By Betsy Finklea
The Dillon County Council held their regular meeting last Wednesday.
At the time to approve the agenda, Councilman Joe Johnson made a motion to approve it. Councilman Randy Goings entered into some comments about the agenda. Goings said he did not have a problem with what was on the agenda, but he did have a problem with what was not on the agenda. He said he had called the chairman, but the chairman had not called him back. He talked about the ice, when the lights went out, etc. Goings said we are changing our image on I-95.
He asked how we can be alive on I-95 and be sleeping in the inner parts of our city. He said he wants to help people remove debris off the shoulders of the road. He said maybe it was just in his district or maybe every councilman had people who had trouble moving debris because they don’t have trucks, etc.
Chairman Graves then banged the gavel. He said he knew this was important, but they would have to address this at a later time. County Administrator Clay Young said he would try to address this under the Administrator’s Report.
Johnson made the motion a second time to approve the agenda and move forward. This was seconded by Councilman Bobby Moody. Six councilmen voted to approve the agenda. Goings voted in opposition.
The council received four bids for the Recreation Concession Stand Rental. Brenda Clemmons bid $1,200. John Graves bid $2,600. Ronald’s Skins/James Cabbagestalk bid $4,000. Henry  Campbell bid $2,000.
The council approve the bid by Ronald’s Skins/James Cabbagestalk subject to compliance with the terms of the bid. Motion was made by Scott with a second by Councilman Harold Moody. The council approved the motion.
Mike Hanna of Hanna Engineering gave an update on the Northeast Commerce Industrial Park Water and Sewer Project. The total project cost is $790,000. Dillon County received $271,166.67 from Marlboro Electric Coop RDA funds to assist with the project.
Among the points that Hanna made were:
— “A new, deeper pump station is planned beside the existing shallow pump station. The shallow station will be abandoned.”
— “ It is assumed that new site immediately adjacent to the existing site can be obtained. If additional land cannot be obtained a bypass pumping arrangement will be necessary for an additional $25,000.”
— “The existing pump station will remain in service during the construction of the new pump station.”
— “The gravity sewer line will begin at the Pump Station and will extend up Caldwell Road and dead-end at the spec building.”
— “The sewer line has been designed to be deep enough to allow for future extensions on the Frontage Road and to Harllee’s Bridge Road.’
— “A water line will begin on SC 34 and connect to an existing 8” water line and will extend up Caldwell Road past the Spec Building and connect to an existing 10” water line on Harllee’s Bridge Road to create a looped system.”
— “A 6” water service has been included that will consist of a 6”  Double Detector Check Valve Assembly and a 2” domestic water service with a  RP Backflow Preventer. No site piping has been included.”
The construction costs of $632,455 include: $230,230-Pump station and force main; $209,200-Gravity sewer to spec building, and $193,025-Water line improvements.
Additional costs are for engineering design, construction observation, preliminary services, and contingencies.
A pump station purchase for the Northeast Commerce Industrial Park was discussed. They will be getting a Gorman Ropp pump, which is what the City of Dillon is using as they upgrade their lift stations. The cost is $66,150. This is a sole source. The council approved the purchase with a 6-1 vote. Councilman Archie Scott voted against it.
Also in a 6-1 vote with Scott as the opposing vote, the council approved an intergovernmental agreement with the City of Dillon in regards to the sewer pump station and sewer line on Highway 34.
Again, Scott was the opposing vote. Scott explained that he had no problem with the city or the agreement, but that he has had a problem with the Northeast Commerce Industrial Park from the onset.
He said he doesn’t agree with making someone else’s property more valuable.
The Detention Center needs to replace some surveillance equipment. They want to go with the state contract price of approximately $15,000. They have it in their budget. Scott made the motion to purchase the equipment with a second by Councilman T.F. “Buzzy” Finklea, Jr. The motion was approved.
Administrator Young reported that they have been awarded a U.S. Department of Commerce EDA grant.  Young said this was a major grant and without this they would have had no entrance to the park. This was the only EDA grant awarded in South Carolina.
In the finance report, Finance Director Richard Gaddy said as of January 31st, the county had $2,489,981 in revenues over expenditures.
The committees have been chosen. They are as follows:
COMMITTEES
ADMINISTRATION—Andrew Graves, Chairman; Harold Moody; Joe Johnson
PUBLIC WORKS—Harold Moody, Chairman; Archie Scott; T.F. Finklea, Jr.
PLANNING—Joe Johnson, Chairman; Bobby Moody; Archie Scott
BUILDING—Randy Goings, Chairman; Bobby Moody, Andrew Graves
PUBLIC SAFETY— T.F. Finklea, Jr., Chairman; Archie Scott; Harold Moody
RECREATION—Archie Scott, Chairman; Randy Goings; Joe Johnson
In the Administrator’s Report, Young talked about debris pick-up from the storm. SCDOT is picking up debris on sate roads.
He said county crews are picking up leaves and limbs from the right-of-way which they have been able to do because the governor declared a state of emergency.
Attorney Ken Dubose said they would need a policy to pick up debris on the right of way if they planned to do this regularly and would need a set program.
Graves addressed Goings’ comment that he had not called him back. Graves said he called the administrator and the administrator was out. He later learned that Goings had called the county office.
B. Moody commented that SCDOT was doing a great job with the clean-up in the Lake View area.
Young noted that the county  had applied for FEMA reimbursement.