island eye news - october 30, 2009

8/14/2019 Island Eye News - October 30, 2009

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The littlepink

art galleryBy Kristin HacKler

FIrst fsh! page 20 Birds of Prey page 25Saving the Dump page 25

I n s i d e I s l a n d E y e

PRESORTSTANDARD

USPOSTAGEPAID

CHARLESTON,SC

PERMITNO437

October 30, 2009Volume 5 Issue 13

Since May 2005

S u l l i v a n s I s l a n d I s l e o f P a l m s G o a t I s l a n d D e w e e s I s l a n d

FREE

Every election year, TheIsland Eye News asksfour topical questions

of the candidates running forIOP Council, garnered from theimportant issues and concernsof the community. This year, weasked the candidates the followingfour questions:

1)The main issue in the last twoelections was short term rentals.Do you feel that the currentregulations and the state of theeconomy curbed your concernsabout short term rentals, or do

you still have concerns?

2)As Mount Pleasant continuesto grow, the amount of daytrippers will continue to grow.How do you propose to minimizethe impact of day trippers onthe residential quality of life,such as trafc and trash, whileencouraging visitors to spendmoney with local businesses?

3)Reader-submitted question:It seems our City governmentis growing larger than the IOPpopulation. Are you concerned

with the spending of current andpast administrations? Do yousee any projects in the futurethat will need major funding?

4)Reader-submitted question: Doyou support a new swimmingpool at the IOP Rec Center?

Get to know

your candidates

see Candidates on page 17

The little pink house inthe Sullivans Islandbusiness district has beenundergoing a bit of change

over the past few weeks. Newowers and fresh mulch havegone in around its picket fence,the window sills and doorframes have been touched up

with fresh paint, and some veryimpressive glass sculptureshave found their way ontothe front lawn. Through the

windows of the glassed in frontporch, passerby have noticedseveral handmade glass bowls

see Galleryon page 26

T(above) Co-

owners Joanna

and Everett

White stand in

front of the new

Island Gallery.

(left) Artwork

at the gallery

includes jewelry

by Susan Hauser

and polymer clay

ornaments by

Heather Martinez.


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Isle of Palms886-6428

www.iop.net

Tuesday, November 3

General Municipal Election7am - 7pm

Wednesday, November 4

Public Works CommitteeMeeting4pm1303 Palm Boulevard

Personnel Committee Meeting5:30pm1207 Palm Boulevard

Thursday, November 5

Public Safet CommitteeMeeting5pm30 J.C. Long Boulevard

Friday, November 6

Real Propert Committee

Meeting8:30am

1207 Palm Boulevard

Tuesday, November 10

Board of Zoning Appeals5:30pm1301 Palm Boulevard

Recreation Committee5:30pm24 Twenty-eighth Avenue

Wednesday, November 11

Municipal Court10am1207 Palm Boulevard

Planning Commission4:30pm1301 Palm Boulevard


Livabilit Court5pm1207 Palm Boulevard

Sullivan's Island883-3198

www.sullivansisland-sc.com

Monday, November 2

Committees of Council6pm1610 Middle Street

Tuesday, November 3 & 10

Municipal Court

10am1610 Middle Street


Special CouncilMeeting:Accreted LandManagement6pm1610 Middle Street

Planning Commission:6:30pm1610 Middle Street


Board of Zoning Appeals7pm1610 Middle Street

Wednesday, November 4 - Reccle

October 30, 2009 3

Lynn PierottiPublisher

[email protected]

Kristin HacklerEditor

[email protected]

Swan RichardsGraphic Designer

[email protected]

Ali AkhyariAssistant Editor

[email protected]

Lori DaltonAdvertising

[email protected]

Chelsea LanganAdvertising

[email protected]

InternsPaul RobinsonDylan Sharek

ContributorsBarbara Bergwerf

Martin BettelliDick CroninRon Denton

Barbara GobeinSandy Stone

Doug ThomasJames WardKarren Coste

Charleston County

Published byLucky Dog Publishing

of South Carolina, LLCP.O. Box 837

Sullivans Island, SC 29482843-886-NEWS

Submit your letters to the editor to:[email protected]

Future deadlines:November 4 for all submissions.

www.islandeyenews.com

Lucky Dog Publishingof SC, LLC

Publisher of the Island Eye News, The

Island Connectionand The Folly Current.

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Civic Calendar

Dear Editor,

The Barbs for Council!

Having known both BarbBergwerf and Barb Gobien formany years as advocates for the

Isle of Palms, the Sea Turtle NestProtection and the SC Aquarium, Iwant to pass along my enthusiasmfor their candidacy for the Isle ofPalms City Council.

Barb Bergwerf has done anoutstanding job as Councilmember in the short time since

we elected her to ll in MayorCronins Council seat. Priorto that, she served on the CityPlanning Commission and wasan outspoken advocate for thequality of life that most of us wantto continue to enjoy as residents.

Both Barbs have extensivebackground in business, and

currently run their own: Gobienowns the Sand Dollar Gift Shop in

Towne Center and Bergwerf has aprint and photography business.

If you have ever checked out theIsland Turtle Team website, you

will have seen Barbs superbphotos there. Neither Barb hasany grief against any islandbusinesses.

So, cant remember which Barb

is which? Its easy Just vote forboth!

Bev BallowWaterway BlvdIsle of Palms

____________________________

Dear Editor,

A positive word about Sandy Stone.I have known Sandy Stone for

20 plus years. Anyone who knowshim and has had the pleasure tomeet him absolutely knows he is aMUST for a City Council position

with the Isle of Palms.Communities typically have two

types of people: the ones that dosomething for their community

and other ones that just sitback and complain. Sandy is adoer. He gets the job done! Itsounds trite, but it is true.

I admire people that workhard and dont proclaim to thecommunity about the great deedsthey have done. Sandy is like that.He is quiet (like the island) andapproaches issues and problemsprofessionally, fairly, and withoutthe loud cry for recognition from

anyone. He is an environmentalistand ALWAYS preserves versusdestroys. He is concerned andvery genuine. What more can youask for in a candidate?

The Island has changed overthe years - some for the good andsome not - but the pressure is on.We need a leader to help shapethe future of the Isle of Palms withan educated, professional andenvironmentally sound approachto solutions. The Isle of Palmsneeds Sandy Stone!

Chuck BatesHas lived in the area

for the past 26 years

__________________________

Dear Editor,

We are writing in support ofBarb Gobiens bid to serve on theIsle of Palms City Council. Havingknown Barb in both a businessand personal relationship over thepast seven years, we are condentin her abilities, experience, ethicsand vision for the Isle of Palms.

We are a family with two school-aged children and consider

ourselves lucky to have lived onthe IOP for the past 11 years.It is a wonderful place to raise

Letters to the editor...

see letters on page 4

Dear readers,

This issue contains fourteen letters to the editor. All areunsolicited from concerned citizens expressing their view pointson the upcoming election on the Isle of Palms. In order to makesure every letter was seen in its unedited entirety we have addedfour additional pages. I want to thank all of the residents who feltour forum was the best place to express their support or voicetheir concerns. We also want to thank all of the candidates forputting themselves forward for public service. All of the previously

announced candidates (Jim Raih entered the race too late)graciously accepted an offer to answer questions from the IslandEye Newsand from our readers. Their answers begin to appear onpage 17 and can be accessed all week and up to election day onour website www.islandeyenews.com


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4 October 30, 2009


letters from page 3

children and we intend to makethis our lifelong home. Even inthe relatively short amount oftime we have been residents, wehave seen many changes on theisland; both positive and negative.

The most glaring negative changehas been the construction ofvery large homes, the majority of

which serve as rental properties

and provide nancial gain tothe owners, realtors, builders,architects, etc. Families whohave lived in their homes for yearsare now faced with an inux of

weekly renters, oftentimes at theexpense of neighborhood peaceand quiet. Obviously, we needCity Council members who can,

without partialism, address theseconcerns and keep our islanda family and resident-centeredplace to live. Barb Gobien is thisperson.

Barb has lived on the Isleof Palms for almost 30 years.During this time she has raised afamily, has had an island-basedbusiness for 15 years (which wasrelocated in 2003 and continuesto thrive), has been an activeparticipant on the IOP Turtle

Team and has volunteered andraised a signicant amount ofmoney for the SC Aquarium TurtleHospital. Her abilities are manyand her experience in business,customer service, and nancesis vast. Above and beyond this,and most importantly to us asisland residents, is that Barbsonly agenda for being elected toIOP City Council is to represent

the residents and families onthe island, making their voicesand concerns a top priority. Sheis an honest contender with nohidden agendas. Barb Gobiensintentions are to keep our islandas resident-friendly as possible,

while preserving our futurequality of life.

Our hope is that every islandvoter will take a close look ateach candidate his or herbackground, experience, personal

interests in the island, etc. Pleasevote for the candidate/candidates

who do not view the island in termsof personal nancial return. BarbGobien is certainly one of them.We urge you to make an informedand educated decision as this willaffect the future preservation ofour family island.

Dr. Joseph andMelissa Bianco

Wild Dunes, Isle of Palms

____________________________

Dear Editor,

When Sandy Stone wasappointed to the PlanningCommission, I downplayed theobjection to his appointment.Having known the family for many

years, I stated that I felt sure he would abstain from voting onissues in which he had specialinterest.

