Jim Fair
Greer Police Captain Matt Hamby was introduced at the City Council session by Chief Dan Reynolds. Hamby, with the two bars on his collar designating his rank, is a career law enforcement officer in Greer. Hamby, named last week as captain, filled a vacancy on staff when Capt. Jolene Vancil retired.
Jim Fair
Some of the firefighters from the Greer Fire Department were commended by Chief Chris Harvey for fighting an out of control grass fire last week. Remarkably only one house and a 3-unit condominium were destroyed during the blaze that virtually surrounded the Riverwood Farms neighborhood.
Councilman Wryley Bettis (District 5) was the lone no vote (6-1), still stinging from County Council dismantling the Greenville County Recreation District last year and bringing Greer under the county’s financial arm. Greer residents are paying about $20 more a year in county taxes without any dedicated funding for recreation services or facilities.
“I’m not sure I trust Greenville County to do anything for us anymore,” Bettis said. “They didn’t need our approval for this. Did they come to us?”
Councilman Wayne Griffin, voted yes but said he believes some of the funds will be lost since, “The state will take part of what it collects and divvy it up.”
Griffin was referring to the Capital Project Sales Tax Act, enacted by the South Carolina General Assembly, authorizing a county governing body to call for a referendum of its registered voters to impose a one percent sale and use tax to fund capital projects including improvement of roads within the county for up to eight years. Projected revenue is $65 million a year.
The resolution followed, but wasn’t tied to, a presentation from Reno Deaton and Donna O. Smith, designated Greer representatives of the Greenville Citizens Road Advisory Commission.
The commission was charged with holding a series of meetings in communities listening to residents’ input and proposals for road improvements within Greenville County.
• Maria Lynn, 107 Mimosa Road, spoke during the public session on allowing chickens inside the city limits.
Other action taken by council Tuesday:
• Approved first reading, 7-0, annexation and zoning (DRD, Design Review District) for 8.1 acres of vacant property at Dillard Road and Gibbs Shoal Road to construct 34 detached single-family homes. Planning Commission hearing April 21.
• Approved first reading, 7-0, property owned by Greystone Cottages Homeowners to establish DRD for vacant 0.21 acres for the purpose of constructing green space (pocket park).
• Approved first reading, 7-0, annexation and zoning (R-12, residential single family) of 0.69 acres at 719 Ansel School Road to connect to CPW sewer system due to a septic system failure. Planning commission hearing April 21.