McBee council approves transfer of town strip to enable Northeastern Technical College satellite campus, contingent on donation

The Town of McBee on Sept. 7 voted to transfer a narrow, town-owned strip of land to enable a proposed Northeastern Technical College satellite campus to be annexed into the town, contingent on Alligator Rural Water deeding a separate 13.67-acre parcel to the college.

"We are pleased to announce that Northeastern Technical College wishes to build a satellite campus in McBee SC," said Andy Ingram, mayor of Cheraw, who introduced college representatives at the council meeting. Dr. Kyle Wagner of Northeastern Technical College told the council the site adjacent to McBee High School would improve student safety by providing right-hand access via Cedar Avenue rather than left turns onto U.S. 151.

Wagner described academic and workforce programs planned for the site and current McBee-area enrollment: "Currently Northeastern has 149 students enrolled in the McBee area. Of those 149 enrolled, 66 of those are dual enrollment students and 83 are traditional students," he said. He said the college plans programs including heavy-equipment operation and maintenance, diesel mechanics (an NSF grant was mentioned), welding and nursing, and that an initial facility could be supported by a $2 million legislative line item and matching federal grants to expand total project funding.

Council discussion focused on legal and procedural steps needed to annex the tract and protect the town's interests. Town attorney Martin Driggers restated the motion as a contingency: the town would transfer the strip necessary to make the college parcel contiguous for annexation "contingent upon the property of 13.67 acres going to the college; if the deal does not go through, the property comes back to the town." Council Member Glenn Odom moved the plan forward; A.C. McLeod seconded, and the motion was recorded as approved by the council.

College representatives asked the council to allow surveyor Earl Horton to finalize a plat after the transfer and requested a letter from the town confirming conditional approval so Alligator Rural Water could complete its deed. Andy Ingram said Alligator has agreed to donate 13.67 acres and that, after the survey, Alligator would deed the land to the college and the town could process annexation.

Next steps recorded at the meeting include: Alligator Rural Water executing the deed to Northeastern Technical College, completion of Earl Horton’s final survey and plat, and the town preparing a formal letter of approval and legal description and tax-map information required for annexation. The council did not set a date for formal annexation; the transfer and annexation were explicitly made contingent on the donation and completion of the legal paperwork.

The council adjourned after taking the actions described above; Northeastern representatives said they would seek legislative capital funding in the next cycle and return with finalized paperwork and surveys.