In the wake of a backlash over Lexington County’s move in December to cancel a 40-year-old agreement to maintain roads in county towns and cities, County Council has approved a new agreement that would continue to provide maintenance services but with some exceptions.

In an interview with the Chronicle, Council Chair Beth Carrigg said some officials in the municipalities were “disgruntled” about the cancellation, prompting the county to come up with a new plan.

[Editor's note: Following this story's initial publication, Carrigg reached out to dispute that she used the term "disgruntled" to describe municipal officials.]

County officials wanted to end the agreement because of the influx of new developments being annexed into municipalities that did not meet the county’s developmental standards.

“We voted to end the 1978 agreement because it hadn't been revised in 46 years and Lexington County is not the same as it was 10 years ago; let alone 46 years ago,” Carrigg told the Chronicle after this article’s initial publication.

Soon after the cancellation of the agreement was announced, Cayce Mayor Elise Partin told the Chronicle it is very concerning for taxpayers of Cayce that the county would “abdicate their duty” for road maintenance.

West Columbia Mayor Tem Miles described the cancellation as “incredibly inappropriate.”

The revised agreement, approved at the Feb. 13 council meeting, would continue to provide municipalities with county road maintenance services that were provided, but includes exceptions.

If any unincorporated area is annexed into a municipality, any new development on that site must comply with Lexington County’s own regulatory standards. Otherwise, the county can decline to perform road maintenance in the new development, according to the new agreement.

"Municipalities are responsible for their own roads pursuant to state statute and that has been affirmed numerous times by the Supreme Court," Carrigg emphasized after this story’s initial publication.

She explained that the 1978 agreement will expire at the end of February.

"There is a new agreement drafted and has been disseminated for the municipalities to execute if they so choose; but until it is signed, there will be no agreement after the 1978 agreement expires at midnight on 2/28," she added after this story’s initial publication.

[Online copy corrected.]

The adjustment to the agreement between the county and its municipalities comes as the area eyes down road conditions that are expected to worsen by the end of the decade, according to a recent report on road conditions council received in November.

County officials have discussed ways to raise money to combat the problem, including through a user fee and a sales tax hike.

In 2022, county officials drew up a list of 400 road projects, priced at around $500 million, that would have been paid for by a new penny sales tax had voters approved the plan in a referendum. But 55% of voters rejected that idea.