County Council - Regular Meeting

I'll get with Robbie right after the meeting, so about something else. Thank you.

Welcome, guys, and welcome to May 26, 2026 County Council meeting. We have a couple members out. Ms. Kerrig is on a vacation with her grandkids. Planned last year, and Ms. Westinger is on a school work function with Newberry. She's not here today, and we missed them today. Before we begin this meeting, I'd like to inform everybody we are being broadcast live on Lexington County Spectrum 1302 and Lexington County website. The county council meeting will be available for viewing anytime on demand on our county website. I'd like to start off the meeting with our invocation.

Mr. Cockrell. Tonight's invocation will be led by John Hendricks. John Hendricks is a ninth-generation resident of Lexington County who as a child was inspired to a career in the fire service by his father's service as a volunteer firefighter with Lexington County Fire Service. During the 23-year career tenure, John has served in the ranks of firefighter, apparatus operator, captain, battalion chief, with the Lexington County Fire Service, as an assistant chief with the Irmo Fire District, and as a captain with the City of West Columbia Fire Department. John currently serves as an assistant chief with the Lexington County Fire Service, where he holds the responsibility as the department's planning officer, overseeing emergency services, contingency planning, organizational strategic planning, and accreditation management. Alongside his fire service career, John also serves as a 27-year member of the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve, currently assigned to Sector Charleston, South Carolina, as Senior Chief Petty Officer, specializing in maritime disaster incident management and port security functions. John and his wife Amber reside in the Round Hill community of Lexington County with their two children, Ella Reed and Carlson. That's right. Yes, sir. Thank you.

Thank you. Council Chair, coincidentally, today happens in this very hour, March 3 years, since the death of Fireman James Michael Muller with the Irma Fire District. If you don't mind, I would like to open today's invocation with just a brief moment of silence in his honor of his legacy and service to this community, and then lead into the invocation. Yes, sir. Thank you. Dear Heavenly Father, we give great thanks to you for your being of a loving and providing and forgiving Father. We also give great thanks to you for all the blessings that you have bestowed upon our family and this community and our country. Lord, we ask of you tonight to please continue to bless our families. and country and community with your hands of protection, provision, and guidance. Lord, also tonight, we ask you to please be with our government leaders and bless them with wisdom, courage, and strength to make wise decisions that are in keeping with your will for the future of Lexington County. In all these things, in your name we pray. Amen.

Thank you, John. Thank you very much. Next, tonight's pledge is going to be led by Mike Smith. Mike Smith served in the United States Army and retired as a major with over 20 years of service, during which time he served three tours in the Republic of Iraq. He has received numerous awards and decorations, including three Bronze Star Medals, the Defense Meritorious Medal, two Meritorials, service medals, five army commendation medals, and two army achievement medals. Mike lives in Lexington with his wife, Jody. They have two children, Hannah and Nate, and attend Lexington Baptist Church. Welcome.

Thank you, sir. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you, Mike.

Thank you, sir.

Thank you. Next, we have the council report. Does anybody have anything they'd like to report since our last meeting? I would just like to say, apparently not, but I'd like to say we've been in various, Lynn and I have been in various budget meetings. We're down to the end here. And we've got a great administrator, guys. If you don't know that, we've got a really good administrator. He's really good. He's compassionate. He's extremely smart.

So with that said, administrator report. Thank you, sir. I appreciate the kind words. Tonight we have here some of our EMS staff. If they could please stand, I'd like to recognize them. May 17th through 23rd, so last week, was National EMS Week. We want to recognize and show our appreciation for their efforts and all that they do. Although only a few of them could be here today, we're certainly appreciative of everything they do. So could we please give them a round of applause?

Before he goes any further, why don't you come down here so the people on TV can see who you are. So walk down here real quick for me. We're clapping to a room. They can't see you.

We can clap again.

We can do it again. That's right. You're welcome. Thank you all. Yes, sir. Thank you. Now we're getting there. Now let's give them the recognition they deserve. Thank you, guys. Appreciate it. Thank you.

