June 18, 2007
Spartanburg
County Council met on Monday, June 18,
2007, in the County Council Chambers, 366
N. Church Street, Spartanburg, SC,
at 5:30 p.m. The following attended: Honorable Jeff Horton,
Chairman; Honorables Johnnye Code-Stewart, O’Neal Mintz, David
Britt, Rock Adams, Dale Culbreth, and Tom
Foster, Council Members; along with Glenn Breed, County
Administrator; Chris Story, Assistant County Administrator; Tom Gates,
Assistant County Administrator; and Edwin Haskell,
County Attorney.
In
compliance with the Freedom of Information Act, notice of this meeting was
provided in advance to the local news media and other interested parties.
I.
Chairman Horton
called the meeting to order.
Invocation was
rendered by Pastor Keith Davis, Zion Hill
Baptist Church. Spartanburg County Fire Marshal Bill Hall led
in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.
II.
A.
Motion made by Mr. Britt to adopt a Resolution proclaiming
June 2007 as National Homeownership Month in Spartanburg County. Motion seconded by Ms. Stewart and carried. Ms. Kathy Rivers received Resolution.
B.
Motion made by Mr. Culbreth to adopt a
Resolution expressing recognition and appreciation for the pride and honor
bestowed upon Spartanburg County
by the exceptional performance of Kevin Jenkins and Jeff Holt of Spartanburg
Emergency Medical Service in being named State Champions. Motion seconded by Mr. Mintz and
carried. Mr. Kevin Jenkins, Mr. Jeff
Holt, and Mr. Jimmy Greene received Resolutions.
C.
Motion made by Mr. Mintz to adopt a Resolution
expressing recognition and appreciation for the pride and honor bestowed upon Spartanburg
County by the achievements of
Spartanburg County Fire Marshal, William T. Hall, Jr. Motion seconded by Mr. Culbreth and
carried. Spartanburg County Fire Marshal
William T. Hall, Jr. received Resolution.
D.
Motion made by Ms. Stewart to adopt a Resolution
remembering and recognizing Army Private First Class, Joey T. Sams, II, of
Spartanburg, South Carolina for his military service. Motion seconded by Mr. Britt and
carried. Joey and Annie Sams, parents of
Pvt. First Class Joey T. Sams, II, received Resolution.
E.
Motion made by Mr. Foster to adopt a Resolution
remembering and honoring Deputy Kevin Earl Carper of the Spartanburg County
Sheriff’s Office. Motion seconded by Mr.
Adams and carried. Ms. Andrea Carper,
wife of Deputy Kevin Earl Carper, received Resolution.
III.
A.
Chairman Horton declared open a public hearing
to consider proposed revisions to the Unified Land Management Ordinance (ULMO),
Ordinance No. 0-99-15, as amended, to require the removal of signs from within
the right-of-way of any highway, county road, or public road, to establish
procedure for such removal and to make other editorial corrections. No one appeared, and the matter was
closed.
IV.
No
appearances scheduled.
V.
Economic Recruitment and Development Committee – (Honorable David
Britt, Chairman)
A.
Motion made by Mr. Britt to render first reading
to an Ordinance authorizing the development of a Joint-County Industrial and
Business Park in Spartanburg County in conjunction with Union County, a written
agreement with Union County to provide for the manner by which expenses and
revenues from such park will be allocated, and a written agreement with the
City of Spartanburg relating to the allocation and payment of certain
fee-in-lieu of tax revenues from said park.
(Easton Marketplace – Lan-Yair) Motion seconded by Mr. Culbreth and
carried.
Public Health and Human Services Committee (Honorable
Johnnye Code Stewart, Chairman)
A.
Mr. Bill Faulkenberry, Spartanburg Housing
Authority, presented information during the Public Health and Human Services
Committee meeting in reference to the County’s allocation of HOME funding for
the ReGenesis Project area (Page
Lake). This resolution will amend the previous
resolution dated December 18, 2006. This action is being taken so that funds may
be spent in a timely manner. Motion made
by Ms. Stewart to adopt a Resolution amending Resolution R-04-04 for the
purpose of supporting the Housing Authority of the City of Spartanburg
Community Development Projects. Motion
seconded by Mr. Foster and carried.
Personnel and Finance Committee (Honorable Dale Culbreth, Chairman)
A.
Updated financial and personnel vacancy reports
were received.
Livability Committee – (Honorable Tom Foster,
Chairman)
A. Mr. Gil Bulman, County
Assessor, and Mr. Pace Burt,
Mayfair III, LLC, provided information in reference to a special tax assessment
for historical properties to encourage redevelopment of local landmarks. Motion made by Mr. Foster to render first
reading to an Ordinance to provide for
a special property tax assessment for rehabilitated historic property in Spartanburg County.
