The Landrum Area Business Association (LABA) elected a new slate of officers at its Dec. 2 meeting. The incoming president is Shawn Evans of Landrum Hardware. Todd Cox of Sissy Boutique will serve as vice president, Autumn Stott as secretary and Linda Howard of Southern Delights as treasurer. Evans and Howard will serve two-year terms; Cox and Stott will serve one-year terms. At this meeting, Howard also volunteered to head a committee to maintain the two kiosks on East Rutherford Street with up-to-date flyers and city information.

The City of Landrum is studying the feasibility and seeking bids for the construction of public restrooms as an addition to the City Hall Building. Caitlin Martin Cothran, city administrator, is in the process of soliciting bids. LABA’s merchants and board of directors have been expressing their concerns over a lack of public restrooms for shoppers, tourists, and visitors for some time. Another concern of business owners is lack of public parking. Cothran is also in the process of negotiating with Operation Hope for the use of multiple parking spaces behind their building.

The Landrum Fire Department has been conducting voluntary safety inspections at area businesses. The purpose of the inspections is to allow the fire department to record the presence of chemicals or hazardous materials and map the building in the event a fire occurs or an evacuation is ever needed. According to Chief Warren Ashmore, these inspections will help businesses in terms of their insurance and ISO ratings. Businesses may contact the fire department to schedule an inspection.

The Town of Columbus approved the purchase of two new police cars at its November 20 council meeting. Both vehicles will be purchased on state contract, and financed for four years with BB&T Bank. A 2015 Dodge Charger police car will cost $22,785 and a 2015 Dodge Crew Cab pickup will cost $25,100. The police department’s older police car with 97,800 miles will be deployed to St. Luke’s Hospital for use by the two Columbus police officers who are on duty there.

At Landrum City Council meeting Dec. 9, council approved the Fire Department’s Nov. 17 reelection of Robert Farmer as assistant fire chief and the election of Calem Upton as first lieutenant. Upton reported to council that the fire department had completed their ISO inspection Dec. 2. The inspection of the station included personnel, training, equipment and water systems. Their final report is due in six months, however, Upton said that the inspector said the station was “in good a shape or better than their last inspection in 2002.”