League of Women Voters Questionnaire
• Why do you want to represent the citizens of Mount Pleasant as a member of Town Council?
I would bring a fresh voice and perspective to Town Council. As a mother of four and a homemaker, my interest in serving on Town Council is rooted in a desire to ensure that Mount Pleasant remains a safe and beautiful place to live.
• What experiences qualify you to represent the citizens of Mount Pleasant on Town Council?
I hold a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Southern California and a J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School. I then taught at the University of Chicago and practiced antitrust and intellectual property law in Los Angeles before becoming Chief Operating Officer of the Whitley Household.
I have served as President of the Girls State Alumnae Foundation (GSAF) since 2010. I also serve as a deacon at Mount Pleasant Presbyterian Church. As a writer and vocalist, I am a strong supporter of the arts and write features for the Recorded A Cappella Review Board.
These roles provide me with a unique skill-set that qualifies me to represent the citizens of Mount Pleasant on Town Council.
• Do you believe that Mount Pleasant Town Council meetings should be more transparent? If yes, what steps would you take? If no, please explain.
I believe that Mount Pleasant Town Council meetings should be more transparent. Agenda items should be clear and late night sessions should generally be avoided so that the public has opportunity for comment.
• Do you support changing representation on Town Council from at-large to single member districts? Please explain your position.
I do not support changing representation to single member districts. Currently, each Town Council member is accountable to all of Mount Pleasant, from Patriot’s Point to Tupelo. Moving to single member districts could create perverse incentives, where Town Council members only support the interests of a single district and not the greater municipality.
• Do you believe that Mount Pleasant government is effective and efficient with a part time Mayor and strong Town Council? Please explain your response.
I believe Mount Pleasant government can be effective and efficient with a part-time Mayor and a strong Town Council. It is a legislative body, where consensus can be developed and fostered through effective cooperative leadership.
• How would you address the effects of rising seas on our tidal marshes and waterways? How would you allocate sufficient funds to mitigate flooding and drainage issues on roads and neighborhoods?
According to the Town Administrator, approximately a third of the Mount Pleasant budget is directed toward infrastructure. The town is under significant regulatory burdens from the state and federal government, which slows down the implementation of projects, even when fully funded. I would work to ensure that the impact fees for new developments are sufficient to properly mitigate flooding and drainage issues. For existing problems, I would work within the Council to triage and fund proposals to address flooding and drainage issues.
• What is your position on a moratorium on new building projects in Mt Pleasant?
Moratoriums, subject to applicable law and property rights, can be used sparingly to allow the Town Council to evaluate projects in the pipeline and plan for future developments.
• Would you support signage at Mount Pleasant’s historical sites that accurately portrays our Confederate past and the part that slavery played in our heritage?
Yes.
I would bring a fresh voice and perspective to Town Council. As a mother of four and a homemaker, my interest in serving on Town Council is rooted in a desire to ensure that Mount Pleasant remains a safe and beautiful place to live.
• What experiences qualify you to represent the citizens of Mount Pleasant on Town Council?
I hold a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Southern California and a J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School. I then taught at the University of Chicago and practiced antitrust and intellectual property law in Los Angeles before becoming Chief Operating Officer of the Whitley Household.
I have served as President of the Girls State Alumnae Foundation (GSAF) since 2010. I also serve as a deacon at Mount Pleasant Presbyterian Church. As a writer and vocalist, I am a strong supporter of the arts and write features for the Recorded A Cappella Review Board.
These roles provide me with a unique skill-set that qualifies me to represent the citizens of Mount Pleasant on Town Council.
• Do you believe that Mount Pleasant Town Council meetings should be more transparent? If yes, what steps would you take? If no, please explain.
I believe that Mount Pleasant Town Council meetings should be more transparent. Agenda items should be clear and late night sessions should generally be avoided so that the public has opportunity for comment.
• Do you support changing representation on Town Council from at-large to single member districts? Please explain your position.
I do not support changing representation to single member districts. Currently, each Town Council member is accountable to all of Mount Pleasant, from Patriot’s Point to Tupelo. Moving to single member districts could create perverse incentives, where Town Council members only support the interests of a single district and not the greater municipality.
• Do you believe that Mount Pleasant government is effective and efficient with a part time Mayor and strong Town Council? Please explain your response.
I believe Mount Pleasant government can be effective and efficient with a part-time Mayor and a strong Town Council. It is a legislative body, where consensus can be developed and fostered through effective cooperative leadership.
• How would you address the effects of rising seas on our tidal marshes and waterways? How would you allocate sufficient funds to mitigate flooding and drainage issues on roads and neighborhoods?
According to the Town Administrator, approximately a third of the Mount Pleasant budget is directed toward infrastructure. The town is under significant regulatory burdens from the state and federal government, which slows down the implementation of projects, even when fully funded. I would work to ensure that the impact fees for new developments are sufficient to properly mitigate flooding and drainage issues. For existing problems, I would work within the Council to triage and fund proposals to address flooding and drainage issues.
• What is your position on a moratorium on new building projects in Mt Pleasant?
Moratoriums, subject to applicable law and property rights, can be used sparingly to allow the Town Council to evaluate projects in the pipeline and plan for future developments.
• Would you support signage at Mount Pleasant’s historical sites that accurately portrays our Confederate past and the part that slavery played in our heritage?
Yes.