Island Eye News - October 30, 2009

Since May 2005

Sullivan’s Island

•

Isle of Palms

•

Goat Island • Dewees Island

PRESORT STANDARD US POSTAGE PAID CHARLESTON, SC PERMIT NO 437

October 30, 2009

FREE

Volume 5 Issue 13

Get to know your candidates

E

very election year, The Island Eye News asks four topical questions of the candidates running for IOP Council, garnered from the important issues and concerns of the community. This year, we asked the candidates the following four questions: 1)The main issue in the last two elections was short term rentals. Do you feel that the current regulations and the state of the economy curbed your concerns about short term rentals, or do you still have concerns?  2)As Mount Pleasant continues to grow, the amount of day trippers will continue to grow. How do you propose to minimize the impact of day trippers on the residential quality of life, such as traffic and trash, while encouraging visitors to spend money with local businesses? 3)Reader-submitted question: It seems our City government is growing larger than the IOP population. Are you concerned with the spending of current and past administrations? Do you see any projects in the future that will need major funding? 4)Reader-submitted question: Do you support a new swimming pool at the IOP Rec Center? see Candidates on page 17

The little pink art gallery

TT

By Kristin Hackler

he little pink house in the Sullivan’s Island business district has been undergoing a bit of change over the past few weeks. New flowers and fresh mulch have gone in around its picket fence, the window sills and door frames have been touched up with fresh paint, and some very impressive glass sculptures have found their way onto the front lawn. Through the windows of the glassed in front porch, passerby have noticed several handmade glass bowls

(above) Coowners 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.

see Gallery on page 26

Inside Island Eye

FIrst fish! page 20

Saving the Dump page 25

Birds of Prey page 25

3

October 30, 2009 Dear readers, This issue contains fourteen letters to the editor. All are unsolicited from concerned citizens expressing their view points on the upcoming election on the Isle of Palms. In order to make sure every letter was seen in its unedited entirety we have added four additional pages. I want to thank all of the residents who felt our forum was the best place to express their support or voice their concerns. We also want to thank all of the candidates for putting 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 Island Eye News and from our readers. Their answers begin to appear on page 17 and can be accessed all week and up to election day on our website www.islandeyenews.com

Letters to the editor... Dear Editor, The “Barbs” for Council! Having known both Barb Bergwerf and Barb Gobien for many years as advocates for the Isle of Palms, the Sea Turtle Nest Protection and the SC Aquarium, I want to pass along my enthusiasm for their candidacy for the Isle of Palms City Council. Barb Bergwerf has done an outstanding job as Council member in the short time since we elected her to fill in Mayor Cronin’s Council seat. Prior to that, she served on the City Planning Commission and was an outspoken advocate for the quality of life that most of us want to continue to enjoy as residents. Both Barbs have extensive background in business, and currently run their own: Gobien owns the Sand Dollar Gift Shop in Towne Center and Bergwerf has a print and photography business.

If you have ever checked out the Island Turtle Team website, you will have seen Barb’s superb photos there. Neither Barb has any grief against any island businesses. So, can’t remember which Barb is which? It’s easy – Just vote for both!

Bev Ballow

Waterway Blvd Isle of Palms ____________________________ Dear Editor, A positive word about Sandy Stone. I have known Sandy Stone for 20 plus years. Anyone who knows him and has had the pleasure to meet him absolutely knows he is a MUST for a City Council position with the Isle of Palms.  Communities typically have two types of people: the ones that do something for their community

and other ones that just sit back and complain. Sandy  is a doer.  He  gets the job done!   It sounds trite, but it is true. I admire people that work hard and don’t proclaim to the community about the great deeds they have done. Sandy is like that. He is quiet (like the island) and approaches issues and problems professionally, fairly, and without the loud cry for recognition from anyone. He is an environmentalist and ALWAYS  preserves versus destroys. He is concerned and very genuine. What more can you ask for in a candidate?  The Island has changed over the years - some for the good and some not - but the pressure is on. We  need a leader to help shape the future of the Isle of Palms with an educated, professional and environmentally sound approach to solutions.  The Isle of Palms needs Sandy Stone!

Chuck Bates

Has lived in the area for the past 26 years

  __________________________ Dear Editor,   We are writing in support of Barb Gobien’s bid to serve on the Isle of Palms City Council.  Having known Barb in both a business and personal relationship over the past seven years, we are confident in her abilities, experience, ethics and vision for the Isle of Palms. We are a family with two schoolaged children and consider ourselves lucky to have lived on the IOP for the past 11 years. It is a wonderful place to raise see letters on page 4

Civic Calendar

Wednesday, November 4 - Recycle Isle of Palms 886-6428 www.iop.net

Tuesday, November 3 General Municipal Election 7am - 7pm Wednesday, November 4 Public Works Committee Meeting 4pm 1303 Palm Boulevard Personnel Committee Meeting 5:30pm 1207 Palm Boulevard

Thursday, November 5 Public Safety Committee Meeting 5pm 30 J.C. Long Boulevard Friday, November 6 Real Property Committee Meeting 8:30am

1207 Palm Boulevard

Tuesday, November 10 Board of Zoning Appeals 5:30pm 1301 Palm Boulevard Recreation Committee 5:30pm 24 Twenty-eighth Avenue

Wednesday, November 11 Municipal Court 10am 1207 Palm Boulevard Planning Commission 4:30pm 1301 Palm Boulevard

Thursday, November 12 Livability Court 5pm 1207 Palm Boulevard Sullivan's Island 883-3198 www.sullivansisland-sc.com www.islandeyenews.com

Monday, November 2 Committees of Council 6pm 1610 Middle Street Tuesday, November 3 & 10 Municipal Court 10am 1610 Middle Street Tuesday, November 10 Special Council Meeting:Accreted Land Management 6pm 1610 Middle Street Planning Commission: 6:30pm 1610 Middle Street

Thursday, November 12 Board of Zoning Appeals 7pm 1610 Middle Street

L u cky D og Pu bl i sh i n g of S C , L L C

Publisher of the Island Eye News, The Island Connection and The Folly Current.

Lynn Pierotti Publisher [email protected] Kristin Hackler Editor [email protected] Swan Richards Graphic Designer [email protected] Ali Akhyari Assistant Editor [email protected] Lori Dalton Advertising [email protected] Chelsea Langan Advertising [email protected] • Interns Paul Robinson Dylan Sharek • Contributors Barbara Bergwerf Martin Bettelli Dick Cronin Ron Denton Barbara Gobein Sandy Stone Doug Thomas James Ward Karren Coste Charleston County Published by Lucky Dog Publishing of South Carolina, LLC P.O. Box 837 Sullivan’s Island, SC 29482 843-886-NEWS Submit your letters to the editor to: [email protected] Future deadlines: November 4 for all submissions.

The Island Eye News, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lucky Dog Publishing of South Carolina LLC, is a free, independent newspaper published every two weeks and is for and about the Isle of Palms, Sullivan’s Island, Goat Island and Dewees Island. Copies are mailed free of charge to every active mailbox in our coverage area and are also available at area businesses and by subscription to non-islanders. Subscriptions are $30 per year for non-residents and are available by sending a check to Lucky Dog Publishing, LLC, P.O. Box 837, Sullivan’s Island, SC 29482. Contributions of information, pictures and articles are welcomed and are used according to space limitations and news value and cannot be returned except by special request. Our editorial content is primarily dedicated to the area of distribution; ad space is open to all businesses who want to reach the Island Eye News market. Op-ed articles and letters to the editor are the sole expression of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of Lucky Dog News, or its writers. All advertising rates are listed at: www.islandeyenews.com.

4

interests in the island, etc. Please letters from page 3 vote for the candidate/candidates children and we intend to make who do not view the island in terms this our lifelong home.  Even in of personal financial return.  Barb the relatively short amount of Gobien is certainly one of them. time we have been residents, we We urge you to make an informed have seen many changes on the and educated decision as this will island; both positive and negative.  affect the future preservation of The most glaring negative change our family island.  has been the construction of   very large homes, the majority of Dr. Joseph and which serve as rental properties Melissa Bianco and provide financial gain to Wild Dunes, Isle of Palms the owners, realtors, builders, architects, etc.  Families who ____________________________ have lived in their homes for years are now faced with an influx of weekly renters, oftentimes at the Dear Editor, expense of neighborhood peace When Sandy Stone was and quiet.  Obviously, we need appointed to the Planning City Council members who can, without partialism, address these Commission, I downplayed the concerns and keep our island objection to his appointment. a family and resident-centered Having known the family for many place to live.  Barb Gobien is this years, I stated that I felt sure he would abstain from voting on person. Barb has lived on the Isle issues in which he had special of Palms for almost 30 years.  interest. During this time she has raised a family, has had an island-based I was wrong about him. business for 15 years (which was He has proven to be the relocated in 2003 and continues most aggressive member on the to thrive), has been an active Planning Commission and a participant on the IOP Turtle supporter of the old Motel Mike Team and has volunteered and “build and rent”, “single family raised a significant amount of be damned” money for the SC Aquarium Turtle neighborhoods Hospital.  Her abilities are many thinking. His “blog” arguing good laws and her experience in business, customer service, and finances and bad laws in support of the is vast.  Above and beyond this, argument that ownership cannot and most importantly to us as be regulated, means that a hotel island residents, is that Barb’s sized “time share” with THIRTEEN only agenda for being elected to owners can be built and rented in IOP City Council is to represent a single family zoned area between the residents and families on TWO families with small children the island, making their voices who thought they were protected and concerns a top priority.  She by single family zoning. His objection to the Livability is an honest contender with no Court suggests that he prefers hidden agendas. Barb Gobien’s a free hand to have rentals intentions are to keep our island as resident-friendly as possible, adjacent to single family working while preserving our future people that will not be bothered, regardless of how noisy or quality of life. Our hope is that every island objectionable they might get in voter will take a close look at the middle of the night. I support the three Council each candidate … his or her  candidates and the Mayoral background, experience, personal candidate who are committed

to protecting our single family status, who are concerned about our spending habits and who have not had any part in the “rape” of our neighborhoods with hotel sized rental homes. The “free-wheeling” rental of City property for FIFTEEN YEARS without ANY ESCAPE CLAUSE is unheard of in responsible management circles. The “good guy” explanation is inadequate. I would urge Isle of Palms voters to avoid putting “the fox in charge of the henhouse”. Sincerely,

