On Feb. 14, 2011 County Council passed Ordinance #582. Ordinance #582 is titled “Comprehensive Plan 2021.” The S.C. Code of Laws (1994) requires counties to have a Comprehensive Plan. The Fairfield County Comprehensive Plan was the work product of the consulting firm Vismor and Associates, working in conjunction with the Fairfield County Planning Commission.
On page 160 of the Comprehensive Plan it clearly states that an annual audit of the plan should be undertaken, and that any deficiencies, failures or inconstancies should be addressed by County Council and action should be taken to remedy shortcomings and/or implement changes.
So what is an ordinance? By definition (noun): 1. An authoritative rule or law; a decree or command; 2. A public injunction or regulation: a city ordinance against excessive horn blowing.
Fast forward to 2014. Our then sitting Council chose to borrow $25 million to fund certain projects; none of these projects were part of Ordinance #582. To my knowledge, that “annual audit” has never been undertaken. And it is exceedingly clear that the old Council had no problem passing a law they had no intention of adhering to.
And now the old guard are at it again, as they discuss hiring a different consultant to help them spend the borrowed dollars that Fairfield’s taxpayers are expected to repay. One could hope that this time Council will actually take steps to implement the newly devised “Comprehensive Plan.”
Given the behavior of the old guard thus far in this legislative session, I have serious reservations. The fact that our sitting Chair is willing to empty the chambers at the first hint of perceived disruption offers little hope. Strange how the old guard gives so much import to their bylaws and yet as evidenced by Ordinance #582 fails to adhere to their own ordinances.
There is no Recall Law in South Carolina. If there were, I feel confident the people of Fairfield County would give such a measure serious consideration. Seems the old guard still hasn’t gotten the message.
Robert Carrison
Winnsboro
