Rep. Peter McCoy was invited to explain HB 4076 to the JIPSD Commissioners Monday night. Commissioners Kathy Woolsey and Inez Brown Crouch both made the request.
Rep. McCoy could not make the meeting and asked former Rep. Anne Peterson to explain the bill instead. Chairman Hollingsworth said that she could not because she is a lobbyist paid by the Town of James Island.
She was limited to speaking during the public comment period. She did a good job explaining the bill. One resident of the unincorporated area near Riverland Terrace spoke in favor of the bill and his desire to return to the Town.
The owner of the property that was the proposed site of the giant apartment complex, the Lively, said that he did not want his property in the Town. He preferred to keep it in the unincorporated area and while he had not read the entire bill, would probably oppose it.
Chairman Hollingsworth said that he called Mayor Tecklenburg of the City of Charleston who told him this was unconstitutional special legislation.
Commissioner Sandi Engelman made a motion to approve the bill. Commissioner Kay Kernodle seconded Commissioner Platt said that "endorse" would be a more appropriate word than "approve" and Commissioner Engleman agreed to the change..
Commissioner Kathy Woolsey said that the JIPSD should not side with the City of Charleston against the Town and that it should be up to the courts to determine the constitutionality, not the City of Charleston.
The vote was 5 to 1 against endorsing HB 4076.
Voting against Peter McCoy and his effort to reunite the Town were:
Chairman Hollingsworth
Commissioner Kernodle
Commissioner Engelman
Commissioner Platt
Commissioner Wilder
Voting in favor of giving those who were in the Town a chance to vote to return was::
Commissioner Kathy Woolsey
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