2021 Advocacy Initiatives Address Broadband, Public Safety Funding and Planning

The South Carolina General Assembly’s next two-year legislative session begins in January, and the Municipal Association of SC board of directors has approved the 2021 Advocacy Initiatives that the Association staff, along with local officials, will pursue. 

The initiatives come out of the input that cities and towns provide at Regional Advocacy Meetings during the fall. The board’s legislative committee then considers all issues and provides recommendations to the board. The Association offers a sample proclamation that cities and towns can use to adopt the Advocacy Initiatives. 

Here are the initiatives: 

• Broadband expansion
  The Association will seek to amend the newly adopted broadband expansion law to allow cities and towns to not only lay fiber, but also light the fiber or partner with a third party to activate it. 
• Enclave annexation
  Allowing cities and towns to close enclaves, also known as doughnut holes, in their municipal limits through annexation is a long-standing issue. Cities and towns have long advocated for closing enclaves that prevent consistent and efficient service delivery. 
• Law enforcement reform
  Supporting reform measures to aspects of law enforcement training and practices will be important in 2021. Both the House and Senate are taking testimony from experts on changes to current law enforcement practices. 
• Code enforcement
  Cities and towns struggle with paying for the remediation of dilapidated buildings and properties. Requiring code enforcement liens to be billed and collected, similar to property taxes, would allow cities and towns to maintain property standards more effectively. 
• Abandoned buildings tax credit
  Extending the current abandoned buildings tax credit to 2022, which provides for additional local economic development incentives, will be valuable as the state’s economy recovers. Learn more about how the credit can help cities and towns in this Uptown article. 
• Local Government Fund
  Because of the coronavirus, legislators did not pass a state budget for fiscal year 2020-2021. The continuing budget resolution they passed did not include any additional funding in the Local Government Fund. Calling for the LCF to be funded according to current law will be critical for the fiscal year 2022 budget. 
• Firefighter Healthcare Benefit Plan
  The Municipal Association supports the inclusion of money in the state budget to fund the Firefighter Healthcare Benefit Plan. Legislators passed a bill in 2020 that would offer monetary benefits to firefighters with cancer. For the bill to take effect, lawmakers must appropriate money in the budget. 
• PTSD funding
  For several years, the General Assembly has included $500,000 in the state budget for programs to support first responders who experience trauma. The Association will seek to ensure funds continue to be included. 
• Zero millage
  Cities and towns with no property tax millage should be allowed to impose a millage with certain limitations. There are some cities and towns that do not impose an operating millage who now need to do so. The restrictions in Act 388 prevent them from adding this millage. 
• Municipal Capital Projects Penny
  Creating a Municipal Capital Projects penny tax for municipal residents to approve for capital projects within the city limits is important for cities and towns within counties that do not have a capital projects tax. 
• Expansion of naloxone
  The Municipal Association supports expanding the availability of naloxone, the medication, used to revive individuals suffering from drug overdoses, to fire and emergency medical services first responders.
• Textiles Communities Revitalization Act
  The Textiles Communities Revitalization Act needs to be amended to include as one site those parts of abandoned mill properties that are separated by way of an intervening connector, such as a railroad or waterway. This Uptown article explains this tax credit and shows how it works in action. 

Keep up with legislative action 

As the legislative session begins, be sure to follow along with the ongoing updates in From the Dome to Your Home, a weekly legislative action recap email that features suggested action steps for cities and towns, as well as the City Quick Connect podcast. In early February, Hometown Legislative Action Week will bring a full week of virtual content from the Association’s advocacy team as well as state and federal legislators.

Get Ready to Advocate in the New Legislative Session

In January, lawmakers will return to Columbia to begin the first year of a two-year legislative session, debating and passing the laws that govern South Carolina. 

The South Carolina House of Representatives counts 124 members while the South Carolina Senate has 46. Between the two chambers, the 2020 election led to 21 new faces coming in for the new session. For both the old and new faces at the State House, local elected officials must keep open lines of communication to discuss the Association’s new Advocacy Initiatives and advance the best interests of their cities and towns. 

The Municipal Association has a handbook to help officials work with their legislative delegation — Raising Hometown Voices to a New Level of Influence. It explains the value of building an ongoing relationship with legislators well in advance of asking for anything, by keeping them involved in council meetings, ribbon cuttings and other special events. The guide addresses the basics of legislator communication:

• Build grassroots support.
• Don’t be a stranger.
• Remember you serve the same people.
• Know both sides of the issue.
• Understand the legislative process.
• Express your opinion.
• Stay on message.
• All politics is local.
• Timing is everything. 

The guide also delves into the way local officials can keep their outreach personal and productive, such as in-person meetings and phone calls when possible, writing follow-up letters with specific requests, and always tracking down requested information. 

For those wanting to learn more about the workings of the General Assembly, the guide also explains the structure of the Senate and House of Representatives, including their standing committees. 

