Island Connection - October 23, 2015

8/20/2019 Island Connection - October 23, 2015

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Seabrook ElectionsPage 2

me 9 Issue 14 October 23, 2015FREE

S INCE M AY 2007

State of the SymphonyPage 13

Water RisingPage 16

Wet Wedding...continues on page 7 Administratorcontinues on page 11

And the wedding went on...

t, happy couple. PHOTO BY NICKIE CUTRONA

E E L E R / M C N E I L L W E D D I N G TA K E S P L A C E O N

K I AWA H C O M E H E L L O R H I G H WAT E R

BY PATTY SAUNIERFor The Island Connection

om the moment Molly Keeler, 31, became engaged to PaulMcNeill, 30, while riding bikes on the beach on Kiawahsland, her parents Rob and Margie Keeler began planningedding of their daughter’s dreams. Te Keeler and McNeilles are from Ohio and Pennsylvania, respectively, but theand her family has had cherished family vacations on the for more than 20 years. Ten a few years ago, Rob andie bought a home on Glossy Ibis and became residents.t the same time, the engaged couple relocated to Charleston,ng beautiful Kiawah Island the natural and only option foredding.

Te River Course was chosen as the venue, and no detail wasoverlooked throughout the yearlong planning by the bride andher mother - a warm and gracious hostess who possess renedentertaining skills. And although a provision was made for theoutdoor ceremony in case of rain, no one could have predictedthat on Saturday, Oct. 3, Kiawah would suffer a 1,000-year rainevent resulting in massive ooding and closed roads.

With Governor’s Drive under water and impassable at themain gate, wedding guests staying at the Andell Inn could not

Kiawah hires

administratorBY JENNIFER TUOHYThe Island Connection Editor

he own of Kiawah has a new own Administrator. Stephanie Monroe

illerson will take the reins of townmanagement on Oct. 26, 2015. illersonhas her work cut out for her as the towndeals with the clean-up and restructuringfollowing the resignations of the itauditor and former administrator amidstallegations of nancial misconduct.

“I've had a number of meetings totell her about our objectives,” CharleLipuma, Mayor of Kiawah, told TeIsland Connection. “One of the majorones is to get the town back on a soundfooting and get our systems in check.”

illerson comes to Kiawah by way o Woodruff, Spartanburg, where she hasbeen City Manager since 2011.

“Stephanie brings the necessaryexperience and professionalism that th

own needs in order to move forwardand achieve its goals in the coming yearsLipuma said. “Of all the candidates weinterviewed, Stephanie distinguishedherself as someone with a high ethica

standard and ability to bring instantcredibility to an important position within the Kiawah community. She is theright person to lead the own.”

Te third largest municipality inSpartanburg county, Woodruff is a townof 4,000, with 45 city employees and anannual operating budget of $2.2 million.Prior to that role, illerson, who wasraised in Lansing, Michigan, worked fothe City of Spartanburg as a planningdirector for 5 years.

illerson’s hiring was not a unanimousdecision. Councilmember Mary Johnsonvoted against her appointment at the Oct.6 council meeting.

“I was in favor of a second interview with one or more of the three nalcandidates. illerson was one of thethree,” Johnson said in an email to TeIsland Connection. “We received a letterlate Monday from ‘Concerned Citizensof Woodruff, SC.’ It was not marked


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The IslandConnection

Lynn Pierottipublisher

[email protected]

Jennifer Tuohy

managing editor [email protected]

Swan Richards

senior graphic designer [email protected]

Lori McGeesales manager

[email protected]

Alejandro Ferreyrosgraphic designer

[email protected]

Ralph Secoycontributing photographer

Staff WritersGregg Bragg

ContributorsSarah NolanPatty Saunier

Dimi Matouchev Alberta Barron

Lori Leary

Published byLucky Dog Publishing

of South Carolina, LLCP.O. Box 837

Sullivan’s Island, SC 29482843-886-NEWS

uture deadlines: October 28for submissions for the

November 6 Issue

Ed articles and letters to the editor do notnecessarily reect the opinion ofLucky Dog News or its writers.

cky Dog Publishing, LLClishers of Island Eye News ,The Island Connection,

The Folly Current

Civic Calen darK IAWAH I SLAND T OWN H ALL21 Beachwalker Drive

Kiawah Island, SC 29455Phone: 768-9166Fax: 768-4764

SEABROOK I SLAND T OWN H ALL2001 Seabrook Island RoadSeabrook Island, SC 29455Phone: 768-9121Fax: 768-9830Email: [email protected]

JOHNS I SLAND C OUNCILMeetings are held at the Berkeley ElectricCo-op located at 3351 Maybank Hwy, JohnsIsland.

Chairman Chris Cannon: 343-5113CHARLESTON C OUNTY C OUNCIL4045 Bridge View Dr, N. Charleston958-4700t

C ITY OF C HARLESTON75 Calhoun St.724-3745

October 23, 2015

Tues., Oct. 27 Ways and MeansCommittee MeetingKiawah own Hall2 - 4 p.m.

Seabrook TownCouncil MeetingSeabrook own Hall2:30 p.m.

Thurs., Oct. 29Municipal CenterCommittee MeetingKiawah own Hall1 - 3 p.m.

Mon., Nov. 2EnvironmentalCommittee MeetingKiawah own Hall3 - 5 p.m.

Tues., Nov. 3Town CouncilMeetingKiawah own Hall2 - 4 p.m.

Seabrook TownElectionsTe Lake House7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Mon., Nov. 16Board of Zoning and AppealsKiawah own Hall4 - 5 p.m.

Tues., Nov. 24Comprehensive PlanPublic Hearing

own Hall1 - 2 p.m.

Ways and MeansCommittee MeetingKiawah own Hall2 - 4 p.m.

Tues., Dec. 1Town CouncilMeetingKiawah own Hall2 - 4 p.m.

civic

Seabrook Island council andmayoral election

V O T E T U E S D AY, N O V. 3

STAFF REPORTFor The Island Connection

Seabrookers go to the polls, uesday,Nov. 3 to vote for a new mayorand four town councilmembers.Candidates for mayor are Ronald J.Ciancio and William E. Nelson. owncouncil candidates include Harold SkipCrane, Robert Driscoll, John Gregg, Joe.M Sanders, Kimber Smith, John (Jody)urner, John B. Wells. Four will be elected

of these seven.Voting is at the Lake House from

7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Te winners will besworn in on Friday, Nov. 6 at 11 a.m. atthe own Hall. Absentee ballots can beobtained at www.scvotes.org/2009/10/15/absentee_voting.

Below are brief biographies andcandidates statements from each of themen running for these important electedpositions.

Bill NelsonCandidate for Mayor

My Plan for the own1. Te mayor should immediately

commence a major lobbyingcampaign at all levels ofgovernment to expedite therebuilding of the often-oodedportion of Main Road between theLimehouse Bridge and Highway17 and to redesign the intersectionof Main Road and 17 to alleviatethe unacceptable traffic situation.Tis lobbying should focus on thestate and county Departments of

ransportation. Te own shouldsolicit partners from Kiawah, Johns Island and Wadmalawto add weight to our efforts.Tese efforts should includedevelopment of a well researched,thought out and reasoned whitepaper providing the arguments why it is unacceptable to allowthis signicant public safetyhazard to continue. Te lobbyingeffort should involve regular face-to-face meetings with the seniormanagement of the Departmentsof ransportation and the politicalleadership of the county, state andfederal entities that will providethe needed funds for the work tobe done.

2. Te own should have a similareffort to expedite the road projectsto extend 526 and building of the“greenway” through Johns Islandto Kiawah and Seabrook.

3. Te areas that are ooding asyou enter Bohicket Marina andoutside the Seabrook gate need tobe evaluated and xed. Te POA will, of course, dea l with ooding

inside the gate.4. Te own’s recently updated beach

rules need to be enforced throughauthorizing the own’s securitypatrols to issue citations whenverbal warnings are not effective.

5. Implement a consistent and openprocurement process to ensure thebest buying result and the integrityof the process.

6. Implement a professionaldocument retention systemincluding both electronic and

hard copy storage where that isappropriate. Te purpose here isto provide easier access to prevendata loss.

7. Our own council meetingsneed to be more welcoming, ourordinance drafting process needsto be more inclusive and the

own's current issues need to bemore visible to our residents.

Biography Bill and Linda, his wife of 51 years

moved to Seabrook 11 years ago. For thrst 5 of those years, he was nishing offa 44-year career with IBM, retiring at theend of 2008.

Bill’s qualications for Mayor includa very broad executive education andexperience base, local volunteer work texpand knowledge of the community andan aggressive plan to address the needs othe own.

