The Isle of Palms will hold an election for city council on Nov. 7. A total of eight candidates — four incumbents and four challengers — are seeking re-election and election to four available seats. Below is a Question & Answer with participants listed in alphabetical order. All candidates received this Q&A in a timely fashion. Not all candidates chose to respond.
Question & Answer
Q: What is the main reason( s) you are seeking (re)election to IOP City Council?
Tim Ahmuty: No response.
Elizabeth Campsen: No response.
Ashley Carroll: I decided to run out of great love for Isle of Palms and I want to protect its true character which makes it such a special place to live, raise a family or retire. As I raise my kids, I realize the significance of the mantra, “it takes a village.” And for me, the village here on Isle of Palms deserves representation and clear-minded advocacy based on facts. I also felt I could offer a unique insight into the world of STRLs (short-term rentals). I believe in reasonable regulations that balance the tourism industry and keep the residential charm that is the bedrock of Isle of Palms’ identity. Market caps will not solve the underlying concerns of the community; smarter solutions should be implemented first, such as strong rules, proper enforcement and other proactive actions, which would have an instant impact on quality of life. The income generated from STRs help subsidize our lifestyle and thus, keep our property taxes low. If those two economic elements changed, the life we know and love here could become something no one wants. I would support a cap if it simply applied to single-family homes. This would be a rational solution that accomplishes what residents want: protection for residential neighborhoods.
Brian Duffy: No response.
Scott Pierce: No response.
Kevin Popson: I am in the land development and home building business, and I’m running again for the same reason I ran four years ago – I thought I could help with some of the island’s issues we were facing at the time – such as drainage, rebuilding of the public safety building, renovations at the marina. Drainage work continues. We are considering renovating city hall. We need to rebuild the public dock and our green space park. Another important reason I am running is to help protect our property rights and keep our taxes low. One of the biggest and most divisive issues we have here right now that I can help with is whether or not the number of short-term rental licenses should be limited across the entire island. While this issue is set to be decided in a referendum vote on Nov. 7 as part of our city council elections, I do not favor an across-the-board cap on short-term rentals. I believe such a measure does not protect our property rights or our tradition of low taxation. The short-term rentals have allowed us to keep our taxes low. And if our tax money from STRLs is taken away, it will have to be made up in some other way, and higher taxes is the most definite possibility, but one that I hope we don’t have to face.
Rusty Streetman: During my first term, our council accomplished many things, but there’s still much to do. Public safety is a chief concern. At the height of the island tourist season, which happens in the summer months, visitors outnumber residents by a ratio of more than 4:1 – with as many as 20,000 on some days. While visitors are always welcome, too many can put a strain on resources if not properly handled. To this end, I favor more effective public parking, increased enforcement of traffic violators and improved partnerships with local agencies and municipalities to better manage traffic flow to and from the mainland. Plus, we must also continue to improve access to our beautiful island through effective compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act to ensure everyone can enjoy our beaches and public accommodations.
Jimmy Ward: I want the island to continue as a model of fiscal responsibility. The Isle of Palms is in great financial shape, and I hope to use my skills as a CPA to continue to monitor and provide helpful suggestions to keep the city budget in top-notch shape.
Q: What priorities would you focus on during your new term of office if (re) elected?
Tim Ahmuty: No response.
Elizabeth Campsen: No response.
Ashley Carroll: Proper enforcement of our livability ordinances should be addressed. I would look at the possible need to amend current city ordinances that could be more clearly defined or updated. This would also include researching the latest technology to aid our officers on patrol, such as being equipped with decibel readers. If appropriately and reasonably used, they can be a great tool to ensure fair and sensible enforcement.
Brian Duffy: No response.
Scott Pierce: No response.
Kevin Popson: I would continue to fight against any type of cap on short-term rentals. I would continue to keep fighting to keep our taxes low. And I would continue to support drainage, recreation center and marina improvements. Along with supporting our marina tenants and all of our island businesses.
Rusty Streetman: Going forward into 2024, there are a number of island concerns for council members to address and/or complete, such as:
- Our comprehensive drainage plan to handle stormwater issues
- Traffic and parking solutions
- Cleaner beaches and waterways
- Effectively managing short-term rentals
- Preserving residential quality of life
- More effective enforcement of our livability issues
- Protecting “our right” to govern through Home Rule
- Conservation in many forms, including efforts to control beach erosion
- Further protection of endangered species, primarily our sea turtles, which have been part of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources endangered species program since 2007. To this end, an Island Turtle Team patrols our beaches to check for turtle tracks and monitor nests, and we try to watch for and transport wounded turtles to the South Carolina Aquarium (Sea Turtle Care Center) for treatment and recovery. And I would also continue to represent all residents in an independent manner to handle many current and future issues tied to island progress, continuity and visitor attraction. Our city council has been addressing these priorities and we’ve accomplished major improvements with many of them. But there’s still work to be done to continue to improve our residential quality of life issues.
