County Council Committees - Regular Meeting

All right. We're going to call together the Justice Committee. And let me begin by saying I would like to advise the audience about the live video. All Lexington County committees are being broadcast live on the Lexington County Spectrum Channel 1302 and Lexington County's website meeting portal. The committee meetings. Filmed today will be available for viewing anytime on demand at our county website. I want to remind our members to speak loud and clear. And after each motion, please confirm who made the motion and the second and open the floor for discussion. And don't forget to say, I move.

Well, let me ask you a question, Ms. Chairman. If I say I move, do you say he moved or a motion?

He moved. Okay. All right. First up is Johnson. Hey, Chief. You're looking for an approval of municipal judge agreement with the town of Batesburg-Leesville.

Yes, ma'am. It is an update agreement with the town of Batesburg-Leesville. It's like all the other agreements that you have seen to provide assistance with them with their municipal judicial duties.

Judge Morgan will be the lead on that.

I am in this case, actually. I am actually on this one now.

Is this a 12-month agreement or in perpetuity?

It renews every year.

Every year, yeah. Okay. All right. Any comments or questions you all have? All right. I would move that we approve this agreement.

This is where I am throwing a curve. We have a movement by Beth Garrett. That doesn't sound right. No, it doesn't. Sorry, Beth. Ms. Garrick, this is an inside joke. Y'all get it one day. We have a motion, Ms. Garrick.

Y'all got a second?

Is that a second? Who was on this committee? I'll second it. I have a second. Mr. Cullum.

All in favor? Anyone opposed? Motion passes. All right, next up.

Thank you very much. You're welcome. Have a good day, Judge.

Next up, I would seek the approval to accept the Staff School Resource Officer Grant Award for Lexington County School District 1, and I believe Captain Day is here?

Yes, ma'am.

How are you?

Good, thank you.

Good.

Okay, the Sheriff's Department requests Council's approval to accept state funding to continue SR programs at four District 1 schools, which would be in Stocklake Elementary, Red Bank Elementary, Carolina Springs Elementary, and Beechwood Middle School. $438,706 in awarded funds will cover personnel, operating, and capital costs associated with the program. Now, this grant does not require matching funds. However, the Sheriff's Department will need to make a $15,819 operating transfer amount to cover the 25% of the program costs that exceed the grant.

You have those funds though, right? Just to transfer. Okay. Anybody got any questions? Then I would move that we approve to accept the State School Resource Officer Grant Award. Second. All right. I made the motion. Mr. Clifford Fisher made the second. Any comment or question? Are you on it?

Yeah.

Nice chair.

Okay.

Kind of insulting. Okay. All in favor? Anyone opposed? Motion passes. Next up, we would seek the approval to accept the State School Resource Officer Grant Award for Lexington County School District 4. And Captain Day.

Again, the Sheriff's Department requests that council approve to accept the state funding to continue DSR programs at two District 4 schools, being Early Childhood Center and the Swansea High School Freshman Academy. The $218,052 in awarded funds will cover the personnel operating and capital costs associated with the program. Again, this grant does not require matching funds, but the Sheriff's Department will have to make an $8,186 in operating transfer to cover the 25% of the program costs exceeding the grant, and this has been budgeted. Okay.

Anybody have any questions on the transfer? If not, I would move that we accept the State School Resource Officer Grant Award for Lexington County School District 4.

Second.

All right. I made the motion. Councilman Fisher made the second. Any comment or question? All in favor? Anyone opposed? Motion passes. Have a great day.

Thank you.

All right. I think with that, we are adjourned.

The Public Works and Solid Waste Management Committee is now in session. Today we have three items on the agenda. First item is the approval of Thompson Street S-862 Resurfacing Town of Lexington Municipal Request, County Council District 3, Public Works, Stuart Alexander, T-Fund Project Manager.

