You and I Have Work To Do!

It’s hot and humid. All I want to do is lie around all day, swat a few mosquitoes, scratch a few fleas, and eat a few mice.  But, as they say in my part of the accreted land, no rewards until the job is done. In other words, no rest for the whiney. 

  Get up! You cannot lie around all day, either. You and I have work to do! Our ordinances and laws - designed to protect and preserve our town- are being ignored or re-written. Our Comprehensive Plan?  We won’t recognize it when this Council gets through with it. Town Council is  “governing” at lightening speed, and I think it’s intentional.  

When a governing body chooses to charge ahead and deliberately keep its plans away from the public, the outcome of this style of governing results in the achievement of their most primary of goals: TO DISENGAGE THE VOTERS ON THIS ISLAND.  All of us know some issues. Some of us know none of the issues. But all of us do not know all of the issues. And this Council relies on our inability to absorb all that is going on. 

Have you gone to a Council Workshop lately? Council seems to have “caught on” that the public comes and asks pertinent, fact-seeking questions. So what have they done? Now there is precious little business actually being discussed at the one place where all issues should be discussed! And yet Council claims that workshops are where islanders are supposed to come and ask questions! 

Currently, an islander would have to attend every one of the seven Committees of Council to possibly get an idea of what really is going on around here. Who has the time for that? Hah! Let’s throw in your long-awaited summer vacation, your friends and family coming to your house to enjoy the beach, and…well, I think you get the picture.

So here are some things that I think you might want to know:

• Let’s start with the budget. It is on the Town of Sullivan’s Island webpage. Take a look at it and see if you might have a question or two about how your tax dollars are being spent. Oh, by the way, get ready for a tax increase!

• At the June 2 workshop, Councilwoman Mary Jane Watson, Chair of the Recreation Committee, asked for $14,000 to spend on an engineering study to consider putting lights on top of the Mound at Stith Park. Who wants lights on top of the Mound? (And even more traffic and more congestion?) I am sure that the folks who live on Patriot Street, Central Avenue, and Station 22 can’t wait to have lights shining into their homes and yards. Why can’t we leave well enough alone? Nope, we have to inch closer and closer to change this island into Coney Island.

• And check this one out: Mary Jane also requested money to fund a staff position for a Recreation Director on the on the island (see attachment below). So now we discover that Town Council wants to use our taxes to pay for a Recreation Director, administrative costs, and program costs. Once this door opens for a recreation center, it will never close. And funding will increase substantially. Keep in mind that we live adjacent 2 acclaimed recreational centers. One on the IOP and the other in Mt. Pleasant. 

• Does Sullivan's Island even have enough residents to support a paid Recreation Director and a recreation center? Or is this another one of those things that would be done for the benefit of visitors at the expense of island residents? 

• And is this one of the reasons Town Council wants to build boardwalks and viewing stations in the accreted land from Station 16 to Station 18--and maybe even all the way to Station 26? Keep in mind that no matter how many (or how few) islanders use a recreation department, we would all  be taxed to pay for it. Just as we would all be taxed for maintenance and security on a Nature Trail. (Remember that one of the Town's stated reasons for requesting Greenbelt funds was to give the public more access to the protected land.)
  
  
• So where did the ideas about lighting up the mound and hiring a recreation director even come from?  When was any of that ever publicly discussed?  Minutes of the Recreation Committee meetings have been requested from Town Hall, but are either non-exisistent or just not available. Minutes of the Park Foundation meetings have also been requested, and are also either non-existent or not available.

Aside from these questionable budget items, I am sure you are all aware of a group of front beach homeowners who are suing the Town of Sullivan’s Island for the right to cut into the maritime forest. There is an excellent article in the most recent Island Eye which assesses quite fairly the feelings of islanders on both sides of this issue.

The article mentions that Judge Scarborough recently dismissed some of the causes of action in the lawsuit and ordered the parties to solve the remaining issues through mediation. Those are good and wise moves by Judge Scarborough, but here is what I am whining about: This coyote has learned that the Town can be represented by our attorneys and only 2 members of Council at this mediation.

This seems to be causing quite a tussle on Council because Councilman Jerry Kaynard thinks that he should be one of those two council members. Mr. Kaynard lives on the front beach and it is no secret that he is very “pro-cutting”. So wouldn't it just make sense that Jerry Kaynard should NOT be a party involved in the mediation? (Does this man even know the what the term "conflict of interest" means?) For the same reason, Councilman Chauncey Clark, who also lives on front beach, should not be a party involved in the mediation. 

