County councilman, residents press North Charleston for start date and better communication on Liberty Hill streetscape

Henry Darby, a county council member, used the public‑comment period on July 9 to press city leaders for concrete action on the decades‑delayed Liberty Hill streetscape project. Darby said he had sought answers by email and received late or incomplete responses, and disputed a city statement that Dominion Energy required community input before work could begin.

"That’s a fabrication of a Himalayan propulsion," Darby said, criticizing the idea that Dominion Energy was the primary roadblock. He told the council that community plans and state approval existed and that Liberty Hill has been left behind compared with other nearby projects such as West Montague and Park Circle.

Mayor Reginald L. Burgess responded that the city has allocated funds (noting a $2.5 million allocation in 02/2021) and is preparing to phase work rather than waiting to complete every component at once. Burgess said city staff plan to walk door‑to‑door to get permits from affected homeowners and proceed with elements that can be implemented immediately, while recognizing undergrounding power lines will depend on Dominion Energy's timing.

Why it matters: Darby framed the issue as both an equity and coordination problem, arguing Liberty Hill has been "devalued" by decades of delay and asking for quarterly meetings with council representatives. The exchange underscores resident impatience over neighborhood infrastructure projects and the practical challenges of coordinating utility companies, city staff and property owners.

Next steps: Mayor Burgess said staff and the mayor’s office will keep the community informed and may seek county cooperation where needed; no formal motion or vote was recorded on the streetscape during the meeting.

Attribution: Henry Darby raised the streetscape concerns in public comment; Mayor Burgess provided the city's status and next steps.