"Aging - It's the Behaviors, not the Years that Count"

Dr. Cheryl Dye, a professor in the Department of Public Health Sciences at Clemson University, informed and entertained those assembled at the Oconee Alliance monthly educational meeting on July 8, 2010. As the director of the Institute for Aging at Clemson, Dr. Dye concentrates on "Empowering Older Adults to be Actively Engaged in Life."

Dr. Dye showed the picture of a Wellness Wheel and explained that all aspects of life must work together seemlessly. Her Wellness Wheel is composed of: Physical, Emotional, Mental, Spiritual, Social, and Financial Needs. There must be, she said, a connection between our Mind, Body, and Spirit.

According to an Alameda County Study by Breslow and Belloc, there are seven basic health habits related to longevity:

Adequate Sleep           Eating breakfast daily

Regular meals, not snacking frequently

Moderate or no use of alcohol

Not smoking            Weight in a Healthy Range

Regular Physical Activity

According to the study, people who followed 6-7 of the healthy habits lived an average of 12.5 years longer than those who followed 0-3 of the habits.

Smoking is the number 1 cause of death in the U.S.

Lack of exercise and poor diet are the second underlying cause of death in the U.S.

Swimming, bicycling, walking briskly, golfing without a cart, and dancing are endurance exercises that may delay or prevent diseases associated with aging:

diabetes, colon cancer, heart disease, and stroke.

People should perform strength training (builds muscle), balance exercises (prevents falling), and flexibility exercises (holds your body in place).

Dr. Dye said that there are 10 Super Foods:

 Apples                 Almonds

Broccoli                            Blueberries

Red Beans                     Wild Salmon

Spinach                     Sweet Potatoes

Oats                       Tomatoes

Recommended mental exercises are: crossword puzzles, card games, craft activities, mind maps, learning new languages, and brain games.

To find your spiritual intelligence:

Build silence and solitude into your daily life

Spend time in Nature

Keep company with the wise and inspirational

Reflect on the nature of life and death

Don't just think about spiritual values, practice them

Finally, develop your social health and social support network:

Walk your pet

Join a Senior Center or Community Fitness Facility

Have lunch with friends

Volunteer

Join a hobby group

Go back to school

REMEMBER THE WELLNESS WHEEL!

Are You Keeping Yours in Sync?

(The End)

S.C. Legislative Update

Senator Thomas Alexander, Representative Bill Sandifer, and Representative Bill Whitmire were welcomed to the June 10, 2010 educational meeting of the Oconee Alliance. Each reflected on the 2010 Legislative session.

Alexander said that we need business incentives to make our state competitive.The approved budget of approximately $5B is down $2B from 2008 and might go to $4B. The legislature is providing as much money as possible for education. They froze the Index of Taxpaying ability for one more year. This action will help Oconee County schools by allowing us to retain $1.9M that would otherwise go to other counties. From the money that will be generated by the new cigarette tax, $5M will go for smoking cessation, $5M for cancer research, $10 M for medicare match, etc.

Rep. Sandifer talked about business bills. In the building codes, there is no requirement for automatic fire sprinklers. Knowing that it is difficult for developers and/or builders to obtain financing, the Gen. Assembly extended approved permits for 4 years.They did away with Employment Security Commission reform in order to focus on employer and employee rights. They voted to clarify automobile purchase discounts to assure truth in advertising. Finally, he stated that voter registration cards must be associated with a photo ID in the future.

Representative Whitmire talked about education. S.C. has 1100 schools and 700,000 students. School data shows low test scores, poor attendance, and a high dropout rate. Although the results in these areas are improving very slowly, we still need to  raise all results to or above the national averages. Unfortunately, education also suffers from too little funding. Our base per student expenditure should be $2,500 - $2,600. It is actually slightly over $1,600.

In response to a question from the audience, Sen. Alexander said that the TRAC Commission is studying the whole tax structure in S.C. Rep. Sandifer said that a graduated tax on auto sales is likely the best way to go.

The next educational meeting of the Oconee Alliance will be July 8, 2010 at Thrift Development in Seneca at 8:00 AM. The topic will be wellness and enhancing physical, emotional, and brain health as we age.

[END]

"The future looks very bright."

This is how Robert T. "Bob" Geolas, Executive Director of the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR), concluded his remarks to over 60 attendees at the Oconee Alliance educational meeting on May 13, 2010. Geolas has been on the job since April, 2004 and has seen much change and success within ICAR.

He described ICAR as a program driven university research center that depends on partnership development. They have been placed among the five best global practices in the world - all in 6+ short years.

