County Council - Regular Meeting

THANK YOU, DONALD. NEXT, WE HAVE THE COUNCIL'S REPORT, AND I, FOR ME, I'VE BEEN REALLY BUSY. I HAVE NO SENSE IN GOING TO EVERYTHING I'VE BEEN DOING, BECAUSE, BOY, YOU'RE TO DEATH. ANYBODY HAVE THINGS SPECIAL THEY WANT TO DISCUSS? POUNDS, THAT MEANS PROBABLY NOT. Next is a very special moment. Presentation for someone we all know. Resolution honoring Tim James. Tim, come on down. Stand beside Mr. Cockrell. Excuse me. Both. Come down.

THANK YOU, TIM. I HOPE SOME OF IT RUBS UP ON ME, BECAUSE MY WIFE'S NAME GAY, TOO. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, TIM. CONGRATULATIONS. OKAY. LEXING COUNTY ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAM, RECOGNITION OF GREEN STEPS EDUCATORS. CASSIDY ROOF, DISTRICT MANAGER OF THE LEXING SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT, WELCOME.

Are you done? Well, let's do this one more big round of applause for the Lexington County Environmental. Say it again. Do you have a little bit?

And just so you know, Councilman Bishop is at the state fair right now as an agricultural judge.

Thank all of you for what you do. Thank you all, each individually. Give it a second for them to

All right. Next, we have the administrator's report.

Yep. ALL RIGHTY. BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, DO WE HAVE ANY NOMINATIONS?

I HAVE ONE, MR. CHAIR. FOR THE ASSESSMENT APPEALS BOARD, I WOULD MOVE TO NOMINATE MATTHEW A. SMITH.

I HAVE A MOTION BY MS. KERRIDGE FOR MATTHEW SMITH AND A SECOND BY MS. WESSINGER.

Chairman, I'd like to reappoint Danny Kuhn to the Museum Commission.

Ms. Wessinger made a motion to reappoint Mr. Coon. Do we have a second? Second. We have a second by, who was that down there? Mr. Conwell. Mr. Conwell. Madam Clerk.

Here, I do. I have one. I'd like to appoint Christopher Varney to the CPST, Capital Project Sales Tax Commission. That's my motion.

I have a motion by Larry Brigham for Mr. Barely. Second. Second by Mr. Cockrell. Madam Clerk.

We have a nomination for the Museum Commission, Ms. Loging, to reappoint. Second. I have a second. Mr. Cullum? Madam Court?

Good. I have not. I don't. That's why I haven't. There's two others. There's two others, Charlie.

There's two others, but it's only one position. And I was just asking if anyone knew any of them.

I DO NOT KNOW EITHER ONE OF THEM, BUT WHAT I'D LIKE TO FIND OUT, IF I COULD, FROM THE COURT THIS WEEK, IS WHAT DISTRICT THEY LIVE IN. WELL, WHY DON'T YOU, IF THEY LIVE IN YOURS, THEN WHY DON'T YOU CALL THEM, REACH OUT, OKAY? DO YOU MIND? I DON'T MIND. VERY GOOD. OKAY. LOOKING FOR APPROVAL OF MINUTES FOR SEPTEMBER 8, 2026.

I have a motion by Ms. Kerrig. Second. Second by Mr. Cullum. Madam Clerk.

Yes. I'LL MOVE INTO ORDINANCES. WE HAVE THE APPROVAL OF ORDINANCE 2613, ORDINANCE AWARDING FRANCHISE CONTRACT FOR RESIDENTIAL CURB SIDE SERVICE TO CAPITAL WASTE SERVICES FRANCHISE AREA. THIS IS THIRD AND FINAL READING. MOVE TO APPROVE. I HAVE A MOTION BY MS. CARRIG. SECOND. SECOND BY MR. COCKROLL. MADAM CLARK.

Yes. Now we're going to move into committees.

