NEWBERRY COUNTY — Four Newberry County mayors gathered for the Newberry County Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Mayor Breakfast, where they gave updates on their municipalities.
The topics on the table included updates on major town festivals, business news and plans of revitalization.
Little Mountain
Mayor Jana Jayroe discussed the Little Mountain Reunion — one of the oldest folk festivals in South Carolina.
“This year we had the largest crowd we’ve ever had, we had a fantastic year with a budget of about $45,000 and we broke even. We were super excited about breaking even — that doesn’t happen every year,” she said.
This past year, three scholarships were given out through the Glenn Shealy Memorial Road Race Foundation — the funds for that scholarship comes from the road race during the Reunion. Jayroe hopes that with the bigger crowd this year that they will have more funds, and be able to award more scholarships to Mid-Carolina High School seniors.
“During the Reunion, we had our inaugural corn hole tournament, which was a fantastic success, we had a wonderful time with that. We limited it to 40 teams, we could easily have had 80 — we had such a high interest in it. The young people on our committee came up with the idea, and it was a wonderful idea,” Jayroe said.
A few updates have also taken place in Little Mountain, Jayroe reported that Rocky Branch Park has and the trail resurfaced. She said they were able to complete that project thanks to materials being donated, and people volunteering.
“We have a new sign to show you where the trail head is, and the park will be open every day during warm weather,” Jayroe said.
Also completed in the town of Little Mountain was the Derrick Community Center — a Penny Sales Tax project.
“Originally, only half of it was completed, this last project completed the other half,” Jayroe said. “We added a library area for the Dutch Fork Genealogy Society, added a library and a few books, we have eight computers now that will be open to the public soon — we will offer access to the internet, and ability to print.”
Jayroe added that the Center will probably be open two to three days a week, and with volunteers running it. Residents will also vote at the Derrick Community Center now that it is complete — instead of the Fire and Rescue building.
Prosperity
Mayor Derek Underwood discussed the new 501(c)(3) that was started in Prosperity — Vision 2020. Underwood said this will be separate from the town, with its own accounts. The organization’s first big project will be the town square.
“The square is cute, it’s nice, but it is not functional — it is not a place people like to go hang out. We are adding a pavilion, a new water feature, new seats, new landscape, new artscape,” Underwood said. “We want Prosperity to be a destination, not just a pass-through.”
Underwood said they are looking at private funds to help the revitalization project — with various fundraising campaigns in the works. For example, they currently have a brick campaign and are planning a Gala.
“We are making the square a destination,” he said.
Underwood also discussed their new police chief — Wesley Palmore — Underwood believes that he will be their chief for the long haul.
“He is already a resident, already has ties, already knows the culture,” he said. “He’s a good man, a good soldier, he was a good deputy for the Sheriff’s Department, he will be a good chief for us.”
Also new in Prosperity is a new service agreement the town has entered with the Newberry Electric Cooperative for their power. This new agreement will make the Coop the town’s new service provider.
Pomaria
Mayor Darryl Hentz gave an update on various events throughout Pomaria. Hentz said the True to the Brew run, through the Palmetto Conservation Foundation, once again began at the Pomaria trail head.
“The first race was last April, with 200 participants, this year they had their second road race and had 400 participants,” Hentz said. “It is a real good event, a beautiful section of the trail, that’s why they started with that section.”
Hentz also discussed recreation baseball for this past season, he said they had six tee-ball teams that started in March and ended in May. Hentz said they had 60 youths to participate.
“We are proud of that little group of kids,” he said.
They also had five little league teams — two coaches pitch, two minors and one intermediate.
“We were able to host another event, District Three Coaches Pitch Tournament. Fortunate enough the Mid-Carolina team finished second, and moved on to the State,” Hentz said.
This year also marked the Eighth Annual Pomaria Old School Festival, held to bring awareness to the Old Pomaria School. Hentz joked that this was the first time in three years they had good weather for the festival.
Speaking of the Old Pomaria School, Hentz said the project is nearly complete. Renovations to the School were a part of the Capital Project Sales Tax.
“We renovated the auditorium, stage and two classrooms nearest the stage, a new roof was put on the building, electrical upgrades and addition of heating and air,” he said. “The One Cent Sales Tax projects are very beneficial to this county.”
Newberry
Mayor Foster Senn gave various updates on new businesses, and changes to current businesses in the city.
“The Old Newberry Hotel, a lot of workers there, I spoke to Joe McDonald and all of the regular apartments are rented out, there are three that are short term apartments that are available — he’d be glad to rent those. All of his offices are rented out, and one of the art studios is rented out. The venue space will be available in the fall,” Senn said.
Senn also discussed The Standard — what many will know as the Old Mower Building — which he said has a lot of progress.
“Jon Goldfarb, he also purchased the Carpenter Building — and Mrs. Goldfarb (Amanda) will have an art gallery there. We are pleased with that,” Senn said. “There are a lot of neat people in Downtown Newberry, Robert Matheson for example, has bought a couple of buildings downtown and he is really involved in Newberry.”
In other business news, Senn mentioned how exciting things are happening on Wilson Road.
“Starbucks is opening in September, Firehouse Subs will be right beside it — they are advertising for managers and workers,” Senn said. “We are pleased with the renovations of Food Lion, got a lot of good reactions to that. Since they renovated they’ve done even more business.”
Senn also announced that Roses, which used to be in Newberry years ago, will return in the old Freds building. Senn addressed two empty buildings in Newberry, the old Harveys and Rite Aid.
He said that Southern Grocers had a long term lease on the building, and will continue to be paying rent on the building until June of next year — the same is true for Rite Aid, with the exception of a different end date.
“Until those long term leases run out we won’t get anything in those buildings,” Senn said.