Island Sheriff's Patrol Expansion

There has been an upsurge in crime on James Island during August.   Crime reports can be found here.  The Island Sheriff Patrol Coordinator Sgt. Shawn James has been rescheduling patrols to deal with these problems and some arrests have been made.   I have also asked Sgt. James to expand the program from two to three full time equivalent officers..   (From 80 to 120 hours of additional law enforcement in the Town per week.)   As part of the Town's planned budget revision, I will be asking Council for  additional funds to make this level of protection sustainable for the fiscal year.

Marilyn Clifford: Candidate for JIPSD Commissioner

Marilyn Clifford is a life long resident of James Island.  She lives in the Town of James Island in the Centerville neighborhood.   She represents Centerville on the Town's Neighborhood Council.

 

Marilyn graduated Cum Laude from Southern Wesleyan University with a Degree of Bachelor of Science with the emphasis on Business. She has an Associates Degree in Public Service from Trident Technical College where she was also a member of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. She is a graduate of James Island High School, Class of 1988.  She also attended Nativity School on Folly Road, James Island Middle School, and Fort Johnson Middle School. 

 

Marilyn is the Senior Paralegal for Trial Attorney John L. Drennan of the Drennan Law Firm and she was a Paralegal for Reese I. Joye of the Joye Law Firm where she worked for 18 years.
 

Marilyn is a member of the American Legion Auxiliary of the American Legion, James Island, Post 147 and a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Ladies Auxiliary, James Island Post 445. She was also a member of the Navy League.  She volunteers to sing the National Anthem for area American Legion and VFW Posts on Patriotic Holidays as well as to sing for our fallen heroes at their life celebration services.

Contact Marilyn at marilynclifford70@yahoo.com or call 843-810-8438.

Lyndy Palmer: Candidate for JIPSD Commissioner

Lyndy Palmer lives in the Quail Run Neighborhood in the Town of James Island.   She has lived on James Island for 18 years.

Lyndy represents the Quail Run neighborhood on the Town's Neighborhood Council.   She was recently appointed to the James Island Planning Commission.  She served on the James Island Planning Commission from 2002 to 2004.   She served as Chair of the James Island Planning Commission from 2006 to 2008.  

Lyndy is a realtor with Exit Realty the Tracey Group on Folly Beach.   She was awarded the President's Gold Circle by Prudential Realty in 2004.   Lyndy serves as realtor for the Town, and is helping find land for a new Town park.   Previously, she worked in the Finance Department of Charleston County Parks and Recreation. 

Lyndy is a member of Seacoast Church and has volunteered in the nursery.  She has also served as a volunteer at Harbor View Elementary School.

Lyndy lives with her husband Ron.  They have four children and four grandchildren.



Contact Lyndy Palmer at lyndy3850@aol.com or call 843-324-7411 .

Hal Hanvey: Candidate for JIPSD Commissioner

Hal Hanvey lives in the Stiles Point neighborhood in the Town of James Island.   He has lived on James Island for 22 years.

Hal received a BA in Agronomy and a Masters in Agricultural Mechanization from Clemson University.   He has been the Farm Manager at the Clemson University Coastal Research and Education Center for 22 years.    He has been a certified Crop advisor since 2012 and is working to return rice cultivation to the Lowcountry.

Hal was honorably discharged in 1999 from A Company of the 122nd Engineer Battalion, having served 14 years, reaching the rank of Sergeant E5.   

Hal is a member of Epworth United Methodist Church and has served on its Board of Trustees for 9 years.   He is on the Board of James Island Outreach.   He has served as a Poll Manager for many years.    He serves as an Associate Commissioner on the Charleston County Soil and Water Commission.

He and his wife, Jean have four children and three grandchildren.

You may contact Hal at  hhanvey@yahoo.com or call (843) 412-7304

Mary Beth Berry: Candidate for JIPSD Commissioner

Mary Beth Berry lives on Harborview Road in the Town of James Island.

She served on the James Island Town Council from 2012 to 2014.   She served as Chair of Town Council's Environmental and Beautification Committee and so served as Council liaison to James Island Pride.

She played a key role in James Island Pride, including regular litter pickups.   James Island Pride worked with Adopt a Highway and won Best Adopt A Highway group in Charleston County in 2013 and Captain's Award from Palmetto Pride for Beautification Efforts for 2013.

She also developed the Helping Hands Service Program, connecting Boy Scouts and Island Residents needing help with yard maintenance, Arts on the Island Silent Art Auction to benefit local Art Classrooms, and Electronic Waste Collection at Town Hall with delivery to the Bees Ferry Landfill for Recycling.

