Orangeburg County Council redrawing district lines; Aiken Electric broadband project to receive incentive

Council gave first reading by title only to a redistricting plan last week.

The 2020 U.S. Census did not find drastic changes in the population of council’s districts.

Even so, council is looking at changing district lines that deviate from the norm. For instance, Sprinkle Avenue currently has three council districts representing the one street: Council districts 2, 3 and 7.

The 2020 census revealed Orangeburg County’s population is 84,223, down from 92,501 in the 2010 census.

The new census numbers mean each of the county’s seven council districts ideally should have an equal population of 12,032. Each council district lost population over the past ten years.

Council District 3 saw the largest loss in population at about 1,466 people, or an 11% decrease. District 2 lost about 10% and District 4 saw about a 9.3% decrease, according to Orangeburg County GIS figures.

Despite the declines in population, all seven of the council districts are currently within the federal standard of being less than 10% from the ideal of 12,032.

Council District 3 is at a 3.3% variance from the 12,032 ideal. District 6 is at a 2.6% variance and District 5 is at a 1.6% variance, with the other districts all being under 1% variance.

In addition to equalizing population, redistricting has to ensure that minority voting rights are not diluted or diminished by changing the map.

Redistricting has to be cleared through the U.S. Department of Justice. The redistricting process should be complete by the time election filing begins for council seats.

Council Districts 1, 6 and 7 are up for election in 2022.

Council members agreed to meet individually or in pairs with county mapping officials to review the maps before coming together as an entire council for a workshop on the redistricting process.

The county redistricting process will require three public readings and a public hearing before final approval. The public will be able to view the maps before final approval.

In other matter:

• Council gave unanimous second reading to an ordinance providing the fee-in-lieu-of-taxes incentive to Aiken Electric Cooperative and its subsidiary AECONNECT Inc. to invest $19 million in the placement of fiber technology and broadband into currently unserved, rural areas in the western part of the county.

The agreement is set for 30 years at a 6% assessment ratio.

The project will provide broadband services to areas such as Springfield, North, Wolfton and Woodford.

Work will begin on areas around Springfield early next year and then around North during the middle to late part of the year.

No new jobs are expected as a result of the project.

• Council gave unanimous third and final reading to an ordinance providing businesses with an additional month to pay their business license taxes without any late penalties.

The change brings the county into compliance with a new state law.

The law will make April 30 the due date for business licenses throughout the state. The penalty for not paying the license tax will begin in May.

• Charleston-based GFI Partners is planning to spend $750,000 to renovate the former Ambler Industries and ACO Distribution & Warehousing Inc. building on Woodbine Road.

The 230,000-square-foot building will be marketed for a manufacturing or distribution company.

Council gave unanimous third and final reading to an ordinance placing the speculative building into a multi-county industrial park. The joint county industrial park is not a physical park but an incentive mechanism used to attract economic development.

• Council unanimously approved a lease-purchase agreement allowing the Orangeburg County Fire District to buy four trucks.

“This is something that will benefit them because they will be able to replace the trucks they would not be able to replace without doing the lease program,” County Administrator Harold Young said.

• Council unanimously voted to discontinue public maintenance on portions of Junction Road near Norway and Forestry Road near Eutawville.

Maintenance has been discontinued on both roads, but the roads will remain open until property owners request the road closures through a court-ordered process.

Property owners on Junction Road said the road has become a haven for four-wheelers and a cut-through for traffic.

Forestry Road has been used as a place for illegal dumping and other activities, Council Chair Johnnie Wright said. The road is in Wright’s district.

Carolina Pole Inc. has plant on the road and has plans to improve its entrance by moving it away from the existing CSX rail tracks in an effort to improve vehicle safety.

• Council passed an emergency ordinance allowing the continuation of electronic meetings of council due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The continuation is based on lower-than-desired vaccination rates in the county as well as a moderate COVID incidence rate.

• Councilwoman Deloris Frazier praised and gave thanks to all the volunteers who helped coordinate the festivities for South Carolina State University’s last home game and band weekend. A number of bands came to the university from across the state.

• Frazier also pointed out a recent national television appearance by U.S. Naval Academy Brigade Commander Jackie Booker, an Orangeburg native, commemorating Veterans Day. Booker appeared on the television before a National Football League game on FOX television.

• It was mentioned that the S.C. Economic Development Association and the S.C. Association for Hazard Mitigation used the county’s new library and conference center for a statewide conference.