The last time USCOG hosted a public administrators meeting, Greenwood County Emergency Management Coordinator George McKinney was warning about a Coronavirus that was just beginning to spread into the United States. That was March 4, 2020.

At the time McKinney was speaking, there were 60 confirmed cases of the Coronavirus in the United States, and nine known deaths. Almost all the deaths were of elderly people with underlying health conditions.

There were no known cases in South Carolina at that time, McKinney said.

“It’s a brand-new virus that we haven’t seen before. There are still a lot of unknowns,” McKinney said during the meeting.

Approximately two weeks later, the virus had exploded across the country and shutdowns began.

Fast forward about two-and-a-half years later, Upper Savannah was hosting its first public administrators lunch meeting since McKinney’s appearance as the COG is re-establishing regular meetings where administrators discuss current topics over lunch.

Approximately 20 people attended last week as Mike McCauley told them about how his consulting group can assist with the abundant funding opportunities made possible by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and the Inflation Reduction Act.

McCauley of the Watershed Consulting Group said, “the work that we are doing has the potential to impact each of your communities.”

McCauley said the consulting group offers technical assistance and help with identifying funding sources made possible by the $1.3 trillion Act signed into law in 2021.

“We have no agenda other than seeing these federal dollars come to South Carolina and get put to use,” McCauley said. “Our task in this project is to work with folks like you, your agencies, cities, towns and counties, to make sure you are aware of all the opportunities under these laws.”

He added, “If you have a project that you have been looking to get funding for, or an idea, or you are trying to build a team of partners to develop an application for one of these programs, we want to help with that.

“We can help do the research on the front end and find you a pile of money that might be able to fund a project that you have in mind.”

He said the consulting group is fully funded, therefore there are no expenses to pursue the grant opportunities beyond match requirements.

McCauley also discussed electric vehicles, indicating federal funding is available to provide charging stations along South Carolina interstates. He said grant funding is also available for community charging stations in South Carolina.

McCauley also discussed the Clean School Bus Program, which is part of the IIJA and replaces aging buses. He said the S.C. Department of Education has applied for 367 new electric buses for 45 school districts across the state. There are eligibility requirements for these competitive grants. Each of the counties in the Upper Savannah Region have school districts among the 45.

Discussion followed for several minutes after McCauley’s presentation, mostly centering on electric vehicles.

McCauley can be reached at mike@watershedconsults.com.

After the discussion, Upper Savannah Government Services Director Rick Green reminded the administrators that stormwater management grants are due to the S.C. Office of Resiliency at the end of October 2022. The grants do not require a local match.

S.C. Association of Counties Director of Governmental Affairs Kent Lesesne briefed the group about recent happenings in the S.C. Legislature.

He said while the Legislature restored the Local Government Fund which is based on county population, some rural counties lost population in the last 10 years and saw a reduction in funding. Therefore, the Rural County Stabilization Fund was established to make up some of the difference of what was lost. The funding has increased from approximately $10 million to $12 million in that Fund in 2022-23.

Lesesne also discussed legislation that disallows taxes that are disguised as user fees after three members of the General Assembly sued Greenville County over the user fees passed in 2017. The user fees were struck down by the S.C. Supreme Court.

Lesesne also discussed recent legislation to include mental injuries under South Carolina Worker’s Compensation as well as the Tax Reduction Act that was passed this summer.

 

Eighth graders from across the Upper Savannah Region got a glimpse of what is possible for their futures at the Lakelands Career Showcase at Piedmont Technical College.

Approximately 1,600 eighth graders from Brewer, Saluda, JET, Meriweather, Edgewood, Calhoun Falls, Wright, Dixie, Northside, Ware Shoals and Westview middle schools, as well as Greenwood Christian and Cambridge Academy attended the event in Greenwood on Sept. 15.

The event was organized by Western Piedmont Education Consortium Regional Career Specialist Laura Padgett, in partnership with Piedmont Tech, SC Works/Upper Savannah COG, Lakelands Home Builders Association and Vision Greenwood.

USCOG Deputy Workforce Development Director Erin Nodine assisted with the Showcase.

