County Council - Special Meeting

Today, August 25th, 2026, it's 6 p.m. I'd like to call the Richland County Special Call Meeting to order. Madam Clerk, can you take the roll, please?

Brenham?

Here.

Pugh? Here. Little? Here. Livingston? Here. Teresha? Here. Weaver?

Here.

Cooper?

Here.

Aileen? Here. Mackey? Here. English? Present. Newton?

Here.

We have a quorum.

Thank you, I would like the record to reflect that Councilman Newton did contact me in time per our rules to participate in tonight's meeting virtually. Next is invocation. Councilman Teresio, you're recognized.

Thank you. While it is usual for us to bow our heads in reverence in this moment together, and everyone is certainly welcome to do so if they like, but tonight I'd like for us to keep our eyes open, and recognize each other and be present together. Here together, we are present with people who are talented, who are kind and who are impactful in this community. We are present together through some combination of natural ability and hard work, positive influences, education and some luck. Our lives could be drastically different, even if one of those things went just a little bit differently. So to begin, let's take a moment to be grateful for the simple fact that we're here together, that we're fortunate or lucky or special enough to be among people we respect and admire. And let's take a moment this evening to express gratitude for the opportunities we've been given and the mistakes for which we've been forgiven. Let us be grateful, whether for a greater plan or for some random sequence of events that has led us to spend this time together tonight. However you got here, we're all glad that we're here together. We're grateful for each other and the work that we do in this body. Thank you. Would you like to now leave the Pledge of Allegiance? Yes, if you are ready, we'll stand for the pledge.

Next is the approval of minutes. For A, a special call meeting appeal of business license revocation, the jerk hut. For B, special call meeting July 14th, 2026. For C, special call meeting July 21, 2026. And for D, zoning public hearing July 21st, 2026. I'll entertain a motion.

Move to approve items 4A through D. Second.

Motion is second for approval. Any discussion? Madam clerk. Yes.

Yes. Little. Yes. Livingston. Yes. Teresha. Yes. Weaver.

Yes.

Cooper.

Yes.

Aileen. Yes. Mackie. Yes. English. Yes. Newton.

Yes.

Motion approved.

Next is item five, adoption of the agenda. Administrator Brown, do we have any additions or deletions this evening? No.

County administration does not have any requests for changes, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Attorney Bright.

No recommended changes.

Thank you. Motion.

Move to approve the agenda.

Second. Motion and second for approval. Any discussion? Tom Clark?

Branham? Yes. Pugh? Yes. Leto? Yes. Livingston? Yes. Teresha? Yes. Weaver? Yes. Hooper? Yes. Aileen? Yes. Mackey? Yes. Yes. English? Yes. Newton?

Yes.

Motion approved.

All right, we apologize. I'm looking at a different agenda than what's on the screen. So we missed item five, presentation of resolutions. So we have a resolution recognizing August 24th through 28th 8th, 2026, as Be Smart Week. I entertain a motion. So moved. Second. Motion and a second. Madam Clerk?

Brenham? Yes. Pugh? Yes. Leto? Yes. Livingston? Yes. Teresha? Yes. Weaver? Yes. Cooper? Yes. Aileen? Yes. Mackey? Yes. English? Yes. Newton?

Yes.

Motion approved.

Thank you.

