Bamberg City Council gives first reading approval to Budget

Jerry E. Halmon, Staff Reporter

Bamberg City Council members gave first reading approval to the City’s 2011- 2012 Budget of $1,909,262 that included a three percent cost of living increase for City employees and no layoffs or furloughs. Council members also approved a 1.8 percent millage increase the City hopes will bring in an additional $8,000. City budget committee members noted that based on the 1.64 percent increase in the City’s Consumer Price Index, by law the City could have increased the millage fee by $30,000.

“The bottom line is the budget committee kept taxes at a minimum, knowing the tax burden on the citizens as it is,” budget committee chair Bo Griffin said. Council member also approved first reading approval to a $5.00 increase in dumpster fees from $124 to $129 per month. Household garbage fees and green carts for businesses will not change.

In other business:

Council members received a report that the City’s Annual 4th of July Celebration will be held Monday night July 4th at 7:00 p.m. at the Ness Sports Complex. Fireworks will start at approximately 9:00 pm. The event is free to the public. Councilmember's thanked Jim Tobul and Tobul Accumulator for sponsoring the fireworks display again this year.

Fire damages Denmark home

Jerry E. Halmon, Staff Reporter

A Denmark family planning to spend their first night together in their new home will have to make other plans as the house they were moving into was damaged by a noon fire on Thursday, June 09. The brick home of Marvin Bryant, his wife and three children of Denmark, located at 6504 Voorhees Road in the City of Denmark was damaged by a fire of unknown origin. According to reports of people on the scene, the family had just placed the last of their new furniture into the house at the time of the fire.

Assistant City of Denmark Fire Chief Paul Eubanks said “he had no clue” at this point as to how the fire that apparently started at the foot of the stairwell of the two-story structure was started. Eubanks said fire damage was contained to the area of origin at the bottom of the stairwell and doesn’t appear to have extended to the second floor.

The assistant Denmark Fire Chief stated that damage was done to the electrical and heating system of the house making it unlivable at this time. Betty Proveaux, who lives across the street from the Bryant home, noted that her children had lived in the house some years earlier before moving away and she said a passerby saw the fire and made the call to the fire department. She said the Bryant family could be seen busily moving furniture into the house the last couple of days.