Mayor's Message

Greetings,

One of my favorite things about being elected Mayor has been the opportunity to interact with our community members. This week was full of opportunities to meet with Chapin residents and business owners alike. Here are some snapshots of the week’s events.

St. John’s AME Church
Captain Craig, Nicholle Burroughs and I attended a moving ceremony in remembrance of the anniversary for those that lost their lives and were injured in the Mother Emanuel Nine tragedy back in 2015 in Charleston, SC. Bishop Samuel L. Green and Rev. Lynda R. Jones provided remarkable and insightful messages on the power of love and the thankfulness for God’s grace. The passionate speech reminded us that together we can overcome the evil of bigotry and hate.

All Star Event
Chief Zeigler and I attended an event for the Chapin All-star team. We both shared messages with the athletes and their families. I was very impressed with the group, the kids seemed motivated and eager to learn. Spending time with the young athletes brought back memories for me. My favorite part was when they included us in the Chapin cheer. I am excited to see what these young athletes will accomplish in the years to come.

The Farmstand
We held our first Farmstand this week to a steady flow of customers. This market is a limited market featuring select vendors. The Farmstand is aimed at proving local residents an opportunity to shop and support our local farmers. We look forward to hosting the event on the third Thursday of the month throughout the season. The full Chapin Downtown Farmer’s Market will return July 7 with entertainment, activities for the kids, arts and local growers and farmers.

Rainbow International Ribbon Cutting
It was my pleasure to welcome Rainbow International to the Chapin community. Rainbow International has completed a full renovation on the office space and warehouse, turning the facility into their corporate headquarters. They are looking to use the 10,000 sq. feet of office space upstairs as a small office facility housing several smaller companies that could compliment their business. This represents a significant investment in the Chapin community. With a reputation as a strong corporate citizen it is an honor to welcome them into our community.

Re-max at the Lake- Office Re-opening
From new businesses to the area to a longtime Chapin business. It was a joy to attend the ribbon cutting on the grand re-opening of the Re-max office off Chapin Road. Walking through the office building it was obvious the investment and hard work that had gone into re-vamping the community fixture. Office owners, Molly Sims and Gina Breland did a great job with the exclusive event and we thank them for their continued dedication to the Chapin community.

Even though it was a busy week, it is always an honor to be invited and included in these type of community events. We have such a wonderful town it is a treat to experience all facets of the community. Thank you to all these groups for their unique role in making Chapin a great place to live, work and play.

Best regards,

David Knight

Town Highlights

City of Columbia Rate Increase

Chapin Town Council is considering a water rate increase that will be consistent with the rate increase currently being considered by the City of Columbia. The Town of Chapin purchases most of its water from the City of Columbia. Final action will be taken by Chapin Town Council on July 3, 2018, after the City Council has finalized the rate change to be imposed on Chapin customers.

Progress on the Wastewater Treatment Facility

Concrete placement has begun at the Town of Chapin wastewater treatment plant expansion project. Beginning at 2:00 a.m. on Thursday morning, approximately 400 cubic yards of concrete was poured at the site. This was the first of several pours which will span over the next few weeks. Once completed, the wastewater treatment plant will have the capacity to treat 2.4 million gallons per day. This plant will serve the Town of Chapin and surrounding lake community.

Special Election for Town Council

Due to the vacancy, there will be a Special Election held on Tuesday, September 11, 2018, for electing one (1) Council Member for an unexpired term. Citizens desiring to be candidates may file at the Lexington County Registration and Elections office.

In order to qualify as a candidate for office and have his or her name placed on the ballot; one must be a resident of the Town of Chapin and be a qualified elector. The filing fee for this office is $25.00. Books will be open for filing at noon June 29, 2018 and remain open during regular business hours. The Statement of Intention of Candidacy must be filed with the Lexington County Voter Registration, no later than 12:00 noon July 9, 2018.

Upcoming Events

Public Information Session

During our Planning Commission Meeting on June 26 at 1:30 pm in the Council Chambers at Town Hall, we will host a presentation with the lead project managers for the I-26 Widening project and the S- 48 corridor project as well as representatives from Department of Transportation and Lexington County. These projects were developed many years ago by experts in the field but, due to the concerns of our citizens, we want to create an opportunity for a more thorough explanation of the project’s impacts and proposed improvements. We welcome all of our citizens and business owners to attend.

Chapin Downtown Farmer's Market

The Chapin Downtown Farmer's Market is held the first Saturdays of the month from May through October in the 100 block of Clark Street from 9:30 am to 1:00 am. We have prepared food vendors, live music, and activities for kids.

Our third market will be Saturday, July 7. We have limited space available. If you are interest in sponsoring please contact Nicholle Burroughs at communications@chapinsc.com .

Chapin Labor Day Festival

With more than 22,000 people in attendance, the largest event of the year for Chapin is the Labor Day Parade and Festival. We’ve already begun the planning process and are full steam ahead on the coordination efforts. The sponsorships and parade spots are filling up fast.

Next Thursday there will be a facebook live Q & A with Kari Pepper McKeone from the Justin Pepper Foundation and Nicholle Burroughs, Public Affairs Director for Chapin. The event is sponsored by The Coffee Shelf and creates the opportunity to ask questions about this year's Labor Day Festival and the Justin Pepper 5K. You can pre-submit questions or join us for our coffee break at 7:00 am!

If you are interested please email communications@chapinsc.com. Additional information can be found on our website.

Upcoming Events
June 23- Newberry Ag. & Art Tour (Various farms around Newberry County)
June 26- Planning Commission Meeting with Public Information Session (Town Hall 1:30 PM)
June 28- Facebook Q & A for the Labor Day Festival and the Justin Pepper 5K
June 30- 30th Annual Lake Murray 4th of July Fireworks Show and Boat Parade

Any questions or comments regarding information contained in this document please contact communications@chapinsc.com