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081125 Study Session Mins AdoptedPage 1 of 2 MINUTES OF AUGUST 11, 2025 Briton S. Williams, Mayor Kevin W. Toole, Councilmember – Mayor Pro Tem Dennis C. Briatico, Councilmember David B. Buck, Councilmember Pat C. Carpenter, Councilmember John M. Felak, Councilmember Robert L. Freitas, Councilmember ORDER OF BUSINESS STUDY SESSION The Study Session of August 11, 2025 for the City Council of the City of North Augusta, having been duly publicized, was called to order by Mayor Williams at 6:00pm and also 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.” Per Section 30-4-80(e) notice of the meetings was sent out by email to the current maintained “Agenda Mailout” list consisting of news media outlets and individuals or companies requesting notification. Notice of the meetings 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. Members present were Mayor Williams, Councilmembers Buck, Briatico, Carpenter, Felak, Freitas, and Toole. Also in attendance were James S. Clifford, City Administrator; J.D. McCauley, Assistant Administrator; Kelly F. Zier, City Attorney; Thomas C. Zeaser, Director of Engineering and Public Works; Chief Junior Johnson, Public Safety; Tommy Paradise, Director of Planning & Development; Roy Kibler, Superintendent of Property Maintenance; Rick Meyer, Director of Parks & Recreation, Karl Waldhauer, Manager of Tourism; Lynda Williamson, Director of Finance; Kayla Ferguson, Manager of Human Resources; Jamie Paul, City Clerk; and Ricky Jones, Manager of Information Technology. Page 1 of 2 DRAFT AGENDA: CITY OF NORTH AUGUSTA CITY COUNCIL MEETING August 18, 2025 – 6:00 p.m. – Municipal Center – 100 Georgia Avenue, 3rd Floor - Council Chambers The City Council meeting will be streamed for public viewing online at: • “City of North Augusta – Public Information” on www.Facebook.com • “City of North Augusta Public Information” on www.YouTube.com CITIZEN COMMENTS: Citizens may speak to Mayor and City Council on each item listed on this agenda. The Mayor will call for comments prior to Council’s discussion. Speakers shall give their name and address in an audible tone of voice. Speaker Forms are provided on the credenza at the entrance for speakers desiring that the minutes indicate that they addressed Council on a specific topic. The form will be included as part of the minutes of the meeting. Citizen comments are limited to five minutes. CITIZEN ASSISTANCE: Individuals needing special assistance or sign interpreter to participate in the meeting, please notify the Administration Department 48 hours prior to the meeting. 1. CALL TO ORDER 2. INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 3. ROLL CALL 4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: • Regular City Council Meeting minutes of August 4, 2025 • Study Session minutes of August 11, 2025 5. PROCLAMATION(S): a. Direct Support Professionals Recognition Week – September 7-13, 2025 b. Stormwater Awareness Week – September 22-26, 2025 6. PERSONNEL: a. Captain Charles H. Williams, Jr., Public Safety; Retirement – Recognition of Service to the City of North Augusta OLD BUSINESS 7. PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT: Ordinance No. 2025-12 Amending Article 9, Signs, of the North Augusta Development Code, Chapter 18 of the City of North Augusta, South Carolina Code of Ordinances – Second Reading ATTACHMENT #1 Page 1 of 2 Page 2 of 2 NEW BUSINESS 8. COUNCIL: Resolution No. 2025-27 Appointing Members to the Accommodations Tax Advisory Committee to Make State Accommodations Tax Expenditure Recommendations for Council’s Consideration 9. ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS a. Update on Utility Billing System Transition b. Update on Hurricane Helene Recovery Efforts 10. PRESENTATIONS/COMMUNICATIONS/RECOGNITION OF VISITORS: A. Citizen Comments: At this time, citizens may speak to Mayor and City Council regarding matters not listed on the agenda. Speakers shall give their name and address for the records. Speaker Forms are provided on the credenza for speakers desiring that the minutes indicate that they addressed Council on a specific topic. The form will be included as part of the minutes of the meeting. Citizen comments are limited to five minutes. B. Council Comments 11. ADJOURNMENT ATTACHMENT #1 Page 2 of 2 FINANCE: • Report will be covered under the Focus Items. HUMAN RESOURCES: • See the following page for the Employment Opportunities list ENGINEERING AND PUBLIC WORKS: • Greeneway @ Boeckh Park Boardwalk Replacement • Brick Pond Park Boardwalk Repairs PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT: • Planning Commission meeting Wednesday, August 20 PUBLIC SERVICES: • Mosquito Spray Area • City Property Trees PUBLIC SAFETY: • Public Safety will be hosting the South Carolina Firefighter's Association Leadership Institute Wednesday, August 13. • Public Safety will be having a training session for the South Carolina graduates of the FBI National Academy on Thursday, August 21. PARKS AND RECREATION: • Riverview Park Activities Center Elevator inspection date is Wednesday, August 13 at 9am • Greeneway team: installation of trolley banners and removal of Hometown Hero banners • Greeneway mowing of trail overgrowth with Property Maintenance boom mower this week • Fall Sports Evaluations begin this week; 1,246 participants registered TOURISM: • New Trolley Routes • Good Morning North Augusta Breakfast (North Augusta Chamber of Commerce) o Thursday, August 14 at 7:30am at the Community Center • Explore North Augusta Fall Series DEPARTMENT DETAILS for August 11, 2025 ATTACHMENT #2 Page 1 of 2 o apply and to see full job descriptions please visit www.northaugustasc.gov/jobs. You may also contact Human Resources for more information at 803-442-5712 or sking@northaugustasc.gov. The City of North Augusta is an Equal Opportunity Employer EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES Communications Technician I – Public Safety Grade: 10 Salary/Pay Rate: $20.24 - $24.29/hour Closing Date: Until Filled Firefighter – Public Safety Grade: 4 Salary/Pay Rate: $14.25 - $17.11/hour Closing Date: Until Filled Grounds Worker III – Property Maintenance Grade: 7 Salary/Pay Rate: $17.25 – $20.70/hour Closing Date: Until Filled Heavy Equipment Mechanic I – Sanitation Grade: 9 Salary/Pay Rate: $19.24 – $23.09/hour Closing Date: Until Filled Heavy Equipment Operator – MRF Grade: 9 Salary/Pay Rate: $19.24 – $23.09/hour Closing Date: Until Filled Public Safety Officer – Public Safety Grade: 16 Salary/Pay Rate: $24.54 - $29.45/hour Closing Date: Until Filled Sanitation Worker I – Sanitation Grade: 4 Salary/Pay Rate: $14.25 - $17.11/hour Closing Date: Until Filled Trades Worker – Streets and Drains Grade: 8 Salary/Pay Rate: $18.25 - $21.90/hour Closing Date: Until Filled Tree Care Technician – Property Maintenance Grade: 13 Salary/Pay Rate: $23.24 - $27.88/hour Closing Date: Until Filled Utility Service Technician – Public Utilities Grade: 13 Salary/Pay Rate: $23.24 - $27.88/hour Closing Date: Until Filled Vehicle Operator I – Sanitation Grade: 6 Salary/Pay Rate: $16.25 - $19.50/hour Closing Date: Until Filled Vehicle Operator III – MRF Grade: 10 Salary/Pay Rate: $20.24 - $24.29/hour Closing Date: Until Filled ATTACHMENT #2 Page 2 of 2 Opioid Abatement and Recovery Proposal Aiken Center and City of North Augusta August 11, 2025 Proposal: New dedicated Peer Support Specialist for North Augusta. In keeping with the Aiken County Community Action Plan for the South Carolina Opioid Recovery Fund (SCORF), the City of North Augusta will submit an application for designated funds before the October 17, 2025 deadline. The plan would be for the City to enter into an MOU with Aiken Center to provide a dedicated North Augusta Certified Peer Support Specialist (CPSS). The CPSS will provide services benefiting North Augusta residents and families impacted by drug misuse and addictions. To reach high-risk North Augusta residents and provide maximum outreach and opioid abatement impact, the CPSS will primarily be embedded within the North Augusta Department of Social Services (DSS) office; the Hartzog Center of Aiken Barnwell Mental Health (ABMHC) on Martintown Road; and will work in concert with the SCORF-funded North Augusta Public Safety outreach team. DSS and ABMHC leaders have approved this concept plan and will provide space in their North Augusta offices. Funding: All expenses will come from the SCORF pharmaceutical opioid settlement—not taxpayer dollars. North Augusta City Council and staff will evaluate the program performance and efficacy, and may or may not choose to continue the partnership project after the first year. Timeline: The SCORF Board will review the application from the City of North Augusta this fall after the October submission, and upon approval, will send the funds to the City for project launch January 2026. Under the MOU, Aiken Center will provide all required program reports and deliverables to the City and will invoice expenses per an approved budget. A Certified Peer Support Specialists (CPSS) is someone in recovery from an addiction who uses that first-hand experience toward helping others in their individualized recovery journey. Services by a CPSS