Florence County Council: Members, Duties, and Meetings

The Florence County Council is the nine-member elected body that governs Florence County, South Carolina. It sets local policy, adopts the county budget, levies property and sales taxes, passes ordinances enforceable in unincorporated areas, and hires a professional administrator to run day-to-day operations. The council operates under South Carolina’s 1975 Home Rule Act, which gives counties broad authority over local affairs.¹

Who Sits on the Council

Florence County is divided into nine single-member districts. Each district elects one council member, who must live in the district they represent. Terms are four years and staggered, so roughly half the seats are on the ballot in any given election cycle. Among the current members, some terms expire in December 2026 and others in December 2028.²

At the first meeting each January, the nine members choose a Chairman and Vice-Chairman from among themselves. The Chairman presides over meetings and speaks for the council on formal matters; the Vice-Chairman fills in during absences. As of 2026, Jerry W. Yarborough of District 4 serves as Chairman.²

What the Council Does

State law assigns Florence County the council-administrator form of government. The elected council handles legislation and policy; a hired administrator runs the bureaucracy. The administrator prepares the annual operating and capital budgets for the council to review, supervises spending once funds are approved, directs county departments, and serves at the council’s pleasure.³

Section 4-9-30 of the South Carolina Code gives the council a broad set of powers: levy property taxes, make and execute contracts, acquire and dispose of property, exercise eminent domain for county purposes, create or dissolve agencies and commissions, and enact ordinances.⁴ Those tax dollars fund roads and public works, water and sewer, courts and criminal justice, public health, social services, recreation, police and fire protection, and libraries.

Taxes

Setting property tax millage rates is one of the council’s most consequential annual decisions. State law lets the council assess property, levy ad valorem taxes, and set different rates for different areas based on the services provided there.⁴ Beyond property taxes, Florence County imposes a one-percent local sales tax and a separate one-percent capital project sales tax, bringing the combined sales tax rate to eight percent when added to the state’s six-percent base.⁵ The capital project tax funds specific infrastructure such as roads, bridges, and public facilities.

Ordinances

Council ordinances carry the force of law inside unincorporated Florence County. Penalties cannot exceed the jurisdiction of magistrates’ courts, which caps punishment at a modest fine and short jail term.⁴ Florence County’s careless vehicle operation ordinance, for example, carries up to 30 days in jail, a $500 fine, or both.⁶ Ordinances cover topics from animal control and noise to public health and solicitation permits.

Land Use and Zoning

Rezoning decisions are among the more visible votes the council takes. A property owner seeking to change a parcel’s classification files through the Florence County Planning Department, which administers the comprehensive plan, zoning ordinance, and land development regulations.⁷ The council votes to approve or deny after reviewing the staff analysis. The council also appoints citizens to boards that handle specialized work, including the Board of Zoning Appeals, which hears variance requests, and the Planning Commission, which advises on growth policy.⁴

Attending or Addressing a Meeting

Regular meetings are held at the County Complex, 180 N. Irby Street, Room 803, in Florence.² They generally fall on the third Thursday of each month, with the December meeting sometimes moved earlier. The full 2026 calendar is posted on the council’s archives page.⁸

If you want to speak on a specific issue, you cannot simply show up and sign in. The council’s rules require a written request to the Chair of County Council at least 13 days before the meeting to be placed on the agenda.² Plan well ahead; an urgent concern raised the week of a meeting will not make the agenda. The request can come from an individual, a group, or an organization.

For those who cannot attend in person, Florence County streams meetings live on YouTube through the Florence County SC channel, and archived video is available there as well.⁹ Meeting minutes, agendas, ordinance text, and budget documents can be obtained through the county website or the county administrative offices, where the administrator keeps the official records.¹⁰

What Happens Behind Closed Doors

The council sometimes meets in executive session. South Carolina’s Freedom of Information Act limits closed-door discussion to specific categories:

Personnel matters, including hiring, firing, discipline, compensation, or appointment of employees or people the council regulates
Contract negotiations, pending property transactions, or the council’s position in legal disputes
Legal advice from the county attorney about pending, threatened, or potential claims covered by attorney-client privilege
Development of security personnel or devices
Allegations of criminal misconduct
Economic development discussions about attracting or expanding businesses in the county

No votes or final actions can be taken in executive session. Any binding decision must happen in the open meeting after the council returns from closed-door discussion.¹¹

When a Seat Opens Mid-Term

Vacancies turn on timing. If a seat opens 180 or more days before the next general election, a special election fills it for the remainder of the unexpired term. If fewer than 180 days remain, the seat stays empty until the next general election. The Governor, not the council, may appoint someone to serve in the interim.¹²

Running for a Seat

To run for Florence County Council, you must be at least 18, a registered voter, and a resident of both the county and the district you want to represent.¹³ Candidates file with the Florence County Board of Voter Registration and Elections, not with the council.

For the 2026 cycle, the filing window opens at noon on March 16 and closes at noon on March 30.¹⁴ Candidates submit a Statement of Intention of Candidacy and Party Pledge form during that window and separately file a Statement of Economic Interest with the State Ethics Commission. Council seats appear on the November general election ballot, and winners take office the following January.

1
South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code of Laws Title 4 Chapter 9 County Government
2
Florence County SC. Florence County Council
3
South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code of Laws Title 4 Chapter 9 County Government – Section 4-9-620
4
South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code of Laws Title 4 Chapter 9 County Government – Section 4-9-30
5
South Carolina Department of Revenue. Local Sales Taxes
6
Municode Library. Florence County Code of Ordinances Chapter 22 Offenses – Article IV
7
Florence County SC. Florence County Planning
8
Florence County SC. Florence County Council Meeting Archives
9
Florence County SC. Florence County Live Meetings
10
Municode Library. Florence County Code of Ordinances Chapter 2 Administration – Article VI
11
South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code of Laws Title 30 Chapter 4 Freedom of Information Act – Section 30-4-70
12
South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code of Laws Title 4 Chapter 9 County Government – Section 4-9-90
13
South Carolina Legislature. Attachment C Candidate Qualifications Minimum Requirements
14
SC Votes. Candidates