Mount Pleasant Town Hall Magazine

48 www.MountPleasantMagazine.com | www.ILoveMountPleasant.com | www.MPTownHall.com MOUNT PLEASANT Town Hall the money. We had a list of priorities and a new Town Hall was near the top,” Swails said. “The building we were in was in pretty rough shape, we weren’t all located under one roof and we felt there needed to be a centralized, one-stop-shop for the town government and its employees.” The idea of a new Town Hall started to fade when Hallman became ill and Burdette retired from his position as town administrator. But it didn’t take long for the plan to be revitalized. “I was elected mayor in 2009, Eric DeMoura was appointed town administrator in October of 2010 and the subject was brought back up,” Swails said. “Some storms had recently hit the Lowcountry and the Mount Pleasant Planning Department was badly damaged. It was time to do something.” Building a Town Hall large enough to fill the needs of one of the nation’s fastest-growing municipalities is no small matter, assuming the Town Council would approve or even agree to allot funds to the endeavor. As with any project, especially one of this magnitude, many hurdles had to be navigated. But once the funding and initial plans were approved, the town moved forward and began the lengthy process. First on the list was finding an architect. After seeing an impressive presentation by Stubbs Muldrow Herin Architects, the town brought the local firm on board. “We were blown away by what they proposed and the knowledge they had,” Swails said. The long-awaited project was finally underway. “I knew at the time I wouldn’t be mayor when it was complete,” Swails explained, “but to see how it’s finally come together is amazing. The money was well-spent, and people should know that taxes are not going to go up because of that building.” Swails said the town is fortunate to have some of the best employees working in the new Town Hall. “Our Police Department, our Fire Department, the Recreation Department, all the Public Service people are so wonderful,” he added. “I can’t say enough about how great they are and they deserve this.” Current Mayor Linda Page couldn’t agree more. “We really do have remarkable people who work here,” Page said. “When you think of how hard they work and all they contribute to the success of the town, they do deserve it.” With all departments now located in one building, the new Town Hall is certainly making a significant difference in how the town operates. “I can’t tell you how much more efficient it is,” Page said. “We were all over the place before, and now we’re all under one roof. The design of the building is perfect for what was needed.” Page explained that there has never been a building in the history of Mount Pleasant that was built specifically as a Town Hall: “We were in a church, we bought the old school. This was built with those who work here and the community in mind.” “The way the building is designed with the large rotunda and the glass walls, you can see your Council at work, and you can see your government in action,” she added. The most impressive aspects of the new building, according to Page, are the technology that makes the building so much more energy efficient and the area occupied by the Police Department. “The first time I toured the building, I thought about how we work, and, to me, the Police Department seemed to be hindered the most,” Page commented. “Now they have every bell and whistle to make it a great police force. It is designed with the safety of the officers and citizens in mind.” Page and Swails also agree that many people played a vital role in completing the Town Hall project. “It’s been a long time coming,” Page said, “and we couldn’t have done it without everyone who helped us get here.” TH Photo by Jess Wood. Former Mount Pleasant Mayor Harry Hallman.