City Council - Regular Meeting

I want to welcome you this evening. This is a regularly called and convened Greer City Council meeting. Having uh called the uh meeting to order, we are going to uh move directly um to a public hearing and then we're going to make a few changes in the agenda as we go along. But uh the public hearing is scheduled for this evening and uh we're going to proceed with that. I believe Mr. Alex Cahill is here this evening with us and uh sir the podium is is yours. Um I will let you do introductions and te this piece of the public hearing uh to uh to order and we'll go from there.

Uh good evening. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Uh we actually are going to have uh Francisco Arnis present tonight. He is from Greenville County Redevelopment Association. Um, I do want to clarify, my apologies. Do we normally present first for the public hearing or do we present later on in item three?

Well, Mr. Mayor, I'm going to leave that up to you. Typically, um, in [clears throat] this case, we're going to, um, I would recommend we just open the floor to any comments on the plan and then we can get into the details before council votes on item three and new business. So, if you're so inclined, you you may want to just open the public hearing to the floor after a short introduction on uh the subject matter by uh GC staff and then we'll get into the details under item three under new business. We can handle this however you want. No, that's fine. Um yeah, let's let's go ahead and do the overview of U GC and then uh we'll move on into our business part of it is as we go along

Jim we won't need to go to the slides I think. Okay. Okay. All right. Well, thank you then, Mr. Mayor. Uh before the public hearing. So, this is a item to open the public hearing for uh our entitlement funds. These are funds received through the federal government. This is typically referred to as CDBG or homes funds. Uh we've had the privilege and benefit of having Greenville County Redevelopment Authority manage that entitlement fund program for us for quite some time. Um and so I'm actually going to turn it over to Francisco tonight. He's going to talk a little bit about what's on the docket before you all go ahead and open up the public hearing.

Thank you. Hi, good evening council. Good evening everybody. My name is Francisco and I am the program manager at Greenville County Redevelopment Authority. Later on the agenda, we'll go through about a 10 slide presentation going over what the allocation is for the city of Greer, what the anticipated uh budget is and what the activities we're proposing to do with community development block grant and home investment partnership program funds in the city of Greer for the upcoming 2026 program year. Thank you. All right. Thank you.

Um, as with a public hearing, we generally do give an opportunity to um to address uh the item or the or the programs that are in front of us. I am uh going to hold that opportunity over until we get to the items that are shown on the agenda where we will actually have the discussion in regards to the allocation of those funds. Um in fact um at this point having called the meeting to order uh I think it may be most appropriate um that I go ahead and just close the hearing at this point in time and we will open it up again as we get over to the agenda items under new business. That way we can take questions as well after the presentation. So, uh, if you are here for the public hearing and, um, want to speak to that after, uh, we have the reports from both our staff and from the GC or the CBGD, we will, um, entertain those in just a little while. Um, in that same vein this night, um, since we're going to go ahead and call the public hearing, uh, to a close at this point, let's go ahead and move forward with the pledge of allegiance and the invocation. I would ask that if you would like to participate that you join us by standing. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

[clears throat]

Father, we invoke your presence here this evening with us and thank you for the opportunity to serve this great community. We thank you for the participation this night and for the matters that are going to come before us. We pray that you'll give us insight and understanding as a council. We thank you for the responsibility that you've placed upon us to uh be in these chairs. We also thank you for those that have come this evening to participate in uh our government uh as um as as citizens and those that are concerned about the betterment of the city of Greer. We thank you for the blessings that you have offered upon us and uh remind ourselves and others of those in our community uh that are less fortunate and um and deal with issues that may not be prevalent on our minds at all times. And so be with those folks as um as they deal with the the stresses of of the differences in their lives as well too. We ask now that you go with us through the rest of this meeting. We ask all these things in Christ's name. Amen.

Amen. We've got uh we've got one item for public forum this evening. We're going to go ahead and uh move forward with that and then the minutes and then we'll get into some special recognitions. I know we've got a number of the winners from the jury to our show this evening here. And um so that um I see some school age children. I know they're just dying to get home and get on with their homework and that sort of thing. So, um, we are going to we are going to take the first part of the meeting here and move forward with that. Uh, we have one person that has indicated they'd like to speak this evening in regards to a public forum. Uh, Mr. Jesse or Jesse March could uh, if uh, you are um, available, come to the podium. If you would state your name and address as a matter of record, uh we will entertain your petition in public forum. My name is Jesse Peter Marsh. I'm at 109 Madison a grill, South Carolina. And the reason I'm here tonight, I'm concerned about what's going on with the city's the sports center event. I come before you tonight to bring you my opinion and perspective on the sports and event sports and event center budget. GRE over the past gifted over GR have been gifted a gifted situation which other cities would die for. We are growing

beyond our wisdom dream with northern folks retiring living up moving up here bringing money and prosperity due to the idiotic action of this administration appointed by a pride counselor. We should be fresh with cash but instead we we find ourselves buried in depth struggling to come up for air. The lack of reality of exemplifying by mess this mess victor me gym a stable of local community was closed and the intent replacement is too far away and not available for us according to the RFP trim center of the sports and event center bid was meant to go local and minority that's have a problem with there's no minorities that I know have got didn't work there probably some but mayor I spoke to you at at the breakfast of mother's king breakfast I gave you my card I went to Harper construction and everything was given out nothing nothing for nothing at all every time I go there it's giving out giving out giving out so I don't know what's going on somebody getting the hand pocket full of something but we're paying it these guys are coming from Michigan all over making thousands of dollars and it's and thousand on the taxpayer money so the People sitting here they don't understand trust me they're getting all the money taking it away nothing for the city of Gri I'm one who stands here totally love Gri a tax payer but I've been rejected and I got a lot of other folks been rejected a lot of them nobody nobody can understand why I went to Harper Construction folks the engineer there oh you know we gave this out a year ago a month ago 6 months ago a week ago but I was there when it broke ground and so I I just want to know from you tonight and the city manager, what are

you doing for minorities? Not a black man, the minorities. What are you doing to rectify that problem? And where did the money go? I I just feel that somebody somewhere made a decision without [clears throat] someone else looking over the shoulders. I'm not calling the person a thief, but I said it's a milk. It's a fly in the milk. And I just want later it will come out. I've already made a request to be on the news and she's trying I'm trying to find out all the money allocated to city griff the last three years. Where did it go? If it was any federal money, where did it go? I may not be as intelligent think I am, but I'm not stupid either. I will find out. Trust me, I will find out where did the money she said to she called the mayor call your office and you told her there was no money available for minorities. That was no saying now somebody's lying. There she is. So, I just want to know is and where or later the budget will show where the money. You got a lot of Spanish guys working out there, but they're not the owners. I know that. I know they don't own the company. I've did my research work. I know seven eight of them don't even live here, but they're getting that money. So, my concern is that the city of G should be fairly the city councilman should be kept fairly. Our administration should change and do the right thing. It's not about the good old boy. It's about what's right. And I believe in my heart that somebody one day is going to fresh to the surface. We'll see. I'm going to continue. But thank you very much. Young Victor Mills is giving a tape of local community to close. Okay. According to the RFP, 20% of the sports and event center bid was meant to go to the local minority. We are so we are we are so far over budget that we have to stoop to be shady

bond deals without organization. Rockill serves a stock reminder to the price is is expensive. The citizen continue to pay the price several months in their accessory utility bill. You raised the tax on the citizen and yet we've still planning to be to be saddened in debt for our decade. Now, this is not why we elected you. I'm calling on this administration to cease the to cease the crooked problem and be correct and make things work for the city of G. Not saying that anything is wrong. I can't pinpoint, but yeah, but mayor, something's not right. You got $60 million. You got taxpayer here. It's like not and we just treat unfairly. So somebody got their hands in somebody's pocket. But decision was made without organization. See if we don't come together and as taxpayer this going to go on and on on. I'm personally involved with an organization to research this administration and for what's doing right, what's wrong, not the personal life with this sport event. So that's that's probably what I that's probably what I want to say tonight. And I don't and and I don't call your office. When I call your office, we'll get back to you. We'll get back never come. I had other businessmen call several of them never return the call. They call me one day to come up there. Let them meet me to try to satisfy me, but that's not it. I want the same right that anybody any other contractor come to Hopper Construction. Hopper Construction said they was told they was told they was told who to give the contracts to. And that shows me right there somebody got the cookie job. And if I have to subpoena him to his face, he said they was told they knew who they going to give the contract to

before he even broke ground. And that's un unethical. That is not right. So I I believe the city manager and the city of GR and you should be responsible to make sure the citizen are right to make sure that we are treated fairly to make sure that the money is spent correctly. That's what the that that's why you're the mayor. That's why he's the city administrator manager. So if you don't have two people in power that's doing the right thing, you going to have flock everywhere you go. The first thing my dad used to say the church starts at home. That mean if it's if you're right in your heart and you get the right city manager and you do the right thing, I wouldn't be here today. I'm not the only one who got complaints. A lot of people don't have a nerve to stand up. But I got to stand up and go all the way because there's not it's not being right. It's just not right. I can go up. You see, I've been in construction for a while. I went on that site. They didn't even know who I was. I told But I have found out some stuff that you won't believe. It's like I said, it's a fly in the milk. It's going to come out. I know when I came I knew before I walked in the door tonight probably when you leave you're going but see you can't challenge me like that I want to I want the people to be treated right it's not all about me it's about other minorities and other business people living there black and white you got people living in this city grass cutters et all these Spanish guys out there and they in the background they in the background the Spanish guy just labors but I'm intelligent enough to know that it goes goes beyond there. So, we want to find out where the money is going. $60 million. Somebody got some money in the pocket. And I know that

I don't have any of that money in my pocket. I Well, you know why? Because you probably not part of the click. All right. You're part of You're not part of the click. We We We appreciate you. If you stay here, sir. Sir, are you telling me tonight, sir? Sir. Okay. New York, we appreciate you sharing your opinion and we appreciate whoever wrote that for you for you coming tonight and reading it. Your time's up. I'm going to leave. I'm going ask you one question before I leave. Okay. Will you faithfully say you in that you would give some minorities some work out of the 60 million uh $60 million there. There are minorities working on that job. Yes, sir.

