The Home Depot Foundation names North Charleston Winner of the Award of Excellence for Sustainable Community Development

The Home Depot® Foundation of Atlanta, GA announced that the City of North Charleston and its non-profit partner, The Sustainability Institute of South Carolina, have been named as winners of its 2009 Award of Excellence for Sustainable Community Development. North Charleston joins Minneapolis, MN, as one of only two winners nationally for this prestigious, first-ever honor. At the presentation, The Sustainability Institute of South Carolina was presented with a check for $75,000, as part of a grant to foster public education for sustainability in the Lowcountry.

“Clearly, North Charleston is moving to the forefront of sustainable communities in the US,” says Mayor R. Keith Summey. “Recent economic development announcements and national honors point to the city as planting the seeds for a 21st Century economy. Without question, The Home Depot Foundation award is a reliable indication that North Charleston is improving the quality of life for its citizens.”

The Award of Excellence comes on the heels of two major economic development announcements in North Charleston this fall, with the decision by Boeing Aircraft to build a massive assembly plant for its new Dreamliner passenger planes, and the US Department of Energy’s decision to award the Clemson University Restoration Institute with its federal wind turbine research center. Both announcements will have a profound impact on the local and state economy, and are projected to generate thousands of high-paying jobs.

This award follows a number of recent media honors, including Green Builder Magazine recognizing the City’s Oak Terrace Preserve green residential neighborhood, and a listing as one of the nation’s ‘coolest neighborhoods’ by Men’s Journal. Closer to home, the Reader’s Pick in the Charleston City Paper for “2009 Best New Development” was for the City’s Oak Terrace Preserve green residential project.



The Foundation’s award to the City of North Charleston was part of a stringent selection process, drawn from projects submitted by cities throughout the US. According to a statement released by the Foundation, the award recipients were selected based on a number of criteria, including comprehensive sustainability, environmental sustainability, and green infrastructure, as well as how well they met the needs of the local community while maintaining affordability for its residents.

“The City of North Charleston and the Sustainability Institute of South Carolina deserve enormous credit for the work they are doing to promote sustainability, and we are glad to support their efforts,” said Kathy Caffarelli, president of The Home Depot Foundation. “We are delighted to support the City and Institute in their long term commitments to sustainable community development where families can thrive.”

A team of national experts served on the advisory committee, including representatives from 360GREEN, Inc., Global Green USA, Southface Energy Institute, US Green Building Council, and the National League of Cities, among others.

According to the Foundation’s statement, the award was based on the City’s dedication to building a sustainable community in the aftermath of the closure of the Charleston Naval Base. The City-owned Oak Terrace Preserve green neighborhood is “a role model for successful completion of a sustainable community. Today, it exemplifies best practices in housing, natural resources and land use, and development.”

This past August, the Foundation flew in staff members and a team of sustainability experts to carefully review the City’s progress in implementing its Comprehensive Plan, and the recommendations of the North Charleston Noisette Community Master Plan. An Atlanta-based video and photography crew conducted interviews, which were compressed into a four-minute documentary short feature by Ranchomo Media, Inc.

Along with the Foundation’s full case studies for North Charleston, the video will be posted online at http://www.homedepotfoundation.org, as well as the City’s YouTube.com channel, http://www.youtube.com/northcharlestonsc. A copy of the national news release is also posted online by the Foundation.

The Award of Excellence was first announced at a December 9 luncheon for the NeighborWorks® Symposium in Washington, DC. Bryan Cordell, executive director of the Sustainability Institute, attended the luncheon ceremony, along with Mayor Summey, in the nation’s capital. Fred Wacker, Catherine Woodling and Andrea Pinabell of the Foundation attended the news conference at City Hall.

In early November, The Home Depot Foundation and Sustainability Institute collaborated with the City, Noisette Foundation, and KaBOOM!, to build a playground in North Charleston, with green, innovative equipment.

“At this point, there are a lot of people that deserve credit for playing a pivotal role in the greening of North Charleston,” concludes Summey. “The Award of Excellence is a community honor, which is a result of efforts by City Council and staff, the project team for Oak Terrace Preserve, and Sustainability Institute, in their ongoing efforts at growing a sustainable culture in the City.”

