A talk about the towns was given at the Wednesday Newberry County Chamber of Commerce breakfast.
Newberry Mayor Foster Senn and Whitmire Mayor Tim Carroll both talked about their town and the happenings in Newberry and Whitmire.
Much talk centered around the proposed new movie theater and bowling complex to be constructed at Newberry Plaza.
The new business will employee about 65 people and be open by Spring, said Senn.
Senn says the city is focusing on good government and projects.
The city was able to cut expenses and increase revenue for the year that ended June 30.
Also business license revenue increased which is a good sign said Senn. He adds this means a increase in the gross revenue of local businesses.
The City of Newberry is working on a number of projects.
The West End water lines that are some 80 to 90 years old have been replaced.
The waste water plant new Boys Farm on Highway 121/34 has been expanded to serve the future needs of growth and businesses in the area. The project has been in the works for five years.
Also new water lines were put in coming from the Saluda River to the city and the water plant in Silverstreet will get new upgrades and an additional water storage tank will be built.
A second electrical line will be constructed to run to Louis Rich to provide back up power.
Also new water lines will be put in at Oakland on inter streets in the community.
Streetscaping will be done to College and Main streets with new plantings of trees, new lighting and new traffic signals on Main Street.
The College Street work should start in late summer and the downtown work in January or February.
The city leaders are looking a ways to revamp its 16 parks. They have decided to work on a couple of parks a year.
Which parks will get the first face-lifts will be decided on this fall and work should start next year.
The city leaders are still looking into building a recreation complex and are considering having the countywide penny sales tax pay for it in several years.
Also they are looking at ways to attract more V.C. Summer workers to Newberry and plan on marketing Newberry to them.
Just under 140 Newberry College students will be housed at the Oakland Mill apartments this school year.
Carroll says despite bad times with the Renfro plant closing there are still positive things going on in Whitmire.
There are a coulple of businesses looking at moving into the old plant and Carroll hopes it will soon be occupied and jobs brought to the area.
Also the countywide penny sales tax is turning the old clinic where many residents were born into a new council chambers and city court facility.
Currently the town council meets in an upstairs room that is not handicapped accessible.
The town library is also getting an overhaul and new technology thanks to a $500,000 grant, said Carroll.
The town leaders have also gotten a $180,000 grant for a waterline that will connect other lines in the area.
“A lot of great things are happening,” said Newberry County Chamber of Commerce President Ted Smith.
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