Sewer backups can be a costly and challenging issue for public works staff to address. John Ciesielski and Kayde Niemira of the Municipal Association of South Carolina’s Risk Management Services discuss prevention and maintenance efforts, as well as how to handle liability for backups.Par Municipal Association of SC

Councils who establish public comment sessions must plan and conduct them carefully, potentially setting rules on the time allowed or the conduct of those who speak. Municipal Association Field Services Managers Charlie Barrineau and Naomi Reed discuss how to keep public comment sessions productive and orderly.…

The City of Greenville received a 2024 Achievement Award from the Municipal Association for its development of the extensive 60-acre Unity Park at a location once characterized by segregated park facilities and neglect. Mayor Knox White discusses the history of neighborhood advocacy dating to the 1930s that led to the park’s development, the commun…

In 2023, the Municipal Association of SC, along with Main Street SC, its downtown revitalization technical assistance program, created WeShopSC, a statewide e-commerce marketplace. Jenny Boulware and Jonathan Irick of Main Street SC discuss how the service has worked since then with Kate Giovambattista and Dannah Dawood of Beyond Main, which partne…

The Town of Mount Pleasant received a 2024 Achievement Award from the Municipal Association for the police department’s work, in partnership with the nonprofit WakeUp Carolina, to help reduce opioid overdoses and help those who have been affected by them. Capt. Christopher Rosier of the Mount Pleasant Police Department discusses how the initiative …

The City of Fountain Inn received a 2024 Achievement Award from the Municipal Association for its work to revitalize Sanctified Hill Park in the city’s historically Black community, reversing a history of neglect. Mayor GP McLeer discusses the careful community engagement, including with Golden View Baptist Church, an earlier leader for restoring t…

Business licensing officials in South Carolina have access to a large number of resources for administering their licenses in compliance with state law, from required update schedules to sample documents to training from the SC Business Licensing Officials Association. Municipal Association Manager for Local Revenue Services Caitlin Cothran and Sta…

Incident investigations are a risk management tool for cases of injury or loss. Cities can use them to determine why the incident happened and what can help prevent it from happening again. Bethany Pendley and Kayde Niemira of the Municipal Association of SC Risk Management Services discuss how to conduct incident investigations, and what cities ca…

The Town of Six Mile won a 2024 Achievement Award from the Municipal Association for successfully turning a land bequest into a preserved green space adjoining Six Mile Elementary School. Mayor James Atkinson explains the process of getting the land into a conservation easement, as well as how the park will be used. See the award video at www.masc.…

The City of Goose Creek won a 2024 Achievement Award in the Communications category for its marketing of the Adopt a Goose program, a citywide installation of goose sculptures, each with its own design. Goose Creek's Marketing Manager Adam Kelly and Art Director Barb Richardson discuss how the project has helped build community identity and engagem…

The City of Hardeeville won a 2024 Achievement Award for its development of the Hardeeville Commerce Park located on Interstate 95. City Manager Michael Czymbor discusses land acquisition, infrastructure preparation, and what the development means for Hardeeville’s economy and future. See the award video at https://www.masc.sc/achievement-award/202…

The City of Abbeville won a 2024 Achievement Award from the Municipal Association for its ongoing capital improvement plan, replacing and upgrading everything from water to sewer, stormwater and electrical lines. City Manager Blake Stone discusses how the efforts have been planned and funded, as well as their impact on economic development and qual…

The City of Florence won the 2024 Joseph P. Riley Jr. Economic Development Achievement Award for its sports tourism development involving an expanding slate of athletic facilities. City Manager Scotty Davis and Athletic Director Tim Wilson discuss how the city has built and maintained these facilities, the economic impact of visiting athletes, and …

Main Street Inman won the Main Street South Carolina 2024 Excellence on Main Street Award for the Mayor’s Youth Council, a program focused on civic education and community pride. Its members attend council meetings, volunteer at events and participate in cleanup days. Inman Mayor Cornelius Huff and City Administrator Joe Lanahan discuss the program…

Casey Fields, Joannie Nickel and Erica Wright discuss the Advocacy Initiatives Building Day that will happen in Columbia on September 25, where city and town officials are invited to share their ideas and concerns for the 2025 legislative session at the State House.More information: https://www.masc.sc/event/advocacy-initiatives-building-day…