Director Henderson, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam Chair. Recognizing August 24th through 28th as Be Smart Week, whereas the Be Smart campaign was created and launched in 2015 by the Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund, with the goal of educating firearm owners about firearm storage and responsible firearm ownership to prevent child gun deaths and injuries. And whereas the acronym SMART outlines five key steps for adults. S for secure all guns in homes and vehicles. M, for model responsible behavior around firearms. A, for ask about the presence of unsecured guns in other homes. R, recognize the role of guns in suicide. And T, tell your peers to be smart. And whereas be smart is a framework that parents, caretakers, and community leaders can follow to help keep their children and communities safe by making sure all guns are stored, unloaded, locked, and separate from ammunition. And whereas guns are the number one killer of children and teens in the United States, and Richland County is committed to creating a safe environment contributing to the security and well-being of our children. And whereas when guns are not properly stored, tragedy can strike. whether it is a child finding a firearm and wounding or killing themselves or someone else, or someone stealing it and using it to commit crimes in our communities. And whereas more than half of gun owners do not lock all their guns securely and an estimated 6.7 million children in the United States live in a home with at least one unlocked and loaded gun. And whereas schools, hospitals, state agencies, and community organizations are committed to their crucial role in reducing injuries and deaths by promoting secure gun storage and safety. And Richland County commends Be Smart and the Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund and all involved in their endeavors to keep communities safe. And now, therefore, be it resolved that Richland County Council Members Jason Branham, Derek Pugh, Tyra Kay Little, Paul Livingston, Allison Terracio, Don Weaver, Gretchen D. Cooper, Tish Dozier-Aleen, Jessica Mackey, Cheryl English, and Shaquise Newton hereby recognize August 24th through 28th, 2026 as Be Smart Week and encourage all firearm owners to become educated about gun safety and to be responsible by practicing the five key steps outlined by the Be Smart Campaign, keeping our children and communities safe from firearm accidents now and into the future. Thank you.

A representative here from Be Smart that would like to say a few words.

Thank you. My name is Angela Vandeley. I am a resident in Richland County and have been volunteering with Be Smart for, I think, eight years, trying to help reduce gun violence in our communities, and I really appreciate what richland county has done and councilwoman little has sponsored this resolution and we just appreciate your support in helping educate the community we're just it's about education and encouraging responsible gun ownership and use of guns so thank you so much thank you

You can stay and if you all want to join us at the seal for a photo to receive your resolution.

Ms. Barron.

Oh, there we go.

I'll wait one second. Oh, wait a minute. This way. Sure. Hello, how are you? Good, glad you could make it. Yes.

All right. Sorry.

Little step forward.

Can everybody see me? Thank you so much.

Yes, ma'am. Madam Chair. It's English. Yes, ma'am. You'll recognize her. I have a moment. One, a personal privilege.

Go right ahead. We're back. Thank you. Yes. I would like everyone here, my mama will turn 80 years old tomorrow. So y'all please say happy birthday, Gloria Adams. Happy birthday. Thank you all.

That was a good one, Ms. English. Thank you.

All right.

So we already took action on the adoption agenda. So now I'm going to move to item seven. Report of Attorney for Executive Session Items. Attorney Wright, you're recognized.

Yes, Madam Chair. We have seven items for Executive Session. A, Legal Update, WLG Development Corp. v. Richland County. B, Legal Update, Legislative Audit Council. C, Legal Advice, Professional Services Agreements. D, Legal Update, Shires v. Scout Motors in Richland County. E, Property Inquiry 236 Bonnock Road. And A through E are pursuant to South Carolina Code 30-4-70 A2. And F, Personnel Matter, Grievance Reviews and Recommendations. And G, Personnel Matter, County Attorney Contract. And F and G are pursuant to South Carolina Code 30-4-70 A1. And we do have outside counsel for 7A.

All right, thank you. You've heard the, I guess, report for executive session items for Attorney Wright. Per county council rules, items that require outside counsel are taken up during our first executive session on the agenda. All other items are taken up during our second executive session on the agenda. So I'll entertain a motion at this time to enter into executive session for item 7A. So moved. Second. Motion and a second. Any discussion? Madam Clerk?

Brenham? Yes. Pugh? Yes. Little? Yes. Livingston? Yes. Teresia? Yes. Weaver? Yes. Cooper? Yes. Aileen? Yes. Mackey? Yes. English? Yes. Newton?

Yes.

Motion approved.

We're now in executive session. I entertain a motion to come out of executive session.

I move to come out of executive session. Second. I heard a motion and a second.

I'm a clerk. Branham.

Yes.

Pugh.

Yes.

Little. Yes. Livingston. Yes. Terracia. Yes. Weaver. Yes. Cooper.

Yes.

Aileen. Yes. Mackey. Yes. English. Yes. Newton.

Yes.

Motion approved.

Thank you. We are now out of executive session and no action was taken. Next is item eight, citizens input for items on the agenda not requiring a public hearing. Vice Chair Pugh, do you have anyone to sign up to speak this evening?

