COMMISSIONERS:
Andy Thomas, Chair
Teddy Manos, Vice Chair
Collin Bruner, Secretary-Treasurer
Dale Aren
Eduardo Curry
Lisa King
Mattese Lecque
David Bennett, Executive Director
Commission Update ______
April 11, 2018
Commission Meeting – Monday, April 16, 2018 - CCPRC Headquarters at 5:30 pm
Commission Meeting Agenda Highlights
Old Business: Spring Grove Cell Tower Lease Charlie McManus will bring forward the results of his continued research efforts and the points of discussion regarding the changes to the proposed lease.
New Business:
Planning and Capital Projects Update:
Kevin Bowie will give an overall update on the Planning and Captial Projects as well as the approved 5-Year Capital Improvements Plan Projects. Patty Newshutz will introduce the Cooper River Assessment consultant, Applied Technology and Management ATM, and they’ll review their findings.
Action Item:
There are two items that will require Commission action on Monday evening (supplemental information attached).
Special Parks District Forum:
CCPRC has been chosen to host this year’s Special Parks District Forum in May. Matt Rosebrock and Eric Stewart will bring review the purpose of the event, event agenda, etc.
861 Riverland Drive Charleston, South Carolina 29412 (843) 762-2172 FAX (843) 762-2683 1 CHARLESTON COUNTY PARK AND RECREATION COMMISSION REGULAR COMMISSION MEETING 861 RIVERLAND DRIVE, CHARLESTON, SC, 29412 MONDAY, APRIL 16, 2018
AGENDA I. Call To Order And Welcome Thomas
A. Introduction of Guests and Notification to Media
II. Public Comments/Presentations Thomas
III. Approval of Minutes Thomas
A. (ACTION) Approval of March 19, 2018 Regular Commission Meeting Minutes
IV. Old Business A. (Action) Spring Grove Cell Tower Lease McManus
V. New Business A. Planning and Capital Projects Report Bowie a. Cooper River Marina Assessment Bowie/Newshutz B. Financial Report McManus a. (Action) Pump-Out and Portable Toilet Services Contract C. Agency Highlight: Special Parks District Forum Rosebrock/Stewart D. (Action) May Commission Meeting Time Change Bennett
VI. Next Meeting A. Regular Commission Meeting, Monday, May 21, 2018, 5:30pm at CCPRC Headquarters, Charleston, SC
2 UNAPPROVED MINUTES CHARLESTON COUNTY PARK & RECREATION COMMISSION REGULAR COMMISSION MEETING 861 RIVERLAND DRIVE, CHARLESTON, SC, 29412 MONDAY, MARCH 19, 2018
Commission Members Present: Mr. Andy Thomas, Mr. Teddy Manos, Mr. Collin Bruner, Ms. Dale Aren, Ms. Lisa King, Mr. Eduardo Curry, and Ms. Mattese Lecque
Staff Present: Mr. David Bennett, Mr. Kevin Bowie, Mr. Charlie McManus, Ms. Donna Gueldner, Ms. Gina Ellis-Strother, Ms. Julie Hensley, Ms. Patty Newshutz, Mr. Phil Macchia, Mr. Steve Hutton, Mr. Tommy Hale, Mr. Josh Blackstone, Mr. Greg Elliott, Ms. Jeanne Lange, Ms. Victoria Jilote, Mr. Matt Moldenhauer, and Ms. Shanté Ellis
Legal Counsel Present: Mr. Dwayne Green
Guests Present: Mr. James Hampton, Ms. Ashley Demosthenes, Ms. Shannon Praete, and Ms. Cathy Ruff
I. Call to Order and Welcome
A. Introduction of Guests and Notification to Media
The Charleston County Park & Recreation Commission met on Monday, March 19, 2018 at the CCPRC Headquarters, Charleston, SC. Mr. Thomas, Chair, called the meeting to order and welcomed those in attendance. Mr. Thomas informed those present that notification of the meeting had been sent to the local news media and others requesting notification and asked that the record reflects the Commissioners present.
II. Public Comments
A. None
III. Approval of Minutes
B. (ACTION) Approval of minutes of January 22, 2018 Regular Commission Meeting
Motion to approve the minutes of the January 22, 2018 Regular Commission Meeting was made by Ms. Lecque, seconded by Mr. Manos, and approved by the Commission. (#061-1718)
IV. Old Business
A. None
V. New Business
A. Urban Greenbelt Grant Requests a. (ACTION) Urban Greenbelt Grant Requests
Ms. Ruff presented four projects and asked the Commission to consider approval. She noted the projects were approved by the Urban Greenbelt Committee and submitted by The City of North Charleston, Town of Lincolnville, and Lowcountry Land Trust.
Mr. Thomas asked where the conservation easement funds go after a purchase. Ms. Ruff stated the funds would ultimately go to the landowner and noted the holder of the conservation easement would be the Lowcountry Land Trust. Mr. Thomas asked if the funds would be
3 Regular Commission Meeting March 19, 2018 Page 2 of 5
reimbursed if the easement was ever removed or developed in the future. Ms. Ruff noted if the land is used for anything other than what it was approved for, under the Urban Greenbelt, the land would have to be replaced with like land or the grant would need to be reimbursed.
Motion to recommend approval to the County Council for the following Urban Greenbelt projects: City of North Charleston fee simple purchase of the 2676 Olympia Road property for $21,216, City of North Charleston fee simple purchase of the Fellowship Road/Dewesbury Lane property for $142,100, Town of Lincolnville fee simple purchase of property for the Lincolnville Nature Trail for $93,557, Lowcountry Land Trust conservation easement purchase of the Three Friars property for an amount not to exceed $900,000 was made by Mr. Manos, seconded by Ms. Lecque, and approved by the Commission. (#062-1718)
B. Planning and Capital Projects Report
Mr. Bowie presented an update on the following Commission approved Capital Projects: Rifle Range Traffic Circle near Six-Mile County Park o Mr. Bowie stated that a real estate developer would like to purchase a parcel of land from the Six-Mile County Park site to make a traffic circle. Ms. Ruff explained that after calculations an assessment of $15,000 is more than a fair offer, but the Urban Greenbelt is reviewing the issue. She noted that if replacement is approved she’s considering splitting the reimbursement based on the percentage of contribution. Mr. Thomas asked if the plat value is current market value or based on the purchase price. Mr. Ruff noted that she will follow up on that question. Pending Commission Approval: o Isle of Palms County Park Shelter Replacement & Donation o Old Town Creek County Park Design and Construct In Progress o Sol Legare Boat Landing o McLeod Stabilization o Wannamaker County Park Design and Construct Dog Park o Folly Beach Fishing Pier RFP o Folly Beach County Park Amenities o Splash Zone Attraction o Hollywood Pool Complex – The facility master plan is complete; the project is moving to the design and development phase. o Campground Restroom Renovations Postponed o Whirlin’ Waters Attraction – Summer 2019
C. Financial Report
Mr. McManus presented and reviewed the financial reports for the month of January; there were no further questions from the Commission.
a. HQ Emergency Building Repair Information
Mr. McManus informed the Commission of emergency repairs that are continuing to be required for the Headquarters building. Originally, the work was budgeted as an operations repair and
4 Regular Commission Meeting March 19, 2018 Page 3 of 5
maintenance project, but has since transitioned into a Capital Project. The agency has been invoiced $69,915 to date and $45, 290 is estimated to complete the project.
b. (ACTION) FY19 Budget
Mr. McManus reviewed the budget highlights.
Mr. Bennett noted the type and number of services offered by CCPRC is increasing. He noted the staff’s expectation to serve over three million customers next year.
Mr. Thomas requested a financial Plan for the locations that are losing revenue in comparison to bringing on new facilities. Mr. Bennett noted the budget process’ balance approach of revenue vs services offered. Mr. Thomas agreed that the parks are not always created to generate revenue, but he noted that throughout his tenure he’s seen certain locations not reach their potential. Ms. Gueldner stated the fruits of staff’s labor and marketing efforts at Johns Island County Park (JOICP) are starting to be seen. Mr. Bruner noted a new sub-division near the facility could potentially increase its use. Mr. Curry noted that the other purpose of the Commission is to offer pristine land that offers patrons interfacing opportunities with nature. Ms. Aren agreed that it is a fine balance. Mr. Macchia noted that JOICP attendance numbers are increasing indicating the location is transitioning to more of a day park. Mr. Bennett noted that the facilities that need an attendance boost have been identified and have future Capital Projects proposed to keep the balance.
Motion to accept the FY 2018-2019 budget and submit to the Charleston County Budget Office was made by Ms. King, seconded by Mr. Bruner, and approved by the Commission. (#063-1718)
c. (ACTION) Stantec Consultant Services, Inc. for Old Towne Creek County Park Contract Change Order
Motion to approve a change order increase of $641,325 with Stantec Consulting Services, Inc., for a total contract amount of $751,782 with funds coming from the approved CIP Budget was made by Ms. Lecque, seconded by Ms. Aren, and approved by the Commission. (#064-1718)
d. (ACTION) Splash Zone Waterpark Pricing Increase
Mr. Bruner asked if the revenue total was included in the proposed budget or this fiscal year’s fees and changes. Mr. McManus stated that the change wasn’t included in the upcoming budget as it needed Commission approval prior to being committed to the budget. Mr. McManus also noted that the timeline for the waterpark attraction was not finalized during the fees and changes proposal.
Mr. Manos asked for the background info on the contractor and the data they used to make recommendation. Mr. McManus noted that the contractor used past attendance figures and current attractions to make the recommendation.
Mr. Bruner asked if the season pass rate would increase. Mr. Macchia confirmed that an increase will be proposed in the future once both Splash Zone and Whirlin’ Waters waterpark attractions are open.
5 Regular Commission Meeting March 19, 2018 Page 4 of 5
Mr. Bennett noted the Directors reviewed the balance of revenue generating projects vs non- revenue generating projects and determined projects that would require an increase during the 5-year plan discussions.
Mr. Curry asked how much revenue would be generated from the increase. Mr. Macchia stated that it is a potential increase of $90,000.
Ms. Gueldner noted that only the general admission rate change is being requested. Other discount rates will be unchanged and noted the number of non-cost amenities offered.
Mr. Bruner and Mr. Manos asked when Splash Zones fees were last increased. Mr. Macchia stated that they were last adjusted approximately 10 years ago.
Motion to approve the Splash Zone waterpark pricing increase of $2 with funds recognized in the General Agency budget was made by Mr. Curry, seconded by Ms. Lecque, and approved by the Commission. (#065-1718)
e. (ACTION) Isle of Palms Shelter Donation
Motion to accept an $8,000 donation from Mark & Maria Geesey to contribute to the construction of a shelter at the Isle of Palms County Park was made by Ms. King, seconded by Ms. Aren, and approved by the Commission. (#066-1718)
f. (ACTION) Isle of Palms Shelter Replacement
Motion to purchase the two Poligon structures from Churchich Recreation & Design with the funds coming from the CIP Budget and donation revenue was made by Mr. Bruner, seconded by Mr. Manos, and approved by the Commission. (#067-1718)
g. (ACTION) Spring Grove Cell Tower Lease
Mr. Manos asked if there is any language for a review of the terms after five years. Mr. Bruner noted that he mirrored Mr. Manos’ concern and the need to review the price with imperial data. Mr. McManus stated he reviewed five carriers and noted that the option to renew would be included in the lease.
Mr. Thomas thanked Mr. Manos and Mr. Bruner for their discussion on potential revenues and Mr. McManus for his research.
