AIRPORT ILS SYSTEM UPDATE: Federal Aviation Administration officials visited the Aiken Municipal Airport on November 10, 2009. As a result, we have received their proposed timeline for the Localizer and DME equipment design and installation. We continue to discuss with them our best approach for installing Guide Slope equipment as part of this system upgrade.
PROPOSED HIGHWAY OVERLAY DISTRICT: The Planning Department is in the process of mailing to over 550 people who own property contiguous to the highways and right of ways that are proposed to become part of our highway overlay district. In addition, another 1,200 owners of property contiguous to the owners of property fronting the rights of way and highways have been sent contact information for comments and the deadlines for submitting written comments to our Planning Department. We will keep you informed of our progress as we continue to study this proposed Highway Overlay District.
POLICE ATHLETIC LEAGUE MENTORING PROGRAM: Aiken Department of Public Safety Director Pete Frommer has shared an encouraging letter. Our Municipal Cup-winning Police Athletic League [PAL] is branching out. Several of the athletes participating in the program live in single-parent homes. Nicholas “Nick” Hoffman approached Chief Frommer about a group of retirees in Woodside who wanted to mentor these young people. Lalita Ashley led the effort to train mentors and match them with 11 youth from our PAL. These mentors will act as positive role models. Several activities including visits to the local library, movie theatre, and other venues are focused on providing opportunities that might not otherwise be available to these youth. We will provide updates as this program continues.
ONE TABLE THANKSGIVING: The Annual One Table Thanksgiving event will take place in The Alley and Bee Lane from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Thanksgiving Day, and is open to everyone at no charge.
AIKEN ILLUSTRATED COFFEE TABLE BOOK: Also mark your calendars for the Sunday, November 29, 2009 book signing at Rye Patch from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. Local photographer Ginny Southworth has assembled over 125 photographs for the book Aiken Illustrated: The Southworth Collection. This book is being sold in support of Celebrate Aiken! It is $40, and the authors will be present on November 29 to sign it.
SPCA DOG PARK DEDICATION: The SPCA will hold the dedication of their new dog park on Saturday, December 12, 2009 at 10:00 a.m. The dog park is located at 199 Willow Run Road, and behind our Willow Run Industrial Center. Parking will be along the entrance driveway and in the field off Willow Run Road.
COMMENDATIONS: Corporal Chris Carter and PSO Matt Comer have been commended by a citizen for their help when she sustained a head injury in a wreck. These officers diligently attended to her while they all awaited arrival of the EMS ambulance.
Our staff continues to provide assistance over and above the scope of their daily responsibilities. As our front-line ambassadors, they selflessly give of themselves to show the public why Aiken is so special.
CELEBRATE AIKEN EVENTS: The Chairman of Celebrate Aiken, Bill Reynolds, would like to present to City Council several short TV commercials that will be aired in the very near future. The first event for the city's 175th anniversary will take place on January 9, 2010, from 1 P.M. to 5 P.M. and is a free event for the public to attend. We are all excited about the year long celebration and look forward to being part of many of these events.
PRESENTATION TO JANE VAUGHTERS AND DICK SMITH: Jane Vaughters was elected to Council in November, 2001, filling the seat of Michael Anaclerio. For the last eight years Jane has served the City diligently and given us insight on small business issues, historical matters, trees, zoning, and growth issues. We would like to thank her tonight for the hard work she has given us to make this a better city. Dick Smith was elected to City Council in November, 2001, filling the seat of Eric Radford. For the last eight years Dick has faithfully served the City and has given us insight on transportation and growth issues, leading to many new ordinances concerning traffic management and the hiring of an on-call traffic engineer. We would like to recognize Dick and present him with a plaque for all the hard work he has given us to make Aiken a better City.
This is the last meeting for Dick and Jane both of whom have served their constituents well. There will be time during the Council meeting for people to personally express their appreciation to Dick and Jane for their eight years of service as Councilmembers.
REPORT OF ELECTION COMMISSION: After each election the Chairman of the City of Aiken Election Commission presents a report on the election to City Council. Richard Johnson is the long standing Chairman of the Commission, and he has prepared a report for Council on the Commission's findings and the results of the primary held on September 8, 2009. Four seats were up for election, including two at-large and Districts 2 and 4. Mr. Johnson will report on the results of each of these elections. Once these results have been received, we will then hold the swearing in ceremony for all four Councilmembers.
The four to be sworn in are District 1, Lessie Price; District 4, Reggie Ebner; and both at-large members, Don Wells and Steve Homoki. At the conclusion of the ceremony these members will take their seats for the regular portion of the Council Agenda.
