Sally Radd, if you could please join us at the front, we have a seat reserved for you up here.

Are we ready?

Right.

I'd like to call the September 9th meeting of City Council to order.

Madam Clerk, would you please call a roll?

Councilmember Greg, Councilmember Shaley, Councilmember McBride, Councilmember Mitchell, Councilmember Brady, Council, Gregory, Councilmember Wearing, Councilmember Seekings, Councilmember Templer, Councilmember Bowden, Councilmember Appel, Councilmember Parker, Mayor Coxwell.

Here.

I'd now like to ask Councilmember Bow to give the invocation and lead everybody pledger of allegiance.

Thank you.

And um, similar to uh what Councilmember Appel shared uh earlier were in a few days from commemorating the anniversary of the attacks of September 11th.

Um I was in a sixth grade classroom.

Uh with Martin was was um was my teacher at the time.

Um and you know, I'll always remember that day like it was yesterday.

Um I just wanted to to share an invocation related to that.

Uh every everybody who was a victim of that attack, as well as the folks who served um afterwards.

We pause to remember September eleventh, two thousand one.

We remember the nearly three thousand innocent lives lost, the first responders who charged into danger to save others, and the families who continue to carry the burden of that day.

We also remember those who answered the call in days and years that followed.

Our servicemen and women who step forward to defend our country, many of whom gave their lives, were still there, the women's of that service.

In the midst of tragedy, we witnessed resilience.

The face of fear, we saw unity.

Neighbors reached out to neighbors and communities found strength in one another.

As we begin our work tonight, may we be guided by that same spirit of unity and service.

May we seek wisdom in our decisions, compassion in our words, and courage in our actions, and may the memory of those we lost and the example of those who served inspire us always to care for one another and to strengthen our community.

We remember, we honor, we will never forget.

Amen.

Certainly appreciate you all hosting.

So I will be on especially uh uh good behavior this evening.

Edmund and Sally Reddit.

Uh, I'd now like to call Sarah Tipton, who is the president and CEO CEO of Bishop Gadson, uh, up to the microphone and say a few words.

And again, we really appreciate you all hosting us here tonight.

It is our pleasure.

Mayor Coxwell, honorable council members, um, incredible city staff, all of Charleston's finest, everyone who's made this happen, and all the citizens of Charleston who are with us today, we welcome you to Bishop Gadston.

Uh Bishop Gadston, although we've been on this site for 40 years, we're actually celebrating 175 years this year.

And uh 135 of those years were spent on the Charleston peninsula.

Uh, but in the early 80s, when it became a little difficult to care for seniors in a three-story uh historic Charleston town, and it was time to envision the future of this community.

We received a wonderful gift of property here on James Island, and with the uh with the blessing of the donor of our original homes uh blessing, we uh went to the city and said maybe we become part of the city so that we could fulfill the wishes of that original donor to remain the city of Charleston.

So we have a uh wonderful history uh in the city, and we're uh very thankful for that.

A little bit about Bishop Gadston.

Bishop Gadsden is a mission-driven organization.

Our mission calls us to affirm positive living for all live and work here.

Um, our our team is very important to us.

We serve with integrity.

We are uh we are committed to wise stewardship, which uh for everything that we've been entrusted with, and we reach out with a generous spirit, and to that end, Bishop Gadston has been recognized for its um for its uh philanthropy and uh for serving Charleston area organizations, uh meeting basic human needs over the years, uh giving somewhere in the neighborhood of 14 million dollars to a variety of community organizations.

Uh we are uh presently we employ about 650 team members, and we are home to about 580 permanent residents.

In 2022, we opened a new service line to provide post-acute rehab for uh the greater Charleston community, and we are presently serving about 400 members of the uh uh the Charleston community uh who come to us after hospitalization to recover and return to their homes healthy and well.

So um again, we're just so very thankful to welcome the city uh council meetings here tonight.

We think it's been about 10 years since this happened, and we'd love to make it not that long next time.

So welcome to all of you and thank you again for all who made it happen.

Thank you.

Thank you, Ms.

Tipton.

I'd now like to ask Greg Perry of the South Carolina and and Nate Barber of the South Carolina Community Loan Fund to join me here at the podium.

Come on.

Stand up proclamation, proclaiming or recognizing the loan fund.

Whereas the South Carolina Community Loan Fund, founded in 2004 by the City of Charleston as the Low Country Housing Trust, has grown into a statewide CDFI and CDE serving all 46 counties by expanding access to capital for communities in need.

And whereas SCCLF has invested more than 1.3 billion through 447 loans, supporting affordable housing, community facilities, small businesses, and healthy food enterprises.

And whereas SCCLF has deployed over 885 million in New Market tax credits, fueling five 252 million in project costs, creating 438 permanent jobs, and benefiting more than 217,000 individuals.

And whereas its entrepreneurial hub and leap program graduated over 205 alumni, provided 5,130 hours of technical assistance, distributed more than 826,000 in seed capital, whereas SCCLF partnered with City with Charleston County in 2023 to launch a 20 million dollar gap financing program and in 2025 established the housing our future trust fund to expand workforce and affordable housing.

And whereas in 2025, SCCLF proudly celebrates 20 years of investing in South Carolina community.

Now, therefore, I William S.

Coxville Jr., mayor of the city of Charleston to hereby proclaim September 9th, 2025 as South Carolina Community Loan.

Thank you.

Good afternoon, everyone.

My name is Nate Barber with the community loan fund.

I'd like to thank the mayor and the city council for the proclamation.

We've been around Charleston for 20 years now, and many of you probably have not seen or heard of us, but uh hope you heard that they've been involved in some pretty big project.

We'd like to continue that and look forward to working with both the city and the county.

And I'd like to actually give a shout out to the city council for being so far-sighted 20 years ago.

There's nothing like it throughout the state.

I'm from the upstate in Rockville area.

There's nothing like it any place else.

We're very proud to be a part of my program manager Greg Perry with me.

Thank you very much for this.

Okay.

There are no public hearings tonight.

So looking for a we're now on the approval of city council minutes.

Motion.

Motion probably seconded.

Any further discussion, if not all those in favor, signal saying aye.

We're now to citizens participation period.

Adam Clark, how many people do we have signed up to speak?

