Mayor details Dills Bluff sidewalk, drainage projects, radar signs and end of PSD cost-sharing

At the April meeting of the Town of James Island, the mayor gave a town update announcing near-term construction and safety work, progress on drainage projects and a recent council decision to end the cost‑sharing agreement with the public service district.

The mayor said engineers have finished resolving utility conflicts on the Dills Bluff sidewalk project and the work will go out for bid in the next couple of weeks. To address speeding at a sharp curve on Dills Bluff Road, the town will install two radar speed signs; the mayor said speed humps are not possible there. The mayor also reported stepped‑up enforcement, saying officers are increasing patrols and issuing tickets.

The mayor said three large drainage projects — Quail Run, Ocean View and Woodhaven — are complete except for one remaining inspection for Woodhaven. A public drainage meeting is scheduled for next Wednesday at 6 p.m.; the mayor said Abby Rajavi from the state Department of Transportation and Chris Wanamaker from the county are expected to attend so residents can report what is and is not working.

The council last month voted to end the town’s cost‑sharing agreement with the public service district, the mayor said; the mayor added the town is not raising taxes. The mayor acknowledged “a lot of misinformation out on Nextdoor and Facebook” and invited residents to speak with council members after the meeting.

On smaller, community items, the mayor said the town market is scheduled next Friday from 6 to 9 p.m., with food trucks, vendors and a band. The mayor also noted the Millpoint Park grand opening occurred three weeks earlier and described improvements including safer access to the park’s “pirate ship” viewing area. The town’s tree council will distribute three‑gallon trees at the November market and larger giveaways in January; the mayor said the town is partnering with the Charleston Conservancy.

The mayor described a recurring pipe‑repair technique (a “slip line”) the town plans to use to repair several failing pipes under roads in Quail Run. He characterized it as far less disruptive and less costly than excavating and replacing pipes; in the meeting he contrasted a figure of “25,000” versus “80” when comparing approaches. The numbers were presented in that form in the meeting and were described as cost‑saving estimates rather than final contract prices.

The mayor also reported recent safety incidents: a death found on Soligree being investigated and an apparent road‑rage incident that ended without injuries. He reminded residents that school will soon be out and that traffic and enforcement needs typically increase with warmer months.

Looking ahead, the mayor emphasized the upcoming drainage meeting and the Dills Bluff bid as near‑term items residents should expect to see progress on, and reiterated that council members are available to answer questions outside the meeting.

Votes and formal motions: none recorded in the transcript portion covering the mayor’s update.