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Cheraw council raises Dominion Energy franchise fee to 5%, approves redistricting and $350,500 road contract
Summary
The Cheraw Town Council approved increasing Dominion Energy's franchise fee from 3% to 5%, a change the chair said will align all local franchise rates and is estimated to bring roughly $440,000 a year. The council also approved new council district maps, a $350,500 road resurfacing contract and several administrative actions.
Cheraw — The Cheraw Town Council voted to increase the town's franchise fee charged to Dominion Energy from 3% to 5%, approved new council district lines and authorized a $350,500 resurfacing contract for neighborhood streets.
At a public hearing the council's presiding chair said municipalities charge franchise fees — essentially rental fees for utilities using public rights-of-way — and that raising Dominion Energy's rate to 5% would put that company in line with other utilities the town already charges at 5%. "That increase would generate an additional estimated $440,000 annually for the town of Cheraw," the chair said.
Council adopted Ordinance 20258 by voice vote to enact the franchise-fee increase for residential and commercial accounts billed through Dominion Energy. The chair opened and closed a public hearing on the proposal; no public speakers were recorded as opposing the change.
The council also approved Ordinance 20257 on second reading to redraw council districts following the latest census. The chair said the town worked with the South Carolina Department of Revenue and Fiscal Affairs to produce maps that keep population deviation within a 5% margin "so that one person equals one vote" and that the new boundaries take effect for the November 2025 general election; they will not apply to a March 18 special election to fill an unexpired term.
On infrastructure, the council approved Resolution 15-2025 authorizing the town manager to enter a contract with Evans Pavement Services for Phase 2 of a neighborhood resurfacing project (Edon, Godfrey, Jericho and Mayard streets). The low bid was $350,500; the chair said the project will be reimbursed later by the South Carolina Department of Commerce.
Other actions taken by the council included appointing Magic Lry to the municipal election commission to fill an unexpired term, approving requests for water taps at 1601 State Road and 22 Hall Circle (both properties are outside the town limits but within its service territory or where capacity exists), and adopting Resolution 14-2025 declaring March 6, 2025, Lafayette Day to mark the 200th anniversary of Marquis de Lafayette's 1825 visit.
The meeting closed after the council authorized several post–executive-session actions and adjourned. The council did not record any roll-call tallies in the public transcript; most approvals were taken by voice vote.