Appreciate it. A couple other topics for tonight. A reminder, the statewide primary election is on Tuesday, June 9th, 2026. Early voting started today and will end June 5th. But with the primary on June 9th, our next county council meeting will be moved one day to June 10th. So I wanted to make sure everyone was aware of that and the public is aware of it as well. And that's it, Mr. Chairman. Thank you.

Thank you, sir. Boards and commissions, are there any boards and commissions, appointees? None, I see, or anybody sticking their hand up. I'm seeking approval for the May 12th, 2026 minutes. Move to approve May 12th, 2026 minutes. I have a motion by Mr. Bishop. Second. Second by Mr. Cockrell. Any questions? Madam Chair. Madam Clerk. Somebody.

Councilman Cullum. Yes. Councilman Conwell.

Yes.

Councilman Fisher.

Yes.

Councilman Brigham.

Yes.

Councilman Bishop. Yes. Vice Chair Cockrell.

Yes.

Chairman Hudson.

Yes, and I called her Madam Chair, and that's probably right. Her and Amy go unnoticed and unrecognized, and they keep us straight, and you should be called Ms. Chairman. We have two ordinances. Approval of Ordinance 2601, the Zoning Map Amendment M2601. An ordinance for the zoning classification change from the current C1 neighborhood commercial to C2 general commercial for property located at 449 St. Andrews Road, Columbia. 29210 identified as tax map number 00289903. 0-2-1 and Beth Kerrig's District, County District 7. This will be second reading. Any questions? With that, Madam Clerk, call for the vote.

Real quickly.

Yes.

Ms. Kerrig has supported this. Yes, she has. Yes. I should have brought that up. Yeah, you're right. She has supported it.

Yes. We didn't get a motion yet, Mr. Chair. I move to approve Ordinance 2601, Zoning Map Amendment M2601. We have a motion by Mr. Bishop. Second.

Second by Mr. Cullum. Madam Clerk, call for the vote.

Councilman Cullum? Yes. Councilman Conwell?

Yes.

Councilman Fisher?

Yes.

Councilman Brigham?

Yes.

Councilman Bishop?

Yes.

Vice Chair Cockrell?

Yes.

Chairman Hudson? Yes.

Yes. Second, the approval of Ordinance 26-06, an ordinance to amend Section 2-292 and 2-295 of the Lexington County Museum Board to allow any residents of Lexington County to be appointed to the museum. This is our second reading.

Move to approve Ordinance 2606. A motion by Mr. Bishop.

Second. Second by Mr. Fisher. Any questions?

Let me amend that because I think I should have said that. Move to approve Ordinance 2606, which amends Sections 2-292 and 2-295. We have a amended motion by Mr. Bishop.

And a second by Mr. Fisher. Any questions? With that said, Madam Clerk, call for the vote.

Councilman Cullum? Yes. Councilman Conwell?

Yes.

Councilman Fisher?

Yes.

Councilman Brigham?

Yes.

Councilman Bishop?

Yes.

Vice Chair Cockrell?

Yes.

Chairman Hudson?

Yes. VA? Yes, sir. Real quickly before we move on. Would that Ordinance 2606 require public hearing? You know, I don't know. No. No? No, it does not. Okay, so it's just internal.

You know, the board was, they were finding it so hard to find people in there.

I get all that. I was just wondering because we'd had second reading and I didn't remember us having the public hearing.

Excellent point. And the answer from our legal team is no. So thank you, sir. Good question. BAR, your budget amendment resolutions are below if you would like to.

Right here. We got these two. We have two tonight. The first one is an additional fiscal year funding increase of $23,169. The Sheriff's Department received an insurance claim reimbursement for a total vehicle. This is to record the revenue and to appropriate the funds. The second one is an additional fiscal year funding increase of $500. The fire service received a donation of $500 from a private citizen, and this is to book those funds. And that's it, Mr. Chairman.

I would like to be reviewing the bids and purchases as this comes down today. Any questions on bids and purchases? I am seeking a motion.

Chairman, I would make a motion that we approve... Contract extension 2023 IFB 11 on the catch basin supplies. Contract extension of 2024 RFP Q01 on-call road repairs and the also approval to award 2026 RFP 13 inmate health care.

