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Charleston council votes to let HARC sunset after heated debate and public opposition
Summary
After public comments urging the city to retain equity language, Charleston City Council voted Dec. 16 to amend ordinance M14 and allow HARC to sunset, a move supporters said could allow the work to continue independently while opponents said the change gutted commitments to women and racial conciliation.
The Charleston City Council voted Dec. 16 to amend ordinance M14 and allow HARC to sunset, concluding a multi-hour discussion in which residents urged the council not to remove references to women, minority and racial conciliation from city documents.
Opponents of the ordinance change used the public comment period to press the council to preserve explicit equity language. Charles Duffy, who identified himself and said he lives on Short Street, told the council the measure "is disgraceful" and urged members to "vote no," saying the ordinance "is an insult to the people of the city of Charleston." Suzanne Hardy said she was "deeply disappointed" and accused the council of "capitulating" to what she characterized as racially motivated pressure. Sherry…
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