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Council approves ATAC awards for Juneteenth and Hayward House; denies Beaufort Water Search & Rescue ATAX requests
Summary
Council approved several accommodation-tax recommendations: supplemental funding for the farmers market, grants to the Hilton Head Symphony and Historic Bluffton Foundation, and $20,000 to the Bluffton MLK observance committee for Juneteenth weekend (with some members dissenting about road closures). The ATAC committee recommended no award to Beaufort Water Search & Rescue for boat purchase or marketing; council supported that recommendation.
Bluffton Town Council considered the Accommodation Tax Advisory Committee's (ATAC) funding recommendations and took a series of votes on individual awards during Tuesday's meeting.
Key outcomes:
- Farmers Market: Council approved a supplemental $9,375 grant to cover additional facility support, increasing the calendar-year award to $75,875. - Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra: Council approved a $46,818 award for two Bluffton concerts (Outdoor Pops and Holiday Pops). - Beaufort Water Search & Rescue: The ATAC panel unanimously recommended denial for a $21,875 request to purchase a replacement boat (and a separate $7,500 marketing request); council supported the committee's recommendation and denied both awards, citing ATAC interpretation that these requests fall outside ATAX purposes which focus on attracting visitors and events. - Bluffton MLK Observance Committee (Juneteenth): ATAC unanimously recommended a $20,000 award for the 11th annual Juneteenth weekend event; council approved the award but recorded a mix of votes (several members voiced concern about the extent of May River Road closures and potential business impacts). One council member explicitly said they could not support the road closure portion while supporting the funding for the event. - Historic Bluffton Foundation: Council approved the full $50,000 operating grant for the Hayward House Museum.
ATAC staff framed its decisions around statutory allowable ATAX uses — funding of events and attraction activities that draw visitors. On the Beaufort Water Search & Rescue requests, staff and committee members said boat purchase and marketing did not meet that threshold. Several council members debated that interpretation, noting that ATAX funds are sometimes used for public-safety-related support (for example, police presence at events) but ultimately voted with ATAC.
The Juneteenth funding vote illustrated competing considerations: several council members praised the festival's community value and economic spillovers, while one member objected to shutting a substantial portion of May River Road on a busy summer Saturday and asked that event organizers pursue alternatives or mitigation.
Next steps: Awards will be processed under ATAC grant terms and any event closures will be coordinated with town permitting and police; staff will ensure that specific uses of the awarded funds comply with state ATAX rules.
