TOWN OF LAKE VIEW COUNCIL MEETING
March 16, 2023
Council Chambers
Date: Thursday, March 23,
2023
Time: 7:00 P.M.
Place: Council Chambers, Lake View Town Hall, 205 N. Main Street, Lake View, SC
Presiding: Mayor Sterling Lee
Present at Chambers: Councilmembers Mertis Barnett, Mitsey Church, and David Kitchens
Absent: Councilmember David Johnson
Also Present: Jalena Borders, Robert Bryant, Christi Drubel, Paula King, Toney McDuffie, Brittany Melvin, Anthony Moore, Lynn Page, Christina Perez, Tracy Townsend, Jennifer Ward, and Karen Cook-Henderson
• Mayor Sterling Lee welcomed everyone and opened the meeting with prayer.
• Councilmember David Kitchens motioned to approve the meeting minutes from February 16, 2023, and Councilmember Mertis Barnett seconded with all in favor.
• Robert Bryant presented the report from the Strategic Master Plan Advisory Committee on the Super Saturday Chicken Bog Cook-Off. With the date change because of the weather, 13 of the 16 registered contestants competed, with one cook coming all the way from Andrews. The event was an unqualified success. $2139.19 was raised to support the Lake View Recreation Department.
• Mayor Lee updated the Council that the welcome brochure initiated by the Strategic Master Plan Advisory Committee is in its final stages of revision with Ms. Kelly Floyd at Lake View High School. It is being edited as a class project.
• Brittany Melvin from the Lake View Downtown Revitalization Committee, a sub-committee of the Strategic Master Plan Advisory Committee, presented a project to remedy the facades along the 100 block of N. Main Street. The funding for the project will utilize a donation of $2,500.00 from Anderson Brothers Bank and donations of time and materials from area businesses. The goal is to clean, repair and repaint the fronts of the businesses and engage the community in building a cohesive brand for Lake View. Businesses wanting to participate will be chosen at random. Donations have been received from Dillon Woodworks, Smith-Rogers Oil, Miller Plumbing, Hayes Hardware, David Suggs, and Anderson Brothers Bank. The Council thanked Brittany for taking the initiative to move this project from idea to implementation and taking a leadership role in downtown revitalization.
• Jalena Borders, Robert Bryant, Christi Drubel, and Lynn Page presented the Council with a proposal to establish a Town of Lake View website. They offered the Council the opportunity to view the draft site. The website would improve access to services, provide relevant information and serve as a marketing tool for the community. The work to produce the website was done gratis and will be maintained by Jalena Borders and Christi Drubel pro bona. The town would be responsible for the hosting and software fees. Mayor Sterling Lee motioned to approve establishing the website and corresponding fees, with Councilmember David Kitchens seconding. All were in favor. Revisions will be completed, and a go-live date will be set.
• Paula King from the Event Committee had no report.
• Councilmember Mitsey Church motioned to approve the proposed rules for Page’s Mill Pond and Councilmember Metis Barnett seconded. All were in favor. Karen Cook-Henderson was instructed to get the signs into production.
• Mayor Sterling Lee updated the Council on renovations of the former First Citizens Bank Building. The building will be the new Town Hall and Police Department. The interior redesign and floors are done. Internet and phones, buzzer doors, cameras, computers, and furniture are still being processed.
The Lake View Police is recruiting certified applicants for a full-time position. In addition, interviews for the temporary administrative assistant position will be next week.
• Mayor Sterling Lee shared that several unused pieces of equipment are up for sale on GovDeals, with most auctions closing tomorrow.
• Mayor Lee confirmed with the Council that the property to be cleaned by K & R Landscaping in March would be 503 S. Main Street. Council is asked to send recommendations to Mayor Lee by April 3, 2023.
• Mayor Lee will check with Clemson Extension if an agricultural pesticide certification would be sufficient to allow the town to prepare chemicals for mosquito spraying. Currently, Lake View needs someone qualified to prepare the chemicals for use in the sprayer.
• Mayor Sterling Lee motioned to approve the request for a donation to the Pee Dee Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Abuse in the amount of $750.00. The request was for $1,500.00. Councilmember Mertis Barnett seconded the motion and all were in favor. The funds will come from the Crime Victim Compensation Fund.
• Mayor Lee proposed to the Council that $10,000.00 be invested in the former DHEC Water Testing building at the intersection of W. 2nd Ave and N. Kemper Street to be renovated as a potential commercial rental property. Mayor Lee will discuss the process of the Town becoming a landlord with the Town Attorney.
• Councilmember Mitsey Church agreed to follow up with Mr. Chris Webb about completing the repairs on the sensor timer at the splash pad so it will run more efficiently this summer.
• Mayor Lee motioned to approve the fee for contracting with Verizon to provide five cell phones to the Lake View Police Department, and Councilmember David Kitchens seconded. All were in favor. The phones will be exclusively for officers to make calls and record evidence related to investigations. In addition, citizens are asked to call 911 for emergencies or the police department at 843-759-2119.
• Mayor Sterling Lee announced a flag presentation on Saturday, March 18, 2023, at 10 AM at the Veteran’s Park. Kevin Jones flew the flag at the Pentagon and will be presented to Pastor David Morgan. Ritchie Church crafted the display case, and all were thanked for supporting our veterans.
• Councilmember David Kitchens motioned to approve the first reading of Ordinance 2023-01 AN ORDINANCE ADOPT A NEW SECTION 151.07 TO THE TOWN CODE TO ADOPT THE CURRENT VERSION OF THE INTERNATIONAL PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE. Councilmember Mitsey Church seconded the motion and all were in favor.
• Mayor’s Report
• Dillon County Administrator, Tim Harper, requests that the Council matches the financial support provided to the Recreation Department by Dillon County to fund expanding the staffing needs of the Recreation Department. The proposal is to add two part-time positions to the staff.
• The Street/Maintenance Department staff are thanked for their hard work during the past month.
• Council Reports
• Councilmember Mertis Barnett announced a book sale at the Lake View Library on March 17, 2023, from 10 AM to 2 PM.
• Councilmember Mitsey Church announced that the Lake View Volunteer Rescue Squad is selling Boston Butts with a side of Hogwash BBQ sauce. They can be purchased from Rescue Squad volunteers or at Town Hall.
• Councilmember David Kitchens shared that Melecios Restaurant posted on their website that they would not be establishing a restaurant in Lake View because the property they were interested in was sold. Mayor Lee shared that they are negotiating for another property.
• Mayor Lee asked the members of the Council to review the material submitted by Wanda Elvington.
With no further business, Councilmember Mertis Barnett motioned to adjourn with Councilmember Mitsey Church seconding. There was no discussion, and all were in favor and the meeting was adjourned.
