ABOUT SAVE BURGESS
Save Burgess is a community organization focused on protecting the character of Burgess while supporting thoughtful growth and new opportunities for the people who call the area home.
Burgess has been shaped by families who have lived here for generations, neighbors who contribute to the community today, and a natural landscape that reflects the best of the Grand Strand. As Horry County continues to grow, Burgess has an opportunity to welcome new investment in a way that strengthens the community and respects what has made the area special.
Save Burgess supports plans that preserve meaningful open space, strengthen roads and public services, respect surrounding neighborhoods, and bring lasting benefits to the community. We also provide residents with clear information about proposals affecting the area and encourage them to take part in conversations about its future.
Everything we do is guided by one goal: keeping Burgess a special place to call home while helping the community prepare for the future.
Tom Swatzel
Chairman, Save Burgess
Tom Swatzel brings a lifetime of Lowcountry experience to his role as chairman of Save Burgess. His background in local government, community leadership and life on the water has given him a firsthand understanding of how growth and development decisions can shape a community for generations.
Tom previously served on Georgetown County Council and as chairman of the Georgetown County Republican Party. Throughout his time in public service, he has remained focused on fiscal responsibility, transparent government and making sure local residents have a meaningful voice in the decisions that affect them.
Now retired from a career as a charter fishing captain, Tom has spent countless hours on the waterways and in the communities that make this part of the Lowcountry special. He understands that responsible growth requires more than promises. It requires careful planning, honest communication and respect for the people who have called the area home for generations.
Through Save Burgess, Tom is helping bring residents together around a shared goal: protecting the character of Burgess while making sure its future is shaped with care and common sense.