Last week a number of “friends” on Facebook asked what I knew about the possibility that USCB was going to “lose its hallowed name.”

As a former USCB student, a former state legislator and, as a mayor who is working closely with Chancellor Upshaw to develop a new vision for the historic Beaufort campus, I think I may, at the moment, know more than many and want to share what I know and my view about the Beaufort identity question. And, of course, I want to know your thoughts.

There are really two branding issues on the table: what is the future of the Beaufort campus and how does it fit into the overall future of what we today call USCB? 

The Beaufort Campus:  A strategic plan for the Beaufort campus that, as the university’s mission suggests, “builds on regional strengths and meets regional needs” is in process. Toward that end, USCB is developing an expanded portfolio of academic programs in Beaufort. These programs are based on our hometown’s unique attributes – specifically, studio art, programs related to our unique physical and cultural environment and more programs tailored to our military personnel and their families.  Getting the right mix of programs that meet our needs and builds on the kind of community we are and want to be in the future makes good sense to me.

The City Council and the City Redevelopment Commission have incorporated this vision into our planning. But achieving this lofty goal will require citizen support since neither the University nor the City can do it without your help. With the community behind this effort, I believe we can brand the historic campus the “Beaufort College for the Arts and Environment” or the “Beaufort College for the Arts, History, Culture and Environment.”

The Overall Picture: The second branding consideration is giving a university that enjoys the benefits of two very strong brands–Beaufort and Hilton Head Island — an even broader umbrella that conveys its regional status and unique attributes.

Since land was donated for the Hilton Head Gateway campus in the early 1990’s, we have faced the challenge of how to develop an identity for a university that serves students on two campuses with very different yet complementary “personalities.” 

Now that USCB has become a full-fledged baccalaureate university, expanded its degree programs significantly and developed an active campus life, there is even more need to develop a broader regional descriptor that follows the banner of the “University of South Carolina.”  

The issue is emotional for many because the institution has meant so much to our community over the years. However, I believe it is time for USCB to get a new identity that describes more accurately what it is and what it can be, rather than what it has been. Under a new umbrella name we will have greater opportunities to strengthen the Beaufort College campus, with a very special mission making it a unique part of the state’s public, flagship university system, USC.

Some background and my reasoning:

USCB played an important role in my education.  Though I achieved my four year degree from Brandeis University, after leaving the College of Charleston at the end of my freshman year, I spent a year regrouping as a student at USCB while setting my sights toward the four year degree.  USCB welcomed me with open arms; provided the personal attention I needed; I excelled in my studies; and I enjoyed new and lasting friendships with classmates and staff. The USCB environment helped me reach the college of my choice for my last two years which was followed by graduate school. 

When I was in the SC Legislature, I fought hard to protect USCB when the SC Commission on Higher Education wanted to shut it down.  We prevailed. However, we did not succeed, at the time, in our efforts to earn baccalaureate status for USCB. Thanks to my successors in the legislature, Edie Rogers, Catherine Ceips, and Shannon Erickson and as well as strong and supportive local government and private support, we finally brought a prospering four year university to the Lowcountry!

Why did USCB need to expand between Hilton Head and Beaufort, rather than in Beaufort?  The eight acre campus in our historic landmark district did not offer the physical space to expand the campus to accommodate the required enrollment to sustain and grow the institution.  Furthermore, there was no way the citizens of our community could raise the money required (about $36 million) since the state provided only about 10% ($4 million) of what was needed.

With the gift of 80 acres between Okatie and Bluffton and the availability of additional land at a reasonable price, individuals and businesses from the lower part of the county made financial contributions to build buildings; thanks to a progressive County Council, which created a Tax Incremental Financing District (TIF), local public funding was provided at no additional cost to the tax payers.  And, finally, it was appropriate to grow USCB in the center of the region, near interstate access, so that students from Jasper, Hampton, Allendale and even Colleton Counties could more easily commute to a central campus.

Fortunately the vision worked.  If you have not visited the new campus, take the time to do so.  Walk through the public library and the other buildings around the central quad and maybe even grab a bite for lunch at the Campus Center.  The new campus and state of the arts facilities have enabled enrollment to grow 10% each year since USCB became baccalaureate. Even more importantly its academic programs have expanded dramatically–including the much needed BSN in Nursing.

