County Council - Regular Meeting

To the flag of the United States of America, one indivisible liberty and justice for all.

Um, let's remain standing. Almighty God, we come to you today asking you to open up our hearts and see our community and your children as you do. We ask you to give us the courage to hear our fellow community community members and neighbors and hear them and do the things that we need to do to continue to strengthen this community. We ask that you continue to watch over those that are less fortunate in this community and in this world. and we ask that you continue to watch over our children as they grow and prosper in this community. These and all other things asking your son Jesus name we pray. Amen. Amen.

All right, we'll begin with the approval of minutes. So item 3A is the February 2nd, 2026 CCTC meeting minutes. Make a motion to approve the um February 2nd, 2026 CCTC meeting minutes. I'll second. All right, we have a motion to approve and a second. Is there any discussion? Not I'll call for the question. Those in favor raise right hand and say I. I. All in favor? Next up, we have uh we have item 3B, which is a February 2nd, 2026 council meeting minutes.

I make a motion to approve the February 2nd, 2026 regular council meeting minutes. Second. All right. Is there any discussion? Those in favor raise your right hand to say I. I. I. All in favor? Next is 3C, which is the February 9th, 2026 council workshop minutes. I'll make a motion we approve the February 9th, 2026 council workshop minutes. Second. All right, we have a motion to approve and a second. Is there any discussion? Call for the question. Those in favor, raise your right hand and say I. I.

All right. All in favor? So, we're also joined by Councilman Killian. Mr. Killian, can you hear us? All right, he's there, I think. So, uh, next up we have citizens comments. And we have, um, no one signed up for citizens comments. Next is um is the public hearing for 5A which is ordinance 2026-02 authorizing the execution and delivery of a fee in lie of tax agreement by and between Chester County and project 2493 designating certain real property located in Chester County as part of a multi-county industrial park providing credits against fee in lie of tax payments authorizing the execution and delivery of a project agreement fine between Chester County and project 2493 authorizing the execution and delivery of such documents as may be necessary to affect the intent of this ordinance and providing for other related other matters related there too. I do not have anyone signed up to speak. Is there anyone in the audience that would like to speak to that? All right. If not, I'll move on to the next next item which is 5B which is ordinance 2026-03 approving the execution and delivery of a development agreement between the county and Lando Investments Associates LLC and Fishing Creek Associates LLC resolving civil action number 2025 CP 12 00014 and providing for other related matters. I do have four people signed up to speak for that. So, I'll call your name if you'll come forward. Um, please direct your comments to council. You'll have three minutes to speak. I do ask that you'll state if you'll restate your name and your address for for us when you come forward. Um, first up, Miss Roxan James.

Good afternoon. My name is Roxan James. I reside at 3007 Steel Village Road, Rock Hills, South Carolina, which is in Chester County, 29730. And I'd like to speak today on the ordinance 20263. I am excited to be here tonight and I'm excited for what's fixing to happen in Lando. I was part of the 2007 Chester County Council meeting in Lando where the very first county uh plan development was discussed and here we are on the third reading. I think it's wonderful. Um I look forward to these improvements to Lando. Of course, I grew up there. I knew what it was like to live on a mill village with a very warm and loving environment and I hope that this new housing development will also be uh the same. Uh I'm real I really really would like to thank you council and especially Mr. Hester for uh bringing this back on the table and for Mr. Miller and uh Mr. Maryfield and Paul Williams, one of our board members. Uh I am really excited and was surprised that the schoolhouse, the museum, and the old cemetery might be part of this deal and may be uh turned over to the Lando board, the museum board. And what's more dear to my heart is the Lando War Memorial Recreation Park that was founded in 1957 after my dad came back from the Korean War. He was a combat

veteran and I'm excited to see that to become a county park in the future and I want to thank you all. Thank you. All right, next up we have number um Paul Williams. come forth.

Good evening. Paul Williams, 3801 Lando Road. Um I am the acting president of the Lando Man History Center and I've spoken up here before and again I want just want to start with thanks for everyone the council um and the Lando Investment Associates who have allowed us to do what we've done over the last since 2000 was 21 years now. 21 years the history center has been there. So, I want to say thanks to everyone. Um, in my time, I've been down there since 2000. I've done my best to stay out of politics. I did not like him. I'm not a politician. I'm not a good salesman. Um, but I am a good hard worker, which is what land drew me to Lando and being there. So, um, over the time that I've been there, we've created relationships. Um, relationships I've have with my, uh, with the owners of the company or the the property letting us do what we do. Uh, and the relationships I've built with county as well. But one of the ones I really want to say which really helped form Lando and keep keep us motivated is Sheriff Dorsy and his crew that he's had come out there. Um, you know, that's the area of Chester County. But, you know, if Lando wasn't taken care of, it would have really gone the wrong way. Uh, with his efforts and our efforts combined working together, we were able to make the community respectable even more than it was many when I came there. So that relationship there and the relationships we continue to move forward u the relationship that and the deal making that y'all do um and what I've heard on Mr. Hers and Mr. um board's you know podcast you know the relationship and the planning together what this development will be is a cooperation of both I mean they sat down the criteria they work with them and the accommodations of our owners with what they're letting us do and doing as well as help make this move forward. Um there's a lot of we had an open house a couple weeks ago. We got a good turnout and there's a lot of change in land on people don't like change and the story I like to tell people is BD Heath who created Manetta Mills background bought it in 1896 and really developed it in 1905. People there report goes oh there goes the neighborhood you know there it goes again here it comes in this investor out of Charlotte it's going to

change all of what we have here at Fishing Creek. But it created land and created an environment and a living and a way of life for many people for many years. With us being there and the agreements and everything moving forward will allow that Lando of the past to be continued to be Lando of the future. Thank you. Thank you. All right. Next up is Robin Dodson

