Marlboro County reports revenue increase and outlines warming center, aquatics and cleanup efforts

Marlboro County’s finance director told council on Feb. 11 that general fund revenue for the seven months ending Jan. 31, 2025 totaled $7,394,959, up from $5,963,710 for the same period in 2024, and that general fund expenditures for the period totaled $9,632,913 (65.31% of a $14,748,543 budget).

Wes Park, the county’s finance director, said revenues were higher because of timing differences in collecting fee-in-lieu income and intergovernmental state funds; he attributed higher expenditures to a larger budget and increased costs compared with the prior year.

County Administrator Wilson A. Clyburn reported that issues with viewing the January meeting recording have been corrected, thanked City and Sheriff’s Department staff for collaboration on a warming center at the Bennettsville Community Center, and announced several community events: a rodeo scheduled for April 11–12, an aquatics center groundbreaking that has occurred and forthcoming bids, and ongoing county cleanup efforts that include issuing warnings or citations for illegal dumping and use of inmate labor for cleanup work.

Council member Pearly Lawson said she is planning a county newsletter and community cleanups and listed several upcoming public events and information sessions; Dr. Damien Johnson urged continued focus on drug problems, road safety, and flood-affected homeowners. Council member Verd Odom said Representative Jason Luck has requested $12–14 million for the Lake Paul Wallace project and that DNR has requested $24 million; the minutes report an estimated repair cost of $22–24 million.

What comes next: finance figures will inform departmental budgeting and capital planning; several community events and infrastructure projects will proceed through standard procurement and funding processes.