Town of Batesburg-Leesville – Batesburg-Leesville Water Regionalization
After almost two decades of water supply issues, the Town of Batesburg-Leesville partnered with the Joint Municipal Water and Sewer Commission to link its water system to the JMWSC system through the installation of a 12-mile pipe. The partnership also allowed for future expansion into more rural areas of western Lexington County.
With its rapid population, the town needed to find a new water source other than its existing town pond. An engineering firm undertook a study on options for a new water source in 2019, and town council opted to link its system to JMWSC, providing a sustainable water source while saving residents and the town money.
Initial funding came from the town’s enterprise fund, as well as $10 million for SC Infrastructure Investment Program/American Rescue Plan Act funding and $4.25 million in Emerging Contaminants funds. The town commissioned the contractor in December 2023, with a completion date projected for late 2025.
Contact Jay Hendrix at jhendrix@batesburg-leesville.org or 803.413.7934.
City of Beaufort – Safe Living Beaufort
In June 2023, the Beaufort Police Department embarked on a metadata analysis of “shots fired” calls for service. Findings indicated that many of the incidents involved two particular multi-housing complexes. Using this data, the department established the Safe Living Beaufort Initiative, which aims to foster better relations between residents and the police department, and nurture safe environments for families to thrive.
Through careful data analysis and pertinent communication with residents and property managers, Beaufort police improved its training and enforcement efforts, including training officers in multi-housing crime prevention. Adding a staffed substation along with frequent patrolling, K-9 patrols, and increased community engagement through meetings and events have all benefited in the reduction of crime. From September 2023 to January 2024, calls for service decreased by 99%.
Funding came from the police department’s budget the city’s general fund and the parks and tourism fund. The City of Beaufort funded training and certification of its officers in multi-housing crime-free policing.
Contact Kathleen Williams at kwilliams@cityofbeaufort.org or 843.470.3508.
Town of Bethune – Law Enforcement Partnership
Like many small towns, Bethune faced challenges in hiring and retaining police officers. A major hurdle identified by town council was that the town’s budget lacked the funding necessary to provide for new officers while meeting the requirements of Act 218 of 2022, which mandates minimum standards for law enforcement agencies.
Mayor Susan Holley researched innovative policing solutions, and met with Kershaw County Sheriff Lee Boan about the possibility of an intergovernmental agreement. After consulting with appropriate legal counsel, the town dissolved its fledgling police department and entered into an intergovernmental agreement with the sheriff for regular policing.
Funding for the sheriff’s law enforcement services comes out of the town’s general municipal operating budget, which covers hourly rates plus additional contracted services. Training, equipment, liability and insurance coverage is provided by the Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office, alleviating the town of that financial burden. Through this partnership, Bethune residents now have a consistent law enforcement presence and a greater sense of safety.
Contact Susan Holley at bethunetownhall@shtc.net or 843.334.6238.
Town of Bluffton – Reimagining Police Culture – Bluffton Police Department’s Comprehensive Community Program
The Bluffton Police Department’s comprehensive, long-running Community Program helps mitigate issues before they escalate to criminal activity or other problems. Capitalizing on the success of the initiative, the department now offers 13 different outreach programs tailored for various groups of residents from young people to special-needs individuals. The BPD added two new programs to its roster in 2023: domestic violence outreach and Blessings for Bluffton, which connects financially distressed families with necessities and resources.
The department evaluates program effectiveness each year and takes community feedback, which recently led to it hiring a new mental health community advocate.
The BPD also aims to reduce crime by mitigating the root cause; establish a connection between the department, individuals and community groups; and cultivate an environment of mutual trust. In 2023, the department assisted 134 individuals with 211 follow-up visits. Funding comes from multiple sources for each tier of the program. The town partnered with a nonprofit to provide a tax-deductible means of donation, and donations from residents have so far exceeded $160,000.
Contact Debbie Szpanka at dszpanka@townofbluffton.com or 843.540.2274.
