EUTAWVILLE TOWN COUNCIL: Town may hire company to enforce building codes

“The town uses Orangeburg County, but we’ve had a lot of issues with code enforcement type situations,” Mayor Brandon Weatherford said during the town council’s monthly meeting on Tuesday, May 14.

“We feel that the only way we can move forward is to hire somebody to do it instead of Orangeburg County,” he continued.

Before they can hire anybody, the town has to update its building code ordinance, which has not been updated since the 1970s, the mayor added.

So the council gave first reading to an ordinance adopting the 2021 versions of the International Building, Residential, Plumbing, Mechanical, Fuel Gas, and Fire codes and the 2020 (most recent) version of the National Electrical Code, all with the South Carolina modifications.

A second reading is needed before the ordinance can go into effect.

Also on May 14, the council heard a presentation by Donny Phipps of Code Consulting & Inspection Services LLC.

CC&I is based in Roebuck, South Carolina. In addition to inspecting new construction, they ensure that contractors have building permits and town business licenses. They also help towns deal with abandoned, derelict buildings.

Mayor Weatherford said town officials will probably hold a workshop meeting in about two weeks to discuss the proposed contract and fee schedule.

When Eutawville officials have workshop meetings, they are ordinarily held on the fourth Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m. in the Town Hall at 210 Porcher Ave.

Also on May 14, the council gave second reading to two annexation requests and first reading to an additional annexation request.

Portions of all of these parcels are already inside the town limits. The annexation will bring the remainder of those parcels inside the town limits.

A special visitor was Larry Bridwell, commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10980. The post recently donated $1,000 to the Eutawville Police Department.

Police Chief Sean Hopkins said he spent about half of the money to repair a portable radar speed detector, saving $1,500 over the cost of buying a new one.

Hopkins spent the rest on a color printer. Color photographs “are clearer, so it allows us to better identify people on warrants, and it looks more professional,” he said.

The VFW also donated $1,000 to the Eutawville Fire Department, which purchased four brand-new, fully stocked medical bags.

“We carry them in each of our trucks, so when we roll up on the scene, we have it,” Assistant Fire Chief Woody Benton said. “We’re thankful for the donation. Every little bit helps.”

The fire department operates independently of the town government, but the two entities keep in touch with each other.

The fire department provides the town with monthly summaries of their activities. In April, they responded to four fires, one of which turned out to be a controlled burn. They also set up medical helicopter landing zones for EMS on three occasions.

The police department handled 76 cases, including traffic tickets, in April.

The water system distributed 1,158,919 gallons of water in April. More than half of that amount went to customers outside the town limits.

Councilman Harry Brown said the town wants to hire someone to read water meters, cut grass, and perform other maintenance for 20 hours per week.

A resident reported an electric transformer leaning down and an electric wire out of place on her property. Mayor Weatherford said he would report the situation to Dominion Energy.

The Eutawville Town Council ordinarily holds its monthly meetings on the second Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. in the Community Center, 419 Porcher Ave. Contact Town Clerk Casey Hill at 803-492-3374 for details.