Lexington County Council and the county’s administration have been criticized for the handling of the Chapin Business and Technology Park at Brighton. Critics have said the park’s development is behind schedule and over budget.

Lexington County Council Chairman Todd Cullum issued a statement in response to the critics late Friday.

Link to Councilmen Tolar, Yarborough statement issued Saturday night

Statement from Lexington County Council Chairman Todd Cullum.  

The County is working diligently to develop the Chapin Business and Technology Park at Brighton and create a prosperous lifestyle that will spur responsible growth in the Chapin area.

Developing a technology park from the ground up is a methodical and industrious process, during which the County is being conscientious of the taxpayers’ dollar, while taking advantage of all government funding made available to the County.

The statements that were reported about the County Administrator in the earlier broadcast are inaccurate and malicious. Councilmen Yarborough and Tolar were present for each vote taken on all expenditures for the Chapin Park.

In addition, Councilmen Yarborough and Tolar have never expressed doubt or questioned the timeline surrounding the park’s development until this past week. Their collective statements have been prompted by a narrative that does not fit the project outline this Council, nor previous Councils, have voted and approved.

Council set a budget in late 2012 of approximately $13.9 million to construct the park. To date we are within that budget. Only recently were we able to bid certain aspects of the park and still were able to stay within four-year-old construction numbers. Nobody in this day and time can get anything constructed in 2017 on 2012 dollars.

Further, the management of the park during development was controlled by former Chairman of Council Johnny Jeffcoat. Each decision on expenditures and development questions were reviewed by Chairman Jeffcoat and his direct report on the project, former Economic Development Director Chuck Whipple.

To be clear, all monetary decisions on the park were properly bid and voted on by council, which votes included Councilmen Yarborough and Tolar. Our County Administrator has only recently been asked to oversee the management role of the park, since the departure of the former Economic Development Director in November 2016.

During his tenure, the County Administrator has done an exemplary job in managing over 1,700 employees and a multitude of projects. Furthermore, he and his staff have submitted solid budgets that continuously advance the County’s potential and future.

The County’s staff is working to ensure that all amenities offered by the park are of the highest quality. Due to the County’s diligent work, we have every reason to believe these amenities will be made available to any potential tenant that wishes to locate its business in the park. Therefore, we will continue to actively market and show the park to all potential tenants.