Members of Charleston County Council on Thursday night elected the Rev. Kylon Middleton, a West Ashley Democrat, to be its new chairman in a shift away from the elected Republican majority.
Meanwhile, Sullivan’s Island Councilman Larry Kobrovsky, a recent chairman of the Charleston County Republican Party who voted for Middleton, was elected as the council’s vice chairman. The vote took place in the historic Charleston County Courthouse in downtown Charleston.
Voting 5-4 in the majority were Middleton, Kobrovsky and Democratic council members Henry Darby, Teddie Pryor and Rob Wehrman. Those voting in the minority were Republicans Joe Boykin, Jenny Honeycutt, Brantley Moody and Herb Sass, the past chairman.
“This is my city, and so I am so happy we are in this historic courthouse,” said Middleton, pastor of Mount Zion AME Church on Glebe Street. “I grew up right here in downtown Charleston. I used to deliver newspapers right here on the Battery and in this area. Never did I dream in my life now to be able to be a part of what happens to move all of our communities forward.”
The vote followed a special council meeting in which the four council members reelected in November — Middleton, Wehrman, Darby and Moody — were sworn into office.
“I’m so grateful for … the work that we’ve done thus far on county council for the last four years and for the opportunity and privilege and honor to continue that work — fighting for those who have no voice and lifting up those who otherwise would not be lifted up,” Middleton said after he was sworn in by 9th Circuit Solicitor Scarlett Wilson.
Middleton said he has several meetings already set up and will be quickly meeting with individual members of the council to plan for the year ahead. He added his priority for the moment is finding common ground.
“We hope that, as we always do, when we get over tonight, we can just come together and work together, and I look forward to doing such,” he said. “Alignment is what we are looking for as we move forward. Nobody is going to get everything, but we want to do what is best for all the people of Charleston County.”
Moving forward by turning purple
Kobrovsky, an attorney, said he had to make a difficult decision to stand so fervently with Democratic members of the council.
“It took a lot for me to do this,” he said. “But I love Charleston, and I see myself as a fiscally conservative conservationist. I see myself as an [late Congressman] Arthur Ravenel Republican — what would he have done? I think he would have done what I did.
“I love Charleston more than any of the partisanship, and I saw us losing ourselves,” Kobrovsky said. We’re here hopefully because we love Charleston, and I see it eroding. I don’t want to become like suburban Atlanta or Charlotte, and that’s what’s at stake.”
He added the change in leadership away from GOP control is a direct response to the November election, during which voters loudly rejected the county’s proposed $5.4 billion sales tax referendum to fund several road projects, including the Interstate 526 extension project.
“We have to show voters that we responded,” Kobrovsky said. “The previous leadership had total control over the agenda and what they put out there every way they wanted it. … The voters — this unique grassroots protest of fiscal conservatives and conservationists — that’s who I want to be and represent.
“I feel like they didn’t have a place at the table, and they do now.”
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