[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6101651,"mediaKeyId","2807395-3ff5e65a94bed05c4caad34f70a23dbb","parentId",2807395,"title","Beautification and Public Safety foundations report volunteers, fundraising and events; beautification installs hanging baskets downtown","audioSeconds",535,"startMs",2317000,"endMs",2852000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2807395-3ff5e65a94bed05c4caad34f70a23dbb&start=2317&end=2852","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2807395-3ff5e65a94bed05c4caad34f70a23dbb/thumbnail_2317000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6101651/North-Augusta/Aiken-County/South-Carolina/Beautification-and-Public-Safety-foundations-report-volunteers-fundraising-and-events-beautification-installs-hanging-baskets-downtown","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6101651-09b5251be96ded9c5f60e063202f6b3d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771213735&Signature=FGWNF2Xjd0WXN0YKHOOIeQ3flZqR~7RH8hSPBZlrgd60QEQgXaBEtbZdpfsPLPCjQHFiSc~qtI34PpMztKDUZ4fYPCnqN7g6dgxFEWGJ83NkLaNxvJvNOx0mgNfNOl91CRGSP2eW9ZaOhzUzzMkwUxM-g3SEfAgeTIC18ct9yqMdusjP7jr70n5JmlvEo08G4ZQCgEBhXl-BzIjGFufBCnYKqd~1n3oGpgkAsDD1mJyjgjsv7leIaduhYxEIc48~NZPu33djGxhq3igcv~9oDHm4x9s1whV~7vnN119i-poKbERu1fUAWDLe~lj3zmmQ6AQAVA6haKIjXGUCQj82CA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of North Augusta Public Information","date","2025-03-10T00:00:00Z","article","Two citizen-founded nonprofit foundations provided updates to the council on volunteer projects, fundraising and events. The North Augusta Beautification Foundation reported 44 sponsor-funded downtown hanging baskets (41 already installed), a community cleanup, and plans for a renamed November wine-walk fundraiser (formerly Jessamine Music Festival). The foundation said it has obtained 501(c)(3) status and has run outreach events including Springfest and third-Thursday activities.

The Beautification Foundation credited city crews with helping install the hanging baskets before the Jack O’Lantern Jubilee and said it has partnered with local nurseries and neighboring cities to learn best practices. The group said it raised funds through a raffle (about $3,300 in donations) and reported plans for a recurring, year-over-year secret project not yet detailed to the council.

The North Augusta Public Safety Foundation (NASPF) reported nearly $30,000 raised in 2024 and a 2025 fundraising goal of $40,000. The NASPF said it provided emergency relief grants following Hurricane Helene — $1,500 each to three officers who were displaced — contributed to k-9 officer support and honor-guard uniforms, and distributed holiday cards and $20 gift cards to 110 public safety employees at the chief’s request. NASPF leaders described plans to grow membership, evaluate a payroll-deduction option for employees, and eventually establish an education scholarship fund and an unfunded capital expense project targeted no later than FY2031.

Both foundations said they were citizen-led with city liaisons and two council representatives. Council members praised the volunteer recruitment program that has produced numerous appointees for boards and commissions via the city’s citizen involvement form.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of North Augusta Council Study Session 03/10/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Representatives of the North Augusta Beautification Foundation and the North Augusta Public Safety Foundation updated council on activities including downtown hanging baskets, cleanup events, and foundation fundraising and program goals.","taxTitle","North Augusta, Aiken County, South Carolina","taxId",56877,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6101656,"Post-Helene cleanup: city to seek contract for stormwater detention pond debris removal and reports 100,000 cubic yards moved",2665,1245000,3910000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2807395-3ff5e65a94bed05c4caad34f70a23dbb&start=1245&end=3910","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2807395-3ff5e65a94bed05c4caad34f70a23dbb/thumbnail_1245000.jpg","/articles/6101656/North-Augusta/Aiken-County/South-Carolina/Post-Helene-cleanup-city-to-seek-contract-for-stormwater-detention-pond-debris-removal-and-reports-100000-cubic-yards-moved","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6101656-2eceed90505e2e2622b9de958a8baec8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771213735&Signature=buYohdzacvKHdmXoV7Z8BCqEjAwSuPfinO16ko6Y7VtE259UpxUiS7BzFX9GDuScbWFFt2BfzsODcj7kqlFhR00xdFIQDejnCWlWYy6foG7~OOGUIUHT6cO6S70FE47r3QodsCfr90IKCederBYwl8yp7FV08kTEhH517GgouRPOZt3u9XqNIYqBsmSjZRt10f2iL24u9XJZOoOXKrlUjuPW2vIQ8cAM0Z7JBg4wty0ltgNZwF-HiHqXNXJFsRxUy46QSiyIFHf0oBse2-ehdoKTlWrPizj9hhczvQq4R~VR3q6XuZwPptpBDWqWmTl7qy3Skzk~PDJQ3TnKmSXmgw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City staff briefed the council on ongoing recovery from Hurricane Helene, reporting that contractors and city crews have processed more than 100,000 cubic yards of debris and that two temporary city debris sites have been closed after consolidation to contracted sites.

