Apr 14 2009
March 2, 2009 Meeting Minutes
MINUTES
TOWN COUNCIL MEETING
COTTAGEVILLE TOWN HALL
MONDAY, MARCH 2, 2009
7:00 P.M.
Mayor White called the meeting to order, explained the sign-in sheet, led the Pledge of Allegiance and called the roll.
Members present were Mayor White, Council Member Cook, Council Member Eutsler and Council Member Strickland.
The following takes place in open session.
ATTESTATION
Page Line Change/Correction Reason
Minutes approved: ______________
_________________________
Terri Crosby, Town Clerk
MAYOR WHITE: At this time I’ll entertain a motion for approval of the February, 2009, minutes.
COUNCIL MEMBER EUSTLER: I make a motion we approve the February, 2009, minutes.
COUNCIL MEMBER STRICKLAND: I second.
MAYOR WHITE: All in favor?
(All council members indicated yes.)
MAYOR WHITE: Ayes have it.
Okay.
And the meeting, the special meeting minutes, at this time I’ll entertain a motion for approval of those.
COUNCIL MEMBER COOK: I make a motion that we approve the minutes from the special meeting.
COUNCIL MEMBER STRICKLAND: I second.
MAYOR WHITE: All in favor?
(All council members indicated yes.)
MAYOR WHITE: Ayes have it.
Okay.
The mayor’s report. As you know, I went to Colleton County council meeting to ask for increased police jurisdiction in an area three miles around Cottageville. I was told by Colleton County council that we are a speed trap and we need to establish a town of property taxes.
In this current economy I don’t think that more taxes is the answer.
Let me explain to you why I went for increased jurisdiction. Our department assists Colleton County on almost a daily basis. So I was hoping with increased jurisdiction it would help offset the cost of Cottageville providing mutual aid for the county because Colleton County does not pay for our department and these cases could actually come through our court. I was told this idea was illegal but other counties in the state are doing just that.
The fact that Cottageville area — The fact is that the Cottageville area, our officers are the first on the scene in the majority of the time. And Cottageville pays all costs for the call, the insurance and, you know, anything that the officer requires, we pay for it.
I’ll tell you this. One councilman was open to supporting our effort and that was Mr. Gene Weitsel. The others were not. They were pretty much against the department and our town.
I requested to explain our position at county council and I requested to be on the agenda. I was not given the chance to explain myself in open session but I was brought in during executive session and told how council thought, felt and, pretty much to the point that they did not want us to have increased jurisdiction. That’s putting it lightly.
Vote was taken and that was it. I was never given a chance to talk. Of course, the people that were against increased jurisdiction, they were given a chance to talk but me being a mayor, I wasn’t.
So, anyway, I was pretty upset about that and you read in the paper that I was upset about it and to say that I was upset is, is really putting it mild.
All I can tell you is that I don’t think you can expect any type of help from Colleton County council any time soon. Just remember, you pay taxes and you have a question to ask how things are handled.
Mr. Seago, he was up there and he was giving a presentation. What he was asking for is waiving of taxes. They call it — It’s fee in lieu of taxes, is how it’s handled.
And the presentation that he gave, he told county council that the reason he was asking for a reduction in taxes is because – and if his numbers are correct – Colleton County are the highest, has the highest taxes of our surrounding counties.
And we’re not the only one that is concerned about finances. Down at Edisto Beach, they were they. Their complaints, I’ve been to two meetings and their complaints fall on deaf ears, too.
If the information they provided was correct, approximately one-third of the county’s budget in property taxes comes from Edisto Beach.
And on another thing, on another revenue note, state aid to subdivisions, I don’t know if you’ve been following that in the news or not but, you know, I’ve been talking about that. We received only about $26,000. Well, they cut it by 3 percent. Then this week it looks like they’re talking about cutting it by 42 percent which would reduce — would take ours down from about 12 — I mean about $26,000 a year down to about $12,000.
And that doesn’t sound like a tremendous amount of money but with our small budget it really is and, you know, it’s something that the bigger areas, the bigger towns and municipalities, I get an e-mail from the managers association. It comes in and it’s unbelievable the amount that they’re asking to reduce their budgets by.
Anyway, that’s really about all I have on revenues and dealing with county council but I just want to let you know that the courthouse and council chambers at the old cafeteria is coming along well. The room’s been painted out, looks real good. I’ve done a good bit of the wall and bench construction to prevent costs to the town.
We did save the large mural but some of the smaller items we did have to paint over.
