Public Power Hour

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Public Power Hour is held on a monthly basis. A summary of the comments, questions, and City responses is provided below and listed by event date. Click on the dates below to expand the screen and view the items discussed. Links to view the meeting minutes, which includes full speaker statements and any handouts given to City Council are provided for each of the events as well.

January 23, 2023

Speaker	Question/Comment	City Response
Charity Hodges	Ms. Hodges shared with Council her concerns regarding cars speeding in the Knollwood neighborhood where she lives. She requested council consider inserting speed tables on the roads to slow traffic.	Mayor Williams informed Ms. Hodges that council has studied speed bumps previously and that should council be interested, they could study the issue again.
Burns Newsome	Mr. Newsome spoke in opposition to speed bumps being installed in the Knollwood neighborhood due to cost and that the neighborhood is not high traffic.	Mayor Williams informed Mr. Newsome that if the council re-studies or considers speed bumps it will be done in public format for both sides to present their comments and concerns for council to consider.
Michelle Douglas	Ms. Douglas shared with Council her concerns related to trash in the community along roadways (Five Notch) and businesses (Kroger). What is being done to address the litter issue? Would the city consider a public education campaign?	Mayor Williams informed Ms. Douglas that we have a City Litter Crew who operates full time as well as periodic litter pick-up events. He is also seeking residents to host litter pick-up events and would welcome Ms. Douglas's assistance to spearhead such events. He encouraged Ms. Douglas to report contractors who are not properly picking up after themselves and City personnel will handle accordingly.
Steve Dubay	Mr. Dubay spoke with Council regarding short term rental properties. He is concerned about the lack of regulation of such rentals and encourages Council to review ordinances of other cities to create our own.	Mayor Williams thanked him for sharing the concerns and stated that he will speak with Administration staff about the potential for studying the issue. If so, it will come back to be discussed at a future study session.

February 6, 2023

Speaker	Question/Comment	City Response
Margaret Key	Ms. Key spoke to council about the Aiken Center and substance use incidence and statistics in North Augusta; she provided a handout for each council member. She also spoke about the opioid settlement money available to residents of North Augusta, Aiken County and the State of South Carolina.	Mayor and council members thanked Ms. Key for her presentation and agreed the city needs to work with the Aiken Center to address the substance use needs and issues in the community, including applying for the opioid settlement money.

March 6, 2023

Speaker	Question/Comment	City Response
Nick Bradley	Mr. Bradley spoke about his concerns with fans and parents' actions at recreational sports games at the Activities Center. He is concerned about lack of security present in the facility. He also spoke about access to baseball fields at Riverview Park; he is seeking a process for residents to access the fields and has shared his thoughts with the Parks & Recreation Department. He thinks we can generate revenue if fields are better managed and rented.	Mayor Williams said Council is aware of the lack of security at the Activities Center and on the fields and that Council and staff alike are working to find a solution. With regards to baseball field access, Mayor ensured that staff would further consider all ideas submitted for improvements.
Tom Roberts	Mr. Roberts reports he has a rat infestation in his backyard due to one of his neighbors.	Councilwoman Carpenter shared that Code Enforcement is aware of the house causing such infestation and is investigating. She reported that staff and others are not able to contact the homeowner. Mayor Williams reported that staff is following protocol and should the property owner not respond and comply, the City can legally take action to clean the property.
Don Maxwell	Mr. Maxwell spoke to council about roadways and parking in Riverside Village. Specifically, he spoke about illegal parking on undeveloped lots and Lafayette Street not having access from Lafayette to Brick Pond Park. He would like a pathway created for access.	Council acknowledged the illegal parking and said the developer has committed to installing fence to prevent parking. With regards to the Lafayette street access to Brick Pond Park, staff would look into what the options are.

