Welcome to the City of Beaufort's monthly newsletter. Any feedback? Please send to Kathleen Williams, kwilliams@cityofbeaufort.org. |
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1 cent tax would give property owners a tax credit
AND help fund capital projects in City
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The Nov. 2 election will include a countywide referendum for what is known as a local option sales tax (LOST). Currently, 32 of 46 counties in South Carolina have a local option sales tax in effect.
We urge the residents of Beaufort to educate themselves on this measure. ( Read FAQs here.)
Of the revenue generated by this measure, 71% will be rebated to property owners in the form of a credit against real, personal and vehicle taxes. The other 29% will be apportioned to Beaufort County and all the municipal jurisdictions in the county, including the City of Beaufort.
A significant amount of the revenue raised through LOST would come from visitors and tourists, according to various analyses.
If the penny boost passes there will be:
- No increase in the current sales tax rate (the current one cent transportation tax will sunset later this year)
- A guaranteed reduction in real and personal property taxes, and
- Additional revenues for capital improvements in the City of Beaufort
Later this week, a website called www.boostourcommunities.com will go live and provide more information on this, including a calculator to let you know how much of a property tax credit you will get.
We'll share information on that website on our Facebook and Nextdoor pages.
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Window restoration to start
The City of Beaufort has selected Shenandoah Restorations of Irmo, S.C., to restore the 29 windows in the historic Carnegie Library building in downtown Beaufort.
Several of the windows were damaged by Hurricanes Matthew and Irma. In July 2020, the City was awarded a grant of $188,500 from the South Carolina Historic Preservation Office to restore the windows.
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Training grant awarded
to Fire Department
The Beaufort/Port Royal Fire Department was awarded a $418,060 grant from the Department of Homeland Security to cover training for our firefighters.
The firefighters will be trained in basic and advanced emergency medical technician training.
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Mira Foods
to open operations here
A big welcome to Mira Foods, a food crafting and distributing company based in New Jersey that will open a facility in the City of Beaufort. The $2 million-plus investment will create 28 new jobs.
Mira crafts and distributes food, beverage and snack items to more than 30,000 retailers in the United States.
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New business license ordinance approved |
City Council adopted a new business license ordinance at its Sept. 28 meeting. This model ordinance is being adopted statewide to bring uniformity to business license rate classes throughout the State of South Carolina.
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Walkway will connect
Whitehall to Woods bridge
City Council has approved the awarding of a contract to O’Quinn Marine for construction of the “bridge connector” to the Whitehall Park Causeway.
Construction is expected to begin later this year with a completion date prior to mid-2022.
The bridge connector will provide easy access to Whitehall Park as well as providing stunning views along the way.
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Comp plan schedule extended
The City has extended the 2021 Comprehensive Plan schedule.
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BJWSA begins work on North Street project |
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Work is beginning on the BJWSA North Street Transmission main project. This design-build project includes a large-diameter water transmission main that will be constructed from Robert Smalls Parkway to Duke Street.
The portion of the Spanish Moss Trail over Battery Creek is closed as of Sept. 23 to install two pipes underneath the waterway.
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New testing hours for Covid, flu, strep at BMH |
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Please check poster above for Beaufort Memorial Hospital's new testing hours for Covid, strep and flu at various locations beginning Oct. 4. The hospital also runs a vaccine clinic at its Port Royal location from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. every Wednesday and Thursday. You can get your first, second, or booster Pfizer shot there. Please make an appointment for the vaccine at: BeaufortMemorial.org/VaxPR.
In addition, SCDHEC is offering vaccines at BMH's Port Royal Vaccine Clinic from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays through Oct. 23. DHEC is offering Pfizer and J&J. Appointments can be made at https://cvas.dhec.sc.gov and selecting DHEC Mobile Clinic @Beaufort Express Care. |
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Your input valued
on transportation plan
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The Lowcountry Council of Governments (LCOG) is working to update the 2045 Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) and Rural Area LRTP.
These plans will identify transportation needs for the urbanized and rural areas over the next 20 years and provide a set of multimodal strategies to address these needs.
The survey closes Friday, Oct. 8.
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Dominion explains pruning methodology |
In this video, Dominion Energy explains why it conducts a five-year cycle on tree-trimming, and why it's important to keep trees pruned away from power lines.
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NB lanes of Woods Memorial
to close at 7 p.m. Oct. 5
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SCDOT is closing the northbound lane of the Woods Memorial Bridge from 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 5, through 6 a.m. the next morning for repair work. Flag operators will be on site to help direct traffic.
Drivers are urged to proceed with caution as they cross the bridge during this time.
Questions? Check with Assistant Project Manager Curtis Brice, 843-518-1718, curtis.brice@wsp.com.
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Shrimp Festival
this weekend!
The Beaufort Shrimp Festival will be held Oct. 1-2 at Waterfront Park. The festival will kick off at 5 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 1. Atlanta vocal group The Tams will perform a free concert at 7 p.m.
