March 2026

COUNTY SPOTLIGHT

Sumter County Bolsters Public Safety in Rural Areas with New Stations, Equipment

Sumter County recently celebrated a large investment in community safety with the opening of the new Dalzell Fire Station and a new emergency medical services (EMS) station.

"Sumter County is on the move as far as fire services and EMS are concerned," said County Council Chairman James T. McCain Jr.

The Dalzell Fire Station will be home to two new firetrucks. The construction of the new station was funded by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), and the new equipment was purchased with funds from the Capital Projects (Penny) Sales Tax Referendum.

Need for the new station arose after a change in the rules for International Organization for Standardization ratings. County Councilman Artie Baker received calls from Beech Creek residents concerned about their homeowners' insurance rates doubling. Sumter County Administrator Gary Mixon worked with Sumter Fire Chief Karl Ford and determined that Beech Creek needed a fire station.

"At the end of the day, this is just the right thing to do for this community," Mixon said.

At a separate ribbon cutting ceremony, County Councilwoman Vivian Fleming-McGhaney talked about the long process of converting a former fire station into the new EMS station that will serve residents of District 5. The need for the EMS station was made apparent after residents expressed concern over lengthy emergency response times.

"And that's not true anymore," she said.

The renovation project also was funded through ARPA and provides "a valuable resource for Sumter County and for EMS," Mixon said.

NEWS

SCETV Collaboration Shines Light on Local Stories in Rural Counties

SCAC this month partnered with South Carolina ETV and Public Radio on their latest stop of the Local News Outreach Tour.

SCAC President and Chesterfield County Council Chairwoman Mary D. Anderson welcomed public media journalists and residents from Chesterfield, Dillon and Marlboro counties to her hometown for an open conversation about the community’s bright spots, challenges and untold stories ready to be shared more broadly.

Marlboro County Council Chairman Damien Johnson highlighted how his community is improving quality of life to strengthen economic development and encourage young people to return home.

“A lot of the things locally that affect Chesterfield County affect Marlboro County as well,” he said. “We are sister counties that share a lot of things in common but a lot of opportunities for the growth that we are expecting in our areas."

Held at El‑Sherif’s in downtown Cheraw, the event invited neighbors to share insights on the issues that matter most to them. “Local news is strongest when it’s connected to the people it serves,” said Darryl Huger, ETV and Public Radio news director. “We are only as good as the stories we tell.”

As Anderson put it, “Listening, learning and working together is how we continue to build stronger communities.”

County Conversations: Counties Connect

SCAC has launched a new County Conversations video series that further highlights how the Association serves our members through advocacy, collaboration and education.

The debut video features SCAC President Anderson reflecting on the success of February's Counties Connect event and discussing why it is important for county officials to stay engaged with local delegations this time of year as the legislative session heats up.

Watch the video.

ETHICS

Economic Interest Filing Deadline Is 3/30

The clock is ticking! Statements of Economic Interests are due March 30.

If you are a county council member or serve as your county's chief administrative official (county administrator, county supervisor or another similar title), you are required to file a Statement of Economic Interests.

If you have questions or need assistance, contact the State Ethics Commission at 803-253-4192.

EVENTS

Annual Conference Registration Coming Soon

Keep an eye on your inbox for registration details for the 2026 Annual Conference and Institute of Government for County Officials, which will be held July 27-30 at Wild Dunes Resort on Isle of Palms.

Registration will open in the next few weeks. Reminder: County officials must register for the event prior to receiving a room reservation link.

EDUCATION

NACo, Professional Development Academy Announce Exclusive Leadership Program

The Workforce Network Leadership Program is an exclusive cohort for county administrators and Human Resource professionals.

The 10-week online program is designed specifically for senior county leaders who are responsible for people strategy, organizational effectiveness, and cross-department performance. Participants work alongside peers in similar roles across NACo counties and focus on practical solutions for leading change, improving culture, aligning teams, and delivering results with limited resources.

Short, actionable lessons and weekly peer discussions allow learners to apply new skills immediately.

100% online, no travel
~40 minutes per day, self-paced
Weekly peer roundtables with administrators and human resource leaders nationwide
Real-world tools to use right away

Dates: April 13-June 26

Special Cohort Pricing: $1,000 per participant

To enroll, email Brian Mitko at brianm@pdaleadership.com.

GRANTS

Applications for Round 2 of RIA Funding Open

The next deadline to apply for Rural Infrastructure Authority state funding is March 23.

Additionally, RIA has developed a pilot technical assistance and improvement program designed to help smaller utilities move toward greater viability. The Program Strategy, including details about available funding eligibility, program criteria and due dates, is available for review on the RIA website.

Local governments, special purpose and public service districts and public works commissions may apply for RIA grants. Assistance is available for a variety of water, wastewater and storm water drainage construction activities.

RIA Launches New Utility Pilot Program

RIA's Viability Improvement Program is a new pilot program to assist small utilities through coordinated technical assistance and funding. A team of utility professionals will help assess your system and outline a pathway to success.

The deadline to apply is April 1. Download the application.

More information is available on the RIA's Viability Improvement Program website.

Visit Our Grants Page

SCAC ON SOCIAL MEDIA

In case you missed State House Sound Bites in this week’s Friday Report, check out this new analysis feature. Our Governmental Affairs team discussed recent comments made in the legislature about overhauling the property tax system.

Each year, counties are faced with property tax cuts for special interest groups or certain classes of property. This revenue loss continues to increase just like the rhetoric that counties are taxing people out of their homes.

SCAC is actively engaging members of the General Assembly, emphasizing that a tax increase at the local level is as difficult a decision—if not more so—as an increase at the state level.

More details in this week’s Friday Report https://conta.cc/4aYqUD3

In honor of Public Risk Management Awareness Day on March 1, we thank county risk management teams for the work they do to protect employees and residents while being good stewards of the money and services they’re entrusted with.

These 2026 SC Counties Insurance Trusts Risk Management Award winners are just a few examples of the cost savings and safety enhancing practices employed by county risk management staff.

Our advocacy team is everywhere this legislative session—committee rooms, the State House lobby and every corner where county voices need to be heard.

And the impact shows:

📊 1,021+ bills tracked

🎤 10+ subcommittee hearings with testimony from our team + county leaders

🗂️ 23 policy positions underway

✍️ Amendments secured to protect counties in the SCDOT modernization and roadside markets bills

Next up: the House budget debate. Our team is ready.