City of Cayce – Cayce Community Tool Shed
Cayce’s code enforcement efforts faced code violations ranging from unkept yards to structure violations. Talking to residents, staff found that many violations were from renter-occupied homes, and most were inhabited by elderly or single parents with little to no access to the tools needed to address problems. Researching solutions, the city realized that the problem was larger than first thought, as entire neighborhoods needed proper tools and assistance.
Staff acquired a trailer to house a tool shed, allowing for easy transportation of tools to neighborhoods and community cleanup events. They set rules for loaning tools, and the code enforcement team obtained a $10,000 sponsorship of the trailer. Other sponsors included Lowe’s of West Columbia, Martin Marietta, The Graphics Source, and The Carter Insurance Group, who sponsored tools and the wrapping for the shed.
As a mobile and collaborative effort, the Cayce Tool Shed shows how creative solutions can help solve common community-wide problems.
Contact Amanda Rowan at arowan@caycesc.gov or 803.550.9520.
Town of Chapin – Chapin PD Chief Connection – Strengthening Communities through Proactive Social Engagement
Although it is a small, eight-officer department with a limited budget, the Chapin Police Department wanted to proactively engage its community. Led by Police Chief Thomas Griffin, the department sought to forge relationships with residents using inexpensive, readily available tools like social media.
Projects included a recruitment video, new officer-designed badges, and the launch of the Greater Chapin Business Watch, which are ongoing information-sharing sessions, and a Fall Night Out event. Chief Griffin also developed an innovative “Virtual Ride Along” on Facebook, using in-vehicle cameras on under-construction roads to give residents a first-hand look at new routes and traffic patterns.
The cost to stage these events was less than $300, drawn from the department’s annual budget. The Greater Chapin Chamber of Commerce partnered with the department for the Greater Chapin Business Watch, the SC Department of Transportation assisted with the Virtual Ride Along and a private video firm helped produce the recruitment video.
Contact Nicholle Burroughs at nburroughs@chapinsc.com or 803.667.0958.
City of Clinton – Revitalization of Clinton
Once a thriving mill town, Clinton had historically been home to two successful mill operations, with the Clinton Cotton Mill dating to 1896 and the Lydia Cotton Mill to 1902. When the mills closed in 2001, many of the out-of-work employees and their families moved away from the city. The neighborhoods which had been built to house this population were largely abandoned. Since many of the houses were condemned, the city initiated its revitalization efforts by demolishing dilapidated homes, wanting to clean and beautify its neighborhoods, and in doing so, entice developers to the area.
The city aims to keep demolition costs low by using its own. Since the start of the initiative in the early 2000s, the city has removed more than 150 dilapidated homes, and is working to acquire vacant lots for potential development.
Contact Ashley Rochester at arochester@cityofclintonsc.com or 864.200.4505.
City of Columbia – Rapid Shelter Columbia
The idea of Rapid Shelter Columbia came from the need to address the housing crisis for Columbia’s chronically unsheltered population. After researching pallet shelter villages on the West Coast and weighing recommendations from a council-appointed task force, the city created Rapid Shelter Columbia, a pallet shelter village of 50 individualized, non-congregated pallet shelters. It also hired full-time staff and initiated partnerships with providers.
The first of its kind in the Southeast, the facility uses a holistic approach to assisting clients, first by securing shelter through a “housing-first” approach, followed by essential resources like food and water, and finally support and services like basic health care and mental health services. Aftercare support is available for those transitioning into permanent housing.
Funding came through a portion of the city’s American Rescue Plan Act funds supplemented by the general fund. Of the 577 referrals received in the first year, the facility admitted 217 individuals. Of those, 40 were permanently housed and received aftercare support services.
Contact Kameisha Heppard at kameisha.heppard@columbiasc.gov or 803.561.6717.
Town of Estill – Town of Estill Project Hope
Without a police department building of its own, the Town of Estill received a General Assembly appropriation to build one after new Chief of Police Chauncey Solomon Sr. determined it to be a top priority. After determining costs through competitive bidding and obtaining council approval Chief Solomon and Town Administrator Tiffany Hooks requested funding through Estill’s state legislative delegation, and the town received $1.5 million.
