Regular Council Meeting Minutes

October 7, 2008 at 6 p.m.

Mayor Horton recognized Reverend Bill Harmon, Pastor of West Columbia First Church of the Nazarene, who explained he was appearing before Council to request a reduction in water tap fees for the church’s new sanctuary.  He stated the current charge for the water tap fee is $16,100, which the city reduced by $1,200 due to a previously paid water tap fee when the church first built a facility in 1994 at 350 Wattling Road.  He requested that Council reduce the tap fee by an additional $5,600.  He said that when the sprinkler system was being installed the water pressure was determined to be inadequate to meet the state code for a dry (no water in the pipes) sprinkler system.  Rev. Harmon said a wet (water in the pipes at all times) sprinkler system had to be installed with a heating system in the attic to ensure that the facility would remain at 40 degrees or warmer to prevent the pipes from bursting during freezing weather.  He said changing to a wet sprinkler system cost an additional $5,600.  He said the builders believe the lack of water pressure is due to the church being at the end of the water system on Wattling Road.

Mayor Horton asked Mr. Sid Varn, Planning and Engineering Director, to address the church’s concern regarding water pressure.  Mr. Varn stated that since the 1960s engineers have been designing water systems according to standards set by the SC Department of Environmental Health (DHEC).  He said the city’s water system meets DHEC standards.  He said that sprinkler companies design systems based on different standards and that in many areas of the city sprinkler systems do not work without installing pumps.  He explained that quite often sprinkler companies do not tell customers on the front end what is needed on the backend to make a sprinkler system work.  He said that in this case water pressure is not the problem, but the kind of sprinkler system installed in the church.  He said different sprinkler companies require various pounds per square inch (PSI) water pressure depending upon the type of system installed.

Regular Council Meeting

October 7, 2008

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Rev. Harmon stated that the church’s builder constructed a similar church in Winnsboro, SC using a dry system.  He said the builder estimated the water tap fees for the church on Wattling Road to be about $8,000.  He said the church did not realize that two water taps would be needed for the new sanctuary, which brought the actual fees to $16,000, plus the additional $5,600 to install the wet sprinkler system, for a total amount over $20,000.  He said the new sanctuary has stretched the church’s finances and the unexpected cost of the tap fees was the reason he was requesting a reduction of $5,600.

Mayor Horton stated that Council would take his request under advisement and let him know what it decides about the church’s request for a reduction in tap fees.

Mayor Horton announced the Police Department has been awarded three grants that require no local matching dollars.  He said the U.S. Justice Department awarded a Cops Technology Grant in the amount of $350,738 to install mobile data units in all patrol cars.  He said this grant would enable a patrol officer to run license tags and other data in the police car rather than relying on Dispatch to provide the informa-tion.  He said that U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham was instrumental in securing the funds for the city.

Mayor Horton announced the SC Governor’s Office awarded a grant for $124,724 from the SC Highway Safety Program for Speed Enforcement.  He said this is the second year West Columbia has received the grant to provide two patrol officers for dedicated speed enforcement.  Mayor Horton also announced that the U.S. Attorney’s Office has awarded the city a grant of $19,013 for anti-gang enforcement.  Mayor Horton stated that the city has secured $150,000 in federal funds to assist with the replacement of aging sewer lines.  He said that U.S. Congressman Joe Wilson helped the city to obtain the federal funding.

Mayor Horton reminded Council that the council work session would be held at 6 p.m. on October 20, 2008.  He said the Mayor’s Round Table meeting would be held on Monday, October 27, 2008 at 6 p.m. in the New Brookland Room.

Regular Council Meeting

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Regular Council Meeting

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Mayor Horton stated that Council needed to adjourn to executive session to discuss a personnel matter.  Council Member Fowler so moved and Council Member Harmon seconded.  The motion passed unanimously.  Council adjourned to executive session at 6:30 p.m.

Mayor Horton entertained a motion to adjourn executive session and reconvene to regular session.  Council Member Fowler so moved and Council Member Shannon seconded.  The motion passed unanimously.  Council reconvened at 7:40 p.m.  Mayor Horton stated no action was taken in executive session.

Mayor Horton stated that Council wanted to make some appointments to the Planning Commission and the Zoning Board of Appeals.  He entertained a motion for the following appointments for four-year terms:

The Planning Commission: reappoint Mr. William J. “Buck” Buchanan, Jr., appoint Ms. Nadine Lann to replace Ms. Liz Deas, and appoint Mr. Gary Prince to replace Ms. Julie Huffman.

The Zoning Board of Appeals: reappoint Mr. Robert H. “Homer” Monts and appoint Ms. Julie Huffman to replace Mr. Jimmy Hook.

Council Member Harley made a motion to approve the appointments as stated by Mayor Horton and Council Member Harmon seconded.  The motion passed unanimously.

Respectfully submitted,

Marta Valentino McKinnon, CMC

City Clerk