Mount Pleasant Magazine March/April 2016

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their doors recently in Mount Pleasant.
“These aren’t traditional retail businesses. Sometimes
they need special attention,” Livingston commented.
“As they change the way they do business, we need to
keep up with the times and remain progressive and
open for business.”
Livingston said she works with the Planning Depart-
ment to bring issues such as these to the Town Council,
which ultimately makes the decision concerning how these
companies will do business in Mount Pleasant.
Livingston’s job extends well beyond simply answering
questions from members of Mount Pleasant’s current and
potential business community. For instance, she’s work-
ing on a guide that will explain exactly what steps a new
business owner needs to take to be in compliance with the
town’s rules and regulations. She said a budding business
might have to interact with employees from several depart-
ments, including Finance, Planning, the fire marshal and
possibly even the Cultural Affairs and Tourism office.
“People who are new to starting a business usually are
looking for guidance,” she said, pointing out that the guide
will be available online and in print.
She’s also working on a brochure that will be used to
recruit businesses to Mount Pleasant. She said the town
is in a position to offer financial incentives to companies
thinking about making a home in Mount Pleasant through
its Economic Development Incentive Program. Companies
can be reimbursed all or part of their impact fees, business
license taxes and plan review fees. Livingston said the town
has dedicated $100,000 to the program’s fund through
the fiscal year ending June 30, 2016, but she added that
the Council can vote to spend additional money to entice
companies to come to Mount Pleasant.
Developers are charged impact fees to help pay for
services such as fire, police, sanitation and roads. Separate
impact fees for water and sewage are paid to Mount Pleas-
ant Water Works.
The incentive program hasn’t been used much in recent
years, but that will change in the future. Livingston said it is
about to become one of the town’s prime recruiting tools.
The town of Mount Pleasant is working hard to reach
out to the business community in more ways than one.
Livingston now represents the town on the board of direc-
tors of the Mount Pleasant Business Association, an orga-
nization with more than 200 members. In addition, the
town is continuing a program established about a year ago,