Sandy Run Fire seeks to borrow for upgrades

Mar. 9—ST. MATTHEWS — Sandy Run's fire chief says the department wants to borrow money to improve service and promote industry in the upper part of Calhoun County.

"We want to try and issue a debt bond for $700,000 for four years," Chief Gary Hardee told Calhoun County Council on Monday.

"The biggest thing we have in there is we paid off our newly purchased engine for $317,000. We go ahead a pay that off and that will save us $40,000 for nine years," he said.

It's also looking to expand its building and purchase equipment, he said.

"Our full effort of this is to try and get a full-time person hired at Sandy Run to not only support the industrial park but the citizens up there. One full-time person, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.," Hardee said.

The salary of a full-time employee would be around $40,000.

"Right now, we're all volunteers. During the day, it's kind of hard to get people in there. So, if we had a full-time person, they would be able to handle most of our paperwork, pre-plan and look at all the new growth in the area, and set out some plans for us," Hardee said.

Hardee said the department also needs to purchase gear.

"Another ticket item we're looking for is to try to get a commercial turnout gear washer and dryer for the firefighter safety," Hardee said.

"The home washer and dryer is not going to be effective to get out all the contaminants. We have gear in our station that needs to be washed, and that's a pretty big-ticket item we're looking at for like $24,000," Hardee said.

Calhoun County's 1 percent capital projects sales tax includes funding for a Sandy Run Fire District substation project.

Officials say having a substation in the area will improve the Insurance Services Office rating in the area. A better ISO rating would result in lower insurance rates for residents. The area currently has a Class 5 ISO rating.

Council stated they will look into the issue.

Also during the meeting:

—Council approved a motion to enter into a $25,000 financial analyst contract with Stephens Co. The contract is for the 1 percent capital projects sales tax bond.

—Council approved first reading by title only of an ordinance providing for the issuance of $7 million in general obligation bonds to fund projects approved in the capital projects sales tax referendum.

—Council approved third reading of an ordinance replacing the county zoning ordinance and all subsequent zoning ordinance amendments.

—Council approved the appointment of Councilman John Nelson to the Lower Savannah Council of Governments Board of Directors.

—Judge Jeff Bloom provided a quarterly update regarding the county's magistrate court system. The county received approval from the South Carolina Supreme Court to establish a central traffic court.

—Council approved a motion granting Kenneth Green, a member of Boy Scout Troop 428, permission to construct a little free library at the John Ford Center.

—Council approved first reading by title only of an ordinance authorizing a fee in lieu of taxes agreement between the county and Project Cola.

—County Administrator John McLauchlin reported that biofuel containers will be placed at the county's collection sites and landfill.

Contact the writer: [email protected] or 803-596-6530.

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