COUNCIL MEETING

MEGGETT TOWN HALL

FEBRUARY 26, 2007

7:30PM

Mayor Grange Coffin called the meeting of the Meggett Town Council to order. Present were Mayor Pro-tem Reeves Bair, Council members Tommy Butler, Josh Garvin, Keith McCarty and Attorney Dennis Rhoad. Attorney Rhoad led the group in prayer followed by the Pledge of Allegiance by Mayor Coffin.

Minutes from the February meeting were read. Council member Tommy Butler made a motion to accept the minutes as read, which was seconded by Council member Josh Garvin. All others were in favor. The minutes were approved as read.

Mayor Coffin stated this was the second reading of the annexation for properties with TMS#’s 091-00-00-010 and 091-00-00-028. He further stated that these two parcels were part of a parcel that was annexed into the town some time ago. They were submitted by David Sams, President of Little Britton Properties Owners Association. Council member Tommy Butler made a motion that council pass the annexation of these two parcels. The motion was seconded by Council member Keith McCarty. Mayor Coffin asked for further discussion. All were in favor with no further discussion and the annexation was passed.

Meggett 1925

Tom Boozer stated 1925 continues to idle a little bit because we are lacking funds right now. However we are waiting to hear back from COG (Council of Governments) in reference to a grant we applied for to build the restroom portion of the packing shed.

Tom stated that he had contacted Andrew Charters, who is now self employed, in reference to finishing the punch list for the SCPA Bldg. He stated that Andrew’s prices are in line with the contractors that had previously worked on the building. Tom also said  that Andrew had worked with him a lot in the beginning in helping him to find contractors to work on the building. In talking about contractors, Tom stated that he is very disappointed with AC Electric. He has called, sent faxs, and stopped by the office in Hollywood with no results. Mr Boozer stated that several weeks ago he faxed a pretty strong letter to AC Electric and there has been no response. He also stated that we have a serious problem on the park side with the lights. Tom asked SCE&G to check the transformer that feeds those lights. Mayor Coffin asked what SCE&G response had been. Tom stated that SCE&G said they have to work that in conjunction with AC Electric because they say that when they put the meter up there and the transformer up there that it was producing the 208 volts that was required. SCE&G will have to research it with an electrical contractor. Mayor Coffin stated that he would give Carl Beck a call tomorrow.

Mayor Coffin asked Tom Boozer if he had looked at the squeak in the floor by the council tables. Tom explained that the vault was right there and it was all solid concrete eight inches thick which could not be chipped out. What they did to bring the floor levels up correctly was put ¾ inch Styrofoam underneath and then put sleeper so what you are stepping on is the Styrofoam. Tom assured council that the floor would not fall in. 

He also stated that we are having a tremendous problem with the growth in the pond. The algae has really picked up. Tom has talked with Mr. Robert Francis at Clemson Extension Service. Mr. Francis is going to meet him out here this week to look at the pond and determine what remedies short of pumps or fountains can be used to take care of the problem. Mr. Francis’ visit is a free service. Tom stated this is something we need to stay on top of.

The other issue is the bronze plaque for special donors that Tom has talked to council about in previous meetings. Tom feels that what Bob Harrell has done in securing funds for the project in the form of grants is far more than any individual citizen has done and this may be a way to include him in the Bronze plaque. Mayor Coffin and council felt we should include him on the plaque.

Mayor Coffin stated that he had talked to Bob Harrell and with the council’s approval he wanted to use the next council meeting to recognize Mr. Harrell. His recommendation is to make that day, Bob Harrell Day in the Town of Meggett. He further stated that we have a couple of things for him but he wanted to roast him a little. He says he hopes to be able to get Mr. Harrell’s sons and Glenn McConnell to attend as well. He further stated the Mr. Harrell gets nothing except transportation funds to help in travels. He gets no pay for what he does. The Mayor also said that had the town not had Mr. Harrell we probably would not have gotten the transportation grant funds for our project.