April 17, 2023

Speaker	Question/Comment	City Response
Ed O'Neal	Mr. O'Neal lives in the neighborhood around North Augusta High School. During peak times, he believes it's a dangerous area with the combination of cars and pedestrians. He is concerned about emergency vehicles being able to drive down the street when there is congestion. He believes someone is going to get hurt during high traffic times. He has reported his concerns to Public Safety and a neighbor has reported concerns with the high school principal.	Mayor and Council discussed that the school has issued letters to parents and students requesting the prescribed traffic patterns be used. Parents are requested to use proper traffic routes for pickup procedures. Council explained that the school district establishes traffic patterns, not the City or Public Safety.
Pam Stewart	Ms. Stewart also lives in the neighborhood around the high school. She has provided pictures as examples of the congestion on the street. She has contacted the school and school board. She also has lots of kids walking through her yard.	Mayor Williams thanked Ms. Stewart for her comments and pictures submitted.

May 1, 2023

Speaker	Question/Comment	City Response
Mike Schneider	The speaker is a resident of the Village at Riverview neighborhood. He wants to request the wooden foot bridge that connects the neighborhood to Riverview Park be repaired. It has been in disrepair since October (in his recollection). The board of his neighborhood has spoken with the PRT Director with their request for repairs.	Mayor Williams shared that the City is getting away from using wooden structures. This particular bridge should have been replaced long ago. Staff is looking into replacing it with a metal bridge. At this point we do not have funds budgeted to pay for such a repair. We may be able to look into using ARPA funding for a new bridge.
Henry Mackie	The speaker wanted to share on behalf of the neighborhood residents to move ahead quickly with replacement of the bridge.	Mayor Williams thanked the speaker for his comments.
Julie Bush	The speaker shared that the property value of their neighborhood is enhanced by the bridge and access to the park and Greeneway. We don't like to walk in the street.	Mayor Williams thanked the speaker for her comments and said council will be evaluating the bridge replacement in the near future.
Tom Kinney	The speaker shared a painting of Bunting Park with council that his wife painted. He gifted the painting to mayor and council.	Mayor Williams thanked Mr. Kinney for the painting.

June 5, 2023

Speaker	Question/Comment	City Response
Pam Demyers	Ms. Demyers shared with Council her concerns about a special event rental at Falmouth Park in Hammond's Ferry during Masters week. She lives next door to the park since 2021 and during the 2022 and 2023 Masters week, she reports that the event has loud bands, loud generators and she is not able to sit on her porch due to noise. She requested that council move the special event tent and festivities to another location.	Mayor Williams shared that the City rents both Falmouth Park and Boeckh Park to the same entity during Masters week for a special event. He shared that all across North Augusta residents have periodic noise events due to the various ball fields, special events, and development happening across the city. He stated that he would review the contract for the event to evaluate whether the amount of prep work and set up could be reduced to lessen the impact on the neighbors.
Tom Roberts	Mr. Roberts created a poster that he wants on display at the bulletin board at one of the Greeneway trail entrances. The poster pays homage to former Mayor Tom Greene.	Mayor Williams thanked Mr. Roberts for his efforts and asked that he leave the poster so staff could look into the best place to post it.
Ross Douglas	Mr. Douglas shared his thoughts and concerns related to development in his neighborhood, which has active construction nearby. He indicated that his comments are not for action in response, he just wanted to share his and his neighbors experiences.	Mayor Williams asked Mr. Douglas to submit his comments to him in writing so that council and staff can address specific issues that residents have experienced.

July 17, 2023

Speaker	Question/Comment	City Response
Mr. Patrick Zier	Mr. Zier shared with Mayor and Council his concerns with the street trees in a portion of his neighborhood, Hammond's Ferry. A certain type of tree is planted in the area where he lives that he believes has caused property damage from invasive roots. He shared that he had reported his concerns with City Administration and was hoping for a response and solution.	Mayor Williams thanked Mr. Zier for sharing his comments and concerns. Mayor acknowledged that the issue had been studied and considered for a lengthy period of time, and that City Administration had referred the matter to the insurance company. City Administration had planned to meet with the insurance company this week and would provide Mayor and Council with an update.
Ms. Brooke Usry	Ms. Usry requested to Mayor and Council to purchase a portion of City property located behind her property line. She wanted to buy only a portion of the city property, which contains the Greeneway trail.	Mayor Williams expressed concerns with setting a precedent by selling portions of property, particularly property along the Greeneway. Council members shared initial reactions as well. Mayor and Council will need to further evaluate the pros and cons of selling a portion of this City property.

