Legislative eNews
Government Affairs Update from the Hilton Head Island-
Bluffton Chamber of Commerce -- May 30-June 3, 2005
Your Chamber of Commerce is the business community's source of information during hurricane operations: www.hiltonheadisland.org
Hurricane Preparation Tip : Business Interruption Insurance is a vital part of your hurricane preparation. The insurance pays for lost income if a firm is temporarily closed or its income reduced due to a covered loss, such as a hurricane.
Topic #1 -- Gloomy news about the funding gap -- Southern Beaufort County faces an estimated $366.6 million funding gap over the next 15 years for roads, parks, schools, libraries, fire and emergency medical services. That was the gloomy news heard on June 3 by the Southern Beaufort County Regional Plan steering committee. The total needs for infrastructure amount to an estimated $495.6 million -- 92% of these costs is for roads, schools and parks. The steering committee, in its eighth month of an 18-month process, will continue to develop options to address the needs. The committee and its consultants will brief its goals to the county's Land Management Committee on June 20 at 6 p.m., at the Bluffton Library; the Town of Hilton Head Island's Planning and Development Standards Committee at 3 p.m., on June 21; and Bluffton's Town Council and Planning Commission at 6 p.m. on June 21.
Topic #2 -- Bi-State Metropolitan Initiative continues -- Participants in the Bi-State Metropolitan Initiative met May 31 in Savannah and continued to discuss ways to "overcome barriers of differences in state laws and regulations that make it difficult to impossible for the region to function" efficiently. Citizens from Beaufort and Jasper counties and from the Savannah region discussed transportation, economic development, education/workforce development, and water/sewer.
Topic #3 -- Emergency officials discuss hurricane preparation -- Members of the Hilton Head Island town staff continue to accomplish tasks outlined in a disaster recovery plan prepared by a citizen task force. Jay Harter, the town's emergency management coordinator, briefed the Greater Island Committee on June 2 that the town staff is working on a fast-track permitting process, damage assessment procedures, debris management, and ordinances. Meanwhile, the town has a new emergency operations / 911 dispatch center and is working with Beaufort County to implement a reverse 911 messaging system and a siren-alert system.
Meanwhile, William Winn, the county's emergency management director, briefed the Greater Island Committee that hurricane evacuations will continue to be a challenge. He said the problem is not in Beaufort County, but outside the county where a lack of road infrastructure results in gridlock as motorists attempt to flee the coast. Evacuation times will increase as the population increases. He added his major concern is recovery from a hurricane. "I don't believe people fully understand the impact of a hurricane on a community," he said.
Tim Bennett
VP for Government Relations
P.O. Box 5647
Hilton Head Island, SC 29938
Office -- (843) 341-8370
Email -- tbennett@hiltonheadisland.org
