York County Council Advances FY27 Budget on Second Reading 4-3; Defers $1.4M Mobile Command Vehicle

The York County Council advanced the Fiscal Year 2027 operating and capital budget on second reading by a 4-3 vote at its May 18, 2026, regular meeting, sending the ordinance forward to third and final reading after roughly two hours of public comment and amendment debate that centered on a proposed millage increase, water and sewer rate hikes, the elimination of the budget director and CFO positions at first reading, a new special council attorney position, fire service funding, and the broader question of whether York County is growing government too fast. Public Forum drew 13 speakers, with the majority criticizing the proposed budget, the QTS data center planned in the Allison Acres area, and what several described as a loss of trust in county government following the Silfab controversy. A 19-item consent agenda — including three rezonings, the Sam Smith Road sidewalk financial participation agreement with SCDOT, a $101,750 contract with Bolton & Menk for the Bicycle and Pedestrian Trail Master Plan, multiple Sheriff’s Office grant authorizations and equipment purchases, fire and parks equipment buys, and the Catawba Workforce MOU — was approved unanimously without discussion. In new business, council deferred the $1.4 million LDV custom mobile command vehicle purchase until after third reading of the budget, approved both Coroner’s Office purchase-order increases (Palmetto Funeral Operations and University Medical Associates), and adopted the Accommodations Tax Advisory Committee’s $449,695 FY27 funding recommendation. Council also passed motions directing staff to study options for assisting the Flint Hill Fire Tax District with three firefighter positions and HR/payroll costs, and to investigate whether York County Forever funds could be used to match a state Preservation Bank contribution of up to $1 million for the York Place project, and accepted committee reports from Planning & Zoning Chairwoman Debi Cloninger and Finance & Operations Chairman Tom Audette before adjourning into executive session for litigation updates, the Project Palmetto Rock contractual matter, and annual reviews of the county manager, clerk to council, and county attorney. No action was taken following executive session.

Call to Order, Invocation, Pledge of Allegiance

Chairwoman Christi Cox called the May 18, 2026, regular meeting of the York County Council to order at the York County Government Center, 6 South Congress Street, York, SC. Chairwoman Cox delivered the invocation and led the Pledge of Allegiance. There were no oath of office ceremonies, scheduled appearances, or public hearings on this agenda.

Public Forum Session

Thirteen residents addressed council during the 30-minute public forum session, with comments concentrated on three subjects: the proposed FY27 budget, the QTS data center planned in the Allison Acres area, and fire service funding.

A majority of speakers urged council to reduce spending and avoid a tax increase. Several criticized what they described as a pattern of growing administrative overhead, studies, and consultants in the proposed budget, and faulted county leadership for what they called a loss of public trust following the Silfab controversy. Specific suggestions for budget reductions included cuts to community programs, duplicate administrative roles, vendor and IT contracts, take-home vehicles, and underused facilities. One Fort Mill speaker noted his employer’s maximum 3% merit raise this year would be consumed by the proposed county tax increase, and another asked council to use revenue from new residents rather than raise taxes on existing ones. A Rock Hill resident took the opposite position, urging council to restore the full 1-mil rural fire tax increase rather than cut it back, arguing that small annual increases are easier on residents than periodic large jumps.

The QTS data center drew sustained criticism from residents of the Allison Acres, Campbell Road, and Vander Lakes areas. Concerns raised included projected water usage and a comparison to the Fayetteville, Georgia, QTS facility that reportedly used 70 million gallons of municipal water on one building last year; the purchase by the project’s construction contractor of one-year unmetered hydrant permits on Campbell Road; ambient construction noise, with one speaker playing a roughly 10-second audio clip recorded in a resident’s backyard inside QTS’s buffer area; diesel fuel storage and up to 542 diesel generators across the site; the seven-year construction timeline on the first parcel with potential buildout on an additional 400 acres; and the proximity of the planned nine 80-foot buildings to residential property lines, schools, and farms. Several residents asked council to place a moratorium on new construction permits and to apply any forthcoming data center ordinance changes retroactively to the existing site plan. Chairwoman Cox responded mid-forum to address what she described as misinformation, stating that QTS is required to be on water and sewer, that no groundwater wells will be used, and that council has pending legislation prohibiting groundwater use by data centers.

