Beaufort County Council: Marilyn Harris says past experiences prepared her for council

Working in Beaufort County schools as well as serving on the boards of nonprofits gave Marilyn Harris an in depth understanding of the county, she says.

Harris is running for the District 2 seat on the Beaufort County Council as a Democrat in the Nov. 8 election.

She is self-employed with a master’s degree in strategic studies from the U.S. Army War College, a master’s in public administration from Shippensburg State University, a master’s in human relations from the University of Oklahoma, and a bachelor’s degree in education and lifetime teaching certification from the University of Missouri.

This is her first time running for public office.

The Island Packet sent questionnaires to all candidates in contested races. Candidates were asked to keep their responses to 150 words per question.

Here are Harris’ answers:

How will your expertise or past experiences bring to the county council?

Over the past eight years I have worked in Beaufort County schools and as a program coordinator for Beaufort County while also serving on the boards of Second Helpings, the United Way, the Boys and Girls Club, and the Coastal Community Foundation. These experiences have afforded me an in-depth understanding of Beaufort County residents and their concerns. I bring leadership skills, a strong financial acumen, expertise in long-range planning, a relevant academic background and experience gained from working alongside some of the brightest, bravest and most honorable military leaders in the world, from attending the U.S. Army War College, from serving as a U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee Investigator and from my tenure as a policymaker for the Department of Veterans Affairs.

What’s the biggest issue facing Beaufort County?

I have spent the past 10 months meeting with and asking District 2 residents that question. District 2 constituents have told me that their biggest issues are responsible growth and infrastructure; affordable housing; resurrecting, reviewing, revising and finally executing the Lady’s Island Plan; traffic on Sams Point Road and the Sea Island Parkway; equitable services for both sides of the Broad River, and maintaining, conserving and preserving our critical lands and waterways.

Development and maintaining Beaufort County’s historic character sometimes collide. What is your position on development versus historic preservation?

The two don’t have to be mutually exclusive. The county’s historic character and development can coexist. We must employ a balanced approach to working together that engenders both preservation and respect for our historic character as well as management of development in a resident-friendly way.

Affordable housing is an issue throughout Beaufort County. What more should the council be doing, if anything, to address it?

I worked as the county’s Facilitator for the Lowcountry Affordable Housing Coalition, so I am familiar with this issue. I am delighted to see the Housing Trust Fund become a reality and to see the collaborative efforts that will make it successful. As Beaufort County continues to grow so will affordable workforce housing needs grow. I would endeavor to ensure that the outreach of the Housing Trust Fund will include seeking incentives to further the public good in addressing the county’s affordable workforce housing needs.

Do you support the direction the county is going with the 278-bridge project and the one bridge vs two bridge debate?

Beaufort County Council voted 11-1 to approve a Memorandum of Agreement with the Town of Hilton Head to move forward on the 278 Corridor Project with a one-bridge solution. The Town of Hilton Head voted in favor of approving the County’s MOA. I respect the County Council’s vote and the Town of Hilton Head’s decision to move forward.

Many candidates have mentioned transparency as being important. If elected, how will you strive to be more transparent with the public?

Transparency as an issue has come up in many meetings I have held with District 2 residents over the past 10 months. District 2 constituents have shared that as much as transparency is important, what they desire even more is accessibility to their representative. Transparency and accountability are an integral part of accessibility. Constituents have asked for communication through regular town hall meetings, emails and/or newsletters and social media. I intend to honor those requests.