Town Council - Regular Meeting

Welcome. Thank you all for joining us for this evening. It's the last official meeting uh that the town council has uh for 2025 and uh very fortunately we have some very special things to celebrate this evening. So, thank you all for joining us. Happy to be here. Um with that, we will um do our pledge of allegiance and an invitation. Thank you. I pledge algiance 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.

Heavenly Father, we thank you not only for your presence among us as we work uh for the community community that we all love so well, but with our community. There are so many that are grieving, that are sick, that are hungry, that are cold. We ask that you help us to help them and to help us to guide this town that we love so much. In his name we pray. Amen. Amen.

All right, council members, I understand that we do not have anyone signed in to speak. Uh, council members, you have received quite a few packages of minutes from October the 1st special call meeting, October the 27th council meeting, November the 10th council workshop, November the 17th council meeting, December the 8th council workshop, and December the 11th special call meeting. So before you approve those, I'd like to thank you for the hard work that you've put into um this year has been solid meeting after meeting after meeting and I'm just so proud that we are able to work together. So thank you so much. I appreciate you all. So I need a motion. Are there any changes, deletions, or additions?

I'll make a motion to accept the minutes as submitted. Second. I have a motion and a second. All those in favor, please say I.

I. All those opposed. Thank you. collectively. I'll skip over the language about the public comment as we do not have anyone signed in. Uh we'll jump right into presentation. Presentation number one. Again, this is going to be a happy evening. Uh recognition of dedication to public service for Mitsy Blackman and Charles JJ Bennett. So, what I'd like to do is do them out at that microphone and then I'll turn these around and hand them. How about that? So, thank you.

Mity, would you come up?

Thank you. Thank you so much. So, this is Mity Blackton. She has spent 23 years serving our community and the town with integrity. She's been dependable. She has been steady and I can tell you we couldn't have done it without her. So Mity, we really appreciate the work that you've done and we hope and pray that the retirement is a good one. Thank you. Let's have her. Isn't this beautiful? Oh, that is pretty.

It says, "Thank you for your commitment and lasting contributions to the town of Fort Mill. Best wishes in your retirement." Oh, thank you. That's beautiful. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

All right. I'll give her a big round of applause. Okay, this one's a little harder. Come up here, JJ. So, what do you say for someone that sets the standard for professionalism and customer service? What do you say to someone that's been here 26 years and devoted himself to doing everything humanly possible for the job, for the community, and for his teammates? What do you say to someone that probably shouldn't be standing here today and that we all celebrate every day? JJ's a friend. JJ's like a brother to me and we want to celebrate this man. I know we all would have to push him off the dock to make him take a little time off, but they don't make him like JJ at all. So, um, let me have his beautiful Thank you for Oops. Thank you for your commitment and lasting commitment and contributions to the town of Fort Mill. There won't be a time that you won't be part of the operation of Fort Mill.

Yes, ma'am. Thank you. We love you, hun. Love you. Get picture.

Would you like to do So, good evening, mayor and council. Tonight I have the pleasure of informing you that one of our employees has received a statewide honor. The South Carolina Association of Governmental Purchasing Officials or Skagpo for short uh recognized Philip AOK as the procurement manager of the year. This award represents the top level of recognition in public procurement within the state of South Carolina. It recognizes a procurement professional whose leadership, dedication, and contributions have significantly advanced the purchasing profession while promoting excellence in professional development. Nominees were selected from towns, cities, school districts, colleges, universities, counties, and state agencies across South Carolina, and that's huge. This award highlights exceptional achievements and meaningful contributions that extend beyond the recipient's organization, positively impacting the state of South Carolina and the broader public procurement community. Philip will now represent South Carolina at the National Institute of Governmental Purchasing Conference, competing with leading professionals from NIGP chapters nationwide. The manager of the year award reflects the highest standards of public procurement and embodies the core values and guiding principles of the profession. Accountability, integrity, professionalism,

transparency, and stewardship. So, mayor, if you'll allow me, I'm going to read what was said about Philip at the state conference,

