REGULAR MEETING OF CITY COUNCIL
ON MAY 13, 2002 AT 5:30 P.M. AT CITY HALL

Mayor McCollum called the meeting to order and Mrs. Mack gave the invocation.   

Clerk Watson took the roll with everyone being present. 

Mrs. Johnson made the motion to approve the agenda to include amendments to discuss a contractual arrangement during the executive session, to discuss a requests from the Dixie Youth Baseball Program, Boy Scout Troop 24, Cub Scout Troop 441, and to recognize Mike Williams to discuss the Barber Shop Building. Mrs. Mack made the second. All approved. The motion carried.

Mr. Roger Smoak informed Council that his daughter-in-law, April, and his family wished to rent the Barber Shop Building with an option to purchase. He told Council they were planning to start a business in Bamberg to include a nail salon, a tanning center, and to include the selling of jewelry.

Mrs. Foster asked if they would be prepared to purchase the building in six months.

Mr. Smoak explained that this would depend on how well the business went.

Mr. Sandifer told Council that he had prepared a proposal for them.

Mr. Mike Williams explained to Council that he wished to locate a store in the Barber Shop Building to sell shoes and supplies. He said he also wished to rent to purchase.

The Building Inspector was not present to give his report.

Mr. Sandifer informed Council that three months ago the Building Inspector told Council that he had his certification and would go home to get it. Mr. Sandifer asked Mayor McCollum if he had presented the certification to him.

Mayor McCollum informed Council that he had not seen the certification. Council asked that a letter be sent to Mr. Kirkland asking him to present the certification to them.

Mrs. Johnson asked Clerk Watson if Mr. Kirkland had called to say he would not be able to attend.

Clerk Watson informed her that he had not heard anything from Mr. Kirkland.

Mayor McCollum assured Council that he would address the issue of Mr. Kirkland’s absence.

Mrs. Johnson made the motion to approve the minutes of April 8, 2002 meeting as received. Mr. Walker made the second. All approved. The motion carried.

Mrs. Mack made the motion to approve the minutes of the April 15, 2002 meeting as received. Mrs. Wells made the second. All approved. The motion carried.

Mrs. Johnson made the motion to approve the Budget and Finance Reports as received. Mrs. Mack made the necessary second. All approved. The motion carried.

Mrs. Foster asked if the City was receiving their tax collections on time. Clerk Watson explained that all tax collections from the County Treasurer were on time and that the fire protection revenues were also on time.

Mrs. Wells asked if all departments were at 83% of their budgets.

Clerk Watson explained that the departments needed to watch some line items since some were over 83% with two months to go in the budget year.

Under Commission Reports:

Mr. Sandifer reported that the BCEDC had met today and that the shopping center project was looking good. Mr. Sandifer told Council that the summer baseball program is the largest ever with over 500 kids participating this year. Mr. Sandifer informed Council that Dr. Glenn had purchased and dedicated additional playground equipment which was installed at the Ness Park last week. He explained that Dr. Glenn was a super guy and asked Council to please let him know how much they appreciated his donation.

Mrs. Foster asked if there was any news on the elderly housing project. Mr. Sandifer explained that there was no news to report at this time.

Mrs. Foster asked if a department store was planning to locate on Highway 301. Mr. Sandifer explained that the word is out but that he could not comment at this time.

Mrs. Johnson informed Council that Boy Scout Troop 24 and Cub Scout Troop 441 wished to clean up the Ness Park after the DARE picnic on Saturday. She explained that they would need bags, sticks and gloves in order to do this. Council gave her permission to locate the needed items and felt this was a great idea.

Mrs. Mack told Clerk Watson to let her know if more bags were needed.

Mrs. Wells informed Council that the Sanitation Department has been very busy preparing for the arrival of Channel 6 on May 17^th. She commended Mr. Sweatman and his crew for a job well done. Mrs. Wells explained that a clean up day has not been scheduled but urged all citizens to do their part in cleaning up the town.

Mrs. Foster asked Chief Morris if license collections were being collected. Chief Morris explained that really this wasn’t his job but that he enforced the collection of delinquent licenses. Clerk Watson explained that new license applications for the year would begin soon.

Under Old Business.

