The Sumter County Board of Commissioners met December 10. John Crawford with Coleman Talley updated the Board of Commissioners on a variety of projects that were discussed during the Chamber’s Eggs and Issues Legislative Breakfast.

Commissioner Jim Reid questioned Crawford about the proposed Sumter County fairground property renovation project which would cost $4.5 million. “To the best of my knowledge, we’ve had no input on this. So I would like to know what somebody proposes to renovate to the property that the County owns.”

Crawford responded. “We received, through the One Sumter Foundation, we received a prioritized list of projects. That one was on there. I was told it was just to enhance the property, make improvements to the property.”

Interim County Administrator Douglas Eaves brought information on the proposed County Statement of Ethics. He noted a few changes based on Commissioners comments. “The changes were, that we add it to the County attorney the ability to request from the Sumter County grand jury, the appointment of a committee similar to the committees that they would appoint to examine the courthouse or to examine County offices, that if there’s an issue that she feels justifies a grantor committee to look into, that she would have the ability to do so.”

He stated further changes based on Commissioner Clay Jones comments. “Commissioner Jones recommended that we list. . . some specific consequences too, if there was an ethics violation. We had to do it separately for the elected officials and board appointments and for the employees.”

Eaves listed penalties for elected officials. “They include a written warning, a reprimand written into the minutes, a recovery of the value of any transfer or received item by the County, the cancellation of the contract or the rejection of the bid or offer that was influenced, and an administrative sanction not exceeding $500 per sanction.”

Eaves also read employee penalties. “A written warning, a reprimand, a suspension without pay, termination of employment, recovery of the value received or transferred by the County that was impacted by the violation, and the cancellation of the contract or rejection of the bid or offer that was impacted by the influence of the ethics violation.”

Commissioner Mark Waddell voted for the measure, along with Reid. Commissioner Jessie Smith and Jones voted against the measure, with Chair David Baldwin voting for the measure, causing it to pass.