Council to Vote on Sewer Bond for Homeland Park, Expanding Library Board

Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer

Anderson County Council on Tuesday night will consider an up to $1.25 million bond for defraying the cost of acquiring, constructing, renovating, installing, furnishing and equipping waterline improvements, sewer line improvements and facility repairs in the Homeland Park Water District.

Council will also vote, on first reading, a proposal on a lease of the Tower Street building currently being used by Hope Missions of the Upstate to that ministry. The organization is the county’s warming and cooling shelter for those in need, helps find housing and provides other services for underserved county residents, and recently spearheaded the county’s homeless count, which is critical to federal funding.

Second reading is also scheduled for a proposal to expand the current Anderson County Library Board from seven to nine members. Currently each council district is allowed to appoint one member to the board for a four-year term. The new board members would be elected as at-large seats and only need to be citizens of Anderson County. County council members suggest the expansion would provide citizens more representation on the board, and council and opportunity to approve new board members if the two-year council elected terms should leave a council member with little voice on the board. Under South Carolina law, though the council can appoint members to the board, they cannot remove them.

At the Feb. 6 meeting, Councilman Jimmy Davis said S.C. Rep. April Cromer, R-Anderson, is exploring ways to change this regulation. Also at that meeting, seven citizens expressed concerns that the expansion was in response to the statewide movement to appoint more politically motivated board members, and not expand representation.

If the proposal passes a third reading, currently scheduled for March 5, council would begin taking applications for citizens interested in the library board.

Complete agenda for the 6:30 p.m. meeting in the historic courthouse is here.

At the 6 p.m. honors meeting, council will recognize Anderson Area Chamber CEO Pamela Christopher on her appointment as chairperson of the South Carolina Department of Transportation Commission, as well as read a resolution to celebrate ten years of the Technical Career Pathways Program at Tri-County Technical College.

The earlier meeting will also feature the swearing in of new code enforcement officers.