From the martial Mayor...to the confused Council...to the amused audience, last week's James Island Town Council meeting was a singular spectacle for all.
Ditch Versus Documentary
Growing Rift between Mayor and Council Turns Downright Bizarre
By Charlie Morrison
Reach Charlie at morrisoncd31@yahoo.com
The Rev. Parris Williams twice delivered emotional prayers evoking love and peace amongst members of James Island Town Council last Tuesday night. They were mostly ignored. From the opening moments of the normally benevolent meeting of the Ways and Means Committee, Mayor Mary Clark and members of Council sparred over various issues as if the gavel to come to order were a ringside bell. A growing rift between the Mayor and members of Council became blatantly obvious as the meeting progressed, triggering a back-and-forth of name-calling that drew the ire and entertainment of the 30 or so James Island residents who attended the meeting. In the end, both the Mayor and Councilmembers appeared the worse for the wear, but a determined Mayor Clark managed to grind along with her agenda.
‘From Three Blind Mice to the Bobbsey Twins at the Seashore'
The meeting of the Ways and Means Committee met prior to the regular meeting of Town Council to discuss the funding of various projects, most of which related to public works items such as the grading of dirt roads in the Town. As Town Planning Commissioner Roy DeHaven asked Council for discussion on the first of nearly 20 public works projects, Councilman Joe Qualey changed the subject. "What's the status of Mr. Stamey's ditch," asked Councilman Qualey, referring to the lingering issue over Council's controversial vote to cover and pipe a drainage ditch in front of a property on Three Trees Road
"What does that have to do with this," replied the Mayor. After Councilman Qualey explained that he intended to block all spending until the issue was addressed, Mayor Clark rebutted. "Obviously these two gentlemen here have met and decided that they going to vote against everything until Mr. Stamey's ditch is addressed, if that isn't plain to you that's plain to me. It's a bit ridiculous," she said.
After all the public works projects were discussed, none of which bared the blessing of Councilmen Qualey or Leonard Blank, Qualey clarified his intentions. "I don't think we should spend a dime on any of these things until we address the issue that has already been directed to be done, and that's Mr. Stamey's property. We should freeze all spending until that is done as directed by Council," said Qualey.
Mayor Clark, noting the absence of Councilman Bill "Cubby" Wilder from the meeting of the Ways and Means Committee, summed up her feelings about Council regarding this particular issue, saying "we have moved from Three Blind Mice to the Bobbsey Twins at the Seashore."
The Sesquicentennial Commemoration
The next item on the agenda of Ways and Means was the proposed funding of the History & Preservation Committee. Mayor Clark has led the Town's planning of the commemoration of the sesquicentennial (150th) anniversary of the first shot of the Civil War, to be held in April of next year. Mayor Mary Clark spoke on the need to fund the Committee to properly prepare the Town for what she deemed a "national event." "This time we're asking for $50,000 to fund the making of a film, a documentary and various other expenditures that will go for the commemoration of the sesquicentennial. That entire event belongs to the people of James Island because it is our unique place in history to have had the first shot fired from James Island," said Clark.
Roughly $30,000 had previously been transferred from the general budget to that of the History and Preservation Committee for the purpose of supporting the Seashore Farmers Lodge restoration project. $5,000 was spent, leaving $25,000 in the account. The additional transfer of funds would bring the Committee's budget up to $75,000. However, there are no accountability measures in place for Town Council to track spending on such a project.
Upon learning that fact, members of Council voiced their objection. "I'm not comfortable with that at all," said Councilman Qualey.
Mayor Clark, irked by Qualey's tone, quickly returned fire. "Let's suspend all activities of the Town of James Island until you get your noses out of the crack you have it in," said Clark.
Amidst the fracas, Councilman Parris Williams was determined to have his voice heard. Road Williams, who serves on the James Island History and Preservation Committee, was strong in his support for funding the project. "We shouldn't hold James Island back from this project," he said. "This is history. This is nothing to play with here. We've got to let our youth know something about our past."
Competing Visions
Mayor Clark opened the regular meeting of Town Council by recognizing members of the James Island Public Service District (JIPSD) who were in attendance. Commissioners Karen Thompson, June Waring, and Rod Welch were asked to stand and be recognized. Clark began her commentary by mentioning the great work of the first incorporated Town of James Island. She then turned her attention to the second incorporation, and by default, Councilmembers Blank and Qualey, who were elected in that incorporation. "In that second town two people that just wanted to be in politics ran for council, and they were elected," began Clark. "Fancy signs get the job done because that puts your name out in the public. So we didn't do much in that second town because half the council was divided, and didn't even know what the vision was," she said.
As far as Mayor Clark's vision, the commemoration of the Civil War anniversary is a big part of it. "We would be remiss as a town and a government if we did not commemorate these events," she said. "The people of our island, the people of our nation, can see the example that we set in bringing people together." She was also quick to point out what she doesn't want as the vision for James Island. "I have wanted James Island not to be a greasy spot in the road, like the West Ashley communities are," she said.
