Let us bring the uh Steinberg City Council meeting to order.

We're gonna have a moment of silence in with a few things that have happened here recently at Brown University, um, keep those families in the university in prayer as well as in Australia.

Keep those families in prayer, and just you know, let's continue to pray for our country.

Just in your thoughts.

Um, we have a special guest with us this evening.

Miss Madeline Jeter.

She's gonna lead us in the pledge, a third grader at Pine Street Elementary School.

Thank you.

I know you have a practice that she has to get to, so we do appreciate you leading us in the pledge, Madison.

And Councilwoman Brown said you can come take her seat.

Just so you know.

We have item three.

We have approval of the amendments of the minutes for November 24th, 2025 2025 City Council meeting.

So moved.

Second.

All in favor?

Aye.

Any that opposed?

Ayes have it.

Item four, approval of the agenda for the December 15th, 2025 City Council meeting.

So moved.

All in favor?

Aye.

Any that opposed?

I have it.

We have uh public comments and the way public comment works here.

Uh, we're asking you to come forward, state your name, address, and um give us your concern.

You have uh two minutes uh to do that, and after you give your address with the two minutes, we'll start.

Okay, Miss Uh Price.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

Good evening, Mr.

Mayor and Council members.

On February 1, 2012, Linda Cunley, a reporter for Spartanburg Herald, wrote an article, and I quote, Mary H.

Wright has a story to tell that Hollywood could not write.

A story more inspiring than the life than that of Marriage Wright.

Miss Wright was an educator, an activist, and a trailblazer.

Her life should inspire all of us.

On Thursday, December the 18th, we will celebrate 100 years of the Marriage Wright Christmas tree.

She would give kids gifts away, and many some of us in here.

Uh we're fortunate to be a part of that whole experience when it was passed on down to her children.

We were able to pull together a toy giveaway in her honor, celebrating a hundred years after the sale of the Christmas tree that was in the Cemetery Street Cemetery.

It was only 14 years old.

It is not the original tree.

The original tree is still there in the city cemetery.

And I do encourage you all to go to the cemetery so you will know what's in the cemetery.

And there's an marker, a historical landmark there saying that the cemetery is historical cemetery.

So I'm here to invite you all to come to a senior's program that we're gonna have at the Episcopal Church of the Epiphany.

And I know all of you are dining and see that beautiful church.

It's absolutely wonderful.

We have someone playing the organ, Christmas carols, and all.

We will also have Miss Hazel Jackson, who married right, was her first grade teacher.

And she's going to be in attendance.

She's a hundred plus years old.

She don't like you tell the whole way on.

So we ought to know that.

You don't tell your age.

Um, we're asking you all if you could please just stop by if only for 10-15 minutes to share your presence with uh uh there go to Bill, Mr.

Mayor.

You got to increase that time, but thank you.

Hope to see you on Thursday.

Thank you.

Thank you, Miss Price, December the 18th.

Yes, sir.

Yes.

Thank you.

Miss Floyd.

Good evening.

My name is Monica Floyd.

That's 136 South Forest Street, Spartanburg, 29306.

I'm the new executive director of the Spartan Soup Kitchen.

And at the Spineberg Soup Kitchen, what we do, we feed the hungry, we help the needy.

We have three programs going.

We have a children's empowerment program, we have a men's empowerment program, and we have a women's empowerment program.

All of those are Bible studies.

We have a summer program for the children.

And I just wanted to introduce myself to let you see my face.

When you see me in the news, you'll be familiar with who I am, and I will be soliciting financial assistance from the city.

And if the city can't, if I can help the city in any way, please let me know.

Thank you for your attention.

Thank you, Mr.

Monica.

Monica Florida.

Um, you do help the city of Spartanburg.

Thank you.

You too.

The suit kitchen always has.

Mr.

Bramlett.

Good evening, everyone.

Um I'm Don Bramlett.

I live at 185 Mills Avenue City.

Uh I'm here today to express my concern about uh something that happened.

I believe it was just last week when uh uh one of our boards, uh someone on the board retired, and the board appointed its own replacements, replacement for the person that retired.

Well, I'm on a city board, and we don't have that right.

You know, I'm just curious why this board would have that right.

Uh it seems to me that the city the city council should retain that power.

I heard just recently today that that uh uh there's conflicting language in their bylaws.

One part gives them permission to do that, which is to me unheard of, but another section says they can't do that.

Well, if there's conflicting language in there, then the appointments should be put on hold until you can get some legal clarification about this.

To me, it's it's not it's not uh for the people.

If the if the Board of Public Works and the City of Spartanburg actually own the water system, then we're letting the the residents of the City of Spartanburg down by allowing this, in my opinion, illegal appointment.

And so I hope that y'all can dig deep and find a way to at least put it on hold until you can uh you know have some legal folks look at it and come up with the right language.

I'm surprised that it's never come up before, you know.

If it's always been in there, it seems like at some point.

And I like to use this time to also say maybe the whole Board of Public Works need to be reviewed.

