JIPSD Commission Moves Forward

The James Island Public Service District held its first regular meeting of 2019.   The meeting was eventful.

The Commission voted 6 to 1 in favor of a resolution in support for House Bill 3661 on contiguity.   This bill, filed by Representative Peter McCoy, creates an opportunity for residents in the unincorporated portion of James Island to annex to the Town.   The sole vote in opposition was Chair Sandi Engelman.   In discussion, she expressed a strong interest in legislation that would make it easier for her to leave the Town of James Island.   I think there is now a better chance that the Senator representing much of James Island, Sandy Senn, will be open to filing a companion bill in the Senate.

Chair Engelman agreed to place Commissioner Marilyn Clifford on the Administrative Committee and switched Commissioner Kathy Woolsey and Commissioner Meredith Poston so that Woolsey will chair wastewater and Poston will chair solid waste.

The Commission voted 6 to 1 to appoint Michael Timbes as acting General Attorney for the JIPSD.   I believe that by this action the Commission has replaced Trent Kernodle who had been appointed by the District Administrator. as General Attorney.  The sole dissenting vote was cast by the Chair, Sandi Engelman.  While many Commissioners had thought that Trent Kernodle's service to the District had been limited to completing a letter to the City of Charleston, soon after, Chair Engleman had tasked Kernodle with investigating possible secret meetings by the other Commissioners. 

The Commission voted 6 to 1 to retain the Pope Flynn law firm to jointly represent the JIPSD and the Town regarding the proposed Memorandum of Agreement and Cost Sharing Plan.   The sole vote in opposition was the Chair, Sandi Engelman.

The Commission voted 6 to 1 to approve the Memorandum of Agreement with the Town regarding a cost sharing plan and tax credits.   In discussion, the Chair stated that the MOU involved the Town taking control of the JIPSD's provision of services.  Other Commissioners stated that this was false. Engelman also said that the Town was proposing to provide tax credits using the taxpayers own money.   She then cast the sole dissenting vote. 

The Commission voted unanimously to have the O'Shea Law firm continue to do easement work and to also continue with the same labor and parliamentary attorneys.

The Commission voted 6 to 1 to change the rules so that Commission officers are elected by the calendar year rather than the fiscal year.   The Administrative Committee had agreed to recommend that the current Chair be allowed to serve out her term until June of 2019, but this recommendation had not been properly included in the minutes.   Commissioner Kathy Woolsey proposed that any such proposal be considered by a separate vote.   Chair Engelman stated that she had contacted the Ethics Commission which said she could only be removed for moral turpitude.   Commissioner Woolsey asked for evidence for that claim and stated that the Attorney General's Office had shared an opinion that the Commission could change the dates at which its officer's were selected even if that shortened officers' terms.   According to the Attorney General's office, the terms of office are created by the Commission and they can change it as they think best.  After an effort to vote on whether to consider "grandfathering in" Sandi Engelman so that she would remain Chair, the end result was that the Commission voted to change the election of officers by calendar year without any proviso.   It passed 6 to 1 with Chair Engelman the sole vote against.

Chair Engleman left the meeting.  Vice Chair Kathy Woolsey took over.

The Commission elected new officers for terms running from January 2019 to January 2020. Commissioner Alan Lauglin is the new Chair of the JIPSD Commission.   Commissioner Kathy Woolsey is the Vice Chair.   Commissioner Meredith Poston is the Secretary.   All votes were unanimous.

Vice Chair Kathy Woolsey turned the meeting over to the new Chair, Alan Laughlin.

There was a brief discussion of the failure of the City of Charleston to make payments to the JIPSD for the last six months.   Vice Chair Woolsey, who had been appointed liaison to the City of Charleston stated that she would seek an appointment with the Mayor of Charleston in order to meet with him along with District Chief Financial Officer Susan Gladden.