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  • PC OKs sketch plan, rejects flag lots

    BLYTHEWOOD – A request for approval of a sketch plan that was previously approved by a former planning commission was recommended for ‘approval with conditions’ Monday evening by the current planning commission. The vote was 2-1 with Commission Chairman Donald Brock, who is the Oakhurst Home Owners Association president, abstaining.

    Bucky Drake of Drake Development and property owner Jim Perryman requested sketch plan approval for Oakhurst Place Phase III, a 12-parcel, eight-acre site located in the rear of the existing Oakhurst Subdivision off Oakhurst Road. 

    Town Administrator Brian Cook explained that the previous approval for the property was given in May of 2017 as Cambridge Point. That proposed subdivision included the lots reviewed Monday night, but also numerous other lots across a stream and going back toward Boney Road.

    Because the approved Cambridge Point subdivision was never started, the former approvals have expired.

    At issue Monday evening were four flag lots – lots with narrow strips of driveway extending back to the buildable portion of the lot.

    In a memo to commissioners, Cook said those driveways would connect two cul-de-sacs in the established Oakhurst subdivision to the four parcels landlocked by wetlands on the backside and otherwise surrounded by current Oakhurst residential properties.

    Four Oakhurst residents spoke during open comment time objecting to the flag lots saying they posed numerous problems.

    “I don’t have any issues with the proposed eight conforming lots, but I am concerned with four of the lots I consider non-conforming…you usually see these in rural areas, not in planned neighborhoods,” Oakhurst resident Chris Shull, a realtor, said. “I’m also concerned about emergency vehicles being able to get down these long driveways.”

    Resident Danielle Andes expressed concern that traffic would be a nuisance since the long driveways would border existing Oakhurst properties and allow homes to be built behind current homes. She cited what she felt were topography issues (steep inclines) that would allow runoff from the steeper flag lots to drain onto her property below. She also suggested wetlands could be an issue in the development of the flag lots.

    “We can address emergency access to these driveways by increasing their width and working with the fire department regarding requirements,” Engineer Derrick Boyt said. “And we are staying out of the wetlands area. We’ve had some flooding, but I design it so that it doesn’t flood under normal conditions.”

     “This is a topo (topography map) of the land and the topo runs away from any other lots,” Perryman said. “The wetlands have been delineated, so the proposed homes will be away from and in compliance with the wetlands.”

    Perryman said he didn’t know why these issues were being raised now. He said that he and Drake had met with Brock, then a commissioner, the (then) Town Planning Consultant Michael Criss and the (then) commission chair about two years ago to redesign a plan and that was ultimately approved by the commission.

    But the original plan [proposed in December of 2016] did not include flag lots. Instead, the town’s masterplan called for an internal street connection system between the established Oakhurst subdivision and the proposed new subdivision. That interconnectivity, home density and traffic didn’t sit well with the Oakhurst homeowners who objected to their neighborhood serving as a cut-through for the proposed neighborhood.

    The developer came back to the commission on May 1, 2017 with a reduction in the number of lots, larger sized lots and the removal of an internal bridge and the internal street connection system that connected Oakhurst to the proposed subdivision.  Lots on the west side of the project would have access to Boney Road, and lots on the east side would be connected to the Oakhurst subdivision.

    However, Criss noted that the new plan also included a number of flag lots.

    “[Flag lots] are discouraged in your code but not prohibited,” Criss said, “so the question is how many flag lots are too many.”

    “The flag lots would make it easier for occupants to get in and out of the lot without facing such steep inclines,” John Thomas, the developer’s engineer at the time, said.

    “The shape of the lots and the way it has turned out had to do with the terrain on that side of the creek; it’s extremely steep coming off the back of Oakhurst,” Thomas said. “So that’s why we put the flag lots there, to utilize land where the accesses are at a fairly level place, so that you’re not going down a real steep slope to try to get in and out of the lot.”

    Using flag lots will allow developers to keep more of the tree cover in the area, and preserve more of the natural environment along the creek bed, Thomas said.

    Brock said at the May, 2017 meeting he was not concerned with the use of flag lots. “I understand Mr. Criss’s concerns about flag lots. It looks to be four of 12 lots where you have that, not a big cause of concern in my opinion,” Brock said.

    The Commission unanimously granted approval to the changes.

    “Is there anything in this presentation that is not according to code?” Perryman asked Cook just prior to Monday night’s vote.

