BAMBERG COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR

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FOUNDED: 1897

LAND MASS: 393 SQ. MILES

POPULATION: 14,275

•  Supervise 119 employees
• Manage a $24,975 million annual budget and $8.5 million in building projects
• Achievements include:
   
  • Promote Bamberg County, both nationally and internationally, to potential developers to attract new business and more jobs
  • Offer  ongoing training and professional development for employees in personal  finance, computer technology, and retirement planning
  • Continue to upgrade County’s Information Technology while utilizing IT more effectively throughout County departments
  • Ongoing  improvement and enhancement of local fire departments, including  advanced training, enhancing facilities and equipment, and upgrading  fire trucks significantly pas life expectancy, safety, and usefulness
  • Currently  renovating former Bamberg County Hospital building to include upgraded  and improved facilities for the following public services: Law  Enforcement Center, Health Department, Department of Social Services,  U.S. Health and Human Services, Emergency Operations Center, Voter  Registration and Election Commission satellite office
  • Worked with hospital board to remove Bamberg Hospital from bankruptcy
  • Successfully  supervised the response to 6 presidentially declared emergencies,  receiving over $1.1 million in reimbursements to date
     
    • COVIC-19 pandemic, 2020 (FEMA-3470-EM-SC)
    • Severe Storms and Flooding, Feb. 202 (FEMA-4479-DR-SC)
    • Hurricane Irma, 2017 (FEMA-4346-DR-SC; $12,307.08) 
    • Hurricane Matthew, 2016 (FEMA-4286-DR-SC; $149,328.40)
    • Thousand-Year Flood, 2015 (FEMA-4241-DR-SC; $114,113.87)
    • Ice storm, 2014 (FEMA-4166-DR-SC; $896,662.73)
       
  • Coordinated  effort to identify all disaster clean-up expenditures reimbursed by  FEMA after County sought and received their assistance, thereby  improving County cash flow
  • Earned  Unqualified Audit for the past 5 consecutive years; prior to this  administration, Bamberg County had never earned an unqualified audit
  • Developed  creative methods to obtain financing to repay money due to other funds  to prevent Bamberg county from claiming bankruptcy in 2012 and to  improved cash flow
  • Examined and reconciled delinquent tax accounts; improved delinquent tax collections by implementing updated tax posting process
  • Improved  the County’s budget process to include general, special revenue, debt  service, and capital projects funds rather than one general fund with  all County functions combined
  • Obtained first ever Standard and Poor’s credit rating and earned an A rating, the highest rating for a county its size
  • Saved the County $1.2 million in interest payments by refinancing bonds to reduce the interest rate from 8.875% to 3.933%
  • Improved cash flow through adequate budgeting of revenues and proper expenditure planning
  • Enhanced County’s efforts to apply for grant funds; successfully administrated over $5 million in grant funds since FY14
  • Increased general fund balance from $369,712 in FY12 to $3,309,287 in FY19 (an increase of $2.030 million)
  •  Increased financial detail provided to county Council via a monthly financial report
  • For  the first time, became compliant with SC’s Unclaimed Property Act,  returned $37,000 to citizens, and sent remainder of unclaimed property  to the State Treasurer’s office
  • Established and implemented various internal controls to enhance fiscal accountability and transparency
  • Created and implemented fund balance, personnel, purchasing, FOIA, and unclaimed property policies 
  • Implemented and managed $4.405,727 Capital Project Sales Tax to complete multiple capital improvement projects
  • Obtained control of State C-Funds, allowed for County to pave and maintain County roads
  • Completed and implemented C-Fund Road Committee Plan
  • Conducted countywide road inventory; implemented road maintenance tracking system
  • Conducted Fuel Audit of County’s diesel and regular fuel usage to improve cost and efficiency
  • Reviewed County fee structure for Rural Fire, EMS, Landfill, Roads, and Building Permits
  • Rural  Fire – Resolved deficit from prior years, current levy covers ongoing  operations; implemented a funding plan for fire truck maintenance and  replacement
  • Planned and obtained financing for new Rivers Bridge Fire Station, currently under construction
  • EMS- completed E911 upgrade in Fall of 2015, 80% of which the State paid for with the remainder funded by telephone tariff funds
  • Landfill – implemented Solid Waste Fee in FY14; adjusted tipping fees in FY16 based on regional survey
  • Prepared 5-Year Capital Improvement Plan for fleet and heavy equipment
  • Replaced and/or upgraded much of the worn-out heavy equipment and fleet used by Road Maintenance and Landfill
  • Replaced  equipment and entire fleet for Sheriff’s Department and Detention  Center that was significantly past life expectancy, safety and  usefulness
  • Implemented upgraded mosquito control program, applying for and administering grant funds for the expanded control program
  • Installed a new Landfill Operations site to replace former deteriorated structure
  • Initiated  the creation of award-winning Keep Bamberg county Beautiful (KBCB) and  County Litter Enforcement with the following achievements:
• Serve as model for surrounding counties
• Renovated  and restored building and property in historic district for local and  regional KAB programs and Litter Enforcement office
• Awarded  over $480,000 in grant funding from PalmettoPride, DHEC, and Keep  America Beautiful, the most grant funding for a County its size in this  category
• Assisted  with planting more than 300 trees and shrubs throughout the county,  removal of over 75,000 pounds of litter from roadways, boat landings,  and public right-of-ways
• Significantly increased volunteer hours, which reduces costs to County for litter cleanup and beautification
• Conducted study to determine optimal open-hours at Landfill Drop-Off sites
• Implemented expanded recycling options at all Recycling and Convenience sites
   
