPEAK ON THIS? KIM? WE GOT THREE MINUTES.
JUST GIMME ONE MOMENT TO GET THIS PULLED UP.
UM, MATT LEWIS, YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND PARDON MATT LEWIS.
THAT WAS ON THE NEXT, UH, I, I MIGHT HAVE PUT IT WRONG ON THE, UH, REQUEST.
ITEM EIGHT A IS WHAT I HAVE YOU UNDER.
SKIP HOAGLAND HILTON HEAD CITY DOGE.
FREE INSTRUCTIONS FOR MAYORS CITY AND COUNCIL.
COUNTY COUNCILS, WE MUST END THE A TAX COMMITTEE FROM RECOMMENDING ILLEGAL TAX USE.
STOP THE TOWN COUNCIL FROM VOTING FOR ILLEGAL TAX USE AND STOP THE LAWYER'S MALPRACTICE WITH CITY DOGE.COM DELIVERS WITH AI REVIEW A SIMPLE BLUEPRINT TO PROTECT TO PROTECT TAX PAYER MONEY.
EVERY MUNICIPALITY ALREADY HAS A FINANCE COMMITTEE.
THE PROBLEM IS THAT IN MANY CITIES, THESE COMMITTEES REPORT TO THE SAME STAFF WHO CREATE THE BUDGETS, CONTROL THE VENDOR PAYMENTS AND HIRE THE AUDITORS.
MOST ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE NOT CPAS.
MUNICIPAL BUDGETS AND AUDITS ARE COMPLEX WITH INDEPENDENT FINANCIAL EXPERTISE.
WITHOUT INDEPENDENT FINANCIAL EXPERTISE, COUNCILS OFTEN HAVE TO RELY ON THE SAME INSIDERS THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO OVERSEE.
THE CITY DOGE BLUEPRINT APPOINT INDEPENDENT VOLUNTEER CPAS RECRUIT LOCAL OR OUT OF AREA CPAS WITH MUNICIPAL FINANCE EXPERIENCE AUDIT COMPLEX EXPERIENCE PREFERRED NO CONFLICTS OF INTEREST WITH TOWN VENDORS, CONTRACTS AND INSIDERS MAKE THE COMMITTEE INDEPENDENT.
UNDER CITY DOGE, THE FINANCE COMMITTEE DOES NOT REPORT TO THE STAFF.
IT REPORTS DIRECTLY TO THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
IT PROVIDES PUBLIC FACING SUMMARIES UNDER FOIA AND OPEN RECORDS.
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 COMP, GRANT COMPLIANCE AND RESTRICTED FUNDS OFF BOOK ACCOUNTS, AUTHORITIES AND PASS THROUGH ENTITIES TAKE CONTROL OF THE YEAR END AUDIT PROCESS.
THE CITY DOGE FINANCE COMMITTEE, NOT STAFF SHOULD SELECT AND HIRE THE EXTERNAL AUDITOR.
REQUIRE MEANINGFUL TESTING AND HIGH RISK AREAS, REQUIRE MANAGEMENT LETTER TRANSPARENCY AND FOLLOW UP.
RECOMMEND ADDITIONAL FORENSIC OR COMPLIANCE REVIEWS WHEN NEEDED.
PUBLISH PUBLIC PUBLISHED PERFORMANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY METRICS.
CITY DOGE CREATES A STANDARD SCOREBOARD SPENDING TRANSPARENCY,
[02:10:02]
CONTRACT CONTROLS, PROCUREMENT, INTEGRITY, AUDIT QUALITY AND INDEPENDENCE, AND EXCEPTIONS FOUND AND CORRECTED.MEASURABLE PERFORMANCE OUTCOMES.
CITY DOGE RESTORES TRANSPARENCY.
CITIZENS CAN SEE WHERE THEIR MONEY GOES.
ACCOUNTABILITY, INDEPENDENT OVERSIGHT, NOT INSIDER OVERSIGHT.
CONTROL, COST CONTROL, WASTE AND DUPLICATION GETS EXPOSED.
PUBLIC TRUST FACTS, RECORDS AND MEASURABLE OUTCOMES.
TAXPAYERS MUST BE PROTECTED LIKE THEY'RE, LIKE YOU'RE PROTECTING YOUR OWN FAMILY'S MONEY.
AND CITY DOGE MAKES THAT STANDARD.
WHY TRADITIONAL AUDITS OFTEN FAIL TAXPAYERS.
MOST YEAREND AUDITS ARE SELECTED AND MANAGED BY TOWN STAFF AND, AND, AND MANAGERS.
MR. STANDARD FINANCIAL AUDITS THAT RELY ON MR. HOG RECORDS.
I DIDN'T, I TIMED THAT EXACTLY AT TWO MINUTES.
I'M SORRY I DIDN'T FINISH THAT.
CHESTER WILLIAMS. I'D LIKE TO HAND THIS, UH, TO THE, UH, TO THE, UH, CLERK IF I MAY.
THIS WILL, UH, THIS IS A, UH, MR. WILLIAMS SQUINT.
I'VE HAD, UH, A BRIEF OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT THE 144 PAGES OF THIS BUDGET.
UH, CERTAINLY, UM, WAS IMPRESSED WITH TODAY'S PRESENTATION BY MR. ORLANDO.
I'VE COME UP WITH A SERIES OF QUESTIONS.
I'LL SEND THESE, UH, EITHER LATER TODAY OR TOMORROW, UH, TO THE COUNCIL AS WELL AS TO MR. ORLANDO.
WHAT I DID IS LOOK AT HUGE INCREASES AND OR DECREASES IN THE LINE ITEM BUDGET ON BOTH THE REVENUE SIDE AND THE EXPENSE SIDE.
AND CAME UP WITH A LIMITED NUMBER OF QUESTIONS.
UM, GRANTS 83% REDUCTION IN REVENUE SIDE.
WHY, UH, SUNDAY LIQUOR PERMIT FEES WERE DOWN, UH, IN THE BUDGET? 70%.
ANOTHER Y INVESTMENT INCOME UP 279%.
ANOTHER Y STORMWATER FUND DOWN 73%.
WHY TO THAT DEBT SERVICE FUND? UH, DOWN 98% CONTRACTED PUBLIC SAFETY DOWN 14%.
WHEN I'M CONFUSED ABOUT THAT ISSUE IS THAT I UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, THE TOWN HAS BEEN IN LITIGATION WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.
WE ARE CHARGED X AMOUNT OF MONEY.
