Big ticket items approved by Oconee County Council

Oconee County Council signed off last night to pay Trane US Inc. to fix the poorly-performing heat and air conditioning system at the county’s 15-year old courthouse. At last report, there was no heat in the building. Last night Scott Moulder, county administrator, told the council the timetable for the fix is 60-90 days, and that should be in time for the worst heat of the summer. The county will also pay Tugaloo Pipeline of Westminster $822 thousand for utility infrastructure work at the Industry and Technology Park to help ready property there for both the Tri-County Tech campus and the future Hamilton Career Center. Tugaloo Pipeline was second lowest bidder. But, as a local vendor and because its bid fell within a two percent difference, Tugaloo was allowed to match the lowest bid. Oconee County and the county Economic Alliance secured a $500 thousand grant from the South Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority to help fund the work.