Motion to table the Spring Grove Cell Tower Lease Action Item was made by Mr. Bruner, seconded by Ms. Lecque and approved by the Commission. (#068-1718)
Motion to amend the previous motion to table the Spring Grove Cell Tower Lease Action Item to include allowing staff to do further due diligence was made by Mr. King, seconded by Mr. Bruner, and approved by the Commission. (#069-1718)
Mr. Curry and Ms. Lecque abstained from the vote.
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h. (ACTION) Two-Way Radio Purchase
Motion to purchase 40 replacement radios and chargers from state contract for $97,000 with funds coming from the approved IT General Agency budget was made by Ms. Aren, seconded by Ms. Lecque, and approved by the Commission. (#070-1718)
D. Executive Session (Contractual Matters)
Motion to enter into Executive Session to discuss a legal and contractual matter was made by Mr. Bruner, seconded by Mr. Curry and approved by the Commission. (#071-1718)
Upon coming out of Executive Session, the Chair stated that the Commission was briefed on agency policy with regards to firearms and concealed weapons permitting, Baker Site contractual matters were discussed, and no action was taken.
Motion to enter into a Baker-Site ground lease agreement with the United States Performance Center was made by Ms. King, seconded by Mr. Curry, and approved by the Commission. (#072-1718)
Ms. Aren abstained from the vote.
Mr. Bruner noted he will be unable to attend the April Meeting. Ms. Aren noted that she will be unable to attend the May Meeting.
VIII. Next Meeting
Regular Commission Meeting, Monday, April 16, 2018, 5:30pm at CCPRC Headquarters, Charleston, SC
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 7:23 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Andy Thomas, Chair Shanté Ellis, Executive Administrative Manager
7
MEMORANDUM
TO: David Bennett FROM: Charles McManus DATE: April 11, 2018 RE: Spring Grove Cell Tower Lease
As part of the Edisto Spring Grove land donation to CCPRC from Mead-Westvaco, the agency was assigned a cell tower lease agreement with SBA Sites, LLC. This site is located at Bing Hill Road, Adams Run, SC 29426. The current lease term expires on July 27, 2020, and the current annual rent is $18,232. In order for SBA to maintain their current carriers (cell phone providers) on a long-term basis, they requested a new long-term lease agreement with CCPRC.
Finance has negotiated a 25-year term with optional renewals, with an initial one-time singing bonus of $26,000, annual rent of $26,000, a 10% share of additional broadband gross revenue over the existing three carriers and a 4% annual increase, yielding the agency a total of $1,068,148 (excluding any additional revenue share) over the term.
Recommend approval to enter into a lease agreement with SBA Sites, LLC with a total of $26,000 for year one and a 4% increase for the next 24 years.
8
Prepared by: Joanne Beaulieu After recording return to: Ronald Chong SBA Network Services, LLC 8051 Congress Avenue Boca Raton, FL 33487-1307 Ph: 1-800-487-7483 ext. 7872
Parcel ID: 175-00-00-017
AMENDMENT TO OPTION AND LAND LEASE
THIS AMENDMENT TO OPTION AND LAND LEASE ("Amendment") is executed this ______day of ______, 2018, by and between CHARLESTON COUNTY PARK AND RECREATION COMMISSION, a South Carolina special purpose district, having an address at 861 Riverland Drive, Charleston, SC 29412 ("Lessor") and SBA SITES, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, having a principal office located at 8051 Congress Avenue, Boca Raton, Florida 33487-1307 ("Lessee").
WHEREAS, SBA Towers, Inc., a Florida corporation and Westvaco Corporation, a Delaware corporation, entered into that certain Option and Land Lease, dated June 2, 1999, as evidenced by that certain Memorandum of Land Lease, recorded August 3, 1999, in Book V331, Page 309, and ultimately assigned to Lessee, successor by conversion to SBA Sites, Inc., a Florida corporation, pursuant to that certain Assignment and Assumption of Ground Lease, recorded April 3, 2000, in Book C 345, Page 149, both recordings of the Register of Deeds Office of Charleston County, South Carolina, as amended and assigned from time to time (collectively, “Agreement”) for Lessee’s use of a portion of the real property ("Leased Space") located at Bing Hill Road, Adams Run, SC 29426 (“Premises”), being more particularly described in the attached Exhibit “A”; and
WHEREAS, Lessor is successor in interest to Westvaco Corporation, a Delaware corporation; and
WHEREAS, Lessor and Lessee desire and intend to amend and supplement the
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Agreement as provided herein.
NOW, THEREFORE, for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto covenant, agree and bind themselves to the following modifications to the Agreement:
1. Section 3. Term, of the Agreement is hereby amended as follows:
In addition to the Terms as referenced in the Agreement, the Agreement is hereby amended to include five (5) additional successive terms of five (5) years (each an “Additional Renewal Term”). Each Additional Renewal Term shall be deemed automatically extended, unless Lessee notifies Lessor of its intention not to renew the Agreement ninety (90) days prior to the commencement of the succeeding Additional Renewal Term. The first Additional Renewal Term shall commence on June 18, 2019 (“Additional Renewal Term Commencement Date”), upon the expiration of the Term expiring on June 17, 2019.
2. Section 4. Rent, of the Agreement is hereby amended as follows:
On the Additional Renewal Terms Commencement Date, Lessor’s Annual Rent shall be increased to Twenty Six Thousand and 00/100 Dollars ($26,000.00). Commencing on July 1, 2020, and each anniversary of such date thereafter, Lessor’s Annual Rent shall incur an increase of four percent (4%). All escalations currently provided in the Agreement arising prior to the Additional Renewal Term Commencement Date shall be unaffected by this section.
In addition to the Annual Rent, Lessor shall receive an additional ten percent (10%) monthly revenue sharing (“Revenue Share”) beginning with the fourth (4th) broadband telephony sublessee, including but not limited to, PCS providers such as AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile and Sprint-Nextel (collectively, “Broadband”), using the Leased Space. Notwithstanding the foregoing, all Revenue Share contained herein shall be payable one month in arrears upon Lessee’s receipt of rental payment from its sublessees. Lessee shall provide Lessor a summary report listing the sublessees on the tower and the sublessee’s monthly rent with Lessor’s monthly Revenue Share check. In the event the third (3rd) Broadband sublessee is no longer a tenant on the Leased Space, the fourth (4th) Broadband sublessee who collocated on the Leased Space will take the place of the third (3rd) Broadband sublessee for purposes of being excluded from the revenue sharing provisions of this section. In no event shall any Revenue Share be paid if there are less than four (4) Broadband tenants.
3. Section 9. Assignment and Subleasing, of the Agreement is hereby deleted in its entirety and replaced as follows:
Lessee may sublet all or part of the Leased Space or may assign or transfer this Agreement in whole or in part without Lessor’s consent. Upon such assignment, Lessee shall be relieved of all liabilities and obligations under this Agreement.
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4. Section 10. Notices, of the Agreement is hereby amended as follows:
If to Lessor: Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission 861 Riverland Drive Charleston, SC 29412
If to Lessee: SBA Sites, LLC Attn: Site Administration 8051 Congress Avenue Boca Raton, FL 33487-1307 Re: SC01185-B/Osborn
5. Section 17.(a) Termination Rights, of the Agreement is hereby amended to include the following new subsection (xi):
(xi) Lessee determines, in its sole discretion that it will not be viable to use the Leased Space for its intended purpose or if Lessee determines, in its sole discretion, that it will be unable to use the Leased Space for any reason.
6. Section 34. Supplementing Section 7 of this Lease, of the Agreement is hereby deleted in its entirety.
7. Section 35. Supplementing Section 9 of this Lease, of the Agreement is hereby deleted in its entirety.
8. The Agreement is hereby amended to include Section 36. Right of First Refusal / Exclusive Use, as follows:
If at any time during the term of the Agreement, Lessor receives a bona fide written offer from a third person (the “Offer”) to sell, assign, convey, lease, factor or otherwise transfer or create any interest in the current or future Annual Rent, this Agreement, the Leased Space, which Lessor desires to accept, Lessor shall first give Lessee written notice (including a copy of the proposed contract) of such Offer prior to becoming obligated under such Offer, with such notice giving Lessee the right to acquire the interest described in the Offer on the terms set forth in the Offer. Lessee shall have a period of thirty (30) days after receipt of Lessor’s notice and terms to exercise Lessee’s right of first refusal by notifying Lessor in writing. If Lessee has not exercised its right of first refusal in writing to Lessor within such thirty (30) day period, the Offer will be deemed rejected. Lessor may not assign the Annual Rent or the Agreement or any rights hereunder, or grant any interest in any portion of the Premises, except in connection with conveyance of fee simple title to the Premises, without the prior written consent of Lessee, in Lessee’s sole and absolute discretion.
As part of Lessee’s right to the undisturbed use and enjoyment of the Leased Space, Lessor shall not at any time during the term of the Agreement (i) use or
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suffer or permit another person to use any portion of the Premises or any adjacent parcel of land now or hereafter owned, leased or managed by Lessor for any of the uses permitted herein or other uses similar thereto, or (ii) grant any interest in or an option to acquire any interest in any portion of the Premises that permits (either during the term of the Agreement or after the term hereof) any of the uses permitted under this Agreement or other uses similar thereto without the prior written consent of Lessee, in Lessee’s sole discretion. The phrase “or other uses similar thereto” as used herein shall include, without limitation, the transmission, reception or relay of communications signals and/or data by way of small cells, distributed antenna systems, data centers, C-RAN or fiber.
9. Upon full execution of this Amendment, Lessee shall pay to Lessor a one-time payment of Twenty Six Thousand and 00/100 Dollars ($26,000.00). 10. Capitalized terms not defined in this Amendment will have the meaning ascribed to such terms in the Agreement.
11. This Amendment will be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the state in which the Premises is located without regard to principles of conflicts of law.
12. Except as specifically set forth in this Amendment, the Agreement is otherwise unmodified and remains in full force and effect and is hereby ratified and reaffirmed. In the event of any inconsistencies between the Agreement and this Amendment, the terms of this Amendment shall take precedence.
13. Lessor acknowledges that the attached Exhibit “A” may be preliminary or incomplete and, accordingly, Lessee may replace and substitute such Exhibit with an accurate survey and legal descriptions of the Leased Space and Easements and re-record this Amendment without obtaining the further approval of Lessor. Following such re-recording, the descriptions of the Leased Space and Easements described therein shall serve as the descriptions for same for all purposes under the Amendment.
14. Lessor represents and warrants to Lessee that the Lessor is the sole owner in fee simple title to the Premises and the Lessor’s interest under the Agreement and that consent or approval of no other person is necessary for the Lessor to enter into this Amendment.
15. This Amendment may be executed in one or more counterparts, and by the different parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when executed shall be deemed to be an original but all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same Amendment.
16. Lessee shall have the right to record this Amendment.
[The remainder of this page is intentionally left blank. Signatures to follow.]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Amendment as of the day and year first above written.
WITNESSES: LESSOR:
CHARLESTON COUNTY PARK AND RECREATION COMMISSION, a South ______Carolina special purpose district
Print Name:______By: ______
Print Name: ______
______
Title: ______Print Name:______
STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF ______
The foregoing instrument was acknowledged before me this ______, 2018 by ______, of Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission a South Carolina special purpose district, on behalf of the special purpose district.
