City Council - Regular Meeting

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How beautiful. Daddy. Daddy. Good afternoon, Madame Clerk. Could you read the role,

please? Good afternoon, Mr. Johnson. Hi. Mr. Bailey, present. Mr. Brown, present. Miss Herbert, here. Mr. Brennan, present. Mr. McDow, here. Mayor Rickman here. Thank you.

Uh, Reverend McDow, do you mind saying a word before we start, please? There's our heads, gracious and eternal creator, for goodness and mercy, for the opportunity to gather in this place. We simply say thank you. Bless us as we discern yet discuss the business of our city. Touch us in ways that might sensitize each one of us to your will and to your way. Be reminded that this last week as monks traveled through our city proclaiming peace, compassion, and love. We pray that it might metastasize within this city of ours, in this state, and yet in this nation. Let that peace walk be a part and let it metastasize so that we might tell somebody or better yet show somebody. Bless us and keep us. We would ask that you would keep the family of Bishop Red Fern Duce in your prayers. Having departed this life on last Friday, we continue to pray

for our chief and his family. Continue to nurture and guide them in ways that are strengthening in your name. Amen. Amen. Amen.

You'll stand for the pledge of allegiance, please. 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. Mayor Rickman and councel. Good afternoon. At this time, you all can adopt the agenda. Mr. Mayor, move. Second.

Second. We got a motion and a second. Any further discussions? Hearing none, seeing none, Madame Clerk, could you read the role? Mr. Johnson, I. Mr. Bailey, I Mr. Brown. Miss Herbert. Hi. Mr. Brennan, yes. Mr. McDow, yes. May I recommend? I thank you. We will move into a period of public input for items on this agenda that do not require a public hearing. Individuals may have three minutes to speak. May I recommend individuals have signed up for portions of the zoning public hearing and to speak at the end of the meeting.

Okay. Thank you. So, we'll move on to approval of minutes. Madame uh city manager. Yes, sir. Item one, council has asked to approve the January 6, 2026 regular meeting minutes. I move, Mr. Mayor. Second. Got a motion and a second. Uh, any further discussion hearing? None. Seeing none, Madam Clerk, could you read the role? Mr. Johnson, I Mr. Bailey, I Mr. Brown, Miss Herbert, I. Mr. Brennan, yes. Mr. McDow, yes. Mayor Rickman, I Thank you. The consent agenda consists of items 2 through 7. Mr. Mayor and Council for your consideration. So move, Mr. Mayor. [clears throat] I got a motion. Is there a second?

Second. Got double seconds. Um, any further discussion, explanations? Hearing none. Seeing none, Madame Clerk, could you read the role? Mr. Johnson. Hi. Mr. Bailey. Hi. Mr. Brown. Hi. Miss Herbert. Hi.

Mr. Brennan. Yes. Mr. McDow. Yes. Mayor Rickman. Hi. Thank you. Okay, for the public hearing, we will have Mr. Andrew Living Good to assist. This is for public hearing and first reading for zoning planning matters. Starting with item number eight, an annexation future land use map amendment and zoning map amendment for the southwestern Holloway Road parcel. Yes. Um, this first case is an annexation and this is a request to annex the property assign the land use classification of urban edge residential small lot and assign zoning of residential single family small lot district for a pending annexation. The property is currently classified as neighborhood medium density and zone residential 2 R2 by Richland County. Is anybody um we do already have a Is there anybody here to speak for against this annexation? [clears throat]

No one has signed up. Mr. Mayor, I' I've driven out there multiple times, including yesterday. The only question I had was yesterday there was a sign posted that said there was a public hearing for today. Is that true? Public hearing for today.