The day after I was elected Mayor, Chancellor Upshaw called to request a meeting, which we had before I was even sworn in.  At the time she shared her vision for reviving the Beaufort campus and committed to investing resources to “get it going again.”  

Even though higher education in South Carolina has suffered unprecedented budget cuts, Chancellor Upshaw is making good on her commitment.  The Beaufort College is now branded as “The” Arts College though other courses will still be offered.  Classrooms have been converted to art studios, a ceramics lab with potter’s wheels and kilns and a state of the art graphic design lab, with Mac computers and design software, are fully installed on the Beaufort campus. The new restaurant and catering center, “Outtakes,” opened this past week.  And USCB is exploring ways to create housing for out of town students on an incremental basis. We are ready to grow!

But what does this have to do with a regional identity?  Since USCB has grown to serve not only Beaufort, but also the four counties in our corner of the state, its name should be changed to reflect something much bigger . . . the Lowcountry, The Sea Islands or something of that sort which draws students from outside of the area. These out of region students create a livelier classroom environment and their fees supplement dwindling state funding while helping to underwrite the costs of serving our students and our community. 

Just as USC Spartanburg has benefited from its new identity as “USC Upstate,” we need to help our university grow and develop–so we will all benefit.

As usual, I am interested in your thoughts and can be reached at billyk@islc.net.

Since I have been out of town for about a week, I may have missed a news post about USCB changing it’s name. I know they have been talking about it, but did not know they in fact made an announcement . . . . which they may or may not have made. 

I recently received a facebook message about this from a friend so thought I would respond: Question:“I was ‘told’ that you were in favor of this idea…is this true, and, if so, could you explain how that would be a good thing for Beaufort?”  

My Response
I believe USCB has not been for many years the USC Beaufort many of us attended, and we should have the courage to face this reality and the vision to make it what it can be if we put our hearts minds and financial support behind it. 

I could write pages about the reasons for the move south of the broad not the least of which was about $45 million in private investment that we in the northern part of the county never could have raised to create a four year school. This kind of investment was necessary for USCB to grow and become a four year institution.

That being said, I would prefer to focus on what we have and a strategy to take what is left on the north campus and find ways to regain the Beaufort identity and grow to once again become unique and very special. 

My preference is that both campuses have unique names that fall under the umbrella of a regional institution (currently USCB) that will have a more universal name that stands out throughout the region, the state and the nation. I believe they are now working on that brand.
 
What we have and plan to grow in Beaufort should again become known as the Beaufort College, the Beaufort College of Art, The Beaufort College of Arts and Humanities or something like that. We will have functional assets, offer what no others offer and become a destination learning center for those topics. Students from South Campus (Gateway Campus) would be required take those kinds of classes in Beaufort and we would again be on the map as a higher education institution that can grow and prosper if citizens like you embrace the opportunity. As to the umbrella name perhaps it should be USC Lowcountry, USC Islands or something that distinguishes it self and offers a name that fits.

The most important issue is growing academic opportunity in Beaufort. A thriving university is important to those who live here, thse who visit us and those who settle here.

Always interested in your thoughts?

At a time when there is such a broad disconnect between citizens and their government, something very special is happening here in Beaufort. I believe there is more trust and collaboration between the City of Beaufort and our residents than we have seen in many years.  Despite the financial meltdown, life goes on because we are all working together to keep our hometown one of the most special places in the world. Let me share some of what I see.  

Early Saturday morning before the Water Festival parade, I observed “the daily meeting” among City officials. Attending were our City’s Events Coordinator, Finance Director and Police Liaison, along with Water Festival organizers (Program Coordinator Bob Bible –next year’s Commodore– and his team) and representatives from City partners (The Greenery and Lanier Parking). As they reviewed issues from the previous day and tied up loose ends in the “plan for the day,” I saw government folks working seamlessly with volunteers for the community good. Alongside the adults was a high school student who spent the week working to achieve her “community service” credits for a school project.  Accordingly, it was no surprise that all of the streets around the parade route were clean and ready for parade viewers. I also knew that what appeared to be the last “float” in the parade was actually two men blowing debris in front of a privately operated street sweeper followed by a golf cart with trash containers collecting used cups, soft drink cans, candy wrappers and other trash from citizens as they were leaving the parade route.  “WOW” I thought, which led me to reflect on other demonstrable moments throughout the week. 

