Chamber Luncheon

7/31/2019 Chamber Luncheon

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State of the City of Aiken 2012

Mayor Fred B. Cavanaugh, Jr.

Good afternoon everyone! I want to thank the Chamber, Sponsors and University for this

opportunity to speak on behalf of our city. I would also like to recognize our city council,city manager and staff, (would you all please stand thank you).

As we begin - I know we all continue to grieve over the senseless killings of our two veryfine Public Safety Officers, Master PSO Scotty Richardson and Master Corporal SandyRogers, while they were on duty. They are our heroes along with the entire Public Safetyteam, and we will never forget them and their love and service to our city. City Counciland Staff want to thank you and our other citizens and organizations for youroverwhelming and continuing support for Public Safety and our city. Please, alsocontinue to remember and support their families as well.

Safety of our citizens remains most important and Public Safety is doing a good job. Withthe appointment of Public Safety Director, Charles Barranco, Public Safety is undergoinga thorough review of procedures and policies and making changes as needed.

On a recent visit to the High Point, North Carolina to visit with their Public Safetyorganization, our City Manager and Public Safety Director discussed ways to enhance ourCommunity Policing. High Point has been very successful reducing crime with theircommunity outreach, and we will also.

As a major accomplishment, Public Safety recently received re-accreditation as anAgency of Excellence by the National Commission on Accreditation for LawEnforcement Agencies. There are only 3 other such agencies in South Carolina, and 47 inthe nation.

Even with the challenges of a weaker economy, I am pleased to report that the city endedthe year with a modest budget under-run for the 12th year in a row. Our city is in goodfinancial condition with a good bond credit rating, no general fund debt, adequatefinancial reserves and 20 years of excellent Financialreport ratings. There have been no accounting concerns on our yearly audits and we havesufficient funding in our Retiree post-employment health and pension funds. Also, ourcity property tax millage rate has not been raised for 24 consecutive years, and its beenlowered 5 times.

The safety performance of our employees has continued to improve and resulted in a costreduction for premiums we pay, for the 3rd straight year.

We will continue to be as transparent as possible, along with having effectivecommunications. The Aiken Report, Channel 4, the citys new website and AikenIs.comcontain a wealth of city information. Also, Public Safety, Parks, Recreation and Tourism,and our city have a Face-book page and Twitter account to help keep residents up-to-date


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with real-time public safety alerts, crime information, traffic concerns and tourism andrecreation events.

Now looking to the future,

Despite the many challenges, the future of Aiken is very positive. We continue to grow inpopulation each year, and of the 269 cities and towns in South Carolina, Aiken is the 12 th

largest. This is good news for our businesses, which we strongly support. They not onlyoffer great services and products, they create jobs and enhance our quality of life. Theyare the engine that powers our economy!

Speaking of jobs, Cracker Barrel recently opened creating approximately 120 jobs.

Academy Sports and Outdoors announced their business is coming to Hitchcock Plaza.

A ground-breaking recently took place for an extended-stay hotel along Whiskey Road.

And major renovations and improvements have already begun in the South ParkShopping Center. This will be the Whiskey Road location for the long-awaited FreshMarket and other businesses, as well.

We will continue our strong support of the Savannah River Site missions and efforts toget new missions. The Savannah River Site has been a tremendous partner with the cityand community and we greatly appreciate the many ways in which the site leadership andemployees contribute to the citys quality of life.

After many years of effort by many citizens and officials, the Instrument Landing Systemfor the Aiken Airport is now in place and flying activity has increased. During MastersWeek, air traffic was 47% higher than last year. This is good news for the AikenCommunity and economic development in the future.The transportation plan of the north side of Aiken, up to near I-20, is currently with thePlanning Commission and will soon come to city council for consideration. This is apartnership with Aiken County, and an effort to get a plan in place ahead of any futuredevelopment.

SCDOT has begun conceptual design work on adding a third lane on Silver Bluff Rd.,between Town Creek Rd. and Richardson Lake Rd. and a traffic signal at RichardsonLake Road. A public information meeting will be scheduled in September, withconstruction start planned for summer 2013.

