There’s a lot on the plate of Lexington County Council’s newly installed chair.

But Beth Carrigg said her top priority is fairly simple: the well-being and safety of the citizens of Lexington County.

Looking ahead, one of the biggest problems is “crumbling roads,” she said in an interview with the Chronicle.

Carrigg was elected chairwoman by a unanimous vote at a Jan. 10 council meeting. She has served on council since 2019. She chaired the Justice and Economic Development Committee, and served as parliamentarian for the council.

She is the second woman to serve as chair in the history of Lexington County Council. The first was current Council Member Debbie Summers, who was elected chair in 2009.

Before serving as a county council member, Carrigg served as the countywide elected clerk of court from 2005 to 2017.

On Election Day last November, a proposed 1% Capital Project Sales Tax to fund road improvements failed to pass with voters, as nearly 55% of them voted against enacting the tax.

The penny-on-the-dollar tax would have raised an estimated $535 million over eight years to be used exclusively on roads

The failure to get voter approval “put us back into square one,” Carrigg said, calling it an ongoing challenge that will take time and study to solve.

After the vote, county officials said they would have to look at other options but no specific proposals have emerged.

Other issues that will be on the table relate to new multi-housing projects that may require some restrictions. The council will also have to consider restrictions on Airbnb short term rentals, an issue that has come up with several local governments in recent months.

Carrigg said another top priority is to keep employees, including law enforcement officers and EMS personnel, well compensated and comfortable with their jobs.

She said the council will also be spending a lot of time working on a new budget for the coming year.

As Carrigg ponders the future, Lexington County is looking at major growth and developments.

According to an annual report from the Lexington County Department of Economic Development released last fall, the county received commitments of $448.7 million in capital investment and 1,107 new jobs during the preceding 12 months.

Lexington County is the fastest-growing county in South Carolina’s Midlands, according to data released in 2021 by the U.S. Census Bureau. From 2010 to 2020, the county saw a 12 percent increase in its population, ranking 12th for the most growth out of the state’s 46 counties.