APPOINTMENTS TO BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS: Councilwoman Clyburn has recommended appointment of Phillip Merry to the Design Review Board to fill the unexpired term of Dennis Terry, with the term to expire December 31, 2010. Mayor Cavanaugh has recommended reappointment of Bill Reynolds to the Planning Commission with the term to expire December 1, 2011, and reappointment of Bear Woodrum to the General Aviation Commission with the term to expire September 1, 2011. City Council has two appointments to the Aiken Corporation Board. They typically meet monthly on the second Wednesday at 10 A.M. in Room 204 for approximately one to two hours. Their major responsibility includes the economic vitality for the City of Aiken through housing, jobs, and industry. They have also worked with other special entities when they organize and get started on new projects that would enhance our community. Dick Smith, along with Lessie Price, represents City Council. Since Dick will no longer be on Council, Council will need to appoint another member to this committee. This could be done at tonight's meeting or a future meeting.
APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION OPPOSING HOUSE BILL 3272: In 2006 the South Carolina Legislature passed Tax Reform Legislation Act 388 changing the way local governments can raise revenue. As part of a compromise, it allowed city governments, county governments, and school districts to put property on the tax rolls at their full market value when the property is sold. This was to help alleviate the consequences of other provisions in the law that gave property tax breaks to anyone owning property that increased in value by more than 15% over a 5 year period. At that time everyone was aware of the reason behind this and the fairness in valuing the property at its actual cost. This allowed the long term homeowner to protect themselves from increases in taxes even though the value of their home may have increased at an even greater extent than the 15% over the 5 year period. In 2009 legislators introduced several bills to eliminate portions of Act 388, especially the Point of Sale provision. Real estate firms want this change saying the Point of Sale provision is stalling home sales. It is our belief that home sales are slowing because of the credit crunch and overall economic conditions. Bill H3272 is now going to the Senate and will receive immediate attention in January. The bill will limit the increases in the fair market value of property sold to 15% at the Point of Sale. It returns to current law after tax year 2014 which means that property sold after December 31, 2008, but before 2014 tax year would never be taxed at the fair market value, but could only increase up to the 15% over that 5 year period. The original intent of the law was for property owners not to be taxed out of their home which they have been living in for many years. The bill shifts more of the costs of city, county and school operations to business and owners of slowly appreciating property. This means that citizens owning homes in the slower appreciating neighborhoods will pay an increasingly larger percentage of their income in taxes as compared to owners of homes in rapidly appreciating neighborhoods. New construction is not covered under this tax break, and these owners would be paying on the full value of their home, while buyers of existing property pay only on the value of the home capped at 15%. This change in law certainly affects the revenue stream in cities, counties and schools. The Board of Economic Advisors estimates the annual cost to local governments if this change goes through to be $44 million, or $19.6 million for schools, $16.1 million for counties, and $8.3 million cities.
The Municipal Association is asking that the City of Aiken consider passing the attached resolution concerning opposition to H3272 Point of Sale Bill.
REQUEST FOR TEMPORARY SUSPENSION OF TWO HOUR PARKING LIMIT: The Aiken Downtown Development Association Board of Directors requests City Council to temporarily suspend the two hour parking limit in the downtown area during the holiday season. This would take effect from the time the signs are removed on the afternoon of Wednesday, November 25, 2009, to the time they are re-erected on Monday, January 4, 2010. They want to encourage shoppers to come downtown during the holiday season without the usual two-hour time constraints. Once the shopping season is over, they would like the signs to be reinstalled and the two-hour parking limit reinstated.
REQUEST FOR HOLIDAY BANNERS IN DOWNTOWN AIKEN: The Design Committee for the ADDA would like the City of Aiken to approve holiday banners to be placed on certain light poles in the downtown area from Thanksgiving to New Year's. A prototype of the design is available for you to review. The banner would be similar to that shown except that it would state "Oh What Fun It is....To Be in Downtown Aiken." A family that does not want to be recognized has agreed to purchase approximately 10 of these one-sided banners for the downtown. They would like the banners to be at the intersections of Richland and Laurens, Park and Laurens, and Newberry at both Park and Richland. After the holiday season these banners would be removed until the following year.
AGENDA FOR NOVEMBER 23, 2009 CITY COUNCIL MEETING: http://www.cityofaikensc.gov/index.php?mact=News,cntnt01,detail,0&cntnt01articleid=1147&cntnt01returnid=277.
The link above only lists the Agenda items and not the backup material. If you want to view the back-up material, at the City of Aiken Home Page (www.aiken.net), click on Document Archive which is listed on the top right column under the heading of “Top Government Links” then click on City Council; then on City Council Agenda; then on “2000s” then on “2009” then on 2009-11-23 CC Agenda”. I am trying to make the link available with one link instead of the process described in the previous sentence. Thanks for your patience while the normal process is restored.
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