Clinton City Council has scheduled a called meeting this Monday (March 10) for a personnel matter regarding the search for a new city manager.
The city’s finance director, Carl Stevens, is serving as the interim city manager following the resignation of Tom Brooks, who left the city at the end of January. The South Carolina Municipal Association is receiving applications and vetting candidates and will present recommendations to the council.
Mayor Randy Randall said at the March 3 council meeting that it is important – now that the March 4 municipal elections have passed – to move on with hiring a city manager.
The called meeting will be at 4:30 p.m.
Council Member Gary Kuykendall said, “We appreciate Carl’s hard work. You came into a situation that was tough. We are beginning to pull ourselves out of Hurricane Helene.”
He said, going forward, it is important for the city to address lighting – “we have so many dark spots it’s scary” – and for the council to get an update on work at the main fire station.
As the meeting began, Randall again explained the city’s ordinance related to public participation at meetings – the ordinance says the public can address items that are on the agenda; however, council has discretion about these issues. Citizen Robert Ellis talked about the process for getting a dog license; and Jason Tavenner, executive director of the Laurens County Disabilities & Special Needs Board, discussed March as Disabilities Awareness Month.
Randall emphasized that the meetings are for discussions of the council, the staff, and any experts that the council invites. The public is allowed to attend, he said, but must not interject itself into discussions. When people come to address the council, they must state their name – even though the clerk states the name when calling people to the podium – and remarks are limited to 2 minutes. “This shouldn’t be a problem if you are prepared,” Randall said. “An alarm will sound, and you are to stop. You can leave you notes with the clerk, so they are part of the record.”
Council proclaimed March as Women’s History Month and gave a special recognition to former mayor and council member Myra Nichols.
She said, “Mayor Blalock told me he was retiring, and he said, ‘have you ever thought about running for mayor?’ I said, ‘no, but I can do it.’” Mayor Randall also recognized Truman Owens, a former council member, in the audience. Of Nichols and Owens he said, “They formed a formidable team.”
In other business, council revised its invocations policy, approved a change order for the East Main Street and Ellis Street infrastructure project, funded with a surplus in ARPA* money; gave 2nd and final readings to zoning ordinance changes related to cluster developments, non-conforming uses, and mobile and manufactured housing – no public hearings were required since the Clinton Planning Commission already conducted one public hearing each for the three revisions; and received a January financial report that indicates a $400,000 positive in the General Fund and a $950,000 positive in the utility fund, and $60,000 over budget in property tax collected, a 40% increase over last year.
Council Member Danny Cook said the finance committee met Thursday with Stevens, and talked about reserve funds, ARPA* money that the city has to spend, new vehicles, and the budget process that is going on now. Cook said the committee just got the notes this past Thursday from the previous month’s meeting, and when the notes from the most recent meeting are available, both sets will be available to the full council. The finance committee meets the 4th Thursday of each month.
Stevens said the budget process has begun with department heads looking at expenses and personnel; and in early April, council will have budget workshops, with 1st reading in May and 2nd reading in June.
In their remarks, council members congratulated Team Clinton for again winning the South Carolina Science Olympiad, issued reminders of the Clinton YMCA Youth Prayer Breakfast March 4 - 6 and the March 4 municipal election, asked for transparency in placing on-line not just the council’s meeting agenda but the entire information packet that the council receives (minus identifying personnel information), and suggested ways to enhance the council’s proclamations process.
Following the March 10 called meeting, the Clinton City Council’s next regular meeting will be April 7, 6 p.m. in the council chambers of the municipal center on North Broad Street.
*ARPA = the Biden Administration American Rescue Plan Act.
