Mayor wants to invest in Hartsville's future

HARTSVILLE – Mayor Mel Pennington told the Hartsville Kiwanis Club that he would give a State of the City speech next month to mark his first 100 days in office and described his vision for the city on Thursday at the Hartsville Country Club.

“We are looking at the toughest fiscal year we’ve been through in 100 years,” Mayor Pennington said. “The next thing we’re going to invest in is something that gives city residents a return on investment.”

He said his administration is looking for efficiencies not personnel or service cuts. One example is the possible consolidation and renegotiation of cell phones contracts.

They are also looking at structural changes, shifting responsibilities and roles to make the government run more efficiently and creating a more centralized government in Hartsville.

“My vision is to make Hartsville the central hub for those (surrounding) rural municipalities,” the mayor said. “I don’t consider Hartsville a rural municipality.”

The broadband initiative, one of his campaign’s highlights, would give the city a source of revenue within the city and from nearby localities such as McBee and Lamar.

Dave Stockton of Uptown Services LLC has begun work on the feasibility study for the project. The study is due in March, and the city would learn if it was awarded funds in May or June. Building the system and infrastructure would take six to eight months.

While the mayor agreed for the need to curb wasteful spending and grant opportunities, he said, “The reality is the damage is done. If we don’t get (any of the stimulus funds), someone else will.”

The infrastructure for the broadband project would be built with federal money and allow the city to offer resident higher quality service for 10 to 20 percent less.

“Our city needs an economic development spur like broadband,” Mayor Pennington said.

He said, once implemented, citizens could see a lower tax burden, a better quality of life and a boost to the educational system. The move would give the city a “foot up” in terms of technological advances.

“If this works out, it’ll change the face of Hartsville forever,” the mayor said. “It’ll bring us into the 21st century.”

He said his centralization approach would include more than the broadbrand initiative; it would include a green waste, recycling program. The end result of such a program would be the elimination of the yellow bags in the city limits and cleaner city streets.

“My goal is to have a better way of approaching garbage,” Mayor Pennington said. He added that the city currently sells cardboard and waste paper but gives away plastic bottles.

The biggest thing that has happened in the city since taking office is the change in management, the mayor said. Dr. Jim Pennington resigned after eight years as city manager at the end of January to pursue other opportunities.

Former Planning Commission Chair Vern Myers is serving as interim city manager until the position is filled permanently. The mayor added that he already has two applications on his desk from qualified people.

One question from the Kiwanis members concerned the hotel being constructed at Fourth Street and Carolina Avenue.

Rumors of the hotel’s financing falling through were only half-true, the mayor said. The company had some financing fall through but has replaced it with other funds.

The mayor noted that the company’s contract does not require it to break ground until July. The company is slated to start the footing at the end of this month.

There is no restaurant yet. Given the economic condition, franchisees are not moving, and banks are not lending. The mayor said that within six months there will be restaurant for the location as it is prime property in Hartsville.