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But, anyway, we’re looking forward to that and at that same meeting we decided we would not have the camellia show in January. That’s another instance where we did not have any public participation. Those people come in with all those beautiful flowers and put them on display and nobody comes to look at them. So, you know, why, why are we doing that? Why are we doing it?
So we will not do The Taste of Cottageville or the camellia show. Our big event will be the Christmas parade and we are thinking about maybe in the springtime doing something different and — but we’re just gonna have to see how that’s gonna work out but right now the Christmas parade is the big thing.
We will have Santa taking pictures, just I mean to take pictures with Santa just like we did last year and we’ll set up, I hope, again like we did last year, in front of the Methodist church, you know, on that table we had the judges and all last year so that would be our main, main — be going on down there and we may move the — We said we’d do Santa Claus here at town hall but if everybody’s down there in that vacant lot by the parking — car lot we may move Santa Claus down there where it’ll be easy for people to — you know, to have pictures taken and won’t have to walk -
COUNCIL MEMBER COOK: I have a question to ask, Peggy.
COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS: Yeah?
COUNCIL MEMBER COOK: If we get the school why can’t we do the Santa Claus and everything inside the gymnasium?
COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS: Well, I don’t think you can do anything inside the gym. We might could do it in the cafeteria but they got a bunch of stuff in the gym that they’re gonna auction off. That’s why we had to have the taste at the cafeteria but I’m sure we could do it at the cafeteria.
But I mean we could do it at town hall, you know.
COUNCIL MEMBER COOK: But I mean if you do it — And the only thing that I’m looking at is in the event that if there’s a lot of people come with their children, I mean the town hall’s gone be too small. I mean we don’t have — I mean the room is full tonight so my thing is that maybe it’d be a good idea if that does happen to move it to the cafeteria where that . . .
COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS: We can do that; that’s not problem. I mean -
COUNCIL MEMBER COOK: That’s just a suggestion, that’s all.
COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS: Yeah.
Well, I’ll talk to my committee about it and I appreciate your interest.
And I think that’s the end of my report.
MAYOR WHITE: Thank you.
One thing I do want to mention, that the Halloween, Halloween night did go off real well. I think I had — I know I had over 300 children come to my home and they did a — and there were some of the politeness children that I’ve ever had and I don’t know if that’s because of the school system or what but they were — I had some of the cutest kids I think that I’ve ever had, including my grandson.
COUNCIL MEMBER COOK: Let me tell you something. I’ve had people tell me that they’ve never seen anything on how well the Halloween, I want to say extravaganza, went. I mean I had people tell me that they never witnessed anything like this.
When I was a kid living here there was nothing like that for them, for us.
I mean it went — I mean I was amazed. I rode through town looking at how many people were here. It blew me away.
MAYOR WHITE: Yeah, it was a tremendous amount of people that night.
MS. STRICKLAND: Mayor White, can I interject something since you’re on that subject?
On thing that y’all need to know is several of the volunteers that were out in the field that normally go downtown, several of them have told me that they will be back next year, that they’re giving up downtown, period, that them doing away with the downtown this year was the best thing that happened to them.
It was just fantastic what was out here and I agree with Charlie, you don’t ever see anything like what’s here. I don’t ever leave my house because if I don’t have 600 pieces of candy, forget it. It’s great, it really is.
MAYOR WHITE: It is good.
Okay, moving on.
And I know that — Unfinished business, ditches. I know the most patient man in the world is out in the audience tonight waiting to hear what I have to say about ditches, Mr. Gray Carter (phon.).
MR. CARTER: That’s why I’m here.
MAYOR WHITE: And I have met — We’ve changed up with engineers. I’m actually — I met with Mr. Danny Paulsberg (phon.). He has — He’s given me the, the best information that I’ve had so far.
What he needed was a copy of the GIS data. He has that in his hand; he’s gonna go ahead and review it and he has dealt with this problem before and he feels like he can get a quick resolution to it.
So he was supposed to let me know something this afternoon. There was two people that was supposed to let me know something before the meeting. I contacted both of them and I, I didn’t get anything from them.
So I will contact you personally on that matter just as soon as I hear from him, before the next meeting but I do want to let you know that the information is in his hand. I feel like he’ll give us — give us a quicker evaluation of the situation at a lower cost to the town.
MR. CARTER: Well, may I interject a comment?
