Council adopts health improvement plan and amends agenda regarding detention center
Council unanimously passed a proclamation supporting the Live Well Kershaw Coalition and their new community health improvement plan. Additionally, the council voted to remove a high-profile request regarding the transfer of detention center authority to the Sheriff's office, deferring the matter until the next regular meeting to allow for further deliberation.
7 votes7 passed1 split
The vote behind the headline
Proclamation Honoring Live Well Kershaw Coalition:Council recognized the Live Well Kershaw Coalition for their new community health improvement plan.
Unanimous · 7-0
▸detailsless
How they voted - unanimous
✓ Julian Burns✓ Russell Brazell✓ Sammie Tucker Jr.✓ Ben Connell✓ Jimmy Jones✓ David Snodgrass✓ Tom Gardner
What this was about
Council unanimously passed a proclamation honoring the Live Well Kershaw Coalition and their first-ever community health improvement plan, known as the CHIP. This plan, developed following a 2017 needs assessment, focuses on three primary priorities for the next three years: access to care, emotional health, and healthy eating or active living. The coalition, which operates under the backbone of the Community Medical Clinic, coordinates with various local stakeholders to address chronic disease burdens and life expectancy gaps within Kershaw County. By utilizing a data-driven scorecard, the group aims to track quantitative progress while fostering collaborative partnerships across both public and private sectors. Council members praised the initiative as a core component of the county’s Vision 2030 health objectives. The proclamation encourages continued community engagement to improve the overall quality of life and wellness for all residents.
Proclamation Honoring Live Well Kershaw Coalition:Council recognized the Live Well Kershaw Coalition for their new community health improvement plan.
Unanimous · 7-0
▸detailsless
How they voted - unanimous
✓ Julian Burns✓ Russell Brazell✓ Sammie Tucker Jr.✓ Ben Connell✓ Jimmy Jones✓ David Snodgrass✓ Tom Gardner
What this was about
Council unanimously passed a proclamation honoring the Live Well Kershaw Coalition and their first-ever community health improvement plan, known as the CHIP. This plan, developed following a 2017 needs assessment, focuses on three primary priorities for the next three years: access to care, emotional health, and healthy eating or active living. The coalition, which operates under the backbone of the Community Medical Clinic, coordinates with various local stakeholders to address chronic disease burdens and life expectancy gaps within Kershaw County. By utilizing a data-driven scorecard, the group aims to track quantitative progress while fostering collaborative partnerships across both public and private sectors. Council members praised the initiative as a core component of the county’s Vision 2030 health objectives. The proclamation encourages continued community engagement to improve the overall quality of life and wellness for all residents.
Amendment to Delete Sheriff's Detention Center Request from Agenda:Council voted to remove the detention center transfer item to allow for more deliberation.Public safety
Unanimous · 7-0
▸detailsless
How they voted - unanimous
✓ Julian Burns✓ Russell Brazell✓ Sammie Tucker Jr.✓ Ben Connell✓ Jimmy Jones✓ David Snodgrass✓ Tom Gardner
Council voted unanimously to amend the meeting agenda to remove a high-profile request regarding the potential transfer of the detention center's authority to the Sheriff's office. Councilmember Jimmy Jones initiated the motion, explaining that he had spoken with the Sheriff and several colleagues who felt additional time was necessary to ensure an informed decision. The request, which was moved to the next regular meeting, has sparked significant public interest and concern regarding the potential operational shift. A public defender spoke during the comment period, warning of a potential conflict of interest if the same department responsible for investigating crimes also manages the facility housing the defendants. Staff and Council will use the interim period to continue evaluating the impacts of consolidation on staff retention, training, and operational costs.
The Council formally adopted the meeting agenda following an amendment to address a significant item concerning the county detention center. Councilmember Jimmy Jones requested the removal of a proposal that would have transferred the authority of the detention center to the Sheriff's office. Jones explained that he had consulted with the Sheriff and other Council members, determining that more time was needed to ensure any future vote on such a pivotal structural change would be fully informed. The request to delete the item from the current agenda and defer it to the next regularly scheduled meeting was approved unanimously. This decision ensured that the Council avoided an immediate vote on a complex policy matter, allowing additional deliberation time for staff and members to review the operational implications of such a transfer. The remaining business proceeded as scheduled, with members emphasizing the importance of thorough review before making significant shifts in county management structures.
