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From YouTube: Aiken - A City of Quality
Description
Produced in 1998
A
Welcome
to
Aiken
we're
an
all-america
City
with
outstanding
residents,
businesses,
services
and
some
history,
a
city
of
railroads
winter
colony,
mild
climate
and
recreational
Mecca.
The
city
began
as
a
health
resort
for
the
lowlanders
from
Charleston
and
the
coastal
plantations,
who
came
to
escape
the
heat
and
vapors
of
the
marshlands.
Later
it
began
to
lure
wealthy
New
Yorkers
for
the
winters
who
brought
with
them
the
polo
ponies
and
horses
Aiken
is
thoroughbred
country.
Every
equestrian
sport
has
been
meticulously
preserved.
A
high
point
is
the
Aiken
triple
crown
three.
A
Successive
weekends
of
races
include
harness
racing,
Aiken,
Trials,
flat
racing
and
Aiken
steeplechase.
The
oldest
harmoniously
blended,
with
the
new
much
of
Aikens
architecture
is
listed
in
the
National
Register
of
Historic
Places
Aiken
is
a
great
place
to
be.
The
city
works
hard
to
bring
you
a
quality
city
with
exceptional
services,
and
we
hire
highly
skilled
and
involved
staff
who
understand
the
technical
aspects
of
government.
The
city
team
includes
volunteers
residents,
City,
Council
and
city
employees
working
together
to
improve
Aiken.
Our
success
is
measured
in
many
ways.
A
The
city
has
repeatedly
received
the
municipal
Cup,
a
statewide
award
that
recognizes
service
innovation
and
quality.
Every
department
of
the
city
has
received
state
and
national
awards
for
excellence.
We
win
awards
because
we
offer
the
quality
services
that
our
residents
and
businesses
need
and
expect.
A
The
akin
City
Council
is
responsible
to
the
people
of
Aiken
for
leadership
and
direction
of
the
city.
The
council
is
composed
of
seven
members
elected
under
a
four
to
one
district
system,
with
a
member
elected
from
each
of
the
city's
four
districts
and
two
members
and
the
mayor,
elected
citywide
Aiken
operates
under
a
council-manager
form
of
government
and
the
members
of
City
Council,
appoint
a
professional
city
manager
to
administer
the
day-to-day
operations
of
the
city
government
and
to
implement
the
policies
enacted
by
City
Council.
A
Another
role
of
local
government
is
to
boldly
plan
for
the
prosperity
for
future
generations
of
Aiken
I'ts.
The
Aiken,
which
we
inherited
is
unique,
its
vibrant
its
green,
and
to
maintain
this
extraordinary
heritage
that
we
enjoy.
The
city
must
offer
services
that
preserve
current
assets,
while
managing
for
the
future
to
preserve
Akins
distinctive
greenness.
The
city
has
developed
public
policies
which
ensure
we
maintain
a
balanced,
attractive
City.
The
planning
department
regularly
upgrades
the
land
use
and
zoning
ordinances
to
preserve
the
outstanding
quality
of
life
of
our
community,
while
encouraging
economic
growth.
A
The
Department
of
Public
Works
has
converted
the
city's
parkways
into
shimmering
jewels
people
from
all
over
our
region
enjoy
visiting
our
downtown
and
frequently
remark
on
it's
phenomenal
beauty.
We're
not
just
planning
flowers
intersections,
have
been
adapted
for
vehicular
safety,
we've
added
streetlights
for
safety
and
have
placed
much
of
the
overhead
wiring
underground
to
eliminate
urban
clutter.
The
Department
of
Public
Works
delivers
many
services
that
protect
and
assist
the
people
of
Aiken.
A
The
city
provides
superior,
solid
waste
water
and
sewer
storm
water
protection,
Street
maintenance
and
landscaping
services
and
the
Department
of
Public
Works
shows
every
day
why
Aiken
works
so
well.
The
city
of
Aitkin
works
hard
to
establish
an
aesthetic
and
effective
environment
that
promotes
both
the
health
and
the
safety
of
our
citizens.
A
Recently,
we've
added
walking
tracks
bicycle
paths,
tennis,
courts
and
racquetball
courts
to
address
the
demands
of
our
health-conscious
citizens.
In
1995,
we
completed
phase
1
of
a
state-of-the-art
Sports
Complex
that
hosts
teams
and
tournaments
from
throughout
the
nation.
The
city
of
Akins,
Parks
and
Recreation
Division
has
won
best
of
its
class
for
the
last
several
years
for
initiative.
A
Programming
that
includes
free
outdoor
concerts
on
Monday
evenings
at
Hope,
Lynn,
Gardens
and
Christmas
in
the
gardens
citizens
benefit
from
a
host
of
recreational
offerings
such
as
Tai
Chi,
horseback,
riding
lessons
a
climbing
wall
summer,
camp
bridge
and
pinochle
clubs.