I was wrong about him.

He has proven to be themost aggressive member on thePlanning Commission and asupporter of the old Motel Mikebuild and rent, single familyneighborhoods be damnedthinking.

His blog arguing good lawsand bad laws in support of theargument that ownership cannotbe regulated, means that a hotelsized time share with THIRTEENowners can be built and rented ina single family zoned area between

TWO families with small childrenwho thought they were protectedby single family zoning.

His objection to the LivabilityCourt suggests that he prefersa free hand to have rentalsadjacent to single family workingpeople that will not be bothered,regardless of how noisy orobjectionable they might get inthe middle of the night.

I support the three Councilcandidates and the Mayoralcandidate who are committed

to protecting our single familystatus, who are concerned aboutour spending habits and whohave not had any part in therape of our neighborhoods withhotel sized rental homes.

The free-wheeling rental ofCity property for FIFTEEN YEARS

without ANY ESCAPE CLAUSEis unheard of in responsiblemanagement circles. The goodguy explanation is inadequate. I

would urge Isle of Palms voters toavoid putting the fox in charge ofthe henhouse.

Sincerely,Clay CablePalm Blvd., IOP

__________________________

Dear Editor,

I have lived on Isle of Palmsfor nearly 14 years. Before thatI lived on Sullivans Island while

working on the Isle of Palms. Inow live in the oldest home on

the island at 807 Ocean Blvd, theold Sottile beach house as manyrefer to it - at least those who havelived here long enough to know orremember.

With that said I would like torespond to the letter written bythe chairperson of the IOPNA. Ihave just read it and I am deeplysaddened by her remarks aboutSandy Stone. I have known Sandyand Peggy Stone for many yearsand they are wonderful people.

They have called the Isle of Palmstheir home for 35 years and whileraising their three sons on theIsland, Sandy was Boy Scoutleader and coached just aboutevery sport. He has always beena true asset to this community!

The reason I feel compelledto write is this: when did beinginvolved in real estate make youa bad person? When did owning

your own business make you thewrong person for City Council? Ithink that having lived here for35 years and owning your ownisland business makes you theperfect candidate.

I own several properties on theIsle of Palms. Does that mean I

would not be a worthy candidate

for City Council? That seems tobe what the IOPNA is saying. Ihave tried several times to jointhe IOPNA but I have never beencontacted. I am a part of theneighborhood, right?

My wish for this island is thateveryone would just get along andbe happy for their good fortune tolive in such a remarkable place.

Holly CovingtonOcean Blvd, IOP

____________________________

Dear Editor,

Wasteful Spending

I was appalled to see that theIsle of Palms City Council was

willing to pay 50% more in fees inawarding the City Hall renovationcontract. This is just anotherexample of City Council wastingthe citizens money during a timeof decreased revenue.

As an architect vying for the job, I was prequalied to bid onthe City Hall renovations and haveperformed numerous projects ofthe scale and scope establishingmy vast experience with doingthis type of work. It is absurd tosay that a higher price will lead toa better project when most largerrms allow their junior architectsto perform almost all the work

while I would have performed theentire work myself.

My price was based upon mystandard fee structure for projectsof this scope, not as a donationas the Council wanted to believe.

I felt my pricing structure is veryfair and thereby an opportunity togive back to my community. Thecomment in The Island Eye Newsby Mr. Loftus suggested that theother architect might be more ofan expert. However, as an Islandresident, I guess an expert reallyis someone from out of town witha briefcase.

Please take this into account when voting for your next CityCouncil members. Councilmembers who voted to pay higherfees and waste your moneyinclude the campaigning BarbaraBergwerf with the IOPNA-backedCouncil members leading thecharge. When voting for futureCity Council members, be carefulas your selection may end upcosting you.

Ron DentonIsle of Palms

____________________________

Dear Editor,

IOP mini-hotels and property values

Forbes magazine recently

published their annual round upon Americas Most ExpensiveZip Codes with Sullivans Islandshowing up 91st on the list andIsle of Palms coming in at 213th.

The rm who gathered the datafor the study, Altos Research,included month to monthpricing trends. You wont besurprised to hear that many ritzyneighborhoods saw price declinesover the past year.

Interestingly, Sullivans Island,as of October 11, 2009, posted a6.5% increase in median homevalue over the past year, while Isleof Palms saw a close to 20% drop



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October 30, 2009 9


in median home value. Obviouslymany factors contribute tothese trends; however, it is veryclear that these communitieshave adopted differing pathsfor the development and re-development that is taking placein their residential districts. Thecommunity that chose to protectthe residential character of its

single family districts, SullivansIsland, actually saw an increase inhome values - despite the historicrecession weve suffered through.

The news wasnt so happy for Isleof Palms property owners.

Current ordinances on IOP stillallow for up to 28 person short-term rentals virtually anywhereoutside the gates on the island.Yes, that means next door to YOU.Would you buy a home for yourfamily next door to a mini-hotel?Its no wonder our real estatemarket is under-performing. Thissituation will only worsen as the

economy turns around and thebuilding of massive rental homesres back up.

So what can residents do?Despite the fact that neighborhoodfriendly candidates captured threeseats in the 2007 election, ourCouncil is still controlled by folks

who want to maintain the status

quo. Plainly stated, we still donthave enough votes to pass fairbut effective measures to protectour single family residentialdistricts (such as limitingthe rental capacity of newlyconstructed homes to 12); whichis why our municipal electionsthis November are so important.Get to know the candidates - itsnot difcult to see that some ofthem have special interests that

conict directly with how youmight want your neighborhood tolook in ve or 10 years. Then getout and vote - your homes valueis at stake.

Jeff EvansIsle of Palms

Links to Altos Research DataIsle of Palms: www.altosresearch.com/research/SC/isle-of-palms-real-estate-marketSullivans Island: www.altosresearch.com/research/SC/sullivans-island-real-estate-market

____________________________

Dear Editor,

Diane Oltoricks letter to theeditor in this weeks edition of

your paper was over the top with

venom and mistruths. I hopeeveryone knows that there areat least two sides to every story,and Diane surely painted a grimstory. Since mud-slinging iscommon in politics, I shouldntbe surprised. Sandy Stone, acandidate running for Isle ofPalms City Council, is a man myhusband and I have known forabout 32 years, since we moved tothis island. He is a hard-working

man who cares very much aboutIsle of Palms, the place he andhis wife live and raised theirfamily. I can personally attest tothe fact that he and his businesshave given generously to ConnieMaxwell Childrens Home. Sandyhas made it a point to run a cleancampaign, and does not plan tostoop to Ms. Oltoricks level. Hehas a campaign website, www.voteSandy.com, and encouragesanyone to call him with anyquestions or concerns.Debbie JonesOcean BlvdIsle of Palms

___________________________

Dear Editor,

On Tuesday, November 3, 2009,I will proudly cast my vote to electto City Council an intelligent, hard

working and straight-forwardindividual: Barb Gobien. I haveknown Barb for over 15 years,rst in her capacity as a smallbusiness owner of the formerstore, Island Cards and Gifts,on the Isle of Palms. I was able

to observe her as she sometimeshad to deal with difcult anddemanding customers. She didso calmly with a genuine smileand an accommodating attitude.

The store was simply a greatplace to meet, gather and chatabout island happenings, as Idid on many occasions over the

years. Barb and her long standingemployees became my rst friendson the island and remain so tothis day.

Over the years I also observedher tenacity, her great sense ofhumor and compassion. Barb isone of those people who has that

can do attitude, coupled withone of the best traits of all: a greatlistener. Her ability to learn fromthe past while looking forward tothe future is a quality I believeessential as the City Council looksto the future of our island.

It is my opinion that BarbGobien is an outstanding choicefor City Council. She has thedetermination, intelligence andprobably the most importanttrait: a great love and respect forthe entire island and its citizens.

Very truly yours,

Joyce A. Petzold

Lake Village Lane,Isle of Palms

____________________________

Dear Editor,

Do you remember when doingbusiness with someone was his

word and a handshake? Thatsbecause a mans word was hisbond and the most important part

of his being. Todays businessrequires some paper but theprinciple is the same honesty,integrity and respect and that isthe embodiment of Sandy Stone.Having dealt on a professionallevel with Sandy for nearly ten

years and more recently on apersonal level, I can assure youthat Sandy emulates all of thethings that one would desire intheir representative.

We have had numerousdiscussions about a possibleconict of interest in servingthe citizenry and his businessand I am condent he can doso without prejudice. Sandyis absolutely opposed to thebuilding of eight, nine or tenbedroom homes anywhere on theisland. Sandys interaction withresidents for the past thirty-ve

years, his involvement in Scoutsand numerous youth sportsteams, serving on the PlanningCommission and successfullyoperating an island businessis proof that his care for ourisland is more than words; it isdemonstrated by his deeds.

Sandys views on the issuesare INDEPENDENT, as are his

associations. It is refreshingto have a reasoned, thoughtfuland independent candidate withexperience to select on November3. Sandy Stone is certainly

worthy of your consideration.

