<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p><strong>Public input sought in assessment of SC Department of Mental Health</strong></p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>A team of assessors from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA) will begin an accreditation assessment of the South Carolina Department of Mental Health’s (SCDMH) Division of Public Safety on Monday, Feb. 14. The accreditation program requires law enforcement agencies to comply with professional standards in the following areas: policy and procedures, administration, operations, and support services.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>As part of the assessment, the public is invited to offer comments at a virtual public information session at 3 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 15 or by calling he Assessment Team on Tuesday, Feb. 15, between the hours of 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>The public Contact for the virtual session (via Microsoft Teams) is Jennifer Kats at PublicSafety@scdmh.org. The assessment team phone number is 800-774-2362.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p><strong>County offering free electronics recycling event Saturday, Feb. 12</strong></p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>The Beaufort County Department of Solid Waste and Recycling will host two free electronics recycling events for County residents. The next events will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the following locations on Saturday, Feb. 12:</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>Beaufort County Public Works, 9 Benton Field Road, Bluffton</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>Beaufort County Public Works, 140 Shanklin Road, Beaufort</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>Citizens are asked to stay in their car during the event. Staff will unload electronics.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>Any personal computers, laptops, CRT monitors, LCD monitors, CRT televisions, non-CRT televisions, printers, hard drives and miscellaneous electronics (microwaves, cell phones, radios, fax machines, and typewriters) will be accepted.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>For questions about Beaufort County recycling events, please call the Solid Waste and Recycling Office at 843-255-2736 for more information or visit their website at www.beaufortcountysc.gov/recycle.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p><strong>Battery Creek Pool has re-opened</strong></p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>Beaufort County's Parks and Recreation Department announced that Battery Creek Pool was re-opened as of Tuesday, Feb. 1. The pool has been closed since November for repairs and resurfacing. The total cost of repairs and resurfacing was $86,000.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>The pool resumes its previous schedule which affects the hours at Beaufort Pool.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>Here are the schedules for both:</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p><strong>Battery Creek Pool Hours – Tuesdays &amp; Thursdays: </strong>8 a.m.-noon / 1–7 p.m.; <strong>Saturdays: </strong>10:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (Slip &amp; Splash Saturdays)</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p><strong>Beaufort Pool Hours – Mondays, Wednesdays, &amp; Fridays: </strong>8 a.m.–noon. / 1–7 p.m.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>For questions and more information, call Beaufort County Parks and Recreation Department at 843-255-6710.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p><strong>City earns award for its budget document</strong></p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>The City of Beaufort has received the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for its FY22 budget from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA). This is the fifth time the City has received this award.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>The award reflects the City and finance staff’s “commitment to meeting the highest principles of governmental budgeting.” The budget document must serve as a policy document, financial plan, operations guide, and communications device, according to GFOA.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>There are more than 1,700 participants in GFOA’s budget awards program.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>City Manager Bill Prokop complimented Finance Director Kathy Todd and Senior Accountant Alan Eisenman for their exemplary work in putting together the budget document. Eisenman will become finance director for the City upon the retirement of Kathy Todd in February.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>The budget document can be found at https://bit.ly/35DGkxt.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p><strong>All SC counties declared drought free</strong></p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>The S.C. Drought Response Committee met Tuesday, Feb. 1, via conference call to update the drought status of all counties in South Carolina and voted to declare the entire state drought free.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>Due to average to above-average rainfall totals during December and January, the Committee removed the incipient drought status of 34 counties. The Committee issued the incipient drought designation in December primarily over a concern for wildfires, but the wildfire threat has diminished over the past 30 days according to the S.C. Forestry Commission.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>The Forestry Commission responded to 72 wildfires since the start of the year, which is 50 percent fewer than the 10-year average. Leslie Woodham, Forestry Commission fire staff officer, emphasized that while the number of wildfires have been lower than normal, the National Interagency Wildfire Center is forecasting greater-than-usual wildland fire potential over the next three months due to the ongoing La Nina.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p><strong>Hilton Head Island Airport passenger numbers surpass pre-pandemic highs of 2019</strong></p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>With additional airline capacity, Hilton Head Island Airport’s passenger numbers soared in 2021. More than 388,816 passengers made their way through the Island’s Airport, surpassing pre-pandemic passenger levels and indicating a tremendous rebound for the region.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>“The post-pandemic growth we’ve seen at the airport continues to show how necessary added flight options to the island were,” Airport Director Jon Rembold said in a release. “Prior to the Airport’s growth, passengers often had to fly into an airport outside of the County and then drive to their destination. Our added service options on American, United, and Delta allow passengers to fly into or out of Hilton Head Island Airport and truly start their vacation upon arriving.”</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>The Airport is working to finalize funding for a terminal expansion representing the Island that travelers expect. To see the proposed new terminal, visit https://bit.ly/3L3q3SD.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>Compared to year-end passenger traffic for 2020, this is a 145 percent increase in passengers arriving and departing from Hilton Head Island. When evaluated with pre-pandemic passenger levels in 2019, 66 percent more passengers utilized Hilton Head Island, highlighting the substantial passenger growth experienced over the last few years.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p><strong>Beaufort’s Frederick + Frederick Architects awarded Best of Houzz 2022</strong></p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>Frederick + Frederick Architects of Beaufort has won a “Best of Houzz” award for Design and Customer Service on Houzz, the leading platform for home remodeling and design.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>The 33-year old custom residential architecture firm, established in 1989 by the husband and wife team of Jane and Michael Frederick, was chosen by the millions of homeowners that comprise the Houzz community from among more than 2.7 million active home building, remodeling and design industry professionals.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>Since the inception of the Best of Houzz Awards in 2012, Frederick + Frederick has received 15 Best of Houzz Awards, nine for design and six for service.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>Badges are awarded annually, in three categories: Design, Customer Service and Photography. Design awards honor professionals whose work was the most popular among the Houzz community. Customer Service honors are based on several factors, including a pro's overall rating on Houzz and client reviews submitted in 2021. Architecture and interior design photographers whose images were most popular are recognized with the Photography award.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>Learn more about Frederick + Frederick Architects, who specialize in custom homes for hot, humid climates, at <a href="http://www.f-farchitects.com" data-type="URL" data-id="www.f-farchitects.com">www.f-farchitects.com</a></p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->