Budget Committee will discuss new EMS station for Claxton Community

May 24, 2023 by Ben Pounds

The Anderson County Budget Committee plans to look at adding an ambulance station in the Claxton area.

The committee’s next meeting will be at 4 p.m. June 1 in Room 312 of the courthouse in Clinton.

The Anderson County Commission voted at its May 15 meeting to have Anderson County Emergency Medical Services Director Nathan Sweet address the committee on the issue.

County Commissioner Tracy Wandell, who represents District On, including Claxton, made the motion.

Fourth District Commissioner Shain Vowell seconded.

The motion passed unanimously.

An earlier motion by Wandell, seconded by Seventh District Commissioner Steven Verran to appropriate $850,000 in federal American Rescue Plan funds for the new station, failed to get enough votes.

Wandell said the new station would make response time faster for Claxton residents.

“It could be at a school. It could be at a vacant lot. It could be. It could be,” Wandell said at the meeting.

“I’m willing to put the funds in to get it done,” he said, adding he would even be willing to raise taxes to fund the station. He said the people of his district had signed a petition in favor of it.