During their meeting Tuesday, Pelzer Town Council heard an update on the Pelzer Mill Property development, PHC Veterans Memorial and approved a job description for the town clerk position.
The town has been operating without a clerk since April. Mayor Ragland gave the police report. There were 67 traffic incidents, 136 contacts, 15 calls for service and 7 arrests.
Anderson County Deputy Administrator Matt Hogan updated Council on the Pelzer Heritage Mill property which the County is now responsible for. Hogan said cleanup on the lower mill property continues and the original DHEC permit has been switched to Anderson County which he said will allow the County to apply for an EPA grant to cap the property allowing future development.
Hogan said the County is working with an engineer on an updated Master Plan. The plan will use the Master Plan done by the Town and the Pelzer Heritage Commission in 2021, and add new information based on what the Town would like to see. All of the PHC mill property has been transferred to Anderson County, he said.
A Request For Proposals (RFP) has been released for future development of the property. “Hopefully we will find developers to make this dream come true,” Hogan said.
As part of the presentation, new PHC President Kim Wilson spoke on the PHC Pelzer Veterans Memorial. The PHC had been working with Meritus Signature Homes, located in Anderson, on the project for three years. Construction on the memorial has been delayed due to different opinions on where the memorial should be located.
Wilson said the PHC would like for the memorial to be located in Wardlaw park, citing visibility and honoring a 19 year old soldier from Pelzer who grew up near the park and was killed in Korea.
Jeff Viney of Meritus spoke on the project. “We are prepared for maintenance and security and to do the work to make sure it is done right and taken care of. Wardlaw Park would be the ideal location for it.”
Viney said most of the work will be done by volunteer contractors or at a reduced cost and the memorial will be built “at as low cost as we can. Some will donate their work.”
Micah Wallace of Meritus Signature Homes said they did a Veterans Memorial project at the Cliffs and were asked three years ago to work on the Pelzer Veterans Memorial. “This is a way to celebrate our freedom in a small town and unite around a project like this.”
Wallace said the memorial will be real stone block, lit, a statue, with a flag pole and benches. He said it will be maintenance free and have a solar camera with a link so that residents and the committee can view it at any time and can monitor for vandalism and maintenance.
Wallace also said it will include a berm, drainage and handicap access from the parking lot. He said it will include “A lot of cool things right here”.
The Pelzer Memorial will be two times larger than the memorial at the Cliffs. He said the contractors will get permits from the town and bring in some revenue for the town.
Councilman Eddie Waits said he had some questions and would like to do some “homework” and present the questions at the next meeting.
Council approved two new business items with a unanimous 4-0 vote, as the result of the recent resignation of Councilmember Cruz West.
Sarah Hurley was approved as a new member of the Zoning Board of Appeals.
Council approved a job description for the town clerk position. Mayor Ragland said “We will continue our search for a town clerk.”
Mike Shirley thanked the Pelzer town employees and volunteers who helped make the Pelzer Fireworks Celebration a big success. “There were thousands of people there,” he said. ” We have a great group of volunteers.” The event was held in Pelzer’s “Monkey Park”.
He also requested the group be allowed to organize other events including a Halloween event and Christmas decorations in the park.
Councilman Waits also thanked town employees Mark Vickery and Clay Vickery for their work. “They went above and beyond”, he said, working under pressure to get grass cut and restrooms ready for the event. “We have great employees”, he said.
Councilwoman Donna Ide also thanked them for working every day in the park to get it ready. “I appreciate and acknowledged them. They did an excellent job.”
Mayor Ragland also praised the two employees and said “Thanks to all our volunteers.”
“The ballfields (and park) are pretty special,” Ragland said. “This is your town. It’s great to see citizens take ownership and to make things happen.”
Pelzer Veterans memorial
Meritus Signature Homes designing
Council hears update on Community Building renovation
During a special called work session meeting held July 1, Pelzer Town Council heard an update on the Community Building Restoration Project from Kyle Campbell of Preservation South. Mayor Ragland said Campbell provided a lot of information about the project and that since that meeting, had received three bids today (Tuesday) on the project. He said the bids will be looked at for the next meeting of Council.
State and Federal Tax Credits will reimbuse 45 percent of the cost of the project. Ragland said Campbell also told them that the project is eligible for additional historic tax credits of 25 percent, resulting in credits amounting to 70 percent of the cost of the renovation project.
Ragland said the building is located just outside the historic district already in place in Pelzer and that it will be a stand alone National Historic Register building, making it eligible for the extra tax credits.
Ragland declined to say what the cost of the project will be until the bids can be reviewed and one is approved.
The Community Building renovation will include a new kitchen, ADA restroom and storage.
Ragland said the Hospital Building renovation project is “almost ready for bids”.
Design and plans have been done on both projects and have been reported in The Journal.
