Town of Little Mountain
Special Meeting – Tuesday, April 21, 2020
Presentation On Vision for the Screaming Eagles- Patrick and Jenny Bowers
The Little Mountain Town Council met for a special meeting on Tuesday, April 21, 2020 for the purpose of a presentation on the vision of the Screaming Eagles Project. The meeting was held via Zoom Video Conference. Present for the meeting were Mayor Jana Jayroe, Council Members Marty Frick, Steve White, and Charles Shealy. Also present were Patrick and Jenny Bowers.
The meeting was called to order at 6:30 pm and the welcome and invocation was given by Mayor Jana Jayroe.
Patrick and Jenny Bowers gave an overview of the Screaming Eagles Project. The Screaming Eagles is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in existence for four (4) years and is comprised of a 14-member board. Screaming Eagles provides an opportunity for special needs athletes to partner with other athletes and volunteers to participate in traditional sports such as baseball and soccer. The project is working with local high schools, colleges, and universities who assist the special needs athletes. Currently there are forty-two (42) special needs athletes participating in the program but that number is expected to increase. The project is open to people community wide and presently has athletes from Newberry, Chapin, Irmo, Saluda and surrounding counties. The Bowers’ vision for the Screaming Eagles is to have a “home field, a special needs community within a community.” They have utilized other resources but feel that they need a piece of property that can be transformed to meet their specific requirements.
The Screaming Eagles have identified a piece of property located in Little Mountain that they feel would meet their needs. The property (TMS 697-1-4-4) is located behind the Derrick Medical Center and adjacent to the Derrick Helipad. The vision for the property in the first phase of construction would include:
- Various fields and a pole building for inside recreation
- Concession stand
- Announcer’s booth
Patrick Bowers noted that he felt this could be completed within the first year to year and a half.
Other areas of the property in the future would include an Adult Day Facility. The Bowers’ included that the vision for the land consist of potential strawberry and blueberry fields and/or a green house, as well as an area for a barn to home horses, cows, and chickens. It is the intent of the Bowers’ to keep the area 90% natural and eventually self-sustaining. The organization currently has funds for the first phase. The Bowers’ stated that the organization had not started any formal fundraising but has received numerous donations. The organization will also look at the possibility of applying for grants in the future.
Mayor Jayroe and Council Members had numerous questions regarding the project. The Bowers’ indicated that the access to the property would include a heavy metal gate and would possibly be monitored by cameras. Athletes are covered by liability insurance and the area would operate during the day only. Council questioned water and sewer for the property. The Bowers’ indicated that they would utilize the county water and sewer system.
It was noted by Council that the current purpose of the land would have to go through rezoning. Mayor Jayroe briefly outlined that process.
Mayor Jayroe thanked the Bowers’ for their presentation. Council will discuss the pending zoning in a separate meeting to be scheduled.
With no further business, a motion was made by White and seconded by Shealy to adjourn the meeting at 7:13 pm.
Respectfully submitted by:
Cindy Farr
Town Clerk