Hold on. I'm looking at right now. It says meeting. Oh, that's that's us then. So, that's that's our meeting. Okay. Yeah. Gotcha. Okay. I've gone out there several times and you know that whole area is is got a lot going on obviously um and um I think in general this is probably a positive for that area. Um there's a ton of activity um and it's probably going to continue. So I'll make a motion for approval. There's a motion. Is there a second? Second. [clears throat] A motion and a second. Any further discussion? Hearing none. Seeing none, madam clerk, could you read the role? Mr. Johnson, hi. Mr. Bailey,

hi. Mr. Brown, Miss Herbert, I. Mr. Brennan, yes. Mr. McDow, yes. Mayor Rickman, I. Thank you.

Okay. The next item is an annexation future land use map amendment and zoning map amendment for 4316 and 4340 Old Leburg Road. Tax map number 221130102 and this is a request to annex and assign a land use classification of urban edge residential small lot and the assignment of zoning of residential single family small lot district for a pending annexation. The property is currently classified as neighborhood medium density and zone residential 4 by county. For the public's sake, you're you're downgrading the zoning, correct?

It's actually the equivalent zoning of the existing counties. Equivalent. Mhm. Is there anybody here to speak for against this annexation? Mayor, we have several individuals who have signed up to speak. Um, individuals are allotted three minutes. We have Miss Mary Lynn Bear. Your the podium's yours, ma'am. Appreciate it. Good. [laughter] I have evidence with me.

I have exactly eight. Can you hand these? And there are four of these maps, which is kind of like this map, but a little bit more in detail of um the pond that's on this property. There is a cemetery on this property that nobody knows about. My family kept it secret. It was a very secretive sale. Um, it was my grandfather's land. My uncle found out he could sell it, so he decided he wanted to make $2.3 million on it. Um, as you can see, Canary Woods is who's proposing to buy this land and develop it. When they come in and bought the other 40ome acres of land, um, they just clearcut it. There was no study done of the land or anything. My cousins in North Carolina sold it. There was not a cemetery I could fight about on that land. So, they clearcut it. This there is, as you can see by these pictures, there are clearly a cemetery that has no border whatsoever. It has never been established as a formal cemetery. There are sunken graves that I did not get pictures of that are. So there there is going to have to be more studies before Canary Woods can develop this property. I know y'all will probably annex it. I I'm not I'm trying to bring awareness to there is a as you can see there's a pond on this property. It's 2.47 acres. The other black dot that's up there feeds that pond. So it is, you know, it is a livefed pond all the time. So, like I said, I'm just trying to bring awareness that there is and when the surveyor actually come out to reservey this property, um if do you want to see a copy of the recent one that Canary Woods is submitting?

We'll take

Okay. Um those were just filed in December um with the the um surveyor. My uncle actually didn't know all the corners. So, the surveyor got with my dad and my dad was actually the one that pointed out the um cemetery to the surveyor. The cemetery that is in question is marked in orange on that map is roughly the location of it. The purple, the pig is marked out because up top, this development eventually will um go around an established cemetery, what used to be Brown's Chapel Cemetery. So, it's and stuff. So, I'm just trying to bring awareness that this can't be clearcuted when it is, you know, developed because I know that's what the intention of this is, is to annex it and get 400 more homes put on 79 acres. So, any questions? Um, and you're you're you're the owner of the property or

No, sir. I am a granddaughter. Um, my grandfather used to own it. I am a cousin now um of the uncle that sold it. My his brother is wanting to speak also and stuff. I just come with the evidence. Thank you. [laughter] Gerald Waller. property. Yeah, that's Well, that's what it seems like. It looks like it's up here.

Hello, Mayor Rickman and members of the council. My name is Gerald Waller. Um, I'm here to voice my opinion about the Canary Woods project. Um, I just want to let you know where I'm coming from. My father previously owned this property and uh my brother's the one that sold it is selling it. And um where I live, I lived in this house for my whole life. And my wife's lived there since 78. My daughter's lived there since she was born. that just spoke and um we never had any neighbors much except family kin people and looks like now we're going to get hundreds of neighbors and it's going to be kind of a difficult situation for us if we um don't get any borders or or some um area that cuz from my from my um front door to the property line is probably only like 40 ft and I'd have, you know, they'd be building houses 40 ft from my house. Um, so I think the developer is John Stevenson, he um he gave us a a gift and a while back he gave us a tree preserve on the west side of our property when he when he when he did the phase four or phase three of the Canary Woods. So, it'd be generous of him if he could give us a a buffer or on the south and the east side of this property up next to our property. And your property is in the the corner over here.

