Mayor's Message – September 2026

Fall is coming! I wrote in an earlier message this year given our long, cool winter I wasn’t going to complain when our 90 degree and 95+% humidity days hit, but I may have to retract that statement. Wow it has been a hot one! I do love Fall on our island – less heat, less crowds and still plenty of outdoors to enjoy.

I hope you have been following the city’s communications regarding our beach project. On our website, isleofpalms.gov, great updates, videos and information to keep you informed on what’s happening.  If you haven’t seen it yet, there is a map with a slider timeline so you can see our best estimate of where work is and will be taking place in the coming weeks.

A couple of other quick project updates:

1. Waterway Blvd Multi-Use Path Elevation Project – we are making great progress on this one. Planning to wrap up this phase by the end of September. Significant improvement to the path but more importantly drainage infrastructure added on the golf course and along the road right of way to protect a large swath of our island from storm surge and tidal inundation. We have experienced great results from our other completed drainage project on the island so know this one will yield similar results.
2. Marina
   1. Dredging – We have received all regulatory permits, bids are going out later this year, and project will start in early 2027. 
   2. Restaurant and City Parking Reconfiguration and Greenspace – like the Waterway Path project, this one has been percolating for some time. To make the green space around our new public dock happen it required a lease amendment with the restaurant to redefine their leased premises. That’s been done and now design of the new layout is being completed and will be reviewed and approved by City Council soon. We need to have this constructed in the months of January/February – you know our offseason! – however some stars need to align quickly for us to hit this timeframe. Planning to have bids back in October for City Council to approve in November. 
   3. Bulkhead recoating – The bulkhead around our marina property is showing signs of wear in this tough environment so it’s time to recoat it. Proposals for creating specs, sending bid package, soliciting bids and managing the project are to be reviewed by City Council in the coming months.
3. Litter – I hope you have recently noticed a reduction in litter around our community.  Our Public Works Department has hired an outside contractor to complete periodic sweeps of various places on our island. They perform clean up at Breach Inlet; Front beach commercial district to City Hall and up the connector to the end of Public Services Building; Carmen Bunch Park; the opposite side of Harris Teeter on Palm; 21st - 41st; 41st to the marina and 10 ft into the marsh from the public dock to the restaurant. They are scheduled for every other week until Labor Day and have been a good addition to our other clean-up efforts.

There are always many projects going on in our community and they are regularly updated on our website or social media sites as well as upcoming community events. 

Thank you for the opportunity to serve! 

Phillip Pounds, Mayor IOP
843-252-5359
ppounds@isleofpalms.gov