Exciting enhancements are coming soon to the Town of Fort Mill’s Walter Y. Elisha Park walking trails which will be upgraded to wider concrete pathways and outfit with several upgrades.

The project begins March 31 with construction scheduled for the trail that connects Walter Y. Elisha Park to Harris Street. This well-used walking trail will be closed for approximately two weeks as construction crews remove the existing asphalt trail and replace it with concrete.

The Town is also pleased to announce that beginning shortly after the conclusion of the South Carolina Strawberry Festival in early May, crews will be replacing the entirety of the 6-foot-wide asphalt trail surrounding Walter Y. Elisha Park with a new 8-foot-wide concrete sidewalk. 

The enhancement project also includes the addition of 38 new light poles and fixtures along the new path, as well as several new benches, picnic tables, bench swings, bike racks and trash cans. The park is expected to remain open during construction with detours of the walking trail clearly posted. Please pay special attention to posted signage and use caution when walking near these construction areas.  

When Fort Mill Town Councilman Chris Moody thinks of his old friend and colleague Larry Huntley, who died Feb. 16 at 87 years old, he remembers his friendly nature.

“Larry Huntley welcomed me with open arms when I was first elected in 2015,” Moody said. “I will always remember his wit, smile, but most of all his faith and how he lived that out on a daily basis. It was a pleasure working alongside Larry for six years."

Huntley was first elected in 2007 and served on Town Council for a total of 14 years. Notable issues during his tenure included the annexation of property on Fort Mill Parkway (where the Elizabeth neighborhood is now under construction) and Town impact fees.



Current Town Councilman Chris Wolfe never served on Council with Huntley, but remembers him well from Unity Presbyterian Church, which they both attended. Wolfe remembered Huntley addressing an issue that dominated headlines several years ago, when there were discussions about building a bridge over the Catawba River to connect Rock Hill and Fort Mill to address traffic concerns in the area.

“I remember his common sense and how he could cut through to an issue. He asked ‘was the goal to build a bridge or to help with traffic?’ He had ideas on addressing the traffic,” Wolfe said. “Sometimes people forget what they should be focusing on and he was somebody who could see the forest for the trees. He was a really wise man.”

He said Huntley was also well-known for his unforgettable sense of humor, referencing a time when Wolfe was a deacon and Huntley was an elder in their church.

“I remember we were standing outside the church, talking about the projects that needed to get done- trim the bushes, paint the outside, and clear out a stopped-up gutter. I was saying he could clean out that gutter and he said ‘no, no, no, I’m an elder now. As elder it’s my job to pray you don’t fall off the ladder while you’re fixing the gutter,’” Wolfe said, with a chuckle. “He had a dry sense of humor that I appreciated and just some really good wisdom.” 

Fort Mill a Cultural District?

Could the Town’s downtown corridor soon become an official cultural district with the state of South Carolina?

That’s the hope for local artist Debbie Whitsett who presented the idea at Fort Mill Town Council’s March 24 meeting. Joining her for the presentation was Melanie Cooper, executive director of the Arts Council of York County. The two were on hand asking Council to approve a resolution and apply for the designation with the South Carolina Arts Commission.

Whitsett, who owns Olive’s Mud Puddle on Main Street, has a strong connection to the Town’s art and cultural scene- she helped create the Stormwater art mural at Kingsley Town Center, is president of the Catawba River Art Guild and was illustrator of the South Carolina Strawberry Festival official poster for several years.

Whitsett would like the Town to apply for their downtown corridor, which includes Main Street, Tom Hall Street and the area near Walter Y. Elisha Park. If approved, she said, the Town would be able to showcase its art, encourage economic development, foster cultural events and would join the ranks of other municipalities throughout the state such as nearby neighbor Rock Hill. 

“It would attract artists, attract other businesses that are art-related, we could have a focal point for celebrating our festivals,” Whitsett said. “And York County would be the only county in South Carolina that would have two cultural districts.”

Mayor Guynn Savage thanked Whitsett for broaching the topic and said the Town has long been a hub for artists and cultural events.

“There is an opportunity here to showcase and bring attention to the art in our community that we don’t have in place,” Savage said.

Assistant Town Manager Chris Pettit said the timing of the cultural district application would dovetail well with progress on the Town’s Downtown Master Plan.

“It is coming at a good time for the considerations that we’re doing in Main Street whether it be planning or consideration of future capital projects,” Pettit said.

There is no deadline for the application, though councilmembers expressed interest in moving forward with the application process. 

Fort Mill- Our Path Forward

Plans are moving forward for the Town’s newest planning initiative titled ‘Fort Mill- Our Path Forward.’

Town Planning Director Penelope Karagounis updated Council at their March 24 meeting about the new project which encompasses the Town’s ongoing Comprehensive Plan, Downtown Master Plan and Parks and Recreation Master Plan.

In February 2025, Town of Fort Mill staff engaged planning and engineering firm Bolton & Menk to begin the project, which will establish an updated vision for the Town for the next twenty years.

As part of this project, the Town is embarking on the development of a 2045 Comprehensive Plan to create a long-term vision for the future. This initiative aims to encourage the community to think holistically about our future. Karagounis said the Town will engage in a community-wide conversation about the future of Fort Mill including where we are now and where we envision ourselves in the next few decades. 

The first open house to gather public input for this initiative is scheduled for April 9, 2025, from 4:30 to 7 p.m. at Unity Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall located at 303 Tom Hall Street. This open house will be a drop-in style meeting and the community is invited to arrive anytime during these hours. Residents will also be able to share their thoughts via an online survey which will launch that same day. Updates about the project can be found at www.fortmillsc.gov/ourpathforward. For any questions about the project, the community can contact Town staff by email at ourpathforward@fortmillsc.gov.

