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Winnsboro Town Council on Tuesday gave Mt. Zion an 120-day ‘stay of execution’.

The motion to ask Carolina Wrecking to postpone the demolition was approved, with a few stipulations.

“The motion is to postpone for 120 days the demolition of the Mt. Zion property, providing an agreement can be reached with Carolina Demolition, without any extra cost to the Town of Winnsboro,” said councilman Stan Klaus.

The motion came after an executive session to discuss Mt. Zion. Bill McMaster was present during that executive session, as was downtown development director Jill Cincotta and building inspector Billy Castles.

Mayor Roger Gaddy said the Town has been approached by someone who is interested in the Mt. Zion Institute property and is willing, if it is possible, to donate money to stabilize the building, “if there is a viable interest in someone doing something for community enrichment with that property that’s consistent with the neighborhood and agreeable with the neighbors and a positive thing for the community.”

If Carolina Wrecking does not agree, Mayor Gaddy said, the demolition will continue as originally scheduled and the Town would honor the contract with them.

If Carolina Wrecking requires any additional money for agreeing to the postponement, Mayor Gaddy said, and the entity is not willing to absorb that cost, then the demolition will still move ahead as scheduled.

In his report to council, Town manager Don Wood noted that the original demolition schedule is work on the teacherage should begin April 17, on the school building April 23 and on the cafeteria building April 28.

Wood said on Wednesday that essentially, the council had given permission for McMaster, who is the party interested in Mt. Zion, to talk with Carolina Wrecking and try to secure the postponement, and to come up with a plan for the use of Mt. Zion in those 120 days.

As of press time, McMaster could not be reached for comment.

In other business:

Council approved the use of the Mt. Zion Institute grounds, specifically the Confederate monument, by the Gen. John Bratton Camp, Sons of Confederate Veterans, for a May 18 Confederate Memorial Service. Camp Commander John Fogle also told council that the compatriots of the camp would like to participate in the upkeep of the Confederate monument.

As outlined by Fogle, the memorial service will consists of a dedication of an iron cross for the Confederate soldiers whose graves go unmarked in Fairfield County, and it is the camp’s intention to have reenactors fire a salute in memory of those soldiers.

The Bratton Camp holds this dedication service at a different local church each year, said Fogle.

The event “is a testament of faith, and a testament to our forefathers for what they have done for us. It is a religious ceremony, as well,” he said;

Council approved a request from the Richard Winn Academy Auction Committee to refund their rental fee for the auction which was held at the Old Armory, on the grounds that the school is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Council agreed, but said the school would still be responsible for the security fee and the cleanup fee. Councilmember Marcia Bonds abstained from the vote;

Council approved the gratis use of the Old Armory by Palmetto Healthy Start for a July 15 Career Fair;

Council okayed a request from the Fairfield County School District to use the Old Armory as an emergency shelter for students, in the event that it becomes necessary. The Town will let the district know what their legal capacity in the Old Armory is, and that many students could be housed there in the event of an emergency.