A resolution (2025-08) to authorize a contract for debris and obstruction removal related to repairs of public stormwater detention facilities will be on the upcoming council agenda. Staff said the city solicited bids, received at least seven or eight offers, and plans to present an award to the low bidder at the council meeting. The work targets 11 stormwater detention ponds the city is responsible for; crews have identified trees and large debris in those ponds that can disrupt water flow and require removal.

Public works staff also discussed stump-removal operations in Hammond Hills, where SCDOT crews are working on stump removal along Hamilton Drive and nearby streets. Staff said stump work will continue for several weeks because of the neighborhood’s density of downed trees.

Officials described changes to yard-waste collection after the storm: the city has a limited yard-waste operation that accepts only bagged debris or material in yard carts; piles left in yards will not be removed unless the material is bagged or placed in a yard cart. Staff said the council has not directed a permanent policy change and that the modified pickup approach remains in effect until normal operations can resume.

City staff also noted grinding operations and consolidation at larger sites (Riverside Boulevard/Buena Vista), and that two prior city consolidation sites (Fifth Street Bridge, Belvedere) are closed. Staff said they will return to council with the recommended contract award for stormwater-pond debris removal.","City staff said bids were received for debris and obstruction removal needed at 11 city-managed stormwater detention ponds, reported more than 100,000 cubic yards of debris processed, and described stump-removal and yard-waste policy changes after Hurricane Helene.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6101661,"City administration to assume routine permits for demonstrations and parades under proposed ordinance (second reading)",114,1192000,1306000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2807395-3ff5e65a94bed05c4caad34f70a23dbb&start=1192&end=1306","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2807395-3ff5e65a94bed05c4caad34f70a23dbb/thumbnail_1192000.jpg","/articles/6101661/North-Augusta/Aiken-County/South-Carolina/City-administration-to-assume-routine-permits-for-demonstrations-and-parades-under-proposed-ordinance-second-reading","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6101661-0746cbd1c4714e4c08a7f3573c2ca6bd/orig.mp4?Expires=1771213735&Signature=Jos6rsUEHL1EmbxNKMTXhWxJW6KAQAyzS1h8K3~~WUHnEnIvZ7Ehl9ZycNCvvJ7S0naPXS5HiojGVcJJk-IwfWZXVat1eQ0qpk4Z01Iyx19~msdAj4KCPNXYt0kFucfNNvaXFISjwiq62b1Nq9S3ChnLk4YZeLeDb4ArT4EhZUZ5xeatajTcPspCOm4JtEd2GqEzw5ziQoOUgpGN57fAK~x0Y4-lU1qeujB0QUTOdAucmHYULMwrHkh3oOQIczfxcAk3WCCkfqL-b5ggrIAR6Uo6~g4cPsimKKNWO3UvNA7WoDDwaA3XEj2I18yjvQ~LrGVYlLw5obUsCCVVhQsRRQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City staff previewed an ordinance (2025-09) set for second reading that would amend Article 6, Division 2 (Demonstrations and Parade) of the municipal code to transfer routine permitting authority from the city council to the city administrator or assistant city administrator.

City Administrator Jim Clifford told council this change is intended to reduce the need for routine requests to appear before council — for example, so the Lions Club’s Christmas parade would not have to formally petition council for a permit every year. Clifford clarified that groups may still appear before council during a study session or power hour to describe plans but that routine administrative permitting would be handled by staff.