The 2 council members who would objectively represent our town are are Pat O’Neil and Mary Jane Watson. (Keep in mind that it was Jerry Kaynard and Chauncey Clark who bulldozed the vote on the first reading of an ordinance to drastically cut into the 100 foot transition zone. Council members O’Neil and Middaugh were blindsided by the motion, and the sizable audience at the Town Council  meeting was stunned to witness the behavior of Kaynard and Clark - both with a personal agenda on the accreted land- and both of whom should have recused themselves from the vote.)

Remember when I said that you and I have work to do? Here is where I must ask you to help: 

• Please write to every member of Council and ask that your tax dollars not be spent on an unnecessary and unwanted recreational center.

•  Please write to every member of Council that no monies should be spent on a study to examine placing lighting on the Mound in Stith Park. We don’t need no stinkin’ lights on the Mound!

• Please write to every Council member that Pat O’Neil and Mary Jane Watson be the 2 council members to represent our town in the court-ordered mediation issued by Judge Scarborough.

Email addresses for all council members are on our Sullivan’s Island Community Impact website. You may only want to express your opinion on one issue or all three. Thanking them for the job they do, listening to the opinions of residents are positive talking points to add to your email.

This Council can no longer ignore the voices of its constituency. And the only way we are going to protect this island and its small town charm and traditional ways is to fight this Council and thwart the changes that are being thrust upon us.

Oh, and did I tell you that there is a critically important Planning Commission meeting this Wednesday, June 11^th at 6:30 at Town Hall? It’s about adding more eateries in our commercial district - going all the way past the Post Office. Isn’t that just what we need? More food establishments? More traffic and congestion. More cars parking in our residential neighborhoods. (The contact information for all Planning Commission members is also on sicommunityimpact.com.)

We can’t wait for the next election. Our community must come first, Sullivan’s Island! 

Whiney Coyote (Karen Coste)

   sicommunityimpact.com

You In?

Well, Whiney Coyote is back again! Whining my way into your hearts and minds. As you know, we coyotes have a remarkable sense of smell--and something around this island just doesn’t smell right to me.  Maybe I am just howling up the wrong tree, but me thinks I smell a rat! Or two. Or seven.  Follow along, and let me know what you think…

                                   

I recently took the time to look up the word “progress” in the dictionary. No small task for a coyote with paws. Progress is defined as “the process of developing something over a period of time”.  Back in 1994 our state legislature required every town and city to develop a Comprehensive Plan. A Comprehensive Plan is a guide for elected officials to use as they administer goals and regulations. The law requires that Comp Plans be re-evaluated every 5 years and updated every 10 years. Sullivan’s Island’s Comprehensive Plan beautifully defines our town. It places special emphasis on the its unique character, charm, history, and land. It affirms our desire and our duty to maintain the standard of living we have come to expect.

As required, the Planning Commission completed its re-evaluation of our Comp Plan in May of 2013. On May 8, 2013--almost a year ago--the Planning Commission held a public hearing on the 2013 Comp Plan and then recommended that Town Council adopt the Plan as presented. Now, here’s the part that starts getting a little smelly. As you may recall, we had an important election the next week. New mayor, new mayor pro tem, new council member. But curiously, this Council has ignored the responsibility of adopting our Comprehensive Plan as state law requires. Why would they do that? Now almost a whole year has gone by, and still no action has been taken on its adoption. What is going on?

The fox is not the only furry, four legged, canine-looking animal considered to be cunning and sly. We coyotes have a few sly genes in our DNA, and I think there may be a great, great great uncle on my mother’s side of the family who saw a cute little fox one day and ….But, I digress.  

I think the 7 members of this Town Council are intentionally choosing to be non-compliant in the adoption of our Plan. Crouched and curious, I am beginning to think they have their very own Behind-The-Scenes- Comprehensive Plan. Yikes! I also think that their Plan shares no relationship with its state-required counterpart. That is a pretty strong accusation, right? My nostrils are flared. My fur is going up on my back. This tells me I am on the right trail. I think I’m gonna call this investigation The Trail to the Truth.  All right, let’s get started...

Please read this paragraph  describing the main vision  of the 2013 Comp Plan (found on page 93 of our Comprehensive Plan):

“Changes in the community should be given careful attention in order to assure that there is not a loss in the character and charm of Sullivan’s Island. It is this ambiance that has drawn people to live here since the 18^th century. The main vision of the Comprehensive Plan is to preserve the residential character of the Island and the commercial area in a condition very similar to how they currently appear, working to preserve the memory of Sullivan’s Island from the past two centuries.”

The Comprehensive Plan has 4 goals. Here are those goals and the evidence that this Council has chosen to reject them.

Goal 1: To protect the Town’s special sense of place.

