Edgefield County Council met Tuesday, April 20 for a called meeting and budget workshop.

Council began with executive session, then held first reading for An Ordinance to Define Cruelty to Animals, To Provide for Removal of Cruelly Treated Animals, To Provide for Judicial Review of Any Removal, To Provide for Conditions That Must Be Met In Order To Remove An Animal, And To Provide for Disposition Of An Animal When The Cruel Treatment Is Not Abated Or Corrected.

The meeting was adjourned and Council moved into the budget work session.

Council Chairman Kneece set a proposal before the council for the upcoming budget, which included $43,000 to be set aside for Piedmont Technical College. Several residents were present at the meeting to show their support for the school staying open, and one student gave a speech and presented a petition of over 300 signatures to council, with Councilman Dorn commenting with a question of “are they old enough to vote?”

But despite this change in direction by Council, Piedmont Technical College will instead remain closed at least for summer and fall semesters due to a high increase in operating expenses. While technical colleges in other counties operate within a statute that the county they operate in is required to fund them; Piedmont’s current position with the council is that the school will operate as long as Edgefield county government can continue to pay.

As such, Edgefield County Council is currently under no obligation to provide a set amount for Piedmont Technical College. Edgefield County students will have to take courses at other sites in the surrounding counties.

A lengthy discussion was also heard over the $7,000 that will be provided to the Tompkins Library. The library currently welcomes several visitors from out of state, bringing in revenue to the county according to a spokesperson who stood before Council on Tuesday. Councilman Rodney Ashcraft expressed his concern over the Sheriff’s Office vehicles and the Edgefield County Emergency Medical Services’ ambulances that are all in need of replacement due to high mileage.

The county budget currently has no monies in place for replacing the vehicles.

Council may review the issue again prior the next reading of the budget. In Tuesday’s proposal, monies were put aside for Edgefield County employees to receive a 2-percent raise. The monies for the proposal at the budget workshop will all come from the county’s reserves, totaling around $153,860