Richland County Council meets December 18, 2007
By Mike Cox MWC423@bellsouth.net
Roll call

Chairman Joe McEachern, Vice Chair Val Hutchinson, Joyce Dickerson, Norman Jackson, Damon Jeter, Paul Livingston, Bill Malinowski, Mike Montgomery, Greg Pearce, Bernice Scott, and Kit Smith were present at the December 18 Richland County Council meeting.

Presentations

Richland County environmental guru Jim Wilson explained COWASEE, which is the name given the basin where the Congaree, Santee, and Wateree rivers converge. An initiative is underway to protect the basin and keep it natural. Buddy Baker, of the Department of Natural Resources, gave details of the project.

The initiative involves 215,000 acres, much of it in the flood plain. Several groups are partnering in this project and want to get the support of landowners to help preserve the basin.

Andy Witt of the Cultural Council, asked the council to consider funding the entrepreneurs and artist programs the Cultural Council supports. State laws discourage use of accommodations tax funds for the group's projects and they would like Hospitality Tax funding support.

Agenda

As county attorney Larry Smith listed additional agenda items to be considered for executive session, Kit Smith protested and informed the council such last minute additions to the agenda violate the Freedom of Information Act, which requires 24 hour notice to add items to a meeting agenda. Attorney Smith opined the act didn't forbid the council from adding items to the agenda, but it did violate the spirit of the FOIA. Councilperson Smith said she wouldn't make an issue of it at the last meeting of the year but was putting the council "on notice" she thought late additions to the agenda were illegal.

Before the agenda was accepted Attorney Smith added three executive session items to an already lengthy list. The agenda was approved with no further discussion. The minutes were approved with only a couple of corrections from Bill Malinowski.

Citizen's Input

Tom Elliott showed the council a picture of the early years of the Farmer's Market and told them he had been involved with it for seventy years. He said the move to change locations for the market was a ploy by developers to get something for nothing. He said no vendor associated with the Farmer's Market wanted the market moved. If I heard right, he asked the council to file suit against the legislature to hold up the proceedings until the vendors can figure out what to do.

Committee Appointments

Brenda Parnell was added to the Accommodations Tax Advisory Committee. J. Russell Goudelock II, Merrill Donahoo, and Don Purcell were added to the Airport Commission. Timothy Miles is a new member of the Board of Assessment Appeals. Ulice Lance has been added to the Internal Audit Committee. Chr is Brownlee and Wendell Price are the latest members of LRADAC. Rosalyn Woodson Frierson, James Hudgins, Gerald Isreal Jr., and James Reynolds were voted to the Richland Memorial Hospital Board.

There were several committees with vacancies and no applicants. The county is trying to fill these positions with little success. Some positions have been advertised three or four times. Any civic minded, qualified citizen should apply.

Citizen's Input II

Tom Duval thanked the council for getting his road on the approved for paving list. The meeting was adjourned after executive session.