Hartsville declares Irma emergency
By Samantha Lyles, Staff Writer, slyles@newsandpress.net
Hartsville City Council convened a special meeting on Thursday, September 7 and formally declared a State of Emergency for the city in advance of Hurricane Irma, which was expected to bring severe weather to a wide swath of the southeastern U.S. for several days.
City manager Natalie Zeigler said the city was asking residents not to place any additional trash or yard debris on the curb before the storm, and added that city workers would not be picking up trash on Monday or Tuesday (Sep. 11 and 12). She said that sanitation crews would work additional hours after the storm to catch up and get back on schedule.
On the regular agenda, Council did not vote to advance two ordinances related to the planned water park expansion: Ordinance 4300 would have consolidated the water/sewer system with the new water park enterprise, and Ordinance 4301 was related to the issuance of not more than $10 million in system improvement revenue bonds, with proceeds going toward constructing and equipping the city’s planned water park expansion project.
Zeigler explained that the water park project is still going forward as planned, but on the advice of the city’s bond attorney the financing plan is being restructured.
Council approved Ordinance 4302, leasing office space to The Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics at 145 W Carolina Ave for Startsville Innovation Center. GSSM leased this space for the past year for the Startsville offices and were originally going to pay rent of $800 a month, but this new lease grants them the space rent-free for a period of three years.
The meeting included a time allotted for public comments regarding Coker College’s new comprehensive strategic plan, which includes the purchase and improvement of the Medical Arts Office Complex located on Second Street near the corner of Railroad Avenue, installation of a synthetic turf field and soccer stadium upgrades on the existing soccer field at Coker College located on Second Street, and infrastructure improvements, upgrades of internet lines and fiber optics lines at the college. No private citizens spoke during this comment period.
Council approved issuance of an endorsement letter, which will support Coker’s efforts to secure direct loans and/or grants from the United States Department of Agriculture.
A contract with low bidder Asbestos Inspections, LLC of Conway was approved in the amount of $1,595 for asbestos surveying and air monitoring of Neighborhood Initiative Program Properties, with additional rates as provided for monitoring services required by the Department of Health and Environmental Controls and SC Housing. This precaution is necessary to ensure that derelict homes taken down by the city do not pose an air quality threat to nearby residents.
Council approved first reading of Ordinance 4303 and 4304, reworking a real estate arrangement with the planned EdVenture Children’s Museum satellite. EdVenture currently owns .17 acres of property located at 146 West Carolina Avenue, and they wished to deed the property back to the City of Hartsville for $5, and then lease the property from the city for five years at a rate of $1 per year. Zeigler explained that EdVenture did not wish to own the property and preferred a lease arrangement.
Since all agenda items were covered in this session, the Hartsville City Council regular meeting planned for September 12 has been canceled.
