County council returns to historic courthouse, approves budget vote

The Laurens County Council returned to its traditional chambers at the newly renovated historic County Courthouse for its regular meeting for the first time in nearly four years Monday night.

The meeting marked the first time the county’s business had been conducted at the 188-year-old courthouse since October of 2022. The building was closed for renovations in 2023 as part of a total restoration project that cost $15 million and was funded in part by a Capital Project Sales Tax passed by county voters during the 2020 General Election.

“It’s an honor to be back here in this building,” County Council Chairman Jeff Carroll said.

The spacious remodeled council chambers welcomed members of the public for the first time for something more than recently offered tours.

Those in attendance included members of the Laurens County 250 Committee. Committee Chair Ernie Segars outlined the statewide celebration of the American Revolutionary War in South Carolina and the county’s Revolutionary War history.

“I had no idea of the breadth and depth of the Revolutionary War here in Laurens County,” said Segars, a Laurens County native and life-long resident.

The county along with the rest of the state will be observing Carolina Day at 3 p.m. on June 28 at the First Baptist Church of Laurens. The date is nod to the defense of Charleston from the British naval ships from Fort Moultrie – then called Fort Sullivan – on June 28, 1776, just one week prior to the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

In addition to the celebration on June 28, Segars and the committee along with the Laurens County Museum have emphasized Laurens County battle sites, including Musgrove Mill, Hayes Station and Hammond’s Old Store.

For information on Carolina Day and Laurens County 250, visit laurenscounty250.com.

Council also took action on several ordinances, including second reading of the General and Fire budgets for 2026-27.

Second reading of the 71-page, $42,474,996 general fund budget was approved 5-1 with Vice-Chair Matthew Brownlee voting against it. The balanced budget is a nearly $3 million increase over the current fiscal year’s general budget of $39,143,593.

Each year’s budget for Laurens County Fire Services is approved separately. This year’s final fire budget totaled $5,546,237, up from just over $5.2 million for the current fiscal year.

Second reading for the fire budget was approved 6-0. Councilman Kemp Younts was absent.

A public hearing on the budget is scheduled prior to a special meeting of council on Monday, June 22. Third and final reading of the 2026-27 budget ordinance will follow the public hearing.

County Tax Assessor G.W. Dailey also told council that tax notices were to be mailed Tuesday (June 9), but emphasized that the tax notices are not tax bills.

If property owners do not receive a notice by July 1, they should contact the assessor’s office. Appeals will be considered through Sept. 8.

In other action:

• Council approved first reading of an animal control ordinance designed to help control the animal population and reduce the number of strays that end up in the Laurens County Animal Shelter.

The ordinance was approved by name only as details continued to be worked out by County Attorney Wes Meetze.

Initially, the ordinance is to address repeat offenders who allow their animals to roam without leaches and those who ignore spay and neuter requirements.

Councilman Brown Patterson urged Meetze to set penalties for offenders in the ordinance language.

• Third and final reading of an expansion of Hunter Industrial Park was approved by a 6-0 vote of council.

• Second reading of an ordinance concerning the handling of hazardous waste in the county was approved by a 6-0 vote.

The ordinance is designed to regulate hazardous and non-hazardous waste storage facilities and provide a county review process to do so.