The City of Clinton marshaled its forces Thursday to respond to Council Member Anita Williams’ call for full transparency to the residents of the Lydia Mill community.
They talked about everything from cars blocking streets to smoke detectors to trash blowing out of roll carts as they are being emptied.
“I asked and they said ‘yes’,” Williams said of City Manager Joey Meadors and crew who took questions from an audience at Refuge of Worship Ministries at 99 Palmetto Street.
“Call us,” Meadors said. “If it’s not something we can do right away, we can put it on our schedule.”
Several residents, however, presented him with concerns about calling the municipal phone number and getting no response or being transferred among departments. For instance, the City requires dog owners to register their animals, but a resident said he talked to city employees and they didn’t know anything about it.
“They know now,” Meadors said, as the City Council has made dogs’ registration a top priority. The City is seeking greater enforcement of laws and regulations related to dogs running at-large. Police Chief Michael Addison said City and County officials have had numerous discussions about how the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office can upgrade its response to stray and vicious dogs’ reports. Clinton and Laurens each pay LCSO $30,000 a year toward the overall cost of countywide animal control efforts.
The City has an animal control vehicle but has not yet found a suitable candidate for animal control officer.
“We need your help,” said Addison, who is a Clinton native. “I am proud to be the chief of our department.”
He said residents need to adopt the “see something, say something” approach and contact the Police or CrimeStoppers phone numbers, or e-mail him directly to report suspicious behavior.
Fire Chief Jeremy Marshall said the City of Clinton is “a great place to work - we have a team that is unmatched. You call us, we are coming.”
He said vehicles parking on the streets is a great concern for the Fire Department, especially on the out-dated streets of a former textiles village like Lydia. “There’s no secret how small the streets are,” he said.
Marshall encouraged everyone to sign up for Code Red and reminded residents that, through a state program, the Fire Department provides free smoke detectors.
Some of the most pointed questions were directed to Tim Douglas, who is the property maintenance code enforcement officer. These related to abandoned homes, falling down structures, and overgown lots. Hurricane Helene’s widespread damage in the Lydia village has made things worse, residents agreed.
Douglas said he wants to hit areas throughout the city to ensure that enforcement is fair, adding that all the inspections he does on a structure are to “make sure it’s safe.”
“Since Helene hit, everything’s been going crazy,” Douglas said. “People tell me they are waiting on FEMA (to settle claims that would provide the money to remove fallen trees, for example). I think FEMA is done - they’re not around any more.”
Douglas said when citing people for violations, he goes by the motto “use your common sense.”
For her part, Williams thanked the city officials and other invited guests for attending the town hall - the second she has organized (the first was at Friendship AME Church). She admitted that when she first went on council, she was skeptical about City administration’s effectiveness. But, she said now, “The City officials are here for you.”
However, Williams didn’t put all the burden for communities’ improvements on the City. “We need to take responsibility, too.”
She said when she drives in other areas of Clinton, she doesn’t see appliances and furniture thrown out at the curb - she doesn’t see broken down cars in yards. That, she said, is all about having pride in your neighborhood.
“If you own an animal, you need to take responsibility for that animal,” she said. “I’m sorry, but when I see a ‘Beware of dog’ sign on your fence, I’m not going to go up and knock on your door.”
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The City of Clinton has posted: “Congratulations to Councilmember Anita Williams!
“We are proud to celebrate Councilmember Anita Williams, who graduated from the South Carolina Municipal Elected Officials Institute of Government during the 2025 Annual Municipal Association Meeting in Hilton Head this past week!
“Her dedication to continued learning and leadership is a true reflection of her commitment to serving the City of Clinton with excellence. Please join us in congratulating her on this outstanding achievement!”
#CityofClintonSC #Leadership #PublicService #SCMuniGraduation