APPARENTLY WE'RE NOT PAYING IT, WE'RE SETTING IT ASIDE.
UH, SO I'M NOT CLEAR AT ALL AS TO WHAT'S GOING ON WITH SO-CALLED CONTRACTED PUBLIC SAFETY IMPACT FEES.
UH, WERE DOWN 83% BEACH PARKING FEES, AS YOU ALL REMEMBER, QUITE AN ISSUE LAST YEAR, QUITE A BIT OF DISCUSSION.
UH, AND YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT YOU'RE GONNA TAKE A LOOK, YOU KNOW, A YEAR LATER AS TO WHAT THE, YOU, YOU KNOW, ARGUED ENDLESSLY ABOUT WHAT THE FEE SHOULD BE, WHAT THE DAY SHOULD BE.
AND YET I'VE HEARD NO DISCUSSION WHATSOEVER IN THE AFTERMATH AS TO, YOU KNOW, WAS IT DONE THE RIGHT WAY OR NOT? UH, $2.3 MILLION FOR THE MITCHELLVILLE FREEDOM PARK.
WHAT IS THAT FOR? AND THIS IS 2026.
WE ARE PROMOTED AS A WORLD CLASS RESORT, AND I HEAR ABOUT DIRT ROADS.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME? AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, WE SHOULDN'T HAVE ANY DIRT ROADS.
AND IS THIS ZERO BASED BUDGETING USED, OR DO YOU SIMPLY ADD ON OR SUBTRACT FROM YOUR BUDGET FROM LAST YEAR NORTH POINT? I THOUGHT THE TOWN'S CONTRIBUTION WAS THE LAND AND ABOUT $1 MILLION.
AND ON PAGE 78, IT SH, EXCUSE ME, IT SHOWS $2.8 MILLION FOR NORTH POINT GULLAH GEECHEE HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FUND.
ON PAGE ONE 15, IT SHOWS SALARY AND BENEFITS AT 359,000, A 69% INCREASE.
AND THAT'S FOR A STAFF OF TWO.
AND FINALLY, I JUST WANT TO MAKE ONE FINAL COMMENT.
IT IS ADMIRABLE THAT THE PROPOSED BUDGET DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY INCREASE IN THE MILL RATE.
THAT, OF COURSE, IS ONLY, AS YOU ALL KNOW, HALF THE EQUATION.
IF THE MILL RATE REMAINS THE SAME AND THE FAIR MARKET VALUE OF YOUR PROPERTY INCREASE, YOUR TAXES ARE GOING UP.
THAT'S ALL WE HAVE FOR THAT ITEM.
WOULD ANYBODY ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS? SEEING ON THE PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED.
UM, NOW DO WE HAVE A MOTION? UH, MAYOR, I'LL TRY TO MAKE THE MOTION.
I MOVE TO ADOPT ON FIRST READING AN ORDINANCE TO RAISE REVENUES, PROVIDE FOR EXPENDITURES, AND ADOPT A CONSOLIDATED BUDGET FOR THE TOWN OF HILTON AT ISLAND
[02:15:01]
SOUTH CAROLINA FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30TH, 2027, TO ESTABLISH A PROPERTY TAX LEVY TO ESTABLISH VARIOUS FUNDS TO ESTABLISH A POLICY FOR ACQUISITION OF RIGHTS AWAY AND EASEMENTS, AND PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY AND EFFECTIVE DAY WITH THE AMENDMENT TO PAGE FOUR OF EXHIBIT E ATTACHED TO THE ORDINANCE AS SHOWN TO THE TOWN COUNCIL ON THE SCREEN TONIGHT.IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? DID I DO IT OKAY, MR. TOWN ATTORNEY? SOUNDS GOOD.
THUMBS UP FROM THE TOWN MANAGER.
ALRIGHT, OTHER DISCUSSIONS FROM COUNCIL? MR. BROWN? YEAH.
UM, I WANNA FIRST THANK, UH, MR. ORLANDO FOR HIS EFFORTS AND HIS TEAM.
UM, AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE, THE PUBLIC IS UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS IS, THIS IS A JOINT EFFORT TO GET US TO THIS POINT.
AND I GUESS I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA SHOW MY AGE A LITTLE BIT HERE, BUT I CAN REMEMBER FIRST READINGS OF THESE BUDGETS.
THERE'D BE SORT OF HORSE TRADING GOING ON UP HERE,
UM, BUT THE, THE WHOLE EFFORT BEHIND GETTING US TO THIS POINT, AS WE CAN SEE, THEY'RE VERY LIMITED QUESTIONS FROM THOSE ON THE DAAS.
OBVIOUSLY THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT THE PUBLIC IS SEEING IT.
SO I WOULD EXPECT THAT THERE WOULD BE QUESTIONS THERE THAT WE CAN SPEND OUR TIME AND ENERGY ADDRESSING VERSUS TIME AND ENERGY ON THIS DAUS TRYING TO QUOTE UNQUOTE HORSE TRADE LIKE I'VE SEEN IN THE PAST.
UM, SO I, I COMMEND YOU ON YOUR, YOUR EFFORTS THERE.
UM, MR. MAYOR, IT LOOKED LIKE ONE OF THE FIRST SLIDES SHOWED THE MEDIAN AGE ON HILTON HEAD COMING DOWN.
SO I WANTED TO PLUG THAT AND MAKE SURE WE UNDERSTAND THE EXCITEMENT BEHIND THAT.
UM, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A LOT OF DISCUSSION AROUND THE CHANGE WITH THE SPECIAL REVENUES BEING BUDGETED.
AND, UM, YES, WE'VE SEEN IT A COUPLE TIMES.
I THINK WE ARE GETTING TO SOME LEVEL OF COMFORT WITH IT, BUT THE COMMUNITY, HOWEVER, I'M NOT QUITE SURE THAT THEY'RE THERE YET.
UM, SO I'M JUST GENTLY ENCOURAGING US TO MAYBE LEAD WITH THAT AT WORKSHOP SO THAT WE GET OUT IN FRONT OF IT OKAY.
VERSUS TRYING TO EXPLAIN IT ALONG THE WAY.
UM, AND, UM, THE ONLY OTHER THING THAT, UM, I WOULD ADD IS THAT, UM, MR. ORLANDO, YOU DIDN'T SPEND A WHOLE LOT OF TIME WITH THIS, BUT I DO APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU'RE PUTTING YOUR PEOPLE AS A PART OF A PRIORITY IN THIS BUDGET WITH AN INCREASE AS WELL AS A STUDY.
