City Council recognizes employee milestones

NEWBERRY — Newberry City Council recognized numerous employees for their milestone achievements last week. Mayor Foster Senn said that because council had not been able to recognize employees since last fall, they had many to recognize at their April meeting.

“For our honorees, Newberry City Council salutes you for reaching milestones in your career and for your excellent work for the citizens of Newberry,” he said.

For five years of service, City Manager Matt DeWitt and council recognized Lane Branham, Elyssa Haven and Justin Hawkins for their service. They hold the positions of corporal with the police department, public relations coordinator and corporal with the police department, respectively.

Casey Smith was recognized for his 10 years of service with the utilities department and holds the position of electric lineman.

For their 15 years of service, R.J. Dowd and Mike Hawkins were recognized. Dowd holds the position of lieutenant with the fire department, while Hawkins is sergeant within the police department.

Both Jimmy Cromer and Todd Guy were recognized for their 20 years of service within the city’s utilities department. Cromer holds the title of electrician, while Guy is electric superintendent within the department.

Leslie Ammons was recognized for his 25 years of service to the city’s public works department and holds the position of building maintenance specialist.

Four employees were recognized for their retirement from the city – Ward Braswell (planning and development services director), Randy Malloy (shift lieutenant for the police department), Roy McClurkin (chief of police) and Jan Piersol (executive director, Newberry Housing Authority).

“Each has been outstanding in their service to the City of Newberry and has made Newberry a better place,” Senn said.

The Newberry Police Department was recognized by council for their re-accreditation from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Accreditation, Inc. (SCLEA). Newberry is one of only 12 municipalities in the state to hold this status.

As a special recognition from the utilities department, council recognized Guy and Ben Hughes for the positive feedback they received on behalf of their work at Nance Forest Apartments.

Utility Director Tim Baker received a note on behalf of the apartment complex’s maintenance staff, commending their staff for a quick response on a recent problem they experienced.

The utility department was also recognized for earning a Reliable Public Power Provider (RP3)® designation from the American Public Power Association for providing reliable and safe electric service.

The RP3® designation, which lasts for three years, recognizes public power utilities that demonstrate proficiency in four key disciplines: reliability, safety, workforce development, and system improvement.

Senn read a proclamation recognizing Isiah Royal for his recent accomplishment in wrestling. Royal, a senior wrestler from Guyton, Ga., represented Newberry College at the NCAA Division II national wrestling championship in St. Louis, Mo., won the individual championship at 141 pounds.

Also recognized was Aniya Mahaffey, Miss Newberry 2020. Mahaffey was appointed to represent Newberry through the remainder of the 2021 scholarship competition cycle of the Miss America Organization. This includes representing Newberry at the Miss South Carolina State Scholarship competition in June and crowning her successor in November. Mahaffey’s service platform is Children’s Literacy.

Under new business, motion was made by Councilperson Lemont Glasgow and seconded by Councilperson David DuBose on an ordinance to amend the zoning map for a property located at 2639 Preston Street in Newberry.

The proposed assignment of zoning classification and future land use and zoning map amendment is the result of the owner’s petition to reclassify parcels from GC – General Commercial to R8 – Residential. The Newberry Planning Commission recommended a zoning classification of R8 – Residential. Per Article 10.02, the land owner will have to install buffer yards of six trees per linear 100 feet or 18 shrubs per linear 100 feet to get the parcel to code after rezoning. A public hearing will be held May 11, prior to second reading.

Motion was made by Councilperson Jackie Holmes and seconded by Councilperson Edwin Wicker to approve first reading of an ordinance to repeal and replace Article 1 of Chapter 10, pertaining to occupational licenses, taxes and regulations. Complying with the South Carolina Business License Tax Standardization Act, the ordinance would repeal the existing license ordinance and replace it with the revised, standardized model business license ordinance. This would be effective for the business license year beginning May 1, 2022.

Eric Budds with the Municipal Association of South Carolina (MASC), spoke with council about Act 176, the business license standardization act and said one of the required steps of compliance was for municipalities to reclassify their businesses to a 2021 Class Schedule that used the IRS profitability statistics in order to classify businesses into one of seven rate classes as well as some optional rate classes that council may choose to use.

“The association has assisted the City of Newberry in doing that rebalancing and reclassifying your businesses based on that class schedule,” Budds said. “I’m pleased to tell you that the results were very positive, your ordinance has been kept up to date and the impact on the businesses is relatively minor.”

Budds said there would be some businesses that would move up or down within rate classifications that would result in them paying slightly more or less than they paid the prior year, however the movement was mandated by Act 176.

Councilpersons David Force and Carlton Kinard inquired as to the importance of notifying business owners of the change no matter how they may be impacted, DeWitt said city staff could send out a letter along with business license renewals that would hopefully explain the mandate to business owners.

Motion was made by Wicker and seconded by Holmes to extend the city’s mask ordinance 30 days more, to expire (unless extended) on May 13.

Senn said the town’s number of cases were down and among those aged 15 and up, 37.5% had been vaccinated. Inquiring with businesses the city’s mask ordinance impacted, the reaction was mixed, Senn said, with some saying they had difficulties with the ordinance and others asking to keep it in place as their employees worked to get vaccinated.

Force voted not to extend the ordinance.

Other Business:

• A proclamation was read and approved designating the month of May as Building Safety Month.

• A proclamation was read and approved designating May 2-8, 2021 as Drinking Water Week.

• A proclamation was read and approved designating April 10-16, 2021 as Week of the Young Child.

• Motion was made by Wicker and seconded by Force of an authorization to allow alcohol in designated areas for Business After Hours. The Newberry County Chamber of Commerce requested permission to allow alcoholic beer and wine served by designated event venue staff using plastic cups for the wine and beer in original cans as part of their event on May 7 from 5:30-7 p.m. The event will be held in front of the Chamber/Visitors Center offices bound by the front of Community Hall, Main Street, Caldwell Street and Boyce Street. This would allow for event patrons to travel the event space by foot with an alcoholic beverage.

• Following a return to open session, DuBose made a motion to appoint Keith Avery to the Newberry Opera House Board, seconded by Holmes.