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Los Angeles, CA; Bachelor’s degree, Metropolitan State College,
Denver, CO; Universite de Nice, France
Professional: U.S. Air Force, Military Intelligence-1969-71, Vietnam; Self-employed in Denver, Colorado. Owned and managed a variety of businesses ranging from retail to entertainment. Present owner of Grand Illusions, designer, importer, and wholesale distributor of products sold in the gift industry.Public service: 2001 to present, Town Council, Hilton Head Island. Significant personal initiatives on Town Council include:
2002-Initiated, with combined service organizations, the first Hilton Head Island Veteran’s Day Ceremony;
2003-Curtailed the growth of “Mini-Hotels” in residential beach neighborhoods by initiating amendments to the Land Management Ordinance;
2005-Proposed the removal of parking meters to help business in the Coligny Shopping area;
2006-Initiated the comprehensive Smoking Ban which became law the following year;
2008-Iniated an island-wide Recycling program for all residents which will begin this fall.
Family: Wife Judy, one son, several grandchildren
Heroes: “My father for all he taught me. I also enjoy biographies and have drawn from the wisdom of many historical figures, including Washington, Lincoln, Churchill, Gandhi and my favorite explorer, Magellan.”
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Question: The recently released master plan for the Hilton Head Island Airport outlined several options for runway lengthening. In your view, is it necessary to expand the facilities in order for the airport to be viable? If so, what should the limits of such expansion be?
Answer: We should be grateful to have an asset as valuable as our airport. Having the airport elevates the status of the island as a destination and provides a convenience for residents, visitors and business travelers. Consultants have shown that we may be able to extend our runway and stay within the boundaries of the current facility, using new technology in runway design. Any lengthening of the runway should be for the purpose of improving commercial airline operations. We should only extend the runway 300 ft. on the south end without lengthening the runway to the north where residential communities will be impacted. This minimal extension, along with the already approved tree cutting plan, will sufficiently improve commercial service and provide a safe, profitable facility for all aircraft except for a few ultralarge private jets.
Q: There’s been a lot of talk about how to encourage property owners to redevelop or spruce up old buildings. What should the town’s role in that process be?
A: The town must create an atmosphere that encourages property owners to invest. As mayor, I will continue to update our Land Management Ordinance (LMO), making it more receptive to redevelopment. We will pass an ordinance requiring minimum appearance standards for commercial buildings. Neglected buildings will no longer be tolerated.
Unfortunately the economic downturn is stifling investment. Right now, eight major commercial and residential projects have been permitted, but are stalled due to lack of financing and market conditions. When the economy recovers, the town council and I will be ready with the tools necessary to encourage redevelopment.
Q: How will you react if the S.C. Attorney General’s office issues the opinion that Hilton Head island’s dog leash laws are trumped by a state law that would require dogs to be leashed if on public property, even the beach?
A: This is another heavy-handed intrusion by the state legislature into what should be a local issue, and I would fight it. There is merit on both sides. Many responsible residents and tourists enjoy a great deal of pleasure bringing their pets to the beach and letting them run under voice control without a leash. However, consideration must be given to others. Imagine the apprehension a parent or grandparent may feel when a large dog runs up to children playing on the beach. Long ago, our town council fashioned a compromise; dogs permitted before 10 a.m. and after 5 p.m. in season. I feel this is a reasonable compromise.
Q: Do you support off-shore drilling along the South Carolina coast?
A: Our Gulf Coast is being despoiled by the greatest manmade disaster in our country’s history. It’s ruining our oceans, polluting the air we breathe, sucking the wealth out of our country and funding our enemies. I know all the arguments in favor of off-shore drilling, but our country needs to accept the challenge of moving away from fossil fuel dependence. No, I do not support off-shore drilling in South Carolina waters. Imagine the impact on our lives, our environment and our economy if Hilton Head’s beaches were covered in oil, and ask yourself if it’s worth the risk.
Q: Some beachfront property owners have complained that trees block their views, causing vacationers to complain about paying a premium for ocean views that are partially obscured. Would you support a process that would allow them to selectively cut trees?
A: The following is an excerpt from the Island Packet, dated September 9, 2009: A Hilton Head Island councilman (John Safay) has asked other town leaders to consider softening the island’s tree-preservation policy to allow for selective tree-cutting that would open up views of the ocean. In May, the Hilton Head Town Council approved an ordinance which, with special approval, permits the cutting of selected trees in the beach dune area . This LMO amendment is selective and does not allow wholesale clear cutting of trees. Any requests for specific tree removal must undergo careful scrutiny and not mar the natural beauty of our beachfront.
Q: Are you in favor of instituting a one-percent sales tax to be used by the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce for tourism marketing?
A: Our residents do not need a general tax increase to fund marketing efforts. That said, we must find ways to increase our island marketing dollars. One proposal is to increase the accommodations tax by one percent. This tax, paid by tourists, would generate about $1.2 million/year. Some residents feel current promotional efforts are sufficient, but I must remind them that tourism dollars re-nourish our beaches, build our bike paths, fund our land acquisition program and enable us to have the best fire and rescue services money can buy.
Q: In the past several years, the South Island Dredging Association has asked the town to help with the dredging of Harbour Town and other Sea Pines-area waterways, a request that could involve financial expenditures. How involved should the town be in dredging efforts?
A: I was opposed to public funding because of private property issues and the lack of one organization representing the many entities within Sea Pines. Sea Pines is now prepared to work with the town to keep Harbour Town and their other waterways open. I look forward to hearing proposals from both sides of this issue.
Q: Hilton Head has resisted calls to create a lawful employment ordinance that would require all companies to verify that their employees are eligible to work in the United States. Would you support such a law?
A: On July 1, the South Carolina anti-immigration law took effect to include companies employing fewer than 100, which is where most illegal workers find employment on Hilton Head Island. The State Office of Immigration Worker Compliance is now fully funded and has more than doubled its staff of investigators. Some people want the town to get involved with auditing businesses and enforcing immigration laws, but local efforts would be redundant and costly.
Q: What should the town’s role be in encouraging people to recycle?
A: As I look back at my time on Town Council, I am most proud of two major initiatives: the smoking ban, which I proposed in 2006 and saw passed in 2007, and the town-wide recycling program, which I proposed in late 2008 and will see passed this fall. This will be an effective recycling program contributing to the environmentally sensitive image we project.
Q: Describe how the town can make itself friendlier to business and economic development.
A: I am working on a series of business forums, inviting representatives from every business on Hilton Head Island. Also in attendance will be the heads of each town department. With one-on-one dialog, we will develop the ability to understand, compromise and cooperate. As mayor, I will send an unmistakable message: Bring us your plans and ideas so we can continue to blend preservation and growth.
