GOOSE CREEK, S.C.—In less than a month, Goose Creek voters will head to the polls to determine if they will keep longtime mayor Michael Heitzler in office or elect a new guy, current city councilman Jerry Tekac.
Along with voting for mayor, voters will also elect three city council members. There are currently five people on the ballot looking to fill those seats.
So there are no surprises, we’ve included a look at the ballot. To view it, click here. This is the very same ballot you will see when you step inside the voting booth on April 8th.
Often times when people vote, they know exactly who to choose, of course. But believe it or not—there are some who vote for a candidate simply because a friend or family member told them to. Or even better, folks will exercise their right to vote even without really knowing a whole lot about the candidates. Scary, huh? Trust us, it does happen.
In an attempt to cut down on that, below you will find a list of all the candidates who are running for office in Goose Creek. To avoid turning this article into a book, we can’t possibly cover everything about them; however, we have made an attempt to highlight some of the key issues and interesting facts about each of the candidates.
CANDIDATES FOR MAYOR
Michael Heitzler (incumbent)
Interesting Facts:
- Former teacher and principal with the Berkeley County School District
- Has been the mayor of Goose Creek since 1978
- Has written three non-fiction books highlighting the historical significance of Goose Creek
- Holds a B.A. degree in Asian History from the University of Hawaii, a Master in Education degree from The Citadel and a Doctorate in Education degree from the University of South Carolina.
Platform:
- Ensure responsible commercial development
- Preserve local history
- Ensure safe neighborhoods
- Maintain family atmosphere
For additional information on the mayor, click here.
Jerry Tekac (challenger & current city councilman)
Interesting Facts:
- Senior commercial banker for NBSC, a division of Synvous Bank
- Member of the Berkeley County Chamber of Commerce
- Member of Stratford’s Athletic Booster Club
- Lives in Crowfield and is the father to a teenage son who attends Stratford and daughter who attends Westview Middle
Platform:
- Increase the efforts to actively recruit more commercial businesses through direct interactions with the city’s businesses.
- Work with existing commercial developers to actively promote the benefits of a LIVE HERE/WORK HERE city environment Currently serves as a member of the Zoning Board of Appeals
- Draw in businesses that attract entertainment and activities for our families and specifically our youth to keep them locally involved
- Provide incentives to encourage annexation of outlying subdivisions to join the city
For additional information on Tekac, click here.
CANDIDATES FOR CITY COUNCIL
Kimo Esarey (seeking re-election)
Interesting Facts:
- Served on Goose Creek’s Parks and Playground Commission for six years
- Married with three children and five grandchildren
- Worked for MeadWestvaco for nearly 30 years.
- Has served on city council for over 16 years
*Supports Michael Heitzler for mayor
Platform:
- Work hard to keep taxes down
- Look for opportunities to make Goose Creek stronger both economically and for the city’s family-friendly lifestyle.
- Committed to maintaining the city as the “best place to raise a family”
- Continue providing residents with basic services at the best value and service possible.
For more information on Esarey, click here.
Debra Green-Fletcher (newcomer)
Interesting Facts:
- Currently a REALTOR® with Carolina One Real Estate and a member of the Charleston Trident Association of REALTORS®
- Resident of Goose Creek since 1981
- Married to her husband of 14 years who is the manager of Pep Boys on Rivers Avenue in North Charleston. Together, they have one daughter
- Member of Saint John’s Lutheran Church
*Supports Michael Heitzler for mayor
Platform:
- Continue to protect Goose Creek taxpayers
- Cultivate a climate of prosperity for now and future generations
- Support policies addressing the current need for expanded recreation opportunities
- Ensure adequate infrastructure to be prepared for growth:
For more information on Green-Fletcher, click here.
Victoria Morrell (newcomer)
Interesting Facts:
- District Training Manager/Peer Leader for the Southern Region, a District Asset Protection Manager and a Store Manager for Blockbuster on St. James Avenue until it closed earlier this year.
- Involved with the March of Dimes Chapter, Children’s Miracle Network and has volunteered and helped build for Habitat for Humanity.
- Has lived in Goose Creek with her husband, a retired officer from the Navy
- Instrumental in the creation of Darrin Kingery and Jordan Eady Firefighter Campaign, which has grown throughout the Tri-County area.
*Supports Jerry Tekac for mayor
Platform:
- Actively recruit businesses to Goose Creek in order to create more jobs for residents of Goose Creek as well as economic growth that would attract families to want to live here.
- Take customer service, delivered to the residents and businesses of Goose Creek, to the next level in order to help with business retention.
- Move forward with balancing economic development. Without it, she says, the burden of funding city services will be placed on the backs of the citizens.
- Stay focused on keeping revenue, growth and jobs within the city
For more information on Morrell, click here.
Mark Phillips (seeking re-election)
Interesting Facts:
- A founding member of Helping Hands of Goose Creek, a local food pantry
- Has served on Goose Creek city council since 1986
- Charter member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Goose Creek
- Retired from the Corps of Engineers in Charleston in 2003 after 31 years of service
- Married to his wife Sue and together the two have two grown children
*Supports Michael Heitzler for mayor
Platform:
- Create local employment opportunities
- Provide reliable service delivery
- Keep city affordable
- Ensure responsible commercial development
For more information on Phillips, click here.
Gerald Stinson (newcomer)
Interesting Facts:
- Retired from Santee Cooper in 2012 and is a member of American Legion Post #166 in Berkeley County
- Enlisted in the Air Force in April 1986 and was stationed in Charleston where he began an active-duty career as an aircraft mechanic.
- Also served in the U. S. Air Force Reserves, deployed multiple times in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
- Currently serves as a member of the Zoning Board of Appeals
*Supports Jerry Tekac for mayor
Platform:
- Wants to increase public safety. However, to accomplish that, he says, the city must generate revenue and manage growth.
- Aggressively pursue small business in order to generate a larger revenue source for the city
- Vows to be a voice for ALL people. “Many times in government the welfare of all citizens are not considered. I feel that this is wrong,” Stinson has stated.
- Promises to listens to the citizens wants as well as needs and use a common sense approach to creating solutions everyone can be happy with.
For additional information on Stinson, click here.
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