Lake Wylie’s new tax board needs a fifth. York County may have found its man.

The citizen board charged with steering money from Lake Wylie’s new recreation tax district is closer to being set.

York County’s finance and operations committee is recommending Ed Lindsey for the fifth and final board spot. Lindsey would join four members appointed by the same committee in June, then by York County Council. Lindsey still needs his own final approval from Council.

Lindsey recently served on the special fire tax district in Lake Wylie before county leaders disbanded it in January amid disagreement between the board and firefighters over spending, particularly hiring a Bethel Volunteer Fire Department paid chief. The tax board wanted to move toward a more professional setup while volunteers wanted to continue electing one of their own as chief.

York County Councilwoman Allison Love was a vocal opponent of the fire tax board’s stance leading up to the January decision. She also is a member of the finance and operations group recommending Lindsey. Love said she met with him prior to the recommendation as she would with any applicant.

“I always want to make sure it’s somebody I can communicate with,” Love said of appointments from Dist. 2 representing Lake Wylie and Clover.

If Lindsey is chosen, a likely result since the subcommittee tabbed him, tax board work can begin. The county manager has ultimate say on issues related to tax spending, but the board will provide input and work on behalf of the district. The full board will take up issues such as a park proposal and other recreation needs throughout Lake Wylie.

The terms are staggered from the start, but will run four years with each new appointment. The four approved members — Ron Domurat, James Gilkeson, Russ Partin and Tom Smith — were each integral to the community park plan spawning the push for a recreation tax district last year. The community would set up a special tax district, the idea went, to fund a new park on at least 50 acres in the Crowders Creek area.

Partin will serve through 2021, Gilkeson through 2020 and Domurat through 2019. Smith and, pending final approval, Lindsey would serve through next summer.

This story was originally published August 24, 2017 at 11:13 AM with the headline "Lake Wylie’s new tax board needs a fifth. York County may have found its man.."