Delivered before Aiken City Council on October 24, 2022

Aiken resident Bruce Stemerman delivered the following statement before Aiken City Council on Monday, October 24, 2022. He was one of several citizens to speak before Council during the public meeting.

My name is Bruce Stemerman. I live on Chime Bell Church Road. My wife and I moved to Aiken just a few months ago. Similar to many others who have moved here over the years, Aiken’s delightful downtown district was an important contributing factor in our decision to relocate here from Charleston, SC.

I was dismayed by the Project Pascalis from the first I learned of it. I was able to get up to speed on the proposed plans thanks to the outstanding  and thorough reporting in the Aiken Chronicles, the Do It Right group, among others, and conversations with lots of concerned citizens. I felt the project proposed for the very heart of the City’s downtown was way out of scale and if developed would have a material adverse impact on what makes downtown Aiken unique, distinctive and attractive. Something I should add — the community’s impressive activism on this topic has only reinforced our decision about relocating here. 

I believe the main focus should be on restoring and renovating the Hotel Aiken.  It will no doubt be a challenging project, but no more so than the multitude  of similar restoration projects undertaken around this state, country, and world every year. Those who attended the Historic Aiken Foundation’s excellent Preservation Workshop on September 28th heard from noted experts, including a son of Aiken, about the significant and long term benefits associated with preserving and celebrating historic buildings. It was very persuasive and supported by considerable factual research, and I assume that all of you either attended in person or have watched the video. I hope that’s the case. 

So here’s what I would do if I ruled the world, and that would be a scary thing, I admit it, but here’s what I would do. 

Number one, I’d take immediate steps to prevent and mitigate any further deterioration to the main Hotel Aiken building; number two, provide support and financial assistance for the several small local businesses which have been significantly and negatively impacted by the uncertainty from the threatened demolition of the spaces they operate in;  and three, issue a request for proposal for the renovation, restoration, and management of the Hotel Aiken. 

These steps will enhance the legacy of this council, in my view, as will abandoning any further consideration of a multi-level parking garage and a superflouous conference center in downtown Aiken. 

You may also want to consider these questions relating to the AMDC: 

– Has that committee served this Council and the community well?
– Has it positively impacted the goodwill between City government and the citizens it serves?
– Did the committee follow established City policies and procedures? 
– Has it failed to carry out its own mission? 

When you think about the time, energy and dollars wasted by the AMDC, I hope you’ll conclude that it should be dissolved. 

My sincere appreciation of the council for this opportunity to express my views.

Mr. Stemerman’s statement to Aiken City Council begins shortly after minute 15:15 on the video below.