During the discussion of the Barber Shop Building, Mr. Sandifer made the motion to rent the building for 24 months at a minimum price of $300.00 per month with the rent being applied to the purchase price of $40,000.00 at the end of the 24 month period and that no cosmetic changes be allowed and with the understanding that the $300.00 per month rent would not be refunded if the building was not purchase at the end of 24 months. Mrs. Foster made the second. All approved. The motion carried.

Mrs. Foster asked if the City would go out for bids.

Clerk Watson explained that he City would advertise for bids with a minimum bid price set at $300.00 per month.

Mayor McCollum informed Council that the zoning ordinance calls for all trailers older than 1976 to be removed from the City. Clerk Watson explained that the ordinance required all trailers manufactured prior to 1976 and all trailers manufactured after 1976 that were not HUD approved be removed.

Mrs. Foster voiced that this needed to be enforced.

Mayor McCollum told the Council that the Zoning Administrator would take care of this.

Under New Business.

Mrs. Johnson made the motion that the Understanding the Zoning and Building Process document be adopted as written. Mr. Walker made the second. All approved.

Mayor McCollum explained that the document would be given to all new home builders and contractors.

Mrs. Wells made the motion that the Procedures to be Performed by the Building Inspector  be adopted and followed as written. Mr. Walker made the second. All approved. The motion carried.

Mayor McCollum informed Council that a letter would be written to the Zoning Administrator and Building Inspector implementing the document and guidelines.

After Mayor McCollum explained the importance of having the same auditor as the BPW, Mr. Sandifer made the motion to hire the same auditor that the BPW decides to use this year. Mrs. Johnson made the second. All approved. The motion carried.

Mrs. Foster made the motion to approve the first readings of Ordinances 02-05, 02-06, 02-07, 02-08, and 02-09 amending the City of Bamberg Code of Laws. Mrs. Johnson made the second. All approved. The motion carried.

Mrs. Johnson made the motion to approve the first readings of Ordinances 02-10, 02-11 and 02-12 adopting new codes for the City of Bamberg. Mrs. Wells made the second. All approved. The motion carried.

After Chief Morris explained the concept behind establishing a Community Outreach and Partnership Committee, Mrs. Johnson made the motion to have a committee formed for the City of Bamberg. Mr. Walker made the second. All approved. The motion carried.

Council felt the Committee was a very good idea. Mrs. Johnson voiced that she would like to see more young people serving on the 20 member committee.

Chief Morris informed Council that the building inspector was creating serious problems for him. He explained that the zoning administrator needed to be enforcing the zoning ordinance instead of him. Chief Morris told Council that the zoning administrator was making deals and placing stipulations on zoning violators and that the violators should either be viewed as either in compliance or out of compliance.

Chief Morris told Council of one incident where he cited a person for a zoning violation and then the zoning administrator said he was going to court to testify on the violator’s behalf.

Chief Morris said he had notified other violators, but felt this was the zoning administrator’s job.

Council felt strongly that this was not correct and Mayor McCollum told the Chief to continue on and that the zoning administrator would be told to enforce the zoning ordinance as written.

Mr. Sandifer stating that a cap has been placed on all community promotion donations, made the motion to donate $500.00 to the Bamberg Dixie Youth Baseball Program this year. Mrs. Walker made the second. All approved. The motion carried.

Mrs. Johnson made the motion to donate $500.00 each to Boy Scout Troop 24 and Cub Scout Troop 441 as requested. Mr. Sandifer made the second. All approved.

Mr. Walker made the motion to go into executive session to discuss the disciplining of an employee and to discuss negotiations incident to a contractual arrangement. Mr. Walker made the second. All approved. The motion carried.

Mrs. Wells made the motion to come out of the executive session. Mr. Walker made the necessary second. All approved. The motion carried.

Mayor McCollum announced that no actions had been taken.

Mr. Sandifer made the motion to adjourn. Mrs. Johnson made the second. All approved. The motion carried.

January 2000
February 2000
March 2000
April 2000
May 2000
June 2000
July 2000
August 2000
September 2000
October 2000
November 2000
December 2000
January 2001
February 2001
March 2001
April 2001
May 2001
June 11, 2001
June 12, 2001
June 14, 2001
July 2001
August 2001
September 2001
October 2001
November 2001
Dec 2001 Special Meeting
December 2001
January 2002
February Special Meeting
February 2002
March 2002
April 2002 Special Council Meeting
May 2002 Special Council Meeting

May 2002 Meeting