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Mayor
McCollum called the meeting to order and Mr. Wells gave the invocation. Clerk
Watson took the roll with everyone being present. Mrs.
Johnson made the motion to approve the agenda to include an amendment to the
executive session to discuss a personnel matter. Mrs. Mack made the second.
All approved. The motion carried. Building
Inspector Kirkland reported that one zoning permit was approved for a new
children's store in Bamberg along with the issuing of permits for one new
home, nine repairs and for two mobile homes last month. Inspector Kirkland
informed the Council that the Bamberg Zoning Board of Appeals allowed a
variance for a kindergarten on Sanders Street.
Mr.
Walker made the motion to approve the minutes of the February 11, 2002 and
February 21, 2002 meetings as received. Mrs. Mack made the second. All
approved. The motion carried. Mrs.
Johnson made the motion to approve the Budget and Finance Reports as
received. During the discussion, Clerk Watson explained that the budget was
on line for this time period. Mr. Sandifer asked if the County was current
in sending the collected tax revenues. Clerk Watson explained that the City
had received all collected tax revenues up to date. All approved the motion.
The motion carried. Under
Commission Reports. Mr.
Sandifer reported that sign up for the summer recreation program began last
week and said they expect 400 kids to be involved in the program this year.
Mr. Sandifer informed the Council that
coaches and teams would be picked within the next four weeks. Mrs.
Mack asked if the summer program included all programs. Mr.
Sandifer explained that the summer program included all baseball programs in
which a $20.00 fee is charged for participation. Mr. Sandifer said they had
considered charging an extra $10.00 for out of town participates but
didn’t see where this was necessary. Mrs.
Johnson reported that she had attended the Governor’s Rural Summit on
March 4th and 5th. She informed Council that the
meeting was educational and inspirational. She explained that Senator
Mathews had been the planner and that Coach Jefferies had talked about the
need for change. She urged every member to attend next year. Mr.
Walker presented Council with a certificate of appreciation on behalf of Boy
Scout Troop 24 thanking the City for their support. Mrs.
Wells informed Council that the Sanitation Department had been performing
work as usual. She told Council that Business After Hours would be held at
6:30 p.m. at the office of Johnny Haralson on Highway 78. Mrs.
Foster asked Chief Morris if license monies were still coming in from coin
operated machine owners. Chief Morris informed Council that machines were
still being found and Clerk Watson reported that monies were still being
collected. Under
Old Business. Mr.
Sandifer reported that the renovation of the Barber Shop had been completed
at a cost of $32,825.40 which he said was $825.00 over the original
estimate. Mr. Sandifer informed Council that the City purchased the building
for $9,000.00 which brought the total project cost to $41,825.40. He said
the building was ready to be put on the market. Mr.
Sandifer said he felt the property needed to be sold and not rented. Mr.
Sandifer then made the motion to sell the Barber Shop building by means of
sealed bids with the minimum price to be accepted at $40,000.00. Mr. Walker
made the second. All approved. The motion carried. Mayor
McCollum reported to Council that Manager Ellis had estimated the cost for
680 feet of drainage pipe and one drainage inlet for the railroad brim to
cost approximately $25,000.00. Mayor McCollum explained that the BPW would
be doing the work but that he was not sure whether the pipe would be
concrete or corrugated. Mrs.
Johnson made the motion to approve the $25,000.00 for the piping of the
ditch. Mr. Walker made the second. During
the discussion, Mr. Sandifer voiced that Council had already dipped into the
reserves for the $32,000.00 to renovate the Barber Shop. He felt they should
put the piping off until the Barber Shop could be sold. He said that three
months would not make a difference. Mrs.
Johnson voiced that the building would be sold and that they needed to move
forward to pipe the ditch. All
approved of the motion except Mr. Sandifer who abstained. The motion
carried. Under
New Business. Chief
Morris informed Council that four businesses are presently on the City’s
wrecker rotation list and that he was concerned with the outrageous towing
and storage fees that they are charging.
He explained that they are charging $100.00 to tow a vehicle just in
the city. Chief Morris said this makes the City look like a bad guy when the
officers call to have a vehicle towed. Chief Morris said the City needed to
look at setting fees that could be charged for towing and storage within the
city and he said other cities are doing this. Chief Morris also informed
Council that once the vehicles are stored that they are being ransacked and
then the businesses don’t want to pay for the items that are stolen. Mr.