“Laura (Padgett) was very well-organized and we had regular meetings with all partners to keep in touch about how planning was going. This really was a team effort to make an event of this size happen,” Nodine said.

Nodine said the eighth grade is an opportune to begin reaching out to the future workforce.

“Going into the ninth grade, students have to work on what is called an IGP (Individual Graduation Plan),” she said. “During their eighth-grade year, the students take assessments and are exposed to things that could help them determine their track for high school and beyond.

“This event was an awesome opportunity for students to put their hands on something and really understand the career choices available. The assessments the students take during their eighth-grade year show them what career cluster they might best ‘match’ for out of the many options.”

These careers include Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources, Architecture and Construction, Arts, A/V Technology & Communications, Business Management & Administration, Education & Training, Finance, Government & Public Administration, Health Science, Hospitality & Tourism, Human Services, Information Technology, Law; Public Safety, Corrections & Security; Manufacturing, Marketing; Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics; and Transportation, Distribution & Logistics.

Several employers convened in the parking lot of the O’Dell Center for Manufacturing Excellence. The Be Pro Be Proud trailer displayed virtual versions of jobs such as operating a forklift, driving a truck and welding. Also included in the parking lot were an ambulance, utility trucks, concrete mixer truck, and hundreds of tools.
Local industries, businesses and agencies including Impresa Building Systems, Greenwood Genetic Center (GGC), EA Sween Company, Greenwood CPW, Greenwood Mills, Eaton, Generac, Lonza, Self Regional Healthcare, Monti Incorporated, BMW, Velux, and SC Department of Transportation set up tables inside the Medford Center.

“Of course the students are excited to be out and about, but I really think what is different about this event is it lets them be interactive and that is always exciting to see,” Nodine said.

Director of Communications at GGC Lori Bassett was pleased with the interaction she had with the students.

“There was a lot of energy in that room,” Bassett said. “It was wonderful to share our work and connect with students who are interested in the health sciences.”
She said the eighth-graders were attentive.

“Students were interested in what we do at GGC and especially how to use the lab equipment that we brought to display. The ones who stopped by our booth were respectful, attentive and interested in what we do.

“We were very encouraged that many of the students remembered us coming to their classrooms last year. They recognized the lab equipment and even our instructors. Reaching them early definitely makes a lasting impact.”

Bassett said the event was beneficial to GGC.

“These events help us to showcase the Greenwood Genetic Center and share what we do and why we do it. One of our long-term goals is to inspire students to consider the various career opportunities in genetics and maybe, one day, come and work with us. It also allows us to connect with teachers and let them know what educational offerings we have available to them and their students.”

Greenwood Mills Human Resources Director Emily Dickson was pleased with the interaction at her table.

“I enjoy showing our current students and future employees about manufacturing, our company history and what future opportunities they have right here in Greenwood,” Dickson said.

“We were impressed with the students’ interest in what our company produces and how clothing is made,” she added. “Greenwood Mills has the opportunity to inform and teach our young students who will be in the workforce one day, what skills and education they need to be able to work for a company such as ours. We can show them the benefits of working for us and encourage them to reach out when they are ready to enter the workforce.”

EA Sween Talent Acquisition Manager James Brewer was also pleased with the interaction with students.

“As a new company in the area, it was great to share who we are and why we are coming to Greenwood area, but also talk to the students about future opportunities that they will have as they move into the workforce,” Brewer said. “It’s always fun interacting with the students to let them know the opportunities they will have for careers in their future.”
Nodine said everyone likely benefitted from the Showcase.

“I think it is wonderful for companies to see the future of the workforce,” she said. “It also is a great opportunity for students to put a product or service with a name and understand there are so many opportunities out there.

“Piedmont Tech is a wonderful partner and this was a great opportunity for them to showcase their academic programs that are available to students and help students understand there are so many paths in education,” Nodine added.

 

 

The three largest Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) awards in the state from the spring 2022 infrastructure round are coming to the Upper Savannah Region.

The Department of Commerce announced 16 grant awards, totaling $15,240,868. The three coming to the Upper Savannah Region total $4.8 million. The grant awards were announced in July, but one of the projects is still pending due to an additional funding source (State Revolving Fund) that was just awarded on Aug. 18.