______
Notary Public
(NOTARY SEAL)
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WITNESSES: LESSEE:
SBA SITES, LLC, a Delaware limited liability
company ______
Print Name:______By:______
Alyssa Houlihan ______Vice President - Site Leasing
Print Name:______
STATE OF FLORIDA COUNTY OF PALM BEACH
The foregoing instrument was acknowledged before me on the _____ day of ______, 2018, by Alyssa Houlihan, Vice President - Site Leasing of SBA Sites, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, on behalf of the company and who is personally known to me.
______Notary Public
Print Name: ______My Commission Expires: ______
(NOTARY SEAL)
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EXHIBIT “A”
Legal description to be incorporated upon receipt of final survey.
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UNANIMOUS WRITTEN CONSENT OF THE SHAREHOLDERS AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF CHARLESTON COUNTY PARK AND RECREATION COMMISSION
The undersigned constitute all of the shareholders and directors of the board of directors of Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission (the "Corporation"). The undersigned hereby consent to, and adopt, the following preamble and resolutions by this instrument in lieu of a formal meeting of the shareholders and board of directors of the Corporation:
WHEREAS, the shareholders and board of directors of the Corporation on the _____ day of ______, 2018, duly adopted a resolution for an Amendment to Option and Land Lease (“Amendment”) on the property described in Exhibit "A" to SBA Sites, LLC (“SBA”), to amend the Option and Land Lease, dated June 2, 1999, as evidenced by that certain Memorandum of Land Lease, recorded August 3, 1999, in Book V331, Page 309, and ultimately assigned to SBA, successor by conversion to SBA Sites, Inc., a Florida corporation, pursuant to that certain Assignment and Assumption of Ground Lease, recorded April 3, 2000, in Book C 345, Page 149, both recordings of the Register of Deeds Office of Charleston County, South Carolina, as amended and assigned from time to time (“Agreement”) to SBA by and between the Corporation as Lessor and SBA, as Lessee.
RESOLVED, that the Corporation shall be and is hereby authorized and directed to grant the Amendment, and in connection therewith ______, [Signing Officer] as ______[Title] of the Corporation, is hereby authorized, empowered and directed to execute and deliver for, on behalf of, and in the name of the Corporation, the Amendment, and any and all documents in connection with the Agreement as ______, [Title] or the signing officer in his/her sole and absolute discretion deems to be in the best interests of the Corporation; and it is
FURTHER RESOLVED, that ______[Signing Officer] be and is hereby authorized to execute, in the name and on behalf of this Corporation, to take or cause to be taken, any and all actions necessary to enter into, execute, deliver and perform the Amendment and any and all documents and documentation (all of which are to be in form and substance as the person executing the same may deem necessary or desirable, the execution thereof by ______, [Signing Officer] is conclusive evidence of approval of such form and substance by ______, [Signing Officer] that may be required or contemplated under the terms of the Agreement and to do any and all things which in his/her discretion he/she may deem to be necessary or appropriate in connection with or in furtherance of the foregoing resolution; and it is
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FURTHER RESOLVED, that the signature of ______, [Signing Officer] on the Amendment, and any other documents and instruments executed in connection therewith or pursuant thereto shall be conclusive evidence of his/her authority to execute and deliver such instruments or documents.
FURTHER RESOLVED, that all actions previously taken by the Corporation in connection with the Amendment, and the transactions contemplated by the foregoing resolution thereby be, and they hereby are adopted, ratified, confirmed and approved in all respects.
This document may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which will be deemed an original and together, but all of which together will constitute one and the same instrument.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned hereby affix their hands and seal effective as of this _____ day of ______, 2018.
______Print Name: Title:
______Print Name: Title:
______Print Name: Title:
______Print Name: Title:
______Print Name: Title:
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EXHIBIT “A”
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February 2018 Checks Over $7,500
Date Check # Vendor Description Amount General Agency 2/1/2018 20886 Deere & Company Utility tractor and loader $ 49,014.20 2/9/2018 20940 Adams Manufacturing Corporation Lounge chairs for WW, SZ and SI $ 13,562.56 2/9/2018 20962 Hamby Catering Partners Final payment for 50th anniversary catering $ 13,497.21 2/9/2018 20988 Schroder's Services, LLC HQ continued exterior repair $ 10,192.20 2/9/2018 20996 Tyler Technologies, Inc. Support and update licensing $ 37,517.36 2/9/2018 20998 Vic Bailey Ford Ford Escapes $ 72,522.00 2/15/2018 21028 Applied Data Technologies Annual workstation replacement $ 52,636.43 2/15/2018 21038 City of Folly Beach Folly Beach renourishment contribution $ 164,148.09 Capital Improvement Projects 2/8/2018 1 Commercial Steel Builders, LLC Mullet Hall stable repairs $ 50,800.00 2/8/2018 2 Hydro Corporation FBFP encapsulations $ 70,233.86 2/8/2018 5 Applied Technoloy & Management, Inc. CRM Assessment $ 11,140.25 2/8/2018 6 Carolina Contracting Solutions Demo for Splash Zone slide tower $ 14,250.00 2/8/2018 7 Stantec Consulting Services, Inc. Old Towne master plan $ 11,009.86 2/15/2018 5 Treat & Woodman, LLC JICP Campground bathroom renovations $ 200,947.35 2/21/2018 6 Schroder's Services, LLC FBFP handrail replacement $ 16,260.00 2/21/2018 7 Schroder's Services, LLC HQ continued exterior repair $ 53,323.13 2/26/2018 11 Vortex USA, Inc. JI SZ water feature $ 230,308.50
19 Combined Support, Park and Recreation Services February 2018
Combined Revenues Prior YTD Actuals Year To date Actuals Current Year Budget % of Budget Support Services 15,347,961 15,420,624 14,952,860 103% Park Services 8,217,540 8,461,080 13,617,195 62% Recreation Services 864,846 792,891 1,867,470 42% Total Revenue 24,430,347 24,674,595 30,437,525 81%
Combined Expenses Support Services 5,122,091 5,409,998 8,965,160 60% Park Services 8,954,919 9,498,000 16,218,578 59% Recreation Services 2,430,051 2,277,105 4,367,158 52% Total Expenses 16,507,061 17,185,103 29,550,896 58% Change in Fund Balance 7,923,286 7,489,492 886,629
20 Support Services February 2018
Revenues Prior YTD Actuals Year To date Actuals Current Year Budget % of Budget Administration Millage 14,808,749 15,239,204 14,742,570 103% Administration 466,153 138,775 103,500 134% Marketing 42,190 42,000 61,000 69% Safety 30,870 645 45,790 1% Total Revenue 15,347,962 15,420,624 14,952,860 103%
Expenses Administration 574,942 792,630 996,975 80% Capital Projects 370,035 282,266 545,540 52% Executive 892,248 1,380,356 1,649,045 84% Financial Services 566,137 566,651 994,065 57% Human Resources 332,139 282,046 659,575 43% Information Technology 1,160,291 848,907 1,711,990 50% Marketing 582,296 561,335 1,025,150 55% Park and Program Services 241,969 228,058 401,645 57% Planning 182,669 252,965 499,195 51% Safety 219,363 214,784 481,980 45% Total Expenses 5,122,089 5,409,998 8,965,160 60% Change in Fund Balance 10,225,873 10,010,626 5,987,700
21 Park Services February 2018
Revenues Prior YTD Actuals Year To date Actuals Current Year Budget % of Budget Administration 562,367 95,660 167,275 57% Caw Caw Interpretive Center 16,583 22,495 35,490 63% Cooper River Marina 601,704 629,674 763,915 82% Folly Beach County Park 130,820 226,268 380,735 59% Folly Beach Fishing Pier 514,282 606,820 1,037,930 58% Isle of Palms County Park 283,466 406,010 785,270 52% James Island County Park 3,571,797 3,769,307 5,147,360 73% Johns Island County Park 88,294 68,110 127,835 53% Kiawah Beachwalker Park 122,463 184,050 349,435 53% Laurel Hill Plantation 6,123 4,723 12,340 38% Mount Pleasant Palmetto Islands County Park 305,904 331,493 715,415 46% Mount Pleasant Pier 183,676 168,695 298,745 56% North Charleston Wannamaker County Park 1,585,479 1,549,656 3,154,205 49% Old Towne Creek County Park 750 750 15,670 5% SK8 Charleston (1,137) 57,657 64,660 89% The Lake House at Bulow 84,700 97,502 171,950 57% The McLeod Plantation 160,268 242,209 388,965 62% Total Revenue 8,217,539 8,461,079 13,617,195 62%
Expenses Administration 760,421 747,992 1,307,315 57% Caw Caw Interpretive Center 177,541 153,943 280,670 55% Cooper River Marina 346,430 287,784 512,300 56% Folly Beach County Park 125,127 208,752 346,725 60% Folly Beach Fishing Pier 650,476 589,684 1,025,735 57% Isle of Palms County Park 292,257 308,142 556,370 55% James Island County Park 2,672,101 2,863,755 4,549,663 63% Johns Island County Park 272,211 257,559 443,475 58% Kiawah Beachwalker Park 192,808 147,875 349,595 42% Laurel Hill Plantation 14,885 9,378 25,555 37% Mount Pleasant Palmetto Islands County Park 604,463 592,538 1,111,490 53% Mount Pleasant Pier 220,365 236,031 427,015 55% North Charleston Wannamaker County Park 1,547,436 1,586,488 2,821,785 56% Old Towne Creek County Park 23,147 17,081 45,600 37% SK8 Charleston 80,480 120,849 193,205 63% The Lake House at Bulow 26,378 88,153 128,775 68% The McLeod Plantation 119,023 187,084 314,115 60% Undeveloped Properties & HQ Maintenance 829,370 1,094,910 1,779,190 62% Total Expenses 8,954,919 9,497,998 16,218,578 59% Change in Fund Balance (737,380) (1,036,919) (2,601,383)
22 Recreation Services February 2018
Revenue Prior YTD Actuals Year To date Actuals Current Year Budget % of Budget Accessibility 2,361 2,775 3,335 83% Community Recreation 64,157 59,234 170,975 35% Interpretive 75,092 81,110 134,400 60% Outdoor 397,089 388,605 807,775 48% Special Events 218,740 135,345 505,750 27% Runs, Races & Fitness 107,407 125,821 245,235 51% Total Revenue 864,846 792,890 1,867,470 42%
Expenses Administration 428,291 331,314 576,990 57% Accessibility 4,376 10,862 29,130 37% Community Recreation 523,503 521,031 948,213 55% Interpretive 347,209 380,540 692,490 55% Outdoor 552,495 537,736 1,180,765 46% Special Events 303,973 274,016 513,105 53% Runs, Races & Fitness 270,204 221,606 426,465 52% Total Expenses 2,430,051 2,277,105 4,367,158 52% Change in Fund Balance (1,565,205) (1,484,215) (2,499,688)
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MEMORANDUM
TO: David Bennett FROM: Charles McManus DATE: April 10, 2018 RE: Pump-Out and Portable Toilet Services Contract Approval
A request for proposal was advertised and issued for pump-out and portable toilet services for a base year with two (one) year options. One firm responded, Nature’s Calling.
The proposal is for a not to exceed base year total of $143,258.13 with two additional one year options of the same not to exceed amount of $143,258.13. Total expenditures, if all options were exercised, would be $429,774.39.
Expenditures will come from individual professional services GL lines within the approved General Agency budget.
Recommend approval to enter into a contract with Nature’s Calling in the amount of not to exceed $143,258.13 for a base year with the option to renew for two one year options with the funds coming from the approved General Agency budget.
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1
TOP STORY Impending lease of North Charleston park site to elite sports company stirs trouble By Bo Petersen [email protected] Mar 20, 2018 Updated Mar 20, 2018
Part of the former Baker Hospital property on the Ashley River is about to be leased to an elite sports training company.
