April
2003 - Month in Review
County
Administrator resigns
Beaufort County Administrator John Kachmar resigned
his position after coming under fire for violating
county vehicle laws and several state laws. Kachmar
was cited for speeding in a county vehicle while driving
with a suspended Minnesota license and failing to
obtain a South Carolina driver’s license. According
to the Department of Public Safety, South Carolina
residents are required to get a state driver’s
license within 90 days of moving here. Kachmar’s
driver’s license had actually expired in February
of 2000. It was officially suspended in March 2001
because he failed to pay a Pennsylvania traffic fine.
Beaufort County courthouse records also indicate that
tax liens have been filed against Kachmar by federal
and state officials for failure to pay income taxes
owed. Kachmar’s resignation was effective immediately.
Beaufort County Council members voted to appoint county
controller Tom Henrikson as interim administrator.
Meanwhile, a search committee has been formed to look
for a new administrator. The review process for potential
candidates will include professional and criminal
background checks.
Town supports arts center funding
In a 5-2 vote, the Hilton Head Island Town Council
gave its initial approval to a 10-year plan to help
fund the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina. The Accommodations
Tax Advisory Committee recommended that the arts center
receive $360,000 of the accommodations tax money each
year, adjusted annually for inflation. Mayor Peeples
emphasized that the plan is meant only as a guide
for future councils and that it doesn’t bind
the town to funding the arts center for the next decade.
The town also took the first step toward ending the
one percent hospitality tax commitment to sponsor
the Heritage golf tournament. The tax became unnecessary
after the announcement that a sponsor had been signed.
Heritage secures sponsor
Just in the brink of time, the Heritage golf tournament
has secured a new sponsor for the tournament this
year. As of press time, the sponsor remained unnamed.
But Tournament Director Steve Wilmot said that the
deal – a four-year, $20 million contract –
is signed and sealed. The new contract means that
the Town of Hilton Head Island’s $1.8 million
sponsorship, to be funded through an increase in the
town’s hospitality tax, will no longer be needed.
Water processing plant to be upgraded
The South Island Public Service District will increase
the water-processing capacity at its reverse osmosis
plant by 30 percent. The upgrade will include more
filtering equipment and two more water-cooling towers.
The plant, which opened in 2001, makes water from
the nearly 3,800-foot-deep cretaceous aquifer drinkable.
The cretaceous aquifer is a secondary water source
to the state-regulated Upper Floridian aquifer. The
$1.5 million expansion is expected to be completed
within a year.
Island bank branch robber arrested
A masked man armed with a handgun entered the Main
Street branch of Liberty Savings Bank on Monday, March
10, demanding money. Fortunately, no one in the bank
was injured. According to Beaufort County Sheriff
’s Office spokeswoman Debbie Szpanka, the suspect
ran from the bank, but then got into a car a few blocks
away. The Hilton Head Island man, Herbert Daise, was
apprehended and arrested by the FBI that evening at
Hilton Head Garden Apartments on Southwood Park Drive.
Daises was charged with bank robbery and escorted
to the Beaufort County Detention Center.
Spanish
instruction available to residents
Local television station WJWJ is providing a valuable
service to the community by offering a regularly-scheduled
Spanish instruction program, Descubre el Español.
According to station manager Mike Brannen, the show
was produced for South Carolina Educational Television.
The local channel chose to air it because of our area’s
growing Spanish speaking population. Each segment
is 30 minutes and airs several times per week: Monday
and Friday at 8:30 p.m., Saturday at 4:30 a.m and
2 p.m., and Sunday at 9:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. A downloadable
workbook is available online at www.wjwj.org
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Deer-thinning season successful
In spite of initial opposition, from September 15-March 1,
six southern Beaufort County communities, including Moss Creek,
Sea Pines, Oldfield, Hilton Head Plantation, Palmetto Bluff
and Colleton River Plantation, obtained permission to kill
a total of 470 deer combined. Records indicate that the majority
of the deer killed this season were female. Culling is intended
to thin out the deer in over-populated areas where they eat
garden plants and are involved in vehicle collisions. Local
communities report that the number of deer/vehicle accidents
has dropped since the culling program began.
Town to purchase land
The Town of Hilton Head Island will purchase 4.08
acres on William Hilton Parkway between Hargray and
Shoppes on the Parkway, to be kept as a wooded area,
preserving the natural beauty and maintaining the
ecological integrity of the area. The purchase will
be made using funds from the $20 million bond referendum
approved by voters in November 2000. Thus far, the
program has enabled the town to purchase 1,088.1 acres,
according to Town Manager Steve Riley.