     Fact:  This Council has endorsed an excessive, hedonistic commercial district that caters to off-island, young adults and tourists. They have caused unwanted problems due to out-of-control drinking and partying. St.  Patrick’s Day lasts for days and is no longer a family-friendly event. It has become a dangerous, criminal exhibition of indecency and reckless behavior.

     Fact: This Council chose to ignore a state-certified petition entitling Islanders to right to vote via a referendum.

     Fact: This Council is currently selling off our greatest assets - town property.

     Fact: Current police reports show that 98% of all crime and police involvements deal with non-residents. Trespassing, home break-ins, automobile break-ins, alcohol and drug arrests are on the rise.

Goal 2: To protect single family, residential character.

     Fact:  This Council initiated and supported one islander’s attempt to radically change an historic neighborhood from single family to multi-family use.

Goal 3: To value and preserve the integrity of the Island way of life.

     Fact: This Council gives more attention to the needs of visitors and tourists rather than focusing on the needs of residents.  

     Fact: This Town Council wants to expand the Commercial District on Middle Street. This would result in more eating establishments, storefronts, and a huge increase in congestion and traffic issues.

     Fact: This Council has not addressed the lack of parking all over the island. The Commercial District cannot accommodate non-residents now.

Goal 4: To protect sights significant to the Town’s history and natural beauty including beaches, marshes, and other natural areas.

     Fact: This Council applied for and received grant money that could significantly change the (protected) Accreted Land. Boardwalks, decks, and benches could be constructed from Station 16 to 26.

     Fact: Opening this pristine, natural green space to non-residents would result in more parking horrors for residents.

     Fact: This Council gave away a $30 million of prime, front beach real estate that could have paid for all infrastructure needs, town improvements, a new town hall, and established a healthy, rainy day fund. The size of the school is considered a blight by many residents, all of whom now must also endure an increase in taxes and fees while trying to cope with unwanted traffic, and an infrastructure that is already maximized.

So there it is. It is as plain as day. The actions of this Town Council do not complement our stated goals.  And to further flare the nostrils, and fuzz the fur, just last week Mayor Perkis sent a directive to all council members asking them to review the Comprehensive Plan and to present proposed amendments by April 2014. How can this be? It is already a year late. It has already been updated by the Planning Commission, presented to the public, and forwarded to Council for adoption…not amendment.

I know this Trail to the Truth has been long, and I apologize, but here is the importance of my Whiney Coyote rant today: We are at a tipping point on our Island. We are either going to maintain our "Mayberry by the Sea" quality of life, or we will start looking more like Daniel Island or Myrtle Beach.  I know that you take enormous pride in our culture, out traditions, our history, our old homes, and our natural resources. I think you want to maintain our "simple" way of life.

“Backwards” is my favorite speed on our island.  I see this kind of progress not only as unnecessary but UNWANTED. This Whiney Coyote will put every paw on the line to prevent this island from further harm in the name of “progress." In fact, my paws and your feet could march together - a grand army of islanders indeed - who want this island to be preserved and protected. So….

                                             YOU IN?

The Road to Unity on Sullivan’s Island 

Where to start in responding to Wayne Stelljes, who insists that certain people should not be allowed to speak at Town Council meetings and workshops? Does Wayne think that a rule like that should ever be applied to him? Who exactly would decide who gets to speak and who doesn’t--and when “enough is enough?”

But there is no doubt that Sullivan’s island residents want more information than they are getting from this Town Council! The response to Sullivan’s Island Community Impact (sicommunityimpact.com) has been overwhelmingly positive and enthusiastic. We have heard from so, so many islanders who are relieved beyond measure to have a source of timely information about changes impacting their neighborhood and the entire SI community. And the most enthusiastic response is to Whiney Coyote!

 So why not stream SI Town Council meetings, as is done on the Isle of Palms and by the Berkeley and Charleston County Councils and the Charleston City Council? And why not post the minutes of all of the various committee meetings (Water & Sewer, Public Safety, Public Facilities, Park Foundation, etc.)? Surrounding municipalities do that as well.

 Why does SI remove meeting agendas and attachments from the Town website almost immediately after a Town Council meeting, thereby denying residents access to the information until the meeting minutes are posted—usually a month later? Why not keep all of the agendas and the accompanying background information posted on the Town website for residents to easily access throughout the month? All of these things are routinely done in surrounding municipalities. Why not on Sullivan’s Island?

As residents have sadly learned over the past few years, no SI neighborhood seems to be safe from the destructive reach of this Town Council. Apparently Wayne Stelljes is content to sit back and watch—and often cheerlead-- as our community and quality of life are degraded by the actions of this Town Council. But rest assured--Wayne represents an extremely small minority of island residents!