It seems to me they're just kind of an autonomous group that do what they want to do uh without much input from the community.

Perhaps there should be more members, maybe there should be five members instead of three members since the whole water system is so much larger.

Also, um there should be single member districts, so everybody in the city has a voice in who's on the board.

Thank you, Don.

Thank you, Don.

We do appreciate that.

I'm sorry.

No, you're you're all right.

Merry Christmas to you too, buddy.

Um, Dr.

Stone.

Philip Stone, 246 South Spring Street, and I'm here to talk about history, which is not controversial at all.

This Wednesday will mark the 194th anniversary of the General Assembly granting the village of Spartanburg a municipal charter.

I always like to bring this up every year, and since it's close to the anniversary, I thought I would come in the freezing cold and highlight it as a public comment.

Of course, there was a place called Spartanburg or Spartanburg Courthouse as our county seat long before December 17th, 1831.

But I think this anniversary is always worth noting because it's when we as a city became our own distinct thing and started governing ourselves.

Even if we only had a couple hundred people and a couple dozen businesses, the city thus got the right or the town got a right to um regulate uh uh uh regulate streets and billiards, license billiard tables and fun things like that.

The citizens didn't get around to electing the first intendant and council until the spring, and it was June before they got around a meeting, but that day in December that the legislature gave us our charter is one of many mileposts in our community's history, but it's one that we can point to as a definitive date.

I also note that this is the 194th anniversary, which means we are six years away from the city's bicentennial.

So I hope that you all will start giving some thought about what we should do as a community to celebrate our municipal bicentennial.

And I wanted to see if I could say that without tripping over it.

History is change over time.

History is how the present is different from the past.

It can be complicated, it can be messy, but I also think it's something that can be unifying.

History isn't just about the past and influential people, history is about the people who live here, like Ms.

Dr.

Price was just talking about.

You make history every day by the decisions that you make, and I hope we can start to think now about how we want to celebrate our community and our shared history.

Thank you.

Thank you for that short history lesson, Dr.

Stone.

That was really appreciated and really timely.

Thank you.

Mr.

Kennedy's gonna start us off and pass the baton.

Mayor, members of council, quick introduction.

It's always good to see James Hitley in Spartanburg.

That means we're either opening a brand new facility or we're getting some type of special recognition in tonight's one of those occasions.

And so we'd like to turn it over to Jim to take it from here.

Appreciate that, Mr.

Kennedy.

Mayor, Council, my name is Jim Hedley with the South Carolina Recreation Park Association.

And I've had that honor uh for a little over 38 years now.

Um, and it's always a pleasure to be able to come up and share back with the community um awards that uh our parks and recreation uh profession as a whole recognizes in this past year.

Um the the city of Spartanburg South Side Cultural Monument, but then really kind of the whole park of the history that it tells won our population over 30,000 uh Parks Excellence Award.

Um, one thing, and and several of you may or may not have heard me talk before.

It's always fun to talk about you know some of the things we do as a profession, and and we're more than just fun and games, um, but it's for some that fun and games is the only fun and games children get or seniors get.

Um, it's fun to talk about some of the economic development stuff that we do participate in with the city.

Um, you know, we we do make a city better places to live and to recruit industries and to recruit families to come and live within the city.

So it's it's uh fun to talk about all that stuff, but really the most important thing I think we do is tell a story.

And the story that this park and the South Side Cultural Monument does is just truly amazing.

Um, it will now live forever.

Um, and the the monument that it does, and and to see the the folks that came out on June uh Juneteenth uh last year to open up this.

It was just I mean, it was Mitch was reminding me, you know, it's probably about 150 degrees, but yet we had hundreds of people there, right?

I mean, it was just truly, truly a community event.

And I would not be or I would be very, very remiss if we didn't recognize just a few people that that I know that I mean, council, y'all always have the pleasure and and and have the distinct ability to be able to take all the the thank yous and the gratitudes that you all truly truly deserve.

Uh, but there are a couple people here and one that that is not here.

Um, Representative uh Lee, pardon me, Miss Price now, um, thank you for what she did.

Um, many of you may or may not know that this has been a long time coming.

Um, and she took up that championship in at the state house at that time and was able to receive some grants for the city of Spartanburg.

Um, and then Senator Glenn Reese.

Um, he is not here today, but he then continued on, and he was able to get a little bit more.

Um, and now to present day um, you know, Representative Henderson Myers, um, we can't thank you enough for helping the city tell that story.

And it's not just a story for the city of Spartanburg, but it's a story for the entire state.

Um, and I personally feel for the entire country because it is so powerful.

Um, and so that that's something that you know we'll never be able to uh uh you know tell ourselves that hopefully you know that monument's gonna be able to spark some interest and spark some some community saying, you know what, this was this was and is and is a proud event.

So again, um also wanted to definitely thank um the Spartanburg African American Heritage Cultural Committee.

Um, without again, without them, a lot of this stuff wouldn't happen.

