Folly Beach City Council – February 23, 2010
Mayor Beckmann began the meeting by handing out biodegradable trash bags to be placed in dispensers at the walkovers and passed out by the beach patrol. That happy note was short-lived as residents took the podium to put the Mayor on the spot regarding parking decals for renters and use of Folly’s Greenbelt money.
A resolution (R08-10) authorizing the expenditure of $7,400 to install a surveillance camera, drop box and security phone inside the foyer at City Hall was passed. The drop box is used primarily for complaints or other communication from the public and for the payment of parking tickets. Discussion centered on the merits of having the box and camera outside vs. inside or whether they were needed at all. The telephone is automatically linked to the 911 dispatch system, according to Chief Boatwright who said the phone could be used as an “on the spot” means of reporting emergencies and would be particularly useful to people who don’t have cell phones.
Councilman Dave Stormer challenged passage of a resolution (R10-10) authorizing a contract with Glick & Boehm for engineering services on the City Hall expansion project. Stormer questioned what he referred to as a “secret, sweetheart deal” and claimed that the contract dated August 7, 2008 had been signed by Mayor Beckmann, but had come to the attention of City Council members only two weeks ago and had not yet been seen by the City Attorney.
“This contract was not one entered into by the City of Folly Beach,” Stormer insisted. He suggested that the contract be sent to the City Attorney and the Comptroller for “stringent assurance that it is in the best interests of the City.” Of particular concern to Stormer was the stipulation that the architect would receive 8.25% of the construction costs, which he said was out of line with other contracts he had seen. The resolution was rejected by Council.
First reading on the new Zoning Ordinance, which had been scheduled for the February 23 City Council meeting, was scratched from the agenda at the last minute. The Mayor said he and the Planning & Zoning Commission chairman decided not to bring the plan forward at this time because of some interesting ideas brought forth recently that he said could result in significant changes to the document. However, Council and the Planning Commission had voted in a joint session to put the ordinance on the agenda so it could receive first reading and go to the Planning Commission for public input before the election. On the Monday before the Tuesday City Council meeting, three Council members – Beck, Goodwin and Stormer – petitioned to put the Zoning Ordinance back on the agenda for the February 23 meeting, and it passed unanimously.
“Let’s not make this a political football,” Beck said. “What we have now is a patchwork quilt. We need to hit the ‘save button’ and continue to move forward with this ordinance.”
“This ordinance is head and shoulders above what we have now,” Stormer added. “Let’s turn it over to the people and let them have a stab at it.”
Goodwin said passage of the ordinance would stop a moving target. “Sure it will be amended when we get comments from the public,” he said, “but we need to get it in front of them for their input.”
The ordinance was sent to the Planning Commission and will be up for discussion at the March 1 regular meeting. The formal Public Hearing will be in Council chambers on March 8. Residents are encouraged to attend both meetings. Beck said since the ordinance received first reading at the February 23 Council meeting, the same Planning Commissioners who have worked on the plan for the past three years will be the ones to present the ordinance to the public, and it will be possible to pass the ordinance before the April 6 elections.
In other business, a resolution (R11-10) approving the sole sourcing to B.P. Barber for engineering services in the relocation of sewer lines off the Folly River bridge passed unanimously; an ordinance (02-10) creating a Staff Event Planning Committee passed second reading with dissenting votes from Mayor Beckmann and Councilman McCarty; an ordinance clarifying the language on requests for “open containers” (03-10) passed first reading unanimously.
