<b>Lott elected as chair of BJWSA director board</b>

David Lott was elected  as the new chair of Beaufort-Jasper Water &amp; Sewer Authority’s (BJWSA) Board of Directors at its June 27 meeting. Lott replaces Brandy Gray, who served as board chair for the past three and a half years, and whose board term runs through 2015. Also during the board meeting, Donna Altman was chosen as Vice-Chair, and James Scott was chosen as Secretary/Treasurer.

“I’m pleased to continue my service on BJWSA’s Board, and I look forward to my new role,” said Lott. “We’ve got a solid board, and our outgoing chair has provided excellent leadership for the past several years,” he added.

“Brandy has done a remarkable job as Chair of our Board, and I am confident David will also do a tremendous job. We are fortunate to have talented, busy individuals volunteering to serve on our board. The staff looks forward to David’s leadership, and to working with the board to continue providing vital water and wastewater services to our customers”, said Ed Saxon, General Manager.

&nbsp;

<b>Board of elections appoints interim head</b>

The Beaufort County Board of Elections and Registration has appointed Mrs. Marie Smalls as its Interim Executive Director, effective July 1, 2013.

Mrs. Smalls is currently Deputy Director of the Beaufort County Board of Elections and Registration. Mrs. Smalls replaces current Executive Director, Scott Marshall, who has been appointed as the Director of Beaufort County’s Parks and Leisure Services Department. She will serve as Interim Executive Director while the board searches for a new executive director.

<b>County government offices close for holiday</b>

All Beaufort County Government offices will be closed Thursday July 4, 2013 for the holiday. These closures also include all County Library Branches, all Solid Waste Convenience Centers and all Park and Leisure Services (PALS) recreation centers. Beaufort County Government Offices will resume normal operating hours Friday July 5.

The South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles also will be closed on Thursday, July 4, 2013 in observance of the Independence Day state holiday. Please remember that the days before and after a holiday are often extremely busy at DMV. Customers may want to choose another time to visit their local DMV office or process their transactions online at the agency website at www.scdmvonline.com.

&nbsp;

<b>Sheriff Tanner to be LIBPA guest speaker</b>

Sheriff Tanner will be the guest speaker at the Lady’s Island Business and Professional Association meeting to be held at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, July 9 in the Beaufort Realtor’s Association Headquarters located in the Palmetto Business Park on Lady’s Island Drive.  The meeting is open to the public. Tanner was elected as Sheriff of Beaufort County in 1998 and reelected in 2002, 2006 and 2010. He was selected as the 2009 South Carolina Sheriff of the Year by the S. C. Sheriff’s Association and served as President of the Association in 2010. He has been requested to include the following in his discussion with our members:

• Impact of the recent Supreme Court ruling against Arizona Immigration Law on local law enforcement procedures.

• What has been the result of the recent use of the “Mob Statute” in getting witnesses to testify?

• How will the Sheriff’s Office be affected by the decrease in county revenue due to the decrease in property values?

• Most significant challenge facing the Sheriff’s Office in the next decade.

• In this era of tight money should a metropolitan type of law enforcement be considered in northern Beaufort County?

&nbsp;

<b>July Fourth is Free Fishing Day across SC</b>

Have you ever felt the excitement of watching your bobber suddenly jiggle, then dive out of sight? What’s that? You say you never learned to fish? If you are new to the sport of fishing, and not sure if you will enjoy it, a great opportunity awaits you.

The South Carolina General Assembly designated July 4th as Free Fishing Day. All South Carolina residents may fish free in freshwater on July 4 without a recreational license. All fishing regulations, such as bag and size limits and gear restrictions remain in place during Free Fishing Days.

The S.C. Department of Natural Resources has a series of Family Fishing Clinics around the state that are an introductory class and will teach skills on how to tie fishing knots, how to rig a rod and reel, casting and more, and the best part they are free of charge.
<div></div>