August 7, 2023

Speaker	Question/Comment	City Response
Christopher Herndon	Mr. Herndon shared concerns regarding speeding traffic on Pisgah Road. He and his neighbors/concerned residents have put together a list of three items to petition that City Council and the State Department of Transportation: 1) allow use of speed cameras on the road; 2) install speed bumps on the roads in the area; 3) install entrance and exit ramps off I-20 onto Five Notch Road. His full description of the petition was provided to Council and will be included in study session minutes.	Mayor and Council discussed their thoughts about traffic in the area and some of his recommendations. Among the many comments, Mayor Williams mentioned that we are a growing city and need to remember that it comes with challenges.

September 18, 2023

Speaker	Question/Comment	City Response
April Jordan	Ms. Jordan is the Director of the Cumbee Center to Assist Abused Persons and she spoke about the purple ribbons that will be placed on light poles in downtown during the month of October in recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month.	Mayor Williams thanked Ms. Jordan for speaking to council.

October 2, 2023

Speaker	Question/Comment	City Response
Stephanie Humphrey on behalf of William Gunnells	Mr. Gunnells removed a number of trees from what he thought was his property so he could install a swimming pool. He received a permit from the City to install the pool on that portion of what he thought was his property. Recently he received a stop work order related to pool installation because the pool was deemed to be over the property line. Furthermore, there seems to be confusion regarding the pool location meeting city code. The property Mr. Gunnells has encroached upon is City owned. Can he purchase a portion or all of the property? If so, can the confusion on pool location get resolved?	Mayor Williams said that he had been advised of the situation. Firstly, Council is not inclined to sell City property. Secondly, staff will need to review the location of the pool again, and can compare permit issued with Mr. Gunnells's plans. Staff will be in contact with Mr. Gunnells regarding the issue.

November 6, 2023

Speaker	Question/Comment	City Response
Milledge Murray	Mr. Murray spoke with council regarding the life and history of former North Augusta resident Starkey Flythe. He suggested a historical monument and/or marker be placed on the future public safety headquarters property to honor his life since he once occupied a house on the site.	Mayor and Council thanked him for the presentation and generally agreed an acknowledgement of his life should be placed at the site. Much evaluation should take place to make it an appropriate marker.
Steven Ferguson	Mr. Ferguson, of Jackson Rescue Squad, spoke with council about his medical transport business and their upcoming event whereby bedridden individuals can be taken via their service to see the Hopelands Gardens Christmas lights. This is a free service to the resident. However, they are raising money to pay for the cost of the transport.	Mayor Williams thanked him for what he's doing and said the city could help promote the event on social media.

2022 Power Hour Summaries

January 3, 2022

Speaker	Question/Comment	City Response
Jimmy Crawford	Requested speed bumps be installed on certain city streets.	City council has received information from staff re: speed bumps previously and did not take action. Majority of roads in city are state-owned roads that do not allow speed bumps. Current city code does not allow speed bump installation.
Kent Sullivan	Expressed concern regarding proposed private commercial & residential development near The Rapids neighborhood that was heard during the December 2021 Planning Commission. Has concerns with the area having only one entrance/exit for the area and increased traffic.	Council thanked Mr. Sullivan for his comments, understood traffic concerns, and said they would monitor the potential development as it navigates the planning & development requirements and Planning Commission recommendations.

February 7, 2022

March 7, 2022

Speaker	Question/Comment	City Response
Katherine Martin & Rachel Griffin	Ms. Martin updated Mayor and Council on the programs and special events being hosted by the North Augusta Cultural Arts Council. More information about the Cultural Arts Council can be found on their website here. Ms. Griffin announced to Mayor and Council about a grant the Kisner Foundation recently made to provide access to dance for youth in the North Augusta area.	Mayor and Council thanked the speakers for updating them and the city on the special arts-related activities happening in the community.
Janice Krause	Ms. Krause updated Mayor and Council about the bluebird boxes on the Greeneway. There are currently 36 boxes with three more planning to be installed. This is a project that began in 2015 and the boxes are maintained by volunteers.	Ms. Krause was thanked for the update and lauded for her efforts to maintain the program.