Tom Boozer said he would have a full scale drawing of the plaque for council's approval in the next day or two. Tom says we can use the drawing at the next council meeting because it will take about 6 weeks to get the plaque done. Mayor Coffin asked if we could get it sooner. Tom stated E J McCarthy, who is doing all of the brick engraving for the walkway, will be doing the plaque. He also said they have an interest in the community so they have given us good prices for what they have done for us. Mayor Coffin added that St Paul’s cemetery had done quite a bit of work with them so he will call and try to get a rush on this. Tom informed the Mayor that his contact at E J McCarthy was Richard. 

Council member Reeves Bair said that he had ordered some brochures on windmills and will give to Tom when he gets them. Also in building repair, there is a gap in the door at the end of the hall downstairs. Tom informed Council member Bair that the doorway was on the punch list for Andrew Charters.

Mayor Coffin has information from Mark Coffin in providing a telephone line for upstairs in the SCPA Bldg. It will be at no cost to the town. He stated that Mark would be running a conduit and since Tom knows more about this than he does he would have Mark contact Tom.

Council member Bair asked what is going on with the irrigation for the flowers. Is the well that Andy put in hooked up and useful now? Tom stated that it was not. He said that is the well that he, Andy, and Jody talked about putting the windmill near. Reeves said that he thought the windmill would be going to the six inch well so you could get to the pond. Tom stated they would have to cut down a bunch of trees to put it by the six inch well.  Council member Bair asked Andy Anderson if a tank could be put in so there could be irrigation for the flowers at the Town Hall and SCPA Bldgs. Andy stated that the water in that well has mineral content in it and a lot of flowers can’t tolerate it. He also stated it’s usable for grass and some flowers, but azaleas, camellias, gardenias and temperamental plants will not tolerate it. Andy also said if you are talking about watering the plants over here you can actually water those from the pond. Tom said that the discussion in using the windmill was that the windmill would be a constant flow which fills the pond and then we would take the water out of the pond for irrigation. That way the sediments and minerals remained in the pond. The idea behind the windmill was that we would not have to set up a storage tank or anything because it would constantly pump whenever it was turning.

Council member Butler stated that before we go any further he wanted to point out an error on the annexation that was just passed in the January minutes. He stated that the TMS numbers did not coincide with the numbers on the agenda. A motion was made to amend the minutes to correct TMS #’s to 091-00-00-010 & 091-00-00-028. Minutes were accepted with the corrections and approved.

Old Business

Council member Josh Garvin asked where we were with the buffer along Hwy 165 that had to be replaced. Ellie Prentiss stated that a letter was sent to Patty Ravenel giving her two weeks to present a plan to Charleston County. She did not pick up the registered letter until the day before the deadline and came by Town Hall very upset. Andrea Pietras of Charleston County was called and Patty told her she had sold the property and the new owner was aware the buffer had to be replaced and that he had agreed to replace it. Mayor Coffin asked Attorney Dennis Rhoad if we could attach a lien to this property. Dennis explained that if a citation is issued with a penalty provision and you get a judgment in front of a magistrate, then that could be a lien against the property. He further stated that the owner of the property at the time of the violation would be responsible unless she contracted with the new owners to replace the buffer. Attorney Rhoad suggested we get a copy of the contract from Patty to see if she put it in the contract.

Council member Butler stated that he had called Ellie and asked her to look into setting up another public hearing for the revised dock permits that had previously come before the town. Ms Prentiss stated that she had called OCRM and talked with Curtis Joyner. Mr. Joyner asked her to send a written request so that he could set up the date. Ms. Prentiss stated that she had sent the request and is waiting to hear back from Mr. Joyner.

Council member Josh Garvin asked if we got a copy of the Aiken Equestrian Zoning Ordinance. Attorney Rhoad stated that at the last meeting Gail said she had a copy and he suggested she send one to each of the council members. All Council members said they had not received this as yet. Attorney Rhoad suggested we put the Equestrian Zoning Ordinance on the agenda for the next meeting so that a decision could be had on this issue.

