Voted NO: Ordinance 2025-14, Second Reading. Sale of West End Hall. I still believe this was back-room shenanigans. Most of the council apparently knew of this except me and Justin Alexander. The appraisal was over a year ago and not one mention of this in all those months. This sale was a loss to the taxpayers and it is the council’s duty to give the city permission to negotiate a sale and that did not happen. (S.C. Code § 5-7-40 – Ownership and disposition of property by municipalities. The council may sell, alien, convey, lease, or otherwise dispose of property under such terms and conditions as the council deems advisable. Authority to negotiate terms: State law’s grant of power to sell or dispose of property ( § 5-7-40 ) implicitly allows the council—or its designees—to negotiate terms of sale or contract subject to later formal legislative action. ) The council did not appoint a designee to negotiate.
Voted YES: Ordinance 2025-15, First Reading. Rezone 1.97 acres of property located on Hamilton Street from commercial to residential. This was the first reading so I voted yes but may change my mind for the second reading. Hopefully there is additional information for this property. A preliminary concept was given to us before the meeting started (it was not in our advance packet.) It looks like it is a max of 12 homes but the information provided it is a concept drawing and not anything final. Will decide in Jan on whether to vote yes or no on this based on information provided.
Voted YES: Ordinance 2025-16, First Reading. This will amend the current ordinance Section 90.35 (“Farm Animals”). The Dream Center wants the city to allow limited educational and programmatic use of hens by certain nonprofit, educational, and therapeutic organizations. This was explained as a “pilot program”. The Dream Center does awesome work in the community so I decided to vote Yes to see how this goes. The council can change this back to not allow if “things go hay wire.”
Voted NO: Resolution 2025-12 to adopt an Acceptable Use Policy for the City of Easley Elected Officials regarding the use of the city’s information systems. I have a LOT to say on this so there will be another post on this subject!
Voted NO: Resolution 2025-19 to accept roads in the Livingston Park subdivision. Why does the city need to add more roads when they don’t have money to fix the ones we have?!? Sabra Drive off of Hwy 8 is a sorry excuse for a road and absolutely nothing has been done to that road in years! There are many more city roads in this city that is just as bad.
Voted YES: Appointment of Jim Walker to the planning commission. This was tabled last month when they tried to appoint Mr. Walker to a term length longer than allowed by ordinance. Instead of changing the date in that ordinance, they tabled it. I understand former council member Mr. Kent Dykes suggested he apply. His credentials seemed solid. But the process is outlined in the ordinance and ordinances are to be followed.
Voted NO: Appointment of Hilary Koster to the planning commission to replace a member who resigned. There was someone else who was even more qualified that should have been selected than a person who had not attended a council meeting or a planning commission meeting until they decided to run for office.