|
Featured Sections Headlines Opinion Obituaries NEW! Sports Crime Blotter Stolen Property Happenings Country Cooking Wandering Minds Classifieds Birthdays NEW! Off The Wall Cartoons On The Record Archives Church Listings  Featured Columns Dr. Myers Carl Langley Editor's Column Registered Sex Offenders for Edgefield County 2005 Crime Stats Video & Audio Updates Audio Archive (Testing) Video Archive Contact us Contact Info or E-mail the Editor Phone: 803-634-0964 day 803-279-5041 eve 803-279-8943 fax Mail to EdgefieldDaily.com PO Box 972 Edgefield SC 29824 School System EC District Office School Board Strom Thurmond Charter Schools Fox Creek Private Schools Wardlaw Academy Public Offices Edgefield County Edgefield Johnston Trenton Political State and Federal Legislative Contacts Local Political Parties Republican Party Democrat Party Chamber of Commerce Edgefield County Chamber Historical Edgefield Genealogical Society News links Edgefield Advertiser The Citizen News Aiken Standard North Augusta Star The State Augusta Chronicle Atlanta Journal United Press Associated Press FOX News Reuters CNS News WorldNet Daily Newsmax Drudge Report GoogleNews Yahoo!News New York Times New York Post Los Angeles Times Washington Times Washington Post |
 Dignitaries speak at 13th Annual Intergovernmental meeting web posted February 1, 2008 JOHNSTON – The Edgefield County Intergovernmental Meeting was held Thursday night at the Johnston Sertoma Club with local elected and appointed officials including Sen. Shane Massey and Rep. Bill Clyburn. After enjoying a bar-b-que supper catered by Sportsman’s BBQ County Council Chairman called the meeting to order and began introducing the night’s speakers.  Sen. Massey (Left)
said a great deal of time is currently being spent by the
Senate dealing with immigration and that progress is being made. There
are limits as to what can be done at the state level, Sen. Massey said,
adding that the concern over illegal immigration is “statewide”. The
Bill has been passed by the Senate and is now in the House. “We’ve
taken a few other steps, such as English only and other things along
those lines.”Sen. Massey said he was serving on a sub-committee dealing with the DUI legislation and that toughening the current laws was overdue. “I think that’s a big deal facing the state. We have some very weak DUI laws and we’re having some fights on how to reform those.” Also announced were upcoming town hall meetings so that citizens could express their concerns directly and Sen. Massey encouraged everyone to take advantage of the meetings. “I cant’ represent you if I don’t know what you’re thinking,” Massey said. Before closing Sen. Massey said he has been asked a lot about how he and Rep. Clyburn get along and wanted to say they get along great and are working well together. Sen. Massey spoke again later to inform local elected officials that there is a ‘real push” to cap local government spending and that he felt local government bodies should be aware and to please contact concerning the matter.  Rep. Bill Clyburn
(Left) spoke next and said he agreed with Sen. Massey that
immigration is taking a lot of time and that passing the legislation
slowed due to the number of amendments that are attached to the bill
dealing with language and penalties. “It’s not such a strong bill but
at least it is something.” The matter is actually a federal issue Rep.
Clyburn said but at least the state is doing what it can.Rep. Clyburn said he has some legislation he is the primary sponsor on such as the rural infrastructure bill that would assist counties such as Edgefield County to have the needed infrastructure to attract new business and industry. Raising the cap on the homestead exemption from $50,000 to $100,000 is currently being discussed. Rep. Clyburn said his personal preference is that persons 65 years or older should not have to pay property taxes, “and hopefully we’ll get there in the future.” Other local dignitaries that spoke included Mayor Ken Durham of Edgefield who said he was excited about the coming year and that Edgefield would be expanding the Rail Trail and will be undertaking a renovation of the town square. Mayor Durham said he was looking forward to the newly created “Edgefield County Alliance” that would be meeting at the Pine Ridge County Club February 4 at 7:30 am. Johnston Mayor Willie Campbell said that the Town of Johnston was in “good condition and going strong”. The town, through Community Development Block Grants, is currently rehabbing houses and the sidewalk project is underway. Recreation was also a topic of concern. “We need recreation for our young people,” Mayor Campbell said adding that he hoped the County Council would help in that area. “We need to pull together for a successful 2008”. Trenton Mayor Helen Summers said the town took a hit with the closing of CMC, “It affected us far more than anywhere else in the county.” Due to the reduction in tax base the town did not undertake any projects in 2007. The town has applied for a grant to replace the aging wooden bleachers at the ball field with aluminum bleachers. Mayor Summers also said she received good news from Sen. Massey at the meeting that a $30,000 grant for new bunker gear and other needed equipment for the Trenton Fire Department has been approved. County Administrator John Pettigrew said the county is currently in the process of rewriting the Comprehensive Plan and that the Planning Commission will be holding several meetings and public hearings during the process. Those dates will be announced. Another important issue facing the county is the mandated upgrade for security in the county court house. Mr. Pettigrew said the county was looking for grants to help offset the cost of installing cameras, metal detectors, and to close several doors and have only a “single point of entry into the courthouse.” Additional information from the meeting will be published on Saturday. ©
Copyright 2007
EdgefieldDaily.com All
original material is property of
EdgefieldDaily.com and cannot be reproduced, rewritten or redistributed
without the expressed written permission of Edgefield Daily.com
|
EdgefieldDaily.com is a
member of the
Edgefield County New Link Below Information and Activities   Parting Shots A new book by Columnist Carl Langley -------  JAM Straight Customs  NOTICE:
We still need recipes for Cooking Section WEBNEWS – Send in your favorite or favorites. There is no limit to the number of recipes you can send in. With the Editor’s wife being the driving force behind her own personal section, help her create an exchange of local favorites, home cooking, grilling, sauces, and deserts! Send in your submissions here. |
