January 15, 2019: Mayor John Tecklenburg was the speaker at today’s meeting. He provided an update on the State of the City, with a focus on the Flooding and Sea Level Rise Strategy.
Mayor Tecklenburg noted that every day he gets excited about serving the 
citizens of Charleston. He noted there are four major areas he is focusing on: Roads (even though the city has no funding for roads, and has to work with county/state partners on this), Low-Country Rapid Transit, Affordable Housing, and Flooding.
The Mayor provided an overview of flooding issues, noting that approximately half of peninsular Charleston used to be water or marsh. In 1859 the city built the first series of tunnels to address flooding. These tunnels were added to over the years but didn’t benefit from modern engineering. In 1984 the City of Charleston developed a Drainage Master Plan, but flooding issues continued to worsen. Then, in 2015 we experienced the thousand-year rainfall, in 2016 Hurricane Matthew, and in 2017 Hurricane Irma. These three years of flooding crises let the City to develop an updated vision for dealing with flooding and sea level rise due to global warming.
This vision is a guiding framework to protect lives and property and maintain the community’s thriving economy. The vision has five key components: Infrastructure, Resources, Land Use, Governance, and Outreach. Mayor Tecklenburg noted that water knows no jurisdictional boundaries, so water policy requires partnership with other local governmental entities. There is now a statewide Floodwater Commission that the City is working with.
The City of Charleston has just approved a new Stormwater Department, with staff dedicated to responding to flooding issues. They are seeking a Hazard Mitigation Grant for a Flood Detection System. They are also seeking to contract with a local firm for a Stormwater Management Contract, so that they may quickly respond to crisis issues that arise.
The City is working with the Army Corps of Engineers to conduct a Peninsula Flood Risk Management Study that will take 3 years. They are also working to improve the City’s rating with the National Flood Insurance Program, which should reduce the costs for local flood insurance. The National Flood Insurance program also has a program in which it buys out flood-prone homes and turns them into green spaces, and has done this in the past three years. In addition, they can sometimes provide funds to elevate houses to prevent future flooding. The City is working to lessen BAR restrictions when homeowners wish to raise a home due to flooding.
Funding for the drainage/flooding issues comes from many areas, including City funds, County funds, State funds, and grants. The City has also put in place a TIF (Tax Incentive) in Church Creek to deal exclusively with water/drainage issues.
There are currently about 12 active drainage projects in the City, that include downtown, West Ashley, James Island, and Johns Island. The City is installing check valves downtown, which prevent flood waters from entering the drainage system. There is a planned tunnel system to pump rainwater out to the harbor. These tunnels are 140 feet below the ground surface. There is a current drainage project at Spring/Fishburne which needs more funding to complete. The City is working now to raise the low Battery wall to prevent flooding. They just completed an $11 million project in Forest Acres West Ashley. They are doing a study in Church Creek and Dupont-Wappoo Watershed, as well as James Island – Signal Point and James Island – Wambaw and Johns Island. To manage/maintain the drainage system, new rules will be required regarding building.
The Mayor encourages all citizens to provide input as we work together to improve our community.
Lisa Van Bergen, Keyway Committee
IN OTHER MEETING NEWS
- Kay Minson gave the Invocation and led us in the pledge.
- Leslie Fellabom introduced Visiting Rotarians and guests.
- President Alex Dallis presented Health and Happiness.
- Jim Geffert introduced our keynote speaker and fellow Rotarian, Mayor John Tecklenburg, who gave the club a “State of the City” with a with a focus on the flooding and sea level rise strategy.
MORE IN THIS WEEK’S KEYWAY
January 22, 2019 | Issue 4916 | President: Alex Dallis
COMING EVENTS
- January 22 – Dr. Edward O’Bryan, MUSC, on virtual urgent care
- January 26 – Adopt-A-Highway Service Project
- January 29- Dr. Gerrita Postlewait, CCSD Update
- February 5 – Brig. General Milford Beagle, Commanding General Ft. Jackson
- February 12 – Pat Keaveney, USS Charleston, March 2 christening
- February 19 – No Meeting
NEWS BRIEFS
January Dues Statements
January dues statements were emailed to all members prior to the holidays. Prompt payment is appreciated. A second notice was emailed to all those who haven’t paid this past week. If you did not receive your statement or it got misplaced during the holidays, please let Carroll know and she’ll gladly send it to you.
