Melanie Burkhold

Taxes / Budget The Town's current and updated budget should be easily accessible under a single, dedicated tab on the Town's website. Taxes / Budget I will actively partner with SCDOT for permissions, pursue state or federal grants while also considering proposing the reallocation of existing town funds to cover expenses. Infrastructure / Transportation Replace all outdated play structures with cost-effective, aesthetically charming and safe play structures and implement annual safety inspections conducted by an individual with appropriate credentials to ensure safety, maintenance, and compliance with standards. Criminal Justice / Public Safety I'm concerned that the 2025 dune restoration project implemented by the Town and the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers (USACE), while aimed at protecting our coast, may have unintentionally blocked tidal flow, leading to the stagnant pond with E. Coli contamination at Station 28.5. Put away your shovels as legal and regulatory constraints prevent residents from fixing the pond. I propose working with South Carolina Department of Environmental Services (SCDES), USACE to investigate causes to prevent future recurrence and restore tidal flushing under permit amendments so we eliminate this health hazard from our beach. Criminal Justice / Public Safety I will advocate for a Town Hall concerning persistent stormwater issues where residents can share their concerns and ideas for resident-driven solutions. I will advocate to provide residents monthly public stormwater updates on the town website on project status, plan revisions, and funding changes. Criminal Justice / Public Safety As our firefighters are often the first responders to medical emergencies, I propose reallocating resources from our General Fund to fund Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) certifications for our career firefighters, enhancing their medical response capabilities since most emergency calls are medical, not fire related. Taxes / Budget Adopt a best practice of rotating the town's auditor every 5 years to ensure objectivity, transparency, and accountability in financial oversight, maintaining public trust. Infrastructure / Transportation I oppose terminating private beach access paths in the maritime forest and funneling all pedestrian traffic to public access paths due to encroachment. I am open to listening and reviewing other solutions to protect our dunes. Infrastructure / Transportation Advocate for addressing the drainage issue at Stith Park and start immediately with cleaning out the ditch that runs alongside the field. I oppose the "tabled" 2 million-dollar public pool due to livability, finances, and adding additional large impervious surfaces to the area. Careful consideration to be given to adding impervious surfaces to the park due to the drainage issues. Taxes / Budget Form an advisory committee of residents with professional finance expertise to recommend to Town Council debt reduction strategies. Prioritize essentials like infrastructure over non-essentials. Infrastructure / Transportation I propose landscaping the lift stations due to the requests of many residents, adjacent and nonadjacent to the lift stations - to improve the aesthetics of the island. Infrastructure / Transportation I will actively partner with SCDOT to prioritize regular cleaning and maintenance of state rights-of-way ditches to improve drainage and reduce flooding. If SCDOT cannot act, seek permission for town-led maintenance. Pursue funding through state/federal grants or reallocate town budget to support ditch maintenance. Infrastructure / Transportation I am open to begin the permitting process for the dredging of Cove Creek to address stormwater runoff, trapped pollutants in silt, advocating for improved stormwater project mitigation and funding through grants. Infrastructure / Transportation I propose to grade and gravel areas as this will improve drainage, minimize pooling and erosion, enhance safety for drivers and pedestrians, protect residents' fences and gates, and improve overall aesthetics. Infrastructure / Transportation Town Council needs to develop and implement a comprehensive plan for regular upkeep, including repairs and cleaning of overgrowth and trash debris, to maintain the aesthetic and functional quality of all town-owned properties and facilities, boardwalks, sidewalks, signage, nature trails and station markers, ensuring safety and minimizing liability risks, while all departments adopt the plan to prevent deterioration and costly repairs. Government Reform I propose that all Town employees and Town Council members receive annual anti-harassment training which is the standard in order to promote a respectful environment and decrease costly litigation. Taxes / Budget Explore the most cost-effective ways to optimize resources and streamline operations and preserve essential services while reducing administrative costs. Taxes / Budget Why are our water and sewer bills so much higher than those of our neighboring towns? I want to get to the bottom of this. Are we subsidizing other operations with our water and sewer rates, is the Water and Sewer Department appropriately managed? This needs to be addressed. Government Reform I will advocate for administrative leave during investigations of harassment complaints to ensure fair and thorough processes. Infrastructure / Transportation I oppose additional nature trails in our maritime forest due to documented campfires, widespread litter, and inadequate maintenance and monitoring of the existing trails, which risk our island's safety. Taxes / Budget I Oppose the 2/3 override to increase taxes unless we face dire circumstances that threaten essential services like public safety or critical infrastructure. Infrastructure / Transportation I oppose pocket parks due to livability, non-essential, and maintenance issues.