Warehouse in James Island, SC

JAMES ISLAND — Voters elected two additional representatives to join an expanded Town Council.

After passing a referendum in 2023 that grew James Island Town Council’s governing body from four to six members, the Nov. 4 election decided who would join the town’s leaders.

With all precincts reporting, unofficial results showed Julia Drayton-Crumblin and Michael O’Shaughnessy Williams holding 30 percent and 27 percent of the vote, respectively, ahead of candidates Stanley Kozikowski and Kristen Meredith Poston.

“I’m beyond excited. Everyone in the community showed up and made sure they made their voice heard,” Drayton-Crumblin told The Post and Courier. “This community raised me, and they made sure that the person they raised was supported…this is only the beginning. This is the start of a long journey, I promise you.”

Drayton-Crumblin, a lifelong James Island resident, previously told The Post and Courier she wanted to focus on giving back to the community and encourage connectivity with the residents. She said she was considering starting a community garden, wants to explore options for affordable housing and hopes to ensure smart development.

Williams was in second behind Drayton-Crumblin.

“I am beyond excited to put my energy — and sometimes intensity — into work for James Island,” Williams told The Post and Courier. “It’s a very exciting prospect that I actually get to work for the change that I had hoped for.”

Williams, who said he fell in love with James Island when he first moved there seven years ago, previously told The Post and Courier that he considered Town Council to be “a lifelong calling.”

His priorities center around land preservation and pushing back against development. He said he wants to work with both the city of Charleston and Charleston County because they have jurisdiction on James Island. He hopes collaboration will help solve issues residents have.

While she was not elected, Poston said she still felt good because of the support she’s received from residents and public service district staff. Poston previously told The Post and Courier her focus would be on the residents and ensuring their voices are heard.

Kozikowski’s platform focused on slowing development, not only to improve the infrastructure but also to save green space for wildlife. He did not respond to a request for comment by the time of publication.

All council seats are at-large, and each member will serve four-year terms.

Results are unofficial until certified by election officials later this week.

JAMES ISLAND — On Nov. 4, residents will choose two new representatives to join the Town Council.

After voters passed a referendum in 2023 that expanded James Island Town Council’s governing body from four members to six, the time to add those new council members has come. The four residents who are running to fill the two seats said they are committed to serving the residents but differ slightly in how they plan to do so.

‘We are one James Island’

Julia Drayton-Crumblin has lived on the island her whole life. She’s opening a childcare center for kids ages six months to 3 years old in January and runs a rental property business with her sister.

Her platform revolves around town connectivity and giving back, from exploring ways to keep housing affordable to encouraging more neighborhood connections. Drayton-Crumblin said she’s considering starting a community garden.

“I do believe we are one James Island, and I want all of us to remember that so we can still become successful and thrive as a community,” Drayton-Crumblin said.

While she's still exploring specific approaches to affordable housing, Drayton-Crumblin said she wants to ensure there is smart development on the island. She’s open to visiting other municipalities to see what they’re doing to keep housing accessible for residents.

Being a voice for residents

Stanley Kozikowski is retired, but said when you live on James Island, you never really retire.

“There’s too many people to help,” he said.

Kozikowski spends a lot of time volunteering with various nonprofits on the island and enjoys helping his neighbors out. He hopes to continue helping the community on Town Council, mostly by working to slow down development.

There are multiple reasons for pacing the rate of development, he said. The island needs infrastructure to catch up with the growth. Kozikowski added he also wants to save more green space for wildlife.

He’s committed to being a voice for residents when coordinating with neighboring municipalities and Charleston County, he said.

Focusing on the residents

Kristen Meredith Poston, a server and bartender, said her job has many similarities to a community leader.

Poston has served a term on the James Island Public Service District Commission. She said that role has helped her learn to listen to people, whether they’re talking about issues or something they’re excited about.

Poston hopes to continue her focus on residents if she’s elected to Town Council. While she would be an elected official, she would be working for the residents and ensuring their voices are heard, she said.

She added that while the Charleston area is becoming more popular and more people are moving here, she wants to curb development and preserve James Island’s character. Poston said she’d want to keep the island calm and as far away from over-development as possible.

Town Council is ‘a lifelong calling’

Michael O’Shaughnessy Williams said when he moved to James Island seven years ago, he fell in love with the town and knew he never wanted to leave. He also realized this is where he’d want to run for office to help the community, describing it as a lifelong calling.

Williams’ top priority if elected is land preservation and pushing back against development. The marsh, creeks and tree canopy help make James Island special, and he wants to protect that.

The town needs leaders who have the determination to push back against the city of Charleston and the county when it comes to zoning for future development, Williams said. He added that he wants to work with both local governments because they all have jurisdiction on James Island and hopes collaboration will help solve issues residents have.

JAMES ISLAND, S.C. (WCSC) - James Island residents could move closer to flood relief as infrastructure improvements face review by the City of Charleston Technical Review Committee Thursday morning.

The infrastructure project, which has been on the committee’s agenda three times now, aims to modernize aging infrastructure and make the area’s drainage system more efficient and resilient.

Plans include widening existing drainage channels and replacing older pipes with larger, box-shaped tunnels called box culverts. The city also plans to install muted tide gates and check valves at the system’s lowest points to allow stormwater to drain into nearby creeks while preventing high tides or creek water from flowing back into neighborhoods.

Charleston officials said the goal is to reduce the frequency and severity of flooding, especially in low-lying areas that struggle during heavy rains and high tides.