The road to unity is truly paved with transparency.

Barbara Spell

Bike Route Through SI Neighborhoods Very Much Alive!

While Town Council says it has shelved the idea of building a boardwalk over the marsh from the Ben Sawyer to Patriot Street,  Town Council has not shelved the plan create a bike route through SI neighborhoods. The project is known as B2B. 

As the Planning Commission discussed at its March 13 meeting, the B2B path recommended by the Planning Commission would direct cyclists and pedestrians coming onto SI to take a right on Jasper from Ben Sawyer and head up to Middle Street, crossing at Station 22 to get to Atlantic Avenue, and heading down Atlantic to get Breach Inlet via Marshall and Station 28. The report states that the issue will be on the agenda for theApril 9 Planning Commission meeting.

The Planning Commission's focus during the B2B discussions has been how best to accommodate the needs and interests of the cyclists and pedestrians entering and leaving Sullivan's Island. There was no discussion about how the proposed bike path would impact SI residents and neighborhoods. 

 But do SI residents really want Town Council to create even more traffic through the neighborhoods, and even more activity at Station 22 and Middle Street? Getting off of the island through the commercial district is already a nightmare in the summer! And surrounding neighborhoods already must deal with significantly increased traffic as drivers  try to avoid hour-long traffic tie-ups on Middle Street. 

And getting back to the boardwalk over the marsh...Copied below* is the section from the March 13 Planning Commission report detailing the now-shelved plan for the boardwalk over the marsh to Patriot Street. Very interesting....Lots of time and effort were put into the plan! And note this:  In addition to the B2B bike path crossing Middle Street at Station 22, the Planning Commission also discussed  creating another bike path starting from the termination of the proposed boardwalk on Patriot Street. As detailed in the report, that path would route cyclists and pedestrians through the back of Stith Park and around the Mound. Possible connections would be established with Gull Drive and Central Avenue via Station 20.5. 

The concepts of the bike paths and the boardwalk over the marsh were first introduced at the November meeting of the Planning Commission.  But it is not apparent that any residents in the Patriot Street neighborhood were contacted by Town Council or the Planning Commission about the plans under discussion. 

So what can SI residents do? Contact Town Council members! During the boardwalk discussion, a resident of the Patriot Street neighborhood spoke very forcefully and eloquently on behalf of her neighbors, asking if for once, the commercial district and the tourists could NOT be given priority over residents and neighborhoods. 

Maybe residents should ask the same question about Town Council's plan to route a bike path through fragile neighborhoods and the already-congested commercial district.

*Below is the section from the March 13 Planning Commission report discussing the boardwalk over the marsh and  a bicycle path beginning at Patriot Street.  The B2B bike route is discussed in a separate section of the report.

2)  Bike Path and Marshwalk at Patriot Street: Commission discussion regarding feasibility of constructing a bike path or marshwalk to provide pedestrian access from Ben Sawyer Boulevard to the Patriot Street termination. 

• Initiated at November meeting and continued in December 2013 and January 2014 – path would initiate at entrance to Sullivan’s Island on Ben Sawyer Boulevard, traverse by boardwalk over small marsh area linking to one of two options:  

1. Option 1: Marshwalk would lead to the Patriot Street right-of-way to Myrtle Avenue to Station 22 to Middle Street (travel along road right of ways); 
2.  Option 2: Marshwalk would lead to Station 22 termination and continue to the Town owned parcel TMS# 529-05-00-080. The path would traverse the vacant parcel and route bikes and pedestrians through the park property and around the Mound. Possible connections would be established with Gull Drive and Central Avenue via Station 20.5. 

 Zoning Administrator reviewed current regulations and issues for consideration: 

• All public infrastructure projects require Town Council approval; 
• Public input would be needed from area residents along proposed route; 
• TOSI Comprehensive Plan: Transportation Element encourages pedestrian and bicycle transport along low-speed residential streets and sidewalks (Continuation of East Coast Greenway). 
• Z.O. Section 21-75: Ordinance prohibits construction of any dock across marshland in the RC-2 Zoning District from Station 18 to Station 27 (See enclosed map of prohibited area); 
• Would require approval of encroachment permits from U.S. Corps of Engineers, the Department of Health and Environmental Control/Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management (DHEC/OCRM). 
• Commission discussion and public input given on the concept. Commission tasked Staff with additional research for report at April meeting: 
•  Coordinate with SCDHEC/OCRM on design requirements for the boardwalk and what would comply with their regulations for a water-dependent public interest (as implied in Regulation 30-12(F)(2)(f)). 
•  Confer with Town Attorney for legal opinion on whether an amendment to ZO Section 21-7 will be needed. 