    “Well, yes,” Cook said, citing Code 153.073(j) that says flag lots are to be discouraged as a land development practice.

    “Planning commission has the authority under certain circumstances to vary design standards due to the physical shape or topography of a track of land or other unusual conditions,” Cook said. “So the planning commission has some leeway as to how they want to design the property. That is what it is.”

    The commission voted for approval of the sketch plan with the condition that the four flag lots (69, 71, 74 and 75) be removed.

    “If there are only going to be eight lots, I don’t think we’re going to try to move forward with it,” Drake told The Voice following the meeting. “We’ve already spent $200,000 trying to develop this property. I’m not going to say we’re absolutely not, but I’m not going to spend a lot more money on it. We’ll see.”

  • Franklin wins mayor’s seat

    Subhead: Brock, Beauman elected to council
    Bryan Franklin, center, was elected mayor of Blythewood, and Donald Brock (left) and Eddie Baughman (right) were elected to the town council Monday evening. | Barbara Ball

    BLYTHEWOOD – Blythewood voters elected a new mayor and two councilmen Monday night.  

    Current Town Councilman Bryan Franklin received 330 votes for mayor, besting former mayor Keith Bailey with 252 votes and Town Councilman Malcolm Gordge with 121 votes.

    Planning Commission Chair Donald Brock was the top vote getter for two open council seats with 412 votes. Town Councilman Eddie Baughman captured the other seat with 389 votes. Planning Commissioner Sloan Jarvis Griffin, III received 311 votes followed by former planning commissioner Marcus Taylor with 157 votes and political newcomer Barry Belville with 39 votes.

    Four Ridgeway/Fairfield precinct votes were accounted for on the posted results, but there was no indication as to who the votes were cast for. Richland County Voter Registration provided The Voice with Ridgeway/Fairfield numbers Wednesday morning – 4 ballots cast with 12 votes: Franklin, 2; Gordge, 2; Baughman, 4; Brock, 3 and Griffin, 1.

    According to Richland County, 731 ballots were cast with a 23 percent voter turnout.

    The mayor’s seat and the two council seats are for four-year terms. Franklin’s election leaves an open seat on town council that will be filled by a special election.

    Story updated 11/6/19 at 2:41 p.m. with information from Richland County Voter Registration Office.

  • Roseborough files suit against County

    WINNSBORO – Fairfield County’s former planning director has filed a wrongful discharge lawsuit, claiming in court papers he was subjected to a hostile work environment, demoted and ultimately dismissed after refusing to testify a certain way in the ongoing VC Summer lawsuit.

    Fairfield County, however, has denied the allegations, saying in a recent response that any sanctions taken were due to “poor performance.”

    Timothy Roseborough filed the suit Aug. 19, 2019. He had been employed by the county until June 2018, when he was dismissed, the suit states.

    The suit requests a jury trial. It seeks unspecified damages, legal fees and other costs to be determined by the court.

    The case was removed to federal court on Oct. 14. A trial date has not been set.

    U.S. Magistrate Paige Gossett has set a deadline for all motions of May 26, 2020, according to a scheduling order signed Oct. 15.

    According to the suit, Roseborough was promoted twice during his 20-year tenure with the county. He said there were never any issues during his employment until a controversial rock quarry proposal arose in 2017.

    “Plaintiff always got along well with his supervisors and County Council until the first part of 2017 when he refused to look the other way on a proposed rock quarry that did not comply with local zoning codes,” the suit states. “Plaintiff then heard comments from his supervisors, in the form of indirect pressure, that caused him to sense that certain powerful community leaders held a grudge against Plaintiff for refusing to look the other way on the proposed quarry’s zoning violation.”

    After the quarry controversy, Roseborough stated that his title was changed in January 2018 to community service manager. He said he perceived this as a demotion, something the county denied since his salary did not change, according to the suit.

    At about the same time, the county hired Chris Clauson as the new planning director. Roseborough claims in court papers that Clauson asked him to resign.

    “Right away, upon Clauson’s hire, Plaintiff began experiencing what he perceived to be a racially hostile work environment, including the removal of permission to attend trainings and trips, arbitrary denials of paid time off, and a request that Plaintiff resign,” the suit states.

    Roseborough said in the suit he was ultimately dismissed after refusing to testify that two unfinished reactors at VC Summer constituted a public nuisance, according to the suit.

