September 2026

COUNTY SPOTLIGHT

Bamberg County Begins Renovations on Historic Courthouse

Bamberg County Council recently held a groundbreaking ceremony to celebrate the beginning of the much-anticipated renovation of the historic courthouse.

The courthouse closed its doors more than five years ago after being deemed structurally unsafe and uninhabitable. All court proceedings since then have taken place in the former National Guard Armory, now called the Bamberg County Civic Center.

Bamberg County officials and residents expressed pride, hope and relief during the groundbreaking ceremony at the site of the historic courthouse, built in 1897.

"Gone are the days of this building being an eyesore," said Bamberg County Attorney Richard Ness. "No more compromised roof, no more pigeons in the attic, no more asbestos."

State Rep. Justin Bamberg emphasized the historical and symbolic importance of a courthouse in which community members often experience some of life's major milestones.

"The rural courthouse is more than a building; it is a place that represents all facets of justice, and this revitalization project will allow it to once more be a place for all of Bamberg County citizens to seek justice, see it and hopefully believe in it again," he said.

The courthouse renovation project will be funded by Bamberg County and the South Carolina Rural County Courthouse Stabilization Fund, of which Bamberg County is the first applicant and recipient.

NEWS

Counties Highlight Innovation, Collaboration at 2026 SCAC Awards Competition

Pictured (from left): SCAC Awards judges Bill Tomes, Carla Flink, Debbie Summers and Milton Pope

Eight counties from throughout the state presented projects designed to improve the quality of life for people in their communities during the 2026 SCAC Awards Competition earlier this month.

Judges heard about projects from Beaufort, Berkeley, Fairfield, Florence, Greenville, Horry and Jasper counties that ranged from reducing residential food waste to preventing opioid overdose deaths.

Winners for the J. Mitchell Graham Memorial and Barrett Lawrimore Regional Cooperation Memorial Awards will be announced during the Awards Luncheon at this year's Fall Advocacy Meeting.

Georgetown County's Weaver Named Sheriff of the Year

Georgetown County Sheriff Carter Weaver was selected as the South Carolina Sheriff's Association's 2026 Sheriff of the Year.

Weaver began his law enforcement career in 1986 with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) before he joined the Georgetown County Sheriff's Office in 2001 as assistant sheriff. Weaver was elected as the sheriff of Georgetown County in February 2020.

"I have followed Carter throughout his career, from SLED to sheriff," said Sheriff Phillip Thompson of Horry County, who nominated Weaver for the award. "I am so proud that he has matured into a progressive leader that has brought the Georgetown County Sheriff's Office far beyond what we ever imagined."

Weaver has pushed to reduce violent crime and drug trafficking in the county through local, state and federal partnerships. He is also deeply concerned about employee pay and the agency's buildings and equipment. He has worked closely with Georgetown County Council for increases in pay and benefits for all Sheriff's Office employees and for the construction of a new detention center set to open in 2027.

Assistant County Administrator Brandon Ellis called Weaver "a beacon of hope and a true partner of public safety who is always a team player when it comes to tough choices in tough times."

State Health Organizations Offer Resource on Food Systems Policy

The South Carolina Institute of Medicine and Public Health (IMPH) and the SC Roadmap released a new toolkit designed to help local and state leaders identify practical food system policy options that drive local economic development, support farmers and agribusinesses and improve health across the state.

The toolkit, Helping Health Happen for All: A Roadmap for Food System Policy in South Carolina, is designed to provide an overview of evidence-informed policy opportunities across the food system, including food production, processing, distribution, consumption and connections to health care.

For questions or more information about this report, email info@imph.org.

PUBLICATIONS

Acts That Affect Counties Available Online

EVENTS

Registration Open for Fall Advocacy Meeting

Join us in Columbia for the 2026 Fall Advocacy Meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 27, and the Institute of Government on Wednesday, Oct. 28.

The Fall Advocacy Meeting allows representatives of all 46 counties to take a leadership role in shaping SCAC's legislative policy positions, provides time to review recommendations presented by SCAC's steering committees and offers county leaders the opportunity to learn more about critical issues facing their communities.