Um, but that just goes to show you um, you know, I named three State House people, uh, named a committee, named obviously council.

Y'all backing of this would have never happened.

Um, you know, Mitch's uh fabulous support of this project, and then of course, you know what one of my favorite park and recreation directors, uh, Ms.

Kim Brown is is is wonderful.

Um, and and to be able to wrap this all up together into a nice bow really tells what the city of Spartanburg is and what city council and what the public parks and recreation profession is, and that's telling stories and being representative of all the community.

So, with that, um mayor, I don't know if we want to sure if you want to build the video.

Oh, yeah.

I did have a news video for those of you that may or may not have seen this.

Like cities across the United States, the city of Spartanburg failed from its inception to recognize and safeguard the rights of its black citizens.

The South Side Cultural Monument seeks to tell that story.

Despite systemic oppression, black people in Spartanburg persevered and built strong, self-sustaining communities.

Nowhere was this more visible than along Liberty Street, once a bustling hub of black enterprise and community life.

Known by many as Black Wall Street, Liberty Street was home to thriving businesses, including doctor's offices, restaurants, taxi companies, beauty salons, and countless other establishments that anchored the South Side's economy and spirit.

Families lived, worked, and worshipped there, creating a network of resilience and pride in the face of exclusion.

That vibrant history, however, was largely erased during the era of urban renewal, when black homes, institutions, and businesses along Liberty Street were systematically destroyed under the guise of progress.

Generations of wealth and community stability were lost, and the stories of the people who built Liberty Street have never been fully honored or commemorated.

The South Side Cultural Monument recognizes both the injustices of the past and the extraordinary strength, creativity, and perseverance of Spartanburg's black community.

The progress of the project was faced with many challenges, including the COVID pandemic and manufacturing shortages.

It was, however, the steadfast community engagement that kept the project alive.

Delayed but not denied.

The monument is a shining example of how placemaking and arts and culture can transform parks into hubs of social connection and resilience.

This beacon of community pride, reconciliation and remembrance will shine forever to remind visitors of Spartanburg's commitment to preserving history and highlighting green spaces.

Congratulations to the city of Spartanburg on the 2025 Parks Excellence Award.

And get a picture so we can get in the newsletter.

Awesome.

Thank you, thank you.

Thank you to the committee and everyone that played a part in making this happen.

Thank you.

And I am truly uh appreciative that uh James did mention everyone that played a part from when it started back with uh representative former representative price, uh Senator Glenn Reese move into current representative uh Rosalind Henderson Myers and Jessica in the back, the artist that played a part, uh uh Wolfort uh professor there, and along with our very own Kim Brown, with so many other people that that that played a part in this as well, but thank you.

Well deserved, and it is just really recognizing our strength here in Spartanburg and how a gracious uh history we truly do have here in Spartanburg.

So thank you all again.

Item seven, we have consent agenda.

Mayor A and B.

Mayor.

No, yes, yes, second reading.

Go ahead.

I would like to make a motion that we accept that the consent of general A and B on this second.

All in favor?

Aye.

Any that oppose?

Eyes have it.

Item eight, award bid to street reservicing phase two.

Mr.

Jay Squires, public works director.

Uh Mayor Council.

We're all out here on this really cold night, so bear with Melissa.

But um, pleased to announce so uh staff received bids for the street resurfacing phase two.

We received three bids.

Cherokee landscaping and grading company was the responsive low bid at 2 million 38,464 dollars and 79 cents.

So that's the same firm that actually completed phase one back in October.

We were pleased with what they did.

No change orders, no um everything was on time and so forth.

So we're very confident they were be able to complete phase two as well.

So we reviewed the bids and we've determined that they are the responsive low bidder.

It should take 90 days depending on the weather.

It is the cold season right now.

Asphalt's not really good sometimes when it gets cold, but we do have um warm enough days to in order to get that project completed throughout the spring so forth.

Um we're asking staff to allow the uh councils.

We're asking the council ladder staff to accept the bids and let the city manager to negotiate with the contractor for the completion of the project.

Uh county penny tax will be utilized to complete the project, and of course, we'll have detour routes A frames out as well to let the citizens know when those streets are going to be resurfaced.

I'll entertain any questions.

Questions, Mayor Pro 10.

Uh Jay, thank you.

Um you made a comment about the weather and asphalt.

What what kind of effect does cold weather have?

And are there any concerns that the work will be done during this weather, the cold months, and then needing something else down the road if it's yes, ma'am.

So the good thing is um asphalt companies won't make asphalt unless it's meets certain criteria for generally speaking, it's 45 degrees and rising ambient uh temperature, air temperature.

So if we have that um we've got that characteristic, we're able to to uh install the ice asphalt then um Jay, can you remind us what what streets were included in phase two?

Um this section?

Yeah, so the majority are there's a good segment of them, and so we've got East Shore Drive, um, North Park, Otis, and Otis was a project that Sparkmark Water completed a water line, so they contributed to the city in order to get that done when we were getting ready to pave.

So they contributed that money to that for this project.