Robin Dodson 3631 Andy's Road. I hope you all well tonight. Uh, I'm sort of on the other side of this fence because I'm not in favor of Lando Village or Walker's Mail Part Two. Way back when Lando Village was first zone PD, which was uh 2007 about 20 years ago, their plans did follow state law. It followed the state law for PDs to include uh residential, commercial, and industrial. It was a great plan. It was a great plan. I loved Lando Village. I loved it when I saw it in the gateway plan. However, they sat on it for 20 years uh and um all the while letting Lando deteriorate. It's in rubble and ruin now. And now uh with no improvements done whatsoever. And now uh since uh counties approved all these uh highdensity plan developments all within about three miles of each other uh using a in an EP zoning code that count Chester County had adopted which did not follow state law. We all know that. We've we've visited that before. And now we're overrun with development and it's created havoc to people in our area, our wildlife, our roads, our air and water quality. And now they're getting ready to close 901. And the road I live on is going to become a major thorough affair. It's going to be horrible, just horrible for the next 10 months. So, um I'm really not in favor in favor of it. It would have been great if it had been the first one developed and followed state law, which it did. But but uh a lot is a lot has happened since then. But my questions for tonight, I have some questions. Uh is the sewer capacity available and approved for Lando Village and Walker's Mill today? Do they have the sewer capacity today to begin construction or will the force main sewer delay the start of these developments? My second question, what is the actual dollar development of the developers agreement? We know that up north is 28,000 for an impact fee. I

know we talk about 5,000 which I feel like is a sorely inadequate um amount. Um what is the county's cost for the s for sewer main? What is it actually going to cost the county? My next question is there a timeline for the buildout? Uh I've not seen any type of reverter clause uh once this ordinate passes tonight. Is that when the the it begins your agreement begins? Uh and is there a reverter clause? if they don't build out in however many years the agreement says. Uh my last question is about a year ago Mr. Hester said that a study would be conducted uh to determine the actual cost of providing services to the uh homes in our area versus the taxes collected. And we all know it's about $140 cost a dollar collect. So what were the results of that study? And uh and how does that impact our county today? And uh if if Lando Village had been the first one, I would have been uh certainly in favor of it. I was, but it's not. It's towards the end and we are overrun right now in our area with high density development. Any questions? Thank you.

Thank you. All right. Next is uh Tom Miller.

My name is Tom Miller. I reside at 1682 Pleasant Grove Road, Chester, South Carolina 29706. I'm here to speak on behalf of Lando Associates and Fishing Creek Associates. I want to thank Brian Hester and Jeremy Ward for their cooperation and diligent work to coming up with a development agreement. Worked through a lot of issues over the last 10 12 months to come up with something that would be fair. added attributes to the county um included incorporated a true mixeduse development we haven't seen in Chester County as of yet and continues to preserve the town center of Lando and a continuation of the history center and future restoration of the school. I have my team here today. If there's any questions that are asked of us, we're available to answer them. Thank you.

Thank you. All right. So, is there anyone else? That's all on the signup sheet. Is there anyone else in the audience who would like to speak to this public hearing? All right. This public hearing is closed. So, that brings us to item 6A. Under ordinances, resolutions, and proclamations, we have 6A is the third reading of ordinance 2026-03, approving the execution and delivery of a development agreement between the county and Lando Investments Associates LLC and Fishing Creek Associates LLC, resolving civil action number 2025-CP-12-0014, and providing for other related matters. I make a motion we approve third reading of ordinance 20263.

Second.

All right. Have a motion and a second. Um Mr. Hester, do you uh have or Mr. Ward? I'm not sure y'all have any comments before um there's a vote. If anyone would like for me to make any comments regarding um I mean I I do agree that this is rem remember that for the public maybe a good comment is that this is not approving a new developmental agreement. this is a settlement um of a suit and so the this ordinance settles that suit um settles matters related to that litigation I guess is the best way to put it and it approves a developmental agreement that was negotiated over those 12 months and I do think that um that it was a a a very good product that was ended up with I think that um Mr. Spencer and his team um and Mr. Miller, Mr. Marfield um they've been very accommodating to our current ordinances uh that council has approved with regard to subdivisions and again this is the first true mixeduse um facility. Um so there is and and the and that's again is why this there is no sewer capacity currently. They will wait on their sewer capacity before they start. But again this is not the approval of a new um subdivision. So it doesn't fall under the ordinance that regulates that council can approve without sewer capacity. this this was already approved. So sewer capacity isn't there. There is agreement in place. There is timelines in place. Um and there is no cost to the county on that sewer. Um and their buildout time and I don't want to

speak too out of turn, Mr. Miller. But this is probably from today we're talking could potentially be 10 years easily. So, this isn't something that's going to happen right away because of that sewer capacity and other things. So, there's any other questions related to it, I'm sure we could answer. I have a question, Mr. Chair.

Um, Miss Miss Dodson brought up a very good point. The paper the other week said that we had we had talked about $43 million for the sewer line from Lando to Rock Hill and Mr. Thompson King was quoted in the paper. It's about $53 million. Now, where is that money going to come from? Are we obligated for any more than what we we said we would help them with? No, sir. In fact, we're not obligated for any of that money. Now, we were a backs stop. Um council voted to approve a $5 million back stop. I believe it was 5 million is what we voted on back then. um if they if the sewer authority did not receive a federal grant um but the sewer authority did receive that federal grant and those funds and so um the county is not obligated for any of that cost and I've had those conversations sewer authority is aware of that as well there is no misconception of the county being obligated and I know that that's a good point because there is rumors in the you know the comments that um the county's paying paying for and the county is not paying uh any of that unless council chooses in the future. Right now, the county is not paying for any of that sewer capacity.

Um that $5 million is for the $43 million grant, right? That $5 million was originally as a backs stop for the original discussion. Now, things have changed within their uh their negotiations with the city of Rock Hill. Um, and I know City of Rockill was adding some users and stuff and they were negotiating back and forth about a pump station, who was going to pay, but we are not part of that. We are completely out of that uh negotiations.

Mr. Hester, I know you you just uh said that the the ordinance that we're approving tonight is we're proving, you know, trying to approve an ordinance in reference to a settlement. But just for the public's clarification, for anybody who may have may have flown over the head that may be listening, when exactly did this ordinance first get approved by the previous council? 2008. Is that correct? So, this was approved for the people listening. This was approved in 2008. This council did not approve this uh this development. We're just settling here a suit uh with this ordinance.

