Volume 3 Issue 11

October 5 , 2007

Lettitor
By Heather Holbrook

     We live in a particularly cozy part of the world- with the beach just down the street, going to neighborhood parties; we’re walking distance to a good cup of coffee. We smile at everyone we pass on the street.
       I like that we can lean our bikes against a tree when we ride to the park and we can leave them there while we play. It’s a relatively laid-back lifestyle on both islands. Shoot, we can even wear flip flops to church. But the days of leaving your bicycle unlocked at night and your golf cart keys in the ignition are all but extinct. I guess I am one of the last to realize it.
      But wait! I thought this was ‘Mayberry by the Sea’. Of course it still is; we just have some cross-over guest stars from Starsky and Hutch and CSI making unwelcome appearances. Purses, i-Pods, and loose change are routinely being lifted from unlocked cars, even from cars parked inside garages, bicycle after bicycle is stolen from backyards, even small wooden end tables with flowerpots have been known to get pinched from front yards. (Editor’s note: If you are the one who took my white end table with the bright orange pot of pink petunias, please bring it back to Station 19. Reward offered.)
      Having had both my unattended golf cart AND my unlocked bike stolen in the last year, one would think I would be more vigilant, more guarded. But I’m not. Up until yesterday, I have been too happy-go-lucky about my property and its security. But reading the police reports on a regular basis and knowing several friends who have had brushes with loss right under their noses, I think it’s time to turn the key.
      This commentary is not about what more our police departments can do to thwart island theft; it’s more about a common opinion among residents that things here are safer than off-island. Of course, leaving your valuables in an unlocked car at night is not wise (I used to do this, too). We won’t even go into how many of your neighbors leave their doors to their homes wide open and keys in their cars all the time. Dog or no dog, intruders or thieves may come onto our islands and watch the homes on your street for days before striking. Being #70 and #199 on the list of Forbes magazine's annual ranking of US housing prices also makes our barrier islands even more attractive to would-be burglars.
      Since October is National Crime Prevention month, I say we all try a little harder not to become another statistic. Lock your bike. Lock your car. Hide your purses, wallets, jewelry, i-Pods, cell phones, cd cases, golf carts, toys and other valuables. After that, get back out there on the beach, go to your neighborhood parties, ride your bike to get a coffee and wave to your neighbors. Because that’s what we do around here.

Briefly, what are the biggest issues facing the Isle of Palms and how would you address them? 1. Preserving the residential nature of the island neighborhoods. The island is in the midst of an identity crisis. As one resident recently pointed, out we need to determine if this island is a commodity or a community. I emphatically fall on the community side of that question. We need to revisit the zoning ordinances of 2002 that brought the incursion of mini-hotels to our residential districts. I would ensure that the purpose of single family residential district zoning ordinances is enforced.
2. Beach Erosion. This is an imminent threat to part of our community that needs to be addressed. The city has recently submitted a Beach Management plan to OCRM. Unfortunately, the particular area affected has been undergoing significant erosion since 1999. Beach renourishment is a stop gap measure that I can support in the near term. I favor taking a long view for managing the beach that takes into consideration the natural cycles of barrier islands and ensuring that they are supported.

If elected, how would you better control spending if you indeed believe spending is out of control? Based on my attendance at Council meetings, it seems to me that all expenditures made by the island are not readily apparent. I would ensure that this occurs and would evaluate expenditures on a best value instead of a top-of-the-line basis.

Why do you want to serve on the City Council and how would the city benefit? My wife and I purchased our lot in 1994. Our dream was to return to the island and live out our lives here. Since returning to the island in 2000, I see that dream slipping away. I want to serve on City Council because 800 of my neighbors have essentially said (and told City Council) they share my dream. The residents would have a voice and as an old CEO of mine used to say, all of us are better than any one of us!

If you could go back in time as a member of City Council, what would you change (if anything) in regards to decisions Council has made? The 2002 zoning ordinances.

