Machine transcript of the county's live stream. Each » marks a change of speaker; the captions don't say who is talking, and names are often misspelled. For the readable version see the recap; the official record is the county's minutes.
» All right let's call the meeting to order. Thank you everyone for being here tonight for this Kershaw County Council meeting December 10th 2024. This is our last meeting of the year wishing everyone a Merry Christmas as well. We're called to order gentlemen. The next item on the agenda is the invocation Pledge of Allegiance will be led in those by Reverend Dr. Regina Moore. Let us join our hearts and spirits together in a moment of reflection and prayer. Oh spirit of creation known by many names and present in every life and community. We come before you this evening humbled and united in purpose. In this gathering we lift our collective voices in gratitude, hope, and resolve. We pray for peace to reign in our hearts, our homes, and our community.
» Let harmony replace division and may every resident of Kershaw County be embraced by the promise of hope. In this season of change and renewal guide us to be bears of light bringing comfort and encouragement to those in despair. We lift our voices against the chains of economic oppression that burdened so many among us. May we work together to create opportunities that allow every person to thrive, inspire our leaders and citizens alike to dismantle systems of inequity and replace them with policies and practices that uphold dignity, fairness, and the flourishing of all. Bless the members of this council and all who serve the people of Kershaw County. Grant them wisdom, courage, and compassion as they deliberate and decide.
» Let their leadership reflect a commitment to justice and equity always mindful of the most vulnerable among us. We pray for the well-being of every neighbor, every household, and every heart. May we celebrate the richness of our diversity and remain steadfast in our commitment to each other. Let understanding and goodwill be the foundation upon which we build a brighter future. And as we move toward tonight and the agenda, let us do so with open hearts and steadfast resolve. May our actions honor the sacred trust of leadership and embody our shared vision for a just and flourishing Kershaw County. Amen. And now will you please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance.
» I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you very much. All right, back on the agenda. Next up on the agenda is item number four, adoption of the agenda. Do we have any motions? Make a motion that we adopt the agenda, Mr. Chairman. Actually, let me hear from Councilman Kato. I think he had a motion. Yes, sir. Is that okay? You yield? I do. I have a motion. I'd like to amend the agenda to move 12A in new business, which is the audit report. We'd like to move that over to public presentation, which would be 8B. It would become 8B. Okay, that's the motion. Is there a second? Second. Okay, we got a second. Any discussion, Mr. Kato? None.
» Okay, hearing no discussion. Any further? Let's call for a vote. All in favor? A vote for the amendment, sir. Yes, that's correct. Okay. All in favor? It's unanimous, Ms. Hanna. All right, we've got the amendment passed. Now let's adopt the agenda as amended. Can I get a motion? Yes, sir. I'd like to make a motion that we adopt the agenda as amended. Thank you very much, Mr. Tucker. Is there a second? Second. Mr. Chairman, if I may. Yes. I'd like to, it's probably the appropriate time to do it, I'd like to ask for an executive session tonight. You know, I think it's dealing with the issue with the plannings on the Commission, and it's legal, it's some legal issues, and I think I'd like to go in an executive session to discuss that, not discuss it here, because I really think, and Mr.
» DeBose can certainly tell us once we get inside if it is, but I've already been advised that it is under the executive session rule. Okay, so you're saying you've received legal advice that your proposed new executive session item would satisfy SE Code 4470? Yes, and if by chance when we get in there, if Mr. DeBose says it doesn't, we'll walk out. But bottom line is, I've already been told. Well, the initial thing is I have to make a finding of the exigency, is that correct, Mr. DeBose, to add a new item to the agenda? If action is going to be taken without action. No action is going to be taken. All right, so you're clarifying you'd just vote no vote? There'll be no vote coming out.
» Okay, so the motion just for me to clarify is an executive session which would be 17B, receipt of attorney client privilege, legal information related to the Planning and Zoning Commission? Correct. Okay, that's the motion. Is there a second? I'll second. We've got a second for Mr. Cato. Any discussion? Yes, never mind, I'll see how the vote goes. Thank you. Okay, any further discussion? All right, let's call for a vote. All in favor? Unanimous, Ms. Hanna? Thank you, gentlemen. That's the second amendment on the agenda, and so now we'll call for a second to Mr. Sammy Tucker's motion on accepting the agenda and approving it as amended. Correct, sir. I think Mr. Shoemake, did you have the second on that? I did.
» Okay, all right, any discussion on that item? Seeing none, we call it for a vote. All in favor? All right, the agenda is approved. Next item on the agenda is number five, proclamations. This is the Lugoff Elgin Demon Elite Youth Football and Cheer Day in Kershaw County, recognition by Councilman Shoemake. We have a group of students out in the hallway that I think are going to be mustered in here in just a moment, so we'll be patient. I was gonna say hurting the cats, but they're much bigger than cats, yeah. Sheriff, if you would, not that we need your services, but I think we can get them to come in. While everyone's coming in, let's go ahead and get a motion on this one. I would like to make a motion that we adopt this proclamation. Okay, is there a second? Second.
» All right, we got on the table. Any discussion as we're getting everybody in? I think Mr. Shoemake, you had the first? Should I read it? Yes, he did. We'll wait until everyone gets in. Okay. Mr. Chairman, once everyone gets in, I have a proclamation I would like to read as part of the discussion. Thank you, Mr. Shoemake. Do we have everyone? What a great-looking group. I thought you guys are all here for the audit discussion. I think we've got everyone. Yes sir, Mr. Shoemake. All right, so Mr. Chairman, I'd like to read this proclamation since we've got a motion and a second on the floor.
» Proclamation in honor of Lugoff Elgin Demon elite youth football, whereas the Lugoff Elgin Demon elite youth football organization is only in its second year of existence as an organization of the South Carolina Youth Football Association upper state division. While Kershaw County has opportunities for recreational football, there are only two programs in the county that offer competitive travel league football for youth. Whereas the program of about 120 athletes helps to develop the skills for young athletes to succeed not only on the field but in the classroom as skills to be productive members of society. Whereas the organization has athletes ranging from 5 years of age to 12 years of age, including cheerleaders.
» The organization has four teams, 6U, 8U, 10U, and 12U, all of which all teams going into the playoffs were ranked in the top 10. Whereas during the 2024 playoffs, the organization's 6U and 8U divisions secured the title of upper state champions on Saturday, November 16th while playing here in Camden, South Carolina. Whereas both teams fought hard for a state championship but came up a little short in the fourth quarter, both teams still have much to be proud of in securing the upper state championship.
» Now therefore be it resolved, Kershaw County Council proudly dedicates this 10th day of December 2024 as Demon elite youth football and cheer day in Kershaw County, South Carolina in honor of the hard work and dedication that the organization's athletes have demonstrated during the 2024 South Carolina Youth Football Association football season. Mr. Chairman, I don't know if you want to do discussion now. Bring up for a picture now. You tell me. Any further discussion council members before we take a picture? Okay, let's take a vote. All in favor of approving this proclamation, raise your hand. They all wave. All right, the proclamation is approved. All right, so if we could get whoever you want, let's get them up here. We'll do it. Get that team up here with that trophy.
» I know that's right. That's what we need. Yeah. What's up guys? This is what you look at this and you play. This is what you look at. Hey guys, keep moving down this way. Keep moving down this way. Now we put the proclamation right here. It might be blocked by that thing, but anyway, let's see if we can get up there. All right, everybody, everybody look at the podium there. Okay, everybody look this way. Hold tight, hold tight. Keep going. Hang tight, hang tight. Everybody good? All good? Congratulations, y'all. Thank y'all for coming in. Good to see you. Good to see you. Chief, you in on this deal. That's awesome, man. Good for you. That's awesome. I'll make sure y'all get invites in the game. Yeah, thank you. Come check y'all out. Thank you, Mr.
» Shoemake, for an outstanding proclamation. Thank you for bringing that group in. Gentlemen, any further discussion before we move to the next agenda item? Just congratulations. That was good there. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Shoemake. All right, next item we have on the agenda is item number six, public comments. Mr. DeBose. We have five speakers signed up for a public comment. Okay, we've got five speakers. Thank you, Sheriff, for getting the door. Who's our first speaker? Mary Ann Esparza. The subject is planning and zoning. Okay. Hi, good evening. Thank you, first of all, for giving me the opportunity. I'm here for planning and zoning because my concern is the fact that I'm trying to put a house on my property. And we went through all the perks.
» We did the perk test, the zoning permits, everything like that. Well, now I'm at a stopping point where I need to get a new permit done. And I can't get one done without petitioning the board, which has met two times to my understanding in the past two years. So my construction is on hold because I got a form that can't be filled out or approved by anyone that doesn't meet. Even if they did, which I was not given the confidence by the office, by the zoning planning and zoning office. If they were to meet, the next meeting would be in January. Even if they did, I don't meet the deadline for getting my form turned in for that January meeting. It's December 10th. So unless I'm waiting until the next meeting, which would be scheduled for February, if it's held, I got a problem.
» I don't know how to get my permit approved. I have property away from a main road. The driveway is 477 feet long. That's the easement. It can't be seen from the main road. I can't position my house however I desire in the middle of that 9.9 acres. Well, it's not in the middle, but you know what I'm saying. Without getting permission from a board that doesn't meet. It's literally the position of my home. I got a perk test where the house is going to go. I own the land. It's a zone general. There's nobody near me. I'm not near a road. But I can't turn my house the way I want to. All right, I'll play the game. I'll do the paperwork. Well, no, I can't even do that. So I want for you guys to discuss how there is no approval request for these types of things.
» If there is something in writing that says this is going to be our procedure, it's not happening to my understanding. And a deadline for a meeting that's going to happen at the earliest three weeks away and I haven't met yet, that's unreasonable. Those monthly meetings may not be timely enough for other people that are waiting to position their homes. Get this straight. I bought a Clayton home. It's a manufactured home. And it's on my property because I had my permits approved. But now I cannot complete it because I'm changing the position of the house, not the location, the way my house is facing. I've got a contractor in limbo. I've got undeveloped land that's getting ready to get rain wash, more rain wash. I'm not able to schedule a contractor.
» So now I've got longer wait times, which is costing me money. There's no contingency for this. And I should have a way of moving forward. I understand the reason for all the regulations. I'm trying to meet them, give me a way to move forward to my next spot so I can move into my house. Two, and this is minor but it matters, cost on the website and on the form it says $250. That's great. I'll go to the ATM and, oh no, it's $350 as the employee grabs the paper back and scratches out $250 and writes $350 on the form. That's inappropriate. And it also says on the website that it's $250, not just the form. Is that it? That's it from me. Thank you, Ms. Sparza.
» Do we have your contact information on the sheet, address, and phone number so the right council member can follow up with you? Yes, thank you. Okay. Thank you for coming tonight. How about, would you ask the County Administrator to get in touch with her, sir? Always, yes, sir. Yeah. I literally have my house sitting on my property and nothing to do and cannot get a permit signed. Mr. Temple has done wonderful things in the past helping people with similar situations like this. So that's why I would like to, if the chair doesn't mind, just ask you to contact her tomorrow. And then there's no reason why, Mr. Chairman, there's no reason why the commission can't meet, have a special call meeting. I'm not sure which commission we're talking about at this point.
» The Planning and Zoning Commission, the Planning Commission meets more regularly than what I heard just now. Well, I spoke to the Planning Commissioner and it's not him. It's not him. I'm sorry, I know I'm undoing somebody else's time. It's not him. We'll be glad to follow up on your information. Because he said I have to meet with the Board of Zoning and they haven't met. Board of Zoning Appeals. Okay, that's a different body. We'll follow up with you. Okay. Thank you, ma'am. Tomorrow. Thank you, Mr. Jones. I appreciate your guidance on this. You're quite welcome. Thank you, Ms. Sparza. Mr. Bowes, who do we have next? Next speakers, Scott Chambers, Woodward Field Airport. Mr. Chambers, yes, sir. Okay. So my name is Scott Chambers. I'm a Kershaw County resident.
» I'm here speaking on behalf of the commissioners of the Woodward Airfield. Thank you for the opportunity to speak to the council. I thank each of you for your service and commitment and your contributions. I have a brief little understanding of what you guys go through based on what we've done with the committee at the airport. It's a lot of time and effort for volunteer opportunity. Thank you for recognizing the need to protect your current asset and future citizens with the appropriate land use. And I especially want to applaud the efforts of the Planning and Zoning Commission for approving the AOD and acknowledge the thorough and thoughtful and exhausting efforts of the Kershaw County Administration team.
