Simpsonville City Council held a regularly scheduled Committee of the Whole* meeting on Sept. 23, 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:
- 1. Call to Order: Mayor Shewmaker called the meeting to order at 6 p.m.
- 2. Roll Call: Present were Councilman Chad O’Rear (Ward 1), Councilman Aaron Rupe (Ward 2), Councilwoman Shannon Williams (Ward 3), Councilwoman Sherry Roche (Ward 4), Councilman Tim Pinkerton (Ward 5), Councilman Lou Hutchings (Ward 6), Mayor Paul Shewmaker; none were absent.
- 3. Pledge of Allegiance
- 4. Presentation
- Proclamation – 75th Anniversary of Scout Troop 159: Mayor Paul Shewmaker read aloud for the record and presented to Scout Troop 159 “Proclamation – 75th Anniversary of Scout Troop 159.”
- Remarks by Hillcrest High School Interim Principal – Hillcrest High School Interim Principal April Reese introduced herself to Council and discussed the values, mission and accomplishments of the only high school in Simpsonville city limits. Hillcrest High’s expected graduation rate for the 2024-2025 school year is about 93 percent, about 10 points higher than the state’s average graduation rate of 83 percent.
- Tree City USA – Forest Management Chief for S.C. Forestry Commission Russell Hubright presented to the City of Simpsonville the designation of Tree City USA, an accomplishment that involved the efforts of Public Works Director and city’s arborist Andy West and Councilman Hutchings. With approximately 20,000 cities or towns in the United States, only about 3,600 of them can boast the Tree City USA designation.
- Municipal Elected Officials Institute: Field Service Manager for the Municipal Elected Officials Institute of the Municipal Association of South Carolina presented to Council a plaque welcoming the City of Simpsonville to the Municipal Elected Officials Institute of Government 2025 Honor Roll in recognition of the graduation of all Council members and Mayor Shewmaker of the Institute. With 271 councils in South Carolina, Simpsonville City Council is one of only 14 councils on the Honor Roll.
- 5. Approval of Minutes: City Council approved the minutes with two amendments by Mayor Shewmaker.
- 6. Citizen Comments: Canebrake Fire Chief from Canebrake Fire Department out of southern Greenville County publicly thanked and recognized Simpsonville Fire Chief Harold Nichols and the Simpsonville Fire Department for providing coverage on Sept. 12 so that Canebrake could escort the body of one of their firefighters to the mortuary after he was tragically killed in an off-duty vehicle accident and again on Sept. 17 so that Canebrake could attend the firefighter’s funeral. Fire departments like Simpsonville and Canebrake have mutual aid agreements that enable various kinds of assistance.
- 7. Staff Reports
- Financial Report: Finance Director Maria Tooley provided an update on the City’s finances to Council. Councilman Rupe asked for information about any trends in new requests for or renewals of business licenses. Ms. Tooley said that she would follow up with Councilman Rupe.
- City Administrator Report: City Administrator Tee Coker provided an update on several City projects, initiatives and topics. Mr. Coker stated that Administration is advising against submitting an application for a grant through the Housing & Urban Development Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery program for damage from Tropical Storm Helene. The rationale provided by Mr. Coker was that the household income-based program requirement is overly restrictive and would not allow the City to address its stormwater needs. Staff is exploring other options to address stormwater challenges like S.C. Rural Infrastructure Authority’s Economic Infrastructure grant program.
- 8. Business
- A. Proposed Business License Ordinance: Council voted 7-0 to approve the motion to place on the agenda for the October business meeting a business license ordinance proposed by Finance Director Tooley to update its business licensing class schedule. South Carolina Act 176, Business License Standardization Act requires all municipalities and counties with a business license tax to update its business licensing class schedule every odd-numbered year, hence 2025, to then take effect in the following even-numbered year, i.e. 2026. Because the City must remain in compliance with state law, Council is essentially required to approve such an ordinance. A business license schedule is the detailed listing of different business categories or classes in a local ordinance that are used to determine the amount of a business license tax. Councilwoman Williams made the motion; Councilman Rupe made the second.
- B. Resolution Committing the City of Simpsonville to providing a local match for a Municipal Association of South Carolina “Big Idea Grant:” Council voted 7-0 to approve the motion to place on the agenda for a special meeting** on Sept. 25 a resolution that would commit the City to providing a local match of at least $5,000 for a $100,000 grant for which the City is applying. Expenses for a project by the City would be reimbursed to the City as long as the project is completed within 24 months of the awarding of the grant. Mr. Coker said the project is a “really fantastic project” and a “much-needed” project on the 1-acre property near South Main Street, Fairview Road and rail line. According to Coker the parcel is too small to be developed, and it has sat empty for decades. The City would obtain the property from a private property owner to create an amenities space that serves three purposes: 1) a park, 2) a trailhead for the Swamp Rabbit Trail, and 3) a dual gateway into downtown and South East Main Street where Heritage Park and the CCNB Amphitheatre are located. The space would include signage and trees. Coker said a portion of the project could be done in-house by a staff that “is very talented and capable.” Projects submitted for the Big Idea Grant are required to be transformative, creative and innovative. The City will submit on Sept. 26 the grant application that will include the resolution that Council is expected to approve at the special meeting on Sept. 25. Councilwoman Roche made the motion; Councilman Hutchings made the second.
- Councilwoman Roche said the project “is a great use” for the property and is “thrilled” about using the property as a green space.
- Councilman O’Rear asked Mr. Coker if there is a “top-end” to the local match figure, given the grant requires at least a $5,000 match, to which Mr. Coker responded in the negative and added that the City would want to “keep it as small as possible.” Mr. O’Rear alluded to the designation of the City as a Tree City USA earlier in the meeting and said the lot would “look great” with trees, also noting the roads near the area are highly traveled.
- Councilman Hutchings said he is “very much in favor” of the project, which he said is a good idea to “spur interest in the (Swamp Rabbit) Trail,” adding that he is “all in.”
- Mayor Shewmaker suggested “Green Line Park” as a name for future consideration.
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- 9. Adjournment: Mayor Shewmaker adjourned the meeting at 6:53 p.m. without objection.
Visit the meeting webpage at the following link: Committee of the Whole 09-23-2025.
*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.
**Simpsonville City Council voted 6-0 at the special meeting on Sept. 25, 2025 to approve the Resolution committing the City of Simpsonville to providing a local match for a Municipal Association of South Carolina “Big Idea Grant.” City staff will include the resolution in the grant application, which is to be submitted before or by Sept. 26.