βMay the best woman win!β Nikki Haleyβs closing statement was profound and to the point, much like her speech at the Charleston Visitorβs Center on Wednesday, Feb. 15, where she proudly declared her decision to run for president. Introducing Nikki Haley, Representative Ralph Norman remarked, βIn a town full of events that shaped history, I know that what we are kicking off … [Read more...]
Meet Your District Candidates: Local Politicians Vie for Chance to Represent Mount Pleasant at State Level
Itβs not news that North Mount Pleasant is growing by leaps and bounds. That reality was recognized by the South Carolina state legislature when its members added a new seat, District 80, to represent that part of town. The older section of Mount Pleasant, south of the IOP Connector, remains in District 110, which also includes parts of downtown Charleston, James Island and … [Read more...]
Growth and Progress: New District 80 Breeds New Political Contenders
Pop Quiz: Who represents Mount Pleasant and only Mount Pleasant in the South Carolina House of Representatives? Answer: No one. Thatβs right. There has never been an elected representative to our state government from Mount Pleasant who is solely focused on the needs of our rapidly expanding townβuntil now. Based on census data, a reapportionment has resulted in the … [Read more...]
Follow These Leaders: Mount Pleasantβs New Town Council
As we begin the new year, it seems appropriate to check in on the direction our town is heading β and who will be steering it. The municipal elections two months ago ushered in two new Council members, along with the reelection of two incumbents and the townβs mayor. All the candidates are chosen at large and do not run on a party affiliation. Incumbent Will Haynie now … [Read more...]
Behind the Ballot: Mount Pleasant Mayoral Candidates on the Major Issues
When residents of Mount Pleasant head to the polls this November, they will determine the leadership of this town for the next four years. On the ballot will be candidates for four seats on Town Council, in addition to the mayorβs nonpartisan position. Because Mount Pleasant operates on a Council form of government, the mayor does not set budgets or have hiring or firing … [Read more...]
East Cooper’s First Three Women Mayors: Strength in Numbers
Serendipitous is a word that could be used to describe the unique story behind the first women who served as mayors in East Cooper. The first was born the same week that women achieved the right to vote. The second was born on the first womanβs thirty-fifth birthday. And the third watched the second woman grow up. Whether you call it coincidence, fate or luck, the lives of … [Read more...]
Nancy Mace and Joe Cunningham Face Off as Candidates
This yearβs election ballot pits incumbent Joe Cunningham against District 99 State Rep. Nancy Mace. Both accomplished in their own rights, this much-anticipated race will take center stage in the Lowcountry, a place each candidate is proud to call home. A former attorney and ocean engineer, Cunningham enjoys showing his young son, Boone, the benefits of coastal … [Read more...]
Leadership in an Uncertain Time: Our Mayor’s View of the COVID-19 Pandemic
When I was elected as a member of Mount Pleasant Town Council in 2015 and then as mayor in 2017, I ran on the campaign that as the fastest-growing municipality east of the Mississippi, our community was losing its quality of life. I entered public service with confidence β I knew what our citizens expected my priorities to be. Then the novel coronavirus showed up in early … [Read more...]
My Best (and only) Legislative Action Day!
When you hear Municipal Association you may think of the words boring, red tape, government, maybe even dread. But when this rookie found out she would get to attend the Hometown Legislative Action Day in Columbia, there was nothing but excitement, eagerness and, most of all, an overwhelming feeling of humbleness. According to what I was reading about, I was going to spend the … [Read more...]
No Regrets Former Councilman Joe Bustos Believes in the System
At a special meeting of the Mount Pleasant Town Council on Nov. 8, Joe Bustos made a motion to accept the Nov. 5 election results. Four days later, a quartet of new Council members were sworn in and Bustos, the only incumbent seeking to retain his seat, left Town Hall for the first time since 2015 as a private citizen rather than as an elected official of the town he has always … [Read more...]