Motion seconded by Mr. Adams and carried.
Public Safety and Judiciary Committee
– (Honorable Rock Adams, Chairman)
A.
Motion made by Mr. Adams to authorize the
Commission of Teresa Lee Stephens as an Environmental Enforcement Officer of Spartanburg
County. Motion seconded by Mr. Mintz and carried.
B.
Information received regarding activities of the
Building Codes Department.
Land Use Committee (Honorable Jeff Horton, Chairman)
A.
Ms. Joan Holliday, Planning Administrator,
presented an Overview of current County Signage Regulation.
B.
Motion made by Chairman Horton to render second
reading to an Ordinance amending the Spartanburg County Unified Land Management
Ordinance (ULMO), Ordinance No. O-99-015, as amended, to require the removal of
signs from within the right-of-way of any highway, county road, or public road,
to establish procedure for such removal and to make other editorial
corrections. Motion seconded by Mr.
Foster. Motion made by Mr. Mintz to
amend the proposed ULMO amendment to add the following language to Section
3.20: (1) Temporary real estate signs
can be placed only after 5:00 p.m. on Friday (Thursday if Friday is a holiday)
and removed not later than 7:00 a.m. on the following Monday (Tuesday if Monday
is a holiday). (2) Real estate firms
wishing to place temporary signs in public rights of way must register annually
with the County, pay a $30 annual permit fee, and provide name and contact
information for a firm representative responsible for signage. (3) Those responsible for signs in rights of
way outside of permitted hours can be cited and fined according to Section 1.20
of the ULMO. Motion seconded by Mr.
Britt. Mr. Britt stated that the intent
is good, but thinks this should be held over.
Mr. Story stated that this issue was one that the Planning Commission
discussed. The Planning Commission
shares the concern about the signs that become litter, but they could not reach
a consensus on the idea of the time limit over the weekend and/or the annual
registration, and they wanted to look at it further. Mr. Mintz stated that he wants to see people
take responsibility for taking signs down.
They get chopped up and just generally look bad. Mr. Foster agreed that this is an unsightly
problem. Mr. Story stated that this
started earlier this year to clarify one piece of this complicated signage section
that would allow us to have the authority to clearly remove and destroy any
noncompliance sign and to make a couple of other editorial changes. Some of the issues that relate more directly
to Mr. Mintz’s motion were discussed as this Ordinance worked its way through
Planning Commission, but the Planning Commission decided if they did not have
consensus on these issues to go ahead and send forward the other recommendations. Chairman Horton asked if, based on the
information received earlier today, it would be better to bring forth Mr.
Mintz’s recommended changes later with the other changes. Mr. Haskell stated Council could vote on the
amended motion as is, Mr. Mintz could withdraw his motion, and you could have
another motion for the original Ordinance.
Motion withdrawn by Mr. Mintz. Chairman
Horton stated that he understands what Mr. Mintz is trying to accomplish. This will be brought forward again. Motion made by Mr. Horton to render second
reading to the Ordinance as presented earlier today amending the Spartanburg
County Unified Land Management Ordinance (ULMO), Ordinance No. O-99-015, as
amended, to require the removal of signs from within the right-of-way of any
highway, county road, or public road, to establish procedure for such removal and
to make other editorial corrections.
Motion seconded by Mr. Foster and carried.
C.
Updated Planning Department Reports on
Development Activity were received.
Public Works, Buildings and Grounds Committee (Honorable O’Neal
Mintz, Chairman)
A.
Motion made by Mr. Mintz to authorize the County
Administrator to execute a
development agreement for the extension of Caldwell
Road through to Reidville
Road.
Motion seconded by Mr. Britt and carried.
B.
Information received regarding activities of the
Public Works Department.
VI.
A.
Motion made by Mr. Adams to render third reading
to a Budget Ordinance relating to the fiscal affairs of Spartanburg County
making appropriations therefore, levying taxes for the fiscal year beginning
July 1, 2007 and ending June 30, 2008; to provide for budget control of said
appropriation by the Spartanburg County Council. Motion seconded by Chairman Horton. Mr. Haskell stated that at this time Council
would discuss any changes they would like to make to the Budget. After the changes are identified, someone
could then make a motion to amend the previous motion which would then take
precedence over the original motion. Mr.
Britt asked if they could vote on Mr. Adams’ motion and then have the
discussion. Mr. Culbreth called the
question. Motion did not carry. Five opposed.
Motion made by Mr. Britt to amend the Administration’s
Budget proposal that was presented. Mr.
