"Always remember that you're here for the entire town, so represent each person, each family, each area and each business equally."
Former Mayor Steve Carver gave a few words of advice to incoming Mayor Mike Miller. Carver, mayor of Wagener for 13 years, has seen a lot of changes in this small town, most of which he attributes to a long list of volunteers and both town employees and town citizens who consistently work hard for this community.
"Get help," Carver continued, "WDDC, Wagener Garden Club, WS JROTC, WS FFA, Crescent Cities Park Leadership and many more -- people want to help." Carver encouraged Miller to pursue Grants, one of Carver's strong suits. "My role as mayor was to constantly work to find projects that would match the needs of Wagener and then work with others to make these types of accomplishments happen."
Under Carver's leadership, Wagener received over three million dollars in grants, resulting in police and fire department improvements, park improvements, and energy, water and sewer improvements. Upon leaving office, Carver said these accomplishments were only possible by the hard work of the council members, the WDDC, the Wagener Garden Club, the citizens of Wagener, the Crescent Cities Park Leadership Group, the Wagener Fire Dept. and the town employees.
"It took everybody working together but Wagener is a better place than it was 13 years ago."
The town of Wagener thanks Steve Carver for all the years of self-sacrifice, unstoppable vision and genuine love for the people of Wagener. Much thanks also to his wife and family for their patience, love and leadership.
Town of Wagener - 13 Years of Accomplishments:
Awards Won
· South Carolina Water System of the Year – South Carolina Rural Water Association (SCRWA)
· Public Utilities Operator of the Year – SCRWA
· Recognized as a Tree City.
· Recognized in Washington, DC for work with special needs class at Wagener Salley High School
· Five time Municipal Association of South Carolina Achievement Award winner
Grants Received
· Over three million dollars in grants received
1. Water system improvements
2. Sewer system improvements
3. New radio read water meters and billing system
4. Emergency generator purchased that can power the water
system and the sewer system during a prolonged power
outage
5. Park improvements
6. Fire department improvements
7. Police department improvements
Improvements/Projects
· Crescent Cities Park – walking track/picnic shelters/playground equipment
· Sievern Road improvements – street lights/sidewalk/crepe myrtles
· New street signs
· “New” Town Hall
· “New” court room – more professional court sessions
· New location for town museum
· Welcome to Wagener entry signs
· Well Being Checks for senior citizens
· Summer reading program in conjunction with PBT
· Emergency procedures established for police, water & sewer and town government functions
· Record retention area for town records established
· Acquisition of Wagener Manufacturing buildings and property – over $100,000 put into town projects from the sell of three warehouses – currently leasing part of manufacturing building for $12,000 yearly – one warehouse used as storage for all town equipment – many community functions held in front part of manufacturing building that is slated to become a community center using funds from the 1% tax for capital improvements
· The rebirth of the annual Christmas Parade – the parade went from seven or eight emergency vehicles to an average of 100 entries each year – added the Hometown Holiday Celebration on the Friday night before the parade