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|  Town Administrator's E-Brief
From Town Administrator, Eric DeMoura Town of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina |
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Dear Mount Pleasant residents and business owners,
I am happy to mention two important items currently underway here at the Town: a new Growth Management Plan Framework and the annual budget process. Growth Management Plan Framework
Mayor Linda Page and Mount Pleasant Town Council recently launched the framework of a Growth Management Plan. The plan seeks to manage growth to preserve the quality of life attributes that make Mount Pleasant so special. These attributes include public safety, public education, recreation, mobility, culture and history. In order to successfully balance development and livability, the growth management plan framework seeks to curb the allowed number of residential units in town, increase the cost of development onto development, and raise money for open space and recreation. I invite you to read our Growth Management Plan Framework along with our FAQs below for additional information. Budget Process
I am also pleased to announce that we have begun our annual budget process for fiscal year 2016. The budget is the Mayor and Town Council's financial plan for the upcoming year. It incorporates the strategic planning goals, priorities, policies and programs which are discussed and approved by the Mayor and Town Council. This year's focus is on core programs, services and infrastructure maintenance.
The Town of Mount Pleasant currently employs approximately 600 employees divided into nine departments which provide a full range of municipal services. These services include police and fire protection, municipal court, garbage collection services, maintenance of buildings and infrastructure, recreational facilities and programs, construction permitting and building inspections, land use planning and code enforcement, transportation management, and general administrative and legal support.
I would like to recognize our Chief Financial Officer Charlie Potts and his staff for pursuing the highest standards in budgeting. In recognition of their efforts, the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) has awarded the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting (CAFR) to the Town of Mount Pleasant for the 26th consecutive year and the prestigious Distinguished Budget Award for the third consecutive year.
I invite you to reference the timeline below and attend our budget committee meetings to familiarize yourself with this important process. Our budget process is chronicled on our website at www.tompsc.com, under the Budget Committee of Council and the Town Council Minutes.
In closing, I would like to express my appreciation to Mayor Linda Page and Town Council for their work in planning for the future of Mount Pleasant and to the town staff for their dedication to providing efficient and effective services. Together, with our citizens and business owners, we will keep Mount Pleasant vibrant and strong.
Eric DeMoura, Mount Pleasant Town Administrator
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April 6 & 7: Committees of Council Meetings April 7: Farmers Market Season Opens April 13: Coffee with the Mayor
April 14: Town Council Meeting April 26: Blessing of the Fleet April 21: Mobile Office Hours @ Fire Station 2
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MOUNT PLEASANT
FARMERS MARKET
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April 7 - September 29
Tuesdays
3:30 until 7:00 p.m.
Farmers Market Pavilion on Coleman Boulevard (Moultrie Middle School)
The Mount Pleasant Farmers Market is where our community meets to share in the vibrant
array of locally grown and SC Certified produce and flowers. Stroll through the market to find a bounty of just-picked vegetables and fruits, stunning and fragrant flowers and local seafood plus fresh-cooked meals, baked and canned goods and locally produced snacks. Join us every Tuesday from April to September starting at 3:30 p.m. to mingle with neighbors and visitors alike while enjoying live music and family-friendly activities. Free parking.
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Sunday, April 26
Memorial Waterfront Park
11:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
The 28th Annual Blessing of the Fleet & Seafood Festival presented by
East Cooper Medical Center and
Harris Teeter is one of the most highly anticipated events of the year! The festival pays tribute to Mount Pleasant's local shrimping and fishing industry, offering a boat parade, live music, craft show and lots of free activities with the picturesque Ravenel Bridge and Charleston Harbor for a backdrop!
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| Be Informed!
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Public participation is at the heart of good government, but who has time to seek out information? Let us do this for you. Visit us online at
www.tompsc.com and subscribe to our calendars, notifications, meetings, job openings, and more!
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Contact Mayor Page and Town Council
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Want to know more about Mayor Page and Town Council? Click on the links below to find out more information about job responsibilities, bios, and contact information.
Mayor Page
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Did you miss last month's Administrator's E-brief? You can find it
here.
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Some Town Offices Have Moved!
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Please note that
the Fire Administration staff and Fire Marshal's Office have moved to their new modular units beside Fire Station 2 on Egypt Road. T
he Public Services Department, Building License Division and the Planning Department have moved to Six Mile Fleet Maintenance Facility on Sweetgrass Parkway, Pinckney Place. For more information about Town office and staff relocation visit the
Relocation Webpage.
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Our Mission Statement
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"To deliver superior performance in a manner that is distinctive and impactful to each person served and that establishes a standard for quality that endures for generations."
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Town Growth Management Plan Framework: Mission & FAQs
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| Mayor Linda Page and Mount Pleasant Town Council unveil the Growth Management Plan in Council Chambers |
MISSION
The mission of this plan is to manage growth so as to preserve quality of life attributes such as public safety, public education, public recreation, mobility, culture, and history among other things. Actions taken as part of this plan seek to provide balance between development and livability in order to protect the general welfare of Mount Pleasant residents.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is Mount Pleasant still open for business?