UM, HILTON HERE IS A GREAT PLACE.
UM, THE, THE CIP IN PARTICULAR, I MEAN, IF YOU, YOU LOOK BACK A COUPLE YEARS AT WHAT OUR BURN RATE WAS AND WHERE WE ARE TODAY, I MEAN, THAT'S BECAUSE OF OUR PEOPLE, RIGHT? SURE.
UM, SO WE HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF OUR PEOPLE.
WE HAVE TO PUT THEM FIRST AND FOREMOST.
UH, WE ARE ONLY AS GOOD AS THE PEOPLE THAT ARE WORKING FOR THIS TOWN.
SO THAT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE KEEP THAT, UM, CENTER TO OUR DISCUSSION.
MS. DONNER, ANYTHING, UM, I WOULD, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR GOING THROUGH THIS.
I KNOW IT WAS A LOT TO COVER, UH, A LOT OF CONTENT.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE WORKSHOPS WHERE WE'LL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, YOU KNOW, ASK SOME MORE QUESTIONS AND, UM, YOU KNOW, BE ABLE TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC MORE IN REGARDS TO, TO THIS.
'CAUSE IT IS A LOT TO CONSUME.
UM, SO I APPRECIATE THAT AND, AND KNOWING THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE WANNA ENSURE THAT THE, UH, PROCESS MOVES FORWARD, UH, WITH OUR FIRST READING HERE TODAY, WITH THE OPPORTUNITY FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION AND SECOND READING, UH, COMING UP LATER THIS MONTH.
ANY COMMENTS? NOPE, MS. ERS? WELL, AGAIN, I, I THINK I'VE SAID THANK YOU, BUT, UM, I'M IMPRESSED.
UM, THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD IN HERE.
AND, AND COUNCILMAN BROWN, YOU'RE, YOU'RE RIGHT.
THE BUDGET PRESENTATION OVER THE YEARS HAS EVOLVED INTO SOMETHING THAT IS VERY CLEAR, VERY TRANSPARENT.
UM, I HOPE THAT EVERYONE IS PAYING ATTENTION AND ONLINE AND LOOKING IT OVER AS WELL.
UM, THERE ARE QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE.
THERE'S NEW INFORMATION IN A REVISED, UM, AND I THINK THAT THOSE FOR ME ARE GONNA KEEP ME FROM GIVING MY APPROVAL TODAY.
BUT I LOOK FORWARD TO THE WORKSHOP AND FURTHER DISCUSSIONS AND SEEING WHERE WE END UP AT THE END.
BUT, UM, IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH NOT RESPECTING THE PROCESS AND THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE SO FAR.
AND, UM, LOTS AND LOTS OF GOOD THINGS IN HERE.
UH, THANK YOU MR. ORLANDO FOR THE PRESENTATION AND YOUR STAFF AS WELL.
[02:20:01]
UM, ALWAYS VERY INFORMATIVE, LOTS AND LOTS OF DETAIL.UH, FOR THOSE WHO LIKE TO LOOK AT THE DETAIL, UM, TO, TO, TO, UM, STUDY IT ONLINE.
UH, THE POINTS THAT I WOULD MAKE, AGAIN, NO MILLAGE INCREASE.
UM, SAME OR INCREASED SERVICES.
I CALL THEM ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES.
AND MY COLLEAGUE, MR. DEONE, REMIND ME THAT THERE ARE INDEED SOME ADDITIONAL SERVICES PROVIDED.
UH, AGAIN, THE DIVERSE REVENUE STREAM.
UH, I WOULD, UH, POINT OUT, ESPECIALLY SINCE IT'S BIKE MONTH, UM, TO THE CIP INCLUDED EXHIBIT B TO THE ORDINANCE, UH, TO A CONTINUED INVESTMENT IN OUR PATHWAY PROGRAM, MONEY CARRIED FORWARD, AND NEW MONEY AS WELL.
UM, ESPECIALLY IN THE FOREST BEACH AREA.
SOME PATHWAYS THAT NEED SOME ATTENTION THERE.
UM, AFFILIATED AGENCIES ARE PARTNERS, UM, WHO WORK WITH US, UM, ESPECIALLY, UH, MORE FUNDING FOR ISLAND REC, UM, AND COASTAL DISCOVERY MUSEUM.
THAT'S THE LARGEST INCREASE THAT'S FOUND IN SECTION SIX OF THE ORDINANCE OF THE RESERVE POLICY.
WE JUST SPENT SOME TIME TALKING ABOUT THAT EXHIBIT E, WHICH HAS, UM, HELPED US WITH OUR TRIPLE, TRIPLE A.
I LIKE THAT TRIPLE, TRIPLE A BOND RATINGS.
UM, ALSO IN THE NOTES, UM, THAT YOU HAVE PROVIDED US WITH TODAY, THAT SOME OF THE INCREASE IN THE BOND RATINGS IS DUE TO OUR IMPROVED RESILIENCE PLANNING, WHICH IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IN PRIOR YEARS, UH, WELL BEFORE THIS COUNCIL TOOK ITS SEAT, UM, THERE WERE SOME COMMENTS BY RATING AGENCIES ABOUT NOT PAYING ATTENTION TO RESILIENCE THAT YOU SHOULD BE DOING.
AND FOR THAT NOTE TO SAY THAT WE HAVE IMPROVED OUR RESILIENCE PLANNING, WHICH ALSO ASSISTED, UM, WITH OUR BOND RATINGS AS WELL AS OUR CONSERVATIVE, UH, FISCAL POLICY AND OUR RESERVES.
UM, SO, UH, THIS BUDGET REFLECTS ALL THAT.
UM, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO MORE DISCUSSION AT THE WORKSHOP AND INPUT AND QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC.
ANY COMMENTS? UH, NOTHING MUCH MORE ADDITIONAL OTHER THAN JUST TO REITERATE, UH, THIS NEW LOOK IS, UM, REFRESHING AND THANK YOU DAVE AND YOUR GIRL NICK, WHAT'S HER NAME? ERICA.
ERICA, YOU'RE A GIRL EMPLOYEE.
ALL, ALL I'M GONNA ADD IS, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU'VE PROVIDED A, A BUDGET THAT THE TEAM HAS PROVIDED A BUDGET THAT, UM, BENEFITS THE TOWN, BENEFITS THE COMMUNITY, BENEFITS OUR GUESTS, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I AGREE WITH A LOT OF THE COMMENTS OVER HERE TODAY.