Larry PiersonIsle of Palms

____________________________

Dear Editor,

You will hear the cry forbalance on City Council. But

what does that really mean? The

message asserts that if we elect thethree candidates endorsed by theIOPNA, there would be no balanceon City Council. Well, where wasthe concern for balance before2007 when at least 7 (Includingthe Mayor at the time) Councilmembers had professionalinterests in the tourist/rental/building interests on Isle ofPalms? Re-Electing BarbBergwerf, and electing BarbaraGobien and Doug Thomas, wouldnally bring REAL balance to CityCouncil. They are the folks I want

letters from page 4



10/28

representing me and helping toprotect my neighborhood in thefuture from the rental invasion ofprevious years.

Jacoba RoestIsle of Palms

____________________________

Dear Editor,

Before the inception andcreation of the Isle of PalmsNeighborhood Association,our island voters selectedindependent candidates for ofce.Voters agreed to disagree onissues, but respected those whochose to serve and give of theirvaluable time in public ofce.Inevitably, disagreements wouldarise. Problems were discussedamicably with solutions derivedfor the benet of the entirecommunity. At no point in timeprior to the formation of the Isle of

Palms Neighborhood Association,to my recollection, did the mediapublish, much less embrace,public character bashing, nor

was it condoned. Have we lostthis civility in our community?It would seem so, as evidencedby the recent publication ofTheIsland Eye.

It is unacceptable andinappropriate to denigrate andslander a successful businessman

who has given so much backto our community, lived herefor thirty-ve years and isRESPECTED by the vast majorityof fellow island residents. Sandy

Stone is running for public ofce question his stand on issuesbut not his character! The IslandEyecan do better and should nothide behind the connes of aLetter to the Editor. And shameon the Isle of Palms NeighborhoodAssociation for allowing a boardmember to espouse this vitriolicdiatribe.

We can all do better. Letsmaintain a civil decorum duringthis 2009 election.

Respectfully submitted,Nicholas RunzaIsland resident since 1992

____________________________

Dear Editor,

I am writing this letter to showmy support for Mr. Sandy Stonein his efforts to become an IOPNACouncil member. I have knownSandy for more than 15 yearsas a strong long time resident ofover 35 years and a committedfamily man. During my familiarity

with Sandy, he has participatedin many ways in the life of theIsland, through volunteerism,

business and Island promotion oftourism. Sandy has served time as

part of the Planning Commissionand has been committed to thebest interest of Isle of Palms byseeking a balance of individualprivate property lifestyles and theeconomic vitality created throughtourism. Each of us is drawn intopublic service at different timesfor different reasons that spike atvarious times. I understand andshare Sandys concerns for ourcommunity which include things

like managing trafc and growth,parking, and commercial businesshealth. These items shouldbe managed with transparentgovernment with all aspectsof progress maintained in thepublic eye for resident scrutinyand a balanced budget with noneed for added tax burden on theresidents. I believe that Sandyis the right man to keep balancebetween preservation of ourresident lifestyle, enjoyment, theenvironment we all enjoy and theeconomic vitality necessary forsupport of our community. Thisis a time when we need strong

experienced leadership like SandyStone.

Sincerely,Phillip W SmithIsle of Palms

___________________________

Dear Editor,

For the rst time in many years,IOP voters have the opportunity tocreate a City Council that reectsthe true makeup of the islandsfull-time registered voters, mostof whom by far, whether theylive in Wild Dunes or elsewhereon IOP, are here for the lifestyleand not the money. Commercialand hypertourism interests havebeen over-represented on Councilfor years and IOP has started toshow it. This is largely becauseordinary citizens who want tospend time on their careers, golfand families feel they lack thetime and inclination to run forofce or even vote. The vacuumthis has left in IOP governmenthas too often been eagerlylled by those whose businessinterests are more important

than residents quality of life.Certain industries that think abeautiful barrier island is thereto be exploited for prot havegone so far as to publish articlesin their trade journals advocatingdeep involvement by its agentsin local government. Read anarticle entitled RPAC RealtorPolitical Action Committee froma September 1991 issue ofSouthCarolina Realtor, a trade journalavailable at the CharlestonCounty Library. It removes anydoubt.

As an IOP resident from 1982to 1998, I was shocked on my

return in 2006 to resume IOPresidency to see the unmistakable

move toward commercializationand hypertourism that had beenachieved during my absence byan RPAC-type approach by realestate and other commercialinterests. A look at my propertytax bill growth told me who ispaying for it.

Apparently, it took the mini-hotel issue to get IOP residents toorganize and take action at publichearings and the polls. One of

the bright spots of this crisis isthe realization by permanentresidents, whether living inWild Dunes or on the rest ofthe island, that their interestsare overwhelmingly aligned. Inote with pleasure that the IOPNeighborhood Association isgaining increasing membershipfrom Wild Dunes permanentresidents and endorses pro-resident candidates who livethere, as I did for many years. Tothe extent that year-round IOPresidents within Wild Dunes andelsewhere combine to elect Councilcandidates unencumbered by

business and tourism ownershipor allegiance, they can stave offfor IOP the destiny of too manycoastal towns that began theirlives as residential paradises.

For the future of IOP itcomes down to this: if you

want continued expansion ofcommercialism and tourism,

then elect an IOP governmentthat features persons who deriveincome from commercial activityon IOP. Follow the money trail.

If you dont like mini-hotels,dont elect to Council a man

who owns perhaps the largestvacation rental business onIOP. If you think your island isstarting to look like busy, trafc-

jammed Mount Pleasant, dontelect to Council men whose

bottom line improves as tourismand business activity grows onIOP. If, however, you want tostop IOPs movement towardbecoming just another vacationbeach town, then you must getto the polls without fail and votefor residents like yourself who arenot exploiting IOP for nancialgain. To do otherwise risks gettinga government that creates publicpolicy for private gain. Usingthat criteria, only dedicated,capable candidates like your realneighbors Bergwerf, Gobienand Thomas who derive no gainfrom IOP commerce, deserve a

residents vote for IOP Council.

David W. Somers, Jr.Capt. AIN USN (Ret.)51st Avenue, IOP

10 October 30, 2009

letters from page 9


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October 30, 2009 11


The Sullivans Island TownCouncil held its regular meetingon October 20. Council member

Jerry Kaynard was absent.

Ben Sawer Bridge updateThe majority of the rst hourof the meeting was reserved for

Julie Hussey, representative

for the Ben Sawyer Bridgereplacement project, whoinformed the Town of thebridge's progress. It seemsthat construction has occurredon schedule up to this point.Hussey stated that the tentativedate for the physical replacementof the bridge is November 11-21, weather and obstaclespermitting. The waterway will beclosed the entire length of thosedates while the road will only beclosed the nal seven days. If, forsome reason, the bridge cannotbe replaced on those days, thenthey will shoot for an early

December rescheduling.Using computer-generatedvideo, Hussey showed how thebridge will actually be replaced.A barge will travel to theconstruction site with the newbridge, which is being assembledin North Charleston, fromthe south. There will enoughroom on the barge to carryboth bridges. The barge willoat below the existing bridgeand, using the natural tidaluctuations, pick the bridge upand remove it from the roadway.At this point, both bridges willbe on the barge, side by side,

with the old bridge closest tothe roadway as the boat movessouth again. Once removed fromthe roadway, the barge will do a180 degree spin in the river sothat the new bridge is closest tothe roadway and will positionitself at the construction zoneso that the new bridge can besecured into place.

Accreted Land planSullivans Island residentLarry Middaugh informed theCouncil that the Sullivans

Islanders Group is hostinga series of discussions overthe coming year designed toinform everyone, including theCouncil, of the various optionsfor dealing with the accretedland. The rst discussion

will feature a representativefrom KICA (Kiawah Island

Community Association) on howKiawah Island has managed itspreserved lands.

However, Mayor Carl Smithinformed everyone that the TownCouncil very well may agreeto a plan of action before the

year is out, possibly as early asthree or four months from now.

The consequence would be thatany Sullivans Islanders group-sponsored discussions thatoccurs after that would becomeirrelevant to the Towns accretedland. Furthermore, Smithrequested that Middaugh makeit a point at their next scheduled

discussion to stress the factthat the Islanders group is notassociated with the Town. Headded that the Councils decisionmay not have to go through the

Towns Planning Commission ifthere are no changes to zoninglaws.

The Town has scheduled apublic meeting on November10 for the purpose of movingforward with accreted landplanning. Hired consultants fromCoastal Science & Engineeringare expected to be in attendanceto answer questions. Themeeting is scheduled for 6:30pm

at Town Hall.Dog da debate

The City Council passed thirdreading of an ordinance whichextends the times and dates thatdogs are allowed on the beach

with and without leashes, andincreases the license fee for non-islanders to $35. The ordinance

was passed after a couple ofresidents expressed reasons whythe extended hours proposal waseither a good or bad idea. One

resident against the extendedhours pointed out that SullivansIsland is already in the minorityof American beaches where dogsare permitted at all. The factthat they are allowed off leashsuggests that Sullivans Islandis a haven for dogs. More doghours will result in more dog

waste on the beach, she argued.However, the ordinance wasamended to read that anyone

willing to obtain an AmericanKennel Club certication wouldreceive a $2 discount on theirdog license fee. Council memberMadeleine McGee introducedthe amendment, pointing outthat the Certication recognizesa responsible dog owner who

will clean up after their pet(s).The amendment and ordinancepassed unanimously.

