Teacher Michelle Lee (left) and several James Island High School students joined John Crisco of the FBMP (right), and in an hour they picked up nine bags of trash from an eight-block area.

By Lauren Dean

With unusual foresight, Folly Beach City Council passed a resolution right before the 2009 Fourth of July debacle that transferred $15,000 in funds allocated for beach management to create a civilian beach patrol. The Beach Management Patrol, which originally consisted of Ali Akhyari , Eric Cadiz and John Crisco, was quickly put together in the aftermath of that disastrous weekend and the three young men could be seen walking or cycling up and down the beach wearing identical gray polo shirts. It was a hard, hot job that paid eight bucks an hour.

Only John Crisco is left, a dynamo who has trudged the beaches ever since – just about every day, all year long – to keep Folly’s beaches free of the stuff people leave behind and the stuff that washes up on the beach. Flotsam and jetsam and then some. “John is truly an unsung hero,” said Zoning Administrator Aaron Pope. “He has been selflessly working behind the scenes performing the kind of invisible service that people take for granted.”

“If you’re too cool to pick up trash on the beach, you’re part of the problem,” said Crisco. “It makes such a difference when you see other people out there picking up trash. It’s a hard day when you find things like dirty diapers on the beach, then you see someone else walking down the beach picking up trash and you’re reenergized.”

The Beach Management Patrol has been picking up trash from the beach front, beach access areas, parking areas, and roadsides since mid August of 2009. A conservative estimate of litter collected thus far is almost 900 kitchen-sized bags of assorted trash, according to Crisco. “Each bag weighs an average of 35 pounds, which means that in less than one year we have physically removed no less than 14 tons of litter, nearly half of which was recyclable,” he said.

This figure does not include such things as construction debris or damaged sand fencing, which would bring the total debris collected to about 20 tons. “If we had a utility vehicle at our disposal, our effectiveness and efficiency would easily be magnified tenfold,” Crisco said.

He’s not out there alone anymore, Crisco said, adding that there are about a dozen active reliable volunteers of the Beach Management Patrol like Nancy Smith, who can be found regularly cleaning her section of the beach in the mornings or Paul Hume, who cleans up on the West side. “One of our best volunteers, Chris Peters, found a twenty dollar bill while he was picking up litter and used the money to buy a grabber from Lowe’s so he could pick up trash faster,” Crisco said.

There are many other unsung heroes picking up trash, according to Crisco, who said he has a long list of people who support the program and attend scheduled beach sweeps and other events. He said several local residents deserve special recognition. Long-time local Julia Scott has formed a group that meets across from the Crab Shack every Saturday at 7:00 p.m. to clean the roadsides within a block of Center Street. “Then there’s Danny. Nearly every morning like clockwork out by the pier, Danny is guaranteed to be lugging a bag of garbage around. He has rarely spoken with me and seems to prefer discretion, but this guy is truly an inspiration,” Crisco said.

Volunteerism takes many forms and is a fundamental aspect of the Beach Management program, according to Crisco. “We know that certain areas of the beach are covered, so we focus our efforts elsewhere. Without all these volunteers, we simply would not have been able to make such a significant impact on the health of our beach and the environmental awareness of our community.”

In addition to removing trash, damaged sand fencing, and large debris that has washed in, the Beach Patrol serves as a liaison to Public Safety and Public Works, reporting violations and erosion. As the local volunteer base has grown, the Beach Management Patrol has placed buckets in local businesses for donations to help defray the cost of materials.

Surfriders, the US Coast Guard, local schools, and other organizations and community groups have organized their own beach clean-up efforts or joined forces with Crisco, and the Beach Management Patrol sponsors events like the “After Fourth Beach Blitz” and the “Sunday Sweeps” that give residents an opportunity to become more actively involved in helping to keep our beach clean.

Crisco has been relentless in achieving his goals. Although he had been repeatedly told that Charleston County would never agree to the recycling bins he wanted for the beach access points, he managed to acquire 20 brand new 95-gallon recycling roll carts. “Prior to the placement of these recycling bins, there were no bins on the West side except the one at Third Street,” Crisco said. “The new bins clearly made a big difference with this year’s holiday trash pileup. It gives people a chance to do the right thing.”

