15 Years as Mayor

On Mayor Summey's 15th anniversary as Mayor of North Charleston, he sat down with Schuyler Kropf of the Post and Courier for a question and answer session.

"Last week, North Charleston Mayor Keith Summey hit the 15-year mark of running South Carolina's third-largest city. During that time, he's seen the city recover from the closing of the Navy base, a population ebb and expansion and the opening of a new $37 million City Hall. He's also adopted a more healthy lifestyle, shedding more than 100 pounds.

On Wednesday, October 7, 2009, Summey sat down for a question-and-answer session with The Post and Courier, where he said he definitely will seek another term as mayor in 2011. And, though he's never been a supporter of embattled Gov. Mark Sanford politically, he doesn't think the governor should resign or be removed anytime soon."

Kropf, Schuyler. "Mayor reflects on city." Post and Courier. Evening Post Publishing Company, 11 Oct. 2009. Web. 11 Oct. 2009. http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2009/oct/11/mayor-reflects-on-city1/

Watch the interview segmented into 12 parts.

Part 1 - It’s been 15 years, how has the City changed for the better and for the worse during that time?

Part 2 – North Charleston has always seemed to have had an inferiority complex when compared to the City of Charleston and Mount Pleasant. How have you worked to overcome that?

Part 3 – The most recent crop of police recruits was the most diverse you have ever seen. What does that say about the changing face of North Charleston?


Part 4 – There is no escaping that the State House will pick up the fight in 2010 of the rail lines that run through the Noisette redevelopment area. How are you preparing for that?

Part 5 – The Noisette investment project has had some financial and legal issues recently. What happens if that effort fails?

Part 6 – North Charleston seems to be annexing a lot of property. How much has the City’s boundary grown lately and why? Is it manageable, especially in regards to city-wide police protection?

Part 7 – You are 62 and the Mayor’s seat is not up again until 2011. Are you going to run for another term?

Part 8 – You once tipped the scales at 360 pounds. What are you down to now and how is the weight loss coming along.

Part 9 – Should Mark Sanford resign? He is the top economics officer in the state and North Charleston’s future is tied to that.


Part 10 – What is the one thing that most people would be surprised to hear about Keith Summey?


Part 11 – Your son Elliott is paving his own political path on County Council where you once served. Are you following his career and what political advice are you giving?


Part 12 – Where do you see North Charleston in 5 years?