Anderson County, South Carolina
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Anderson County is one of 46 counties in South Carolina. In 2000, its population was 173,500; in 2005, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that its population had reached 175,514. Its county seat is Anderson.
Named for Revolutionary War leader Robert Anderson, the county is located in northwestern South Carolina, along the Georgia border. Anderson County contains 55,950-acre Lake Hartwell, a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers lake with nearly 1,000 miles of shoreline for residential and recreational use. The area is a growing industrial, commercial and tourist center.
Website evaluation
- Main article: Evaluation of South Carolina county websites
This Web site was reviewed Dec 9, 2012.
The good
- Elected Officials
- Elected officials are listed with a mailing address, phone number and personalized email.[1]
- Budget
- The most current budget is listed.
- Budgets are archived for 6 years.[2]
- Audits
- The most recent audit is posted.
- Audits dating back to 2004 are available.[3]
- Permits and zoning
- Administrative officials[6]
- Department heads are listed for each department.
- Contact information for administrative officials is provided including a mailing address and phone number.
- Contracts
- Bids and RFPs are posted online.
- Approved contract statements are provided for vendors.[7]
- Taxes
- Public records
- The public information officer is identified and maintained by the Anderson County Public Information Officer position. This person provides a mailing address, phone number and personalized email.
- A public records form is provided by the Anderson County Public Information Officer.
- A fee schedule for documents is provided.[10]
- * Lobbying
- Anderson County discloses it is not a member of any lobbying associations at this time.
- The County discloses that it does not employ lobbyists at this time.
- The total amount spent on lobbying is posted on activities from 2002 to 2008.[11]
- Meetings
- Meeting minutes are archived for 8 years.[12]
- A meeting calendar is available and names the times and locations of public meetings.
The bad
- Meetings
- Meeting agendas are archived for only 1 year.[13]
- Meeting video or podcasts are not available.
- Administrative officials
- Personalized emails are not available. A contact form is provided.[14]
Website upgrade
The County updated its website in June of 2009. The website took additional steps by posting their checkbook register and credit card accounts.[15] Comptroller Eckstrom has also offered online space for small cities and counties to upgrade their websites by putting this type of information on his own Web site, to remove cost as an obstacle.[16] The town of Irmo and Eckstrom signed up to also get the upgrade.
The county has also entered competing with 15 other counties in the state for best project during the annual South Carolina Association of Counties conference.
"Anderson County is looking back to our roots: a government of the people, by the people, for the people and we want to go a step further and bring it to the people. We want to change the conversation from what it has been --inherent distrust of government since pretty much the beginning of government--to how we can work together." said Angie Stringer, public information director.[17]
In 2011, the Anderson County earned a Sunny Award for having a perfect website transparency score.
Freedom of Information forum
In March of 2010, Anderson County help a Freedom of Information forum. Interium county administrator Rusty Burns, Jay Bender, attorney for the South Carolina Press Association, Senator Kevin Bryant-R and Sunshine Review's Kristinpedia were on the panel.[18]
Elected Officials
City Council
Anderson County has a Council/Administrator form of government. The Council members are elected to their positions and appoint an Administrator to oversee the progress and vision of the County.[1]
| Member | Title | District |
|---|---|---|
| Francis Crowder, Sr. | Council Member | District 1 |
| Gracie Floyd | Council Member | District 2 |
| Eddie Moore | Vice-Chair | District 3 |
| Tom Allen | Council Member | District 4 |
| Tommy Dunn | Chairman | District 5 |
| Ken Waters | Council Member | District 6 |
| M. Cindy Wilson | Council Member | District 7 |
Administrative Officials
The roles of the County Administrator are listed as:[19]
- Serves as chief administrative officer for the County
- Executes the policies, directives, and legislative actions of the County Council
- Directs and coordinates the operations of the County
- Prepares annual operating and annual budgets for the Council
- Requires such reports, estimates, and statistics from County departments and agencies
- Supervises expenditures of appropriated funds
- Prepares financial and administrative reports for the Council
- Administers County personnel policies, including salary and classification plans approved by Council
- Employs and discharges County personnel, subject to Council appropriation of funds for that purpose
- Performs other duties as required by Council
Budget
The 2010 budget went through an additional round of public meetings and functioned off the 2009 budget until the new budget was finally approved during its third reading on July 20, 2010.[20] The final budget is being compiled and prepared for print and for submission to the GFOA for the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award. In October the final budget was posted online.[21]
Lobbying
- Main article:South Carolina government sector lobbying
Anderson County has reported $706,496 in lobbying expenditures between 2002 and 2008. During that time the received $8 million dollars in federal money and $1.3 million in state funds with most of the money going towards transportation projects.[17] In 2009, the county was no longer employing lobbyists or any lobbying organizations to raise money for the county, but still belongs to the South Carolina Association of Counties, which does engage in government sector lobbying.[17]