Crisco’s long range goals include continued community activism and volunteer support, recycling improvements, and the acquisition of a used ATV. The Beach Management Patrol recently received $25,000 in funding from the accommodations tax and City Administrator Toni Connor-Rooks is looking for grant money to augment that funding. “I wish I had a magic wand to wave that would make this happen overnight,” she said, “but it takes time to really get things up and running.”

Kevin Boniface has recently joined the Beach Management Patrol as a paid employee and Crisco would like to hire several other part-time employees who are CPR trained and can work with Public Safety. In addition to an ATV, Crisco would like to purchase a john boat so the team can remove litter and debris from the marshes. “I would eventually like to see Beach Management grow into Island Management, covering all roadsides and accessible marshy areas,” he said.

“Bottom line is that people are less inclined to litter when the beach is clean,” Crisco pointed out. “Our ultimate goal is to increase community awareness to the point that people don’t litter and those who do stick out like a sore thumb.”

Italics: Anyone who would like to volunteer or coordinate the work they are already doing with the Beach Management Patrol can contact John Crisco at follybeachcleanup@gmail.com or call Aaron Pope at 588-2447, extension #3.

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Although their contributions have had a dramatic effect on the parish, custodian Jim Laurey, 88; sacristan Catherine Eyer, 92; music director and organist Margaret Sheedy, 99; and church decorator Claire Martin, 71, are modest about their achievements. And while each is stepping down from some of the responsibilities they assumed, none is leaving the parish community they love or their call to serve.

Jim Laurey and his wife Retta moved from James Island to their home on Folly Beach on Saint Patrick’s Day, 1975. For 35 years they have been actively involved in the community and the church. Uncomfortable in the limelight of this recognition, Jim Laurey points to the many people have joined him in serving the priests who served the parish. On weekdays, Joe Moran and Jim assist at Mass and especially at funeral liturgies. When the first resident priest moved in to his cottage on Huron Street, Richard Jones and Jim helped to complete the renovations. With help from Larry Martin, they painted the inside of the priest’s residence. When sexton Don Longenecker is out of town, Jim takes responsibility for opening the church each day.

Jim’s custodial service to the parish is the kind of thing that is most noticeable if left undone. He changes the air filters and takes out the trash. He looks for cost-saving opportunities: turning off the air conditioner when the hall is not in use, cleaning the refrigerator filter, and shopping for supplies for the hall at the discount stores. Because this community is like a family, retiring from it is not something Jim imagines he will do. “I’ll still do my share,” he said. “Maybe it’s not all that much, but you never give up.”

Giving up is not something that Catherine Eyer is likely to do, either. A resident of James Island since the late 1960s, Catherine “discovered” the mission church on Folly Beach around 1987. She was drawn to the familiar art and architecture in the traditional space and felt at peace. At that time the parish had no resident priest, so various priests of the diocese were assigned to minister to the small congregation. Monsignor Donald Hamburger instructed Catherine on the proper care of altar linens. Eventually, Catherine served as Our Lady of Good Counsel sacristan for 20 years, caring for the altar cloths, vestments, and sacred vessels of our church under the direction of nine resident priests and countless visiting priests. She also coordinated the work of the Altar Guild. Catherine’s attention to detail and circumspection challenged everyone to be mindful of the privilege and responsibility of handling the sacred vessels, and to value the sacred traditions of our faith. “It was a joy to do it,” she said.

Catherine announced her “retirement” in March 2009, and the parish recognized her contribution at a Mass and with a permanent remembrance in the parish memorial garden. She continues to serve as extraordinary minster of the Eucharist and as a member of the Altar Guild.

Earlier this year, in honor of Margaret Park Sheedy’s many years of service as organist, music director and choir director, the choir presented parish administrator Father Jesuprathap Narichetti with a gold ciborium. While “Miss Margaret” gave her time to the Folly Beach parish for 17 years, she was no stranger to service. Active in her beloved Charleston community since 1939, she volunteers with the American Red Cross, is an associate member of the Sisters of Charity of Our Lady of Mercy, has served as an usher for the Dock Street Theatre, and is an active member of the Theresians. She continues to worship with the parishioners of Our Lady of Good Counsel and is a rich resource for the music ministry.

