Mayor Billy

May 2012 Bring the Best for our Hometown!
 
To those who were able to join us for Founders Night II, thank you for sharing a wonderful hometown event. For those who were not able to attend, you missed a wonderful event produced by Marlena Smalls featuring the Carteret Street Methodist Church, Tabernacle Baptist Church and First Presbyterian Church choirs led by the Director from Carteret Street Methodist and soloists Marlena Smalls, Sumitra Stewart and Scott Gibbs followed by what is perhaps the best fireworks display Beaufort has ever seen.
 
Edited Summary Remarks at
Opening of Founders Night II
"While some may see this evening as simply another beautiful event in the Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park, others see it as the end of a yearlong celebration of our past that included an opening ceremony, an official birthday party that featured the fabulous Parris Island Marine Corps Band, a spirited Tricentennial Parade and other public and private tricentennial themed events over the past year.
 
And yet for those who four years ago wanted to look back into and better understand our past through the Beaufort Three Century Project, it was the end of a four year exploration of Beaufort's past whose goal was to help us chart an appropriate future for our hometown into the next century.
 
Rather than a celebration of the past, I see this evening's event as A PEP RALLY FOR BEAUFORT'S NEXT CENTURY!
 
Thanks and accolades are due to too many to name here, but on behalf of the City of Beaufort, I want to express our gratitude to those who embraced the opportunity of a Tricentennial to move our city forward based on our historically strong foundation as opposed to the alternative which is to copy what others have done elsewhere.
 
And a special thanks to Erin Dean and Mike McFee who chaired the City's Tricentennial and to Ivette Burgess who coordinates events for the City. And to Jeff Kidd, editor of the Beaufort Gazette who not only provided excellent coverage of the many activities but also created The Beaufort Three Century and Tricentennial websites posted at the Gazette.
 
Aside from the celebrations, your City and its many parts accomplished much in 2011 and have set an aggressive and exciting agenda for the next couple of years if not the next Century.
 
The following is a brief summary of 2011 Accomplishments
 
Maintained-- if not raised -- the level of services despite 25 percent less revenue by reinventing some of the ways we do business
 
Invested savings from two years of staff reorganization to invest inThe future by starting and almost completing the majority of the Civic Master Plan. To be completed in 2012, this effort may be the most comprehensive in the state as it is built from the block to the neighborhood to the area and finally city level
       
Began to look at ways to leverage tourism dollars through collaboration with the private sector.
 
Negotiated agreements with Burton and Lady's Island Fire Departments to most efficiently serve Beaufort residents
 
Achieved grant funding for at least three major capital projects, including a $12.6 million federal DOT grant for the Boundary Street redevelopment that is the 16th largest in the United States
 
Found productive uses for three city-owned buildings that will stimulate growth in the greater downtown area
 
Expanded civic engagement by strengthening the neighborhood improvement process and stimulated and fostered additional neighborhood associations which collaborate with the city on public works, public safety and planning; working together, we removed more than 400 tons of debris from Beaufort neighborhoods in 2010-2011
 
Established a regional collaborative planning initiative through the creation of the Beaufort Port Royal Metropolitan Planning Commission
 
Working with Beaufort County and the Spanish Moss Trail Committee, we collectively achieved close to $3million dollars in grant funding to begin the Linear Park/Rail to Trail initiative that will create a safe and beautiful venue for jogging, bicycling and walking from Port Royal to the Laurel Bay Road and eventually to the Whale Branch River.
 
Worked closely with USCB to leverage The Beaufort Jasper Higher Education Commission's $2+ million investment to convert the Historic Beaufort Campus into a Fine Arts college while the private sector, thanks to Brantley Harvey, Colden Batter and David Lott among others will have, by March, raised more than $350,000 dedicated for partial scholarships to students who will study exclusively at Beaufort campus.
 
Fostered more positive intergovernmental collaboration.
 
To the hundreds, if not thousands, who have contributed in one way or another, I say thank you.  
 
As we move into 2012, the past year has pointed to a lot of opportunities and a lot of work with which we will need your help.
 
Let's Look Ahead!
 
With the members of St Helena Parish we will celebrate their tricentennial.
 
With about 75% of the civic master plan completed we will complete the plan and establish a form based code so that property owners and developers will not have to spend time and money guessing what fits where and how.
 
We will continue to streamline our development regulatory processes without compromising the special qualities unique to Beaufort.
 
With funding in place we will launch construction of the long awaited Boundary Street Redevelopment Gateway.
 
With funding in hand we are moving forward to complete the second half of the Bladen Street Redevelopment with additional grant dollars to start sidewalks and streetscapes east toward Carteret Street starting with a pilot program on Duke.
 
Working with the County and the Spanish Moss Trail Committee, we will complete planning at begin construction on at least the first two phases of the Trail.
 
Working with the Lowcountry Housing Trust, which the city joined along with our partner The Town of Port Royal, we will work on infill and redevelopment of work force housing in the inner city so that we grow the city from within which should attract more retail opportunities for those who live and visit Beaufort.
 
Realizing that it is past time to fulfill the commitment to better jobs for those who grow up in Beaufort and those who move here, we will launch new initiatives to diversity our economic base with our redevelopment commission, the private sector and through the Lowcountry Economic Alliance.
 
In recent years we have been planning. With most of the plans in place, 2012 will be a year of doing. Growth is a challenge, will require a little give and take by all and a little patience once construction begins. We know the end result will be worth it and look forward to your support.
 
My very best wishes for a healthy, safe and prosperous 2012 as our City will make significant strides into our future.
 
Billy Keyserling
 
 
Below please take time to read the Beaufort Gazette Editorial and the City's News Release which provides more details about accomplishments and opportunities for the coming year.
Thank You Beaufort Gazette Editor Jeff Kidd and the Gazette Staff for this wonderful editorial and creating and maintaining The Beaufort Three Century and Tricentennial websites at www.beaufortgazette.com.
 
