Cayce City Council unanimously voted to approve new municipal ward line changes at their latest meeting on March 19.

In order to reach the target population of 3,445 individuals per district with a population deviation of 5% according to the 2020 census numbers, District 2, currently represented by Councilman Byron Thomas, needed to increase its current numbers and District 4, currently represented by Councilman Phil Carter, needed to decrease its current population.

Council originally adopted a resolution in March 2023 to approve the standards by which the districts would be redrawn but voted to defer first reading of the new ordinance in June 2023 until after the municipal elections held in November 2024 to make sure that all affected residents would be aware of the proposed changes.

Council again deferred first reading of the ordinance a few times during February meetings.

At the March 4 meeting, council gave first reading approval, allowing additional time for letters to be received by the approximately 900 affected residents.

In other news

Cayce’s City Manager James Crosland used the city’s emergency powers clause to enter into agreements with three different groups in order to repair a sewer main break that occurred on 7th Street between Jansen and Michaelmas Avenues on March 7.

The project consisted of sewer line repair work to be done by G.H. Smith Construction and “excavation of the asphalt roadway, installation of approximately 340 linear feet of pipe, reconnection of services and placement of flowable fill in the trench,” to be done by Carolina Paving & Grading, LLC, according to the memorandum.

The same emergency powers clause was also used to address failures of another sewer main between Jansen and Lafayette Avenues. This main, however, could be repaired with less invasive technologies. This project consisted of “ pipe bursting approximately 760 feet of linear pipe, service reconnections and small asphalt repair,” to be done by Hinterland Group Inc., according to the memorandum.

The total price for the three projects is $219,880 and will be funded with $27,500 coming from the Utilities Wastewater Collection budget and $192,380 coming from the Utilities Capital Reserves fund.

The Council unanimously ratified the emergency contracts.

In other news, Council unanimously approved to appoint Chip Salak to the Board of Zoning Appeals following the resignation of Tyler Helms.

Salak has lived in Cayce since 1994 and currently works in commercial flooring sales.

The Council also unanimously approved the appointment of Christopher Tenny to the Museum Commission after AG Dantzler resigned.

Tenny has lived in Cayce for five years and has worked in the field of historic preservation with both Historic Columbia and the State Historic Preservation Office.

“I want to give back to my community and volunteer to better the place where I live,” he said on the application. “I understand the importance of equitable history being shared with the public and I want to help gather, document, preserve and interpret the diverse history of this area.”

Council then moved into executive session but no actions were taken afterward.

The next regular public Cayce City Council meeting will be held on April 1 starting at 6 p.m. at Cayce City Hall.