Um Pinecrest, Elderberry, um, aspen wood, camp place, Parring Drive, Dolphin, Airhead Circle, Peach Tree.

Peace Tree is a really critical piece, uh, as everybody sort of knows on that um area near near um I get confused with old Sparnberg High School McCracken now.

So it's a McCracken for the most part.

It's the cut through.

So we we need to update, we need to make sure that we're that that pavement's in uh good good condition because it is a tremendous amount of of uh of use now as well, and uh Mundro Drive as well.

Can we can we get uh Randall Farr to work on that light at Peachtree a little bit?

It's a tricky one.

He's working on in partnership with DOT, we're working on all of those uh those signals in that corridor.

And then you referenced the the penny um and then the signs that we'll put out when these streets are being paved.

Are we gonna make any special notice of this is a road being funded by the penny sales tax?

I know we've seen it, you know, we've seen it at the courthouse.

We saw it on the banner of the government complex when we turned dirt last week.

I just think it's good communication to let people know that this is the result of the penny sales tax vote by the citizens of the Sparkmer County.

Yes, sir.

So we will work with Sparkman County.

Uh Travis Brown gave that update uh about a couple of weeks ago or so.

So it's really it's a really good.

We want to make sure everybody understands that their money's been spent, not you know, we we're we're city residents, but we're also county residents, so we want to make sure it's being spent inside the city as well.

So yes, sir, we will do that.

Great, thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

Yes, you said Arrowhead Circle.

Um, we've talked about this before.

The shoulder right there as it meets 29.

That kind of fell off during Helene and some of the wash.

I get that question all the time from residents in Woodland Heights.

Will we with this resurfacing?

But the the holdup has been that 29 or WASL is a DOT road, and we haven't been able to do that.

Will this resurfacing be able to address that little shoulder area right there?

We'll we'll we'll we'll review it when we're there.

It's a good time to the economy of scale breaks into it then.

So we'll work with our DO2 partners to see if we can have that um you know looked at when we're actually completing that project.

Yes, ma'am, we'll do that.

Okay, but say we'll we're gonna work with our DOT folks to see what can happen.

All right, we just want to make sure, but they're they're a really good resource too.

They're very understanding with these projects.

That is a one of the most frequent complaints of Woodland Heights neighbors is that area right there.

It's already a tight turn.

Yes, ma'am.

And that washout makes it even more difficult.

We'll we'll review that when we get ready to do the uh scheduling.

Yes, ma'am.

Thank you, Jay.

Mayor, I make a motion we approve the request as written.

Second.

All in favor?

Hi.

Aye.

Any doubt opposed?

Ayes have it.

Ordinance uh item nine, ordinance authorizing the city manager execute documents for the transfer of the city owned property to Spartanburg County to facilitate the uh construction of the new joint government center.

Mr.

Story, not college.

We traded, he's gonna do the next one.

Okay, um Mr.

Mayor, uh I just wanted to cover a couple of things.

I I think the the public is aware the ground has broken and uh work has started on the the joint government center.

Um this is this action before you tonight is just a procedural step towards towards that.

The facility itself is about 215,000 square feet.

Uh it will include the administrative offices of the city and the county.

Um it will be immediately adjacent to about a thousand uh space parking facility and additional um private development portions of the block uh that will create a uh uh a fully uh energized um uh complete block uh rent redevelopment.

Uh the building itself uh will have extensive agreement uh and draft form between the city and the county to make our shared use of that facility uh partnership uh implementable and sustainable over time.

The city will own portions of the of the building.

The county will own other portions of the building, and then we will share some portions of the building.

Um the use of the shared spaces will be uh specified in intergovernmental agreement between the building and the parking facility be a small but very attractive uh plaza that'll be another uh outdoor destination in the downtown, and of course, as you know, the the primary architectural feature of the building is is a uh clock tower that's about 130 feet tall that replicates in in a in a modern fashion the similar form that was built in 1881 and again in 1907 and primary local government buildings there.

Construction's expected to take about uh 24 months, give or take.

Um we are very excited about all the uh uh functionality that will be built in uh from the ground up, including uh amenities to support public meetings and activities and features that will make it significantly more convenient for the public to do business with either the city or the county at any time.

I mention this project, though it's important to flag that uh this project itself was specifically approved by voters in the 2017 uh referendum.

Uh it was described and scoped um out then and specifically authorized.

So we are operating in specific direction of that expressed will of um the voters um the uh approve that referendum at that time.

So we're excited about the uh advancing to this stage.

This particular action allows the the parcels that the city owns uh that are part of the um uh uh development footprint to be uh transferred to the county so that they can be consolidated and then those other agreements are uh referenced can be uh implemented um to ensure the the long-term use of the facility.

So we'll certainly welcome any questions, but just wanted to give that background into the record.

Sure, and just just for clarity, you you mentioned a clock tower.

This is in no way, shape, or form unrelated to unrelated to we will have another clock tower that will be built.

Okay, yes.