Adopt-A-Highway Service Project
The next clean up day for our club’s assigned portion of Bee Street is scheduled for Saturday, January 26th at 10 a.m. Gloves, safety vests and trash bags will be provided. Volunteers should plan to meet at the corner of Bee and Lockwood. Please contact Brett Barry to volunteer — Brett.Barry@cleanenergyfuels.com
International Committee Accepting Grant Applications
The International Project Committee is now accepting grant applications for international projects that you may be involved. Rotary is dedicated to building international relationships that improve lives, and create a better world to support our peace efforts and end polio. Grants will range from $500-$2500. Deadline to submit an application is March 1st. Additional information will be disseminated at our next meeting.
Hibben Warming Shelter Volunteers
The Warming Shelter located at Hibben United Methodist Church in Mt. Pleasant is once again opening their facility as a refuge from the cold. Recently, our Rotary Club made a financial donation to this needed outreach. The Board is in hopes that several Rotarians would be willing to volunteer once or more. Contact Rotarian Cecil Mills for detailed information on volunteering at the Shelter – cmills@sonitrol.com.
Rotarian Featured Speaker at Charleston Library Society Events
Rotarian Dr. John Scott Cowan, who is a yearly visiting Rotarian from Canada to our club, is scheduled to be a featured speaker at two events hosted by the Charleston Library Society in February. The Charleston Library Society has graciously offered to extend its Library Society member rates for these two events to members of our Rotary Club.
The February 6 program is one hour, from 11am to noon, and is $15 for non-members and $10 for CLS members and for Rotary members. The title of the program is The Educated Citizen and Democracy. This talk contains dangerous ideas. Some may be useful in understanding past elections and bracing for coming ones. But at its heart, it is about misconceptions about education, and about what constitutes the core suite of knowledge and analytical skills needed to be able to fully exercise our rights and meet our obligations as free citizens of a democracy. It also touches on why public discourse and it reportage has become less brainy and more chaotic, despite the proliferation of higher education.
The February 20 program is 3 hours, from 10am to 1pm, and the non-member price is $35 and member price, both for CLS members and Rotary members, is $25. The title of the discussion is Best Friends, Whether We Like It or Not: US-Canada Relations and Interactions 1760-Present. This topic will cover the history of the relationship between the US (or its precursor colonies) and Canada (or its colonial precursor) from the fall of Quebec near the end of the French and Indian War to the present. The impact of each on the other, in terms of flow of people, of trade, of conflict or cooperation, and of cultural interaction will be covered. Perspectives on identities in the 40 years following the Declaration of Independence and a somewhat new take on the War of 1812 will be covered. The shift from cautious friendship after 1870 to the closest of allies today will be addressed, and contemporary relationship challenges related to trade and defence will be analyzed. The sequence will be talk of 1hr 20 min, break 15 min, Q&A and discussion, 45 min, concluding talk, 25 min.
The Charleston Library Society’s website is www.charlestonlibrarysociety.org, and their phone number is 843-723-9912. Members can sign up for either of these events on the CLS website or by phone.
Our Club is on Instagram
Our club launched an Instagram account this week. Please be sure to follow us at @ChasRotaryClub, which is our Twitter handle, as well.
Members are encourage to follow all of our social media channels and share posts with their followers too! We also need members to send us picture of anything they do that relates to Rotary – service projects, meetings, events, etc. We would love to keep our accounts full of smiling Rotarians! Photos can be send to Mike Sottak, mikesottak@gmail.com, or Rob Byko, rob@bykorealty.com.
MEMBER NEWS
Member News
The Board is excited to announce that President-Elect Sandy Morckel was confirmed as our club’s next President and Heidi Finniff was elected our President-Elect Nominee this past Tuesday. Both of these outstanding, hardworking, enthusiastic Rotarians will assume their new positions with the start of the new Rotary year on July 1. Congratulations to both Sandy and Heidi, who will lead us into our next 100 years! This is an exciting time to be a Rotarian!
Congratulations to Ricky Bailey on his perfect attendance! Ricky was recognized by President Alex for achieving 39 years of perfect attendance. Way to go, Ricky! Your many years of dedication and continuous support of Rotary is to be commended. What an excellent example you set for all of us!
With much regret, the Board accepted the resignation of several members — Peter Arnstein, Charles Kaiser, Peter LaMotte, Kate Marty, Russell Rosen, Fred Sales, Tommy Taylor and Bill Trawick. We will miss all these Rotarians and wish them the best! David Krumwiede and Dale Williams were approved for a leave of absence.
Proposed New Member
The following membership candidate has submitted an application and signed letter of agreement to the Historic Rotary Club of Charleston:
Leo J. Ruettiger – sponsor: Heidi Finniff; classification: Chiropractic
In the event you know Leo please tell a member of the Board how he will serve the ideas of Rotary.