Yeah. The very top right there to the left in the cemeteries in the piece that's outside of this parcel. Correct. It's right here. That's it. That's it. That's it all together. I have me me and my wife have about 2700 ft that that um bordered this project. But um the part that I'm concerned about is the three acres that we just looked at. So how much land [clears throat] do you

total? about 12 acres, but that's a three acres there and nine acres over here. How much of that is a cemetery? I think it's 2 acres for the um Browns Chapel Cemetery and I think um the surveyor I think he marked off.7 acres around the um the one she's describing as unknown cemetery. and headstones are there. Yes sir. Yes. It's on the land that's on this pictures. So just on I'm following the cemeteries at the southern southernmost tip of this uh property. Northern

Can I make it the northern part? There's two cemeteries. There's one on the actual parcel that is what you're looking at the proposed right Brown's Chapel Cemetery is already a separate parcel that has been deed out. It belongs to the United Methodist Church. It [snorts] will just border it, but there is an unknown cemetery on this property. Oh, gotcha. Okay. So, there's actually two cemeteries. So, the unknown cemetery has headstones. Yeah, that's those pictures. That is all of the unknown cemetery. The United Methodist Cemetery is established has headstones. Yes. There is no fence around it, but it is established. Yes. Okay.

Is that blue? I'm sorry, Mr. Herbert. Um on the map I um the map that I handed out, I colored that in in pink. The blue is the pond that they um put on that plot, but on the one that Mr. Rickman is looking at, it is the pink that is. And it would be Unitedic, see the um the blue at the very top of this map that comes down and makes a U. It is that it's the if that was to be a rectangle, that's that's where it is. Yes, that's that one. the United Methodist one. Correct. Right where it says subject parcel and kind of points in is kind of the unknown cemetery. Okay. That's what I was wondering. All right. Thank you. Yeah, that's kind of where it is. It just happens to look out. Thank you,

Mayor. I have just a couple of questions. Um the developer is aware of the unknown cemetery that you all tried to keep secret. I'm just asking. after my dad took the surveyor around and put it out cuz this is a new plot that will be um was filed as of December. But before that, the previous plot on this property had no cemetery on it whatsoever. Do the developers who are developing on a piece of property that currently has dead bodies, are they aware, have they been made aware of the dead bodies? We have been at

I have been in contact with an engineer on this property that is down the road. So, he kind of but I mean as far as I'm sure they've seen the new plots to purchase it cuz and stuff but I honestly do not know how much. And the only reason I asked is because DHCK there is a way of removing graves and bodies. there is an authorized way to do it and I'm trying to figure out is the concern that you don't want them moved

correct or I'm still I'm still I'm still asking my question is the concern that you don't want them moved or you are concerned that they won't they'll they'll build on top of them and not handle them properly cuz they they can be moved.

Um I don't want them moved. I mean, as you can see by John Davis's, he was born in 1773. You can see that on that headstone. And I don't think somebody that's been in the ground close to 300 years should be moved just for the sake of a housing development. They can work around it if they have to, but let's not go moving 30 bodies that have been there for hundreds of years to So, what could possibly happen is that you removed the head. I'm sorry, Mike. Mike. Speaking of Mike. Oh, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I was looking for Mike.

Yeah. [clears throat] So, it's possible then that the headstones could perhaps be moved or taken up and houses built on top of the cemetery possibly. God, Reheck has a process that if you plan to develop land that has graves on it, you have to check several boxes and notify certain people. So there's a process that's there. I just want to make sure the developers are aware and I don't know whose responsibility it is to let them know that. Mr. Mayor, can we get hold Mr.

