Good Evening,  

The following is for homeowners on Upper Rockyford Lake who may need to use an absentee ballot in the June 21 referendum on the Special Tax District to restore our lake. 

Remember that we want every person in the 61 households who is registered to vote to participate in this referendum. It will be very helpful to have a very substantial turnout in this process. 

If your calendar indicates that you will be away from Columbia on that day, the Lake Boards urges you to take the steps to complete an absentee ballot. 

IF you or another voting member of your household will be away from Columbia on June 21, we encourage that voter to use an ABSENTEE BALLOT. You may review the following information, or call the Richland County Election Commission at (803) 576-2240 for direct instructions. 

Remember that the absentee ballot information must be completed four days prior to the election. We assume these are working days -- so we suggest this be done prior to June 14. 

The information below this link comes from the Richland County Elections Commission website: 

http://www.richlandonline.com/Government/Departments/VoterRegistration.aspx

Absentee Voting

Applications
Applications to vote may be made in person at the Voter Registration Office at 2020 Hampton Street or at voter registration drives throughout the County.  Online voter registration is available at www.scvotes.org.  To complete voter registration online, you MUST have a valid driver's license or identification card issued by the S.C. Department of Motor Vehicles.  Additionally, you may register by completing a mail-in form and returning it to: Richland County Board of Voter Registration P.O. Box 192 Columbia SC 29202
(803) 576-2240
If you move within Richland County, complete the change of address form and mail it to the address above. If you move from one county to another, contact that county for information on voter Registration.  Click SC County Info for a list of SC counties and contact information.

Can't make it to the polls on election day?  You may be eligible to vote using an absentee ballot. Determine if you qualify for absentee voting by visiting www.scvotes.org or by calling (803) 576-2240.

Requests for absentee ballots are also available online by visiting  www.scvotes.org.  Once completed, please PRINT, SIGN, and MAIL to the address listed below:

Richland County Board of Voter Registration 

P.O. Box 192 

Columbia, SC 29202

Time of Application

Any elector wishing to vote by absentee ballot must apply to the voters' registration board in his county of residence.  They may submit applications for absentee ballots anytime during the calendar year in which they are holding the election in which the elector wishes to vote by absentee ballot.  The registration board must receive completed applications returned by mail by 5:00 p.m., four days before the election; however, any elector applying in person may apply until 5:00 p.m. on the day before the election.If you are registered to vote and you meet one of the above listed qualifications, visit or contact your county board of voter registration, either by phone or mail, and ask for an application to vote absentee.  The application can be completed in the office or mailed to you, once the application is completed and returned, you will be provided with a ballot for the upcoming election you have requested.

Persons Qualifying to Vote Absentee:

• Any qualified elector in the following categories is eligible to receive absentee ballots:
• Students, their spouses and dependents residing with them.  (The term "students" will mean all persons residing outside the counties of their respective residences, enrolled in an institution of learning.)
• Members of the Armed Forces and Merchant Marines, their spouses and dependents residing with them.
• Persons serving with the American Red Cross or with the United Service Organizations (USO) who are attached to and serving with the Armed Forces of the United States, their spouses and dependents residing with them.
• Employment. (The term "employment" means those persons who by virtue of their employment obligations will be absent from their county of residence on election day during the hours the polls are open and will be unable to vote in person, or those persons who are required by their employment obligations to be at their place of employment in their county of residence during the entire hours that the polls are open (7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.) and will be unable to vote in person, and who present written certification of such obligations, signed by their employer, to the county board of registration.)
• Physically disabled persons.  (The term "physically disabled persons" will mean a person who, because of injury or illness cannot be present in person at his polling place on election day, whether physically present inside or outside his county of residence.)
• Government employees, their spouses and dependents residing with them, who are out of their county of residence on election day.
• Electors with a death or funeral in the family within a three day period prior to the election.
• Persons on vacation (who because of vacation plans will be absent from a county of residence on election day).
• Poll managers, county voter registration board members and staff, and county election commission members and staff working on election day.
• Overseas citizens.
• Persons attending sick or physically disabled persons.
• Persons admitted to hospitals as emergency patients on the day of election or within a four-day period before the election.
• Persons who will be serving as jurors in a state or federal court on election day.
• Persons 65 years of age or older.
• Persons confined to a jail or pre-trial facility pending disposition of arrest or trial.

Here is the Agenda for the Homeowners's Meeting Wednesday, March 16, 2016 at the Rockbridge Clubhouse. 

Here is the Agenda for the Homeowners's Meeting Wednesday, 

& PM - 8:PM, March 16, 2016

Rockbridge Clubhouse, Rockbridge Road

AGENDA:

1.  Introductions

2.  Information reported from the Engineering Group

3.  Setting the Stage for Financing 

a. Special Purpose Tax District

b. Small Business Association Loan

c. The prospect of an additional assessment in 60 days.

4. Introduction and Explanations-- Special Purpose Tax District Petition -- Wesley Graybill / Lawrence Flynn, followed by:

  a. A reading of the amendment

b. Two endorsements, one through signatures, and another through personal contacts

c. Questions regarding the Special Purpose Tax District

5.  Introduction and Explanations-- SBA Loan Alex Fournil / Dan Lott, followed by:

a. a proposed amendment to our bylaws

b. study, discussion, signatures in 30 days

  c. Questions

6. Tables open to sign off on Special Purpose Tax District petition.

Here is a Summary of the Lake Board's Proposed use of a Special Tax District to finance re-construction of the spillway, and restoring the dam.

