Kershaw County Council members unanimously voted to remove several contentious items from the agenda, including a proposed cease and desist notice regarding a local firing range and a discussion regarding the Land Jam event
Council members expressed a preference for private property disputes to be resolved between the involved parties without direct government intervention.
7 votes7 passed
The vote behind the headline
Deletion of Cease and Desist written notice regarding firing range from agenda:Council removed a contentious item regarding a firing range cease and desist order from the agenda.
Unanimous · 7-0
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How they voted - unanimous
✓ Julian Burns✓ Russell Brazell✓ Sammie Tucker Jr.✓ Ben Connell✓ Jimmy Jones✓ David Snodgrass✓ Tom Gardner
In a unanimous vote, Council removed the consideration of a cease and desist notice regarding a local firing range from the agenda. The issue, which had sparked public testimony earlier in the meeting, involves a dispute between private property owners. The Kershaw County Sheriff advised the Council that both sides had engaged experts to resolve the matter, recommending that the county take no further action at this time. Several Council members echoed this sentiment, stating that the government should not intervene in private property disputes unless absolutely necessary. By removing the item, the Council opted to allow the ongoing mediation between the parties to continue without immediate government intervention, reflecting a desire to let cooler heads prevail.
Central Carolina Technical College Presentation (Public Presentation):Council voted to remove a scheduled presentation from Central Carolina Technical College from the meeting agenda.
Unanimous · 7-0
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How they voted - unanimous
✓ Julian Burns✓ Russell Brazell✓ Sammie Tucker Jr.✓ Ben Connell✓ Jimmy Jones✓ David Snodgrass✓ Tom Gardner
What this was about
The Central Carolina Technical College presentation was originally scheduled as a public presentation item for the February 11 meeting. However, the item was pulled from the agenda at the request of County Administrator Vic Carpenter, who informed Council that Dr. Makota, the intended speaker, was unavailable to attend that evening. Administrator Carpenter suggested the presentation be rescheduled for a future council meeting date. Council members unanimously supported the motion to delete the item from the night's proceedings without debate. This procedural move ensures that when the presentation does occur, the appropriate parties are available to address the Council fully regarding the college's programs or initiatives. No further action was taken regarding the college during this meeting.
Deletion of Central Carolina Technical College item from agenda:Council unanimously voted to remove the Central Carolina Technical College presentation from the night's agenda.
Unanimous · 7-0
▸detailsless
How they voted - unanimous
✓ Julian Burns✓ Russell Brazell✓ Sammie Tucker Jr.✓ Ben Connell✓ Jimmy Jones✓ David Snodgrass✓ Tom Gardner
What this was about
This vote finalized the administrative decision to remove the Central Carolina Technical College presentation from the February 11 meeting agenda. The action was initiated by Councilman Sammie Tucker Jr., following confirmation from Administrator Vic Carpenter that the guest speaker was unavailable to attend. The Council voted unanimously to delete the item, ensuring the agenda remained streamlined for the evening. This move reflects the Council's practice of adjusting the schedule when essential presenters or speakers cannot be present to participate in the public forum. The item is expected to be rescheduled for a future date when the representative from the college can provide their full presentation to the council members.
Council voted to remove the discussion regarding the Land Jam event from the February 11 agenda. Councilman Ben Connell moved to delete the item, noting that county staff were scheduled to meet with the event promoter the following day to resolve outstanding logistical issues, specifically regarding parking. Council members agreed that a discussion during the meeting would not move the project forward effectively until those logistical concerns were addressed by staff. By removing it from the agenda, the Council allowed the staff-led planning process to continue privately before bringing any formal proposal back to the public body. The vote to delete the item was unanimous.
Deletion of Cease and Desist written notice regarding firing range from agenda:Council removed a contentious item regarding a firing range cease and desist order from the agenda.
