Meet the City Council Candidates: Gerald Stinson

Patch is introducing readers to the candidates for Goose Creek City Council. For complete coverage, visit our .

Gerald Stinson moved to Goose Creek 15 years ago and built his Piedmont Place home in 2008. He served in the Air Force until 1989 and retired from the reserves in 2006.

From Chester, Stinson married a Moncks Corner native and the pair settled in Goose Creek because they called it "the middle" between Moncks Corner and Charleston. The couple are now raising their son, a ninth grader at Stratford High School.

"We've enjoyed the community, enjoyed seeing the community grow," Stinson said. 

He has considered running for City Council for a few years. "I don't call it politics, it's governing," he said.

Stinson hopes to host one or two meet-the-candidate events to meet residents and hear their concerns. "I'm looking forward to talking to as many people as possible," he said.

Issues that council will be handling over the next few years include preserving and improving fire response times, monitoring the widening of Montague Plantation and supporting two hospitals for Berkeley County — both Roper's planned facility at Carnes Crossing and Trident's planed hospital in Moncks Corner.

Stinson currently works in Moncks Corner, promoting energy-saving programs for Santee Cooper. "I have involvement in both communities," he said. "I think both areas can take advantage of a hospital."

Stinson said his goal is to bring new ideas to the city. "I have no preconceived notions for how things should be done," he said. "When you look at something different for the first time, you may see it differently than someone who has seen it a dozen times."

"They have knowledge on the council," he said of its long-serving members. "Infuse that knowledge with fresh ideas and you can do great things."

For more on Stinson's campaign, visit his campaign Facebook page.