The 4,500-square-foot facility will house a training room, conference room, evidence room, police bullpen, victim advocate’s office, physical training area and lobby. The facility will have dedicated space to keep temporarily incarcerated individuals out of public areas and a safe space for crime victims, and will allow for community safety meetings and in-house training of officers.
The project will be the first freestanding police station in Hampton County. As the town aims to promote new business and employment opportunities, it will require the construction company to hire a certain percentage of its workers for the project from Estill and Hampton County.
Contact Tiffany Cooks at tcooks@townofestill.sc.gov or 803.346.9347.
City of Forest Acres – Gills Creek Memorial Park
Forest Acres sought to transform a condemned piece of property along Gills Creek, flooded during the October 2015 floods, into a vibrant memorial park, fulfilling a vision it had pursued for over two decades. The project involved resident lobbying and community involvement, the addition of 45 parking spaces, and the replacement of a damaged bridge in partnership with the SC Department of Transportation.
The park features a memorial garden for fallen Forest Acres police officers, a boardwalk and fishing dock, a performance area, a splash pad and a walking path. The repurposing of this underutilized land into public greenspace helps enhance quality of life for Forest Acres residents and visitors.
Funding for Gills Creek Memorial Park came from hospitality tax funds and $3 million in American Rescue Act funds. The state allocated $1 million toward the bridge replacement, while Richland County contributed $600,000 towards more sustainable traffic flow on Forest Drive.
Contact Shaun Greenwood at sgreenwood@forestacres.net or 803.917.7001.
City of Gaffney – Glymph Memorial Garden
Receiving a grant from the SC Humanities Council, the City of Gaffney set out to create a plan for an outdoor memorial garden and museum. It selected a landscape architect firm, and accepted bids once the design was selected.
Built in the Gaffney’s historic core commercial district on land once used by Black-owned businesses, Glymph Memorial Garden is named after Clarence L. Glymph Sr., who operated Glymph’s Grocery from 1920 to 1961 and who promoted college education and home ownership in his community, the memorial garden celebrates Gaffney’s Black residents and the lasting legacy of its Black business owners. A 100-foot mural designed by muralist Jamile Steele showcases the district’s businesses and occupants.
Funding for the memorial gardens was provided through a grant from the SC Humanities Council, the City of Gaffney through American Rescue Plan Act funds, and the sale of commemorative bricks.
Contact James Taylor at jtaylor@cityofgaffney-sc.gov or 864.487.6247.
City of Greer – The Platform at Greer – Building an Entrepreneurship Ecosystem
The City of Greer identified a need for a start-up space to facilitate innovation and connect its entrepreneurs to the local and statewide business ecosystem. It established the Platform at Greer to foster creativity and innovation by hosting three recurring events: The Huddle, IGNITE Greer, and The Bootcamp. Focusing on market validation, a means of determining a product’s viability, the Platform at Greer works in partnership with other Upstate Entrepreneurial Ecosystem members like GVL Starts and Village Launch.
In 2023, 1,400 entrepreneurs benefited from the Platform. Four of these received startup funding through the SC Research Authority, and more than 10 entrepreneurs connected with large manufacturers in Greer. The Platform Bootcamp will serve the 16th cohort in 2024. A strong monthly attendance for both The Huddle and IGNITE Greer also boosts engagement, averaging around 50 entrepreneurs per session.
Funding is provided through the private sector, grants and local government. The project is managed using a core group of advisors comprising both the public and private sectors.
Contact Reno Deaton at jdeaton@cityofgreer.org or 864.416.0126.
City of Hartsville – Heart of the Holiday Festival
Seeing a need for a three-day holiday event to support local businesses in advance of the busy holiday season, and aiming to address Hartsville’s lack of a major annual festival in recent years, the City of Hartsville created the Heart of the Holiday Festival. Taking place the weekend before Thanksgiving, it expanded upon an existing single-day shopping event into three days of downtown.
The festival began on Thursday night with the popular Downtown Open House and Centennial Tree Lighting Celebration, attended by 15,000 participants. On Friday night, the sold-out Heart of the Holidays Wine and Art Walk welcomed 150 ticket holders and additional shoppers to 18 wine stops and offered extended-hour shopping. Saturday morning featured the free Children’s Carnival and Craft Show event which brought 3,000 people downtown, and the festival culminated with Saturday night’s Holiday Ball. The volunteer-staffed festival drew 20,000 participants.
