[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-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",[32,75,87],{"_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":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6639513,"mediaKeyId","3639793-4aed6c515361c8da9dad8323cc9e2e33","parentId",3639793,"title","Dorchester County wins $1.25 million Rural Infrastructure Authority grant for two drainage projects","audioSeconds",67,"startMs",3155145,"endMs",3223135,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3639793-4aed6c515361c8da9dad8323cc9e2e33&start=3155&end=3223","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3639793-4aed6c515361c8da9dad8323cc9e2e33/thumbnail_3155145.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6639513/Dorchester-County/South-Carolina/Dorchester-County-wins-125-million-Rural-Infrastructure-Authority-grant-for-two-drainage-projects","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6639513-3f60c50c2a8fb0c2fec931a7b5af4ef5/orig.mp4?Expires=1771153309&Signature=Zx1s8GboBCJ7Twqjqg9wJE5WzA1BD4395h~9XftZqAkGqQ8K4KAiX2N3B3dMIpAxFhW26p64Gw9qodc6rcMgIWGmk7DIqHp2mqAukJRJc2wsU6fl5IIQXbYOY0A~vQB3pkDEwNXpAU0qITa1kR~3s6GT55QdvwmwVJAzAl8~76TUHa~bOFZxAchdIp7vDbQypczZKJyIX7ffMEV~qpSlE~EqtkEVVydW69McXuZYjaL764hxS969LjpA1zW3f97BnO263kskRih7wtQ1O401lSSOLvDASJtmk8Hebz5Nkilm~xtXPvOgCJUc1dQEbo2FRNHR4-S5lTvJoEusKEB4pg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Dorchester County Public Meetings","date","2025-06-03T00:26:42Z","article","County Administrator Mr. Ward told council on June 2 that Dorchester County received a $1,252,245 basic infrastructure grant from the South Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority to fund the Rice Mill and First Bin Road drainage projects.

Ward said the combined total cost for both projects is $2,477,000 and the county match is $1,224,007.55. He described the projects as stormwater enterprise fund projects identified in the county's capital improvement plan (CIP) that will help the county handle a 10‑year, 24‑hour storm event at the Rice Mill/First Bin Road location and a 50‑year, 24‑hour storm event at Hilton Road associated with the project work.

Ward congratulated staff (naming Trakos and Golston) and economic development partners who helped assemble the application. Council members noted the grant as an example of leveraging local funds with grant programs; the county will proceed to implement the CIP projects according to the planned schedule.

Ending: County staff will continue with project design and procurement and return with execution steps and budget adjustments as required by grant terms.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Dorchester County Council Meeting 06.02.2025","oneSentenceSummary","Dorchester County staff announced a $1,252,245 grant from the South Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority to help fund Rice Mill and First Bin Road drainage projects; the projects cost $2,477,000 and the county match is $1,224,007.55.","taxTitle","Dorchester County, South Carolina","taxId",4553,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6639517,"Dorchester County council approves multiple economic development and zoning measures; several first readings advanced",187,438525,626030,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3639793-4aed6c515361c8da9dad8323cc9e2e33&start=438&end=626","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3639793-4aed6c515361c8da9dad8323cc9e2e33/thumbnail_438525.jpg","/articles/6639517/Dorchester-County/South-Carolina/Dorchester-County-council-approves-multiple-economic-development-and-zoning-measures-several-first-readings-advanced","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6639517-866b8da1a616f06d518ed4985a25757e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771153309&Signature=UZeytMjjiV-he-6-wt-zNBG3aCZCyDTTRH1SqXqMe0kKs18GFfMMGgcDNf-1l6bCJ6W8REpFBq69MG-fjIeO0f54kUIgiYjt1B1darhdlPCub43Gw3cGC5zPFHWZAEiwk48yaIH1xYVjGdmQJc9L-fF6Qtlh1eft8aXwpoawK3R-6yEN0Py2mXi4CGSOlC2-5ZaBAOFBtX9OH6GfPi3KY7~he-EIpU2SUPK~3VL8AFdklQ67bj8h3Ir0PfiAlO4fnIS4s-oMKZ21Ci-buBESEx076biAwpDmHN7C-3IbnWFbv6ZNu-6jeZQ7GC9be40isURTzsxEANhxPatLKCjPSw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Dorchester County's Planning, Development & Building Committee and full County Council on June 2 approved a slate of zoning, economic development and administrative actions; most votes were unanimous.

