Dan Davis discusses the issues, seeks re-election

BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C. —Dan Davis has been serving Berkeley County as its supervisor for almost seven years. He recently dropped by The Bryan Crabtree Show on WQSC 1340 and 950 AM to discuss issues facing Berkeley County.

Davis is also seeking re-election.  So far, he faces two challengers:  Moncks Corner mayor Bill Peagler and Jerry Beckley.  Voters in Berkeley County will choose their candidate of choice during the June 10th primary.

Davis has faced criticism from his opponents on certain issues, particularly when it involves Daniel Island and the residents’ attempt there to secede from the county.

On the 41 Bridge

A plan to replace the current 41 bridge, which is currently a mechanical bridge not open to the public, has been put in place that would make the bridge 55 feet. However, the project is currently is in limbo because no one can seem to agree on the height of the bridge .

Davis had this to say on the bridge, “I’ve been opposed to a 55 foot bridge from the very beginning, there is not a lot of boats up there to have a 55 foot bridge.”

The county supervisor initially had a different idea for the bridge, “Originally we proposed a swing bridge or a draw bridge, something at a lower level, but the cost of that type of bridge prevented that” Davis said.

Davis also went to say that the U.S. Coastguard has said the bridge will be 55 feet

American LaFrance

A few weeks ago we reported on the abrupt closing of American LaFrance without any notice to its employees, and these same employees filed a class action lawsuit against the company.  It was later revealed that the company owed $650,000 to Berkeley County.

“A lot of work went into trying to collect those taxes, we had many meetings with Lefrance” Davis said “The county was collecting the property tax, the taxes owed were on the equipment.”

Davis also explained that according to South Carolina law their only option would have been to seize the property.

“This meant we would have to physically take the equipment, but this would have put 200 people out of work” Davis said, “Now that they are not working, we have seized the equipment.”

Daniel Island

We also reported last week that that Daniel Island residence felt betrayed when they were told if they voted “yes” on “Yes 4 Schools” referendum. According to Davis, his office does not deal with schools, but he does believe Daniel Island will be getting the school they were promised.

“We are not involved in school issues, but as I understand it they found where Daniel Island was promised the school if they voted ‘yes’ on the referendum, and I think they are getting it” Davis said.

Another issue brought up was the fact that residence of Daniel Island have to drive 40 minutes to pay their taxes in Moncks Corner, and it has been suggested from Moncks Corner’s Mayor Peagler that satellite offices should be built, However, Davis does not agree with this proposal.

“I always try and be careful about growing government, and it’s so easy to do and hard to quit,” he said.

Davis also believes current Daniel Island residents do not have that hard of a time when it comes to paying their taxes in Moncks Corner,

“Folks back in the 1900s had to ride a horse or carriage to get to Moncks Corner when they had to go pay their taxes, but now you have a car and internet. In those days a satellite office made sense, but not today,” Davis said.

I-26

According to the The Bryan Crabtree Show, many residence are upset about the cutting down of trees on I-26, as a way to prevent deaths from collisions with the trees.

“Honestly, I hate to cut down a tree, but the thing everyone is missing is that the trees are not the problem, its the slop of the median once you get off the pavement. Once you go off the pavement and start going down that hill at 70, there just is no recovery.” Davis also said.  “We have to make the decision that we are not going to correct a dangerous situation or correcting it and the only way to do is to fill that median, where the bank is very steep, and put in the guard rails.”

To listen to Davis’ interview, click here.

For information on Davis, click here.

Prior Stories:

Compromise reached on I-26 tree-cutting project

Law firm sues American LaFrance on behalf of laid off workers

Attorney General: Daniel Island could join Charleston Co, remain with BCSD

The Bryan Crabtree Show airs from  8-10 a.m. on WQSC 1340 and 950 AM.  You can visit the show’s website by clicking here.  You can also catch Rocky D on the same airwaves from 3-6 p.m.