April 4, 2022

Speaker	Question/Comment	City Response
April Jordan	Ms. Jordan spoke with Mayor and Council about her organization, the Cumbee Center. The Center serves victims of sexual assault and domestic violence in North Augusta and the region. They have placed teal ribbons on the light poles along Georgia Ave. for social awareness. More information about the Cumbee Center can be found here.	Mayor and Council thanked Ms. Jordan for presenting to them and providing information and services to the City. They had already received positive feedback about the teal ribbons on Georgia Avenue.
Hope Mixon	Ms. Mixon lives in Rushing Waters neighborhood and is concerned that there is no sidewalk along Five Notch Rd. that connects the neighborhood to the neighboring elementary school, Mossy Creek. There are many neighbors who need a safe way to walk their children the short distance to school.	Mayor and Council understood the concerns of Ms. Mixon and were empathetic. Five Notch Rd. is owned by the SC DOT and are responsible for sidewalk installation (as opposed to the city). The city has been in communication with SC DOT about the need for a sidewalk in this location. There are funding and logistical issues with installing the sidewalk, and the city continues to seek solutions.
Tom Roberts	Mr. Roberts proposed a project for high school art students to paint a mural along the Greeneway.	Mayor Williams thanked Mr. Roberts for the suggestion and provided support. The current development code, however, would not allow the mural because the Greeneway is not in the current zoning district that allows murals. For such a mural to be installed, the Planning Commission would need to recommend development code revision to allow murals in zoning district "P" for public, which the Greenway is considered. This is something staff will look into.

May 2, 2022

Speaker	Question/Comment	City Response
Joel Ozburn	In Riverside Village, outside SRP Park, near the entrance to the Wow Club, there is a small step that he thinks should have a strip or be painted to alert people to the step and avoid tripping. Mr. Ozburn also shared concerns that the intersection at Bluff & West is tight for turning vehicles.	The small step he was concerned about being a trip hazard on the exterior of SRP Park has been painted. The West Ave/Bluff Ave intersection was designed and constructed by SCDOT as part of the “Riverfront Road Extensions” project, in accordance with its design requirements at that time. The intersection has 20-foot curb radii and 11-foot travel lanes. The SCDOT has specific design criteria based on traffic volume, design speed, etc. However, they also allow for “Context Sensitive Solutions” (CSS), in accordance with Federal Highway Association standards. CSS allows for flexibility when designing roads to consider the scenic, historic, aesthetic and other cultural values, along with safety and mobility needs. It appears from some of the project-related correspondence that the project design criteria may have included CSS. There are several references to “new urbanist” design standards. Additionally, in one of the articles of correspondence, former City Administrator wrote to the SCDOT Program Manager “The design for the riverfront road extensions reflects careful consideration and analysis by SCDOT of the purposes these roads will serve within the community. They reflect the unique urban/pedestrian friendly riverfront environment within which they will be located.” New urbanist street design elements are intended to keep motorist speeds generally between 10 and 25 mph to promote walkable, bike-friendly environments (this is also referred to as “traffic calming”). Specific elements to achieve this include narrow travel lanes, on-street parking, sidewalks, shade trees, and other amenities. Intersections should also have turning radii that require low speeds. Smaller curb radii and the resulting lower vehicle turning speed increases the likelihood that motorists will see and yield to pedestrians and also shorten the distance and time pedestrians need to walk across an intersection. The intersection appears to function exactly as intended.
Fred Ilardi	Mr. Ilardi voiced multiple concerns, which included: speeding watercraft on the Savannah River (primarily jet skis); parking in non-authorized areas of Riverside Village; not utilizing the Medac parking deck during certain GreenJackets baseball games; Riverside Village parking meter operations and revenue; and total amount of property taxes paid for the Clubhouse apartment building this year versus last year.	Public Safety has notified SC DNR regarding citizen complaint of racing jet skis on the river. The City is aware of the parking that takes place in the gravel lot between the stadium deck and elevated Georgia Avenue roadway. This area is primarily SCDOT right of way with a small portion being private property alongside the parking deck and a large greenspace directly behind the parking deck. The City utilizes the SCDOT right of way for driveway purposes to access brick pond park. As none of this property is under City ownership, we do not have the authority to post signs without permission nor block access. The parking meters in Riverside Village are working. Monthly parking revenues vary by month depending on whether baseball is in season, the number of events held in Riverside Village, and a variety of other reasons. The Medac parking deck is utilized for GreenJackets games as necessary. Payment for parking is collected at all three parking decks - stadium, hotel and Medac. There are times that the Medac deck is not used for a game, for reasons such as: low pre-game ticket sales that don't necessitate opening the Medac deck (such as weekday daytime games) because the other decks can handle the parking demand; special events occurring in the area that consume parking in the Medac deck; majority of game attendees are arriving on buses not personal vehicles (such as school trips); or low parking staff availability. When the Medac deck is closed, parkers utilize the other two decks and revenue is collected at either of those sites. The Clubhouse apartment building property taxes this year are $50,205.65. With late penalty, the property taxes due are $57,742.81. The facility spans multiple parcels and, thus, has multiple TMS numbers. The "$36,000" due in property taxes (as referenced during the Power Hour) represents just one of the parcels/TMS numbers. Property tax information is publicly available on the city's website here.