That's troubling for the communities nearby. Residents had been assured the site — some 57 riverfront acres just below the Cosgrove Avenue bridge in North Charleston – would be turned into a park.
Five years ago, they fought to keep more industry out of the site, which remains riddled with pollutants from earlier The former Baker Hospital property off Azalea Drive in phosphate mines and landfill dumping. North Charleston may soon be leased by the Charleston Park and Recreation Commission to a private recreation business. The Charleston Park and Recreation Commission approved a Wade Spees/Staff proposed lease with the United States Performance Center on Monday.
"The assurance they gave us was that they would make that The company is a private business that trains athletes for site a park," said Skip Mikell, president of the Union Heights high-level competition where a single, all-access membership Community Council. at its Charlotte, facility costs $175 per month, according to its website. "The expectation was the entire park would be for use by the public," he added. "But they never even spoke to the public The idea behind the leasing decision is to earn revenue on about when and where and why with this lease. They should the site. The company is expected to be required to develop not expect us to endorse it or support it. We're not public trails and other amenities. participants." But that depends on the lease agreements, and details Sarah Reynolds, commission spokeswoman, said members haven't been made public yet. wouldn't comment or reveal details of the lease until it's Residents who live near the site are worried the creep of signed. Individual members contacted referred The Post and upscale development will overrun the modest-income Courier to the spokeswoman for comment. neighborhoods around the site. A community leader went "We definitely want to be involved, but it's too early to further, saying residents won't support the park because they comment, there are too many variables," said David Koerner, weren't told about leasing plans. the owner of the United States Performance Center, a 10,000 -square-foot facility that puts together and supervises individual performance training programs and nutrition. 3
Impending lease — continued
In 2016, the center asked to rezone a 48-acre Charlotte "I'm pretty biased but I'm not sure there's a better private- property to build a 90-feet high dome for training in a deal public use of this land," he said. that would have included upgrading nearby middle school athletic fields, according to media reports. Its officials Rev. Bill Stanfield, the chief executive officer of the North withdrew the request after neighbors opposed it. Charleston community development organization Metanoia, said whether people get behind the plan really depends on While the core of the Charleston Park and Recreation how much affordable public access it provides. Commission's mission is to provide affordable recreation for the greater public, the trade-off of private use for public "There's concern for gentrification in all the communities, benefit is routine for the commission, said Tom O'Rourke, the concern that people don't just get shoved aside," he said. former Park and Recreation director who launched the lease Park leasing plans should be open to public review, said the effort before he retired. National Recreation and Park Association, an industry group. It's a method used to maintain or develop a number of other "Every park and recreation agency in the country effectively parks, he said. has to produce more revenue (with recent public funding The polluted site has been cleaned up to a degree but is still shortfalls)," said Rich Dolesh, the association's strategic polluted. Because of the contamination issues and funding initiatives vice president. The Charleston County Park and priorities, the commission wouldn't be able to afford to Recreation Commission has a longtime reputation for being develop the Baker Hospital site for public use for years, aggressive about bringing in revenue," he said. O'Rourke said. The lease negotiations he started called for the "The devil is in the details: Is there a public benefit to this company to do it now. process and does it serve the community interest," he said. The property would have a trail system, including a riverfront- "It needs to be an open and transparent process of what the stretch with benches, tournament-grade athletic fields and contract contains and a periodic review." common areas, some reserved for use by the center but Reynolds said the center was the only bidder on the property others open to the public without charge, O'Rourke said. the staff had been authorized to negotiate with.
"The public owns that land. We could use it right now or wait Other properties the commission has leased include some 20 years to do anything. People could go out there, take a 160 farm acres at Johns Island County Park off River Road, walk, read a book by the river. No taxpayer money has to pay which includes the Mullet Hall Equestrian Center. The lease for it, not one dime," he said. agreement there calls for the farmer to maintain 21 miles of trails as well as other maintenance work, said Donna Plus, the Olympic grade athletic facilities could be used by Gueldner, the commission operations officer. local teams, and the center to give local athletes training to qualify for expert level competition.
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Impending lease — continued
"It saves us the manpower, and quite frankly the expense to The former hospital property was a gift from two families buy that equipment," she said. that was turned over to the commission after development plans didn't pan out. The hospital closed several years ago The commission also leases to a club an astronomy and was torn down. observation site at the Johns Island park, with viewings open to the public, as well as the restaurant site on the Folly Beach The site, about the size of Hampton Park in Charleston, is Pier and other properties. largely cleared and flat, with only a few trees interrupting the view of the river.
TOP STORY Trails, tracks and fields to be opened to public at old Baker Hospital Site in North Charleston By Bo Petersen [email protected] Mar 30, 2018
Commission officials would not say what financial and The public will have access to park features at the former term conditions are in the lease, because it hasn't been Baker Hospital property on the Ashley River after part of it is signed yet, said spokeswoman Sarah Reynolds. leased to an elite sports training company, county park officials said Friday. "This partnership will offer the community a sports and recreational complex at the former Baker Hospital site,” Many of the public features will be free of charge. said CCPRC Executive Director David Bennett. “While the
The Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission public will enjoy free access to passive recreational amenities announced details of a lease agreement with the United at the site, no public funds will be needed to develop, States Performance Center at the North Charleston site. operate or maintain the facility."
Among the additions the company will build at the The commission could not afford to develop the park currently undeveloped site will be multi-purpose and fitness any other way for years, Bennett said. trails, green space, picnic tables and benches, outdoor The hospital site is 57 riverfront acres just below the and indoor volleyball courts, tracks and an indoor Cosgrove Avenue bridge in North Charleston, which remains tournament facility. riddled with pollutants from earlier phosphate mines
There will be rental fees for athletic fields and facilities, and landfill dumping. according to the commission.
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Trails, tracks — continued
The commission in March approved a proposed lease of upscale development will overrun the modest-income allowing the company to create a new facility there. The neighborhoods around the site. company is a private business that trains athletes for high-level competition. Skip Mikell, president of the Union Heights Community Council, said in a recent story that the lease negotiations Five years ago, nearby residents fought to keep more should have been made public. industry out of the site. They continue to worry the creep
Charleston-area memos and distinctions Mar 5, 2018
Andy Thomas, chief lending officer for Beacon Community Bank, has been re-elected to a second term as chairman for Charleston County Parks & Recreation Commission. Also re-elected were: Teddy Manos, to vice chair, and Collin Bruner, to secretary and treasurer. In addition, Bruner, Manos and Eduardo Curry were named to the finance committee, and commissioner Lisa S. King was appointed as Parklands Foundation liaison.
Dwayne Rainey, Damon Walsh, Scott McCormack and Bob Keller have joined the Lowcountry CEO Peer Advisory Board. Rainey is president and co-founder of Advanced Packaging Solutions & Products Inc. Walsh is chief executive officer of Mission Solutions Group Inc. McCormack is founder and Development Corporation. Smith is with Lesetta LLC. Waid owner of Merit Professional Coatings, Charleston. Keller is recently retired as a staffer with the loan fund. general manager of Marabu North America LP. Summerville attorney Robert D. "Robby" Robbins has been
Torrey Rush, Elizabeth Smith and Debby Waid have joined the elected vice chairman of the S.C. Department of Transporta- board of directors for the Charleston-based South Carolina tion Commission. He represents the First Congressional Community Loan Fund. Rush is president of Osmium District. Development Group and founder of Carolina Community
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If PRC wants a public-private park, negotiations must be transparent March 27, 2018
the deal, a private owner might effectively prevent public access forever — not just the next few years.
“The expectation was the entire park would be for use by the public,” Skip Mikell, president of the Union Heights Community Council, told Post and Courier reporter Bo Petersen. “But they never even spoke to the public about when and where and why with this lease. They should not The old Baker Hospital property in North Charleston could soon be expect us to endorse it or support it. We’re not participants.” come a new waterfront Charleston County park. (Ed Buckley/Staff) North Charleston city officials ought to speak up as well.
The public is being kept in the dark on a pending deal for a Park and Recreation commissioners have refused to discuss sports training outfit to set up shop on 57 acres of the terms of the pending lease since agreeing to it March 19. undeveloped waterfront in North Charleston that was given Commission spokeswoman Sarah Reynolds said the PRC did to the Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission not plan to release any more information until a lease was (PRC). And that’s particularly troubling for a deal that would signed. The commission should not proceed without public land public property in private hands. input.
Charlotte-based United States Performance Center, which Extensive work has already been done at the site to move it specializes in training elite athletes, would get access to a out of Superfund status, and it’s unclear exactly what United portion of the former Baker Hospital property along the States Performance Center would do to further clean up the Ashley River in exchange for doing some environmental clean property, which includes an old landfill and was once used for -up and providing public amenities such as athletic fields, phosphate mining. trails and benches. Former PRC director Tom O’Rourke, who initiated talks with But even the most basic terms of the lease — its cash value, the company before retiring, told The Post and Courier the duration or the amount of publicly accessible acreage lease arrangement was the best the public could hope for. involved — are being kept secret, and the PRC has no plans to make them public until after the lease is signed. “I’m pretty biased, but I’m not sure there a better private- public use of this land,” he said last week. That’s unreasonable. The piece of prime real estate and a rare example of publicly accessible waterfront in North Fair enough. Then there shouldn’t be any reason to negotiate Charleston was given to PRC to be turned into a park. That’s the lease privately. what the PRC should do with it. The public should be aware of the details and have time to PRC officials say they don’t have the money to clean up the comment on PRC’s plan. It should not be finalized behind park sufficiently for safe public access in the foreseeable closed doors. future. That’s no excuse. Besides, depending on the terms of 7
Sully's Scoop - Timber harvesting underway at Laurel Hill Plantation By Sully Witte [email protected] Mar 30, 2018
Q. It appears that there is a wide road being cut through the property at Laurel Hill Plantation. When I Google mapped it, However, the forest management process is beneficial it appears to go from Highway 17 to Park West Boulevard for the park itself, the guests, and the wildlife in the near Bessemer/Bridwell Road. What is going on? This park. Wells Fargo has developed a gravel access road property was supposed to be under conservation easement, on the property to assist with timber collection, and to never to be developed? - David K. Oyster, DMD, MS (ret) the best of our knowledge, this road is purely being CDR, DC, USN (ret) constructed to provide access by log trucks during their pending timber harvest. I was told that when Wells "In short, a gravel access road has been created on Fargo no longer needs the access road, we will see the property for timber harvest by the property’s what we can do to add it to the park’s amenities. trustee, which is part of our lease agreement. There is no development taking place at Laurel Hill County Logging trucks may be seen entering and exiting the Park. property from Highway 41. No specific start and end date has been determined, however, as the planned Wells Fargo is the designated trustee of the former work is weather-dependent. landowner, Mr. John D. Muller. Per Muller’s wishes, “It is my will and desire that my trustee shall cause said Laurel Hill is more than 745 acres in size, so this is a Laurel Hill Plantation to be maintained in a natural large property. Referring to Mr. Oyster’s mention of state insofar as possible, while giving to my trustee the the road on Google maps, when looking at the satellite right to remove timber there from time to time…” map of that area, there is a “road” that runs from Highway 17 up to Park West – however, we are fairly Charleston County Parks leases Laurel Hill County certain this is the electrical easement for the Park from Wells Fargo, who is trustee of the property’s transmission line that runs through our property former landowner, Muller. He desired that the property and that portion of Mount Pleasant." - Sarah Reynolds, remain in a natural state, and this was reflected Public Information Coordinator, Charleston County through guiding principles of our lease agreement, so Park & Recreation Commission the site is limited to passive recreation, and there are many restrictions that limit what we can do or build in the park. However, it is not under a conservation ease- ment.
