[{"_1":2,"_110":-5,"_111":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86,98],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",6089366,"mediaKeyId","2874576-db888a62651bb6e49064d1fe21e01288","parentId",2874576,"title","Council approves Animal Society contract 5-4 after debate over per-animal fees; staff directed to seek parity with Pet Helpers","audioSeconds",2794,"startMs",3339000,"endMs",6133000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2874576-db888a62651bb6e49064d1fe21e01288&start=3339&end=6133","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2874576-db888a62651bb6e49064d1fe21e01288/thumbnail_3339000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6089366/Charleston-County/South-Carolina/Council-approves-Animal-Society-contract-5-4-after-debate-over-per-animal-fees-staff-directed-to-seek-parity-with-Pet-Helpers","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6089366-98425601024dd21daa3a85561e2f7578/orig.mp4?Expires=1771182916&Signature=O~DRBhvUZN7qNOJoJk0EoizrvMcsKG6vQcw6SyJY2UwTbzIcR5eHOWEtLEmIVBvW3R1ps9dIy22W68wUeQnPxQNOrGf-VbOeOKwIsRaVjgg75z8IurNfNjp5OAuASFSCgnKoCUoMNAMGSrFKknZdmSJVSHdt2y31WuDRKb9R1pUoi~QExwZQRD5gbx0oBo-CHPdBrQ90-Oi~TMrBs6eI1~XkyQJCERFV3XBEMF0E9WEHiXthIVPox3-vbs~x3clSFslz4gs2M9SRd44nRuFa8842eiGB8aRTDPSFfxfpKcJfCrjeF~aC8mDoHIXB6XO1zyrBon3jojm8LmL0jCvMHg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-04-04T12:21:27Z","article","Charleston County council approved a new contract with the Animal Society to provide animal-control and shelter services for unincorporated county areas after extended debate about per-animal costs and provider capacity. The motion passed on a roll-call vote, five in favor and four opposed.

Discussion focused on unit costs. Council members compared per-animal charges among regional providers and expressed concern the Animal Society's per-unit charges in the proposed contract were higher than those at Pet Helpers, a separate local provider. \"This number on page 2 of the contract still concerns me,\" Councilwoman Honeycutt said, noting the county needed to balance cost and service quality. Other council members said Pet Helpers has been responsive, kept records and provided lower per-animal averages; Animal Society supporters said the society provides a higher level of veterinary services and capacity the county needs.

After the contract passed 5–4, Councilman Boykin moved (and a colleague seconded) that staff return to Pet Helpers to negotiate comparable terms; that motion carried on a voice vote. Council members said the county needs two vendors to ensure capacity and continuity of service but asked staff to try to reduce price gaps where feasible.

Why this matters: The contract governs how the county cares for and shelters animals collected in unincorporated areas and represents a recurring operational and budgetary commitment. Per-animal unit costs affect the county's animal-services budget and may affect choices about vendor capacity, service level and use of multiple providers.

Next steps: County staff will follow up with Pet Helpers to seek possibly closer pricing or terms and will report back to council.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","04/03/2025 - Charleston County Council","oneSentenceSummary","After argument about per-animal costs and capacity, Charleston County council approved a contract with the Animal Society by a 5-4 vote and then directed staff to compare and negotiate with Pet Helpers for more comparable pricing.","taxTitle","Charleston County, South Carolina","taxId",3700,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6089371,"Council pares back procurement overhaul; requires posting of consultant contracts and council notification",2764,2571000,5335000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2874576-db888a62651bb6e49064d1fe21e01288&start=2571&end=5335","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2874576-db888a62651bb6e49064d1fe21e01288/thumbnail_2571000.jpg","/articles/6089371/Charleston-County/South-Carolina/Council-pares-back-procurement-overhaul-requires-posting-of-consultant-contracts-and-council-notification","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6089371-26e44749421204bfffa15b8a7dc99525/orig.mp4?Expires=1771182916&Signature=F2GpEA5BCboQyuiB8zqXVMCI~Sfy8V~Nlz1WKEROYHOFJiGVsAIKv3Y6QWizX5O41WXZ9f~2xnNNaDmjO5f~2~errHur47Xg~5bONuM5CScnx5mxjqF2OoiIRa6dOJ9IUMttYUuOne1gNRyB9A6KQ5IshLep-A7EdNScqayFs42IlbzE6D0hIQ98HdwK5WajkIWYNtiK2FOwKAcxaJLrxl7pA1UPRWvQJsop6gNQtZWoPAFTf2p4wHt6BWfaGbB6KB6--nYv6ZOJRIwjzD1IN~E2ppLDybv0BPn2UrnD8hCN59hRl2i6jxrDcfUT1OjYJM-WyymbneIwOWp8vhY3GQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Councilman Kabrowski proposed broad revisions to Charleston County's procurement ordinance aimed at increasing transparency and requiring council approval of contracts that influence policy. He cited two prior consulting agreements as examples and said the county must prevent policy-level contracts from being executed without council oversight.

