[{"_1":2,"_122":-5,"_123":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86,98,110],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",6313687,"mediaKeyId","2387105-4fe6e4c45aa2dc0479c4c14f56608058","parentId",2387105,"title","Votes at a glance: Fairfield County Council actions on Feb. 24","audioSeconds",159,"startMs",1898000,"endMs",2057000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2387105-4fe6e4c45aa2dc0479c4c14f56608058&start=1898&end=2057","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2387105-4fe6e4c45aa2dc0479c4c14f56608058/thumbnail_1898000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6313687/Fairfield-County/South-Carolina/Votes-at-a-glance-Fairfield-County-Council-actions-on-Feb-24","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6313687-686c808010507a609816eba2308ce55a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771191444&Signature=kyf9sLsTAORUA7AS6t3wZErbmPCIqHf8LrGX6Ablnb~S2zqa~vj0Vu7NCvD6jB6mGlUXgZzIBNYxlmiys-BS9Snii3wSJi3gkqjrnUnqemJuJwzmc8MngiJuFSi8ArdGQqAURT7aDsHyYXrimS3RTM4RdrD7h04H8sd15jaJTyFQHCJe3TXR4oruQNqZjNMuRmzAFRfm-b8WzubxGHbwPmxy~-v0elYg~TUEBA-v5nHSiIsp5TgNhlbb0SFyaD9mx1W5Q4oV~387W3IpZizxTZwzBZI9sBR424kXzCvDfIWxZQr8D4vIFEPsA9CPhwIzk7QNO7iNVHLGRL7SIf4aQA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-02-25T14:10:59Z","article","At its Feb. 24 meeting, the Fairfield County Council recorded the following formal actions (voice or roll-call votes noted in the minutes):

- Approval of agenda as amended: Motion to approve the agenda after removing one administrative report item and the requested change passed 6-0.

- Approval of minutes: The council approved the minutes of the regular meeting (date read as Oct. 20, 20__ in the packet) as amended; vote recorded 6-0.

- Ordinance 841 (rezoning): The council read and approved an ordinance to amend the Fairfield County Land Management Ordinance No. 5-99 and the zoning map, rezoning tax map number 205-4-1-125-0000 (178 Wildwood Road, Great Falls) from RD-1 (Rural Residential District) to B-2 (General Business District). The council noted the Fairfield County Planning Commission recommended approval. Vote: 6-0 (recorded by the chair).

- Appointments: The council confirmed several board appointments. Noted actions include appointment of Gloria Hennessy to the Disability and Special Needs board (District 1) and appointment of Karen Roseberry/Rosemary to the Board of Zoning Appeals; votes recorded as 6-0 for each appointment.

- Executive session: The council voted to enter executive session to discuss Project Red (economic development) pursuant to South Carolina Code Section 30-4-85 and to receive legal advice and discuss negotiations related to county-owned property pursuant to South Carolina Code Section 30-4-78(2). Motion to enter executive session passed 6-0; motion to come out of executive session passed 6-0. No formal action resulting from executive session was announced in open session.

- Adjournment: Motion to adjourn passed 6-0.