Contact Michelle Byers Brown at michelle.brown@hartsvillesc.gov or 843.799.7584.
Town of Hilton Head Island – Adaptive Traffic Signal Management System Project
Challenged by traffic delays and ongoing congestion, the Town of Hilton Head Island wanted to reduce travel times for commuters onto the island. After researching the issue, the town decided on an adaptive traffic signal management system. It partnered with the SC Department of Transportation and Beaufort County to update 25 outdated traffic signals with this technology.
By linking its traffic signals to communicate with each other, the town succeeded in relieving congestion. The initial study of the adaptive system’s effectiveness indicated a 15% reduction in vehicle delays and the emissions that come with them.
Funding for this $3.1 million project came from an intergovernmental agreement between the town and Beaufort County using traffic impact fees paid by developers on Hilton Head Island collected by the county. In addition to using a competitive bid process, the town implemented many cost-saving measures and even created a new position dedicated to managing the adaptive system.
Contact James Iwanicki at jimi@hiltonheadislandsc.gov or 843.341.4774.
Town of Kershaw – Stepping Up Downtown with First Steps
Looking to solve the problem of insufficient childcare in an area known as a “childcare desert,” and to find a tenant for a historic bank building in its downtown, the Town of Kershaw worked to renovate the structure so it could house a First Steps program.
After purchasing the building for $100,000, the town undertook a fundraising campaign to meet the $1.45 million construction budget. Funding partnerships with the Arras Foundation, John T. Stevens Foundation, Oceana Gold, the Springs Close Foundation, the SC Department of Education, and First Steps created the means to open the facility by late summer of 2023. Additional funding through the Lancaster County’s Capital Sales Tax program will provide the $1 million necessary for future renovations of the second floor.
The project has contributed to the effort to bring renewed life to downtown Kershaw, with building occupancy now approaching 100%.
Contact John Douglas at john.douglas@townofkershawsc.gov or 803.475.6065.
City of Lake City – Water System Improvements
After the SC Department of Health and Environmental Control compliance evaluation inspections concluded deficiencies in the 50-year-old Lake City Wastewater Treatment Plant, the city set out to replace or repair its older equipment.
The city enlisted an engineering consultant to secure the necessary permits and leverage funding. The overall $10 million budget came from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund, administered SC DHEC with joint funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the state of South Carolina. Funding also included a forgivable loan from the State Revolving Fund Program, the Florence County penny sales tax, and a construction loan that will be converted into a U.S. Department of Rural Development loan.
The project includes upgrades to aging equipment and infrastructure and the construction of the new water treatment lab. With more upgrades coming, the city is exploring funding opportunities for projects including stormwater upgrades and a $13.8 million grant application to address flood mitigation.
Contact Donna Tracy at dtracy@cityoflakecity.org or 843.374.5421.
City of Landrum – Landrum Farmers Market Pavilion & Market Square
For over 20 years, the City of Landrum’s Farmers Market took place on a closed off-street that lacked parking and shelter. Realizing a need for a facility to house the farmers market, also allow more space for vendors and offer ample parking, the city council appointed a planning committee including vendors, performing artists and downtown businesses, to make project recommendations.
A vacant site was acquired from an owner a decaying shopping center, which had two outparcels that the city purchased at a discount. Using hospitality tax funds and a 30-year $1.6 million bond, the over 12,000-square-foot Landrum Farmers Market Pavilion & Market Square was constructed.
In addition to housing the Landrum Farmers Market, the city’s marketing and tourism director uses the pavilion for other events including a Summer Music Concert series and the annual Quilt Show. Private groups can rent the event space, and rental revenue supports operational costs, with a small percentage reinvested into additional equipment and furnishings.
Contact Richard Caplan at rich.caplan@cityoflandrumsc.com or 864.457.3000.
