County reps discuss needs at municipal meeting
Speaker of the S.C. House of Representatives Jay Lucas.
Photo by Samantha Lyles
By Samantha Lyles, Staff Writer, slyles@newsandpress.net
Representatives of local city and county government and the Darlington County School District met Monday, August 29 for the quarterly municipal supper, where reps enjoyed a meal and live entertainment at Hartsville’s Lawton Park Pavilion, then discussed current programs and future plans.
Bobby Hudson, chair of Darlington County Council, introduced interim county administrator Charles Stewart, who recently stepped in to handle management duties after the sudden departure of former admin Terence Arrington. Hudson remarked that Stewart “is catching up fast” and plans to meet with city government leaders in the near future to stay apprised of their needs and their relationship to the county.
Hudson also addressed the issue which will put County Council at loggerheads with the Board of Education: the contest over who – if anyone – will receive proceeds from a countywide penny sales tax, which yields about $5 million annually. Darlington County School District has received penny tax proceeds since about 2004, and they recently announced they will put the tax up for renewal in a public referendum during the November general election. The county wants the district to step away from the tax for a time so that revenue might fund replacement of the leaky and mold-ridden county courthouse.
Darlington County Council chairman Bobby Hudson.
“As you know, we’ve been trying to work on getting a new courthouse built. We’ve been looking at it now for about five years, we’ve acquired the property and hired an engineering firm to come in and give us renderings of the courthouse,” said Hudson, noting that initial designs echo the elegant old structure that was demolished in 1964 to make way for the current building.
“I think it’s something that will make Hartsville, Darlington, Lamar and Society Hill proud,” Hudson said. “We’ll be working hard for this courthouse. We will be going after a penny sales tax. And I know that we’ll be able to work together with some people… (like the legislative) delegation. We appreciate everything they do for Darlington County.”
Hudson also hinted at some potential positive news for local business.
“Hopefully, things are looking up for economic development. In the next six months or so, maybe we can have some good news for everybody,” said Hudson.
Dr. Eddie Ingram, superintendent of Darlington County School District, thanked the school board for voting to provide every child in the district with an electronic device (tablets or laptops), and noted that the state will soon require every district to have its testing programs computerized and online.
“Quite frankly, not every district in the state will be ready for that,” Ingram said, adding that giving students laptops and tablets is only the first step in this evolution toward computer-based learning. “It’s not about just having the device, it’s about how to access and manipulate information to solve problems. The jobs that we’re preparing our kids for are jobs that many of them will have to create.”
Darlington Mayor Gloria C. Hines.
Ingram said the DCSD currently has 10,162 students, and that number will remain fluid until after the first few weeks of school. He mentioned the district’s partnership with Sonoco to advance STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) programs for middle school and high school students, lauded the gymnasium renovation underway at Mayo Magnet School, and noted that DCSD students received $22.9 million last year in scholarships – $8 million of which went to Mayo students.
City of Darlington Mayor Gloria C. Hines praised the new retail and dining additions which opened this year, including Sweet Jane’s Cafe and Wine Bar (located on the Public Square), restaurant and venue South of Pearl (on Edwards Avenue), and – of course – the new Walmart Supercenter on South Main Street.
“We’re moving up!” Hines said, adding that Darlington is also working hard to establish a new recreational complex and bring a new hotel to the city in the near future.
Society Hill City Council member Deborah Harrell reminded everyone about the Catfish Festival scheduled for the first week of November, and discussed the town’s efforts to remove dilapidated and abandoned structures on Main Street and Church Street. She asked fellow attendees for help locating grant funds to help the town revitalize Church Street.
“This is a project that is dear to my heart, so any help that I can get would be greatly appreciated,” Harrell said.
Hartsville Mayor Mel Pennington discussed the city being honored as an All-American City for 2016 and credited city staff and community members for their hard work to earn that distinction. He also urged everyone present to find ways to collaborate for the good of the county as a whole.
“We’re working hard to make a difference and make and impact, and not only figure out how to sustain small-town Hartsville, but really how to sustain small-town America. Because if places like Society Hill and Lamar and Darlington and Hartsville can’t survive, we don’t have any options in Darlington County,” said Pennington.
The evening’s meal and entertainment were provided by Mezzo Forte, a restaurant and playhouse set to open in October in downtown Hartsville. Performer Brian Forte got the crowd waving and singing along after his alter ego – embittered bluesman Chantilly Jones – claimed that his song “Hartsville Rain” was hijacked and turned purple by the late musical legend, Prince.
Darlington County School District superintendent Dr. Eddie Ingram.