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The Calhoun Street Regional Dock has been a part of Bluffton’s history since the 1800s, and throughout the partnerships with State Representative Bill Herbkersman and our state leaders, this dock remains an operational landmark of our town, ready for the next 100 years.
We’ve already made significant strides in this year alone, reflecting our collective dedication to accomplishing the objectives set out in this strategic action plan. Here are some highlights I find particularly exciting.
We want all our residents and visitors to enjoy our May River and to be safe.
“This year, we are celebrating two significant milestones in Hilton Head Island’s history…”
An annual, balanced budget is critical to Hilton Head Island’s livelihood.
Summer Celebrations It is what Bluffton’s people do best: We “build community” by coming together to celebrate our parks and each other. After a successful inaugural year, the town is pleased to...
Hurricane Season: Prepare For the Worst, Hope for the Best The last real scare of a hurricane happened in 2016, and since that date, we have seen thousands of residents replaced with new ones. So,...
It's Hurricane season: make a plan, build a kit, stay informed. The Atlantic hurricane season begins June 1 and ends November 30. So, just like you pack your bags with towels, snacks, toys, and...
The Town of Bluffton Wants You! If you have ever wanted to give of your time and talent to contribute to the decisions of the town, Bluffton Town Council is currently seeking qualified applicants...
Celebrating Town Staff and Their Devotion to Public Service Our emergency responses, permit processing, site inspections, community planning, capital projects, and pathway maintenance are fine...
RBC Heritage Leaves Lasting Impact on the Lowcountry For 55 years, the Heritage Classic Foundation has presented a world-class golf tournament, now known as the RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing....
eAs the yellow film of pollen dissipates and the stunning purple and pink azaleas and wisteria pop up everywhere in Bluffton, you know spring has arrived and town events are in full swing. Please...
Inaugural Bluffton Buzzard Day, March 5 Leave it to Babbie Guscio, who so rightly is on the Wall of Honor in the Town of Bluffton, to come up with yet another eccentric event. She is one of the most...
Enhancing Transparency for Town Government Transparency in government is one of the most important qualities I believe in when it comes to public accountability of elected officials. When I ran for...
Blueprint Bluffton With another year ahead of us, we will be completing many of our capital projects and more. One item that is important to any town is an update of the comprehensive plan. Many...
Christmas in Bluffton: A Celebration of Community The fifty-first Bluffton Tree Lighting and Christmas Parade was a celebration of all that is good about Bluffton. An article from Only in Your...
Thank You, and Happy Holidays When this month’s C2 magazine went to print, I was still holding the title of Mayor of Hilton Head Island, a position I was proud to serve in over the last four years....
Christmas Parade Applications, Holiday Events to Look Forward To It’s the season to apply to be in the Bluffton fifty-first Christmas parade. The parade application is live on the town’s website,...
Town Expands Community Code Enforcement Team Everyone wants to feel safe in the community where they live—not just from a law enforcement standpoint. We also want to experience safety from a...
The Value of Product Ideation The growth of this area brings the need to continue to educate new and old residents about their town government. One important initiative is the Don Ryan Center of...
Congratulations to Chief Brad Tadlock on His Upcoming Retirement Chief Brad Tadlock is one of the people I greatly admire for his leadership, professionalism, and teamwork. Last month, he announced...
Get to Know Hilton Head Island I recently spoke to a newcomer to Hilton Head Island, and she shared with me that there was no comprehensive guide for people like her that outlined all the...
Getting to Know Bluffton Did you ever wonder how development happens in Bluffton? How did the town grow from a one-square mile town to a 54-square mile town? What are the rules, regulations and...
A Return to Civility As mayor, I enjoy interacting with young people. They are indeed the future. Any time I am invited to share my experiences or words of encouragement with them, I am happy to do...
The Key Ingredients that Connect a Successful Startup to a Successful Town A startup and a town have more similarities than are obvious at first glance. In reality, both are in an interdependent...
What Bluffton Does Best: Have Fun Together After a nearly two-year hiatus from Bluffton’s events due to the pandemic, the town wants to help bring neighbors together again to make memories. Bluffton...