» Inappropriate land use around airports leads to neighbors being subject to potential noise, vibration, and other hazards. Inappropriate gathering areas including churches and schools and other congregations of people. Reduction in airport utility which may lead to closure of a very important local and regional asset and unhappy citizens. Currently airports are closing at the rate of 1.4 each month. I'd like to reiterate what Woodward Airfield means to our community. Woodward Airfield supports jobs. Total economic activity within 25 miles of the 29020 area code attributed to Woodward Airfield is 8.1 million USD.
» Woodward Airfield serves as vital basis for services like medical aircraft, disaster relief, power and pipeline inspection, power company rotor blade, aerial trimming, law enforcement, sled, DNR, Department of National Resources, forestry service, coast guard training, civil air patrol, flight academy, charter aircraft, and more. The general aviation fleet is the nation's largest airline. Flying more passengers than American Airlines and United Airlines combined. I'm grateful that the state of South Carolina recognizes the value of its general aviation airports empowering the South Carolina Aeronautics Commission.
» I'm grateful that we have thoughtful, experienced professionals in the South Carolina Aeronautics Commission that have worked with Woodward Airfield, Kershaw County, stakeholders, and to develop the best practices specific to Woodward Airfield and the surrounding community incorporating the best practices developed from historic outcomes, successes, and failures. In closing, in my request, I've heard it said that when a community loses an airport, it's similar to losing an interstate. I liken it to the communities along Route 66. But it's more than that. Losing an airport is more like losing all the interstates and all the back roads, a lifeline to our community.
» I support and request the Council's support for the AOD developed for Kershaw County Planning and Zoning Commission by the South Carolina Aeronautics Commission and its experts because it offers Kershaw County the path based on expertise gained from best practices generated by experienced professionals that are active in this area of expertise. Thank you. Thank you very much. Appreciate you coming out tonight. Mr. DeBose. Next speaker is Linda Franklin Moore, Airport Overlay. Ms. Franklin Moore. Thank you, members of Council. I'm here to talk about the overlay district, and it's come to my attention at the planning and zoning meeting last night. They are trying to eliminate horses along Red Fox Road, Dicey Creek Road, Hasty Road, and part of Russell Road where I live.
» The horse community has lived in conjunction with the airport for many years, and we have no complaints about noise or anything else that's coming from the airport. We would like to live as we're living and let them live as they are living. I'm also wondering why all of a sudden horses near the airport are a problem after all these years, certainly not because of fear of plane crashing near the airport because a plane can crash anywhere. Citizens need to look at the five-year plan of the airport very carefully. Expansion of the airport to include more hangars to attract large industry is a non-event. Kershaw County does not have the infrastructure to attract a large industry like another target distribution.
» Executives of these large companies already know what our water and sewer capacity is before they ever step foot into our county. There is also a large interbasin transfer in Charlotte to handle their growing development, and that will further reduce our water flow into the watery river and also affect our permitting capacity. But let us remember that the equine industry is an industry. Now, according to the City of Camden land use plan of 2023, they recognize the value of the equine industry. And I quote, the equine industry contributes $2.9 billion with a B in annual revenue for South Carolina with more than $29 million in Kershaw County alone. The county now leads the state in horse ownership.
» In recent years, the city and county have linked strong equestrian history with thriving parts of the arts community, the culture sector. And they also said that they identified a need for the city to further leverage its public and private assets to promote the community as a destination, noting a potential for the increase of the equine industry. The economic impact of these equestrian-themed venues is realized through direct and indirect spending that flows through the county, impacting restaurants, hotels, bed and breakfast, and merchants, and that equine enthusiasts are high value tourists. The activities in this county include horse breeding, training, racing, jumping, fox hunting, rodeo, dressage, trail and endurance riders, and shows.
» Now, on a more local level, I'm not a big outfit, but my horses have an equine dentist, an equine chiropractor. My horses see a chiropractor more than I see a chiropractor. They have a vet and a farrier. I also support local feed and seed stores as well as tractor supply. So there is that trickle down economic effect. Members of the Planning and Zoning Committee have been asked to resign if they do not rubber stamp this overlay district. I realize the county could lose some FAA funding, but apparently the courts do not share the county's concern as in their most recent ruling. I urge council to sit down with the horse community and see what agreements can be made. And remember, the equine industry is an industry. Thank you. Thank you, Ms. Franklin-Moore. Mr. Nabose.
» Next speaker is Ted Brunson, Airport. Mr. Brunson. Good evening. First off, Ms. Moore and I did not have a chance to talk, but you will find some similar things here. First off, I don't own a horse. I do own two aircraft, though. One is actually hangered at Woodward Field. The other is a kit plane being assembled in my garage. Based on some of the comments and concerns during last night's airport overlay meeting, I have the following. Woodward Field employs two full-time employees and one part-time employee. They have four hangers that provide storage for approximately 32 planes, which yields them about $5,400 a month. They have eight T-hangers that provide an additional $1,600 per month. Two types of fuel are available at the FBO, JetA, and Avgas.
» The fuel is purchased out of state from Crown Aviation out of Elizabetown, North Carolina, and trucked in either from there or from Savannah, Georgia. KCDN has an independent A&P mechanic on site for most repairs and maintenance. He is a 1099 employee. Traffic out the field is primarily based on what the weather is. Average touchdown and takeoffs is between 6 and 10 daily, excluding PPL training. As of 2 p.m. today, there was one aircraft on the tarmac with no other planes arriving or departing. The FBO does not charge for tie-down services. They just want you to buy the fuel. The county and state maintains an EMS facility at the FBO, but that is not included in operating and income projections.
» The county attorney mentioned his concerns about not widening the influence of the airport overlay based on bird strikes at the field. This was his opinion of horses around the field led to more birds in the area. My guess is researchers based off the popular Tom Hanks movie, Miracle on the Hudson. In actually talking to the personnel at the FBO, there is indeed one confirmed bird strike with another probable this year, both by the EMS helicopter. None reported within the GA community at CDN. In researching the bird strike scenario, there is average of one civilian death per one billion hours of flight time in the air.
» In plain English, a person would have to live 217 years old in order to face the possibility of dying due to a bird strike, all the time living, literally living in the air. So maybe a better choice to eliminate bird strikes is to do away with the EMS helicopter. As far as regular crashes, most have been gear up landings and stall crashes, which are all caused by pilot error. No deaths have been recorded in the recent years. On the other hand, let's take a look at the horse industry in the greater Camden area. By the way, I didn't include the Springdale facility or the CTC. Peckwoods has five farms on it, 30 to 40 horses. Small Trace, five farms, 40 horses. Firetower Road, 12 farms, 65 to 70 horses. Red Fox Road, 18 farms, 40 to 60 horses.
» Other combined, a total of 47, and this is just within the general area, 140 to 155 horses. There are two hunt clubs located there. The Camden Hunt, 110 members. The Watery Hounds, 160 members. The two hunt clubs lease a total of 8,000 acres for their sport. The acres provide some of the largest green space in Kershaw County, which will never be developed. This area provides a haven for all types of wildlife across all species. Members are from all areas along the East Coast. They stay at area B&Bs and hotels. They eat at local restaurants. They visit downtown businesses. They leave their money here and put no strain on local services. Let's take a look at the math on average. Stable a horse, $800 a month. That'll include food, feed, turnout, and cover. Blacksmith, $100 a month.
» Vet services, $30 a month. Miscellaneous tag, water vitamins, $200 a month. Subtotal, $1,130 per horse, per month. Based on using the low number of 315 horses, that's $355,950 per month. That's $4.27 million in the local economy generated every year with almost no impact to local services. It supports the industry supported by the horse industries. Jockeys, trainers, hay growers, feed supply, blacksmith, vets, massage therapists, chiropractic. So there's also show arenas, tack rooms, transportation, manure, removal, and recycling. That was new to me too. Stock suppliers such as Tractor Supply, Ag Supply, Southern State Supply. About a year ago, I stood in front of the county council to lend my voice to what I saw as a cancer and overdevelopment of the city of Camden and Kershaw County.
» Granted, I never thought it would come from within our own ranks. The horse industry is by far the most richest and most diverse industry and is a community that continues to put money, the taxes, and the spotlight on this area of the state. If this council continues to put everything above what makes Camden, Camden will surely die a slow death at our own hands. In closing, you need to remember there were horses in Camden over 150 years before the first plane ever flew at Kitty Hawk. Thank you. Thank you for coming out tonight, Mr. Brunson. We have one more. Next speaker is Lynn Konto. Ms. Konto. We love seeing you. Pull the mic to your mouth. My name is Lynn Konto and I live at 1265 Sanders Creek and I am a horse owner.
» I came today because I sat in the planning and zoning meeting yesterday and I heard some concerns and not only concerns from what I heard up front but also in the audience. And so I wanted to give you an example. I've owned specialty property for some time and I'm going to give you an example non-horse related and make it comparable. If I bought a house on the lake with a dock and I put my boat out there for a year by the dock but then I decided to lend the boat to my daughter in Athens for a couple years because I had health issues. Should the county have the right to tell me I can no longer put a boat at my property? If the county is saying in the case of the airport overlay, if someone removes a horse for over a year, they no longer can put a horse back on that property.
» That's inappropriate because you don't understand how the horse industry works. It's transitional. In this case, many people send their horses to be trained by other people. I know because my husband's a horse trainer. They may send a horse for a year to train with us and then go somewhere else. So if I sent my horse from Red Fox Road to train with Danny Robertshaw, Bruce Christensen for a year or past a year and I want to bring it back, that doesn't mean the county would have the right to say I couldn't have my horse on my property anymore. So how well do I know Red Fox Road, my parents' lease property on Red Fox Road, Max Bonham. I lived at Max Bonham's house for summer. I know Red Fox Road since I'm nine years old.
» I believe in the airport overlay, but I don't think it should take advantage of the situation and try to push the horse industry out. With great power comes great responsibility and must be used to protect the innocent. The people living on Red Fox Road right now are the stalls. Courtney Truluck has a barn on that property. Sanger, Hawk, Cooning, Farnell, Tau, Swartz, Willets, Waterman, Bazinet, Robinson, Belmar, Basil, Bowers, Osworth, Hutchison, Branum, Coley, and Rice. And these are just the people I know of. There are other people living there that I don't know about. And their horses transition in and out from these properties. I don't understand how a county can make that type of judgment based on information they're not familiar with.
» You see, if you make this decision, it devalues their property because that is specialty property. Are you going to pay the market value of that property as a horse property to take that property? I would hope so, but I would hope you would even consider it at all. There should be a grandfather clause for this land. This land has been built since the 70s. At no time should the county even consider taking this property. I was shocked yesterday when I heard that. Shocked. Disappointed. And I don't understand even how it could be considered. Other than the fact that somebody from Columbia created a document that was sent to the council. And I apologize, they're not familiar with our town. I can't speak for everybody who's in the equine industry, but I can speak for the people I do know.
» And they're not going to be okay with this. I thank you for your time. Please consider the people involved in the equine industry. And consider the people of the airport. Because both are important. Thank you. Thank you very much, Ms. Conto. Mr. DeBose, does that conclude public comment? Correct. Okay, thank you. I'm going to take chairman's prerogative under rule 2.5B and vary the order of business. We're going to move ordinances, which will be 11A and B, up to right after public hearings. So that we can account for some business owners and executives who are here that have a time sensitive matter. With that change, that takes us to number seven under public hearings. This is going to be a public hearing regarding Title 12, Chapter 44 of the South Carolina Code.
» It's regarding an agreement for Filo between Kershaw County and Laserform and Machine, Inc. Which has been previously identified as Project New Life. We've heard about it from multiple readings. The third readings are going to be called up tonight. I'll open up the public hearing. Marianne Sparza has signed to speak on this matter. Ms. Sparza, did you intend to speak on this one or just the prior? This is a public hearing regarding an economic development matter. Okay, that's fine. It happens from time to time, no problem. Anyone else signed up, Mr. DeBose? No. Anyone present that wants to speak on it? Seeing none, we'll close the public hearing. And that will take us to the varied business under 11A and B.
