2 weeks Ago By GENE ZALESKI T&D Staff Writer
Calhoun County Council gave unanimous second-reading approval to the county’s 2024 Comprehensive Plan last week. The Comprehensive Plan sets the groundwork for future planning in the county. It will be used to guide zoning in the lower part of the county below Sandy Run.
The county has discussed the comprehensive plan since September 2022. Local governments cannot enforce zoning and land development regulations unless they first develop and adopt a comprehensive plan. Comprehensive plans must be updated at least every 10 years and reviewed every five years.
Comprehensive plans include several planning areas: Each comprehensive plan element must be based on surveys and studies of existing conditions and probable future development and must include recommendations for implementing the plans. Find out more about the comprehensive plan at the county’s website: calhouncounty.sc.
gov . Council unanimously agreed to contract with Laurens-based accounting firm Love Bailey to conduct the county's audits for 2024 through 2026. The county will spend $156,000 for auditing services over a three-year period.
The county will spend $50,500 for the 2024 audit; $52,000 for 2025 and $53,500 for 2026. County Deputy Administrator Richard Hall said the company will save the county $30,000 in auditing services. “They've got more governmental experience.
They’ve got the full faith of our internal auditors who in the time they have been here have shown us they are trustworthy and are able to get us where we need to be,” Hall said. “We are comfortable they can get the job done.” The county has had some challenges with its audit over the past few years.
The South Carolina Treasurer's Office is currently withholding about $376,474 from the county because it did not meet the Jan. 1 deadline to submit its audit for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023. The treasurer’s office will release the money when the county submits the audit.
The delay has been due to a number of factors, including staff turnover. South Carolina state law mandates counties perform and submit annual audits. In other business: Red Rock, which has been the master developer of the industrial park, paid about $1.
7 million to build the road. Initially, the county provided Red Rock with a 30 percent SSRC to pay for the road’s construction cost over five years. Council also unanimously approved taking over ownership and maintenance of the road going forward.
McLauchlin said county officials walked the road and determined it was acceptable to bring into the county's maintenance system. Contact the writer: [email protected] or 803-533-5551.
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