Monday, November 23, 2009

North Charleston Fire Department mission, vision, values, and awards

The North Charleston Fire Department hosted an Awards Ceremony on Saturday, November 7, 2009 at Felix Davis Community Center. The Second Annual Awards Ceremony recognized the men and women of the North Charleston Fire Department for their dedication and service to the citizens of the City of North Charleston.

Also at the ceremony, North Charleston Fire Chief Gregory Bulanow unveiled the Fire Department’s new Mission, Vision, and Value Statements. Each statement was developed through committee work and questionnaires, thus giving the members of the department an opportunity to input ideas.


Chief Bulanow said, “Mission, vision and value statements are tools for communicating who we are, what we do and where we are going to all of our stakeholders in order to gain and maintain support within a strategic framework.”




North Charleston Fire Department Mission, Vision and Value Statements

Mission

To protect the quality of life in the City of North Charleston from all predictable hazards through prevention and emergency response.


Vision

To be a fire service leader as a diverse and cohesive team of professionals dedicated to providing service excellence in both proactive risk reduction and courageous, compassionate response to those in need.


We value:

Professionalism
- We strive to uphold a professional image by the way we look, act and perform our jobs. We strive to further elevate the fire service as a profession through educational achievement, professional development and by contributing to the body of knowledge of the fire service.

Teamwork
- We recognize that we must work together to achieve our mission by uniting individual specialties and the unique strengths of each of us to achieve our common goals.

Courage
- In order to achieve worthy objectives, we willingly take calculated risks in the face of danger, difficulty, uncertainty or pain without being overcome by fear or being deflected from the course of action that our duties require.

Honor
- We seek to act in accordance with the noble traditions of our profession. We honor those that have sacrificed their lives in the line of duty by constantly working to improve safety and service excellence. Dedication- We are committed to our mission, our department, each other and those we serve.

Respect
- We strive to treat each other and those we serve with integrity, fairness, honesty and equality regardless of rank or status; always treating others the way we ourselves wish to be treated.

Compassion
- We strive to achieve our mission because of our sympathy for those in distress and our desire to relieve their suffering.


Excellence
- We strive to achieve and maintain the highest level of service through innovation, professional development and the continuous effort to improve.

2009 NCFD Award Recipients

Firefighter of the Year:
Captain Donald Bowen
Selected from the year’s employees of the month, for his committee work involving off-duty time and his work with the recruit physical fitness program
.

Rookie of the Year:
Firefighter Paxton Parrish
Selected due to the abundance of personal time devoted to furthering his knowledge in all areas of the fire service through training and education.


Medal of Valor:
Captain Gerald Kennedy and Firefighter Christopher Ward
Selected for the successful rescue of a civilian from a third floor apartment at a fire in January, 2009.


Administrative Staff Award:
Assistant Chief John Nicholson
Selected for the many hours of personal time devoted to department functions and for other administrative accomplishments.


Distinguished Service Medal/Award:

Engineer Tim Howard - Selected for the successful rescue of a 21 month old child from a swimming pool while off-duty and performing life-saving rescue breaths to revive the child.


Engineer Eric Muench - Selected for successfully performing CPR on an adult choking victim while off-duty.


Battalion Chief John Whetsell - Selected for the successful rescue of a civilian entrapped in a burning car while off-duty.


Community Service Award:
Captain Robbie Odom and Engineer Alkhabir Smith
Selected for their countless hours of personal time devoted to leading the Explorer program, a youth program for high school age youth interested in pursuing a career in the fire service.

Friday, November 20, 2009

Boeing breaks ground on North Charleston assembly plant

Boeing
Boeing Breaks Ground on Second 787 Assembly Line in North Charleston, SC

Charleston Regional Business Journal

Boeing’s work begins: ‘Gentlemen, start your engines’
By Chelsea Hadaway and Molly Parker


The Post and Courier

Boeing breaks ground for historic North Charleston plant
By Katy Stech


The Wall Street Journal

Boeing Breaks Ground on South Carolina Dreamliner Plant
By Peter Sanders


Channel 2 WCBD

Leaders gather in North Charleston for Boeing groundbreaking


Channel 4 WCIV
Boeing Breaks Ground for Historic Plant


Channel 5 WCSC

Boeing breaks ground on new era in SC industry

Seattle Times
Boeing breaks ground for historic SC plant


NPR - National Public Radio
All Things Considered

Seattle - King 5
Charleston people excited about Boeing jobs

North Charleston Christmas Events

To celebrate the upcoming holiday season, the City of North Charleston will host the following public Christmas events.

