NEWBERRY COUNTY COUNCIL

MINUTES

MAY 14, 2008

 

 

The Newberry County Council met on Wednesday, May 14, 2008, at 7:00 p.m. in the Conference Room at the Courthouse Annex, 1309 College Street, Newberry, SC, for a work session. 

 

Present were:            Henry B. Summer, Chairman

                        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

                        Susan C. Fellers, Clerk to Council

                        Debbie S. Cromer, Finance Director

                        Wanda Hill, HR/Risk Management Director

                        Crystal Waldrop, Purchasing Director

                        Gerdi Lake, Recreation Director

 

Press:               Cindy Pitts, The Newberry Observer

                        Heather Hawkins, WKDK

                       

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. Hawkins had the invocation.

 

The following items were requested to be added to the agenda:

 

1.            Additions, Deletions and Adoption of Agenda:

 

Mr. Waldrop moved to adopt the agenda as amended; second by Mr. Dawkins.  Vote was unanimous.

 

2.            Executive Session:

a.            Contract to Lease Fairgrounds Property

b.            Personnel Matter Concerning Council/Administrative Offices

 

Mr. Livingston moved to go into Executive Session to discuss a contract to lease the fairgrounds property and a personnel matter concerning Council/Administrative offices; second by Mr. Baker.  Vote was unanimous.

 

[EXECUTIVE SESSION 7:01 P.M. – 7:40 P.M.]

 

Mr. Dawkins moved to return to open session; second by Mr. Baker.  Vote was unanimous.

 

3.         Action on Executive Session Matters (if necessary):

 

No report on the personnel matter.

 

The Pearsons, who currently operate an auction at the fairgrounds property, will be relocating their operation to Wicker Road.  There has been misinformation in the public that the Pearsons were not good tenants and did not pay rent.  That is not true.  They have been good tenants, paid rent and have helped out with the fairgrounds during their time there.

 

4.            Consideration of Resolution #06-08:  A Resolution to provide for the position of Newberry County Attorney as a salaried staff position appointed by and reporting to the County Administrator.

 

Mr. Dawkins moved to adopt the Resolution; second by Mr. Baker.  Vote was unanimous.

 

5.            Discussion of Recreation Department Budget.

 

Gerdi Lake, Recreation Director, reviewed the budget of the Recreation Department and updated Council on events in that department.  The county now provides baseball equipment throughout the county.  The teams have to turn in the old equipment in order to get new equipment.

 

The request of the Newberry Blacksox Team was discussed.  The consensus was that legal issues would be involved in giving money to private organizations.

 

6.            Discussion of Staffing and Duties in the Administration Department.

 

Wayne Adams, Wanda Hill, Crystal Waldrop and Debbie Cromer discussed staffing needs in the Administration Department to redistribution of duties and hiring a receptionist. 

 

7.            Consideration of Proposed Amendments for Second Reading.

 

The following proposed amendments were discussed:

 

  1. Proposed Budget Amendment – As indicated below, change line item expenditures from amounts approved at first reading of the FY 08-09 budget to amounts contained in the column labeled “Proposed Amendment” in the table below. Increase the council contingency expenditure line item (010-010-15000-02011) by $39,785. 

           

 

 

Funding Level

Proposed

Budget Code

Description

as of First Reading

Amendment

 

 

 

 

010-010-01200-01010

Personnel

 $             120,000

 $               75,000

010-010-01200-01110

Social Security

                    7,160

     5,738

010-010-01200-01120

Retirement

    10,892                                          

 $                 7,043

010-010-01200-01130

Insurance

                    9,137

 $                 9,137

010-010-01200-01200

Workmens Comp.

                       250

 $                    201

010-010-01200-02021

Contracted Svcs.

 $                 6,500

010-010-01200-02050

Contracted Maint.