Professional Experience – Bill watrained for and worked as an IBM businessunit CFO with extensive nancialplanning and management exposure as well as managing the overhead funct ionthat are analogous to the administrative


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tions of the own. As generalger of that same business unit, he setrategic direction and led all aspectse business. General Manager andr both mean chief executive andof the experiences and required skillse same. One of Bill’s jobs as generalger was to be IBM’s chief lobbyist

state of Arizona, an essential skillement for our next mayor.cal Volunteer Work - Since

ment, Bill has been an activer in the Exchange Club, the urtleand the Photography Club. Most

tantly, he volunteered to be anr and the overall editor for theof Seabrook Island Comprehensive

h Management Plan. Tis project,leted at the end of 2014 allowed himdy and better understand the own,A, St Christophers Camp and theook Club. Te insight gained herellow an easy transition into own

rship. Since early 2014, he hasa regular attendee at own Councilngs.

ald J. Cianciondidate for Mayor er the past four years, the ownecome a more effective part of our

munity. I believe I have played an that effort and I would like thetunity to continue to do so. Since

ng to Seabrook I have had the goodne both to serve our community andn the experience and backgroundsary for the position of mayor. Ibeen:lected twice to the town council,urrently serve as mayor pro tem.lected to the POA board of directors,d on its Executive Committee and

ed its Legal Committee.member of the Green Spaceervancy board, and served as itsdent.

member of the Sea Island Habitatumanity board, and twice served assident.etired from GA X Corporation inas Senior Vice President, General

sel and Secretary. While in privatece, I represented the City ofton, Illinois as its city attorney.

elected, I will:rioritize emergency preparedness.ent ooding and tornado on Johns

d underscore the importance of thisI have focused on this area as aber of council, and will continue to

Make every effort to have the own’sreect its economic contributioncounty with respect to issues such

e safety and condition of Main,ket and River Roads.everage cooperation between the Club and POA in areas of common

interest to make their collective effortmore effective.

* ake greater advantage of the talentsand volunteer spirit of our residents.

I would very much appreciate yoursupport.

Biography My wife Sue and I have been married

for forty-eight years, and we have twochildren. I received my undergraduatedegree from the University of NotreDame, and my law degree and MBA fromNorthwestern University. I practiced lawfor forty years, retiring as Senior VicePresident, General Counsel and Secretaryof GA X Corporation.

Candidates for Town Council(4 will be elected)

Kimber SmithI have chosen to run for Seabrook

Island own Council because I wish tocontinue to contribute to our island. My wife, Sherry, and I have been involved with the Seabrook Island community forover ten years.

As a member of the Seabrook Islandown Council I would like to work toward

improving two areas, among others, that Icurrently see as needing being addressed.

Te item of greatest importance is to do whatever can be done to get the State andCharleston County Council to improve Johns Island roads. Te recent oodinghas been a major indication of just howserious this is. With Bohicket and Mainroads closed and the subsequent traffic

jams getting off the island from River andMaybank roads we were shown just howimportant improvements are. Should wehave a hurricane approaching it could bedisastrous.


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veral years ago Seabrook, Kiawahohns Island contributed to theeston County Council which spent000 for a highway consultant whothem three options, widening eitherket or River Roads, or putting in the

nway down the middle of the island.ast expensive option which affectedwest people was the Greenway. Sinceajority of Johns Island citizens votedst this option the council did not

ve it. We need the county council togo back and approve the Greenwaywidening of Bohicket and/or River We also need to concentrate on to get 526 extended to enable us

ve an alternate exit from our island.uld like to work to try to makehing happen here.a current member of the SIPOA

munications committee I see severalwhere communications from theand Residents could be improved

and would welcome an opportunityrk towards those goals as well.eel that with my background in

Planning, being on the SIPOA

d for three years and my experienceng and being on the Safety andity Committee, that I would beo contribute a lot to the Seabrook

d own Council. I welcome thistunity and ask for your vote in the

ming election on November 3.ography

Born and raised in SuburbanPhiladelphia Graduate of Middlebury CollegeLtjg in the US Navy serving onMine Sweepers in the PacicMarried to Sherry McFarlane

Smith• Broker in Charge, Akers Ellis

Real Estate & Rentals• Member Seabrook Island Club• Member Kiawah Seabrook

Exchange Club• Member Seabrook Island Natural

History Group• Member Historic Charleston

Foundation

• Member Charleston rident Association of RealtorsCivic Background• Member Sipoa Board Of

Directors, 2010-2012• Chairman Sipoa Activities

Committee 2010, 2011• Chairman Poa Safety And

Security Committee 2012• Current Member Sipoa Safety

And Security Committee• Current Member Sipoa

Communications Committee• Member Marsh Pointe Board Of

Directors

• President Kiawah SeabrookExchange Club 2011Delaware County (Pa) Mental Health,

Mental Retardation Unit, Member Boardof Directors 5 years. Delaware County(Pa) Association Of Realtors, MemberBoard of Directors 4 years. Swarthmore(Pa) Recreation Association, President1 year Board of Directors 4 years.Swarthmore (Pa) Centennial Committee,

Chairman. Swarthmore PlanningCommission, Member 1 year.

Joe M. Sanders, Jr MDI seek this opportunity to serve on

the Seabrook own Council with nopreconceived political agenda and noissues for which I have an ax to grind.

o paraphrase an old cliché, "I wasborn a South Carolinian and became aSeabrooker by the grace of God." WhenI graduated from the Medical Collegeof South Carolina (now MUSC) in1967, my wife and I left the state inorder to accomplish two requirementssimultaneously. First, to pursuepostgraduate training in Pediatrics, andsecondly to fulll a military commitmentI acquired when I graduated from TeCitadel. We fully intended to return toSouth Carolina once these goals wereaccomplished. However, I heeded YogiBerra's advice, and when I came to thefork in the road, I took it. Consequently,my medical career ended up with twentyplus years of service in the Army MedicalCorps, and a prolonged stint as theCEO of a major medical association,the American Academy of Pediatrics.

While this career path afforded me the

opportunity to gain skills and experiencein administration and management, itprecluded our permanent return to SouthCarolina until I retired in 2004.

Once we settled in at Seabrook, threeof the town's mayors were importantinuences in my life. I was Bill Holtz'snext door neighbor. He introduced meto Frank McNulty, and the three of usplayed golf in a foursome (with Rich

yler) every uesday morning until Billand Frank moved away a couple of yearsago. I have known erry Ahearn since we

were cadets together at Te Citadel. Tus,

I have had the opportunity to get "up closeand personal" with three men who havemade the own of Seabrook Island theoutstanding municipality it has becomeI am impressed by the wisdom, integrityand commitment they displayed, and I

would vow to apply the principles of googovernance that I have learned from themif elected a member of the own Council

As I alluded to earlier, I have no speciagenda to pursue other than to continue

the tradition our outstanding leaders ofthe past have set. Specically, I woul work diligently to insure that our uniquetripartite administrative structure -

own/Club/POA - continues to work in asynchronous fashion without duplicationof effort or resources. Finally, given mmilitary and medical background, I thinkI would bring a unique perspective inaddressing issues pertaining to emergencpreparedness. Given our vulnerability tothe forces of nature, this issue should be high priority for our town.

Biography Born in Hartsville, SC, on July 5,1940,

Dr Sanders spent his childhood in Rock

Hill and Columbia. He graduated fromTe Citadel in 1962, and from theMedical College of SC (now MUSC) in1967. His medical career consisted of twdistinct phases:

Clinical/Academic Phase: Aftertraining in Pediatrics and sub-specialtytraining in Adolescent Medicine in SanFrancisco, he was assigned to Fitzsimon

Army Medical Center in DenverColorado. In addition to providingmedical care to patients, he trainedphysicians in the care of children andadolescents. He retired from the Army


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October 23, 2015 7

Wet Wedding...continues from cover

civicOctober 23, 2015

romance

An element of that increasediness is delivery of emergencyto residents. o that end,

nts were posted on the own’sd WI ER feed togetherging to the own’s DisasterCouncil. Information fromas communicated via SIPOAnd posts to the IDELINESelected, I expect to engage

Public Safety Committeestrengths and weaknesses ofnication methods the ownth the objective of improvingnformation to Seabrook Island

cy Preparedness. Treats ofents are inherent in coastalown has developed and

Comprehensive EmergencyP”) outlining emergency

ctions for events includingearthquakes and tsunamis. Inof community preparedness,has established a Disasterouncil comprised of ownd representatives from theA, Marina, St. Christopherbrook Island CER andDis aster Recovery Councilining and exercises designed

emergency response. Tesponsor with Kiawah Island ofisaster Awareness Day a imedwareness of disaster threats

dness. In addition, the own’sy Committee takes up mattersto emergency preparedness,

maintenance of the CEP. Ifexpect to continue in my rolefety Official and to work withpart with Kiawah Island to

mation that supports disasters and to support coordinationcy response actions of thel support efforts by the townsprovements of Johns Islandding continuation of I-526 to.ood insurance in Seabrooksidents of coastal communities

face higher costs for property insurancein consequence of exposure to oodthreats. South Carolina participates inthe National Flood Insurance ProgramCommunity Rating System (“CRS”) by which residents receive discounts in oodinsurance premiums according to rating“points” earned by the community in which they live. As a result of programsand projects related to reduction of ooddamage, the CRS rating for SeabrookIsland was i mproved from

“6” to “5” in the review recentlyconcluded. Te rating increase willresult in an increase in ood insurancediscounts for Seabrook Island residentsgoing forward. Following up on apresentation made by representatives ofCharleston County this past June, the

own’s Public Safet y Committee has beenconsidering “activities” that can furtherimprove Seabrook Island’s CRS rating.If re-elected, I expect to continue thoseefforts.

