Beaufort City Council believes it is the most transparent in Beaufort's history. Being a relative newcomer, I cannot comment on that.

How many Beaufort residents know that we have a city architect?

Why the secret? Could it be that the council or city management don't want to reveal that the city architect is not a Beaufort resident -- nor even a resident of South Carolina? Could it be that they don't want to reveal that our city architect is not an architect? Or that he does not have a contract for these services -- separate from whatever he receives as a consultant from the Lawrence Group?

Craig Lewis is a nice, bright man. He is also a New Urbanist. However, what are his qualifications to be the city architect for this architecturally and historically unique place?

Can someone help me understand why the city architect for the city of Beaufort is not a certified architect from Beaufort -- or at least a longtime resident/architect of our state?

Pete Palmer

Beaufort