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Closed session contract discussion leads to electricity sale approval

"This is extremely important to us" - Mayor Pro-team Ronnie Roth

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Following a closed session discussion, the Clinton City Council has agreed to sell surplus electricity.

The action puts into effect an agreement ratified on April 18, 2024, and authorizes the city’s electrical supplier to make the sales. It involves an allocation of shares in the Catawba Nuclear Station which, through the Piedmont Municipal Power Agency based in Greer, provides power for re-sale to Clinton, Laurens, Newberry and several other electric cities.

The amount Clinton intends to sell is 7.5 megawatts, according to a motion made by Mayor Pro-tem Ronnie Roth and passed unanimously at Monday’s regular monthly meeting. 

Roth said the local news media should be informed of the council’s action and it should be explained. He said, “This is extremely important to us. Laurens and Newberry are doing this also. We need to tell customers exactly what we are doing here.”

Council discussed the matter in closed session because it involves a contract (Discussion of negotiations incident to proposed contractual arrangements SC Code 30-4-70).

Under reports, Council Member Danny Cook said the Finance Committee will have monthly meetings and the most recent meeting included a good discussion of property tax, accommodations tax, hospitality tax, electric rates and the Rate Stabilization Fund, and the Clinton Economic Development Corporation based on council action. The full council will discuss the upcoming audit on Feb. 18.

Council Member Anita Williams addressed the fact that security lights are out from the storm and people are still being charged. She was told these people need to reach out to the city so the problems can be addressed.

She once again focused on animal control. “I know we have had issues with hiring,” Williams said, “but it’s been a year … feedback that people are getting from the police is these dogs are not vicious and there is nowhere to secure the dog. I understand that, but no citizens should be afraid to come out of their house or walk across the street because of these vicious dogs.”

She wants the city to place into everyone’s light bill a sheet that explains the city’s animal control ordinance.

“Our ordinance states - and we should put it in everybody’s light bill - that everybody who owns a dog needs to come to the city and get a tag, it’s a minimal fee of $5, that way the police can see that the dog has not been registered and fine the owner. Since the storm (Hurricane Helene) we have had more loose dogs in the area. I know we don’t do much with cats, but I have close to 12 cats in my backyard.

“The $34,000 a year that we pay the county  (animal control contract) is not doing anything for us in the City of Clinton.”

Streets paving, infrastructure, street lights being out, Lydia Mill concerns, truck traffic on Sloan Street, and other issues brought up at earlier public comments also were briefly addressed in the council comments.

“I appreciate all the work everybody has done,” Mayor Randy Randall said, “and we are continuing our search for a city manager.”