She just said the same that you're working on it. She said the next phase. When is the next phase? You go on. I told the guys it's always the next year or 6 months later or five, but the time is now. They got the money, the time is now. And you're the mayor and the city manager, you can do something about it. And and and I am quite comfortable with where we are. Thank you, sir. I appreciate that. Thank you, sir. Council, in your packet is the minutes from March 10th on the 2026 [clears throat] uh meeting. I'll entertain a motion that they be received. So move

and and a second. Any items of note for the clerk? Hearing none. Miss Duncan. Mr. Erwood? Yes. Mr. Booker? Yes. Mr. Hopper? Yes. Mr. Lander? Yes. Mr. Bettis? Yes. Mr. Lamb? Yes. Mayor Danner? Yes. All right, council. We're going to go ahead and move to the winners of the jured art show. Robin Bayuk joins us this evening. She's the cultural arts supervisor. And uh we've got some folks that we want to uh recognize this evening uh for their work at the art.

So the same [clears throat] people that wrote that for him sent the newspaper. That's a That's a croc.

How many years we've been doing? I don't know. One of the things that I do enjoy about uh our cultural arts program is the jury art shows and um they have turned into quite an event and u we we get to recognize those folks that have participated in these and I would always urge you to take the opportunity to go and see these shows. It is amazing the amount of talent that we have in this area and those folks that uh that enter their artwork and some others available as well too. And I would urge you to take advantage of that to support our local artists. And so we do this by divisions and uh we are going to start tonight with our adult division division. And as I call your name, if you would come up here to the front and you'll stay just a moment. We're going to get a picture of each group. So we will start with third place in the adult division, Carlton Henderson. [applause] Thank you.

Second place is Clint Anderson. [applause]

already had it. I think

and in the adult division, first place best show goes to Fred Sue. [applause] We'll start all sit down. We're going to get everybody back up. How about that? And our students division. Third place goes to Jima Morales. [applause] Second place, Anastasia Sabella. [applause] In first place this evening is Zachary Weli. [applause] I'll be back in just a minute and a photography division.

Nette Latista [applause] took second place and our first place winner several years in a row. Mages. [applause] division. Second place goes to Katherine Preston. [applause] And first place goes to Tom Zach. [applause] Honorable mentions, judges choice, Janice Mcuelagot, [applause] Katie Garcia [applause]

and Molly Andrews. Please [applause] [snorts] and our staff picks Geraldine Jeremiah [applause] Send me more [applause] better. [cheering] Cindy Moore. Oh, Cindy is up here. [laughter] Elizabeth Brown, [applause] Joe Zo Shuffen. [applause] And so Wang, [applause] [applause] lots of pictures. Stay up here.

All of our recipients now. Come on back up. We'll get one picture of everybody. Have to make a double this. Yeah. All right. Tall ones in the back.

Guys, can you squish together? Yeah, show. Yeah, that would be good. You might mention that to Robin. Might mention that to Robin include that. [applause]

[applause] [snorts]

Oops, that's not the one. Thank you. Please. We'll uh we'll give just a moment for for those folks to uh head for dinner or homework or whatever awaits them. I'm not speaking. I can fix that. Well, let's see. Yeah, I've got some more stuff to do standing up.

Voice carries [laughter] on the voice heard. barrier of our staff found [laughter] some got too. We got a u we got a resolution this evening um that recognizes some of our greater city employees and we'd like to take this time to recognize recognize them and their length of service with us. It's something we do on a regular basis and uh have done for years and uh it's always an opportunity for us to [clears throat] recognize those folks who have been with us over a period of time and to give them a small thanks for what they what they do for us on a daily basis. So this resolution reads, "Whereas the city of Greer endeavors to recognize their board as dedicated and faithful employees and whereas Ashley Brutin has served in the police department for five years. Harold Dennis has served in public service department for five years. Mark King has served in the parks, recreation, and tourism division department for five years. Scott Mat has served in the municipal court for five years. Mains has served in the fire department for 10 years.

South has served in the fire department for 10 years. Josh Holzimer served in the fire department for 15 years. Justin Miller served in the parks recreation tourism department 15 years. And Cunningham served as park recreation tourism department as the head of that department for 20 years. Rich bar served in the police department for 25 years. These employees have served in a distinguished and professional manner. So now it is therefore resolved that the city of Greer, South Carolina, a new duly assembled meeting wishes to officially recognize and commend these boys for the distinguished and dedicated service they have performed. It further resolved that the city of Gerby awards these dedicated for their certificate of appreciation and administrative date with pay approved this 24th day, March 2026. Everybody said

need a walker coming up. Oh lord. [laughter] [laughter] [cough] Ashley Burton Charles runner. You be the only one on the outer Dennis. All right.

[applause]

Martin King.

They got to be in attendance to get that date. All means [applause]

Robert South would just keep him in your prayers. He's in Iraq.

[applause]

Dustin Miller [applause] and Cunningham. [applause] [laughter] I love you. We can we can all look the other way while you uh Yeah. Watch that.

Same thing. from there. in a little bit. Thank you. [applause]

Carolina. Absolutely. Everyone because we're going to take a picture. You all need to be there.

Now, I know y'all do a lot of things. We do. Uh, and this is child abuse prevention month. So, we have with us tonight. So, Sam is our program coordinator for the program. is helps with our financial manager children's trust.

Great. So, just another one of those opportunities that this uh this community takes to help it and we appreciate everything that you ladies and the organization uh does to uh to help in that regard. And enough that I still call it relief. Well, no, it is still relief. Okay. [laughter] The center is the Indigo neighborhood. All right. Thank you. We're still

Okay. All right. So, this proclamation reads as such. This is child abuse prevention month whereas South Carolina 41 million children residing in the diverse communities across our state including 27,000 children are our most valuable resource will shape the future of our great state. Whereas childhood trauma, including neglect and abuse, is a serious issue affecting all parts of our community and requires collective action. As such, trauma can cause long-term psychological, emotional, and physical harm. And whereas pro protective factors strengthen children and families and effect child abuse prevention relies on strong partnerships among child serving professionals, community, healthcare, law enforcement and families. Whereas community must make every effort to promote programs and activities to build strong children and strengthen families. Whereas relief partnership with the South Carolina Children's Trust has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to prevent their impactful programs and initiatives and whereas career relief dedication to providing essential services and resources only strengthens our community's also helps to mitate the risk factors associated with child abuse in whereas in state fiscal year 2425 there 7,24 substantiated child protection services investigations with 12,371 children in South Carolina and 114. Therefore, I mayor Rick Dann hereby proclaim April the 26 as child abuse

prevention month throughout. We encourage everyone to dedicate themselves to protecting quality life for all families and children so that we can end child neglect and abuse would be appropriate if y'all want to say something to address this. Yes. I would say it takes a village and truly we can't do it without the partnerships we have in the community. Um the law enforcement um our DSS and our other providers program um that is one way that we are helping answer that also just help

[clears throat] Thank you. [applause]

[snorts]

Where's your Where's your big camera, Tom? [clears throat] All right, council. I think we're getting ready to get back on track here. Departmental reports are contained in your packet this evening. You have those uh before you as always. Um department heads andor Mr. Mayorman will be glad to help you with that. Mr. Chris Klene comes with our financial report and the floor is yours, sir.

Thank you. Good evening, Mayor and Council. Financial performance summary for the month of February 2026. General fund had a cash balance of 30,77,000. Year-to- date revenues of 42,449,000, year-to- date expenditures of 37,476,000, and we were 1% over budget. We had a favorable revenue benchmark variance of 2,649,000, an unfavorable expenditure benchmark variance of 2,620,000, and an overall favorable benchmark variance of 29,000. Moving on to hospitality fund, we had a cash balance of 2,98,000, year-to- date revenues of 2,680,000 and year-to- date expenditures of 2,848,000. Finally, Stormwater Fund, we had a cash balance of 4,417,000, year-to- date revenues of 1,450,000, and year-to- date expenditures of 972,000. With that, I'd be happy to stand for any questions.

