N. Charleston mayoral candidates share their views during community meeting

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Election season is right around the corner, and North Charleston mayoral candidates are already campaigning.

The Whipper Barony Neighborhood Association held their monthly public meeting to hear from candidates running for mayor of North Charleston Monday night.

Eight of the 11 candidates running for North Charleston Mayor were in attendance. Also in attendance were members of the North Charleston community who quickly filled the room to max capacity.

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Russ Coletti, a North Charleston resident and Veteran of the United States Navy and Air Force, shared what he hopes to do as mayor.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I’m running for you. I’m the one that’s gonna set the record straight. We’re gonna change the way our city does business. No more ‘we have no more money.’ We’re bringing the money to the community to beautify your neighborhoods,” Coletti said.

Former North Charleston Police Chief Reggie Burgess was one of the first people to enter the race back in March.

“You know about me. I don’t run away from crime, I run to crime. Infrastructure is an issue. Number two, this building was built in 1992. We need a new building. And quality of life. If you work on those qualities, I’ll call your life well-changed,” Burgess said.

While some of the candidates touched on community engagement, decreasing crime and making North Charleston better overall were the biggest points in Monday night’s meeting.

“If this is going to be a true, world-class city, we need to start doing world-class things. We’re going to have to have walkability, we’re gonna have to have safety, we’re going to have to have equity,” candidate Stephanie Ganaway-Pasley said.

Todd Olds, former North Charleston councilman, shared what his intentions are with budget if he is elected.

“We need to take attention to detail in these communities. We need to invest the money that’s procured and allot it in the budget to put in these communities and not look far up North Charleston and neglect the south of North Charleston.”

“So as your elected leader, I promise you and like I did before and I’ll do it again. We’ll bring these things to the community. You shouldn’t have to go out and beg. This should be an equal distribution,” Charleston County Council Member and mayoral candidate Teddie Pryor Sr. said.

Despite not being in the mayor’s seat just yet, each candidate knew what they could bring to the North Charleston area.

“I go to all of the monthly meetings. I listen to their concerns, I try to handle their concerns. If they need a new recreation center or they need a new ball field, then it’s my responsibility to make sure that happens,” North Charleston Councilwoman and mayoral candidate Rhonda Jerome said.

“You’ll see they have palm trees, sidewalks, everything over there. So, we need to make sure in that budget, south of Durant Avenue and Whipper Barony get sidewalks and amenities that’s needed for quality of life,” candidate Jesse Williams said.

“My vision is, I want to make sure I lower crime in North Charleston, I increase the median household income and that we as a city are allowed to make sure there’s affordable housing in North Charleston,” candidate John Singletary said.

Reverend Dr. Samuel Whatley I and Curtis Merriweather Jr. were not at Monday night’s meeting. They have not yet responded to a request for comment.

The North Charleston general election will be held on Nov. 7.

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