Holiday Concert
The USAF Heritage of America Concert Band

The United States Air Force Heritage of America Concert Band will perform at the North Charleston Performing Arts Center on Wednesday, December 9 at 7:00 pm. Admission is free, but advance tickets are required. The performance, titled “Celebrating the Holidays Around the World,” is free, but advance tickets are required.


The 90 minute concert will feature the full 50-piece orchestra, as well as several smaller ensembles that will break away to thrill audiences with their renditions of holiday classics. These specialty ensembles include the USAF Heritage Aire Celtic Ensemble, performing traditional holiday tunes with an Irish flare; Satellite, a 9 piece jazz fusion group presenting spicy winter selections; and the Dixie Players, cooking up some yuletide favorites, New Orleans style. The Langley Winds will set the tone as they musically greet guests in the Performing Arts Center lobby.


Tickets may be obtained by sending a self-addressed, stamped envelope by December 1, 2009 to: Tickets, City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department, PO Box 190016, North Charleston, SC, 29419-9016. Tickets are also available for pick up from the Cultural Arts Department offices on the 2nd floor of North Charleston City Hall, located at 2500 City Hall Lane, Monday through Friday from 8:30AM to 5:00PM. Please limit 6 tickets per request. Seating is available on a first come, first served basis. Any unclaimed seats will be available to non-ticket holders 15 minutes prior to concert time.


For more information, contact the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department at (843)740-5854 or email culturalarts@northcharleston.org.


Winter Wonderland

Thursday, December 3 and Friday, December 4 from 10:00 am to 12:00 noon at Armory Park (5000 Lackawanna Boulevard). This free pre-school event provides young children an opportunity to participate in hands-on activities, including holiday arts & crafts, live performances, and music. Pre-registration is required.


Breakfast with Santa
Saturday, December 5 from 8:00 am to 10:00 am at Felix C. Davis Community Center (4800 Park Circle). Breakfast with Santa commences the Christmas Festival and gives area children the opportunity to visit with Mr. and Mrs. Claus. A hearty meal is provided. Tickets can be purchased Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm at the Felix C. Davis Community Center for $4.00 per person.


Holiday Film Festival
Saturday, December 5, 2:15 pm and 3:00 pm. The Olde North Charleston Picture House will be participating again this year in the City’s Holiday Festival. Two films will be shown: Bill & Opus (a 24 minute cartoon); Joyeux Noel (the feature award-winning film). The cartoon begins at 2:15 pm. There will be a 15-minute intermission with the feature film, rated PG-12, beginning at 3:00 pm. Admission is free. Seating is limited to 75 persons.

Christmas Festival and Parade

Saturday, December 5 from 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm around Park Circle with the Christmas Parade beginning at 6:00 pm. The Christmas Festival includes a Holiday Market with craft vendors and local farmers, food vendors, and live musical performances on three stages. The Christmas Parade begins at the corner of Montague and Mixson Avenues, proceeds down Montague, around Park Circle, and concludes at Armory Park. Immediately following the Christmas Parade, Mayor R. Keith Summey will light the City’s Christmas tree located outside the front entrance of the Felix C. Davis Community Center.
Schedule of events, including performances and entertainment

Christmas lights and displays will shine at Park Circle and on the eight exterior islands nightly from December 5 until New Years Day.

For pre-registration, ticket purchases, and general inquiries, contact the North Charleston Parks & Recreation Department at (843) 745-1028.



View North Charleston Christmas Events in a larger map

Thursday, November 19, 2009

City Council expresses opposition to the Point of Sale Bill

On Thursday, November 12, 2009, the North Charleston City Council passed a resolution urging the South Carolina General Assembly to oppose H3272, the Point of Sale Bill.