We have 15 people signed up to speak.

All right, let's give everybody a minute.

If uh I just want to re remind people uh since this isn't away game, uh the rules of decorum do still apply here.

Uh rules of decorum mean that uh this is a time and a period for us to hear from the public.

This is not a question and answer.

This is not uh any time for directing comments towards personal care council members.

Uh and ask that the audience too, please refrain from clapping or snapping or any of that.

Uh if we have to uh give a warning, I will do so.

It's not adhered to a second gavel and uh be asked to leave meeting.

Thank you.

Mr.

Bryan.

Why would Cill form of governor Jim Hodge schools by uh department of public service commission minute energy regarding low income back to me took it to my mother?

As a result, uh under Bus Protection Act, Mentatory Reporting, doctors, nurses, social workers, law enforcement referred my name via Rope of St.

Francis Hospital, Medical Queen Race, South Carolina, and others, and I'll be referred to attorney general South Carolina at one one to thirty years of prison.

Uh U.S.

attorney went to three years of prison.

How do you offer me in opposition to you?

I'd be the jail right now, not here.

Mother went for via building, the hospice, at least when I told court.

My mother's in hospice right now.

So if she didn't get the care, you'd get here.

Okay, so her son would be in prison, per cube.

Okay, I take this very seriously now.

I'm gonna I'm ready to roll now.

You've got me excited now.

I'll need to lose something under 20 dollars an hour in South Mount.

The 20 hour would be here.

Our next speaker, uh the first name is Alan.

I cannot read the last name, but I believe it's a bishop gas and resident three five three Connie Weirk.

Okay.

We may have had some uh some guests that actually were just attending and didn't mean to speak.

So if you did not mean to speak, it's okay.

Um Brianna David Babb.

No, just one.

I'm sorry.

Thank you.

Maybe read this new process right to check it chapter 2 based last meeting.

Next, I have Jill and Richard to apartment 32.

Polly Grant.

Adam Clinch.

Anne Barnes.

Former councilmember Jackson.

Thank you for denying the annexation.

Two acres that are just to the south of here on Faley Road.

That would have been added to the spy glass apartments put if you had annexed it.

That large apartment property now in use for I think about 13 years, has detrimentally impacted flooding conditions for Seaside Creek and the surrounding Roomville Road extension properties.

It's the epitome of the headline that was just published today by flood like news that featured our Charleston area titled Building toward Disaster.

Growth Collides with Rising Seas in Charleston.

I highly recommend this publication to you, and especially this article.

That um please get back on the fast track to adopt a new zoning code that will authorize elevation based zoning for at-risk areas.

Thank you.

Tish and Waxon.

Richard Anita.

Cindy Cone.

Kevin Everly.

Two of my friends, the president of the Wagner Terrace Neighborhood Association and the President of North Central, uh, weren't able to make it over tonight, a remote location.

They wanted to speak as well.

And all three of us were hoping to encourage the city council to move forward with a popularly supported tiny tweak to the BAR ordinance.

I know many people would say it needs a lot of work.

But it there's one small tweet that all of the neighborhoods support.

We've spoken to the preservation organizations, we've spoken with the mayor, our councilman for the uptown.

Thank everybody.

I think it's a win-win win and win-win win situation.

And I would just encourage city council to sort of push it on forward.

We've done as much as we can from the neighborhood.

Thanks.

Did I anyone who signed up to speak?

Please come forward.

Somehow I was I did sign up.

I think it was after closure.

We could also get your name for the record.

Thank you.

Good afternoon.

My name is Bob's Black.

And thank you.

Thank you, Bishop Gadson, for allowing us to be here tonight.

Do you know I live in Fortsonville?

And we have an issue, a problem that exists, like any other community around us.

Our main function is our flooding.

The city council approved two new homes to be built in Ferguson Village, but the flooding issue, I believe, was not addressed.

When I spoke to the contractor and asked them about the flooding, they said, well, it'll just go in the ditch.

The ditches are not the answer, not the answer for me because we are already flooding.

We need you guys, core engineer or someone to put Ferguson Village in your budget to make sure that we have some relief for from our flooding.

Our flooding consists in caused mostly by other communities that's built up around us, and we sit in a basin.

That means when these other communities drain off all that water runs in on us.

Time Ferguson Billy.

Thank you.

Was there anyone else that I missed?

We did receive some comments on Mayor and Council.

We received seven comments in opposition to the demolition of theater 99 to at 28 meeting street.

And one comment was received from Anthony Bryan, which we sent to council in poll.

Those are all the comments we received.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

Thank you for those comments.

We have a petition to approve the name of Howell Avenue Park to the Roman Myron Buck part.

I have a motion on that.

Motion made, probably seconded.

All those in favor signify by saying aye.

Opposed, eyes have it.

May we have an approval of mediation settlement agreement for 440 Sumter Street.

Screech, I think is going to give speak for that data.

Mayor Council members.

And staff, BAR staff determined that the requisite demolition approval was not given by the board.

Board considered the request and denied it because there was no supporting documentation, such as an engineering report to warrant what would have been what the board considered a total demolition.

After mediating this matter and looking at again facts of this case and the way that this unfolded, we have reached an agreement wherein the applicant will pay a fine for unauthorized demolition in the amount of a thousand eighty-seven dollars, and one of the windows on the west facade of the building to report more with the original form of the building.

And just in terms of some of the arguments that were raised, there were some challenges to the purview that sits this property sits in the historic demolitions purview, uh, in which the board does not have um say over what goes next, which is something that is before you could consider for potential amendment.

Um, and um some arguments as to what constitutes a replacement and a repair versus a demolition.

So if there are any questions about uh this matter, I'd be happy to answer.

Yes.

Um the the building is in my district.

Um it's a beautiful renovation, but it does not look like a freedman's cottage and it's it's lost its historical flavor.

Um, but my question is the amendments to the bar ordinance with regard to demolition that we're currently working on.

Would that have helped us in this situation?

Yes.

Thank you.

Okay, any further questions on this?

Can I sorry?

Uh if not, can I entertain a motion?

Move for approval.

Second.

The motion made probably second further discussion.

None.

All those in favor signify by saying aye.

All right.

Opposed.

Have it.

