041921 Virtual Council Mtg Mins Adopted North
AugustaLAI/
South Carolina's Riueifront
MINUTES OF APRIL 19, 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 April 19, 2021 having
been duly publicized was called to order by Mayor Pettit at 7:01 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 7:35 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, Chief Financial Officer; Richard
• L. Meyer, Director of Parks, Recreation,and Tourism; John C.Thomas, Director of Public Safety;
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• 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 April 5,2020 were approved
by general consent.
ITEM 5. PERSONNEL: Employee of the Quarter — January, February, March 2021-
Doug Ruben
Mayor Pettit announced Doug Ruben as City of North Augusta Employee of the Quarter.
The City of North Augusta Employee Recognition Committee would like to recognize the
employee of the quarter for January,February, March 2021, Doug Ruben, Public Safety
Officer,with the Department of Public Safety.
Doug started with the City of North Augusta as a volunteer firefighter in 1994. He began his
employment with the City of North Augusta in 1999 as a paid firefighter and was promoted to
Public Safety Officer in 2013.
During his 26 years of service to the City of North Augusta, he has proven himself to be a
• dedicated and loyal member of the Public Safety team. Doug brings a wealth of knowledge and
experience to his shift and has recently been sharing that knowledge as a Field Training Officer.
His supervisors are blessed to count on his firefighting abilities, knowledge, and experience at
fire scenes.
Doug has shown a passion for our citizen's safety on our roadways and taken an interest in DUI
detection and enforcement. In the first quarter of 2021, Doug made 10 DUI arrests. The
collection of evidence, operation of breath testing equipment, documentation, multiple hearings
and court proceedings involved in DUI cases are all done in addition to Doug's regular patrol
officer duties. In addition, Doug also helps other officers with their DUI detection skills as a
Standard Field Sobriety Test Instructor and there is no doubt that the City of North Augusta is a
safer place to drive due to Doug's efforts.
Doug also serves as Public Safety's Infection Control Officer. He assumes the primary
responsibility to manage the Infection Control program, coordinates significant exposure
investigations, and ensures that the Department Administration complies with the requirements
of the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the National Fire Protection Association. He
submits written recommendations to the Director of Public Safety and the Department Safety
Officer for improvements to training, equipment, policies, and procedures to better effectuate the
Infection Control Program. Doug is always eager to complete the hard work that is asked of him
and does it with a smile.
• Doug Ruben is a tremendous asset to the Public Safety Department and the City of North Augusta
workforce.
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• Congratulations to Doug Ruben, our employee of the first quarter of 2021. We have a plaque for
you and monetary prize of$50.
ITEM 6. FINANCE: Resolution No. 2021-16—A Resolution Authorizing a Reallocation
of a Portion of the Original Funding Allocation Recommendations of the Accommodations
Tax Advisory Committee for the Disbursement of Revenues from the Accommodations Tax
Year 2017-2018
On the motion of Councilmember Toole, second of Councilmember Presnell, Council agreed to
consider a resolution to authorize a reallocation of a portion of the original funding allocation
recommendations of the Accommodations Tax Advisory Committee for the disbursement of
revenues from the Accommodations Tax Year 2017-2018. Cammie Hayes, Chief Financial
Officer, explained the need to reallocate the funding due to events which were canceled due to
COVID. The Accommodations Tax Advisory Committee is in support of the resolution. There
were no comments from citizens or Council. Council approved the resolution with a unanimous
7-0 vote.
