Mount Pleasant, South Carolina – On November 4, voters will go to the polls in Mount Pleasant to determine who will govern South Carolina’s fourth-largest municipality for the next four years.
The contest revolves around the subject of experience. Will Haynie, the incumbent mayor, is running for a third term, claiming that his record over the last eight years indicates he deserves four more.
“When I became Mayor of Mount Pleasant in 2017, we implemented growth strategies. We began regulating our expansion. We set limits on building permits. “We limited short-term rentals, which was causing our real estate market to explode,” Haynie explained. “In my second term, we enacted more buffers, protected trees, and formed a green commission; now, as volunteers, we’re receiving cutting-edge professional guidance for free to assist us care for our natural resources, conserve our tree canopy, and do all of those things. So those are the things I’m proud of.”
His opponent is Curt Thomas. He’s a former state trooper and Air Force officer who identifies as a father first. He claims that his lack of political experience is a strength.
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“I have no political experience, and given the current atmosphere, running for mayor is the smartest option I could have made because I want to bring leadership to our town. “We are currently in desperate need of change,” Thomas stated. “In terms of cronyism, backdoor deals, or buddy systems, I have no vested interest. I bring a different perspective that is necessary and crucial for our town right now. So, if anything, not having any political background gives me a significant edge.”
Thomas believes Mount Pleasant needs new ideas and leadership. However, such goals are mostly focused on working with the town council to develop collaborative solutions rather than promoting his own idea. He claims he is concerned about public safety and preventing new taxes.
“The major issue right now is public safety in our town. I want to ensure that our team has the resources it needs, and as you know, retention and recruitment are major concerns. So that’s significant to me,” Thomas explained. “The second point is that we don’t need more taxes. Not at all. If anything, we don’t need more tax increases. We need to evaluate what we have so far and prioritize our needs over our wants.”
Haynie says he is intimately familiar with the difficulties that Mount Pleasant residents face, whether it is the challenge of affordability or the effort to get about during rush hour.
“We have big stuff in transportation. We have the Highway 41 dispute. “We have the I-526 project coming in,” Haynie stated. “We want a positive outcome on Highway 41.” We need a positive resolution on the Republic Tract, which is currently 180 acres on Highway 41 owned by the county, to prevent 1,000 homes from being built there.”
One of the major topics in this year’s election is the disagreement between the town and Charleston County about what to do about the Highway 41 expansion project, which has been dragging on for over a decade.
“We like the 4-3-4 configuration. Four lanes on either end of the Phillips community, reduced to three within the Phillips community. “We respect our settlement communities,” Haynie stated. “We want to protect Phillips, but we think 4-3-4 will work and be substantial enough without putting a road through Laurel Hill Park,” Haynie told reporters. “The diplomatic and mature government thing to do right now is not start a fight with the country. We’ve communicated our preferences. Let’s see if they obtain the permits, and then we’ll have to make difficult decisions.”
Thomas, who lives near 41, believes it may be too late to change the plans, but promises to be a voice at the table for the communities affected by the project.
“My strategy, like any weak mayor system, is to collaborate with the council. That is a collaborative effort that I am very thrilled to be a part of, working as a team to develop a plan,” Thomas stated. “It appears that the county is already moving towards the action (on Highway 41).” If things are already moving by January, I would ensure that we have openness, OK. Transparency, such as a dashboard that informs people about the status of the project.”
As the town’s leader, the mayor is frequently required to attend some of the state’s most recognizable festivals and events. Haynie believes that if he had to pick one event as his favorite, it would be the Blessing of the Fleet. Thomas chose the Cooper River Bridge Run, but he admitted that choosing only one was quite tough.
“I tell people that anyone in the world can do a 10K run. “They can have a pumpkin patch, which I’m glad they have,” Haynie remarked. “But the shrimping fleet in Shem Creek is the most unique thing we have, and we must ensure that it continues. That is one of the reasons why, as mayor, we purchased the Wando Dock when it was about to be developed. We purchased it, and it currently serves to store our shrimping fleet there.
“Choosing just one is difficult because our town is so gorgeous. We have wonderful festivals, and it is difficult to choose one over the others. “It’s so hard,” Thomas added. “I love our town. I love how we can bring people in to experience our town and discover that, “Man, look, this is a place where everyone wants to live.”
Early voting has already begun, and the election date is November 4.