AND, UM, AGAIN, IT IS RAISED TO ANOTHER LEVEL, CONTINUALLY RAISED THE BAR, THE TRANSPARENCY ASPECT.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, DAVE AND TEAM HAS DONE A WONDERFUL JOB ON THAT.
SO THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GOING AND THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO DO WITH EVERYTHING.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE BY MS. BRYCE AND SECONDED BY MR. DESMOND FOR CONSIDERATION OF AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING THE CONS CONSOLIDATED MUNICIPAL BUDGET FOR THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ALPHA FISCAL YEAR 2027, ENDING JUNE 30TH, 2027, WITH THE CHANGES OF USING THE 2027 PROPOSED REVISED POLICY EXHIBIT E PAGE FOUR.
DID I GET THAT RIGHT MR. COLTRANE? THANK YOU.
SO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY RAISING YOUR RIGHT HAND OPPOSED.
MOTION PASSES SIX TO ONE MS. BECKER
[9. Consent Agenda]
OPPOSED.A, UH, ITEM I WAS APPROVED AS A PENDING DOCTRINE AT THE FIRST READING ON APRIL 7TH, 2026.
THERE HAVE BEEN NO CHANGES SINCE APPROVAL.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA? SO MOVE SECOND.
IS THERE ANYBODY SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? YES, SIR.
AYE, UH, MATT LEWIS, UM, FIVE AZEL STREET.
UH, I JUST WANTED TO THANK EVERYBODY, UH, ESPECIALLY THE, THE TOWN, UH, FOLKS THAT HAVE HELPED US ALL THE, ALL THE TOWN PEOPLE FROM THE BEGINNING OF LAST YEAR WHEN WE STARTED THIS PROCESS.
UH, MS. BECKER WAS, WAS WONDERFUL IN HELPING US.
AND, UH, THE DIFFERENT COMMITTEES THAT HAVE HAVE BEEN, UH, HEARING THIS HAVE, HAVE ALL AGREED THAT THIS IS A GOOD THING FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, OUR NEIGHBORS BELIEVE IT'S A GOOD THING FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND WE TOTALLY SUPPORT IT.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION TO MR. WILLIAMS. OH, I'M SORRY.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION, UH, MS. BECKER SECOND BY MS. BRYSON FOR THE CONSIDERATION OF AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND TITLE 16 MUNICIPAL CODE FOR THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD LINE MANAGEMENT ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE OVERLAY ZONING DISTRICT STANDARDS FOR THE HOLIDAY HOMES NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTER OVERLAY DISTRICT TO INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING SECTION, 16 DASH THREE DASH 1 0 6 J TO MODIFY AND ADD STANDARDS RELATED TO SETBACKS, BUFFERS, AND PREVIOUS COVERAGE FLOOR AREA RATIO, PARKING, BUILDING HEIGHT, AND MINIMUM LOT SIZE, AND PROVIDE FOR SEVERABILITY AND EFFECTIVE DATE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY RAISING YOUR RIGHT HAND
[02:25:01]
OPPOSED AS SIX TO ONE MR. BROWN, OPPOSING.[10. New Business]
NEXT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO NEW BUSINESS.WE'LL HAVE A, UH, CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION, THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD, ISLAND TOWN COUNCIL APPROVING RENTAL LOCATIONS PROPOSED BY SHORE BEACH SERVICE FOR 2026 BEACH SE SEASON.
THIS ITEM WAS DISCUSSED IN COMMUNITY SERVICE DEVELOPMENT AND PUBLIC SERVICES COMMITTEE HELD ON FEBRUARY 9TH, 2026 AND MARCH 9TH, 2026.
THE COMMITTEE VOTED TO FORWARD THE RESOLUTION TO TOWN COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL.
EACH YEAR, THE TOWN COUNCIL, PURSUANT TO THE, UH, NON-EXCLUSIVE FRANCHISE AGREEMENT BETWEEN SHORE BEACH SERVICES IS ASKED TO APPROVE THE QUANTITY AND LOCATIONS OF ALL THE RENTAL EQUIPMENT, THE CHAIRS, AND THE UMBRELLAS.
THE RESOLUTION IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY IS THE EXACT SAME QUANTITY AS THE 2025 SEASON AND ALMOST THE SAME LOCATION.
THERE'S A VERY SLIGHT SHIFT BY THE HILTON AND THE DUNES HOUSE IN PALMETTO DUNES.
SLIGHTLY SHIFTING THE EQUIP THE RENTAL EQUIPMENT CLOSER TO THE DUNES HOUSE BOARDWALK.
BUT THIS CAME TO COMMITTEE TWICE.
THE REASON IT CAME BACK TO COMMITTEE WAS BASED ON FEEDBACK FROM FOLKS FROM THE ISLANDS CLUB.
UH, WHAT THEIR QUESTION AND CONCERN WAS, IS THEY WANTED TO MAINTAIN THE SAME AMOUNT OF EQUIPMENT IN THE EXACT SAME LOCATION NEAR ISLANDERS BEACH AS THE 2025 SEASON, WORKING CLOSELY WITH STAFF AS WELL AS SHORE BEACH SERVICES.
THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THE RESOLUTION IN FRONT OF YOU DOES TODAY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVE SECOND.
ANYBODY SIGN UP TO SPEAK ON THIS ONE? KIM.
ANY DISCUSSION FROM COUNCIL? OKAY.
WE'VE GOT A CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION OF THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD, ALLENTOWN, COUNCIL APPROVING RENTAL, RENTAL LOCATIONS PROVIDED, PROPOSED BY SHORE BEACH SERVICES FOR 2026.
MOTION WAS MADE BY MS. BECKER, SECONDED BY MR. ALFORD.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFIED BY RAISING YOUR RIGHT HAND.
FINALLY, UNDER NEW BUSINESS, WE HAVE A CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE TOWN MANAGER TO EXECUTE AND DELIVER FORM A B 9 56 TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE IN CONNECTION WITH AN APPLICATION FOR AN ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE LICENSE FILED BY NEW YORK CITY, NYCP SHELTER, L-L-C-D-B-A, CHOPHOUSE ONE 19.
MS. STONE, MR. MAYOR, TOWN COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE THIS AFTERNOON.
