By Mike CoxRoll Call

Members present were Anthony Mizzell, Doris Corley, Joyce Dickerson, Valerie Hutchinson, Damon Jeter, Paul Livingston, Joseph McEachern, Greg Pearce, Bernice Scott, and Kit Smith. Michael Montgomery was absent.

Getting Started

Chairman Anthony Mizzell called the meeting to order at 6:30 pm. Joe McEachern gave the Invocation, then led the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance. An urgency was obvious from the start. Committee meetings caused the start of the meeting to be delayed and there was a zoning public hearing scheduled for 7.

Rapidly dispensing of regular business

The agenda was approved with minor changes and there were no takers for citizen’s input. The minutes from the last meeting were approved and the county attorney had no executive session items to discuss.

The county administrator gave the council a briefing on the USC Technology park garage agreement and had Tony McDonald explain the current status of the solid waste management plan. Mr. McSwain also gave an update on the farmer’s market land purchase, which should be completed by August 1.

The clerk of council asked the council to determine meeting dates for September and gave them information for the SC Association of Counties convention to be held in August. It will not be held in Hawaii.

The Agenda

With 7 pm rapidly approaching, the council tried valiantly to complete the night’s business before the zoning public hearing commenced. A zoning change for Hawkins Creek was approved at the request of McEachern and the recreation bond hearing was deferred because of the legal mess it has become. Matlock might not be able to resolve this item.

Approval for a commercial business park on Clemson Road near the post office was approved through second reading, this time with Val Hutchinson making the motion. Ordinances for public works and budget were also approved for second reading. Each one was unanimous and no discussion was necessary to pass them.

The Committees

The Development and Services Committee report doomed the meeting from finishing before the zoning hearing. Temporary receivership of Piney Grove Utilities had been discussed a good bit in the committee meeting and more questions came up during the council meeting.

McEachern asked whether there were funds budgeted for taking over the utility and what the county’s liability was if there were problems. At this point, Mizzell realized time had run out and called for a recess in order to have the public hearing.

When play resumed, the county staff, a former DHEC official, and a current DHEC official all took turns explaining to McEachern how safe this agreement is. Bernice Scott explained how the county had been working on this for ten years and she had dealt with the inadequacies of the current owner of the utility system. Scott said it was the responsibility of the county to take over the system for the good of the county residents affected by poor performance by the utility. By coincidence, all of those county residents are Scott constituents.

Kit Smith offered three amendments to define the county’s position and, in her words, protect the county from liability in case something went wrong with the system. The amendments died without a second.

Scott, who obviously didn’t realize the Smith motion died, lectured the other members on their responsibility to provide adequate water and sewer to those residents who need it. Scott reminded the council she had been dealing with this issue a long time and something needed to be done.

As near as I can tell, the county is negotiating with DHEC to temporarily take over and run this system, with court approval, until the owner can either be forced to sell or forced to make the system satisfactory. According to estimates, the system will pay for itself with only a minor rate increase to subscribers.

Paul Livingston , as is usually the case, saved the day. He suggested a couple of amendments to protect the county and got the county attorney guidelines for negotiating the deal with DHEC. The temporary deal will be re–addressed in one year, if not resolved.

Smith stated she was concerned about the language of the agreement and wanted the council to know it needed to be corrected. Scott interrupted her and evidently said something Smith took offense to. Smith reprimanded Scott and told her not to denigrate her in public. Mizzell stepped between them and gave Scott a standing eight count.

Scott’s parting shot was to remind other members their job was to protect the citizens of Richland County. The committee recommendation to approve was passed with Livingston’s amendments. Attorney Smith said he could negotiate a deal with the guidelines given him. The Starks Terrace sewer project was approved without comment.

The A&F committee had nothing to forward to this meeting and everything forwarded by the Development and Services committee was approved as recommended by the committee, without comment.

Finishing Up

No one signed to speak during citizen’s input and there were no significant items brought up during motion period. The meeting was adjourned with no further business.