Another one of the honorees who will continue to serve is Claire Martin, who has been in charge of church decorations for 17 years. As a graduate of Hixson’s School of Floral Design in Lakewood, Ohio, Claire’s natural talents were given professional polish when she began arranging flowers for weddings, receptions and holidays. In 1993, Claire and her husband Larry relocated to Folly Beach from Philadelphia. Around the same time Father Ronald Cellini, formerly of Pittsburgh, PA, was appointed as administrator of Our Lady of Good Counsel. Claire was just the sort of self-starter that Father Cellini was hoping to find. Before long she was engaging others in her vision. For Claire, the work was never a chore. The joy was in making the sanctuary beautiful because for her, it enhances the experience of worship. Since those early days, many more people have joined in the mission. Throughout it all, Claire saw the hand of God at work. “I learned so much by doing this,” said Claire. “Some days I might be frustrated and wonder how it was going to work out. Then, I’d turn around and someone would be standing there ready to help.” Claire says she’s not going to stop serving the parish, which she called “wonderful”. “I could never totally walk away from the neatest parish in the whole wide world. It’s just time for someone else to be in charge.”

Who will take center stage as this cast of four step out of the limelight? The future is in the hands of God. Now is the time for Jim, Catherine, Margaret and Claire to take a bow.

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(1) operate the golf cart on a secondary highway or street within two miles of his residence or place of business during daylight hours only; and

(2) cross a primary highway or street while traveling along a secondary highway or street within two miles of his residence or place of business during daylight hours only.

Only licensed drivers can operate a golf cart on secondary streets.

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If you thought July 3 was a strange date to pick for Independence Day fireworks, you weren’t the only one. Believe it or not, there was a good reason. The City could either do it on July 3 or not do it at all; the reason being that the City discovered late in the process that the pyrotechnic group hired to display the City’s fireworks had its license pulled in another state for unsafe practices. The City, after researching other companies, finally found a local pyrotechnic group who was licensed to display the fireworks for Folly. There was one glitch: they were already completely booked for the 4th of July. Based on this information and knowing that there were no other pyrotechnics who could do it on July 4 , the City of Folly Beach decided to hire the local group and display the fireworks on July 3.

In an effort to notify the residents of the change, the City put this information on the City’s web site, announced it at council meetings, put it on the sign located near the Toll Booth property and put flyers up in the commercial district announcing July 3 as the date fireworks would be d

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It has already burned itself into our national psyche; the image of millions of gallons of crude oil billowing from the BP wellhead in the Gulf of Mexico, a mile below the surface. We can only guess how much oil has escaped, and that guess is based on constantly changing estimates from BP and the government, though one Associated Press calculation made last week placed the figure at over 130 million gallons.

Several efforts to plug the leak have failed. More successful, but only marginally, was the effort to place a dome over the leaking wellhead and siphon the collected oil straight to the surface and onto waiting tankers. BP’s long-range plan – to intercept the leaking well with a relief well and use that to fill the damaged well with cement – is still weeks away from completion, and the oil keeps pouring into the Gulf. Attempts to coral the floating filth with booms and to burn it off have met with limited success.

The oil is now coming ashore in four Gulf states and we have begun to see the toll it is taking on wildlife and the fragile coastal habitat. The S.C. Aquarium has dispatched a contingency of biologists to the Gulf coast to help hundreds of others in the massive wildlife rescue going on there.

In the early weeks of the spill there was fear that the spreading oil slick would get caught in the loop current, which would carry it northeast of the wellhead and then down the west coast of Florida. By this scenario, it could reach the southern tip of the peninsula and get picked up by the Gulf Stream, carrying it up the East Coast and perhaps as far north as the Palmetto State. By the end of May the slick had entered the loop, according to scientists at the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration. At this moment, however, it appears that the current is not moving down the Florida coast; it seems to moving – and carrying what oil it has picked up – in a clockwise direction in the northern Gulf. This is subject to change, but for now, Gulf oil will not be threatening South Carolina’s beaches in the foreseeable future.

Yet the Gulf oil spill is already affecting the Charleston area in less direct ways. Vacation rentals are up and seafood supplies are down. The Florida Panhandle resorts of Destin, Panama City, Fort Walton Beach, Pensacola Beach and the Alabama beach town of Gulf Shores seem to be taking the brunt of the BP hit, according to an informal survey of local beach rental companies.

“We have seen last minute inquiries by people who have abandoned their Gulf Coast vacations and even abandoned their deposits,” said Kathleen Holmes, property manager at Seabrook Exclusive Rentals and Sales.

