Dear Island neighbors,

Hard to believe we’re already a month into 2023, but time is flying, so let’s jump right in. I haven’t had a chance to try to figure out ChatGPT, so you’re stuck with me again.

TOWN ELECTION
On Tuesday, May 2, we’ll have our biennial municipal election for the Town of Sullivan’s Island. At stake will be three seats on Council, each up for a four-year term. If you’ve ever considered public service (or even if you haven’t), this is a great opportunity to get involved with democracy up close and personal, serve your community, and get to know more of the great people we call neighbors. Deadline for filing is Noon, Thursday February 16. Click here for more information.

BIG AWARD FOR OUR WATER AND SEWER DEPARTMENT
At its 45th annual meeting in November, the South Carolina Rural Water Association gave its Wastewater System of the Year Award to our Sullivan’s Island system. This is an important acknowledgement of the great work the folks in our Water and Sewer Department do all year, every year, and what they have been able to achieve with the major renovation of our wastewater treatment plant (AKA Sewer Plant).

Many of our neighboring areas of coastal SC face substantial challenges in management of sewerage, including reliance on existing (and possibly, future) septic tanks, which discharge what’s flushed straight into the ground without any treatment. We should all take pride in what the Town has achieved in this important environmental domain, thanks to our great Water and Sewer staff and the Town’s taxpayers’ support of our system upgrades.

In fact, we should also give huge credit to the foresight of the Town leaders back in the 1960’s, when our first sewerage treatment plant was built. That was a singular achievement for a very small town that, back then, was a modest, working class neighborhood. Nearby towns and cities were flushing their toilets to the marshes and harbor, but our predecessors here on the Island had a better idea. A huge thanks to them!

But back to the present...Water and Sewer Manager Greg Gress is quick to emphasize that the aforementioned award is due to the efforts of his team members: (Alphabetically) John Myers, Tyler Potter, BJ Van Marel, Andy Williams and Matt Williamson.

And by the way...if you had uninterrupted incoming water during the Christmas freeze, these are the same guys you can thank!. They had to cope with water main breaks and numerous calls from residents wishing to preserve or restore their water service.  These folks had to give up some of their holidays to keep ours intact. Thank them when you can.

BEST EVER CHRISTMAS LIGHTS FOR SICK KIDS
Continuing a recent tradition begun in 2020, again this year our area first responders treated the kids in the MUSC Shawn Jenkins Childrens Hospital to a special light show every Thursday evening in December. Police vehicles, fire trucks and other emergency vehicles gathered in front of the hospital to say “goodnight” to the hospitalized kids with their flashing lights and sirens. It’s a wonderful break in the kids’ hospital routine, and this year the kids got flashlights to signal back. Here’s a video of what the event is like: https://bit.ly/GoodnightLights

As before, our Island police and fire departments were represented in this great event. That’s another way in which they make life better not just for us residents but for the whole Charleston area!

Speaking of which, our Police Department’s Christmas Bike Drive garnered XXX bikes that were delivered to Toys for Tots. Thanks to everyone in the department for their efforts, and especially to Officer Glenn Meadows, Fleet Manager Tom McClellan and Chief Chris Griffin for their leadership. And thanks to all of you who contributed. This made a whole lot of kids much happier on Christmas morning than they otherwise would have been.

TALK TO US
As mentioned before, we have gone live with Citibot, an application by local developers that helps citizens and municipalities to communicate with each other. Please check it out and give us your feedback.

When you get a chance, please visit the Town website at sullivansisland.sc.gov . If you look at the bottom right corner of your screen (whether or not you scroll) you will see a comment bubble icon entitled “TOSI Talks...LET’S CHAT”. If you click on that you can send in messages with questions or concerns related to Town services. You can also sign up to receive different kinds of text alerts. Without going to the Town website, you can opt in to get those text messages by texting “hello” to 855-675-8674. 

ONE MORE TIME: DOG TAG RENEWAL TIME
If you’ve got a pooch, it’s time to renew Fido’s Town license. Info is at https://bit.ly/SIDOG .

See you around the Island!

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