No, go ahead. Go ahead, Mr. Mayor. I was just going to ask, can we get Andrew back up here for a second? Yeah. Well, we still have other people signed up to talk, I believe, for this property. Yeah. Okay. Just want to ask some questions in in between speakers. So, Andrew, do we have any Oh, good. We're gonna get Andrew back up here and then call the next speakers. Thank you. Thank you. Do we have any Did do we have any idea if the developer knows about this cemetery? Developers here. Developer's here. He's He's here. Oh, okay. All right. Well, then perfect. Okay. Well, let's keep going then. You said they knew they they knew about that. He's here. He's going to speak. Yeah. All right. Can you go ahead, Miss Um, yes, Terry Bear.

Thank you. You y'all are good right now. Okay. Thank you. Hank Mabberry. Yeah. [snorts] Yeah. Mayor, Councilman. Um, my name is Hank Mabberry. I represent the owner and also the developer of the property. There's a little bit of miscommunication here. I don't think it's intentional, but there are two cemeteries, but there's only one on this particular parcel.

Yeah. Yeah. We have been made aware from our surveyor that there are some graves maybe marked or unmarked. They will be protected. We don't plan on putting any homes on top of them. And um [snorts] we have developed car Canary woods three and four next door to the west and [clears throat] um you know we'll submit our plans development plans to planning for approval and adhere to those rules and regulations. Mr. Mabri, is it is it a possibility for y'all to give some type of buffer to his border as I know y'all done that in the past, but I think there's about what did you say, sir? 2,700 ft. Is that what I heard,

sir? Sir sir, I need Come up here. Yes, he's talking about his residence. Yes, there is. And I think on the last development um there was a buffer involved in there. Okay. Correct. That's right. Okay. Put in tree preserve. Yeah. But so if if put in extra trees trees preserve put in a tree preserve. Is that something we can help on this other side with in this? Yes. All right. All right. We can do that. Sure. Yes, sir. So Hank, can Hank Hank, can I ask you one more question? So So what's the what's the overall general plan for the 79 acres?

Um, high density residential, similar to what we have next door. Got it. Single family. Thank y'all. Yeah. Next item is a zoning map. No, we we're not there yet. Sorry, Andrew. Does this take two readings? Public reading, first vote, and second vote.

Right. So, there's public hearing and then there are two readings. And one thing I do want to remind council is that of course planning commission would do a subdivision review of the project and and certainly these are concerns that can be brought to the planning commission. Well, I think what what we'd like to do um is give it first reading with with the opportunity for Mr. Mabri and folks just to sit down and let's just make sure that we get the buffer and a plan for the the cemetery before the second reading so that we can ensure they they've got a buffer that that satisfies their concern but also to make sure that we don't do anything with the the the cemetery as well. Obviously, you know, one of the headstones I did read and I think it was Mr. Davis that she mentioned was 1,700. Obviously, if there's a way we can create a buffer, it sounds like we got a win-win for everybody there. So, what we're going to do is give them first reading, but in between before the second reading, get something worked out with y'all for the buffer and the cemetery to make sure it's preserved correctly.

Like I said, I I know it probably will get developed and stuff. The cemetery was my first concern because when they come in and did Canary Woods, the phase four, they just clearcut it. They didn't save a damn tree whatsoever. They just clearcuted the property. And being there's graves, I just didn't want somebody going in and oh, here comes a human skull up out of the ground and stuff because back then they didn't put them in caskets. We're going to have to do a They're going to have to do a a scan around it anyway. Yes, ma'am. And stuff. So, that's what Yeah. Thank you. Yes, ma'am.