Wells Fargo retained the timber rights on the property, and since November, they have been conducting forest management activities, which include removing some trees. Permission for the trustee/landowner to do this, within limitations, is specified in our lease agreement.
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Spring 2018
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Strategic Planning — continued
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Charleston-area groups respond to get kids unplugged and outdoors
By David Quick [email protected] Mar 12, 2018 Updated 17 hrs ago
Thirteen years ago, Richard Louv woke up the Western world “I actually like tech,” said Louv. “Technology is going to be to a problem that seemed unthinkable generations ago. with us and there’s going to more in the future, so that raises the stakes to find some kind of balance to counteract the In his landmark book, “Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our negative things that tech produces.” Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder,” he detailed not only the trend of children increasingly not playing outdoors but He added, “The more high tech our lives become, the more also the disturbing health consequences of it. nature we need."
Obesity, attention disorders, cognitive declines, depression all At 6 p.m. Friday, Louv will be giving the keynote address, iron- had some tie to this loss of what otherwise was a given child- ically via Skype, for a panel discussion at the Francis Marion hood rite. Hotel in Charleston titled “From Gigabytes to Nature Hikes: Connecting the Outdoors in a Digital Age,” organized by the Fast forward to 2018 and the challenges of “screen time” — South Carolina Aquarium. children with easy access to cell phone, computer tablets and electronic games — seem to make the childhood disconnect The program seeks to take a deep dive into technology’s from nature even more formidable and consequential. influence on the perception of nature and the conservation of the natural world. Despite that, Louv stresses that he is “not anti-tech” despite increasing revelations that companies have designed social According to Louv, who helped found the “Children & Nature media to be addictive, not unlike the cigarette and junk food Network,” which serves as a clearinghouse for academic industries. studies and global initiatives, scientific research continues to prove that time in nature is one the best ways to counteract the downfalls of too much screen time.
Louv says too much “directed attention” at a screen can burn out certain parts of the brain.
“Going outside is the fastest way to restore our brains, particularly going out in some kind of natural setting. It can be your backyard or the park down the street,” he said.
Louv says that people have responded to the call that “Last Child in the Woods” made and pointed to the latest example: initiatives in Colorado such as cityWILD, detailed in the Feb. 16 edition of the “Christian Science Monitor.” Since 2009, the Green Heart Project has been getting schoolchildren in six schools outside into campus gardens to learn about nature and gardening. Provided / Green Heart Project
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Charleston area — continued
Back to local nature in 2009, and now reaches thousands of children with 16 programs in six schools, five of which are in urban settings. Efforts have been emerging in Charleston in recent years, as well. Nonprofits, businesses, schools and governments have Currently, Green Heart is working to build an urban farm on created programs both big, small and in between. the grounds of the William Enston Homes in downtown Charleston, which will open up programming for three more They include the Green Heart Project, Y2O (Youth to Oceans), schools and a youth development program modeled after Loblolly Adventures for preschool-age children, Coastal Boston’s The Food Project, according to Executive Director Expeditions and the S.C. Outdoor Education Fund, the MUSC Drew Harrison. Boeing Center for Children’s Wellness, children-specific pro- gramming by the Sewee Visitor and Environmental Education But local efforts aren’t limited to terra firma. Center, Charleston County Parks and Recreation Daniel Yost started Y2O five years ago (then Salty Kids) after Commission and the South Carolina Aquarium. he noticed as a kayak guide, that the opportunities to get on Schools with specific environmental programming include the water weren’t extended to all children. Yost was well Charleston Collegiate on Johns Island, the Cape Romain aware that there were teens, born and raised in urban areas Environmental Education Charter in McClellanville. Most of Charleston and North Charleston, who had never been to recently, Sundrops Montessori Middle School in Mount the beach, and he set out to change that. Pleasant is piloting a “farm school” that includes a 15-acre Yost reaches out to Carolina Youth Development and plot in Huger. Windwood Farms, among others, to find children who need Just launching is a program called Cities+Shovels that is to explore the beach. working with Fresh Future Farm, an urban farm in North Programs often involve surfing lessons, seine netting, a beach Charleston. comb and sweep. Danielle Loveless, co-founder of Loblolly Adventures, started “We always try to pick up trash,” says Yost, noting that he in the fall of 2015 with the idea that a parent joins his or her likes to promote an awareness of the impact of littering as child in experiential field trips to the array of parks, such as well. James Island County Park and the Audubon Society’s Beidler Forest. “We make it all really fun for them because we want them to love being outdoors,” says Yost. As a busy mother herself, Loveless describes the curriculum of
Loblolly as “emerging” but that it is 100 percent outside. Contact David Quick at 843-937-5516. Follow him on Twitter @DavidQuick. Perhaps the rock star of outdoor programs in Charleston is the “farm-to-school” Green Heart Project, which was started
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Folly Beach debuts accessible pathway with funds from late "Superman" actor's foundation It's the first permanent accessibility path in an Lowcountry beach park Posted by Adam Manno on Wed, Mar 28, 2018 at 8:32 AM
A new accessible walkway debuted at Folly Beach County "We’re thrilled to have had the opportunity to work with the Park earlier this month. Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation on this exciting project," said CCPRC’s recreation administrative manager Now everyone can bask in the sun at Folly Beach thanks to a Ashley Houdyshell in a statement. "We want to be able to new accessible pathway that debuted earlier this month. provide access to all of those within our community, and visitors as well, especially at special places like the On March 16, the Charleston County Park and Recreation beach. The pathway will open doors for us to work with Commission officially unveiled a pathway that stretches out others in the Charleston area to provide new recreational from the deck and well into the sand, allowing for opportunities for all abilities." wheelchairs and other walking aides to be used on the actual beach. Folly Beach County Park used a temporary semi-rigid Mobi-Mat to help disabled visitors enjoy the beach in The project was funded by the Christopher and Dana Reeve the past, and Kiawah Beachwalker Park sometimes uses a Foundation, a New Jersey-based nonprofit that advocates for portable access mat, though the option is not permanent. better quality of life for people living with disabilities. Isle of Palms County Park does not have a pathway or mat, Christopher Reeve, an actor best known for playing but they provide specialty beach wheelchairs for visitors Superman in the 1978 movie of the same name (and in three in need. sequels after that), suffered a spinal cord injury as a result of a horse-riding accident in 1995 that paralyzed him from the neck down. He then became an advocate for better treat- ment and care for people with disabilities.
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2017 first cycle Quality of Life grantees Charleston County Park & Recreation Commission
Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission path. Once the mats are placed, fasteners will be added to Charleston, South Carolina 29412 secure the mats creating a more permanent access solution. Maintenance staff will blow sand off of the mats every $16,791 – Facility Accessibility Modifications – Bridging morning to keep the pathways clear of obstructions. Barriers The mats will stay in place during the beach season, March to October. They will be taken up during the off season This Quality of Life grant supports the Folly Beach County and stored. These mats will provide a hard, stable surface for Park Adaptive Beach Access project which consists of people with mobility limitations to have access to the beach. purchasing and installing 71 4'x6' durable plastic mats to be It is expected that at least 190 individuals living with used to improve access to the guarded beach area. The mats paralysis and their families will be impacted by this project. will be joined using the 6' sides of the mat, creating a 6' wide
5 Around Town: James Island County Park to host annual Cajun festival Monday, March 26th 2018, 2:38 pm EDT By Bill Sharpe, Anchor
CHARLESTON, SC (WCSC) - The James Island County Park is bringing Louisiana to the Lowcountry for the 27th annual Lowcountry Cajun Festival on Sunday, April 8.
The festival starts at Noon and goes through 6 p.m.
It’s a full day of live Zydeco music, with this year’s lineup featuring three groups: Jeffery Broussard and the Creole Cowboys, Shrimp City Slim and Nathan and The Zydeco Cha Cha. attractions for children as well as souvenirs to buy and other vendors on site. There will also be authentic Cajun and Creole foods, including Jambalaya, Alligator, Etouffe, Andouille sausage and Crawfish. Tickets are 15 dollars, but kids 12 and Gold Pass holders get in free. In fact, there is a crawfish-eating contest at 2:30 p.m. For more information go to www.CharlestonCountyParks.com The Cajun festival is a family-friendly event with rides and or call 843-795-4386.
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Lots to do at Charleston County Parks in April By: Christine Kohler Updated: Mar 25, 2018 09:11 AM EDT
CHARLESTON COUNTY, SC (WCBD) - There's lots to do in at Charleston County Park in the month of April with spring underway!
Pet Fest
Sunday, March 25th, 11AM-5PM at Palmetto Islands County Park in Mount Pleasant
Bring your dog and enjoy entertainment, contests, visit with experts and rescue groups. The event is rain or shine.
Starlight Yoga Charleston Outdoor Fest
Thursday, April 5, 7:30-8:30PM at the Mount Pleasant Pier Saturday, April 21 and Sunday, April 22 at James Island County Park Enjoy an evening yoga program with views of beautiful Charleston Harbor! The class is flowing yoga instructed by This festival is one of the area’s premier showcases of Stand Ji Hwang and is open to all fitness levels. The cost for the Up Paddleboarding, canoeing and kayaking. The festival also class is $5. features other activities like mountain biking, archery, climbing, disc golf and more. Get a Try It pass to try out 27th Annual Lowcountry Cajun Festival activities on site, participate in contests and tournaments Saturday, April 8th, 12PM-6PM at James Island County Park like the cardboard canoe race. Open to beginners, but expert -level classes and sessions are also part of this event. It’s a full day of live Zydeco music, with this year’s lineup featuring three groups: Jeffery Broussard and the Creole For more events at Charleston County Parks and Recreation Cowboys, Shrimp City Slim, and Nathan & The Zydeco Cha visit: https://ccprc.com/ Chas. Plus you’ll get your fill of authentic Cajun and Creole foods, including Jambalaya, alligator, etouffee, Andouille sausage, and of course, crawfish. Crawfish connoisseurs, be sure to sign up for the crawfish eating contest at 2:30PM! Plus, there are festival foods and Lowcountry favorites like seafood and barbeque for sale. There will be plenty for the kids to do, including jump castles and rides
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Shaggin' on the Cooper and Starlight Yoga start up again at Mount Pleasant Pier
By Kalyn Oyer [email protected] Mar 27, 2018 Updated 12 hrs ago
Nothing says summer like listening to live music and dancing Starlight Yoga the night away. Starting in April, the Charleston County Park Find peace and harmony under the night sky with the return and Recreation Commission is bringing back the Shaggin’ on of the Starlight Yoga series, which will kick off on Thursday, the Cooper series. April 5 at the Mount Pleasant Pier.
On April 28, the Mount Pleasant Pier next to Memorial With the glow of the Ravenel Bridge above and the sights and Waterfront Park will come alive with the sounds of summer sounds of the beautiful harbor providing a scenic backdrop, when the Shaggin’ on the Cooper series kicks off with The the Starlight Yoga series is bringing back a calming aesthetic. Sugarbees. The April 5 session will be instructed by local yogi and Since 1991, The Sugarbees have been covering beach, boogie wellness enthusiast Ji Hwang, whose approach stems from and blues music. The band got its start backing big-stage the belief that yoga is for everyone. Her classes focus on talent including The Drifters, The Platters, Chuck Berry, and alignment and anatomy using clear, accessible instruction. Maurice Williams and The Zodiacs. Starlight Yoga is open to all fitness levels, and interested Bands from the Charleston area and throughout the state will participants can reserve a space online. Online registration perform monthly at the Mount Pleasant Pier at 71 Harry will end at 2 p.m. April 5 and event-day registration is Hallman Blvd. as the series continues into the dog days of available on site if space allows. A rain date is reserved for summer. Gates for Shaggin’ on the Cooper open at 7 p.m. April 12. Participants are encouraged to bring their own and music starts at 8 p.m. yoga mat or beach towel.