We're we're foregoing litigation with the settlement and an agreement between the the property owners and and the county as to the differences that were there. Thank you, sir. Yes, sir. Is there any more uh discussion?

I'll call for the question. Those in favor raise your right hand and say, "I." those opposed. All right, that that is approved. We'll count that six to zero. I don't hear Mr. Killian um online. I think he's listening, but call that a six to zero um without Mr. Killian here. All right. Next up is um item 6B, which is a first reading of ordinance 2026-05 amending ordinances number 3-9-12A. uh 2018-5 and 2021-17 to update the definition of projects under an installment purchase plan of finance and other related matters. Maybe since this is first reading, I'll ask Mr. Hester if you want to speak to that before before a motion is made.

Yes, sir. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. So, this ordinance moves the moves forward the reallocation of funds within um what is referred to as the gateway bond. Originally in that bond, $1 million was set aside to build a spec building in the county. Uh this was allotted in 2018. Um council voted to approve the use of that $1 million towards the 10% matching grant to repave the second runway at the county airport on November 3rd, 2025. Um, as a reminder, the grant will pay approximately $9 million of the $9.9 million cost estimate for repaving the second runway um that we discussed back on November 3rd. We are simply allocating the million the $1 million that was originally for the spec building um to be used for the runway match uh and the remainder of that will be used for hanger renovations and upgrades if it doesn't reach that total amount. Um, this ordinance is simply the process to amend the original ordinance and take the other necessary steps to finalize that reallocation of funds.

Right. Thank you. Is there a motion on this? I make a motion we approve the first reading of ordinance 2026-05. I'll second. All right. Have a motion and second. Is there any discussion? I would like that and I can write what you just got through saying we'll have a second anywhere. We'll have second reading in our next right here. It this is uh packet is the ordinance is in the packet. Yes, sir. What's in our packet? It's there's um there's a couple of documents in there. So, the ordinance is in there. It's 2026 uh05 and it should be labeled as such. Oh, it's in the it's in the packet.

Yes, sir. And so what it does if you look on page I believe it's exhibit A which is attached it adds the airport as one of the uses there. There's some other documents in there related to just uh fiscal management of paperwork that have to be done. Okay. All right. Any more discussion? I'll call for the question. Those in favor of this first reading, ordinance 2026-05, raise your right hand to say I. I. I.

All right. All in favor? Next up, we have the administrator's report. Mr. Hester.

Yes, sir. Mr. Chairman. Um, so the next council workshop will be held on Monday, March the 9th from 400 p.m. to 6 p.m. topics. This will have this will continue our workshops with regard to our comprehensive plan and finalizing that our land use plan. Um the last meeting for the public's knowledge. We got past the schoolboard discussion. We got into solar project discussion didn't quite wrap that up and then we still have data centers. So uh we'll try to finalize those discussions March 9th 4 to 6. Um the goal is to have first reading um of revised ordinances addressing both the land use uh both land uses solar and data centers in April uh county council meeting um as well as the first reading of our comprehensive plan. I believe that's correct Mr. Ward. Then I apologize I had two sheets here. Citizens Academy. The 2026 Spring Citizens Academy is still open for enrollment. 11week program kicks off February 23rd, which is Monday of next week. I saw Miss Shirley back there. Uh, how many um enrolles do we have at this point? 13. So, we still will take you have about five days um six days, I'm sorry, to enroll. If you know of anyone um please take advantage of that. Participants will attend a county council meeting, take part in on-site sessions with departments including public works, EMS fire services, sheriff's office. Program concludes with a graduation ceremony and a dinner, of course, there's a dinner with county council and guest speakers. Um, any questions about the program, please direct towards our communications officer, Morgan Shirley, and she's in

the back today. And then the final uh comment I have is about this Friday. I think we are all long awaited for this Friday, February 20th. At 300 p.m., we will celebrate with the grand opening of the Robin Sports Complex and the work that's been done there. There'll be a ribbon cutting. This is in addition and separate from opening day ceremonies. And so we just wanted to be able to invite the community out and uh all our council members out and just take time to walk around the complex, take a look at all the hard work that's been done by our staff and uh the the contractors there, our engineers and and everyone that's been involved and just kind of take it all in before that opening day when we have about 300 young people running around that facility. So um that'll be this Friday. Please come and join us. And that concludes my administrator's report. Mr. Chairman.

All right. Thank you very much. Um, next up is we don't have a consent agenda or old business. So, that brings us to new business. 10A is the approval of contract for courthouse sidewalk and storm water improvements along Malle Street. I'll call forward our contracts and procurement director Christy Donaldson and also our planning and development director, Jeremy W. Thank you, Chairman Wilson, County Council. I will quickly give a brief description of this project and then turn it over to um Christie who will give an update on on the bid and the bid that we received, the low bid there. So, this is one of the final phases of the major courthouse improvement project that was funded under the last CPST referendum. Work's been ongoing for a number of years. It's been really great so far. I think the courthouse looks as good as it's ever been. So, this project is mostly focused on creating ADA parking, accessibility, and ramps in the rear of the courthouse along Mac Lily Street. You may remember a few months ago, the county officially owns Malilly Street. Now, we're responsible for the maintenance of it. We got that from the state. This project will create six new parking spaces, including a handicap parking space there. It'll create a new wheelchair ADA accessible ramp that goes to the courthouse as well as to family court on the other side of the building. The right as you're looking um from the bird's eye view. It'll create some new sidewalks, curbing, drainage improvements, landscaping, really make that rear both accessible, safe, and look really beautiful. So, um, we have been in close coordination with the courthouse leaders and staff over the past month, especially. I had a meeting with Miss Baggley over there with Judge Gibbons a few weeks ago, discussed the the plan with him in detail. Um, Mr. Levester and I held a meeting at the courthouse with

about 20 of the courthouse staff last week and reviewed the project, answered questions. Most people are very much on board with it. the street will be turning to a one-way street because it will be um made more narrow as a result of the new parking. So, functionally, that's the that's the most significant change for the workers there in addition to more parking along the street than there was previously. So, next in the timeline, if it's approved by council, we will have the fifth the 14 day protest period for biders and then a pre-construction and contract execution meeting. Our objective is to have this project completed by midsummer, preferably late May or early June, all depending on the weather and other factors. And I'll get Christie um to talk about our bids and then we're both available for questions.