\"It has recently come to light that without council approval, consultants were hired to influence policy and policy makers,\" Kabrowski said as he presented the amendment text. His proposed changes would have required council approval regardless of value for any contract aimed at influencing policy makers, limited retainers in those contracts, required monthly reports, banned automatic renewals for such contracts, and required public posting.

The proposal prompted extended debate. Several council members and county staff said procurement rules and sole-source thresholds are intended to keep operations moving and that some consultants are retained for time-sensitive technical work. Much of the discussion centered on two consulting arrangements that had drawn public attention: invoices and work tied to J S Hayward Consulting LLC and a more recent noncompetitive contract described in the meeting as a $12,500-per-month engagement. Council members disagreed about whether all such contracts should be subject to prior council approval.

Councilman Wurman offered a narrower, friendly amendment focused on public notice and a uniform notification process for council members. After discussion, Kabrowski accepted the narrowed amendment and council voted to require that consultant contracts be posted on the county's website and that council members receive a uniform blue-sheet notification when such contracts are executed; the motion passed during the Finance Committee portion of the meeting.

Why this matters: The debate grew out of concerns by some council members and members of the public that certain consulting contracts had been executed without sufficient procurement review or public notice; the council opted for a measured change that enshrines public posting and internal notification while leaving most procurement discretion with the county administrator and staff.

Next steps: County staff said they will implement the website posting and blue-sheet notification procedures and provide further details to council.","After a lengthy debate sparked by concerns over prior consultant agreements, council members narrowed a wide-ranging procurement amendment to require posting of certain contracts on the county website and a uniform \"blue sheet\" notification to council; the narrowed measure passed.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6089376,"City of Charleston asks county to join regional effort for temporary \"pallet\" housing to help people experiencing homelessness",957,1427000,2384000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2874576-db888a62651bb6e49064d1fe21e01288&start=1427&end=2384","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2874576-db888a62651bb6e49064d1fe21e01288/thumbnail_1427000.jpg","/articles/6089376/Charleston-County/South-Carolina/City-of-Charleston-asks-county-to-join-regional-effort-for-temporary-pallet-housing-to-help-people-experiencing-homelessness","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6089376-673714c39595ae6cc2bbb4a0ea738364/orig.mp4?Expires=1771182916&Signature=OFgcsh08sKuSc~SeHTKK8hHgu9V27XjXMfwTgwYhR4Y1IgSVHgqvQDNdOkXXi1z9Y8peog-kIgnt1iwg4eG6wqkoZ0WVPk4ARYetGH3rpS4ZB3CK91L-Rcf-lC0lmtOe8saC9honNstEzraPM89D5-mvkJbXVOPKreHRulytVmjTAaiVVt1YzLfINxt2Vnpwags517BK5q1Q4BNkEZB6lFrXhtHbY8lw9KpfjulmPwUeEJA53-RK~fk2d-7-~P-CI1wdnhWVKVpFOt83LycbMLiMxLOI2bAdhNu68kxHYYC4YRgtYKHFbK9zJ5jMMrS1cdn7EYrsL6dk~FUihjc-gA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Mayor William Cogswell and city housing staff told Charleston County council members that the City of Charleston is seeking regional partners to fund a rapid-deployment temporary housing site and related services to help people who are unsheltered and who \"fall through the cracks.\"