I pondered news stories of the week that highlighted long time Water Festival volunteers who have worked tirelessly over the past 55 years; I thought about how fortunate we are to have the committed and diligent volunteers of  the Fripp Island Water Rescue Squad (and others with whom they work) who help those in need:  I reflected on my meeting with Lantz Price who volunteered employees from Plums and Saltus to kick-start commercial recycling downtown. 

What could make a Mayor happier than seeing people coming together to make their hometown an even better place?   

Last week I read the story of a small town in California that closed its doors because officials  had mismanaged public funds, paid their staff exorbitant salaries, were financially ruined and had lost the public trust. Private contractors, to whom government was outsourced, were in charge. 

While I do not proscribe outsourcing all functions of city government, outsourcing decisions we have made over the past year are paying off and more than just financially.  Firstly, our Public Works Department can now focus on public works issues like maintaining the storm water system which they never got to because they were so focused on collecting garbage and maintaining parks.  Secondly, the City and our new partners have enlisted a willing public to help make improvements we perhaps never thought of and could otherwise not afford. Let me mention a few.

Volunteers, through neighborhood associations, with the help from City Police and Fire Departments, have — in less than a year – helped collect more than 310 tons of junk. This was refuse that was difficult to dispose of and included bulky items such as beds, bicycles, tires and batteries, paint, wood and furniture that was in the way, unsightly and presented a fire hazard to homeowners.   

Volunteers, again though neighborhood associations, worked several Saturdays with professionals from The Greenery to clean up and beautify selected spots within neighborhoods. 

Garden Club volunteers, inspired by an employee from “Buds and Blooms,” enlisted City staff  (Public Works and Parks Department) and from The Greenery to host an early Saturday morning seminar on best practices for lawn maintenance and explanations of the new flowers in the Park and how to cultivate and maintain garden flowers.

Collaboration between government and the citizens is one of my personal goals and it is working. Now is not the time to stop and rest on our laurels!  Rather it is a time to take these models further as we have more work to do. 

Because they do not have neighborhood associations to be the eyes, ears and helpers, some areas of the City are not getting the attention they deserve and need. Last week I heard from a Mossy Oaks resident who referred to her neighborhood as the “outer edge of Beaufort.”  Her rationale, which I understand, was that her street needed attention and the City was not paying attention. A visit to the area proved her right and a Public Works crew responded by the end of the next day.  Had she not called, the issue still might not have been addressed and she might have continued to believe she lived in an “outer neighborhood” rather than in  Beaufort’s largest neighborhood.

I suggested that the resident attend the monthly meeting between City staff and neighborhood leaders. She did and reported her surprise to see the healthy give and take and solutions coming from people like her and not just from city employees. Hopefully, she will come back next month and bring neighbors who will make this message resonate through Mossy Oaks so that others will begin to work with us. 

Please understand that “working with us” does not just mean filing complaints; rather it means recommending workable solutions and lending a hand when the challenge of neighborhood clean-up begins.

I do not mean to suggest that all problems can be addressed immediately or completely. Some are financially costly and complicated and will take time. But without the dialogue and solution hunting sessions, it is likely less will be done.

Aside from keeping neighborhoods clean, I believe there are other challenges where partnerships between the City and its residents are necessary. Building Southside Park, working more closely with our police officers and firefighters on toward even better security and more fire prevention, helping each other adapt to a new parking system, developing a form-based code that reflects the culture and physical forms of our community and continuing to press for an Auxiliary Land Field for the Joint Strike Fighter are but a few of the challenges that lie ahead. 

Let’s continue to talk about them. Let’s use the examples set by others and continue to collaborate to move our community forward. This is the best way to ensure Beaufort will remain the best hometown in the world.           

