(Editor’s Note: Due to the number issues discussed at Tuesday’s meeting, the Herald-Advocate did not have time or space to report on everything that transpired. The remainder of the meeting, including discussion about the ordinance to protect the roadway, the 2016 Recreation Plan, and Crooked Creek will be in the March 18 edition.)

A resolution to purchase the Carolina Bank and Trust Company lot and building led to much discussion and a split vote for the Marlboro County Council at their Tuesday meeting.
Council voted 5-1-2. Council member Dr. Damien Johnson voted no while Anthony Woods and Kenneth Stroman abstained.
The county wants to purchase the building and property to provide more contactless access to pay taxes by providing a drive-thru window. County Administrator Ron Munnerlyn said it would provide COVID protection and convenience to county residents.
County officials learned the old building will soon become available now that a new one is being built.
The cost of the project will be a total of $500,000 which includes $150,000 for the building and land and $350,000 for an elevator at the back of the building, interior furnishings, and paving the parking lot.
It will involve moving the treasurer, auditor, and delinquent tax offices.
Munnerlyn said a few years ago, when Carolina Bank and Trust Company started the project to build a new facility, the land where the former police station was located was given to them by the City of Bennettsville.
At that time, there was a discussion of tearing the old bank building down to provide green space for the city.
“Apparently there is no real legal requirement for that in the way it was done. It is not binding. We are working very closely with the city and there are other areas if we did a recreation project that we could provide green space.”
During the discussion, Johnson expressed “severe unreadiness” with the project. 
“This amount of money could be used in another fiduciary responsibility way,” he said.
He noted it has been 25 years since the community recreation center idea was quashed. Johnson, who was 17 at the time, said it is disheartening that 25 years later it has not been addressed. He felt it would be the opportunity to use the money to collaborate with other entities in the county to ensure children and older people are given a recreation space indoors.
“I think this amount of money at this time and this juncture could be utilized for another project that will encompass a better use of this money,” said Johnson.
Woods said he likes both ideas but was concerned that the city was going to tear the building down and felt the county was able to negotiate. 
Munnerlyn noted there was no legal agreement about tearing it down and what took place is not binding.
“Carolina Bank has no intention of tearing it down. If the county weren’t buying it, they would try to sell it to somebody else.”
Munnerlyn added the project and doing recreation are not mutually exclusive.
Munnerlyn noted there had been a pretty strong effort to fix what the county has with money spent on different projects. 
“The courthouse is packed full,” he said. “There is no parking. This was a blank slate to go out and make sure something would work.” 
Council member Steve Blackmon said he looks at it as a good investment for the county.
Council member Verd Odom also agreed it was a good investment for the county for the price.
He added while people are getting vaccinated,  COVID-19 is not going away. This is a way, he added, to limit one-on-one contact with senior citizens. 
Johnson said it was a great project and needed but felt the county is probably the only one in the Pee Dee without a recreation facility. He felt the county needed to look at a long-term recreation facility.
After more discussion, the council tabled the item until they heard the 2016 Recreation Project update later on the agenda.  Once this was completed, the issue was addressed with a vote of 5-1-2.
In other business, the county announced funding for an industrial speculative building project or a spec building. The project is designed to recruit new investments and jobs to the county. It will cost $2.4 million and will be funded by grants from South Carolina’s LocateSC program and Marlboro Electric Cooperative. Additionally, Marlboro County Council previously approved $500,000 for the project from restricted economic development funds.
The proposed 50,000 square foot building will offer ceiling heights and other specifications and will be constructed in the Marlboro County Industrial Park located on SC Hwy 38 north.
This site offers all necessary infrastructure for industry including water, sewer, and natural gas from the City of Bennettsville and electricity from MEC.
Munnerlyn said the Infrastructure Committee of the Marlboro Economic Development Partnership will meet soon to develop advertisements for proposals from contractors, evaluate proposals and choose a company to construct the facility. Officials hope to have the project completed by the first quarter of 2022.

Other business
In other business, county council members:
— held a public hearing and approved the third reading of ordinance #806 authorizing the execution and delivery of a fee-in-lieu of tax agreement by and between Marlboro County, South Carolina (the “County”) and Shorthorn Holdings LLC, acting for itself, one or more affiliates and/or other project sponsors (collectively, the “Company”) with respect to the construction of certain facilities at a location in the county (the “Project”) and other matters related there.
It will provide property tax incentives for a solar panel project. The company will make a $5 million investment with no jobs added but will add to the tax base.
— approved emergency ordinance #808 to declare a state of emergency in Marlboro County and other matters related thereto.
— approved the first reading of ordinance #809 authorizing the conveyance of 1.50 acres more or less, of real property owned by Marlboro County located at Industrial Lane to “Project Ox” and to authorize county officials to take such action as necessary to effectuate the purposes of this ordinance, and other matters related thereto.
Munnerlyn said a company in the industrial park wants to expand one of their buildings that is close to the property owned by the county. Munnerlyn said they needed some space to build the building out. The project will create 25 jobs.
— approved resolution #03-21-01 authorizing submission of an application by Marlboro County for an airport grant from the state of South Carolina (acting through the South Carolina Aeronautics Commission) in the amount of $6,342 and authorization to accept the grant if awarded. 
— approved resolution #03-21-02 designating the month of April as the South Carolina Fair Housing Month for 2021.
— approved resolution #0321-03 consenting to the execution and delivery by Dillon County, South Carolina of a fee-in-lieu of tax and special source credit agreement between Dillon County and Dillon Inland Port I, LLC, a Delaware Limited Liability Company and One or More of its tenants (the company), in connection with Dillon County’s provision of certain incentives to the company relating to the Company’s Development in Dillon County (the Project); and other matters related thereto.
— discussed scheduling a Spring Clean-up event with several dates suggested in April and May with the possibility of focusing on gateways into the county.
— learned county officials are close to an announcement regarding the initiative to build an industrial speculative building.
— reappointed Claudette Hooker to the Housing and Community Authority of Marlboro County Board.
— learned general revenue funds for the eight months ending Feb. 28 totaled $8,831,915. General fund expenditures through Jan. 31 totaled $7,431,747 of a $12,038,883 budget or 61.71 percent of the budget year-to-date. As of the same date, the county has $6,057,387 in the four general fund operating accounts.
— Discussed the reassessment update, 2016 Recreation Project, and Crooked Creek flooding (Those issues will be looked at in the March 18 issue of the Herald-Advocate).

     Anniversaries
Munnerlyn recognized the following employees with five or more years of service to the county through February: Vanessa Dowdy, 10 years; Brandi Ritter, five years; Ronald Covington, 26 years; Lawrence Brand, 18 years; Bobbie Sue Latham, 16 years; Dwan Bostic, 17 years; Kevin Thomas, 11 years; and Bobbie Jo Grooms, five years.