Auto MechanicNear Sullivan's Island, SC

SULLIVAN’S ISLAND, S.C. (WCBD) – This week, the Town of Sullivan’s Island introduced a new position centered around resilience and natural resources on the island.

“I grew up here in Charleston and happened to be born the year Hugo hit. And my family would take me out to the beach every summer, exactly here on Sullivan’s Island at Station 27. And I watched the land grow longer and longer every year and the trees get taller and taller and felt myself a contemporary here in these woods,” said Rebecca Fanning.

Fanning is the town’s very first Director of Resilience and Natural Resource Management. Her job is to oversee the preservation and protection of the natural resource she grew up enjoying, and the rest that make up the island.

The role comes as the Lowcountry continues to see an increase in frequency and severity of storms and floods, according to Fanning.

“My primary responsibilities will be to preserve and protect the amazing nature-based solutions that we already have and to increase the nature-based solutions that we’re able to work with in our town, in our back yards,” Fanning told News 2.

Town leaders said the position was formed as part of the town’s 10-year comprehensive plan.

“Part of that is also a response to the consent agreement of the maritime forest which involves removal of invasive species and so having a person whose job that is, whose sole purpose that is, to be responsible for the natural resources of the island, is very important,” said Town Councilman Gary Visser.

Fanning’s other duties include making decisions on tree cuttings, amending ordinances to improve resilience, applying for grants, and engaging the community with the maritime forest.

“Certainly, it’s important to preserve this maritime forest and other trees on the island because of all of the benefits that they provide us from shading our roadways to cleaning air of pollution. However, it also is just one of the things that makes this place so special and unique and why people love it so much,” Fanning shared.

The Lowcountry native said she received her master’s degree from the College of Charleston. She has experience working with local environmental organizations and has studied flooding and other ecological issues in the Piedmont region of the state.

SULLIVAN’S ISLAND, S.C. (WCSC) - Residents of Sullivan’s Island could be just months away from losing their primary source of water if the town doesn’t resolve a billing dispute.

At the focus of the years-long battle between Sullivan’s Island and the Charleston Water System is nearly $640,000 the water utility claims the town owes. The Charleston Water System has said it will cut off the town’s access if the bill isn’t paid by July 20.

The threat is leaving residents like William Wright feeling like they’re stuck in the middle over a problem that isn’t their fault.

“I mean, you got like kids and other people that don’t have no say so in the money due that’s going to be out of water and everything. So, I don’t think that’s fair,” Wright said.

Charleston Water claims Sullivan’s Island changed how much they paid for water in 2017 and has accumulated unpaid volumetric and capital charges.

If Sullivan’s Island doesn’t pay all outstanding balances, the utility says the island will have to find an alternate water source.

The town of Sullivan’s Island disagrees on who should pay for certain expenses and refuses to pay.

Resident Curt Moore is hoping for the best.

“From what I understand there was a breach of contract there somehow. You can’t shut off Sullivan’s Island from water. And if there is a problem, I think there is a solution for it,” Moore said.

The town released a statement in which it claimed the Charleston Water System wants the town to ignore the terms of the signed agreement they entered into almost 30 years ago. The town says it is hard for them to accept what it called a “baseless claim” from Charleston Water that the town is being subsidized when Sullivan’s Island paid almost $2 million in 1994 to support the infrastructure and gifted Charleston Water an easement through public parks and playgrounds. That easement, the town claims, allowed Charleston Water to sell water to neighbors on the Isle of Palms and in Mount Pleasant.

Charleston Water plans to send out delinquent notices to state agencies and the town warning that the water will be shut off starting July 20, when the contract is up.

Copyright 2024 WCSC. All rights reserved.

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - From West Ashley to Sullivan’s Island, businesses spent the day recuperating after heavy rains and strong winds caused them to temporarily lock their doors.

Many of the exterior windows at Hay Tire Pros, off Savannah Highway, shattered, and a large part of their ceiling collapsed on the inside.

Vice President Bill Sekula said that they have always expected severe storms to come through with being in Charleston, but that they have never had this much damage before.

“I guess it was like a microburst or something to that effect, but apparently it was raining harder than usual and then the windows started to buckle and snapped over. These windows on the side just kind of came apart and came out of the building,” Sekula said.

Sekula said glass from the windows was even in the back part of their building which is almost 30 yards away. They had to close the business for the day and return all of their customers’ vehicles. He said the incident happened during hours of operation as employees notified him at around 8 a.m.

The next-door business, Etto Leisure Cars, a golf cart dealer, also saw significant damage. Will Harton, chief executive officer, said that part of their awning was ripped off and hit their power box causing them to lose power.

“I said ‘Oh my goodness.’ You know, you live in Charleston long enough, you know a storm is going to happen. Usually, it’s a hurricane. It’s not a microburst like this, but we will be fine and we will move on from here,” Harton said.

He added that he’s glad that all of his employees are safe and that the building and golf carts can be fixed.

First Alert Chief Meteorologist Bill Walsh said the damage could have been from a potential microburst or straight-line wind, but the National Weather Service has not yet confirmed that.

The Co-Op Frosé and Eatery on Sullivan’s Island had around two feet of water inside their restaurant. Their staff members spent the day using buckets to help get rid of the water. They said they have had flooding in the past, but never anything over a foot, so this is the worst they’ve seen.

