3 government headlines from the past month to know

18 Penny for Progress meetings held throughout each district

When the Capital Projects Sales Tax Referendum, also known as the Penny for Progress or Penny Tax, was on the ballot in 2022, there was confusion surrounding the projects and ballot question itself, community members say.

To combat this reoccurring in the 2024 election, Sumter EDGE (Economic Development Growth Engine) held 18 free, open-to-the-public meetings from Oct. 1 to Oct. 10 at community and HOPE centers in every district.

"My goal is not to tell you how to vote," Sumter EDGE Manager of Communications and Strategic Initiatives Erika Williams said during her penny presentation. "My goal here this evening is just to educate you, to tell you your options, and when you decide - because I feel pretty confident you're here, so you're planning on voting Nov. 5, and I just want to arm you so that if you decide to vote yay or nay, it is your choice."

The meetings were meant to be informative and went over the history of the Penny for Progress initiative and what the current penny will offer. Attendees were encouraged to ask questions.

"I just want you to be aware, I just want you to have an understanding so if it is yes, it's like 'I feel confident about this, and this is why,"' Williams said. "If you opt to vote against it, then I want you to know why as well."

If you missed the penny meetings, the PowerPoint presentation is available at www.pennyforprogress.com.

City of Sumter wants residents' input on how to use annual community development grant money

Every year, City of Sumter receives community development block grant (CDBG) money and holds public meetings to get community input on what the money should go toward. That time has come around again, and the city is holding meetings and taking down public comments.

Five meetings have already been held, and one more is to take place Nov. 19 at 6 p.m. at City Hall on the fourth floor in City Council Chambers, 21 N. Main St.

The community meetings provide an opportunity for the community to have a say in how they want to see the CDBG money spent, and every comment made by community members is written down and given to city council, even if it is not something that CDBG money can pay for.

The city does not know how much it will receive from HUD yet, but Community Development Housing Director Clarence Gaines said the city hopes to have a number at some point in October. Last year the city received $368,392.

The meeting also went over what was done with last fiscal year's CDBG fund. The projects completed are:

- Sewer improvements for four low- to moderate-income households.

- Façade grant assistance for one downtown business.

- Five owner-occupied houses were rehabilitated for low- to moderate-income occupants.

- Nine owner-occupied houses had minor repairs done for low- to moderate-income occupants.

- Seventy-one students were employed last summer. Thirty-five were from the city's Youth Co-Op Program, a program that hires Sumter youth 16+ and has them work for local businesses, and 36 were from the city's Youth Corps Program, which hires 14- and 15-year-olds to work in various departments of the City of Sumter government offices, according to the city's website.

- Twenty-one low- to moderate-income youth received a variety of services provided by the YMCA.

- One hundred students were able to go on a summer camp field trip to Ripley's Aquarium in Myrtle Beach, and 100 backpacks were purchased for the students' use at school.

For further information or if you are unable to get to any of the meetings to make requests about what you want to see differently in the city, reach out to Clarence Gaines via phone at (803) 774-1649 or via email at cgaines@sumtersc.gov or Carolet Thomas via phone at (803) 774-1652 or via email at cthomas@sumtersc.gov.

Residents can also visit the City of Sumter's Community Development Department in suite four of Liberty Center at 12 W. Liberty St.

U.S. Department of Commerce awards $1.2M grant for Sumter clean-energy manufacturer

The U.S. Economic Development Administration awarded a $1.2 million grant to the City of Sumter that will support clean-energy manufacturing and the establishment of a new solar product manufacturer.

Announced Monday, Sept. 30, in a news release, the grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce will be used for water infrastructure improvements needed to boost the region's clean-energy industry and will help establish a new solar wafer manufacturing facility, named SEM Wafertech.

The Economic Development Administration investment will be matched with $298,400 in local money to ultimately create 300 jobs and generate $65 million in private investment.

SEM Wafertech is projected to launch operations next year at 1150 Clipper Road in Live Oak Industrial Park.