[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-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],{"_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",6789036,"mediaKeyId","5561695-7cddb3569977a00600a16f452bc46046","parentId",5561695,"title","Mayor commits to shelter fixes, posts photos and schedules Sept. 9 study session","audioSeconds",297,"startMs",4248790,"endMs",4546675,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5561695-7cddb3569977a00600a16f452bc46046&start=4248&end=4546","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5561695-7cddb3569977a00600a16f452bc46046/thumbnail_4248790.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6789036/North-Augusta/Aiken-County/South-Carolina/Mayor-commits-to-shelter-fixes-posts-photos-and-schedules-Sept-9-study-session","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6789036-9008cd775659d3cbf10a6952bc190f0f/orig.mp4?Expires=1775553662&Signature=OjrJg9WritnVp~V-cOupgyWffqaQ~fZig7U4L~MXJNrrdPinwiqOVLAHrLqbVu0M8sPdEA7xgvZda3xzDqfGlCqHjgzb85LFsQW-aqm0gDer37BMKMKFGoqZKNVWwzSmpK94SPDWlrAsDHxTmhEOYFSe7Yg9-DD8zekTBwNrzuZfPPFLI57a6tszfdxAJ8YiDRzHBqSFr86xVg91UqLEekTQ8qOlO5Sf06PtSR~bk5j2iVciv1tvSCBXH31CnoiA58giYbWiP28qskh0dCZT4ctYi4f~kqovuqALNp9QsKiTDGMUgGyxUyP7kpDatDoonbgt99UIt8Hl933bCvj20g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of North Augusta Public Information, SC","date","2025-08-11T21:43:45Z","article","Mayor (unnamed in the transcript) used the study session to respond to public concerns raised at a recent 'public powwow' about the condition of the city's animal shelter. He acknowledged the pictures shown at the previous meeting were disturbing but said the city has taken immediate repair steps and pledged further action.

The mayor said the flooring project at the shelter was completed on March 18, 2025; the top paint layer began peeling and the contractor performed partial repairs on July 26 and finished the remaining work on Aug. 1. The mayor displayed updated photos and said those images show the facility in improved condition.

He announced four immediate actions: (1) allow vetted volunteers to be at the shelter to exercise dogs at times when the shelter officer is not present, subject to administration and Public Safety protocols; (2) begin posting kennel photos on the Public Safety Facebook page to increase exposure for adoptions; (3) start tracking return‑to‑owner/stray statistics separately from enforcement returns per a 2019 assessment recommendation; and (4) publish shelter statistics monthly (noting the city already compiles required data but often posts it one or two months late).

The mayor said council will hold a focused study session on Sept. 9 to decide longer‑term options: do nothing, improve the current shelter, partner with neighboring shelters/organizations, or build a new facility. He emphasized that council will not necessarily decide a final plan that night but will use the session to outline a path forward.

What happens next: administration and Public Safety will refine volunteer and operational procedures, update public reporting on shelter statistics, and prepare materials for the Sept. 9 study session so council can make a policy decision on the shelter’s future.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of North Augusta Council Study Session 08/11/2025","oneSentenceSummary","The mayor told council on Aug. 11 that the city completed flooring repairs at the animal shelter and will take immediate steps—including allowing vetted volunteers and posting kennel photos—while scheduling a Sept. 9 study session to determine longer‑term shelter action.","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},6789049,"Aiken Center asks North Augusta to fund a recovery coach with opioid settlement funds",555,1808930,2364856,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5561695-7cddb3569977a00600a16f452bc46046&start=1808&end=2364","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5561695-7cddb3569977a00600a16f452bc46046/thumbnail_1808930.jpg","/articles/6789049/North-Augusta/Aiken-County/South-Carolina/Aiken-Center-asks-North-Augusta-to-fund-a-recovery-coach-with-opioid-settlement-funds","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6789049-e0eb24e1008c94fdc832de65a4731f39/orig.mp4?Expires=1775553662&Signature=B3XlRu9pFxs~HmOispaXUwPy80ElN7kkxdZd7NcufMsIJP8l610~4~oKNl5AmcrioU7f8YMHBywz4WpWIAXqJGL2wZTIC7YLvPdn3yH5jzj3REJPcn0snNsCV~HEzTgEfHzN7AiCRdVp1omR6grXiHhPaR8xN4uQdZ6j3G126LQBn7MhLBptiA6iR49dfe7K1QFFoQSyom98eEev9ZBJ-qQ7PuZs3FFC4gcKcJEbu4VOKtkXNp4ezA8ivp44ENWAKSW4nJpAHSNgy2TLUaOhW0fYEuGv1sZ90FRuO1ML2rxzIOIvoMOYG97qPWn~vsY9JyW25DTqTT0EKy7X2937WA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Margaret Key, executive with the Aiken Center, asked the North Augusta City Council on Aug. 11 to support a modest, targeted use of opioid‑settlement funds to place a certified peer support specialist dedicated to North Augusta families.

