Public Pitches Planning Ideas

RIDGEWAY – Led by Scott Slayton of the S.C. Municipal Association, Town Council last week hosted a public think tank to hash out ideas for the Town’s long-range strategic plan.

A full house of citizens was on hand at the Century House on Sept. 18, and Slayton broke the crowd up into focus groups, covering public safety, economic development, utilities and quality of life. When the groups reconvened as one, Slayton culled a plethora of recommendations for Council’s future consideration.

Public Safety

• Add another full-time police officer, to make the Ridgeway Police Department self-reliant and to offer 24-hour service.

• Security cameras for downtown.

• Additional street lights downtown.

• No Parking signs near Post Office.

• Provide a full-time School Resource Office for Geiger Elementary.

Utilities

• Extend water line down Peach Road, to meet potential development near I-77.

• Upgrade wastewater treatment plant.

• Extend water line down Hood Road.

• Maintain and upgrade existing water and sewer lines.

Economic Development

• Instate a hospitality tax to generate revenue for the Town.

• Define the right businesses and industries for Town.

• Resolve debate over whether or not to lease Cotton Yard lot for parking.

Quality of Life

• Develop the site of the former Ridgeway school to include a ball field, amphitheater and park.

• Health and fitness program for young adults and seniors.

• Develop a community garden.

• Develop a beautification program.

• Provide Wi-Fi service downtown.

• Provide ambience music in downtown area.

• Construct a downtown gazebo.

• Expand the Arts on the Ridge festival.

“Council will take all these ideas and use them to develop a vision of the Town in the long and the short term,” Slayton said as the session came to a close. “Looks like Council has a lot of work to do.”

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