Beaufort's celebration a foundation for future
Beaufort Gazette / IslandPacket
Published Saturday, December 31, 2011
 
Beaufort will party like it's 1711 tonight.
A special ceremony will take place at the Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park to end three years of marking the 300th anniversary of Beaufort's charter as South Carolina's second municipality.


Everyone is invited to "Founders Night II" -- the bookend of a similar event a year ago. It begins at 4:30 p.m. and closes with a fireworks display over the Beaufort River at dark.
Marlena Smalls of the Hallelujah Singers will produce it and perform, along with the choirs of Tabernacle Baptist, Carteret Street United Methodist and First Presbyterian churches and other musicians. Anita Singleton-Prather, Bill Harvey Jr. and Jeff Evans will read vignettes of Beaufort's history.


It's not too late to donate $300 toward new historical markers in the Waterfront Park to commemorate the Tricentennial (call Erin Dean at 843-524-1116 or visit www.cityofbeaufort.org).
(Checks Made Payable to Beaufort 300 can be mailed to Beaufort 300, 1911 Boundary Street, Beaufort, SC 29902)
 
Mayor Billy Keyserling sees tonight's event not only as a family-oriented celebration of a significant milestone, but also the beginning of a "fourth century of progress."


This long examination of our county seat's DNA has been a wise way to launch the "fourth century." By understanding and appreciating who we are -- and looking calmly at past failures and successes -- the community is better equipped to shape the future.


Over this period, Beaufort's city government has done a great job of giving people an opportunity to learn about local history and pay homage to it.


At the same time, a private organization known as the Beaufort Three-Century Project went well beyond the call of duty to review and document our past in every facet of life.


Under project coordinator Deborah S. Johnson, it succeeded in its mission to tap the community's cultural memory through exploration, studies and special events. It coordinated 42 special events or endeavors -- lectures, forums, films, symposia, oral histories, books, exhibitions and archives.


Those archives -- including oral histories -- will live online well beyond tonight's final explosion of fireworks.
We urge you to visit the project's website built and hosted by The Beaufort Gazette: www.beaufortthreecentury.org.


As we look forward, we now know more about the religious and spiritual life of Beaufort, marked by amazing diversity and tolerance over the years. We have taken a closer look at business, industry and commerce, the environment, health care, recreation, the arts, boating, trees, food, education and more.


Middle school students hosted older residents and documented their stories. The "Treasures in the Attic" photography exhibit let everyone experience the legendary second floor of Lipsitz Department Store before the 100-plus-year-old business on Bay Street closed. The Old Commons neighborhood created a book documenting what makes it special.


Older oral histories and photographs have been digitized. A detailed timeline is in place. We have learned more than was ever known before about such common local names as James J. Davis and Smokin' Joe Frazier.
It was a pleasant surprise to see the thirst for knowledge when a Tricentennial Lecture Series held on four Friday nights in February 2009 in partnership with the University of South Carolina Beaufort attracted more than 500 people. On the first night, more than 200 had to be turned away.


It is refreshing to see such respect for our local historians who gave the lectures, Lawrence S. Rowland, Stephen R. Wise and John McCardell Jr.


Maybe the best thing to come of it all is that we know better how and why we are a rich and diverse people, sharing a beautiful place with a variety of viewpoints, cultures, ideals and dreams. We have engaged each other in a civil, organized, well-informed and well-documented way, and it's been fun. 
This is a solid foundation for a future in which we pull together in celebration of our diversity and our good sense not to bulldoze or forget our heritage. 
 
NEWS FROM THE CITY OF BEAUFORT
For immediate release
Monday, Jan. 2, 2012
Contact: Scott Dadson,
Beaufort City Manager, 843-525-7070
 
Redevelopment a key 2011 theme in historic Beaufort, setting the stage for 2012
 
BEAUFORT, SC -- Boulevards lined with flowering trees and shrubs, utility lines buried underground, and bustling shops filled with people who walk, bike or park in convenient locations are goals for 2012 and beyond in historic Beaufort.
 
A re-energized and reconstituted Beaufort Redevelopment Commission and Beaufort City Council began reshaping the city in 2011 as it celebrated its 300th birthday.
 
On the eve of Beaufort's fourth century since its founding Jan. 17, 1711, Beaufort is poised for improvements that will benefit residents and visitors as well as boost the local economy, city leaders said.
 
"Looking back, 2011 was huge for Beaufort, and it helps set the stage for what's coming in 2012 and beyond," Beaufort Mayor Billy Keyserling said. "We put a lot of time, faith and effort into making sure that all of our planning doesn't just sit on a shelf but gets translated into reality. We are seeing that happen, and 2012 promises to be even busier."
 
Beaufort is in the "re-investment phase" of its long-term strategy, Beaufort City Manager Scott Dadson said. "From 2009 through 2011, we protected our cash position, we improved our service levels while lowering our overall cost structure, and we began to tie our financials to our planning, to our operations and to our maintenance.
 
"Now we are starting to see the fruits of that labor. We are also coming back up in terms of building permits in Beaufort, and that is largely infill in the city. In 2011 we had the most building permits since 2007," Dadson said.
 
To set the stage for translating planning into reality, the Beaufort City Council authorized the Beaufort Redevelopment Commission to establish a support office to work side by side with the City's Planning Department. This new team, called the Office of Civic Investment, has been working through the first year of a two-year effort to prepare a citywide Civic Master Plan on a block-by-block, neighborhood by neighborhood approach.
 
Successes include:
*       A $12.6 million federal DOT grant awarded in December;
 
*       retrofitting several downtown structures to new uses, including the former City Hall. Between Wren, Breakwater, City Loft and the old city hall, the City has seen more than $5 million in capital investment on the corner of Carteret and Port Republic Streets
 
*       seeing a new McDonald's restaurant under construction on Boundary Street that reflects the Boundary Street form-based code
 
*       renewed interest in housing infill in Beaufort and the help of the Lowcountry Housing Trust for financing options
 
*       And collaboration with Beaufort County and the private sector on the long-awaited linear park, known as the Rail to Trail
 
Leading the way is the $12.6 million TIGER III federal Transportation Department grant, the 16th largest such grant award in the nation. The funding targets the Boundary Street Redevelopment Corridor, the primary entrance to historic Beaufort.
 