City of Laurens – Solid Waste Removal Service
When a third-party waste removal service backed out its contract with the City of Laurens, city officials were left to pivot and quickly come up with a new solution for trash collection. Calling on its Streets and Sanitation Department to help out, the city leaders divided Laurens into four quadrants and purchased trash collecting trucks to serve each quadrant. The department bought small trucks, which worked well with the department’s staff, most of whom did not have commercial driver’s licenses. The city also made renovations to the City of Laurens Recycling Convenience Center.
Funding for the trucks came from a capital lease purchase, and funding for the recycling center remodel came from a revenue bond.
The small Streets and Sanitation department and city administration worked together to not only fulfill a dire need, but did so with limited service interruptions to residents, and managed to save the city money with city-managed, fuel-efficient vehicles.
Contact Hunter Holmes at hholmes@cityoflaurenssc.com or 864.923.6569.
Town of Lexington – 10-Year Strategic Plan Makes for a Safer Town of Lexington
In 2014, the Lexington Police Department used a two-day strategic planning session to define its shared goals and objectives. In this process, Police Chief Terrence Green, along with command staff, supervisors and officers collaborated to rewrite the department’s mission, vision and values, and to define the department’s four strategic goals while assigning objectives and follow-up accountability plans.
Because of the department’s efforts since that time, the Town of Lexington has improved its reputation for safety. Property crimes have fallen by 25%, assisted by improved patrols and data usage, and police respond to calls within 10 minutes 80% of the time.
The department continues to hold half-day follow-up sessions every six months to debrief on goal progress. Annual two-day strategic planning sessions allow department staff to delve deeper into discussions, voice concerns and make suggestions. These ongoing meetings are funded through the town’s operating budget.
Contact Terrence Green at tgreen@lexsc.com or 803.359.6260.
Town of Lyman – The Lyman Centennial Celebration
A once flourishing mill town, Lyman historically served as a location for the Pacific Mills company. The mill’s development brought over 375 homes, jobs, a school and library — all of which supported town activities. For its 100th anniversary, the town created a two-day Centennial Celebration in November 2023 to honor the mill’s legacy and the future of the site, and to bring together current and former residents.
The town established a centennial planning committee and budget for the effort, and the committee sought input from community members and town staff on event ideas. A Pacific Mills Reunion lunch honored former mill workers. The town allocated $65,000 for the event through its hospitality budget. It also sought donations, event venues and items for the reunion from businesses.
The Town of Lyman is currently working towards developing the former Pacific Mills site as a mixed-use structure.
Contact Madison Workman at zoning@lymansc.gov or 864.978.3490.
City of Manning – An “IT” Renaissance in Downtown Manning
Wanting to contribute to the revitalization of its historic downtown, the City of Manning decided to purchase and renovate a key downtown asset — the former Alderman’s 20 Stores in One building which later became a Belk Department Store. Built in 1919, this two-story, 30,000-square-foot building served as Manning’s first department store and housed the first elevator in the area.
The city purchased the building in 2015 for $350,000. It was also marketing the area’s assets to retailers and developers at this time, which ultimately led Provalus, an IT outsourcing company with approximately 50 employees, to reach out to the city and ultimately occupy the building.
Funding for the $1.5 million project came from Clarendon County Business Development Corporation, Clarendon County, the state of South Carolina, and the City of Manning. Provalus estimates that it will expand its workforce to about 300 employees by 2025.
Contact Scott Tanner at stanner@cityofmanning.org or 803.825.9008.
City of Mauldin – Bridgeway Station and Pedestrian Bridge
The pedestrian-focused, mixed-used Bridgeway Station development, emerged from a public/private partnership between the City of Mauldin and Hughes Investments. The first of its kind for the Upstate, its plan incorporates apartments, offices, shops and restaurants, and a pedestrian bridge crossing I-385 to allow for greater foot traffic by connecting with an existing trail, which will eventually connect to the Swamp Rabbit Trail network.
To make Bridgeway Station a reality, the city and developer established a multi-county industrial park for public infrastructure funding, supported by both Greenville County and the Greenville County School District.