    In its response filed on Oct. 14, the county denied the allegations.

    “Any adverse employment action and materially adverse action taken against Plaintiff by Defendant was taken for non-retaliatory reasons,” the response states.

    “The actions taken by Defendant were made for legitimate business reasons, in good faith, and without malice or intent to harm or retaliate,” the response adds. “Defendant at all times believed it acted in compliance with applicable statutes and their implementing regulations.”

    The county in its response also states that Roseborough’s suit “may be limited or barred under applicable statutes of limitations and the doctrines of estoppel, waiver, and laches.”

    The county’s response seeks dismissal of the suit, as well as reimbursement for court costs and attorney fees.

  • Candidates talk growth, annexation, safety, more

    Candidates for Blythewood Mayor: former mayor Keith Bailey, councilman Bryan Franklin and councilman Malcolm Gordge answer questions from the audience during last week’s candidate forum. | Photos: Barbara Ball

    BLYTHEWOOD – Annexation, traffic and striking a balance between growth and preserving Blythewood’s rural character highlighted a two-hour town hall forum featuring the town’s three mayoral candidates in the first hour and four of five council candidates in the second hour Thursday evening at Doko Manor. 

    Former Mayor Keith Bailey and incumbent council members Bryan S. Franklin and Malcolm P. Gordge are all vying for the town’s top elected post. Incumbent councilman Eddie Baughman, planning commission chair Donald Beaton Brock, Jr., planning commissioner Sloan Jarvis Griffin, III and former planning commissioner Marcus Taylor were featured in the hour for council candidates.

    Tracy Young Cooper moderated the mayoral town hall. Outgoing Mayor J. Michael Ross moderated the town council debate. Councilman Barry Belville, who’s also running for one of two available council seats, didn’t participate in the panel.

    The forum, hosted by The Voice newspaper, was conducted in a town hall format with most questions coming from the audience. Two questions for each group of candidates were prepared by the candidate forum committee.

    Mayoral Candidates

    During the mayoral forum, the candidates’ answers varied when asked by Lenore Zedowsky to identify Blythewood’s biggest issue.

    Gordge said addressing increasing traffic leads his list. He said the town needs to be thinking 10 to 20 years in the future.

    “Without a doubt, roads and road improvements are going to be absolutely critical for safety and getting around town,” Gordge said.

    Bailey said public safety is a growing issue. He identified increasing breaking and entering and vandalism as the town’s top crimes, but also thinks response times may be too slow, citing the Blythe Creek area as one example.

    “They expressed they had trouble with response times from the County. We’ve got a substation less than two miles away,” Bailey said. “We need to improve our relationships with the County Sheriff’s Department.”

    Franklin said infrastructure is the town’s most pressing need. He said while the state seems more preoccupied with building roundabouts, he said as mayor he’d work to improve sports facilities, sidewalks and other amenities.

    The candidates were asked by Gena Dow, what plans the town has to support youth football.

    “I know there’s a big need for baseball but I feel youth football gets forgotten – a lot. I feel like youth football is lost in this town….Also, how can we bridge the disconnect between Blythewood and Westwood high schools? My son will be going to that school and I see a definite deficit in what the town does for Westwood as far as supporting athletics.”

    All three candidates agreed that Westwood should be part of Blythewood.

    Franklin said he would like to see Blythewood annex all the way down to Westwood.

    “As we speak, I’m looking at 40 acres on Muller Road. The county owns property adjoining Blythewood that possibly they would sell and Blythewood could have its own park. Of course we would have to fund the operating expenses. I’m all for that. We could put baseball, football, lacrosse and soccer in there. If elected, I will do that.”

    Gordge said that he, too, observes that Westwood High School is not part of the town.

    “But it makes perfect sense for it to be incorporated [into the town]. We need to open the door. That should be part of our comprehensive plan. Ball fields of all types are going to be featured in a major way in our plans for the next decade. There’s not going to be anything overnight, but we are following every possible avenue to bring that to life.”

    Bailey said that particular subject [youth football] is near and dear to his heart. He said he and another individual helped start the Blythewood Youth Football and Cheer league several years ago.

    “And we always had the same problems – where are we going to play. We need to start having partnerships between the youth teams and the high schools. In the past, the high schools actually sponsored some of our regional playoffs. Youth sports is important to me, has always been important to me and will continue to be,” Bailey said.