I'm sure no one signed up to speak for that item.

Thank you. Next is item nine, citizens input must pertain to Richland County matters not on the agenda. Items for which a public hearing is required or a public hearing has been scheduled cannot be addressed at this time. Vice Chair, do you have anyone to sign up to speak this evening?

I'm sure no one signed up to speak for that item.

Thank you. Next is the report of the County Administrator. Administrator Brown, you're recognized.

you madam chair members of council uh under my report this evening we're going to be looking uh at 10b where there are some nomination items uh the first item starts on page 31 and staff is requesting council's approval to accept the fiscal year 26 solid waste hurricane helene grant from south carolina department of environmental services which is awarded as a part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency federal grant. You see the number listed there, 05D51825, and it is a subaward in the amount of $250,000. In the additional fiscal and budgetary information listed on page 31, you can see that this is a reimbursement-based award. Eligible expenses will be reimbursed through the Federal and State Grant Fund and Public Works Grant Call Center. The proposed budget includes $185,000 for debris management equipment and $65,000 for surveying and engineering services for emergency management debris. There is no matching fund request, no matching fund requirement associated with this grant award. And so staff is recommending that council approve this acceptance.

For the administrator's recommendation, I'll entertain a motion.

Move to approve the administrator's recommendation. I second.

Motion and a second. Any discussion? You're recognized, Ms. Ratio.

Thank you. Just a question, since this was, you know, Helene was about this time last year, and this is an FY26 grant. Did it just take this long to move from the federal government through a state grant? government to us.

Okay. So we got, as soon as we got this information where we could bring it back to council in our schedule, we brought it forth. But yes, ma'am, when you deal with some of those disasters, the timing that it takes generally some extended period after that. And just kind of later on in the document, the idea behind this is really debris management if you all can recall a lot of times citizens struggle with debris from major disasters and so having sites that are available so that we can deal with debris management really helps the county be in a better position when folks are calling and asking what do i do with debris thank you any additional discussion you recognize

It looks like there's a deadline for requisition, purchase, or procurement by September 30th. Will we be able to meet that deadline?

Yes, ma'am.

Thank you.

Any additional discussion? Hearing none, Madam Clerk.

Yes. Yes. Yes.

Yes. Yes.

Yes.

Aileen? Yes. Mackie? Yes. English? Yes. Newton?

Yes.

Motion approved.

I'm chair. Should this item be reconsidered?

Yes, please.

Okay. Move to reconsider.

Okay. Motion and second for reconsideration. Madam Clerk?

Branham? No. Pugh?

No.

Little? No. Livingston? No. Teresha?

No.

Weaver?

No.

Cooper?

No.

Aileen? No. No. Mackie? No. English? No. Newton?

No.

Motion fails. Fairbrown, you're recognized.

Thank you, Madam Chair, members of council. The next item is 10B2. It is a mitigation bank credit sale request beginning on page 48 of your packet. In this particular item, you see staff is recommending the approval of East Richland County Public Service District's request to purchase 4.8 wetlands credits. These credits for the improvements to the East Richland County Public Service District's easement access road The rate of those credits are $20,000 per credit for a total of $96,000. If you look a little bit further down in the packet, you will see that the breakdown of how that will be meted out. So of the $96,000 for the sales, $90,240 will be returned to the penny program and $5,760 will be paid to e-capital creditors. Eco capital for a management fees related to the credit sales a staff recommendation is for approval of this item And if approved we do ask for reconsideration The administrators recommendation I'll entertain a motion move to approve second motion and a second for session I'm Clark Branham

Yes. Hsu? Yes. Leto? Yes. Livingston? Yes. Horatio? Yes. Weaver? Yes. Cooper? Yes. Aileen? Yes. Mackey? Yes. English? Yes. Newton? Yes. Motion approved.

Yes. Sorry.

Thank you.

You got to say it so she can hear you.

I guess I was saying it the same time that she was saying it. Move for reconsideration.

Second. Motion and second for reconsideration. No. No.

No. No.

