Bamberg County Council: Industry planning expansion

SouthernCarolina Alliance Development Director John Fleming announced that an existing industry is planning to expand in Bamberg County.

“We are excited to open 2023 with an expansion project in Bamberg County. We are working on another expansion within the county. We have projects that are looking. We actually are showing property this weekend in Bamberg County,” Fleming said during Monday’s Bamberg County Council meeting.

SCA is an economic development group serving Bamberg and six other counties.

The expanding industry is being discussed under the code name Project Homegrown. Fleming said it will bring a $2.8 million capital investment and up to 30 jobs.

County Administrator Joey Preston said, “They’ve already got $3 million invested.”

Fleming said, “So this is a major expansion for them, $2.8 million additional dollars. It is an existing industry ultimately that’ll have about 19 additional jobs to get them up to about 30 jobs and $2.8 million.”

“This was an expansion that could have gone other places. They did look around the state, but ultimately felt like that Bamberg was a place they wanted to stay,” he said.

Council gave first reading approval to an ordinance authorizing an infrastructure credit agreement, including special source revenue credits, between Project Homegrown and the county.

Fleming said the company name will be revealed at final, third reading of the ordinance.

Council also approved a resolution amending the master agreement for the establishment of the Quad-County Industrial Park between Bamberg, Barnwell, Allendale and Hampton counties to include additional property in Bamberg County for the inclusion of Project Homegrown.

Under the revenue-sharing agreement among the counties, the host county for the incoming industry will receive 70 percent of the tax revenues, with the remaining three counties receiving 10 percent.

Fleming said the company has equipment ready to be ordered.

“This does include construction of a new building. … They are already talking with contractors about that,” he said.

Also during his report, he updated council on the county’s Wolfe industrial site.

“We continue to move forward with that with the county’s assistance. (With) part of the grant that we had, we’ve obtained the property. Now we’re starting to look at more infrastructure to the property and finishing the due diligence on that property,” Fleming said.

New chairman

County Probate Judge Donna B. Brown swore in re-elected council members, including District 2 Councilwoman Sharon Hammond and District 6 Councilman Evert Comer Jr. Re-elected District 3 Councilman Larry Haynes, who was absent from the meeting, was sworn in on Jan. 6.

There was also the changing of the gavel from past chairman and District 4 Councilman Spencer Donaldson to District 5 Councilman Dr. Jonathan Goodman II. Comer was selected to serve as vice chairman.

Goodman presented Donaldson with a service award for his work as chairman.

“I want to thank Chairman Donaldson for everything he’s done over the past year,” Goodman said.

Administrator’s report

Preston said the Lower Savannah Council of Governments will be conducting community needs assessment hearings in its service region, including Bamberg County.

A public hearing will be held for citizens to outline the community’s needs at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 24, at the County Council Chambers located at 1234 North St. in Bamberg.

“It’s an opportunity for anyone in the community, anyone in the county to come forward and just talk about what they consider are needs,” he said.

LSCOG Executive Director Dr. William Molnar said the needs assessments are done annually.

“With that information, what we’re able to do is turn around and look for funding and let the federal and the state governments know that when we’re applying for those specific funds, that these are the needs that have been expressed by the communities. It’s a pathway to making sure that you can receive those kinds of funds,” Molnar said.

Preston said, “I’ve gotten a lot of phone calls lately about needing additional broadband. If people can come and talk to that, I think that will help us kind of move forward as we apply for grants in the future.”

The administrator also updated council on the county’s transformation of its defunct hospital into a multi-service complex. He said furniture is scheduled to arrive at the law enforcement center portion of the complex in the second or third week of February.

“Hopefully by then, the exterior renovations are going to be completed enough to where we can schedule an opening for the sheriff sometime at the end of February, first of March. I’m going to keep you posted on that,” the administrator said.

He also reported that the county has several C Fund Committee projects underway, with the largest being the improvement of roads within Denmark Technical College.

“Jan. 26 at 2 p.m. is when the bids will be in for the C-fund paving projects. … They’re working on scheduling a C-Fund Committee meeting. … I’ll keep you posted on that,” he said, noting that he wanted council members to submit road-paving projects to him for the committee’s consideration.

The administrator also reported on the county courthouse renovation project.

“We have completed the removal of all the hazardous materials in the building. The only thing we haven’t completed is the roof. That’ll come when we’ve got to replace the roof,” Preston said.

“Now you’re going to see a lot of activity over there concerning the foundation work on the building. That’ll be the next phase,” he said, noting that the county is receiving bids for the foundation work.

“After the foundation work is done, that’s when you’ll see the bids go out for the rest of the project,” Preston said.

He also reported that the county audit was complete at the earliest time it has ever been.

“That’s because things are in order, and you can audit books when they’re in order. That’s a big deal. So you’ll be seeing a presentation on that,” Preston said.

County Treasurer Alice Johnson gave the November financial report, stating the county had $989,685.41 in income and expenditures of $879,538.41, leaving a positive balance of $110,147.

When the negative bank balance at the end of October ($146,104.90) was added, the county’s regular account stood at a negative $35,957.90.

County Controller Gina Smith said, “We know we’ll see the balance in that account go up as tax revenues continue to come in.”

County Finance Director T.M. Thomas reported the general fund had year-to-date revenues as of the end of November of $2,598,754, with expenses coming in at $3,464,936, for a negative general fund balance of $866,182.

“Tax notices went out and hopefully should drum up revenues in December, as well as January,” Thomas said, noting that county departments continued to operate within their budgets.

Other business

Council appointed Jerry Bell to the LSCOG board and Rena Riddle to the Thoroughbred Country Tourism Advisory Committee.