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NEESES, S.C. - The Neeses Town Council at its April meeting accepted a bid of $39,272.05 from L-J Inc. of Columbia for paving and sidewalk work at Neeses Town Hall.

The finished parking lot upon completion will provide access to the regional magistrate’s office at town hall. The low bid was chosen from six bids certified by the town’s consulting engineering firm, Alliance Engineering. The project could be completed in the next month to six weeks. The project is being paid for through $110,000 in one-cent capital improvements money, from which additional landscaping and engineering fee costs will be taken. Councilman Kenneth L. Gleaton noted that council will decide in the near future what capital projects to pursue with any remaining money.

Gleaton also reported that Orangeburg County Councilman Heyward Livingston helped secure $15,000 for the Neeses Recreation Department for recreation expenditures such as playground equipment. In addition, Gleaton said three area businesses contributed a total of $700 toward replacement of baseball and softball equipment stolen last summer.

Neeses Town Clerk Sonja Gleaton reported that a meeting held March 10 to reorganize the town’s Crime Watch Program had been successful. Claude Bramblett was elected as the new Neeses Crime Watch neighborhood chairperson and Crime Watch territories were established. Five block captains were also named — Mike Hyman, Kristy Allen, Casey Bolin, Wanda Ammons and Charlie Fenton. The Neeses Crime Watch program will hold regular meetings on the first Monday of each month for the immediate future until the program is up and running.

In other action:

* Councilman Gleaton reported that the regional magistrate office at Neeses Town Hall began operation April 1. A complete magistrate rotation schedule for the Neeses regional office is still being constructed.

* It was reported that work is still being done on checking town addresses for the 2010 Census.

* It was reported that the Neeses Adopt-A-Highway Trash Day, held on March 8, drew 18 volunteers who picked up trash from three miles of roadway on Savannah Highway, Silversprings Road, Park, Rice and Bolin streets, for a total of 45 bags of litter. That number represents approximately 675 pounds of rubbish collected. An additional 300 pounds of other debris was picked up by local church volunteers the previous weekend and by town work crews.

* Councilwoman Wanda Ammons reported an instance where a citizen had been playing profanity-laced music at a high level within town limits and asked what could be done about preventing future occurrences. Councilman Gleaton said a review of what ordinances are already in place and how to enforce such measures would first have to be conducted.

* Council was asked to remind residents that the Neeses Fire Department is still offering reflective 911 address number signs for sale. Those interested can call town hall or the fire department.

T&D Correspondent Phil Sarata can be reached by e-mail at pmhsarata@aol.com.

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