Surfside Beach council candidates answer questions about their ideas for the town
Voters in Surfside Beach will pick three new residents to advocate for them for the next four years on town council.
All the positions are at-large, meaning the official doesn’t serve a specific area of the town. The nonpartisan election is Nov. 2. There will be seven people on the ballot.
The Sun News sent out a questionnaire to candidates running for Surfside Beach Town Council. They were asked to respond to the questions listed below in 300 words or less. Four of them responded. Answers have been edited for grammar, clarity and brevity.
LaVerne Kreklau
The 68-year-old is originally from Iowa and has lived in the town for six years. He retired from the state’s information technology department.
1. What do you think are the biggest challenges facing Surfside Beach related to COVID-19? How would you respond to those concerns on council?
It appears to me the biggest challenge related to COVID-19 is the shortage of people wanting to work in the hospitality field. Surfside Beach and the Grand Strand depend on tourism, and tourism needs wait staff, cleaning personnel and related management. I do not know if there is much that can be done in the local government sector to help with this issue.
2. How do you aim to balance efforts to bring in tourism revenue, while making sure locals are not left behind?
The Town of Surfside depends on tourism to support our town services, police, fire and public works. I believe the town has and needs to maintain the small town feel that it has. That is why people move here, and that is why people choose to vacation here. There is a nice balance between the tourists and locals that already exists in Surfside Beach and that needs to be maintained.
3. How would you involve local businesses in discussions about policy?
I would like the town’s Business Committee to actively invite a different business owner each meeting to address to the committee about their ideas of how to make the town more attractive to other businesses.
4. How do you think town officials are handling construction of the pier? What would you do differently?
They are handling it well as can be expected. The construction appears to be slow but should speed up soon.I would have pushed to hire an independent project manager that had knowledge and experience with similar builds.
5. In what ways do you think the town can improve?
One of the more common issues people have with the town has to do with the unevenness (perceived or real) enforcement of our ordinances. This does need to be worked on by our town administrator and within the planning, building and zoning department. Flooding is also an issue that is frequently brought up. In my opinion, the best way to control flooding in a low-lying area is by storm water retention. The town may be able to improve upon the retention but flooding will, unfortunately, still be a problem in some of the low-lying areas.
6. If elected, what will be your main priorities?
My first priority will be to keep the town’s finances in the black. My other priorities are to keep the small town feel that makes Surfside Beach such a nice area and to make it harder to change building heights in all zoning areas – i.e. make the height restriction ordinance changes be required to be a super majority vote.
7. If there is one aspect of the town you could change, what would that be?
The look and feel of the Highway 17 Business corridor. The town has a zoning overlay that was developed to help with the overall look of the road, but more needs to be done. I would like for Surfside Beach to be seen as a nice and inviting community when tourists and locals travel on that highway. I wish I knew the answer on how to accomplish this, but maybe a group of people could get together and come up with some good ideas.
Laurence McKeen
McKeen, 70, is a retired chemist. He has lived in Surfside Beach for about seven years and is originally from Maine. He served on the town’s board of zoning appeals and the planning commission.
1. What do you think are the biggest challenges facing Surfside Beach related to COVID-19? How would you respond to those concerns on council?
I am a DHEC Public Health Reserve Corp volunteer. I transported COVID-19 testing samples from testing sites to a laboratory collection site. The primary challenge is to get people vaccinated. Unfortunately, my opinion on council would sway no one to get a vaccination, and I would not expect to speak to that on council unless directly asked, and that would not likely happen.
2. How do you aim to balance efforts to bring in tourism revenue, while making sure locals are not left behind?
If we keep Surfside mostly like it is, the tourists will come as they usually do. The completion of the pier will attract even more tourists. I am on the beach at dawn 50% of summer mornings and see the huge number of tourists photographing the sunrise. The
pier would make those pictures all the better. I would finish the e-district area, rename it and add a sidewalk to make it safer to walk. I would also improve the appearance of Highway 17 Business, and get the overlay I worked on with the planning commission accepted by council and enforced, which would help in doing that.
3. How would you involve local businesses in discussions about policy?
The town’s Business Committee needs to become active again. They should plan a quarterly report containing suggestions/ideas to council. I would be open to talk with them, and seek them out at least once a year.
4. How do you think town officials are handling construction of the pier? What would you do differently?
Now that the pier is started, I have no issues with the pier construction. I would not permit anymore change orders unless absolutely necessary. I would have taken it to the site engineer, and there have been some delays due to material shortages (for example: galvanized pipe for the in-water pilings).
5. In what ways do you think the town can improve?
The town can improve by finding ways to make it easier for businesses to move into town and staff a capable zoning and inspections department. Officials could also enforce those ordinances uniformly. Council could be less divisive and show respect to each other and the town’s employees.
6. If elected, what will be your main priorities?
I will remain independent, non-aligned and will make decisions based on what I believe will be best for the town’s stakeholders as a whole. I do have a particular interest in stormwater management and would volunteer to be council’s connection to the stormwater committee. We need to maintain our FEMA/CRS ratings that allows us to participate in the national flood insurance program and earn discounts for residents and businesses buying flood insurance under those programs.
7. If there is one aspect of the town you could change, what would that be?
The town is paradise. If I could change anything, it would be some of the negativity.
Judy Henion
Henion, 71, is a retired educator. She is from Salisbury, N.C. but moved to Surfside Beach permanently in 2015. She purchased a home in the town in 2000. She was involved in the town’s CRS program and the Surfside Beach Historical Society.
1. What do you think are the biggest challenges facing Surfside Beach related to COVID-19? How would you respond to those concerns on council?
