• Roll call Columbia City Council met in City Hall Wednesday, June 18, at 9 am. All council members were present: Daniel Rickenmann, Sam Davis, E.W. Cromartie, Mayor Bob Coble, Anne Sinclair, Tameika Isaac Devine, and Kirkman Finlay III. • Fast Forward update Dee Albritton, executive director at the computer school, brought council current on the school's progress, particularly with veterans returning to the workplace and with school kids over their summer break. • Business spotlight Tony Lawton, the city's director of its Office of Business Opportunities, introduced Thomasena Reynolds of His and Her Tailoring as the city's June 2008 Business Spotlight. Reynolds took over the business from former legislator Lem Harper when it was on Lady Street, near the corner with Main. She moved it into the Arcade Building a few years ago. • City favorite Police Chief Tandy Carter introduced Joyce Gilmore, one of the city's school crossing guards, as the June 2008 Employee of the Month. • Prosecutor Heather Weiss, an assistant solicitor for Richland County, was introduced by City Attorney Ken Gaines. She described her job as a prosecutor for crimes ranging from minor drug offenses to murders. Weiss averages about 250 cell phone calls 24/7 on the city's behalf every month. • Sinclair's swan song Departing council member Anne Sinclair continued her commitment to her place in the Climate Protection Action Committee. She also read a prepared statement upon the occasion of her last city council regular session. She cited one of her favorite quotations as fitting for the occasion: "The bend in the road is not the end of the road if you don't fail to take the turn." • Split decisions Council passed approval on the budget and a 3.8 mils tax increase for the next fiscal year, beginning July 1, but the vote was not unanimous. Finlay objected to the uncertainties due to the failure to present the audit for the fiscal year ending June 2007. Those books should be ready for review in August, and city council will have the opportunity of a retreat on Aug. 20 and 21 to go over the audit. Finlay also objected to the 5% increase in water and sewer rates for the coming year. Overall, Finlay's main fear was the concept of a fait accompli engineered by four votes, a majority, instead of following a firm and stated policy. For instance, Coble got his $125,000 promotion fund approved to tout the National Hydrogen Convention coming to Columbia next year. Rickenmann declared that special events still needed budget- designated spending instead of Coble's spot selection approval process. • Freeze hiring Finlay wanted the city to pass a hiring freeze (excepting police and fire and possibly other special slots) until January 2009 while the current crop of employees approaches currency in its benefits, especially health care. The city is spending about $1 million more a month on employee health care than council realized until just a few weeks ago. Rickenmann described the past two years of floundering fiscal irresponsibility as "miserable" while "we've been paying bills we can't afford." • Miss South Carolina Crystal Garrett, Miss South Carolina, placed 15th at the Miss America pageant. She was invited by Cromartie to sing "God Bless America" at the council meeting. • Manager's report City Manager Austin read his report emphasizing three special buzzwords: transparency, efficiency, and accountability. Finlay asked to see a written version before the next meeting, and Austin asked to submit a draft because the final form is never ready until just before presentation. The city's new chief financial officer is still a mystery, someone to be selected by January 2009 while the city slogs through with no CPA on board full- time. • Five Points zoning Finlay was the dissenting vote on the Five Points zoning overlay district, wondering how the city can impose a four-story height limitation overall while it lets the Kenny's site slip through with six stories as the special case to protect profitability on behalf of its politicians' preferred patrons. • Fire prevention and life safety Columbia Fire Chief Bradley Anderson reported one of his ladder companies was in Charleston to occupy a fire house while the Charleston fire fighters could attend an anniversary memorial service in remembrance of the fire fighters lost in the furniture store fire.