City of North Augusta
SOUTH CAROLINA

ORDER OF BUSINESS

The regular meeting of January 4, 1999, having been duly publicized, was called to order at 7:00 P. M. by Mayor Jones. Ms. Kathleen Morton, Principal of Our Lady of Peace School, rendered the invocation, and Mayor Jones led in the Pledge of Allegiance. Members present were Mayor Jones and Councilmembers Baggott, Carpenter, McDowell, Smith, and Sullivan. Councilmember Mottel was absent due to illness.
Also in attendance were Charles B. Martin, City Administrator; Kelly F. Zier, City Attorney; John R. Brooks, Director of Leisure Services; George M. Grkovic, Director of Economic and Community Development; John P. Potter, Director of Finance; Thomas C. Zeaser, Director of Public Works; and Leona J. Lewis, City Clerk.
The minutes of the special meeting of December 14, 1998, were approved as presented by general consent.

ITEM 1. FINANCE: CERTIFICATE OF ACHIEVEMENT FOR EXCELLENCE IN FINANCIAL REPORTING - PRESENTATION.

Mayor Jones read a press release announcing that the City had received for the 16th consecutive year, the prestigious Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting, referred to as the CAFR. North Augusta is the only city in South Carolina that has received the award 16 years in a row.
This significant award requires extensive work throughout the year and represents the financial reporting for the City's fiscal year ending December 31, 1997.
The press release follows:
The Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting has been awarded to: City of North Augusta, SC, by the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) for its comprehensive annual financial report (CAFR). The Certificate of Achievement is the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting, and its attainment represents a significant accomplishment by a government and its management.
An Award of Financial Reporting Achievement has been awarded to the individual designated as primarily responsible for preparing the award-winning CAFR. This has been presented to: John P. Potter, Jr., Director of Finance.
The CAFR has been judged by an impartial panel to meet the high standards of the program including demonstrating a constructive “spirit of full disclosure” to clearly communicate its financial story and motivate potential users and user groups to read the CAFR.
The GFOA is a nonprofit professional association servicing 12,625 government finance professionals with offices in Chicago, Illinois, and Washington, D. C.
Following reading of the press release, Mayor Jones presented the Award of Financial Reporting Achievement to John P. Potter, Director of Finance.

ITEM 2. JUSTICE & LAW: 1999 JURY BOX - COUNCIL APPROVAL - TABLED

On motion by Mayor Jones, second by Councilmember Sullivan, and due to the absence of the jury box, Council unanimously voted to table approval of the 1999 jury box until the next regular meeting.

ITEM 3. VIDEO POKER: CITIZEN CONCERN.

Mr. Earl Reimers, 2002 Jeffrey Street, asked Council if they were aware that the building located at Pisgah Road and Five Notch Road was being remodeled in preparation of locating a video poker business there. Mayor Jones advised Mr. Reimers that the building is located outside the City limits and, therefore, Council has no jurisdiction over the type of business establishment located there.
City Attorney Kelly Zier advised Mr. Reimers that he would research the City’s zoning regulations to determine whether or not the County or State could prohibit the location of a video poker establishment at this location due to its proximity to the City’s Greeneway or to the Old Hammond Grove Baptist Church. Mayor Jones advised Mr. Reimers that the City had done everything within its power to prevent video poker establishments from encroaching into residential neighborhoods within the City. Council thanked Mr. Reimers for bringing the situation to their attention and suggested that he express his concerns to Aiken County.

There being no further business, Council adjourned.
Respectfully submitted,
APPROVED 1/18/99.
Leona J. Lewis
City Clerk