» Looking at 11A, this is a third reading regarding a Filo agreement with Kershaw County and Laserform and Machine, Inc. This is for third reading. The prior two readings are listed in date in the agenda, which was provided to the public. Do we have a motion? I move that we adopt third reading. Do we have a second? Second. All right, Mr. Shoemake and Mr. Brazel. I yield to Mr. Cato. All right, yield to Mr. Cato. We got first and second. Mr. Shoemake, you had the first. Do you have anything? No. I mean, I think we've had plenty of discussion on this. I'm in favor of this. Okay, any other discussion from council members? I'll just comment that this is a $16 million expansion, 32 jobs, very high-tech outfit.
» We've got Jeremy Ray, who's an owner, and Brent Hutto, who's an executive in the company here with us tonight. They are locals who have grown their business in significant ways. We're very grateful for their consideration in growing in Kershaw County. And let's go ahead and call it for a vote. All in favor of passing on third reading, raise your hand. Ms. Hanna, it's unanimous. Third reading for 11A passes. And that takes us to 11B, under the varied business. This would be third reading, also related somewhat to this project. On the T.B. Kawashima plant, this is a certification under Title 12, Chapter 65 of the South Carolina Code, regarding abandonment of property and tax benefits related thereto from the state. Do we have a motion? I move that we adopt on third reading.
» Do we have a second? Second. Mr. Shoemake and Mr. Tucker. Mr. Shoemake, any comments? Same as before. We've been through this a good bit. I'm supportive of it. Okay, any other discussion from council members? Mr. Chairman, if I may, I just want to state that I appreciate the job that Jeff Burgess and staff is doing because I at one time thought this building was not going to ever be occupied in the near future. So kudos to our economic development team and our staff. Thank you, Mr. Tucker. Yes, Mr. Burgess and the economic development team have worked well here. I'm grateful to consultants on the other side as well, to Char and others who are involved, legal staff and county staff as well.
» Any further discussion? Yeah, I'd like to add that I've known Jeremy since we were in high school and Jeremy started with very humble beginnings. I want to tell you how proud I am of you, Jeremy. This is a tremendous move for you and your family and your business. Brent Hutto, I know you and Jeremy worked on this project for a long time, bringing jobs back to Kershaw County, being in the county instead of in Richland County. Just very, very proud of you guys, very thankful. And I know you're going to have a big expansion that's going to create a lot of jobs and opportunity for people here in the county. So good job, guys. Any further discussion? Thank you, Mr. Brazel. All right, we'll bring 11B to a vote then. All in favor, raise your hand. Ms. Hanna, it's unanimous. Passes third reading.
» I know you guys have to take off. Do you want to say anything on behalf of Laserform or for yourselves? I know you've got a sports event to make it to tonight. I know Brent did. You can come up. Come up to the mic, Jeremy. I know your wife thinks you're loud, but you've got to come up to the mic. Your wife thinks you're loud. Like I said, I just want to thank everybody and appreciate Jeff, economic development, thank y'all, Ben, Russell, Airbound, County Council. I look forward to getting this business going, moving forward, expanding into Kershaw County. We've been in Richland County since 1994. So moving into Kershaw County is big for me because this is where I grew up. I've been here all my life.
» I was born and raised in Kershaw County, so it's important for me to bring the company to Kershaw County and move forward. Welcome home. We're very proud of you. Thank you, Jimmy. Thank you very much. We're so glad to work with you on this. Tell all your friends, all your suppliers, and everybody you provide product to that Kershaw County is open for business, and we want to try to bring them here and show them what this is all about. It's a great place to be. Yeah, and then real credit to Brent. I mean, for example, the Kawashima item that just passed third reading, you know, that picks up another, I'll just say a significant sum of money in state tax credits, and not a lot of businesses always look at that for abandoned properties or historic property.
» Those kind of things are really important, so you've got a great team that's working with you, too. I do. Brent's done a good job. Farme really looks out for all the extras, and he knows how to handle it. I do have a good team behind me. I really do. Thank you, Jeremy. Thank you. Thank you. You'll be smart. That timing's so convenient. Into Mike. Come on. Nothing's off the record at this point, sir. That's a beautiful example of some of the work y'all can do. Very fine. We accept it. Thank you. Good job, Brent. Thank you, guys. Thank you very much, gentlemen. All right, that takes us to the next item after we've handled the varied business. We're on number eight, public presentations. Yes. 8A, Airport. Mr. Ron Prestige's listed councilman Jimmy Jones places us on the agenda. Mr. Jones.
» Thank you. General, I'm very happy to have a good partner to Kershaw County, Ron Prestige, here tonight. He and his family have worked very hard in this community. They've been here pretty much all their lives, and I'm glad to have you here speaking on the airport tonight, Ron. Let's get a motion and a second, and then we'll hear from him. All right. I make the motion. I second. All right. No discussion, I assume. All in favor? Second. You'll grant. I'll second. I'll second. Yeah. OK. Ms. Hannah, you got that? Thank you. Assuming no discussion, we're to hear from Mr. Prestige. All in favor? I'll second there, Ron Prestige. Mr. Prestige, go ahead. Thank you very much.
» I had absolutely no idea until 4.30 this afternoon about anything that went on with the Planning and Zoning Commission last night, which makes me feel like I must live under a rock, because something like that wouldn't normally get past me and is not the reason that I'm here to speak. But after hearing what I heard tonight, I've got to tell you, you need to listen to the people that spoke on this topic before. I moved here when I was 28 years old. My wife and I are both horse vets. And we built our business here, raised our family here. I have bought and owned six airplanes since I've lived here. When I first moved to Camden, which I moved to because of horses, Red Fox Road was already there, and all those people on Red Fox Road were clients of mine.
» I will tell you, I think you might call me an expert on airplanes and horses. I'm a horse vet, and I fly the only corporate jet that's based in Kershaw County. When I moved to Camden, there was one corporate jet in Kershaw County. It was the Builder's Transport Lear Jet. They built their own hangar for the purpose of supporting their business. They were in the transportation business, Sammy. And unfortunately, and I don't know why, and it's not really important, but they went bankrupt. And out of bankruptcy court, that hangar got bought by somebody that goes around and bids on things in bankruptcy courts. And somebody very smart on Kershaw County Counselor and the administration said, hell, we ought to buy it.
» What are they going to do with a hangar? This guy, if I remember right, was from Ohio. What's he going to do with a hangar in Camden, South Carolina? He bought it to sell it. And I think that Kershaw County bought it for 10 grand. That was like one of the steals of the century. That hangar is in use today, has been most of the time since Builders went broke and everything else. It based the Celebrate Freedom thing that was a big success at the airport in Camden for a number of years. And then I don't know exactly what happened to Celebrate Freedom, but we now have a tenant in there. Listen to this. He wanted to rent that hangar. He put a lot of money in it. He paid $50,000 for five years in advance. He was supposed to renew it in 2020 for another five years. Double blame here.
» The county didn't notify him that he didn't pay his next $50,000. But I've spoken to him as recently as last night. He offered a few weeks ago to pay the $50,000 to get him up to speed on this, plus pay another $50,000 for the next five years. $150,000 in 15 years for something this county invested $10,000 in. He also paid the county $10,000 for his fuel bill up front as a credit. So he didn't have to worry about the checks getting missed in the mail. His name is Rick Mantai. He's a retired F-16 pilot, and he's a good friend of mine. The county decided several years ago that, well, before I moved here, I'm sure, what the tax rate was on aircraft in Kershaw County. And it was absolutely punitive. It was based at the 10.5% appraisal rate, and you'd multiply it by the millage.
» And I remember back at that time, it was .2500. So simple math, just do the math, is about 2.5% of the appraisal rate of the airplane. The jet that I own today, the only corporate jet in Kershaw County, I looked at the math when I ordered the plane and I was waiting for it to come in. And I said, holy cow, it's going to cost me between $1,000 and $1,500 a week for the property taxes on. So I came to county council and my friends Sammy Tucker, Jimmy Jones, Gary Elliott, a lot of other ones that are not in these seats anymore. I said, if you were smart, you'd drop that appraisal rate so that you had a competitive property tax rate. So you attract more airplanes to be hangered and used and keep our airport vibrant. And you listened to me and you did it and you passed it and you changed it.
» I told you I've owned six airplanes. I'll be 70 years old in February. I've owned and flown airplanes out of that airport since I was 28. You did the right thing by making the property tax rate very competitive and attractive to Kershaw County. And you probably don't even know this. But there's somewhere between 50 and 70 airplanes that you don't even see here that pay the property taxes in Kershaw County over 100 grand a year that comes to Kershaw County. Casey Tupper, some of you may know him, built his own hangers. He actually built two and I don't know if he built them at the same time or not. And when I actually leased the builder's hanger myself for a few months and then I got kicked out of it because they had somebody else willing to pay more money for it.
» So I said, how about if I build my own hanger? And they said, OK, we'll give you a contract to do that. My mistake didn't have an extension clause in it. I spent about $100,000 to build my hanger. I've paid property taxes on it. I've maintained it. I pay the utilities on it. Zero expense to the county for my hanger, 100 percent of its mine. And I have paid like I did the five previous airplanes, 100 percent of my property taxes to Kershaw County. So I've got a very, very simple proposal for you. I built that hanger because you did the right thing and made it a fair deal for me. Paying the property taxes Kershaw County in an investment of my own and someplace this got dropped. And Ben, I think I told you wrong about exactly where the discussions came and everything else.
» But I've got two witnesses on the current county council that were in the room that heard that I was told as long as I kept a jet in my hanger that I bought, paid for, insured and maintained that it was mine to use. And there's two of them sitting right here that heard it. Gary Elliott heard it. Casey Tupper, who was on the airport commission at the time, heard it. Why in the world would you not do that for the next guy? So misplaced, good intentions, didn't work out. The county decided, well, we're going to build a spec hanger to get another company to come build, base their corporate jet at Kershaw County. So they built a hanger very similar in size to mine. And they had a corporation that wanted to put a jet in it. They brought it over here and guess what? It wouldn't fit.
» They spent $250,000 to build that hanger and they built it too small to bring this jet. It was one of the, it was AT&T or I can't remember what company it was, but the tail wouldn't fit in the door. So since you spent $250,000 on that hanger, you've been leasing it out to LifeNet, which is a good thing. You're getting some revenue off of it. You're leasing it out to LifeNet for $1,000 a month. I'll do the math for you. In 21 years, you'll get back to even. Why in the world wouldn't you say, if you want to build your own hanger at Kershaw County Airport, pay property taxes on it, insure it, maintain it, pay your own utilities. God bless you. We want you. I'm the only corporate jet you've got based in this county.
» We ought to have four or five more and just do the math and look at the property taxes that you get as a result of it. It's a no-brainer. It's not, I'm not asking for a favor from me. I'm not going to have it falling out with you no matter what you do. The truth of the matter is, it's not his fault. He's a new county attorney. But the county allowed the contracts on the hangers, the T hangers, the community hangers, the contract with the old FBO that we had and everything else to get delinquent or whatever. They weren't paid attention to. They weren't being followed at all. You need to just redo them. Start over from scratch. And if you play your, you got this guy, he's a very smart guy by the name of Jeff Burgess that does a good job on economic development.
» You should be advertising, come here, bring your corporate jet here. And I will tell you, there's never, in my opinion, one time been a conflict between horses in the area around the airport and the airport. This last thing that Planning and Zoning did, I don't know what in the hell they were thinking, but they are way off base. There's absolutely no reason to do anything to destroy the culture that we've had in Kershaw County and create a conflict with that airport. We've definitely done things and not done things that we should have done at the airport. I was flying in here one night from Mississippi and I break out of the clouds and I can see the runway and I said, what in the hell is that? There was sheet metal forming an X over the end of the runway, secured by concrete blocks.
» Wasn't notum, which I know you don't know what that means, but it tells me before I left Mississippi that, guess what, they closed the runway. Nobody did that. I was a little upset. I went around, came back, made sure I didn't hit the concrete blocks, landed, and I called Sammy and Jimmy and Gary. And I said, I don't know what the county's doing, but this is dangerous. The other thing, think about the time here, I built my hangar in 2001. Guess what else happened in 2001? It was called 9-11 and the rules for aviation radically changed on 9-11. You know, the government got much more concerned about security, which they should have.
