January 2026 Council Highlights

City Council met last night for its regular meeting, with special recognitions for the “Love Where You Live” Litter Poster Contest winners and citizens with outstanding contributions to the Community Cleanup Days. Here is a summary of the key actions and discussions.

• Love Where You Live Litter Poster Contest Winners

  This competition invites Sumter students to spread the word about Community Clean-Up Days and show their love for Sumter by helping keep it clean.

  This year’s winners are:

  • Barkley Helms, 3rd grade, Manchester Elementary School
  • Winnie Caughman, 7th grade, Wilson Hall
  • Sarah Sloan Motley, 9th grade, Wilson Hall

Thank you to the Greater Sumter Chamber of Commerce and Palmetto Pride for partnering with us on this contest. All three students’ art will serve as our community poster throughout 2026.

We also recognized several groups and individuals who have gone above and beyond for the Sumter community by dedicating their time and effort to picking up trash in their neighborhoods and throughout the city.

• Our annual Volunteer Cleanup Award goes to:
  • Liberty STEAM Charter School
    • 223 participants in our Community Cleanup Days
• Our annual ‘Most Litter Picked Up’ Recognition goes to:
  • Scout Troop 342 Shaw AFB
    • Their organization collected 30 bags & over 1,000 pounds of trash last year!
• Our annual ‘Above & Beyond Award’ goes to:
  • Billy Sams of Sumter
    • Individually, he has collected 42 bags and 1,050 pounds of litter in his neighborhood and throughout the Sumter community

• Presented at last night's meeting was the second reading of a moratorium that would impose a six-month ban on new residential development in the city.
  • This moratorium would not affect any developments currently in process.
  • This is brought on by a longer-term planning effort to review all city development regulations.
  • During this six-month pause, City staff and officials will review and align the City’s zoning and subdivision regulations with modern standards.

• Also, we want to remind everyone that City Council meetings are now available to watch the next day on YouTube. 

   

• Our Curbside Junk Removal is coming back!
• Mark your calendars for February 2-6, 2026!
• All City residents can set bulky items like furniture, appliances, tires, and electronics at the curb for free pickup this week.
  • Remember to place those items at the curb by Sunday, February 1st and separate materials into categories (trash, vegetative debris, construction debris, e-waste, tires), and avoid hazardous materials — this service is in addition to regular trash collection.
• For more information and to view a diagram of how to separate your trash, visit KeepSumterClean.com

• Swan Lake Iris Gardens is currently under construction!
• The new Sister Wimberly Playground
  • A full renovation with modern, nature-inspired equipment.
  • Designed for children of all ages and abilities.
  • This is the first major playground upgrade at Swan Lake since the 1970s.
• The North Entrance Renovation
  • We will see upgraded walkways, erosion control measures, new brick-and-stone columns, refreshed steel gates and fencing, and updated planting and irrigation.
  • This will create a polished, welcoming entrance that honors the Gardens’ history.
• Expect both of these projects to be completed by the end of 2026. The park will remain open during this time, with limited disruptions and closures in the affected construction zones. 

• Manning Avenue Bridge is closed to traffic until further notice
  • The Manning Avenue Bridge, which connects Main Street in Downtown Sumter to Manning Avenue, officially closed to all traffic on January 12, 2026, due to a construction project managed by the South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT).
    • The bridge will remain closed until the project is complete.
    • This project is expected to take approximately 28 months.
  • Motorists are encouraged to plan ahead, follow posted detour signage, and use alternate routes while the bridge is closed.
  • For the latest updates, please visit sumtersc.gov or scdot.org.

We invite you to visit and attend a regular City Council meeting. Our meetings are typically held on the first and third Tuesday of each month. Please note that there will be no meeting on the first Tuesday of July. The next scheduled meeting is February 3rd, at 1:00 PM. If you can’t make a meeting, public comments may also be submitted online anytime through our website at sumtersc.gov/council/meetings, or city residents can contact the Mayor or their Council representative anytime before any meeting to discuss a concern or idea.

• Want to know what’s happening in the City? Visit SumterSC.gov.