ST. MATTHEWS -- "A lot of pipe" is in the Fort Motte area, an engineering consultant told Calhoun County Council in a Monday update on the long-awaited water project for the largely rural and poor area.

"We heard about it," said Council Chairman David Summers. "You'd be surprised how much people tend to your business."

Georganna Graham of HPG engineering consultants said that as of Friday, some 15,500 feet of 10-inch water line had been laid, as well as 10,060 feet of 8-inch water line.

"We're near the Fort Motte town square," she said. "We'll finish by early to mid-June."

Once the Fort Motte work has been completed, the project will move on to the Caw Caw area, with a 200-day completion schedule.

"I hope that lady hooks up who brought that green water," said Summers, referring to a Fort Motte-area resident who brought a sample of discolored water to council many years ago.

For low-income residents hoping to qualify for free hook-ups to the water system -- and, in a few cases, even new bathrooms -- a meeting will be held Wednesday from 4-6 p.m. in the Fort Motte Community Center.

"I'm glad to see it moving ahead," Summers said.

Public Works Director Woody Rucker also noted that the county has been working with the local fire department on the placement of 14 hydrants along the new water line. The county has done well, he said, to place the hydrants in populated areas.

"That's 14 more than the fire department had before," Summers said.

In other business, council:

* Gave second reading to an amendment to the zoning ordinance that will allow for homes smaller than 1,000 square feet in mixed-use areas. The mixed-use zoning had required that homes have a minimum of 1,000 square feet, while the residential zoning made no such stipulation.

That meant, the county administrator said, that someone "can build a 900-square-foot house in a residential area but not in a mixed-use area."

* After receiving a report on road conditions from Rucker, agreed to do regular road maintenance on Lost Valley Trail, a private or non-county maintained road. Maintenance has been in limbo since developers issued a deed to the county that the county did not accept.

"It's one of those situations where guys came out of Lexington County and sold lots and then left," Summers said.

As for roads in general, Rucker asked the public to be patient. He also updated council on equipment needs.

* Passed a resolution to close an 18-foot alley that's a portion of Dantzler Street to vehicle traffic. A pedestrian walkway is planned between the courthouse and the new library.

* After hearing from Tax Assessor Steve Hamilton, agreed to apply to the state Budget and Control Board for an $30,000 match for a geodetic survey section. The system is a "fluid project" that will allow changes, such as to property lines or water lines, to be updated in-house, County Administrator Lee Prickett said.

* Appointed Ann Felkel Haigler of District 1 and Molly Riley Hane of District 4 to the Historical Commission.

* Received as information, a report on the Harvest Hope Food Bank and a request for funding from Vernell Pyatt. The regional food bank works with six local grass-roots partners to distribute food to needy families.

* Received as information, an update on Calhoun Cares, the Calhoun Resource Development Board, from Father Michael Hub of St. Matthews Episcopal Church.

The charity, which provides a thrift store, is a cooperative effort that provides the county with a, "win, win, win situation," he said. Of the close to $17,000 raised, $10,000 was donated to the state Department of Social Services to benefit county residents. Another $5,000, he said, went to local pharmacies to help cover medicine costs for the indigent.

* Agreed to a $15,000 change order to include a traffic study before proceeding with the paving of the Starbucks frontage road. Set-aside money is available for the study, which could save the county in paving costs.

* Agreed to hold an all-day work session on Monday, March 24, instead of the regularly scheduled 5:30 p.m. council meeting.

* In closed, executive session, received a legal briefing on Columbia Energy from an attorney with Haynesworth, Sinkler & Boyd.

T&D Government Writer Tucker Lyon can be reached at tlyon@timesanddemocrat.com or by calling 803-533-5545.

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