Kershaw County Council passed a resolution expressing formal displeasure with the South Carolina Department of Transportation regarding recent median changes on U.S. Highway 1 in Lugoff
Council members and local business owners voiced concerns that the project, which limited median crossovers, was completed without adequate local consultation and has negatively impacted business access and traffic safety.
8 votes7 passed1 failed3 split
The vote behind the headline
Project Sweeper Fee in Lieu of Tax Agreement (2nd Reading):Council approved a tax incentive agreement for a local company to facilitate industrial expansion.Taxes & budget
Unanimous · 7-0
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How they voted - unanimous
✓ Julian Burns✓ Russell Brazell✓ Sammie Tucker Jr.✓ Ben Connell✓ Jimmy Jones✓ David Snodgrass✓ Tom Gardner
This ordinance serves as the second reading for a Fee in Lieu of Tax (FILOT) agreement involving an industrial entity identified as Project Sweeper. The agreement allows the company to participate in a multi-county industrial park, which provides specific tax benefits intended to encourage further local capital investment and job creation. By approving this, the council enables the project to accrue incentives that were part of a previously negotiated arrangement. The measure also notes that the project may utilize Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to support its growth. Because the project remains under a non-disclosure agreement, the official name of the company is currently withheld from public documentation. The council plans to reveal the identity of the business during the third and final reading of the ordinance.
Conveyance of Bethune Rural Water Property (3rd Reading):Council finalized the donation of 0.35 acres of land to the Bethune Rural Water Company.Water & sewer
Unanimous · 7-0
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How they voted - unanimous
✓ Julian Burns✓ Russell Brazell✓ Sammie Tucker Jr.✓ Ben Connell✓ Jimmy Jones✓ David Snodgrass✓ Tom Gardner
This ordinance concludes the transfer of 0.35 acres of county-owned land to the Bethune Rural Water Company. The property was originally leased to the water company in 1979 to facilitate the construction of a pump station and associated system upgrades. With the company having fully satisfied the terms of the loan used for those infrastructure projects, the County Council moved to formally donate the land to the utility. This was the third and final reading of the ordinance, which passed with unanimous support from the council. The conveyance settles a long-standing land-use arrangement, effectively handing over the site to the provider that maintains the local water services. No public controversy accompanied this final reading, as the item was viewed as a routine administrative cleanup of property records.
Project Sweeper Fee in Lieu of Tax Agreement (2nd Reading):Council approved a tax incentive agreement for a local company to facilitate industrial expansion.Taxes & budget
Unanimous · 7-0
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How they voted - unanimous
✓ Julian Burns✓ Russell Brazell✓ Sammie Tucker Jr.✓ Ben Connell✓ Jimmy Jones✓ David Snodgrass✓ Tom Gardner
This ordinance serves as the second reading for a Fee in Lieu of Tax (FILOT) agreement involving an industrial entity identified as Project Sweeper. The agreement allows the company to participate in a multi-county industrial park, which provides specific tax benefits intended to encourage further local capital investment and job creation. By approving this, the council enables the project to accrue incentives that were part of a previously negotiated arrangement. The measure also notes that the project may utilize Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to support its growth. Because the project remains under a non-disclosure agreement, the official name of the company is currently withheld from public documentation. The council plans to reveal the identity of the business during the third and final reading of the ordinance.
Project Wildcat Fee in Lieu of Tax Agreement (2nd Reading):Council approved a tax incentive agreement to support a company's planned expansion.Taxes & budget
Unanimous · 7-0
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How they voted - unanimous
✓ Julian Burns✓ Russell Brazell✓ Sammie Tucker Jr.✓ Ben Connell✓ Jimmy Jones✓ David Snodgrass✓ Tom Gardner
What this was about
This vote marks the second reading of an ordinance authorizing a Fee in Lieu of Tax (FILOT) agreement for an entity referred to as Project Wildcat. The company is planning to expand its operations within Kershaw County, and the agreement is a key mechanism for formalizing the incentives associated with that investment. Like other similar economic development agreements, this structure is designed to provide tax predictability and benefits that help the county remain competitive for industrial growth. Similar to the Project Sweeper ordinance, the specific identity of Project Wildcat is currently protected under a non-disclosure agreement. Council members confirmed that the company's name will be made public during the final reading, which will occur at a future meeting.
