City meetings
By Lauren Dean
City Council: August 24
Good Neighbor Award
Daniel Culpepper, James Dowdy, Sonny Miles, and Jack Thomas received the “Good Neighbor Award” for their prompt action in helping to put out a fire at the Sandbar Apartments.
Appointments
City Council reappointed John Kachmarsky as Municipal Court Judge, Been Peeples as City Attorney, and Mary Cunningham as Municipal Clerk. Mayor Tim Goodwin reappointed Marlene Estridge as City Clerk/Treasurer. An ordinance bringing the duties and terms of office into compliance with state law was also passed.
Mayor Pro Tem election
To no one’s surprise, Laura Beck was re-elected Mayor Pro Tempore. Every election cycle, which means every two years, Council selects one of its members to act as Mayor during an absence. In the event of a vacancy occurring, the Mayor Pro Tem would act as Mayor until an election could be held.
Red Bays revisited
After all the brouhaha at the last City Council meeting, Pennell Clamp’s ordinance revoking the previous Red Bay Laurel legislation was introduced and received unanimous approval. Now only those Red Bays that pose a threat to life or property will be removed. Not only will the City not pay to remove trees from private property, it will also fine owners who fail to remove hazardous trees. The price for failure to comply is steep – up to $500 and no less than $100. “There’s been lots of studies and work done that show it’s useless to try to fight this doggone little beetle that’s destroying these trees,” Clamp said. “I hate to admit defeat, but it’s fruitless to spend money where we’re not getting any return.”
Waiver of permit fees for lighthouse
Council then addressed the issue of building permit fees for work on the Morris Island Lighthouse that had been waived by then Mayor Carl Beckmann. City Administrator Toni Connor-Rooks said Beckmann’s decision to waive permit fees for work on the Morris Island Lighthouse had never been blessed by City Council, which was necessary in order to make the waiver legal, and that the City lost approximately $16,000 in permit fees due to this waiver. But, “in an effort to show support for this national monument” Council voted to “together as one voice waive all fees” for the ongoing work on the light house that had already been permitted. The waiver of permit fees will not apply to future work on the light house.
In another maverick move, the former Mayor had appointed a bridge committee – which, in and of itself, was a good thing – but, again, he had neglected to get the required blessing of his council, so Council moved to make the committee official.
New equipment for Public Safety
Two new Council members double teamed Chief Boatwright while the third new member tried in vain to defend him. D.J. Rich and Pennell Clamp went straight for the jugular questioning the Chief’s request for radar and camera equipment for two squad cars that had not yet been purchased. “Isn’t that putting the cart before the horse?” Rich asked. The Chief said the money for both the cars and the equipment had already been funded and he was just there to ask permission to swap out some of the equipment since he had determined that his actual needs were somewhat different from Council’s best guess when they itemized expenditures in the FY10-11 budget. The badgering continued to the point that a dismayed Chief Boatwright eventually responded “I have no idea how to answer that question.”
“The Chief is just asking you to take money that’s already been approved and shift it around so he can get the equipment he needs,” said Mayor Goodwin. Laura Beck reinforced the Mayor. “We told the Chief this was how much money he would get and this was what we thought he would need,” she said. “We’re just shifting things around to meet his needs. It’s not impacting the tax payers any more than what has already been allocated.”
Still the Chief was forced to defend his request for two in-car cameras and three radar units instead of the three cameras that had been allocated. “Some of our radars are dying on us, others can only pick up on-coming traffic,” he said. “Equipment that only works part of the time is no good. I asked for six radar units . I need six units. I’m here asking you for three units.” The harassment continued regarding the advisability of purchasing cameras and radar before the Chief had the three new squad cars Council allotted him. “I’m not here asking to buy the equipment today,” Boatwright said, “The money is there. Trust me to use the money as I see fit.”
Paul Hume finally brought some closure. “Everybody is right,” he said, “but this is a process, not an event. We shouldn’t hold up the process. He’s trying to make better use of the money we’ve already given him. He doesn’t want to be waiting for equipment after the cars come in. There are no smoke and mirrors here.”
After unanimous approval of the Chief’s request, Charlie McCarty told a story about two men talking about what they did for a living. “I buy pieces of submarines,” said one of the men. “Pieces of submarines?” said the other. “Why are you buying pieces of submarines?” “Because they’d never give me enough money to buy a whole submarine at one time.” So it goes.
Hobie Cat illegally removed from beach
With Boatwright finally off the hook, the little matter of the Hobie Cat that was damaged when it was removed from the beachfront on October 30, 2009 took center stage. The owner asked the City for $800 to repair the boat and $70 for the permit he had bought to store the boat on the beach since, apparently, that had been money down the drain. Council got all hot and bothered over whether the boat had a current registration since the picture of the boat showed a Michigan registration that expired in 2006 right next to the City of Folly Beach permit, which was issued on July 18, 2009. In the end, they voted unanimously to force the owner to provide proof of ownership and to give them an actual bill for the repairs, and went so far as to suggest that the owner find somebody who would repair the boat for less than $800.
According to records, Public Safety told the woman who complained about the Hobie Cat that the boat was properly permitted and could be stored on the beach, and she threatened to call the mayor. Later that day, Public Works employees were instructed to remove the boat. “Why was the boat removed?” asked Clamp. “There is no one here tonight who can answer that question,” responded Mayor Goodwin, and that was the end of discussion regarding the possible involvement of former mayor Carl Beckmann in the removal of the boat.
But it was Charlie McCarty’s question that really got to heart of the matter. “Do we really want to issue permits for unregistered boats to litter our beach?” Where else can someone park a boat for an entire year for $70? Hobie Cats stored on the beach have become airborne and damaged private property. The Cape Verde hurricanes are lining up like little soldiers ready to march across the Atlantic ocean. What would happen to the stored boats if one of those hurricanes hits Folly Beach?
Planning Commission: September 13
The Planning Commission will hold a Public Hearing on Monday, September 13 to give residents an opportunity to weigh in on the new regulations governing weekly vacation rentals. The Public Hearing will be at 7:00 p.m. in Council chambers.