Beverages are available for purchase on site, and food is Starlight Yoga is held at several Charleston County Parks available for sale at the Mount Pleasant Pier’s River Watch locations throughout the year. Other upcoming programs Café. Advance tickets are $8 per person and if there is still will be held on the evenings of: availability, they will be sold on site for $10. June 7 at The 2018 Shaggin’ on the Cooper schedule includes: Folly Beach County Park ● April 28 with The Sugarbees Sept. 13 at ● May 12 with Shem Creek Boogie Band the Mount ● June 9 with The Coppertones Pleasant Pier ● July 4 “Uncle Sam Jam” with Ellen Drive Nov. 28 ● July 14 with The Sneakers during the Holiday Festival of Lights at James Island ● August 11 with Vinyl Daze County Park ● September 8 with Recollections For more information and to register for Starlight Yoga, visit To purchase advance tickets or for more information on CharlestonCountyParks.com or call 843-795-4386. these events, call 843-795-4386 or visit CharlestonCounty- Reach Kalyn Oyer at 843-371-4469. Follow her on Twitter Parks.com. @sound_wavves. 16
CHARLESTON Happenings for March 11, 2018
By Adam Parker, Mar 8, 2018 Updated Mar 8, 2018
McLeod poetry series features Gary Jackson Local mystery writer to sign, discuss books
James Island Arts has announced its fourth presentation in Bill Noel, author of the Folly Beach Mystery series, will have the “Poetry at McLeod” series, featuring Gary Jackson. The three book signings on Folly Beach during the month of poetry reading and reception is 2-4 p.m. March 18, at McLeod March. Plantation Historic Site, 325 Country Club Drive, James Island. Noon-3 p.m. March 18 at Pier 101 Restaurant on the Folly Pier
The series is the result of a collaboration with Charleston 7:30 a.m.-1 p.m. March 22 at Lost Dog Cafe, 106 W. Huron County Parks and Recreation Commission, the City of Ave. Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs, the S.C. Humanities Council and South Arts in partnership with the S.C. Arts 7:30 a.m.-1 p.m. March 27 at Lost Dog Cafe Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts. Noel has penned 13 mystery novels set on Folly Beach. He will Parks and Recreation Commission Gold Pass holders are sign and discuss his books at these events. encouraged to use their passes, which provide four free Tom Davis illustrates vanished local history entrances to the park. Additional guests pay McLeod Plantation admission fees. After the reading, guests are Local publisher History Press recently issued “Vanishing invited on a guided tour of the historic site. Charleston History,” an illustrated guide to sites and events once enjoyed by local residents.
Author-illustrator Tom Davis, who until recently operated a novelty sign and design company, has developed an interest A free poetry in researching Charleston history and depicting vanished workshop taught by scenes in playful watercolor paintings. Jackson is planned for 2-4 p.m. March The large-format paperback book is $16.99 and available from 17 at James Island online and traditional retailers. Town Hall, 1238-B Camp Road. The Hollywood author pens tell-all memoir workshop topic is Local author Shantee Gadson, a Hollywood, S.C., resident, has “Persona and the published “Hallelujah! in Hollywood: A True Hollywood Story,” Poet’s Voice." available from Amazon and other retailers as a $21.99 paper- Gary Jackson - PROVIDED back or $19.99 ebook.
The book is a telling of Gadson’s family experiences, including Jackson, born in Topeka, Kan., is the author of “Missing You, his father’s public service, alcoholism and other troubles, his Metropolis.” He teaches at the College of Charleston and is mother’s unwavering faith, and his own experiences navi- associate poetry editor of Crazyhorse, a literary journal. gating life in within a prominent local family.
In a direct and honest narrative, Gadson recalls his quest to understand the politics, crime and sin that surrounded him growing up. 17
TOP STORY Outdoor events for your Charleston weekend, plus Harry Potter and Simpsons trivia By Liz Foster [email protected] Mar 15, 2018
Spring is right around the corner (Tuesday, technically) and WHEN: 5:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesday March 21 (April 4 and 18, we've got some big events to get you out-and-about and May 2) enjoying the sunny skies this weekend and into next week. In WHERE: Old Towne Creek County Park, 1400 Old Towne addition, we've got a variety of trivia opportunities to dust Road, Charleston those winter cobwebs off your brain. PRICE: $15-$20 (includes wine and commemorative wine Wine Down Wednesday glass)
“Guess what day it is? Hump-Day! It’s time to be happier than MORE INFO: 843-795-4386, ccprc.com/1724/Wine-Down- a camel on Wednesday.” Wednesday
Wine Down Wednesdays are back for the season at Old Towne Creek County Park. This wine social allows Lowcountry residents to enjoy the park, which is not open to the public just yet. There will be wine, of course, as well as a different food truck each week (Just Eat This!, Cast Iron, Charleston Crepe Co. and Roti Rolls) and live music (Derek Deakins, Danny May, Erik Schwartz and Michael Duff). The park, formerly known as Ashem Farm and the home of philanthropist Emily Ravenel Farrow, is a 67-acre estate next to Charles Towne Landing, with the classic Lowcountry scenery of live oaks and Spanish moss.
Wine Down Wednesday kicks off at Old Towne Creek County Park on March 21. File/Staff (Marie Rodriguez)
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Pluff mud planner By Tommy Braswell March 27, 2018 Spring Break Explorers Camp Cast Off Fishing Tournaments
What: Charleston County Parks offers an introductory What: Charleston County Parks kicks off its regular fishing opportunity for children ages 6-9 to experience the natural tournaments at the Mount Pleasant Pier (May 5) and Folly world, learning about the Lowcountry environment, create Beach Pier (May 19) with prizes in adult, lady, youth, senior arts and crafts and play cooperative games. and five-fish weight.
When: April 2-6 Price: $10 ages 13-up, $9 military, $8 ages 3-12 and seniors 60 -plus or $5 for Fishing Pass Holders. Where: James Island County Park and Palmetto Islands County Park More info: ccprc.com or call 843-795-4386 Price: $200 More info: ccprc.com or 843-795-4386 Charleston Outdoor Fest
What: Originally begun as East Coast Kayak Festival, activities such as mountain biking, archery, challenge zone, climbing wall, slacklining and disc golf have been added to the watersports activities such as kayaking, canoeing and stand up paddleboarding that anchor this festival. Also, instructional seminars and a vendor village are featured.
When: April 21-22 Where: James Island County Park Price: Park admission is $2, Try It Zone pass $10 allows you to sample variety of activities More info: ccprc.com
Pet Fest at Palmetto Islands County Park in Mount Pleasant Mar 26, 2018 Updated 4 hrs ago
Pet Fest returned to Palmetto Islands County Park in Mount Pleasant on Sunday, March 25, 2018.
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CALENDAR, March 19+: Lowcountry Cajun Festival set for April 8 03/12/2018
Other festivities include a crawfish eating contest, a crafts Get ready for some ragin' Cajun fun at the 27th Annual market, souvenirs for sale, and mechanical rides for kids. Lowcountry Cajun Festival at James Island County Park from noon to 6 p.m. April 8. Admission to the Lowcountry Cajun Festival is $15. The event is free for ages 12 and under with a paying adult. Bringing Louisiana living to the Lowcountry, the Cajun For more information, call 843-795-4386 or visit Festival is a full-day of music, Cajun and Creole foods, CharlestonCountyParks.com. children's activities and entertainment straight from the bayou. After getting a fill of outstanding food, festival-goers (NEW) Charleston Outdoor Festival: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., April can kick off their shoes and dance to live, non-stop Zydeco 20 and 21, James Island County Park. The weekend festival and Cajun music, performed on stage throughout the day by includes a multitude of outdoor recreation activities like Charleston's Shrimp City Slim at 1 p.m., Jeffery Broussard and mountain biking, slack lining, archery, climbing, and disc golf, The Creole Cowboys at 2:30 p.m., and Nathan Williams and open to all ages. It also features the East Coast Canoe and The Zydeco Cha Chas at 4:30 p.m. Kayak Symposium, one of the country's premier showcases of canoeing, kayaking and stand up paddleboarding. The Lowcountry Cajun Festival also features a variety of local Try out equipment, compete in tournaments and other hands and regional restaurants, caterers and food trucks, who will -on activities, and learn everything from the basics to expert cook up a variety of mouth-watering foods. Festival-goers will skills in each sport. Park admission starts at $2 per person. discover a variety of Cajun and Creole dishes for sale like To try activities, get the Try It pass for $10. Or, register for jambalaya, etouffee, andouille sausage and, of course, the symposium for classes, demos and much more. For a full crawfish! Those who prefer a tamer menu will enjoy seafood, event schedule, visit charlestoncountyparks.com or call 843- Southern barbecue, and traditional festival foods. 795-4386.
CCPRC Wants to Reward Guests While Celebrating A Milestone MARCH 30, 2018, 1:08 PM EST
CHARLESTON, SC (WTAT-TV) — FOX 24 News visited Palmetto Islands, Charleston County Park and Recreation’s oldest park as they celebrate their 50th anniversary.
We spoke with Sarah Reynolds's about their major milestone and find out how they plan to reward their guests.
To learn more, please click here.
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Pet Fest 2018 set for March 25 March 20, 2018 updated 43 min ago
Tails will be wagging this spring when Pet Fest comes to Mount Pleasant. The Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission invites the community (and their pets) to come out for a day of exhibits, demonstrations, experts, contests, adoptable pets and more. Charleston’s premier pet festival, Pet Fest, returns Sunday, March 25 at Mount Pleasant Palmetto Islands County Park from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Every year, Pet Fest provides pet lovers, organizations and businesses with the opportunity to showcase their causes, products and services in a fun, animal-friendly environment. This event encourages participants to bring their leashed pets Rescue groups and adoption centers with adoptable to join in on the fun. Don’t have a pet? That’s okay! Visit the animals Charleston Animal Society (CAS) or any of the other rescue groups on site to find your new best friend. Children’s activities, including jump castles Food, beverages and beer for sale Pet Fest Entertainment and Contests: Canine Good Citizens Test and Canine Community Test – K9s in Flight Frisbee Dogs and Agility Course show (12 see if your dog is ready for certification! p.m., 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.) Dog washing station (with a $5 donation) Live music by Jaykob Kendrick Band from 3 – 5 p.m.
Lowcountry Dog Magazine’s Cover Model Contest Pet Fest attendees who adopt a pet from the Charleston Animal Society at the event will receive an individual annual Charleston Kennel Club’s “Meet the Breed” Family Dog park pass to one of Charleston County Parks (value $30). To Show (1 p.m.) view adoptable pets, visit CharlestonAnimalSociety.org. STARR (Search, Tactics, And Rescue/Recovery) Team Demonstrations Admission to Pet Fest is $8. Admission is discounted to $5 per person with pet food or supply donation to the Charleston Pet Contests – Best Trick, Owner Pet Look-Alike, Face Animal Society. Kids 12 and under, Gold Pass Holders and Only a Mother Could Love, Musical Sit, Best Dog Cos- tume, at 12 and 2 p.m. pets are free. Dogs must remain leashed throughout the event. Carpooling to Palmetto Islands County Park is Plus more to see and do at Pet Fest 2018: encouraged. Owned and managed by the Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission (CCPRC), Palmetto Islands Swift Paws Lure Chasing – let your dog race on a lure County Park is located at 444 Needlerush Parkway in course for a $10 donation Mount Pleasant. Pet Fest is brought to you by Coca-Cola, Try out dock diving for a $10 donation Charleston Animal Society, Crews Subaru and your Veterinarians, trainers, groomers and pet suppliers Charleston County Parks. For more information call 843-795- Nutrition, education and training tents 4386 or visit CharlestonCountyParks.com/PetFest.