please. So this year's recipient has brought exceptional vision and dedication to his town where he established and now leads its first formal procurement department. As the town's inaugural procurement professional, he built a strong foundation of accountability, transparency, and efficiency. He has provided extensive training across all town departments. His educational outreach has enhanced his organization's understanding of responsible procurement practices, while his initiative to recognize and celebrate March as procurement month reflects his deep commitment to elevating the profession and celebrating its importance within the community. He has participated in several vendor outreach events and served on the reverse trade show committee, fostering valuable connections between vendors and government agencies throughout South Carolina. A graduate of Leadership York County, he chairs or he serves as chair of the program's government subcommittee and as a member of its planning committee. His professionalism, integrity, and attention to detail have earned him tremendous respect among his peers and the vendor community. It's my honor to recognize Philip AOK, procurement manager for the town of Fort Mill, as this year's Skagpo Manager of the Year. Philip, FANTASTIC.

And and simply put, Mayor, that the the state is just now recognizing what what we've known all along that Philip's the best. He's just the best and and we've known it. And so we just really appreciate everything that that you've done for us. Thank you so much. You want to get the mayor? I'll hand it to him.

I'm not I'm not I'm not going to read this entire uh piece, but I do want to say very simply, it's not what you do, it's who you are. You're an incredible valued teammate to everyone at the town. I think we're the luckiest community in the world to have the employees that we have. We are so deeply proud of you, fellas.

Yeah. Always get sharp. I'm trying.

Amazing. Thank you so much. You know, the older I get, the more I get a little choked up when we recognize the people that we as council members rely upon, depend on, and are so proud of, and we have great celebrations of three of them tonight. So, thank you for your contributions and how much you mean to us as teammates. So, thank you all. All right, we will move into old business item number one. Uh we'll start with a public hearing, an ordinance amending ordinance number 2025-16 so as to change the duration for the temporary moratorum on the acceptance and processing of applications for reasonzoning or annexation of new residential developments. So we will open the public hearing now. Anyone need to speak in regards to this amendment hearing? None. Public hearing is closed. We have a second reading. Chris, has anything changed since the first?

No, ma'am. No changes. Council, do you have any questions? Uh, no. I do uh applaud the planning department make this recommendation though. So we with the new comp plan and the downtown master plan and the parks and recck plan coming through so we can do diligently get work through that get those all completed and as we kick off 2026 give us opportunity to start off uh well organized and ready to roll and so I think it is appropriate and I'd like to make a motion to uh approve uh the old business item number one. I have a motion to approve old business item number one. Do I have a second? I'll second.

I have several seconds. All those in favor, please say I. I. All those opposed. Thank you so much. Executive session. Please note that council may take action on executive session items listed on the agenda when they come back into public session. Uh we have one executive session item uh tonight. It is the discussiation discussiation. Goodness gracious, been a long year. Discussion of negotiations incident to proposed contractual arrangements. I need a motion to go into executive session. I'll make a motion to go into executive session. I'll second. I have a motion in a second. All those in favor, please say I. I. All those opposed, thank you. We'll return.

All right. Let the record reflect that no vote was taken in our executive session. Um, I need a motion to return to regular session. Make a motion to come out of executive session. I'll second. Have a motion and a second. All those in favor, please say I. I. Thank you. All those opposed? I know there are none. New business. New business item number one, first reading. An ordinance authorizing the town manager to negotiate and execute a perpetual easement across town property identified as York County Tax Map number 020008021. Chris Pettit.

Thank you, Mayor. Um really can't say it too much better than the title of the ordinance, but uh this this does authorize the town manager to um execute an easement. This is easement goes across what uh we all know as the recreation complex property to a school site that's located uh behind that. Um and happy to answer any questions you may have.

Just for those that will be watching later, uh the town does have the authority to uh review and make decisions on whether um anyone crosses our property, uses our property, or deems necessary. Um we are working closely with the school district and I I think we have um solidified the need and we will move forward as needed. So I need no questions. I need a motion. I'll make a motion to approve new business item number one. I'll second. I have a motion and a second. All those in favor, please say I. I.

I. All those opposed. Thank you. New business item number two, first reading. An ordinance amending the budget for the town of Fort Mill, South Carolina for the fiscal year beginning October the 1st, 2025 and ending September the 30th, 2026. Amendment number 2604. Debbie, thank you so much for joining us.

Yes, you're welcome. Thanks for having me. Um so this is the first reading of a budget amendment as a result of the ongoing comprehensive plan and for future efforts. It is budget amendment 2604 and it is for 8,315,000 of uh general fund fund balance. Questions for Debbie?

