Turnout low for community chat

Break-ins, improving bike, pedestrian access and city initiatives discussed

Kristen Hankla
The Post and Courier

Charleston City Council member Gary White held a Town Hall meeting for James Islanders inside Charleston Fire Department’s Station 13 last week. In addition to city staff and local officials, about six residents attended.

Charleston City Councilman Gary White Jr. last week held his second Town Hall meeting to chat with James Islanders about city issues that affect them.

Six residents showed up for the casual meeting in the steamy firetruck bay of Charleston's Fire Station 13.

The scene differed drastically from White's first Town Hall meeting, held in early June, when the possibility of a Wal-Mart Supercenter off Folly Road had some residents in a rage. That meeting was standing-room-only.

White told the small crowd last Thursday that the Wal-Mart folks "haven't really been entertaining doing anything" and added that, with the current economy, he's not sure they will.

He brought in a handful of speakers, including Lt. Kevin Boyd of the Charleston Police Department.

Boyd said that since July 25, police have seen a rash of break-ins near Rivers Point Row, and asked for residents' help by keeping doors locked and reporting suspicious behavior.

Every affected residence has been unlocked, he said. "These individuals are looking for an easy target," Boyd said. "If it's locked, they're moving on to the next residence."

Overall, there have been fewer burglaries, robberies and car thefts on James Island than last year, Boyd said.

Philip Overcash shared ideas for improving pedestrian and bike access on Harbor View Road from Folly Road to the James Island connector, including bicycle lanes or on-street parking as a buffer between moving cars and people. The city planner said something as simple as landscaped medians could make it a "more friendly pedestrian atmosphere."

That segment of Harbor View sees few cars for its design, and traffic is not expected to increase too much there, Overcash said.

White called it a conceptual plan, and said it was presented to get residents' feedback.

The councilman also touched on several city initiatives he thought would be useful: the First Day Festival scheduled for Aug. 17 at Liberty Square near the S.C. Aquarium, which celebrates the start of school and includes free school supplies; the monthly Mayor's Night In for residents to speak with Charleston Mayor Joe Riley; a natural disaster relief loan program for small businesses through the Charleston Local Development Corporation; the $6.8 million city gym at Harmon Field near Burke High School, scheduled to be complete in 2010; and various recreation department events.

White plans to hold quarterly Town Hall meetings in the three distinct portions of his district. He also serves Daniel Island and the southern tip of the peninsula.

The information is out there, he said, but it's on multiple Web sites and from various departments.

"My intent is to bring all of that into one spot," White said.

Three council members represent the portions of James Island within the city of Charleston — White, Tim Mallard and Kathleen Wilson, who also were at the meeting, as was Rep. Wallace Scarborough.

James Island resident Hollis Garris said, "I think it's good we can have a casual meeting and talk to local officials. There's nothing better than face-to-face communication."

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