Biography John Gregg is a retired intellectual

property (copyrights, patents, trademarks,trade secrets) lawyer. He and his wifeKatie have been Seabrook propertyowners since 1997 and full time residentssince 2006 (Katie taught middle-schoolEnglish before retiring and is now with Wonder Works (Freshelds Village)).Tey live with their dog Torny whocan be seen leading John on walksaround the neighborhood mornings andafternoons. John was elected to ownCouncil in 2013 and in that capacityserves as the own’s Public Safety Officialand liaison to the Club’s Long RangePlanning Committee (which in turn ledto his continuing ser vice on SIPOA’s DataGathering and Analysis Sub-committee).In his role as Public Safety Official, John works with the own’s Disaster RecoveryCouncil and leads the own’s PublicSafety Committee. Before his election to

own Council, John served on SIPOA’sLegal Committee. If re-elected, Johnlooks forward to continuing to serve asthe own’s Public Safety Official.

John (Jody) TurnerI have served on the POA Board,

the Environment Committee, and the Architect Review Committee. I ama member of the Kiawah-SeabrookExchange Club. I am a graduate of theClemson Master Naturalist Program andthe Charleston County CER program.I have served one term as a councilmanfor the own of Seabrook Island; I helpedestablish beach regulations and the

beach patrol process to keep our beachas a resource that accommodates bathers,dog owners and naturalists; and, to keepus consistent with the requirements ofthe US Fish and Wildlife Service. I alsoserved as Communications Official forthe own’s Disaster Recovery CommitteeMy hobbies include bicycling, golf (forcomic relief), Native American History,and reading “escape” novels.

Biography Born September 13, 1941 in Painesville,

Ohio Education: BA, Psychology,Baldwin-Wallace College 1965; Ph.D.Industrial Psychology, Wayne StateUniversity, 1971 Professional Experience:University of Detroit, Assistant Professorand Assistant Chairmen, PsychologyDept., 1970-73; Ford Motor Company,Industrial Psychologist 1973-1998;Management Consultant, 1998-2002.Personal: Married Elizabeth (Betsy) in1966—we met in college—one son,

Joshua, two grandchildren living in Arlington, VA. We became SeabrookIsland residents in 2001.

John B. Wells

Issues facing Seabrook Island residentsin 2016, from the own of SeabrookIsland Perspective:

1. Maintain our vigilance to keep theSeabrook Island road access gateprivate.

2. Streamline the process ofadministration of new constructionand modications to multi familydwellings by the Seabrook IslandProperty Owners Association andthe own of Seabrook Island.

3. Insure that the own of SeabrookIsland provides adequate staff andfunding for the oversight andenforcement of own ordinances with emphasis on EmergencyPlanning and the BeachManagement Plan.

4. Assign the own of SeabrookIsland to lead a coordinated reviewof the 2015 Seabrook Island epicrain event and relocation of theKiawah river inlet for lessonslearned and recommended actions.

5. Maintain a zero millage tax ratefor the own of Seabrook Island.

Issues facing Seabrook Island residentsin 2016, from the residence and condo/villa owner prospective:

1. Maintenance and ownership ofroads and storm drainage systems.

2. Study of storm drainage systemto identify additional areas notincluded in original design.

3. Maintenance of buffer zonesbetween adjoining SIC and SIPOAproperties.

4. Maintaining property values withaging facilities.

5. Continue development of MasterPlans for regimes to facilitate “buyin” by property owners for futureinvestment requirements.

Biography 1. My wife Mary and I have been

residents of Seabrook Island since1995.

2. I serve on the own of SeabrookIsland Planning Commission asits Chairman for 2014/2015. TeCommission prepared the rstupdate to the Beach ManagementPlan in over 20 years which wasnegotiated with Federal and stateagencies , presented to public

meeting for comments, and nallyapproved by the governing agenciesand issued by t he Seabrook ownCouncil .

3. I am serving on the Seabrook IslandClub Maintenance Committee for2014/2015.

4. I worked as the Program andMaintenance Manager for theSIPOA from 1998 to August2013 when I voluntarily retired.Highlights of my job included:

a. Preparation and submittal of yearlybudgets for all maintenance, upgrades,and contracts to support landscaping,roads, storm drainage, buildings, andplanned new constructions.b. Managed development and issue ofnew construction and maintenancecontracts and supervised staff andcontractors on daily operations. Isubmitted monthly reports based onestablish objectives for the year.c. Developed and implementedmaintenance programs for the storm water systems using the acquiredGlobal Positioning System (GPS)database structure.

d. Developed and implemented amaintenance program for the SeabrookIsland Master Roads program to extendthe life of road surfaces and integrationof programmed repaving consistent with budget constraints.e. Assigned as a member of the initialteam in 200 4 between the SeabrookIsland Club and the Seabrook IslandProperty Owners Association for thedevelopment of Te Horizon Plan.f. Served as original member of theHorizon Plan Committee as theSIPOA Representative until September2006.g. Prepared, issued, and managedcontracts for yearly beach scraping work in accordance with federal andstate permits to assist in the transportof sand to the west end of SeabrookIsland.5. I was hired in 1997 by the SIPOA

as the Architectural Review BoardCoordinator and was reassignedin 1998 as the Maintenance andOperations Program Manager.

6. I am a graduate of ClemsonUniversity in 1962 with a degreein Electrical Engineering. Priorto moving to Seabrook Island in1995 , I worked for 33 years forthe Navy as a Senior CombatSystems Engineer.

get to the River Course. Tat included the groom whosaid to his ancée on the phone, “If I have to swim toyou, I will get to you!” But the other 160 guests couldnot make the 5-mile, high-water trek, and so calls wentout to the wedding guests, who had traveled from all overthe country, that the Saturday evening wedding had beencancelled.

“It was extremely disappointing,” said longtime friendand John’s Island resident Dawn Rosendahll. “But t here

was nothing anyone could do. Tis is not what you wantfor your daughter’s wedding. It was heartbreaking.”

However, the brave and practical Keeler family decidedthe wedding was going to take place the following day,Sunday, Oct. 4, without a band, cocktails, hors oeuvres,dinner, or a photographer.

“Our goal was to get these two married and off to their

St. Lucia honeymoon,” said the father of the bride. Andso a new plan was made Sunday morning and everyonesprang into action. A bus was rented which stopped atthe Andell Inn and collected what guests hadn’t alreadyleft for home or the airport. Te vintage bus barreledthrough the ooded roads and picked up other guestsstaying in homes on the island. Te officiant, who wasunable to get on the island, was replaced by the bride’scousin, Lily Kortlandt Colasurdo who had gone onlinethe night before and became an ordained minister. She would perform the ceremony.

But it was the staff at the River Course and weddingcoordinator Margaret Roberts, of WED Wedding Eventand Design, that came together and put on the mostspectacular wedding ever witnessed during a torrentialdownpour, strengthened by a hurricane passing 400miles offshore.

Te bride and her remaining bridesmaids arrivedat the club via the bus and were shuffled off to a roomto get dressed. Te groom and his groomsmen did thesame. Te time of the wedding was changed to “whenthe bride walks out here.” Te guests waited patiently,taking seats in the bar as the rain teemed down outsideonto the already ooded golf course. Ten suddenly,the photographer Nickie Cutrona showed up. And soonafter, the hair and makeup artist arrived.

At about 1:30 p.m., the gentle ceremony music beganto play, the guests assembled on the outside coveredporch, and the wedding party slowly processed out.

“It was just so emotional,” said wedding guest andchildhood friend of the bride, Katie Saunier Smith. “It’snot how weddings are supposed to go, and yet everything was coming together. Molly looked so beautiful. Tere was so much love for them. Tere wasn’t a dry eye in theplace,” she smiled.