The next item, 10B3, again, is a mitigation credit sale request. Staff is recommending approval of W&W Bodybuilders of Columbia Inc.'s request to purchase 3.0652 wetlands credits, which are for improvements to the Harlem Street site. Again, the credit rate amount is $20,000 per credit, bringing in a total of $61,304, of which the breakdown would be $57,625.76, which will return back to the penny program, and $3,678.24 will be paid to EcoCapital for a management fee. So staff's recommendation is for approval, and if approved, staff would recommend reconsideration on this item.

We've heard the administrator's recommendation. I'll entertain a motion. Approve. Second. Motion and second for approval. Any discussion?

Just one quick question. So we're pretty sure that we're not going to need any of these credits for our current penny program improvements or whatever?

These credits, thank you for the question, Mr. Livingston. These credits are the amount that were already set aside for what we're going to call excess. This does not affect the pot of credits that we already had associated with the penny that we have set aside. but we do also foresee in the future a additional phase of a mitigation bank, which technically would not involve the pennies funds, but would allow it to recreate additional credits for the future. So this does not negatively affect our ability to create transportation programs and access wetlands credits for the penny program.

Any additional discussion? Madam Clerk?

Brenham? Yes. Pugh? Yes. Leto? Yes. Livingston? Yes. Horatio? Yes. Weaver?

Yes.

Cooper?

Yes.

Aileen? Yes. Mackey? English? Yes. Newton?

Yes.

Motion approved.

Move to reconsider.

Motion and second for reconsideration. Madam Clerk?

Brenham? No. Pugh?

No.

Leto? No. Livingston? No. Horatio?

No.

Weaver? No. Cooper?

No.

Aileen? No. Mackey? No. English? No. Newton?

No.

Motion fails. Administrator Brown?

The last mitigation bank credit request, again, is from W&W Body Builders of Columbia. It is to purchase 1.7 wetland credits for new impacts for improvements to the Harlem Street site at a rate of $34,000. of which the breakdown is $31,960 to the penny and $2,040 to eco capital for management fees. Again, staff recommendation is for approval of this last request for the mitigation sales on this evening. And if approved, we would also ask for reconsideration.

Move to approve.

Second. We have a motion and a second for approval of the administrator's recommendation. Is there any discussion?

Madam Chair, I just wanted to point out for the management fee, it's a flat 6% for every sale. Is that correct? So that's...

It's a consistent fee for eco-capital. Yes, ma'am.

Thank you. Any additional discussion? Madam Clerk?

Brando? Yes. Pugh? Yes. Leto? Yes. Livingston? Yes. Teresia? Yes. Weaver? Yes. Cooper? Yes. Aileen? Yes. Mackey? Yes. English? Yes. Newton?

Yes.

Motion approved.

Move to reconsider.

Second. Motion and second for reconsideration. Madam Clerk?

Brenham? No. Pugh?

No.

Leto? No. Livingston? No. Teresia?

No.

Weaver? No. Cooper?

No.

Aileen? No. Mackey? No. English? No. Newton?

No.

Motion fails.

The last item for the administration report tonight where I'll be asking for a motion from council is 10b5, the FEMA high hazard potential dams grant. This is an item that has been before the body through the as well as for council. And so we're bringing it back for you for some updates to this item. This takes place in Council Member Cooper's area and deals with the Springwood Lake community. So I would be asking for council to make a motion to approve this. Madam Chair.

Yes, you recognize

If I may, before I make the motion, just to add a little context to Administrator Brown's request for a motion. No.

Pugh? No. Leto? No. Livingston? No. Teresha?

No.

Weaver?

No.

Cooper?

No.

Aileen?

No.

Mackey?

For sidewalk improvements. This public hearing is now open. Vice Chair Peeley, do you have anyone to sign up to speak this evening? Madam Chair, no one signed up to speak for that item. This public hearing is now closed.

