City Council - Regular Meeting

It also uh has the added benefit of um helping folks um to get u u if they're uh we constantly uh encounter folks who have issues but uh that are neighborhood type issues but are not uh they're not city residents. Therefore, we're powerless to address their issues. And and so often it an added benefit of this approach is it will allow us to refer them to the right local government if if if they have a direct service need that's that's not in your purview. So yes, so we will we do look at them.

Yeah. In in the to to use your word screening, but we're not saying we're not allowing you to speak or not because I I've been reading the comments, you know, and people are afraid. We're not screening or editing subject matter or anything of that nature. We're simply directing people to the correct resource. And as a matter of fact, by policy, if you want to come and talk about a neighborhood issue outside the city limits, you could do that, too. But most of the folks just want to be talking to the right uh right group to to have their needs met. So, [snorts] uh we hope that will be convenient for all parties. Yes. M R

Chris, can I ask a follow-up question? So, um, [clears throat] if someone does want to call in and and have the city staff support in in filling out this form, is it also by noon on is it the same deadline and time frame? That's right. And the these next few meetings, we can help folks if there's timing issues. It it it's just to make sure that we don't have a uh we're not ill equipped. Great. And then my last question, is there a limit to the number of of people that can address council?

No, that would be a matter of uh council if if council wanted to do that, you all are in control of your agenda, but right now it's however many folks sign up. Everyone's two minutes. Okay, great. Thanks. Good. Good. Any other questions? Thank you, Mr. Story. Thank you, sir.

Council updates. And before we go to council updates, I do want to make mention because I'm sure everybody else may steal my thunder here. Um, uh, the 39th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Unity Week celebration. Uh, it actually kicks off on Thursday. Um, the the the the mayor has a breakfast Thursday morning, but also that evening, uh, we have the art contest reception at 6:00 p.m. at Chapman Culture Center. 200 East Main Street on Friday. Friday we all recognize January the 16th as kindness day all day. Be kind to your neighbor, be kind to your friend. But as we had that theme about young people, uh we will have a um uh teen takeover at Dr. TK Greg Recreation uh center United team takeover on Friday. So, our teenagers will be there from 7 until we decide it's time to go home, but they will have access to the centers just to open it up, a safe place for them to go and um um you know, just blow off steam and just be in a safe environment. That's just one thing that we're doing for them early on. Also Saturday we have the walk is 1 9:00 a.m. We will start at the u uh Robert Chapman III uh center for philanthropy right there on 431 East Kennedy Street. Thank you Troy Hannah uh for uh helping us with that. That is 9:00 Saturday morning the 17th. Also, Sunday, Sunday, January the 19th, community celebration, 3:00, we have a dynamic speaker at Spawnberg Memorial Auditorium. Dynamic keynote speaker, Dr. Adolf Brown. If you not if you have not heard him, please come out. Dynamic

young man, really bringing some energy. And again, he will have some focus for our young young people. and some of the young folks that participate in the teen night will actually get an opportunity to meet with him prior to his um um speech. And also on Monday, United Way day of service, a day on, not a day off. We all uh would ask you to go out to volunteer. Uh take the uh example from the uh Deltas in in the back where they are always doing community service. I'm sure they will be out somewhere with a day on and not a day off as we all will be as well uh sitting here uh in this uh on this das. So um with that being said, council updates. We're going to start down here. Council uh member Rogers.

