Madeleine Kaye: town council

My commitment to listen to you is effective immediately.  I plan to host regular drop-in meetings at the Nest in Night Heron Park.  Anyone interested is invited to join me for a cup of coffee and an informal chat about issues that impact the Town.   I will announce these dates on iKiawah and on the Kiawah Property Owners Group on Facebook.

Kiawah is once again at a critical time in its development.  As your representative on Town Council. I will listen to your input, consider all reasonable viewpoints, and apply my experience and judgement to work toward the best possible outcomes for Kiawah.  

The issues facing the Town are varied and complex, including:

• working with SouthStreet Partners to responsibly develop the Beachwalker parcels;
• working with Riverstone Properties to oversee the expansion of Freshfields; 
• working with KICA to protect our roads, pedestrians, and bikers; and
• working with the Conservancy to manage our fragile marshlands.

My experience in the following areas will be especially relevant to deal with these issues: 

·  As a member of the Planning Commission from 2021-2023, I was involved in key decisions that impact Kiawah’s future, including development of the Comprehensive Marsh Management Plan, rezoning key island parcels, development of a sweeping tree preservation ordinance, and working on the Town’s Comprehensive Plan which charts the Island’s course over the next five to 10 years. 

·  As a member of the ARB Work Group, I witnessed the value of collaboration among a core group representing both KICA and the Town.  Developing a plan to bring to the community and to SouthStreet Partners has required the combined skills of a talented and dedicated work group. 

·  As the Chair or co-Chair of the Our World lecture series for 12 years, I capitalized on team management skills to lead a diverse volunteer committee that brought the community programs on everything from Red Knots to Charleston Harbor management to Boeing operations to baseball to the aging brain to the Beatles.  I worked with KICA management to secure funding and facilitate program execution.  

·  As a co-Chair of the Marsh Management Committee, I gained an increased appreciation of the fragility of our marshlands, and worked on programs designed to enhance and sustain them.  I look forward to supporting the remarkable talents and dedication of the Conservancy staff and their commitment to the Island’s environmental health.

·  My 30-year career in management at Merck reinforced that you simply cannot produce successful outcomes without the commitment and dedication of a highly functioning team. I look forward to being part of the Town Council team.

The photo above is my daughter and her best friend on the beach circa 1989.