The more we encourageresponsible dog ownership, thebetter off dogs are and the better

off people are, McGee said.

Loud and clearAs part of his Ways and Meansreport, Council member MikePerkis stated that the Town isregularly receiving about $6000a month from cell phone carriersas a result of the cell phonetower that has been constructedon the island. He saw no reason

why this should not continueinto the future. Perkis alsostated that cell phone receptionseems to have improved with thetower.

Perkis also pointed out that

the increases people may beseeing on their tax bills is nota result of tax increases fromthe Town but, instead, fromthe County and School Board.Sullivans Islands promise notto raise taxes, he said, was notbroken.

Increasing fees, not taxesWhile the Town has praised itselffor not raising taxes, it passedsecond reading of an ordinancethat will increase business

license fees for property ownerswho are involved with short-term rental properties. Councilmember Perkis expressedpleasure with the fact that short-term rental licenses were downfrom last year, pointing out thesuccess that comes with makingit increasingly expensive for

unwanted businesses to operate.The Council voted to suspendthe rules of order and also havethird reading of the ordinancedirectly after passing secondreading. The Council alsovoted unanimously in favorof the ordinance without anydiscussion. The ordinance isexpected to be ratied at thenext meeting of the Council.

Commercial Master Planstill in parkProgress on the TownsCommercial District Master Plancontinues to crawl along as a

result of the discussion overreverse-angle parking. Councilmember Pat ONeil announcedthat the consultants haveprepared their fourth draft ofthe nal plan document. TheCouncil was charged with theduty of looking over this versionand to present any changesthat need to be made. Already,the Council noted that thereneeded to be at least two otherparking options in addition tothe reverse-angle parking option,as the State Department of

Transportation is reportedly notin favor of the idea according toprevious statements from TownAdministrator Andy Benke.After the edits, the Town shouldreceive the fth and nal versionof the plan, which will thenbe presented to residents at apublic hearing.

The next meeting of the SullivansIsland Town Council will be heldon Tuesday, November 17, at6pm.

Sullivans Island Town Council October 20, 2009


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12 October 30, 2009

Meet the Candidate changeof venueFor many years the Isle of

Palms Exchange Club hosteda Meet the Candidates Nightat the Exchange Club. TheIsland Exchange Club hashad a long-standing workingrelationship with the City andafter consulting with Isle ofPalms City Administrator Linda

Tucker, the Board of Directorsmade the decision to welcome achange.

Exchange Club websiteFor those who do notknow, The ExchangeClub is Americas ServiceClub. President Elect Dimi

Matouchev developed a website, www.iopexchange.org,which

is constantly being changed,enhanced, and improved.

Upcoming eventsIf you are like many people whohave driven by the ExchangeClub building and wondered

what its about, you can nowvisit our web site and learn themany things we do in additionto the Isle of Palms ConnectorRun for the Child and our bigOyster Roast every year. We arean active and growing Club.Look for us at the HalloweenCarnival at the Isle of PalmsRecreation Center. We willbe selling hot dogs, chili anddrinks that night. Stacey

Johnson is the President this

year.

Isle of Palms

Exchange Club news Dryden Dee Taylor andCarol Rice are both on theIsle of Palms City Council.

On paper, the similarities endthere.

Taylor is labeled a scalconservative and Rice is a self-proclaimed left-wing liberal.During the controversial smokingban vote in late 2008, Taylorvoted against the ordinance andRice voted for it. Taylor looks atmany of the issues facing theCity through an economic andbusiness lens while Rice reliesextensively on her heart.

And both have been anintegral part of the Isle of Palmsgovernment for a combined 24

years of service. This will be the rst time

Taylors name hasnt appeared onthe Isle of Palms ballot in 16 years,

having initially been elected toofce in 1993. For Rice, it will be

the rst time in eight years, rstjoining the Council in 2001.

Both got into Isle of Palmspolitics to change aws they saw

within the City. Taylor had beeninvolved in high school and collegestudent governments beforemoving back to the Isle of Palms inthe early 90s. When he returnedto the area, Taylor noticed that acore group of politicians had beenmaking the Citys decisions for

years. In 1993, he decided it wastime to add another voice to that

group. Rice, a Charleston native,initially ran to improve the CitysRecreation Center.

Both have been wildlysuccessful with their endeavors.

Taylor is particularly proud ofthe work hes done with the CitysWays and Means Committee,

which hes headed for 12 of his16 years on the Council, as wellas his part in creating the Citysbudget.

The thing Im most proud

of with this City is that wevecreated a great nancial model,said Taylor. Its really helped theCity know what we have to spendon a day-in, day-out basis. I feelvery good with the Citys decisionmaking process.

Since her election, Rice hasoverseen the development of thenew and improved RecreationCenter. She is also extremelyproud of her forward-thinkingcontributions to the Citys publicsafety buildings; it was she whospearheaded efforts to make thebuildings more energy efcientand less detrimental to theenvironment.

In 2008, Rice also served asinterim Mayor for ve monthsafter former Mayor Mike Sottile

was elected to the states GeneralAssembly. She was the second

female Mayor in the Citys modernhistory.

Both Taylor and Rice areextremely dedicated to the City.

The incredible amount of timethey spend doing Council work isone of the main reasons they arenot seeking reelection.

This is an extremely timeconsuming job, Taylor said. Riceechoed the sentiment, statingthat, Its very time consumingand Ive always been very engaged.

Theres no point being on here[the Council] if youre not going tobe engaged. I just cant maintain

that level of involvement.Both Council members havetwo children and full-time jobs.

Taylor will focus his post-Counciltime on his pharmaceutical salescareer. Rice plans on spendingmore time with her two daughters,aged 13 and 15. She is a full-timeemployee at the Charleston TeaPlantation.

Neither have any plans to runin the future, but they have alsonot ruled the idea out.

A look back with Rice and TaylorBy Dylan sHareK


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Friday, October 30Roast b the Coast7pm 11pm on Goldbug Island

with music by Uncle Mingo, all-you-can-eat oysters, a Lowcountrybarbecue buffet by Charleston BayGourmet, and desserts by Bi-Lo.Adult beverages will be available,as well as specialty drinks bySeels on Sullivans. Tickets areonly $30 and include all you caneat plus two adult beverages.

Tickets are on sale now at: www.friendsofsies.org.

Saturday, October 31

Happy Halloween!Celebrate Halloween at the PoeLibrar!Create your own mask at homeand bring it to the Poe Library at12 noon to be judged. Prizes willbe awarded for the most originalmasks. Refreshments will beserved. Poe Library, 1921 IOn

Avenue, Sullivans Island. Formore info, call 883-3914.

IOP Halloween CarnivalHave fun with island ghosts andgoblins of all ages at the Isle of

Palms Recreation CenterHalloween Carnival from 5

7pm on October 31. TheIOP Exchange Club will offerhot dogs, chips and drinkcombos for $3. Cotton candyand candy apples will be$1. Free events include acostume contest at 5:30pm,

jump castles, an obstacle course,a temporary tattoo booth, facepainting, balloon artists, a fortuneteller, free candy and prizes andmore! For more info, call 886-8294.

Sundogs Nirvana cover at HomeTeamOn Halloween night, Atlantas

The Sundogs will perform atHome Team BBQ on SullivansIsland dressed and playing as thelegendary Nirvana.For more info,visit www.hometeambbq.com orcall 883-3131.

Sunday, November 1All Saints Da

Dalight Savingsends (fall backone hour)

11th Annual Mount PleasantCheerleading Competition

The Mount Pleasant RecreationDepartment would like to inviteall area youth cheerleadingsquads to register for the 11thAnnual Cheerleading Competition,scheduled for Saturday, December5, at the old Wando HighSchool gym (1560 Mathis FerryRoad, Mount Pleasant). www.townofmountpleasant.com. For

more info, contact Anne Selner at884-2528.

Monday, November 21st Annual Love, Inc. GolfTournament

The tournament will be held atCharleston National Golf Course inMount Pleasant with registrationat 11am and a shotgun start at

12pm. Cost is $80 per person$300 per four-person team. Fmore info or to register, conta

Jeff Burkhart at 375-1245 ore-mail jburkhard@horizon-

seniorservices.com.

Wednesday, NovembeEast Cooper Dementia CareEducation and Support GrouErin Branham of InterimHomeStyle Services will speakon How to Make the Best of YDoctor Visits. 9:30 - 10:30amAll Saints Lutheran Church, 2Hwy. 17 North, Mt. Pleasant. more info, call Ginger at 810-

Thursday, November Island in a Stormbook sign

at Blue BiccleAbby Sallenger, author ofIslain a Storm, will be giving a talkand signing copies of her bookduring a reception sponsoredby the South Carolina CoastaConservation League from 6 at Blue Bicycle Books, 420 KiSt. Sallenger, a coastal geologfor the USGS, tells the story oIsle Derniere, a Louisiana barisland resort that was destroyby a Category 4 hurricane in For more info, call the CCL at 9895, or Blue Bicycle Books a722-2666.

