Forest Acres City Council meeting
By John Dixon
Cub@TheColumbiaStar.com

Getting started

Forest Acres City Council held its monthly meeting at 5:15 pm August 8, 2006. Members of Forest Acres City Council are Mayor Frank J. Brunson, Charles W. Fetner, Ginger Dukes, Curtis Rye Jr., and W. Shell Suber Jr. Councilman Fetner led those assembled in the invocation and pledge. Minutes of the July 11 meeting were read and approved.

Old business

There was no new action to report on the Midtown at Forest Acres report except that Belk had bought the space currently occupied by Parisian.

Appointments

In new business, Valeria Bailey was appointed to fill the unexpired term on the Municipal Election Commission replacing Craig Childs who has moved out of town. Bailey joins Brian Thomas and Jim Manning on the commission. Amanda Colgate , CPA, was appointed to fill the unexpired term (ending August 2007) on the Planning Commission. Colgate replaces Luther Stafford who is retiring after over 20 years of service due to health concerns.

Fall festival

Eddie Wales of the Forest Acres Restaurant association requested and received $17,000 in funding for a fall music festival to be held on the roof of Richland Fashion Mall.

Council approves

Council gave first reading approval to an ordinance deleting Cluster Housing from the code of ordinances for the City of Forest Acres. Future development will be more stringently controlled under planned development districts. Council approved $635,000 for lease purchase of equipment including recycling and trash trucks as well as tasers for the Forest Acres Police Department. Council gave second reading approval to deletion of a section of the code entitled Cluster Housing Regulations. The city administrator and the Appearance Commission requested $8,000 to fund a feasibility study for development and construction of a nature trail along Gills Creek. Council unanimously approved the funds and asked that City Administrator Mark Williams investigate the addition of a sprinkler pool at Quinine Hill Park.

Road improvement

Williams reported that the Richland County Transportation Commission is considering maintenance and improvement of some roads in Forest Acres.

Nature trail project

Jeffery Thor expressed lighting and liability concerns regarding the nature trail project. Thor recommended a cost benefit analysis before proceeding with the project. He also thanked the Forest Acres Police Department for coming out to recent "Night Out" activities and expressed his support for the planned Fall Music Festival.

Councilwoman Ginger Dukes congratulated City Administrator, Mark Williams, who was recently elected for a three year at- large term to the board of the Municipal Association. Council also discussed seeking a community sponsor to place a bus kiosk on the corner in front of the bank at Forest and Trenholm.

Having no further business, Mayor Pro Tempore Curtis Rye adjourned the meeting.