010421 Virtual Council Mtg Mins Adopted North'
Augusta
South Carolina's Riuerfront
MINUTES OF JANUARY 4,2021
Robert A. Pettit, Mayor
J. Robert Brooks, Councilmember
Pat C. Carpenter, Councilmember
Fletcher L. Dickert, Councilmember
David W. McGhee, Councilmember
Eric H. Presnell, Councilmember
Kevin W Toole, Councilmember
•
ORDER OF BUSINESS
VIRTUAL REGULAR MEETING
The regular meeting of the City Council of the City of North Augusta of January 4, 2021 having
been duly publicized was called to order by Mayor Pettit at 7:02 p.m, and streamed online for
public viewing at the City Facebook page: "City of North Augusta—Public Information"and City
YouTube page: "City of North Augusta Public Information" then adjourned at 7:37 p.m. Per
Section 30-4-80,(e)notice of the meeting by email was sent out to the current maintained"Agenda
Mailout list consisting of news media outlets and individuals or companies requesting
notification. Notice of the meeting was also posted on the outside doors of the Municipal Center,
the main bulletin board of the Municipal Center located on the first floor, and the City of North
Augusta website.
Mayor Pettit rendered the invocation and the Pledge of Allegiance.
Members present were Mayor Pettit, Councilmembers Brooks, Carpenter, Dickert, McGhee,
Presnell, and Toole.
Also in attendance were James S. Clifford, City Administrator; Rachelle Moody, Assistant City
• Administrator; Kelly F. Zier, City Attorney; Cammie T. Hayes, Director of Finance and General
1
• Services; Thomas C. Zeaser, Director of Engineering and Public Works; Richard L. Meyer,
Director of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism; Lillian E. (Libby) Hodges, Director of Planning and
Development; J.D. McCauley, Manager of Human Resources; Ricky Jones, Manager of
Information Technology and Sharon Lamar, City Clerk.
The minutes of the Virtual Study Session and City Council meeting of December 21, 2020 were
approved by general consent.
ITEM 5. ANNEXATION: Ordinance No. 2020-36 —To Change the Corporate Limits
of the City of North Augusta by Accepting the Petition Requesting Annexation by the City
of North Augusta and Annexing f0.23 Acres of Parcel 005-10-05-016, Fronting on Mayfield
Drive and Owned by the City of North Augusta; Ordinance—Final Reading
On the motion of Councilmember Toole, second of Councilmember Carpenter, Council agreed to
consider an ordinance on final reading to change the corporate limits of the City of North Augusta
by annexing t0.23 acres of parcel 005-10-05-016, fronting on Mayfield Drive and owned by the
City of North Augusta. There were no comments from citizens. Councilmember Dickert asked
the projected completion date. Rachelle Moody, Assistant City Administrator, explained the City
has secured a TAP grant for this Greeneway extension project. The ordinance was adopted
unanimously with a vote of 7-0.
