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Government

  • Stormwater fee reduced before final council OK

    Before giving the measure final approval Tuesday night, the Lancaster County Council reduced the new stormwater fee for Panhandle homeowners from $75 to $60 a year.
    The fee will be added to upcoming tax bills and applies to the area from S.C. 5 north to the county line. That portion of the county (Indian Land) is now considered to be in Charlotte’s urban area, with more than 1,000 residents per square mile.

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  • 9 candidates file for VW council, just 1 for mayor

    Nine candidates filed for the four town council seats in Van Wyck’s upcoming inaugural election, but just one person signed up to be mayor – Sean Corcoran.
    Corcoran, 42, was one of three incorporation commissioners who led the last stages of the organizing effort.
    An attorney at the law firm Brock & Scott in Charlotte, he said Tuesday he was surprised no one else filed for the mayor’s job – and that so many people jumped into  the council race.

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  • Linda Blackmon’s win affirmed

    In a unanimous opinion late Thursday, the S.C Supreme Court affirmed Linda Blackmon’s election to the Lancaster City Council’s District 3 seat, which had been held up since last November by a legal challenge from her opponent.
    “I feel amazing…. It’s been tough,” said Blackmon, who beat incumbent Jackie Harris in the Nov. 8 election by a 281-225 vote.
    The Supreme Court’s decision, issued as an administrative opinion, upholds Circuit Judge Brian Gibbons’ Feb. 16 ruling that allowed the election results to stand.

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  • County might relocate library, DSS downtown to Springs Block

    The quest for much-needed space has Lancaster County officials eyeing a plan that would move the county library and S.C. Department of Social Services to the Springs Block in downtown Lancaster.
    “We like seeing people downtown,” said Lancaster County Council Chairman Steve Harper. “It’s definitely a great idea.”
    The plan was included in a capital-needs report reviewed at Monday night’s county council meeting.   

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  • County may lease office space in IL

    Panhandle residents might get some sort of satellite county government offices in the not-so-distant future.
    Lancaster County Council directed staff Monday night to flesh out the concept of leasing office space in Indian Land.
    “From a customer-service standpoint, it’s something we need to do, but we are under financial constraints,” said Lancaster County Administrator Steve Willis.  

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  • Tinkering with stormwater ordinance sets off Carnes

    It didn’t take Lancaster County Councilman Brian Carnes long Monday night to vent his frustration over the proposed stormwater ordinance that would add $75 to the tax bills of Panhandle homeowners.
    Before the third and final reading on the ordinance, council members were presented a number of changes to the proposal, but had no time to study the 30-page document.
    An indignant Carnes immediately made a motion to postpone the final reading of the controversial ordinance until Sept. 11. The public hearing was held as scheduled Monday.

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  • Van Wyck’s 1st municipal election Nov. 14

    With a successful vote for incorporation wrapped up two weeks ago, Van Wyck residents will take the next step in their historic journey as a community the second week in November with an election to choose the new town’s first government.  
    Lancaster County Director of Elections Mary Ann Hudson said the non-partisan election to choose Van Wyck’s first mayor and four at-large council members is Nov. 14.

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  • Lancaster makes job offer to finance director finalist

    The city of Lancaster could have a new finance director in the next few days.
    Lancaster City Council unanimously agreed to offer the job to Daniel Driggers on Tuesday night after meeting behind closed doors to discuss finalists.
    A Columbia native, Driggers is the former chief financial officer for Richland County, where he oversaw an annual budget of more than $300 million.

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  • Probate judge will not seek another term

    Sandy Estridge, Lancaster County’s probate judge for 22 years, announced Tuesday that she will not run for reelection next year.
    “I’m ready to retire…. I didn’t plan on working this long,” said the 70-year-old Estridge, who is serving her sixth term in office.
    “My children want me to spend more time with the family, so that’s what I’m going to do,” she said.

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  • Heath Springs might do without municipal court

    HEATH SPRINGS – Now that Heath Springs no longer has a law enforcement officer on regular patrol – a move to save the town money – officials are considering doing away with municipal court and asking county magistrates to handle any cases that come along.
    After all, the logic goes, without police patrols, chances are there won’t be a lot of cases for municipal court to handle.

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