That money, coupled with matching funds from Beaufort County's one-cent voter-approved road tax, will help create unified and connected neighborhoods designed for people and not just for cars.
 
A financial impact analysis indicates the local economy will see $5 in benefits for every $1 invested in the Boundary Street Redevelopment District.
 
"The Boundary Street Redevelopment District is the transformational project that will help re-shape the entrance to Beaufort for decades and create great opportunities for business and residents," said Jon Verity, chairman of the Beaufort Redevelopment Commission.
 
The project includes converting the former Port Royal railroad into a multi-use trail; making Beaufort's streets more accessible to pedestrians, wheelchairs, baby strollers and bikes; adding shared-lane markers on roads for bikes and cars; and creating new links and connections so people can reach different destinations without cars.
 
In the core commercial district, Lowcountry Produce is set to open a fresh market grocery in early 2012 in the former City Hall building at Carteret and Port Republic streets. Similarly, the former Lipsitz shoe store on Bay Street will be retrofitted to house Barefoot Bubba's inventory. Additionally, the Lipsitz Department Store and former Bay Street Trading Company locations have new owners who will soon make improvements.
 
Nearby, in the Northwest Quadrant residential area downtown, two-plus previously derelict acres are being built with new homes and "live-work units" developed by Steven Tully and John Trask III. Beaufort city leaders already have in place plans for $1.3 million in streetscape improvements in the area of Bladen, Prince, Duke and Adventure streets. The improvements are being paid for through two federal Community Development Block Grants.
 
Verity, chairman of the Beaufort Redevelopment Commission, hailed the Midtown Square project as an example of public-private partnerships that are the goal of the Redevelopment Commission.
 
"This type of infill is what we are seeking as we move Beaufort into its fourth century - encouraging the filling in of open and vacant spaces in the City to create new homes and new jobs," Verity said. It's happening because private investors are responding to the investment made by the City to improve Beaufort."
 
To assist developers and businesses find financing for residential construction, Beaufort and Port Royal partnered with the Lowcountry Housing Trust.
 
Established in 2004, the Trust is a non-profit organization based in Charleston. It provides financing for the production and preservation of workforce and affordable housing, and actively encourages policies that reduce barriers to such production. Working with both non-profit and for-profit developers, the Trust funds the construction and rehabilitation of environmentally-sustainable homeownership and rental housing across the Lowcountry.
 
In the past seven years, the Lowcountry Housing Trust has invested more than $13 million in community development financing. Through a variety of loans, incentives, gap financing and development services, the Trust has helped finance the development of 750 affordable and workforce housing units representing approximately $100.5 million in local community investments.

See You in the Park Saturday Afternoon!
 
Bring on the New Year!
 
Best Wishes for a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous 2012! 
 
Books Sandwiched In
2012
 
Jan 9th: THE BIG SHORT by Michael Lewis presented by Kenneth Hirsch
 
Jan 23rd: THAT USED TO BE US by Thomas Friedman presented by
Dr. Valerie Truesdale
 
Jan 30th: THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO by Stieg Larsson presented by Deanna Bowdish
 
Feb 6th: HIDDEN IN PLAIN VIEW by Jacqueline L. Tobin and Raymond G. Dobard presented by Charles D. Frost
 
Feb 13th: BLEAK HOUSE by Charles Dickens presented by Robert R. Googins
 
Feb 20th: UNBROKEN by Laura Hillenbrand presented by Gary Kubic
 
Feb 27th: FLYING: A NOVEL by Paula Helfrich and Rebecca Sprecher presented by Rebecca Sprecher
 
Location: USCB Beaufort Center for the Art Time: Noon to 1:00 PM
801 Carteret Street
Doors open at 11:30 AM
 
Bring your lunch or purchase it from Outtakes Cafe in the lobby of USCB

Happy Holidays
 
May you all have a Happy and Safe Holiday Season!

Mayor Billy


Month Day, Year


Thank You USCB for Investing in the Promotion of our Hometown.
 
The following is an advertorial by USCB which was featured in US Air Magazine which has about 5 million readers.
 
Thanks for a much appreciated Gift 
 
 
 
 
 
Books Sandwiched In
2012
 
Jan 9th: THE BIG SHORT by Michael Lewis presented by Kenneth Hirsch
 
Jan 23rd: THAT USED TO BE US by Thomas Friedman presented by
Dr. Valerie Truesdale
 
Jan 30th: THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO by Stieg Larsson presented by Deanna Bowdish
 
Feb 6th: HIDDEN IN PLAIN VIEW by Jacqueline L. Tobin and Raymond G. Dobard presented by Charles D. Frost
 
Feb 13th: BLEAK HOUSE by Charles Dickens presented by Robert R. Googins
 
Feb 20th: UNBROKEN by Laura Hillenbrand presented by Gary Kubic
 
Feb 27th: FLYING: A NOVEL by Paula Helfrich and Rebecca Sprecher presented by Rebecca Sprecher
 
Location: USCB Beaufort Center for the Art Time: Noon to 1:00 PM
801 Carteret Street
Doors open at 11:30 AM
 
Bring your lunch or purchase it from Outtakes Cafe in the lobby of USCB

A Big Thank You to The Beaufort Police Department!         and
 
Tricentennial Bows out with A Bang!
 
To Chief Matt Clancy and the men and women police officers, detectives and investigators who work under your leadership.
 
During this holiday season, and in light of this week's accomplishments, I want to take a quick moment to join the citizens of Beaufort in thanking your team for a job well done. 
 
No matter the circumstance, your officers are on the spot upholding the highest level of public safety possible for the people of our hometown.
 
