City Council - Regular Meeting

Hey, good afternoon and welcome to our first meeting in September. We will have an invocation tonight by Councilman Beatress Thompson and I will lead us in respect to the flag. Please rise. Thank you Lord for your presence after we make decisions of our citizens. Thank you for our city administration, our staff and employees who work tirelessly make our city ask To the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, liberty and justice for all. So, our minutes were pushed out, emailed to us, and we had them in our packet. Are there any questions or additions to the minutes?

First, Steel. Second. by M. Martinez. All those in favor say I. I. Opposed. Those minutes of August 25th. Passion. Have a couple items of old business. And the first item request second reading of ordinance 25-13 amending the 2024 2025 annual budget. M. Mchuan.

Thanks. I'll turn it over chief financial officer Margaret Martin. and um council approved first reading of our budget ordinance at the August 25th meeting. And I'd like to thank Tamron Lindley, our finance director, for going over all those very specifics with you. Tonight, we are requesting final approval of ordinance 2513, amending the 2425 annual budget, increasing the general fund 10,551,238 replacement fund 1,489,827 the sewer fund 1,261565 water fund 897,591 storm water fund 540,784 parks and recreation fund 47,876 sanitation fund 10,118 [Music] a tax fund 455,710 hospitality fund 15,211253 and the transit fund 58,248. These budget amendment requests reflect the city council's approval to revenue and expenditures that occurred after the original budget was implemented, grants received or use of prior year funds that were carried forward to the new year. The detailed ordinance is attached to your packet. A summary includes for grants, American rescue funds, the use of general general funds, prior year funds for purchases of equipment. Um we also had debt service borrowings that were not in our original budget, the limited obligation bonds of 11 million, capital lease um of 1.5 million, and a capital lease for the capital

replacement fund of 1.3 million. We also had approvals of prior year funds that were spent the current year of 123,000 and then additional funds that were received in this year that were not reflected in the budget or used this year. Um hurricane insurance proceeds, hurricane disaster funds that were spent, purchase of fire station for land and the building on South Main as well as the sale of a portion of the animal shelter. So this amendment allows the budget and audit to more accurately reflect the revenues received and expenditures made that were unknown when the original budget was adopted. So tonight we are requesting approval of ordinance 2513 amending the 2425 annual budget on second reading.

Thank you. We did on the first reading have um some good questions, robust discussion on some of the items, but I'll open it up to the floor. Any other comments or questions? Mayor, I'll make the motion to approve ordinance 2532. First by Mr. Newton, second by Mr. Harvin. Further discussion, comments? All those in favor say I.

Opposed. That passes unanimously. Thank you to the finance department. The last item of old business is request second reading the ordinance 25-14 authorizing the execution of a deed to convey property located at the corner of Murray Avenue and Franklin Street. Mr.

Mr. Mayor and council. Um this is on second reading to you. This involves the Murray Franklin development that we're excited about. 45 million $45 million development around 80 apartment units. Uh looking for that being a new anchor site coming in from the uh south into downtown. Uh this is a project we've been working on since December 2022 with Presswood Development and this is one of the we actually identified uh this site. The city owns it. Uh we have been in contract with them. It was pending them receiving certain uh tax credits from the state of South Carolina uh which they were able to competitively win. Uh the last meeting we actually heard from their one of their owners, equity owners and also consultant Sarah Neman who's been leading the process through this. We have also had a design retreat on this uh where we talked very specifics about the building, what's going to look like and the benefit this is going to be to our community. Uh so we're currently under contract. Uh we did have one extension to uh actually amend the contract just to extend the closing period uh to October. Uh then they notified us they were ready to close. We're ready to do the same on our as well. So, this this before you allows us to execute the uh the deed and to close on the property.

Thank you. And again, as city manager said, um the representative from Chris was here at our last meeting. We have some zero questions, but I'll open it up again for questions or comments from council. First by any further comments all those in favor sign oppos by Mr. John Roberts

second by Mr. Harvey. All those in favor say I. opposed. We stand a journ.