ACTION: Further study and discussion; Commission retains on April agenda.

Link to Planning Commission's Report to Council: http://bit.ly/1h3twzJ

More keen insights from a long-time islander....

Ah, Spring! The grass is green! The sky is blue! The pluff mud has that new smell of the emerging life cycle being born in our marshes - nature’s nursery, I call it! My sweet pups that were born last month are growing fast and love chasing the little mice around. Sadly, I could soon be hearing the sickening sound of saws, and smelling the sawdust as CONSTRUCTION of boardwalks, benches and viewing decks begins in the accreted land.

Yep, construction in our protected land. Town Council wants to “open up” our accreted land to the public. This Town Council, disregarding the amazing conservation work of previous councils, has chosen to keep all of us out of the loop of communication on this questionable development. Just 7 elected officials have unilaterally chosen to disregard the covenants of the Low Country Open Land Trust that have protected this land since 1991.  

Town Council claims that all residents who live adjacent to the accreted land have been informed and notified. But Sullivan’s Island Community Impact can find no resident who received notification of these anticipated projects. Yet there are written plans for the construction of boardwalks, viewing decks, and benches from Station 16 to the Lighthouse. That’s about 85 acres--and that's just for Phases I and II! The plan is to go all the way to Station 26.

Did you know--When the Isle of Palms Town Council tried to do this very thing to their town in 2011, not only did the citizens rise up and protest and eventually get Town Council to reverse its decision, but 2 council persons lost their seats on Council for supporting it! And their beach front is not even protected in a land trust!  Here is the link to the  P&C article about the IOP debacle: 

http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20111204/PC1203/312049915. 

Do you want this to happen to our protected, pristine front beach? Were you adequately informed that this could be in the works on Sullivan’s Island? How about these issues: 1) parking; 2) trash; 3) crime; 4) vagrancy; 5) restroom facilities; 6) easier access to homeowner’s yards. I could go on and on, but you decide.It is not too late to voice your concerns to Town Council!  I would encourage you to do so. 

On another note, I hope you all read Richard Eckstrom’s article in this week’s Moultrie News. It’s entitled, “Watchdog Citizens Deserve Public Officials Respect.” AHWHOOH! Great article to howl about. He says that citizen watchdogs are worthy monitors of our governments and that they effectively sound the alarm to all voters when glaring wrongs are being committed by the government in power. He says that ordinary folks who take the time to get involved should be respected and cherished! You go, Richard! My only objection to his timely article is the use of the term “watchdog”. I am offended but proud to say, “I am a “WatchCoyote”!

Keep Reading… It only gets better and better….

At our Town Council meeting on Tuesday, my Island Friend and I heard a mouthful from fellow islander, Wayne Stelljes.  Rumor has it that he has recently appointed himself “Attorney General of Sullivan’s Island”. I’m not so sure about that, but, man, does he have a strange understanding of our Constitutional rights.  My all-time favorite right, the Right of Free Speech, was denounced by Mr. Stelljes  at the meeting.

A.G. Stelljes unabashedly stood up and told Council that we must be silenced!  “Enough is enough!” he said. He said my Island Friend and I are troublemakers who have taken it to the extreme. He said that we are aggravating. A.G. Stelljes said that if we wanted answers we could simply send an email to a council member. He referenced a comment in the last Whiney Coyote article in which I questioned why the Tree Commission played no part in the planned cutting of many oak trees in Stith Park to make way for the amphitheaterPerformance Lawn.

Oops! Looks like our very own Attorney General is clicking on our SI Community Impact website. I say, “Welcome Aboard!” Glad to have you as a reader on our site, where Freedom of the Press is another cherished right! Happy to have you join the vast and growing number of islanders who appreciate having  important facts brought to light. In fact, I want to give Wayne a great, big, warm, and furry Whiney Coyote hug! 

This is getting a little long, but I must whine a little bit more…..

·         If you believe that Sullivan’s Island is a family friendly place to live then you may be interested to know that the St. Patrick’s Day festivities were a disaster. Mobs of young people gathered, got plastered, threw up, and urinated all over the place. Drinkers were brought in in buses and cars. There were a few fights and several medical calls. One SI police officer was assaulted. The crowd was described as rude and disrespectful. Someone tried to break into a nearby residence. Middle Street was closed, and getting on and off the island was a nightmare. How much more of this do islanders have to tolerate? Very few residents were in attendance. One very bright note was the childrens’ party at the park, which was well attended by islanders and reportedly a smashing success. Too bad it had to end at noon, to make way for the other revelers.

