Lancaster has used the Communities in Schools youth to help repair homes with code violations, beautify the gateways into the city and provide grounds maintenance at two city cemeteries.
It is new and it is chilling. Because it means we may have a hard time finding firms that won't have a conflict with appearing before city boards, county boards and others.
Right now some 60 entities in South Carolina have eminent domain powers, and it's been discussed generally (in the General Assembly) to commit it to elected bodies and some others like the Department of Transportation and the Ports Authority.
This should be a local decision. The governor has always been a strong supporter of home rule.
I've seen just about every variety of change.
The municipal election commission should get cranked up immediately to get the ads in the newspaper so people understand there's a special election coming up to fill that seat.
The municipal election can get lost in the shuffle.
You're still looking at building coalitions and getting the majority of council to support your vision of the future. No change in the form of government would change that.
It (was) completely unlikely that the House (would) slow down. The train is on the track on the House side.
For a 'public use,' it means you cannot turn around and give it to a developer, even if it's an economic development project that's within the public purpose.
That's the biggest difference. The ability to fire people and hire your people to take their place.
I don't think the citizens of Columbia will vote for a strong mayor form of government. I think they're satisfied with the council and manager form that we have now.
The key issue is the attorney's client remains the town, not the developer.