After the ceremony was over, the front doors swungopen and one by one, nine soaking-wet musicians fromthe band Satin Finish from Atlanta began walking in with their instruments. “No one could believe it,” saidMary Anne Fisher, aunt of the bride. Te band’s bus was

stuck in the high water, so the general manager of RiveCourse, Robbie Crawford, boarded his large SUV andmade several trips picking up the stranded players.

Chef Paul insley got the call that the wedding wason, but not to worry about the food. He and his wifeChristine bravely decided they had to at least try to getthe club and do what they could. Te moment theyarrived, they began frantically cooking in the kitchenTe Sunday contingency wedding menu was champagneand cake only. With only a handful of staff able to makeit into work, the limited crew opened the bar, poppedchampagne and set out a spread of appetizers, saladshrimp and grits, braised beef and more. And the band,now dressed in tuxedos, played crowd-pleasing Motowsongs. And the people danced.

“I don’t know how they did it,” said Fisher. “You would not have known it was planned differently.”

“People really stepped up and went above andbeyond,” said Caroline Price, sister and matron of honorof the bride. “I could not believe how hard everyone was working. It may have been c ancelled once, thermay have been a hurricane, and it may have been a littleunconventional - but I say it was perfect.”

PHOTOSBYNICKIE CUTRONA


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TOKI Council continues on page 10

Opinion/Editorial

Enforce the rulesW hen I had young teenagers, I told my children the rules of the road thatkept them safe: stopping at red lights, yielding to pedestrians, slowingdown in school zones. Tese are not only good common practices, butmportant rules for young drivers.

As a homeowner on Kiawah Island, I rely on other rules to maintainighborly order: planning, zoning and code enforcement. own rules, knownordinances, prevent us from erecting billboards, shooting off reworks in ourckyards and parking RVs and boats in our yards. Some of these rules benetindividual - limiting commercial zoning for example, prevents my neighbor

om opening a business next door, and most benet the public. Tis includes theblic use of our shared waterways.In 1992, the town of Kiawah recognized one of its most precious, public

sources - our river and creeks - and established zones for docks, recommending future docks be shared. Tis was a rule that ensured that personal access toe water was allowed, but our public enjoyment of the water, by kayak, boat orne of sight, was retained because it prevented overdevelopment of docks.

As dock space has become a more rare and valuable commodity, our towns bent these rules. In areas where large docks have never been, they've beenstalled; in areas where shared docks should be, individual docks have beenilt. Personally, this affects me because I enjoy the creeks where some of thesew docks have been built by paddle board and by line of sight. But collectively,is should concern all of us. When I asked our town officials about theirluctance to enforce their own dock ordinances, I was simply told “We havecided to drop our lawsuit. It would cost too much to pursue further.” It seemswas more convenient not to follow the rules.A plain reading of the rules makes it clear these docks are not allowed by

wn ordinance and the town knows this. Our town government is choosingt to do anything about it. Tey are not enforcing their own rules. Similar todriver running a red light, the town has crossed into a new intersection: theyuld enforce their own ordinances and call for the removal of the docks, or theyuld ignore the rules for the sake of convenience. We deserve a government thatlieves in its own self enough to follow its system of rules.

Kathryn Parks & Diane MatagranoKiawah Island

About Letters to the Editor / Opinon / Editorialsletters and Opinions submitted to The Island Connection must bear a full name,ress and phone number for veri cation. Only the author’s name and city will be

printed. Submissions are accepted via email to [email protected].

issions may be edited for length and readability. The Island Connection reservesight to reject submissions that are libelous, unseemly, not individually addressedIsland Connection or that have been previously published elsewhere. The Island

nection will not publish letters endorsing political candidates. Op-Ed articles andetters to the Editor do not re ect the opinion of Lucky Dog News or its writers.

civic

Town of Kiawah councilmeeting, Oct. 6, 2015

BY GREGG BRAGGThe Island Connection Staff Writer

K iawah’s town council meeting gota late start on Oct. 6, 2015, as asteady stream of attendees ooded

chambers and braced for a “three hourtour.” Parliamentary obligations includeddiscussion and approval of six sets ofminutes. Te minutes of a special meetingheld Aug. 20 were tabled and the minutesof an Executive Session held Sept. 17 weretweaked before being approved along withthose of the remaining four meetings.Te road was nally cleared for a robustinstallment of citizen’s comments and a wide range of topics.

Citizens' Comments James Bailey, COO of the Kiawah

Island Community Association andrecently announced candidate forCharleston City Council, was rst inline. His presentation sounded like theold Wendy’s commercials as he provided256 different descriptions of the havoc wrought by the recent ooding. Kiawah was closed, in case you missed it, along with roads all over the Lowcountryand in cities as far away as Columbia.Looking the part of a rst responder,khakis tucked into mud boots, Baileyincluded information from the national weather service saying “Kiawah received18.4 inches of rain … double the amountthat accompanied Hugo … We did all wecould but will look for ways to improve… KICA will be [proactively] treating formosquitoes.” He took time at the end ofthe lengthy report to thank town staff andthe St. Johns Fire District.

SJFD Fire Chief Colleen Walz was

next, reporting on a wide array of topicsSeptember had been a busy month forher team. She alluded to the ooding which closed the intersection of MainRd. and Route 17 earlier in September. Walz continued, describing the extensivedamage all over Johns Island on Sept. 25 which resulted from an EF2 tornado.

“Te new S FD headquarters building was the center for all activity [for thresponse] which is what it was designedfor,” said Walz. She touched briey on there which claimed 23 Blue Heron PondDr. [in the Preserve], before addressingthe record rainfall.

“We had water up to the doors of ourvehicles [in the midst of the storm] as we rescued people who would not stayinside. Tey need to heed the warning,”said Walz. She stressed the need to keepstreets open and clear of stranded vehiclesResponses to other emergencies wouldhave been hampered by disabled carscontinued Walz, and the effectiveness oher team was watered down, obliged torespond to manufactured issues on top ofan already serious situation.

Kiawah resident Wendy Kulickexpressed her appreciation for the responsto the weather event. “I was very pleaseto see the own utilized both Code Redand the Xchange to keep property ownersinformed.” she said, before posing anumber of questions.

1. “When the own released theforensic accountant’s report, [it


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October 23, 2015

Council continues from page 9 went back] just far enough to engage the U.S. Attorney. I understand that at the Sept. 1 councilmeeting, it was announced the accountants wouldgo back to 2012. What changed council’s mind?

When wil l the review of 2012 be completed andthe results released to the public?” asked Kulick.“Te Ways & Means Committee voted at its Augustmeeting to recommend the C establish an AuditCommittee. On the agenda for today’s meeting

is the appointment of two citizen members of the Audit Committee. Both [Andrew Capelli and James Williams] appear to be eminently qualied to serve,”said Kulick. She went on, however, to cite this as a lackof transparency. OKI never announced the openpositions, so did not consider other residents, whomight also be qualied. Several OKI representativesagreed the missing announcement was the result ofnecessity driven in part by timing. Tis was a prioritycouncil seemed to want underway but the idea ofadditional members was oated.Kulick prefaced her next question with therecently revealed $800,000 in unanticipated costson the part of the Municipal Center Committee.Had expenses like the surprise “requirement toscrape the top 2' off the Betsy Kerrison property to

remove any remaining fertilizer/chemicals in thesoil been included [in the gure?],” Kulick wantedto know. She also asked if Jacobs Engineering’ssite survey had included any warning of such arequirement and if they or the seller were culpable“since the property was undevelopable withoutthe removal?” And, if Jacobs Engineering did notnotify the own of this requirement, did they failto fulll the requirements of their contract?”Kulick followed up on past questions about thesalary range for the town administrator position.Te new town administrator Stephanie illerson,

will be paid $105,000 “at par with what theGovernor of South Carolina is paid. I continue toquestion why this position should command such ahigh salary. Te own currently has fewer than 15employees. Tere is no police force, re departmentor EMS service for the administrator to supervise,[Unlike the new town administrator's prior job, onefor which she was paid approximately 40 percentless],” concluded Kulick. Council respondedthat illerson's experience with planning andprospective contributions to the new municipalcomplex contributed to the new administrator’ssalary.

awah resident Art Morgenstern was next and hady to say.wo months ago, Mayor Lipuma volunteered that themight be able to make available to the public partsstudy that Jacobs Engineering conducted when it

wed KIU for possible purchase by the own. A weekemailed the Mayor regarding status, and he indicated

as asking Councilman Labriola to check into theability of the study. wo weeks later I checked withabriola and received an email from him on Aug. 24,states in part the following:

We have asked Dennis Rhodes for a formal opinionhether these studies could be made available toommunity. Dennis has asked to review the initialment that was done a number of years ago and waswith the current owners.We have placed a call to the law rm which preparedgreement to ensure that we have the correct

ment for Dennis to review. Unfortunately, therenumber of les with different dates and we want tocertain we have the relevant document. We have

eard back from the law rm. When we do we willrd the document on to Dennis for his opinion and

provide you a response to your request.’am surprised that it has taken over a month for a lawor rms to respond to a question from its client. Ineantime, the Utility is moving ahead on the project,difficult for me to understand how the own and

mmittees can objectively fulll their responsibilitycommunity regarding the project without access togineering information, nor is it possible for citizensjectively review this matter. I would appreciateupdate on the status of this matter,” concluded

Morgenstern. Te town’s attorney exchanged emailaddresses with Morgenstern as the only response.