Um we now have a special presentation uh from our records management division uh on the city's historical maps and flats and a new collection management program.

So for this, there's been a lot of hard work going into this.

Um with that, I will turn it over to the records management.

Thank you.

Good evening, Mayor Cogsville and Council members.

First, I'd like to thank Councilwoman Parker for um bringing this to your attention, and we're honored to talk to you all tonight.

In 2025, the records management division was the recipient of a South Carolina State Historical Records Advisory Board grant award to catalog the archival municipal map collection.

Um the collection was barely accessible, having been indexed on literal index cards in the 1980s pre-everything.

Um staff never had the time or resources to work with the collection, so it remained a little bit hidden.

The grant enabled us to acquire a collection management program to hire a project archivist for six months, Jacob Mossbrook, and with that our Jacob and our record specialist and archivist Kendall John got to work with a community volunteer and two volunteer student interns, and in six months they cataloged about 1800 archival maps into our new system.

So I want you to hear directly from them about their experience working on this project.

Thank you.

Good evening, everyone.

I'm just rewinding the presentation back here.

As Meg said before, my name is Kendall John.

I'm a record specialist and archivist with the records management division.

And Jacob and I, as well as our other interns and community members, have been working on this cataloging problem since January.

It was a problem that I came into not really knowing where it was going.

Um as Meg said before, it was in cabinet system on index cards, and we didn't know how to research a collection that was organized like this.

So this is an example of one of those index cards and the minimal information that's on it.

And here's the plat that it corresponds with.

And it just wasn't doing any justice for us or our researcher.

And so we are very grateful that we were able to get this grant project to organize it.

And the result has been that we understand our own collection a lot more, and it is now searchable and publicly accessible to everyone.

Um, I will have a link and a QR code at the end so that people can get started on looking at what we have.

Um, and it is a combination of maps, platform, and engineering drawing.

Um, and the earliest we have is from the mid-1800, and it's goes up into the early 2000s.

And so on the screen, we have an example of what that looks like on our new past perfect catalog, which right now has map project, but we're hoping to populate it more of our information in the future.

And it's the best way to learn more about our collection and the best way to find out what more we have.

We have our finding aids going on there as well.

And we were able to showcase this collection in something we haven't done before in this exhibit style presentation that we gave to our members of our local librarians and archivists and museum people, our calm organization.

And we also have another exhibit that was open to more city council staff and some members of the public.

And so we were able to showcase some of our favorites and also give people information on where we came from and where we're at now, and to also remind people that we're here as a resource for both historical research and municipal history.

And now I'm gonna have Jacob go through some of our favorite maps from the collection.

My name is Jacob Mossbrook.

I'm a current student in the historic preservation program uh through Clemson and Science and Project Archives for Records Management here at the City of Charleston.

So I wanted to take you through some uh our most interesting, um, some of our favorite maps and items from the collections that we have, just so that the public and the city council can get an understanding of the diversity of resources that we have now made more accessible to researchers and citizens wishing to learn more about the city's.

So, first off, I start with this federal post chart by the government back in 1886.

It was compiled from wealth of different surveys of the post.

It's exceptionally detailed and information.

It stretches from Hunting Island all the way to Long Island or what's now Island Bonx.

And you are even able to see the peninsula and the patterns of development at that time.

Maybe how that informs some things we do today.

So here you can see the city at Charleston right and James Island, taking everyone's today.

And now we have our modern development top.

So it's just an interesting comparison between past and present.

Um that might reveal some information and patterns about how we've chosen to this is Canon Park, so it's a preliminary plan by the Olmstead brothers, the same people who did Central Park in New York.

We actually have a wealth of Olmstead uh projects in Charleston, including the no longer extant Shakora Park, Hampton Park, and Canaan Park.

Uh Canon wasn't actually implemented until about 100 years later, and still not exactly the way the homesteads envisioned it.

Um what went there instead was there that was a confederate reunion hall for T99, and after burned down, that's why we have those columns that stand there today, and you can kind of see how this was incorporated in to what exists there.

Um there you can see some of what was originally planned that didn't make it in, like the basement plants, but a lot of the same forms and uh landscape attribution nervous ability, those are the columns, and now this is another interesting example of some Charleston, and just some of the things that the maps provide us, like uh these Quaker burial grounds on the peninsula of Charleston that are no longer accessible until we're memorialized, but many of the records that we have show information that we didn't know previously about where these were situated, sort of plats, um, transfers of property and how this is expanded past locations up the neck in two terms.

Next, this is a very interesting proposed system.

Uh a subway in Charleston.

Can anybody believe that?

In 1901, we actually have three blueprints of this proposed system uh that was thrown around at the time.

It was talked about in committees, although we're unable to find really much additional information about them.

Um it's just a really interesting thing to see how people in the past were innovating and trying to come up with new ways to make Charleston.

Here uh are some engineering plans from the US Naval Minecraft base located again on the peninsula, and we have lots of records of seawall changes, additions, dredging, spoil locations, infill, um landfill, area, all of that sort of information that is now necessary to inform how we continue to build this, especially as our population grows.

Here's another very interesting map uh showing Charleston County School Districts in the 1930s.

If we look a little closer, you can see how we were segregated at that time, where you can see where different patterns of schools were located, white schools, African American schools, American schools dotted throughout Charleston and Charleston County in the British right now.

This one is kind of an interesting map about how our neighborhoods were divided.

A lot of our neighborhoods were deeded as uh single plots of land that were then divided and sold at auction, such as this.

These are some auctioneer uh flats where people would go through, pick out the one they wanted, and then head of the auction and certainly.

So I'll turn that back over to Kindle since the city.

So we are open to the public.

We are open by appointment base, and we are open from 9 a.m.

to 5 p.m.

And we're at the Gileard Center upstairs.

And so we are so happy to have researchers come in and physically look at the map.

But we do have this information online for people to start exploring.

And then if you do want to make a trip out, you can get in contact with us and see more of what we have.

But we have all that information on our city website.

And we have a few links up there if anyone wants to go ahead and start looking.

And thank you all for listening, and thank you for inviting us.

And we hope to see you soon.

Thank you.

Great presentation.

I'm sorry, Councilman Park.

Okay.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

And thank you, Mayor.

