Four years ago, I promised to work for the residents of Isle of Palms. Today, I sit on my front porch—the same place where I first fell in love with Isle of Palms—asking myself if I should run again. As I watch a father and his young children ride by, with birds singing, cicadas humming and waves crashing in the distance, I realize I am ready and excited to run again.
I am not running for myself. I have no economic interest at stake, no businesses tied to the island and certainly not for the pay. I am running for the family that just went by, for our quality of life and for the preservation of this beautiful place we call home.
Over the past four years, I have worked hard as promised, and at times it has felt more like a battle than simply hard work. Through it all, I have focused on residents’ best interests. I have had some wins and have continued to learn a great deal.
I worked to create our new public dock for everyone to enjoy the view and beauty of the marsh and waterway. I collaborated with Islander 71, engineers, staff and fellow council members to create a parking plan that works for all parties, and I am proud to say Version Q passed in August. I helped pass ordinances to protect the Wild Dunes golf courses from development, along with the wildlife and drainage they support. I worked to continue drainage improvements, and now the flood mitigation and multiuse path on Waterway are becoming a reality. I supported all emergency beach work and continue to study the complexities of our beach erosion to find sustainable solutions. I have been a constant advocate for the Recreation Center and supported the many improvements made there over the past four years.
I stood up for reasonable limits on short-term rentals and other livability issues, even when it meant being attacked by powerful interest groups that want to use too much of our neighborhoods for profit. I respect the people’s vote in the referendum, but we must continue addressing issues with short-term rentals to preserve our island community.
I have lost some tough battles, but I stand by my actions and believe I have acted in the island’s best interest. I will continue to fight for transparency and ethics, and I have shown that I will do what is right for our community.