include but are not limited to: • Coaching and peer-to-peer support by providing encouragement and helping individuals identify and overcome barriers to recovery; • Sharing practical knowledge and strategies for understanding addiction and how to navigate into sustained recovery; • Assisting with finding resources, often including sober-living housing, local support groups, and links to job training and practical life support; • Bridging to other needed resources including both outpatient and sometimes inpatient treatment. Why partner with Aiken Center for these services for North Augusta residents? • Subject matter expertise. Aiken Center is Aiken County’s Alcohol and Other Drug Services Commission—also known as the ‘county authority’--with a 50-year record of providing substance use services across the continuum of prevention, intervention, treatment and recovery support; • Reach-back team support. The CPSS hired by Aiken Center will have a team backing them up, including four additional CPSS staff members and, importantly, a team of seven clinical counselors who stand ready to provide the often-needed treatment services; ATTACHMENT #3Ai Page 1 of 2 • Recovery Capital Resources. The thirty-person staff of Aiken Center continues to engage and strengthen a network of partners and resources to address family barriers to recovery from substance use disorders. Budget: Certified Peer Support FTE Salary One FTE $42,000 Fringe $16,800 Training, materials, and mileage $4,000 Laptop, printer, supplies and EHR access $2,300 Office space rental contributions with the North Augusta DSS and Hartzog buildings as needed $4,800 Clinical Supervision $3,120 Admin Supervision and support $4,080 Sub-Total $77,100 Margaret M. Key Aiken Center ATTACHMENT #3Ai Page 2 of 2 AUGUST 11, 2025 North Augusta City Council Fiscal Year 2025 Update Attachment #3Aii Page 1 of 17 Purpose: ▪To update the public and city council on Fiscal Year 2025 budget expenditures ▪To update the public and city council on ARPA expenditures Attachment #3Aii Page 2 of 17 FY 2025 Budget Drivers ▪10.5% increase in PEBA insurance costs to all local governments in South Carolina ▪3% Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) to all City employees (Archer study recommended 4.0 –4.4%) ▪Additional personnel (3 FTE) ▪Continued transition from Lease-Purchase to outright purchase Attachment #3Aii Page 3 of 17 Personnel Additions: ▪1 Public Safety Records Supervisor ▪1 PSO (Absorbed from DUI Grant ending) ▪1 Greeneway Coordinator ▪2 Grant PSOs (DUI and Traffic Safety Grants) –added, no budget impact this year ▪1 SRO for North Augusta High School –funded by grant, no budget impact ▪Restructuring of Customer Service Clerk to Procurement Specialist Attachment #3Aii Page 4 of 17 Facilities / DPW / Public Services: ▪MC Exterior Maintenance –CPF ▪$975 spent to pressure wash and paint exterior retaining walls ▪Remainder to be obligated for pressure washing and window cleaning ▪Right-of-way tractor –CPF Attachment #3Aii Page 5 of 17 Public Safety: ▪.45 to 9mm transition (weapons received –training ongoing before implementation) ▪Replaced some Chevy Tahoe patrol vehicles with Chevy patrol pickups ▪Fire Station 2 Fire Alarm Replacement –Capital Projects Fund ▪Used ladder truck –Capital Projects Fund Attachment #3Aii Page 6 of 17 Parks & Recreation: Riverview Park Tennis Court resurfacing project Riverview Park Activities Center Elevator Attachment #3Aii Page 7 of 17 Tourism: Banquet Room Flooring –Capital Project Fund Community Center Painting –Capital Project Fund Banquet Room Lighting –Capital Project Fund 15 passenger van –Riverfront Central Core Light pickup truck -Riverfront Central Core Enclosed Trailer -Riverfront Central Core Attachment #3Aii Page 8 of 17 Downtown / Quality of Life: ▪Downtown -$25,000 allocated ▪$20,000 hanging flower basket maintenance/watering ▪$4,504 maintenance contract for downtown lighting Attachment #3Aii Page 9 of 17 Un-forecasted Requirements •Hurricane Helene •Debris collection & removal •Fire Station 2 roof •Stormwater detention pond and lift station fencing •Stormwater detention pond tree clearing •Utility right of way clearing •NRSC Grant -$906,359.37 •River Club Pond Sediment Removal –Complete $60,603 •Engineering Services for Willow Wick Creek -$105,170 Attachment #3Aii Page 10 of 17 Projects / Equipment Additions Light duty pickup trucks (DPW & Code Enforcement) Full size pickup truck (Property Maintenance) Landscape Maintenance Contract funding ($30k) 60” & 52” mower 35’ Towable Aerial Lift (Streets & Drains + Property Maintenance) Replace Operations Facility Flooring Golf Carts x 2, JD