ST. MATTHEWS -- American Flags will proudly be displayed in St. Matthews to honor its citizens serving in the Armed Forces thanks to action taken by the town council Tuesday.

"The town needs flags since we have many people from here in Iraq," resident Emily Weeks told the council members. She commended town officials for placing yellow ribbons at the St. Matthews Town Hall.

Council voted unanimously to display four American flags on the bridge at the center of town. Council members also encouraged St. Matthews residents to contribute funds to honor a relative or friend so that additional flags could be posted. Those interested in contributing to the project should contact Emily Weeks.

Also during the meeting, the St. Matthews Town Council unanimously approved a request by Adam Barwick, a teenage skateboarding enthusiast, for permission to hold a competition at the town's skate park to celebrate the first anniversary of the facility, with the possibility of the competition becoming an annual event. The group intends to clean up the area, he said. Barwick said the town would be asked to provide police security, while the skateboarders would handle all of the logistics including soliciting business sponsors to provide awards.

In other business, Town Engineer Kevin Strickland reported that the wastewater treatment plant and

sewer upgrade were ready to be put up for bids. He said bids are due by 2 p.m. on May 6 and all contractors intending to bid must attend pre-bid meetings on April 22. The pre-bid meeting for the wastewater treatment plant will be held at 2 p.m. and the pre-bid meeting on the sewer upgrade will be at 3 p.m.

Strickland added that the town needed to come into compliance by obtaining operating and maintenance manuals for the wastewater treatment plant. The council approved contracting with a company to write the manual at a cost of $12,000.

Also at the meeting:

-- Town Administrator Dick Whetstone reported that due to Homeland Security concerns,

the Federal Emergency Management Agency is requiring a council resolution pledging mutual aid within the state. In response to the requirement, St. Matthews and Elloree have exchanged letters of agreement, he said.

-- Whetstone said Tom Dodds of the S.C. Department of Transportation met this week with

Councilwoman Eloise Shuler-Guinyard and him to start the process of determining where and how sidewalks will be placed for the approved grant. He said Liberty Street met requirements for rights-of-way. However, he said he and Shuler-Guinyard would begin talking with other residents starting

April 10.

-- Resident Ron Chestnut asked why there was no recreation commission for Calhoun County or St. Matthews. He said he felt supervised recreation facilities would be a very positive move in reducing juvenile delinquency. Stating that he was the product of a single-parent home, Chestnut said he owes much to being mentored in his early years. In his effort to give back to the community, he said he must go to Richland, Lexington and Oangeburg counties to work with children.

Chestnut was told that the biggest obstacle in providing recreational facilities for children was lack of finances.

-- A zoning change was approved for a setback variance for a small building to house an automated teller machine in the Piggly Wiggly parking lot.

-- It was reported that $3,000 was spent to replace a baffle on the town's old garbage truck.

-- It was reported that town employee Kim Prickett would attend a drinking water operator school and that employee Jodi Packard completed Class D training and certification. Also, it was noted that Clifton Waltz retired after 32 years of employment with the town.

-- Police Chief Capers Wannamaker reported a total of 49 citations issued in March. He said a total of 116 calls occurred, resulting in 27 arrests. Wannamaker said he was working on the drug problems and would have good news soon. He reported that he was also investigating setting a curfew for juveniles.

-- Fire Chief Wendy Heckle reported that the fire department answered nine fire calls in March including three alarms and three accidents. Search and Rescue responded to 18 calls. Of the 27 calls for March, three were in the city and 24 were in the county.

-- St. Matthews' financial report for March 31 showed deposits of $29,352.23 and expenditures of $78,445.11, for a balance of $109,220.29. The water and sewer financial report showed deposits of $48,632.06 and expenditures of $70,341.48, for a balance of $235,437.36. Certificates of Deposit totaled $151,069.75.

T&D Correspondent Larry P. Jordan can be reached by phone at 803-874-3276.

You must be logged in to comment.