TRYON – The Town of Tryon is quickly reaching out to a contractor to receive an estimate on how much it will cost to repair a major drainage pipe in the Pacolet Street area downtown.

Tryon Town Council met Jan. 16 and agreed to get a quote from Trace & Company, a company already doing work in town, to know what the repairs to the pipe will cost.

The town asked Robbie Scruggs, who owns the buildings on the corner, if he would be willing to donate the area in front of the buildings to the town so the town could create a plaza. Scruggs agreed under the condition that the town would be responsible for the drainage issues and that the plaza be named after his father’s family.

Scruggs said his father bought the property in the late 60s/early 70s to add to the family owned building they’ve had since the 1950s. He said there was never a problem until 15 or so years ago when there was a washout.

Commissioner Bill Ingham said he was under the assumption there were more problems than ones Scruggs explained.

Commissioner Bill Crowell said Ingham saw the water coming up from under the ground. Crowell said the town knows there’s a crack through the whole pipe that runs under the building. Scruggs said he’s never seen a report that there is a creek that runs under the building, but Crowell said you can stand there and hear the creek running under it.

The town has said they are aware of a blockage in the pipe that is causing the drainage problem. The estimate would be on removing that blockage.

Tryon is currently working with the N.C. Department of Transportation (DOT) on scheduling the replacement sidewalks on that end of town, from Foothills Realty to Pacolet Street, to complete its Streetscape Project. The DOT will be repaving U.S. 176 through town, scheduled to begin this spring and the town will replace the sidewalk during that project.

Ingham said last week Tryon should fix the problem. Some disagreement has been made over who should fix the drainage problem since the pipe is under Scruggs’ building. Scruggs has said he’s not fixing the problem. Ingham argued that it will end up being the town’s problem eventually and he didn’t see the logic of the DOT repaving and new sidewalks being installed, and then later the town has to tear up the road and sidewalk to fix the drainage issue.

Ingham said it’s going to be the town’s problem and it’s going to cost the town money anyway.

“This is part of our infrastructure and it’s a part that needs to be fixed even if we have to borrow the money,” said Ingham.

Crowell said he is not in favor of taking the property for a plaza without an engineering study.

Ingham said he hasn’t seen anything about a creek running underneath the building but he has seen an obstruction in the pipe that is not under the building. Ingham said the obstruction is closer to the sidewalk and is taking up ¾ of the pipe.

“We don’t even know what (the obstruction) is at this point,” Ingham said. “I just hate to leave it and cover it over with a new road and a new sidewalk.”

Commissioners agreed to ask Trace & Company for a bid on the repair. Commissioners tabled the decision on whether to take over the property for a plaza until receiving an estimate. Council could call a special meeting in order to discuss the estimate.