2024 brings array of hopes, dreams, thoughts, prayers

This is the time of year that the guilt of the holiday season sets in — too much spending, too much eating, too much imbibing. Across the Lowcountry and nation, people are reevaluating priorities, making resolutions and thinking through ways to achieve hopes and dreams. Occasionally — and particularly after a tragedy — you’ll hear people talk about their thoughts and prayers for a future that’s safer, cleaner, more flexible and adaptable.

To kick off the new year, we asked a diverse handful of community leaders to share their hopes, dreams, thoughts and prayers.

“‘Thoughts and prayers’ almost implies that we can’t do anything,” said go-getter Helen Hill, head of Explore Charleston, the community’s tourism marketing agency. “Envisioning a resilient Lowcountry in 2024 involves proactive measures against sea-level rise.

“Let our collective aspirations be a call for infrastructure innovations, safeguarding our beautiful coastal region against the threats of rising seas,” added Hill, who also chairs the Charleston County Aviation Authority.

Many of those we interacted with pushed collaboration as a key to moving the Charleston area forward.

For example, William Cogswell, Charleston’s incoming mayor, pointed to focusing on “unity and working together for the common good.” Darrin Goss, head of the Coastal Community Foundation, noted, “We have an opportunity with Mayors [Reggie] Burgess and [William] Cogswell to demonstrate regional collaboration and leadership on a host of pressing issues from sea-level rise to attainable housing.”

Mount Pleasant Mayor Will Haynie, who becomes the longest-serving mayor of the county’s top three cities upon the departure of Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg, noted moving the region forward would force us to avoid impediments for success.

“We all must look at ourselves and ask how we might be part of the problem,” he said. “In public service, I sense a trend toward too much of an ‘it’s them’ mindset. Usually, it’s actually us — and that’s where change needs to begin.”

Cogswell added, “The only impediment is a fear of working together and having an open mind about trying new things. I am excited to show that partisanship doesn’t matter in Charleston, and we are stronger when we bring each other together over what we have in common.”

Added Goss, “We need to care enough about each other to do things that may make us feel personally uncomfortable while requiring us to be politically bold.”

So here are some musings about major issues that officials say they hope to grapple successfully with in the coming year.

Dealing with flooding and infrastructure needs

After the December nor’easter that flooded coastal areas to the surprise of many, the continuing challenges of dealing with rising seas in an area called the Lowcountry for a reason (it’s low) are at the front of many leaders’ minds.

“My number one hope is that local leaders be extraordinarily cautious with permitting, particularly where there are flooding concerns,” said state Sen. Sandy Senn, R-Charleston, adding she would continue to push for funding of needed infrastructure projects. One example — cleaning more than 400 water runoff outfalls around the county. “Until we clear outfalls so that heavy rains and king tides can get out of the area within a tide cycle, we can expect much more damage in the future.”

Fixing our roads

While Charleston County Council is moving forward with extending Interstate 526 with the state, the road remains controversial. “Stop forcing I-526 extension down our throats,” Charleston Animal Society President and CEO Joe Elmore said. “Instead, fix our roads and make long-overdue adjustments to current roadways. … Make residents the number-one priority, not tourists.”

Educational outcomes

Keith Grybowski, new chair of the Charleston County School District (CCSD) Board of Trustees, said the area needed to be focused on improving educational outcomes by keeping “everyone focused on providing the best education for our students, which includes a wide understanding of each student’s potential and how to help them maximize their abilities.”

Another trustee, Carol Tempel of James Island, reiterated how Charleston students and families deserve a high-quality public education system. “We can achieve that by increasing teacher pay; lowering class size; respecting and retaining caring teachers with curriculum expertise and a passion for teaching and learning; and having a school board working collaboratively and focused on supporting high-quality public education in all of its CCSD schools.”

Bolstering regional economics

Several leaders pointed to the need to strengthen the region’s economic backbone.
“The legislation I’ve filed and the issues I am working on will be centered around job creation, affordable housing and economic development,” said S.C. Rep. Marvin Pendarvis, D-North Charleston. “If we address these issues, we lay the foundation that will improve the lives and conditions of people in areas that have been often overlooked.”

Hill added, “Prioritizing workforce development, focusing on tourism management and broadening the [tourism] industry’s economic impact are essential for 2024. Strengthening hospitality skills, promoting stewardship and sustainability, and stimulating responsible economic development will ensure our destination remains a premier choice for visitors while simultaneously enhancing quality of life.”

Mount Pleasant’s Haynie said, “Economic viability is a must to keep the town and job growth strong.”

More affordable housing

Elmore also pointed to the region’s need for more affordable, dignified and humane housing, particularly for the elderly and disabled. “In light of spending tens of millions of dollars on new government buildings and developments, along with growing its empire, stop ignoring the needs of the most vulnerable citizens among us,” he said.

Reducing gun violence

Charleston Realtor and state Senate candidate Ed Sutton of West Ashley pointed to the need to reduce gun violence in 2024. “It’s not rocket surgery. Over 83% of South Carolina supports closing the Charleston loophole and universal background checks. Those two simple non-controversial steps will help keep guns out of the wrong hands.”
Elmore also highlighted how South Carolina is one of the nation’s most violent states and has a top rate of domestic violence. “Stop the killing,” he said, later adding, “Stop the abuse.”

Defining development

Sutton said priorities also should be defining the future of Union Pier downtown so the community can make best use of the 70 acres of prime real estate. He also said the Sumar Street area of West Ashley needs something done that is in line with public demand — “a mixed-use development centered around a common green, not a standalone park that no one asked for.”

President and CEO of the Historic Charleston Foundation Winslow Hastie said, “For 2024, we encourage people to think big and bold. We are eager to engage with the new city administration on continued issues like accessible housing, land use policy, zoning, water mitigation and other critical topics facing Charleston’s future.”

Other issues

Haynie added that he hoped leaders would grapple with two other painful issues — the need for mental health and healing related to the opioid and fentanyl epidemic, as well as reduction in hate. Last month, antisemitic flyers were found in Mount Pleasant, which earlier proposed a hate crimes ordinance.