Cayce Leaders Race Against Time for $10 Million Flood Relief Grant

Cayce Faces Deadline for $10 Million Flood Relief Grant

In Cayce, a city just across the river from downtown Columbia, local leaders are racing against the clock to secure a crucial $10 million grant aimed at tackling serious flooding issues plaguing one of its vital neighborhoods. Tensions are bubbling under the surface as negotiations unfold between the mayor and some City Council members.

City Council Takes Action

During a special meeting on Wednesday, the Cayce City Council approved a critical agreement to purchase an easement from the Congaree Bluff subdivision. This step is essential for moving forward with a significant stormwater and drainage project in the city’s Avenues neighborhood. The clock is ticking, as city staff must finalize the agreement with the homeowners’ association by September 19.

The funding from the grant arrived in June 2023 through the S.C. Infrastructure Investment Plan, which is overseen by the state’s Rural Infrastructure Authority. Mayor Elise Partin mentioned that the authority is expecting an update on the city’s progress, and thus, the special meeting was necessary to ensure everything is on track.

Progress Report from City Staff

According to Deputy City Manager Michael Conley, Cayce is on solid footing to meet the deadline for the project. “We are about 60% complete with the engineering,” he noted during the meeting. However, the city still needs to secure several right-of-way easements to ensure the plumbing can efficiently direct water to the river. There is indeed quite a deadline pressure since all grant funds have to be spent by December 2026.

The city must also finish the project according to the original plan, which means that if any easements are not secured in time, amendments may have to be submitted to the Rural Infrastructure Authority. Such amendments could potentially slow down the project. “It is one of the easements that we do have to get,” Conley said, emphasizing the importance of the Congaree Bluff easement.

Addressing Local Flooding

The Avenues neighborhood has faced its fair share of localized flooding, with the city actively seeking solutions to these long-standing drainage issues. A previous $750,000 grant helped address a smaller area in the Avenues, which wrapped up last year. The current $10 million grant is aimed at more comprehensive work across the entire neighborhood, extending from 12th Street to the Congaree River.

Mayor Partin highlighted the funding difficulties faced by the city, noting that Cayce, being the lowest-taxing entity among the county and state, struggles to tackle infrastructure challenges that have developed over decades. “We’ve got to really figure out how we navigate decades-old infrastructure issues,” she stated. Unfortunately, this challenge has also brought some friction between Partin and City Council members.

Fraying Relations on the Council

During the discussions surrounding the Congaree Bluff easement, tension emerged between Partin and Mayor Pro Tem Tim James. The mayor expressed frustrations about the difficulty of securing the easement, saying, “I have no respect for Tim James. That always makes everything precarious.” She claimed that negotiations often revolve around James’s need for approval from others.

On the other hand, James, who wears many hats including serving as the president and CEO of the Greater Cayce West Columbia Chamber of Commerce, insists that his priority is working collaboratively with residents before ever considering government overreach. “I’ve always been very cautious of an overreach of government,” he said. James stressed the importance of seeking residents’ opinions and emphasized that the council is not in the business of taking property without exhausting all options first.

Community Concerns and Future Discussions

City Councilman Hunter Sox echoed James’s sentiments, expressing disappointment over Partin’s comments. “I know for a fact since I’ve been there that we’re not going to go take people’s property without asking,” he said, emphasizing the relationship the council has with its constituents. Sox also pointed out that discussions regarding such easements should begin much earlier to avoid last-minute pressures as deadlines approach.

The residents of the Avenues neighborhood are watching closely as this project moves forward. The proposed drainage and stormwater renovations could significantly improve their living conditions and protect against flooding issues that have, for too long, burdened the neighborhood.

With the deadline rapidly approaching, all eyes are now on Cayce’s leaders and their ability to efficiently navigate the complexities of city planning, negotiational tensions, and the pressing needs of their community.