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St. James Place is proud to have been in the community since 1989.

Brenda and Garey Gorey thank their business neighbors andthe community for all of there support over the past 22 years!

A WIDE RANGE OF BEER AND WINE PRODUCTS TO CHOOSE FROM!

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Here are a few of ourmouth-watering options to get your taste buds

dancing!• Buffalo Wings

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• An Array of Salads

• Grilled Reubens

• St. James Melt

• Philly Cheese Steak

• All American Burgers

• Burger Specials

(Tex-Mex, San Angelo, Bleu)

• Prime Rib

• Baby Back Ribs

• Steaks • Seafood

• Fettuccine

• Chicken Sici

• Tacoburrito

• DESSERTS

CITY OF GOOSE CREEK 3CITY OF GOOSE CREEK 3

Comprehensive Community . . . . . . . . . . . .4By the Numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5City Timeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-7Goose Creek Game Changers . . . . . . . . . .8Dennis Harmon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10What makes Goose Creek great? . . . . . .11

50 never looked so good!We Goose Creek

Where community matters.

Happy Birthday City of Goose Creek!

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Clearview Auto GlassRepair and Replacement Specialists

Congratulations to the City of Goose Creek on 50 Years of Great Service!Clearview Auto Glass is proud to be servicing the city of Goose Creek

and surrounding communities for the past 25 Years!

Locally Owned and Operated by Danny and Jan Moore

843.569.3300103 Commerce Place Goose Creek, SC 29445

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LOOK to the future Goose Creek!

Dr. Karen King, O.D.216F St. James Ave., Goose Creek

843-718-2020

FA M

I L YV I S I

O N C A R E

CITY OF GOOSE CREEK4

BY FRANK JOHNSONThe Gazette

The idea of Goose Creek becoming a thriv-ing, comprehensive city was unimagin-able a half-century ago – and there were

many doubters as recently as the early 1980s.Yet the evolution of Goose Creek has indeed

taken place. And while the journey is still ongo-ing, there is little doubt that the city has madebelievers out of a region and a state.

Goose Creek Mayor Michael Heitzler haspresided over the evolution of the city – an evo-lution that has taken place physically and emo-tionally.

“Goose Creek has developed as a state of mindmore dynamically than any other way,” Heitzlersaid. “The idea that we would even exist as adynamic, pulsing residential and commercialzone was unthinkable … for many years.

“We still pride ourselves in being a delightfuland safe bedroom community for Charleston …

but we envision ourselves as being a much morecomplete and comprehensive municipality,where people work, recreate and reside.”

As it celebrates its first half-century, the com-pletion of Goose Creek continues. No oneknows what the future will bring – but continuedgrowth seems certain.

“There is a large hinterland that is ready toexplode west, north and east of us,” Heitzlersaid. “Carnes Crossroads conceivably couldbecome the busiest crossroads in the state.”

Carnes Crossroads is one of five commercialcenters that Heitzler sees as crucial componentsof future growth.

As it enters its second half-century, GooseCreek can look back at its first 50 years withpride – while casting an ever-optimistic eye to afuture filled with promise.

“We are a safe, dynamic, diverse community,”the mayor said. “We already have 42 differentethnic groups. I’m very proud of that.”

A comprehensive community ...

File Photo

In addition to housing the city’spolice and government offices,Goose Creek’s municipal center isa year-round host to a wide arrayof community events. Above, over2,400 people attended 2009’s“Fabulous Fourth in the Creek”event.

F I R S T N A T I O N A L B A N K O F S O U T H C A R O L I N A ! S I N C E 1 9 0 5

Holly HillMain Office

801 Gilway Ave.(803) 496-5011

SummervilleMain Street Office415 North Main St.

(843) 873-3310

SummervilleBoonehill Office

1400 Boonehill Rd.(843) 875-2100

SummervilleSangaree Office1710 N. Main St.(843) 875-2584

HarleyvilleOffice

143 West Main St.(843) 462-7661

EutawvilleOffice

12181 Old Number Six Hwy(803) 492-7727

RidgevilleOffice

173 Church St.(843) 871-9553

Goose CreekOffice

106 Thomason Blvd.(843) 553-0344

Goose Creek…Congratulations

on 50successful

years!

