By PSA Newsroom Staff
MANNING, S.C. — Manning’s City Council is set to meet on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. in City Hall. On the table: a mix of routine city business and some big-ticket items that could shape how Manning runs, spends money, and plans for the future. If you live or work here, it’s worth paying attention, these are the decisions that hit closest to home.
Things kick off with Mayor Julia A. Nelson welcoming everyone, followed by an invocation and the Pledge of Allegiance. Council will then approve the night’s agenda and last month’s meeting minutes. It’s basic housekeeping, but it keeps the city’s decision-making transparent and on the record.
Employee Recognition and Updates
This meeting, council plans to honor two city employees for major service milestones: Laura Morris (10 years) and Alexander Dukes (15 years). These shout-outs are a regular thing and show some real stability in the city’s workforce.
After that, council will get updates from the Interim Finance Director, the Mayor, and City Administrator John D. Singh. These reports break down the city’s finances, current projects, and anything brewing behind the scenes. It’s a chance for both council and the public to see how city operations are actually running.
Old Business: Business License Changes
Next, under Old Business, council will take a second look at Ordinance No. 2025-06. This one’s about updating Manning’s business license rules to match Act 176, a state law that set new standards for business licenses across South Carolina. Second reading means council already approved it once, so it’s almost official. If it passes, businesses in Manning could see changes in how they’re classified and taxed.
There’s also a motion to drop the Oltanta Fire Apparatus discussion for now, which probably means council is shelving it.
New Business: Regional Wastewater Agreement
Here’s the big one: Council will decide whether to approve the First Amended and Restated Regional Wastewater System Participation Agreement with Clarendon County.
In plain English, this agreement spells out how the city and county split the work, costs, and responsibilities for the regional wastewater system, who pays for what, who maintains what, and how future growth gets handled. Updating this agreement usually means the city and county are tweaking the deal to fit new needs, whether that’s bigger capacity, new rules, or shifting money around.
This matters for anyone who pays a water bill or cares about city finances. The wastewater system is expensive to run and keep up, so any changes can hit your utility rates, affect who’s on the hook for repairs, and even shape how
Manning grows or meets health and environmental rules.
If council approves the new agreement, Manning moves forward under these updated terms. The fine print might seem dense, but the ripple effects show up in your bills, in how the city can attract new business, and in how well the community looks after its environment.
Executive Session
At some point, council will duck into Executive Session to talk about a personnel matter in the Administration Department. State law allows this, but any decisions have to be made in open session once they return.
Why This Meeting Counts
City council meetings are where the real decisions get made, budgets, big projects, deals with other governments. The January 13 agenda mixes routine business with some major infrastructure planning. If you show up or even just follow along, you get a front-row seat to what your elected officials are doing with your tax dollars and your city’s future.
The meeting is open to everyone. If you need communication assistance, just contact the city at least a day ahead.
PSA Newsroom will keep tracking these meetings, making sure you get the facts on what’s happening in your community.