She is an adjunct member of the College of Charleston Department of Theater where she teaches Introduction to Theater and also Creative Drama, a collaboration with teachers at Harbor View Elementary.

She received a B.A. in German from the University of Richmond.  A second BA in Communication and Theater from North Central College in Illinois and a Masters of Fine Arts from Virginia Commonwealth University.  

Mary Beth lives with her husband Sam, who teaches finance at The Citadel.   They have five children and six grandchildren.

You may contact Mary Beth Berry at mbberry1996@gmail.com  or call  843-425-6473

Ernie Duncan: Candidate for JIPSD Commissioner

Ernie Duncan lives on Terns Nest Road in the Riverfront neighborhood.  This is south of the current boundaries of the Town, in an area that used to be in the Town and that we are working to get back.

He is a lowcountry native and has lived on James Island for 20 years.   Before retiring in 2002, he worked for a variety of local firms, including ten years as general manager of Pepsi and 17 years as Vice-President and General Manager of Coastal Food Service and Vending.

He is a graduate of St. Andrews High School and served in the U.S. Navy in the Submarine Service.   He is a member of the Elks Club and American Legion Post 147 on James Island.   He is past governor of the Charleston West Loyal Order of Moose.    He is a member of St. Andrews Presbyterian Church.

Ernie lives with his wife Janice.  He has three children and four grandchildren.

You can contact Ernie at erniejanice412@bellsouth.net or (843) 327-9022

August 21 Council Meeting Highlights

Town Council met on August 21.  

Mayor and Council passed a resolution celebrating the 100th birthday of James Island resident Ercelle Moore Chillis.

Council held a public hearing regarding the proposed rezoning of the Bright Property on Dills Bluff Road to Planned Development.  

Council approved a contract with Atlantic Business Continuity Services to review and update the Town's Emergency Plan.    It also approved a contract with VC3 to update the Town's Information Technology Services.  The Town will be moving to a cloud-based service.

Council made appointments to the Planning Commission.  Ed Lohr was reappointed and Ed Steers appointed to four year terms.   Lyndy Palmer was appointed to complete the remainder of Garrett Milliken's term.   

Council also made appointments to the Board of Zoning Appeals.    Chairman Sim Parrish and Roy Smith were both reappointed to four year terms.

Council elected Garrett Milliken to chair its Environment and Beautification Committee.   Council elected Josh Stokes to chair its Children's Committee and also elected him to chair its Business Development Committee.

Council defeated 3 to 2 a resolution from Councilman Milliken to create a Tree Advisory Commission.    Councilmen Blank and Stokes joined me in opposition.   Councilman Mullinax voted with Councilman Milliken in favor.

Council passed a municipal agreement with Charleston County to pave Ben Road.   The paving project should begin this coming spring.

Council passed second reading of an amendment to the Zoning and Subdivision Regulation Ordinance allowing the Tree Fund to be used to plant trees on James Island rather than solely within the jurisdiction of the Town.

Council passed 4 to 1 first reading of a  rezoning of the Bright Property on Dills Bluff Road to a Planned Development which includes 30 single family homes and several areas of common space.   The proposed use for single family homes and the overall density of 3 units per acre is consistent with the existing zoning.  Councilmen Blank, Stokes, and Mullinax joined me in voting in favor.   Councilman Milliken opposed the rezoning.   Second reading is scheduled for the September meeting.

The Preserve at Dills Bluff

The owners of the Bright property are proposing a rezoning of their property to a Planned Development.   It is currently zoned single family residential.    The parcel has ten acres of highland, so given the Town's zoning density of three units per acre, they could put 30 houses on the property.   Each lot would be approximately 1/3 acre.   However, they would prefer to have most of the lots smaller, and instead have parts of the land preserved as open space.   The key reason is that there are some magnificent oak trees that they want to keep in common areas to benefit all of the residents of the new neighborhood.

The Bright property is next to First Baptist Church on Dills Bluff.   Part of the Planned Development is a sidewalk on Dills Bluff along the length of the property and on to the intersection at Dills Bluff and Camp.   This will complete one segment of the Town's planned sidewalk on Dills Bluff.   The residents of the neighborhood will have access to the shopping center, and from there to the new sidewalk slated for Fort Johnson.

There will be a public hearing at the Town Council meeting next Thursday, August 21.   It is also on the agenda for a first reading.   If it passes first reading and then second reading at the September meeting of Town Council, then the project will move forward.   The developers do not intend to clear the lots   As lots are sold and houses are built, the portions of the lots necessary to build the house will be cleared.

