Information from WYSH Radio
The Anderson County Commission’s Operations Committee did not end up discussing Monday night whether to pay the legal bills of Public Works Director David Crowley in connection to his acquittal in April on charges that he illegally inspected buildings without the proper certification. In fighting the charges, Crowley’s legal bill came to $59,258.62.
Crowley had requested that the Commission do what it has done before in cases when a public official faced, but was acquitted of, charges related to their governmental posting. But during the May meeting of the County Commission, some commissioners questioned whether Crowley had followed proper procedure in submitting his request for reimbursement. The question was referred to the Operations Committee and was the first item on the agenda for Monday’s meeting.
But Crowley was not in attendance when the meeting began, and commissioners voted to put it on the end of the agenda due to his absence. Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank pointed out that Crowley’s presence was not necessary since the matter had been referred back to committee by the full Commission. When the topic came up again, Crowley was still not present. Commissioner Jerry White made a motion to pay Crowley’s legal bill, but discussion ended before it began due to a lack of a second. In the end, no action was taken, and the question of Crowley’s legal fees continues.
The Operations Committee did unanimously vote to recommend that the full Commission move forward on plans to refurbish the controversial Glen Alpine Convenience Center. Earlier this spring, the county lost a lawsuit filed by businesses in the David Jones Industrial Park over plans to move the trash collection site to that location. Rather than continues the legal fight, the county will now move forward on plans to make upgrades at the existing center off of Sinking Springs Road. Those upgrades will include canopies over compactors, raising the level of the center by three feet to address persistent drainage problems, creating a turn lane in to the center off of Sinking Springs, and creating a new road to connect back out to Seivers Boulevard. Improvements will also include landscaping and beautification.
Operations also voted Monday to recommend approval of a new five-year lease on the site currently used as the home of the Wolf Valley Convenience Center. Last year, the county entered into a one-year lease for the site in Claxton at a cost of $600 per month, but officials were told last night that the owner of the property had taken that deal off the table within the past few days, and that the only offer on table was now a five-year lease at a cost of $1,000 a month. Commissioner Tracy Wandell, whose district encompasses Claxton, expressed his frustration with the Solid Waste Board and the Solid Waste director for not negotiating a better deal, not looking at other options, and for basically “doing whatever it wants” regardless of Commission’s wishes. With few options as the deal expires at the end of June, Wandell made a motion to accept the deal being offered and the committee voted for recommendation. Expect this to be discussed in full on Monday, May 20, when the full Commission meets at 6:30 p.m. in Room 312 of the Anderson County Courthouse in Clinton.
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