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Council approves appointments, pedestrian-safety lights and hears public concerns about dilapidated Soda Stone school
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Summary
Council approved two board appointments, supported a plan to install four pedestrian-safety lights along Highway 76378, reviewed litter-month activities and introduced a new HR director; in public comment residents raised concerns about asbestos and unsafe conditions at the Soda Stone School building.
Sumter County Council approved several administrative measures and heard public concerns during its March meeting.
Committee actions and appointments: Internal Affairs moved to appoint Dolores Wagner to the Housing Authority Commission and Cassandra Floyd to the Zoning Board of Directors; both nominations were approved by voice vote.
Pedestrian-safety lighting: The Fiscal/Tax committee reported on a recent pedestrian death on Highway 76378 and recommended installing four new lights at specific locations — Eagle Road (the site of the pedestrian incident), Furman Drive near Cherryville School, the St. Paul's Church Road/Broad Street intersection (coordination planned with DOT work near Shaw Air Force Base), and the corner of Loring Mill Road — to improve nighttime visibility. Council approved the committee motion.
County administrator updates: The county administrator reviewed March's litter-awareness activities (Operation Clean Sweep/South Carolina Clean Sweep) and announced March 21 as a kickoff event tied to youth baseball activities. He said the county will print about 4,000 litter-awareness books for elementary grades funded by county, city, waste management and Palmetto Pride sponsors, and previewed May budget workshops for agencies and elected officials. He also introduced Cheryl Goodman as Sumter County's new HR director.
Public comment: Karen Bernice Lide, of the Sartustown Community Center, told council the Soda Stone School building (which she said is owned by the school board) is dilapidated, believed to contain asbestos, and is about 300 feet from a community center used by seniors and children. She thanked Sumter District School maintenance director Samuel Myers for assessing and boarding openings and asked the council to keep the issue in mind. "We have been given information that it has asbestos," Lide said.
Matthew White described a successful local education event, thanked Councilman Washington for encouragement, and said he will present an acknowledgment letter from U.S. Sen. Tim Scott at RE Davis School this Friday.
Council adjourned after hearing public comments.
