March 10, 2026 meeting recap | Kershaw County Council Recap

Source: Official approved minutes of the Kershaw County Council.

The headline

Kershaw County Council officially honored the memory of two Lugoff-Elgin High School students by dedicating March 10, 2026, as Samantha Gladden and Maryann Large Day. The council and community members celebrated the installation of two memorial benches at the high school, a project organized by the senior class to foster remembrance and compassion.

Adoption of the agenda for March 10, 2026: Council members voted to adopt the meeting agenda as presented for the March 10 session.

Yes 4 · No 0

▸ detailsless

How they voted - unanimous

✓ Ben Connell✓ Derek Shoemake✓ Brant Tomlinson✓ Danny Catoe

What this was about

The Kershaw County Council formally adopted the published agenda for its regular meeting on March 10, 2026. Councilman Danny Catoe made the initial motion to approve the agenda, which was seconded by Councilman Brant Tomlinson. The vote passed with four council members present in favor, while three members participating online were temporarily absent during the initial vote call. Adopting the agenda establishes the legal order of business for all scheduled presentations, public comments, and official council actions.

PASSED For 4 · Against 0 (unanimous)

▶︎ Jump to this in the transcript »

Votes at a glance ▸ tap to showtap to hide

Adoption of the agenda for March 10, 2026: Council members voted to adopt the meeting agenda as presented for the March 10 session.

Yes 4 · No 0

▸ detailsless

How they voted - unanimous

✓ Ben Connell✓ Derek Shoemake✓ Brant Tomlinson✓ Danny Catoe

What this was about

PASSED For 4 · Against 0 (unanimous)

▶︎ Jump to this in the transcript »

Approval of the February 24, 2026, meeting minutes: Council members voted unanimously to approve the official minutes from the February 24 meeting.

Yes 7 · No 0

▸ detailsless

How they voted - unanimous

✓ Ben Connell✓ Russell Brazell✓ Sammie Tucker Jr.✓ Derek Shoemake✓ Jimmy Jones✓ Brant Tomlinson✓ Danny Catoe

What this was about

The council formally reviewed and approved the official meeting minutes from the regular Kershaw County Council meeting held on February 24, 2026. Councilman Derek Shoemake offered the motion to approve the record, which was seconded by Councilman Brant Tomlinson. The motion passed unanimously with all seven council members voting in favor, including those attending in person and participating remotely. Approving meeting minutes serves as the official legal recording of county decisions, public hearings, and actions taken during prior sessions.

PASSED For 7 · Against 0 (unanimous)

▶︎ Jump to this in the transcript »

Appointment of Monica Frazier to the Accommodations Tax Advisory Commission (ATAX): Council members unanimously approved reappointing Monica Frazier to the county accommodations tax commission. Taxes & budgetAppointments

Yes 7 · No 0

▸ detailsless

How they voted - unanimous

✓ Ben Connell✓ Russell Brazell✓ Sammie Tucker Jr.✓ Derek Shoemake✓ Jimmy Jones✓ Brant Tomlinson✓ Danny Catoe

What this was about

The Kershaw County Council voted unanimously to reappoint Monica Frazier to serve on the Accommodations Tax Advisory Commission (ATAX). Councilman Danny Catoe introduced the motion for reappointment, which was seconded by Councilman Brant Tomlinson. The Accommodations Tax Advisory Commission plays a key local role by reviewing applications and making recommendations on how county accommodations tax revenues are allocated to promote tourism and local cultural activities. Council members approved the measure 7-0 with full council support across in-person and remote attendees.

PASSED For 7 · Against 0 (unanimous)

Who said what

» Danny Catoe Council Member: nominated Monica Frazier for reappointment to the county accommodations tax commission ▶︎

▶︎ Jump to this in the transcript »

Enter Executive Session to discuss a personnel and employment matter: Council members voted to hold a closed executive session regarding a county personnel matter.

Yes 6 · No 0

▸ detailsless

How they voted - unanimous

✓ 6 members voted yes

The official minutes recorded this vote as a count without listing each member by name.

What this was about

The Kershaw County Council voted to enter an executive session to discuss a personnel and employment matter pursuant to South Carolina Code Section 30-4-70(A)(1). Council Chairman Ben Connell called for the executive session, with the motion made by Councilman Danny Catoe and seconded by Vice-Chairman Russell Brazell. The motion passed 6-0 among voting members, with Councilman Brant Tomlinson dismissed prior to the closed session. Council members reconvened in open session approximately thirty minutes later and adjourned the meeting without taking any formal votes or public action on the personnel matter.

PASSED For 6 · Against 0 (unanimous)

Who said what

» Ben Connell Chairman: informed the public that no council votes were expected following executive session ▶︎

▶︎ Jump to this in the transcript »

Discussed, no vote ▸ tap to showtap to hide

EMS Presentation: Director of Emergency Services Will Glover presented a statistical update on county-wide call volumes and response times. Council members discussed the potential use of deployable off-road medical units to improve response times in rural areas.
Appointments to Boards: Council members held initial discussions regarding upcoming vacancies on the Planning and Zoning Commission and the Board of Zoning Appeals. Several reappointments were moved to the March 24th agenda to ensure proper rotation and process.
Parks and Recreation: Council members and staff addressed recent vandalism at Bethune Park and updates regarding the Boyd Young Copeland and Mount Pisgah fields, noting that grass establishment and repairs are currently underway.
Columbia Green Partnership: The council reviewed a memorandum of understanding for a "Beat the Heat" tree-planting program, which would provide native shade trees to property owners.

Public comment ▸ tap to showtap to hide

Four residents addressed the council: - Tom Webb spoke regarding his views on the death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. - Ann Newell requested a study on voter registration and population growth in the Liberty Hill district and expressed concerns regarding the balance of funding between recreation projects and EMS services. - Lee Reed provided a critique of the construction costs and specifications for a new office facility at the Bethune Recycle Center, questioning the project's financial efficiency. - Benjamin Garnett introduced the "Beat the Heat" tree-planting initiative by the nonprofit Columbia Green, requesting the county consider a partnership agreement to bring the program to residents.

Coming up ▸ tap to showtap to hide

Budget Workshop: Thursday, March 12, 2026, at 4:00 p.m.
Next Regular Council Meeting: Tuesday, March 24, 2026.

This is an independent summary prepared from the county's official published minutes and the meeting's live stream, not an official county communication.