Storm Ready June 1 is the official start of the 2022 hurricane season, and I’m knocking on wood that any named storms will graciously pass us by again this year. But we want you to be ready and...
Preserving Our Sense of Place The town is currently offering a Historic Preservation Grant Program to owners of “contributing resources” to the Old Town Bluffton Historic District to financially...
Redistricting a Necessary Process for Island Wards & Neighborhoods In government, there are actions you are required to take for the benefit of the community. They may not always be exciting,...
Introducing Town Talk with the Mayor One of the best ways to stay in touch with our community is through constant communication. At the town, we are constantly thinking of ways to better connect...
Keeping Residents Informed Happy 2022! With each new year, brand-new residents come to our town. This means, there is so much knowledge of how Bluffton came to be that needs to be shared. My goal...
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...
Palmetto Electric Contributes to Environmental Sustainability Environmental sustainability is a key priority for the Town of Hilton Head Island. Oftentimes, we may think of this as keeping the air...
Understanding Accommodations Tax and Its Uses The town gets so many compliments for the awesome events as well as park upgrades. Many of these cannot be accomplished without the use of our...
Giving Back to Help Others Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! This is the time of year when we express how grateful and blessed we are. However, many people, though thankful, may be having a tough time...
Bluffton’s Best This past month, we recognized an officer in our police department, Sgt. Jason Rodriguez. It seems like yesterday when I wrote an article (2015) about the hiring of several officers,...
Honoring a Community Healthcare Champion To many in Bluffton, she was Aunt Jennie. To others, she was the nurse who made sure every child in our community had their vaccinations, especially against...
It’s Time to Celebrate Arts and Culture October is National Arts and Humanities Month, the coast-to-coast collective recognition of the importance of culture in America. Launched by Americans for...
Support for Small Business. As the mayor of Bluffton along with our town council, we have always supported our local businesses in many ways. The Don Ryan Center for Innovation (DRCI) is one of the most visible ways we demonstrate this local business support.
Planning Best-in-Class Projects for Our Community
You’re Only a Click Away I write about this often but feel it is important to make sure you have the tools in your hands if you ever have questions or concerns. While you are always welcome to...
Gratitude, Respect and Fun I am so grateful and proud to be part of a community that has stood strong and rallied together through one of the most challenging times I’ve ever seen. The world is a...
Passive Park Planned for Historical Shell Ring Site
Understanding the Role of Our Town Building Inspectors
Get in the Loop: Join the Don Ryan Center for Innovation
Our Comprehensive Plan a Reflection of Excellence I was thrilled to hear that our recently adopted comprehensive plan earned the 2020 Outstanding Planning Project, awarded by the South Carolina...
Although Town Hall remains closed for the public for safety precautions related to the current pandemic, town staff is still doing business as usual, with a new normal. Town staff continues to review plans and permits, conduct site inspections and conduct Zoom meetings.
Hilton Head Island Town Council voted in December to offer the Hilton Head Island town manager position to Marc Orlando, who most recently served as town manager for Bluffton. Our action represents one of the highest duties of Town Council in employing a manager and determining what skills, experience, and personality are best suited to meet the needs and opportunities of the Town of Hilton Head Island.
Have you ever noticed when someone paints a house, the actual painting doesn’t seem to take very long? What takes the most time is getting ready to paint. We call it “the story of the blue tape.” You know that blue tape that comes off really easily? When someone is going to paint a house—if they are going to do it right—they spend a lot of time with that blue tape. They put that tape everywhere. They cover up everything that could cause a problem down the road. Every window is wrapped in plastic and taped with that blue tape. I bet if it takes a week to paint a house, five of the seven days are spent on the prep work. That’s where the time is spent.
Welcome 2021. I say this with an abundance of caution after the year we had in 2020 and with hope that this year will be better for all of us. As we continue dealing with COVID-19, I’m hoping that the vaccines now available will bring the level of protection we need for our health. It would be great to return 100 percent to the normalcy we had before COVID-19 entered into the picture.