During their meeting Monday, Williamston Town Council gave second reading approval to provide additional funding for roof replacement, approved additional funding for the pickleball courts and adopted a revised business license ordinance
Envision Williamston also presented Scarecrow Decorating Contest Awards during the meeting.
The award included a special recognition for Sandra Burgess, who has helped with the scarecrow decorating and other special projects for the town.
Envision Williamston Interim Director Roberta Hamby and EW Board member Dr. Marion Williams presented the awards.
Winners were: Church – 1st Place – Piedmont Church of God; 2nd Place – Hillcrest Baptist Church; 3rd Place – First Baptist Church.
Business – 1st Community First Bank; 2nd Clemson Eye- (Former Eye Care Center); 3rd Maple Bakery and Coffee House.
Hamby thanked all the volunteers who helped with the contest and participated.
In recognition of Sandra Burgess, she said Burgess was the one person who stepped up to make it a great program since its inception an d said she does out of “Love for the children”.
in her update, Hamby also said Envision Williamston will sponsor a “Williamston Winter Wonderland” on Nov. 28. The event will include a holiday market fair from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m., a Christmas tree lighting at Town Hall, Lighting of the Christmas Park, Deck the Halls. Activities will also include free carriage rides through the park, live nativity, carolers and Santa in the Scout Hut, and there will be “snow”.
The carriage rides will include two carriages decorated for the holidays offering free rides from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. The carriage rides are being sponsored by the Palmetto Business Association.
Council approved second reading on additional funding for roof replacement at town hall and the police department. An additional $172,547 was needed for the work. The town all ready approved some funding for the re-roof project.
Council approved a revised business license ordinance that brings the town in compliance with new guidelines approved by the State General Assembly. Councilman Lee Cole said the changes will streamline the process and make getting a business license easier. Mayor Rockey Burgess said it gives municipalities some leverage in offering incentives for economic development such as waiver of a business license. It provides a one stop shop for business license. Business owners can log in online and all business licenses will renew and expire on the same date, he said.
Council approved up to an additional $62,218 in funding for soil remediation that is being recommended for the pickleball project in Mineral Spring Park.
The project was approved in April at a cost of $160,00, but was put on hold due to the need for the soil remediation. Burgess said the water table in the park area is the problem. He also said the company that was awarded the original bid, Talbot Tennnis of Marietta Georgia, told him that several other projects the company is involved in have ran into the same problem. The original contract did not include any soil remediation that may be required.
Mayor Burgess said county engineers and two others including the company contracted to do the courts recommended the work is necessary to provide a project with will last.
Burgess said the soil remediation could be bid out, but the price quoted by the company “does appear to be reasonable.” The vote was 3-1 with Councilman Tony Hagood opposed. All other votes were 4-0 with council lady Tabita Austin not present.
Half of the original cost $80,000 will come from 2020-21 Hospitality Tax fund budget. The remaining amount will be funded in the 2021-22 budget. The additional funding will also come from the Hospitality Tax fund.
