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 A Message to our Members from the Sunset Beach Taxpayers Association Board of Directors:

​October 10, 2025

 

Dear SBTA Members,

 

In our recent "late summer" 2025 SBTA newsletter and at the most recent membership meeting, we indicated that your SBTA Board would be providing recommendations regarding candidates for the upcoming Town elections. Here are our recommendations, followed by a general explanation of our endorsements:

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For Mayor of Sunset Beach:

  • Shannon Phillips, the incumbent.

For Town Council of Sunset Beach (unexpired term):

  • Christie Batchelor

For Town Council of Sunset Beach (4 year terms):

  • Sean Arnold

  • Katie Bordeaux

  • William Brougham 

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(We note that Katie Bordeaux is a member of the SBTA Board.  Katie recused herself from the vote taken in support of her candidacy.)

 

The above recommendations are based on your SBTA Board's belief that significant change is needed in the governance of Sunset Beach and that our Town Council has made a number of problematic decisions in recent years. As a result, our Town is currently confronting the fall-out of these decisions in several areas simultaneously.  A few of the highest profile issues: 

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  1. After the real property revaluation two years ago and despite our requests, the Town Council refused to lower the property tax rate, resulting in property owners paying $1,600,000 more (58% increase) in real property taxes in 2023 alone, and even more in the years since. This has led to a series of Town budgets that we believe do not represent a prudent and responsible use of taxpayer dollars.

  2. The rushed implementation of a paid parking plan which has created multiple operational and safety issues.

  3. Generally poor two-way communication with the Town's taxpayers. This has led to a lack of transparency in town budgets, much misinformation and divisiveness around the parking plan, a high level of dissatisfaction with the recent dredging project among some of the affected property owners, and a general negativity and cynicism among many of the Town's taxpayers. 

 

Your SBTA Board has had multiple meetings and communications with Town Council and Staff on these issues in an effort to encourage more efficient and effective governance. While we appreciate their willingness to interact with the SBTA, to date, their responses and actions have been unsatisfactory. As a result, our candidate recommendations have attempted to support those candidates whose statements indicate they understand these issues, have concerns about them as we do, and aim to correct the mis-steps to move Sunset Beach forward in a more responsible and responsive direction. This cannot be accomplished by electing (or re-electing) Town Council members who indicate they only wish to maintain the status quo.

 

We recognize that many SBTA members are property owners but not legal residents of Sunset Beach and therefore are not eligible to vote in local elections. In any case, we urge you to support the above recommended candidates in any way that you are able, including in conversations with friends and neighbors, posting yard signs for the recommended candidates and in making financial contributions to the campaigns of those candidates who are accepting them. Information on making contributions can be found at the end of this email.

 

It is our hope that the upcoming election is a turning point for our Town, representing a move toward a more efficient and effective local government for residents and taxpayers.

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Please contact the candidates using the following information: 

 

Mayor  

Shannon Phillips: 

Donations not accepted, for yard signs call or text 864-219-8810

 

Town Council

Sean Arnold: 

Donations not accepted, Yard signs happily provided

Email: seanarnold4sunsetbeach@gmail.com  

https://www.seanarnold4sunsetbeach.com/

 

Katie Bordeaux:

Email: katie.bordeaux@att.net to contact, request a yard sign, make a donation. 

Also https://www.facebook.com/groups/electkatiebourdeaux/

 

William Brougham: 

Donations not accepted, Call or text 919-279-7798  

Email: brougham114.wb@gmail.com

 

Christie Batchelor: www.christieforsunsetcouncil.com to contact, request a yard sign, make a donation. Also https://www.facebook.com/share/1DCTYxZcrP/?mibextid=wwXIfr

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Thanks for your membership and continued support!

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Sincerely,

The Board of the Sunset Beach Taxpayers Association

Ken Sekley - President

Mark Cramer - Vice President

Bruce Hovermale - Treasurer

Tom Barker

Mac Nelson

Katie Bordeaux

John Wells

For the convenience of members who were not at the May 2025 membership meeting, we are posting the Minutes from the 5/31/2025 meeting here.

