Corinth-Shiloh Volunteer Fire Dept, Inc.

08/04/2026

Tonight at 6 PM, County Council will hold the 3rd and final reading and will vote on the proposed ordinance for the Corinth‑Shiloh Fire Tax District.

Taxpayers deserve to understand what this vote means.

The Fire Commission we have today is the commission County Council appointed, not the one the community recommended, not the one that followed the process Council asked for, and not the one introduced publicly to residents. Our attached video will provide you with a better understanding of how we arrived to this Commission.

The ordinance being voted on tonight was requested by this Council handpicked Fire Commission. The Council stated at their July 21 meeting that they would be proceeding with removing the voters’ ability to elect future commissioners.

It’s fair to ask: Why is Council agreeing so easily with the Commission to remove the voters’ rights?

In his July 23rd Facebook video, Council Chairman Durham stated that “an election does not settle any of this mess.”
A personal opinion should never be the basis for a government body to decide whether an entire district’s voting rights should be removed. Voting rights are determined by ordinance, process, and law, not by someone’s assessment of the situation.

If the ordinance is approved tonight, the Fire Commission will become indefinitely appointed, ending the community’s ability to elect its representatives.

This decision affects every taxpayer in the district.

If you are concerned about losing your vote, your representation, or your ability to choose who oversees your Fire Tax District, please make time to attend tonight’s meeting and speak during public comment.
This community deserves transparency and a say in its future.

How were the Corinth-Shiloh Fire Commission chosen by Oconee County...

08/02/2026

FIRE COMMISSION SPECIAL MEETING

Have you been following the public discussion around the Corinth–Shiloh Fire Tax District? If so, it’s important to stay informed about the actions of the Fire Commission, the same commission County Council Chairman Matt Durham supports keeping appointed rather than elected by the residents it serves.

Why this meeting matters:
Whether you support the current direction or have concerns, Fire Commission meetings are one of the few opportunities for residents to understand what is happening inside their Fire Tax District.

Transparency concerns:
We only learned about this special meeting because we happened to check the newspaper’s public notice section. The agenda wasn’t posted at the fire station 24 hours ahead of time, even though that’s required under the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act.

And even though the Fire Tax District does have a website, the meeting announcement and agenda were missing from both the Calendar and Agenda sections. On top of that, the agenda’s meeting‑purpose wording is so vague that taxpayers have no real advance notice about what the Commission plans to discuss, or potentially vote on.

When we went to the station to get a copy, the front door was locked. We rang the bell, and a firefighter had to call someone to have the agenda emailed over and printed. We waited 6 minutes just to receive it.

Another issue residents have noticed:
The front door now has new mirror‑tinted glass, and the door remains locked at all times. When you buzz for entry, you can’t see who is opening the door or whether anyone is coming at all. Combined with the vague agenda and the missing website posting, it creates the feeling that the public’s view, and access, is being kept at arm’s length.

And it raises another question:
Why spend money tinting the front door instead of putting those funds toward actual service?
Especially when residents are already struggling to get basic information about meetings.

Looking over the agenda, this is also the first meeting since January 2025 with no public comment session, scheduled the day before County Council holds the 3rd and final reading of the revised ordinance.

At the time of this posting, Sunday, August 2, 2026 at 6:41pm, No Commission Meeting notice appeared on:
the Fire Tax District’s page
the station’s LED message sign
the Fire Tax District’s website Calendar
the Fire Tax District’s website Agenda section

A fair question for residents:
Why should the community have to rely on the Volunteers’ page to learn about public meetings instead of the Fire Tax District’s own communication channels?

And another fair question:
Why is this meeting scheduled at 4:00 PM, while most residents are still at work, instead of their typical time of 6:00 PM?

Is this the level of transparency and accountability residents should expect from an appointed Fire Commission that county leadership wants to keep appointed?

07/31/2026

If you've been following the recent discussion surrounding the Corinth-Shiloh Fire Tax District and the Corinth-Shiloh Volunteer Organization, thank you for your patience.

We've wanted to share this response for some time, but we felt it was important to first have it reviewed by our attorney. We wanted to make sure everything we presented was factual, responsible, and appropriate.

This video isn't about attacking anyone. It's simply our opportunity to respond and provide additional context using public records, meeting minutes, budgets, timelines, and other documentation.

We know it's a little longer than the typical social media video, but we respectfully ask that you watch it all the way through before forming an opinion. Many of these issues can't be fully understood in short clips or sound bites.

At the end of the day, our hope is simply that our community has the opportunity to see the complete picture and make its own informed conclusions.

As always, thank you for your continued support of the volunteers who have proudly served the Corinth-Shiloh community for more than 60 years.

07/23/2026

07/21/2026

🚨THE FIRE TAX COMMISSION MISLED THIS COMMUNITY🚨
The revised ordinance prioritizes the Fire Commission, not the citizens. It removes your voice by taking away your vote on Fire Commission members and opens the door to future tax increases without voter approval.

