Gipe Announces Town Council Candidacy

Mount Pleasant Realtor Timm Gipe has announced he will seek a seat on Mount Pleasant's Town Council. Four seats and the Mayor's office up for grabs in November 2013. Official qualification for town office opens Aug. 15 and closes Aug. 26.

Here's Gipe's statement on why he's running. 

Timm Gipe announced his candidacy for Town Council today in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. Gipe is a long time resident of Mount Pleasant and a 1969 graduate of The Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina.

After 30 years in the private sector, Timm Gipe is running for town council. Timm served on Mount Pleasant town council under Mayor Johnnie Dodds and alongside current Mayor Billy Swails from 1981 to 1983.

A Chairman’s Circle Award winner and Charter Life Member of the Board of Realtors’ Million Dollar Club, Gipe has been a successful Realtor® for the past 40 years. He has served as president of the Charleston Trident Association of Realtors® and with his daughter Sarah recently launched Gipe Partners, based at Carolina One’s Coleman Blvd. office. 

Experiencing the growth of Mount Pleasant since 1975 as a resident, broker and developer, Timm understands the challenges and the importance of managing growth properly. He applauds the current council members and the mayor, and says his 40 years of real estate and development experience will be beneficial.  “I am hoping that my choice to step forward and serve will encourage more business people to get into politics,” he says.  “We have great business leaders in Mount Pleasant who aren’t involved. I want to set the example for other qualified people to get in the arena.” Gipe elaborates, “I am offering to serve because I love Mount Pleasant.” 

Gipe’s roots in the Lowcountry run deep. He is a past president of both the Charleston Citadel Club and the Metropolitan Exchange Club of Charleston. An avid outdoorsman, he is also a past president of the South Carolina Sports Fishing Association. Timm is married to his wife Marty.

Timm’s campaign promise is to run on his civic and community record. He will not use signage to “litter up the town,” he says. His campaign will be a grassroots effort, using word of mouth and social media. 

“I don’t think people will be influenced to vote for me because they see my name on a sign in a right of way,” Timm said. “I want to keep Mount Pleasant business friendly and family friendly.” If elected, Gipe aims to keep lines of communication open with residents. Communication is essential, he explains. ”Often people hear something and take off in certain directions without having heard the whole story.” Timm pledges that as a member of town council he will listen to the people of Mount Pleasant. 

To learn more, please visit www.votegipe.com