    All three mayoral candidates said they feel annexation of the outlying areas around Blythewood is important.

    Bailey said he would like to see the town annex the existing neighborhoods outside the town.

    Franklyn said that if he is elected mayor, he will send annexation information to all residents of the unincorporated 29016, “and make it a voluntary decision.” But he said he favored forced annexation on the Blythewood Farms subdivision, “before they put a stick in the ground,” just outside the town limits.

    Gordge said he would hold a series of town hall meetings to sound out what the businesses and residents want concerning annexation. He said he would also suggest working to build better relationships with the county in making annexation plans.

    Candidates for town council, from left, incumbent Eddie Baughman, Planning Commissioers Donald Brock, Sloan Griffin III and former Planning Commissioner Marcus Taylor.

    Town Council Candidates

    Growth and infrastructure were common themes during the council candidates’ debate as well, with most of the candidates wanting to boost business without allowing residential growth to overrun the town.

    Baughman said as a 35-year resident of the town, he’s in touch with the community. He also touted his leadership and lifetime of service, which includes serving as a petty officer in the U.S. Navy and also a battalion chief in the Columbia Fire Department.

    “I think I bring leadership to this council, I’ve been a leader all my life,” Baughman said. “I love Blythewood. I’m vested in the community.”

    In the next five to 10 years, he said he wants Blythewood to encourage business development while maintaining its small-town charm.

    “We have opportunities to preserve the rural areas, our historic areas,” he said. “But there are threats to that plan. Those threats are poor planning and development that can destroy Blythewood’s sense of identity and sense of purpose we have here in the community.”

    Brock touted his experience on the planning commission as well as his financial background working on Wall Street and also the S.C. Retirement System.

    He said Blythewood is at a crossroads and that the town needs leaders with experience.

    “You need someone with experience, someone who works every day in a field that has an attention to detail. I am that candidate,” he said. “Numbers is what I do. No one is going to work harder for this town to make sure we are fiscally responsible.”

    Griffin thinks the town should revamp its comprehensive and master plans, particularly as it relates to public safety partnerships. The town, he said, needs to find ways to improve police, fire and EMS response times.

    He also voiced support for “conservation subdivisions,” which preserve greenspace by blending environmental elements into residential developments.

    “We need to have smart growth. We need to study these traffic patterns,” he said. “Moving forward, we can have a plan on paper, but we really need to start studying traffic patterns during the right time of the year.”

    Taylor touted his previous 13 years of service on the planning commission, which he said would serve him well on the council.

    In matters of public policy, Taylor said he’s a good listener and would generally be deferential to what Blythewood residents want.

    “The only changes are only what the community comes to us and asks us to change,” Taylor said. “The community has to come out and tell us what they want.”

    • Vance Sharp provided the sound system/microphones and patriotic music.
    • Abhi Sailesha, Blythewood High academic standout, served as timekeepper.
    • Gina Dow was one of eight audience members who asked questions of candidates in the town hall format.
    • With the evening’s moderator Mayor J. Michael Ross, Kesha Bolt – $100 of fuel from Blythewood Oil
    • Christy Coggins – $100 of plants from Reese’s Plants, Frankie McLean – $100 of groceries from IGA & Food Lion
    • Dave Clark – $100 for High Tea for 4 from Laura’s Tea Room, State Constable Mike Norris – $100 of service plus oil change from Pope-Davis Tire Service and Buddy Price – $100 Pizza party from Papa John’s. The prizes were donated by the merchants and several exceeded the $100 value.
    • The candidate forum committee included Jamie Harkness, left, Michael Watts and Traci Cooper. Committee members were chosen for their backgrounds in community activism.
    • Listening intently to the candidates are town hall employees Hazel Kelly and Julie Emory. Behind them are Mayor J. Michael Ross and (standing) Craig Plank.
    Audience members posed questions to the panel of candidates.