Second. Second. Thank you. Mr. Cullum made the motion, excuse me, for the contract extension of the catch basin supplies extension on the on-call road repairs and the award to approve on inmate health care, and that is his motion. The second was by Mr. Bishop. Any questions? If not, Madam Clerk, call for the vote.

Councilman Cullum?

Yes.

Councilman Conwell?

Yes.

Councilman Fisher?

Yes.

Councilman Brigham?

Yes.

Councilman Bishop?

Yes.

Vice Chair Cockrell?

Yes.

Chairman Hudson?

Yes. It's a very short county council meeting. We will recess. I know what you're going to say.

No, I was answering Todd.

I just forgot the microphone was listening. Who sneezed? Me. Do you have a towel with you? He had a film butter. We're going to recess until 5.30. Thank you. ONE MINUTE LATE, BUT THAT'S OKAY. WE CONVENE THE COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING, AND WE WILL NOW GO INTO THE PUBLIC HEARING. TONIGHT'S PUBLIC HEARING IS ABOUT THE BUDGET. And the whole series will be Mr. Sturkey will handle. We have any comments from anybody? Yes, sir. No comments? We have no yays or nays? Nothing to discuss there? I see somebody. Welcome, Randy. So with no yays or nays, then we're going to discuss the budget. Mr. Sturkey, the floor is yours. Thank you, sir, Mr. Chairman.

Council's got multiple dockets in front of them, and we will also put these up on the screen for everyone to see. You know, I came to you with a recommended budget. We went through the process with outside staff and internals for stuff that was removed from the budget for your consideration. We've added some stuff back in at council's direction. There's been some changes based off council direction as well, and I'm going to summarize that for the public just to make sure that we're doing as we're supposed to do to meet our obligations for presenting the budget. You'll see in front of you the revised fiscal year 26-27 revised recommended summary recap of appropriations. The second column is the revised amount for the general fund. The total amount that we were revised to is $222,737,994. For the non-general fund, the revised amount is $115,509,341. For a total revised recommended for fiscal year 26-27 budget for the County of Lexington, the total appropriations is $338,247,335. With that, the changes from the revised, from the recommended budget to the revised budget. WE HAVE A SPREADSHEET THAT IS DISPLAYED UP ON THE SCREEN. IT ALSO SHOWS THE CHANGES THAT WE HAD. I WANT TO GO THROUGH THIS AND READ THEM IN FOR THE RECORD AS WHAT WE'VE DONE TO ADD FOR THE ITEMS. FOR WITHIN THE COUNTY ORDINARY FOR THE GENERAL FUND, We have added to central stores an inventory clerk of $55,918. For the auditor, a property coordinator, totaling $58,028. For animal services, we added three shelter attendants, totaling $141,344. For public safety, specifically fire service, We added an enforcer engine at $1.25 million, which that would be, as county council members, that would be coming out of fund balance. For the probate court, there was no action taken on the probate judge. We did, however, add an associate probate judge reclassification from a 215 to a 220 and the amount of $40,216.00. And we added the associate probate judge reclassification to associate probate judge 218 of 22,483. So those were the items that were included. That was an additional $317,989 that was reoccurring and $1,250,000 of one-time fund balance money. If you turn the page, go to the special revenue funds for the library. Fund 2300. For Batesburg-Leesville, we added a librarian at the cost of $70,209. For Casey, West Columbia, we added a new position for a librarian assistant three at $57,219. For Chapin, LIBRARY, WE