Bluffton mayor won’t seek reelection, officially endorses a successor.
Bluffton Mayor Lisa Sulka announced Tuesday that she won’t seek reelection, after serving four terms as the town’s mayor.
Tuesday at noon marks the beginning of the filing period for the Town of Bluffton’s Municipal elections. Shortly before noon, the mayor held a small press conference with herself, the Mayor Pro Tempore Larry Toomer, their families and town officials where she made her announcement.
With her departure, Beaufort County will see one of its most prominent and longest-serving leaders leave the political scene at a time when new challenges to a growing community are constantly surfacing.
Sulka was first elected a a town council member in 2004 when Bluffton had only 1,275 residents, she said. After finishing her first term, she was elected Mayor in 2008, an office she has continued to hold. Bluffton currently has over 38,000 people calling it home, according to Sulka.
While Bluffton’s quick growth can be controversial, Sulka said she was proud of it.
“I’m proud of the decisions we made,” she said. “I’m proud we prepared to manage all the new people who would soon call our little town home.”
“You know what’s best?” she added. “Preserving our past and seeing so many of our children come back to call Bluffton home.”
“Lisa’s done a great job,” said County Council Member Logan Cunningham, who represents parts of Bluffton. “She’s protected Old Town and made it a great tourist destination and a great spot for the locals. And now that she’s started the process for New Town Bluffton here in Buckwalter and Bluffton Parkway. She took Bluffton and really put them on the map.”
In addition, Sulka made an official endorsement of Toomer, who shortly after announced that he would be running to succeed Sulka in the upcoming election.
“He lives for Bluffton. He loves Bluffton. He believes in Bluffton,” she said. “And that is who you need to be in my role. He’s taught me more in the past year on how to listen and think about different things and probably anyone I’ve ever met.”
Shortly after Toomer announced his run for Mayor.
“I have all intentions at 12 o’clock when the bell rings, I’m gonna file for the mayor’s position,” he said.
Toomer talked on the importance of slowing residential development and building up commercial development in the town. Having a family of his own, he said, he knows how expensive it can be to live in Bluffton and hopes to stimulate a more affordable Bluffton.
Toomer, owner of the Bluffton Oyster Company, has been on the town council since 2012. Most recently he was reelected to serve a term from 2022 to 2026.
The last day to file for the election is September 8, at noon.