Billy Keyserling                                  billyk@islc.net

 Fiscal Year 2010 Was A Very Good for the City of, Considering the Economic Downturn:  Accomplishing More with Less through More Efficient Management of Resources to Meet Community Needs
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The Following News Article was Reprinted from The Beaufort Tribune
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Beaufort boosts financial status while improving services 

Beaufort makes the most of its limited budgets, and still provides new and expanded services to residents, according to a recent city press release. Through strong financial management and City Council leadership, Beaufort found creative ways to provide exceptional services in 2009-2010 without extra money.

The Beaufort City Council recently approved its FY2011 budget and, in a look back at FY2010, City Manager Scott Dadson and his team showcased a detailed look at the City’s strong financial standing despite a national recession.

“Looking back, it was a pretty good year for us in the City, considering the economybeing the worst it’s been in 80 years. We saw our general fund grow by approximately $850,000 while doing amazing things to make Beaufort a better place to live,” Dadson said.

Among the encouraging signs: Building permits are up in 2010 compared to 2009, due in large part to better enforcement of permits for renovation work. “Business license fees are stable – which is better than seeing them decrease,” Dadson noted.

“The City’s financial position, which was solid at the start of the year, is even
stronger at year end,” said Mack Cook, Beaufort’s finance director. “The City’s reduced its debt by $2.2 million, including retiring several years early $675,000 in outstanding loans, which saves taxpayers a lot of debt service payments in future years.

“Without adding new debt, the City spent $524,000 for major stormwater improvement and added three police patrol cars for $78,000. The City’s ending operating cash balance remains virtually unchanged from the beginning of the year at $7.6 million,” Cook said.

Between now and December, the City will expend $3 million more than it takes in and starting the fiscal year with this cash position allows the City to maintain services without resorting to short-term borrowing, while keeping sufficient cash on hand should it be necessary to recover from a major storm.

“Much of what the City has been able to accomplish this past year started with the outsourcing of the residential solid waste and recycling,” Cook said. For FY2010 the City’s Solid Waste operation netted $103,000 in positive cash flow – even after the Solid Waste Fund repaid $178,000 in outstanding equipment loans and $55,000  in advances from the General fund. This compares to a loss in FY 2009 from Solid Waste operations of $77,000, Cook said.

“This reversal of fortunes allowed the City to redirect funding to enhancing the appearance of our neighborhood, sidewalks, curbs and streets while building a reserve for the replacement of the roll carts and recycling bins,” Cook said.

“The City wasn’t going to sit passively by as our citizens’ property values declined in this national recession. The City took action in improving how neighborhoods look, and in doing so hopefully helped maintain property values,” Cook said.

Expanded services – made possible partly by outsourcing work to the private sector – include those increased efforts to clean up the city and to maintain parks and open space. Also, the City brought in outside experts to review police and fire department practices.

“Over the past year, City staff, residents and volunteers collected more than 312 tons of debris from across the City, creating a more attractive community while  also improving fire safety by removing all that flammable material,” Dadson said.

The clean-up was possible through the dedication of several Neighborhood Associations, residents and volunteers, City staff and the efforts of Waste Pro, the company that provides garbage, trash and recycling collection.

In the past 10 months, Beaufort residents, City crews and volunteers removed 312 tons of “stuff” from residential properties in Beaufort, eliminating fuel for fires and cleaning up the City. To put that in perspective, 312 tons is equivalent to  about 42 elephants, or two blue whales, or eight fully-loaded tractor trailer rigs, or 24 fully-loaded dump trucks, or 312 VW Beetles.

The totals from nine neighborhood clean-ups include:
· 197 tons of trash including white goods, bulky waste, lumber, and metals
· 104 tons of trees limbs, shrubs, branches and yard debris
· 11 tons of paint, tires, combustible liquids and items never identified
· 23 vacant lots have been cleared of overgrown vegetation, improving public safety and reducing fire risk.

Under the City’s solid waste removal contract with Waste Pro, in effect since August 2009, the City has focused on four key areas to improve life for residents, to improve the looks of the City, and to improve fire safety issues: garbage, recycling, yard debris and bulk goods.

Pro-active, prevention-based efforts by the Beaufort Fire Department and Beaufort Police Department earned “best practice” kudos from a recent comprehensive study conducted in 2009-2010 by the International City/County Management Association for Beaufort.