Key committee and council actions (votes at a glance):

- Rezoning request 931 (Wanda Lenore): The committee recommended and the council accepted second‑reading approval to rezone a 1.7‑acre parcel off 1636 Central Avenue (TMS 135‑16‑00‑002) from Office and Institutional (OI) to General Commercial (CG). Planning Commission had recommended approval. Vote: unanimous at committee and on council committee report (3‑0 at committee; council recorded unanimous approval of committee recommendation).

- Official map amendment 25‑01 (county‑initiated rezoning): The committee recommended and council accepted rezoning of multiple parcels in the northern county from Agricultural Residential (AR) to Industrial (I) or Commercial Light Industrial (CLI) to make existing industrial and light‑industrial businesses conforming. Planning staff said the change removes nonconforming status that would otherwise constrain future expansion. Public comment included a question about tax status; county staff said the parcels are currently used for industrial/light industrial and are not receiving agricultural tax treatment. Vote: unanimous (3‑0 committee; committee recommendation adopted by council).

- Hospitality tax code amendment (second reading): Council gave second reading to an ordinance amending chapter 20, article 5 (hospitality tax), to require the county to adopt an annual budget for hospitality tax distributions on a fiscal‑year basis. Council said aligning hospitality tax budgeting with the county budget enables use of the funds as bonding backstop in some projects. Vote: unanimous (second reading approved).

- Road right‑of‑way transfers: Council approved transfers of right‑of‑way from SCDOT to Dorchester County for West Fourth North Street (S‑181806) between North Main and North Cedar and for S‑1834 across the HSB parking lot (Summerville primary entrance). Vote: unanimous.

- Oak Ridge Landfill development agreement: Council held required public hearings and approved an ordinance extending the term of the existing development agreement (first amendment) by 10 years. Vote: unanimous (third reading adopted).

- Resenac Graphite America Inc. (formerly identified as Project Ark): Council held the public hearing and adopted third reading of a fee‑in‑lieu‑of‑tax (FILOT) ordinance authorizing a FILOT agreement under Chapter 44, Title 12, South Carolina Code of Laws. Vote: unanimous (third reading adopted).

- RW Ashley Phosphate Owner LLC (inducement and FILOT steps): Council adopted an inducement resolution for RW Ashley Phosphate Owner LLC and gave first readings to an associated FILOT ordinance and an amendment to the county's multi‑county park agreement with Orangeburg County, adding the company's property. Votes: inducement resolution adopted (unanimous); first readings approved (unanimous).

- STTOP LLP / Z LLC fee agreement extension: Council adopted a resolution extending the fee term under an earlier (12/05/2020) fee agreement by 10 years. Vote: unanimous.

- Post‑executive session authorization: After an executive session on economic development and a proposed cost‑sharing agreement, council authorized the county administrator to execute an amended and restated cost‑sharing agreement between Dorchester County and South Coast DFH Charleston LLC for water system improvements. Motion carried unanimously; a council member noted the original public motion did not include TMS numbers and they were clarified in follow‑up.

Why it matters: The group of actions advances county priorities to make existing industrial uses conforming, provide incentives and contractual terms to attract or retain industry, and align fiscal procedures for hospitality tax and capital planning. Several economic development actions (FILOTs, inducement resolution, multi‑county park amendment) are part of larger projects that anticipate local investment and state incentives.

Votes and procedure notes: Committee recommendations were read into the council minutes and adopted by the council; most votes were unanimous. Planning Commission recommended approval of the Wanda Lenore rezoning. Public hearings required for FILOT and development agreement amendments were held before final readings where required.

Ending: Several items were at first reading only and will return for later votes; the council closed the meeting after adopting the cost‑sharing authorization and adjourned.","At its June 2 meeting, Dorchester County Council and the Planning, Development & Building Committee approved rezonings, extended development agreements and advanced several fee‑in‑lieu and inducement matters. Council also approved changes to hospitality tax timing and right‑of‑way transfers.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6639521,"Dorchester County emergency manager urges strengthening preparedness as FEMA grant rules shift",248,3233980,3482330,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3639793-4aed6c515361c8da9dad8323cc9e2e33&start=3233&end=3482","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3639793-4aed6c515361c8da9dad8323cc9e2e33/thumbnail_3233980.jpg","/articles/6639521/Dorchester-County/South-Carolina/Dorchester-County-emergency-manager-urges-strengthening-preparedness-as-FEMA-grant-rules-shift","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6639521-da55c1ddee33ae8f614fe06897a3143c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771153309&Signature=OUfR3MyDygthm8kvg0xg~Nn6KkLEIJhqOg24MVLWYojABte7oQniMXaJS~vUCM4IBdEYVQ8lYLjsT7M97xWbCM0H9aZrSoCY9BfSwvajRLmkXQayBzesL2rDP4IvWN71q~ENDpXbelcGt-PKnXNwMf4f~eIBsJZ90VcCD3XTC5XuKU0hL7WqQkCXdprlTfIcgDTY5J5VQHN5Cz13O40aFBIs8xY-i55fftm5uRRcpmfvOT9lYvo8SN4TTF3ErHRj2GGWTVY8fl-QkLN5dIR6nS9PHKdy1bTm1Ru81BcXx7AgGsGPVvi8fJ5dEvr~HcWtC~Aiq5qDUyv3BrGbPyp26A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Tom McNeil, Dorchester County director of emergency management, told council on June 2 that the National Hurricane Center is projecting a 60% chance of an above‑normal 2025 Atlantic hurricane season and that residents and the county should continue hurricane preparation.

