Candidates took part in forum Monday night
By Mike McCombs
The Island News
Election day is Tuesday, Nov. 4 with town council races in Port Royal.
Two of the four town council seats in the Town of Port Royal are available this election cycle with three candidates who believe that they are the right fit to fill the seats for the next four years – incumbents Mary Beth Gray-Heyward and Daryl Owens, as well as newcomer Angela Tillman.
Early voting began Oct. 20.
Precincts and polling places
Only voters who reside within the town limits of Port Royal are eligible to vote in the Town of Port Royal Municipal Election. The following precincts and polling places will be open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. on election day. Check your polling place at scVOTES.gov before voting.
Burton 1A (Part) TEMPORARY LOCATION — Robert Smalls Leadership Academy (Gym) 43 W.K. Alston Drive
Burton 3A (Part) — Robert Smalls Leadership Academy (Gym) 43 W.K. Alston Drive
Burton 2A (Part) — Community Bible Church, 638 Parris Island Gateway
Burton 2C (Part) TEMPORARY LOCATION — Community Bible Church, 638 Parris Island Gateway
Burton 5B — Community Bible Church, 638 Parris Island Gateway
Burton 2B (PART) — Shell Point Baptist Church (Fellowship Hall), 871 Parris Island Gateway
Burton 5A (PART) — Shell Point Baptist Church (Fellowship Hall), 871 Parris Island Gateway
Port Royal 1 — Port Royal Town Hall 700 Paris Avenue
Port Royal 2 — Port Royal Town Hall 700 Paris Avenue
What you need to vote
Voters will be asked to provide one of the following Photo IDs when voting in person:
• S.C. Driver’s License
• S.C. Department of Motor Vehicles ID Card
• S.C Voter Registration Card with Photo
• Federal Military ID
• U.S. Passport
Candidate forum
A candidate forum was Monday, Oct. 27, at Port Royal Elementary School. The event was be hosted by the Beaufort Regional Chamber of Commerce and moderated by Chamber President Megan Morris.
There were nine questions asked of the candidates. Here are a few of their answers. (The complete event was streamed live and can be found on the town’s Facebook page and on the County Channel’s YouTube page.)
When asked to introduce themselves, incumbent Mary Beth Gray-Heyward, who has been on Town Council for 34 years said she had been the “voice for the people.” Incumbent Darryl Owens, an educator, said he was a “listener.” And the newcomer, Angela Tillman characterized herself as an advocate for small businesses and young families.
When asked how to reach all residents of Port Royal and make sure all voices were heard, Owens emphasized that sometimes constituents don’t “come to us, so we have to go to them.” Go to the people, listen to the people, respond to their concerns.
Tillman said you have to reach young people in the same way that they communicate. She said she’s experienced in this and is willing to put herself out there on social media.
Gray-Heyward emphasized that Port Royal is a big family. “We want people to come and talk to us.” She prioritized getting people together and doing the right thing for all of Port Royal.
All three candidates supported reducing regulatory requirements to help small businesses. Tillman reiterated that whatever measures were taken, they had to actually help small business owners.
Gray-Heyward advocated getting small business owners together to hear their concerns on a regular basis, while Owens talked about recruiting new businesses.
Gray-Heyward advocated a penny tax on gas to replace the Beaufort County penny tax to fund transportation projects, as did Owens. Tillman advocated the expansion of Palmetto Breeze transit.
Owens and Gray-Heyward both agreed with the revocation of funding for the County Economic Development Corporation to focus, at least temporarily on more Port Royal-centered projects. Tillman advocated for more development on the outskirts and less downtown.
All three candidates felt like the goals of the moratorium on multi-family housing were met, particularly examining the town’s codes. Tillman and Gray-Heyward would extend the moratorium. Owens opposed extending it.
Gray-Heyward and Owens felt the town’s agreement with Safe Harbor for the development of the Port of Port Royal is on the right track after a rocky start. Tillman emphasized staying in front of whatever Safe Harbor had planned and actually examining whether the waters on the port were safe.
When it comes to affordable housing, Owens said the Town needed to have an understanding of what affordable or attainable housing was for different people. Tillman advocated reaching out to those in need of affordable housing to understand who they are and what exactly they need.
Gray-Heyward went further, saying the problem is a regional issue more than a town issue. She also tied affordable day care issues in with affordable housing issues for working families.
When asked how well Port Royal works with other municipalities to address shared challenges, Tillman advocated being a bridge to the other communities to understand what the common concerns were, and allowing “no dust to settle.”
Gray-Heyward and Owens cited joint council meetings and regional organizations in which Port Royal already participates and asserted this was an area in which Port Royal was quite successful.
On what Port Royal could do to further ensure the area’s military installations have the support they need, Gray-Heyward and Owens both were confident Port Royal “was already doing what we need to do,” Owens said, working with state and national legislators to guarantee they knew they had the town’s support.
Tillman suggested the town could be more patriotic and that people visiting Port Royal “need to know” how much we support the military,
Mike McCombs is the editor of The Island News and can be reached at [email protected].
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source yourislandnews.com ’