The Town of Ridge Spring will receive $1.7 million for sewer transmission line upgrades, Greenwood County was awarded $1.6 million for the Mathews Mill Sewer Upgrade Phase II, and Laurens County will receive $1.5 million for the Clinton-Joanna Wastewater Treatment Plant upgrade.

The next three biggest projects statewide are for $1.25 million and two for $1 million.

CDBG funds will help rehabilitate three major sections of Ridge Spring’s main sewer trunkline. A study completed in 2005 indicated excessive inflow and infiltration within the Town’s system.

Recent inspections indicated the conditions have significantly worsened. The most significant discoveries included a collapsed pipe within a creek crossing and a pipe with a rail crossing which has a substantial sag. Also, multiple areas of infiltration and potential inflow were discovered which causes an excess burden on treatment facilities.

The project includes approximately 2,541 linear feet of eight-inch gravity sewer, 2,151 linear feet of 10-inch gravity sewer, 200 linear feet of 16-inch steel encased pipe, 3,361 linear feet of cured-in-place pipe lining, and installation of approximately 42 manholes.

The project costs are estimated to be $2,086,090, including a match of $386,090 from the Town. The project is considered a town-wide benefit. Ridge Spring has an estimated population of 920 of which more than 68 percent are low-to-moderate income (LMI).

CDBG funds will help provide continued sewer improvements to the Mathews Mill area in Greenwood County where some pipes are in poor condition, inadequate in size and shallow in depth. The collection system was installed in the early 1900s.

Improvements include installation of approximately 825 feet of 12-inch and 5,200 feet of eight-inch gravity sewer line, 23 new precast concrete manholes and reconnection of 109 structures.

Construction in the mill village will include Georgia Street, Bolt Avenue, Bond Avenue, Stevens Avenue and Cross Street.

Total project costs are estimated to be $3,103,399, including $1,503,399 from the Greenwood Metro District. This project will benefit approximately 303 people, of which 92 percent are considered LMI.

CDBG funds will help upgrade Clinton-Joanna Wastewater Treatment Plant located in Kinards. The project includes removing existing drying beds and upgrading the WWTP process by installing two 750,000-gallon sludge holding tanks, aeration, mixers, pumps, controls, and other necessary fittings for liquid land application of the digested sludge.

The sludge holding tanks will provide the WWTP its necessary capacity to not only sustain its increasing wastewater volume but to handle the facility’s max capacity.

Project cost is estimated to be $3,026,000, including $1,000,000 from the SRF which was just awarded, and $526,000 from Laurens County Water and Sewer Commission.

The project will benefit the City of Clinton, Joanna and neighboring communities which utilize the sewer service. The project will benefit an estimated 8,078 people of which 65 percent are estimated to be LMI.

It was a typical hot, muggy August day but it felt more like Christmas in Johnston when a shiny new red fire truck pulled into the Town’s administrative building parking lot.

The truck was funded by a Community Development Block Grant. The Town of Johnston received $454,545 in CDBG funding in November 2019 for purchase of the new fire truck to replace a 1973 model.

The new truck that arrived Aug. 5 will help provide the Town with better fire protection.

Upper Savannah’s Community Development staff prepared and submitted the grant application on behalf of the Town. Community Development Project Manager Brittany Hallman and Community Development Director Keith Smith spearheaded the application efforts.

The first time Johnston Mayor Thomas Holmes saw the truck, “it was being driven around Johnston looking for a place to get some diesel fuel,” he said, with a laugh. “Then it pulled into our parking lot.”

He added, “It’s a good-looking vehicle, we are certainly proud of it and are looking forward to putting the truck into full service.”

Holmes is impressed by the features of the new truck including air brakes and LED lighting.

“It’s got an automatic transmission and the other one (1973 truck) was a straight drive. We have some younger firemen who have never driven a straight-drive transmission,” Holmes said.

“I am amazed by the workmanship with the diamond-plated areas that we work off of are nice looking. The extendable ladders fit inside a compartment and don’t hang off the outside of the truck.”

The Johnston Fire Department has “approximately 23-25 volunteers,” Holmes said, including Fire Chief John Clark.

