Daniel Prince
Council passes priority list for American Rescue Plan Act funds
At the Carlisle Town Council meeting, Mayor Mary Ferguson-Glenn stated that crews have begun work on the pump station. She stated there was a major problem with a wastewater line on Rice Street that city crews had to trace but have since fixed. She stated the town continues to lose water, with the latest audit showing another 29,000-gallon loss. The mayor said the town continues to try and trace the problem.
Town Council passed second reading of the regional wastewater agreement between the town and the City of Union. The agreement will transfer ownership of the town’s wastewater system to the City of Union in 2023. The town’s wastewater will be pumped to the Beltline Pump Station. The town’s 7 existing pump stations are being upgraded and two new pump stations are being constructed.
In other business, the council passed first reading of an ordinance amending the town’s existing business license ordinance. The amendment will bring the ordinance into compliance with the state’s Business License Standardization Act.
The council also approved the priority list for American Rescue Plan Act funds. The town plans to use some of the money toward water system projects, with another portion going back to the county to repay them for help they have given the town. The mayor noted that council members could add more items to the priority list.
Mayor Glenn stated the town still needs a part-time maintenance worker. She said they have only had one person apply to this point.
She told council members she met with Sheriff Jeff Bailey about the town’s needs, chief of which is patrolling. She stated deputies have been in the town during the day, but more nighttime patrolling is needed. Bailey told her his office has some folks in the academy, and once they are out on the road, that may help the patrolling needs.
She mentioned another meeting she attended with doctors from Spartanburg Regional Medical Center, other mayors, the supervisor, DHEC, and the school superintendent talking about the hospital’s issues with COVID. They asked for help in getting people vaccinated. Mayor Glenn asked the council what they can do to encourage Carlisle residents to get the vaccine. The council discussed different incentives they could offer. In the end, they voted to offer a $200 cash drawing open to anyone in the Carlisle community who gets vaccinated at the clinic the town will set up. More details on that is coming soon.
Mayor Glenn stated she has three more meetings coming soon. One is with the United Way. Another is with Dominion Energy regarding LED lights. Another COVID task force Zoom meeting is coming up, as well.
Before the meeting ended, the council finalized their list of condemned houses that need to go through the process to be torn down. Mayor Glenn will forward that list to the county. Around 15 houses were on the list.