NORWAY TOWN COUNCIL: Grant to support water infrastructure; rates going up 3%

Mayor Lynn Garrick said the grant will be used for water infrastructure in the town. Garrick previously stated that this assistance would be forthcoming.

“The Harrison Avenue Water Project is going forward, and the town does not have to provide additional funds,” Garrick said during council’s May 1 meeting according to a previous article in the T&D.

Councilman Gregg Covington said in May, “The Commerce Department will make up the difference.”

According to the previous article, town officials asked for the help of the Municipal Association of South Carolina when they learned the Harrison Avenue water project was going to cost more than the original bid. MASC then sought help from the S.C. Department of Commerce, which was approved.

This SCIIP Viability Planning grant appeared to be the way assistance was obtained.

Garrick also added during the meeting that there will be a 3% increase on water/sewer rates in the town effective immediately.

Next, Garrick discussed Norway still being without a chief of police after the resignation of Chief Edgar Williams.

“We are actively seeking a chief. We have contacted Orangeburg County and are working on it,” Garrick said.

Garrick then discussed that the reduction in hours council had placed on the park in town during a previous administration went against the requirements of a grant the town had received. The park, through a previous administration, had been closed for a while because of vandals.

Then, council, under the new administration, voted in April for the park to be open just on Saturdays and Sundays and to see how that would go.

However, in the past few months, Garrick discovered that the park could not be closed for any reason.

“It will be open during the daylight hours. We cannot be closed even for vandals. This is because of a grant,” she said.

The park will be open from early in the morning and closed at 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, and Saturday and Sunday each week. 

Garrick reconfirmed that the park will have early Sunday morning and afternoon hours.

At the end of the meeting, council went into executive session to discuss a financial matter. No decisions or motions were made upon return to regular session.

Councilman Gregg Covington was not present at the meeting and has been ill. A card was signed for him by Garrick, the council members and Town Clerk Dee Gore during the meeting. Garrick asked for prayers for Covington.

Note that this meeting was moved because of the extended Independence Day holiday weekend. Ordinarily, Norway Council meets the first Monday of every month at 7 p.m. at Norway Town Hall on the Savannah Highway. The next meeting is Monday, Aug. 7, at 7 p.m. The public is invited to attend.