Marlboro County reports August revenues, schedules detention-center assessment and pursues courthouse and shelter fixes

At the Sept. 9 Marlboro County Council meeting, Finance Director Wes Park provided the council with the county’s August budget snapshot: general fund revenue for the month ending Aug. 31, 2025, totaled $1,995,886 compared with $1,960,977 in the comparable period a year earlier. General fund expenditures year-to-date were $3,008,124 of a $16,442,894 budget, or 18.29% of the adopted budget.

County Administrator Wilson A. Clyburn briefed the council on several facility issues. He said the county expects to engage a civil and structural engineer to assess the detention center and produce a timeline and cost estimate. The county is pursuing grants to repair the courthouse roof and update the HVAC/boiler system and is meeting with the Clerk of Court to resolve smaller courthouse issues. An assessment for moisture and related problems at the animal shelter was performed by a county assessor (D.T. Turner) and staff are awaiting a cost estimate.

Administrative announcements included a Military Appreciation Day co-hosted with Marlboro County High ROTC and a Pole Manager Appreciation Day at the voter registration office. Policies & Ordinance Committee Chair Pearly Lawson recognized Doris Sumpter for her work on a Personnel Policies and Procedures Manual that committee members have been revising since August 2024.

Councilmembers also raised local concerns: Lawson reported constituent safety worries about a retail project on US 15-401 near the KFC and requested a clean-up day; Dr. Damien Johnson noted a regional PDCOG meeting that highlighted grant opportunities the county has missed and suggested SCDOT involvement to address safety on 15-401.

The council adjourned at 7:10 p.m.