Find more information online for the City of North Charleston, the Sustainability Institute, and Oak Terrace Preserve .

About The Home Depot Foundation

The Home Depot Foundation is a 501 (c) (3) organization that was established in 2002 to further the community building goals of The Home Depot by providing additional resources to assist non-profit organizations.

The Foundation is dedicated to building affordable homes for working families that are healthy to live in and affordable to own. To make homes healthy and affordable, the Foundation encourages developers to incorporate responsible design and use durable and quality materials to ensure that homes are more energy and water efficient, have good indoor air quality, and provide a safe and healthy space to live. Since its formation, The Home Depot Foundation has granted $120 million to nonprofit organizations and supported the development of more than 65,000 affordable, healthy homes.

While focused on building affordable homes, The Home Depot Foundation is also committed to improving the overall health of our communities. Taking a long-term, comprehensive approach to building healthy, stable communities where families can thrive, the Foundation invests in the planning and restoration of trees along streets, in parks and in schoolyards, the building and refurbishment of community play spaces; and the revitalization of school facilities.

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.

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

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

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/.

Boeing to Place Second 787 Assembly Line in North Charleston

Below is a compilation of news stories, videos and pictures from various sources regarding the announcement by Boeing to place a second 787 Assembly Line in North Charleston.







Boeing
Boeing to Place Second 787 Assembly Line in North Charleston, SC

Charleston Regional Business Journal
Excitement reigns as Sanford signs Boeing incentive
Molly Parker

Boeing Co. bringing 787 plant to North Charleston
Molly Parker

Boeing billing North Charleston plant as strike-proof as optimism spreads
Molly Parker

Upstate has tools for Boeing
Scott Miller

Post and Courier

Bringing Boeing to S.C.THE ART OF THE DEAL
Allyson Bird

Experts: Boeing move a message to unions
Dana Hedgpeth, The Washington Post

State relied on power of tax breaks, incentives
Rudolph Bell, The Greenville News

Staying focused was key, Mayor Summey says optimism was order of the day
Schuyler Kropf

Sanford signs incentive package for Boeing
Associated Press

TRIDENT TECH: Gearing up to teach thousands assembly skills
Katy Stech

Welcome to town, Boeing
Brian Hicks

BOEING: Aircraft giant lands here, Aviation giant expects to break ground on new assembly plant within the next few weeks
John McDermott, Yvonne Wenger

Summey foresees booming future, Mayor says spin-offs will add to number of jobs
Warren Wise

Boeing lands here, Aviation giant expects to break ground on new assembly plant within the next few weeks
John McDermott, Yvonne Wenger

Lawmakers offered lure worth $450M
Katy Stech, Yvonne Wenger

At the controls, notable 787 executives
Staff Report

Boeing could lead state's rebound, economist says
The State

Boeing: 'Hiring in the thousands,' Details not available yet, but open slots are estimated to be about 3,800
Katy Stech

Boeing, in their own words
Staff Report

This is bigger than big
Ken Burger

WCBD News 2
Sanford, state lawmakers laud Boeing decision to come to SC


Boeing jobs impact to be felt immediately


Rep. Henry Brown congratulates lawmakers for landing Boeing plant

Boeing to put 787 plant in North Charleston, bringing 4,000 jobs


WCIV News 4
North Charleston Mayor Reacts to Boeing News


The History of Boeing's Arrival to Charleston


Banking on Boeing


State Leaders React to Boeing Announcement


Boeing to Place 787 Assembly Line in North Charleston

WCSC News 5
Boeing banks on Charleston, stakes claim for new 787 facility

Summey press conference

Gov. Sanford gives credit to many for Boeing's arrival


The Seattle Times
Recreating local plants in S.C.
Dominic Gates

Machinists disappointed, call union 'a handy scapegoat'
Lynn Thompson, Sonia Krishnan, Melissa Allison

'We did all we could' to keep 787 work, Gregoire says, but GOP disagrees
Andrew Garber, Kyung M. Song

