Think you have what it takes to help run Beaufort? You’ve got a deadline approaching

A month after filing opened for an election for two open seats for Beaufort policymakers, no one has joined the fray.

But Beaufort City Council members Stephen Murray and Phil Cromer both say they plan to run for a second term when their seats are up for a vote on Nov. 6. The filing deadline is Aug. 15 at noon.

Cromer, 68, is a former city administrator for the towns of Port Royal and Ridgeland and consulted for the Municipal Association of South Carolina for more than 20 years before retiring in 2014. Cromer said he initially wasn’t going to run for a second term but will file next week after being convinced by his wife and others.

“I feel like we’ve made progress; we work pretty well as a council,” he said.

Murray, a 37-year-old small business owner who operates Kazoobie Kazoos and New South Shirts, is chairman of the Beaufort County Economic Development Corporation and past chairman of the Beaufort Regional Chamber of Commerce. His efforts on council have included helping spawn the Beaufort Digital Corridor, a tech incubator modeled after a successful Charleston venture, and working to bring business to the city commerce park in Burton.

The city is prepared to embark on a major effort to improve drainage throughout the city, a project that will cost millions. Beaufort officials also are looking at long-term plans for the Beaufort Downtown Marina, with a contract with the current operator set to expire.

Other issues the city has debated in recent years include downtown parking improvements — including the idea of a controversial parking garage — fire service and an ongoing legal tangle with neighboring Burton Fire District and the city’s relationship with the Beaufort Regional Chamber of Commerce and downtown business organizations.

Beaufort City Council includes four members and a mayor elected at large to four-year terms. Council members also serve on the city’s Redevelopment Commission.

Beaufort residents who want to run in the nonpartisan election on Nov. 6 must fill out a statement of candidacy and required state campaign forms and pay a $150 filing fee. For information, visit www.cityofbeaufort.org and follow the City Hall link to the City Council page.

This story was originally published July 25, 2018 at 4:27 PM.