The Fall Advocacy Meeting also includes the J. Mitchell Graham Memorial and Barrett Lawrimore Memorial Regional Cooperation Awards Luncheon, recognizing the top innovative projects in county government during the past two fiscal years.

The Institute of Government will offer Level I, II and Advanced certification courses in conjunction with the Fall Advocacy Meeting. Download the Institute agenda.

Registration for the Fall Advocacy Meeting and for the Institute of Government is required.

Join us for the 2026 Attorneys' Institute

Registration is now open for the 2026 Local Government Attorneys' Institute, one of the largest seminars for South Carolina public sector attorneys.

This year's day-long seminar will take place Friday, Nov. 20, at the Pastides Alumni Center in Columbia and is expected to be approved for a total of 6.0 hours of MCLE, including 2 hours for Legal Ethics and Professional Responsibility (LERP).

Some of the topics will include:

• 2026 Federal Case Law Update
• South Carolina Redistricting
• So You Got a Letter from the Office of Disciplinary Counsel - Not the Christmas Party Invitation You Expected
• Beyond the Rules: Ethical Leadership for Government Attorneys
• FOIA

Lunch will be included for attendees. Registration is required.

GRANTS

S.C. Commerce Rural Development Initiative Grant Program Applications Due Next Month

S.C. Commerce has opened the new Rural Development Initiative (RDI) annual grant program. This new initiative will support implementation-ready projects that strengthen South Carolina's rural communities and help position these regions for long-term prosperity.

Eligible county governments are invited to submit projects through a competitive application process designed to strengthen rural communities through strategic public investment.

The application window for the inaugural RDI funding round is open through Oct. 30. Detailed program guidelines, the application, application requirements, evaluation criteria and workshop information will are available on the S.C. Commerce website.

RIA State-funded Grants to Continue into 2027

The South Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority (RIA) announced that its three state-funded grant programs will continue in the fiscal year that began July 1. RIA estimates that $34 million to $44 million will be available during two competitive rounds of funding.

The next deadline to submit applications for RIA grants is March 22, 2027.

The pilot Viability Improvement Program for small systems also will continue this year.

Download the applications and instructions for applying on the RIA website.

SCAC ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Congratulations to Florence County Council Member Waymon Mumford on receiving the 2026 David K. Summers Jr. President’s Cup.🏆

This prestigious honor recognizes Rev. Mumford’s lifetime of public service and longstanding dedication to county government in South Carolina. A Florence County leader for more than three decades, former SCAC president, county government advocate at the national level, retired Florence police chief, and retired pastor, Mumford’s commitment to serving others continues to leave a lasting impact.

Read more about Mumford and this well-deserved recognition: 🔗https://www.sccounties.org/news/florence-county-council-member-mumford-honored-service-scac-presidents-cup

Meet our newest team member: Pierce Funderburk!

As SCAC’s new property and liability claims adjuster, he’ll work closely with the rest of our insurance team to provide insurance services uniquely tailored to meet the needs of county governments in South Carolina.

Pierce is a Coastal Carolina University graduate, Clemson Tigers fan and dog lover.

We’re excited to have him join the SCAC crew.

Big congratulations to the 77 county officials from 34 counties who reached an incredible milestone through the Institute of Government! During the SCAC Annual Conference, 56 officials earned Level I certificates, 35 earned Level II certificates, and 14 graduates achieved both levels. Your commitment to learning and leadership is helping strengthen counties across South Carolina. 🎓👏

Learn more about this year’s graduates and the Institute of Government: 🔗https://www.sccounties.org/news/2026-institute-government-celebrates-77-graduates-during-scac-annual-conference

STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE LATEST FROM SCAC

Already a subscriber? Select which emails you want to receive from SCAC and cut down on clutter in your inbox.

Manage emails

Not subscribed but you'd like to be? Sign up for SCAC's mailing list.

Sign up for emails