NEWBERRY COUNTY COUNCIL
MINUTES
MAY 7, 2008
The Newberry County Council met on Wednesday, May 7, 2008, at 7:00 p.m. in Council Chambers at the Courthouse Annex, 1309 College Street, Newberry, SC, for a regularly scheduled meeting.
Present were: Henry B. Summer, Chairman (arrived at 7:10 p.m.)
William D. Waldrop, Vice-Chairman
John E. Caldwell, Councilman
Mike Hawkins, Councilman
John David Dawkins, Councilman
Edgar Baker, Councilman
Henry H. Livingston, III, Councilman
Wayne Adams, County Administrator
Gary T. Pope, County Attorney
Susan C. Fellers, Clerk to Council
Debbie S. Cromer, Finance Director
Press: Cindy Pitts, The Newberry Observer
Heather Hawkins, WKDK
Notice of the meeting was duly advertised as required by law.
In the absence of Mr. Summer, Mr. Waldrop, Vice-Chairman, called the meeting to order and determined a quorum to be present.
Mr. Caldwell had the invocation followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.
Jerry Peace, Solicitor for the Eighth Judicial Circuit, said the purpose of this program was to assist merchants and citizens in the collection and prosecution of worthless checks, and he would like to implement this program in Newberry County.
Merchants who choose to participate in the program first call the person who wrote the bad check to give them an opportunity to come by and pay it. If there is no response, then the merchant will fill out a form and send it to the Solicitor’s Office, who in turn handles everything. Two letters will be sent by the Solicitor’s Office. If the person does not respond to either of those letters, the Solicitor’s Office obtains a warrant and prosecutes the case.
The total fee collected on each worthless check is $121. The merchant gets the amount of the bad check plus a $30 administrative fee. For every check collected $41 of the fee goes to the county.
This program has been in effect in Greenwood County for the past three years, and they have collected over $400,000 in restitution and fees for the merchants in Greenwood. Of the amount collected, Greenwood County received over $80,000.
Mr. Hawkins moved to approve the Worthless Check Unit Agreement; second by Mr. Baker. Vote was unanimous.
Jeff and Shelvy Ham established a Helping Hands Food Bank at St. James AME Church on Highway 176 in Pomaria. There are seven of these food banks throughout Newberry County. 270,000 pounds of food was distributed last year from all of the food banks in the county, which is a 19.8% increase from 2006 in pounds of food distributed. The food bank serves approximately 4,518 families, which is an increase of 28.4% from 2006. The average number of families served over the past four-year period is 3,033. The food bank is open to all persons who are in need of food for whatever reason.
Mr. Waldrop moved to adopt the Consent Agenda consisting of minutes of April 16, April 23 and April 30, 2008; second by Mr. Livingston. Vote was unanimous.
Under Executive Session:
There being no further amendments to the agenda, Mr. Waldrop moved to adopt the agenda as amended; second by Mr. Dawkins. Vote was unanimous.
Mr. Baker moved for third reading; second by Mr. Dawkins. Vote was unanimous.
Mr. Hawkins moved to approve the findings and recommendation of the Planning Commission and to give this ordinance third reading; second by Mr. Dawkins. Vote was unanimous.
Mr. Summer called for the public hearing. There being no comments from the public, Mr. Summer declared the public hearing closed.
Mr. Waldrop moved for second reading; second by Mr. Livingston. Vote was unanimous.
Mr. Caldwell moved for first reading; second by Mr. Dawkins. Vote was unanimous.
Mr. Baker moved for first reading; second by Mr. Hawkins.
Under discussion, the following amendments were proposed and approved:
a. Under “Section XI. J.F. Hawkins/Springfield Place – Enterprise Fund,” strike the existing language in the last sentence of this paragraph and replace it as follows:
Existing Language:
Also hereby
enacted is an annual increase of 5% on all private-pay patient charges,
effective April 1, 2009.
New Language:
This budget includes a projected 5% increase on private-pay patient rates, effective April 1, 2009; this rate increase will be subject to approval by County Council prior to its enactment.
