Josh ScallateBeaufort City Council

The first term

A record voters can review.

Short excerpts, plain-language context, and the official record— together in one chronological account of the first term.

Infrastructure & transportation

Followed the transportation bond-language discrepancy through the final vote

Council revisited a resolution recognizing transportation needs after questions about conflicting bond figures in County referendum documents.

Scallate’s role: Scallate questioned the conflicting $780 million and $450 million figures, objected to advancing an informational resolution while documents remained contradictory, and questioned when the tax oversight committee would dissolve. He voted against the resolution.

Council action: Council approved the resolution 3–2, with Mayor Philip Cromer and Scallate opposed. It did not endorse or oppose the proposed transportation sales-tax referendum.

Documented result: The City resolution passed; the sales-tax decision remained with County voters.

Watch in full meetingOfficial City meeting excerptOfficial City calendar confirming the September 8 Council meetingOfficial September 8 meeting files linked by the City calendarSeptember 16 Island News report on the September 8 Council vote
Infrastructure & transportation

Flagged an outdated transportation ordinance in the packet

Council was considering a resolution about the Beaufort County transportation referendum.

Scallate’s role: Scallate compared the packet with the County’s adopted ordinance and identified an older version showing $780 million in bonds instead of $450 million.

Council action: Council unanimously postponed the item while the source language and dollar figures were verified.

Documented result: The resolution was left pending verification rather than finally decided at the August 18 meeting.

Watch in full meetingOfficial City meeting videoOfficial meeting filesOfficial agenda and packet
Government transparency

Pushed to put line-item budget detail online

The City’s itemized expenditure detail allowed individual inflows, outflows, possible duplication, and essential versus non-essential spending to be traced.

Scallate’s role: Scallate asked that residents be able to review the itemized expenditure detail online without filing a records request.

Council action: Council heard the request during its June 9 budget discussion, and the city manager said the detail could be published.

Documented result: The City later posted its 154-page FY2027 line-item adopted expense report.

Watch in full meetingOfficial City meeting videoOfficial meeting filesOfficial minutesOfficial City budget pageOfficial line-item budget
Responsible growth

Asked what a Salem Road upzone would permit long-term

The proposal would change 1556 Salem Road, the former Beaufort Gazette property, from T4-Neighborhood to Regional Mixed-Use.

Scallate’s role: Scallate supported the applicant’s intended reuse but opposed the broader rezoning because the development rights would remain with the land and could affect future use and traffic.

Council action: First reading passed 4–1 with Scallate as the sole no vote; at final reading on August 18, Council rejected the RMX rezoning 4–1 and Scallate again opposed it.

Documented result: The requested Regional Mixed-Use zoning change was not adopted.

Watch in full meetingOfficial June 9 meeting videoOfficial June 9 meeting filesOfficial June 9 minutesOfficial August 18 meeting filesOfficial August 18 vote
Fiscal accountability

Made the successful amendment to remove the proposed $32 vehicle fee

Council was considering first reading of the FY2027 budget and a proposed $32-per-vehicle fee with related revenue and implementation assumptions.

Scallate’s role: Scallate moved a focused amendment removing the proposed vehicle fee and later moved to withdraw the separate road-use-fee ordinance.

Council action: Council approved the budget amendment 4–1 and later agreed unanimously to withdraw the separate ordinance.

Documented result: The proposed vehicle fee remained out of the adopted FY2027 budget.

Watch in full meetingOfficial City meeting videoOfficial meeting filesOfficial minutesOfficial adopted budget
Fiscal accountability

Researched an alternative to the proposed vehicle fee

During first reading of the FY27 budget, Council considered a $73.4 million consolidated budget that kept millage flat at 73.9 but included a proposed $32 annual vehicle fee expected to generate $322,560. Removing the fee therefore required Council to address a revenue gap of roughly $300,000.

Scallate’s role: After reviewing proposed spending and researching another South Carolina city's approach, Scallate proposed that qualifying tax-exempt properties contribute through fire-protection service fees tied to their use of municipal services. Citing more than 300 fire calls involving three tax-exempt properties and a possible charge of $800 to $1,000 per response, he said the approach could offset approximately what the vehicle fee was expected to raise. He moved to remove the vehicle fee and direct staff to research and draft an ordinance under South Carolina Code Section 12-37-235.

Council action: After Council's discussion, the combined vehicle-fee and fire-service-fee motion was withdrawn. Scallate then made a narrower motion to remove the proposed vehicle fee and its related revenue and implementation assumptions; Council approved that amendment 4-1.

Documented result: At Scallate's request, Council removed the proposed vehicle fee from the FY27 budget at first reading. Council did not adopt the proposed fire-protection service fee in this action; that portion was withdrawn after discussion.