Hutchison faults Gregoire, Constantine on 787 decision
Bob Young

Who's to blame for losing the second 787 line?
Jon Talton

Boeing: South Carolina reaction


KOMO News 4
Second 787 assembly line goes to South Carolina


Sen. Murray: 'We're all really disappointed'


Gregoire: state remains strong aerospace player


KING News 5
Boeing Everett workers worry about Charleston 787 quality


Watch: Boeing historian: Charleston a bad move for Boeing


Watch: Snohomish Co. Executive reacts to Boeing South Carolina decision


Watch: Boeing Machinists union president reacts to S.C. decision


NBC Nightly News
Boeing 787 Goes South


The Associated Press
Boeing picks South Carolina for 2nd 787 line
Dianel Lovering, George Tibbits

Bloomberg News
Boeing Doubles Bet on 787 Scheme That’s 2 Years Late (Update1)
Peter Robison, Susanna Ray

Wall Street Journal
Boeing Selects S.C. for Dreamliner Plant
Peter Sanders

Market Watch
Boeing picks South Carolina for 787 assembly hall
Jim Jelter

Puget Sound Business Journal
Boeing picks S. Carolina for 2nd 787 line

Seattle Post-Intelligencer
What now? Boeing move sends state scrambling
Levi Pulkkinen, Eric Nalder, Scott Gutierrez

Financial Times
Boeing to build 787s in South Carolina
Hal Weitzman

Reuters
Machinists Dispute Boeing Strike Concerns

Dallas Morning News
Boeing to put second 787 line in South Carolina
Terry Maxson

Clemson University
Clemson University experts on Boeing's decision to bring 787 production to South Carolina

Boeing's 787 Dreamliner
Take a virtual tour

The Plane

About the 787 Family

More 787 Videos

Citizens speak out on potential Pinehaven Post Office closure

A public meeting was held to discuss the possible closure of the United States Postal Service’s Pinehaven Post Office on Tuesday, October 27, 2009 at St. Matthews Baptist Church.

The Pinehaven Post Office resides within a neighborhood where many rely on public transportation, yet the USPS held a public meeting in a different postal code district to receive public comments regarding its closure. The City of North Charleston felt it was best to convene a public meeting in a central location, so all of the area’s residents had an opportunity to provide input.

We encourage the public to continue to send their comments to the local postmaster.

Timothy D. Shaw
Postmaster
United States Post Office
7075 Cross County Road
North Charleston, SC 29418
timothy.d.shaw@usps.gov

Two petitions were circulated and signed at the meeting.
Petition One
Petition Two

The following are comments received from the public meeting attendees:

Gretchen Wright
USPS told us to use the supermarket to buy stamps, but there are none in our area. This logic is flawed.

Elais Bartman
The next closest Post Offices are across the Ashley River and up Rivers Avenue. The lack of transportation of many of this area’s residents will keep them from being able to get to these Post Offices.

Herb Cunningham
The next closest branch is 5.4 miles away. We have a lack in mobility. The only way we have to reach the other Post Offices is to take a bus. Why are the disadvantaged shut down first. This is a slap in the face.

Mr. Olsen
A lot of senior citizens are in this community and depend on the Post Office. If things are so bad, how can the USPS spend millions on advertising with the NFL?

Stanley Smalls
This postal district is predominantly people of color and senior citizens. Why is the USPS targeting a disadvantaged area? Rivers Avenue is too far way for many. The initial public meeting conducted by the USPS should have been located in this community, not in another postal district.

Paulette Dunham
This Post Office has always been successful. It is unfair to remove it.

Sinclair Jenkins
The Rivers Avenue Post Office is very difficult to transverse. The traffic is terrible when crossing Rivers Avenue.

Clair Laughlin
If the Pinehaven Post Office services such a large area, then why would you close it?

Clinton Brantley
This is a moral issue. It is about services, accessibility, and our senior citizens. They all should be considered.

Harriet Brown
We have lost so many other daily conveniences, and the Post Office would be a final blow. Many of the area’s residents lack transportation.