Thank you, Council, for giving them a few minutes.

I mean, the work that they've done is incredible.

And I mean, just to stand in the room and flip through some of these pages that are hundreds of years old.

It's really incredible.

The city has a um a lot of jobs all around, but um 250 years of history is extremely important.

So thank you all for the work that you do.

It was a wonderful, just it was incredible.

Thanks for all the work you do.

And looking at that from the 1901 map ahead, the subway.

Um councilman seekings.

I know good order.

He's been looking for something to do now.

You can get that done.

Uh that's that emotion.

Uh we are now moving on to council communications.

I'd like to call on Councilman Waring.

You have a presentation, uh dialogue about the city and our relationship with the St.

Andrews Public Service District.

Councilman Ware.

Thank you, Ms.

Mere.

And I want to thank uh you and the clerk for burning the midnight on particular clerk.

Uh, because this was a last-minute submission, and she worked above and beyond to get it on this to discuss the thing.

I'll I'm gonna start by asking uh Molly colleagues to come up to uh Connor.

I'm sorry to come up to the microphone.

Ms.

Connor is our annexation uh director for the city of Charleston.

This young lady is honest as the day as long.

She's one of the most conscientious young people that we have employed in the city of Charleston.

She is excited about what she does.

She delivers the good news when people think about annexing into the city of Charleston, and she does it with integrity.

Uh she gets to share the good news, but there are times when others come and try to detract and be real, well, it's simply the facts when you annex from in this case and Andrew's public service district into the city of Charleston, and when uh employees who are faithful, they go beyond the paycheck and working for the city of Charleston.

When they do that kind of work, and they are casting disparaging way, the largest municipality in the state of South Carolina, one of the finest history, finest cities, not only in America but in the world, has to stand up behind it.

So I want her to share an experience that uh that's on our agenda right now when it comes to annexing a piece of property of several homes recently that we gave first reading to at the last meeting.

Uh and what she has um gone under and what she emailed that she got as recent as today.

Good afternoon.

Thank you for asking me to come.

I really appreciate the opportunity.

I have spent the last several years reaching out to single family residences primarily, encouraging them to annex if they so choose into the city of Charleston based on what we're able to provide them in means of uh village rates, CWS savings, recreation center savings, discounts at all of these centers, eligibility to vote for you all, and um other benefits that come with joining the city, of course.

That has been a big part of my job and a big part of what gets people to annex by turning in a petition for annexation.

Um they indicate that they would like to join the city after they turn in the petition, it comes to real estate committee and eventually to you all.

But unfortunately, also after they turn in a petition, it appears as though their current jurisdiction at times approaches them, enticing them to not proceed with the annexation based on information that may not be true.

And I approach the situation by just presenting the facts.

Our military is lower than the military of the public service district.

So if you want to save on property taxes, you can join the city.

Our CWS rates are almost 40% lower in the city than they are out of the city.

So if you want to save on your water and sewer bills, you can annex into the city.

So I pride myself on sharing the facts of these folks who are considering annexation.

And so it's really disheartening when I hear that they have been approached many times or presented information that that may not be so.

Echo uh Councilmember Waring's accolades for all that you do for the city.

Uh certainly appreciated.

Do want to give a little bit of context for those in the room that might not be aware.

Um the city of Charleston, uh, if you look at a map of it, what is actually city-owned property versus county or public service district.

It's it's a bit like Swiss cheese on James Island here and uh and and all over West Ashley.

This case we're talking about West Ashley.

Um, and it's it's uh a legacy issue is something that's been going on for quite some time.

I mean, certainly all my lifetime, probably uh going back 50, 60 years, I don't I don't know how far back it goes.

Um, but it does get complicated.

I remember when I was running the race, people are like, Well, do I live in the city of Charleston?

And I would ask people, what color is your trash can?

And it was amazing how many people didn't know if they were in the city or if they were in the county or if they were in this public service district.

Well, city of Charleston has green trash cans.

That's a telltale way if you're a city resident.

So they just want to point this out.

I mean, if you look at a map in West Ashley, you'll see these pinholes all over the map.

And those are properties that could be right next door to a city property that are in a public service district or in the county.

So just wanted to give that context as part of this discussion.

It gets it is really complicated.

Um, and so uh again, wanted to turn it back over to uh councilman Waring on this issue.

It is something that uh does need to be addressed.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

May and thank you for the context.

I'd like to ask Chief uh Cheeto Walker.

Uh the stage up at the microphone.

I'm gonna ask also uh um Chief Walker is the police chief of the largest municipal police force in the state of South Carolina.

When Ms.

Connor uh speaks to people, businesses and individuals about annexing into the city of Charleston.

She doesn't go alone.

She has some mighty uh talented stakeholders behind her.

I'm gonna ask Chief uh Koura to come up in a little bit right after uh Chief uh Walker speaks.

Tell us a little bit some bullet points about our police schools, how many people we have with our police schools, how many have college degrees are better, etc.

Yes, sir.

Thank you so much for having us.

Um, this is a little contest with the city of Charleston as council alluded to.

We are the largest municipality in the state.

A lot of a little on about 455 officers for that particular area labeling team four, as well as over 60 officers permanently assigned to patrol debt area full-time.

That does not include all the supplemental units, be it traffic, be it the schools, that's a whole different subject, but it's full lease staffed resource before I was in this.

Um, as far as our requirements for the city of Charleston, um we are one of the few agencies, and when the time I got hired, get required and uh four-year college degree, um, but even we considered for hiring with the city of Charleston if we put that much emphasis on who we have serving all community.

It makes a difference.

So, not only that, we're probably the only agency in the state that has a platform of 20 plus um weeks non-stop training before you even cut loose to go to a real training officer, which is an additional 15 weeks.

So it's a lot of emphasis put on the quality of offices that we have serving the city of Charleston.

Um, speaking of schools, right now our platform.

We have about 32 offices assigned to the school division.

That's SROs and a special school response team.

The governor just had a announcement that he released additional funding, about 20 million dollars to fully staffed schools that has not um complied with having an SRO in this footprint.

That's the SRO.

That's the school resource office.

Thank you.

I apologize for that.

Um, but so that's something that we're working towards.

We will work with Charleston County School District to make sure that we are at least in compliance with uh adding additional resources to schools, and that's the public school system.

