Serving Barnwell County and it's neighbors since 1852
The Town of Fairfax has repaired the City Hall roof after a previous construction job had left the building leaking.
“Every contractor that looked at [the old repairs] said it was not a good job,” said Fairfax mayor Butch Sauls.
The building’s old roofing job was done in 2022, and since has been repeatedly criticized by citizens and local leaders alike. The job also made the building unable to qualify for the National Register of Historic Places.
The issue was worsened in August 2023 when Hurricane Idalia tore apart the roof. Since then, leaking has been occurring regularly.
The recent repairs involved ripping off the previous construction job, which protruded from the building, rebuilding the roof underneath and sealing it with rubber. These repairs, Sauls said, were funded in part by an insurance payout from the damage that Hurricane Idalia caused to the building.
However, the building’s upkeep is not yet completed, Sauls said. The building recently tested positive for mold and further construction will need to be done. As the town navigates its own financial crisis, Sauls said, finding more money for repairs will be a challenge.
As previously reported by The People-Sentinel, City Hall is also currently in the process of reorganizing documents after years of mismanagement and will be adding a digital payment option for utility bills.
“I was elected to serve them and this is their building, not my building,” Sauls said. “We want them to have a place that they can come and be safe.”
Elijah de Castro is a Report for America corps member who writes about rural communities like Allendale and Barnwell counties for The People-Sentinel. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep Elijah writing stories like this one; please consider making a tax-deductible gift of any amount today.