Great. Thank you. Um good evening. Happy new year everyone. Um I want to congratulate Mr. Mayor, Council Member Fulmer, Council Member Sally, and Council Member Brown when she returns. Um, a couple things that I have on on my mind this evening. First of all, I hope everyone's taking care of themselves to stay healthy, caring for their loved ones this time of year. Um, the next thing I wanted to bring up was I had an opportunity to speak to several community members about the Spartigo pilot over the holiday. Um, I know the city is is amplifying the information. Um, but there's still members of our community that haven't seen that. So, please talk about Spartigo. Please grab a friend, hop on, try it. Um, these particular community members were were very excited about the opportunity to save on gas and just come uh back and forth with the city. So, was happy to share that information. Um, and then I think that lastly, um, I would like to just thank Miss Wright for the courage to come and speak to us. Um, the River Birch Trail is very much in in my district and I personally care about all of our trails and and the ability for us to walk together. I want to acknowledge and thank the city staff. I did hear about this incident earlier today. the city and the police department were immediately uh meeting and connecting and um I have not been able to get a full update but I just want to acknowledge the responsiveness of our of our staff. Um I also want to acknowledge the good Samaritan nature. Miss Wright talked about several member or several community members on the trail and a woman that helped her. I think that you know we live in a community where we care about one another. We want these resources. Trails

are such a beautiful way not only to be out in nature and exercise, but also interact with the people that we care about and that live nearby. So, please let's continue this this support of one another. It is our responsibility not only to take care of ourselves and make sure that we're being safe on the trail, but to care for those around us. um you know human being, child, pet um however we we share this space in the community. It's our responsibility too. And I just want to also um acknowledge PAL. Pal does have resources on their website as well as their social media on good tips and and things um even to wear layers uh as you walk down the trail and stay warm, but also for safety. Um, one of those being that if you do call 911 on the trail, 911 operators are able to pinpoint your location based on on different pins and markers that PAL and the city have have collaborated with and and you may not be able to see it as a walker, but those those support systems exist. And it was something that I found very important as I was walking on trails with my young children when the trails first started. So, please, let's take care of each other. Let's support and do our part in making sure our communities are safe and continue to work with our police department and our city staff. Thanks.

Thank you, Councilwoman Smith.

Yes. Uh, happy new year, everyone. Um, the mayor has already addressed that Councilwoman Brown is not here. She had a surgery. Um, but she sent some some words that I'm going to read for all of you. I know she's watching. So, hey, Erica. Um, she says that she misses being here with us tonight. Congratulations to the mayor and to my fellow council members. Thank you all for her well wishes. She's listening. I'm listening. She's listening to all of the doctor's orders and doing her best to get back to her regular routine and she looks forward to the work ahead in 2026. So, I'm hopeful that she'll be back with us in two weeks and she can have her swearing in ceremony as well. but I share her congratulations to you all and look forward to what's ahead as well. Um, thank you for your words about our young people. Um, as an educator myself, that's also a focus of mine. I had the privilege of spending uh the morning with uh Jesseline's class from Wford. So Chris Chris's wife is a works at Wford and she had a group of young people over in my office today and we talked about community and supporting each other and how when one individual wins so to say in the game of life than we all do and what we want for ourselves is what we should want for everyone in our community. and we had a just a great conversation especially with this one young man from Tennessee who's a freshman here at Wford and he shared how just government right now is putting a bad taste in his mouth and what he's seeing at a at a larger level is making him really question um being involved in his community and how can he really trust um what is what is real and what is genuine.

And it made me really think, you know, how the young people are watching us. And I told him to not not give up on local government that I can understand his distrust of layers of government above us. And and I wanted to validate his experience as probably so many of us are feeling right now as well. But our young people are watching us. And so just what you were saying, taking care of each other, showing up for each other. We're going to hear this next week a lot about Martin Luther King Jr.'s beloved community. And that's not something that we can walk into on our own, but it's something that we have to create. And a tradition of mine every every time of year uh this time of year is to read Dr. King's letter from a Birmingham jail. And so I encourage you, especially my um fellow white folks, that's a great letter to read as it's written to um white Baptist pastors um and the white moderate. And it's just a great thing to be challenged by every year. So if you're lacking in something to read, I encourage you to pick that up this next week as we enter into this time of of reflection and um unity um in achieving it and in desiring it. Thank you. just had the discussion with the Viking Early College seniors

with letter from a Birmingham jail. So very inspiring. Councilwoman Salad,

thank you. I want to say thank you all for coming out tonight and condolences to the Span family. I do know Miss Jane Span and I'm sorry to do that and that's the way life is. Also ask that you pray for my husband due to his sickness and to Miss Wright. I am sorry that happened and I do hope that we can remedy this problem for you and make it safer for everyone. Also, uh looking forward to the next four years. I do know that we are economically growing. Uh thank you to Miss uh Katherine for putting us on on the map because she does everybody else does what they want to do, but she puts us on the map. Um, to the staff of Spart City, thank you all. Um, to my council members, thank you all. I'm not going to say any more than what you all have already reinerated and that's grand. Um, happy new year.

