By Charles McCarty | Staff Writer
Work Session
The Work Session convened at 6 p.m., Council considered two items:
a. The refunding of the 2010 General obligation bond. Finance Director Lee Gessner explained he felt that the interest rate on the bond is higher than it could be, and as a result, the rate is being put out to bid. The current issuer, BB&T, will allow the note to be paid off early, but there will be costs involved. Mr. Jeremy Cook and Mr. Gessner detailed the closing costs involved in a possible transaction resulting in a lower interest rate. After some discussion about what services are included in the closing costs, Ms. Wetmore suggested pulling the ordinance (6-16) from the agenda until it is determined which law firm will be representing the City’s interests in this process. Mr. Peeples gave further explanation as to what is included in the legal fees.
b. The criteria for special events on public property. On this matter, Chief Gilreath suggested using monies raised from the sale of wristbands to hire added security staff for events to help control these events so officers can better respond to incoming calls. Further discussion involved developing additional controls, the development of an event checklist for event promoters, denial of approval of future events for groups that don’t comply with City ordinances, providing guidance including copies of ordinances to organizers, and charging fees for events proposing road closures. Municpal Clerk Colleen Jolley is developing the events calendar.
Regular Meeting
The Regular Meeting convened promptly at 7:00 p.m. All members of Council were present, except Council Member Hickman. Staff present included: Spencer Wetmore, City Administrator; Ben Peeples, City Attorney; Lee Gessner, Director of Finance; Eric Lutz, Building Official; Andrew Gilreath, Director of Public Safety; Steve Mims, Deputy Director of Public Safety; and Colleen Jolley, Municipal Clerk.
Mayor Goodwin in his comments thanked everyone who volunteered and participated in the cleanup of walkovers. There were no staff reports.
Mayor Goodwin indicated that Simeon Young would not be making a personal appearance regarding a driveway issue, and asked that Ordinance 06-16 be removed from the agenda. The agenda, as amended, was approved unanimously, as were the minutes of the January 12 meeting.
Personal Appearances
a. Ms. Starr Acheson reported on the 2015 Folly Jazz Festival. The festival raised $30,000, leaving about $1,400 in the festival account. She went on to say corporate sponsors are being solicited for the next festival currently planned for November 5-6.
b. Mr. John Shumaker of the College of Charleston, speaking for Mr. Harding Brumby, appeared requesting permission for a USA Spikeball Event planned for Saturday, March 19th, from 9 am – 6 pm on the beach at 3rd St. West. Ms. Wetmore indicated this planned event was no longer requesting open container privileges. Council members raised several questions about effects of tides, registration details and anticipated parking requirements that were not addressed. Council unanimously opposed the request in its current form, and suggested Schumaker and/or return when those issues have been cleared up.
c. Ms. Brittany Greer appeared on behalf of the American Lung Association, requesting permission to host their 5th annual walk/run on November 12, using the identical route as in prior years. She indicated they would provide their own EMS support to the event and would supply volunteers to assist in a brief street closure at the start of the race. Chief Gilreath added that he had no issues with this event in the past and no additional officers were required. It was suggested that Ms. Greer try to establish a reasonable cap on the number of registrants. Council Member Rich had some concern about financial liabilities that could be incurred by the City. The event was approved by a 4-2 margin, with Council Member Rich and Mayor Goodwin dissenting.
d. Marshall DePass, District Director for the Eastern Surfing Association, presented the full calendar of events for 2016, asking Council for their approval. He said most of the events will have less than 75 people. Ms. Wetmore stated there are no current conflicts with another major event, unless the original Sea & Sand Festival date is rained out. A vote was taken with all in favor.
e. Michael Ezelle of Folly Beach Paddle & Surf Camp provided a detailed request for relocation of his camp sites. After further discussion between Mayor Goodwin and Mr. Ezelle about City-offered options, his request was rejected on a by a 5-1 margin. Mr. Rich was the sole Council Member supporting Mr. Ezelle’s request.
f. Mr. Mike Riffert, 110 East Cooper Avenue, expressed concerns for Christy Richardson who would like to move her dentistry business to Center Street, specifically about parking accommodations for her patients. Mayor Goodwin said this issue really needs to go before to Planning and Zoning because current provisions for related Center St. building occupancy prevail. Council Member Rich stated this issue has been brought up in the Comprehensive Plan for discussion and change. Mr. Riffert also expressed concern about the Saturday work restrictions. Mayor Goodwin suggested he come back to the next meeting to discuss that concern.
Citizens Comments
Roger Van Dyke, 502 West Ashley, stated construction work on a house near his home has been occurring frequently on weekends. Mayor Goodwin stated these type of concerns should be reported to Public Safety.
Unfinished Business
Counicl quickly approved unanimously both Ordinance 28-15 (the 2015 Comprehensive Plan) and Ordinance 02-16 (amending Chapter 110, Section 110.10, by adding a fee for additional business license stickers. These were both in Second Reading, and incurred no discussion, before adoption.
