Report: more environmental testing recommended for Ridgeway rec site

RIDGEWAY – A Phase I environmental site assessment report on the new Ridgeway recreation center site provided by a private consulting firm hired by the county in 2021, leaves questions about the environmental condition of the 30-acre property. “This area would likely be a source of contaminants from past South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) […]

Blythewood community speaks out about proposed rezoning for 90-acre development

BLYTHEWOOD – Blythewood developer Kevin Steelman told folks who gathered at the Killian Park recreation park Tuesday night that Rimer Pond Road traffic is not anywhere near capacity, and that without more new homes, their taxes will go up. That was a hard sell for most of those in attendance. The town hall meeting was […]

Winnsboro Town audit reveals $900K shortfall

WINNSBORO – Winnsboro Town Council received its audit report during council meeting, Monday night with news of a budget shortfall of $900,000.  CPA Bill Hancock pointed out that, in past years, council has voted to cover budget shortfalls with a transfer of monies from the utility fund. “In the past, there has been a sizeable […]

After cutting $700K, Ridgeway Rec Center is still over budget

RIDGEWAY – The new recreation center is under construction on Hwy 21 outside of Ridgeway. But it is not the one promised by former Council Chair Moses Bell during his two-year tenure as chairman of Fairfield County Council. He said it would be a state-of-the-art recreation facility featuring a large 6-goal basketball court, a library, […]

MPA calls on court to strike Blythewood government’s counterclaim

­­BLYTHEWOOD – Blythewood’s counterclaims in an ongoing FOIA lawsuit should be stricken because the town’s allegations do not relate to the S.C. Freedom of Information Act, according to a recent court filing. Attorneys for MPA Strategies, LLC, which the town previously contracted with to perform marketing services, filed the motion Feb. 7. MPA sued the […]

McKenrick calls for attorneys to continue pursuit of MPA cases

BLYTHEWOOD – Returning from an executive session during Monday night’s special called town council meeting, Councilman Rich McKenrick took the lead for the second time in less than a year in calling for council to reaffirm the contracts of the town’s outside attorneys, who are defending the lawsuits filed by MPA Strategies and Ashley Hunter, […]

FJWSS forges ahead with Wastewater Treatment Plant Plans

WINSBORO – The Fairfield Joint Water and Sewer System Commission met Tuesday to swear in new members to the commission and elect new officers. “It makes sense for a politician to be chairman,” the commission’s attorney, CD Rhodes said, “It also makes sense for the town manager to be treasurer, because in the coming months […]

BAR, church spar over Town’s codes, siding

BLYTHEWOOD – Attorney Jamie Walters, representing Sandy Level Baptist Church, appeared before the Town’s Board of Architectural Review (BAR) for the second time in as many months to request a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) that would allow the church to replace the existing vinyl siding on the church’s sanctuary building with like vinyl siding as […]

MPA sues Franklin, Town, Tonya Page for defamation, civil conspiracy, more

Country Chronicle Publishing Company Sued for Negligence BLYTHEWOOD – Blythewood leaders falsely alleged that the CEO of a local marketing firm had a romantic relationship with a sitting councilman in order to land a marketing contract with the town, according to a recently filed lawsuit. The suit also accuses a Camden news organization of publishing […]

Audit late, expected in March

WINNBSORO – Insufficient staff and a last minute data dump by the finance department onto the auditor contributed to Fairfield County missing its annual audit deadline for the second year in a row. Now the county’s auditing firm won’t be able to present its findings to County Council until sometime in March, said interim county […]