A Diverse Council Faces the Future Head On
On January 3, 2023, eight members of Beaufort County Council were sworn in, including four new members: Councilmembers David Bartholomew, Paula Brown, Tom Reitz, and Anna Marie “Tab” Tabernik. With these new members, for the first time in many years, we now have three women on County Council. Myself as well as Councilmen Mark Lawson and Larry McElynn were elected for our second term in office and Councilwoman Alice Howard was elected for her third term.
Upon being sworn in, Council’s first duty is the election of a Chairman and Vice-Chairman. I was honored to be elected again as Chairman and will serve in the role for the next two years. Councilman Larry McElynn was elected as Vice-Chairman.
This diverse Council has already gone through extensive training at the state level and as well as orientations hosted by County Administration. Going forward, we will not default to a “that is the way it is always done” approach to the challenges that lay before us. We have been elected to lead in a manner that enhances the County in which we live, work and play. We are not only leaders but servants. It is our responsibility to serve the common good for all. Everyone is our neighbor and we have been called as leaders of the people to respect and protect those among us; our children, the elderly, the poor, those who are hungry, those who have no homes, those who are ill in body, mind, or spirit, the strangers and immigrants in our midst, those who live on the margins, those who are alone, and those who are forgotten.
Beaufort County is one of the fastest growing counties in the state. A trend that, in my opinion, will continue for years to come; bringing with it challenges and opportunities. There is the balance of growth management, economic development, places to work, places to live and places to play. We have begun to address the housing issue for affordable workforce housing to meet the needs of those who work in the county but cannot afford to live close to where they work. We need to address how people will get to work. Over this term, we will focus on:
A Transportation Referendum in 2024 to address the deficiencies of our roads.
Using funds from the Greenspace Referendum to preserve land to manage growth.
Remaining focused on developing the Hilton Head Airport.
Focusing on the Jasper Port and its affect on Beaufort County.
Working on the expansion of a ferry system to bring people to Hilton Head, City of Beaufort, Port Royal, Daufuskie Island and Bluffton.
Advocating for the needs of our educational institutions of higher learning, USCB and TCL.
To help keep you all updated, I have set up a registered group in Sun City called Lowcountry Happenings. It will allow me the opportunity to share timely information on a variety of topics through a monthly newsletter covering the history of our county, current events, what is happening in the municipalities and the county and surrounding counties, as well as what is happening in our State that will have an impact on our lives.
Over the next four years you will see us address the above issues, and many others that come before us, in a manner that continues to make Beaufort County the best place to live, work and play. We welcome your continued input; watch us in person or on the many media options available, email us, call us, and stay informed.
We are dedicated to serving the people of Beaufort County.
Joe Passiment is the Chairman of Beaufort County Council and the representative for District 5.
