November Employee of the Month, Steve Pittman (Fire Engineer of Station 3) Columbia City Council met Wednesday at 9 am in City Hall. Council member E.W. Cromartie II was absent, but all other council members were present: Kirkman Finlay III, Tameika Isaac Devine, Mayor Bob Coble, Sam Davis, Daniel Rickenmann, and Belinda Gergel. October Employee of the Month

Master Police Officer Clyde H. “Sonny” Smith was recognized by Chief Tandy Carter as the city’s October 2009 Employee of the Month. Smith is a computer liaison for the department’s Administrative Services Division. Smith has been with the department since early 2000. According to Captain R. J. Hines of the ASD, Smith revolutionized the way the city deals with electronic employment applications by converting the form data to an electronic format that can be completed online and/or offline from the ColumbiaPD. com Web site and sent directly to the Police Department and City of Columbia Human Resources. Smith built the department’s Web site from scratch, and he updates it daily. November Employee of the Month

October Employee of the Month, Master Police Officer Clyde “Sonny” Smith Chief Bradley Anderson introduced Steve Pittman, Station 3 Fire Engineer, as the city’s November 2009 Employee of the Month. Pittman was recommended by Stephan M. Curry, chief of training, who had worked with Pittman for more than 12 years. As Curry put it: “Steve has helped teach and develop a number of programs helping younger and older drivers polish their skills. Steve has spent hours doing repairs at the training buildings and working on the equipment assigned to training, which has saved us time and money. He has also been a great asset to this department with the promotional process for engineers. Steve does all this for the department on his own time.” Business leader

Angie Bankhead Derrick, S.C. Against Lung Cancer Ryan Coleman, the city’s small business liaison, and Mayor Coble presented Argand Energy Systems and its owner Chris Salmon with a framed certificate recognizing Argand as the city’s 4th Quarter 2009 Business Spotlight Program Honoree. Argand is the only company in S. C. to employ staff that holds the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) certification for both PV solar systems and solar hot water systems. Argand has operated in Columbia (740 S. Edisto Ave.) since 2007. Waste not

Joe Morris of WasteZero presented his company’s track record in reducing solid waste costs through economics and common sense. Instead of picking up garbage and not considering the volume as part of the pricing, Morris advocates buying his company’s biodegradable bags for the citizens to fill and get charged. Recycling is also a consideration because recycling pick–up is free, so the citizens would tend to recycle, keeping the recycling material out of the bags that get charged. The idea took hold in Salem, Oregon, in the ’60s. A parallel idea was discovered in Seattle, Wash., in 1990 during the Columbia mayoral campaign. The Seattle Plan, as it was called, weighed the garbage pick–up each time and then charged according to the weight. The argument in favor of the Seattle Plan, similar to what Morris was saying, was the fairness to the citizens who lived single or maybe as couples as opposed to two parents and six children, e.g., the Coble residence on Heyward Street. Eight people in one house produced a whole lot more garbage than a single occupant or a childless couple, but tax assessment was the same. With the Morris proposal based on volume or the Seattle Plan based on weight, economic fairness plays a role. The Seattle Plan was rejected in 1990. Council member Finlay recommended full staff investigation, and council agreed. Master planning around military facilities

Joe Morris Business Spotlight Winner, Argand Energy Solutions Liz Drake, associate principal of EDAW AECOM, explained the process of land planning around Ft. Jackson and McEntire Air National Guard Base. The point is to discourage or even prevent development too close to the objectionable aspects of operating a military base. She told council about the special zoning overlay identifying where noise from explosions, gunfire and jet engines could make living unattractive. She also recommended moving the entry gates back into the post property at Ft. Jackson to absorb the queues on training graduation days. Full disclosure in writing to a home buyer is also recommended, making sure the homebuyer knows up front what to expect living next to a military installation. Community Promotions

Mildred McDuffie Judge Mildred McDuffie read her committee’s recommendation to fund the S.C. Wildlife Federation with a $2,000 gift after the federation met a few minor requirements. Landfill contract

Melisa Smith Gentry, the city’s public works director, reviewed the landfill contract extension pending with Waste Management. After the first five years under the contract, the city is now in a position to extend or to reconsider and invite competitive bidding. Under legal and fair–minded procurement procedures, as Gergel and Rickenmann and Finlay agreed, the whole thing should be re–bid. The city can get a 90–day delay, but then push comes to shove and a determination must be made. Mayor Coble advocated avoiding price bid competition in certain cases, particularly professional services, but the majority of council preferred to ask for full staff investigation while a 90–day extension is in effect with Waste Management Systems. Council member Sam Davis reminded his fellow members their current “procurement practice stinks.” Gergel asked to see the full city policy on procurement. Finlay suggested, “If we never ask, we’ll never know if there could be a lower price.” Rezoning

Attorney Ken Ormand Nancy B. Henna, who lives next door to Percival Development Group’s proposed new residential development northeast of Antler Way, asked council for protection from getting stuck with the maintenance costs associated with a new detention pond. Attorney Ken Ormand assured Henna and council his client PDG would put the responsibility for the new detention pond in the hands of the new residents of the new development, not the residents of the existing homes, such as Henna. Council concurred.

Next meeting

Council meets again on Wednesday, November 18, at 9 am in City Hall.