Clay Cable

Palm Blvd., IOP __________________________ Dear Editor, I have lived on Isle of Palms for nearly 14 years. Before that I lived on Sullivan’s Island while working on the Isle of Palms. I now live in the oldest home on the island at 807 Ocean Blvd, the old Sottile beach house as many refer to it - at least those who have lived here long enough to know or remember. With that said I would like to respond to the letter written by the chairperson of the IOPNA. I have just read it and I am deeply saddened by her remarks about Sandy Stone. I have known Sandy and Peggy Stone for many years and they are wonderful people. They have called the Isle of Palms their home for 35 years and while raising their three sons on the Island, Sandy was Boy Scout leader and coached just about every sport. He has always been a true asset to this community! The reason I feel compelled to write is this: when did being involved in real estate make you a bad person? When did owning your own business make you the wrong person for City Council? I think that having lived here for 35 years and owning your own island business makes you the perfect candidate. I own several properties on the Isle of Palms. Does that mean I would not be a worthy candidate for City Council? That seems to be what the IOPNA is saying. I have tried several times to join the IOPNA but I have never been contacted. I am a part of the neighborhood, right? My wish for this island is that everyone would just get along and be happy for their good fortune to live in such a remarkable place.

Holly Covington Ocean Blvd, IOP

____________________________

www.islandeyenews.com

October 30, 2009

Dear Editor, Wasteful Spending

I was appalled to see that the Isle of Palms City Council was willing to pay 50% more in fees in awarding the City Hall renovation contract. This is just another example of City Council  wasting the citizen’s money during a time of decreased revenue.  As an architect vying for the job,  I was prequalified to bid on the City Hall renovations and have performed  numerous projects of the scale and scope establishing my vast experience with doing this type of work. It is absurd to say that a higher price will lead to a better project when most larger firms allow their junior architects to perform almost all the work while I would have performed the entire work myself. My price was  based upon my standard fee structure for projects of this scope, not as a donation as the Council wanted to believe. I felt my pricing structure is very fair and thereby an opportunity to give back to my community.  The comment in The Island Eye News by Mr. Loftus suggested that the other architect might be more of an expert. However, as an Island resident, I guess an expert really is someone from out of town with a briefcase. Please take this into account when voting for your next City Council members.  Council members who voted to pay higher fees and waste your money include the campaigning Barbara Bergwerf with the IOPNA-backed Council members leading the charge.  When voting for future City Council members, be careful as your  selection may end up costing you.  

Ron Denton Isle of Palms

____________________________ Dear Editor, IOP mini-hotels and property values Forbes magazine recently published their annual round up on “America’s Most Expensive Zip Codes” with Sullivan’s Island showing up 91st on the list and Isle of Palms coming in at 213th. The firm who gathered the data for the study, Altos Research, included month to month pricing trends. You won’t be surprised to hear that many ritzy neighborhoods saw price declines over the past year. Interestingly, Sullivan’s Island, as of October 11, 2009, posted a 6.5% increase in median home value over the past year, while Isle of Palms saw a close to 20% drop see letters on page 9

October 30, 2009 letters from page 4 in median home value. Obviously many factors contribute to these trends; however, it is very clear that these communities have adopted differing paths for the development and redevelopment that is taking place in their residential districts. The community that chose to protect the residential character of its single family districts, Sullivan’s Island, actually saw an increase in home values - despite the historic recession we’ve suffered through. The news wasn’t so happy for Isle of Palms property owners. Current ordinances on IOP still allow for up to 28 person shortterm rentals virtually anywhere “outside the gates” on the island. Yes, that means next door to YOU. Would you buy a home for your family next door to a mini-hotel? It’s no wonder our real estate market is under-performing. This situation will only worsen as the economy turns around and the building of massive rental homes fires back up. So what can residents do? Despite the fact that neighborhood friendly candidates captured three seats in the 2007 election, our Council is still controlled by folks who want to maintain the status

9 quo. Plainly stated, we still don’t have enough votes to pass fair but effective measures to protect our single family residential districts (such as limiting the rental capacity of newly constructed homes to 12); which is why our municipal elections this November are so important. Get to know the candidates - it’s not difficult to see that some of them have special interests that conflict directly with how you might want your neighborhood to look in five or 10 years. Then get out and vote - your home’s value is at stake.

Jeff Evans

Isle of Palms Links to Altos Research Data Isle of Palms: www. altosresearch.com/research/SC/ isle-of-palms-real-estate-market Sullivan’s Island: www. altosresearch.com/research/ SC/sullivans-island-real-estatemarket ____________________________ Dear Editor,   Diane Oltorick’s letter to the editor in this week’s edition of your paper was over the top with

venom and mistruths.  I hope everyone knows that there are at least two sides to every story, and Diane surely painted a grim story.   Since  mud-slinging is common in politics,  I shouldn’t be surprised.   Sandy Stone, a candidate running for Isle of Palms City Council, is a man my husband and I have known for about 32 years, since we moved to this island. He is a hard-working man who cares very much about Isle of Palms, the place he and his wife  live and raised  their family.  I can personally attest to the fact that he and his business have given generously to Connie Maxwell Children’s Home. Sandy has made it a point to run a clean campaign, and does not plan to stoop to Ms. Oltorick’s level.  He has a campaign website, www. voteSandy.com, and encourages anyone to call him with any questions or concerns.  

Lake Village Lane, Isle of Palms ____________________________ Dear Editor,

Do you remember when doing business with someone was his word and a handshake? That’s because a man’s word was his bond and the most important part of his being. Today’s business requires some paper but the principle is the same – honesty, integrity and respect – and that is the embodiment of Sandy Stone. Having dealt on a professional level with Sandy for nearly ten years and more recently on a personal level, I can assure you that Sandy emulates all of the things that one would desire in their representative. We have had numerous discussions about a possible conflict of interest in serving the citizenry and his business Debbie Jones and I am confident he can do Ocean Blvd so without prejudice. Sandy Isle of Palms is absolutely opposed to the building of eight, nine or ten ___________________________ bedroom homes anywhere on the island. Sandy’s interaction with Dear Editor, residents for the past thirty-five On Tuesday, November 3, 2009, years, his involvement in Scouts I will proudly cast my vote to elect and numerous youth sports to City Council an intelligent, hard teams, serving on the Planning working and straight-forward Commission and successfully individual: Barb Gobien.  I have operating an island business known Barb for over 15 years, is proof that his care for our first in her capacity as a small island is more than words; it is business owner of the former demonstrated by his deeds. Sandy’s views on the issues store, Island Cards and Gifts, on the Isle of Palms. I was able are INDEPENDENT, as are his It is refreshing to observe her as she sometimes associations. had to deal with difficult and to have a reasoned, thoughtful demanding customers.  She did and independent candidate with so calmly with a genuine smile experience to select on November Sandy Stone is certainly and an accommodating attitude.  3. The store was simply a great worthy of your consideration. place to meet, gather and chat about island happenings, as I Larry Pierson did on many occasions over the Isle of Palms years. Barb and her long standing employees became my first friends ____________________________ on the island and remain so to this day. Dear Editor, Over the years I also observed her tenacity, her great sense of You will hear the cry for humor and compassion.  Barb is “balance” on  City Council. But one of those people who has that what does that really mean?  The “can do” attitude, coupled with message asserts that if we elect the one of the best traits of all: a great three candidates endorsed by the listener.  Her ability to learn from IOPNA, there would be no balance the past while looking forward to on City Council.  Well, where was the future is a quality I believe the concern for balance before essential as the City Council looks 2007 when at least 7 (Including to the future of our island. the Mayor at the time) Council It is my opinion that Barb members  had  professional Gobien is an outstanding choice interests in the tourist/rental/ for City Council.  She has the building interests on Isle of determination, intelligence and Palms?  Re-Electing Barb probably the most important Bergwerf, and electing Barbara trait: a great love and respect for Gobien and Doug Thomas, would the entire island and its citizens.  finally bring REAL balance to City Very truly yours,  Council.  They are the folks I want