We also take care of our private school system through our platform, the SSRT.

That's the school security response team.

Um, all kids are all kids, so it don't matter if they're in public school or private school.

We want to make sure we mitigate any opportunities that we're seeing across the country happening right now in terms of balance within the schools.

I think that includes children from the PSD as well.

We protect them without every body profession.

If you fall within the uh reach of the city of Charleston, um, especially through education, we cover everyone attending our schools.

Thank you so much.

Chief Curie, could you come to the microphone?

And he's the uh fire chief for the largest employed full-time fire department in the state of South Carolina, Chief Peary.

Good evening.

Uh just a little bit about the the Charleston Fire Department.

As you said, we are the largest fully paid municipal fire department in the state.

We have 472 positions in the department.

We are an ISO class one fire department.

Why that matters is that there's there are 17,000 fire departments in the country, and the lower your class rating for the insurance service office, the better your insurance rates.

So to be a class one fire department is the best you can be.

We are one of 492 departments in the country that are an ISO class one department.

We're also an accredited agency through the Center for Public Safety Excellence, which is the accrediting body for fire departments.

That is the gold standard for fire service delivery.

We're one of 338 fire departments in the world who are accredited through that body.

It gets a little smaller when you consider departments that are ISO class one accredited agencies.

There are only 125 of those entities in the country of which we are.

Um we offer comprehensive service, everything from fire operations to medical to special operations and now emergency management.

So we are truly an all-hazards department.

Thank you so much, Chief.

Uh, as you can see when Ms.

Connor goes out to explain the features and benefits of joining the city of Charleston, she has some true professionals behind.

Thank you, Chief.

And the chief made a sacrifice to come in.

And for people who don't know it, our chief, we'll turn around one second.

Our chief of police got, I mean, chief of uh our fire chief got recognized, and we saluted him at the last meeting.

Nationally recognized for his professionalism and managing and caring for our fire department.

So I'm gonna ask that you get another round of applause for that.

Thank you, Chief.

Yes, sir.

I'm gonna ask Mike Say, he's the anything you want to know about Charleston Water System of Trade to Ass, which is one of the finest water and sewer systems, certainly in the state of South Carolina, or the country.

And the reason I say that for almost 20 consecutive years, their employees vote them as the best place to work in South Carolina.

They're employees, not with the boss hanging over their show, but they do this on their own volition.

Tell us some fact points when people um live in the city versus RAID and in particular the capital project dollars that are being spent to improve the quality of life in particular West Angels.

Absolutely.

Thank you very much, Councilman Quarry.

I'll council to take a moment to hear about all this.

I like to think about those two important things when you're honored talking about annexation conventions, Charleston water system as a 40% savings.

But let's let's talk about those real numbers.

I like to uh think of our customers coming in three different buckets unintentionally.

So there's the customer that uses very little, sorry, less than two CCF, less than 1500 gallons.

That person, if they were to add a X into the city Charleston an inside city rate instead of an outside city rate, they're gonna see about a $300 a year annually break down those numbers much.

But a typical customer, our average customer about six CCF, they are gonna save about six hundred dollars.

There are a lot of customers out there who a year.

Well, I'm sorry, six hundred a year, yes.

We're not there yet, but yeah, yeah.

I'm in the words department, not the math, but um, but the uh the reality is a lot of our our customers have maybe five people in the household where they do a lot of gardening or household projects, and those customers kind of range from the 18 CCF a month.

Uh those customers stand to uh save about $1,800 a year if they were to annex things to the city.

So if you all use those numbers for marketing, that makes very good sense because those benefits are very difficult to ignore.

And you know, our our board is gonna consider rates in November.

We're probably looking at seven, maybe ten percent, maybe more rate increase because we have to cover the cost of doing business.

So to take that 1800 and you add 10, we're looking at $2,000 monthly fixed for those folks, it's five members a year, a year, yeah, a year.

You're right, a year.

It's a lot, you know.

It's a month, it's about $150 a month.

So that's pretty significant for people.

It's a lot of money.

And then talked about capital improvements, and that's a whole nother aspect of this because we are spending more money West Ashley right now in the next six months as well than we are in any other part of the city.

We're quite spending a total of about 200 million dollars.

Talking about active construction right now.

We have on the water side, we have uh we're about to break round West Ashley transmission main extension project, which runs the length of these barriers for a new 36-inch water main, basically from 61 to the other end.

So that's a pretty big big ticket item.

We're also spending about five million dollars in utility relocation transportation projects around West Ashley.

That's on the water side by the wastewater side is where it really gets deep, you know, and that's about 160 million dollars.

So we've done a manhole survey, which means we're measuring the height of the band booms to try to get a modern sewer model, spent about a million dollars doing that.

That's our smallest one.

Finding and fixing all kinds of issues throughout what we call basin 39.

That's kind of everything between St.

Andrews, 171.

If we kind of drew a circle around that area, it's basically a whole St.

Andrews farmer area.

We spent four million dollars finding and fixing, trying to limit and reduce sewer lower flows, which we're gonna do for a while.

Um all that together, we're gonna add to that uh replacement of our pump station 39.

That's right, we're at the split of seven uh 171 and that highway 60, and replace that for about 10 to 15 million, actively spending about 135 million dollars to replace the two sewer mains that are right below the greenway, and replace those with 20,000 foot company.

I mean, think about all those sewer projects.

They have in common is they're all in the old St.

Andrews speak area.

1996 St.

Andrews Public Service District was managing their wastewater collection system and treatment plants so poorly that the state of South Carolina put them under consent degree and gave all those assets for Charleston water system to take all of those broken and build design, little performing assets to take them up.

So since then, you see us in the news with sewer order floods.

I don't really see that anywhere else.

It's because those systems were designed, raw materials, the wrong places, often in people's backyards, underneath creek beds.

That's a heck of a challenge.

So we're gonna we're gonna make that better.

You know, bringing that solution, all those different solutions I just mentioned.

The next two or three years, we're gonna we're gonna have improvements in St.

Andrew's and making those improvements is just for the citizens of Charleston, uh people who live in the PSD.

Everyone benefits from less damage to the environment.

Thank you, Mr.

Say.

Thank you for taking the time to bring that information.