Kiawah resident Dennis McGill asked council to justifydemanding $165/hour to complete a FOIA request if theintent was anything other than a deterrent effect. He wasreferring to a recent article in Te Island Connection.Councilmember Johnson replied OKI was short staffedat the time of the request and would complete it anytimefor the specied amount.

Diane Lehder of Kiawah also thanked responders fortheir work during the previous weekend’s ooding. She

went on to say she was “stunned” the town would have toscrape and replace two feet of earth from the area aroundthe new municipal center. She wondered why this wasn'tdiscovered during due diligence before purchasing thetract, and whether the added expenses were included inthe estimated costs currently on the table. Lipuma saidyes, but added that was not the only surprise, the ownrecently learned current zoning on the property permitsonly a single curb cut and requires parking be behindthe structure. Te proposed plans call for two curb cutsand place some parking in front of the building. Lipumasuggested the Planning Commission would have to rezonethe property to accommodate these needs.

Te mayor also said the soil to be removed was onlyunder the building. Asked if that meant the soil had to bereplaced, Lipuma said the plan is to build up the property

to 14’ plus 1” above mean height sea level so you don’thave to go up 10-12 steps, similar to what Kiawah Resortdid with Te Sanctuary. Part of that ll will come fromthe drainage pond the own is required to put in.

Lehder asked the mayor, “Did you know this beforesigning the contract?” Lipuma said “we did borings” [todetermine supportability of the soil]. He went on to saythe costs were included in the $800,000 cost overrun.

“Tey [MCC] are doing a thorough review withthe architect and are looking at cost reduction items.Councilmember Labriola, will meet with them on

Wednesday [Oct. 7] and I will meet with them onTursday [Oct. 8].” Councilmember Weaver thencorrected the record and pointed out there is no $800,000overrun because the budget for own Hall has not yetbeen approved.

Kiawah’s Marilyn Larach concluded citizen’scomments by asking how guests/visitors had beeninformed of the ooding situation. Tere was no goodanswer but the apt observation was acknowledged andtaken under advisement.

Old BusinessTere was no new business but nine items of old

business jammed the agenda. Most were routine businessitems; A charter was adopted for the all new AuditCommittee, Andrew Capelli and James Williams wereadded as members of the Audit Committee; a satellitephone purchase was approved; Van McCollum was addedas a member of the Arts Council; a window cleaningcontract was approved; a memo for emergency services

with Freshelds was approved.opping the list was approval of the employment

agreement with Stephanie Monroe illerson, stilltechnically just a candidate for the vacant position oftown administrator. Councilmember Labriola movedto accept the agreement, opening the way for a full-to-the-brim amount of discussion. Council had receivedan anonymous letter from “Concerned Citizens for theCity of Woodruff.” Te letter had given councilmember

Johnson pause. Comments ew akimbo until Johnsonmoved to delay the vote, pending second interviews forcompeting candidates and a sanity check into the letter’sallegations. However, procedure doesn’t allow for nestedmotions.

Asked if he would set his motion aside toconsider councilmember Johnson’s motion to delay,councilmember Labriola declined, forcing an up ordown vote. Acceptance of the employment agreementand illerson passed 4-1 with Johnson voting “[NAY].”During the discussion, illerson was present in theaudience, having made the trip from Spartanburg for thevote. Her rst official day on the job is Oct. 26.

Councilmember Wilson led a discussion on the statusof the closing audit for the 2014/2105 scal year, whichdrags on. He has encountered a number of “incompetententries, which have to be cleaned up,” he said. Te fullreport will be made available as soon as it is completed,he promised before delving into a discussion of how to

handle a new HR committee.Te trouble with committees, is the effort required to

comply with public demands including compliance withthe Freedom of Information Act. apes have to be madetranscripts produced and members selected. Te lengthydiscussion of how to handle the HR committee, as a parof the existing Ways & Means committee or as a separagroup, was closed out by councilmember Wilson. Hinsisted some form of the group was essential, echoinmany recent public comments saying, “many of oupractices are counter to our [written policy] like payin

overtime to exempt employees.”Committee reports Wilson1. Planning – working to nish up the

Comprehensive Plan2. Board of Zoning Appeals – nothing to reportLabriola 1. Reviewing all aspects of the municipal center

project. Johnson1. Announced several Arts Council events. Please

check the town’s website for upcoming events.2. Environmental Committee, long sidelined, is

preparing to meet, times to be announced Weaver1. Communications committee - nothing to report2. Safety committee –• House re at 23 Blue Herron• Flooding – Moving cars was a matter of safety

NO convenience. Please read and followinstructions.

• Charleston County is working to addressemergency hospital transport. Until xed, anadditional “quick response vehicle” will be in tharea manned by paramedics.

Lipuma 1. Staff delivered a report on the effects of the

ooding on the beach – it was bad.Second Round of Citizens CommentsMarilyn Larach was back in the front of the class1. She asked council to prevail upon county

officials to upgrade the boardwalk atBeachwalker Park, which had not been upgradedfor some time and was particularly vulnerable torecent high tides

Dennis McGill1. Insisted the contract with the attorney which

produced the employment agreement for thenew town administrator should have been madepublic

2. Any funds allocated by council should be votedon in public

3. He wanted to know why the agreements forrepayment on the part of four, overpaid, OKIstaff members had not come before council.

• Why were they given another two years to repayOKI?• Tey should be charged interest• Te overpayments should have been obvious to

them when they got the W-2s• “Loyal” employees, as demanded by OKI

employment documentation, should havereported the overage

• Te four employees should have been disciplined,nothing has been done and that is unacceptable

Wendy Kulick 1. Asked about executive session and was informe

it would take about 1.5 hours2. Asked why the public couldn’t be present for

rumored sessions with the architects of the new

municipal complex 3. Cited councilmember Weaver for his lack oftransparency in forming a sub-group instead of asub-committee, which would have been subjectto FOIA

After the Executive Session, the meeting waadjourned.

civic


10/22

ber 23, 2015

nistrator continues from cover

daily

Ti d e C h a r t

Date High Tide Low Tide

Hurricanes, storms, etc., are NO included in the predictions.idal current direction changes and tide time predictions can be

very different. ide predictions are PREDIC IONS; they can bewrong so use common sense.

Oct 23Oct 24Oct 25Oct 26Oct 27Oct 28Oct 29Oct 30Oct 31Nov 1Nov 2Nov 3Nov 4Nov 5

Source: saltwatertides.com

12:23am/1:02pm1:18am/2:02pm2:21am/3:07pm3:28am/4:12pm4:33am/5:14pm5:36am/6:12pm6:35am/7:08pm7:31am/8:01pm8:25am/8:54pm9:17am/9:45pm10:09am/10:37pm11:02am/11:30pm11:55am12:25am/11:49am

6:32am/7:29pm7:29am/8:27pm8:34am/9:28pm9:42am/10:29pm10:49am/11:26pm11:52am12:21am/12:51pm1:13am/1:47pm2:04am/2:41pm2:54am/3:34pm3:44am/4:26pm4:34am/5:18pm5:25am/6:12pm5:18am/6:06pm

dential nor was it signed by anyone.y be nothing. I requested that wethe vote on the contract by one

o weeks to ask questions and lookr into it. Tat did not receive anyrt. Te vote was taken 4-1. I wasomfortable voting without more

mation."letter made various allegations

illerson's handling of the city'set, but offered no supportingnce to its claims and was unsigned.oodruff's Mayor Kenneth Gist toldost & Courier that illerson hadd the town well.y far she has been the mostctive city manager. She’s going toly missed. Her shoes are going to be

hard to ll,” Gist said.illerson's contract is through

November 2017, and includes clausesthat limit outside activities or personalphilanthropy interfering with herresponsibilities, and prohibits anyother employment without the expresspermission of the Mayor and council. Hersalary is $105,000, and she has been givena moving bonus of up to $5,000.