Some of those vacationers heard early reports that the oil slick might be rounding the tip of Florida and heading to South Carolina. “We got some calls from people wanting to know if our beaches are clean,” Holmes said. She assured them that South Carolina’s beaches are pristine and urged them to consider coming here. She said she is even working with them to give discounts because some of them have already lost deposits on the Gulf Coast.

Jerad Becknell, general manager at the Palms Hotel on the Isle of Palms, said he has seen an eight- to ten-percent increase in bookings, which he attributes to the crisis in the Gulf. The new vacationers here seem to be happy with what they find, he said. “One couple told me South Carolina will be their new vacation home,” Becknell said.

Colin Landrith, a vacation specialist at Avocet Properties on Folly Beach, said he has gotten a number of calls from people who had planned to vacation at Destin or Pensacola. The increased demand for rentals has not affected prices, he said, because prices are locked in by November. It looks like it will be a tight fit for vacationers on Folly this year. “Folly Beach was rocking before the oil spill hit,” Landrith said. “Our inventory has not changed.”

The picture is not as clear on the availability of fresh seafood. A spot check of several local seafood wholesalers gave mixed results. Much of the seafood sold locally is caught locally so supply would not be affected, but prices may spike as Gulf coast seafood suppliers are shut down and demand increases on the local supply.

An unidentified employee at Backman Seafood on James Island said they had felt no impact from the Gulf spill. At C.A. Magwood & Son in Mount Pleasant, manager John Moseley said events in the Gulf have not affected prices or availability. This time of year, he said, his major product is shrimp and those have suffered more from winter cold than from Gulf oil. His primary fear is that Gulf shrimpers will be shut down in their home waters and start wandering into Atlantic waters, increasing competition in the local market and adding pressure to the local shrimp stock.

Jennifer Hardin at Cherry Point Seafood Co. in Rockville said that there are plenty of shrimp since the shrimping season started on the Texas coast, and Texas has not been affected by the spill. The price of shrimp has actually dropped 50 cents a pound, she said. “We’ve got more shrimp than we know what to do with.”

Rutledge Leland at Carolina Seafood in McClellanville concurred, saying the price of shrimp has leveled off since the season opened in Texas, but the crab market is being affected by the oil spill and we may see an increase in prices there.

The Post and Courier reported on June 25 that the Red Lobster seafood restaurant chain was running out of oysters, since most oysters come from the Gulf this time of year. That is where most local seafood lovers will feel the pinch first in the seafood supply chain. There may be a social and culinary crisis in January when Boone Hall Plantation holds its annual Lowcountry Oyster Festival, which draws more than 10,000. Will there be oysters enough by then? We will have to wait and see, a local wholesaler told the P&C.

For several years there has been a growing frenzy to explore for natural gas and oil off the South Carolina coast. As First District Rep. Henry Brown told the Chicago Tribune in 2005, “If [oil and gas drilling] is okay for Alabama, Louisiana, and Texas, it should be okay for other states … We are in an energy crisis and we should do everything we can to become more energy-independent — including offshore drilling.”

That may have made some sense five years ago, but now South Carolinians must evaluate offshore drilling in light of the blowout of the BP well off the Louisiana shore. How would a major oil spill affect the lives and livelihoods of the coast? How would it affect our tourism and our seafood industry?

Henry Brown will soon leave Congress and he will almost certainly be replaced by Republican nominee Tim Scott, who also enthusiastically supports offshore drilling on the South Carolina coast. His Democratic opponent, Ben Frasier, could not be reached for comment. Republican Sen. Jim DeMint supports offshore drilling and even his mysterious Democratic opponent, Alvin Greene, has said he wants to drill on the Carolina coast.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Nikki Haley also supports offshore drilling. Her Democratic opponent Vince Sheheen is the only major candidate who has come out against offshore drilling. “The science tells us there is not much potential for oil. It’s not worth risking the tourism industry in the state or risking the fragile resources in the state,” he told The State newspaper on June 4.

While many South Carolinians think that drilling for oil and gas off our beaches is necessary – even inevitable – a growing number of people have come to question that wisdom. More than 200 of them gathered at Folly Beach and Kiawah Island’s Beachwalker Park on June 26 to stand in the surf and clasp hands in part of an international movement called “Hands Across the Sand,” urging politicians and citizens to take a stand against offshore drilling.

Folly Beach Mayor Tim Goodwin told the Post and Courier, “The beaches would be empty and this hotel would look like a ghost town” if oil washed up on the Folly sand. “People are vacationing here because they have canceled their vacations on the Gulf coast. An oil spill, major or minor, near or far would just completely wipe us out here at Folly Beach.”

