County delays vote on city’s tree plan
By Bobby Bryant, Editor
Darlington County Council last week delayed action on the City of Darlington’s proposal for putting up new trees around the Courthouse, with members saying they’d like more information from the city before voting. Council member Angie Stone Godbold, who represents Darlington and who has been closely following the issue, said it was her understanding that County Council will take up the issue again at its February meeting. Council’s Jan. 4 decision to wait followed a personal appearance from Darlington Mayor Curtis Boyd, who feels that the city’s plan should be launched now. Under the proposal, the city would use a $5,000 beautification grant from Duke Energy to buy new trees and the county would spend a more or less equivalent amount to plant them. The plan would get rid of the now-unpopular Bradford pears surrounding the Courthouse. Boyd told County Council: “We’ve been looking to replace the current Bradford pear trees for over three years now.” The city proposes to replace the Bradford pears with Nelly Stevens hollies and Southern sugar maples, while adding two willow oaks. “The sugar maples will provide shade and color. … They only drop leaves once a year, providing much lower maintenance on the ground,” Boyd told County Council. “The hollies will be a beautiful evergreen all year ’round. … The willow oaks will grow straight up and provide shading, but will not branch out into the roadway.” Boyd told County Council that these trees’ root systems won’t damage the concrete, and that planting them won’t disrupt the concrete. He said his goal is “to make Darlington a showcase for all to enjoy.” Boyd spoke early in the session, then had to leave immediately to preside over a meeting of Darlington City Council going on at roughly the same time. County Council did not get to the issue of the Courthouse trees until late in the session. Councilman Le Flowers moved to OK the city’s tree plan, but withdrew the motion when questions began being raised. Godbold told council she would like more information. “How did this come about? Who chose the trees?” She asked if expert advice about landscaping had been sought. She also expressed concern that when the city tried to hold a joint meeting of the city’s Tree Board and Beautification Board on the issue, neither could produce enough members for a quorum. County Administrator Charles Stewart told Godbold that he couldn’t offer any definitive answers because he couldn’t speak for the city and because he essentially only knew what had been made public at City Council meetings. “There’s nothing else in writing that was submitted to us to put on the agenda,” Stewart said. Council member Joyce Thomas noted that the county is building a new judicial center near the Courthouse. “I would think we need a long-range plan here before we make some quick decisions” on the Courthouse trees, she said. Godbold said she would like the county and city to get opinions “from people who are professionals at this and experts at this and can have a complete plan and proposal to us.” In other business at the Jan. 4 session, Bobby Hudson was re-elected council chairman and Le Flowers was re-elected vice-chairman. Last week’s County Council session was held at Hartsville
