Town Council

Wiley Johnson, Mayor Town Administrator Colin L. Martin Council Members: Bob Jackson, Mayor Pro-Tem Interim Town Clerk and Treasurer Walter Bailey Belinda S. Harper Aaron Brown Christine Czarnik Town Attorney Kima Garten-Schmidt G.W. Parker William McIntosh Town of Summerville COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES May 11, 2017 ATTENDANCE Present: Mayor Wiley Johnson, Mayor Pro-Tem Bob Jackson and Council members Walter Bailey, Aaron Brown, Christine Czarnik, Kima Garten-Schmidt and Bill McIntosh. Town Administrator Colin Martin, Interim Clerk/Treasurer and Finance Director, Belinda Harper and Town Attorney G.W. Parker were also present. Members of the press and the public were duly notified of the meeting and were also present. CALL TO ORDER The regular monthly meeting of Summerville Town Council was called to order at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 11, 2017. The meeting was opened with prayer by Mr. Brown followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. PRESENTATIONS Mr. David Irwin, CPA, Mauldin & Jenkins presented the 2016 Audited Financial Report. Dr. Heather Van Tassel and Mr. Mike Dawson presented a proclamation designating the town as an Audubon SC Climate Resilient and Bird-Friendly Municipality. Robert Allen, Waste Pro presented a donation of $1,000 to the Fire Department to support the annual combat challenge relay race. Ms. Harper presented a proclamation of Water Safety Awareness Month to Michelle Zieg. PUBLIC COMMENTS Mayor Johnson called for any comments from the public. He asked that everyone state their name and address and also sign the sign-in sheet. Ms. Debbie Lodge introduced herself and yielded the floor to the leader of their group, Mr. Louis Smith. Mr. Louis Smith, Community Resource Center, stood with a number of people and read a statement in protest to the display of the Confederate Flag at the last Flowertown Festival. Pastor Abraham Belanger, First Fruits Community Church, expressed concerns about the flag and would like council to promote an environment of harmony and community. Mayor Johnson asked the public to have only one or two spokesmen address council on a topic or he would need to cut the speaker off. Mr. Louis returned to the podium and was told that he has already had his time to speak. He was asked to Council Meeting Minutes May 11, 2017 Page 2 leave. Mayor Johnson said that he appreciates the right of free speech and asked the public to be respectful of an orderly meeting. Ms. Debbie Lodge shared her history and why she is opposes the Confederate Flag. Michael Large, 100 Kennelworth Road stated he is a military veteran, as was his father, he joined the Sons of Confederate Veterans as a heritage organization. He said the organization does not promote racism and that they are a civic organization. The protesters began to disrupt the meeting and the Mayor took a recess until the police could escort the protesters out. Mr. Robert Miller, with the Sons of the Confederate Veterans, said there is a lot of misinformation from the prior group. He pointed out the founding treasurer of the Sons of Confederate Veterans was of Jewish dissent and slavery existed 70 years under the American flag and only 4 years under the Confederate Flag. He said he is not a racist and neither are the Sons of Confederate Veterans. Mayor Johnson asked the next speaker if he had something new to add. He stated council has heard both sides of the issue and he would like to move the meeting on to a new topic. Mr. Benjamin Teagenrite, with the South Carolina Secessionist Party, said the flag represents soldiers who deserve respect for their service. Mayor Johnson asked if there was anyone who wished to speak on another topic. Ms. Katheryn Hunter, Mt. Pleasant resident and teacher, said “the Confederacy itself was founded to preserve slavery and promote white supremacy and that is what the flag stands for, it is divisive.” Mr. James Martin, 172 Fremont Drive, teaches underprivileged children to play tennis. He said he has had scheduling issues with the Town’s tennis pro. Mayor Johnson turned the issue over to the Town Administrator and the Parks and Recreation Director. Mr. Dennis Jones, 1007 Embassy Drive, said he is a camp counselor and has