TOWN HALL TO GET NEW ROOF, ELECTRONIC SIGN

Council Approves Digital Message Board In The Wake Of Disasters

The front – and top – of Edgefield’s Town Hall likely will look quite a bit different in the coming months, as Town Council approved some notable future renovations, additions and subtractions Wednesday at its regular monthly meeting.

Town Council authorized Mayor Ken Durham to begin the bidding process to erect a new electronic sign in front of Town Hall. According to a policy also ratified by Council, the new sign “is to be a platform to provide health and safety information to town citizens during emergencies.”

The sign is projected to cost around $40,000 and the Town will be supported in part by grant funding secured by the Edgefield County Emergency Management Agency (EMA).

“If we have another (Hurricane) Helene or such, then I’ll be able to hook a generator to it and say, ‘Hey, food distribution at the Edgefield Fire Department or food distribution at Northside, or water here, or boil water advisory on the southside of Town,” said Mayor Ken Durham.

Though the primary purpose of the sign will be for emergency information, the Town also likely will utilize it as a promotional tool for community events such as the upcoming Community Block Party on the Square, the Italian Festival in October and other special promotions. The policy approved by Town Council gives the Mayor final approval of all content before it is displayed on the sign.

“The Mayor has a lot of latitude on content,” Councilman Andy Whitfield told the Council when presenting the policy for approval.

Among the specific exclusions in content for the sign are “personal milestones like birthdays, anniversaries and family events,” advertising for the sale of goods and services, and political messages. The policy also give Town Council members the right to request a pause in any content displayed on the sign or ask that it be removed; such requests will require a vote by Council.

The cupola atop Town Hall, soon to disappear, is featured on the Town of Edgefield flag.

Up On The Roof – But Not Anymore

Town Council also awarded the bid for needed repairs to the hail-damaged roofs on Edgefield Town Hall and the police and fire building. Resilient Roofing & Repair of Pelion entered the low bid of $42,863.64 for the repairs.

On Friday, May 2, the Edgefield area was pummeled by a storm that dropped hailstones the size of golf balls on the community. The storm also brought winds in excess of 60 miles per hour and torrential rains. Most of the damage sustained at the Town Hall complex was to the police and fire headquarters, and $32,977 of the roofing project will be spent at that building.

The project does not figure in the cost of replacing the small cupola atop each building. In fact, according to Mayor Durham, these ornamental structures will be removed during the roof repairs, and there are no plans to replace them.

“It has leaked for years. It has no historical significance. To me, it doesn’t even really fit,” Mayor Durham said. “I’ve never particularly liked it…We’ve spent money on it, and money on it, so we’re just going to take it off and shingle right over.”

The cupola is featured as a graphic element on the flag that flies in front of Town Hall, but there are currently no concrete plans to change the Town logo once the cupola disappears. But time will tell. Things seem to be evolving quickly in downtown Edgefield.

“You know what? We may change our logo at some point – ’cause that’s something I’ve never, ever really liked,” Mayor Durham said with a chuckle.

In a meeting that lasted less than 15 minutes, Edgefield Town Council also approved a 10 percent match for a community development block grant that could bring a new $650,000 fire truck to the Edgefield Fire Department. The grant would be pursued through the Upper Savannah Council of Governments. The mayor already was hard at work Thursday morning on that grant.