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Committee advances contracts for Agnes Major and Wesley Felix community centers amid public concern on St. Helena Island
Summary
The committee moved a design‑build contract for two community centers — Agnes Major and Wesley Felix — to County Council; a St. Helena Island resident raised concerns that the Wesley Felix project duplicates underfunded local health services and questioned use of ARPA funds.
The Finance Committee voted Oct. 28 to forward a design‑build contract award to County Council for two ARPA‑funded community centers at Agnes Major Park (Sheldon) and Wesley Felix Park (St. Helena Island).
Hank Munson (special assistant to the county administrator) and other staff explained the centers are park‑based, multi‑use buildings (about 3,800 square feet in the plan) with movable walls for flexible programming — after‑school activities, senior services, recreation and potential emergency‑response use — and are not intended to duplicate health‑center services.
During public comment earlier in the meeting, Willie Terrell of St. Helena Island said the county should prioritize existing health‑care investments rather than build an additional health‑type center at Wesley Felix, calling a proposed $1.3 million allocation a poor use of funds given transportation barriers to the existing Beaufort‑Jasper Comprehensive Health Center.
Munson responded in the community‑center presentation that the Wesley Felix building is a community/park facility and not a medical clinic, and staff emphasized the ARPA community‑center program’s original goal of joint use at park sites. After discussion about timing and the need to obligate ARPA funds before year‑end, the committee moved the contract award forward to County Council; the motion carried with a recorded objection captured in the meeting minutes.
Staff said site work for the hangar and other ARPA projects are already funded in some cases and that the community‑center contracts must proceed to obligate ARPA funds and meet timing constraints. Council will receive the contract award for final action.