“Those younger firemen are real excited about getting the new truck,” Holmes said.

The 1973 truck will be decommissioned though the mayor does not know what the Town will do with it yet.

“The 1973 truck has been around for a long time,” he said. “The (name) plate on the side of the truck has the fire chiefs and council members on it (from 1973). There is only one living member left in the town whose name is on the side of that truck and that’s the former fire chief.”

Holmes said the Town is appreciative of the grant.

“The Town didn’t have to fork out a lot of money for it. Being a smaller town like we are, it would take us years to save that kind of money to afford that. We’d have to borrow the money and extend it over years. The grant money was a wonderful thing for us.

“We appreciate everyone who worked at putting together the grant. We started this before the pandemic. We’ve anticipated this (the truck’s arrival) for a couple years now and it’s finally here and we are excited about it.”

Former Town Councilman Holmes was elected mayor in the spring to replace Terrance Culbreath, who did not run for re-election.

“I invited him (Culbreath) up the other day because he started the (application) process,” Holmes said. “He was pleased to see it. He was a vital cog in putting this together.”

USCOG’s Hallman and Smith were present for the truck’s arrival also.

“It’s very rewarding for Keith and I,” Hallman said. “We know this truck will have many positive impacts from a fire protection standpoint as well as the Town’s ISO (insurance) rating.

“The new truck will give the department the tank and pump capacity needed to comply with their ISO. The 1973 truck is a classic, but it’s no longer feasible to the department from a fire protection standpoint.”

For all who are involved, the truck was worth the wait.

“We have been anxiously anticipating delivery for the past few months,” Hallman said. “The pandemic set us back on completion of the truck and delivery date. It was exciting to finally see it arrive.”

 

Laurens County School District 55 is among several entities which are benefiting from Community Development Block Grant Coronavirus (CDBG-CV) funding with Upper Savannah COG staff’s assistance.

The CDBG-CV funding is used to help prevent, prepare for, or respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

USCOG applied for and was awarded CDBG-CV funds for five projects, including air purifiers for the 10 schools in Laurens County School District 55. Upper Savannah Economic Recovery Specialist Cason Wright assisted the recipients and submitted the applications.

The air purifiers are cleansing the air in the school buildings, helping to prevent the spread of bacteria and viruses, allowing for students to stay healthy and continue learning by face-to-face instruction.

District 55 was delivered a check for $161,236.65 from the CDBG-CV program on April 26 to fund the project. Pictured are Wright (left) and District 55 Director of Federal Programs, Accountability, and Professional Development Dr. Anna Brink.

“Laurens 55 is committed to providing the safest environment possible for students. The decision to focus on air quality is one that is grounded in research and the nature of most viruses that travel airborne,” Brink said.

The funding was utilized to purchase stand-alone, or portable, systems that clean larger spaces and areas that share a common conditioning system, Brink said. These systems were placed in each of the schools. The research on the devices was proven to reduce up to 99.9 percent of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) in the air within three minutes and shown to reduce over 99.9 percent of many common contaminants in the air and on surfaces, she added.

“We have seen a drastic reduction in the number of cases across the district which cannot solely be based on the implementation of these devices. However, we do believe that they have helped prevent the spread from being greater,” Brink said.

With fewer virus cases, there is more in-school instruction which benefits students and teachers.

“Face-to-face instruction is the method that is most impactful for the majority of learners,” Brink said. “As a district, we are also very cognizant that face-to-face instruction is the method that is most feasible for the majority of families.

“We realize that our campuses provide safe places for students to spend their days, master critical skills, and grow as well-rounded individuals. We recognize that there are countless benefits to students participating in on-campus learning,” Brink added.

Other CDBG-CV projects that have been awarded with USCOG’s assistance include home-delivered meals for seniors ($390,000) who attend group dining facilities in the Upper Savannah Region, a public transit contract for Saluda County ($50,000) that focuses on medical, pharmacy and other essential transportation, HVAC upgrade and UVC air filtration installation at the City of Abbeville Civic Center ($65,400), and UVC air filtration installation at the Abbeville Opera House in the City of Abbeville ($21,500).