Cayce City Council met on Oct. 7 to confirm the membership of its election commission, and to settle a four-year legal battle over a permit revocation.

A real estate broker and owner of a property, not far from Brookland Cayce High School, filed a lawsuit in May 2021 against Cayce after the city revoked a permit that allowed the broker to move a prefabricated home onto the property. Seventeen neighbors of the property spoke to Cayce’s Zoning Board of Appeals at an April 19, 2021, meeting in opposition to the permit, resulting in the revocation. The broker had already moved the home onto the property when the permit was revoked.

At council’s Oct. 7, 2025, meeting, it unanimously approved a settlement of the lawsuit. No settlement details were provided by council.

In other news

Council unanimously approved a resolution to confirm the three-person membership of Cayce’s Municipal Election Commission. At council’s meeting on Sept. 17, council was informed by City Attorney William Dillard that the commission was in violation of a state statute limiting municipal election commissions to three members. Cayce’s commission had five members.

Councilman Phil Carter said he was unsure of the need for an election commission and asked if a motion to dissolve the commission could be made. Dillard informed council that Lexington County would take on the responsibilities of the commission if it were dissolved, and the process could not be completed before the upcoming elections.

Council selected Fletcher Smith, Diana Bray and Maxine Creamer to remain as members of the commission.

Council again deferred an amendment to a city ordinance that would create a registry for vacant industrial and commercial buildings in Cayce. Council deferred the amendment at its Sept. 17 meeting, citing the need to inform affected property owners.

Council unanimously approved a motion to remove the amendment from the agenda until it can be further discussed at a work session in early 2026.

Mayor Elise Partin said vacant buildings harm Cayce’s economy through lost tax revenue and losses for small businesses.

“I literally have a list… a list of small businesses that want to come to the City of Cayce, but they can't get these building owners to respond,” Partin said.

Council also accepted a $4,000 donation from the Lutheran Evangelical Protestant Church for a swing set. Cayce plans to install the new swing set in Guignard Park.

Council also unanimously approved a contract with RCI of South Carolina, a building code consulting firm, to carry out building inspections and a building plan review. The contract is needed due to the retirement of Cayce’s building official, according to Assistant City Manager Wesley Crosby.