Though it’s a tight budget year, Charleston Mayor Joe Riley is looking to make departmental changes — all without increasing overall costs. He has proposed shifting the Department of Planning, Preservation, and Economic Innovation to the Department of Planning, Preservation, and Sustainability. The city will also create a sustainability director who will oversee efforts toward energy efficiency, recycling, green technology use, and sustainable land use policies.
“This person will save the city money — eventually we’ll save a lot of money,” Riley says. “But more important than that is for Charleston to seize the moment and be a leader in the sustainability movement.”
A business services division will also be created in the planning department to support existing businesses. The economic development division will be eliminated, with those efforts consolidated to the mayor’s office.
“This time is about opportunity,” Riley says. “We have to do more with less and not be defensive or reactive.”
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