With the Phase 3 - Capital Projects 1-cent Sales Tax approval, we expect

approximately 44 million dollars, to fund the 26 city projects over the next several

years. Here are just a few of these projects that are either in progress or being

planned for the future:


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Since we have many old underground water and sewer lines, and storm drains,infrastructure maintenance and improvements are a primary continuing effort. We arecurrently in the process of a city-wide sewer system evaluation. As problems are found,corrective action will be planned. This is a multi-year project.

To better serve our citizens, a new Public Safety Fire Station will be built at CitizensPark. This will also help maintain the high level fire insurance rating that now exists inthe city.

Also, the existing Public Safety Burn Building, which serves as a training facility forvarious types of fire situations, will be upgraded.

Plans for safety and appearance improvements are being made on Whiskey Road, fromOla Hitt Lane to the Aiken Mall. Ditches will be piped, filled, and sidewalks added.

In order to stay ahead of the future water requirements, the city will begin building a new

water plant next year off of Silver Bluff Road.

As a result of the city downtown Green Infrastructure Project, storm drainage water run-off into Hitchcock Woods has shown a measurable reduction. Over the next several years,new phases of run-off abatement and remediation efforts will be put in place.

Renovations to the City Administration and Finance Bldg. on Laurens St., continues onschedule and within budget. In the rear of the building will also be a new 25 vehicle,green infrastructure parking area.

The city was recently awarded $13.5 million dollars from the South CarolinaTransportation Infrastructure Bank to help with the Hitchcock Pkwy widening, Universityparkway widening, and a right hand turn lane at the corner of Dougherty and WhiskeyRoads. This will be in partnership with Aiken County.

And the last item, which is very important for all city voters, is the new city council 6-1redistricting plan. It incorporates 6 single member districts with the mayor being electedat large. This change was necessary because of our population growth over the last tenyears, and was approved by our citizens last November. This plan will be affective withour 2013 city council elections.

As I close, I want to thank our citizens, businesses, schools and organizations whosupport, and are partners with our city in so many ways. And, I want to thank ouremployees, volunteers, staff, city manager and city council for working to preserve andimprove the quality of life in our city.

We have been successful over the years by blending our strengths and visions, andworking together for the good of our community. Lets continue this great partnership.

Thank you all, and may God continue to bless our community.


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The State of Business 2012:Arthur W. (Buzz) Rich 2012 Chair, Chamber of Commerce

Aiken were on a mission!

Some of you may remember I appeared as one of the Blues Brothers atour Annual Dinner in January. We were on a mission then, and we arestill on a mission. In fact, the Aiken Chamber has been on a missionfor many years the past 95 to be exact! Our goals may changethrough the years, but the mission remains the same ---- to createopportunities for members to build successful businesses and toenhance our quality of life here.

One of our great strengths in this community is the process ofcollaboration and cooperation. We accomplish this in a veryprofessional and genteel manner. The Chamber, the City, the County,and the School Board don't always agree, but there is a high level oftrust and respect that allows for healthy discussion.

One example is the ongoing dialogue we have had this year onthe Citys draft Open Space Element. We believe the intent of theopen space concept is good, and in the long run, will protect theintegrity and open space of our community while enhancingAikens look and appeal. However, we voiced concerns over

some of the language in the document that we think will beconfusing. We questioned the establishment of a separate OpenSpace Commission and recommended that the process bestreamlined through the creation of an Open Space Committeereporting to the Planning Commission. Having strong openchannels of communication allows the business voice to be heardand factored into the decision. We will continue to be proactiveon behalf of the business community.

I have served on the Chamber Board for a long time, and I have beenimpressed over and over again with the generosity of the businesscommunity. As Dr. Everitt mentioned - A few weeks ago, the Chambermembership came together to support our new educators. Businessesand individuals contributed nearly $8,000 to provide gift cards for 155new teachers to set up their classrooms. It took just over a day for ourmembers to raise the necessary funds. Now, that is amazing! It is


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initiatives like this that make me proud to be a member of the AikenChamber. The Aiken business community will always rise to theoccasion when there is a cause they believe in.

We also have a responsibility as community citizens to support thebusiness community. The Chamber continues to encourage youtoShop Aiken through print ads and the monthly Commerce Report,as well as through radio spots. The ad reminds everyone to Shop Aikenfor gifts, services and dining. And I am happy to announce that theChamber will once again participate in Small Business Saturday, thenationwide initiative that encourages shoppers to shop at local,independently-owned merchants the Saturday after Thanksgiving. IfAiken wants to be economically healthy, it must support local business.Think about what you are buying out of town and look for

opportunities to "Shop Aiken.

