Columbia, South Carolina
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Portions of this article were taken from Wikipedia
Columbia is the capital city in South Carolina. It is the largest city in the state. The population was 129,272 according to the 2010 census. Columbia is the county seat of Richland County, but a portion of the city extends into neighboring Lexington County. The city is the center of a metropolitan statistical area of 767,598, the largest within the state. The name Columbia was a poetic term for the Americas derived from Christopher Columbus. Located 13 miles (21 km) northwest of South Carolina's geographic center, Columbia is the primary city of the Midlands region of South Carolina, which comprises several counties in the central portion of the state. The city lies at the confluence of two rivers, the Saluda and the Broad, which merge at Columbia to form the Congaree River. CNNMoney.com named Columbia as one of America's 25 best places to retire, and U.S. News & World Report ranked the city sixth on its 2009 America's Best Affordable Places to Retire list.
Website evaluation
- Main article: Evaluation of South Carolina city websites
Last rated on May 15, 2012.
The good
- The Mayor and city council members' contact information is posted online.[1]
- Budget documents are available.[2]
- Building permit information and forms[3], as well as zoning information is available on the website. [4]
- Meeting agendas[5]and minutes [6]are available.
- Information on bids and proposals are available [7]
- Audit reports are available.[8]
- Public records forms are posted.[9]
- Revenues are included within budget documents.[2]
The bad
- Administrative employee contact details are not available.
- Lobbying information is not posted.
- There is no information on local taxes.
- Contracts are not posted.
- Contact details are not listed for a public records official.
- Tax rates are not listed.
Budget
The City's revenue sources according to the FY 2012-2013 Budget Preparation document are as follows:[10]
| Source | Approved FY 2011-2012 | Projection FY 2012-2013 |
|---|---|---|
| General property tax | $49,655,083 | $49,655,083 |
| Licenses and permits | $27,107,600 | $27,943,700 |
| From other agencies | $11,221,481 | $11,134,041 |
| Current service charges | $9,045,837 | $9,060,565 |
| Fines & forfeitures | $995,700 | $880,000 |
| Miscellaneous revenue | $25,000 | $25,000 |
| Interest on investment | $75,000 | $50,000 |
| Rents & sale of property | $179,050 | $219,050 |
| Total revenue | $98,304,751 | $98,967,439 |
Expenditures:[10]
| Expenditure category | Approved FY 2011-2012 | Projection FY 2012-2013 |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | $105,067,459 | $104,942,210 |
| Debt Service | $5,419,343 | $5,544,592 |
| GASB 45 | $3,714,452 | $3,714,452 |
| Reserve | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 |
| Total | $115,201,254 | $115,201,254 |
Public employees
Elected officials
The City is governed under the Council-Manager form of government. The Mayor and six members of the City Council are elected to staggered four year terms. Four members are elected from districts, while the Mayor and two Council members are elected at large. Together, the Mayor and the Council make policy and enact laws. Members are:[1]
| Name | Title | District |
|---|---|---|
| Steve Benjamin | Mayor | At-large |
| Tameika Devine | Councilwoman | At-large |
| Daniel J. Rickenmann | Councilman | At-large |
| Sam Davis | Councilman | District 1 |
| Brian DeQuincey Newman | Councilman | District 2 |
| Dr. Belinda Gergel | Councilwoman | District 3 |
| Leona Plaugh | Councilwoman | District 4 |
Administrative officials
The current Interim City Manager is Steven. A Gantt. He has served as interim City Manager since January 2009.[11]
Salaries
A database maintained by The State newspaper, updated as of January 10, 2012, lists 14 City employees earning over $100,000. Employees earning over $100,000 are:[12]
| Name | Title | Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Steven Gantt | City Manager | $175,000.01 |
| Kenneth Gaines | City Attorney | $135,960.01 |
| Smith Baker | Senior Assistant City Manager | $134,000.01 |
| Robert Cooper | Senior Assistant City Manager | $132,022.18 |
| Dana Turner | Chief Administrative Judge | $128,870.73 |
| James Gambrell | Director of Economic Development | $117,934.88 |
| Teresa Florence | Assistant City Manager, Community & Neighborhoods | $117,500.01 |
| Melissa Smith Gentry | Assistant City Manager, City Operations | $117,500.01 |
| Aubrey Jenkins | Fire Chief | $110,000.01 |
| Randall Scott | Police Chief | $110,000.01 |
| Deborah Livingston | Director of Community Development | $108,492.80 |
| Joseph Jaco | Director of Utilities and Engineering | $106,320.70 |
| William Ellis | Finance Director | $105,000.00 |
| Leshia Utsey | Public Relations Director | $101,000.00 |
Pensions
Employees are required to participate in the South Carolina Retirement System. Under this plan, employees contribute 6.5% of their salary to the retirement plan. That amount is matched by the city, plus an additional contribution amount for life insurance. Participation is also available in the South Carolina Deferred Compensation Program.[13][14]
Lobbying
The City does not provide information on taxpayer funded lobbying.
Taxes
Projections for the FY 2012-2013 budget year show the City collecting $49,655,083 from its general property tax.[10]
Transparency & public records
A Freedom of Information Act request form can be found here.
Open meetings
Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin changed the City Council meeting times in October 2010 in order to make meetings more accessible to citizens, avoiding major church service hours and work hours.[15]
External links
- City Homepage
- Columbia Travel Information
- Columbia Detailed Profile
- Columbia Census facts
- University of South Carolina- Columbia
- Columbia Metropolitan Airport
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Mayor and Council
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Budget
- ↑ Building Permits
- ↑ Zoning
- ↑ Agendas
- ↑ Minutes
- ↑ Purchasing
- ↑ Audits
- ↑ FOIA
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 FY12-13 Budget Preparation
- ↑ City Manager
- ↑ "Local Salary Database," Columbia, South Carolina, TheState.com, Accessed May 15, 2012
- ↑ Employment Benefits
- ↑ 2011 Employee Benefits Booklet
- ↑ "Columbia Tries Evening Council Meetings", October 19, 2010
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