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Columbus writes a comprehensive plan

The Town of Columbus began writing a comprehensive plan in to help provide guidance for future endeavors of the town.

 

The final document will serve as a plan for future public investment to achieve the community’s overall vision. The plan will consist of a policy guide for zoning, planning and development both short and long term with decision making within the town.

 

Part of the expenses for the plan came were paid for thanks to a $12,000 grant from the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission.

 

Residents are encouraged to get involved, as the council wants them to be. Residents are able to follow along with the plan planning at plancolumbus.com. Copies of the plans will also be available at each board meeting. The schedule for the plan includes July-September to initiate the project, which has already been complete, October-April 2020 as the development of the plan and May 2020 to submit the final plan and hold a public hearing. 

 

Landrum commits to 2020 Census
The Census Bureau was already gearing up for the 2020 census as early as October of this year. 

 

Landrum Mayor, Bob Briggs shared that the census is an important aspect of our nation and committed that Landrum would do its best to get everyone counted for. Without the census numbers, the state and nation could lose general funding. Not only would money be lost but also the census numbers are what decides how many seats each state would have in the United States House of Representatives.

 

Data from the census is used in many ways, including forecasting future transportation needs, determining areas eligible for housing assistance and rehabilitation loans, assisting tribal, federal, state and local governments in planning and implementing programs and services in education, healthcare, transportation, social services and emergency response and designing facilities for people with disabilities, the elderly and children.

 

The census will become official on April 1, 2020.

 

Hincapie Grand Fondo rolls through town
The annual Hincapie Grand Fondo racing event brought over 2,000 bicycle riders from 49 states and 19 countries to Tryon, Saluda and Columbus this year.

 

The 80-mile bike rode took riders from Tryon to Columbus. Riders went up White Oak Mountain, then back to Tryon and up U.S. 176 to Saluda, then to Greenville Street and back to Hotel Domestique.

 

Joining the race this year was famous bike rider, Lance Armstrong.

 

Hiker dies from fall at Big Bradley
A hiker lost his footing and fell to his death while hiking the falls.

 

Aaron Post, 28 of Charleston, SC, who fell from the top of the falls, was airlifted to the hospital. At the hospital, it was confirmed he was dead when he hit the water and rocks below.

 

Post is the ninth person since 2000 to die while hiking Big Bradley.

 

The Saluda Fire and Rescue Department requested the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission to place barriers after the last death from the falls in 2017. None, however, have been installed. There are signs that display the danger of the falls but there is nowhere that says the falls cannot be hiked.

 

Purple Party success
The third annual Purple Party for Domestic Violence Awareness Month drew a crowd of about 250 people.

 

The Purple Party has grown over the years so was moved this year to Harmon Field in Tryon. The event included free food, t-shirts, games, cake- walks, a memorial garden and a dog costume contest. 

 

Despite Friday being one of the hottest days of the year, the event was a huge success. 

 

Tryon approves contractor to inspect the dam
The Town of Tryon announced the Lake Lanier dam will be inspected.

 

Tryon Town Council met and unanimously approved hiring Cranston Engineering of Augusta, GA will be doing the inspection.

 

Town Manager Zach Ollis said the town had asked for a 30-day extension, which the state of South Carolina granted, and the town received two bids. The other bid came from a smaller company, Garner Engineering, out of Fairview, NC.

 

Ollis recommended Cranston and said he estimates the town can get the inspection done for between $10,000 and $18,000. He went on to say the town is being required by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control to do an inspection because of the age and the size of the dam. 

 

The Town of Tryon owns the lakebed of Lake Lanier, which is located just over the South Carolina line in Greenville County. The town uses the lake for its water source. Town officials have recently discussed abandoning the lake source for water and using its mountain water source solely. The Lake Lanier Dam was constructed in 1924. 

 

Lowest in natural disasters
Since 1953, Polk County has declared 13 natural disasters according to data from the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners.

