Isle of Palms has begun the search process after longtime city administrator Desiree Fragoso announced her departure from the position will be effective at the end of the year. Fragoso announced the news at a recent city council meeting.
When Fragoso first set foot in Isle of Palms City Hall in September 2015, she was just another new employee who had landed the role of assistant to the city administrator. Over the next nine years, however, she was not only appointed as the new city administrator in 2019, but she also practically redefined the position in ways that elected officials and the public had never seen or experienced before.
“Every now and then you get to work with someone you would like to spend the rest of your career working with,” said Mayor Phillip Pounds at the October city council meeting. “Which is why I’m sad to announce the resignation of Desiree because I feel very confident stating we have one of the best city administrators around.”
Fragoso will step down at the end of December to join the Municipal Association of South Carolina in Charleston as a field services representative, providing support to staff and councils statewide.
The search for a new administrator is underway, but longtime councilman Jimmy Ward said he doesn’t envy that process. “Desiree has been a great asset for Isle of Palms. The city is going to have a hard time finding a suitable replacement.”
Former city councilwoman Susan Hill Smith echoed similar comments about Fragoso at the October council meeting. “Her role is by no means an easy one. She shaped this community in many positive and lasting ways.”
City accomplishments under Fragoso’s leadership over the last decade include:
- Phase II, III and ongoing Phase IV of the city’s long-term, multi-year, multi-million-dollar drainage plans.
- Ongoing large-scale beach renourishment projects going back to 2018, to combat island erosion.
- Isle of Palms Marina parking improvements.
- Short-term rental license policies that stretched across 2022-23, sharply divided the council and IOP residents and resulted in an island-wide referendum.
- Recurring efforts by the city council to adopt a workable noise ordinance.
- Working with a grant writer to identify opportunities based on the city’s 10-year capital plan; in the past three years, IOP has been awarded approximately $9 million in project grants.
Pounds said any success he has had so far in his two years in office has been heavily influenced by “Desiree’s advice and guidance” on a wide range of matters and council planning.
“She has helped me understand the workings of the city and the nuances of all the stakeholders involved on a multitude of issues,” Pounds added. “I had a steep learning curve being a newly-elected official and Desirée was always available to guide and discuss the issues. Rarely did a situation come up that Desirée didn’t have a quick word of advice for me or discuss solutions to get to the optimal spot or, most often, explain something to me for the umpteenth time.”
All the advice and community-shaping involvement, however, is often just an extra part of her job. Day to day, Fragoso managed six city departments, 102 employees and an ever-increasing annual city budget, which currently stands at $29.1 million through June 2025.
Fragoso, who hails from Puerto Rico, previously worked in Washington, D.C., serving in the City of San Juan’s Federal Affairs office, advancing and implementing the mayor’s public policy agenda. She is also a member of the International City/County Management Association, the SC City and County Management Association, the American Society for Public Administration and the South Carolina Beach Advocates, and a board member of the College of Charleston MPA Advisory Committee, the Charleston County Community Development Advisory Board and the Municipal Association of South Carolina, where she will land next.
When asked why she was leaving the city, Fragoso indicated that the lure of MASC was simply too strong to turn down.
“Having served on their board for the past couple of years, I am excited to work alongside a group of dedicated professionals who support cities and towns throughout the state,” said Fragoso.
Fragoso admitted that her decision to leave her post on IOP wasn’t easy. “I take great pride in my time working with the IOP team. They are truly some of the most talented, creative, hardworking and committed individuals I have ever had the pleasure of working with. And I look forward to witnessing the community continue to thrive in the future.”
By L. C. Leach III
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