Those effort help save lives and reduce loss of property, ICMA experts said. The reports addressed strengths of both departments as well as areas where improvementis needed.

“We brought ICMA and their experts in to take a close look at the services we provide in public safety, and to help us identify how we can make an already good thing better,” Dadson said. “The reports indicate we’ve made good progress but still have room to improve, and we now have a new roadmap for that improvement.”

A majority of law enforcement calls in Beaufort originated with police officers, according to the ICMA study.

“We have 76 percent of our call volume being officer initiated,” Dadson said earlier this year. “That’s a big part of our pro-active community policing effort. Our officers are on the street, they’re on the roads, they’re keeping an eye out for suspicious people and behavior, and that helps make Beaufort a safer place.”

Police Chief Matt Clancy earned a “best practice” commendation from ICMA for using “community resource teams” to shift police teams to focus on particular geographic areas when problems arise.
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To review the City’s 2010 Financial Overview,clip and paste  www.cityofbeaufort.org  and click on Finance Department.

If the Joint Strike Fighter 35-B (JSF 35-B) scenario unfolds as many of us would like, there will be another “new day” for MCAS Beaufort in December when The Department of The Navy announces that two training and three operational squadrons of the state of the art (space age to those of us over 60) Joint Strike Fighter 35-B (Alternative 1) will be based in Beaufort.

Having read the draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the JSF 35-B, I am certain Beaufort will see some changes. How many people will be coming? What companies will move here to create jobs to support the initiative? What will be the difference in “sound”? What will be the number and frequency of flights? And will there be new and better opportunities for our young people? (If we are serious about improving public education, we must be equally serious about bringing more meaningful jobs to the area.)

I urge you to look at the following website, www.usmcjsfeast.com, so you too can learn more about the opportunity. Furthermore, I would encourage you to post comments, as I will post this, in the public comments section of the same web site.

I strongly support what is referred to in the report as “Alternative 1”, with the understanding that an Auxiliary Landing Field will be necessary. Let me explain.

I remember the day when — sitting in Mrs. Johnson’s fourth grade mobile classroom behind Beaufort High School (now the site of Beaufort Elementary) — the first new Marine Crusaders made their first flight over Beaufort signaling to the community that the abandoned Naval Air Station was reactivated as Marine Corps Air Station, Beaufort.

We were excited about new classmates (and teachers) that would be transferred in to Beaufort. We were told there would be better jobs for those who lived here..

It took a little while to get used to the sounds of jets roaring over our small town. Beaufort was, at the time, perhaps a little “too quiet” for many of the younger people growing up here. But not long thereafter, MCAS, its aircraft and families became – and have since been – an integral part of the fabric of our community.

Over the years, many of us have developed strong business and personal relationships with military personnel and their families. Many “military brats” (as we then called them) like Joan Webster Fordham, Sue Ann Carver Reedy, Pat Conroy, Connie Hipp, Kathy Conroy Harvey, Pat Owings Alley, Stephanie Edwards — to name only a very few among the many – adopted Beaufort as their hometown and have since contributed to the betterment of the community. We know civil engineers and building contractors who work almost exclusively at MCAS.

Today, the annual economic impact of MCAS Beaufort is more $615 million, which is to say nothing of the human resources and rich cultural diversity the military brings to Beaufort. Perhaps even more importantly, many of us feel that by hosting the military in Beaufort, our community is contributing to a strong and vital national defense.

And finally, the JSF 35-B is the aircraft of the future for Marine Corps aviation and what we know today will be phased out. If this aircraft is not incorporated into MCAS Beaufort’s future, we could lose the base and its annual economic impact of $615 million. This would be a huge blow to our economy.

The other day, I received the following letter from a “concerned taxpayer.”

“I realize allowing more squadrons and aircraft into MCAS Beaufort means more revenue for local businesses and the City and County of Beaufort, BUT at what price? . . . . Now, the amount of noise generated by Marine aircraft in and out of MCAS Beaufort can be very annoying, especially flying at night and sometimes even up to midnight. I would hope that the Marines can comprehend that most people enjoy their evening hours at home and would prefer that the noise within the home can be controlled with a volume button, not drowned out with jet noise. . . . If a vote should ever come about, I would check the box to eliminate MCAS Beaufort altogether.”

