Service reduction angers residents

Charleston County's decision to drastically reduce services offered in the St. Paul's area has angered residents and local officials.

Four offices were closed at the George W. Tumbleston Jr. Service Center in Ravenel on July 18 — that of the treasurer, auditor, building services department and planning department.

The Magistrate Court, Sheriff's Office substation and Emergency Medical Services continue to operate there.

The change was made "to reduce costs and maintain countywide efficiencies," according to a statement from the county.

Hollywood Mayor Jacquelyn Heyward said the cutting of services, particularly those of the treasurer's and auditor's office, creates a hardship for area residents, many of whom are elderly, have low incomes and do not have transportation.

"It was very convenient for them to go to Ravenel to pay their taxes," Heyward said. " A lot of them don't have computers at home... . They depend on the old-fashioned way of doing things."

Some do not have checking accounts and must pay with cash, she said.

Most of the removed services are available on the county's Web site, www.charlestoncounty.org, by phone or by mail.

Those who need to visit the treasurer's or auditor's office must head to one of the county's other service centers in downtown Charleston, North Charleston and Mount Pleasant. The building services and planning departments are now only at the service center in North Charleston.

State Rep. Robert Brown called the reduction of services "unfair and unjust," and said he plans to ask the justice department to investigate.

"Taking away services from the service center is only one issue," Brown said. He claims the county promised certain road improvements but did not follow through, and questions why the library in the community of more than 12,000 people has only four computers.

Brown said he would like to examine the funding coming into Charleston County, the amount the St. Paul's area should be getting and the amount it actually receives.

He spoke to County Council about the service center at council's most recent meeting, held July 29, as did Heyward, Meggett Mayor Grange Coffin Jr., and a Ravenel resident who collected about 700 signatures on a petition against the cuts.

"I don't get into politics, but this is one time I was going to do what's necessary," said Delores Alston. "This is awful."

Alston said she and other rural residents pay just as much taxes as everyone else, but do not receive the same benefits, such as public transportation. If the county needs to save money, it should reduce the salaries of the county attorney, administrator and other staff members instead of reducing services in the St. Paul's area, she said.

She used the service center several times a year, and occasionally brought other people who needed a ride, she said. She started the petition after going in to pay taxes on her truck and seeing a notice of the closures posted there.

While collecting signatures, she was shocked to learn that some residents were unaware of the services provided close by. That's one reason the center may not have been getting used as much as the county would have liked, she said.

Another reason, according to Coffin, was the hours the center was open. It closed each day during lunch and then at 4:30 p.m., before people could get there after work, he said.

Walt Smalls, county deputy administrator of support, said the determining factor in removing the services was the low usage rate.

On average, 25 people came into the treasurer's office at the center in Ravenel each day, Smalls said. In comparison, 63 use the same office at the downtown center; 113 use the one in Mount Pleasant, and about 400 use the center in North Charleston.

The personnel at the Ravenel center are being placed in other service centers, Smalls said.

At the recent County Council meeting, council was considering leasing the 2,500 square feet of space now vacant in the service center to the town of Ravenel, which uses another part of the building on Highway 165 for its Town Hall.

Ravenel Mayor Opal Baldwin said she did not attend due to a Ravenel Town Council meeting. She said this week she hoped the service removal was temporary.

Baldwin said she approached County Administrator Mack Canterbury after hearing about the closures in June to tell him the town would be interested in leasing some of the space for a meeting room.

County Council deferred the matter until its next meeting, slated for Aug. 14.

Heyward and Coffin will be there.

The two mayors say if the county must cut costs, it should close the center several days a week, not shut it down completely.

"I see how some of these people survive from day to day," Coffin said. "Taking away services from them is a big mistake."

Reach Kristen Hankla at 937-5548 or khankla@postandcourier.com.