Town shifts historic home protection to fast track
Town shifts historic home protection to fast track
Owners of nine structures listed on the National Register of Historic Places are being polled by Pawleys Island officials to gauge support for restrictions that would prevent the demolition of those buildings. The town Planning Commission wants to present Town Council with a draft ordinance next month. “We’ve just got to preserve our history,” said […]
Town lays groundwork for acquiring last 3 beach easements
Pawleys Island Town Council this week took the first step toward acquiring three easements it needs to be eligible for federal funds to renourish 1.3 miles of beach on the island’s south end. Mayor Brian Henry said he hopes the town, the Army Corps of Engineers and three property owners who challenged the easements in […]
Town gets options for repairs to north end jetty
Worn timbers cling to the southern edge of the inlet between Pawleys Island and Litchfield Beach like gnarled fingers. More than seven decades of daily tides, seasonal storms and landmark hurricanes have tried to pry them loose. They are held in place by habit as well as rock, concrete and pieces of construction debris added […]
Town considers solar-power compactors for beach accesses
Two things that Pawleys Island has in abundance during the summer: sunshine and trash. The town is looking at a way to harness the former to help reduce the latter. Administrator Dan Newquist proposed to Town Council last week that they install solar powered compacting trash bins at beach accesses. “It’s a good strategy for […]
Prince George group seeks permit to move Pawleys Inlet
Property owners at Prince George are seeking federal and state approval to move Pawleys Inlet nearly half a mile north in order to restore the beach they say has been lost because of a renourishment project on Pawleys Island. The beach that now stretches 2,500 feet south of the public parking lot on the island […]
Town gets its first seat on sales tax panel
The town of Pawleys Island will have a seat at the table as Georgetown County prepares a package of capital improvements to fund through a 1-cent sales tax. It took 15 minutes this week for the two members of the ad hoc Capital Projects Sales Tax Commission who represent the city of Georgetown to select […]
Ruling sets stage for removal of house that’s beyond shabby
A house that is dilapidated far beyond the “arrogantly shabby” level that was once a source of pride on Pawleys Island will be torn down – as soon as it has a new owner. The Tyson house sits on a curve overlooking the marsh on Myrtle Avenue just south of Town Hall. The electric meter […]
After years of waiting, a paving delay is welcome
Work began this week to repave the main road on Pawleys Island, but the work won’t be completed until spring. And that’s fine by town officials who have waited two years for the project to start. They hope the extra time can be used to make improvements to drainage on the island. “This could be […]
Low-key council race takes nothing for granted
Contested elections are rare in the town of Pawleys Island, so having five candidates for four seats on Town Council might have raised the profile of this year’s race. But if that’s so, the candidates haven’t seen it, and their campaigns have been low-key heading toward Election Day next week. “I feel like the town […]
Town resolution banishes any doubts over Corps project
In the face of lawsuits and accusations of “secret” arrangements, Pawleys Island Town Council is considering a resolution that details the town’s partnership with the Army Corps of Engineers on beach renourishment projects. “The purpose of this resolution is to document previous Town Council approvals of these Corps documents associated with this partnership and to […]
Town rolls out new type of walkway
It took just 30 minutes to install a plastic mat over the dune at the First Street beach access on Pawleys Island. It replaced a wooden walkway that was destroyed by Hurricane Ian nearly a year ago. Raymond Kobermann of Columbus, Ohio, arrived from a house across Atlantic Avenue with a beach chair and a […]
Rising waters at the forefront in town meeting
The top prize in the door prize drawing that wraps up the Pawleys Island Civic Association’s annual meeting is always a kayak. This year, the winner could have paddled home. A series of high tides that coincided with the passage of Tropical Storm Idalia last week also arrived to greet island residents and property owners […]
Corps looks at 2025 for repairing south end beach
Sand eroded from the beach on the south end of Pawleys Island in a hurricane last September may not be replaced until 2025, town officials were told this week. “We were operating under the assumption that there would be a design phase this summer,” Mayor Brian Henry said, and work be done in the spring […]
Town looks at relaxing ban on vending that’s unevenly enforced
Ice cream trucks ran their last route on Pawleys Island 35 years ago when the town made vending illegal. But commerce never went away. From pizza deliveries to bike rentals to beach services, money continues to change hands. The town itself sold $50,000 worth of T-shirts this year for the Fourth of July. “We’re fooling […]
Town ready to replant barren dunes
