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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,
Happy Halloween!
I hope you are having a wonderful Fall season so far. We are continuing to dry out from the recent historic flood event that occurred at the beginning of this month. That said, I am pleased to announce that despite receiving the most rainfall of any community in the state, we weathered the event with very little damage. Our good fortune was not based on luck, but instead, on the investments to stormwater infrastructure that we, as a community, have made. Additionally, our expertly trained staff was out before, during, and after the storm working to ensure that our drainage systems were operating as efficiently as possible. Keep reading below to learn more about our on-going response to the flood event.
Despite the historic downpour, we have had a productive month full of notable accomplishments and major decisions. Mayor Page and Town Council unanimously approved the Growth Management Plan after six months of research and discussion. This plan provides the direction needed to ensure balanced growth throughout the community.
October was also packed with numerous groundbreaking events and ribbon cuttings for critical road projects. And to top it all off, the Town was upgraded from an Aa1 to an Aaa bond rating from Moody's Investor's Services. Mount Pleasant is now the second municipality in the state to have the highest ratings from both Moody's and S&P. This rating increase represents financial savings for the citizens of this town.
We are proud of the success our community enjoys and we look forward to continuing to work with our citizens to ensure that Mount Pleasant remains the best municipality in South Carolina.
For more information about all that is happening in the Town of Mount Pleasant, please visit us
online, like us on
Facebook, or follow us on
Twitter.
Best Regards,
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Nov 2: Committees of Council meetings Nov 9: OVHD Commission meeting Nov 10: Town Council meeting Nov 12: Historic Commission meeting Nov 14: Holiday Elfstravaganza Nov 14: Old Village 5K Nov 18: Planning Commission meeting Nov 23: BOZA meeting
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16th Annual Old Village 5K
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On November 14, 2015 the Mount Pleasant Recreation Department will host the
16th Annual Old Village 5K race.
This is a fun event for the entire family Leashed dogs and strollers are permitted. Awards and raffle prizes are given post-race. Your race registration also includes a t-shirt featuring Tate Nation artwork.
When: Saturday, November 14 @ 8:30am-10:30am
Where: Alhambra Hall
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New Online Sign-Up To Speak at Town Council Meetings
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As part of the Town's ongoing efforts to increase public participation, a new online sign-up is available for those wishing to speak at the upcoming Town Council meeting. Citizens may also sign up to speak in person immediately before the Council meeting begins. For more information, please contact the
Communications Office.
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Live Streaming & Podcasts of Town Meetings Now Available
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Did you know that the Town of Mount Pleasant now offers live streaming of the Town Council meetings and podcasts of both their Town Council and Committees of Council meetings? Catch up on our latest meetings by visiting our
YouTube channel or our
PodCast, which is available in the iTunes Store and online.
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Mount Pleasant Town Administrator Receives International Credentialing
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Mount Pleasant Town Administrator Eric DeMoura recently received the Credentialed Manager designation from the International City/County Management Association. Mr. DeMoura is one of over 1,300 local government management professionals currently credentialed through the ICMA Voluntary Credentialing Program. Mr. DeMoura is an active member of ICMA and will serve as president of the South Carolina City County Managers Association beginning July 2016. As president, he will lead the organization's state and national priorities. "I would like to congratulate our Town Administrator for receiving this prestigious designation," said Mount Pleasant Mayor Linda Page. "In order to be credentialed from ICMA, a member must earn a degree in public administration, or related field, and must have demonstrated a commitment to high standards of integrity and to lifelong learning and professional development." ICMA, the International City/County Management Association, advances professional local government worldwide. The organization's mission is to create excellence in local governance by developing and fostering professional management to build better communities. ICMA is composed of professional local government managers bringing shared commitment and vision to communities - working in partnership with elected officials and residents to build communities they are proud to call home. For more information about ICMA, visit them
online.
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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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Download the Experience Mount Pleasant Mobile App
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Experience Mount Pleasant using our latest mobile app launched by the Cultural Affairs and Tourism Office. The new app is free to download and it offers residents and visitors with quick, easy access to hospitality, accommodation, and local event info.
Developed by Wholly App, Experience Mount Pleasant provides detailed information such as directions and telephone numbers for every hotel, eatery and attraction in the town. Special events are also spotlighted in the consistently updated calendar located within the app.
Other features of the app include weather updates, contact information for inquiring visitors and direct access to the town's social media sites.
For more information, visit us
online or click
here.
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| Town Council Approves Growth Management Plan |
At their monthly meeting on October 13, 2015 Mount Pleasant Town Council unanimously approved the Growth Management Plan framework as a means to balance growth town-wide. Final reading on the framework comes after six months of research, discussion, and public participation to collect feedback from all community members. Among other items, the plan removes all bonus density incentives, defines "mixed use development", and eliminates the recreation impact fee waiver. To read the full text ordinances, please click on the links below.
Recreation Impact Fee Waiver
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Town Upgraded to AAA Bond Rating
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The Town of Mount Pleasant's general obligation bond rating was recently upgraded from Aa1 to Aaa by Moody's Investors Service. This is the highest rating given by Moody's. This places the Town in a prestigious category with a Triple A bond rating for both Standard & Poor's and Moody's. Mount Pleasant and Charleston are the only two municipalities in the State of Carolina with a Triple A rating from both agencies.
