By Betsy Finklea
The Dillon City Council recently held their regular meeting for the month of October.
Mayor Todd Davis gave his report. Some of the items on his report included:
-Davis said they have been getting a good response from the landowners about the possible annexation of Highway 34 to I-95. He said County Administrator Clay Young said it was good for economic development and would give more control about what goes around the industrial park.
-He said the two percent money had hung in well and was at about $953,000. This is the hot meals tax.
-Davis said he attended the I-73 public forum. He said Commissioner Sarah Knuckles was “blown away” that the city was not enthusiastic about I-73. He has been invited to meet with a group about it.
City Manager Glen Wagner presented his report. He said for the first quarter the budget is about where it should be around 25 percent. He said the two biggest revenue producers are property taxes and business licenses. The water and sewer is a little over 25 percent. He said the Wellness Center was close to where it should be and on target for first quarter. It should be on target or above for the second and third quarters. Some of the cutbacks made at the Wellness Center include turning up the air conditioner from 69 degrees to 72 degrees and cutting the hours on part-time employees.
The following ordinances were approved:
-Ordinance #11-13-Annex Dan & Alice Hamer property (613 E. Palmetto St.)
-Ordinance #11-14-Prohibiting Bath Salts
-Ordinance #11-15-Prohibiting Synthetic Marijuana
In council member reports:
-Councilman Johnny Eller asked if the police department would do neighborhood watch meetings in the constituents’ areas and not the wellness center. Chief Joe Rogers said they would try.
Councilman Eller said he had concerns about seeing police officers out by themselves working on the interstate. He inquired about the agreement with the county regarding the interstate. He was told iPads, which he inquired about at a previous meeting, were about $800 each.
-Councilman John Braddy expressed his concerns about video gambling in the city and said council needed to move quickly to stop it before it gets wide spread. Wagner said the goal was to zone it in the adult entertainment area. He said the loophole with these establishments was that they were donating to charity.
-Councilman Phil Wallace said he was surprised to see the newspaper and the money spent going to conferences. He said he never had been to the conference and asked if the cost was out of range. Wagner said that he didn’t think it was out of range. Wallace said in a public forum, he wanted to give those who had attended an opportunity to state whether they had attended the classes.
The report given to The Herald showed a lump sum category for expenses for classes and other expenses and the only person who had expenses charged to this category was Councilman Randolph Gurley. Some of the councilmen who attended said they went to classes and meetings that were included in the registration fee, but this was not indicated on the report given to The Herald. Eller said there were vendors and things they could do to learn how to make the city better. Wallace said the city council was a good example for government in our city, county, and state. He said it bothers him because he doesn’t want to be compared to any government group and tried to do the right thing. Wallace said he didn’t have the time to go to the conference and wish he felt the need to go. General Manager of The Dillon Herald Johnnie Daniels said the city councilmen attended classes and wanted that printed, then the information from the city should have stated this.
The Dillon County Council conference information, which has been printed in the newspaper for years, states the classes that the county councilmen attend. Wagner said they didn’t know what classes or meetings the city councilmen attended. Braddy said it may be a good idea on future expense reports to list what they did. He said the city had no say so on hotel and room rates. Wallace said all he asked was that the newspaper try not to create news on people. He said he wished that the county’s money was spent as well as the city’s was. Davis said he encouraged new council member Connie Manning to attend. He said The Dillon Herald was doing its job.