He's actually gonna jump back and have to go back to a class that CW has office for citizens to learn more about their water and sewer system.

So thank you so much for jumping across the bridge and willing us to jump back.

Pleasure any time, thank you.

We're at uh 10 minutes, but I want to keep going.

Well, thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

I thank my colleagues for the extra time.

Um that 200 million dollars that Mr.

Sayo just spoke about in conjunction with Ashley Town Landing, which is north of 300.

In addition to the 25 million that again uh city of Charleston, obviously led by the office building that's gonna be built on if some of you are remembering the Catholic dialysis and property as over 500 million dollars, over half a billion dollars that's being spent right now.

That's over 500 million dollars, over half a billion dollars that's being spent right now.

Some of the construction dirts being moved, improvements being built, put in place, and we talk about revitalizing West Ashley.

The city of Charleston leads that.

So when an employee comes and simply tells those facts, and others try to reverse that off again, disparage that shame on them.

Shame on them.

Tell me where another half a billion dollars being spent and quality spent, increase the improve the quality of life.

When we do the greenway, bikeway, pathway.

We don't improve it just for the citizens of Charleston.

We improve it for every when we the city spent 142 million dollars building gale yards over 200,000 students from the Tri-County area has enjoyed world-class talent free of charge.

This city has a wonderful team of volunteers that believe it or not, the school districts don't pay for the transportation to get the kids to the gear yard and back to the school.

City of Charleston through volunteers here is a big study.

People in the PSD enjoy those benefits as well.

So when it comes to we talked about the penicial wall earlier, meeting with batter extension.

Man, I I volunteered to pay a fine on what I just said.

Uh the battery wall, uh, and battery extensive, the battle, okay.

Let's just say the battery um around the peninsula.

Um we now do things in a holistic way, and I can't tell you how gratified I am with that.

But Mr.

Mayor, I appreciate counsel and uh your patience on this.

Uh I'd like Miss Wharton to come up and speak to the military.

Don't know, this is Amy Ward, who is the City of Charleston's chief of angel.

So uh militaries, City of Charleston's full military is 89.8 months, St.

Andrews BSD's full military is 98.7 months.

However, City of Charleston has the sales tax, which we refund percent.

Sorry, net military is 67.

How many years has the city of Charleston refunded 100% for the local auction sales tax to reduce everything?

Still have I didn't hear you since when 1990.

1990, 100% for the local auction sales tax, which Ms.

Ms.

Municipality doesn't have to do.

A part stays, we have to give back, but a part can stay with uh the city to go towards some of those initiatives right now.

We don't have money, but for over approaching 35 consecutive years, this city, previous mayors, previous council members, this mayor, this council has voted to give 100% back to reduce property taxes for every citizen of the city of Charleston.

And that's why our building trade has been managed so well over the decades.

Now, with that, Mr.

Mayor, I'll stand down and listen to my colleagues and council comments.

So 80.3 bills is on meeting rest of that's part, which drainage per se for public safety structure.

So 80.3 of those bills is strictly proclamating.

Thank you, Councilman Waring.

That's been, I think, pretty informative, and Parker.

Uh Connor, I appreciate all the work that you done on behalf of the city of Charleston.

And yeah, I mean, again, this isn't us trying to uh pick fight or anything like that.

It's just making sure that facts are facts that it's clear to people that live in the city, all that the city does with our partners, neighboring municipalities, PSDs, like and just want to make sure that accurate information are really applauded Councilman Waring for putting this on the agenda.

And so with that, I'd open it up to any questions, any other comments.

Councilman Gregory.

Suggestions on how do we combat the contradictions.

But let um I know you do.

Councilman Bal.

Thank you.

And I and customer wearing, I just can cannot thank you enough for bringing this up.

I mean, this is something that's been lingering.

And by the way, we should mention that that milled rate uh is you know, with frankly, a bad deal when we annex new people into the city, um, which I would love uh well at Councilman Ware and go into a little bit more detail about that.

But my my point being that you know, even if we we annex people into the city so we can achieve efficiencies with tax dollars, and it's still worth it, even with that awful deal to do that because we're providing better services at a lower cost to taxpayers, and that's what we are here to do.

You know, I'm gonna be I'm gonna be a little less diplomatic, frankly, than uh my my probably wiser than me colleague.

Um we we deal with a limited pot of taxpayer dollars, we deal with far too many layers of government.

It is a relic of a bygone era that bureaucrats are clinging to, kicking and screaming from Columbia to every area of this state.

Everybody's trying to get their fingers in the pot of taxpayer dollars as if it's their money.

When we talk about spending money around this table, I am absolutely confident that we are doing it because we all believe that it is the right thing to do for our constituents.

I would not say that for many parts of this state.

And if you pick up a newspaper, you find you see how often people are being indicted for government corruption in this state.

It's because of these overlapping layers of bureaucracy that are stealing taxpayer dollars from people from hardworking people across this state who have been let down by their government for generations.

We don't need PSDs.

Not in Charleston anyway.

Can't speak for other parts of the state.

Maybe it works out better there.

This is a relic of a time that is long past.

The only argument for maintaining them is based on false premises that people are fed consistently.

There is an enduring idea that it is more expensive for citizens to come into the city than to be in the PSD, and that is purely a lie.

This speaking for West Ashley, to be to be very clear.

I I was I was gonna have more measured comments tonight, frankly.

And and we got an email earlier today.

I have done murder trials, I have I have done you know personal injury trials, you name it, right?

Not a whole lot more combative of a situation than preparing for a trial in a situation that is meant to be combative, it is meant to be adversarial.

I have never seen a more staggering level of bad faith than I saw in the letter that we received today.

It is a lie, it is a lie borne out by their own their own letter, frankly.

Um, I I'm I'm here to I'm here to like let's let's talk solutions and let's do it tonight.

Um, because you know, frankly, the public deserves a lot better than what they're being fed, and they deserve they certainly deserve a wiser use of taxpayer dollars than everybody trying to get their finger in the pot and maintain their slice of the pot.

