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 County Council meeting dominated by discussion over county funds expended on private property for parks web posted February 3, 2010 EDGEFIELD – Edgefield County’s newly hired County Administrator Alton Brown attended his first meeting Tuesday night with County Council Vice-chairman Willie Bright chairing the meeting since Chairman Monroe Kneece is still recovering from surgery. In what appeared to be a short agenda and a short meeting turned into over an hour of discussion which at times drew contentious remarks and rebukes by Councilman Norman Dorn. The first order of business was the first reading of the new re-inspection fees that are to be collected by the Building and Planning Department. Under the new provisions a secondary re-inspections would not be charged a fee; however, subsequent re-inspections of the same problem will be met with a nominal fee. The first reading passed unanimously. The first reading of a new Animal Cruelty was withdrawn from the agenda by Councilman Rodney Ashcraft. He explained that at the present time he wanted to look at the current ordinances and offer “changes or amendments” in order to accomplish the goal set forth in the proposed ordinance. The council also unanimously approved a resolution in support of the Burton Center for Disabilities and Special Needs to obtain a bus. Under new business was the consideration to place a mapping machine once used by the Assessors Office for sale out for bids. The machine was replaced several years ago. Councilwoman Blackwell asked why the machine had not been placed for sale long before now. No answer was given. “I say let’s get rid of it,” she said and made a motion on the same, which also carried a unanimous vote. The planned budget workshop and passage schedule was also approved with the following dates: March 25: County Council Work Session April 4: First Reading of Budget April 20: Second Work Session May 4: Second Reading of Budget / Public Hearing May 18: Third Work Session June 1: Final Reading and passage of the Budget The council also approved the low bid for removal of the bats at the Edgefield Library and awarded the work to Trutech Inc. for $3,420. The two other bids received were $4,590 and $10,875 respectively. Old business included the county being awarded a grant of $48,000 to replace heating and cooling units at the Edgefield County Detention Center and the Sheriff’s Office. Building Director Mike Reed explained they asked for a total of $55,000 to replace all the units but the request was rejected. Under the approved grant the county could replace five units in the Detention Center and move one of the units replace over to the Sheriff’s Office. The additional working units could be used at the Calliham building when remodeling begins there for county offices. The consideration to approve a title change of an officer in the Veteran Affairs Office was approved with the understanding that no pay increase would be included under the title change until the next fiscal year. Vice-chairman Bright then recognized Administrator Brown welcoming him to the county and was joined by other members of the county council with similar comments. Councilwoman Blackwell recognized Clerk to Council Barbara Stark for her service over the past months as interim administrator taking on responsibilities above and beyond her normal duties, “It’s been wonderful,” Blackwell said, which drew a round of applause. The chair then recognized guests who signed up to speak with the first being Jerry Galloy of the Edgefield Community Development Association. Mr. Galloy informed the county council of the celebration the Edgefield town business owners have planned for the year and requested funding for the celebration in the amount of $2,500. The group has a planned a “225th Birthday” celebration of the formation of the Old Edgefield District and the formation of the Town of Edgefield on March 12, 1785 that will kick off on March 20 at the Kendall Mill followed by a “Town Picnic” and fireworks in July and a “Chili Cook-off with children’s activities in the town in the fall. Vice-chairman Bright suggested that the request be taken in as information and brought up for a vote in the March meeting. Mr. Galloy thanked the council for their consideration of the request. The next speaker, Arthur Biggs, drew the ire of Councilman Norman Dorn and Vice-chair Bright when he suggested the county council refrain from spending Edgefield County taxpayer dollars to improve property the county does not own. Mr. Biggs stated he was a strong supporter of parks and recreation and expending funds to enhance parks in the county. Mr. Biggs stated that he would like to see the county council refrain from spending local taxpayer dollars to improve property the county does not own. His main premise was if the owners of the properties of the Northside and Bettis Parks were willing to lease the county the property for up to 40 years for a dollar a year, “they should be willing to sell the property for a dollar.” “I was concerned that we are going to spend money on land and put structures on land that is not owned y the county,” Mr. Biggs said. He stated he supported improving the parks, but stated it did not make any sense to him to funnel money to properties the county does not own. The county cannot receive grant money to improve the parks because the land is leased, which places the burden of improvements of the parks on the county taxpayers backs. “I personally have a problem putting county money on to leased property,” Mr. Briggs said. Vice-chairman Bright stated that if the county had to purchase the property “we would never get a park here.” Councilman Dorn interjected similar comments on the property where the Northside Park is located. Mr. Briggs stated he understood but did not see the difference of the landowners leasing the land for up to 40 years for a dollar a year and not being willing to donate the land to the county. Councilmen Dorn and Bright ignored the premise of the question and instead went on to state that the county would have to purchase the property at a much higher price. Briggs countered that if the owners were willing to lease the property for decades, he did not see why the owners would not just donate the property unless they had an underlying reasons for not doing so, which he did not suggest was an issue. Councilman Dorn went on the defense and seemed to attack Mr. Briggs for his assertions and stated that because his family owned property in the county for over a hundred years he did not see the need to listen to someone who has not lived in the county very long. Mr. Briggs stated he was not trying to “be adversarial” as Mr. Dorn began a barrage of what was often times ambiguous and incomprehensible comments directed at him personally. Briggs stated he was in support of a strong recreation program but he did not understand the problem with the county trying to protect the investment of taxpayers’ dollars on improvements to private property. A member of the public asked the question of what would happen to the over $500,000 worth of improvements to the two county parks, including structures, if the leases were broken by either party. Councilman Dorn said, “Don’t even answer that stupid question.” The question was reiterated to Vice-chairman Bright who stated the property owner would take ownership of the property and the improvements paid for by the county. As the debate grew more contentious on behalf of Councilman Dorn, Vice-chairman Bright asked for a motion to adjourn, which was approved and the meeting ended. © Copyright 2010
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