Many people today talk about the knowledge-based economy. Geolas said that they intend to be the world's premier automotive and motorsports research and educational facility. Their mission is to link economic development with intellectual development to create a knowleedge based economy for S.C.

Within a 500 mile radius of the upstate, there are more than 1,000 automotive assemblers and suppliers, according to the Upstate Alliance. They have also identified 125 automotive suppliers and related companies in our 10 county region. Geolas, however, is reaching further. He has just returned from a trip to Europe. He talked with the management of companies that want to have a presence in the U.S. He said that ICAR is the ideal soft landing site for them.

At ICAR, one will find a research and educational campus that has more than $200M in investments. Of the funding, 70% is from the private sector. There are 76 Masters degree and PhD students. ICAR is increasing collaboration among companies and universities while attracting companies to join the partner network. He said that the students will roll out one new vehicle each year.

ICAR will begin construction of a new, 60,000 square foot building next month. After approximately 10 months, they will have their first multi-tenant builing and the ideal space for some of the Eoropean companies. Of the total square footage, 60% of it is already under letters of intent.

ICAR is a true success story that is generating economic growth in the Upstate.

(END)

Roads Report from Commissioner

Mr. Eddie Adams, a S.C. Department of Transportation Commissioner for the third district, was the featured speaker at the monthly educational meeting of the Oconee Alliance.

Adams said that S.C. has 42,000 miles of state owned roads, the fourth most in the nation. At 16 cents per gallon, we also have the fourth lowest fuel usage tax in the U.S. Whenever the gas tax increases by 1 cent, $32M is generated. Oconee County receives 2.265 cents of the 16 cents.

Adams advocates an increase in the per gallon tax so that more money can be collected for road improvements. Resurfacing/reconstruction currently costs approximately $1M per mile. Neighboring states N.C. and Georgia have a per gallon tax of 31.1 cents and 8.8 cents respectively. The tax rate in N.C. changes every six months.

As for federal taxes, we send 18.3 cents per gallon to the Fed. Gov't. Unfortunately we are a donor state because we only receive 9.5 cents from this 18.3 cents.

According to Adams, we must continue to search for transportation alternatives, especially for senior citizens who live in rural areas. Mass transit such as rail needs to be explored. He concluded by saying that the CAT system is a model for rural areas and for its approach to becoming "green". (END)

WorkLink WIB

Nita Colman, Executive Director of WorkLink WIB, was the guest speaker at the monthly educational meeting of the Oconee Alliance on March 11, 2010.

The goal of this organization is to connect companies and job seekers. It was created by the Work Force Investment Act of 1998 and it currently has one-stop centers in Oconee, Anderson, and Pickens counties. They help wth adult education, GED pursuits, and work closely with Tri-County Technical College on the education component.

More than 170 people have been placed in jobs in Oconee County in the last 18 months. WorkLink has invested close to $250,000 in Oconee during the last 2 years.

WorkLink will host a Job Fair in Seneca at the Shaver Complex on April 20 from 9:00 - 3:00. The cost of a booth for the employers will be $50.00. (END)

Lucas says:"Education is everybody's business in Oconee County."

Dr. Michael Lucas, Superintendent of the School District of Oconee County (SDOC), told an audience at the Oconee Alliances' monthly educational meeting that he was there to tell them "what works and what does not work in the SDOC". He said that we cannot expect to progress if we simply continue to do the same things over and over again. According to Lucas, we must use our time in school more effectively. He said that the school calendar is still built on an agriculture calendar. Students who live in poor conditions are hurt academically by having the summer off. They do not travel to historic sites, read, go to museums, etc. like many of their classmates do each summer. He said that many of the students in this county start off behind in their education. By the eighth or ninth grade, however, they are ahead of the national averages. He explained that students who start off behind and who have to pass grade level (criterion referenced) tests, are punished.

As for teaching, he said that teachers are encouraged to experiment with ways to reach fresh solutions.

The SDOC receives its funding from three sources: Federal Gov't. (10%), State Gov't. (46%), and Local Gov't. (41%). He said that the county will lose $2,100,000 as a result of Act 388 which redistributes state funds according to the wealth in the community. Oconee County ranks as the 9th wealthist county in S.C. and will lose money to other counties based on Act 388.

Lucas concluded his remarks by saying that we must be sure that our children are ready for life after high school.

(END)

Economist says "prepare for change"

The Oconee Alliance welcomed Dr. Bruce Yandle, Dean Emeritus of the College of Business and Behavioral Science at Clemson University, to its January meeting for the third consecutive year. An audience in excess of 100 heard Yandle say that the economy is showing signs of recovering from the Recession and that 2010 will bring a turnaround. He said, however, that there will be rising unemployment into the third quarter of 2010. The recession ended, he said, in August or September of 2009.

