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Council keeps Burial Sites Preservation chapter after residents object to repeal; board given one-year trial
Summary
After public testimony from two residents, the council rejected Bill No. 2024-12 to repeal the county's Burial Sites Preservation chapter and instead granted the Burial Sites Preservation Board a one-year trial to demonstrate effectiveness, with conduct conditions; vote to reject the repeal was unanimous among present members.
Dorchester County’s Council voted on Jan. 21, 2025, to reject Bill No. 2024-12, which would have repealed Chapter 63 (Burial Sites Preservation) of the Dorchester County Code, and instead instructed the Burial Sites Preservation Board to demonstrate effectiveness over a one-year trial.
At a public hearing, Planning & Zoning Director Susan Webb summarized the bill’s purpose and reasons for bringing it before the Council. Residents Dorothy and Ashley Samonisky spoke against repealing the chapter, raising concerns about protections for historic burial sites and the board’s conduct. The Council discussed those concerns and, by motion of Councilman Ricky C. Travers seconded by Councilman William V. Nichols, agreed to give the Burial Sites Preservation Board a one-year trial period from Jan. 21, 2025, to demonstrate effectiveness; the Council added a condition that the board will be disbanded if members fail to maintain professional conduct.
Following that direction, the Council voted on the repeal itself; the motion to repeal Bill No. 2024-12 failed by roll call (Pfeffer—nay; Detmer—nay; Nichols—nay; Travers—nay; Kramer—absent).
The action maintains local protections in Chapter 63 while creating a review period for the board. The minutes do not record specific performance benchmarks or reporting timelines for the one-year trial; the Council did not specify enforcement procedures beyond the stated condition regarding professional conduct.
Next steps: the Council’s direction establishes a one-year review window; staff and the board are expected to follow up with any reporting or recommended changes before the trial period ends.
