 We got some more time on between first and second reading okay so all right we're gonna go ahead and get started we missed miss mcdowell is not gonna be with us of course mr. Badura okay all right welcome everyone to City Hall if you would mind standing up join us for the Pudge of Allegiance thank you medical worth of thanks thank you medical father God we bless you for this day thank you for allowing this council to come together to do the people's work give us the wisdom of discernment and bless those that are not with us today for reasons of family health we asking your name I'm in man thank you we ask everyone to keep red McDowell's family in your in your in your prayers his mother's going to some very difficult times right now so we'll miss him it's any public input on the items on the agenda saying I'm a city manager so we would ask you all to adopt the agenda I'll move second second discussion with the previous question quote color all mr. Rickerman mr. Duvall hi mr. Vine mr. Davis mr. Benjamin hi very much in a moment quickly a personal privilege before we get started because you will be seeing her a lot more often we have a new member of the city family who's was going to be helping miss Moore this lady girl Hollis we're so excited that we have our new deputy city clerk in place and stand up lady stand up lady all the way from Columbia South America but not right now but a native awesome welcome aboard lady all right so we will begin mr. mayor if you could open a public hearing and then an ordinance first reading an ordinance number 2019 055 amending the 1998 code of ordinances of the city of Columbia South Carolina chapter 23 utilities and engineering article 5 water and sewer rates section 23146 hydrogen the motion so move second I apologize is anyone here speaking a favor of or against the site discussion council if not motion by mr. Davis so second second second it's the discussion amongst council seeing none will move the previous question quote color all mr. Rickerman mr. Duvall hi mr. Vine hi mr. Davis mr. Benjamin hi our ordinance first reading ordinance number 2019 022 amending the 1998 code of ordinances of the city of Columbia South Carolina chapter 2 administration to add article 7 conviction in wage history prohibition in city employment and by city contractors and city vendors so moved is there a second second second moving second and mr. Davis said that we're gonna have obviously some time between the first and second reading to discuss the the ordinance more but I believe this is a strong statement that we believe strongly in second chances and in some cases for people to have the first chance to participate in this American economic experiment and I'm proud to support this ordinance for the discussion mr. Rickerman please put your microphone down Daniel I think one of the concerns I have and have with this is that we don't have a policy in place that once and our job is offered that we are moving forward as a city and on doing a background check at that point because we're our employees are exposed and interact with children with elderly in all types of people and unfortunately I've lost a little faith in the system because it's clear to me that you know second chances I think are great everybody deserves it we've all had them but the offenders that are out there today are multiple times I mean there our court systems are releasing people left and right the majority of the crimes that we're seeing so for me I believe we ought to give the person the opportunity and the benefit of the doubt I guess my concern is is I don't what's the next step we say that if we're offering a job we're gonna look at that but we have no policy in place that states that and I think it's important that we have something similar to that as part of this so that you know do things don't slip through their cracks or we don't put ourselves or our public in harm's way and I'm not sure I don't know the right terminology I'm not sure what the right way to do that but I think it's something we need to consider between these readings absolutely nothing all all wise advice and counsel and something we must have in place I mean we we know that we've got to make sure that everything we do is in the interest of not just creating opportunity but also protecting the public that we're sworn to serve whether it be in our parks system or working closely just with citizens every single day we our police officers have last year probably had 150,000 contacts with citizens and it's it's it's critical so that maybe something we need to spend some time with with Pam between now and next meeting just making sure that though that blocking and tackling is in place to make sure that we're doing all the right things I think it's important that we live within the values of the city and we can do that we can do that mr. Davis yeah that might if that allows some comfort level then I don't have a problem with it that may be an opportunity to maybe look at some of the other municipalities that have gone in this direction see what their experiences is and what some of the language might look like to give us the assurance that absolutely we have those assures so let's make sure that's something we're great for Pam to engage with us on individually and we don't thank you I mean we've been we've been walking the walk for some time anyway and this is formalizing the process we want to thank staff and legal Patrick and others really for embracing this and let's let's spend some time making sure I think this is the type of thing obviously you never have unanimous support in everything you do but it's important that if you're able to do it by making sure you cross wall teased out all the eyes this is the type of thing you want to make sure you have the type of broad support for by doing it and doing it right so Mrs. Benjamin was apparently looking at us on the internet and came on up here so they thank you very much directive human resources all right move the previous question resolutions yes sir item three resolution number 2019 032 adopting a fair chance policy to prohibit inquiry into conviction history information or wage history information so moved second same discussion per Daniels and Sam's comments it's important note to for those who are familiar with with with these policies regarding second chances and man the box is that we're also talking about wage history here recognizing the significant disparities that exist and particularly more so via by sex women are paid significantly less than than men and requiring previous wage history to be a part of the factors and making decisions usually perpetuates that that that history of discrimination so by taking that off off of the application also it's an opportunity for us to begin to rectify some of our major societal challenges so