Absolutely. The actions put forth in the Town of Mount Pleasant Growth Management Plan are in no way a moratorium on development or growth. Rather, a number of incentives put in place during a down economic cycle are being retired now that the market has regained momentum. Consistent, strategic and managed growth is important for the town's future, and we would never want to eliminate that. What is the timeline for the Town of Mount Pleasant Growth Management Plan?
March 24: Framework announcement.
March 25: Order for draft ordinances at Planning Committee meeting.
April 14: First reading of ordinances by Town Council.
April 22: Review by Town Planning Commission.
May 12: Second reading of ordinances and approval by Town Council. Are these plans set in stone?
No. What has been presented is a framework, the guidelines of what we hope to accomplish. Town Council members, the Planning Commission and the public will all have an opportunity to weigh in over the next several weeks as we move toward a final solution. Why are these actions being taken now?
Since 1980, our population has grown more than 500 percent, and today Mount Pleasant is in another exceptional growth phase. We currently enjoy a strong market position, and now is the right time to take this action after careful observation and review of growth trends in town population and development. The ultimate goal is sustained balance of progress with livability and quality of life for citizens.Weighing the concerns and hopes of residents with the realities of an economic boom and large-scale population expansion is something Town staff and elected leaders try to balance in a thoughtful, tactful way every day. Why are fees being increased and fee waivers being retired for development projects?
New development and redevelopment projects come with a tangible cost on town infrastructure and programs. We feel we are now at a point where it is appropriate for that cost to be more fully borne by those responsible for development. Will new ordinances affect current projects?
No. The ordinances will not affect projects that have been submitted to the Town or are already in the public pipeline. |
|  February 2015: Department requests received and CIP meeting with Administrator March 2015: Departmental budget reviews, revenue projections, personnel worksheets calculations, proposed budget delivered to Council and Council overview of budget April 2015: Budget considered by Council Committees, Budget Committee of Council Meetings and public notification on 4/24 (Post & Courier & Moultrie News). Click here to be notified of meetings. May 12, 2015: First reading of budget ordinance (public hearing) June 9, 2015: Final reading of budget ordinance July 1, 2015: FY 2015-2016 begins BUDGET LINKS
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Government Outreach Activities
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Coffee with the Mayor
Last month's
Coffee with the Mayor took place at Saveurs Du Monde Cafe where Mayor Linda Page met with more than 20 residents to exchange information and discover ways to work together to improve Mount Pleasant. Our third Coffee with the Mayor will be held on
Monday, April 13, 2015, from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. at the
Charleston Bagel Company. The event is free and open to all! Contact the Mount Pleasant
Communications Office for more information about this event.
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Town Administrator Mobile Office Hours
The third
Mobile Office Hours monthly public engagement initiative will take place on
April 21, 2015, at Fire Station 2, 393 Egypt Road from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Each month, the Town Administrator holds open office hours at a different public facility and he invites you to stop by and discuss items of interest to you.
No appointment necessary. Call (843) 884-8517 for more information.
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Capital Improvement Update:
Fire Station 6 @ Carolina Park
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- Living quarters floor has been poured with concrete
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Apparatus bay floor is prepped with rebar and scheduled for inspection
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The steel beams are ready for install
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Crew is setting steel
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Pouring of the apparatus floor is scheduled
Be sure to check out the Capital Improvement Plan website to find the latest project updates, FAQ's, pictures, videos, and more.
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Stormwater Tips for Pond Management
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Tri-county municipalities and counties have joined together to create the Ashley Cooper Stormwater Education Consortium. This regional education and outreach program provides information to the public and property owners on preventing pollution from stormwater run-off, including a whole section on pond management.
Homeowners should practice environmental curb appeal by adopting good housekeeping practices at home. These tips will help reduce the costs of HOA pond management:
- Proper disposal of yard debris
- Keeping the curb or ditch in front of your home clean of dirt and debris
- Daily pick up and disposal of pet waste
- Use rain barrels and rain gardens along with native plants in your gardens
- Practice proper fertilization and pest control techniques - always get a soil test and never apply products before a rain event
Pond owners should consider long and short term maintenance programs:
- Start simple - identify and tackle safety issues like bank erosion first, develop a 1, 3, 10-year plan and budget
- Go native - install pond buffers using native plants, they help control erosion and clean the water
- Begin basic weed controls
- Look for sources of pollution in your neighborhood - discuss good housekeeping with residents and encourage them to participate, even if they do not live on the pond as the actions they take at home can help or harm a downstream water.
- Use the local resources, contact the Town or our Clemson Carolina Clear program for guidance
To learn more about local pollution protection efforts visit the Town's Water Quality pages here. |
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Produced by the Town of Mount Pleasant Government Outreach Office
Town of Mount Pleasant | 843-884-8517 |
http://www.tompsc.com
100 Ann Edwards Lane
Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
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