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Record of Proceedings

Goose Creek City Council Regular Meeting - March 11, 2025

City Council & Commissions — Tuesday, March 11, 2025
BodyGoose Creek, South Carolina
SessionCity Council & Commissions
DateTuesday, March 11, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
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Transcript — Verbatim
0:03

Thank you.

0:09

Good evening, everyone.

0:11

Thank you very much for being here.

0:13

I appreciate it.

0:14

We have a pretty good crowd today.

0:15

So thank you very much for coming and participating and being here.

0:19

Today is Tuesday, March 11th.

0:21

This is our regularly scheduled council meeting.

0:24

At this time, Pastor Nicole Franklin is the pastor of the Oaks Church and the Director of Helping Hands of Goose Creek is going to lead us in prayer, and we will follow that with the Pledge of Allegiance.

0:42

Let us pray.

0:44

Lord, we thank you for our growing city of Goose Creek.

0:47

I thank you for the diversity found in our limits and the many hands that work to keep our city safe for the hands that help find solutions for community problems and the hands that serve so many in so many different capacities.

1:02

Lord, we ask your presence tonight at this council meeting.

1:05

May there be a spirit of cooperation for one another and charity for our neighbors who also call Goose Creek home.

1:12

And as we grow, Lord, I pray for your discernment as this council makes decisions that together the creek will continue to rise.

1:19

It's in your name I pray, Jesus.

1:21

Amen.

1:23

I pledge allegiance to the divide and for the United States of America.

1:28

Thank you.

1:29

For which it stands.

1:31

One nation under our individual and justice for all.

1:38

My counselor should be using it there.

1:41

Pastor, thank you so much for sharing that with us tonight.

1:44

And ladies and gentlemen, if you're so inclined, uh please take a minute and look into helping hands at Goose Creek and see how you can help them.

1:53

They are a longstanding great organization here in our city, and we really appreciate their service.

1:59

Thank you, ma'am.

2:04

I don't have anybody that's signed up for public comment, so we will keep moving.

2:09

Council, in your packet, you have uh the minutes from our special city council meeting of February 11th, 2025, our city council meeting of February 11th, 2025, and our city council workshop of February 25th.

2:22

Uh, we take a motion to approve those minutes at this time.

2:24

Mr.

2:25

Mayor, I move to approve.

2:26

I have one motion to approve.

2:28

Is there a second?

2:29

I'll say it.

2:30

I have a second uh from Councilwoman McSwain.

2:32

Are there any corrections or comments on those minutes?

2:35

Hearing none, I'll call for a vote.

2:37

All those in favor signify by saying aye.

2:39

Aye.

2:39

Any opposed, nay.

2:41

And those minutes are approved.

2:45

Kelly, I know you can.

2:46

Is Sandra here?

2:47

Sandra, hey, how are you?

2:49

Hi.

2:49

Yes.

2:50

I said, wait a minute, I just introduced myself to her.

2:52

I know I saw her.

2:58

So the March comes up here.

3:02

Okay.

3:03

Um is uh National Women's in Construction.

3:08

Uh this is National Women's Construction Week, actually, last week was.

3:12

Um, we do this every year, and some of you who know my history uh in my former life as an educator know how much non-traditional career fields mean to me uh as a as a counselor uh who helped women go through the aeronautical uh the the airframe and power plant program uh at Trident Tech and into the um air conditioning and refrigeration program and all those things, it always it's an honor for me to to bring light uh to women in non-traditional career fields.

3:43

Uh there are a lot of opportunities out there, and construction is certainly one of them.

3:48

Uh that we certainly want to see everyone be able to take advantage of opportunities that are out there.

3:53

So, if you would, uh, whereas the Palmetto Chapter of South Carolina, number 385, has distinguished itself for seven years as the voice of women in construction in Goose Creek.

4:03

And whereas the work done by the Pimentel Chapter of South Carolina, uh, number 385 has benefited Goose Creek through community development and educational programs.

4:11

Whereas the Pimato Chapter has increasingly promoted the employment and advancement of women in the construction industry.

4:18

Whereas the construction community, represented by Palmetto Chapter of South Carolina, has been a driving force in fostering community development through renovation and beautification projects, promoting the of skilled trades, careers, and a positive vision for the future.

