[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-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],{"_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",6555097,"mediaKeyId","3847788-492fb01741a587668c65866fe2023c13","parentId",3847788,"title","North Augusta temporarily suspends volunteer animal-at-home program amid liability review; city attorney, chief outline next steps","audioSeconds",150,"startMs",2710000,"endMs",2860000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3847788-492fb01741a587668c65866fe2023c13&start=2710&end=2860","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3847788-492fb01741a587668c65866fe2023c13/thumbnail_2710000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6555097/North-Augusta/Aiken-County/South-Carolina/North-Augusta-temporarily-suspends-volunteer-animal-at-home-program-amid-liability-review-city-attorney-chief-outline-next-steps","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6555097-caab734685cf2f9e3372f91779d0f023/orig.mp4?Expires=1770440299&Signature=SOz9sHYdDxldEuWd2KBz1RTmyJ2wu9c9uLloJnCoeyB6oxPr~TrWI8AAxY97A3QxZaFA48gwg-tXEooc~SgK2aOIWPqonuLkHDdVjafcpvYzlKy-n7CXqbZx3qI0FDwen-n7Izl6jZi--oJK3pVu9nrU7mCu-ZzVn1UYjLHrbT3UUbwxy4TToRaoo0ae1vEAnWfH1w-IcgOmCBjqbPFMBsQmHD-sAVtK2RfZl5wJu7RYjDE0giu2Lh2GdojtJaGE-8oFjV9A9-BQ~FR21MyzzN1Lcidc-9dHcKosav4-OJirbvm3Cn7a-VuAw2CZ5cVKAM2aKksPDmFS4DnLWCqWHw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of North Augusta Public Information, SC","date","2025-06-17T10:51:25Z","article","North Augusta temporarily suspended a volunteer program that allowed volunteers to take animals from the city shelter off-site, citing municipal liability concerns. At the June 16 City Council meeting Chief Johnson and the city attorney outlined the issue and said the administration is working on revised paperwork and insurance confirmations to restore a safe, compliant version of volunteer participation.

Chief Johnson told council the city is not reducing care for animals and highlighted recent adoption and transfer successes, including a dog that had been in the shelter since April 4 and dogs transferred to other shelters. He said animal-control officer Craig McBride works closely with volunteers and that the department strives to place animals in homes. Chief Johnson also stated the shelter’s condition presents challenges for medical recovery and cited at least one instance this week where alternative housing was arranged for a dog that needed eye surgery.

The city attorney reviewed the legal concerns in detail. He said two different volunteer-related documents exist: a waiver/assumption-of-risk form and a holiday foster program form that permits animals to be taken home for limited periods. The attorney said the key legal exposure is that once the city releases an animal from its custody, the city remains legally responsible for its actions; he referenced a change in the municipal liability caps (as described in the meeting) and emphasized the need to confirm coverage with the city's insurer (referred to in the meeting as \"Smurf\") and to revise volunteer agreements to limit municipal exposure.

The attorney said he will coordinate with the insurer and staff and expects to have a recommended approach back to council within about 30 days. He also warned against inadvertently creating worker‑compensation exposure for volunteers if the volunteer arrangements are not drafted carefully. Chief Johnson and council members said they hope to restore safe volunteer involvement quickly; councilmember comments urged administration to move expeditiously because volunteers are key to adoptions and medical care for animals.

Council received operational details from volunteers and staff describing high adoption rates: staff and volunteers said the shelter had taken in 64 dogs year-to-date and that three dogs had been euthanized due to aggression (the shelter described an adoption rate above 95 percent for adoptable dogs). Council asked for a study session later in the summer or fall to address long-term shelter needs. The administration said volunteers are temporarily not allowed to take animals off-site until paperwork, insurance confirmations and any necessary policy changes are completed.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of North Augusta Council Meeting 06/16/2025","oneSentenceSummary","North Augusta temporarily suspended a practice allowing volunteers to remove shelter animals off-site after staff and the city attorney raised municipal liability concerns; administrators said they will revise waivers and confirm insurance coverage and aim to return to council with a plan within about 30 days.","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},6555102,"North Augusta says online payment glitch reconciled; May bills mailed late and deadlines extended",206,2170000,2376000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3847788-492fb01741a587668c65866fe2023c13&start=2170&end=2376","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3847788-492fb01741a587668c65866fe2023c13/thumbnail_2170000.jpg","/articles/6555102/North-Augusta/Aiken-County/South-Carolina/North-Augusta-says-online-payment-glitch-reconciled-May-bills-mailed-late-and-deadlines-extended","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6555102-964cf754a3a7336b411552157f41446a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770440299&Signature=k0twXu0Gp557A61i9fFpHEexxa19ug58LVlAUklMl89~Hz0bfsFTEQ0~FxdODqNHQ0a9HCX-ZMr3hENoh9M0cy1ok7uvT3iRv9f1nDYZRnxKNRwkJBjeV-lnnqSIcqYvQUZ0YiDas3QYJSZQudFWlJwdxiI~vrBftO4rSbHEZk51SHAFJ93msOc2hUQUSrEzkr5KWrpWrF7~MDNJTlDvmgyX~zQwHLqNtg2dc5AQrnja8v3wcP~LXRDZPznPwGlFiHVrrQHPVC8~NxT2upE7kcRIIaFlbdzAM23TyFlwZUzOMGSlnlKDyFAzQMkIjpiC9VxnXiQoT~I9onPHx29Aug__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City staff at the June 16 North Augusta City Council meeting reported that a technical issue affecting online utility payments between April 9 and April 14 has been reconciled and that the city will delay enforcement on billing deadlines while it normalizes billing cycles.