Unanimous · 7-0
▸detailsless
How they voted - unanimous
✓ Julian Burns✓ Russell Brazell✓ Sammie Tucker Jr.✓ Ben Connell✓ Jimmy Jones✓ David Snodgrass✓ Tom Gardner
In a unanimous vote, Council removed the consideration of a cease and desist notice regarding a local firing range from the agenda. The issue, which had sparked public testimony earlier in the meeting, involves a dispute between private property owners. The Kershaw County Sheriff advised the Council that both sides had engaged experts to resolve the matter, recommending that the county take no further action at this time. Several Council members echoed this sentiment, stating that the government should not intervene in private property disputes unless absolutely necessary. By removing the item, the Council opted to allow the ongoing mediation between the parties to continue without immediate government intervention, reflecting a desire to let cooler heads prevail.
Approval of the agenda as amended:Council unanimously approved the final meeting agenda after removing three specific items.
Unanimous · 7-0
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How they voted - unanimous
✓ Julian Burns✓ Russell Brazell✓ Sammie Tucker Jr.✓ Ben Connell✓ Jimmy Jones✓ David Snodgrass✓ Tom Gardner
What this was about
Following the individual votes to delete the Central Carolina Technical College presentation, the Land Jam discussion, and the firing range cease and desist notice, the Council held a final vote to approve the agenda as amended. This procedural step solidified the changes requested by the various council members to ensure the meeting could focus on the remaining business. The motion was made by Councilman Sammie Tucker Jr. and seconded by Councilman Bozard, and it passed with unanimous support. This ensured that the meeting would proceed as planned without the contentious or premature items that had been slated for discussion.
The Council formally reviewed and approved the minutes from the January 28 meeting. Routine in nature, this vote confirms that the official record of the previous meeting accurately reflects the actions and discussions held by the body. No corrections or additions were requested by the members, and the minutes were passed with a unanimous vote. Maintaining accurate meeting minutes is a critical component of local government transparency in Kershaw County.
Rezoning of approximately 6 acres from RD2 to R15 (1st Reading):Council passed the first reading of a rezoning request for 6 acres to accommodate future residential growth.Development
Unanimous · 7-0
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How they voted - unanimous
✓ Julian Burns✓ Russell Brazell✓ Sammie Tucker Jr.✓ Ben Connell✓ Jimmy Jones✓ David Snodgrass✓ Tom Gardner
Council unanimously approved the first reading of an ordinance to rezone approximately six acres of land from RD2 to R15. The property is located in East Camden, an area that Councilman Danny Snodgrass highlighted as a focus for development and growth. The rezoning request had already received a unanimous recommendation for approval from the Planning Commission. During the discussion, Council members addressed concerns regarding fire protection and water infrastructure, with Councilman Connell noting that the CEO of Cassett Water had expressed a willingness to assist with fire flow needs. The developer, Mr. Bach, was praised for his previous work in the area, and the move is seen as a positive step toward meeting the housing needs of the county's growing population.
Insurance Trust Awards: South Carolina Association of Counties representatives presented the county with an Outstanding Safety Achievement Award for a distracted driving campaign and a service award to Barry Cato for his risk management contributions.
Voter Registration Demonstration: Elections Director John Kaufman demonstrated the county's new paper-based voting system, noting that while the new machines include features for voters with disabilities, the county is hiring extra staff to ensure voters scan their ballots before leaving the precinct.
Flood Recovery: Administrator Vic Carpenter reported on the recent flood response and announced that the county will waive all building permit fees for repairs related to flood damage through the end of March.
Public comment▸showhide
Residents and local business owners provided testimony regarding the ongoing dispute over a firing range, with some advocating for stricter enforcement of noise ordinances and others defending the range as a necessity for veteran transition and public safety.
Other speakers encouraged citizens to serve on local boards and commissions, suggested revisions to sign regulations to attract new businesses, and expressed concerns regarding biological safety and emergency preparedness.
Coming up▸showhide
General Election Filing: Candidates for office may file from March 16 through March 30 at 12:00 PM.
Democratic Presidential Preference Primary: Scheduled for Saturday, February 29.
Unity in the Community Event: Scheduled for April 4 at the Springdale race course.
Spring Litter Pickup: Scheduled for March 21.
Independent summary, generated from the county's public video, not an official county communication.
How this recap was made: Prepared from the meeting's live-stream transcript. The county's official minutes (the verified vote record) will be cross-checked automatically once the county publishes them, often a couple of months later. This is an automated summary written by software (a neural-network summarizer working from the documents above). Rely on the official county record for anything important.