Bill Stanfield
The lack of clarity on the criteria of the decision to close the Pinehaven Post Office is disturbing. There are more public transportation riders here than in any other area. This is becoming a civil rights issue by the USPS taking away from the disadvantaged.

Lannette Poor
This community has a lack of transportation and we need the Post Office in our community.

Ms. Chisolm
The US Congressmen that represent this area should be present, but are not.

Leatrice Eddy
Moving the Post Office would create chaos. The mail is already late, how much later can we expect to receive our mail?

Patricia Brown
This Post Office is in the middle of a community and provides many services past providing postage stamps. The decision to close the Post Office is based on a flawed criteria and the USPS should reconsider.

Vanderbilt Evans
A timeframe has not been adequately communicated. If the USPS is using crime as part of their criteria, they should not. The USPS provides a service that others cannot due to federal law. This Post Office serves several communities and a reason for its possible closure has not been given.

Kenneth Blake
Why not close another branch, like Sullivans Island where the affluent live, so this community can continue to be served.

Robert Lee
I have held a post office box at the Pinehaven Post Office for 20 years. Closing the Post Office is a disservice to our community.

Judy Miller
I feel the community needs to look at the legal ramifications.

Pearl Middleton
Other conveniences have vacated the area. Why is the Post Office taking this service away?

Bernard Walker
I live in Mount Pleasant, but volunteer at a public school in the area. Whenever something negative has to happen, it always seems to happen to the minority communities. Others should be taken into consideration. The USPS is spending money frivolously in other areas and needs to reflect upon itself. Leave this Post Office alone.

Miriam Fraser
It is possible to pay for other governmental expenses, but not this one. That is a shame.

Erica Fludd
I attended the first meeting held by the USPS, which should have been held in this community. If the mail carriers are out longer, then they run a greater risk. Will they deliver mail in the dark? The mail is already late.

Javon Mack
The USPS has done an inadequate job at distributing information about the closing. I knew nothing of the previous meeting. They deliver millions of letters everyday, but can’t notify the public of the meetings they are holding a meeting.

Nathaniel Shivers
I do not understand why the USPS is shutting down this branch. The word about this has not been spread sufficiently. We get so much junk in the mail, but the USPS did not use their full ability to notify us of the last meeting.

AJ Davis
It is very telling that no representative from the USPS is present. It does not make logical sense to close this centrally located Post Office. Many of the area’s residents are on fixed incomes and are unable to travel to other locations. There are still individuals in this community that are unaware that the Post Office may be closing.

Ms. Sparkman
Every time there is a spending cut, we are hit first.

The Pinehaven Post Office is located here:
View Pinehaven Post Office in a larger map

Public Meeting for potential closure of Pinehaven Post Office

The City of North Charleston is holding a public meeting to receive input and increase awareness of the possible closure of the Pinehaven US Post Office and the impact it would have on the community.

WHAT
Public Meeting regarding the Pinehaven US Post Office

WHEN
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
6:00 pm

MEETING LOCATION
St. Matthews Baptist Church
2005 Reynolds Avenue
North Charleston, SC 29405

The US Post Office is located here:


View Larger Map

North Charleston’s 8th Annual “Tribute to our Veterans”

The City of North Charleston will hold its 8th Annual “Tribute to our Veterans” Veterans Day event on Wednesday, November 11, 2009 at The Greater Charleston Naval Base Memorial at Riverfront Park from 10:30 am to 1:00 pm. The event is open to the public. All veterans taking part in the ceremony will receive special recognition for their service. Lunch will be served following the ceremony.

Our guest speaker will be Retired Colonel Robert J. Mastrion, United States Marine Corps (USMC). Colonel Mastrion entered the USMC in 1955, completing his training at Parris Island, and was commissioned in 1961. He served during the Suez Crisis in 1956, Lebanon 1958, the Cuban Crisis 1961, Vietnam 1963-1964, Dominican Republic 1965, Vietnam 1966-1968, Arab-Israel Crisis 1973, Korea 1975-1976, 1985-1986 and the First Gulf War 1991-1992. Colonel Mastrion retired from the USMC in 1992.