“ illerson seems very anxious to jumpon board,” Lipuma said. “She’s verypleased. She has already attended sometown meetings and been very responsive

with me and other folks. She has metevery member of staff, and plans to sitdown with each of them to nd out moreabout them, more about what they do,more about what their concerns may be.”

nie Tillerson.


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Lowcountry Artists


12/22

ober 23, 2015 13fall arts preview

CSO reveals State of the SymphonyBY SARAH NOLAN

For The Island Connection

he Charleston Symphony Orchestra celebrateda successful year at its annual “State of theSymphony” meeting on Monday, Sept. 28 at the

eston Library Society. CSO Board Chair Cynthiaey reported to donors that the organization isd on the threshold of an exciting future. New Musictor Ken Lam has been busy planning the upcomings performance season and will lead the CSO asake residence of the newly built Galliard Center

rmance hall. Hartley praised the CSO leadershipelivering rm nancial results for the 2014-2015year. With the support of CSO donors, Hartley

nized the cadre of talented musicians and announcedhe organization is now fully staffed to deliver on itstion mission. Te Orchestra employs 24 full-timessional musicians; their newest musician, Principalon Joshua Baker, joined this September whilstleting his Master of Music from Rice Universityuston, exas. Zachary Hammond also joins the

estra as Principal Oboe and will lead the upcomingque Masters performance on February 5-6, 2016.ecutive Director Michael Smith addressed thence of donors to review artistic highlights ofurrent year. He thanked Yuriy Bekker, for hisbutions conducting and performing; it remainsseen how Bekker’s role will change with the

on of Ken Lam. Bekker led an intimate stringet performance of Beethoven’s Opus 18, No. 4 Firstment, which drew enthusiast ic applause from those

endance.. Smith presented nancial results at the meeting,ing that the CSO completed its fth consecutiven with a modest operating surplus. Te CSOnues to enjoy steady growth; revenue since 2011ncreased 40 percent. Smith was especially proudte that 80 percent of expenses were dedicated toSO mission to inspire and engage the communitygh exceptional musical performances andtion programs. Te “Share the Stage” program

oung musicians continues to be very popular andssful. Te CSO has made a $400,000 commitment16 to new education and community engagementives, including an exciting “Link Up” partnership

with Carnegie Hall to work with the school systems.Te inux in staff will also improve the experience ofthe already successful Young People’s Concert series; twoperformances at the new Galliard are already sold outand the CSO has just announced they have added anextra one.

Te new CSO website was unveiled at the meeting andis now live. Te site is much more active and engaging,

with bold imagery that is easy to navigate. Single ticketsfor the new season are on sale now via the website www.charlestonsymphony.org.

“We have incredible performances planned for thisseason and a strong group of musicians to further elevatethe Orchestra,” Smith said. “We are pleased to launchsingle ticket sales today to provide an opportunity for allmusic lovers to participate in this monumental season.”

Notable performances now on sale includeFrankenstein Live, part of Te Pops! Series. Te CSO willaccompany the 1931 classic lm with an all-new score onOctober 20, 2015; Principal rumpet Antonio Marti and

Second rumpet Chris Larios are expected to make a biimpact on the Te Pops! Series this year. Also comingup in November is Te Masterworks Series Beethoven’s

4th Piano Concerto, which will feature the CSO chorusand pianist Daria Rabotkina and encompass works by Johannes Brahms and William Walton.

Before adjourning the meeting, Smith announced theCSO is embarking upon its rst 5-year Strategic Plancentered on its vision to be a world-class orchestra for

world-class city. Te CSO plans to take advantage of themomentum behind the new Galliard Center and expect60 percent growth over the next half-decade. Tey arealso planning to build a substantial cash surplus in casof any economic instability over the years ahead.

Te future looks rosy for the CSO, with a wonderfulprogram of performances ahead and the healthy andloyal support of its generous donors.

Charleston Symphony Orchestra 2015-16season highlights• Frankenstein Live, Te Pops! Series: Experience

the 1931 classic Frankenstein movie like neverbefore as CSO accompanies the lm with an a llnew score on Oct. 30, 2015.

• Beethoven’s 4th Piano Concerto, TeMasterworks Series: Join conductor Ken Lam,CSO chorus, and pianist Daria RabotkinaNov. 6-7, 2015, as they play Beethoven’s “PianoConcert No. 4 in G Major” as well as pieces by Johannes Brahms and William Walton.

• Holy City Messiah, Special Events: Becomea part of the CSO holiday tradition as theyperform Handel’s Messiah Dec. 10-12, 2015.

• Sounds Of New Orleans, Te Pops! Series:Enjoy one of jazz’s most celebrated trumpetplayers, Byron Stripling, as he performs aheartfelt tribute to Louis Armstrong on Jan.30, 2016.

Executive Director Michael Smith addresses the audienceat the CSO's State of the Symphony in September.


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October 23, 2015fall arts preview

Celebrating the arts in CharlestonO P E N A R T S E X P O H I G H L I G H T S A R T S O R G A N I Z AT I O N S ,

P R O G R A M S I N C H A R L E S T O N A R E A

BY SARAH NOLANFor The Island Connection

he OPEN Arts Expo took place on Sunday, Sept.20 at Te Cistern Yard and brought together40 participating organizations for an afternoon

hibits, workshops and performances. Lily Hunt,tor of Programs and Operations for the Charlestonnal Alliance for the Arts was on hand to welcomers as the downtown community came out for theration of arts in the Lowcountry.events included eleven performances, among themy dancers from Art Pot Hispanic Teatre Groupred). Teir mission is to unite the communitygh art and theatre.arts Mend Hearts is an emerging non-prot

h seeks to help grief-stricken communities by usingealing powers of art. Tey were on hand with thert of Charleston County Public Library to build a

munity mandala in remembrance of the EmanuelChurch victims.Tey are offering free workshops

ople of all ages impacted by the tragedy through theh of October in the Story Room at CCPL.Kammermusik Concert Series is new to Charlestonas performances scheduled through Spring 2016.tor and classical saxophonist Jonathan Kammer isoting the debut season; the next performance takeson Dec. 4 at Unitarian Church.

any theater groups were represented at the Expo.ber Music Charleston is excited to announce a

“Buy 1, Get 1 Free” promotion on its upcoming OvationConcerts. “A Night In Vienna” will recreate a Viennese

wine garden and take place on Nov. 7 at the Memminger Auditorium. It is also offering $5 off tickets for selectDowntown House Concerts and Kiawah Island HouseConcerts. Tese one-off performances have been verypopular due to the intimate setting of private houses andtheir social nature, with a reception afterwards allowingthe audience members the opportunity to meet musiciansand mingle with other attendees. Call 843.763.4941 to

book and mention this article for discount.Te Woolfe Street Playhouse marks the third

year since it has moved to its downtown location in 100-year-old renovated warehouse with the SouthCarolina Premier of “One Man, wo Guvnors.” Te play

won rave reviews on Broadway and London’s West Enand is currently enjoying a sell-out tour of shows acrothe UK and Ireland. Woolfe Street Playhouse is offerin$5 with code OPEN when booking tickets online(woolfestreetplayhouse.com).

Teatre Charleston aims to promote local theatrein the area. New Director Joseph Demerly moved her

just over 2 months ago from Buffalo, NY and has beebusy getting to know the community and reforming thetheatre advocacy group that brings together fteen livtheatre groups in Charleston. Te recent Awards Gala atFrancis Marion Hotel was a great success and recognizeover twenty award recipients for their achievemenin theatre. Te money raised will support visibility forupcoming productions and strengthen operations formember theaters and performing arts organizations.

Finally, there is a new arts and education center intown. Fabulon Art gallery and school opened its doorin July in West Ashley, and have already announced schedule of monthly exhibitions. Of particular interesis the upcoming photography show, “A New ake on thePortrait” which runs from Dec. 1-30 (fabulonart.com).

The Art Pot performers has a mission to unite thecommunity through theater.


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ber 23, 2015fall arts preview

upport music, tour homesC S O L P R E S E N T S 2 0 1 5

S Y M P H O N Y T O U R O F H O M E S

BY GREGG BRAGGThe Island Connection Staff Writer

radition is an honor which isn’tclaimed so much as earned. Annualevents, for example, come and go

nly those with a special magic lastome “A radition.” Now in its 51st

the Charleston Symphony Orchestraue certainly qualies for the title.