• Improved and amended the Multi-County Industrial Park Agreement between Bamberg, Allendale, Hampton, and Barnwell Counties
• Expanded local industry with over $29.8 million in industry investments and 507 new jobs created between 2012-2020
• Recruited  investor to purchase the Heritage Shopping Center; collaborated with  investor, Southern Carolina Alliance, to recruit grocery store for the  city of Bamberg
• Successfully  worked with the IRS to remove liens and obtain ownership of several  tax-delinquent properties in downtown Bamberg that were destroyed by a  major fire in March 2019; supervised site cleanup to remove the blighted  buildings and proceed with a plan for downtown revitalization
• Began restoration of Historic Bamberg county Library/Former county Council Chamber
• Coordinated  the recognition and installation of a historic marker identifying and  recognizing the historic significance of the Bamberg County Historic  Courthouse
• Began  planning the renovation and installation of a historic marker  identifying and recognizing the historic significance of the Bamberg  county Historic Courthouse
• Began planning the renovation of Kearse Building/Clemson Extension Offices
• Developed a master plan for the Ness Recreation Complex
• Developed  a master plan for the state’s first African American and Bamberg county  History Museum for the County Seat and City of Bamberg
• Designed  and constructed the state’s first Veterans Memorial Walking Trail,  recognizing and commemorating all branches of the military, including  the Merchant Marines and Carlisle Military School
• Built  a new courthouse annex complex to meet the needs and space requirements  of county staff who had previously been overcrowded in a deteriorated  building with antiquated electrical and technological capabilities
• Planned  historic courthouse restoration and renovations for general sessions,  family, probate, and clerk of courts, and the office of the public  defender
• Planned method of financing for historic courthouse restoration and renovation
• Initiated a Wage & Compensation Plan to make Bamberg county a more competitive employer
• Evaluated municipal detainee rate for Detention Center and negotiated necessary rates
• Overhauled  the county detention center’s management and operations to improve  healthcare, security, and food services, while optimizing the center’s  finances and updated the infrastructure
• Collaborated  with Denmark Technical College, members of the General Assembly, and  local leaders to obtain funding to keep Denmark Technical College open,  the state’s only two-year historically black college, after the State  Technical College board recommended closure