For administrative purposes, Veterans are encouraged to RSVP by November 6, 2009 to the City of North Charleston Parks & Recreation Department by phone at (843) 745-1028 or via email at cdambaugh@northcharleston.org.

WHAT
North Charleston’s 8th Annual “Tribute to our American Veterans”

WHEN
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
10:30 am to 1:00 pm

WHERE
The Greater Charleston Naval Base Memorial at Riverfront Park
1001 Everglades Drive
North Charleston, SC 29405

History of Veterans Day

In March 2007, the City of North Charleston traveled with our World War II Veterans to Washington, DC to visit the World War II Memorial. Here is the video of our trip.

North Charleston Coliseum Renovation Project

On Monday, October 19, 2009, the North Charleston Finance Committee moved forward with a resolution to authorize Mayor Summey to execute a letter of proposal and subsequent contract to facilitate the North Charleston Coliseum Renovation Project. The resolution will receive final reading at City Council on Thursday, October 22, 2009.

Dave Holscher, North Charleston Coliseum General Manager, was on 1250AM WTMA's Morning Buzz with Richard Todd to discuss the North Charleston Coliseum Renovation Project.


Hear it here:

Copyright © 2009 Citadel Broadcasting Company and MediaSpan



Improvements to the Coliseum include:

Suite Renovations
Renovate four suites on each sideline for a total of eight suites. Renovations will occur in the area vacated by current concession stands.

Concourse/Concession Expansion
Additions to the Coliseum on each sideline will provide new food court areas with new concession stands, small toilets, and exterior balconies.

Concourse Elevator Addition
Addition of a single passenger elevator internal to the existing building footprint, to provide improved vertical transportation service for patrons.

New Arena Bowl Sound System
Replacement of current Coliseum seating bowl sound system with a new distributed sound system.

New Rigging/Camera Platforms
Addition of catwalks with wider platforms to provide for expanded rigging capabilities and spotlighting of events.

The goal is to complete the design scope within a six month targeted timeframe with the construction phase to commence the week of June 2, 2010 and conclude April 15, 2011.

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?

Seeking nominations for "Citizen of the Year"

The Citizen Advisory Council is accepting nominations for the 2010 “Citizen of the Year.” Each year, North Charleston citizens are nominated to identify, honor, and reinforce the activities of exceptional citizens whose service or performance positively contributes to the quality of life in North Charleston.

Nominees must possess and demonstrate a generous community spirit, prove their commitment, and display a consistent effort of positively impacting the community, thereby raising the standards of social responsibility.

All applications are welcome, and should include a detailed explanation for the nomination along with the nominee’s name, address, and phone number. Also, the individual(s) submitting the application should include their name, address, and phone number. All applications must be submitted to City Hall by Monday, November 2, 2009 for consideration.

Please submit your nominations to:

City of North Charleston
Citizens Advisory Council
c/o Executive Department
P.O. Box 190016
North Charleston, SC 29419-9016

Mr. Tom Reiss was the 2009 "Citizen of the Year"

North Charleston dedicates its new home

Hundreds of citizens came out to be a part of history as Mayor Summey and City Council dedicated North Charleston’s third City Hall on Sunday, September 20, 2009.

The Open House allowed the citizens of North Charleston an opportunity to explore their City Hall. As Mayor Summey expressed, “City Hall belongs to the citizens that this government serves, which is very important to remember.” He continued, “We wanted an occasion for the public to visit their government’s new home, so they could appreciate it as much as we do.”

United States Congressman Henry Brown was among the dignitaries in attendance. Congressman Brown presented a proclamation to commemorate North Charleston’s new City Hall, and promised to deliver a flag being flown over the United States Capital Building during the opening ceremony.

City Hall is a very functional, state of the art facility that allows for more accommodating service for the people and businesses of the City of North Charleston. Every department except Public Works is now housed under one roof.

The North Charleston City Hall is officially dedicated to the citizens of North Charleston.

