By Betsy Finklea
The City of Dillon received their audit report and took up other matters at their March meeting.
Mayor Todd Davis gave the mayor’s report. He reviewed the following matters:
– Davis said the city had a pretty good audit report. He said they were in good shape at the time of the report.
– Davis said a Spring Fling Health and Job Fair will be held on Saturday, March 29th from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. at the City of Dillon Wellness Center. The event will have free food, games for children and adults, baby shower for expectant mothers, dental and vision exams, and free and low cost screening by McLeod Health.
– The rodeo is being put off until the fall because it is such a big project, Davis said. They are looking at having it during the month of October.
– Davis said he got a report from David Strickland about the golf course. Davis said the play was better than expected in the poor weather. He said they have had two strong weekends and had a strong day on Monday.
– The ice storm was discussed. Davis said everyone involved in the clean-up had done an outstanding job. He said most people in Dillon were without power for a short time, but it could have been much worse. Davis said now people can see why they trim the trees. City Manager Glen Wagner said he thought they passed the storm very well from a city standpoint. He noted that three people on city council never lost power. After the mayor’s report, Smith Brooks of Kenneth Cobb & Company, P.C. presented the audit report. (See related story on page 2)
In the City Manager’s report, City Manager Glen Wagner:
– Reminded the council members that their statement of Economic Interest forms are due March 30th at noon.
– Informed the council that the Annual City Employee heath fair was March 25th from 6:30-8:00 a.m. at Dillon Internal Medicine. Wagner said this was a good program that their insurance pays for and about 90 percent of the employees had signed up.
– Told the council that the CDBG project at J.V. Martin was 80-85 percent complete. Approximately 100-110 new meters are being installed. The project should be completed in the next 30 days.
– Said they had applied for a grant to rehab the Commerce Drive and Perdue lift stations.
– Reported that the Highway 301 (River bridge) was to be closed in the future and the bridge is being relocated. Wagner said where the state wants to relocate the bridge the city has a sewer line. The sewer line would have to be relocated at the city’s expense.
The estimated cost to do this is $500,000, but the project has not been bidded out. The state wants the city to do this by October, but Wagner said this is not feasible.
The line is about 35 feet off the left side of the bridge going north.
– Reported that since July 1st, the city had spent about $550,000 on sewer line repairs on the line called the Perdue line that goes down Deerwood. Approximately 4,000 feet of pipe has been replaced. The third phase of the project is about $300,000.
If the city had to replace the 73 miles of sewer line that they have in the ground, it would take about $60 million to replace them.
In other action:
– Street Department Head Burt Rogers said they need a new bush hog to cut along the roadside and open areas. The council approved the low bid of $7,400 from Dillon Tractor.
– The council approved the second reading of an ordinance to allow vinyl or vinyl clad windows in the historic overlay district; approved the second reading of an ordinance to annex the Patricia Colvin property at 1314 Highway 34 West; and an ordinance to annex the Ronald Gardner, Jr. and Sandy Utley property at the 1100 block of North First Avenue.
– The council approved the first readings of to amend an ordinance to charge fees for the demolition of commercial buildings and the ADA (American Disabilities Act) Grievance policy.