Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Municipalities – Question 2
Question for Kaycee D and Cequita E. As we are taking this course, the people who live in the area of the county commonly called Graniteville are exploring the possibility of becoming an incorporated municipality. What steps do they have to go through to become an incorporated city?
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The steps grantiville would have to take is first, the population must be at least 300 persons per square mile and the area should not be within a five miles of a an existing city.Grantiville will have to conduct a feasibility study to examine the needs of the community and identify specific how the city would meet those needs. They are to identify to the community how the will be taxed on property and businesses and they will have to hold public meeting ont he incorporation propasal and feasibility study. After all these steps have been taken a petition is filed with the South Carolina Secretary of State. The petition must include a specific proposal of the geographic limits of the proposed city and show the area's population. At least 50 voters nd 15 percent of the property owners in the area must sign the petition. Once the petion is certified as being correct, the Secretary of the State appoints election commissioners who will conduct the oversee of the the election. The residents must then vote on the area that should be incoporated, the name the city will use,form of government, election procedure, and length of terms for city council and the mayor. If the majority of the voters vote on city council then the Secretary of State will issue an incorporation cerfificate, that will be effective when the first city council is elected.
Cequita D Edmond
In order to become an incorporated city Graniteville must have a population of at least 300 people per square mile. They also cannot be within 5 minutes of an existing city. Graniteville will also need to examine the needs of the community and then prove that a proposed city would accommodate those needs, this is called a service feasibility study. It must be detailed so that it is understood what kinds of services would be provided to the community and how they plan to raise money to pay for those services. SC law requires that Graniteville hold at least one public meeting on the incorporation proposal and the service feasibility study. Then they must file a petition with the South Carolina Secretary of State. The area’s population and geographical limits must be included. There must be signatures from at least 50 registered voters and 15% must be property owners. Then the Secretary of State will appoint elections commissioners who will have to residents vote on questions such as: Should the area incorporate? What will the proposed city’s name be? Will it stay Graniteville? What election procedures will Graniteville use? What will the length of terms be for city council and the mayor? If Graniteville’s incorporation is approve by the voters then the Secretary will issue and incorporation certificate and it will become effective the when the first county council is elected.
-Kaycee Doying
Kaycee gave a well written and clear complete answer. Cequitea had most of it, but needs to more carefully proof what shw submits.
As you can see, Graniteville will have some problems with Aiken as they are not 5 miles from Aiken but immediately adjacent to Aiken. My understanding is that they and Aiken will have to come to some agreement on where the lines will be drawn before Graniteville can proceed. The other problems they have is attitudes of some residents there who simply dislike all government contols and will not support the creation of any new government that might limit what they can do with their property, not to mention tax them!
Bob B
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