City Council

MINUTES CITY OF GOOSE CREEK, SOUTH CAROLINA REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING TUESDAY, MAY 13, 2025 – 6:00 PM CITY HALL – COUNCIL CHAMBERS 519 N GOOSE CREEK BOULEVARD MAY O R/ C OU NC IL PR ES E NT : M a yo r G r e go r y S. H abi b ; M a yo r Pr o T e m D e br a G r e e n - Fl e tc he r ; C o un cil me m be r H an n a h C o x ; C o u ncil me m b e r Me l i s s a E no s -Si m s ; C o u ncil me m be r C hr i s to p he r H ar mo n; C o u ncil me m b e r G a yl a Mc Sw ai n ; C o un cil me m be r Je r r y T e kac CIT Y ST AF F PR E S EN T : C it y A d min i str a to r N a tal ie Ze i gl e r ; A s si s ta n t C it y Ad m in is tr a to r Br i a n C o o k; C i t y C l e r k K e l l y J. L o ve tte ; Spe ci al Pr o je c t s Ma n age r Al e xi s K i se r ; P u bl ic In f o r m at io n Offic e r Fr a nk Jo hn so n; Po l i ce C hie f L J Ro sco e ; Fir e C hie f Mike N ixo n; D ir e c to r o f R e cr e a tio n C r y st al R e e d ; D ir e c to r o f Pu bl ic Wo r k s C hu ck D e n so n ; H u m a n Re so ur ce s D ir e c to r Je nni fe r L e l a nd PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT SC CODE 30-4-80: WRITTEN NOTICE WAS DELIVERED TO THE PRESS BY EMAIL ON FRIDAY, MAY 9, 2025, AND DULY POSTED AT CITY HALL LOCATED AT 519 N GOOSE CREEK BOULEVARD, AN ACCESSIBLE FACILITY, AND ON CITYOFGOOSECREEK.COM I. CALL TO ORDER – 6:00 PM Mayor Habib called the meeting to order at 6:00 pm. II. INVOCATION/PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Pastor Steve Kiser, Goose Creek Police Department Chaplain and pastor of Nexus Pointe Church, said the invocation. III. GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENTS: Note: All comments sent to the City Clerk by 12:00 noon, via US Mail or Email, on the date of this meeting, were forwarded to City Council. Mayor Habib recognized Ms. Susan Vullo, 114 Windsor Mill Road, stated her concerns over religion and prayer during City Council meetings. IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES City Council Meeting – April 8, 2025 Motion to Approve: Councilmember Enos-Sims; Councilmember Tekac Discussion: None. Motion Carried: All ayes. V. PRESENTATIONS & PROCLAMATIONS a. PROCLAMATIONS • EMS WEEK – MAY 18 – 24, 2025 • NATIONAL PUBLIC WORKS WEEK – MAY 18 – 24, 2025 • BUILDING SAFETY MONTH – MAY 2025 • NATIONAL TENNIS MONTH – MAY 2025 1  Mayor Habib presented proclamations to Fire Chief Mike Nixon and some of his staff for EMS Week; Chuck Denson and some of his staff for National Public Works Week; Sam Stratford for Building Safety Month; and Steve Wilson and Lee Knick for National Tennis Month. VI. OLD BUSINESS a. AN ORDINANCE PURSUANT TO TITLE 5, CHAPTER 3, SECTION 5-3-150, SUBSECTION 3, OF THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, AS AMENDED, TO ANNEX THE AREA IDENTIFIED AS TMS 223- 13-03-038 LOCATED ON ST. JAMES AVENUE, INTO THE CITY OF GOOSE CREEK, A SOUTH CAROLINA MUNICIPAL CORPORATION – (Second and Final Reading) Motion to Approve: Councilmember Cox; Mayor Pro Tem Green-Fletcher Discussion/Comments: None. Motion Carried: All ayes VIII. CITY ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT a. Proposed SPEED HUMP INSTALLATION – AMY DRIVE Natalie Zeigler stated she was seeking approval to install speed humps on Amy Drive, as they have met all the required criteria and regulations. The estimated cost is $29,348. She stated City staff has submitted for a grant through Berkeley County Councilmember Davis for $17,000 and if approved it could be done in 2025; however, if the grant is not approved it will be first in line for 2026. Motion to Approve: Councilmember Enos-Sims; Councilmember McSwain Discussion/Comments: Mayor Habib provided some history to the residents concerning the allotment of funds for the Traffic Calming Program and that it has become a collaborative effort between Berkeley County and the City of Goose Creek. Motion Carried: All ayes b. PROPOSED SPEED HUMP INTALLATION – BRIDGETOWN ROAD Natalie Zeigler stated she was seeking approval to install speed humps on Bridgetown Road, all required criteria and regulations have been met. The estimated cost is $29,348. She stated City staff has submitted for a grant through Berkeley County Councilmember Stern for $26,000 and if approved it could be done in 2025; however, if the grant is not approved it will be second in line and may not be funded until 2027. Motion to Approve: Councilmember McSwain; Mayor Pro Tem Green-Fletcher Discussion/Comments: None. Motion Carried: All