Joyce A. Petzold www.islandeyenews.com

see letters on page 10

10

part of the Planning Commission letters from page 9 and has been committed to the representing me and helping to best interest of Isle of Palms by protect my neighborhood in the seeking a balance of individual future from the rental invasion of private property lifestyles and the previous years. economic vitality created through tourism. Each of us is drawn into Jacoba Roest public service at different times Isle of Palms for different reasons that spike at various times.  I understand and ____________________________ share Sandy’s concerns for our community which include things Dear Editor, like managing traffic and growth, parking, and commercial business Before the inception and health.  These items should creation of the Isle of Palms be managed with transparent Neighborhood Association, government with all aspects our island voters selected of progress maintained in the independent candidates for office.  public eye for resident scrutiny Voters agreed to disagree on and a balanced budget with no issues, but respected those who need for added tax burden on the chose to serve and give of their residents.  I believe that Sandy valuable time in public office.  is the right man to keep balance Inevitably, disagreements would between preservation of our arise.  Problems were discussed resident lifestyle, enjoyment, the amicably with solutions derived environment we all enjoy and the for the benefit of the entire economic vitality necessary for community.  At no point in time support of our community.  This prior to the formation of the Isle of is a time when we need strong Palms Neighborhood Association, experienced leadership like Sandy to my recollection, did the media Stone. publish, much less embrace, public character bashing, nor Sincerely, was it condoned.  Have we lost Phillip W Smith this civility in our community?  Isle of Palms It would seem so, as evidenced by the recent publication of The ___________________________ Island Eye. It is unacceptable and Dear Editor, inappropriate to denigrate and slander a successful businessman For the first time in many years, who has given so much back IOP voters have the opportunity to to our community, lived here create a City Council that reflects for thirty-five years and is the true makeup of the island’s RESPECTED by the vast majority full-time registered voters, most of fellow island residents.  Sandy of whom by far, whether they Stone is running for public office live in Wild Dunes or elsewhere – question his stand on issues on IOP, are here for the lifestyle but not his character!  The Island and not the money. Commercial Eye can do better and should not and hypertourism interests have ‘hide behind’ the confines of a been over-represented on Council “Letter to the Editor”.  And shame for years and IOP has started to on the Isle of Palms Neighborhood show it. This is largely because Association for allowing a board ordinary citizens who want to member to espouse this vitriolic spend time on their careers, golf diatribe. and families feel they lack the We can all do better.  Let’s time and inclination to run for maintain a civil decorum during office or even vote. The vacuum this 2009 election. this has left in IOP government has too often been eagerly Respectfully submitted, filled by those whose business Nicholas Runza interests are more important Island resident since 1992 than residents’ quality of life. Certain industries that think a ____________________________ beautiful barrier island is there to be exploited for profit have Dear Editor, gone so far as to publish articles in their trade journals advocating I am writing this letter to show deep involvement by its agents my support for Mr. Sandy Stone in local government. Read an in his efforts to become an IOPNA article entitled “RPAC – Realtor Council member.  I have known Political Action Committee” from Sandy for more than 15 years a September 1991 issue of South as a strong long time resident of Carolina Realtor, a trade journal over 35 years and a committed available at the Charleston family man. During my familiarity County Library. It removes any with Sandy, he has participated doubt. in many ways in the life of the As an IOP resident from 1982 Island, through volunteerism, to 1998, I was shocked on my business and Island promotion of return in 2006 to resume IOP tourism. Sandy has served time as residency to see the unmistakable

move toward commercialization and hypertourism that had been achieved during my absence by an RPAC-type approach by real estate and other commercial interests. A look at my property tax bill growth told me who is paying for it. Apparently, it took the minihotel issue to get IOP residents to organize and take action at public hearings and the polls. One of the bright spots of this crisis is the realization by permanent residents, whether living in Wild Dunes or on the rest of the island, that their interests are overwhelmingly aligned. I note with pleasure that the IOP Neighborhood Association is gaining increasing membership from Wild Dunes’ permanent residents and endorses proresident candidates who live there, as I did for many years. To the extent that year-round IOP residents within Wild Dunes and elsewhere combine to elect Council candidates unencumbered by business and tourism ownership or allegiance, they can stave off for IOP the destiny of too many coastal towns that began their lives as residential paradises. For the future of IOP it comes down to this: if you want continued expansion of commercialism and tourism,

October 30, 2009 then elect an IOP government that features persons who derive income from commercial activity on IOP. Follow the money trail. If you don’t like mini-hotels, don’t elect to Council a man who owns perhaps the largest vacation rental business on IOP. If you think your island is starting to look like busy, trafficjammed Mount Pleasant, don’t elect to Council men whose bottom line improves as tourism and business activity grows on IOP. If, however, you want to stop IOP’s movement toward becoming “just another vacation beach town”, then you must get to the polls without fail and vote for residents like yourself who are not exploiting IOP for financial gain. To do otherwise risks getting a government that creates public policy for private gain. Using that criteria, only dedicated, capable candidates like your real neighbors – Bergwerf, Gobien and Thomas – who derive no gain from IOP commerce, deserve a resident’s vote for IOP Council.

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

October 30, 2009

11

Sullivan’s Island Town Council – October 20, 2009

The Sullivan’s Island Town Council held its regular meeting on October 20. Council member Jerry Kaynard was absent.

Ben Sawyer Bridge update The majority of the first hour of the meeting was reserved for Julie Hussey, representative for the Ben Sawyer Bridge replacement project, who informed the Town of the bridge's progress. It seems that construction has occurred on schedule up to this point. Hussey stated that the tentative date for the physical replacement of the bridge is November 1121, weather and obstacles permitting. The waterway will be closed the entire length of those dates while the road will only be closed the final seven days. If, for some reason, the bridge cannot be replaced on those days, then they will shoot for an early December rescheduling. Using computer-generated video, Hussey showed how the bridge will actually be replaced. A barge will travel to the construction site with the new bridge, which is being assembled in North Charleston, from the south. There will enough room on the barge to carry both bridges. The barge will float below the existing bridge and, using the natural tidal fluctuations, pick the bridge up and remove it from the roadway. At this point, both bridges will be on the barge, side by side, with the old bridge closest to the roadway as the boat moves south again. Once removed from the roadway, the barge will do a 180 degree spin in the river so that the new bridge is closest to the roadway and will position itself at the construction zone so that the new bridge can be secured into place. Accreted Land plan Sullivan’s Island resident Larry Middaugh informed the Council that the Sullivan’s

Islanders Group is hosting a series of discussions over the coming year designed to inform everyone, including the Council, of the various options for dealing with the accreted land. The first discussion will feature a representative from KICA (Kiawah Island Community Association) on how Kiawah Island has managed its preserved lands. However, Mayor Carl Smith informed everyone that the Town Council very well may agree to a plan of action before the year is out, possibly as early as three or four months from now. The consequence would be that any Sullivan’s Islanders groupsponsored discussions that occurs after that would become irrelevant to the Town’s accreted land. Furthermore, Smith requested that Middaugh make it a point at their next scheduled discussion to stress the fact that the Islanders group is not associated with the Town. He added that the Council’s decision may not have to go through the Town’s Planning Commission if there are no changes to zoning laws. The Town has scheduled a public meeting on November 10 for the purpose of moving forward with accreted land planning. Hired consultants from Coastal Science & Engineering are expected to be in attendance to answer questions. The meeting is scheduled for 6:30pm at Town Hall. Dog day debate The City Council passed third reading of an ordinance which extends the times and dates that dogs are allowed on the beach with and without leashes, and increases the license fee for nonislanders to $35. The ordinance was passed after a couple of residents expressed reasons why the extended hours proposal was either a good or bad idea. One

resident against the extended hours pointed out that Sullivan’s Island is already in the minority of American beaches where dogs are permitted at all. The fact that they are allowed off leash suggests that Sullivan’s Island is a haven for dogs. More dog hours will result in more dog waste on the beach, she argued. However, the ordinance was amended to read that anyone willing to obtain an American Kennel Club certification would receive a $2 discount on their dog license fee. Council member Madeleine McGee introduced the amendment, pointing out that the Certification recognizes a responsible dog owner who will clean up after their pet(s). The amendment and ordinance passed unanimously. “The more we encourage responsible dog ownership, the better off dogs are and the better off people are,” McGee said. Loud and clear As part of his Ways and Means report, Council member Mike Perkis stated that the Town is regularly receiving about $6000 a month from cell phone carriers as a result of the cell phone tower that has been constructed on the island. He saw no reason why this should not continue into the future. Perkis also stated that cell phone reception seems to have improved with the tower. Perkis also pointed out that the increases people may be seeing on their tax bills is not a result of tax increases from the Town but, instead, from the County and School Board. Sullivan’s Island’s promise not to raise taxes, he said, was not broken.

Increasing fees, not taxes While the Town has praised itself for not raising taxes, it passed second reading of an ordinance that will increase business

www.islandeyenews.com

license fees for property owners who are involved with shortterm rental properties. Council member Perkis expressed pleasure with the fact that shortterm rental licenses were down from last year, pointing out the success that comes with making it increasingly expensive for unwanted businesses to operate. The Council voted to suspend the rules of order and also have third reading of the ordinance directly after passing second reading. The Council also voted unanimously in favor of the ordinance without any discussion. The ordinance is expected to be ratified at the next meeting of the Council. Commercial Master Plan still in park Progress on the Town’s Commercial District Master Plan continues to crawl along as a result of the discussion over reverse-angle parking. Council member Pat O’Neil announced that the consultants have prepared their fourth draft of the final plan document. The Council was charged with the duty of looking over this version and to present any changes that need to be made. Already, the Council noted that there needed to be at least two other parking options in addition to the reverse-angle parking option, as the State Department of Transportation is reportedly not in favor of the idea according to previous statement’s from Town Administrator Andy Benke. After the edits, the Town should receive the fifth and final version of the plan, which will then be presented to residents at a public hearing. The next meeting of the Sullivan’s Island Town Council will be held on Tuesday, November 17, at 6pm.

12

October 30, 2009

Isle of Palms Exchange Club news Meet the Candidate change of venue For many years the Isle of Palms Exchange Club hosted a Meet the Candidate’s Night at the Exchange Club. The Island Exchange Club has had a long-standing working relationship with the City and after consulting with Isle of Palms City Administrator Linda Tucker, the Board of Directors made the decision to welcome a change. Exchange Club website For those who do not know, The Exchange Club is “America’s Service Club”. President Elect Dimi Matouchev developed a web site, www.iopexchange.org,which

is constantly being changed, enhanced, and improved. Upcoming events If you are like many people who have driven by the Exchange Club building and wondered what it’s about, you can now visit our web site and learn the many things we do in addition to the Isle of Palms Connector Run for the Child and our big Oyster Roast every year. We are an active and growing Club. Look for us at the Halloween Carnival at the Isle of Palms Recreation Center. We will be selling hot dogs, chili and drinks that night. Stacey Johnson is the President this year.