And so unfortunately Stuart is on the... vacation and unable to be with us today, so you get me and Tim. Yeah, I'm better looking than Stuart. Y'all mark that down. First up, we've got Thompson Street resurfacing. Public Works received a municipal request from the town of Lexington for some full-depth patching and resurfacing of Thompson Street. It's located between West Main Street, which is Highway 1, and Hendricks Street. This is in between the old Lexington Medical Center, across from the old Kmart and Food Lion, and the new Lexington Medical Center facility that they just built. If approved, this work could be added to our existing asphalt maintenance contract and would contribute towards our FY27 C-Fund expenditure requirement on the state highway system. Estimated project cost is $80,000, and staff would recommend the committee's approval to move forward this municipal request. Okay.

I move to re-approve.

Any questions? I'm talking about the heat.

Done? Good with it. All right. I move to approve the S862 for the resurfacing. Second. Got a second by Michael Bishop. Do you have any questions? All in favor? Any opposed? Motion passes. Next, we have the approval of the Town of Lexington Dirt Road Paving Project. Move to approve. I'm just kidding. But serious. Bellinwood, Michael Street, Barrett Drive, and Laurel Drive. Council District 4.

Goal 1, Public Works, Derrick Pratt. Okay. Yes, sir. County Council received a request from the town of Lexington for the paving of Bellwood Drive, Michael Street, Barrett Drive, and Laurel Drive. These are county-maintained unpaved roads located off of Harmon Street with a total project length of 0.8 miles. Town Council previously approved $434,529.40 towards the design and construction of this project. Meaden Hunt is their engineer, and this project is currently in the permitting phase. On completion of the design and receipt of all permits, the town intends to submit the remaining funds to the county for construction solicitation. There would be sufficient C funds, if approved, to proceed with this project. County would manage the construction phase, and it would eliminate four unpaved roads inside the town. The staff's recommendation is committee approval of the requested partnership with the town to complete the paving of these roads.

This has been going on how long, Darren?

This started as an in-house paving project, a couple years for sure.

Five years, I think.

Waiting on me? Yeah, waiting on you, Michael.

Move to approve paving any dirt road in Lexington. All right. Move to approve to the town of Lexington the dirt road paving project for Bellwood Drive, Michael Street, Barrett Drive, and Laurel Drive.

All right. I have a move to approve by Michael Bishop. Do I have a second?

Second.

Second by Clifford Fisher. Do we have any questions?

I just have a couple. Make sure I understand this. So the 430-4529 is turnkey for everything, right?

It's not. It's just design and construction. A long time ago, this started as an in-house paving project, and a cost assessment was put together years ago for in-house construction costs. So a long time ago, it was going to be county survey it, county design it, county construct it. Since then, we don't really have the resources to go and build that one currently with everything else we have going on. The town decided to procure Mead and Hunt and move forward with a design. And since then, now we're approaching the paving of these roads, we decided it would be better to just go ahead, go from their design into construction. So they're sending us the leftover funds that were initially approved by town council, and then their ask is that we facilitate the construction phase. Do we have a cost? Do we have a cost? So Meaden Hunt's cost estimate for construction is right at 1.35 for the paving of all four roads.

So the town would be sending us... All four roads that equate to not even a mile. We got a million three... Plus the 434.5? No.

Yeah, so they're... That's right. Correct. That's the estimated construction cost estimate for me.

Did he say again? I hope this is permeating within the public right now. $1.3 million?

Less than a mile.

And you're not even doing a mile a race?

Piping and stormwater.

Well, the stormwater is all in the design and construction, even so. And all these are all connected, I'm hoping.

Yes. Two and then two. But they're right down the street from each other. Right off of Harmon Street.

Very difficult roads to fix. Steep, some of them.

Obviously, $1.3 million, and you hadn't even got the dollar in.

It hadn't even been bid out yet. That's just an estimate. That's correct. That's the engineer's estimate.

Can we put this project up as the next advertisement for the penny tax?