Where the transcript did not name a mover or seconder, those fields are recorded as \"not specified\" below. All tallies in the meeting record were 6-0 unless otherwise noted.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Fairfield County Council Meeting 02-24-2025","oneSentenceSummary","The council approved the agenda and minutes, adopted a rezoning ordinance and confirmed several appointments; all recorded votes at the Feb. 24 meeting were unanimous 6-0 unless otherwise noted.","taxTitle","Fairfield County, South Carolina","taxId",3364,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6313692,"Council members dispute committee appointments; motion filed to amend bylaws and add presentation committee to next agenda",564,3172000,3736000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2387105-4fe6e4c45aa2dc0479c4c14f56608058&start=3172&end=3736","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2387105-4fe6e4c45aa2dc0479c4c14f56608058/thumbnail_3172000.jpg","/articles/6313692/Fairfield-County/South-Carolina/Council-members-dispute-committee-appointments-motion-filed-to-amend-bylaws-and-add-presentation-committee-to-next-agenda","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6313692-afe774fb8d536b16490074535ca94f10/orig.mp4?Expires=1771191444&Signature=mHzk0vfueSUXvqaE03F3fORfpxrwJiY~JF7M9VBK-wbkPiwya0teKWtZNWI~v7sI6o~mwMZuMqAax51O8ckKv0BUpg~EkI2Yh7Rp2Ie9ust3h4M6WtKk3zIm5Ljra2zCnicz3X5m-5lC5Qba88kTLuQ~uZpcLaj5Kqde5IrrKf~ZpV1FklhNI~Ec4RvumkMwxB3jmppEji1nwMmaalDOsrE6cF6Q8s360impVMVerpTxBJUzbg9nkYyVx31waSpaSWfpjzuV4YtZR~OXA8VjgOoA6KUA2tKqiunyk8qL2TsBw2IB2Cxa1GmAfP-M3LZbWPM1PuF3TakYZPPlgiI-SQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A dispute over standing-committee appointments dominated council time on Feb. 24 as several members raised concerns about representation, process and transparency.

Councilman Golbach (first name not specified on the record) said many constituents had asked why some council members were not appointed to any standing committee and proposed specific bylaw changes: require that every council member be appointed to two standing committees (to distribute 14 committee seats among seven members), prohibit the council chair and vice chair from serving as standing-committee chairs, and add a \"presentation\" committee to the list of standing committees in the bylaws (Resolution 2024-07, chapter 7.c). He asked that those items be added to the March 10 regular-meeting agenda and requested that any final votes be taken by a show-of-hands.

Legal counsel and other members noted that the current bylaws (Resolution 2024-07) require the chair to appoint standing-committee members and chairs by the first regular meeting in February and that once appointed, members may not be removed by the chair without council approval. Counsel said the bylaws list four standing committees and do not currently list a presentation committee. The chair, Clarence Gilbert, said he had considered appointments and later changed some assignments; he defended his authority and said he made appointments based on his assessment of members' character, background and ability.

Council members debated whether the proposed changes could be made during council time; counsel advised that adding an item that requires a final vote to an agenda outside the normal process may require a supermajority and a finding of emergency. Several members asked the chair to place the proposed bylaw revisions on the March 10 agenda for full council consideration; the chair agreed to discuss adding the item.

No final bylaw changes were approved at the Feb. 24 meeting; members indicated they would continue discussions and work on draft language ahead of the March 10 meeting.","Several council members criticized committee appointment procedures and asked the chair to add proposed bylaw revisions — including a rule that every council member serve on two standing committees and a prohibition against the chair/vice chair serving as committee chairs — to the March 10 agenda for formal consideration.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6313697,"Interim administrator reports expected refunds after IRS appeal work on past filings",304,2295000,2599000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2387105-4fe6e4c45aa2dc0479c4c14f56608058&start=2295&end=2599","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2387105-4fe6e4c45aa2dc0479c4c14f56608058/thumbnail_2295000.jpg","/articles/6313697/Fairfield-County/South-Carolina/Interim-administrator-reports-expected-refunds-after-IRS-appeal-work-on-past-filings","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6313697-ea9132e4f3445706c94d4264d3e4b0f2/orig.mp4?Expires=1771191444&Signature=mARvQB9C68J5ChI8JJK3i4lWM1LGpLAvGiQ3Kf9u0IV2-otmzHB2DY0A64MW0Rjh416qNSgv93gdHaWP0L7s9w2xRXjsxh068A4UBVIlNIdxukiN0vXUBUor7585dRSckMSfoIqBFXFkN0hyCe~EQxI1UHAaOEnkFbNbqJHihb~ITYZB5iDI3C8gTiNLZqLwqOzPwClM03M1zvE8DThT75rZ8jno1ZaSQa25sfAg5qNHQejY1N2u8Jq1rjuvo3xyOFDKO0prDzspKXpUed2nEzDnIAvRhvey14W26Caj~cosnOsDj98wS7Gx5VA-Z1B9DzG0gQH-j9ZmguOrepon1g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Interim county administration provided an update on the county\u000092s long-running IRS issue, saying the county\u000092s auditors have pursued appeals that may return previously paid penalties with interest and lead to waivers of other assessed penalties.

