Town buildings being refurbished – The Times and Democrat

ELLOREE -- The town of Elloree is getting a facelift of sorts as several buildings undergo exterior and interior refurbishing.

Elloree Town Council at its meeting Tuesday was updated on improvements that have been completed at the town hall as well as the refurbishing work that is scheduled at the gymnasium and the old railroad depot.

Window replacement and improvements to the faade at Elloree Town Hall have been completed, and contractor Fred Gaskins has also completed installation of new doors and two-thirds of the renovations to the interior of the town's storage building, it was reported.

Town employees will paint the interior and exterior of the storage building to minimize expense.

Council accepted Gaskins bid to make improvements at the town gymnasium. The work will include replacing 30 windows, installing safety screens outside the windows to prevent them from being broken by vandals and replacing exterior trim with fabricated wood material that will eliminate the need for repainting in the future.

The bid also includes replacing broken glass above the doors on the Hardin Street side, emergency escape bars on the interior of doors at both ends of the building and repainting the doors and the door frame on the Lexington Street side.

Mayor Stan Busch reported a large hole had been discovered at one end of the gym's roof, through which rainwater was seeping into the restroom area. Agreeing that repairs need to be made as quickly as possible to prevent further damage, council members authorized Gaskins to complete all the work at the same time.

Busch said Gaskins is also working on a quote to put new coatings on the roof of the depot and paint the buildings exterior.

Council previously approved plans submitted by architect Gary Shaw of G3S Architecture & Design for improvements to the building next to Elloree Town Hall that will be used as the town's new police department and welcome center. The plans were approved at a special meeting of council on Jan. 30. Bids for the work are due by March 22.

Also during the meeting, the police report indicated officers responded to 20 calls for service in January. These included two arrests of subjects who were wanted in other jurisdictions; and three arrests for third-degree burglary, larceny and malicious injury in relation to an attempted break-in at the Dollar General and a burglary at the Shell station. Other incidents last month included four false alarm calls, two 911 hang-up calls that were unfounded and seven requests for assistance from other agencies. The department also issued 12 uniform traffic citations.

In addition, it was reported that Officer Buist Smith responded to the gunshot call in Santee that involved a small child. Smith assisted the Santee Police Department in securing the scene for other responding officers, it was noted.

It was also reported that the police department received the third Ford Taurus it had ordered. The vehicle will be placed into service once it has been outfitted.

Town Clerk Robin Martin reported the distribution of police fines in January as follows: Total fines collected, $1,000.75; remitted to state treasurer, $527.78; retained in Victims Assistance Fund, $118.06 and revenue retained by town, $354.91, which was placed in savings.

She said the water department is continuing to work closely with Orangeburg Department of Public Utilities employees, who are in the process of installing underground gas lines in Elloree. The DPU crews are frequently causing breaks in unmapped water lines, Dantzler reported.

Whenever (DPU workers) come up with one thats not on the map, they mark it so it can be put on there, she said. "(Town water department crews) are staying right there with (DPU employees) because theyre hitting (water lines) when theyre boring and theyre also hitting (them) with the shovel.

Dantzler said the DPU workers are helping to repair the broken lines quickly.

"Theyre working real good together, she said.

The gas line installation project is expected to take a year to complete.

Elloree Town Council's next regular meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. on March 13.

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Town buildings being refurbished - The Times and Democrat