By Betsy Finklea
The Dillon City Council discussed several items of business at their September meeting.
Mayor Todd Davis gave the mayor’s report. His first topic was the golf course. He said he wanted the golf course to survive and thrive.
Davis said he had been thinking about the golf course and wanted to know how the council would feel about creating a board to oversee the golf course and support the golf course. He said the board could help the golf course bring in the necessary resources to survive.
City Manager Glen Wagner said it could only be an advisory board.
Davis said they have a board on the club side, and he didn’t think they have the organization on the golf course side that they have on the club side. Street Department Supervisor Burt Rogers said they didn’t have the expense either. Davis said he wanted the city to be represented on tournaments.
Davis said he didn’t think one side could survive without the other, and then stated the golf course could survive.
It was noted that the golf course did not have a pro. Wagner said they have three full-time people maintaining the course. He said one of these employees, Todd Hayes, is taking the initiative to start the First Tee program.
Davis said the two percent hospitality money shouldn’t be a slush fund for the golf course.
Davis said there are a number of people more than willing to serve on a board.
Wagner said he had no issues with a board. He said it would need to be at least seven members so each council member can have an appointment. Davis said he would like to see the best seven people they could get regardless of whether they were residents of the city or the county.
Davis said he didn’t want it to be a de facto board with no authority. Wagner said he would have to make some calls to research what they can do.
Davis said he wanted the number one goal of the board to be “how do we generate revenue.”  Davis said they were coming along on the parks and are continuing to look at them. He said parks are expensive.
Councilman Johnny Eller said he understood that, but they throw money at the golf course so they need to throw some money at the parks.
The conversation then became somewhat heated. Davis said this was his time not Eller’s. He said some people would not be satisfied with the park unless they put an ice rink in it.
Eller said they had put $350,000 into the golf course and were losing money monthly.
Davis told Eller that they were not there when they did the parks before. It was noted that there was some vandalism that occurred. Eller said he had been on council for five years, and they had not done anything since.
It was stated that Eller would have his opportunity to speak during council reports. Eller said that by the time they get to council reports on the local tv station, it does not air because only one hour of the meeting airs. Councilman Phil Wallace said he was not there for tv, he was there for the citizens of Dillon.
Davis said that all he was trying to do was get the golf course more accountable and headed in a positive direction.
Wagner said he would see what they could legally do about a board and what they can do before the next meeting.
The next topic of discussion was an increase in salaries for the mayor and council. This was tabled from a previous meeting. If they choose to increase it, it would not go into effect until the fiscal year (July 1, 2015) after the next election.
Davis asked who requested this. Eller requested it. Council has only had one raise in the past 15 years.
Wallace made a motion to leave the salaries where they are. Braddy seconded it. Wallace said they talk about not having money and then want to give themselves a raise. The vote failed with Wallace, Braddy, and Councilman Douglas Jackson voting for the motion, and Davis, Eller, Councilman James Washington, and Councilwoman Connie Manning voted against it.
Davis then made a motion to keep the mayor’s salary the same and to from $3,000 to $3,500 for council. Manning seconded the motion.
Braddy said he would not be in favor of that motion. He spoke of all of the time that Davis dedicated to the job of mayor and noted that he was the lowest paid mayor of those surveyed. He said it would be ludicrous for Davis to be the one to not get the raise.
Eller said he agreed with this and that the mayor needed to get the raise also.
Davis withdrew his motion.
The council decided to go with the Darlington salaries. The mayor will go up to $6,000 from $5,040, and the council will go up to $3,500 from $3,000. This takes effect July 1, 2015. The motion was made by Eller and seconded by Washington. It carried 4-3 with Davis, Eller, Washington, and Manning voting for the motion, and Braddy, Jackson, and Wallace voting against it.
Playground equipment was next on the agenda. Wagner said he would like three council members to be involved in picking out equipment. Eller said he would like to see the citizens involved. Wagner said he would set up a meeting to involve the neighborhoods and see the interest they have, what they would like to see, what council would like to see, and how much it is going to cost.
The next item on the agenda was replacing some of the equipment at the Wellness Center. After getting some feedback from some feedback from some of the users at the Wellness Center, the council decided to purchase two elliptical and one stepper at a cost of $15,000. The money will come from the old quality of life account. Motion was made by Wallace and seconded by Jackson. The motion was approved.
It was noted that employees would be recertifying for CPR and first aid. Prices will be brought back on getting defibrillators for city locations.
In the citizens’ report, Nell Vincent praised the council on their leadership and how it benefited the citizens.
Council reports were the next item on the agenda.
Eller said Kathy Rowell would like to do a bike event.
Washington inquired about a block grant that they had heard about at the Municipal Association meeting.
Davis commended the department on their new officers. Seven have been hired. Only one of these is certified.
Wagner said now when someone applies for the police department and passes the background check, they also put them through a physical and written test and do things to make them better prepared for the academy.
Davis also apologized for the outburst earlier in the meeting.
Wallace said he did not like losing money, and they were losing money at the golf areas. He said he didn’t think the right answer was to close. He said they had done a lot of structural and clean up things, and they had gotten new equipment. He said they had a great deal of talent out there riding tractors. He said their salaries should not just be based at the golf course. He said they could distribute their talents and distribute their salaries and get part-time people to ride the tractors. He said they need to look at how to manage their bills better. Wallace said they were not in business of accumulating wealth. They were creating a better quality of life and a better place for the people to live. He said he was not against the parks, but they needed durable stuff and to look at the liability. He said they refurbished some things, but adults tore it up. He said he doesn’t want to create any friction, and this was uncharacteristic for the city council. He said they needed to move forward and create a good place.
Manning thanked Burt Rogers for keeping the field down on Hudson Street.
The next meeting is Monday, October 12th at 7:00 p.m.