I'm I'm here to I'm here to like let's let's talk solutions and let's do it tonight um because you know frankly the public deserves a lot better than what they're being fed and they deserve they certainly deserve a wiser use of taxpayer dollars than everybody trying to get their finger in the pot and maintain their slice of the pot it's going away whether that's quickly or slowly and the only people that can decide that are people who have the option to annex into the city and take and take that slice of the pie and give it frankly to some to a group of folks who are going to use their taxpayers their pack their tax dollars in a wiser fashion thank you council bowden sorry yeah councilman tinker right I just want to real quickly I mean it's sort of related to what councilman bowden has said but I I represent one of the districts in West Ashley that has a significant amount of public service district property and I can tell you when I represent this neighborhood I meant Avondale about half and half and when we talk about good government talk about responsive government I can tell you what I hear from residents that neighborhood when when issues come up zoning issues uh there's a lot of confusion about who to talk to and I think you know that's that's one thing we need to be working at is how to how to solve these problems how to make government run easier communicate better work better for people I think as Councilman Bowden said it these public service districts were created decades ago before I can I'm a lawyer too and I can get into discussions about the legalities of it but I'll save you lots have changed since then and obviously we've annexed a lot of of West Ashley now and we are we're doing good things in West Ashley Council Waring said so I just if if people uh you know if they want good government they want to be able to know exactly who to talk to if you live in Avondale you know I would love people to know that I'm the person that they have to go talk to the public service district where I can talk to the county about the zoning issue so I think it's just it's just smarter at the end of the day so I appreciate Councilman Lair bringing this issue up I look forward to the next couple discussions Councilman Taykler what else council this this is this is like um the Super Bowl if you're into this kind of stuff um I appreciate um council member ware and bringing this forward and all the folks from the city that have spoken tonight and especially Molly for all your hard work going out there and I think everyone around this um uh horseshoe here understands how tough it can be to go knock on people's doors and try to talk to them about things um and that's what Molly is called upon to do um to invite members of our community our friends our neighbors our family members people we go to church with people we recreate with um we're all part of the same community although we live in a very disjointed um fractured governance i mean for a conservative state we have an unbelievable amount of government in South Carolina and it's something that deserves more attention and this is a little bit of what we're doing here today we're bringing this out in the open there's somebody from the post and courier that comes to every one of our meetings I hope she runs a five piece part expose about this issue that we're talking about today so we can get this information out to as many people as possible we can share it on social media I think this gets to um councilmember Gregory's question about what we can do about it we can get the facts out to the people you're paying more money in taxes in the San Andreas public service district than you are in the city of Charleston that's a fact we don't need to be sneaking around holding these secret meetings and secret emails and pamphlets going around the cities back that's not how we're conducting this business we're conducting this business in a very open public transparent way but does the facts support what we're talking about we're not having to go through some of these more um you know duplicate uh uh practices to sort of maintain council member uh bowden pointed out let's just call it what it is people's positions their fiefdoms their salaries their benefits of these governmental entities that we don't need anymore okay this isn't 1942 public service districts were created in South Carolina when there were no big municipalities to speak of and people needed water on johns island there there was no Charleston water systems to get it out there those days obviously have long passed we can perform police fire sanitation water sewer recreation far better far more efficient far more cost sensitive than these dying relics of South Carolina's history um and I'll point out this other thing there are examples of public service districts going away they have merged with other entities like in Mount Pleasant for example Mount Pleasant Waterworks annexed I'm sorry um uh merged with an old PSD called the Bulls Bay Rural Water Commission

Far better, far more efficient, far more cost sensitive than these dying relics of South Carolina's history.

Um and I'll point out this other thing.

There are examples of public service districts going away.

They have merged with other entities, like in Mount Pleasant, for example.

Mount Pleasant Waterworks annexed, I'm sorry, um uh merged with an old PSD called the Bulls Bay Rural Water Community District.

I might be flubbing some of the terminology there, but it went away in 1989.

So these aren't um immutable laws of nature that that exists forever.

And as and there may have been a time when it was more tax advantageous to be in the PSD versus in the city of Charleston.

But you know, that may have been when I was in middle school.

I'm getting I'm getting gray hair now, getting older.

Um we've come a long way, the city's grown a whole lot, and as more and more annexation happens, as more and more growth takes place, and the PSD loses its um number of parcels in its jurisdiction, it then has to pump up its millage to be able to maintain its bottom line.

So it becomes less efficient as we become more efficient.

And I think the more we get that story out there, the more that we inform the public, the better we can um the better we can be.

Now, other states we want to get real crazy.

Other states, they don't have to deal with this piecemeal, one parcel by parcel situation.

They just collapse these donut holes, and people don't have any say to say about it.

Um that's another way to go.

I know the legislature's taking this up.

There are some sensitive issues around you know, settlement communities that you know that that's that's a different different story that that does need some you know um thought to it.

But the bottom line is we need to be better, we need to be more efficient, and we can do that by being truthful, honest with our constituents, and not trying to sneak around and engage in some of the practices we've seen.

So I appreciate everybody for bringing this forward, our city staff, and I hope um we get a five-part expose in the Bosa Courier, because we're at the end of the day, we're a bunch of politicians, we're a little biased, right?

We're city of Charleston, right?

We're we're Pete in the city of Charleston Trump.

Let's have a third party look at it.

Let's have an independent uh voice look at it, and let's let the facts go where they where they lead us.

So thank y'all.

Again, one point just again for the public to clarity here.

The city of Charleston is not forcing any annexation anymore.

That is not our plan, that is not our prerogative.

That is nobody's wish on this council, but it is important for people to get the accurate facts.

And the councilman rappel said it very well.

The less efficient these uh PST.

It's just that's the reality.

So appreciate this conversation tonight, Councilman Waring.

I'll let you wrap it up.

I'm sorry, I have very quick.

Um well, in part, Miss Uh I'm I'm not a lawyer, so I'll be brief.

Okay.

Um my question is pretty basic.

Um legally, let me ask the lawyers this legally.

What can we do as a municipality to make what we we know we want to happen happen?

Councilman, actually, I was gonna call on Ms.

Copeland to come up and speak about the agreement and terminating that agreement.

Ums Coleman, could you come to thank you?

Scopelin, for those of you who aren't aware, is the city of Charleston's legal tried to set in the back.

So, yes, uh, the agreement has a requirement that we provide at least 12 months' notice of our intent to terminate um prior to um could you give a little bit of color on what agreement we're talking about?