FOUNDED: 1826

LAND MASS: 757 SQ. MILES

POPULATION: 202,558

• Supervised 900+ employees
• Managed a $150 million annual budget and $170 million in building projects
• Improved Standard and Poor’s county bond rating to AA+, the highest rating for a county its size in South Carolina
• Created approximately $3 billion dollars in new capital investments and over 7,100 jobs
• Collaborated  with other local officials to lure Freedom Weekend Aloft (the second  largest hot air balloon festival in the county) to Anderson County  (1999-2007)
• Initiated  the first annual Great southeast Balloon Fest and helped Anderson  County to be recognized as the site for the U.S. National Hot Air  Ballooning championship for seven years (2007)
• Implemented  the necessary leadership and vision to earn (from 1996-2009) the  Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from  the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA)
• Earned Excellence in Budget Presentation Award from GFOA (2005)
• Anderson Sports and Entertainment Center received the Governor’s Cup as the best tourism attraction in the state (2005)
• Collaborated  with Clemson University Area Transit System and the City of Anderson to  created an innovative, fare-free, regional, transportation system,  which connected the heart of the city of Anderson with four local  colleges and five municipalities
• Honored  with the “Barrett Lawrimore Memorial Regional Cooperation Award,” given  by the South Carolina Association of counties for regional  transportation system
• Spearheaded  local initiative to obtain the National Civic League’s “All America  City” Award, allowing Anderson to become the first South Carolina county  to win the honor, which was only given to ten communities nationwide  whose government, private, and nonprofit sectors worked together to  solve problems (2000)
• Won  the South Carolina Association of Counties’” J. Mitchell Graham Award”  for tow consecutive years, which was presented annually to the county  that exhibits excellence in governmental performance
• Oversaw  the construction of Anderson County’s $100 million sewer  infrastructure, its library system, which consisted of $19 million in  new buildings and improvements, and the development of $2.5 million in  county parks
• Other notable completed construction projects include:
   
  • $2.81 million Law Enforcement Center and Annex$3.82 million in improvements to the Health Department
  • $3.47 million DSS Building and maintenance
  • $3.82 million in improvements to the Health Department
  • $12.73 million Airport Business Park
  • $1 million courthouse annex with improvements to the Anderson County Historic Courthouse
  • $41.5 million in various other construction and improvements throughout Anderson County
  • $3.2 million animal Shelter and Low-Cost Spay and Neuter Clinic
  • $1.2 million in renovations to the Ronald Townsend Government Building
  • $1.5  million renovation to the former McCants School Building, currently  housing Meals on Wheels, Senior Solutions, and other community programs
  • $915,000 Community Center at Broadway Lake
     
• Assisted with establishment of the downtown Arts and Cultural District, which includes the placement of the following:     
  • The Anderson County Main Library
  • The Anderson County Museum
  • The Farmer’s Market and open-air Market Pavilion
  • The Convention and Visitors Bureau, located in the Arts Warehouse, which are anchors for the Arts and Cultural District
• Developed and implemented Anderson County logo

• Supervised 425+ employees
• Managed a $40 million budget, establishing positive revenue and little to no outstanding debt by 1995
• Fully funded the Public Defender’s office
• Expanded recreational facilities, garbage collection, and curbside recycling program
• Collaborated  with Union, Laurens, Newberry Counties in South Carolina and with North  Carolina Counties to create a regional solid waste transfer facility
• Cherokee county recognized by South Carolina Recycling Association with its first government recycling award
• Planned a 150-bed detention center and new law enforcement center
• Enhanced and updated the 911/Emergency Response System
• Implemented a seven-district county voting plan
• Worked to pave more than 27 miles of 60 county roads, utilizing state C-Fund and local funding
• Facilitated the establishment of the Cherokee county Youth Complex
• Collaborated  with the County Council to develop the Peachtree Center, utilizing an  empty hospital building to provide essential services for senior  citizens
• Helped to establish the Cherokee Children’s Home for abused and neglected children
• Developed plan to create the Carolina Factory Shops off I-85
• Created and implemented Cherokee county logo