Looking to 2026: Marlboro Co. year in review

Marlboro County faced significant challenges throughout 2025, largely dominated by a financial crisis in its school district that led to state intervention and leadership changes, along with various public safety and economic developments.

The year’s most impactful story was the state takeover of the Marlboro County School District (MCSD). After years of audit warnings and facing a nearly $7 million budget shortfall, the South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE) declared a fiscal emergency in February and assumed financial control in July.

The state’s intervention included pressure to remove Superintendent Helena Tillar. The school board eventually negotiated a severance agreement in November amid emotional meetings where some board members cited racial dynamics in her ouster. The SCDE also requested the State Inspector General to investigate alleged procurement irregularities and potential misspending.

Following the takeover, the SCDE directed the district to halt all plans to consolidate several schools, a cost-saving measure approved by the board in its new budget. The state did release $1.5 million in aid to help stabilize the district’s immediate finances.

The town of McColl also experienced significant turmoil within its police department. In November 2024, the entire police force, including Chief Bob Hale, resigned en masse, citing a “hostile work environment,” harassment from a specific town councilman, and a lack of necessary funding and equipment from town leadership. This left the town of approximately 2,000 residents without a local police presence, forcing the Marlboro County Sheriff’s Office to assume policing duties. The town went nearly a year without its own department until a new chief was certified in late October 2025.

In the midst of these local challenges, the Marlboro County Sheriff’s Office has been consistently lauded for its proactive community engagement and law enforcement efforts. The office, led by Sheriff Larry McNeil, has focused on building community trust through events like National Night Out and various outreach programs designed to strengthen neighborhood relationships and tackle substance abuse.

In other news, public safety was a recurring issue throughout the year. A man in Bennettsville was charged with murder in November following a deadly fight. In October, three people were arrested in connection with a drug-related homicide. And in December, authorities, with assistance from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), launched an investigation into the suspicious death of a 33-year-old woman. SLED also confirmed an active, ongoing investigation involving the town of McColl’s late mayor, George Garner, who died in a car crash in November 2024.

On the economic front, the county did see some positive movement with Bennettsville Printing and SOPAKCO announcing expansions of their operations in March. The county also held public hearings throughout the year to gather input on utilizing Community Development Block Grant funding for local needs.

General elections for municipal positions were held across the county in November, laying the groundwork for further changes in the coming year.

Looking ahead to 2026, the county is hopeful that the state’s intervention will provide the necessary structure to stabilize the school district’s finances and restore local control. The economic expansions at Bennettsville Printing and SOPAKCO are expected to bring new jobs and investment to the area. Additionally, the establishment of a fully functional police department in McColl represents a step toward restoring community safety and autonomy, offering a sense of renewal after a turbulent year.