As we embark on a new year filled with promise and possibilities, it is my honor to update everyone on the current state of our city. In this report, we will reflect on the accomplishments of the past year, outline the challenges we face, and consider our future of continued prosperity and success.
If you would like to hear a podcast version of this report, please follow this link: The Simpsonville SIMPLY SAID. Podcast: Episode 8.
An overview of significant achievements in Simpsonville in the past year
The Municipal Association of South Carolina recognized us for municipal achievement by presenting the city with the Joseph P. Riley Award for Economic Development for the Simpsonville Arts Center. The arts center has an annual economic impact of over a million
dollars every year. We’re in prestigious company having our city’s name engraved on the base of this award. Larger cities like Florence, Sumter, and Hilton Head Island typically win this award. It’s rare air.
Our financial reporting received the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for the 11th consecutive year. This is a big deal, especially based on how much Simpsonville was in a financial hole in years past.
Our fund balance continues to improve. Just six years ago the balance stood at $8.6 million and now is over $19 million. This doesn’t include the balance we have on hand from bond money and ARPA funds that we are using for the municipal complex and downtown improvements.
Regarding bonds, the City has significantly improved its bond ratings with Moody’s and S&P. This increases our borrowing power and it allowed the City to obtain bond Issuances to fund the Downtown Revitalization and Municipal Complex projects at the very low interest rate of 2%.
We continue to do fun things as well. Our Summer Music and Food Truck Rodeo remains hugely popular, and we just had our fifth!!! Annual Christmas Tree Lighting. We had an amazing turnout by our residents and the turnout is increasing every year.
Community Relations Specialist Justin Campbell asked me to recognize, congratulate and thank the employees of the City of Simpsonville for pledging almost $22,000 to the United Way of Greenville County in 2023. The United Way is a wonderful organization that aims to reduce poverty in Greenville County and help people become self-reliant. An impressive 140 employees (or about 70 percent of the workforce), contributed to that effort. For the 2022 pledge campaign, the United Way awarded City employees the Chairman’s Award, and Justin and I are excited to see how the United Way recognizes the City of Simpsonville once again in 2024. The spirit of generosity that is present in our City staff is a wonderful example of “who we are”.
Challenges and issues we face
We face two main challenges. These aren’t new, but they are definitely ongoing.
First is the sheer amount of growth and development and the increased traffic it brings. While the growth of the population in the USA is almost flat, our region has grown by an average of 1.5% per year over the last twenty years and more recently it has been higher than that, exceeding 4% in some years. Simpsonville’s population has doubled over the last 25 years. Managing how we grow, what our city looks like, how we deal with traffic, how zoning is applied, annexation requests, and so on; is one of the most difficult problems faced by City Council. Just saying “NO” to development doesn’t work and is fraught with legal issues. How we interface with development in the county is problematic as well. Growth is a good problem to have though, the alternatives are stagnation or decline. We don’t want either of those.
Stormwater runoff and the flooding that occurs during very heavy rains is the second of our major problems. We have residents in our community who are impacted every time it rains hard. They are truly suffering. We are looking at some possibilities that will help the most severely impacted in the near term. Solving the larger problem is more expensive. Last year we had a culvert wash out and take about a hundred feet of road with it. That repair cost the city more than one percent of our annual budget. One culvert. And that points up the main issue. Funding solutions is the real problem. We inquired about funding with the South Carolina Office of Resiliency (SCOR), the state agency in charge of dealing with flooding. They were only able to offer low interest loans. When looking at the potential costs, borrowing the money is not a viable option. We need direct funding from the state and the feds. As mayor, I have joined the American Flood Coalition, a lobbying organization, and will be joining other leaders from across the state to lobby in Columbia in February, and in Washington, D.C. in May. It’s a long shot, but it’s our best shot. You can help by lending your voice through contacting your higher office elected representatives about this issue.
Plans and the vision for Simpsonville’s future
We are well under way on the new municipal complex and renovations to City Park. The roof has been put on the new City Hall and Police Department Headquarters. Brick is going up on the façade over the next couple of weeks. Windows are going in next month and then the building will be in the dry. It’s right on schedule to be completed in October. The Fire Department Station 1 and Headquarters, and combined Municipal and Summary Courts buildings are also on track. The park renovation will be completed in early 2025. It can’t be finished until the old police department and fire department buildings are razed to make way for The Great Lawn.
Our downtown project will finally get under way. It was supposed to be in the works already. It has been delayed due to the availability of contractors. Every government body in the state is spending infrastructure dollars and contractors are staying very busy. We’re looking forward to improved traffic flow, better walkability, and a wonderful improvement to our “festival street,” the block of South Main between West Curtis and Trade Streets. Construction is going to put a crimp in our downtown, so I encourage everyone to be patient and to imagine how much better it will be when it’s all done.
