# City Council Meeting - November 9, 2026

The Florence City Council meeting on November 9, 2026, included substantial discussion of capital improvements and funding. Duke Energy Foundation announced a $50,000 commitment to the Reimagining Levy Park project, part of an approximately $18 million project with $9 million in federal funding; city staff expected bids around the beginning of 2027. The utility update covered ongoing water, wastewater, and stormwater projects, including an $8 million grant-funded rehabilitation of the GE water treatment plant, an approximately $20 million surface-water treatment plant investment, and a $5.5 million SCORE-funded Cedar McQueen stormwater project. For upgrades at four groundwater treatment plants, staff and consultants planned to issue an RFQ for a construction manager at risk and anticipated selecting a contractor around February. Staff also reported 14 bids received for a waterline project and said construction would begin soon; a sewer improvement project valued at about $24 million was expected to proceed to bidding, with additional work planned for 2027. Council approved both downtown redevelopment grant projects presented for the second quarter of fiscal year 2026, though amounts were not stated in the transcript.

The council also approved a first-reading ordinance updating mandatory water-connection requirements to comply with state law, allowing owners of parcels of at least half an acre to remain on private wells rather than connect to city water. An election-method ordinance was deferred for further review, including questions about runoff requirements and election costs. No specific construction contract award was identified in the transcript; the procurement discussion primarily concerned project funding, anticipated solicitations, and construction progress.

**Jurisdictions:** sled
**Industries:** Construction & Infrastructure, Energy & Utilities
**Topics:** Physical Infrastructure, Grants & Funding
**Published:** November 09, 2026

### Sources
- [City Council Meeting - November 9, 2026](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUsTtJ6e4V4) - City of Florence South Carolina