We are fortunate to have a great law enforcement team under your leadership.
 
Best wishes to you and your officers and staff for a happy and safe holiday season.
 
Sincerely,
 
Billy Keyserling
Mayor, The City of Beaufort
 
 
 
 
 
 
BEAUFORT POLICE DEPARTMENT
PRESS RELEASES
  
DECEMBER 14, 2011
 
ARREST MADE IN SHOOTING CASE
Beaufort Police Department Investigators have arrested 20 year old Roquel Connors in connection with the December 11th fatal shooting that took place at 1700 Salem Rd. The incident stemmed from a drug deal that turned into an attempted robbery. The victim drove two other men to meet with Connors in the parking lot of Canal Apartments for a prearranged narcotics purchase. It is alleged that at some point a passenger in the victim's vehicle attempted to steal drugs and money from Connors and a struggle ensued. Connors is accused of pulling a 9mm pistol from her purse and firing a shot that struck 51 year old Mark Kevin Jones who was driving the vehicle; fatally wounding him. Connors has been charged with Manslaughter, Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Violent Crime. The investigation is still ongoing and additional charges and suspects are pending. 
 
 
BURGLARY SUSPECT CAUGHT AFTER CHASE AND SEARCH
At approximately 10:00a.m. on December 14, 2011 Beaufort Police officers responded to a report of a suspicious person in the area of North Street and Linton Lane. When officers arrived they observed a man walking towards the old train trestle. The man had a back pack and appeared to be attempting to conceal items under his jacket. When an officer attempted to make contact with the man he dropped the items and back pack and began to run. Officers lost sight of him in the wooded are behind 1505 Salem Road. A perimeter was set up and Beaufort County Sheriff's Office K-9 tracking unit was called. The tracking dog picked up the suspect's scent and he was located and taken into custody. The suspect was identified as 19 year old Shane Frazier of Burton who was wanted on several warrants. Additional investigation revealed that Frazier had broken into a house on North Street and stolen the items that were in his back pack when he fled the officer. He will be charged in connection to this case as well. Chief Clancy said, "This is an excellent example of neighbors looking out for one another and the community partnership with the police. The witness, patrol officers and K-9 unit worked together seamlessly and a wanted criminal is off the street."
Free Concert This Sunday


Beaufort 300th birthday to bow out with a bang Dec. 31, usher in fourth century
 
Kicking off Beaufort's fourth century and saluting its 300 years of history with a bang will be the focus of Founders' Night II in the city's Waterfront Park Dec. 31. The event is free and family-oriented.
 
The event, produced by and featuring noted singer Marlena Smalls, will include musical performances by choirs from Tabernacle Baptist, Carteret Street United Methodist and First Presbyterian churches, Sumitra Stewart, Marlena Smalls and the Delbert Felix Trio; and historical interludes by locals Anita Singleton-Prather, Bill Harvey Jr. and Jeff Evans.
 
Starting at 4:30 p.m. in the Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park, the closing ceremony will end at sunset, around 6, with the bang of booming fireworks over the Beaufort River.
 
"This is a birthday celebration for our wonderful city, not just to celebrate its founding in 1711 but also to kick off its fourth century of progress," Beaufort Mayor Billy Keyserling said. "We want this to be a family affair and we'll end early enough so people can go out to dinner or get home for New Year's Eve festivities."
 
Between musical productions, the three readers will present brief snapshots of Beaufort's history, including the city's humble beginnings in 1711, economic growth and wars.
 
Beaufort was founded in 1711 by the English, although its beginnings date back to Spanish explorers in 1514. Beaufort was named for Englishman Henry Somerset, Duke of Beaufort (1684-1714), one of the Lords Proprietors of Carolina. It was on Jan. 17, 1711, that Beaufort's formal charter was created.
 
During the closing ceremony, shirts, hats and other memorabilia with the unique Beaufort Tricentennial logo will be sold at a special booth.
 
Also, organizers of the Beaufort 300 project are in the final stretch to raise funds for new historical markers in the Waterfront Park. For a $300 investment in Beaufort's future, donors' names will be featured on permanent historical monuments in the park commemorating the Tricentennial. Corporate and non-profit sponsorships also are available. For details, call Erin Dean at 524-1116 or visit www.cityofbeaufort.org.
 
Throughout the year, numerous activities have spotlighted the city's history, including the first Founders' Night on Dec. 31, 2010, a "birthday party" featuring the Parris Island Marine Corps Band on Jan. 17, recognitions by area festivals and a November production by Beaufort County public school students that raised money for the Beaufort 300 fund and for teacher mini-grants.
 
In the event of rain on Dec. 31, the event will be moved to The Arts Center at Beaufort High, located on Lady's Island.
 
A few Holiday Reminders!
 
Remember Hometown Merchants! Many small retail businesses rely on year end holiday earnings to survive. This has been a challenging year for small businesses . . . So please consider Shopping in Beaufort.
 
Christmas Packaging, especially large appliance boxes (from computers and televisions) curbside during this season are, unfortunately, an invitation to burglars.  So please break down the boxes or store until pick up day. 
 
Mark Your Calendars for
New Year's Eve Afternoon Final Tricentennial Celebration in the Henry C. Chambers Park 4:30 to 6:00 concluding with fireworks display.
 
Books Sandwhiched In launches its 2012 series in January. 
 
Historic Beaufort Foundation Oyster Roast is in January.
 
There is always something interesting happening at ARTworks and USCB's Center for The Arts.
 

NEWS RELEASE
For immediate release
 
Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2011
 
Contact: Scott Dadson,
Beaufort City Manager, 843-525-7070
 
 Beaufort  leverages Penny Sales tax with  $12.6 million Federal Grant for Boundary Street Redevelopment
 
A newly-announced $12.6 million federal grant will jumpstart Beaufort's Boundary Street Master Plan with major roadway improvements at the intersection of highways SC 170 and US 21 and kick-off long awaited changes to one of the area's primary retail centers, Beaufort leaders said.
 
