After Barnwell County Council Chairman Harold Buckmon welcomed a larger than usual sized crowd to the September 13 regular meeting, the agenda was amended to allow for a brief executive session.
Council members stepped into the Carolina Room at the SouthernCarolina Alliance (SCA) building for less than five minutes to discuss “personnel matters” before both new and old business was addressed.
This action was a violation of South Carolina Code Section 30-4-70 which finds, “councils must be as specific as possible without compromising the issues. The motion to enter executive session should be specific,” according to the Municipal Association of South Carolina (MASC).
MASC finds specifics include but are not limited to a reasoning such as, “to go into executive session to discuss applications for employment,” within a specific department, or “to discuss negotiation of a contract and receipt of legal advice related,” to a specific project.
The explanation of “personnel matters” is not specific enough for the county council to motion to go into executive session.
Animal Control Ordinance/TNR
“The sheriff’s got more to do than pick up cats,” said Councilman Jerry Creech in response to the discussion around Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR).
TNR is a program aimed at controlling and decreasing cat colonies, and lessening the burden of stray and feral cats on already exhausted animal shelters. Cats are humanely trapped, receive medical attention, vaccinations, and sterilization, and then are returned to where they were found.
The program was first posed to Barnwell County Council over a year ago by the Barnwell County Animal Shelter Foundation, a nonprofit organization that exists outside of the shelter itself.
The goal of the Foundation is to provide support and aid to the shelter, which has historically faced overpopulation of animals.
The Barnwell County Animal Shelter Foundation recently received a $30,000 grant from Best Friends Animal Society to implement TNR in Barnwell County.
Best Friends Animal Society is a nonprofit organization operating the U.S.’s largest sanctuary for homeless stray animals and provides adoption, spay/neuter, and educational services. The organization partners with nearly 4,000 public and private shelters and animal welfare organizations.
TNR is done entirely through the Foundation. There is even a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the county and Foundation members to ensure TNR does not fall on the shoulders of the shelter, the county, or the sheriff, as Councilman Creech incorrectly inferred.
This MOA states TNR is not a responsibility of the county or the shelter, but the Foundation members and volunteers.
“I prepared the MOA to keep the responsibility of the TNR program off the shoulders of the staff at the animal shelter. Due to budget, personnel, and shelter facility challenges, the shelter staff has a hard enough time simply taking care of the day-to-day basics at the shelter,” said Administrator Bennett.
Foundation members are responsible for “all local coordination and implementation of, and accountability for, the TNR program in Barnwell County,” according to the MOA.
However, to allow TNR to be implemented in Barnwell County and community cats not to be considered a nuisance animal, county council members have to approve the current amended Animal Shelter Ordinance #2010-08-262.
TNR is not a county run program and according to the MOA Chairman Buckmon and a Foundation representative signed, it will never be the duty of the shelter staff.
Chairman Buckmon expressed at the meeting that it was an “ill-conceived plan to start with,” and placed blame on the BCAS Board members, even though they have nothing to do with TNR implementation. TNR is again the job of the Foundation.
At the meeting, Chairman Buckmon expressed discontent with the BCAS Board members and the TNR program.
Chairman Buckmon explained he felt the BCAS Board was “accepting no responsibility for anything,” and had no stake in implementing the TNR program, even though the board will have nothing to do with the program per the MOA he signed.
There is a lot of miscommunication between councilmembers and Foundation members. Although TNR puts no responsibility on the county, certain council members are against the program because they believe it places too much responsibility on the county.
Councilman Don Harper is against TNR for two reasons; the increased duties of BCSO when called upon to pick up the traps, and the funding for the program when the grant from Best Friends runs out.
However, TNR is not the duty of the sheriff and Foundation members are currently in the process of searching for grants to supplement this program when the initial grant is used.
This miscommunication is due to the Animal Shelter Proposed Ordinance #2022-01-262.
In August, Animal Shelter Proposed Ordinance #2022-01-262 crossed the desks of the county council. This ordinance provided extensive detail and established further direction around animal regulation that the current ordinance lacked.
However, council members decided at the August meeting instead of adopting a new ordinance entirely to amend the current ordinance, which includes TNR.
During the TNR discussion at the meeting, Barnwell County Attorney Joanie Winters, who was attending virtually, tried to interject to answer a question posed by Councilman Harper before the topic was further discussed.
Winters tried to speak as Chairman Buckmon was speaking to prevent further confusion, and Chairman Buckmon said “stop talking, you work for us.”
