Florence County Council approves up to $50 million in bonds to speed Savannah Grove projects in 5-4 vote

The Florence County Council voted 5-4 on Oct. 3 to approve Ordinance No. 21-2024/25, authorizing up to $50,000,000 in Florence County special source revenue bonds to fund Savannah Grove infrastructure projects and related instruments.

Mr. Yoakam, who described the immediate next steps, said the ordinance "merely approves the issuance of the bonds" and that officials expected to "get the bonds issued and closed" in "probably two or three months, try to get it closed by the end of the calendar year." He described a proposed 40,000-square-foot recreation facility to serve an area that currently lacks indoor recreation space.

Supporters argued the measure accelerates construction that School District 1 plans for the Savannah Grove area so a new elementary and sports complex can be completed years sooner. Opponents flagged the pace and price: one council member urged more detail on what the county would be paying for and questioned why the county should facilitate borrowing now rather than allow the district to continue prior financing practices.

The chair read a letter from the Savannah Grove Community Action League expressing community support for interagency collaboration to build a new school and a county-owned sports facility. After a failed motion to table the ordinance until November, the council voted on the ordinance as presented and the measure passed by hand vote, 5 in favor and 4 opposed.

The council scheduled the next regular meeting for Oct. 17, 2024; there was no further action recorded on ancillary funding details during the special call meeting.