SANTEE -- Santee Town Council tabled action on four items on its agenda Wednesday night, but returned from an executive session at the end of the regular meeting to approve all four items.

First, the council tabled action on awarding the contract for demolition of the Clover Inn until it received more information and clarification on the bids received. Following the closed session, the council members voted to award the contract to Flippen Contractors Inc. which submitted the low bid of $62,000.

The Clover Inn is the property recently purchased by the town for the planned tourist center/police station.

The council also initially tabled on a request to authorize payment of a new computer server from Dell Inc. in the amount of $4,186.79. The server is an integral part of the upgrade of the town's computer system. The request was tabled by council, again for more information and clarification. When the council members returned from closed section, they approved the payment.

In addition, the request for council to award the sale of $200,000 in General Obligation Bonds to the low bidder, the Bank of Clarendon, was tabled for more information and clarification. But, following the executive session, the council voted to award the sale of the bonds to the Bank of Clarendon.

Finally, a request for approval of payment for cable (computer/phone systems) in the amount of $3,706.50 was tabled by the council for more information and clarification.

"We will not vote to approve expenditures until council receives a complete financial disclosure," Council Member Sheryl Patrick said. "It would be fiscally irresponsible for the town to spend or borrow one more dollar without this information."

Council members, however, approved the payment when they returned from the executive session.

Also during the June 6 meeting, Linda Shipley, town planner and zoning codes enforcer, reported that Phase 5 Engineering Qualification Packages for the sidewalk project were reviewed and ranked and funding of Phase 3 has been reviewed by the district office and forwarded to the South Carolina Department of Transportation in Columbia for processing.

In addition, Shipley reported that she met with a representative from USDA on May 10 regarding grant opportunities. Grant funds for community infrastructure are available up to $50,000, she said, adding that loans are available at a low interest rate and have terms up to 40 years.

Shipley also reported that she attended the Local Update of Census Addressed Program at the Lower Savannah Council of Governments. She noted that there are three options available to the town to participate in the review and update process, adding that the county will probably oversee the process and the towns will participate with them.

Shipley said she had been work with Town Administrator William A. Frick regarding compliance with procurement and other funding requirements for town projects, including the availability of future projects on which the town has been working. She also noted that 2007 business license applications will be going out in the next two weeks and that they are due by July 10.

In other business:

* Council gave first-reading approval, by title only, to an amendment to the ordinance related to the recovery of collection costs as a part of delinquent debts collected pursuant to the Setoff Debt Collection Act. The Municipal Association of South Carolina requested that the following paragraph be inserted: "And Whereas, the Municipal Association of South Carolina charges a fee for the services it provides pursuant to the Act."

* Shipley reported that the utility trailer and ATV were ordered for the Santee Police Department utilizing funds from the Meth Grant and that two laptop computers will be ordered.

* Police Chief Robert Williams said his department would like to initiate an ordinance holding landlords responsible for properties used for the production or selling of drugs.

* Mayor Silas Seabrooks reiterated his promise to listen to any ideas residents have that would be beneficial to the town, adding that his door is always open.  

* It was reported that an estimated 1,500 people participated in Maize Days events on Saturday, May 19.

* Council went into executive session to discuss contractual matters.

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