Stay informed in the new session 

The Municipal Association provides local leaders with several vital ways to know what’s going on and get involved with their legislators:

• Hometown Legislative Action Week, taking place February 1 – 5, will replace the regularly scheduled Hometown Legislative Action Day with a full week of virtual content, with videos from the Association’s advocacy team as well as state and federal legislators. 
• From the Dome to Your Home is a weekly recap email on Friday during the legislative session on all legislative activity that can impact municipalities, including suggested action steps. The website provides subscription signup and an archive of past issues. 
• The City Quick Connect podcast also includes From the Dome to Your Home content with added discussion from the legislative team available every Monday during the legislative session. 
• The online South Carolina Municipal Officials and Legislative Directory allows for searching for municipality by representative and senator, showing which municipalities are in the district of each legislator.

Business License Standardization Is Coming

The South Carolina General Assembly passed H4431 in September. The new Act 176, the SC Business License Tax Standardization Act, standardizes the business license tax process with a uniform due date, application, class schedule and online renewal portal. 

The new law also means that cities and towns that collect the tax will need to transition to a new way of administering the tax in 2021, since it goes into effect January 1, 2022. This will be an involved process with many steps, but statewide standardization will make the work of businesses operating in South Carolina’s cities and towns easier. Standardization will also help to maintain the tax’s stability as a municipal revenue source. 

The Municipal Association’s staff has already begun the work to help cities and towns make the transition, and they will be doing so throughout 2021. Officials should be on the lookout for presentations, articles in Uptown and episodes of the City Quick Connect podcast, among other sources of information. The guidance from the Association will include instructions on adjustments to local ordinances, rate schedules and more.

Here are a few basics of the business license standardization provisions in Act 176, with more information on the Municipal Association’s website: 

• Standardizes due dates everywhere to be April 30, with a May 1 start to the license year 
• Calculates the tax on gross income for either the calendar year or business' fiscal year 
• Standardizes the definition of gross income 
• Requires cities to accept a standard business license application 
• Requires jurisdictions to adopt an updated, standardized class schedule every odd year 
• Establishes an online business license renewal payment portal, hosted and managed by the SC Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office 
• Creates a standard appeals process of business license assessments for all jurisdictions 

The Association is hosting virtual information sessions on standardization in general, and others focusing on the North American Industry Classification System codes. Sessions are coming up December 2, 3, 8 and 9. Find more information here, and register by contacting Caitlin Cothran at ccothran@masc.sc or Melissa Harrill at mharrill@masc.sc.

Getting Started With the Municipal Association’s New Listserves

The Municipal Association of SC launched new listserves this month, bringing expanded, user-friendly features allowing their users to connect with other professionals around the state. The listserves are available to members of the various affiliate associations, to planning and zoning officials, Main Street South Carolina members, city managers and administrators as well as public information officers. 

The new listserve platform offers several advantages over the former system. Users can find discussions gathered in a single, searchable location, when users once had to dig through old emails to locate a specific discussion. The platform also allows users to poll their colleagues, customizable notification preferences and share documents. This video explains more about what the system now offers. 

Members of affiliate associations automatically have access to their new listserves. Other listserves are available by requesting access, and some have restrictions on who can join them. Find out more about how to request access and set up a profile. 

The new system is a powerful tool. There are several steps users should take to make sure they’re using the listserves to their greatest effect. This video explains the first things to do when setting up a profile, including the critical issue of how users receive notifications about new discussions and activity — email, internet browser popup alerts and a notification page. Users can still engage in discussions directly through email, although this is no longer the best method. 

The listserve also has a helpline for those in need of assistance. For questions, call 803.933.1297.

12 Cities and Towns Receive Hometown Economic Development Grants

The Municipal Association of South Carolina has awarded Hometown Economic Development Grants to 12 cities and towns. 

These grants, available in amounts of up to $25,000 each, aim to support those economic development projects that will make a positive impact on a municipality’s quality of life. The program also promotes and recognizes innovation in economic development practices. The Municipal Association board of directors created the program to fund those projects that will produce measurable results, can be maintained over time and illustrate best practices that can be replicated in other cities. 

After all submissions are made in September, an awards committee of former and current local government and state agency professionals evaluated the grant applications. 

Cities and towns receiving a grant must provide matching funds, with the amount based on their populations, submit reports about the progress and successes of each grant-funded project and provide financial details of how the grant funds were used. 

In recent years, the grants have spurred on valuable projects in many communities, such as the construction of an alleyway park where a blighted storefront had stood in Union, or the renovation of a historic Art Deco theater in Saluda. 

Work began in recent months on the The Depot alleyway project in downtown Union, seen here in a concept rendering. Photo: Alison South. 

As in past years, the projects from the 2020 cycle come from every part of the state. They represent cities and towns with populations ranging from 93 to 11,524. 

Here are the grant recipients and their projects: 

City of Belton – “Facade Mini-Grant Program” 

In an effort to improve the look of its downtown area and recruit new business, the City of Belton will provide matching grants of up to $2,500 for businesses to rehabilitate storefronts. 

Town of James Island – “James Island Arts and Cultural Center” 

With the loss of the library as an educational and social focal point for residents, the Town of James Island will repurpose its former library into an arts and cultural center. Grant funds will be leveraged with other funding to help renovate the interior of the building. 

Town of Lake View – “Lake View Strategic Plan” 

The need for a strategic plan for the Town of Lake View has become more important as the town acquires its most prominent natural asset, Page’s Mill Pond. Seeking to plan properly for the pond to become a destination, the town will use grant funds for the development of its future. 