Work is due to start this week to replace 85,000 dune plants and 8,500 feet of sand fence on Pawleys Island that was destroyed by Hurricane Ian last fall. Town Council approved a $140,250 contract for the work last month, but was waiting for approval from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. That is now in […]
Town considers a plan for parking
The town of Pawleys Island may not be able to create more parking, but it could make it safer and less frustrating for property owners and visitors. That’s why members of the Planning Commission want to address it in their update of the town’s comprehensive plan. “It’s critical to have a true parking plan for […]
Ruling lets beach suits move ahead, but with limits
A suit over the Pawleys Island beach renourishment project can continue, but a Circuit Court judge dismissed four claims in suits brought by neighboring property owners, including one that would have allowed them to seek triple damages. In a ruling last month, Judge Paul Burch denied a motion from the state Department of Parks, Recreation […]
After trees, historic homes may be up next for protection
The town of Pawleys Island is one vote away from protecting trees from being cut for development. It now wants to protect something older: its nine houses on the National Register. The strategic plan adopted by the Town Council in 2020 talks about the need to protect the character of the island. Mayor Brian Henry […]
With federal funds for repairs, island’s beach still faces challenges
The Army Corps of Engineers will pump up to 200,000 cubic yards of offshore sand onto the south end of Pawleys Island next winter as part of a $14 million project to repair damage from Hurricane Ian. The agency’s announcement last week fulfilled a promise town officials made when they agreed to let the Corps […]
Tree cutting brings call to replace light touch with heavier hand
Last year it was cedar. This year it was oak. The cutting of the cedars led the town of Pawleys Island to revive discussion of a tree ordinance. Members of the Planning Commission hope that the oaks that were cut earlier this year will convince Town Council to adopt the ordinance. “It’s more imperative than […]
Golf cart owners urge town to use permits strategically
People who ride their golf carts to the beach at Pawleys Island have urged the town to reconsider its ordinance that requires the carts to be registered. They think it could be used to leverage more revenue from the town and improve access. Town Council voted to raise its annual permit fee from $10 to […]
Town wants to review impact of golf carts
The town of Pawleys Island is moving forward with a plan to raise its fee for golf cart permits from $10 to $25, with Town Council members calling for a review of the impact that the carts are having on the island. “Golf carts seem to be a little more wild, west, kind of a […]
As inlet continues to migrate Prince George group files lawsuit
The migration of Pawleys Inlet has prompted a third lawsuit against the state, the town of Pawleys Island and its contractors seeking to shift the inlet north to its location before the town conducted a beach renourishment project. The Prince George Community Association filed suit last week asking the Circuit Court for an injunction “requiring […]
Town halts golf cart permits as council considers fee increase
The town of Pawleys Island has put a freeze on golf cart permits while Town Council considers whether to raise the annual permit fee, currently $10. “There’s a lot of work involved,” Council Member Sarah Zimmerman said. “I think it needs to be considerably more.” Pawleys Island once banned golf carts from the island’s streets, […]
Creek debris is last target of hurricane cleanup
The last remnants of debris left from Hurricane Ian are due to be removed from Pawleys Creek in the next few weeks. That includes debris that floated beyond the town limits. “In order for the town to get reimbursement, we had to get a memorandum of agreement; one from Georgetown County, the other from the […]
Police track another kind of speeding when storms threaten
First came radar, body armor and traffic cameras. Then body cameras. Then a drone. Now, Pawleys Island Police have a BT-100, which measures speed. “It’s one more tool in our toolkit,” Police Chief Mike Fanning said. He put it through its paces as Hurricane Nicole moved through the South Atlantic toward Florida earlier this month. […]
Town starts cleaning up storm debris from beach
A contractor is due to start in the next week cleaning up debris strewn along the beach at Pawleys Island by Hurricane Ian. The work also includes pushing up a new dune along about 2,500 feet of beach from Pawleys Pier Village north to an area beyond Second Street. Town Council this week approved spending […]
Town takes another look at decaying north end jetty
With its eyes on grant funding for infrastructure projects, the town of Pawleys Island will take another look at the jetty that has defined the island’s northern boundary for about 70 years. The rock and timber structure is falling apart, Robert Moser, a north end resident, told the council this week. He has lobbied the […]
Town seeks grant for drainage projects
The town of Pawleys Island will seek $210,000 in federal funds for drainage projects as it continues to study ways to address flooding caused by sea level rise. The town will be required to come up with a $70,000 local match. “That kind of naturally puts a cap on how much we can ask for,” […]
