Meet Our Mayor
 R. Keith Summey, Mayor
October 1994 - Present
Mayor R. Keith Summey has become widely known as a consensus builder among local government leaders. He was elected as the 3rd Mayor of North Charleston in October of 1994 to fill an unexpired term of office and has been reelected in 1995, 1999, 2003 and 2007. During his tenure he has led North Charleston to achieve a new sense of pride never seen in his City. Becoming the retail sales leader in the State, improving municipal services and defining a vision for the City have hallmarked his tenure. Upgrading the quality of life of the citizens of North Charleston continues to be the top goal of Mayor Summey.
First working in community service, Mayor Summey was selected to serve on the Charleston County Election Commission eventually becoming its Chairman. Both political parties gave him glowing remarks for his fairness in handling the elections.
In 1986, Mayor Summey continued his community service by winning election to the North Charleston City Council and then elected to Charleston County Council in 1988. He served as Chairman of Charleston County Council for three years and during his term, led the expansion of County Library System and oversaw the way solid waste was handled by the County. A new Tri-County Economic Development Authority was formed under the desire of Chairman Summey and the Chairmen of County Council in Dorchester and Berkeley Counties. The successes of the Authority have been many since the mid-1990's.
With the Mayor’s roots in his local community, he offered himself for election to the Office of Mayor of North Charleston in 1994. Growing up in Cottageville, South Carolina and eventually Atlanta, Georgia gave Mayor Summey his perspective of community. His family moved to North Charleston, South Carolina in the early 1960's where he graduated from Chicora High School and Baptist College.
Mayor Summey received recognition from Charleston Southern University with the reception of an Honorary Doctorate of Public Service on Saturday, December 16, 2006 during the University’s fall graduation ceremony.
Mayor Summey was born in Cottageville, South Carolina in 1947. He graduated from Chicora High School and the Baptist College at Charleston, now Charleston Southern University. He and his wife, Deborah, have two children, Elliott and Annie with a son-in-law Reggie.
Mayor Receives Honorary Doctorate
Public Safety
North Charleston’s Police and Fire are among the best in the State when providing effective services. Mayor Summey was proud when in March 2007 the North Charleston Police Department was awarded National Accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies. Receiving national accreditation ensures our citizens that they are receiving the best public safety service from a professional agency. Mayor Summey has strove to provide professional public safety services while working in partnership with the citizens of North Charleston to identify, prevent and solve the problems of crime, social disorder, and neighborhood decay, thereby improving the quality of life in the community.
To better protect the well-being of North Charleston’s citizens, Mayor Summey instituted 10 companies of firemen, 3 companies of aerial apparatus, 1 service rescue unit, and 3 quick response service vehicles from 11 locations. Being equipped with the latest fire fighting equipment and apparatus allows the department to handle anything from grass fire to high-rise building fires. The performance of the fire department has been nationally recognized and lauded.
Navy Base Revitalization
Mayor Summey has aimed to invigorate the southern end of the City after years of neglect onset by the Charleston Navy Base. The redevelopment of the former Naval Base (totally contained in the boundaries of North Charleston) is a challenge for the City. Changing the land use from a military installation to other uses has been challenging and time consuming. Mayor Summey envisions an industrial/commercial area for job development, but more importantly, community access to the water, which the City has never had before. Public access, commercial, civic purposes, outdoor theater, housing and water activities will all be a part of the mixed-use area of the north end of the base. The City began a partnership with the Noisette Company in 2001. This unique public-private partnership is spearheading the revitalization of 3,000 acres on the south end of the City and includes 350 acres, sold to Noisette, on the north end of the former Naval Base. Continued success will bring 5,000+ new homes in the near future. Mayor Summey is providing the leadership for North Charleston to take the next steps toward an improved, vibrant and active community.
“Smart Growth”
Mayor Summey has persistently emphasized the importance of “smart growth.” The conversion of several swathes of land into infill communities has proven to make the best use of the existing areas within the I-526 Corridor.
Oak Terrace Preserve, an infill development dedicated to green building principles, has received national attention, since the City is the actual developer. Mayor Summey has overseen the transformation of this once dilapidated neighborhood into a sustainable community with a new approach to healthy living in the heart of North Charleston. Rather than bulldozing forests to pave the way for new houses, the development has been reengineered to enhance the quality of air, water and earth.
