Letter from the editor . . .
by Lauren Dean
Despite website information outlining procedures for renters to obtain parking decals, Susan Breslin complained to City Council that she knew of several renters whose requests had been refused. The Mayor said he knew of no renters who had been denied permits. “That’s not true,” Breslin said. “I know people who have gone to get a permit and been denied.”
Beckmann said “Nobody who Buddy (the Parking Czar) has turned away hasn’t walked over to my office and worked it out with me.”
“The residents of Folly Beach should not have to petition the Mayor to have their rights,” Breslin retorted.
Next up was Christine Wilkerson who asked the Mayor point-blank if he had committed Folly’s share of the Greenbelt money (approximately $219,000) to aid in the acquisition by the County of the Front Beach Inn property located on E. Arctic Avenue for the purpose of building a beach park and parking lot.
“Is this get the Mayor night?” Beckmann asked, clearly feeling as though he were under assault. “I have not committed it. I have discussed it with PRC.”
“When were you going to bring it up?” Wilkerson asked. Wilkerson is a member of the Folly Beach Parks & Recreation Commission, so it seems reasonable for her to expect her committee to have a heads up on how the money allocated to Folly Beach for parks and recreation will be used.
“It won’t be tonight,” Beckmann said, cutting her off.
The Mayor did say later in his closing comments, “The Front Beach Inn has closed, Parks & Recreation (PRC) is involved in negotiating a contract with the owner, and the Greenbelt Money has not been committed.”
What’s wrong with this picture? What has happened to civility? Some might say a City Council meeting was not the proper forum for Ms. Breslin’s and Ms. Wilkerson’s questions. Maybe “Citizen’s Comments” means just that – say your piece, shut up, and sit down. But don’t we need to have an opportunity for the honest exchange of information? If not during Council meetings – where everyone is present in one room at one time – then where and how do we raise our concerns and get the answers to our questions? Whatever the parameters, we need to find an effective means and method for doing this.
There has been a lot of hoop-la recently over transparency and open government, so I’ve had to think about what that means. Citizen’s comments become part of the public record, as does anything said by the Mayor and the Councilmen. Having a public record holds government accountable, but it also holds citizens accountable. So that’s all good, but residents and Council arguing with one another in such a public and permanent exchange is embarrassing. I want open, transparent government, you bet I do, but I want it with civility. Is that too much to ask?
