Council advances sewer infrastructure agreement and moves toward budget adoption
The council approved the third reading of an ordinance to formalize a sewer infrastructure agreement with the City of Camden to support the Prestige Farms development. Additionally, the council heard the first reading of the fiscal year 2022-2023 budget, which staff noted will be a balanced budget with no tax increase.
8 votes7 passed1 failed
The vote behind the headline
Sewer Infrastructure Agreement with City of Camden (3rd Reading):Council finalized an agreement with Camden to provide sewer service for the Prestige Farms industrial development project.Water & sewer
Unanimous · 5-0
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How they voted - unanimous
✓ Jimmy Jones✓ Tom Gardner✓ David Snodgrass✓ Ben Connell✓ Russell Brazell
This ordinance codifies a sewer infrastructure agreement between Kershaw County and the City of Camden. The agreement is designed to facilitate the wastewater treatment capacity needed for the Prestige Farms industrial development, a project expected to bring approximately 300 jobs to the area. While the facility is located in unincorporated county territory, the City of Camden will provide the treatment capacity, necessitating an upgrade of existing utility lines. Staff clarified that economic development funds - not county general tax dollars - are covering the project costs. During the public hearing, one resident expressed concern about rural citizens bearing the financial burden of infrastructure for industrial sites, but council members emphasized that the industrial growth would bolster the tax base and limit future tax burdens. The ordinance passed its third and final reading unanimously, clearing the path for the development to proceed.
Agenda Amendment to Remove Zoning Ordinance (Procedural):Council removed an ordinance from the agenda to allow for a required 30-day public notice period.Development
Unanimous · 5-0
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How they voted - unanimous
✓ Jimmy Jones✓ Ben Connell✓ Tom Gardner✓ David Snodgrass✓ Russell Brazell
The council moved to remove the third reading of an ordinance concerning Article 6 of the Unified Code of Zoning and land development regulations. County staff advised that statutory requirements mandate a 30-day public notice period before this specific type of ordinance can be voted upon. The council complied to ensure the legal integrity of the zoning update process. By removing the item from this agenda, the council reset the timeline for a public hearing, which is now scheduled to take place immediately prior to the next meeting on June 14, 2022. This procedural step was necessary to meet state-mandated notification guidelines for land development and zoning appeals. No members of the public spoke regarding this specific procedural change, and the motion passed with a unanimous vote from all council members present.
PASSED (Unanimous). The item was removed to allow for a required 30-day public notice period
Approval of Agenda as Amended:Council formally approved the meeting agenda after removing an item regarding zoning code revisions.
Unanimous · 5-0
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How they voted - unanimous
✓ Jimmy Jones✓ Ben Connell✓ Tom Gardner✓ David Snodgrass✓ Russell Brazell
What this was about
Following a procedural motion to remove an item from the night's agenda, the Council voted to approve the remaining schedule. The removed item, the third reading of an ordinance to amend the Kershaw County Unified Code of Zoning and Land Development Regulations, was pulled because it lacked the 30-day public notice required by state law. Staff clarified that this specific notice period must expire before the Council can legally proceed with the item. Consequently, the Council deferred the ordinance to the June 14 meeting, at which time a public hearing will also be held to comply with statutory requirements. Councilman Jimmy Jones, who was participating remotely, confirmed he was tracking the change as it related to his specific interests. With the amendment finalized, the Council proceeded with the business of the evening as planned.
Approval of Meeting Minutes:Council unanimously approved the minutes from their previous meeting after a brief administrative review.
Unanimous · 5-0
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How they voted - unanimous
✓ Jimmy Jones✓ David Snodgrass✓ Russell Brazell✓ Ben Connell✓ Tom Gardner
What this was about
The Council formally approved the minutes of the previous meeting during this portion of the agenda. Chairman Ben Connell used the opportunity to highlight a past presentation regarding best practices for nightclubs, noting that the Council had instructed legal and administrative staff to research standards in adjoining counties. This research is intended to help the Council and the fire marshal address safety concerns that have been raised about local venues. Because the issue involves public safety and potential regulatory changes, the Council remains in a fact-finding phase. There was no controversy regarding the accuracy of the minutes themselves, and the motion to approve them passed with a unanimous vote. The record of the previous meeting’s proceedings was thereby finalized for the official county archives.
Sewer Infrastructure Agreement with City of Camden (3rd Reading):Council finalized an agreement with Camden to provide sewer service for the Prestige Farms industrial development project.Water & sewer
Unanimous · 5-0
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How they voted - unanimous
✓ Jimmy Jones✓ Tom Gardner✓ David Snodgrass✓ Ben Connell✓ Russell Brazell
This ordinance codifies a sewer infrastructure agreement between Kershaw County and the City of Camden. The agreement is designed to facilitate the wastewater treatment capacity needed for the Prestige Farms industrial development, a project expected to bring approximately 300 jobs to the area. While the facility is located in unincorporated county territory, the City of Camden will provide the treatment capacity, necessitating an upgrade of existing utility lines. Staff clarified that economic development funds - not county general tax dollars - are covering the project costs. During the public hearing, one resident expressed concern about rural citizens bearing the financial burden of infrastructure for industrial sites, but council members emphasized that the industrial growth would bolster the tax base and limit future tax burdens. The ordinance passed its third and final reading unanimously, clearing the path for the development to proceed.