Please see a copy of the proposed ordinance below:
• ORDINANCE NO. 2020-36
TO CHANGE THE CORPORATE LIMITS OF THE CITY OF
NORTH AUGUSTA BY ACCEPTING THE PETITION REQUESTING
ANNEXATION BY THE CITY OF NORTH AUGUSTA AND ANNEXING t 0.23 ACRES
OF PARCEL 005-10-05-016 FRONTING ON MAYFIELD DRIVE AND OWNED BY
THE CITY OF NORTH AUGUSTA
WHEREAS, Section 5-3-150(3)of the Code of Laws of the State of South Carolina
provides that: "Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (1) and (2) of this section, any area
or property which is contiguous to a municipality may be annexed to the municipality by filing
with the municipal governing body a petition signed by all persons owning real estate in the area
requesting annexation. Upon the agreement of the governing body to accept the petition and annex
the area, and the enactment of an ordinance declaring the area annexed to the municipality, the
annexation is complete"; and
WHEREAS, the Mayor and City Council of the City of North Augusta, have
approved a resolution authorizing the City Administrator to execute any documents necessary to
request annexation of the property and determined that such Petition should be accepted and the
property annexed into the City; and
•
2
• WHEREAS,the zoning classification recommended for the properties proposed for
annexation has been reviewed for consistency with the Future Land Use Classification of the
properties as specified in the Land Use Element of the North Augusta 2017 Comprehensive Plan;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the Mayor and City Council of the
City of North Augusta, South Carolina, in meeting duly assembled and by the authority thereof
that:
I. The Petition is accepted and the following described property shall be annexed into
the City of North Augusta:
All those certain pieces, parcels or tracts of land with the improvements thereon,
situate, lying and being in the County of Aiken, State of South Carolina, being a
portion of the Old Central of Georgia/Norfolk Southern Railroad right-of-way,
being shown and designated as LOTS FORTY-TWO (42) AND FORTY-THREE
(43) on a plat of said right-of-way prepared by William H. McKie, 1111, RLS,
dated June 16, 1989, recorded in the Office of the RMC for Aiken
County, South Carolina in Plat Book 22 at pages 106-108. Said property is further
shown on an individual plat prepared by William 11. McKie, III, RLS, dated
September 30, 1993, recorded in Misc. Book 727 at page 187. Reference is hereby
made to said plats for a more complete and accurate description as to the metes,
bounds and exact location of the within conveyed property, including all adjacent
right-of-way.
• Tax Map & Parcel No.: 005-10-05-016
The property to be annexed is also shown on a map identified as"Exhibit A"titled
"Map of Property Sought to be Annexed to the City of North Augusta" dated
October 28, 2020 and prepared by the City of North Augusta.
II. The zoning classification shall be P, Public Use, as shown on a map identified as
"Exhibit B"titled "Zoning of Property Sought to be Annexed to the City of North
Augusta" dated October 28,2020, and prepared by the City of North Augusta.
III. All Ordinances or parts of Ordinances in conflict herewith are,to the extent of such
conflict, hereby repealed.
IV. This Ordinance shall become effective immediately upon its adoption on second
and final reading.
DONE, RATIFIED AND ADOPTED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
OF THE CITY OF NORTH AUGUSTA, SOUTH CAROLINA, ON THIS
DAY OF 2020.
•
3
• ITEM 6. LAW AND JUSTICE: 2021 Jury Box—Motion to Accept
On the motion of Mayor Pettit, second of Councilmember Presnell, Council agreed to accept the
2021 Municipal Jury Box containing the names of all registered voters and the names of
individuals with a South Carolina driver's license in the City of North Augusta jurisdiction.Kelly
Zier,City Attorney,shared the"Jury Box"that was once a physical box out of which jurors names
were drawn is now actually a computer disk containing the list of 21,209 names. The 2021 Jury
Box was accepted as required by State law with a unanimous 7-0 vote.
ITEM 7. CITY CODE: Ordinance No. 2021-01 —An Ordinance Amending Section 6.3
Code of Ordinances for the City of North Augusta Related to the Requirement of Licensed
Contractors to Provide a Surety Bond to the City as a Condition of Being Issued a License
to do Business in the City. This Ordinance Deleting Such Section in Its Entirety; Ordinance
—First Reading
On the motion of Councilmember Brooks, second of Councilmember Carpenter, Council agreed
to consider an ordinance on first reading to amend Section 6.3 Code of Ordinances for the City of
North Augusta related to the requirement of licensed contractors to provide a Surety Bond to the
City as a condition of being issued a license to do business in the City.This ordinance would delete
such section in its entirety. Kelly Zier, City Attorney,explained very few municipalities have this
section in their Code. To his knowledge the City has never had to use a Surety Bond. The bond
causes more difficulty and hardship for contractors wishing to do business in the City. There were
• no comments from citizens. The first reading of the ordinance was approved with a unanimous
vote of 7-0.
