By Jason Evans

Staff Reporter

jevans@thepccourier.com

PICKENS — Beginning next month, the Hagood Mill Foundation will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the mill.

Officials gathered at the mill Friday morning to sign the contract setting the terms of the agreement between the county and the foundation.

County Councilman Wes Hendricks said the agreement is “a win-win situation.”

“Everybody on both sides is excited,” he said. “The county is excited. The volunteers are excited. We’re looking forward to what it’s going to become, to see this place go forward, move forward, in the future. We’re looking for good things.”

The termination of former Hagood Mill director Billy Crawford last month drew a large crowd to the following county council meeting, where many expressed their concerns about the future of the mill.

Following that meeting, Rep. Davey Hiott and Pat Mulkey facilitated a meeting between county officials and former foundation chair Betty McDaniel, who resigned from the board following Crawford’s firing.

That led to McDaniel, county tourism director Jay Pitts and foundation board member David Hosea presenting a plan to county council members on May 20.

Under that plan, the board would request $134,000 from the county toward the mill’s daily operations, which the foundation would oversee. The foundation would be responsible for raising the funds for the rest of the mill’s budget.

That plan would save the county close to $60,000 annually, Pitts said.

Hosea offered to make up the difference in funding, if needed.

County administrator Gerald Wilson said the new agreement is similar to the one the county has at the Rocky Bottom Camp for the Blind.

“This is a public-private partnership,” he said. “The foundation has the ability to go after grants and funding that we as a county don’t qualify

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