Town planners approve rules to limit cutting trees for new homes
A proposed tree ordinance for the town of Pawleys Island would protect trees with trunks of 4-inches or wider, but only for new houses. The Planning Commission approved the ordinance last week. It now goes to the Town Council. Tree protection and landscaping were among the topics proposed when the town created an Architectural Review […]
Town seeks to catch a rising tide of funding
Fingers of salt water crept through the spartina grass and between the rocks. As the moon rose over the ocean, the water had the Pawleys Island Chapel in a soft embrace that was only disturbed when a passing car on Myrtle Avenue created a wake. That flooding last month on the highest high tide of […]
Agency seeks to dismiss suit over town’s beach project
A state agency has moved in Circuit Court to dismiss claims from Prince George property owners that a beach renourishment project on Pawleys Island caused erosion on their beachfront. The Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism helped fund the $14.8 million project, which was completed in the spring of 2020. It was named along with […]
Town finds new administrator close to home
Dan Newquist has never been to the Pawleys Island Fourth of July Parade. He’ll be there this year, two weeks before starting work as the new town administrator. “I’ll be working, watching, helping in anyway I can,” said Newquist. He signed a three-year contract this week, replacing Ryan Fabbri, who resigned last month citing conflicts […]
Pawleys renourishment prompts second suit over erosion
A group of property owners at Prince George filed suit this week to have Pawleys Inlet restored to its location prior to beach renourishment by the town of Pawleys Island. They are also seeking payment for millions of dollars in damages they say was caused by the renourishment. The suit follows one filed last month […]
Property owners sue to restore inlet’s path prior to beach project
A Prince George couple has filed suit to force the town of Pawleys Island, its contractors and state agencies to restore the inlet at the island’s south end to the channel it followed before a beach renourishment project was completed in 2020. Over the last two years, Pawleys Inlet has shifted over 300 feet to […]
Town hires clerk, but administrator takes early leave
The town of Pawleys Island has a new clerk. It does not have an administrator. Ryan Fabbri, who resigned earlier this month, left Town Hall last week. He had been expected to stay until June 3. “Essentially, I was very clear about the reason I left,” he said. “The two weeks that I did make […]
Town administrator resigns over conflicts with council
The Pawleys Island town administrator resigned this week citing conflicts with members of Town Council. “It’s unfortunate that it’s had to come to this after nine years of dedicated and faithful service to the Town,” Ryan Fabbri said in an email to the council members. He will leave Town Hall on June 2. Fabbri is […]
Town takes first step in planning for sea level rise
A 2 foot rise in sea level would make the extreme flooding seen on Pawleys Island during hurricanes a regular occurrence at normal high tides. Water from Pawleys Creek would cover nearly all of Myrtle Avenue north of the Bird’s Nest section along with the intersections to the two causeways that connect the island to […]
Tree rules spark another push from board for permitting change
As the Pawleys Island Planning Commission starts work on rules to protect trees, members are questioning why Town Council hasn’t acted on its recommendations to take over building permits and inspections from Georgetown County. Work on tree protection follows the adoption last year of architectural guidelines for new homes on the island. The guidelines were […]
Dune planting will complete renourishment
A crew is at work on the south end of Pawleys Island to plant beach grass and install sand fence in the final phase of a renourishment project that pumped offshore sand onto the beach two years ago. The 139,062 plants are also the first phase of the town’s partnership with the Army Corps of […]
Town adds cameras after cutting police officer
Two security cameras will be added on Pawleys Island using a portion of the money the town will save by reducing its police force by one officer. Town Council voted last year not to fill the position when Sgt. Tracie Milligan retires this month. That will leave the department with the chief and two officers. […]
Town won’t endorse proposed fireworks display
The fate of a plan to stage a fireworks display over Pawleys Creek this summer is uncertain after Pawleys Island Town Council declined this week to give the event its blessing. “Everyone loves fireworks. It’s our responsibility as Town Council to do what’s responsible for the town,” Mayor Brian Henry said. “I’m not saying it’s […]
Pawleys Island considers rules to protect trees
The town of Pawleys Island will take another look at protecting trees 25 years after Town Council rejected a proposed tree ordinance. “It’s what makes Pawleys unique, the landscape,” said John Hildreth, who chairs the Planning Commission. Tree protection follows the town’s decision last year to adopt architectural guidelines for new houses. The Architectural Review […]
