Criminal Defense Attorney in Tybee Island, GA.

Four Tybee Island City Council candidates vying for one two-year term seat participated in the second of three forums hosted by Forever Tybee and the League of Women Voters Coastal Georgia.

The candidates include: Bill Garbett, who previously served on the council for eight years; Beau Livingston, a four-year resident of Tybee; Dave Roberts who's been a resident for two years; and William Mosely, who's lived on Tybee nearly his entire life. More information about each candidate, including the candidates from the first and last forums can be found on Forever Tybee website in the Tybee Island Voter Guide.

This forum, like the last one, was moderated by Susan Catron, the managing editor of The Current. Some of the questions were similar to the last forum, but Catron said they were trying their best to remain faithful to the questions of high interest that were submitted by Tybee voters. Candidates were given three minutes to answer questions, and there were lightening rounds where each candidate was asked the same question and had one minute to answer.

More:Views on STVRs, Orange Crush discussed by Tybee Island City Council candidates

More:Forever Tybee to hold forums for city council, mayoral candidates

What do the candidates think of Tybee Island capacity, infrastructure?

Catron asked all of the candidates near the beginning of the forum if they had read the City of Tybee Island Carrying Capacity Study, which was published in 2016, and their takeaway. The study identifies the maximum number of residents, overnight and daytime populations that can be supported with the island's services and infrastructure.

"My takeaway is we really have a lot of issues with carrying capacity, and the busy season is about four months' worth of it," Livingston said. "The rest of the year, it seems like everything does pretty well. My opinion on that is I just think that we need to do more to promote tourism in the offseason, so that these businesses actually have a chance to thrive all year round."

Later, Catron asked Garbett when it came to infrastructure issues like parking, water and roads, if he believed the island was facing capacity issues.

"We certainly need to plan for an alternative source of water to support the increased population," Garbett said. "Parking? I don't have a solution for parking, we have 2500 parking spaces and 20,000 cars every weekend. All solutions I've heard of are either infeasible or unreasonable."

He also said that the repair of roads on Tybee would be a high on his priority list for the budget.

More:Tybee Island moves forward on vacation rental regulations, moratorium town hall raises questions

The candidates on short-term vacation rentals in Tybee Island

Catron asked all the candidates several questions about short-term vacation rentals, including if the permit should expire when the property changes owners. Garbett said absolutely, because the only way to reduce the number of short-term rentals in residential areas is by attrition.

"I think everyone should be looked at individually," Roberts said. "It could be a family situation, or that person passed away."

Mosely and Livingston shared Roberts sentiment, with Moseley saying if ownership changes from the family members, if it's sold to someone else, then the permit should expire instead of being inherited like it currently is.

They were also asked, like those in the last forum, if they supported the current STVR ordinances. The most recent ordinance passed for STVR's in October was to ban new ones in the island's residential neighborhoods.

"I do support what has been done recently with the council. I do, but I think there's room for changes," Moseley said. "However, it's such a slippery slope when you're talking about somebody's property rights and taking that away. It has to be done properly, legally."

Garbett also said he supported the ordinance but would change it so that the licenses are not issued to the properties in perpetuity but terminated at the sale of the current property.

Preparedness for Orange Crush

Catron asked the candidates about Orange Crush, the festival that brought 50,000 people to the barrier island earlier this year and put a strain on its resources. She asked the same question as the last forum: what actionable steps council members plan to take to make sure the island doesn't experience a repeat of the event.

"I think, first of all, what we did the week after is absolutely what should happen in any circumstance where we believe we're going to cross that size, whether its permitted or unpermitted event," Livingston said. "I think the city as a whole, it needs to be more vigilant months in advance and estimating the crowds and behavior of the crowds that are going to be at a certain event and use that to judge what would be the responsible response. Somebody definitely dropped the ball and I think we can do better."

Moseley said that this event needs to be like every other event, whether its permitted or not, and planning for the next one needs to start the first day after the event ends.

"We need to follow up constantly, not waiting until a month before and ask state patrol for help, and they already have something planned," Moseley said. "If we're the first ones on the list asking for it, then we should be able to get that help before we get started."

