Residents in certain parts of Ridgeway can expect a visit from one of their town council members this month as the town begins a push to expand water service.

The proposed areas for expansion run from the Cedar Grove community on Hood Road to Boney Road. Also included in the plan, discussed at Thursday night’

s regular meeting of the Ridgeway Town Council, is the Smallwood Road area.

Council members will be going door-to-door in these areas, asking residents if they would be interested in hooking on, if water lines were run into these neighborhoods. Council discussed the possibility of offering reduced connection fees as well, although an exact amount was not determined at Thursday’s meeting.

The process is part of a rural development loan acquired by the town to expand water service. The town can only accept the loan, however, if there are enough customers to warrant the expansion.

Ridgeway Mayor Charlene Herring said she hopes to complete the door-to-door survey, which entails approximately 100 homes, before the end of June.

Council also gave second and final reading to an ordinance to raise the cost of water and sewer service Thursday night. The ordinance (3-1001) calls for an 8 cent increase per 1,000 gallons, and is the result of an increase in what the Town of Winnsboro charges Ridgeway for water and sewer service.

Council took the final vote on their 2010-2011 budget as well, after working last month to cut $13,000 in expenses. Council cut night security to help bring the budget in at a balanced $295,020. Council did not take up the suggestion made last month by councilman Rufus Jones that the town could save more and spend more efficiently by eliminating the police department altogether.

Council gave the first reading Thursday night of an ordinance to bring their election regulations in line with those of the county. The town recently turned over the operations of their municipal elections to the county; however, the process of appeals and challenges differs between the two entities. Currently, under Ridgeway guidelines, a challenge of election results must take place within 72 hours of the election. For the county, that period of time is one week.