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Funding and services discussed at council retreat
Nov 24, 2009 (The Messenger - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) --
Hartsville City Council covered an array of topics during a day-long retreat Friday. Those topics included the remaining funding needed to complete a planned veterans' memorial in Burry Park.
The city needs an estimated $80,000 to $100,000 to install a foundation for the memorial, which will be made up of five bas relief bronze panels each weighing four and a half to five tons. Another $5,000 will be needed for the installation itself, City Manager Jim Pennington said.
Apparently, the cost for the foundation was never factored into cost estimates for the memorial, Pennington said.
The panels are complete and are being held in storage in a foundry in Georgia, officials said.
Pennington said the city never had control over the project during the planning stages. Three separate groups were involved in planning the project at one time or another, Pennington said.
"This needs to be a city council-controlled project," he said.
Council discussed the possibility of approaching people involved in the planning for the memorial and park, including veterans groups, to assist with coming up with the remaining money. Members also discussed possibly seeking federal funds for the project through U.S. Rep. John Spratt's office.
Mayor Mel Pennington updated council members on the most recent quote for a proposed feasibility study for a city-owned broadband fiber optic network. CTC Communications is proposing doing the study for a cost of $50,000, the same price quote the city received from Uptown Services LLC. A third firm has proposed doing a study for wireless service, the mayor said.
Council has approved funding up to $5,000 for a study and officials hope to receive the balance for the $50,000 from private sources.
The mayor said if the city goes forward with a project to provide broadband services such as high speed internet, cable television and telephone service it will likely face "a dogfight" from private providers of such services.
The federal government has set aside $7 billion in stimulus funding to assist communities interested in providing broadband services to their residents.
Council also discussed the recent increase in city water rates. Pennington said the increase was necessary to secure a bond issue to help upgrade water system infrastructure in the city.
Other items included annexation incentives, planning and budget priorities, removing dilapidated houses, seeking additional funding for projects through grants, enhancing existing services.
Friday's retreat was for discussion only. Council took no action on any of the items discussed.
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http://www.scnow.com/scp/community/messenger . Copyright (c) 2009, The
Messenger, Hartsville, S.C. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information
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