Dear Island Neighbors,

Welcome [sneeze] to [cough] Spring [sniffle] on [scratch] the Island!

Of course, things could be much worse. Watch the US weather report any morning for evidence of that.

SIPD ON “BEHIND THE BADGE”
Last month one of our fine Police officers was featured in a “Behind the Badge” episode on ABC News 4 (AKA Channel 4, WCIV). The report highlighted the career of our training officer, Mark McGougan, and his important current role with our police department. It showed the rich and varied career Officer McGougan has had, and how he joined our department after meeting Chief Glenn Meadows

Check it out: https://bit.ly/BehindBadgesi

EARTH DAY! ARBOR DAY! 
The week of April 21 may well be our Natural Resources Appreciation Week, as it should be.

Tuesday, April 22 is Earth Day. There will be several events on the Island, including the opening of the new phase of our Protected Land nature trail, the re-dedication of our first nature trail to Islanders Larry and Susan Middaugh, and other events. Please check the Town website for more details.

Friday, April 25 is our Arbor Day celebration. https://bit.ly/TreeCityProgram 

This is our ninth year as a Tree City USA  Community. Thanks to our Town Administrator Joe Henderson, Zoning Administrator Charles Drayton,and Director of Resilience and Natural Resource Management Rebecca Fanning for their efforts in achieving and maintaining this distinction. 

As part of our commitment in that program, we annually celebrate Arbor Day to reaffirm our commitment to preserving, enhancing and celebrating the wonderful natural resources we all enjoy. We’ll have an all-day (9-5) event in the J. Marshall Stith park including free tree saplings and music from 2:30 by Lake Warhol. There’ll be a tour of the Maritime Forest starting at 2:00. Details are here: https://bit.ly/SIArborDay

SPEAKING OF ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS
Such as our noise environment...

For some time we have heard concerns from residents about the growing issue of noise in our neighborhoods.  Probably the most frequent target of those complaints is the noise from the ubiquitous gas-powered leaf blowers. 

Over the last few years, we have had a couple of Town Council committee meetings on this matter. Like most impactful matters, it seems simple (“Ban ‘em and switch to battery blowers”) until you start to investigate. Then you learn that the folks using these machines (professional lawn services, mostly, but also residents) have a lot of information that shows it’s not so simple: battery life, power of the battery- vs. gas-powered versions, costs of transitioning to battery units, etc).

Last week, at the suggestion of Councilmember Scott Millimet, we again considered this matter in a meeting of our Public Safety Committee. The Committee recommended that we establish a small ad hoc group of concerned residents, lawn service professionals, Town staff and Councilmembers to study these issues and recommend a process by which the Town might move thoughtfully toward limitations on the use of gas-powered leaf blowers. Stay tuned for updates.

PS: Councilmember Carl Hubbard recommends his virtually noiseless leaf management tool: a rake!

SPEAKING OF WHICH, HOW ‘BOUT LEAVING THE LEAVES?
While we’re on the matter of leaf blowers, a pertinent question, and one that can lead to quicker action that any governmental group can deliver, might be: “How many of those leaves in MY yard actually need blowing away, anyway? If I wanted fewer leaves to be blown around or away, wouldn’t that help reduce the leaf-blower noise problem faster than those Council people could achieve?”

Certainly, the leaves that wind up under our beach-elevated homes should go, for many reasons. And the need to keep driveways and sidewalks clear of grass clippings and leaves is obvious. But the rest of the leaves on our property?? Maybe not so much.

How about leaving the leaves on the grass before it is cut, and chopping them up when the grass is cut? Perhaps with mulching blades? 

Or instead of trying to remove these natural products of our trees from our properties, how about just mounding them up in selected areas, which would also require less blowing (and less blowing noise)?

A recent article in the Post and Courier https://bit.ly/FirefliesOnSI highlights another reason to leave at least some of our leaves alone: Fireflies! 

Remember fireflies? Says Rebecca Fanning, “Excess removal of leaves makes an environment much less hospitable to lightning bugs. And it’s not just larval fireflies that rely on leaf litter for shelter when they’re young, but it turns out 90% of the butterflies and moths that use oaks as a host plant need to spend part of their lives underground.

“When leaves are missing below our trees and shrubs, so are many of the key ingredients we need to raise young lightning bugs and other environmentally important creatures like caterpillars. That’s of critical importance this time of year, as one nest of baby birds has been shown to require 6,000 to 9,000 caterpillars worth of baby food.”

So for now, maybe if we curb the amount of leaf-removal we require for our yards, we can help the leaf-blower noise, and keep those baby-birds from going hungry.

Of course, I am no lawn care expert, and am happy to pass on other information, pro or con, from people who are. 

UPCOMING TOWN HALL PRESENTATIONS
Historic Design Guidelines Manual Open House and Presentation before Town Council – 5pm before on Tuesday, April 15.
Resilience and Sea Level Rise Adaptation Plan – presentation at Planning Commission, Wednesday, April 9 at 4pm    

See you around the Island!

Pat O’Neil

Mayor

843 670 9266

oneilp@sullivansisland.sc.gov