Watch in full meetingOfficial City Council video — May 12, 2026 (fire-service-fee alternative at 2:42:47)City Council minutes — May 12, 2026City Council meeting packet and files — May 12, 2026
Fiscal accountability and government transparency

Connected budget discipline, transparency, and legal risk

During first reading of the FY2027 budget, Council considered a proposed $32 vehicle fee alongside a consolidated budget that kept the millage rate flat.

Scallate’s role: Scallate thanked staff, flagged a recurring two-hour/four-hour parking-limit discrepancy in the fee schedule, and said he planned to seek a correction. He restated his prior goal of identifying $500,000 that could strengthen aging-infrastructure reserves, reduce residents’ tax burden, or do both. Turning to FY2027, he said he had reviewed the budget for deferrable expenses to offset the proposed vehicle fee, called for itemized expenditures to be released before adoption, cited $15,000 for Placer AI, $12,000 for storytelling, and $8,000 for social-district trash cans as potential reductions, acknowledged that removing the fee required an offsetting solution, and urged Council to explore safer funding mechanisms before accepting legal and refund risk.

Council action: Council received the comments during its first-reading deliberation. No vote occurred within this clip; later motions and votes from the same meeting are documented in separate records.

Documented result: The segment placed document control, budget transparency, potential spending reductions, infrastructure reserves, residents’ tax burden, and legal-risk questions on Council’s public record before amendments were considered.

Watch in full meetingCity of Beaufort City Council meeting — May 12, 2026, comments beginning at 2:32:41Adopted minutes — City Council meeting, May 12, 2026Official May 12, 2026 meeting files and agenda packet
Fiscal accountability

Asked staff to reduce nonessential spending before FY2027 first reading

At the close of Council's April 28 departmental and capital-project budget review, the proposed FY2027 budget was scheduled to return for first reading on May 12. Scallate said he wanted to reach a budget he could support but remained uncomfortable with some proposed expenditures and with asking residents to pay a vehicle tag fee while they were also expected to consider an eight-year transportation sales-tax referendum.

Scallate’s role: Scallate asked staff to review partnerships, travel and training, subscriptions and dues, office supplies, printing, traffic-data software, social-media monitoring, parking-meter replacements and other nonessential or deferrable expenses. He said reductions should not cut staff, public-safety services or core operations. He identified three fiscal goals: reduce the burden on residents, add to the City's two-mill aging-infrastructure reserve, or combine those approaches, and specifically asked staff to find enough reductions to avoid an additional tax or fee burden.

Council action: Council discussed whether another budget work session was needed but took no vote on Scallate's request during this meeting. The city manager said staff had taken notes throughout the budget process, would make incremental adjustments, and would summarize changes before the May 12 first reading.

Documented result: The request became part of Council's pre-first-reading budget review. At first reading on May 12, Scallate later moved to remove the proposed $32 vehicle fee and related assumptions; Council approved that separate amendment 4-1. This April 28 record documents the earlier spending-reduction request, not the later vote.

Watch in full meetingOfficial City Council worksession video — April 28, 2026 (budget comments at 2:27:43)Adopted minutes — April 28, 2026 City Council Special Meeting and WorksessionOfficial April 28 meeting files and FY27 Department Budget PresentationAdopted minutes — May 12, 2026 first reading and vehicle-fee amendment
Infrastructure & waterfront

Argued to prioritize Waterfront Park funding

Council reviewed severe Waterfront Park deterioration, the promenade closure, Southside Phase II, and remaining 2024 parks-and-tourism bond proceeds.

Scallate’s role: Scallate advocated completing a limited Southside Phase II scope and redirecting most of the remaining bond proceeds to Waterfront Park.

Council action: The work session produced Council direction rather than a formal vote, and Council later amended the bond scope.

Documented result: The adopted FY2027 budget assigned $275,000 to Southside Phase II and $925,000 to Waterfront Park relieving-platform engineering.

Watch in full meetingOfficial City work-session videoOfficial meeting filesOfficial minutesOfficial adopted budget
Fair and consistent rules

Pressed for consistent short-term-rental rules

Council was considering first reading of short-term-rental rules addressing neighborhood caps, residential lots, accessory dwelling units, and parcels.

Scallate’s role: Scallate moved an amendment establishing a citywide lot-based cap and one-rental-per-parcel framework after arguing for consistent treatment.

Council action: Council approved his amendment 3–2 and then approved the amended ordinance at first reading 3–2.

Documented result: The framework advanced at first reading; the cited record does not establish final enactment.

Watch in full meetingOfficial City meeting videoOfficial meeting filesOfficial minutes
Government transparency

Made the case to keep public comments open

The January 27 work session considered whether the City should disable social-media comments or adopt updated moderation safeguards.

