MINUTES OF JULY 10, 2000
SPECIAL CALLED MEETING
Lark W. Jones, Mayor
Carolyn C. Baggott, Councilmember
Pat C. Carpenter, Councilmember
Kenneth J. McDowell, Councilmember
Phillip T. Mottel, Councilmember
I. Kent Sullivan, Councilmember
ORDER OF BUSINESS
The special called meeting of July 10, 2000, having been duly publicized, was called to order at 7:00 P.M. by Mayor Jones.
Mayor Lark Jones rendered the invocation and led in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Members present were Mayor Jones and Councilmembers Baggott, Carpenter, McDowell, Mottel, and Sullivan. Councilmember Carpenter had to leave during the meeting because of a personal commitment.
Also in attendance were Charles B. Martin, City Administrator; Kelly Zier, City Attorney; Bob Brooks, Director of Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Services; George M. Grkovic, Director of Economic and Community Development; Mark S. Tate, Director of Public Utilities; Thomas C. Zeaser, Director of Engineering/Public Works; and Donna B. Young, City Clerk.
The minutes of the regular meeting of June 19, 2000 and the study session meeting of June 19, 2000 were approved as submitted by general consent.
ITEM 1. ANNEXATION: U. S. 25 North of I-20 – 260.74 ± Acres – Ordinance, Third and Final Reading
On motion by Councilmember Mottel, second by Councilmember Sullivan, Council unanimously adopted on third and final reading an ordinance to effect the annexation of 260.74 ± acres of land located along the east side of U. S. 25 just north of I-20. Also included in the annexation is all of the adjoining rights-of-way of U. S. 25. The property is zoned P-D, Planned Development and will be added to the Future Land Use Element of the City’s Comprehensive Land Use and Development Plan and classified "Mixed Uses."
Please see the minutes of June 19, 2000 for the ordinance text.
ITEM 2. FINANCE: Capital Projects Sales Tax – Project Approval
On motion by Councilmember Baggott, second by Councilmember Mottel Council approved the following list of projects to be submitted to the Aiken County Capital Projects Sales Tax Commission by Kent Sullivan, North Augusta’s representative.
ONE-CENT CAPITAL PROJECTS SALES TAX
REQUESTED PROJECTS
TOTAL $7,523,000
ITEM 3. FINANCE: COMPREHENSIVE ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT (CAFR) – Receive as Information
On motion by Mayor Jones, second by Councilmember Carpenter Council unanimously passed a motion to receive as information the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) for fiscal year ending December 31, 1999.
The Comprehensive Annual Financial Report is presented in three sections: introductory, financial, and statistical. The introductory section includes the transmittal letter, the City’s organizational chart, the Finance Department’s organizational chart, and a list of principal officials. The financial section includes the general purpose financial statements and the combining and individual fund and account group financial statements and schedules, as well as the auditor’s report on the financial statements and schedules. The statistical section includes selected financial and demographic information, generally presented on a multi-year basis.
The Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada awards Certificates of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting to governmental agencies who publish an easily readable and efficiently organized comprehensive annual financial report whose contents conform to program standards, generally accepted accounting principles, and applicable legal requirements. The City has received a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting as a result of the City’s submission of the CAFR for the last 17 years. This report will be submitted to GFOA for review. The award results of this report will not be known until late 2000.
ITEM 4. SPECIAL ELECTION: Agreement with Aiken County Elections Commission to Conduct the North Augusta 2000 Special Municipal Election – Ordinance, Third and Final Reading
On motion by Councilmember McDowell, second by Councilmember Carpenter, Council unanimously adopted on third and final reading an ordinance authorizing an agreement between the City and the Aiken County Registration and Elections Commission wherein the Commission would conduct the City’s special election scheduled for November 7, 2000, at an estimated cost of $1,557.00.
Please see the minutes of June 19, 2000 for the ordinance text.
ITEM 5. PARKS, RECREATION, & LEISURE SERVICES: Creighton Living History Park – Sertoma Pavilion – Site Selection
At the July 21, 1999 meeting, Council unanimously accepted an offer from the North Augusta Sertoma Club of a contribution to the City of North Augusta in the amount of $25,000.00 to be used for the construction of a picnic shelter facility in the Creighton Living History Park. The Sertoma Club subsequently appropriated an additional $5,000 for a total gift of $30,000. The exact location of the shelter within the park had yet to be determined. The Creighton Park Sertoma Shelter Committee met to review three possible locations as identified by the Sertoma Club. The Committee was unable to make a recommendation.
The precise location for the shelter within the Creighton Park was scheduled to be determined during the July 10, 2000 special called City Council meeting.
Mayor Jones requested that before any motions were made that the interested parties be allowed to state their concerns and views regarding the precise location of the shelter within Creighton Park.
The following individuals voiced their concerns and views regarding the site selection of the Sertoma Pavilion within Creighton Park.
John F. Bigger, Jr., 41 Moss Cove Lane, North Augusta, South Carolina, Board Member of the North Augusta Cultural Arts Council.
Robbie Pitts Doyring, 912 Jackson Avenue, North Augusta, SC, Tourism Coordinator for Aiken County.
Joe Gabriel, 1906 Burns Road, North Augusta, South Carolina, representing himself individually and as a member of Sertoma Club.
Ellen and Mark Farrar, 825 Carolina Avenue, North Augusta, South Carolina.
Rita Hitchler, representing her husband Michael J. Hitchler as President, Olde Towne Preservation Association of North Augusta.
Ray Morris, 2007 Torry Avenue, North Augusta, South Carolina, representing Sertoma Club.
Elaine Neal, 122 Fiord Drive, North Augusta, South Carolina.
Sam Sumner, 1809 Oriole Avenue, North Augusta, South Carolina.
Lynn Thompson, 1010 West Avenue, North Augusta, South Carolina, Chairperson, Living History Park.
After much discussion and comments, Mayor Jones made a motion to table the decision to select the site of the Sertoma Pavilion within Creighton Park and to postpone the vote of the shelter site until the August 7, 2000 meeting. Mayor Jones further instructed the staff to produce a cost estimate on each of the proposed sites including the clearing of the hill and building up of the area to the right of the brown building. Mayor Jones also instructed staff to make contact with Sertoma Club and ask them to reconsider their letter of June 16 and consider the location of the site to the right of the brown building with the proper grading being done, or if not agreeable to consider locating the shelter at another park site. Council requested that staff investigate placing the shelter in another park and to also obtain a cost estimate for renovating the existing brick building in Creighton Park to provide restroom facilities.
ITEM 6. PUBLIC SAFETY: Fireworks, Ban Use During Drought – Permanent Ordinance, Third and Final Reading
On motion by Mayor Jones, second by Councilmember McDowell, Council unanimously tabled an ordinance that bans the using, firing, shooting, or discharging of fireworks within the City at any time the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources declares the drought status in Aiken County to be moderate, severe or extreme.
This outcome of this ordinance will be reviewed in a future study session at Council’s discretion.
There being no further business, Council adjourned.
APPROVED: JULY 17, 2000