Council ponders benefits of dredging
There is no environmental benefit to dredging Pawleys Creek, according to coastal scientists. That assessment has left Pawleys Island Town Council weighing the need for a $46,000 feasibility study for a dredging project. Removing shoals from the creek is one of four goals that the council identified in a strategic planning session in 2020. Beach […]
Town considers request to allow fireworks show over creek
Legal fireworks could return to Pawleys Island for the first time this century under a proposal being reviewed by Town Council The display would be shot from a barge in the middle of Pawleys Creek over Labor Day weekend to mark the 60th anniversary of Pawleys Island Realty. “Labor Day weekend is traditionally our thank-you […]
Deputies will fill gaps in town police coverage
Pawleys Island Police and the Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office has come up with a plan to maintain police protection in the town after the police department is reduced to three members next month. “I am prepared to assist the citizens of Pawleys Island in any way possible,” Sheriff Carter Weaver said. “My purview is going […]
Council votes to cut size of town police force
The town of Pawleys Island will cut its police force by one officer and reduce coverage to 12 hours a day in order to help build up its reserves for future capital projects. The move will save $50,000 to $60,000 a year, according to Administrator Ryan Fabbri. The decision by Town Council, made as part […]
Attorney calls fee award in easement suits ‘grossly inadequate’
An award of $8,000 in attorney’s fees rather than the $60,000 sought by two Pawleys Island property owners who challenged the town’s efforts to condemn easements on their property for beach renourishment is “grossly inadequate,” their attorney said in a court filing. Barry Stanton, a property owner and attorney who successfully represented himself and two […]
Houses that comply with town’s rules still raise questions
A house that meets the town’s new architectural code doesn’t necessarily need to have the “Pawleys Island look” the rules were designed to promote. Six months and four sets of plans after the creation of an Architectural Review Board, members say they are unsure how much influence they have. “We don’t have any criteria as […]
Judge cuts fee award for owners in easement lawsuits
A Circuit Court judge cut over $100,000 from the claims of two Pawleys Island property owners seeking legal fees from the town for its failed attempt to condemn easements for beach renourishment. The owners will get $8,000 each in legal fees and another $913.33 in costs, Judge Michael Nettles decided. The ruling comes as the […]
Planners renew effort to take control of building permits
With architectural guidelines in place, the town of Pawleys Island needs its own building inspector to enforce them, Planning Commission members say. They made their third pitch in three and a half years to Town Council to take back plan review and inspections from Georgetown County and hire a private firm to do the work. […]
Council considers cut to police to fund beach renourishment
With another round of beach renourishment expected before the end of the decade, the town of Pawleys Island is looking at cuts in its four-member police department to provide money for capital projects. “I’m not for reducing safety, but I am for figuring how how to pay for these things down the road without a […]
Owners endorse plan for historic preservation
If Bruce Bailey decides to paint the Pawley House green, he hopes the town of Pawleys Island will stop him. The house was built in the late 18th or early 19th century and is one of nine historic properties that the town Planning Commission wants to protect. Town Council said the idea needs further review, […]
Town plans more talks on creek dredging
Before it spends any money on studies, the town of Pawleys Island wants to find out from engineers whether a project to dredge Pawleys Creek is likely to get permits from federal and state regulators. The town is committed to pursuing the issue, Mayor Brian Henry said. He wants to get the information at a […]
Town objects to fee claim in lawsuits over beach easements
The cost of challenging the condemnation of easements on three oceanfront lots was more than $180,000, according to the owner who represented himself and two neighbors in a year-long legal battle with the town of Pawleys Island. The town says the cost is too high, since the owners didn’t get what they asked for in […]
Town wants to team up for creek project
The town of Pawleys Island wants to work with its neighbors across Midway Inlet on a project to remove silt from the creeks. “Maintaining the creek is something we all know is vital,” Mayor Brian Henry said. It is one of four priorities in a strategic plan adopted by Town Council in 2020. The board […]
Judge allows FOIA suit to go to trial
Conflicting versions of events surrounding Pawleys Island Town Council meetings create sufficient dispute to allow a lawsuit claiming the town violated the state open meetings law to go to trial, a judge ruled last week. Henry Thomas, an island resident, filed suit in 2019 saying the council held improper executive sessions at three meetings and […]
ARB approves first house under new guidelines
