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SEPTEMBER 12–18, 2024
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City residents get 1st look at new Safe Harbor Marina plan
Attendees review the revised improvements of the Downtown Marina presented by Safe Harbor during a review session held on Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2024, at the Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park Pavilion. Amber Hewitt/ The Island News
By Mike McCombs The Island News After previous proposals for improvements to the Beaufort Downtown Marina were met with general disapproval from a vocal segment of city residents, Safe Harbor and the City of Beaufort hosted a review and question-and-answer session regarding a revised layout of marina improvements Thursday, Sept. 5 at the Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park Pavilion. The revised layout of improvements from Safe Harbor was tailored to address comments and concerns from members of City Council and the public expressed
during a City Council Work Session held on March 26. Among the citizens’ concerns has been the size of the improved marina in comparison to the footprint of the marina as it currently exists. Several dozen residents, along with city officials and officials from Safe Harbor, were present at the pavilion Thursday. Residents had a chance to look at renderings and photos of the revised improvements and ask questions. Developer and longtime Beaufort resident Paul Trask said he wasn’t quite ready to go on the record with his thoughts on Safe Harbor’s newest proposal, though
it is moving in the right direction. Trask did tell City Manager Scott Marshall he would have some “constructive criticism” for him. Trask has been a vocal critic of the City’s 2019 contract with Safe Harbor, which has been discovered to have been entered into improperly, leaving the relationship between the municipality and the company in limbo. At Beaufort’s most recent City Council meeting, Marshall publicly thanked Trask for exposing the City’s mistake. Several other residents declined to give discuss opinions
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Council to hold Pine Island meeting By Delayna Earley The Island News Beaufort County Council will be holding a Special Called Meeting on Monday, Sept. 16 to hear a presentation regarding Pine Island. The announcement was made following their executive session during their regular council meeting on Monday, Sept. 9. Council member Logan Cunningham made the motion to hold the meeting to “allow each of the parties involved in Pine Island to make their case to County Council.” The presentations will be made by lawyers representing the involved parties and will take place during executive session because these negotiations are part of a settlement, according to Cunningham. The only council member to outright vote against the motion was York Glover stating that “Council has taken a position that will represent the community and any other deviation from that right now would not suffice.” Several other council members, including Alice Howard and Mark Lawson, expressed that their minds were made up regarding the Pine Island matter, but they were willing to vote for the motion to give everyone a chance to state their case.
During the Port Royal Town Council Workshop on Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, Port Royal Deputy Chief of Police Cpl. Ron Wekenmann presents Chief Alan Beach with a retirement plaque to congratulate and wish him well after 37 years of service to the Port Royal Police Department. Amber Hewitt/The Island News
Changing of the guard Port Royal announces finalists for police chief as Beach retires
By Delayna Earley The Island News Port Royal Police Chief Alan Beach has officially retired, and now the Town of Port Royal is on the hunt for a new police chief. Port Royal officials and mem-
bers of the public said goodbye to Beach during the Town Council meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 4, and the town released the names of the finalists to replace him. The search has been narrowed down to three candidates and the
decision ultimately lies with Town Manager Van Willis to make the final decision as to who will fill the role. Of the finalists, there is one
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SEE PINE PAGE A5
NEWS
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VOICES
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Beaufort County Walk for Water set for Saturday.
Why annual physicals are crucial for your child's health.
Cherimie Crane Weatherford: “Beware fences you build, bridges you burn.”
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