NEWBERRY COUNTY
COUNCIL
MINUTES – WORK
SESSION
AUGUST 30, 2006
The Newberry County Council met on Wednesday, August 30, 2006, at 1:00 p.m. at the Sheriff’s Office on Wilson Road, Newberry, SC for a tour of the Sheriff’s temporary facilities.
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
Wayne Adams, County Administrator-elect
Absent: 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, Newberry Observer
Notice of the meeting was duly advertised as required by law.
Mr. Hawkins called the meeting to order and determined a quorum to be present.
At 2:37 p.m. following lunch and a tour of the Sheriff’s temporary office facilities on Wilson Road, Mr. Hawkins convened a regular session of Newberry County Council.
Pursuant to a motion by Mr. Morris and a second by Mr. Dawkins, and a unanimous vote among the Council members present, Council entered into Executive Session to receive a briefing from Sheriff Foster on confidential matters pertaining to Homeland Security. Others remaining for Executive Session per requests from Mr. Hawkins and Sheriff Foster included the following: Debra Beard, E911 Coordinator; Bob Beard, GIS Coordinator; Captain Wesley Boland, Sheriff’s Office; Major Danny Gilliam, Sheriff’s Office; Major Todd Johnson, Sheriff’s Office; Chief Deputy Jerry Wright, Sheriff’s Office; and Wayne Adams, County Administrator-elect.
Council left the Sheriff’s facilities and reconvened at 3:30 p.m. in the Conference Room at the Courthouse Annex, 1309 College Street, Newberry, South Carolina. The following persons were present at that time:
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
Wayne Adams, County Administrator-elect
Gary T. Pope, County Attorney
Susan C. Fellers, Clerk to Council
Media: Heather Hawkins, WKDK
Cindy Pitts, Newberry Observer
Mr. Waldrop moved to return to open session; second by Mr. Hawkins. Vote was unanimous. [Councilman Dawkins absent when vote was taken].
1. Fairgrounds Commission: County Council met with Iris Rodelsperger and Harold Ruff, members of the Fairgrounds Commission. Mr. Ruff presented Council with a proposed budget for the upcoming county fair and requested that Council meet at the fairgrounds in the near future to tour the facilities. The consensus of Council was to meet with the Fairgrounds Commission on Thursday, September 7, 2006, at 6:30 p.m. to tour the fairgrounds and the facilities.
Mr. Summer moved to grant $12,400 from contingency to the Fairgrounds Commission to be applied toward a county fair for 2006 and if the midway and demolition derby don’t break even, the Commission can request additional funding from County Council; second by Mr. Morris. Voting for the motion: Councilmen Waldrop, Caldwell, Summer, Morris and Baker. Voting against the motion: Councilmen Hawkins and Dawkins. Motion passed by majority vote.
2. Newberry County Library: Jack Grimes with Carter Goble Lee briefed Council on the relocation of the telephone lines for the library site. The options were as follows:
a. Bury the line at a cost of $120,000. This option would take approximately 8 weeks.
b. Bore under Johnstone & Friend Streets and put up a new pole for a cost of $50,000.
c. Aerial location for a cost of $30,000. This option would take approximately 2 to 3 weeks.
Mr. Grimes recommended Council consider Option (c).
Mr. Morris moved to accept Mr. Grimes recommendation and proceed with option (c); second by Mr. Summer. Vote was unanimous.
[BREAK 4:40
P.M. – 4:45 P.M]
3. Rescue Squad/Haz-Mat/Emergency Services Board: Chief Terry Greene with Newberry Rescues Squad #14 presented the following proposed locations for the new building:
a. Adelaide Street (race track)
b. Across from Piedmont Technical College (park)
c. Behind Piedmont Technical College
d. Current location on Johnstone Street
Mr. Grimes discussed the pros and cons of each of the locations.
Jerry Koon with Haz-Mat requested that they be allowed to stay with the City Fire Department rather than locating them in the same building with Rescue Squad #14. The City is agreeable to this. $140,000 was put into the building for Haz-Mat and these funds would need to go to the City to add a bay to the City Fire Department.
Mr. Dawkins moved to leave Haz-Mat at the City Fire Department and that the County work with the City to add a bay onto their department; second by Mr. Morris. Vote was unanimous.
Mr. Baker moved to accept the Adelaide Street site (race track); second by Mr. Morris.
After considerable discussion, Mr. Baker withdrew his motion and Mr. Morris withdrew his second.
Mr. Grimes was instructed to do further testing of the property across from Piedmont Technical College.
Mr. Baker moved to accept this site depending on the results of the geo-tech and approval of site costs; second by Mr. Morris.
After discussion, Mr. Baker withdrew his motion and Mr. Morris withdrew his second.
Mr. Summer moved to postpone the matter until Wednesday, September 6, 2006, at 6:00 p.m. to allow Mr. Grimes to obtain the additional information; second by Mr. Dawkins. Vote was unanimous.
4. Executive Session: Mr. Dawkins moved to go into Executive Session to discuss the following matters: (a) legal – Airport land acquisition; (b) personnel – previous County Administrator; and (c) contractual – county property; second by Mr. Morris. Vote was unanimous.
[EXECUTIVE SESSION 5:30 P.M. – 6:25 P.M.]
Mr. Morris moved to return to open session; second by Mr. Dawkins. Vote was unanimous.
Mr. Pope reported the following:
a. Legal – Airport: Council discussed the purchase of the Barron and Goggins property consisting of 32 acres at a purchase price of $250,000. This is $15,000 above the amount approved by the FAA. Mr. Pope recommended that Council proceed with purchasing the property for $250,000.
Mr. Caldwell so moved; second by Mr. Dawkins. Vote was unanimous.
b. Contractual – county property: Mr. Dawkins moved that the county sell surplus equipment, and more particularly the tub grinder, and try to purchase two used brush cutter tractors to come from Orangeburg County out of the revenues from the sale of the tub grinder; second by Mr. Morris. Vote was unanimous.
c. Hospice Contract: Lutheran Hospice has submitted a contract for consideration with the nursing home. Mr. Pope has reviewed the contract and recommended that Council authorize the nursing home to enter into the contract with Lutheran Hospice as well as any other providers that submit contracts similarly worded.
Mr. Morris so moved; second by Mr. Summer. Vote was unanimous.
5. Other matters:
Mr. Hawkins reported that the Accommodations Tax Committee still had not met. Mr. Pope was requested to look at the law regarding the Accommodations Tax Committee and report back to Council at its meeting on September 6, 2006.
Mr. Morris moved to go into Executive Session to discuss a legal matter concerning the building on Highway 219; second by Mr. Dawkins. Vote was unanimous. [Councilman Baker did not vote. Councilman Baker and Mr. Pope did not attend Executive Session.]
[EXECUTIVE
SESSION 6:33 P.M. – 6:37 P.M.]
Mr. Hawkins reported that Council still did not know anything but would check tomorrow to see what action had taken place.
6. Adjournment:
There being no further business, Mr. Morris moved to adjourn; second by Mr. Waldrop. Vote was unanimous. [Councilman Baker absent]
Meeting adjourned at 6:45 p.m.
NEWBERRY COUNTY COUNCIL
______________________________
Mike Hawkins, Chairman
______________________________
Susan C. Fellers, Clerk to Council