Thank you, sir. Floor's open. Council, were you able to um send me the graphing of the long-term revenues that for the um I didn't get it if you did? Yes, sir. I did email it to you, but I'll Okay. Well, we'll I'll talk to you later. Get it. Thank you. Questions? Comments on the hospitality fund? Yes, sir. Um, I noticed you said we spent about 200,000 more than what we've brought in. Is that right?

Yes, sir. Currently, so we did have a we do have a budgeted uh transfer from the hospitality fund to the general fund uh of $2 million. And so that did go through in the month of February. So that was a big chunk there. Um we kind of wait to do it till the end of the year when we have a little more cash flow in that fund to do so. But we will that's been a bulk of the expenditures. Um, and we just have the rest of the revenue for monthly hospitality that we'll receive throughout the rest of the fiscal year. Are we tracking what we need to be on on that fund?

Yes, sir. Uh, we were uh under budget for this past month. Um, but overall we are um we are still, you know, tracking and we are uh ahead of last year year to date. Further discussion hearing none. Thank you, sir. Thank you. Appreciate it. Thank you, sir. Council, let's move to the administrator's report. Mr. Mayorman, Mr. Mayor, Mr.

Mayor, Council, thank you, Mr. Wood. I just wanted to remind council again in the the fire department activity report. Please uh take a look at that for the um EMS [clears throat] transport delays in the month of February. We had six we had 20 responses uh that were over 20 minutes or greater. That's from EMS coming. uh we had seven that were a total of 30 minutes or greater going into the 40-minute category. And then the other one I mentioned this is um where we have to provide the ALS service uh where we take a person from out of our staff and they go to the hospital in the ambulance with the folks because the counties aren't showing up with qualified people. Um there was uh two in Greenville County and three in Spartanber County. So [snorts]

thank you sir. Mr. Mayorman. Thank you Mr. Mayor Council. Um Mr. Awood I just took Mr. Klein's email that he sent you and forwarded it to you and all of council to ensure that's in at the top of your inbox. So you should have that.

Um a [clears throat] couple real quick things. First of all, I would like to um uh personally thank the Greenville Fire Department, the Pel and Batesville Fire Department, Taylor's Fire Department, and the Lake Cunningham Fire Department for services that they rendered to the citizens of Greer. Um last week as we um the fire department in particular said goodbye to one of their own during the funeral of Lieutenant Taylor Graham. um those four departments stepped up and covered the city during the time um of the funeral. So from me and the city to those departments and their leadership, I want to thank you for um for being faithful to the fire service and to uh fellow firefighters. Uh also want to remind um this council and the city of the big bash this weekend, 150th. So happy 150th to the city of Greer. Uh the countdown to the biggest party of the year is on. Join us on Saturday, March the 28th for a day of fun celebrating 150 years of Greer. The big bash will take place in various locations throughout downtown Greer starting at 4. There will be music, pop-up shows, a classic car show, trade and craft demonstration, artisan market vendors, food vendors, a kid zone, and Greer 150 merchandise. For the schedule and more information, see the city of Greer website. Mr. Mayor, council, that concludes my report. Council, I would add as well to um remember the event that takes place at the depot tomorrow night. We will um have a full slate of um items there uh for you and um for uh some of our community as we celebrate the kickoff of the 150th birthday of the city. And uh I think the presentations that are going to be presented tomorrow night will be well worth your time. And then on Thursday night, uh, Spartanberg

Municipal Association meeting is going to be held at our museum. Um, we've got, um, [snorts] a number of folks that'll be coming from other municipalities in the Spartanberg area to see and hear the story of the Greer Museum. And I know you'll want to uh, to be a part of that. If you have not seen the new exhibit yet, you are going to be blown away. And, um, Mr. Mr. Loveg Grove and possibly some of his family may be there. Uh we will um [snorts] have some of the volunteers as well too for explanation of some of the exhibits and I think you're going to really enjoy that. So we look forward to seeing y'all uh for the next couple of evenings if uh if you can make time to to do that. With that then we're going to move to appointments of boards and commissions and the planning commission. We have a resignation district 5. after Booker has resigned. His term was to expire June 30th, 2027. Um, Mr. Booker, do you have anybody at this time to nominate for a position on the planning commission?

That'd be mine. [laughter] Oh, excuse me. [clears throat] Well, we've we've we've got somebody that's rather close to Mr. Germaine Booker, so I just got a little confused there. So, Mr. Bettis, do you have somebody you'd like to nominate to the planning commission this evening? Uh, I I am very sorry to lose Tmaine, but I am working on a replacement.

Okay. Thank you. We will look forward to uh having uh somebody in that seat before too much longer. And um tell your brother we'll miss him. [laughter] Let's move on to old business. There's only one item of old business this evening. This is the second and final reading of ordinance number 6-2026. This is an ordinance to change the zoning classification of a certain property owned by Kimberly Chapman Edens, also known as Kimberly Sims, located at 116 and 118 Pleasant Drive in Pleasant Drive from suburban neighborhood to traditional neighborhood. Um, the floor is yours, ma'am. Um, I don't have any updates on this item, but happy to answer any questions you might have.

Thank you, Miss F. With that, then, uh, I'll entertain a motion to receive. So moved. Second and second. No new or additional information. This comes to you with the recommendation from both staff and the planning commission. Um, with that I will open the floor for discussion, comments, questions. Hearing none. Miss Duncan, Mr. Awood, yes. Mr. Booker, yes. Mr. Hopper, yes. Mr. Lander, no. Fettis, yes. Mr. Mr. Lamb. Yes. Mayor Danner.

Yes. Council, this move. Thank you. Let's move to items of new business. Um the first of which is the city of Greer Capital projects department solicited sealed bids from qualified offerers for detention center roofing replacement. [snorts] The project cost was budgeted in the general fund. Uh Miss Kamakaro joins us for this discussion. She is our procurement and grant supervisor. Floor is yours, ma'am.

Thank you, mayor, and good evening to you and council. As the mayor mentioned, the capital's projects department solicited sale bids for this project to uh do roofing replacement over our detention center. We received three bids. Um the um one of the companies was nonresponsive. uh our um team uh recommends uh recommen recommends award to IE Coding Inc. and with that I'll open it for any questions. Council for the purposes of discussion I'll entertain a motion to receive. So move and a second. Second.

Floor is open for discussion. questions. Are any of these uh companies minority owned? I would have to check. I don't know that we uh requested for that certification specifically for this project. Okay. And but they all it seems like we have Greenville, Greenwood, and West Columbia, but one was nonresponsive. Okay. There's a big there's a rather large difference in in the quoted price there. Is it I mean the scope was

well defined. Yes. Uh scope was the same um for all three uh and we provided um a pre-bid meeting uh which uh they were able to tour the facility and check exactly what are the conditions. Uh we also had a good question and answer session after that uh to specifically define any additional uh questions from the biders. So we were we felt comfortable that the scope was uh correct and we were able to move forward and get good bids to come in. I believe the issue was they looked at the roof

once we had actually eight contractors go and do the preid and when they got up there they saw all the equipment all the issues. Okay. It kind of became a daunting task to even think about putting in a bid. They believe we had one response on that one. Okay. It makes sense that the local contractor should be able to do a little bit better with not having to pay perdeium and all that stuff. So others questions comments discussion hearing none. Miss Duncan Mr. Awood

yes Mr. Booker yes Mr. Hopper yes Mr. Lander yes Mr. Bettis. Yes. Mr. Lamb. Yes. Mayor Danner.

Yes. This will be the first and the final reading of a resolution which is 6-2026. It's the allocation of the Greenville County CDBG and home fund for the program year 2026. Um this um it comes to us from resolution. We also will have information from Greenville County. Uh in that regard, is your presentation applicable to the county's information as well too or should we treat these separately? At this point,

it's all one. My recommendation would be to do the presentation first and then open the public hearing, but that's at the discretion of council. Okay, we'll go ahead with the presentation and then I will open the um open the uh public hearing at that point.

