Letters to the Editor - November 9, 2017
Democratic candidate responds to letter to the editor
Mr. McBride voiced concerns (in the Nov. 2, 2017 edition of The Daniel Island News) about candidates from Charleston County running for the seat in House District 99 caring less for the issues of Daniel Island or Berkeley County. I am running in that race as a Democrat, and I would assure Mr. McBride that, if elected, I would emphatically represent District 99 and the concerns of all its residents without regard to the county in which they reside. As a conservationist, I would be most supportive of warding off development on the south end of Daniel Island, as well as the State Ports Authority. I support SC Conservation Voters, the Coastal Conservation League and am a member of the Land Trust.
I would push for the reorganization of the SCDOT to increase access to officials and create transparency in that organization. I live in Rivertowne and regularly experience traffic nightmares resulting from 526 and Clements Ferry, and I want new infrastructure as much as any District resident. My husband, who owns a business in North Charleston, is really fed up with the traffic.
I would also push for legislation to stop the Republican corruption in our State Government, which is costing us significant taxpayer dollars which could be allocated to better our state infrastructure, education and environment rather than fund lawmakers’ special interests.
Cindy Boatwright (D)
Mount Pleasant
Candidate for House District 99
DI business owner supports Mark Smith for House District 99
On Nov. 14 we have a very important election for our Daniel Island community. One week after our municipal election on Nov. 7, we need to head back to the polls on the 14th for the special Republican primary election for SC House District 99.
For almost a year, we have not had any representation in the SC House due to the suspension and resignation of Jim Merrill. This action has set us up for a special election.
As the owner of the Daniel Island Grille (DIG), I am looking for someone who understands the challenges that I face every day in running my businesses. I want someone who has seen firsthand the regulations and fees required to open an establishment, the taxes our businesses pay, and those paid by our employees. I want someone who has created and supported jobs in our district while also being deeply involved in our district through his service. That man is Mark Smith.
Mark is the owner and operator of McAlister-Smith Funeral Homes and Palmetto Cremation Society with operations throughout Berkeley and Charleston counties. Mark has spent his career dealing with people during their most difficult times and does so with professionalism and compassion. His business provides jobs for residents of Berkeley and Charleston counties and his operations pay taxes to our district.
I have known Mark and his family for many years and have watched him answer the call to public service. Whether serving on the board of the Lowcountry Food Bank or chairing the Lt. Governor’s Advisory Council on Aging or as the “fiscal hawk” councilman in Mount Pleasant, Mark goes the extra mile always doing more than is asked.
Mark understands the issues that are important throughout our district including those particular to Daniel Island. Mark travels Hwy. 41 and Clements Ferry Road multiple times a day and is personally affected by the inadequate roads and resulting traffic. He is also a conservationist who seeks to preserve all that has brought us to this beautiful town.
Mark doesn’t just talk the talk, he walks the walk. He has successfully expanded his business to five locations, his proven voting record is that of a fiscal conservative and his outreach and involvement with the community, east of the Cooper, Daniel Island and statewide, is a matter of public record. He doesn’t just talk about his qualifications, he lives them. I want to send a representative to Columbia who will remain true to himself and to us. Mark Smith is that candidate. Please join me on Nov. 14 and vote Mark Smith for SC House District 99.
Brian Mahoney
Daniel Island Grille (DIG), Owner
New Daniel Island Veteran Memorial
William Roper Brailsford. April Shaw. William Simmons. Edward Burns. John Bellinger. Thomas Glover. David Sparkman. G.C. Coxswain.
Why are these names important? They are each individuals who fought for their country in various branches of the U.S. military, some as far back as the Civil War. And all of these distinguished veterans are buried in Daniel Island cemeteries.
As we approach Veterans Day on November 11, I thought it would be an especially fitting time to announce the creation of the new Daniel Island Veteran Memorial. I recently completed this special site as part of my Boy Scout Eagle Project. Each of the men I mentioned above are honored at the Memorial with markers denoting their service. You can find the markers along the trail near the Daniel Island Commemorative Park just off Seven Farms Drive, to the right of the large pond adjacent to the Volvo Car Stadium.
I would like to express my most sincere gratitude to the Daniel Island Exchange Club, the Daniel Island Property Owners Association, and the Daniel Island Community Fund for supporting this project. I also extend my thanks to Bob Johnston of Johnston Signs for not only creating the markers for the Memorial, but for donating countless hours to see the job to completion. Finally, I would like to thank my fellow scouts in Troop 519 for their support and for volunteering during the installation of the signs. It was truly a community effort!
I am proud to honor these Daniel Island veterans, who are worthy of our recognition and respect, and I hope you will take the time to visit the new Memorial in the coming weeks.
Cameron Bush
Daniel Island Boy Scout Troop 519