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The August 13 Barnwell County Council meeting began with a public hearing regarding purchasing 15 acres near Lake Edgar Brown to build an amphitheater.
During the meeting, the council unanimously approved the third reading of an ordinance allowing the county to purchase the land for $300,000.
According to county administrator Meredith Wright, the purchase of this land is being funded by a Department of Natural Resources (DNR) allocation, DNR boating and fishing license fees, funding from the Barnwell County Economic Development Commission, and a small portion of state allocated funding.
The sale of this property is contingent upon the Capital Project Sales Tax (CPST) being passed by voters in November. If the CPST is not passed, then the agreement will be terminated, states the purchase agreement signed by county officials.
This land was owned by Robert Grimes, who agreed to sell 15 of a total 40.57 acres to the county. Grimes received $1,000 at the execution of the agreement.
The amphitheater project will appear on the referendum and hopes to promote local tourism and events. Further details of the project have been previously reported by The People-Sentinel.
During public comment, resident Barbara Christian received permission from council to hold the annual September 11th memorial flag display honoring each of the lives lost in the national tragedy.
This is the fourth consecutive year Christian has organized this memorial in Calhoun Park across from the Barnwell County Courthouse. 2,978 flags will be displayed honoring “every soul lost in 9/11,” said Christian.
Volunteers interested in setting up the flags can meet around 2 p.m. at Calhoun Park on September 7. Flags will be removed on September 14 around 2 p.m.
During the transportation report, Councilman Ben Kinlaw brought forward a request by a resident to name the portion to Highway 278 entering Barnwell County a part of the Purple Heart Trail.
The Purple Heart Trail are memorial and honorary roadways, highways, and bridges that give tribute to those who have been awarded the Purple Heart medal, a military decoration awarded to U.S. Armed Forces members who are wounded, killed, or die from wounds received while serving.
In 2013, South Carolina legislation was passed deeming the state a Purple Heart State, offering benefits to Purple Heart recipients and their families. Legislation must also be passed and signs are placed to indicate desired roadways as part of the national Purple Heart Trail system.
Councilman Kinlaw explained he is in communication with local and state offices to begin this process, noting Representative Lonnie Hosey is a Purple Heart recipient.
The recreation committee met on August 12 and discussed the three recent grants secured toward recreational opportunities county-wide.
A $2,000 grant from the SouthernCarolina Alliance is allotted for updated signage at Healing Springs located outside of Blackville. Also, a grant bringing kayaks to Lake Edgar Brown through a partnership with Michigan-based Rent!Fun is still ongoing and the county is waiting on the funding announcement.
The county’s recreation department also recently received a $3,707 grant from Swiss Krono “which will be used to support various projects currently in the works for recreation in Barnwell County,” said recreation director Hilary Hindman.
According to Chairman Creech, Hindman and the committee are actively working toward applying for more grants.
William Molnar, executive director of the Lower Savannah Council of Governments (LSCOG), announced an upcoming community “think tank.”
This meeting is part of the LSCOG hiring a consultant to “go through and do a strategic plan for the organization and what we do within the region,” said Molnar.
“Next month, we will be having a think tank from 10 to 2 over in Blackville to get input from folks like yourselves, from GU, from others within the community, across the six counties to understand a little more where we as an organization need to go and how to get there,” said Molnar.
The council voted to remove the Barnwell County Career Center (BCCC) committee from their list of county committees. As of July 1, 2024, BCCC was dissolved and consolidated into the Barnwell County School District, therefore making it no longer in the county-system. It was unanimously approved. BCCC did not receive funding from this year’s county budget.
