Pool Repair in Sullivans Island, SC

SULLIVAN’S ISLAND, S.C. (WCSC) - A yearslong dispute between Sullivan’s Island and the Charleston Water System could leave thousands of residents without water starting in July if over $600,000 in debt is not paid.

As of Sept. 28, 2021, Charleston Water System claims Sullivan’s Island owes them $197,468 in billed, but unpaid, volumetric charges and $442,478 in billed but unpaid capital charges.

Charleston Water says the town changed how much they paid per 1,000 gallons in 2017, even after paying the same amount since the contract began in 1994.

They say that the paid charge went from $1.22 per 1,000 gallons to 88 cents per 1,000 gallons.

Charleston Water wrote in a January 2019 letter that “after more than 20 years, the town of Sullivan’s Island does not believe the contract requires them to pay any portion of Charleston Water’s capital expenses, a belief which has no support whatsoever of our board of commissioners or legal counsel.”

After getting a rate consultant, Charleston Water offered Sullivan’s to pay 89 cents per 1000 gallons. According to numerous letters, the island refused.

An opinion from the state Attorney General in 2019, states Sullivan’s Island does not have the authority to interpret contracts, but believes both of these parties must finish their initial term of 30 years and then they are able to terminate it if everyone is notified.

Sullivan’s Island says they disagree with this opinion and there are four unresolved topics between the two: capital charges, fire hydrants, the municipal wholesale rate as an excess demand charge and the rate formula.

Charleston Water says Sullivan’s Island has two choices: to pay all outstanding balances and they can continue to purchase water at the then-published municipal whole rate or find an alternate water source starting July 20 of this year.

In a 2021 resolution from Charleston Water, they say they discovered through this lack of payment that 18 fire hydrants were not being paid for on the island. If they’re not paid, all will be removed except for those used for water main flushing.

Starting this month, they will send out delinquent notices to DHEC, the State Fire Marshal, Sullivan’s Island residents and other state agencies on a monthly basis that the water will be shut off starting July 20 – when the 30-year contract is up – if this procedures are not followed.

In response to these letters, Andy Benke, the town administrator for Sullivan’s Island, provided this statement:

It’s disappointing that the leadership at Charleston Water System has apparently decided to ignore the confidentiality agreement put in place during the mediation of our long-standing dispute.

Years ago, CWS decided to raise our rates as if our signed contract with them did not exist.

As CWS knows, we’ve simply been continuing to pay the undisputed amount set in our long-standing, signed agreement.

We hope everyone will understand we’re standing firm on the principle that signed contracts are signed contracts. It’s the right thing to do for our citizens.

We will continue our good faith efforts to reach an appropriate agreement through mediation, or if need be, in the court.

Charleston Water claims Sullivan’s Island revised its interpretation of the 1994 agreement in 2016 and part of the dispute is whether the island should have to pay any portion of CWS’s capital expenses.

Charleston Water System says they can’t make any further comment because it’s still in legal mediation.

You can read more about the dispute below, or click here.

Attachment to 06-21-23 Contract Dispute by Live 5 News on Scribd

Copyright 2024 WCSC. All rights reserved.

CHARLESTON COUNTY, S.C. (WCSC) - Leaders say the search is over in the hunt for a new town administrator for Sullivan’s Island after months of recruitment efforts.

Current Town Administrator Andy Benke says Joseph R. “Joe” Henderson will be the newest town administrator come June.

Benke first announced plans to retire in Oct. of last year after over two decades of service as town administrator for Sullivan’s Island. His announcement kicked off what officials called an extensive search for a replacement, which they say involved the vetting of 28 candidates.

The Town Council unanimously approved Henderson’s appointment to the position.

Henderson served as the director of planning and zoning for Sullivan’s Island from 2013 until 2022, when he was promoted to be the town’s deputy administrator.

Aside from experience, Henderson qualifies for the job with a number of degrees obtained from a series of South Carolina colleges and universities. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Coastal Carolina University, a Graduate Certification in urban planning from the College of Charleston and a Master of public administration from Clemson University.

He also has professional certifications include floodplain management, arboriculture and zone inspection. Before moving to Sullivan’s Island, Henderson working as the zoning administrator and the interim planning director for the city of Conway.

