Can Beaufort’s next mayor ‘lower temperature’ of city’s politics? The race is set
The Dec. 12 date for the election of the city of Beaufort’s next mayor is set between two former City Council veterans who both say they hope to restore civility to local politics. They both cite that the city has become beset by legal and political squabbles over downtown development.
The filing period for the race to complete the term of Stephen Murray, who resigned Sept. 15, closed Monday.
Phil Cromer and Mike Sutton, both of whom have considerable experience in local government, were the two candidates to file for the job. The winner of the Dec. 12 special election will serve about 11 months until Nov. 24, 2024.
The position of mayor runs City Council meetings and in general serves as the public face and leader of the city. Council members set policy and govern through the city manager, who is responsible for day-to-day operations and carries out policy decisions made by the City Council.
Cromer is a two-term councilman who left the job in December after deciding not to run again. Cromer, who retired in 2014 after 23 years as a risk management consultant for the Municipal Association of South Carolina. He also was the town manager for Port Royal and Ridgeland’s administrator.
Sutton is the owner of Sutton Construction, a historic restoration company in Beaufort. He served on the City Council from 2006-2014. He ran for mayor in 2020, losing to Murray.
Murray resigned with more than a year remaining in his term, saying he was tired of uncivil attacks and the toll the job was taking on his health, family, friends, businesses and reputation.
His departure came as fissures over downtown development and the appointment process for the Historic District Review Board escalated.
Tim Newman, who is backing Sutton, says Sutton supports managed, sensible growth and civil politics. Sutton will respect everyone’s stance, he said, even if they don’t agree with him.
“When the divisive tactics of politics we are experiencing nationally and locally are turning leaders into targets and giving bullies a pulpit we must elect a strong, motivated, respectful and diplomatic leader,” Newman said.
When he announced his campaign for mayor Oct. 5, Cromer said he would work to “lower the temperature of politics in the city through positive engagement.”
Cromer says he wants timely vetting and completion of Beaufort Code changes, improved risk management of liability exposures, reduction of number of executive sessions, posting qualifications and experience of all applicants for boards and commissions and stand-alone public hearings on important issues of community concern.
“With eleven months remaining in his term, it is imperative that order and stability be maintained on Council and the apparent discord between the city, its citizens and organizations be resolved,” Cromer says.
