Goose Creek City Council Regular Meeting - May 13, 2025
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Goose Creek City Council Regular Meeting - May 13, 2025
The Goose Creek City Council held its regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at 6:00 PM in Council Chambers. The meeting included a call to order, invocation, pledge of allegiance, public comments, approval of minutes, four proclamations, an annexation ordinance (second reading), approval of two speed hump installations, and the Mayor's report. The meeting adjourned at 6:35 PM.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Susan Vullo (114 Windsor Mill Road) expressed concern about the inclusion of a Hindu invocation at the April 8, 2025 council meeting, stating she was "alarmed" and emphasizing her Christian faith. She read from Exodus and Jeremiah to support her position. Mayor Habib later acknowledged her comments and explained the city's legal obligation to allow diverse religious invocations under the U.S. Constitution.
Presentations & Proclamations
- Mayor Habib presented four proclamations for May 2025: EMS Week (May 18–24), National Public Works Week (May 18–24), Building Safety Month (May), and National Tennis Month (May). Representatives from each department accepted the proclamations, including Fire Chief Mike Nixon, Public Works Director Chuck Denson, Building Inspector Sam Stratford, and tennis advocates Steve Wilson and Lee Knick.
Old Business
- Annexation Ordinance (Second Reading): The Council approved an ordinance to annex property identified as TMS 223-13-03-038 on St. James Avenue into the city. The motion was made by Councilmember Cox, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Green-Fletcher, and carried unanimously.
Administrator's Report
- Speed Hump Installation – Amy Drive: City Administrator Natalie Zeigler reported that the proposed speed humps met all program criteria at an estimated cost of $29,348. A grant of $17,000 has been requested from Berkeley County Councilmember Davis. If approved, installation could occur in 2025; if not, the project will be first in line for 2026. The Council approved the motion (Enos-Sims/McSwain; all ayes).
- Speed Hump Installation – Bridgetown Road: A similar proposal for Bridgetown Road, also estimated at $29,348, with a $26,000 grant request from Councilmember Stern. If the grant is not approved, the project would be second in line and may not be funded until 2027. The Council approved the motion (McSwain/Green-Fletcher; all ayes).
Mayor's Report
- Mayor Habib addressed Ms. Vullo's earlier concerns, explaining that the city must allow diverse religious invocations per the First Amendment. He cited examples of interfaith cooperation and emphasized that the city cannot dictate who prays or what religion is represented.
- He announced several upcoming events and initiatives:
- Goose Creek City Amateur Golf Tournament (July 18–20, Crowfield Golf Club)
- Bobby D Junior Classic (third annual, seeking sponsors)
- Police Department's 7th Annual Hot Pursuit 5K (June 14)
- Hurricane Preparedness Month; Berkeley County Hurricane Guide available online
- Police Department resident survey for CALEA accreditation
- Adopt a Goose Program (over 35 statues installed, over 50 adopted)
- Local Spring Concert featuring High Tide (May 16, MOMO Crowfield)
- Fire Department Open House (May 17, 11 AM–2 PM)
- Alice's Brunch & Tea Party (May 17, 9–11 AM)
- Spring Movie Series: "Dog Man" (May 17, Danning Amphitheater)
- City of Goose Creek Night at Charleston Battery soccer game (May 17, 7:30 PM)
- American Red Cross Blood Drive (May 23)
- Creekapalooza concert: Taylor Swift tribute (June 21)
- He also recognized City Clerk Kelly Lovette for National City Clerks Month and wished Councilmember Tekac a happy 60th birthday.
Key Outcomes
- Minutes of April 8, 2025 council meeting approved (motion by Enos-Sims, second by Tekac; all ayes).
- Annexation ordinance (second reading) approved (all ayes).
- Speed hump installation on Amy Drive approved (all ayes).
- Speed hump installation on Bridgetown Road approved (all ayes).
- Meeting adjourned at 6:35 PM (motion by Harmon; all ayes).
Meeting Transcript
Okay. Yeah. Brian, would you mind grabbing that form? I think the lady left filled out a form, and if you wouldn't mind bringing that to Kelly, I'd appreciate it. Thank you, bud. Sure. Makes me so happy. See, she said it's excessive. You said it was better. Thank you, Cal. Good evening, everyone. Welcome. City Council. Thank you. Welcome to City Council. I was looking down upon today. Today is uh May 13th. Uh this is our regularly scheduled council meeting. Um I appreciate everyone being here. And at this time, our newest uh Goose Creek Police Department chaplain, uh Steve Kaiser, who is also uh pastor at Nexus Point uh Church down on Red Bank Road is gonna lead us in prayer, and then we will follow that with the Pledge of Allegiance. Almighty and triune God, we thank you and praise you for all your mighty works. You are loving, good, and gracious. Thank you for creating and sustaining us day by day. We are grateful that you made us in your image to exist in a community with one another. We express our gratitude for our city, Goose Creek. Thank you for our elected officials, businesses, churches, families, and individuals who contribute to make our city a wonderful place to live. We are thankful for civil government, those who bear authority do so as your ministers, serving to deter crime. I pray that our civil servants recognize their calling and perform it faithfully. Be with our judges, our attorneys, and law enforcement. Grant them the strength to uphold truth and justice and protect them from harm as they serve our community. I pray for this council meeting tonight. Please bestow wisdom and guidance upon the council members as they discuss the items before them. May every decision be righteous in your sight for our benefit and for your glory, in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Under God. Yes, ma'am. Good evening, everybody. Thank you for the opportunity to come up here and speak. So I just want to um ask for a point of clarification first before I start. I saw a notice in the post and career that said uh the city council meeting for April 8th was opened up with a Hindu invocation. Is that correct? Um if you saw it in the news, let's let's assume that it was. This is not a back and forth. We just you you tell us what you want to say. Okay, so I read that in the paper, and that was rather alarming to me. I was very grateful to hear the pastor speak tonight. And I will tell you this is very uncomfortable for me to be standing here right now. And Exodus 23 says, You shall have no other gods before me. So it's very alarming to me if we call on a Hindu god one week, and then we are calling on the Christian God another week. And then in Jeremiah.
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