The goal: Build a better Beaufort through strategic investment in Boundary Street that will create a more scenic entry to the city, provide better commercial and retail locations,  improve traffic conditions and make it possible to better utilize privately-owned adjoining properties.
 About $13.7 million in local money from the voter-approved penny sales tax originally designated for Beaufort road projects will serve as match funding for the federal grant, officials said.
 
Early phases of the project, including realigning the intersection of SC 170 and US 21, will start within months, and most of the heavy work could be completed within three years. The federal grant announced Monday afternoon will cover the intersection improvements, purchase of rights of way and the start of work to reshape key strip shopping centers.
 
"In this economic environment, receiving more than $12 million in federal Department of Transportation funds for our project is huge," Beaufort Mayor Billy Keyserling said. "This is the injection of capital we needed to get this major retrofit moving and lay the groundwork for more business and residential opportunities along the important Boundary Street gateway.
 
"We appreciate the strong support from Senator Lindsey Graham and his capable staff for their support in making this grant possible.  We also appreciate the huge investment of time and energy by the Beaufort Redevelopment Commission, and its Office of Civic Investment which researched and wrote our grant application. It was a stellar collaboration by all," Keyserling said.
  
"We're putting our long-range plans into action to build a better Beaufort in our fourth century. We are confident this is one plan that will not linger on a shelf gathering dust," Keyserling said.
 
The Boundary Street Redevelopment project is part of a larger effort to reconfigure Beaufort from near the Marine Corps Air Station to annexed areas of Lady's Island, creating unified and connected neighborhoods designed for people and not just for cars.
 
A financial impact analysis indicates the local economy will see $5 in benefits for every $1 invested in the Boundary Street Redevelopment District, Beaufort City Manager Scott Dadson said.
 
 "Even in this down economy, we're seeing good investment in the City. We have new businesses opening, new homes being built and a renewed sense of opportunity," Dadson said. "When you add in this federal grant and the five-to-one economic impact of the Boundary Street project, we are poised for great things."
 
Since 2009, Beaufort issued 51 new business licenses within the Boundary Street corridor, including 25 new licenses in 2011. Of the $25 million in private investment along Boundary Street, $9 million has occurred in the past three years with 391building permits issued in 2009, 2010 and 2011.
 
At the same time, public investment in projects such as the City Hall and Municipal Courts complex anchor the Boundary Street Redevelopment corridor.
 
Beaufort City Council adopted the Boundary Street Master Plan in 2006. Since that time, work in progress and in the pipeline includes the partnership with Beaufort County, Beaufort-Jasper Water & Sewer Authority and private investors to convert the former railroad line into a rail-trail for walkers and bicyclists.
 
Other priorities have been to improve street crosswalks and accelerating the infill of Beaufort, including retrofitting the former City Hall into a fresh market grocery expected to open soon.
 
Throughout the redevelopment project is the intent to create commercial nodes along Boundary Street that can be safely reached by foot, bicycle, baby strollers, wheelchairs and vehicles. Designing shopping centers and retail shops only for vehicular access limits their potential for success, said Jon Verity, chairman of the Beaufort Redevelopment Commission.
 
"The Boundary Street Redevelopment District is the transformational project that will help re-shape the entrance to Beaufort for decades and create the best future for business and residential opportunities," Verity said.
 
The area included in the DOT grant is bound by Marsh Street to the east and Robert Smalls Parkway (SC 170) to the west, bordered on the north by the marshes of Albergotti Creek and on the south by Battery Creek. Boundary Street (US Highway 21) is the primary entrance to the City of Beaufort and the City's National Landmark Historic District. Beaufort City Hall and the County Government Center anchor the east end of the District while the Beaufort Plaza shopping center frames the west end.
 
The total cost to construct the Boundary Street Redevelopment District is estimated at $30,393,700. The federal DOT grant will fund almost half of that, with the city's portion of the Beaufort County One Percent Sales and Use Tax providing another $13.7 million.
 
Communities across the country are emphasizing the retrofit of their suburbs, said Craig Lewis from the Beaufort Redevelopment Commission's Office of Civic Investment. The "retrofit" is needed because of a growing market for multi-unit housing in the suburbs; continued growth in the percentage of jobs in suburban locations; rising gas prices making housing on the periphery less affordable; and local smart growth policies that limit sprawl and redirect growth to what's already built, he said.
 
Making the change locally involves using the form-based zoning codes, working with the S.C. Department of Transportation on road improvements, partnering with the Lowcountry Housing Trust to assist with housing revitalization, rehabbing existing buildings to new uses, and working alongside SCE&G to bury overhead lines.
 
Over the past year, Beaufort has seen building permits rebound to pre-2008 levels for both commercial and residential construction.
 
Since last spring, hundreds of Beaufort-area residents and business people have participated in charrettes led by the Beaufort Redevelopment Commission. Already, block-by-block studies are complete for downtown Beaufort and Ribaut Road. The remaining areas of the city will be studied during 2012 and will include additional public meetings for input.
 
The conversion of the former Port Royal Railroad line into a recreational trail ties into the Boundary Street project at Beaufort Plaza and provides alternate ways for people to reach destinations, Lewis said. The City is working with Beaufort County to complete the first section of the paved trail by next summer.
 
END
 
 
 
Thanks to Southurn Rose, the Beaufort Police Department and Officer Able for Hospitality and
Extraordinary Service to Visitors.  
 
 
 
The Greater Beaufort Chamber of Commerce has released a new marketing video which highlights many of our communities great assets. Take a Look!


http://www.beaufortsc.org/more/video/
 
 
 Tricentennial Update
 The Clock is Ticking
 
Final Event:  New Years Eve Afternoon
 
The celebration will  start early and end with fireworks in plenty of time to get home and ready for your New Year's Celebration. Mark the date, we are expecting a spectacular show.
 