Terri researched getting some old church pews for over there to save us money on seating and also Steve worked to — He’s gonna try to get us some carpet for use either over in this building or over in the cafeteria, which that would be a big help, too. Working hard to stay within budget and these two items would definitely help.
And on another note, the finances for the town this month were in the positive to the tune of about $18,000, which it was good to see those numbers come up in to the black again.
And speaking of money, it’s time to start working on the ‘09-’10 budget. Terri had the budget calendar prepared for approval this evening.
And that is all I have.
And then at this time we’ll have the town clerk of court given by Terri Crosby.
MS. CROSBY: Good evening.
I’ve received the workers comp audit back. Everything went very well on the report.
We’re starting to receive the setoff debt money through the municipal association. This money is from unpaid traffic tickets that are set off through the state revenue on individual taxes.
I e-mailed the ways and means committee concerning the aid to subdivision money. We had one person respond back on that.
The committee was meeting on the state budget cuts, which they’re trying to cut a hundred and twenty-two million dollars from the county and municipality. The cuts for the municipality is 42 percent which will hurt us badly on the money we receive from the aid to subdivision.
I met with Bob from England Enterprises last week. He came in to put a new program in my computer for building permits. This system will track all permits issued and inspections. Inspections that need to be made will go straight to the building inspector and she will send me the report after the inspection is made.
I talked to Davis Smalls (phon.) with the chamber of commerce. He’ll be sending some information on hosting Business After Hours at our new municipal complex sometime during the spring.
I’m currently working on the 2009-10 budget. I have the budget calendar prepared for tonight’s meeting.
MAYOR WHITE: Okay. Thank you.
Yeah, Terri mentioned that she did the workers comp audit. That was pretty involved audit. Most of the time that, you know, especially, like, on business sort of like myself, they just call in. This one was pretty involved but we did real well.
This is the first time that we actually had an onsite audit and one of the reasons being is because we went ahead and we changed to the new company and going through the municipal association but, like Terri reported, that went real will and it looks like the audit, the town will probably have to pay about $1500 but that’s really good on a workers comp audit, to have a finding in that amount.
Okay. Police report given by Chief Shane Roberts.
CHIEF OF POLICE ROBERTS: How you doing? Hello everybody.
Real quickly, for the month of February it was pretty good month by department standards for police work. Officers were out being proactive. One of the highlights was, of course, the second meth lab bust we got in a month’s time here. We’re very proud of that, very proud the officers being able to go out and identify criminal activity. It’s coming through.
And that’s the most important thing to understand, is that we’re getting a lot of crime coming from other places coming through this town. Some of it is stopping and trying to peddle their crime here. Others is trying to go through. The unique part about it is our guys are out there being proactive and you see the guys out there working and so forth and they’re doing a very good job on that. I’ve very proud of them.
I will say that during the course of that we do get complaints from time to time that comes to me and I’m very happy to say that as I go through and review these here it’s situation where people are finally being held accountable and they don’t like it. And I’m very proud of my officers for standing up and doing exactly what they took an oath to do and swore to do and it’s very proud to see Cottageville in that direction and going out and things like that.
I will say that as far as kind of the revenue and so forth, one thing that is very impressive is to see the officers going out being fair and impartial on our citing people for traffic violations. I’ve had people come up and say that they heard a friend call them up and say, hey, wow, you know, wouldn’t believe it, I got stopped in Cottageville, I got a warning. And, guys, that’s part of being police, a law enforcement agency. Not everything deserves a ticket out there. It deserves to be addressed but it does deserve to have the appropriate violation to go with it. The days of stacking tickets and the whole nine yards upon this here, we don’t do that. That’s not what a department’s about and I’m very proud to say that I’ve got officers who understand that and striving to go forth on that.
With the meth lab bust, it brought attention to us again. All the way as far as up in Columbia people are talking about it and so forth. So Cottageville’s making great strides and I ask for your support, that anything we can do for you, if you see anything, any type of illegal activity, report it to us. We have our litter hotline which is also our crime line. You can make calls on it and it’s posted on our website.
This is our community. This is the town we live in and we want a clean, safe community and that’s what the department is striving to give you.
With that, we have added a couple new faces. Angela Stallings (phon.) is with us now. She’s got a lot of experience. She has investigations experience as well. That’s fitting right in to the need of our department, where we’re going. Again, we’re not a traffic department anymore; we’re a full-fledged department and that means a broad array of that.
Also, we have Ron Grant (phon.) who has great background in crime suppression for street crimes as far as like that. Goes along with what we’re trying to do.
