Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

The City Council met Sept. 25 and approved the city budget for the new year and an increase in city fees, reviewed the grant application to upgrade the Greenville Airport and discussed the consulting agreement with Bobby Green with Green Nursery and Landscape Design Company for the upcoming Camellia Show in January. 

The city departments that will see an increase in service fees include the Recreation Department, Sherling Lake, Greenville Police Department, City Administration, Department of Community Development and Planning, Mac Crenshaw Memorial Airport, Sanitation Department and Landfill, Greenville Fire Department and Ambulance, and the Ritz Theatre rentals.  

Dee Blackmon, City Clerk Treasurer, explained a few of the fees that will be increased for Greenville residents. 

“All of the recreation fees went up, which is the facilities that we rent like Beeland Park and Dunbar,” Blackmon said. “Registrations went up for all the sports. There will also be an increase in garbage and landfill fees. The fees are going up $3, so a large garbage can will now be $22 and a small garbage can will be $10.”

In discussion of the airport repairs, Mayor Dexter McClendon said the council is currently in the process of applying for grant money to be able to adequately cover the concrete repairs, and he is hoping the city will be awarded the grant amount of $677,000. 

McClendon also said the council is excited about the Camellia Show that will take place in Greenville this January. Blackmon explained that Greenville was inducted into the national Camellia Trail, and this will be the first year for Camellia City to participate. McClendon anticipates a large number of attendees for the event and has hired Green to help shape up selected areas of Greenville for this special event. 

“There’s going to be a lot of people coming into town for this event and we’re excited about that,” McClendon said. “We’re trying to get our garden at Beeland Park a lot more prepared. I’ve been very impressed with Bobby Green and look forward to working with him. We would also like him to help us with some other areas of town like Sherling Lake and the downtown area.”