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.