Check here and my Blog page for events in the community where you can meet me and hear my vision for Sunset Beach, and share with me yours.
My "Out & Abouts" - 09/11/2025
Thank you to everyone I've encountered while being "Out & About" these past few weeks. I truly appreciate your warm waves and the thoughtful conversations we've had about my campaign and the issues facing Sunset Beach. Voices matter, and yours are invaluable as we work together to improve our beautiful town. I'll keep visiting neighborhoods leading up to election day, so please don't hesitate to stop me for a chat (as some neighborhoods prohibit door knocking).
I look forward to speaking with you! Sean
Campaign Signs - 09/19/2025
Would you like a Campaign Sign to display in your yard? Please contact me via email at seanarnold4sunsetbeach@gmail.com, my website, or my Facebook page.
I'll be happy to deliver it directly to you!
News & Updates
Important Dates to Know
Sample Ballot
Check your Voter Registration Status here: Voter Registration | Brunswick County, NC
Absentee Voting - 10/03/2025
Attention Voters! Today is the first day Absentee Ballots will be made available to Brunswick County voters unable to vote in person.
Below is a link from the North Caroling State Board of Elections website to request a ballot online:
North Carolina Absentee Ballot Portal
Sunset Beach is in need of significant changes within its Town Council. Let's make those changes a reality!
Sean
Voter Registration Deadline - 10/09/2025
Are You Aware? The Voter Registration Deadline* for the November 2025 Municipal Election ends at 5:00 p.m., Friday, October 10, 2025.
*The deadline differs for military and overseas citizens.
For more information, please visit:
Voter Registration Deadline | November 2025 Municipal Elections | NCSBE
Endorsement from the Sunset Beach Taxpayers Association - 10/09/2025
I am honored to receive an endorsement from the Sunset Beach Taxpayer Association.
From the Board of the Sunset Beach Taxpayer Association (SBTA) dated October 9, 2025:
"Dear SBTA Members,
In our recent "late summer" 2025 SBTA newsletter and at the most recent membership meeting, we indicated that your SBTA Board would be providing recommendations regarding candidates for the upcoming Town elections.
Here are our recommendations, followed by a general explanation of our endorsements:
For Mayor of Sunset Beach:
Shannon Phillips, the incumbent.
For Town Council of Sunset Beach (unexpired term):
Christie Batchelor
For Town Council of Sunset Beach (4-year terms):
Sean Arnold
Katie Bordeaux*
William Brougham
*(We note that Katie Bordeaux is a member of the SBTA Board. Katie recused herself from the vote taken in support of her candidacy.)
The above recommendations are based on your SBTA Board's belief that significant change is needed in the governance of Sunset Beach and that our Town Council has made a number of problematic decisions in recent years.
As a result, our Town is currently confronting the fall-out of these decisions in several areas simultaneously. A few of the highest profile issues:
After the real property revaluation two years ago and despite our requests, the Town Council refused to lower the property tax rate, resulting in property owners paying $1,600,000 more (58% increase) in real property taxes in 2023 alone, and even more in the years since. This has led to a series of Town budgets that we believe do not represent a prudent and responsible use of taxpayer dollars.
The rushed implementation of a paid parking plan which has created multiple operational and safety issues.
Generally poor two-way communication with the Town's taxpayers. This has led to a lack of transparency in town budgets, much misinformation and divisiveness around the parking plan, a high level of dissatisfaction with the recent dredging project among some of the affected property owners, and a general negativity and cynicism among many of the Town's taxpayers.
Your SBTA Board has had multiple meetings and communications with Town Council and Staff on these issues in an effort to encourage more efficient and effective governance. While we appreciate their willingness to interact with the SBTA, to date, their responses and actions have been unsatisfactory. As a result, our candidate recommendations have attempted to support those candidates whose statements indicate they understand these issues, have concerns about them as we do, and aim to correct the mis-steps to move Sunset Beach forward in a more responsible and responsive direction. This cannot be accomplished by electing (or re-electing) Town Council members who indicate they only wish to maintain the status quo.
We recognize that many SBTA members are property owners but not legal residents of Sunset Beach and therefore are not eligible to vote in local elections. In any case, we urge you to support the above recommended candidates in any way that you are able, including in conversations with friends and neighbors, posting yard signs for the recommended candidates and in making financial contributions to the campaigns of those candidates who are accepting them. Information on making contributions can be found at the end of this email.
It is our hope that the upcoming election is a turning point for our Town, representing a move toward a more efficient and effective local government for residents and taxpayers.
Please contact the candidates using the following information:
Mayor
- SHANNON PHILLIPS:
Donations not accepted, for yard signs call or text 864-219-8810
Town Council
- SEAN ARNOLD:
Donations not accepted; yard signs happily provided
Email: seanarnold4sunsetbeach@gmail.com
https://www.seanarnold4sunsetbeach.com/
- KATIE BORDEAUX:
Email: katie.bordeaux@att.net to contact, request a yard sign, make a donation.
Also https://www.facebook.com/groups/electkatiebourdeaux/
- WILLIAM BROUGHAM:
Donations not accepted, Call or text 919-279-7798
Email: brougham114.wb@gmail.com
- CHRISTIE BATCHELOR:
www.christieforsunsetcouncil.com to contact, request a yard sign, make a donation.
Also https://www.facebook.com/share/1DCTYxZcrP/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Thanks for your membership and continued support!
Sincerely,
The Board of the Sunset Beach Taxpayers Association
Ken Sekley - President
Mark Cramer - Vice President
Bruce Hovermale - Treasurer
Tom Barker
Mac Nelson
Katie Bordeaux
John Wells"
Sunset Beach Taxpayers Association
Preventive Maintenance Part 1 - 10/12/2025
Preventive maintenance or care significantly contributes to the longevity of infrastructure. Many of us maintain our concrete driveways or patios by using products to seal cracks, preventing water penetration and subsequent concrete deterioration. This same principle is applicable to our town's roadway system.
It is essential to conduct a thorough review of the roadway system to identify these areas and develop a plan for sealing them. By sealing, I refer to methods that comply with NCDOT standards. It is crucial to avoid using driveway or parking lot sealers, as they do not provide long-lasting results.
The accompanying photos depict some sections of roads within the town that require crack sealing.
Below is a video provided by NCDOT that shows an approved method of sealing cracks in roads:
Preventive Maintenance - Part 2 - 10/12/2025
Another form of preventative maintenance is roadway sweeping. Maintaining clean streets is crucial for our stormwater management system. Dirt and debris on our streets pose a problem, as they retain water or moisture, leading to the deterioration and eventual failure of the surface beneath.
Additionally, sweeping along the edge of the roadway helps reestablish the pavement edge, promoting effective drainage by preventing water from being trapped on the roadway. A robust preventative maintenance program significantly contributes to preserving our roadways. It is a practice that the town should consider to enhance the longevity of our roadway system.