We are also trying to wind down the Beaufort 300 campaign whose proceeds will be pay for a series of historical markers placed in the Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park. As soon as we have raised the $300 from 300 families, $500 from businesses and organizations, we are ready to order the monuments that will include the names of members of The Beaufort 300 who will have, through their generous donations, made the monuments possible.
 
If you have not yet joined, and are able to do so, please do so print, filling out and send the attached card as soon as possible. We need the precise spelling of names to be posted on the monuments.  The clock is ticking.
 
Thanks to the hundreds who have participated in the many activities of the Beaufort Three Century Project which was followed by the multiple City's Tricentennial Celebrations.
 
And finally, please note below the conceptual memorial markers and their proposed placement in the Park. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
We are planning an final ceremony on New Years Eve afternoon similar to last years Founders night in the Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 




  

Mayor Billy Keyserling - Introduction from Billy Keyserling on Vimeo.

Every now and then, I receive an email or voice message likely encouraged by the sign on the entrance to Blackstone’s which tells people with parking issues to contact me.

If I responded as I would like, I would simply put a sign on the restaurant window indicating the owner will pay parking fees out of gratitude to his customers.

I cannot bring myself to do so. 

Instead, I would prefer to share one of the emails and my response thereby giving readers a little insight into what I hear and how I respond to visitors to our wonderful hometown. 

An Email I received on Monday morning November 1, 2011

Visited your city last Tuesday and received a parking ticket for an expired meter. My fault. I don’t understand how you can promote tourism for your downtown area and not provide free public parking. This is nothing but a money grab run by a private company for the city. Talking with some of the business owners they are not happy with the situation. I’ll never visit your city again and will spread the news. John D Cespedes

My Response on Monday Afternoon November 1, 2011

Dear John D Cespedes and Robin Recktenwalt (whose email address was used):

Thanks for your kind and thoughtful note.

I am glad you had an opportunity to visit beautiful Beaufort and am sorry our value proposition of fine shops, excellent restaurants, our world class waterfront park, the open vistas throughout our city, the ancient moss draped oaks and history whichever way you turn, is not worth giving up a little something. 


“Giving a Little Something” has nothing to do with City revenue, since parking revenues are invested — through Main Street Beaufort and our City Redevelopment Commission —  directly into downtown improvements for the people who live here and those who visit and for marketing our special downtown. Fees do not go into the City operations budget.

The reason Beaufort has had paid parking since the 1930’s is because the merchants asked for it. Unfortunately, it takes parking fees and fines to prevent all day parking by some downtown merchants and their employees who, up until we started the current system, were  dominating parking thereby making it nearly impossible for locals and visitors to find spaces. 

The good news, for the merchants, residents and visitors, is that we can now find spaces to park in the greater downtown area.

Ironically, in this sense, it appears that what bothered you actually made parking more available to you and others.

The City’s Civic Investment Plan calls for a parking deck, with perhaps lower or no fees. But, a $5 million plus investment out of a $14 million annual budget for a city of only 12,000 moderate to low income people, half of whom rent, is not likely in the foreseeable future when the private sector engages as a partner in this lofty ideal.

When I recently received a ticket for an expired meter and paid it knowing I too was wrong, I realized that it is not a bad thing because the reason for meters and fines creating better access to downtown stores and restaurants.  We have suggested to the merchants who have complained that they provide parking tokens to their customers and we agreed to work with them on a program to do so whereby they could purchase tokens at a discounted rate. As of yet, none have stepped to the plate.

And finally, you should know – notwithstanding the few who are not in the majority – the current system with modifications was developed and recommended by the downtown merchants.  And that using the outside vendor, as opposed to police officers managing parking, saves the City money, and even more importantly ensures police officers remain focused on the public’s greater safety.

Again, I am glad you came to Beaufort, sorry you got the ticket and hope that once you cool off you will reconsider.  Should that happen and you give me adequate notice, I will be happy to take you to lunch downtown and personally foot your parking tab.  The value is great.

Beaufort is a very special place and we do the best we can, as a small city, to make it even better. We market our city to tourists and those considering relocating to the area because we believe we have something of great value to share.  We are grateful that visitors shop, dine and often use overnight accommodations.  Some just sit in the park and watch the boats passing. And we are happy to be able to provide the hospitality.

By chance,  when you visited, were you able to see the fantastic Robert Smalls and Beaufort Infantry exhibits at Historic Beaufort Foundation’s Verdier House on Bay Street, attend the nationally acclaimed Garry Sinese Band’s Wounded Warrior Benefit Concert, attend the regionally renowned Shrimp Festival or visit some of the most unique art galleries in the region? Or stop by the Orvis Store, take one of its renowned guided fly fishing tours, see the Metropolitan Opera or Swan Lake at the USCB Arts Center, partake in the  Historic Beaufort Annual Tour of Homes, attend the some of the many activities at ARTworks, enjoy high tea at the Beaufort Inn or simply take time to sit on a swing and enjoy the southern breezes and vistas from the Bluff (no parking fees on the Bluff) or the serenity of the Henry Chambers Waterfront Park when you were here? Or did you visit some of our historic homes, churches and graveyards, some of which are centuries old.  Or take a class at USCB’s Osher Life Long Learning Center or The Technical College of the Lowcountry.  I hope you did not need the services of our exceptional Hospital which, through a partnership with Duke University, has the best heart and cancer care facilities and programs in the Southeast.

I certainly hope you had the time and interest to take in some of our exceptional offerings, meet some of our friendly and welcoming citizens and will, once you cool off, tell others as our community works hard to foster and promote these types of activities for those who live in and visit the best hometown in the world.

Thanks for taking the time to visit and to share your thoughts.

Best

billyk

The Power of One (Community)

Stepping Up To the Plate

Neighbors Working to Keep our Community Safe

After several incidents when minors were caught brandishing guns and taking shots at classmates and/or people who live in differing sections of the County, a few months ago I wrote a post praising our police officers and Sherriff’s deputies for very quick response and for catching those bringing risk to our community.

