Mayor's Message - September 6, 2023

Fall can’t get here fast enough after the heat we’ve had this Summer! I love the Fall time of year on our island – cool enough to enjoy all outside activities with just a light extra layer.

Soon we will be kicking off an exciting project. We are calling this our Community Enrichment Plan. Improving quality of life for residents is one of the main priorities anchoring the City’s Strategic Plan. Resident’s quality of life also plays a significant role in tourism’s success, and it is critical to the community's overall well-being. The end result will be a plan, with tactical initiatives, to enhance the quality of life and overall experience for all who live, work, and play on the island.

In collaboration with Explore Charleston, the College of Charleston, and The McNair Group, the City is pursuing the development of a plan using residents’ voice as the main driver of the process. The travel and hospitality industry are vital to the island's identity and economy. The city aims to maintain an equilibrium of residents’ quality of life and tourism for the longevity and prosperity of Isle of Palms. Substantial community input and data will be collected to guide the city on how to productively deal with the complexities and challenges of regional population growth while ensuring Isle of Palms thrives as the most sustainable, family-friendly beach community in South Carolina. Data will be collected through surveys, focus groups and listening sessions. The first step in the process is to gather as much information as possible from the community. A survey will be available this Fall to gather feedback. Residents, business owners and visitors are encouraged to make note of how the city can improve from a residential and tourism standpoint. The second step is to form a working group comprised of various community members, including residents, business owners, city leadership, and tourism experts. The committee will be responsible for developing recommendations to address livability and tourism management and facilitate community enrichment on a continuous basis. All collected data and insights will be used to outline actionable recommendations for an ongoing plan that will create improvements that foster livability, sustainability and responsible economic development.

Please stay tuned as more updates on the project are forthcoming.

Don’t forget about some great upcoming events. Check our website, iop.net, for any changes or
updates to these or other events.

• September 21 Farmers Market 4:00-7:00 at Rec Center
• September 29 Coffee with the Mayor 9:00-10:00 at Café Paname
• October 3 IOP Police Department National Night Out 4:00-7:00 at Rec Center
• October 6 Community Wellness Fair 7:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. at Rec Center

• October 7 IOP Connector Run
• October 19 Farmers Market 4:00-7:00 at Rec Center
• October 20 Fire Dept Open House 4:00-6:00 at Public Safety Building (30 J C Long Blvd)
• October 20 Ghostly Tide Tales 5:00 p.m.- 9:00 p.m. at Front Beach
• October 27 Coffee with the Mayor 9:00-10:00 at TBD
• October 27 Halloween Festival and Golf Cart Parade 4:00 – 6:00 at Rec Center

Thank you for the opportunity to serve! See you around the island.

Phillip Pounds, Mayor IOP 843-252-5359
ppounds@iop.net