Florence City Council narrowly approves elections ordinance

FLORENCE — Florence City Council on Monday narrowly approved the ordinance providing for this year’s municipal elections and unanimously denied a funding request for last year’s S.C. Black Family Expo.

Councilman Ed Robinson said holding municipal contests during a general election will bring out voters who are more interested in voting for a presidential or Congressional candidate.

“These things, in my opinion, should not affect the local elections,” he said.

The elections ordinance provides for three Nov. 4 contests, for mayor and two at-large council seats.

The city’s elections previously had been held in May. The vote to change the date took place nearly a year ago and wasn’t unanimous, Florence City Manager David Williams said.

The council voted 3-2 Monday on the ordinance to hold this year’s elections. Councilmen Bill Bradham, Buddy Brand and Rick Woodard voted for the ordinance, while Billy D. Williams and Robinson voted against it.

Mayor Frank Willis was ill and did not attend Monday’s meeting, and councilman Bobby Holland was out of town.

The county elections commission will hold Florence’s elections, while the city’s election commission will certify the results and rule on any challenges during the elections, city attorney Jim Peterson said.

Willis, a Democrat, has said he plans to seek another term as mayor.

Planning to run for two at-large council seats are incumbents Holland and Woodard and Glynn Willis, chairman of the Florence County/Municipal Planning Commission. The candidates will face one another in the Republican primary in June.

Also Monday, Robinson made the motion to deny the recommended S.C. Black Family Expo funding, but wouldn’t say why.

During the fall, council approved the recommended distribution of $344,000 in estimated collections of the 2 percent state accommodations tax. The vote, following an amendment by Robinson, allowed the council to further consider the $6,500 for the event, whose organizers requested $10,000.

Council also voted 3-2 to approve a resolution calling for a moratorium on home foreclosures and for the U.S. Congress to enact a Homeowners and Bank Protection Act. Cities across the country have considered the same resolution, Florence officials said.

Brand and Bradham voted against the resolution.

“I don’t think the council can control the sale of homes or the banking industry,” Bradham said.

Brand said such measures would create more bureaucracy in government. Robinson said the country’s economic situation will require a bailout at some point.

Council also voted unanimously to require the Civitan Club and to enter a written agreement with the city before placing U.S. flags in the city’s flag ring, at David McLeod Boulevard and West Evans Street.

“The biggest concern of mine is that at the time this was passed by council, there was nothing in writing ... and that’s not the way we usually do business,” said Bradham, who added the club is “as fine a club as anyone could be a member of.”

The council voted 6-1 last month to allow, pending a S.C. Transportation Department encroachment permit, the local Civitan Club to place flags at the flag ring for businesses that paid a fee. The club previously placed the flags in front of businesses that paid the fee.

No advertising would be allowed in the flag ring, Florence Public Works Director Drew Griffin said last month.

Council also voted unanimously to approve a rezoning request for McLeod Regional Medical Center-owned properties on the 1000 blocks of Cox and Cheves streets and the 200 block of Kemp Street. The properties would be rezoned from a multifamily residential district to a commercial area.

In addition, council unanimously approved a request to annex residential property at 1619 Southwood Court, owned by Audrey Robinson.