Mr. Brigham. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Health and Human Services convened today to hear a request for approval to accept the 2026 Local Emergency Management Performance Grant. award in the amount of $81,484 to fund updated radiological equipment training and improving the gym shelter building. Committee approved that earlier, and that's my motion.

Second. I have a motion by, I've gone blank, Larry Brigham, and a second by Ms. Westsinger. Madam Court.

Yes. We're now going to move into justice. I believe that's Ms. Kerrig.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. First, I would seek the approval for the support of the Municipal Judge Agreement for the bond and other judicial duties with the City of Columbia. The Justice Committee convened earlier today to hear a request for approval of Municipal Judge Agreement for the City of Columbia. The agreement will allow the Magistrates for Lexington County to conduct bond proceedings and handle other judicial duties appropriate for the City of Columbia. After a brief discussion, the committee moved to recommend a full council approval of the municipal judge agreement for the City of Columb

Second. The motion by Ms. Kerrigan is seconded by Mr. Cockrell for the approval of support of municipal judge agreement for bond and other judicial duties. Madam Clerk.

Next, the Justice Committee convened earlier today to hear a request for the approval to accept the in-car video camera grant. The State of South Carolina Department of Public Safety, Office of the Highway Safety and Justice Programs have granted funds in the amount of $12,353.67 to the County of Lexington. The committee moved to recommend a full council approval to accept the in-car video camera grant, and I put that in a motion.

Second. I have a motion by Ms. Kerrig on the In-car video camera grant and a second by Mr. Cullum. Madam Clark.

Yes. Thank you, Ms. Carrick. Committee of the Whole is me. First is the approval of local workforce development areas... Subsequent designation petition and on October 13th, 2026, the Committee of the Whole convened earlier today to hear the request for the approval of local workforce development area designation petition. Ms. Tammy Began of Midland's Workforce Development Board presented the petition for the area designation petition. ...elections in Richland and Fairfield counties. After a brief discussion, the committee moved to recommend to full council approval of local workforce developm

Yes. Second was the approval of submit the South Carolina Opioid Recovery Score Funds. This is the opiate money we received from the lawsuit carried out throughout the country. I don't think I have to explain what that is, but anyway, it's called Score Funds. October 13, 2026, the Committee of the Whole convened earlier today to hear requests from Mr. Roger Owens, Deputy County Administrator of Emergency Services, for approval to submit South Carolina Opioid Recovery Fund SCORF application. All funds in South Carolina Opioid Recovery Funds must be used for one or more of the opiate-approved re

Remediation uses. Thank you. It won't be the first time. It won't be the last. Which are categorized to core abatement strategies and approval uses. Current Lexington County has a total of $4,400,800. At this point, we continue to get money in the SCORE fund available for use. Funds will continue to be distributed by the state of the fund on an annual basis. Staff was notified by SCORE program representative news that there is $394,412.32 that must be fully expended by December 2026 or the funds will return to the state. These funds were allocated in 2023 and are required to be expended within

Yes. Next is budget amendment resolutions.

Mr. Anderson, how many days do you have left? Less than nine. Less than nine. He's going to probably move to Clemson. All right, guys, would you look over bids, purchases, and RFPs, and make sure you sign all five BARs as they come down?

Mr. Chair, I would move that we approve the RFPs Y, Z, and number one.

We have a motion by Ms. Kerrig. Second. There you go, somebody. Second by Mr. Cole. Madam Court.

Yes. And with that said, the County Council meeting is adjourned. I guess we need to vote on it. We're going to be here. Do I have a motion by Ms. Kerrig? Second. Second by Mr. Cullum. Madam Clerk.