UM, THIS IS AN ADMINISTRATIVE, UM, REQUEST FROM A BUSINESS OWNER THAT, UH, THEIR LICENSE, UM, LAPSED BETWEEN THE TIME THAT THEY, UH, RECEIVED THEIR FIRST AND THE, THE TIME THAT THIS OCCURRED.
THAT WAS A CHANGE IN THE SOUTH CAROLINA LAW THAT REQUIRES, UM, THAT A COMMUNITY WITH A PLAYGROUND IN THE AREA WITHIN 300 FEET OF THAT BUSINESS GIVE PERMISSION OR WAIVE THE RIGHT TO, UM, TO REQUIRE THEM NOT TO HAVE THAT LICENSE.
ANY, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ON, OKAY.
ANYBODY SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THIS AGENDA ITEM? KIM? MR. WILLIAMS? NO COMMENT.
OH, I SHOULD START SAYING, BESIDES MR. WILLIAMS
COMMENTS FROM COUNSEL? UH, I DO HAVE A QUESTION.
'CAUSE I THOUGHT I HEARD TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.
YOU KNOW, I WAS SURPRISED THAT THIS WAS COMING UP, UH, BECAUSE THIS IS AN ESTABLISHED RESTAURANT WHO HAS ALCOHOL ON THEIR MENU.
SO I HEARD YOU SAY LAPSE AND THEN I HEARD YOU SAY NEW REQUIREMENTS.
SO DID THE, THE LICENSE LAPSE OR DOES THIS MEAN THAT EVERY TIME THERE'S A RENEWAL WITH THIS NEW LAW, WE HAVE TO DO AN EXCEPTION? I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND A FEW THINGS.
UM, SO THE, UH, THE BUSINESS OWNER'S LICENSE LAPSED IN THIS CASE, AND BETWEEN THE TIME THAT THEY GOT THEIR ORIGINAL LICENSE AND THE TIME THAT IT LAPSED, THE SOUTH CAROLINA STATE LAW CHANGED.
AND THERE'S A REQUIREMENT THAT WAS PUT INTO PLACE THAT IF THERE'S A PLAYGROUND, A CHURCH OR SOMETHING ELSE IN THE VICINITY, UM, THAT THE, UH, THE OWNER OF THAT CHURCH OR, UH, PLAYGROUND WAIVE THE DISTANCE REQUIREMENT.
AND SO THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT THIS HAS COME.
UM, IT, IT COULD HAPPEN AGAIN IN THE EVENT THAT SOMEONE, UH, YOU KNOW, A RESTAURANT CHANGES HANDS, BAR CHANGES HANDS, THAT SORT OF THING.
UM, BUT AT THIS POINT, THIS IS THE ONLY ONE
[02:30:01]
THAT WE HAVE HAVE GOTTEN.AND, UM, THE ONE THAT WE ARE REACTING TO NOW TO, UM, ENABLE THE BUSINESS TO CONTINUE OPERATIONS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? OKAY, MS. BRYSON? YES, I, UM, IT'S KIND OF DIFFICULT TO TALK ABOUT, BUT, UM, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS IS A WAIVER OF, UH, FROM THE PARTY WHO OWNS A PLAYGROUND AND THAT BEING THE TOWN
SO I, I'M, I'M, I UNDERSTAND THE BUSINESS.
I UNDERSTAND IT'S BEEN OPERATING BEFORE AND SELLING ALCOHOL.
UM, BUT BECAUSE IT'S A TOWN PLAYGROUND, I'M, I'M, I'M BOTHERED BY THIS.
SO I'M NOT SURE I CAN SUPPORT A WAIVER OF THE TOWN BECAUSE WE OWN THE PLAYGROUND IN MANY CASES.
AND IN, IN THIS ONE, IF I MAY, UM, MR. ORLANDO, THE, UH, THE USES OF THAT AREA WERE LAID OUT IN THE AGREEMENT THAT WAS MADE WITH THE DEVELOPER AT THE TIME THAT IT WAS, UM, PUT INTO PLACE.
AND THIS WAS ONE OF THE USES THAT WAS COVERED BY THAT.
SO THIS IS A, A VERY STRANGE SITUATION.
UM, BUT BECAUSE OF THE NEW REGULATION AT THE STATE LEVEL, IT DOES REQUIRE US TO AFFIRMATIVELY WAIVE THAT DISTANCE REQUIREMENT.
SO IF THERE'S A NEW ESTABLISHMENT THAT GOES IN NEXT DOOR TO THIS, DOES THIS MEAN THE TOWN WOULD RECOMMEND DENIAL? UH, IF THERE IS A NEW BUSINESS THAT HAS, THAT WANTS TO GET A, UM, ALCOHOL BEVERAGE LICENSE AND THEY'RE WITHIN 300 FEET OF ONE OF OUR PARKING LOTS, THAT WOULD BE A DECISION THAT YOU ALL WOULD MAKE 300 FEET OF A PARKING LOT? OR, OR EXCUSE ME, OF THE, OF THE, OF THE BUSINESS.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT I WAS THINKING.
THE PARKING LOT'S FULL, BUT
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT AT THAT POINT THERE WOULD BE, UM, THE REQUIREMENT THAT WE WAIVE THE DISTANCE REQUIREMENT.
AND THIS IS AUTHORIZING THE, YEAH, I MEAN, I, THIS COULD BE, UH, HUGE, ESPECIALLY IN THE RESORT COMMUNITY.
UM, THE TOWN OWNS A LOT OF PROPERTY AND THERE ARE A LOT OF ESTABLISHMENTS THAT WOULD BE, UM, IT WOULD ONLY BE WITH OUR PLAYGROUNDS THOUGH.
IT DOESN'T, IT IT'S NOT THE PARK PLAYGROUNDS MEANING PARKS.
IT'S THE PLAYGROUNDS WITHIN THE PARK.
UNLESS I HAVE MISINTERPRETED THAT.
DO YOU HAVE THE ATTACHMENT, THE FORM RIGHT HERE? SO IT'S DEFINED AS PLAY, PLAYGROUND, NOT PARK.
IS IT PLAYGROUND? NOT PARK? 'CAUSE I'M THINKING WE'VE GOT KIG PARK.
REMIND US WHAT THE DISTANCE IS.
AND WHAT IS THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THIS ESTABLISHMENT AND OUR, THE TOWN'S PLAYGROUND? UH, I'M TRYING TO GET IT DOWN, BUT OCCUPIED.