\"Our proposal this evening for you to consider is a package, a program that would be about 77,000, a very modest amount,\" Key said. She described the recovery coach as a certified peer support specialist who would spend time in the Department of Social Services office and in the local mental‑health office, providing outreach, engagement and connections to treatment options.

Key said the funding would come from settlement and SCORE distributions — \"not taxpayer dollars\" — and that the city already has sums reserved for opioid‑abatement work. \"You've got about 4 over 400,000 sitting there now,\" she told council, adding that the exact allocation from the national Purdue Pharma/Sackler settlements is still pending. She said Aiken Center and county partners can help draft the application and that the Columbia deadline for submission is Oct. 17.

Key outlined operational partnerships: space and client referrals from the Department of Social Services and the Hartzog Center (mental health), coordination with the city’s SCORE‑funded outreach/CAT team in Public Safety, and the potential for a satellite office if a suitable site is found. She introduced Rebecca Summer, who will help lead county opioid‑abatement planning and grant writing under contract with Aiken County.

Council members asked how the recovery coach would engage people who do not self‑identify as needing help; Key said the coach would provide outreach in neighborhoods and meet clients where they are, using telehealth and transportation support as needed. Key and members emphasized the recovery coach’s role as part of a larger care team, including medication‑assisted treatment and inpatient referrals when appropriate.

Mayor and several councilmembers expressed support for the concept and Clifford said administration and Public Safety would work with Aiken Center on a formal resolution and application. \"I would be shocked if you don't see pretty much those strong support recommendations from us,\" the mayor said.

What happens next: administration and Aiken Center staff will coordinate the application, and council could see a resolution or formal funding request in the coming weeks ahead of the Oct. 17 submission deadline.","Margaret Key, executive with the Aiken Center, asked the North Augusta City Council on Aug. 11 to support a $77,000 application to place a certified peer support specialist dedicated to North Augusta families.",{"_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},6789041,"North Augusta says billing cycle is stabilizing; no shutoffs or late fees until February notice",88,3797145,3885415,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5561695-7cddb3569977a00600a16f452bc46046&start=3797&end=3885","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5561695-7cddb3569977a00600a16f452bc46046/thumbnail_3797145.jpg","/articles/6789041/North-Augusta/Aiken-County/South-Carolina/North-Augusta-says-billing-cycle-is-stabilizing-no-shutoffs-or-late-fees-until-February-notice","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6789041-6ed6836ab5fd2ed4daea492e3739202d/orig.mp4?Expires=1775553662&Signature=A~rq7kYqmppTfWgs5Ih~1TtqYzyQ2zUwzKkZTcWNwKlGhrlTOFf0nqS5leW92J6aCmy3iucHktq8ZcgCgNI8oNOzgczwL8vS0loiBbZvnfd-o8EPd9GzWFfLLvLBwZPFUNX7caky9lwqm9A~MOsIOwiqSKVVmsvzjvJq9lyzMoonywm6XM1pSkh8E1tx8T4fUStPpez15BHVR3cSpoNJGmYLSDV7HM7c5DQGwSSIq6t8tOJD3kfzogdOVGkhus5gFEBFRm-XurOzem2MLNpVCbaKYR4lOrcE--eW2WpAq-mBDy6R-Q6Z43gLTGUiRFz~4PsLxNJHzXyI2ys97VGoSw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City Administrator Jim Clifford updated council on the city’s utility‑billing operations during the Aug. 11 study session, saying the August billing cycle ran on schedule and that the city is working with vendor GovSense on technical fixes.

Clifford said the August 10 bills were mailed on Friday, Aug. 8 — \"for the very first time this month, the August 10 goes right out on time\" — and that the next cycle (Aug. 25) is expected to be on schedule. He reiterated there are currently no late fees or shutoffs until the city issues a February notice about reimplementation and that staff will brief council before restoring fees or cutoffs.

Clifford described a productive meeting with GovSense staff to establish milestones and deliverables for outstanding technical items and said city and vendor agreed on the necessary fixes. He asked finance to compile a list of customers who have not paid since February so the city can quantify delinquencies; he said he did not yet know whether that list would number five, 30 or another figure.

Councilmember (speaker 11) noted that customers who move with outstanding bills will still have those balances associated with their names and cannot receive new service until resolved; Clifford said that is the city’s intent.