MAYOR WHITE: Yes, sir.
MR. CARTER: This is not just a stroke for you since you’re the mayor but I would like to thank you for the effort you put in to, not just the problem with the ditches on my property which was my back 40, so to speak, during heavy rains, but you’re, you’re looking at all the drainage ditches throughout the entire town and, really, you put more effort in to than any of the previous administrations which I have approached must the same way that I did you and you’ve, you’ve put the — You’ve put the rubber to the road, so to speak, and been very, very serious about it and I appreciate that.
MAYOR WHITE: Thank you. I appreciate it, too.
Water testing. You know, I talked a little bit about this. This is really in DHEC’s hands right now and that’s where I think that it — for the best interest of the town it needs to stay and I am not gone go any further until I — until I can find out some more information on that. I do have people looking at it; some engineers looking at it but Frank Brockington, who we’ve used for a good while, is actually looking at this problem. He’s contacted GEL Labs and I’ll have more information at a future meeting.
Unfinished business. Ordinance 2008-5, repealing Cottageville Town Code Section 18.201 and enacting a new section, 18.201 creating the offense of inattentive of operation of a vehicle. The first reading was September 15, 2008; the final reading is tonight, November 17, 2008, and it is — repeals the one section, Section 18-201 and creates a new Section 18-201, inattentive operation of a vehicle and at this time I’ll entertain a motion for approval of the, the new ordinance 208-5.
I’m sorry, 2008-5.
COUNCIL MEMBER COOK: I make a motion that we — that we approve this to a full amendment.
COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS: I second.
MAYOR WHITE: Is there any discussion?
(No response.)
MAYOR WHITE: All in favor?
(All council members indicated yes.)
MAYOR WHITE: Ayes have it.
Okay.
This ordinance shall take affect upon the final reading.
Okay.
Under new business, Ordinance 2008-6, adding Article 3, Meetings of Town Council, Section 2.323, Cottageville Town Code concerning
confidentially — confidentiality requirements of executive session. Basically, what this says is that the information that’s discussed in executive session shall remain in executive session and, and that it’s not to be discussed outside.
Council had — This really pertains to council and to the mayor and first reading is tonight. At this time — Oh, and also, I may as well — No, we’ll just go ahead and handle this first ordinance and at this time I’ll entertain a motion for the — for Ordinance 2008-6.
COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS: This is the first reading?
MAYOR WHITE: Yes.
COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS: I make a motion that we accept Ordinance 2008-6, Confidential Requirements of Executive Session for first reading.
COUNCIL MEMBER STRICKLAND: I second.
MAYOR WHITE: All in favor?
(All council members indicated yes.)
MAYOR WHITE: Ayes have it.
Okay.
Ordinance 2008-7, adding Article 8, Personnel Section 2.809, Cottageville Town Code concerning confidential requirements. This, this basically the same code requirement for employees in lieu of council and the mayor.
It says, Whereas, the council has determined that it’s the best interest of the town and furtherance of the promotion of good government with the town to specify and require that all town officers and employees maintain confidentiality of confidential information obtained by them concerning property, government and affairs of the town.
At this time I’ll entertain a motion on Ordinance 2008.7. This is for the first reading, for the first reading.
COUNCIL MEMBER COOK: Can I ask a question?
MAYOR WHITE: Uh-huh.
COUNCIL MEMBER COOK: Can we add to this that company business is company business and it doesn’t go in the street? You know what I’m saying? I mean we’ve had that before.
MAYOR WHITE: I think that . . .
COUNCIL MEMBER COOK: Is that in — I mean I’m not reading that in this.
MAYOR WHITE: There’s a comma there so that can be added. Is that what you would like to do on the last sentence?
COUNCIL MEMBER COOK: Yeah. I mean I personally think that it needs to be added, just due to the fact that you don’t need to have an employee or officers running to someone else doing this and all it does is cause friction, you know. If you’ve got a problem you go to the person who is in charge. If it can’t be resolved, then you go to someone else. They have what’s called the chain of command.
MAYOR WHITE: We’ll check in to that, Charlie, and if it needs to be added on there. Terri’s saying that it’s under another ordinance but, you know.
This was covered under when we had the hearing on the Mullis (phon.) case. So that was actually under, under a different ordinance.
COUNCIL MEMBER COOK: Okay.