Mayor Summey’s efforts have been reproduced through the emergence of private redevelopments, including I’On Group’s Mixon Avenue Project, whereby incorporating residences, stores, and offices into a central dense location to maximize land usage. Mixon is designed to be a fully walkable neighborhood.
Other efforts to rejuvenate the area have come to fruition. The Olde Village on Montague Avenue has seen an upsurge of new successful sidewalk shops and eateries with the completion of Phase I of the Montague Avenue’s streetscape master plan.
Mayor Summey realized that “smart growth” included conservation of the regions most cherished landmarks. With this in mind, he was the first figure in the region to push for and ascertain view sheds for facilities on the National Historic Registry, including the plantations of Drayton Hall and Middleton Place, to ensure they remained original to their period of significance.
Annexation
The borders and tax base of North Charleston have continued to expand. The City has increased in size from 7 square miles in 1972 to 73 square miles today. The City’s vibrant economy enables the expansion without a hindrance in public service, as provided by Public Works, Police, and Fire. With an increased population, more have come to enjoy the City’s facilities and amenities that are offered only to North Charleston residents. Mayor Summey ensures the responsibility of the expansion of the City’s boundaries through the Comprehensive Plan that is strictly followed. Mayor Summey has been an advocate for annexation reform in the State Legislature to bring the laws to reflect a more contemporary policy congruent with others throughout the United States.
Housing and Community Development
Affordable housing, through partnership with the North Charleston Housing Authority, has become more readily available to our citizens since the beginning of Mayor Summey’s tenure. A goal is shared with the Housing Authority of giving low income families the opportunity to move from subsidized housing into home ownership.
The North Charleston Housing Authority operated the largest public housing complex in the State and it was know as North Park Village. Walls and barbed wire separated it from the community. The Housing Authority successfully secured a Hope VI award from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development. This multi-million dollar award was leveraged many times over for the demolition of North Park Village and the creation of Horizon Village, a new nontraditional neighborhood made up of quality energy saving housing. This project is a glowing example of how the City and the Housing Authority have worked together to provide quality adequate housing for citizens during Mayor Summey’s term.
With the intent of benefiting low and moderate-income persons, the Community Development Block Grant Program has provided financial relief to many within the North Charleston community. In 2002, $2,417,383 was received for the program, the largest federal funding award since the City’s incorporation.
Mayor Summey and his wife recently founded Sustainable Opportunities for Life & Dreams (SOLD), a permanent women and children’s shelter. Through partial private funding by local developers, there will now be a permanent location for the distressed to seek safe haven.
Children and Education
Mayor Summey has been a life long proponent of quality public education. He frequents the City’s schools as often as possible to remain informed of any needs they may have outside of the scope of the school districts. An extensive expansion of the City’s programs devoted to its youth has been realized since the mid-1990s and was furthered through the creation of the Mayor’s Office on Education, Youth and Family. Through the coordination of this office, faith-based groups, non-profit organizations, schools, community associations, and the business community are synced to provide the most efficient and effective support for the City’s youth and families.
Mayor Summey’s strides in education are not limited to grade schools, but have been seen through the breadth of higher education institutes that have flourished in North Charleston. Charleston Southern University and Trident Technical College have both remained reputable institutions throughout the Southeast, while establishments such as the Lowcountry Graduate Center, Strayer University and ECPI have moved into the City.
In 2004, with the endeavor of providing extra-curricular activities for elementary and middle school aged children, Mayor Summey implemented a program to provide athletics to the younger children of the community, since the school district omitted these activities from their schools. Maximum participation has been reached since the program’s inauguration.
In order to cut spending, while providing equivalent services for constituents, Mayor Summey has garnered partnerships with the school districts for joint-use of facilities. River Oak Middle School’s athletic fields and walking trails are used by the general public and the school to take full advantage of available resources.