Yeah, it should be. You're right, Tom. I know your frustration level is that. Mine is there, too. This came up four years ago, how long this has been going on. these guys came aboard long straight as you if y'all what's the cut through there harman harman harman street if you know where it's at todd you know where uh mission lexington's at okay so we're gonna come from lexington toward downtown toward toward walmart whatever okay you pass mission lexington and you go up about 100 yards to your right straight up the hill There's two roads, straight up a hill. And when it rains, of course, it covers the road up. And it's been washing out for years. It's been washing out so far that the mailmen decided they weren't going to deliver mail anymore. And then Joe Wilson's office had to get involved to get them to deliver the mail. But the point with that said, when we started this off, for the public to know, this was about a million-dollar project. About. Total. And now it's 1.3, and we haven't even got estimates of what it really will be.

It's 30% in your about time, Frank. It's already accelerated. So I guess the point, again, as we discuss this publicly, and hopefully we have these discussions in the coming year, this is just unattainable. You're going to use $850,000 of your C fund. Those county-maintained roads, right? Yeah. Okay. So you get zero credit from the state on this expenditure to meet your 33% rule. You got $6 million. You're going to use almost 80%, 85% of the $1 million of that $6 million in an area that's probably not even Main Street, maybe to the creek?

About right. It's about right. The public needs to be aware, and we've talked about it. I just this week.

The people that always listen to everything we talk about here and things that, you know, second-guessing decisions we all have to make and zoning and planning and all that, pay attention to this. $850,000, you ain't even got a mile of road done.

I had a 1,230-foot road quoted to me this week. Got to move some utilities. $750,000. So that already gave you an idea. 1,230 feet. So anyway.

I'm sorry. It's just kind of frustrating when you... All right.

We have motion and second. There you go. All approved. Any against? Motion denies. I mean, motion has passed. No denies. All right. The third is possible reading of vote on Bob Schumpert. Bob. Bob Schumpert. Road right-of-way acquisition. County District 1. Executive session. Contractual negotiations. South Carolina Code Section 30-4-70A2. Public Works. Eric Pratt.

Move to approve.

We go into executive session for contractual negotiations.

I second. And we will go into executive session. About 10 minutes, I think.

We need to vote.

All in favor go into executive session. Any opposed? Motion is passed. All right, we're going to come out of executive session with one vote to be taken. And I move to approve the settlement of the Bub Shumpert right-of-way acquisition. Second. I have a second by Michael Bishop. All in favor? Any opposed? You opposed? Clifford opposes, but still passes.

I got beat. Public Works is now adjourned. We're adjourned. The meeting of whole is now open. And we got Approval of Contract Extension 2024 IFB02 Security Guard Services. Mr. Stack.

Yes, sir. Good afternoon. Procurement and Library Services are requesting an additional one-year extension for the Security Guard Services for West Columbia Library Branch contract with Chief Services and Security Solutions. County Council initially approved this contract on October 10th. 2023 for a period of two years with the option to extend three additional one-year periods. This contract went into effect on October 11, 2023 and currently expires October 10, 2026. We are requesting that the second extension begin October 11, 2026 through October 10, 2027. The estimated annual value of this contract is $52,000 and no issues. Any question, guys?

Move to approve.

I don't know what to say. We have a motion by Ms. Kerrig. Second. To approve the... To approve the security guard services for Casey West Columbia Library Branch. All in favor? All opposed? It is unanimous. Second, approval of contract extension 26RFQ04 on on-call roofing and waterproofing consulting.

Mr. Stack. Yes, sir. Procurement and building services are requesting an additional one-year extension for the on-call roofing and waterproofing consulting contracts, and there's multiple of those. County Council initially approved these contracts on September 9th, 2025 for a period of one year with the option to extend four one-year additional periods. These contracts went into effect on October 1st, 2025 and currently expire September 30th, 2026. We are requesting that the first extension begin October 1st, 2026 through September 30th, 2027. The combined estimated annual value of these contracts is $80,000 and no issues.

I have to approve.

We have a motion by Ms. Kerrig.