If approved by Town Council, this Planned Development will be limited to residential uses and a density consistent with the Town's 3 units per acre limit.   Adding any additional single family homes, much less commercial or multi-family, would require an additional rezoning.

This will be the first major residential development in the Town of James Island since I became Mayor in 2010.   It looks to me to be a development which will make all of us proud.

The James Island Planning Commission has recommended that Town Council approve the proposal.

If you have any concerns or questions please email me at mayorwoolsey@gmail.com or call me at 697-7020,

Public Hearing on Dills Bluff Rezoning at the August 21 Meeting of Town Council

The Town of James Island Town Council will hold a Public Hearing on a zoning map amendment (re-zoning) request on Thursday, August 21, 2014 at 7:00pm in the Council Chambers. The applicant is proposing to rezone property located at 1054 & 0 Dills Bluff Road from the Low-Density Suburban Residential (RSL) District to the Planned Development (PD-101) Zoning District for a single family development consisting of 30 homes and 4 community open space areas. Copies of the proposed Preserve at Dills Bluff Planning Development Guidelines are available for the public to review Monday-Friday during normal business hours. Please call Town Hall at 795-4141 with any questions.

14 Candidates File for JIPSD Commission

The election for James Island PSD Commissioner will be on Tuesday, November 4.

There are 14 candidates that have filed for 4 seats.

Mary Beth Berry
Inez Brown-Crouch
Marilyn Clifford
Ernie Duncan
Sandi Engelman
Hal Hanvey
Donald Hollingsworth
Kay Kernodle
Coleen Littlejohn
Tom Meteraud
Lyndy Palmer
Robert Schurmeier
David Whitley
Bill Cubby Wilder

The vast majority of these candidates are ready and willing to cooperate with the Town.   I appreciate that so many James Islanders have been willing to step forward in support of a James Island Public Service District that works with the Town and not against it.  Thank you to you all

Commissioner Inez Brown-Crouch has always been willing to work with the Town.  She has especially been a strong voice in favor of communication between the Town and District.  I strongly support her reelection.

Sadly, there are a few candidates who will continue to fight against working with the Town, Senator Thurmond and Representative McCoy on legislation to reunite the Town, our ability to provide property tax relief by reducing the amount we pay on our tax bills, and building a joint Town/JIPSD facility for offices and a meeting room on Dills Bluff Road.  

Unless I am persuaded differently, I count three on the list above that I cannot support.  More importantly, there are three Commissioners who are not up for reelection.   If the three candidates opposing cooperation with the Town win, they can count on one or two of the Commissioners who are not up for reelection to continue to block the Town's proposals.

Commissioner Carter McMillan is not up for reelection and he has a strong record of support for  working with the Town.  Assuming Commissioner Brown-Crouch is reelected, if two of the three seats up for reelection go to candidates who will work with the Town, then there will be a majority of four out of  seven for cooperation.

What is the best strategy to defeat the candidates who will fight the Town at every opportunity?   What is the best approach to electing at least two candidates (along with reelecting Commissioner Brown-Crouch) who are willing to work with the Town?

I believe that at least some of the 10 or more candidates who support cooperation with the Town will withdraw to keep us from diluting our votes    No one wants to help to elect any of the three who will work against cooperation with the Town.

Please let me know what you think.   Email me at mayorwoolsey@gmail.com or call 697-7020.

JIPSD Election News--7 Filed for 4 Seats, Deadline is Friday at Noon

There are currently seven candidates filed for the four seats up for election on the James Island Public Service District Commission on November 4.   The deadline to file is Friday at noon.

Incumbents who have filed:

Donald Hollingsworth
Inez Brown-Crouch

The other filed candidates:

Kay Kernodle
Sandi Engelman
Cubby Wilder
Robert Schurmieir
David Whitley

JIPSD Commission Election and Filing Deadline

Four JIPSD Commission seats are up for election in November.   The deadline to file to run for the office is noon, August 15.   That is less than ten days from now!

The four Commissioners up for reelection are David Engelman, Rod Welch, Donald Hollingsworth, and Inez Brown-Crouch.     David Engelman has stated that he doesn't plan to run for reelection, but his wife, Sandi Engelman, has already filed to run to take his place.  

Inez Brown-Couch has said she is running for reelection.   I have greatly appreciated her willingness to work with the Town.

In my view, James Island is in desperate need of JIPSD Commissioners who are willing to work with the Town.

Who do you know that would make a good JIPSD Commissioner?  

Would you be willing to serve?