that's also part of the of the new approach when we the previous question I call it all Mr. Rickman I Mr. Duvall I Mr. DeVine I Mr. Davis Mayor Benjamin I Ms. Duvine I was just going to say to both of those policies you know the one thing that is all of us are watching the debates on the national level regarding issues that you know just quite honestly the federal government has not been able to effectively address in a meaningful way but when you look at people who are actually doing things that are improving the lives of citizens it is local government and cities and towns and counties across this country are implementing policies like ban the box and deleting wage history and it's really making a difference and so you know think back to us and the bump stock and people thinking that that was you know far and you know we were the national leader on that and so these as well I believe we are the leaders on these issues and I think that we'll see that they will be widely accepted by not just the citizens that we're serving but help build our economy here locally and statewide thank you make it and to the manager yes our item for resolution number 2019 059 adopting a policy and criteria to apply Richland County's commercial development tax credit for developments within the city of Columbia their motion I move second second some tentativeness move the previous I'm sorry discussion yeah you know I'll be quite honest I think that this is premature for us to take up I think one of the things that our staff is working on is really assessing why our tax situation is is where how it spread I think the work that Jeff is is engaging with Dr. Goodlachson would really give us a real inside look at how to address it because the way I read this and the way I've looked at it you know this is a far cry from what we've done before and basically any new person from out of town comes in so if you look at it for every you have to get three businesses to make up for the one that's here where a lot of the burden is going to shift to those people who are already paying which is is one of the things that I'm concerned about I think you know good intentions here thought process but not thought all the way through and my suggestion would be is that we work with the county and really identify what our tax situation is why are the costs the way they are where how does that burden transport from the different we know we've identified non-tax paying as part of the issue but you know we really didn't dive into the other elements what's causing that I think it'd be prudent to do that before we we engage and just jump into this in my humble opinion I'm intrigued about the other elements regarding this in addition to you know the nonprofit challenges that we have Daniel the non-tax paying I think it's important most of the things that we've been able to do at least within the city have been opportunities that we brought to the to the county although we are not a state of 150 cities or a state of 46 counties and most of the tools available are available to them under the state constitution and state statutes I agree this this is this is not perfect but I don't want to let the perfect be the enemy of the good we found a point where at least we have some agreement I believe that every single one of those conversations I do believe that the that the public would be favorably impressed with the level of conversation that we've had some in the public domain some in the executive session because of the legal considerations but but the depth and exactly how robust discussions have been on the concerns that mr. Rickman and mr. Davis specifically but every member of council has regarding non-tax paying citizens the reality that 76.5% of our real estate and areas not on the tax rolls here you combine that with the impact of Act 388 and its impact on residential property it creates an incredibly challenging situation so that the regular commercial taxpayers are still bearing a disproportionate amount significantly disproportionate amount of the burden and it has arrested development to a degree here in the city I so however do not want to look at give horse in the mouth and I think if we if we have an opportunity to find some consensus with the county while the very same time continue to push on all those other issues I want to do it I want to make sure we take advantage of it so I'm not so much disagreeing Daniel but I want to do and plus as opposed to a hard stop mr. Duvall mr. Mayor and council I hope that we will pass this resolution also because it is such a general resolution and it requires that go back through county and city councils for each individual project it only sets a threshold of 30 million dollars is about the hardest fact that it has in there the rest of it has to be determined by city and county staff and city and county council this is a an effort by the county to put forward some sort of roadmap for how we will treat future tax credits and although I agree with mr. recommend that this is an imperfect policy it is an effort from the county side to reach out to the city and I think we need to reach out to the county and adopt the policy with whatever flaws it has and work through those flaws as we get projects that qualify to be treated by this policy thank you any other commentaries not I hope you didn't understand my point to be in question I don't have a problem again going with this but I think we all know what the bottom line is of where we where we want to be eventually end up so I mean I can live with where we're heading now but to continue to look at it research it see what our experiences are and and if down the road it becomes necessary we can tweak it absolutely absolutely all right we'll move the previous question concerns duly noted with the recognition there's a whole lot more work to do and we don't want to take off it off the gas when it comes to that that's the manager all right with the previous question for color all mr. recommend mr. Duvall hi mr. Devin hi mr. Davis hi mr. Davis hi I move we're going to executive session for receipt of legal advice related to matters covered by attorney client privilege pursuant to 30-4-70 firearms recovered from crimes or criminal activity amend section 8-31 nuisance definitions adding ghost guns extreme risk protection orders tree removal policy parks and recreation foundation municipal court discussion of matters related to proposed location or expansion of services to encourage location or expansion of industries or other businesses pursuant to 78 to have a lanta receipt of legal advice related to a pending threat and a potential claim 30-4-70 a to Lynn Roberson and COC all right is a second any discussion seeing none move the previous question Mr. Rickman mr. Duvall hi mr. David hi mr. Benjamin hi thank you go back to