The special meeting of January 18, 2001, having been duly publicized, was called to order by Mayor Jones.

Mayor Jones rendered the invocation and led in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Members present were Mayor Jones and Councilmembers Baggott, Carpenter, McDowell, Mottel, Shealy, and Sullivan.

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; John P. Potter, Jr., Director of Finance; Mark S. Tate, Director of Public Utilities; T. Lee Wetherington, Director of Public Safety; Thomas C. Zeaser, Director of Engineering/Public Works; and Donna B. Young, City Clerk.

The minutes of the regular meeting and study session of December 18, 2000, were unanimously approved as amended. Mayor Jones had amended the minutes prior to the meeting. All councilmembers had a copy of the amended minutes. The change in the minutes was in Item 8, which is as follows: Said change is italicized.

ITEM 8. ELECTIONS: 2001 Municipal Election – Ordinance – Third and Final Reading
On motion by Mayor Jones, second by Councilmember Sullivan, Council unanimously adopted on third and final reading an ordinance establishing the date for the municipal election of the Mayor and three positions on City Council, presently held by Mayor Lark W. Jones, Councilmembers Pat C. Carpenter, Phillip T. Mottel, and Arthur H. Shealy, and further establishing the appropriate deadlines in connection with the municipal election.

Councilmember Shealy made a motion to amend the ordinance to move the municipal election date to November and was ruled out of order by Mayor Jones upon the grounds that the proposed amendment on third reading was not technical in nature but went directly to the purpose of the ordinance.

Please see the minutes of December 4, 2000, for the ordinance text.

ITEM 1. CITY PROPERTY: Land Exchange With Grace United Methodist Church – Ordinance, Third and Final Reading
On motion by Councilmember Carpenter, second by Councilmember Mottel, Council unanimously adopted on third and final reading an ordinance authorizing the exchange of one City owned parcel containing 0.187 ± acres for two church owned parcels, one containing 0.203 ± acres and one containing 0.058 ± acres. The exchange allows the church to extend its recreational area and provide lands to the City that may one day be used for utility extensions or a Greenway extension.

Please see the minutes of December 18, 2000 for the ordinance text.

ITEM 2. COMMUNITY PROMOTIONS: Grace United Methodist Church, "Return To Bethlehem," Appreciation
On behalf of Grace United Methodist Church William Thweatt praised and thanked the City for their efforts while "Return to Bethlehem" was being presented.

ITEM 3. ELECTIONS: Changing Date for Municipal General Elections, Resolution
On motion by Councilmember Arthur Shealy, second by Councilmember Mottel, Council considered a resolution changing the date for municipal general elections from April of odd numbered years to November of even numbered years. Voting for the resolution was Councilmember Shealy. Voting against the resolution were Mayor Jones and Councilmembers Baggott, Carpenter, McDowell, Mottel, and Sullivan. The motion failed.

The prepared resolution text is as follows:

WHEREAS, by ordinance the City currently holds General Elections in April of odd numbered years; and

WHEREAS, holding the General Election in November of even numbered years will increase voter participation in and reduce the City’s cost of holding General Elections;

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Mayor and City Council of the City of North Augusta, South Carolina, in a meeting duly assembled and by the authority thereof, that:

The City Manager and City Attorney are hereby requested to draft appropriate ordinances to change the City’s General Election date to November of even numbered years.

DONE, RATIFIED AND ADOPTED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORTH AUGUSTA, SOUTH CAROLINA, ON THIS DAY OF ____________, 2001.

ITEM 4. JUSTICE AND LAW: 2001 Jury Box, Council Approval

On motion by Councilmember Mottel, second by Councilmember Carpenter, Council unanimously approved the jury box for 2001 containing the names of all registered voters in the City of North Augusta.

ITEM 5. PERSONNEL: Insurance Review Update
Councilmember Shealy inquired about the employee’s health insurance and how the cost was projected this year. Mayor Jones and City Administrator Charles Martin stated that although the costs of claims have been lower it was too early to project rates for the upcoming plan year beginning July, 2001.

ITEM 6. PERSONNEL: Employee of the Quarter, October, November, and December, 2000 Presentation
Mayor Jones presented the Employee of the Quarter Award to Michael Baldy, GIS/GPS Technician for the Economic and Community Development Department. Michael was selected Employee of the Quarter for October, November, and December, 2001.

