Judge Addy hears two major cases

Two high profile cases were on the docket yesterday at the Abbeville County Courthouse - the sale of water to Calhoun Falls by the City of Abbeville, and the Lake Secession dock fee dispute.

One case was in connection to the money owed to the City of Abbeville by the Town of Calhoun Falls - the City sells water to the Town, and had not been receiving money from Calhoun Falls for water.

The other involved a dock fee imposed by the City on property owners at Lake Secession, and a group of property owners, angered over the fee, took the City to court. In the Lake Secession case, Judge Addy heard presentations from both sides, on the legality of the City to charge the fee, and he said he would take it under advisement and follow up with the attorneys at a later date, and provide a ruling at a later date, said Abbeville City Manager Blake Stone Tuesday afternoon.

Tuesday, Judge Frank Addy found in favor the City of Abbeville in the Calhoun Falls case, Stone said.

The Town of Calhoun Falls needs to utilize money received from the sale of water to its customers and to McCormick County in order to pay the City what it owes the City for the water the Town receives each month, Stone said.

The Town of Calhoun Falls owes more than $400,000 to the City in water payments.

City of Abbeville Attorney Tombo Hite said Tuesday afternoon that Addy is expecting to issue in the coming days an order with more detailed instructions on how the Town will pay the City.

"The defendants, if payments are not made according to Judge Addy's order, could be held in contempt of court," Hite said.

The hearing did not address the money Calhoun Falls already owes.

"There will be another hearing for that," he said.