Sullivan’s Island Mayor Patrick O’Neil expressed gratitude for Benke’s 21 years of service before expressing his faith in Henderson.

“We were privileged to have Andy Benke serve as the Administrator since 2003 and wish him well in retirement. His efforts helped keep Sullivan’s Island a desired place to live and visit,” O’Neil said. “As Andy’s Deputy Administrator, Joe Henderson is well suited to succeed him. I am confident that the great work we have started over the past years will continue with Joe.”

Henderson himself expressed his gratefulness to the Town for picking him for the position.

“It’s an honor to continue to serve the community in the role of Town Administrator. We have exciting opportunities and challenges facing the Town in the coming years,” Henderson said. “I’m very fortunate to be supported by the Town Council and the employees who provide the public with exemplary service on all levels.”

Officials say Benke will continue to serve as town administrator until June 18 in order to guarantee a smooth transition.

Copyright 2024 WCSC. All rights reserved.

Sullivan’s Island is a largely untouched Lowcountry paradise that has managed to escape the rush of the vacation rental industry due to the limited space and stringent regulations instated on the island.

Those rules have not stopped a handful of wonderful restaurants from opening near the beach. Here are nine of them, each located on Middle Street.

Dunleavy's Pub

2213 Middle St.

Bill and Patti Dunleavy opened Dunleavy’s Pub on Sullivan’s Island 32 years ago.

It all started when, in the spring of 1992, Bill Dunleavy heard from the people who owned a restaurant that occupied about 4,000 square feet of prime real estate at the corner of Station 22½ Street and Middle Street. They told him they were selling. He said he wasn’t interested in all 4,000 square feet, but he was interested in the bar and the side along Station 22½.

Taking just a slice of the property meant they had to build a new kitchen, new bathrooms and a wall to separate off their piece. But within a month, Bill and Patti opened the doors of Dunleavy’s Pub.

In the 32 years that have passed, restaurants have come and gone on Middle Street, and there is something like twice as many now as when Dunleavy’s first opened.

High Thyme Cuisine

2213 Middle St.

This eclectic eatery has been one of the best-kept secrets on Sullivan's Island for years. Look for lamb meatballs, seared scallops, a grilled pork chop with cheesy grits and more.

Home Team BBQ

2209 Middle St.

Aaron Siegel and Taylor Garrigan put their cheffy spin on traditional barbecue at six South Carolina locations: downtown, West Ashley (the original), Sullivan’s Island, Mount Pleasant, Columbia and Greenville. In addition to classic barbecue favorites and its popular frozen Gamechanger, Home Team serves some of the best smoked chicken wings, Alabama white sauce and nachos in town.

Home Team BBQ's Sullivan’s Island location opened 15 years ago in the space once occupied by Bert’s Pharmacy and Bert’s Bar.

Home Team still utilizes the bar Bert Wurthmann constructed when he converted half of his pharmacy into the beloved Bert’s Bar that served the island until 2007. Island residents who visit Home Team likely recognize Wurthmann in the black-and-white photographs hanging near its entrance today, honoring the building’s historical significance as a social hub for those who lived nearby.

Mex 1 Coastal Cantina

2205 Middle St.

Mex 1 Coastal Cantina has been around since 2012 and now has three locations across the Lowcountry serving up Baja fare. A revamped menu includes pork and pineapple tacos, Mahi Mahi skewers and a Mexicali burrito. For cocktails, the Blue Hawaiian and mango jalapeno margarita are some refreshing options.

Poe's Tavern

2210 Middle St.

While Sullivan’s Island has been visited by many celebrities, from some of Charleston’s first settlers to recognizable writers and movie stars, the island’s most notable former resident is Edgar Allan Poe.

The writer was stationed at Fort Moultrie in the 1820s, and the island had a significant influence on Poe’s work. Sullivan’s Island was a pivotal setting in his story "The Gold Bug" and was referenced in his story "The Balloon Hoax." Today, Poe’s Lowcountry legacy takes the form of Poe Avenue, Goldbug Avenue, Raven Drive and the famous Poe’s Tavern, which specializes in burgers like the Annabel Lee, adorned with a remoulade-topped crab cake.

