This Week In Landrum…..
This Week in Landrum
From the City Administrator’s Office — Monday, June 29, 2026
A Note from the Administrator
We are heading into Independence Day weekend, and it is worth pausing to remember what we are actually celebrating. The Fourth of July is not just a day for fireworks and cookouts — it is a national reminder that self-government is the work, and that the work never really ends. The founders were not romantic about it. They knew that an experiment in self-rule would require ordinary people to keep showing up, generation after generation, in places exactly like Landrum. Every Council night, every public hearing, every volunteer commission, every neighbor who walks into City Hall with a question — that is the experiment, alive and breathing. We honor July 4 with parades and flags, and we also honor it by doing the daily work of self-government the other 364 days a year.
On a personal note, when I accepted this interim role I committed to a defined runway, and that runway concludes in September. Over the next several weeks, Deputy City Administrator April Williams will begin sharing — and then taking over — authorship of This Week in Landrum as part of an intentional handoff. You are in very good hands. April brings deep experience, steady judgment, and a clear-eyed view of what this office needs to do. My job between now and September is to make sure she has a clean transition, that the work in flight is documented and on track, and that nothing important falls between the cracks. You will start to hear more from April in this letter beginning in the coming weeks, and I am grateful for the runway to do this transition right.
A quick word on safety this weekend. Fireworks, water, alcohol, hot pavement, and holiday traffic do not mix well, and our first responders see the consequences every July. Please use legal, professional fireworks displays where you can, designate a sober driver, keep an eye on small children near pools and creeks, hydrate in the heat, and check on neighbors who may be alone for the holiday. Take care of each other. We want to see you back at the Farmers Market on Saturday.
As a reminder, I am serving in this interim role part-time while continuing my law practice in Tryon and instructing at a North Carolina fire academy from time to time. I am generally in the office at City Hall on weekday mornings.
What Happened This Week:
• A Taste of the Market on Saturday, June 27 was a SOLD-OUT success. Enormous thanks to our market vendors, the staff and volunteers who put it together, the sponsors who made it possible, and every guest who joined us. Events like this are exactly why Landrum’s downtown has the momentum it does — and a strong sign of what is possible when the community shows up.
• Wednesday, June 24 — Special Council Meeting. Council held public hearings and second readings on the FY27 Budget and the elementary school property rezoning. The full agenda packet and supporting materials remain available on the City’s website for any resident or business owner who wants to review what was adopted.
• Continued the full inventory and assessment of the City’s planning and zoning practices and capabilities, in coordination with Deputy City Administrator April Williams and the City Attorney.
• 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.
• Continued one-on-one outreach with business owners working through this year’s business licensing process, and continued progress on collecting overdue business licenses.
• Continued implementation planning for the new municipal court system, which must be in place by December 31, 2026 per state requirements.
• Revie and Scottie continued right-of-way clearing, mowing, and weed eating, keeping up with the growth the recent rain has brought us.
What We’re Working on Now:
• Holiday-week coverage and scheduling. City Hall will be closed Friday, July 3 in observance of Independence Day. Regular business hours resume Monday, July 6. Essential public safety services remain in operation throughout the weekend.
• Intentional transition planning between the Interim City Administrator and Deputy City Administrator April Williams, including handoff of the This Week in Landrum letter over the next several weeks.
• Continued planning and zoning inventory and assessment, with findings expected to drive a clear set of recommendations to Council in the months ahead.
• Continued on-boarding of our new IT provider, Accumen.
• Ongoing maintenance and improvement discussions for Brookwood Park.
• Continued coordination with School District One staff, architects, and engineers on the proposed site plans for the new school coming to our area.
• Continued engagement with the South Carolina Main Street Program and the Municipal Association of South Carolina as we work toward bringing the Main Street program to our downtown.
• 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.
• Continued evaluation of existing and needed ordinance updates and additions with the City Attorney.
• Continued internal improvements to workflows and processes, including a one-week-in-advance agenda publication standard.
Looking Ahead:
• Friday, July 3 — City Hall closed in observance of Independence Day. Regular business hours resume Monday, July 6. Please celebrate safely.
• Thursday, July 9 @ 9:00 a.m. — Coffee with the City at Cardinal Coffee & Bistro. Stop by, say hello, and bring your questions.
• Friday, July 10 — WSPA 7 News in Landrum to film the ZIP TRIP series at the Cunningham Market Pavilion. Come out and represent Landrum.
• 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 email requests@cityoflandrumsc.com. We always want to hear from you.
Respectfully,
J.J. Sauve, Interim City Administrator
Tricia Taber, PR/Marketing Director