Spartanburg City Council Meeting - July 27, 2026: Youth Programs, Microtransit Update, and New City Attorney Appointment
Spartanburg City Council Meeting - July 27, 2026
The Spartanburg City Council met on July 27, 2026, at 7:00 PM (presumed) to discuss youth engagement programs, the microtransit pilot program, board appointments, and the appointment of a new city attorney. The meeting included public comments, unanimous consent agenda approvals, and council updates. Councilmember Erica Brown was absent due to a conflict.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of minutes from the July 13, 2026 City Council meeting (unanimous).
- Approval of the agenda for July 27, 2026 (unanimous).
- Approval of the consent agenda (unanimous).
Public Comments & Testimony
- Dr. Marquis Clark (resident of the north side, former principal of Cleveland Academy of Leadership) expressed full support for the city's long-term investment in the north side, citing recent statistics: 85% reduction in violent crime since 2012, 80% reduction in teen pregnancy since 2007, and 40% reduction in poverty since 2011. He urged the council to continue the momentum and not slow down.
- Marshal Gill Cooley (on behalf of Coapa Properties, managing property at 308 South Camber Street) opposed a $5,500 bill from the city for tree debris removal. She argued that the trees fell from a neighboring property (252 Rigby Avenue) onto another lot (227 Dallas Place), and then the owner of that lot pushed the debris onto her property. She stated she owns no trees and is not liable, requesting the city address the issue with the correct parties.
Discussion Items
- Summer Youth Engagement (Item 7) – Presented by Kim Brown (Parks and Rec Director) and Kevin Limehouse (Assistant City Manager). Highlights included: 200 campers in summer day camp (full capacity), 95 participants in the Explorers program (ages 13–15), 336 swim lessons, 89 swim team members (record number), 11 participants in the Sale leadership program, and a new pilot program, Reset, for young men (8 participants, focused on workforce readiness and violence intervention). The program also featured 170 participants in midnight basketball events. The council praised the programs and discussed the importance of tracking retention and returning engagement. Councilmember Rogers requested data on year-over-year participation trends.
- Microtransit Pilot Program Update (Item 8) – Presented by Kevin Limehouse. The SpartaGo pilot has achieved: 90% rider completion rate, 97% rider rating, average wait time of 11 minutes, nearly 7,000 riders, and 2,452 rider accounts. The pilot zone was expanded to include the east side, high school, more medical facilities, and grocery stores (Walmart, Publix). Cost per ride is $2. The service operates from 6:00 AM to 7:00 PM (with discussion of extending hours). The council expressed strong support for citywide expansion, with councilmember Rogers noting the potential to serve employment centers and downtown parking challenges. Councilmember Smith asked about user demographics; staff noted data on destinations (e.g., high school) but no detailed age breakdown. The city is evaluating next steps with federal, state, and local partners.
Key Outcomes
- Boards and Commissions Appointment (Item 9) – The council unanimously approved the appointment of Tor Elstrom and Don Maddox to the Housing Board of Adjustment and Appeals.
- City Attorney Appointment (Item 10) – The council unanimously approved a resolution to appoint Stinson Ferguson as the new city attorney. Ms. Ferguson is a Spartanburg native with a law degree from the University of Georgia, a master of laws in environmental law from Vermont Law School, and experience as a municipal judge in Greenville and other legal roles. The council thanked interim city attorney Max Hyde for his service.
- Council Updates – Councilmember Rogers highlighted the Municipal Association of South Carolina meeting and encouraged residents to take a SpartaGo ride by Labor Day. Councilmember Smith thanked interns and supervisors, and noted the retirement of Beth Rutherford (from A Place to Call Home) and another staff member (unclear name) from Parks and Rec. The mayor reminded attendees of the civility pledge signed at the municipal association.
- The meeting moved into executive session (motion approved).
Meeting Transcript
Well, just take a look at the comments. Let us bring the Spartan City Council meeting to order for um July twenty-seventh, twenty twenty-six. And we gotta be led by the pledge. I just power for which it stands one nation on God and memory and justice for all. Thank you for that. We do have Council person, Erica Brown that has uh conflict, so she will not be here this evening. Uh Councilwoman Smith is on her way. Got held up at work, but she is in the process of coming. Item three, approval of the minutes for the July 13th, 2026 City Council meeting. So moved. Second. All in favor? Aye. Any that opposed? Ayes have it. Item four, approval of the agenda for July 27, 2026 City Council meeting. So moved. Second. All in favor? Aye. Any that opposed? Eyes have it. We have public comments, and I think we have three here. The way it works. I'm just gonna call you up and please restate your name so we know that that's you. And uh you'll have two minutes after you give your name. Dr. Clark, come on up to the podium, sir. Which podium, sir? Either one. All right. Can we adjust our devices? Thank you. Good evening, council. Members, my name is Marquis Clark, as the mayor stated. Uh I was before this very governing body some years ago in my former capacity as principal of the Cleveland Academy of Leadership, where we received a proclamation for the historic success at the school. However, today I'm here in my other capacity as husband, uh dad, and unfortunately, son-in-law to a movie and mother-in-law. And so uh as a resident of the north side, uh, want to uh thank this governing body as well as the city's leadership for its historic transformation. Uh, but this transformation did not happen by chance, it happened because city leaders uh to my right, community partners, residents, business churches, and schools, and nonprofits believed in the potential of the community and committed themselves to the work 15 years ago. The results are powerful. Uh, some previously reported numbers came in uh just this week. Um 85% reduction in violent crime since 2012, an 80% reduction in teen pregnancy since 20 uh 2007, and a 40% reduction in poverty since 2011. Those numbers represent far more than statistics. Uh, they represent safer streets, stronger families, greater opportunity, and renewed hope. They show what is possible when a community comes together around a shared vision. The north side is no longer a simple story of change or challenges. It is a story of progress and resilience and a testimony to what is possible when we all come together. As we celebrate this success, it is also a moment to build upon that. We should few we should view the progress of the past 15 years not as a reason to slow down, but in the words of Bill Barnett, as proof that our investments are working and that we should actually go full steam ahead. As I bring my minutes to a close, I simply want to say uh before uh this governing body and city leadership uh that the north side has already shown what can happen when a city uh remains committed to a long-term vision, and thank you for your leadership.
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