COUNTY COUNCIL WORK SESSION
Newberry County Council met for a work session on
Wednesday, April 19, 2006, at 1:00 P.M. in the Conference Room at the
Courthouse Annex.
Present were: Mike
Hawkins, Chairman
William D. Waldrop, Vice-Chairman
John E. Caldwell, Councilman
Henry B. Summer, Councilman
John David Dawkins, Councilman
Andy Morris, Councilman
Edgar Baker, Councilman
J.E. Klugh, Acting County
Administrator
Gary T. Pope, County Attorney
Susan C. Fellers, Clerk to Council
Media: Heather Hawkins, WKDK
Cindy Pitts, The Newberry Observer
Others Present: Nancy
Owen, Auditor
Judy Floyd, Treasurer
Lee Foster, Sheriff
The work session was duly advertised as required by law.
Chairman Hawkins called the meeting to order and determined a quorum to be present.
The following issues were discussed:
1. Skirting of Modular Homes: Mr. Morris moved to send this to the Planning Commission for their recommendation as to what constitutes compatible skirting for manufactured homes and to define such; second by Mr. Waldrop. Voting for the motion: Councilmen Hawkins, Waldrop, Summer, Dawkins, Morris and Baker. Councilman Caldwell abstained. Motion passed by majority vote.
2. Sale of Timber: Mr. Morris moved to authorize the County Administrator to proceed with establishing and marking the boundaries on Highway 34 to clear cut marketable timber and request bids through public advertisement and direct contact with known timber purchasers; second by Mr. Baker. Vote was unanimous.
Mr. Morris moved to authorize the County Administrator to proceed with marking the timber for thinning on the fairgrounds property; second by Mr. Baker. Mr. Morris recommended that Clemson Extension and the South Carolina Forestry Commission be engaged to do this. Vote was unanimous.
3. 773 Industrial Park: Teresa Powers, Planning/Economic Development Director, Ed Parler, Mike Briggs and Mark Simmons (all with Central SC Alliance) presented the plan to bring the Highway 773 property to market.
Mr. Baker moved to go into Executive Session to discuss contractual matters regarding the 773 Industrial Park; second by Mr. Morris. Vote was unanimous.
[EXECUTIVE SESSION 1:32 P.M. –
2:39 P.M.]
Councilman Summer left during Executive Session because of a prior commitment in Family Court.
Mr. Waldrop moved to return to open session; second by Mr. Baker. Vote was unanimous. (Councilman Summer was absent.)
4. Newberry County Library: Donza Mattison with McMillan Smith & Associates and Jack Grimes with Carter Goble Lee made a presentation concerning the new Library.
Mr. Morris moved to go into Executive Session to discuss the library; second by Mr. Baker. Vote was unanimous. (Councilman Summer was absent).
[EXECUTIVE SESSION 3:15 P.M. – 4:11 P.M.]
Councilman Summer returned to the work session at 3:40 P.M.
Mr. Dawkins moved to return to open session; second by Mr. Morris. Vote was unanimous.
5. Newberry County Airport: Mr. Baker advised that the Airport Commission needs appointments in order to have a quorum at its meetings. Mr. Baker reported that the FAA needs for the County to move forward to acquire the property no later than September 1, 2006. He also reported that 5,400 gallons of fuel had been sold at the Airport in the last two months.
6. Sales Tax Projects: Mr. Morris moved to direct Jack Grimes to look at all county projects in which Carter Goble Lee is involved and advise Council at its May 3, 2006 meeting as to what it would take to build them; second by Mr. Dawkins. (Those projects include: Newberry Rescue Squad, Silverstreet Fire Department, Prosperity Fire Department, Consolidated #5 Fire Department, Helena Community Center, Public Works Facility, Newberry County Library, Lake Murray Public Safety Complex, and the Maybinton project.) Voting for the motion: Councilmen Hawkins, Waldrop, Summer, Dawkins and Morris. Voting against the motion: Councilmen Baker and Caldwell. Motion passed by majority vote.
Mr. Grimes was instructed to present two proposals to County Council within two weeks; the first being, the cost to add two bays to the Newberry Rescue Squad building to house Haz-Mat, and the second being the cost of the Newberry Rescue Squad building without Haz-Mat.
Mr. Summer and Mr. Klugh are to investigate the interest earnings on the sales tax and report back to Council in two weeks.
Jack Grimes suggested a work session with County Council at which time he could review the program management and what services Carter Goble Lee provides.
7. Soil and Water Conservation District Building: Mr. Morris moved to direct the County Administrator to look into a building to house the Soil and Water Conservation District only and to investigate the historical costs of heating and cooling and maintaining the Agriculture Building in which Clemson Extension is currently housed and report back in two weeks; second by Mr. Waldrop. Voting for the motion: Councilmen Hawkins, Waldrop, Caldwell, Dawkins, Morris and Baker. Voting against the motion: Councilman Summer. Motion passed by majority vote.
There being no further discussion, Mr. Baker moved to adjourn; second by Mr. Morris. Vote was unanimous.
Meeting adjourned at 5:21 p.m.
NEWBERRY COUNTY COUNCIL
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Mike Hawkins, Chairman
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Susan C. Fellers, Clerk to Council