Uh I I have a question actually Eric. the the document is kind of hard for us to pull up on our site when I was trying to review this just so logistically that's it's pulling up because uh I have no questions on it other than it's just kind of difficult to read all the documentation to go with that. So if y'all take a look at it about the staff report or the budget amendment itself. Uh the staff report was the was the worst. I can read the staff staff report's fine. Yeah. So we can talk about it after. I just want to make sure I mention that. Okay. Okay. Um, any questions in regards to new business item number two for Debbie? Hearing none, I'll entertain a motion.

We'll make a motion to approve new business item number two. Second. Have a motion and a second to approve new business item number two. All those in favor, please say I. I. All those opposed. Thank you, Debbie. We really appreciate you and everything you do. Thank you. Thank you. All right. Uh we will move into information discussion item number one, town council 2026 schedule of meetings. Carrie, are you the purveyor of this information?

Mayor, I'll take this one. This is just a formality to um per uh South Carolina Freedom of Information Act, we have to publish our schedule for uh the year 2026. Um and as is typical, it's the second and fourth Mondays generally unless otherwise amended throughout the year. Um, but we do have weird schedules in May, November, and December just getting around holidays. But, uh, that'll all be published on our website and, um, available for folks to see.

I do think it's important to note that we have one regular meeting each month and one workshop each month. Uh, we have had so much ongoing in 2025 uh, with the comprehensive plan rewrite, with the parks and recre study, and um, the downtown master plan. We've had a ton that we've needed to spread out a little bit, but I look forward to the 2026 calendar allowing us more opportunity for discussion and uh making that a formal I just want to make sure anyone that wants to see what we're voting for, it needs to be the regular scheduled meeting, which would be the fourth Monday of Ain't that right? The fourth Monday of every month. Um, and we do notice these meetings. I've had many people ask me, "How do you find out when you guys meet?" It's on our website. We typically post it uh on all the local media. Uh, by law, we need to do that. So, we are giving ample opportunity for anyone that's interested to find that schedule. So, um, just wanted to add that additional information. Chris, is this the version that'll be posted on our website? I

I won't have the highlights uh in the the final version, but um uh we can call out that those are a little different months just due to holidays, but it is generally okay. And just also thinking what's recorded versus not. So, I know there's a little more detail on the website. Yeah, we can I mean we can certainly note that the first meetings of the workshops and I can I can add a little bit for the public to uh better understand it. Thank you. And for us old guys, we print it out and stick it on my file cabinet at home. So that's I put it in three in case I lose my phone or something. How do you update your rolodex? Uhhuh. Hey, that's an idea. Daytimer.

All right, that's the extent of our formal meeting this evening. Um it is again our last formal meeting for 2025. Uh this group has conducted themselves with the utmost responsibility to their position as an elected official to guide this town in many endeavors as we are looking at how do we get the best information? How do we do what's good for Fort Mill? We've had event after event. The attendance has been stellar and the effort that you guys put into this is just near and dear to my heart. I hope that everyone in our community recognizes that. So, thank you. Thank you to our staff. We've had a lot of changes within our staff structure and organization. I think it's very positive. We're we're beginning to steer the the planning ship the way we've wanted to for quite some time. So, I thank each of you for participating in this and I look forward to 2026. Ben, do you have anything for the good of the whole?

I was just thinking about it was a neat perspective in the parade riding because I think as everyone lines the streets, they get to see all the floats and all the people and and all the the attractions and and it's fun. But from our perspective to be able to see friends and family and we get to see all the smiles, you know, because if you're watching from one place all along, you're seeing what's in front of you. But we get to ride through and see, you know, smiles and see our our family, our our friends out there and even people we went to school with and things. So that was a lot of fun. We got got a chance to ride with my bride through the uh through the parade. So that was a lot of fun and in my old car that I graduated high school in. So with Mr. Wolf's help keeping it on the road. So that was a just a neat perspective for me. So I really enjoyed that aspect of the parade. A little different perspective. But um the other thing is just to uh keep your eyes on the reason for the season. Don't let the shopping and the the hassles and the running back and forth with family overwhelm or get outside of the real reason for it. So don't lose track of the reason for the season.