    Forum Committee: Traci Cooper, Jamie Harkness, Michael Watts
    Emcee: Mayor J. Michael Ross
    Sound/Music: Vance Sharp
    Time Keeper: Abhi Sailesha
    Lobby volunteers: Hazel Kelly, Margaret Kelly, Saralyn Yarborough
    Blythewood Gloriosa Florist – floral
    $100 Gift Card Sponsors
    Blythewood Oil, Reese’s Plants, Laura’s Tea Room, Pope-Davis Tire Co., IGA/Food Lion and Papa John’s

  • Fairfield employment numbers looking good

    WINNSBORO – The unemployment rate for Fairfield County has dropped dramatically in the last year from 5.3 percent in September, 2018 to 4.4 percent in August, 2019 and even lower this last month (September) to 3.3 percent. That is lower than the national rate of 3.5 percent and just slightly above the state’s rate of 2.9 percent

    The announcement was made this week by the Employers Association of South Carolina.

    County Administrator Jason Taylor said that’s good news for Fairfield.

    “That our unemployment rate is going down is one of the things I’m most proud of,” Taylor said. “The flip concern of that, however, is that we’ve got a lot of new industries in the county that are about to announce or are hoping to announce shortly, that will be bringing in 500 – 600 jobs in the next 12 – 14 months. With an unemployment rate that low, we need to be sure we have the labor to support it.”

    Taylor said he wants to draw that labor out of Fairfield, not out of Blythewood and other areas surrounding the county.

    “We’ve got to work on some quality of life issues and residential development to keep them here,” he said. “We’ve been losing population and we want to reverse that. We’d like people to come to work and live here and invest their money here. We don’t want people coming in to take the jobs and then take their earnings back to other towns,” Taylor said. “So we need a labor pool and we need places for that labor pool to live here in Fairfield County. We need that balance.”

     “To have a dependable labor force, we have to have a residential housing stock – which we don’t yet. Building up our labor pool is a two to three year fix,” Taylor said.

    “However, the need for labor for industry is a good problem to have, and I think we’re doing really well.”

    While Taylor acknowledged that there is some concern in the community that Element is currently laying off a number of workers, he said that layoff is cyclical.

    “This is the slow season for Element. Their Christmas production is slowing down now, but I understand they’ll be re-hiring their workers after the first of the year,” Taylor said.

    The State’s unemployment rate, according to the report, is doing equally as well. The number of working South Carolinians moved substantially higher, establishing a new record of 1,311,379.

  • Historic Winnsboro home burned

    Homeowner William Sanders and his surviving dog Molly. | Photo: Barbara Ball

    WINNSBORO – A historic Winnsboro home built in the 1800’s was destroyed in an early morning fire in downtown Winnsboro on Monday, Oct 29. The home, located at 225 S. Congress Street, is owned by William Sanders, 72, who said he has lived in the home for 19 years.

    One of Mr. Sanders’ two dogs, an 11-year-old Pit Bull, was found dead in his igloo dog house on the front porch. A smaller dog survived the fire by crawling under a bed in an upstairs bedroom.

    Sanders said no one was at the home except the dogs at the time of the fire.

    An incident report stated that the fire, which was reported at 5 a.m., started on the front porch and spread to the second floor and attic of the two-story home. It was contained by 8 a.m., the report stated. There is no information on how the fire stated.

    Fire department officials said the home, which Sanders said was built in 1842, is a total loss.

  • BAR approves COA’s for Zaxby’s, State Farm and alterations to Doko Depot

    BLYTHEWOOD – It was a busy night for the Blythewood Board of Architectural Review Monday evening. Board members approved Certificates of Appropriateness for construction of a Zaxby’s restaurant, construction of a State Farm Insurance Office and alteration of the Blythewood Depot Building.

    All three projects flew through the BAR with no major adjustments to the COA requests.

    Zaxby’s

    The proposed opening for the Blythewood Zaxby’s is March of 2020.

    The request for the new Zaxby’s fast food restaurant to be constructed at 221 Blythewood Road was submitted by the MRP Design Group. The restaurant will sit on a 1-1/2 acre site next to the Sharpe Shoppe BP service station.

    The restaurant is expected to open in March of 2020.

    A site development plan will be considered at a later time to include all improvements, including plantings, buffer yards, landscaping, signs, lighting, parking, garbage enclosures, curb cuts and pedestrian and vehicular circulation paths.

    State Farm

    Blythewood State Farm agent Sandy Khan, who owns the property at 152 Blythewood Road, requested and received approval of a COA for the construction of a one-story, 3,951 square-foot insurance office building on the property.

    Khan is in the process of removing her previous buildings on the same lot to make way for the new construction.

    The proposed building is comprised of three offices. Construction is expected to begin soon.

