On the agenda: Mauldin Agenda — Flock camera (Sep 21)

CITY COUNCIL MEETING AGENDA
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2026, 7:00 P.M.
CITY HALL - COUNCIL CHAMBERS
5 EAST BUTLER ROAD, MAULDIN, SC 29662
COUNCIL MEMBERS
Mayor
Terry Merritt
Council Members
Taft Matney, Carol King, Jason Kraeling, Michael Reynolds, Frank Allgood and Mark Steenback
AGENDA
1.

Call to Order
a. Welcome
b. Invocation
c. Pledge of Allegiance

2. Proclamations and Presentations
a. Constitution Week Proclamation [Page 3]
3. Reading and Approval of Minutes
a. August 17, 2026 [Pages 4-7 ]
b. Special Called City Council- September 8, 2026 [Pages 8-9]
4. Public Comment (Agenda Items)
5. Report from City Administrator
6. Report from Standing Committees
a. Economic Planning and Development
b. Public Safety
c. Public Works
d. Finance and Policy
e. Recreation
f. Business and Development Services

Chairman Matney
Chairwoman King
Chairman Kraeling
Chairman Reynolds
Chairman Allgood
Chairman Steenback

All meetings are streamed live at https://cityofmauldin.org/your-government/meeting-minutes-agendas/.
A quorum of Council will be present.

7. Unfinished Business
Ordinances 2nd Reading
None
8. New Business
Ordinances 1st Reading
None
Standing Committee Items
Finance and Policy Committee (Reynolds)
a. Year End Financial Summary [Pages 10-11]
Public Safety Committee (Allgood)
b. Public Safety Compensation [Pages 12-14]
9. Public Comment (Non-Agenda Items)
10. Council Concerns
11. Adjournment

All meetings are streamed live at https://cityofmauldin.org/your-government/meeting-minutes-agendas/.
A quorum of Council will be present.

PROCLAMATION
CONSTITUTION WEEK
WHEREAS: The Constitution of the United States of America, the guardian of our
liberties, embodies the principles of limited government in a Republic dedicated to rule
by law; and
WHEREAS: September 17, 2026, marks the two hundred and thirty-ninth anniversary of
the framing of the Constitution of the United States of America by the Constitutional
Convention; and
WHEREAS: It is fitting and proper to accord official recognition to this magnificent
document and its memorable anniversary, and to the patriotic celebrations which will
commemorate it; and
WHEREAS: Public Law 915 guarantees the issuing of a proclamation each year by the
President of the United States of America designating September 17 through 23 as
Constitution Week,
NOW, THEREFORE I, Terry Merritt, Mayor of the City of Mauldin, South Carolina, do
hereby proclaim the week of September 17 through 23 as
CONSTITUTION WEEK
and ask our citizens to reaffirm the ideals the Framers of the Constitution had in 1787
by vigilantly protecting the freedoms guaranteed to us through this guardian of our
liberties.

___________________________________
Terry Merritt, Mayor

3

MINUTES
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
MONDAY, AUGUST 17, 2026, 7:00 P.M.
CITY HALL - COUNCIL CHAMBERS
5 EAST BUTLER ROAD, MAULDIN, SC 29662
Members present were Mayor Terry Merritt, Council members Taft Matney, Carol King, Jason
Kraeling, Michael Reynolds, Frank Allgood and Mark Steenback.
City Attorney Daniel Hughes, City Administrator Seth Duncan, and Assistant City Administrator
Greg Saxton were also present.
1. Call to Order- Mayor Merritt
a. Welcome- Mayor Merritt
b. Invocation- Councilwoman King
c. Pledge of Allegiance- Councilwoman King
2. Proclamations and Presentations
a. Recognition of Police Explorers- Sgt. Harley Sefcik spoke about the Explorers program and
their achievements.
b. Ann Huyler, South Carolina Forestry Commission- Ms. Huyler spoke about Forestry
commission grants and the requirements for a Tree City, USA designation.
c. MTC Federal Credit Union Proclamation- Mayor Merritt read the proclamation.
3. Reading and Approval of Minutes
a. July 20, 2026
b. Special Called City Council- August 3, 2026
The minutes were approved by unanimous consent.
4. Public Comment (Agenda Items)- None
5. Report from City Administrator
Mr. Duncan reported SCDOT has finished repairing and repaving Miller Road between Murray
Drive and Corn Road. In addition to performing full-depth patch and resurfacing, SCDOT
widened the shoulders of the roadway.
Staff are busy working on educational and information materials for the public ahead of the
1% sales tax referendum which will be included in the ballot this November.