So we're we're clear on that.

Yeah, and just so I'm clear on the exchange.

We're exchanging the property that we've collected and owned previously for the purposes of the development of the building, and then at some point in this process, they will then convey the ownership portions that we will have, and then we will jointly own, and that will be the new ownership structure of what resides on that property.

And so we will future city councils uh have assurance that this will be their primary administrative uh facility in perpetuity by virtue of direct ownership of portions of the agreement and the binding uh intergovernmental agreement between the two bodies on the pieces and parts that we'll both use in different ways.

That's what I was getting at.

Yes, sir.

So we own what we own.

Yes, sir.

Any other questions?

We put this to a motion to hear recommendation, Mr.

Mayor make a motion.

We um approve ordinance A.

Second.

All in favor.

Aye.

Any that oppose, eyes have it.

Mr.

Cole is up for B ordinance suspended the accepted process and an approval of the application for advertising signs, billboards, and other off-premise signs pursuant to uh city code section 503.44.

Mr.

Cole presenter.

Good evening, Mayor and Council members.

Uh a little background.

So in 2011, uh city council updated the zoning ordinance regarding billboards.

Um the ordinance in 2011 called for the creation of an inventory of existing billboards, and we gathered the name of the owner, the zone it was in and location.

Uh the ordinance also provided for the replacement of any sign that was lost, removed, or destroyed, so long as the replacement um sign complied with the new a set of new requirements that came into effect around 2011.

For the most part, that that new uh requirement was uh regulating digital or internally lit signs.

Um it also the new ordinance in 2011 provided for an opportunity for the city to negotiate so a sign could exceed those requirements if it was part of a negotiation between the city and the sign proposer, and it calls for the deletion or removal of one of our dilapidated signs.

Uh the the city could then negotiate signs that exceeded our our restrictions on things like digital internally lit signs.

For 15 years, we've been engaged in the process of permitting signs, we've done signs regularly permitted, we've done signs that were negotiated and got rid of an old dilapidated sign and resulted in a new, you'll see the digital ones around around the city.

Recently, we um had conversation with and received a formal submittal for a new billboard, and the submitter has challenged our interpretation and application of the 2005 um ordinance.

Uh, and so while that challenge runs its normal course through an appeal to the Board of Zoning Appeals and probably a hearing in circuit court, what we're asking you to do is consider pausing the um permitting of any signs for 12 months.

We don't want to shortchange anybody, we don't want to um we want to make sure we are interpreting the sign uh correctly, the the ordinance correctly, and any stamp of approval that we get along the way from BZA and accord uh will will further our belief in that interpretation.

So that's what we're asking for.

Um I'll note sort of as a separate matter.

Planning and zoning has just begun the process of updating the entire 1999 zoning ordinance, um, and the billboard uh section of the zoning ordinance will certainly be examined at that point for any needed changes, um, but that's down the road a little bit.

So we're asking for a 12-month moratorium on permitting uh signs so we make sure we get it correct and gather those stamps of approval along the way.

All right, do I hear uh any comments, any questions?

Uh councilman foreman.

Uh Bob, so what is the source of the difference in interpretation?

So the the night the 2011 ordinance called for the um replacement of any signs on the then existing inventory that was created in 2011, and we interpret that to believe that the sign has to be replaced in the zone location where it currently stood.

Uh we've had an applicant submit a different interpretation of that, uh, and and it excludes or ignores the location of the current sign, the zone of the current sign, and the requirements of the sign.

So I I think the the best way to describe it is we think it's an inventory.

Some people are trying to interpret it perhaps as a cap.

A license.

And it's not a cap, it's it's a we think it's a specific inventory.

But either way, that would have to be approved by council by whatever board it would go through, and then ultimately council.

I assume, and then counseled, or is the staff just have latitude to staff.

Yeah, so so staff receives applications for for billboard permits, they examine our they look at our our zoning ordinance, and if it meets the language of that, they issue the permit.

Um but again when we get a challenge, the normal course will be BZA will have an opportunity to uh hear us about our interpretation, hear the applicant about his interpretation, and again, I think uh circuit court will probably hear the same uh argument.

We we think we're correct, but again, we want to give everybody the benefit of the doubt.

And so the purpose of this is just to wait for that 12 months till all this is clarified.

That's correct.

And so we're not saying one for one.

No, nope.

No, there is no one for one.

Um if you read the ordinance, I don't want to get into the weeds of it, but there's essentially two ways to permit a billboard here in the city.

You get to replace one that's on the inventory, or you get to take down some dilapidated ones and negotiate for a new one that could exceed the the requirements of the current zoning ordinance.

In a normal year, maybe Hurricane Helene year was was an abnormal year, or maybe the tornado was an abnormal year, but but in a normal year, how many of these would we would we approve?

Billboard applications?

Yeah.

I mean, I I think probably in the seven years I've been here, I don't think we've approved any new major billboards.

Uh we've essentially been engaged in a process of of weeding out a lot of dilapidated ones.