A Special Purpose District is intended to be locally governed by the community it serves; not controlled through county-appointed commissioners.

That's not local government. That's County control.

07/20/2026

🛑 The Fire Tax Commission draft ordinance is now available on the Oconee County website. (Scroll about halfway through the document to view the proposed amendment.)

https://oconeesc.com/documents/council/agendas-and-minutes/2026/backup-material/2026-07-21-backup.pdf

At last week's Fire Tax Commission meeting, the Chairman stated that the request for County Council to appoint the Commission members was temporary. We have that statement on audio recording.

However, the draft amendment now posted appears to establish appointed Commission members, eliminating the residents' opportunity to elect Commission members this November and beyond.

If the Chairman described the appointments as temporary for two years, why does the proposed amendment do away with elections all together.

This should concern every taxpayer in the Corinth-Shiloh Fire Tax District. Taking away the public's right to vote for the governing body that oversees your tax dollars raises serious questions about accountability and representation.

Taxation without representation is a phrase that has echoed throughout American history for a reason.

The proposed amendment would also remove the current 25-mill tax cap, allowing future tax increases above that cap if approved through established processes.

Is this what the Fire Tax Commission considers transparency?

07/20/2026

A Reminder to Our Corinth-Shiloh Community
TOMORROW: Oconee County Council will have the 2nd of 3 readings on the Fire Tax District Ordinance Amendment

07/18/2026

Urgent 🚨Oconee County Council Meeting **
This is the 2nd of 3 readings before they vote

07/16/2026

FIRE TAX DISTRICT COMMISSION MEETING
Tonight – Thursday, July 16, 2026 - 6:00 PM
Corinth-Shiloh Fire Station
940 Old Clemson Hwy

As members of the Corinth-Shiloh community, we believe the best decisions are made when residents are informed, engaged, and have an opportunity to be heard.

Many residents supported the original petition to establish the Fire Tax District because they believed it reflected a specific vision for the future of fire protection in our community: a volunteer fire department supported and augmented by paid staff to help ensure the highest level of service for our residents. As changes continue to be discussed and implemented, we encourage every resident to consider whether the current direction reflects the vision they supported.

The Fire Tax Commission meets on the third Thursday of each month. Their July commission meeting is tonight, July 16, at 6:00 p.m. Residents are invited to participate during the public comment portion of the meeting, where each speaker is allotted five minutes to ask questions, seek clarification, or share their thoughts.

Your voice matters. Respectful public participation is an important part of transparent local government.

We encourage all Corinth-Shiloh residents to attend if you are able, stay informed, ask questions, and be an active part of the conversation about the future of our community's fire service.

07/14/2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Corinth-Shiloh Volunteer Fire Department Inc. Provides Statement Regarding Consolidation Efforts and Recent Events

Seneca, South Carolina — July 13, 2026 — Corinth-Shiloh Volunteer Fire Department Inc. is providing the following statement to the community regarding ongoing consolidation discussions with the Corinth-Shiloh Fire District and recent events involving access to the fire station facility.

For several months, Corinth-Shiloh Volunteer Fire Department Inc. has pursued, in good faith, a consolidation plan with the Corinth-Shiloh Fire Tax District. This plan has not been accepted by the Fire Tax District at this time. Legal counsel representing both parties have been in communication in an effort to reach a mutually acceptable agreement.

Throughout this process, the volunteers have chosen not to respond publicly to statements and criticisms directed toward the organization through the media from the Fire Tax District. Our focus has remained on reaching a constructive resolution that serves the best interests of the Corinth-Shiloh community.

Despite these ongoing efforts, the volunteers’ regularly scheduled member meeting tonight, Monday, July 13, 2026 was unable to take place at the Corinth-Shiloh Fire Department Facility after access to the building was denied. The volunteers were informed by Chief Scheuerer that, under the direction of the Fire Tax District Commission, they were to leave the property and that the community room will no longer be accessible to the community. The Oconee County Sheriff's Office was dispatched to the station, and the volunteers left the property without incident.

Corinth-Shiloh Volunteer Fire Department Inc. remains an active organization and continues to hold responsibility for its assets to include the station building mortgage.

Since 1963, the volunteers have built, staffed, and supported our community through the service and sacrifice of countless community volunteers. Throughout the current discussions, the organization’s goal has remained unchanged: to create a unified combination department that reflects the vision of the taxpayers by bringing together dedicated volunteers and paid staff to provide the best possible service to the Corinth-Shiloh community.

The volunteers continue to believe collaboration is the best path forward and remain committed to working with the Fire Tax District Commission.

The volunteers sincerely appreciate the continued support of our members, supporters, and the Corinth-Shiloh community.

Media Contact:
Corinth Shiloh Volunteer Fire Department Inc.
Danny Delmarco
[email protected]