I believe the greatest challenges facing Surfside Beach and any other community is to inform the public of the latest verified information and data. Our community relies on being able to access qualified medical care and assistance in a timely fashion. A network to see that we can assist our most needy in the community may be of value to help coordinate connecting individuals with medical professionals and medical supplies. Since I am not a medical professional, I think that these decisions are best left to those with the expertise to make informed decisions. I read everything available and consult regularly with medical professionals to stay informed.
2. How do you aim to balance efforts to bring in tourism revenue, while making sure locals are not left behind?
Surfside Beach relies on the rental property income to fund our local A-tax revenues. We need to create marketing opportunities and events that are of interest to draw the tourists that are a complement to our family beach theme. Weekly Sunday entertainment in the park has added to the positive venues available for both tourists and residents. We need to bring more attention to activities created for the younger crowd and seek to retain activities that are of interest to the younger generations. There needs to be more than the beach available on a regular basis. We need to expand our attention to the arts as well.
3. How would you involve local businesses in discussions about policy?
We need a local business association that meets at a time that is amenable to the businesses. No one has time to answer endless polls that go nowhere. We need to think out of the box in order to revitalize interest in our businesses. Virtual meetings may also be an option. We must inject some enthusiasm from the business side over and above the outdated Business Committee concept. We must first concentrate on improving Surfside Beach’s customer service attitude and improve our interactions with businesses, which can be accomplished through cooperative customer training.
4. How do you think town officials are handling construction of the pier? What would you do differently?
The pier reconstruction is a major undertaking in our town. It is being handled very well and is proceeding as well as can be expected during the difficult shipping and delivery times we are all experiencing. The only thing that I would do differently is that I would update the community more frequently on the work schedule and the progress made via the town website and Facebook page. Our new public information officer should focus on advising all stakeholders of the status of all major projects underway in town. His job should also include sharing the history of those chosen to perform these major projects in order to build support for these qualified business professionals. In the absence of communication, the vacuum may be filled by those seeking to cast doubt and fear among our residents. Residents need to know that their assets are in good hands and paid for through the stable guidance of an honest and capable town administrator and council members elected in 2019.
5. In what ways do you think the town can improve?
Communication. Surfside Beach needs a complete overhaul in the communication department. A new town website is a great, new start to accomplishing this goal. Dedicate pages to keeping everyone informed about projects, events, transactions and everything that is Surfside Beach. It would be helpful to have a thorough development of lines of communication for our business community to eliminate the guesswork from everything involving licenses, permits and ordinance changes. Allowing people to complete information and submit online applications whenever possible would also be beneficial. Surfside Beach should become the “Friendly Family Beach” – for not only residents but businesses both large and small. Our town employees should represent the best customer service team in the area.
6. If elected, what will be your main priorities?
My priority will begin with effective communication to all stakeholders at all times. Second, we need to review our financial status and begin drafting our town’s plans for the next two, five and 10 years. By setting goals that are clear to all, and with resident input in the development of these plans, we can reunite our community and improve relations not only in town but in the entire area. I don’t want to hear any tradesmen say, “I don’t work in Surfside.” We have many opportunities to improve our image and market share. Grants should be evaluated to promote our town and businesses. In my opinion, we need a business association that represents all of our businesses and communicates with them.
7. If there is one aspect of the town you could change, what would that be?
As for the town, I wouldn’t change anything. The perception of our town however needs to change, as stated above. I want all ages to feel that they have plenty to entertain them and feel safe and at home while they’re here. Our town must change the perception that there are different standards applied to different people or businesses. That shouldn’t take long if the right people are elected. I have talked to too many residents who are aware that these changes need to occur soon. Otherwise, Surfside Beach is on a pathway to become the No. 1 family beach destination in the United States.
William “Bill” Kinken
Kinken, 74, is a retired sales engineer. He moved here almost eight years ago from Charlotte, N.C. but has spent vacations and holidays in the town for over 60 years. He serves on the town’s planning commission.
1. What do you think are the biggest challenges facing Surfside Beach related to COVID-19? How would you respond to those concerns on council?
Our current council did a great job cutting expenses to match reduced income. If we have another serious wave of the pandemic, we will follow the science and address issues as they arrive.
2. How do you aim to balance efforts to bring in tourism revenue, while making sure locals are not left behind?
Surfside does not allow high rise condos. Residents want to keep current height restrictions in place, even at the cost of tourism dollars. The pier will be a real draw for our town. The town will continue to expand our off-season occupancy rate with an improved website.
3. How would you involve local businesses in discussions about policy?
If elected, business relations will be a major focus of mine. We need to be much more business friendly. Our growth will be accomplished through the expansion of existing businesses and/or the creation of new businesses.
4. How do you think town officials are handling construction of the pier? What would you do differently?
I do have concerns about the pier. I have seen new cost overruns each month without explanations. Surfside residents have not been updated since July. This needs to change. The new council, with input from the residents, will need to decide what to include on the pier and how to fill the new buildings.
5. In what ways do you think the town can improve?
The town needs to be more business friendly and encourage more business growth.
6. If elected, what will be your main priorities?
Our immediate need is a stable building and zoning department. This department has been understaffed for some time and is the first department that individuals and businesses interact when they want to build or make property changes in Surfside. This department must be able to help customers navigate our ordinances equally to see if a solution can be reached. The department must develop a CAN-DO ATTITUDE.
7. If there is one aspect of the town you could change, what would that be?
There has been a lot of drama on our council for the last eight years because there has been significant division - one group versus another group. As a result, the best decisions for Surfside Beach residents have not always been reached. That is why I decided to run as an independent candidate. My decisions will be based on facts and what is best for our residents and businesses, not special interests. I will listen to the residents’ concerns, and I will strive to reach the best solutions for the town at-large
Shawn Shoemaker, Alex Samsel and Chris Stamey did not respond to The Sun News’ request to participate. They will also be on Tuesday’s ballot.