Member FDICwww.fnbsc.com

SJ07-546655

CITY OF GOOSE CREEK 5

Years since Goose Creek wasincorporated

330 City Employees

13 Parks Operated by theGoose Creek Recreation Department

30 Consecutive Years Without a Property Tax Increase

787,000,091 Gallons of water used in 2010

18 Members of Goose Creek City Council since 1980

6 Treadmills at the Community Center

35 Years Mayor Heitzlerhas been the Mayor of Goose Creek

405 Friends of the City of Goose Creek Facebook Page

Rounds of Golf played at Crowfield Golf and Country Club in 2010

500 residents when the city became incorporated in 1961

15 cents bought an RC Cola at Gowder’s General Store near the Mount Holly Railroad Station in 1961

31 cents bought a gallon of gasoline in 1961

City of Goose Creek Historical Markers

Goose Creek By the Numbers!50

28

36,065

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CITY OF GOOSE CREEK6

1961Three weeks after voters electedWaring Hilton Bunch as the first mayorof Goose Creek, the mayor gavels thefirst Goose Crek Town Council meetingto order.

1971Under the direction of Mayor MalvinMann, Goose Creek officially refers toitself as the “City of Goose Creek.”

1974Goose Creek City Council dedicatesCity Hall at the corner of Farm Roadand St. James Avenue.

1974James Richards becomes the fourthmayor of Goose Creek.

1978The voters elect Mayor Michael Heitzlerand all of his running mates. The newmayor begins his first four-year term.

1978Goose Creek City Council employslong-serving Dennis Harmon as cityadministrator.

1980Goose Creek becomes the largest cityin Berkeley County and long-timepolice chief Harvey Becker begins histenure in Goose Creek as a patrol offi-cer.

1985Most of Crowfield subdivision isannexed to the city.

1994Goose Creek joins with neighboringagencies to form the Lake MoultrieRegional Water Authority.

1999The city and its Economic DevelopmentAuthority conducts a three-day plan-ning session that envisions a “down-town” in the tax increment finance dis-trict.

2000Goose Creek City Council dedicates theMarguerite H. Brown Municipal Center.

2010The city’s population approaches40,000.

50 Years

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CITY OF GOOSE CREEK 7

The original minutesof the first GooseCreek Town Councilmeeting.

The Gazette’s front page tells the story of the Crowfield annexation in 1985(left), and the groundbreaking at the municipal center in 1997 (below).

2011 GOOSE CREEK CITY COUNCIL

Photo Provided

Goose Creek Mayor Michael Heitzler (center) is pictured above with the 2011 Goose Creek CityCouncil. Council members are (l-r) Jerry Tekac, Sal Gandolfo, Mark Phillips, Marguerite H.Brown, John McCants and Mayor Pro Tem Kimo Esarey.

50th Anniversary:Celebrating Our Future

We honor the conscientiousness andconstancy of the City of Goose Creek’s citizens andresidents. I know that their outstanding improvementover the years could not have been achieved without

community interest, vigilance and leadership.It required a dedicated sense of responsibility and a

spirit of cooperation on the part of our supervisor andemployees as we continue to celebrate our future.

Thank you!Council Member John

B. McCantsGC04-554772

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Congratulations to the City of Goose Creek on 50 great years of service. Helping you meetyour insurance needs is part of my commitment to you.

Thank you for allowing my team to be there for you these past 36 years.Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.®

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CITY OF GOOSE CREEK8

Goose Creek’s Game ChangersFRANK JOHNSONThe Gazette

oose Creek Mayor Michael Heitzlerand City Administrator DennisHarmon recently shared theirthoughts on the crucial events – thegame changers – in the city’s first

50 years.

• Strategic PlanningGoose Creek City Council decided in the

early 1980s to make a strategic plan. Whatfollowed was 30 years of controlled growthand progress that would forever change thecity.

“We were determined we were going tomake choices and not leave the city’s destinyup to chance,” Heitzler said. “We were prob-ably one of the first cities to get into that.”

“The first strategic planning workshop weconducted was in 1981,” Harmon recalled.“In the past, city council had not cometogether to look at issues and look at longrange goals and objectives. It started usthinking long term instead of thinking in the

current day.”A major part of the city’s plan was redevel-

opment; for an in depth look at GooseCreek’s ongoing downtown redevelopment,see page 1A of today’s newspaper.• Zoning Ordinance

A zoning ordinance adopted by city coun-cil in 1978 comprehensively addressedGoose Creek’s appearance standards andbuilding regulations. Again, a seeminglysimple decision by the city’s leaders helpedset the stage for the decades ahead.

“It was a policy statement that indicatedwe were going to be a restricted city, and wewere going to be careful about how wegrew,” Heitzler said.• Annexation of Crowfield

The residential area that was formerlyowned by Westvaco DevelopmentCorporation was annexed into the city in themid 1980s.