On fire service, a fire chief asked council to support paying South Carolina firefighter dues for all 16 county departments and to increase the per-department equipment allocation from $20,000 to $25,000 (noting a full set of turnout gear runs about $6,000), but opposed funding additional firefighters for a single department out of countywide fire tax revenue and opposed expanding the county suppression squads from three to four. He and another fire chief asked council to allow individual fire tax districts to hold their own referendums to raise their millage caps. A Fort Mill resident also voiced support for the Sam Smith Road sidewalk, the Bicycle and Pedestrian Trail Master Plan, the mobile command unit in new business, impact fees as “growth paying for growth,” and asked council to consider a county e-bike ordinance similar to one being drafted by the Town of Fort Mill.

Consent Agenda

A motion to approve the 19-item consent agenda was made, seconded, and approved unanimously by voice vote with no discussion. The consent items included:

Minutes from the May 4, 2026, Council meeting.
Case # 26-10 — Second reading to rezone 184 parcels in the Glen Ridge, Steele Meadows, and Sheffield Point townhome communities in Fort Mill from RMX-20 to RMX-6 (Council District 7 — Cloninger; Planning Commission recommendation 7-0; staff recommendation approve).
Case # 26-12 — Second reading to rezone TM# 544-00-00-210, 0.99 acres on Grayson Road in Rock Hill from UD to LI for a machine shop (applicants Ciara Britney Fenton and Kelly Faile; owner Zane Allen Fenton; Council District 6 — Huckabee; PC 7-0).
Case # 26-13 — Second reading to rezone TM# 313-00-00-002, 43.18 acres on True Road in McConnells from RSF-40 to AGC for a timberland barn (applicants and owners Michael and Susan Deckert; Council District 3 — Adkins; PC 7-0).
Bid #3027 — Purchase of one Ford F550 XLT SD 2026 4×4 dual-rear-wheel crew-cab 19,500 GVW transverse flat-bed brush truck for the Lesslie Fire Tax District, total cost not to exceed $257,116.22.
RFP #3029 — Authorization for contract negotiations for inmate telephone services at the Detention Center.
Authorization for the Sheriff’s Office to apply for and accept the Supplemental Allocation for Victims Services (SAVS) Grant in the amount of $65,000.
Financial Participation Agreement with SCDOT for the Sam Smith Road sidewalk project in Fort Mill — a 0.45-mile sidewalk estimated at $1,500,000, funded by a Transportation Alternative Program (TAP) grant through RFATS, with a 20% match from the C-funds of Council Districts 1 and 7.
RFP #3020 — Contractual agreement with Bolton & Menk Inc. of Rock Hill to develop York County’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Trail Master Plan, total cost not to exceed $101,750.00.
Acceptance of the 2024 Byrne JAG Program from the Department of Justice in the amount of $28,423 for the Sheriff’s Office.
Acceptance of the BJA FY25 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program in the amount of $28,903 for the Sheriff’s Office.
Purchase of one 75 hp track wood chipper from Bobcat of Spartanburg for the Parks Admin Division for $111,467.25 via cooperative purchasing under Procurement Code §35.008(C).
Amendment to the planned service contract with Johnson Controls Inc. of Charlotte, NC, for HVAC maintenance, new three-year contract total of $131,205.00.
Bid #3034 — Award of the Emergency Operations Center Roof Replacement Project to Owens Roofing Inc. of Smithfield, NC, lowest responsive and responsible bidder, $246,652.00.
RFP #3028 — Authorization for contract negotiations for audio-visual equipment for the Clover Magistrate’s Office, Bond Court at Moss Justice Center, Jones Assembly Room at Family Court, Jury Assembly Room at Moss Justice Center, and Training Room 3801 and Conference Room 4200 at the Government Center.
Purchase of two Kubota RTVX2C-SKLH-1 utility terrain vehicles from Comer Equipment Company of York for Parks and Recreation, $57,986.18 via cooperative purchasing under §35.008(C), to be assigned to Ebenezer Park, Worth Mountain, Nanny’s Mountain, and Allison Creek Park.
RFP #3022 — Contractual agreement with Kaizen Laboratories Inc. of New York, NY, for a comprehensive Recreation Management Software solution, initial three-year cost of $106,485.00 with two optional one-year renewals.
Purchase of four DataWorks Plus livescan systems for the Sheriff’s Office from Dataworks Plus of Greenville via state contract, $129,678.00 under §35.008(D)(3).
Catawba Memorandum of Understanding and Infrastructure Funding Agreement for Program Year 2026 covering the SC Works centers in Chester, Lancaster, and York counties under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.

