New and old members of Charleston City Council are gearing up for a new year of tackling the city’s biggest challenges with new leadership.
Real estate developer and former Republican state legislator William Cogswell defeated two-term incumbent John Tecklenburg after a close runoff election last Nov. 21, receiving only 566 votes more than Tecklenburg out of the roughly 27,000 votes cast, according to certified election results.
Meanwhile, the council has two new members, with William Tinkler taking the seat in West Ashley’s District 9 after a Nov. 21 runoff against Mike Gastin. Tinkler received 1,836 votes to Gastin’s 1,078, according to certified election results. Weeks prior, Jim McBride narrowly avoided a runoff for a new Johns Island District 3, taking the seat on Nov. 7 with 50.03% of the vote.
While Cogswell and the new council members won’t take office until January, they and incumbent council members reportedly are ready to work together on the city’s major issues.
“I’m excited to work with Mayor Cogswell,” said council member Ross Appel, of District 11, which covers parts of West Ashley. “We’ve been in touch prior to his election and since. We’re all on the same team, and we’re all here to do good work for the people of Charleston.
“I want him to succeed, and I want to work with him on everything we can — on all the problems we all agree exist — like flooding, affordable housing and things of that nature.”
Appel added there are no teams when it comes to local government, and that everyone is working together on the same issues.
“I know William,” he said. “He’s a good guy, and he’s a hard worker. I hope that translates into his being [a good] mayor, because if it does, the city will be better for it.”
Council member Stephen Bowden, who represents parts of West Ashley in District 10, said his job is to work his constituents’ priorities into the mayor’s agenda.
“My priorities will continue to be funding flooding solutions for outer West Ashley and balancing growth pressures with the needs of the people who already live here,” he said. “From what I heard during the campaign, I believe these priorities align with Mayor-elect Cogswell’s priorities.”
District 4 council member Robert Mitchell, who represents parts of downtown Charleston, said his goals remain the same regardless of who sits in the mayor’s chair.
“Campaigning is one thing,” he said. “But I need to see exactly what they’re going to put forward. It takes council to get anything approved, so even if you’re the mayor, you have to work with the council members. We are all working together for the total of Charleston — it’s not just about what any one person wants. I can work with anyone, and I’m going to continue to do what I think is right for all the people of Charleston.”
Mitchell added the biggest issue facing Charleston has been the same for over 70 years: “It still floods downtown,” he said. “Several colleagues are asking about West Ashley, but we haven’t even solved the flooding problem on the peninsula. You have to have your nucleus fixed first before you can fix anything else, and for us, that’s the peninsula.”
Newcomer Tinkler, whose father held the District 9 seat from 1998 to 2007, said Cogswell has discussed meeting very soon, and that he will work with anybody who wants to move West Ashley forward. Tinkler declined to comment further until he could discuss policy with Cogswell.
Caroline Parker of District 12 on James Island declined to comment. Other members of council — Boyd Gregg, Kevin Shealy, Karl Brady, William Dudley Gregorie, Keith Waring, Mike Seekings and McBride — did not respond to requests for comment as of 2 p.m. Nov. 28.
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