If not elected, in what other way do you see yourself getting involved with your community? Continue to be the voice for the dream that my neighbors and I share, by continuing to attend city meetings and speaking out when this dream is put in jeopardy.

Briefly, what are the biggest issues facing the Isle of Palms and how would you address them? 1. Develop and maintain a City budget that assures a reasonable and stable tax base. Although most candidates claim they are fiscally conservative, few vote that way in my experience. I have consistently voiced my “lone dissenter” opinion on a large number of big ticket items in my effort to keep our tax burden low. This is a vital cause as I try to represent our senior citizens who are attempting to live on a fixed income while costs constantly increase for all of our needs.
2. Plan ahead for our inevitably changing community. We are now an affluent community - a far cry from the haven of homes for middle class folks that J.C. Long created. Thank you J.C. Long for your vision that enabled me to afford to buy a small house two blocks from the Atlantic Ocean in 1986. Let’s take a hard look at our resources and services and determine how best to shape them for the future.
3. Traffic and Parking. We must develop solutions to control these serious problems. All ideas are worth exploring. My idea for years has been a parking garage on the City’s surface parking lot. How about a community meeting to hear the citizen’s ideas and thoughts?

If elected, how would you better control spending? That’s my number one concern that is addressed in the first question.

Why do you want to serve on the City Council and how would the city benefit? My civic background and community activities in the 21 years I’ve been here have provided me with a broad awareness of community needs. I’ve learned much in my six years of service on Council. I’ve been involved with every City Department and I’m extremely impressed with our small staff. We’ve got the best employees around. Even though I watch the dollars we spend, I know that people are what make things work well-not buildings.

If you could go back in time two years as a member of City Council, what would you change (if anything) in regards to decisions Council has made? I don’t think we’ve made terrible errors except perhaps for buying property that has no immediate planned need when that may have impacted our property tax rate.

If not elected, in what other way to see yourself getting involved with your community? I don’t know what my next step will be. I’m not even going to think about that now. I’m sure I’ll find something to keep me busy because I’m not about to sit at home and eat bon bons.

What are the biggest issues facing the Isle of Palms and how would you address them? 1. Beach erosion- Approximately 45% of all rental properties are located within a quarter mile of this erosion zone. Much of our budget revenues come from taxes and license fees generated from this area. Adopting a beach management plan that includes short and long range solutions will protect our beach and the revenues that we all count on.
2. A comprehensive plan is needed to manage parking and traffic flow. The city, county, DOT, highway patrol and Mount Pleasant officials will need to join forces to address traffic without further disruption to the Island. A major goal is to keep parking out of the neighborhoods.
3. We need to continue to monitor our Livability program. This will require direction from city department leaders and community feedback.

If elected, how would you better control spending? I am a conservative when it comes to my personal finances and would take the same approach with the city budget. Prior to voting for any expenditure, I will make sure that I have a through understanding of where the funding will come from. I have attended Ways and Means Committee meetings, reviewed the city budget, and met with the city treasurer for a current financial picture.

Why do you want to serve on City Council and how would the city benefit? I have attended City Council Meetings and various committee meetings. I have met with most of the city department heads and have a great understanding of the issues. I have a Masters Degree in education and was a teacher for over ten years where I developed communication and leadership skills. I spent 16 years in the transportation industry, am currently in the Health, Safety and Environmental field and a member of the American Society of Safety Engineers. My job requires that I work with many regulatory agencies and my ability to interface them and experience with dealing with complex issues will be an asset to the city. If you could go back in time two years as a member of City Council, what would you change (if anything) in regards to decisions Council has made? When Council is making decisions it does not have the benefit of hind sight. However, if the Livability Court, Livability Hotline and Livability Officer had been in place sooner we may not have had the issues that we had earlier this year.

If not elected in what other way do you see yourself getting involved with your community? I would continue to attend Council meetings and would be happy to serve on a committee to help find solutions for issues facing our community.

SI Council tweaks Accreted Land RFQ