Tega Cay City Council adopted its fiscal year 2026-2027 budget, updated the city’s code on abandoned and derelict vehicles, approved repairs to the Glennon Center ballroom lighting system, and named a new chief municipal judge during its regular meeting Monday, June 15, at the Philip T. Glennon Center.
The meeting opened with presentations honoring the Fort Mill High School boys and girls track and field teams as South Carolina 5A Division II state champions, recognizing the city’s designation as a 2025 Tree City USA, and hearing from a local Eagle Scout seeking support for a cemetery restoration project.
Presentations
Life Scout Caleb Kesky of Boy Scout Troop 250 presented his Eagle Scout project proposal to beautify and restore the Joseph Thomas Family Cemetery, a small family burial ground in Tega Cay that he said most residents do not know exists. The cemetery contains 18 grave sites, eight of which have headstones, including two Civil War soldiers. Kesky said he noticed the property becoming overgrown while driving past it on the way to den meetings and plans to install low-maintenance grass and deer-resistant wildflowers, trim overhanging branches, and place a historical plaque at the site. He is raising $3,500 for the project and asked council members for donations. Mayor Carmen Miller said she would make the first donation and challenged her colleagues to do the same.
Council presented a proclamation to the Fort Mill High School boys and girls track and field teams, who captured the South Carolina 5A Division II State Championship on May 16. The boys team won the school’s first-ever state title with 95 points, while the girls team claimed their second consecutive championship with 82 points. Coach Lee Whitaker became the first coach in South Carolina history to win four state championships in one academic year, bringing his career total to nine.
A second proclamation recognized Tega Cay as a 2025 Tree City USA, a designation awarded by the Arbor Day Foundation, and commended city arborist Tim Gillette for his work maintaining the city’s urban forest.
City manager’s report
City Manager Charlie Funderburk updated council on several fronts. He noted that the 82X CATS commuter bus route connecting the area to uptown Charlotte is set to end in July and said the 41X route out of Steel Creek would serve as an alternative. He said the Grove development has submitted construction plans for its anchor commercial building in phase one and is working toward final plat approval, with vertical construction expected to move forward around the August planning commission meeting. The city issued 110 permits in the past month, including nine new home permits.
The fire department responded to 301 total calls for service in May and received its fire safe city designation again at a recent conference. Two junior firefighters also competed in a statewide competition. The police department reported 469 calls for service in May with an average response time of 3 minutes and 24 seconds, and five officers received promotions effective June 22: Justin Meyer and Officer McCormack to sergeant, and Presley Mayo, Jericho Sierra, and Allan Katarino to corporal.
Funderburk highlighted the completed Windward Drive median project and said the entry sign at the golf course is nearly finished. He reminded residents that fall sports registration is open for Tega Cay residents and runs through August 1, and announced a new 14U flag football passing league for participants ages 13 and 14.
Events Manager Caroline Hasty reported that the third annual Best Dam Food Festival drew an estimated 15,000 visits to Catawba Park between 2 and 10 p.m., the largest crowd in the event’s history. Data provided by Visit York County’s Placer software showed that 48 percent of attendees came from the 29708 zip code and an additional 12 percent from 29715, meaning roughly 60 percent of visitors came from the Tega Cay and Fort Mill area. The average time spent at the park was just over two hours.
The city’s July 4th weekend celebrations were previewed, with a full schedule available on the city’s website. The Lions Club fish fry will feature a special appearance by the city’s first mayor, Anthony Tarulli, and the event will mark the formal naming of city hall as the Anthony Tarulli Building. Miller reminded residents that Tega Cay Drive will close at 8:45 a.m. July 4 for the parade and that no parking is permitted on Tega Cay Drive during the fireworks.
Planning commission report
Council Member Heather Jones reported that the planning commission met June 1 and discussed the marina overlay district beautification overlay. Staff presented examples from other cities and assigned commission members portions of the overlay to research independently before the next meeting.