Wild Dunes hosts Super SenTennis Tournament

Thursday, November 5, througSunday, November 8, 2009, WDunes will host the United St

Tennis Association (USTA) SouCarolina Section of the SuperSenior Tennis Tournament onat the Resorts Tennis Center.

The event is free and open to tpublic. For more information othe tournament, schedule of p

or a Wild Dunes gate paplease call 886-2113.

14 October 30, 2009


Island EOctober 3

NowLocal O

$1


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day, November 6Annual Pet Helpers BlackFur Ball Gala

m 6:30pm 11pm, at

minger Auditorium, 56fain Street in downtownleston. Tickets: $150 eachcan be purchased at theer, by calling 795-1110, ore at www.pethelpers.org.

a Night Hoopse IOP Recice basketball skills

fundamentals in a funonment. Friday night hoopsen to boys and girls ages 7-126 8pm on November 6 &

nd December 4 & 18. Cost isper child. Call 886-8294 toter.

urday, November 7Marks Soup and Bake Salem 11am to 1pm. Proceeds will

ward St. Marks Outreachrams. The Soup and Bake Salee held at St. Marks Lutheranch, 300 Palm Blvd. Isle ofs. For more info, call 886-.

a Backardigan at theariumm 4pm at the South Carolina

rium. Free with generalssion to the Aquarium from

4pm. For more information,scaquarium.org. or call (843)FISH (3474).

nday, November 8n concert at IOP Firsted MethodistMr. Lee Kohlenberg will be in

ert on the Allen Renaissancentum Organ at the Firsted Methodist Church, Islelms. Program includesehude Prelude, Fugue andonne, Bach Prelude ande in G Major, Franckale No. 1 in E Major,

and Sowerby Pageant, plusThalban-Ball Elegy, HowellsPsalm Prelude, Set II, No. 2,Hollings A Trumpet Minuetand Bach Air for the GString. Free. Palm Blvd and21st Avenue. [email protected] or call 886-6610.

Art on the Beach and Chefs inthe KitchenFrom 1 5pm, tour historichomes, artists studios and theSullivans Island lighthouse, as

well as delicious foods from severallocal restaurants. Tickets: $35 andPatron tickets are $150. They maybe purchased at Creative Spark881-3780 and Sandpiper Gallery.

Fall Harvest Dinner at LegareFarmsAll of the food will be LegareFarms own and will be preparedby ten of Charlestons nest chefs.Beer from Coast Brewery andPalmetto Brewery, and wine fromIrvin House Vineyards. Tickets are$50 each. 843-559-0788 or e-mail

[email protected]

Sullivans Island Lighthouseopen houseFrom 1 to 5pm on the groundsof the US Coast Guard HistoricDistrict at 1815 IOn Avenue onSullivans Island. All activities arefree and open to the public. Formore information, call the park at883-3123.

Monday, November 9

Winter Co-Ed Volleballat the IOP RecRegistration begins November

9 for the winter co-ed volleyballleague. Up to 12 teams of adultsage 18+ can register by calling886-8294 for games beginning

January 5, 2010.


Sullivans Island AccretedLand meeting

The Town ofSullivans Island

has scheduleda public meetingfor the purpose of

moving forward with accreted landplanning. The meeting is scheduledfor 6:30pm at Town Hall.

Wednesday, November 11Veterans Da

Thursday, November 12Holida card drawingat the IOP Rec

Mark your calendars for fun,free holiday activities at theIsle of Palms Rec. Join in theHoliday Card Drawing Contestfor ages 12 and under from4-6pm. Participants must pre-

register for all events by calling886-8294.

Friday, November 13Neon Glow Middle School DanceGet ready for the rst-ever NeonGlow Night Dance for 6th, 7th and8th grade students at the Isle ofPalms Recreation Center from 7-10pm. Tickets are $5 and will be

sold at the door. Charleston JumpCastle will provide bounce-housefun. Glow sticks, glow temporarytattoos and more will be givenaway to the rst 100 participants.


883-50302213-B Middle St,

www.seelsfshcamp.com

CalendarNovember 13

earing:r Clusters

ucket

15October 30, 2009


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17October 30, 2009

Candidates continued on pg 18

Candidates from cover

BARBARA BERGWERF1) Short term rentals:I haveno problem with short term

rentals to single families in thesingle family residential districts;however, I remain extremelyconcerned about the continuedpotential for the dismantlingand disintegration of ourneighborhoods by mini-hotels.

The issue is that the tourism/vacation/real estate industrydecided that the property rightsof the families living in the singlefamily residential districts wereno longer amenable to theirindustrys nancial goals. Theyseized an opportunity to runmini-hotels outside of the resortand commercial districts. Thecurrent short term regulationsdo nothing to protect the singlefamily neighborhoods, and ifhistory is any indicator, greed

will rear its ugly head again asthe current economic situationabates.

2) Day trippers:The challengesassociated with day trippersare long standing. Trafc,trash and parking impactthe residential quality of lifethe most. Addressing theseimpacts is complicated becauseof state laws regarding rightsto access the public beach. Ipropose that the city institutea comprehensive parking planfor the island that eliminatesday tripper encroachment in theresidential neighborhoods. StateLaw states that parking may beprohibited on State highwaysSECTION 56-5-2540. We needto work with DOT to see what it

would take to make this happen.The City also needs to considerthe potential impact of daytrippers on our Blue Wave beachdesignation. Outside of thecounty park and the Front Beachcommercial district, there areno public restroom/sanitationfacilities available to day trippers.

This concerns me a great deal.Possibly, some type of use feecould be implemented to ensure

that the cost of day trippers is notbeing borne by the local propertyowners.

3) City spending:There are noindications that City governmentis growing larger than theIOP population. I am alwaysconcerned about spending. TheCity has had major projectsover the last three years: a restation, a public safety building,Marina bulkhead replacementand beach re-nourishment.

That the re stations needed tobe replaced is inarguable. So,too, is the Police Departmentsneed for additional space. These

were designed and budgetedby the previous administration

during the euphoria of the realestate bubble. It is a shame theresidents were not given anyopportunity to provide commentson these facilities prior to theirconstruction. They could bemore modest, but will service theCity for generations. The Cityis scally sound and maintainsreserves for many contingencies,as well as future projects. Thenext anticipated project is thedredging of the Marina harbor.

4) Swimming pool:It would benice to have a pool at the IOPRec Center. It is a considerableexpense that can certainly notbe in the budget at this time.It would likely be used only bya limited number of people.

The ongoing costs of operation,maintenance, supervision,liability etc. would be more thanconsiderable, as anyone whohas borne them will attest to. Itshould be put to a referendumas the previous Rec Centerexpansion was. I would be infavor of it if it added neither longterm unfunded debt obligation

nor unfunded expense to thebudget. This could, perhaps, beaccomplished by some sort ofstrict user or member fees thatgenerated revenue to match allexpenses.

5) You have stated that whenwe bought our property (onOcean Blvd.), we had neighborson all sides ... and are nowsurrounded by short termrentals. you purchased your

property twelve years ago andmoved here seven years ago.a: Did you rent your propertyto short term renters prior tomoving here? b:You served onthe Planning Commission forthree years - what changes inthe short term rental policiesof the island did you propose?

5) a: My husband and Idiscovered Isle of Palms andreturned many times, rentingboth houses and Sea Cabinsfor our visits. We quicklydiscovered there was nowhereelse we wanted to be than theIsle of Palms. The only way wecould rationalize the cost ofbuying our home was to put iton a short term rental programuntil we were able to move herepermanently. Actually, our realestate agent encouraged us to

do that. She steered us to aplace to buy our furniture, toC.T. Lowndes for insurance, andto Great Beach Vacations formanagement. This is probablythe route many people havetaken to reach their naldestination living on the island.I believe every home owner onthe island has a right to rent outtheir property. But, what evolvedover the years after we bought

was NOT people buying homesthey planned to live in, but peoplebuilding homes that were neverintended to be anything but Mini-Hotels; businesses that are forthe most part owned by people

that dont live on the island.

5b: When I was appointed tothe Planning Commission, theShort Term Rental ordinance

was in its nal drafts. I was fora 150 square foot minimumfor bedrooms and that alloccupants over the age of two

would be counted towards themaximum allowed occupancy.

The ordinance referred to theCity Council was weakened bythe Mayor and Council in its nalform. Are their issues that need

to be addressed? YES. Safety isone. Overcrowding could endup being a disaster. There areno safety inspections for thesethree story businesses. That issomething I would like to see bepart of the Short Term RentalLicense. Our re departmentneeds to know how many peopleare in a unit when they go induring a re. They also need tobe able to reach the house andif there are cars packed in thedriveway that could end up intragedy.

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MARTIN BETTELLI1) Short term rentals:Theyhave both had an effect onshort-term rentals, but thatdoesnt mean that we should notcontinue to monitor them and theeffect they have on our quality oflife. I feel that short-term rentalsare better monitored now thanthey have ever been in the past.

The monthly Livability reportsare but one way we are able tomonitor and tweak as necessary.

The Livability Court has been agood enforcement tool. I havealso noted the fact that there is anationwide trend to build smallerhouses.

