[00:00:05]
SO I WANNA RESPECT EVERYBODY'S, UH, SCHEDULE.
WE HAVE, UM, LET'S HAVE PORT ROYAL UP HERE.
VAN, UH, WE HAVE, UH, UH, BLUFFS UP HERE.
WE HAVE HILTON HEAD, UH, WE HAVE BUFORT, PORT ROYAL, AND WE HAVE AN EMPTY CHAIR.
MR. STE, WOULD YOU PLEASE JOIN US? SURE.
NO EMPTY CHAIRS ALLOWED, UH, FOR, UH, EVERYONE AT THE DAY HAS, HAS THE INFORMATION, BUT FOR THOSE SITTING IN THE PUBLIC, UM, OVER THERE IS THE AGENDA.
AND IT'S ALSO LISTED UP THERE.
BUT THERE'S A PACKET OF INFORMATION THAT WE WILL BE GETTING TO WHEN WE GET TO ITEM NUMBER C.
SO IF YOU WANT TO GET, UM, THEY'RE ALL OVER THERE.
OKAY? UH, WE'RE GONNA GET RIGHT INTO IT.
I RECEIVED IN THE EMAIL, NO, UH, NOMINATIONS
[A. Election of Officers: Chair, Vice-Chair and Secretary]
FOR, UH, THE, UH, UM, OFFICES.UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M, I, I'M STARTING TO, I'M GETTING CLOSE TO THE RECORD FOR UNOPPOSED ELECTIONS
UM, SO WE'LL, WE'LL SEE IF THE STREAK CONTINUES.
BUT, ANY RATE, UM, MAY I HAVE A NOMINATION FOR, UH, CHAIR OF, SO LOKO FOR THE COMING YEAR? A NOMINATE, MR. UH, HARRY WILLIAMS. MM-HMM
ANY, ANY DISCUSSION OR ANY FURTHER NOMINATIONS? I GUESS THAT MEANS YOU ACCEPT I NO.
I THINK THAT'S AN ORIGINAL, ISN'T IT? THEN? IR? UM, NO.
IF THERE'S NO FURTHER COMMENTS, UM, ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
THE INCUMBENT RIGHT NOW IS, UH, MAYOR PERRY.
UM, MAY I HAVE A NOMINATION FOR VICE CHAIR? NOMINATE ALAN PERRY
WE, THAT'S WHAT HE GETS FOR NOT SHOWING UP
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND THAT.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
PLEASE INFORM ALAN THAT HE WANTED A LANDSLIDE.
LET HIM KNOW YOU VOTED VIGOROUSLY AGAINST
UM, AND HE WILL NEVER BE LATE FOR ANOTHER MEETING, I'M SURE WHERE THERE'S ELECTIONS.
UM, THE NEXT OFFICE IS SECRETARY, AND THAT'S REALLY JUST TO BE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO MINUTES TAKING.
IT'S JUST, UM, TO BE PART OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE IF WE HAVE SUCH A THING.
SO I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHO THE INCUMBENT IS.
AND DOES ANYONE KNOW, I THINK IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN JOE PASSMAN, UM, TO HAVE SOMEONE FROM THE COUNTY, BUT I'M, I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THAT.
UM, BUT REGARDLESS, SINCE WE DON'T KNOW WHO THE INCUMBENT IS, MAY I HAVE A NOMINATION FOR SOMEONE TO SERVE AS SECRETARY? DO YOU WANT SOMEONE FROM THE COUNTY? I, YOU KNOW WHAT? WE'VE, WE'VE TYPICALLY NOT HAD IT BECAUSE, UM, THEY'RE NOT PUBLICLY ELECTED, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT CAN'T BE.
WE HAVE NO RULES ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
UH, LARRY, YOU DON'T DO ANYTHING, LARRY.
SO YOU SHOULD BE GOOD AT THAT.
I COULDN'T, YOU GAVE ME AN OPEN.
I, I COULDN'T, I COULDN'T, I COULDN'T RESIST.
UM, SAID NEW JERSEY HUMOR, LARRY.
WE HAVE, WE HAVE A NOMINATION.
WE HAVE A, A MOTION AND A SECOND.
UH, DO WE HAVE ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
UM, SO THE, WE HAVE CONGRATULATIONS.
I'LL TURN, UH, AND PLEASE, UM, LARRY,
[00:05:01]
AND TELL ALAN TO TAKE DOWN THEIR SIGNS WITHIN THE 24 HOURS.ALSO ON THAT BOARD IS, UM, THE, UH, JODY LEVITT AND ALSO, UH, DOUG MCGILL IS, IS ON THAT AS WELL.
UM, RECENTLY, UH, THEY MET HERE IN OUR OFFICE WITH MR. JOHN KUER FROM THE, UH, GIC, WHO ALSO HAS A SUBCOMMITTEE.
SO, UM, MR. ORLANDO HAS AGREED TO
[B. Update from the Child Care Subcommittee - Mr. Orlandor Lewis]
GIVE US AN UPDATE ON WHERE THE COMMITTEES ARE AND POTENTIAL COLLABORATION WITH THE GIC COMMITTEE.SO, MR. ORLANDO, DO LEWIS, WELCOME.
WELL SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR NEWLY ELECTED OFFICIALS,
IT WAS A, IT IS A HEATED, CONTESTED, UH, VOTING PROCESS, BUT GLAD TO SEE YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN SEATED THIS MORNING.
SO, AGAIN, MY NAME IS ORLANDO LEWIS.
I'M THE, UH, HEAD START, EARLY HEAD START DIRECTOR FOR BEAUFORT, JASPER, EOC.
I ALSO SIT AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE SECOND ATLANTIC STATE HEAD START ASSOCIATION.
I'M NOW YOUR, UH, YOUR CHAIRPERSON OF THIS CHILDCARE SUBCOMMITTEE.
UM, OVER THIS PAST SEVERAL MONTHS, WE HAVE, UM, JODY AND DOUG AND I HAVE KICKED AROUND QUITE A FEW IDEAS AS IT RELATES TO, UM, MANY OF THE STRATEGIES AND SOLUTIONS THAT MAY BE NEEDED TO ADDRESS THE CHILDCARE CONCERNS IN OUR, IN THE LOW COUNTRY AREA.
UH, RECENTLY, UM, AS, AS MAYOR, UH, WILLIAMS INDICATED, UM, JODY, MYSELF, AND MR. JOHN SCORE, WE MET TO DISCUSS SOME OF THE, THE, THE NEW IDEAS THAT MAY BE, UM, THAT MAY BE ON THE, ON THE SCENE RIGHT NOW, ON ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE PARTICULAR STRATEGIES OR SOLUTIONS BEING THAT'S BEING KICKED AROUND AT THE STATE.
AND WE WAS RECENTLY AT THE SUBCOMMITTEE AND DSS PRESENTED THIS IDEA.
AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S BEING PILOTED BY THE STATE OF MICHIGAN, BUT NOW IT'S ACTUALLY, UM, SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY DOING ON A ROUTINE BASIS.
AND THIS PARTICULAR MODEL IS CALLED A TRI, TRI SHARE CHILDCARE MODEL.
UM, THIS PARTICULAR MODEL IS DESIGNED TO BENEFIT, UM, FAMILIES AS IT RELATES TO, UM, PROVI, UM, SUBSIDIZING CHILDCARE.
UM, THIS PARTICULAR MODEL IS, IS BROKEN DOWN INTO THREE PHASES.
THE CHILDCARE WILL BE PAID FOR, UM, AT ONE THIRD, AT A RATE OF ONE THIRD BY THE, THE FAMILY, UM, IN ADDITION TO ONE THIRD BE PAID FOR BY THE EMPLOYER, AND IN ADDITION TO ONE THIRD BE PAID FOR BY THE STATE.
SO THIS IS THE TRI SHARE MODEL THAT, ONCE AGAIN WAS PILOTED BY, UM, THE STATE OF MICHIGAN.
I MEAN, IT WAS A HUGE SUCCESS.
AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE LOOKING TO, TO, UM, TO TRY HERE IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
I KNOW DSS RECENTLY, UH, MET WITH THE SOUTH CAROLINA JOINT COMMITTEE AND PRESENTED THIS AS A POTENTIAL, UH, SOLUTION.
AND THERE WAS A ASK ON THE TABLE AS RELATES TO DOLLARS TO BE ALLOCATED TO THIS PARTICULAR, UM, UM, OPTION.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO PRESENT, UM, TO, SO LOCO IS FOR US TO TRY THIS PARTICULAR MODEL IN THE LOW COUNTRY FOR US TO BE A PILOT HUB, UM, IN THE STATE, STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
WE ARE ASKING THAT, UM, OUR POLICY MAKERS HERE ON, SO LOCO, UM, BACK US IN THIS, THIS REQUEST TO BE A HUB.
AND ALSO, UH, LIKE TO SIT DOWN WITH THE SC JOINT COMMITTEE.
I THINK MS. SHANNON ERICKSON SITS ON THAT COMMITTEE AS WELL.
TO HAVE A DISCUSSION WITH HER AS, AND ALSO THEIR TEAM ABOUT HOW WE COULD, UM, HOW SOME OF THOSE FUNDS THAT'S BEEN ASKED FOR, UM, AT THE STATE LEVEL BE, UM, PLACED IN, IN, IN THE LOW COUNTRY FOR US TO USE THOSE DOLLARS AND USE SOME OF OUR, UM, OUR PARTNERS HERE TO FACILITATE THIS MODEL IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
I KNOW MS. JODY AND JOHN HAVE MET WITH, UM, MEMBERS ON HILTON HEAD.
UM, THEY HAVE SOME, SOME, UM, SIGNATURES TO SUPPORT THIS PARTICULAR MODEL.
UM, SO WORK HAS BEGUN THERE, BUT WE ALSO LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE SIT DOWN WITH, UM, WITH, UH, SLO CODE TO HAVE ADDITIONAL DISCUSSIONS IN TERMS OF HOW WE WILL PROPERLY EXECUTE THIS PARTICULAR MODEL.
UM, SO I DO WANNA OPEN THE BOARD TO QUESTIONS AS IT RELATES TO, UM, THE TRI SHARE MODEL, WHAT IT WILL LOOK LIKE IN, IN PARTICULARLY YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS PARTICULAR MODEL.
UH, FOR THOSE ON THE BOARD, YOU, UH, YOU NEED TO PRESS THE BUTTON ON THE MICROPHONE AND TALK INTO IT WHEN YOU HAVE A GREEN LIGHT THAT'LL, UH, TELL YOU THAT YOU ARE LIVE.
UM, SO, UH, LET'S, I'LL START WITH THE, UH, BOARD MEMBERS UP HERE.
AND THERE ARE ALSO, UH, BOARD MEMBERS, UM, SITTING IN THE AUDIENCE.
UH, VALERIE GUZMAN FROM, UH, HARDY, WE HAVE SCOTT MARSHALL FROM BEAUFORT.
UH, DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS SITTING OUT THERE? NO.
[00:10:01]
ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. LEWIS? UM, I HAVE ONE, CAN YOU JUST ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT ON WHAT SUPPORT WOULD LOOK LIKE FROM THE MUNICIPALITIES OR FROM THE COUNTY? OKAY.SO, ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS, OR I SHOULD SAY I ASK, IS JUST SIMPLY, UH, SUPPORTING, UH, THE SUBCOMMITTEE IN THE, UH, DELIVERY OF THIS PARTICULAR IDEA.