Town of McClellanville – “Preserving McClellanville’s Working Waterfront: Phase II Implementation” 

Continuing the town’s efforts to preserve its working waterfront, the Town of McClellanville’s grant will fund efforts to build capacity and market the town’s seafood industry and culture. 

Town of McConnells – “Community Center Renovation” 

Built in the 1990s, the McConnells Community Center is a focal point of this rural, agricultural community. However, the center’s interior spaces were never completed. The town will use its grant to renovate the center’s interior, which will allow for more use in the future. 

Town of Pageland – “Downtown Farmers Market” 

Building on investments the town has made to improve its downtown and attract visitors, the Town of Pageland and its local partners will use grant funds to establish a downtown farmers market. Planned to be located next to the town’s green space, the market will host educational and entertainment events as well. 

Town of Patrick – “Revitalize Downtown Landscaping” 

Seeking to improve the aesthetics of its downtown and attract business, the Town of Patrick will use several partners to revitalize and renovate public landscaping along the lengths of its main roads. 

Town of Pinewood – “Rehabilitation of Historic 1889 Depot” 

Seeking to preserve and make use of the last train depot in Sumter County, the Town of Pinewood will rehabilitate the interior of its historic structure for use as an event center and museum. 

Town of Salley – “Destination Downtown Septic Study” 

The Town of Salley has lost out on opportunities for downtown growth because of a lack of adequate wastewater disposal options. The town will use its grant to conduct an engineering study in support of applications for funding construction of a wastewater system to serve downtown businesses. 

Town of Springfield – “Seeing Springfield” 

Inadequate lighting downtown and along the town’s walking trail is an obstacle to attracting visitors after dark. In partnership with Dominion Energy, the Town of Springfield will use grant funds to convert existing street lights and install new ones with energy-efficient LED fixtures. 

Town of Troy – “Town Hall Polling Place Modernization” 

After years of the Town of Troy’s town hall being used as a polling place, it was deemed unsuitable due to its lack of Americans with Disabilities Act compliance. The town will use grant funds to make its town hall ADA-compliant to restore it as a polling place for all residents. 

City of Woodruff – “Block 224, A Downtown Multi-purpose Space” 

The City of Woodruff will use its grant to transform a dilapidated downtown building from an eyesore into a shining public space that connects downtown businesses with off-street parking. The space will have a modern vibe and be used for public and private events, outdoor dining and relaxation. 

Learn more about the grants, and see the recipients of past cycles back to 2016.

Plan for the Risks With Festivals and Holiday Events

Many special events have gone on hiatus as a result of the pandemic. Planners delayed and canceled events even before Gov. McMaster’s executive orders addressed occupancy limitations for public gatherings. Several guidance documents have come about to help planners determine the questions to ask when moving ahead with an event, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Readiness and Planning Tool. 

The governor’s accelerateSC pandemic task force created documents to help with decision making, including Guidelines for Re-opening Festivals & Special Events and Guidelines for Re-opening Mass Gatherings or Large Community Events. 

Planning and preparation for special events is still happening. The governor’s executive order from October 2 requires that those planning events for more than 250 guests must request approval for the event from the SC Department of Commerce, and demonstrate that they will comply with federal and state safety procedures. 

Cities and towns will also need to consider the risks beyond the pandemic for the events they host. For events like festivals, parades or Christmas tree lightings, risk coordinators and other key municipal staff should form a special events committee and start special events planning far in advance. 

Stakeholders such as police, fire and public works should meet to determine the types of special events that occur within the city, identify risks, develop effective controls, and assess the potential impact on the city, residents and local businesses. City officials should also consider designating one staff member to serve as a coordinator of all special event activities and oversee the special events committee. 

When planning events, cities need to answer several questions to determine how best to protect both residents and city assets. First, what could go wrong at the event? What preventive measures can be taken against these negative outcomes? If something does go wrong, how will the city or town pay for it? Drafting a special events policy and having it reviewed by the city attorney is a key way to manage the risk that special events can create. 

Most liability insurance policies have exclusions that can affect special events, and municipal officials should be familiar with the exclusions stipulated in their policies. 

Activities commonly excluded by liability coverage 

• Communicable diseases, including the coronavirus 
• Bungee jumping and similar amusement devices
• Fireworks displays
• Skateboarding
• Parachuting and hang gliding
• Airplane, helicopter or ballooning rides and shows 
• Archery
• Mechanical amusement devices 
• Zoos 
• Traveling carnivals and circuses 
• Rodeos

Virtual Sessions Keep the Training Going

The interruption of in-person meetings in 2020 as a pandemic precaution has not stopped online training opportunities from the Municipal Association. 

The Municipal Elected Officials Institute of Government, for example, replaced in-person sessions for the fall with online courses in October, but it has also maintained a variety of online, on-demand training sessions. The on-demand courses address such topics as budgeting and municipal finance, forms of municipal government, the SC Freedom of Information Act, municipal economic development as well as municipal governance and policy. The MEO Institute will host a virtual Advanced Continuing Education session on October 13, as well as a virtual session on Advanced Municipal Economic Development on October 14. 

