DOUGHERTY CONNECTOR ROAD TO WAL-MART – At the last City Council meeting on October 20 our City Manager advised that the contract to complete the long-awaited connector road between Dougherty Road and Wal-Mart has been awarded. The work should be completed in late 2009.
FINANCE DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR RETIREMENT – Anita Lilly, our award-winning Finance Department Director since September 3, 1985, has announced her retirement effective January 29, 2009. Anita has led her department to achieve Certificates of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting every year since 1992. Her accomplishments also include annual reports with no comments from our auditing firm. She has been instrumental in implementing our computer technology systems beginning in 1987. We wish Anita well as she completes her City service to enjoy her well-earned retirement.
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN REVIEW – Planning Commission Chairman Bill Reynolds has reported back on the Commission’s review of the Aiken Comprehensive Plan. Our plan was amended regarding the South and Southeast sections of the City in 2002 and 2003. Under state law, these plans are required to be reviewed every five years. The Planning Commission review revealed no need for any changes to this section of the Comprehensive Plan at this time. In the coming months, the Planning Commission anticipated making other recommendations to Council regarding open space areas, items required under the state Priority Investment Act and an update of certain socioeconomic information.
CITY PAVING SCHEDULE – Paving has now started in the Trail Ridge/Bellreive area and should be completed soon.
PRESERVE AMERICA GRANT – The City of Aiken is one of 44 cities across the country to receive a grant from the National Park Service under its Federal “Preserve America” Program. This $20,000 grant will be used toward our city’s continuing historic preservation efforts. The NPS considered 119 applications, so our selection is a welcome recognition of our local preservation efforts.
APPOINTMENTS TO BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS – I am pleased to announce the appointment of Pat Andringa to the Arts Commission. She replaces Mary Ellen Krippner who recently resigned. I want to thank Mary Ellen for her long service to the Arts Commission and with Pat well. Pat is no stranger to the Arts Community having been involved in one way or another for over twenty years. I sincerely appreciate people like Pat and Mary Ellen who are willing to serve their community.
I have also reappointed Pete Seaha to the Planning Commission. Pete has served admirably in his position and has proven to be a valuable asset to the Planning Commission.
ABANDONED VEHICLES – We will consider under first reading an ordinance to deal with abandoned vehicles. This program is similar to one found in Anderson that deals with inoperable vehicles. It involves the owners selling the vehicle to the City for $75. In turn, the City will take these vehicles to a recycling center. The program has been very successful in the City of Anderson during the past three years and has resulted in the removal of 220 vehicles through this buyout program. This is the kind of program which will improve the neighborhoods in our city.
HOUNDSLAKE GOLF COURSE - Many of you know that Houndslake Country Club has announced plans to close the Laurel golf course effective December 31, 2008. I have been working with Houndslake North volunteers to study the issue and report to residents on options available. We hope to soon disseminate information to materially help the 265 residents near the Laurel golf course make whatever decision is in their best interests. I expect the Aiken Standard to continue to cover this issue.
Foxnews Ticker
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Marine Corps Birthday
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARINES
SEMPER FIDELIS!
Marine Corps Birthday- On November 10, 1775, the United States Marine Corps was founded at Tuns Tavern in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. By tradition proud Marines all over the world celebrate this day. Last night the James L. Hammons Detachment of Aiken celebrated the 233rd Birthday of the United States Marines in high style. Enjoy the Hymn.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Legality of Absentee Voting Locations
You may have read in the Aiken Standard about the controversy over Aiken County having satellite absentee voting locations in Kalmia Plaza, North August and Wagener. The paragraph below is an excerpt from the SC Code of Laws. Note the first sentence. It is amazing there is any question about where absentee voting can take place. This election is bound to be contentious. I hope the Secretary of State and Board of Elections will follow the exact letter of the law to avoid the throwing out of any ballots cast in good faith.
In each county there must be established an absentee voting precinct located in the office of the county board of registration. The county election commission, municipal election commission, county committee for each political party, or executive committee of each municipal party in the case of primary elections is responsible for the tabulation and reporting of ballots at the absentee voting precinct. The absentee ballots must remain in the custody of the county board of registration until transferred to the county election commission, municipal election commission, county committee for each political party or executive committee of each municipal party for the purpose of tabulation and reporting as provided in Section 7-15-420.
In each county there must be established an absentee voting precinct located in the office of the county board of registration. The county election commission, municipal election commission, county committee for each political party, or executive committee of each municipal party in the case of primary elections is responsible for the tabulation and reporting of ballots at the absentee voting precinct. The absentee ballots must remain in the custody of the county board of registration until transferred to the county election commission, municipal election commission, county committee for each political party or executive committee of each municipal party for the purpose of tabulation and reporting as provided in Section 7-15-420.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
October 13 City Council Meeting
WHISKEY ROAD ANNEXATION – The city recently received the Judge’s signed Court Order for the law suit initiated by the City with the South Carolina Department of Transportation. We are happy to say that the City was successful in this law suit with the Judge declaring that the annexation from Pine Log Road to Talatha Church Road was done properly and legally. Our Legal Department had confirmed that SCDOT cannot challenge the Whiskey Road Annexation Ordinance since no appeal has been filed within the 30 day period.