UM, ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN IS, NUMBER ONE, THERE BE A STRONG UNDERSTANDING OF THE PARTICULAR, OF THE TRI SHARE MODEL.
NUMBER TWO, THAT THERE BE DISCUSSIONS WITH OTHER MEMBERS FROM, UM, FROM THE SC JOINT COMMITTEE AS RELATES TO OUR ENDEAVOR TO PARTICIPATE AND BE THE PILOT OF THIS PARTICULAR MODEL IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
UM, THEN ALSO FOR US TO, TO HAVE SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH THE POWERS TO BE AT DSS.
WE WILL PROBABLY FACILITATE THIS MODEL IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA SO THAT WE CAN HAVE, UH, THAT INROAD AS IT RELATES TO CONVERSATION WITH THEM.
SO YOUR VOICE IS VERY IMPORTANT.
UH, OBVIOUSLY CARRIES INFLUENCE.
SO WE WANT TO HAVE THAT SUPPORT FROM YOU ALL IN THAT REGARD.
JOSH, UH, IF I JUST MIGHT ADD, UM, JOHN AND ORLANDO SHARED, UH, MORE DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT THE TRI SHARE PROGRAM, AND I WILL, I WILL FORWARD TO THE SO LOCO BOARD, UH, AT THE END OF THE MEETING.
AND I JUST NOTICED, I WAS READING SOME OF THE, UH, EMAILS IN THE ATTACHMENT.
SO, UM, CAN WE MAKE SURE THAT I DO GET THAT EMAIL? UH, OKAY.
UM, IF ANYONE ON THE BOARD OR IN THE ROOM IS NOT GETTING THE, UM, THE, UM, SO LOCO INFORMATION, EVERY BOARD MEMBER SHOULD BE ON THERE, AND EVERYONE THAT'S SIGNED UP WHO COME TO THESE MEETINGS REGULARLY SHOULD BE GETTING LIKE THE AGENDAS.
AND IF NOT, PLEASE, UH, LET ME KNOW AND GIMME YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS AND I'LL HAVE THE CLERKS MAKE SURE THEY, THEY DO IT.
SOME OF THE EMAILS THERE, JOSH, MAYBE THEY JUST SENT IT TO ME.
'CAUSE A LOT OF 'EM CAME IN THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS, SO I JUST PRINTED OFF THE CONTENT.
UM, SO I'LL, I'LL GO IN A LITTLE BIT MORE OF THAT WHEN WE GET TO THE, UH, AGENDA TOPICS.
UM, I WAS GONNA ADD JUST ONE LITTLE FOLLOW UP AND I CAN LOOK THIS UP.
UM, BUT THE, YOU SAID MICHIGAN HAD STARTED THIS, WELL, MICHIGAN PILOTED IT BACK IN 2021.
UM, IT HAS NOW BECOME AN OFFICIAL PROGRAM WITHIN THE STATE.
SO THERE IS ENOUGH DATA TO SUPPORT THAT.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT HAS WORKED.
WHO AT THE COUNTY OR OR WHO IN THE COUNTY FOR THIS, OR THE, OR THE REGION, I GUESS I SHOULD SAY, FOR A PILOT PROGRAM, WHO'S GONNA BE THE LEAD AGENCY ON THAT? WELL, WE WOULD HOPE WHEN NO ONE IS, IS, IS, HAS COME FORWARD TO EXECUTE THIS PARTICULAR MODEL.
UM, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I KNOW JOHN AND, UH, GIC HAVE, HAVE DISCUSSED.
UH, WE DO KNOW THAT THERE ARE, UH, DSS HAS, HAS, HAS TOYED AROUND WITH THE CONCEPT, AND THEY'RE PRESENTED TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA STATE JOINT COMMITTEE ON EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION.
UM, SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE, UH, DONE IS THAT WE IN THE LOW COUNTRY ACTUALLY FACILITATE THIS PARTICULAR MODEL.
SO WE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE A DISCUSSION AS RELATES TO WHO WILL PARTICIPATE IN THE LOW COUNTRY.
SO THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO DEVELOP.
UM, ANYONE ELSE FROM THE BOARD? I'D LIKE TO, UH, INVITE FROM THE PUBLIC MR. JOHN SHORE, UH, SCORE, WHO, WHO, UH, IS CHAIRING THE GIC SUBCOMMITTEE AND SEE, JOHN, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SAY A COUPLE OF WORDS.
THANK YOU, UH, MR. MAYOR AND, UH, MEMBERS OF SOLO CO UH, I'D LIKE TO MOVE FROM TRI SHARE TO A MORE GENERAL THOUGHT.
UH, YOU ALL HAVE 25,000 PEOPLE COLLECTIVELY WHO ARE LIVING BELOW THE POVERTY LINE.
AND 18,000 PEOPLE COLLECTIVELY WHO ARE LIVING WITH FOOD INSECURITY A WAY I LIKE TO APPROACH THINGS.
WHAT ARE THE OBSTACLES THAT KEEP PEOPLE WHO WANT TO WORK FOR A LIVING FROM DOING SO? AND ONE OF THE OBSTACLES, AS MORE AND MORE RESEARCH HAS REVEALED IS THE PAUCITY OF AFFORDABLE, ACCESSIBLE, QUALITY CHILDCARE, WHICH KEEPS AT LEAST ONE PARENT OUT OF THE LABOR MARKET TO CARE FOR CHILDREN.
AT THE SAME TIME, YOU'VE GOT 7,000 SMALL BUSINESSES IN THE TWO COUNTIES THAT ARE CLAMORING FOR WORKERS.
SO YOU'VE GOT, HOW DO WE MAKE THAT CONNECTION? THEY CLAMOR FOR WORKERS BECAUSE SOUTH CAROLINA HAS THE FOURTH, FROM THE BOTTOM LABOR PARTICIPATION RATE IN THE COUNTRY.
OUT OF ALL 50 STATES, WE CAN DO BETTER.
[00:15:01]
HOW DO WE DO BETTER? I'M HERE TO SUGGEST THAT MEANINGFUL REFORM IS GOING TO COME FROM COLUMBIA.UH, WE'VE GOT SOME PEOPLE LIKE SHANNON ERICKSON, UM, AND SENATOR ROSS TURNER WHO ARE WORKING HARD ON THAT.
BUT CANDIDLY, I'M NOT SURE THEY'VE GOT THE THROW WEIGHT TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
ON THE OTHER HAND, HERE IN BEAUFORT AND COUNTY AND JASPER COUNTY, WE'VE GOT A LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION THAT IS MORE AND MORE RECOGNIZED AS POWERFUL.
IN COLUMBIA, YOU ARE THE THINK TANK FOR YOUR TWO COUNTY GOVERNMENTS AND THE SEVEN MUNICIPALITIES.
IT'S OUR THOUGHT THAT IF YOU FIND A WAY TO COMMUNICATE WITH THOSE PARENT GOVERNMENTS, SO THEY IN TURN PASS UP THE CHAIN TO OUR LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION, WE'D LIKE YOU TO MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN.
I THINK THAT WOULD TAKE US A LONG WAY TO CURING A PROBLEM THAT EXISTS HERE IN SOUTH CAROLINA AS TO TRY SHARE.
WE BELIEVE IT IS A USEFUL ADDITIONAL ARROW TO ADD TO THE QUIVER.
IT'S NOT THE BE ALL AND END ALL, BUT NOT ONLY MICHIGAN, BUT NORTH CAROLINA AND KENTUCKY, AND TO VARYING DEGREES, EIGHT OTHER STATES THAT ARE GETTING INTO IT ARE PROVING THAT IT ADDS VALUE FOR AN EMPLOYER.
IT PRODUCES AN EMPLOYEE WHO HAS A CONNECTION WITH THAT JOB AND THAT ENTERPRISE, IT PROMOTES EMPLOYEE LOYALTY, IT PROMOTES STABILITY.
IT PROMOTES GETTING OUT OF POVERTY.
IT PROMOTES GETTING OUT OF FOOD INSECURITY BECAUSE INSTEAD OF ONE OR NO SPOUSES WORKING, YOU HAVE AN ADDITIONAL SPOUSE WORKING ALL TO THE GOOD, NOT LOOKING WITHIN TRI SHARE FOR MONEY FROM THE COUNTIES OR THE MUNICIPALITIES, ALTHOUGH THAT'S A POSSIBILITY.
BUT WE SEE MORE OF A STATEWIDE PLAY ON THIS INSTEAD, LOOKING TO, FOR YOU TO USE THE HEFT, THE WISDOM THAT YOU HAVE TO COMMUNICATE WITH OUR TWO LEGISLATIVE DELEGATIONS IN PURSUIT OF MAKING SOMETHING GOOD HAPPEN IN COLUMBIA.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
UH, DOES ANYONE FROM THE BOARD HAVE ANY, UH, QUESTIONS FOR JOHN AND HIS STATEMENTS? I HAVE A QUESTION.
SO, SINCE WE HAVEN'T SEEN THE FULL TRICARE MODEL, AND AS A GRANDPARENT OF SOMEONE WHO PAYS A FORTUNE IN GEORGIA FOR CHILDCARE, I GET IT.
WHAT IS WHEN THEY DO THIS? IS THIS IN LIEU OF SALARY? THE EMPLOYERS CONTRIBUTION IN, IN LIEU OF SALARY? YES.
NO, IN ADDITION, WHAT IT WORKS OUT TO, BASED ON THE NUMBERS THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH ON HILTON HEAD, ABOUT 13,000 IN CHANGE AS THE REAL OPERATING COST TO HAVE A CHILD IN A SEAT.
WE'RE FINDING PARENTS CAN AFFORD TO PAY ABOUT HALF OF THAT.
UM, AND, UH, WE'RE THINKING IN TERMS OF A SLIGHTLY MORE CONSTRAINED MODEL OUT ON HILTON HEAD.
UH, WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY WITH TIGHT MARGINS.
AND SO WE THOUGHT 50 25, 25 25, THAT WORKS OUT TO A DOLLAR 50 AN HOUR ON THE EMPLOYER'S PART FOR A 2000 HOUR A YEAR EMPLOYEE.
THAT TO US, SEEMS A VERY REASONABLE PRICE TO PAY TO AVOID TURNOVER AND AVOID THE COST OF HAVING TO RECRUIT AND TRAIN REPLACEMENT WORKERS.
AND THEN DOES THAT BECOME TAXABLE INCOME FOR THE PERSON RECEIVING IT? UM, YOU MIGHT WANNA FIND THAT OUT.
THE, AN THE ANSWER TO THAT IS, I DON'T KNOW.
WHEN, WHEN, WHEN I TOOK TAX AT GEORGETOWN LAW, MY TAX PROFESSOR LOOKED AT ME WHEN I REPORTED ON A CASE AND HE SAID, SURELY MR. SCORE, YOU DON'T MEAN TO SAY IT STANDS FOR THAT.
AND THAT'S BEEN THE HISTORY OF ME IN TAXATION.
WELL, I DO A A RP TAXES AND I CAN TELL YOU HOW IT'S PUT IN THERE.
UM, IT DEPENDS IF IT'S TAXABLE INCOME TO THE RECIPIENT.
SO WE JUST WOULD INVESTIGATE THAT.
WHAT, WHAT I DO KNOW IS THAT SOUTH CAROLINA AND THE STUDY GROUP ARE MOVING TOWARDS MAKING EMPLOYER EXPENSES PAID ON BEHALF OF TAX CHILDCARE.
COULD SAY, I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU SAID WITH EXACT SAME WAY.