He continued to explain, “District Three will not appoint anyone until things get straightened out,” said Chairman Buckmon of the Animal Shelter Board.
Councilman Don Harper has not appointed anyone to the animal shelter board in District Six yet either.
Chairman Buckmon continued to explain that if the BCAS board got their “ducks in a row,” the council would consider moving forward with an appointment for District Three on the BCAS board, which currently sits vacant.
“That’s just me, you can vote anyway you want,” said Chairman Buckmon.
Broadband
$400 million of the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Funding is being allocated to The South Carolina Office of Regulatory Staff (ORS) over the South Carolina Broadband Office to bring broadband infrastructure to unserved areas.
Broadband is essentially high-speed internet access, and is the passageway in which data moves between devices. It is not the same as Wi-Fi, which is a method of accessing broadband services.
Councilman Daniel Alexander and the finance committee have been in discussion with the ORS to find providers who would be willing to tackle bringing broadband to all of the county.
Currently, there are several submissions for Barnwell County by providers. The ORS is currently in the process of reviewing applications.
Although this does not guarantee funding will be allocated to Barnwell County from the ORS, it does mean providers are aware of the lack of broadband access and interested in bridging this gap.
Timbo Williams Honored
On January 25, 2005, Timbo Williams began his service as the Barnwell County Fire Coordinator. On September 14, he retired after eighteen years of service. He was formally recognized by the county at the meeting, and received a Resolution of Appreciation.
Williams was commended for his work in acquiring necessary equipment, grants, and training for the county and rural fire departments, and was described as “the eyes and ears in the field during emergencies” in the resolution.
2022-2023 Millage Rates
On June 27, Barnwell County Council passed an ordinance regarding millage rates for the Fiscal Year 2022-2023 County Budget. At the September meeting, an enabling resolution was approved to apply millage rates for the 2022-2023 fiscal year budget.
A millage rate is the tax set by each taxing jurisdiction such as a county or town. ‘Mills’ are 1/1000th of a currency unit. One mill is equal to $1 in property tax.
The millage rate for Barnwell County Operations is 164.9 mills (153.5 mills for operations and 11.4 mills for debt service), the Career Center is 24 mills for operations and maintenances, and additional millage rates to be applied to unincorporated areas 11 mills in rural fire protection and 4 mills in public safety in rural areas.
Capital Project Sales Tax (CPST)
A resolution was approved to authorize the release of the second round of CPST funds to cities and towns.
In November 2016, a 1% capital projects sales tax (CPST) was implemented in the county from May 1, 2017 to April 30, 2025. The CPST is a 1% tax voted on by taxpayers in Barnwell County to fund projects.
“The economy has done well and has enabled us to redistribute the excess sales tax revenue to the municipalities instead of the county letting the funds sit in an account,” said Administrator Bennett. “By distributing the funds to the municipalities, they have funds to move forward with their projects where funds may have been lacking earlier.”
The funds will be distributed proportionally among Barnwell County (49.7%), City of Barnwell (21%), the Town of Williston (13.88%), the Town of Blackville (10.64%), the Town of Hilda (1.98%), the Town of Snelling (1.21%), the Town of Kline (0.87%), and the Town of Elko (0.85%). These percentages were determined by population.
The total of the CPST fund is $1,545,092 to be allocated to each municipality by the county on a ‘pay-as-you-go’ basis.
“Our ‘pay-go’ distributions have resulted from the county receiving excess sales tax revenue over and above the bond payments (loan) of principal and interest,” said Administrator Bennett.
This is the second time funds were distributed throughout the county since this project began in 2017 to pay for various projects.
Projects were initially approved by the county in the November 2016 referendum, and many have been started or completed.
In the county, projects include renovation of the waste management transfer station, repairing the SCA building, replacing the landfill scale house, courthouse repairs, and water/sewer system improvements.
In the City of Barnwell, projects to be allocated funds to were the splash pad and restrooms at Fuller Park, sewer system improvements, and phase one of the public safety building.
All of these projects were completed through CPST funds, city savings, hospitality funding, and a PARD grant from the SC Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism (SCPRT), according to City Administrator Lynn McEwen.
In Williston, projects include getting a backhoe, upgrading parks, and water and sewer improvements. Blackville also planned to allocate this money to water and sewer improvements, as well as remedying blighted areas and upgraded police equipment.
Hilda planned to repair and renovate the railroad depot and the town hall, Snelling planned to construct a picnic shelter, Kline planned to build or purchase a town hall/community center, and Elko planned to install a fire hydrant, construct a farmer’s market structure, and make improvements to the water system.
