Dear Island Neighbors,
I’m proud to inform you that Phase 2 of our nature trail in the protected land is now open! It runs through the land from the Station 16 beach path to the Station 18½ (lighthouse) path. It offers some views of that town land you may not have caught before. Check it out!
Thanks to Town Administrator Joe Henderson, Director of Resilience and Natural Resources Rebecca Fanning, and former Town Administrator Andy Benke for their leadership on this project through all its twists and turns. Thanks also to the S.C. Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism for their financial support.
At the same time we cut the ribbon on this new trail, we dedicated the first nature trail to islanders Susan Middaugh and her late husband, Larry. Over many years, both have contributed greatly to the protection and appreciation of the wonderful natural resources we enjoy here. The trail starts and ends on the Station 16 path, running a circuitous loop that takes you through a variety of habitats.
If you’ve only seen the protected land from the beach or while heading to the beach, these two trails may give you a new appreciation for this rare resource.
Beyond that, this month’s theme is WATER!
WATER: THE BILL
I always find it a charming island note that we still have—and people still use—a dropbox in front of Town Hall where you can deposit your check to pay your water bill. Please keep it up!
However, I know this system doesn’t work for everyone—for example, people like me who can’t be counted on to reliably open their postal mail or email, write checks, and take them down to the dropbox (or put them in the mail)... on time.
For folks such as me—and maybe you—there is a solution: autodraft payments. Your monthly bill’s amount due is automatically withdrawn from your checking account, with no need to open your bill, write a check, find an envelope and a stamp, or make a dropbox run. (Oh, the horror!)
You’ll still receive a bill in the medium of your choosing—paper or electronic—so you can stay on top of your usage and costs.
To set up autodraft payments, contact Mary Poole, our administrative specialist for water and sewer billing. You can call her at 843-883-5733 or email her at mpoole@sullivansisland.sc.gov.
WATER: THE PAST
You may know that your water bill—paper or online—compares your monthly usage to the same month of the prior year. But suppose you want to go farther back?
Mary advises that you can access your water usage data going back as many as 15 years! Just visit https://bit.ly/SIWDHistory. You’ll need your account number (located in the upper-right corner of your bill). Enter it in the appropriate box and hit “Search.” Then click “View Additional Account Information,” and when you get to that page, scroll down to view a table of your monthly usage or (farther down) a line graph showing your entire usage history at a glance.
WATER: THE FUTURE
As we are all aware, due to numerous factors, the waters that surround us—aka sea level—are rising. You may recall that we have had a long-standing project, funded largely by a federal grant program, to guide us in developing a master plan to help our island become more resilient to sea level rise.
The presentation of the final draft from our consultants on this project, which had to be rescheduled previously, is now set for the Planning Commission meeting at 4 p.m. Wednesday, May 14. An open house will follow immediately afterward. Please come out to learn more! (Note: This is separate from the stormwater management plan that was presented recently.)
In a related effort, we know that parts of the island—especially the back beach side—will continue to experience more frequent and more severe episodes of saltwater tidal flooding. (Remember Dec. 17, 2023?)
As a demonstration project for landscaping that can survive such events, Rebecca Fanning has established a model garden of salt-tolerant plants in our conservation-protected “Old Dump” site on the marsh at Station 19. Check it out when you can.
See you around the island!