Time capsule

As reported in The Columbia News 21 years ago on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 1981.

Injunction, permit revocation denied

Ruling on Feb. 12, 1981, on a suit filed by representatives of Halifax and Halifax East subdivisions to stop the construction of Petersburg Woods Apartments, Superior Court Judge Franklin H. Pierce denied the request for an injunction and refused to revoke the building permit issued to the apartment complex developer, Ladner & Company.

The ruling will be appealed, however, according to William R. McCracken, attorney for the plaintiffs.

Residents of Halifax and Halifax East subdivisions, and residents living near the apartment construction site filed suit on Jan. 30, 1981, to stop construction of the apartments, to be located near the intersection of Old Evans and Old Petersburg roads.

McCracken said on Feb. 17, 1981, that because Judge Pierce ruled that no injunction should be granted, the case, if successful on appeal, may leave open a damage claim against the county.

Citizens offer input at meeting

Questions were posed on a variety of topics to the Columbia County Board of Commissioners during a town meeting held by the Martinez-Evans Citizens League on Feb. 16, 1981, at 7:30 p.m in Martinez.

Each of the more than 50 people attending the meeting, at which the commissioners were invited guests, were given the opportunity to ask the board members questions on the future of the county.

One of the topics brought up was the proposed construction of a new county jail.

County Commission Chairman Al Dempsey reported that he and other board members have had preliminary discussions with Richmond County officials on the possibility of construction a jail through a joint effort. He said that federal funding may be available for a bi-county jail that may not be available for individual efforts by the tow counties. In addition, Dempsey said that further discussions will be necessary and that "it may not even be a reasonable thing to do."

He also stressed that if a bond issue was not passed to fund construction of a new jail, the project "will tax us to death."

Water system planned

The construction of the new Harlem High School brought about a chance for major improvement in the City of Harlem water and sewer systems, according to Harlem Mayor Ed Clary.

In a financial agreement with the Columbia County Board of Education, the city agreed to participate in running a water and sewerage line to the new high school, Clary said during an interview on Feb. 13, 1981. This work left a dead end in the line at the school construction site, he said.

So the city applied for Farmers Home Administration aid through a loan and a grant to make use of the line laid to the new school.

For a tap-on fee of $60 each, 278 households in the city agreed to hook up to the proposed water system.

The project hit a snag, though, when former President Jimmy Carter froze the funds for five months beginning March 1980.

After the money was released by Carter in October, the design of the project again got underway. In fact, said Clary, Harlem's project was only the second one funded in the state after the money were released.