CSOL participates in a hostctivities designed to support theeston Symphony Orchestra. It is a

contributors, providing housing forg musicians, and supplying lunche musicians on double rehearsal days.ague also supports music educationghout the state, awarding more than00 in scholarships annually. Te list ofs include college scholarships, matchingscholarships, scholarships for summerand professional scholarships formusicians. One of the nest traditions,ver, is the Symphony our of Homes.longest running tour of homes onland, the 2015 Symphony our ofes is scheduled for Nov. 8 from 1 to. on Kiawah.s year’s tour features musicians

ng in each of ve very ne homes,”ecky Hilstad, President of the CSOL.aron Bartshe, chair of the event, leadsup which includes both Seabrook and

Kiawah residents. Tey are determined tomake this year special, promising “a surprisevisit by new CSO Maestro, Ken Lam atone of the houses between rehearsals.” Allfunds raised go directly to the CSO andto a CSOL Scholarship program for youngmusicians in the Lowcountry.

Special rate tickets are availablethrough Nov. 7 for $45. ickets may bepurchased online, (http://csolinc.org/events/2013-tour-of-homes.html), at theKiawah Island Visitors Center, downtownCharleston Visitors Center and IndigoBooks in Freshelds Village. Day-of eventtickets will be $50 and can be purchasedat Freshelds Village check-in.

“It will be an exciting day,” said Hilstad.“Hege's Restaurant is also offering a 10percent discount for brunch and dinneron the day of the show to all House ourticket holders.”

Following the Symphony our ofHomes, the own of Kiawah CulturalEvents Fund is sponsoring a masterworks-style concert by the Charleston SymphonyOrchestra, featuring over 60 musicians,a soloist, and led by Maestro Lam. Teconcert will be held in the East BeachConference Center at 6 p.m.. Everyone isinvited and no tickets are required.


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October 23, 2015daily

When the waters roseBY GREGG BRAGG

The Island Connection Staff Writer

he recent torrential rain experienced in the

Charleston area between Oct. 1 and 5, the result ofa combination of a signicant low pressure systemhe presence of Hurricane Joaquin about 400 milesore, brought life on the Sea Islands to a grindingTere were over 250 road and 125 bridge closuresghout the state, including extensive closures of thearteries on Johns Island, the only way onto the

ah and Seabrook islands.Johns Fire District’s Chief Walz and her team wereg the many agencies to respond. She took umbrageemergencies manufactured by those who scoffed attions and attempted to drive off the islands.

My people were in harm’s way because of those

who did not heed warnings ‘to stay off the roads’,” saidthe Chief. Stalled vehicles means stranded people andblocked roads, the bane of emergency responders, who

need to focus on more unavoidable calamities.Te National Weather Service reported 18.44 inchesof rain the rst ve days in October, which is half amillion gallons of water/acre, roughly double the amountHurricane Hugo deposited in 1989. Adding to thetreachery were seasonal, inordinately high tides the NWSestimated at 8.29 feet. Te water simply had nowhere togo and ponded everywhere. Conditions were a little likeVegas, in a way; the roads that are closed, stay closed.Essential ly, all of Governors Drive and the Kiawah IslandParkway were included and best navigated by kayak.

Sunday would see less traffic, abandoned carsunceremoniously shoved out of the way (amidst protests)and more of the same weather. ouring Kiawah by bike was a grey, almost melancholy affair, though the frogsseemed happy enough. Water at the intersection of

Governors Drive and Flyway was above the knees andappeared red enough to make you wonder where you were in the chronology of plagues. Was the worst behindor yet to come? Conditions conjured a game of biblicalmetaphor roulette, including such contemporary odditiesas:

• 40 days and 40 nights worth of rain compactedinto ve.

• People traveling in pairs because it had rained sohard and so long.

• Alligators encountered swimming across theroad in multiple places.

• Snakes encountered slithering for high ground.• Shore birds and “long legged” waders feeding in

the medians.• Wolf spiders surng, straddling the water on six

legs, as if those shiny eyeballs weren’t enough?• Te ramps at the oating dock at Cinder Creek

were inverted, pointing in the opposite directionof their design, straining the hinges attached tothe lower, xed portion of the dock.

• Te Vanderhorst gate was sandbagged andabandoned because of ooding.

• Te bellman at the Sanctuary had been at worksince Friday.

Te same can be said of Kiawah Island Communitystaff. James Bailey had to use a boat to get back to Kiawa

Photos by Kelly Bragg


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ber 23, 2015daily

several staff members, who steppedrelieve exhausted colleagues. KICAalso, “worked with Sysco on plansa large food delivery to the island

e event roads remained impassablelonger,” said Bailey. Fortunately,

measures weren’t needed.wn of Kiawah staff reported a wideof storm related impacts in a reportred to town council on Oct. 6.

estern half of the island fared best,ning a relatively minimal loss whichd from an inconsequential 5 all thep to 30 feet of dune loss. Te easternf the island had a rougher time of it.box on the 16th hole of the Ocean

e sustained up to 100 feet of dune

loss, but the report added there was noimminent threat to the course. Recentlyre-nourished inlets near the Ocean Courseclub house also took an 80-100 foot loss.Te worst hit area was the middle of theisland.

Several mid-island breaches in thedunes were reported. Te breach betweenlots 128 and 129 on Flyway Dr. isestimated to be 90 feet wide. Sea waternow ows in 210 feet behind the primaryremaining dune. Several boardwalks wereamputated and require repair from thearea of the breach all the way to the BeachClub. Swales in the dunes brim with fetid water everyone hopes will dry soon, along

with the rest of the state.


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Island Connection Calendar November 8EVEN S

e Oil Classes& Huff Art C enter locatedMarina, Wednesdays anda.m. - 1 p.m. opics includeapplying composition elementstings, edge work, brush ande use. Painting from still lifeEmail [email protected].

dge GroupLa ke House. Te Monday

up needs new players. For more please contact Lori Muenow314 or Ilse Calcagno at7.

Practice2nd, 3rd, and 4th uesday

h. Located at Te Lakeprey 2. Open to all newse returning to the game, andwho wants a chance to practicewho are learning the ga me.any questions, please contactson at [email protected].

Yoga in us for Rise and Shine Yogaomano, formerly known atYoga. Rise and Shine Yoga

els practice focused around

nding your day’s intention, set up yourselffor success and be ready to shine.

FridaysFriday Indoor Pickleball12:30 - 2:30 p.m. at St. Chris topher’sCamp. For further information, pleasecontact Mary orello at 843.768.0056.

SaturdaysHomegrown10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Johns Isl and Farmers’Market. Every Tird Saturday at 3546Maybank Highway Johns Island.For more information, visit www. johnsislandfarmersmarket.com.

2015 Sea Island Cars and Coffee9 - 11 a.m. Te third Saturday each monthat Freshelds Village.

Legare Farm Pumpkin Patch and MazeOpen weekends Friday 5-9 p.m., Saturday10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday 1 to 6 p.m.For more information on the month longfestivities, or to book a eldtrip please call843.559.0788, email [email protected] or visit www.legarefarms.com.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23

Legare Farms Haunted Maze a nd HouseFriday Oct. 23 and Saturday Oct. 24. TeHaunted event will take place from 8 to 10p.m. For more information on the monthlong festivities, or to book a eldtrip please call

843.559.0788, email in [email protected] orvisit us online at www.legarefarms.com. Underwater pumpkin carving contest Tis unique twist on a Halloween traditiontakes place in the Aquarium’s Great Ocean

ank, in 385,000 gallons of water a nd with more than 700 marine animals. Join us for this one-of-a-kind contest at11 a.m. on Oct. 23 and Hal loween, Oct.31. For more information on underwaterpumpkin carving contest and Halloween-themed enrichment call 843.577-FISH(3474) or visit the calendar on our website,scaquarium.org.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24

Fall Halloween Festival at theEquestrian Center4 – 7 p.m. Invite family members andfriends to join you at the barn for a funafternoon of riding demonstrations, poniesin Halloween costumes, and pony ridesfor our youngest guests. Come meet ournewest Seabrook herd member and lead-line pony, ucker, as he enjoys his rst bigevent. our the renovations to the backbarn, visit with favorite horses, and previewthe new Seabrook Island EquestrianCenter t-shirt. Tere will be live mus ic,and a picnic supper and beverages will beavailable for purchase.

Fall Festival for Johns, WadmalawRescheduled from Oct. 3

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25

Barrier Islands Free Medical Clinic’sLowcountry Wine & Beer Festival3 to 6 p.m. Rescheduled from Oct. 4,Freshelds Village. Under the tent on theVillage Green! See story page 22.

