Russell Campbell Roll call

City council’s work session began at 4 pm last Wednesday, March 2, in City Hall. All council members were present: Tameika Isaac Devine, Hamilton Osborne, E. W. Cromartie, Mayor Bob Coble, Anne Sinclair, Sam Davis, and Daniel Rickenmann.

Fair pay

Russell Campbell , regional director for MGT of America, told council about his compensation and classification study. He said the city employees in the study had at least 30 hours a week on the job and benefits. Part–time people were not included in the study, which should be conducted every four or five years. The response to the study, the implementation, was done with a 3% shift in the city payroll. Department heads and above are paid well, while the lowest full–time pay is just above the $19,000 necessary for a family of four.

Neil McLean

EngenuitySC

Neil McLean , executive director of EngenuitySC, reported his accomplishments for fiscal year 2004 and goals for 2005. For 2004, McLean (1) connected local businesses to higher education and research, (2) created an infrastructure to support entrepreneurship, (3) built access to investment capital, and (4) marketed Columbia’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. For 2005, McLean plans further pursuits of the four accomplishment categories of the previous year.

Mike Dawson

Incubator

Council discussed progress at the USC Incubator, 1225 Laurel Street, formerly the city’s administration building. The incubator had recently doubled in size. The lobby is designed and council approved.

Preston Winkler River Alliance

Jim Smith , chairman of the board for the River Alliance, requested further funding from council, totaling $41,000 for this year. Council approved. Smith asked council to include the needs of the River Alliance in the forthcoming fiscal year 2005–06 budget.

Homeless people

Council approved the request for funding by the organizers of the Homelessness Summit. The city agreed to fund $25,000 with the understanding another $25,000 would come from county council. Sinclair reminded council of the need for a ten–year plan on the homeless.

Eddie Lloyd’s mother stands between Cromartie and his brother Sammy. Mayor Coble and neighbors look on.

Community Relations Council

Preston Winkler asked council to approve a funding request for $50,000, gangs being the big problem. Council asked the city manager to help locate the funds.

Temporary adjournment

After discussion of appointments to Riverbanks Park Commission, Columbia Parks and Recreation Foundation, and Columbia Tree and Appearance Commission, council adjourned for executive session.

Rick Semon

Special presentation

At 6 pm, council convened for its regular session. The memory of neighborhood activist and treasured citizen Eddie Lloyd was honored with the proclamation of Eddie Lloyd Day. Accompanied by his mother and his brother, Lloyd’s neighbors gathered to hear Cromartie read the proclamation.

Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)

Laura Cahue Rick Semon , director, introduced his Citizens Advisory Committee Chair, Laura Cahue. She discussed the amended funds for previous years and the current budget. The CDBG entitlement for fiscal year 2005–06 is $1,468,012, which is a reduction of $74,988 compared with last year. This was the first public hearing, and the second was scheduled for March 16.

Communities in Schools update

Marcia Benson , board president, issued packets of information to council as she itemized her progress. Overall, Communities in Schools of the Midlands (CIS–M) mobilizes community resources into schools to help vulnerable students stay in school and prepare for life. For the past year 468 students were directly connected with CIS–M.

Marcia Benson

KOBAN

Ronald Scott , board chairman, brought council up to date on KOBAN. Since it began under Chief Austin in 1995, KOBAN has been a safe haven for kids, a place to study and to work for the future.

Ronald Scott

Street closings

• Laurel Street between Assembly Street and Gadsden Street, and Gadsden Street between Laurel Street and Taylor Street, Saturday, March 26, from 7:30 am until 10 am.

• David Street between Easter Street and West Campanella Circle, Saturday, May 7, from 8 am until 4 pm.

• Greene Street from Gadsden Street to the railroad track; Friday, March 4, from 5 pm until 11 pm; Saturday, March 5, from 9 am until 11 pm; Sunday, March 6, from 11 am until 4:30 pm; Saturday, March 12, from 6 pm until 11:30 pm; Wednesday, March 16, from 8 am until midnight; Friday, March 18, from 6 pm until 11 pm; Saturday, March 19, from 6 pm until 11 pm; Wednesday, March 30, from 8 am until 6 pm; Thursday, March 31, from 7 am until 7 pm.

Daniel Rickenmann

Consideration of bids

& agreements

• $12,222 for the purchase of parts for an ABS pump.

• $12, 648, for the purchase of a preventive maintenance contract for the atomic absorption graphite furnace.

• $54,255 for the purchase of radios and modems.

Harry Hopkins

Ordinances – second reading

#2005–018, annexing Parcel A, 7.9 acres, 6925 North Main Street.

Consideration of bids,

agreements & change orders

• $98,615 for upgrades and repairs to the Finlay Park pond.

• $120,420 for the purchase of a decontamination system.

Ordinances – first reading

Homer Mitchell #2005–023, amending the 1998 Code of Ordinances of the City of Columbia, Chapter 2, Council Meetings, to add Sec. 2–62, Term limits for members of city boards, commissions, committees and development corporations. Proposed by Rickenmann , the ordinance drew objections from Cromartie and Osborne , who liked things as they were. Rickenmann said he saw ten applications for positions on the board at the Columbia Development Corporation, and none was accepted. “We have 118,000 people in this city, and some want to participate,” Rickenmann said. Few members of council saw an ordinance as the way to go, although practically all agreed there needed to be some openings occasionally. Cromartie argued in favor of keeping certain members on boards well past two years because they were the ideal members to help get things done. People representing the University or a major bank, for two favorite instances. Toward the end of the discussion, it became apparent some members of council personally wanted to stay on certain boards longer than two years. Coble suggested a safety valve of some sort, an opportunity to keep people worth keeping, while more people were invited to join the process by replacing people not worth keeping. Sinclair asked, “Why bother if it’s always a closed shop?” She was afraid applications would fall off out of frustration and apparent permanence.

Tighe Watts

Resolutions

#R–2005–008, authorizing SC Oyster Festival and consumption of alcoholic beverages at Finlay Park. Council approved with one dissent, Osborne.

Other matters

• $35,440 was approved as reimbursement for off–site water main construction for Woodcreek Farms Apartments.

Eau Claire

Harry Hopkins, chair of the Eau Claire

Development Corporation, voiced his concern over slowed progress in Eau Claire. He also commented on the term limits ordinance proposal by Rickenmann. Opportunities for new people allow the city to grow, he said.

Lost paperwork

Homer Mitchell of Lot 6 at 213 Lost Creek, Lost Creek Plantation, complained about lack of progress with his annexion request. The city told him his paperwork had been misplaced, even though he had a water meter for three months while he waited to hear about his annexation request. Having jumped through all the hoops, Mitchell expected better and faster response. Council sympathized and referred the matter to the city manager.

Invitation

Tighe Watts of the Cedar Terrace Association invited council to their neighborhood function in Hampton Park on Brandon Avenue, March 10, at 7 pm.

Next meeting

Council meets Wednesday morning, March 16, at 9 for a work session. A zoning public hearing is planned for 10. Both meetings are on the third floor of City Hall, corner of Laurel and Main.