March 2023 Council Highlights

  • Our Tire Buy-Back event is past weekend was very successful. We rescued 995 old tires from becoming trash along our roads. We gave $2,000 back to residents of the City and County, as well as gave out 46 free tarps to residents in conjunction with the Palmetto Pride’s Cover Your Load Thank you to our sponsor Continental Tire. We will be announcing more of these events in the future, stay tuned. For more info contact our Litter Officer at www.sumtersc.gov/litter.
  • Remember to sign up for our 2023 Community Clean-Up dates including:
    • April 22
    • June 17
    • August 19
    • October 21
    • December 16
  • Learn to swim this summer at the City of Sumter Aquatics Center! Registration for summer lessons is open for both weekday and weekend lessons but they are filling up fast. Register online at sumterswim.com or call (803) 774-3998 for more information.
  • We are installing a new Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Station in the parking lot at the Opera House. This is one of eight around town working in conjunction with Duke Energy and Black River Electric Cooperative.
    • The other EV stations are located in Sumter at:
      • Candlewood Suites, 2541 Broad St

      • Chili's Grill & Bar, 2505 Broad St

      • Holiday Inn Express & Suites, 2490 Broad St

      • SpringHill Suites by Marriot, 2645 Broad St
      • TownePlace Suites by Marriott Sumter, 2515 Broad St
      • Tru by Hilton, 2607 Broad St

      • Willie Sue's Restaurant, 3355 Patriot Pkwy

  • We want to thank the state Fire Safe SC organization for assisting our Fire Department with installing over 60 smoke alarms and 5 CO alarms in Sumter last week. Your partnership is greatly appreciated!
  • We want to share some stats on work performed over the past year.
    • We had 4,224 work orders for repairs to our water and sewer system last year. With 4,201 of those work orders completed in the same year.
    • We replaced 980 feet of old water lines in 2022.
    • We swept 1,444 streets last year, even with equipment down for a whole quarter of the year.
      • Additionally, we swept parking lots 261 times in 2022.
    • The City of Sumter is conducting a smoke test of its sanitary sewer system. A “SMOKE TEST” survey will assist our inspection crews in locating breaks and defects in our sewer system. If smoke is coming from the vent stacks on houses or holes in the ground it is NON-TOXIC, NON-STAINING, HAS NO ODOR, WHITE TO GRAY IN COLOR, AND CREATES NO FIRE HAZARD. The smoke should not enter your home unless you have defective plumbing or dried-up drain traps. If smoke enters your home, there is good reason to assume that dangerous sewer gases may also be entering your home or business. You should evacuate immediately and contact a licensed plumber to evaluate your sewer plumbing issue. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the City of Sumter Public Services at 803-436-2558.
    • A reminder that City administrative offices will be closed for Good Friday, April 7, 2023. All services will continue to operate, including your regular weekly trash pickup schedule. Remember, your trash receptacles should be out by the curb, by 7AM each week and remain out until 7PM.
    • Our April regularly scheduled Council meetings will be on Tuesday, April 4th at 1PM and Tuesday, April 18th at 5:30 PM. If you can’t make a meeting public comments may also be submitted online anytime through our website at sumtersc.gov/council/meetings, or city residents can contact the Mayor or their Council Representative any time prior to any meeting to discuss a concern or idea.

Events around Sumter - more listings available at LoveSumter.com:

  • The annual Inspire Festival starts this week, with events all around Sumter. Highlights include a concert in the park at Swan Lake, a Praise Fest and the popular Walk of Art, where guests can explore Downtown Sumter which will have artists and food and drink dotted all along Main and Liberty Streets. Reception with Nikky Finney and more! For tickets, visit SumterInspireFestival.org.
  • SwanCon is Sumter's Comic Arts Festival and is back and better than ever for 2023. This two-day event is free and open to the public.Friday, March 24 from 1-4PM Guest appearances at USC Sumter, Friday, March 24 Drink and Draw from 5-8 at Sumter Original Brewery and Saturday, March 25 Convention in the Nettles Building at USC Sumter. Comic books, artwork, collectibles, Cosplay contest, artist presentations, escape room and more! Check out USC Sumter’s facebook event pages for more details or PatriotHallSC.org.
  • Are you a fan of barbecue and chicken wings? Then help choose a top challenger at the annual Boy Scout BBQ Cook-off! Friday, March 24: 5-9 PM - Chicken Wings and Saturday, March 25: 11 AM - 2 PM - Pulled Pork BBQ Competition at the Sumter Civic Center. Other food vendors are available and charge separately from the competition. Both days entertainment is provided too. The proceeds benefit the local Boy Scouts, which help us tremendously with community litter clean ups and more. Entry is $10 at the gate.
  • Sumter Opera House will be hosting The 5th Dimension on Saturday, April 1 at 7:30 pm. Countless magazine covers, world tours, and several Grammys later, The 5th Dimension is recognized as one of the most prolific soul and R&B groups in musical history.  Original member Florence LaRue and company continue to deliver dynamic performances that stand the test of time! Tickets range from $40-50 and are available online at SumterOperaHouse.com.
  • Join us for our 2nd Annual Easter Egg Hunt at Sumter County Museum! Get in the spirit of the season with an outdoor Easter Egg Hunt in the Sumter County Museum's Martha Brice Gardens. This is a FREE event, but pre-registration is required as the event will be limited to 75 children! Participants must be ages 10 and under. Please bring your own basket. Each child is encouraged to find up to ten eggs and will receive a goodie bag and certificate following the hunt! There will be a special appearance by the Easter Bunny! You will be able to take your own pictures with him! Registration is now open atsumtercountymuseum.org or by calling 803-775-0908. You can email [email protected] for more information.
  • Festival on the Avenue is back this Spring! Vendor spots are open. Event starts Thursday, April 27 with Heritage Night, followed by Friday, April 28 with the annual golf tournament and A Tate of Soul. Then Saturday, April 29 is the popular Festival on the Ave Parade, followed by Food, Music and Family Fun on Manning Avenue. For more about the festival visit www.FestivalOnTheAve.org.