Strong Mayor Proposal Stalls

Hearing solid opposition to his proposal to change the town's form of government, Mayor Billy Swails now says he'll push for a petition to force a town referendum on the issue.

Swails is seeking to change the town's government to a so-called strong mayor style of government, which allows a full-time mayor who runs the town on a day-to-day basis. It's the same form of government in place in Charleston and North Charleston.

Monday morning, three of the four council members on the town's Police, Judicial, Legal Committee said they were firmly against the mayor's idea. The council would need to approve the change before it could be placed on a town-wide referendum for a final vote, but hearing all the opposition, the mayor didn't ask for a vote.

However, there are two ways to force the ballot issue: a vote to have it become a referendum to be voted on by the public or by petition. The mayor now says he'll push for the second option, a petition, which would require 15 percent of the town's registered voters to express a desire for the change.

"I just think this town needs an executive that is totally accountable to the citizens," Swails said. "But let's see if we can get 15 percent."

Councilmembers Elton Carrier, Chris Nickels and Thomasena Stokes-Marshall all said they were against the idea, mostly because Mount Pleasant works smoothly now and because they like the job being done by Town Administrator Eric DeMoura.

"We have a great administrator," said Carrier, who has been the most vocal opponent to the Mayor's proposal. "I just think it's important that we keep the administrator's position strong and that this council supports that position."

Stokes-Marshall, the longest-serving member of the council, said a strong-mayor form of government would diminish her vote.

"We are sitting in these seats because the citizens of this town elected us to be in these seats," Stokes-Marshall said. Changing the form of government presents "a potential that those votes will be diminished by the mayor who has the authority to override that."

The mayor said a petition would need to be started by a citizens group, and he knows someone who will lead the effort.

"I know someone, but I'm not at liberty to mention their name just yet," the Mayor said after the meeting. "I know a lot of people who support this."

There are roughly 46,000 registered voters in Mount Pleasant. That means 6,900 voters will have to sign the petition to force the town to place the item on the ballot.

The town's attorney says once the petition has been received, a vote must come within 90 days and the new form of government won't be put in place until the last-elected member of council completes his or her term. Since the town held an election in late 2011, the change could not occur until 2015.