ayes IX. MAYOR’S REPORT Mayor Habib addressed Ms. Vullo’s concerns from earlier during General Public Comments about her concerns over religion and prayer. He stated he wished for people to understand the position in which the City is in and that under the Constitution of the United States it is pretty clear and that if there is to be prayer before a City Council Meeting, you have to allow people to pray and you cannot dictate who or which religions will pray. He stated Priest Rajan Zed prayed for peace and knowledge and all the things everyone would agree with and believe is needed. Mayor Habib stated the following: Registration is underway for our Goose Creek City Amateur golf tournaments at Crowfield July 18-20, including the City Amateur, and the Women's and Senior tournaments. Sponsorships are also available. Also, at Crowfield, the Third Annual Bobby D Junior Classic is looking for 2  sponsors for 2026. Check out the Crowfield Facebook page for all of the details or visit CrowfieldGolf.com. Registration is also underway for the Goose Creek Police Department's 7th Annual Hot Pursuit SK, which is set for the morning of June 14. The fun SK is open to all ages and fitness levels, and all proceeds go to the GCPD's Shop with a Badge and Operation Christmas Joy programs. Visit the City website or the Police Department's Facebook page for more details and to sign up for this year's race. May is Hurricane Preparedness Month, and our friends at Berkeley County have updated the county's Hurricane Guide. It is available for download at BerkeleyCountySC.gov, with versions in English, Spanish and Portuguese. In addition, hard copies of the guide will be available at all county library locations beginning in June. The Goose Creek Police Department is asking City residents to take 2 minutes to complete an online survey that can be found on the City and Police Facebook page. The survey asks for resident feedback and is part of the Department's CALEA accreditation process. The Adopt a Goose Program is constantly being updated and now features over 35 statues adopted by businesses and organizations across the City. Find them all by downloading the Goose Chase App on your iPhone and Android device. More info and instructions to play are on our website and Facebook pages. This Friday, May 16, everyone is invited to MOMO Crowfield at our Crowfield Golf Club for Goose Creek Recreation's Local Spring Concert featuring High Tide. This is a free event - doors open at 6pm and the band will start playing at 7. Chief Nixon and the Goose Creek Fire Department invite everyone to a GCFD Open House from 11 am to 2pm on Saturday, May 17, at Headquarters Station. Drop by for a station tour, fire safety info, Gelly Ball and lots more. Registration is open for Goose Creek Recreation's Alice's Brunch & Tea Party, which takes place from 9 to 11 am on Saturday, May 17. The Goose Creek Recreation's Spring Movie Series continues this Saturday, May 17, as the cinematic triumph "Dog Man" is shown at the Daning Amphitheater. Gates open at 7pm. The Charleston Battery has announced that its home soccer game that same night of Saturday, May 17, is City of Goose Creek Night. The game is at 7:30pm at the team's home field at Patriots Point. A link to purchase tickets can be found on the City's Face book page. Saturday's game will see the Battery face the San Antonio Football Club. Residents can now sign up for the next American Red Cross blood drive, set for Friday, May 23. Sign up by visiting our City website or Face book page. For questions or more info you can speak to our City Clerk, Kelly Lovette. Tickets are available for the next Creekapalooza concert at the Caning Amphitheater, as A Tribute to the Music of Taylor Swift takes place Saturday, June 21. Tickets are free but you do need a ticket to attend. Visit our website, the Recreation Facebook page, or drop by the Community Center to learn more about all of the information and events stated by Mayor Habib. As always, please keep up with the City on our social media pages, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter, now known as X. Be sure to watch Adam Kelly’s Your Week in the Creek video recap, and please sign up for our digital residential newsletter at CityofGooseCreek.com. X. MONTHLY DEPARTMENT REPORTS a. APRIL Monthly Department Reports (Informational Purposes Only) XI. ADJOURNMENT Motion: Councilmember Harmon Discussion: None. Carried: All ayes. 6:35 p.m. Date: June 10, 2025 Kelly J. Lovette, MMC City Clerk 3