The resolution reads as follows:

A RESOLUTION

A RESOLUTION URGING THE SOUTH CAROLINA GENERAL
ASSEMBLY TO OPPOSE H3272, THE POINT OF SALE BILL

WHEREAS, H3272, the point of sale bill, is not the fix for Act 388, and

WHEREAS, H3272 only presents another piecemeal approach to change the already fragmented state tax structure; and

WHEREAS, H3272 is a shortsighted attempt to fix a global economic problem of no credit and a slow housing market due to job loss and retirement worries; and

WHEREAS, H3272 never allows all property to true up to its full market value causing unfair inequities among homeowners living in different neighborhoods; and

WHEREAS, H3272 causes public schools already suffering from revenue losses to incur additional revenue losses; and

WHEREAS, when senators return to Columbia in January for the legislative session they should vote “no” on this bill and let the Taxation Realignment Commission complete its study of the state tax code; and

NOW, THEREFORE, the City of North Charleston affirms its opposition to H3272, the point of sale bill, believes that the Taxation Realignment Commission should be allowed to complete its study of the state’s tax structure before any additional piecemeal tax changes are passed by the South Carolina General Assembly.

THE ABOVE RESOLUTION SHALL BECOME EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY UPON ITS RATIFICATION BY CITY COUNCIL.

The Background
“In 2006, the legislature passed tax reform legislation, Act 388, which made several changes to the way municipal governments…”

2009 Session
“Legislators introduced several bills in the 2009 session to eliminate Act 388’s point of sale provision. These bills…”

Local Consequences
“The artificial value of the property for tax purposes was intended to make sure an owner…”

Senate Testimony
Miriam Hair's (Municipal Association of South Carolina) remarks to the Senate Finance Special subcommittee

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Community Input Sought on LAMC Revitalization Plan

The Lowcountry Alliance for Model Communities (LAMC) is holding a public meeting and open house on Saturday, November 7, 2009 from 10:00 am to 12:00 noon, at the Military Magnet School, located at 2950 Carner Avenue in the Chicora/Cherokee neighborhood, to gather input on its Revitalization Plan. The revitalization study is funded from the South Carolina State Ports Authority Community Mitigation Plan.

Attendees will receive information regarding the Plan and have an opportunity to make written or verbal comments. EDAW/AECOM will provide a brief, formal presentation of the Plan development process and proposed implementation strategies. Displays highlighting the Plan will be set up in the school auditorium with project team members from EDAW/AECOM, LAMC, and the City of North Charleston to answer questions.


Over the past eight months, LAMC and the City have worked to create a unified community vision and implementation strategy for long-term growth and equitable development in seven neighborhoods in North Charleston’s Neck area, including Liberty Hill, Accabee, Union Heights, Howard Heights, Windsor, Five Mile, and Chicora/Cherokee. “Neighborhoods deserve to participate as partners with policymakers, service providers, regulatory agencies, industry, and developers to improve the community,” said Coakley Hilton, LAMC President. “The LAMC Revitalization Plan gave us an opportunity to do that. How we act on that opportunity is up to us.”


The Revitalization Plan identifies a number of strategies and goals for economic development, housing, community facilities, and land use. Issues of concern include affordable housing, improving neighborhood appearance, increasing parks and greenspace, preserving existing neighborhoods, redeveloping vacant and dilapidated properties, and identifying traffic and transportation improvements.


The community was involved early in the planning process to help formulate the vision for the LAMC neighborhoods. More than 25 organizations and business leaders were interviewed to gain various perspectives about the future of the LAMC neighborhoods, followed by a series of public community visioning workshops that involved hands-on exercises and discussions.


LAMC is a non-profit organization founded for the purpose of advocating environmental justice and promoting community development, education, quality housing, and community involvement. The LAMC Revitalization Plan is a component of the Community Mitigation Plan between LAMC, the South Carolina State Ports Authority, and the City of North Charleston to mitigate potential impacts of the new port terminal development at the former Navy Base in North Charleston. LAMC now serves as the primary community liaison between elected officials, public agencies, planners, private developers, and the neighborhoods it represents.

More information on LAMC can be found on its official website http://lamcnc.org/.