Administration said payments made through the city's online portal (via Clover, part of the Fiserv system) during the identified window were being received by the city but were not correctly matched to customer accounts. Finance staff led a manual reconciliation of those transactions; staff named Linda and Tara from the finance department as leading the effort and said they now have high confidence that reconciled payments will be reflected in the next billing cycle.

The city will mail the May 10 billing cycle by the Wednesday following the June 16 meeting and will adjust due dates: the May 10 cycle will carry a new due date of July 11 to avoid penalizing customers who receive bills late. Staff said they are not turning off water service and are not charging late fees during the ongoing reconciliation. The administration also said it will space future bill mailings to avoid compressing multiple billing cycles into a short period while staff continue the system transition.

Council members asked about the volume of online payments and transaction fees for card-based payments. Staff said the city does not currently have a precise breakdown of payment-method volumes; long-term goals include moving customers to the online portal for efficiency, but staff noted the city currently pays transaction fees for electronic payments. The council discussed options for absorbing transaction fees in the utility-rate model versus passing a service charge to customers; staff said that policy choices and ordinance language would need further study.

Staff repeatedly emphasized they had not resumed late fees or service suspensions until they are confident the billing records are accurate. The city said it will stagger upcoming cycles (including the May 25 cycle) to restore a regular monthly cadence without creating customer confusion.","City staff told council that online payments made April 9–14 were reconciled after a Clover/Fiserv integration issue; May 10 bills will be mailed late, no shutoffs or late fees will be assessed, and the May 10 payment deadline is extended to July 11 while the city stabilizes billing cycles.",{"_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},6555106,"North Augusta council unanimously approves construction-hours ordinance, creek engineering contract and utility dedications",312,1903000,2215000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3847788-492fb01741a587668c65866fe2023c13&start=1903&end=2215","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3847788-492fb01741a587668c65866fe2023c13/thumbnail_1903000.jpg","/articles/6555106/North-Augusta/Aiken-County/South-Carolina/North-Augusta-council-unanimously-approves-construction-hours-ordinance-creek-engineering-contract-and-utility-dedications","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6555106-96c7e4c4c5ceb4cc5a156be71e40cb44/orig.mp4?Expires=1770440299&Signature=g3~E1cZk78PajIn6nPydEyp6NsEdMI8Pg-a0iGZFvcjB3cQUvE6PGO7FHbOFv1EaMDpNcQF75ULJpCIandU6yGG8CWW8jFV-iBC6LXkrZtMdj1T4zsfj2eM0giEX3dMUex9fHSuv6YLgRH0~ApOr5lodeU8wHaxR3SZBRbM-~JiJYOCF1bnvRzAM2BvwP7Q5X~Mdaepggyb-jKSE50RpWmmSH9IfugH3bmR8xfQgGneYp5Zw4O1pvqbahFaJa1nJCrNx2jZnfX6u8arOYSjZ5tepCShSknHRMlHSPwWuilhzrp5eAr-mxkIIwMopHGdOlWgpCYh8SxwOu6VOIWuamA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","North Augusta City Council on June 16 unanimously approved three separate measures: a second-reading ordinance adjusting construction work hours, a resolution authorizing professional engineering services for Willowwick Creek stabilization, and a resolution accepting water and sanitary-sewer dedications and associated financial guarantees for Parker's Kitchen.

The council approved Ordinance No. 2025-11 on second reading to amend Section 12-219 (construction work hours). City staff described the change as allowing construction work on Saturdays between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. during permitted hours. The ordinance passed without amendment and with a unanimous vote.

Council also approved a resolution to contract Cranston Engineering to provide professional engineering services for a stabilization project at Willowwick Creek, at a site identified near the Little Lake Apartment Complex on Martintown Road north of I-20. Staff said the work follows hurricane-related erosion and debris that have undermined part of an apartment parking area and obstructed streamflow. The project is funded primarily by a grant (described by staff as roughly $900,000, described as no-match-required), with approximately $63,000 of the grant to be used for the engineering work and an additional approximately $41,000 to come from the city's stormwater utility fund to cover capped technical costs. Staff said the engineering contract will precede a subsequent contractor selection for physical remediation. The council voted unanimously to authorize the engineering contract.

Finally, the council accepted a deed of dedication for water and sanitary sewer and accepted a maintenance guarantee and cash deposit for the Parker's Kitchen commercial development on U.S. Route 25 near I-20 Exit 5. Staff described the action as a routine development acceptance that would typically appear on a consent agenda. That resolution also passed unanimously.

Votes at a glance
- Ordinance 2025-11 (amend Section 12-219, construction work hours): motion to approve second reading approved, vote unanimous.
- Resolution authorizing professional engineering services for Willowwick Creek stabilization (contract awarded to Cranston Engineering; grant funds + stormwater utility fund match described): approved, vote unanimous.
- Resolution accepting deed of dedication and maintenance guarantee for Parker's Kitchen (water and sanitary sewer): approved, vote unanimous.

Councilmembers and staff did not report further amendments to any of the three items at the time of passage. For the Willowwick Creek item, staff indicated the project likely will return to council for approval of construction contractors after engineering is complete.","At its June 16 meeting the North Augusta City Council approved Ordinance 2025-11 on second reading to set construction work hours, authorized engineering services for Willowwick Creek stabilization using federal grant funds, and accepted water/sewer dedications for a Parker's Kitchen development; all votes were unanimous.","actionData","errors"]

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North Augusta temporarily suspends volunteer animal-at-home program amid liability review; city attorney, chief outline next steps

North Augusta says online payment glitch reconciled; May bills mailed late and deadlines extended

North Augusta council unanimously approves construction-hours ordinance, creek engineering contract and utility dedications