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  County Council postpones final reading on budget in disorganized meeting web posted June 2, 2010 EDGEFIELD – The Edgefield County Council held their June meeting Tuesday night in a dysfunctional and often times confusing manner. A night that was to see the county’s operational budget receive its final passage ended with no budget approval and a called meeting scheduled including a work session for later this week. With County Council Chairman Monroe Kneece being absent due to illness, Vice-chairman Willie Bright ran the meeting that had council members and the public asking questions to clarify votes taken. The county operating budget came close to facing a vote that could have forced the entire process to start over if it failed to pass at a final reading. Just after the budget ordinance was read, District 2 Councilman Rodney Ashcraft stated he wanted to introduce an amendment to the budget and asked Edgefield County Sheriff Adell Dobey to come to the podium to speak on the need for replacing patrol cars in the aging fleet. Sheriff Dobey explained that there were five vehicles that were at or past their acceptable use life as “emergency response vehicles”, some with mileage reaching well beyond the 125,000 limit as acceptable to be used. Sheriff Dobey said when the budget debate began he made it clear that he needed the patrol cars and submitted three plans “A, B and C” to provide the county with options on how best to continue to provide the continued rotation of older cars. The least expensive option, or “Plan C”, was to replace one each of the fleet that included 2003, 2004, and 2005 patrol cars with mileages between 130,000 miles and 140,000 miles. Sheriff’s Captain Chris Wash explained that replacing those vehicles and using the current equipment on the existing cars to be transferred to the new cars would stand at a cost of $67,500. Vice-chairman Bright told Sheriff Dobey it was his understanding that County Administrator Alton Brown and the Sheriff met and agreed that no vehicles were needed. “No,” Sheriff Dobey said. “The understanding I had from the beginning was that there was no money period. I submitted Plan A, B, and C and was told there was zero money.” Sheriff Dobey explained that he has been on the record stating the needs of providing functional patrol cars for deputies to do their jobs. “If you are insinuating that I said I would be okay, no sir,” Sheriff Dobey said. Vice-Chairman Bright suggested that the final reading be postponed until another work session could be held. Councilman Ashcraft stated he “was fine” with the numbers and made a motion to amend the budget to include an additional $65,000 for replacement of three patrol vehicles that was given a second by Councilwoman Genia Blackwell. Bright called for the vote which gave a 3-1 approval with Vice-chairman Bright voting against the measure. Bright then questioned Councilman Dorn on his vote. “How did you vote?,” Bright asked Dorn. “I voted for it,” he responded. Bright pushed him further and Mr. Dorn then changed his vote to no until a work session could be held. “I could have sworn I just heard you say you were for it,” Councilman Ashcraft said to Dorn. “Did you change your mind?” Others in the audience stated aloud that they heard the vote as well. Vice-chairman Bright interrupted and stated that the vote was 2-2 and it failed to pass (due to a lack of majority). Councilman Dorn stated he wanted to wait to hear from County Administrator Brown before going forward. Councilman Ashcraft shot back, “I think it’s our job, not the Administrator’s to assign the money.” Councilman Ashcraft also brought up the purchase of a replacement ambulance that failed due to a lack of a second by the council. A called meeting and workshop was set for Friday morning at 11 am at the county council chambers to address the additional patrol cars and a final reading of the budget. In other business the county council approved a third reading of the “Multi-County Park Agreement” for industrial development, a second reading of the ordinance amending the procedures of the Board of Assessment Appeals, a second reading of a Special Development District in the zoning and land use ordinance, and a first reading of the method of electing the county council chair and vice-chair and codifying their roles. The county council also awarded R. W. Nunnery Roofing the contract to replace the roof on the Calliham Building at a cost of $23,685. The council also approved appointments to the Edgefield County Library Board Kitty Nicholson and Ann Dukes as well as the re-appointment of Ethel Butler and Darlene Smith to additional four-year terms. A unanimous vote was also cast to support the Economic Development grant by US Fibers to expand their operation in Edgefield County. The council also unanimously approved spending $5,560.16 to upgrade computers in the Treasurer, Auditor, and Tax Collector Offices to be able to use the current software used to handle tax collections and billing. The funs were taken from the County Council contingency funds, which stood at just over $75,000 at the time of the vote. With no other business the meeting was adjourned. © Copyright 2010
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