Conveyance of Land to Cassett Water Authority (3rd Reading):Council approved transferring the land title for a water tower site to the Lee-Cassett Water Authority.Water & sewer
Unanimous · 5-0
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How they voted - unanimous
✓ Jimmy Jones✓ Tom Gardner✓ Ben Connell✓ David Snodgrass✓ Russell Brazell
This ordinance authorizes the conveyance of approximately 0.39 acres of land from Kershaw County to the Lee-Cassett Water Authority. The property has been leased to the authority for many years and currently houses a water tower used to service residents in the eastern area of the county. By transferring the title of the land, the county simplifies the legal ownership structure and resolves long-standing lease arrangements. Council members noted that this transfer is a straightforward administrative action that supports local utility operations. There was no public opposition to the conveyance. The motion passed unanimously on its third reading, officially finalizing the transfer of the parcel to the water authority.
FY 2022-2023 Budget (1st Reading, Title Only):Council introduced the upcoming fiscal budget, which staff expects to be balanced with no tax increases.Taxes & budget
Unanimous · 5-0
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How they voted - unanimous
✓ Jimmy Jones✓ Ben Connell✓ Tom Gardner✓ David Snodgrass✓ Russell Brazell
The council gave first reading, by title only, to the budget ordinance for the 2022-2023 fiscal year. County staff explained that because state-level budget figures are still pending, the initial reading does not yet include specific dollar amounts. However, the proposed budget intends to be balanced without any property tax rate increase. A major feature of this budget is the elimination of the sewer millage, effectively removing the sewer tax district that has funded debt service for the wastewater plant. The budget also prioritizes salary adjustments for lower-level county employees and includes a planned 12 percent rate increase for sewer utility customers to ensure the system remains self-sustaining. Council members discussed the timeline for future work sessions and the need for public input before the second reading occurs in June.
Sewer Discussion (Motion to Discuss):Council debated the history, debt structure, and future management of the county's sewer utility system.Water & sewer
Yes 2 · No 0
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How they voted - unanimous
✓ Jimmy Jones✓ Ben Connell
What this was about
This discussion centered on a list of questions regarding the sewer system's financial status, provided by Councilman Jimmy Jones. The debate focused on the history of the 'sewer tax district' established in 2007, which has been a point of contention for many years. Council members and staff reviewed the current debt service on a 2016 bond, daily flow capacities, and the necessity of rate increases for customers. The discussion also covered staffing needs for the sewer department and the ongoing process of transitioning the system toward self-sufficiency. Councilman Jones argued that the system's management and transparency needed improvement, while other members argued that the system's growth was necessary for long-term economic development. The dialogue served to clarify the transition from taxpayer-funded debt service to a user-fee-based utility model.
Councilman Jimmy Jones requested to extend the public comment period, which is currently limited by board rules to 30 minutes total with five minutes per speaker. Jones placed the item on the agenda for discussion, but when he moved to open the floor to debate the expansion of this timeframe, no other council member seconded the motion. Because the motion lacked a second, it died immediately without any further discussion or a vote. Chairman Ben Connell remarked during the meeting that while the county currently allows five minutes per speaker, most surrounding jurisdictions limit public comment to two or three minutes, suggesting that the current rules are relatively generous. The failure of this motion keeps the existing 30-minute comment policy and five-minute speaker limit in effect for future meetings.
FAILEDFor 1 · Against 0. The motion failed due to a lack of a second
Proclamations: The council recognized the Lugoff-Elgin High School wrestling team and the Lugoff-Elgin strength team for their recent state championship performances.
Health District Update: Board Chairman Daryl Ogburn provided an update on the progress of the Carriage House facility, noting it is expected to be completed by September 30.
School District Update: Superintendent Dr. Shane Robbins reported on the North Central High School tornado project, noting construction progress and the receipt of challenge coins by council members.
Public Comment Follow-up: Council discussed the status of the sewer system, addressing a series of questions regarding debt service, rate increases, and staffing.
Public comment▸showhide
Residents addressed the council on several topics, including:
- Concerns regarding the funding of sewer infrastructure and the economic impact on rural citizens.
- A request for more detailed meeting minutes and a critique of council rules versus guidelines.
- Criticism regarding the hiring process and salary of the new school district superintendent.
- A reminder regarding the significance of Memorial Day and the history of veteran sacrifices.
Coming up▸showhide
Next Meeting: June 14, 2022.
Public Hearings: A public hearing regarding the Unified Code of Zoning and land development regulations (Article 6) is scheduled for the June 14 meeting.
Budget Process: Council plans to schedule a future work session to review budget details prior to the second reading.
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.
