The Dillon City Council discussed many matters at their February meeting.
In the mayor’s report, Mayor Todd Davis:
– reported that the Father-Daughter Dance was well-attended with over 900 tickets sold. He said this event was another benefit of the Wellness Center.
– discussed the changes made to the peddler’s license.
-said that after a rocky start, the Golf Course committee was meeting and coming up with ideas. The possibility of having hot dogs was discussed.
-discussed a meeting he and City Manager Glen Wagner had with the project manager of Wyman-Gordon.
– talked about a man who was interested in helping to better market the Dillon County Theatre. Councilman John Braddy will try to arrange a meeting between that man and Robin Thompson, the theatre president.
In the city manager’s report, City Manager Glen Wagner:
– reported that the 8th annual Father-Daughter Dance had been a great success. He said he had received questions about having a Mother-Son dance. Wagner said the Father-Daughter Dance was the idea of the Kiwanis Club. The Kiwanis Club is the organization for boys’ baseball but it was suggested that they do something for girls so they came up with having a father-daughter dance. Wagner added that if the event gets much bigger then we may have an issue with parking at the Wellness Center. He said we had to use three police officers that night, the weather was great and everyone had a great time.
– reported that the Stewart Heights water and sewer line project was about 25% done. This project has a $50,000 match with a total cost of around $350,000. Wagner said we were probably 30 days away from bidding on the project to repair the orbal basin and catwalk at the wastewater treatment plant. He said we should have bids by the April meeting. Councilman Wallace asked what we were going to do about Phase 3 of the Perdue sewer line project. Wagner said we are just waiting since this portion of the project would cost more. He reminded Council that there is another project coming up concerning the river bridge.
– said he had met with Randy Brown of Perdue about their new sewer rates. Beginning in April 2015, Perdue will pay a higher rate from April 1, 2-15 through June 30, 2016 but it will not be as high as originally figured. The rate will increase to $3.21 per gallon to $3.51 per gallon. The original amount based on the contract would have been $3.91. Wagner said per our audit, the rate has decreased each year except for the next few years. Wagner said Perdue also agreed to keep the depreciation in place.
-Mayor Davis said he hopes they will do something with the odor on Commerce Drive. Wagner and Hardy Jackson said we were looking for the least expensive method with the best results.
They said the product they had been using, total-ox, would have cost them $150,000 per year. Wagner said we were looking into grants or funding from SRF, CDBG, and RIA (Rural Infrastructure Authority). Councilman Wallace asked if they still have to put in a new water tower. Wagner said not yet but we are also looking for money for that project. Councilman Wallace then asked Jackson if he had any projected time to have us out of the river. Jackson said no. Councilman Eller asked who will write the grant to help us get funding. Wagner said either PDCOG or another entity.
Attorney Ben Zeigler discussed the bond ordinance which deals with the refinancing of the Wellness Center bond at a lower rate.
Maggie Riales presented two new recommended members for the Board of Architectural Review, Annie Smith and Jennifer Versie. Maggie said both ladies were eager to work and Ms. Versie had just bought the big white house on Main Street. She was accompanied by her son, Josh. Councilman Wallace made a motion to accept the recommendation and appointment of Annie Smith and Jennifer Versie to the City of Dillon Board of Architectural Review. Councilman Braddy seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.
Under unfinished business, Councilman Wallace made a motion to pass Ordinance #15-01 on second reading. This ordinance was to provide for the issuance and sale of a not exceeding $2,175,000 General Obligation Refunding Bond of 2015. Councilman Braddy seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.
In new business, Ordinance #15-02 was presented for first reading to amend the business license ordinance and increase rates for peddlers. The new rate would be $500 for peddlers and itinerants, whether they lived in the city, in the county, or out of the county. After the discussion, Councilman Wallace made a motion to pass Ordinance #15-02 on first reading to increase the rates for peddlers. Councilman Braddy seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.
Council members gave their reports.
This meeting can be viewed in its entirety on www.thedillonherald.com.