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County Council kills zoning with 5-0 vote Edgefielddaily.com web posted August 10, 2005 EDGEFIELD - The Edgefield County Council held their regular monthly meeting tonight, Tuesday August 9 and after the usual pledge and prayer went straight to business. The council approved the previous monthly meeting minutes and the called meeting and went straight to the readings of ordinances. The third readings of adopting a supplement to the Code of Ordinances and the Issuance and sale of general obligation bonds both passed, as well as the second reading of the amendment to the General Operating Budget to include a clear definition of the insurance coverage, with 5-0 votes. The next two ordinances, 04-05-566 and 04-05-567, the zoning ordinances were motioned for defeat by Chairman Monroe Kneece, “I make a motion that we do not approve second reading and let this ordinance die.” With that and a second the council voted to kill the first zoning ordinance. Moving on to the second Chairman Kneece made the same motion to, “let it die,” and the council agreed with another 5-0 vote. With those two votes the zoning was laid to rest. The council moved on to first readings of three new ordinances. The first to provide for the administration and collection of solid waste collection fees (taxes). The second to enter into an agreement on the lease purchase agreement for heavy equipment not to exceed $750,000. The third was to enter an agreement on the structure of the Fee in Lieu of Tax Payments involving VF Playwear and Urban Outfitters. Council passed all three with 5-0 votes stating it was just a first reading on all. The specifics of the ordinances were not made available at the meeting. We will update our readers on them after we have received them and reviewed them. Under New Business the council re-appointed John Preston Sullivan and James Earl Kennamer to the Edgefield County Water and Sewer Authority. The appointments now will go to the governor for final appointment. The council also voted to re-appoint Ethel Butler, Anne Dukes, and Kitty Nicholson to the Library Board and appointed Virginia Weaver to fill the vacancy of Tecora Burt (four year term) and Rosanne Price to complete the term of Edith Stone (two years left). Next on the agenda was Jim Griffith, Director of the Senior Citizens Center, who said the center was losing $439,000 improvement fund due to the time limit of using the money had expired due to delays. However, the center had refilled for the same funds on July 13 and felt sure the center would be receiving that money back. The funds must be spent within in eighteen months once approved. Mr. Griffith also said the bingo facility was going to be downsized from 20,000 square feet to 10,000 square feet which, “would be in the 1.2 million dollar range,” he said. The Board then applied for $500,000 grant from the USDA Rural Development and with both combined the Board would not have to borrow money to go forward with the project. Councilman Norman Dorn asked how many citizens were provided services through the center and Mr. Griffith said a little over 3000. Next up was Howard Gibson, Building and Planning Director as well as Roads and Bridges, on the county accepting Cary Hill Drive into the county maintenance system. Mr. Gibson stated the road meets all county requirements and was in great shape and he saw no reason not to accept the road into the system. Council approved the measure with yet another 5-0 vote. Mr. Bettis Rainsford was next on the agenda requesting the relocation of a portion of John’s Road. Administrator Wayne Adams spoke up saying he had been informed late this afternoon that the “property owners” were taking the matter to Circuit Court. The council was then told that under such a move the county would be named as a party to the lawsuit to close the road. Councilman Joel Hudson expressed concern that the county had just recently put a lot of money into the road for construction vehicles going to Mount Vintage and, “we put a lot of money into that road,” for Mount Vintage and unless “they are willing to pay back all the money spent on the road over the last years," he was against the closing. Councilman Willie Bright also challenged Mr. Adams on the closing asking why Mr. Rainsford would file suit rather than approach council on the closing. Mr. Adams explained that, “Council changed the way it closes roads,” and the courts now did it the way the county council used to go about closing a road. Mr. Bright asked Mr. Adams point blank when “council” changed the rules. Mr. Adams shrugged and said he did not know. Other councilmen also questioned where the so-called change came from and none were familiar with the change. “I must not have been at that meeting,” Councilman Norman Dorn said. As Mr. Adams tried to sway council on the issue Councilman Joel Hudson cut him off and made the motion to not close the road. The full council agreed. Mr. Rainsford will have to force the county into a lawsuit, which will have to be defended with tax dollars, to prevent the road being taken over by Mount Vintage. Mr. Adams did not appear happy over the vote. On supplemental items to the agenda that were added, without a vote, West Electric Contractors from Newberry was awarded the contract to provide lighting of the football field at Bettis Park for $11,554.60 and Electro-Mech Scoreboard Co. from Wrightsville, Ga. Was awarded the installation of the scoreboard. The council also voted to allow the bids for the fencing to be bid out and the approval to be made to the lowest bidder by the Chairman. Before ending the meeting the council agreed to a special called meeting to be held on August 23, at 6:00. With no more business the meeting was adjourned. Return to Main Page
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