Laurens County Council has adopted a fees schedule for the new Agriculture Center in Laurens designed to promote its use by student-agriculturalists and non-profits related to agriculture.
The center is funded by the Capital Projects Sales Tax passed by a majority of Laurens County voters in the 2020 General Election. The extra one-penny on sales to fund a specific list of 16 capital projects sunsets in 2028.
Andy Howard, the county’s parks, recreation and tourism director and liaison with the ag center and the airport, briefed the council at its April 13 meeting on the need for a council-approved fee schedule. He said the Agriculture Center is not designed to host weddings and showers, and events like family reunions, because of potential scheduling conflicts. These events, he said, are set months in advance, while an agriculture show can pop up in a week or so - the Agriculture Board wants to be flexible enough to schedule these ag events, almost at a moment’s notice.
In March, the Ag Center had 11,300 visits including 4,500 unique visitors, and these people shopped and ate at nearby retail businesses, he said. “This is the economic impact we look for with a destination like this. Visitors put the penny sales tax right back into the community,” Howard said. “People said, with the Ag Center, ‘You will make money,’ but we really won’t - but the community will.”
South Carolina does not have many venues like this, Howard said, but in Georgia nearly every high school has an agriculture center, primarily for FFA and 4-H.
“For FFA and 4-H, we want to make it as affordable as possible,” Howard said. “We want to make it free for students to show their animals, and use it for what it’s intended for,” he said. There is a $250 upcharge if an event’s organizer is from out of town, and a $500 up-charge if the event comes in from out of state. Howard said council will have to decide if alcohol is permit - if so, there will be an additional $500 fee for alcohol-allowed events. The venue also has 14 RV hook-ups, with their own fees.
“We will work with legal to make sure the reservation agreements are up to standard,” Howard said, “but this is a good jumping off point. The Ag Committee believes it will work.”
(For a complete list of Agriculture Center fees, follow this path:
Government
County Council
Agendas & Minutes
4/13/26 Regular Session, Packet
Reports … Agriculture Board)
In other business, Council adopted these resolutions: April as National Child Abuse Prevention Month, April as Autism Acceptance Month, and April 12 - 18 as National Public Safety/ Telecommunicators Week.
Council Member Arthur Lee Philson Jr. provided his monthly county departments recognition to the IT Department (information technology).
County Administrator Jerre Threatt announced at the April 13 meeting that, on April 15, fencing was coming down at the Historic Courthouse, under renovation in downtown Laurens, and there will be an official-opening ribbon-cutting at 4 p.m. May 15.
Tax Assessor G.W. Dailey gave his monthly update on the every-5-years property reassessment program, and Casey Edmonds updated council on an effort to establish a Clubhouse (mental health) residential and counseling facility in Laurens County.
Under Public Comments on agenda items, Rick Shealy discussed the need for an ordinance specifically governing the establishment of hazardous waste-acceptance facilities in Laurens County (first reading of the ordinance came later in the meeting). “Every county needs some type of waste management facility,” he said, “but now we don’t have the ability to regulate.”
First Steps Director Toni Able addressed National Child Abuse Prevention Month. She invited everyone to an educational event April 23 at The Ridge, and encouraged everyone to ride by the group’s West Main Street, Laurens, office. There, they have placed 376 pinwheels to represent the children in Laurens County who last year were affected by child abuse — that’s an increase of 20 pinwheels from last year, she said.
“That’s more than a child a day, a story, a moment that should never have happened,” she said.
Council approved several appointments:
To the ATAX Board (accommodations tax):
Marcus Cheeks, owner, Two-Five Catering;
Stephanie Bowen, owner, Lighthouse RV Park;
Bob Link, cultural, Laurens County Community Theatre board;
Lori Garrett, regional director, Comfort Inn & Suites;
Jody Prosser, owner, Barefoot Acres;
Jessica Cooper, manager, Big Air; and
Bud Marchant, at-large, historian & sestercentennial representative.
The list is Clinton-heavy, Andy Howard said, because that is where most of the hotels are. “The tourism dollars have significantly increased throughout the state as tourism has increased,” said Howard, who is the council’s ATAX liaison. “We look for our tourism to increase, as well.”
George Casey, from the public sector, to the GLEAMNS Board of Commissioners;
Rhonda Gary, district six, to Planning Commission; and
Janice Kennedy, district six, to the Pathwise board (Laurens County Disabilities & Special Needs).
Council gave final approval to a Road Closures Ordinance — it keeps routine road closures (where no residents are opposed) subject to council action and not to the court. Philson voted “no”.
Council adopted the annual Fair Housing Resolution, designating April as Fair Housing Month, and adopted its Clemson Extension Agreement and FY26-27 appropriation of $25,000.
After a closed session to receive legal advice related to an employment grievance, Council voted 4-1-1 to uphold the findings of the county grievance committee related to a former finance department employee. Philson voted “no” and Council Member Justin Lane abstained from voting.
In Council Members’ comments, Lane said he appreciated seeing new faces in the audience and thanked Rick Shealy for coming from Cross Hill to discuss hazardous waste facilities’ permitting.
“We are in the process of getting zoning,” Lane said. “This is a Bandaid until we get zoning, we need to pro-active as opposed to re-active with regard to hazardous waste.”
Philson said he would like the County to research what Greenwood County does related to allowing taxpayers monthly installments to satisfy their property tax bills. “People on fixed income - it lets people pay until their taxes are paid, a payment plan for the whole year. I know it can’t happen this year, but we could put it on table for next year.”
He expressed appreciation for the Clubhouse presentation, and thanked Suniva for making its $350M investment (Hunter Industrial Park) in Laurens County.
“It is a pleasure to see the opportunities and to put protections in place,” Council Chairman Jeff Carroll said. “I see bright things for us in the future.”
