Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg took the city council chamber floor for the last time Tuesday ahead of the Mayor-elect William Cogswell’s Jan. 8 inauguration.
After eight years as mayor and helming dozens of council meetings, Tecklenburg addressed his hopes for Charleston moving forward and reflected on accomplishments. He particularly highlighted his administration’s confrontation of racial issues in Charleston, including the creation of the Human Affairs and Racial Conciliation Commission and the implementation of the 2019 racial bias audit.
“Together, we apologized for our city’s direct role in the hideous institution of slavery,” he said. “Yes, we took down the John C. Calhoun statue from its prominent place in downtown Charleston. We removed a symbol of support for slavery that had divided our city for too long.”
He also touted many water projects that were started and completed under his leadership. He said Cogswell agreed to move forward with a tidal and inland flooding study with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Meanwhile, council members voted in favor of naming the city’s new Hope Center after Tecklenburg.
Outgoing Charleston City Council members Peter Shahid and Jason Sakran were also recognized for their leadership. West Ashley’s Shahid ran for mayor but lost the race. Sakran was not eligible for reelection due to a new redistricting plan that moved his district, District Three, to Johns Island.
According to a news report, Cogswell is not making changes to the existing departments, but will conduct a “comprehensive analysis” over the coming months to “identify opportunities for enhancing operational and communications efficiencies.”
In other recent headlines:
CP NEWS: Ladson defense manufacturer making weapons for Israel, U.S. A major foreign defense manufacturer has been operating in Charleston County for more than six months, but it has disclosed very little about the nature of its work since the facility first opened for business.
CP NEWS: Cold-stunned sea turtles recovering at S.C. Aquarium. Fontina, Gruyere, Monterey Jack, Pecorino and Romano have more than cheese in common. At the S.C. Aquarium, they’re also the names of five loggerhead turtles flown here to recover from being stunned by cold water in Massachusetts.
Charleston-area barrier islands still recovering after Sunday storm. Clean-up is underway on the islands and beaches after a coastal storm swept through the Lowcountry on Sunday, causing more damage than some leaders anticipated.
Community concerns surround Isle of Palms renourishment project. The effectiveness of the renourishment project on the Isle of Palms is starting to come into question, after a lot of the efforts were reversed following the coastal storm over the weekend.
Toal to decide if Murdaugh deserves new trial. Former S.C. Chief Justice Jean Toal will decide if convicted murderer Alex Murdaugh deserves a new trial, according to a Dec. 18 order.
Trump disqualified from 2024 ballot, Colorado court rules. The state court said former President Donald Trump engaged in insurrection. His campaign said it would appeal the disqualification to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Goose Creek Fire Department’s medical toolkits see success. Over three months since the Goose Creek Fire Department announced the new medical tool Pro-Nox that reduces patient pain, the program has seen great success.
- To get dozens of South Carolina news stories every business day, contact the folks at SC Clips.
Help keep the City Paper free.
No paywalls.
No subscription cost.
Free delivery at 800 locations.
Help support independent journalism by donating today.