By Mike McCombs
The Island News
If you haven’t heard, there’s going to be a race in Port Royal.
Town Councilman Councilman Kevin Phillips filed to run for mayor, challenging incumbent Joe DeVito, who filed for re-election.
Filing deadline for the November 7 election was September 8.
DeVito and Phillips are both serving their first terms in their current offices.
Phillips had no doubt that now was the time for him to throw his hat in the ring.
“I think right now is a very important time in Port Royal,” he said. “There are very serious things going on. And I’ve got ideas about those going forward that I want to present to the town and see how the town responds. “
Phillips said the cornerstones of his platform are “smart growth, safe streets, preserving nature and community service.”
“The big concern I hear from most constituents is about development and growth and how we’re managing it,” Phillips said. “I think we can do a better job of it. I want to present some ideas to the community and see what they think.”
DeVito said he committed to the citizens of Port Royal before the last election that he would give them an eight-year run if they wanted it, so he’s simply following through on his original commitment.
“Our first four years, we really have done a lot of great things. We’ve moved the needle, we’ve changed the way we’re doing some things,” DeVito said. “We’re doing things much better now. Capital improvements, maintenance of our assets, enhancing the public thoroughfares, a mile of sidewalks have been added, roads are being paved. All of these things are moving us in the direction I said I would move us in. And now the idea is to finish what we started.”
As for the two seats up for grabs on the Town Council, it’s all but over, almost two months before the election.
With two Council seats open, there are just two candidates running.
Incumbent Jerry Ashmore has filed for a third term. And ERA Evergreen realtor Jorge A. Guerrero, a retired Marine who ran unsuccessfully in 2021, is running for the seat now held by Phillips.
Mike McCombs is the Editor of The Island News and can be reached at TheIslandNews@gmail.com.