Sandifer mentioned that the City could store the vehicles at the City lot if
needed. After
some discussion, Mayor McCollum asked the Police Commission to study the
problem and then make a recommendation to Council at the next meeting. Chief
Morris explained to Council the problem he was having with some officers
unlocking cars with slim jims and some refusing to unlock them. He explained
that if he ordered all officers to unlock cars then the City could become
liable for any damages. Council felt that all officers should be equipped
with slim jims and told to use them only if they thought they could unlock a
vehicle without causing any damages. Chief Morris explained that most cities
don’t unlock vehicles. Mrs.
Johnson felt the City didn’t need the liability associated with unlocking
vehicles and said that Jeff Black would unlock cars for $5.00. Mr.
Sandifer voiced that it was good public relations for the police officers to
be involved in helping citizens unlock their cars. Mrs.
Foster said we need to be in the business to serve the citizens. Mr.
Sandifer then made the motion to have the Police Department unlock vehicles
when they can. Mrs. Foster made the second. All approved. The motion
carried. Chief
Morris informed Council that Clerk Watson had solved most of the problem
with the drug testing by locating a doctor to pull the samples. Chief Morris
told Council that if we drug test the police officers at random then we
should drug test all city employees at random. He said that all the officers
felt the same way. After
some discussion, Council instructed Clerk Watson to check to see if all City
employees could be randomly tested. Mrs.
Johnson made the motion to approve the first reading of Ordinance 02-02 to
deed land to Bamberg County. Mrs. Wells made the necessary second. During
the discussion, Mr. Sandifer voiced that he was concerned that the land
should be reverted back to the City if it is not used as intended. Clerk
Watson explained that the City attorney would place a reversion statement in
the deed. All
approved the first reading of Ordinance 02-02. The motion carried. Mrs.
Foster made the motion to approve the first reading of Ordinance 02-03 to
amend Section 6-2-5 dealing with commercial and industrial containers in
order to prohibit illegal dumping. Mrs.
Johnson made the second. All approved. The motion carried. Mrs.
Johnson asked how the City would enforce the amended ordinance. Mayor
McCollum informed her that stickers would be placed on the dumpsters stating
the fine that will be imposed. Mrs.
Foster stating that the merchants pay for the use of their dumpsters, said
the City must deter illegal dumping. During
the discussion of building code enforcement for downtown, Mrs. Foster made
the motion to hold a separate workshop to discuss this. Mrs. Johnson made
the second. All approved. The motion carried. Mrs.
Johnson made the motion to reappoint Mrs. Joan Cooper to the Board of
Adjustments and Appeals. Mr. Walker made the second. All approved. Mayor
McCollum appointed Mr. Sandifer, Mrs. Johnson and Mr. Walker to the
2002-2003 Budget Committee and asked Mr. Sandifer to chair the committee. Mrs.
Johnson made the motion to go into executive session to receive legal
advice, to discuss negotiations incident to a contractual arrangement and to
discuss a personnel matter. Mr. Walker made the second. All approved. The
motion carried. Mrs.
Wells made the motion to come out of the executive session. Mrs. Johnson
made the second. All approved. The motion carried. Mayor
McCollum announced that Council had been invited to a drop in at the old
shopping center in Orangeburg at 5:30 p.m. tomorrow. Mrs.
Foster announced that on March 20th a day of events will be
planned to honor Black History Week. Mr.
Henry Maynard informed Council that the National Summer Youth Program has
been moved to Voorhees College this year. He told Council the program has
grown to over 350 kids. He asked Council to support the program again this
year. Mrs.
Johnson voiced that the City needed to double its support and donate $500.00
to the National Youth Program this year. Mrs.
Foster felt the City needed to support the program and asked that the
request be put on next month’s agenda. Council
agreed to place Mr. Maynard’s request on next month’s agenda. Mrs.
Tammie Culberth invited Council to the ribbon cutting for her new business
called Earth Mothers which will be held on Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. Mr.
Bob McCully saying that he endorsed the National Summer Youth Program
informed Council that Mr. Maynard may need an answer tonight in order to
plan for this summer’s program. He urged Council to agree to support him
with at least the same amount of funding as last year. Mayor
McCollum assured Mr. Maynard that Council would support him. With
no further business, Mr. Walker made the motion to adjourn. Mrs. Johnson
made the second. All approved. The motion carried. The meeting was adjourned at 7:09 p.m.
January 2000
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