579 Folly Road, P.O. Box 12242 Charleston SC, 29422
Intergovernmental Flood Taskforce Quarterly reporT. 3/6/26
🚧 Notes From This Morning’s Infrastructure Meeting: Roads, Flooding, and Why Projects Aren’t Getting Done
- This morning March 6, 2026, from 10:00 to 11:30 I attended a meeting on flooding, drainage, and infrastructure after being invited by Representative Tom Hartnett.
I was not able to speak, but I took detailed notes.
Here are some of the things that stood out.
🚧 There are currently 45 infrastructure and drainage projects identified totaling about $170 million, yet only about 7 percent of that funding currently exists. Charleston County has some of the fastest population growth in South Carolina and arguably sends some of the most tax revenue to the state, yet that money is not coming back to the Lowcountry to fix our roads, flooding, and infrastructure.
📋 The permitting process is also a major problem. The South Carolina Department of Environmental Services can take up to six months just to approve a permit for basic maintenance or infrastructure work. That timeline is unacceptable. Permits should be issued within 30 days so projects can move forward.
🏗 At the same time, local governments are being prevented from making projects shovel ready because the state must issue permits first. That regulation needs to change. Local governments should be able to design and prepare projects before state approval so work can begin immediately when funding is available.
🛠 Local design matters. As a builder this is the type of work I deal with every day. Out of the candidates in this race I am the one who actually works with construction, infrastructure, and design on a daily basis.
🚗 Many people on Folly Road have opposed the concrete median because of how it impacts local businesses. At the same time we all understand the safety concerns. We have recently seen tragedies on Maybank Highway, and my childhood friend Ryan Puckhaber lost his life in a traffic accident.
🚸 Safety improvements are needed, but there are solutions that do not destroy traffic flow or hurt businesses. Flashing pedestrian crosswalks are a simple solution that alerts drivers when people are crossing.
🏪 We have already seen how bad design decisions can impact businesses. When Cross Creek was redesigned at Maybank and Folly Road, the traffic pattern changed so dramatically that McDonald’s and businesses in that shopping center eventually relocated because the redesign killed traffic in that area.
💰 Funding was also discussed during the meeting. There was talk about raising property taxes, permit fees, and business license fees. I do not support raising property taxes.
🪙 Senator Ed Sutton also discussed allowing the penny sales tax to be used for things like affordable housing. Charleston County voters rejected that idea. The courts ruled the county could spend the money however it wanted, which is why voters did not support it.
If voters approve a penny sales tax for roads and flooding, that money must be used for roads and flooding. Period.
✅ Berkeley County is a good example of how to do this correctly. Voters supported their infrastructure tax because leaders like Berkeley County Supervisor Johnny Cribb actually used the money for the projects they promised. Charleston County needs to follow the Berkeley County model to regain the trust of voters.
📑 Another major issue is the bidding process. Governments often advertise how much they are willing to spend on a project before bids even come in.
If you were getting bids from three contractors to work on your house, would you tell all three that you had $60,000 to spend?
Of course not.
Because all three bids would likely come back at $60,000.
Government needs to rethink the way it handles bidding for infrastructure projects.
👷 We also need more competition in these bids. Right now only a few large companies handle most of the work. We should create a specialty construction license so smaller contractors who focus on roads, drainage, and sidewalks can bid on these projects.
Someone with a truck, equipment, and a paving crew should be able to compete.
More competition means better pricing and faster work.
🌧 Maintenance is another problem. Some drainage ditches that were reported back in October have still not been cleaned.
When I asked about accountability I was told the responsibility falls under SCDOT, which ultimately answers to the Governor. This jurisdictional confusion is exactly why problems continue.
🏛 We need more local control. Florida has a better model where the state handles major highways and bridges while municipalities and counties handle their own local roads. That allows communities to fix problems faster.
🔎 There must also be transparency and oversight. If someone bidding on a government project has family connections to elected officials, that relationship should be disclosed just like it is in real estate so the public knows the bidding process was fair.
I was also disappointed that Representative Spencer Wetmore left the meeting early while discussion was still taking place about the Central Park Road area. That blocked culvert has been an issue for years and still has not been fixed.
📅 Right now these meetings only happen every three months and public comment was limited to two minutes per speaker. We should be meeting monthly until these problems are addressed.
📍 SCDOT was asked about projects in Lighthouse Point and Riverland Terrace, and the answer was no to moving forward on those projects.
That raises an important question.
If SCDOT controls many of the roads in our neighborhoods, why are they not actively working to fix the problems?
- When I left that meeting I kept thinking the same thing.
- Everyone in the room seemed to agree the problems exist.
- So why are the projects still not getting done?
- This system clearly needs a serious overhaul.
Full Report and how Carlton Walker will fix our Flooding and Infrastructure.
Since our last meeting below Since our last meeting, the individuals who were to get things done for our Mayor of James Island have failed. This is unacceptable!these guys who promised our Mayor of James Island to get things done have failed. This is unacceptable! This is why we need local control and NOT SC DOT CONTROL!!!
Rep. Spencer Wetmore Walks Out Before: Majority of Flooding Issues in SC District 115 Are Discussed.
In this meeting addressing flooding concerns in South Carolina House District 115, residents were given only two minutes each at the beginning of the meeting to speak about the flooding problems affecting their neighborhoods. After the public comment period, a broader discussion about flooding conditions across the islands began.
Representative Spencer Wetmore left before the majority of these issues were discussed. Several major concerns affecting Central Park, Lighthouse Point, and Riverland Terrace were not fully addressed, including the ongoing problem of a blocked culvert that residents believe is contributing significantly to the flooding.
Flooding concerns affecting Tabby Lane along Folly Road were not mentioned at all during the meeting. Communities across our islands deserve leadership that stays engaged, listens to constituents, and works to solve the infrastructure problems affecting their homes and neighborhoods.
Since our last meeting below Since our last meeting, the individuals who were to get things done for James Island have failed. This is unacceptable!
This is why WE NEED LOCAL CONTROL
and NOT SC DOT CONTROL!!!
#1 issue: FIX ROADS — LOCAL CONTROL. THE PLAN: SCDOT REFORM.
👉 Return Local Control of Our Roads.
Charleston County Intergovernmental Meeting, Mayor Lyon of James Island told me to go look at the end of Schooner Road in Lighthouse Point — a road maintained by SCDOT, not the Town.
The neighborhood where my first girlfriend from James Island High grew up, it’s personal to me.
What I saw there is a real public safety issue, especially for fire trucks and EMS trying to reach residents.
This is exactly why we must move forward with the plan I’m proposing:
Carlton Walker is the only candidate who has actually fixed roads.
Carlton has installed public sidewalks. No more wasting tax money on overpriced projects.
The First Secretary of Transportation in SC, H.B."Buck" Limehouse.
This picture represents a past that can help us move District 115 forward. From left to right: SC Speaker of the House and US Ambassador to Canada David H. Wilkins, Carlton's mother Controller of Limehouse Properties Helen Riley Walker, United States President George H. Walker Bush, The First SC Seceretary of Transportation H.B. "Buck" Limehouse, Jr., The Honorable Govenor Carroll A. Campbell, Jr.
Our children deserve better.
LET'S GIVE EACH OTHER A HAND - EARLY VOTING TUESDAY, MAY 26 - FRIDAY, MAY 29 MONDAY, JUNE 1 - FRIDAY, JUNE 5 8:30 AM TO 5:00 PM
Businessman, Leader, showing up fixing real problems for JAMES, JOHNS, FOLLY, KIAWAH & SEABROOK
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579 Folly Road, P.O. Box 12242 Charleston SC, 29422
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