NEWBERRY COUNTY COUNCIL
MINUTES
MARCH 7, 2007
Newberry County Council met on Wednesday, March 7, 2007, at 7:00 p.m. in Council Chambers at the Courthouse Annex for a regular meeting.
Present were: Henry B. Summer, Chairman
William D. Waldrop, Vice-Chairman
John David Dawkins, Councilman
Henry H. Livingston, III, Councilman
Edgar Baker, Councilman
Wayne Adams, County Administrator
Gary T. Pope, County Attorney
Susan C. Fellers, Clerk to Council
Debbie S. Cromer, Finance Director
Absent: John E. Caldwell, Councilman
Mike Hawkins, Councilman
Media: Heather Hawkins, WKDK
Cindy Pitts, Newberry Observer
Notice of the meeting was duly advertised as required by law.
Mr. Summer called the meeting to order and determined a quorum to be present.
Mr. Dawkins had the invocation followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.
1. Adoption of Consent Agenda.
Mr. Waldrop moved to adopt the consent agenda; second by Mr. Baker. Vote was unanimous. [Councilmen Caldwell and Hawkins absent.]
2. Additions, Deletions and Adoption of Agenda.
Mr. Dawkins moved to adopt the agenda as mailed out; second by Mr. Baker. Vote was unanimous. [Councilmen Caldwell and Hawkins absent.]
3. Personal Appearances.
a. Adoption of Proclamation for 2007 Disabilities Awareness Month – Fred Owens, Executive Director, Newberry County Disabilities and Special Needs Board.
Fred Owens, Executive Director of Newberry County Disabilities and Special Needs, accompanied by David Clamp and Butch Glenn, requested the County Council recognize March as Disabilities Awareness Month. The theme is “Able and Ready.”
Mr. Livingston moved to adopt the Proclamation; second by Mr. Dawkins. Vote was unanimous. [Councilmen Caldwell and Hawkins absent.]
4. Public Comments.
Terry Cotney introduced the Storey family who had several errors on their taxes and had to sell their children’s horses in order to pay their taxes of $940 on a 1200 square foot house about 60 years old. When they paid their taxes, it was discovered that it should have been 4% instead of 6%. The house was transferred to Mrs. Storey after her father died and she was taxed at 6%. The assessment was unfair and totally unreasonable. When the assessment was reduced to 4%, she should now get back $400, but the horses are gone.
At the last meeting Mr. Caldwell said he would apologize to the family for having to sell their pets, but he is not here tonight. Mr. Cotney asked if any of the other Council members wanted to apologize to the family for their loss.
Mr. Dawkins apologized to them and to any other citizen of the county that has been burdened because of the taxes. If someone moves his or her primary residence, that person has to let the County know that so the property will be taxed correctly.
Mr. Waldrop apologized for the children having to sell their horses and stated it would have still been about the same thing if Council had raised the mills over the years.
Bob Sadowski asked for an update on the following items:
1. Sheriff’s Office. Mr. Adams advised the most recent formal instruction of Council has been to sell the building as is. There have clearly been talks since that time about repairing the building. Right now there is a Request for Qualifications that has been publicized for firms who are interested in doing the work of repairing that building. Also, the Council has passed a budget that would indicate the repair of that building would be the order of the day rather than selling it. The indications are that Council passing the budget for $1,000,000 in repairs to the building would repair it, and the Council has voted certainly not to build another building in its place, as was originally planned.
Mr. Sadowski asked if the attorney representing the County in this matter was a South Carolina attorney. Mr. Adams advised the attorney, Frank Smith, is located in Columbia.
He also inquired as to whether monthly expenses are associated with the current Sheriff’s building in the sense that we are operating out of another building, presumably paying rent. Mr. Adams advised the County was renting mobile units located beside Piedmont Tech on Wilson Road.
Mr. Sadowski asked if there were any costs associated with keeping the current building vacant, such as rent, monitoring equipment. Mr. Adams advised the monitoring equipment was discontinued several months ago. Right now all we are paying is the utility bill to keep the HVAC system running at some level.
2. Citizens Advisory Committee. What is the latest on the establishment of the committee and the meetings? Mr. Adams advised that Council had named members to the committee. At Council’s retreat this weekend, they will talk about the topics that the committee will consider and also the schedule of meetings.
Mr. Sadowski asked if the Council governing body would determine the subject matters that the advisory committee will review and discuss. Mr. Adams didn’t say the committee members themselves would not have an input but in terms of getting it started the Council wants to determine some basic direction to set them in.