This has significance from two perspectives. First and most important it gives the City control of Whiskey Road which will allow us to be more aggressive in implementing more stringent traffic measures. We can now consider medians, turn restrictions, light synchronization and other measures to improve the traffic flow on Whiskey Road. Second, it permits annexation of properties along Whiskey Road. Where we have discretionary authority, I will generally oppose annexation unless it is in the clear interests of the City of Aiken. There are some properties which will be annexed as a result of previous agreements to furnish water service.
ENHANCED TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT UNIT GRANT AWARD – Governor Mark Sanford has notified us that we will soon be receiving $93,754 for our Enhanced Traffic Enforcement Unit. These monies are used for our Highway Enforcement of Aggressive Traffic (HEAT) Public Safety Officers who operate the black Dodge Chargers. Our HEAT Officers, CPL Chris Carter and PSO Jason Griffin are providing a valuable public safety service to our city.
CROSLAND PARK INITIATIVE – One of the major goals of the Council is the stabilization of Crosland Park. On October 2, 2008, city representatives met with six churches and several non-profit agencies to discuss strategy concerning the rebirth of Crosland Park. We are asking all the parties who sign the Memorandum of Understanding to join together to create a coalition which will help change the community. We believe by the purchase of homes and providing services to meet the needs of these citizens, we will be able to meet the greater needs of the Crosland Park neighborhood. Council will consider further actions to include sidewalks, street lighting, landscaping, and additional recreational opportunities. City Council will soon be asked to formally make a commitment to the programs needed in Crosland Park.
CITY PAVING SCHEDULE – Paving has been delayed two weeks. I was just notified about this delay on Monday, Oct 13.
PUBLIC SAFETY MONTHLY ACTIVITIES REPORT – I continue to be surprised by the large number of 911 calls that Public Safety deals with each month. Last month, for example, they received 2, 459 911 calls. Public Safety issued 950 traffic related tickets, completed 141 traffic accident reports, and arrested 300 people. Based on numbers alone, our Public Safety Department is providing outstanding service to our citizens. I would like to see more education to help prevent abuse of the 911 emergency call network. Public Safety is considering establishing a system to better communicate to the public the number and types of incidents it deals with. If you want some details, please look in the Annual Report I mentioned in my last email. It is also available at the city web site (http://www.aiken.net/).
NEW SPCA FACILITY AND DOG PARK – At our meeting on Monday, we will have the second and final reading on the new SPCA facility which will be co-located with the Dog Park.
JUNK CARS AND OVERGROWN LOTS – We will have a work session which will begin at 6:30 to discuss junk cars and overgrown lots. One of the City Council’s goals over the last few years has been to improve neighborhoods within our city. One of the frequently asked questions at neighborhood meetings is what can be done with overgrown lots and abandoned cars. At our work session, we will discuss our current codes concerning overgrown lots versus how other cities in South Carolina have been able to deal with these problems. Based on this discussion, City Council can decide whether to stay with our current procedures or modify them based on this information. Our current system for dealing with overgrown lots is a three step process which can take as long as 45 days. This system consumes too much staff time and creates a frustrating delay for neighbors. We will look at systems used by Spartanburg, Columbia, and Anderson. I expect we will reduce our maximum 45 day system for dealing with overgrown lots to a more reasonable 10-15 day time frame and make it easier to deal with repeat offenders.
With regard to inoperable vehicles, the process of identifying, contacting, and arranging for towing is a long one. It can take up to 35 days before an attempt is made to issue an Ordinance Summons for Livability Court and then several more weeks for the court date, decision, and implementation. It is in the interest of the neighborhood to remove vehicles that do not run and it is in the interest of the vehicle owner to have a fair process. Some jurisdictions provide a monetary incentive to car owners who participate in a voluntary removal program. The program is self-financing. The owner of an inoperable vehicle sells the title to the City for $75.00. The Public Works Department then tows the vehicle to a vehicle recycling facility and receives between $342 and $600 for the title. The City of Anderson has a program like this which we will discuss.
Please note that during a work session, City Council and the public can discuss an issue and provide staff with enough information to determine a suitable course of action. We do not vote or take any action whatsoever during a work session other than give general guidance to staff. City staff can then determine whether to place the items discussed at a future City Council meeting for action. I expect that we will deal with these two issues soon. We do have the authority, however, to add an item to the agenda providing it is approved by a majority of the Council. I am not sure this will happen to these two items, but it could.
