MEMBERS, OCONEE COUNTY COUNCIL

Mr. Steven R. Moore, District I   Mr. Kenneth E. Johns, Jr., District II

Mr. Harry R. Hamilton, District III   Mr. Marion E. Lyles, District IV

Mr. H. Frank Ables, Jr., District V

 

MINUTES, OCONEE COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING

 

                  The Oconee County Council met Tuesday, January 15, 2002 at 3:00 PM in Council Chambers, 415 South Pine Street, Walhalla, SC with all Council Members and the County Attorney present.

 

Press:

 

                  Members of the press notified  (by mail): Keowee Courier, Westminster News, Anderson Independent, WGOG Radio, WPEK Radio & Daily Journal, WYFF TV & WLOS TV.

 

                  Members of the press present:  Dave Williams – Anderson Independent & Amanda Rylander – Daily Journal.

 

Call to Order:

 

                  Supervisor-Chair Hughes, who welcomed those present, called the meeting to order present.

 

Invocation:

 

                  Mr. Lyles gave the invocation.

 

Minutes:

 

                  Mr. Lyles made a motion, seconded by Mr. Ables, approved 4 – 0 (Mr. Moore abstaining) that the minutes of the regular meeting held January 8, 2001 be adopted as printed. 

 

Public Hearing Regarding Ordinance 2001-12:

 

                  The first agenda item was a public hearing to receive written and/or oral comments regarding Ordinance 2001-12, “AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING A REAPPORTIONMENT PLAN FOR OCONEE COUNTY COUNCIL SINGLE-MEMBER DISTRICTS AND REPEALING OCONEE COUNTY ORDINANCE 91-11”.

 

                  Ms. Susie Cornelius presented the attached written comments in opposition of the adoption of Ordinance 2001-12.

 

 

 

Minutes, Oconee County Council Meeting                                 January 15, 2002

 

Public Hearing Regarding Ordinance 2001-12 Continued:

 

                  Mr. B. J. Littleton spoke in opposition of the adoption of Ordinance 2001-12 stating it should have never been adopted on first reading, the District I lines should have not been changed and Coffee Road should have not been split.

 

                  Ms. Susie Cornelius asked that the hearing be postponed until the public could acquire a copy of the map of the old district lines and the proposed lines.  Ms. Cornelius suggested using the map of the Planning Commission that has the county divided into districts such as the planning commission has the county divided.  Ms. Cornelius further stated the proposed redistricting splits the Hispanic Community.

 

                  Upon questioning by Council, Mr. Brock assured Council that Mr. Dan Alexander with the Voter Registration Office in Columbia assisted in the changing of the lines to assure approval by the Justice Department, and further, Mr. Brock stated that no individual was mentioned in the redistricting.

  

Ordinance 2001-23:

 

                  Upon recommendation of the Personnel & Intergovernmental Committee, Council unanimously adopted Ordinance 2001-23, “AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE 99-15, AN ORDINANCE SETTING FORTH THE SUBSTANCE ABUSE POLICY AND PROCEDURE FOR OCONEE COUNTY” on second reading.

 

Ordinance 2002-01:

 

                  Mr. Ables made a motion, seconded by Mr. Hamilton, approved 5 – 0 that Ordinance 2002-01, “AN ORDINANCE CREATING THE OCONEE COUNTY WATER COMMISSION” be adopted on first reading.

 

Resolutions 2001-01 – 2001-07:

 

                  Mr. Hamilton made a motion, seconded by Mr. Johns, approved 5 – 0 that Resolutions 2001-01 – 2001-07, “RESOLUTIONS OF APPRECIATION FOR EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE BEEN WITH THE COUNTY FOR FIVE, TEN, FIFTEEN, TWENTY, TWENTY-FIVE, THIRTY AND THIRTY-FIVE YEARS” be adopted on first and final reading.

 

Awards:

 

                  Mrs. Hughes informed Council that the Risk Manager had received an award in risk management and safety and Park Rangers had received training awards from the NC Park Rangers Academy of Justice.

 

Minutes, Oconee County Council Meeting                                 January 15, 2002

 

Committee Assignments:

 

                  Mrs. Hughes presented the attached listing of Council Committee assignments.

 

Commission Appointees:

 

                  Mr. Johns made a motion, seconded by Mr. Ables, approved 5 – 0 that Mr. Herbert Gibson be reappointed to represent District II on the Economic Development Commission.

 

                  Mr. Lyles made a motion, seconded by Mr. Ables, approved 5 – 0 that Mr. Terry Thrift be reappointed to represent District IV on the Economic Development Commission.

 

                  Mr. Ables made a motion, seconded by Mr. Lyles, approved 5 – 0 that Mr. Dick Glymph be reappointed to represent District V on the Economic Development Commission.

 

Roads & Transportation Committee Recommendation:

 

                  Upon recommendation of the Roads & Transportation Committee Council unanimously voted to include the following in the specifications for the road-paving bid for the 2001-2002 fiscal year:

 

(1)           The paved surface of the roadway will be twenty (20) feet in width

(2)           The successful bidder will use rock from the Oconee County Rock Crusher in the sub-base of the roadway

(3)           The successful bidder will use SC Department of Transportation Utility Guidelines

(4)           The successful bidder use his/her own measurements for the lengths of the roadways

 

Public Comment Session:

 

                  Mr. B. J. Littleton reiterated to Council that he believed in what he said.

 

Executive Session:

 

                  Mr. Johns made a motion, seconded by Mr. Ables, approved 5 – 0 that Council go into executive session for the purpose of discussing a contractual matter and a legal matter.

 

 

Minutes, Oconee County Council Meeting                                 January 15, 2001

 

Open Session:

 

                  When open session resumed Mr. Moore made a motion, seconded by Mr. Johns, approved 5 – 0 that due to constraints beyond county control and the opportunity to obtain top soil, the bid procedure be waived and the county enter into a contract with Roebuck Construction to move and compact 42,000 cubic yards of earth at the Oconee County Commerce Center from lot #4 to lot #1 at a cost of no more that $55,000.  Further, that the county agrees to accept 30,000 cubic yards of earth from lot #4 to other sites as appropriate in the Commerce Center.  All earthwork will be compacted to a compaction density of 95% standard proctor.  

   

Adjourn:

 

Adjourn     4:55 PM

 

 

                                                      Respectfully Submitted:

 

 

                                                               _____________________________

                                                               Opal O. Green

                                                               Council Clerk