This Week in Landrum…..

This Week in Landrum

From the City Administrator’s Office • Monday, October 5, 2026

A Note from the Deputy City Administrator

I hope everyone is enjoying this weather! I know that some folks are already missing the hot summer months and others are longing for the cold of winter. That one topic goes a long way to explain how we function in local government. One citizen wants one service or action, and another prefers the complete opposite. Local government staff are often caught in the middle trying to make everyone understand that we must look at all sides. It is a balancing act and not one unique to Landrum.

Last week I had the privilege of attending the first session of the Local Government Leadership Institute where local government employees from all over the state met and learned so much. There were two primary takeaways from the initial week that I plan to incorporate in my work here at the city. First, every city/town and even most counties have the same challenges that we have here in Landrum. We are not on some huge island fending for ourselves. There are places that have done an amazing job handling an issue that we are currently grappling with here, and some that have not done so well. Both of those examples are vitally important to us as we face challenges that even five years ago, we had no idea would be an issue. The important thing is that we understand what has happened before us and use the good and avoid the pitfalls that may have happened to others. And of course, networking with those other people who have lived it is invaluable. The second takeaway is that learning is essential to being successful no matter what career path you take. The eclectic nature of the class from age, level of leadership to length of time in the current position varied so greatly in the 40-member cohort. It is refreshing to see people who are so happy in their position that they choose to invest in themselves to be the best version they can be for the job, but for others to know that they want to advance in their careers. Each person in the class was after the same goal and it was refreshing. I want to bring that back to Landrum. I want us all: staff, council, boards, and citizens to work together to be the best version of this little slice of heaven of ours.

As always, things are moving swiftly at City Hall. We welcome you to call, stop by or visit us here. Please check out some of the events listed in the rest of this letter so you don’t miss anything!

What Happened This Week

•   Staff are still having conversations with Spartanburg County regarding the Cardinal Point RV park.

•  Continued Fiscal Year 2025-20 26 close activities, with our third-party independent audit scheduled to begin in October.

•   Continued rollout planning for the International Property Maintenance Code enforcement program.

•   Continued planning and zoning inventory and assessment, in coordination with Deputy City Administrator April Williams and the City Attorney.

•  Continued implementation planning for the new municipal court system, which must be in place by December 31, 2026.

•  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 staff coordination on the Saluda Grade Trail.

What We’re Working on Now

•  Continued coordination with Spartanburg County on Cardinal Point RV Park and other cross-jurisdictional projects near the City’s border.

•   Finalizing Frohlich Property conservation easement language and next steps toward closing.

•   Finalizing Fiscal Year 2025-2026 close-out and preparing internal materials for the October engagement with our third-party independent auditors.

•   Ongoing commitment to timely annual audits, transparent financial reporting, and full compliance with South Carolina municipal reporting requirements.

•    Continued stand-up of the International Property Maintenance Code enforcement program.

•    Continued planning and zoning inventory and assessment.

•    Continued implementation planning for the new municipal court system.

•    Continued onboarding of our new IT provider, Accumen.

•    Continued internal work on next steps from the Classification and Compensation Study Report.

•   Ongoing maintenance and improvement discussions with Spartanburg County Parks and Recreation District.

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

•     Continued engagement with the South Carolina Main Street Program.

•   Standing by to assist the Northside (Simmons St.) Park property owners as they work to clear title through the probate courts.

•     Continued evaluation of existing and needed ordinance updates and additions with the City Attorney.

•   Continued internal improvements to workflows and processes, including the one-week-in-advanced agenda publication standard.

Looking Ahead

•    Thursday, October 8: Coffee with the City at Cardinal Coffe & Bistro at 9 a.m. Stop by, say hello, and bring your questions.

•     October: engagement with our third-party independent auditors begins for the FY 2025-2026 audit.

•     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, hydrate, and enjoy the season!

•     Railcar Museum – Saturdays 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.

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

April Williams, Deputy City Administrator

Tricia Taber, Communications Director