I understand the writer’s concern. At the same time I hope the writer will understand our community’s concern for the 8,800 jobs, the $615 Million economic impact and the hope for a brighter future and even better job opportunities.

Furthermore, I hope that those who have recently moved to Beaufort understand and can appreciate, as many of us do, the more than a century long relationship between the Marine Corps and the Citizens of Beaufort County. I hope they will understand that Parris Island expanded during the depression giving many without hope the means for a brighter future at one of the dimmest times in American History. And I hope they will understand that the recession proof military presence in Beaufort continues to be the main stay of our economy.

Over the past several years, local governments, land owners have been preparing for this opportunity.

Beaufort County’s Rural and Critical Lands Program purchased development rights of 719 acres around MCAS Beaufort, protecting the Air Station from construction that might affect or intrude on air operations

In partnership with MCAS, the Beaufort County Open Land Trust purchased development rights protecting 520 acres
Beaufort County, the City of Beaufort and the Town of Port Royal are creating a Transfer of Development Rights program to help mitigate encroachment, if necessary in the future, around MCAS. (This program is viewed by the Department of Defense as a model project like no other in the country.)
Beaufort County Council, and all of our municipalities in concert with six neighboring counties, passed resolutions that support bringing the JSF 35-B to MCAS Beaufort.
In closing, I ask all to leave comments on the website and to join me and many others in supporting the JSF 35-B in Beaufort and the inclusion of an Auxiliary Landing Field which will undoubtedly mitigate the potential differences in noise that may come with the change.

Let’s not be afraid to open our eyes to a brighter day for our hometown!

Billy Keyserling
billyk@islc.net

Since 1888 when my grand father, an eighteen year old running from Tsarist oppression against Jews in Russia, set foot in Beaufort, my family has demonstrated an active commitment to civic duty. We have each, in our own way, tried to give back to this country and our community for exceptional opportunities and freedoms The United States gives to us.

It should be no surprise that some of us huddle the morning after elections to analyze and reflect on what our fellow citizens think.  Accordingly it should be no surprise that we talked Wednesday morning after Tuesday’s Super Tuesday Primaries.

While others made observations about the respective parties and their candidates, the winners and losers, the blow to incumbents and so on, the big story in my mind was how few people cared enough to vote. 

Looking close to home, it is very disappointing that less than one in five (18,405 out of 94,146 registered)  Beaufort County Voters exercised their right to vote. 

For the many non-voters who advocate term limits, you gave up your right to end or extend a term based on how you believed incumbents performed. For the many non-voters who want to throw all of the rascals out, you missed your opportunity to offer to run for public service or field candidates to replace those you want out of office. For the many who are angered by what they see happening at local, state and federal levels, you missed an opportunity to turn your anger into positive action. For those who were too lazy or do not think one vote counts, you are wrong.  For those who were not able to get to the polls, due to illness or work requirements, I hope you will explore absentee voting.

If our Republic is going to survive, and not fall prey to special interests and move forward to leave something better for the next generation, we must become engaged. 

While the field has been narrowed, there is runoff election on Tuesday June 22^nd and anyone who did not vote is still eligible to vote.  (For those who did vote, you can return to the party, but you will be restricted to the Party ballot you voted on last week.)

Aside from voting, there are many other ways to citizens can participate. If you are a political party advocate, Republican, Democratic or Tea Party, you can work to further your party’s cause.  If you are a county, town or city resident, you can apply to serve on a regulatory board or commission.

Staying closest to home, City Council is currently seeking citizens to fill vacancies on the some of the City’s Boards and Commissions.  I urge you to think consider the opportunity as an active and engaged citizenry is necessary for us to govern in the open, transparent and inclusive way we want to operate.

City of Beaufort-Town of Port Royal Joint Planning Commission – Commission created so that the two municipalities can act together to enhance present advantages, to overcome collective problems involving the municipalities in which joint resolution is advisable.  Commission composed of 5 members, 3 City of Beaufort and 2 Town of Port Royal.  After 2 years, that composition switches with Port Royal appointing 2 members and Beaufort appointing 3 members. This Commission meets the 2^nd Monday of every month.