» All of a sudden we learned that airplanes could be used as weapons, right? So they talked about it amongst themselves and they said, you know, we don't actually have anybody at the county level that is an expert about these things. I'm an airline transport rated pilot. I've been flying for 46 years. They said, would you be willing to help us stay safe, secure, and legal? And I did. And I became the airport manager, quote unquote. I got way overpaid. I got one hour per year minimum wage. And that was because his dad said that I had to be on the payroll because I did not want to take any money and have taxpayers think that they were writing any money to me. So I couldn't get around one hour per year. I guess I should have donated it. You got the same problem now.
» If you've got Columbia giving you bad advice about a land use issue around the airport without having anybody that's a real pilot and knows this community, then they're not getting the information they need and they're giving you bad advice. I would propose that you make it the practice that if a company wants to build their own hangar, pay the property taxes on it, ensure it, maintain it, buy their fuel from Kershaw County, and pay the property taxes on the jet or whatever aircraft it is that's in the hangar, that that be your policy. And you'll see that grow. Danny and I have talked about this on innumerable occasions since he became the administrator that we need more revenue at the airport. It ought to be self-sufficient. And it would be if we did this the right way.
» Casey Tupper doesn't cost you anything. He built his own hangars, pays the property taxes on his airplanes here. I don't know why in the hell you'd want to change it. Rick Mantai is offered to give you 50 grand every five years in advance and pay for his fuel in advance for a hangar that you all bought for $10,000. That's a great deal. And this garbage that I heard before about South Carolina Aeronautics Commission telling you that you need to come up with restrictions for property because of horses, that is the most ludicrous thing I've ever heard in my life. We have two places we need to spend money at the airport, and they're already in the works. And one of them is runway lights. Our runway lights are like the incandescent bulbs. They're so out of date we can't get parts for them.
» I always worry about whether the lights are going to come on when I fly back in here at night. And we need the runway markings. The lines and everything else are so bad at night I can't even see them. Those are where we ought to be spending our money, and we'd have the money and the budget to do it. If you take my advice and make it the policy that if anybody wants to build their own hangar, ensure it, maintain it, pay the property taxes, and pay the property taxes on the aircraft inside it, that's a win-win-win. It ought to be the easiest decision you make all night. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Kressage. Thank you for coming out tonight. All right, we've got one more public presentation. This takes us to item 8B, the audit report, as amended on the agenda.
» Can we get a motion? Make a motion that we hear from our auditors here for an audit report. Thank you, Mr. Tucker. Do we have a second? I'll second. All right, thank you, Mr. Any discussion? Let's have a vote. All in favor? It's unanimous, Ms. Hanna, for the minutes. Thank you. Kato. Kato, second. Yes, sir. Yes, sir, go ahead. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Members of council, it's a pleasure to be here tonight. I think you were given an executive summary, and so that's what we'll go over. I think it'll be easier than trying to flip through a bunch of pages in the audit report. Before I get started, just to let you know, the county received an unmodified opinion. That's the highest opinion we can give on a set of financial statements, so congratulations on that. And no findings.
» So no findings at all during the audit. I'm going to kind of just skip over number one. That just gives you an outline of the audit report. I think everybody's, we don't have anybody really new that doesn't understand the audit report. So I'm just going to kind of skip that, and we'll go to item number two. And I'm going to do two, three, and four. I'll do the general fund, and then I'll come back and talk about the proprietary funds. So number two, if you wanted to follow along in your audit report, this is on page 16, that you can see the details of how these numbers are derived. But your total assets for the general fund, as of 6-30-24, were a little over 53.8 million. Your liabilities and deferred inflows were 36, almost 36.5 million. So your fund balance at 6-30-24 was 17.3 million.
» Let's see how the fund balance breaks out. You've got non-spendable, that was prepaid expenses of 26,000, restricted of 55,000. You've got committed of almost 8.8. So your unassigned or unrestricted fund balance was a little over 8.5 million dollars, okay? You look at your revenues, this comes from page 18. 33.7 million, 30 million in operating expenses, and then you had transfers of about 2.5. So your positive change in fund balance for the general fund was a little over 1.1 million dollars, okay? So we go to proprietary funds. This comes from page 20. So you can see how EMS and sewer did separately. I've just combined them for this report tonight. But total assets and deferred outflows are 50.5 million. Liabilities and deferred inflows are 8.8.
» So your fund balance or your net position is 41.7. That breaks out to the majority of your equity is tied up in capital assets. That's 28.7 million. 600,000 are restricted. And so your unrestricted net position for the combined proprietary funds is a little over 12.3 million dollars. Total revenues, this is coming from page 21, 12.4. 9.5 million in operating expenses. Interest was 100,000. And you've got other transfers coming in. So your positive change for both EMS and sewer combined was 4.4 million dollars, a little over 4.4. Look at how the general fund did compared to budget. This is on page 73. The detail of if you wanted to see specific revenue items or in specific departments how they did. That would be starting on page 65 through 72.
» But your revenues exceeded budget by 2.7 million dollars. You underspent, so your expenditures were under budget by 1.7. Your transfers were over budget by 3.2. So that's, you come back to your 1.1 million dollars. So overall you were 1.1 million dollars to the good compared to your budget. That's all I've got. I just want to take a minute and thank Danny and Sandra and her finance staff. They do a wonderful job. I think I mentioned this last year, but Sandra and her staff, they write this audit report. I no longer have to write this anymore. So that's a big deal. And a lot of people don't understand that. But if you've got a finance director that's got the capacity to do that, you need to be very thankful for that. And I know I am because it's a lot of work to write that report.
» And they do a wonderful job. You know, we're here for about two weeks. And we demand a lot of those people. And they're very attentive to what we need. And it's very appreciated. And with that, I'll open it up if anybody's got any questions. Thank you for the report. Any questions, councilmembers? Mr. Chairman. Yes, sir. Mark, you're part of this 1.1 of savings that we saved since you don't have to do as much. Your invoice went down. I'm only kidding. Unfortunately, not necessarily, no. Because unfortunately, they continue to increase the audit regulations. Right. I want to say thank you to you and your staff at the firm for always hanging in with us and giving us a fair and detailed report. And I want to say thank you to Ms. Sandra Brown and staff for always putting in the work.
» I keep saying this every year. I can see her when she came over here and she had a hundred and something pieces of paper she was writing on trying to figure this out. And she probably asked herself, how did she get out of the frying pan into the fire? But we've come a long ways and underneath her guidance and her direction and it's been nothing but phenomenal. So tell your staff we said thank you and we thank you as well. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Mr. Tucker. Any other discussion or questions? Yeah. Hey, Mr. Wood. Thank you, sir. Appreciate you. Appreciate you bringing this. I always enjoy looking at the numbers. Seeing that we've had a balanced budget here in Kershaw County. I know last year we chipped away at some debt.
» If I can refer to page 47 in the audit report, I just want to confirm what we did last year and make sure I understand this. Last year we made it a goal to pay off the smallest general obligation bond. It was a 2008B and we owed $668,070. And it looks like we had a reduction of that amount. So that bond is satisfied at this point. Is that correct? That is correct. We had discussions of working on the 2008A general obligation bond next and it looks like we hit it pretty hard last fiscal year for $320,797. We have a little more than that due within a year, but that balance is $1,117,414. I'd like to pose a question to our administrator.
» How aggressive can we be on this bond this year to try to get it out of our way? It looks like we've got some extra money, but I know we will have extra expenses as well throughout the year. How do you feel about the approach to pay this bond off? I'm going to continue to do what we've been doing. Just aggressively paying these down, going in order from the least to the largest. So we have been, it's been our strategy each year to put several hundred thousand dollars, whatever we have to safely put towards those debts, to pay them down. We're not into the minimum payment business. No, you haven't been. That's for sure.
» Do you think it's feasible to do this in the next two cycles this coming year and the following and make it a goal to pay it off in the next two years? Or can we let our financial committee look at that? I'd like to look at that and see if that's feasible. Get these old debts off the books. 2008 just seems to be lingering, you know? We'll take the same approach and report back as we did last budget, and let you know what we recommend and what we think is feasible dealing with staff. I think it turned out pretty good last year. It did. And I think it'll have a great outcome this coming year, but yes, we will look at it. Okay, thank you. I'd like to formally make that request, and thank you so much for what you do on that committee. Thank you all. Don't brag on him too much, Russell.
» And we'll give some more report in council briefing. Okay. Thank you, sir. You're welcome. Thank you so much. Appreciate it. You're welcome. Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Mr. Brazel. Mr. Jones, yes. Mr. Brazel, you have hit this dead hard since you've been on county council. And we've got a conservative county administrator, no question about that. But bottom line is you have hit this dead hard, and I really appreciate it. Thank you. Yes, sir. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Jones. Any other discussion or questions? Mr. Wood, thank you for your report tonight. Thank you. Thank you. Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas. Thank you, sir. All right, gentlemen, that takes us to item number 9A. We'll take them in two parts, two different meetings. Approval of the minutes.
» Do we have a motion on 9A? I'll move that we approve that both, well, just 9A? Yeah, just 9A. I'll move that we approve the minutes for the November 12th meeting. Okay. Thank you, Mr. Shoemake. Do we have a second? I'll second. Mr. Cato, thank you for the second. Any discussion? Seeing none, all in favor of approving the minutes on 9A? Raise your hand. Ms. Hanna, it's unanimous. That takes us to 9B. This is the special call meeting. Do we have a motion on approving those minutes? I'll make a motion we approve 9B, special call meeting on November 21st. Second. Mr. Cato has the first. Mr. Tucker has the second. Any discussion? Seeing none, I'll call it for a vote. All in favor, raise your hand on 9B. It's unanimous. Thank you very much, Ms. Hanna. This takes us to item number 10.
» I place on the agenda chairable donations to the county. It came up recently that various businesses and individuals have contributed funds or services, training and otherwise to Kershaw County of significant value over the years. Just one example, Carolina Motorsports Park provides training for, I think it's City of Camden as well, but I definitely know Kershaw County, for defensive driving tactics, pit maneuvers. They have their vehicles that are getting banged up out there. They have their trainers that they pay on staff conducting work during their business hours to train our folks, and they've never charged us. Not once. And so I asked, I said, well, how many tax deduction letters have you received? And he said, well, not any. I said, well, you definitely should.
» And we're talking about tens of thousands of dollars a year, I believe. They're quantifying that now, and I've encouraged them to go back as far as they can for what's amendable on their taxes to use that chairable donation designation if it's helpful to them. And I just want to bring this to the council's attention. It doesn't require any vote. It's just a piece of paper for us. And we indicate the fair market value of the amount that was contributed or given to the county. And so just be aware of that. If you're aware of other businesses or individuals that are doing things to benefit the county overall, if we can help them in that way, let's make an effort to do that. That's all I had for that agenda item. Mr. Chairman, can I add to that? Because I think this is real important.
» I was just out there right before Thanksgiving. We went with my company to have some R&R and a meeting out there. And for the ones who travel that way quite often, you can see that the gas station has been purchased by them now. Oh, wow. Yes. And so that's going to be a place for breakfast and lunch in the near future, along with the public will be able to buy gas there and cheaper than what they were selling it prior to the last owner. So a lot of good things are continuing to happen out there. And I'm ready to challenge this council to some go-kart racing. Y'all forgive me. I obviously made the motion, but I think I was so excited to talk about it. I didn't get a second. Is that a second from you, Mr. Tucker? That's a second. Okay. All right.
» So we're up for discussion, but no vote required anyway. Any other comments or discussion on that item? No, that's something too that could be as simple, right, Mr. Chairman. This could be as simple as they do the form and just have someone from the county sign it. So in other words, this wouldn't be a huge burden on our staff to have to keep track. It would be up to the donor to keep track. Then they could just bring in a form if even that's necessary. I mean, most of this tracking would be done by the donor and not the county, correct? Yeah. Typically, usually in my experience, I'm not giving tax advice to anyone who might be listening as a disclaimer.
» But a letter indicating the amount that's given on the letterhead of the entity that can be approved by the IRS for charitable deductions, you know, that's usually best practice. So it's just a piece of paper for us and we're getting tens of thousands of dollars and really skilled training out there. Those folks are very professional and they have an outstanding course, too. Any further discussion? No votes required. We'll move on to 12B. 12B, new business. So this was placed on the agenda by the county administrator memorandum of understanding. Can we get a motion? Make a motion that we approve the memorandum of understanding. Okay. I'll second. Thank you very much, Mr. Tomlinson. Mr. Templer. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, members of council.
