Olar Town Council is considering a public hearing/comment concerning a proposed poultry breeder farm near the town of Olar.

“Thunder Road is not located in Barnwell,” Council’s draft response to SCDHEC states. “It is located on the outskirts of Olar.”

The permit application from Jeff Davis Poultry Breeder Farm in Barnwell describes the proposed location of the farm as being on “Thunder Road … in Bamberg County.”

“The location of the proposed facility is one quarter mile or less from the front or back doors of the majority of the Olar population. Most of our people live on the west side of town,” states Council‘s response.

The drafted response discusses health concerns, odor, safety issues, property values, the source and disposal of water to the facility and safe disposal of manure from the proposed facility.

In other business, Council heard from attorney Billy Kemp representing Herbert and Sylvia Fail concerning run-off and overflow from the town’s new water tower ruining his ability to grow crops on a portion of his farm near the tower.

“Some of it is caused by the way the run-off is graded,” Kemp said, “and some caused by the over flow valve (on the water tower) not working. (The problem) has messed up 35 acres of his crops. Mr. Fail use to work at NIBCO in Denmark before they shut down operations at the Denmark plant. Now farming is his full time job. That is his only way of making his living.

“The first time this happened,” Herbert explained, “I lost $2,000 in crops. All we want,” he said, “is that this problem be fixed. I’ve got a serious problem.”

Olar mayor Walter O’Rear stated “we are working on it and hope that the problem will soon be fixed. They (the engineers) are working on the problem.”

Council reported that “we are having real problems with someone stealing street signs. (They) are disappearing faster than we can replace them, stating that thirty or forty signs have been taken. “There’s no use putting up more signs until we can stop the problem.”

Mayor O’Rear reported that “the chief is working on this problem. It’s going to be taken care of. But we need the citizens to help. They will be caught,” O’Rear promised.

A suggestion was made from the audience that a neighborhood crime watch be formed.