Good evening. Good evening. Um on January 22nd, 2026, we held a um bid opening. Three, we had three responsive bids. Um, we reviewed all the bids and they all were in compliance. The lowest responsive and responsible bidder was AOS Specialty Contractors Incorporated of Lexington, South Carolina in the amount of $426 $426,65125. Um, so we request that county council approve the award to the contract to AOS specialty contractors and authorize the county administrator to execute all necessary contract documents on behalf of Chester County.

Can I ask a question? Mr. Ward, which way will traffic enter now that this road is becoming a one-way street? Which way? From which does it enter from WY or does it enter from Center Street? Because this is coming a one way. And the reason why I'm asking that question, you know, living in Chester all my life, Center Street has more traffic, right? So, if you're coming from Center Street, it's just a natural response that you can take a right or a left-hand turn onto that street. I don't want an accident to happen there because somebody not realizing that they can't enter that street from if they're not going to be able to enter from center. That's why I'm asking that question if you follow what I'm saying. And

that's a great question. That was a subject that was discussed a lot with the engineers and um and the county mostly in 2025. So as of right now it's entering from WY to center. So the other way from WY to center street that was what the engineers felt was safest based on um the access points along Malilly as well as the two adjoining streets. We're we're planning to do a lot of improvements to be sure that that's safe with striping, signage, um potentially some curbing changes at at the mouth where it goes into Center Street to reinforce that it's it's a one-way street there with the minimal traffic on Malilly. Our engineers also believe that if someone accidentally turns onto it, there's not going to be 100 cars an hour coming down Macilly street at a high rate of speed. So there'll be opportunity and space to safely turn around. myself personally and I and I hear what the engineers say, but myself personally, a lot of times I will turn down Malle Street in the past just, you know, if there's traffic on the hill to avoid the light. And I'm pretty sure people who live in Chester do that. I'm just bringing awareness to that. We got to make sure that the proper signage is up there. We don't we don't want any head-on collisions or someone getting hurt because thinking that they can just do that as a cut.

Absolutely. Just bringing awareness to that so that you guys can think about it some more. That's a great point. Know the safety is obviously the top priority and and we'll work very closely and I'll update you on on the safety plans for that. The the beautiful thing about this plan too is because Chester County maintains that street now, we can evaluate it and in the future if for some reason, safety or otherwise, we need to reevaluate which direction the street goes, it's our prerogative at that point to make changes as needed. Thank you. Thank you.

All right. So, with that, I'll entertain a motion for council. Make a motion we approve the contract as it's been presented from a specified contractor. I'll second. All right. So that's uh just to repeat it. That's AOS Specialty Contractors Incorporated for the amount of $426,65125. That's correct. All right. Is there any more discussion? I'll call for the question. Those in favor raise your right hand and say I.

All right. All in favor? Next up we have our Thank y'all for that report and your work on that. Um, next up we have 10B, which is a department update from communications officer Morgan. Google. Say your last name. I'm sorry. Shirley. There we go. All right.

Good evening, Mr. Chairman, members of council. Um, I'd like to thank you all for giving me the opportunity to kind of give you guys a little bit of insight. um into Chester County Communications. So, when I stepped into this role in June of 25, obviously Brian, Mr. Hester, was ready to hit the ground running with all kinds of exciting ideas, but we wanted to make sure that we really established what our goals were for communication as it relates to Chester County government. So, a few things that we tossed around in the air were we wanted our communication to be clear. We wanted to make sure that it was consistent and effective. But I think the most important thing that we really wanted to hone hone in on was that we wanted whatever we put out, anything that we communicated to our residents or to each other was that it was transparent. So stepping into this role, there were so many positive and wonderful achievements by Chester County Department council and leadership and we just really wanted to hit the ground running making sure that everyone um knew about those things. Council had just approved the budget for 2025 2026 that included increased emergency and fire personnel and equipment. We had promotions within our departments. Our tax assessor was about to embark on his 2025 free assessment period. Citizens Academy was kicking off its second session. EMS services finally had their new ambulance and we had plenty of open positions to fill within the county. There are so many forms of communication. Um, but the power of social media truly is unmatched power. In my professional experience, negativity on social media really boils down to people just all in all being misinformed or matter of fact, they just haven't been informed on a topic at all. We'd already established a Chester County government social media page and YouTube page, but we truly were not utilizing these platforms to their fullest potential. So, the first thing

that we decided to do with the roll out of the newly approved budget was Mr. Hester and Chester County Treasurer Tommy Darby. We're going to sit down and do a conversational style informational video about the about the newly approved budget, what it meant, what it entailed, and excuse me, and particularly what it was going to mean as far as affecting Chester County residents. Now, when we sat down, they hit the ground running with this video. We did not intend for it to be a 20 minute long video, but they really left nothing on the table as far as all things budget. So, we posted that video on a Friday and come Sunday afternoon, I it had about 4,500 to 5,000 views on social media. Now, that number may not seem super large, but when I got here, we only had about 3,000 followers on our social media pages. So, not only were we engaging people that were already interested in what we had to say, that means we were now encroaching on new territory with new people who wanted to see. In the social media world, the biggest goal is to find your target audience, what your audience responds to, what they're going to engage with, and then you can begin to narrow down what they truly want to see from you. From there, we took on additional videos with Chester County Tax Assessor Auditor, again with the treasurer. This one really just laid out who these department directors and county leaders were, what their jobs were, how you could get in touch with them, who was involved in their department, projects that they were begin to work on. And I think that that truly goes back to the overall goal of transparency. We want you to be able to see county council department leadership and staff in the grocery store and say, "Hey, I know who you are. This is what you're doing." And it all in all makes you approachable. Transparency equals trust. We hit the ground on social media encouraging our residents to share an announcement um about a town hall that