“This morning, we lifted everything off the floor because we were expecting rain and heavy floods, but we didn’t know it was going to get this bad. So, as we were lifting things off the floor, it started coming in through the back door. Next thing you know there is water all over the place and we started getting buckets and mops and throwing water out. We’ve been throwing water out for the past three and a half hours,” employee Havannah Malan said.

She said that they have had to get their floors redone three times, and she expects the business will have to get them redone a fourth time after Saturday’s flood.

The businesses said they hope to repair the damages quickly, so they can return to normal operation as soon as possible.

Copyright 2024 WCSC. All rights reserved.

SULLIVAN’S ISLAND, S.C. (WCBD) — The town of Sullivan’s Island could have its water supply cut off this summer, amid a dispute with the Charleston Water System.

According to a letter sent to the town from Charleston Water System (CWS) in October 2023, when Sullivan’s Island purchased 750,000 gallons per day of capacity from the Charleston Water System in 1994, it was a 30-year term which expires on July 19, 2024.

The water system tells Sullivan’s Island leaders that if there is not a new contract by then, service will be disconnected for the town’s 2,000 residents on July 20.

In addition, in the letter, the water system said the town has been paying $0.88 per thousand gallons of water since 2017, and calls that rate “arbitrary and unsupported by facts.”

Charleston Water System says the rate in 2017 was $0.96, and each year, there is a new projected rate for the town. For example, the rate last year was $1.53 per thousand gallons. At the end of the year, an adjusted rate was given which amounted to $1.11.

CWS also said in the letter to Sullivan’s Island that they are willing to provide water service to the town as long as it pays all outstanding amounts owed to the water system. As of February, that amount totaled $1.08 million.

In previous letters responding to Charleston Water System, Sullivan’s Island Mayor, Patrick O’Neil, said they have been paying the correct rate and that a memorandum of understanding on a rate formula was never approved.

“SI (Sullivan’s Island) has been paying the undisputed portion of the volumetric rate since 2017. SI does not owe capital charges unless SI purchases additional capacity which SI has not done.” a letter dated June 30 to CWS reads.

Sullivan’s Island leaders claim that the contract with the water system is clear that capital charges should not be charged on top of the initial capacity the town purchased in 1994. The town also adds that “because SI has not given written notice to CWS not to renew the contract, the contract will be automatically renewed for 15 years or until July 19, 2039, as set forth in the contract.”

In its October letter responding to the town, CWS CEO, Mark Cline, said CWS cannot agree to a rate formula that does not include capital charges or a perpetual term.

As of now, Sullivan’s Island and Charleston Water System are in legal remediation for the issue.

On Friday, Sullivan’s Island leaders released a statement to News 2:

“It’s disappointing that the leadership at Charleston Water System has apparently decided to ignore the confidentiality agreement put in place during the mediation of our long-standing dispute.

Years ago, CWS decided to raise our rates as if our signed contract with them did not exist.

As CWS knows, we’ve simply been continuing to pay the undisputed amount set in our long-standing, signed agreement.

We hope everyone will understand we’re standing firm on the principle that signed contracts are signed contracts. It’s the right thing to do for our citizens.

We will continue our good faith efforts to reach an appropriate agreement through mediation, or if need be, in the court.”

– Sullivan’s Island town leaders

Jimmy Dye, founding partner and broker-in-charge of The Cassina Group, successfully represented the owners on the sale of 1702 Ion Avenue, a significant transaction for Sullivan's Island. The property, a stunning 5-bedroom, 3.5-bath, 7,344 square foot home, was sold for $9,000,000, marking a notable milestone for the island's real estate market.

, successfully represented the owners on the sale of 1702 Ion Avenue, a significant transaction for Sullivan's Island. The property, a stunning 5-bedroom, 3.5-bath, 7,344 square foot home, was sold for $9,000,000, marking a notable milestone for the island's real estate market.

Originally constructed as the Base Commandant's Quarters, this exquisitely preserved historic home holds a unique place in history as the largest and most elaborate surviving structure of offices at Fort Moultrie. Its significance was further accentuated during World War II when it became the residence of the chief of staff, George C. Marshall.

"I am thrilled to have had the opportunity to represent the sellers on this extraordinary property," said Jimmy Dye. "Its rich history and timeless elegance make it a truly one-of-a-kind home, and I am proud to have been involved in the sale."

The property's distinctive features include expansive wraparound porches, tin printed ceilings, multiple fireplaces, gracious rooms, 9-foot ceilings throughout, a renovated kitchen, and a private pool, among others. Its charm and historical significance were a draw for buyers, leading to the property going under contract a mere 7 days after being listed with Dye.

This sale not only underscores the enduring appeal of Sullivan's Island but also highlights Jimmy Dye's exceptional ability to navigate high-value transactions in the luxury real estate market. The Cassina Group has a dominant presence on Sullivan's Island, closing 2023 as the #1 firm for sales on the island.

For more information on The Cassina Group, please visit TheCassinaGroup.com.

About The Cassina Group

The Cassina Group is a boutique real estate brokerage with offices in Mount Pleasant, SC and Charleston, SC. The firm is managed by founding partners and brokers-in-charge, Jimmy Dye and Robertson Allen, and Owen Tyler, partner and managing broker. Recent awards include top honors from Charleston Magazine, Inc. 5000, T3 Sixty and SC Biz News. For more information, visit TheCassinaGroup.com or call 843-628-0008.

Media Contact

Simon Ashton, SIMS Agency, 1 8433219292, simon@simsagency.com

SOURCE The Cassina Group