I second Ms. Kerrig's motion to approve the contract extension on staff recommendations.

I second. By Mr. Colem, as stated. All in favor? All opposed? Thank you, Mr. Stack. and Mr. Simmons, we a little... We need to do the... I know we've got to do the karate, but I'm just checking around.

Chief Hendricks is going to do it.

Okay, very good. Approval of resolution honoring Nora Hansen, Grand Champion of the Battle of the Atlanta World Karate Tournament. I guess a little explanation would be needed. This is John Hansen's. Do I remember John Hansen's? his daughter, and she has won the world championship. I would not want to get in a fight with this young lady. But we thought we would recognize her, and I'm sure y'all will approve of that, so I'm looking for a motion.

Move to approve.

I'm looking for a movement. I don't know what I'm looking for. I'll second Ms. Kerrig's motion.

I'll second her motion to approve recognizing Nora Hansen, the resolution of her being... Crown Grand Champion of the Battle of Atlanta World Karate Tournament. Yes.

For once in my life, I'm just trying to follow Jeff's directive.

I know you are. I just don't know how to answer the question. Anyway, with that said, at least everybody has some levity today.

All in favor?

All opposed? And it passes. Okay, in place of John Hendricks, no, in place of John Simmons, we've got John Hendricks. And that's not a slight on you, Mr. Hendricks. Approval of the receipt of the distribution of South Carolina Opiate Recovery Funds Emergency Services Fire Service, John Hendricks.

Good afternoon, Council. On April 28th, we brought before you a technical proposal to submit to the state score fund board for funding with our partners opioid remediation efforts here in our community. On June the 10th, they, meaning the state board, reviewed that proposal and approved in full our request. That request, to refresh your memory, was two point $2 million in there. This requires your approval to move forward with receiving the funds and distributing the funds to our partner organizations.

We've already approved this. We have to send it off. They have to sign off. It comes back to us, and we've got to approve it again.

Just as a review, it was for when we brought it to you, a summarization with the Courage Center. for $957,084. Lexington Richland Alcohol and Drug Abuse Council, $532,048. Lexington County Coroner's Office, $170,957. Lexington County Solicitor's Office, $208,140 for the City of Casey. And there was a request by the chairman that we make sure and we document that all these funds are spent within Lexington County. and that we come, I think, biannual, I believe it was, for a review and a status update, which we've shared with Chief. Chief wasn't able to be with us that day. So you guys approved it at that point. We sent it to the scoreboard. They've approved it. Just bringing it to you guys to accept it for distribution and with the subrecipient agreements.

Move to approve. Second. Receipt and distribution of South Carolina opioid... opioid recovery funds in the amount of $2.2 million.

We have a second. We have a first, second. That was quick. We have a motion by Ms. Kerrig. In a second, I believe Mr. Drum, which first was you, Lester Brigham. With all due respect, sir. All in favor? All opposed? Thank you, sir. I did have a question. Did you get that question answered for me? You probably didn't. In that time, the total dollar is where we stand now. Sorry? The total dollar amount where we stand.

I haven't got it yet, but I will. Thank you.

Okay, approval of resolution R-2604, ordering a public hearing to be held for the purpose of determining whether it may be in the interest of the Lexington County Recreation District. for the County Council of Lexington County to authorize the Lexington County Rural Recreation District to issue general obligation bonds in the amount not exceeding $74 million, providing For notice, I'll be public hearing in other matters relating thereto. And Randy Gibson is here to make the presentation. Welcome, Randy. How are you?

