Pamplico Town Council drops ban of sagging pants
Published: September 15, 2008
Updated: September 16, 2008
PAMPLICO — Pamplico Town Council has taken its attorney’s advice and voted unanimously to drop an ordinance that would forbid residents from wearing sagging pants.
Mayor Gene Gainey said Monday that town attorney Jimmy Epps has concerns about the constitutionality and possible legal challenges that could result from such an ordinance.
Gainey said the town will observe how successful a sagging-pants ban would be if passed in some of the state’s larger cities.
Council voted last month to table the ordinance so that Epps and council members would have more time to consider the measure, which passed first reading July 21.
The ordinance would have made it a misdemeanor to wear pants more than three inches below the hips thereby exposing skin or “intimate clothing.” The style began in the 1990s, when it was made popular by hip-hop artists.
Council on Monday also gave its final approval to a five-year lease agreement on a former Main Street bank where the town intends to place its police department and town judge’s office. The lease, with The Citizens Bank, will cost the town $100 over five years, Gainey said.
The current police department will become an evidence room, Gainey said, while the public works director will move into the mayor’s former office and the fire chief will move into the clerk’s former office. The town hall moved from River Road to Main Street last month.
Gainey also told council that the town will soon need to do repairs on a 43-year-old town water tank on River Road.
“On down the road, we’re going to have to spend some money on that tank,” he said.
The cost of renovating the tank would be $150,000 to $200,000, while a new tank is projected to cost $700,000, he said.
In a report on the town’s 2008 Cypress Festival, held this past weekend, councilwoman Cynthia Parks said about 400 people attended the first-ever Friday night portion of the festival while about 600 participated in Saturday’s festivities.
Council also heard from Barney Derrick, a safety and loss-prevention specialist with the S.C. State Accident Fund. He told council how their workers’ compensation premiums are calculated as well as steps the town can take to ensure a safe work environment and keep insurance costs down. Council had been concerned about rising premiums after recent major claims, particularly in the police department.
Reader Reactions
I AM QUITE SURE THE TOWN HAS AN ORDINANCE ALREADY ON THE BOOKS FOR INDECENT EXPOSURE. IF THE SAGGING REACHES THAT LEVEL, USE WHAT YOU ALREADY HAVE.
I agree with the law but come on Pamplico lets worry about your citizens spending $70+ a month on water. But I guess the town council and the Mayor really don’t care since they get water for free while the rest of us are shamefully over charged. The law is great but who is going to enforce it, most of the time the only cop in town is sitting his lazy butt at the bank running his mouth and not patroling.
I think it is quite tasteless to wear your clothing so far below your bottom that your underclothing is revealed but being a former resident of Pamplico, I feel that they need to spend more time revitalizing the city and less time worrying about the way a few people wear their clothing. Pamplico needs a lot of work. The nice new library is a good start but they need to go a major step further. Accomplish bigger and more important things first and then worry about those little minor flaws that the city endures.
As to the ‘perverts pants down law’ I wish I could say I am surprised, but I’m not. It’s the same pitiful scenario that’s played out in many places. It is sad to see this ‘fear’ dropped and now what, we endure the vulgarity of what began in prison actually, not in hip hop. It began in prison with the homosexuals doing it to advertise their goods. Yea, that’s right. Now we see people with literally their whole hind end sticking out with a thread of a white tee shirt over it. Just nauseating and we wonder why our society is getting worse and worse. Wise up and get some wits about you how bout it.
Nasty, uncultured, without decency, simply an erotic way of getting a sick satisfaction from being exposed. That’s right, call it what it is, perverse and vulgar and everyone is running scared. Not me, I will not hesitate to comment. Shame on our society and our community leadership, our people for not getting behind them in support and finally but certainly not in the least, those who think this is cool, especially now that you can flaunt it in our faces, grow up and get some decency. That’s right, I have freedom of ‘expression’ too and I say pull up your pants perverts.
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