4 Sumter government headlines to know from the past month

1. Swearing-in ceremonies

As the new year kicked off, so did an important swearing-in ceremony. After Sumter residents made their voices heard at the polls on Nov. 5, 2024, it was finally time for Sumter County's elected officials to officially be sworn into their new or reelected positions.

On Jan. 2, five Sumter County elected officials were sworn in at Sumter County Courthouse, and on Jan. 7, two more Sumter county officials retook their oath.

District 7 Councilwoman Tasha-Gardner Greene is the only new face to join Sumter County Council, and she is the successor to Eugene Baten, who was on council for 20 years before he decided to not run for reelection.

District 3 Councilman Jimmy Byrd and District 5 Councilwoman Vivian Fleming-McGhaney were both sworn in to their seats.

Alongside county council members, Clerk of Court James C. Campbell and Sumter County Coroner Robbie M. Baker Jr. were sworn in, and Baker then swore in his Deputy Coroners Donnie Vickers, William McLeod and Dalton Simon. Baker said Deputy Coroner Earle Robertson was unable to attend.

District 1 Councilman Carlton Washington and Sumter County Sheriff Anthony Dennis also were sworn in during a separate ceremony. Washington and Dennis decided to have a separate ceremony at their home church of Mt. Pisgah Missionary Baptist to ensure their community and church family could attend.

2. Financial condition of City of Sumter strong according to audit

Before the end of the year, Sumter City Council held a special meeting to hear from an external group, The Brittingham Group L.L.P., for a report on the finances of the fiscal year, which ended in June 2024.

"The financial position of the city is strong with a net position of $210 million," Kendra Vandross with The Brittingham Group said. "The city had an increase in net position of about $47 million."

Though the city's financial condition is strong, the $47 million net position increase has already been accounted for in the city's budget.

3. Sumter City Council approves $3M Shot Pouch Trailhead project

At Sumter City Council's final meeting of the year, a procurement resolution for Shot Pouch Trailhead at Broad Street was approved, which will consist of two new parking lots, two separate restroom buildings, a playground, walking path, sidewalks, fencing and a food truck pavilion.

The $3,088,059 project will be done by 3D Dirtworks out of Sumter, and funding will come from state grant money and the Capital Projects (Penny) Sales Tax.

In the future, the city hopes to introduce a second phase to the project that would see a skatepark and bike pump track added to the trailhead, according to City Manager Deron McCormick.

4. Penny projects will be added to Transportation Improvement Program

At a scheduled Sumter Area Transportation Study meeting on Dec. 18, a revision was approved that would see Sumter's Penny for Progress transportation projects added to the Transportation Improvement Program - a program that lists all federally funded projects and all transportation projects, regardless of the funding source, that have regional significance.

With this revision come updates on some of the transportation-based projects on the list of 30 projects included in the Capital Sales Tax Referendum.

Some of the projects being added to TIP are the U.S. 378 Robert Graham Freeway improvements project, the Lafayette Drive side path and the Harvin Street Redesign and Streetscape.

For all projects discussed at the SUATS meeting, penny projects and otherwise, visit https://tinyurl.com/2nku2y9t.