Aiken City Council approves slew of projects, purchases and plans Monday night

Jan. 09--Aiken City Council approved a lengthy list of resolutions, ordinances and measures Monday night. Discussion of each topic, both by the public -- who turned out in droves -- and the Council, was brief.

Hitchcock Woods stormwater solutions

The first resolution to get approval Monday night addressed Hitchcock Woods: The Council unanimously approved spending $5.2 million -- an amount that had already been set aside -- on stormwater and runoff upgrades in and around the reserve.

"Hitchcock Woods has given a lot to the City," Council member Ed Woltz said. "It's an integral part of the City."

For decades, uncontrolled runoff -- arguably caused by ever-increasing amounts of non-permeable surfaces -- has taken a toll on Hitchcock Woods, carving sand canyons in some spots and toppling trees in others.

Patricia E. Corey, Hitchcock Woods Foundation Board of Trustees chairwoman, said damage levels within the woods are now at "unsustainable levels."

The $5.2 million, which is sourced from capital sales tax money, will pay for stormwater solutions, or at least mitigations, outlined in an October 2017 plan published by city-contracted McCormick Taylor. Phase 1 solutions -- there are four total phases, or "packages," according to the study -- include several dry detention ponds.

Corey said fixing Hitchcock Woods has "been a topic for a very long time," elaborating that the issue dates "way back" to the 1950s when "just an easy discussion" was being held.

But Corey said McCormick Taylor "hit it out of the park" with their study and proposal. She later returned to the topic and said the company "did a bang-up job."

"They presented a common sense approach," she said.

Woltz agreed.

"This may not be perfect, but it's the best solution we've had in the past 20, 30 years," he said. "I think we're headed down the right road."

A letter, dated Nov. 8, 2017, included in the Council's meeting packet details the foundation's support of the McCormick Taylor plan: "The Foundation firmly believes that the McCormick Taylor report has presented the City and the Foundation with a giant step toward an achievable solution."

Aiken Mall redevelopment

Regarding redevelopment, City Council agreed Monday to spend $1 million on land at the Aiken Mall. The soon-to-be purchased land will be turned into a park, according to Council documents.

To do so, City Council unanimously approved entering a memorandum of understanding with the county and SE Aiken LLC, a Southeastern Development affiliated group.

The $1 million would eventually be reimbursed, City Manager John Klimm said, with interest.

The purchase money comes from three holdings: economic reinvestment funds; transportation and public safety funds; and hospitality tax funds, according to Council documents.

"It appears to be a very complicated process..." City Council member Dick Dewar said Monday of the multi-level agreement. "I am convinced it is just clearly, very clearly, in the best interest of the City to support this."

"I think it's a good move," he added.

The Aiken County Council is currently discussing their version of the matter.

New employee pensions

City Council also approved pension amendments Monday night. The changes were workshopped last year.

The City will offer a defined contribution plan -- a plan similar to a 401(k) -- to new, full-time employees 18-and-older who have worked for the City for at least one year. Only employees hired on or after July 1 are affected.

New employees will be required to contribute 6 percent of their pre-tax salary to the pension. The City will match. City pension attorney Warner Anthony, who was available for questions both Monday night and last year during the pension workshops, said a total 12 percent put-away ensures a safe retirement.

Actuary Ben Upchurch, who also contributed to the pension discussions last year, said the contribution halving is a well-established "best practice."

Eligible employees will begin contributing in 2019.

The City had previously offered a defined benefits plan, something Klimm has said is getting phased out of the public sector. The switch, Klimm said Monday, still honors the City's contract with past and present employees while managing to save "millions of dollars" for taxpayers.

Both Klimm and Dewar had previously said the pension plan change simply affords the City lower costs -- "Nothing is broken," Dewar said. Klimm said the switch to a defined contribution plan is not a panic move, but instead part of prudent financial planning.

Northside Park annexations

At the request of Mayor Rick Osbon, City Council began considering the annexation of an area near Columbia Highway North as well as the approximate 103 acres that make up Northside Park, an ongoing project.

On Monday night, City Council unanimously approved the annexations. The decision -- Monday's was a first reading of an ordinance -- will now head to the Planning Commission for further review and recommendation. It will eventually head back to City Council for a final reading.

Osbon wanted to make it clear the annexation was not a "power grab": "The intention is certainly for the park," he said.

City Council also agreed the area should be zoned residential, a move that opens the area up to Aiken Public Safety services and emergency response.

Planning Director Ryan Bland said the residential zoning is uniform with other City parks.

"It's just to be consistent with what we've done in the past," Bland said, adding that Citizens Park, a sprawling greenway along Banks Mill Road, is residential, as well.

One Northside Park abutter took to the mic Monday night and told City Council he and his neighbors were "fully supportive" of the annexation plans.

Wire Road land purchase

The City will buy 2.23 acres of land adjacent to the future Aiken Public Safety headquarters following City Council's unanimous approval Monday night to do so.

Before the new year, Council briefly discussed purchasing the land, which is south of Rudy Mason Parkway and north of Wire Road. The topic was tabled at the Council's final 2017 meeting -- Osbon said the Council needed more time and information before making a decision.

On Monday night, Klimm said a second appraisal proved the $5,900 purchase price to be fair. The landowner had initially come in with a $17,000 offer. Several rounds of negotiations ensued.

Aiken Public Safety Chief Charles Barranco said the land can be used for communications equipment. The land can also be used for running or police training trails, Barranco said. A recent letter signed by Klimm concurs.

Colin Demarest is a reporter with Aiken Standard and has been with the newspaper since November 2017. He is a New Jersey native and received his B.A. in Journalism and Mass Communications from the University of South Carolina. Follow him on Twitter: @demarest_colin

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