Corey Guy decided that was a really good idea to get in front of our residents as it related to the upcoming 2025 reassessment period and FO as it related to special purpose fire districts. Members of Chester County Council, Mr. Hester, Chester County Department leadership and Senator Everett Stubs were in attendance for this event for this event. After the meeting ended, you could see county council department leadership and staff. They were truly engaging with the residents that showed up to attend. Now, keep in mind, this event was well attended. And by well attended, I mean it was standing room only. We did our part to establish trust within our community and to let our residents know that they had a voice and that they deserve to be heard as well and that we were also there to listen. Social media platforms will provide you with the opportunity to do more than just post to your feed. It will provide you with the necessary tools and analytics to really take a deep dive into your following. Who are they? Where do they live? Their age, their gender, and even more specifically, you can learn what time of day they're going to look at at your post the most. We use data points to track these and we call them key performant in key performance indicators. Excuse me. Since June of 2025, all of our KPIs have been trending upwards. We've gained over 1,500 new followers on social media, and our overall content reach is up 7 97.5% year-over-year. And the rest of these data points are continuing to climb as we move into 2026. With these statistics in mind, I do believe that we are really making a positive impact in Chester County. We're marching forward, standing by our word to continue to provide clear, consistent, effective, and most importantly, transparent communication to our residents. Our new department director video series that we just

finished with Chester County Planning and Development Director Jeremy Ward went well. We've also looked into recycling with um Aaron Ravis, road signs in Chester County with Devon Bagley. Um, and we are going to continue to make sure that we post and promote how the most important decisions are made as they affect our taxpayers. The last project that I do want to mention is our newly rolled out Chester County website. Um, I cannot take credit for this. This project was already in the works when I got here. Um, our IT director, uh, David Schuli really took this project on. If you haven't taken time to look at it, really take a deep dive into it. Not only is the website beautiful, it's very informational, everything's updated, it's very easy to navigate, and it's been really good as far as working handinhand with us being able to push our social media traffic to the website, saying, "Here, we're going to tell you this, but this is where you can find it, and these are where things live." So, I do want to thank you for taking the time to listen to my update this evening, and I am happy to answer any questions that you all may have for me. comment.

Long as it's positive, I'll take it.

Yeah. Um I think communication is key. Um ever since I've been up here on this council, one of the things I've always tried to do when I'm up here and we're at meetings is make things plain to the citizens so that they understand that we're just not up here reading off a bunch of numbers and a bunch of codes and ordinances and things of that nature and people don't understand exactly what's going on in the community. So, I really believe that communication is key and you're really doing a good job. I follow it on Facebook and I you're really doing a good job at communicating to the people what's going on before the wrong narratives are are put out about about things. So, uh appreciate what you're doing and keep keep up the good work. Thank you. I appreciate that.

All right. Thank you, Miss Shirley. Keep up the good work. We uh and to kind of echo what Mr. guy was saying, you know, um I think every one of us up here really enjoy when we have opportunity to to meet and get to know the citizens that we our neighbors. And so just encourage folks to reach out, reach out to Miss Shirley, reach out to the county, reach out to any of us and and ask us questions, get to know us. Um it's even better if you do it before the big problem comes along. Go ahead and do it now. Get to know us and then when you have a issue that you really care about, we already know your name. And um so just encourage you to do that. I think you'll be warmly received when you do. So, um, next up, we have a update from the city of Chester from Mayor Carlos Williams.

I know.

It's tough. Welcome. Uh, thank you. Thank you, council, for having me today. Give you a update on the city. That's a great segue because of communication, telling your own story, right? Telling your own story. All the conferences I go to around the state, it says tell your own story. And I appreciate that. That's a great set way to come in. So today I'm here. Thank you, Mr. Chair, uh, Mr. Wilson, Vice Chair, Miss Mosley, County Council, and to Mr. Hester who's doing awesome job for Chester County. I'm just here today on behalf of the city of Chester to give just some updates to sort of tell our story to let you know what is going on in the city of Chester. We hear so much about the um city and the county for years that we wasn't moving. But I'm excited what I'm seeing in the county and I'm excited what I see in the city. I love Chester County, not just the city. I'm I'm in love with Chester County. So, coming back here um from the Marine Corps, um I decided to run for council in 2015. Um I put my name in the hat and here we are, eight years on city council as a council member and now the mayor in 2023. And the city has seen significant growth in just a few years. And that's not only um the city, but it comes from the help of the county with Robert Long, the new economic development director. He's always calling, reaching out to the city, um how they can help and Miss Karen, um how they can help to assist the city in any way, in every way. Um

just a few updates. Grants and strategic planning um the city um have ha have issues with storm water drainage issues all around the city of Chester. Uh we received a $250,000 grant um funding that secured to identify drainage challenges and support future infrastructure improvements. U we also received the CAD street backlock revitalization. um grant. If you go to the back lot in the city of Chester, you see it's newly it's been paved in the back lot. Um we received a smart growth grant a ward level planning sessions to gather resident input and guide the city's comprehensive plan. Um that is a grant that we received um I think it just came through today. We received four four grants actually backto backto back and I'll get to some of that. Um, also we received the electric vehicle charging station grant, the EV grant that will be located at the new city hall um, right there at the police um, station RU strategic planning initiative. Um, it's a state partnership to de to develop a strategic economic plan focused on investment through the South Carolina Department of Commerce. um the city of Chester um completed multiple projects uh with their funding and they circle back to the city of Chester because we completed the projects from the grants that was awarded by them. Um, out of 19 municipalities in the state of South Carolina, the city of Chester is the only, and that's great news, the only municipality in the state that received funds that was awarded grants by the Commerce Department completed their