Let's talk about the future.

Our emerging leaders, the Aiken Young Professionals, are now intheir fifth year. Let me tell you, this group of energetic 22- to 39-year-olds has been busy. This is one of the most worthwhileinitiatives the Aiken Chamber has ever been involved with. The

group networks monthly, they carry out community serviceprojects, and they partner with other organizations for causes.But most of all, they form a strong bond that clearly illustratesthat young professionals can grow professionally in ourcommunity and love Aiken as much as we old-timers do. Ipredict that in ten years, most of the Boards and Commissions inour community with be populated with former members of theAYP. This is a great legacy for our community.

Please forgive the pun, but let's change horses for just a minute. OnAugust the 16th the Chambers Equine Support Council released theresults of A Feasibility Study for an International Horse Park in Aiken,SC, conducted by the SmartState Center of Economic Excellence inTourism and Economic Development at the University of SouthCarolina.

The study spells out three major recommendations:


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To proceed cautiously with a phased approach To consider social and environmental implications along

with potential impacts, and To create a multi-purpose venue

As the editorial in the Aiken Standard said, Now we wait andsee if there are people who want to invest. The possibilities areexciting.

These two sentences reflect precisely the Chamber's position.Let me say them again.

Now we wait and see if there are people who want to invest.The possibilities are exciting.

The next natural question for all of us to consider is, Where will theAiken Chamber and the Aiken community be in 5 years when wecelebrate the Chambers 100th Anniversary? I predict that if we workhard together, continue to collaborate, and embrace the future, we willalways have, and enjoy, the strong, vibrant, and beautiful place we callhome.

Yes, Aiken, were on a mission!


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State of the Community Address 2012Education: Superintendent of Education Dr. Beth Everitt

Good afternoon. First, Id like to acknowledge my Board

Members who have joined us today.

Its hard to believe that another year has passed. In that time, Aiken

County Public Schools has welcomed a new group of young children

and celebrated the graduation of a talented senior class. In fact, our

graduates earned over 41.3 million dollars in scholarships, and Aiken

High School had one of only two Presidential Scholars in South

Carolina. Also garnering awards was South Aiken High, which was

recognized by the U.S. News and World Report as one of the best high

schools in the state.

Another indicator that we have college-ready students is the latest

ACT results that show Aiken County surpassing the state average and

meeting the national average.


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Recently, the new Federal accountability system was unveiled and

Aiken County Schools earned a grade of B, which is defined as

exceeding state expectations. Thats a good start, but just like our

students, we want to strive for an A.

Many programs have been implemented to teach reading at an

early age, to instill a solid math foundation, to spark an interest in

science, and to inspire the use of technology.

Now, every elementary school has a Reading Recovery Teacher,

who provides highly skilled and individual reading instruction.

This is our fourth year of a collaborative Algebra Project with

USC Aiken and Aiken Technical College, where middle and high

school teachers work side-by-side with post-secondary staff to develop

cutting edge math lessons.

This summer, elementary teachers joined the project and delved

into the instruction of fractions. Our goal is for students to be fully


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prepared to enter college without any remedial work in math when

they leave Aiken County.

We redesigned Pinecrest Alternative School into the Center for

Innovative Learning. At CIL, teachers and counselors created an

environment that uses technology and personalized instruction to keep

students engaged and pointed toward graduation.

For the first time this summer, we scrapped the traditional

summer school model that had produced mixed results. Instead, every

high school and most middle schools, featured self-paced computer

programs tailored to individual student needs, allowing them to

complete summer school when they mastered the coursework. Imagine

the motivation of teenagers who could leave summer school days early

because of their hard work and study.

The results were that we doubled the participation, cut the costs

by half, and found that students earned more credits for promotion to

the next grade level or graduation.


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A number of studies show that ninth grade is a pivotal year and

students who are not successful their freshman year are more likely to

drop out. Our Freshman Academies give ninth graders more attention

and more assistance. That extra effort has paid off, contributing to a

reduction in the percent of students being retained in the 9th grade from

18% to just 8% over the last 2 years.

