Dear Island Neighbors,                               

MEET OUR NEW POLICE CHIEF!
At our last Town Council meeting, Council voted unanimously to appoint Glenn Meadows as our new Police Chief. Glenn joined the Town in 2021 and for the last year had served as Deputy Chief.

Chief Meadows has had an extensive career in law enforcement and security. He retired as a Sergeant from the Newport News, Virginia Police Department after 25 years of service. He then worked for about 15 years in the private sector for companies providing security and law enforcement training for the US Defense and State Departments in various overseas deployments in critical locations such as Iraq and Afghanistan.

Since joining our Department, Glenn has demonstrated his strong leadership skills in improving training and budgeting processes, strengthening Departmental policies and ensuring compliance with them, encouraging community policing, organizing our first Toys for Tots Bike Drives and Community Blood Drives, and improving public outreach.

To learn a little more about our new Chief, see this recent media interview with him here: https://bit.ly/ChiefMeadows

Say hello to Chief Meadows when you see him around. In fact, say hi to all of our officers when you get a chance. It means more to them than you might think!

NEW BEACH FIRE REGULATIONS
Our beach is one of the very, very few (read: almost no others) on which you can have a fire. Nearly all other SC beach towns have eliminated the practice over the years. As a result, LOTS of people apply for beach fire permits here.

In 2023 we issued 346 beach fire permits. This requires much more of Town resources than you might assume. In addition to booking the fees and deposits (and returning the deposits after the fire, contingent on cleanup rules having been followed), our public safety folks have to check on the fires when they are happening and then evaluate the fire sites the next morning. Someone has to clean up after any people who have not done so. And of course when the State issues a Red Flag alert for outdoor fires in our area, people with permits have to be contacted before their fire date.

This matter has been studied and discussed by the Public Safety Committee and Town staff, with input from a number of citizens. At our last Council meeting we approved the following revised beach fire regulations recommended by staff:

• Beach fires only from October 1 – April 30 (to avoid the turtle nesting season)
• Fires only on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights, and only 2 fires on any of those nights
• Locations limited to Stations 22, 25 and 30
• Permit Fees: $150 for SI residents and $300 for Non-SI residents
• Deposits, refundable based on a check of the fire site the next day: $250 for residents, $500 for non-residents.
• Permits available only the week of the requested fire date, starting on Monday for fires the following Friday, Saturday and Sunday

These regulations will not begin until the next beach fire season, i.e., October 1 of this year. Once they take effect, we will monitor how the new program is working so that we can determine whether changes need to be made at some point.

TIME TO RENEW BUSINESS LICENSES
Jessi Gress, our Business Licensing and Permit Technician, reminds us that business licenses are due by April 30, after which a 5% per month penalty fee is added. Don’t put it off!

ERIN GO BRAGH!
On the Island named for O’Sullivan, you might expect a bit of celebration on St. Patrick’s Day...or this year, the day before St. Patrick’s Day. On Saturday, March 16, there’ll be the usual festivities in the commercial district. During the day, several restaurants will be offering food and beverages outside, and Station 22 ½ between Middle and I’On will be closed to traffic so people can hang out there. Please exercise caution when driving through the commercial district.

And remember: A shamrock has THREE petals. The four-leaf clover (like on the cereal box) might bring you good luck, but it’s not an Irish thing!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day and see you around the Island!

Pat O’Neil
Mayor
843 670 9266
Twitter: @oneilpm1
oneilp@sullivansisland.sc.gov