WHEREAS, Section 4-5-120 of the South Carolina Code of Laws sets forth a procedure for annexing part of a county in which 10 percent of the registered voters in an area of one county may petition in writing that such area be transferred to another county; and

WHEREAS, Section 4-5-130 through Section 4-5-160 of the South Carolina Code of Laws provides that when a petition as prescribed by Section 4-5-120 has been presented to the Governor, the Governor shall within 30 days appoint a commission of four persons, which shall, among other things, carefully investigate the facts relating to the area and report in writing to the Governor as the Governor may direct for his information; and

WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 4-5-120 of the South Carolina Code of Laws, the Greenwood Development Corporation has deposited $2,500 and has filed an annexation petition with the Charleston County Clerk of Court; and

WHEREAS, the Greenwood Development Corporation has transmitted a petition to the Governor’s Office requesting to annex 18 acres of land in Charleston County with 600 acres of land in Dorchester County; and

WHEREAS, Ral Z. Smith and John H. Brown of Mt. Pleasant; John Morgan of North Charleston; and Cathy Anthony of Goose Creek are fit and proper persons to serve on the commission.

NOW, THEREFORE, pursuant to the authority vested in the undersigned by the Constitution and Statutes of this State, I hereby appoint Ral Z. Smith of Mt. Pleasant; John H. Brown of Mt. Pleasant; John Morgan of North Charleston; and Cathy Anthony of Goose Creek to examine the requested annexation in Charleston and Dorchester Counties.

The Commission shall:

• Contract for the survey and location of the proposed change of line, and for such purpose employ three competent disinterested surveyors, who are nonresidents of the counties affected, two to be selected by the commission and the third by the two selected by the commission; and
• File certified plats of the line with the Secretary of State and with the respective clerks of court of each county affected thereby, and deposit an amount of money sufficient to cover expenses of survey and plats and other necessary expenses including advertising with the treasurer of the county whose territory is proposed to be reduced; and
• Carefully investigate all facts relating to the area, population and assessed property values of the territory proposed to be severed and that remaining, the proximity of the line to any courthouse and the proper amount of indebtedness of the county losing area to be assessed to the county gaining such area; and
• Report in writing to the Governor upon all such relevant matters stated herein and otherwise required by law; and
• Report to the Governor an itemized statement of the expense of the survey and plats; and
• Shall submit its final report to the Governor no later than October 1, 2001.

This Order shall take effect immediately.