► Polk Board of Ed. honors retiring administrative assistant Kathy Cochran

At the Sept. 12 Board of Education meeting, the board honored Kathy Cochran, retiring administrative assistant to the Board of Education for 20 years, with a plaque in recognition of her work with three superintendents. Friends and family of Cochran gathered to watch her receive the plaque. Tonya Odel will replace Cochran as administrative assistant to the Board of Education and superintendent Aaron Greene.

► Landrum begins discussing applying for a Hometown Economic Development Grant

The City of Landrum has begun deliberating on applying for a Hometown Economic Development Grant to go towards projects on the city’s new 10-year Comprehensive Plan. The grant is sanctioned by the Municipal Association of South Carolina and would provide $25,000 to the city towards projects they choose. During the city council’s work session Sept. 13, council members decided to hold a special meeting on Monday, Sept. 26 to prioritize projects in order to apply for this grant before the Sept. 30 deadline. The city will be required to match five percent of the grant based on their population size as stated in the grant’s guidelines.

► Landrum approves employee fitness partnership with Dynabody Fitness

At the Landrum City Council meeting Sept. 13, the city approved an employee fitness program for city employees and council members on a six-month trial period with Dynabody Fitness. The cost of the program will be split between the employee and the city on a monthly basis from Oct. 1, 2016 through March 31, 2017.

► Landrum continues work on Operation Hope parking lot

Landrum council members discussed the progress on the new parking lot behind Operation Hope at the Sept. 13 council work session. Gravel has been put down, although according to City Administrator Rich Caplan, there has been a delay in paving due to an energy pole wire that goes into the parking lot, which Caplan said would take out two parking spaces if left alone. Duke Energy has looked at the energy pole and has given the city the alternative of moving the pole away from the lot. Caplan added the pole is a stabilizing pole for a larger energy pole across the street on the corner of Shamrock Avenue. Caplan said the pole will have to be moved to still have the two spaces.