Britt would like to strike the Public Information Officer. Mr. Gowdy made a presentation for six new
people. Mr. Breed stated that it was for
four General Fund positions and two Grant
funded positions. Mr. Britt would like
to give him three General Fund positions. The Sheriff made a request for five
additional positions. Mr. Britt
recommended giving him three positions this year. Mr. Britt recommended cutting the $750,000
for the Employee Classification and Compensation Study in half and spreading it
out over four years instead of two years.
Mr. Gates stated the $750,000 is for the first phase of implementation. Motion seconded by Mr. Foster. Mr. Culbreth stated that he would like to see
the new positions held to the two Nursing Practitioners, the three Deputies for
the Sheriff, three positions for the Solicitor’s Office, and the Magistrate
Court position approved in April. Mr. Culbreth would like to eliminate the
other positions requested. Mr. Breed
stated that would eliminate the three positions requested by Information Technologies,
Delinquent Tax Accountant, Coroner’s Office Secretary, one General
Fund position in the Solicitor’s Office, Planning position, and the District
Magistrate Court increase in hours. Mr. Breed stated this would leave two Nurse
Practitioners, three for the Solicitor’s Office, and the addition of three for
the Sheriff. Mr. Gates stated that as he
understands it the motion is to amend the Budget to eliminate the Public
Information Officer, to eliminate the Solicitor’s Administrative Secretary, the
addition of three Sheriff’s Office Deputies, and proposing to eliminate
$365,000 related to the Classification and Compensation Study. The original amount was $730,000. This would reduce the Budget by $252,640 from
the recommendation. Mr. Culbreth
recommended the elimination of the three IT positions, the Coroner’s position,
the Delinquent Tax Accountant, and the elimination of the Public Information
Officer. Mr. Culbreth proposed to
eliminate five additional positions.
This will be approximately another $170,000 reduction. Mr. Mintz recommended cutting the Parks and
Recreation request in half of the request and maxed at .8 mils. This would raise them to 5.3 mils. Mr. Mintz recommended reducing the Arts
Partnership by $26,190 down to $200,000, and reducing the Spartanburg
County Museum
by $4,150 down to $35,000. Mr. Mintz
also recommended giving our Fire Service Areas all $9,000 instead of the
recommendation to cover fuel and insurance costs in place of the CPI increase. Ms. Stewart agreed with the motion made by
Mr. Britt. Mr. Adams also agreed to Mr.
Britt’s motion. Mr. Gates stated that
Mr. Britt’s proposal is estimated at approximately 3/10 of 1 mil below the
proposed Budget. Chairman Horton stated
that he would like to see a ½ mil or whatever it would take to get Spartanburg
Community College monies to up fit
the Tyger River Campus. Mr. Terhune
requested $1 million for the Tyger River Campus. Mr. Adams agreed with this
recommendation. Mr. Breed stated this
would be approximately 1.15 millage equivalent for $1 million for Spartanburg
Community College one time. Mr. Foster stated that he does not agree with
cutting the funding for the Arts Partnership and the Spartanburg
County Museum. Mr. Mintz withdrew the two suggestions on
reducing the funding for the Arts Partnership and the Spartanburg
County Museum. Mr. Foster stated that his two biggest
concerns are Public Safety and Education.
Mr. Breed suggested a brief recess to crunch numbers. Mr. Gates recapped the recommendations. On the General
Fund, delete the Public Information Officer, delete the Solicitor’s Office Administrative
Secretary, add three Sheriff’s Office Deputies, eliminate $365,000 for
Classification and Compensation Study, and eliminate three IT positions. Chairman Horton stated that covers it, and we
need the impact of adding 1.15 mils or $1 million one time for Spartanburg
Community College. Council advised they would not need
information on the Fire Service Areas. Mr.
Mintz requested information on the mils for Parks and Recreation. Council recessed for approximately 10
minutes. Mr. Gates reiterated his
understanding of Mr. Britt’s motion. Mr.
Britt would like to reduce the recommendation for Classification and
Compensation by $365,000, eliminate the Public Information Officer at $69,467,
eliminate a Solicitor position at $32,169, and add three Sheriff’s Deputies at
$214,000. This is a collective reduction
to the Budget of $252,636 as recommended and approximately 3/10 of a mil
decrease from the Administrator’s recommendation. This represents the change in the General
Fund. It does not include the
recommendation on the Parks and Recreation Fund, which is a separate fund, or
the recommendation for Spartanburg Community
College.
Mr. Story stated that just to be clear there is one motion on the floor
as understood and described by Mr. Gates that has been made and seconded. Anything else that has been discussed has yet
to be made in form of a motion. Chairman
Horton stated this is Mr. Britt’s motion to adopt with amendments on third
reading with Mr. Foster’s second. Mr.