I also said that we must help law enforcement by investing our personal time and interest to keep our neighborhoods safe, our young people in school and to provide safe places for good kids so they are not led astray.

Last week I saw strong evidence that one neighborhood is taking action and want to share what I saw.

It’s Saturday Afternoon November 5, 2011

Instead of sitting idly beside the road — potentially getting bullied into making trouble and possibly injuring one another while threatening the safety of our hometown — boys and girls from Beaufort, Burton and St Helena Island were battling each other, not on the streets, but on a downtown basketball court under adult supervision.

The sun shines brightly but the day is cool which means those of us watching from the bleachers felt a chill in the air. However our hearts were warm because we saw what a handful of volunteers are doing to keep our city safer.

There were no uniforms, only home made arm bands to differentiate one team from the other.  (I have offered to get vests or T-shirts for the next tournament making it easier to differentiate one team from the other.

Adjacent to the Charles Linn Brown Center (aka Green Street Gym), the former downtown neighborhood community center – where the competition would have been more appropriate — is now locked down in the evenings and on weekends.  But that did not stop neighbors from trying to fill a gap left open by government austerity.

A volunteer was cooking hotdogs, serving beverages and popcorn to the participants.  There is a supervised play area for toddlers and are a few lawn chairs where some sat in the sun and watched from across the street.  Finally there is a sign up table for a free week of boxing lessons offered by Mr Singleton, who trained in Joe Frazier’s Gym and now has his own gym for training would be boxers.    

This was not the result of a government program. It is an example of people caring enough to invest their time and money to protect their community.

How did this happen and how can we help it grow and succeed in meeting an urgent need for safe places and activities for good kids who otherwise might go astray?

The principal organizer of the informal, but hard fought competition, is an unnamed young man who himself has had multiple convictions and spent too much of his life in prison.  It is supported by yet another young man, now an attorney and pastor, who himself spent a large part of his life behind bars.  They realize the bad choices they made and want to help those who are at risk from making bad choices and avoid going to the same jails and prisons and even more importantly threatening the safety of others in the community

The initiative began a few months ago when random shots were fired on young people playing basketball on the outside court.

The next day Anita Singleton Prather (aka, Aunt Perlie Sue), called a meeting in her living room. Fortunately, Anita keeps an eagle’s eye on what is happening on the street outside her home and knows many of the young people who were essentially put out on the street when the gym closed and while the Boys and Girls Club’s Teen Center was closed.  

Within weeks, the small group grew into what is now called the Circle of Hope Coalition, which sponsored the basketball event and others for younger people in recent weeks.

During our first and subsequent meetings we met with some of the young men who were victims of the drive by shooting. (A big pot of spaghetti likely helped Anita with recruiting) Among the adults were the two men I mentioned earlier, alongside a city police officer, a few members of the clergy, a former police officer and neighbors who are afraid of losing their historically diverse neighborhood.

Rather than asking the young me to tattle tale on the shooters, which could have incited retribution, the focus was on what we can do to avoid these kinds of incidents?

Over and over the young men, about six of them, said help us “find something to do.”  A summer job, knowing they are scarce; a place to play ball; a safe place to hang out and have fun with friends.

The organized basketball event was the first event, but others are planned as The Circle of Hope Coalition is on additional programs including before and after school programs for those whose parents leave for work early and return late.  Finally, the group has applied to Beaufort County Department of Parks and Leisure Services to let them use the largely under utilized public space for programs that create a safe place for young people.

This is a beginning but we have a long way to go.  I urge you to support this initiative, attend events, provide financial assistance for refreshments and encourage others to help you do so.

Notwithstanding government cutbacks, we must all work to preserve our neighborhoods and ensure the safety of all.  Providing activities and safe places for your people is one way to help them resist the pressure to “be cool” which often leads to getting into trouble and challenging the public safety and the futures for those who are led astray

Congratulations to the Circle of Hope Coalition and residents of the Northwest Quadrant for investing in the future of our young people and the safe of our neighborhoods.

During the summer of 1970, I was awarded a Fellowship from Brandeis University to work on Capital Hill in the office of Senator Fritz Hollings.While I have many lasting memories about what I learned, the strongest and most important impression of government working as I was taught it was to work was watching Senators in the beautiful Senate Chamber debating the issues of the day, not the least of which was the war in Vietnam.

 It was nothing like what we are reading about today as the Congress is in grid lock, with members angry at each other, calling each other names, posturing for fundraising, partisan bickering and using the Senate Chamber as a backdrop for news clips, reelection commercials and reeling in special interest money. (For a full contrast, read Senator Hollings book, Making Government Work.)

Once the morning committee work was completed, day after day and hour upon hour “gentlemen” like Senators Barry Goldwater, Jacob Javits, Chuck Percy, Hubert Humphrey, John Pastore, and Fritz Hollings among many others engaged in collegial, colorful, substantive and seemingly positive debate. They were mindful of their differences, but seemingly always searching for a common ground for the good of all Americans. (Senator Hollings shared with me stories about how at the end of the day many, while working out at the Senate gym, would talk more informally about the day’s debate as a means of establishing common ground.)

These memories, as vivid as they are, help me as Mayor and give me hope for the future as I know what elected officials can again be.

During the fall season, I am often invited to talk to school children about my job as Mayor. Simply put I tell them my principal job is to help start and foster a civil conversation about tomorrow. I often read The Pink Dolphin, a book I created with an eight year old student and an 83 year young artist who crafted this simple, but timely and telling book about people working together.

Furthermore, to ensure a more constructive dialogue with the public, City Council now has three work sessions a month where everyone with an interest in the topic under discussion is invited to the table to talk with us. While we take no votes at work sessions, we vet issues, hear from anyone who wants to be heard and end up with the information required to make both representative and consensus decisions if necessary at the next formal Council meeting.