The interim administrator said Mauldin & Jenkins, the county\u000092s auditors, handled the appeal work and obtained assistance from an IRS tax advocate. For tax year 2017 the county previously paid a penalty the administrator reported as $357,740; Mauldin & Jenkins has informed the county that an appeal has been successful and the county should receive a refund with interest of about $400,000. The administrator said a similar outcome is expected for tax year 2019, for which the county had paid a penalty reported in the meeting as $370,710; the tax advocate told the auditors it would be \"surprising\" if that appeal were not successful.

The administrator said a 2020 assessment was not paid and had grown over time; that assessment is under appeal and an advocate has been assigned and the county expects the assessment to be waived. He reported that assessments for 2021 and 2022 have been or will be waived based on information from Mauldin & Jenkins and a written notice from the IRS for 2022.

If the refunds and waivers occur as described, the administrator said the county expects to recoup the amounts it had paid with interest. Council members thanked the interim administrator for the work and for coordinating with auditors; no formal vote was taken on the IRS matters at the meeting.","Interim county administration told the council that appeals work led by the county\u000092s auditors may produce refunds for previously assessed IRS penalties; payments already made for 2017 and 2019 could be returned and several other assessments appear to have been or will be waived, according to the administrator and the auditors' tax advocate.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_47":104,"_49":105,"_51":106,"_53":107,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":108,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":109,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6313702,"Residents urge county to prioritize animal shelter improvements, request emergency $200,000",357,1301000,1658000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2387105-4fe6e4c45aa2dc0479c4c14f56608058&start=1301&end=1658","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2387105-4fe6e4c45aa2dc0479c4c14f56608058/thumbnail_1301000.jpg","/articles/6313702/Fairfield-County/South-Carolina/Residents-urge-county-to-prioritize-animal-shelter-improvements-request-emergency-200000","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6313702-c570f75d5fb32aa994c03d8863a7f5a6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771191444&Signature=QJYtnY0ZKEVSYfo5AoZrioanUMAZoIGkaVBvhwxkxxEdOGzRqDyKYyI4BUjDwYj0KdwTcExIoAU59YREnKWtnedwolTn8pMagCPKgmbyERLI6mTe1V-zmA-qRPPrV3m9XS53xtrgnjpSBPgRItc3CYNsSISf5qHDLbqOuQgC7FIyGwmRGIh59IdYQhVisOixYfXrGd8TprlcP~8Z1N8QJ2oVDsP31w5Me3UONC2dCuWKROCL9~68ql7vntJGVfc3Fj~w2brGuRLnRb5LVoDn~dKI6-cJNmdMZYHjj7DnzbS1DZXLucavmXnm0Cj5yJ9M5pb1w~t3s80bJsdcQP1G4g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Speakers during the Feb. 24 public-comment period urged Fairfield County Council to prioritize funding and staffing for animal control and shelter operations, describing conditions they called inhumane and unsafe.

Boo Major, a District 2 resident, said she has worked on animal-welfare issues in the county and described the shelter facilities as \"beyond bad,\" citing overcrowding, dogs kept in crates and animals held for more than two years because of court delays. \"One of the locations is called the dungeon,\" she said. \"This is not acceptable.\"

A member of Hoof and Paw who identified herself as a longtime advocate said the shelter lacked a veterinarian and was operating on a skeleton staff that cannot write tickets; the agency relies on the sheriff\u000092s office for citations because it did not have an ORI number through the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED). That speaker requested the council prioritize $200,000 for shelter improvements and emergency response to address staffing, veterinary care and facility upgrades.

Speakers argued that current staffing practices (including reliance on inmate labor) and repeated cuts to the animal-control budget have weakened enforcement of local ordinances. They urged the council to fund a class-3 animal-control officer and to expand public education on spay/neuter and vaccination to reduce shelter intake.