To drill or not to drill? It’ another important issue the people of the Lowcountry will have to think about carefully before the November election.

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Joseph McGill, a program officer for the National Trust for Historic Preservation, is a man with a mission. McGill says there is an “untold story” African-American Union soldiers that “deserves to be told”. After befriending several Confederate civil war reenactors as a park ranger at Fort Sumter National Monument, and watching the movie “Glory,” McGill became a reenactor himself. “We are constantly recruiting men and women to help us tell the story of the 180,000 African-American men that served the Union in the Civil War,” McGill said. The movie “Glory” centers on the 54th Massachusetts “colored” troops historic battle at Battery Wagner, Morris Island, SC on July 18th, 1863.

According to James W. Hagy in To Take Charleston- The Civil War on Folly Island, proximity to Morris Island and the Charleston ship channel prompted Folly’s use as a staging point, starting in February of 1863. Later that year as many as 10,000 Union troops, garrisoned on Folly Island, stood poised for battle. Steven Smith, of the South Carolina Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology, claims that Folly Island was literally deforested by the Union troops who needed firewood and building wood. On July 10, 1863, after a two-hour barrage of cannon fire from Folly, Union troops launched an amphibious assault across Lighthouse Inlet for an attempt to take Battery Wagner from the Confederates. The troops were driven back by a barrage of musket fire as they reached the walls of the fort. On July 18, Union assault forces from the 6th and 7th Connecticut, and the 54th Massachusetts staged another attempt on Fort Wagner. Union artillery support from gunboats, ironclads, and land batteries landed an estimated 9,000 rounds onto Fort Wagner. Confederate forces answered with batteries from Battery Greg on Cummings Point, Fort Sumter, James Island, and Sullivan’s Island. The Union troops were repelled once more after sustaining heavy casualties, with the 54th Massachusetts suffering the greatest losses.

Civil War re-enactors will commemorate the 147th anniversary of the assault on Battery Wagner on July 16. Volunteer re-enactors from Company I, 54th Massachusetts Re-enactment Regiment, will honor the men who participated in the historic battle on July 18, 1863. The event will occur on Morris Island, and the public is invited and encouraged to attend. The boat for the one-hour event will leave from the Charleston Maritime Center (10 Wharfside St., downtown Charleston) at 3:00 p.m. and return at 5:00 p.m. Make reservations by calling Joseph McGill at 408-7727. Participants should arrive 30 minutes before their reserved time. The cost of the boat ride and visit to the island is $25. Tideline Tours also offers Ferry service from James Island to Cummings Point, leaving at 1:30 p.m. and returning at approximately 6:00 p.m. The cost is $25 per person with a $5 per car parking fee. Make reservations by contacting Tideline Tours at 843-813-2497. The event is sponsored by Company I, 54th Massachusetts Re-enactment Regiment.

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Ordinances

The June 22 City Council meeting began at exactly 7:00 p.m. and the gavel came down at 8:01 p.m. No new ordinances were introduced and no one raised a stink about anything. The new Comprehensive Plan and Official Zoning Map unanimously passed final reading. The State requires that the comprehensive plan be reviewed every five years and the Planning Commission held a public hearing on the plan at its June 7 meeting. There were no objections from residents and after striking the provision regarding construction of a fine arts center, the PC recommended passage of the Comprehensive Plan and sent it to City Council for a final vote. A nuts and bolts ordinance updating Folly Beach building regulations to bring them into compliance with current codes also passed unanimously.

The FY10-11 budget was up for final reading and Mayor Tim Goodwin opened the floor to public comments. There were no questions or concerns raised by residents. Pennell Clamp reiterated his stance that there are some things he doesn’t like about the budget, but what the heck, all in all it’s a good budget with no millage increase so let’s “git ‘er done.” Clamp did propose a change that would require Council’s approval before the City purchases any new vehicles. That made sense to the other members – I’d wager Clamp maintains his vehicles rather than rushing to buy a new one every couple of years – and that provision was added before the final tally, in which only Eddie Ellis cast a dissenting vote.

