Blue Law and tax installment measures moving ahead
By Samantha Lyles, Staff Writer, slyles@newsandpress.net
Darlington County Council’s March 4 meeting saw the first steps toward altering the county’s Blue Laws and establishing an installment program for property taxes.
Council held a first reading (title only, no vote required) for Ordinance 19-01, which would give Darlington County citizens the option to pay their taxes on real property through installments.
The payments would be for taxes due the following year, and would be based on estimates drawn from total property tax due the previous year.
Credits and adjustments reflecting reduced value would be applied by the county assessor.
The ordinance proposes a schedule of six payments (each equal to 16 and 2/3 percent of the total estimated tax) due on Feb. 15, April 15, June 15, Aug. 15, and Oct. 15, with the remaining balance due on or before Jan. 15 of the following taxable year.
If a taxpayer elects to make installment payments and fails to remit them in a timely manner, the county can refuse to accept installments and bill them for the entire balance due.
Any taxpayer wishing to pay via the installment plan must notify the county treasurer in writing between Dec. 1 and Jan. 15.
A first reading for Ordinance 19-02 revealed that the county plans to “indefinitely suspend Sunday work prohibitions” and allow businesses located in unincorporated areas of the county to open prior to 1:30 p.m.
The statewide Sunday business restrictions, commonly referred to as “Blue Laws,” allow municipalities and counties to specifically opt out by passing locally applied regulations.
Council member Bobby Kilgo proposed the county pass such a measure to allow county businesses to compete with stores in Hartsville and Darlington, where businesses are already allowed to open early on Sundays.
The ordinance includes language prohibiting employers from discriminating against those who choose to reserve Sundays or Saturdays as a day of worship.
Also on the agenda, council approved a request for $147,210 to complete the cooperative contract purchase of a new Peterbilt dump truck for the Roads and Bridges Department. The money will come from the Road Maintenance Fund, which had a balance of just over $2 million on June 30, 2018, meaning the fund will remain safely above required reserve balance levels.
A request to approve spending $31,750 to remodel office space in the Darlington Library was approved. The winning bid came from Carraway Construction.
A bid of $75,400 to install new modular (carpet squares) flooring at the Hartsville Library received approval. The winning bid came from Go To Guys Flooring LLC.
Three Darlington County employees were recognized for their service and given tokens of appreciation.
Maceo Haynesworth has retired from Darlington County Parks and Recreation after nearly 37 years.
Haynesworth received a plaque from council chair Bobby Hudson, and was thanked by members of council for his dedication and heart.
“He touched a lot of lives in 36 years. We’d all be so blessed to touch as many as he did. He’s raised a lot of people,” said council member David Coker.
Hudson presented council member Le Flowers with a service pin honoring his 25 years of service on County Council, and gave council member Bobby Kilgo a five-year service pin.
“These two put in a lot of hard work. Le is probably the most knowledgable person on council,” said Hudson.