A look back with Rice and Taylor By Dylan Sharek

D

ryden “Dee” Taylor and Carol Rice are both on the Isle of Palms City Council. On paper, the similarities end there. Taylor is labeled a fiscal conservative and Rice is a selfproclaimed left-wing liberal. During the controversial smoking ban vote in late 2008, Taylor voted against the ordinance and Rice voted for it. Taylor looks at many of the issues facing the City through an economic and business lens while Rice relies extensively on her heart. And both have been an integral part of the Isle of Palm’s government for a combined 24 years of service. This will be the first time Taylor’s name hasn’t appeared on the Isle of Palms ballot in 16 years, having initially been elected to office in 1993. For Rice, it will be the first time in eight years, first joining the Council in 2001. Both got into Isle of Palms politics to change flaws they saw within the City. Taylor had been involved in high school and college student governments before moving back to the Isle of Palms in the early ‘90s. When he returned to the area, Taylor noticed that a core group of politicians had been making the City’s decisions for years. In 1993, he decided it was time to add another voice to that group. Rice, a Charleston native, initially ran to improve the City’s Recreation Center. Both have been wildly successful with their endeavors. Taylor is particularly proud of the work he’s done with the City’s Ways and Means Committee, which he’s headed for 12 of his 16 years on the Council, as well as his part in creating the City’s budget. “The thing I’m most proud

www.islandeyenews.com

of with this City is that we’ve created a great financial model,” said Taylor. “It’s really helped the City know what we have to spend on a day-in, day-out basis. I feel very good with the City’s decision making process.” Since her election, Rice has overseen the development of the new and improved Recreation Center. She is also extremely proud of her forward-thinking contributions to the City’s public safety buildings; it was she who spearheaded efforts to make the buildings more energy efficient and less detrimental to the environment. In 2008, Rice also served as interim Mayor for five months after former Mayor Mike Sottile was elected to the state’s General Assembly. She was the second female Mayor in the City’s modern history. Both Taylor and Rice are extremely dedicated to the City. The incredible amount of time they spend doing Council work is one of the main reasons they are not seeking reelection. “This is an extremely time consuming job,” Taylor said. Rice echoed the sentiment, stating that, “It’s very time consuming and I’ve always been very engaged. There’s no point being on here [the Council] if you’re not going to be engaged. I just can’t maintain that level of involvement.” Both Council members have two children and full-time jobs. Taylor will focus his post-Council time on his pharmaceutical sales career. Rice plans on spending more time with her two daughters, aged 13 and 15. She is a full-time employee at the Charleston Tea Plantation. Neither have any plans to run in the future, but they have also not ruled the idea out.

14

Friday, October 30

Saturday, October 31

Roast by the Coast 7pm – 11pm on Goldbug Island with music by Uncle Mingo, allyou-can-eat oysters, a Lowcountry barbecue buffet by Charleston Bay Gourmet, and desserts by Bi-Lo.  Adult beverages will be available, as well as specialty drinks by Seel’s on Sullivan’s. Tickets are only $30 and include all you can eat plus two adult beverages.  Tickets are on sale now at:  www. friendsofsies.org. 

Happy Halloween! Celebrate Halloween at the Poe Library! Create your own mask at home and bring it to the Poe Library at 12 noon to be judged. Prizes will be awarded for the most original masks. Refreshments will be served. Poe Library, 1921 I’On Avenue, Sullivan’s Island. For more info, call 883-3914. IOP Halloween Carnival Have fun with island ghosts and goblins of all ages at the Isle of

Palms Recreation Center Halloween Carnival from 5 – 7pm on October 31.  The IOP Exchange Club will offer hot dogs, chips and drink combos for $3. Cotton candy and candy apples will be $1. Free events include a costume contest at 5:30pm, jump castles, an obstacle course, a temporary tattoo booth, face painting, balloon artists, a fortune teller, free candy and prizes and more! For more info, call 8868294. Sundogs Nirvana cover at Home Team On Halloween night, Atlanta’s The Sundogs will perform at Home Team BBQ on Sullivan’s Island dressed and playing as the legendary Nirvana.For more info, visit www.hometeambbq.com or call 883-3131.

Sunday, November 1 All Saints Day Daylight Savings ends (“fall” back one hour) 11th Annual Mount Pleasant Cheerleading Competition The Mount Pleasant Recreation Department would like to invite all area youth cheerleading squads to register for the 11th Annual Cheerleading Competition, scheduled for Saturday, December 5, at the old Wando High School gym (1560 Mathis Ferry Road, Mount Pleasant). www. townofmountpleasant.com.  For more info, contact Anne Selner at 884-2528. 

Monday, November 2

1st Annual Love, Inc. Golf Tournament The tournament will be held at Charleston National Golf Course in Mount Pleasant with registration at 11am and a shotgun start at

October 30, 2009

I s l a nd E y e

October 30 12pm. Cost is $80 per person or $300 per four-person team. For more info or to register, contact Jeff Burkhart at 375-1245 or e-mail [email protected].

Wednesday, November 4 East Cooper Dementia Caregiver Education and Support Group Erin Branham of Interim HomeStyle Services will speak on How to Make the Best of Your Doctor Visits. 9:30 - 10:30am at All Saints Lutheran Church, 2107 Hwy. 17 North, Mt. Pleasant. For more info, call Ginger at 810-5576.

Thursday, November 5

Island in a Storm book signing at Blue Bicycle Abby Sallenger, author of Island in a Storm, will be giving a talk and signing copies of her book during a reception sponsored by the South Carolina Coastal Conservation League from 6 – 8pm at Blue Bicycle Books, 420 King St. Sallenger, a coastal geologist for the USGS, tells the story of Isle Derniere, a Louisiana barrier island resort that was destroyed by a Category 4 hurricane in 1856. For more info, call the CCL at 7239895, or Blue Bicycle Books at 722-2666. Wild Dunes hosts Super Senior Tennis Tournament Thursday, November 5, through Sunday, November 8, 2009, Wild Dunes will host the United States Tennis Association (USTA) South Carolina Section of the Super Senior Tennis Tournament on at the Resort’s Tennis Center. The event is free and open to the public. For more information on the tournament, schedule of play or a Wild Dunes gate pass, please call 886-2113.

Now ap Local Oys $10 a

www.islandeyenews.com

October 30, 2009

e C ale ndar

- November 13 Friday, November 6 5th Annual Pet Helpers Black Tie Fur Ball Gala From 6:30pm –11pm, at Memminger Auditorium, 56 Beaufain Street in downtown Charleston. Tickets: $150 each and can be purchased at the shelter, by calling 795-1110, or online at www.pethelpers.org.    Friday Night Hoops at the IOP Rec Practice basketball skills and fundamentals in a fun environment.  Friday night hoops is open to boys and girls ages 7-12 from 6 – 8pm on November 6 & 20 and December 4 & 18.  Cost is $10 per child.  Call 886-8294 to register.

Saturday, November 7 St. Mark’s Soup and Bake Sale From 11am to 1pm.  Proceeds will go toward St. Mark’s Outreach programs. The Soup and Bake Sale will be held at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, 300 Palm Blvd. Isle of Palms. For more info, call 8868557. Meet a Backyardigan at the Aquarium 10am – 4pm at the South Carolina Aquarium. Free with general admission to the Aquarium from 9am – 4pm. For more information, visit scaquarium.org. or call (843) 577-FISH (3474).

Sunday, November 8 Organ concert at IOP First United Methodist 4pm, Mr. Lee Kohlenberg will be in concert on the Allen Renaissance Quantum Organ at the First United Methodist Church, Isle of Palms.  Program includes  Buxtehude Prelude, Fugue and Chaconne, Bach  Prelude and Fugue in G Major, Franck Chorale No. 1 in E Major,

and Sowerby Pageant, plus Thalban-Ball Elegy, Howells Psalm Prelude, Set II, No. 2, Hollings A Trumpet Minuet and Bach Air for the G String. Free. Palm Blvd and 21st Avenue. janpickens@ hotmail.com or call 8866610.    Art on the Beach and Chefs in the Kitchen From 1 – 5pm, tour historic homes, artists’ studios and the Sullivan’s Island lighthouse, as well as delicious foods from several local restaurants. Tickets: $35 and Patron tickets are $150. They may be purchased at Creative Spark 881-3780 and Sandpiper Gallery.

15 moving forward with accreted land planning. The meeting is scheduled for 6:30pm at Town Hall.

Wednesday, November 11 Friday, November 13 Veteran’s Day

Thursday, November 12 Holiday card drawing at the IOP Rec Mark your calendars for fun, free holiday activities at the Isle of Palms Rec. Join in the Holiday Card Drawing Contest for ages 12 and under from 4-6pm.  Participants must pre-

Fall Harvest Dinner at Legare Farms All of the food will be Legare Farms’ own and will be prepared by ten of Charleston’s finest chefs. Beer from Coast Brewery and Palmetto Brewery, and wine from Irvin House Vineyards. Tickets are $50 each. 843-559-0788 or e-mail [email protected] Sullivan’s Island Lighthouse open house From 1 to 5pm on the grounds of the US Coast Guard Historic District at 1815 I’On Avenue on Sullivan’s Island. All activities are free and open to the public. For more information, call the park at 883-3123. Monday, November 9 Winter Co-Ed Volleyball at the IOP Rec Registration begins November 9 for the winter co-ed volleyball league. Up to 12 teams of adults age 18+ can register by calling 886-8294 for games beginning January 5, 2010.