One other thing I’m trying to do is back when I first came in, matter of fact, my very first meeting here people stood up and said they wanted a business crime watch meeting. Okay. I went out of my way, had everything, even hors d’oeuvre for the businesses to come in. I only had one business owner show up.
I’m still gonna put it out there but this time I’m gonna set up a day that’ll be publicized through the radio and through the newspaper and on our internet. But we’re gone probably do it was a residential/business crime watch meeting. So that way maybe I can kill two birds with one stone. That way, if the businesses don’t want to participate, maybe the residents would like to as well.
The reason I’m doing this is I have had people come up to me and say they want it. So I’m here to offer as much help as I can to help our community.
I mentioned before, the last time I spoke about we were awarded a litter grant. Terri and I went up and received a check on that and that was a $2500 enforcement grant that we’re able to buy surveillance equipment for that’s gonna help us identify people who are littering.
I am happy to say that we’ve already made a litter case for the month of February and we’re gonna continue. We’ll be proactive on that. I do not want to see Cottageville trashy. You know, I know that the town’s making great strides trying to come up with zoning to beautify it. We’re gonna do our part in making sure nobody’s trashing our community.
We did sign an agreement with the law enforcement network and if anybody’s not familiar with that, that basically is a program set out through South Carolina. It’s headed by the office of highway safety and for this judicial circuit, the fourteenth judicial circuit, they have what they call the LEN Program – Law Enforcement Network Program.
We sign on to that and we actually come in a collaborative effort periodically through the month where I’ll actually have officers go to different areas. They will also come here. They were here, matter of fact, in Colleton County last Friday night. And I want to say there was over 20 officers represented from different agencies in this judicial circuit that came down. The stats on that was very, very high. So it was very impressive of what they did.
They got a lot of impaired drivers off the road during that. So we’re happy to be sponsoring that.
And I think that’s all I have. So I thank y’all for your support. If I can do anything for you definitely give me a call or just stop by my office.
Appreciate it.
MAYOR WHITE: Thank you.
Along the lines of law enforcement, the old school building, we had a problem over there. Somebody broke in and sprayed toner, copy machine toner over one wing of the old building. I don’t know if y’all are familiar with toner but it’s — I mean you can basically cover — With one bottle you can cover the town and we have several bottles that are broken over there at town hall.
And I’m gonna be working with — talking to the chief about trying to offer some type of reward to find out the people or the person or persons involved with that. It’s not the first incident we had. This is actually a new incident that we had over there.
I went over there and repaired the building, closed the building back up but we’re trying to get the alarm system back in place so that will be secure and I hope that once we start having meetings over there and all that area will — People are starting to go over there, that will protect that building.
I hate to see — You know, we just got that building and I hate to see it fall into disrepair and be trashed. We’re trying to — You know, hopefully, by moving over to that area, as far as with the council and court over there, that will give us a presence and maybe make people aware that there’s people coming and going and, you know, at least protect that from getting destroyed.
And I do want to mention one other thing about police department being proactive. I had the opportunity coming in here last week and Shane and one of our officers were reviewing one of the video tapes from a chase they had the week before. And it definitely looked like an episode from Cops. The chase started here and ended up in Walterboro and it involved, I looked like the highway patrol and the sheriff deputies.
And Randy did an excellent job. I wish he was here to commend him on what he did but you really — The Town of Cottageville does have some really great officers who’re doing a great job.
This individual here, there was no reason in the world for that man to be on the road but he was. So I want you to know there’s a lot of stuff that goes on on that road. I wasn’t aware of it until I started coming in here and seeing, you know, firsthand what’s going on. So I do commend the department. Thank you very much.
And at this time we’ll have the judicial report given by Dawn Boren.
MS. BOREN: We had the average amount of walk-ins and phone calls.
I attended the South Carolina Summary Court Judges and Staff seminar February 11 through 14. We had training on South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicle matters, Microsoft efficiency in the office, courtroom security, internet predators, ethical considerations and we received intensive training on the new DUI law.
The South Carolina Court Administration also provided us with two new forms that will help our court system.
Terri and myself have worked hard this month on organizing jury trials. Our letters will go out soon, as we are in the last phase of finalizing everything.
And I married another couple. In Cottageville.
MAYOR WHITE: Thank you.
At this time we’ll have the committee reports given, first one, emergency preparedness given by Carlie Strickland.
COUNCIL MEMBER STRICKLAND: I met with Suzanne Gant today with the emergency preparedness in Walterboro. And she is putting together a program and she’s gonna be over here at our May meeting, which is, I think, May 4. Is that correct?
MAYOR WHITE: Yes.