Great. Well, I'll keep it short and sweet. Thank you u Mr. Mayor, Mayor Prom, and honorable council members. Alex Cahill with the Planning and Development Department. Uh I'm going to introduce uh Francisco Arnis tonight. Uh GCR has partnered with the city for a long time in administering our entitlement funds as you heard earlier through C CDBG and the homes partnership funds. Each year uh GC submits an annual action plan on behalf of the city to the federal government. Uh these funds are then uh administered and run through [clears throat] GC on behalf of uh the city. Uh for program year 2026, the city of Greer does anticipate receiving around $288,000 in these funds, which includes an annual allocation and estimated program income. These funds are intended to benefit and must benefit low and moderate income residents, address neighborhood needs, and support community development activities. There's also some subreient funding that Francisco will talk about tonight and that needs to support community organizations and city programs that provide services to residents including youth, seniors, and families in need. With that, I'm going to turn over to Francisco with GCR and he'll give you a more in-depth detail of what we are proposing in this year's budget. Thank you,

Mr. Ares. Before you get started, let me go ahead and um we have uh stopped and started already a uh a a public hearing. Uh let's just go ahead and um make this official for your presentation and then we will have a period of time for questions and answers if there are any from the public. So uh I'd like to call the public hearing uh to order. This is a notice of a public hearing and comment period for the Greenville County program year 2026 27. the annual action plan for the use of HUD funds in municipalities. Mr. Ares joins us for that from uh the office and the floor is yours, sir. Thank you, Mayor. Good evening, council. Good evening, everybody. Again, um Alex did a great job introducing what we're doing here, what we're going to be talking about. Um I'll run through some further details tonight. Again, I'm Francisco's program manager. With me, of course, is Joe Smith, our executive director. Um [snorts] and any questions we'll be we'll be able to answer for you during the presentation or after. Quick agenda for you. Even though this is going to be a short presentation, we'll go over an introduction who GC is, purpose of this meeting, uh funding types, national objectives, and eligible uses of these funds, the upcoming budget for 2026 concerning um HUD funds through GCA for the city of Greer, and proposed activities, projects, and next steps. Just as a background to Greenville County Redevelopment Authority, uh we were created through South Carolina Act 516 in 1969. Shortly after, 5 years later, Community Development Block Grant was created from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Every year thereafter, we've worked on projects um concerning acquisition,

demolition, redevelopment of neighborhoods, slum and blight remediation, public services, and affordable housing throughout the last 50 years. That's been our focus. Um new programs have come out which we've rolled uh into the into the programs we offer at GCA, GCA, namely concerning affordable housing and then homelessness programs. And of course, we administer Greenville County uh affordable housing funds, which are local revenue funds for the use of uh for the creation or um purchase renovation of affordable rental or home ownership housing. Uh budget projects overview. I'll go over that. And lastly, we'll have an opportunity for public comment and questions. One thing to keep an eye out for uh and one of the reasons we're here, we're part of what's called an urban county agreement. So essentially the city of Greer has entered into an agreement with Greenville County and using Greenville County redevelopment authority as the [snorts] administrator of HUD funding on behalf of the city of Greer. We have the financial management. We have the staff, we have the experience in administering these funds, um creating planning documents, uh entering into contracts, implementing projects and programs. And so we do this, we propose projects to the city of Greer. The gr the city of Greer decides which projects to fund, which programs to fund, and then we help with contract administration and implementation. That urban county agreement allows us to do that. That's renewed every three years. And so this upcoming year will be a year of renewal and then it it's good for another three years. Lastly, the amount that's allocated to Greenville County is a certain dollar amount for um three different programs. We back into the amount that's allocated to the city of Greer based on population, uh amount of households in poverty, and amount of overcrowded

units. We put this into a formula to come out with with what is allocated to be used in the city of Greer. One of the requirements and and one of the planning documents which we create is called an annual action plan. So essentially before we do anything we have to propose it. We have to open it up for public comment. We need to put it in a document and lay out what the activity is, who it's going to benefit, what it's going to cost, and the scope of the project. Um that action plan will be made public on GC's website in April for public comment also for 30 days. And so what pertains to the city of Greer, we're making open for public comment today which has gone back a couple weeks and will extend until March 27th. As I mentioned, we receive an allocation from HUD annually. We back into what is available and budgeted for the city of Greer. So this is the estimated funding allocation for 2026 on the screen. We then budget into specific line items. These line items are not projects and they're very flexible. We can move from one line item line line item to another um with ease. We work with uh the city manager, the development director and city staff to see what projects we want to focus on. U but we are required to put it into a line item budget. One of the funding programs we manage is called community development block grant. These funds essentially must benefit primarily low to moderate income households or persons. Wide range of activities we can do with this with with this funding source from housing rehabilitation to funding public service programs and that could be programs um administered or run by nonprofits or even through the city. Uh and we can also fund public infrastructure and facility projects among other things. what's not on the screen also facade

improvements or economic development programs. Another funding source which we receive annually for Greenville County of about a million dollars is called home investment partnerships program. This is for the creation uh or rehabilitation of affordable housing. When we say affordable, we mean for households earning under 80% AMI. And we try to target either a housing or a rent payment, a housing payment of approximately 30% of one's gross income. And so that can fluctuate where that payment lies. Um, and as I mentioned, this is going to be for for housing for sale or for rent. What you see on the screen in the images here are the Fair View Town Homes which we have here in Greer and which we worked with the city um to collaborate on and to construct some other uh GC housing programs and and what they do. As we mentioned, we um can develop and and and um we can develop in-house or we can partner with other developers to construct affordable units either for sale or for rent. We have a first-time home buyers program in which um households earning under 80% area median income can get down payment assistance to purchase their first home. This is run through an organization called Community Works Carolina. It's a very popular program. The funding for that goes pretty quick because down payment assistance is needed. We have an investor program for rental rehabilitation. So, if you're an investor, you're renting out your home, it needs some repairs, we can fund those repairs with the condition that is then rented at an affordable price. We also have an owner occupied rehabilitation program specifically uh for seniors. So, if you've got a senior or if you if there's a senior household that needs home repairs uh to make the place safe, warm, and dry or accessible,

we have a program for that. Typically, that looks like um grant funds anywhere between 10 to $15,000 to make those repairs. The only condition being that they continue to live in their home as a primary residence. Uh we also partner with other organizations that'll do a u repairs on a home in which you don't have to be a senior. We can also finance in-house for home buyers looking to obtain financing that perhaps can't get financing through a bank or or their credit union. we have an option to look into whether we can finance that. We also administer rental assistance programs, one of which is administered through GER relief. So, if you're um a household that's fallen behind on rent or utilities and you need to make some back payments to bring you current in order to avoid uh eviction or the lights being shut off, there's a program for that and we can help assist with funding with that. We've done many projects over the year over the years in Greer. Some of the past most recent projects are the Fairview Town Homes here in Greer and also a lot of the f facads that you see on Main Street. We've assisted in providing grant funding to u uplift that facade. upcoming projects that we have um earmarked to be uh done in the city of Greer. One is a housing project on Harris Street and this is through an organization uh which applied to funding from from us called Greer Community Outreach Center Inc. And so our role in projects like this is typically to provide what's called gap funding. So whatever the project can't support in permanent debt, we would cover the difference in order to make it a viable project up to a certain amount. Um so this is a project that we're that is under consideration and and proposed for

the upcoming year. Um it's still under consideration and in conditional awards. So there's a lot more due diligence and um for lack of a better word underwriting and and some back and forth and finalizing the project, but it is planned for the upcoming year. uh subreipients that we're funding and this is for either the city or nonprofits. As you can see here, uh parks and recreation senior program for this 3750, parks and wreck youth program for 8,000, creative advancement for 5,000, Greer Community Ministries for 18,500 and Greer Relief for 24750. Uh we're also partnering with the city of Greer to construct two uh homes on Spring Street. So, those are vacant lots. Um, those uh those lots were uh deed to GC in order to construct affordable units from the city of Greer a few months ago. Next steps, like I mentioned, we're open for public comment either made in this forum or via email. And I'll share that email next. Public comment runs until um March 27th, although that's specific to this municipality. You can still submit a public comment in April once we actually release the larger planning document. Um and another next step from from the city is to sign the res the resolution um approving the budget for the upcoming year. That resolution has estimated amounts. Those amounts get tred up once we receive from HUD what the actual allocation is. Thank you for listening. Um, open for questions.

Let's start with council. Council,

could you explain to me on the resolution there, it has the funds listed under CDBG and home and the program income under home is a negative 600,000. I don't understand that.

Right. It's yeah it's it's it's something that needs to be answered a negative amount. So when we've partnered with the city on creating the Fair View town homes, we had to budget future years for the cost of the construction of those town homes and then paying the debt service on the on that on that loan. So until those town homes are completely constructed and sold, the balance will fluctuate because part of that contains future set aides of upcoming year's allocations. Is that probably should have satisfactory probably should have spelled that out in [laughter]

um so there is still program income to the home program but right now it's all being payback. Correct. I mean that number is obviously a placeholder number until it it changes as future years allocations are budgeted towards this project essentially. Okay. How do we know what it actually is at any given moment? You could always reach out to us and we can provide that information. Uh that's the first time I've ever seen that. Um that's kind of new to me. Yeah. or how many lots still available out there. Do you know?

Um I think we just had some movement a couple days ago. So we have two more fish on the line, so to speak. We have eight still working on right now. Now we've got a different market push in place. 14 of those units. There's 19 remaining to be done in multiple phases. 19 was the number. That's phase two basically is what that was. Okay. Thank you. All right. Others. what um low to moderate income sections of Greer because that's where the these funds would be applied. Do what areas are identified by you guys in our city that are considered low to moderate income?

So we don't identify areas per se. We first identify what the activity is or what we want to do and then we identify whether we have to tie it whether we're going to tie it to benefiting households because then if we can get household data then we don't have to consider an area. If we're doing something like an infrastructure project or something that benefits an entire area then we would look into the data to look at whether that area is justifiably a primarily low to moderate income area. So, um, and this is the areas the the areas are based on American Community Survey block, uh, census block groups. And so that's the that's the lowest common denominator is a block group. Um, but I I'm uncertain which census block groups right now within Greer are low to moderate income, but I can get back to you with that information. Others questions.