All right. So, how about a I make a motion for approval for conditional approval pending um a buffer zone for the current land owners as well as a um preservation designation of the cemetery and buffer, you know, some type of uh way of preserving that. It's really it's not just you it's history but it's people you know so um so anyway um and and then it'll come back for a second reading make sure all that's completed before we get and and notated properly

right and and that whatever that was [laughter] I want to make I want to make sure [clears throat] uh Mr. Brown the second reading involves the motion Thank you, sir. I got to keep you on the record. Thank you, sir. The second [clears throat] reading involves the increments and the and the ingredients that you just mentioned. Yes, sir. For the second reading. Yes, sir. Gotcha. We'll call it We'll call it conditional. Well, first first we just give first reading second reading until we we know that we've got that agreement done. All that will be worked out prior to second reading. All right.

Right. And yeah, just for the sake of clarity, right? You can't condition the reasonzoning, but that can be something that you'd want met prior to moving forward. Okay, that is there a motion then from second. We got a motion or second or Tyler second it. Madam clerk, could you read the role? Mr. Johnson, I Mr. Bailey, yes. Mr. Brown, yes. Mr. Herbert, I. Mr. Brennan, yes. Mr. McDow, yes. Mayor Rickman, I. Thank you. All right. Great. The next item is 3329 River Drive and this is a request to reszone the property from uh residential mix district RM2 [clears throat] veto veto veto

in the historic preservation overlay district to mixeduse district mu1. Um, again, still within the historic preservation overlay district, which is the Earlwood Protection Area A. Uh, is there anyone here to speak for against this item? [snorts] That's your district. No one has signed up. No one signed up. No one speaking for against approved. So, we have a motion. Is there a second? Got a second from M. Reverend McDow. Any further discussion hearing? None. Seeing none, madam clerk, read the role. Mr. Johnson, I.

Mr. Bailey, yes. Mr. Brown, yes. Mr. Herbert, hi. Mr. Brennan, yes. Mr. McDow, Mayor Rickman. Hi. Thank you.

Okay. And the next item is uh apologies, I turned the wrong page. All right. is 4120 North Main Street and this is a request to reszone the property from community activity center corridor district within the north main corridor design overlay district uh retaining that designation but adding the historic preservation overlay district uh OVHP individual landmark type three and to amend the unified development ordinance uh to establish the property as a city of Columbia type 3 landmark. Is there anybody here to speak for against this item?

No one has signed up. Is the applicant or the developer here? I was just excited to hear what may be happening with the property. Um I make a motion to approve. Second. Got a motion and a second. Any further discussion? Seeing none, hearing none. Madam clerk, could you read the role? Mr. Johnson, I. Mr. Bailey, yes. Mr. Brown, yes. Miss Herbert, I. Mr. Brennan, yes. Mr. McDow, yes. Mayor Rickman, I. Thank you. And that concludes the public hearing. Thank you, Andrew.

Thank you, Andrew. Item 12, moving into a period of ordinances. First reading, ordinance number 20260007, granting an encroachment to Larry Row for the use of the right-of-way area of the 3200 block of Amherst Avenue for the installation and maintenance of brick pavers, landscaping, and irrigation adjacent to 3208 Amherst Avenue. So move. Got a motion. Is there a second? Second. Got a motion and a second. Any further discussion? Seeing none, hearing none. Madam clerk, could you read the role? Mr. Johnson, I. Mr. Bailey, yes. Mr. Brown, yes. Miss Herbert, I. Mr. Brennan, yes. Mr. McDow, yes.

Mayor Rickman, I. Thank you. Resolutions. Item 13, resolution number R2026012, authorizing the city manager to execute the lease agreement between the city of Columbia and the Oliver Gospel Mission. And Mr. Mr. Mayor and Council, I want to thank the staff for moving uh forward with looking at public restroom solutions in our downtown corridor, which is what this lease agreement will allow for. Is there a motion? Some move. Second.