» Council, this is an MOU to satisfy some of the ARPA requirements to officially and legally commit our ARPA funds that will be used for our recreation projects. So as we come up on some of these deadlines that we hadn't thought about in years, there is a requirement to have this money legally obligated instead of just verbally committed. This mechanism does that. I thank John Depose here for doing all of the legalese on this. But this is an agreement between all three entities that are contributing money towards these projects that we are in fact locking ourselves into this project and we have these funds committed so we can again satisfy the federal government standards as it relates to ARPA. Thank you for that report, Mr. Templer. Council members, any questions or discussion? Yes. Mr.
» Jones. Mr. Templer, just for clarification, the ARPA funds that we will be using is going for the baseball fields, Woodward Field. It's going for Woodward Field, yes. Yeah. Also, I just can't support that. I'm not going to be voting for it because, you know, we've got the jail. We've got so many other things that has to be addressed. And I think even at your request, when we were going through this, you even said the ball fields weren't your priority at one point in time. But you're going to do what council votes for you to do, and I appreciate that. But I just think we've got too many other things that are not complete. And that's even some other parts of recreation. And with the money we're putting in there, we cannot even finish and complete that park.
» Am I correct or not? With the money, with the existing money? Which portion? Well, all three portions. So one of the long-standing incomplete projects was KC West, but we had been chipping away with that with some capital reserve money. And we do have money parked there for that parking lot. Yes, but I'm talking about Woodward Field. Yes, no. You know the challenges we're seeing out there. Well, there have been some unexpected challenges, but it's just some things that were easily remedied. But my point is, how many millions of dollars are we going to be putting into this? What's the total amount? Around 11 or 12 million was the overall project, not just into that, but that also serves KC West. It serves the northern part of the county as it relates to Bethune and Mount Pisgah.
» Yeah, it was three or four projects overall for a total recreation package. Is that right? And that 12 million dollars that you're talking about is 12 million with the health service district, correct? Gentlemen, one moment please. Mr. Jones has the floor. Are you done? No, sir. Okay, go ahead. Thank you very much, Mr. Ben Kennell. But you know, Derek's very correct on that, no question about it. I guess my point is that I'm just old school. I just would rather see us take care of some of the projects we haven't completed now instead of putting that much money into another project that's not going to be complete with the 12 million dollars. And I see it coming. I'm waiting. But anyway, that's just my opinion. I don't think anybody up here is surprised at that.
» But I want to thank you all so much for giving me the time to at least express that. Thank you. I will say this if I may. Well, I was just going to say very briefly that just to be clear, Mr. Administrator, this is a completed Woodward Park project, right? But the budget we have is to complete Woodward Park. It is not at the scale that the rec commission initially designed, but this will result in a finished Woodward Park. Is that correct? Correct. I just wanted to clarify. There were some value engineering pieces. That was good. Our rec commission has done a great job with looking at some things along with staff to cut some costs.
» And I also commend them on their willingness to go to CTC because DOT required a turn lane out there that was going to be significant in terms of cost that we didn't expect. CTC was willing to, yeah, $300,000. So it's just been a Herculean effort on everybody's part to make sure this thing crosses the finish line. And just for a point of clarification, Councilman Jones, I think we should see bids back in by Friday. This project, we should have the finished bids in late this week. Three o'clock Friday is a bid opening if I'm not mistaken. I'm going to brief that, but it's... So to be fair, we'll know whether or not our efforts have been in vain or not. We'll see if bids come in close to budget or if it's astronomical.
» So that's about to come to pass, and then we'll address that in January, I assume. Great question. What about the land? Mr. Jones, I'm sorry, but Robert's rules require everybody else has an opportunity to speak before someone speaks again. Anybody else? You know, I don't like that rule. I'll yield. You'll yield? All right, Mr. Jones, go ahead. I was just going to ask Mr. Timber, too, to clarify. You know, I'd like to know, what's the conversation on when we were talking about purchasing that additional land over there where those homes were? adjacent or connecting to... Yes. There's been no discussion with us. That's not on the table right now. I know there was some desire early on to look at some future expandability.
» Have you heard or had any conversation about the YMCA going on that land? At Woodward Park? Yes. Good. Not at all. Thank you. I realize there's been land donated to it, Mr. Chairman. I just had to ask that question because this was just something that was brought to my attention on the street, which I figured was not true, but I just want to get it clarified. Thank you, Mr. Jones. Any other discussion? Ms. Tucker? Yes, sir. I've got a couple quick things, Mr. Chairman, if I may. One is, I think, as I read through this MOU, we have until December 31st, 2026. Am I correct by that, to have these funds spent? Correct. And it is the strategy to front load the spending of the ARPA funds first to beat the clock. The other two contributors have no shelf life on those funds. And that's smart.
» Is there any other ARPA money that is out there that we need to be concerned of not spending in a timely manner? The only other, well, it is ARPA. It's just through a different program, but it's the skip grant that we are expanding our sewer capacity by one million gallons a day. But that project is moving along, and I'm confident in our ability to spend down that money. I don't need Ms. – what's her name on our button? Ms. Bonnie. No, I don't ever want to do that again. My other question is, Mr. DeBose, on 2.2 of the projects, page 204, why are we using the word on the additional million dollars as subject? To me, that means may or may not happen.
» I think that is saying that that match of the district was part of the funding mechanism for all these projects to see fruition in their contemplated state. In other words, that that project as envisioned and as presented is committed to that project subject to a match of funds by the district. Their extra million is subject to our match of an extra million. Is that correct? Yes. And I believe that language tracks with our motion the subject, too, because it's in 2.1 as well. The basis of y'all's approval of the use of these funds for this project was subject to those matches. They're not going to give us a million if we don't match it. Right. If we don't put a balance. And vice versa. Good, Mr. Tucker? I'm good. I'm good and clear now. All right. Thank you, Mr. DeBose. Thank you, Mr.
» Tucker. I think you're next, Mr. Cato. Do you have any idea or an estimate as to when the other bids would be coming in for the West Fault and Bethune projects and West Watery project? So the we were looking at potentially bidding the the two ball fields up in your district is potentially separate projects. But we're going to look at bidding those all at once. So I expect those to hit the street within the next probably three or four weeks. That includes Casey West. I apologize, Mr. Cato. Does that include Casey West? Those specific pieces alone, those two pieces alone. So with the Casey West piece, we have identified the parking to be the most pressing need over there. So we will continue with that.
» If you don't know who was here at the time, but we had originally talked about the parking lot and a concession stand. But we we did not have enough money for both. So we combined those two project funds to go ahead and get that parking lot figured out. And so we still have some other money going in to the that project. But we'll get some design and everything on that. And I have to refer to my notes. I wasn't prepared to talk about it right yet. But I was going to be in my briefs. So but that is the overarching project that Casey West is parking because of the danger of just kids running everywhere. And there's no delineated parking over there. But to your point on the two fields, we are ready to press on with that. All of the permitting has been done.
» The design is it and everything is done. So all the all the red tape is pretty much complete. We just need to get it out for someone who's going to put shovels in the ground. Thank you, Mr. Cato. Any other discussion? Questions? One comment. Mr. Jones. Thank you. I just have to say that I want to commend this county council for having such a nice little some dialogue and conversation without all getting so upset with me because I'm always right. But I want to and I mean that Mr. Schuback, I mean, I really enjoy it. It's just nice to be able to have these conversations. I haven't had them with any council in the last 18 years. You got it now, baby. I got it now. We can we can disagree and still smile and look at each other and know that Jimmy Jones is right. Mr.
» Jones, I thought there was about six years where I used to sit next to you and we'd hold hands. We did. Right there. I just got a few comments on this one. That was my job, Mr. Chairman. He has your hand. I obviously wasn't present for the vote, though I do support this. It's an opportunity for the county to get matching funds. So you almost double your money or more on this project. The county puts in five plus million dollars six and between M.U.S.C. and the Health Services District, which it works into their charters and their their plans as sports and activity as health in the community. You get to double your money and get a lot of these projects done. Mr. Templer, I would just ask that as you run into any bid issues and thankfully, most recently, we've had a great bid experience.
» If you look at the boat ramp, it came in, you know, I think it's a great opportunity for us under what we were thinking somewhere around there. And so I think that we can find a legal way to define some of these sports tourism if we need to and tap into a tax or other funds that are out there that were punished naturally each year to make sure we take care of the eastern portion of the county, make sure the Westwater area gets taken care of and any other projects that need to get done. I think recreation is very important for for family units in Kershaw County and making the area attractive. You go for it. Yeah, I'm done. I'm sorry. Go ahead. You know, I think tonight was a prime example. Look at these.
» Look at this group of young people to come up here tonight and the team that you had come in here and the opportunity that they're having. And that's just one opportunity in the county. I think that's a prime example of how our recreation department is continuing to grow. We're going to continue to make it better and it's going better the lives of our young people. So I think tonight was a prime example of that. I don't plan on getting far afield, but this all kind of ties in tonight based on this agenda item and what we've heard tonight so far. The most effective way council members to raise funds in the county is to bring in new business. Not necessarily super dense residential development, but jobs to Kershaw County. Laser forms expansion will result in Filo revenue.
» Prestige farms expansion, which thankfully I was able to vote on and help out with results in significant revenue to the county overall. And that's the way you get to fund a lot of these projects that are important to people that keep families interested in spending money in Kershaw County, bring people in on the weekends for competitions. And that's why I think we really have to focus on trying to bring businesses in. So crucial. So crucial. In addition to some of the other relationships, we've been trying for a long time, in the airport in particular, to have other memorandums of understanding for economic development otherwise. And I'll have more to say about that in our briefings tonight. But any other comments, discussions, or questions? Yes, Mr. Chairman.
» I need to just clarify one thing. I want to make sure, because history is important, I was not against recreation, I just was against this project. I think we had like three proposals came forth. I was for the Dobie's Mill area. I wasn't against recreation. I was just against the Woodward Field project. I was in favor of the Dobie Mills project. I just want to make sure that was cleared up. And thank you all so much for your time. Okay. Thank you, Mr. Jones. Anyone else? Mr. Templer, anything else? Well, just real quick, not to drag out the conversation here, but yes, I was very happy with the bid response for the boat ramp. I'm hoping for that same energy on this.
» But I will say, as you heard Mark Wood talk about our, the way we've handled our money, and one of those pieces was just leaving our ARPA money in one spot. The interest rates are not great for the consumer, but because of the local government investment pool and the state law that codifies how we can invest, our ARPA money has grown. And so it just kind of gives me a little bit of peace in that we, as we gain interest from those investments, those safe investments, that we create a little bit of capacity for potential cost increases and things of that nature. My favorite saying is waiting is not saving, and that's so true right now.
» But because of the performance of our investments and we've left that money parked, we've just created some capacity to better allow us and position ourselves to handle some of these price increases or the bid results. That's all. Thank you. Thank you for the report, Mr. Templer. We'll call it for a vote. No further discussion. All in favor? Ms. Hanna, for the minutes, it is Mr. Tomlinson, Mr. Cato, Mr. Connell. This is the motion for the... For approving the MOU. MOU. All in favor, raise your hand. Okay, so all present are in favor. All opposed? Except for Mr. Jones. Mr. Jones is opposed. Ms. Hanna, for the minutes. All right, gentlemen, that takes us to item 12C. Appointment to the Santi-Lynch's Regional COG. Mr. Tucker, place on the agenda. Mr. Tucker. Yes, sir, Mr. Chairman.
» If I may, I'd like to make a motion to... And I'm happy to discuss here in a minute. Make a motion to place the former mayor, I can say that now, Ms. Alpha-Mate Dreyford, to the Santi-Lynch's Regional Council of Governments Board. Okay, we have a motion. We have a second. Second. Mr. Tomlinson, thank you for the second. It's on the table. Okay, thank you, sir. So you said, well, where do we get this appointment from? Because we just had one for the chairman. And we did. So what happened back some years ago when we grew in 2010 through the census, we picked up a seat. So when Kershaw County picked up the seat, council agreed to allow the city to have another representation. So we gave them that seat. It was in that large seat. And city council has changed now.
» They still got their one representative seat through the cog there. And so I requested that we get that seat back. And I also requested that maybe we can appoint the former mayor who currently sits on the cog, but she's out of office. So she cannot take the city seat where she was at. That appointment will be made by the mayor and the city council members. If not tonight, they will address it in January. And this will allow her to continue to sit. She chairs our finance and audit committee, our building task force committee. She's a very active member, and she wants to continue to serve. Mr. Jones, you're looking at me kind of sideways, but it's the same thing we did with Mr.