Old Business — Second Reading of the FY27 Budget Ordinance

Chairwoman Cox read the budget ordinance title. A motion to approve was made and seconded, opening the floor to council amendments and discussion. The budget debate ran approximately two hours and produced the following actions:

Amendment 1 — Revert to recommended budget prior to first reading. Council Member Litten moved to revert the budget back to the original recommended budget as presented before first reading, arguing it would be cleaner to remove items one by one than to add items back. The amendment was seconded. After discussion, Chairwoman Cox said she did not support the amendment because four council members had voted to approve first reading and the process should proceed from there. The amendment failed on a voice vote.

Amendment 2 — Remove special council attorney funding ($277,000). Council Member Litten moved to remove the $277,000 funding for a special council attorney position. Several members spoke in support, citing concerns about cost (the South Carolina Association of Counties average for assistant county attorneys in the top nine counties is $144,000, per one member’s research), redundancy with the existing county attorney’s office, and the appearance of a conflict of interest with council having its own attorney separate from the county attorney’s office, which reports to council. Chairwoman Cox and others spoke against the amendment, citing the need for a legislative liaison role, transparency on legal matters pending before council, and the fact that the county attorney’s office had been seeking up to six new attorneys following the death of the previous attorney, Michael. County Attorney Laura confirmed that having an additional attorney is not, on its face, a conflict of interest. The amendment failed.

Amendment 3 — Remove $140,000 council discretionary funding. Council Member Litten moved to remove the $140,000 in council discretionary funding. The motion failed for lack of a second.

Amendment 4 — Remove approximately $550,000 in nonprofit agency funding. Council Member Litten moved to remove nonprofit allocations including GABA mental health ($125,000), Keystone ($55,750), Board of Disabilities ($18,050), Council on Aging ($88,750), and Safe Passage ($100,000). The motion failed for lack of a second.

Amendment 5 — Restore the budget director and CFO positions. A motion to add the budget director and CFO positions back into the budget was made and seconded. County Manager Josh Edwards spoke at length, explaining that the budget director (Trish) currently oversees grants administration (including ARPA), the strategic plan, and performance measures, in addition to the budget; that York County has the smallest finance department among peer counties even with the CFO position added; and that the previous CFO had recommended creating a combined treasurer/CFO position before he departed. Council members debated whether the role might be combined with the treasurer position, with several expressing concern about growing government. The amendment failed. Following the vote, one council member’s quip — “It’s a crappy way to find out you’re fired” — drew a point-of-order rebuke from the chair.

Amendment 6 — Add $150,000 thoroughfare plan. Council Member Litten moved to add a $150,000 thoroughfare plan as originally requested by the Planning and Development Department. Assistant County Manager Tom Couch explained that the thoroughfare plan is a sub-plan to a larger transportation plan that evaluates current and future traffic patterns for road improvements outside the RFATS boundaries and that it was pulled during prioritization. The original second was withdrawn after discussion, and the amended motion was ultimately withdrawn in favor of pursuing alternative funding through the reserve fund.

Amendment 7 — Restore 6% water rate increase and 10% sewer rate increase. A motion was made and seconded to revert the water and sewer rate increases to the originally recommended 6% and 10% from the 3% and 3% approved at first reading. Staff explained that the rates were calculated based on operating expenses (not capital), that 8% of the sewer increase is a pass-through from the City of Rock Hill, and that without the full increase the utility fund would need to draw approximately $2 million from fund balance for operating costs. The County Manager warned this would force staff to reconsider starting major multi-year capital projects. After extensive debate, the amendment failed on a voice vote.