4

Several new businesses have opened in Mauldin recently. Swig Drinks has opened its first
location in South Carolina at 1534 Woodruff Road. Other new businesses include Associates
in Wellness at 2 Owens Lane, and Vitality Health Collaborative at 300 Regent Park Court.
6. Report from Standing Committees
a. Economic Planning and Development- No report
b. Public Safety- Chairwoman King reported National Night Out went very well. The first
week of school traffic went smoothly with no major problems.
c. Public Works- Chairman Kraeling mentioned employee safety in the hot weather we have
been experiencing.
d. Finance and Policy- No report
e. Recreation- The surveys were discussed in committee meetings. Chairman Allgood
mentioned it was interesting to find out how many non-residents take advantage of the
City’s programs.
f. Business and Development Services- No report
7. Unfinished Business
Ordinances 2nd Reading
None
8. New Business
Ordinances 1st Reading
None
Standing Committee Items
Economic Planning and Development Committee (Matney)
a. Mauldin Art Trail
Motion: Chairman Matney made a motion to approve artist Melinda Hoffman’s piece “A
Gathering” for the 2026-2027 Public Art Trail at a price not to exceed $15,000.
Councilwoman King seconded the motion.
Vote: The vote was unanimous (7-0).
Recreation Committee (Allgood)
b. Undiscovered South Carolina Grant Resolution
Motion: Chairman Allgood made a motion to give approval to apply for the SC PRT
Undiscovered Grant. Councilman Reynolds seconded the motion.
Vote: The vote was unanimous (7-0).

5

9. Public Comment (Non-Agenda Items)
a. Jason Pleakis of 106 Saddlebrook Lane commented on Flock cameras. He would like to
know what the City will do to ensure the system is not being abused. Mr. Pleakis asked for
accountability and transparency. He would like information on the Flock cameras added
to the City website.
b. Neil Pate of 307 Trimley Way advised Council that there are unhoused people living on
City property behind Layton Hall Townhomes and they have been there for several
months. He is concerned about the conditions as well as the possibility of confrontations
with townhome residents. Mr. Pate asked if the City could check on the situation to
determine if anything can be done.
10. Council Concerns- None
11. Call for Executive Session
Motion: Councilman Matney made a motion to adjourn into executive session for the
items listed below. Councilman Steenback seconded the motion.
Vote: The vote was unanimous (7-0).
Executive Session to consider the following items as allowed by State Statute 30-470(a)(2)
a. Mauldin Stadium at BridgeWay Station
b. City Center Village Redevelopment
c. Project Trailblazer
Immediately Following Executive Session
Mayor Merritt called the meeting back to order at 9:36 p.m. Councilman Reynolds left after
executive session.
Councilman Matney reported no decisions were made and no action taken in executive
session.
Possible action on items discussed in Executive Session
Motion: Councilman Matney made a motion to allocate $150,000 from the general fund
balance for pre-development activities at City Center. Councilwoman King seconded the
motion.

6

Vote: The vote was unanimous (6-0) .
Motion: Councilman Matney made a motion to authorize the Mayor and City Administrator
to issue a letter of intent to purchase 202 North Main under the terms discussed in
executive session. Councilman Steenback seconded the motion.
Vote: The vote was unanimous (6-0).
12. Adjournment- Mayor Merritt adjourned the meeting at 9:38 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
Cindy Miller
Municipal Clerk