And those numbers just continue to rise. And one of the things that we pointed out was that you as a body, me as an administrator, the detention center, we don't get to decide how many people we take in the facility. So the number of beds that have been built that are at the facility is a known quantity. But that doesn't mean that when people are arrested in Richland County that we can say, I'm sorry, we don't have bed space. So we have to take the people that are coming to the jail. The only time we can turn somebody away, if there's a medical condition, when they first come to the jail, where they need to be treated. Otherwise, we have to take who's arrested in Richland County. So we just kind of talked about that from the standpoint of that awareness. So when you hear people talk about overcrowding, that's not a decision that you're making to purposefully overcrowd. It's what you are being charged with doing and you don't have an option and neither does anyone else. in that system. We don't get to make a choice of who stays and who goes. So that pretty much kind of wrapped up what we talked about and kind of what we focused on and everything else was just an update. We'll certainly take any relevant question that I can answer here in the public setting related to the population report or to the infrastructure updates, but that would conclude the report that we provided to the detention ad hoc committee.

Yes, ma'am. Thank you. I know that we have an inmate population that continues to kind of go up year over year. But I think we also need to recognize that the population of Richland County is going up year over year. And so if we're going to be a growing county, unfortunately, that means that percentage-wise, we're probably just going to have more people who find themselves spending the night at jail, hopefully not too long. And so I we'll need to plan for the future of a growing county. And unfortunately that might mean that accommodating more people. So thank you for the update.

Yes, ma'am.

Madam Chair. Yes. And I know we've discussed it before, but We know that we saw a meaningful increase in population following the bond reform at the statehouse level so that detainees or detainees were remaining detained while awaiting disposition of their charges. that may very well have been the right choice to pass that legislation. At the same time, it basically became an unfunded mandate to county government, uh, that we had to, uh, with very little notice, uh, support a significantly increased population at Alvin S. Glenn. And that put, uh, quick additional pressure on county funds taxpayer funds and that's something that the county taxpayers and the county government have had to do and have done and we've seen that very clearly in the activity of the detention center's committee as well as the votes of this council over the last couple of years minimum and the millions and millions of dollars that we have invested and the detention center to make sure that we meet the legal responsibilities of the county government for those detainees. So I also commend the leadership and this council for making that investment in something that a lot of the average population may not pay attention to. Nevertheless, it is important and it is something that has required quick addressing. So thank you.

Councilwoman English. Thank you, Madam Chair. That concludes the report. And again, staff and accountants' diligence in working on this.

Thank you. Next is item 19, other items.

Madam Chair. Yes. Move to approve items A, B, and C. Second.

have a motion and a second for approval of 19A through C. Madam Clerk.

Brenham. Yes. Pugh. Yes. Leto. Yes. Livingston. Yes. Teresha. Yes. Weaver. Yes. Cooper. Yes. Aileen. Yes. Mackey. Yes. English. Yes. Newton.

Yes.

Motion approved.

Entertain a motion.

Move to reconsider.

Second.

Motion and second for reconsideration.

Brenham? No. Pugh?

No.

Leto? No. Livingston? No. Tarascio?

No.

Weaver?

No.

Cooper?

No.

Aileen? No. Mackey? No. English? No. Newton?

No.

Motion fails.

Item 20. Attorney Wright, you're recognized.

Yes, Madam Chair. As previously stated, items B through E are pursuant to South Carolina Code 30-4-70A2, and F and G are pursuant to South Carolina Code 30-4-70A1.

Move to go into executive session.

Move to motion and second to go to executive session. If I would have clarifying of the item. Numbers.

Oh, items. I'm sorry. B through G. B through G. So. Seven. Yes.

Seven B through G. All right. Motion and second. Any discussion? Madam Clerk. Yes.

Yes. Livingston to ratio. Yes. Weaver. Yes. Cooper. Yes. Yes. Mackie. Yes. English. Newton. Motion approved.

Executive session. Thank you. A motion and a second to come out of executive session. Madam Clerk?

Branham? Yes. Pugh? Yes. Little? Yes. Livingston? Yes. Tarascio? Yes. Weaver? Yes. Cooper? Yes. Aileen? Yes. Mackey? Yes. English? Yes. Newton?

Yes.

Motion approved.

Thank you. Out of executive session and no action was taken. We are at item 21 motion period. I did not receive any motions for this council agenda Item to adjourn second motion a second for adjournment Branham, yes