Monday night, four service awards were awarded to Clarendon County employees.
Kenneth Clark received a certificate and a 10-year pin for 10 years of service as a Captain with the Clarendon County Sheriff’s Office.
Andrew C. English received a certificate and a 10-year pin for 10 years of service as a Clarendon County Council member.
Rosa Kind received a paperweight with the Clarendon County emblem and a certificate for 20 years of service as a Sergeant with the Clarendon County Corrections Department.
Benton Blakely received a paperweight with the Clarendon County emblem and a certificate for 20 years of service as a Clarendon County Council member.
The Council then approved the 2019 Council meeting schedule. All dates will be at 6 p.m. and will be held in the Council Chambers at the Clarendon County Administration Building unless otherwise noted. The meetings will be on February 11, March 11 in Turbeville, April 8, May 13, June 10, August 12, September 9, October 14 in Summerton, November 11 and December 9.
The Council also approved the Clarendon County Holiday Closing Schedule for 2019. The upcoming closings will be on January 21 for Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday, February 18 for Presidents’ Day, April 19 for Good Friday, May 27 for Memorial Day, July 4, September 2 for Labor Day, November 11 for Veterans’ Day, November 28-29 for Thanksgiving, and December 24-26 for Christmas.
The budget schedule was approved next. This outlined when each budget step must be taken to prepare and approve the budget for the fiscal year of 2019/2020. After submissions, departmental meetings and income statement preparations, the presentation of the budgets to the Council and the first reading of the County Operational Budget will occur during the April Council meeting.
A public hearing on the budget as well as second reading will occur during the May meeting. At this meeting, the three school districts will also present their budgets to Council.
A budget workshop will be held in May, and the third and final reading will be held during the June meeting. A final approval of school district budgets will also occur. By law, all budgets must be approved prior to June 30.
The Council then approved the appointment of Rachel Gainey to serve on the Clarendon County Development Board.
CEO of the Clarendon Behavioral Health Services (CBHS) Ann Kirven spoke to the Council regarding ownership and maintenance of the CBHS facility. When the CBHS organization was formed, it received county funding for parts of its operating costs. As the organization grew, they needed to move into a larger facility.
In 1998, a deed was completed to gain loans to expand and upgrade their building. However, to obtain the USDA loans, they needed full ownership of the deed. Until that point, the county had always furnished the building, paid utility and power bills and had given a small cash sum to assist the organization with operational costs.
Even after that point, the county continued to pay building insurance costs and give small amounts of money, which assisted the CBHS in obtaining Federal Medicare grants which require a local match. However, a few months ago, CBHS was notified they needed to obtain their own insurance, as it had come to light that the county’s name is no longer on the deed. Records are being sought to show the intent was to revert the deed back to the county should the CBHS no longer use the $1.6 Million building.
Kirven is seeking for the Council to continue providing a small amount and a small annual operational cost amount, to ensure the CBHS can continue obtaining Medicare grants. The Council agreed to table the issue and assess how to proceed, up to ensuring the deed is updated with the reversion clause with the possibility of continuing to financially support the CBHS.
Clarendon County Chief Financial Officer Lynden Anthony offered the financial report. Ad velorum revenues are up over the same period last year, specifically in real property. The county is still receiving FEMA reimbursement monies for the 2015 flood, which is reflected in grant revenue through December. Expenditures at departmental levels are in line with budgetary expectations. Within the general fund for the first half of the fiscal year, the county is doing well compared to both budget and the same period last year.
The Water and Sewer Department expenses compare favorably to the same period last year. The water and sewer systems generated sufficient cash flow to cover all expenses.
Weldon Auditorium had a few events postponed from the fall of 2018 to spring of 2019. However, during the first six months of the fiscal year, Weldon still generated more revenue than the first half of the 2017/2018 fiscal year.
At December 31, the county had almost $1.8 Million cash on hand. However, a large portion is already committed to contracts. There remains over $900,000 in uncommitted funds, which will be just sufficient to cover bids for incoming expected projects.
County Administrator David Epperson offered the administrator’s report. The USDA Phase II project began January 1. Lines are already in place and some have been hooked up. Pipes continue to be laid on roadways in the area. The county anticipates the project will be completed within 12 months, barring unforeseen delays.
The Wyboo Point/Eagle Point Connector Project has been divided into two phases. Phase 3A involves water line installation. This phase has been bid and a contract has been awarded. Phase 3B involves drilling of the new well and construction of the well house. This phase has been bid. However, the bid amounts came back extremely high, and the county has reassessed the project and will re-bid the phase. They anticipate the re-bidding to begin in late January.
Preliminary discussions are ongoing with the contractor for the Wyboo Fire Station. They hope to begin construction in late first quarter to early second quarter this year.
Baseball and softball registration is open at the County Recreation Department. Registration ends on February 15. A large number of children signed up last year, and the county anticipates the same this year.
The Bethlehem Group and Winwood Drive project, covered by the county portion (75%) of the C-funds, is currently out for bid. The George Harvin Road and Ram Bay Road projects, covered by the state portion (25%) of the C-funds, are also currently out for bid. They anticipate the work to begin on all projects within the next coupe of months once the projects have been awarded, barring any weather delays.
The county continues to work with FEMA and the SC Emergency Management Office to receive remaining funding for the 2015 Flood and Hurricane Florence.
County Council Chairman Dwight Stewart offered the chairman’s report. The Local Government Fund, a state fund which was drastically reduced on the heels of the 2008 recession, is being considered for an increase. This is the first positive movement on the fund since it’s initial decrease.
The Council then closed the meeting.