An ordinance providing for the issuance of a $1 million general obligation bond to pay for the expansion of the Public Safety facility passed second reading with only Ellis voting against it. According to City Administrator Toni Connor-Rooks, the most recent value of all taxable property in Folly Beach is approximately $66 million and the City may borrow up to 8% of this amount without a referendum. Although the cost of the expansion was approximately $1.6 million, keeping the indebtedness at $1 million will keep the annual payment approximately the same as that for the current City Hall, which will be paid off this year. The bond will be repaid in ten annual principle plus interest installments of $122,739 at a fixed interest rate of 3.91%. Not only did the City negotiate a good deal, according to Connor-Rooks, but Folly Beach Building Inspector Eric Lutz will be on the job – monitoring construction work and costs – to make sure the City is getting its money’s worth.

Other business

A resolution authorizing the City of Folly Beach to withdraw from the Charleston County Consolidated Dispatch Center introduced by Ellis was shot down when he failed to receive a second to the motion. A resolution awarding the bid for the court room sound system for just at $21,000 passed unanimously with Connor-Rooks explaining that the City would receive a grant to cover approximately half of that expense. Connor-Rooks said she had seen a demo of the equipment and was very pleased that it would now allow residents the option of listening to meetings on the radio.

Public Safety

Chief Terry Boatwright talked about his plans to get Folly Beach through the Fourth of July weekend. To many residents, Boatwright is walking on water after the Memorial Day non-event and he aims to keep on walking. Boatwright said the Folly Beach Department of Public Safety is “staffed up and ready for the July 4 weekend.” He said his major problem this summer has been getting traffic off the West side of the island, but as far as front beach behavior is concerned, “small ops” since the Memorial Day weekend have had the intended effect on behavior. From May 1 to June 22 of 2010, 484 citations were written compared to 288 in this same period last year. There has also been a 60% increase in littering citations this year, according to Boatwright. Not more littering, he stressed, but more enforcement. He said he also intends to continue the vehicle check points that have proven very effective.

Council Comments

Laura Beck expressed concern about the new power poles SCE&G wants to put in the Folly River. She said the permit to OCRM failed to specify the height of the new utility poles and she thought it would be wise for Folly Beach to exercise some input before the permits are granted.

Eddie Ellis applauded Chief Boatwright for staying ahead of the curve. He said he was standing in line at the Piggly Wiggly and overheard the day-trippers in front of him talking about how visitors needed to “tone it down or you may get a citation.”

Hume reiterated his stance regarding his low-key approach that makes residents ambassadors of our beach. “We all need to work to keep our beaches clean. Pass out garbage bags, ask people to behave. If we all work at this, we can do it.”

Charlie McCarty reminded us that July 3rd, which will be celebrated at the beach as the 4th of July holiday, is also the birthday of Julius Caesar.

Mayor Tim Goodwin said residents need to remain focused on beaches and walk-overs, but we also needed to look in our own backyards. He encouraged people to purchase regulation garbage containers at City Hall and to refrain from putting trash cans and yard debris on the street days before pick up. “We know what gets picked up on what days,” he said.

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For the past two summers Buzz Perri has been manning his Italian Ice cart from a spot on the sidewalk next to Mr. John’s Beach Store. He opens for business about 11:00 a.m. and closes “when everybody goes home.” Then he gets up the next day and does it all over again. Seven days a week.

Couples holding hands or parents with kids in tow stroll by. Buzz has a smile for everyone. In fact, he could me called the ambassador of Folly Beach. A father stops by with his son. After taking their orders, Perri pulls out a Folly Beach Directory and offers directions and recommendations. “Here’s the best-kept secret for breakfast, here’s a menu for the Crab Shack, it’s a family friendly place, or try Rita’s, they’ve got three big-screen televisions,” and on down the list. No one is left out. “Just tell them Buzz sent you.”

“I don’t care if you spend $2 or $20,” Perri said, “you get the same treatment. I try to take care of every customer and take the time to talk to everyone.” He wants to help make people feel comfortable in his adopted town. He came here two years ago from Brooklyn with his 19-year-old son Stefan, who helped him with the cart the first summer, but returned to school at Notre Dame in the fall.

Perri’s not getting rich, but he feels blessed to be in Folly Beach and he appreciates the fact that the other businesses as well as the residents welcomed him with open arms. “I could not have done this in IOP or Mt. Pleasant,” he said.

The basis of the business is an old family recipe for Italian Ice handed down by “Aunt Vee,” his paternal grandmother’s sister. The recipe was so good, according to Perri, that the people who currently make his product wanted to buy it, but that would have meant giving up quality control so Perri licensed the recipe instead so that it would not be “disrespected or dishonored.”

