Charleston Metro Chamber endorses candidates for Mt. Pleasant Town Council

CHARLESTON, SC – The Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce’s Political Action Committee (CMCC PAC) is pleased to announce its endorsement of Rodly Millet, Nick Collins, Ben Bryson and Chris O’Neal for Mount Pleasant Town Council.

“We feel confident that our endorsed candidates are business-minded leaders who will contribute to the vitality of Mount Pleasant. This is a critical election year and it is of utmost importance to elect candidates who will continue to lead Mount Pleasant down a path of success,” said David Hand, CMCC PAC Chairman. “All of the candidates that the PAC voted to endorse possess attributes that are aligned with the Chamber and the business community. Each candidate articulated pro-business opinions in addition to stressing the importance of properly managed growth that will preserve the town while also ensuring its future success.”

Each candidate has a unique set of experiences and characteristics that encouraged the CMCC PAC to vote to endorse them.

• Nick Collins, who is a small business owner, served on Council five years ago and recently served on the Planning Commission where he had a strong voting record and demonstrated a willingness to work with the Chamber.
• Ben Bryson, who is currently serving on the Planning Commission, has advocated for responsible growth that preserves quality of life, while also promoting economic development.
• Chris O’Neal has been on Town Council since 2011. While serving on the Finance Committee, he has demonstrated his ability to lead, which resulted in a AAA bond rating for the Town.
• Rodly Millet, who was in the military for 20 years and also worked in the private sector as a business owner, has been preparing for this race for two years. Attending countless Town Council meetings and various Committee meetings, he has consistently expressed business-friendly views and is a strong advocate of affordable and workforce housing.

To be considered for CMCC PAC endorsement, candidates first had to complete a questionnaire which indicated their views on key Mount Pleasant issues. Questions focused on the candidate’s views on growth, infrastructure, affordable housing, the Growth Management Plan and economic development, among others. All candidates who completed the questionnaire were offered an interview.

Eight of the 12 candidates were interviewed by a panel which included PAC Board members, a representative of the Chamber’s Business Advocacy Committee and a representative from Charleston Young Professionals. Each candidate was asked the same set of questions and then rated using a scoring sheet. The four aforementioned candidates obtained the highest scores.

Mount Pleasant is privileged to have a number of outstanding candidates running for Town Council. The CMCC PAC Board believes the four endorsed candidates are the strongest candidates for the open seats due to their high scores in the ranking process as well as each candidate’s distinctive experiences and qualifications.

The CMCC PAC, established in September 2000 as the political arm of the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce, is a non-partisan political action committee organized to support candidates at the local level who contribute to the region’s economic vitality and prosperity.
About the Chamber: With 1,600 member organizations representing 125,000 professionals, the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce serves as the collective voice of the business community, and a catalyst for advancing the region’s economy and enhancing members’ success through Advocacy, Innovation, Talent and Business Advancement. Visit charlestonchamber.net.