During the school year, every school and every grade level had access

to on-line computer programs to expand student learning, remediate

weaknesses, catch up with their classes, and recover credits. With over

2,000 iPads and iPods in our schools, we are meeting the ever

increasing demand for our graduates to be highly skilled in the use and

application of technology.

Last year was a banner year for Career and Technical Education.

With the addition of a 10th grade introductory program about career

choices, participation at the Aiken County Career and Technical Center

increased by 250 students. The first class of the Pre-Engineering


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Academy graduated and headed off to college with as many as 26

hours of college credit toward an engineering degree.

Another innovative program was created last year between ATC,

the district, and Tognum, a large engine manufacturer. Even before we

had launched this new apprentice program for juniors and seniors, we

were invited to present the model at a roundtable discussion at the

White House. Being one of only five participants from the United

States was quite an honor and highlighted the uniqueness and

importance of this apprenticeship.

This is the first program of its kind for high school students

anywhere in South Carolina.

Some of you may remember the historical change we instituted last

year, when we organized our management team by elementary, middle,

and high school levels. Previously, the district was divided by

geographical areas. This significant change has increased support for

principals specific to their students needs, brought efficiency to


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operations, and provided for more consistency between schools across

the county. Maintaining our Area Councils continues to honor the

special qualities of each geographical community.

Although our main focus is academic achievement, managing our

finances and buildings is another critical role. You may have heard that

our bond rating from Standard and Poors was upgraded from A+

(upper medium grade) to AA- (high quality), and a recent sell of bonds

netted a true interest costs of only .61%. Approximately a 1.5 million

dollar bond premium was paid to the district as part of the bond sale,

giving us a total of $19 million dollars for 2012-13 building projects.

Plans are beginning for a much awaited major addition at North

Augusta High. Construction has already begun for Aiken Highs new

science building and athletic complex. Jackson Middle School is

finishing up a new cafeteria and restrooms, while A.L. Corbett is also

completing new restrooms. Soon to be bid is the addition at Ridge

Spring Monetta High School that will bring the middle school students


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over to a consolidated 6th through 12th grade campus, which will

improve the teaching space and expand learning opportunities for

students.

So now whats in store for education in Aiken County for 2012-

2013?

A large initiative is the implementation of the Common Core

Standards, a grassroots effort by states to provide a consistent, clear

understanding of what students are expected to learn.

These standards are rigorous and relevant to the real world and provide

a foundation for students to be competitive and successful in college

and careers.

By including over 600 of our own talented teachers in the

development of creative lessons and on-line tools, the district is well-

prepared to tackle this new challenge. With full implementation of the

standards-based curriculum in each of our classrooms, our students


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will be ready to meet the demands of business and industry, not only in

Aiken County but in the global economy.

After early successes with Freshman Academies on other high

school campuses, North Augusta High School enthusiastically opened

its new program this fall. Pre-engineering classes are now available at

five high schools, thus increasing the number of students in the

pipeline for this sought after career.

Based on Individual Graduation Plans, students select Health

Sciences as a top choice; therefore, we have added 3 new programs at

local high schools to fill that demand. Other additional programs

include sports medicine and media literacy. Because of long waiting

lists for welding openings at the Career Center, South Aiken High is

pleased to offer this program that has students scooped up for

employment before they have even graduated high school. We look

forward to following the apprentice program with Tognum and hope to


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see a school and workplace-based model spread to other businesses

and industry.

The arts continue to flourish in Aiken County with the addition of

performing arts and drama at East Aiken School for the Arts. The

strings programs received more financial support this year and

participation is strong.

In addition to athletic and art programs, Aiken County is known

for its caring students who give hundreds of hours to helping others

through clubs and service learning projects.

These are just a few of the opportunities and choices available in

your public schools for school year 2012-2013.You can stay in touch

with the happenings around the district and share your own

experiences by joining our digital newsletter. There is a flyer at your

table that provides directions. As of yesterday, we had 1,065

subscribers and the list is growing.


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Parents, community, and Chamber members, it is because of your

support and backing that our district is able to embark on bold and

innovative initiatives. From donating supplies to opening up your

companies to our students, your contributions of time and resources

have made a real and significant difference. Thank you for celebrating

our successes and for ushering in a new and exciting school year.

Documents

Chamber Luncheon