During their meeting Tuesday, West Pelzer Town Council approved second reading on an Ordinance to amend the Board of Zoning Appeals and Zoning Ordinance and heard year end updates from the police and maintenance departments.
Town Clerk Paula Payton announced dates for seven Town sponsored events for 2025 including: Spring Mile Long Yard Sale April 4; Dog Show June 7; National Night Out August 5; Fall Mile Long Yard Sale October 4; Fall Festival October 21; Tree Lighting December 5 and Christmas Parade December 6.
Police Chief Zachary Owen reported the Police Department answered 387 calls for service during 2024. The department reported 110 traffic stops, 69 tickets, 42 warnings and 21 reports written. They also had 1532 citizen contacts during the year.
Owen also shared accomplishments of the department since he took office on July 1, 2024.
“As many of you know, the West Pelzer Police Department was not able to to be operable when I first took office,” Owen said. “The first thing we had to do is put in place the Critical Nine Policy and Procedures that is set fourth through the State of South Carolina, which is legal standards. Without these policies in place, it would have been very problematic for the West Pelzer Police Department to operate.”
Owen said within sixty days of reopening the department, they were able to hire and retain a full staff of experienced Certified police officers. “All of these officers have made it a point to serve the citizens of the Town of West Pelzer and have been at every town event.”
Owen said they were able to update offices with functioning equipment and reinstall equipment that had been previously missing.
“Through the hard work and dedication of all the officers, we were able to build partnerships and relationships with all of the surrounding law enforcement agencies,” he said. “I am looking forward to researching and applying for federal and state grants to continue to grow and build our department so we can offer the very best services to the citizens of West Pelzer.”
Charlie Nix presented a Maintenance and Project report for the fourth quarter.
Nix said he had serviced and cleaned all equipment and vehicles. On landscaping and maintenance, soft surface installation was done at the playground, shrubs and trees on Main Street trimmed, assisted in multiple seasonal plantings and reported multiple sidewalk issues to SCDOT.
On projects and events, Nix set up PA system at all Town events, oversaw all holiday decoration installations including lights on Main Street, Chapman Park, the Municipal Center and the O’Dell Center. Also assisted with the three lighting ceremony in Chapman Park, assisted police department with traffic controls and road closures for the parade and assisted with registration and line-up for the parade.
The amendment to the Board of Zoning Appeals ordinance reduced the number of members required to be appointed by the Town from five to three with terms of three years for one member, four years for one member and five years for one member.
Council then went into executive session to discuss legal matters and pending litigation.