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Outdoor Calendar Other Events Calendar March 4, 11, 18 and 25, 2018 March 1, 2018
Charleston Outdoor Fest Trail Ride
The 28th Charleston Outdoor Fest will be held April 21-22 What: Ride Johns Island County Park’s 23 miles of trails at James Island County Park. The event features on of the by day before winding down at the campsite with an country's premier showcases of canoeing, kayaking and stand oyster roast (included in the cost of registration). -up paddleboarding (SUP) along with numerous other When: March 2-4 outdoor recreation activities including mountain biking, slack Where: Johns Island County Park, 2662 Mullet Hall Road lining, archery, climbing and disc golf. The East Coast Paddlesports Symposium will be held April 20-22. Schedules Price: $54-$60 and registration can be found at charlestoncountyparks.com More Info: 843-795-4386, ccprc.com or call 843-795-4386. 5K Run and Walk What: The Where the Wild Things Run 5K will course through the scenic trails of Caw Caw Interpretive Center before Home & Garden Notes concluding in an awards ceremony with light food and March 4, 2018 beverages. Parks Appreciation When: 8:30 a.m. March 3 What: Charleston County Parks will show customer Where: Caw Caw Interpretive Center, 5200 Savannah appreciation by offering free admission to all parks in the Highway, Ravenel Charleston County Parks system for the day. Price: $26-$32
When: March 4 More Info: 843-795-4386, ccprc.com Where: All Charleston County Parks Price: Free Front Burner More Info: 843-795-4386, ccprc.com March 14, 2018 Wine Down Wednesday
What: Wine Down Wednesday returns with live music and local food trucks. This year's venue of Old Towne Creek Coun- ty Park, currently open only to private parties and special events, will offer a glimpse into what will one day be a public county park.
When: 5:30-7:30 p.m. March 21 Where: Old Towne Creek County Park, 1400 Old Towne Road, Charleston Price: $15-$20 More Info: 843-795-4386, ccprc.com 22
Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission
by Jessica Manigault Thursday, March 1st 2018
Run wild at the county parks one day and get in free the next!
Pet Fest & Wine Down Wednesday by Jessica Manigault Thursday, March 15th 2018 Join Charleston County Parks and great rescue groups like Carolina Boxer Rescue at Pet Fest, coming up next Sunday, March 25!
Also this month, join Charleston County Parks at the Wine Down Wednesday series, which kicks off next Wed., March 21 at Old Towne Creek County Park!
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Charleston 5K Foam Fest at Johns Island County Park Mar 11, 2018 Updated Mar 11, 2018
The 5K Foam Fest brought an obstacle course to finishing medal and access to the festival area, which Johns Island County Park full of inflatables, waterslides, will include smaller inflatables for the younger children, mud pits and 2.5 million cubic feet of foam on Saturday, food and beverages, a beer garden and more. March 10, 2018. Participants received a beach towel,
The 5K Foam Fest brought an obstacle course to Johns Island County Park full of inflatables, waterslides, mud pits and 2.5 million cubic feet of foam on Saturday, March 10, 2018. Participants received a beach towel, finishing medal and access to the festival area, which will include smaller inflatables for the younger children, food and beverages, a beer garden and more. Jess Marie Spence / Special to the Post and Courier.
The 5K Foam Fest comes to Johns Island County Park for the first time on Saturday. Provided / Zoomphoto Inc. 24
The Mount Pleasant Pier recently hosted the College of Charleston Student Activities Fishing Tournament. The students and faculty had such a good time that they are looking to participate in upcoming CCPRC fishing tournaments as a group. Below are their tweets:
“This is my second race with [Charleston County] Parks & Rec and I'm impressed with the quality of each event. I'll be signing up for the remainder of the races offered this year. Cheers!” Where the Wild Things Run 5K/Walk Participant – CCIC
“Instructors were excellent—very patient and good at offering concepts that helped me overcome my anxiety about rolling.”
Kayak Rolling and Rescues Participant – Off-Site (St. Andrews Recreation Pool)
“We became closer and realized we cannot work alone, we need each other, and we all really felt connected and cared for.”
Challenge Course Reservation, Corporate Group from Berkeley County – JICP Outdoor Zone
“Excellent skills workshop for advancing staff. Clear, concise instruction. Group learned a lot and had fun!”
Paddlesports Program, Outfitter from Beaufort County – Off-Site
“I absolutely love everything about the wrestling program, especially the devotion from the coaches and volunteers. I love the fact that there are all sorts of programs available here in our community for our children to participate in and learn from.”
Johns Island Wrestling Parent – St. John’s High School
“My children (who are in college now) grew up at all of the wonderful Charleston County Parks, especially Palmetto Islands County Park, so I have very fond memories of them. Thank you for the amazing job that you all do with keeping the parks clean, beautiful and safe for us to enjoy! “ PICP— Visitor 25
Sk8 Charleston was chosen to create a once in a life time memory for 2 lucky customers in celebration of 50 years with Charleston County Park & Recreation Commission.
Staff picked two young skaters who are frequent visitors to the park and have shown great improvement in their skating abilities. More importantly, they are always polite, respectful and incredibly positive! Park staff regularly witness them encouraging other skaters. They have helped to create the feeling of a real community around the skate park. They were surprised with a new skateboard deck and a SK8 Charleston t- shirt.
These kids were super stoked! (That’s what the kids say these days, “stoked”.) It definitely made their day, as well as, their parents.
It was a memory making success!
Another memory was made at Caw Caw Interpretive Center. Toni, pictured here with CCIC Manager Thomas Thornton, lives in Hollywood and loves to visit Caw Caw. She shared one of her favorite Caw Caw memories: watching an alligator and turtle peacefully coincide in the marsh. She also loves Caw Caw’s Swamp Sanctuary Boardwalk.
Toni brags about Caw Caw all the time and loves to bring her friends to explore its’ many treasures of nature. She was the recipient of an annual Gold Pass. 50 Years and Still Shining!
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Over half of the public programs offered by CCPRC are offered by the Interpretation department. In addition to offering such a large number and variety of interpretive programs, the Interpretation department is always looking for new sources of revenue.
This past February, new natural history programs offered by CCPRC were well attended by the public, providing new revenue and potential for more programs in the future. One of these programs, offered as part of the perennially popular SEWE (Southeastern Wildlife Expo), was held at the Caw Caw Interpretive Center.
SEWE estimates over 40,000 people attend its various offerings during the three-day event each February, many from outside of South Carolina. Our CCPRC offering was created to provide attendees with an opportunity to get outside the cityand receive first-hand experience with CCPRC’s natural resources. Twenty participants paid to be introduced to Caw Caw Interpretive Center.
The other pilot program was offered with Trident Technical College’s Continuing Education Program at the college’s Mount Pleasant campus.
The continuing education program at Trident Tech was titled “Backyard Birding” and was created as a way to prepare people for feeding backyard birds and for participating in the upcoming annual Great Backyard Bird Count. This also served to increase awareness of CCPRC’s many birding program offerings. A variety of bird artifacts such as feathers, skulls, and taxidermy were taken to Trident’s campus to provide a hands-on experience. In addition to collecting revenue, this program also had the desired effect of enticing people to attend other park-based programs.
The first SK8 Charleston Easter Egg Hunt was held on Saturday, March 31st. Two-hundred and fifty eggs were hidden through- out the grass and landscaping around the skate park. Eggs were filled with an assortment of candies, as well as, a few ‘Golden Eggs’ with vouchers for Nectar Sunglasses, Aquarium tickets and a Piasanos Pizza gift card.
The weather was fantastic and the egg hunt was very well attended. This event helped to jump start a very busy Saturday at the SK8 park with just shy of 200 visitors for the day.
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Johns Island Community Recreation is proud to announce that another successful wrestling season has come to an end! Nineteen registrants enrolled in wrestling this season. We took 11 of them to the SC Youth Wrestling Association State Championships in Lexington, SC on Saturday, March 10, 2018.
The Junior Islander Wrestling Team (pictured right with coaches at Lower State Championships) placed 14th out of 55 teams in the state! We also had six wrestlers place in the top four in the state:
Shandon Brown – 1st place (6 and under division, 77-lb. weight class)
Landon Corbett – 3rd place (6 and under division, 77-lb. weight class)
Ryan Waring – 4th place (10 and under division, 62-lb. weight class)
Roderick Waring – 2nd place (10 and under division, 70-lb. weight class)
Santonio Brown – 3rd place (10 and under division, 85-lb. weight class)
Trenton Harrison – 2nd place (12 and under division, 125-lb. weight class)
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Lukas Gawryluk, built and delivered a set of picnic tables to Laurel Hill County Park, as a project to help him earn a badge toward his Eagle Scout distinction.
The tables were placed under oak trees, creating a new area for visitors to enjoy and make a memory in their county park.
Maintenance is performed on the live oak trees at McLeod Plantation Historic Site annually. Dead and hazardous limbs are removed, as well as, excessive Spanish Moss. An air spade is used to aerate the soil under the big trees to help keep their roots healthy. This work is performed in-house by a team lead by our arborist, Joel Thompson.
Spring into Outdoor Fitness!
With April comes warmer temperatures and an increase in our outdoor exercise programs. We are excited to launch two new programs, including the Empowerment and Mood Enhancement Workshop and Yoga in the Meadow, both held at James Island County Park. Also back by popular demand will be Beachside Yoga and SUP Fitness.
Bring on the warm weather! 29
Chronic Condition Management Continues to Impact Lives
“Originally I only went to class to help my husband whose doctor rec- ommended he try the program. I never realized how much stronger and mobile I could get.
Now I look forward to going to class each week. Not only does it make me a healthier person, but the relationships and bonds ’I ve formed with the group are irreplaceable.”
Chronic Condition Management Level 1 participant— Alexine Brown
Starlight Yoga Offers Unique Backdrop
On April 5th, Starlight Yoga returns to the Mount Pleasant Pier with the incredible backdrop of the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge.
Veteran yoga instructor Ji Hwang continues to dazzle participants while they practice under the stars, all while taking in the sounds of live acoustic music.
Piloting Hip Hop Hollywood
We couldn’t be more pleased with the pilot run of Hip Hop Hollywood, led by choreographer DJ Fullante. The program was such a success that we regularly saw residents all the way from Hanahan make the trek to participate in this fun and innovative exercise class at Schroder Community Center.
We are honored to be able to serve residents from all walks of life across Charleston County!
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BEFORE AFTER
Two new ticket windows have been installed and are ready for the upcoming busy season at WCP Whirlin’ Waters.
This family-friendly event continued its success with a close to sellout crowd this year. Costumes, book readings, and family yoga all offered a unique experience for participants and spectators alike.
In drawing a large crowd to Caw Caw Interpretive Center, we were able to further promote awareness of the beauty and the unique history it offers.
Break out those trail shoes, for another chance to take on the trails at Johns Island County Park on April 28th!