In the spring, the Association launched the “Online Orientation Training for Planning and Zoning Officials.” That six-hour course, available to elected officials as well as relevant staff at no charge, covers a state training requirement for all officials working in that area. 

In the fall, Risk Management Services began to host online training sessions. It launched “Workers’ Compensation Nuts and Bolts” for members of the SC Municipal Insurance Trust and SC Municipal Insurance and Risk Financing Fund. This fall, it will host several virtual trainings for SCMIT and SCMIRF members: 

• October 6 – Recruiting and Hiring, Use of Force and Traffic Pursuits. Registration is required. 
• November 10 – RMS Annual Members Meeting, featuring prerecorded content. No registration will be needed. 
• December 9 – Public Works/Utilities Risk Management Online Training. No registration will be needed. 

Many of the Municipal Association’s affiliate associations are also creating online versions of their scheduled annual meetings and quarterly meetings. Find the list of all of them on the Association’s Training Calendar.

Preparing and Executing Effective Virtual Meetings

Some city and town councils have moved their meetings to virtual formats because of the pandemic. Some boards, commissions and committees have also changed their meetings into virtual events. Virtual meetings create difficulties for conducting meetings — speakers muting and unmuting themselves, or participants trying to avoid talking over one another. 

These challenges can make the planning and preparation that go into meetings all the more important. The Municipal Association has a handbook, How to Conduct Effective Meetings, which can help with many of the aspects of preparing for and participating in meetings. 

For example, the handbook includes the importance of a council adopting rules of procedures, which is required by state law in SC Code Section 5-7-250(b). Using Roberts’s Rules of Order provides one way to satisfy the requirement. Even so, Robert’s Rules are not designed for a city or town council, so using them exclusively can create difficulties. The handbook contains a set of sample rules of order that councils can modify for local needs and then adopt. 

Another critical consideration is the process of establishing an agenda and publicly distributing it. The SC Freedom of Information Act requires public notification of meetings, with agendas, 24 hours in advance for all meetings where there will be a quorum of council, whether the meeting is in person or virtual. Once the agenda and agenda packet are complete, every councilmember needs to receive the agenda packet at relatively the same time well in advance of the meeting — for example, the weekend before the meeting. This allows councilmembers the critical time they need to familiarize themselves with material and ask staff questions as needed. 

The presiding officer's role in a council meeting, ordinarily the mayor, is critical to the process. The presiding officer needs to be familiar with the rules of order adopted by the city or town and work to facilitate the meeting both firmly and courteously. The person in this role should help make sure that only one councilmember speaks at a time, and that every voice on council is allowed to speak. The presiding officer should also ensure that residents who wish to make comments do so only at designated times. Presiding over meetings is one of the topics covered in the How to Conduct Effective Meetings handbook. 

More information 

• Conducting effective meetings podcast, Part 1 and Part 2 — Hear from Municipal Association field services managers Charlie Barrineau and Jeff Shacker about the different types of council meetings and their requirements, preparing and participating in meetings and handling executive session appropriately 
• Municipal Association videocasts on setting up electronic meetings and electronic meeting best practices
• Uptown articles: Take Care With Executive Session Procedures, Keeping Public Participation Productive, Running Council Meetings Effectively

Downtown Programs Rise to the Challenge

By Jenny Boulware, Main Street SC Manager 

Experts have told us that we should continue to plan for frequent interruptions and modifications to business operations from the pandemic. Is your leadership and economic development team ready to help ensure a healthy community as we enter the fall and winter season? The time is now to make changes to adapt and ensure that South Carolina’s local economies remain resilient.

For innovative, adaptive ideas, we are highlighting two of Main Street South Carolina’s communities: Main Street Hartsville and See Lancaster. Each has creatively assisted their small businesses with real solutions to stressed economies. 

By tapping into public and private support, the Hartsville community developed a micro-loan program known as the All-America City Comeback Campaign that assisted 38 businesses and provided more than $150,000 in direct assistance. 

Lancaster used a gift card program to infuse more than $50,000 into its downtown businesses. All 170 city employees were given a $300 gift card redeemable at local businesses that opted to participate. This program was so impactful that it will return during the holiday season in the form of $100 gift cards for all city employees. 

In the past several months, event cancellations have been a constant, but we have also seen new ways of hosting events. One resourceful modification to meet social distancing measures is drive-in movie nights. This public gathering variation got a positive reception from Lancaster residents. Additionally, local event sponsors have allowed cancelled event monies to be used for new programming as seen in Hartsville with their just-launched discounted gift certificate. 

When canceling or modifying planned activities, constant communication is a must. In fact, with limited community interactions at the moment, communicating positive messages is important. Hartsville and Lancaster have seen increased engagement on social media posts (See some of Hartsville’s efforts here and Lancaster’s here) that celebrate building renovations, business expansions and public projects. Increased awareness of these positive activities cultivate excitement and hope for the future. 

We talked about these practical solutions with the leaders of these two programs — Suzy Moyd in Hartsville and Joe Timmons in Lancaster — in a recent episode of the City Quick Connect podcast. These are two fantastic program directors and they’re doing amazing work in their communities.

