August 2021 Council Highlights

  • City Council unanimously approved an updated resolution (#828) that encourages citizens to be proactive in protecting themselves against COVID-19:
    • individuals should continue to follow the requirements of retail, food service, and other establishments concerning face coverings and social distancing,
    • individuals, businesses, and other establishments should continue to follow requirements, guidelines and recommendations of the CDC, the SC DHEC, and any Executive Orders of the Governor concerning use of face coverings and social distancing, and
    • eligible individuals should obtain COVID-19 vaccinations as appropriate for them and in accord with guidelines of the CDC and the SC DHEC.

 

  • We want to welcome all schools to a new year. With schools back in session, school buses are back on the roads, so please use extra caution, stay alert, and obey all speed limits and traffic signs and signals. We want everyone to have a safe school year.

 

  • Youth, junior and adult tennis programs are up and running at the Palmetto Tennis Center. For a full list, visit our webpage sumtertennis.com or call the PTC at 803-774-3969.

 

  • The annual Boy Scout Barbeque Cook-off is this weekend. BBQ teams from across South Carolina will be visiting Sumter to win the coveted title of pit master. The event starts Friday from 5:30-9 and again Saturday 11am-3pm. Tickets are $10 per day and available online at SumterBBQ.com. Each ticket gets holder samples from cook teams. Drinks are available for purchase.

 

  • Sumter Little Theatre is running a full schedule this upcoming year, with their first show of the season, J.R.R. Tolkien’s ‘The Hobbit’, debuting September 1. Tickets range from $15-20 and are available for purchase on their website at SumterLittleTheatre.com.
    • As always, the theatre is always looking for volunteers too, so we encourage everyone to get involved, with the theatre or one of over 200 organizations that serve the Sumter community. We have a list and links to many on our website LoveSumter.com.

 

  • The Sumter Green Fall Feast is fast approaching too. This is an annual favorite where one ticket price gets you all you can eat. Sponsored by more than 20 local restaurants and café’s there is always something for everyone’s taste. Proceeds from this event support Sumter Green and its efforts to beautify our entranceways and corridors. The event is Thursday, September 16. Tickets are $35 (advance rate) or $45 at the door, if available. Tickets available online at SumterGreen.org and at the Sumter Visitors Center located at Swan Lake Iris Gardens.

 

  • Downtown Sumter 4th Friday’s next free concert is September 24th in front of the Opera House from 6:30-9:00pm. Music, food and fun for the whole family. Sponsored by The Yahnis Company. September’s band is Terrance Lonon and the Untouchables. This event is free, bring your own lawn chair, but no coolers please.

 

  • Race to complete challenges to earn points to win. Sumter Tourism encourages everyone to have fun exploring Downtown Sumter and visit the many amazing businesses and amenities we have to offer. The Discover Downtown Scavenger Hunt will be open through Friday, September 24, 2021. The app is free to download, and the game is free to play. Downtown prize packages for the top winners. Check out our website at https://www.sumtersc.gov/discover-sumter/scavenger-hunt for details.

 

  • The City lists all our surplus vehicles & equipment for sale, through an online surplus auction site, called Gov Deals. To bid, go to govdeals.com and search seller name "Sumter SC".

 

  • The City has multiple job openings in various departments, from 9-1-1 operators, administration, sanitation, planning, electrical, recreation and more. We are committed to providing friendly and caring service to our citizens and our employees. We offer a generous benefits package to regular status employees, which includes vacation, sick, retirement and much more! To view openings, visit our Human Resources page on our website atsumtersc.gov/HR.

 

  • The next Litter clean-up is scheduled for October 16, we want to encourage everyone to join in to help… Neighborhood Associations, churches, youth groups, businesses and more… we need your help to keep Sumter litter free. We have also announced our 2022 dates too. The upcoming scheduled dates are:
    • October 16
    • December 18

This program is a partnership with the City of Sumter, South Carolina, Sumter County, the Greater Sumter Chamber of Commerce, and Palmetto Pride. We invite you to join us in this cleanup effort... signup to volunteer anytime on our website www.sumtersc.gov/litter. 

August cleanup efforts were 18 teams, with 190 volunteers who filled 288 bags, all totaling over 7,200 lbs and gave 54 hours of their time to our efforts. THANK YOU VOLUNTEERS!!!

  • The joint City/County Litter Advisory Committee has started. The committee will meet monthly and will be working on the anti-litter initiative through education and enforcement programs. The committee consists of residents of both the City and County including:
    • Joe Brown, Joe Brown Bail Bond;
    • Russell Brannon, SAFE Federal Credit Union;
    • Scott Burkett, Realtor; 
    • Beverly Davis, Crosswell Neighborhood Association;
    • Ernest Frierson, representing the northeast corridor of Sumter County;
    • Chris Hardy, Greater Sumter Chamber of Commerce;
    • Barbara Richburg, Turkey Creek Neighborhood Association; 
    • Sandra Riley, S.C. DOT Maintenance Engineer;
    • Joey Rogerson, Sumter County Sheriff’s Office; 
    • Robert Singleton, Sumter Police Department; and
    • Erika Williams, Sumter Development Board.

 

  • City Council meetings are held on the first Tuesday at 1 PM and on the third Tuesday at 5:30 PM on the 4thfloor of the Sumter Opera House (enter through the back entrance off the parking lot). Public comments may also be submitted online anytime through our website at sumtersc.gov/council/meetings, or city citizens can contact the Mayor or their Councilmember any time prior to any meeting to discuss a concern or idea you may have for the City. For our regularly scheduled meetings, agendas are announced the Friday before each meeting on our website and include links to detailed agenda items as well as location, and more.
    • Next month our regularly scheduled meetings are on September 7 at 1 PM and September 21 at 5:30 PM.