I appreciate the opportunity to appear before you all again. First of all, I'd like to say I'm the Executive Director of Lexington County Recreation Aging Commission. I also have with me Kerry Lyons, my athletic director there at the back. Bill Shanahan, the owner of the Blowfish. He's going to be handling the PR part of this project. And then Mr. Phil Carter is back there from the city of Casey. The commission is requesting authorization to issue not to exceed $74 million of general obligation bonds to construct a sports complex that would include 150,000 plus square feet multi-purpose indoor facility that would feature 12 basketball courts, which in essence is 24 volleyball courts. That facility would basically, besides basketball, volleyball would also handle gymnastics, cheer. We're including in the project, excuse me, including in the projects also two four-wheel pods, which is eight, includes eight high school, college regulation pods. synthetic baseball fields to use for tournaments. This complex would be an economic driver for Lexington County and the Midlands through sports tourism. There's not a project, I mean a facility like it in the Midlands. The property is going to be donated. I just got the confirmation about 15 minutes ago. A donation of 300-plus acres. This opportunity doesn't come by often. As far as the location, it's going to have access from three major interstates, 26, 77, and 20. The complex will also serve female sports that facility-wise right now have been underserved in Lexington County and the Midlands. Let's see. This complex is modeled after Lake Point Sports Complex in Cartersville, Georgia, which generates, that facility generates 2.4 million visitors a year. But the complex will serve various sports year-round, including baseball, basketball, volleyball, soccer, lacrosse, gymnastics, and I mentioned earlier, cheer.

May I ask a question, Mr. Chair?

Yes, you can.

Do we have any renderings of it yet? I'm just curious to see what it looks like.

No, ma'am. We are still – we wanted to really – Get the confirmation that the property was going to 100% be donated for sure. We will have it during the public hearing if y'all agree to that. Thank you.

Randy, also, I believe there is a plan for... lodging that is going to be an integral part of the park, which kind of sets it apart from anything that we... That's right. ...have in the southeast.

The individual that's on 12th Street properties that's donating the property... in the agreement has agreed to develop one hotel for sure along with other restaurants, other retail that comes along with a project of this nature. When Lake Point Sports was constructed in Georgia, there was really nothing around it. And since then, they have two, maybe three hotels and a lot of retail.

And one under construction now.

Yeah.

Is there anywhere, like, how far is that from here? I've been to the ones in Texas, so to let you know that I'm very familiar with this product. Is there one close?

Is there one in Charlotte? As a matter of fact, I was at the indoor facility at the city of Rock Hill Sunday. Yeah, there is one. And they were hosting a Nike basketball tournament there. That facility has eight regulation basketball courts and then also a larger court, which is college size, which they consider that their arena. So in essence, they have nine courts. That facility is booked every weekend. So it's a 12-month-a-year deal. Yes, sir. Basketball, you know, even when you're not playing basketball, you have the other sports. And girls volleyball is huge. And as I said, it has been underserved facility-wise in the Midlands.

And I assume that there will be restaurants, not just food vendors, but restaurants and things of that nature that will operate around the 24th.

That's the plan. We're not going to do it. Sure.

But that's part of the plan.

The landowner sees that as the master plan. Yeah. That will be the support, I guess, of the facility.

Well, and I was also thinking, even if there isn't a tournament, if there are restaurants and other activities going on, there'll be restaurants, everything.

The bond issue that we're asking for approval just includes the sports complex, the indoor facility. Sorry. The indoor facility and... Don't say that. Randy didn't pass out. Don't say that. Don't say that.

It goes back to multiple landowners. It dates back to around 2017, 2018 when it started.

The chance for this doesn't come around often to be able to have the donated property and the location. So the commission is asking for council support. And it's a 3.72 mil is projected now increase, which is $14.88 taxes on $100,000 residents a year. Now, over the life of the bond, the amount of millage will decrease because the assessed value increases. The moneymaker. And we're projecting based on the facilities that we're going to build compared to Lake Point's facilities that we should generate probably a little over a million visitors a year.

And just one point, I guess, that we would make, too, that we'd like to see member governments all cooperate at each different level.

That's what I was going to ask.