Tuesday, November 10 Sullivan’s Land The

register for all events by calling 886-8294.

Island Accreted meeting Town of Sullivan’s Island has scheduled a public meeting for the purpose of

ppearing: ster Clusters a bucket 883-5030

2213-B Middle St, www.seelsfishcamp.com www.islandeyenews.com

“Neon Glow” Middle School Dance Get ready for the first-ever Neon Glow Night Dance for 6th, 7th and 8th grade students at the Isle of Palms Recreation Center from 7 -10pm. Tickets are $5 and will be sold at the door. Charleston Jump Castle will provide bounce-house fun.  Glow sticks, glow temporary tattoos and more will be given away to the first 100 participants. 

October 30, 2009 Candidates from cover The final question is reader submitted and unique to each candidate, drawn mainly from the information provided in their press releases. All candidates' reponses are listed in alphabetical order. Barbara Bergwerf 1) Short term rentals: I have no problem with short term rentals to single families in the single family residential districts; however, I remain extremely concerned about the continued potential for the dismantling and disintegration of our neighborhoods by mini-hotels. The issue is that the tourism/ vacation/real estate industry decided that the property rights of the families living in the single family residential districts were no longer amenable to their industry’s financial goals. They seized an opportunity to run mini-hotels outside of the resort and commercial districts. The current short term regulations do nothing to protect the single family neighborhoods, and if history is any indicator, greed will rear its ugly head again as the current economic situation abates. 2) Day trippers: The challenges associated with day trippers are long standing. Traffic, trash and parking impact the residential quality of life the most. Addressing these impacts is complicated because of state laws regarding rights to access the public beach. I propose that the city institute a comprehensive parking plan for the island that eliminates day tripper encroachment in the residential neighborhoods. State Law states that parking may be prohibited on State highways SECTION 56-5-2540. We need to work with DOT to see what it would take to make this happen. The City also needs to consider the potential impact of day trippers on our Blue Wave beach designation. Outside of the county park and the Front Beach commercial district, there are no public restroom/sanitation facilities available to day trippers. This concerns me a great deal. Possibly, some type of use fee could be implemented to ensure that the cost of day trippers is not being borne by the local property owners. 3) City spending: There are no indications that City government is growing larger than the IOP population. I am always concerned about spending. The City has had major projects over the last three years: a fire station, a public safety building, Marina bulkhead replacement and beach re-nourishment. That the fire stations needed to be replaced is inarguable. So, too, is the Police Department’s need for additional space. These were designed and budgeted by the previous administration

17 during the euphoria of the real estate bubble. It is a shame the residents were not given any opportunity to provide comments on these facilities prior to their construction. They could be more modest, but will service the City for generations. The City is fiscally sound and maintains reserves for many contingencies, as well as future projects. The next anticipated project is the dredging of the Marina harbor. 4) Swimming pool: It would be nice to have a pool at the IOP Rec Center. It is a considerable expense that can certainly not be in the budget at this time. It would likely be used only by a limited number of people. The ongoing costs of operation, maintenance, supervision, liability etc. would be more than considerable, as anyone who has borne them will attest to. It should be put to a referendum as the previous Rec Center expansion was. I would be in favor of it if it added neither long term unfunded debt obligation nor unfunded expense to the budget. This could, perhaps, be accomplished by some sort of strict user or member fees that generated revenue to match all expenses. 5) You have stated that “when we bought our property (on Ocean Blvd.), we had neighbors on all sides ... and are now surrounded by short term rentals.” you purchased your property twelve years ago and moved here seven years ago. a: Did you rent your property to short term renters prior to moving here? b:You served on the Planning Commission for three years - what changes in the short term rental policies of the island did you propose? 5) a: My husband and I discovered Isle of Palms and returned many times, renting both houses and Sea Cabins for our visits. We quickly discovered there was nowhere else we wanted to be than the Isle of Palms. The only way we could rationalize the cost of buying our home was to put it on a short term rental program until we were able to move here permanently. Actually, our real estate agent encouraged us to do that. She steered us to a place to buy our furniture, to C.T. Lowndes for insurance, and to Great Beach Vacations for management. This is probably the route many people have taken to reach their final destination – living on the island. I believe every home owner on the island has a right to rent out their property. But, what evolved over the years after we bought was NOT people buying homes they planned to live in, but people building homes that were never intended to be anything but MiniHotels; businesses that are for the most part owned by people that don’t live on the island.

5b: When I was appointed to the Planning Commission, the Short Term Rental ordinance was in its final drafts. I was for a 150 square foot minimum for bedrooms and that all occupants over the age of two would be counted towards the maximum allowed occupancy. The ordinance referred to the City Council was weakened by the Mayor and Council in its final form. Are their issues that need to be addressed? YES. Safety is one. Overcrowding could end up being a disaster. There are no safety inspections for these three story businesses. That is something I would like to see be part of the Short Term Rental License. Our fire department needs to know how many people are in a unit when they go in during a fire. They also need to be able to reach the house and if there are cars packed in the driveway that could end up in tragedy. ********************************** Martin Bettelli 1) Short term rentals: They have both had an effect on short-term rentals, but that doesn’t mean that we should not continue to monitor them and the effect they have on our quality of life. I feel that short-term rentals are better monitored now than they have ever been in the past. The monthly Livability reports are but one way we are able to monitor and tweak as necessary. The Livability Court has been a good enforcement tool. I have also noted the fact that there is a nationwide trend to build smaller houses. 2) Day trippers: We continue to see an increase in day trippers. It’s a fact of life. I’ve been on the island 40 years, and we seem to get more every year. They’re not just from Mount Pleasant though; they come from all over the tricounty area and beyond. Most folks like the beach, and we’ve got a great one! The Planning Commission is looking into the possibilities regarding parking on Palm Blvd. We purposely did not increase the rates in the City parking lots when the County parks did last year in the hope we could keep more folks in the front beach area. I’d like to see the day trippers spend more money with local businesses. We have many great places for them to eat and shop. Perhaps a local merchants’ coupon book would be one idea. We do have a link on the City’s website to local businesses, but I don’t think day trippers surf our web, only our beach. We have enacted a beach debris ordinance and have trashcans as well as doggie bags to help with the trash issue. We also put up new signage last year which lists the beach guidelines. 3) City spending: When we look at the size of the City, we must realize that we must keep up with training methods and

procedures as well as being responsive to state and federal mandates. We have attempted to minimize hiring people unless it is a necessity, but we must also respond to and deliver services which are expected of us. If we expand, it is generally done in regards to citizen demands or unfunded mandates. A moneysaving example is paying the County to handle the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) for us rather than hiring another one or two employees to do it. An example of responding to a need would be the firefighters that were hired to enable us to get water on a fire faster. In the future we may dredge the Marina and do a Marina enhancement project, we also will be doing the 54th to 57th Ave. drainage project. We’ve been setting aside money for these projects and have been very successful in securing grant money for some of the work. 4) Swimming pool: I do not support a swimming pool at the Rec. We must not only consider the initial cost involved, but also the ongoing maintenance cost, training, and personnel expenses as well as the increased insurance risk. 5) In your press release, you wrote “I will make every effort to ensure that island residents and businesses-as well as our visitors-have an island that is family-oriented, safe, and clean.” Having served on Council for 12 years and served on every Committee, what specifically have you done to accomplish this in the past and what do you propose to do in the future to ensure that our island is familyoriented, safe and clean? 5) I’m pleased with many of the projects and ordinances I have supported over the years. One of the first was the purchase of the Marina. I believed it was far more important to have a boat launch facility for island residents than to have condos at that location. I was in favor of limiting the size of rental and for sale signs we enacted years ago. I supported our application for our “Blue Wave” designation for clean beaches we have earned during the past several years. I supported the decrease in lot coverage, which was enacted several years ago. I supported the island wide drainage project, which has been ongoing for the past five years. I supported the new docks at the Marina, as well as the bulkhead project. I was in favor of our front beach revitalization, and I was instrumental in the beach debris ordinance, which has eliminated items being left on the beach overnight - or in some cases for a week or more - and making it safer for nesting turtles. We have Candidates continued on pg 18

18 Candidates from page 17 a nationally accredited police force. This is a continuing process, and it’s important that we monitor the different aspects of this island we call home. City Council held a joint meeting with the Planning Commission in mid-September specifically to discuss short-term rental issues and the future of the island. We are a residential island that accommodates visitors. My hope is that some of the visitors will become permanent residents in the future. ******************************** Richard Cronin Mayoral candidate 1) Short term rentals: The current ordinances and the Livability Court have had a positive impact. Looking to the future, more can be done. Last month, City Council gave the Planning Commission clear guidance on limiting maximum occupancy in new rental properties and lot coverage/green space on any new construction. These will be very positive changes. They will enhance the existing character of the Island as a quality place to live and help protect our environment. 2) Day trippers: The impact of day trippers is an issue for all the barrier islands. I have met with other mayors to share ideas. All agree that strict enforcement of our beach ordinances, parking regulation and civil behavior ordinances are essential. For example, the City issued 48% more parking tickets this last season than the prior year. Relative to encouraging visitors to spend money, I have supported not increasing the parking fee at the City’s Front Beach parking lots for two reasons: 1. I want visitors to park in the lots, not in the right of way in a neighborhood, and 2. If visitors park in the lots near the businesses they are more likely to enjoy the shopping and dining there. 3) City spending: I see no project in the future that will need major funding. The projects completed over the past few years have been essential to protect citizens and property. The City is in a strong financial condition demonstrated recently by our Bond rating being increased. Relative to the growth of City government, the majority of the City’s cost goes for people. In the past 2 ½ years, while the City added no new positions, over 40% of the entire City employees are new. I have and will continue to encourage the City to find ways to retain our employees. 4) Swimming pool: I do not see any way the City could fund the cost of building and operating a pool without increasing taxes. I do not support increasing taxes