MS. GAON, IF YOU COULD HELP WITH US, SCROLL THIS DOWN PLEASE.
UH, IT IS, UH, 300 FEET OF A PLAYGROUND CHURCH OR SCHOOL.
THAT WAS THE OTHER ONE THAT I, UM, FORGOT.
I DO NOT HAVE THE MEASUREMENT BETWEEN, UH, THE CHOP HOUSE ONE 19 AND THE PLAYGROUND, BUT IT IS WITHIN 300 FEET.
IT'S PROBABLY PRETTY CLOSE TO THAT.
JUST, I STILL HAVE TO GET THIS.
WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER THE POCKET PART? IS IT A PLAYGROUND? A PLAYGROUND? THE POCKET PART IS, I WOULD NOT CONSIDER A PLAYGROUND.
IS THAT WHAT YOU ASKING? YOU WOULDN'T CONSIDER IT.
BUT WHO MAKES THAT CONSIDERATION? I THINK HUH? THE STATE.
SO WE HAVE ALL OF OUR PROPERTIES DELINEATED AS WHETHER THEY'RE PLAYGROUNDS OR NOT.
I THINK THE QUESTION, IS THERE A DEF IS THERE A DEFINITION OF A PLAYGROUND THAT WE CAN RELY ON? LIKE I SAID, THIS COULD BE YOU.
SO, YEAH, WELL, AT SHELTER CO PARK, I MEAN, THERE IS A PLAYGROUND THERE, A DEFINED FACILITY THAT QUALIFIES.
SO, SO LET ME ASK YOU, SO LET ME HYPOTHETICALLY, AND I DON'T WANNA BELABOR THIS, BUT ME HYPOTHETICALLY ASK YOU SOMETHING, SAY WE PUT A SWING SET IN, IT'S A POCKET PARK AND IT NOW BECOMES A PLAYGROUND.
[02:35:01]
IN KIG WOULD HAVE TO COME TO THE TOWN.SO MAYBE WE DON'T PUT A, A SWING IN THAT PARK.
UM, BUT IF YOU READ, IT PERSONALLY APPEARED BEFORE ME BEING SWORN, SO ON SO FORTH, THAT THE ABOVE NAMED CHURCH PLAYGROUND SLASH SCHOOL AND THAT SUCH CHURCH, SO THIS IS CHURCHES, THIS IS PLAYGROUNDS IN SCHOOLS, DO NOT HAVE ANY OBJECTIONS TO THE ISSUANCE OF A LIQUOR BY THE DRINK LICENSE AT THE ABOVE.
THIS IS, THIS BUSINESS HAS BEEN IN HERE, BEEN LOCATED HERE BEFORE.
THIS IS A NEW FORM, IT'S A NEW STATE LAW, STATE REQUIREMENT ASKING US TO DO THIS.
UM, THERE AREN'T THAT MANY, WE DON'T HAVE THAT MANY PLAYGROUNDS ACROSS THE STREET IN, IN A MIXED USE COMMERCIAL PLAZA SERVING LIQUOR BY THE DRINK.
BUT THIS HAS TO BE A CASE BY CASE BASIS.
WE'D HAVE SOME DECISIONS TO MAKE IN THE FUTURE, MOVE THE PLAYGROUND OR ALLOW THE BUSINESS OR WAIVE THE REQUIREMENT.
SO WE'RE JUST TRYING TO LOOK AT THIS AS ONE.
WE KNOW IT COULD BE, IT COULD BE SCALED, BUT IT'S CHURCHES, IT'S, I I DEFINE THE PLAYGROUND AS, AS THE OBVIOUS DEFINITION.
CURTIS, I'LL, I'LL LEAN ON MR. COLTRANE TO SEE IF THERE'S A SPECIFIC RULE.
A SWING SET DOESN'T ALWAYS MEAN PLAYGROUND, AT LEAST TO THE STATE.
AND SO WE, I GUESS WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO ASK IS THAT FOR FURTHER THERE BE FURTHER REVIEW BECAUSE ONE CONSIDERATION THAT OR CONCERN THAT COMES UP IS EVENTS IN THE PARK NEXT TO A PLAYGROUND WHEN THERE'S A LIQUOR LICENSE.
SO I JUST ASK THAT WE TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND GET BACK TO US DOWN THE ROAD.
NOT LOOKING FOR ANY DIRECTIVE RIGHT NOW, BUT I, I BELIEVE YOU'RE MEANING AN AN ON THE TEMPORARY, TEMPORARY ON THE TEMPORARY LICENSE, JUST TO BE SURE.
ISLAND REC AND WHOMEVER ELSE SERVING, SERVING DRINKS.
THOSE ARE, WE'LL ABSOLUTELY REVIEW THAT AND GET BACK TO YOU.
AND ANOTHER QUESTION THAT COMES TO MIND JUST FOR FURTHER CONSIDER REVIEW AND THOUGHT IS YOU HAD MENTIONED, ANGIE, IN YOUR, UM, OPENING THAT THIS, THAT SHELTER COVE HAS WITHIN IT THESE TYPES OF USES IN OUR AGREEMENT.
SO IS THERE A CONFLICT THERE? IF WE WERE, IF SOMEONE WERE TO EVER TO SAY NO? I, I'M NOT INCLINED TO DO SO, BUT I'M JUST ASKING IF THAT PRESENTS A PROBLEM SOMEWHERE DOWN THE LINE.
AND IT'S NOT A QUESTION TO BE ANSWERED NOW, BUT JUST SOMETHING FOR THOUGHT.
THE IDEA OF PERHAPS HAVING TO MOVE PLAYGROUNDS MAY BECOME VERY REAL.
I, I CERTAINLY HAVE MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS APPEARS THAT OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, I WONDER IF WE SHOULD PUT THIS OFF TILL WE CAN GET AN ANSWER TO QUESTIONS.
THERE'S ANOTHER WAY TO ADDRESS THIS.
UM, AND, AND, AND THOSE OF, YOU KNOW, MY BACKGROUND, MY MOM HAD A DAYCARE CENTER FOR YEARS.
UM, YOU KNOW, I I I WAS A CAMP COUNSELOR.
I, YOU KNOW, WORKED WITH KIDS A LOT DURING MY LIFE.
UM, AND, AND I KNOW THERE'S A REASON THAT STATE LEGISLATURE WOULD SAY, OR OR THE REGULATORY AGENCY SAYS, WE DON'T WANNA HAVE AN ALCOHOL, SOMEONE SELLING ALCOHOL ACROSS FROM A SCHOOL PLAYGROUND, A CHURCH WHICH OFTEN HAS A DAYCARE CENTER OR A PLAYGROUND.