                                        SBTA Membership Meeting
                                                 Meeting Minutes
                                                  May  31, 2025

 

Opening

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The Memorial Day weekend Saturday membership meeting of Sunset Beach Taxpayers Association was called to order at 10:30 am on May 31, 2025 at the Sunset Beach Community Center, 200 Station Trail, Sunset Beach.

 

Attendance

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Board members present:  Mark Cramer, Tom Barker, Bruce Hovermale, John Wells, Mac Nelson 

Absent:  Ken Sekley

 

Attendance:  17

 

Presentations & Discussion

 

Mark Cramer opened the meeting with a welcome, introduction of board members, and members present introduced themselves.

 

The members present voted to approve minutes of the August 31, 2024 Easter Saturday membership meeting.

 

Mark Cramer reviewed his observations on the Town of Sunset Beach’s FY 25-26 budget noting that the revenue had increased by $1.5m.John Corbett, a Town Council member and SBTA member, noted that the budget was not revenue neutral, but rather was based on actual needs.He noted that it had to be approved by June 30th each year.

 

Tom Barker reviewed the proposed dredging assessment affecting 321 properties of $7,783 per parcel.The total project cost was $7.7m with the $2,475,010 not covered by grants to be assessed.There was to be a public hearing June on the assessment roll.Following the assessment approval, a special assessment district for future maintenance dredging that was set up in 2014 will be reviewed and implemented.

 

Bruce Hovermale reviewed the Paid Parking Plan.There was much consternation over the implementation of the plan, particularly in publicizing the details.

 

John Wells reviewed the Palm Cove Dredging Application status.Palm Cove HOA is requesting a state grant to dredge a navigational channel adjacent to the western border of Palm Cove to Tubbs Inlet.As private entities cannot apply, the Town is supporting a grant application at PCHOA’s cost.The project should qualify for State grant funding subject to permitting.Currently the engineering of the project is out for bid.

 

Bruce noted the Calabash Bridge replacement project completed several days earlier than the May 1, 2025 target early completion date.The contractor thereby earned the early completion incentive.

 

Tom Barker reviewed the 2025 beach season update.

 

Mac Nelson reviewed the proposed multi-modal path from Sunset Beach Park to the Calabash River Bridge.

 

John Wells reviewed the situation with algae growth in the Twin Lakes and some of the proposed solutions.It was noted that drought in the past few years has made the growth worse.

 

The Board thanked John Corbett for his attendance at the meeting and for providing insights into the issues raised.

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Adjournment: 

The meeting was adjourned at 12:15 pm.

 

Minutes submitted by:     Bruce Hovermale, secretary

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Welcome Members and Friends of SBTA
 
This website expects to provide members and friends of SBTA with timely information about what is happening at Sunset.
 
For example, we will post newsletters, newspaper articles, announcements of current "happenings,"and letters we send to support or oppose various actions of the Town Council or other agencies.
 
The Town of Sunset Beach has two geographical parts: Mainland and Island. We welcome suggestions of items for both parts that you would like for us to post here. Send us a message from the "Contact Us" page.
 
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Sunset Beach Bridge

Officers 2023:

Ken Sekley, President

Mark Cramer, Vice-President

Bruce Hovermale, Secretary-Treasurer

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Email addresses for the SBTA Board are on the Important Contacts page. .

Other Board Members:

Tom Barker

Mac Nelson

John Wells

Katie Bordeaux

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About Us

 

The Sunset Beach Taxpayers Association (SBTA) was incorporated in 1984. Its mission, as stated in its constitution, is “ ... to foster orderly growth within the Town of Sunset Beach, preserving its unique, unspoiled non-commercial character; to press for responsible, efficient government; to prevent the extravagant wasteful expenditure of public funds; and to provide absentee, non-voting property owners a voice in community affairs affecting their interests.”

 

You can read more about SBTA's mission and purpose in its Constitution and Bylaws.

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We'll respond as soon as we can, but remember that this website is maintained by a volunteer organization.​

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