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District 1 Maintenance staff have been busing pressure washing in preparation for the summer season. The tennis courts at St. James have been restored to “like-new” condition, as well as, the office building at Sk8 Charleston.
Select Health’s Well-Being and Benefits Fair : CCPRC staff promoted the agency’s summer camps, festivals, programs and sold passes on March 6.
Total Calls In: 10,363
Average Talk Time: 3.00
Average Wait Time: 0.39
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Passes sold through Corporate Online Pass Sales, Discount Pass Program, and Satellite Sales:
349 Gold Passes, 16 Super Splash Passes and 12 Basic Splash Pass sponsorship:
Where the Wild Things Run Sponsors: Pet Fest Sponsors:
The Foot Store Coke Publix Charleston Animal Society WOW! Cable Charleston Veterinary Referral Center Chucktown Fitness Pet Supplies Plus
Companies below donated product/prizes only: Crews Subaru Sunshine Beverages Winks and Whiskers Tractor Supply East Bay Deli
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Website Visits Pageviews March 2018: 99,463 March 2018: 286,354
March 2017: 109,037 March 2017: 334,605
Top 10 CCPRC.com Pages Visited 1. Camping & Lodging 6. Gold Pass Membership 2. James Island County Park 7. Folly Beach County Park 3. McLeod Plantation Historic Site 8. Parks & Facilities 4. Pet Fest 9. Lowcountry Cajun Festival 5. North Charleston Wannamaker County Park 10. Employment
Top Visitor Locations Top Referral Sites 1. Charleston, SC 1. Facebook.com (mobile), 35.1% 2. Mount Pleasant, SC 2. Charleston CVB.com, 12.4% 3. Bronx, NY 3. CharlestonWeddingGuide.com, 3.5% 4. Charlotte, NC 4. RVParkReviews.com, 3.1% 5. Summerville, SC 5. CharlestonRunningClub.com, 2.3%
Social Media Marketing Most Popular Facebook Post of the Month
Facebook Page Likes: 48,843 Reach: 144,520
Facebook Reach: 239,722
Twitter Followers: 7,037
Twitter Impressions: 13,500
Instagram Followers: 5,283
Email Marketing
Open Rate: 34.12%
Click-Through Rate: 16.5%
Opens By Device:
Mobile: 54%
Desktop: 46%
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All parks closed January 3-9, 2018 for snow. Allfor parks closed January 2018 3-9, JICP, 13th. JoICP,Hurricane 14. Irma. for Folly, PICP, 9-12 CCIC, WCP,SK8, CRM, MPHS, September on September on AllHill IOP, Parks MPP Laurel andclosed and BWPSeptember reopened Bulow reopened 1 Attendance Attendance Includes attendance. waterpark Attendance Attendance YTD 1718 YTD 1617 YTD 1718 YTD1718 YTD 1617 YTD 1617 Variance Variance % % 116,445 126,060 22,152 26,915 -4,763 -9,615 -18% PICP -8% SI 1 582,631 624,541 -41,910 44,042 50,578 -6,536 2 -13% Includesand HFOL, attendance. C&C Waterpark, JICP -7% SZ 2 251,060 284,790 -12,525 -33,730 81,838 94,363 -13% -12% WCP WW 1 148,032 171,856 -23,824 TOTAL 17,609 17,509 -14% CAW 100 1% 24,174 19,314 4,860 JoICP 25% 3 OTCCP closed Oct16-Mar17 from Hurricane Matthew Hurricane Matthew from OTCCPclosed Oct16-Mar17
214,357 244,496 -30,139 FBPier -12% YTD 1617 YTD Variance YTD 1718 Vehicles Vehicles 162,700 198,915 -36,215 MPPier -18% % YTD Attendance 1617 vs. 1718 1617 YTD Attendance 17,243 17,601 47,528 50,998 -3,470 BWP BWP -358 -2% -7% 4 22,904 21,694 50,815 53,669 -2,854 6 1,210 FBCP Beginning June 2017, customers were no longer allowed to park in allowed Townto Hall longer no and lot walk were in. customers Beginning2017, June FBCP -5% 6% 102,991 105,793 39,708 39,555 -2,802 153 IOP -3% 0% IOP 79,855 78,850 TOTAL 1,005 Bulow 2976 3145 -169 -5% 1% Laurel Hill Laurel 4,410 3,883 14% 527 Old TowneOld 59% 238 640 402 3 Occupancy Occupancy YTD 1718 YTD 1617 21,685 22,251 McLeod -566 -3% Campsites 56,006 54,420 1,586 76% 79% LIHP 3% Cottages 12,964 19,299 205% 6,335 56% 52% SK8 1,675,325 1,816,521 -141,195 Marina TOTAL 96% 97% -8%
35 Diversity Mission Statement: The Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission will provide high quality park facilities, programs, and services to the ever-changing community we serve by recruiting, training, and retaining a qualified and diverse staff.
Current Staff Statistics: March 2018 EEO Information
FULL TIME PART TIME TOTAL OF ALL EMPLOYEES EMPLOYEES EMPLOYEES
Number of Employees 175 829 1004
White 145 684 829
Hispanic 4 17 21
African American 19 109 128 Asian 2 10 12 Indian 1 1 2 Two or more Races 4 8 12 Male 99 334 433
Female 76 495 571
36 Volunteer Coordinator Report March 2018
Activity Category Hours Volunteers
CUSTOMER APPRECIATION DAY 13 4 HEADQUARTERS 33 2 MCLEOD PLANTATION 73 5 MULLET HALL EQUESTRIAN CENTER 4 1 PADDLESPORTS AND OUTDOOR CLUBS 11 1 PET FEST 208 36 WHERE THE WILD THINGS RUN 103 20 WINE DOWN WEDNESDAY 4 2
Total Hours 449 Previous Report Year to Date Hours 8249.46 Fiscal Year to Date Volunteer Hours 8698.46
The Value of Volunteer Hours:
The equivalent of one full time employee is 162.5 hours per month. The monthly cost with salary and benefits for a specialty level 207 full time employee is $4003 per month.
449 volunteer hours/ 162.5 = 2.76 full time employees Monthly savings = 4003 x 2.76 = $11,048.28
37 Planning & Capital Projects Update
Brunson Construction, the design build team, was given authorization to move forward with the Design Development phase of the project. They are also preparing to make a site plan submittal to DHEC-OCRM for the CCPRC Hollywood Swim Complex. Brunson Construction and CCPRC internal staff will meet in the coming weeks to discuss the building details and layout. Below is the conceptual layout of the new Hollywood Swim Complex.
Capital Projects Grants Update
The Capital Projects team has applied for the:
Recreational Trails Program (RTP) Grant for an amount of $100,000. The project selected for this round of the grant is the Stono River County Park Access and Amenities Project. This competitive grant will help fund the asphalt trail, restrooms, and parking. The Speedwell Foundation has also donated $500,000 toward this project.
Land Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) grant in the maximum amount of $300,000 for the Folly Beach County Park Infrastructure Improvements Project. Although a competitive grant, CCPRC was recommended by the SC Park, Recreation, & Tourism department to receive $500,000 due to the park’s regional significance.
CCPRC has received the RTP grant reimbursement of $100,000 for the Palmetto Islands County Park Boardwalks Replacement Project which was completed earlier this year.
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During the week of February 26, Sunbelt Pools, our pool contractor, began removing tile & the existing Diamond Brite pool surface and locating all underground pipes. In March, the construction team began installing all underground piping, grading & leveling the site, installing drain boxes, and installing re-bar and the embedment's. This month, Brantley Construction, our primary contractor, has been working on cad-welding & bonding the pool’s grounding system, pressure testing the piping, pouring Vortex’s three main columns, and completing the required testing and inspections needed for verification. This week the contractor’s plan is to pour concrete and do the finishing work (with curing taking place over the weekend). The plan is to start installing the Vortex’s play features during the week of the April 16.
Glick/Boehm & Associates (GBA), our consultant, met with PRC Staff on April 5 to review the revised new Dunes House conceptual drawings. The next deliverables will be updated cost estimates and final plans for approval. The project in- cludes replacing the former Dunes House (which was lost to Hurricane Irene) and designing new beach access pathways and decking for the existing restrooms. Folly Beach County Park has been operating with temporary facilities for the past four years.
GBA’s rendering of new Dunes House
39 2 Planning & Capital Projects Update continued
Schroder Community Center Outdoor Courts Renovation The Schroder Community Center Outdoor Courts Renovation Project is well underway and is scheduled to be complete by the end of April. Wildwood Contractors is waiting for the asphalt to cure before applying the sport court surfacing and painting the lines. The small court will have pickleball and basketball goals. The large court will have two basketball courts and a tennis court (with a permanent tennis net dividing the basketball courts). This project is funded mainly by PARD Grants and the Disney\NRPA “Meet Me at the Park” Grant.
Schroder Small Court Asphalt Schroder Small Court Asphalt
Large Court Asphalt in Progress Large Court Asphalt In Progress
The Capital Design Staff provides assistance with the March 2018 planning of some projects and facilitates the Design IOPBP - Fee Sign Review Process. The following are projects that were reviewed and have received approval since the previ- ous Commission Meeting:
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Cooper River Marina — Assessment Study
Applied Technology and Management (ATM), our consultant, began the Cooper River Marina assessment project on December 19, 2017. ATM completed the assessment and will present their findings to the Commission at April’s Commission meeting.
James Island County Park - Campground Bathhouses Renovation
Treat and Woodman, our design build contractor, began the project for the James Island Campground Bathhouses Renovation on January 2, 2018. The substantial completion walk-through for Loop 1’s Bathhouse was conducted April 2. Loop 2’s Bathhouse is still in-progress. The purpose of the project is to update the bathhouses to top quality facilities for our camp guests. The project’s final completion date is on or before April 30, 2018.
Campground Loop 1 Bathhouse
Huss Inc., the stabilization contractor, has concentrated its efforts on the Gin House while they wait for the brick and wood materials to arrive on site. The Gin House Roof and structural repairs (to the floor joists and rafters) have been completed. The ground floor framing is in place and awaits floor boards. The work will continue to the garage and barn. The rear wall of the garage requires new framing due to extensive termite damage which occurred prior to PRC ownership and new brick for the barn’s support piers. A historical foundation discovered under the barn will be covered over with dirt to keep it protected for future study.
Garage—Rear Wall 41 Gin House Roof 4 Planning & Capital Projects Update cont’d
The proposed phase one development plans for the Stono River County Park are well underway. Permitting and municipal reviews are in progress. The highland area improvements are scheduled for bidding in May-June. The proposed features include a trailhead with parking, restroom and a trail connection to the marsh. The trailhead will also connect to the West Ashley Greenway. To leverage project funds, a Recreation Trails Program (RTP) grant application has been submitted to help fund the proposed improvements. Staff is also investigating the purchase of a prefabricated concrete restroom building that will be durable and provide significant savings over a site-built structure. A second bid solicitation will be issued for marsh boardwalk construction after permits are received.
Planning Staff has been working closely with the Town of Mount Pleasant to plan a trailhead at the jointly owned future park site on Rifle Range Road. An application has been submitted for a Recreation Trails Program (RTP) Grant to fund the proposed trailhead, parking lot, and trail improvements.
Proposed trailhead and trail improvements at Rifle Range Road future park
Statement of Purpose: Through careful planning and analysis, the Planning Division strives to balance meaningful public access with the protection natural and cultural resources. Thoughtful park planning ensures that we continue to improve the quality of life for future generations, in keeping with the agency’s mission.
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