Who's Running for Irmo Town Council?: Suzanne Gooch

Irmo-Seven Oaks Patch is asking candidates several questions to help you make an informed decision about the candidate you want to vote for. Each candidate has the opportunity to answer the same questions.

Here is the lineup of candidates, with the letter "I" noting the incumbents.

For mayor:

• I-Kathy Condom (term ends Nov. 30)

• Suzanne C. Gooch

• I-Hardison “Hardy” King (term ends 2013)

• I-Barry A. Walker Sr. (term ends 2013)

For council seats:

• I-Harvey Hoots (term ends Nov. 30)

• Sarah Watson

• Paul E. Younginer

is not seeking another term and will retire at the end of November.

Today's candidate profile is on Suzanne Gooch.

Name: Suzanne Gooch

Age: N/A

Occupation: Certified paralegal and documents notary

Years on Council (if any): 0

Prior Experience (any governing board): Four years as a member of the New Boro Town Council in Massachusetts and a member of the State Council on Aging in Massachusetts

Family: Husband, Vaughn; three children

Education: Associate’s degree in paralegal studies from Quincy College in Massachusetts; bachelor’s degree in pre-law from the University of South Carolina

Patch: What’s your vision for Irmo? Why are you running or why should people vote for you?

Gooch: “I’ve seen a lot of things and heard a lot of things that they want to do that scares the devil out of me. They want to have more nightlife (in Irmo.) People moved here because of the school system and because our streets are safe. That’s the way I want to keep it. We are 11 miles away from Columbia. If you want the nightlife, then go to Columbia. We don’t need nightlife out here. We need to concentrate on using our spending to enhance the school system.

One thing I would like to see is an afterschool program for kids so they’re not walking the streets. We have a rec center that’s not being used during the day. They use it a couple of nights a week for gym at night. We have that nice big room that could be used to have the kids come in there if they need help with their homework, we could teach them art or get them interested in reading. There’s a lot that can be done that wouldn’t cost us because I’m sure we have enough retired teachers here that would do it. All we have to do is ask permission from  (Irmo Chapin Recreation Commission) Parks and Recreation to use that room. We pay the taxes for it, so why not use it?

I want to see the community be more involved in the community. The only way we can do that is through ….My thoughts is to do what I can for the seniors and our youth so that they have activities. There should be programs here in their communities.

I’m going to be a full-time mayor and I’m going to have an open-door policy so that they can come down. They should be able to come see the mayor whenever they have a problem and sit down and talk. If there’s something that needs to be voted on, the people should be allowed to have that discussion. Not just a discussion among the council.”

Patch:  What issues do you see Irmo facing in the next 5 years?

Gooch: “One thing I would like to see is for someone to sit down and redesign the town line. I’d like to see sidewalks for the streets where children are waiting for the school bus and not just standing in the streets. One example is the area from Friarsgate to Chadford Road on South Royal Tower (Road).... I think we should start a program of having volunteers from the town be mentors and work with the students because you have some students that don’t know how to write. There’s a lot we could do. I’d like to see us recognize our police officers once a year for their community service.

Patch:  What’s your stance on the Okra Strut Festival?

Gooch: “My concern is we can’t afford to keep spending money on this…. They want us to use those funds to go and buy a site for something that happens once a year. I’m against that…. I think we need to have one day and tone it down to an old-fashioned festival. (The festival should follow a town parade.) Investigate the possibility of using one of our school sites. We didn’t make any money on that. We lost more on that this year than we did the last three years. The merchants don’t want it. The people don’t want. It’s not going to bring people here…. It’s not what Irmo is known for. Irmo is known for being a quiet bed and breakfast…."

Patch:  What are your thoughts about having chickens in your backyard?

Gooch:  “It’s illegal in the town of Irmo because our properties are not big enough. You cannot have a chicken within 250 feet of your neighbor. None of the lots are that big. You can’t have a chicken coop within 550 feet of your neighbor…. They do smell terrible. I grew up on a farm and I know how they smell…. You have to go through channels. You can’t come in here and expect the council to make decisions when everything is not in front of them. It has to be OK’d by the zoning board, by the town administrator using our guidelines and what’s already stated in Irmo on what you can do and can’t do. We can’t do that. The town ordinance states things and that’s what we have to go by.”

Patch: What are your thoughts on Irmo growth (zoning, annexation, etc.)?

Gooch:  “It’s up to those people whether they want to annex or not. Yes, I would like to have them annexed into the town, and if they want to use our services then I think they should be annexed....”

Patch:  What’s your stance on financial spending? Conservative or liberal?

Gooch:  “I’d like to see us be very conservative about what we spend because the ideas that Barry (Walker), Kathy (Condom) and them have come with a price tag. We’re going to have to reinstate the taxes and we can’t afford to do that.”

“I believe that Irmo needs strong leadership from our mayor and council members who are conservative in their spending and able to make decisions that will be for the good of everyone and not just special interest groups.”

Patch:  Anything else you want to add?

Gooch:  “Whoever took my signs, please return them to me.”