Daniel Prince
Council also extends agreements with the city's judges
At Tuesday’s meeting of Union City Council, the council passed second and final reading of the redistricting ordinance. The SC Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office drew the map, which brings the districts closer in population to one another than they had been. The previous map had a deviation of more than 50% between the smallest and largest district, while the new map has a deviation of 6.46%. Ideal district size is 1362. In the new map, the smallest proposed district is District 1, with 1321 people, a -3.03% deviation. The largest district would be District 4 with 1409, a 3.43% deviation.
Council also unanimously passed second and final reading of an ordinance to annex 5 acres of land at 320 Buffalo-West Springs Highway into the city and rezone it to A-2 highway commercial. The application states that the property is expected to be used as a retail establishment.
Council also passed first reading of an ordinance to transfer three city properties to the high bidders. Bids were opened June 21st on properties at 204 Lawson Avenue, Lake View Heights, and off Lakeview Heights. John Thomas was the high bidder on the Lawson Avenue property at $500. Bradley Adams was the high bidder on both of the Lake View Heights properties, bidding $3000 each.
Council unanimously voted on an agreement with the city judge. Council extended Judge John M. Rollins, Jr.’s agreement for another two years, through July 31, 2024. Judge Rollins’s pay will remain the same, at $30,000 a year. City Administrator Joe Nichols said Rollins has done a great job in cleaning up a lot of the cases in the city.
In an addition to the agenda, council also unanimously voted to extend the agreement with Associate City Judge Robbie Hines for two years, through July 31, 2024. Hines will receive a raise of 17 cents an hour. Nichols said Hines handles most of the bond cases for the city at the jail.
Council unanimously voted to appoint Mary Owens to the Board of Zoning Appeals. She will fill the unexpired term of one of the board members who moved away. Her term will end on December 31, 2023.
In July work anniversaries, Rebecca Lance was honored for 31 years in the finance department. Tom Alexander has worked 19 years for the Public Safety Department. Debbie Woodard was honored for 14 years with the legislative department. Matt Kendrick has worked 8 years on the electric crew. Mike Perkins was celebrating 8 years with the utility billing department, and Dylan Beheler marked 5 years with Union Public Safety.