Log on for the 2020 Virtual Regional Advocacy Meetings

Why should you virtually attend the Regional Advocacy Meetings this year?

By Casey Fields, Manager for Municipal Advocacy 

Municipal Association legislative staff started traveling around the state every fall for advocacy meetings in 2006. In fact, when I started at the Association in October 2006, it was one of the first things I did — I went to Conway for a regional advocacy meeting. Over the last 14 years, we’ve made some changes and seen some new faces, but the message has remained the same: we are a team, and we work together to represent municipal interests at the State House. 

This year will be a little different. Falling in line with a lot of firsts in 2020, this is the first year the Regional Advocacy Meetings are virtual, and will take place from August 18 to September 9, all at 11 a.m. In years past, we’ve had to cancel a meeting or two because of hurricanes, but we have never moved all of them to a virtual platform. 

I know what you’re thinking: not another one of these. We’ve all got some virtual meeting fatigue at this point, but this one is going to be valuable and I’m here to tell you why. 

First, it’s going to be quick – one hour, no drive time. You can mute yourself and just listen to the information. You can offer your suggestions through email before or after, or participate live during the meeting. 

Second, you can meet the new members of the legislative team, Erica Wright and Joannie Nickel. Both of these women bring a multitude of experience in legislative politics, local government and economic development. You will love them like we already do. 

Third, we are packing A LOT of information into the one hour. State and federal funding updates, election updates, legislative updates and more … all from the comfort of your home or office. You will hear information about the upcoming September legislative session and discuss potential topics for the new 2021 session beginning in January. 

We will talk about H4431, the business license bill, that’s still up for consideration in the September session. We will talk about additional COVID-19 federal funding for cities and towns, absentee ballots for the November election and what changes have already taken place from the June primaries to change the committee structure in both the House and Senate. We will discuss major issues looming for the new 2021 legislative session beginning in January and the state budget that lawmakers will be debating in September. 

I told you it was a lot. Why participate? Why listen in? Why register? Because you are an important member of the team and we are all counting on you to be a loud, strong and knowledgeable advocate for cities and towns. This is your chance to be in the know and to get the information straight from us. 

You would think that I get a commission based on the amount of people that sign up for Regional Advocacy Meeting. I don’t. I just really love it when our municipal team comes together to talk about working for the future of our cities and towns. And I love to see your faces. Even if only on a screen. 

Do I wish we were traveling to a location near you and sharing a hug and a meal together? Absolutely. Just because we can’t meet in person, it is still just as important to gather together on a screen and share thoughts as we look to the future of cities and towns. Hopefully, next year I will see you in person, hug you and enjoy a sweet tea. 

Register for the Virtual Regional Advocacy Meetings here. You can sign up for the one for your council of governments area or for any of the others.

Annual Meeting Examines COVID-19

COVID-19, the reason why the Municipal Association of SC staged its first-ever Virtual Annual Meeting this year, also provided the primary topic of discussion for the conference. In a series of videos that remain available on the Municipal Association’s website, officials from various backgrounds dug into the effects of the ongoing pandemic and ways that cities and towns can address it. 

During the Annual Meeting's live portion, Inman Mayor Cornelius Huff expressed regret that the meeting could not happen in person. He noted that city leaders face major challenges, ranging from the pandemic and its economic fallout to the renewed movement to end excessive police force issues. 

“I know that together, as one team, as one South Carolina, we will make it,” Huff said. “But we have to do it together. We will work together to overcome our challenges and come out better on the other side.” 

Here’s a few examples of the Virtual Annual Meeting video sessions: 

South Carolina and COVID-19: Response and Recovery 

Dr. Shaniece Criss is a Travelers Rest City Council member, and she also serves as a health sciences professor at Furman University. Criss joined State Epidemiologist Dr. Linda Bell to discuss the ways local government can help slow down the contagion. 

Bell noted that the prolonged period of disease transmission will likely remain a challenge, but cities and towns can take valuable steps at the local level. They can help with education on prevention, help build partnerships with community health providers, schools and the faith community to improve access to care. 

Given the unlikelihood of a COVID-19 vaccination in the near future, Bell said that the most critical tools for protection of residents and protection in places of business remain high levels of physical distancing and the use of masks. She also noted that South Carolina had become nationally noteworthy for its virus spread, and that the spread had worsened among young people. 

“There are people in the population who are putting us all at risk. As those behaviors continue, it’s going to prolong the period of time that we’re going to continue to see illnesses in our community, hospitalizations and even deaths. If communities can come together and recognize that this is not just for the individual, but it is a collective response that’s required,” Bell said. 

Voting in a Pandemic: The Challenge That COVID-19 Poses To Elections in SC 

South Carolina has now staged a primary election in a pandemic and faces a presidential election in November. Chris Whitmire, director of public information and training for the SC State Election Commission, explained the social-distancing challenges of elections in a conversation with Aiken Mayor Rick Osbon. 

“The biggest issue is that elections today are conducted pretty much like they were 100, 200 years ago. We gather at a place, near where we live, in our neighborhoods. We gather together with our neighbors and we cast ballots,” he said. 