Yes, sir.

Sorry, so state statute requires that we enter into a financial arrangement with PSDs so that when we do annex property, um what kind of financial arrangement to pay?

And in essence, I think back in the day when this was done in the 90s, it was to assist the PSD because they were um smaller than the city, or or actually, yeah, they were smaller than the city.

So uh now we have come up to the next term, which is until September of 2027, um, so then we can provide a notice now to start working on a new arrangement with PSD.

Ms.

Copeland, have we ever sent them notice in the past?

Yes, we have.

Uh, our last notice we sent was in February of 2024, um, seeking to renegotiate the terms of the agreement.

Yes, we have uh our last notice we sent was in February of 2024 um seeking to renegotiate the terms of the agreement response was paid up meaning I I no I I believe they do owe us some money.

I I just don't know how much they still clear.

I mean the response when we sent to uh Germany.

Uh thank you, but no thank you.

Two parties have to agree, right?

Correct.

Okay, I think that's one answer to your question.

We can uh opt as a city.

We've already given notice proper notice of desire to not renew the contract in its current form.

Uh the question is do we continue with renewing it at all or uh or not before us the issue, Mr.

May?

Um the underlying uh conversation is they do owe us money, so it will go amounts of money.

It amounts to zero percent interest loan.

Just can't do that.

We can no longer supplement to Andrew's PSD.

So I think we give the choice uh legal department to come back with a strategy to determinate this agreement.

Um I knew all the uh solutions wouldn't be tonight.

This is gonna be a discussion.

Hopefully, in the next couple of weeks when we come back, we'll have a strategy from um our uh legal department as well as uh dollars and cents that they owe us that we certainly can send a demand the payment that is outside of council take up I I'm hearing we we've given notice longer than 12 months previous new terms.

I'd like to move to go on to executive session motion made, probably second to go into executive session.

Wait till yeah, can we could I'll move to defer that till the end of the meeting?

Uh perfect okay.

Let's let's defer that.

Um we have motion to defer going into executive session till the end of uh meeting.

We have a second, all those in favor, single saying aye.

Opposed, eyes have it.

All right, we are now moving on to balance of the agenda.

We have consent end agenda items.

Uh there are two reports um from rec park recreation and given resources.

Uh no action is needed, but anything um from those committee chairs.

Uh no, Mr.

Mayor, I think we got their report.

Um we don't need another.

Um, all right.

Now we are on to Senate agenda.

I'm sorry, this is committee reports.

Now we're on with councilman Waring for uh public works.

Move for approval.

Motion made probably seconded on that.

I agree with all of that, Mr.

All those in favor signify by saying aye.

Opposed, eyes have it.

Now we're on to council committee for ways and means.

Custom correct community development.

I missed that, excuse me.

I'm sorry.

Councilman Mitchell.

Uh move.

Probably seconded.

All those in favor, second saying aye.

All right.

Opposed, eyes have it.

Then we're on to ways and means move for approval.

Second.

Motion made, properly seconded.

Uh all those in favor, secondary voice saying aye.

All right.

There's one bill up for third reading.

I want to ask the clerk to uh read the title.

If y'all could give me a minute here, did the clerk money?

And this is an ordinance to repeal and replace chapter 21, Article 3, Division 4, sections 21-67 through 21-74, and to amend chapter 22, Article 1, Sections 22-7 and 22-8, the code of the city of Charleston to conform with state law as amended.

Second.

Shall the shall this bill pass the title thereof be changed to an ordinance and be ordered grossed for ratification?

So motion made, probably seconded.

Uh we're going to do a roll call vote on this.

Councilmember Greg.

Councilmember Sheeley.

Councilmember McBride.

Okay.

Councilmember Mitchell.

Councilmember Brainy.

Councilmember Gregory.

Councilmember Warry.

Councilmember Seekings.

Councilmember Tinkler.

Councilmember Bow Councilmember Pell.

Councilmember Parker.

Mayor Cogswell.

Aye.

All right, the motion passes.

I would move that we take one through nineteen together and move their approval as amended.

Sorry.

Yes, and then we also we have one more that we need to amend.

It's item number nineteen.

We need to remove the property twenty twenty-eight ironstone from that ordinance.

So that ordinance will need to be as amended, uh, removing twenty twenty-eight iron stone.

That annexation request a deferral this afternoon.

So we can re proceed with the the rest of the work.

Yes, correct.

Uh Councilman Bell.

For discussion, can we ask why that property has uh has removed itself from consideration for annexation?

Does it have anything I think this Ms.

Connor does have to do with our previous conversation?

Yes, that is 100%.

How about that?

Okay, so we have a motion made as amended to take uh all of these, all one through nineteen together and for approval as amended.

We have a motion.

Did I hear a second?

We have motion made properly seconded.

All those in favor, please signify by saying aye.

Opposed, eyes have it.

So now third reading.

All those in favor signify by saying aye.

We are now at the end, and I need a motion to go into executive session.

We'll be gone for a little bit, folks.

Um Mr.

Mayor, just for the record, because the agenda doesn't indicate it.

Um, can we state also that we're going in for uh the reason Council Member Tiecler provided earlier as well?

Yes.

So we have three items uh that we are uh uh excuse me, two items we were talking about in executive session.

Um legal update for council on a Charleston School of Law.

We have received a legal update regarding the proposed purchase and sale agreement for Charleston County for nine three nine eighty five more through drive.

And we have these as options to discuss.

We're deferring CSOL.

That's moved, that's removed from the never mind.

Uh we have uh one item or two items now in executive session.

One is legal update on nine ninety five, um, and the other is to discuss potential next steps with regards to uh contractual agreements with the St.

Andrews Public Service District.

So motion made probably seconded to go in executive session.

Do we know where we're going?

We're gonna go into a conference room here on the side.

Uh, we'll be in there discussing an executive session when we come back out.

Um, but this probably wraps up the council meeting for most of you all I'll say.

Uh motion made up, probably seconded.

All those in favor going to executive session aye.

Uh grab a motion to come out of executive session.

Motion made probably second come out of session.

Executive session, all those papers are saying I have it.

Uh regarding the purchase sale agreement for nine ninety five or survival motion.