Hilton Head forwards transportation project list to Beaufort County advisory committee after amendment to preserve council neutrality

Hilton Head Island’s Town Council voted 6‑1 on March 10 to submit a prioritized list of transportation projects to the Beaufort County Transportation Advisory Committee for consideration in a possible county sales‑tax referendum, after amending the draft to emphasize the town’s neutrality on the referendum.

Public works staffer John Gillan presented the list that includes improvements to segments of William Hilton Parkway (notably Squire Pope and Spanish Wells intersections), Gumtree Road, Main Street and other corridor items identified in the town’s five‑year capital improvement program. Gillan told council the submission is intended to provide the county advisory committee a local project set to consider; he repeatedly emphasized that providing a list is different from endorsing the referendum.

Why it matters: if voters approve a county transportation sales tax, the projects included in the county program could become eligible for local allocations; council members sought language to ensure any revenue designated for the town would be transferred to and held by Hilton Head and used only for the town’s listed projects.

Council edits and rationale: Councilmember Miss Bryson successfully moved to recast the draft resolution so that the town "respond[s] to the request of the Beaufort County Council to provide a list of projects for consideration of a county 2026 referendum," and to make explicit that the town is not taking a position for or against the referendum. The amendment was intended to make the town’s neutrality and conditions (a lockbox for funds, clear project dollar amounts, and oversight language) explicit before the list was forwarded.

Public reaction and debate: public commenters raised objections and questions about priorities. Stu Rodman urged that bridges and worker access be prioritized, saying the county’s bridges were "on borrowed time" and warning the timing for action was urgent. Christopher Cliff expressed skepticism about prior county tax packages and warned the public might interpret the town’s submission as implicit support for the 1% sales tax. Councilmembers debated whether the town’s list would be interpreted by voters as endorsement; several emphasized that the town’s edits and the proposed requirement for funds to be transferred directly to the town are meant to protect local control.

Vote and next steps: after the amendment and discussion, council approved forwarding the project list and conditions to the county advisory committee (vote recorded 6‑1). Staff said it will provide final materials to the town’s representative on the advisory committee prior to the committee’s meeting the following day.

What remains unresolved: the county advisory committee must now review submissions from municipalities and prioritize projects for any ballot language; the ultimate decision whether to place a sales tax referendum before voters and the specific revenue-sharing details are controlled by Beaufort County Council and the advisory process.