Garbage trucks face numerous potential fire hazards that can endanger people and become incredibly costly as well. Municipal Association Loss Control Manager Bethany Pendley talks about how cities can handle this hazard, including preventive maintenance, cleaning, and training for what to do when a sanitation truck fire occurs. Learn more: https://…

Municipal Association of SC Field Services Managers Charlie Barrineau and Naomi Reed discuss the issues involved in managing agendas for public meetings. They cover setting the agenda, properly distributing agendas, circumstances for adding agenda items and executive sessions. Learn more: https://www.masc.sc/uptown/12-2023/who-can-set-or-change-age…

Chief Operating Officer Jake Broom talks with Charles Parker, project director from The Retail Coach, a consulting firm the Municipal Association has partnered with for retail recruitment training. They discuss retail development trends, ways cities can market themselves and address policy considerations for retail, as well as success stories aroun…

Municipal Association Executive Director Todd Glover and Chief Operating Officer Jake Broom talk about the Association’s Small Cities Summit, a one-day session taking place in Columbia on August 22 and addressing the specific needs and challenges of smaller cities and towns. This year’s summit will feature an “Agency Hall” where attendees can meet …

At the Municipal Association’s 2024 Annual Meeting, Executive Director Todd Glover and Legislative and Public Policy Advocate Joannie Nickel give an update on the 2023-24 legislative session. They discuss primary elections, the 2024 state budget, bills that passed and did not pass, and issues that could arise in the 2025 session.…

Association Executive Director Todd Glover talks about the value of visionary leadership, the need to build up future generations of municipal leaders, as well as the successes and the ongoing need for the Association’s civility in local government initiative.Par Municipal Association of SC

Outgoing Municipal Association President Barbara Jo Blain, mayor of the City of Conway, discusses the legislative advocacy successes of the past year, the ongoing need for hate crimes ordinances, and the need to replace conflict with collaboration at the local level.Par Municipal Association of SC

Goose Creek Mayor Greg Habib, newly elected president of the Municipal Association of SC, talks about local government leadership, transformational projects in Goose Creek, the need for civility in the public sphere, and the need to develop and nurture managerial talent in municipal government.Par Municipal Association of SC

As mayor of the host city of Greenville, Mayor Knox White welcomes attendees to the Annual Meeting. White and Anderson Mayor Terence Roberts discuss municipal leadership and projects in their cities.Par Municipal Association of SC

Municipal Association General Counsel Eric Shytle gives an overview of public meeting executive session issues, including the purpose of executive session under the SC Freedom of Information Act, how to properly enter into and conduct an executive session, and the consequences of misusing executive session.…

Casey Fields and Joannie Nickel talk about the outcome of runoff elections as well as General Assembly action on conference reports, including the state budget.Par Municipal Association of SC

Municipal Association Executive Director Todd Glover and Chief Operating Officer Jake Broom preview the 2024 Annual Meeting, taking place in Greenville July 17 – 21, with sessions focused on artificial intelligence, economic development, mental health resources, placemaking, workforce talent development, civic academies and civility in local govern…

Casey Fields and Joannie Nickel discuss the results of the June 11 primary elections, and what those elections will mean for the makeup of the General Assembly during its 2025 – 2026 legislative session.Par Municipal Association of SC

Casey Fields and Erica Wright discuss the General Assembly’s first return to the State House after the end of the regular session. The preview legislators’ final actions on the state budget, primary elections on June 11 and Wright’s upcoming meetings in Washington, D.C., to meet with federal agencies on grant funding opportunities.…

Casey Fields and Scott Slatton discuss various bills that did not pass during the regular legislative session, and what may become of the issues in the next session. These include the zero-millage bill, the statewide hate crimes bill — although a growing number of municipalities are passing local hate crimes ordinances — medical cannabis, short-ter…

Casey Fields, Scott Slatton and Erica Wright discuss how the language from the military tax increment financing bill came to be amended onto another bill that is still alive in conference committee, and describe the late-session debate on the bill to restructure the state’s health agencies.Par Municipal Association of SC

Casey Fields, Scott Slatton and Joannie Nickel discuss the state budget ahead of it going to conference committee in June. They also discuss the property tax extension bill and the bill extending the SC Abandoned Buildings Revitalization Act tax credit.Par Municipal Association of SC

Casey Fields and Scott Slatton talk about bills that did not pass during the final week of the regular legislative session, such as the bill that would consolidate state health agencies and the municipal elections bill.Par Municipal Association of SC