“We knew that we had the destiny of adynamic place after Crowfield joined us,”said Heitzler, who called city council’saggressive stance concerning the area a boldstep for Goose Creek.

“We annexed it in sections,” Harmon said.“Crowfield had a very positive impact onthis city in that it was a totally planneddevelopment.

“It was fairly upscale, but it also addresseda lot of different housing needs. It gave thecity unprecedented growth opportunities.We were able to grow as Crowfield grew.”• Regional Water

Goose Creek’s ability to join the RegionalWater Authority in the mid 1990s ended thecity’s reliance on Charleston Water Worksfor its water needs. The change was crucialfor city residents.

“You can’t control your own destinyunless you have the (basics covered),”Heitzler said. “We were paying doublewater rates.”

“From 1980 to 1990, we had 13 rateincreases,” Harmon said.

“One of those years it even increasedtwice in one year,” Heitzler added.

There have been no rate increases sincethe change was made in October of 1994.

Heitzler said the water situation was slow-ing the city’s development.

The change “guaranteed us a reliable sup-ply of water,” Harmon said. • Tax Increment District

The city’s creation of a Tax IncrementDistrict in 1997 included around 1,000 acresof every commercial piece of property inthe city – including the Crowfield CorporateCenter.

“That TID has been enormously success-ful,” Harmon said. “It built the municipalcenter, built the community center, it’sdoing downtown redevelopment … and willdo more before it ends next year.”

Money obtained from the TID hasaddressed “infrastructure needs, water lines,public facilities, and downtown redevelop-ment,” Harmon added.

In addition to the five “game changers”above, a host of other events have beenimportant, including the city’s annexationof the Naval Weapons Station in the early1980s; the assumption by the city of theGoose Creek Recreation District two yearsago; and the emergence of area companiesand corporations.

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Harmon: It started with the basicsBY FRANK JOHNSONThe Gazette

W hen 26-year-oldDennis Harmonarrived in Goose

Creek from Manning in 1978, theyoung city administrator did notthink he was making his finalcareer move.

Over three decades later, Harmonrealizes he’s right where hebelongs.

Harmon has been an integral partof Goose Creek’s evolution. Likethe mayor, he has held his positionfor literally the majority of thecity’s existing years.

According to Harmon, the cityhas grown from struggling to takecare of its citizens’essential servic-es.

“When I arrived here, we weredealing with infrastructure issues –water, sewer, roads – and beforeyou can be great, you’ve got toaddress the basics,” Harmon said.

“Once we got past the infrastruc-ture issues, we got into systems …the city’s ability to respond to thepublic.

“There was a total lack of sys-tems – financial, personnel, poli-cies and procedures. We had to putthose systems in place.

“Then the third element, once wegot infrastructure and systems inplace, we moved on to a differentera in the city, and that’s addressingcultural needs.”

Those cultural, or “luxuryneeds,” include such niceties as thecity’s popular hiker biker trail.

“We are addressing differentissues now than we’ve everaddressed in the past,” Harmonsaid. “That’s not to say we don’tstill have to nurture and maintaininfrastructure and systems, but itallows us to reach out to thoseother areas.”

Looking ahead, Harmon said hebelieves the city is poised for abright, exciting future.

“I think that we have put all of theelements in place – and we havedone a lot of planning and a lot ofgoal setting, and a lot of otherthings to put us on the doorstep ofdoing greater things,” he said.

Harmon had spent two years asManning’s town administratorbefore accepting the same positionin Goose Creek. “When I camehere I did not expect to stay 33years, or to end my career here,” hesaid. “I gave myself five years inGoose Creek.”

It was during those early yearswhen something changed.

“I had not realized the potentialthat Goose Creek had,” Harmonrecalled. “Being involved in a lotof the processes and achievements,and disappointments, I think it cap-tured me. Even though I’ve hadoffers over the years to go differentplaces, I very quickly developed acommitment to Goose Creek.”

Photo Provided

City Administrator Dennis Harmon has played a crucial role in the development ofGoose Creek.

BY FRANK JOHNSONThe Gazette

Goose Creek has come a longway in 50 years. While contin-ued growth is a safe bet, GooseCreek Mayor Michael Heitzlerdoes not want that growth tocome at the expense of thecity’s unique heritage.

“I want to prevent GooseCreek from being a boilerplatesuburbia, and from being a boil-erplate commercial center,”Heitzler said.

“I want it to have a distinctpersonality and theme, wrappedaround the only thing thatmakes it unique, which is its330-year history.

“I hope we can be more suc-cessful in branding us.”