Mr. Livingston moved to approve this amendment; second by Mr. Waldrop. Vote was unanimous.
b. Proposed Budget (Proviso) Amendment:
PROVIDED
FURTHER, that actual miles traveled and submitted by County employees on
the appropriate travel voucher shall be reimbursed at a rate of 44
1/2 cents per mile. If the federal
rate, now at 44 1/2 cents as of January 1, 2007, shall go down, the rate paid
by the County shall go down appropriately and proportionally. the same
rate established by the Internal Revenue Service for federal employees. If
a County vehicle is offered and available and the employee refuses, the
employee shall not be reimbursed for miles traveled. Unless otherwise approved by Council, the per diem allowance for
meals for County personnel traveling on official County business shall be fixed
at the rate of $35.00 per day or breakfast $6.00, lunch $8.00 and dinner
$21.00. Personnel staying for a period
of 24 hours or more shall be paid on the per
diem rate less any meals that may be provided as a part of the
conference/meeting. No receipts for
meals are necessary. Allowable lodging
costs for required overnight travel shall be determined by Council or by the
County Administrator from time to time.
For travel for less than 24 hours, personnel will be reimbursed for
actual costs and receipts will be required, provided, however, that
reimbursement will not be for more than the specified per diem rate per
meal. Employees should turn in travel
vouchers monthly for daily re-occurring travel by the tenth (10) day of the
month following and should turn in travel vouchers for special trips taken
within ten (10) days following the return to one’s duty station. In the event that these forms are not
received by the Finance Department in the appropriate time, County
reimbursement of travel expenses may be disallowed to the employee. Without the approval of the Administrator,
no employee may draw advance travel funds before taking a special trip,
and any funds advanced must be strictly accounted for at the conclusion of the
trip.
Mr. Baker moved to approve this amendment; second by Mr. Waldrop. Vote was unanimous.
c. For each fuel expenditure line item indicated in the chart below, strike the proposed funding amount and replace it with the corresponding funding amount listed in the fuel line item chart under the column labeled “New FY 08-09 Amount,” for a total increase in fuel expenditures of $51,900.
(A.) Projected Increases in Fuel Costs
|
Department |
Fuel Cost
Line Items |
YTD |
April |
New |
FY 08-09 |
FY 08-09 |
|
|
|
Thru March |
Thru June |
FY 08-09 |
Budget |
Amend. |
|
|
|
|
|
Amount |
Admin
Draft |
for 1st
Rd. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Assessor |
010-010-03300-03130 |
3,431 |
1,258 |
5,158 |
6,000 |
842 |
|
Delinquent
|
010-010-03400-03130 |
966 |
354 |
1,452 |
500 |
-952 |
|
Planning
& Zoning |
010-010-03500-03130 |
1,431 |
525 |
2,152 |
2,720 |
568 |
|
Building Inspection |
010-010-03600-03130 |
3,332 |
1,222 |
5,010 |
4,500 |
-510 |
|
Sheriffs
Dept |
010-010-06100-03130 |
149,008 |
54,636 |
224,009 |
231,000 |
6,991 |
|
Animal
Control |
010-010-06210-03130 |
9,713 |
3,561 |
14,602 |
12,000 |
-2,602 |
|
Board of
Rescue |
010-010-07300-03130 |
12,056 |
4,421 |
18,125 |
15,000 |
-3,125 |
|
Board of
Fire Control |
010-010-07500-03130 |
22,393 |
8,211 |
33,664 |
30,000 |
-3,664 |
|
Public
Works |
010-010-08100-03130 |
22,814 |
8,365 |
34,297 |
36,000 |
1,703 |
|
Public
Works Diesel |
010-010-08100-03131 |
73,125 |
26,812 |
109,931 |
57,000 |
-52,931 |
|
Collections |
010-010-08111-03130 |
2,769 |
1,015 |
4,162 |
5,500 |
1,338 |
|
Collections
– Diesel |
010-010-08111-03131 |
959 |
352 |
1,441 |
4,000 |
2,559 |
|
First
Vehicle |
010-100-08120-03130 |
2,751 |
1,009 |
4,136 |
4,000 |
-136 |
|
Building
Maintenance |
010-010-08130-03130 |
1,967 |
721 |
2,957 |
4,000 |
1,043 |
|
Custodian
Dept |
010-010-08160-03130 |
1,513 |
555 |
2,275 |
2,215 |
-60 |
|
Ambulance |
010-010-14250-03130 |
29,532 |
10,828 |
44,397 |
41,432 |
-2,965 |
|
|
TOTAL |
337,761 |
123,846 |
507,767 |
455,867 |
-51,900 |
(B.) Funding Projected Increases in Fuel
Costs
Make the following reductions in expenditure line items to offset projected fuel cost increases:
Department Line
Item Description Amount
Public Works 010-010-08100-03241 Interchange Mulch $ 30,000
Workers’ Comp. Ins. Various Line Items* Premiums $ 21,900 Total $ 51,900
Departmental line items will be reduced accordingly. Overall, Workers’ Compensation Insurance are over-funded in the administrator’s draft by a total amount of $63,140, based on estimates received within the past week.