2) Day trippers:We continue tosee an increase in day trippers.Its a fact of life. Ive been on theisland 40 years, and we seem toget more every year. Theyre not

just from Mount Pleasant though;they come from all over the tri-county area and beyond. Mostfolks like the beach, and wevegot a great one! The PlanningCommission is looking into thepossibilities regarding parkingon Palm Blvd. We purposely didnot increase the rates in the Cityparking lots when the Countyparks did last year in the hope wecould keep more folks in the frontbeach area. Id like to see the day

trippers spend more money withlocal businesses. We have manygreat places for them to eat andshop. Perhaps a local merchantscoupon book would be one idea.We do have a link on the Citys

website to local businesses, but Idont think day trippers surf our

web, only our beach. We haveenacted a beach debris ordinanceand have trashcans as well asdoggie bags to help with thetrash issue. We also put up newsignage last year which lists thebeach guidelines.

3) City spending:When welook at the size of the City, we

must realize that we must keepup with training methods and

procedures as well as beingresponsive to state and federalmandates. We have attempted tominimize hiring people unless itis a necessity, but we must alsorespond to and deliver services

which are expected of us. If weexpand, it is generally done inregards to citizen demands orunfunded mandates. A money-saving example is paying theCounty to handle the NationalPollution Discharge Elimination

System (NPDES) for us ratherthan hiring another one or twoemployees to do it. An exampleof responding to a need would bethe reghters that were hired toenable us to get water on a refaster.

In the future we may dredgethe Marina and do a Marinaenhancement project, we also

will be doing the 54th to 57thAve. drainage project. Wevebeen setting aside money forthese projects and have beenvery successful in securing grantmoney for some of the work.

4) Swimming pool:I do not

support a swimming pool at theRec. We must not only considerthe initial cost involved, butalso the ongoing maintenancecost, training, and personnelexpenses as well as the increasedinsurance risk.

5) In your press release, youwrote I will make every effortto ensure that island residentsand businesses-as well asour visitors-have an islandthat is family-oriented, safe,and clean. Having servedon Council for 12 years andserved on every Committee,what specically have youdone to accomplish this in the

past and what do you proposeto do in the future to ensurethat our island is family-oriented, safe and clean?

5) Im pleased with many of theprojects and ordinances I havesupported over the years. Oneof the rst was the purchaseof the Marina. I believed it wasfar more important to have aboat launch facility for islandresidents than to have condosat that location. I was in favor oflimiting the size of rental and forsale signs we enacted years ago.I supported our application forour Blue Wave designation for

clean beaches we have earnedduring the past several years.I supported the decrease in lotcoverage, which was enactedseveral years ago. I supportedthe island wide drainage project,

which has been ongoing for thepast ve years. I supported thenew docks at the Marina, as

well as the bulkhead project.I was in favor of our frontbeach revitalization, and I wasinstrumental in the beach debrisordinance, which has eliminateditems being left on the beachovernight - or in some cases fora week or more - and making itsafer for nesting turtles. We have

The nal question is readersubmitted and unique toeach candidate, drawn mainlyfrom the information providedin their press releases. Allcandidates' reponses are listedin alphabetical order.


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October 30, 200918

a nationally accredited policeforce.

This is a continuing process,and its important that wemonitor the different aspects ofthis island we call home. CityCouncil held a joint meeting

with the Planning Commissionin mid-September specically todiscuss short-term rental issuesand the future of the island.We are a residential island thataccommodates visitors. My hopeis that some of the visitors willbecome permanent residents inthe future.

********************************

RICHARD CRONINMaoral candidate1) Short term rentals:Thecurrent ordinances and theLivability Court have had apositive impact. Looking to thefuture, more can be done. Lastmonth, City Council gave thePlanning Commission clearguidance on limiting maximum

occupancy in new rentalproperties and lot coverage/greenspace on any new construction.

These will be very positivechanges. They will enhance theexisting character of the Islandas a quality place to live and helpprotect our environment.

2) Day trippers:The impact ofday trippers is an issue for all thebarrier islands. I have met withother mayors to share ideas. Allagree that strict enforcement ofour beach ordinances, parkingregulation and civil behaviorordinances are essential. Forexample, the City issued 48%

more parking tickets this lastseason than the prior year.Relative to encouraging visitors tospend money, I have supportednot increasing the parkingfee at the Citys Front Beachparking lots for two reasons:1. I want visitors to park inthe lots, not in the right of wayin a neighborhood, and 2. Ifvisitors park in the lots near thebusinesses they are more likelyto enjoy the shopping and diningthere.

3) City spending:I see noproject in the future that willneed major funding. The projects

completed over the past few yearshave been essential to protectcitizens and property. The Cityis in a strong nancial conditiondemonstrated recently by ourBond rating being increased.Relative to the growth of Citygovernment, the majority of theCitys cost goes for people. In thepast 2 years, while the Cityadded no new positions, over40% of the entire City employeesare new. I have and will continueto encourage the City to nd

ways to retain our employees.

4) Swimming pool:I do not seeany way the City could fund the

cost of building and operating apool without increasing taxes. Ido not support increasing taxes

for a pool.

5) You have stated thatthe current economy willcontinue to reduce the Citysincome, but with reducedspending, we can balance theCitys budget without raisingtaxes. a: What programs orservices will you recommendbe cut? How much will thesecuts save? b: Do you feelthe Livability Court has

sufciently addressed theconcerns of those living inSR-1 and SR-2 or do you feelmore needs to be done? Whatmight those recommendationsbe?

5) a: The City has a verycomprehensive budgetingprocess which involves everydepartment and every member ofCity Council. The budget evolvesover ve months of scrutinizingevery detail. The Citys incomehas already been reduced by $1million over the past two years.I am pleased that our budgetingprocess has limited eachdepartments spending such thatthere was no tax increase neededfor scal year 2010. b: In the pasttwo years, the Livability Courtand the Livability ordinanceshave reduced noise complaints by33% in SR1 and SR2. Properties

with multiple offenses havedropped even further. While thisis going in the right direction,as I stated at a City Council

workshop, it is still not enough.I am pleased that enforcementis now much stricter-virtually allcomplaints are issued a citationand a court date to come beforethe Judge.

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RON DENTON1) Short term rentals:Othercandidates will tell you thattheir main concern is the shortterm rental houses and themini hotels. While these issuesare important, they are notthe islands main concern nowsince the real estate market isdown and the Livability Courtis working. I have concerns

with short term rentals, but anydecision to further restrict theshort term rentals needs to bedriven by the facts, not anecdotalevidence.

2) Day trippers:The commercialarea is where we would like tohave the day trippers becauseit reduces the congestion alongPalm Blvd and supports thelocal businesses at the sametime. The best way to modifythe day trippers behavior is toissue season-long parking decals(for a fee) for Palm Boulevard.

The relative higher cost ofparking along Palm Blvd vs. theCommercial District will makeparking along Palm Boulevardless inviting and will achievethe desired results: less trafcon Palm, more business in thecommercial area and money to

pay for the Palm Blvd bike lane.

3) City spending:The mainconcern of the island is the debt

we now have from the new safetybuilding, the new RecreationCenter, the beach renourishmentproject and the purchase of theMarina. Our revenues are downfrom previous years and we arecompelled to provide a high levelof service to our community. Idont see how we can afford anynew projects.

4) Swimming pool:I would liketo see a swimming pool at theRecreation Center, but I dontthink we can afford it with thedebt we have undertaken.

5) a: As Chairman of thePlanning Commission, do you

feel enough has been done toaddress the concerns of thosecitizens in SR-1 and SR-2 thatare concerned about continuedencroachment of short termrentals in their areas? b:Whatother recommendations mightyou make to address theirconcerns?

5) a: The rst step is to deter-mine whether any encroachmentof rentals into the neighborhoodsis continual. Are permanentresident homes being sold toowners who are placing theseproperties on the short termrental program and is thereany trending for the oppositescenario of rental homesbeing purchased for full timeoccupation? That is deningthe problem, not just the ideaof the problem. The percentageof short term rentals in theneighborhoods is 17%. Shouldthere be a consensus that thisnumber is largely increasing,then a way to curtail further

expansion might be to limit rentaloccupancy levels. b: I wouldlike to nd a balance betweenthe livability of our permanentresidents and the rights of therental property owners. I donot own any rental propertiesand feel that I can be an honestbroker to nd common groundand lasting solutions. Real estateprices are continuing to fall andthe Livability Court needs to havea chance to work, so there is noneed to rush into an arbitrarysolution that is not supported bythe facts.

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BARBARA GOBIEN1) Short term rentals:I am notagainst short term rentals. I ammore interested in the numberof occupants allowable per unit,and in restricting or preventingthose activities that infringeon the rights of others to enjoytheir life. The current short termrental regulations do not addressthe various land use districtsindividually. I believe this isa major shortcoming of thoseregulations. The state of theeconomy has slowed the pace ofmindless development on the Isleof Palms and has given the City

a pause and a second chance atdening what it will look like in

the future, but this opportunitywill not last forever. Housingprices have dropped signicantlyas a result of the real estatebubble on IOP, but there will bea new generation of investors anddevelopers who will seek to takeadvantage of this island solelyfor their personal nancial gain.Rules must be put in place soonto deal with this.