Moody's Investors Service's upgraded rating reflects the town's healthy and growing tax base, its desirable location, its proximity to the Charleston metro region, and a sound financial position with ample reserves and liquidity. Both Moody's and Standard & Poor's view the Town as being strong and stable in its financial outlook.
To read more about the Town's rating increase, please click
here.
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Mount Pleasant Weathers Historic Flood Event Well
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The historic flood event that recently made its way through the state was certainly one to remember. The storm, which carried on from October 1st through the 5th, dropped 26.88 inches of rain on the town with water levels rising above this height due to the unusual high tides. Mount Pleasant received the largest amount of rainfall and yet sustained some of the least amount of damage, thanks to the following factors:
- Willingness to fund storm water projects and maintenance
- Proper planning and engineering efforts to ensure quality storm water systems
- Robust inspections of old and new infrastructure
- Daily maintenance of storm water system
- Infrastructure improvement projects
In addition to the daily operations carried out by the Public Services Department, Town staff was out before, during, and after the storm to ensure that drainage systems were working properly. A recap of the Town's experience during the storm can be read
here.
Please report any drainage concerns to the Public Services Department at 843.849-2022.
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Government Outreach Activities
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Community Roundtable Meetings
Town officials and staff are continuing to host informal roundtable meetings with community organizations, civic groups, and neighborhood associations. This small group format allows for more in-depth discussion in an informal setting. It also provides citizens with another opportunity to give their input and receive a response beyond public hearings and Town Council meetings.
We want to meet with you! To schedule a community roundtable meeting with your organization or group, please contact the Government Outreach Office at (843) 884 - 8517. We look forward to meeting with you!
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| Coffee with the Mayor
Last month's
Coffee with the Mayor took place at the Eggs Up Grill where Mayor Linda Page met with residents to exchange information and discover ways to work together to improve Mount Pleasant.
The next
Coffee with the Mayor will be held on
Monday, November 9, 2015 at Morgan's Market (1455 Stuart Engals Blvd.) from 7:30 - 8:30 AM. The event is free and open to all! Please contact the Government Outreach Office at (843) 884 - 8517 for more information.
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Town Administrator's Mobile Office Hours
The next monthly
Mobile Office Hours event will take place on
November 17, 2015, at the
Thomasena Stokes-Marshall Senior Center (840 Von Kolnitz Rd.) in Mount Pleasant from
10 - 11 a.m. Each month, the Town Administrator holds open office hours at various public facilities around the community. All citizens are invited to stop by and discuss items of interest to them.
No appointment necessary. For more information about this program, visit the Mobile Office Hours webpage or call (843) 884 - 8517.
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Flood Event Information
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has opened early registration for those in South Carolina applying for disaster assistance. Citizens residing in the counties listed above
may go ahead and complete an application now. Please visit the FEMA website listed above and apply online to start your application. When asked to choose a disaster, select "Disaster has occurred, but not in the list". Your application will be processed if and when a declaration is signed. You may also call the phone number above.
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Memorial Waterfront Park Phase 2 Master Plan Unveiled
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| Rendering of the proposed pier extension at Memorial Waterfront Park |
The Memorial Waterfront Park Phase 2 Master Plan is now available online. Prepared by Johnson, Laschober and Associates, the master plan includes a proposed pier extension, renovated restaurant/gift shop, improvements to the existing park, and enhancements to parking areas. The estimated total project cost is $13,660,000 and construction could begin as early as Spring 2016.
Click
here to view the Memorial Waterfront Park Phase 2 Master Plan.
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Update on Major Road Projects
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As part of the Town's on-going efforts towards infrastructure improvement, Mayor Page and Council celebrated four major road projects this past month:
- Park West/Bessemer Roundabout Groundbreaking
- Long Point Rd/I-526 On-ramp Groundbreaking
- Billy Swails Boulevard Grand Opening
- Lucy Beckham Boulevard Grand Opening
Click here to read more about all of the road projects listed above. In addition to the projects listed above, the Town also shared the SCDOT's project update about the Highway 41 Bridge replacement. Click here to read the update.
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| Property Tax Calculator Now Available |
In preparation for the upcoming November elections, Mayor Page and Mount Pleasant Town Council are urging all citizens to fully inform themselves of the proposed ballot referendum for a five mil tax increase. The approved referendum language is provided below.
Additionally, a property tax calculator has been added to the Town's website. This calculator is a tool citizens can use to calculate their estimated property taxes based upon the current millage rate, along with their estimated property taxes with a proposed five mil increase. This tool enables citizens to better understand the financial impact the five mil increase will have should the referendum pass. The calculator can be accessed by clicking
here.
Simply insert your information into the orange boxes to generate your approximate property tax. Next change the millage rate from 41.3 to 46.3 to calculate your approximate property tax should the referendum pass.
2015 Referendum Language
"Must a five mil tax be imposed in Mount Pleasant with the revenue of the tax used to pay, directly or indirectly, the cost of the following public projects in Mount Pleasant:
- Improvements to or acquisition of open space for the benefit of the public;
- Construction of recreation amenities, to include, trails and passive park space at the Mount Pleasant Memorial Waterfront Park;
- Construction of recreation amenities, to include, athletic fields at the Carolina Park Recreation Complex;
- Construction of recreation amenities, to include, athletic fields and trails at the town owned recreation property off of Rifle Range Road;
- Construction or lease of building space for an additional senior center;
- Construction or lease of building space for a community arts center."
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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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