Staff described the amendment as a matter of administrative efficiency and said it would not eliminate council oversight; the council retains the ability to request information or require an item to be presented. The study-session transcript records the ordinance as a second reading; no formal vote or final outcome was recorded during the session.","An ordinance up for second reading would transfer authority to issue demonstration and parade permits from the full city council to the city administrator or assistant city administrator, intended to streamline routine permitting such as the Christmas parade.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6101666,"Council to consider rezoning and general development plan for ‘The Hive’/Martintown development; second readings set for next meeting",267,853000,1120000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2807395-3ff5e65a94bed05c4caad34f70a23dbb&start=853&end=1120","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2807395-3ff5e65a94bed05c4caad34f70a23dbb/thumbnail_853000.jpg","/articles/6101666/North-Augusta/Aiken-County/South-Carolina/Council-to-consider-rezoning-and-general-development-plan-for-The-HiveMartintown-development-second-readings-set-for-next-meeting","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6101666-be3fffbe8f9752acfe775e8b4e920552/orig.mp4?Expires=1771213735&Signature=UlHeBdJUs3Flfd3zFZ8zle9sTLjxp~1vc-sMFHIJYccsyLj2ZmWUxfsVpQHTPlx6X66dGW2lzUhKXavqChgdlHPdlR6i4zaMo1vSGdJhrD0dLgvU9YTVEGH7usLV575A-rhwcMJD~pI7~2AiNAS7Q6uRZzq7RFBm49hGQiHof8V7zcMII~9gkEUYxpTpwn-RGg6O4VIOVs7A-LnsIn9LzLSuG1IV-Tn3uRiacnKk4P~7oRg9x1BwXkHMLZQR8RPhtWRhyvAYIQZE8ascNawMV8NSOckKnF5ZgUR~j7Kim6kBENcjfrrZuivu75G8oIoAQq2T82MEeBKmMnAn3maiOQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City staff told council members they will bring two related second-reading ordinances next week to combine a standalone commercial parcel into a larger planned development and approve the updated general development plan for the greater Martintown site, sometimes referred to in staff comments as “the Hive.”

The first ordinance (2025-07) would rezone about 25.59 acres owned by Hall Martintown LLC from General Commercial to Planned Development. The second ordinance (2025-08) would approve the general development plan for roughly 201.8 acres on the east side of West Martintown Road between Nobcon Avenue and Interstate 20.

Staff said the rezoning is primarily administrative to unify zoning categories inside the larger planned development and does not change the number of houses, density or the structure of the development. City Administrator Jim Clifford summarized the pair as “really two for one”—two separate ordinance actions required to produce one combined planning outcome.

Council members asked for operational details tied to traffic and intersections near the development. Clifford and staff described planned changes to traffic control at the interstate exit and Nobcon/Martintown intersection: the existing ramp signal will be reconfigured to line up with the development entrance; a new traffic signal triggered by a private Parker apartment project (Flamingos River Falls) will be installed at Nobcon and Martintown; and deceleration lanes and a u-turn lane are being prepared at Nobcon to facilitate safer turns for residents in the nearby Savannah Berney area.

Staff emphasized that the Parker apartments will not be allowed a certificate of occupancy for the second phase until the traffic signal is functional, creating a private-sector driver for timely installation. Clifford said the mast arms for the new signal have been ordered and that he expects the light to be functional in the spring, though timing depends on contractor work and coordination with SCDOT.

The ordinances were described as second readings during the study session; no formal council vote was recorded in the transcript. Staff told the council that questions submitted online and raised by council members had been tracked and would be addressed at the official hearing.

Council members and staff discussed traffic mitigation for adjacent neighborhoods (Savannah Berney) and recommended temporary maneuvering via the Nobcon/Martintown u-turn until broader changes are implemented. Staff said additional roadway bump-outs and deceleration lanes will be constructed to support development access.