Family is important to Perri. A genealogy buff, he has traced his family history back to Sicily and Naples in the 1600s and to their voyage to Ellis Island in the 1880s. He remembers his Aunt Vee, who lived to be 98, making Italian ice on the family farm. Perri said a tinker would come by in his little truck with a grinding blade to sharpen knives and saws and he also sharpened the blade of his great aunt’s ice cream churn. What’s in the famous recipe? “Sugar, water lemons, a pinch of this and a dash of that. It’s made in very small batches and whipped so fine that it’s almost like cream,” Perri said.

The menu changes according to “what the friends who make it for us feel like whipping up,” but every flavor is based on Aunt Vee’s recipe. Kids seem to like chocolate and tie-dye best, according to Perri. Ten flavors are available every day and include such yummy selections as mango, pina colada, strawberry banana, lemon cheesecake and blue raspberry, among others. Except for the chocolate, all flavors are fat-free and cholesterol-free. “They are not sugar-free,” Perri laughed.

The ice is scooped into eight-ounce cups and costs $2 per scoop. Perri said most folks choose two scoops, but can have as many as three and he is happy to mix flavors. For those interested in revisiting their childhood, Coke floats are also available. “I could be selling anything,” Perri said. “It’s about the service. You have to take care of all your customers.”

“So what do you think, is this stuff any good?” I asked Perri’s customers. Between scoops the father said, “Yeah, it’s good. I’m from New York and I know what I’m talking about. This is good Italian ice.”

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Hurricane season has arrived. Are you prepared? If you are renting, put your S.C. Driver’s License or Voter’s Registration card in a safe place so you will know where it is located. You will need one of the following to return to your residence on Folly:

• Voter’s Registration Card

• S.C. Driver’s License showing Folly Beach address

• Lease (if renting and you have no driver’s license or voter’s registration)

• Utility bill (if you are a property owner)

You should take enough supplies to last at least three days. Your supply bag should include, but not be limited to, the following:

• Bedding (cot, lounge chair, blankets, pillows, sleeping bag)

• Food (non-cooking, non-refrigerated, two day supply)

• Beverages (non-alcoholic)

• Cooler with ice

• Baby supplies, if needed

• Changes of clothing and extra pair of shoes

• Medications

• Entertainment items (board games, deck of cards, reading materials)

• Medical supplies and prescription medication

Hurricane evacuations cannot be successfully undertaken without some preplanning and preparations. The basic preparations should include the following:

1. Determine your destination prior to evacuating.

2. Know your evacuation route.

3. Keep a full tank of gasoline.

4. Pack supplies sufficient for three to five days.

5. Pack important papers (insurance, identifications, property inventory).

6. Have a plan for your pets.

7. Secure your home before leaving.

8. Notify friends and relatives of your destination.

If you are sick or need help in the event of a hurricane, call 588-7003 and give your name, address, and the help you need to the dispatcher.

My primary concern is keeping you, the residents and your property as safe as possible. Folly Beach Public Safety is busy preparing for the Bi-Annual Community Hurricane Meeting to be held at the Holiday Inn. I will keep you apprised of the date and time as soon as it is determined. There will be individuals present who are knowledgeable in their fields and who will be happy to share their knowledge with you.

The City has adopted the FY10-11 Budget for General Government. The budget is presented with no millage increase and no funds taken from Fund Balance. The budget is on the web site if you would like to review it and will remain there until November 30, 2010. If you have any questions or would like further information, i.e., detail behind the department spreadsheets indicating what each account represents, charts relaying a 10-year history, or any other information, come into City Hall and see Toni Connor-Rooks, or call her at 708-9474.

Above all, be safe and if there is anything I can do for you, please let me know. I am your mayor and I am here to serve you.

Sincerely,

(SIGNATURE FONT) Tim Goodwin

Tim Goodwin

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Dear Residents of Folly Beach,

I’d like to personally thank Mayor Tim Goodwin and the City of Folly Beach for their quick response to a major issue we recently had on the beach.

As many of you know, we had a terrible odor on our beach during the last week of June due to millions of tiny dead shells washing up on the beach in two different areas. The smell was almost toxic and the odor was so strong that residents and guests were unable to enjoy our beach for several blocks. By Tuesday afternoon, news of the odor was being broadcast on local radio and an erroneous rumor of a massive sewage leak was making its way through Charleston.

