Budget woes - this year is difficult

but 2011 could be worse!

As it is about this time every year, the Finance Committee was treated yesterday with a review of the current year’s budget, and some projections for the future. It was not a pretty picture though we would be surprised if any Council member expected otherwise. Revenues for the current fiscal year (FY2010) are running below original estimates but the projected shortfall of $2.9 million is expected to be made up by more cost reductions and without significant impact on services.

Continue reading "County Council, March 11"

Posted by Warwick Jones at 12:15 PM | Comments (0)

Accommodate small landowners but not at expense of standards

Beach communities seek more funds

The Greenbelt Advisory Board met for the second time since Council affirmed the fundamentals of the County Greenbelt Plan. Yesterday, it began deliberation over issues Council had raised, as well as some others. The last meeting of the GAB was mostly taken up with a presentation by Staff on the “purchase of development rights” (PDR) as a tool in the conservation tool box. The use may be particularly useful for the preservation of farm land and of particular value for small land holders.

Continue reading "Greenbelt Advisory Board, March 9"

Posted by Warwick Jones at 03:11 PM | Comments (0)

Mayor’s relation with Council souring

Will the Mayor or Council set policy?

The agenda for yesterday’s City Council meeting was light, so light that one wondered whether it was worthwhile attending. But it was. The inflection points of change can often only be determined with the passage of time. Yesterday’s meeting may have been one of those points in the history of the Mayor Riley, and in particular his control of Council.

Continue reading "City Council, March 9"

Posted by Warwick Jones at 12:02 PM | Comments (3)

Yes, it is all about balance

Lee Walton

For those who may have been counting, beginning last November 8th, the Palter and Chatter has devoted at least five lead editorials to the east Calhoun Street and Market Area comprehensive land-use plan. This past Sunday’s “It’s all about balance” shared at least two common concerns echoed time and time again: don’t rush the plan and consider all proposed projects in context with each other. A few of these editorials correctly chided City Council for its perplexing decision to put the “cart before the horse” and unanimously approve this massive, far-reaching plan before allowing sufficient study of the complex interrelationships of the multitude of proposed individual projects or to seek community input from those caught in the cross-hairs of this pending development juggernaut. Notwithstanding its newly found editorial courage, the Palter and Chatter stopped short of a dedicated effort to hold City Council accountable for its spineless acquiescence to Riley’s well-honed, relentless intimidation tactics.

Continue reading "Shrimp 'n Grits"

Posted by Warwick Jones at 08:50 AM | Comments (0)

Nibbles & Bits

I’m just a Pothole!

Has anyone else noticed the rapidly deteriorating condition of the more heavily traveled streets and highways throughout Greater Charleston this winter? For the life of me, I can’t remember so many streets with unraveling pavement, loose asphalt chunks as big as cats, potholes the size of wheelbarrows, and asphalt ruts at major intersections. Notwithstanding the recently well publicized “graveling” of the asphalt pavements along I-26 and I-526, many other streets downtown, throughout West Ashley, Mt. Pleasant, and James Island are quickly becoming serious physical hazards. Of particular note are the deplorable pavement conditions on upper East Bay and Morrison Drive, Calhoun Street east of King, Lockwood Boulevard south of Calhoun, and the notorious oil-pan-splitting Bee Street. Other “rough and raveling” roadways throughout the area include several sections of Savannah Highway, Maybank Highway and Harbor View Road. As quickly as we learn to dodge a particularly bad pothole, another forms a few yards away. Weeks usually pass before the occasional shovel of asphalt haphazardly appears as a not-to-permanent patch.

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Posted by Warwick Jones at 09:07 AM | Comments (0)

Council opens its purse

Few seem concerned

One wonders! We are in the midst of a major recession and significant recovery seems a long way off. The County Administrator is signaling a hard year ahead and the strong possibility that a millage increase will be necessary for the General Fund. But at the meeting of the Economic Development Committee there seemed little hesitation in signing off on borrowings of Trident Technical College (TTC), or questions as to where $155 million was coming from to finance road improvements related to the Boeing expansion.

Continue reading "County Council, February 25"

Posted by Warwick Jones at 01:42 PM | Comments (0)

Defining the issues for future consideration

A presentation on the Purchase of Development rights for Agricultural land

The Greenbelt Advisory Board (GAB) has some busy months in front of it. Late last year, Council asked that the GAB to take a look at the Greenbelt Plan and to address some issues that Council members had. The Board met and affirmed unanimously the original fundamentals of the Plan. But it decided that before addressing the specific issues, a reaffirmation of the fundamentals of the Plan should be made by Council. Implied was that without this reaffirmation, it may have been pointless to address the specific issues.