June 6, 2022

Speaker	Question/Comment	City Response
Callie Oldfield	Made a presentation regarding the Phinizy Center for Water Sciences, including the types of work performed monitoring the Savannah River water quality. Made a request for the City to include the Center in its annual budget at an amount of $15,000.	Mayor and Council asked questions about Center operations and made comments about appropriateness of City providing funding through the budget, or would the County be a better funding partner. During the upcoming City budget process this request could be considered again.
Joel Ozburn	Made comments regarding the downtown-area block between First Baptist Church and Pink Dipper, commenting that the area is not attractive and more trees should be planted in this area.	Mayor Williams responded that this recommendation will be taken into consideration and there is a chance that trees will be included as part of the forthcoming Georgia Avenue Traffic Calming study.
Ken Smith	Made presentation to Council about the current happenings and events of the North Augusta Cultural Arts Council.	Mayor and Council appreciated the update on the activities of the Arts Council and vocalized support for their efforts.

July 18, 2022

Speaker	Question/Comment	City Response
Suzanne Sweigert	Ms. Sweigert commented that the slide at Riverview Park gets hot, and could hurt children. She commented that a shade structure over the slide/playground would be helpful.	Mayor and Council thanked Ms. Sweigert for her comment and assured her that staff would consider such a shade structure but the items have been cost prohibitive to deploy them in additional locations.
Jared Littrell	Mr. Littrell owns a towing company and would like to be added to the rotation list for Public Safety to call as needed. He has been in contact with Public Safety but has never been selected to participate in the rotation. He is deeply frustrated with the process for inclusion on the rotation list.	Mayor Williams thanked Mr. Littrell for his comments and advised him that council would look more into the issue and get back in touch with him.
Rachel Griffin	Ms. Griffin owns the North Augusta School of Dance, which backs up to the alleyway off of Bluff. She has seen in the news that a neighboring property is looking to close the alleyway to vehicles as part of a Greeneway connector. Her concern is that traffic exiting her property most of the time needs to utilize the alleyway. If the alley was closed to vehicles there would be no safe, efficient traffic flow opportunity for her customers.	Mayor Williams advised Ms. Griffin that city council has not had a discussion about the Greeneway coming into downtown via the alleyway. North Augusta Forward's plans for have utilized prior studies that show the Greeneway coming downtown using the alley to build their renderings. He advised that when the time comes to have that public discussion, she and other citizens will have the opportunity to share their thoughts and concerns.

