Darlington County Council elects Blackwell as new chairman

Darlington County Council elected Wesley Blackwell of Hartsville as its new chairman Tuesday during the council’s first meeting of 2009.

Billy Baldwin of Darlington, who served as chairman for the past two years, will serve as vice chairman. Council also re-elected Dannie Douglas of Society Hill as chaplain.

Councilman Alex “Buz” Shaw of Hartsville nominated Blackwell for the chairman’s post, a position Blackwell has held in the past. Shaw commended Baldwin for his efforts in his two years as chairman. But he said that after two years, he felt a change was needed.

Blackwell was elected without opposition. Councilwoman Wilhelmina Johnson of Darlington didn’t vote and council member Anne Warr of Lamar was unable to attend the meeting.

Blackwell said he wants to see a greater emphasis placed by council on planning and scheduled a planning work session for council for Jan. 26 at 6 p.m.

Baldwin, Johnson, Shaw and Le Flowers also were sworn in for new terms Tuesday.

In other business, council accepted a $29,000 grant commitment from the State Budget and Control Board to help pay for sewerage improvements at Darlington County Animal Shelter.

State Sen. Gerald Malloy, D-Hartsville, and state Reps. Jay Lucas, R-Hartsville, and Robert Williams, D-Darlington, were present to discuss the grant, which the county’s legislative delegation secured. The funding will eliminate failing septic tanks and pay for a force main and lift station for the shelter’s use.

Baldwin managed to secure private funding to cover the $8,100 match required of the county to obtain the grant.

And council approved a request from Darlington County Sheriff Wayne Byrd to allow his office to apply for three grants, one to fund a gang investigator, one to fund forensic services personnel for crime scene investigations and one to pay for an automated fingerprint device.

Byrd said the grants will be awarded in July but the applications had to be submitted now. He also introduced new administrative staff for the sheriff’s office, including Jerry Thompson, who will serve as chief deputy. He said he has restructured the sheriff’s office, eliminating one administrative position, and adjusted the salary schedule and pay grades for employees.

Some employees will see pay reductions, Byrd said, but more will see some increase in pay. He said the office budget for salaries will realize a savings of a few hundred dollars.

Council approved a funding transfer request from Byrd to pay for contracted medical services for the Darlington County Detention Center, which Byrd said will provide medical staff at the center for an extra four hours a day and on weekends.