Ashley Carroll
To all Isle of Palms residents,
My name is Ashley Carroll, and I am excited to announce that I have decided to run for a seat on our City Council. We have a critical election coming up in November and I am reaching out to ask for your support.
I grew up in a small community in Georgia and during my childhood years I cherished the one week a year my family and I would go to the beach for summer vacation. Since then, I had always dreamed of one day living in a beach community. Fast forward to 2008 when I transferred from Furman University to the College of Charleston and realized my childhood dream came true when I got the opportunity to live on Isle of Palms.
IOP has been home ever since, and it has come to mean everything to me. It is where I fell in love with a local island boy and started a family. It is also where I have made lifelong friendships and invested in our family’s business here on the island. I am proud to be raising fourth generation IOP-resident Carroll kids and I have a vested interest in protecting their future and the future of this vibrant, beautiful community.
I decided to run for city council out of great love for this island, its people, and for my family. However, I am concerned about the direction in which the island seems to be headed. Unfortunately, over the past few years I have witnessed fear-based tactics and rumor mongering intended to manipulate this community into feeling unnecessary stress and anxiety. Sadly, these tactics have only succeeded in causing a great divide between island residents, which in turn has led to real strife felt throughout the island.
It is the duty of our City Council members to represent, listen to, and serve all island residents. I strongly believe that our council should embody the same characteristics that we aim to instill in our children: to act with integrity, be respectful, demonstrate empathy, and have a strong work ethic. My decision to get involved - to speak up - was rooted in recognizing that the divisive nature of our council was a direct reflection of the divide our community is also feeling. We need our council members to truly represent what IOP has always been by exemplifying what a positive and caring community looks and feels like. We deserve a council who will fight to preserve the island’s truly unique character for the sake of our children and grandchildren’s future.
I feel there is a crucial need for a new voice on council who will commit to the following:
- Listen and learn with an open mind.
- Work to unify and not divide.
- Share facts and truths with residents, and not hearsay or distorted statistics to push an agenda
- Protect our residential neighborhoods using a combination of common sense and fact-based data.
- Support better enforcement of island ordinances while also considering amendments that would make our ordinances clearer and more practical to allow for proper enforcement.
- A focus on the importance of building respectful, positive relationships between law enforcement and our community in which they serve.
- Encouraging and working directly with our rental business community to be proactive in ensuring that every guest is accurately informed of our city’s ordinances, occupancy limits, and vehicle limits.
This is precisely what I intend to do for the residents of Isle of Palms: I will speak the truth and stand up for what is right. I will use all necessary resources, take advantage of innovative ideas to better our community, and enact common sense policies to ensure a bright future for IOP.
We must also insist that our elected officials uphold one of our most basic freedoms - equal opportunity. If we do not take the time now to speak up and act, future generations - our families - will lose the fundamental right to equal access and success that we were afforded.
We have all chosen to live on this island that is our paradise because it is a peaceful, friendly, and strong family-oriented community. And while it’s important to appreciate the many resources and great amenities we have at our fingertips, it’s even more important to realize how and why it is made possible. I strongly urge all island residents to do their own research, find the facts, and then vote to elect council members who will work honestly to protect our vibrant economy and preserve the truly unique character of Isle of Palms, which offers many opportunities for all to consider what is in their own best interest.
I also look forward to meeting with everyone, and I welcome and encourage all constructive conversations, thoughts, and ideas. Please follow and share my social media with your friends, family, and neighbors. Knowledge is power and I will ensure that my posts seek to educate and enlighten.
The time is now. I will honor your choice and be your voice, and I would be honored to earn your vote on November 7.
All my best,
Ashley
Text or Call: 843-478-4958
E-mail: AshleyCarrollforIOP@gmail.com