And finally, I write these newsletters which inspire others to write their suggestions so those who cannot come to meetings can be heard.

In light of our approaches, I thought you might be interested in the following which I extracted from a blog. While it focuses on one community in Canada, I believe the message is universal and one to be considered by public officials and the public at large.

I hope you take the time to read it.


Mayor Billy

Extracted from blog/website called Rabble.ca which is Candadian group of writers who share ideas about progressive government. I happened upon it because I have google alerts to civic engagement and civic collaboration which brings interesting thoughts my way.

Collaborative dialogue sharpens civic decision-making

By Charles Dobson

September 30, 2011

We all know irritating people who always insist on taking over. But we rarely object if it is volunteer work we would otherwise have to do ourselves. In this third part on citizen engagement, I focus on how the role of citizens is eroded by politicians, experts and bureaucrats who think that they know best, and always insist on taking over. This is government that sees itself as a wise and powerful father charged with minding a great many children. Canadians are partly to blame for the paternalism. As Seymour Martin Lipset pointed out in Continental Divide, we believe in the government. We like to have Big Daddy watching over us. But does that mean we are stuck with weak democracy, where our role as citizens is limited to voting once every three or four years?

In reality, Big Daddy is poorly positioned to make every decision. Politicians, bureaucrats, and their expert advisors can be better equipped to make decisions based on knowledge about specific issues, but they are hardly equipped to make decisions based on values. Citizens must decide for themselves what they value. Do we build a park or a soccer field? The decision should be based on what residents value most.

Still, it is easier for most people to let government take over everything. Just pay your taxes and trust government will make the right decisions. After all, everyone has so much to do and so little time.

Nevertheless, there are opportunities for working together. They arise when local government on its own fails to address an issue. Local government is the best place to start because here citizens have the best chance of working directly with politicians and bureaucrats. The International City County Management Association, whose members are city managers and senior bureaucrats, has long advocated a barn-raising approach to solving local problems, where local government works in partnership with residents. City councils and some other forms of local government have been moving slowly in this direction.

But in Canada most local governments have yet to forge working relationships with citizens groups such as neighbourhood associations. Most rank the need for control and efficiency above the need for citizen involvement. Most undertake “hit-and-run” public participation as a way of avoiding blowback on serious problems and new initiatives. But few seem interested in an ongoing adult relationship with citizens.

But this can make life easier for both parties. Let me tell you the story of Tara who tried a different kind of relationship. As a first time councillor on Oak Bay’s municipal council on Vancouver Island, she had a lot of questions about how things were done. She wondered why certain practices were taken for granted when they produce such poor results. One particular problem bothered her. It was the way the municipality was handling a long-standing neighborhood dispute. For 22 years, local residents had argued about whether a boulevard at the edge of a popular playing field should be used as parking or green space. Staff had responded with various fixes, but none seemed to satisfy everyone. Recent littering and vandalism at the site had reignited the problem, prompting another flood of letters to Municipal Hall. Thus, one day, Tara found herself at a meeting where councillors were once again being asked to decide on a solution for the boulevard.

Council meetings are one of the few places where citizens can interact directly with elected representatives. But when meetings become public hearings (formal or informal) they can become so combative, time consuming, and so unproductive that many people swear after participating in one to never take part in another. It’s hard to think of a better device for driving genuine citizens back into private life than a public hearing.

Typically what happens is that staff makes a recommendation for solving the problem. Then residents divide themselves into two groups, one that approves the recommendation and another that opposes it. At the hearing councillors listen to vitriolic arguments that ramp up over the course of the meeting. They then vote on whether to approve or reject the recommendation. The process resembles a court battle, a process far distant from the dialogue and collaborative problem solving needed to resolve issues involving many different people. Whatever the outcome of a public hearing, some people always leave angry and disgusted.

So Tara decided to try something different. She asked council to put off the decision until she could work with local residents to find a solution through a process focused on collaborative dialogue. Having enrolled in Simon Fraser University’s Certificate Program in Dialogue and Civic Engagement, she wanted to see if she could apply the techniques taught in the program. With council’s skeptical assent she proceeded to organize a community event that would bring all the affected parties together. On a Saturday afternoon she sat down with residents and other stake-holders. Using a technique called World Café, they worked out a solution acceptable to everyone in the room. When the issue finally made its way back to council, there wasn’t the usual fight. It was simply a matter of council approving a solution that residents themselves had created.

Tara visited the area and talked to residents who had been trying to solve the problem for 22 years. One person said it was as if the problem had never happened. Even so, not everyone was happy. One resident who had declined to participate in the dialogue continued to campaign for his vision of what should be done. But he was an exception.

Canadians are used to government taking charge, but citizens are more than capable of figuring out how to solve a lot of local problems. So it makes good sense for government and citizens to work together, as Jeffrey Berry, Ken Thomson and Kent Portney argue in The Rebirth of Urban Democracy, a thorough examination of five U.S. cities with strong citizen participation programs. Sometimes professionals may have to step forward as conveners or facilitators, but they should step back whenever they can and avoid the temptation to take charge. If we want to build community and democracy, technocratic control should be a last resort, not the first.

If government can give up a little of its authority and begin seeing citizens as partners rather than children or clients, it will create a huge untapped resource. And that’s important, because in an age when public problems are complex, expensive, and difficult to resolve, Big Daddy needs help.

Tara Ney is a Councillor for Oak Bay, near Victoria on Vancouver Island. Charles Dobson is the author of The Citizen’s Handbook, all of which is online.

As many of us take off this holiday, please join me in giving thanks to the many who have given their lives to protect the freedoms we cherish and those currently in harm’s way defending our nation and the free world.

And let’s do our collective best to rally our resources to creatively think about how we can put to work the more than 250,000 veterans returned from Iraq and Afghanistan (significantly higher rate than others their age) who are not able to find gainful employment.

Celebrate Veterans Day . . . A time to reflect on the past, the present and make a better future for those who have served our Nation.