Amendment 8 — Set water rate increase to 0% and sewer rate increase to 8% (Rock Hill pass-through). Chairwoman Cox moved to amend the rate increases to 0% on water and 8% on sewer to cover the Rock Hill pass-through only, with the full base-rate increase remaining in place. The motion was seconded. Staff confirmed this would not cover all operating needs. The amendment passed on a 4-3 hand vote.

Amendment 9 — $250,000 Winthrop University engineering degree commitment. A motion was made and seconded to commit $250,000 from the Economic Development fund — $125,000 in FY27 and $125,000 in FY28 — to support Winthrop University’s proposed advanced manufacturing engineering degree program. The motion maker noted the City of Rock Hill had already committed $250,000. Several members spoke against, arguing that the county needs to “take care of home” before funding outside organizations, that no clear ED criteria had been established, and that the funding was not currently in the budget. The amendment failed. Council agreed to offer a letter of support instead.

Amendment 10 — Flint Hill Fire Tax District assistance. Council Member Cloninger moved to direct the County Manager and County Attorney to review all options for assisting the Flint Hill Fire Tax District with HR and payroll costs so that the district could directly fund the three firefighter positions originally presented as county-funded at first reading. Extensive discussion followed on the broader 10-year fire-service unification plan (“York One”), whether special tax districts should be encouraged to pursue referendums to raise their millage caps, and concerns about the rural fire millage subsidizing positions in one district. The motion carried unanimously.

Amendment 11 — York Place / York County Forever funding review. A motion was made and seconded to direct staff to examine whether York County Forever funds could be used to match the state Preservation Bank’s contribution of up to $1 million (later revised to up to $800,000) for the York Place project, with the Economic Development fund as a fallback. After discussion about whether the request was consistent with the council’s earlier rejections of outside funding, the motion was scaled back to a direction for staff to investigate funding options through York County Forever (which can only be used for preservation purposes) and to report back at third reading. The motion carried 5-2.

Amendment 12 — Remove $425,000 in studies from general fund. Chairwoman Cox moved to remove line item 1100-41912-320 in the amount of $425,000 (comprising the $300,000 comprehensive plan and $125,000 parks and recreation master plan) from the general fund budget, recommending those one-time expenses be funded from fund balance instead. The amendment carried 6-1.

Main motion — Second reading advanced 4-3. With amendments complete, council voted on the main motion to approve second reading of the FY27 budget ordinance as amended. The motion carried 4-3, advancing the budget to third and final reading. The Chairwoman called a five-minute recess.

New Business

1. LDV custom mobile command vehicle — $1.4 million. Council took up the purchase of one new 40-foot custom mobile command vehicle and associated equipment from LDV Custom Specialty Vehicles of Burlington, Wisconsin, for use by Emergency Management, total cost not to exceed $1,400,000 via cooperative purchasing under Procurement Code §35.008(C). The County Manager and Public Safety staff explained that $1,000,000 had been previously budgeted ($600,000 department funding plus $400,000 Duke funding in FY25) and that the additional $400,000 was budgeted for FY27, with funding split between capital fund 1420 and Duke money. Emergency Management Director Chuck Haynes explained the current 2002-model command post, acquired from ATF in 2014 and refurbished in 2018 for approximately $100,000, is experiencing structural issues including potential roof collapse and is being used reluctantly. Staff recommended deferral in light of budget uncertainty before third reading. Council Member Huckabee moved to defer the item until after third reading approval of the budget (the second meeting in June). The motion was seconded and carried unanimously.

2. Palmetto Funeral Operations purchase order increase — $200,000. Council took up a $200,000 funding increase to the existing purchase order with Palmetto Funeral Operations LLC of Fort Mill, SC, for decedent transport services for the Coroner’s Office, total cost not to exceed $500,000 for FY26. Staff explained the increase reflects a new transport company taking over and projected costs coming in higher than originally budgeted. A motion to approve was made, seconded, and carried unanimously.

3. University Medical Associates forensic services purchase order increase — $87,500. Council took up an $87,500 funding increase to the existing purchase order with University Medical Associates of South Carolina for forensic autopsy services, total amount not to exceed $150,000 for FY26. The County Manager noted that forensic services performed outside York County are escalating year-over-year and that conversations have begun with the Coroner about potentially developing in-house capacity in the future, possibly in partnership with neighboring counties. He noted that space for forensic services had originally been included in the Coroner’s new building but was value-engineered out. A motion to approve was made, seconded, and carried unanimously.