Jump to Flickr to view the photo set

City Hall Grand Opening/Ribbon Cutting

The City of North Charleston will hold its Grand Opening/Ribbon Cutting to commemorate its new City Hall on Sunday, September 20, 2009 from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm. The public is invited to attend.

City Hall now houses every department, excluding Public Works. All offices will be available for public tours.

Attendees are encouraged to visit the City’s ‘One-Stop Shop,’ located on the 3rd Floor. The ‘One-Stop Shop,’ made up of the City’s Finance, Building, Planning, and Zoning Departments, offers permits and business licenses from a single location. All departments share a common lobby with easily accessible customer service windows.

Art exhibition space lining the atrium areas of 3 floors allows the City’s Art Collection to be on display in a single location for the first time. Visitors can view works ranging from paintings to fine crafts that the City has accumulated since 1989.

WHAT: City Hall Grand Opening/Ribbon Cutting

WHEN: Sunday, September 20, 2009, 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm

WHERE: North Charleston City Hall
2500 City Hall Lane
North Charleston, SC 29406


View City Hall in a larger map

North Charleston's New City Hall

The City of North Charleston has a new home at 2500 City Hall Lane. At the new location, services are streamlined and conveniently located under one roof with the goal of providing enhanced support to our citizens, businesses, and visitors.

The building itself has been constructed in anticipation of becoming LEED Certified. Energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts were all kept in mind during the construction process. A few of the green features include a wealth of natural lighting, waterless urinals, and carpets made from recycled materials.


City Hall will remain the Emergency Operations Center during times of disasters. The building’s steel was strengthened to withstand earthquakes and hurricanes with all exterior glass being impact resistant.



Fire Administration, Cultural Arts, Recreation, Code Enforcement, Purchasing, and Legal personnel were all scattered throughout the City. All departments, excluding Public Works, are now housed at a single location. This not only cuts fuel and time consumption, but enhances City management.



The permitting process has been simplified. The new City Hall features a ‘One-Stop Shop’ for permitting. Planning, Building, Zoning, and Finance all share one lobby with accessible walkup customer windows. Instead of traveling from one floor to the next, as in the previous City Hall, one only has to walk a few feet to the next window. To further convenience the public, kiosks will be available in the near future to apply for permits in the lobby.

When the previous City Hall was opened in 1978, the City was a fraction of its current size. Fast forward 31 years, and the facility became cramped and outdated. Looking to the future, the City has planned for inevitable growth with accommodations for a 25% employee expansion.

Apart from City employees, the Charleston County Legislative Delegation, Crimestoppers, and Coastal Crisis Chaplaincy are calling the new City Hall home.

IMPORTANT DATES AND INFORMATION:

Public services are available at the New City Hall.

A Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting event is scheduled for Sunday, September 20, 2009 from 3:00 pm until 5:00 pm. The public is invited to attend. Tours and presentations will be conducted.

Most direct employee phone numbers remain the same, however call (843) 554-5700 if you are unable to reach a specific individual.

All mail should continue to go to P.O. Box 190016, North Charleston, SC 29419. The physical address of the new City Hall is 2500 City Hall Lane, North Charleston, SC 29406.


View City Hall Location in a larger map

North Charleston Fire Department tests a new fire suppressant

The North Charleston Fire Department conducted a live training exercise and test of FireIce gel. Fire was set to the interior of a car, and was extinguished using a 2 ½ gallon water extinguisher mixed with the gel.



North Charleston Fire Department Battalion Chief Leon Coker attested to FireIce’s capability saying, “I saw a fireman scoop it into his hand then heat the hand with a 1500 BTU torch. He did not feel a thing.” Coker continued, “What impressed me the most was when the demonstrator actually ate the FireIce gel.”

When added to water, FireIce stops fire in its tracks by directly adhering to burning material while cooling and rapidly suffocating the fire. This helps to prevent relights and reduces firefighter risk.

FireIce can be used directly on wildfires, brush fires, structure fires and even to extinguish tire fires. No special equipment is necessary. FireIce mixes directly in pumper trucks, water canisters, water tankers and aircraft tankers. Simply flush with water for easy clean up. Environmentally friendly and conserves precious water.