County Council Primary: Call Talks Progress, Looking Ahead

Arguing for another four years, County Councilman Bob Call doesn't begin with the last four years — he starts by looking forward.

"We need to continue the good things we've started," Call said. "Economic development is a big thing. now that I have grandchildren, I don't want my children to move off somewhere and get jobs, raising my grandchildren way far away."

Call returned to Berkeley County Council four years ago after serving from 1989 to 1997. The incumbent faces a challenge from Ken Gunn in the District 3 GOP primary on June 12. No Democrat will be on the ballot in November.

In a letter to supporters and on large billboards throughout the district, Call says he's a "Republican Reformer," voting for a balanced budget and a capital improvement fund, while consolidating offices and enacting transparency measures like making county checks available online.

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In an interview with Patch, Call points to growing development along Interstate 26 north of Goose Creek, creating thousands of job. It's an opportunity that would have been difficult to imagine without public support for infrastructure and planning.

Other important projects — the new Boeing Dreamliner facility in North Charleston and planned deepening of the Charleston Harbor — will mean growing opportunities for ancillary jobs for the entire region.

"Berkeley County is going to have to do what they can't do," Call said of new industry. "I want to make sure they get what they need."

He's looking to the future, but that doesn't mean that Call isn't proud of positive steps he says the county has made in the last four years.

The county received positive marks across the board on its most recent audit and Call proudly notes that the county is seeking out ways to be more efficient with taxpayer money and has significantly increased the amount in reserves — improving the county's credit rating.

Some examples that Call gives of the county's good stewardship for taxpayer dollars: consolidating county services by closing the Goose Creek satellite office for the treasurer and auditor, as well as purchasing expensive county equipment instead of leasing it.

In both cases, Call has received criticism from his opponent, but the council member defends those decisions. 

He notes two elected officials managed the Goose Creek offices that were closed and either wone of them could have lobbied for their continued operation. "They can put an office on every corner in Berkeley County if they want to," Call said.

The cash for equipment is coming from 1 cent sales tax revenues. Some of that money could be put directly toward residential property tax bills, but Call notes  that leasing this equipment would only add to the bottom line for taxpayers. "Rather than borrowing money and putting it on your tax bill — we feel if we're not paying interest, we're ahead," Call said.

Call is also proud of other procurement changes, like going from a system that rewards the lowest bidder to one that accounts for the value that the county is getting from each bid.

The councilman is also excited about the next phase for road projects included in the 1 cent sales tax. Call recognizes that some residents are losing patience with the pace of progress, but several plans will be turning the corner in the coming months. And he's hopeful that residents will get a chance in the near future to vote on continuing the program.

One criticism form opponent Ken Gunn doesn't have to do with policy — it's about this campaign. Gunn has been hoping to sit down with Call for a debate or candidate forum, but Call's schedule hasn't allowed it.

Call said a debate with Gunn isn't a priority for his campaign. Call said he initially agreed to a Berkeley County GOP debate last month, but he was given the wrong date. When he read about the correct date in the paper, Call said that he had to decline because of a scheduled campaign meeting.

This is the second of our candidate interviews. was posted on Monday.