It took less than 15 minutes for the Pawleys Island Architectural Review Board to approve its first set of plans. Paul Groce would not have minded if it had taken longer. “We’re open to any suggestions,” he told the board. “My wife and I are so completely in support of the ARB.” Town Council established […]
After adopting design rules, town moves cautiously on historic preservation
An ordinance that would require town approval before altering or removing nine historic homes on Pawleys Island needs more study, Town Council members say. The proposed ordinance came days after the town Planning Commission agreed that something needs to be done to protect the 19th century buildings that led to the Pawleys Island Historic District […]
Judge delays trial in FOIA suit
When voices down the hall interrupted a workshop of Pawleys Island officials last month, someone pushed the door to the meeting closed. The town attorney objected. “We don’t want to get sued,” David DuRant said. The door was left ajar. That has become the new protocol as the town prepares to defend itself in Circuit […]
Town adopts rules for the ‘Pawleys look’
The town of Pawleys Island will begin enforcing design standards next month that are intended to halt the spread of big-box houses. Town Council this week created an architectural review board that members say will preserve the “Pawleys Island look.” The ARB and the guidelines it will use to review new construction follow a year […]
Town eases path toward home design standards
Pawleys Island will ease into a set of house design guidelines that are headed toward final approval next month. Town Council last week week gave the first of two readings to an ordinance that will create an architectural review board that will have to sign off on all new house plans and a requirement that […]
Final version of design rules calls for town review board
A proposal to preserve the traditional look of houses on Pawleys Island will follow a traditional approach: an architectural review board. Pawleys Island Town Council is due to take up the latest version of the plan May 17. It follows months of debate by the town Planning Commission that saw a list of design mandates […]
Judge dismisses suits over beach easements
A ruling in Circuit Court could end the first effort by the town of Pawleys Island to condemn easements on three beachfront lots for future renourishment projects. That effort resulted in two sets of lawsuits and a finding for the property owners that led them to seek over $100,000 in fees and costs from the […]
Mounting legal fees continue to pinch town’s budget
A partnership with the Army Corps of Engineers is worth tens of millions of dollars to the town of Pawleys Island, officials say, but they are looking at tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees to make that possible. And the short-term cost could be higher as a Circuit Court judge considers a request […]
Owners say a court bar on condemndations could end suits
The owners of three oceanfront lots on Pawleys Island are not ready to drop lawsuits challenging the town’s efforts to condemn easements for beach renourishment even though a judge quashed one attempt and the town withdrew another. “They’ve called the tune here, and I think it’s fair to make them do at least one dance […]
Design rules on track for council vote
Four rules intended to preserve the “Pawleys look” could take effect in May under a timeline worked out by members of Pawleys Island Town Council and the Planning Commission this week. The rules were reduced from a list of six adopted by the commission last month. New houses will be required to have a 9/12 […]
Corps will move forward while town seeks beach easements
A Circuit Court judge last week denied the town of Pawleys Island the chance to fix flaws in the process it used to condemn easements for beach renourishment. That means the town is likely to need to start from scratch to obtain the last three of 113 easements needed to allow the Corps of Engineers […]
Owners filing plans in advance of design code
As the town of Pawleys Island works to devise a set of design standards for new homes, some property owners have submitted house plans to get approval before the rules change. “They are all designs that would not be allowed if the guidance you have put together was in place,” Administrator Ryan Fabbri told the […]
Marker will help preserve chapel as it educates
The Pawleys Island Chapel has secured its place in history. This summer, there will be a marker to prove it. The state Department of Archives and History has approved an application by the nonprofit Pawleys Island House of Worship to place a historical marker at the chapel, which overhangs the marsh on the west side […]
Heir claims parcel on marsh in effort to build creek dock
Pawleys Island was always part of Hank Martin’s life. Now, Martin has a part of Pawleys Island. It’s a small part, just 5,335 square feet at the northern end of Myrtle Avenue. But it has caught the attention of the town because Martin has applied for a state permit to build a dock on Pawleys […]
Judge rules for homeowners in suits over beach easements
A Circuit Court judge has granted a motion by three oceanfront property owners seeking to quash an effort by the town of Pawleys Island to condemn easements for beach renourishment. Last week’s ruling by Judge Michael Nettles did not specify the grounds for his ruling on the motion for summary judgment. A formal order will […]