Public comments
Five residents signed up to speak. Phil Mandroski of the Lake Forest neighborhood, a seven-year rider of the 82X, asked council to remain engaged in efforts to preserve the route and offered to provide feedback from a regular rider’s perspective if the city undertakes any research on the topic. He said ridership tends to increase when school is in session and that roughly 20 to 25 commuters board at the Baxter Village stop each morning.
Ashley Hill of 12106 Baywoods Drive also advocated for preserving the 82X, saying she recently discovered the route and found it a significant improvement over driving to Charlotte. She said the funding gap appeared to be modest and that Rock Hill has indicated a willingness to contribute $10,000 per month if other jurisdictions would share the cost. She also asked council to revisit the $40 deposit now required for yard sale signs, saying the fee can exceed expected sale proceeds for residents putting up two or three signs.
Alicia Formato of 255030 Riley Lane addressed the city’s deer management program, reporting that a spotlight survey showed a 57 percent reduction in population and that resident complaints have decreased. She said it is too late in the year to contract with the deer sterilization specialist for fall 2026 and supported what she described as a pause year to gather data before deciding on next steps. She urged against additional culling, noting that untagged deer, which are the primary remaining breeding population, are concentrated in areas where culling is less effective.
Three residents from the Serenity Point neighborhood, Gus Machunis, Lisa Pranzinski, and Allison Scardino, again raised concerns about sediment flowing into Nivens Creek from construction at The Grove and Trinity Townes developments. They said the ongoing silting is filling the cove, rendering docks unusable and threatening lakefront property values. Machunis asked whether anything could be done to slow water velocity beneath Stonecrest Boulevard, which he said is accelerating erosion of the stream bed. Pranzinski asked whether past developers could be held accountable and whether grants or dredging assistance might be available. Scardino noted that recent rains have buried irrigation intakes and asked council to continue pursuing solutions.
Budget adoption
Council unanimously approved second and final reading of Ordinance 612, adopting the fiscal year 2026-2027 city budgets. The millage rate holds at 86 mills. The general fund is set at $19,934,331, with the utilities fund at $8,457,297, stormwater at $1,464,479, the Beach and Swim Center at $179,850, events and tourism at $243,440, and hospitality tax at $425,000.
Abandoned and derelict vehicles ordinance
Council unanimously approved second and final reading of Ordinance 613, repealing and replacing section 50-97 of the city’s code on abandoned and derelict vehicles. The updated ordinance defines an abandoned vehicle as one left unattended on a roadway for more than 48 hours or on private property for more than seven days without the property owner’s consent. A derelict vehicle is defined as one that lacks valid registration, has had major components removed or rendered inoperative, or is missing identification numbers. Enforcement will follow the International Property Maintenance Code, with violations subject to fines or towing at the owner’s expense. The ordinance applies to motor vehicles, trailers, watercraft, and campers on private property.
Committee appointment
Council unanimously appointed Nicholas Baritini to the Storm Water and Environmental Committee.
Glennon Center lighting repair
Council unanimously approved up to $13,000 to repair the ballroom lighting system in the Philip T. Glennon Center. City Manager Funderburk said the control system for the can lights’ dimming function became obsolete and stopped working after The Garrison assumed management of the venue. The repair will bypass the obsolete electronic control and replace it with a simpler dimming switch. Bids are due June 22. A full replacement of the control system would cost between $20,000 and $30,000, not including the light fixtures themselves.
Chief municipal judge appointment
Following a brief executive session to discuss personnel matters, council unanimously voted to hire Jeffrey Garris as chief municipal judge for a four-year term at a salary in line with the city’s compensation scale. Mayor Miller said the city received a resignation from the current judge and conducted five interviews before selecting Garris.
The next regular meeting of Tega Cay City Council is scheduled for Monday, July 20, at the Philip T. Glennon Center, 15077 Molokai Drive. A Chat with Council event is set for Thursday, June 25, from 6 to 7 p.m. at the police department training room. A town hall meeting with the mayor and city manager is planned for the last Thursday of July.
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