    Doko Depot

    Blythewood Depot Property, LLC requested and received approval of the BAR for a COA to permit the alteration of the Depot Building.

    The 3,800 square-foot building is currently being renovated to accommodate two businesses – Freeway Music and Doko Station Pub & Eatery.

    Don Russo, owner of Freeway Music, will occupy a larger portion of the building with 14 rooms for private music lessons and rock band classes plus other spaces. The Doko Station Pub is owned by Lexington’s Old Mill Brewpub owners John and Kelly Clinger.

    Signage will be reviewed by the BAR or in consultation with staff.

  • Board’s Promise vote leaves some unfunded

    Green: School Board will revote Promise funding issue next month

    WINNSBORO – All Fairfield County high school graduates are not currently able to receive free college tuition funds contributed by the Fairfield County School District as promised last summer under the newly minted Promise Program.

    A school board vote last week left Promise Program tuition funding for private, charter and home schoolers to the county.

    As initially conceived, the Promise Program called for the school district and county council each to pledge $75,000 annually, or $150,000 altogether, to the program administrated by Midlands Technical College.

    In September, Green announced that the district moved forward with its version of the Promise Program, noting that 24 students made up the initial group of students receiving free tuition.

    While the school district opted for lump sum payments to Midlands Tech, some council members, saying they desired greater accountability, preferred to be billed after qualifying students successfully met eligibility requirements.

    Thus, the school district and county ended up signing separate Memorandums of Understanding agreements with Midlands Tech. There was no indication in either agreement, however, that any of the designated graduates would not be allowed to draw funds from both contributors.

    Last week, during its regular monthly board meeting, the Fairfield County School District board of trustees voted 6-1, with trustee Paula Hartman against, to revise its Memorandum of Understanding. One of the revisions eliminated previously eligible graduates of private schools, charter schools and home schools from receiving tuition from the portion of the Promise Program funded by the Fairfield County School District.

    The revised agreement states, under Student Eligibility: “Must be a Fairfield County resident with a valid high school diploma (or GED) from Fairfield County School District,” with no mention of funding for the private, charter and homeschooled students.

    The change in the district’s funding contradicts initial promises from District Superintendent Dr. J. R. Green that graduates of private, public and home schools as well as Fairfield County School District graduates (and with GEDs) would be eligible for free tuition to attend Midlands Technical College.

    Asked by The Voice why the district had decided to reserve its funds for Fairfield County School District students, Green replied via email, “The Promise Initiative still accommodates charter school, home school, and private school students in the county.  As you know there are now two separate agreements with MTC.  One with the county and one with the school district.  Funding for those students is covered in the county MOU.”

    While those students would be eligible for funds contributed to the program by county council, the contract signed by the county and submitted in July to Midlands Tech has not yet been ratified by Midlands Tech. Without that ratification the county’s agreement is invalid, essentially leaving the private, charter and home schooled graduates currently with no Promise funding.

    When contacted on Monday, County Council Chairman Neil Robinson, County Administrator Jason Taylor, Headmaster of Richard Winn Academy (Kristen Chaison) and Midlands STEM Institute Principal Cynthia Prince said they were unaware of the revision in the district’s agreement.

    “I have not discussed that specific change with Dr. Green,” Taylor said. “I wasn’t aware that a change had occurred, but that’s the school district’s choice.”

    In addition, the county is still waiting on feedback and final signoff from Midlands Tech, Taylor said.

    Over the course of several email exchanges on Monday between The Voice and Green, he did not change his position on the revision.

    By Tuesday, however, Green told The Voice via email that the school district would revisit the MOU at the board’s next meeting which is set for Nov. 19, according to the district’s website.

    “I will present the Fairfield County School Board of Trustees with a revised MOU that includes home school, charter school and private school students from Fairfield County,” Green wrote.

    Endowment Option

    In addition to restricting who is eligible for free tuition, the district inserted verbiage into the MOU that alters the Fairfield Promise from a pure scholarship program to an endowment.

    Green said doing so creates tax benefits for businesses that may wish to contribute. It also allows the district to use interest earned to further subsidize the program.

    “We would use interest to help fund the program. Therefore you don’t need to count on a line item in the budget on a year-to-year basis,” he said.

    Under the new MOU, the district can make annual contributions of $75,000 for five years up to $350,000.

