CAYCE — Will the troll ever make it to Cayce? That’s the $355,000 question.
The city council was set to discuss negotiations for a contract to bring a public walking trail and a wooden troll sculpture here, but that was derailed by a vote near the end of a meeting on April 7.
The giant troll sculpture would be the first public display of artist Thomas Dambo’s work in South Carolina, but it has already become a popular attraction in several other states.
Right before the council went into an executive session on April 7, Councilmember Byron Thomas made a motion that would exclude discussions about a contract for the trolls from the closed portion of the meeting. His motion was to allow the discussion of all other executive session items listed on the agenda, except that one.
All of the present councilmembers and Mayor Elise Partin voted in favor of that motion. Councilmember Phil Carter was absent.
In turn, Councilmember Alice Rose followed Thomas’ motion with one that would approve the council to talk about the contract for the troll sculpture during the executive session, but it failed.
Now, the future of the art sculpture coming to Cayce is uncertain.
Thomas said on April 8 that he did not want to discuss the contract in the closed portion of the meeting the previous night without Carter being present. However, an executive session doesn’t commit anyone to an action, according to Mayor Elise Partin. It’s just an opportunity for the council to get questions answered and talk about concerns, details and next steps. To not allow that is “very unusual,” she said.
“I’m completely fine with us having a special called session if it’s necessary, if the votes are there for it,” Thomas said. “But I wanted to make sure I respected District 4 and Councilman Carter by making sure that we didn’t discuss anything about this troll until he returned from his vacation.”
A desire for transparency
Rose said it was disappointing not to have an opportunity to discuss the project on April 7. And she was surprised that it was struck down because of its popularity and all the support it has received.
If a meeting is called to discuss the topic, Thomas said he wants to ensure all parts of the matter are transparent.
The council already voted to spend no more than $355,000 on the initiative, according to a city spokesperson.
“If it’s going to be more than that, the public needs to be aware,” Thomas said. “They deserve that. It’s our jobs to be fiscally responsible with the tax dollars.”
When asked if there had been conversations about the initiative exceeding $355,000, Thomas said he couldn’t dive into that because the council hasn’t yet discussed it in an executive session.
Councilmember Tiffany Aull agreed that talks about the public art contract are significant enough to have all councilmembers present to discuss it. But that wasn’t her sole reason for not wanting to take the conversation into an executive session on April 7. She said the information that was provided to her did not have a total cost for the project nor did it state where the funds would come from.
“This has a huge impact on our city staff, our community and other stakeholders, and I just think that it needs to — it deserves a more well thought out process,” Aull said on April 8.
Aull is not against having the troll sculpture in Cayce, she added.
“I think the troll is going to be a huge asset for our city. There is no doubt about that,” Aull said. “But I want to have all the facts up front so that I can be transparent with my constituents. And I think I owe them that.”
Thomas said he’s open to discussing the future of the sculpture in Cayce, but he wants to see a long-term maintenance plan included in the contract and ensure the public knows exactly how much the city would be spending on the project.
There’s more to the initiative than just bringing the troll and placing it in a designated area, according to Thomas. He said he’s talked with other cities that already have one of the sculptures, and they’ve noted that having adequate parking for visitors is also something to consider.
“I’ve done my research on the troll, as well,” Thomas said. “And I know there’s a huge following for it, and I respect that huge following.”
It’s unclear at this point if topic will be revisited. A majority of the council must approve revisiting the conversation about the troll contract before it can be added to a future agenda.
Mixed reactions
Leaders in Cayce had hoped the partnership with artist Dambo would tie into the city’s existing attractions along the Congaree River and generate tourism revenue, the city said in a Feb. 4 press release.
The new sculpture would be installed somewhere along the city’s Riverwalk Park.
“This project represents a smart, forward-looking investment in Cayce’s future,” Partin said in the release. “Communities that have partnered with Thomas Dambo have seen measurable tourism growth, national recognition, and long-term economic impact.”
The proposed public art project has gotten mixed reactions from residents. Some have noted concerns about trolls being anti-Christian, potential termite and beaver impact on the sculpture, plus the need to focus public funds on other things, like road maintenance and bike lanes.
But residents like Kasey Lawson are for the public art addition in the city. She said she was excited when she heard the trolls were coming to Cayce because the city seems to be building a name around being an arts and tourism hub.
“I know people that have traveled five or six states or further to see the trolls that are in Kentucky and when they had the traveling exhibit in Asheville,” Lawson said, noting that she was disappointed when the discussion didn’t happen in executive session on April 7.
Not only does she feel the troll sculpture could bring money to the area, but Lawson said it could also bolster the small business community, “which is something we all really want.”
Rose said she hopes conversations about the sculpture will come before the council again, as she is hearing a lot of disappointment from people who thought the project was a done deal.