Catron also asked a few questions about recreation for seniors and children. To Roberts, she asked what he would suggest about how to balance the recreation needs for seniors and children. He suggested turning the soccer fields into pickleball courts.

The next Tybee Island candidate forum

The forum ended with closing statements from all candidates. The last forum will be for the mayoral candidates, Brian West and Julia Pearce. Mack Kitchens will not be participating, but he said he plans to attend and watch. The forum will be from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 4, moderated by Adam Van Brimmer, who covers politics and Coastal Georgia news for the Atlanta-Journal Constitution.

Destini Ambus is the general assignment reporter covering Chatham County municipalities. You can reach her at dambus@gannett.com

While some folks may initially think of Florida and California as the offshore island states of the USA, Georgia has some pretty awesome islands to visit. Yes, the state doesn’t have as much shoreline as North Carolina or Texas, but the 100 miles of coast lead to some incredible Georgia islands that anyone can visit.

Amelia Island

Along the Florida-Georgia border, you’ll find Amelia Island. The island community, established in 1562, offers some historical looks into the earliest settled parts of America. The 13 miles of beaches make the island worth visiting for a family vacation or beach weekend trip. Amazing golf courses, loads of shore excursions, art museums, waterfront restaurants, and even ghost tours in the historic district add to the appeal.

Best beach: Fernandina Beach, the perfect location for date nights and dazzling water.

Cumberland Island

Located off the southeast coast of Georgia, Cumberland Island earns its favor with its stunning coastline and incredible natural beauty. The island enjoys calm waters, car-free roads, and chill vibes. Cumberland Island is the largest barrier island where visitors love birdwatching, fishing, walking or running the network trails, and swimming. Amazingly, you’ll find wild horses and loggerhead turtles on Cumberland Island.

To get there, you’ll need to take St. Mary’s Ferry. And though you can’t drive your car there, you can enjoy camping, hotels, and lodges on the island for an extended stay.

Jekyll Island

Back in the day, Jekyll Island was home to Rockefellers and Vanderbilts, thanks to its gorgeous landscape and incredible amenities. The island rests near the Florida-Georgia border, where you can enjoy sunrise beauty, birdsong, and stunning views. Visit the dazzling Driftwood Beach, nosh on some tasty seafood, and enjoy some amazing outdoor activities.

Accommodations on Jekyll Island include contemporary cottages, lodges, and luxury hotels. The Sea Turtle Center draws nearly every visitor at some point, while beaches and marinas draw folks looking for kayak and canoe rentals, water sports, and more outdoor fun. You can also hit up the Summer Waves Water Park or Tidelands Nature Center for some great adventures.

Hutchinson Island

Located near historic Savannah, Hutchinson Island originally served as a cargo shipment port for ships coming through Savannah. Now, though, the island has received new life and caters to tourists and locals looking for a comfortable, relaxing destination. Spas, golfing, beautiful accommodations, and excellent dining all draw folks in. Get to the island via a free passenger ferry for your getaway.

When you look up directions for Hutchinson Island, be sure you plug in Georgia, since Florida has an island of the same name.

Tybee Island

Another town near Savannah, Tybee Island in Georgia has become one of the absolute most popular vacation spots in all of the state. The island has a long history, though, of catering to vacationers, with amazing amenities for guests in the 1800s.

The quiet island offers white sand beaches, amazing outdoor dining, and family-friendly experiences like parks and fishing. History buffs will enjoy their visit, as well, with a visit to the Fort Pulaski National Monument, a Civil War-era defense structure on the harbor. Take nature hikes, hit the beach for swimming and sunbathing, enjoy a picnic, or dine out. And don’t forget to visit the incredible historic lighthouse built in the 1700s.

Ossabaw Island

Encompassing 26,000 acres of natural land filled with wildlife, Ossabaw Island is the third-largest barrier island in Georgia. The stunning island provides a home for endangered animals such as wood storks and loggerhead turtles while offering gorgeous beaches and landscapes for human visitors. The island may only be accessed by boat.

The protected island has 13 miles of public beach without the developed noise of the mainland beaches in much of the state. No pets or motorized vehicles are allowed, though, so bring along your bike or walking shoes and keep the pooch at the hotel.