7

MINUTES
SPECIAL CALLED CITY COUNCIL MEETING
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2026
IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING COMMITTEE MEETINGS
Council Members present: Mayor Terry Merritt, Council members Taft Matney, Carol King,
Jason Kraeling, and Michael Reynolds
Others present: City Administrator Seth Duncan, Assistant City Administrator Greg Saxton
1. Call to Order- Mayor Merritt
a. Welcome- Mayor Merritt
b. Invocation- Councilman Kraeling
c. Pledge of Allegiance- Councilman Kraeling
2. Old Business
a. Second Reading Ordinance to Approve Amendment 2 to Lease and Stadium Project
Agreement; Ratify Prior Related Agreements; Convey Certain Easements at the Stadium;
and other Matters Relating Hereto
Motion: Councilman Matney made a motion to approve the ordinance and attachments
on second reading with Councilwoman King seconding.
Vote: The vote was unanimous (5-0).
3. New Business
a. Discussion: City Gateway and Wayfinding Signs
Mayor Merritt and the Council members weighed in on their preferences for the
wayfinding signs. A few changes were discussed. Mr. Duncan will ask the design firm to
bring back additional examples with the new suggestions incorporated. Council may
hold a workshop in the future if needed. No action was needed on this item.
4. Call for Executive Session
Motion: Councilman Matney made a motion to enter into executive session for the items
listed below. Councilman Kraeling seconded the motion.
Vote: The vote was unanimous (5-0).
Executive Session to consider the following items as allowed by State Statute 30-4-70(a)(2)
a. Proposed sale or purchase of property for Mauldin City Center Village.
b. Proposed sale or purchase of property along E. Butler Road

8

Immediately Following Executive Session
Mayor Merritt called the meeting back to order at 7:35 p.m. Councilman Matney reported no
decisions were made and no action taken in executive session.
Possible action on items discussed in Executive Session
Motion: Councilman Matney made a motion to authorize the Mayor or his designee to execute
a contract for the sale and purchase of real estate for the property discussed in executive
session. Councilman Kraeling seconded the motion.
Vote: The vote was unanimous (5-0).
5. Adjournment- Mayor Merritt adjourned the meeting at 7:37 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
Cindy Miller
Municipal Clerk

9

CITY COUNCIL MEMORANDUM
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT:

Council
Holly Abercrombie, Finance Director
September 21, 2026
Preliminary Year End Financial Summary

FISCAL & BUDGETARY ACTIVITIES
Executive Summary
The City concluded Fiscal Year 2026 in a strong financial position, with overall revenues exceeding
expenditures. This outcome reflects robust local economic growth, prudent fiscal oversight across
departments, and Council’s ongoing strategic planning.
General Fund & FY2026 Budget Overview
The finalized FY2026 budget totaled $55,849,643, which incorporated $244,000 in FY2025 encumbrances
and a $12,500,000 budget amendment approved on June 15, 2026. Preliminary financial analysis projects
a General Fund surplus to exceed $2.9 million. Final figures will be confirmed upon completion of the
annual external audit as outstanding revenues and expenditures are finalized.
Primary Revenue Drivers

Variance vs. Budget Projection

Business Licenses (City & MASC)

+$1,179,000

Property Taxes

+$395,000

Franchise Fees (Pending ~$500k from Duke Energy & PNG)

+$251,000

Permit Revenues

-$322,000

Recommended Allocation of Projected Surplus:
• $1,500,000 transferred to the Capital Projects Fund (supporting capital leases, planned
equipment/projects, and potential co-funding for a replacement fire truck alongside insurance and
lease proceeds).
• $1,000,000 transferred to the Capital Projects Transportation Fund (allocated for streetscaping,
sidewalks, trails, and network improvements).
• $400,000 for performance-based Merit Pool for staff.
Transportation Fund
Supported by the Council-approved 2-mill allocation ($336,000 in FY2026) alongside $116,642 in
supplemental paving revenues, this fund drives local infrastructure development and leverages matching
funds for the Greenville Legislative Delegation Transportation Committee (GLDTC) road paving program.
• FY2026 Expenditures: $265,000 for repaving initiatives; $145,000 for sidewalks and multi-use
paths.
10

•

Ending Fund Balance: Projected at $4,790,000 (includes $2.0 million encumbered for road
resurfacing project currently underway and $140,000 reserved for future pedestrian bridge needs).

