Chesterfield County Council launches ordinance to exempt 100% disabled veterans from new service fees after public complaints

The Chesterfield County Council on May 4 voted to begin an ordinance to exempt residents who are 100% disabled veterans from newly listed service/user fees after public concern that fee rules and billing have changed without clear public notice.

The decision follows public comment from resident Kirby Hughes, who told the council the rules for the solid-waste fee have been altered "as we go along," including a recent restriction on disposing of wood at convenience sites and apparent billing of businesses that are ineligible to use those sites. "Residents who already pay private contractors for garbage pickup are being charged twice," Hughes said.

Chair (name on file in the meeting record) cited state statute 12-37-220 and explained the reason the fees were added to tax bills: "State statute 12 dash 37 dash 2 20 says that individuals exempt from ad valorem taxes under SC code are not exempt from service or user fees imposed pursuant of SC code 6 dash 1 dash 3 30 unless such exemptions are specifically provided for by state statute or local ordinance." The auditor, Jack Rivers, attended and answered council questions about billing practice and potential remedies.

Council members debated scope and timing. One motion — made to exempt 100% disabled veterans from the road-maintenance fee, the solid-waste fee and the fire fee going forward and to not include the solid-waste and fire fees on this year's bills — was restated on the floor and seconded; members asked staff to draft precise eligibility language and to analyze fiscal impacts. Auditor Rivers estimated the annual loss on the road fee for veterans at roughly $30,000. Council members agreed the ordinance process requires three readings, giving staff and committee time to define whether other groups (for example, seniors who qualify for homestead or age-based property-tax exemptions) should be included in a separate motion.

Council also addressed other agenda items in a largely procedural meeting. Miss Stanley, on staff, summarized a uniform waste-tire ordinance (a Department of Revenue recommendation that would allow counties to collect up to $400 from haulers, with staff proposing not to charge haulers who show DOR paperwork). The council gave that ordinance its first reading by title only and discussed vendor notification strategies.

On infrastructure and grants, the council approved acting as a pass-through applicant for a FEMA Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant for Lynch's River Electric Cooperative to install a SCADA supervisory-control system, a project estimated at approximately $2,400,000; Lynch's River committed to covering the grant match, cost overruns and ongoing operations and maintenance, and staff stated there is no county financial obligation.

Council approved several routine motions and bid awards by voice vote, including resurfacing and paving contracts recommended by county engineers (True Rock Construction LLC bid of $167,927.90 for three Pageland roads; Furr, Graydon and Pavin award of $1,151,953.95 for Cotton Patch and Briarcliff projects), surplus declaration of county vehicles for sale, and multiple fire-department budget items. No recorded roll-call tallies were provided in the transcript; actions were taken by voice vote with chairs asking "All in favor indicate by saying aye" and no members announcing opposition on the record.

The council directed staff to refine ordinance language, return to committee for financial detail, and place the veterans-exemption ordinance on the calendar for first reading next month. The meeting concluded with routine announcements and adjournment.