They arrived at City Hall a little late, but they arrived.

A group of nearly 60 that included mostly children and about a dozen adults filed into City Hall Monday night to show support of Ray Davis, a volunteer pastor who heads Forgiveness Ministries to help youth through a program at Serenity Chapel on Speers Street.

Davis asked city council for both resources and direction to help Newberry youth through education and counseling.

Mayor Ed Kyzer in turn asked City Manager Jeff Shacker to check to see if there’s anything the chief of police and the city’s Parks, Recreation and Tourism can do to help Davis’ group.

“Of course, we can’t spend public money,” Kyzer said.

Kyzer also wondered if the group could use spots in the city for recreation, naming places like Wise Street, Gallman Elementary School and Grant homes.

“These kids are our future and we need help,” said one of the men who accompanied the group.

Big plan passes

The city’s six councilmen adopted a massive “Comprehensive Plan” that basically says “where the city is now and where it wants to go,” says City Planner Doug Currier when asked to boil down the point of the report.

The plan is built considering goals, objectives and strategies for directing the city forward.

It covers subjects in the city like population, natural resources, cultural points, housing and land use.

A committee of citizen “stakeholders” worked on the plan, which a hired consultant also worked on.

The project was headed by Currier, whose job was created with the state-required plan in mind.

The work is required every 10 years, say Currier, and has been several years in the making.

It was finished in May.

It is the city’s first Comprehensive Plan.

Before, the city had its plan tied in with the county’s plan, says Currier.

Watching the win

After Monday’s open meeting, council met in a closed gathering to discuss how the city’s court win will play out after the State Supreme Court said the city has the right to provide power to Wal-Mart rather than the Newberry Electric Cooperative providing the store power.

Up next

City council also set a date for the group’s work session. The group will meet Aug. 17 at 6 p.m. The meeting is open to the public.