Sullivan's Fish Camp

2019 Middle St.

Sullivan’s Seafood Restaurant was an island staple from 1988 until Sept. 6, 2020, when owners Sammy Rhodes and Donna Rhodes Hiott permanently closed the local favorite. When they opened Sullivan's Fish Camp in the 2019 Middle St. space in 2022, Ben and Kate Towill set out to honor the building’s past while ushering it into the future.

The Towills are the owners of design and hospitality firm Basic Projects. Kate, head of design for the Charleston-based company, has led the design of residential and commercial properties, including an athletic club and Basic Projects’ two other restaurants: Basic Kitchen and Post House.

Alongside her husband and other members of the team, Kate led the two-year renovation of Sullivan’s Fish Camp, where she wanted to create a 1970s-inspired beachside aesthetic. Her goal was to give the space a fresh look with elements paying homage to Sullivan’s Seafood, like a framed flag and original menu.

The highway, bordering open fields, turns into residential roads fast here. Homes are hidden behind dirt driveways that dip into a crowd of tall trees.

Restaurants are about as plentiful as small brick churches in Sumter, with barbecue and international flavors showing up at various spots across town. With a population of 43,000, it might not be the culinary hot spot that the Lowcountry is, but there are plenty of locally owned restaurants to try.

Inside one — attached to a gas station selling snacks, phone chargers and Budweiser on ice — chicken wings gurgle in the fryer on this Thursday afternoon. Takeout orders are accepted just beyond the kitchen at the one-time Huddle House, barely visible from a burgundy-boothed dining room that looks out at one of the busiest intersections in Sumter.

Shortly after stepping inside the 5-year-old restaurant, we are shown to a table near the window. Once seated, two squares of cornbread — piping hot and swiped with butter and cinnamon sugar — are retrieved from the back, along with a menu.

Before our orders have even been placed, Jeffrey Lampkin’s Country Boy Kitchen is already delivering on the promise its menu boasts: “We serve fresh food, not fast food.”

Statewide celebrity

One phone call to Jeffrey Lampkin tells a lot about the Manning native. Those who reach his voicemail listen as the Season 7 “American Idol” contestant rattles off his many roles in the Sumter area: radio and TV personality, public information officer for his wife Harriet Huell Lampkin’s law firm, award-winning choir leader and chef/owner of his namesake kitchen.

Lampkin said he started cooking as a young adult for members of the choir at Newbury College. After developing friendships with other choir singers at nearby colleges, he would prepare meals for the whole group in dorm rooms and off-campus apartments.

Like singing, cooking came naturally to Lampkin, though it took a backseat to his music career when, in 2008, he auditioned with his sister for “American Idol.” In front of Ryan Seacrest, they “sang the heck out of” an R. Kelly song named “I’m Your Angel,” one news outlet wrote at the time.

Lampkin made it to the top 72, propelling him to a leading position with the Francis Marion University Young Gifted and Blessed Choir. Two appearances by the award-winning choir on "Good Morning America" followed.

In 2018, during one of two appearances on the national morning show, Lampkin and the choir were asked to sing during "GMA’s" commercial break and after the show.

Anchor Robin Roberts posted the choir’s rendition of John P. Kee’s “My Mind Is Made Up” on her Facebook page. The video was viewed over 1 million times over the next five days.

Lampkin’s statewide celebratory can be attributed to this and a local television show — "The Jeffrey Lampkin Show" — that he hosted for six seasons. On the show, Lampkin had a cooking segment.

“I love trying my hand at new stuff,” Lampkin said. “I’m comfortable in my craft, and my craft is soul food.”

Fried chicken with a twist

At Jeffrey Lampkin’s Country Boy Kitchen, fried chicken with the drumette, wingette and tip attached is dusted in a honey glaze that’s sweet, but not cloying, just like the cinnamon-scented pancakes that join the heap of meat in a wide white bowl.

This successful riff on the classic chicken and waffles is joined by a range of Southern plates with holy names: Faithful Fish, Holy Hamburger Steak, Good God Almighty Green Beans and Soul Saving Greens, among others.

The names offer a glimpse into the life of the man behind the restaurant, whose Christian faith drives his charitable work in the community.

SULLIVAN’S ISLAND, S.C. (WCBD) – The future of water service on Sullivan’s Island remains uncertain amid a contractual dispute between the town and Charleston Water System.