COUNCIL MEMBER STRICKLAND: May 4 she’s gone be at our meeting here to give us the updates and everything that’s coming in through her office and what they gone be planning on doing this year with emergency preparedness.
MAYOR WHITE: Thank you.
Charlie Cook, public works.
COUNCIL MEMBER COOK: I don’t have anything to report.
MAYOR WHITE: Rick Eustler, technology.
COUNCIL MEMBER EUSTLER: Nothing of terrible consequence. The web site’s been fully updated. It was a problem posting minutes that went over 20-some pages but we resolved that, posted them up in sections versus the one whole thing.
And, also, my wife had taken photographs of the Christmas parade. And we put a gallery of photos up there.
MAYOR WHITE: Thank you.
Sandra Addison, planning commission.
MS. ADDISON: The planning commission met the Monday after town council last month and we finally got through the article 1. And this is no mean feat because article 1 covers 12 pages and there’s not one controversial word in this 12 pages. It’s about — It’s the — Article 1 is the general article that gives the authority and the enactment clause, titles, repeals and then definitions and rules of construction. And that is primarily what this is all about.
We have read every single word aloud in this room. Even Carl Null couldn’t stand it and left halfway through the last one. And we’ve only had two towns people here for that meeting.
But there was not one controversial word that was uttered that — you know, at that — at the last meeting.
We feel that we understand everything that’s in it and we ask that the town council consider article 1 for voting tonight.
And, also, at the meeting next Monday night, which’ll be here, we’re gonna start on article 2 and I don’t think that there’s anything controversial in that.
However, it is in everyone’s best interest to be here and hear every single word that is being read aloud and discussed ad nauseam. And it really — I mean it really is.
But I mean we really are, we’re taking this very seriously. We are — The committee is working really diligently at it. This is the second and third and fourth time, you know, of going over this for some of us and we do ask that you all consider passing this.
As I said, it’s primarily definitions and it’s the beginning and I don’t know any other way to do a change that involves 71 pages.
MAYOR WHITE: Well, what I’d like to do is for you to present it to council and for us to take a look at it -
MS. ADDISON: Right.
MAYOR WHITE: — since none of us were there, and review it and then, you know, we’ll act on it at the next meeting.
MS. ADDISON: And you certainly are invited to attend.
MAYOR WHITE: Well.
MS. ADDISON: All of you.
MAYOR WHITE: Thank you so much.
MS. ADDISON: You’re so welcome.
And we will be meeting next Monday night. As I said, we will start on article 2 and I don’t think there’s anything controversial but, you know, these are gonna be rules and regulations that affect every one of us in some manner and it really is in your best interest and we are very happy to have you here.
We’ve not had any real public participation because it’s not been a reason to have it yet but you’re certainly welcome to speak at the meetings. So we do, all of us – and there are three of us here tonight – invite everyone in the town to come and participate with us.
Thank you.
MAYOR WHITE: Okay.
Moving on to unfinished business. Second reading on the revised business ordinance 2009 dash 1, Town of Cottageville, an ordinance adopting a new business license ordinance.
The reason for this is actually that some of the rate structure had changed and the Town of Cottageville business license ordinance is adopted effective for all business licenses due in the year 2009 and years thereafter until amended and all prior issues, including amendments are repelled except in matters pending or unresolved. And that is basically it.
At this time I’ll entertain a motion for approval of the 2009 dash 1.
COUNCIL MEMBER COOK: Well, I have a quick question. In this revision the main part is that some of the rates have changed for businesses where some of them will go down, some may even go up. Will have to come up here to find out exactly where your classification comes from and this is coming from the state?
Okay.
MS. CROSBY: And we’ve added rental.
MAYOR WHITE: I’m glad Terri mentioned it. That was really about the biggest change, was rental property but, also, a lot of the classifications have gone down and when I mean have gone down, a lot of them, of course, if you’re reduced from a three to a two your rate actually does go down.
Okay.
Any other questions?
(No response.)
MAYOR WHITE: Not hearing none, do I hear a motion.
COUNCIL MEMBER COOK: I make a motion be approved and adopt the new business license ordinance, 2009 dash 1.
MAYOR WHITE: Do I hear a second?
COUNCIL MEMBER STRICKLAND: I second.
MAYOR WHITE: All in favor?
(All council members indicated yes.)
MAYOR WHITE: Ayes have it. Thank you.
Okay.
Water update. Basically, the only thing that I can tell you right now is we’re waiting on the report to come in from ECS by way of DHEC and I will let you know just as soon as that comes in.