projects. And what I told them on the phone that we'll take all the money that they sent out and award it to the other communities, the city of Chester uh would we we we would uh take all those those grants. So that's good to hear that uh we are moving forward um in the city and we'll create keep that narrative going telling our own story. Economic development and community initiatives. Um, we received a a um a new program is the Evolve system. The county of Chester already had that system and we were behind a few years and I've reached out to um the guys um here in the county um put them in contact with the public works department in the city. So, we are in sync now and it was years behind. All right. So, we are on the same page. They receive emails, the city receive emails, county receive emails, the city receive emails. And that's the business license um education in this initiative helping current and future business owners successfully uh operate and grow in Chester. Civic education initiative. I think Mr. Hester uh speak about that sometimes about civic education. People don't know the process of government. All right. And so we are focused on that here in the city of Chester. Uh one of the biggest things I think discussions over the years has been the Chester Aquat aquatic and fitness center u youth program expansion. Um we haven't talked or spoke formally with the county about recreational opportunities for um Chester County. Um but we are willing to sit down and have that discussion uh with the county about recreation. All right. But we have right now volunteers throughout the city and the county

that's working over at the aquatic and fitness center restoring and renovating rooms as we speak. All right. Infrastructure and beautifification and revitalization gateway and entry beautifification initiative. Um improving major corridors to enhance Chester's appearance and community image. We talked about the cleanliness of the city. curb appeal and the corridors um the four I think main corridors coming into the city of Chester um Pinkney um Colombia um Lancaster I think another Saluda Street and so we're going to be working on those corridors hopefully along with the the county to clean that up first impression is the lasting impression and I think we are changing the region um u mindset of Chester County All right. Arts and entertainment district wayfinding signage. Um, the city is now we're looking at our wayfinding signage. We adopted the arts and entertainment district in the city of Chester, which is the first social district. Listen now, it's the first social district the south of Charlotte in South Carolina. The city of Chester has adopted that. I brought that idea to the city about a little over two years ago. Um, I rece I got that idea for Savannah, Savannah, Georgia. All right. And matter of fact, I was just at Savannah this weekend. And so, just creating something different and with our council support, u, we pushing the city forward, thinking of new ways to bring people and and traffic downtown to patronize our businesses. Right. Another big issue that that been talked about since um COVID hit in 2019 2020 is the WY Park pool renov revitalization. Uh we're working with Brian Yarm with

that. I I think we u initially said that it would take $500,000 to um get that pool up and running, but that's not the case. That's if we going to have it immaculate. But what we have decided as a council was to move forward with the cleanup. We have several cleanups there um in the um at Wy Park along with Senator Ever Stubs. He's heavily involved in in that commitment as well with the Rotary Club. And so hopefully we'll have Wally Park Pool open by uh this summer. All right, few more things I'm going to wrap it up. Um, Mount Hebrron Cemetery revitalization. I know Mr. John Massie been emailing county council, Facebook, city council and he always tagging I think uh Councilman Guy, Councilman Wilson and Mr. Hester on everything along with me about Mount Hebrron Cemetery. So, um, the city has decided to, um, um, um, take Mount Cemetery, I mean Mount Hebron Cemetery on and and, um, put it on a a um, a schedule similar to the Evergreen Cemetery. So, we have had a major cleanup at Mount Hebron Cemetery already, and we're going to continue to do it. Mr. um, um, Mr. Mr. Chair, I'm not going to ask for funding. So, all right. But yes, so we're going to undertake that. I I'll tell you, Mr. Massie's been a um a person that that's been heavily involved in that. Also, the late Miss Maline Miles, she used to reach out to me all the time about Mount Hebrron Cemetery, and she was, I think,

uh celebrated by the council a few about a year or so ago. All right. A great a great opportunity for the city of Chester here is the Springsteen brownfield redevelopment. For 30 plus year about 30 years, the Springsteen site has been sitting and um contaminated not enough contaminants to harm harm people, but uh we have had a cleanup and I think 2009 and something in 2014. Um, but right now we received a letter of intent on that property to re redevelop uh the Springsteen site. And if you don't know where the Springsteen site is in the city of Chester is where the big smoke stack is, uh, when you come across the tracks on Gast from Lanster Street to Gaston to your right. And so, um, what I've seen with that project, if it comes to fruition, um, that will be a beautiful gateway segway into downtown Chester. But there's a lot of work behind the scenes going on to make this possible. All right. So, cross your fingers, come to the council meetings, and let's get that done. All right. Um, also, we're going to move forward to community events and tourism. um you know uh we create um events downtown to help the businesses uh to for people to patronize the businesses downtown to use the hospitality tax that one cent sale tax um to bring people um downtown Chester. Uh we have the live after five events from April um through September, the Hog on the Hill in May. Um we created another event this year um that we had some citizens um pushing us to do a gospel explosion weekend um a Christian weekend in the city. Um and

also right after that you have your fish and beer. We we need to separate that a little bit. Uh we had a fish and beer festival. Um we had some some um residents come to us about having a fish and beer festival because they saw it in other smaller communities similar to Chester and it was successful. So we we are trying to um listen to our um constituents and bring things downtown Chester. Also, you have the hilarity event and uh we know we had a big uh back and forth about that last year and it it will be back downtown where it should stay um in Chester. Hilarity. All right. And um also created the hash bash this year. It was the first hash bash in the city of Chester and you know everyone think they can cook a barbecue, hash, fish, whatever. And so we created that event and we had over a thousand people in the back lot. That was the first one in the city of Chester and uh we going to continue with that. It was a lot of success and to help a lot of small businesses and food trucks in that back lot as well. Um city of Chester parade in December. And I'mma wrap it up with um you know it was a lot more things that we done but I didn't want to I'd be up all all night but um um this year um I'm having the first inaugural mayor's ball. Um and it's not you know people think it's for the city of Chester. It's not for the city of Chester because city of Chester do not have a high school. All right. So, we are awarding um scholarships to all three high schools in the in Chester County. Um Chester High School, um Lewisville High, and Great Falls High.