\"What it would do is provide 60 to 80 individual units, temporary housing units, on a site that is centrally located and owned by the city on the Neck area,\" Mayor William Cogswell said, describing a proposed campus that would combine a Hope Center with 60–80 pallet-style or rapid housing units and wraparound services.

Gianna Shaw Johnson, director of the City of Charleston's Department of Housing and Community Development, said the proposal is intended to serve people who cannot immediately qualify for traditional shelters or permanent housing because of behavioral-health or substance-use barriers. She described pallet housing as quickly constructed, lockable units with a bed, HVAC and a small closet for personal belongings. \"We need housing for these individuals,\" she told council, adding that the city's Hope Center provides showers, clothing storage, job training and referral services but that many people need short-term housing in the transition to permanent housing.

Gianna Shaw Johnson told council the city and its nonprofit partners have raised about $4.3 million toward a permanent Hope Center and that the city estimates the Hope Center building costs at about $4 million. The pallet homes themselves were estimated at roughly $5.5 million for the initial set. The city's proposal would split pallet costs roughly 50/50 between counties (Charleston and Berkeley were cited) and participating municipalities; the city asked the county for a tentative contribution of about $1,750,000 to help get the project started over the next 12 months. Cogswell said Dorchester County had declined to participate, while Berkeley County had expressed interest.

City officials identified an available site on the Neck's former Southern Truck Terminal property, which they said provides transit access and enough space for the center and adjacent pallet units. The proposal also envisions a regional operations board and expects to pursue private grants and state funds for ongoing operations. The city estimated an operating budget of about $1.5 million annually for the facility and suggested the county's share could be about $500,000 per year if no outside operating funds were secured.

Council members asked clarifying questions about operations, ownership and ongoing costs. Mayor Cogswell and Gianna Shaw Johnson said the city would own the building and lease it to the nonprofit that would operate the center; partners would retain input on operations and referrals. The city requested a contingent commitment from the county so that planning and site work can proceed collaboratively and said additional details and cost-sharing agreements would follow.

Why this matters: Countywide homelessness and lack of short-term housing capacity are regional problems. The city is asking the county to join a collaborative, shared-cost effort to add short-term housing capacity directly tied to wraparound services and to accelerate placement and stabilization for people exiting homelessness.

Next steps: The city asked county leaders for a contingent funding commitment and said it will provide further details to the county as the project moves toward final design and partner commitments.","Mayor William Cogswell and city housing director Gianna Shaw Johnson asked Charleston County for a contingent contribution to a regional rapid- or pallet-housing project that would provide 60–80 temporary units and co-locate services with the city's HOPE Center on the Neck property.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_47":104,"_49":105,"_51":106,"_53":107,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":108,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":109,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6089381,"Charleston County staff urges urgent search for new landfill site as current facility nears capacity",888,488000,1376000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2874576-db888a62651bb6e49064d1fe21e01288&start=488&end=1376","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2874576-db888a62651bb6e49064d1fe21e01288/thumbnail_488000.jpg","/articles/6089381/Charleston-County/South-Carolina/Charleston-County-staff-urges-urgent-search-for-new-landfill-site-as-current-facility-nears-capacity","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6089381-02a91ec02e57b54b5100ca3f8f9c578b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771182916&Signature=LMFBCuk3VSqgL3J6F6PA1BGD233Y6elZLop6NbZeKwbOQ2eArUBMR7ogoPmMu4trvQwz0Sn~OAIPUX5KFKen-xPicKdo5PeqNCPCynDdZX0PDII4RKhLwfiRql~44LKlXAZDrdvdzjGpeqHk1NUPuWKDYhyiYIwTrpHFdYfp-2IDHTP-trzZTBVXtYGW6GrOQ0zKLEM9iM2tNyMWAnLR1DiNHvIrnz2zeJDQiSANYm~zRb0Vyqdlc5rdA-6-VDVYEf20m5fvphvXDHFDk~WQHEWt904MH-s--aZ26srGcTpnnpaFnW5wZN0iqsEgBJd2jZ60VxaR5DwbUWo1pJCTRA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Charleston County environmental management staff told county council members that the county's municipal landfill has roughly 17 years of remaining capacity and urged the county to begin property searches and contracting immediately to avoid losing local disposal control.

