MARLBORO COUNTY — During a called meeting July 29, Marlboro County Administrator Wilson “Tony” Clyburn provided an update on authorizing the sale of the former Marlboro Park Hospital and the North Cooks Development. Both properties are currently owned by Marlboro County, and the sale shifts ownership to Project Fountain and Project Lunchbox. Council members voted in favor of the sale, except for Councilwoman Pearly Lawson, who abstained from voting.

“We purchased the Marlboro Park Hospital property in late December of 2024. Marlboro Park closed for operation on April 17, 2015, by Carolina Health Hospital Systems, with no intent on reopening by either Carolina Systems or McLeod Health, who subsequently opened a facility in Cheraw,” explained Clyburn, pointing out the county decided to purchase the entire property, which consists of 30.75 acres for $1.25 million.

Administrator Clyburn went on to add, “[It] was later negotiated to $500,000, to include the currently operating CareSouth Primary Care Facility, and the out-parcel building.”

He said he believes both pieces of property are worth more than the $500,000 the county ultimately paid for them.

“Why did we make that purchase? Because Marlboro County is one of the most medically neglected counties in South Carolina,” he explained. “We have no hospital, no 24-hour emergency care, with some of the highest rates of chronic disease in the state. Not to mention, opioid addiction and overdoses in the state,” said Clyburn.

According to the county administrator, these numbers cross all racial, income, and age demographic lines.

He added, “No one is immune. None of these things are going to change without us at least getting involved in trying to do something to affect the health care for citizens in Marlboro County.”

Following the hospital’s closure a decade ago, there have been no plans to purchase or renovate a new facility equipped to address the healthcare needs of the community.

Clyburn said, “We are looking forward to community meetings to inform, discuss, and answer questions about our healthcare in Marlboro County moving forward. We are going to have our first one August 11.”

The second community meeting is scheduled for August 18 at 6 p.m., though it is unclear at time of print where these meetings will be held. The purpose of the meetings Clyburn said is for the community to get their questions answered and concerns addressed.

Councilman Verd Odom asked, “What is the sale price that the company is looking to?”

Clyburn answered the price for both properties comes to $4 million.

Councilwoman Lawson wanted to know what the process would be for holding the public hearing on the matter.

County Administrator Clyburn explained, “The council has asked that we do second and then we do the public hearing after we have gotten the full ordinance and had a chance to look over it and then because the third reading won’t be and the public hearing won’t be until late in August.”

In response to questions posed by Council members Lawson and Odom, Clyburn detailed, “With the hospital property, with the Marlboro Park property, it will only include the Marlboro Park and then the eight acres of wooded area right there. It won’t include the building that we had intended to use for EMS and it won’t include the CareSouth building that they are already using. We still maintain both of those.”

Clyburn next confirmed for Odom the North Cook property does consist of 75 acres, leading Odom to inquire, “What are they proposing to do with that much land?”

According to Clyburn, proposed uses include residential, retail, and hospitality. He assured that the types of homes envisioned for the area would not include section eight housing.

At one time the North Cook property had an environmental lien put against it, though DHEC has since cleared the land for residential development.