For the June primaries, the General Assembly allowed all voters to vote absentee. The record for absentee ballots in primary jumped from around 60,000 to more than 200,000, Whitmire said. Also, the majority of absentees voted by mail, where in the past most absentee voters submitted ballots in person. If the General Assembly were to allow full absentee voting in November, he said, 1.5 million people could vote absentee, with 1 million of them doing so by mail. 

Some issues making the voting process more difficult include the high-risk age of many poll managers, and fewer locations willing to serve as polling places, given the large volume of people. 

“It will be key for everybody who’s eligible to be able to vote absentee, that will take the pressure off polling places on Election Day,” Whitmire said. 

The CARES Act Explained 

South Carolina received more than $1.9 billion from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, or CARES Act. It will be providing some of that funding to local governments as reimbursements for COVID-19-related expenditures, including $20 million for expenses that took place from March through June, and other funds for expenses made during the remainder of the year. Brian Gaines, division director of the SC Department of Administration’s Executive Budget Office, discussed the process with Municipal Association Executive Director Todd Glover. 

Glover noted that cities cannot use the funding for revenue replacement, and Gaines described some of the things funds can be used for — personal protective equipment, telework or telehealth expenses, testing and treatment, among others. The state has engaged the consulting firm Guidehouse, Inc. to vet reimbursement requests, and each city’s designated point of contact will make requests through an online portal, with some communication afterward about appropriate documentation. 

“It’s not going to be as simple as uploading receipts and getting a payment back. You’re going to have to demonstrate that these are expenses that are directly related to COVID-19,” Gaines said. 

The Virtual Annual Meeting webpage features all of the conference’s videos, including sessions on elected leadership, economic outlooks, police procedures, federal legislation and business license standardization.

Special Event Considerations During the Pandemic

The battle of the bands. The local food festival. The summer soiree. These are some of the local gatherings that residents treasure, and have missed during the pandemic. Given the need for safe and responsible social distancing during COVID-19, when is it safe to host public events? 

Last month, Main Street South Carolina and the South Carolina Festival & Event Association worked together on the accelerateSC guideline document Guidelines for Re-opening: Festivals & Events. The SC Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism initiated the project and asked the two organizations to create a task force to develop this guidance. 

Well-respected, seasoned event planners — including Main Street SC representation from Aiken, Florence, Greenwood, Hartsville and Laurens — spent weeks researching, deliberating, evaluating and proposing best practices. The document is designed to provide thorough and specific guidance to community festivals and special events across South Carolina. As a guidance document, it does not mandate or authorize what can and should be done. It does, however, provide considerations to evaluate when making decisions about public events: 

• Consulting with your local authorities. How can you address crowd capacity and control the number of attendees?
• Assessing your budget. Can you meet additional health and safety protocols? 
• Evaluating logistics. What are your plans for attendees that may become ill on-site? 
• Communicating with all participants. How can attendees be prepared for the event?

For crowd capacity, another accelerateSC guideline document can be instructive — Guidelines for Re-opening: Mass Gatherings or Large Community Events. This particular document strongly recommends no events over 250 attendees, and notes that the cutoff threshold is at the discretion of community leadership. It also suggests criteria to think about when considering postponing or canceling a large gathering.

If in-person is not possible at this time, evaluate alternatives. Host virtual activities via online platforms or revise events in a way that can help reduce risks. Newberry, for example, is offering its summer outdoor movie series as a drive-in experience. Bennettsville also took this approach to its Fourth of July fireworks show. 

Find the guidance document on festivals and events here.

Hurricane Preparedness During the Pandemic

While the COVID-19 pandemic continues to be a critical and evolving situation, it’s important to remember that June 1 brought the beginning of the Atlantic hurricane season. With three named storms by the first week of June, this promises to be an active season. 

Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Pete Gaynor recently wrote a letter advising emergency managers that the NOAA Climate Prediction Center’s 2020 outlook on hurricanes in the Atlantic has forecasted a 60% chance of an above-normal season. 

City and town leaders should promote safeguards for the vulnerable and encourage ongoing social distancing even during hurricanes. 

Here’s a few pointers to consider amid the pandemic: 

• Educate residents to think about stocking supplies that are not readily available, such as extra masks, and prescription medications.
• If evacuation plans call for the use of buses, consider spacing to allow social distancing or provide additional personal protective equipment, or PPE, such as face masks.
• Encourage residents to evacuate to the homes of family or friends, and use shelters as a last resort.
• Consider a medical screening process at city emergency shelters to reduce the exposure of those with COVID-19 symptoms, and consider an alternate shelter location for individuals infected with the virus.
• Determine the maximum capacity at shelters and secure additional space if necessary to accommodate social distancing.
• Serve meals cafeteria-style instead of buffet-style for those in shelters. 

While a few considerations are mentioned here, FEMA’s publication, COVID-19 Pandemic Operational Guidance for the 2020 Hurricane Season, includes additional information as you plan and prepare for this hurricane season.

Virtual Annual Meeting to Explore COVID-19, Law Enforcement, Legislation

An in-person Annual Meeting for the Municipal Association of SC is not happening for 2020, but preparations are well underway for its online equivalent. 

