The Manning City Council recognized the members of the Farm to Table committee at the October City Council meeting on Monday night. Several members were in attendance to receive the framed certificate.
“It gives me a great deal of pleasure to express our sincere appreciation to the Farm to Table Committee for their time and dedication to Main Street Manning’s Annual Event, the Farm to Table Supper,” read Mayor Julia Nelson.
“This committee, along with other volunteers, devoted over 210 hours to ensuring that the Farm to Table Supper was a memorable event. You went beyond the call of duty, and your dedication and willingness is greatly appreciated. Special commendation is due to Marie Land for spearheading this event and committee. On behalf of the citizens of Manning, South Carolina, it is our hope that you receive this recognition as a token of appreciation for your outstanding acts as a volunteer in our community,” read Nelson.
Land thanked the crews and the committee members who participated.
“We were proud because I think we showcased the best of Manning,” said Land. “We had a good time, too. We all had a very good time. Thank you so much for acknowledging us.”
Robert Thompson, The IT representative for the City of Manning, offered a presentation regarding the technology improvements to the City in the previous fiscal year. This long list of improvements included streamlining the wi-fi to two networks and adding access points to ensure nonstop service, installing new cameras and upgrading the card entry system at City Hall, combining the Judicial Center network and the Police Department network, adding an access point to eliminate loss of connectivity when moving around the Fire Department, replacing four computers which were still running Windows XP at the Police Department and upgrading to a faster switch to allow for better network speed at the Water Treatment plant.
Future projects include repurposing older computers, working with Reverend Darrell James to learn about video recording and editing and adding further protection of infrastructures from possible cyber-attacks.
Following his presentation, Manning Financial Director Mary Prince gave the financial report. After the completion of the first quarter of the budget year, the revenue is at only 80 percent, due to collections which haven’t yet arrived for business licenses and taxes. The number is expected to go up.
The expenditures are at 26 percent for the general fund, which matches the quarter of the year that has passed.
An outside auditing team has completed an audit of the City accounts and records. They left this week to return to their offices, where they will continue to assess before providing a final report. However, they did say they saw nothing unusual or concerning.
Nelson offered the Mayor’s report. The City Council will be giving away the candy at the Trunk or Treat event this year, which will be held at 5 p.m. on October 31 in front of the fire station.
Tickets are available for the Inaugural 1865 Teachers’ Ball which will be at 7 p.m. on October 20. If you would like to attend, call City Hall and ask about tickets and let them know which meal you would prefer at the event.
Nelson also requested residents not to put grass clippings in the street, as this can clog storm drains, causing flooding issues during the hurricane season.
City Administrator Scott Tanner offered the administrator’s report. A City Council retreat will happen on November 3 in Santee.
The treatment plant upgrade continues to go well. They closed out the temporary financing on Phase III on October 12. They hope to complete the project by end of the first quarter of 2019. They have also applied for a grant for rural infrastructure to replace the main sewer line that feeds into Clarendon County Industrial Park and the line that goes under Driggers Pond on Hwy 260. All engineering questions have been answered, and the City expects an answer within two weeks.
A first reading was approved for Ordinance 2018-05. This ordinance relates to the recovery costs as part of the delinquent debts collected pursuant to the Setoff Debt Collection Act. This allows the City to partner with the Municipal Association of South Carolina in order to collect unpaid utility bills, taxes and city fines.
A first reading was approved for Ordinance 2018-01T, an ordinance which amends the City of Manning Zoning Ordinance Article 6, District Regulations, Section 612, Table of Permitted Uses, Section 2.23, Educational Services. This ordinance establishes zoning areas for educational businesses, such as dance schools or tutoring services.
A resolution was approved to authorize the Municipal Association of South Carolina to act as claimant agency for the collection of debt on behalf of the Manning Municipal Court in accordance with the Setoff Debt Collection Act.
The Council approved to award the bid for the demolition of the Red Barn to JMEC Construction of Columbia in the amount of $7,250. This was the lowest of the 13 received bids.
The Council approved of an agreement between the City of Manning, Farmers Telephone Cooperative and the Clarendon County Neighborhood Network, owned by Reverend Darrell James, for a public access cable TV channel.
Following the new business, the meeting adjourned.