Second. Um Madame Clerk, could you read the role? I will say that this has been a long time coming. I want to thank the staff for getting it done. And I want to thank our partners at Doiver Gospel for making a space um so that we can finally have a place that we can have public for the events that are downtown. This will this will be a monitored facility. This isn't just unmanned. Um and um hopefully we can get the two Porta Johns off the corner of Assembly and Taylor. Now,

Mr. Mayor, is there um a marketing campaign to kick this off, a public awareness Uh, you know, it's funny you brought that up because I was just about to nominate you on that committee that environmental and uh health. [laughter] Uh, no m I think I think this is uh much more economic development. Um, [laughter] u Mr. Mayor, I do know uh to uh Mr. Brennan's point, yes, that uh this is one of the core elements uh of uh city center partnership main street districts uh strategic plan. So definitely making sure that they're aware and able to help publicize it, I think would be a great uh great element. Absolutely. And

Mr. Mayor, there's there will be um the need for some upfitting. We're about to go through that, but as that begins to we get closer to opening. Yes, sir. Mr. Brennan will look at a marketing campaign. Thank you. Madame Clerk, could you read the role? Mr. Johnson, I Mr. Bailey, yes. Mr. Brown, yes. Miss Herbert, I Mr. Brennan, yes. Mr. McDow. Yes. Mayor Rickman. I thank you. The appointment of city council members. Item 14, the mayor pro Tim. I'd like to put a motion forward to um recommend the honorable Tina Hermer as mayor pro Tim.

Second. Got a second. Any further discussion or nominations? Hearing none. Seeing none. Madame clerk. Mr. Johnson. Uh, Mr. Bailey. Enthusiastically, yes. [laughter] Mr. [snorts] Brown, even more enthusiastic. [laughter] Miss Herbert. Mr. Brennan. Oh, good lord. Yes. Mr. McDow. Good grief. Those are the attitudes. [laughter] Yes. Yes. Okay. Mayor Rickman. Hi. Thank you.

Before we go to the next, I want to thank uh Mr. Brennan for helping out being our past uh mayor pro Tim uh and all the hard work he did to help us. So thank you sir. [applause]

Look how much he's aged the last two years. There's no pressure. Oh, did we tell Miss Herbert it was a three-year term? [laughter]

Congratulations, Councilwoman. Item 15, city council standing committees. Uh, I have a motion. Um, and madame clerk, for your sake, would you prefer me to do one at a time, all of them together? Um, as it comes to the council standing committees, them all together unless there is any objection to that. None. Council good with that. Hi.

Our administrative policy committee, uh, Ed McDow will stay our chair. The honorable Peter Brown will be on there as well. And our newest member will be the honorable Sam Johnson. And our staff liaison will be Miss Belton. The second committee, the arts, historic preservation, and philanthropy committee. Our chair will be the honorable Tyler Bailey, the Honorable Ed McDow, and the Honorable Tina Herd. The Community Development Committee will have the Honorable Tina Herbert is the chair, the Honorable Will Brennan, and the Honorable Sam Johnson. Economic Development and Infrastructure Committee. The Honorable Peter Brown will be the chair. The Honorable Will Brennan and the Honorable Tyler Bailey will be the members. The Health and Social Environmental Affairs Committee will be chaired by the Honorable Sam Johnson and have the Honorable Ed McDow and the Honorable Tyler Bailey on that committee. public safety committee. We'll have the honorable Will Brennan as the chair, the honorable Tina Herbert, and the honorable Peter Brown as its members. And that's my motion for the standing committees. Is there a second?

So move, Mr. Mayor. Got a motion and a second. Madame Clerk, could you read the roles? Mr. Johnson, I Mr. Bailey, yes. Mr. Brown, yes. Miss Herbert, Mr. Brennan, yes. Mr. McDow, yes. Mayor Rickman. I thank you. Now we'll move into item 16, the city council special committees, task forces, and commission.

