Martin said the city has not received a response from Campobello since the suit was filed two weeks ago. According to the court summons, Campobello has 30 days or 35 days by certified mail to answer the complaint.

The Bulletin spoke to Campobello Mayor Ray Copeland after the Landrum special called meeting in May. Copeland said Campobello was annexing property along I-26. When asked if any of that property is inside the Landrum fire district,  Copeland passed the conversation off to Campobello Police Chief Chad McNeil.

McNeil said the council approved a plan for annexation during Campobello’s April 1 meeting that would include the property where the South Carolina Welcome Center sits.

According to McNeil, his force has been under contract with highway patrol for the past four to five years to answer calls at the welcome center. McNeil said the highway patrol department contacted Campobello requesting to have them take over the area permanently.

McNeil said despite Landrum officials’ concerns the annexation move would not affect the amount of fire tax received by Landrum.

“Nothing has changed … The only difference is [the welcome center] will get city police instead of county. They will still get the fire response from Landrum,” McNeil said. “The money still goes to them through the county as far as fire tax. The only thing that is different is that dispatch will send us to any calls.”

McNeil said the original agreement for Campobello to patrol near the welcome center was put into place to relieve a highway patrol strained by budget cuts.

“We went to the 2 mile marker and now it’s a little past the 2 mile marker – where Landrum ends, we pick up,” McNeil said.

The Bulletin has contacted the South Carolina Highway Patrol for comment on the potential annexation as well.