And um I received a call, what about Hawthorne? All right. So, we we always add it. All right. And so, um, I decided to do this, um, a few year, I mean, years ago when I was on just a a council member, but it I never was able to get have them get it done. But, um, this year, we have a lot of excitement about this mayor's ball. Um, receiving a lot of interest from industry in the county, business owners in the city, um, uh, people from around the state that I know and state house, uh, local government. Um and so it's gonna be a great event. Come out and support it. Um the keynote speaker for the night is um Felicia Rashad. And so I reached out to Felicia Rashad. I spoke to her about an hour on the phone and she's excited about coming to help bring people together. And that was her exact words, bringing the community together. And so we have some um people from all walks of life. We have Felicia Rashad. Um some more people coming from California and New York. We have um about three four uh NFL football players from our area. Um basketball professional basketball players and also uh professional ba u baseball player. I'm just waiting on his commitment response. He's trying to clear up his but we have people that are excited about this mayor's ball and I have reached out to the mayor of Great Falls, the mayor of Lewisville and I have to reach out to the mayor Lowries and also the mayor of Fort Lawn. And so it's not going to be just the city of Chester Mayor's Ball. It's going to be a Chester County Mayor's Ball because I want everyone to participate because we are investing in our children and our children are a feature. And uh

um I can send the council I will send you the um the uh sponsor tier list along with um all the other information. But it's going to be exciting time. a lot of I tell you I'm starting to receive we trying to we starting to receive money before we can get everything set up. So uh people are excited. Um it's going to be a special event to bring in and give out to award so many different scholarships to need-based children and merit-driven children in our community. So I would like your support the community support to invest in our children. That's all I have. Any questions? Uh just one, you mentioned the Wally Park um swimming pool and you you thinking you going to have something going with that swimming pool by the summertime?

Yes. It it's not going to be immaculate. What I mean by that, it's not going to be all your your bells and whistles. And that's what that $500,000 quote came from. But we had someone came to Wy Park. Uh it's been a few months ago now. And we walked the Wley Park that looked at it and what we have to do is clean the pool. They did one clean up, fill the pool up, test the pipes, make sure there's no leaks, and that's it. It wasn't anything wrong with the pool before we closed down because of CO. And then when we was trying to reopen the pool, just like everyone else around the country, it wasn't not enough um lifeguards. Uh Meckllinburg County still have pools closed because not enough lifeguards. Um Rock Hill, York County still have pools closed for not enough lifeguards. But with the lifeguard situation, workability, I spoke to Susan Kovas. Um they have funds to help train and working with the school district help train um our young people to be lifeguards um um before the before the summer. So,

do one more question. Do you guys have any uh plans for the area next door to it where the tennis courts and pickle ball uh raetball and all that stuff? Do you have any plans on revitalizing that?

Yes, sir. Um but that's going to take funding, too. But yes, um I just spoke to um Senator Stubs, I think on yesterday or day four yesterday, and I'm sending him a list that the city um voted on the city council and um all of those items are are listed in that. I'm sending him everything that we um decided on as a council from Wley Park to Springs because we don't know if that project is going to happen or be redeveloped. That's a vision of the hope of ours. But um every project that we have that it will be sent down to um Annie McDaniel um House Representative uh Annie McDaniel, Senator Stubs and also um Lian. And so we are excited about the things that we have uh in place in the city and our state delegation is willing to help our city. So, thank you.

What What kind of scholarships are you looking to give? I mean, are they uh of the foundation I'm on, they are all medically related, but what kind of scholarships are you looking to award in these different schools?

Uh, it's going to be um like community based. How can you help your community? How can you come back and reinvest what you see in your community? How can you help it? Um, and so it's going to be driven about local government building your community back and how can you come back and rein reinvest in your community in some type of way. You don't have to move back to the city of Chester or Chester County to be a um a part of the growth and the future of Chester. I

I guess the other part of that same question is what particular courses would they be taking? would they be taking a a business or they can take anything as long as it it's beneficial to the community?

Yes. Yeah. I I don't think it's um any particular course um because um I don't think I think speaking to some of the teachers and and and counselors um throughout the years, we don't really receive they don't really receive a lot of children applying for scholarships. And so we're going to help push that um narrative at the high schools um in Lewisville, Great Falls, and at Chester High. Also, I think I'm going include Hawthorne, but um for application process, a lot of children don't go through and fill out the application. And so a lot of scholarships just um sit there for years and so um they just started giving them out. Well, I had somebody tell me the other day, we can either educate these kids or we can incarcerate them. That's right.

Thank you very much for looking at trying to help these kids and get them educated. That's what we got to do.

And and and see, we understand the community that we grew up in. Um a workingclass community. Um you know, you know, we are fortunate some of us that our kids um receive scholarships. um our kids or we um um have a good living that we can take care of our family and pay for college. But so many of my kids friends um had to drop out of college because their parents um couldn't continue paying for their education. Um and now they just graduating receiving their bachelors after five or six years after my sons received their masters. So we are trying to help these kids now um stay in school. So

your son and my son, your sons and my son went to the circle, so I know that they got a good education and they uh they say yes or no. Yeah. Well, they know that they feel us right here. My hands still move work a little bit. I got one more question, mayor. um city hall. What's y'all's plans the city's plans for city hall or what are you currently doing with it right now now that you've moved all the operations to the new building that I I don't want to move be in front of council but it will be on the February agenda um but um yeah it'll be on the February agenda. So you do have

Yeah, we do have plans for it. Um but uh and it's it is good, but we also with the CPST funding, we submitted that as part of that funding as well. Um if you if you um been to the old city hall, I don't like to say old city hall because that's I really like that city hall better. Um but the city hall on on the hill u we've we uh the city had a grant forund over $150,000 to um renovate ADA uh compliant restrooms um on the first level and they painted it um restored some things. So on the first floor is is is okay. It's the second and third floor and the stairwells that we have to look into um with a u I'm looking at a elevator but well it's just it's just a historic historic piece of property in the city of Chester that sits right there in the city of Chester. And I've had I know you've heard the same comments I've I've heard you know can't let that building go down. What are you going to do with it? So, I felt like I would ask that question if you guys have plans for it. My my answers, you gave me my answer.

Yeah. Yeah. It it will be on, you know, listen to come to the uh city council meeting and we'll have that discussion about that building and moving forward uh on reopening that building u for future use. Thank you. Anything else from council? I want to thank you, mayor, for coming tonight and sharing an update from the city. All right. Thank you. Thank you very much.

