County OKs release of funding to begin penny tax projects

KEN BELL
Item City Editor

Sumter County Council gave the go-ahead at its meeting Tuesday night for $875,000 to be released to start 14 of the 16 projects approved by voters in November with the penny local option sales tax.

“The plan now is to go in order but that could always change,” said Councilman Jimmy Byrd after the meeting.

Included in the projects are a new courthouse, improvements at the Sumter County Exhibition Center, rural fire stations and sidewalks, among others.

Council also gave final approval to its sign ordinance at its meeting Tuesday night.

Byrd made several amendments to the ordinance before council, including changes that would allow balloons and flags. Other futtering devices are prohibited.

Another change does not require for sale signs on commercial to be embedded in asphalt or cement. The amendment deleted the wording “... sign shall not be freestanding.”

City-County Planning Director George McGregor said temporary supports extending outward from the sign would now be allowed.

The ordinance was approved unanimously with Councilwoman Naomi Sanders absent.

Council members say the town of Mayesville was notified in December that effective February 28, the county would no longer have funding for waste collection in the town.

Mayor Jerileen Holliman-Miller appeared before the county’s Fiscal, Tax and Property Committee meeting held prior to the full council and asked for an extension before the county stopped collecting the waste. The committee opted to seek a 30-day extension.

But the full council failed to pass the motion when the vote was 3-3 with councilmen Eugene Baten and Larry Blanding and council chairwoman Vivian Fleming-McGhaney voting for it and councilmen Jimmy Byrd, Charles Edens and Artie Baker voting no.

“Majority rules and it’s a stalemate so it does not pass,” McGhaney said. “I regret that.”

Sumter County Council meets at 6 p.m. on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month in its chambers at 13 E. Canal St.



Contact City Editor Ken Bell at kbell@theitem.com or (803) 774-1225.



Here’s a complete list of projects to be paid for with an extra penny sales tax approved by voters on Nov. 4

  Rural fire stations renovations - $3 million

  Patriot Park activities center - $6 million.

  County community centers - $2.5 million.

  Safety improvements $2.1 - million.

  Sumter exhibition center - $4 million.

  Construct sidewalks - $1.5 million

  Sumter central business district intersection and infrastructure improvements - $2.7 million.

  Lafayette Drive - $6 million.

  Judicial center construction - $20 million.

  U.S. 15 south corridor and intersection improvement project - $671,000.

  Complete road infrastructure project in Black River Airport Industrial Park - $1.6 million.

  Black River Airport Industrial Park water/sewer infrastructure project - $1 million.

  Pocotaligo infrastructure project - $2 million.

  Acquisition of property for redevelopment in Sumter central business district - $2.6 million.

  South water plant - $8 million.

  Purchase land behind Shaw Air Force base - $6 million.