City Council Meeting , July 15
July 16, 2014
By Temple Ligon
Child safety and civil liberties
Debate heated up over Ordinance #2014-038, which establishes minor children play zones in city parks. Minor children are identified as those 12 years of age and under. The ordinance is city-wide, but the origins appear to be in the recent rising concerns over the park adjacent to Logan Elementary on Elmwood Boulevard, near where the Transitions homeless shelter sits at the corner of Elmwood and Main.
The ordinance says in certain terms: “The intent of this ordinance is not to restrict public access to other areas of the park where a child play zone has been designated.”
Further, the ordinance says: “The Director of Parks and Recreation shall designate exclusive minor child play zones within such City parks as deemed appropriate to enhance the safety of minor children at play and limit the use of playground equipment to age appropriate users.
“No persons over the age of twelve (12) years are allowed in exclusive minor child play zone areas unless such persons are the parents, legal guardians or authorized temporary custodians caring for the minor child or minor children playing within the area.
“Authorized temporary custodians for the purpose of this ordinance are any person who has a minor child or minor children in his or her care and custody with the consent of the minor child or minor children’s parent(s) or legal guardian(s).
“The boundaries of exclusive minor child play zones shall be clearly designated by the placement of fencing or other discernable barriers along with the placement of signage.
“Prior to implementing exclusive minor child play zones within any park, the Parks and Recreation Director shall request that the designation be placed on City Council’s agenda for public input and for approval by a majority vote of members of City Council present at the meeting.”
Baddourah objected to the possibilities of profiling. If suspicious behavior is sighted in a city park, citizens are encouraged to call the police; and if an adult is seen mingling with the minor children, the police might need to be notified. Baddourah wondered what was wrong with an adult seated reading on a park bench where little kids played.
Davis, on the other hand, thought council should err on the side of the children. The minor children’s safety and security should be council’s primary concern, as Davis put it.
Devine mentioned the threat to civil liberties by people who act on suspicions.
The ordinance passed.
Bonds
A resolution passed in support of a $92,700,000 bonds issuance by the South Carolina Jobs-Economic Development Authority to finance a west campus student housing project, which is taking up four existing surface parking lots on the west side of the Carolina Coliseum. Holder Properties is the developer, the same residential development firm who did the Aspyre apartments on Assembly and Adesso condominiums at the corner of Main and Blossom. They also developed the Nelson Mullins home office building called Meridian, the First Citizens headquarters and the Gervais & Main office building and parking garage. The City of Columbia in no way faces any financial obligation. The council vote is simply a gesture of support and cooperation.
Council approved the issuance of bonds, $35,000,000, to build the minor-league baseball stadium on the Bull Street property. The city says it can expect the project to attract 500,000 visitors annually to downtown Columbia and to generate more than $410,000,000 in economic activity, including taxes, wages and spending.
Merchant Capital of Atlanta is the city’s finance advisor on the Bull Street bonds, charging almost $700,000 for such expertise, according to The State newspaper. Not mentioned in local coverage of both the $35,000,000 issuance and the Holder/USC $92,700,000 in bonds is the identity of bond counsel. Who collects the lucrative fees for writing the legal opinion? How was the bond counsel selected?