I can't tell you that in 2011, the inventory stood at 55.

Now it's about 37, but the 37 we have look a lot better than the 55 that that did before.

Okay, I was just trying to get a sense of how many how many will be affected or impacted over the next 12 months during this moratorium.

That's very few.

Very, very few.

But we also have the new digital that we allow that play multiple advertisements.

If again, if you engage in that negotiation process with us, with us and br and bring uh some dilapidated or or outdated or um not aesthetically pleasing signs, we can't allow digital in that process.

It's a part of a it's a part of a negotiation where we think we put it in the appropriate place, the appropriate uh lighting, so as to not create noise pollution, light pollution, and all those kinds of things.

You could get a digital smith.

So I want to make sure understanding what you're asking us to do.

You're asking us to pause for 12 months so that BZA and a circuit court can work their way through this process, not us to correct frogger that um process and jump ahead of them.

Correct.

We we believe our interpretation is correct, but if it's not, we want to make sure that that we don't in inadvertently approve or disapprove any signs.

Um, and we think in 12 months we'll be that will be affirmed, and again, we will be back to normal business, but again, on the heels of that is a is an entire rewrite of the zoning ordinance that is certainly going to address billboards as the entire billboard community or industry is changing.

When did this applicant submit their application?

Um this year.

We had a number of conversations with them.

We we we worked with them on what we thought they could do.

They ultimately chose to go their path with submitting a a straight up application.

We denied it, and so they're in the process of appealing that.

Is there a fee to submit an application?

Nominal, I think 150 dollars.

Okay, and 25 dollars to appeal it.

I think.

So we went in this 12-month moratorium.

We would not even allow, we would not collect fees and like create a queue.

Correct.

Okay.

Yeah.

Any other questions?

Item B.

Do I have a motion?

Mr.

Mayor, make a motion that we approve item B as read.

Second.

All in favor.

Aye.

Any that opposed.

Ayes have it.

Thank you.

Item 10.

Mr.

Storr with staff updates.

Mr.

Mayor, members of council, I wanted to uh share a couple of bits of progress uh with you, and then certainly would welcome any questions that you have.

Um as you know, uh the largest single chunk of um of our American rescue plan dollars or ARPA dollars as we've called them, have been to um work on the housing front.

Uh a couple of meetings ago, I gave an uh update on how we're doing uh with deploying those dollars towards rental uh housing development.

And tonight um Martin and his team report that the home ownership uh side of it is also moving forward.

We have five new homeowners in the in the city limits who received down payment assistance um through that process, and those homes are uh promised land drive, Vernon Street, Rigby Street, Arch Street, Fremont Avenue.

Um so in several neighborhoods of the city, we welcome um uh new new homeowners in furtherance of of that objective um to have affordable housing of several different types and uh strengthen our neighborhoods with additional homeownership.

So pleased with that progress and credit to Martin and his team for that, and our community partners like Northside Development Group, Foothills Federal Credit Union, um, community works Carolina and others that help in that process.

Also, wanted to briefly um uh touch on uh we've expanded our capacity as we've talked before to pursue uh grants from multiple sources.

Um we built out a staff uh team and an infrastructure that Kevin and Harley and others are integral to to make sure that we're doing our best to leverage our dollars uh further by aggressively pursuing uh opportunities to uh successfully compete for grants.

Uh wanted to give you a little 2025 stats on that front of how that is going.

Uh we have in this calendar year competitive grants uh awarded is the number is 12.

The dollar total is 3.9 million dollars.

Uh we have two in addition to that technical assistance grants.

Uh we have pending applications of about 2.6 million dollars, and we were total of 14 awards against 23 submissions.

So I'm really uh proud of the team's good effort.

Um, you know, each of those, some of y'all have direct experience in this uh professionally and otherwise.

Uh some of those are pretty extensive undertakings.

Um, and I'm I'm pleased to to brag on the team uh batten 14 out of 23.

If we could keep that in future years, I'll I'll take it.

Uh so uh that's across a number of departments um and uh a number of folks affected by that good work.

So just wanted to call attention to that.

Circum certainly welcome any questions that you have on any other topics.

Yes.

Um two questions, but I forgot the first, so maybe it'll come to me.

Um I I've received multiple questions, statements, inquiries, and um Mr.

Bramlett addressed it tonight about the city's relationship with Spartanburg water and our jurisdiction, our ability as as Don said to add additional seats to commissioners, um, what we can do about you know the the situation that that he addressed.

Can you take the next couple of minutes?

Um a post and courier article came out today.

Dr.

Stone was quoted in it.

Um to kind of give everyone the context because when I get questions, I'm trying to help people understand that we I am a citizen as I'll let you just explain.

But if if you could so that folks know who to direct their questions or their IR to so that they're getting their um information or questions to the right people.

Yes, ma'am, I'll do my best.

Uh start with the fact that you all represent roughly 40,000 residents of the city of Spartanburg.

The residents you represent are the owners of the Spartanburg water system.

However, that the governance of the Spartanburg water system is distinct from the city.