While the project moves through the approval process, the city is also working to secure funding. In September, leaders applied for $1.5 million in grant funding from the South Carolina Infrastructure Authority and are awaiting a response.

Charleston County is already working nearby to prepare for future storms. Central Park Road remains closed between Riverland Drive and Fleming Road for a $2.7 million project to install new pipes and raise the roadway.

Steve Kirk, the city’s stormwater project management practice lead, said these improvements are critical for protecting both homes and infrastructure.

“Like many areas in Charleston, whether it’s downtown, James Island, John’s Island, West Ashley, a lot of those areas are older. The infrastructure that is currently in the ground… might be undersized,” Kirk said. “It might not be appropriate for the amount of development that has happened and also specifically, with respect to the Central Park area, it is low and it drains into a tidal influenced body of water. So that means, when tides are high, the water moves out much more slowly.”

He said the upgrades would make a noticeable difference for residents.

“The project will allow the water to move through and out of the drainage basin a whole lot faster,” Kirk said. “So, what you’re going to see is a reduction in the duration, in the frequency and in the severity of any flooding that does occur.”

Kirk said every drainage project begins with understanding the problem before finding the right solution.

“When we address flooding concerns, when we address drainage problems in the city, you have to define what the problem is first,” he said. “What is the scope of the project going to be? You have to define the service area. Once you have that, you do a study on the area to fully understand what those problems are. Once you understand what those problems are, then you can begin looking at potential solutions.”

He added that this approach is part of a larger citywide effort to strengthen Charleston’s drainage systems and ensure long-term resilience.

“We have an extensive list of stormwater projects,” Kirk said. “We go through and prioritize those projects. We have input from the mayor, we have input from city council… so we try to ensure that we are addressing drainage throughout the city, not just in one or two locations.”

He said that while the process takes time, it’s vital that the city gets it right.

“Just know that we are working through the process,” Kirk said. “It does take time. We need to make sure that the project is designed and constructed properly so that it works for years to come.”

If the project is approved, the city will move forward with securing funds, applying for permits and finalizing the design. Construction is expected to begin in 2026 with completion targeted for mid to late 2027.

James Island (7–1) hosts Ashley Ridge (5–3) Friday night at 7:30 p.m. in Charleston

The Ashley Ridge vs James Island Live matchup features the James Island Trojans hosting the Ashley Ridge Swamp Foxes at James Island Charter High School in Charleston, SC. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025, with live streaming and digital tickets available for fans.

The James Island Trojans enter with a 7–1 overall record, including a 5–0 home record, averaging 37.5 points per game while allowing 65 points. James Island has been effective offensively in the first three quarters (8.0, 9.0, and 7.7 points on average), giving them a strong start and steady scoring advantage. Their 2–1 region record highlights their competitive position in South Carolina.

The Ashley Ridge Swamp Foxes come in at 5–3 overall, including a 3–1 away record, averaging 34.0 points per game while conceding 178 points. Ashley Ridge has shown strong scoring in the first and second halves (8.8 and 9.3 points on average in Q1 and Q4), but they will face a challenge against James Island’s balanced offense and stout defense. Their 3–0 region record keeps them in strong contention within the conference.

This matchup features James Island’s Trojans and high-scoring offense against Ashley Ridge’s Swamp Foxes, creating a compelling conference contest with playoff implications and district standings on the line.

How to Watch and Get TicketsFans can stream Ashley Ridge @ James Island Live on GoFan, accessible on computers, tablets, and mobile devices starting at 7:30 p.m. for full coverage.

Tickets are available via GoFan—early purchase is recommended for guaranteed entry and smoother stadium access. Don’t miss the chance to see the Trojans take on the Swamp Foxes in this key South Carolina conference matchup.

Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. in Charleston, SC.

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Dozens of James Island residents attended a town hall on Monday to meet the four candidates running for two town council seats.(WCIV)

JAMES ISLAND, S.C. (WCIV) — Dozens of James Island residents attended a town hall on Monday to meet the four candidates running for two town council seats.

It was a packed room for a Monday night, with barely any seats open. Attendees were listening closely to the candidates as they talked about the issues that are the most pressing in their community.

"This isn't just where we live. This is home," Julia Drayton Crumblin, one of the candidates said.

At the event all of the candidates were able to present opening and closing statements, along with answering questions from the moderator. After each question was asked, the candidates were given the chance for a rebuttal. The questions were written by the Local League of Women Voters and James Island residents.

During the town hall, candidates were asked about their goals, the role of town council, collaboration, infrastructure resiliency, voter representation, flooding issues and concerns about tree cutting around power lines.

"I want my grandkids, their grandkids, more grandkids to enjoy the creeks, marsh, trees, cany, wildlife, just as much as I can," candidate Michael Williams said.

The candidates all emphasized their love for James Island and presented what they believe is the most pressing issue.

"You are the same level as any elected official. You are the people that we are serving. You are not serving us. We're serving you," candidate Meredith Poston said

Jeri Cabot, the co-president of league of women voters of Charleston area, says these local elections may not get as much turnout as a national election, but they might have more of an impact on your day-to-day life.

"This zoning decision at the municipal level was related to the apartment complex you see going up down this street. This decision made about a drainage area is related to the flooding you do not experience on a particular road," Cabot said.

The candidates running for the two opens seats on the Town of James Island Town Council are the following:

Early voting started on Monday and goes on through Friday, Oct. 31. The polls are closed on Saturday and Sunday, and Election Day is Nov. 4.