The West Columbia City Council approved a package of annexations, ordinance changes and administrative policy updates at its meeting. Councilors approved two annexations on second reading, one first-reading annexation, amended the city's public consumption of alcohol ordinance, revised the special-event policy and updated the employee handbook.

The council approved second reading of an ordinance to annex 3.22 acres at 919 North Lucas Street (tax map 004663-01-011). The council then approved second reading of an ordinance to annex 4.43 acres on Mathias Road (tax map 004597-10-097). Both motions were carried without recorded opposition.

The council took up a first-reading ordinance to amend Title 9, Chapter 2, Section 8 of the West Columbia Code of Ordinances, relating to consumption of alcohol in public places. The motion passed 7-1; the record notes Councilman Pringle was not present for the vote.

Councilors also considered amendments to the City of West Columbia special-event policy and procedures, including updated administrative references and rules for approving alcohol consumption during road closures for events. A city staff member said the changes included administrative updates such as replacing a reference to DHEC with the Department of Agriculture to reflect the correct reviewing authority. That policy amendment passed 7-1.

Separately, the council approved policy changes to the City of West Columbia employee handbook; that item passed 8-0. The council took a first-reading annexation for about 0.752 acres at 1806, 1808 and 1810 Platte Springs Road (tax map 005747-04-007 and 005747-04-008); councilors discussed consolidating the block and encouraged staff follow-up, and the annexation passed unanimously.

Near the end of the meeting, the council voted unanimously to adjourn into executive session for discussion of legal matters related to hearing procedures for business-license tax assessments and appeals pursuant to the cited South Carolina Code Annotated provision.

The package of votes moves the ordinances and policies to their next required steps: the annexations listed at second reading are now adopted as recorded; first-reading items will return to the council for subsequent consideration as required by city ordinance.

Details of the council's actions and vote counts appear below in a concise record of the motions and outcomes for readers and stakeholders.