NEWBERRY — City Council passed first reading of the budget with no proposed increases in city taxes.
Prior to first reading, Mayor Foster Senn held a public hearing on the proposed budget. With no public comments received in favor or opposition to the budget, motion to approve first reading was made by Councilperson Lemont Glasgow and seconded by Councilperson David DuBose.
City Manager Matt DeWitt said the city’s overall general fund and special fund budgets were up $163,840 over the current fiscal year and totaled $13,263,795 for fiscal year 2022.
DeWitt told council there were sufficient revenues and savings proposed to cover all expenses scheduled for the upcoming fiscal year.
The utility fund’s request as a whole is down $33,472 over the current fiscal year, DeWitt said. This budget is balanced with a 2.5% overall water fee increase and a 1.25% overall sewer fee increase. These increases were reevaluated by the city’s bond council and are associated with major upgrades of both systems.
“It is with great anticipation we look forward to fiscal year 2022 being another exceptional year for the City of Newberry,” he said.
City Updates
City Council recognized Corey Shealy and Jacob Wicker, from the city’s Public Works department, as being named Team of the Year for 2020-2021. Shealy and Wicker were inspecting a drain on January 27 when they overheard a police call indicating a child was missing. They later noticed a child matching the description and called dispatch, which led to the child’s safe return.
The city’s fire department was also recognized for receiving a “Fire Safe South Carolina” community designation. The department was one of 80 local fire departments across 33 counties to receive the designation in recognition of actively working to develop community risk reduction plans for their jurisdictions in 2020.
Parks, Recreation and Tourism Director Scott Sawyer provided council with a Newberry recreation update by saying preparations to the ball fields at the Newberry Recreation Complex were still underway; however, the men’s softball league had already begun play there with plans for the junior baseball league to begin playing there soon. By the end of June, Sawyer said staff hoped to have the concessions/restroom/scores tower open to the public.
Sawyer said there had still been no word on the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) grant, but that one bench had already been installed at Wise Street Park’s new walking trail, with more to come soon.
Work continued at Wells Japanese Garden, Sawyer said with a contractor scheduled to do more work later that week, weather permitting.
Also under announcements, Senn read a letter from Tina Graham concerning the construction on Main Street and communication from the city on the roadwork.
Senn said they appreciated Graham’s letter and that the city would do a better job in the future.
With no comments made in favor or opposition at a public hearing last Tuesday, motion was made by Glasgow and seconded by DuBose to accept second and final reading of an ordinance to amend utility rates as established in a previous ordinance.
Senn said council established utility rates as part of the 2021 budget and ordinance 2020-1003 which ratified the budget and amended utility rates.
For fiscal years 2022-2026, the water rates are proposed to increase 2.5% each year, with sewer increasing 1.25% each year. The only proposed increase for electric rates is a one percent increase in fiscal year 2024.
Also under old business, council approved an outside water request for a property located on Adelaide Street. Dewitt told council the property’s parcel number was 399-165. The property owner has agreed to execute an annexation covenant indicating a willingness to annex if the property becomes contiguous to the city limits and council determines it is in the best interest of the city to annex the property. The property is not located adjacent to an existing water line, so a $1,500 bore fee is required. There will be a $1,400 outside water tap fee.
Motion was made to approve the request by Glasgow and seconded by Councilperson Jackie Holmes.
New Business
Under new business, an additional outside water service request for a property located at 732 Gray Street was approved with a motion from Holmes and seconded by Councilperson Carlton Kinard.
The property owner has agreed to execute an annexation covenant indicating a willingness to annex if the property becomes contiguous to the city limits and council determines it is in the best interest of the city to annex the property. The property is located adjacent to an existing water line, so no bore is required. There will be a $1,400 outside water tap fee.
First reading was passed of an ordinance to amend a previous business license ordinance.
Senn said the city valued the importance that businesses play in the community and to promote economic development through the growth of industrial manufacturing in the city and to support existing manufacturing operations currently operating in the city, council had determined to amend the business license rates for certain manufacturing businesses.
“There are an increasing number of manufacturers looking around Newberry and Newberry County and some of them might want to look at the City of Newberry property,” Senn said.
Because manufacturing has really high numbers on sales, Senn said a business license based on total sales could get pretty expensive. This ordinance caps the business license for a manufacturer once they reach over $10,000,000.
DeWitt said this was a directive of council to help increase industrial recruitment that if partnered with city’s most recent utility rates passed for large utility users that this could be a great economic development tool for the city moving forward.
Motion to approve first reading was made by Councilperson David Force and seconded by Councilperson Edwin Wicker.
Other Business
Senn read a proclamation before council officially declaring June 19, 2021, as Juneteenth in the City of Newberry and urged citizens to become more aware of the significance of this celebration in African-American History and in the heritage of our nation and city.
Following the return into open session, council appointed Keith Avery, Joe MacDonald, Tom Pope, Liz Rivera and Steve Wilson to the Newberry Opera House Board. Motion was made by Kinard and seconded by Holmes.
Also in open session, council appointed Sheila Brown and Hugh Gray to the Planning Commission. Motion was made by Glasgow and seconded by Holmes.
The city’s July council meeting will return to being open to the public. This meeting is Tuesday, July 13 at 7 p.m. at Newberry City Hall.