Chesterfield Town Council members are still working on a plan that will enable them to have clean up expenses for vacant or abandoned lots and rundown buildings billed to property owners who won’t foot the bill on their own.
According to Town Administrator David Huntley, it will cost approximately $4,000 for the agreement with the county “to get on the tax bill to recoup any money spent on clean up.” Once the initial cost is paid, there will then be an annual maintenance fee of $300 to keep the program in place, said Huntley.
Council members, while mostly in agreement with creating these arrangements with the county, questioned where the money would come from to pay for putting the program in place. Chesterfield Mayor John Douglas asked also where the money would come from to enforce it.
“We’ll need to establish a budget for enforcement in next year’s general budget,” said Douglas.
It was decided, before council brings the issue to a vote, that Huntley find out when the town would have to pay the county for the tax bills. “I’ll ask the county if we can sign a contract to put things in place and pay after the beginning of the fiscal year,” said Huntley.
Certified accountant Jan Pierce conducted the audit for the fiscal year 2011-2012. She told council members last Thursday evening the town’s audit was “clean and fairly presented. “
“There were no disagreements with management, and no real problems,” said Pierce.
Rezoning requests along Zoar Road were sent back to the Planning Commission for further review. And council members voted to allow tenants of the Visitor’s Center to use the Conference Center one day a year “without cost.”
— Staff Writer Karen Kissiah can be reached by calling 843-537-5261, or by email at kkissiah@heartlandpublications.com.
Judie Kopfman
Cheraw, SC