If you arrive early on a less crowded day, you may be able to camp in one of three campsites. But, you’ve got to make arrangements ahead of time or you won’t be able to stay.

The best part is that the island is open year-round and the temperate weather is perfect for enjoyment at any time.

Sea Island

Considered one of Georgia’s Golden Isles, Sea Island offers five miles of private beach, a yacht club, golf courses, tennis courts, and two luxurious hotels. The island also happens to host the PGA Tour’s RSM Classic. The Cloister at Sea Island and Lodge at Sea Island, Spa at Sea Island, and Georgian Room are some of the most beloved accommodations and venues on the island.

Sea Island also happens to be one of the easiest islands in Georgia to access. You can drive or fly to Brunswick Golden Isle Airport, just 18 miles away. The resort island has been offering incredible accommodations since 1928 and still holds some beautiful historic buildings. You can visit the St. Simons lighthouse on a driving tour or a long hike if you’re game.

A favorite activity on Sea Island is searching for baby sea turtles. You can also enjoy bowling alleys, take bike tours, enjoy garden and history tours, charter fishing boats, and much more.

Blackbeard Island

Blackbeard Island National Wildlife Refuge on Blackbeard Island welcomes visitors from sunrise to sunset nearly every day of the year. You can only reach the island by boat, so book a ticket early. The refuge provides a haven for many endangered animals, including turtles, seabirds, and others. You’ll just need to watch out for the alligators!

Enjoy hiking, sunbathing on the beach, biking, wildlife watching, photography, birding, and swimming. And, if you go in-season, white-tailed deer hunting is permitted.

Black Island

Located near historic Darien, Georgia, Black Island offers 17 acres of shoreline via a simple 10-minute boat ride. The island hosts many wild animals that folks enjoy observing, particularly birds in the form of eagles, hawks, and owls. On Black Island, a gated community has existed since the 1700s and still remains.

Duck hunting, fishing in-shore and off-shore, hiking, birding, wildlife viewing, crabbing, and much more may be experienced on the small island.

Sapelo Island

For quiet, pristine, uncrowded beaches, head to Sapelo Island. At Nanny Goat Beach, in particular, you’ll find gorgeous seclusion and natural dunes. The island may only be accessed by boat or seaplane, so most folks hop on the local ferry and spend a day.

Sapelo, the fourth largest barrier island of Georgia, offers hours of natural beauty and excitement for visitors. Spend the day on the beach swimming and sunbathing, go fishing, explore the lighthouse, or visit the marine sanctuary or 200-year-old Reynolds Mansion.

You may even run into students or professors from the University of Georgia’s Marine Institute or National Estuarine Research Reserve Center. Visit the sites and learn about the ecosystem of the stunning island or simply enjoy the natural beauty. Note: A community still in existence on Sapelo Island, known as Hog Hammock, is home to descendants of former slaves of the Sapelo Island plantation. Respect the private property of the residents, please.

Summary of 10 Must-Visit Islands in Georgia

The photo featured at the top of this post is © TravisPhotoWorks/Shutterstock.com

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About the Author

Sandy Porter is a writer at A-Z Animals primarily covering house garden plants, mammals, reptiles, and birds. Sandy has been writing professionally since 2017, has a Bachelor’s degree and is currently seeking her Masters. She has had lifelong experience with home gardens, cats, dogs, horses, lizards, frogs, and turtles and has written about these plants and animals professionally since 2017. She spent many years volunteering with horses and looks forward to extending that volunteer work into equine therapy in the near future. Sandy lives in Chicago, where she enjoys spotting wildlife such as foxes, rabbits, owls, hawks, and skunks on her patio and micro-garden.

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Here are the qualified candidates for the Tybee Island elections on Nov. 7.

The qualifying period for candidates ended Friday afternoon. Residents of Tybee Island will head to the polls to choose their next mayor and city councilmembers.

Here is the slate of candidates who responded to requests for information or have campaign websites or publicly viewable social media channels.

Mayor

Julia Pearce is the first Black person and second woman to run for mayor of Tybee Island. Pearce is the co-founder of Tybee MLK, a human rights organization dedicated to promoting diversity on the island.