Continue reading "Greenbelt Advisory Board, February 23"

Posted by Warwick Jones at 02:33 PM

Mayor gets his way over role of proposed Green Plan Committee

No statue of Philip Simmons in Cannon Park

Marc Knapp

It was a long meeting. Two items took up most of the time - the Green Plan and a petition for a memorial statue of Philip Simmons. The Mayor was resolute in his defense of the Green Plan but turned cartwheels to avoid offending any the petitioners. Pity, their cause was lost and the length of time spent on discussion was a waste.

Continue reading "City Council, February 23"

Posted by Warwick Jones at 11:42 AM | Comments (0)

Pericles – Puppet Master, Playwright, Director and Itinerate Actor

Lee Walton

While recently flipping through the channels during a break in the Winter Olympics, I stumbled upon the local public broadcast station airing, of all things, Richard Todd’s interview of Charleston’s own Mayor J. Pericles Riley. As is often the case with Riley’s one-on-one interviews, he was in his element, flailing his arms and squeaking in high nasal tones about the countless benefits and world-class wonders of his promised Calhoun/East Bay/Concord Redevelopment Plan. As is also more frequently the case, Todd pitched him one underhanded soft ball after another and joined the ranks of countless other reporters intimidated by near forty-years of Riley’s imperial reign.

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Posted by Warwick Jones at 11:06 PM | Comments (0)

City Council transparency and trust– LOST

Lee Walton

For an unheralded two weeks in a row, a suddenly brave Palter and Chatter editor with reckless abandon, a death wish, or both has dared to tweak the nose of Charleston’s self-styled Banana RepublicMayor, J. Pericles Riley. This latest hard-hitting editorial rightly questions Riley’s near closed-door dictatorial control over the goings on within City Council Chambers. This past Sunday’s editorial, “Put City Council on the air,” again raised the long lingering question why Charleston’s too-long serving mayor continues to stubbornly oppose televising Charleston City Council meetings while other area municipalities have done so for years at little or no public expense. Several key issues raised in Sunday’s editorial are worthy of further in-depth discussion.

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Posted by Warwick Jones at 08:54 AM | Comments (0)

Mead/WestVaco development comes closer to fruition

Greenbelt Plan fundamentals reaffirmed

There was not too much on the agendas but yesterday’s meetings were lengthy. Much of the time was taken up by a presentation by a spokesman for Mead/WestVaco in relation to plans for its large property in the western part of the County. And then there was a presentation by the consultant to the County on the Greenbelt Plan.

Continue reading "County Council, February 11"

Posted by Warwick Jones at 12:07 PM | Comments (0)

Mayor yields on budget process, but not on televising Council meetings

Tenants for J.S. Tennant House at last, questions on bond issue

We have often expressed concern about the budget process of the City - the lack of information and the very limited time that Council members have to consider the budget document before voting on it. But after the prodding of some Council members and particularly from Council member Gregorie, things have changed. In a letter to Council members tabled last night, the Mayor has made a number of recommendations that will open up the budget process and allow more scrutiny. Council embraced the recommendations. The Mayor suggested:

Continue reading "City Council, February 9"

Posted by Warwick Jones at 12:01 PM | Comments (0)

Drive-by Zoning – It ought to be a crime!

The Riley Administration’s haste to rezone the long vacant L. Mendel Rivers Building on Meeting Street and include it within the Accommodations Overlay District is a direct affront to all of the Peninsula neighborhoods that have been promised a voice in the development of a comprehensive plan for the Calhoun/East Bay/Concord Planning Area. This latest rezoning to accommodate conversion of the old Federal Building into another massive hotel on Marion Square exemplifies the arrogance and total disregard for the residences of the neighboring boroughs by Riley and his emasculated planning staff as they press headlong with one massive, uncoordinated project after another. As with other drive-by crimes, these seemingly spontaneous, random, ill-planned and uncoordinated acts invariably result in egregious damage to the quality of life in surrounding residential neighborhoods and often lead to irreversible, unintended consequences that adversely impact residential livability and quietude throughout the Peninsula.