been at the Flowertown Festival for 17 years and the only time he has witnessed any disruption was this past year. Mr. Jason Slade, Summerville resident, began speaking about the flag and Mayor Johnson asked him to leave. Mr. Robert Groce said that no one is objecting to the display of the flag on their personal property. Mayor Johnson said the council has been over this topic and asked him to leave. Ms. Leslie Bracken brought the topic up again and was asked to leave. Mr. William Hamilton said he would like to see rapid bus transit be established between Summerville and Charleston. Ms. Heather Pallay, 222 S. Pine Street, wants council to develop a plan to bring everyone together. Mr. Scott Inabinet, 651 Gahagan Road, would like to see the Town Council contract with the Old Fort Fire District. He said that Dorchester County is registered as ISO rating 5/10 where the Town of Summerville holds an ISO rating of 1. He believes it would benefit both the town and the county. There being no further comments from the public, the Mayor declared that portion of the meeting closed. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS Mr. Brown made a motion, seconded by Mr. Jackson, to approve the minutes of the April 13, 2017 council meeting and the Strategic Planning Retreat April 21 and 24, 2017. Mr. Bailey abstained from voting on the Strategic Planning Retreat minutes due to being absent. The motion carried. APPROVAL OF COUNCIL COMMITTEE REPORTS Mr. Jackson made a motion, seconded by Ms. Garten-Schmidt, to combine and approve the minutes of the May 8, 2017 Parks and Recreation Committee report, Planning and Development 200 South Main Street, Summerville, SC 29483-6000 * 843.871.6000, Fax: 843.871.6954 www.SummervilleSC.gov Council Meeting Minutes May 11, 2017 Page 3 Committee report, Public Works Committee report and Finance Committee report. The motion carried unanimously. PETITIONS Mayor Johnson announced that no petitions have been submitted. PENDING BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS Mr. McIntosh made a motion, seconded by Mr. Bailey, to approve on second and final reading of an ordinance to annex Dorchester County TMS#’s 144-04-06-001, 144-04-06-002 and 144-04- 06-003 (approximately 0.75 acres) located at the northwest corner of Mary Street and Boone Hill Rd., owned by David O’Sullivan and Benjamin Bullock currently zoned R-2, Single-Family Residential in Dorchester County and will be zoned R-2, Single Family Residential upon annexation into the Town of Summerville’s municipal limits. The motion carried unanimously. Mr. Jackson made a motion, seconded by Mr. Brown, to approve on second and final reading of an ordinance to rezone TMS#153-00-00-023, 1400 Old Trolley Rd., approximately 12.27 acres, and owned by Fellowship of Oakbrook Church from R-2, Single Family Residential to B-2, Neighborhood Business Center. The motion carried unanimously. INTRODUCTION OF BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS Mr. Jackson made a motion, seconded by Mr. Brown, to approve on first reading an ordinance to amend Section 2.1, Form of Government. This amendment would insert state law rather than reference the state law in the Town of Summerville’s Code of Ordinances. Some discussion followed. Mayor Johnson and Ms. Czarnik voted against the amendment. Mr. Jackson, Mr. McIntosh, Mr. Brown, Ms. Garten-Schmidt and Mr. Bailey voted in favor of the amendment. The motion carried with a vote of 5 to 2. Mr. Jackson made a motion, seconded by Mr. Bailey to approve on first reading of an ordinance to amend Section 28-121, General regulations, wrecker services. This amendment would require any wrecker service listed on the town’s wrecker rotation list to maintain a current town business license. The motion carried unanimously. MISCELLANEOUS Mr. Jackson made a motion, seconded by Mr. Bailey, to approval of funding of $280,000 for construction document development for the National Guard Armory, funds to come from bond proceeds. The motion carried unanimously. Ms. Czarnik made a motion, seconded by Mr. Bailey, to continue with phase II through IV of Hutchinson Square. Mayor Johnson made a motion, seconded by Mr. McIntosh, to amend the motion not to cut down the Magnolia Trees by the railroad tracks until further