§ 2-104. Standing committees.

(a)

Established by council; duties and responsibilities. Standing committees of the county council are as follows:

(1)

Administrative and intergovernmental affairs. The following shall be the duties of the administrative and intergovernmental affairs committee:

a.

Creation of new agencies and departments and prescribing their duties and functions.

b.

Establishment of policies affecting the selection, appointment, compensation, qualification, tenure, seniority, retirement and other matters affecting employment of county officials and employees.

c.

Salaries/pay plans.

(2)

Budget, finance and purchasing. The following shall be the duties of the budget, finance and purchasing committee. Membership of the budget, finance and purchasing committee shall be all members of the county council.

a.

County budget which will come under full council and the chairman of council will act as the chairman of the committee.

b.

Supplemental appropriations and expenditures.

c.

Acquisition, leasing and disposition of personal property, materials, supplies and equipment.

d.

Budgeting and accounting methods and procedures.

e.

Bonds and other indebtedness.

f.

Purchasing policies and procedures.

(3)

Planning, development and building. The following shall be the duties of the planning, development and building committee:

a.

Planning.

b.

Public utilities.

c.

Industrial development.

d.

Subdivision regulations.

e.

Zoning adoption and amendment.

f.

Official map adoption.

g.

Acquisition, leasing and disposition of real property.

h.

Exercising the power of eminent domain.

i.

Maintenance of all county buildings and properties.

j.

Grounds and parking facilities.

k.

Engineering and construction.

l.

Capital improvement programming.

(4)

Public safety, health and human services. The following shall be the duties of the public safety, health and human services committee:

a.

Health.

b.

Human relations.

c.

Welfare.

d.

Social services.

e.

Law enforcement.

f.

Fire protection.

g.

Courts.

h.

Probation and parole.

i.

Correctional facilities.

j.

Emergency Medical Services (EMS).

k.

Emergency preparedness.

l.

Recreation.

(5)

Public works, property and utilities. The following shall be the duties of the public works, property and utilities committee:

a.

Composition of the committee shall consist of at least three members of council. Ex officio members (nonvoting) shall be the administrator and director of public works.

b.

Soil and water.

c.

County roads.

d.

Solid waste collection and disposal.

(6)

Water and sewer. The following provisions shall apply to the water and sewer committee:

a.

Membership of the water and sewer committee shall be all members of the county council.

b.

The chairman of the county council and the vice-chairman of the county council shall serve as the respective chairman and vice-chairman of this committee.

c.

The water and sewer committee of the county shall make recommendations to the county council involving matters concerning decisions affecting the provision of water and sewer services, to include, but not be limited to, the expansion of water and sewer services to areas of the county not previously served by such systems, including decisions concerning the expansion of treatment facilities, the installation of additional water and/or sewer lines and facilities, as well as decisions concerning the expansion of water and sewer facilities to areas of the county not heretofore served by such facilities. All matters incidental to the provision of water and sewer facilities to areas of the county shall be within the purview of this committee.

d.

In the case of an application or request for new residential or non-residential water and/or sewer service to an individual parcel involving not more than ten ERU, such an application or request may, in the discretion of the water and sewer department, be approved by the department without referral to this committee.

(7)

Agenda and rules. The following shall be the duties of the agenda and rules committee:

a.

Revise and make changes to the rules of the council.

b.

Expenses and reimbursements.

(8)

Audit. The following provisions shall apply to the audit committee:

a.

Membership of the committee shall be all members of the county council.

b.

The chairman and vice-chairman of the county council shall serve as the respective chairman and vice-chairman of the audit committee.

c.

The purpose of this committee is to assist the county council in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities concerning county financial matters. The committee's primary duties and responsibilities are to monitor the integrity of the county's reporting process and systems of internal controls regarding finance, accounting, and compliance with legal requirements; recommend the selection, discharge and overall independence and performance of the county's independent auditors as required by S.C. Code 1976, § 4-9-150, as well as county auditing staff; and serve as an avenue of communication between and among the county's independent auditors, budget and finance department, and county council. The committee shall have the authority to conduct any investigation appropriate to fulfill its responsibilities, and shall have direct access to the county's independent auditors, as well as county staff for the purpose of inquiries and investigations; provided, however, that neither the committee nor its members shall give orders or instructions to any county employees who are subject to the direction and supervision of the county administrator. The committee has the authority to recommend to county council the retention, at the county's expense, of any independent special accounting or other consultants which it may deem necessary to perform its responsibilities.

d.

The committee shall meet at least once per quarter or more frequently as may be deemed necessary to fulfill its duties and responsibilities. It shall report to the county council as soon as practicable any actions taken or recommendations made as a result of committee meetings.

e.

The committee has the authority, duties and responsibilities as set forth in Exhibit A to Ord. No. 09-23, the provisions of which are incorporated by reference.

(9)

Agenda items.

a.

Items may be referred to a committee by action of council. Subjects may also be referred to a committee by joint action of the administrator and council chair without its coming before full council. The concurrence of the appropriate committee chair should be obtained prior to placing the item in a committee, however, this alternate method may be used in the interest of saving time.

b.

Ad hoc committees. Should any standing committee of council desire to create an ad hoc committee to assist it in making a recommendation or report to county council with regard to any matter properly referred to said standing committee, such ad hoc committee so created shall be composed of an equal number of appointees from each member of county council; provided, however, should an ad hoc committee be created with a membership consisting of two appointees from each member of county council, the chairman of county council shall have the right to appoint an additional person to serve on such ad hoc committee so that the total membership of such ad hoc committee shall be 15 members.

(10)

Members. Each standing committee shall consist of at least three persons except the budget, finance and purchasing committee, audit committee and water and sewer committee on which all members of county council shall serve. The chairman of the county council shall be an ex officio member of each committee, except for the budget, finance and purchasing committee, and the water and sewer committee, of which he will be chairman.

(11)

Chairman. The chairman of each standing committee shall be a voting member of that committee.

(12)

Committee reports and recommendations. If a matter that properly comes before a committee cannot be resolved in committee, such committee, by majority vote, may submit a no recommendation report to council with a specific request for consideration by the full council. All matters properly referred to the committee must be reported to full council with a recommendation for approval, denial, approval as modified or no recommendation with a request for full council consideration. Each committee shall have an administrative staff including a recording secretary, who shall attend all meetings of the committee and prepare an accurate written report of committee meetings for distribution to the full council. The chairman of a standing committee shall report upon the activity of his committee at each regular county council meeting, and the agenda of every regular meeting shall provide a time for the committee chairman to make such reports.

(13)

Recall of ordinance and resolution. Any ordinance or resolution which has been referred to a committee may be recalled from the committee by an affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the council.

(Ord. No. 81-15, § 9-1, 9-21-1981; Ord. No. 82-16, §§ 9-1.2, 9-1.5—9-1.8, 9-20-1982; Ord. No. 95-08, 10-2-1995; Ord. No. 97-05, § VIII, 2-25-1997; Ord. No. 05-09, § 8-1.7, 3-21-2005; Ord. No. 07-04, §§ 1—3, 2-20-2007; Ord. No. 09-23, 11-16-2009; Ord. of 4-6-2012; Ord. No. 16-01, 3-7-2016 )