Mack Kitchens is a local kiteboarder and general contractor running for mayor. This is his third time running for local office, with a previous run for mayor in 2019 and a run for city council in 2021.

Brian West is currently a member of the Tybee City Council, a lifelong resident of Savannah and a 13-year resident of Tybee. He was a newcomer to the Tybee City Council in 2019 and now hopes to maintain his seat to continue working with and addressing the concerns of Tybee residents.

City Council

There will be a special election to fill Brian West's seat, as he has relinquished his council seat to run for mayor.

Barry Brown is a current city councilmember. He has been a permanent resident of Tybee Island for 30 years. His goals for the island are to improve public safety and repair infrastructure.

John Branigan was previously on the council from 2018-2021 and has been a resident of Tybee for 18 years. He is the council liaison to the finance committee and on the public safety committee. His goal if elected is to seek balanced solutions to complex problems.

Jay Burke has been a lifelong resident of Tybee Island for 57 years. He currently works for 1475 International Longshoreman Association. As councilman he said his first priority will always be safety for Tybee Island resident and visitors, as well as working with citizens and government entities to make Tybee Island the premier beach community in which to live, work and play.

Joey Goralzyck has been a resident of Tybee for the last 16 years and is currently a bartender at Micky's 1971. If elected, he hopes to try to keep Tybee as much of a hometown community as possible, enforce regulations on short term vacation rentals, and offer a new perspective on the issues that face the island.

James Lucas has been a resident of Tybee his entire life and currently works as a clerk and checker at 1475 International Longshoreman Association. Lucas' goals are to improve and protect the quality of life of all of Tybee's citizens.

Tony Ploughe moved to Tybee in 2011 and is currently a contract flight-testing instrumentation engineer. If elected, he wants to make sure Tybee is more strategic than reactive in their planning.

Nick Sears has been a resident of Tybee Island since 2005. Sears said he is devoted to this island and committed to its financial prosperity, the improvement of the quality of life it affords to permanent residents and to the environmental health of the ocean.

Kathryn Wiliams is a native of Savannah and moved to Tybee in 1981. She has served two terms on the Tybee City Council and is currently on the board of Forever Tybee. Wiliams said her goal in running for council is to use her experience in government, education, business, and nonprofits to work with council, staff, and citizens to develop strategic and systemic solutions to Tybee's challenges and opportunities.

Tybee Island, Ga. — U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff is continuing his work to protect Tybee Island from sea level rise and coastal flooding.

Sen. Ossoff today announced a new $380,000 Federal grant to help protect residents and homes from flooding on Tybee Island. The Federal grant funding will be matched with $320,000 in local funds.

The Federal funding, through the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF)’s National Coastal Resilience Fund, will help the City design and permit a horizontal levee and living shoreline along 1,200 feet of marsh, replacing a culvert that is impeding water flow and causing erosion across the marsh, benefiting 185 acres of tidal salt marsh.

In 2019, Tybee Island secured a $125,000 Federal grant through the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) for the initial design of these key projects, which was matched at the time with $175,000 in local funds.

Between 2016 and 2021, flooding events on Tybee Island increased by 30 percent, threatening the city and its residents.

“I express my gratitude to local leaders and advocates on Tybee Island for bringing local resources to bear to match Federal dollars and who have been such consistent advocates for Tybee Island, particularly when it comes to protecting Tybee Island from storms and flooding,” Sen. Ossoff said. “These funds will help build and maintain critical coastal infrastructure necessary to protect Tybee Island residents and businesses from storms.”

“The support provided by NFWF is critical to Tybee’s ability to improve our coastal community’s resilience, reducing the risk of rising seas and coastal flooding that we are experiencing, while also preserving the natural environment and wildlife habitat, which we hold so dear,” said Shirley Sessions, Mayor of Tybee Island.”

Sen. Ossoff continues to champion efforts to protect Coastal Georgia communities from the effects of sea-level rise and flooding.

In May, Sen. Ossoff delivered new resources through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to construct a new hurricane and tornado safe room on Tybee Island, providing a safe area for emergency personnel who must remain on the Island during hurricanes and other disaster situations.

