SUMTER COUNTY, S.C. NEWS

Sumter County Council Tuesday evening approved a Proclamation declaring June as Vitiligo Awareness Month.
Vitiligo is a chronic autoimmune disorder that causes patches of skin to lose pigment or color.
Tiffany Williams, the Stormwater Department Office Manager, thanked members of Council for helping bring awareness to Vitiligo.
She was diagnosed as having Vitiligo several years ago and started the first ever Vitiligo Support Group in Sumter in 2012.
In January 2023, Williams and several members of the group donated six Vitiligo-focused children’s books to the Sumter County Library.
On Tuesday she thanked County Council for approving the Proclamation.

Sumter Veteran Matthew White Tuesday evening led the Pledge of Allegiance before County Council’s regular meeting.
White served our Nation in the U.S Marine Corps from October 2008 to March 2011. He is the Junior Vice Commandant in the Sumter Marine Corps League #1202.
He lives in District 5, which is represented by Councilwoman Vivian Fleming-McGhaney.
Thank you for your service, Mr. White.

Sumter County Council on May 23 approved second reading of a balanced budget for the upcoming Fiscal Year.
Sumter County Administrator Gary Mixon spoke briefly about an ordinance authorizing the issuance and sale of general obligation bonds not exceeding $3.5 million.
No one spoke during the Public Hearing and second reading was approved.
Mixon then spoke about the proposed general fund operating budget, which stands at $61,171,706, and includes a 2-mill increase that would be offset by the Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) credit.
Built into that are a 3.7 percent increase in employee health insurance, a retirement increase, a Cost-Of-Living (COLA) increase of 3 percent, and a proposed $25,000 minimum salary for county employees.
No one spoke during the Public Hearing and second reading was approved on a 5-2 vote with Vice Chairman Jimmy Byrd and Councilman Charles Edens voting against it.
Sumter County Attorney Johnathan Bryan then spoke about an ordinance to approve a storm water drainage easement on property adjacent to Brewington Road.
Second reading was approved.
Councilman Carlton Washington commented on a May 22 public meeting involving officials from Shaw Air Force Base discussing groundwater contamination. Washington advocated for involvement of elected officials at the federal level.
Mixon reported that Sumter County is prepared to present its ‘Stash The Trash’ Litter Initiative to the South Carolina Association of Counties in competition for the J. Graham Mitchell Award.
Councilman Charles Edens reported that from the recent Sumter Litter Advisory Board meeting, he learned that since January, about 75 tons of litter have been picked up county-wide between city, county and state entities.
Councilman Washington commented he’s noticed a visible difference of less litter around the county.
There were no comments during Public Hearing and the meeting adjourned at 6:23 p.m.