Funding for the over $100 million project came through private investments secured by Hughes Investments. The city used a revenue bond for the pedestrian bridge, costing just over $5 million. The estimated tax revenue benefit will reach approximately $2.5 million at project completion, with an estimated 10,000 jobs created.
Contact Seth Duncan at sduncan@mauldincitysc.com or 864.289.8890.
Town of Moncks Corner – Moncks Corner Small Business Outreach
After surveying its small business owners, the Town of Moncks Corner sought to make more business resources, information and marketing readily available to local businesses.
The town created an American Rescue Plan Act-funded grant program in 2023 to focus on external improvements for businesses, and the town’s social media profiles showcased all recipients. The town also used ARPA funds to create “how-to” videos covering the steps new businesses need to take to get established. Finally, the town created a Business Spotlight Facebook Live series, interviewing business owners about themselves and why they have selected Moncks Corner as their location. These segments garnered anywhere between 5,000 to 32,000 viewers, often exceeding Monck’s Corner’s population of nearly 14,000.
Future plans for the initiative include two business symposiums slated for this year. These will address small business needs like financial services, marketing, strategic planning, employee management and human resources basics, and will offer networking among businesses and service providers.
Contact Rebecca Vetter at r.vetter@monckscornersc.gov or 843.719.7962.
City of Myrtle Beach – World War II Memorial
Lacking a proper World War II memorial to commemorate its 50-year military history and its veterans, the City of Myrtle Beach decided to locate a new memorial at Warbird Park in The Market Common — a site that was the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base until 1993.
City council sought bids from architecture firms to determine how to best deliver on its vision for honoring the veterans of World War II and all foreign wars. The city’s infrastructure team was instrumental during the design phase and met weekly to review construction and to select construction materials, receiving input from national veterans’ groups and other stakeholders. Within three months of breaking ground, the memorial opened in time for Veterans Day in November 2023.
Funding for the $1.1 million project came from the city and the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base Redevelopment Authority. Another $7,000 was raised for a marker commemorating the 11 World War II veterans who attended the opening ceremony.
Contact Meredith Denari at mdenari@cityofmyrtlebeach.com or 502.644.0571.
City of North Augusta – City of North Augusta Material Recovery Facility
A massive fire in 2021 destroyed most of the City of North Augusta’s Material Recovery Facility, so the city named building a new structure as a high priority. City leadership wanted move towards a “clean MRP” facility allowing for separate stream recyclables as well as the ability to serve surrounding cities, counties and private sanitation companies, all while upgrading from manual to automatic processes. This would require a new kind of building with more equipment.
Using funding from the SC Municipal Insurance and Risk Financing Fund, the effort minimized expenses by using competitive bidding and internal labor, and it sourced equipment from local businesses that had closed.
With the new MRF online, the city reinstated its recycling program, which had stopped in January 2020. The facility now processes local trash and recycling as well as materials from surrounding municipalities and counties. The city will seek bids fora transfer station in 2024.
Contact James Clifford at jclifford@northaugustasc.gov or 803.441.4202.
City of Seneca – The Fifth Quarter – Our Youth, Our Future
In 2021, City of Seneca leadership received feedback from parents of local high school students that those students lacked a good place to socialize after high school football and basketball games. City leaders, along with the Seneca Police Department and input from Seneca High School administrative staff, established a Fifth Quarter task force to develop a fun and safe environment for students after sporting events. An unobtrusive police presence at these events allows for communication and relationship building between the department and the city’s young people.
The city uses its existing resources to support the events. Its recreation complex provides a safe and familiar venue, staff from the recreation department manage the events, and police provide monitoring. Area business partners such as Ingles and 313 Café provided food and snacks while local residents donated additional funds and resources to support the initiative. The events have proven popular with the students and school administration alike.
Contact Deborah Williams at dwilliams@seneca.sc.us or 864.888.0880.
Town of St. Matthews – Community Involvement
In efforts to engage its residents in community events, the Town of St. Matthews has organized events throughout the year targeted at participants of every age. The town has sponsored Bingo nights, movie nights organized by the police department and a Community Day planned by the fire department. It has launched a Veterans Honor Day as well as a Cancer Walk, has organized a town softball game, and produced a Western Night that featured dancing and a “rock snake” painting competition, where the line of 1,274 painted rocks won the challenge against the Town of Elloree.
