Florence County Council OKs new museum funds

FLORENCE — Florence County Council has voted to accept nearly $8 million in grants and spend nearly $4 million in county funds to build a new Florence Museum of Art, Science and History.

“We’ve been working on this since 1924,” museum Executive Director Andrew Stout said with a smile after council’s vote Thursday.

The museum was established in 1924 and has been in its building at 558 Spruce St., near Timrod Park, since 1952.

Council unanimously decided to accept and match the funding as well as buy land at the corner of Cheves and Dargan streets for the new museum.

The city of Florence gave the county a six-month, $200,000 option to buy the vacant land. The option would have expired next month.

The Drs. Bruce and Lee Foundation is making a $3.9 million grant toward the museum, and the state is providing an additional $3.9 million that would have expired after June.

The county is matching $3.9 million from its general fund balance, according to the motion made by councilman Ken Ard.

The new museum facility will be built from the ground up, council chairman K.G. “Rusty” Smith said.

Some local officials had mentioned the possibility of using the neighboring Kimbrell’s building in the museum plans.

The Drs. Bruce and Lee Foundation had envisioned a new building on the corner of Cheves and Dargan, although use of the Kimbrell’s building might be possible if the city wished to contribute the facility, councilman James Schofield said.

The county has begun collecting a 2-percent hospitality tax on prepared food and beverages, which was designated to establish a cultural commission to help the museum find matching funds for the new facility.

Collections of the tax also go toward Lake City’s National Bean Market Museum.

“The money’s already coming in to operate (the Florence museum),” Schofield said.

The museum will be similar to the Drs. Bruce & Lee Foundation Library in that people will see the benefit to the community once it’s completed, he said.

“It’s all for the good of our children, our community,” Stout said.

He said the Smithsonian Institution has been calling the museum regarding an exhibit for William H. Johnson, a renowned black artist born in Florence. The museum might be able to host the exhibit in 2014 if it can offer adequate space by having the new building, he said.

“This would be an excellent exhibit to kick us off into the future,” Stout said.

Council also voted to allocate $985,000 from the county general fund balance as one-time capital expense assistance for the Lower Florence County Hospital District.

Smith said he and Florence County Administrator Richard Starks will meet with the hospital board and staff to determine how to spend the money on updated equipment to provide the “utmost in health care for the citizens.”

In addition, council approved giving Timmonsville a loan of as much as $200,000 from the county’s general fund balance, subject to the county attorney’s review.

The loan aims to help with water department shortfalls and sewer issues that have caused financial troubles for Timmonsville, said councilman Mitchell Kirby, whose district includes the town.

The loan would be repaid in 10 equal annual payments from ad valorem tax distributions, Kirby said in his motion Thursday. In addition, the county would enter an intergovernmental agreement to govern and assist regarding the loan process.

Council also unanimously approved Florence County Veterans Affairs Officer Rick Walden’s request for $500 in his budget to help the county’s veterans pay for transportation to medical appointments.

“The last thing I want to see is a veteran canceling an appointment due to lack of transportation,” Walden told council.

Residents and groups scheduled to speak Thursday regarding breed-specific legislation related to dogs as well as the discharging of firearms in the county didn’t appear before council and have rescheduled their appearances.

In other business, council voted unanimously to:

• Approve second reading of the updated Community Facilities element of the county’s comprehensive plan, which is undergoing an update as required by state law.
• Approve $10,000 in county Road System Maintenance Fee funds to resurface Rockmore Street in Florence with asphalt.
• Approve $6,500 in county infrastructure funds to help the Hannah-Pamplico Youth League replace four dugout roofs at Laverne Ard Athletic Park.
• Approve $5,000 in county utility funds to help Scranton extend its water lines into the county.