I'M ACTUALLY DOING THE SAME THING AS A, AS A GRANDPARENT WITH KIDS THAT NEED TO BE WORKING MORE.
UM, AND IT'S VERY EXPENSIVE AND IT'S, IT'S REALLY A HARDSHIP ON, ON US, MY WIFE AND I, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE'RE PAYING FOR THREE KIDS AND IT'S NOT $600 A MONTH ANYMORE.
YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S UP THERE AND, UM, RIGHT.
BUT IT'S, IT'S FOR THE, JUST EXACTLY WHAT YOU JUST DESCRIBED, AND I FEEL I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU.
THAT'S IN ORDER TO GET THESE YOUNG PEOPLE
[00:20:01]
BACK IN THE WORKFORCE WHERE THEY'RE NEEDED, UM, NOT JUST FOR THE INCOME THAT THEY MAKE, BUT FOR THEIR SANITYUM, IT HELP IS NEEDED, YOU KNOW, AND, AND IT'S NOT JUST THE, THE ONES THAT ARE MAKING ONLY 30, $40,000 A YEAR.
I MEAN, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE MAKING A LOT MORE THAN THAT, IT'S STILL A STRUGGLE.
YOU'RE, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
THE, UH, AND, AND THROW ON TOP OF THAT, THE FACT THAT AMONGST YOUR CONSTITUENTS ARE 2000 PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS WHO DEAL WITH THE REALITY THAT 65% OF THE CHILDREN THEY GET THROUGH THE DOOR AT KINDERGARTEN, FIRST GRADE DO NOT HAVE THE DEVELOPMENTAL SKILLS TO BEGIN A LIFE OF SUCCESSFUL LEARNING.
WE WANT, LET'S GET 65% OF OUR KIDS READY TO LEARN, THINK OF WHAT THE IMPROVEMENTS WOULD BE IN THE OUTCOMES IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM.
UM, I, I AM, UH, AN ADVOCATE FOR CHILDCARE.
I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE, UM, HELP OUR KIDS TO, UH, BE READY FOR SCHOOL, BE SUCCESSFUL IN SCHOOL, AND THAT WE ENABLE PARENTS TO WORK.
I THINK THOSE ARE, ARE LAUDABLE GOALS.
MY QUESTION IS, HAVE YOU SEEN IN YOUR EXPERIENCE OR IN YOUR RESEARCH PUSHBACK FROM OTHERS, SAY EMPLOYEES WHO DON'T HAVE CHILDREN WHO MAY HAVE AN ISSUE WITH AN EMPLOYER CONTRIBUTING TO SOMETHING LIKE THIS? THE ANSWER IS NO.
I HAVEN'T, LARGELY BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T IMPLEMENTED IT HERE IN THE STATE.
UH, BUT I SATISFY MYSELF FOR THE MOMENT WITH THE NOTION THAT, AGAIN, THIS IS JUST AN ADDITIONAL ARROW IN THE QUIVER.
AND DEPENDING ON INCOME LEVELS, THE STATE HAS OTHER FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AVAILABILITIES TO HELP PEOPLE.
SO IT, IT WON'T, IT WON'T HELP SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T HAVE A JOB.
IT WON'T HELP SOMEONE WHO'S MAYBE IN A TWO PERSON LANDSCAPING SERVICE.
AND IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A BMW OR ANOTHER BIG CORPORATION, THEY CAN PROBABLY PUT ON THEIR OWN IN-HOUSE CHILDCARE FOR THEIR EMPLOYEE.
BUT THERE IS A NICHE AND, AND AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, EVERY CHILD, EVERY PARENT THAT WE CAN HELP DESERVES THAT HELP WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE.
I WAS JUST ASKING THE QUESTION FROM AN EMPLOYER STANDPOINT AND FROM A GOVERNMENT STANDPOINT, HOW DO YOU KNOW, HAVE THERE BEEN, UH, PUSH, HAS THERE BEEN PUSHBACK? AND SO HOW, HOW HAS THAT OVERCOME THERE? CERTAINLY THE POTENTIAL FOR IT.
UM, BUT NORTH CAROLINA AND KENTUCKY AND MICHIGAN SEEM TO HAVE FOUND A WAY TO WORK THROUGH, AND I'M SURE WE'RE SMART ENOUGH HERE.
I THINK IT'S A, A, A GREAT PROGRAM.
I AGREE WITH THE QUESTIONS BEEN ASKED.
UM, THE ONLY QUESTION I HAVE IS OUTSIDE OF, OF THIS, AND I KNOW THERE'S THE COMMITTEE AT THE STATE, ARE THEY LOOKING AT WAYS TO ENCOURAGE MORE CHILDCARES TO OPEN? BECAUSE I KNOW ONE OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES WE HAD RIGHT NOW IS EVEN IF YOU, WE HAD A PROGRAM LIKE THIS, THERE AREN'T ENOUGH SEATS FOR THE CHILDREN THAT NEED SEATS RIGHT NOW.
THAT'S ONE OF THE STRUGGLES WE'RE HAVING.
AND ONE OF THE REASONS, ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE DOING, WE'RE PUTTING A CHILDCARE AS PART OF THE, UH, PROGRAM.
UM, BUT IT, AND I KNOW THAT'S WHY THE HOSPITAL'S DOING IT, IS THEY'RE, ARE THEY LOOKING AT SOME WHEN IT COMES TO THE REGULATIONS OR JUST ENCOURAGEMENT TO HELP PEOPLE OPEN UP MORE FACILITIES? YES.
THE, THE AN, UH, THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION IS YES.
THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS ALSO DISCUSSED AT THE SOUTH CAROLINA JOINT COMMITTEE AS WELL.
I KNOW THAT, UM, DSS IS SENDING MONEY OR HAVE PROVIDED GRANT FUNDS TO LICENSED, UM, CHILDCARE FACILITIES.
AND I KNOW A BC QUALITY, WHICH IS ANOTHER DIVISION OF DSS, THEY'RE ALSO DOING THE SAME AS WELL FOR THOSE PROGRAMS WHO WANT TO, UM, PARTICIPATE IN THE QRIS RATING SYSTEM AS WELL.
ALSO, THERE'S ALSO AN ADDITIONAL, UM, UH, INITIATIVE IN PLACE CALLED PALMETTO DRIVE TO FIVE, WHERE THEY ARE COLLECTING, UM, DATA ON ALL OF THE STATE PROVIDERS WHO PROVIDE, UM, CHILDCARE SERVICES.
AND THEY'LL BE ABLE TO GO TO ONE SINGLE WEBSITE TO IDENTIFY WHICH PARTICULAR ENTITY WOULD BEST SERVE THEIR NEEDS, UM, WITHIN THEIR PARTICULAR COMMUNITY.
SO YOU WOULD SIMPLY GO IN, INTO YOUR ADDRESS AND ALL OF THE CHILDCARE, UH, FACILITIES IN YOUR LOCAL DEMOGRAPHIC AREA WILL POP UP, AND THEN YOU CAN CHOOSE FROM THERE.
SO THERE, THERE'S SOME OTHER, UM, UH, SOLUTIONS THAT THEY PUT INTO PLACE TO MAKE CHILDCARE DEFINE CHILDCARE EASIER IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
UM, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ADD, AS IT RELATES TO TRI SHARE, UM, KNOW IN THE STATE OF MICHIGAN, BECAUSE SOUTH CAROLINA HAS ALREADY HAVE SUBSIDIZED, UM, CHILDCARE IN PLACE IN THE STATE OF MICHIGAN, IT, UH, IN THE STATE OF MICHIGAN, THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL IS BETWEEN 201%, 325%.
SO THOSE FAMILIES WHO FALL BELOW THE 200%, UM, FEDERAL
[00:25:01]
POVERTY LEVEL, THEN OF COURSE THERE ARE SOME SUBSIDIES ALREADY AVAILABLE FOR THOSE FAMILIES.SO I'M SURE DSS IS LOOKING AT A VERY SIMILAR MODEL AS WELL, JUST TO MAKE YOU ALL AWARE OF THAT.
AND THAT WAS PALMETTO DRIVE TO THRIVE PALMETTO DRIVE TO FIVE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? SORRY, JOSH.
UM, AND ACTUALLY STEVEN, I WAS JUST GONNA ASK YOU IF YOU, IF YOU COULD PROVIDE SOME MORE DETAILS ABOUT WHAT IT IS THAT YOU'RE DOING.
'CAUSE I UNDERSTAND YOU, I THINK YOU SPOKE ABOUT THIS PREVIOUSLY AT ANOTHER EVENT TO TRY AND INCENTIVIZE OR ATTRACT THAT KIND OF BUSINESS TO COME TO THE AREA.
WHAT, WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT DOING? SO WE'RE DOING AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECT RIGHT NOW OVER IN BUCK WALTER.
AND AS ONE OF, AS PART OF THAT, WE'RE ACTUALLY GETTING ONE OF THE BUILDINGS BACK TO USE AS AN INCUBATOR, COWORK KIND OF GROWTH SPACE.
UM, IN THAT WE SET ASIDE 5,000 SQUARE FEET FOR CHILDCARE FACILITY THAT WE'RE USING ONE OF AT, WE ACTUALLY PUT A RFP OUT, AND IT'S SOMEBODY WHO WENT THROUGH OUR DRCI PROGRAM WHO'S GONNA BE STARTING A NEW CHILDCARE FACILITY AND IS DOING THAT.
WE REQUIRE THEM TO BE ABLE TO OFFER, I THINK IT WAS 25 OR A THIRD OR SOMEWHERE IN THAT RANGE OF THEIR SEATS FOR VOUCHERS FROM THE STATE TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE THEY WERE AFFORDABLE.
UM, SO IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WE KNOW IF YOU'RE TRYING TO GET EMPLOYERS, CHILDCARE IS A BIG, HUGE PART OF THAT.
SO WE MADE THAT PART OF OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECT.
AND THEN I KNOW THE HOSPITAL, UM, THEY'VE DONE THEIR CHILDCARE FACILITY MOSTLY FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES, WHICH IS SIMILAR TO LIKE Y'ALL WERE TALKING ABOUT WITH LIKE BMW OR OTHER PLACES BEING ABLE TO DO THEIR OWN.
UM, BUT WE DID A SURVEY, UM, IN RESEARCHING ON DOING THAT.
AND WHAT WE FOUND IS, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE 18 TO 24 MONTHS OUT FOR WAITING FOR A SPOT FOR CHILDCARE IN THE TOWN.
AND THAT'S IF YOU CAN AFFORD TO DO THAT.
SO THAT'S WHERE MY QUESTION CAME ABOUT, IS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO ENCOURAGE JUST EVEN MORE FACILITIES, BECAUSE IF NOT, YOU CAN SUPPLEMENT IT ALL DAY LONG, BUT IF THERE'S NO SPACES TO GO INTO, THEN YOU'RE STILL GOT 500 PEOPLE FIGHTING FOR 200 SPACES.
UM, SO, AND THEN WHAT I, DID YOU HAVE ANOTHER? NO, I JUST WANTED MORE INFORMATION ON THAT.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS, AND I KNOW SCOTT, YOU'RE ON THE COMMITTEE, THE SUBCOMMITTEE, UM, WHAT WOULD BE THE COMMITTEE'S THOUGHTS? AND THAT'S WHY I WAS LOOKING AT SCOTT.
