Pelzer Town Council recently brought resolution to three high interest items that have been on and off their agenda for several years including the historic Community building renovation project, the Pelzer pool property case and the PHC Veterans Monument location.
Work will begin soon on renovation of the Pelzer Community Building.
Councilmembers Mike Matthews, Donna Ide and Mayor Will Ragland unanimously approved a bid of $937,138 for renovations to the historic structure. Councilmember Eddie Waits was not present.
Mayor Will Ragland said Daniel Builders had the low bid for the renovation project which in addition to major renovation, will include a new kitchen, ADA restroom and storage.
Before the bid approval, Councilmember Ide pointed out that there is only $600,000 in the current budget for the project and the budget will need to be amended to reflect the difference.
State and Federal Tax Credits will reimburse 45 percent of the cost of the Community Building renovation project. The project is also eligible for additional historic tax credits of 25 percent, resulting in credits amounting to 70 percent of the cost of the renovation project.
The building is located just outside the historic district already in place in Pelzer and it will be a stand alone National Historic Register building, making it eligible for the extra tax credits.
Council gave their approval for the Town Attorney to proceed with a settlement regarding two civil actions related to the Pelzer Pool property. The status of the Pelzer Pool property has been in question since 2022.
Council voted in September 2021 to use eminent domain authority to re-acquire the property that was at one time the municipal pool site. A court summons was filed with the Anderson County Clerk of Court in December 2021 and condemnation notices were sent to the property owners.
In March of 2022, the Town of Pelzer filed required documents to exercise the authority of eminent domain and re-acquire the property. The town submitted $50,000, the amount the property appraised for, to the Anderson County Clerk of Court, along with the court summons and paperwork to move forward on reclaiming the property.
The current owners had the option of accepting the $50,000 the town offered or to fight it in court. They decided to take it to court and asked for more money for the property. The issue has been in litigation since, with attorneys for both sides working on it.
Attorney Jim Logan, who is highly experienced in eminent domain and condemnation cases, was brought in to work on the case for the Town.
Town Attorney Richard Thompson said under the agreement that has been worked out, the current owners will receive $85,000 for the property, which is $35,000 more than the $50,000 put up by the Town in escrow through the court. Thompson said they initially wanted in excess of $100,000.
Mayor Will Ragland said “We are ready to resolve this.”
Council unanimously approved the settlement agreement. Attorney Thompson said there will be some incidental expenses for recording the deed, deed stamps and fees which will be $1000 or less. He also said tax liens on the property had been resolved.
Mayor Ragland said the Town is working on making some things more clear in the Town Employee Handbook. The issue was tabled to the next meeting.
To the delight of a crowd of about 25 people attending the meeting, Council approved Wardlaw Park as the location for a planned Veterans Memorial.
Mayor Ragland said Council met with County officials and Meritus about the Veterans Memorial and discussed the location during a work session held a week earlier.
Acting on a motion made by Mayor Ragland and seconded by Councilmember Ide, Council approved the location with a 3-0 vote, which was followed by applause from those attending.
Wardlaw Park is located adjacent to the Historic Pelzer Gym and parking lot.
Former Pelzer Heritage Commission (PHC) President Larry Coker said It is wonderful to see it approved. It is the most logical place for it to be, visually and for safety.
Meritus Signature Homes, located in Anderson, had been working with the Pelzer Heritage Commission on the Pelzer Veterans Memorial. Meritus did the design and is handling all facets of the memorial’s construction. The memorial design includes a section to honor all Veterans and a Ring of Honor out front in a circle to observe those who gave the ultimate sacrifice.
He thanked the people with Meritus who have been working with the PHC on the project for approximately three years.
The Memorial will include Veterans from Pelzer, West Pelzer, Williamston and Piedmont.
“It is a great day,” Coker said. “Not only for Pelzer but for Williamston, West Pelzer and Piedmont. We consider them all family.”
Coker said the Veterans Memorial will also honor Joe Neely, who as a young boy grew up near Wardlaw Park. Marine Corps PFC Neely was a casualty of the Korean War at the age of 20.
Coker said the PHC is still selling memorial bricks for the memorial and that many bricks listing names of WWI and WWII Veterans, and others, have already been ordered and will be coming in soon. To reserve a Memorial Brick go to: https://donate.brickmarkers.com/phc
“All bricks sold will go toward the perpetual care of the Memorial,” Coker said.
A spokesperson for Meritus said they are ready to start the project soon and that it should be completed this year.
Councilmember Ide said she is working on contacting the State Attorney General and SLED regarding a forensic audit for the Town.
Mayor Ragland said he planned to meet with the Town Accountant last week about delinquent annual audits but the Town could proceed with a forensic audit.
Councilman Matthews said several people have been interviewed for the Town Clerk position and that they are meeting with the Appalachian Council of Governments for information and plan to advertise the position not just locally but across the State.
For the police report, Mayor Ragland reported there were 72 traffic stops, 125 contacts, 24 calls for service and 8 arrests for the month of July.