We continue working to complete the extension to the Swamp Rabbit Trail. When we’re done, we’ll have a protected path from downtown all the way to Heritage Park. With improvements to walkability included in the downtown project, we’ll have a very nice connection between City Park and Heritage Park. The main challenge we’re facing is working with property owners to get them to go along. We’re close and we’ll get there.
A financial overview
Here is a summary of the city’s financial health and our budget. A+. It’s that simple.
We continue to maintain a balanced budget that includes:
- Good raises for our city employees.
- Emphasis on maintaining essential services and facilities. We are doing a good job of keeping up with the stuff that’s “not sexy”. Things like keeping the roof in good repair on all our buildings, maintaining our sewer infrastructure, and rotating older equipment out and bringing in new. We’re doing this in an ongoing way so that we don’t get trapped again by everything breaking down at once, like what happened with the garbage trucks several years ago.
- Our budget includes funding for small projects to improve the City. These small projects add up over time to major improvement in the overall health of the City.
- Maintaining a capital reserve account for those rainy-day projects. This is what allowed us to repair that culvert washout last year without having to cut other essential services.
Public safety and emergency preparedness
We have great leadership in our emergency departments: Chief of Police Mike Hanshaw, and Fire Chief Wesley Williams. They do so much to promote a great culture in among our first responders.
Simpsonville provides competitive pay to our first responders. We also increase our headcount to keep up with growth. But it’s not just about pay, maintaining a great culture in our public safety and emergency departments is why our first responders are proud to “be Simpsonville.” We maintain very low turnover and a low job vacancy rate in comparison to other cities.
All of us should be grateful for our amazing first responders. When you see them out and about, please extend a thank you.
Recognition and thanks
I especially want to thank our outgoing councilmembers: Matthew Gooch, Ward 1; Jennifer Hulehan, Ward 3; and Ken Cummings, Ward 5. Together they represented 28 years of experience on Council. Their contributions were significant, and they will be missed.
It’s important to recognize Robbie Davis, our Parks and Rec Director, and all his staff. Together they serve thousands or residents every month. We are blessed with great facilities such as the Senior and Activities Center, Heritage Park Amphitheater, and of course all our wonderful parks.
I want to recognize our Public Works Director, Andy West. He and his department do a wonderful job. Especially sanitation. Sanitation is going so smoothly, so well, it’s such a great improvement over contracting it out. You can count on them and if there is ever an issue it’s resolved fast.
The Simpsonville Chamber of Commerce deserves recognition. They are a great resource for our city, and of course all the businesses that make this such a great place to live. Thank you all.
The Simpsonville Arts Foundation Incorporated, better known as SAFI. They are a great organization that helps Simpsonville be a city for the arts. Their energy and positivity are amazing and such a value. Melissa Sturgis, our fantastic Arts Center Manager who also has earned high praise, works closely with them, and together they make a strong combination.
Diversity and inclusivity is a strong point for the city
We have an emphasis on embracing diversity, promoting inclusivity, and ensuring equal opportunities for all our residents. I want to recognize that and some contributors to these things in our community.
I mentioned the arts community earlier. We are honored to be hosting theater shows by No Dreams Deferred. The executive director, Clark Nesbitt, is an amazing gentleman. He has put on great shows, like Crowns, which have been absolutely the finest entertainment. His upcoming production of Raisins in the Sun will be very special, and I encourage everyone to attend. You won’t be disappointed.
We have a special community that looks past color that elects minorities and women. Ken Cummings served as a council member for two terms and would likely have cruised to a third term if he wanted it. We had a minority candidate run for his seat and while he wasn’t successful, he got fair consideration and was truly a quality candidate. And we continue to elect women to our council. One of our female councilmembers was just elected by Council as our Mayor Pro Tem, Sherry Roche. She’s taking the place of our outgoing Mayor Pro Tem, Jenn Hulehan.
Last year Simpsonville Council voted to add to the city holiday calendar. Juneteenth is now a paid holiday. It’s important to note that this holiday shouldn’t be considered a “Black” holiday. This is a day to reflect on our shared history and what it means to move forward together.
We have women in key positions on our city staff. Our City Administrator, Dianna Gracely; Finance Director, Christine Furino; city judges, and a person I especially want to recognize holds multiple roles. Ashley Clark is African American. She is our HR manager, a city judge, and our city clerk. She is very good at wearing multiple hats. I depend on her a lot and I’m not the only one.
Simpsonville can be proud of our diversity and how it’s reflected among our city staff. The big thing to point out here and be especially in our thoughts is that “Of course it is!” It’s normal. It’s just who we are. I say, well done.
Closing remarks
Simpsonville, the people who work for the City, the members of Council, all our residents: we’re all just ordinary folks. But together we are accomplishing great things. Last year was a great year and we have a great year to come. The state of our city is, well, just great! Thank you all for your support of this wonderful place to live. Simpsonville. Simply home.
