Lexington County Council Takes Steps to Resolve Road Maintenance Conflict With Town Leaders
LEXINGTON – The Lexington County Council is making headway towards mending fences with town leaders concerning road maintenance matters as part of a lengthy process. Council members took action during the council meeting on March 26, with a resolution to institute a special committee. This proposed body will include representatives from the town’s municipalities and provide a platform for certain oversight regarding road maintenance.
Based on research conducted by the county staff, such committees have been instrumental in other counties in resolving the discrepancies that municipalities might have with county policies about maintenance issues. The new plan will include representatives from the five largest counties and an additional delegate to voice the interests of the smaller towns.
Beth Carrigg, Council Chairperson, stated this step would benefit everyone, describing it as the beginning of the resolution process. In concurrence, Todd Cullum, a member of the Council, believes the plan carries merit.
Action in Response to Opposition
Several town and city leaders have recently been vocal about their opposition against the Council’s movement to cancel a longstanding 40-year agreement to offer road maintenance services to municipalities. Following the cancellation, the county offered cities and towns a new agreement proposal concerning road services. However, the new agreement required any new residential developments annexed into a city or town should conform to Lexington County’s development norms.
Most municipalities have yet to endorse the new agreement. Numerous city and town leaders have forwarded resolutions to the county, expressing their perspective that the county should maintain roads aligning with local requirements. The Irmo council, for instance, has passed a resolution recommending the committee approving funding allocations should include municipality representatives. Currently, only Lexington County Council members make up this committee.
Municipalities’ Feedback Needed
In an interview, Councilman Cullum addressed that the plan approved by the council would need insight from the municipalities before settling whether it would bridge the differences. With 14 municipalities in Lexington County, understanding and agreeing to the plan may take time, Cullum mentioned.
While this newly proposed plan is considered to be a solution towards resolving the ongoing conflict, the municipalities have yet to issue any immediate response. More developments are expected in this regard in the coming weeks.
