Parade
The Town of Estill announced during a recent town council meeting they will again host this year’s Martin Luther King, Jr. parade after last year’s event was deemed a major success by members of the committee responsible for organizing the parade and associated festivities.
Town council voted unanimously to allow the MLK Sterling Committee to host the event and thanked them for bringing the parade and ceremonies back to Estill for a second year.
Hurricane damage
Hurricane Matthew left countless trees and power lines on the ground in Estill, which will become a costly cleanup for the town. Although hopes are still high Federal funding will be provided for debris removal, the town must act quickly to clean debris and fix damage caused by the storm. The town’s public works supervisor asked council to rent a backhoe and a dump truck to help expedite the cleanup of the town.
“Although these items are not in the budget, it is up to us to get it done for the citizens [of Estill],” said Mayor Anderson Taylor.
The rental of a backhoe for a one month time period will cost the town $2,400 per month, or $800 per week. The public works department is in need of the backhoe because the backhoe owned by the town is currently broken and unusable, leaving no other pieces of equipment for them to use.
Consultant update
Bob Freeman, of Alliance Consulting Engineers, gave council an update regarding the Liberty Ave. North project, as well as informing council the town would again be eligible to apply for Community Development Block Grant funding in April.
The opportunity to receive CBDG grants will allow the town to fund the future Water System Looping Project, which town officials and the Alliance Consulting Group hope will begin in 2017. Council voted unanimously to move forward with the application process to receive CBDG grant funding for the project.
As for the Liberty Ave. N. Project, the project is still on track and construction is set to begin towards the end of Oct. or the first of Nov. Freeman also stated that the town’s construction of a waste water treatment plant is on schedule and the bidding process for project is slated to begin in Jan.
PD members honored
As well as announcing the well organized and well-liked parade will be held in Estill again, council also officially honored three Estill Police Department employees with plaques for their outstanding service. The three kind-hearted EPD members were honored previously by the town, but were awarded their official plaques during Monday’s meeting.
In other Estill meeting news
- Estill Fire Chief Tuten announced his department raised $2,617 dollars during the “Fill the Boot” fundraiser in Estill. The funds will be used to help children.
- Audrey Williams of the SC Arts Council gave a presentation to council and announced, due to funds provided by the Federal Promise Zone program and private donations, her organization will provide playground implements at the Estill walking trail.
- Estill Police Chief Mark Collins announced his office will receive several new radios, laptop computers and body worn cameras.
- Estill Town Council unanimously voted to continue the town’s student recognition program.
- Council thanked all police, EMT’s town employees, residents and electrical workers for their hard work and generosity during Hurricane Matthew.