Newberry mayoral debate highlights $80 million wastewater plan, growth and Springs County split

City Commissioner Tim Martin and former City Commissioner Joy Glanzer debated how Newberry should pay for a projected $80 million wastewater treatment expansion and manage rapid growth at a mayoral forum at Newberry High School. The candidates also offered sharply different views on community development districts, local school conversions to charter status and a proposed secession to form "Springs County."

The contest comes ahead of the April 8 municipal election. Both candidates framed infrastructure funding and growth policy as central to the city's fiscal future. "The citizens of Newberry ... are not going to be paying for that. Let me be clear. They're not going to be paying for that ... it'll be the connection charges," City Commissioner Tim Martin said, arguing that connection charges and fees from new development should cover the wastewater expansion.

Joy Glanzer emphasized the city's existing planning tools and the use of impact fees to reserve capacity for future development, noting specific fee amounts discussed by the city: "you have to pay the city $7,000 per house before you even start," she said, describing how impact fees are intended to fund upgrades such as sewer…