2) Day trippers:The day tripper

issue is a long standing onefor this island. It has been myexperience through observation,and through operating IslandCards and Gifts in the Redand White Shopping Centerfor fteen years, that the vastmajority of day trippers bringall their supplies with them andadd very little to the economicactivity of the Isle of Palms.

Trafc, trash and parkingimpact the residential quality oflife the most. Addressing theseimpacts is complicated becauseof state laws regarding rightsto access the public beach. Ipropose that the City institute acomprehensive plan for dealing

with all these issues includingresidential parking districtsthat would minimize day tripperencroachment on the residentialneighborhoods. The City alsoneeds to consider the potentialimpact of day trippers on ourBlue Wave beach designation.Outside of the county park andFront Beach commercial districts,there are no public restroom/sanitation facilities available forday trippers. This concerns me agreat deal. Some kind of use feeshould be in place which wouldinsure that the cost of the daytrippers is not borne by the localproperty owners.

3) City spending:Yes. CityGovernment should always havecontingency plans for the worst.

They, like the rest of us, must beable to tighten their belts whennecessary to keep expendituresin line with revenues. To date,the records indicate that theyhave done well at this. Fundingof future projects - other thanrequired infrastructure suchas water, sewer, roads, re andsafety - will depend on the stateof the economy.

4) Swimming pool:It would benice to have a pool at the IOP

Rec Center. It is a considerableexpense that can certainly notbe in the budget at this time.It would likely be used only bya limited number of people.

The ongoing costs of operation,maintenance, supervision etc.

would be more than considerable,as anyone who has borne them

will attest to. I would be in favorof it at this time only if it addedneither long term unfunded debtobligation, nor current expense tothe budget. This could, perhaps,be accomplished by some sort ofstrict user or member fees thatgenerated revenue to match allexpenses.


Candidates from page 17


19/28

19October 30, 2009

5)In your press release youmentioned many concernsabout oversized homes andmini-hotels popping up inresidential neighborhoods.a: Aside from the beach frontarea on Palm or Ocean, doyou feel these buildings areencroaching on residentialneighborhoods? b:You also

state that Wild Dunescontinues to build large rentalunits which impact the trafcissue. What is your specicsolution to this perceived

problem?

a: All one has to do is drivethrough the streets in theneighborhoods on the Isle ofPalms to see the number ofmini-hotels popping up. Theyare in fact encroaching on andchanging the neighborhoods.People have told me personallythat they moved because of thenoise! b: Any individual investoror groups of investors who

prot from non-owner occupied,large multi-family hotel typedevelopment, if allowed to takeplace, should bear the total costrequired to mitigate the effects oftheir activity on the island. This

would include the cost of sewers,road expansion, expanded Cityservices and all other effects, as

well as the cost of impact studiesprior to permit approval.

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SANDy STONE1) Short term rentals:Currentregulations have certainlyimproved the behavior of our

islands guests as evidenced bythe Livability Courts reductionin complaints of 31% from 2008to 2009. I certainly DO NOTsupport the building of largerental properties within SR1& SR2 areas those homes ofeight bedrooms or more. I wouldsupport these limits regardless ofthe state of the economy.

2) Day trippers:As an involvedisland resident and businessowner, I would like to see whatideas the residents have forday trippers. Parking fees andpermitted usage of parking arecertainly to be considered. As toencouraging spending in our localbusiness establishments, that isprobably best left to the owners ofthose businesses.

3) City spending:I am a scalconservative and as a successfulbusiness owner I have had todeal with meeting budgets,payrolls, services and knowingrst-hand that I cannot spendmore than Im taking in. I wouldmanage the Citys nances withthe same care. Its not my money;it belongs to the residents.

4) Swimming pool:Whetherthe City needs or does not needa new swimming pool at the

Recreation Center is up to theresidents. Place an initiative

referendum on the ballot and letthe people effected vote on it. Andof course, vote on the fundingissue as well.

5) a: As an owner of an islandbusiness where the primaryincome comes from long andshort term rentals, how willyou reconcile your experienceon the Planning Commissionand potentially City Councilwith the desires of the

citizenry who want to limitshort term rentals? b: Is therea potential conict here?

a: With more than thirty yearsof experience dealing withowners and rental guests of ourcommunity, I am in a uniqueposition to bring a balance toCity Council. I understand theconcerns of those who want tolimit short term rentals and have

worked very hard to reduce theimpact they have on the qualityof life we all enjoy in our ownspecial way. The results as statedin the rst answer will attestto that work. We must be very

careful so as not to increasethe size of our government, norover-regulate as the unintendedconsequences might do us moreharm than good. b: I see nopotential conict in a reasonedresolution to the concerns of thecitizenry. I live and work here,too!

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DOUG THOMAS1) Short term rentals:I amstill very concerned about shortterm rentals. The economy hasslowed their development. Thismay be one of the few blessings

to the slower economy. Wenow have time to enact therequired legislation to stop theconstruction of Mini Hotels.

The current restrictions do notprevent the construction ofthe Mini Hotels in residentialneighborhoods. The speculatorscant get the money to build themand there is no market for themnow. Once the economy returns,I am sure we will be facing thesame issues again unless weact now to put into effect thenecessary restrictions to preventMini Hotels from being built.

2) Day trippers:The day tripperproblem continues to grow.

There is no easy answer. Somesolutions may be the purchase ofseasonal and /or daily parkingpasses or metered parking.

These fees could then be usedto offset the City expense ofenforcing the passes and cleanup. I am sure we are not the onlybeachside community that hasthis problem. I would propose

we survey those communitiesthat have experienced theseproblems and see how they havehandled it. The main concern isthat the beach is public property.Everybody has the right to use it.

Local business might offerdiscounts to those who have

parking passes to solicit newcustomers. The local community

and the local business mightconsider hosting an event at thebeginning of the summer seasonat which each business could setup a tent with samples of their

wares for sale. However, it is notup to the City to subsidize privatebusiness. They must take on thatchallenge on their own.

3) City spending:I am notaware that the City governmentis growing larger than the

population. You may be right ifyou consider only the full-timeresidents. However, rememberthat the more people that visit- renters and day trippers - themore services the City mustprovide: police, re protection,trash pick up, etc. And I amaware that there are more daytrippers and renters.

4) Swimming pool:No. I grewup a mile from the ocean and sixmiles from the bay. Thats why

we moved here. I could never seewhy anybody would want to swimin a pool when you have so muchnatural water around. I have

never been a big fan of pools.There is a lot of maintenance andliability to a pool. In the past wehave joined local pool clubs forthe kids. That way we did nothave the hassle of maintainingour own pool and it was probablyless expensive. I understand theCounty Park off Long Point Roadhas a great water park which isopen to the public.

5) a: Having attended the IOPWays and Means Committeemeetings for the past twoyears, do you feel that theCitys monies have beenmanaged prudently?

b: What would you have donedifferently? c: You also statea concern with short termrentals - have you personallybeen affected by them? d:Where does your concern come

from?

a: The two largest expenses that Ihave heard discussed are the newPublic Safety Building and theMarina rework. The projects aresomething the City can be proudof. We can debate forever thatthey were more than was needed.

The Fire Department lived intents for several years while thenew buildings were being built.

The Fire Department still didtheir job beautifully during thattime. I think the current Councilis very cost conscious. There

was a lot of serious discussionover the reworking of the spacevacated by the Police Departmentin the City building. There wereonly two quotes consideredfor the job at rst. There wasconsiderable difference in theprice. It seemed obvious to methat neither vendor understoodthe job. Council asked for morequotes. Two months later, twomore quotes had been obtainedfrom two other suppliers. TheCouncil selected the next-to-lowest bidder because he had

more experience and goodrecommendations from previous

customers performing the workthat was to be done. I have nine

years of purchasing experiencewith GM and often we selectedsuppliers that were not the lowbid because we knew in the longrun we would get a better value.A favorite trick of many suppliersis to bid low and after the jobstarts, hit you with unreasonablecharges for changes. I am notaccusing any of these suppliersof planning that. However, it can

be a good reason to not selectthe low bidder. Make sure youand the supplier understand

what is expected ahead oftime. b: Yes. The rst was theconstruction of a spec housenext to me. The house wasgranted variances without myapproval although I was toldthat any residences within 200feet of the home needed to givetheir written permission. I wasnever contacted. The builder alsoused my water for constructionpurposes without my permission.Fortunately, the house waspurchased by a wonderfulcouple who maintain the place

impeccably. We hardly knowwhen they arrive. We look out fortheir house when they are gone,as neighbors do.c: Dirty linens used to sit outin front of the rental across thestreet for weeks. Calls to therealtor got nothing. Finally wecalled the owners, who are greatpeople. Problem taken care of!No problems since. d: Lack ofrespect for the neighborhoodsby the speculative real estatecommunity is evident. Dontget me wrong, I have hadgreat experiences dealing withresidential realtors when buyingand selling my homes over

the years. It is the speculativebuilders that promote the shortterm rental properties that arethe problem.