Scallate’s role: Scallate supported updating the moderation policy but opposed a blanket shutdown, arguing that criticism can reveal needed improvements and give residents a way to be heard.

Council action: Council’s January work-session consensus was to keep comments enabled rather than hold a roll-call vote.

Documented result: On February 10, Scallate moved and amended the moderated-comments resolution; the amended resolution passed unanimously among the four members present.

Watch in full meetingOfficial January 27 work-session videoOfficial January 27 meeting filesOfficial January 27 minutesOfficial February 10 meeting filesOfficial final resolution
Fiscal accountability

Proposed $77,000 for tax relief or aging-infrastructure reserves

Council considered second and final reading of the FY2026 consolidated budget, which maintained a 73.9-mill overall rate and included a two-mill reserve for aging infrastructure.

Scallate’s role: Scallate moved to reallocate $77,000 from three planned expenditures. He proposed using it either for a tax reduction or to increase the aging-infrastructure reserve.

Council action: Mayor Cromer seconded the amendment. Council rejected it 3-2, with Cromer and Scallate in favor. Council then adopted the main budget 3-2, with Scallate and Cromer opposed.

Documented result: The FY2026 budget was adopted without Scallate's proposed $77,000 reallocation.

Official June 10 final-reading minutesOfficial June 10 agenda packetOfficial FY2026 recommended budget presentationOfficial City budget archive
Fiscal accountability

Challenged another $30,000 downtown-planning study

Council held a second special work session to review the proposed FY2026 budget before final reading.

Scallate’s role: Scallate objected to a $30,000 Downtown Master Plan item. He argued that Council should see concrete results from earlier Tiger Team spending before approving another study or design expense.

Council action: Council discussed the objection during the work session but took no amendment vote at that meeting.

Documented result: At final reading on June 10, Scallate included the $30,000 item in a broader $77,000 reallocation amendment. Council rejected that amendment 3-2 and adopted the budget 3-2, with Scallate opposed.

Watch in full meetingOfficial City special-work-session videoOfficial May 20 agenda packetOfficial May 20 minutesOfficial June 10 final-reading minutes
Government transparency

Challenged an incomplete Development Code comparison

Staff disclosed that the packet’s comparison redline did not match the correct clean Planning Commission-approved ordinance before Council.

Scallate’s role: Scallate explained that the incomplete comparison kept residents from seeing important proposed changes and identified provisions that were not marked.

Council action: Council unanimously passed the correct clean ordinance at first reading rather than voting on the faulty comparison redline.

Documented result: Replacement tracked changes were posted later, and Council adopted the Development Code update on August 19 after additional meetings and itemized amendments.

Watch in full meetingOfficial City meeting videoOfficial May 13 agendaOfficial May 13 minutesOfficial August 19 meeting recordOfficial August 19 minutes
Fiscal accountability

Set a $500,000 savings goal during FY2026 budget review

Council held a special work session for department-level review of the recommended FY2026 consolidated budget.

Scallate’s role: Scallate identified police, fire, public works, transportation, resiliency and fiscal responsibility as priorities. He said his goal was to save $500,000 and presented an operating-expense review that he calculated at $603,536 in potential savings.

Council action: Council and staff discussed the review. The city manager cautioned that the figures shown on departmental presentation slides did not include every cost within each department's total budget.

Documented result: This was a work session, so Council took no formal vote on Scallate's proposed savings analysis.

Watch in full meetingOfficial City special-work-session videoOfficial April 29 agenda packetOfficial April 29 minutes
Zoning and short-term-rental accountability

Cast the sole vote against the Pigeon Point downzoning

Council considered a zoning-map amendment for the vacant 11,374-square-foot parcel at 1208 Pigeon Point Road, changing it from T5-UC (Urban Corridor) to T4-N (Neighborhood) so it could be subdivided for three single-family homes. At the earlier Planning Commission hearing, the owners said they operated two existing units associated with the property as Airbnbs and intended one of the three proposed cottages to become their primary residence. City staff recommended disapproval because the lower-intensity zoning conflicted with the Civic Master Plan's dense urban-infill vision for the block.

Scallate’s role: Scallate cast the sole opposing vote at first reading on June 27, 2023, and again at final reading on July 11, 2023.

Council action: Council approved the downzoning 4-1 at both readings. Scallate voted against.

Documented result: At Council's direction, the zoning map was amended from T5-UC to T4-N, enabling the parcel to be subdivided for the proposed three single-family homes subject to later development approvals. At the time T4N was not subjected to the STR cap.

City Council final-reading minutes — July 11, 2023City Council first-reading minutes — June 27, 2023Planning Commission agenda and staff report — May 15, 2023Planning Commission minutes — May 15, 2023City short-term-rental program packetBeaufort Development Code use table showing conditional STR use in T4-N and T5-UC