All right. So, the first will be uh make a motion that we uh the affordable housing task force um that's led by the honorable Tina Herbert will also be co-chared by the honorable Peter M. Brown. Our Bull Street Commission will stay the same with the Honorable Tyler D. Bailey being our designate. The Colombia Town and Gown Committee um will continue to be uh chaired by myself, but our newest planning director uh and development service director is now our staff liaison. Welcome, Justin. Uh, welcome to the fun. Our council, uh, legislative committee, um, we'll have myself, um, the honorable Will Brennan, and the honorable Sam Johnson. It will be liaison by Miss Payton Lang. The fire service advisory committee will have myself, Mr. Brennan, uh, Mr. Bailey and our city manager Terresa Wilson and be our liaison will be the honorable chief Aubry Jenkins. Our homeless services ad hoc committee will continue to be chaired by Mr. Will Will Brennan, the Honorable Tyler D. Bailey and the Honorable Tina Herbert will serve on that committee. The municipal court advisory committee will will continue to s be served by the honorable Tina Herbert, the honorable Tyler Bailey, and the new um council member Hon honorable Sam Johnson, and the new liaison will be uh Dr. Tenise

Javis. the Richland County City of Columbia Committee uh that was appointed and actually going to start meeting together will be uh the honorable Will Brennan, the Honorable Tyler Bailey, the Honorable Sam Johnson with our city manager as the liaison. That's my motion. Is there a second? Second. May we add to that the sunsetting of the Columbia Fort Jackson joint committee on cooperation?

Yes, ma'am. I amend my a motion to add the sunset of the Columbia Fort Jackson joint committee on cooperation. Um, and the reason that we're sunsetting that is because our partnership with the uh chamber and their military affairs is so strong that it's really duplicating services and it makes much more sense for us to work together. With that, Madame Clerk, could you read the role? I'm sorry. Who did we get a second? Thank Thank you so much, Mr. Johnson. Hi, Mr. Bailey. Yes, Mr. Brown. Yes, Miss Herbert. I Mr. Brennan. Yes, Mr. McDow. Yes, Mayor Rickman. I Thank you.

Thank you all so much, and we look forward to your service. We will now have city council committee referrals, reports, and new business. I have a referral, Mr. Mayor.

Uh, yes, Mr. Johnson. In my long tenure on city council, uh I have heard [clears throat] the issue of litter and beautifification come up several times, Mr. Mayor, and I'd love to refer to the health and environmental committee. I I think they've got a new chair. Uh the opportunity for us as a city to facilitate having a program that allows our youth uh allows uh our parks and recreation department, allows uh some of our outside organizations along with for beautifification to uh look creatively at how we uh focus on uh litter and beautifification in some of our interior arteries. Uh so not major thorough affairs, Mr. Mayor. Uh but also uh separate apart from that uh also have the committee look at uh in our major thorough affairs uh being able to look at some of our contractual obligations, some of our um uh on call uh uh providers being able to look at the scope of work uh and being able to craft in making sure that beautifification and litter pickup is a part of that uh scope of work. Mr. Mayor, [snorts]

that motion, Mr. Mayor. I take that as a motion, sir. Yes, sir. I like to motion. You moves it. Yes, sir. Moves it up. Second.

Got a motion and a second. Any further discussion? I would just say that, you know, as we continue to move forward, one of the the things we've talked about over the last several years is the beautifification of our city, especially our gateways. And hopefully with this opportunity, we can also re-engage with the Department of Corrections or possibly even uh partnership with the DOT since they're contracted to have the roadways cleaned on the highway. How can we do that in our major corridors that then spills over into our neighborhoods? Because I think with nine gateways coming in, it is a lot. But um finding a way that we could possibly do that would be um a real improvement for our community and really highlight the entrance ways and the welcoming of folks uh here to our city. With that, Madame Clerk, could you read the role?

