Dear Island Neighbors,
I hope you’re in the mood for a couple of busy weekends, because they’re heading our way.
This weekend (June 27-28) will feature a variety of National Park Service activities at Fort Moultrie celebrating the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Sullivan’s Island. It will be Carolina Day on steroids! You can learn all about the events at https://www.nps.gov/fosu/planyourvisit/carolina-day-2026.htm (or just Google “Carolina Day 2026 NPS”). You won’t want to miss it.
The town has been working with the folks at the fort to manage the very large crowds expected for the event, but be prepared for traffic delays. If possible, you may want to walk or bike to the festivities.
FISH FRY!
On top of all that, the 77th Annual Fish Fry will take place Saturday, June 27, from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Fish Fry Shack, conveniently located adjacent to the fort. As always, the event benefits the Sullivan’s Island Fire and Rescue Squad and helps volunteers obtain needed equipment for their important work.
In addition to one of the best deals around ($5 per dinner), there will be jump castles, Kona Ice, a beer truck and music from Fowler’s Mustache. You can enjoy your dinner on-site or take it home.
More information is available at https://bit.ly/sifishfry2026.
INDEPENDENCE DAY
The following Saturday, July 4, marks the long-awaited celebration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
As usual, the day will begin and end with two longstanding traditions: the Bike and Golf Cart Parade and the Party in the Park, complete with fireworks. The parade begins at 9 a.m., and the park event starts at 6 p.m., with fireworks scheduled for approximately 9 p.m.
More information is available at https://bit.ly/sijuly4th2026.
BUDGET INFO
At our last Town Council meeting, we held third reading and ratification of the town’s budget for fiscal year 2027, which begins July 1. This is one of the most important annual responsibilities of local government.
The budget reflects and supports the priorities and goals established by council on behalf of residents. It is based on input from residents, staff and councilmembers, while adhering to municipal financial management requirements, state and federal law, and principles of fiscal responsibility. One key state requirement: the budget must be balanced.
Despite what you may have heard from the rumor mill, the budget development process is lengthy, methodical, careful and transparent. This year, our approach was even more systematic and structured than in years past, thanks to the efforts of Town Administrator Joe Henderson and Comptroller Jason Blanton.
Planning began in October of last year. As shown in the accompanying table, the iterative budget development process took place through numerous meetings involving staff and council. (Note that the Finance Committee is a Committee of the Whole and includes all councilmembers.)
Following recommendations from our auditors, one significant improvement over the past two years has been the separation of the budget into two sections: the operating budget, which covers recurring services and functions of the town (such as police, fire and licensing), and the capital budget, which covers major nonrecurring projects and purchases with long-term value. Each budget requires a different process.
Here is how Town Administrator Henderson describes the two budget components:
“Incremental Line-Item Budgeting (Operating Budget):
Our operating budget begins with the previous year’s approved operating budget and incorporates adjustments for inflation, contractual obligations, operational changes and service demands. This approach is predictable, easy to manage, straightforward to audit, and promotes accountability for expenditures.
“Program-Based Budgeting (Capital Budget):
Our capital budget functions much differently. Each proposed project must be justified based on the goals and objectives contained within the town’s Comprehensive Plan and other adopted strategic planning documents. Unless a project is a multiyear carryover, departments are essentially starting from a zero base and must justify each request independently. Department heads are required to identify the programmatic need, explain the relationship to adopted policy goals, identify potential funding sources, develop cost estimates, and present the project through the ClearGov platform. All of this information is then reviewed publicly through workshops, Finance Committee meetings and council meetings before any funding decisions are made.”
As you can see, this approach allows the town to accommodate recurring operational needs while taking a zero-based approach to separable, nonrecurring projects.
You can learn much more about the town’s finances by visiting our Financial Page at https://bit.ly/SITownFinances. The page includes links to our Financial Transparency Center and a variety of related resources.
As always, Comptroller Jason Blanton is happy to speak with interested residents who would like to learn more about the town’s financial matters.
See you around the island!
Pat O’Neil
Mayor
843 670 9266
oneilp@sullivansisland.sc.gov