Mayor Guynn Savage said there will be plenty of community engagement options during the project.

“There are multiple opportunities for everyone in our community to participate in giving opinions and information,” Savage said. “I encourage you to keep that as positive as possible so that we can accommodate and collapse all that information into something that’s important for all of us moving forward.”

Thanks to everyone who joined us for the most exciting family event in Fort Mill- Family Fun Day on March 1. 

The Kids Celebration Game Show entertained on the Amphitheater stage with interactive games for kids and their parents. There was a wide variety of food, beverage and desserts on hand from our selection of food trucks, and plenty of kid-related vendors. The crowd was also treated to our roving entertainers, including dragons and a giant robot. And later that evening, the crowd got cozy for a showing under the stars of "Despicable Me 4" on our giant movie screen. 

Click the video below to see highlights from the event and hear interviews with families and volunteers. To see more photos from Family Fun Day, click the box below the video.

Team Up to Clean Up

The Town of Fort Mill Stormwater Department invites all area groups and businesses to join in a friendly trash competition! From Earth Day, April 22, until May 11, register a group clean-up with the Town's Stormwater Department. Groups can choose their clean-up locations. We recommend areas with a speed limit of no more than 35 mph or streets with sidewalks, but feel free to contact Stormwater Management Coordinator Mina McLean MacDonald at mmacdonald@fortmillsc.gov for more information. The group with the largest reported pounds of trash collected will receive a prize and all participants will be entered to win additional prizes! Learn more and sign up by clicking here.

The Town of Fort Mill would like to send a big THANK YOU to the Fort Mill History Museum for sharing a slice of history (and some delicious cookies) with Town staff during our first week in the new Town Hall at 205 N. White St. Several members of the History Museum brought baskets of cookies to say welcome to the neighborhood, with each cookie bag including some historical facts about our new building. (Did you know that the windows are titled at 45 degrees as an homage to the gondola on the Hindenburg?) We are looking forward to an exciting future in our new space!

Did you know that the South Carolina General Assembly declared the first Monday in March of each year as Water Professionals Day? This year we celebrated on March 3.

Water Professionals Day is an opportunity to recognize those employees who perform often unseen water services for our Town. From water maintenance and wastewater collection to stormwater education, our Town of Fort Mill Utilities staff do it all! Thank you to all our Town water professionals!

Fort Mill residents may recognize the Town’s part-time Media Production Technician Tony McMehan as the man behind the lens at the SC Strawberry Festival, the Town's Independence Day celebrations and more.

For more than a decade, McMehan has worked as the Town’s main photographer and videographer at hundreds of Town events. And recently at his job as video director at WBTV, McMehan was awarded his fourth Daytime Emmy for a WBTV Weather Promo entitled “Weather Affects Us All.” The Promo aired locally during the 2024 Super Bowl. 

How to Pay Your Bill Online

Looking for an easy way to pay your Town utility bill? The Town of Fort Mill has several options that can make paying more convenient.

A new and simple option is the Town’s customer payment portal. The My Gov Hub portal is accessible from the "Online Bill Pay" tab found at https://www.fortmillsc.gov/414/Billing-Customer-Service or under the "How Do I" tab at the top of the Town’s website: www.fortmillsc.gov. Instructions for using the portal are included on the website. 

In addition to high processing speeds, the portal offers a variety of features for customers, including the ability to set up a profile and access billing history. Customers can also set up recurring payments, pay for multiple properties and print statements, among other features. 

There are also several other ways you can pay your utility bill:

1. By Mail: Always enclose the top portion of your bill with your check or money order.
2. In Person: Bring your bill & payment with you to Town Hall Annex, 200 Tom Hall St.
3. By Phone: Call (803) 752-3021 and choose Option 2. You will need your Utility Account number. You can pay by credit card, but please remember there is a 3% fee.
4. Night Drop-off: Drop your payment in our drive-through slot at Town Hall Annex.
5. Bank Draft: Complete the information on your bill, attach a voided check and return to the Business Office at Town Hall Annex.

Remember, in order to avoid late fees, utility bills must be received by the Town on or before the 16th of each month.

Have questions? Contact our Billing Department at (803) 835-5712 or visit our Billing & Customer Service webpage: https://www.fortmillsc.gov/414/Billing-Customer-Service.

Interested in showing off your Town of Fort Mill spirit wherever you go? Then make sure to visit the Town Hall Annex lobby, 200 Tom Hall St., anytime between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday to purchase one of four limited Town-branded items.

Items available for sale include: Town-branded yard flags ($15), tumblers ($12), campfire mugs ($8), and canvas tote bags ($15). Only credit cards and Apple Pay will be accepted (no cash). 

Town staff showed off their best green outfits for St. Patrick's Day on March 17.

The South Carolina Strawberry Festival Committee recently held their logistics meeting for our upcoming month of strawberry events, which will culminate with the return of a two-day festival on May 2 and 3, 2025.

It takes many people to bring the festival to our community each year. We could never do it without our Town Employees and Community Volunteers that make up this committee! Thank you for all you do! Click here to meet the full committee!

Interested in volunteering for the South Carolina Strawberry Festival?

The Town of Fort Mill is looking for enthusiastic volunteers to help make this year's festival berry unforgettable! Whether you're eager to support the event, meet new people or give back to the community, there's a role for you.

Explore volunteer opportunities for our entire month of strawberry events by clicking here or on the graphic above. Want to know more about all of this year's festival activities? Then visit www.scstrawberryfestival.com.

Click the photo & links above or visit www.fortmillsc.gov/TownEvents to learn more.

Stay updated all the time by following the Town of Fort Mill's website and social media accounts! Click the social media icons and the website link below to visit our various platforms.