The Council reviewed and approved the minutes from the budget meeting held on June 11, 2019. These minutes serve as the formal record of the deliberations, financial discussions, and motions made during that session. By approving the minutes, the Council confirms the accuracy of the proceedings and the votes taken during the crucial budget planning phase. This routine procedural act is a standard requirement for the Council to maintain transparency and legislative accountability. No discussion occurred regarding the content of these specific minutes before the vote was called. The motion to approve was made by Councilmember Gardner and seconded by Councilmember Bozard, and the vote was unanimous among the members present at the meeting.
Approval of June 18 Meeting Minutes:Council approved the June 18 minutes in a 2-0 vote, with two members abstaining.
Yes 2 · No 0
▸detailsless
How they voted - unanimous
• Julian Burns · not recorded• Russell Brazell · not recorded• Sammie Tucker Jr. · not recorded• Ben Connell · not recorded• Jimmy Jones · not recorded• David Snodgrass · not recorded• Tom Gardner · not recorded
The meeting video didn't make clear how the members in grey voted; their votes fill in automatically once the county posts the official minutes.
What this was about
Council approved the minutes from the June 18 meeting. The vote tally was 2-0, as Councilmembers Ben Connell and Jimmy Jones abstained because they were not present at that specific meeting.
PASSEDFor 2 · Against 0 (Councilmembers Connell and Jones abstained)
Council approved the appointment of a seven-member Grievance Committee, which includes employees from various county departments including public works, parks and recreation, the courthouse, and the government center. These members will serve staggered terms of up to three years to ensure continuity. The committee plays a vital role in internal county personnel matters.
Cancellation of July 23 and August 27 Meetings:Council voted 4-1 to cancel the meetings scheduled for late July and late August.
Yes 4 · No 1
▸detailsless
How they voted
✗ Jimmy Jones• Julian Burns · not recorded• Russell Brazell · not recorded• Sammie Tucker Jr. · not recorded• Ben Connell · not recorded• David Snodgrass · not recorded• Tom Gardner · not recorded
The meeting video didn't make clear how the members in grey voted; their votes fill in automatically once the county posts the official minutes.
In a 4-1 vote, Council decided to cancel the upcoming regular meetings originally scheduled for July 23 and August 27. Councilmember Jimmy Jones cast the lone dissenting vote against the cancellation. The decision reflects the council's operational schedule adjustments for the summer months. The next regular council meeting will now take place on August 13, 2019.
All-America City Logo on Water Towers: Council discussed a request from Councilmember Bozard to help fund the installation of branding on local water towers. Members requested more detailed cost estimates and input from local water authorities before considering a financial commitment.
Water Line Extensions for Doby Mill Fire Department: The council reviewed options for extending water infrastructure to improve fire protection services. Staff were directed to continue researching potential grant opportunities and funding strategies, with a focus on fire safety needs.
Retiree Health Insurance Policy: Councilmember Jones initiated a discussion regarding a change in retiree health benefits from 2011, alleging a failure to honor previous commitments to grandfather certain employees. The motion to direct staff to draft a fix was withdrawn following debate, with plans to revisit the issue at a future meeting.
Public comment▸showhide
Residents addressed council on several issues:
Volunteer Firefighters: A resident requested that the county remove the 30-minute wait requirement for volunteer firefighter pay and treat medical calls as equivalent to fire calls.
Zoning Request: A resident expressed concern over a planning and zoning decision regarding a mobile home park density classification.
Detention Center Transfer: A public defender spoke against the proposed transfer of the detention center to the Sheriff's office, citing potential conflicts of interest and praising the current management of the facility.
All-America City Recognition: A resident thanked the council for the new All-America City signage and encouraged the council to support placing the logo on local water towers.
Coming up▸showhide
Next Regular Council Meeting: Tuesday, August 13, 2019.
Independent summary, generated from the county's public video, not an official county communication.
How this recap was made: Prepared from the meeting's live-stream transcript. The county's official minutes (the verified vote record) will be cross-checked automatically once the county publishes them, often a couple of months later. This is an automated summary written by software (a neural-network summarizer working from the documents above). Rely on the official county record for anything important.
