'He loves Tybee more than anyone else in the world': Mack Kitchens vying for mayor
Mack Kitchens, a Tybee Island native is running for mayor, and he said he is a formidable candidate.
Kitchens is a 66-year-old local kiteboarder who has made a name for himself with two previous local government campaigns under his belt and a reputation advocating for beach safety after he rescued a teenage girl from drowning a few years ago.
Most recently, Kitchens was enveloped in an island-wide hug after he was diagnosed with Stage 4 bladder and prostate cancer. The island raised $50,000 to support him between a benefit part and a GoFundMe campaign.
Here are the qualified candidates for the Tybee Island elections on Nov. 7.
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Now, he hopes to make a difference on the island by running for mayor.
Eric Thomas, a friend of Kitchens for a decade, said that he loves that Kitchens is fired up and ready to make a difference on the island.
"There is no doubt that he loves Tybee Island more than anyone else in the world," Thomas said. "And he's beating cancer, which is amazing."
A major topic for the campaign and between islanders is the existence of short-term vacation rentals: Some want them eliminated. Some view them as necessary for tourists. And some want more.
“The biggest problem I hear from residents is that we don’t have peace in our neighborhoods now,” Kitchens said. “If we could have obtained peace years ago when I talked about these issues, we probably would have found an existence where tourism and the short-term vacation rental industry could have coexisted with each other peacefully.”
Kitchens has been a long-time advocate for the regulation of short-term vacation rentals, he said. A lot of gray areas were created by ordinances from previous city councils that allowed outside investors to come in and buy properties, Kitchens said.
“My job, if I’m elected, is to try to define these ordinances that we have, with help from the state,” Kitchens said. “To get these facilities out of these grey areas and be able to use the ordinances that we have in place because we have the tools to create a tourism management program.”
Kitchens also said that he feels stronger mentally and physically than he has since October when the problems with his health began.
“How do I look? Like a formidable candidate?” Kitchens said in a statement to the Savannah Morning News. “November started with problems and doctors here not treating me. March ended in multiple procedures in Greensboro, Georgia including a resection of my prostate. Thank God for that clinic. April diagnosed with cancer and started chemo in June with Stage 4 prostate and bladder cancer. And now running the gauntlet for mayor and capable of doing it.
"If I can't make a positive impact in this community, I will gladly step off. I challenge my contenders to make that commitment.”
Another topic that is widely discussed amongst islanders is how to deal with unsanctioned massive events like Orange Crush, a weekend party in April that brought about 50,000 people to the small island. Kitchens said events like that just can't happen.
"You can't jeopardize the whole city's safety for one event," Kitchens said. "It just can't happen anymore."
More: Mack Kitchens saved a drowning girl's life. Does that make him more electable on Tybee?
More: Tybee City Council candidates forum: Hopefuls address STVR regulations, sustainability
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Mack Kitchens wants to be Tybee Island's next mayor
