Debris removal operation complete on county-maintained roadways
April 11, 2014

Debris removal work resulting from Winter Storm Pax was completed on Georgetown County-maintained roads late this week. During a process that lasted nearly two months, the contractor hired by the county for the work picked up more than 118,000 cubic yards of vegetative waste and cut nearly 20,000 dangerous limbs left hanging in trees after the storm. These totals are about three times what was predicted during the original damage assessment in February.

The county’s landfill, located on Highway 51, also returned to normal operations this week and all usual fees have been reinstated. Community recycling centers located throughout the county returned to normal operations last month.

Debris pickup along state-maintained roadways in Georgetown County continues and is being conducted by a contractor employed by the S.C. Department of Transportation. The department has not issued a schedule for collection on roads still needing cleanup, but officials with the department have offered assurances that vegetative storm-related debris already piled in the right-of-way on state-owned roads will be collected.

Residents are advised to stop putting debris in the right-of-way on county-maintained roads now that collection by the county’s contractor is complete.

County officials would like to express thanks to residents for their patience and cooperation during this cleanup operation. This was the first time since Hurricane Hugo in 1989 that the county was faced with debris collection of this magnitude, and it is the first time the county activated a debris management contract.

 “Overall, collection went very smoothly, but there were some lessons learned for us,” said Ray Funnye, Georgetown County’s director of public services. “Georgetown County and the Public Services Department are always working to improve and we definitely took some notes during this process that will allow us to provide better service the next time we’re faced with a situation like this.”

Murrells Inlet Community Center ribbon cutting set for May 1
April 8, 2014

Construction of the new Murrells Inlet Community Center is complete and crews are working on landscaping and putting finishing touches on the building’s interior this week.

The public will get its first complete look at the long-awaited facility on May 1. A ribbon cutting is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. with an open house immediately following.

“I think people are going to be very pleased and excited when they see the final product,” said Beth Goodale, Georgetown County’s director of parks and recreation.

She added that she couldn’t be happier with how the facility turned out.

The center is the product of many conversations and planning sessions with members of the Murrells Inlet community and Goodale said she believes the architect did an exceptional job of transforming the community’s vision for the center into reality...

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County residents encouraged to sign up for emergency alerts
March 18, 2014

When important information needs to reach the public, direct messaging is a key method used by Georgetown County’s Emergency Management Division. The county contracts with the Emergency Communications Network for use of the CodeRED high-speed notification system to send important messages via phone, text and e-mail to those in its database.

However, such systems are only as good as the telephone number database that supports them, said Sam Hodge, the county’s emergency manager.

“If your phone number is not in the database, you will not receive these alerts,” Hodge said.

The database does not automatically include unlisted or cellular phone numbers. But no one, even if they have a listed residential number, should automatically assume their phone number is included.

Every resident and business in the county is encouraged to make sure they’re signed up for alerts by visiting CodeRED's notification enrollment page. Sign up is easy and residents can choose to enter just a phone number, or opt to receive notifications by text message or e-mail. Residents can enter multiple phone numbers and will also be asked for their street address as the system allows Emergency Management to send notifications to specific areas of the county as well as countywide.

Those without Internet access can sign up for notifications by calling the Emergency Management office, (843) 545-3273.

“CodeRED gives those who want to be included an easy and secure method for inputting information,” Hodge said.

Data collected will only be used for emergency notification purposes. For more information, call (843) 545-3273.

Three national fishing tournaments coming to Campbell marina
March 4, 2014

A national catfish tournament coming to Georgetown in April will be the first of three major fishing tournaments the county will play host to over the next 14 months, attracting national attention and hundreds of fishermen and their families from across the country.

Cabela’s King Kat Tournament Trail will stop in Georgetown for a two-day super event on April 25 and 26. Anglers will compete for cash prizes up to $5,000, with a guaranteed payout of $10,000. Weigh-ins will take place at the county’s Carroll Ashmore Campbell Marine Complex on the Sampit River. During the King Kat tournament, the Campbell Marine Complex will also feature a free kids fishing rodeo sponsored by Cabela’s, Crappie USA and Georgetown County Parks and Recreation. Signup for that event starts at 8 a.m. April 26, with the rodeo running from 9-11 a.m. Children age 12 and under are eligible to participate and enter to win one of six $1,000 scholarships.

The Inshore Fishing Association Redfish Tour and Kayak Tour are additionally scheduled for Georgetown this year, from Aug. 15-17. And county officials received word just last month
that Georgetown County will be host to the weeklong B.A.S.S. Nation Southern Divisional Championship April 19-25, 2015...

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