Mount Pleasant Magazine July/August 2017

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MOUNT PLEASANT TOWN HALL
of buildings into the new facility without interrupting the
services the town offers to the residents of Mount Pleasant.
The transition from old and dilapidated to new and
efficient took around a week.
Sims noted that some people said the new Town Hall
wasn’t a necessity, referring to it as “a grand project.” She
had a different opinion, insisting that the new building
was needed for a variety of good reasons.
“So much heart, thought, time and effort was put
into this building. It brought our Town Hall into the 21st
century, and it reflects Mount Pleasant,” she said.
She said that although she and DeMoura spearheaded
the project, an entire team of town employees helped
make things run smoothly from start to finish, especially
those in the Purchasing and IT departments.
“Employees in every department helped design their
own space,” she added.
Sims had been wearing more than one hat in Mount
Pleasant government since 2013, so her job with the
town didn’t go away just because the new Town Hall was
complete. She also oversaw strategic planning, government
outreach and performance measurements – determining
how the town can better use its resources, financial
and otherwise, and provide services to Mount Pleasant
residents more efficiently.
Concerning his decision to hire Sims as an intern
and then as a full-time employee, DeMoura related a
story about the late Daniel Patrick Moynihan, who was
in the U.S. Senate for 24 years and also served as U.S.
ambassador to the United Nations. Moynihan had his
choice of interns, and most of the applicants were from Ivy
League schools. Tim Russert, who attended John Carroll
University in Ohio, decided to apply as well and was
surprised to receive an internship with Moynihan. He later
asked the senator why he chose him over all those who
attended prestigious schools.
“These Ivy League kids – what you know, I can’t teach
them. What you don’t know, I can teach you,” he told the
John Carroll University grad.
Russert went on to be Moynihan’s chief of staff and later
the longtime host of “Meet the Press.” DeMoura is confident
that Sims will continue to grow professionally as well.
“Lauren can be successful in whatever she does. It’s my
job to put her in a position to succeed,” he said.
Despite her young age, by the time the new Town
Hall was completed, Sims had already made great strides
toward leaving a lasting legacy in her hometown of Mount
Pleasant – and she’s thankful to have had the opportunity
to play a role in creating a building that is expected to
serve the town for at least three quarters of a century.
“To be a part of this building is a very exciting and
humbling experience,” she commented.
“She’ll always look at that building and smile about it,”
DeMoura added. TH
Executive Programs
Manager Lauren Sims
and Town Administrator
Eric DeMoura
co-managed the
construction of the new
Town Hall.
Photo by Jenn Cady.