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JAMES WARDMaoral candidate1) Short term rentals:I am inagreement with the Citys shortterm rental ordinance 2007-2, Sec. 5-4-202, Sec. 5-4-203,Sec. 5-4-204 & Sec 5-4-205;Ordinance 2007-3 and Ordinance2007-4. I think these laws aresufcient. I certainly would notbe in favor of diluting them in

any way.2) Day trippers:Day trippersplace more of a burden on Cityservices and resources than anyother group. We need to look atthis issue closely and exploreall viable options to minimizetheir impact. One huge issue isparking. The parking fees needto be materially increased. Inthe City-owned lots (whats leftof them after the gigantic TajGarage was constructed on mostof one lot), I propose the fee beincreased to $10 immediately.It is my understanding that theparking fees in the Isle of Palms




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October 30, 200920


County Park parking lot will beraised substantially in the nearfuture. Fees for parking on OceanBlvd in the commercial districtshould also be increased to reectthis change. I would like to lookinto placing parking kiosks alongPalm Blvd from 21st to 41stAvenues (every couple of blocks)to require day visitors to pay$12/day (or more) to encourage

them to park in the Countyparks and Citys lots. This willincrease trafc for businesses inthe commercial districts. I wouldlike to see more restaurants andupscale boutiques opened inthe commercial districts. I will

work to restrict parking on allside Boulevards for all vehiclesexcept those owned by islandproperty owners, residents andtheir guests. Property ownersand residents will be issuedresidential parking permits,free of charge, similar to onesissued to downtown Charlestonresidents.

3) City spending:This is a hugeconcern to me. I am a CPA withover 22 years of experience andI see rst-hand, on a daily basis,how many island residents aresuffering during this recession.However, the City keeps spendingas if it is immune to currentvolatile economic conditions. TheCitys long term debt was over$18,000,000 as of June 30, 2009.$7,700,000 of this debt wasadded in the last year. This is

unacceptable. The City must stopspending money it does not have!Under my leadership as Mayor,a policy of paying down this debtASAP will be implemented. TheCitys disaster preparedness fundbalance of about $1,700,000 is

woefully inadequate. I served onCity Council from 1988-1991. Wehad a little over $1,000,000 inthe disaster preparedness fund

when Hurricane Hugo devastatedour island. I was Mayor Pro-Tem

at the time and Chairman of theWays and Means Committee.That $1,000,000 we had in thefund was gone in no time. Weneed to be much better preparednancially for contingencies.4) Swimming pool:Isle of Palmsvoters voted No by a very slimmargin when the City had areferendum on the constructionof a swimming pool in 1990. I

was in favor of the idea and I stillam. This issue must be settled byanother referendum going beforethe voters, by law. I will supportthe residents choice on thisimportant matter.5) As a member of theAdopt a Beach programand Chairman of the

Accomodations Tax AdvisoryCommittee, were you in favorof using some of these funds

for the beach renourishmentearlier this year? It appearssome serious erosion isonce again threateningthe northern end of theisland - what would your

recommendations be to haltthat and how would you

nance it?

5) Obviously, beach renourish-ment is one appropriateuse of Accommodations Taxfunds. However, I agree withthe sentiment that manyresidents have expressedto me during my door todoor campaign which I haveconducted for the last six weeks

all over our island. Folks living

outside the gate of Wild Dunesget upset when material amountsof general fund revenues are usedto rescue structures within WildDunes, especially since we arentallowed general access to WildDunes.6) Bonus answerNo, I will notbring up the smoking ban issueagain when I am elected Mayor!

That issue is over with and hasbeen for a long time.

What a sh!

Jacob Cahalan, 2, caught his very rst trout and sting ray at Breach Inlet on the Isle of

Palms this past weekend. PHOtOs By: Jerry caHalan


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24 October 30, 2009

No one guessed last week'sEye Spy! It was the sanddollars

on the IOP Shopping Centersign. Send your guess for this

week's Eye Spy to:

[email protected]

Do you know

what this is?Eye SpyKids, send your guess forthis weeks Eye Spy to:

[email protected] or call 886-NEWS.

Please include yourmailing address with

your submission. Therst one to send in the

correct answer will receivea coupon for a free ice

cream at Caf Medley onSullivan's Island.

Charleston CountysEnvironmentalManagement

Department is seekingparticipants for the 2009Creative Recycling Art Contest.The art contest is being heldto celebrate America RecyclesDay 2009 in CharlestonCounty.

The contest is designedto highlight the creativetalents of Charleston Countyresidents and to increaseenvironmental awareness andgood stewardship throughrecycling, said JennyBloom, recycling educatorfor Charleston CountysEnvironmental ManagementDepartment.

This year marks the 12thanniversary of the CountysCreative Recycling ArtContest, which is sponsoredby the Charleston CountyEnvironmental ManagementDepartment and the LiollioArchitecture rm.Categories:

Students: (grades 7-12) with aprize of a $300 savings bond.

Adults: (18 years and older)with a prize of $300 in art

supply and hardware store gift

certicates.The deadline to submit

artwork is 4pm on Thursday,November 5.

An awards reception will beheld for all entrants at 5pmon Thursday, November 12,at the Charleston CountyMain Library located at 68Calhoun Street in downtownCharleston. The artworkwill be on display fromNovember 12 29. NationalAmerica Recycles Day is onNovember 15.

South Carolina hasdeveloped one of thenations top America Recyclesstate campaigns throughthe efforts of a statewidepublic and private steeringcommittee. Various statewideprograms and contests areoffered each year to supportthe national America Recyclesefforts.

For more information on theCharleston County CreativeRecycling Art Contest or tosubmit your contest entry,contact Theresa Martin,Charleston County Recycling,13 Romney Street, Charleston,SC 29403 or call (843) 720-

7111 ext. 29.

Recycle, reduce RE - imaginePrOviDeD By cHarlestOn cOunty

SubmiSSionrequirementS:At least 70 percent of the materials used in the creation of

your entry must be recycled. "Recycled" is dened as thosematerials that have been discarded and can be used againsuch as plastics, glass, metals, newspaper, magazines,cardboard, paperboard and old used items and parts. Artsupplies such as glue, paint, markers, nails and staples areallowed.Art entries can be in any medium and take any visual form,including but not limited to sculpture, weaving, fashion,mosaics, ceramics, painting, etc.The size of art entries must not exceed 24 inches in height x24 inches in width x 24 inches in diameter.Only one entry per person.All art entries must be labeled so that each entry can beeasily identied. Labels must be securely attached withname, address, phone number, school name, grade, artteacher, name of entry and medium description.The deadline to submit artwork is 4pm on Thursday,November 5.

Code:

When you go to school,

you feel you are safe.

That must be why itis so alarming to hear that yourschool has gone to code yellow.

Scary thoughts cross yourmind. You wonder if an intruder-or worse ,a killer - has entered

your school.On Tuesday, October

13, my school, SullivansIsland Elementary, wenton code yellow. This meansthat you are close by, oreven next to a disaster.Our principal came on overthe loud speaker and saidcalmly, Boys and girls Then she explained thatthere had been a chlorineleak on Sullivans Island. Itturned out that there weresome problems with a faulty

seal at the islands water

cleaning facility. We had toremain in the building andon code yellow until theycould x it.

Please remain calm, ourprincipal said. If you are ina trailer, please come insidenow.

Though it was good tohear that there wasnt anintruder, it was frighteningthat here on our little islandthere was a lock down. Theproblem was that the airwas not safe to breathe.

It was scary, says fourthgrade student, BaileyAbedon. They made usrun inside from the trailers,covering our mouths.

Luckily, the remen xedthe chlorine leak within acouple hours. We can enjoy

our clean air once again.

YellowBy tess aBeDOn


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25October 30, 2009

Miller Creek may not havebeen that specic creekdescribed by Poe, but it

certainly could have been. Located

at the marsh end of Station 19,this creek banks onto a smalltract of land known to many as

The Landll. Many islanders,however, affectionately know it asThe Dump because it was thelocation of the towns incineratorand trash burnings. Originally,Station 19 was called WharfStreet because it was there thatlumber was barged in for JohnMcInernys lumber business.

Today it is a beautiful tract ofland approximately 3.5 acres insize. This land is surrounded ontwo sides by copses of trees, andthe third side is situated right on

the marsh. Many islanders useThe Dump every day for play, dogwalking, bird and otter watching.In years past, marsh hen hunting

was a favorite sport at this spot.

Crab, shrimp, sh, and marsh henfrom this creek provided manya meal for local families. Beforethere were swimming pools on

the island, kids learned to swimby jumping into Alligator Hole.Now many people crab there,catch minnows for bait, and useit as a launching point for theircanoes and kayaks.

The Sullivans Islanders,an organization dedicated toisland conservation and historicpreservation, hosted a gatheringof concerned residents last March

when they became aware that The Dump had been excludedfrom the green space segment ofthe Towns Comprehensive Plan.Residents feared development.

Town Council members Mike

Perkis and Pat ONeil met withthe group and were more than

willing to initiate appropriatesteps to protect this area.

Too small to be protected by The

Lowcountry Open Land Trust, TheDump needed another watchdogorganization to step in and work

with the Town to place this area

in protective conservation.Councilman Pat ONeil

discovered a small foundationthat was willing to meet with the

Town. The Mount Pleasant LandConservancy was established bythe Town of Mount Pleasant in2002 to protect small, precioustracts of land east of the Cooper.

This non-prot organization was eager to consider placing The Dump site into protection.Their mission is to enhance thequality of life for all East Cooperresidents th

island eye news - october 30, 2009

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