Mr. Sadowski asked if other counties had advisory committees. Mr. Adams advised that ad hoc committees of this kind are very common. Often they are dedicated to a specific issue as opposed to a wide array of issues. It remains to be seen this weekend what specific questions Council would have them examine, and it remains to be seen from among them what topics they want to take up independently.
Mike Bedenbaugh discussed his letter published in today’s edition of The Newberry Observer (copy attached). Mr. Bedenbaugh felt there was no reason why the County should grow faster than the citizens’ wealth, and the reason it has grown faster is the wealth of the Council’s budget is based on property value. If the County budgets are going to be pegged to rising property values, it will always go up, and unless people have to spend the money or sell the properties to accommodate that, that wealth is not sitting in their hands ready to spend. He was disappointed that this was one of the biggest issues we are dealing with, and there is nothing on the agenda about what we are doing to cut more than the 5% symbolic thing Council did.
The County Council’s budget for itself in 1996 and 1997 was $88,776. This year it is $285,000. In the 1996-1997 numbers Mr. Bedenbaugh put in the paper he didn’t have the FICA and things like that, which amounts to about 20% with all add-ons, which means the $88,000 should really be $110,000 to be comparative. Everything has doubled and tripled.
The Assessor’s Office in 1996-1997 budgeted $179,000. In 2006-2007, $606,000. There was a $235,000 contracted maintenance item.
Mr. Bedenbaugh asked Council to look at what the budget was in 1996-1997 and try to peg next year’s budget to what it would have been if you only had gone cost of living increases. The County and the property owners cannot afford to keep doing this and funding this, and you have to take this seriously more than just a 5% cap and also looking at the property as well.
Mr. Waldrop stated things had changed a lot since that time; the cost of living has gone sky high; the price of land has gone up. The County has taken on more responsibility.
Mr. Bedenbaugh said the County doesn’t need to take on so much responsibility. This is about the growth of government. Quit growing.
Mr. Waldrop asked why he wanted to quit growing. Mr. Bedenbaugh was not talking about private citizens. He was talking about Council and its budgets. We want to grow, but we can’t pay this. It is not the government’s job to grow more than we can afford to pay it, and the numbers indicate that. When Council is going over the budget, talk about how it can be more affordable and have some real discussions on dropping the property taxes down to where they need to be.
Mr. Dawkins stated the budget process for next year has started. Out of the $20,000,000 County budget, we are already 6 months into it so you are dealing with $10,000,000. The Council did cut a little over $1,500,000, which was more than just a gesture of good will. Instead of the Finance Director and everybody concentrating on how to cut that last $8,500,000 down, they should be focusing on how to save the taxpayers money in the budget they are currently working on. Mr. Bedenbaugh agreed but he wants Council to look at how much County government has grown, and when working on the budgets for next year, look at bringing it down. Pretend there is not a one cent sales tax because that one cent sales tax is going to take care of the school operating budget, which will supposedly cut the taxes in half.
(Mr. Dawkins and Mr. Bedenbaugh got into discussions of beating the system and political games.)
John Pollard stated that if he wants to appear before Council to discuss County business, he has to put his name on the agenda two to four weeks before he can speak. Under public comments, as you walk in the door, you sign up and you get to speak, and those of us conducting County business have to sit here. Mr. Pollard asked Council to consider inverting the agenda and take care of County business first and put public comments last.
Nancy Dickert again requested that all Council members resign and that Mr. Adams run the County by himself.
Les Hipp stated after the last Council meeting he asked Mr. Adams to have the ordinances pending before Council put on the web page. Mr. Hipp stated Mr. Adams acted decisively and quickly, and the next day it was on the web page and publicly thanked Mr. Adams for responding to his request.
Mr. Summer, in response to Mr. Bedenbaugh’s comment about the Tax Assessor’s Office, stated that in that particular year aerial mapping had to be done. Also, the County is also working on GIS.
5. Ordinance #01-07-07: An Ordinance to amend the Official Zoning
Map established pursuant to Zoning Ordinance #12-24-01, codified in Chapter 153
of the Newberry County Code of Ordinances, so as to rezone a tract containing
approximately 1.24 acres, designated as TMS Parcel No. 288-22, from Light
Industrial (LI) to General Commercial (GC).
[123 Bush River Road. Planning
Commission recommends approval.]
Mr. Waldrop moved for third reading; second by Mr. Livingston. Vote was unanimous. [Councilmen Caldwell and Hawkins absent.]