Let me ask a question really quick. The the town houses that were built um is I mean are they for sale on the open market or you have to qualify or how does that work? They are for sale on the open market. So you can find them on Zillow. What you'll see is a sales price of approximately 250. Once we make contact with someone, we will ensure that they earn typically under 80% of area immediate income for the last year, which is approximately 77,000 for a household of four. Okay.

Um and then as long as they qualify on that, we'll look at how much we need to provide um essentially in subsidy so that their first mortgage amount is approximately say $200,000 so that they can afford that payment. And then GCR will provide a essentially a seller contribution or a second loan behind the first that requires no payments and a zero and is at a 0% interest rate which just hangs on a secondary financing. And so yeah, it's open in the freemart. It's open. You can find it and yeah, we do an eligibility check. Okay.

Yeah. comments. Further discussion, questions. Mr. Smith, we thank you for joining us this evening as well too. Thank you, sir, for for for being here. This is a public hearing. I'd like to open the public hearing at this point. Uh if you are here and would uh like to ask a uh a question of uh either staff or Mr. Resz, uh this would be the point and time to do it. Uh if you would like to ask a question or make a comment, please raise your hand. a second opportunity for you to uh ask a question or make a comment in regards to our annual uh CDBG funding for the program year 2026. Seeing none and a third and final time if you would like to make a comment into as to the allocation of the Greenville County CDBG and home funds for program year 2026 or ask a question please raise your hand. Third and final call. No one indicated that they wish to do so. Um with uh that then um that information is uh brought to us. Um we will need to take action in that regard. We've got a motion in a second I believe. Not yet. Um then we will take care take care of that and uh u proceed with the vote. I'll entertain a motion that we receive.

So moved and a second. Second. Uh any discussion among council at this point hearing? None. Miss Duncan. Mr. Erwood. Yes. Mr. Booker. Yes. Mr. Hopper. Yes. Mr. Lander. Yes. Mr. Bettis. Yes. Mr. Lamb. Yes. Mayor Danner. Yes.

Council, let's move to the first reading of ordinance number 7-2026. This is an ordinance to provide for the annexation of a certain property owned by Susan and Steven Davis located at 209 Windsor Road by 100% petition and to establish a zoning classification of suburb and neighborhood for said property. Miss Stall joins us for this discussion.

Good evening. This is ordinance 7-2026. Um the address is 209 Windsor Road and the request is to annex and zone two suburban neighborhood uh with the intent of building one single family house. Here's the aerial of the property. The property is84 acres. Here's the zoning map. The surrounding zoning is rural residential. Uh the future land use in the area is traditional neighborhood. And here is a photo of existing conditions at the site. Once again, the request is to annex and zone two suburban neighborhood. The surrounding zoning and land uses are residential. Therefore, staff recommends approval. [clears throat]

For the purpose of discussion, I'll entertain a motion to receive. So moved. And a second. Second. Board's open for discussion. Questions? Can you go back to the slide? I'm just interested to see uh on there you had there was two areas that were unzoneed. Greenville County. What is everything to the west? Is that on the on that this last side south and west?

Yes. Um directly south the adjacent parcel. Um it's on the side property line. Okay. Basically everything uncolored is is Griml County. Correct. I believe in that in that area Windsor Road is is part of this the city, right? But I'm sorry, could you repeat the question? The road. The road. The road. Yes. It's um it's in the city of Greer.

Yeah. Others discussion, questions, comments?

Hearing none. Miss Duncan. Mr. Awood. Yes. Mr. Booker. Yes. Mr. Hopper. Yes. Mr. Lander. Yes. Mr. Bettis. Yes. Mr. Lamb. Yes. Mayor Danner. Yes. Council, let's move to item four. This first reading of ordinance number 8-2026. This is an ordinance to provide for the annexation of a certain property owned by Benjamin Hughes located Junior located at 1471 West Hampton Boulevard by 100% petitioning to establish a zoning classification of commercial corridor for said property. Miss Stall.

Yes. This is ordinance 8-2026. The address of the parcel is 1471 west to Wade Hampton Boulevard. Um this is a request to annex and zone two commercial corridor. This one parcel um we believe it'll be part of several parcels along Wade Hampton that will be annexed and zoned commercial corridor with the intent of building a commercial development. Um here's the aerial of the parcel. It's86 acres. Uh the zoning map shows the surrounding zoning as commercial corridor. Uh the future land use in the area is suburban commercial. Here is here are the current conditions at the site. Once again the request is to annex and zone to commercial corridor. These surrounding zoning and land uses are predominantly commercial. Uh this is in accordance with the surrounding area. So staff recommends approval. Council with the recommendation of approval from staff, I'll entertain a motion to receive. So

move second. Second and a second. Floor is open for discussion. Do you believe that there's other parcels that are going to be all this will be combined? Yes. I think the other two parcels um they'll bring those into annex um as well and they'll them ones running. Be nice. clean that area up. Yeah, we voted on to the to the right um I guess east uh just a few few meetings ago. Mhm. Two two parcels. Um they are doing um auto repair shop there. Yep.

Um they actually haven't come back in with to see us again yet. Um they're working on their civil plans right now. Yeah. This is the old uh rear rim and tire, whatever it was. And I think next door to it a pawn shop is still standing. Yes. The building. Yeah. They've been out of business for a long time. Others, questions or comments? Mayor. Um, since it is the first reading, um, are you a, um, owner, representative, the owner of the property? Yes. Yes. Yes.

Would you like to speak? I was just going to say it's actually the one to the right. Oh, we only had the this one. Okay. Gotcha. Okay. Say again. I didn't. Yeah. the whole corner. Then if you'll come to the podium, please. We this one and then these two. If you'll come to the podium, please. I think it'll make your your your comments a matter of record. Please. Yeah. I'm sorry. I was just saying the you'll just state your name and Oh, Sean Atinson, Wood Haven Development. Okay. Thank you. It's the one to the bottom as well. Okay. All the way to Chick Springs or

No, there's one sliver there that's residential that'll include all that. Uh, can you speak to the potential development? Uh, currently a bank on the corner. A bank's problem. Thank you, sir. Yeah. Riley, you referred to this site during the opening of our Subaru Road station, didn't you? Said that was Walker Hannah ran a gas station there. It was. Yeah. I guess so. Of course, you got Jewel D. Young. Yep. Yep. Legend. And then uh own shop. That was an So gas station. Yep. Really? My neighborhood walk down memory lane.

Yeah. [snorts] Others. Miss Duncan. Mr. Arowwood. Yes. Mr. Booker. Yes. Mr. Hopper. Yes. Mr. Lander. Yes. Mr. Bettis. Yes. Mr. Lamb. Yes. Mayor Danner. Yes. First reading of ordinance number 9-2026. This is an ordinance authorizing the conveyance of an easement in certain real property inside the city of Greer. Mr. Google Howard joins us for this discussion.

Good evening, mayor and members of council. Uh as the construction continues out there at our events sports and event center, uh we reach a point where we need to ask council to convey several utility easements for our service providers. Uh in this first ordinance number nine-2026 [clears throat] is a small sliver of land that will house CPW a access point to the sanitary sewer. They will have a man cover there manhole. Um and we're asking council to submit or to uh to convey this easement to CPW. Any questions? I'll be happy to answer. For the purpose of discussion now, I'll entertain a motion that it be received. So move second

and a second. Floor is open for discussion comments questions hearing none. Miss Duncan Mr. Airwood yes Mr. Booker. Yes. Mr. Hopper. Yes. Mr. Lander. Yes. Mr. Bettis. Yes. Mr. Lamb. Yes. Mayor Danner. Yes. Um, first reading of ordinance number 10-2026. This is an ordinance authorizing the conveyance of an easement in certain real property inside the city of Greer. Again, Mr. Googlehire joins us for that discussion. The floor is yours, sir.

Yes, mayor and council. with this easement Duke Power Quest access coming off Highway 14 as the power is going to run underground uh coming off 14 and that entrance and drive. It'll wrap up around our our drive and down to the receiving and doing lock area or loading dock area where the transformer will be located. Um and if if council has any questions, that's the easement that Duke is asking for. For further discussion, I'll entertain a motion to receive. So move and a second. Second. Any discussion in that regard? John, where do they pick up the power from?

If Well, and that's why I wish I had a slide to show you. If if you're uh coming right at where our new entrance is, that's where the all 14. All 14. Yes, sir. And that's it'll drop down right there and then go follow up. Is it Is it overhead there now? It's overhead there now. Well, they're bringing it in. We're putting a new pole. Uh it'll come south from south across 14 and come up to that pole. It'll drop down at that point, go underground, come all the way up the front of the entrance and then wrap around into

what what is the likelihood that we could I hate it when we add more poles. We're adding more to the pole forest that we have around here. Um, have there been talks or could we have talks with Duke about uh when it crosses because I'm assuming there is overhead on the other side. There is correct if they could drop down there and bore under 14 and come up there. We didn't pursue that. Didn't ask that question. Um, I would love it if we did because it just aesthetically. Yeah.