4:33

Whereas the Palmetto Chapter of South Carolina, number 385, has sought to achieve successful results for Goose Creek and surrounding areas in a cooperative spirit with other organizations.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Public Engagement██████████████████████22%
Public Safety█████████████████17%
Arts And Culture████████████12%
Procedural████████8%
Zoning And Land Use██████6%
Parks and Recreation██████6%
Affordable Housing█████5%
Public Works█████5%
Personnel Matters█████5%
Summary of Proceedings

Goose Creek City Council Regular Meeting - March 11, 2025

The Goose Creek City Council convened on Tuesday, March 11, 2025 at 6:00 PM in Council Chambers. The meeting featured proclamations, a police department award, approval of zoning ordinance amendments, a property sale agreement, a road maintenance intergovernmental agreement, and multiple administrative approvals including funding for Fire Station IV and hiring a new Human Resources Director. All votes were unanimous where noted.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • No public comments were received.

Presentations & Proclamations

  • Women in Construction Week: Mayor Habib proclaimed March 2-8, 2025 as Women in Construction Week, presented to Sandra Marlowe, President Elect of the National Association of Women in Construction Palmetto Chapter #385.
  • Mayor's Choice Award: Artist Lori Moen was recognized for her painting “You Looking at Me?” by the Goose Creek Artist Guild.
  • 2025 Stamp and Poetry Design: Students Ada Moake (Hanahan Elementary), Brooklyn Lathrop and Kayla Shay Bowen (Carolyn Lewis School) were honored for their artwork.
  • FBI LEEDA Trilogy Award: Chief Operating Officer Michael Robinson of FBI-LEEDA presented Chief LJ Roscoe with the Agency FBI LEEDA Trilogy Award. The Goose Creek Police Department became the third agency in South Carolina and the 184th nationally to earn this award, signifying that the chief and command staff completed the trilogy of supervisory, command, and executive leadership courses.

Old Business

  • Zoning Code Amendments (Second Reading): Ordinance amending Title 15, Chapter 151 (Zoning) was approved unanimously. Mayor Habib explained the updates were refinements following the city’s comprehensive zoning rewrite.
  • Property Sale Adjacent to Municipal Complex (Second Reading): Ordinance approving a purchase agreement, repurchase agreement, and reciprocal access easement for city-owned property adjacent to City Hall was approved 6-0-1 (Councilmember Tekac recused). Councilmember McSwain reiterated that the developer must meet the city’s design standards; Administrator Zeigler confirmed the developer will return for PUD approval.

New Business & Public Hearings

  • Intergovernmental Agreement with Berkeley County (Final Reading): Resolution amending the agreement for road maintenance acceptance was approved unanimously after a public hearing with no comments. The resolution outlines county requirements for road acceptance and use of the 1% sales tax funds.

Administrator’s Report

  • Employee Down Payment Assistance Program: Approved. Cap raised from $10,000 to $15,000 and eligibility tied to Area Median Income, adjusted annually. Three employees had previously used the program.
  • Contract Update with Cameron Baker Engineering: Approved $46,000 for engineering of overflow parking behind the recreation center and side of the Activity Center.
  • Engineering Services for Crowfield Golf Course Improvements: Approved $26,840 with Cypress Engineering to add a new restroom facility near the clubhouse, including construction oversight. The amount is less if the project does not proceed.
  • Fire Station IV Construction Contract: Approved $7,534,846 contract with J. Davis Construction for Fire Station IV; construction is expected to take 370 days. Mayor Habib noted seven years of planning and support from other governmental agencies.
  • Municipal Advisor Services for Carnes MID: Approved expanding the scope with Water Street Public Finance to support bond issuance anticipated in July/August.
  • Kubota Excavator Purchase for Golf Department: Approved $49,595 from Steen Enterprises; the $9,505 overage will be absorbed by the Golf Equipment budget (budgeted line item).
  • Hire Jennifer Leland as Human Resources Director: Approved 6-0-1 (Councilmember Enos-Sims recused). Leland was present. Mayor Habib noted the use of recruiting experts and a strong pool of finalists.

