Beaufort candidate forum sees only one county council candidate attendee: Who showed up?
North of the Broad Beaufort County Council candidates up for election were invited to attend Monday evening’s forum at the University of South Carolina Beaufort Center for the Arts. Only one showed up.
Adam Biery, a newcomer running for the District 1 seat as a Republican, addressed a crowd of about 50 people seated in the auditorium, outlining his campaign’s priorities of smart growth, a fair distribution of funds and support for small businesses. His opponents — 19-year incumbent Gerald Dawson, a Democrat, and Jevona Armstrong of the Forward Party — did not attend. District 3 incumbent York Glover, a Democrat running unopposed, was also absent.
The reasons for the absences remain unclear. Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Megan Morris, who helped organize the event, said candidates North of the Broad were invited at least a month in advance, but only Biery confirmed. The other candidates did not respond to calls seeking comment.
Biery, as the lone speaker, answered 10 questions proposed by the members of the Chamber of Commerce, focusing heavily on the theme of smart growth. With a background in architecture, he explained how his professional expertise shaped his approach in managing the county’s infrastructure, which he argued needs careful planning to keep up with the area’s growing population.
Beyond infrastructure, Biery discussed his commitment to better communication with citizens, suggesting more direct outreach through text message alerts and other tools to ensure transparency in local government. He also stressed the need for fiscal accountability, vowing to rebuild public trust by being transparent about how county funds are allocated.
“There’s an issue on the ballot this election for additional funding,” Biery said, alluding to the special sales tax. “I can’t say that I support that. We need to regain that trust and then maybe throw that on the ballot in a couple years.”
Biery’s vision for the county included collaboration with surrounding areas on issues like housing and economic development. He also highlighted ecotourism and small family farming as potential areas for economic growth in District 1, proposing initiatives like farm-to-table programs to boost local businesses.
Affordable housing was another focus, with Biery noting the high cost of living in Beaufort County. He suggested that while the county might not need to directly develop housing, it could explore ways to make affordable options more accessible, potentially through public transportation solutions to connect workers to job centers.
Despite the absence of other candidates, Biery used his time on stage to remind voters to why he should be selected.
“Why should I be your representative?” Biery asked. “I’m here. I’m here to listen. I’m here to learn. I’m here to answer questions.”
Clarification: Due to incorrect information provided to The Island Packet the only county candidates invited to the forum were those running for seats North of the Broad River. The earlier version of the story reported that all candidates were invited.
This story was originally published October 23, 2024 at 5:00 AM.
