POSTAL PATRON LOCAL
DECEMBER 1–7, 2022
WWW.YOURISLANDNEWS.COM
PRESORTED PERMIT NO. 97 BEAUFORT, SC 29902
COVERING BEAUFORT COUNTY
Beaufort names 3 finalists for city manager
LOWCOUNTRY LOWDOWN
From staff reports Beaufort City Council has announced the three finalists for the open City Manager position. The public was to have a chance to meet them from 6:30 to 8 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 30, at the Landing Pad at 500 Carteret Street. The three finalists are: Reece Bertholf, City of Beaufort Deputy City Manager; Matthew DeWitt, City of Newberry City Manager; and Scott Marshall, Beaufort County Director of Human Resources. Beaufort’s search for a new city manager began immediately af-
LOLITA HUCKABY
It’s not ‘annexation wars’ … but ‘mob rule’?
ter Bill Prokop, the current city manager, announced in late September that he would retire from his position in January Reece 2023. The position Bertholf was advertised nationally, and the application period went from Sept. 28 through Oct. 21, 2022. The Municipal Association of South Carolina helped in the screening of candidates. The process included a teamwork/leader-
ship assessment, and initial interviews of the top candidates. The City had 23 applicants from 12 states. On Nov. 30, City Matthew Council members DeWitt were to conduct final interviews with the candidates. That was followed by the open house for the public to meet the finalists. City Council is expected to make its decision by the middle of December.
Profiles of the finalists, in alphabetical order: Reece Bertholf Bertholf is currently deputy city Scott manager for the Marshall City of Beaufort. He is a native of Minnesota, and enlisted in the Marines after high school. He served in the Marines from 1997 to 2001 in Okinawa, Japan, and in Beaufort. In 2001, he began his
SEE MANAGER PAGE A3
Letters to Santa
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BEAUFORT or those who pay attention to such things, there’s often comment about our neighbor to the north — the town of Yemassee — and its continual growth. But the City of Beaufort and Town of Port Royal have been doing their share of annexation this year. Most recently, the Beaufort City Council drew attention last week when they actually had a split vote, 3-2, opposing annexation of a 4.7acre waterfront parcel adjoining Clarendon Plantation, which came into the city 16 years ago. Potential buyers of this proposed piece of property on Patterson Road asked to come into the city for fire and police protection, for which they were willing to pay additional taxes. What they didn’t say… but the neighbors did … was that they wanted to build a deep-water dock longer than the 300-foot limit set by county regulations. That issue was first brought up at the Municipal Planning Commission last month where a dissenting member voted against the request, calling it “zoning shopping.” “Zoning shopping” came up again during the City Council meeting when neighbors spoke in opposition of the annexation. Their concerns prompted Mayor Stephen Murray to suggest “mob rule,” in an interview with The Beaufort Gazette, was at play instead of “good planning.” “Mob rule” is an interesting charge to be made by an elected leader in response to residents voicing their concerns. Actually, it’s almost amazing how little public comment is made in response to government actions that are going to affect your wallet, come tax time, or your neighborhood, when the wooded acres around your home are clear-cut for more cookie-cutter developments.
Burton Firefighters Cory Hagan, left, and Lt. Nick D’Angelo put up the last of the Letters To Santa mail boxes Tuesday morning at the Shell Point Station. Children can leave a letter to Santa, and Burton Fire District will make sure he gets it. Bob Sofaly/The Island News
Forum scheduled to discuss book bans
Conroy Center event to be held at TCL as BCSD reviews removed books
By Mike McCombs Beaufort’s Pat Conroy Literary Center is hosting an event Dec. 11 entitled Book Challenges Forum — Resisting Attacks on Public Education. The event is billed as “a public
SEE LOWDOWN PAGE A4
conversation with a quartet of expert panelists: educator, activist, and former South Carolina Poet Laureate Marjory Wentworth; South Carolina ACLU legal fellow and legislative advocate Josh Malkin; community education advocate, consultant, and nonprofit leader AJ Davis; and journalist Paul Bowers.”
SEE BOOKS PAGE A2
City will celebrate holidays this weekend
From staff reports The Christmas season will shift into another gear as the City of Beaufort celebrates all weekend, Dec. 2-4. Beaufort's holiday extravaganza will be packed with music, food, entertainment, shopping, parades — and Santa, of course. The weekend kicks off with Night on the Town at 6 p.m. on Friday. Bay Street will be closed
NEWS
SPORTS
INSIDE
Habitat for Humanity Turkey Trot 5K a huge success; local tradition raises almost $40,000.
Resilient Eagles down Dillon, going back to state ‘to win it’ + fan information for Beaufort’s state championship game.
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Local Events Voices Faith Military Directory Classifieds
to traffic, and downtown retailers will be open. Roving choirs from Beaufort High School will sing Christmas carols, while the Parris Island Marine Corps Rock Band will perform on the main stage at Charles and Bay streets. Other performers on that stage will include the Praise Assembly
SEE HOLIDAYS PAGE A5
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Add the Maritime Center to your holiday list! ✓
Maritime Marketplace December 3, 10am-2pm Shop for holiday gifts!
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Full house? Bring your family to the Maritime Center FREE ADMISSION
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Daily Programs Kayak tours, nature hikes and more!
Open: Tuesday-Friday: 10am-5pm Saturday: 10am-4pm | 310 Okatie Highway | (843) 645-7774 | PortRoyalSoundFoundation.org