·         Did you know that this Town Council was actually considering creating another Boardwalk on the island? This boardwalk would connect the Causeway with Patriot Street- for bicyclists! This neighborhood may well be the most fragile on the island. The residents put up with the Commercial District and all of their events. They are bombarded by off-island soccer and lacrosse teams beside the mound. They are impacted with heavy traffic going through their neighborhood at all hours of the day and night, and then there is the NOISE! Well, AHWHOOH! The people of this neighborhood spoke up!This project has been rightfully shelved by Town Council, with Mayor Perkis stating, “We heard you.”

But herein lies the problem:  Why does Town Council not listen to residents in all neighborhoods? Why exclaim “We heard you” to one neighborhood but show complete disregard for another? The residents living next to the Accreted Land have been denied their voice because they were not properly informed of the plans of this council.  These 7 council members have plans to change the lives of residents who live next to the accreted land - forever.

I say Congratulations to the neighbors who fought to keep a bicycle boardwalk out of their neighborhood!

I say Congratulations to the neighbors who fought over the summer and fall to keep their historic neighborhood at Thompson and Station 16 single family, in spite of this council’s effort to change it to multi-family.

Finally, I say to the neighborhoods of the Front Beach - Fight the good fight! It is not too late! Remember what happened on the Isle of Palms after residents discovered that their council was planning to put a passive park in the middle of one of their residential neighborhoods! As one of the new-elected IOP councilmembers stated in 2011, "We already have a big passive park on the island... It's called the beach."

Whiney Coyote (Karen Coste)

For more information about what is happening on Sullivan's Island and the impact to the 
entire community, go to SI Community Impact.

Town Council's Agenda?

This Whiney Coyote is howling loudly for long-time islander Red Wood! He is my hero, and an honorary Whiney Coyote! Please read his prayer, published in both the Post and Courier and the Moultrie News this past week:

Dear God, May this island be a sacred place for those of us who live here. May those who visit feel the peace and quiet as we do. 

May His light shield this island from harm so we can grow strong in this community, a place of healing away from the loudness of the world.

My Island Friend and I went to the Town Council Workshop on Monday, March 3, 2014. I gotta tell you, I was a little wary about how we would be treated this time. Would they allow us to ask questions? Would they show respect to all islanders in attendance?  Would they turn up the luke-warm love?

For starters we were greeted with Pat O’Neil handing us Mardi Gras beads and candy. Wow! It’s a party! I personally did not wear my beads-- they clashed with my fur. But the candy was yummy.

First and foremost, we were treated very politely. All smiley faces looking at us and the other islanders who were present.  I started feeling a little tingly all over.  “Could I ask a question?” my Island Friend asked. “ Absolutely!” was Mayor Perkis’ response.  And so the meeting began. We were decorated, fed, smiled at, and invited to ask any and all questions. Something tells me that they have been reading my past Whiney Coyote articles. And that, my friends, is a very good thing.

 So with all this governmental love, what could I be whining about today? Read on, Interested Islander, read on.

The Agenda for this Workshop was 48 pages long.  There were well over 50 items on the agenda. I assumed that each council member would say something about his/her item for discussion. That would make sense to me, and it would allow all islanders present to gain a more comprehensive understanding of what’s happening in our town. But here is the part that confounds me - 27 of the 50 items listed on the agenda were completely skipped over by Town Council.  Why would that be? If items are agenda-worthy, shouldn’t they be discussion-worthy as well?

Here are some interesting facts about Monday’s Workshop:

1. Town Council has plans to significantly change Stith Park. Mary Jane Watson stated that the Volleyball Court will be removed and replaced by a very large sandbox….yep, a sandbox. (As a coyote on the prowl, I do believe that will become my new feeding spot. Bring on the cats!)

2. Council member Watson stated that 2 arborists will decide that some of the trees in the park must  be removed. Please go by the park when you have a minute. Red tagged trees will be removed; green tagged trees get to stay. I have sent an email to Mrs. Watson - several actually--trying to get the names of these 2 arborists and to find out who put the tags on the trees. No luck so far, but I am determined to find out. Mrs. Watson stated at the meeting that they want to grow grass in the park. Grass….Hmmmm. Amphitheaters need grass and space. But didn't Councilmember Hartley Cooper say that the Post and Courier article about the amphitheater was incorrect, and that the  reporter just "got it wrong?" Could it be that Town Council is now calling the amphitheater a “performance lawn”?

3. Did you know that the Tree Commission was not asked to participate in this tree removal project? This Council already does not use its Planning Commission, or its Design Review Board, so how silly of me to think that they would include the Tree Commission in this desecration…oops!…I mean “project”.