What happens next: staff will continue implementation work with GovSense, monitor upcoming billing cycles, and report back to council with the compiled delinquency list and recommended next steps for reintroducing late fees or shutoffs.","City Administrator Jim Clifford reported the August 10 billing cycle went out on time (bills mailed Aug. 8), GovSense agreed to technical fixes, and the city will not reimplement shutoffs or late fees until a February notice cycle; staff will compile a list of customers unpaid since February for council review.",{"_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},6789045,"North Augusta midyear budget: insurance, staffing and ARPA projects drive FY25 changes",1142,2452114,3594390,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5561695-7cddb3569977a00600a16f452bc46046&start=2452&end=3594","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5561695-7cddb3569977a00600a16f452bc46046/thumbnail_2452114.jpg","/articles/6789045/North-Augusta/Aiken-County/South-Carolina/North-Augusta-midyear-budget-insurance-staffing-and-ARPA-projects-drive-FY25-changes","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6789045-71b6d97ef2813cb9c85041f22f652d2e/orig.mp4?Expires=1775553662&Signature=D1YHrlLe1boZgJ~Lch8eCIgzcvJl0-OxRao7eSX4cJuKUWtsdisnCvFzKckGiWLMBXNsobvpsRbQiTrPaD4dzSK0BD4EKqqQ8NMa~TRnVe9uAWDMGmv~uZYWOfaDo8PTCjT2t7q2bn7QVcd-5mozzprjsH1JErW~8VinrS0qpwQNTBoRdzvuKljJ22eafBGxYPofW2quV2uKWe8m8nmwOXkVb9K138zr7CT2K0QRpP0I0-eNOS00-Tmmv6ICP4p1radK98-3f~vuANNYFKjFgoCguZK73ihy51W2L5Sd2Fx0hXwVgbdiGEE~TC6vK4cdWuKlguTcYxlV8UukKRMOcA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City Administrator Jim Clifford presented a midyear FY25 budget update to the North Augusta City Council on Aug. 11, identifying personnel and insurance costs and a portfolio of ARPA and infrastructure projects that shape spending priorities.

Clifford said one major driver is a 10.5% increase in PIVA insurance costs that affected all South Carolina governments. \"Eating a 10 and a half percent insurance cost for our personnel is not a minor budget driver,\" he told council. To help employees, the city implemented a 3% cost‑of‑living adjustment and added three full‑time equivalents to the base budget, including a records supervisor, an officer absorbed from a DUI grant and a new Greenway coordinator.

Clifford previewed ARPA spending and related grant activity: the city's ARPA baseline is $11,800,000, and a separate Rural Infrastructure Authority (RIA) grant of roughly $7.5 million increases the share of infrastructure spending. He said the city has obligated ARPA funds and must complete contracted work by 2026 to meet federal timelines.

Major ongoing projects he named include the Southwest Interceptor Pipeline Rehab (with low bid pricing that allowed change orders), the Carolina Springs lift station (long‑lead equipment scheduled for spring delivery), an 8‑inch slip‑lining project in multiple subdivisions, and the Clay Street booster pump station. Clifford said the Southwest Interceptor work is expected to have an early phase completed in December–January, and the slip‑lining contractor is scheduled to start in September. He flagged the Carolina Springs lift station as timing‑sensitive because equipment delivery runs into early 2026.

On capital and downtown projects, he noted municipal building exterior maintenance, replacement vehicles purchased and outfitting delays for police vehicles, completion of tourism facility improvements and a $25,000 downtown quality‑of‑life allocation used for flower baskets and lighting maintenance. He also described the city’s fiscal calendar: he planned to submit a FY26 budget proposal to the mayor and council \"on Thursday the eighteenth\" with subsequent hearings and ordinance readings toward a November budget action, subject to timeline adjustments made after Hurricane Helene.

Clifford said the city had added a procurement specialist to centralize contract management and that some grant‑funded public‑safety positions will not immediately matriculate to the general fund. Council members asked clarifying questions and thanked staff for the clear presentation.

What happens next: staff will submit formal budget documents and follow the FY26 calendar noted by Clifford; Council will consider the ordinance readings and related public hearings per the timeline.","City Administrator Jim Clifford told council the FY25 midyear review shows a 10.5% rise in PIVA insurance costs, a 3% employee cost‑of‑living adjustment, three added FTEs and a heavy infrastructure focus via $11.8M in ARPA funds plus a roughly $7.5M RIA grant; he detailed timelines for major projects and outlined the FY26 budget calendar.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Mayor commits to shelter fixes, posts photos and schedules Sept. 9 study session

Aiken Center asks North Augusta to fund a recovery coach with opioid settlement funds

North Augusta says billing cycle is stabilizing; no shutoffs or late fees until February notice

North Augusta midyear budget: insurance, staffing and ARPA projects drive FY25 changes