for a pool. 5) You have stated that the “current economy will continue to reduce the City’s income, but with reduced spending, we can balance the City’s budget without raising taxes”. a: What programs or services will you recommend be cut? How much will these cuts save? b: Do you feel the Livability Court has sufficiently addressed the concerns of those living in SR-1 and SR-2 or do you feel more needs to be done? What might those recommendations be? 5) a: The City has a very comprehensive budgeting process which involves every department and every member of City Council. The budget evolves over five months of scrutinizing every detail. The City’s income has already been reduced by $1 million over the past two years. I am pleased that our budgeting process has limited each department’s spending such that there was no tax increase needed for fiscal year 2010. b: In the past two years, the Livability Court and the Livability ordinances have reduced noise complaints by 33% in SR1 and SR2. Properties with multiple offenses have dropped even further. While this is going in the right direction, as I stated at a City Council workshop, it is still not enough. I am pleased that enforcement is now much stricter-virtually all complaints are issued a citation and a court date to come before the Judge. ******************************* Ron Denton 1) Short term rentals: Other candidates will tell you that their main concern is the short term rental houses and the mini hotels. While these issues are important, they are not the island’s main concern now since the real estate market is down and the Livability Court is working. I have concerns with short term rentals, but any decision to further restrict the short term rentals needs to be driven by the facts, not anecdotal evidence. 2) Day trippers: The commercial area is where we would like to have the day trippers because it reduces the congestion along Palm Blvd and supports the local businesses at the same time. The best way to modify the day trippers’ behavior is to issue season-long parking decals (for a fee) for Palm Boulevard. The relative higher cost of parking along Palm Blvd vs. the Commercial District will make parking along Palm Boulevard less inviting and will achieve the desired results: less traffic on Palm, more business in the commercial area and money to pay for the Palm Blvd bike lane.

3) City spending: The main concern of the island is the debt we now have from the new safety building, the new Recreation Center, the beach renourishment project and the purchase of the Marina.  Our revenues are down from previous years and we are compelled to provide a high level of service to our community. I don’t see how we can afford any new projects.   4) Swimming pool: I would like to see a swimming pool at the Recreation Center, but I don’t think we can afford it with the debt we have undertaken. 5) a: As Chairman of the Planning Commission, do you feel enough has been done to address the concerns of those citizens in SR-1 and SR-2 that are concerned about continued encroachment of short term rentals in their areas? b:What other recommendations might you make to address their concerns? 5) a: The first step is to determine whether any encroachment of rentals into the neighborhoods is continual.  Are permanent resident homes being sold to owners who are placing these properties on the short term rental program and is there any trending for the opposite scenario of rental homes being purchased for full time occupation?  That is defining the problem, not just the idea of the problem. The percentage of short term rentals in the neighborhoods is 17%.  Should there be a consensus that this number is largely increasing, then a way to curtail further expansion might be to limit rental occupancy levels. b: I would like to find a balance between the livability of our permanent residents and the rights of the rental property owners. I do not own any rental properties and feel that I can be an honest broker to find common ground and lasting solutions. Real estate prices are continuing to fall and the Livability Court needs to have a chance to work, so there is no need to rush into an arbitrary solution that is not supported by the facts. ******************************* Barbara Gobien 1) Short term rentals: I am not against short term rentals. I am more interested in the number of occupants allowable per unit, and in restricting or preventing those activities that infringe on the rights of others to enjoy their life. The current short term rental regulations do not address the various land use districts individually. I believe this is a major shortcoming of those regulations. The state of the economy has slowed the pace of mindless development on the Isle of Palms and has given the City a pause and a second chance at defining what it will look like in

October 30, 2009 the future, but this opportunity will not last forever. Housing prices have dropped significantly as a result of the real estate bubble on IOP, but there will be a new generation of investors and developers who will seek to take advantage of this island solely for their personal financial gain. Rules must be put in place soon to deal with this. 2) Day trippers: The day tripper issue is a long standing one for this island. It has been my experience through observation, and through operating Island Cards and Gifts in the Red and White Shopping Center for fifteen years, that the vast majority of day trippers bring all their supplies with them and add very little to the economic activity of the Isle of Palms. Traffic, trash and parking impact the residential quality of life the most. Addressing these impacts is complicated because of state laws regarding rights to access the public beach. I propose that the City institute a comprehensive plan for dealing with all these issues including residential parking districts that would minimize day tripper encroachment on the residential neighborhoods. The City also needs to consider the potential impact of day trippers on our Blue Wave beach designation. Outside of the county park and Front Beach commercial districts, there are no public restroom/ sanitation facilities available for day trippers. This concerns me a great deal. Some kind of use fee should be in place which would insure that the cost of the day trippers is not borne by the local property owners. 3) City spending: Yes. City Government should always have contingency plans for the worst. They, like the rest of us, must be able to tighten their belts when necessary to keep expenditures in line with revenues. To date, the records indicate that they have done well at this. Funding of future projects - other than required infrastructure such as water, sewer, roads, fire and safety - will depend on the state of the economy. 4) Swimming pool: It would be nice to have a pool at the IOP Rec Center. It is a considerable expense that can certainly not be in the budget at this time. It would likely be used only by a 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 favor of it at this time only if it added neither long term unfunded debt obligation, nor current expense to the budget. This could, perhaps, be accomplished by some sort of strict user or member fees that generated revenue to match all expenses. Candidates continued on pg 19

October 30, 2009 Candidates from page 18 5)In your press release you mentioned many concerns about “oversized homes and mini-hotels popping up in residential neighborhoods”. a: Aside from the beach front area on Palm or Ocean, do you feel these buildings are encroaching on residential neighborhoods? b:You also state that “Wild Dunes continues to build large rental units which impact the traffic issue”. What is your specific solution to this perceived problem? a: All one has to do is drive through the streets in the neighborhoods on the Isle of Palms to see the number of “mini-hotels” popping up. They are in fact encroaching on and changing the neighborhoods. People have told me personally that they moved because of the noise! b: Any individual investor or groups of investors who profit from non-owner occupied, large multi-family hotel type development, if allowed to take place, should bear the total cost required to mitigate the effects of their activity on the island. This would include the cost of sewers, road expansion, expanded City services and all other effects, as well as the cost of impact studies prior to permit approval. ********************************* Sandy Stone 1) Short term rentals: Current regulations have certainly improved the behavior of our island’s guests as evidenced by the Livability Court’s reduction in complaints of 31% from 2008 to 2009. I certainly DO NOT support the building of large rental properties within SR1 & SR2 areas – those homes of eight bedrooms or more. I would support these limits regardless of the state of the economy. 2) Day trippers: As an involved island resident and business owner, I would like to see what ideas the residents have for day trippers. Parking fees and permitted usage of parking are certainly to be considered. As to encouraging spending in our local business establishments, that is probably best left to the owners of those businesses. 3) City spending: I am a fiscal conservative and as a successful business owner I have had to deal with meeting budgets, payrolls, services and knowing first-hand that I cannot spend more than I’m taking in. I would manage the City’s finances with the same care. It’s not my money; it belongs to the residents. 4) Swimming pool: Whether the City needs or does not need a new swimming pool at the Recreation Center is up to the residents. Place an initiative

19 referendum on the ballot and let the people effected vote on it. And of course, vote on the funding issue as well. 5)  a: As an owner of an island business where the primary income comes from long and short term rentals, how will you reconcile your experience on the Planning Commission and potentially City Council with the desires of the citizenry who want to limit short term rentals? b: Is there a potential conflict here? a: With more than thirty years of experience dealing with owners and rental guests of our community, I am in a unique position to bring a balance to City Council. I understand the concerns of those who want to limit short term rentals and have worked very hard to reduce the impact they have on the quality of life we all enjoy in our own special way. The results as stated in the first answer will attest to that work. We must be very careful so as not to increase the size of our government, nor over-regulate as the unintended consequences might do us more harm than good. b: I see no potential conflict in a reasoned resolution to the concerns of the citizenry. I live and work here, too! ******************************** Doug Thomas 1) Short term rentals: I am still very concerned about short term rentals. The economy has slowed their development. This may be one of the few blessings to the slower economy. We now have time to enact the required legislation to stop the construction of “Mini Hotels”. The current restrictions do not prevent the construction of the Mini Hotels in residential neighborhoods. The speculators can’t get the money to build them and there is no market for them now. Once the economy returns, I am sure we will be facing the same issues again unless we act now to put into effect the necessary restrictions to prevent Mini Hotels from being built. 2) Day trippers: The day tripper problem continues to grow. There is no easy answer. Some solutions may be the purchase of seasonal and /or daily parking passes or metered parking. These fees could then be used to offset the City expense of enforcing the passes and clean up. I am sure we are not the only beachside community that has this problem. I would propose we survey those communities that have experienced these problems and see how they have handled it. The main concern is that the beach is public property. Everybody has the right to use it. Local business might offer discounts to those who have parking passes to solicit new customers. The local community

