Dear Island Neighbors,
We survived the Great Blizzard of ’25! Hopefully, you and your family made it through without incident, and the kids (and grown-ups) had some fun—without becoming part of any “Hey Y’all, Watch This!” videos of us Southerners getting creative with snow and ice.
We’ve got a variety of items to cover, so let’s get started—first with a very serious one.
Recent Harassment Incident
You’ve likely seen news stories about the disturbing encounter that occurred on the island last week, in which someone (not a resident) confronted some landscaping workers and, according to the viral video of the incident, appeared to impede their movement and harass them, verbally and otherwise, about their status in the U.S.
While this is not the sort of incident any community wants to be associated with, the news stories did carry the Sullivan’s Island byline. Our police department handled the situation as swiftly and expertly as anyone could hope for. Under the leadership of Chief Glenn Meadows and Deputy Chief Monty Anders, our great officers, along with law enforcement professionals from other agencies, were able to identify, charge, and arrest the suspect in less than two days after it was reported. The case is now in the hands of the justice system, where it belongs.
Though the incident brought unwanted attention to the island, please assure any family, friends, or associates who contact you about it that our law enforcement professionals handled it promptly and professionally. The behavior shown in the video is not something we tolerate, much less support.
Thank You, Larry Dodds!
At our December Council meeting, we had the bittersweet task of recognizing the retirement of our longtime (44 years!) town attorney, Larry Dodds. Please watch the beginning of the meeting, where we read the resolution honoring and thanking Larry. He made some warm and personal comments about his dedication to the town. You can stream the meeting at https://bit.ly/SIDecTC, and the adoption and reading of the resolution, along with Larry’s gracious comments, begin just after the 1:00 mark. Please take a few minutes to watch and see the great dedication and service Larry has shown to his hometown.
Welcome, Attorney John Linton!
While we cannot replace Larry’s experience and historical knowledge of the island, we are extremely fortunate that attorney John Linton will assume the role of town attorney. John has represented the town in a number of significant matters over the last several years, and as an East Cooper resident, he is part of our community, with family on the island. John has an impressive reputation in the local legal community, and we are fortunate to have him work more closely with us going forward.
Draft of Historic Design Guidelines
Some time ago, we obtained grant support from the National Park Service’s Historic Preservation Fund, administered by the South Carolina Department of Archives and History, to draft and compile guidelines for the repair, renovation, and modification of the many protected historic structures on the island. This is just a first step in codifying such guidelines, but it is an important one.
A crucial component of this early stage is disseminating our consultants’ recommendations and gathering input from residents. A great opportunity to provide your feedback is at an open house before the Town Council meeting on Tuesday, February 18. It will begin at 5:00 p.m. at Town Hall and will allow you to review the draft guidelines and interact with the consultants and staff.
The draft guidelines are available at https://bit.ly/SIHDGDraft.
Coyote Activity
Police Chief Meadows reminds us that coyote breeding season is in February and March. You may see increased coyote activity. For more information, visit https://bit.ly/SCDNRCoyote.
We want to track coyote sightings and interactions. Please report non-threatening observations to the Charleston County Consolidated Dispatch Center at our police non-emergency number: 843-743-7200 (think of the school plus 200—SIES 200).
Of course, if you observe active aggression by a coyote, call 911.
See you around the island!
Pat O’Neil Mayor 843-670-9266 oneilp@sullivansislandsc.gov
