During their April 3 meeting, Williamston Town Council, approved a parade ordinance, changes to the garage sale ordinance, an emergency repair on a storm drain and the sale of two properties. One of the properties is the town’s old water treatment plant.
Council unanimously approved first reading on an ordinance to sell property on College Drive to a developer who plans a mixed use development for the old water treatment plant. According to Mayor Rockey Burgess, under the agreement, the property will be deeded to the developers in exchange for a “letter of credit” from the developer’s bank. Should the developers not meet the stated timeline for development, the town will be paid the fair market value of approximately $250,000 for the property. The timeline includes deconstruction, cleanup, redevelopment and marketing of the facility to other businesses.
The development will be called “Big Creek Station”.
Mayor Burgess said the developers “want to make this area a destination. We have the park, creek, trails, a lot of amenities, but one of the things lacking are other mixed development options.”
Burgess said the developers have other similar projects including Hampton Station in Greenville and one in Mauldin. “They have the ability and means to make this a reality. It is a real potential for the Town of Williamston.”
Burgess said he couldn’t say a specific business will be locating in the development but he expects it to be a true asset for the town and it will generate tax revenue.
Under the agreement, approximately five acres of the 14.6 acre tract will be deeded to the developers. The sale will include the water treatment plant. Burgess said there are plans to upgrade the historic depot building as part of the project, but the depot is not included in the sale.
Council also approved first reading on an ordinance to sell property on 11 W. First St. to Nicoles Diego Miquel for $12,500. Miquel plans to build a new home on the property.
The new Palmetto High Athletic Director Tim Broome and Head Coach Ryan Norton and quarterback coach Tim Jones were introduced during the meeting.
There were several recognitions by the Williamston Police Department.
Members of the Upstate Leadership Council, a student led organization at Palmetto High School, were recognized for a service project with the police department.
According to Accreditation Manager Wes Smith, the police department has been going through a South Carolina Law Enforcement accreditation process which involves meeting seventeen standards. The department has met ten of those. Some of the standards involve records management, relocation and storage.
Students Summer Crist, Lillie Finley, Tyler Ledbetter, Weston Pack helped go through and organized boxes of reports and papers that were being stored in a jail cell.
Sgt. D. Hart presented a check for $475 from the police department “beard fund” to Cindy Roberson of the Hope Foundation. Officers who contribute to the fund are allowed to have a beard.
Officer Tracy Grate recognized Palmetto High student David Dard for his good citizenship. Dard found a wallet containing $450 in cash in front of a local business. He turned the wallet in to the business and it was found that the lost wallet contained rent money for one month for the person who lost it.
Council unanimously approved second reading on a Parade ordinance which covers permitting and other guidelines for parades, open events, block parties, performances and picketing. Permitting is at the discretion of the mayor.
Council unanimously approved a resolution designating April as Fair Housing Month.
Council approved an ordinance authorizing an agreement with the Municipal Association of South Carolina to collect local revenue from insurance sales and other similar businesses.
Council approved funding of $6,900 to repair a culvert on Crescent Drive. Burgess said the culvert is collapsing and getting progressively worse. A portion of the road has been blocked for some time due to the problem.
In closing remarks, Mayor Burgess said hospitality tax revenues have been down at $205,567 for 2022 but he expects this year’s revenue to be very close, even with the Smoking Pig restaurant being closed for several months. He said the new Bojangles restaurant will be opening soon.
Work on the liner on an aeration basin at the Waste Water Treatment Plant has been completed, the mayor said. The projected cost of the repair was estimated at $1.2 million to $1.5 million, however with town employees doing some of the work, the repair cost was kept at approximately $550,000 to $600,000, according to Burgess.
Burgess said the town is considering a townwide speedlimit of 25 mph on all town owned roads. The speed limit will not apply to state roads including Main Street and Hamilton. He said the objective is not to write a bunch of tickets, but to get a handle on speeding in residential areas of the town.