» Lee, just to give you more clarity, to not lose our institutional knowledge and people that really, really want to serve. So I'm asking for your support tonight to support the former mayor to continue to serve. And if she has no desire in the near future, we can plug this with anyone we like as a council. Thank you, Mr. Tucker. Any other discussion? Yes, you would tell me how I feel about this. Mr. Jones. I absolutely think she'll do a fine job. I thank you. Any further discussion? As we sit so far away, it's hard to read faces over there. That's what it is. Y'all just getting old. Any other discussion? Seeing no other discussion, we'll call it to a vote. All in favor, raise your hand. Ms. Hanna, is she unanimous? Mr. Chairman, if I may, can we get that letter off Ms.
» Hanna, just like we did Mr. Chairman Carnell to the cogs so they'll know who's coming. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Tucker. All right, that takes us to item 12D, text amendments placed on by Vice Chair Brazel. We have a motion. Thank you. You want a motion? Yes, sir. I'd like to, well, I actually have two motions. I'd like to make a motion that Kershaw County Council refer to the Planning Department, building official and county attorney, a request to explore the legal options to draft proposed text amendments to the ZLDR, removing the permitting requirement of engineered footings and structural drawings for pole barns. That is the motion. Is there a second? I'll second. I'll second it for discussion. Are you? Second by Mr. Shoemake. Okay, so. It's on the table.
» Let me kind of tell you the reason why. Yeah, yeah, of course. So the reason why, for, I don't have any years, probably a hundred, we could come in here and for $50, we could buy a permit to put up a pole barn, in which if somebody needed to park their tractor out of the weather. We talked a lot about airplanes and hangers and that sort of thing. So if somebody needed to keep a tractor dry, well, it'd just make good sense to put up a pole barn. You might use telephone poles. You might use 8x8s. And you would cement them in the ground or what have you and frame a roof. It was your property, your farm, and you put your tractor or your four-wheelers or what have you, just keep them out of the rain. Pick-neck shelters on properties.
» I know so many people that have some sort of a little pick-neck shelter on their property. I've had, I would say, four or five instances in which citizens have reached out to me and they said, we're trying to build a pick-neck shelter, a $10,000 or $12,000 pick-neck shelter. The latest was at a church in Boykin, maybe a cemetery. The church may be going, it's a cemetery? It's a cemetery, United Methodist Church, Riddell 521. Right, thank you. And they've called me on several occasions and they said we're trying to build a $10,000 or $12,000 pick-neck shelter so that when families come out to visit their loved ones that have deceased, they could maybe sit and have a meal or pray or just chat with family and spend some time there with family.
» And their requirement was a structural engineer and... Architectural? Well, I think a structural engineer and a civil engineer for the footing. It was multiple engineers that needed to get involved. I don't know, I think maybe they've given up. So we had conversations and had conversations and I said, wow, maybe we can have a text amendment. Now I know there's some state law that we have to follow, but I don't know that a structural engineer stamp set of prints is required to build a house. I think you have to have architectural drawing or drawing done by a draftsman that's brought in and submitted for approval. I just don't know why a pole barn would be more. So I would like to find out how we can help in these simple situations, not to make them so complex. That's kind of the why.
» And if it comes back that the state has major reasons why we can't, then I'll understand, but I just want them to be able to explore that and then bring us something back. State's not going to tell me what to do. Thank you, Mr. Brazel. Mr. Shumake, you had the second. Yeah, the only question, I mean the question I have at the moment, I don't know enough to know, kind of to your point, I don't know enough to know if it's a good idea or a bad idea because I don't know why the requirements are there either. I've had gotten some calls about questions about some of those for those smaller, like lean-to type structures, why, and I think it's, you know, those are fair questions. I don't have great answers why either. But more of a technical question, this I guess is maybe a Mr.
» Debeau's question, you know, if any one of us, and I know we can do it this way, I don't think there's anything wrong with the way you've done it, but just to clarity, because we've had this come up before, if any one of us would like to submit a text amendment through planning, we would have the ability to use your assistance to draft an amendment and put that in front of planning to come back to us. In other words, even if Mr. Brazel loses the vote today, he can still get this done and back before us, correct? That's my understanding of how y'all have operated and tend to continue to operate. This is the text amendment.
» I mean, the Planning Commission in the past has received stuff and stated on the record, we don't know why this has gotten to us or, like, if there's collective will behind it from council. But, so this is somewhat to satisfy just process concerns that the Planning Commission has had, though. To your point, I believe y'all have had a practice of submitting text amendments and considering text amendments generated by individual council members, and if that's the process and procedures council operates under, I don't know that that's a problem at all.
» And the reason I say that, Councilman Brazel, is even if I fundamentally disagree with what you propose, which, again, I don't, I would support it tonight because I think you have that authority to do it without a vote, I think you'd have the authority to bring it up as a discussion item just to inform us what you were doing. So certainly I'll vote for it, not because, I don't know enough to know if I'll vote for what comes back, but I think you have the absolute authority as a council member of this body to go and ask Planning to look at an amendment. So I'll certainly support it so we can see what comes back. But just for the record, I think if for some reason you didn't get the support tonight, I think you have every authority to do it anyway.
» Well, I just, I choose to do it here because otherwise I'm working on raising a family. I hear you. I get it, man. I get it. Mr. Brazel. I have just kind of a thought. Go ahead. So this has come across my desk once or twice and my approach to it was not necessarily a text amendment, and this is just throwing this out there for discussion. Maintain the integrity of what we have in the ordinance, but I don't agree with putting that financial burden on the citizen in terms of hiring an engineer. I think the county should bear that burden. We should hire an engineer and find a, if it's possible, a one-size-fits-all kind of document or set of engineering directives to inspect by instead of pushing that cost on to somebody that just wants a pole barn. So we are building safe structures.
» We do have guidelines to inspect by. Hurricane clips and all, whatever, but we have an engineering document to back it up that Kershaw County paid for as opposed to every person that wants to build this simple structure. That would be my suggestion, and I think that's... That is a fair and wonderful suggestion. But still planning zoning, we need to look at it. Mr. DeBose, would you add his thoughts into the motion that you and I can review later and present to Planning and Zoning and then they can bring it back to us? Yeah, and for what it's worth, I believe some jurisdictions do kind of have a template. This is how you build a safe pole barn, essentially like a form schematic. Like, you go do it, we're not, you know, placing any warranties on this, but... This is how we...
» This is what we expect to see when we arrive. Correct, correct, correct. And here's how you should do it. Correct. So I'm 100 percent, however we can skin the cat, let's skin it. But I'm tired of my phone ringing and people telling me they can't do a simple thing on their property, which I just find really irritating. And I think probably employees find it irritating that they're having to enforce these abhorrent type rules. It's just silly. So yes, thank you. And I think that's fabulous. That's a great discussion. Thank you all. Thank you, Mr. Brazel. Any further discussion? Council members? So you're sending it to the Planning and Zoning? Mr. Jones. Thank you. Mr. DeBose will draft something that... Because I support everything you said tonight.
» Danny, thank you for your thoughts as well. That he and I will review and that we'll send it to Planning and Zoning. And then it'll come back to us for a vote once it's further clarified. Any further discussion? It sounds like what you're trying to do is just safe deregulation. So as long as it's safe, reduce costs, build a safe structure. We do have hurricanes and high winds and those kind of things that happen in the area. You do want to make sure you have concrete if you can. Otherwise, you're just inviting termites and all kinds of other things to mess with your wood, which makes it unstable. But that's all I have. Are we ready for a vote, gentlemen? Okay, all in favor of passing this? Raise your hand. Ms. Hennett, it's unanimous for the minutes.
» Now, I hate to say there was one more also. No, I know, yeah. That brings you to your second text amendment, Mr. Brazel, please. Do you have a motion? Yes, thank you, sir. The second one, I'd like to make a motion that Kershaw County refer preparation of a ZLDR tax. Text amendment to the Planning and Zoning Department and the county attorney will allow event venues in commercial zoning districts and the rural districts RD1, RD2, and MRD1. The text amendment propose the zoning requirements for an event venue use type. That is the motion. Second. Second by Mr. Jones. It's on the table. Mr. Brazel.
» So, and to further clarify this, the reason why I received a phone call from a gentleman who built some sort of a outdoor venue barn or pole barn that's maybe some sort of nice venue and was told that he could not lease it for weddings and that sort of thing or party or whatever he wanted to lease it for because it wasn't on a commercial property. And we all know that there are plenty of places in Kershaw County that are in rural areas that are probably zoned, RD1, and have some sort of a ag exemption even that people have events at and weddings and graduation events and that sort of thing. So it just makes sense.
» I think this is one more thing where it's safety regulation, as our chairman said, and it allows people to use it properly, their property properly and without the feeling of guilt. This one in particular gentleman said, Russell, I don't want to break any rules. I don't want to get in trouble. I said, look, you're not going to get in trouble for using your property. He said, well, if I lease it to somebody or rent it to him for a night or two, I don't want anybody coming up there and causing a problem. I said, look, we'll work through this. It seems like maybe something was just missing in our regulations and in our zoning. And I actually had some conversations with staff that brought this to me and said, look, this is just kind of missing and we don't know what to do.
» So that's what that's about. Same situation. Let them bring it back to us and then we'll have something to vote on. Thank you, Mr. Brazel. Any further discussion? I have a thought, but the Councilman Jones has the second. I was just going to ask Mr. Templett if he had any thoughts because he had a good thought the first time. No, I'm fresh out of the ideas on this one. Put them on the spot. All right, Mr. Shoemake. Yeah, I was just going to say, I think this is kind of a good example of what I was saying earlier. I have some hesitation about allowing commercial activity in rule zones because there's a reason it's rule. But again, I'm going to support it because I think this is what we have planning for. So I mean, I have no objection to sending it to planning and see when it comes back.
» But it doesn't mean I'll vote for it when it comes back. And Councilman Shoemake, I can give you specific examples of people who are doing these things currently. It's not like it's not happening. It's just that we've got somebody who's very intentful that they want to do it the right way. And I don't have, like I say, my concern is, you know, does it make sense and should we be asking those people to come up for, you know, rezonings or things? But nonetheless, for tonight, I think it makes perfect sense to send it to the entity that is supposed to look at these things. And I think you have absolutely every right to do that. Any further discussion? Who's seconding that motion? Jimmy. Okay, thank you. Jimmy. Seeing no further discussion, we'll call for a vote. All in favor? Ms.
» Hanna, it's unanimous for the minutes. All right. Next one, item number 13, 13A, appointments placed on the agenda by Administrator Templer. Mr. Templer. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, members of the Council. You would just give us a brief summary so we can know what we're voting on to put it on the table. Yes, exactly. What you have before you is our grievance committee. It's a body that meets in a panel forum to hear certain employee issues, if there was a disciplinary issue or a termination, if they have the opportunity to grieve that process and potentially change the outcome. Also, we have recently retooled this committee. They still serve this statutory function, but we call them the employee relations committee, so they handle our plus one award selection and a few other items.
» And then soon I will be bringing before you all a new ordinance for or a new policy for chairing of sick leave that we have had vetted through a labor attorney. But this committee will also serve those functions, and the goal there was to have some more cohesion with these employees making other decisions, lighter decisions, so when they have to make these heavy decisions, there is some continuity between them with some of that decision-making process. But this is a very important piece here. We've had some people roll off, and we are just catching up and getting our committee reset as we move forward. So you've got some vacancies you need to fill. Are you looking for a blanket motion approving all three listed individuals? I believe that would be sufficient.
» Okay, do we have a motion? Yes, I'll make the motion about the grievance committee, right? Yes. Okay. Grievance committee appointments. Second. Okay, we got a second. Any further discussion from council members? Yes, if I may. Mr. Jones. I want to talk about me for a moment. You got a grievance with yourself? Danny. Sir. This is good stuff here, and I appreciate you staying up on top of it and keeping it where it needs to be. You've done a great job on that. I just wanted to share with this council that when I was the chairman of the first grievance committee for employees back in, it doesn't matter, it was a long time ago. But Bill Byers was the county attorney, and we were in there for seven hours, watched the beers grow, but on a situation dealing with an employee.