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA – Keep in mind that City Council agendas are available on line. The agenda includes supporting documents that we review to determine a course of action. The link for Monday’s City Council agenda is http://www.aiken.net/weblink7/docview.aspx?id=82450.
This has significance from two perspectives. First and most important it gives the City control of Whiskey Road which will allow us to be more aggressive in implementing more stringent traffic measures. We can now consider medians, turn restrictions, light synchronization and other measures to improve the traffic flow on Whiskey Road. Second, it permits annexation of properties along Whiskey Road. Where we have discretionary authority, I will generally oppose annexation unless it is in the clear interests of the City of Aiken. There are some properties which will be annexed as a result of previous agreements to furnish water service.
ENHANCED TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT UNIT GRANT AWARD – Governor Mark Sanford has notified us that we will soon be receiving $93,754 for our Enhanced Traffic Enforcement Unit. These monies are used for our Highway Enforcement of Aggressive Traffic (HEAT) Public Safety Officers who operate the black Dodge Chargers. Our HEAT Officers, CPL Chris Carter and PSO Jason Griffin are providing a valuable public safety service to our city.
CROSLAND PARK INITIATIVE – One of the major goals of the Council is the stabilization of Crosland Park. On October 2, 2008, city representatives met with six churches and several non-profit agencies to discuss strategy concerning the rebirth of Crosland Park. We are asking all the parties who sign the Memorandum of Understanding to join together to create a coalition which will help change the community. We believe by the purchase of homes and providing services to meet the needs of these citizens, we will be able to meet the greater needs of the Crosland Park neighborhood. Council will consider further actions to include sidewalks, street lighting, landscaping, and additional recreational opportunities. City Council will soon be asked to formally make a commitment to the programs needed in Crosland Park.
CITY PAVING SCHEDULE – Paving has been delayed two weeks. I was just notified about this delay on Monday, Oct 13.
PUBLIC SAFETY MONTHLY ACTIVITIES REPORT – I continue to be surprised by the large number of 911 calls that Public Safety deals with each month. Last month, for example, they received 2, 459 911 calls. Public Safety issued 950 traffic related tickets, completed 141 traffic accident reports, and arrested 300 people. Based on numbers alone, our Public Safety Department is providing outstanding service to our citizens. I would like to see more education to help prevent abuse of the 911 emergency call network. Public Safety is considering establishing a system to better communicate to the public the number and types of incidents it deals with. If you want some details, please look in the Annual Report I mentioned in my last email. It is also available at the city web site (http://www.aiken.net/).
NEW SPCA FACILITY AND DOG PARK – At our meeting on Monday, we will have the second and final reading on the new SPCA facility which will be co-located with the Dog Park.
JUNK CARS AND OVERGROWN LOTS – We will have a work session which will begin at 6:30 to discuss junk cars and overgrown lots. One of the City Council’s goals over the last few years has been to improve neighborhoods within our city. One of the frequently asked questions at neighborhood meetings is what can be done with overgrown lots and abandoned cars. At our work session, we will discuss our current codes concerning overgrown lots versus how other cities in South Carolina have been able to deal with these problems. Based on this discussion, City Council can decide whether to stay with our current procedures or modify them based on this information. Our current system for dealing with overgrown lots is a three step process which can take as long as 45 days. This system consumes too much staff time and creates a frustrating delay for neighbors. We will look at systems used by Spartanburg, Columbia, and Anderson. I expect we will reduce our maximum 45 day system for dealing with overgrown lots to a more reasonable 10-15 day time frame and make it easier to deal with repeat offenders.
With regard to inoperable vehicles, the process of identifying, contacting, and arranging for towing is a long one. It can take up to 35 days before an attempt is made to issue an Ordinance Summons for Livability Court and then several more weeks for the court date, decision, and implementation. It is in the interest of the neighborhood to remove vehicles that do not run and it is in the interest of the vehicle owner to have a fair process. Some jurisdictions provide a monetary incentive to car owners who participate in a voluntary removal program. The program is self-financing. The owner of an inoperable vehicle sells the title to the City for $75.00. The Public Works Department then tows the vehicle to a vehicle recycling facility and receives between $342 and $600 for the title. The City of Anderson has a program like this which we will discuss.
Please note that during a work session, City Council and the public can discuss an issue and provide staff with enough information to determine a suitable course of action. We do not vote or take any action whatsoever during a work session other than give general guidance to staff. City staff can then determine whether to place the items discussed at a future City Council meeting for action. I expect that we will deal with these two issues soon. We do have the authority, however, to add an item to the agenda providing it is approved by a majority of the Council. I am not sure this will happen to these two items, but it could.
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA – Keep in mind that City Council agendas are available on line. The agenda includes supporting documents that we review to determine a course of action. The link for Monday’s City Council agenda is http://www.aiken.net/weblink7/docview.aspx?id=82450.
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