February 2022 Council Highlights

• The City of Sumter administrative offices will be closed for Presidents Day, this Monday, February 21, 2022. Sanitation services will continue to run on a normal schedule.
• Join us for our next Community Clean Up Day this Saturday, February 19. Groups and individuals are encouraged to get out, walk around your neighborhoods and pick up litter you see along the streets. We love Sumter and we want our visitors and resident to love it too. Let’s make it our community-wide goal of a trash-free Sumter. We also provide clean up supplies for free, including gloves, bags, safety vests and pick-up sticks – but you must call our Litter Office in advance to schedule the materials at 803-305-5266.
  • On Saturday, March 5, at Pack’s Landing, from 9-11 AM, the City’s Litter Office has planned a “Sweeps Across South Carolina” event with the South Carolina Aquarium and the SC Floodwater Commission to help remove plastic and trash from our waterways. Additionally, our Litter office coordinated volunteers with Sumter High School to bring students to the event to help raise public awareness about the connections between flooding and litter. The Aquarium and Commission will collect data from the pickup to help with an ongoing study. This event is public and available to anyone looking to make an impact on the Sumter community.
  • On March 19, 2022, from 9 AM to 1 PM at the Sumter County Civic Center, the City of Sumter in partnership with Sumter County will be hosting our first ever Tire Buy-Back Event. During this one-time event, Sumter residents can receive $2 for each tire brought in for recycling. The event is open to Sumter County residents only - no businesses. Limit 10 car tires per vehicle. No tires with rims, please. A valid SC ID will be required to participate. This event is sponsored by Continental Tire of Sumter and Palmetto Pride.
• Are you ready to laugh? Then it's time to get tickets to see Henry Cho on stage at the Sumter Opera House. He's been in shows like The Tonight Show, Young Comedians Special, and was even a host of NBC's Friday Night Videos for two years. Saturday, March 5 at 7:30. Tickets are $28-35 depending on seat location.
  • Followed by Tokyo Joe performs Rocketman on March 19
  • Sumter Opera House is also excited to host two events a part of the 2022 Inspire Festival! Charleston Symphony Orchestra Chamber Concert and an extraordinary two-person Circus, The Great Dubois will showcase their talents during the annual festival March 25-April 3.
  • Get your tickets to these shows and more at sumteroperahouse.com.
• Registration for Spring sports leagues has started at the Sumter County Recreation & Parks office. You can register online at the County’s website (www.sumtercountysc.org) or in person at 155 Haynsworth Street. If you have any questions, please call the Sumter Country Recreation & Parks office at 803-436-2248.
  • For swim and tennis leagues, please contact the City of Sumter’s Recreation office at 803-774-3969.
• Registration is now open for lifeguard classes at the City of Sumter’s Aquatic Center. Space and positions are limited. Sign up for class today online at sumterswim.com. There is a fee for training; however, if you come to work at the City’s Aquatics Center the training is free.
• Due to current workforce shortages, we are running longer trash routes than usual. We are doing our best to get to everyone in a timely manner and we ask that all residents place your carts by the curb by 7AM and leave them out until 7PM on the day of your scheduled pickup.
• Additionally, the City of Sumter sanitation crews are not sorting recycling at the curb. Until further notice, please bag your recycling items and place them in your container with your regular trash. This will allow our limited workforce teams to focus on residential and commercial pickup and yard debris. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
• Congratulations to all of the 2021 Public Safety Awards Honorees! Thank you for making Sumter a safer and better place to live, work, and play. Annually the American Legion recognizes heroes in all positions for public safety in Sumter. City employee awards included:

Police Officer of the year - Officer Montana Fisher

Firefighter of the year - Lieutenant Selena Ruth Smith

Additionally, County employee awards included:

EMS technician of the year - Lance Corporal Christopher Kirven

Detention Officer of the year - Senior Corporal Christopher Bowen

Sheriff's Deputy of the year - Lieutenant Lenell Allen

• Join the City of Sumter's team! More than 30 positions available... carpenters, inspectors, police officers, firefighters, drivers, recreation, maintenance, planners and many more. To be considered apply at sumtersc.gov.
• City Council meetings are held on the first Tuesday at 1 PM and on the third Tuesday at 5:30 PM on the 4th floor 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 March 1 at 1 PM and March 15 at 5:30 PM.