Darlington Mayor sees promise and opportunity
Darlington Mayor Curtis Boyd. FILE PHOTO
By Stephan Drew, Editor
Curtis Boyd has been Mayor of Darlington since January 2020, and has shared in the city’s many challenges since he took office. But, he has as much vision, strength and determination, and he sees just as much opportunity, now as he ever did. I sat down with him recently to discuss his last 3 years in office.
When asked why he decided to become mayor, he didn’t hesitate. “I felt Darlington needed to move forward a little better,’ he said, “and I thought my insight would be able to help push us forward.” He doesn’t shy away from challenges or hard work. As you drive around town, you may see him weed-eating, cutting limbs and hauling debris, any day of the week. He jokingly says, “They (the City) won’t give me the keys to the big tractors and trucks so, I use my weed-eater.”
He has a vision of a brighter, cleaner, happier future for Darlington. Often, he says, “I’m not a politician. I’m Curtis. I can’t promise you anything but, I’ll come in and try to clean things up as much as I can.” And, although you may see him by himself, cleaning up roads and sidewalks, he knows that no one works alone. “I’ve been helped by the County, by City workers and citizens,” he said, “They help by keeping the streets and their yards cleaner, too. When people see things tidying up, it spreads. I want to see all of Darlington looking better-manicured.”
And, he praised Darlington County representatives as well. “I give a lot of thanks to Senator Gerald Malloy and Representative Robert Williams,” he said, “They’re always just a phone call away and always ready to help.” Many roads which need repairs are not owned by the city but, by the State of South Carolina. He said the S.C. Dept. of Transportation (SCDOT) has also helped a great deal. “They answer the phone every time we call,” he stated.
But, a clean surface is not his only concern. He is working hard to shore up the infrastructure underneath also. The owner of a chain of fitness centers, he is always looking for ways to better the health and welfare of all Darlington residents. He and city employees are devoted to improving Darlington’s water and sewer systems, and have brought in over $8.5 million in grants to fix the lines, especially on the South side of Darlington, where it is desperately needed. A lot has been done to repair the many pump stations as well. Of course, while digging and replacing water and sewer lines, roads will often be torn up. Some have already been repaved and, there are plans to repave others as well. Praising the water and sewer departments, he said, “They’ve done a lot of work on the system. There’s a $1.8 million grant now in the works to fix the problems around the Hardees/Broad Street/Main Street area, and also down D Avenue. It has already gotten a lot better as far as the flow of water is concerned.”
There has been some criticism about increased water rates over the past two years but, progress and improvement comes with a cost. The water rates and fees had not been raised enough to cover necessary improvements over the past 10-15 years. So, when it happened, it seemed quite dramatic and many people were confused. The first increase in 2021 was for everyone. The second increase in 2022 was only for those who use 5,000 gallons or more each month. So, even though everyone within the city limits is paying more, only those using more than 5,000 gallons per month are paying both increases. Mayor Boyd says this was done to keep from selling the water department to an outside entity. “At council meetings,” he said, “I raise my hand and say, ‘If you want to blame somebody for raising the water bill, go ahead and blame me.’ But, it took a vote of the whole council to do it.” He went on to explain the action. “It was raised to keep from selling the water department,” he said, “Other towns have sold theirs and now, their residents don’t have a voice. At least, by keeping the water department under city control, citizens can come to us and have their voices heard.”
When asked about his proudest accomplishments, he stated a list which including repairing the sinkholes on Wells Street and Orange Street at no cost to the city, repairing the sinkhole on Washington Street, cleaning up property on Broad Street, allowing for better drainage and fewer flooding problems, and paving 17 city roads. “We are working to pave two more,” he said, “There are still a lot of roads that need to be paved but, many of them don’t belong to the city.”
His administration has annexed in 6 more pieces of property in order to build more homes and businesses, providing more tax revenue for the city.
Everyone in City government was able to get a raise this year, the city is developing the large area of land behind Walmart (which could accommodate 90 homes), and the Judicial Building (otherwise known as the “New Courthouse”) will soon be complete. He is also proud of an $850,000 grant which was awarded to the Downtown area. The funds will be used to develop a scenic bike/walking trail from the back of the Voter Registration office on Cashua Street, behind the new museum, to Fountain Street, to Williamson Park and all the way to Diamond Hill Plywood Company. “Bryant Gardner worked diligently to get the bike and walking trail,” Boyd said. They also plan to turn the alleyway between Merle Normal and Carolina Bank into a nice sitting area. The parking lot behind Chianti’s Wings and Wells Fargo Bank will also be paved as part of that grant.
“We are now working on a Master Plan,” Boyd said, “They had a Capital Improvement Plan about 10 or 15 years ago,” he continued, “They spent $50,000 to get it and then, didn’t implement it. A plan is no good if you don’t implement it.”
When asked what his greatest disappointment was, he stated, “I’d like for things to move faster than they do. It’s a process and it always takes a while to get things done.” However, his patience and faith shine bright as he talks about his job. “As a mayor or city councilperson, your job is to be a servant and I’m here to help the citizens of Darlington. We’re a community that wants people to look inside and say, ‘That’s where I want to be’.”
When asked if he had one final thought or message he would like to leave with the citizens of Darlington, he stated, “I’m a Christian and an American, in that order. I want the City of Darlington to be a shining light.”