Reel Mower, Debris Blower (Parks & Rec) Animal Shelter Flooring Resurfacing Fire Hose replacements CAT Team vehicle 8 Public Safety Vehicles Attachment #3Aii Page 11 of 17 Attachment #3Aii Page 12 of 17 ARPA Expenditures ▪Thirteen (13) Council Resolutions ▪Funds must be obligated / on contract by end of 2024 ▪Services and purchases must be complete by end of 2026 Attachment #3Aii Page 13 of 17 ARPA Expenditures Stormwater 8% Water 26% Wastewater 16%Public Safety 11% Parks & Rec 5% Downtown / RV 23% Employees 4% Software/Services 7% ARPA Stormwater Water Wastewater Public Safety Parks & Rec Downtown / RV Employees Software/Services Attachment #3Aii Page 14 of 17 ARPA Projects @ 100% completion ▪Greeneway Bridge Replacement $167,000 ▪Parks & Rec ▪trailer removal $15,800 ▪quiet generators $4,842.56 ▪Athletic Field Lighting $89,800 ▪Mealing Tract / Bluegrass stormwater project $600,000 ▪Pole Branch remediation (stormwater)$400,000 ▪Public Safety ▪Air & Light Truck, 911 consoles, Drone, Speed Trailer $571,752.86 ▪SmartCOP $30,941.09 ▪Downtown Plan w/Augusta Tomorrow $35,000 Attachment #3Aii Page 15 of 17 ARPA Projects (ongoing) ▪Southwest Interceptor Pipeline Rehab Project $1,871,089.22 ▪Carolina Springs Lift Station ▪8” slip lining project ▪Clay Street Booster Pump Station $3,123,632 ▪Stadium Improvement Fund (final year)$600,000 ▪ERP/Finance Software $770,000 Attachment #3Aii Page 16 of 17 AUGUST 11, 2025 North Augusta City Council Fiscal Year 2025 Update Attachment #3Aii Page 17 of 17 City of North Augusta Utility Billing System Transition Update 11 August 2025 ATTACHMENT #3Aiii Page 1 of 6 City Administrator bumped Hurricane Response as #1 priority to utility billing as new #1 City administrator guidance: late bills are preferable to inaccurate bills. No billing until internal audits verify billing information Late Fees and Water Cut-Offs Suspended •Last Shut-Off: December 17, 2024 •Last Late Fee: February 6, 2025 City Response & Corrective ActionsATTACHMENT #3Aiii Page 2 of 6 Billing Schedule: •No late fees or shut-offs will be applied until further notice Customer Communication: •Enhanced transparency and updates via website, social media, and bill inserts •Dedicated staff assigned to resolve individual billing issues promptly System Stability & Training: •Continued vendor support and internal training to ensure long-term success •Evaluation of contract and vendor performance underway Ongoing ATTACHMENT #3Aiii Page 3 of 6 •Finance department has a new centralized customer service line: 803-442-5717 •8/10 bills were mailed on time (8/8 –last business day prior to billing cycle) •8/25 bills are anticipated to go out on time •Billing cycles should be back to normal this month Bottom Line for Citizens ATTACHMENT #3Aiii Page 4 of 6 Billing Cycles ATTACHMENT #3Aiii Page 5 of 6 Questions? ATTACHMENT #3Aiii Page 6 of 6 I want to take a few minutes and respond to our Public Power Hour last Monday. We had a full house and I appreciate citizens coming out. This was really about us listening. I thanked each of the speakers last week but want to reiterate again that I respect each of them- Linda Tabitha Tyler I, along with our Council have had a chance to do some reflecting from the meeting over the past week and want to share some thoughts and clear up some mis information which I believe will be very helpful for citizens including the ones who were in attendance. One of the points that was brought up by each of the speakers in some form or fashion had to do with how can we make some easy wins/decisions about improving the shelter. After discussion with Administration and Council feedback we will do 4 things immediately. 2 of the items came from us listening to the speakers last Monday. 2 are small items but came from the 2019 Assessment plan that has been talked about a lot. 1. We will allow volunteers to be at the shelter to give the dogs a chance to be outside the kennel at times when Officer McBride can’t be there. Administration and Public Safety will work on the details of what that looks like but we should allow volunteers to be there in certain times and situations when we don’t have Officer McBride. It is the right thing to do for the dogs. 2. We will begin posting pictures of dogs in the kennel on our Public Safety FB page to help with getting the word out to folks for adoption. Again, this is the right thing to do. 3. Tyler recommended we speak to Edgefield County about opportunities to collaborate with them. We have done that actually several weeks ago. We have also spoken with Aiken County as well. More about these conversations will be addressed at the Study