New business. Update of the Cottageville municipal complex. I told you pretty much that work is progressing. The inside of the building’s painted out. We’re trying to do repairs to the outside of it right now and I think it will look like a nice, nice area once it’s completed.
There’s been a lot of effort that’s been going into it. We’re trying to make it as nice as we can with the limited budget we have but there’s a lot of things that go into it, you know, just like phone and internet and security. So we’re all working hard to try to get that taken care of.
We hope that as things progress that by next meeting I’ll be able to give you a report on that we should be wrapping things up for completion.
Approval of the ‘09-10 budget calendar. If you look in your package y’all have the budget calendar and Terri’s gone ahead and prepared this and, of course, I don’t know if y’all want to take a look at the dates.
And we’re gonna try to, during one of these periods, times, is have a one-day retreat to try to get everything worked out and we haven’t really determined the place to have that yet but at a later date I’ll give you notification and see if that will work with everyone.
Does anyone see anything on this calendar that needs to be changed?
COUNCIL MEMBER COOK: I’m just gonna have to go back and look at dates and correspondence and stuff. I mean off the top of my head I hate to say no, I mean but I can’t give you a definite answer at this time.
MAYOR WHITE: Yeah, I mean, you know, we have — Of course, we have the work sessions and all and I mean it’s — If you have to miss one of those it would probably be one of those things where, you know, we have enough scheduled that we can pick it up on the next month.
So do I have a motion for approval of the ‘09-10 budget calendar?
COUNCIL MEMBER COOK: I make a motion that we approve the ‘09-010 budget calendar.
MAYOR WHITE: Do I hear a second?
COUNCIL MEMBER EUSTLER: I second.
MAYOR WHITE: All in favor?
(All council members indicated yes.)
MAYOR WHITE: Ayes have it. Thank you.
Okay.
The motion to hire a part-time judicial clerk to cross-train. This is — As I mentioned before, this is to have somebody to assist Dawn during court night. We’ve cut down on court, the number of times we have court a month and it is pretty hectic around here. There’s a lot going on and this would give Dawn somebody to assist her during court. It would also have somebody in here that will be trained that if — Dawn does have a young family and just as far as vacation and sickness concerns, if she needs to be out there will be somebody that could go ahead and take over for her.
Part of the issue is, is that this is not something that we can ask Terri to fill in for because we’re trying to maintain separation between town and the court and the only way to do that is to, really, have somebody that’s dedicated in each of those areas.
And so at this time, where we’re at with this is we’ve actually gone out and we’ve put an ad in the paper and they’re in the process right now of interviewing candidates and I would like to have a motion that we — that I have permission to hire a part-time judicial clerk to assist Dawn in her area.
COUNCIL MEMBER STRICKLAND: I make a motion that we hire part-time judicial clerk.
MAYOR WHITE: Do I hear a second?
COUNCIL MEMBER EUSTLER: I’ll second.
MAYOR WHITE: All in favor?
(All council members indicated yes.)
MAYOR WHITE: Ayes have it. Thank you very much.
Public participation. Carl Null.
MR. NULL: We covered it.
The only — The only other thing I would ask is if the chief, sometimes it’s like around 7:30 the cars aren’t stopping on Main Street for the buses, the school buses.
CHIEF OF POLICE ROBERTS: That’s in the morning times?
MR. NULL: Yeah.
CHIEF OF POLICE ROBERTS: Dropping off in the morning time?
MR. NULL: Yeah, especially the buses going east, the cars coming west don’t stop.
CHIEF OF POLICE ROBERTS: We’ve had that complaint right when I first got here and, of course, I made sure that the guys looked at it then. What they found out is that, you know, the police presence takes care of it and, of course, it seems like once they’re not there, at that time it comes back. So I’ll have somebody check on it.
MR. NULL: I would assume it’s the drivers don’t feel unless somewhere — Because I’ve talked to a couple. They think since it’s four lanes they don’t have to stop but the way the law reads if it’s a grass median they don’t have to stop.
CHIEF OF POLICE ROBERTS: We’ll definitely take care of that.
MR. NULL: Thanks.
MAYOR WHITE: Okay.
If no one has anything else I’ll call for a motion to adjourn.
COUNCIL MEMBER EUSTLER: I make a motion we adjourn.
COUNCIL MEMBER STRICKLAND: Second.
MAYOR WHITE: All in favor?
(All council members indicated yes.)
MAYOR WHITE: Ayes have it. Thank you very much.
– Meeting adjourned at 7:35 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, March 2, 2009.
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 seventeenth day of March, 2009.
Notary Public for South Carolina
My Commission Expires April 23, 2017