4. Accommodations Tax Advisory Committee FY27 recommendations — $449,695. Controller Beth Zamorski presented the recommendations of the Accommodations Tax Advisory Committee, which met April 1, 2026, and approved the funding allocations unanimously. All requested funding was granted. The total was lower than the prior fiscal year because a portion of last year’s high total reflected hotels that had been incorrectly attributed to unincorporated York County rather than the Town of Fort Mill — funds the Town subsequently returned. A motion to approve was made, seconded, and carried unanimously.

Committee and Other Reports

Planning and Zoning Committee (May 6, 2026) — Chairwoman Debi Cloninger. Chairwoman Cloninger reported the committee considered three items:

Split zoning revision — A proposed text amendment to reduce the number of related rezoning applications, add flexibility to combine parcels, guard against abuse, and limit new problems was forwarded to the Planning Commission for recommendation by a 3-0 vote.
Nonconforming manufactured homes — A draft text allowing an existing single-wide manufactured home to be replaced with a double-wide was forwarded to the Planning Commission for recommendation by a 3-0 vote.
Data center standards — The committee reviewed changes to the data center standards adopted at second reading by council, which prohibit data centers in light industrial zoning, require utility consumption estimates and willingness-and-capability letters at the time of a special exception application, prohibit groundwater use, and require a decommissioning plan. The committee added the following requirements: a 50-foot deep right-of-way buffer (3-0), reverting the maximum building height back to 60 feet (2-1), and a prohibition on data centers generating their own power (3-0). The committee also requested additional information on ground heat pollution, retroactive application of new state laws, utility rate setting based on capital infrastructure cost, the county’s ability to prohibit groundwater use that the state might otherwise permit, and whether power contracts could obligate end users to fire generators to feed power into the grid. These items will be taken up at the committee’s next meeting.

Finance and Operations Committee (May 18, 2026, 5:30 p.m.) — Chairman Tom Audette. Chairman Audette reported that he, Council Member Roddey, and Council Member Adkins were present. The committee approved the following:

Board and commission appointments: One Bender to the Stormwater Appeals Board (at-large seat); Candace Pickley to Keep York County Beautiful (District 1); Jay Fuss to a second term on the Board of Assessments (District 1); Tabitha Dillard to the Employee Grievance Committee; Stephanie Johnson to a second term on Public Works Administration.
District 1 discretionary funds: Collaborative Counseling Group $2,000; Defending the Fatherless $2,000; Flint Hill Fire Department Station 2 $2,000; Fostering the Family $2,000; Habitat for Humanity $1,500; Isaiah 117 House $2,000; Pathways $2,500; Project Lifesaver $2,000; Palmetto Women’s Center $2,000; Riverview Fire Department $2,000.
District 2: Clover Woman’s Club $1,000.
District 3: York County Fall Livestock Show $4,000.
District 4: Flint Hill Community Adult Daycare Center $3,000; St. Mary’s Outreach $2,500; Worthy Boys and Girls Club Camp $2,500.
District 6: Life House Women’s Shelter $1,250.
District 7: Fort Mill Care Center $3,000; Fort Mill Historic Museum $5,000; Humane Society of York County $3,000.

Citizen Concerns

None presented.

Council Member New/Non-Agenda Comments

A council member announced the 40th annual Memorial Day ceremony scheduled for Sunday, May 24, 2026, at 3:45 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Park, 23 East Liberty Street, York, to honor York County veterans who died in service.

Another council member requested that staff pull information on the current county regulations regarding the use of recreational vehicles as residences and report back to council by email. The matter was not formally referred to the Planning and Zoning Committee pending further development of the council’s committee referral process; the County Manager noted the staff is working on a template for charging committees with specific tasks.

A brief dedication was offered in memory of military personnel who died in the line of duty.

Executive Session

A motion was made, seconded, and approved to enter executive session for three matters:

Receipt of legal advice: litigation updates
Contractual matter: Project Palmetto Rock
Personnel/Contractual matters: County Manager annual review, Clerk to Council annual review, and County Attorney