Charleston finance committee approves holiday parking waiver, court purchase and corrected salt contract; directs $60,000 for food distribution

The City of Charleston Finance Committee on Nov. 3 approved six measures addressing parking, procurement, capital purchases and an emergency food distribution allocation.

Mr. Michaud presented the first measure, Resolution 25-106, authorizing a seasonal "citizen appreciation" waiver of on-street metered parking for six Saturdays from Nov. 29, 2025, through Jan. 3, 2026. "This is something we've done annually for as long as I can remember," Mr. Michaud said, and he told the committee the estimated revenue loss would be roughly $2,300 per day, about $13,800 in total. The committee adopted the resolution by voice vote.

The panel also approved Resolution 25-107, which authorizes the mayor or city manager to enter into one or more agreements to purchase E10 gasoline and diesel through the Canal Valley Regional Transportation Authority bid opening scheduled for Nov. 19, 2025. Mr. Michaud explained that the regional bids are time-sensitive — valid only 24 hours after opening — and the authorization allows city staff to accept the most advantageous option within that period. Council members discussed whether the resulting contract would be one or two years; directors present said two-year pricing options are typically provided and the committee approved the authorization.

On capital equipment, the committee cleared Resolution 25-108 to purchase a used portable basketball court from Robin's Sports Surfaces for the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center at a stated price of $208,560 to be paid from that facility's capital improvement fund. Mr. Michaud said the court is effectively "brand new" in condition, comes with a two-year warranty and includes storage carts and transition ramps; Coliseum management had already approved the purchase. The committee adopted the resolution by voice vote.

Procurement confusion surfaced during consideration of Resolution 25-109, the contract for road salt. Mr. Michaud outlined a bid-evaluation error after the initial award to Mid Atlantic Salt: the vendor's bid sheet used an ambiguous layout that led staff to misread delivery charges as the total per-ton price. "I regret this has happened. I'm a little bit frustrated and embarrassed, but here we are," Mr. Michaud said as he explained staff contacted bidders and confirmed that Morton Salt would honor its submitted price. The committee approved correcting the award to Morton Salt. (The meeting record states the delivered price as reported at the meeting; the transcript formatting of that figure is unclear.)

The committee next adopted Resolution 25-110, a budget amendment transferring $70,000 from contingency in the FY25–26 general fund: $60,000 is earmarked to Kanawha Valley Collective for food distribution over November and December 2025 and $10,000 will go to parks and recreation for distribution through recreation centers. Council members asked whether the $10,000 was intended for after-school programs or prepared meals; staff clarified the funds are principally for boxes and food for children who use program sites, though staff said they do not strictly prohibit assisting adults or seniors in need.

Consistent with that transfer, the committee approved Resolution 25-111, a memorandum of understanding with Kanawha Valley Collective Inc. that directs the $60,000 grant to be used solely for food purchase and distribution and specifies that the funds are not to be used for administrative or overhead costs.

Near the meeting's end, the committee asked Coliseum staff for a facilities update. Andrew, a Coliseum representative, reported that "all the seats are in," that the auditorium is being cleaned and that the first event to use the new seating will be WBSSAC volleyball; he said a public announcement is expected this week. The committee then adjourned.

The actions taken are procedural and will be implemented by the city manager's office and relevant departments; no recorded roll-call tallies were provided in the committee record, which reflects voice votes for the adopted items.