Councilman Ron Brinson May 2, 2018
“SENIOR” CITIZENS AND “PickleBall” – Our city’s new Senior Center at 6255 Dorchester Road is opened and a second one soon will be. If you’re age 50 or older, you’ll want to check out these 11,000 square foot facilities, which feature exercise pools, exercise rooms, and a full array of educational and social activities, including a “PickleBall” court. The Dorchester Road center is on a municipal building campus near the Michoud Parkway intersection. The newest facility at 8708 South Antler Drive in the Northwoods area is in the very final construction stages. Both centers are located adjacent to fire stations. North Charleston residents get preferential membership pricing. Operations are currently Monday through Friday, but the mayor and city council are working on a plan to have Saturday hours, as well. You can get all the information you’ll need at www.northcharleston.org/seniorcenters
OUTSOURCING OF SANITATION – The planning for this switchover – as announced in my last newsletter– is picking up pace. Your current disposal bins will be picked up by city staffers and then promptly replaced by bins used by the contractor, Carolina Waste. We’re hoping for seamless transfers and a problem-free startup –and preparing for some inevitable slip-ups. There’ll be telephone hotlines and information aplenty as we work to implement this plan which should create long term cost savings.
Fiscal 2019 Budget – Council’s Finance Committee last week gave initial approval to Mayor Summey’s proposed $123 million budget. Among the highlights, mandates from the state have increased dramatically over the last two years, even as health insurance premiums for the city’s 1,100 employees have also risen steadily. Growth and increasing property values are nurturing our revenue base. There will be no millage increases related to operations. There will be an increase in the municipal storm water utilities fees for residential properties and this new revenue will be used to finance additional equipment for public works drainage maintenance projects, and for drainage enhancement projects throughout the city. This will take the assessment to about $72 per residential unit annually and in line with other local government entities in Greater Charleston. Council will also consider a small special limited millage assessment proposed to fund major maintenance projects at aging facilities. Council also addressed the city’s ongoing relationships with Dorchester County, especially in the contexts of the county’s role in roadway maintenance, solid waste disposal operations and managing and maintaining storm water run-off arterials.
UPDATES – Final approval of construction bids for the Aquatics Center is expected at next month’s Council meetings. If all goes well, ground-breaking will take place probably in early-June. The Panera Bread project at the Corner at Wescott is moving along through site-planning. The new sidewalk on Wescott Boulevard was damaged by the subcontractors related to the apartment complex now under construction. The city’s building inspector has demanded a prompt repair and better vigilance. The irritating sequencing of the traffic signal at the Daimler Mercedes construction entrance on Palmetto Commerce Parkway is being tweaked – yet again. (Please keep me posted on your observations.)
“Small disadvantaged minority” Businesses Promotion – Two additional informational workshops have been added for this program which is intended to promote participation in our city’s purchases to small businesses generating less than $500,000 in annual revenues. The additional forums will be May 9 and 23 from 6 to 8 pm, at the Felix Davis Community Center at Park Circle. This is a brand new initiative and we hope to generate interest and participation from all parts of our city. Check out this link for additional information and remember the two additional workshops on May 9 and May 23. http://www.northcharleston.org/Business/Do-Business-with-North-Charleston/Small,-Disadvantaged,-Minority-Business-Program.aspx
NORTH CHARLESTON POLICE OUTREACH – This message from Chief Reggie Burgess speaks for itself. The chief has given an appropriate priority to understanding the value relationships between his department and the public it serves. His initiative to do this assessment is strongly supported by the mayor and city council. I hope you will take a moment to read his message and participate in the survey.
May 1, 2018
From Chief Reggie Burgess:
Hello fellow North Charleston Residents,
I thank each of you for your continued support of the hard working men and women of the police department.
Over the last year, the department has worked with the Department of Justice Community Oriented Policing Services, or COPS Office, to provide assistance with training, subject matter experts, and national best practices. The Police Foundation, a contractor for the COPS Office, will deliver this assistance.
We will concentrate on four areas: Community Policing and Violence Reduction; Strategic Planning; Training, Recruiting, Hiring, and Retention; and Data and Technology.
We are excited about the process and the opportunity to improve our existing initiatives and implement other programs that will further strengthen the relationship between community and law enforcement. And we need your help!
I am asking each of you to take part in an online Interaction Survey conducted by the Police Foundation, beginning May 1st. The survey is an important part of our ability to advance policing through community and the police department. All responses will go directly to the Police Foundation. You will not be asked for your name or any other information that would allow you to be personally identified.
The information obtained through the community survey will help us improve policies, procedures, training, and community relations in North Charleston. The results of the survey will be made available to the public.
To take the survey, visit www.northcharleston.org/policesurvey
I thank you in advance for participating.
https://www.facebook.com/NorthCharleston/videos/10151126873179949/
Chief Reggie L. Burgess