Summary of Special Tax District

All counties of the State have the power to create special tax districts and specific procedures for

doing so are outlined in state law. The purpose of each district is to levy a tax or charge in a

designated area at a rate different from the remainder of the county in order to cover the costs of

providing requested or necessary services. The taxes or charges may be used for the provision of

the service or to retire general obligation bonds (loans) issued to finance the service. The special

tax district provision of state law was intended to put an end to the creation of stand-alone

special purpose districts (legislative districts created by local legislation in the state legislature –

i.e. East Richland Sewer District).

The state constitution now specifically says that “no laws for a specific county shall be enacted”

by the state legislature. Rather, the state legislature is directed to provide by general law the

structure, organization, powers, duties, functions and responsibilities of counties. The legislation

authorizing special taxing districts is a general law applicable to all counties of the State.

Special tax districts can be created in one of three ways. Two methods are initiated by voters,

and one is initiated by county ordinance. We are suggesting that the special tax district for Upper

Rockyford Lake be created under one of the voter initiated methods. Under the proposed method,

fifteen percent of the qualified electors (registered voters) who reside in the proposed tax district

may petition the county council to declare and authorize a special election The results of the

election will determine whether (a) to create the special tax district, (b) what services the district

will provide and (c) what will be the maximum level of taxes/fees it can levy. If a majority of

electors in the proposed district support its creation and empowerment, the county council must

create it by ordinance and provide for its terms of operation. 

TO: All Homeowners on Upper Rockyford Lake FROM: The Upper Rockyford Lake Board DATE: August 2, 2013 This is a reminder of The Upper Rockyford Lake Homeowners’ meeting set for 6:00 P.M. this coming Sunday, August 4, at the Rockbridge Clubhouse. We are encouraging you to attend. The purpose of this homeowner’s meeting is to discuss what we can do to maintain the health and beauty of our commonly-owned asset – Upper Rockyford Lake. It will also allow you to meet and greet other lake homeowners. Each of us owns a share of this lake, and benefits from it-- both in terms of the pleasure from having this lake just off of our back porches, but we also benefit from the financial value that it adds to each of our properties. We not only own lake houses, but we own (corporately) a lake. We encourage you to attend Sunday. So that we can make our plans complete, please do two things: 1. E-mail tteuber@sc.rr.com, so that we know you are coming, and 2. Spread the word to your neighbors. Word of mouth counts for plenty. Questions? E-mail me at tteuber@sc.rr.com. Sincerely, Tom Teuber, 3547 Overcreek Rd., President of the Upper Rockyford Lake Board P.S. Upper Rockyford Lake has both a (private) Facebook Page (“friend” Tom Teuber to be asked in), and we maintain a webpage @ http://rockyfordsc.blogspot.com.

Thanks Volunteers!

Thanks to those that were able to do their part this morning to keep our lake clean and litter free.

Hope to see you this Thursday at:

‎2nd Annual Wine For Water Wine Tasting & Fundraiser

Did you know that our lake association is a supporting member of the Gills Creek Watershed Association (GCWA)? Join Us Thursday, October 20, 2011 - 6:30-9pmThis event will be held at the Rockbridge Club on Spring Lake in Forest Acres, and will showcase a diverse selection of domestic and imported wines.Specialists will be on hand to discuss the wine, and purchase opportunities will be available. Heavy hors d'oeuvres will be catered by Spotted Salamander. Come learn about the work and vision of the Gills Creek Watershed Association! Tickets are $30 per person in advance. $40 the day of the event. Children are free!All proceeds from this event will benefit the annual operations of the Gills Creek Watershed Association.Sponsored by Fuss and O'Neill Engineers and Grimball Cotterill Landscape Architects.Call 727-8326 for tickets and more information, or see the Wine For Water page.Gills Creek Watershed Association Annual Meeting. GCWA will hold its annual meeting at 5:30pm before the Wine For Water event. Everyone is invited to attend. We will be reviewing our accomplishments during 2011 and discussing plans for 2012. GCWA members will be voting for members of the board of directors.

CARPe Diem!

looks like the carp are still calling Upper Rockyford Lake home.

Join Us Oct. 15th to Toss the Trash

We will gather on the spillway Saturday morning, October 15th, 2011, 9 a.m. to conduct our Fall litter pickup as part of our involvement in Keep the Midlands Beautiful's Adopt a Waterway program. We will supply trash bags and you can pick up litter that morning or anytime throughout the day. Place bags and other trash collected at the corner of Percival and Overcreek, and the trash truck will pick it up Monday.

Hope to see you then!

May 4th Lake Association Spring Meeting-RCPL

We have confirmed a meeting space at the Cooper branch of the Richland County Public Library and we will meet May 4, 2011, beginning at 6:30 p.m. The board has developed an agenda for this meeting and topics include: Volunteers sought for lake board; Financial report/expenditures; Major progress made on lake restoration/dam repair this year; Wildlife enhancement on the lake; affirming the lake bylaws; setting dates for lake litter cleanups/Gills Creek Watershed Association membership; Facebook page for our association. Don't miss this important meeting and meet new neighbors/catch up with old friends. By the way, we now have a Facebook (FB) page. If you are on FB, send a friend request to Amy Overstreet (allimaxwell@earthlink.net) and I'll send you an invite to our page. See you May 4th!

Click here to view the May 4th meeting invite: https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0ByXNd1QUSsOrMTNhY2Q0NDItZTAyOS00ODEzLTk4MjktZjQ1ZjA3MzYxMGNh&hl=en&authkey=CMWnj0s