By Betsy Finklea
The Dillon County Council received a great deal of information at their council meeting on Wednesday.
A public hearing was held on the redistricting plan (see article on this page).
A public hearing was also held on the 2011-2012 budget. No one spoke at this hearing. Later in the meeting, the second reading was approved. The budget has no tax increases and no fee increases. The total proposed budget is $16,473,370, an increase of $142, 262 (or .0088 percent) from the previous year’s budget.
Recreation requests were taken up. Councilmen Archie Scott, Macio Williamson, Andrew Graves, Harold Moody, Bobby K. Moody, and Aron Gandy each submitted requests for $150 each for a listing ad for the High School Sports Report. A box was checked on each form that a subscription is included.
There was also a request from a student for funds to attend at the S.C. Governor’s School For Science and Mathematics Summer Science Program. $100 will come from Scott’s account and $50 will come from Harold Moody’s account for this.
Five bids were received on the roof repair at the Dillon City-County Complex. This will be reviewed by the staff and building committee, and they will return with a recommendation at the June 22nd meeting.
The spec building to be funded by Dillon, Marion, and Marlboro Counties was back on the agenda. If built, it will be located to the left of Harbor Freight Tools. County Administrator Clay Young said the county’s $500,000 could come out of the fund balance. This was taken as information, and no decisions were made.
The council is also looking into using the Dillon County fee-in-lieu money as a way to fund economic development projects. This was also taken as information.
The council was also informed of a proposal from the S.C. Department of Transportation. SCDOT was to acquire 7.87 acres of land in the Latta area for $23,700 for I-73.
The third reading of the Dillon County Road Acceptance and Maintenance ordinance was delayed until June 22nd due to a recommendation from County Attorney Ken Dubose. He said the implementation of this is extremely important and everything needs to be in order before it is implemented.
The second readings of an ordinance to amend zoning #17 for the Highway 38/917 Industrial Park and the amend the animal control ordinance in regards of euthanizing animals in great pain and fees for adoption both passed.