NEWBERRY — Ashley Page from The University of South Carolina spoke to Newberry City Council recently on behalf of the Center for Research and Nutrition and Health Disparities, which has been working with summer food service programs to provide children with food in conjunction with End Child Hunger Week in South Carolina.
End Child Hunger Week is held the last week of October from Oct. 23-29. Page, who serves as the Childhood Hunger organizer, recognized Barbara Chapman, who serves as county leader for Newberry, for all the work that she has done throughout the community.
Page reported that a parade was held in Nance Forest where Mayor Foster Senn made an appearance.Around 50 children were in attendance at the parade. Their goal is to possibly have the parade in downtown Newberry next year.
End Child Hunger SC has the chance to bring federal money in, but to do that they would need a sponsor so they can provide free dinner and snacks, such as crackers or granola bars.
Whoever wants to become a sponsor will have to be trained, and once they are trained will receive a reimbursement for the meals that they serve at their sites.
“We are working on collaborating with more food service program sites, getting more after school programs and we’re even talking about getting transportation in Newberry in the form of food trucks,” Page said.
Newberry City Council also recognized four employees for their years of dedication and service to The City of Newberry. Members that were recognized were Chris Bouknight, Jody Day, Keith Minick and Brian Moran.
Bouknight has been employed with the Public Works Department for the past 10 years. He began his employment with the City on Sept. 5, 2006 where he was listed as a Maintenance Worker in the Public Works Department. He currently holds the position of Maintenance Worker with the Public Works Garage.
“Chris always has a smile on his face whenever I see him,” said City Manager Matt DeWitt.
Day was also recognized for his 10 years of service with the Public Works Department. He began working with the City on Sept. 11, 2006 where he holds the position of Public Works Services Supervisor.
“We are truly very fortunate to have some great people that work with us. Jody always has a smile on his face whenever I see him, even though he has a harder job than any of us,” DeWitt said.
Minick has been employed with the Newberry Fire Department for the past 25 years. He began his employment on Sept. 16, 1991, and holds the position of Fire Chief. As a firefighter in 1999, Minick was promoted to Fire Lieutenant, became Fire Captain in 2004 and became Fire Chief in 2008.
“What you see here is someone who we are very fortunate to have as long as we have and has worked very hard and has been promoted through the ranks,” DeWitt said. “This is someone we hope to have around for many more years.”
Moran, along with Day and Bouknight, has been employed with the Public Works Department for 30 years. Moran began his employment on Sept. 15, 1986. He currently holds the position of Garage Supervisor with the city.
In 1989, he served as a heavy equipment operator and in 1992 moved to the garage to become an auto mechanic. Moran has been serving as a vehicle maintenance supervisor for the city since 2010.
“Brian’s another dedicated employee,” DeWitt said. “The City must be a great place to work, because these men have been here for a really long time and we are very fortunate to have them.”
Other business:
• Second and final reading passed on an ordinance requesting to expand the number of Newberry Opera House Foundation members from 15 to 17.
• Second and final reading passed on Ordinance 2016-2013 to amend the fiscal year 2016-2017 Budget. When the original budget was passed, the cost to complete the West End Water and Sewer Part 2 was not included seeing as the project was supposed to be completed in the 2016-2017 fiscal year. The retained earnings were to be used to complete the project. City staff determined that a line item should be re-entered into the 2016-2017 budget due to substantial work that needed to be done.
• In new business, City Council addressed and adopted a resolution to adopt the All Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan. City staff have received a request to adopt an “All Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan” to comply with current FEMA standards. The City has received funds due to the flood that occurred October 2015 to December 2015 from the FEMA Grant program to offset costs incurred from the 2015 flood.
• Council hear first reading of an ordinance pertaining to the Lease/Purchase Agreement for automated leaf machine. The current budget is $160,000 for the purchase of an automated leaf machine that will replace the current 1975 LN800 Leaf Truck with a 1999 pull behind leaf machine.
The purchase will be financed through a lease/purchase agreement to extend over a three to four year period. The City received three quotes through National Joint Powers Alliance for the purchase of the leaf machine. Old Dominion Brush Company submitted the lowest quote at $168,000.
Council passed a motion which would authorize the purchase of a new leaf machine from Old Dominion Brush Company for the price of $168,000 and that bids be sought from financial institutions to finance debt over a three to four year period.
• Councilmen Edwin Wicker, David Force and David DuBose took the Oath of Office. Judge Frank Partridge administered the oath.