Capital Improvement Program (CIP)
Council approved $2,109,000 for the CIP, including multi-year rollover encumbrances. The projected
ending unreserved fund balance is $3.1 million, which funds capital leases, debt service principal/interest,
and direct capital purchases.
FY2026 Major Completed Capital Purchases:
• Fire Department ($162,000): Air cascade system, station HVAC upgrades, and Purvis dispatch
system integration.
• Police Department ($434,000): Four replacement patrol vehicles with full upfitting ($307,000)
and 800MHz radio units ($127,000).
• Public Works ($148,000): Street drag box/curb machine ($26,000), two Sanitation pickup trucks
($54,000), Parks mowers/field rake ($38,000), and facility/HVAC/scissor lift upgrades ($30,000).
• Business Development Services ($35,000): Fleet inspection vehicle.
• Sports Center ($72,000): Electric goal adjusters, curtain divider, and gymnasium floor
maintenance.
Multi-Year Capital Projects in Progress:
• City Center Improvements: $1,474,000 in fund balance remains restricted for ongoing
implementation.
• City Hall Generator Replacement: $133,000 spent to date of the $250,000 total budget.
• Citywide Rebranding: $96,000 spent to date of the $500,000 total allocation.
Hospitality & Accommodations Fund
Revenues demonstrated strong tourism growth, exceeding initial budget targets. Hospitality tax collections
reached $2,314,000, while Accommodations tax generated $147,000.
• Projected Fund Balance: $3,510,000 (with an anticipated net addition of $13,000+ as remaining
year-end collections materialize).
• Program & Asset Highlights: Funded municipal community events (Cultural Center theater,
Summer Concerts, Blues & Jazz, and Sooie BBQ Festival), tourism marketing, and new park lighttrail Christmas decorations.
Staff appreciates Council’s leadership and continued trust as we work to maintain the City’s fiscal health
and execute these key community investments.

Page 2 of 2

11

CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY
MEETING DATE:
AGENDA ITEM:
TO:
FROM:
SUBJECT:

September 21, 2026
8b

City Council
Mark Putnam, HR Director
Public Safety Compensation

REQUEST
Staff is requesting a discussion regarding Public Safety Compensation to ensure pay is commensurate with
recruitment and retention goals.

HISTORY/BACKGROUND
The City last completed a Compensation and Classification Study in 2022 and adopted its recommendations
in 2023. The study helped set the starting, mid, and maximum pay range for all positions within the City
including those for both firefighters and police officers. At the time, the ranges adopted were adequate to
ensure the City remained competitive with regards to compensation for public safety positions. However,
despite efforts to keep up and remain competitive, staff learned recently of aggressive moves by
neighboring jurisdictions to offer more competitive pay, challenging our department’s ability to attract and
retain top talent.
As you will find in the chart below, the City is now last in the region as it comes to starting pay for police
officers. While staff understands that we will likely never be able to compete against larger jurisdictions,
remaining leader of the Golden Strip is critical for moral and recruitment.

The Department’s request is to update the pay bands for police officers to reflect a starting pay that is more
regionally competitive and leads the way in the Golden Strip.

12

Similarly, but not as significantly, staff reviewed compensation within the fire department and are offering
several recommendations and changes that would align with recruitment goals and plan for future staffing
needs.

DISCUSSION
After much research and review, staff is proposing a new compensation schedule (see attached) for both
the Police and Fire Departments that will ensure both departments remain competitive in the region and are
able to retain top talent. The implementation cost of this new compensation plan would be approximately
$20k for the Fire Department and $21k for the Police Department. Both can be incorporated into existing
budgets due to turnover and vacancies.
Lastly, to ensure the City prevents wage compression of existing police officers and firefighters, staff will
utilize the Merit Pool funds (if approved by Council), to augment compensation within the departments to
account for new pay bands.