Within the next few months, the Beaufort and Port Royal Joint Planning Commission will be transformed into the Beaufort Port Royal Metropolitan Planning Commission with two members appointed by Port Royal Beaufort Councils and the Beaufort County Council .

Design Review Board – Board created for the purpose of reviewing and taking action on the development applications subject to the ordinance, guidelines, and standards established in the Design Districts. Board is composed of 5 members to include landscape architect, architect, engineer, business owner, operator or employee of a business within on of the corridors. All terms are for 2 years.  This Board meets the 2^nd Thursday of every month.

Historic District Review Board (2 VACANCIES) –Board created to review and approve new construction and changes to the exterior of any structure located with the Beaufort Historic District. Board composed of 5 members 2 of which shall be disciplines of historic preservation, architecture, history, architectural history, planning archeology or urban planning. The other 3 members shall live or own property in the Historic District. One of the 5 members shall be a person recommended by the Historic Beaufort Foundation who is a member of its board of directors.  All terms are for 2 years.  This Board meets the 2^nd Wednesday of every month.

Zoning Board of Appeals ( I vacancy) Board has jurisdiction over all lands within the City.  Board composed of 5 members, all of shall be citizens of the City.  All terms are for 2 years.  This Board meets the 4^th Monday of every month at 5:30 PM.

Redevelopment Commission (1 vacancy)  This Commission was created for the planning and execution of plans for the regeneration of and redevelopment of assets in the City of Beau fort.   Commission is composed of 9 members. Members do not have to live in City limits. Members should specialize in planning, architecture, personnel management, urban development, economic development, financial procedures, neighborhood preservation etc…   All terms are for 3 years with using a staggering method for all 9 members. This Commission meets every 1^st Thursday of the month.

 Aside from voting, there are many other ways citizens can participate.

 If you are a political party advocate, Republican, Democrat or Tea Party activist, you can work to further your party’s cause.  If you are a county, town or city resident, you can apply to serve on a regulatory board or commission.

As a matter of fact, Beaufort’s City Council is currently seeking citizens to fill vacancies on the some of the City’s Boards and Commissions.  I urge you to take some responsibility for our future and consider applying for one of these positions since an engaged citizenry is necessary for us to govern in an open, transparent and inclusive manner. That, I believe,  is something we all want.

City of Beaufort-Town of Port Royal Joint Planning Commission -Commission created so that the two municipalities can act together to enhance present advantages, to overcome collective problems involving the municipalities in which joint resolution is advisable.  Commission composed of 5 members, 3 City of Beaufort and 2 Town of Port Royal.  After 2 years, that composition switches with Port Royal appointing 2 members and Beaufort appointing 3 members. This Commission meets the 2^nd Monday of every month.

Within the next few months, the Beaufort and Port Royal Joint Planning Commission will be transformed into the Beaufort Port Royal Metropolitan Planning Commission with two members appointed by Port Royal Beaufort Councils and the Beaufort County Council .

Design Review Board – Board created for the purpose of reviewing and taking action on the development applications subject to the ordinance, guidelines, and standards established in the Design Districts. Board is composed of 5 members to include landscape architect, architect, engineer, business owner, operator or employee of a business within on of the corridors. All terms are for 2 years.  This Board meets the 2^nd Thursday of every month.

Historic District Review Board (2 VACANCIES) – Board created to review and approve new construction and changes to the exterior of any structure located with the Beaufort Historic District. Board composed of 5 members 2 of which shall be disciplines of historic preservation, architecture, history, architectural history, planning archeology or urban planning. The other 3 members shall live or own property in the Historic District. One of the 5 members shall be a person recommended by the Historic Beaufort Foundation who is a member of its board of directors.  All terms are for 2 years.  This Board meets the 2^nd Wednesday of every month.

Zoning Board of Appeals ( I vacancy) Board has jurisdiction over all lands within the City.  Board composed of 5 members, all of shall be citizens of the City.  All terms are for 2 years.  This Board meets the 4^th Monday of every month at 5:30 PM.

