MINUTES OF BAMBERG COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING - May 4, 2009

In compliance with the Freedom of Information Act, agendas for the following meeting were mailed to all members of Council, County Attorney Richard Ness, Lower Savannah COG, The Advertizer-Herald, The Times and Democrat, and a copy posted on the bulletin board in the main hallway of the County Courthouse.

Bamberg County Council met 6:30 p.m., May 4, 2009, in the Bamberg County Council Building. Present: Chairman Clair P. Guess, III, Councilmen Isaiah Odom, William Nimmons, and Councilwomen Dorothy Tatum and Alzena Robinson. Absent: Councilmen Chris Wilson and Clint Carter. Others Present: Administrator Rose N. Dobson-Elliott, Thomas M. Thomas, Richard Ness, Roy Vinson, Kell Anderson, Carl Menist, Rita Sease, Sarah Noel, Martha Guess, Dionne Gleaton and June Gee.

Bamberg County Council meeting was called to order by Chairman Guess at 6:30 p.m., in the Bamberg County Council Building. The pledge of allegiance to the flag was led by Councilman William Nimmons, followed with invocation by Councilman Isaiah Odom.

On motion by Councilwoman Tatum, seconded by Councilman Nimmons, council approved the minutes from the April 6, 2009 meeting as presented. The minutes from the April 21, 2009 meeting will be presented at the next regular meeting.

On motion by Councilwoman Tatum, seconded by Councilwoman Robinson, council added to the agenda first reading of an ordinance establishing a mutual easement between Bamberg County and UHS Pruitt, and placed under committee and staff reports, a report from Southern Carolina Regional Development Alliance.

A public hearing was conducted to amend the flood damage prevention ordinance for Bamberg County. Administrator Dobson-Elliott stated that there were no substantive changes made to the ordinance. County building inspector Bill Johnson previously stated that the ordinance will make it easier for residents to receive FEMA reimbursements if they sustain flood damage. No comments were made from the public.

Bamberg County Council, upon recommendation of the Bamberg County Recreation Committee, awarded the following recreation grants: Friends of the Library, $250; Bamberg County Baseball (ages 8 and under), $1,000; Bamberg County Dixie Youth Minor and Major Baseball, $1,000; Bamberg County Girls Softball, $1,000; Bamberg County Dixie Boys Baseball, $1,000; Denmark Youth Soccer, $1,000; Bamberg Youth Basketball, $1,000; Crestwood Golf Club, $500; Bamberg Youth Football (ages 7-8) $750; Bamberg Youth Football (ages 11-12), $1,000; Simply Kids Club, $500; Bamberg County Kicks Soccer League, $1,000; Blair D. Crosby Wellness Center, $1,000; Denmark-Tech Summer Youth Camp for Basketball, Baseball and Tennis (ages 11-13), $250 each and Denmark-Tech Summer Youth Camp for Basketball (ages 14-17), $250. The recreation grant applicant list was presented by Bamberg County Recreation Committee member Rita Sease. Prior presentation of the recreation grant awards and due to the fact that Councilwoman Robinson is an employee of Denmark Technical College, she excused herself from the building during consideration and disbursement of grants.

Accepted as information was a financial report given by Bamberg County CEO Roy Vinson. The net income for March was $84,000. Mr. Vinson further stated that the patient volume was down 13 percent from the previous month and surgery had decreased 10 percent, the hospital's net revenue was up $70,000 from February. He reported the hospital is still looking to close on the sale of the nursing center to UHS Pruitt company by June 1. Renovations and inspections by May 4, 2009.

the state Department of Health and Environmental Control at the hospital are going well. The emergency department is expected to move back into its original area in the next two weeks. CMS is also slated to return to survey the construction in late June.

County Administrator Dobson-Elliott reported that the county advertised and received 39 requests for qualifications as part of the County Facilities Project. The county will start going through the requests within the next two weeks. She further reported on a meeting she and others attended (Councilman Odom, Councilwoman Robinson, mayors and town administrators, hospital board and representatives from Lower Savannah COG), in which Dalton Tresvant, aide to Congressman Jim Clyburn, explained the allocation of federal stimulus money. Also, the administrator participated in a review of applications that were submitted to the SCAC Scholarship Committee. An abundance of applications were submitted to the committee and intense reviewing was done.

A report was heard from Kell Anderson, project manager with the SCRDA economic development group. He said that the Alliance had the opportunity to showcase the county's industrial park during a visit by project managers from the state Department of Commerce. He also talked about a DOC-sponsored campaign call Growing Your Business. The campaign includes looking at the county's industries to assess where their finished products are going and if there are any by-products that could be used for another purpose. The three low bidders among companies are being reviewed and they are looking to build a spec building at Bamberg's CrossRhodes industrial park.

On motion by Councilwoman Tatum, seconded by Councilman Odom, council gave third reading to an ordinance amending the flood damage prevention ordinance for Bamberg County.

On motion by Councilwoman Tatum, seconded by Councilwoman Robinson, council gave first and second reading, by title only, to a mutual easement agreement between Bamberg County and UHS Pruitt, the company buying the Bamberg County Nursing Center. The mutual easement will allow and create additional parking space for the nursing center staff and hospital staff along with providing needed space for utilities. The staff from each facility will be allowed to park on either of the parking lots.

During comments from the council, the administrator was asked to check on the mowing of the grass at the USA building. Bamberg County citizen Sarah Noel informed the council that Ms. Cindy Hurst, a longtime volunteer with recreation in Bamberg County, was no longer holding that post and asked that Council recognize her in some way for the hard work and dedication she has provided. Administrator Dobson-Elliott will research this endeavor.

There being no further business for discussion, Chairman Guess called for a motion to adjourn. On motion by Councilwoman Tatum, seconded by Councilman Nimmons, council agreed to adjourn at 7:24 p.m.