MAYOR WHITE: Do I have a motion?
COUNCIL MEMBER COOK: I make a motion that we accept the Ordinance 2008-7.
MAYOR WHITE: Second?
COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS: I second.
MAYOR WHITE: All in favor?
(All council members indicated yes.)
MAYOR WHITE: Ayes have it.
That’s for the first reading and I’ll sign this.
Now, at this time I’d like to have executive session for discussion of the school building, the lawsuit with the police department and appointment of temporary judge, which it’s scheduled for approximately 30 minutes. We ought to be able to hold it to that or less.
At this time I’d entertain a motion to go into executive session.
COUNCIL MEMBER COOK: I make a motion that we go to executive session.
COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS: I second it.
MAYOR WHITE: All in favor?
(All council members indicated yes.)
MAYOR WHITE: Ayes have it.
(Council went in to executive session at 7:30 p.m. and returned to open session at 8:00 p.m.)
MAYOR WHITE: At this time I’ll entertain a motion to come out of executive session.
COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS: I make a motion to come out of executive session.
COUNCIL MEMBER STRICKLAND: I second.
MAYOR WHITE: All in favor?
(All council members indicated yes.)
MAYOR WHITE: Ayes have it.
Okay.
At this time I would entertain a motion on the — on the leasing of the old Cottageville Elementary School.
COUNCIL MEMBER COOK: I make a motion that we do the lease for the school.
COUNCIL MEMBER STRICKLAND: I second.
MAYOR WHITE: Any discussion?
(No response.)
MAYOR WHITE: All in favor?
(All council members indicated yes.)
MAYOR WHITE: Ayes have it.
That will require me to sign paperwork up there at Mr. Bell’s (phon.) office and it’s — The lease is for a dollar a year for 25 years. We will pay approximately $30,000 a year to go ahead and provide services for that building.
And at this time I will entertain a motion for an appointment of a temporary judge.
COUNCIL MEMBER COOK: I also make a motion that we obtain a temporary judge.
Do I need to say his name?
Mr. Butterfield.
COUNCIL MEMBER STRICKLAND: I second.
MAYOR WHITE: All in favor?
(All council members indicated yes.)
MAYOR WHITE: Ayes have it.
COUNCIL MEMBER COOK: You want to stand up and introduce yourself to everybody, Mr. Butterfield?
MR. BUTTERFIELD: How do you do. My name is Wendell Butterfield. I know the officers that you have on your department. I know the quality of officers that you have and I look forward to serving the people of Cottageville. Thank you.
MAYOR WHITE: Thank you.
And at this time we’ll have public participation. The only one I have signed in is Mr. Buddy Ackerman.
MR. NULL: He left.
MAYOR WHITE: Oh, okay.
And, Miss Debra Hardwick, you came in late. Would you like to say anything?
MS. HARDWICK: No.
MAYOR WHITE: Okay.
I just wanted to give you that chance because I know you didn’t -
MS. HARDWICK: Unless you wanted to address the Griffith Acres trucking situation.
MAYOR WHITE: I have done nothing with that this month but I will. I’m glad you mentioned that. I’ll go ahead and see.
Yeah, we have contacted them on several issues. One is still — We’re still pushing on the Pierce Road issue.
I saw Alvin Brown (phon.) and he tried to duck from me but I did get a chance to talk to him and we are trying to . . .
Actually, I talked to Kenny Blakney (phon.), also, and the two of us are gone go back.
MS. HARDWICK: Okay.
MAYOR WHITE: And at this time I’ll entertain a motion to adjourn.
COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS: I make a motion to adjourn.
COUNCIL MEMBER COOK: I second.
MAYOR WHITE: All in favor?
(All council members indicated yes.)
MAYOR WHITE: Ayes have it.
Thank you very much for coming.
– Meeting adjourned at 8:05 p.m. -

I, the undersigned Donna Hartley, Official Court Reporter and Notary Public, do hereby certify that the foregoing is a true, accurate and complete transcript of record of all the proceedings had at the Town Council Meeting for The Town of Cottageville, South Carolina at Cottageville Town Hall on Monday, November 17, 2008.
I further certify that I am neither of counsel nor kin to any person attending this meeting nor am I interested in any manner of its outcome.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and seal this twenty-second day of November 2008.
Notary Public for South Carolina
My Commission Expires April 23, 2017