Mark Jones

This Master Plan for Easley Parks and Recreation aims to provide quality parks, recreation, leisure, and cultural experiences for residents and visitors of all ages and abilities. Its vision is to become a city with diverse programs and strategically located open spaces, cultural resources, and recreation facilities that celebrate Easley's character, foster civic pride, attract visitors, and promote daily health and wellness. The plan is structured around goals aligned with the National Recreation and Park Association's three pillars: Conservation, Health & Wellness, and Social Equity, with objectives to enhance diverse programming, preserve history and culture, foster partnerships, create a connected park system, and improve wayfinding.

The regular meeting covered several reports from council members regarding constituent feedback, particularly concerning recent winter weather events and City vs. County resident dynamics, including a poll indicating opposition to annexations. Following condolences offered by the Mayor, citizens addressed the Council regarding road acceptance criteria for subdivisions and concerns over a previously denied rezoning request. Unfinished Business included the unanimous approval of Ordinance 2026-06, amending the Unified Development Ordinance for various corrections and clarifications, and Ordinance 2026-07, accepting SC Opioid Recovery Funds and authorizing a coordinator hire and facility renovation. New Business featured a motion to postpone Ordinance 2026-08 concerning budget amendments related to police services pending intergovernmental discussion, tabling Ordinance 2026-09 regarding a capital expenditure for a parking lot, and unanimous approvals for Ordinance 2026-10 establishing the Parks (PK) Zoning District and Ordinance 2026-11 adopting a recommended tree and plant list. Ordinance 2026-12 accepting a federal grant for Safe Streets and Roads for All was also approved. New Resolutions involved the appointment of a new member to the Planning Commission, reaffirming commitment to the 2022 Comprehensive Plan, accepting certain roads from Olive Street, LLC, into the city network, and approving an amended Acceptable Use Policy for Elected Officials concerning City Information Systems. The Council then entered and exited executive session to discuss a potential industrial/business location matter (Project X).

The Council Work Session addressed several ordinances requiring readings or approvals. Key discussions included the second reading of an ordinance amending the Unified Development Ordinance regarding parking and use tables, and another amending the operating budget to accept SC Opioid Recovery Funds for hiring a coordinator and making office renovations. A first reading involved rescinding a previous ordinance due to duplicated services and amending the budget, with detailed discussions involving Pickens County EOC regarding system costs. Other first readings covered repealing a capital expenditure approval for a parking lot, establishing a Parks Zoning District, adopting a recommended tree and plant list, and accepting a USDOT grant for street safety studies, clarifying the in-kind match contribution. Furthermore, the Council heard the reading of a resolution to appoint Ginny McJunkin to the Planning Commission, another to reaffirm commitment to the 2022 Comprehensive Plan, one to accept certain roads from Olive Street, LLC, into the city network, and one to amend the Acceptable Use Policy for Elected Officials regarding City Information Systems. An Executive Session was held to discuss the development of security devices concerning Police Information Technology upgrades and changes.

The special called meeting focused on several key agenda items and citizen comments. Citizens addressed concerns regarding communication, revisiting the AUP, funding for a playground parking lot, accessibility, previous funding approvals, and transparency in holding special-called meetings. New business included the first reading of Ordinance 2026-08 to rescind an ordinance authorizing IT equipment purchase for the police department; extensive discussion was held with the Police Chief regarding the necessity of in-house IT upgrades, data security, and potential duplication of services with Pickens County dispatch, resulting in the motion to table the motion to hear from County representatives. The second item involved Ordinance 2026-09 to repeal the approval of $130,000 for a parking lot, with objections raised regarding the use of Transportation Impact Fees; this item was referred to the Work Session for further review. Council discussion covered a drafted social media policy and clarification regarding the city's long-term inclement weather plan, including proactive efforts for the unhoused population and de-icing downtown sidewalks.

The regular meeting included reports from all six wards, indicating few complaints and anticipation for the new council members. The Mayor's Message highlighted upcoming events and plans to share a two-year summary. Citizens addressed the Council regarding various issues, including concerns about aggressive annexation tactics, the potential impact of new residential development on property values, disputes over mandatory electrical code upgrades for minor repairs, support for a whole health program at The Dream Center, a proposed land swap with Rock Springs Baptist Church to ease access and improve traffic flow, and severe recurring property flooding issues related to a proposed annexation. Key resolutions included the election of Donna Rainey as Mayor Pro-Tempore over Tom O'Shields. Unfinished business involved the second reading and subsequent denial of an ordinance to rezone property on Hamilton Street due to significant drainage concerns, and the unanimous approval of an ordinance allowing limited educational use of hens by non-profits for one year. New business featured multiple failed motions to annex properties related to WFLP, LLC, and Rock Springs Baptist Church. An ordinance amending the Unified Development Ordinance to correct errors and clarify parking regulations was approved after an amendment was added to include a historical change record. Finally, an ordinance to accept SC Opioid Recovery Fund money to hire a coordinator and renovate office space was unanimously approved. The Council entered and exited Executive Session to discuss Project X and potential litigation.