and the local business might consider hosting an event at the beginning of the summer season at which each business could set up a tent with samples of their wares for sale. However, it is not up to the City to subsidize private business. They must take on that challenge on their own. 3) City spending: I am not aware that the City government is growing larger than the population. You may be right if you consider only the full-time residents. However, remember that the more people that visit - renters and day trippers - the more services the City must provide: police, fire protection, trash pick up, etc. And I am aware that there are more day trippers and renters. 4) Swimming pool: No. I grew up a mile from the ocean and six miles from the bay. That’s why we moved here. I could never see why anybody would want to swim in a pool when you have so much natural water around. I have never been a big fan of pools. There is a lot of maintenance and liability to a pool. In the past we have joined local pool clubs for the kids. That way we did not have the hassle of maintaining our own pool and it was probably less expensive. I understand the County Park off Long Point Road has a great water park which is open to the public. 5)  a: Having attended the IOP Ways and Means Committee meetings for the past two years, do you feel that the City’s monies have been managed prudently? b: What would you have done differently? c: You also state a concern with short term rentals - have you personally been affected by them? d: Where does your concern come from? a: The two largest expenses that I have heard discussed are the new Public Safety Building and the Marina rework. The projects are something the City can be proud of. We can debate forever that they were more than was needed. The Fire Department lived in tents for several years while the new buildings were being built. The Fire Department still did their job beautifully during that time. I think the current Council is very cost conscious. There was a lot of serious discussion over the reworking of the space vacated by the Police Department in the City building. There were only two quotes considered for the job at first. There was considerable difference in the price. It seemed obvious to me that neither vendor understood the job. Council asked for more quotes. Two months later, two more quotes had been obtained from two other suppliers. The Council selected the next-tolowest bidder because he had more experience and good recommendations from previous

customers performing the work that was to be done. I have nine years of purchasing experience with GM and often we selected suppliers that were not the low bid because we knew in the long run we would get a better value. A favorite trick of many suppliers is to bid low and after the job starts, hit you with unreasonable charges for changes. I am not accusing any of these suppliers of planning that. However, it can be a good reason to not select the low bidder. Make sure you and the supplier understand what is expected ahead of time. b: Yes. The first was the construction of a spec house next to me. The house was granted variances without my approval although I was told that any residences within 200 feet of the home needed to give their written permission. I was never contacted. The builder also used my water for construction purposes without my permission. Fortunately, the house was purchased by a wonderful couple who maintain the place impeccably. We hardly know when they arrive. We look out for their house when they are gone, as neighbors do. c: Dirty linens used to sit out in front of the rental across the street for weeks. Calls to the realtor got nothing. Finally we called the owners, who are great people. Problem taken care of! No problems since. d: Lack of respect for the neighborhoods by the speculative real estate community is evident. Don’t get me wrong, I have had great experiences dealing with residential realtors when buying and selling my homes over the years. It is the speculative builders that promote the short term rental properties that are the problem.

*************************** James Ward Mayoral candidate 1) Short term rentals: I am in agreement with the City’s short term rental ordinance 20072, Sec. 5-4-202, Sec. 5-4-203, Sec. 5-4-204 & Sec 5-4-205; Ordinance 2007-3 and Ordinance 2007-4. I think these laws are sufficient. I certainly would not be in favor of diluting them in any way.   2) Day trippers: Day trippers place more of a burden on City services and resources than any other group. We need to look at this issue closely and explore all viable options to minimize their impact. One huge issue is parking. The parking fees need to be materially increased. In the City-owned lots (what’s left of them after the gigantic “Taj Garage” was constructed on most of one lot), I propose the fee be increased to $10 immediately. It is my understanding that the parking fees in the Isle of Palms Candidates continued on pg 20

20 Candidates from page 20 County Park parking lot will be raised substantially in the near future. Fees for parking on Ocean Blvd in the commercial district should also be increased to reflect this change. I would like to look into placing parking kiosks along Palm Blvd from 21st to 41st Avenues (every couple of blocks) to require day visitors to pay $12/day (or more) to encourage them to park in the County park’s and City’s lots. This will increase traffic for businesses in the commercial districts. I would like to see more restaurants and upscale boutiques opened in the commercial districts. I will work to restrict parking on all side Boulevards for all vehicles except those owned by island property owners, residents and their guests. Property owners and residents will be issued residential parking permits, free of charge, similar to ones issued to downtown Charleston residents.   3) City spending: This is a huge concern to me. I am a CPA with over 22 years of experience and I see first-hand, on a daily basis, how many island residents are suffering during this recession. However, the City keeps spending as if it is immune to current volatile economic conditions. The City’s long term debt was over $18,000,000 as of June 30, 2009. $7,700,000 of this debt was added in the last year. This is

unacceptable. The City must stop spending money it does not have! Under my leadership as Mayor, a policy of paying down this debt ASAP will be implemented. The City’s disaster preparedness fund balance of about $1,700,000 is woefully inadequate. I served on City Council from 1988-1991. We had a little over $1,000,000 in the disaster preparedness fund when Hurricane Hugo devastated our island. I was Mayor Pro-Tem at the time and Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee. That $1,000,000 we had in the fund was gone in no time. We need to be much better prepared financially for contingencies.   4) Swimming pool: Isle of Palms voters voted No by a very slim margin when the City had a referendum on the construction of a swimming pool in 1990.  I was in favor of the idea and I still am. This issue must be settled by another referendum going before the voters, by law. I will support the residents’ choice on this important matter.   5)  As a member of the “Adopt a Beach” program and Chairman of the Accomodations Tax Advisory Committee, were you in favor of using some of these funds for the beach renourishment earlier this year? It appears some serious erosion is once again threatening the northern end of the island - what would your

recommendations be to halt that and how would you finance it? 5) Obviously, beach renourishment is one appropriate use of Accommodations Tax funds. However, I agree with the sentiment that many residents have expressed to me during my door to door campaign which I have conducted for the last six weeks all over our island. Folks living

October 30, 2009 “outside the gate” of Wild Dunes get upset when material amounts of general fund revenues are used to rescue structures within Wild Dunes, especially since we aren’t allowed general access to Wild Dunes.   6) Bonus answer No, I will not bring up the smoking ban issue again when I am elected Mayor! That issue is over with and has been for a long time.

What a fish!

Jacob Cahalan, 2, caught his very first trout and sting ray at Breach Inlet on the Isle of PHOTOS BY: Jerry Cahalan Palms this past weekend.

www.islandeyenews.com

24

October 30, 2009

Recycle, reduce …

C

RE-imagine

Provided by Charleston County

harleston County’s Environmental Management Department is seeking participants for the 2009 Creative Recycling Art Contest. The art contest is being held to celebrate America Recycles Day 2009 in Charleston County. “The contest is designed to highlight the creative talents of Charleston County residents and to increase environmental awareness and good stewardship through recycling,” said Jenny Bloom, recycling educator for Charleston County’s Environmental Management Department. This year marks the 12th anniversary of the County’s Creative Recycling Art Contest, which is sponsored by the Charleston County Environmental Management Department and the Liollio Architecture firm. Categories: Students: (grades 7-12) with a prize of a $300 savings bond. Adults: (18 years and older) with a prize of $300 in art supply and hardware store gift

certificates. The deadline to submit artwork is 4pm on Thursday, November 5. An awards reception will be held for all entrants at 5pm on Thursday, November 12, at the Charleston County Main Library located at 68 Calhoun Street in downtown Charleston. The artwork will be on display from November 12 – 29. National America Recycles Day is on November 15. South Carolina has developed one of the nation’s top America Recycles state campaigns through the efforts of a statewide public and private steering committee. Various statewide programs and contests are offered each year to support the national America Recycles efforts. For more information on the Charleston County Creative Recycling Art Contest or to submit your contest entry, contact Theresa Martin, Charleston County Recycling, 13 Romney Street, Charleston, SC 29403 or call (843) 7207111 ext. 29.

Eye Spy

Do you know what this is?

Kids, send your guess for this week’s Eye Spy to: info@luckydognews. com or call 886-NEWS. Please include your mailing address with your submission. The first one to send in the correct answer will receive a coupon for a free ice cream at Café Medley on Sullivan's Island.

No one guessed last week's Eye Spy! It was the sanddollars on the IOP Shopping Center sign. Send your guess for this week's Eye Spy to: [email protected]

Submission requirements: • At least 70 percent of the materials used in the creation of your entry must be recycled. "Recycled" is defined as those materials that have been discarded and can be used again such as plastics, glass, metals, newspaper, magazines, cardboard, paperboard and old used items and parts. Art supplies such as glue, paint, markers, nails and staples are allowed. • 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 x 24 inches in width x 24 inches in diameter. • Only one entry per person. • All art entries must be labeled so that each entry can be easily identified. Labels must be securely attached with name, address, phone number, school name, grade, art teacher, name of entry and medium description. • The deadline to submit artwork is 4pm on Thursday, November 5.

Code: Yellow By Tess Abedon

W

hen you go to school, you feel you are safe. That must be why it is so alarming to hear that your school has gone to code yellow. Scary thoughts cross your mind. You wonder if an intruder -or worse ,a killer - has entered your school. 

On Tuesday, October 13, my school, Sullivan’s Island Elementary, went on code yellow. This means that you are close by, or even next to a disaster. Our principal came on over the loud speaker and said calmly, “Boys and girls…” Then she explained that there had been a chlorine leak on Sullivan’s Island. It turned out that there were some problems with a faulty seal at the island’s water

cleaning facility. We had to remain in the building and on code yellow until they could fix it.  “Please remain calm,” our principal said. “If you are in a trailer, please come inside now.”  Though it was good to hear that there wasn’t an intruder, it was frightening that here on our little island there was a lock down. The problem was that the air was not safe to breathe.  “It was scary,” says fourth grade student, Bailey Abedon. “They made us run inside from the trailers, covering our mouths.” Luckily, the firemen fixed the chlorine leak within a couple hours. We can enjoy our clean air once again. 