The financial activities of the water system are distinct from the city.

Legally, it is a distinct entity.

Um we know have no authority over their activities and operations, and uh and they're while decades ago, maybe close to a hundred years ago.

I used to know the date, but it's a long, long time ago.

Um this the your predecessors on city council were part of the formation of the City of Spartanburg Commission of Public Works, which is the legal name of the water side of Spartanburg Water.

Um but at that point um uh the governance of of that system was entrusted to the same electorate that elects you all.

And there is there is state law that specifies how commissions of public works um are to be governed um and it is a three-member uh board elected at large across the city um that occurs their elections occur on municipal election cycles.

Um they serve six-year terms, um and state law supports that.

There are some there are commissions of public works and many, you know, lots of communities uh um that are have this the same basic legal structure um as the water side of Spartanburg Water does.

And uh so we get questions a lot.

We consider them a partner, obviously they provide a service and a function that's very important, and obviously we seek to make sure that we work well with them and uh and are transparent with the people we serve about the relationship between the two entities, but they are financially distinct, governance-wise distinct, um, they have their own legal council, their own uh operating policies and procedures.

None of those come through the the this city entity.

Um it's the relationship in some respects begins and ends at the fact that it's the same electorate that brings forward those things.

So it essentially functions like our relationship with school district seven or school district six.

They're they're their own legal entity with their own governance, and we are partners with them on related topics, right?

So the city has no like you know, we we it's not like our city boards and commissions we appoint and that we have rules and uh procedures for the term and how replacements are made when there is a vacancy, it is completely separate of that.

That is correct, and then we have um we have obviously we have partnerships with them and agreements with them and uh procedural activities that overlap, but they are they're they're autonomous of us um uh the only the the connection is the same voters at the voting booth.

That's the connection.

And just to be clear, and the mayor sits on the sewer side of Speinburg of the works, which is a county board, right?

Well, it has it has uh a larger geographic footprint than the city limits, the the sewer sewer district does have a few and if additional seats were to be added to that commission, that's something that would have to change at the state level.

I should be careful to say I haven't researched that legal question myself.

Um and Bob may have, I don't know if he has.

I looked at it, Brittany I'll tell you there is a provision in state law that would allow this board to this council to enlarge the uh the commission.

To my knowledge, there's never been any interest to exercise that right, but if there is some, it would have to be uh instituted by this council to enlarge the board.

It has nothing to do with what happened in the past month about how they replaced their their members, but there is a provision, I believe that that would allow that to add two additional seats that this board the council city council what is that take city council action.

I mean we've talked about it in in in executive session, but it would be again I'm not there's to my knowledge there's never been any interest in the city to do that.

It's been a three-person board, it's been operating fine, uh, but I do believe there's a state statute that allows that.

That's new information to me.

I would be interested in seeing a copy of that state statute.

Um I thought of my second question.

Okay.

Um we talked about updating the zoning ordinances related to billboards, um, and I can imagine our chair of the planning commission would be interested in an update as well.

And I've asked it before, but do we have an update on where we are on updating our zoning ordinances?

Uh you you mentioned it last week, and I should have an update for you tonight, but I don't, and I'm sorry.

I uh it slipped my mind to to to connect uh with Fred, but we'll make sure to do that and and share it with the council uh uh in the next day or so.

I've just been thinking about how voting on that comp plan was my first meeting six years ago, and that was one of the main things that the comp plan calls out.

Yes.

And I and I I know that the yes that is a substantial thing.

I I I would uh suggest, however, that the planning um department has advanced dramatically over the last 18 months and its capacity and that added capacity is gonna make this zoning ordinance rewrite right much more effective in the long run.

Yeah, so I I do think the the trajectory is one of positivity and accomplishment uh if the new ordinance is not before you yet for action.

We're we're we're building to that, and we've we've gathered a lot of insights of of some of the areas that that need improvement uh to feed into that.

Yeah, yes, ma'am.

Yes, Chris, I'm going to kind of change the subject a little bit on the trail extension that is going um through the Marriott Wright Greenway off of Marin Avenue and down by Hudson Boxdale.

Do you know if we ever got permission?

I know that there was a halt on that because we had to get permission to go forward, go with that.

And do you know if we ever got permission?

Got to finish that part of the trail because it was supposed to go across Calder onto um Calder Avenue going up that way.

Did we ever get permission to extend that further?

You mean specifically the Calder Avenue crossing?

I know that it was halted, I believe, you know, because we had to get permission from some owners in order for us to proceed with that.

Do you know if it was approved?

No, I the the Mary H right Greenway extension is not um, it's all on public property.

Um so I will uh you know I know of no impediment to that.

But maybe Laura's the one I need to be talking to.

Okay.

Okay, because I know that we had to get permission from someone, and I can't remember exactly.

And I was wondering if we ever got that in order for us to proceed with that.

Yes, ma'am.

I'll I will check it.