UM, EVEN IF IT'S NOT A DIRECT SUPPORT OF SOMETHING LIKE TRICARE, BUT DOING SOME SORT OF DRAFT RESOLUTION FOR COUNCILS COUNTY LOCAL TO CONSIDER, TO ENCOURAGE THIS COMMITTEE TO ADDRESS CHILDCARE AND GIVE SOME OPTIONS OF THINGS THAT WE THINK THEY SHOULD CONSIDER AND ASK THE COUNSELS TO ADOPT THAT AND SHARE THAT LIKE WE'VE DONE WITH THE HATE CRIME, LIKE WE'VE DONE WITH, UH, I THINK IT WAS, UH, DISTRACTED DRIVING AND SOME OTHER THINGS SIMILAR IN THE PAST.
AND, UH, WHAT, UM, MSIS ASKING, AND JOHN ALLUDED TO IT TOO, IF YOU COULD PRESENT, UM, A RESOLUTION FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM TO THIS GROUP.
UM, WE HAVE IN THE PAST ALL SIGNED SOMETHING THAT WE'VE SUPPORTED AND SENT IT TO COLUMBIA.
SO IF YOU COULD GIVE US THAT MODEL, AND THEN OF COURSE, WE ALL HAVE TO TAKE IT BACK TO OUR LEGISLATIVE BODIES, UH, FOR THEIR APPROVAL AS WELL.
BUT ONCE WE GET THAT COLLECTIVE APPROVAL, AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT MR. STEVE IS ASKING FOR, WE CAN THEN VOTE ON IT AND SEND IT TO OUR, AND SEND A VERY STRONG COLLECTIVE VOICE TO COLUMBIA.
UH, THAT, THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SUPPORT CERTAIN THINGS, BUT I THINK WE NEED YOU TO GUIDE US ON THAT, THAT VERBIAGE.
IF YOU AND JOHN AND JODY COULD GET TOGETHER AND GIVE US A MODEL PERHAPS FOR NEXT MEETING.
DOES THAT SOUND, UH, LIKE A PLAN? DOES ANYBODY WANT TO ADD TO THAT OR SUBTRACT? NO, I AGREE, MAYOR, AND THAT'S WHERE THE ONLY THING I KNOW IT'S GONNA HAVE TO BE VAGUE ENOUGH BECAUSE WE WON'T KNOW WHAT THE TRUE TRICARE PROGRAM WOULD LOOK LIKE.
BUT I, AND THAT'S WHERE I WAS LEANING ON SCOTT, IS HE KNOWS WHAT HE WOULD HAVE TO TAKE BACK TO HIS COUNCIL IF HE WAS TO DRAFT ONE UP, IS TO MAKE IT VAGUE ENOUGH JUST TO KNOW THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT WE ALL KIND OF AGREED TO, THAT IT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
WE'RE ASKING, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE THIS COMMITTEE ASK THE STATE TO LOOK INTO IT, AND HERE'S SOME THINGS THAT HAVE WORKED ELSEWHERE THAT WE THINK THE STATE SHOULD, SHOULD KIND OF INVESTIGATE, SEND THIS TO COLUMBIA OR GO TO OUR DELEGATION FIRST.
LET ANY THOUGHTS ON THAT? THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
MAYBE THE COMMITTEE AND OUR DELEGATES, THE COMMITTEE AND OUR, WE HAVE TWO DELEGATIONS, BEAUFORT AND JASPER.
SOME OF THEM OVERLAP THINKING, BUT THE DELEGATE, THE BUFORD DELEGATION DOES HAVE, UH, I GUESS MORE CLOUT, IF YOU WILL, THAN THEY HAD AREA IN A LOT OF YEARS.
[00:30:01]
BECAUSE THEY'RE CHAIRMAN OF A BUNCH OF COMMITTEES.AND SO MY QUESTION IS, DO WE GO THROUGH THEM FIRST THEN COLUMBIA? OR THAT WOULD BE, UH, THAT WOULD BE MY, UH, GUT INSTINCT TO TAKE IT FIRST TO OUR DELEGATION AND LET THEM TAKE IT TO WHEREVER IT NEEDS TO GO.
AND SHANNON'S ON THAT AND SHANNON'S ON THERE.
BUT I, I GUESS WHAT WE NEED TO COME TO, I THINK THE MOST POWERFUL ONE WOULD BE IF WE ALL HAVE THE SAME RESOLUTION AND EACH LEGISLATIVE BODY PASSES THE SAME ONE.
SO WE CAN SEND ONE VOICE TO OUR DELEGATION.
SO BETWEEN WHAT YOU OFFERED TO US AND PERHAPS, UH, IN ADVANCE OF NEXT MEETING, I CAN, I CAN SEND IT TO THE BOARD SO THEY CAN RED LINE WHERE THEY WANT.
SO BY THE TIME WE COME TO THE NEXT MEETING, WE HAVE A DOCUMENT THAT WE CAN ALL VOTE ON.
DOES THAT SOUND LIKE SOMETHING, A PLAN THAT AGAIN, ANYBODY WANT TO ADD TO THAT OR SUBTRACT? AND I DON'T MEAN TO BE A DEVIL'S ADVOCATE OR ANYTHING.
YOU KNOW, THAT I COULD SEE SOMETHING COMING UP.
UM, AS FAR AS GOVERNMENT AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THERE ARE TONS OF PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT OWN THEIR BUSINESSES, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WE, WE'VE GOT SOME LITTLE CLOSE THINGS WITH VENUES AND STUFF LIKE THAT THAT WE'RE STARTING TO HEAR, YOU KNOW, SOME PUSHBACK ON.
UM, AND I DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER, AND I'M NOT SAYING IT CAN'T BE WORKED THROUGH, BUT I COULD ALMOST GUARANTEE THAT, THAT THERE WOULD BE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF OPPOSITION YES.
FROM THE, THE CHILDCARE PRIVATE SECTOR, UM, IF, IF WE DON'T GET IT RIGHT.
SO I THINK THAT'S WHERE, UH, MS. LEVITT COULD BE A BIG HELP IN TERMS OF, BECAUSE SHE, SHE'S ACT SHE'S IN THE BUSINESS NOW.
UH, SO YOUR FINGERPRINT ON, UH, MS. LEVITT WOULD PROBABLY BE VERY HELPFUL.
ONE NICE THING, IF I COULD MAKE A COMMENT IN RESPONSE.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS IS AN OLD SHIPYARD TERM.
UH, IT'LL BE UP TO THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES TO DESIGN, FABRICATE, AND INSTALL THE PROGRAM.
AND I EXPECT THAT THEY HAVE ENOUGH EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH THE CHILDCARE PROVIDERS TO GET THINGS SORTED OUT.
IF YOU ASKED ME SPECIFICS AND DETAILS RIGHT NOW, MY ANSWER WOULD BE, I CAN'T TELL BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T BEGUN THOSE DISCUSSIONS.
BUT THE IMPORTANT THING IS TO SEE THE LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION AND THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE, AND ULTIMATELY THE LEGISLATURE PASS THE AUTHORIZING LEGISLATION, PUT SOME MONEY ASIDE TO FUND IT, UH, AND GIVE THE DIRECTION IN GENERAL TERMS TO DSS, WHICH IS ANOTHER WAY OF SAYING YOU WON'T GET STUCK WITH SORTING THAT OUT.
SO ASK DAN IF HE WANTS TO SAY ANYTHING.
DAN, I'M, I'M, I WAS PARTICULARLY NOT ASKING HIM.
WE HAVE SOMETHING TO, UH, ANYONE ELSE FROM THE PUBLIC, WOULD ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC LIKE TO, UH, MAKE A COMMENT OR ASK A QUESTION OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE OR THE BOARD.
AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S INCLUDES ANYBODY WITH A LAST NAME, WOOD
I JUST WANNA THROW IN, BECAUSE AS A PROVIDER, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE NOT RECOGNIZING IS THAT THE CAPACITY EXISTS FOR ADDITIONAL SEATS.
THERE ARE CHILDCARE PROVIDERS CURRENTLY WHO HAVE THE CAPACITY, BUT WE DO NOT HAVE THE STAFFING AVAILABLE TO FILL THAT CAPACITY.
SO IT'S, IT'S BEYOND JUST THE COST TO PROVIDE WHAT'S HAPPENING.
IF YOU TALK TO THE PEOPLE AT TCL, IF YOU TALK TO THE PEOPLE PROVIDING THE EDUCATIONAL CURRICULUM CURRICULUM AT USCB, THAT FUNNEL IS DECREASING.
THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE LOOKING AT EARLY CHILDHOOD IS DECREASING.
AND WHY IS THAT? BECAUSE IT'S NOT A CAREER THAT CREATES A, UM, SUSTAINABLE, UH, WAGE, A LIVING WAGE.
SO THERE ARE MORE ISSUES THAN JUST HOW TO PAY FOR CHILDCARE.
WE HAVE TO LOOK BEYOND THAT AND TRY AND FIGURE OUT HOW CAN WE BALANCE PROVIDING A LIVING WAGE FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE
[00:35:01]
IN A SQUARE BOX WITH AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF ENERGY EVERY DAY FOR EIGHT HOURS.MY TEACHERS ARE HEROES, I'M TELLING YOU.
UM, AND, AND AFFORDABILITY FOR PARENTS.
SO THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER PERIPHERAL THINGS THAT OUR COMMITTEE NEEDS TO WORK ON, BUT THIS IS JUST STEP ONE.
BUT I JUST DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO THINK WE HAVE TO GO OUT AND BUILD A WHOLE LOT OF NEW CHILDCARE CENTERS, BECAUSE WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS START BY LOOKING AT THE CAPACITY THAT'S AVAILABLE CURRENTLY, AND HOW DO WE FILL THAT CAPACITY.
SO, UM, ANYWAY, I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT.
IF I COULD ASK YOU JUST ONE QUESTION, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF YOUR EMPLOYEES TEACHERS WOULD, WHATEVER THE TITLE IS THAT WORK AT THE DAYCARE CENTER OR CHILDCARE CENTER, HAVE CHILDREN THERE AS WELL? RIGHT NOW I HAVE, UM, A VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE.
MAYBE TWO OR THREE OF OUR, OF OUR FAMILIES HAVE CHILDREN, BUT THEIR CHILDREN HAVE, THEY'VE BEEN WITH ME LONG ENOUGH THAT THEIR CHILDREN HAVE GROWN AND AGED OUT.
AND TO SOMEONE'S QUESTION, MAYBE IT WAS YOURS, ANGIE, ABOUT, UM, OR I'M NOT SURE, MAYBE.
ANYWAY, THE QUESTION ABOUT, WELL, HOW DO YOU GIVE TO ONE AND ONE EMPLOYEE AND NOT TO ANOTHER? WELL, IN OUR CASE, WE PROVIDE FREE TUITION FOR OUR TEACHERS THAT HAVE CHILDREN.
I HAVE TEACHERS THAT DON'T HAVE CHILDREN.
NOBODY HAS QUESTIONED AND SAID, WHY DO THEY GET IT? AND I DON'T.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALL A MATTER OF PRESENTATION FROM THE, FROM THE CORPORATE SIDE.
THE OTHER PIECE I JUST WANNA THROW OUT THERE IS WE, UM, JOHN SCORE MYSELF, UM, TOM HENS, WE ARE ALL ALSO WORKING ON THE BUSINESS SIDE WITH THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
THE HILTON HEAD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HAS PRIORITIZED, AND I'M GONNA SAY EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION INSTEAD OF CHILDCARE AS A PRIORITY FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
SO HAS THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
WE HAVE MET WITH REPRESENTATIVES BOTH FROM THE STATE CHAMBER AND OUR LOCAL CHAMBER, AND THEY'RE ON BOARD WITH THIS AND OTHER THINGS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
SO WE HAVE THAT BUSINESS CONNECTION AS WELL TO TRY AND PULL THE WHOLE THING TOGETHER.
