Park board and council clarify ordinance language, spending thresholds and security plans for town park

The park board held a joint work session with the town council to review a proposed park ordinance, clarify the board’s authority over spending and procurement, and set near-term priorities including signage, gates and security cameras.

Board members sought clearer language in the draft ordinance about whether the board should only "recommend" actions to council or have authority to approve them. One board member said the ordinance’s mix of verbs—"propose," "coordinate," "recommend"—left too much ambiguity about who carries out projects and who signs contracts. Town staff and council repeatedly told the board that budgeted line items and existing procurement rules control spending authority and that the board should make recommendations to the council for larger purchases or capital projects.

Why it matters: The board will manage a park that staff said has a roughly $60,000 annual allocation; about $25,000 has been spent on an entrance project and approximately $35,000 remains. Clarity about procurement thresholds and budget authority affects whether the board can buy small items (trash cans, signage) directly or must route requests through town staff and council approval.

Council and staff summarized current and proposed procurement thresholds. Under the town’s current code (cited as chapter 34.0222), purchases at low-dollar levels are processed administratively, the mayor and a bids-and-purchases committee review mid-range purchases, and formal solicitations are required for larger projects; staff said code revisions would propose that purchases under $5,000 be available on the open market with reasonable price checks, written quotes be used for $5,000–$24,999, informal solicitations for higher ranges, and formal solicitations above larger thresholds. Staff said any discretionary spending by the board should be identified in the budget to allow town staff to process payments.

Security, gates and signs drew substantial discussion. Council members described recent security incidents as the reason for the town’s investments in gates and cameras; staff reported cameras had been installed and said the parking area would be fenced but the town had opted not to install an automated gate to avoid maintenance and staffing burdens. Council asked the board to draft policies and procedures for camera management and to specify who will maintain equipment and collect routine trash. Staff said sign quotes were arriving and aimed to have signs and gates in place so the park could be "for all intents and purposes open" by early March, though speakers cautioned that timelines were approximate.

Operational changes were proposed to preserve institutional knowledge and streamline workflow: staff offered to set up a single board email and one‑drive folder to collect quotes, contracts and historic documents; the board would name a single contact (for example, a secretary or communications chair) to manage that account. Staff also recommended coordination with Charleston County Greenbelt; Eric Davis of Greenbelt plans to present to the park board in March to clarify restrictions and permitted uses.

Public comment: A written submission from Lyn Vicky urged creation of a volunteer "living lab" and nursery—examples included a butterfly garden and growing seedlings for later planting—that would be run by volunteers rather than a staffed nursery. The comment was read into the record.

Actions and next steps: The board amended and approved prior meeting minutes to reflect that prior approvals were "subject to further review by the events committee." Members agreed to meet again on the 21st at 6 p.m. to finalize sign quotes, event agreements and other action items. The board was advised to formalize a cameras policy and to identify budget line items covering small discretionary purchases so staff can process procurements without repeated council votes.

Quotes: "I think we messed up is we don't have a good contract yet," a council member said of a recent event, calling for clearer contracts and line‑item checklists for event organizers. In the written public comment read into the record, Lyn Vicky wrote that a volunteer nursery "would not be a staffed nursery ... but a project to grow and have a share day at the park."

The board adjourned after scheduling the follow-up meeting. Further ordinance amendments and procurement-code proposals were expected to return to council for review in the coming months.