Good afternoon, Island residents,

With the Labor Day weekend and holiday just around the corner, I wanted to pass along a few items of interest.

Hurricane Season is Here
Typically the Labor Day weekend marks the end of summer but also marks the beginning of the most active part of the hurricane season. In fact, as of today there are three systems making their way from the Sahara Desert towards the South Atlantic and Caribbean regions.  By now your personal hurricane plan should be complete. However, should you need assistance, the Town and Charleston County websites have models to help craft your plan.

National Hurricane Center Activity as of 9-1-22 1225 UTC/5:25 DST

• System one is several hundred miles east of the Leeward Islands in the general area of 17’N/53’W. At this time it is a broad area of low pressure with associated showers and thunderstorms. Environmental conditions are only marginally conducive for additional development of the system during the next few days. However over the next 5 days, as the system moves west-northwest, formation of a tropical depression increases to 80 percent. At this time most models show this system curving north just to the east of Bermuda.
• System two, found in the eastern tropical Atlantic near the general area of 18’N/24’W just to the northwest of the Cape Verde Islands, is a broad area of low pressure. Although activity is currently poorly organized, there is still confidence that the system to become a short-lived tropical depression during the next few days.
• Newly formed Tropical Depression 5, located in the general area of 37’N/45’W or 1000 miles west of the Azores, has potential to strengthen but does not appear to be a threat to the southeastern United States.

Please continue to follow the Weather Channel, National Hurricane Center website and local media closely for the next 30 days.

Labor Day Holiday
Town staff observes Labor Day Monday 9-5-22 as a holiday.  Town Hall will be closed on that day reopening Tuesday 9-6-22 at 8:00 am.  All first responders will be standing by at the ready to assist visitors and residents over the long holiday weekend. Additional personnel have been added to each shift as needed. For assistance always dial 9-1-1 in the event of an emergency. For Police, Fire or Water and Sewer non-emergency assistance contact Charleston County Consolidated Dispatch at 843-743-7200. 

• Household Garbage, Yard Debris and Charleston County Recycling Collections – With Monday 9-5-22 being an observed National Holiday collection schedules will adjust as follows:
  • Household garbage normally collected on Tuesday 9-6-22 moves to Wednesday 9-7-22
  • Yard debris collection normally collected on Wednesday 9-7-22 moves to Thursday 9-8-22
  • Charleston County Recycle Program collection normally on Wednesday 9-7-22 moves to Thursday 9-8-22
  • Second household garbage collection normally Friday 9-9-22 moves to Saturday 9-10-22

                 Note that after the Saturday 9-10-22 second collection, the Town returns to one collection per week every Tuesday effective 9-13-22.

Residents are reminded that yard debris is limited to residents only; contractors/yard maintenance vendors are required by ordinance to remove their debris.  Further all loose items should be in paper bags and limited to 4 cubic yards total. Limbs should be no greater than 4 feet in length or 4 inches in diameter.

If you have white goods or bulk items for collection please notify staff at Town Hall 48 hours in advance. Construction debris, televisions or equipment with compressed gas will not be collected.  You may contact Jacky Gypin at jgypin@sullivansisland.sc.gov with any questions.

Stormwater
With the excessive rainfall this past few weeks the water table is high, and ground is heavily saturated; therefore, stormwater drainage will be very slow. Moreover, it may be the case that ditches are holding water and roads may flood. The roads, rights of way and stormwater collection system on Sullivan’s Island are owned by the South Carolina Department of Transportation.  If you notice a flooded road or standing water in a ditch it is often helpful to report the matter to the SCDOT.  At the bottom right of the SCDOT homepage www.scdot.org you will notice a tab titled “Maintenance Work Request”. Simply complete the form, submit and be sure to note the work order number.  The Department is very good about responding to issues.  For the sake of good order email, me your request work order number and home address, and the Town will likewise enter a request. Residents can help maintain the system by regularly cutting vegetation in the open ditch and keeping decorative ground cover such as mulch or pine straw a reasonable distance from the ditch or driveway culvert pipes.

Mosquito Abatement
Charleston County provides mosquito abatement services for Sullivan’s Island.  Generally, a county employee takes a mosquito count every day on Sullivan’s Island during the active season. You can visit the County website to review the ground spraying and aerial treatment maps, schedule for Sullivan’s Island and the MSDS for control products. Likewise, residents may contact the County at 843-202-7880 or complete the online form to request mosquito control. There are slightly more than 50 species of mosquitoes in the region with approximately 30 species that will bite people and pets (be sure to give your dog heartworm pills prescribed by the vet). While standing rainwater will generate mosquitoes, the greatest threat comes from the two salt marsh species.  In terms of breeding natural sites can produce up to 8 million mosquitoes per acre per rainfall or tide event.  There are slightly more than 600 acres of salt marsh behind Sullivan’s Island. Be thankful for southwest wind in the summer months!!!  

Blood Drive
With blood reserves at an almost all time low, the Sullivan’s Island Police Department is excited to announce its first ever blood drive.  The effort is sponsored by the Blood Connection and hosted by Sunrise Presbyterian Church. The event will occur at Sunrise Presbyterian Church located at 3222 Middle Street on September 24, 2022 from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM.  The Blood Connection is offering a $20 e-gift card to all donors. Please consider a donation that could help save a life.  An appointment can be made at https://donate.thebloodconnection.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/196986.  We look forward to seeing you there!!!
 

In the spirit of Samuel Gompers and George Meany wishing you all the best for a safe and pleasurable Labor Day weekend.  

Regards,

Andy Benke
Town Administrator
Town of Sullivan's Island