Please see a copy of the proposed ordinance below:
ORDINANCE NO. 2021-01
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION 6.3 CODE OF ORDINANCES FOR
THE CITY OF NORTH AUGUSTA RELATED TO THE REOUIREMENT OF
LICENSED CONTRACTORS TO PROVIDE A SURETY BOND TO THE
CITY AS A CONDITION OF BEING ISSUED A LICENSE TO DO BUSINESS
IN THE CITY. THIS ORDINANCE DELETING SUCH SECTION IN ITS
ENTIRETY
WHEREAS, Section 6-3 of the City Code requires, as a condition to being issued
a City Business License, that a contractor file a surety bond with the City; and,
WHEREAS,the City is currently in the process of making changes to City Business
License requirements that would result in more conformity with requirements by municipalities
throughout the state; and,
WHEREAS, this requirement by the City for the filing of a surety bond is not
• consistent with the general practice throughout the State; and,
4
• WHEREAS, the bond requirement of this Section does not relate to protections to
citizens related to the work being performed by the contractor, but is specifically related to
providing protections to the City related to failure by the contractor to comply with City ordinances
and to require payment for damages done to City property; and,
WHEREAS, a determination has been made that such bonds have been rarely, if
ever, utilized by the City; and,
WHEREAS, the City has other procedures available to protect the City's interest;
and,
WHEREAS, Mayor and City Council, upon a full review of this matter, have
determined that it would be appropriate to discontinue such requirement.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the Mayor and City Council of the
City of North Augusta, South Carolina, in meeting duly assembled and by the authority thereof,
that:
I. Section 6.3.Surety Bond Required by Licensed Contractors,is hereby amended by deleting
such section in its entirety.
II. All other ordinances or parts of other ordinances in conflict herewith are to the extent of
• such conflict,hereby repealed.
III. This Ordinance shall become effective immediately upon its adoption on second and final
reading.
DONE, RATIFIED AND ADOPTED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF NORTH AUGUSTA, SOUTH CAROLINA, ON THIS__DAY OF
2021.
ITEMS. COMMUNITY PROMOTION: Resolution No.2021-01—Naming the
Carrsville Neighborhood as an African American Heritage District
On the.motion of Mayor Pettit, second of Councilmember McGhee, Council agreed to consider a
resolution to name the Carrsville Neighborhood as an African American Heritage District. As
suggested, Mayor Pettit read the ordinance aloud. Several Councilmember expressed words of
support for the resolution. There were no comments from citizens. The resolution was adopted
with a 7-0 unanimous vote.
Please see a copy of the proposed resolution below:
RESOLUTION NO. 2021-01
NAMING THE CARRSVILLE NEIGHBORHOOD AS AN
AFRICAN-AMERICAN HERITAGE DISTRICT
•
5
• WHEREAS,the now-abandoned City of Hamburg was the location of a an incident
having implications for national and state elections of 1876; and
WHEREAS eight men were killed in a confrontation between the African-
American militia and a large group of whites; and
WHEREAS, seven of the eight men who were killed were African-Americans
residing in Hamburg; and
WHEREAS, Savannah River floods in 1929 essentially destroyed and washed
away the buildings and residences in Hamburg, forcing residents to relocate; a large percentage of
whom chose the Carrsville area, uphill from Hamburg; and
WHEREAS,the remnants of the First Providence Baptist Church building,founded
in Hamburg in 1860, were relocated to Carrsville following the 1929 floods, and approximately
the same time the Society Building was constructed in Carrsville, where both buildings remain
standing today; and
WHEREAS, members of the committee appointed by Resolution 2019-10, A
Resolution Providing Findings about the Hamburg Incident of 1876 and Appointing Members of
a Committee to Evaluate Options for an Additional Display in John C. Calhoun Park, concluded
the First Providence Baptist Church and Society Building are suited to be the nucleus of what
could become an African-American Historical District.
