Print Page

Municipal officials communicate needs, wishes to legislators

Among the municipal officials and state lawmakers meeting Tuesday at the Capitol in Columbia are, from left, Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter, Rep. Harry Ott, Vance Mayor Sylvia Shingler, Santee Town Council member Sheryl Patrick, Santee Mayor Silas Seabrooks, Santee Town Administrator Donnie Hilliard and Sen. Brad Hutto. (Photo by LEE HENDREN/T&D)

COLUMBIA -- Orangeburg city officials are concerned about having to pay a larger portion of their employees' retirement benefits. Officials in St. Matthews and Blackville want money to help revitalize their communities. Santee officials are interested in the prospects of legislation that would allow the Catawba Indian Nation to establish a high-stakes bingo hall just outside town.

They joined other municipal officials from Orangeburg, Bamberg, Calhoun, Barnwell, Lexington and neighboring counties in taking their supplications to the South Carolina General Assembly on Tuesday.

First stop was the office of the Municipal Association of South Carolina, sponsor of the Hometown Connection event.

Hometown Connection events bring municipal officials to Columbia for a briefing on pending legislation of municipal interest.

The officials are then encouraged to visit the nearby Capitol and talk to their legislators about the local impact of legislative actions, attend committee meetings and listen to the floor debates.

Gary Cannon, MASC's director of intergovernmental relations, briefed the municipal officials on key issues facing the Legislature, particularly those that would be discussed that day or later in the week.

MASC's top priority at the moment is to jettison Senate Bill 719, which would relax the requirements for incorporating new municipalities.

MASC's position is that the Legislature does not need to deal with the matter until after the state Supreme Court rules on a pending case involving Charleston and James Island.

Orangeburg City Administrator John Yow said the Legislature should instead make it easier for existing municipalities to annex property.

Another hot issue is whether municipalities that order the removal of billboards should have to reimburse the owners in cash for their losses.

"Those billboards can be picked up and moved to another location" without the owners losing revenues, Cannon said.

In Santee, billboards "clutter up and block the view," Town Administrator Donnie Hilliard said. "We don't want that."

Even worse, the majority of the billboards contain advertisements urging motorists to bypass Santee's businesses and patronize other companies down the road, he added.

"We're saying, 'Hey, give us a break,'" Hilliard said.

Also looking for a break is Jackie Holman, mayor of Blackville. "We need money to help develop our community," he said.

The Barnwell County town already has some draws, such as Miller's Bread Basket restaurant and nearby Healing Springs, and it's on the Heritage Corridor, but the downtown area could use some sprucing up, Holman said.

St. Matthews also needs some beautification and revitalization work, said David Stack, a councilman in the Calhoun County seat. "Economic development, that's the whole purpose," he said.

He said the town wants to obtain a Community Development Block Grant so it can bring in a consultant, but as the grant money dwindles, competition for it gets keener and the local match gets bigger.

Stack said he wanted to talk about the matter with Rep. Harry Ott, whose district includes St. Matthews.

"It's all about communication and working together," Stack said.

North Town Council member Harriett Lane took note of Cannon's explanation of Senate Bill 1075, which would provide income tax credits and property tax credits for redeveloping abandoned textile facilities.

Her thoughts went to the Stone Manufacturing facility that's been closed for a handful of years. "We're interested in getting someone in there, rather than just see it deteriorate," she said.

Lane took office nine months ago, and this was her first time to attend a Hometown Connection event. "This has been a learning experience, an eye-opener," she said.

Vance Mayor Sylvia Shingler said her goal was not so much lobbying on particular issues as to "bring back information to the other" members of town government.

Yow said he attended to learn about issues pending before the Legislature, especially those that are "going to affect our budget," such as the employee retirement issue, and planning and zoning laws, such as where tattoo parlors could be established.

Cannon said the state legislators "have a tendency to listen to you more than to us" because the municipal officials are their constituents, so "reach out and touch those folks."

T&D Staff Writer Lee Hendren can be reached by e-mail at lhendren@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5552.