Williamston Town Council approves purchase of new liner for sewer treatment plant

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During their meeting Monday, Williamston Town Council approved two property annexations, a match to a PARD grant for Brookdale Park and approved a big ticket purchase for required repairs at the town’s Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP).
Council also approved traffic safety improvements for Gossett Drive and heard the annual audit report.

Council approved the purchase of an aeration pond liner for a basin at the Town’s Waste Water Treatment Plant. Mayor Rockey Burgess said the liner has a cut or tear and must be replaced. The Town has been under a SC Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) consent order to have the problem fixed. Burgess said the pond was drained and the town attempted to make a repair, but the process failed. Burgess said Clear Water Solutions, the environmental company currently running the WWTP for the town, was instructed to get quotes.
“We have to do this,” Burgess said.
Total cost for the liner replacement will be approximately $206,798.
Burgess said the liner will cost $88,433. Site preparation will be $118,365 with six inches of dirt being replaced and the town/Clear Water washing down the liner and transferring liquid under the liner back to the plant.
According to the mayor, Clear Water Solutions has $50,000 included in their budget for maintenance at the WWTP, which could be applied toward the cost of the replacement project.
There was considerable discussion about which fund the balance of the cost would come from including whether to use the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds or the General Fund.
The Town will receive approximately $1 million in ARPA funding, which Burgess said he would like to keep in reserve to use for matches on other grants. The Town’s General Fund has a reserve balance of $1.2 million.
Mayor Burgess recommended taking $229,202 from the general fund and use the $50,000 Clear Water has available to cover the cost of the liner replacement.
Council unanimously approved the purchase.
Councilman Lee Cole stated that the issues at the WWTP do not hinder the town’s ablilites to add on customers. “We have plenty of sewer capacity,” he said.
Mayor Burgess said the town had a 1 million gpd capacity at the plant and purchased an additional 300,000 gpd back from Anderson County at the cost of $1 per gallon. He said the purchase price to get the capacity back was a fraction of the $25 to $28 per gallon it would cost to expand capacity at the plant.
“We will keep sewer costs as low as we possibly can,” Burgess said. “We don’t want to outprice our customers, who are the citizens of Williamston.”

In other business, Auditor Ken Meadows of Greene, Finney, Cauley accountants, presented information on the annual audit. Meadows said there were no compliance findings, significant deficiencies or material weaknesses found by the audit and that the Town received an “Unmodified Opinion”, which is the best it can receive.
Meadows said the General Fund and Water Fund are in “very good financial condition” and the Sewer Fund is in “adequate condition”.

During the business portion of the meeting, Council unanimously approved a resolution authorizing the acceptance of a $10,000 SC Parks and Recreation Department (PARD) grant through the Anderson County Legislative Delegation which will be used for recreation improvements at Brookdale Park. The basketball courts will get an asphalt seal coat surface and two new basketball goals and nets will be purchased for the lower basketball court. The park has two basketball courts. The Town will provide a match of $2,000 for the project.

Council unanimously gave second reading approval for the annexation of 2.67 acres located at 608 Belton Hwy. The property is located in the triangle between Hwy. 20 and Hwy. 77 near the Career and Technology Center. The property will be zoned Residential/Commercial (RC)to allow a fuel station to be located there.

Council unanimously approved the purchase of property at 100 Mill Street for $891.68. The property was purchased by Shenee Lyuell Wakefield at a County tax sale, however a sewer easement by the town makes development impossible. On first reading, Mayor Burgess said the lot could be used by the town as part of a proposed trail system in the Gatewood and Brock Lane area.

With a 4-0 vote, Council approved first reading on the annexation of 35.56 acres on Belton Highway owned by the Tri-County Technical College Foundation. Mayor Burgess said the property is located adjacent to the Anderson School District One & Two Career and Technology Center. The ACTC has also requested that their property also be annexed into the town. “I think it will be a benefit to the town and they do to,” he said. Councilman Lee Cole recused himself from the vote due to a legal interest involving the property.

Council unanimously approved naming Justin Martin to the Town Election Commission.
Tina Terry was appointed to the Zoning Board of Appeals.

Mayor Burgess said the town has a verbal agreement with Greenville and Western Railway to install a traffic safety device on Gossett Drive similar to a “drive thru bar” seen at fast food restaurants.
The bridge was recently struck by a delivery van after Gossett Drive was reopened.
Burgess said it took just 28 days for the bridge to be struck (again).
“It is a problem for the rail road and a safety issue for us,” Burgess said. “Our fire and police personnel have to shut down the road. Railroad people have to come out and inspect the bridge to make sure is not seriously damaged.”
Burgess said the safety device would cost $5000 with the town installing it. If the sign company installed, the price increases to $10,000. In return the railroad will deed a portion of property they own behind the Lander property parking area and Valvoline to the town.
He said the property is valued at approximately $10,000 and has the potential for parking or expansion of the park area. We need to slow traffic, he said.
He also proposed putting a speed bump on each side of the bridge.
“If there is a strike, it will be a slow moving strike,” Burgess said.

During a special called meeting October 20, Council unanimously approved second reading on an ordinance to allow the town to purchase property at 26 Moorings Drive. The property is being purchased from G. Richardson Boyd, Jr. and Dorothy Quillen Boyd, Trustees, for a purchase price of $210,000.