August 1, 2022

Speaker	Question/Comment	City Response
Ed Belsom	Mr. Belsom spoke on behalf of Leyland Place homeowners association regarding flooding of a ditch near their neighborhood. He also separately met with Mayor Williams regarding the flooding issue. The water from the ditch regularly overflows into multiple back yards. The ditch is owned by a private property owner. He requested Council use stormwater funds to repair the ditch to prevent overflowing. Mrs. Belsom extemporaneously spoke and thanked the City for cleaning out the ditch on an annual basis when she calls because it helps to alleviate the flooding.	Mayor Williams confirmed the City does not own the ditch. The City Administrator and Public Works Director are aware of this neighborhood's request. This project is eligible for CPST IV funds; once funding from CPST IV becomes available (after being unencumbered from other priority projects in the future), Council could consider this project request.
Michael McCauley	Mr. McCauley requested that City Parks staff more regularly maintain the Palmetto Parkway trail for the benefit of users, primarily bicyclists. He also requested the City improve the parking lot & open space at the trail head of the Palmetto Parkway off Auscauga Lake Rd. Improved signage, beautification and cameras would make visitors feel more safe and comfortable to leave their car parked there while using the trail.	Mayor Williams thanked Mr. McCauley for his comments. He stated the City is aware of the need to improve the parking lot and has met with entities who are interested in co-locating on that site to help share the cost and access to the parking and trail. However, there's nothing planned at this time. The City does plan to improve the site in the future.
Matthew Williams	Mr. Williams spoke about the Palmetto Parkway and that it should be more regularly maintained and mowed. He requested maintenance of the parkway be put on a regular schedule.	Mayor Williams stated that the majority of bicyclists need to be on the Palmetto Parkway not the Greeneway. The Greeneway is priority for regular maintenance because it's designed for walkers. Council agreed that maintenance of the parkway could be improved. However, it's complicated because the City does not own the parkway, but maintains it at the request of its residents.
Janice Krause	Ms. Krause stated that its dangerous to ride bicycles on Riverside Blvd while the Greeneway Bridge is out and asked about the status of the bridge replacement.	Mayor Williams said that a specific timeframe is not available but council had approved the bridge design and fund expenditure to repair the bridge.

September 19, 2022

Speaker	Question/Comment	City Response
April Jordan	Ms. Jordan spoke on behalf of the Cumbee Center about the purple ribbons that will be placed on light poles downtown during the month of October and Domestic Violence Awareness Month. She wanted to make sure council and residents were aware of the month and the significance of the purple ribbons.	Mayor and Council thanked Ms. Jordan for the Cumbee Center's efforts to bring attention to this worthwhile cause.
Tom Roberts	Mr. Roberts suggested that Mayor and Council consider partnering with local schools to create artwork to be placed along the Greeneway. He indicated a program out of Ackworth, GA was the inspiration for his suggestion. He offered to assist with fundraising and recruitment of student participation if Council chose to pursue the project.	Mayor Williams thanked Mr. Roberts for bringing this project to Council's attention for consideration.
Katie Smallwood & Robbie Bell	Ms. Smallwood shared with Mayor and Council an update on the pickleball tournament that was held at the North Augusta Activities Center in August, and that they were pleased with the facilities and turnout. Mr. Bell requested that the City consider installing permanent outdoor pickleball courts in a City park, specifically suggesting a location at the former Country Club property.	Mayor and Council agreed that pickleball is a growing sport and gaining momentum in the Aiken County area. They thanked the speakers for their update and request.
Rod Greenway	Mr. Greenway requested the City to paint its activity bus which is used to transport children to camp. Mr. Greenway stated that he had also let the Parks & Recreation Department (who coordinates use of the bus) know that he intended to make the request.	Mayor and Council thanked Mr. Greenway for attending and making his request.
Fred Ilardi	Mr. Ilardi spoke about his concerns with parking revenue in Riverside Village and his ability to understand the financial records of the City.	Mayor Williams thanked Mr. Ilardi for his comments.