Please see a copy of the proposed resolution below:
RESOLUTION NO. 2021-16
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING A REALLOCATION OF A PORTION OF THE ORIGINAL
• FUNDING ALLOCATION RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE ACCOMMODATIONS TAX
ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR THE DISBURSEMENT OF REVENUES FROM THE
ACCOMMODATIONS TAX YEAR 2017-2018
WHEREAS, the City adopted Resolution 2020-05 on February 3, 2020 with the
following funding allocations; and
Organization Project Project Name Amount Amount Awarded
Cateaory Requested
Aiken County/Ashley Tourism- Ad in Rowing $1,377 $1,377
Havird Related News
Events Magazine
FWB Fund Inc. / Lisa Taylor Tourism- Spring $20,000 $15,439.31
Related Concert
Events Amphitheater
Arts& Heritage/Mary Ann Tourism- Arts& $1,500 $1,500
Bigger Related Heritage Rack
Events Cards
NAPRT/ Rick Meyer Tourism- Amphitheater $10,000 $5,146.44
Related Grand
Events Opening
TOTAL $32,877 $23,462.75
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• HEREAS, the Mayor requested an extension to expend these funds from the
Tourism Expenditure Review Committee (TERC)on September 29, 2020 due to delayed projects
as a result of COVID-19; and
WHEREAS, due to continued restrictions on gathering and social distancing
requirements several projects have now been restructured to local only events or delayed
indefinitely; and
WHEREAS, the City's Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department (PRT) was
allocated $10,000 from the accommodations tax year 2019-2020 for the Sharon Jones
Amphitheater Concert Event Operations; and
WHEREAS, PRT was allocated $45,147.37 from the accommodations tax year
2018-2019 for a mobile stage; and
WHEREAS,additional funding is needed to support event operations of the Sharon
Jones Amphitheater Concert to include stage, sound, backline and staffing and additional funding
is also needed to secure the mobile stage for use at City events and other entertainment events; and
WHEREAS,the following revised funding allocations are presented for Council's
consideration:
• Organization Project Name Original Revised Allocation
Allocation
Aiken County/ Ad in Rowing News $1,377 $1,377
Ashley Havird Magazine
FWB Fund Inc./Lisa Spring Concert $15,439.31 $0
Taylor Amphitheater
Arts & Heritage/ Arts & Heritage Rack $1,500 $1,500
Mary Ann Bigger Cards
NAPRT/Rick Meyer Amphitheater Grand $5,146.44 $0
Opening
NAPRT/Rick Meyer Sharon Jones Amphitheater 19/20 tax year $6,500
Concert Event Operations request
NAPRT/Rick Meyer Mobile Stage 18/19 tax year $14,085.75
request
TOTAL $23,462.75
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the Mayor and City Council for the
City of North Augusta, in meeting duly assembled and by the authority thereof that:
1. Funding be reallocated as recommended and that the funding source be the
Accommodations Tax Fund for tax year 2017-2018.
2. Any net profits received by the City from the Sharon Jones Amphitheater
Concert are to be deposited into the Capital Projects Fund and combined with
• accommodations tax funding awarded to PRT for purchase of the mobile stage
for City and other entertainment events.
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• DONE, RATIFIED AND ADOPTED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
OF THE CITY OF NORTH AUGUSTA, SOUTH CAROLINA, ON THIS DAY OF
APRIL, 2021.
ITEM 7. ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS:
Rachelle Moody, Assistant City Administrator, reminded Council the Sharon Jones
Amphitheater Dedication event will be Saturday, April 24t'. If there is a need to re-schedule the
event due to inclement weather, a decision will be made by Noon on Saturday.
ITEM 8. PRESENTATIONS/COMMUNICATIONS/RECOGNITION OF VISITORS:
A. Citizen Comments:
Fred Ilardi— Please see ATTACHMENT#8 for a copy of the comments.
B. Council Comments:
Mayor Pettit reminded everyone In-Person Absentee Voting for the City's General Election
• is available at the North Augusta Community Center, April 19-22 from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00
p.m.
Councilmember Carpenter encouraged everyone to vote in the City's General Election on
Tuesday, April 27, 2021. She also thanked City Administrator Jim Clifford for attending
opening day for the RECing Crew. She invited others to attend future games on Saturday
mornings at Riverview Park at 10:00 a.m.
Councilmember Presnell congratulated PSO Doug Ruben on being recognized as Employee of
the Quarter.
There being no further business, Council adjourned at 7:35 p.m.
APPROVED THIS 3rA DAY OF Respectfully submitted,
2 � p�+�w.cvly of�.fN.dhJ
Sharon Lamar
Robert A. Pettit City Clerk
Mayor
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ATTACHMENT #8
Lamar, Sharon
•rom: Frederic Ilardi <fred00701@msn.com>
Sent: Monday, April 19, 2021 11:00 AM
To: Lamar, Sharon
Subject: Questions and Comments 04/19/2021 Council Meeting
Dear Mrs. Lamar:
At the North Augusta Council Meeting tonight, April 19,2021, 1 would like the following letter read and answers
supplied to the questions asked.