Rezoning 13 Acres on Old Stagecoach Road (1st Reading):Council approved the rezoning of 13 acres on Old Stagecoach Road from R-15 to RD-2.DevelopmentRoads
Yes 5 · No 2
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How they voted
✓ Russell Brazell✓ Sammie Tucker Jr.✓ Ben Connell✓ David Snodgrass✓ Tom Gardner✗ Jimmy Jones✗ B. Burns
This ordinance passed its first reading on a 5-2 vote, with Council members Jimmy Jones and B. Burns casting the opposing votes. The measure rezones approximately 13 acres of property on Old Stagecoach Road from R-15 (Residential) to RD-2 (Rural Development) zoning. The applicant requested the change to allow for the placement of a manufactured home on the lot, which is adjacent to family-owned land. While some residents expressed concern, staff clarified that the site is not intended to be a mobile home park and will remain under family ownership. The Planning Commission had previously reviewed the request and provided a non-unanimous recommendation for approval, citing the surrounding land uses as consistent with the request.
Council approved the first reading of an ordinance to rezone 14 acres on U.S. 1 North from General Development (GD) and Residential (RD-1) to Rural Development (RD-2) on a 5-2 vote. The rezoning was recommended by the Planning Commission, which voted 5-1 in favor of the request. Councilman Brant Tomlinson noted that the change brings consistency to the area, as surrounding properties are already developed in a similar manner. The future land use map supports this designation, making the transition more straightforward for planners compared to other zoning debates. Despite the majority support, Councilmen Jones and Burns voted against the measure, maintaining their stance against this specific zoning transition.
Midlands Regional Rehab Hospital Fee in Lieu of Tax Agreement (1st Reading):Council approved the first reading for a tax agreement for a new 40-bed rehab hospital.Taxes & budget
Unanimous · 7-0
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How they voted - unanimous
✓ Julian Burns✓ Russell Brazell✓ Sammie Tucker Jr.✓ Ben Connell✓ Jimmy Jones✓ David Snodgrass✓ Tom Gardner
This vote marks the first reading of an ordinance authorizing a Fee in Lieu of Tax (FILOT) agreement for the Midlands Regional Rehabilitation Hospital. This new project is set to be located in the Watery Business Park near Elgin. The hospital will be a 40-bed facility focused on outpatient orthopedic surgeries and is projected to bring 113 jobs to the county. The council views this project as a significant win for local healthcare access, noting that residents will no longer need to travel to Florence or cross county lines for such services. The agreement was negotiated to facilitate the company's investment in the business park. This first reading passed unanimously, signaling broad support for the economic and healthcare benefits the hospital is expected to provide.
Motion to Increase Council Meetings to Twice Monthly:Council rejected a motion to return to a twice-monthly meeting schedule.
Yes 2 · No 5
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How they voted
• 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.
Councilman Jimmy Jones introduced a motion to increase the frequency of council meetings back to twice per month. He argued that moving to one meeting a month hampers economic development and reduces the ability of citizens to engage with their elected representatives. Several other council members pushed back, arguing that a single meeting per month is sufficient and that staff resources are better utilized by avoiding redundant sessions. The motion failed on a 2-5 vote, as the majority of the council maintained the current schedule. This debate highlighted a split in the council regarding how transparency and legislative efficiency should be balanced against the perceived need for frequent public meetings.
Appointment of Christy Gardner to Clean Community Commission:Christy Gardner was appointed to the Clean Community Commission.Appointments
Unanimous · 7-0
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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 approved the appointment of Christy Gardner to the Clean Community Commission. This volunteer body is responsible for oversight of anti-litter initiatives and community cleanup events, such as the upcoming cleanup scheduled for November. The appointment fills a vacancy created by the departure of an outgoing member from the Town of Bethune. Council members emphasized the importance of these citizen-led efforts in keeping the county maintained and noted that the commission is currently seeking more volunteers to assist in its mission.
Codification of Ordinances: Staff provided an update on the ongoing effort to digitize and codify county ordinances, which have not been updated since 2008. The project aims to provide a searchable online database for residents.
Resolution Recognizing American Legion Post 17: Council unanimously passed a resolution honoring the post on its 100th anniversary.
Proclamation for Community Planning Month: October was officially designated as Community Planning Month to highlight local planning efforts and the Vision 2030 survey.
Resolution in Memory of Mrs. Emily Clyburn: Council passed a resolution honoring the legacy and community contributions of Mrs. Clyburn.
Public comment▸showhide
Residents raised several concerns, including persistent theft in the northeastern part of the county and a request for support for the Sheriff’s Department. Business owners and residents expressed frustration over the U.S.
Highway 1 median project in Lugoff, citing decreased business access and safety issues. Other comments included concerns regarding Heritage Corridors, eminent domain, and appreciation for the county's "Touch a Truck" event.
Coming up▸showhide
The next steps for the fee-in-lieu agreements and zoning ordinances will move toward final readings in upcoming meetings.
The county continues to promote the Vision 2030 survey, available at visionkershaw2030.org.
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.