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Posted by Warwick Jones at 08:42 AM | Comments (0)

Riley’s Neighborhood Squeeze Play

Notwithstanding the multimillion dollar valve of the many well preserved, historic homes in the French Quarter, Ansonborough, and Mazcyk-Wraggborough Neighborhoods, the few remaining locals with roots in the Peninsula must surely suffer the pains of compassion and pity as these long suffering neighborhoods now face seemingly insurmountable challenges to their very existence. For nearly four decades, the relentless pressures of increased tourism, commercialization, atrocious public schools, and the insatiable need for increased student housing has driven both locals and transplants alike from the Peninsula by the thousands.

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Posted by Warwick Jones at 11:44 PM | Comments (0)

Problems plague County’s digital radio system

Consultant to be hired to review Motorola’s proposed remedy

All is not well in the implementation of the County’s new Digital Radio system. Staff wants to hire a consultant to review Motorola’s plan to rectify the problems. The County signed a contract with Motorola in 2005 for its entire analog system to be converted to digital. The new P225 system was identical to that being used by the Federal Government and other national entities.

Continue reading "County Council, January 28"

Posted by Warwick Jones at 12:38 PM | Comments (0)

Cal/Cooper Plan approved with no debate

No zoning change to be placed before Council until Task Force can review

There was limited satisfaction for those seeking a deferral on the hearing on the Calhoun Street/ Cooper River Waterfront (Cal/Coop) Plan. In one sense, it was very clear cut loss- the Council voted unanimously for the Plan despite the request for a deferral by the Historic Ansonborough Neighborhood Association, the Preservation Society and others. They argued that the plan should not be implemented until the Task Force, agreed to by the Mayor, was in place and an outline of other plans for the Eastern edge of the peninsula had been defined.

Continue reading "City Council. January 26"

Posted by Warwick Jones at 12:30 PM | Comments (0)

Brown to Obama – It’s the Center Stupid!

Only one week later, it’s still amazing how one single event in the ultra-liberal Bay State could change national political momentum literally over night. With the Lion of the Senate not even cold in the ground, a center-left conservative, running on a more independent than Republican platform, came out of virtually nowhere to trounce the Democratic Party’s chosen candidate and win the most pivotal U.S. Senate race in arguably a century. Within 24 hours, Scott Brown’s stunning upset stopped the U. S. Senate, House of Representatives, and Obama Administration cold in their tracks and instantly reversed a seemingly inevitable slide into national socialism.

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Posted by Warwick Jones at 04:53 PM | Comments (0)

A Rising Tax Jolts Joe’s Votes

For those who may have missed the similarity, there is an old political cliché that claims, “A rising tide floats all boats”. For Charleston’s too long serving mayor, this year, and particularly, the City Administration’s upcoming budget for Fiscal Year 2011, may be the greatest financial and political challenges that J. Pericles Riley has faced in his nearly four-decade tenure as Mayor and chief executive officer of Charleston. Notwithstanding Charleston’s main engines of economic growth and expansion as the now all-to-lame two-trick pony of tourism and sustainable construction in the commercial and residential sectors, Charleston’s primary revenue generating resources of property and sales/consumption based taxes are being pummeled by the continuing recession and lack of meaningful economic rebound so hoped for by the smoke generators and lever pullers in City Hall.

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Posted by Warwick Jones at 08:38 AM | Comments (0)

New Council Members sworn in

City can rebate franchise fee to the needy, but unlikely to do so

It was the first meeting of the year and as for reportable items, it was lean. The newly elected Council members were sworn in, and thereafter followed a host of resolutions and presentations. When it came to Council business, it was nearly all over.

Continue reading "City Council, January 12"

Posted by Warwick Jones at 11:07 AM | Comments (0)

Fundamentals of the County Greenbelt Plan reaffirmed unanimously

Conservation easements a better tool than fee simple purchases for conservation

Warwick Jones

The Greenbelt Advisory Board (GAB) today affirmed the principles of the County Greenbelt Plan. The GAB was asked by County Council late last year to take another look at the plan and make recommendation for changes. This request followed the expression of unease by some Council members that much of the green belt funds was directed to the purchase of conservation easements where no public access was possible. Some Council members thought that fee simple acquisitions would be better and which would allow public access.

Continue reading "Greenbelt Advisory Board"

Posted by Warwick Jones at 08:39 PM | Comments (0)