This Week In Landrum…….

This Week in Landrum

From the City Administrator’s Office — Tuesday, May 26, 2026

A Note from the Administrator:

This week’s note comes to you one day late because of Memorial Day, and that feels like the right place to begin. Memorial Day is the most solemn day on the public calendar — a day set aside for the men and women who gave everything in service to this country. It also, in a smaller way, reminds those of us who serve in local government why this work matters in the first place. The freedoms we honored yesterday are exercised, every day, in places like Landrum: in a Council chamber where neighbors are allowed to disagree out loud, in a public meeting where decisions are made in the open, in a small business that gets to open its doors because somebody else fought to keep them open. We owe that legacy more than a ceremony. We owe it our best work.

The other reason yesterday matters this week is that we are now squarely into budget season. The first Budget Presentation Workshop and first reading is two weeks away, on June 9, with final adoption and public hearing set for June 24. A city budget is, in plain language, a values document. It is the most concrete answer we give all year to the question, “What does Landrum actually care about?” You can read every speech and every newsletter we publish, but if you want to know where we are headed, look at where the dollars go. Parks, public safety, roads, staff, debt service, community partnerships — the budget tells the truth about the trade-offs in a way nothing else does.

That is why we are working hard, behind the scenes, to make this year’s budget understandable. The goal is not just a document that satisfies the auditors. The goal is a budget any resident or business owner in town can pick up, read, and form an informed opinion about — before the public hearing, not after. That is the through-line connecting everything we have been writing about this spring: clearer outcomes, stronger process, better accountability. Budget season is where the work shows.

As a reminder, I am serving in this interim role part-time while continuing my law practice in Tryon. I am generally in the office at City Hall on weekday mornings.

What Happened This Week:

•       Observed Memorial Day. Thank you to the residents, veterans, and families who turned out to honor those we have lost.

•       Continued development of the FY budget for presentation at the June 9 Budget Presentation Workshop and First Reading, including department-level review meetings and refinement of capital and operating requests.

•       Follow-up from the May 12 Council work session and Business Meeting, including next steps from the Classification and Compensation Study Report presentation and the swearing-in of our two new Police Officers.

•       Final transition activities in the clerk’s office following Camille Corn’s retirement on May 15. April Williams is now fully in the Deputy City Administrator role, with City Clerk duties transitioning to her after the brief handoff period. We are grateful to Camille for her years of service and grateful to April for the steady leadership she is bringing to this work.

•       Ongoing engagement with the South Carolina Main Street Program and the Municipal Association of South Carolina as we continue working toward bringing Main Street resources to our downtown.

•       Met with Spartanburg County Planning staff to discuss long-term coordination options.

•       Continued one-on-one outreach with business owners navigating this year’s business licensing process, with friction points tracked and the customer experience refined as we go.

•       Met with representatives of the S.C. Forestry Commission to tour our existing tree canopies and discuss future Tree City options.

•       Continued staff coordination on the Saluda Grade Trail, with focus on what Landrum will need at the trailhead and along the corridor for safety, parking, and visitor experience.

What We’re Working on Now:

•       Finalizing the proposed budget document, draft narrative, and supporting schedules for the June 9 presentation, with a goal of releasing the agenda packets a full week in advance, consistent with our new agenda-publication standard.

•       Internal review of next steps from the Classification and Compensation Study Report, including phasing and budget impact.

•       Continuing discussions around appointment of a permanent City Administrator.

•       Final evaluation of IT service providers, with a recommendation now targeted for the June agenda given the volume of items on the May work session.

•       Ongoing improvements at Brookwood Park, including continued equipment repairs. The new ADA-compliant swing has been installed, and work on the large play unit steps has also been completed.

•       Continued coordination with School District One staff, architects, and engineers on the proposed site plans for the new school coming to our area.

•       Standing by to assist the Northside (Simmons St.) Park property owners as they work to clear title through the probate courts so a new lease and park improvements can move forward.

•       Working with counsel on the proposed Parks and Recreation Memorandum of Understanding with Spartanburg County Parks and Recreation.

•       Continued evaluation of existing and needed ordinance updates and additions with the City Attorney, including noise ordinance follow-through.

•       Continued internal improvements to workflows and processes to ensure we are being accountable, transparent, and adopting recognized municipal best practices.

Looking Ahead:

•       May 26 (Today)— Planning Commission Meeting 5:30 p.m.

•       May 27- Farmers Market Board Meeting 5:30 p.m.

•       June 4 -Coffee with the City at 9:00 a.m.  @ Third Space Bakery

•       Saturday May 30 — Dark Corner Classic Car Show.

•       June 9 — Budget Presentation. Residents and business owners are strongly encouraged to attend or review the materials in advance.

•       June 9 — Council work session and Business Meeting.

•       June 17 - Coffee With the City at 9:00 a.m. @ Bojangles-Landrum.

•       June 24 — Final Budget Presentation, Public Hearing, and Adoption.

•       Continued follow-up engagement on the Saluda Grade Trail. More information at saludagradetrail.org.

•       Every Saturday: 8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Landrum Farmers Market — come out and enjoy the season!

Questions or concerns? Reach us at 864.457.3000 or requests@cityoflandrumsc.com. We always want to hear from you.

Respectfully,

J.J. Sauve, Interim City Administrator

Tricia Taber, PR/Marketing Director