4. Here’s another item on the agenda that interests me greatly: General discussion by Council regarding resident outreach and communication plan. That item was one of the 27 items on the agenda that was completely skipped over by Town Council. I have an email in to Pat O’Neil to find out what that means. Any guesses?

I’ll get back to you all when these council members get back to me. In the meantime, I want you to close your eyes and pretend that you can fly. Humor me. It’s a beautiful, sunny, warm day. Up we go. Let’s fly over to the Commercial District. Smell the barbecue cooking? Okay, now let your imagination be your guide:

Look down at the Commercial District. This Town Council wants to EXPAND it - all the way down to the Post Office. New cafes, businesses, congestion, parking struggles. If this occurs, these new businesses will be “topped” with 2 story condominiums for private residential buyers.

Let’s keep flying. Look over to the left. A new school. 500 students enrolled. 450 of them are transported on to the island. Watch out for those buses! Now look to your right. There is the new Taj Mahal, aka Town Hall. Squeezed into the park that has been significantly altered. No volley ball court. Just a hot, sandy box with cat scat in it. So many of the trees have been removed. But that “performance lawn” will be a beauty, won’t it?

Let’s keep flying. Down to Station 16. Let’s catch that tail wind and soar over the PROTECTED Maritime Forest. Look down, but do so at your own peril. Your eyes might fill up with tears, and you might lose your flight path. There, in the middle of this pristine forest,  is a so-called “nature path.” Plans recently posted on the Town website call for a wide wooden boardwalk that will go all the way from Station 16 to Station 18--all the way to the Lighthouse. The planned boardwalk would be wide enough for vehicles to drive on it, with cantilevered benches, and viewing decks throughout. Just imagine the paper cups, the plastic diapers, and ziplock baggies! Maybe even a Port O Potty or two. 

This, my friends, will be our future on Sullivan’s Island as prescribed by this current Town Council. My question to you is simple. How many of you are aware of these destructive plans for our island? Do you think these changes will be designed for you, the resident, or for the entertainment of visitors coming on our island? 

We have already been informed that our taxes are going to increase. We are now paying more for water and sewer. And now this Council is trying to sell off town-owned properties which should never, never, never have been on the table for discussion in the first place. 

Has this Town Council adequately informed its citizenry of its plans? Do you think you should have a vote on these “projects”? If you had a vote, would you vote in favor of these changes? Do you feel like you are being kept in the dark? Does information like this make you angry?

I vacillate between anger and deep sadness.

The website, Sullivan’s Island Community Impact, has a huge readership. Thank you all. There are so many of us who want to preserve and protect our precious community, and we hear from you daily. The next Town elections are still a year away. But we do not have the luxury of simply waiting until May of 2015 to get involved. Let’s take back our town! 

Remember, “May this island be a sacred place for those of us who live here.” Thank you, Red Wood! I would choose to be in your foxhole any day. Or maybe that would be a coyote hole. Just sayin…

Whiney Coyote (Karen Coste)

                                                    

                                                        

                                                              

Gross Mischaracterization

Letters to the Editor 2/26/14

Gross mischaracterization

A recent letter writer tries to perpetuate the myth that only a couple of disgruntled residents oppose the recent actions of Sullivan's Island Town Council.

In view of the 49.3 percent of islanders who voted last May for someone other than Mayor Mike Perkis, that is a gross mischaracterization of the island-wide disquiet about the direction in which this town council is taking Sullivan's Island.

Town council is considering several projects that will have significant and long-term impacts on the entire community. Property taxes and fees would be increased for every islander to pay for these projects.

Major quality of life issues are at stake. With all of the potential changes, Sullivan's Island could well be unrecognizable in a few short years – not to mention unaffordable.

In spite of numerous requests for greater transparency and more opportunity to provide feedback, islanders continue to be frustrated by the difficulty in getting timely information from town council.

No one who attended the February workshop or listened to the tapes of the meeting could accurately describe any of the questions asked by residents as “outbursts.” The same could not be said of some of the council's responses, however. But residents have a right to know and comment on what public officials are doing. And public officials have a responsibility to tell them. It's the law.

In fact, a Berkeley County resident was just awarded a reported $65,000 to settle a lawsuit filed after he was denied his right to speak at a school board meeting.

The problem on Sullivan's Island is not residents who ask uncomfortable questions.

The problem is a town council that wants to parcel out information only as it pleases and shut down dissent by attempting to disparage and embarass the questioners.

 Barbara Spell 

Sullivan's Island

http://www.moultrienews.com/article/20140226/MN01/140229776/0/MN&slId=1

                                                                                      

More keen insights from a long-time islander...