    “We have the option to continue contributing up to $75,000 a year. Or if the district decides somewhere between now and the conclusion of those five years, that they want to pay the balance of the $375,000, they have the option as well,” Green said. “That just gives the district flexibility to fund it differently.”

    The deal commits Midlands Tech to raising at least $125,000 over five years to augment the endowment. Midlands Tech is designated as the fiscal agent for the endowment.

    “An endowment provides for long-term sustainability as we strive to establish the Promise initiative to students who are in kindergarten now,” Green said. “We need to provide long term funding for those programs.”

    Midlands Tech must submit a report at the end of each academic term stating the name and number of recipients and “other reportable information (in compliance of applicable laws) that is agreed to by the district and the college,” the MOU states.

    Barbara Ball contributed to this story.

  • Council OKs, then denies library funds

    WINNSBORO – They actually did vote for the $521,000 before they voted against it.

    At its Oct. 14 meeting, the Fairfield County Council inadvertently voted to award $521,000 in matching funds for the Fairfield County library in Ridgeway.

    Later in the meeting, the council voted to reconsider the library vote, meaning the county now is not awarding any funds. The do-over vote passed 5-2, with council members Moses Bell and Mikel Trapp opposing.

    The library vote paradox unfolded when council members considered a proposal to spend $521,000 to match a Community Development Block Grant, or CDBG, for the “purchase, renovation and future operations” of the Ridgeway library.

    The county’s administration and finance committee had recommended disapproval of spending the money.

    When Council Chairman Neil Robinson asked for a motion, Councilman Jimmy Ray Douglas promptly stated, “I make a motion that we don’t do it.”

    A few minutes of discussion followed.

    In calling for the vote, Robinson simply asked “all those in favor?” Nobody replied.

    “Opposed?” Robinson asked.

    “Nay,” all seven council members answered, a majority of them believing they were voting against the money. In reality, they voted for it.

    “That’s a win,” Trapp stated.

    “That’s a win,” Bell affirmed. “It makes no difference, we’ve taken that vote.”

    “The nay was a winner,” Trapp added.

    A period of confusion followed before the meeting continued. Councilman Douglas Pauley introduced the motion to reconsider later in the meeting.

    Pauley’s motion came following a legal opinion from Tommy Morgan, the county’s attorney, who said any council member was entitled to bring the matter up for reconsideration.

    “There was a double negative that was used, ergo the seven nay votes that all voted against not taking action ended up voting to take action,” Morgan said.

    As it stands, the money is not being awarded.

    County Administrator Jason Taylor said conditions of the CDBG match would have required the county to keep the library open 40 hours a week, which is not currently the case. Taylor said finances proved problematic as well.

    “We also had a situation where the library had committed to a portion [one half] of the purchase,” Taylor said. “We’d have to purchase the building for $180,000, and they withdrew that support of $90,000, or half. That left us with a situation where we had to pay $521,000.”

    Robinson said he reconsidered approving the money until the library backed off its commitment to pledge $90,000 toward the project.

    “When the library withdrew their $90,000, it kind of led me to a little hesitation as far as, ‘do we need to go through this project?’” he said.

    Taylor said the Ridgeway area has great potential, but noted that infrastructure remains the county’s top priority.

    “Water and sewer is one of those things we have to concentrate on. Growth follows water and sewer,” Taylor said. “The library is something we hoped we could do. It is an area we need to concentrate on.”

  • Ball field issues mount for BYBSL

    BLYTHEWOOD – There’s no clear plan in place for new ballfields in Blythewood, but town and community recreation leaders say there’s a desperate need. Meanwhile, changes to county maintenance plans for the existing fields have raised additional concerns.

    According to the Richland County Recreation Commission, in an emailed response to questions from The Voice, the county reviewed its ball field contracts with community leagues in 2018, prompting a review of its processes for leasing facilities, and made the following changes.

    They decided on a maintenance schedule of dragging ballfields three times a week, transferred responsibility for state inspection of the concession stands to the leagues, and decreased the facility lease amount from 10 percent of league registration fees to 5 percent.

    “This was an intentional decrease to provide the leagues with funds for concessions and field preparation,” according to commission officials. “We are currently working with a couple of the leagues that have faced issues with securing permits for concessions. We recognize that concessions are a large revenue stream for the community leagues.”