ATTACHMENT(S)
•

Public Safety Comp

Page 2 of 2

13

Adopted in 2023
Grade
F1
F2
F3
F4
F5
P1
P2
P3
P4
P5

$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$

Min

Mid

Max

42,000.00
47,500.00
55,000.00
65,000.00
85,000.00
45,000.00
50,000.00
55,000.00
65,000.00
90,000.00

$ 50,068.91
$ 56,625.55
$ 65,566.43
$ 77,487.60
$ 101,329.94
$ 53,645.26
$ 59,605.85
$ 65,566.43
$ 77,487.60
$ 107,290.52

$ 58,137.82
$ 65,751.11
$ 76,132.86
$ 89,975.20
$ 117,659.88
$ 62,290.52
$ 69,211.69
$ 76,132.86
$ 89,975.20
$ 124,581.05

Min

Mid

Max

Step 1
1
$ 42,000.00
$ 47,500.00
$ 55,000.00
$ 65,000.00
$ 85,000.00
$ 45,000.00
$ 50,000.00
$ 55,000.00
$ 65,000.00
$ 90,000.00

Step 2
2
$ 43,260.00
$ 48,925.00
$ 56,650.00
$ 66,950.00
$ 87,550.00
$ 46,350.00
$ 51,500.00
$ 56,650.00
$ 66,950.00
$ 92,700.00

$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$

Step 3
3
44,557.80
50,392.75
58,349.50
68,958.50
90,176.50
47,740.50
53,045.00
58,349.50
68,958.50
95,481.00

$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$

Step 4
4
45,894.53
51,904.53
60,099.99
71,027.26
92,881.80
49,172.72
54,636.35
60,099.99
71,027.26
98,345.43

Step 5
5
$ 47,271.37
$ 53,461.67
$ 61,902.98
$ 73,158.07
$ 95,668.25
$ 50,647.90
$ 56,275.44
$ 61,902.98
$ 73,158.07
$ 101,295.79

Step 6
6
$ 48,689.51
$ 55,065.52
$ 63,760.07
$ 75,352.81
$ 98,538.30
$ 52,167.33
$ 57,963.70
$ 63,760.07
$ 75,352.81
$ 104,334.67

Step 7
7
$ 50,150.20
$ 56,717.48
$ 65,672.88
$ 77,613.40
$ 101,494.45
$ 53,732.35
$ 59,702.61
$ 65,672.88
$ 77,613.40
$ 107,464.71

Step 8
8
$ 51,654.70
$ 58,419.01
$ 67,643.06
$ 79,941.80
$ 104,539.28
$ 55,344.32
$ 61,493.69
$ 67,643.06
$ 79,941.80
$ 110,688.65

Step 9
9
$ 53,204.34
$ 60,171.58
$ 69,672.35
$ 82,340.06
$ 107,675.46
$ 57,004.65
$ 63,338.50
$ 69,672.35
$ 82,340.06
$ 114,009.31

Step 10
10
$ 54,800.47
$ 61,976.73
$ 71,762.53
$ 84,810.26
$ 110,905.72
$ 58,714.79
$ 65,238.66
$ 71,762.53
$ 84,810.26
$ 117,429.59

Step 11
11
$ 56,444.49
$ 63,836.03
$ 73,915.40
$ 87,354.56
$ 114,232.89
$ 60,476.24
$ 67,195.82
$ 73,915.40
$ 87,354.56
$ 120,952.47

Step 7

Step 8

Step 9

Step 10

Step 11

7

8

9

10

11

$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$

Step 12
12
58,137.82
65,751.11
76,132.86
89,975.20
117,659.88
62,290.52
69,211.69
76,132.86
89,975.20
124,581.05

Proposed
Fire
Grade
F0
F1
F2
F3
F4
F5
F6
F7
F8

Position/Rank
Non-Cert.
Firefighter I
Firefighter II
Engineer
Lieutenant
Captain
Battalion Chief
Asst. Chief
Chief

$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$

44,016.31
46,277.50
47,413.38
53,621.57
62,081.96
68,643.85
78,643.85
88,643.85
95,500.00

$ 54,913.38
$ 62,371.57
$ 72,081.96
$ 81,143.85
$ 92,393.85
$ 103,643.85
$ 113,000.00

$ 63,913.38
$ 72,871.57
$ 84,081.96
$ 96,143.85
$ 108,893.85
$ 121,643.85
$ 134,000.00

Min

Mid

Max

50,000.00
53,000.00
58,000.00
68,000.00
78,000.00
88,000.00
95,500.00

$ 60,500.00
$ 65,500.00
$ 75,500.00
$ 85,500.00
$ 95,500.00
$ 113,000.00

$ 53,000.00
$ 68,000.00
$ 73,000.00
$ 85,000.00
$ 95,000.00
$ 105,000.00
$ 134,000.00

