Florence County Council gives final OK to incentives for company

Florence County Council has given its final approval to incentive and lease agreements for an advanced-materials company looking to create about 120 jobs in Lake City.

Fletcher, N.C.-based Materials Innovation Technologies hopes to build a new facility to reclaim carbon fiber from composites, Jim Stike, the company’s founder and president, said in a phone interview Tuesday. The carbon fiber would be used in automobile or aerospace components, he said.

Council members approved two ordinances regarding the company on Thursday, when they met at the National Bean Market Museum in Lake City.

Materials Innovation Technologies would make an initial investment of about $4 million, which it hopes to double in two to three years, Stike said.

Council Chairman K.G. “Rusty” Smith said the announcement is proof that Florence County has made economic development a priority and that the county has seen a half-billion dollars of investment “during these trying times.”

“Hopefully, after tonight, it will proceed immediately,” he said of the project.

One ordinance allows the lease and sale of land for the company while the property would be subject to certain payments in lieu of taxes, according to the ordinance.

A related ordinance, which also passed third reading, provides for Florence and Williamsburg counties to expand the jointly owned industrial park where the business would be located. County documents show the company’s Lake City location would be at Godley Morris Commerce Center, off S.C. 341 just west of town.

Councilman James Schofield said during Thursday’s meeting that neither the county nor the city of Florence is responsible for higher tax bills he has received several phone calls about. Instead, he said, Florence School District 1, based around the city of Florence, has raised its taxes by 28.3 mills for debt service as it begins to renovate and build new schools.

Council members also voted Thursday to authorize five new patrol deputy jobs for the county sheriff’s office. Sheriff Kenney Boone said a $282,000 federal stimulus grant providing equipment for the new officers hinges on the creation of the new positions.

Boone said his staff is looking within his department’s budget for interim funding that would pay for the new officers through July 1, when council would commit to funding the new positions.

Council on Thursday also approved second reading of an ordinance that aims to repair or get rid of structures determined to be unsafe.

Council’s Public Safety and County Planning Committee will review the measure, however, after councilman James Schofield said he was concerned that a code official can enforce it only when a law enforcement officer in Florence County submits a written complaint about a property.

The county is aiming to avoid situations where neighbors would be turning in neighbors, Smith said. Schofield said code officials should have the leeway, with the county administrator’s approval, to take action in certain cases regarding dilapidated, unsafe buildings.

The current building code states that the code official and county can take action only when a building is a hazard to someone in the public right-of-way or on someone else’s property, Florence County Planning Director Bill Hoge said earlier this week.

Hoge also said Friday is his last day with the planning department. He has accepted a job with Alion Science and Technology as a senior military analyst at Shaw Air Force Base, near Sumter, he said. Florence County Emergency Management Director Dusty Owens will serve as interim planning director, Hoge said.

In other business, council:

Voted to use $103,000 in previously allocated Rural Development Act funds to convert a roundabout to a T-intersection on Florence Harllee Boulevard at the entrance to H.J. Heinz Co.’s future Florence facility.

Voted to apply with Lake City for a Community Development Block Grant that would fund a $452,912 project to bring water and fire hydrants for 92 homes in the Glendale School Road community west of Lake City; in addition, $24,285 in council utility funds will go toward the 10 percent local match for the grant.

Recognized Florence County Sheriff’s Lt. Wayne Howard for raising money for youth programs, including the sheriff’s office’s Camp Pee Dee Pride.

Recognized Lake City musical group The Plaids — John Coleman, Roger Kirby, Happy Pendergraft, Craig Shutte and accompanist Faith Godwin — for their contributions to fundraisers that benefit the community.

Approved second reading of an ordinance establishing new residential zoning districts of R-3A (single-family) and R-5A (multi-family), which would allow no manufactured housing to meet the needs of the West Sumter Street community in Florence as well as certain areas of Johnsonville.

Voted to accept $572,300 in federal stimulus funds to improve energy efficiency at six county buildings.

Voted to pay First Citizens Bank and Trust Co. Inc. $37,000 for the property at 220 E. Main St. in Olanta, which the county has been leasing for the magistrate’s office in the town.

Voted to approve $1,500 apiece for the senior centers in Florence and Lake City to provide Thanksgiving turkeys for senior citizens.

Voted to buy two ambulances for $235,624.

Voted to accept a $149,920 Justice Assistance Grant for the purchase of law enforcement equipment.

Approved infrastructure funding allocations of $12,598 to help Pamplico buy five handheld radios and chargers, as well as $14,600 to assist the Back Swamp School Trust Inc. in enhancing the historical Back Swamp School Building on Pocket Road near Florence.