Martha Scott Smith, Hamilton Osborne, Katherine R. Meyers, E. W. Cromartie, Daniel Rickenmann, Mayor Bob Coble, and Sam Davis Roll call

City council convened Wednesday, January 25, at 9 am in City Hall for its work session. Council member Anne Sinclair was absent due to business urgencies, but all others were present: Tameika Isaac Devine, Hamilton Osborne, E. W. Cromartie, Mayor Bob Coble, Sam Davis, and Daniel Rickenmann.

Dream Keepers

Council member Cromartie introduced this year’s recipients of the Martin Luther King Dream Keeper awards: first place ($1,000), Katherine R. Meyers of CA Johnson Preparatory Academy; second place ($500), James Nixon of Dreher High School; third place ($250), Kenya Goins of Richland Northeast High School. Cromartie thanked the most generous sponsor, BellSouth, represented by Martha Scott Smith.

Columbia attractions

Frank Brown and Karen Brosius Karen Brosius , executive director of the Columbia Museum of Art, and Frank Brown of MarketSearch briefed council on the VisitColumbia.com concept. The website is a collaboration among the Riverbanks Zoo and Garden, EdVenture, SC State Museum, Historic Columbia, and the Columbia Museum of Art. Brosius described the new marketing strategy, and Brown explained the findings of his firm’s surveys. Last year, 2.2 million people visited the five attractions in the collaboration, and 500,000 of them were from out of town. To get more out–of–towners, the group has targeted the greater Augusta area and its 500,000 people for the first marketing concentration. Later, other pockets of population in a slightly longer radius will be targeted, such as Charlotte.

City/county joint matters

Jonathan Marcy of the Greater Columbia Chamber of Commerce brought council up to date on potential city/county cooperation. The five main issues at hand: (1) Township Auditorium, (2) animal control, (3) jails, (4) planning and permitting, (5) sewer systems. Marcy was joined at the lectern by developer Fred Johnson and Richland County Council member Tony Mizzell . Council told the three a clear definition of problems was necessary, after which goals could be established. The problem with combining the planning and permitting services was the Internet. No one is sure if the physical layout of a common office is all that necessary when the application and approval process might take place on a website soon enough. More explorations were encouraged all around, although the potential savings and more efficient delivery of services didn’t appear all that important to city council.

Municipal court

Administrative Judge Marion O. Hanna delivered a municipal court update. She covered several ongoing improvements in efficiency while maintaining a strong adherence to fairness. The most–discussed issue was innovation in the bond court. Friday afternoon bond court now starts at 3 pm instead of the former 5 pm. This change saves overtime expenses and gives the staff a bit of a break for the weekend. Among the municipal judges’ other requests and concerns were court interpreters, victim notifiers, administration judge duties rotation, bond court on weekends and holidays, re–appointments, and salary upgrades.

Homeless

Rick Semon , director of Community Development, introduced Jennifer Moore , who reported on the Project Connect Service Day, December 8, 2005. Among the day’s statistics: 217 homeless individuals participated; 33 volunteers and city staff; 93 exit surveys. Three educational seminars were held: (1) job skills, (2) housing and tenant rights, (3) health, STDS, HIV/AIDS. The next Project Connect Service Day will be held on Thursday, April 6, 2006.

Cameras

Police Chief Dean Crisp showed council the results of a thorough and revealing study of security cameras, both those already in place and the recommended additions based on the study. The Chicago fact–finding trip appeared to be the most helpful. Greenville parking garages reported an astonishing 97% drop in crime due to the installation of cameras. Council member Osborne suggested Columbia– available “Mobotics” cameras for outdoor installation with fixed orientation. Besides, they’re the most affordable. Council member Davis wanted more cameras in his district neighborhoods with a crime problem at the expense of maybe more around USC buildings, which are not the city’s properties.

Outreach subcontracting

Tony Lawton , director of the Office of Business Opportunities, reported to council on changes in his subcontracting program applicable to city–funded construction projects of more than $200,000. Lawton’s proposed revisions were due to inherent procedural problems in the previous outreach program. Bids to the city must include disadvantaged subcontractors at a rate of more than 20% of each project. Qualified subcontractor categories identified: disadvantaged business enterprise (DBE), disabled veteran business enterprise (DVBE), and other business enterprise (OBE). A good example of outreach contracting was when the city was in the hotel business, the convention center headquarters Hilton before it went private. A woman (DBE) was designing the hotel’s interiors due more to minority status than proven experience. Reportedly she had never done hotel interiors before. Under such priorities, the full architecture and engineering fee was over $2 million for the city–directed deal instead of the final under–$400,000 A&E fee for what actually is getting built by private developers.

Redevelopment

City Attorney Jim Meggs explained the Columbia Neighborhood Redevelopment Commission where council members were included as commissioners. Cromartie said he enjoyed hearing the power of eminent domain would still be available to accomplish more of what he did to clear private property and successful businesses out of the way to benefit Edens & Avant and C&S (now Bank of America) for the bank building project at 1900 Main Street. Having run off several businesses and ripped up privately–owned buildings through eminent domain, city council delivered the building site for two tall buildings and two garages. Only one of each was built, and the leftover unoccupied land sits there waiting on market forces to catch up. Maybe it will take 20 years, because it’s already been 16. City Attorney Meggs warned council about pending legislation targeted to stop such abuse of the condemnation laws, although “abuse” was not Meggs’s word.

Belvedere subdivision sanitary sewer system

Steve Gantt , senior assistant city manager for operations, announced the sewer improvements were 85% complete and in operation. Under construction and to be completed April 30: 3400 block of Bumgardner Court; 3300, 3400, and 3500 block of Maybank Street; 3300, 3400, and 3500 block of Belvedere Drive; 3400 and 3500 block of Kaiser Avenue.

Next meeting

There is a work session scheduled for 9 am, Wednesday, February 1, on the third floor of City Hall, corner of Laurel and Main. Following at 10 am is a regular session. The State of the City Address is at 6 pm.