Council members did not vote on shelter funding at the meeting; the appeals and requests were delivered during public comment for consideration in upcoming budget discussions and committee meetings.","Multiple residents and local advocates told the council the county\u000092s animal shelter is overcrowded, understaffed and lacks veterinary care and enforcement capacity; one speaker asked the council to prioritize $200,000 for shelter improvements and emergency response.",{"_33":111,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":112,"_41":113,"_43":114,"_45":115,"_47":116,"_49":117,"_51":118,"_53":119,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":120,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":121,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6313707,"Fairfield County tax assessor outlines 2025 reassessment, warns most values will rise",288,368000,656000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2387105-4fe6e4c45aa2dc0479c4c14f56608058&start=368&end=656","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2387105-4fe6e4c45aa2dc0479c4c14f56608058/thumbnail_368000.jpg","/articles/6313707/Fairfield-County/South-Carolina/Fairfield-County-tax-assessor-outlines-2025-reassessment-warns-most-values-will-rise","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6313707-01569bb4c02fd3258df94b8894cc265a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771191444&Signature=mlznNgDNljnPdxg3iXYrqn21NINcZNwqeK5Qf381mP5KRqntJqMZGMu5SzpCxZmvqq4rMjkfPyNtuYzkZmhxB5BqRyb4gp0JC8C46Lk~~q3THId3eZMh11Drdn1WWNeF8JrUZ5uFTw7dtYqtmZOqEq3ey4v6892Gy8S7MS1tAHlbtY6YpABplxeJxy9-SE4F~f62BjG3ZS5B8LDNqluAGygwlCjGczRbFctjo9SBamcy-lxdv1I-XfhkGjHx~ThdYj3OJb5ngUbFGyIhhrI~K8IVo2MEfOWDWB-Vf-5Hqr4F2lINCFwZExXomMMkWOg~RInwgjclpsBW6PJVz4od2w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Good evening. Fairfield County Tax Assessor Gary Hensley told the county council on Feb. 24 that the county is conducting its statutorily required five-year property reassessment for 2025 and that the public should expect most property values to increase.

Hensley said the office is updating cost tables and land values, measuring new construction and using prior sales data to set values. \"We look at the prior five years with the most weight on the most recent three years of sales,\" Hensley said. He described a standard process of identifying outliers, correcting errors, recalculating and then sending data to the state for certification.

The reassessment will trigger mailing of reassessment notices and start a 90-day appeal period for taxpayers who dispute their values. Hensley said the county is aiming to submit its data to the state by June and expects certification to follow quickly; notices would be sent after certification.

Hensley warned that, because local sales activity has strengthened since the last reassessment, \"almost everybody's values are going to increase.\" He also explained a statutory protection: the state\u000092s 15% cap on taxable-value increases. Using the example discussed at the meeting, Hensley said that if a property's market value rose from $100,000 to $250,000, the capped taxable value for that reassessment cycle would be $115,000 for qualifying properties.

Council members asked how the assessor applies neighborhood changes — for example, lakeside neighborhoods — and Hensley said valuations are applied at the neighborhood level (\"the entire lake as a whole\"), not strictly street by street. He also confirmed that changes such as transfers between unrelated parties or significant new construction remove the cap and trigger reassessment to full market value the following year.

The reassessment process will be followed by property owners' opportunity to appeal individual assessments once notices are mailed; Hensley said the office reviews appeals on a one-on-one basis.

The council did not take formal action on the presentation; the session was informational.","Tax assessor Gary Hensley told the county council that a statutorily required five-year reassessment is under way, that staff are using prior sales (most weight on the most recent three years) and that the state\u000092s 15% cap will limit taxable-value increases for qualifying homeowners.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: Fairfield County Council actions on Feb. 24

Council members dispute committee appointments; motion filed to amend bylaws and add presentation committee to next agenda

Interim administrator reports expected refunds after IRS appeal work on past filings

Residents urge county to prioritize animal shelter improvements, request emergency $200,000

Fairfield County tax assessor outlines 2025 reassessment, warns most values will rise