CITY OF CHARLESTON RELAUNCHES COMMISSION ON WOMEN WITH NEW STRUCTURE BUILT TO DELIVER ANNUAL POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS
CITY OF CHARLESTON RELAUNCHES COMMISSION ON WOMEN WITH NEW STRUCTURE BUILT TO DELIVER ANNUAL POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS
CHARLESTON, S.C. — The City of Charleston Commission on Women will hold its first meeting under a new structure on Monday, Oct. 19, at 4:00 p.m. The reorganized commission is designed to produce one concrete policy recommendation each year on an issue affecting women in Charleston, with its work timed to the City’s annual budget process.
Councilmember Leslie Skardon, who led the restructuring with the Mayor’s Office, will serve as chair. The new model follows the approach the City used to reorganize its arts commission, seating partner organizations with relevant expertise alongside community members.
New membership
A member of City Council, who serves as chair
A City of Charleston staff member
A representative of the College of Charleston Women’s and Gender Studies program
A women’s health care expert from MUSC or Roper St. Francis Healthcare
Representatives of the YWCA Greater Charleston, the League of Women Voters of the Charleston Area, Chamber of Mothers and WREN (Women’s Rights and Empowerment Network)
Two at-large community members
A focused annual cycle
The commission will move from monthly to quarterly meetings, each with a set purpose:
End of year: Members vote on one topic to study for the year ahead.
First quarter: Experts from other cities and national organizations share policies that have worked elsewhere.
Second quarter: Members workshop a proposal with City staff to test its feasibility and cost.
Third quarter: The proposal is presented to the Mayor, the City’s chief financial officer and City Council for consideration.
Recommendations will focus on issues within the City’s authority, such as paid family leave, affordable child care, human trafficking and domestic violence. Skardon has proposed paid family leave or child care as topics for consideration in 2027, which will be voted on in Monday’s meeting.
“The women on this commission have shown up month after month and year after year, and I am excited to turn that passion into results for women across the city,” said Councilmember Skardon. “By bringing expert partners to the table and lining our work up with the City’s budget calendar, we can deliver a real policy recommendation every year on issues the City actually has the power to change.”
Mayor William Cogswell said the change is part of a broader review of the City’s boards and commissions that began when he took office.
“When I came into office, the City had 30 to 40 boards and commissions, and some of them hadn’t met in years. We’ve been looking at each one and asking how we set it up for success,” said Mayor Cogswell. “This commission has a dedicated core of members, and this new structure gives their work a clear path to City Hall. I’m grateful to Councilmember Skardon for her passion and persistence in putting this together, and to every member who has given their time to this commission.”
The meeting agenda is available here, and the meeting will be livestreamed on the City’s YouTube Channel.
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CITY OF CHARLESTON / Office of Communications