No final vote outcome was recorded in the study-session transcript; the ordinances are scheduled for council action next week.","City staff previewed two linked second-reading ordinances that would rezone about 25.59 acres and approve a broader planned development general plan covering roughly 201.8 acres on West Martintown Road.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6101672,"North Augusta schedules March 21 ribbon cutting for new public safety headquarters; building includes dispatch, EOC and forensics spaces",260,3478000,3738000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2807395-3ff5e65a94bed05c4caad34f70a23dbb&start=3478&end=3738","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2807395-3ff5e65a94bed05c4caad34f70a23dbb/thumbnail_3478000.jpg","/articles/6101672/North-Augusta/Aiken-County/South-Carolina/North-Augusta-schedules-March-21-ribbon-cutting-for-new-public-safety-headquarters-building-includes-dispatch-EOC-and-forensics-spaces","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6101672-3e71b72f8b3430f43edfeefb616ced68/orig.mp4?Expires=1771213735&Signature=P6fbqgru9L4idU4YF7XBW7L4vey1zxVeIwdCo7tYiV8m4CxTcqDSQQ-uyCtA8Gj4g9i4H1Hybo5VYYU1wYNHF-AL9CFqN73V9QpsD7ZbIiVgnUHSFkXyGsmOEJzNMzJ6XGrVWU9fEuYhhOPyIqGRyH-99oQJWtBtRe189SYfB52RElIFnxoviVOcoAoyCfF~28QyeFq~7ytAYwRBLmB6iYHLOG-qviqK6UKkv3Ie2S9j4lOFOt9rB1w0M~Bgyt4zh0rOuvHOhQxYlnq6T8JLCWdvVTNDOX2ZvhM9x6XcvOsId8YHL~tCuhuWiUUhPHMWSewJDC5si-yur0uQs2SgoQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","North Augusta officials announced a public ribbon-cutting for the city’s new Public Safety Headquarters on Friday, March 21 at 2 p.m., and showed council members a tour of the building’s dispatch center, emergency operations/training room and a new evidence-processing area.

The public safety headquarters will house a modern dispatch center with multiple operator screens, an emergency operations center (EOC) training room and a secured evidence workspace with drying and fuming equipment. Chief Johnson said the dispatch room now has a large window so operators can see outside storm conditions and adjustable lighting “so when they look at those computer screens all day, that’s the way the dispatchers prefer it to be.”

Why it matters: The building consolidates operations that were previously split across older facilities and is a central element of the city’s capital projects funded by the capital project sales tax. Officials said the new space will allow guided public tours after the ribbon cutting and provide better work space for operations during storms and other emergencies, a capability repeatedly highlighted since Hurricane Helene.

City staff emphasized operational improvements. Chief Johnson walked council through the training/EOC room setup — reconfigurable desks with data ports and multiple display screens — and an evidence-processing area that contains a vent hood for fingerprint fuming and a drying machine for contaminated clothing. “This allows them to do that safe environment rather than breathing the dust in,” Chief Johnson said of the fuming hood.

Council members and staff framed the opening as a milestone for the city’s multi-year capital program. Mayor and staff noted the building separates courthouse functions from public safety within the site, clarifying public circulation and signage. The city also plans guided, small-group tours of the working facility after the ribbon cutting so the public can see the new operations without disrupting active work areas.

The Public Safety Foundation, which supports department training and officer relief, was acknowledged during the presentation. Foundation representatives and department officials described past and planned support for officer training and community outreach; the foundation in 2024 raised nearly $30,000 and set a 2025 fundraising target of $40,000 to support training, outreach and officer relief.

Officials asked the public to attend the ribbon cutting and said details and tour logistics would be posted on the city website and social channels.","City officials set a March 21 ribbon cutting for the new North Augusta Public Safety Headquarters and previewed new dispatch, emergency operations and evidence-handling facilities during the March study session.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Beautification and Public Safety foundations report volunteers, fundraising and events; beautification installs hanging baskets downtown

Post-Helene cleanup: city to seek contract for stormwater detention pond debris removal and reports 100,000 cubic yards moved

City administration to assume routine permits for demonstrations and parades under proposed ordinance (second reading)

Council to consider rezoning and general development plan for ‘The Hive’/Martintown development; second readings set for next meeting

North Augusta schedules March 21 ribbon cutting for new public safety headquarters; building includes dispatch, EOC and forensics spaces