Yeah. And it that that kind of takes away that because the area right now as you're driving in is kind of clear as far as the site and I hate to see us adding adding to club. We're actually we're actually taking away one pole. I mean we're we're trying to tidy it up as best we can but Well, I is it possible that we can talk to Duke and uh check about boring under at this point sir? It would could be it would slow the project down. I mean, I don't know that we've got in a rush to buy one, [laughter] Mr. Edward. They they will do it. It just we'll just have to pay for it. How much? I I don't know. They're they're not um we're not adding a pole. It's coming to an existing pole.

Okay. Okay. So, we're not going to polls there. We're just moving it over a little bit. Okay. But so, we're not adding any poles. We are taking away one net zero. Yeah. Net zero. Okay. Actually, it's a net negative one. Yeah. because we are removing one pole. All right. Good. But Mr. Airwood to answer that question. So early on in the project when we were discussing with uh Duke, the discussion was what would it take to get everything adjacent to everything underground and some at that time there was there was a a price tag applied to that. I don't know what it was, but it was substantial enough to go we'll just

Well, I'm sure that I'm sure it's to do that boring. It is. I Um and and hopefully I'll be bringing a ordinance for council's consideration about basically we can title it no more new poles and [laughter] well I'm serious. I'm not arguing but uh but but that's that's kind of where I'm coming from on that. Where's the pole going to be relative to the entrance? Is it right next to the entrance or is it on the opposite corner? No, it would be near the entrance. It's not going to be hindrance to the entrance, but if that's where it's coming in. Okay. We're going to have net zero poles, but we're adding a line.

We are. Well, we're moving a line. Oh, you Okay. So, we're going to have net zero line.

The reason why we're moving the line is because there's the parson's house that's right next to our entrance. That house is where that pole currently sits. Because DOT is requiring us to change the driveway alignment of coming into ours, there has to be a certain turn radius there. That driveway is having to be relocated. So, their driveway is going to move down. And because the driveway is moving, the pole's got to move as well. And so, they're relocating the pole, but they're just bringing the same the power to the pole. It'll go down there and everything's underground from that point forward. But the driveway relocation is the what made us start. If if we weren't having to worry about that, the pole that's there now would take place.

And Duke is is running the line and setting the transformer and everything for us. That is that's correct. Yes, sir. Now, we've got CPW for for water, sewer. Is they didn't provide electric in this area. Is it just

because they would have again at a substantial cost? We approached them first. uh their uh quote and estimate was for $425,000 without the transformer. Uh where Duke would provide the transformer for free and they would of course we're going to end up paying a little bit more in the service on the front [clears throat] end. Uh but Duke is willing to work with us a whole lot more than CPW was at that time. Good. All right. That's um okay others

questions comments discussion hearing none Miss Duncan Mr. Awood yes Mr. Booker yes Mr. Humper yes Mr. Lander yes Mr. Bettis. Yes. Mr. Lamb. Yes. Mayor Danner. Yes. Council, one further item in regards to conveyance of easement regarding water. This is an ordinance authorizing the conveyance of an easement in certain real property in the city of Greer. Uh Mr. Google Howard, the floor is yours, sir.

Yes, sir. Mayor and council, this is the final easement. It goes back to CPW dealing with our domestic water. Um the demand for this site is so high that we had to actually tap into two locations. We're tapping up at South Bumpin and 14. Um and that line will be of such a size 8 in and it's would now be considered a main. With that being the issue, they will want to service that main. Uh and that's why we're asking for this easement. For the purpose of discussion, I'll entertain a motion to receive. So move. Second. Floor's open for discussion. You're going to have two 8 inch taps. We're going to have two. Yes, sir.

One at Bunkham and one at at uh 14. Okay. Is our Did our civil guys who came up with that? Yeah, it was our civil engineer with Davis and Floyd. Yes, sir. I mean, they ran all the calculations and it was the demand required it. It's I'm assuming one of them is for a fire line, I guess. One of them is. Yes, sir. comments. I guess during the process, do we figure out what utilities will cost? Is that how we come to the determination of some of this stuff or or for this

just in water? I mean, do we know what it will cost us and fees and potential water bill fee moving forward? No, sir. I don't have any of that any of those calculations at this point. Now, if we're tapping two sides, I mean, is it because they would need a loop system to get enough pressure in the lines or Yes, that increases the pressure to handle the load.

That's a very expensive tapping fees for 28 in. Very expensive. [clears throat] We have I I forget how many fixtures we got, not to mention all the the the fire hydrants and so forth and everything. There's a lot of wire demand in this facility. They couldn't bring it down. That's correct. Well, that dang. All right. Further discussion. [clears throat] Hearing none. Miss Duncan. Mr. Erwood. Yes. Mr. Booker. Yes. Mr. Hopper. Yes. Mr. Lander. Yes. Mr. Bettis. Yes. Mr. Lamb. Yes. Mayor Danner. Yes. Thank you,

Mayor. Before we move on from this whole subject um about the infrastructure for the building, I believe there was an issue about sewer in the very beginning um flow rates. Is that am I the There there was there were some questions about upgrading an existing um sewer line and um uh drop inlet at well not drop inlet but the one over at um this neighborhood over there farms or yeah that one but that's been rectified. We're we're that that that is a non-issue. Okay. That is a non-issue.

Sed farms on that's on the other side of 14. Yeah. We're gravitying down to that one. That one required an upgrade. There was a couple issues on the calculations. All that's been rectified. It's no problem. They're going to make the the the um there's going to be the necessary upgrades made on that one to accommodate. So, all that that problem's gone. We're going to be going under 14. We are. Mhm. Yes, sir. Oh, wow. Didn't realize that. Some money in there. [snorts] Might as well just run the the power line through there, too. just strap [laughter] it to the line just when you're pushing in that that thing.

Uh last item of regular business this evening is a uh discussion in regards to the sports and events center signage. Uh this is for the purpose of discussion. Um this is led by Mr. Mayorman.

Well, yeah. So, uh Mr. Mayor, council, thank you. There was um some questions at the last council meeting. It was requested to be on this agenda. um to discuss uh the the monument signage that has been slated for the sports and event center. Uh by way of reminder, [clears throat] we um as we were going through the exercise of cost and um site planning, design, aesthetics, etc. Uh the monument signage was decided on because one, it's static um which means less expensive. two. Um we did identify the area as a um kind of a to your point about the the polls um a gateway. We were trying to establish some sort of gateway monumentation letting everyone know that's coming into Greer that this is you're now somewhere different. And so we were hoping that that signage would affectuate that. Um so cost and um again a static sign that was part of um an overall uh welcome to Greer as it pertains to a lot of the the way we have done designs downtown and in other areas. Um, I believe there's been some question about whether or not this council is interested in changing from a monument sign to some sort of digital or um visual uh sign. And so that's why this is on the agenda today. Um, just to give you a little bit of a frame of reference, I think, and John and Mike can correct me if I'm wrong, I think our entire signage package, which includes the monument sign, is somewhere in the neighborhood of 600,000. Or is it 800,000? What's that number?

No, no, no. That includes all interior signage. Everything else is 350. Okay. 350. We have comped a sign that um would fit dimensionally what has been kind of set aside on the site. Um which would add an additional 150 to $200,000 of cost to um our signage package to do a digital sign. This uh this particular one is um out of a city in Minne uh Minnesota and uh we do think that it meets I think what some council members have indicated they might like to see. Uh so the question then is one is this council indic interested in us pursuing that um and getting a better number on that and two um what is it that y'all want to see or do you want to see a digital sign or do you want to see a monument sign?

Mr. Mr. Mayor, if I may just clarify one thing about what you just asked. Um, just for some context for the discussion. As we were preparing for the GMP,

we uh have engaged the services of company called Smash who does all who's going to do our interior graphics and we'll do the monument sign as budgeted. The amount that they submitted to us as a package for the entire facility to cover all interior signage kind of a a higher end. If you've been like to the new um uh Spartanber Stadium and the way those graphics are done, that type of effect, that package was $475,000. We elected in a GMP uh to put a $350,000 allowance for signage in the budget, saying that their package had all the bells and whistles and that we as a as as we began uh we're now starting to engage Smash on the finetuning of the details of that sign of the inside signs. All required signage will be done. It's just the extra graphical type stuff that'll be in there. We said that we're going to put $350,000 worth of signage inside the building and also cover the monument. I just want to clarify that point. Uh so the sign package was higher for those graphics and everything, but we only put a $350,000 allowance. I just wanted to clarify that.

So we got a proposal from a possible vendor for $475. We do not have a proposal. What we we do not what we did budgetary number.