Thank you in advance for your response to my request.
Sincerely,
Fred Ilardi
803-279-7823
Dear Mayor Pettit:
I have further reviewed your response, via Facebook, that you made to my letter dated 04/05/2021. As you are
aware, I requested my letter to be read and answered at the April 5" 2021 Council Meeting . You chose to verbally
answer my questions at this meeting. As a follow up, I submit the same questions as previously sent to you and one
new additional question. I request a clarification to some of your responses and an answer to the 4t' question.
The first and second questions were as follows:
• 1. 1 have been told in previous requests that I made,that the information required to get financial information
for the payment of the City's financial obligation for Riverside Village,can be reviewed on the City Website
under the category " Series 20170 Disclosures" . After reviewing this information I noticed that the
4`"quarter for the 2019 Voluntary Filing was missing. Was this done for any reason? Was the information
required supplied in the City's financial documents and is it general policy not to supply financial
information in this format to the financial institution reviewing the bond payments at year's end?
2. It has been 95 days since the completion of 2020. Our mayor, Mr. Pettit, has indicated that he reviews
financial status monthly. It would appear somewhat strange to me that council and or citizens have not been
able to review the financial status of the Riverside Village Project after all of January, February, March, and 5
days in April have passed. When can this information be reviewed by Council and citizens and in what time
frame can it be expected going forward?
Mayor Pettit's Response and I paraphrase:The final financial audited report for 2020 has not been completed.
Thus, the audited information necessary to complete the 4t" quarter EMMA report is still not available.
My Further Questions and Comments to your Response: Isn't it true that the first 3 quarters of EMMA
reporting are based on available information at the time they are generated? What would prevent our City
accounting staff from preparing the 4`" quarter report in EMMA format, noting it is unaudited, posting it only on
the City website for all to review, and not sending it to the banking institution until all the I's are doted and T's
are crossed in a formal report? Are you further implying that Council, citizens and you can not react to financial
status until a formal, audited financial report is available? Wouldn't their own current evaluation , reaction, and
recommendations be based on dated information that presently is at least 100 days old?As regards 2019,there
• is still no 41" quarter EMMA like report which would make it impossible to do a comparison of 2019 results and
2020 results once 2020 results became available. I hope you were not suggesting that Council and citizens
generate their own EMMA like report which, in order to be created, would have to be extracted from a 200
page 2019 audited financial statement.
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• The third question was as follows:
3. We are nearing the time where we should start to prepare for 2022. Based on the information only City staff
can review, will we have enough funds to meet our financial obligation in November or can the citizens
anticipate a tax increase to cover any shortfall?
Mayor Pettit's Response and I paraphrase : I believe you stated that if you were continuing as mayor for an
additional term you would be recommending a tax increase based on infrastructure needs.
My Further Questions and Comments to your Response: Nowhere in your response did you anticipate or state
the need for additional funds to support Riverside Village or the loan payment to support that project. Clearly there
are shortfalls in the TIF/Scenario 90 funds. How will they be made up? On what basis can you conclude that no funds
would be required for RV since you don't have the 2020 financial information available at the present time to make
that evaluation or the financial information for the 1"quarter of 2021?
As the 4`h and final question , has the Comprehensive Plan, which was generated at a cost of approximately
$200,000, and was adopted on August 7,2017, been reviewed annually with the Planning Commission providing a
January report to City Council on the progress made in implementing an annual priorities list as detailed in
Paragragh11.1.1 of the Comprehensive Plan? if so are there records of the Planning Commission's annual reports
to City Council that citizens can access? If the Planning Commission has not provided annual reports on the
progress made in implementing an annual priorities list for the Comprehensive Plan,when will a report be
provided by the Planning Commission to City Council and will the citizens be able to access the report?
• Thank you in advance for your attention to my letter. I request that you insert this letter as part of the minutes of
the meeting and if answers are provided in writing, they also should be included in the minutes.
I want take this time to thank you for the City service you have provided as Mayor . I wish you a happy and long life
in your retirement from your Mayor's position. I appreciate your patience and understanding to the questions I
submit, and hope they provide some insight to what the citizens are concerned with.
Sincerely,
Fred Ilardi
803-279-7823
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