October 3, 2022

Speaker	Question/Comment	City Response
Joel Ozburn	On behalf of the North Augusta Cultural Arts Council, Mayor and Council are invited to attend a veterans concert on November 7 at 7:00 p.m. at Grace United Methodist Church. The event features patriotic music by the Savannah River Winds. Handouts were provided to council regarding the event.	Mayor Williams thanked the speaker for the invitation and information about the event.
Eddie Hipp	Mr. Hipp spoke to Council regarding proposed homes to be built behind the Chanticleer neighborhood, which would expand the neighborhood by over 100 new homes. He and many neighbors are not in support of the new homes being built, creating more traffic. Mr. Hipp inquired whether the action item recommended by Planning Commission will come in front of City Council for consideration, and if the development was built, would a traffic light be installed outside the neighborhood on Martintown Rd.	Mayor Williams advised Mr. Hipp that the Planning Commission is appointed by the mayor and approved by council, and they have certain authorities for planning-related actions. Mayor Williams stated that he would look into whether the action related to the new homes in the neighborhood would come to council for consideration.

November 7, 2022

Speaker	Question/Comment	City Response
Linda Skinner	Ms. Skinner shared with council that the 2022 Christmas Tour of Homes will be held December 2 & 3 this year. The event is hosted by the Beta Sigma Phi sorority and proceeds from the event help fund scholarships for local high school students.	Mayor Williams thanked Ms. Skinner for the presentation of information
Cheri Watkins	Ms. Watkins suggested to council the following three items for the Public Safety Department to consider: 1) Civilian Oversight Board, 2) Institute training for officers regarding persons in mental health crisis, and 3) Participate in a mobile crisis response team. Ms. Watkins also provided information packets for Mayor and Council regarding law enforcement and interacting with persons with mental illness.	Mayor Williams thanked Ms. Watkins for the presentation and information packets.

December 5, 2022

2021 Power Hour Summaries

June 7, 2021

Speaker	Question/Comment	City Response
John Felak	On-street parking along Carolina Ave. near the Lookaway Inn: can parallel parking stripes be painted on the roadway to indicate official parking spaces?	Carolina Ave. is a street owned and maintained by SCDOT. City staff evaluated the road for parking striping utilizing SCDOT standards and has prepared an encroachment permit for review and approval by SCDOT.
Jan Menger	Greeneway crossing at Pisgah near Five Notch Rd: the blinking yellow lights that alert motorists to the approach of pedestrians do not work properly.	The infrared detector on the approach from I-20 is not working; City staff notified the SCDOT signal division who was aware of the issue and is waiting to receive a replacement part. City staff will monitor and follow up with SCDOT until the repair is made. The City was able to verify that the flasher buttons are working on both sides of the road.
Dianne L'Heureux	Riverside Village: 1) the promenade between the hotel and stadium regularly has trash/debris and no public trash cans are available; 2) visitors to the area regularly park outside designated areas, specifically in "no parking" zones (including on sidewalks).	Trash rollcarts have been placed temporarily in the promenade until new, permanent trash receptacles can be installed. City staff are working on a solution for installing additional barriers to prevent vehicles from parking on sidewalks and in "no parking" zones. Public Safety is patrolling Riverside Village and issuing parking citations for violators.
Saren Bright	Ms. Bright spoke with council about sidewalks and lighting in her neighborhood; she also shared neighbor engagement ideas from her neighborhood newsletter.	A copy of Ms. Bright's neighborhood newsletter is provided in the June 7, 2021 meeting minutes.

Click here to view the minutes of the Public Power Hour, which includes full speaker statements and any documents provided to City Council.

July 19, 2021

Speaker	Question/Comment	City Response
Ross Douglas	Mr. Douglas expressed concern for future development and increased traffic in the Knollwood neighborhood. Among suggestions made for alleviating traffic impact were installation of speed bumps.	City leaders recognize that Knollwood residents are concerned with traffic and future development plans. City Council will place the topic of speed bumps on a future study session agenda to be discussed.
Dianne L'Heureux	Will a process or protocol be put into place to provide an update to residents who ask questions to council at a Public Power Hour that aren't immediately able to be addressed?	Yes, residents whose questions require personal follow-up will be contacted within a week of their Public Power Hour by City staff. Additionally, all Public Power Hour comments/questions and responses will be posted at www.northaugusta.net/mayor.

