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Guest post by Daniel Parshley
“Trying to keep our parks, roads, and wetlands has become about a full-time endeavor here in coastal Georgia” said Daniel Parshley. “Its a shame that those who have it all want more and their greed knows no limits.”
As the community celebrates the 100th anniversary of T.L. Cain's gift of Twitty Park and the Sea Island Causeway, their future remains in doubt. “The courts sided with our community on saving Twitty Park, but now the issue is giving away our roads. Our community leaders appear to have a chronic problem of giving away things that are held in the Public Trust,” said Parshley.
Sitting on the Southeast Georgia coast is Glynn County with the seat in Brunswick, and three barrier Islands, Jekyll Island State Park, St. Simons Island, and Sea Island. Iconic moss draped live oak trees flourish and set the ambiance for Island life. But all is not well in this idealistic environment.
The most recent debacle is centered around Glynn County selling County maintained public roads for $2,800. Since the roads sale, a toll booth has been set up and businesses providing services to those living on Sea Island have been targeted with exorbitant fees.
“Our community wants to know why Glynn County sold public roads at fire sale prices. Questions abound about the morals and ethics of Sea Island being allowed to charge working folk to reach their clients,” said Parshley.
Questions linger about how and why Sea Island managed to take public roads for their own and become the troll of the Black Banks River Bridge. The once popular fishing spot is no longer accessible to local fishers. No Parking signs now line the Sea Island Causeway. The marsh vistas have been put out of reach for public viewing and enjoyment.
While the court mulls over these questions, the second give away of a gift of land to the public by T.L. Cain needs to be given close review. First, it was Twitty Park, and now the gifted causeway to Sea Island has been given away and turned into a commercial enterprise.
The near loss of a beloved public park spawned further scrutiny of business in Glynn County. “Wetlands were being lost at an alarming rate,” said Parshley. A cursory look at the permitting process at the local, state, and federal levels revealed apparent fraud. The courts are in the process of working through what happened. “We hope a decision is forthcoming in the near future,” said Parshley. “Its a shame that we keep having to go to the courts to preserve and protect gifts to our community and our natural resources.”
All the current activities to commandeer roads, parks, and wetlands are in stark contrast to the vision of our forefathers. The Brunswick News quoted a Sea Island Owner in 1925. “St. Simons-Long Island Company’s purpose in undertaking this endeavor was to, “come to the rescue and save this property from going back to its original owners, and perhaps to be sold to one or more rich men who might have forever used it as a private club.”
F.W. Twitty, an officer of the St. Simons-Long Island Company, County Commissioner, and for whom the previously named “Cain Park” was renamed, shared his vision. They hoped to make Sea Island, “One of the greatest community assets that any country or city ever had.”
The park named in honor of F.W. Twitty is by no means safe and secure. In today’s dollars, taking Twitty Park would be around a $2 million dollar theft of land. The effort to steal the park continues, and this time it is for a roundabout.
The saga continues to drag through the courts as the public watches. Who will win? Greed or the Public Trust.
