Sumter County Council Tuesday evening passed first reading on a resolution for a fee-in-lieu of tax agreement on an economic development project that would bring a $26 million investment and 10 jobs.
Also during Tuesday’s regular meeting council members approved first reading of an ordinance to adopt the 2040 Comprehensive Plan.
At the outset of the meeting, City-County Planning Director George McGregor talked about a request to allow stand-alone truck parking in the Agricultural Conservation (AC) District.
The applicant, Hampton Gardner, is having trouble finding commercial truck and trailer parking in rural parts of the county, McGregor said, noting a host of conditions have been drafted related to the request.
The Planning Commission recommended approval, he said. Councilman Charles Edens asked about size limitations and paving and McGregor said it was two acres and that crush and run gravel is acceptable. Councilman Artie Baker asked about a specific location and McGregor said there was no specific location.
First reading passed unanimously.
McGregor then spoke about the 2040 Comprehensive Plan and said he would spend most of his time explaining it during the public hearing that comes before second reading.
The plan is the long-range land use policy document used to guide development, he said, which is required under state law for communities that have zoning.
The Planning Commission recommended approval, he said.
First reading passed; Councilman Chris Sumpter voted nay.
County Attorney Johnathan Bryan spoke next about first reading of a resolution to authorize a fee-in-lieu of tax (FILOT) agreement for an unnamed economic development project known as ‘Project Combine.’
“They’re going to invest $26 million and bring 10 new jobs,” he said, and seek incentives to do so.
First reading was approved unanimously for the resolution and the FILOT, in title only.
Bryan spoke about an ordinance to authorize the sale of property on Wedgefield Road to Wedgefield Baptist Church for $30,000.
First reading was approved.
County Administrator Gary Mixon spoke next about a request from the S.C. Department of Commerce about the Shannontown Project, where dilapidated housing is being torn down. The project is being funded by a grant from the state DOC. Mixon said an error was made on a bid calculation and the state wanted the county to be aware of the change and to approve it. It was originally $12,317 and was intended to be $13,892.
Council members unanimously approved the change.
REPORTS
Edens reported on an earlier Land Use Committee meeting during which McGregor spoke about the 2040 Comprehensive Plan. No action was taken, Edens said.
Council Chairman James T. McCain Jr. said the Fiscal, Tax and Property Committee met earlier and came back with a recommendation and a second to add three School Resource Officers to Hillcrest Middle School, R.E. Davis College Preparatory Academy and Ebenezer Middle School. The state would fund the officers, he said.
The recommendation was also to amend the full-time county head count and to ask Mixon to bring it back to Council for first reading at the next meeting. The motion was approved unanimously.
Mixon said Webster Rogers, the county’s external audit company, is on site and currently reviewing the county’s financial records. The firm will be working with the Finance Department for about two months, he said.
Mixon said he will miss the next council meeting, as he is the state president for the South Carolina City-County Management Association and will be attending the national conference to represent the state.
PUBLIC COMMENT
F.D. Schmidt told Council she is having a dispute with the Assessor’s office regarding her address.
Timmy Singletary advocated for a homeless shelter.
Barney Gadson invited council members to an Oct. 24 celebration at the M.H. Newton Family Life Center to mark 20 years of the H.Y.P.E. after school program, which has nine locations throughout the county and serves about 600 children.
The meeting adjourned at 6:37 p.m.