All right, next up we have item 10D, which is presentation of letter for Bridgeburg Fire Department. We have acting chief Mike Trout. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Good evening, council. Change is hard. I think we all experience that. But change is manageable when you have proper support. Uh, I'd like to start by thanking the incredible support we've had, particularly from Director Benson and emergency services and especially from Treasurer Darby and his staff. Um, they have worked seamlessly with us from the beginning. Um, we have moved over finance functions and administrative functions to the treasur's office and that has worked out wonderfully. uh the support that we've gotten from both Chief McNeel and Director Ben uh Benson has been fabulous. So, we're very thankful for that. Appreciate them. U so what we're proposing, we took a look at our our overall operations and efficiencies and we've worked with both those offices to develop a list of efficiencies and things that we can change to not only benefit the taxpayers of our district but the taxpayers of the entire county. And as part of that, what we're proposing is having the county take over additional administrative duties to include payroll, workers compensation, and our ambulance operations along with human resource functions. Uh these would enable the fire district to continue to focus on operations and continue to focus on taking care of the people of our district and the visitors to Chester County. Any questions?

Nice, simple, and quick the questions. We're not asking count uh that I'll speak to it. Um and just for clarification, Mr. Man Trout is acting on behalf of the Richburg Fire Department um and making the request as the acting fire chief. Um the county is currently overseeing operations and um of the Richburg Fire Protection District and after discussion with um Mr. Hester and Mr. Benson um we're prepared to take on those um administrative task as requested um there's no action needed at this time from council.

Any other questions? I'd just like to say thank you for stepping into a a difficult situation and providing good leadership and continuing to provide a good service for the community 77 quarter and providing good leadership for for the department and all your staff.

Thank you. It's uh we made a promise in the beginning that operations would not change. Uh we continue we were actually made a fires safe community last year with our community risk reduction program which we continue to move forward with. uh we responded over 1,400 calls last year and right now we're still on track uh I think we did a little over a hundred in January. So we're on track to continue to have over a thousand responses but we are still here for the community and do uh we'll continue to do what we do best.

Mr. trap with everything that you know occurred here in 2025 and what we're you know trying to uh rectify at this moment. Uh is the morale at the fire department in Richburg still high um with your professional opinion or how do you how do you feel about uh the morale and the the workers there um are still motivated and things of that nature?

Uh firefighters are always going to be firefighters. They they're motivated by fire. They're very into they get very little sleep. They operate on coffee much like Brian's car. You finished with that? Um so a morale of a fire department is partially based on that. They have a task to do and they do it very well. Um a combination department is very unique in that we have we have career firefighters who come every day and they they they work very hard and we have a dedicated group of volunteers. Um we've we've lost some uh we've lost also we've lost one career staff member. Um hopefully we'll we'll get to fill those positions. Recruiting for volunteers is something that I encourage anybody listening across Chester County. We have a lot of volunteer fire departments and we have a lot of openings. We are always accepting volunteers. I think I can also speak for uh Am I getting the thumbs up? I'm getting thumbs up anywhere that you you contact Chief McNeel and we will get you hooked up as a volunteer firefighter. Um it is critical that the paid staff and we've done we've gone great leaps and bounds to get paid staff throughout the county. But without water, without driving a tanker, without getting a ladder truck, without a service truck, without bodies, it it is still difficult to get that job done. So, anybody, please, if you would like to volunteer, if you have that sense of community in your heart, stop by any one of your fire stations, contact the emergency services office and and look at volunteering. It's it's a very rewarding very rewarding as a citizen. So, from that standpoint, you know, our our morale continues to improve. Um, I think we're we're all looking forward to some closure, but um until that comes, it's it's difficult to move forward until we get that closure.

I just asked that question just so that the citizens would um feel like they still had a healthy um functioning fire department because at the end of the day, it's all about the citizens and how they feel and um do they feel protected? Absolutely. Um so, I appreciate you answering that question and that that has been unwavering since the beginning. Anyone else? Anything else? Just thank you, Mike. And I think, you know, as far as morale goes, I think you have enough joy and jubilance in your everyday chatter with people to have to to be able to keep morale.

That's because we come out of the fire station, we see your flower shop every day, and it just gives us joy. So, we will we promise to continue to protect your flower shop. Thank you everybody. Thank you. Thank you very much for that update. All right, that brings us to number 11. Uh 11A is the solid waste advisory board. We have um several appointments here. I'll turn it over to attorney Nicole Workman.

Thank you, Chairman. The solid waste advisory council serves as an advisory board to county council on matters affecting solid waste handling in Chester County. One of the major projects that the solid waste advisory council um will need to tackle is updating the solid waste management plan uh which was last approved January of 2020 2011, excuse me. The um S SWAC is composed of nine voting members to be appointed by county council who shall represent a balance of interest um including but not limited to citizens, public interest groups, businesses, the waste management industry, and local public officials. With the approval of the following people, several of the groups listed um and the bylaws will be satisfied. first being Sheriff Dorsy DG Grooms with CND Trash Service, Fred Castles with CMD Chester Metropolitan District. Um John Bunnel um this a citizen u his occupation was in corporate safety. James Wood is a citizen business owner of the stoplight ice cream de and deli. Uh Michael Young is the director of operations for Chester Sewer District. And at this time, I'd ask that you pro approve all six of those candidates. Please keep in mind that we're still in need of three more applicants. Um, if you know of anyone who would be interested, feel free to reach out to uh Miss Harper or Miss Devin Bagley. Either one will be accepting applications or submitting applications to Miss Candy, but either one would be happy to help facilitate that. I I'd like to make a motion that we um appoint all six um

as provided to us by attorney Wman. Second. All right. Motion to second. Is there any discussion? Hearing none. I'll call for the question. Those in favor to appoint D6 raise your right hand and say I. I.

All in favor. All in favor? All right. Next up, we have number 12, which is executive session. 12 A is the discussion of a proposed sale or purchase of property, doctor's court. 12B is receipt of legal advice, where the legal advice relates to the Richburg Fire Protection District administrative matters. Motion to go into executive session. Make a motion we go into executive session. Second.