Session on Sept. 8 ATTACHMENT #3B Page 1 of 12 4. In the 2019 Assessment it recommended that we track or record Return to Owner/Stray separately from Return to Owner/Enforcement. Simple and we can start doing that. 5. Also, the 2019 Assessment recommended we report shelter statistics at shelteranimalscount.org. We actually do track a lot of required data on a report each month that is included in the city’s monthly reporting from each Department which is posted online-but it is often posted a month after the reported time frame. So, this at least gets information out there faster. I am fully aware this to some will appear not enough and that the last 2 items are trivial. But for me and this Council it shows we are trying to do better. I know one item Tyler asked for was a voluntary committee or working coalition. We are still trying to figure that one out. I cannot say if that is something we will do or not. It sounds simple and easy to do but getting the right mix of citizens on it as well as having some idea of what the actual goal of the group is and how it should be run still needs further discussion. Kevin Toole has given me a possible template with some good thoughts. It is going to take little more to see what it would look like if we did it. But again, we have had discussion and have not ruled it out. I reiterated last Monday that we would be having a Study Session. I heard from citizens that we were just kicking the can down the street again-that past Study Sessions never accomplished anything and Tyler called it Ground Hogs day. I cannot control the past and all our concern is what can we do now. So, the Study Session on Sept 8 will be focused on this issue. We are not kicking the can anymore. We are going to decide what we are going to do- do we do nothing; do we improve our current shelter; do we partner with other shelters ATTACHMENT #3B Page 2 of 12 or organizations; do we build our own shelter. I want to be very clear- no decision has been made. We have got to look at as many situations as possible so we can make the best decision. And we are going to decide. Now let me be clear. We might need more than one Study Session depending on Council guidance. The point is we have made a commitment that we are going to decide what to do from the information and discussion sooner than later. There is not one person on Council who thinks the state of the shelter as shown by the pictures last Monday was ok. Officer McBride has done a wonderful job. Originally the shelter was built to hold dogs for a short period of time until they could be adopted. It was and has always been bare bones because it never was nor is a true shelter like other Counties have around us. It has always been a short-term holding facility and not a lot of money has been put into it. We all agree on that. Some pictures were presented last Monday that I am showing again now. These are terrible, embarrassing and deplorable. I went out the next day to to see for myself. Other Council members went out to see also. What we saw made us all relieved. I am showing the pictures I took last Tuesday. So, I want to relieve the citizens and the folks at the meeting Monday that those conditions are not like that anymore. Actually, we put money into the budget last year for the floor project. On March 18, 2025 the flooring project was completed. However, over the next few months the top layer of paint started to peel. We notified the contractor who was able to remove the top layer of ATTACHMENT #3B Page 3 of 12 defective paint from half the floor on July 26. The other half was done on August 1. It was not necessary to repaint since the primer and sealant remained and is proving to be more durable. This is what it looks like now. I let Linda Smith and Tabitha Waldrop who had already gone and to see it know as well as a couple of other folks in attendance last Monday that those conditions were not accurate at the time they were shown. I know everyone is relieved. Hopefully the Post and Courier will include these new pictures and explain that the conditions last Monday were not accurate at that time. We own what it did look like but I am not ok with people believing it still looks like that-they have been fixed which at the end of the day is the most important thing. I will end this by saying that we all know bottom line we absolutely need to do better. We are trying and hopefully citizens are seeing some positive steps although to some they might look small but they are still positive steps forward. Your Council members do care and they are listening. 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