Town plans pilot projects to improve drainage
The town of Pawleys Island hopes to launch two pilot projects to deal with sunny day flooding that will use an innovative device to keep saltwater from flowing into its storm drains. “I believe we could solve the king tide flooding and the normal flooding,” Council Member Rocky Holiday said. He took on flooding issues […]
Football weekend delays hearing on easements
The attorney for the town of Pawleys Island and for the three property owners who are challenging the town’s condemnation of easements for beach renourishment agree that time off is important. They disagree about when to take it. A circuit court this week agreed to postpone a hearing for summary judgment in the lawsuits brought […]
Mayor makes plans for 2021 in wake of protest march
Pawleys Island Mayor Brian Henry will run for a second term in 2021. The announcement came as Town Council discussed health insurance for elected officials. Henry has been under pressure from the local chapter of the NAACP to resign since August over a social media post. The group held a protest march on the island […]
Town still moving forward with projects
There are protests outside Town Hall. A lawsuit has stymied plans for future beach renourishment. The long-time town clerk has resigned. Yet officials on Pawleys Island are moving forward on a list of projects that emerged from a strategic planning session this summer and the 10-year update of the town’s comprehensive plan. Town Council expects […]
NAACP plans protest to shake town peacefully
The local chapter of the NAACP plans to march on Pawleys Island this weekend to raise pressure on the town’s mayor to resign over a social media post that the group has condemned as racist. “This wave that is rising up will overwhelm the town of Pawleys Island, the community of Pawleys Island, and will […]
Judge denies town’s bid to end suits over beach easements
A challenge to efforts by the town of Pawleys Island to condemn easements on three oceanfront lots for beach renourishment can move forward, a Circuit Court judge has ruled. But Judge Ben Culbertson told the property owners who are seeking to block the condemnation that even if they win their suits, the town can try […]
NAACP threatens legal action to force mayor to resign
The local chapter of the NAACP this week turned up the pressure on Mayor Brian Henry to resign following a racially charged Facebook post last month. A protest outside Town Hall drew about 60 people ahead of Town Council’s monthly meeting, which was held online, and organizers promised to return every week. The NAACP threatened […]
Mayor’s apology draws new wave of criticism
An apology from Pawleys Island’s mayor for a Facebook post that was condemned for racist language and led to calls for his resignation brought a new wave of criticism last week from people who said he had nothing to apologize for. Both sides focused their attention on Mayor Brian Henry’s business, Palmetto Cheese, threatening to […]
Mayor contrite, but won’t quit over post
Pawleys Island Mayor Brian Henry said this week he does not plan to resign in the face of the protests that followed a social media post that was condemned as racist. The first-term mayor was at work this week on a statement scheduled to be released at a press conference today at 2 p.m. addressing […]
Town wants $10M bond from property owners fighting beach easement
The town of Pawleys Island wants three property owners who are challenging its efforts to get easements for beach renourishment to post $10 million bonds to cover the cost of storm damage while their lawsuits are pending. The motion in Circuit Court came a day after Town Council learned that about 30,000 cubic yards of […]
Town plans its response to beach easement suits
Sand fence and beach grass that were due to be placed along the south end of Pawleys Island next month will likely be delayed by lawsuits challenging the town’s efforts to acquire easements for beach renourishment, according to the town administrator. “It’s disappointing given all the time and effort we’ve put into it,” Ryan Fabbri […]
Suits seek to quash condemnation for future beach renourishment
The owners of three oceanfront lots filed suit this week to block the efforts of the town of Pawleys Island to acquire easements for future beach renourishment. They say the town has acted in bad faith and violated legal procedures in condemning those easements, which they say are no longer necessary because the town has […]
The parade that might have been
Don’t call it a parade. There was a police car, a fire truck and a grand marshal. Still, it wasn’t a parade. People waved flags and cheered; kids chased candy tossed from the fire truck. Not unlike a parade, but not the parade. It was only July 3. Pawleys Island canceled what would have been […]
Defund the police? It isn’t what you think
Even without a parade, the town of Pawleys Island will be a busy place on the Fourth of July. Its four full-time and four part-time police officers will all be on duty. But the Town Council is debating whether to cut back its police department during the rest of the year. A survey of property […]
Town moves to condemn easements for future beach work
