Residents press Beaufort mayor for stay-home order as governor declines, emails show
Beaufort Mayor Billy Keyserling faced growing pressure from residents to order the city to shelter in place as coronavirus took hold, while he lamented the lack of a statewide order and county cooperation, emails show.
The city of Beaufort and the county’s other municipalities sent Gov. Henry McMaster a letter requesting a local shelter-in-place order to slow COVID-19. The governor has yet to give that directive.
A review of Keyserling’s emails from the past two weeks under a Freedom of Information Act request showed Keyserling received a steady stream of requests to shutter the city.
“If the governor will not act in the best interests of the Lowcountry, should we not follow Charleston’s lead?” a longtime Beaufort attorney wrote Keyserling on Monday.
The city has suspended records requests if the person requesting allows, but city attorney Bill Harvey and Keyserling agreed to provide access to the mayor’s emails the same day.
In general, Keyserlng responded to residents by saying he wanted a shelter-in-place order like the one the city of Charleston imposed but felt his hands were tied by Beaufort County Council not being on board, McMaster declining to issue a statewide order, and Sheriff P.J. Tanner saying the governor’s executive orders take priority over local directives
.“As we discussed, unfortunately, this is becoming political at a time when politics is the last thing any of us need,” Keyserling wrote at one point to County Council chairman Joe Passiment.
“The county and sheriff say we can’t enforce but I’ve not seen the governor stop them from trying,” Keyserling wrote to Edie Rodgers, a former city councilwoman and state representative. “Because our folks cross political boundaries every day, while not knowing it, there will be confusion. But perhaps the stir will wake them up.”
As the responses from residents to one of his regular email newsletters poured in, the mayor was in touch with other municipalities and Beaufort city officials about potential action.
“Exactly what are you planning for your meeting?” Keyserling wrote to Hilton Head Island town manager Steve Riley and assistant town manager Josh Gruber on Sunday night. “Are you going to incrementally try to pass pieces of the whole? That’s what it looks like. I’m just getting more anxious with today’s news.”
That appears to be the approach on Hilton Head, where town officials have closed beach access points and urged hotels and rentals not to take new reservations through the end of April. Riley said the moves are “inching toward” a shelter-in-place order.
“FYI, I have a slew of calls and emails asking us to be more aggressive,” the mayor wrote to City Manager Bill Prokop, City Council members and Beaufort Police Chief Matt Clancy on Sunday.
Another email to Keyserling implored him to “be a leader the other jurisdictions will follow” and that “the voters will remember those who lead vs. those who act as if the crisis is secondary to the process.”
McMaster ultimately ordered Tuesday that nonessential businesses close. Beaufort City Council then passed a resolution Tuesday urging rental companies, hotels and other rental operators not to advertise to areas affected by coronavirus and to voluntarily stop taking reservations through April.
Council members also asked residents to avoid outdoor activities that might include large groups and for businesses to adhered to state, local and federal guidelines for slowing the spread of COVID-19.
Keyserling said Thursday he talked with McMaster on Wednesday and asked the governor, in lieu of a full shelter-in-place order, to mandate that hotels and similar hospitality businesses not accept reservations from people in states where there are stay-at-home orders.
The city measures this week didn’t go as far as many residents were requesting, while at least one resident told Keyserling in recent weeks a stay-at-home order isn’t necessary.
“This IS NOT the will of the people of Beaufort to be locked down. We are behaving responsibly,” the person wrote. “...You cannot deny me my Freedom to go for a run by myself.”
Reporter Katherine Kokal contributed to this report.
This story was originally published April 2, 2020 at 1:07 PM.
