Public Asks for Understandable Agendas

So what exactly does this mean?

"An ordinance adopting and enacting a new code for the county of Dorchester South Carolina; providing the repeal of certain ordinances not included therin; providing a penalty for the violation thereof; providing for the manner of amending such code; and providing when such code and this ordinance shall be effective."

That was just one of many agenda items at 's regular Monday meeting in St. George that baffled citizens. In this item's case, it was on the agenda for a public hearing and a second reading. 

"This is basically folks a new way to index and log all of the ordinances in our county online so citizens can search our database," Council Chairman Larry Hargett explained prior to opening the floor to public comments.

Not appeased, the two commentators who volunteered to talk during the hearing instead asked for more understandable agendas. 

"This is all Greek to me. I have absolutely no idea what you guys are doing ... As a citizen I should know what you are doing. I should understand this," Karen Smith said. "You've got very few people here ... they're not interested because they don't understand." 

County attorney John Frampton said the new online system will help "make it easier." 

John Muckenfuss also addressed council.

"She's right, the language is kind of hard to understand," Muckenfuss said. "It's written in a way that people do not understand what the ordinance is."

Of course, much of the information is online and at council chambers regarding what each item will do and how things will change. But neither the Summerville or St. George chambers have wi-fi available yet (though, ), and the added step to viewing the agenda and then looking up the individual items can be labor intensive as a citizen prepares for each council meeting.

At the close of the public hearing, no action was taken on clarifying agenda items, but council did unanimously approve second reading for the new online ordinances system.