By Stan Welch
The Pelzer Town Council started their Tuesday night meeting by honoring Dr. Daniel A. Koontz for thirty six years of service to the town of Pelzer and the surrounding community. Dr. Koontz is retiring after a long practice in medicine. Councilman Mike Matthews, a patient of Dr. Koontz, presented a plaque commemorating the almost four decades of service. Dr. Koontz assured the audience that he and his wife would be remaining in Pelzer, and thanked the community for all that they had given them as well.
Steve Newton, grant writer and liaison for the county, updated the Council on a grant being sought to study and produce a plan to address the Adger Street drainage problems. The current grant would come from FEMA, but Newton said that there are alternatives, if the current effort doesn’t come through. Those could involve state level grants or grants from the Appalachian Regional Council.
The current application is for $105,000, with the town responsible for ten per cent of the amount; a considerable discount from the usual twenty five per cent. “I managed to talk them down because Pelzer qualifies for the special designation as being economically distressed,” said Newton.
Council then voted unanimously to establish a planning commission to address zoning and other issues within the town. The commission will be separate from the Council, Citizens interested in serving can apply at the town hall. A second reading of the ordinance establishing the commission is required.
The Council also adopted a resolution waiving the town’s right of first refusal related to the sale of the old drug store at 108 Lebby Street and adjacent properties. The town sold the location to former judge and mayor Roger Scott in 1993. At that time, Scott granted the right of first refusal in the event of any future sale. Since Scott’s passing, another party has expressed an interest in buying the site. In order to facilitate that sale, which the resolution said would spur economic development, the Council unanimously approved the resolution.
Dr. Koontz recognized for service
Pelzer Town Council recognized Dr. Daniel A. Koontz for thirty six years of service to the town of Pelzer and the surrounding community during their meeting Tuesday. Pictured are (l-r) wife Sandy Koontz, Councilman Mike Matthews, Dr. Daniel Koontz. (See Social Media Share in this week’s print edition of The Journal for more on Dr. Koontz)
