City of Sumter’s Low-to- Moderate Income Communities Concerned With Public Services

Several residents from Sumter’s low to moderate-income community are concerned about public services. Residents spoke up at the city council meeting held July 18, 2023, at the Sumter Opera House located at 21 N. Main Street in Sumter.

“I need codes enforcement to pick up trash and not let it sit for six months,” stated Linda Hastie during the public comment section of the meeting. She felt things like street sweepers regularly pick up upper-class neighborhood trash but not in her community adjacent to their districts. She expressed her frustrations explaining kids are heading back to school soon, and she doesn’t feel they should see tall weeds and trash on the walk to school.

Other city residents complained of flooding roads and clogged drains and catch basins. While street sweepers aren’t easily accessible many residents take on cleaning up for themselves in groups, including Councilman Calvin K. Hastie, Sr., and Councilman Elect Anthony Gibson, who were both hands-on at the community-wide cleaning.
Some other concerns include a lack of sidewalks, speeding, and complaints of loud music in the residential communities.