That's it. Thank you. All right, Alan. Just kind of add on to what Ben was saying. Um, I'll take it a step further and just kind of thinking about all the events that we have throughout the year from, you know, the Fourth of July to the the Canon firing to the Strawberry Festival and thinking about how how we we come together our our town. Again, a lot of the the folks that we went to school with, everything else, but then also a lot of the new folks that have moved here to to plant their roots here in our community, and these are their memories that they're making with their kids. And um this this is something special and this is a special group here and I'm I'm I'm happy to be part of it. So merry Christmas, guys. Lisa,

so the other night my husband and I went to McAdenville and I haven't been to McAdenville in many years. Um and it's known around here, Christmas Town, USA. It's something I grew up going to look at the lights and riding through. And now they've got such a large area. It's perfect to go walk through. And as nostalgic as it felt and as much as it felt like a Hallmark movie or show, it I think that a lot when here when I'm here now. We don't want word getting out to anybody. We don't want that extra Christmas traffic. Um but even my husband said the other night, you know, we ought to have instead of scarecrows at Christmas time, let's have Christmas trees along the way and let everybody decorate or have candy canes or something. was like, "Let's just enjoy the way we have our little Hallmark movie right now. Slow down your roll a little bit." Um, but no, it it was our town and Christmas is always so warming and I think that's part of not only the events we've done, but the comp plan that we've worked on,

we've worked hard to keep the sense of community that not only what we grew up with, but what our children and our grandchildren, if I can ever get one, Blake, um, you know, I'll share what we Thank you. um what we have in the community. Um just keeping it what's home to us and and I love it and I appreciate all of you guys for what you bring and the effort you put into it and we've worked really hard this year and I appreciate the effort. I also wanted to make sure that we don't get past tomorrow without remembering our mayor and her birthday. Y happy birthday Mayor Gwen. Um she wake up every morning.

I know. Happy to wake up. So, she does so much for us behind the scenes that you I know we all know, but a lot of people behind the scenes or out in the public don't always know how many hours she puts into it, but she truly loves our town. She does. Happy birthday. Thank you very very much, Ronnie. I hate I missed this year. Uh first one I think I've missed in 15 years, but uh had other obligations to take presidents. But it is a good time of the year. I love this time of year. But uh and I appreciate everybody that I work with. Thank you, Ronnie. Chris,

I have no prepared remarks for this evening, but uh I am I did really uh it always really hits you hits me personally like it's Christmas when you go to the tree lighting like you kind of get that excited feeling and then you go to the barber shop tree lighting next morning and then it kicks up another notch and then you got the parade and um you know it's just a really cool hallmark kind of feel you know to to be able to do that. Um, my kids say the only reason they want me on council is so they can ride in the parade. They don't that's their reason. Uh, but but it is really cool just to look out and see so many people, new faces you don't know and and faces that you do, you know, and um be kind to somebody this holiday season. You never know just by a nod or a wave in a parade or at a grocery store um can mean the most to someone that that needs it this time of year. So that's about all I have and I'm good.

Thank you, Mr. Wolf. Um, it's hard to believe that uh 2025 is almost in the record books. As a council, I'm overall pleased with our accomplishments we've obtained this year. I also want to thank our staff, new and old, uh, for all their hard work and bearing with us on as we work through various projects and initiatives which I believe will be fruitful for our community for years to come. As a town, I want to thank our citizens and our residents for their support, their feedback, their volunteering, their community service, and all the other endeavors they do to support our community. Uh, working together, we make Fort Mill the special place it is. We have a lot of wonderful plans and ideas for 2026. Some will develop, some may not, but I want to clearly state that we as a council will always stay focused on to do what is best for Fort Mill and everything we do. So, thank you. And I'm excited as we uh look forward to 2026.

So, I'll wrap it up and Lisa can attest I wrote it down. I had the opportunity to go to New York City over the weekend and it was quite beautiful. You want to talk about Hallmark movies? I mean, there was Santa Con. Santa's everywhere. But it never left my mind. Dorothy said it right. There's no place like home. There is no place like Fort Mill. Thank you all for making it such a great place to live. And with that, let's call it a year, guys. I need a motion to adjourn. Got a motion over here. Second. Got a second. All those in favor, please say I. I. All those opposed. Merry Christmas. Happy New Year. Hey, Chris.