By Ben Robinson
Staff Reporter
brobinson@thepccourier.com

PICKENS — Pickens County Humane Society president Pree Hamilton appeared before Pickens County Council to advocate for her organization and its struggles to get funding.

“Thank all of y’all for letting me come back,” Hamilton said. “You’ll notice I don’t have any notes, because this is coming from the heart.”

The main need Hamilton spoke of was for a new computer and printer.

“I know I can’t get one from y’all because of the hard drive,” Hamilton said. “But if there’s any way y’all can help us with that, because with the Internet, Facebook and all that available, you wouldn’t believe how we’re matching up dogs with their owners.”
Hamilton said the Humane Society has benefitted from recent county funding.

“We’ve got doors, we’ve cleaned up the place — we just want to keep doing what we’re doing,” Hamilton said.
Interim county administrator Ralph Guarino reported that the remodeling of the former high school building in Liberty into a magistrate’s office is almost complete.

“Next week we’ll have all the furniture delivered,” Guarino said. “The office will be open 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. starting Sept. 1.”
Because of the late moving of the furniture, there will be no open house or grand opening, Guarino said.

“I’d like to thank the staff for all the work they’re doing,” Guarino said.

Council held two public hearings about the definition of junkyards and one about a proposed industrial park in Oconee County. No speakers were present for any of the public hearings.

Council also passed third reading of an ordinance transferring ownership of the former Liberty Middle School gymnasium and football field to the city of Liberty.

Council approves 2015
Justice Assistance Grant

Also at Monday night’s meeting, council members voted unanimously to approve the 2015 Justice Assistance Grant.
Sheriff Rick Clark said the grant was a pretty usual one that his department gets every year.

“It’s pretty much just rubber stamped each year,” Clark said.
The grant has been very helpful to the sheriff’s office, Clark said.
Last year it was used to pay to place cameras inside the Pickens County Courthouse.

“This year, we’ll probably use it to pay for some self-defense training,” Clark said.