Redevelopment Commission (1 vacancy)  Commission was created for the planning and execution of plans for the regeneration of and redevelopment of assets in the City of Beau fort.   Commission is composed of 9 members. Members do not have to live in City limits. Members should specialize in planning, architecture, personnel management, urban development, economic development, financial procedures, neighborhood preservation etc…   All terms are for 3 years with using a staggering method for all 9 members. This Commission meets every 1^st Thursday of the month.

Beaufort Housing Authority  The mission of Beaufort Housing Authority is to provide affordable housing in a safe community environment and to assist those we serve as they strive to achieve self sufficiency. The Board of Commissioners meets monthly on the 4th Wednesday of every month.

Several weeks ago, I read a news story that led one to ponder why there appears to be no end in sight to the record unemployment that plagues our state and nation even though the economy is heating up?  

While some might be surprised to see little correlation between the economic rebound and job losses, those who adjusted to the economic downtown by changing the way we live, changing the way we run our businesses and even changing  the way we provide government services during the economic downturn are likely not be surprised. 

It is my view that the ways of yesterday are not likely to return. We learned to do things differently will do things even more differently as we

face the challenges of tomorrow.   People who saw friends and colleagues laid off during the recession learned to work a little harder, carry out their missions a little more efficiently and became more productive.

Businesses that cut costs and survived are not necessarily going to return to more costly ways when savings go to the bottom line.

But going back to the city let me explain some changes I have seen over the past year and a half. 

During my tenure working as a staffer in the Congress, my service in the SC House of Representatives (1992-96) and my term as a member of Beaufort City Council (2000-2004), each budget session started with the previous year’s base revenue, then projected additional revenues economic growth would bring, added projected revenues to the budget and finally ended up doing more of what they had done in the previous year.  Because this “worked” and there was no urgency to do otherwise, rarely did we dig deeply to examine what we were doing, how we were doing it and how we might do it better. More money bought more of the same. Our government grew with the economy.  

Not surprisingly, when growth came to a screeching halt, windfall revenues disappeared, and many became paralyzed, like deer staring into the headlights of an oncoming car, not knowing what to do to manage shortfalls.

Most public bodies arbitrarily cut programs across the board while also cutting taxes because that is what the people wanted.  Accordingly, services became irregular, rampant cuts ate into core missions and much of government came to a standstill rather than being proactive in order to provide the services the people expected.   

Your city took a very different approach.  Last year, with the full support of City Council, management used a scalpel and not a meat cleaver: first they weeded out some top management because maintaining the workers performing services to the residents was most important. (Fortunately, attrition and incented early retirements made the transition gentler for employees who are no longer with the City.)

With one exception, which was at that time beyond control because bonds had been issued, Council postponed capital spending until we can afford it. We learned that by doing things differently we could better manage our expenses and ended last year without having to raise taxes for government operations.

As we are preparing the fiscal year 2011 Budget, staff is taking us one step further in changing and improving the ways we manage our financials. 

Prior to budget preparation, City’s department heads went though a comprehensive budget training program, called performance budgeting, created by City staff in collaboration with the Technical College of the Lowcountry.

Unlike previous years, where department heads started with the previous year’s base budget and simply added on, each department head started his or her budget with a clean sheet of paper.  Step one was to outline their department’s core mission.  The next step was to determine: What are core services? What are the staffing requirements to accomplish the mission?  How many staff hours will it take to accomplish required services? What are the most current and progressive training protocols? What are the most efficient means for scheduling shifts? What capital needs will be required to accomplish the mission?  In other words, what is absolutely necessary and what are the frills? By the end of the end of the exercise, each department head had determined staffing requirements, removed overlap between functions and presented a budget proposal based on what it will actually take to get the job done.

The good news is that, through using this performance based budgeting process; it appears departments will be able to maintain budget levels while even providing a well deserved cost of living increase to employees who have not seen this benefit in recent years.

Like many families and businesses throughout the land, the City of Beaufort is making the most of less, while reaching higher into the sky to do a better job and set a new standard for managing your tax dollars.

Lavish spending of past years is gone and we will all be better for it while leaving a legacy of “new ways” for those who follow.  Thank you staff, TCL and Performance Based Budgeting for a new day!

 Billy Keyserling

billyk@islc.net