New Business
a. In approving Resolution 06-16, Council adopted the Beachfront Franchise Location Map, after approving Council Member Rich’s amendment to have the map match the ordinance, keeping the franchise locations between 3rd Street East and 3rd Street West. The vote was unanimous on the resolution as amended.
b. Council unanimously approved, without discussion, Resolution 07-16 introduced by Council Member Rich that would encourage elected Council Members to complete the Municipal Elected Officials Institute of Government courses supported by the Municipal Association of South Carolina in a timely fashion.
c. Resolution 08-16 proposed amending the contract with Elko Coastal Consulting from $16,800 to $22,000 to be paid from the Beach Preservation Fund for general beach preservation consulting. After the major storm, post-storm survey work had been done, and that caused additional costs including bringing on additional workers for the survey work. A vote was taken with all in favor.
d. Resolution 09-16 proposed support of Governor’s Haley’s $40 million budget request for beach restoration. It was approved unanimously.
e. Ordinance 03-16 proposed, in first reading, amending Chapter 151, Sections 151.04 and 151.07 of our ordinance that would extend the swim zone to 3rd Street East and to prohibit shark baiting or fishing from the pier and within the swim zone. Mark Patrick of the Charleston County Parks and Recreation Commission explained that a large number of people were targeting sharks at the pier. He indicated this proposal woul put some teeth behind existing rules (no pun intended). Councilmember Clamp made a motion to amend the title of the ordinance to read “shark baiting or shark fishing.” That was approved unanimously and the subsequent vote on the proposed ordinance as amended was approved unanimously as well.
f. Ordinance 04-16, outgoing Council Member Scruggs proposed, in first reading, amending Chapter 31, Section 31.02 to double the current annual pay of City Council Members from $2,400 to $4,800 and increase the annual pay of the Mayor by approximately 56% (from $9,600 to $15.000) to be effective in two months after the upcoming April General Election. Council Member Scruggs stated the last time Council and the Mayor received any pay increase was in 2006. He referred to a chart of salaries for mayors and council members in surrounding cities. (This was not included in documents released incident to the agenda, nor made available to citizens attending.) While these salary increases were neither proposed nor approved in the FY 2015-2016 budget of the City, he explained the monies to pay for the increase in May and June would come from Council funds that were not specified for salaries in the FY 2015-16 budget as approved, and would then be introduced in the next July budget process. Ms. Wetmore stated there would be a resolution on next month’s agenda to approve those monies to be used for that purpose. Council Member Rich proposed an amendment to defer the effective date of these increases until funding is provided in the FY 2016-2017 approval process. Only Council Member Ellis dissented of the delay, as Council passed this amendment by a 5-1 margin. In considering the proposed ordinance as amended, only Council Member Rich objected to these proposed raises, and it passed by a 5-1 margin.
g. Ordinance 05-16 proposed repealing all prohibitions on Building Operations currently contained in Chapter 150, Section 150.10 ostensibly “ to eliminate conflicts with parts of sections 131.30 to 131.35, of bearing on noise. Mayor Goodwin explained, “What this does is basically put everything in one place about noise and contractors.” Council Member Rich referring back to last months defeated Ordinance 05-16 amendment on this same Section (150.10), spoke out, “We voted something very, very, very similar to this down last month, 5-2, and it was said that if we shot that down, we would bring the noise ordinance back up to alter that.” He considered this a reversal of promises to bringing the noise ordinance back up. (Mayor Goodwin, was quoted as saying in the January meeting said “This ordinance (1-15) could be voted down if it was Council’s wish to change the noise ordinance instead.”
Mr. Rich intimated that the Mayor was now reversing that finding. In effect, repealing all restrictions on building operations, while yet to deal with the Noise ordinance. Rich went on to state this Council is becoming more and more restrictive on building operations and its blue collar employees, some who are our own citizens, to their hardships. He cited instances where the proposals here were more restrictive than even those in our neighboring coastal towns and cities. He indicated if this is going to go through, that at the next work session the seriously talk about some sort of Saturday work hours. Council Member Clamp joined in saying, “We need to review 131.30 and 131.35 at the very next meeting. Mayor Goodwin said he had been working the noise ordinance issues for the last ten years, and he considered it a “living, breathing document” that has changed frequently. While this repeal of building operations provisions was approved by a 5-1 margin in first reading, Council Member Clamp qualified his vote by adding, “I am going to vote yes, but provided we see 131.30-131.35 on the work session next time.” Council Members Scruggs and Ellis also agreed with Rich and Clamp on their sentiments.
Council Comments
Several councilmembers thanked people for coming out to the meeting, and acknowledged the success of Folly Gras and thanked staff for their efforts. Mayor Goodwin singled out Ben Bounds for his work in promoting the event. Council adjourned at 8:22 p.m.
