Council to take up more appointments Monday
By JIM FAILE
DARLINGTON - Darlington County Council will continue the process of making appointments to various county boards and commissions when it meets Monday at 6 p.m.
Council carried over a number of appointments from its June 7 meeting.
The appointments are being made under a new ordinance adopted last February that sets the size of most county boards and commissions at eight members, with one member representing each of the eight council districts.
Most of the boards and commissions affected by the change currently range in size from five to seven members. The new ordinance expands them to eight members.
In a number of cases, multiple members of a commission or board serve from the same council district. In those cases, council has to replace some sitting board members – including some whose terms have another year or two on them – to appoint one member from each council district.
The change grew out of an effort by Lamar Councilwoman Anne Warr last August to expand the Darlington County Planning Commission from five to eight members with one member appointed by each council member representing his or her council district.
But as council discussed and debated the idea, it grew to encompass more boards and commissions.
Council’s first effort to fill the newly created seats became confusing, and some council members were unprepared to appoint anyone to fill some seats.
In other matters, council will consider acceptance of a $53,013 Local Emergency Management Performance Grant along with an $8,000 Local Emergency Management Performance Grant Supplemental Funds Award.
Other agenda items include:
• A designated facilities agreement with the S.C. Department of Corrections to house state inmates at the Darlington County Prison Farm.
• A bid report on construction of a new library in Society Hill and certification of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds to help pay for some of the construction.
• A request by the Darlington County Fire District to purchase a 1993 Chevrolet 1500 truck with a service/rescue body for $5,000 and a budget transfer request to pay for it.
• Consideration of a contract between Darlington County and Progress Energy Carolinas for Progress Energy to provide funds through the state’s License Fee Credit Program for the addition of a rail spur for an industrial expansion project at PolyQuest in Darlington.
• A request from the Darlington County Planning Commission and Planning Department to accept Pee Dee Regional Council of Government’s proposal to draw up a draft zoning ordinance for the I-20/S.C. Highway 340 Industrial Park for $3,000.
• An update from Darlington County Sheriff Wayne Byrd.
Monday’s meeting will be held at the Darlington County Courthouse Annex/EMS Building at 1625 Harry Byrd Highway, Darlington.