In
keeping
with
our
commitment
that
services
should
be
available
to
all
children,
regardless
of
income.
Scholarship
programs
have
been
established
enabling,
under
advantaged
children
the
opportunity
to
attend
any
and
all
of
our
programs
in
Aitkin,
the
Department
of
Parks
and
Recreation
truly
offers
something
for
everyone.
A
Aiken
has
grown
from
a
community
of
15,000
in
1982
more
than
25,000
today,
and
we
continue
to
grow
to
prepare
for
a
growing
diverse
population.
We
are
constantly
improving
our
services
to
meet
changing
needs.
These
innovations
are
apparent
in
our
emergency
services
in
Aiken,
police
and
fire
services
are
provided
by
four
stations
located
throughout
the
Aiken
service
area.
You
may
notice
that
in
Aiken
this
is
a
combined
service.
The
Aiken
Department
of
Public
Safety
has
been
recognized
nationally
for
quality,
police
and
fire
services.
The
department's
fire
services
are
rated
by
the
insurance
service
organization
ISO.
A
This
is
meaningful
because
your
fire
insurance
costs
on
your
home
or
business
are
based
on
the
rating
of
the
local
fire
department.
Aiken
has
one
of
the
highest
and
best
fire
service
ratings
in
the
country.
The
city
is
one
of
a
relatively
few
departments
to
receive
national
accreditation
as
a
law
enforcement
agency.
A
Public
safety
officers
are
also
trained
as
first
responders
with
this
training
in
emergency
first
aid,
the
Department
of
Public
Safety,
can
meet
the
needs
of
almost
any
police
fire
or
medical
emergency.
As
the
city
of
Aiken
continues
to
plan
for
a
liveable
tomorrow,
the
City
Council
continues
to
fund
capital
intensive
projects
to
ensure
our
infrastructure
is
ready
for
tomorrow's
growth.
We
are
responsible
stewards
of
public
funds
that
emphasize
cost-effective
use
of
the
taxpayers
money.
A
There
has
been
no
increase
in
the
city
of
Aikens
millage
rate
for
more
than
ten
years,
which
translates
into
low
property
taxes.
The
city
of
Aitkin
strives
to
bring
exceptional
services
to
residents
with
an
ongoing
eye
for
savings.
One
good
example
is
our
Department
of
Public
Works.
Over
the
last
12
years,
Public
Works
has
increased
its
customer
base
by
44
percent,
while
reducing
its
employee
base
by
60
percent
per
1,000
customers
and,
at
the
same
time
introduced
a
stormwater
and
recycling
program
and
expanded
its
trash
services.
A
This
same
department
has
just
brought
home
the
city's
ninth
consecutive
South
Carolina
municipal
Cup,
by
utilizing
city
employees
to
complete
large
capital
improvement
projects
in
lieu
of
outsourcing
the
projects,
saving
taxpayers,
hundreds
of
thousands
of
dollars.
Our
finance
department
was
one
of
the
first
to
convert
its
water
meter,
reading
operations
to
a
radio
system,
thereby
reducing
costs
and
increasing
efficiency.
A
Aiken
offers
a
tremendous
business
climate
in
1997,
Aiken
County
experienced
more
capital
investment
than
any
other
County
in
South
Carolina.
The
city
offers
several
forward-looking
incentives
to
encourage
reuse
of
vacant
commercial
buildings,
to
develop
downtown
apartments
and
for
job
creation
to
assist
the
business
community.
The
city
has
changed
the
business
license
to
assist
young
businesses,
renovated
Aikens,
downtown,
encourage
tourism
and
travel
to
Aiken
and
adopted
a
series
of
programs
and
incentives
to
help
these
businesses
succeed.
The
city
has
expanded
its
industrial
parks.
A
The
Municipal
Airport
is
currently
being
upgraded
to
increase
its
capacity.
Our
assistance
to
the
business
community
is
working
in
1997
entrepreneur
magazine
voted
akin
the
best
town
in
which
to
do
business.
It's
not
surprising
that
an
extraordinary
government
providing
exceptional
services
is
noted
for
its
outstanding
administrative
operations.
For
the
fifth
consecutive
year,
the
city
of
Aitkin
has
received
the
certificate
of
achievement
for
excellence
in
financial
reporting.
A
This
certificate
is
awarded
only
to
those
governmental
units
demonstrating
high
standards
in
accounting
and
financial
reporting.
In
an
effort
to
ensure
this
excellence
continues
into
the
21st
century,
Achan
installed
a
fiber
optics
network
to
provide
a
secure
and
fast
ability
to
carry
voice
data
and
video
information
across
departments
located
throughout
the
city.
The
city
of
Aitkin
is
in
good
financial
health
and
seeks
constantly
to
identify
new
ways
to
reduce
costs
while
delivering
quality
services.