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
Tom Leonard
- Joined: 2011
- Sponsor: Rob Dewey assisted by Don Oswalt
- Membership Involvement: Speaker’s Committee and facilitate our Strategic Plan
- Classification: Consultant
- Profession: Facilitate Strategic Plans to make fine companies — Even Better, plus conduct Sales & Management Training/Coaching.
- Something Unique About Yourself: In my 11-year football career, I played against these future Professionals: Jack Ham (HOF), Steve Smear, Calvin Hill, Tommy Lee Jones (Actor), Dick Jauron, Marv Hubbard, Mark Van Eeghen, Marty Domres, with Ed Marinaro (NFL/Actor) and twice recruited Franco Harris (HOF) to play football at Cornell Univ. (Oops, went to Penn State).
Birthdays
- January 27 – Conrad Zimmerman & Doug McFarland
By the numbers
Attendance on January 15, 2019: 65
Not in attendance: Allen, Baggs, Baus, Beam, Brack, Bullard, Buzon, Carico, Ceccato, Channell, Clark, Coe, Coghill, Cole, Cooper, E., Cooper, J., Cooper, M., Coxe, Deavenport, DeGraff, Diminich, Dopp, Drafts, Dukes, Embry, Fink, Gill, Holmes, Hudnall, Husser, Jones, Kaynard, Kerrigan, Livingston, Mitchell, Moring, Morris, Prewitt, Rust, Saboe, Savage, Schmidt, Seguer, Smith, H., Smith, M., Sottak, Strickland, Taylor, E., Webb, Welborn, Whitaker, Williams, D.
Out of Town Make-ups: None
WELLNESS TIP
Don’t drink too many calories.
It’s easy to drink calories without noticing: that eggnog latte at Starbucks has nearly as many calories as a Big Mac. It’s okay to have one as an occasional treat, but consider it a meal, not a drink.
AREA CLUB MEETINGS
Mondays
- Summerville – Oakbrook: 7:30 a.m., Monday, Westcott County Club, 5000 Wescott Club Drive, North Charleston
- North Charleston: 12:30 a.m., Monday, Hilton Garden Inn, 5265 International Blvd, North Charleston.
- Summerville Evening: 5:30 p.m., Monday, Montreux Bar and Grill, 127 W. Richardson Ave., Summerville
Tuesdays
- East Cooper Breakfast: 7:30 a.m. Tuesday, Cooper River Room at Waterfront Park, Mount Pleasant
- Charleston: 12:30 p.m., Tuesday, Hall’s Signature Events, 5 Faber, Charleston
- Goose Creek: 12:45 m. Tuesday, Gilligan’s, 219 St. James Ave., Goose Creek
Wednesdays
- Daniel Island: 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, Daniel Island Club, 600 Island Park Dr., Daniel Island
- St. John’s Parish (John’s Island): 7:45 a.m. Wednesday, 2817 Maybank Highway, Unit 1, John’s Island
- Mount Pleasant: 12:30 p.m., Wednesday, Harbor Breeze Restaurant, 176 Patriots Point Road, Mount Pleasant
- Summerville: 1 p.m. Wednesday, Sticky Fingers, Summerville
Thursdays
- North Charleston Breakfast: 7:30 a.m. Thursday, Embassy Suites, 5055 International Blvd., North Charleston
- Moncks Corner: 12:30 p.m., Thursday, Gilligan’s Restaurant, Moncks Corner
- St. Andrews (West Ashley): 12:30 p.m., Thursday, Bessinger’s BBQ, 1602 Savannah Highway, Charleston.
Fridays
- Charleston Breakfast: 7:30 a.m., Friday, Harbour Club, 35 Prioleau St., Charleston
SOCIAL MEDIA
Our Rotary club actively uses social media — and we encourage you to interact with us through social media.
- We’re on Facebook. Take a look at our page and be sure to “like us”.
- We’re on Twitter. You can follow us @chasrotaryclub.
ABOUT THE KEYWAY
The Keyway has been published weekly as a newsletter for the Rotary Club of Charleston for more than 90 years.
- President: Alex Dallis
- Keyway editor: Don Baus don@sgaarchitecture.com
- Executive secretary: Carroll Schweers, carrollschweers@gmail.com
- Mailing address: Rotary Club of Charleston, P.O. Box 21029 ,Charleston, SC 29413-1029
- Copyright 2018, Rotary Club of Charleston. All rights reserved.