The Public Speaks
The floor was then turned over for public f comments. Lyndy Palmer, realtor and former chair of the Town Planning Committee, was the first to speak. "I'd like to make comment on the Mayor and the Councilmen as far as how the relationship has deteriorated dramatically. How nothing is getting done because there appears to be vindictiveness with some people," she said.
"I think we all have a vision for James Island," Palmer continued. "I think the vision that we all have is togetherness. I don't think it's to come to meetings and have a sideshow. I don't think it's polite or correct to be name-calling. I really don't like to see and hear, Mayor Clark, where it sounds to me that you are threatening the Town Councilman to vote with you because that's the way it should be. And your comment just a little while ago that two of the councilmen should get their noses out of their crack, I find that very inappropriate."
Palmer sat down, and then the public turned its attention to the Mayor's motion to rescind Council's decision to pipe and cover the drainage easement in front of Herb Stamey's Three Trees Road property. June Waring, Commissioner of the JIPSD, warned Council of the legal ramifications of going ahead with their plan to pipe the ditch. She stated that an attorney for the PSD warned her that in municipal matters, ‘Do not do for one, what you're not willing to do for all.'
Brooke Lyon, of the Lighthouse Point subdivision, spoke after hearing about Stamey's complaint. "I heard about the Three Trees Road issue and I felt like I should come down and address ya'll. We have a serious drainage issue at one of our properties that really needs a drainage pipe," said Lyon. "It would be great if you would pay for that, but it never occurred to me to ask ya'll to do that. I would ask ya'll to be careful where you go with spending the money because you'll have people like us coming and saying ‘please do ours next.'"
Sherrie Herring of James Island lamented any ugly transformation of right-of-way, but ultimately said ‘tough luck' to Stamey. "I experienced the same thing when they put sewers down my street," said Herring.
Karen Thompson, also a PSD Commissioner, echoed those sentiments. "The bottom line of the issue is, you own stake to stake of your property, that's it," said Thompson, who is also the daughter of James Island Mayor Mary Clark.
The Drainage Debacle
The public having had its say, Council next turned its attention to the Mayor's third attempt to rescind Council's decision to pipe and ditch the drainage easement at 987 Three Trees Road. If Mayor Clark was looking for movement on the issue, she found none in Councilmen Blank, Qualey, and Wilder, who have upheld their vote to repair the easement amidst threats of resignation and filibuster.
Councilman Qualey summed up the view of the three Councilmen. "We have debated this ad nauseum," he said. "What's happening now, in my opinion, is there is an erosion of the underpinning of this government. That's it. We voted and Madam Mayor, you apparently didn't like the vote. I guess I could say I'm sorry, but I don't have to. There's no more debating, as far as I'm concerned. It's a done deal. I don't want to see another dime spent on anything until Mr. Stamey's issues is addressed."
The vote was called, and Blank, Qualey, and Wilder's insistence that the work be done held, 3-2, with Councilman Williams and Mayor Clark dissenting. Councilman Wilder wanted clarity of the timeline of getting the project started. "When can this be carried out," said Wilder.
"It'll come on the agenda next time, the motion to rescind," Clark said. "I can carry this on the longest. And I ask you now to decide for yourself, which one do you think can carry this on the longest?"
Spending Freeze Fails, Documentary Planned
Qualey and Blank attempted to freeze spending on public works projects when they came to vote, but the votes of Councilmen Wilder and Williams, along with that of Mayor Clark, carried the nearly 20 approved bids for road grading projects through to action.
The final item on the agenda was Council's vote to transfer funds from the operating budget of Town Council, to that of the History and Preservation Committee, to the tune of $50,000. The History and Preservation Committee's budget, for which Council has no oversight, would total $75,000, if the motion passes. Councilmen Qualey and Blank peppered the Mayor with questions about details regarding what the money would go to. At the lack of an itemized budget for Council to review, Qualey felt compelled to comment. "This is what makes people angry about wasteful government spending without any oversight. Why won't you wait until the next meeting to give us a chance to study up on it? That's all I'm asking. I don't think that's unfair at all, especially considering that it's the largest amount of money to be spent at a given time," said Qualey.
At one point, Councilman Qualey asked the Mayor if she could name the director of the documentary that's to be made. Mayor Clark declined to give a name, instead retorting, "I wouldn't hang anyone out to dry in front of this Council."
In the end, the lack of an itemized budget didn't matter. Councilmen Wilder and Williams voted with Mayor in support of funding the Committee, and with a quick swing of the gavel the $50,000 was transferred to the History and Preservation Committee.
The next meeting of James Island Town Council will begin at 7 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 2. The Ways & Means Committee will meet beforehand that night at 6:30 p.m.
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