ADDED A NEW POSITION OF A LIBRARY AND ASSISTANT TWO AT $54,014. AND THEN FOR NON-DEPARTMENTAL, WE DID ADD THE PUBLIC SERVICE DESK INNOVATIONS FOR BATESBURGH, GLEESVILLE, GASTON AND GILBERT SUMMIT LIBRARIES WHICH TOTALED $69,000. So a total of $250,442. And all those funds are within the millage agency. FOR SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT, WE ADDED FOR THE COLLECTION STATION A NEW MECHANIC, A MECHANIC 3, TOTALING $273,890, WITH $191,100 OF THAT ONE-TIME CAPITAL EXPENSE. Then we also added for the landfill a maintenance assistant three at $73,584, totaling $347,474. What's important to note about the solid waste? County Council did approve the increase of the C&D by $3, which will bring us up to $38 a ton, and an increase in fees for the transfer station by $2 that will bring us up to $51 a ton. So that are the items that were now included in the revised recommended. It is a balanced budget. Okay, with what we have. And then the last item, or actually there's two more items to cover. County Council, on May 5th, they voted on and approved during the May 5th budget work session, the accommodation tax funding disbursement. COMMUNITY MADE A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNTY COUNCIL. COUNTY COUNCIL, THEY REVIEWED IT AND THEN THERE WERE SOME CHANGES TO IT. FOR THE RECORD, I'M GOING TO READ THOSE OUT SO AS EVERYONE IS AWARE OF WHAT IS COMING. CAPITOL CITY LATE MURRAY COUNTRY WAS IDENTIFIED AS THE 30% FUND. WE WENT THROUGH A PROCESS TO IDENTIFY THAT THIS YEAR. WE ENTERTAINED PRESENTATIONS AND CAPITOL CITY LATE MURRAY COUNTRY WAS SELECTED. For the tourism-related expenses, which is 65% of the accommodations tax, the following is what was voted on and approved for disbursement by county council during our May 5th budget work session. If you'll bear with me, I'm going to read through these line one item at a time just for the public record. The first one is Tartan Day South with the River Alliance. The recommended approved amount from council was $15,000. Columbia Metro Convention slash Visitor Bureau Center, the recommended is zero. West Metro Chamber of Commerce is $15,000. Lexington Chamber of Commerce is $15,000. Batesburg-Leesville Chamber of Commerce is 15,000. The Layston County Recreation Softball Tournament is 23,325. Capital City Lake Murray Country, this is the item that we've, there was a lot of debate and discussion about going to use that fund for the Purple Martin Sanctuary. There was discussion through council and some of the funds that were reallocated to this account. This will be a separate tracking account versus the 30% fund, but it'll have a separate account number. But for Capital City Lake, murray country the amount is seventy three thousand six hundred and eighty dollars for riverbanks zoo is zero the adventure children's museum is five thousand dollars layston county museum is ten thousand dollars chapin chamber of commerce is fifteen thousand dollars the columbia regional sports council is thirty thousand dollars The Irma Chapin Recreation Commission, zero. The Layston County Recreation and Aging for Tennis is 17,894. Greater Irma Chamber of Commerce is 15,000. Harbison Theater at Millens Tech is 12,500. The Greater Columbia Education Advancement Foundation, there was previous year's request, there was not one this year. Chapin Theater Company is $12,500. The Lexington County Blowfish, $15,000. The Run Hard Half Marathon, $4,500. The Town of Lexington Ice House Amphitheater, $30,000. And the Columbia Museum of Art, zero. And the Varna International Music Academy, zero. So that is the... Amounts that was voted on and approved again by council during the May 5th budget work session.