» But this is a very important issue, and I thank you for always staying on top of it, keeping us abreast of what's going on as well, too. I look forward to supporting you. Thank you. Thank you. Mr. Chairman. Yes, sir, please. If I can add to that, I would say that this committee is very important for the vital reason of the employees. I don't think it gets any better. I think more organizations and government bodies should have a grievance committee because there's nothing like being judged by your peers. That is very, very respected from my point of view.
» When staff or administration says one thing and you feel that you did not get a fair shake, you can go through this process, and your peers have some input and some say on what they believe took place, and administration does take that into consideration. So I think the process works, and I think it's very fair. Thank you, Mr. Tucker. Any further discussion? Seeing none, just for clarification, this would be appointing Gregory Barton, Jocelyn Gonzales, and even though I told her to keep her name out of the paper, Ms. Hannah Parker as well. Hearing no further discussion, we'll call it for a vote. All those in favor? Ms. Hannah, it's unanimous for the minutes. Thank you. Passes. All right, this takes us to council member briefings. Mr. Cato, would you go ahead, please? Absolutely.
» I'm going to be short and sweet. I just want to start. I'm going to have more on the next meeting in January since we've got a long break, but I haven't had a chance, but congratulations to the North Central volleyball team on being the 2024 state champions. So for the first time in North Central history, so we're going to hear more about that later, so I won't go into any detail. Got several parades coming up, Christmas parades around Lugoff, Boykin, different places, but we've got one in Bethune on the 21st. If you need details on how to enter this parade or anything that you're interested in being in this parade, contact the town hall. Had a meeting last night. I know solar energy has been a hot topic in this county over this past year.
» We have another project that is probably going to come in front of us before long in the Cassad area. It's in a very, very rural part, open part of the county, but they had a meeting last night at Midway Elementary School. Myself and Brent Tomlinson attended the meeting. I think it was a very productive, very positive meeting. So I won't say that to say this. If there's anybody out there, I do know that this company has followed all of the guidelines that we as a council put forth. They have done everything that we've asked of them. They've sent out the letters. They've had the meetings and everything, and I'm very thankful for that, but I say that to say this.
» If we have any community members in and around the Cassad area where this proposed project's at, if you have any input, please feel free to reach out to me. Send me an email or give me a call. I'd like to hear your response or your feelings on this project, so please reach out to me. Other than that, I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, and I thank the staff for all their hard work this year and look forward to a new year after January 1st. Thank you. Thank you very much. Mr. Tomlinson. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I'm also going to be short and sweet. Tonight, there was a lot of great conversation. I appreciate everybody coming out. That is what the process is about.
» Specifically regarding our airport overlay, I know that our staff has been working tirelessly, and we put a very short timeframe on getting that together. Our planning commission, under the leadership of Mr. Ned Dowell, has been working diligently to try to get us something that we can look at before council, which is going to be the beginning first meeting in January. Our planning commission had a meeting last night, and I agree there was a lot of talk about the horse community. Kershaw County is horse community, and we will do everything we can to preserve that. There were amendments made last night, and I just want to make this clear. There were multiple amendments made last night to protect the horse community.
» If we have to make additional going forward, that's what we want to work to do. This is a start, and we have first meeting in January that we will be looking at this before council. So everybody roll up your sleeves, and we'll look forward to working with you. Another thing, if you haven't visited the Tinsley Trail at Veterans Park, Jimmy's favorite park in the county, you should go. It's absolutely wonderful. I took my children, my wife and my nephew, the other day. We visited all the trees that were made, and it was wonderful. They had hot chocolate out there. They had a wonderful time. Did you take the gold from an Evie tree? Sir? Did you take that gold from an Evie tree? There was a lot of unique trees. I really liked the Charlie Brown tree that was out there, too.
» That was pretty awesome. And lastly, Merry Christmas to everyone. I hope you have a wonderful holiday, and I look forward to seeing everybody back in January. Thank you very much, Mr. Tomlinson. Mr. Jones? Thank you, Mr. Chairman, members of the county council. Just a few things. Dealing with the Tinsley Park, Veterans Park, insisted I help her put a tree up out there last year, so I have contributed something to it. I don't agree with the park. Anyway, Weiss & Lugoff Christmas Parade this coming Saturday, 14th, the biggest parade in Kershaw County, the largest parade in Kershaw County. It really is. I mean, it's got a lot of people. And I think pretty much, I know Ben's going to be singing in one. You're in this one, I think, too. I'm not singing in this one.
» And actually, I'm not sure if we'll be... I'm riding with you. Okay. Well, as long as you're playing the drums, we'll be all right. But anyway, please come out, because if you haven't been to the Lights & Lugoff Christmas Parade, and all the other parades are great, too. Elgin, Bethune, you know, Boykin, they're all great. But there's something special about a nighttime parade. It just really kind of gets you going in the Kershaw County parade as well, too. I've got something I want to say to you. I appreciate you staying on top of these solar panels, because they can really... You know that. You and I both got calls. And of course, he has a vast knowledge of these solar panels as well. But thank you, Danny. And you, too. What's your name? Welcome, too.
» Anyway, seriously about that, I mean that. I really do mean that. Merry Christmas to everybody. Hope you have a good Christmas. I know I am. I've been good. Santa Claus is coming by and bringing me a lot. Now, on a serious note, I do have to say this. Our staff has worked very hard at the airport. I mean, I agree with everything. The direction they're going. They've worked very hard, and they're doing what they think is right. But I'm going to tell you this right now. This man sitting right out here, Ron Prestige, if we don't listen to him and we don't take his advice, I think we could be going in the wrong direction. If you can find one thing he said tonight that didn't make sense, and it would save this county money. You know, he took on that role. Same, you and I were here.
» He took on that role, running the airport for, what, an hour a year. He built his own hangar. He's paid his dues. And Kirby Tupper is another one. And he is. And you're right. We've got probably about 70 planes that aren't even out there that are paying. But I think I don't want to have a rush to judgment. I just hope we'll take our time and look at all the angles and look through it very, very well and come up with the best solution. But I mean, I have to be honest. I mean, when it comes to the airport, I'm a Ron Prestige fan because he has never said a word that was wrong over the past 18 years I've been here. Would you not agree with that, Sammy? Yeah, he's just like you. He's never wrong. Anyway, Ron, thank you for being here. Appreciate it very much.
» And I thank this council for giving him the time and being so courteous, which I knew you would be. So, Mr. Chairman, members of the county council, Merry Christmas, and I'm riding with you. And see you next year. Thank you, Mr. Jones. Mr. Shoemake? Yeah, a couple of little things I'll start with where everyone else ended. Merry Christmas to everyone and Happy New Year. A couple little things. Excited to hear about the job growth coming to Kershaw County. I think we have the two biggest issues, and I've said it a million times and I'll say it a million more, that we have, in my opinion, in Kershaw County is explosive residential growth and lack of business growth. And I think it's good to see one of those trending in a positive direction.
» I think we're doing trending both, I think, in a positive direction. So that's exciting. I do, once we get to the first of the year, Mr. Templar, I do want to start really hitting KC West hard. You know, that's an area that I get a lot of questions about as we talk about Woodward. And so, I mean, my support for the Woodward project has been completely contingent on making sure KC West is taken care of, and it obviously continues to be. I don't know, the lady who spoke earlier, it sounds like she was looking for the Board of Zoning Appeals. Whose district is that? Do you know? Her property, by chance? Well, just whoever it is, when you call her back, loop whichever one of us is, because I think getting Boza to meet is not difficult. They just have to have something to meet about.
» So I have no doubt we could get Boza to meet to take up her issue, but I just made that note. So if it's my district, let me know and I'll run lead on that. I've got, just on a little personal note, I've got a friend whose son had leukemia years and years ago, beat it, but has to have a kidney transplant. So he is, as we speak right now, his mother just had her kidney taken out, and as we speak, her kidney is being put into her son. So all prayers and strength to Zach Morris. He gets his new kidney and the entire Moore family. Camden High School, and I mention this to my fellow council members, Camden High School reached out to me. Their student council would like to come and do something with us.
» So it's something I'm going to set up with Danny in the next January, February, let their student council members come and maybe we can let them tap into a small issue or something like that. Just do something with the Camden High School student council. They're really interested in coming over. Clemson decisions are being released Thursday, early action decisions. For those of you like Russell and I that have children that are interested in Clemson, I know they're very nervous. Thursday at 6 p.m. Clemson will be releasing their early action decisions. So good luck to my son and to Councilman Brazos' son, because I know he's probably much like mine on the edge of his seat.
» And then lastly, I just want to say with Demon Elite Kids coming in here, I think it shows the importance of supporting our youth. We may not always agree on how to do that, but I mean, it's critical that we have a county that we can raise our kids in, and ideally that the kids can come back to. And particularly with sports. My son played sports at a young age. He's a varsity baseball player now. My daughter's on the track team. And it's critically important. The skills that these kids learn at this young level in sports, about teamwork, working with others, doing their best, it's absolutely critical. And obviously we have a problem in our country right now with kids who don't get outside. So anything we can do to help our children get outside, I think is a net gain for all of us.
» And again, that's all I have. And Merry Christmas again. Thank you. Thank you, Councilman Schumacher. Mr. Tucker. Thank you, Mr. Chair. So I have several things here. Let me start off by saying that I want to apologize to several organizations. One is the Equine. The other is to this council in reference to not having a report tonight from the Finance Committee. I know you probably was wondering what I was doing, Mr. Brazel, Vice Chair, with my phone. But I'm trying to find some dates that the Finance Committee can meet. And it did not work out. And I'm not making excuses, but we've had federal inspectors up since Thanksgiving at my job. And when they're in your house, you don't get to go home when you want to. So you go home when they let you. And Mr.
» Ron's back there shaking his head because he knows how that goes when you have OSHA and IMSA come visit your sites. So either one of us can make it or none of us could make it. It just didn't balance out. So we'll get it together. And we're gonna address a couple things. We're gonna address stormwater so we can have a better understanding of that. We promise you a report out on that. We're gonna address the Equine. Mr. Jones on the request that you gave us. And we're also gonna address the hangars, Mr. Ron, at the same time and bring recommendations back to this council. Staff has worked hard on all that. It's just that we did not find time that was being able to be committed by all to be there. And what I don't want to do is one person in person and two on the phone.
» I can do the two in person and one on the phone. That is a meeting. But sitting here talking just to yourself and staff is not a meeting if you can't have the majority of your committee with you. So we'll address that and we'll get that done maybe as soon as next week, but if not, definitely by the first of the year before we meet again. I'm gonna say this too, Ms. Linda Franklin Moore, you're absolutely right, you and Mr. Ron Prestige and the horses and the airplanes can exist. They have exists and they shall exist. We as council are gonna be the overseers of that. I can't control, will not try to control. I don't handpick and I don't whisper in boards and commissions ear on what their decisions and what their thoughts are. I think that ought to be their sole purpose of serving.
» So therefore just always remember that this body on this dais will have the last word and the last decision. And we need to be smart, very strategic and very deliberate on our decisions. We bring no harm to the horse community. We bring no harm to our airport where we can't continue to get our federal aviation grants. I think we can do that. We're a smart enough group up here and with the leadership of Mr. Templer and staff and others, we can find a way to make that happen. And I'm willing to bat on you because I believe in you. Congrats to all of you who were up for reelection. I look forward serving with you, Mr. Brouser. You won, I don't think you had nobody but Mickey Mouse to run against, but you won. That means Donald Duck.
» That means that the people see that you're doing a fine job and that's a good way to be. Mr. Chumay, if he had Donald Duck, you must have had Mickey Mouse. I did, I did. 77 Mickey Mouse votes. And with that, I say congratulations to you both. And I look forward to another four years with you and I know that there's gonna be a lot of accomplishments within the next four years of our term. I also want to read out an invite because if I don't, Mr. Bill Robinson will kill me. Mr. Bill Robinson is the president or chairman of the Democratic party. He wants to invite everyone to the holiday drop-in, which is this Thursday, December the 12th. It's from six to nine at the gallery at 537 East DeKalb Street in Camden. So if you're around, there'll be refreshments and a cash bar available.
