‘Defies description’: York County leaders talk about wild 2020 in the age of COVID-19.
The only constant at the county’s annual state of the community breakfast was, well, there was breakfast.
“The state of where we are in 2020 defies description,” said Fort Mill Mayor Guynn Savage.
Each year the York County Regional Chamber of Commerce hosts an event where Fort Mill, Tega Cay, school and other officials gather to update area business leaders. Elected officials talk awards and ongoing projects. The school superintendent talks accolades and projected enrollment.
The most recent gathering brought a semi-virtual version.
Many guests participated online due to COVID-19 distancing. That was the dominant theme of 2020 from municipalities to schools to medical workers.
“We’re kind of building the plane as we fly it,” said Chuck Epps, Fort Mill School District superintendent.
The school district has an elementary school set to open in January, a middle school mid-2021, a decision on when the next school bond will be, and $32 million in development impact fees awaiting the latest court date on its legal challenge from builders, which Epps now expects in December.
Yet none of the those items tops the list of 2020 headliners.
“We have reinvented the educational delivery model,” Epps said. “And not just Fort Mill. All over the country.”
Mark Nosacka, Piedmont Medical Center CEO, might lead the typical year off wowing business leaders with details of the new hospital his company intends to open on S.C. 160 in Fort Mill.
2020 isn’t a typical year.
“One thing we’re learning is how to adapt to a serious health crisis with no prior knowledge, no rule book other than our training, our instincts and our commitment,” Nosacka said.
Nosacka compared the COVID pandemic with the swine flu that’s still around, but is included in flu vaccines to where there aren’t constant stories of people dying from it.
“There’s going to be a COVID vaccine,” Nosacka said. “It’s going to save lives.”
He also compared the new coronavirus to the space race, saying medical care to thwart it is a bit like a lunar landing. Technology that emerged in that quest decades ago continues to influence daily life. Nosacka sees similar daily life improvements derived from the study and ultimate prevention of COVID-19.
“We’re learning more about virology,” he said. “We’re learning more about how to treat this disease, beyond just this disease. And we’re inventing things we can use for years to come.”
Fixing the roads
Even seemingly good news can’t just be good news this year. Michael Johnson, York County Council chairman, said there’s a common theme from his constituents.
“I get emails,” he said. “A hundred emails a week, 80 or 90 of them are about roads.”
COVID-19 shut down or altered businesses, schools and more through much of 2020. When some traffic returned, it was light. Traffic means gas use, which means gas sales and tax. Gas tax, in turn, funds road work.
Johnson said he has $4.4 million in road fund requests just for his district, and last year got about $1 million in C-funds money for it. This year there will be about $300,000.
“Yes the traffic is better, but there is an economic impact to traffic being better,” Johnson said.
A main driver in road funding since 1997 has been the county Pennies for Progress campaign. Voters approve a cent sales tax every seven years to fund roads. When sales dipped due to COVID-19, Pennies revenue dropped about 4%. The county will get new quarterly data soon. Sales were running ahead prior to the pandemic, which is the only reason Pennies doesn’t yet feel the pinch.
“We feel like we’re going to be very close to break even,” Johnson said.
The public was served
Savage showed a photo Thursday of downtown Fort Mill prior to when town hall closed in March, as did parks and sports leagues, festivals and events.
“It was vibrant,” Savage said. “It was growing in early 2020. We had no clue of the unprecedented times that were approaching.”
Yet, the mayor said, the town did its job. Employees remained, and the public was served.
“Fire and police departments never missed a call,” Savage said.
A call for understanding
Public leaders asked for what several of their boards and councils have in recent months — patience and understanding.
“I pray that we all in this room will be leaders in respect, civility and kindness,” Savage said.
Nosacka said at a time when there appears to be so much division, there is a great need for unity.
His hospital has the same mission regardless of race, native language or other factors that can divide people.
“When people call 911, we come,” Nosacka said. “When people come to the emergency room, we come. When people go into cardiac arrest and they hit that button in the hospital, we come.”
Epps said decisions from when to start school to when schedules may change, or when students in classrooms may take a break from wearing masks, have to be reasonable. His board is in the same boat as so many others trying to navigate uncharted waters of pandemic.
“Schools are the community. We are all in this together.”
Even before breakfast organizers announced the parting gift for in-person attendees would be business grade thermometers to aid with COVID symptom detection, it was clear this year is different. The annual community breakfast typically is time to laud successes, and to ask what’s next.
“In 2020 I’m totally afraid to ask,” Savage said.
This story was originally published October 12, 2020 at 12:00 AM.
