Year in Review
As our community and the world continue to negotiate the pandemic’s fluctuations, the business of the Town of Bluffton continued unabated this year. I want to share some of the town’s highlights and accomplishments.
A top Town Council priority is to provide open spaces and parks to gather. This year, town leaders, staff and the Martin family celebrated the Martin Family Park, adjacent to DuBois Park. The grand opening, held April 8, included several generations of the family from many points across the nation. This park, referred to as an “outdoor living room,” honors decades of public service from Ida and Jacob Martin. As their family spoke about Ida and Jacob, it is evident service to others is their family’s legacy.
The town also honored Jennie Kitty, another shining light in our community. The Watershed Building, at 1261 May River Road, was renamed in her honor. Kitty, worked at this building when it was the Bluffton Health Clinic. For three decades, she tirelessly advocated for health initiatives throughout Bluffton’s African American community and the Lowcountry. Kitty, a nurse and midwife, was a champion for community health.
It was storming the morning of the ribbon-cutting and we were on the cusp of canceling. I made the decision to proceed and, as if “Miss Jennie” was looking down on us, the sky cleared just in time for the ceremony.
The town’s capital improvement projects continue. Sanitary sewer lines are being installed in neighborhoods which did not have the benefit of pre-planned infrastructure. The town continued this project in the Buck Island-Simmonsville community, while finishing the first phase of sewer installation on Pritchard Street in the historic district.
With safety precautions in place, the town hosted numerous community events. The fifth annual Historic Preservation Symposium was held last spring; neighbors came together for the annual River Cleanup; and we always gather for the 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony. Bluffton police officers hosted their inaugural Safety Spooktacular and recently held their “Shop with a Cop” event for children from financially challenged families. Officers also delivered truckloads of toys for the department’s annual Toy Drive. The town is proud of our community’s generous spirit to help our neighbors.
As I look back on 2021, I am grateful to be a part of serving and celebrating our Bluffton community. I wish you and your family the best for the upcoming year.