» Please take your time and drop in. I just want to make that announcement. And you don't have to be a Democrat to stop in, okay? That concludes my report, Mr. Chair. Thank you very much, Mr. Tucker. Vice Chair Brousel. Oh, hold on. Oh, no, please. You got one other? Ms. Maryann, I didn't write her last name down. Mr. Temper, I don't know what kind of issues she's having. A lot of times when people get frustrated, they definitely don't come to the right venue all the time or know the right place to go. But please help her because if her problem is a positioning of a house, she should not have that problem throughout system. And I know it's probably more than that. I'll call her. Okay.
» But let's do what we can because there's nothing like having your home where you want to raise your family and your property and you can't get it done. So that's all I'm going to say on that. Great. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Tucker. Thank you for yielding. Mr. Brousel. First, I'll say I completely agree about the house situation. We need to find ways to help people and help them rectify situations. Not everybody is a builder. In the state of South Carolina, we are allowed to build our own homes. I've built one, two, three homes in the state of South Carolina. I do not have a building license. No formal education. And all three homes have been fine. That is the state law. Buyer beware. Yeah. Well, buyer beware. You sold two of them. So anyhow, no, that'd be four homes I built actually.
» Now, when it comes to figuring out the process of how to do something, you know, we do need to try to help and assist. And I think our employees will do that. I'd like to back up here and say what a wonderful prayer that we have from Reverend Dr. Regina Moore. I thought that was a lovely prayer that she gave. And we get so far down into so many weeds and meetings that often we forget. And I want to thank her for coming and saying such a wonderful prayer for our county and this body. Touching base on the airport overlay district, I think there's a lot of unanswered questions, right? There's 17,000 acres roughly in that overlay district, which is approximately one and a half times the size of Lake Watery. I was looking at it.
» Looking at it on our GIS and I was like, whoa, I had no idea that this was this encompassing. I want to find a plan that I can get behind. I want to find a plan that protects the airport, but it also protects the properties around and doesn't eliminate someone from being able to use their property completely or diminish their property value. Horses certainly would be, honestly, very important. I would think that's a no-brainer. Horses can coexist beside a runway in many other things. Homes, businesses, churches, schools. I think the overlay district needs to shrink. If it's A, B, C, D, I think D is the vast majority that's not in the Holy Cross looking portion. I don't really know why that even needs to exist. So we'll make formal amendments.
» I'd like to see things skinny, tighter, and yet still safe. And then I'd like to have a discussion with all of Council. We need to understand who we're impacting and how we're impacting them. We need a list of homes and churches and vacant property and how they're zoned and how any vote that we take to enforce any rule changes would cause any negative impact on any of these properties. Mr. Prestidge, I agree with you. We can do both. We certainly need to use common sense in this situation. It's going to take a lot of education on my part for me to get behind this situation. But I'm willing to do the work. So that may take a few days' work, working together in some call meetings or some special meetings outside of chambers. But whatever it takes, I think, is what we should do.
» It's not something that I'm going to take very lightly. All my colleagues, thank you for a good year. You appointed me Vice Chairman this year. Another something that I don't take lightly, and I appreciate it. I appreciate being able to work with all of you and looking forward to the next four years with many of you. So with that, Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night. Thank you very much, Mr. Brazel. I'll start off with Merry Christmas. And the way I want to remember Christmas and Christ this season is one of the most Christian men I ever knew. We had Ms. Linda Franklin Moore stand up and speak tonight. She's been a longtime friend. While she is very composed, as usual, she just experienced a huge loss in her life with the passing of her husband, Mark Moore.
» He guided me on several camping trips through merit badges, service projects in Florida, Louisiana, Georgia, helping people who have been just massacred by hurricanes at various times in my youth. And his example, his Christian love was so formative in my life. And so I share my deep condolences, again, to your family. So I wanted to say something about the airport overlay district. I hope it's much adieu. A lot of the concerns we heard tonight about horses, we obviously haven't had an opportunity to read in detail, or at least I haven't, with a busy work day, what the planning commission passed last night. I know they've been working hard on it. And I think probably what folks are seeing is maybe some nonconforming or grandfathering boilerplate that makes its way through.
» Whenever I heard about the concerns tonight and also received some text messages, I thought of one of the most stark examples of grandfathering or nonconforming uses and why it might be important in Kershaw County. Say you got a lake overlay district and somebody has a house that's nonconforming or grandfathered, not on stilts, subject to frequent flooding, there's mold. Yeah, you're grandfathered, you can keep your house there, but if you tear down a certain percentage of it, it's better to build a safe structure. And so in those instances, the structure would no longer be grandfathered or nonconforming. Think of another example, if you have a firework stand that happened to go up before any zoning regulations in a heavily residential district and they got bright lights on.
» And I love fireworks, don't get me wrong. But if they got bright lights on in the neighborhood somewhere, that's why you see those firework stands kind of stay where they are in many instances so that they maintain the grandfathered and nonconforming status, which I respect. If you exercised a belief based on government representation at one time or there's no regulation, then you should be able to embrace that right. So that one-year knee-jerk just seems like boilerplate to me, which I think we can adjust through an amendment. That's why the process works this way. I hope that we can allay any concerns in that way regarding horses on property that's been traditionally horse property.
» I've got cows myself, and there's certain areas of the property where I don't want a cow to go for six months because the grass needs to grow a little bit stronger. I'm incorporating something else in. And so sometimes that can be a year. So I just wanted to address those concerns tonight. I think we'll be able to handle that. And the first time it should land for us, gentlemen, would be first reading in January, and there are multiple readings, and that's why we do it this way, so that we can make sure we cover everything that's important. It was a beautiful prayer, and we've had several beautiful prayers, but I just want to let you know that moving into the new year as chairman, I think it's important for us to set an example and pray ourselves.
» And so what we'll do is have a rotation of folks who particular districts can pray, or you can bring somebody to come in that night. If you want to, you can invite somebody to pray or otherwise, your own pastor if you want to. But I want to give the council members an opportunity to set an example and pray and invite the spirit ourselves, especially as we have these discussions for the new year. Airport hangers. So Mr. Presage, I mentioned it to him. I don't know if he stole my idea. I don't think I stole his, but I told him one of the main things I'm interested in in serving in this capacity, which I'm extremely grateful for, is getting jobs and funds to the area. Tried to do that at the state house, and it happened. Tried to do that here, and it happened.
» And I mentioned directly to him, listen, this needs to be an economic development recruitment tool, and I'm just trying to get a blessing from legal and otherwise that it doesn't violate any FAA requirements to have somebody come in and do exactly that process. You want to bring so many jobs and invest so much money in Kershaw County, I'd love to be able to put on the record at some point that you can come in and put a hanger in. Because I know that every plane that comes in represents, if it's that kind of company, it represents hundreds of good jobs in Kershaw County. And so that's kind of, I think, how we need to frame it if somebody wants to build something. But we just have to make sure that the way we do it is fair and scalable.
» Do you have to have millions of dollars and invest in Kershaw County to get a benefit? That's where we might find some type of legal rub that I'm trying to work through. But I think it is an important economic development tool. And overall, I just want to thank my fellow council members for your patience as I move into this role, for your willingness to work together on issues sometimes we agree on, sometimes we disagree on. Your willingness to break bread, as you know we often do, get together and talk through issues and work through things all for the best interests of your respective districts and the folks in Kershaw County. It means a lot to have a level of professionalism up here.
» It communicates an important message, I think, to the citizens that we have the honor to represent and also to the businesses that we would like to recruit to the area to show the professionalism and that we're serious about the money and jobs they want to bring to Kershaw County. And that concludes my report. That'll take us to Mr. Templer's report. Do you have anything for us? Yes, sir. Just going back to some of the updates on projects. Casey West is under review right now. The county review process, so that's in-house. We are obviously trying to get that out as quick as we can, but that review process involves stormwater. That is, it's going to be a topic we had today with our workshop. Certainly appreciate y'all making time to come in early for that.
» It's going to be a big topic coming to the budget process. So as soon as those comments go back and forth and they iron out those details, we'll have that ready to go out for bid and I'll try to get a more definitive timeline for you on that, Mr. Shoemake. Woodward Park, the bid opening is tomorrow at 3 p.m. So fingers crossed on that for some lower numbers. Pre-construction meeting for the boat ramp and parking was on last Wednesday. So we're trending in the right direction there. Of course, there will be no construction during the month of December because of the trail out there. So it just kind of makes sense, but we will push forward and we look to begin construction out there on January 6th, plus or minus. On the Tentral Trail, Mr.
» Cano, you had talked to me about the lights being out on the flagpole Christmas tree that unfortunately people want to take pictures under it, so it kind of resulted in some damage, but that should be hopefully back up and running tomorrow. Staff saw that they were broke, went ahead and ordered those. And I would just ask the citizens to not go crawling in there. Those things are not cheap and it really takes away from others' ability to enjoy that particular feature out there, that center piece. So but that is expected to be delivered tomorrow. So we hope to get that up and running to complete the experience out there. Got some winter sports updates. 59 basketball teams were formed, so January 4th on a Saturday, that will be opening day with pitchers for basketball.
» The locations will be City Arena, Lugoff Elementary School Gym, and Watery Elementary School Gym. And then Mr. Cano, we've got a we're looking for a proposal for the Mount Pisgah playground. Hoping to get that by Monday. And so we'll get that process going. If you all remember our budget, we set aside some money and capital projects to get a nice playground up there at the Mount Pisgah Community Center. The old one was left over from the school, so we certainly want to improve that experience up there. So looking forward to that. Tablets, we have our tablets ready to roll. The app is up and running. Mr. Cano, were you able to get into yours? Not yet. I've just been busy. I've got to catch up. Yeah, no, that's fine. And what I'll do is send out an email for y'all.
» We're trying to go as paperless as we can. We were, for Hano, has been printing reams and reams of paper, so this electronic version, as y'all may remember from the old council days, this is it's got everything. We'll still have a paper agenda in its two-page form or whatever. But the packet itself, I want to go to a an electronic version just to kind of cut costs and kind of memorialize that. Nobody could get into that one, though, the old one we had? Yeah, so this one's updated, so we work with the vendor on that, so please, if there's anything that needs to be adjusted, we could certainly work with that vendor and improve that experience. I just want to thank y'all again for attending the stormwater piece, for getting out and getting here early.
» And I also wanted to just thank our COG for yesterday, I was called by one of our deputies. They had an issue with an elderly woman that was, she had some issues, she needed some shelter, and had some health issues, and she just couldn't go anywhere. And it was a very unique situation, and I remember those days as an officer. And it was about 459, and I called Dennis, and he sprung into action. And he set us up with a Janay Stowe, who was just phenomenal. Just amazing.
» They just spun into action, and I know that David Miller with the Sheriff's Office was very, very happy to get that call, and then I connected those two, because again, those issues don't necessarily happen at noon when everybody's at work, that was well after hours, so just one of the valuable resources, one of the many that the COG brings to Kershaw County, and in some of the ways you wouldn't normally think. We think COG about council on government, and what can they do, but in this case, they were able to help an elderly woman in need of habitable shelter, because she was not in habitable shelter, and had some health issues, so just what an amazing job by Dennis and his staff, so just wanted to end on that good note, and that's all I have. Mr.
» Templer, I would just remind you, please remember that whenever you're going through the recreation projects coming up, we've got a private donor who would help fund the tennis court conversion to pickleball at West Watery, and then in Danny's area, there's a tennis court, I believe, that's kind of old and has been on camp, but convert that to pickleball too, which I think you had some interest in the Westville area. Just remember that, so I can plug it in, the donations we talked about as well. Beyond executive session, do we have any legal briefing? Gentlemen, we've got two items now under 17 regarding receiving legal advice. One of them is planning and zoning, and another one is a general legal advice pending legal matter, all under SC Code 44-70A2.
» Do we have a motion for executive session? I move we go to executive session. Second by Mr. Brazel. Okay, any discussion? Seeing none, all in favor, raise your hand. Ms. Hanna, it's unanimous for the minutes. We're in executive session. Second, no discussion. All in favor of exiting executive session, raise your hand. Unanimous by those who are present. Mr. Brazel's in favor. Mr. Shoemake, exiting executive session. Mr. Jones, exiting executive session. He's in favor. It's unanimous, Ms. Hanna. We beg to the executive session. Can I get a motion to adjourn? Make a motion to adjourn, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Tucker, who has the motion? Mr. Cato, the second? Seeing no discussion. All in favor of adjourning? It's unanimous, Ms. Hanna. Thank you, gentlemen. We are adjourned.
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