County Oks Sheriff's Office Plan in Belton; 41 New Jobs
Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer
Anderson County Council gave final approval to the request on Tuesday from the City of Belton to transfer law enforcement responsibilities to the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office.
The plan could be in place by July 1.
The move will require the Sheriff’s Office to maintain a substation in Belton and provide 10 deputies to the city, including one lieutenant, one sergeant and eight deputies. The actual number of deputies assigned to each shift may vary. This team, which will work exclusively for Belton, will perform duties previously covered by the Belton City Police Department. The move will include all vehicles and uniform insignias will reflect the group serves Belton.
The city will incur all costs for the substation. Belton will pay $1.2 million annually ($100,000 per month) to Anderson County for costs of the services provided by the Sheriff’s Office, including all vehicle and technical services.
Belton Mayor Eleanor Dorn said the city made the request, at least in part, due to the difficulty of retaining police officers who can make more money at other law enforcement agencies, including the Sheriff’s Office.
County council also gave second-reading approval to tax incentives for a business to locate on the site of the closed Milliken textile plant that will bring 25 new jobs with an average salary of $28.90 per hour. The family-owned business which will occupy the property builds custom structure housing products, and will invest $16 million in the project. Property tax on the site will rise from $290 in 2023 to $134,000 the first year the new business is up and running on the property.
“Belton was the hardest hit community by the demise of the textile industry,” said Anderson County Economic Development Director Burriss Nelson, adding that the economic impact for the City of Belton is expected to surpass $7 million.
Mayor Dorn said the city is excited to see the new investment.
Council did not vote on the $345 million fiscal year 2024-2025 budget, since the General Assembly has not approved the state’s budget for the upcoming year.
Also on Tuesday night, county council:
Approved a sewer bond issue for the joint Anderson-Pendleton-Clemson project which will not exceed $25 million, and will give the area increased capacity and room for growth.
Approved tax incentives for Project Winter, a manufacturing company in the county, planning to create 16 jobs at an average salary of $34.96 per hour, and invest $7.5 million for a metal recycling concern that serves the needs of contracted companies. not a scrap yard. The company will not accept metal directly from the public. This business will be located in County Council Dist. 2.
Announced council will begin discussion of new library board members beginning Friday.