YOU HAVE, YOU HAVE, UH, BIG SHOULDERS, MR. LEWIS, UH,
UM, SO I, I GUESS THAT'S WHY, BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY ASPECTS THAT WE NEED TO COME UP WITH.
YOU KNOW, AS, AS A FORMER SALESMAN, YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO BE CLEAR WHAT THE ASK IS.
YOU KNOW, SO WE, WE WANT TO COME UP WITH A COLLECTIVE VOICE AND MAKE SURE WE SEND A CLEAR ASK.
WHAT DO WE WANT THEM TO DO FOR US? YES.
AND I COULDN'T EVEN BEGIN TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION, MR. WOOD.
THE ONLY PLEASE COME UP TO THE, UH, BECAUSE WE WANT THREE MINUTES, SIR.
WE WANNA,
WE WANNA MAKE SURE YOU'RE RECORDED, UH, IN CASE WE HAVE TO PROSECUTE YOU LATER.
I HAVE NOT HAD THE PLEASURE OF MEETING YOU.
UH, OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE WELL VERSED ON THE TOPIC AND WE WORKED TOGETHER A LITTLE BIT AND SHE WAS EYE-OPENING TO ME, SHOW ME WHAT I DID NOT KNOW.
AND THAT WAS ONE REASON I DIDN'T WANT TO BE INVOLVED ON A COMMITTEE ANY LONGER.
'CAUSE YOU GOTTA PUT IT WHERE IT'S WITH PEOPLE THAT ARE CAPABLE.
THE ONLY, THE ONLY OTHER THING I WOULD LIKE TO BRING UP, UM, IN OUR, IN OUR, WHEN WE WERE WORKING TOGETHER, YOU OBVIOUSLY, YOU HAVE THE PROFIT SIDE AND YOU HAVE THE NON-PROFIT SIDE.
AND THE NON-PROFIT SIDE IS TASKED WITH FUNDRAISING A LOT OF TIMES.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S A HORRENDOUS TASK.
AND SO I THINK WE SHOULD CONSIDER THAT WHEN YOU WERE DEALING WITH AN ORGANIZATION THAT'S A NONPROFIT.
THE OTHER THING I WOULD ONLY ASK IS THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON, SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO HIT A SINGLE BEFORE YOU HIT A HOME RUN.
AND WE HIT IDENTIFIED THE, THIS ISSUE SOMETIME AGO.
AND SO WE'VE OBVIOUSLY MADE A MOVEMENT FORWARD THAT THE TOWN MANAGER HAS ALREADY EXPLAINED.
SO THE ONLY THING I WOULD ENCOURAGE ALL THE PEOPLE SITTING AT THIS TABLE IS TO LOOK AT THE MODEL THAT BLUFFTON STARTED WITH AND GIVE US YOUR PROS AND YOUR CONS.
AND WE JUST HAD TO START SOMEWHERE.
WE'RE NOT SAYING WE'VE GOT THE BEST, UH, AUTOMOBILE TO DRIVE, BUT WE HAVE TO START SOMEWHERE.
AND IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE CAN'T IMPROVE WHAT WE'RE DOING SOMEWHERE DOWN THE ROAD.
SO PLEASE TAKE A LOOK AT IT, GIVE THE TOWN MANAGER YOUR COMMENTS, PRO OR CON ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
I'M USED TO GOING AND, AND COPY AND BLUFFING AND, YOU KNOW, SO THAT WOULD BE EASY FOR ME TO DO.
OR HARDY, I'M SORRY, MR. LEWIS,
[00:40:01]
ANY, ANY OTHER COMMENTS BEFORE WE GO ON? WELL, THERE'S ONE LAST, UH, UH, ITEM I WOULD LIKE, NOT A ITEM, BUT JUST, UH, FYI, UM, FOR THE BOARD.UM, JODY BROUGHT UP A GOOD POINT AS IT RELATES TO PAY FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD PROVIDERS.
UM, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DID IN OCTOBER OF 24 WAS THEY CREATED, WELL, THIS IS PARTICULAR AND SPECIFIC TO HEAD START, BUT THEY MANDATED THAT BY YEAR 2025 THAT ALL HEAD START PROGRAMS HAD TO CREATE PAY PARITY BETWEEN HEAD START PROGRAMS IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO ENSURE THAT IT WAS IDENTIFIED AS A CAREER FIELD AND THAT IT WOULD BE A SUSTAINABLE WAGE FOR THOSE, THOSE CHILDCARE PROVIDERS.
SO WE KNOW THAT THE FEDS HAVE ALREADY BEGUN THAT PROCESS.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'LL HAVE TO DEFINITELY TAKE A LOOK AT THE STATE LEVEL AS WELL AND LOCALLY, UM, BECAUSE TO, TO BE ABLE TO FILL THOSE SEATS, AS JODY STATED, YOU HAVE TO HAVE QUALIFIED PERSONNEL, BUT YOU HAVE TO HAVE QUALIFIED PERSONNEL WHO ARE MAKING A LIVABLE WAGE.
ARE THERE ANY, UH, STATE OR FEDERAL REGULATIONS, UH, MANDATING CERTAIN LEVELS OF, OF PAYERS OR JUST LIKE ANY OTHER BUSINESS, WHATEVER THE MARKET WILL BEAR? CORRECT.
UM, WE HAVE A LOT, I, UH, I'LL JUST FOR THE TOWN OF HARDY V OUR COUNCIL AT OUR RETREAT YESTERDAY DID IDENTIFY CHILDCARE AS AN OBJECTIVE AND THAT WE WOULD BE LOOKING TO, SO LOCO TO HELP GUIDE US.
NOW, WE'LL HAVE A MODEL ALSO FROM BLUFFTON TO GUIDE US.
UM, AND I WILL PRESENT, UH, JOSH, UH, WE SHOULD PRESENT TO COUNCIL, IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A PILOT VOLUNTEER, UH, WE WILL ASK THE, OUR COUNCIL IF THEY WANT TO BE ONE OF THOSE PILOTS.
AND WE HAVE TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS HERE, SO, UH, IF THEY WANT TO BE A PILOT, WE'LL WE'LL LET YOU KNOW.
[C. Topics for 2025 Agendas]
THE 2025 AGENDA.UM, YOU'LL SEE STAPLED TOGETHER AND THEY'RE AVAILABLE FOR THE PUBLIC.
AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THE THINGS I'VE RECEIVED FROM VARIOUS, UH, PEOPLE.
UH, AND I JUST SUMMARIZED THE THEM.
UM, I ALSO, ON THE SECOND PAGE, YOU'LL SEE THE POLL FOR THE 2024 AGENDA ITEMS. SO THERE MIGHT BE SOME THINGS ON THAT THAT, UM, YOU MAY, UM, WANT TO CONSIDER THAT WE DIDN'T CLOSE OUT THAT WE WANT TO PICK UP AGAIN.
UM, AND I, THE LAST COUPLE PAGES WERE THESE SUPPORTING, UM, EMAILS THAT, UH, I RECEIVED FROM VARIOUS PEOPLE.
SO MY LITTLE BULLET POINT IS MORE, UH, DEFINED IN, IN THE ENCLOSED EMAILS.
UM, SO, UH, WHAT WE WANT TO ACCOMPLISH IS TO LAY OUT A LIST OF WE HAVE 10 MORE MONTHS IN THIS YEAR, WHAT THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO PURSUE, UM, GOING, GOING FORWARD.
KEEP IN MIND ALSO, WE HAVE, UM, SUBCOMMITTEES THAT WE'VE, UM, INCLUDING WHAT WE HEARD TODAY.
WE HAVE, I SEE MR. MERCHANT IS HERE TALKING ABOUT THE DIFFERENT, UH, GROWTH GROUND BOUNDARIES OF, OF THE MUNICIPALITIES.
AND ALSO WE HAVE, UM, ASKED FOR A LITTER SUBCOMMITTEE THAT HAS REALLY, HASN'T, HASN'T GOTTEN OFF THE GROUND YET.
AND, UM, I'LL, I'LL TAKE THE BLAME FOR THAT.
I HAVEN'T KICKSTARTED THE, THE VOLUNTEERS YET.
SO, UM, SO KEEP IN MIND THAT WE DO HAVE SEVERAL SUBCOMMITTEES ALREADY GOING.
UM, SO WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS, I'LL, I'LL JUST GO THROUGH THESE REAL QUICK FOR EVERYBODY.
UM, THE BEAUFORT COUNTY IS TAKING A PLASTIC BAG SURVEY AND, UH, CHAIRPERSON HOWARD, UH, HAS ASKED IF POSSIBLY MARCH SHE PRESENT TO THE, UM, TO THE BOARD THE RESULTS OF THAT.
THAT'S PROBABLY NOT A FULL MEETING.
UM, THE, WE ALSO HAD A, UM, A REQUEST TO BRING UP THE UNHOUSED POPULATION PROBLEM THAT SEEMS TO BE GROWING.
IT IS ALSO THAT OUR COUNCIL FROM HARDY V HAS TALKED ABOUT.
BUT AGAIN, THAT'S ANOTHER ONE THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR GUIDANCE FROM THIS COMMITTEE, UM, OR THIS BOARD.
[00:45:02]
UM, ALSO, AND ANOTHER THING THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IN JASPER COUNTY.AND JASPER COUNTY HAS A RETREAT TODAY.
HOW DO WE DELIVER FIRE AND EMS SERVICES IN BOTH COUNTIES AND HAVE A DISCUSSION ON ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS.
AS WE ALL KNOW, WE'RE STARTING INCREASINGLY TO COMPETE FOR THE SAME WORKFORCE FOR POLICE AND FIRE AND THE WAY IT IS STRUCTURED.
IS THERE A BETTER WAY OR IS THE WAY WE HAVE THE BEST WAY? BUT CERTAINLY THAT CONVERSATION HAS BEEN ASKED TO BE BROUGHT FORWARD.
AND WE WILL BE, WE BEING HARDY V AND JASPER COUNTY, WE WILL, THE, THE SUBJECT OF SHARED SERVICES IS SOMETHING WE'RE GOING TO PROMOTE.
UM, WE'VE HAD A REQUEST TO INVITE COURTNEY KIMMEL TO DISCUSS THE WETLANDS PROTECTION.
UH, AND THAT EMAIL IS IN YOUR, YOUR PACKET.
UM, I ADDED A AND B THAT WE SHOULD ALSO, THIS IS A REGIONAL COMMITTEE INVITE JASPER COUNTY.
'CAUSE AS YOU, MOST OF YOU PROBABLY KNOW, THEY DO HAVE A MORATORIUM IN PLACE IN AN ATTEMPT TO PRESERVE PARTS OF THEIR COUNTY.
UM, SO THEY SHOULD BE PART AND ALSO, UH, KATE SCHAFER, THE OPEN LAND TRUST.
I UNDERSTAND THERE ARE THROUGH THE OPEN LAND TRUST, UM, DESIGNATED QUOTE GREEN AREAS THAT, UH, PERHAPS, UH, KATE COULD SHARE WITH US THOSE AREAS THAT WANT TO PRESERVE.