Last year, Sen. Ossoff’s bipartisan legislation to protect Tybee Island from storm surge, beach erosion, and coastal flooding was signed into law. This law extended the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ authority to partner with Tybee Island for another 12 years.

Also last year, Sen. Ossoff delivered $5 million for Georgia Tech’s Coastal Equity and Resilience (CEAR) Hub to expand their network of low-cost water level sensors along the entire coast to collect vital and potentially life-saving data on sea-level rise.

Earlier this week, volunteers at the Tybee Island Marine Science Center inventoried a nest of sea turtles like they have done many times since the beginning of May, when the Georgia coast's annual sea turtle nesting season commenced. However, this nest was a bit different from the other 31 nests, which held the eggs of loggerheads.

Chantal Audran, executive director of the center, said that they call them their "hometown girls" because 99.8% of Tybee's nest are made by loggerhead sea turtles.

This one nest, however, held green sea turtles.

Audran and her team noticed immediately that it was a different type of turtle, Audran said, because they are so used to loggerheads. "I've been in the field for 20 years, and I've never seen a green sea turtle hatchling."

Audran explained how the turtles get their name. "They eat a lot of algae, all of that chlorophyll dyes their soft membranes, so around their eyes and in other places their fatty tissues green, so we know he was a green sea turtle immediately because even the babies look really different. They have much more almondy eyes, and he was gray almost, and we're used to black, and dark brown loggerheads. I've only raised loggerheads myself, so when you hold that animal in your hand, you're immediately like, oh, this is not one."

She added, "That's why the green sea turtle was so exciting, and such a big fun surprise, we've had very few in our past."

Green sea turtles are one of five of the most common species of sea turtles found on Georgia's barrier islands. The others are loggerheads, leatherbacks, Kemp's ridley and hawksbills, with loggerheads being the most prevalent. Green sea turtles don't often nest on Tybee's beaches, however, but Audran said their appearance isn't necessarily indicative of anything.

"Sea turtles like to go back to nest on the same beach that they're born on," Audran said. "Or they will go back to the same spot they've been nesting, so it's irregular to see a neophyte, as we call them, come to our beach."

More:Here’s how many eggs sea turtles laid on Georgia beaches this year

More:Georgia's record breaking sea turtle nesting season winds to a close

More:Summertime dredging in Georgia threatens sea turtles; Corps allowed to kill 214 loggerheads

Sea turtle season

Every year at the beginning of May, Tybee Island Sea Turtle volunteers walk the beach every morning, looking for turtle tracks. Once the tracks are found, the nest is located and marked.

"We know when they're going to hatch, so we let them naturally hatch," Audran said. "We don't involve ourselves in that process. What we do, though, is five days after it naturally hatches, we go back and excavate that nest. We're going to take everything out of that two-foot hole, and count the number of hatched eggs, unhatched eggs, and how many stragglers, and sometimes there's dead stragglers; sometimes there's no stragglers."

A mother sea turtle will drop between 100 and 125 eggs, usually at night, then return to the sea. Stragglers are baby turtles that don't get out of the nest and into the water. Out of that range, 10 green sea turtles straggled behind out of the most recent nest.

After the volunteers inventory the nest, they take them down into the shoreline and release them.

"All of those 10 stragglers are released back into the ocean, but it's really a great moment to be able to see another species," Audran said.

The science center raises one straggler to be its marine debris ambassador for three years. Although they are currently shopping for a new one since their current ambassador, Ike, is due to be released Sept. 23, they couldn't keep any of the green sea turtles.

"We keep loggerheads because they are threatened in our state, but they're not endangered," Audran said. "Georgia has a lot of great numbers of loggerheads, but green sea turtles are endangered."

Caswell Beach in North Carolina also recorded its first green sea turtle nest this year. Theresea Putman, one of the co-coordinators of the Caswell Beach Turtle Watch, said she didn't really know why it happened. Caswell also normally has majority loggerheads.

"Other than population growing, the weather, climate change may have something to do with it," Putnam said. "I'm not really sure. As far as we know it's the first green sea nest Caswell has ever had."

Destini Ambus is the general assignment reporter for Savannah Morning News. You can reach her at daubus@gannett.com.