Berkeley candidates want better growth, financial management

MONCKS CORNER — All three candidates running for the District 3 Berkeley County Council seat say the county needs to better manage growth and its finances.

David Kennedy, Robert Call and Billy Elrod are running in the June 10 Republican primary.

Each say they're best qualified to do the job.

Call, 63, said he helped lead the county through two disasters while serving on council from 1988 to 1994. "I was there when Hugo hit. That was a natural disaster. And I was there when the Navy base closed. That was an economic disaster," Call said.

Elrod, 71, said he plans to rely on his nine years on the Berkeley County Planning Commission and his business experience. "I know what's going on in the county and what needs to be changed and corrected," the rental property manager said.

Kennedy, 51, said that he's proved during the last eight years as chairman of the Goose Creek Recreation Commission that he knows how to manage funds. "Before we raise taxes, I'll make sure I'll spend the money wisely," he said.

All three candidates said the Water and Sanitation fiasco that resulted in a 30 percent rate increase this year should have been prevented.

They also want to see better management of growth.

The candidates, however, don't agree on how to address Cypress Gardens, the county-owned park that has operated in the red for the past decade, costing the county hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Elrod said council, which will consider eliminating some of the exotic animal exhibits during this year's budget to make room for more revenue-inducing activities like weddings and meetings, shouldn't do anything about the park's operations.

"They shouldn't mess with Cypress Gardens," he said. "It should stay open and they shouldn't take anything out of it."

Kennedy said the park is very important to the county but that he would like to see the state take it over, if possible.

"It's never going to be a money-making venture," he said. "They just need to control the bleeding as much as possible but still preserve what Cypress Gardens has to offer the community."

Call said the losses should be at least somewhat mitigated by the tourism dollars the park brings to the community.

"It's hard to count that as a loss if the people are spending money toward hotels and restaurants," he said.

David Kennedy

DAVID KENNEDY

DATE OF BIRTH: May 8, 1958.

FAMILY: Wife, Donna; three daughters: Alicia, 23; Megan, 22; Christina, 19.

EDUCATION: Graduated Goose Creek High School in 1976. Associates Degree in industrial management from Trident Technical College in 1983.

OCCUPATION: Warehouse manager for Cummings Turbo Technology.

PREVIOUS ELECTED OFFICE: None.

WHY ARE YOU RUNNING FOR OFFICE? "I'm running for office to help control growth in Berkeley County and to manage the expenses and ensure the taxpayers' dollars are spent wisely."

WHAT IS THE TOUGHEST ISSUE FACING YOUR DISTRICT? "Basically, control of the taxpayers' money. A perfect example is the water and sewer rates having to go up."

Billy Elrod

BILLY ELROD

DATE OF BIRTH: Dec. 6, 1936.

FAMILY: Wife, Mary; four children: Jerry Williams, Ricky Williams, Tommie Williams and Jeffery Williams.

EDUCATION: Attended North Charleston High School. Received a diploma after completing a correspondence course.

OCCUPATION: Rental property manager, retired contractor.

PREVIOUS ELECTED OFFICE: Lost a bid for the District 117 House seat in 1994.

WHY ARE YOU RUNNING FOR OFFICE? "I think a lot of things in the county need to be corrected and changed. Growth is a good thing but it needs to be controlled."

WHAT IS THE TOUGHEST ISSUE FACING YOUR DISTRICT? "When I'm out talking to people they're complaining about increased taxes, which I definitely don't agree with, and flooding because drainage ditches need to be cleaned out better."

Robert Call

ROBERT CALL

DATE OF BIRTH: Dec. 6, 1944.

FAMILY: Three sons: Robert III, 41; Bryan, 29; Jeffrey, 22; and a daughter, Alice Bryant, 39.

EDUCATION: Graduated from Norview High School in Norfolk, Va., in 1963. Attended College of Charleston.

OCCUPATION: Architectural designer, semi-retired.

PREVIOUS ELECTED OFFICE: Served on Berkeley County Council from 1989 to 1996.

WHY ARE YOU RUNNING FOR OFFICE? "Hopefully to bring back some of the experience I had before we got into the trouble we're in now. Perhaps I can give some input on the way we did things back before we were borrowing money that we couldn't pay back."

WHAT IS THE TOUGHEST ISSUE FACING YOUR DISTRICT? "The toughest issue now is the fiscal irresponsibility that seems to be coming up, for instance having to raise water and sewer rates 30 percent."

Reach Andy Paras at 745-5891 or at aparas@postandcourier.com.