The initiative successfully brought together numerous residents and local organizations. Donations for gifts and prizes came from local area businesses, while additional event funding came from the town’s budget. Building off of the enthusiastic response to the first year of events in 2023, the Town of St. Matthews plans to continue most of the events annually.
Contact Rosyl Warren at townofstmatthews@windstream.net or 803.874.2405.
City of Sumter – Turning the City Inside Out
The City of Sumter faced issues of high turnover rates and low work fulfillment among its staff. In 2020, Mayor David Merchant challenged proposed staff leaders to find ways to better support employees in their personal lives, boosting morale and performance at work — a focus that could lead to better service for residents.
To meet this challenge, the city introduced the Arbinger’s Developing and Implementing an Outward Mindset training program. Funding for the project came out of the city’s general fund and trainers are current staff members, helping to reduce costs.
Training sessions are recurring with classes taking place most months. Participating city staff members have reported improvement in their personal life goals and their job skills, and now more than half of city employees have gone through the training. Given the positive response, the city will continue providing the training sessions and will introduce an advanced level as well.
Contact Shelley Kile at skile@sumtersc.gov or 803.795.2463.
Town of Timmonsville – Town of Timmonsville Revitalization
Aiming to make Timmonsville more appealing, attractive and safer, the town’s mayor, town administrator and chief of police undertook a goal planning session to identify projects to pursue with support through American Rescue Plan Act funds, grants, state funds and the Florence County penny sales tax.
The town completed beautification and structural improvement projects including painting, roof replacements and installation of new awnings of town-owned buildings along Main Street. Some senior residents received roof replacements for their homes, two town parks had their courts resurfaced and several streets received resurfacing. The town formed a new partnership with the Pee Dee Regional Transportation Authority for a new transit service in Timmonsville. The police department new, fully equipped vehicles and equipment, and the town purchased 11 acres of land slated for new housing. Additional funding helped promote town events including the Taste of Timmonsville, Cops in the Park, Gospel in the Park and the Christmas Festival.
Contact Thomas McFadden at thomasm@timmonsville.org or 843.319.7115.
City of West Columbia – Closing a Life Saving Service Gap Through Intergovernmental Partnerships
Facing the demands of a growing population, the City of West Columbia and the West Columbia Fire Department sought to improve emergency medical services response times and to provide more advanced life support services to its residents by equipping the fire department with prehospital care skills. Through data analysis and planning, the city council, city leadership and the fire department secured grants through the Federal Emergency Management Agency for initial paramedic staffing, and a millage increase by city council to fund new firefighter/paramedic positions.
Additional funding came through the South Carolina workforce scholarship for cross-training and cost-sharing through the Apprenticeship Carolina program. With these funding streams, the city bridged service gaps by offering more advanced medical care and life-saving prehospital treatment administered by the fire department. These efforts have aligned with the city’s strategic vision of fostering county-wide partnerships leading to faster EMS response times, greater cardiac arrest survival rates, and more advanced treatment for critical conditions.
Contact Marquis Solomon at msolomon@westcolumbiasc.gov or 803.873.1335.
City of Woodruff – Woodruff Renaissance
Aiming to strengthen the community for its present and future residents and to avoid becoming merely a bedroom community, the City of Woodruff sought to attract new housing developments, jobs and greater investment in its downtown.
The city installed a five-mile section of sewer along Highway 101, serving the area’s parcels and attracting the attention of developers. Since 2016, the city has added 4,000 single family homes. The $1 billion of new investments in recent years have also included land purchased to build a new sports complex, a new high school and the arrival of BMW’s Woodruff Electric Vehicle Battery Assembly plant, an impactful economic development project which will provide at least 300 jobs. Partners for these efforts have included the nonprofit OneSpartanburg Inc. and Spartanburg County.
City council also created a new zoning ordinance to help facilitate these efforts and future projects, which will add affordable housing and new roads.
Contact Lee Bailey at lbailey@cityofwoodruff.com or 864.415.9573.