Lowcountry rail Half Marathon and5K at Mullet Hall Equestrian CenterRaces are offered for two distances: ahalf marathon and a 5K. Both the HalfMarathon and 5K events will begin at 8:30a.m. $48 and $34. Online registration isavailable at CharlestonCountyParks.comand will end at 3 p.m. on Oct. 23.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27

Make it YOUR Business – Own aFranchiseFree educational seminar at the Sea IslandsChamber of Commerce, 2817 MaybankHighway, Unit #1, f rom 11:30 a.m. to1:30 p.m. (lunch provided). Registerhttps://makeityourbusiness.eventbrite.com

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30

Frankenstine with the CharlestonSymphony Orchestra An entirely new way to celebrate the nightof fright. 7:30 p.m. at the CharlestonGaillard Center, CSO will accompany t he1931 classic Frankenstein movie with afull orchestra and score written by MichaelShapiro. charlestonsymphony.org

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31

Bohicket Merchants Association CharityOyster Roast Benet for the Barrier Island Free MedicalClinic and k ick off for oy’s for ot’s.Noon to 4 p.m. (rain date November 1st). Advance ticket cost is $30 and tickets atthe event are $35 each. Te price includesbeer & all the oysters you can eat. Bringyour shucking knife! Kids can trick ortreat through the marina at participatingmerchants.SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 1

Haochen Zhang, pianist 4 p.m., Church of Our Saviour. Kiawah Arts Council presents 25-year-old Chinesepianist Haochen Zhang. ickets at www.kiawahisland.org/special-events.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4

Freddy Cole Quartet 7:30 p.m., Seabrook Island House.Kiawah Arts Council presents A three-time Grammy nominee, Freddy Cole isone of American popular music’s greatest

performers. ickets at www.kiawahisland.org/special-events.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5

Veterans Appreciation Luncheon12 p.m. Last year we entertained over100 veterans, our seniors made andpresented over 18 quilts of valor to

them. Retired General Henry L aylor was our speaker and will return thisyear. Seeking lunch sponsor, and giftitems for t he Veterans(only). WadmalawIsland Community Center 5605 KatyHill Rd, Wadmalaw Island, SC 29487.843.789.4885.

Core & More at Te Lake HouseTe goal of this class is to improvestrength and stability of the abdominalsand back. While the main focus is thecore muscles, it also includes cardio andstrength exercises. Achieve total bodyconditioning using a variety of equipment with challenges for all levels. Join MichellePeterson on Tursdays at 8:30 a.m.beginning November 5.SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7

Harvest Festival11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Mullet Hall EquestrianCenter, Johns Island. Harvest Festivalfeatures down-home delights like a craftmarket, children’s activities, and livefoot-stomping bluegrass from ve bands!No outside food or beverages permitted. Admission is $8, or free for kids 12and under as well as Gold Pass holders.charlestoncountyparks.com. SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8

Charleston Cup 22nd RunningSunday morning the nation’s top riders,trainers and owners will compete forpurses totaling $60,000. Over 16,000

spectators will enjoy a full day at the races with exciting steeplechase and at races.Gates open at 9 a.m. and attendees driveearly. A vendor village and tailgating arein full swing by the time the paddock callrolls around at 12 p.m. 843.766.6202 ororder online w ww.charlestoncup.net.

2015 Symphony our of Homes1 to 5 p.m.Special rate tickets are availablethrough Nov. 7 for $45. ickets may bepurchased online, (http://csolinc.org/events/2013-tour-of-homes.html), at theKiawah Island Visitors Center, downtownCharleston Visitors Center and IndigoBooks in Freshelds Village. Day-of eventtickets will be $50 and can be purchased atFreshelds Village check-in.

Charleston Symphony Orchestra 6 p.m., East Beach Conference Center.New Maestro Ken Lam will lead theCharleston Symphony Orchestra in aMasterworks styled concert with 60 nemusicians and a basson soloist. Free. Noticket required.

2015 Wounded Warrior VeteransCharity Golf ournamentSee story page 21.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12

33rd Annual Heritage Days CelebrationNovember 12-14. Tis year the themeof the celebration is “Sea Island Roots:

A Celebration of Reconnection.” Tethree day event will bring to life thetraditions that the Gullah/Geecheecommunity of St. Helena Island isrooted in while also assisting many ofthe African Diaspora with researchingtheir Gullah/Geechee genealogy. Teentire event is a homecoming which willenrich the knowledge of all that attend while providing them with a cadre ofentertainment that shows the vast arrayof artistic talents that have emergedfrom the Sea Islands. VIP All AccessPasses are available for $60 for ALLactivities for the entire weekend andcan be purchased online at EventBriteat www.eventbrite.com/e/33rd-annual-heritage-days-celebration-tickets-18887355589?aff=erellivsim. For moredetails email [email protected], www.penncenter.com or call (843) 838-2432.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 14

Plantation Days at Middleton Place10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Cost: free with General Admission. Craftworkers demonstrate theskills practiced by slaves as they preparedthe antebellum plantation for w inter.Different aspects of 18th and 19th centuryplantation life will be explored includingdomestic skills, African Americanculture and Gullah storytelling.. www.middletonplace.org. Also, Sunday, Nov. 14

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October 23, 2015

Seabrook Island GardenClub November meeting

BY ALBERTA BARRONFor The Island Connection

he Seabrook Island GardenClub it is a great place to meet

your neighbors, support yourmunity and cultivate friendshipslearning from our experienced

ners and wonderful speakers on ay of horticultural related topics.n us this November as we welcomepecial speaker, Peggy Groce withmely presentation on How to Forceyllis and Spring bulbs to Bloom

Winter Color. Peggy is a retiredulturist. She studied at the Universityorgia and for 17 years owned andted “Greenery Unlimited Inc” dealingnterior tropical plants in Plano, exas.lso lived in Chicago and Pittsburgh,s and through the years she served on

rous organizations in various capacityas; the state convention chairman fors and Pennsylvania, and Assistantct Director for the Pittsburg FlowerMost recently she lived in Southport,

here she was head of garden guild forC and on the board of the Maritimeum. Peggy currently volunteers at theeston Horticulture Society (Plantasia)rowing Minds. She likes to golf, sh,arden and is active with her church,etto Presbyterian. One year ago Peggyted to Charleston settling downtown

months while her home was being builtolina Park. She is a widow and lives in

Mount Pleasant with her two (terriers) dogs.In keeping with tradition at the November

meeting, the Seabrook Island Garden Clubmembership also looks forward to hostingand welcoming the members of the KiawahIsland Garden Club. Tis is a wonderfulopportunity to meet some of our KiawahIsland neighbors and share best practices.

Also at this meeting the Holiday OpenHouse committee will have a sign-up tablefor volunteers before and after the meeting.Tis annual event is a wonderful way tospread the spirit and cheer of the holidayseason. While it is a huge undertaking,it is also great fun to participate in theorganization and delivery of this delightfulevent which will be enjoyed by our entirecommunity. All Seabrook Island residents

are invited, therefore to ensure the successof our Open House it does require the fullengagement of all club members.

For information on the Holiday OpenHouse Committee or how you can help, please contact the committee chairperson;Kathy Rigtrup Email: [email protected].

For information on membership please contact: Cheryl Schumann Email:[email protected] next meeting is scheduled on Friday,Nov. 13, 2015 at 9:30 a .m. at the SeabrookIsland Lake House.

Gardening arts & events

The Barrier Islands FreeMedical Clinic invites youback to Freshelds Village

BY LORI LEARYFor The Island Connection

O n Sunday, Oct. 25 from 3 to 6 p.m. stop by Indigo Books topick up your tickets for our “redux” fundraiser the “After theStorm” party. Under our big tent, Ann Caldwell’s vocals willsoothe your soul. Wine Bar 48’s red and white wines wil l be uncorked.Chilled craft beers will be opened and samplings of cheese biscuits,BBQ, pizza, pimento cheese sliders, chips & salsa, pretzels, creationsfrom Southern Season & desserts compliments of Saffron Bakery willsatisfy your taste buds.

alk with the Blasch’s, the Murphy’s and Mike odd about theirventures to South Africa with African Eyes ravel. Hear about Walt& Deborah Leonard’s stay in uscany with uscan Resorts. TeLeary’s and Easton’s will share their experiences in Italy, too. Eithertrip opportunity can be yours for only $2,795 and can be purchased bymultiple high bidders.

And, of course, browse & bid on our silent auction items. Tis year, we are offering a handcrafted, wooden boat that is spectacular. Makesure you check it out and the other incredible donations from ourlocal businesses and friends who value the time, energy, expertise andcompassion of our clinic’s volunteer patient providers, nurses, officestaff and interpreters who keep the uninsured adults on our islandshealthy and productive.

Don’t forget to bring along some non-perishable foods for ourfriends at the Sea Islands Hunger Foundation. Join the BIFMC Boardmembers and volunteers at Freshelds Village on Sunday. Enjoy arelaxing autumn afternoon. We promise, sunshine will abound thistime around!


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Documents

Island Connection - October 23, 2015