October 30, 2009

M

Old dump site to be saved as protected green space

iller Creek may not have been that specific creek described by Poe, but it certainly could have been. Located at the marsh end of Station 19, this creek banks onto a small tract of land known to many as The Landfill. Many islanders, however, affectionately know it as “The Dump” because it was the location of the town’s incinerator and trash burnings. Originally, Station 19 was called Wharf Street because it was there that lumber was barged in for John McInerny’s lumber business. Today it is a beautiful tract of land approximately 3.5 acres in size. This land is surrounded on two sides by copses of trees, and the third side is situated right on the marsh. Many islanders use The Dump every day for play, dog walking, bird and otter watching. In years past, marsh hen hunting was a favorite sport at this spot.

25

Submitted by Karen Coste for The Sullivan’s Islanders

Crab, shrimp, fish, and marsh hen from this creek provided many a meal for local families. Before there were swimming pools on the island, kids learned to swim by jumping into “Alligator Hole”. Now many people crab there, catch minnows for bait, and use it as a launching point for their canoes and kayaks. The Sullivan’s Islanders, an organization dedicated to island conservation and historic preservation, hosted a gathering of concerned residents last March when they became aware that The Dump had been excluded from the green space segment of the Town’s Comprehensive Plan. Residents feared development. Town Council members Mike Perkis and Pat O’Neil met with the group and were more than willing to initiate appropriate steps to protect this area. Too small to be protected by The

Lowcountry Open Land Trust, The Dump needed another watchdog organization to step in and work with the Town to place this area in protective conservation. Councilman Pat O’Neil discovered a small foundation that was willing to meet with the Town. The Mount Pleasant Land Conservancy was established by the Town of Mount Pleasant in 2002 to protect small, precious tracts of land east of the Cooper. This non-profit organization was eager to consider placing The Dump site into protection. Their mission is to enhance the quality of life for all East Cooper residents through education and preservation of open space by promoting protection, acquisition, and stewardship of land resources. To date they have protected 137 acres of undeveloped land in Mount Pleasant, including a conservation easement protecting

Oakland Plantation and a portion of Shem Creek. At September’s Council meeting, Councilman O’Neil got the green light from Council for the Town to begin the process of placing The Dump and another parcel (the island end of the former Pitt Street Bridge) under the protection of the Conservancy. No commitments will be made by either party until all details are known. Happily, The Dump will be, now and forever, protected from development. If you have not experienced The Dump and all that it has to offer, grab your canoe or kayak, your fishing pole or crab net, or just plan an evening visit to watch a beautiful sunset slipping behind the Ravenel Bridge. This place belongs to all of us.

Feathered friends flock together

O

n Sunday, October 11, friends and supporters for the Center for Birds of Prey in Awendaw gathered at Cheryl and Pat Illderton's house to raise help raise funds for the local non-profit. The Center for Birds of Prey is located at 4872 Seewee Road.

(above) Bunky Odum, Carl Hubbard and Cheryl Illderton enjoy the festivities.

(left) Leo Fetter and Casey McCabe. (above) A staff member from the Center for Birds of Prey.

www.islandeyenews.com

26

October 30, 2009

Art on the Beach

Gallery from cover

at the first Earth Day in April 1970 in New York City. His work embodies a diversity of mediums including organic/conceptual art, graphics, architectural design, geodesics, sculpture and painting. Every month, Island Gallery will display a new selection of ZanFagna’s works. “There are literally thousands of square feet of boxes [of Donald’s works] that haven’t seen the light of day in decades,” said Joanna. “Some of the works will be for sale and others will be from private collections. It’s just great to see his works on display.” Another unique addition to the Island Gallery family is a selection of rare Oriental glasswork. Imported by Mount Pleasant resident Wayne Dubois, each piece is made of recycled glass fired into a massive glass sculpture. The firing process alone takes three to four days for each piece, and the entire process takes almost a month to complete. Because of the high possibility of breakage and the very small number of people who have mastered the art, there are very few complete pieces in existence and the Island Gallery is the only gallery to display these works in the United States. The official grand opening of the Island Gallery will coincide with the Art on the Beach event on Saturday, November 8, on Sullivan’s Island. During the week, the Whites expect the gallery to be open around 10am and close around 10pm, depending on traffic and the season. They also hope to work with other local galleries, including the Sandpiper Gallery and Adele’s Pottery, to create more of an art district on Sullivan’s, including providing maps of the different art galleries on the island. From the gallery’s official opening until Christmas, the Island Gallery will feature one artist every Saturday evening. The artist will be available to answer questions and share with visitors their unique perspective on their works. After Christmas, the Gallery will feature one artist a month in the front room, with a “meet the artist” event at the beginning of each month. For more information on the Island Gallery, please call 815-529-7731 or email [email protected]. The Island Gallery is located at 2214 Middle St., Sullivan’s Island.

in all colors of the rainbow and colorful corrugated steel folk art lining the On November 8, 2009, Creative Spark will once back walls. The newly painted door again open the artistic and culinary doors of Sullivan’s almost waves a welcome and early visitors have felt that particular vibe of Island for the annual Art on the Beach & Chefs in the comfort and community on entering Kitchen event. From 1 – 5pm, attendees are invited that makes one feel as if this place has to sneak a peek into luxurious historic homes and always been here; a part of the island peruse the many artists’ studios around the island. culture. Chef demonstrations and tastings will given by The Taking its place in the old Exit Realty Old Village Post House, The Mustard Seed, Cypress, building, the Island Gallery is the Café Medley, Red Drum Gastropub and Everyday dream business of islanders Joanna Gourmet. A dessert reception will be held at Station and Everett White. Though they had 22 Restaurant along with musical entertainment, never seriously considered starting an and works from local artists and art galleries will be art gallery in the past, the couple agreed that if they ever did open one, they on display. wanted it to be in the little pink Exit Several of the Art on the Beach displays will be set Realty building; and when the building up at the Sullivan's Island Lighthouse, and guests came up for rent, the opportunity was are welcome to explore the grounds, quarters cupola, too good to pass up. boat house and the base of the lighthouse. The Calling on friends, family, and upper floors of the lighthouse will not be open due admired local artisans, the small rooms to safety concerns. During the event, representatives of the old beach cottage quickly filled from the non-profit Save the Light organization will with an eclectic variety of artwork, report on the progress of preserving the Morris Island each room being recreated as a “gallery Lighthouse.  within a gallery”. The art within the Island Gallery spans a broad range Tickets for Art on the Beach & Chefs in the Kitchen of mediums: from Michael Nocher’s can be purchased to include the entire tour and photography to Heather Martinez’s reception for $35. Add $10 per person for golf cart designs in polymer clay to Robert Clair’s rides during the tour!  Patron Tickets are $150 and glass blowing, Joyado Zan’s paintings, include the tour, golf cart rides and $100 towards the Susan Hauser’s jewelry and Adele purchase of art as well as an event poster.  Advance Tobin’s clay works. Co-owner Everett tickets are available at   Creative  Spark (881-3780) White’s own palm frond mermaids are and at Sandpiper Gallery on Sullivan's Island both in on display as well, interspersed with his paintings of sea turtles, mermaids advance and on the day of the event starting at 12 and ocean life. noon. All activities at the Lighthouse are free and open Because of the structure of the old to the public.  For more information, call the park at home, the small rooms and narrow 883-3123. hallways make viewing the art a kind a treasure hunt, works of art springing up from behind tight corners and slender doorways. In fact, one of the rooms nestled in the back of the gallery secrets a collection by an artist that has been praised for his works on both Guidelines are: in leadership, coasts of the United States and abroad. Youth of the Year/Month: community service The uncle of co-owner Joanna White, • Must live on the Isle of Palms and academics. Donald M. ZanFagna studied under or Sullivan’s Island or be • Must be hardthe Fullbright scholarship in Rome a descendant of a past or working, involved after leaving the Air Force following present member of the Isle of in the community the Korean War. When he returned, he attended the University of Southern Palms Exchange Club. and school California, received his Masters in • Must demonstrate excellence activities. Painting and took a professorship at in leadership, community • Must service and academics. demonstrate good Rutger’s University. His special interest in ecology led him to found CEASE, the • Must be hard-working, sportsmanship, Center for Ecological Action to Save involved in the community good citizenship, the Environment, and as its founder, and school activities. have good he was one of the principle speakers • Must demonstrate good attendance in sportsmanship, good school. citizenship, and have good • Write an essay be nominated to the South attendance in school. titled “Inspired by the Power Carolina District Exchange • Write an essay titled of Community Service”. Club for their Youth of the “Inspired by the Power of • Send a resume of their Year competition and if they Community Service”. activities during high school win they will be nominated • Send a resume of their or college. to the National Exchange activities during high school. • Fill out the application that Club’s Youth of the Year • Write a short essay on their will be given to the applicant competition. In 2007, SC goals and aspirations for the and return by January 4, had a National Winner who future. 2010. received $10,000 towards her • Fill out the application that college education. In 2008, will be given to the applicant Students who receive the the IOP Exchange Club had and return by January 4, Youth of the Month/Year a state winner who received 2010. award will: $2000 towards her college • Be honored along with their education. Meeks/Sotille Scholarship: parents and siblings at a • Must live on the Isle of Palms monthly IOP Exchange Club or Sullivan’s Island or be a meeting. Students who win the Meeks/ descendant of the past or • Receive a monetary award Sotille Scholarship award present member of the Isle of along with a plaque for their will: Palms Exchange Club. accomplishments. • Be honored along with their • Must demonstrate excellence • The Youth of the Year will

Exchange Club scholarships

parents and siblings at a monthly IOP Exchange Club meeting. • Receive a monetary award which will be determined after our annual Oyster Roast in January. All proceeds from the oyster roast go to our scholarship winners. In 2008, we gave 4 - $2000 scholarships, 1 - $1500 scholarship, and several smaller scholarships. Applications can be requested from: Elizabeth Grantham, [email protected]. All applications, essays (2), and resume are due by January 4, 2010, for both the YOM/Y and Meeks/Sotille Scholarships.