AND THERE'S A REASON FOR THAT BECAUSE CHILDREN ARE CLOSE BY.
UM, AND, AND, AND SO IT'S TROUBLING TO ME THERE'S A REASON FOR THIS.
AND I DON'T WANT US TO JUST SAY, BECAUSE IT'S BEEN THERE BEFORE AND WE HAVE A PLAYGROUND.
WE HAVE TO SAY, YES, I THINK WE OUGHT TO REALLY THINK ABOUT THIS.
I'M NOT PREPARED TO VOTE IN FAVOR OF IT.
AND MY SUGGESTION IS WE CONTINUE THIS TILL WE CAN LOOK AT MORE INFORMATION.
SO WHAT'S, WHAT'S THE BUSINESS DOING RIGHT NOW? DO WE KNOW? I'LL ANSWER THAT.
I WILL CALL IT A RESTATEMENT, BUT SINCE IT LAPSED, THEY HAD TO APPLY FOR NEW, FOR, FOR DIFFERENT REASONS.
THEY, THEY ARE, THEY'RE WAITING TO REOPEN WITH THE INVESTMENT THAT THEY'VE MADE.
THEY, THEY MAY BE OPEN INTERMITTENTLY.
[02:40:01]
I BELIEVE THAT THEY, BUT THE LIQUOR MAY SERVING, THEY HAVE TO, THAT THEY'RE COMPLY WITH.YES, THEY MAY BE SERVING FOOD INTERMITTENTLY, BUT I DON'T KNOW THE LOGISTICS OF, OF THEIR BUSINESS.
BUT I DO KNOW THAT THEY'RE NOT FULLY OPERATIONAL.
YEAH, I I, I'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND THE WHY FROM THE STATE PERSPECTIVE.
HOWEVER, HOWEVER, I'M NOT SURE THAT THEIR WHY HAS TAKEN CONSIDERATION OUR CONDITIONS.
I MEAN, FAMILIES COME TO HILTON HEAD, THEY GO TO HARBORTOWN, AND THERE'S A HUT RIGHT NEXT TO THE
I MEAN, IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST A THING.
AND TO MR. DECIMAL'S POINT IN OUR RESORT AREA, THAT'S, IT'S, IT'S A THING.
UM, SO IT'S, I'M OKAY WITH GETTING MORE INFORMATION SO WE CAN BETTER UNDERSTAND IT AND I DON'T KNOW, THEN WE CAN MAYBE HAVE A DISCUSSION AROUND IF THIS STATE'S LEGISLATION IS SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO BOTHER OUR DELEGATION ABOUT
BECAUSE THIS IS, IT'S A SURPRISE TO A AREA THAT IS GENERATING A LOT OF THE TAX DOLLARS.
SO I, I, I THINK THERE'S WARRANT TO US HAVING FURTHER DISCUSSION ABOUT IT.
UH, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I DON'T WANNA HOLD ANYBODY'S BUSINESS UP, PARTICULARLY IF THEY'VE BEEN DOING BUSINESS ALL ALONG.
THAT'S JUST, UM, MR. ORLANDO, I'D LIKE TO, UH, MAKE A RECOMMENDATION THAT, UM, AFTER THIS IT GETS SENT, UM, FOR DISCUSSION TO FINANCE ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE, JUST FOR DISCUSSIONS.
NOT THIS PARTICULAR ONE, BUT THE OVERALL REACHING STATE ASPECT SO THAT WE CAN GET MORE INFORMATION AND HAVE IT COME THROUGH THERE.
NOT THE SPECIFIC, HOWEVER, NOT THE SPECIFIC IN GENERAL GENERALIZATION, RIGHT? YES.
AND, AND CAN I ADD TO THAT DISCUSSION FOR WHEN YOU'RE PUTTING TOGETHER Y'ALL'S THOUGHTS? AND I CERTAINLY WILL BE LISTENING IT, IT SAYS TWICE IN HERE.
I, I AM CURIOUS AS TO WHERE IT SAYS THE TOWN OWNED.
JUST THE, THE FORM SAYS AGENT, THE STATE LAW SAYS GOVERNING BODY.
I FEEL LIKE I'M IN ISN'T DOCTOR'S OFFICE.
REALLY IS NOT THE CLEAREST FORM.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, ALL? SO WE'VE GOT A, UH, MOTION BY MS. BECKER, SECOND BY MR. DEVAN FOR CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE TOWN MANAGER TO EXECUTE AND DELIVER FORM A BL 9 56 TO SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE IN CONNECTION WITH THE APPLICATION WITH ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE LICENSE FILED BY NYCP SHELTER, L-L-C-D-B-A, CHOP HOUSE ONE 19.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIX FIVE BY RAISING YOUR RIGHT HAND OPPOSED SIX TO ONE.
[11. Public Comment - Non Agenda Items]
YOU.SO NEXT WE'LL MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENT ON NON AGENDA ITEMS. ITEM SECTION OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION TWO DASH FIVE DASH 70 OF THE TOWN'S CODE LIMITS EACH PERSON TO ONE THREE MINUTE COMMENT.
WHEN ADDRESSING COUNSEL, AT THE END OF YOUR THREE MINUTES, YOU'RE ASKED TO CONCLUDE YOUR COMMENTS.
PLEASE MAINTAIN A DECORUM SUITABLE FOR THE MEETING AND REFRAIN FROM USING PHONE ABUSIVE OR OBSCENE LANGUAGE.
IF YOU HAVE ANY MATERIALS YOU'D LIKE TO GIVE THE TOWN COUNSEL, PLEASE GIVE THEM TO THE TOWN CLERK AFTER YOU ARE FINISHED SPEAKING, KIM, DO WE HAVE ANYBODY SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? HAVE MR. WILLIAMS? FORTUNATELY I'LL PASS ONE.
AND WE HAVE MR. HOAGLAND, IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'M GONNA SET MY TIMER BECAUSE I CAN HERE, I DON'T WANNA GO OVER MY THREE MINUTES.
UH, SKIP HOAGLAND, WINDMILL HARBOR.
50 YEAR RESIDENT RUNNING FOR HONEST WATCHDOG.
MAYOR, I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE THE TAXPAYERS OF THIS TOWN ARE NOT GETTING ANSWERS AND THAT NEEDS TO CHANGE.
