County fine tunes ordinance on illegals
Wed, Aug 8, 2007

By HALEY HUGHES

Staff writer

Aiken County Council's Administrative Committee is working to change some of the wording in the proposed illegal immigrant ordinance.

Sponsored by Council members Kathy Rawls and Gary Bunker, the ordinance seeks to place restrictions on the hiring of illegal immigrants by both the County and County vendors.

Committee members Charles Barton and Scott Singer had trouble justifying the use of the word "serve" in one sentence of the ordinance: "Agencies which receive County funding (including Council contingency funds) may not knowingly employ or serve illegal immigrants."

"I'm OK with employ," Singer said. "'Serve' is too broad for me."

He added he would much rather a young, battered illegal immigrant be able to stay at the Helping Hands facility rather

than spend a night in jail if his or her parents had been arrested. Helping Hands receives County funds.

Joan Donnelly, assistant county administrator, also pointed out that the County gives out funds to erect road signs directing motorists to churches and that churches may unknowingly serve illegal immigrants in soup kitchens.

"There's got to be a better word than serve," Barton said.

Committee Chairman Gary Bunker suggested including a "humanitarian exception."

Singer agreed, citing the definition of humanitarian as provided by www.dictionary.com: "Pertaining to the saving of human lives or to the alleviation of suffering." But Bunker said 'alleviation of suffering' was too broad for him.

No one had thought of any alternate wording before Bunker suggested the committee approve the ordinance with the understanding that after second reading and public hearing at the next Council meeting, the ordinance would return to committee. Bunker and Barton voted in approval while Singer abstained.

The language, Bunker said, will be worked on in the meantime.

County Council meets next on Tuesday, Aug. 21 at 7 p.m. in chambers located at 736 Richland Ave.

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