\"Current state of landfill ... currently have 17 years remaining,\" presenter Thomas Q. said during the Environmental Management Committee meeting, adding that permitting and siting a new landfill typically takes about seven years and that county leaders therefore have roughly 10 years to secure a replacement.

The presentation outlined three parallel approaches: (1) issue a request for qualifications (RFQ) to hire a firm with engineering, geologic, environmental and public-relations experience to lead siting and permitting; (2) explore intercounty partnerships if necessary; and (3) pursue limited engineering options at the existing landfill, including a vertical expansion. Thomas Q. said a vertical expansion of about 50 feet could increase permitted height to about 220 feet and buy \"about 3 or 4 years\" of additional life on existing engineered cells. He cautioned, however, that regulators generally prefer vertical over horizontal expansion because it takes no new adjacent property.

Thomas Q. also quantified the cost risk of losing local disposal capacity: county residents now pay a user fee that covers collection and disposal, he said, but trucking waste off-county would add pickup-to-transfer and transfer-to-disposal costs. He cited figures for the sequence of added charges (about $25 per ton to move to a transfer station, then about $35 to $40 per ton to move from a transfer station to an out-of-county landfill), and said the current Berkeley disposal rate is about $57 per ton; combining those components, he said, would roughly add an extra $112 per ton in some scenarios. If Charleston County sends roughly 200,000 tons off-county, \"you can multiply that by $112,\" he told council, to illustrate the potential taxpayer impact.

The presentation also discussed composting operations at the landfill complex. Thomas Q. said the composting operation currently uses roughly 20 acres and could be relocated, and that combining compost relocation with a vertical expansion could extend the landfill's life markedly. He estimated a combined approach could push the site life to 25–30 years, if all pieces align.

Council members pressed staff on options and timelines. Councilman Boykin asked whether relocating composting plus vertical expansion could extend usable life; Thomas Q. replied it could extend it to about 25–30 years. Council members also raised the need for community outreach in districts near the existing site.

Separately, the Environmental Management Committee moved in open session to an executive session to discuss a contractual matter involving the county's collection contract with Republic. In the executive session the committee voted to adopt the attorney's recommendation and to negotiate with Republic about the collection contract; committee members reported that motion carried when the meeting reconvened. Committee members noted the vote occurred in executive session and therefore details of negotiations were not publicly discussed.

Why this matters: Charleston County must secure disposal capacity years before the current landfill reaches full permitted capacity. Staff described both cost and service risks if the county becomes dependent on neighboring counties' disposal capacity, and recommended initiating a professional RFQ and parallel technical work to preserve local options.

Next steps: Staff will proceed with the RFQ and site-evaluation work as described in the presentation and, per the committee vote, the county attorney was authorized in executive session to negotiate with Republic on the collection contract.","County environmental staff told council the county landfill has about 17 years of capacity remaining and recommended launching an RFQ and parallel work to extend life while site selection proceeds; the Environmental Management Committee approved attorney negotiation with Republic in executive session.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council approves Animal Society contract 5-4 after debate over per-animal fees; staff directed to seek parity with Pet Helpers

Council pares back procurement overhaul; requires posting of consultant contracts and council notification

City of Charleston asks county to join regional effort for temporary "pallet" housing to help people experiencing homelessness

Charleston County staff urges urgent search for new landfill site as current facility nears capacity