Howard Duvall, Executive Director, Municipal Association of SC, and Bill Boyd, commission member

The Commission on Columbia City Government Reform and Restructuring was called to order by former mayor Patton Adams, chairman of the commission, Wednesday at noon at the headquarters of the Municipal Association of SC. The purpose of the commission is to investigate alternative forms of government for Columbia and to recommend change or continuation. The current city operation with a part–time mayor, a strong city manager as CEO, and six members of city council has come under question.

Honored guests were Louis Waring and Paul Tinkler, members of Charleston City Council, and Charleston Mayor Joe Riley. The three Charlestonians sat at the guest speaker’s table, and Joe Riley took the first turn to testify.

Charleston Mayor Joe Riley Riley, a strong mayor who votes as #13 among 12 members of city council, prefers his city government structure to be known as the “empowered citizens/accountable mayor/strong council” form. He said it worked because Charleston had an elected CEO, not an appointed city manager. The citizens know the office where the buck stops, and they know the office is up for election every four years. Charleston has 97 neighborhood councils and 110,000 people and one elected CEO.

Dahli Myers, commission member Louis Waring, member of city council in Charleston, ran for the office after 10 years out of politics. His district holds 8,000 constituents, and they hold meetings often. Waring attends many meetings, and he says his people like knowing about his direct access to the mayor. They feel it’s really their direct access to the mayor. Also, unlike Columbia, members of Charleston City Council have direct access to the 10 department heads who run the city.

Paul Tinkler, the member of city council from the West Ashley neighborhood, is a full–time lawyer and a part–time public servant. He likes the Charleston form of government for three reasons. (1) It is a constant legal check on the power of the mayor. (2) It makes policy effectively. (3) It works well as a liaison between the citizens and their city. Things move along and get done in Charleston, Tinkler said, because they have a full–time elected official, their mayor, empowered to make executive decisions.

In the end the three declared Charleston efficient, continuously planned, and pleased with the results. For this they credit their form of government more than their good fortune to have Joe Riley as mayor.