Laura Easley Roll call

City council convened for its work session Wednesday, May 3, at 9 am. All council members were present.

Community Development

Rick Semon , director for the city's Community Development program, introduced his Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) Chair, Laura Easley . Easley briefly covered the FY 2005-2006 amendments. The total entitlement for FY 2006-2007 is $1,350,639. A second public hearing has been advertised for May 10.

Affordable Housing Task Force

Council approved the appointment of seven city employees to the Affordable Housing Task Force: Dana Turner , Eric Cassell , Deborah Livingston , Fred Delk , Mike Manis , Marc Mylott , and Krista Hampton . Council discussed another seven members of the task force to be nominated from the citizenry.

Boyd Summers

Water and sewer

Melissa Caughman , budget administrator, walked council through the new budget for FY 2006-2007. She noted the $300 million in required maintenance and upgrades for the water and sewer system, and she warned she didn't see the income to carry the $300 million, suggesting fee increases. Finlay added the sewer and water system income should stand alone behind a fire wall with no water and sewer money going into any other city expense. Davis said the budget should have to be cut.

Veterans Administration and SCANA

The VA Building on Assembly Street is about to be emptied, and the 350 VA employees are looking to relocate. Council agreed to present the VA with cogent arguments to stay downtown. Also, council planned to work with SCANA to direct their move somewhere in the downtown area, if not to stay put in the Palmetto Center.

Bruce Siron

Crime

Boyd Summers of Finlay's District Four described the break-in and robbery by gunpoint at his house. Nearby neighbors, such as Realtor Bruce Siron , chimed in with requests for more police protection. Finlay suggested the unincorporated areas be pulled into the city for better police protection, and he argued in favor of police protection as one of the main functions of city government. George McCutcheon III came forward for full vocal agreement with Finlay. Tougher state judges was one suggestion.

More crime

Columbia lawyer Hemphill Pride decride alleged police abuse. Guinolda Bell testified she was handcuffed and struck by a Columbia policeman, and Wallace Howard showed his shoe-stomped shirt he was wearing when Columbia police pushed him to the ground and held him down. Pride asked council for an investigation and remediation, to include a return to former Chief Austin's complaint process.

Lisa Ladson

Zoning - second reading

Developer John Blackmun presented his plans for about three acres in Cedar Terrace. Tige Watts , neighborhood president, approved, and neighbor Allen Francis disapproved. The choice was to keep the current zoning and build 48 apartments or change the zoning and allow 24 houses. The objections were based mostly on the feared retention of below-ground hazardous waste from the former Columbia Organic Chemicals plant, left uncleaned by owner Max Gergel. The neighborhood association and council agreed to go with the 24 single-family detached houses, as proposed by developer Blackmun.

Guinolda Bell

Circus

Davis introduced Lisa Ladson as his new citizen and as national tour promoter for Universoul Circus, newly located in Columbia.

Next meeting

Council reconvenes Wednesday, May 10, for a zoning public hearing at 10 am, City Hall, corner of Main and Laurel.

Wallace Howard Tige Watts and Allen Francis