approval. Mr. Best described the work in the various construction phases. He stated the town would save money if all the phases were considered together. He stated in 2015 the estimated cost to complete was $1.8 million. Mr. Jackson said that he has never supported the complete project 200 South Main Street, Summerville, SC 29483-6000 * 843.871.6000, Fax: 843.871.6954 www.SummervilleSC.gov Council Meeting Minutes May 11, 2017 Page 4 only selected items of the renovation. He would like to see the funds saved for other projects that are needed in the town. Mr. Jackson made a motion to table the motion. The motion to table died due to lack of a second. Some discussion followed. The motion as amended passed by unanimous vote. MAYOR’S REMARKS Mayor Johnson said both the business license and annexation tax is not going to pass this year. Mr. Robbie Robins, Department of Transportation Commissioner, addressed council to discuss the fuel tax bill. He said this is a recurring source of revenue to address the state road conditions. Mayor Johnson clarified that the town needs to submit the town’s projects to the Berkeley Charleston Dorchester Council of Governments (BCDCOG). Mayor said that the retreat was a success in giving direction to the town. He said that the extension of Gum Street should be coming up soon. He also mentioned the street lights for downtown. He mentioned that council should start looking into updating the comprehensive transportation plan. He said that BCDCOG has taken over the Tri-County Links and Carta bus system. He asked that they look into using the buses on the weekend in Summerville. Ms. Czarnik made some corrections to the Clerk to Council job description. Mayor Johnson added some additional adjustments to the job description. He reviewed the changes he recommended. Mr. McIntosh said he would like to see the position advertised. He mentioned the title is Town Clerk not Clerk to Council. Some discussion followed. Mr. Jackson made a motion, seconded by Mr. Brown, to advertise the position using the original job description without the recommended changes. Mayor Johnson made a motion, seconded by Ms. Czarnik to amend the job description with his proposed changes. Ms. Czarnik, Ms. Garten-Schmidt, Mayor Johnson, Mr. Brown and Mr. Jackson voted for the amendment. Mr. Bailey, Mr. Jackson and Mr. McIntosh voted against the amendment. The amendment motion carried. Mr. McIntosh made a motion, seconded by Mr. Bailey, to table the motion until next month. Mr. Bailey, Mr. Jackson and Mr. McIntosh voted in favor of the motion. Ms. Czarnik, Ms. Garten-Schmidt, Mayor Johnson and Mr. Brown voted against the motion. The motion to table failed. Mayor Johnson called for the vote of the original motion as amended. Ms. Czarnik, Ms. Garten- Schmidt, Mayor Johnson, Mr. Brown and Mr. Jackson voted in favor. Mr. Bailey and Mr. McIntosh voted against the motion. The motion carried with a vote of 5 to 2. Mr. Martin asked council about the suggested salary range as presented in the job advertisement. Ms. Czarnik clarified that her motion was for both the advertisement and job description. EXECUTIVE SESSION Ms. Garten-Schmidt made a motion, seconded by Ms. Czarnik, to enter into executive session at 8:05 p.m. concerning legal matters regarding condemnation of property related to the Bear Island Road project. The motion carried unanimously. Council returned to regular session at 8:20 p.m. and Mr. Parker announced that no action was taken in executive session. 200 South Main Street, Summerville, SC 29483-6000 * 843.871.6000, Fax: 843.871.6954 www.SummervilleSC.gov Council Meeting Minutes May 11, 2017 Page 5 Mr. Jackson made a motion, seconded by Mr. Brown, to condemn a portion of property as referenced on Berkeley County tax map TMS# 232-00-01-016, as needed for the Bear Island road project. The motion carried unanimously. ADJOURN There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 8:22 p.m. on motion of Mr. Brown, seconded by Ms. Garten-Schmidt. Respectfully submitted, ___________________________________ Belinda S. Harper, Interim Clerk/Treasurer APPROVED: _______________________________________ William W. Johnson, Mayor 200 South Main Street, Summerville, SC 29483-6000 * 843.871.6000, Fax: 843.871.6954 www.SummervilleSC.gov