Council renews emergency measures

Emergency ordinance identical to previous ones

Simpsonville, S.C. — Simpsonville City Council adopted on Tuesday night an ordinance that renews measures to help prevent the spread of the Novel Coronavirus Disease 2019.

At the business meeting held via an online meeting service and live streamed via the City of Simpsonville YouTube Channel, Council voted unanimously to approve ordinance 2020-04. The ordinance continues the state of emergency declaration, enables Council to conduct meetings electronically, directs the city administrator to provide public access to meetings via the internet and allows the administrator to cancel public events and close public facilities.

Each emergency ordinance lasts for 60 days. The ordinance adopted in July was set to expire Tuesday, prompting Council to adopt the fourth one.

Council also unanimously approved Resolution 2020-04 to certify the property at 102 S.E. Main St., or Burdette Central, as an abandoned textile mill under the S.C. Textile Communities Revitalization Act. The Act allows for redevelopment expenditures for property designated as an "abandoned textile mill site" to qualify for state income tax credits.

In addition, Council unanimously approved Resolution 2020-05 committing the City to provide a local match of at least $3,750 for a Municipal Association of South Carolina Hometown Economic Development grant. Cities applying for the grant must provide at least 15 percent of the dollar amount applied for, which is $25,000.

The grant and local matching funds will be used for engineering, designing and surveying of phase 2 of the Swamp Rabbit Trail from Fairview Road to Heritage Park.

Simpsonville City Council will hold a Committee of the Whole meeting via an online meeting service Sept. 22 at 6:30 p.m. The public may view the meeting on the City of Simpsonville YouTube Channel.