(C.)
Adjustments to Other
Affected Line Items
Adjust departmental line items for Workers’ Compensation Insurance as indicated above; add $41,240 to line item 010-010-15000-02011 (Council Contingency).
Mr. Dawkins moved to approve this amendment; second by Mr. Hawkins. Vote was unanimous.
d. Increase expenditure line item 010-010-11100-01010 by $30,000 to provide for a 4-H Program Agent under the direction of the Clemson Extension Service.
Increase revenue line item 010-010-00040-00413, county ordinary current-year property taxes, by $30,000 (approximately 0.3 mills) to fund expenditure increases associated with the above item.
This amendment requires an increase in property taxation over the rate proposed in the original budget draft, raising the increase from 3.0 mills – a 2.2% increase over the prior year’s levy – to 3.3 mills – a 2.4% increase over the prior year’s levy.
Mr. Waldrop moved to approve this amendment; second by Mr. Baker.
During discussion Mr. Livingston made a substitute motion to accept as it is but direct the County Administrator to find $30,000 to cut elsewhere in the budget. After further discussion, Mr. Livingston withdrew his substitute motion.
There being no further discussion, Mr. Summer called for the question on the motion to approve the amendment. Voting for the motion: Councilmen Waldrop, Baker, Caldwell, Livingston and Summer. Voting against the motion: Councilmen Hawkins and Dawkins. Motion passed by majority vote.
e. Proposed Budget (New Proviso) Amendment:
PROVIDED FURTHER, that all non-specified capital sums appropriated for the Board of Rescue Squads will be expended based on an annual capital expenditure plan developed jointly by the Emergency Services Director, the County Administrator, and the Chairman of the Board of Rescue Squads, with such plan requiring the approval of County Council prior to being implemented.
Mr. Hawkins moved to approve the amendment; second by Mr. Dawkins. Vote was unanimous.
Mr. Waldrop moved to approve first reading as amended; second by Mr. Baker. Voting for the motion: Councilmen Summer, Waldrop, Caldwell, Hawkins, Baker and Livingston. Voting against the motion: Councilman Dawkins. Motion passed by majority vote.
No reports.
No appointments.
Crystal Waldrop, Purchasing Director, presented bids received for the helicopter pad and extension of North Mill Street and recommended the approval of the low bid from Willingham Landscape and Asphalt in the amount of $2,995 for the helicopter pad and $6,995 for the extension of North Mill Street. Ms. Waldrop said the Public Works Director, Tommy Whitehead, told her the $6,995 would be funded by CTC funds. The only amount to be funded by the County would be the $2,995 for the helicopter pad.
Mr. Adams advised that the $2,995 could be funded from either Council contingency or from under expenditure of the EMS budget, which was discussed at the last work session. Mr. Dawkins advised that the goal of the Emergency Services Board was to have designated helicopter sites throughout the County.
Mr. Dawkins moved to accept the bid of Willingham Landscape and Asphalt; second by Mr. Waldrop. Vote was unanimous.
Mr. Waldrop moved to approve the agreement; second by Mr. Baker. Vote was unanimous.
Mr. Baker moved to accept the grant offer; second by Mr. Waldrop. Vote was unanimous.
None.
Boyd Thomas advised that he had not been allowed to apply for the 4% assessment and requested Council’s assistance on this matter. Mr. Summer asked the County Administrator to check on this and get back with Mr. Thomas.
Mr. Hawkins moved to go into Executive Session to discuss a contractual matter concerning the fairgrounds property, a legal matter, and another legal matter concerning attorney fees; second by Mr. Baker. Vote was unanimous.
[EXECUTIVE
SESSION 8:08 P.M. – 8:52 P.M.]
(MR. POPE LEFT
DURING EXECUTIVE SESSION)
a. Contractual concerning fairgrounds
property.
b. Legal.
c. Legal concerning attorney fees.
Mr. Waldrop moved to return to open session; second by Mr. Livingston. Vote was unanimous.
No action necessary.
No comments.
No comments.
Mr. Waldrop moved to adjourn.
Mr. Summer declared the meeting adjourned at 8:56 p.m.
NEWBERRY COUNTY COUNCIL
________________________________________
Henry B. Summer, Chairman
________________________________________
Susan C. Fellers, Clerk to Council
APPROVED: May 21, 2008