Parks and Public Spaces
The improvement and increase in public parks and spaces has been immense during Mayor Summey’s tenure and has added to the quality of life for the North Charleston residents. The Riverfront Park located on the banks of the Cooper River was constructed in 2003 and with upgrades, now features a playground for kids, a pavilion for events, an outdoor theater, a boardwalk and pier for fishing and plenty of open green space for activities. Adjacent to the Riverfront Park sits the Greater Charleston Naval Base Memorial dedicated in November 2007 to honor the civilian and military servicemen who served on the Navy Base before its closure.
The Golf Club at Wescott Plantation opened to the public in November 2001 and features a 27-hole course surrounded by residencies. The success and attraction to the golf course was proven with the 15 year expansion of the surrounding homes being completed in merely 7 years. The Golf Club features many tournaments to benefit organizations throughout the Lowcountry, as well as national tours.
In addition to the City’s sole endeavors, Mayor Summey has partnered with community organizations to construct parks for the use by the neighborhoods. Hendrick Park, Whitehall Tot-Lot, and the Riverbluff Baptist Church practice fields are a few of many instances of cooperation.
Arts & Culture
The administration preceding Mayor Summey disbanded the City’s Cultural Arts department, so after taking office in 1994, Mayor Summey restored it to a full stand alone department and has vastly increased its role within the City. From its frail beginnings of 2 employees, the Cultural Arts Department now has 13 employees and provides citizens with more events than ever. The Cultural Arts Departments hallmark is its Annual Festival that features artists and performers from across the United States and attracts thousands of visitors to the City. Apart from the Festival, programs and events are offered on a daily basis for North Charleston citizens and North Charleston schools to enjoy, ranging from drama classes to crafts. The Department’s success is another indicator of Mayor Summey’s venture for increased quality of life in North Charleston.
The North Charleston and American LaFrance Fire Museum and Educational Center opened its doors in April 2007 for the citizens and students of North Charleston to gain increased knowledge in an exciting environment about fire safety and history as part of Mayor Summey’s vision for a “Cultural Center.” This state-of-the-art facility is unlike any other in the United States.
In August 1999 Mayor Summey cut the ribbon for the Charleston Area Convention Center Complex. The Exhibition Hall of 76,960 square feet has hosted national conventions, symposiums and conferences. The Performing Arts Center of 2,300 seats has featured world class shows and concerts all at a convenient located in the heart of the Lowcountry. North Charleston has the only interconnected multi-use facility in the Southeast.
Citizen Participation
Mayor Summey has always advocated an active and vocal citizenry into their local government and a variety of avenues have been added over the years to streamline concerns that arise. He continues to fully support the Citizens Advisory Council and the Neighborhood Presidents who he has constant contact with in order to best address affairs of their interest. Also, in today’s fast paced, technology driven world an online Citizen Request Module, accessible through the City’s website, was implemented in March 2006 to provide another avenue of contact with Mayor Summey and even direct contact with various City Department Heads.
Economic Development
Emphasizing North Charleston’s centrality to the region, Mayor Summey has long realized as Mayor that the City is ideal for commerce. Successfully garnering industries and maintaining the title of state retail sales leader since 1993, have been vital to his economic strategy to remain competitive throughout the State and have resulted in considerable job creation. Also, the City’s close vicinity to the Charleston Air Force Base and SPAWAR has allowed Mayor Summey to promote his support for the military and their contributions to the civilian sector of the economy.
Within the tourism industry, Mayor Summey has guided the City to an increased role in the region. From its establishment in August 1999, the Charleston Area Convention Center Complex has attracted millions of guests and visitors to the greater Charleston area and contributed significantly to the regional and local economy with a current economic impact exceeding $80 million per year. The Complex includes exhibition halls, ball rooms and meeting rooms, the Performing Arts Center, the North Charleston Coliseum and the Embassy Suites. The Coliseum and Convention Center Complex have spurred numerous hotels and led to the developing of the overwhelmingly thriving Centre Pointe, boasting retail centers and abundant eateries.
Mayor Summey looks to see a heightened role in the statewide economy with continued economic success.
Growing the City staff from 500 employees in 1994 to 1001 in 2008 is validation of proven leadership to make a city flourish. The increase in size of the City, businesses calling North Charleston home and new residential areas have led to this growth. Mayor Summey’s persistence for continual success and unrelenting pursuit of increased quality of life encompass his vision for North Charleston in years to come.
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