 

Polk County ranked 35th lowest in the state for natural disasters, which includes disasters declared as a result of a hurricane, flood, fire and other severe weather. 

Polk purchases backhoe
Polk County purchased a new John Deere backhoe for the transfer station after the transmission went out on their current one.

 

The Polk County Board of Commissioners met Monday night and heard from solid waste director Larry Walker. Walker said the current backhoe has been running for about 7-8 years and it is something that is used every day. The transmission is out and the department has already spent $20,000-$30,000 in repairs in the backhoe.

 

Walker said he found a used backhoe that is a 2013 model for $58,000, which had no warranty. He said he called a John Deere distributed in Asheville, who would sell a 2019 model for $88,430.50, which has a 4 year warranty.

 

“I think you made the right decision on the new one,” said commissioner chairman Tommy Melton.

 

The money to purchase the new backhoe was taken from the solid waste fund balance. 

 

Miliken denied relief
Milliken requested and was denied further relief from the Town of Columbus after a water leak.

 

 caused an $82,890 bill that the town already adjusted down to $19,388. 

 

Columbus Town Council met and heard from town manager Tim Barth about what adjustments were already given to the Hatch plant. Barth said Milliken suffered about a 3 million gallon leak at their facility recently. The leak resulted in a $82,890 water bill, which the town has already adjusted down to $19,388. 

 

Barth said when someone has a leak the town typically credits them 75 percent of the costs. With the bill being almost $83,000, Barth said the town adjusted the bill down to $19,388.

 

Plant officials asked that the town also adjust the sewer bill down to 25 percent.

 

“I told them we have credited your account like we do for everybody in the town,” Barth told council. 

 

The town’s policy is that every customer gets two adjustments per year for a leak with the town taking off 75 percent and the customer only paying 25 percent in case of a leak. 

 

Milliken & Company Operations Sourcing Vice-President Daniel Sistrunk wrote the town asking for relief of the sewer bill. 

 

Getting help for Big Bradley falls
After the 8th person since 2000 died at Bradley Falls over the weekend, one Polk County Commissioner says it’s time to do something for the safety of tourists and emergency personnel.

 

The Polk County Board of Commissioners met and heard from commissioner vice chairman Myron Yoder. Yoder said as many know, we had another person fall at Big Bradley Falls and die. “I’ve been hearing about this for years,” Yoder said. “There’s no rails, no steps.”

 

Yoder said his own son fell off a 20 foot wall there and broke his jaw. He also said his wife frequently hikes there and has to use a rope to get down in one area.

 

Yoder went on to say how dangerous it is for emergency personnel to get someone out and said it has cost the county a lot of money. He asked for the county to send a resolution to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission asking for them to put rails and signs at Bradley Falls. He especially said he wants the language to stress for the state to use any and all means necessary to ensure the safety of hikers and tourists at Bradley Falls

 

 Commissioners came to a consensus for county manager Marche Pittman to draft a resolution to send to the state. 

 

In memoriam of:

Vivian Rollins Atkins

Bernice Louise Ingram Bailey

Gwen Belcher 

Shelby Jean Belue

Edward “Ed” Linn Bottom Jr

Helen Marie Gast Cagney

Violet “Maye” Ashe Connor

Richard Norman Day
Patricia “Pat” Donahoe
JoEllen Dennis

Billy Dee Elliott

Patricia D. Fuller

Janice Miller Hannon

Dennis “Dutch” Hulst

John Lewis Jackson

Thelma L Joseph William Kelly

Louise Smith Lawter

Donna Sheila Lucas

Doris Elaine Thomas Marion

Wayne McAbee

Hazel “Bill” Noah McGuinn

Cora Morris

Bernice Marie Moore Nelon

Laura Valley Randall

Warren Bryan Shattuck

Arvilla S. Smith

Terry Kent Savage

Kelly Hearn Trakas

Margaret Vance Thomas

Terrence H. Wise (Terry)

Barbara Johnson Willis Wilson