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2008 promises to be a year of building for The Times and Democrat Region as local governments plow money into infrastructure in the hope of gaining future returns.
While some projects have been scaled back, a new $47 million hospital and a $118 million regional water system are among the projects officials hope to bring to reality over the next year.
Road enhancements, improved water and sewer capacity and more speculative buildings for potential industry will help improve the quality of life for citizens in The T&D Region, officials say.
"We need more available buildings. We have a lot to offer international and Fortune 500 companies, but we have to be able to have the fertile soil conditions for them to grow," said Gregg Robinson, executive director of the Orangeburg County Development Commission.
He said roads, water, sewer, gas and electricity are the "fundamentals of infrastructure" and require a constant dedication of time, resources and money, but that the benefits to Orangeburg and surrounding counties will be worth the effort.
The continued marketing of the Global Logistics Triangle, which is formed by the intersections of Interstate 95, I-26 and U.S. 301, is key in the coming year, he said.
"Some of our goals are obviously to enhance product development. We've had record years two years in a row. We have to maintain our momentum," Robinson said.
Continuing to enhance the Orangeburg County/City Industrial Park and John W. Matthews Industrial Park, forging ahead with plans to create an industrial park in western Orangeburg County and working with the city to expand the Orangeburg Industrial Park on Highway 21 are among other goals, Robinson said.
"Again, it goes back to infrastructure," he said.
The continued development of the James E. Clyburn Transportation Center at South Carolina State University will help to lure industry, along with advancements in metal working and fabrication. The truck driving training program at Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College and the enhancement of international programs at S.C. State and Claflin University will also help draw industry in.
"They want to see four-year institutions with advanced degrees in international curriculum. They're not going to come to us unless we're prepared," Robinson said. He said he'd also like to see better communication between the county seat and the 16 other Orangeburg County municipalities in 2008.
"We have excellent leadership. We need to have everyone on the same sheet of music ... because we automatically come across as a little bit more unified to international and national companies looking to make a North American footprint," Robinson said.
Orangeburg County Council Chairman Harry Wimberly said the county is eagerly anticipating third and final reading of a long-awaited zoning ordinance during the Jan. 7 council meeting.
"I still feel we've got a good ordinance that we can work with in the county. As far as economic development, that's still our number one priority as we continue in 2008," Wimberly said. He said the county is looking to make some announcements on projects "in the coming days."
Using capital improvement funds to bring road and other improvement projects to fruition is another major goal of the county, he said.
"We'll be in full swing on working on these projects," he said.
In addition, council will also likely address The Regional Medical Center's request to borrow $22 million in January. Calhoun County, which owns the hospital with Orangeburg County, has already approved the borrowing.
"It's been kicked around now for about a year. The county will probably make a decision on that in the near future," he said.
Orangeburg Mayor Paul Miller said annexation is at the top of his list of things to pursue in 2008.
"We've had a couple (of annexation projects) this year we've been working on, and we're hoping to get one finished up in early January. It's a pretty large annexation piece," Miller said.
That piece lies at the intersection of Chestnut and Pinebrook streets and encompasses approximately 13 different pieces of property.
"We'll have third and final reading on that at our first meeting in January. We're continuing to work on other interests we've had, and other people will hopefully want to come in. We are talking with some folks on the North Road ... and just want to continue to provide services to citizens at a reasonable price. We're interested in talking to anyone that's contiguous to the city about coming in," Miller said.
Moving into new handicapped-accessible city council chambers in February, the cleanup of the Riverside Apartments property and the completion of the Russell Street streetscape project are among the other things the mayor is looking forward to in 2008.
"We're excited about getting the streetscape portion on Russell Street finished up in early '08, getting some work done on the rest of Middleton Street and, hopefully, having the parking lot and green space between city hall and the new council chambers complete," he said.
Bamberg County Council Chairperson Dot Tatum said working with the Bamberg County Hospital board and staff toward the successful construction of a new hospital is among her goals for the new year.
Denmark officials have sought a different location for the proposed $47 million facility than the one picked by the hospital board.
Denmark recently sued the hospital and county, saying hospital officials entered into contracts related to the new hospital without going through the proper s.jpg. It has asked for an order restraining and enjoining the hospital board and Bamberg County "from performing the contracts entered into in violation of the purchasing ordinance."
"We (Bamberg County Council) voted three times 5 to 2 to give the hospital board the authority. We just need to get over whatever it is and go ahead," Tatum said. "The only thing I can say is these suits have held it up, or we'd be under construction and the hospital wouldn't be needing the county to help them with funds which will eventually fall back on the taxpayers."
Hospital issues aside, she said supporting the Southern Carolina Regional Alliance in the continued development of the county's industrial park and land use plan is another goal in promoting economic development and protecting resources.
Replacing "seriously defunct" equipment for the county's rural fire departments, working with the Bamberg County legislative delegation to develop and upgrade boat landings for better citizen access and developing a regional water and wastewater system with the help of a study made possible through an $85,000 state Department of Commerce grant are among her other objectives.
"I also want to work with the municipalities and communities in the enhancement and development of recreational programs," Tatum said.
Calhoun County Council Chairman David Summers said the $100 million and $70 million investments which were made in the county with the opening of a new manufacturing facility at Eastman Chemical Company and a new Starbucks coffee roasting facility were among the past year's highlights.
He now looks forward to the completion of the Lake Marion Regional Water System and it providing much-needed water to the lower part of Calhoun County. The Lake Marion Regional Water Agency is working to create a system which includes a $30 million water treatment plant on the shores of Lake Marion with the state-owned utility Santee Cooper. The massive project was designed to provide water to municipalities in Orangeburg, Calhoun, Dorchester, Clarendon, Sumter and Berkeley counties.
"We have a number of people in the lower part that have wells that have dried up, so we're working on getting that done. We're pretty well trying to get water all over the county," including along the Kennerly Road area, Summers said. He said the county is already in negotiations with Elloree to run a water line from the town to the county's Stump Hole Landing area.
Summers said the county has let contracts for a project to hopefully begin in January. It involves running water lines from the Belleville area through Fort Motte and across Highway 601 into the New Bethany subdivision.
Calhoun County Administrator Lee Prickett said the county has already closed on the construction loan and expects to start construction "within 30 to 60 days," upon final approval by USDA-Rural Development and a preconstruction meeting with the contractor.
"We're just being positive and hoping that all of it's going to materialize. If just one of them materializes, we'll be in good shape," Summers said.
LMRWA Chairman Johnnie Wright said 2008 is shaping up to be a good year in the continued development of the regional water system, particularly with the help of a recent $6.7 million federal appropriation.
"It will allow us to tie into the Santee water tank, work with the water lines toward the Matthews Park and start on the Berkeley County reach and a part of the Elloree reach. Our plan is to suggest to the board that we try to start working on all three at the same time. With the authorization bill now in place with local match money, plus federal money, we could get up to $80 million," he said.
"We're looking toward getting some kind of appropriation each year. We have enough now to keep us going at least another year and a half," Wright said.
He said he is grateful for a dedicated group of team members on the national, state and local levels.
"We're trying to benefit a whole region. I'm excited about 2008. We have a lot going on. I think if we stay focused and keep the team concept, we can truly make a big difference that we look back on in the next four or five years," Wright said.
T&D Staff Writer Dionne Gleaton can be reached by e-mail at dgleaton@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5534. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.