Michael was nominated by Bob Brooks, Director of Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Services. Highlights from the nomination are as follows:

Michael came to work with the City on January 9, 1990. Michael is always available for those last minute maps and updates required for meetings. Anytime Michael is asked for assistance with special projects he is willing to assist and usually completes the project before the timeline he establishes. Michael has and continues to serve the city well as its GIS guru.  Michael was presented with a plaque, a $25 gift certificate to SMS Sportsworld, and a $25 dinner gift certificate to B.C. Davenports.

ITEM 7. STREETS AND DRAINS: 2001 "C" Fund Request
Councilmember Shealy inquired about the 2001 "C" Fund Street Resurfacing list that had been submitted to the South Carolina Department of Transportation. Mayor Jones pointed out that all streets are resurfaced according to a priority code system used by the Engineering Department and as funds are available. Funds could be from the "C" Fund, as allocated by the Aiken County Transportation Committee, the SCDOT’s discretionary funding, the City of North Augusta’s Street Improvement Fund funding, or the funding generated by the Capital Projects Sales Tax.

ITEM 8. ZONING: Blanchard Tract, R-3, Small Lot Single Family Residential, to PD, Planned Development – Ordinance, Third and Final Reading
On motion by Councilmember Sullivan, second by Councilmember Baggot, Council unanimously adopted on third and final reading an ordinance to amend the zoning map of the City of North Augusta by rezoning the Blanchard Tract, property of Triple Crown Properties, LLC., Tax Map Parcel Number 00-015.0-01-014, from R-3, Small Lot Single Family Residential, to PD, Planned Development.

Please see the minutes of December 18, 2000 for the ordinance text.

ITEM 9. ZONING: North Hill Drive, 100 Block, 2.24 ± Acres., C-3, General Commercial to R-3, Small Lot Single Family Residential, Planning Commission Recommendation – Motion to Receive
On motion by Councilmember McDowell, second by Councilmember Mottel, Council voted unanimously to receive as information the recommendation by the Planning Commission that the City rezone a 2.24 ± acre parcel in the 100 block of North Hills Drive from C-3, General Commercial to R-3, Small Lot Single-Family Residential. Mayor Jones abstained from voting because of a possible conflict of interest resulting from his being involved in the sale closing on the property.

ITEM 10. ZONING: North Hill Drive, 100 Block, 2.24 ± Acres., C-3, General Commercial to R-3, Small Lot Single Family Residential, Ordinance, First Reading
On motion by Councilmember Baggot, second by Councilmember Carpenter, Council unanimously passed on first reading an ordinance to amend the zoning map of the City of North Augusta by rezoning a 2.24 ± acre parcel in the 100 block of North Hills Drive from C-3, General Commercial to R-3, Small Lot

Single-Family Residential. Mayor Jones abstained from voting because of a possible conflict of interest as identified in Item No. 9 above.

The ordinance text is as follows:

WHEREAS, Article I, entitled, "Administration," Section O, entitled, "Amendment Authorization and Procedure," of the Zoning and Development Standards Ordinance adopted November 18, 1996, provides a procedure for amending the official Zoning Map of the City of North Augusta; and

WHEREAS, said procedure has been followed, and the North Augusta Planning Commission recommends to the City Council of North Augusta the following amendment to the official Zoning Map.

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORTH AUGUSTA, SOUTH CAROLINA, IN MEETING DULY ASSEMBLED AND BY THE AUTHORITY THEREOF, THAT:

ITEM 11. ZONING: North Hill Drive, 100 Block, 2.24 ± Acres., C-3, General Commercial to R-3, Small Lot Single Family Residential, Ordinance, Second Reading
On motion by Councilmember Mottel, second by Councilmember Sullivan, Council unanimously passed on second reading an ordinance to amend the zoning map of the City of North Augusta by rezoning a 2.24 ± acre parcel in the 100 block of North Hills Drive from C-3, General Commercial to R-3, Small Lot Single-Family Residential. Mayor Jones abstained from voting because of a possible conflict of interest as identified in Item No. 9 above.

Please see Item No. 14 above for the ordinance text.

APPROVED: 2/5/01