Hartsville Council votes on water rates and surveillance cameras
By Samantha Lyles, Editor, editor@newsandpress.net
Hartsville City Council convened a special meeting on Wednesday, September 26 to consider establishing a new water and sewer rate class for heavy industrial users. This special meeting was originally scheduled for September 18, but was postponed due to the aftermath of Hurricane Florence.
Council held first reading for Ordinance 4350, a measure that would establish a Large Water User Industrial Rate Class. The ordinance states that this classification will apply to “any industrial customer of the System that maintains an account with average monthly water usage in excess of 2,000,000 gallons.” The minimum charge (covering the city’s fixed costs and 2,000,000 gallons of monthly water usage) will be $7,466.38 for these customers. A volume charge above that amount would be set at $3.48 per 1,000 gallons.
This ordinance would also establish a Large Sewer User Industrial Rate Class for industrial customers with “an average monthly water usage in excess of 2,000,000 gallons, a discharge point not associated with a water meter, and with no permanent sewer flow meter.” These customers will be charged a flat fee of $1,385 per month.
Council voted unanimously to approve this ordinance. Council member Teresa Mack and Mayor Pro Tem Johnny Andrews were not present at this meeting.
Also on the agenda was a first reading for Ordinance 4351, which would allow the City of Hartsville to lease a portion of properties in the South Hartsville Area owned by D. Brown for the purpose of installing a surveillance camera.
The terms of the lease call for a one-time cost of $1, and the lease would remain in effect until either party seeks to terminate the agreement. Properties named in the lease include “Logan Ave/ Fletcher Street, Brewer Ave/ Fletcher Street, Rice Street at back of gin, Sumter/ Fletcher Street on north end, In between buildings of gin between Sumter and Bell, (and) Seventh/ Sumter.”
The ordinance says the camera would be used “for the monitoring of illicit activity in order to increase the safety and well-being of citizens.” Council voted unanimously for approval.
A similar ordinance, No. 4352, commits the City of Hartsville to lease a portion of 400 Bell Avenue from Thomas E. Goodson, Jr. for the installation and maintenance of security monitoring equipment. Again, the cost is a one-time payment of one dollar giving the city access to install and maintain the camera equipment. Again, Council voted unanimously to approve first reading of the ordinance.
Second and final reading for these ordinances should take place at Hartsville City Council’s next special meeting, scheduled for Thursday, October 4 at 12:00 pm in the City Council Chamber, located at 100 East Carolina Avenue in Hartsville.