“The island has the ability to generate taxes and they need to figure it out because what they did in 2017 was, they just quit paying,” said Sullivan’s Island resident, Dave Spurgin.

A 30-year water supply contract between CWS and the Town of Sullivan’s Island went into effect on July 19, 1994.

Based on letters provided by CWS, there has been a disagreement over the rates since 2017. The water system claims the town owes them $1,078,000 as of last month.

“Years ago, Charleston Water System decided to raise our rates as if our signed contract did not exist. The town disputed that rate increase and has continued to pay the undisputed amount owed in accordance with our longstanding signed agreement,” said Sullivan’s Island Town Councilman Justin Novak on Monday night during a special council meeting.

The statement was part of a longer motion read aloud before council voted to pay $227,361 to satisfy the disputed portion of the amount owed. Island leaders said the amount was calculated by a nationally recognized rate consultant.

CWS CEO Mark Cline released the following statement to News 2 on Tuesday.

“Charleston Water System does not agree with the Town of Sullivan’s Island’s viewpoint or its recollection of the historical facts. We fully intend to discontinue the Town’s water service July 20 unless their past due amount is fully paid and they have entered into a new contract that appropriately covers the costs of providing water service to their community. It’s not fair that our other customers have been subsidizing the Town’s service for years now, and that would continue under their terms.”

Spurgin, who has lived on Sullivan’s Island for nearly 30 years, said he is not concerned about the potential water shut-off.

“No, because we’re going to need our water. They’re not going to shut the water off. The town’s going to have to figure out, the town council is going to have to figure out how to come up with the money,” Spurgin told News 2.

Sullivan’s Island Mayor Pat O’Neil released the following statement.

“Apparently CWS is having very-late-onset buyer’s remorse about a legally binding contract they willingly entered into almost 30 years ago. When we entered into this agreement in the aftermath of Hurricane Hugo, the Island was at one of its most vulnerable points in its centuries-long history. Nonetheless we have abided by the language of this contract. It’s hard to accept that CWS (or anyone else) is “subsidizing” SI when we paid almost $2 million (in 1994 dollars) to support the infrastructure that allowed them to sell water to us and to our neighbors on the Isle of Palms, and when in 2020 we gave them an easement through our public park and playground so there would be additional capacity to sell water to our neighbors in Mount Pleasant.”

SULLIVAN’S ISLAND, S.C. (WCBD) – The Town of Sullivan’s Island has agreed to pay just over $227,000 to Charleston Water System amid a contract dispute.

Sullivan’s Island Town Council spent almost an hour in an executive session on Monday night while they received legal advice on contractual negotiations with Charleston Water System.

“That signed contract constitutes a valuable asset of the town and provides certainty regarding the rates that our residents pay for water. Years ago, Charleston Water System decided to raise our rates as if our signed contract did not exist,” said Town Councilman and Mayor Pro Tem Justin Novak, as he read aloud a lengthy motion upon council’s return to open session.

As News 2 reported last month, Charleston Water System claimed in an October 2023 letter to the town that Sullivan’s Island has been paying less than the correct rate since 2017. A spokesperson for CWS said the town owed $1,078,000 as of the beginning of March.

The letter also said the 30-year contract between CWS, and the town will expire on July 19, 2024 and if there is not a new contract by then, water service will be disconnected for the town’s 2,000 on July 20^th.

“The town disputed that rate increase and continued to pay the undisputed amount owed in accordance with our longstanding signed agreement and placed the disputed amount in escrow pending the resolution of that dispute,” Councilman Novak read.

Sullivans-Island-Town-Council-Motion-4.1.24Download

He continued with the motion and said CWS is ignoring the other terms and stated the town would not accept any of the water system’s proposals in the contractual dispute.

“The town must stand firm that signed contracts are signed contracts,” the councilman said as part of the motion.

The town used who leaders said is a nationally recognized rate consultant to calculate what they owe.

“Accordingly, I move that town council authorize the payment of $227,361 to satisfy in full the disputed portion of arrearage now calculated to be owed under the terms of our written agreement with Charleston Water System,” Councilman Novak finished.

The motion passed unanimously. News 2 reached out to Charleston Water System after the meeting. A spokesperson said they are evaluating the action taken.