Heitzler is doing his part: Themayor’s annual historical lec-ture series has been a hit withresidents; he has written severalbooks on Goose Creek’s histo-ry, including a 50thAnniversary booklet that is forsale now at the municipal cen-ter; and his passion for thecity’s history has been the pushbehind the historical markers

that can be seen throughout thecity’s borders.

The mayor said Goose Creek’sproximity to Charleston is achallenge when it comes toforming the city’s own identity– yet he sees inspiration in acity located thousands of milesaway, on the West coast of theUnited States of America.

“There is a little place calledSalinas (in California, belowSan Francisco),” Heitzler said.“Salinas has not been gobbledup by San Francisco … eventhough San Francisco has adynamic sense of place as doesCharleston. Well, Salinas alsohas a dynamic sense of placeand I want that same sense ofplace for (Goose Creek).

“There is no commu-nity in North Americathat has a more dynam-ic story to tell … butwe disappeared for solong and have nothingtangible for people tohold.

“I hope we can havethe Goose Creek storywritten in plays, songsand dramas.”

BI01-552147

Best Wishes for the FutureWe send our best wishes to the

town of Goose Creek, in celebration of your50 Year Anniversary,

congratulations!

The Town of BonneauMayor Rembert E. Wrenn

And Town Council

Kidd Chiropractic Center

Dr. Debbie Kidd

797-3290105 Greenland Dr.

Goose CreekCrowfield Executive Park

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CONGRATULATIONS GOOSE CREEK

on your50th Anniversary!

from the Town of JamestownBI01-552150

BI0

1-545965

Celebrating 50 Years

AUDITOR JANET BROWN-JUROSKO

To the Town of Goose Creek,I send you best wishes

for the future.

Econo Lodge is proudto be in the City of

Goose Creek!Congratulations

on 50 yearsof great service!

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We are proud to servesuch an outstandingcommunity.Member SIPC

Congratulationsto the City ofGoose Creekon 50 Years!

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CITY OF GOOSE CREEK10

History key to keeping city unique

Frank Johnson/Gazette

Goose Creek MayorMichael Heitzler(left) and the city’spublic informationofficer JesicaJohnson displayseveral of GooseCreek’s historicalbooklets, many ofwhich are on saleat the municipalcenter.

PETE PATELRESIDENT SINCE 2001

Goose Creek is a nice, quiet, small community.The city officials really work hard to make it hap-pen every day … I love this community, and beingpart of it.

Restaurant Hours Mon-Sun 11:00am-11:00pm

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CITY OF GOOSE CREEK 11

What makes Goose Creek great?

REP. JOEDANING

RESIDENT SINCE 1969

Goose Creek has the warmth and hospitality of a small town but with all the services and conveniences of a city. This is a great town andwonderful place to raise a family and enjoy aquality of life not offered in many other cities.

SHARIEF TRAYLORRESIDENT SINCE 2010

I like the atmosphere of Goose Creek. I like thepeople. I lived in Columbia for 10 years beforecoming here, and it’s like this is another state.I like it much better here.

TREMAYNEWILLIAMS

RESIDENT SINCE 1989

It’s peaceful here, and a nice place to live. GooseCreek has good schools. And I like the girls.

CITY COUNCIL MEMBERMARGUERITE BROWN RESIDENT SINCE 1967

When they were asked where they live, people usedto say, “I live north of Charleston.” Now, people saywith pride, “I live in Goose Creek.” I think that isimportant. We have grown into a respected city …into something we can all be proud of.

KIM JOHNSONRESIDENT SINCE 1997

I have enjoyed all of the yearsthat I have resided in GooseCreek … it is the nicest city inthe Lowcountry as far as I am concerned. The neighborhoodwhere we live is one of the olderones but it is located close to allthe amenities and restaurants.We raised two children in thissame neighborhood. They arenow grown and my son stilllives in Goose Creek. We allgraduated from Goose CreekHigh School, the best schoolaround in my opinion.

BECKY FORDRESIDENT SINCE 1998

I especially love the running trails, and as afamily we enjoy that it is convenient to somany places in the region. Within 20 minutesI can be at work or we can be at the boatlanding.

CITY COUNCILMEMBER

JOHN MCCANTSRESIDENT SINCE 1973

Over the last 50 years a lot of changes havehappened that have been a betterment for thecitizens and the city. It’s been a blessing to bein this area and see those changes.

KATHYCHRISTMAS

RESIDENT SINCE 2001I love the recreation pro-gram, from the gym to thesports activities. For my

family of four, we have participated in foot-ball, T-ball, baseball, swim lessons, gymactivities, and aerobic and zumba classes.It’s been a great experience for us!

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