Thanks to our County Councilman, Joe Qualey, James Island should be able to keep our existing library branch as well as have a new branch on Grimball Road. I greatly appreciate his efforts as well as the support of the majority of County Council who voted to renovate our existing library and keep it open.
I am very disappointed that Councilwoman Anna Johnson opposed something clearly beneficial to all of James Island--having two library branches rather than one.
I am especially looking forward to the new branch on Grimball Road. I think the proposed meeting rooms will really serve a need in our community.
While the Grimball Road community is not in the Town, we want them back. We continue to work to give the residents there an opportunity to annex. Representative Peter McCoy has a bill filed in Columbia that will allow us to hold an annexation election in the various areas that used to be in the Town but could not be included in the 2012 reincorporation.
Some months ago, I reported on an email I received from County Council Chair, Elliot Summey, proposing that the County renovate the branch on Camp Road and lease it to the Town for approximately nothing. The Town would be responsible for the $500,000 per year operating costs.
Neither I nor any member of Town Council was willing to commit to such a huge annual expense. This would be approximately 20% of the Town's total reoccurring revenue. Personally, I would be willing to budget some money for that purpose--more like $5,000 per year--closer to what we contribute to other James Island organizations.
Other members of Town Council asked how much the Town of Mount Pleasant or the City of Charleston were being charged to keep open their existing library branches. The answer was nothing.
I just can't see having a Town budget where the largest single expense by far would be a library branch.
My priority for the Town funds has always been infrastructure. New sidewalks and paving earth roads continues to be important, though in the last week, some drainage projects have moved up on my list of priorities. There are plenty of places the Town can spend money.
The Town is planning to build a Town Hall that will certainly cost more than $500,000, but it will not be $500,000 each year. Once the new Town Hall is completed, it should reduce our operating costs by saving the $70,000 each year we pay in rent. I hope we will be able to pay off Town Hall within a few years.
The Town pays $150,000 each year for Charleston County Sheriffs Office deputies to provide additional law enforcement in the Town. If necessary, the Island Sheriff's Patrol can be expanded.
I understand that some members of County Council were considering a reduced size for the new Grimball Road facility and using the funds saved to renovate and keep open the Camp Road branch. When I explained to County Council Chairman Elliot Summey that the Town could not agree to expend $500,000 per year to keep open the Camp Road branch, I said that I did not support any downsizing for the proposed new library on Grimball Road.
Like most James Islanders, I am very happy that the Island will have two library branches--the existing one and a new, much larger one after 2017. I certainly hope that County Council can find the funds to pay for both of them. While $500,000 is more than 20% of our reoccurring funds, it is less than one quarter of one percent of the County's budget.
I am extremely troubled by the offensive claim that anyone who favors keeping open the library branch on Camp Road is racist. The branch on Camp Road is right next to the "Down the Island" neighborhood, as is Town Hall and the Camp Center Shopping Center. I certainly expect that both the existing branch on James Island and the new branch will be patronized by a racially-diverse clientele.
And, of course, that Brian Hicks would try to twist this so to blame the Town of James Island is no surprise.
I do wish he would name some names.
Who on James Island is complaining about the County Council vote because it is conditional on finding sufficient funds?
Who on James Island is complaining that having two library branches--both of which will be open to patrons of all races--is racist?