Note: Two additional residents, not formally signed up to speak, also volunteered to speak about their concerns with proposed development and traffic impacts on the Knollwood neighborhood.

August 2, 2021

No residents formally signed up to speak prior to the event. The following individuals requested to speak during open call at the event:

Speaker	Question/Comment	City Response
Dave Sam	Across the city, it is concerning the number of drivers who disregard yellow and red traffic lights. Examples of specific roads where running of lights occurs include: West Ave., Martintown Rd., Georgia Ave., Bunting Drive.	Council members expressed their own concern with specific intersections and roads. Public Safety Department will evaluate traffic concerns related to running of lights and address as appropriate.
Tom Kinney	Multiple comments delivered; in summary - people drive fast through neighborhoods and their cars are loud; the City needs additional Code Enforcement Officers.	Public Safety Department will evaluate speeding claims and address as appropriate. The Planning & Development Department has one Code Enforcement Officer to address needs in the community.
Kevin Adams	Multiple comments delivered; in summary - residents of Belvedere and areas closely surrounding North Augusta can't vote in City elections.	That is correct; voting for North Augusta municipal elections are restricted to municipal residents.

September 20, 2021

Speaker	Question/Comment	City Response
Carol Henson	Last week during a heavy rainstorm, the street she lives on, Bentley Drive, experienced significant flooding. Additionally, there was water and mud washed down from a nearby construction site onto Bentley Dr. further compounding the mess.	City Engineering Department has evaluated the current stormwater inlet in the neighborhood; they are designing and will be installing a new inlet to decrease frequency of blocking. This will allow free flow of water in the appropriate path into and through the storm drain system. City Stormwater personnel have contacted the neighboring construction site owner regarding runoff from the site and will monitor closely the site for compliance.
Steve Donohue	Multiple items were presented to council for consideration, including: 1) he would like to see more financial information related to Riverside Village posted on the City's website, 2) he would like to see the City's website improved overall for navigation and 3) he would like the noise ordinance to be amended to address leaf blower use on Sunday morning.	City staff regularly works to improve city website layout for best navigation possible and experience for users and will take comments into consideration for future improvements. Example revised noise ordinance language was provided by Mr. Donohue to City Council members to review. Mr. Donohue also provided Mayor and Council his estimated revenues for Riverside Village.
Tom Kinney	Mr. Kinney reported concern for tree branches that are overgrown onto power lines; his concern is power outages in the future during inclement weather. He has reported these concerns to Dominion Energy for their review and handling.	Mayor and Council thanked Mr. Kinney for his concerns and sharing that Dominion had been contacted.
Gordon Maner	Mr. Maner shared with Mayor and Council that he recently relocated to North Augusta and appreciated the leadership of council.	Mayor and Council thanked Mr. Maner for his comments and support.

October 4, 2021

Speaker	Question/Comment	City Response
Joel Ozburn	On behalf of the North Augusta Cultural Arts Council, Mayor and Council are invited to attend a veterans concert on November 8 at 7:30 p.m. at Grace United Methodist Church. The event features patriotic music by the Savannah River Winds. Handouts were provided to council regarding the event.	Mayor Williams thanked the speaker for the invitation and information about the event.

November 1, 2021

Speaker	Question/Comment	City Response
Steve Donohue	Made additional comments re: city noise ordinance and leaf blowers. Had questions regarding Project Jackson - how has the city made up the revenue loss from parking?	Mayor responded saying he wanted to update the EMMA report and the financial model to better show our financial situation related to paying bonds.

December 6, 2021

Speaker	Question/Comment	City Response
Kristy Atkins	Requested council to allow water utility hook up to mobile homes on parcels not inside city limits.	City Council will have staff provide additional information regarding utility provision for mobile homes outside city limits and mobile home vs. modular homes allowable in city limits.

North Augusta, SC

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