On Saturday, Oct. 2, the festival will open at 11 a.m. with live entertainment throughout the day, shrimp races, and environmental programs. A Kids' Corner on Saturday near the park's playground will feature a kazoo performer throughout the day and a face painter. Plus, the best and freshest shrimp and shrimp dishes from our local chefs!
Tickets, T-shirts, shrimp necklaces, and koozies can all be purchased at the festival.
It's First Friday too!
First Friday in Beaufort on Oct. 1 doubles up on the Shrimp Fest fun. Downtown merchants will offer a scavenger hunt to find shrimp hidden in the stores. Cash giveaways for the winners!
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Note: The 2021 Ghost Tours in Beaufort have been canceled. |
Spooky celebration
at Waterfront Park
The City of Beaufort will host a family-friendly celebration of Halloween from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 30, at Waterfront Park. Activities include a DJ dance party, crafts, a costume parade, inflatable games, and entertainment.
Kids can also go trick-or-treating to each sponsored table in the park. All activities are free. Food concessions will be available at reasonable prices. Parents are asked to supervise their children throughout the event.
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Sign up for 5K run
on Oct. 16
Join Holy Trinity Classical Christian School for a 5K run and bridge walk through historic downtown Beaufort and across the Woods Memorial Bridge on Oct. 16 on a USATF certified 5K course.
The race will be preceded by a sunrise prayer at 7:15 a.m. under the pavilion at the Waterfront Park that all are invited to join.
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Fall Art Walk is back
After being canceled last year, the Beaufort Fall Art Walk has returned in full swing!
From 4:30-9 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 22, you can enjoy the Lowcountry Art Celebration featuring13 galleries/shops downtown, including Charles Street Gallery (914 Charles), Basecamp Gallery (500 Carteret) and USCB Center for the Arts (801 Carteret).
All galleries will be displaying an ArtWalk flag, and a new feature this year will be art demonstrations at four locations.
Great door prizes include a night at the Cuthbert House Inn and dinner for two at Saltus. Another lucky winner will receive dinner for two at Breakwater. Enter at every gallery!
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HBF hosts 2
October events
Historic Beaufort Foundation is holding Libations with Lafayette at the George Moss Stoney House on Oct. 9. From Oct. 22-24, HBF will hold its Fall Festival of Houses & Gardens.
More information on both events can be found at the HBF website. |
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Every third Thursday is Live After 5
LIVE After 5 every third Thursday of the month is downtown Beaufort's newest recurring monthly party with live music, local artists, late night shopping, and drink and food specials.
So mark 5-8 p.m. Oct. 21 for the festivities this month! Free entertainment is sponsored by Activate Beaufort.
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Every month we'll feature the new businesses that have opened in Beaufort, as described in the owners' words. |
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Southern Sky Glass Studio
203 West St.
Mon-Fri: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
508-280-9792
southernskyglassstudio@gmail.com
Cynthia Buckley is a glass artist with more than a decade of training and experience in all types of glassworks, but her love is making beautiful stained glass in the traditional Tiffany copper foil method. Her work has been shown in art exhibitions, and at festivals and artisan demonstrations.
She is also a stained-glass instructor and available for private or group lessons.
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Bluebird House Preschool
2507 Fripp St.
Mon-Fri: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m
mary@bluebirdhousepreschool.com
843-441-1984
This small home-based preschool includes significant opportunities for play and an emphasis on nature, creative exploration, and hands-on learning. Mary Foster has more than 20 years of teaching experience and is passionate about helping preschool-aged children learn, play, and grow.
Bluebird House Preschool operates from mid-August through early June.
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Happy anniversary to these businesses!
One year: Spice and Tea Exchange; Nail Bar on Bay; Success Staffing LLC; One Salon; Pretty Place;
Physicians Foot Care; Woofdoctor on Wheels; Battery Creek Home Inspections; Palmetto Building Beaufort; the Beaufort Breeze
5 years: Craven House; S&J Realty; Gravity Physical Therapy
10 Years: Jimmy John’s; The Edit Salon
A very big Happy Anniversary to Harvey's Barber Shop, which is celebrating 85 years in Beaufort!
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5 p.m. Oct. 12 Work Session
7 p.m. Oct. 12 Regular Meeting
5 p.m. Oct. 26 Work Session
7 p.m. Oct. 26 Regular Meeting
Meetings will be held at City Hall, and also accessible via Zoom and streamed on the City's Facebook page. You can find agendas closer to the date of the meeting on our website's Agenda Center.
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Neighborhood Association, 10 a.m., Oct. 5
Historic Review Board, 2 p.m., Oct. 13
Design Review Board, 2 p.m. Oct. 14
Cultural District Advisory Board, 2 p.m. Oct. 15
Meetings will be held at City Hall, and also accessible via Zoom and streamed on the City's Facebook page. You can find agendas closer to the date of the meeting on our website's Agenda Center.
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