Chadbourn Festivals

The Town of Chadbourn was incorporated in 1883. Since that time the Police Department has worked very hard to become the type organization that our community deserves and can be proud of. We take pride that our Department is small enough to know our citizens by first name, but resilient enough to attend to the complex issues of protection and providing professional service to our community.

Chadbourn Police Department employs 8 full-time sworn officers, 1 full-time support person, and has the capacity to employ 10 sworn auxiliary police officers. The police department is comprised of two divisions, patrol and Investigations. Each division share one common goal, to provide professional, dedicated employees to serve our community. To meet that challenge we will continue to work with our citizens, business owners, and educate our employees to better serve our community. We believe it is to our advantage to take a proactive approach to problems rather than a reactive approach.

Fire Chief - Randy Guyton

The Chadbourn Volunteer Fire Department was organized in October 1938 and the first fire truck was purchased in 1939. The first Fire Chief was William S. (Bill) Edmunds, who served from 1938-1940. Fire Chiefs over the years were Forest L. Strole (1941-1946), Martin A. Carter (1947 - 1978), Edward M. Carter (1979 -1980), Edwin W. Nance (1981 - 1981), Allen Yates (1986- 2003). and our present Fire Chief Randy Guyton.

The Chadbourn Rescue Squad was organized in 1958 in answer to a great community need, with the firemen serving as members. They began by purchasing an old Merita bread truck, which each member donated $5 to $10 toward the purchase. After many hours of renovating, it was converted into a crash and rescue vehicle to become Chadbourn’s first rescue vehicle. When it was organized Chadbourn Rescue Squad was the second Rescue Squad in the county, with Lake Waccamaw being the first.

The Columbus County Commissioners after several public hearings formed the Klondyke Volunteer Fire Department in 1980. The Chadbourn Volunteer Fire Department had always provided fire protection to the surrounding community; however, a mandate in 1980 disallowed service outside municipalities. This prompted the formation of the Klondyke Volunteer Fire Department that serves a five-mile radius outside of the Town limits. The Klondyke Fire Department is financed, in part, by a fire district tax, which Columbus County collects to provide fire service to areas outside of Municipalities. The Klondyke Volunteer Fire Department has several fund-raisers each year.

Chadbourn Rescue has about 900 calls yearly, Chadbourn Fire Department has about 70 calls yearly, and Klondyke Fire Department has about 140 calls yearly.

The Chadbourn/Klondyke Fire and Rescue Department is housed in a modern 8200 sq. ft. building with another 1800 sq. ft. auxiliary building for equipment storage.

The Chadbourn/Klondyke Fire and Rescue Department relies on volunteers who are interested in serving the community. If you are interested in serving as a volunteer, call Fire Chief Randy Guyton at 910-654-1060.

In case of emergencies please call 911 for all non-emergency calls the fire department may be reached at 910-654-1060.

The primary functions of the Planning Department provides assistance and direction to property owners, residents, and elected and appointed officials regarding the development and use of land. Long-range visions, including goals and policies on how the community as a whole should grow, are proposed by Planning staff and adopted by the Town Board of Commissioners.

Zoning, subdivision, and various other enforcement regulations are drafted by Planning Staff for Board of Commissioners' acceptance, which are then enforced by the Planning Department. From initial stages of policy-making to enforcement of local rules on individual properties, the Planning Department is available to explain procedures and development concepts to developers and citizens.

The Planning office receives calls and visitors daily asking about existing zoning, potential new development, regulations for signs, neighborhood nuisance property, whether a storage building can be added to a lot, how to divide and sell land, and many other issues. Along with answering these questions, the Planning Department prepares background data on proposed zoning changes, looks at site plans to see that buildings and parking lots are properly placed and landscape plantings are adequate, follows up on complaints about possible Town code violations, and writes information on land usage concerns for the public and elected officials
Town Hall is responsible for overseeing Zoning and Planning for the Town of Chadbourn. Dottie Thomas, our Town Manager heads up this department.

The Town of Chadbourn enforces the planning and zoning laws by revising construction plans for buildings, structures, subdivisions, mobile home park plans, and signs. Anyone with an issue concerning planning an zoning should contact Linda Gaddy at 910-654-4148.

Water and Sewer Accounts
The Water & Sewer Department Customer Service Office is located at 602 N. Brown Street (Phone #910-654-4148). It is open every business day from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Applications for services, payment for services, and other service requests may be made at Town Hall.

The Town does not guarantee uninterrupted service, but will make every effort to restore service as soon as possible if problems should occur. In such situations, the town may exercise discretion regarding the nature of its response in restoring such service.

Any customer requesting water and sewer service must be of legal age, provide all requested information, and pay a $125.00 deposit. The town may refuse to furnish utility services to a customer (including other members of the customer's household) wherein there exist indebtedness for prior services until all such debts have been repaid.

Any request for Service Connection or disconnection must be made before 12:00 noon if connection of disconnection is to be done that business day; otherwise, the connection will be done the following business day.

Water Bill Payments
Water bills are mailed on or about the last day of the month. Any customer who has not received a bill by the first week of the new month may call the Water Department to inquire about his or her account balance. All bills are due by the 25th of the month. If bills are not paid by the 25th an 12% of balance late penalty is added to the customer's account balance. If past due balances are not paid by the 5th of the month water service will be disconnected and a $30.00 reconnect fee will be imposed.

The town does not enjoy having to disconnect any customer's water service due to non-payment, however, we sometimes must do so in order to maintain reasonable rates for all customers.

Waste Water Treatment Plant
The Town’s Wastewater Treatment plant is located just outside of the Town Limits off of Highway 130. The plant is capable of treating one million gallons per day. The original plant was built in 1973, and was capable of handling 500,000 gallons per day. In 1999 the plant was upgraded to double its original capacity.

Residential Sanitation
The Town of Chadbourn contracts with Waste Management, Inc. for the collection of garbage, and yard waste for all residents of the Town of Chadbourn. One 98-gallon garbage container for each town residence. (In the event of relocation, residents are to leave the containers for the next resident.) Sanitation charges are added to the monthly water and sewer bills.

Garbage is collected on Tuesday. Leaves and limbs are collected on Monday. Waste Management will not pick up any yard waste that has other garbage mixed in.

Waste Management will not pick up:

Hazardous Materials

Construction materials, except incidental materials generated by the resident in the normal upkeep of a household.

Dirt, rocks, bricks, concrete blocks or other like materials.

Refuse from commercial tree cutters.

Debris from trees, cut by anyone, which exceeds five (5) feet in length or is saw timber of pulpwood diameter of length.

Dead animals

Tires, batteries, vehicle parts, used oil, filters, paint or any other products considered petroleum, oil or lubricant related.

Residents are responsible for disposing of the above referenced materials properly. Located about three (3) miles outside of the city limit on Grist Road the County has a recycling center for disposal of most of these items.

If you have any problems with your sanitation services, please call the town hall at 654-4148.

Commercial Sanitation
The Town of Chadbourn also contracts with Waste Management for commercial sanitation services for all businesses in town. Several sizes of dumpsters are available to suit the needs of all businesses. For more information on this service, please call the town hall at 654-4148.