Yeah. We just we did a we did a placeholder for the digital sign to get an idea of what we can expect our cost to be if we went the digital sign route. So effectively what we've done is this and I I'll give you some examples. We've got the placeholder signage and and Lindsay John jump in. The placeholder signage that we've got at the site now is about 18 by 12 or 13 feet high. Okay. 3 ft wide placeholder. we know that it'll fit in the area that we've got for the signage. So with those limitations, [clears throat] Harper helped us along with staff find a sign of comparable nature that is digital that has that visual reader board. And so that cost which is fairly what was it 2022 numbers maybe 22 numbers um had somewhere in the neighborhood of $165,000 for that type of sign. Okay. Four years later, $200,000. I'm just we're we're ballparking right now. Okay.

That's the company out of Minnesota. This is this is the city in Minnesota that has built the similar facility that has the kind of sign that would fit that we think we I I think y'all may want to see or at least a couple of you may have indicated you may want to see out in front of the sports and event center. It's it's it would be representative of the type of quality that we're putting into the sports and event center. This isn't one of those red kind of reader boards that are running across there. This is an actual digital sign that has significant graphical capabilities. Yeah. That you compro control control with a computer. We control computer and we're not sitting up there like a Wendy's and we're popping the the the So

the things in there not only Yeah. Currently when we have a a a tournament, we want to advertise it. So what was what was like the plan with a monument sign that's static

there? Well, there w in in that particular case, we we had no intention of advertising the existence of the Adidas tournament that's coming in May. It was just going to be there. And then through all of our social media outreach and those other opportunities was how the word would get out because these are, you know, tournaments that, yeah, you could go buy a ticket to see if you wanted to go see Zion Williamson go play basketball in in our gym. Yes, you could see that. However, in this particular case, the sign was going to be the landmark for the the facility itself and part of that gateway intent coming into the city. So, we from a programmatic standpoint had no intention of of advertising on the outside the event that was taking place there. We were going to utilize social media and other forms of communication. That was the intent. But you could also use that or I kind of uh see a good benefit big benefit from you having a digital sign because you could say, "Hey, it's the the big bash."

Yeah. You can use it for other events at other places. Greer plays Riverside. That's right. You know, whatever.

I'm glad you brought that up. you know that I think and all this stems from um I I'm I'm very big on what we do needs to represent where we came from, where we are, where we're going, that kind of thing. And um the the the building doesn't really lend itself to any of that. Um maybe hopefully we still have in the plans about the the artwork that shows Greer athletics from years ago. But since we've one of our values is athletics, I think it's very important that we and and this is a throwback to the Greer Citizen when there would be a um baseball game at the Legion was playing, they would put a sandwich board out front game tonight, home game tonight, you know, and they would list the times. I think it would be great because we're not we don't just value the the the athletics or the recreation or the benefits that come from it. We don't just value that if it comes from the city. I believe we value it as a whole from, you know, the athletics going on in the city within our boundaries and that includes, you know, Riverside and Greer and everything going on there. Uh- and because it is digital, you know, from a keyboard, somebody can put that in there. And also if if if that we have um a a tournament, a basketball tournament there, whatever is going to go on there, what whatever we know is going to go on and whatever we may not even know that's going on there, we put that message out there and on on that sign to let folks

driving by know because in the world in in the words of Charles Barkley from a few days ago, go. I don't do social media. And so there's a lot of folks that they they just they just don't do it, but they're driving down the road and they say, "I'd like to go to that." And and so they make that plan and they do that. Um I, you know, I I I think it's a very important um it would be a very important asset that if and we we would There there's a lot to be lost if we don't.

There'll be more maintenance to it in the future. You got to expect that. Yeah. But there will be. But I think it'll be worth it. I No, I agree. And now what I would like to see if if if council says, "Let's do it." Um before anything is done, I I want to see something from the sign company and have it placed in there. Absolutely. And um I don't guess we engage the services of um what's the big sign company here in town? Garfield. Garfield. Well, that was my question. Is there nowhere closer than Minnesota to do this sign?

Well, hey, no, no, no. Let me be clear. That's not the sign isn't Minnesota. We just used a facility in Minnesota that had recently purchased a sign and that's just what we were using for benchmarking the cost. I'm not getting we wouldn't be getting the sign from Minnesota. A facility Minnesota bought a sign. This is what I think y'all want. This is the cost. I got you. I got you. Have you gotten any opinions from an or Adam?

Um yeah. I think um you know I I want to I don't want to speak necessarily for Adam. I'd let him speak if he was in here. I think um Mike, you've had a lot of conversation with him, but I think that um you know, moving forward with just the monument signage is I think where they would rather be. And I think more to the point because it's it is a little bit of a slippery slope. Okay? because there may be an expectation that that signage become a community reader board that will have happy birthday Timmy and and all of the things that and then there's a level of expectation out there that we may not be able to fulfill and that's nor do I want to to potentially have to be in a position to where we're you know jockeying for time on the reader board because there's Greer versus Riverside side in basketball on a Tuesday night, but we also trying to advertise for an event that we're having. So, there's there's this jockeying for position on there. There's again there's the maintenance cost, there's the time, the staff time that it would take. Um, so anyway, there's a number of issues that come along with that. And these signs have a tendency sometimes to get rather dated. Um, you lose a pixel or two on it. And that's something we're going to have to continue to maintain. Again, these are these are not things that can't be done. I just you know the sign is not going to be one and done whereas a monument sign largely is one and done.

Do we have any estimate of an annual maintenance cost on it?

Well at this point the the question is what would it take to get us up and running? the the the way [clears throat] I respond to to that about it it everything requires maintenance and if we wanted something if if if you want something first class you just don't build a concrete wall you put windows in it and you put lighting on the outside you do whatever u I think this this sign brings it up a notch um and it ju and it does not limited to our ability to advertise just what's going on there. I mean, it there there's a lot of things that can be put on there. As far as your comment about a slippery slope, I um that's simple. I mean, if it's has to do with recreation or tourism, it belongs on that sign. Um your your your idea of a monument is that just a ground lit thing?

Uh well actually we we haven't gone that far down the road of actually finalizing the design of what that's going to look like. But I I personally had identifi had envisioned something more iconic than a standard boring monument sign. I think something that's really indicative, not so much an art piece, but something that just pops, for lack of a better term, as you're coming up the road, that's not necessarily a flashing sign or something that's got graphics on it, but something that is very unique to Greer. But it's that way forever though, right? Talking about the monument sign. You're talking about somebody it hits. Till somebody hits it. Yeah.

Yeah. Well, I mean, again, hang on, Mr. W. Let me just say this. We went the route we went because there it was a cost savings and there was it was simple enough to put put a sign out there that set off the area as you come into town as a gateway and that was full stop. That was it. If this council wants us to put in a digital sign, we will go. We can. Now's the time. Yeah.

Well, here's my question, Andy. I don't know. I I think it's really a a question of misplacing some value. Why would you not put a worldass sign on that structure where you've put this humongous [snorts] raceway sign on the new fire station that doesn't even really need to be there? I mean, that's a beautiful sign, but who the hell needs to know with a big lighted sign like that that it's a fire station? I think that's a waste. Well, there's going to be now that's a monument sign that you should have had there.

There's going to be build there's going to be signage on the facility. There's going to be signage on the facility. This this just becomes a question of preference and aesthetics and and again, well, who selected that sign for the fire station? We went through that process when we were going through the design of the fire station. I think that it Are you talking about the one building on the lighted sign on the front of the building? On the actual building itself the It was just part of the design process process. I think this sign I think well it's a beautiful commercial sign but my god I think this is part of a a bigger discussion

that there are some things that as far as plans need to be seen by council and reviewed the and and I'll give you and y'all get your giggles out of it if you want to but As we've been finishing up the um project at Kids Planet, I kept asking or we and then we I found out well we're going to repave the driveway going in and I asked many time or I mentioned many times we need to pour this in concrete. That that place is not a good spot for asphalt for a lot of different reasons. And so as the project's going on, I I asked, "Well, I don't know what we're going to It was all no one had an answer. I didn't see any plans." And then I found out by driving by, we did it in asphalt. Um and and and you know the reason and it may have been less expensive to do it upfront but I think in the long run it's and and I believe when 12 months you're going to see mirror cracking coming up. Um but but neither here or there what I'm using that as an example is that I think that we as council on some of these things really need to be more involved. And I one one other and and I don't know how it's going to look. I can't get it in my mind. But as we're coming up as you're driving into town on 14, you're looking at a wall that is concrete, a lot of wall that is concrete. Um there's no real finish to it. And maybe there is a plan to put

some kind of finish on it to soften it somewhat. I mean, we've done it on at the that corner and then when you turn it to go in what's going to be the proper front of the building, you know, we've got the built-in brick, but the backside, which is a lot of concrete, and then actually don't know how high it is. It's hard to get a reference because there's a fence there, but uh from the grade up there's nothing but this is fronting 14, not just facing southward, but it's actually there is there's is nothing but bare concrete. And then the the inlaid brick begin and so I uh you know what I I'm I don't want to take control of any project. I just want to make sure that when we're spending the money, whether when we spend any money, that it's done and we we done properly and done um we wind up with a project that that uh you know, it really pops because we want this to pop.