The the Mary's rate greenway does it is envisioned to connect to the Dan uh and some of those sections are are are in the planning stages, so we'll we'll we'll get together and we'll lay all that out with with Jay and Laura and make sure that I have full information to you.

Okay, and Jay, let me add you this, maybe um maybe I'm supposed to be asking this question to Jay, but you know, got the fire that was on um at the 304 Gameron Avenue question, that mess that was still there, and I think I mentioned that to Mitch as well.

You know, but when can we get all of that uh cleaned up?

There we I I've spoken to Mr.

Livingston's office, and there's a process that we have to do go through and notifying the owner about the work they have been notified, and there's a 10-day period, Mrs.

Lil' John, his response back to us before we can act.

So they're giving 10 days to correct those uh those violations, and if they don't correct those in 10 days, we're still within the sending we can then act.

So that's what we are.

Okay, and we can't clean up the street in front of that as well, up until you get permission for that.

I'm not certain what's in the street.

Uh any items in the street of course because a lot of that debris that washed down because during the time the fire was taking place, question all of that's there.

Um hold on just one second.

I have one more question for you.

Go ahead, I'll answer that later.

Any other questions?

Thank you, Mr.

Story.

Excuse me, City Council updates.

We're gonna start now that uh Councilwoman Sally.

Good evening, everyone.

Thank you for coming and congratulations on the Southside Culture Wall to each and the one that was responsible for getting it here.

Also, um I don't have much to report on other than I think we started the home thing off with uh some real cold weather and some wonderful activities with a beautiful Christmas tree lighting, uh diggings of a Christmas and all the other good stuff that went along with it.

And I do hope and pray that everyone have a wonderful holiday.

Thank you.

Councilman Fuhrmann, yeah, Mr.

Mayor.

I just want to wish everybody a wonderful holiday season and look forward to seeing everybody again in the new year.

Mayor Proteir.

Mr.

Mayor, uh happy holidays to everyone.

Thank you all for coming.

Um happy new year.

I don't think we'll be back until after the new year.

Um, I hope to be here, but you have my note of excuse of having a minor procedure uh before the next meeting.

So I'll be a little bit immobile for a little bit.

Uh but I'm looking forward to the new year and all the work that's ahead and appreciate all that our city staff does for us and appreciate all the citizens who continue to engage, challenge us, even if they're frustrated and share their concerns and hopes and dreams with us.

So thank you all.

Thank you.

Councilwoman Rogers.

Yes, I will echo uh the holiday chair has just been lovely the past couple weeks of the decades of a Christmas and my first time in the parade with all of you.

So um wish everyone a wonderful holiday, and I'd like to thank the staff for really working with me in the past two weeks, catching me up, getting me uh feeling confident and learning the processes and procedures and answering some of the questions that I have come in to to this seat with.

So I look forward to uh starting the new year very soon.

Awesome.

Councilwoman Smith.

Happy holidays to everyone and to Kim.

I don't Chris, I don't know if you included the new grant that Kim and her team received from the Spanberg Academic Movement for to continue and expand programming at the Thornton Center.

So I'll let her catch up on that, but very proud of her and her team and the work that they do in the community and looking forward to all that's ahead and hoping we can be a little bit nicer to each other in 2026 and just believing that we all have the same goals, which is to continue to better Spartanburg and make this be the place that we all want to raise our kids and live our life and just have it be the place that we all know and know that it is already.

Awesome.

Councilwoman.

Congratulations to the heritage committee.

I am excited about all of the work that you all are doing, and I am grateful for all that you have done.

I also want to thank our entire city team, but especially Jeff and Jay.

I regret that I can't call on them anymore.

I regret that I can't call on you all anymore, but thank you.

And Merry Christmas to everybody.

Um just one side note.

The cold weather shelter is open with the uh weather that we are experiencing.

So if we know, as I see Hannah out there, uh some of our um neighbors that may be unhoused right now and need shelter.

Our cold weather shelter is open.

Um happy holidays, happy new year to you all.

Thank you all for being here.

Uh, thank you all for showing concern for our city.

Uh, I mean, and that goes for each and every one of you in the audience, the ones that are listening online as well.

This this council and mayor really do appreciate all that uh our citizens, you know, bring to the table.

I mean, and as uh councilwoman Brown mentioned, you know, challenging us as well.

We definitely get challenging emails and responses and comments, but uh thank thank you all for what you do.

Councilwoman Ludajan.

Yes, I forgot to congratulate Catherine O'Neill.

She was awarded, she was recognized recently with the Mary Thomas Award.

So congratulations, Catherine.

Congratulations, Catherine.

That's that's awesome uh achievement.

And again, thank you all, uh Representative uh Myers, you know, for your hard work, price, representative price, and everyone that played a part in the uh South Side uh Cultural Monument.

Thank you all for being here this evening.

Have a lovely, lovely rest of your week.

Merry Christmas to you, and if you don't know a person that is born on Christmas, tell Christie Lindsay happy birthday.

Christmas movement.

And Jerome Rice.

All in favor.

Let's move.