Jimmy Ward: Island drainage and mainland bus service are two focuses that council will have to continue to address. The city began a long-term project in 2017 to improve stormwater and tidal drainage across the entire island. And while work has progressed up to Phase 3, and now includes a master plan for Phase 4 to eliminate standing water in residential neighborhoods and other key areas, I will work, if re-elected, to see that all drainage phases are finished. As for bus service, IOP visitors often outnumber residents by a wide margin, especially in the summer tourist season. Their daily influx can create strains on island resources, traffic flow and the ability of the city to handle them smoothly. I want the city to continue to partner with the Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority to provide expanded bus service to the island from Mount Pleasant. And I am a strong proponent of keeping the 2015 parking plan in place to keep day visitor traffic at a minimum in our neighborhoods.
Q: If (re)elected, what changes would you strive to make in the community?
Tim Ahmuty: No response.
Elizabeth Campsen: No response.
Ashley Carroll: IOP currently pays in more than $1 million of its accommodations tax money to the Charleston Convention and Visitors Bureau. I believe that there is plenty of money already spent to promote tourism to our area and I’d like to lobby for a potential cap of the total amount we contribute each year. Additional funds could be used for infrastructure improvements such as to our public beach paths and our recreation center. I’d also like to employ an urban planner to study improvements for bike and golf cart paths. Furthermore, we have a 4-acre, at-large gravel parking lot in the middle of the front beach district. I believe there is opportunity here for innovative and environmentally- conscientious development that would be a great asset for IOP residents and visitors to enjoy. For me, the possibilities are plentiful and it’s all about wanting to make a great community even greater, and if elected, that’s what I plan to do.
Brian Duffy: No response.
Scott Pierce: No response.
Kevin Popson: In my opinion, I don’t see where we need to make any changes at this time. I believe the island is in great shape. A lot has been accomplished over the last four years. We fought through COVID. We rebuilt the public safety building. We completely enhanced our marina and have two new tenants with better leases. We’ve made improvements to our rec center. We’ve made huge strides with drainage projects. Our city finances are in great shape. We are blessed with an excellent, hard-working and dedicated city staff. Our two chiefs, along with their teams, are keeping us safe. Our public works team keeps us clean and looks at all the programs/functions offered at our rec center. We have a great community, and going forward, I would hope that our entire council will continue doing everything possible to keep it that way.
Rusty Streetman: With all of the island’s current issues, and others pending in 2024, effective collaboration between council members and between both members and all IOP residents might be the most important change needed. I pledge to promote and improve civility and teamwork if re-elected, and more involvement collaboratively with all residents of the island, including regular community meetings. Our residents are an unlimited source of great ideas, and we need to encourage more feedback and input from them. Through this approach, I think we can make IOP an even better place for residents and visitors alike.
Jimmy Ward: The city will need a stronger presence in the South Carolina State House in regard to Home Rule. I want us to be able to use more island tax revenue for capital projects, such as beach path walkways and sidewalks. The Charleston Visitors Bureau, for example, receives more than $1 million each year of the city’s A-Tax funds, and I am in favor of putting other options on the table for consideration. We have plenty of tourists, so we don’t need to spend more money on advertising. We hired professional lobbyists a couple of years ago to pubwork on our behalf, and this has been good for the city. I will work to keep this relationship strong and beneficial for the residents. As for additional city assets, I am the creator of the “Spirit of the Island” award recognizing individuals and/ or groups who have given extraordinary volunteer service to the island. I am also the founder and president of the Crabpot Players Theater Company. We have been presenting live plays on Isle of Palms and East Cooper for 30 years. So if re-elected, I will work toward improving our island’s livability in all these areas. We, as council members, have a duty to be good stewards of all the city’s assets.
The Isle of Palms City Council election is slated to take place on Nov. 7. For more information on how to vote, visit iop.net/municipal-elections.
Editor’s Note: Candidates Tim Ahmuty, Elizabeth Campsen, Brian Duffy and Scott Pierce were contacted and unavailable to respond prior to the article’s publication.
By L. C. Leach III
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