Gates advised the existing motion as on the floor currently is to reduce the
recommended Budget by $252,636. Motion
made by Mr. Adams to amend Mr. Britt’s motion to add 1.15 mils to Spartanburg
Community College for one
year. Motion seconded by Mr. Mintz and
carried. Mr. Gates asked if it was
correct that they were recommending the increase to Spartanburg
Community College of $1 million for
one year with an estimated tax millage impact of approximately 1.15 mils. Council advised that this is correct. Mr. Story stated that now Mr. Britt’s motion
includes this amendment. Mr. Culbreth
made a motion to amend Mr. Britt’s motion to reflect the elimination of the
other positions Mr. Culbreth recommended eliminating earlier. Mr. Culbreth stated this would include all
other positions except the positions Mr. Britt brought in his motion. Mr. Gates stated that as he understands Mr.
Culbreth’s motion that would be the elimination of three IT positions, one
Delinquent Tax Accountant position, and one position in the Coroner’s
Office. This does not include
eliminating the Nurse Practitioners and does not include eliminating the
additional hours for the District Magistrates.
Motion seconded by Mr. Foster and carried. Mr. Gates stated the deletion of those five
positions at a value of $191,057 brings the total recommended Budget reduction
to $443,693 and .55 mils estimated.
Motion made by Mr. Mintz to amend Mr. Britt’s motion on Parks and
Recreation and reduce Parks and Recreation from the recommended 6.1 to 5.3
mils. Mr. Mintz stated this would be a
25% increase over what they had last year, increasing them about $750,000. Mr. Gates stated that as he understood the
first motion it was to give them no more than 8 tenths of a mil increase, but
this would be a 4 tenths of a mil increase?
Mr. Mintz stated that he is recommending 8 tenths of a mil
increase. Mr. Mintz stated that his
motion is for 5.3 mils. Mr. Gates stated
they currently have 4.9 mils. Mr. Mintz
withdrew that motion and made a motion to put Parks and Recreation at 5.5 mils reducing
them by 6/10 of a mil from the Administrator’s recommended Budget. Chairman Horton stated that we have a motion
to amend Mr. Britt’s motion as amended to reduce Parks and Recreation millage
to 5.5 mils. Motion seconded by Mr.
Culbreth and carried. Three
opposed. Mr. Gates stated this will
reduce their appropriation by $412,278 from the Administrator’s recommendation
and should reduce them from the recommended 6.1 mils to an estimated 5.5
mils. Ms. Stewart called the question on
Mr. Britt’s motion to approve the Budget Ordinance on third reading as amended
by the three subsequent motions by Mr. Adams, Mr. Culbreth, and Mr. Mintz. Mr. Gates recapped the motions. Under Parks and Recreation Fund, the
Administrator’s recommendation was reduced by 6/10 of a mil and $412,278. Spartanburg
Community College was provided $1
million in additional revenue beyond the Administrator’s recommendation. This is approximately 1.15 mils
estimated. In the General
Fund, the Administrator’s recommendation was reduced by $443,693, an estimated
0.55 mil reduction. With these numbers,
the increase will be approximately 1.6 mils.
This will reduce the increase from 2.1 mils to 1.6 mils. Motion to adopt the Budget on third reading
with these amendments carried. Mr. Foster
expressed his appreciation to Administration
for their assistance on this. Mr. Britt
expressed his appreciation to the other Council members for the time they had
put in working on the Budget.
B.
Motion made by Mr. Britt to render third reading
to Budget Ordinance to establish Capital Project Budgets for the 2007-2008
Budget Year of the Five-Year Capital Improvement Plan. Motion seconded by Mr. Foster and carried.
C.
Motion made by Mr. Britt to render second
reading to an Ordinance prohibiting loitering for purposes of soliciting
prostitution or engaging in illegal drug activity in Spartanburg County. Motion seconded by Ms. Stewart and carried.
D.
Motion made by Mr. Britt to render second
reading to an Ordinance to prohibit the sale, manufacture, possession or
delivery of certain drug paraphernalia in Spartanburg County. Motion seconded by Mr. Adams and carried.
VII.
No items scheduled.
VIII.
All resolutions, ordinances,
agreements, petitions and related documents which were read and approved by
Council at this meeting for the financing of certain industrial or similar
revenue bonds or notes, are incorporated in these minutes by reference as if fully
set forth herein. The reference is to
all such documents showing execution by the county on the date of this meeting
included in the office of the Clerk of Court for Spartanburg
County.
IX.
No items scheduled.
X.
Motion made by Ms. Stewart to approve minutes of May 2, 2007 (Work Session) and May 21, 2007 (Regular Meeting). Motion seconded by Chairman Horton and
carried.
XI.
Meeting adjourned.
SPARTANBURG
COUNTY COUNCIL
By:______________________________
Jeffrey A. Horton,
Chairman
Attest:
__________________________
Deborah C. Ziegler
Clerk to Council