Let me say this. The state put $3 million up to seed money to locate a site and be able to do some initial evaluations of the site. Senator Sessler was willing to do that, been an integral part of putting this project together. Obviously, the county, as such, hopefully approving the bond issue, rec commission of who will own and operate it. The city of Casey is also, I think, looking forward to contribute to, as the property is within the city limits. So... really is one of those rare moments. And that's just not a cliche, Randy. You've got state government, local county government, and municipal government, and your rec commission all joining and binding together to get this thing up and going off the ground. And I would anticipate, I would hope, that if we can get it out of the ground, that the state will see the value of it and maybe continue to contribute through some sort of grants too. Would think they would. It's really, truly, I mean, everybody's got their pitch, right? But there would be nothing like it in the state of South Carolina. if we can go forward with it with just the size and scope of what it is and have the ability that you can associate it with a current recreation facility that has already been recognized nationally, 2013, 2014.

You're talking about the tennis? Yes. Casey Tennis and Fitness Center is right there.

It's been – we host – Tell us the college tournaments that happen there now.

We – We've hosted the Big South, but we've hosted the Big East, their collegiate tennis tournament for probably about, this will probably be the seventh year.

That's men and women.

Men and women. And then we've got a lot of USTA tournaments.

and um uh and some national uh national tournament that for youth that we host it really could shape up as a sports village as such between the tennis it's there also very close by is the interpretive center for the timberman trail and for part of the Greenway, which has been approved for construction. So it just seems that this may kind of just fit in the right piece of the puzzle to, again, to develop this area again. I would see it as a sports village district.

And even though there's Rock Hill, Myrtle Beach has the indoor facility, There's not a location that basically has an indoor facility and the baseball aspect of it, which we're going to configure the outfield. of the regulation baseball fields where they can actually, you can play regulation, a soccer field on each outfield. So when baseball is not in season, we could host soccer tournaments or lacrosse tournaments with eight synthetic fields.

And not dimensional.

One dimensional.

You got a major... airport hub there, Columbia Metro, within five miles. To go to Rock Hill, obviously Charlotte's, but you're dealing with Charlotte. I said South Charlotte. It's just, it's a rare opportunity, and we're really... And it's going to benefit. The landowner actually has agreed to donate the property.

And it'll benefit Columbia Metropolitan Airport. It's going to benefit the Riverbank Zoo when that many people come in for a long weekend.

There's a lot of downtime.

So I don't think.

It works for a while.

Yeah, it has been.

17, 18. Yep. Remember when Joe talked to us about it?

I am. We're going to go on. I move to approve Resolution R26-04, ordering a public hearing to be held for the purpose of determining whether it may be in the interest of the Lexington County Recreational District. Second.

I have a motion by Mr. Bishop, a second by Mr. Cockrell. Any other questions? I have a question, if you don't mind, Mr. Chairman.

To Randy, this, I think you said $14.88 tax cost for a special purpose district. Is that just for the Casey area? That's for our service district, which encompasses Lexington School Districts 1 through 4, minus Horses Neck.

Any other questions? Thank you, sir. Thank you. All in favor? All opposed? Thank you, sir.

Very, very much. Thank you very much.

One more motion. Yeah, we're going to do one more. I don't know what we're going to do in that case, but approval of ordinance 2611.

Authorizing Lexington County Rural Recreation and Aging Commission on behalf of the Lexington County Rural Recreation District to issue general obligation bonds in the principal amount of not exceeding $74 million and other matters relating thereto. First reading by title only. I am seeking a movement.

Chairman. Go right ahead. Approved. That's a good one, Mr. Conwell. Motion to approve Ordinance 2611.

A motion by Mr. Conwell and a second will be by Mr. Cullum. All in favor? I'll oppose. It is unanimous. Thank you. I'm seeking a motion to go into executive session.

Move to go into executive session for an update on litigation on matters protected by the attorney crime privilege. Thank you, Mr. Bishop.

Do we have a second?

Second.

Second by Ms. Carrier. Go in favor. All opposed.

I sit in favor of that.

Turkey.

Thank you. We're coming out of executive session with no votes to be taken. We'll see you at 4.30 at the county council meeting. We are adjourned.