UM, THIS PARTICULARLY COMES UP BECAUSE BOTH BEAUFORT AND NOW JASPER COUNTY, THEY PASSED A REFERENDUM.
WE'LL HAVE FUNDS THAT WILL BE ACCUMULATED FOR, UH, GREENBELT INITIATIVES, UM, LOBBY OUR, OUR STATE DELEGATIONS TO PROTECT HUNTING DOGS FROM ABANDONMENT.
UM, MR. GUZMAN, WHO WAS, WAS ELECTED A FEW WEEKS AGO TO BE HARDY VS.
UM, I TEASE HER ALL THE TIME BECAUSE SHE IS THE FIRST SRI LANKAN WOMAN TO SERVE IN THAT CAPACITY IN THE CITY OF HARVILLE.
UM, THE, WE BOTH HAVE THIS THING ABOUT RESCUES AND, UM, RIGHT NOW THERE'S NO LAW PROTECTING HUNTING DOGS.
THERE'S, UH, WHAT WE HEAR FROM THE RESCUES THAT, UH, PEOPLE CAN JUST ABANDON THEIR HUNTING DOGS AFTER THEY'RE DONE WITH THEM AND THEY'RE BEING LEFT.
AND, AND SO THERE'S LEGISLATION PROTECTING SOME, SOME OF THIS, BUT NOT HUNTING DOGS.
UM, AND THAT WOULD BE A SIMILAR INITIATIVE, JUST LIKE, YOU KNOW, ANY INITIATIVE WHERE WE JOINTLY SEND A, A NOTE TO OUR DELEGATION.
UM, DO WE WANNA AN ANALYZE THE SALES REP REFERENDUMS IN BEAUFORT AND JASPER COUNTY? UH, BEAUFORT FAILED AS WE KNOW IN JASPER PASSED.
UM, WHAT EFFECT WILL THAT HAVE? AND IF THERE'S ANY, UH, OPINIONS ON WHAT BEAUFORT COUNTY SHOULD DO IN THE FUTURE, UH, DISCUSSION ON HOW TO PREVENT OVERDEVELOPMENT AND THAT, THAT PROBABLY TIES INTO THE GREENBELT INITIATIVES AS WELL.
UH, REVIEW OF EACH JURISDICTION'S COMPREHENSIVE PLANS.
UM, AND ALSO WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST IS ASK EACH JURISDICTION TO GIVE A 15 MINUTE PRESENTATION OF WHAT THEIR GOALS ARE FOR THE COMING YEAR.
NOW, SOME OF 'EM, WE DID OURS YESTERDAY.
JASPER COUNTY'S DOING THEIRS TODAY.
UH, I DON'T KNOW, THERE'S DIFFERENT SCHEDULES FOR DIFFERENT JURISDICTIONS.
SO THOSE ARE THE, THOSE ARE THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN PUT FORWARD.
NOW IT'S UP TO US AS A GROUP TO DECIDE WHAT WOULD WE LIKE TO TALK ABOUT IN THE NEXT 10 MONTHS.
SO TO KIND OF FRAME THE DISCUSSION, UH, LET'S START WITH THESE SUGGESTIONS.
IF ANYBODY WANTS TO COMMENT ON, UH, EITHER YES OR NO OR SAYING, UH, THE FIRST ONE SHOULD BE THE LAST ONE.
YOU KNOW, ANY ORDER PRIORITY THAT YOU WANT TO OFFER TO THE BOARD TO CONSIDER, I'LL OPEN IT UP FIRST TO THE BOARD MEMBERS TO, UH, MAKE ANY COMMENTS OR SUGGESTIONS.
I'D START BY SAYING, UM, ANALYZING THEIR STATE, OUR SALES TAX REFERENDUMS IN BEAUFORT AND JASO COUNTY SHOULD BE ON THE TOP OF OUR LIST.
I, I, I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
MYSELF, ANYBODY, ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBER HAVE ANY OPINION? UM, WHAT EXACTLY DOES THAT MEAN, ANALYZE? WELL, I, I THINK FOR, IN TERMS OF THIS BOARD MM-HMM
[00:50:01]
UH, IT'S AN OPEN DISCUSSION ON WHAT THEY THINK SHOULD BE, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEIR THOUGHTS ARE, WHAT THEIR OBSERVATIONS WERE.UM, AND UH, ALSO I THINK IT PROBABLY WOULD INCLUDE WHETHER OR NOT THEY THINK BEAUFORT COUNTY SHOULD PASS OR, UH, PUT FORTH A REFERENDUM IN 2026.
DO YOU HAVE ANY AS A MEMBER OF THIS BOARD OR, WELL, I COULD TELL YOU, UM, DO YOU HAVE AN OPINION ON THAT? WE'RE SETTING OUR PRIORITIES FEBRUARY 4TH, SO WE WILL BE ABLE TO DO THE JURISDICTIONAL GOALS AND OBVIOUSLY THE TRANSPORTATION REFERENDUMS ON THE TOP OF OUR LIST.
'CAUSE WE NOW HAVE A BRIDGE HANGING OVER OUR HEAD.
UM, SO THAT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO HEAR PEOPLE'S PERSPECTIVES.
WE'RE DOING A LISTENING TOUR WITH CONSTITUENTS.
I THINK IT'S GREAT TO HEAR LISTENING, YOU KNOW, PERSPECTIVES.
I KNOW JASPER COUNTY PASSED, WHICH WE HAVE LESSONS LEARNED FROM.
THAT IS, IS ALL I'M GONNA SAY THERE AND WE GET IT.
SO I THINK IT WOULD BE A GOOD DISCUSSION AND IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR PEOPLE WHO MAYBE SEE THIS WHEN THEY CAN'T SLEEP AT TWO IN THE MORNING, UM, TO SEE THE DISCUSSION.
SO THERE'S SOME, THERE'S BOTH COMPETING INTERESTS.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GONNA TAKE PRECEDENCE GOING FORWARD.
WELL, WE HAVE A THIRD ONE IN THERE, WHICH IS CAPITAL PROJECTS.
WE HAVE A LAW ENFORCEMENT CENTER WE'D LIKE TO DO AND NO FUNDING FOR THAT EITHER.
AND IN BEFORD COUNTY, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME POINT IN DISCUSSION OF LOCAL OPTION SALES TAX.
WE'RE ONE OF THREE COUNTIES OR FOUR COUNTIES IN THE STATE THAT DOESN'T HAVE IT.
AND IT'S AN EXTRA STREAM OF INCOME KNOWING THAT THE BEAUTY OF IT IS, IT'S A WIN-WIN FOR THE PROPERTY OWNER.
'CAUSE THEY GET 71% OF THAT MONEY HAS TO GO FROM JACKSON.
FAILED FOUR, THREE YEARS AGO, YEARS AGO.
SO EVERYTHING COMES BACK, RIGHT.
SO THAT, THAT SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S A, THERE'S A LOT OF, UH, YOU KNOW, THOUGHTS AND AND OBSERVATIONS THAT PERHAPS WE SHOULD MAKE THIS, UH, A CONVERSATION, UH, FOR ONE OF THE MEETINGS.
UM, ANYONE ELSE ON, ON THE SUGGESTIONS THAT ARE PUT FORWARD? ANYBODY, UH, SUPPORT, WANT TO ADD THEIR SUPPORT OR, OR, UH, THEIR OPINION ON WHETHER OR NOT WE SHOULD DISCUSS THAT TOPIC? MAYOR? YES.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, WE RECOMMENDED ONE, WHICH WAS THE, THE WETLAND PROTECTION.
WE, THAT'S ONE THING THAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW BECAUSE FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW THE SUPREME COURT RULING OUT, THERE ARE NO MORE WETLAND, UH, FRESHWATER WETLANDS.
IT HAS TO BE CONTIGUOUS TO A NAVIGABLE WATER SOURCE AND ACTUALLY TOUCHING.
UM, THAT IS A BIG IMPACT FOR US.
AND I ASSUME IT'S GONNA BE A BIG IMPACT FOR OTHERS, ESPECIALLY HARDY V THAT ARE A LITTLE MORE INLAND.
UM, SO WE'RE ACTUALLY CONTRACTING WITH SOMEBODY TO HELP US DRAFT LANGUAGE ON THAT, THAT IS DEFENDABLE IN COURT.
'CAUSE WHAT WE'VE HEARD FROM THE STATE LEGISLATORS IS THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THEY SEE AS A PRIORITY IN THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
AND I THINK THE LONGER THAT THAT LINGERS OUT THERE, THE MORE RISKS THERE IS FOR WETLANDS TO BE IMPACTED AND LEAD TO MORE POTENTIAL FLOODING AND LONG-TERM RISK FOR THE REGION.
SO, UM, AGAIN, THAT'S ONE THAT I WOULD SAY I WOULD, I WOULD RECOMMEND, I THINK OUR COUNCIL, UM, HAS SUPPORTED THAT THEY VOTED ON IT LAST MONTH TO SPEND A COUPLE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS TO MOVE FORWARD TO DO THAT.
SO THAT'S ONE I WOULD, I WOULD PUSH.
I'LL JUST BRING UP REALLY QUICK WHILE WE'RE ON THAT TOPIC.
UM, I ACTUALLY JUST HAD A CONVERSATION WITH REPRESENTATIVE, UM, ERICKSON ABOUT THIS A COUPLE DAYS AGO.
AND SHE FOLLOWED UP WITH SCDS TO SEE, UM, IF, I GUESS THEY MET A WEEK AGO, AND THEY WERE PROVIDING A SUMMARY OF WHAT THAT, WHAT TOOK PLACE IN THAT CONVERSATION.
AND SHE WAS GONNA SHARE THAT WITH US WHENEVER IT CAME BACK.
SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL SEE AN UPDATE ON, ON WHAT THE STATE'S POSITION IS.
I, I KNOW WHEN WE TALKED TO ISA, WERE, THERE WERE NO PRE-FILED BILLS OR ANYTHING WITH IT.
SO THAT'S ALL WHY I MADE THE STATEMENT I MADE.
SO HOPEFULLY THEY'LL DECIDE TO DO SOMETHING.
CERTAINLY THAT, UH, THE LAND PRESERVATION ALSO IN THE CITY OF HARDY V IS ONE OF THE OBJECTIVES WE TALKED ABOUT IN OUR, UM, RETREAT YESTERDAY AS WELL.
SO I THINK, UH, HARDY V WOULD SUPPORT THAT CONVERSATION AS WELL.
MR. MAYOR, UM, I LIKE THE STUDYING HOW WE DELIVER FIRE AND EMS SERVICES, AND I'M GONNA SAY THAT'S BEEN ON THE RADAR OF COUNTY COUNCIL FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS.
I'VE BEEN ON IT AND IT'S GONE NOWHERE.
WE HAVE ALL THESE FIRE DISTRICTS, THEY ALL CHARGE SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
THEY ALL HAVE TO COMPLETE THEIR BUDGET WITH US.
[00:55:01]
IT'S VERY CONFUSING.AND I THINK THERE COULD BE SOME CONSOLIDATION, POSSIBLY.
I'M NOT AN EXPERT, BUT WE SHOULD LOOK AT HOW TO BEST FUND THEM AND BEST USE THE EXPENDITURES BECAUSE I, I'M NOT QUITE SURE WE'RE DOING THAT.
