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Charleston City Ways and Means committee approves Windermere stormwater contract, $1M restoration grant and multiple procurement items
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Summary
The Charleston City Committee on Ways and Means on March 24 approved a major Windermere-area drainage construction contract (taken with two related items after a spreadsheet amendment), a $1,000,000 Newmarket Creek restoration grant agreement, a $749,555.94 body-worn camera grant application and several municipal purchases and agreements.
The Charleston City Committee on Ways and Means approved a set of contracts, grant applications and project agreements at its March 24, 2026 meeting, including a large stormwater construction contract for the Windermere area, a $1,000,000 grant agreement for Newmarket Creek restoration and a $749,555.94 body-worn camera grant application.
The committee, chaired by the meeting’s presiding official, voted by voice on multiple consent and action items. The Chair moved each item, which was seconded and carried with the customary “ayes” announced after each voice vote.
The meeting recorded these notable approvals and actions:
- Windermere drainage improvements: The committee took items 7, 8 and 9 together and approved the Windermere drainage improvements construction contract (listed in the record at about $10,000,200). Matt Fountain, who identified the adjustment, said CWS had found a spreadsheet math error of roughly $17,000 and proposed amending the CWS reimbursed amount to $2,359,254.08 so the total project budget would remain unchanged. Council member Appel described the work as “the most significant stormwater improvement project in the history of the South Windermere area,” and thanked city staff, CWS, the Charleston County School District and Representative Stavrunakis for helping secure funding and coordination.
- Newmarket Creek restoration: Stormwater management presented an approval to execute a National Fish and Wildlife grant agreement for $1,000,000 to support Newmarket Creek restoration; the committee approved the grant agreement by voice vote.
- Public safety grant: The committee approved forwarding an application for a fiscal 2027 South Carolina Department of Public Safety body-worn camera grant totaling $749,555.94.
- Bids and purchases: The committee approved three procurement items presented together: audit services with Malden and Jenkins for $126,500; three refurbished cardiac monitors for the fire department for $106,275; and a jet-and-vac truck for public works for $593,147.61.
- Fort Pemberton fee amendment: A fee amendment with Steven Whiteside for $11,000 was approved to extend weekly NPDES permitting services and construction administration for the Fort Pemberton/Bridal Park project, increasing that contract from $105,900 to $116,900.
- Prilew Street improvements: The committee approved a $442,490 construction contract with 3 Oaks Contractors for sidewalk and plaza improvements on Prilew Street.
- Tourism agreement: The committee authorized the mayor to execute a management and operating agreement with Explore Charleston for the visitors reception and transportation center garage at 63 Mary Mary Street as presented in the meeting record.
Committee members kept discussion factual and limited during the consent and procurement items; most actions were approved on unanimous voice votes. Where discrepancies appeared in staff spreadsheets, the committee accepted staff corrections and proceeded with amended motions.
The committee adjourned with no further recorded business.
