Letter: Elected officials advocate for citizens

In response to a Friday letter to this newspaper, it is easy to see why and how our citizenry is befuddled and confused.

I have long advocated for the environment in conjunction with the constitutional rights of property owners. There must be a balance between the two as codified by the legislature, county and city officials.

There cannot be an offline, half-cocked citizens advocate running around our courtrooms and council chambers educating, monitoring and advocating with quasi-official status.

Our elected officials do serve at the pleasure of the electorate. Our own Beaufort Mayor Billy Keyserling recently took the bold step of encouraging more stringent environmental standards for future development. Our elected officials are responsible for the delicate balance between the environment and property owner rights.

A peoples advocate is not the answer. I lived in the People's Republic of Santa Cruz for two decades and have been a non-practicing member of the South Carolina Bar for 35 years. Suggesting that our elected officials be "committed to formally act on an ombudsman's findings and recommendations" misdirects power from our elected officials to a quasi-government advocate.

I smell trouble and lack of confidence in our elected officials. The right tact is the one Mayor Keyserling just announced.

Bob Green

This story was originally published January 27, 2016 at 7:55 PM with the headline "Letter: Elected officials advocate for citizens."