Individual conference sessions, available through streaming video, will go online on the Municipal Association’s website on Friday, July 17. The Association’s annual business meeting, unlike the other sessions, will take place live at 9 a.m. on July 17. Municipal Association President Cornelius Huff, mayor of Inman, will lead that session. No registration will be needed for city and town officials to participate or to stream the video sessions. 

Here’s a look at the currently planned session topics. 

COVID-19 
Several videos will address the impacts of the ongoing pandemic on South Carolina municipalities. These include: 

• The state’s COVID-19 response and recovery efforts, with a perspective from the SC Department of Health and Environmental Control; 
• The existing economic impacts of the public health emergency as explained by the SC Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office, and what cities and towns can expect for their finances across the next year; and 
• Information from the SC State Election Commission about the methods used to keep the voting process safe, both in the June primaries and the November general election. 

Law enforcement 
Jack Ryan of the Legal and Liability Risk Management Institute will lead several law enforcement video sessions. One of these will connect law enforcement practices to COVID-19, addressing how officers should use personal protective equipment and clean equipment. In another session, Ryan will discuss public safety exceptions for information disclosure under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.

Another session will dig into the other major topic in the news — the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis and the international protests of police procedures that have followed. This session will cover the appropriate care and restraint of prisoners in police custody. 

Legislation and business licensing 
Kathy Maness, Lexington town councilmember, is now serving as first vice president of the National League of Cities. She and other NLC officials will discuss the ongoing need that local governments have for federal assistance. Another session will explain what cities and towns can expect from the existing Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act. 

Also, business licensing served as a significant issue for the General Assembly before the pandemic disruptions, and a business license standardization bill is still pending. Municipal Association staff will emphasize the importance of standardization and the steps cities and towns can take to make the process easier for local businesses. 

Find full information on the Virtual 2020 Annual Meeting webpage. All videos will be available on this page on July 17.

COVID-19 and Reopening City Services

Reopening facilities like city halls and parks while continuing to find ways to reduce coronavirus spread is a task presenting plenty of challenges for city and town governments. With local governments operating in an entirely new situation, there are plenty of questions facing leaders about how to operate public facilities as safely as possible. 

To help, the Risk Management Services of the Municipal Association of SC has developed a list of considerations for leaders to find the best ways to protect both the public and their employees. The continually-updated list now covers many ideas for minimizing contacts that could lead to contagion, setting up cautionary signage and establishing procedures for ongoing cleaning of public areas. 

In many places, parks and recreation facilities are reopening, creating questions for officials about how to best clean playgrounds and gyms, establish new rules for team sports programs and youth camps and manage swimming pools. The checklist also offers ideas for administering these facilities and services as well. 

Beyond the short return-to-work checklist, Risk Management Staff has also pulled together a variety of resources on reopening public buildings, parks and recreation programs and facilities, attractions and municipal court operations. The material comes from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the governor’s accelerateSC task force and others. 

Find all of the Municipal Association’s coronavirus resources on topics ranging from emergency governance issues to budget planning and business support on this webpage.

Moving South Carolina’s Small Business Community Forward

by Jenny Boulware, Main Street South Carolina manager 

The consequences of COVID-19 have been incredibly far-reaching — for lives, for health and for livelihoods. In recent months, the public and nonprofit sectors have worked tirelessly and resourcefully to help small businesses pivot through the disruptions that the public health emergency has created. As South Carolina works toward recovery, downtown economic development programs are providing critically important guidance to their businesses about reopening.

One of the first recovery initiatives that many of Main Street South Carolina’s communities pursued was the surveying of potential customers to understand their comfort levels for crowds, visiting businesses and online shopping habits. Resident surveys conducted across the state revealed that many consumers want public hand sanitizer stations and expanded online presence for greater shopping options. They wish to avoid large crowds, especially indoors, until the danger is decreased, but even so, the majority of consumers surveyed are ready to patronize businesses again. Survey results have been shared with municipal leadership and the business community to inform reopening processes. 

Other initiatives include providing direct financial assistance to downtown businesses, similar to Paycheck Protection Program funding. Several of South Carolina’s Main Street communities have taken the lead on developing new business models. For instance, the City of Beaufort created ordinances to provide expanded outdoor dining options. Uptown Greenwood and Downtown Florence are examples of those who developed online COVID-19 resource pages — including reopening tips — for local businesses. These are updated daily as new information comes available. Recovery task forces have also been established to guide reopening strategies. 

City and town governments can consider building greater flexibility into local codes to allow for emerging innovations in response to changing realities. This could include providing generous 10-minute parking spaces to accommodate curbside pickups for restaurants and retailers. It could also include developing uniform signage to explain expectations and precautions while shopping, dining and exploring downtown. Coordinated training can assist local businesses who are developing or expanding their online presence. Pages on the city’s website with lists of resources can help small businesses and nonprofits keep up with any available funding opportunities. 

While the pace of reopening is gradual, reviving South Carolina’s local economies with a thorough support plan for reopening is critical. Additional reopening strategies, ideas, hints and tips for businesses, business districts and organizations can be found at the Reopen Main Street website of the Downtown Professionals Network. 

In April, Main Street directors in Laurens, Florence and Cheraw joined the City Quick Connect podcast to discuss how they are working with businesses and helping them find ways to recover. Listen to the podcast.

