Florence City Council votes not to restore funding to teen center, Weed and Seed

FLORENCE — A discussion Monday by Florence City Councilman Ed Robinson for the city to open a $2 million line of credit to repair and/or renovate homes will draw breath again at council’s Nov. 9 meeting.

Council members Robinson, Bill Bradham, Mayor Pro Tem Billy D. Williams and Mayor Stephen J. Wukela voted for city staff to prepare a proposal in line with Robinson’s request. Council members Buddy Brand, Octavia Williams-Blake and Steve Powers voted against the measure.

“It is estimated that there have been less than 15 new homes constructed in certain section of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) areas to include North, West and East Florence areas within the last 20 years with the exception of CDBG funds,” Robinson said. “It is also noted there is an approximate 15 to 20 percent decrease in habitable dwellings within these areas as well during the same period.”

Robinson suggested with the $2 million line of credit that the city take one square block and target each house on the block for repairs or renovation. He said funds could be made available by using titles as collateral to the city.

“With this line of credit, we could repair and or renovate 80 houses at an average of $25,000 per house,” he said. “With 80 loans we could begin renovation on a house every month based on payment of $300 a month. At 80 houses, that would yield $24,000 per month and let it run for five years.

“I think it is the city’s responsibility to provide the infrastructure needed to create growth and development. What other options do we have with the CDBG areas of Florence? This is something I would like staff to look at, crunch the numbers and let’s make it work.”

“We’re not in the banking business,” Brand countered. “Two million seems excessive. We’re not up here to lend money.”

Robinson said the city is in the banking business, that it found the money it wanted to redo the downtown. He specifically pointed to the Arts Center, Veterans Park, fire station and others.

He calculated the city was spending $20 million in downtown and that $2 million for the CDBG area he is recommending isn’t that much.

“Whatever we need to do, let’s do it to help those CDBG areas,” he said. “We need to help the people there. We’re starving and hurt and we need help.”

Robinson said he had been working on the Teen Center for eight years.

And in the same breath he questioned whether the Downtown Development Corp. was a private development corporation.

“I want to bring people together by having the Teen Center,” he said. “We need this center for the older kids.”

But his plea fell on deaf ears. Council voted 5-2 not to restore funding to the Teen Center. Voting in the majority were Bradham, Brand, Powers, Williams-Blake and Wukela.

Williams spoke strongly for funding the Pee Dee Community Action Agency’s request for funding its Weed and Seed Program.

Also speaking for the program were Mack Hines, PDCAA director, and Emma Sellers, a volunteer with the Weed and Seed program.

A motion was made by Williams to take $75,000 from the city’s supplemental fund to rescue Weed and Seed. Robinson seconded the motion.

Robinson then proposed an amendment to take $100,000 for two additional police officers and give that money to Weed and Seed “so that we will have a safe haven for our kids.”

Brand noted the Weed and Seed request was last minute coming before council and that 80 percent of the funding for Weed and Seed went for salaries, not the kids.

“All the additional police officers are going to do is take kids to jail,” Robinson said. “They aren’t going to do anything to improve the condition of our community.”

“We’re giving $250,000 for an animal shelter and won’t fund $75,000 for Weed and Seed,” Williams said. “The city of Florence hasn’t given Weed and Seed any money in I don’t know when. Come on fellow council members. Let’s be careful how we do things. Are animals more important than our children?”

The motion to eliminate the two police officers to fund Weed and Seed failed 5-2 with Robinson and Williams voting for it.