Our view: Beaufort County too small to fight against itself

Beaufort County sometimes feels like it’s five different continents, rather than a single entity.

Beaufort, St. Helena Island, Sheldon, Hilton Head Island and Bluffton all have different feels and needs.

But the county is too small to let those differences pit one region against the other.

That useless, old “north vs. south,” “we vs. they” whining dominated a town hall meeting held last month by two Beaufort County Council representatives. The meeting called by Cynthia Bensch and Rick Caporale was held in southern Beaufort County. Statements from the audience and the two elected leaders cast a lot of blame for a lot of problems on northern Beaufort County.

That attitude — whether it comes for the south criticizing the north or vice versa — is old, backward and fruitless. How can Beaufort County succeed if its global outlook stretches no farther than the Broad River bridge? The answer is that it cannot. What is good for Hilton Head is very, very good for Beaufort County. The same is true for Beaufort. And Bluffton.

Not only do the different areas of Beaufort County need each other and depend on each other, but the same could be said of a broader region to include Jasper County.

We understand very well the differences in our communities. We celebrate them. We’re glad for them. Hilton Head is not Beaufort, and does not pretend to be. Beaufort is not Hilton Head, and does not pretend to be. Each offers the other something that could never be replicated. Each offers something that adds to the strength of both communities. They don’t want to be alike. They don’t need to be alike. But they are on the same team, and they need to pull in the same direction.

As for political representation, that is determined by census counts. Due to growth patterns, southern Beaufort County has six of the 11 seats on both the County Council and Board of Education. It looks like more seats may move south in the future. But we still will be one county. And it is a county that cannot afford to shoot itself in the foot with mindless provincialism.

The bridge over the Broad River has been in place so long it has already been worn out and replaced once. It’s past time for political leaders to bridge their own divides. We all must see Beaufort County as a place with wonderful differences, but a single purpose.

This story was originally published April 7, 2016 at 6:40 AM with the headline "Our view: Beaufort County too small to fight against itself."