6. Committee Reports.
No reports.
Mr. Dawkins stated that Mike Briggs with Central Alliance would be at the next Council meeting to address issues concerning the Industrial Park.
Mr. Summer stated that he requested information from Ms. Teresa Powers, and the Industrial Park we have now has $91.5 million invested in it. It employs 665 employees. The total property taxes to Newberry County were $5,326,000 last year. Newberry County’s part of it was $904,000. This shows how important an asset a good Industrial Park is.
7. Appointments.
No appointments.
8. Consideration of acceptance of bid
for Geotechnical Analysis at Adelaide Street and Dixie Drive for Newberry
Rescue Squad:
a. Terracon $2,750.00
b. ECS Carolinas LLP $2,942.50
c. S&ME $2,500.00
Mr. Waldrop moved to accept the low bid from S&ME in the amount of $2,500.00; second by Mr. Dawkins.
Mr. Dawkins stated this money was already allocated through the one cent sales tax and is not additional money.
Mr. Adams stated this was for the soil borings to test the soil stability for the structure.
There being no further discussion, Mr. Summer called for the question. Vote was unanimous. [Councilmen Caldwell and Hawkins absent.]
9. Consideration of acceptance of bid
for land surveying on Newberry Rescue Squad 14 Site (Boundary and
Topographical):
a. Cannon-Davenport Surveying $1,995.00
b. Tom Abraham Land Surveying $1,500.00
Mr. Waldrop moved to accept the low bid from Tom Abraham Land Surveying in the amount of $1,500; second by Mr. Baker.
Mr. Waldrop asked since Mr. Abraham works for the County, would accepting that bid present a problem. Mr. Pope advised this was competitively bid, all surveyors were notified, and it was legal.
There being no further discussion, Mr. Summer called for the question. Vote was unanimous. [Councilmen Caldwell and Hawkins absent.]
10. Consideration of approval of
recommendation from Newberry County Accommodations Tax Committee for
disbursement of funds for fiscal year 2005-2006 as follows:
a. Promotional - $15,275.54
b. Tourism related - $31,248.00
Mr. Livingston moved to accept the recommendation from the Newberry County Accommodations Tax Committee; second by Mr. Dawkins. Vote was unanimous. [Councilmen Caldwell and Hawkins absent.]
11. Discussion of Employee Banquet for 2007.
Mr. Adams advised this banquet is held annually to recognize the accomplishments and efforts of the County employees. The cost is approximately $3,500. Staff wanted advice on whether to go through with this given some of the fiscal restraints we are currently working under and asked for guidance from Council.
Mr. Waldrop felt it should be delayed this year and instead of doing it every year, maybe do it every two years, but that it was good to do it because we have a lot of good employees.
Mr. Dawkins’ opinion was that we have an obligation to run this County and to appreciate the employees that work for this County. The least we can do is show the employees a little appreciation. Mr. Dawkins was in favor of spending the $3,500 on a banquet for the employees.
Mr. Summer said it was tough for taxpayers, but it has also been tough for County employees. This has been an extremely tough year for County employees. We have a lot of dedicated employees, and they have been working under extreme pressure and adverse situations, and to do away with the employee banquet this year would send the wrong message. We need it this year more than ever.
Mr. Livingston felt it was good. When you look at the number of employees we have and salaries in comparison and the day to day operation of the County and the services they provide, this is an extremely small token of appreciation that we can give to them. It is basically a thank you.
Mr. Baker was for it.
Mr. Dawkins moved to approve the employee banquet this year; second by Mr. Baker. Vote was unanimous. [Councilmen Caldwell and Hawkins absent.]
12. Executive Session (if needed).
No executive session.
13. Future Meetings:
a. Council Meetings: March 21, 2007, 7:00 p.m.
April
4, 2007, 7:00 p.m.
b. Planning Retreat: March 10-11, 2007, beginning at 8:00
a.m.
(Conference
Room at
Springfield Place, Newberry, SC)
14. Comments from County Administrator.
Mr. Adams advised the agenda for the retreat would be ready tomorrow morning and would be delivered to Council at that time.
15. Comments from Council Members.
No comments.
16. Vote for Adjournment.
Mr. Waldrop moved to adjourn. Mr. Summer declared the meeting adjourned.
17. Adjournment.
Meeting adjourned at 7:45 p.m.
NEWBERRY COUNTY COUNCIL
_________________________________
Henry B. Summer, Chairman
_________________________________
Susan C. Fellers, Clerk to Council
APPROVED: March 21, 2007