Step 1
Min
1
$ 44,016.31
$ 46,277.50
$ 47,413.38
$ 53,621.57
$ 62,081.96
$ 68,643.85
$ 78,643.85
$ 88,643.85
$ 95,500.00

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

2
$ 45,516.31
$ 47,777.50
$ 48,913.38
$ 55,371.57
$ 64,081.96
$ 71,143.85
$ 81,393.85
$ 91,643.85
$ 99,000.00

3
$ 47,016.31
$ 49,277.50
$ 50,413.38
$ 57,121.57
$ 66,081.96
$ 73,643.85
$ 84,143.85
$ 94,643.85
$ 102,500.00

4

5

Step 6
Mid
6

$ 51,913.38
$ 58,871.57
$ 68,081.96
$ 76,143.85
$ 86,893.85
$ 97,643.85
$ 106,000.00

$ 53,413.38
$ 60,621.57
$ 70,081.96
$ 78,643.85
$ 89,643.85
$ 100,643.85
$ 109,500.00

$ 54,913.38
$ 62,371.57
$ 72,081.96
$ 81,143.85
$ 92,393.85
$ 103,643.85
$ 113,000.00

$ 56,413.38
$ 64,121.57
$ 74,081.96
$ 83,643.85
$ 95,143.85
$ 106,643.85
$ 116,500.00

$ 57,913.38
$ 65,871.57
$ 76,081.96
$ 86,143.85
$ 97,893.85
$ 109,643.85
$ 120,000.00

$ 59,413.38
$ 67,621.57
$ 78,081.96
$ 88,643.85
$ 100,643.85
$ 112,643.85
$ 123,500.00

$ 60,913.38
$ 69,371.57
$ 80,081.96
$ 91,143.85
$ 103,393.85
$ 115,643.85
$ 127,000.00

$ 62,413.38
$ 71,121.57
$ 82,081.96
$ 93,643.85
$ 106,143.85
$ 118,643.85
$ 130,500.00

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

Step 6
Mid

Step 7

Step 8

Step 9

Step 10

Step 11

$ 51,500.00
$ 54,500.00
$ 59,500.00
$ 69,500.00
$ 79,500.00
$ 92,700.00
$ 99,000.00

$ 53,000.00
$ 56,000.00
$ 61,000.00
$ 71,000.00
$ 81,000.00
$ 95,481.00
$ 102,500.00

$ 57,500.00
$ 62,500.00
$ 72,500.00
$ 82,500.00
$ 98,345.43
$ 106,000.00

$ 5,900.00
$ 64,000.00
$ 74,000.00
$ 84,000.00
$ 101,295.79
$ 109,500.00

$ 60,500.00
$ 65,500.00
$ 75,500.00
$ 85,500.00
$ 95,500.00
$ 113,000.00

$ 61,750.00
$ 66,750.00
$ 77,083.33
$ 87,083.33
$ 107,464.71
$ 116,500.00

$ 63,000.00
$ 68,000.00
$ 78,666.67
$ 88,666.67
$ 110,688.65
$ 120,000.00

$ 64,250.00
$ 69,250.00
$ 80,250.00
$ 90,250.00
$ 114,009.31
$ 123,500.00

$ 65,500.00
$ 70,500.00
$ 81,833.33
$ 91,833.33
$ 117,429.59
$ 127,000.00

$ 66,750.00
$ 71,750.00
$ 83,416.67
$ 93,416.67
$ 120,952.47
$ 130,500.00

Step 12
Max
12

$
$
$
$
$
$
$

63,913.38
72,871.57
84,081.96
96,143.85
108,893.85
121,643.85
134,000.00

Police
Grade

LEO

P0
P1
P2
P3
P4
P5
P6

Recruit (Uncert.)
Certified
Corporal
Sergeant
Lieutenant
Captain
Chief

$
$
$
$
$
$
$

Step 1
Min
$ 50,000.00
$ 53,000.00
$ 58,000.00
$ 68,000.00
$ 78,000.00
$ 88,000.00
$ 95,500.00

Step 12
Max
$
$
$
$
$
$

68,000.00
73,000.00
85,000.00
95,000.00
105,000.00
134,000.00

14