• WHEREAS,the South Carolina Department of Archives and History is the agency
authorized to designate an area as an Historic District; and
WHEREAS, the committee members also concluded Carrsville is the location
within the City of North Augusta appropriate to emphasize African-American accomplishments,
especially those during and after Reconstruction; and
WHEREAS, Hamburg and Carrsville are linked by proximity, events and history,
Carrsville is the logical choice to tell the story of Hamburg, from its founding through its
destruction, and of the growth of Carrsville and African-American accomplishments.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Mayor and City Council of the
City of North Augusta, South Carolina, in meeting duly assembled and by the authority thereof,
the area along Barton Road west of Buena Vista Avenue shall be designated as the "Hamburg-
Carrsvitle African American Heritage District.
DONE, RATIFIED AND ADOPTED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF NORTH AUGUSTA, SOUTH CAROLINA, ON THIS DAY OF JANUARY,2021.
i
6
• ITEM 9. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: Resolution No. 2021-02—A Resolution to
Reallocate Funding for the Facade Improvement Program
On the motion of Councilmember Dickert, second of Councilmember Toole, Council agreed to
consider a resolution to reallocate funding for the Fagade Improvement Program. There were no
comments from citizens. The resolution was adopted with a unanimous vote of 7-0.
Please see a copy of the proposed resolution below:
RESOLUTION NO.2021-02
A RESOLUTION TO REALLOCATE FUNDING FOR
THE FACADE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM
WHEREAS, the Mayor and City Council previously funded and established an
application process for the Fagade Improvement Program via Resolution 2017-10; and
WHEREAS,on June 1,2020,Mayor and Council determined that a small business
grant program was in the best interest of the City and should take precedence over the Fagade
Improvement Program due to the impacts of COVID-19 on the small business community and via
Resolution 2020-22, $25,694 was reallocated from the Fagade Improvement Program to a Small
Business Grant Program; and
WHEREAS, the application and award period for the Small Business Grant
Program has passed and$19,518 remains available; and
• WHEREAS,the Mayor and City Council have determined that the Small Business
Grant Program shall be closed and the Fagade Improvement Program shall again take precedence
for funding.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Mayor and City Council of the
City of North Augusta, in meeting duly assembled and by the authority thereof,that:
1. The Mayor and City Council do hereby redirect $19,518 of the Small
Business Grant Program to the Fagade Improvement Program in the Capital
Projects Fund.
2. The City Administrator or his designee is hereby authorized to accept new
facade grant applications and make grant award payments to both pre-
existing and new facade grant projects in accordance established guidelines.
DONE,RATIFIED AND ADOPTED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
NORTH AUGUSTA, SOUTH CAROLINA,ON THIS THE 4TH DAY OF JANUARY,2021.
ITEM 10. ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS:
Jim Clifford, City Administrator, announced projects that will impact traffic in and around the
roadway this week:
• • Tuesday, January 5 from 7:30 am 12:00 noon, a tree removal contractor and Dominion
Energy will be working in and obstructing the 100 block of Alta Vista Avenue.
7
• • Wednesday,January 6 and Thursday, January 7 between the hours of 9:00 am and 4:00
pm Dominion Energy will be performing repairs related to the signals at the intersection
of Georgia Avenue and Martintown Road.
Citizens were urged use alternate routes during this time or proceed slowly and heed caution
when traveling near these projects.
ITEM 11. PRESENTATIONS/COMMUNICATIONS/RECOGNITION OF VISITORS:
A. Citizen Comments:
There were no comments from citizens.
B. Council Comments:
Councilmember Presnell asked about potential Building Standards software for permits
and inspections.
Councilmember Dickert would like staff to pursue more information on LED lights for
Downtown and neighborhoods.
Mayor Pettit shared an email received during the holiday season to recognize the great
• work of the City's Sanitation Department.
Mayor Pettit also shared information about an upcoming Red Cross Blood Drive on
Wednesday, February 10 at the North Augusta Community Center.
There being no further business, Council adjourned at 7:37 p.m.
AP RO ED THIS l DAY OF Respectfully submitted,
2021.
Sharon Lamar
A Rob rt . Pettit City Clerk
Mayor
•
8