Columbia City Council meets June 27, 2007
By John Temple Ligon Temple@TheColumbiaStar.com
Roll call Columbia City Council convened a few minutes after 9 am, Wednesday, June 27, on the third floor of City Hall. All members were present: Daniel Rickenmann, Sam Davis, E.W. Cromartie, Mayor Bob Coble, Anne Sinclair, Tameika Isaac Devine, and Kirkman Finlay III.

Columbia Firefighters

First lines of defense Columbia Fire Chief Bradley Anderson and his fellow firefighters sat for recognition by city council. Coble noted all the Charlestonians' warm appreciation expressed to him for the presence of Columbia firefighters in Charleston immediately following the loss of nine of their own.

Fast Forward Dee Albr itton, executive director, reviewed her plans to assist returning veterans in their transition to civilian life. More job training with Fast Forward's computers could happen if more funding could happen. Albritton alerted council of the vast numbers of veterans in the Columbia area with more to come. The jobless rate for veterans between the ages of 20- 24 was almost 16% in 2006, three times the national unemployment rate.

Dana Turner

Safe walks to school John Myrick asked council for a letter of support to go with Rosewood Elementary School's application for funding their Safe Routes to School. Rosewood Principal Ted Wachter needed to receive the letter by June 29. Council concurred.

Village development Dana Turner, assistant city manager for commerce and development, brought council up to date on the Village at River's Edge, an affordable housing project recently approved for HUD financing. HUD will lend the project $1.6 million for infrastructure construction, and city council has to pay back the money, interest free, with four annual payments of $400,000.

Another $250,000 had already been committed by council to be taken out of the water and sewer fund. Council can decide later whether or not to replenish the water and sewer fund its $250,000. Among its occupants, the development must prove 51% claim incomes less than 80% of the area's median.

Fuel cells Council approved payment of its second $75,000 as its dues for membership in the Fuel Cell Collaborative. Other members are USC, S.C. Research Authority, and Ingenuity SC.

John Myrick

Township support Council moved to support Richland County's Township Auditorium by letting the hospitality taxes collected through ticket sales remain at the Township.

BarryWalker Memorial Intersection Traffic Signal Barry Walker, the restaurateur (Mac's on Main) and guitarist (Fatback) and member of Irmo Town Council, pleaded with council at a previous meeting to install a traffic signal at the corner of Columbiana Drive and Columbia Avenue. Dave Brewer, the city's traffic engineer, recommended the signal, and council voted to install.

Water and sewer Council voted 5- 2 to raise the rates for water and sewer.

Budget By 5- 2 council approved the budget for the year beginning July 1, thereby approving a 3.5 mills property tax increase. Finlay, who voted no with Rickenmann on both the water and sewer hike and the budget, asked to share some statistics similar to those heard at the previous meeting from Columbia citizen Dave Wilson. From 1998 until 2005, according to Finlay, the city lost 6,600 registered voters. The number of city employees jumped by 250. In that time the city's firefighters total fell by 54, while the police force added 17. The dollars spent on general government went up more than 200% and those spent on public safety rose by less than 33%. With the projected revenue caps imposed by the legislature, Finlay warned council they couldn't continue down the same profligate path, particularly at the expense of public safety.

Bradley Anderson

Next meeting City council meets again for a regular session on Wednesday morning at 9, July 11, City Hall, corner of Laurel and Main.

Dee Albritton