YEAH, I, I, AGAIN, SPEAKING TO HARVILLE BECAUSE WE HAD OUR RETREAT YESTERDAY, UH, WORKING WITH JASPER COUNTY AND DISCUSSING SHARED SERVICES AND OVERLAPS IS SOMETHING ON, YOU KNOW, ON OUR COUNCIL'S MIND AS WELL.
SO I, I THINK, UH, WE WOULD SUPPORT THAT, UH, ALSO.
UM, I'M INTERESTED IN THE, THE STUDY OF SOLUTIONS FOR REGIONAL UNHOUSED POPULATION CHALLENGE.
UM, WE RECENTLY ON THE ISLAND HAD A WARMING SHELTER AND IT WAS AMAZING TO ME THE NUMBER OF FOLKS WHO WERE EMPLOYED WITH EMPLOYERS LIKE SEA PINES WERE AMONG THE FOLKS WHO CAME TO, UH, THE SHELTER BECAUSE HOUSING COSTS HAVE GOTTEN SO, UM, HIGH THAT IT'S DIFFICULT TO, TO FIND PLACES TO LIVE.
SO I THINK THAT IS DEFINITELY A CHALLENGE THAT, UM, IS ONLY GONNA GET WORSE.
AND THIS WAS, UH, PUT FORWARD BY THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON, UH, THE MAYOR AND, UH, THE ADMINISTRATOR BOTH, UH, SUPPORTED THAT AS WELL.
I THINK IT WAS BUFORT BUFORT BUFORT.
MY, MY WIFE'S A TEACHER ON HILTON HEAD AND THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THEY HAVE LIVING IN VEHICLES AND TRANSIENT IS, IT'S, IT'S GROWING.
WE'RE SEEING IT IN BLUFFTON IN OUR PARKS.
AND I KNOW SCOTT HAD MENTIONED IT IN THE EMAIL THAT HE SENT.
SO I THINK PART OF THE BIGGER ISSUE IS IT NEEDS TO BE REGIONAL BECAUSE NONE OF US HAVE A SHELTER.
I KNOW WE'RE TRYING TO GET A WARMING SHELTER, NONE OF OUR CHURCHES ARE STEPPING UP, OR PRIVATE GROUPS OR PRIVATE ENTITIES ARE STEPPING UP.
SO I THINK IT'S, I AGREE, A HUNDRED.
NO, UM, DON'T MEAN TO SPEAK FOR THE MAYOR OR COUNCIL, BUT I THINK THEY WOULD SUPPORT THAT AS WELL.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF THERE IS AN IDENTIFIED PLAN FOR THIS DISCUSSION ASIDE FROM WHAT'S LISTED HERE, BUT, UM, JUST AS A NOTE, I'M, I WAS INVITED TO A CONVERSATION TOMORROW WITH HEATHER CARVER, UM, SHE'S THE DIRECTOR FOR 180 PLACE IN CHARLESTON.
AND THE, THE CONVERSATION IS IN REGARDS TO HOMELESS DIVERSION AND, UM, UNHOUSED PROBLEM SOLVING.
SO I'M NOT SURE HOW THAT WOULD GO, BUT MAYBE IT'D BE A VALUE TO HAVE HER DO A PRESENTATION ON SOME OF THEIR, UM, RECENT INITIATIVES, UH, AND THE SUCCESS THAT THEY'VE HAD IN, IN CHARLESTON FOR THIS TOPIC.
JOSH, IF YOU COULD SEND ME THAT INFORMATION, UH, BECAUSE TYPICALLY WHAT, WHEN I SET THESE AGENDAS, I, I'LL ASK A, LIKE TODAY WE HAD ORLANDO, UH, I'LL ASK SOMEONE TO GIVE AND LEAD THE DISCUSSION AS OPPOSED TO JUST OPENING IT UP.
WE'LL, WE'LL BRING IN LIKE, UM, UH, BLUFFTON SUGGESTED THIS COURTNEY KIMMEL, BUT I WILL ALWAYS TRY TO BRING SOMEBODY IN.
SO TO FOLLOW UP ON YOUR SUGGESTION, I'LL, IF YOU SEND ME THE INVITATION OR HER INFORMATION, I'LL INVITE HER TO GIVE US A PRESENTATION.
BECAUSE THAT SEEMS TO BE SOMETHING ON EVERYBODY'S MIND.
AND THERE'S TWO PARTS TO THAT.
A THERE'S THE DAY-TO-DAY UNHOUSED POPULATION, BUT AS WE ALL RECENTLY DEALT WITH THAT UNHOUSED POPULATION, WHEN IT'S 19 DEGREES OUTSIDE, WE DON'T HAVE PLACES FOR THEM TO GO TEMPORARILY.
UM, SO THAT, THAT COULD BE AN, A AB TOPIC.
UM, WOULD, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE THE, UH, RESULTS OF THE PLASTIC BAG SURVEY? THAT IS SOMETHING THAT PROBABLY WILL COME UP IN BEAUFORT COUNTY AND I KNOW THAT, UM, TAB AND ALICE HOWARD, UH, THEY PUT THAT TOPIC FORWARD PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE TAB A WHOLE, IT WOULD BE SHORT.
WE COULD MAKE IT PART OF, OF, UH, A MULTI-PART AGENDA.
AND I HOPE EVERYBODY TAKES THE SURVEY.
IT'S ABOUT THREE MINUTES AND YOU'LL BE SURPRISED WHAT THEY ASK.
CAN Y'ALL RESEND THE SURVEY OUT AND WE'LL SHARE IT AS WELL? UM, SURE.
IS IT STILL GOING ON? OH YEAH.
HOW ABOUT IF I SEND IT TO HARRY AND HE CAN PUT IT OUT TO, I'LL, I'LL PUT IT OUT TO, UM, TO THE BOARD AND OUR, OUR MAILING LIST.
DO YOU HAVE IT HARRY, OR DO YOU NEED IT? I DON'T THINK I HAVE IT.
WELL, I THINK THAT THAT WILL KEEP US BUSY FOR QUITE A NUMBER OF MONTHS BECAUSE SOME OF THESE TOPICS LIKE, UM, THE WETLANDS PROTECTION, THAT MAY BE MORE THAN ONE MEETING.
SO, UM, THAT WOULD BE DEVELOPMENT
[01:00:02]
IN GENERAL, RIGHT? UH, ALL PART OF THE BIGGER PICTURE AND WHERE SHOULD GOOD POINT GO AND, AND WHAT SHOULD BE PROTECTED AND WELL, AND I THINK THAT CARRIES INTO ONE OF THE IDENTIFIED PRIORITIES THAT WE HAD FROM LAST YEAR, AND IT'S HARD TO IDENTIFY AND SEE THE IDENTIFIED PRIORITIES AND THEN KNOW THAT ALL OF THESE DIDN'T GET DISCUSSED OR ADDRESSED, AND THEN KIND OF MOVE THOSE TO THE WAYSIDE AND CREATE A NEW LIST OF PRIORITIES.UM, BUT I, I WOULD DEFINITELY TIE IN THE RESILIENCY AND NATURAL DISASTERS, WHICH WAS IDENTIFIED AS A MEDIUM PRIORITY TO THE, UM, WHAT SEEMS TO BE NOW THE PREVENT OVERDEVELOPMENT.
UM, WE HAD, OR THE COUNTY HAD A GREEN PRINT PLAN.
UM, I DON'T KNOW THAT THE FULL REPORT IS OUT OR THAT THE OVERLAY IS BUILT INTO THE GIS SYSTEM, BUT YOU COULD STILL FIND THE TARGETED GREEN SPACE AREAS THAT CAME FROM THAT STUDY AND THEN SOME OF THE, UM, RESILIENCY RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO MAYBE TAKING A DEEPER DIVE INTO IMPLEMENTING SOME OF THOSE SUGGESTIONS FROM THE STUDY WOULD BE HELPFUL.
BUT I THINK THAT THAT PRIORITY COULD JUST CARRY OVER TO, UM, INTO THE DEVELOPMENT CONVERSATION.
SO THAT CONVERSATION DEFINITELY GOT TO BE MORE THAN
UH, SO WE, MY, WHAT I HAVE IS THAT WE'LL, WE'LL TIE IN, UM, THE FOURTH BULLET POINT A AND B AND THE, UH, DISCUSSION ON HOW TO PREVENT OVERDEVELOPMENT WILL TIE THAT IN AS WELL AS, UM, THE, I MADE A NOTE FOR THE TO HAVE THE GREEN SPACE STUDY AND PERHAPS WE CAN HAVE, UM, UH, KATE HELP US WITH THAT AS WELL.
ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR OUR AGENDA FOR 2025? WOW.
TAYLOR LAD, PLANNING MANAGER FOR BEAUFORT JASPER WATER AND SEWER.
I THINK THIS WILL TIE IN REALLY WELL WITH SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS THAT YOU'RE HAVING, BUT NEXT MONTH WE ARE KICKING OFF OUR WATER AND SEWER MASTER PLANNING INITIATIVE, AND I'M LUCKY ENOUGH TO RECEIVE THE ASSIGNMENT AS PROJECT MANAGER.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO ENGAGING WITH YOUR STAFF AND MANY ELECTED OFFICIALS ON THIS PROJECT.
IT WILL BE VERY HEAVILY GROUNDED IN PLANNING, LAND PLANNING, CONVERSATION, DISCUSSION, AND LOOKING AT GROWTH AND PROJECTIONS.
UM, OF COURSE THERE WILL BE YOUR TYPICAL ENGINEERING AND TECHNICAL SIDE TO IT, BUT VERY MUCH FOUNDATIONAL WITH THE PLANNING DISCUSSION WILL BE A PART OF THIS PLAN.
UH, WE EXPECT IT WILL LOOK KIND OF LIKE, I GUESS WHAT YOU GUYS ARE USED TO SEEING AS A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AS A PLANNER.
COMING FROM MUNICIPAL BACKGROUND, I CAN'T HELP BUT TIE THAT IN THERE.
SO I JUST WANT TO, UM, OFFER THAT.
I WE'RE LOOKING AT DELIVERY PROBABLY LATE SUMMER FOR THIS PROJECT, BUT I, I'D LIKE TO OFFER, UM, PROVIDING AN UPDATE OR SOME KIND OF SHORT PRESENTATION ABOUT OUR FINDINGS AND PROCESS AS WELL.
THAT'S, UH, CAN I ASK ONE QUESTION BEFORE SHE SITS? SURE.
UM, SO NICE TO MEET YOU FIRST.
UM, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAD AS A HIGH PRIORITY LAST YEAR WAS THE UPDATE ON, UM, CAPACITY AND PRIORITIES.
AND THEN COMING OUT OF THE UPDATE THAT WE RECEIVED FROM BEAUFORT, JASPER WAS YOU GUYS ARE ESSENTIALLY AT CAPACITY.
UM, AND THEN IT WAS DETERMINED THAT ABOUT 50% OF WHAT'S BEING USED, IT GOES TOWARDS IRRIGATION.
SO MY QUESTION IS, IS THERE VALUE IN US HAVING A CONVERSATION REGARDING GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AND POTENTIALLY REDUCING THE AMOUNT OF, OF RUNOFF TO THE SYSTEM BECAUSE ANOTHER ONE OF OUR ISSUES THAT WE ARE TRYING TO TACKLE IS, IS STORM WATER.
SO, UM, IS THERE VALUE IN A GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE CONVERSATION FROM BEAUFORT JASPER'S POSITION? I THINK THAT COULD BE A LITTLE MORE IN THE DETAILS THAN WHAT WE'RE AFTER WITH THIS MASTER PLANNING EFFORT.
