Laurens City Council approves business‑license ordinance on second reading, votes to enter executive session on bond and personnel matters

The Laurens City Council approved Ordinance 10‑25‑1 on second reading and moved into executive session to discuss legal, financial and personnel matters. The ordinance amends the city’s business‑license ordinance to update the class schedule as required by Act 176 of 2020; it had received first reading at the council’s prior meeting.

At the start of the business portion, the presiding official moved to approve the consent agenda, which included the meeting agenda and minutes from Oct. 21. The motion was seconded and the council approved the consent agenda by voice vote.

On old business, the presiding official presented Ordinance 10‑25‑1 (an amendment to the business license ordinance) and asked for discussion. After a motion and second, the council voted on second reading and approved the ordinance by voice vote. The meeting transcript records the ordinance identifier (10‑25‑1) and cites Act 176 of 2020 as the statutory driver for the class‑schedule update; specific changes to class categories or fiscal impacts were not described at the meeting.

Later in the agenda the council voted to enter an executive session under South Carolina Code §30‑4‑78(2). The presiding official said the executive session would cover legal advice and proposed financial and contractual matters including a potential bond financing ordinance and associated budget adjustments, as well as personnel compensation matters recommended through a third‑party salary study. Attendees in the gallery were asked to step outside while the council met in executive session; no further public action was recorded before the session began.

Formal motions were recorded on the consent agenda, the ordinance second reading and the vote to enter executive session; vote tallies were recorded as voice votes and individual member votes were not named in the public transcript.