Okay.

And then finally tonight, a recap of the budget. The budget has a salary package for all the employees. When I presented to you the recommended budget, it was presented as a 2% and a 3%. There's 5% funding in this budget for the employees. We want to change that. The funding is still 5%, so the value, the total overall money amount does not change, so it has no impact to the budget. But we want to do a 3% cost of living and a 2% merit because it will help us also with our pay bands. And as we continue to work on our pay bands and growth in that procedure for our employees, that's a big impact to that. So it does give employees one more percent of the cost of living, but we'll be able to use then the 2% as the merit increase. That's it, Mr. Chairman.

OKAY, WITH THAT SAID, I'M GOING TO READ ORDINANCE 2605, ORDINANCE ADOPTING AN ANNUAL BUDGET FINANCIAL YEAR 20-2026 THROUGH 2027, WHEREAS SOUTH COLINDA CODE 4-9-120, 4-9-130, 4-9140 REQUIRE THE COUNTY COUNCIL shall adopt an annual budget, whereas the annual budget shall be based on an estimated revenues and shall provide appropriations for county operations and debt service for our county employees at agencies. Now, therefore, be it ordained and enacted by the Lexington County Council as follows. General. The financial year 2026 through 27 county budget for Lexington County, South Carolina, a copy of which is attached herein to incorporated within by the ways of reference is hereby adopted. Section 2, countywide tax levy. THERE SHALL BE LEVIED FOR THE COUNTY OPERATIONS AND THE COUNTY DESIGNATED MILLAGE AGENCIES ON ALL TAXABLE PROPERTY IN LEXINGTON COUNTY SUFFICIENT TAXES TO FUND THE REFERENCED BUDGET IN THE MANNER OF THE MILLS ALLOWED BY SOUTH CAROLINA SECTION 6-1-320 AND 12-37-251E. COUNTY ORDINARY 23.6. LAW ENFORCEMENT, 32.3. FIRE SERVICE, 21.3. LIBRARY, 5.3. SOLID WASTE, 6.8. ENGINEERED CARE, 0.13. TOTAL OPERATING, MILLAGE, 89.6. MILLING STATEN CORE COLLEGE, 2.5. Text capital 1.1. County auditors hereby authorize and direct to levy the millages for all county and special district debt service funds in amount of sufficient to retire these respective debts. Special purpose district tax levy. There shall be levied for the reason purposes district Lexington County Recreation and Aging Commission, Irmo Chapin Recreation Commission, Irmo Fire District, and Hollow Creek Watershed on all taxable property in their respective districts. Sufficient taxes to fund the respective budgets and the number of mills allowed in South Carolina Code Section 6-1-320. and 12-37-251E. Election Recreation Commission is 10.6. Irmo Chapin Recreation Commission is 11.6. Irmo Fire District is 19.6. Holla Creek Watershed is 1.3. Budgetary estimates. Anticipated revenues are stated as estimates and respective appropriations are maximum and conditional. Should any additional funding sources for any such fund be less than projected, the administrator shall reduce the budget expenditures attributable to said fund. Budgetary controls. Department and or organizational units are bound to appropriate expenditures incorporated herein upon the written request of the department head and the county administrator or the designated representative is hereby authorized to effect transfers between line items. January 26 of 2016, Lexington County Council approved the Lexington County Financial Management Practices as the financial policies. These policies are used as a guide for financial management practices and procedures. Policies will be reviewed on an annual and as needed basis to make sure that they stay current. Line item carryovers. Any line items previously appropriated or properly encumbered as of June 30th, 2026, shall be carried forward as an appropriation of financial year 26 through 27 upon the recommendation of the county administrator and the passage of a budgetary amendment resolution by county council. New grants. grant funds applied for or received after the budget year, therefore shall not state in the budget ordinance shall, by passage of budgetary amendment resolution by county council authorizing the acceptance of the grant and its appropriations, be accounted for and appropriate special revenue funds. The specific grant provisions shall correct the manner of expenditure of these funds. Other miscellaneous receipts. Revenues other than those originally budgeted may be expended as directed by the respective revenue source as they are accepted and appropriated by the County Council by passage of budgetary amendment resolution. Such funds include but are limited to contributions, donations, special events insurance, and similar recoveries. These funds may be appropriated for any cost or overruns in new projects upon approval of county council. Line of credit authorizations. From time to time, it may be necessary for the administration of the county or any other agency for which the county levies taxes to borrow an anticipated of tax revenues to guarantee continuity and regular operations. To provide such contingencies, the administration of the county or the respective agencies is hereby authorized to borrow in anticipation of ad valorem tax collections. Such authorization may only be exercised upon the certification of need by both county treasurer and the chief financial officer or the CEO of the agency. Any amount borrowed must be obtained at the lowest possible interest rate and repaid as quickly as practical. All appropriations except appropriations required by law are subject to availability of funds. Severability. Sound right. For any reason, any provision of this ordinance shall be declared invalid or unconstitutional. Such shall not affect remaining provisions of this ordinance. This ordinance shall become effective July 1st, 2026. Do we need to vote on this, sir?

Not today. Tonight was just a public hearing, and to make sure for all the revisions that they were publicly stated, we'll have second reading at our next county council meeting June 10th. Did I cover everything I needed to cover, sir?

I did. With that said, we will close the public hearing, and I am looking for a vote to recess or to go home.

Motion to adjourn, Mr. Chairman.

I have a motion all the way down to the very end to adjourn by Mr. Cullum.

Second.

Second by three people. All in favor? Let's go to the House.