On Tuesday, Sept. 20 at 3 PM, Town Council will be asked (coerced?) to sign a Memorandum of Agreement with the County. Buried in the last line, item 8 provides for the Town’s surrender - Municipal Consent for the Corridor Project - before an Independent Review.
This project will have a tremendous impact on the Town. This consent will surrender our leverage, permitting the County to start (on possibly a bad plan) without the data we need.
It is bad science, bad government, and bad faith.
It is contrary to what citizens (approaching 10,000 on our petition) want.
It is contrary to the work done by senator Davis in April to obtain time and funding for the Independent Review from SCDOT and the Infrastructure Bank.
It is not necessary for timing. In fact, it will add delay by catalyzing new protests during the Federal NEPA Review process.
Delay has been caused by a lack of cooperation by the County. We would be ready to go today if County Council had not deliberately derailed the Independent Review in 2020 or Senator Davis’s plan since April of this year.
Several things seem clear:
1 – The County is deathly afraid of what the Independent Review will show (e.g. - missing and hidden parts, impacts, lack of ability to meet goals, extra costs). Since 2020 they have derailed, and now want us to surrender without it.
2 – Town Council will change with the November elections. This is a cynical move by the County to force the Town to surrender before a new Council takes charge.
3 – The County will agree to many things as long as the Town surrenders and they can proceed without the independent Review. That is like buying a used car for cash, without an inspection, and believing the dealer’s promise to fix problems later!
The fastest path to a good Corridor Project is a completed Independent Review. We must not let the Town surrender without it.
Please come to the meeting. You can comment, or just show your displeasure in numbers.
Please sign our Petition at https://chng.it/gxXykZBv
Every entry increases our traction with State and Federal authorities.
Meeting Information is at: https://hiltonheadislandsc.gov/calendar/index.cfm?action=edit&meetingid=5455&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery&viewas=44271