Thank you, Councilman Foreman. Uh, yes, sir, Mr. Mayor. Uh certainly wish uh Council Member Brown a speedy recovery and look forward to having her back in two weeks and and certainly uh thinking about rolling as he he tries to get better as well. Um

Juliet, thank you for sharing your story. It was it was uh it was it was important to do that and I know it wasn't easy, but but we appreciate it and and I think awareness is is something that's extremely important in a situation like that. It's not not always the the common thing. So we appreciate that. Um, and then I'd like to finally uh thank Carolina Foothills Credit Union for their investment in Spartanberg. Um, really excited about uh what you're planning to do for Spartanberg and as well as having uh a corporate headquarters located here. That's exciting. So, appreciate everything you're doing. Um, and then thank you everybody for coming out tonight. Uh, it was a great crowd and and we appreciate the opportunity to see each other and uh get ready for the next year.

Awesome. Now, Pro Tim.

Yes. Um, mayor, first of all, I want to thank you all for your confidence and your vote. Thank you very much. Um, I want to say to I am saddened to hear about Jane Span. I was just at her house Saturday and I took a plant there and I thought that she was going to come around because she maybe beat it. And so I am very very sad to hear that um she has passed but I'm sure she has gone on to a better place. And then I um my sisters that are here in that deep colored pink that you're wearing. [laughter] You all look beautiful and thank you for coming out. And in the CC Woodson on Saturday, uh about a hundred young men were there. And I want to thank the city of Spartanberg or the police department and everybody that took part of that. It was wonderful. I was excited to see so many young men there. And I hope that these young men go will go on to do something good and they will come off the street or the ones that are on the street that they will come out and continue doing something good and positive in the community. Um, I want to congratulate and I think I congratulated you already on your um, reappointment there and police presence cuz this is the last thing that I'm going to say. Um, I know that we have a lot of technology up there and we can see every thing in Spartanberg and you all they

can see everything in Spartanberg. I mean from that building up there they can sit and could see you go when you even go walk outside your door because they can see that cuz that's a great thing. However, I don't think that technology can completely go replace boots on the ground and uh with all of the crime that's taking place in the city of Spartanberg and I am saddened by it because the majority of the crime that is taking place is done by people that don't even live in the city and that's the sad part about it. So I am hoping that we can get more presence on the ground that people can see your faces that makes a difference. Even a car going through the neighborhood and they can see you out there that makes a difference. Thank you mayor.

Thank you uh council I mean mayor pro Tim and and I we all agree that you know uh that the presence you know is is a deterrent is being proactive. We totally agree with you. I too had the opportunity to um go to CC Saturday morning to greet the uh young people um like uh council u mayor pro Tim mentioned about a 100 young folks and they saw the way that PD works and it was actually put on by our uh police department. So outstanding job major and all everyone else that played a part in it. Um, but again, I I just want to continue on that theme of opportunity. Carolina Foothills, thank you guys for what you have done in the past with Power Up and helping with the home loans on from the north side. And it's just an outstanding uh outfit and and thank you for bringing your corporate office here to Spartanberg. Again, an opportunity for our people and uh so that's what we want to see as we move forward. Again, thank you all for being here. Um, happy new year to you and um, I think we have an opportunity for an adjournment. May

I make a motion to second? All in favor? I. Let's go home. Thank you all for being here. Caleb. Caleb, I forgot to mention Caleb Hodge. You talking about a young person that's involved and want to be involved. Caleb, thank you for coming, man. Thank you, Minister.