Date set for Public Safety Headquarters citizen input session, bike donated

Aug. 3—An input session for the new public safety headquarters will be held Aug. 12 at 6 p.m. in the Palmetto Room at the North Augusta Municipal Center.

This was part of a list council gave to city staff to complete before voting on a new headquarters location.

Mayor Briton Williams is encouraging residents to come out and voice their concerns.

"We have gotten questions and this input session will be the opportunity for all of those questions. We will have our contractors, JLA and all of our folks there to get specific questions you have. It will be a chance to voice good things and bad things, your views at that session," Williams said.

After the citizen input session, all information will be brought to council for deliberation.

"We set very firm guidance of what (City Administrator Jim Clifford) needed to do, and he has been working through that, and at this point we are still gathering information," Williams said.

The city also accepted the donation of an electric bike from Pedego Electric Bikes in Aiken for the North Augusta Department of Public Safety.

The bike, which can go up to 20 mph with about 56 miles per charge, is worth approximately $5,000. It comes with a siren, flashing lights, two batteries, a cooler on the back and pedal assist.

"On these bikes, what they've (Aiken Department of Public Safety) told me is that when they are out there, they can hear things and see things and smell things that you don't see when you're in your patrol car," Coker Day, the owner of Pedego Aiken said. "And also it gives you a chance to be more one on one with the community versus being in a car. There's a lot more personal interactions that take place when you are on a bicycle and they are not as quite as intimidating when they come up on a bike."

"We picked North Augusta because we hear a lot of our bikes are used on the Greeneway and we want to be supportive of the community," Day said. "Most of our competitors are online bike dealers and we try to be a little different."

Pedego has also donated bikes to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and the Aiken Department of Public Safety.

North Augusta is looking forward to using the bikes along the Greeneway and around town at high-capacity events like the Jack O'Lantern Jubilee.

"I want to thank Mr. Day and his staff for their kindness and generosity. It will come to good use," NADPS Chief John Thomas said.

"It's a great community tool," Thomas said. "Kids love this kind of thing and they will stop and take a look at that bike and we will know what to use it for."

Council member Kevin Toole was not in attendance at the Aug. 2 meeting. The full agenda can be viewed online at northaugusta.net.

Other business

—City council unanimously passed the first reading for the annexation of 14.3 acres of land near Edgefield Road for a QuikTrip. This would allow the corporation access to roads, utilities and more. "I think it is going to add some extra benefit there on Exit 5, on the south side of Exit 5 and it's not just going to benefit the city of North Augusta residents. I think it is going to benefit Aiken County and potentially Edgefield County residents as well," City Administrator Jim Clifford said.

—Meet the Mayor will be held Aug. 3 at SRP Federal Credit Union at Exit 5 at 6 p.m. Council members Jenafer McCauley and Kevin Toole will also be in attendance.

—Council members Bob Brooks and Kevin Toole were recognized by the Municipal Elected Official Institute of Government Graduates for 2021. They join council member David McGhee as a graduate of the program.

Samantha Winn covers the city of North Augusta, with a focus on government and community oriented business. Follow her on Twitter: @samanthamwinn and on Facebook and Instagram: @swinnnews.