I think it's called advising consent. Yeah, I think that's what it's called. I you know and let's I'll I'll go back to this sign package. I I I guess personally I'm really struggling with what makes a flashing sign Greer. I guess that's part of what I'm really struggling with. I mean, I'm not a big fan of the signs anyway, but I just can't make this connection between a 20 foot high flashing sign and and [snorts] a board sign in front of the old career citizen. I mean,

but it's not the technology we're talking about. It's the advertising of the the advertising of the athletics that's going on in our community at that particular time.

And and It it it according to I guess it was AI at 45 miles an hour you've got 6 seconds to recognize 32 characters. I mean are we going to get all of that on there in in one thing and and you know if we're having a tournament you know or is it going to say the tournament and it's $20 to get in or whatever it is for you know for the tournament play. I I just I'm I'm I'm just not making the the connection on this as to how it's going to be effective. I drive by a lot of signs that are scrolling all the time and it I I don't know that I really whip in if I see something I think I might like.

Well, a lot of people don't know how to construct a sign. I mean, you got to have the right contrast and the size lettering. the number of impressions that a good sign right there would make. Billboard people could give you a pretty good number. It's going to be a really big number with the amount of traffic going.

There's going to be a lot of people that see it because it's one of the busiest entrances to the city. I just wonder how that translates to people that are going to want to either stop and come to an event or are planning to to come to an event that [snorts] you know and and and I get the idea that we're going to have you know you could put big bash Saturday night on there and maybe people would come you know to that but I'm I'm just not clear on this other I mean I was looking some of these these factors up. I mean, in in Florida, you can't even put an electronic sign on a on a Florida DOT's road,

but you wouldn't build a a a well what Bons Secour Center without a great big sign on it. And and and this is it's in a it's in an urban area where you're sitting at a stoplight and can watch that whole sign screen through three times. Well, that that's that's a pretty urban area right there. I mean, yeah. And you're going 45 miles an hour until you get to the stoplight and it travel that road a lot. But regardless, the I this is a discussion we should have had a long time ago instead of down at Well, we still we've still got time to do it and we're going to vote on it, you know, at some point. Well, yeah, but uh um I'm just

It's not Let me say this, Mayor. The the the tying it in to the sandwich board. the sandwich board. I guarantee you everybody that saw it didn't go down to the ball game, but at least it was advertised and people knew and people kn know what what is going on and with the athletics because we value that. We shouldn't say things that we value if we don't uh the one of the things that we have to do because we do we try to do it with social media is that we don't have the typical um the the old original print media. Um, now we we are represented by by a reporter here tonight that's a newspaper and it's it's digital but and that's great but um you could open up the news the local newspaper and it would have a calendar of events. This is what's going on. Well, I I think that that kind of helps that along, but it also shows that that that that we we believe we we we mean what we say. We value athletics. So therefore, we're going to support athletics in the city. And

I I think a 210,000 foot building says that we support athletics. that says that we we value it for the city the the city proper and the athletics that's going on in that building period. I it doesn't say anything else about the athletics that takes place outside the umbrella of the city the our administration. It doesn't say anything about that. doesn't say anything about the high school athletics or Legion ball or the kickball tournament, whatever. You know, it's uh um I I mean, I think it that it's important and that we we lose the ability to um to just let people know. I mean, and as a percentage of this whole project,

nothing. Oh, I'm not I'm not talking about the cost. I just you know What about the McMillan guys? They they did the architectural design on this building. I mean, what do they have an opinion or are they just going to do?

The opinion that I received from them is very similar to what I've tried to articulate is that they these these digital signs have a tendency to get dated. um they are a maintenance ongoing maintenance cost and there's a lot that can be done with the monument sign to give the panache that you want with a facility like that. Now all that being said again I apologize Mr. Awood that you don't feel like you were engaged in this and quite frankly this was a cost and aesthetic decision that was easy to make from my perspective because it was a significant cost savings. Um, and that's why in order to bring this project at the level we could from a cost perspective, we just cut any any further discussion of digital signage. Um, yes, you're right. If had we had this discussion 8 months ago, we wouldn't be here today and we would know where we are. But we didn't. And so I need to know quite frankly from this council whether or not you want to go with a digital sign and we will make we will deliver a digital sign within the constraints of the property that we have to put the sign.

All right. Can we not pursue a design in price just to kind of get an idea of what we are talking about? We can do that. I do I do want to make one point uh just so council's aware as part of their consideration. It's my understanding uh that this will require if we do this a modification to the UDO. Yeah. So, we will have to bring that to council uh because they're not allowed in that district on that corridor. And if it is passed, it will open up for others to be able to implement the same sign. Just wanted to provide that information for council's consideration, but it will require a modification to the UDO and it will allow others on at 14 corridor to uh put those same signs up.

Sure. Uh hey, here you go. first 100% with Riley. We went way too much on the sign for the fire department. Fire department looks great and I'm glad it does and I'm glad it's a great building, but that's true. All right, we're citizen. Well, I loved it. It's great, but that has that's has that's passed us. Not coming back. Sandwich boards aren't coming back. Social media is the future. Might not be for me. It might not be for a lot of people, but for 10 years from now, it's all they're going to communicate on. the city puts out I don't know how many Facebook pages the city has and then there's so much on the city website if it I mean it's hard to there's so much information everything's there if and if you want to click on it to follow it you'll get it in your feeds um and if you don't well you don't um what monument versus last time we talked about this. I was really on the digital bandwagon. Still straddling, I guess. But that monument looks awful damn good or sounds awful good because it would be a nice entry to the to the city. I mean, it makes a there's some logic to that. Do want to see some numbers. Um, readability. Rick's 100% right. God, bon secures, it is perfect. You got to sit there at the red light. So, you it's great for that. Mhm.

Um, if we put a digital in and if we put all the stuff that we keep talking about, that's going to be half of somebody's job sitting there doing that. We have a communications department for that. I mean, that's one of the things they do. I understand. But that's still more labor. So, you know, I'm just putting I'm just putting things out there. Now, I'm not opposed to seeing something. I'm not opposed, you know, to a lot of things till I see something really actionable. I got a How far into the process are we for interior designs and all that?

Like have we started that process? I know you mentioned signage inside the in general colors all that stuff. We started that yet? We have conceptual designs. We have furniture a a pallet of furniture to select from. Uh we have the sign package that Smash put together with graphics, uh the interior signage, uh paint colors. We have a pallet for all that. Um I would say, you know, we're probably more than halfway through that process, but final decisions have not been made on most of it. I mean, I think we've picked colors uh to a certain extent um with the assistance of our that all through all through NPS are don't let us look at colors. we've established

and uh you know and and and there there's a few things remaining. One of them is the community room. Uh what is the you know that what we're going to do in there but um but the advisory committee is still engaged. Yes, we yeah the the next we have not the next event we've actually got scheduled with them is the topping out ceremony. However, the the they have seen uh most of that furniture and and coloring package and through the signage package. So yes, they they've seen it.

So I mean my biggest issue and I think this is really why we're having this discussion is because um you know we have the advisory committee making the choices but from a building standpoint the only engagement we've had as a council was you asked us for the the money to approve the 60 million. You came back asked for more money to increase the budget. Um, we did the approval of the bid packages. We approved three uh easements tonight. The only time I've actually seen what the building looks like was when we did it a few months ago. Um, and we really haven't had progress updates other than that we're on schedule and that we're within budget. Uh, I really don't even know what the building looks like. Don't even know what the colors are. I think if we have some more updates here, it would be a lot more beneficial and we wouldn't get on tangents of a sign, whether we want a digital sign or not.

Yes, sir. All right. This matter was for discussion only. I think we've taken care of that at this point. We'll um So, how does it stand? What we're we're going to wait until we've got some conceptual designs. I think the consent is that I will be bringing back to you some conceptual designs and some costing for that or both. Yes, sir. Charles got a good He's got a good design here that's really bright. I mean, he does. He literally does. It covers all the bases.

All right. With that then, council, that was the last item before us for um our regular meeting. We do have a one contractual matter to u discuss this evening in executive session. I'll entertain a motion that um we [snorts] go into executive session. Mr. Mayor, I make a motion to enter enter into an executive session to discuss a contractual matter pertaining to public art as allowed by state statute section 30-4-70 A2. Thank you, sir. Comes as a motion to hear a second. Second, Miss Duncan. Oh, got a question. What's this about? What I mean public art? Um, it's a contractual matter regarding

that, but what kind of public art? Who's whose public art are we talking about? I Well, when we make that public, like if we have to take action on it coming out.

So, it is a contract. Yes. Okay. So, we're talking about money buying public art or We don't know. Talking about agreements with property owners for the purposes of public art, not necessarily the art itself.

Motion in a second. Miss Duncan. Mr. Erwood. No. Mr. Booker. Yes. Mr. Hopper. Yes. Mr. Lander. Yes. Mr. Mr. Bettis. Yes. Mr. Lamb. Yes. Mayor Danner. Yes. Thank you for joining us this evening and um we will uh come out of executive session and um we'll determine at that time if there is any action to be taken.