Anderson County Council unanimously approved Tuesday night a fee-in-lieu of the expansion of a Fraenkische, a worldwide business operation in Anderson County since 2002, which will generate a 20-year community economic impact of more than $64 million to the county. The business, located just off S.C. 81 near I-85, will add an additional 54 jobs with an average salary of $16 per hour. The company, founded in 1906, is an industry leader in the design, manufacturing and marketing of technically superior corrugated pipe systems for drainage, electrical, building technology and industrial applications. Fraenkische will also relocate its North American Headquarters to Anderson.
Earlier, Anderson County Council approved a pair of amendments, and rejected a third, before voting 6-1 to approve a revised tethering ordinance which requires a humane tethering system allowing a dog to move freely on a swiveled tether, assuring the dog has free access to water and shelter, and prohibiting the use of pinch collars or choke collars. Also, under the ordinance, dogs cannot be tethered to immovable objects.
County Council Chairman Francis Crowder, proposed an amendment that reflects the city ordinance prohibiting animals from being tethered for more than two hours in any continuous 12-hour period, but the efficacy of the amendment was immediately questioned by other council members.
Councilman Tom Allen said he wanted to make sure council voted for an amendment the county could actually enforce.
“We’ve got to pass something here that is going to be reasonable and enforceable and it’s not going to make everybody happy,” Allen said. “We can always come back and amend it later.”
Councilman Ken Waters agreed with Allen. “The people I know who have hunting dogs love their dogs, too. The hunters I’ve talked with are for being allowed to tether their dogs.
“I cannot support the amendment you proposed,” Councilman Eddie Moore said. “If we do, we are going to have a mass of animals being turned into the animal shelter to be euthanized. There are hundreds of animals our there that need to be tethered. I love Freedom Fences, agree with what they do, but there is no way in the world they can get to everybody.” Moore said the famers and hunters who had called him are 10-1 against the tethering ordinance.
Council voted 6-1 against the amendment.
Councilwoman Gracie Floyd proposed an amendment to require dogs to be taken care of in extreme weather conditions, but Allen said her proposal was covered in other parts of the county’s ordinance. Allen proposed rewording the amendment concerning the 360 degree movement to “the highest degree of movement available.” He also suggested removing wording suggesting that anyone other than animal control officers would be allowed to enforce the ordinance. Both amendments passed unanimously.
“This is the third reading tonight, but that does not mean we cannot come back and amend it,” Allen said. “We are trying to move forward with it, but we have to have a logical, reasonable ordinance we can enforce.”
Crowder, who voted against the ordinance, said he opposed the bill because it still allows tethering 24 hours a day. “It’s not an anti-tethering ordinance,” Crowder said.
The bill was approved after hearing a number of impassioned pleas from Anderson County residents, many of whom are actively involved in animal welfare issues. A few questioned the county’s ability to enforce such an ordinance, before the county approved the ordinance.
Freedom Fences, a volunteer group that builds fences for dogs belonging to families who demonstrate financial hardship, and the spaying and neutering of their pets, said the county ordinance did not go far enough to protect dogs.
Earlier, State Rep. Don Bowen, R-S.C., proposed the creation of a coalition for I-85 improvements, which would make the interstate four-lanes all the way from Georgia to North Carolina and bring improvement to the frontage roads. Bowen said he would ask all Upstate counties to come up with at least $500,000 for an engineering study to prepare for the project. Bowen said it would boost economic development along the interstate corridor in the Upstate, calling the improvements and “economic engine” for the region.
“I would like Anderson County to take the lead in this project,” Bowen said, adding he will also present his proposal to Greenville, Spartanburg and Pickens Counties as well.
He said if the improvements move forward, it will take eight to 10 years to complete, at a total cost of $500-$600 million dollars. Bowen said federal funding matching local dollars five to one if approved.
“The Upstate needs its share of the growth and readiness,” Bowen added, “and the money does not need to be going to Charleston and Myrtle Beach.”
Finally, Floyd, who was promised funding from other council members’ recreation funds after arguing during budget negotiations against cutting funding for Calvary Home for Children in Anderson, brought a list of requests from the ministry to ask her fellow council members to keep their word.
Floyd asked that some of the money in the $1.2 million budget of the Anderson County Animal Shelter be used to help Calvary.
“It’s a day of reckoning,” Floyd said before the meeting. “We’ll see who keeps their word.”
Council members Tommy Dunn, Tom Allen, Ken Waters and Floyd gave funds to the ministry, while Cindy Wilson promised future help for the group. Only Francis Crowder and Eddie Moore did not contribute to the request.
On Tuesday night, council also:
Approved continuation of the rennovation of the Brown road boat ramp to allow greater access for those with disablities.