The Whiney Coyote is back and crankier than ever! So what am I whining about this time? A lengthy article was published in The  Moultrie News by island resident Wayne Stelljes. Did you get a chance to read it? Please do. Let me know what your thoughts are on his remarks. But first I ask that you read the other side of the story. No matter how flat the pancake, there are always 2 sides.

In the May 17,2013 issue of The Island Eye, our newly (and narrowly) elected mayor, Mike Perkis, stated that his most important goal was to bring this island back together. He wanted to run town business through consensus building. He said it would be hard work, and the process would be slow. But, he said, the results would be worth it.

In the January 31, 2014 issue of The Island Eye, Mayor Perkis announced the times of Council Meetings and Council Workshops. He asked residents to attend, ask questions, and provide feedback so that he and Council members could make decisions that were in the best interest of our community.

Sounds good, doesn't it? But how can a resident gauge if Mayor Perkis means what he says? My island friend and I took him at his word; we attend many council and workshops meetings.

On February 3, 2014, my friend and I attended the Council Workshop. You might be interested to know that there were only 3 other residents at this meeting. When discussion began on Film and Photography fees, my friend asked the Mayor if she could ask a question. Mayor Perkis responded, "No. No, you can't". He instructed the council members to "keep going".

My friend reminded our mayor that islanders were told they could ask questions. Our mayor responded that he wanted the meeting to "move along." My friend was persistent in her efforts to ask her question. Mayor Perkis asked her if her question was "short". What difference does it make if her question was long or short? She had a question and wanted an answer. Isn't that what our mayor has repeatedly encouraged islanders to do?

This Whiney Coyote was feeling discouraged and unwelcomed. No questions unless they're short? Keep reading, please.

We remained quiet until the agenda addressed the Water Sewer Committee. My friend, God bless her, dared to ask another question. Now I must say this question was an important one because there is so much "chatter" about our system being linked up with Mt. Pleasant's.

 By the way, trying to understand the Water/Sewer Department is akin to trying to learn Russian in one week. Our problems are significant. Asking questions is critical to understanding the scope of the problem and its potential solutions.

My friend asked: "Who from Sullivan's Island is meeting with the folks over in Mt. Pleasant?" Our mayor ignored the question and said that they were finished talking about that topic. Council member and mayor pro tem, Jerry Kaynard, interjected by saying that when council is finished with an item they do not have to stop and answer questions from island residents. Wow! So now questions had to be short, AND they must be asked at exactly the correct
moment.

Begrudgingly, Mayor Perkis said that he and he alone was meeting with Clay Duffie, General Manager of Mt. Pleasant Waterworks, and some of his commissioners. We asked and were told that there are no minutes or record of these meetings. One follow-up question asked why the Chair (Susan Middaugh) of the Water and Sewer Committee was not included in these discussions. Her response was startling. She said she is excluded from the discussions with Mt. Pleasant because she was not on Council when these talks began. Wouldn't her involvement be pertinent to our water/sewer issues?

I'm feeling whiny because I don't want my government to control me. I don't think you do either. This island is small enough that we can have an active, participatory style of government. When a mayor says that an islander can ask a question if it is "short" -something is wrong. When a council member refuses to answer a question because it wasn't asked at the right time - something is wrong.

To be completely honest, this council did not want to answer our questions because they don't like us. We ask probing, tough questions. We are not falling in lockstep with their agenda, and the resentment is palpable.

Do we want a government that we can trust, or do we want a government that unilaterally acts on its own power? Many of us think this Mayor and Town Council need close monitoring. A new Town Hall, the commercialism and expansion of Middle Street, the changes to our park, the unending saga of the water/sewer issues, the accreted land lawsuit, and the tenure of town employees are hugely significant issues. Their impact will affect each of us.

Did you get a vote or a voice on any of these island-altering issues? We think our island has a lot to lose if it is not carefully managed. We think that "charm" and "tradition" are as much a part of our history as the battles fought at Fort Moultrie.

This Council feels that our questions interrupt their agenda. They do. And they should. There lies the distinct difference between my side of the story and that of Mr. Stelljes. Sadly, this mayor and his council believe that they have all the knowledge necessary to empower themselves and singularly decide what is best for our town. A government that dictates to its citizens is a dangerous one. And we all know all too well what follows:

                     "First they came for the coyotes…”

Whiney Coyote (Karen Coste)

http://islandeyenews.com/?p=10085: Perkis Prevails

Excerpt: “Engaging our residents, working together, as we work through decisions on these opportunities will help develop a more consensus environment,” he added. “Building consensus is hard work and the process sometimes takes a little longer, but the end results always make these efforts worthwhile.” (Mayor Mike Perkis)

For more information on Sullivan’s Island issues and the potential impact on the entire community, go to: sicommunityimpact.com.