ST. MATTHEWS, S.C. -- Calhoun County is creating a special committee to discuss plans for its old schools in the wake of recent controversy over the issue.

County Council members Helen Carson and James Haigler, two critics of the school board’s handling of community facilities, were appointed to meet with two school trustees to discuss those plans.

“Let’s sit at the table with the board and see exactly what we come up with. ... Before we weren’t getting any questions answered. Now we can go back to the people who questioned us,” Haigler said.

County Council received an update on the issue from the school superintendent Monday. At the previous session, the majority of council, by a 3-2 vote, agreed to take over ownership of the St. John school gym in Cameron from the County School District.

Supporters said they needed to act since the school was slated for demolition. Haigler and Carson, who opposed the measure, raised concerns that, since the cost of the St. John gym project is unknown, there might not be enough money to save John Ford Middle School.

Superintendent Ken Westbury, who was asked to attend the session to update council on plans for facilities, emphasized that the school board has not taken any action on John Ford, which is temporarily housing the high school.

Once renovations are completed at the high school around the first of the year, “At that time, the board will make a decision on what to do. ... We’d like to see that property put to good use,” Westbury said.

Using the old middle school facilities, such as the kitchen, will take the stress off the public use of other school buildings, he said.

Carson stressed the importance of not leaving John Ford in a dilapidated state.

“There are people in the community who are absolutely interested in preserving that school,” she said. “I just hope this doesn’t fall on deaf ears. ...

“This school is absolutely in a community. People live in homes all around. ... We don’t want the school just left there for a considerable period of time and have things happen.”

Although he emphasized that he wasn’t speaking for his five-member board or what it plans to do in the long run, Westbury said that the facilities committee report was approved by the board and is being followed.

Westbury said Bethlehem School would be torn down and prepared for marketing to take advantage of its location near Interstate 26. St. John school is being demolished, although the gym, vocational center and parking lot will remain. A portion of Guinyard School is being renovated for use as a district office. And no action has been taken on John Ford.

In other business, council:

* Held a public hearing on the request for a variance on cemetery lot size from the owners of Etheredge-Smith Cemetery. The variance from the county’s requirement that cemeteries be at least two acres in size was requested for the one-acre, 150-year-old cemetery, located in the midst of 70 acres of family property. The cemetery is only at 19 percent capacity.

No action was taken.

* Gave second reading to an ordinance amending the wastewater ordinance to redefine terms, including the prohibition of unauthorized discharge. The change will “tighten up our authority,” and ensure that the domestic waste does not contain toxins, County Administrator Lee Prickett said.

* Gave first reading to an ordinance amending the joint industrial and business park between Calhoun and Orangeburg counties to add an unidentified property in Orangeburg County.

Under the state multi-county industrial park incentive, Calhoun County will receive 1 percent of fees, while Orangeburg County will get job credits.

* Passed a resolution supporting the Lake Marion Regional Water Authority’s efforts to apply for some $75 million in U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development grant/loan funds to take the system to Dorchester, Berkeley and Clarendon counties.

The resolution does not bind Calhoun County, the administrator said.

* Passed a resolution adding the Husqvarna property in Lexington County into the joint multi-county industrial park. The arrangements are the same as with the Orangeburg County multi-county park, but Lexington County allows approval by resolution instead of ordinance.

* Agreed to pay $2,500 to Mettler Toledo for a software upgrade that will allow the county to collect the recently increased rates at the landfill. The rate increase will be delayed until the software is in place.

* Received as information, a report from E-911 Addressing Director Elaine Golden that the county has recently received a little more than $75,000 from the state. Another $18,000 should be received. The funds will be used for equipment and system updates.

* Received as information, notification of a complaint from Kaiser Road resident Helen Shark. She claims that storm water runoff from Creekside Subdivision is flooding her dirt road.

Prickett said the county is requiring the developers to correct problems in the first phase before beginning the second phase.

* Approved a certificate of cable franchise consent for Time Warner to serve unincorporated areas of the county.

* Agreed to the request of library director for a county credit for use in making online purchases for the county.

* Received as information, a report that $18,547 will be paid to Thompson Electric for air conditioning work at the courthouse.

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

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