                    2,125

 $                 2,125

010-010-01200-02090

Non Salary Legals

  100,000                                                                     

 $             100,000

010-010-01200-02250

Office Expense

                    2,200

 $                 2,200

010-010-01200-02260

Postage

                       200

 $                    200

010-010-01200-02350

Subscriptions

                    3,200

 $                 3,200

010-010-01200-02360

Telephone

                       500

 $                    500

010-010-01200-02380

Travel

                       965

 $                 5,000

 

 

 

 

TOTAL LEGALS

 

 $             256,629

 $             216,844

Legal Budget Savings

 $               39,785

 

 

Increase council contingency (line item 010-010- 15000-02011) by $ 39,785,

 

 

 

Explanation of Proposed Amendment: The proposed amendment reduces expenditures in the FY 08-09 legal budget and transfers the difference to the council contingency expenditure line item.

 

  1. Proposed Amendment – Increase expenditure line item 010-010-08111-02021 (solid waste collections contracted services) by $48,506, from $192,800 to $241,306; and reduce council contingency (expenditure line item 010-010-15000-02011) by $48,506.  

 

Explanation of Proposed Amendment: The department head’s request for the solid waste collections contracted services expenditure line item was $192,800; however, the annualized expenditure for this purpose is projected to total $210,000.  Additionally, the Council on Aging, which staffs the County’s recycling centers, is seeking additional funding to compensate for the $0.70 per hour increase in the federal minimum wage, beginning July 1, 2008.

 

  1. Proposed Amendment – Reduce expenditure line item 010-010-08100-02170 (public works vehicle insurance) by $4,000, from $35,000 to $31,000; and increase expenditure line item 010-010-08111-02170 (collections vehicle insurance), from $0 to $4,000.

 

Explanation of Proposed Amendment: The amendment transfers vehicle insurance funds from a public works expenditure line item to a collections expenditure line item in order to account for appropriations more accurately.      

 

  1. Proposed Amendment – Reduce expenditure line item 010-010-06210-02390 (animal control subsistence) by $1,300, from $2,000 to $700, and reduce expenditure line item 010-010-06200-02360 (animal control telephone) by $700, from $4,500 to $3800; increase expenditure line item 010-010-06210-03060 (animal control cleaning supplies) from $0 to $2,000.  

 

Explanation of Proposed Amendment – This amendment transfers funding among animal control budget expenditure line items to resolve the oversight in the original budget draft of not funding cleaning supplies for the department.   

 

Mr. Dawkins moved that the amendments be lumped together as one block to be voted on at second reading of the budget ordinance on May 21, 2008; second by Mr. Waldrop.  Vote was unanimous.

 

8.         General Discussion/Additional Questions as to Proposed Budget for FY 08-09.

 

Mr. Summer stated that County Council would not be getting a raise this year.

 

8.5       An Ordinance amending Chapter 153 of the Newberry County Code of Ordinances altering the requirements for the conditional use of a manufactured home as a temporary residence during construction of a permanent residence in zoning district R-2.

 

Mr. Dawkins moved for first reading under the pending ordinance doctrine; second by Mr. Hawkins.  Vote was unanimous.

 

8.75     Road Committee Request.

 

The Road Committee requests approval to issue a notice to proceed to AT Sistare, a paving contractor, to pave Dogwalla Road, Shelton Ferry Road and Felker-Setzler Road.  The total estimated cost for all roads is $120,800, with $20,000 coming from appropriated FY 07-08 county paving funds and the remainder coming from CTC funds.  Staff is also requesting approval to extend the unit pricing from this bid to other county roads approved by Council for paving with County funds, to the extent that FY 07-08 budgeted resources will allow, and as approved by the County Administrator.

 

Mr. Waldrop moved to approve the request; second by Mr. Baker.  Vote was unanimous.

 

9.            Adjournment.

 

There being no further business the meeting adjourned at 9:00 p.m.

 

 

                                                            NEWBERRY COUNTY COUNCIL

 

 

                                                            ________________________________________

                                                            Henry B. Summer, Chairman

 

 

                                                            ________________________________________

                                                            Susan C. Fellers, Clerk to Council

 

APPROVED:            June 4, 2008