McNeil said an \"above‑normal\" forecast means more named storms than average but cautioned that \"it only takes one\" storm that makes landfall to cause significant damage. He reported the county is tracking an early disturbance off the coast and reminded the public that county hurricane guides will be available at Dorchester County libraries by the end of the week.

McNeil described recent and ongoing preparedness work: expansion of the county emergency operations center (EOC) as a training venue; an annual pre‑season exercise scheduled for June 20; growth of the county's swift‑water rescue capability into a proposed regional team with Berkeley County and the Town of Summerville; public outreach including a well‑attended hurricane expo at Ashley Ridge River Park; and a Tri‑County regional emergency management planning effort that produced a regional strategic plan and a mass‑casualty incident plan.

He said federal preparedness and recovery grant programs support a significant portion of his office budget and warned of potential reductions. Citing the Office of Management and Budget technical supplement circulated to Congress, McNeil said draft budget proposals would cut the FEMA State Homeland Security Program about 36% and require a 25% local match, cut the Urban Area Security Initiative funding about 25% while also requiring a 25% match, and cut the Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) about 15% (EMPG already carries a local match requirement). McNeil said federal grants historically cover roughly 29% of his office's annual budget.

Those changes, he said, could also raise the federal threshold for presidential disaster declarations above the current level the state has relied on, increasing the local and state financial burdens after a disaster.

To prepare for that possibility McNeil recommended several approaches already underway or under discussion: anticipate reduced federal disaster aid; consider disaster‑specific finance reserves or a county disaster relief fund; assess enterprise fund balance policies to determine appropriate disaster balances; prioritize hazard mitigation spending (he said mitigation yields multiple dollars of recovery savings per dollar invested); strengthen state and regional partnerships; expand community preparedness including CERT and partnerships with faith‑based and nongovernmental organizations; and pursue targeted grant applications that emphasize mitigation and recovery capability.

McNeil also described planned practical measures: purchasing chainsaws and protective equipment with a Duke Energy grant for a mobile trailer to stage asset‑protection crews, training county staff and volunteers to safely clear debris, and expanding CERT roles to manage points of distribution and staging areas following disasters.

Council members asked about volunteer and CERT roles, school‑level apprenticeships, how citizens with personal boats should respond in floods, and steps council could take now. McNeil replied that high‑risk swift‑water rescues require trained teams and that untrained volunteers with boats put themselves and responders at risk; volunteering is better directed toward support roles. He said the county already runs summer worker and internship programs and that county staff and administration have begun internal discussions about contingency finance options and enterprise fund policies.

Why it matters: Dorchester County officials described a mix of operational improvements and longer‑range financial decisions intended to limit reliance on federal disaster reimbursement if national policy changes. Council members and staff said the county's improved EOC, mutual aid contributions to other jurisdictions and regional planning position the county to respond to more frequent or severe storm seasons, but they also signaled the need for budget and policy changes if federal assistance declines.

Ending: McNeil invited council members to the June 20 EOC exercise and said hurricane guides and zone maps are available through county channels and hurricane.sc for residents seeking evacuation zone and preparedness information.","Dorchester County Director of Emergency Management Tom McNeil warned council that the 2025 Atlantic hurricane outlook is above normal, described regional preparedness work and recommended financial and operational steps after federal grant and disaster-declaration rules were described as likely to change.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Dorchester County wins $1.25 million Rural Infrastructure Authority grant for two drainage projects

Dorchester County council approves multiple economic development and zoning measures; several first readings advanced

Dorchester County emergency manager urges strengthening preparedness as FEMA grant rules shift