The Clarendon County Council met July 9,2018. During the meeting, three individuals received service awards. Bobbi Adams received a certificate and paperweight with the county seal for 15 years of service as office coordinator with the water and sewer department. Patricia Pringle received a certificate and a paperweight with the county seal for her 15 years of service as county auditor. Tyler Floyd could not be present, but he will receive a certificate and a five-year pin for five years with the sheriff’s department. Mike Briggs, President & CEO of Central SC Alliance provided an update. The 501(c) (3) company represents eight counties in the center of the state that include Calhoun, Clarendon, Fairfield, Kershaw, Lexington, Newburg, Orangeburg and Richland counties, as well as the city of Columbia. The company provides project management when requested, provides analytics and provides marketing services. The unemployment rate has dropped from approximately 12 percent in 2012 to four percent in 2018. The per capita income has increased from $23,000 to $28,000. In the last 18 months, Central SC Alliance has submitted 46 projects, working 51 total projects over that time period. Currently there are 19 active projects looking at Clarendon County. Should the county land each project, it would be worth $1.2 billion and over 5,000 jobs. Each project is a new project with companies who are not here currently. The industries include automotive, alternative energy, plastics and rubber, food and beverage and textile. Eleven of the projects are considering the spec buildings in Clarendon County. Central CA Alliance will continue to work toward bringing business into Clarendon County.The Council next voted to authorize the reappointment of Jamie Welch and Ericka Floyd to the Harvin Clarendon County Library Board. County Administrator David Epperson presented a letter from the Department of Juvenile Justice, outlining the agreement to house any juvenile offenders, should there be a need. As Clarendon County is not equipped to house juvenile offenders separate from the adult offenders, outside sources must be used. The board voted to approve the one-year contract with the Department of Juvenile Justice.Maria Rose, Director of Planning for Clarendon County, presented first reading of two ordinances. Ordinance 2018-05 addressed the zoning map designations for areas where solar farms can be placed, rezoning the performance zone as not allowing solar farms. The solar farms would then need to apply for rezoning if they needed to go into that zone. The solar farms would still be allowed in AG II, Industrial I and II, and in Institutional districts. The Council voted to approve the first reading. Ordinance 2018-06 addressed the rezoning of a specific land parcel on Little Star Road from Single Family Residential to Agriculture II, which would allow the family to place a business on the property. The Planning Commission reviewed the request and found no objections to the proposal, and no neighbors objected. The Council voted to approve the first reading. Both ordinances will have second reading as well as a public hearing on August 13 at the next County Council meeting. Michael Johnson, Deputy Chief of Operations with the Clarendon County Fire Service, presented information regarding an ordinance proposition. Nearly 45 percent of fire service is provided to motorists traveling through Clarendon County who are not residents in the county. After researching, they discovered other South Carolina counties as well as other states charge a recovery fee for services to non-residents. These fees would not apply to Clarendon County residents, and for non-residents, it would bill through their insurance. Collecting these fees would ease the taxpayer burden. County Council Chairman Dwight Stewart then offered first reading of Ordinance 2018-07 which would allow the Clarendon County Fire-Rescue Department to charge the mitigation rates for deployment of emergency and non-emergency services. The Council voted to approve the first reading. Clarendon County Chief Financial Officer Lynden Anthony offered the financial report. He had preliminary numbers regarding the fiscal year which ended on June 30. In the General Fund, expenditures were $20.8 million, which compares favorably with the budget of $21 million. He is very confident the county will come in under the budget with the final numbers.He did not have the general numbers for revenues, as revenues are still arriving. He does expect the revenue to be under budget, although expenditures were lower than expected as well. He felt confident the county will come in under budget with regard to expenditures, although he is not sure if the end numbers will reflect a surplus or deficit. However, whether surplus or deficit, he anticipates it will be a small margin either way. County Administrator offered the Administrator’s Report. USDA Phase IB has an operational well which is online. USDA Phase II is waiting for the authorization to bid. The USDA Phase IIA extension has been put online. The Eagle Pointe Connector is nearing the completion of the design phase. Once complete, the plans will be submitted to DHEC and RIA for approval to go out to bid.The road paving project in The Home on the Green subdivision is almost complete. The shoulder work, signage and stripping and driveways still need to be completed. The survey and design work for the Bethlehem Group and Winnwood Drive has begun. The Country Club Acres resurfacing has been completed, and the Powell Circle project should begin by end of summer. The Administrator’s Office will be working with SCDOT to determine the projects for the fiscal year of 2019. The annual employee trash pickup day was on June 30 in Turbeville. Epperson offered thanks to everyone who assisted with the event and to the volunteers who came out and participated.Another E-waste recycling day has been tentatively scheduled in September. The date will be released once confirmed. The County Council members will attend a Comprehensive Plan Workshop with Planning Department officials and staff on August 23 to discuss information regarding the upcoming comprehensive plan.Epperson closed with recognizing the three CCSO deputies, Major Donnie Drose, Corporal Kevin Wilson, and Sargent Clay Conyers, who were recognized by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund on June 19. The three were named as the Memorial Fund’s officers of the month for June 2018 for heroically rescuing a woman from a submerged car in Lake Marion on April 30, 2017.Stewart offered the Chairman’s Report. The Council of Governments Executive Meeting will be July 12. Just prior, they will celebrate the retirement of Yoli Crolley, who has been secretary to the director for many years. Later this month, Stewart will attend the South Carolina Association of Counties meeting in Hilton Head. This year, he will transition from the Second Vice-Chair to the First Vice-Chair for the Association. Stewart closed the meeting with a round of congratulations to those who had received recognition awards, and the meeting adjourned.
