Simpsonville City Council held a regularly scheduled Committee of the Whole* meeting on Aug. 26, 2025 in Council Chambers a.k.a. “The Ellipse.” Results of votes taken are not final decisions of the Council but have the status of recommendations or declarations of intent to be further considered by Council in succeeding meetings. Below is a recap of the meeting:
Present: Councilman Chad O’Rear (Ward 1), Councilman Aaron Rupe (Ward 2), Councilwoman Shannon Williams (Ward 3), Mayor Pro Tem and presiding officer Sherry Roche (Ward 4), Councilman Tim Pinkerton (Ward 5), Councilman Lou Hutchings (Ward 6)
Absent: Mayor Paul Shewmaker
- At the request of Councilman Hutchings, City Council recognized Hillcrest High School students and Mock Trial team members Jerelle Anthony, Bella Collins, Nick Fann, Ryan Hurson and Nikki Wu for winning the National Judicial Competition. Advisor to the team and Hillcrest High teacher Dr. Ashley Causey and Executive Director of SC YMCA Youth in Government Mary Capers Bledsoe praised the students not only for their win but also for taking initiative to form the team, learn and practice the mock trial process and skills, and even hold fundraisers to pay for their team expenses. The Hillcrest High team faced formidable opponents who had expert coaches and extensive experience, and Hillcrest High came out on top.
- City Council approved the minutes as written without objection.
- Rod Folk expressed during Citizen Comments that he supports the proposed ordinance by Councilman Pinkerton to appropriate the proceeds from the sale of the old city hall property of $840,000 to establish and fund a stormwater initiative fund.
- Planning & Economic Development Director Jon Derby gave a presentation on the review of the City’s Comprehensive Plan, which the state mandates municipalities adopt and then evaluate every five years.
- Finance Director Maria Tooley gave the monthly financial report for the first time in her new role.
- City Administrator Tee Coker said in his report that the City would be receiving about $2.2 million in reimbursement for Tropical Storm Helene damage. Mr. Coker said that City staff attended a workshop about the implementation of a Housing & Urban Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery program, the purpose of which is to provide local and state governments with competitive funding opportunities for stormwater infrastructure, voluntary buyouts, plans and studies and federal funds match programs.
- City Council voted 6-0 to move to the next business meeting on Sept. 9 Short-Term Rental Ordinance O-2025-08. Councilman Pinkerton made the motion, and Councilman Rupe made the second (visit the link below to the Committee of the Whole meeting webpage for more information).
- City Council voted 6-0 to move to the next business meeting Miscellaneous Refinements to the Zoning Ordinance TX-2025-02. Councilman O’Rear made the motion, and Councilman Hutchings made the second (visit the link below to the Committee of the Whole meeting webpage for more information).
- City Council voted 6-0 to move to the next business meeting Councilman Pinkerton’s proposed ordinance to appropriate proceeds from the sale of old city hall to establish and fund a stormwater initiative. Councilman Pinkerton made the motion, and Councilman Rupe made the second. All Council members expressed support for the ordinance to possibly fund a stormwater study, repair stormwater issues on and off the City’s rights-of-way and/or directly target known problem areas. Mayor Pro Tem Roche, who voted in support of the ordinance, explained that one reason past Council cohorts have not directly addressed stormwater issues throughout the City is that helping one leads to the expectation of helping all when helping all may not be possible or feasible. Ms. Roche also favored a stormwater study to avoid unintended consequences resulting from addressing certain problem areas.
- City Council voted 6-0 after Executive Session to authorize City Administrator Coker to engage services of an employment attorney for legal matters pertaining to employee compensation and to shift departmental budgets, provided the overall budget appropriations do not change.
The meeting starting at 6 p.m., and Council adjourned at 7:50 p.m.
Visit the meeting webpage at the following link: Committee of the Whole 08-26-2025.
*Committee of the Whole meetings allows City Council to receive information concerning issues that are anticipated to come before Council at upcoming regularly scheduled business meetings. The purpose of Committee of the Whole meetings is to provide a forum for thorough and detailed discussions and considerations of current or prospective Council agenda items.