As the first storm of the hurricane season passed offshore, the Pawleys Island Town Council agreed this week to condemn the last four easements needed to ensure that the Army Corps of Engineers will have a role in maintaining the $14.3 million beach renourishment project the town completed this spring. “The condemnation process is our […]
End of beach work reopens campaign debate
The last of 1.1 million cubic yards of offshore sand flowed onto the beach at Pawleys Island this week. The $14.3 million renourishment project stopped just north of First Street, drawing criticism from the town’s former mayor. “Many of us on the north end feel betrayed,” Jimmy Braswell said in an email this week. He […]
With all that sand, a few gaps stand out
Pawleys Island’s beach renourishment project could end as early as next week, weather permitting. The 1.1 million cubic yards of offshore sand won’t cover all the rock groins on the island’s beachfront, which has raised concerns among property owners and town officials. The project that began in October has about 100,000 cubic yards of sand […]
Town starts strategic plan with survey of owners
A survey went out last week to property owners on Pawleys Island as the town prepares to develop its first strategic plan. “For us to go year to year and just react to what comes at us, I don’t think is efficient,” Mayor Brian Henry said. The idea was proposed following last year’s contentious Town […]
Deal with Corps offers town future beach funds
As a $14.3 million beach renourishment project reaches the halfway mark, the town of Pawleys Island is considering an agreement with the Army Corps of Engineers that will help fund future projects. But that will almost certainly require the town to condemn easements for that work from property owners on the island’s south end, according […]
As beach work moves north, town presses to reopen access
Construction crews expect to move out of the south end parking lot on Pawleys Island next week. It is uncertain when visitors be able to move in to the popular beach access that has been closed since September. “The public’s getting antsy, and I don’t blame them,” Administrator Ryan Fabbri said. Marinex Construction has started […]
Town officials pass up raises to help council send message
Pawleys Island’s two top officials will give up $5,100 in salary increases to meet the Town Council’s goal of a 5 percent spending cut. That will leave the town with a $130,000 surplus for the fiscal year that begins Jan. 1. Mayor Brian Henry said the $14,300 in cuts were necessary to send a message […]
Judge dismisses whistleblower complaint against police chief
A Circuit Court judge has dismissed a whistleblower complaint filed last month by a former part-time Pawleys Island Police officer. Judge Ben Culbertson ruled this week that because Charles Houser Jr. was a seasonal employee “there’s nothing that says they have to hold the job open for you.” Houser, who represented himself in the suit, […]
With no further appeals, new mayor maps out path toward unity
A candidate for Pawleys Island Town Council will not appeal a decision by the county elections board to dismiss his protest. “It’s really disappointing that, based on the votes of residents, I won by 12 votes,” said Josh Ricker, who finished fifth in the race for four council seats. He was referring to the votes […]
Henry seeks to heal town after election protest fails
Brian Henry won’t be talking about the north, middle or south of Pawleys Island, where he is due to take office as mayor. Instead, he plans to look for ways to bring people together, “opportunities for residents to get together and focus on the issues,” he said. Henry beat the first-term incumbent Jimmy Braswell 78-58 […]
Mayor and council candidate protest election result
Pawleys Island Mayor Jimmy Braswell and Josh Ricker, a candidate for Town Council, filed protests to this week’s election hours after the Georgetown County Board of Voter Registration and Elections certified the results that showed them losing their races. The elections board on Thursday denied 20 challenges to votes cast Tuesday and on absentee ballots. […]
Henry confident of win as voter challenges reviewed
Ashley Carter and Sarah Zimmerman won re-election to Pawleys Island Town Council, but the outcome of the race for mayor and the two remaining council seats hinges on 29 challenged ballots that will be reviewed today. Pawleys Island Mayor Jimmy Braswell saw a 43-29 lead over challenger Brian Henry in his bid for a second […]
Candidates in town election talk about the issues
Mayoral candidates Jimmy Braswell, 72, retired from the textile and furniture industries. He served on the Planning Commission before winning election as mayor in 2017. Brian Henry, 52, is co-owner of the Sea View Inn and Palmetto Cheese. He served on the town Beach Committee and its Accommodations Tax Advisory Committee. This is his first […]
LOCAL EVENTS
Meetings
Georgetown County Board of Education: First and third Tuesdays, 5:30 p.m., Beck Education Center. For details, go to gcsd.k12.sc.us. Georgetown County Council: Second and fourth Tuesdays, 5:30 p.m., Council Chambers, 129 Screven St., Georgetown. For details, go to georgetowncountysc.org. Pawleys Island Town Council: Second Mondays, 5 p.m. Town Hall, 323 Myrtle Ave. For details, go to townofpawleysisland.com. , .
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