Airports tighten security inspections
Hilton Head Island Airport and Savannah Hilton Head
International airport have joined facilities nationwide
in tightening security measures in response to the
anticipated onset of war. The move will mean continued
curbside examinations for passengers loading and unloading
at Savannah Hilton Head International and continuance
of Hilton Head Island Airport’s “airport
watch program” which requests that private plane
owners and operators report all suspicious activity
or persons to airport authorities. As an added safety
measure, Hilton Head Island Airport also closed off
two side entrances. Both airports report that passengers
should not expect heavy delays, but should allow additional
time for check-in.
Schools prepare for impact of war
Beaufort County schools are preparing for war by engaging
in discussions that make students’ sensitivity a priority.
Many area schools have students who have had family members
deployed and school officials report that their emotional
needs are addressed before historical issues are debated.
The Beaufort County School District sent guidelines to all
schools including instructions on dealing with topics such
as exposure to televised news, aiding distressed children,
and handling school bus delays resulting from tightened security
measures at local military bases. School psychologists and
social workers will be on hand to aid school counselors.
Dredging to be done by tourist season
Dredging in the Braddock Creek area, which includes the South
Beach and Gull Point marinas, continues with plans for completion
by the time tourist season hits full swing. South Island Dredging
Association officials are motivated to have dredging finished
as quickly as possible because the state Office of Ocean and
Coastal Resource Management typically mandates that dredging
be completed by March 31. The timeline was created in order
to protect marine life such as the sea turtles who generally
begin their journey to shore for egg laying in May. The Association
has not secured an extension for completion, but will most
likely consider making a request for one.
St.
Patty’s Day parade busies police
While spectators and participants enjoyed the party atmosphere
of the Hilton Head Island St. Patrick’s Day Parade,
area deputies had their hands full addressing reports of
vandalism and theft. In addition to the regular 10 deputies
that usually
work during a shift, another 35 had to be recruited to walk
the parade’s route and engage in crowd control following
the parade’s festivities. A number of partygoers were
issued citations for public disorderly conduct, assault
and battery,
drug-related charges and driving under the influence. At
least a dozen people were arrested at the event that attracted
more than 20,000 attendees and 120 entries including 28
floats and nine bands.
Churches enact open door policy
In light of the possibility that President Bush
could give orders for the U.S. to engage in war
with Iraq, at least two Hilton Head Island churches
have agreed to keep their doors open for those who
wish to say prayers. Mt. Calvary Missionary Baptist
Church on Squire Pope Road and St. Andrew By-the-Sea
United Methodist Church on Pope Avenue announced
that their doors would open at noon if war is initiated.
Otherwise, the churches will open at 6 p.m. The
Honey Horn Chapel adjacent to First Presbyterian
Church offered to open daily from 10 a.m. until
4 p.m.
Suspendees
stay in school
In an effort to provide greater benefit to students,
area schools have begun relying more on in-school
suspensions programs for disciplining versus giving
trouble makers the heave ho. Many schools claim
that the in-school method is more conducive to helping
students and schools elevate test scores because
students can be monitored by teachers while they
are being disciplined. According to Beaufort County
School District statistics, out-of-school suspensions
dropped nearly 50 percent in 2002. They credit the
decrease to improved student behavior and greater
intervention by instructors and school administrators.
Some area schools have even added behavior management
courses to their curriculum.
Town contemplates
dispatch move
The Hilton Head Town Council has requested that the Town move
its emergency dispatch center to the mainland. The council’s
Public Safety Committee didn’t participate in a vote
regarding the subject, but did suggest to Fire Chief Tom Fieldstaff
that relocating the dispatch center to the mainland would
be more ideal due to the availability of higher ground. This
would mean that the center would less likely need to move
if a hurricane evacuation was issued. Fieldstaff’s team
will research the cost involved in leasing a building versus
new construction and plans to get back to the Committee in
April. The current location on Arrow Road is next to a 350-foot
tower that gives off a magnetic field when hit by lightning
and would need to be evacuated during a Category 1 (lowest
level) storm.
Waste station opening postponed
Expected to begin operations in June, the new recycling and
trash transfer station on Dillon Road has been postponed until
September. Disagreements over the contract between the Town
of Hilton Head and Beaufort County forced involved parties
to go back to the drawing board. Under the current agreement,
the County would be allowed to run the facility while the
town would maintain ownership of the 2-acre property. The
remaining 50 acres are utilized by the Hilton Head Fire and
Rescue Division. The new station is designed with a separate
exit and entrance to facilitate easier drop-offs.
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