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County launches new Photo Contest
April 16, 2018

"Street Scenes" is the theme of the latest Georgetown County Photo Contest. The contest seeks images ranging from bustling streets in the heart of town to quiet country roads. The deadline to enter is June 15. Entries should be sent to jbroach@gtcounty.org. A receipt will be sent within 24 hours to acknowledge your entry was received.

Photo rules and details

 

Treasurer announces new delinquent tax program
April 9, 2018

The Georgetown County Treasurer’s Office will begin using a third party collections agency, American Financial Credit Services (AFCS), to assist in the collection of delinquent taxes.

In the past, the Annual Tax Sale was the primary and only delinquent collection program. The South Carolina Department of Revenue offers a Setoff Debt Program, but it has limitations. Businesses cannot be submitted through the Setoff Debt program because the program requires the use of a social security number, an identifier most businesses do not have.

“Pursuing and collecting delinquent taxes is a sensitive subject, but it is part of my role as Treasurer, so we utilize programs that fulfill our responsibility with professional and personalized services. AFCS’s collection services are unique, in addition to pursuing taxes owed, they will assist delinquent taxpayers who are found to have been taxed incorrectly, by educating them on the proper documentation to file so the tax does not continue to be assessed each year. American Financial Credit Services also offers the delinquent taxpayer a payment plan that by law our office can not offer.” said Allison Sippel Peteet, Georgetown County Treasurer.

There is no cost to the County for this program and the taxes will be collected in full. AFCS’s 20% fee is in addition to the delinquent taxes and is paid by the delinquent taxpayer.

 

Bassmaster, Jason Michael Carroll returning to Georgetown this summer
March. 12, 2018

Some of the best club anglers in the Eastern U.S. will converge on Winyah Bay this summer, hoping to take home a title and a chance to fish alongside the pros.

Georgetown County will host the B.A.S.S. Nation Eastern Regional Championship June 20-22.

It’s a qualifying event for the B.A.S.S. Nation Championship, from which the three top finishers will earn spots in the 2019 Bassmaster Classic.

“This is our fourth year of hosting Bassmaster events, and as always, we’re excited to welcome this organization and its members to our community,” said County Administrator Sel Hemingway. “We’ve hosted the college division and the Elite series, which includes the top professional anglers. But our first ever Bassmaster event was a B.A.S.S. Nation tournament and this group holds a special place in our hearts. We look forward to making sure they have a good visit here and, hopefully, catch a lot of big fish.”

The tournament will include 380 anglers from 19 states. Each participating state will have 20 anglers that make up a team. The South Carolina team will include a female angler this year – Stacey Jefferson Proctor of Conway, sister-in-law of John Proctor who won a spot in the Classic in 2016.

As always, members of the public are encouraged to attend daily boat launch and weigh-in events at the Carroll Ashmore Campbell Marine Complex during the tournament. Admission is free. Boat launch occurs daily at dawn. Weigh-in is in the afternoon. More details will be released as the tournament nears.

As an additional attraction that week, the Georgetown Business Association will sponsor a free concert on Front Street featuring country music star Jason Michael Carroll. This is the third year Carroll has performed in Georgetown, attracting large crowds and visitors from multiple states with his energetic performances. The show is scheduled for 6-9 p.m. on June 21. Opening act is the Josh Brannon Band. While general admission for the concert is free, VIP ticket packages offer access to Carroll will be available. Details will be announced in the spring.

Click to read the full article

 

Emergency Management Division launches new preparedness campaign
Feb. 1, 2018

On the South Carolina coast, every family and business should have an emergency plan and an emergency supply kit ready for hurricane season. Yet a surprising number are unprepared when the first storm warnings are issued.

For many families, especially those new to the area and the yearly threat of hurricanes, building a kit from scratch can seem overwhelming. So, Georgetown County Emergency Management launched a new campaign in January to make it easier.

The campaign, called  “20 Weeks to Get Prepared,” breaks the task of hurricane planning down to weekly shopping and task lists, running from the beginning of the year to the start of hurricane season on June 1. The weekly installments appear on Georgetown County Emergency Management’s Facebook page, along with weekly prize giveaways to help residents build their kits.

“The idea behind this is to make preparedness easier,” said Cindy Grace, Georgetown County Emergency Management coordinator. “You don’t have to invest a lot of money at once; you can pick up a handful of items during your weekly shopping trips, and have a fully stocked kit by the start of hurricane season.”

If we’re lucky enough to not need the supplies that hurricane season, they can be used and replaced in the months following for the next season. As they progress through weekly shopping lists, participants are reminded to always check the expiration dates on items they buy for their kits and make sure they are good at least through Nov. 30, the end of hurricane season. And of course, the lists are just a general guide and may need to be altered from one household to another.

For anyone who hasn’t been following the series from Week 1, it’s easy to get caught up. Just scroll down the Georgetown County Emergency Management page on Facebook, or click the link below.

20 Weeks to Preparedness

 

County staff trains at FEMA Campus in Maryland
Jan. 12, 2018

More than 50 Georgetown County staff members recently underwent a week-long training course at FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute in Emmitsburg, Md. 

It was a rare and exciting learning opportunity, as a limited number of local governments get to participate in community-specific courses, designed around their needs. The trip took place the first week in December.

All course materials were created specifically for Georgetown County, based on a probable emergency situation for the county’s geographic area. In this instance, the class’ focus was on recovery following a major hurricane that brought significant flooding. It was a continuation of the scenario enacted on Georgetown County’s first group trip to the Emergency Management Institute in 2012

The course emphasized recovery and mitigation activities and planning. Course methodologies of classroom instruction, planning sessions and a recovery symposium allowed for structured decision-making in a learning environment that was nonetheless realistic. Mitigation activities to prevent or reduce the future impact of a similar disaster were also identified during this session. 

The exercise the county participated in is designed to take a whole team of professionals from a city or county for in-depth resident training. Group members must work closely together as a team to accomplish community emergency management objectives.

All students in the class were Georgetown County staff, or staff from community partner agencies, such as the City of Georgetown, Santee Electric, Tidelands Hospital System and the Black River United Way. Representatives from Dorchester County Emergency Management, Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office and Mount Pleasant Emergency Management were also able to participate in the course. 

County participants included department heads, County Council members, Emergency Services staff, law enforcement, and representatives from Public Works and IT, among others.

The sessions gave staff from these agencies an opportunity to work together in a large scale exercise, practice and work out any kinks in the system prior to a real life scenario. This type of training is imperative, as there is little room for error during a real world event.

“It’s top-notch training that is provided at no cost to the county, and it’s an excellent learning experience for everyone who goes on this trip,” said Sam Hodge, Georgetown County’s Emergency Manager. “We have all levels of government involved, and this is an excellent way for us to come together and work out all our plans and make sure we have everything ready.”

The best part, he said, is that by traveling to FEMA’s campus for the training, staff can focus wholly on the exercise without – or at least with less of – the distraction of their day-to-day tasks back home. It also provides a bonding opportunity for staff who have to work closely and rely on each other for the benefit of the County in an emergency situation.

“This lets us go learn in Maryland, before a real disaster occurs, and we can bring that back home to Georgetown County to make it a much safer place,” Hodge said.

With three hurricanes over the last three years, and a snow and ice event already in 2018, Georgetown County’s emergency management team has already had plenty of real world practice lately. But the message Hodge spreads to residents is that one can never be too prepared. Georgetown County Emergency Management always strives to lead by example.

 

 

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