Blythewood council schedules goal-setting and budget workshops, approves several items

The Town of Blythewood Council took several procedural votes and scheduled special-call meetings for goal-setting and budget workshops after a contentious discussion about timing and council-staff communications.

At the start of the meeting council amended the agenda to add a new-business item on scheduling special meetings; the amendment passed by voice vote. Minutes for the Jan. 27 regular meeting and a Feb. 3 special-call meeting were approved after a spelling correction was noted for a named attendee.

Town Administrator Daniel Stines presented a brief administrator’s report and a monthly fiscal-status snapshot: revenue collections through January were reported at 35.39% of budget, and expenses were at 49% to date. Stines told council the FY 2024 audit had been completed successfully. Council members pressed staff on a line item categorized as “employee bonus retention new hires” that showed an $8,250 expense that had not been previously budgeted and asked staff to follow up with details.

The council entered executive session under the South Carolina Code (transcript cited “South Carolina code section 30 dash 4 dash 7 0”) to discuss administrator employment and a pending legal matter; the meeting later reconvened and the mayor said no votes were required from executive session.

On action items the council voted as follows (voice votes recorded in the meeting):

- Approval of minutes (Jan. 27 regular meeting and Feb. 3 special call) — passed.

- Approval of the first reading of Ordinance 2025.001 (Land Development Ordinance) — passed (see separate article).

- Approval of a memorandum of agreement among the Town of Blythewood, the South Carolina Department of Commerce and the South Carolina Department of Transportation to process business license fees related to Project Connect — passed. Town attorney said the MOA was amended to clarify a reference to infrastructure projects and to note termination conditions consistent with cited state code.

- Approval of a bond letter of credit estimate for Abney Hills Phase 4A/4B in the amount of $286,402.13 — passed; staff recommended acceptance of the surety amount under the town’s subdivision ordinance.

- Motion to call four special-call meetings to conduct goal-setting and budget workshops: March 3 at 5:45 p.m. (goal setting), March 5 at 5:45 p.m. (current budget review and department Q&A), March 27 at 5:45 p.m. (first budget workshop), and April 10 at 5:45 p.m. (second budget workshop) — motion made and seconded; passed.

The scheduling discussion included repeated, heated exchanges among council members about transparency and who should set dates. A council member attempted to bring a motion of no confidence in the mayor during the public portion of the meeting; the mayor and town attorney noted that the topic was not on the published agenda and the motion was treated as out of order.

Council adjourned at the end of the meeting after a routine voice vote.