In April, South Carolina’s Main Street directors remotely assembled a visual message of appreciation and encouragement for their downtown communities as business owners worked to stay safe and stay in business.

May 3 – 9 Is Professional Municipal Clerks Week

There is only one staff role that South Carolina law requires of every one of the state’s cities and towns, no matter their form of government: that of the municipal clerk. Every year, to call attention to the value of this role, the International Institute of Municipal Clerks marks Professional Municipal Clerks Week, which in 2020 reaches its 51st year. 

The position is not one that frequently gains attention, but it is a crucial one for keeping a local government operating. Responsibilities for clerks include things like preparing the agendas for council meetings and then creating minutes of the meetings. 

Clerks also maintain the records of a city’s ordinances and council’s resolutions, as well as the records of appointed commissions and committees. Many clerks also serve as financial officers and administrators. Clerks must keep up with the technological needs of local government. That aspect of their work has taken on a major new dimension during the COVID-19 pandemic since many councils have gathered remotely in electronic meetings for the first time. Clerks have played a critical role in working out the many technical and training issues of ensuring that councilmembers can participate in these meetings and that the public can watch them and even take part in public hearings. 

The SC Municipal Finance Officers, Clerks and Treasurers Association provides training for each of those professions. The listserve it provides for discussion among its members has in recent months included more of a focus on clerks discussing the logistics involved in virtual council meetings. The topic has also received attention in the Municipal Resources for COVID-19 videocast series from the Municipal Association.

The SC Municipal Finance Officers, Clerks and Treasurers Association, which has many municipal clerks among its past presidents, provides training for the varied job responsibilities of its members. 

MFOCTA is also a cosponsor of the Municipal Clerks and Treasurers Institute. It’s a three-year program which counts toward the International Institute of Municipal Clerks' Certified Municipal Clerks designation.

Governing Through the Coronavirus Emergency

Ever since the coronavirus began disrupting health, safety and economic stability in South Carolina, the state’s cities and towns have worked to provide leadership and support for their residents and businesses. Leaders everywhere have been learning and finding ways to continue their operations and public meetings under unprecedented circumstances. 

Council, finance operations 
City and town councils have discovered ways to continue their public meetings and address pressing business items while using caution. They achieved this through holding virtual meetings — working their way through technical issues and learning curves — and applying social distancing at in-person meetings. 

Other issues have grown more critical as the emergency has progressed, including developing and passing budgets, as well as staging public hearings when needed. In the past month, the Municipal Association of SC has created a videocast series, Local Resources for COVID-19. In it, Association staff help with many of the governance questions that have arisen. The episodes have covered many topics:

• Episode 1: Meetings During COVID-19 Response – Virtual meetings create questions for issues such as quorums, emergency ordinances and SC Freedom of Information Act. This presentation provides guidance on those issues. 
• Episode 2: Meeting Schedules – This session includes frequently asked questions for the Municipal Association’s field services managers, and provides guidance on scheduling and delaying public meetings. 
• Episode 3: Electronic Meetings – This video takes a look at the basics of calling an electronic council meeting and establishing councilmember procedures for them. 
• Episode 4: Electronic Meetings Best Practices – Once an electronic meeting is scheduled, city councils need to be able to manage the software for the meeting and making sure that councilmembers can adequately participate in the meeting and the public can see the proceedings. 
• Episode 5: Public Hearings During Emergency – Learn about issues to consider when postponing public hearings, or setting them up using social distancing precautions. 
• Episode 6: Public Input When Meetings Cannot Be Delayed – There are issues for public bodies to consider when postponing public hearings or setting them up using social distancing precautions. 
• Episode 7: Business License Collection Processes – Disruptions in regular commerce are likely to make paying business license taxes on time more difficult. Cities have different options for helping local enterprises stay in business. The information in this session is also found in written form here. 
• Episode 8: Adopting a Budget – Most South Carolina cities have a July 1 start date for their fiscal year, so they need to be developing and adopting budgets in the face of fiscal uncertainty. This session looks at issues to consider when handling the budget process. 
• Episode 9: Municipal Budget Impacts of COVID-19 – This session looks at the potential impact of COVID-19 on a variety of municipal revenue sources. 
• Episode 10: Borrowing Funds – Take a look at borrowing issues relating to general fund cash flow, enterprise fund revenue, hospitality and accommodations tax payments, refinancing as well as existing covenants.  

Find all the videos here. 

The Association has also created guidance on many of the governor’s executive orders issued during this emergency. 

Business support 
Cities and towns have often found ways to help businesses faced with hardship from the pandemic. Many have served as a source of valuable, current information to businesses on federal assistance programs and other resources. In other cases, cities have amplified the message that their local businesses remain open, through website listings, social media, and even by posting signage for dedicated pickup locations for curbside restaurant service. 

Resources that can help with these efforts are available on the Small Business Support page. Also, in a recent City Quick Connect podcast, Main Street South Carolina Manager Jenny Boulware talked to the Main Street directors in Cheraw, Florence and Laurens about how they have been helping businesses with COVID-19 disruptions. 

Find all of the Municipal Association’s coronavirus resources on this web page.