Legislative eNews
Government Affairs Update from the Hilton Head Island-
Bluffton Chamber of Commerce -- June 27-July 1, 2005
Your Chamber of Commerce is the business community's source of information during hurricane operations: www.hiltonheadisland.org
Hurricane preparation tip : Make backup copies of all critical records such as accounting and employee data, as well as customer lists, production formulas, and inventory. Keep a backup copy of your computer's basic operating system, boot files, and critical software. Store a copy of all vital information on-site and a second in a safe off-site location.
Topic #1 -- U.S. 278 public information meeting scheduled -- The South Carolina Department of Transportation will host on July 26 a public information meeting about the project to widen U.S. 278 and improve intersections along the roadway. The meeting will be at the county library in Bluffton. Time to be determined.
Topic #2 -- County, School District budgets approved -- Beaufort County Council on June 27 approved its $73 million operating budget and the school district's $136.9 million budget. Both budgets will result in property tax increases. The county budget will mean a $12 per year increase for the owner of a $200,000 home; and the school district budget will mean a $21.60 increase for the owner of a $200,000 home. The county's growth in population and the need for more services triggered the tax increases.
Topic #3 -- Funding approved for college's new building -- Beaufort County Council on June 27 approved a $4.7 million contract award to a Charleston-based company to build the Technical College of the Lowcountry's multipurpose building on the college's new southern Beaufort County campus located on U.S. 278. But council members instructed County Administrator Gary Kubic to discuss with the company a perceived lack of substantial effort in seeking participation from local small and minority businesses in the construction project . Mr. Kubic said he will report back to council this month about his meetings with the company.
Topic #4 -- Reverse 911 system approved for emergency management -- A $67,910 contract bid was awarded to a Tennessee-based company by Beaufort County Council on June 27 to install a reverse 911 system that will allow emergency officials to target specific areas of the county impacted by an emergency. An example of an emergency would be evacuation ordered for a hazardous material spill. A federal grant from the Department of Justice is funding the project.
Topic #5 -- Town convenes meeting to pursue sewer solutions -- Mayor Tom Peeples of Hilton Head Island, Town Council members, utility representatives, community leaders and residents met on June 29 to discuss eliminating septic tanks and ensuring sewer systems are available -- and used -- town-wide. Mayor Peeples had earlier proposed several ideas and convened the meeting to seek feedback. He calls septic tanks "truly a community-wide issue relative to water quality" and also a health issue. Further discussion and action will follow. Town leaders want to gather all the facts about failing septic tanks and what's required to replace them with sewer. Ted Felder of Cong. Joe Wilson's office said he will bring federal and state environmental officials to the town to learn more about the issue, with the idea that government funding could be available.
Tim Bennett
VP for Government Relations
P.O. Box 5647
Hilton Head Island, SC 29938
Office -- (843) 341-8370
Email -- tbennett@hiltonheadisland.org
