City Council Discusses AEDs in City Parks | City of Newberry
City Council Discusses AEDs in City Parks | City of Newberry
Newberry City Council discussed automatic external defibrillators, or AEDs in city parks as part of their regular meeting Tuesday. This month’s meeting was held at Newberry College’s Center for Teacher Education building.
“February is heart month, and we want to pay attention to our heart health,” said Mayor Foster Senn.
Collin Shealy, parks, recreation and tourism director said that their department originally purchased two AED devices – one for Oakland Tennis Center and the other for their office to take to events.
Within the last year, Shealy said the Newberry Fire Department had been able to get an additional seven devices through a grant. The following city facilities currently have an AED on site:
- Newberry Recreation Complex (Hidden Lake, picnic shelter, concessions building)
- Marion Davis Park Shelter
- Grant Park Shelter
- Oakland Tennis Center
- Memorial Park
- Parks, Recreation and Tourism Office (carried to events by staff)
- Newberry Fire Department Polaris (used at all special events by the fire department)
In addition to these devices, Shealy said the Newberry Recreation Complex also had two emergency call boxes routed directly to Newberry County dispatch in case of an emergency. These boxes are currently located at the concessions building and playground areas.
“During the splash park season, there is also an emergency phone installed within the splash park for staff to use if needed,” he said.
Senn showed interest in getting more emergency call boxes in the city, and potentially on the campus of Newberry College.
Recognitions/Announcements
Council recognized employees from the city’s water treatment plant Tuesday for their efforts during the most recent winter weather. During the cold snap, Senn said the water plant did everything they could to keep our community and others nearby with water.
Good news from around Newberry Senn highlighted included:
- Main Street to be repaved in April/May. Senn said he was told when the bags were removed from the construction signs currently in place, that work would begin in approximately two weeks.
- A new stoplight will be added at I-26 on Exit 26.
- The mural located downtown on the side of Tiny Paris is completed.
- Fast food company, Cookout, has purchased the land in front of Tractor Supply and plans to begin building within the calendar year.
“Brownfields are underdeveloped industrial properties, or former industrial properties, where there may be contaminants or potential for those to exist,” Wicker said.
The grant is allowing for environmental assessments on properties, in an effort to ease any concerns over future redevelopment. Wicker said things kicked off with the EPA approximately one month ago and qualified environmental professionals were preparing their documents.
Phase one assessments, Wicker said, would be a basic timeline of the property with a documented history of its past uses, to include the level of potential for any contaminants. If a property progresses, a phase two assessment may be necessary.
Phase two would include soil and water samples, for example, of the property to determine if there is a presence of contaminants.
The grant also provides resources for reuse planning for brownfield sites.
Wicker said their community task force represented different cross sections of the community and together, they were working on a community engagement plan and excited to get things going.
Under old business, second and final reading was passed of an ordinance to provide for amendments to the revenue and expenditure appropriations in the current year’s budget. Motion was made by Councilperson Carlton Kinard and seconded by Councilperson Lemont Glasgow.
City Manager Matt DeWitt gave an overview prior to second reading of the budget amendments, as reported on at the last regular council meeting. Senn then held a public hearing with no one speaking in favor or opposition to the amendments.
New Business
Under new business, council passed first reading of an ordinance to amend the zoning map for parcel 401-64 located on Dixie Drive to R6 – Residential. Senn said this was the result of the owner’s petition to reclassify the parcel from RD – Residential Development to R6 – Residential. The parcel’s intended purpose would allow for residential use. Motion was made by Councilperson Edwin Wicker and seconded by Kinard.
The Newberry Planning Commission recommended a zoning classification and a public hearing will take place prior to second reading on March 14.
First reading was also passed of an ordinance to amend and revise the zoning of the City of Newberry code of ordinances for replacement manufactured homes to have a 4:12 roof pitch. Wayne Redfern, planning and development services director for the city told council that the ordinances intent was to make the manufactured homes in certain neighborhoods, look as much like the traditional homes as it could.
Manufactured homes only come with up to a 3:12 roof pitch, Redfern said, putting an additional burden on those who are buying manufactured homes to place them within city limits.
While there are other requirements to place manufactured homes within the city limits, Redfern said this eliminated a burden on residents unable to do so.
Motion to approve first reading was made by Glasgow and seconded by Councilperson Jackie Holmes.
Other Business
- A request from the Newberry Downtown Development Association was approved to allow alcohol in designated areas of the Irish Fling event. This allows event patrons to travel from one designated venue to another with an alcoholic beverage, on foot and wearing an over-21 wristband.
Shealy said if the NDDA needed anything in the process that the city was there to help. The NDDA will be handling noise permitting and street closures, he said.
- Wicker made a motion, seconded by Holmes to reappoint Luevester Davis and Kevin Clamp to the Architectural Review Board for two-year terms.
Original source can be found here.
Alerts Sign-up