Cayce City Council approved a solar farm and two infrastructure projects at the June 18 meeting.

Council unanimously approved a solar farm project led by the Central Midlands Council of Governments to be located at the Metro Wastewater Treatment Plant. The farm will be 15 acres in size and generate two megawatts of electricity for the plant, according to a presentation given by Jocelyn Falkenstein, CPRG implementation grant manager for CMCOG.

The solar farm is planned to generate energy for up to 30 years and decrease regional air pollution while providing economic benefits for the city, Falkenstein said. It will also provide predictable income to support grant programs that assist low-income families with their utility bills.

“It’s a great way to generate energy savings,” Mayor Pro-Tem Tim James commented before the vote.

CMCOG plans to begin construction in 2026 and complete it in 2028, although no cost estimate has been made for the project. Council’s approval does not come with any financial commitments at this stage.

The City of Columbia and Richland County have already approved the proposal, and $8.7 million in grants have been secured for the project.

Cayce opened a bid process in 2025 for a civil engineering firm to develop a master plan for the city’s 285-mile sewage system. Council unanimously approved a $325,000 contract with Adurra Group for the project, after a presentation by Adurra Group’s Jeremy Brashear. The company has worked on similar projects in South Carolina.

Council also unanimously approved emergency repairs to a failed sewer main near American Avenue. The repairs involve replacing 275 feet of pipe and repairing the nearby roadway. The total cost of the repairs is estimated at $48,375, and will be carried out by G.H. Smith Construction, a local construction firm.

On June 23, the city announced that Michael Conley will be the next city manager.

“When current City Manager, Jim Crosland, announced his future plans in May of 2025, the City of Cayce and Council posted the vacancy for the City Manager position and began holding interviews. One of those candidates was Deputy City Manager, Michael Conley,” a release from the city read. “Prior to coming to Cayce in May of 2022, Conley was the Assistant County Administrator for Kershaw County. In Kershaw County, he also served as the Director of Planning and Zoning for five years. … Conley is a graduate of the University of North Carolina – Wilmington.

“He is also a graduate of Leadership South Carolina, the Local Government Leadership Institute, and the Community Health Institute Leadership Academy. He is a member of the City/County Management Association, the International City/County Management Association, and the South Carolina Chapter of the American Planning Association.”

Last month, Crosland was announced as Irmo’s new town administrator. Crosland had just announced his retirement from Cayce earlier this year before the Irmo position became available.