It’s been an unusually busy first 3rd of the year in real estate and this is the time of the year when it normally breaks lose! Earlier this month, Oliver and Ross Thames and I were involved in a train of 5 home sales on the same day in which we represented 4 of the sellers and 4 of the buyers. Talk about walking on pins and needles! Knowing that everyone was packing and moving at the same time and relying on each deal to go smoothly. There were some “hick-ups” and a last minute “snafu” but I’m so proud of the way the we were able to overcome everything for our clients. Reading this note from one of the clients definitely made it all worth while in the end!

According to Charleston County’s Stormwater Fee webpage this is supposed to assist with managing runoff and preventing pollution from being carried into our waterways. The fee is supposed to only apply to residents of unincorporated Charleston County and a few municipalities that asked for them to administer the fee on their behalf. I spoke with Mary Duke, McClellanville’s town administrator, who advised that McClellanville is not one of these municipalities and it’s residents should not have been billed. After several days of calling I finally heard back from a representative of Charleston County who confirmed that residents of McClellanville should not have received this bill and this was an error on the part of the County. He said in order to remedy the situation you can either call for an appeal form to be mailed to you or you can go online and fill one out here. Be sure to include your TMS# (which can be found on the bill) and state that you live within the town limits of McClellanville and the bill does not apply to you in the comments section.

I have to wonder if Charleston County’s repeated “errors” are more than a coincidence and that they’re not trying to make up the difference between their enormous spending budget and significantly less tax dollars from new growth and rising property values that they anticipated as if it were guaranteed to them. So, I am not telling anyone not to pay this bill if it arrives in the mail, but if you live in McClellanville proper I would appeal and wait for a response before you pay.

Note: I’ve already talked to one other resident of the town who received this letter, but if you live in the inside the town limits and received one please leave a comment below so the Town will know how many people were incorrectly billed. Also be sure to tell your friends and neighbors.

 In my opinion, it’s the best article I’ve read about McClellanville from an outsiders point of view.  I grew up in McClellanville and have been writing about it for over a year now (publicly) and have a hard time providing as much information with as much imagery as this article is able to provide.  

  The article explores McClellanville from a different side than most of us see it (or originally came to know it), that of the Intracoastal Waterway traveler.  Hundreds of tourists a year enter McClellanville, not passing under the blinking light on Highway 17, but putting by a blinking channel marker on the Intracoastal Waterway in a yacht, sailboat, or houseboat.  They stay for a night or two, partaking in our seafood and maybe a stroll through the Museum and the Arts Council and then slip back off without a trace.  It’s nice to have these visitors, for their smiles remind us of what we are so lucky to have every day. 

OK, you got me. This isnt a real alligator, but one of local artist, Lee Arthurs, most recent creations. Made entirely out of driftwood the amount of detail that went into the creation of this sculpture is incredible. Every bump and knot in the wood looks just like a real alligators skin and the twists in the wood look like an alligators bulging arm muscles.

The alligator can be seen on display at Arthur Studio & Gallery at 851 Pinckney Street. You truly have to see this work of art up close to appreciate the artistry, these pictures do not do it justice. Stop by and take it, or another one of his paintings or sculptures, home with you.

Lee Arthur is one of many local, talented artists that call McClellanville their home and find it to be the perfect inspiration for their work. If youd like to make McClellanville youre new home, contact me today.

At the Village Museums last Annual Oyster Roast in November, Bud was finally recognized for all his hard work in the community by being awarded the Order of the Silver Crescent. This is the highest civilian honor awarded by South Carolinas Governors Office for local community service. The Order of the Palmetto is awarded for community service at the statewide level.

The plaque reads “In recognition of the dedication, commitment and leadership for the benefit of South Carolina and her citizens”¦”.

I asked Bud what he considered to be his greatest community service, and without pause he emphatically claimed the Village Museum as his proudest accomplishment ever in his life. He said, “the events I plan give me great pleasure, but they are fleeting. The Museum is something that will outlive me and can be passed down from generation to generation.” The cold cinderblock walls have been warmed with the history of our ancestors and exhibits that show off the past lives of McClellanville. Its these future generations that Bud devotes much of his time to, giving museum and walking tours and visiting local schools to talk about the history of the area and instilling them with a sense of heritage.

As director of one of the finest small town museums in the state, Bud isnt just in charge of the exhibits inside the Village Museum, but also for its advertising, marketing, budgeting, programming, event planning, fundraising, and anything else you can think of! Bud will gladly tell you that none of it would be possible without the generous donations from the community and museum members (which he has grown to over 750 families), but it never would have reached the level that it has without Buds leadership.

Bud does much more than run the Village Museum though. Almost every local event that goes on passes across his desk. He is always willing to help others celebrate their latest achievement with events like book signings, art shows, and concerts. When someone comes up with a good idea, Bud helps them see it to fruition and then gives them all the credit. Hes also been there in times of celebration, sadness, and respect to organize events such as the Veterans Day ceremony and Fourth of July celebrations.

I recently spent an afternoon at the Village Museum in the “Family History Room” upstairs combing through the newspaper articles collected about McClellanville going back to the early 1800s, and Bud was there to help me and expound on each story I read. He has a wealth of knowledge about the area and its people, and more importantly, doesnt mind sharing his knowledge with others.

His genealogy work on the families of McClellanville is vast and growing by the day. As people come to learn more about their families, they share things that are missing and fill in the blanks. Bud is registered with the South Carolina Archives and is always willing to assist people in search of their own family tree.

My fondest memory of Bud goes back to my early teenage years when he had just returned to McClellanville. T.W. Grahams had just gotten a few pool tables, but I didnt have a clue how to play. Bud taught me the principles of the game and a few tricks of the trade. He didnt just tell me how to do it, he took the time to show me until he knew that I got it.

I doubt that this is the “dedication, commitment and leadership” that he was recognized for when awarded by the governor (because I never did become a leader in the pool halls), but it goes to show his character. Bud cares about the Village, its history, its homes, its people, and its future. He simply wants to make McClellanville the best that it can be; nothing more, nothing less.

South Carolina History Lesson:

Name the two symbols featured on South Carolinas state flag?
If you said a palmetto tree and a crescent moon, you were wrong! The crescent shape on South Carolinas flag does not represent a moon, but is probably a gorget, or neck guard. The other item is indeed a palmetto tree and was added to the flag after its logs were used in the construction of Fort Moultries walls and successfully absorbed the British cannon balls.

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