Colleton County Council approves lease financing for airport fuel farm, adopts multiple resolutions

Colleton County Council met on April 1, 2025, and unanimously approved third reading of Ordinance 25-02 authorizing a lease-purchase financing agreement not to exceed $1,500,000 to construct a fuel farm at the Lowcountry Regional Airport. The council also completed third reading of Ordinance 25-01 (amendments to the county council code) and adopted a series of resolutions, while taking first readings on several other ordinances.

The measures approved by vote included infrastructure, personnel and policy actions that council members described as routine or necessary to continue county operations and planned projects. Several items drew brief discussion before votes; others were advanced on first reading for later review.

Votes at a glance - Ordinance 25-02 (third reading): Authorize lease-purchase financing up to $1,500,000 for construction of a fuel farm at Lowcountry Regional Airport. Outcome: approved (voice vote). Motion and second recorded; vote recorded in the meeting as carried unanimously. (Transcript reference: ordinance text and vote.) - Ordinance 25-01 (third reading): Amend Title 2 (Administration and Personnel), Chapter 2.3O (County Council code) section 2.3O-067 (Committees). Outcome: approved (voice vote). - Ordinance 25-03 (first reading): Amend/extend term of agreement for development of the Joint County Industrial Park. Outcome: passed on first reading; will return for further readings. - Ordinance 25-04 (first reading): Application for preliminary certification for historic rehabilitation. Outcome: passed on first reading; council members requested further review of statutes and application criteria before later readings. - Ordinance 25-05 (first reading): Levy of taxes for fiscal year beginning 07/01/2025 through 06/30/2026. Outcome: passed on first reading; further review expected. - Resolution 25R-19/25R-20 and others: The council adopted multiple resolutions by voice vote, including designation of April as Fair Housing Month, a county non-discrimination policy on the basis of disability and appointment of an ADA coordinator, naming a portion of Highway 61 for Willie L. Brown Jr., declaring surplus equipment for sale, advertising for board vacancies, and the appointment of Brenda Hughes to the Colleton County Board of Disabilities. Outcome: adopted (voice votes reported as unanimous in the record). - Contract award: Resolution K25R-25 (identified in the record) to award the contract for Northwest Washburn Sewer Improvements was moved, discussed and carried.

Discussion highlights and clarifications - Historic rehabilitation ordinance (Ordinance 25-04): Several council members asked for clarification about how the historic rehabilitation tax-capping mechanism applies and whether it is limited to downtown or designated historic areas. A council member noted the county must adopt a separate ordinance for each property that seeks the Bailey-style break, and an estimate cited in the meeting put potential tax revenue loss at about $10,000 per year for an example property. Council members requested staff and county counsel to provide statute references and to firm up application criteria before second and third readings.

- Joint County Industrial Park and revenue sharing: During discussion of Ordinance 25-03, council members described the multi-county industrial park mechanism as a revenue-sharing incentive that can allocate portions of tax receipts from parcels physically located in neighboring counties back to the host or participant counties. The council discussed examples in which large employers located in one county share a portion of revenue with adjacent counties under multi-county park agreements.

- Northwest Washburn Sewer Improvements (contract award): Council members asked for a technical description of the sewer project route and scope. Staff described the work starting at a pump station on Green Road, proceeding down U.S. 64, turning west of a QT convenience store and becoming gravity line upgrades continuing into an upgraded trunk line and ultimately the treatment plant. A council member described the linear extent as “about 2 and a half miles” (approximate), and staff clarified city limits begin around Upchurch and that portions inside the city will be managed by the city once connected.

Procedure and next steps - Several items approved on first reading (including the historic rehabilitation measure and the tax levy ordinance) will return for further readings and for staff to provide requested statutory and application details. - Items adopted on third reading and resolutions that passed will be implemented according to the county’s administrative procedures and procurement policies; the record shows unanimous voice approval for the measures that reached final action at the meeting.

Ending The meeting record shows no roll-call tallies for individual council members in the transcript; voice votes on final actions were reported as carried unanimously. Several items will return for additional readings and staff briefings to provide statutory context and application criteria.