Casey Fields discusses the events of the final day of the General Assembly’s regular legislative session, including what bills are enrolled for ratification and what bills will go to conference committee and remain active in June.Par Municipal Association of SC

Scott Slatton and Casey Fields discuss the legislative action on the municipal election bill, currently amended to set the election date for all cities and towns as either the first Tuesday of April, or the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November, of odd years. They also discuss the bill to allow micro-distilleries to sell liquor on Sunday…

Casey Fields and Scott Slatton discuss budget provisos involving short-term rental regulation that the SC Senate had considered, the creation of a liquor liability study committee, as well as legislative action on the Abandoned Buildings Revitalization Act tax credit extension and the affordable housing property tax exemption bill.…

Casey Fields and Scott Slatton talk about the upcoming Senate debate on the Senate Finance Committee version of the state budget, as well as new language being added onto the bill to extend the abandoned buildings revitalization tax credit and the military tax increment financing bill.Par Municipal Association of SC

Casey Fields and Scott Slatton discuss the Senate Finance Committee’s version of the state budget, with provisos relating to property tax changes after the delay of 2020 Census data, State Health Plan insurance premium increases, and the 12-month break-in-service rules for retired police officers returning to work as school resource officers. They …

Casey Fields and Scott Slatton discuss the status of the joint and several liability bill, the tort reform bill and liquor liability legislation; as well as testimony on the SC Ten-Year Energy Transformation Act. They also cover a follow-up bill to the recently passed permitless gun carry law.Par Municipal Association of SC

Joannie Nickel and Erica Wright join the podcast to talk about the current state of the military tax increment financing bill, the 911 T-CPR bill, liquor liability legislation, the bill to increase the tort claims cap and the state budget. They also explain the Municipal Association’s new resource for local hate crimes ordinances.…

Casey Fields and Joannie Nickel look at several pieces of legislation as the crossover deadline, which is the deadline for bills to pass out of their originating body, approaches on April 10. They cover the military tax increment financing bill, the property tax exemption bill, the Abandoned Buildings Revitalization Act tax credit bill, the 911 T-C…

Casey Fields and Scott Slatton review the House version of the state budget, including new and returning budget provisos. They also discuss the recently passed permitless carry bill and its follow-up legislation as well as testimony on the bill that would require signage for those with National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permits to disc…

Casey Fields and Scott Slatton take a look at the passage of the permitless firearm carrying legislation, the discussion on the Judicial Merit Selection Commission, proposals on reducing the costs of liquor liability insurance, and the upcoming debate on the state budget.Par Municipal Association of SC

Casey Fields and Scott Slatton discuss the House of Representatives version of the bill creating the Executive Office of Health and Policy, and the conference committee on the bill to allow permitless carrying of firearms. They also talk about the bill to extend the SC Abandoned Buildings Revitalization Act tax credit, and the ongoing efforts to re…

Casey Fields and Scott Slatton take a look at the House Ways and Means Committee’s version of the state budget. They also talk about the proposed extension of the SC Abandoned Buildings Revitalization Act tax credits until 2035, as well as the bill that would change the property tax exemption for nonprofit housing corporations, the bill that would …

Casey Fields and Scott Slatton discuss the bills to create the Executive Office of Health and Policy, the permitless carry bill going to conference committee and the bill to allow referendums for Sunday liquor retails sales. They also cover the medical cannabis bill, liquor liability bills and the bill to allow affordable housing development projec…

Casey Fields and Scott Slatton discuss the medical cannabis bill going on special order, and also talk about the bill to allow the permitless carrying of a gun and the bill to allow referendums for Sunday liquor sales. They review Hometown Legislative Action Day, including the session on using accommodations tax funds for workforce housing.…

Laura Dawson Ullrich, senior regional economist for the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, Charlotte Branch, discusses the current state of the economy and its outlook for the future.Par Municipal Association of SC

Goose Creek Mayor Greg Habib offers the report of the Municipal Association’s legislative committee, and the Association’s advocacy team talks through numerous key issues currently debated at the State House. Hear from Scott Slatton, director of advocacy and communications, as well as legislative and public policy advocates Joannie Nickel and Erica…

Conway Mayor Barbara Blain-Bellamy, president of the Municipal Association of SC, talks about inclusion at the local level and the need to consider all kinds of residents when making decisions, as well as the importance of a statewide hate crimes bill.Par Municipal Association of SC