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Council approves chamber, festival and recovery contracts; several funding votes unanimous
Summary
Simpsonville City Council approved several funding and contract items at its Jan. 28 Committee of the Whole meeting, including the Welcome Center budget, accommodations tax allocations (as amended), a FEMA public-assistance support contract, and the RFP award for the former fire department building tenancy.
Simpsonville City Council took a series of unanimous votes at its Jan. 28 Committee of the Whole meeting on funding and contracts related to tourism, post-storm recovery and downtown park amenities.
The council voted 7-0 to approve the Welcome Center budget submitted by the Simpsonville Area Chamber of Commerce, to accept staff’s recommendation to contract with ICF for FEMA public-assistance support (7-0), and to approve Crown and Bloom Coffee Company as the tenant for the former fire department administrative building (7-0). Council also approved, 7-0, amended allocations from the city’s accommodations tax advisory committee, moving additional funds into the Everything Outdoor Fest. Separately, the council directed staff to engage SCDOT and design teams on an East Curtis Street pedestrian crossing (7-0).
One procedural vote on a separate item—whether non-mayoral council members should be granted the same direct communication access to the city website and other city communication channels as the mayor—was postponed to the next Committee of the Whole meeting by a 4-3 recorded vote.
Votes at a glance
- Welcome Center budget (Simpsonville Area Chamber): Motion to approve as presented carried, vote 7-0. Mover: Council member Roshe; seconder: Council member Pinkerton.
- Accommodations Tax Advisory Committee recommendations: Council approved the committee’s recommendations as amended (an amendment moved funds from lower-priority brochure items into the Everything Outdoor Fest), final vote 7-0. Mover of main motion: Council member Hutchings; amendment moved by Mayor Shoemaker and seconded by Council member Root; final passage 7-0.
- FEMA public-assistance consultant (RFP award to ICF): Motion to award contract as recommended by staff carried 7-0. Mover: Council member O'Shea; seconder: Council member Root. Staff noted the contract work is reimbursable by FEMA and capped at up to 5% of eligible reimbursement.
- RFP tenant for former fire department administration building: Motion to select Crown and Bloom Coffee Company carried 7-0. Mover: Council member Roshe; seconder: Council member Pinkerton.
- East Curtis Street pedestrian crossing: Motion directing staff to engage SCDOT and the project design team to explore installing an interim crosswalk carried 7-0. Mover: Council member Pinkerton; seconder: Council member Roop.
- Council communications/website access: Motion to postpone consideration of expanded council access to city communications to the Feb. 25 Committee of the Whole meeting carried by roll call 4-3 (Yes: O'Rear, Root, Pinkerton, Hutchings; No: Williams, Roshe, Mayor Shoemaker). Mover: Council member O'Rear; seconder: Council member Roshe.
- Personnel action: Council accepted the planned retirement of City Administrator Diana Gracely and created an executive search committee composed of the mayor, mayor pro tem, Council member Hutchings, Administrator Gracely and HR manager Ashley Clark to search for a replacement (both motions carried 7-0). Mover: Mayor Shoemaker; seconder for retirement motion: Council member Roshe; seconder for search committee: Council member Root.
Why it matters
The votes finalize near-term funding for tourism and events tied to the city’s hospitality economy, preserve continuity on FEMA reimbursement work after the fall storms, and confirm a private tenant for a small commercial space in the new park area. The crosswalk directive signals council interest in a safety fix on East Curtis ahead of longer-term streetscape work.
What to watch next
- Staff will present the approved accommodations tax awards and the Welcome Center budget on the business meeting agenda for final adoption and accounting. The FEMA assistance contract will proceed under staff management with reimbursements routed through FEMA; staff indicated they will share RFP rate information with council ahead of the business meeting.
- The postponed website/communications question will return to Committee of the Whole Feb. 25 for further discussion. Council also created an executive search committee to begin the city administrator recruitment process.