Mr. Johnson, hi. Mr. Bailey, yes. Mr. Brown, yes. Miss Herbert, I. Mr. Brennan, yes. Mr. McDow, yes. Mayor Rickman, I. Thank you. Any other business? Nope. [clears throat] We got we got public input. [laughter] Yes, mayor. We have one individual signed up to speak. [laughter] Uh, one one individual, Miss Christy Fawsome. [snorts]

Hello. My name is Christy Fawsome. I live in Shandon and I'm here to express concern and to seek information [clears throat] about a quality of life issue in in our city which is that to my knowledge since February there has been no longistance bus travel from the capital of our state out of Colombia to anywhere else. This is a hardship for people like me with very limited resources. We now have to go to Camden to catch a bus. And um I can imagine people scraping together money to go visit family or go for a job interview or something and then find out they have to go 26 miles to catch a bus. [clears throat] I know it's free enterprise. It's a commercial concern and and companies are thinking about ridership and profit loss and all of that. Um, but I hope that the city and other government entities are concerned about it. So, I'm wondering if there are any initiatives going on to try and and rectify the situation. Um, I know there has been some community resistance to even having a bus stop in the area. And as a passenger, I've seen firsthand that there are issues and there are problems with troubled people uh necessitating calls to the police and that kind of thing. But I'm hoping that um we can we can get that basic service back in our city. Uh perhaps there's

another entity you would refer me to to um express the concern or I don't know if it would be a community development under the that purview. um if there's a citizen task force that could be formed or that is formed, I would I would be glad to get involved with that. But

well, we're going to get your name because you just volunteered yourself to help out. [laughter] Um, secondly, I will tell you, um, I know that the the bus system has moved around and caused a lot of issues this and there trying to find the right place. And I know that our economic development folks and others tried to work with them to find appropriate places that made sense from their point of view and from the communities. And so we need to keep those conversations and see how maybe maybe there's something else that can be done or or maybe there's another company that can be recruited to to to fill that void. I know that that's a a subset of one. I think it was one group, but let's we'll continue to dialogue and have that conversation. I know at one time there was discussion with Amtrak and how they could fill the void along with having a a bus system tied to it as well so that you have a one-stop shop but it's more of a monitored area and limited. So um we'll follow up with you. I think we have all your information right Miss um Hammond. We have our information.

Yeah, we'll get your number. We'll follow up with you. All right. And I just also wanted to thank each of you for your dedication and your commitment, your hard work, and your time and effort to make this a great place to live for all of our citizens. Well, thank you for taking the time to be here today. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I'd like the record to reflect that is the second thank you of [clears throat] 2026. So, we're going to keep track of them. That's pretty good. Two meetings, two thank yous. Any other business?

Miss Herbert, I would like to note um that we did want to at least acknowledge that um that we will be observing um the release of a stamp, new stamp, and it's in honor of poet Phyllis Wheatley. Um, and it'll come out, I think, January 29th. [clears throat] So, we hope that folks will go out and get a couple of those. I think that's kind of cool to honor her in that way. That's great. Thank you for sharing. You're welcome. They told me, Madame Mayor Pro Tim, great job, Mr. Mayor. Yes, sir. Mr. Johnson,

I just want to uh real quick commend staff. We had an amazing uh Martin Luther King Day event yesterday. Uh uh our MC of the evening uh was especially uh amazing uh was seventh grade uh seventh grader uh Mr. George Denton. Mr. T 12 12-year-old Mr. George Martin Jr. Uh I see Kenya in the back. So just wanted to uh definitely thank staff for putting that together. [clears throat] Yeah, it was it was a great event uh yesterday along with all the other events across the city. Um it was great to see people out and participating. Uh, any further business? If not, I move for adjournment. Got a motion and a second. Call it out.

Mr. Johnson. Mr. Bailey. Yes. Mr. Brown. Yes. Mr. Herbert. Hi. Mr. Brennan. Yes. Mr. McDow. Yes. Mayor Rickman. I. Have a great evening. Thank you all.