By Stan Welch
Pelzer Town Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to accept a PARD grant in the amount of fifteen thousand dollars, and to provide the twenty per cent match, in the amount of three thousand eight hundred and fifty dollars. The funds will be used to upgrade the HVAC system in the community building. Mayor Will Ragland announced that District Seven Councilwoman Cindy Wilson has also secured a thousand dollars to be used in rewiring the kitchen in the community building.
Ragland also asked public works supervisor Bill Vickery to update the audience on the efforts to restore sewer service to the concessions stand at the ballfields. Vickery explained that, after providing documentation that the nearest point at which the town sewer lines could be accessed was 750 feet away, and that a thirty foot bore, involving a hundred feet of torn up asphalt on Highway 20 would be necessary, SC DHEC approved the replacement of the existing septic tank.
Ragland then presented two bids for the septic tank work, and Council unanimously accepted the low bid ($5500) from Tim Heatherley. Roto Rooter had bid three thousand dollars more than that.
Representatives of Lunchbox Creative presented their final product in terms of the town’s branding efforts. The main elements are a name plate with Pelzer in a script font in a blue tone, with a more linear font for the secondary text; a town flag of the same hue, with a power generator wheel and paired oak leaves with an acorn as the centerpiece. A town website is the next phase of the project. The material presented Tuesday night was unanimously accepted by the Council.
Another aspect of the town’s efforts at self-promotion, a proposed mural, also came up. Ragland explained that Sunny Malarkey McGowan, the artist originally commissioned to design the mural, slated for a building on Lebby Street which belongs to Will Smythe, had quit the project over the town’s dissatisfaction with her product. She kept the $2500 deposit; half the amount budgeted for the project. Ragland stated that Smythe had generously agreed to contribute $500 to restore that amount, while Anderson County had committed to replacing the other $2000.
A new artist whose similar work can be seen in Pickens, was commissioned by a unanimous vote of the Council.
Ragland reminded everyone that the deadline to enter the Christmas light contest is December 18. He also thanked the Pelzer light people for bringing back their unusual display of Christmas cheer. “Thanks to social media, the light people have gone viral, and Pelzer is getting tons of attention.” He also congratulated the Golf Cart Gang for placing first in the Christmas parade.
