2024 Mayor Candidate: Dr. Michael Heidingsfelder

Heidingsfelder-Headshots-2022-22 4 (002)Many of us remember Kiawah without the Sanctuary or Ocean Park or Freshfields, but with the lovely old Inn, Piggly Wiggly and the Straw Market. I certainly do. Since then, the past 25+ years have changed our island. In many ways for the better. 

And that is why, no matter where I am coming from, whenever I pass through the first gate, I am home.

But the speed of development over the past 10 years has created the challenges we face today: high-density development projects, especially at the West end of the island; developers on their last run to maximize their profits; traffic congestion at the first gate and along our main roadways; too many construction projects creating too much traffic, noise and discomfort for neighbors and visitors; safety, security and EMS deficiencies; and the ongoing endangerment of our environment and wildlife … and the task to protect our pristine Captain Sam’s Spit for eternity. 

Today, we are clearly at a crossroad of our future. We need to answer questions like: 

  • How do we as a community want to be recognized 10 years from now?
  • What do we not want to look like in five to 10 years?
  • How can we make the last large development projects consistent with who we are, and who we want to be going forward?

My involvement in matters important for our community over the past years – from working as a volunteer in TOKI Work Groups, as a member of the Planning Commission and now on Town Council – have made me realize that we need to develop a thoughtful, comprehensive and more community-centric vision for the future of our island. 

Therefore, my commitment to the community as your future Mayor will be to dedicate myself to:

  1. Communication and Outreach
    Each of you is my most valuable resource and my most important learning tool. I am committed to be available to interact with you in multiple ways. I will answer every email I receive. I will hold regular office hours. I will host virtual and face-to-face Community Engagement Meetings. I will do my part to make the Town’s debate and decision-making processes as transparent as possible.
  2. Collaboration and Unity
    We are a small but complex community that works best when we work together. With this in mind, I am committed to continue to reach out to all important stakeholders – from KICA, the Conservancy, the elected officials on Seabrook and Johns Island to the Resort, the Club, SouthStreet and EastWest – to achieve an alignment of objectives and actions that will best serve us.
  3. Set Developer Boundaries
    We all know that we cannot stop development on the island. Property owners have their vested rights. Despite, I am committed to use every possible path of common sense, smart negotiations or legal recourse to convince the developers to propose plans that fit with the neighborhoods they are planned for and to protect our environment and wildlife.
  4. Improve Safety and Security
    Recent events have made us aware that our island is lacking proper coverage by police and EMS services. I am committed to implement the best plans to have the optimal level of safety and security services on the island … 24/7.
  5. Conservation
    Many of you are currently volunteering your valuable time to the island's various environmental initiatives. I am committed to continue working diligently to bring all of Captain Sam’s Spit into our ownership; to protect our marsh through implementing our new Marsh Management Plan; to actively advance our "Kiawah Goes Green" initiative; and to aggressively fight to downsize major development projects along Betsy Kerrison.

I believe that our joint community wants a meaningful, transparent and productive resolution of these challenges without harming our neighborhoods. And I believe that we all envision our Island as a perfect synergy between nature and modern life.

I promise the community that I will do my very best to help preserve and enhance life on Kiawah and foster collaboration between the community and our governing bodies.

If that is the approach you envision for our island, I hope you will support my candidacy.

I thank you for your trust in my ability to manage our future. And I thank you for your vote on April 23rd.