The Beaufort Gazette's Feb. 19 front-page article, "Port plans move ahead," could mislead the public as to Gov. Mark Sanford's position.

As a stand-alone article, this report is misleading in that it states, in part, ". . . Sanford came to Port Royal this month to present the state's vision, a 400-slip marina, almost 400 homes and a 64-room hotel . . ."

Sanford doesn't advocate 400 homes, a 64-room hotel and a 400-slip marina being crammed onto the S.C. State Ports Authority property in Port Royal. In fact, the governor's vision is quite the opposite -- calling for the preservation of a larger portion of the waterfront property as public open space bordered by a tranquil, low-density development that would be in character with Port Royal's existing neighborhood.

The governor began his Feb. 6 presentation by stating that he would like to see more public open space than was shown in the Ports Authority's plan. This remained the common theme of Sanford and the audience.

During this meeting, Sanford was asked how residents should contact local government officials and the Ports Authority to express support for his vision. I was honored when he asked me to be the point-of-contact to receive and compile those expressions of support, which I would then send to the Port Royal Town Council, the Ports Authority as well as the

governor.

Unfortunately, The Beaufort Gazette has chosen not to print any information about this grass-roots initiative proposed by Sanford. So I have printed 1,000 fliers and begun delivering them door-to-door to notify the public as to how our voices can be heard in support of the governor's vision. However, now Sanford's public open space initiative may have been compromised by The Beaufort Gazette's abbreviated article that makes the governor's green-space position appear ambiguous -- at best.