As Easley’s Town Center moves forward

EASLEY — $6 million in federal stimulus funds will pay for road improvements on SC Hwy 123 needed for Easley Town Center, the 66-acre shopping mall to be located on the former site of the Platt-Saco Lowell manufacturing plant in Easley.

Tommy Elrod of the SC Department of Transportation (SCDOT) said the Federal Highway Administration just signed off on the project and SCDOT will oversee this portion of the $13.5 million road and bridge project.

Cedarwood Development Company will oversee replacement of the Prince Perry Bridge and the widening of Prince Perry Road, which will provide mall access..

Elrod said the next steps are acquiring rights of way from Rock Spring Baptist Church and executing an agreement with the railroad and the City of Easley.

If things go as planned, he said, SCDOT could be ready to accept construction bids on the road project in October and award the contract in November.

“The contractor could maybe begin in December,” he said.

David Scarnati, Development Director for Cedarwood Development, who gave a project update to Easley Chamber members last Thursday, said the mall project will create approximately 250 construction jobs. The construction industry has been one of the hardest hit industries in the state

When the mall is complete, an estimated 900 people will be needed for permanent positions.

Scarnati said an estimated $82 million dollars will be added to the tax base, making this the largest economic development project ever for Easley.

Getting into the actual development stage has not moved as quickly as originally planned due to the recent economic developments, he said. “The banks are still not lending money. It’s shut down development all over the country.”

Scarnati said the economic downturn has slowed retailers all over the country.

“They’re reassessing expansion plans. Plans for 2009 have been pushed to 2010 or 2011.”

One reason South Carolina has been hit so hard by the recession, he said, is because consumers have cut back on spending and the state’s tax structure is based on sales tax

“It’s slowed our finances down a little bit.”

Scarnati said the site grading is 85 percent complete at this time.

He also said upgrades and extension of existing water and sewer services will increase property values adjoining the site.

A super Wal-Mart, a relocation and upgrade of the current location in Easley, will be the mall’s anchor store.. Eight other retailers have already signed contracts but their names will not be released at this time..

Scarnati said the mall has space for approximately 30 retailers.

CONWAY — The last of six executives that faced criminal charges was sentenced on Tuesday for her part in the collapse of Pickens-based investment company Carolina Investors.

Karen Miller, who was the Chief Financial Officer for HomeGold Financial Inc., which owned Carolina Investors, was sentenced to 2 1/2 years for her role in the largest bankruptcy case in South Carolina history.

Miller, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy in the case that cost 8,000 investors $278 million, will have to serve jail time after Circuit Judge Edward Cottingham said it would not be fair for the CFO to avoid jail when five other executives had not.

Carolina Investors had proven to be a solid company until control of the company was taken over by HomeGold. The company ran into problems when investors’ money was lost after being provided for high-risk loans.

PICKENS COUNTY — Three years have passed since a federal judge ordered removal of two dams on the Twelve Mile River in Pickens County, but the dams are still in place, trapping PCB-contaminated sediment behind them.

PCBs — or polychlorinate biphenyls — have been linked to cancer and low birth weight.  They were widely used for insulating electrical equipment but were banned from use in 1977.

Between 1955 and 1977 more than 400,000 of the material were released into Town Creek which is a tributary of Twelve Mile River that flows into Lake Hartwell.

Three years ago US District Judge G. Ross Anderson signed a restoration compensation settlement calling for dredging, removal and proper disposal of the hazardous sediment trapped behind the two dams

Concerned about the delay, Judge Anderson has said he would consider any motion to force compliance with his three-year-old order.

According to Anderson, anyone, including members of the general public, can file such a motion.

Anderson’s order three years ago came in four parts — to purchase the two dams known as Woodside I and II; to remove and properly dispose of sediment behind the dams; to dismantle the dams; to restore natural stream conditions; and to plant native vegetation.

Only the purchase of the dams has been completed.

Spokespersons  for Schumberger, the company responsible for cleaning up the PCBs released from the former Sangamo Weston plant, have declined to comment on the situation until the company meets with trustees in June.

Removal of the two 100-year-old dams that once powered a textile mill in Cateechee, would improve flow of cleaner sediment into Lake Harwell which would cover any PCB contamination deposited.  This process is called natural capping.

It is estimated that sediment flowing downstream and backing up behind the dams has doubled since the 2006 settlement order.

Removing the two dams and restoring of Twelve Mile River would enhance recreational opportunities, particularly kayaking and canoeing.

ANDERSON — A Pickens County Sheriff’s Deputy was one of two people charged in a boat accident that occurred in Anderson County on Lake Hartwell earlier this month.

Deena R. Crawford of Starr and Deputy Wayne Vissage, 33 of Pickens were both charged in a boat collision that occurred on May 9. Each was driving separate boats during the collision.

Vissage was charged and issued a citation for negligent operation and failure to keep a safe lookout.

Crawford was charged with driving a boat under the influence.

According to investigators, the accident, which occurred on May 9, happened when a boat was leaving the docks at Charlie Ts and collided with a boat headed to the restaurant.

The driver of each boat will be required to pay fines.