The City responded quickly and began working to eliminate the source of the odor by 7:00 am the next morning. By midday, the smell began to dissipate and residents and visitors were once again able to enjoy the beach. This would not have been possible without the quick response time by our City officials and staff. Thank you again.

Jonathan Weitz

Avocet Properties, Inc.

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Truth about red bays
Dear Editor,

I am writing to clear up any misunderstanding which may have been created by a letter to the editor regarding the City of Folly Beach’s diseased Red Bay trees. First, some background: in early January of 2009, it came to the attention of the former Mayor and a Council member that a disease called the Laurel Wilt Disease was attacking red bay trees on Folly Beach. At that time, the disease was confirmed in eight counties in South Carolina, including Charleston.

The City of Folly Beach decided to take the necessary steps in an attempt to slow it down, so City Council adopted an ordinance to remove and dispose of the diseased red bay trees in a manner which hopefully could keep the disease from spreading. If the property owner thought a diseased tree was in his yard, he would call the city and someone would go to the site and confirm it. Thereafter, the property owner or his agent would call someone who could cut it down properly, leave it in the right of way for Folly Beach Public Works to pick up where it would be taken to the selected burn site and the Folly Beach Fire Department would burn them on a certain day. If the property owner did not call the city and diseased trees were spotted, then a registered, return receipt letter was sent to the owner giving a certain amount of time in which to cut the trees and place them in the right of way.  If said owner did not respond, then the city had the tree(s) removed and disposed of in the proper manner by a trained individual.  Then the City was supposed to try to collect the cost from the property owner, which didn’t work out so well.  Long story short: last fiscal year, the cost to the City was about $5,000.

Now back to the present. The red bay tree ordinance is still in full force and effect. City Council has not repealed this ordinance, nor has anyone suggested it be repealed.  That process would take the adoption of another ordinance by City Council. Also, the “burn site” has not gone back to the owner nor did the owner ask for it back. The only site that went back was one too close to a residence because the resident could not tolerate the smoke. The site the city has always used is ready to use again; it has not been returned to the owner. The arrangements for using the two burn sites were made by the former mayor. I had absolutely nothing to do with making the arrangements for the trees to be removed and burned, nor did I speak with the property owners involved in this matter. I am not and have never been the property manager for either of the two lots that were designated for the burn sites. Sometimes, rumors are just that: rumors with no basis in fact.

The cost to the City just to remove and dispose of the diseased red bay trees in the right of way will be about $10,000. There also will be a cost for other properties whereby the owner or agent refuses to pay the cost or take responsibility for cutting said trees. The former mayor did not recommend funds be put in the budget at the inception of this program or later. The question is this: do we continue this program and appropriate the funds to pay for it or do we just take care of the diseased trees in the right of way and shut the program down? This is a question which needs to be answered by our citizens. David Whitaker, S.C. Department of Natural Resources Deputy Director of Marine Resources, states “The red bays are dying all over James Island and the coastal area. No matter what they do on Folly, these trees are probably doomed. You’re probably fighting a losing battle on a small scale like Folly.” The blight has been confirmed as far north as Horry County and as far west as Orangeburg County, according to Lurie Reid, S. C. Forestry Commission entomologist.

This is our community, our funds, and our trees. What would you like to see happen.  Please e-mail  your opinions to timgoodwin@bellsouth.net.  Thank you.

Sincerely,

Tim Goodwin

Tim Goodwin

MayorThank You

Dear Residents of Folly Beach,

I’d like to personally thank Mayor Tim Goodwin and the City of Folly Beach for their quick response to a major issue we recently had on the beach.

As many of you know, we had a terrible odor on our beach during the last week of June due to millions of tiny dead shells washing up on the beach in two different areas. The smell was almost toxic and the odor was so strong that residents and guests were unable to enjoy our beach for several blocks.  By Tuesday afternoon, news of the odor was being broadcast on local radio and an erroneous rumor of a massive sewage leak was making its way through Charleston.

The City responded quickly and began working to eliminate the source of the odor by 7:00 am the next morning.  By midday, the smell began to dissipate and residents and visitors were once again able to enjoy the beach. This would not have been possible without the quick response time by our City officials and staff.  Thank you again.

Jonathan Weitz
Avocet Properties, Inc.

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