The Turbeville Town Council announced an intergovernmental agreement with Clarendon County to provide a police force in the town of Turbeville on Dec. 16.
This agreement, which will save the town $25,000 monthly, will do away with the police department that is currently in Turbeville, which consists of one officer and replace it with three Clarendon County Deputies. Turbeville Mayor Dwayne Howell sees this as the best possible move, even though it seems to be a controversial one.
“To my knowledge, within my past eight years serving as Mayor of this town, this is the only time we as a council have not reached a decision unanimously,” said Howell. “I also think it is important to add that there are no hard feelings. I never know how people are going to vote; when we go into the executive session, we don’t talk about how we are going to vote because it is illegal. That being said, this council has been wonderful to me, and I cannot say enough about how good they are.”
The controversy lies mainly in Turbeville’s town ordinances. Citizens are concerned that there will no longer be a police department in Turbeville that can enforce them. One ordinance, which doesn't allow citizens to have an excess of trash in their yard, was a hot topic at the forum. A sound ordinance was also brought up.
“If we go through with this agreement, what is going to stop people from piling up white refrigerators and trash in their yards,” said one concerned citizen during the public forum. “What’s going to stop people from blaring their music past our churches?”
However, the problem of unsightly yards will usually resolve with a simple letter from the town hall, according to Howell. When a yard in violation of the ordinance comes to the attention of the council, a message is issued by the town stating that the owners have to clean it up. After the agreement is made, the town will still be able to issue these letters; however, they will not be able to bring them to court. Because Turbeville no longer has a Judge or court system, everything will flow through the courthouse in Manning. As far as sound goes, the Clarendon County Sheriff’s office has their own policies concerning noise violations, and the deputies stationed in Turbeville will enforce them.
“If somebody comes to me and says that there is a problem in someone’s yard, I will sign a letter saying asking them to respond to their violation within a certain amount of days,” said Howell. “About 90% of the people that you send a letter to will take care of their property immediately, but you always have that 10% that don’t. There are several ways we can handle this, we can have someone clean it and bill them, or add it to their property tax, and this does not involve the police at all.”
This decision, like many, does not come without goodbyes. Turbeville’s current police officer, David Jones, formally submitted his letter of resignation during Town Council. Directly after the vote for the intergovernmental agreement, Jones stood and read aloud his letter.
“I would like to quote Matthew 12:25,” stated Jones at the end of his letter. “Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, ‘Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand.’”
Howell and the council recognize the concerns of their citizens and made the decision that they thought best served the town.
“I know a lot of people will say a lot of negative things about our Police Department,” said Howel. “But they have served us very well for the years that they have been here. Now, we want to enter an agreement that will better serve our citizens. We are saving money for the town and receiving 24/7 coverage. Before we were only getting 8 hours a day, that being said, I am so grateful for everything [Turbeville’s] department has done in the past, they have always given %100, it is a thankless job, and they have done it well.”
For more information on the decision and agreement, contact Turbeville Town Hall at (843) 659-2781.