    Kevin Allen, President of the Blythewood Youth Baseball Softball League (BYBSL), says this has created a challenging situation for the league, which he says is not equipped to do the maintenance that used to be handled by the county, which included more frequent dragging and lining of the fields.

    Now the league is looking for a solution. Due to current limitations on equipment and storage, Allen said, that would require someone to drag and line fields at both the Blythewood and North Springs Park locations several days a week, transporting the equipment each time.

    “I would’ve rather paid them double their lease fee, and them do the work, than us have to do it as volunteers,” he said. “Every parent would rather pay $5 extra per kid to play and know the facilities are taken care of – and pay the county 15 or 20 percent.”

    The maintenance changes, he said, aren’t the only curve ball that was thrown to the league this season; they were originally going to play at the Kelly Mill Sports Complex but were moved to North Springs Park at the last minute.

    According to the county recreation commission, the Kelly Mill complex was leased to the Dentsville Baseball League because site improvements at Polo Road Park were not complete.

    Blythewood league and town officials say the big-picture issue is the need for more ballfields. Allen said there’s a lack of information about county plans for recreation, but – when it comes to fields for Blythewood – perhaps the league could help.

    “Maybe we’re unique as a league, but we want it to be a partnership,” he said. “We’re willing to take on some of the work to help them. We’re willing to fund some of the things if we need to. If I need to go out and fundraise…to build stuff or help, we’ll do it.”

    What he’d like to see is for the Town of Blythewood to develop a plan for a ballfield complex with four or five fields – a project that would require 40-50 acres and cost $3.5-$5 million – which he says could help pay for itself over time with revenue from tournaments, corporate sponsorships, and recreational league fees.

    The way he sees it, a combination of town, county, and private contributions – in the form of land and money – could help get such a project off the ground. Fields could also be developed for other sports that are growing in popularity, such as lacrosse and soccer.

    Town officials say they have met with county officials many times over the years about the need for ballfields. More immediate than a big sports complex, they say, is the need for more fields to use for recreational game play.

    “Blythewood Park – that opened in the 70’s. It’s the same baseball fields that I played on as a boy, and we’ve never done anything with them. Never expanded them, never tried to add to them – and our population has grown,” said Brian Franklin who pledged two years ago when he ran for council, to do something about getting more fields. But so far, no progress has been made.

    “Blythewood has been overlooked, and our population has grown faster than pretty much anywhere else in the county.”

    Back then, he said, the town would have maybe a dozen ball teams in a good year. Now there are more than three times that many – and teams are practicing anywhere they can find an open lot. The program has experienced exponential growth in the last few years, and with hundreds of new homes planned for construction in Blythewood, the growth is expected to continue.

    “When you only have three fields and you have 36 [or more] teams and you’re trying to give each team an opportunity to practice twice a week and play two games a week, it just becomes physically impossible to be able to do that with that many children and only three fields,” Franklin said.

    “Let Blythewood take charge of our own destiny and buy us some property and put some fields out there to expand the capacity of what we’re doing.”

    But after years of discussion, the impasse appears to be largely financial. County recreation officials recognize the need for additional fields in the northeast part of the county but say they don’t have the funding. Town officials say the county should be doing more.

    Mayor J. Michael Ross put it pointedly at a recent meeting of the Blythewood Town Council: “We feel like the stepchild of Richland County.”

    The town has floated a lot of ideas – incorporating ballfields into a larger economic development project, building fields on a county-owned parcel adjacent to the town, using the soon-to-be-former site of Bethel-Hanberry Elementary School, developing two more fields on the vacant land at Blythewood Park.

    A decade ago, a volunteer drafted a site plan to add two fields at Blythewood Park. This project – for which no one offered a current cost estimate – would increase the total number of fields at the county-owned park from 3 to 5. 

    The county recreation commission said it doesn’t have the funding. However, according to the county’s e-mailed response, “If the Town of Blythewood wanted to invest in the development of new fields and/or a potential complex, the Commission would be happy to work with the town to do so.”

    As it stands, the county says it’s a willing partner but lacks the funds. Town and league officials have expressed a willingness and ability to raise money for ballfields, but they have not coalesced around a unified plan or goal.

    Everyone seems to like the idea of more ballfields for Blythewood, but it’s hung up in the details: Who will pay for it? Who will own it? Who will maintain it? Who will step up and take leadership on the issue, and transform it from talk into action? When will someone start making plans?