Florence County expands road improvements projects with Capital Sales Tax II

By: Kiahnna Patterson, WBTW

FLORENCE, SC (WBTW) – Florence County Council plans to use money left over from the Capital Sales Tax II bond to pay for more road repairs.

Each district received $4 million dollars for road improvements in the original bond. So far, on average each district has spent about $1.6 million dollars.

Charles Smoot says drainage and potholes are problems on his street.

“Every time it rains water settles there for 3 or 4 days,” said Charles Smoot. “I wish they could raise that up some… raise up the drainage to improve the drainage on it.”

Thursday, Florence County Council approved the second reading of an ordinance to use money left over from the Capital Sales Tax II bonds for more road projects.

Florence County Council Chair Kent Caudle says it is legal to use the extra money for road improvements like drainage, repaving, or paving.

“It affects people every day. It affects councilman as well as the other citizens. Some of us live on dirt roads not all of us but some of us do,” said Caudle.

Since many of the original projects are not the complete council, does not know exactly how much money it will have to spend. Ordinance documents list more than 100 additional roads , including Cumberland Drive, where Smoot has lived for 45 years.

“I thank God that we are getting it done. They repaved all the streets around us. We were getting kind of concerned saying ‘where why did they leave us off?’,” said Smoot.

Smoot says he is happy with the county’s progress.

“I’m here because I want to be. I want to see it grow. I want to see improvements,” said Smoot.

Council will have a third and final reading of the ordinance next month.