IT'S MORE HIGH LEVEL, BUT I CAN CERTAINLY SEE A RECOMMENDATION COMING OUT OF THE MASTER PLAN WOULD BE TO GO IN THAT DIRECTION AND LOOKING MORE CLOSELY AT A POLICY TO ADDRESS THAT KINDA GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE.
WE COULD, WE COULD ADDRESS THOSE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS WHEN WE INVITE BEAUFORT, JASPER.
WE DID HAVE 'EM IN LAST YEAR, UH, BUT THEY, THEY WENT OVER THE CAPACITY ISSUES RIGHT.
AND WHERE, WHAT THEY WERE DOING.
UH, VERNA SPOKE TO THE GROUP LAST YEAR, RIGHT.
UM, AND GIVING THE GROWTH THAT WE'VE ALL EXPERIENCED EXPONENTIALLY IN THIS AREA.
WE WE'RE KICKING OFF A NEW MASTER PLANNING.
THIS WILL BE A BRAND NEW MASTER PLAN SO THAT WE CAN BE SURE AND INCLUDE THESE OBSERVATIONS AND GET GOOD SOLID DATA FROM STAFF
[01:05:01]
AND PLANNERS WHO ARE WORKING IN THE AREA WITH DEVELOPMENT DEVELOPER INPUT AS WELL.I AM JOCELYN STEIGER, THE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS DIRECTOR FOR THE BEAUFORT, JASPER COUNTY REALTORS AND THE HILTON HEAD AREA REALTORS.
UM, I BRING THIS UP AT EACH MUNICIPALITY, UM, THE COUNCIL MEETINGS AND SO LOCO AND COUNTY MEETINGS, UM, AFFORDABLE AND WORKFORCE HOUSING, ATTAINABLE HOUSING.
WE'VE DISCUSSED IT AD NAUSEUM.
IT'S NOT ON THE LIST, UM, YET.
WHAT I CONTINUE TO HEAR AT EACH COUNCIL MEETING FOR EVERYONE'S JURISDICTIONS IS STOP GROWTH, STOP DEVELOPMENT, PRESERVE LAND.
UM, NOW YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT FINDING HOUSING ALSO FOR HOMELESSNESS.
SO, UM, I'VE BEEN SAYING FOR YEARS THAT I THINK THESE TWO THINGS ARE DIRECTLY OPPOSED TO EACH OTHER, AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW WE CAN KEEP DOING BOTH IN ALL OF OUR JURISDICTIONS.
IF YOU WANNA STOP GROWTH AND YOU WANNA STOP DEVELOPMENT AND YOU WANNA PRESERVE LAND, THEN YOU CAN'T HAVE HIGH DENSITY, AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS OR THE THINGS THAT ARE NEEDED TO BE DONE TO GET THIS HOUSING BUILT.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S AN AGENDA ITEM OR DISCUSSION, BUT WE CAN'T KEEP DOING BOTH.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE IN OPPOSITION AND I WANT TO KEEP AFFORDABLE AND WORKFORCE HOUSING AT THE TOP OF EVERYBODY'S LIST, EVEN THOUGH I KNOW YOU'RE ALL WORKING ON IT.
SO PERHAPS WE CAN MAKE THAT A PART A TO THE CONVERSATION OF, YOU KNOW, OVERDEVELOPMENT AND PRESERVATION, BECAUSE LIKE YOU SAID, IT'S SOMETIMES AND MANY OF THESE ISSUES, THERE'S COMPETING OBJECTIVES AND, AND SO, UH, I WROTE IT DOWN.
UM, DAN, DO YOU, YOU'RE THE LAST ONE BEFORE ADJOURN, MAYOR.
I JUST, UH, A LOT OF THIS, WHAT I'M ABOUT TO ASK, I THINK WILL PROBABLY REVEAL ITSELF ON SOME OF THE WETLAND DISCUSSIONS, BUT, UM, THE STORMWATER ISSUES AND FLOODING, UH, DURING THE LAST HURRICANE PERIOD, BLUFFTON HAS SUBSTANTIAL FLOODING.
UH, ONE DEVELOPMENT HAS BEEN HIT TWICE IN EIGHT YEARS.
AND I'M TALKING WATER WASTE DEEP, NUMEROUS HOUSES IMPACTED.
UM, SO WE'VE STARTED HAVING SOME GENERAL DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THAT AND THE COST WOULD BE PROHIBITIVE.
AND MOST OF THESE JURISDICTIONS WERE BUILT ON A 25 YEAR STORM SYSTEM, WHICH IS INADEQUATE BY TODAY'S STANDARDS.
SO A LOT OF THE PUDS DO NOT HAVE THE RESOURCES TO GO IN AND REBUILD THESE, THESE STORM DRAINS.
UM, SO ANYWAY, WHAT I'M ASKING IS, AND AGAIN, I HOPE THAT LEADS ITSELF INTO SOME OF THE WETLAND DISCUSSION AND PRESERVATION, BUT I WOULD HOPE THAT, UH, AND STEPHEN, I'M ASKING YOU TO FIND OUT FROM THE OTHER JURISDICTIONS WHO DID HAVE FLOODING AND, AND THE MAGNITUDE OF THE FLOODING, BECAUSE THIS IS NOT GOING AWAY ANYTIME SOON.
UH, I CAN ONLY IMAGINE A, A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT JUST FLOODED TWICE IN EIGHT YEARS, GETTING EVEN FLOODED AGAIN IN ANOTHER TWO YEARS.
UM, I KNOW HILTON HAD HAD THE OPPORTUNITY YEARS AGO BECAUSE THEY WERE FLOODING AND THEY WERE ABLE, JUST THE NATURE OF THE DESIGN OF THE LAND WITH THE, WITH THE, UH, THE LAGOON SYSTEMS, THEY WERE ABLE TO GO IN AND TAKE OVER CONTROL OF THE STORMWATER SYSTEMS FROM OTHER PS AND THEN THEY PUT THEIR OWN PUMPING SYSTEM AROUND THE ISLAND.
UH, SO THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY THAT HILTON HIT HAVE.
ANYWAY, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT GETS LOOKED AT AND DISCUSSED IN GREAT DETAIL.
'CAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE COST PROHIBITIVE.
AND I'VE ALREADY TALKED TO THE STATE, UH, SENATOR DAVIS AND OTHERS ABOUT, UH, YOU KNOW, FUTURE FUNDING FOR SOME OF THIS BECAUSE NO ONE JURISDICTION IS GONNA BE ABLE TO DO IT ON THEIR OWN.
IT'S NOT JUST FLOODING THE SEA LEVEL RISE AS WELL, PARTICULARLY FOR US.
YOU WOULDN'T THINK WE HAD ANY MORE PROBLEM WITH GLOBAL WARMING AFTER LAST WEEK, THOUGH.
'CAUSE I KNOW YOU SAID, UH, THE LAST SPEAKER HAS ALREADY SPOKEN.
YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO, I THINK IT'S A GOOD SUMMARY.
A LOT OF THE ISSUES THAT CAME UP, I THINK THAT THIS SO LOCO GROWTH SUBCOMMITTEE COULD ADDRESS, YOU KNOW, AND I THINK THAT THE QUESTION OF OVERDEVELOPMENT AND WHERE WE GROW IS CLOSELY RELATED TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING BECAUSE I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WANNA MAKE SURE AS A REGION WE'RE TARGETING, YOU KNOW, AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN PLACES WHERE IT MAKES SENSE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ACCESSIBLE TO SERVICES.
SO I THINK IT CAN BE A WIN-WIN TO, IF WE HAVE A SHARED VISION TO PRESERVE LAND IN THE RIGHT PLACES AND TO CONCENTRATE GROWTH IN THE RIGHT PLACES.
I, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT, THAT IT'S NOT A, UH, YES GROWTH OR NO GROWTH.
I THINK IT'S, IT'S MANAGED GROWTH.
AND SO I THINK THAT OUR SUBCOMMITTEE WE'RE PREPARED TO COME BACK.
[01:10:01]
UM, I WOULD SAY IN THE MARCH TIMEFRAME.I KNOW THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF COMPETING INTERESTS, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE ARE WORKING WITH, UM, SEVERAL GROUPS WE'RE WORKING WITH, WITH THE MILITARY, WITH THE, UM, SENTINEL LANDSCAPE ABOUT POSSIBLE, UM, PATH FORWARD TO HAVE SOME SORT OF WORKSHOP TO LOOK AT REGIONAL GROWTH ISSUES THAT WE'D LIKE TO COME BACK TO THE COMMITTEE AND TALK ABOUT.
SO WHAT, WHAT, UH, I'LL SUGGEST IS THAT ON THE MARCH AGENDA, BECAUSE WE CAN DO MULTIPLE THINGS, WE'LL GET AN UPDATE FROM THE SURVEY, WE'LL GET AN UPDATE FROM ROB, YOUR COMMITTEE, AND, UH, MR. LEWIS, I'LL ASK YOU IF YOU WANT TIME TO UPDATE YOUR COMMITTEE.
SO WE'LL USE MARCH AS UPDATES TO, TO COMMITTEES.
AND TYPICALLY ON AN ENDING NOTE, WHAT WE'LL DO, AND ONE OF THE REASONS YOU, YOU, UH, VOTE DID IT IN THE QUOTE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, UH, AT EACH PRIOR TO EACH MONTH, UM, AGENDA, I SEND IT TO THAT EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.
SO ALAN AND LARRY WILL APPROVE EACH MONTH'S AGENDA AND I'LL WORK THIS OUT, GET IT APPROVED BY THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND ALWAYS WHAT I TRY TO DO LIKE NEXT MONTH, UM, I'LL ASK IF IT'S OKAY, WHAT YOU WANT FOR MARCH.
SO RIGHT NOW, BASED ON MY NOTES, WHAT WE WILL, UH, I'LL PUT DOWN IS A, UH, I'LL INVITE BUFORT AND JASPER COUNTY FOR FEBRUARY TO, UH, GIVE A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THEIR, UM, GOALS.
AND THAT COULD LEAD INTO THE DISCUSSION ON ANY INPUT WE WANT TO GIVE IN TERMS OF, OF REFERENDUMS. AND THAT COULD BE TRANSPORTATION, CAPITAL, UH, GREEN SPACE, WHATEVER JASPER, UH, BUFORT COMES BACK AND SAYS THEIR GOAL.
SO I'LL TIE THOSE IN TOGETHER.
DOES THAT SOUND OKAY FOR THIS BOARD FOR FEBRUARY? IT DOES.
UH, SORRY, I'VE, I'VE, UH, HELD A 70 MINUTE MEETING.
IT DOESN'T HAVE AN OFTEN, BUT IT WAS A GREAT DISCUSSION.
SO I THINK IT WAS WORTH THE EXTRA 10 MINUTES.
AND THANK YOU FOR COMING AND, UH,
[V. ADJOURNMENT]
GIVING US YOUR TIME.UM, MAYOR ANGIE, TELL THE MAYOR PERRY, MAYOR, UH, REAL QUICK, JUST BEFORE YOU CLOSE OUT, THERE WAS SOMETHING YOU BROUGHT UP LAST MEETING AND IT WAS IN REGARDS TO, UM, HAVING A MORE FORMAL SYSTEM, SYSTEMIZED, UM, MAYBE DELEGATES TO THE SUBCOMMITTEES TO HELP OUT.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT MAYBE YOU ALREADY DID OR YOU STILL WANT TO DO? YOU KNOW, UM, THANK YOU.