WHO GAVE THE LEGAL OPINION THAT A TAX FUNDS CAN BE USED THE WAY THEY'RE BEING USED TODAY? NAME THE LAWYERS PRODUCE THE WRITTEN OPINION OR ADMIT IT DOESN'T EXIST.
WHO TOLD THIS COUNCIL IT WAS LEGAL TO SPEND TAXPAYERS MONEY ON 600,000 DREDGE HARBORTOWN, 500,000 FOR HERITAGE GOLF SPONSORSHIP, MILLIONS OF FUND THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND A TAXPAYER FUNDED LEGAL FEES FOR A PRIVATE LAWSUIT BY LAWYER GREG ALFORD.
BECAUSE IF THERE'S NO VALID LEGAL OPINION, THEN THESE ARE NOT MISTAKES.
WHY WERE MULTI-YEAR MULTIMILLION DOLLAR DMO CHAMBER CONTRACTS APPROVED THAT VIOLATE FEDERAL TAX LAWS? SOUTH CAROLINA A TAX CODE.
SOUTH CAROLINA CONSTITUTIONAL LAW THAT CLEARLY PROHIBITS PUBLIC MONEY BEING USED FOR PRIVATE, UH, PURPOSES, UH, BENEFIT AND PROFITS.
WHY IS A TAX FUNDED CHAMBER AND OTHER NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS OPERATING LIKE PRIVATE BUSINESSES, SELLING ADS, NO BUSINESS LICENSE, GENERATING REVENUE, TAX EVASION, AND REFUSING TO DISCLOSE WHERE THIS MONEY GOES? WHERE ARE THE FULL FINANCIAL RECORDS? WHERE ARE THE PROFIT REPORTS? WHERE'S THE TRANSPARENCY REQUIRED BY LAW? WHAT DID DOWN COUNCIL, WHY DID TOWN OFFICIALS USE TAX MONEY TO
[02:45:01]
JOIN THE CHAMBER AND ATTEND THE CHAMBER BALL PARTY? THIS IS A DIRECT CONFLICT OF INTEREST.PUBLIC FUNDS SHOULD NEVER BE USED FOR PRIVATE MEMBERSHIPS.
WHY ARE FOYER REQUESTS VIOLATED, DENIED AND INCOMPLETE? TRANSPARENCY IS NOT OPTIONAL.
MR. PERRY, WHY ARE TOWN LAWYERS DRAFTING AND APPROVING ILLEGAL CONTRACTS THAT BENEFIT PRIVATE ENTITIES WHILE TAXPAYERS PAY FOR IT? WHO IS OVERSEEING THEM? WHY ARE THE LEGAL FEES OUTTA CONTROL? THE LAWYERS ARE COMMITTING MALPRACTICE, CRIMINAL CONTRACT FRAUD, AND THEY SHOULD BE SUED.
THIS IS SIMPLE TO STOP, FOLLOW THE MONEY, SHOW THE DOCUMENTS, NAME THE PEOPLE RESPONSIBLE.
IF YOU CANNOT DO THAT, THEN YOU ARE NOT GOVERNING.
YOU ARE PROTECTING A SYSTEM THAT IS BROKEN.
I'M CALLING FOR IMMEDIATE ACTION.
FULL PUBLIC DISCLOSURE OF ALL FINANCIAL RECORDS, ALL LEGAL OPINIONS RELEASED TO THE PUBLIC INDEPENDENT CPA CITY DOGE OVERSIGHT OF BUDGETS AND YEAR END AUDITS.
A COMPLETE REVIEW OF ALL A TAX AND DMO CONTRACTS AND LAWS THE TAXPAYERS ARE WATCHING, AND THIS IS NOT GOING AWAY.
LAST MR. PERRY SAID HE SAW MILLIONS OF TAX USE OF RECEIPTS AND INVOICES BY THE CHAMBER WITH BILL MILES, INCLUDING IN CANADA.
WHERE ARE THEY? MR. PERRY? THIS IS CRIMINAL FRAUD.
AND ALEX BROWN MUST BE REMOVED FROM THE FINANCE COMMITTEE AND REPLACED BY A CPA.
HOW WILL YOU RESPOND WHEN YOU AND YOU'RE UNDER OATH AND YOU ALL GO INTO DEPOSITIONS AND RISK OF CRIMINAL PERJURY? THAT'S WHERE THIS IS HEADED.
IF YOU DON'T FIX IT, YOU PEOPLE HAVE TO WAKE UP.
[12. Executive Session]
ALL.OKAY, MR. ORLANDO, WE HAVE NEED TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
YES, MAYOR PERRY, AS SHOWN ON THE TOWN COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM 12 A, UM, ITEMS ONE THROUGH FIVE, SIR.
I HAVE A MOTION TO GO IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR FOR SIGNIFY ARE RAISING YOUR RIGHT HAND.
CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO COME OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION? SECOND.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? SECOND FILE BY RAISING YOUR RIGHT HAND.
WE ARE OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION.
[13. Action from Executive Session]
MR. BROWN, DO WE HAVE ANY ACTION? UH, YES, SIR.UH, I MOVE TO APPROVE A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING EXECUTION DELIVERY OF A CONTRACT FOR THE PURCHASING OF REAL PROPERTY CONTAINING 0.83 ACRES TOTAL AND 0.51 ACRES OF HIGH GROUND ON US HIGHWAY 2 7 8 ON HILTON EIGHT ISLAND, SOUTH CAROLINA, AND THE COMPLETION OF THE TRANSACTION DESCRIBED IN THE CONTRACT.
WE HAVE A SECOND ON THAT MOTION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY RAISING YOUR RIGHT HAND.
MR. MAYOR, I ALSO MOVE TO APPROVE A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION AND DELIVERY OF A CONTRACT FOR THE PURCHASE OF REAL PROPERTY CONTAINING 1.396 ACRES AND 0.737 ACRES OF HIGH GROUND, MORE OR LESS ON SQUARE POKE ROAD ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SOUTH CAROLINA, IN THE COMPLETION OF THE TRANSACTION.
ANY DISCUSSION? I'M JUST GLAD WE'RE NOT PER PURCHASING ANY LOW GROUND TODAY, WHICH IS ALL I GOTTA SAY EXACTLY.
ALL THOSE A FAVOR SIGNIFY BY RAISING YOUR RIGHT HAND.
ANY OTHER BUSINESS, MR. BROWN? THAT'S IT, SIR.