Bamberg County Courthouse renovations planned; supply chain issues may slow project | Local

Even so, the project’s October 2023 target completion date will likely be missed because of supply chain issues.

“If everything were to work perfectly, that might be when we can move into the building. I don’t think that’s going to happen,” County Administrator Joey Preston said during a Jan. 10 council meeting.

“I’d probably tack another six months onto that, more than likely based on supplies. It’s hard to get things these days when you order,” he said.

Council agreed to refinance a portion of the county’s debt during a Nov. 1 meeting. The plan allows the county to not only refinance its 2015 installment purchase revenue bonds and a 2008 hospital bond, but also includes $7 million in new borrowing for the courthouse renovations.

Preston presented council with a tentative renovation and staff relocation schedule.

“This is a tentative schedule for the courthouse renovation construction. It’s not solid because we still have to go out for our bids, our proposals,” Preston said.

A modular unit is slated to be delivered by Feb. 15 and placed in the parking lot area of the county detention center. It will temporarily house staff, including those in the clerk of court, probate court, solicitor and public defender’s offices.

According to the tentative schedule, the county will advertise for bids on the courthouse renovation project in July or August of this year and then award a contract for the work in August or September, with renovation work to begin in October.

In the meantime, Preston said the City of Bamberg has agreed to let the county use the Bamberg Civic Center to hold court proceedings “providing we can get everything scheduled.”

Preston said the modular unit’s location was chosen because “we can easily, per the Board of Public Works, tap into the utilities for sewer and electricity.”

“Everything can be done easily there. It will be a slight inconvenience for the sheriff’s department for parking and the detention center, but we’re going to be working that out. … If everything goes well … we’ll be relocating the sheriff into his new offices by late summer,” he said. The county is transforming its former hospital into a law enforcement and health and human services complex.

The administrator said it will take two weeks to set the modular unit up.

Afterward, “we have to make sure that we get all of the proper computer wiring done so that when they move into the office, it’s fully functional. Then we slowly (and) meticulously have to start moving the offices out, probably starting with the probate court, then maybe family court and the rest of the clerk of court offices,” Preston said. The work is tentatively scheduled for March.

“There’s going to be lots of activity. … There will be people that will complain about it, but we’re going to get through this as smooth as possible,” the administrator said.

• SouthernCarolina Alliance Project Manager Garrett Dragano gave a report, stating that the economic development group brought $121 million in private investment to the region and 615 new jobs in 2021.

SCA serves Bamberg, Allendale, Barnwell, Beaufort, Colleton, Hampton and Jasper counties.

The region has 65 active projects.

“We’re still working those, but already as of 2022, we have two new projects for Bamberg County. We have a total of 16 active projects right now,” Dragano said.

Dragano said he was working with existing industries to address their issues.

“I’m still working with SC Oak to Barrel to get them fully operational and hired up, and working with Ctg² (Technologies) on some supply chain issues. We continue to work on infrastructure improvements on the Wolf Industrial Site. This is a 150-acre site just outside of Denmark,” he said.

The SCA is searching for a regional Palmetto Pride litter coordinator, he said.

• County Treasurer Alice Johnson gave the November financial report, stating the county had $1,174,684.29 in income and expenditures of $894,533.30, leaving a positive balance of $280,150.99. When the negative bank balance at the end of October ($177,652.77) was added, the county’s regular account stood at a positive $102,498.22.

County Finance Director T.M. Thomas reported that the county’s general fund had year-to-date revenues as of the end of November of $2,417,216, with expenses coming in at $3,398,353, for a negative general fund balance of $981,137.

Smith has said that despite a negative balance in the general fund, the county will have a fund balance on hand because the bulk of the county’s revenue is taxes, which largely come in during December and January.

• Preston gave a COVID-19 report, stating that 60.8 percent of residents have had at least one vaccine and 53 percent have had their second dose. The percentages reflect all citizens 5 and over who are all now eligible for the vaccine.

“We have a few employees that are out with COVID now. I’ve noticed the trend lately has been higher than it had been, but we’re managing. We’ve got just kind of a standard operating procedure on how to deal with that now, and we’re dealing with it,” Preston said.

Councilman Dr. Jonathan Goodman II said he is working with the Medical University of South Carolina to try to bring to the county a vaccination clinic, where shots would be administered for free.

Also in his report, Preston said the county received a call from the state Highway Department regarding the closure of two bridges in the county.

The U.S. 601 Broxton Bridge Road over the Little Salkehatchie is now closed, with the U.S. 601 Broxton Bridge Road over Lemon Creek set to be closed.

“DOT’s telling us that they plan to have all of these repairs completed by April. … They’re probably about 60 to 90 days off, which means more than likely it’s not going to be April when they finish everything. It may be in July or August before they get it finished,” Preston said.

He noted that the U.S. 301 Main Highway bridge over Little Swamp is still open, but will also be closed for repairs at some point.

“They haven’t gone over the details with us for that one,” Preston said. “I’ll keep the council members involved in this posted and let y’all know about it as I get information from DOT.”

• Councilman Spencer Donaldson became council’s new chairman for 2022 after being handed the gavel from past chairman Councilman Larry Haynes.

Councilman Dr. Jonathan Goodman II will now serve as council vice chairman. A service award will be presented to Councilwoman Sharon Hammond, who was not present at the meeting, at a later date for serving as chairperson in 2020.

• Council approved a proclamation honoring county resident Johney L. Haralson for his contributions to conservation, tree farming and forestry education in the county. He was recognized as an ambassador for the county for the work in his field.

Preston said a presentation of the proclamation to Haralson, who has been serving as a Soil and Water District commissioner for Bamberg since 2004, and his family would be planned for a later date.

• Council approved the county’s 2022 meeting schedule. The council regularly meets at 6 p.m. on the first Monday of every month.

• Council heard from county resident Sue Clayton, who said that more accountability is needed from the council.

“Real questions have been presented, and we’re not getting anything other than crickets,” she said.

Clayton said, “We, the residents of the county, pay the highest tax in the state of South Carolina. We’re one of the poorest counties, and you continue to spend money. …

“Seven million for the courthouse? Has anyone published the scope of work? With the inflation rate and the supply chain broken and the high cost of construction, is now the appropriate time to even consider starting this project?”