New Business

The Mayor presented the Adopt A Highway program that Mrs. Coffin asked him to present to the town. He mentioned the group of women that walk Church Flats every morning, regardless of the weather, picking up trash as they walk. They have given themselves the name of the Morning Glories. Mayor Coffin asked that others in the community meet their challenge. The requirement is to adopt a 2 mile section of a Hwy and keep it clean. He stated that there is a long stretch along Hwy 165 to Metal Trades that needs constant attention. Mayor Coffin asked that everyone consider picking up one of the packets and call Mrs. Coffin if they wish to participate. A resident suggested we get Metal Trades involved with all of the employees they have. Mayor Coffin said he would call Metal Trades and Stevens Towing.

Miscellaneous Reports

Ellie Prentiss stated that Larry Commins had mentioned to her that someone on a 4-Wheeler was tearing up the park area. He suggested we restrict the park from the use of 4-Wheelers because the grass is not going to grow if this keeps up. She stated that a few of the residents on the 4-Wheelers are coming from Coastline road.  Ms Prentiss also stated that the people she has seen in the park are not the ones tearing it up. The Father just sits on his 4-Wheeler and the little boy rides his around. He does not do wheelies. Larry Commins feels that it is a new resident on Coastline Road. Mayor Coffin asked Ms Prentiss to bring her camera to work if possible and take pictures of anyone she sees in the park on 4-Wheelers.Tom Boozer stated that there is a sign in the park restricting 4-Wheelers and bicycles from riding on the walkway. Resident, Dennis Way, stated that on Westervelt they are having the same problem. He further stated that he put one of the Crime Watch signs up on a Saturday around 2pm and by 11am the next morning it was gone. He asked a neighbor if he had moved the sign. The neighbor said he had not and also stated that he felt the same people that are tearing up the roads are the ones that took the sign. There was a suggestion that younger people in the area are vandalizing the roads and signs. Council member Bair stated that at the last Crime Watch meeting we were promised there would be patrols in the area. Mayor Coffin said he would call Deputy Sheppard and try to get more patrols in the town.

The Republic Primary has requested the use of Town Hall for a meeting on March 5th at 7pm.

Ms. Prentiss stated that basically we have been busy getting ready for the April in Meggett Festival, the Election ,and getting the sewage taps coordinated with where the tap is and the TMS number that it applies to.

Ellie informed the council and audience that Friday, March 2 at 12pm all candidates must have filed or their name will not be on the ballot.

Upcoming Meetings:

March 1st St Paul’s Fire District Meeting

Next Council Meeting March 26th 7:30pm

Public Comment:

Ann Truesdale stated that there is a Bald Eagle's nest on the property that has requested the dock permits. She says there is a second one on Towles Road. Ms. Truesdale has been trying to get information on regulations of what activities can be done around the nest. She asked if there were any town regulations that would apply. Mayor Coffin stated that we rely on the state for that sort of thing. She asked if there was anything at the county level. Attorney Rhoad said that he doubted there was anything at the county level. A resident stated it would be a Federal law. Ms Trusdale said she could find information on the internet but nothing at the Federal level. Attorney Rhoad suggested she call the local US Wildlife office. Ann said she just wanted something written down so that she knew what could and could not be done. Attorney Rhoad suggested she call Senator Graham’s office, let him know you live in his district and need some help. He stated that Senator Graham was like Strong Thurmond, he will call you back.

A resident asked if there was going to be a Daycare on Church Flats Rd. Mayor Coffin said he did not know yet, they are interested in it, there has been some effort to find out what they need to do. He also stated there is a lot of money involved and he just does not know whether there will be one or not. He said the residents would probably know before he does if there is going to be one.

With no other comments the Mayor stated that he understood there are some rumors going around that he is going to file as a candidate for Mayor and pull out and Jimmy Golden would file at the last minute. He stated he does not operate that way, he doesn’t believe in that sort of thing and he loves this town. He wants to keep the town the way it is. He also says he would not pull a childish thing like that and hopes it will be put to rest at the meetings that are being held. He fully intends to run. Mrs. Coffin told him if he runs and wins this time he would probably have more people at his funeral than he would if he didn’t. Everyone laughed and Mayor Coffin asked if there were other comments.

With no other comments, Mayor Coffin asked for a motion for adjournment. Council member Josh Garvin made the motion and the meeting was adjourned.

Respectfully submitted by Ellie Prentiss