Mayor’s Report

  • Creek Conversations: Three town hall meetings will be held in lieu of a traditional State of the City address: March 20 (Crowfield Plantation Walk Clubhouse), March 27 (Northwood Church), and April 3 (Calvary Church of the Nazarene).
  • Assembly at Goose Creek: Groundbreaking will occur soon for a new multipurpose building behind City Hall on the lake, to be used for weddings, banquets, city events, and council meetings. The current council chambers will be converted to offices. Parking will be limited during construction.
  • Mayor’s Leadership Council: Applications are open for sophomores and juniors at Northwood Academy, Stratford, Goose Creek, and Cane Bay High Schools for a service project.
  • Central Creek Farmers Market: 2025 debut was a success; next markets are March 19 and April 2 at Central Creek Park.
  • Laws & Paws Walk for a Cause: March 30 at City Hall to raise funds for Police Department community programs.
  • Upcoming Events: Pi Day Skate Night (March 14), Fire Department St. Patrick’s Day Party (March 17, benefits burn fund), Spark in the Park Autism Research Fair (March 22), Red Cross Blood Drive (March 28), Shadow Cast Movie Night: “The Princess Bride” (March 29), One Night Prom for individuals 16+ with disabilities (April 3), Annual Egg Hunt (April 5), 50+ Olympics (April 12), Youth Pickleball Clinics (March 31).
  • Communications Award: Marketing Manager Adam Kelly and the recreation team won the third straight statewide Communications Award from the Municipal Association of South Carolina for promotion of the Daning Amphitheater opening.
  • Gymnastics Achievements: Level 3 and 5 boys won first place at the state meet; Logan Parker was Level 7 All Around State Champion. Coaches Brittany LaRoche and Keenan Shine were thanked.

Key Outcomes

  • All motions carried with no opposition; recusals noted above.
  • Fire Station IV construction contract approved at $7,534,846; groundbreaking expected after tree removal.
  • Jennifer Leland hired as Human Resources Director, starting the following Monday.
  • The meeting adjourned at 6:44 PM.

Meeting Transcript

Thank you. Good evening, everyone. Thank you very much for being here. I appreciate it. We have a pretty good crowd today. So thank you very much for coming and participating and being here. Today is Tuesday, March 11th. This is our regularly scheduled council meeting. At this time, Pastor Nicole Franklin is the pastor of the Oaks Church and the Director of Helping Hands of Goose Creek is going to lead us in prayer, and we will follow that with the Pledge of Allegiance. Let us pray. Lord, we thank you for our growing city of Goose Creek. I thank you for the diversity found in our limits and the many hands that work to keep our city safe for the hands that help find solutions for community problems and the hands that serve so many in so many different capacities. Lord, we ask your presence tonight at this council meeting. May there be a spirit of cooperation for one another and charity for our neighbors who also call Goose Creek home. And as we grow, Lord, I pray for your discernment as this council makes decisions that together the creek will continue to rise. It's in your name I pray, Jesus. Amen. I pledge allegiance to the divide and for the United States of America. Thank you. For which it stands. One nation under our individual and justice for all. My counselor should be using it there. Pastor, thank you so much for sharing that with us tonight. And ladies and gentlemen, if you're so inclined, uh please take a minute and look into helping hands at Goose Creek and see how you can help them. They are a longstanding great organization here in our city, and we really appreciate their service. Thank you, ma'am. I don't have anybody that's signed up for public comment, so we will keep moving. Council, in your packet, you have uh the minutes from our special city council meeting of February 11th, 2025, our city council meeting of February 11th, 2025, and our city council workshop of February 25th. Uh, we take a motion to approve those minutes at this time. Mr. Mayor, I move to approve. I have one motion to approve. Is there a second? I'll say it. I have a second uh from Councilwoman McSwain. Are there any corrections or comments on those minutes? Hearing none, I'll call for a vote. All those in favor signify by saying aye. Aye. Any opposed, nay. And those minutes are approved. Kelly, I know you can. Is Sandra here? Sandra, hey, how are you? Hi. Yes. I said, wait a minute, I just introduced myself to her. I know I saw her. So the March comes up here. Okay.

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