Two Palmetto Trail community meetings on the calendar

The public may speak out on whether the U-S Forest Service should allow an extension of Palmetto Trail to cross forest land in Oconee County.  The meetings during the last week of the month are designed to resolve issues with the project to extend the trail from its current end at the Oconee State Park to downtown Walhalla.  In the meantime, Walhalla seeks state “C” fund money to help pay for the extension in stages. Dan Pollock, president of Walhalla Partners for Progress, says adhering to Forest Service protocols for the trail, such as cutting no tree over three inches in diameter or making no cuts within 20 feet of a street, offer a sound compromise. The first meeting is scheduled for 6-8 p.m. on September 27 at the Mountain Rest Community Center off S.C. 28. The second meeting is scheduled for 6-8 p.m. on Sept. 28 at the Salem Community Center.