City Council February 19, 2015

By Temple Ligon

On Tuesday afternoon, February 17, city council held its work session to hear Mike Briggs, president and CEO of the Central S. C. Alliance. Briggs was giving his agency’s report.

The CSC markets the region for business investment and development. The region is described as the counties of Calhoun, Clarendon, Fairfield, Kershaw, Lexington, McCormick, Newberry, Orangeburg, Richland, and the City of Columbia. All told, the region’s population was 1,427,361 in 2013, and it is projected to 2018 as 1,483,385.

The bottom line, the current active projects are cited as $9 million under investment creating 1,200 jobs. In 2013, Protac, Dayton Rogers and EDTS announced 192 new jobs and $13 million in investment.

EVENING CITY COUNCIL REGULAR SESSION

On March 10 at 10 a.m. city council will hold an information sharing session to clear the matter of how the city is bringing its water and sewer systems up to date and up to federal standards. The EPA has told the city to get with it and bring its 300 miles of underground sewer pipes up to an acceptable standard, spending a directed $750 million. A federal fine has already been charged – $500,000 – and more could be coming if the city falls further behind.

Citizen Jim Reed shared his fear of the term “public/private partnership” in that it invariably became a strictly private affair. His suggestions to council included to vote for the resolution – as composed by council member Leona Plaugh – and oppose privatization, pursue a “public/public” partnership, seek input on efficiencies, hire staff with adequate expertise, and stop moving around water/sewer funds for project outside the system.

The water and sewer systems generate annually $124 million in revenue from 375,000 customers, which is enough to interest private firms. A private firm, supposedly, could bring innovation and investment while turning a profit and while keeping the financing in private hands, leaving the city’s borrowing capacity unrestrained by the need to put together $750 million for the sewer system improvements. Anyway, that’s not possible afterTuesday’s vote.

Council voted to avoid any hint of privatization, saying it was “not interested in the sale, lease, refinancing, or service agreement.”