Former Charleston Mayor Schirmer dies at 75By David Slade (Contact)
The Post and Courier
Friday, July 18, 2008
Former Charleston Mayor Arthur B. Schirmer, Jr., who served on Charleston City Council for 14 years and became mayor briefly in 1975, died this morning. Schirmer was mayor for just four months, serving between the resignation of Mayor J. Palmer Gaillard and the swearing-in of Mayor Joseph P. Riley, Jr., but he did not want to been seen as a caretaker. 
The Post and Courier/File Arthur B. Schirmer, Jr. "When my accomplishments are considered, people will realize that I have been anything but an interim mayor," Schirmer told a reporter with the former Evening Post, just days before leaving office. During his time as mayor the city began sharing its swimming pools with the school district, and Schirmer worked on negotiating the sale of the municipal airport. He advocated annexing all of the James Island Public Service District and urged James Island residents to vote against forming a new town. James Island voters rejected incorporation during his final days in office. Schirmer was sworn in as mayor on Aug. 19, 1975, after Gaillard stepped down to accept an appointment as deputy assistant secretary of the Navy (Reserve Affairs), and City Council picked Schirmer to take over. Schirmer passed the gavel to Riley on Dec. 15, and then returned to managing his landscaping and paving companies, and limestone quarry. "He was not a caretaker, even though he was mayor for a short period of time," Riley said Friday. "He had been on City Council, and when he became mayor was quite active in some construction projects. "After I was elected he was always somebody that I could call," said Riley. "He was really a fine man." Riley said Schirmer was active in sports, including tennis, and said he will propose naming city tennis courts in Schirmer's honor at Bees Landing Recreation Center, a new facility under construction in the Grand Oaks community. Schirmer, 75, grew up on Bull Street in downtown Charleston and lived of late on Sullivan's Island, but during his time in office he lived in West Ashley, making him Charleston's only mayor from West Ashley. Read more in Saturday's editions of The Post and Courier. |
Article tools |
|
Notice about comments: Charleston.net is pleased to offer readers the ability to comment on stories. We expect our readers to engage in lively, yet civil discourse. Charleston.net does not edit user submitted statements and we cannot promise that readers will not occasionally find offensive or inaccurate comments posted in the comments area. Responsibility for the statements posted lies with the person submitting the comment, not charleston.net. If you find a comment that is objectionable, please click "suggest removal" and we will review it for possible removal. Please be reminded, however, that in accordance with our Terms of Use and federal law, we are under no obligation to remove any third party comments posted on our website. Full terms and conditions can be read here. |
Comments
This article has 4 comment(s)
Posted by bigwhip on July 18, 2008 at 2:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
A good man and he left a good mark.
Posted by Neponset on July 18, 2008 at 5:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Unfortunately he passed the baton to joe and here we are.
Posted by motoflyguy on July 18, 2008 at 10:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Mr Shimer was a great man and a wonderful father! We will miss him greatly
Posted by motoflyguy on July 18, 2008 at 10:33 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Big Arthur leaves a great legacy in his son and grandson as the scriptures say the measure of a man is best seen in his children