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Council debates Order 24‑05 penny sales‑tax referendum; procedural motions slow second reading
Summary
Council debated Order 24‑05, a proposed countywide 1% sales‑tax referendum to fund up to $7.3 million in bonds, with Councilman Cook requesting legal review and tabling to allow review of 17 capital project proposals; the council discussed executive session and called a vote, but the transcript does not record a final tally.
McCormick County Council considered Order 24‑05 on July 10, a proposed ordinance to impose a countywide 1% sales tax subject to referendum to provide bonds not to exceed $7.3 million (the ordinance cites South Carolina Code §4‑10‑30 et seq.). The measure was before council for a second reading.
Councilman Charles Cook moved that the council go into executive session to seek legal advice on questions he had raised before the second reading; that motion did not receive a second. Cook then moved to table the item briefly so council members could review the 17 submitted project proposals, a motion that received a second and prompted extended discussion about legal obligations, project prioritization and potential county funding obligations for partially funded projects.
During debate, council members noted attorney guidance had been provided earlier in the day and expressed differing views on whether additional executive session legal advice was needed before proceeding. One council member argued for a public reading, public hearing and third reading rather than a rushed second‑reading vote.
The chair called for a vote on the second reading later in the meeting and recorded that one councilmember "abstain[ed]," but the transcript does not include a formal roll‑call tally of yes or no votes or an explicit statement of the ordinance’s final status in the meeting record.
Council agreed to schedule a special call meeting the following week to confer with outside counsel and attempt to resolve outstanding legal questions before the third reading and public hearing; dates and counsel availability were to be confirmed.