Yes. We are adjourned. We are now opening four public hearings, and I will close them individually once we go through each one. I've got to read you a little something here. The purpose of a public hearing is to obtain comments from proponents and opponents regarding specific subject matter. Y'all remember that specific subject matter. All citizens who wish to be on the record for attending must sign in. The floor will be opened by the chairman who will call the names of those who have checked the box, yes, would like to speak. Then he will be asked to come to the podium, provide their name, m

Thank you. Thank you, Ms. Walton McPherson. Guys, we had the sign-up sheet in opposition. We had zero in favor. We had zero online. We had one yes and one no. else out here before we close this hearing would like to make a comment. Yes, ma'am. Yes, ma'am. Come right down here. State your name, address.

I hate to tell you, this is not a question and answer. This is a public hearing. We're here to say here your opinion.

Thank you. Hey, with that said, public hearing is closed. Second one is 2614. Ordinance 2614 is an ordinance amending the Lexington County Zoning Ordinance to amend Article 14, 15, 16, and otherwise identify further means to address residential growth within the unincorporated areas of Lexington County. Mr. Derrick is going to explain it to us.

Thank you. Okay, we had on line 21, 9 in favor and 1 in favor. I recognize most of all these names.

Daryl, I'm sorry. Mr. Chairman, can you say that again?

Count 9, 21, and 1. 9 in favor. I have read every single one of them. Anyway, we'll start with in favor first. I'm ready. Long day. Speaking first. Sam Linus, would you state your name and address, please, sir?

I'm using the answer question. Probably when would that be if we passed... Very good.

Josh Rabin. Josh, are you here? There you are. Hiding around the corner.

I'm going to introduce the next speaker, unless everybody is fine, you're fine. I have got to go to the bathroom, so I'm not being rude. They'll have to pass it on to me, or we can take a recess. Y'all fine? Okay, I'll be back. Our next speaker is Reggie.

Thank you. That's everyone in favor and against. Is there anyone else before I close this hearing? Are you Josh Rabin?

Thank you. Someone was behind the post. I recognize someone.

I THINK WE'RE DONE WITH ORDINANCE. LET ME SAY, THERE WERE SOME EXCELLENT POINTS THERE. Once again, the public hearings are for a purpose. They really are for a purpose. We're here to hear what you say, listen to what you say. There's nothing been passed. We can change all kind of things between now. We have to have a starting point. And we are listening and making notes as you go. With that said, the next ordinance is 2616. Mr. Derrick.

Thank you, Mr. Derrick. To start with, in favor, there's two. First of all, let me say there was five in favor on the line and four in opposition. Ellis Sower, you're up.

Thank you, Mike. Your favor is over. Opposition. Josh. Your favor. Not you, ma'am, the real Josh.

Thank you, Ms. Martin. Big Jason, you're up.

Thank you, Jason. Mr. Staples. Good. I think it's Tenner. Thank you. Ms. Womack. Anybody else? Okay, with that said, 26-16 is closed. We have one more.

Thank you for coming, and we listened to everything you said. We have 20... What is this? This is for Justice.

There are zero in favor, zero in opposition. Go ahead and read what you got there.

Okay. This is approval to apply for the fiscal year 2026 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant. The Justice Committee convened earlier today or earlier in September to request approval to apply for the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant, otherwise known as JAG. The Bureau of Justice Assistance has released the funding allocations for the fiscal year 2026. For the JAG program, the County of Lexington has been allocated $58,727. This grant will be split between Magistrate Court Services, $7,047, and the Sheriff's Department at $45,220, and Sister Care, $6,460. The committee

Your motion. We have a motion. Do we have a second? Second. Second by Mr. Glenn Conwell.

To accept the grant, apply for approval.

This is the public hearing, but according to this, we have to vote to accept.

Vote in the public hearing. Does anybody want to talk about this? Better not raise your hand. We had a motion, and we had a second, and then we had some confusion. Madam Clerk.

Yes. I would look for a motion to adjourn and go to the House. I have a motion by Mr. Cockrell. SECOND BY MS. WESTSINGER. ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. THANK YOU. YOU'LL HAVE A GOOD WEEK.