During their meeting Monday, Williamston Town Council approved ordinances selling three parcels of property including the old Water Treatment Plant building on College Drive. They also approved revisions to the garage/yard sale ordinance making it less restrictive.
Stephen Greer of Skylatics promotions presented information about an event called Unity Fest which he plans to hold in Mineral Spring Park on July 8.
Greer said the event will be similar to one held last year in Mineral Spring Park and will include an indie artist music festival, food trucks, videogame zone and a variety of other activities. Greer said he also plans to have a mobile AC unit. The all day event will go to 10 p.m., he said.
The presentation was made during public comments portion of the meeting which is normally limited to three minutes, however Council suspended the rules and allowed ten minutes for the presentation.
Mayor Rockey Burgess said since the item was not on the agenda, it would be considered for approval at an upcoming special called budget meeting to be announced.
Council also heard an update from Envision Williamston Executive Director Roberta Hamby.
Hamby said the first of the Envision Williamston Concert Series was held Friday featuring Jamie Wright band and was well received. The second event will be this Friday at 6:30 pm featuring “Latin Soul” band. There will also be Cinco De Mayo related activities, she said.
Hamby said there were two ribbon cuttings, Broadway Pet Supplies and Bojangles, and a town cleanup day during April. She said Envision Williamston is considering a pickleball tournament as a fundraiser. She also asked Council to allow a Creekside Camping event in the park. After amending the agenda to consider the request, Council agreed to allow the mayor to work with Envision Williamston to have the events.
Hamby also presented an Envison Williamston donation check for $500 to Erica Bruce to help fund a mentor program at Palmetto Middle School. There are 30 local young men in the program. Local Pastors mentor the young men and help teach them manners and respect. Bruce said while the program may not impact anybody this year, in two to four years it will. Several local churches are also supportive of the program including Grace United Methodist Church, Calvary Baptist Church and First Baptist Church through clothing donations. The Envision Williamston Donation will help cover the cost of the food, or other needed items, for a semi-formal end of the year luncheon for those in the program.
Mayor Burgess presented a proposal for improvements to the restroom building at the entrance to Mineral Spring Park. The structure has been in disrepair and unusable for years. Burgess stated he contacted eight contractors about the work and only one responded with a quote. Palmetto Construction Service submitted a quote for $33,885 for the project which includes new paint and epoxy, floor drains, new stalls, urinals, toilets, grab bars and larger entrance doors.
The agenda was again amended to allow Council to vote on the contract for the work. The bid was unanimously approved. Burgess said once completed, the renovated restroom facility will be open during special events in the park.
Councilman Lee Cole said the building has been in the park for a long time and matches other structures. “Having porto-jons in front of the restrooms during special events looks funny.” He asked if it will be ADA compliant. Mayor Burgess responded that it will not be completely compliant but will be usable for persons in wheelchairs. “It will be more practical and easy to use, easy to clean up. The current restrooms are fully ADA compliant,” he said. Enlarging the doors to 36 inches wide will make it more accessible, he added.
Burgess said this week is Municpal Clerk Appreciation week and thanked Town Clerk Michelle Starnes for her work.
During the business portion of the meeting, Council approved second reading on an ordinance to sell property on College Drive to developers for a project to be called Big Creek Station. The developers are planning a mixed use commercial development for the property which includes the old water treatment plant and filter building. The project will include five acres of the fourteen acre tract, which will be surveyed and divided into two tracts.
Though not directly involved in the project, Mayor Burgess said he does have business ties with some of the developers. As a result, the mayor recused himself from the discussion and vote. Mayor Pro Tem Chris Alexander presided over the meeting for the discussion and vote on the ordinance which was approved 4-0.
Developer Will Smythe said there was no plat on the town owned property and his architect needed to know the borders before they could begin moving forward. He said the property is being surveyed and five acres will be allocated to create Big Creek Station. We are picking up a majority of the cost to cut out the five acres to create Big Creek Station,” he said.
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. There are plans to upgrade the historic depot building as part of the project, but the depot is not included in the sale.
Council unanimously approved second reading on an Intergovernmental agreement with the SC Municipal Association to collect local business license taxes for insurance companies, telecommunications services companies and bail bonds.
Council approved second reading to amend the garage/yard sale ordinance to eliminate the permit requirement and allow up to four sales per year.
Council also approved second 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.
Council approved first reading on an ordinance authorizing the sale of property located a t 2 West Second Street for $12,500. A new home will be constructed on the property.
Councilman Cole recused himself on both votes due to a conflict of interest as an attorney involved in the transactions.
Mayor Burgess said the new construction helps with blight and nuisance and is part of a transition from rental to owner occupied properties in the Mill Village.
Council approved the rezoning of property at 221 Mauldin Street. The property is being divided and rezoned from R3 to R7 to allow for smaller lots sizes and setbacks.
In closing comments, Mayor Burgess stated that the town had been approved for a $1.87 million SC Rural Infrastructure grant which will be used for Phase 1 and 2 upgrades of a sewer line. The town had planned to use ARPA funds to upgrade the sewer line that runs from the fire department to the waste water treatment plant. Burgess explained that the sewer line is not large enough and there is not enough fall line to handle the sewage flow. The line also experiences overflow due to inflow and infiltration of storm water during storm events
Burgess said that grant funding will also allow the town to upgrade the Walt Smith lift station and forced main pump in the Brookdale Park area and continue work on the Mineral Spring Park trail system.
