Charleston Councilman Cubert Smith submitted a letter to the City Clerk on Monday notifying Council and the mayor that he would be making his remarks on city matters in writing from now on.
"On many occasions, the Mayor and this body have made it abundantly clear that they have no patience with my struggling effort to speak, and, more broadly, for my point of view. I'm often ignored or silenced - as though something of a menacing outlier," Smith wrote.
Smith wrote in his letter that "a number of mini-strokes" have caused him to have trouble making succinct statements when addressing issues on the council floor.
"I know precisely what I wish to say, but words are slow to come. Age takes its toll," Smith wrote.
When asked if he had any response to Smith's letter, Mayor Danny Jones said he did not.
"No. I haven't responded in a long time," Jones said.
Smith represents Charleston's Ward 8.
When asked if he had thought about resigning, Smith said no.
"I wouldn't give them the pleasure of leaving," Smith said.
Also on Monday, City Council reappointed John H. Tinney to the Charleston Sanitary Board. Council also reappointed Suzanne Moses Persinger and Michael Cary to the Civic Center Board.
Jones would not let Councilman Courtney Persinger recuse himself from Suzanne Moses Persinger's reappointment. He is her husband.
In other business, Council:
n Approved a $406,543 agreement with McClanahan Construction Company to repair the intersection of Virginia and Capitol streets, as well as parts of Brawley Walkway.
n Approved a grant application to the State Historic Preservation Office for a survey and planning grant. The $15,000 request would provide money to develop design guidelines for the East End historic district if approved. The city plans to give a $5,000 match.
n Authorized the creation of a special revenue fund for Live on the Levee to receive sponsorships, contributions and record expenditures related to the event.
n Made a change to the city's contract with BBL Carlton, the company charged with renovating the Civic Center. The change removes from its contract a request to document the construction process, which returns $15,648 to the city.
Last month, Council approved a separate agreement for construction documentation of the Civic Center project by Multivista Construction Documentation at a cost of $107,035.
Two bills were introduced at Council on Monday night. One would place a "no parking on pavement tow-away zone" on both sides of Hunting Hills. The other bill establishes guidelines for valet parking in the city. Both were referred to the Streets and Traffic Committee.
Reach Rachel Molenda at rachel.molenda@wvgazettemail.com,
304-348-5102 or follow @rachelmolenda on Twitter.