One observation by Dr. Yandle was that we do not know what is real improvement or what is a reflection of one of the stimulus plans. People are, therefore, confused and are fearful. Fear has caused unheard of growth in total personal savings. People are paying down credit card debt. Retail purchases are declining. Yandle said that fear will be eliminated when people have jobs.

Other observations were:

Jobs in healthcare, government, and education are increasing. There are more females employed in these sectors.

Companies have found methods to be more efficient, to be as productive while employing fewer people. During the recovery, hours will increase, temporary jobs will increase, and finally full-time jobs will increase.

He predicts 2.5% GDP growth in 2010.

Inflation will grow by the end of 2011.

The number of factory workers on the factory floor in the U.S. is the same as 1939.

Oil prices will likely be $83 to $100 per barrel in 2010.

Things will be better!

--------------------------------------------

CHANGE

At the December 10, 2009 educational meeting of the Oconee Alliance, the topic was CHANGE.

Todd Bennington, Vice President of Operations at Borg Warner, said that they have faced some of their most difficult times ever, but they are experiencing a turnaround. Employment has increased from 114 to 400. Jobs and orders are coming back, but they are having a difficult time purchasing enough product from their supply base. He said a silver lining to this horrible economy is that people and businesses no longer  have an entitlement mentality. Good jobs and ample business are not a right.

The president of Tri-County Tech, Dr. Ronnie Booth, said that industry, business, and school districts must work together. He predicts that funding will be the most significant change in higher education. At one time, Tri-County received 54% of its funding from the State of S.C. Today, that figure is 20%. The flip side is that the citizens of the area have realized the need for more training and education. This need has caused a surge in enrollment, from 3612 in 2001 to 6758 today, an 87% increase. Enrollment is up 18% when you compare 2008 to 2009. He foresees that enrollment will increase between 9,000 to 12,000 students within 10 years. Booth closed by saying that we must support economic development so that job opportunities will increase and students who complete their study at Tri-County will have a place to work.

The CEO of Blue Ridge Bank, Glenn Buddin, said that the events of 9-11-2001 changed the landscape of the financial marketplace forever. Most of today's transactions are processed electronically. Internet banking has grown, but the next major change will be cell phone banking to apply for loans, to open new accounts, to take cash out of your account at an ATM, etc. He said 95% of us will eventually use cell phone banking. He stated that there will always be a place for community banks. They will thrive on personal service, not price. He anticipates that interest rates will remain flat through next May or June, but might increase rapidly after that. He said "they went down fast, so they can go up fast". He said the economic outlook is good. In closing, he reminded the audience that there have been no bank failures in S.C.

John Powell, owner of Powell Real Estate, has seen major change in this area during his life here. His favorite fishing hole as a kid is now under Lake Keowee. That lake, along with Lake Hartwell and Lake Jocassee, has led to dramatic change in this area and to a change in lifestyle. He recalled being told in the 7th grade that land along the new lake would sell for $500.00 per acre. Others called this price nonsense. John said that when he sold his first lakefront lot for $12,000.00, he couldn't believe that someone was agreeing to pay that price. Although life in the area has changed, our culture has remained basically the same. There are simply more people here today and they have brought different cultures with them. He urged the members of the audience to seek Better-Better, not Bigger-Bigger for our area. He urged us to protect our swimming holes. Powell concluded his remarks saying that "water has changed our area, we must protect it!"

Barrett, Ruff speak to the Alliance

Congressman Gresham Barrett and Ellen Ruff, President-Office of Nuclear Development for Duke Energy, were the speakers at the November 12, 2009 meeting of the Oconee Alliance.

Barrett gave a brief update about House and Senate initiatives in Washington.

Ruff said that Duke's charge is to provide clean, reliable, and low cost energy. She said our nation must address the need to modernize generating fleets and must address environmental issues such as decarbonization. According to the Energy Information Administration, our energy sources are coal (48.5%) natural gas (21.3%), nuclear (19.6%), hydroelectric (5.9%), petro and other gases (1.4%), wind (1.3%), and wood, waste, geothermal (1.7%). The generation capacity of renewables, specifically wind and solar, is highly variable, day-to-day and even hour-to-hour. Her recommendation is that we need more nuclear generation now in order to counter the variability of renewable resources and to assure that electricity is available when consumers need it.

We have enjoyed 30 years of safe nuclear operations. In the Carolinas, there are 7 nuclear units that provided 90%+ of Duke's capacity  last year. It takes 10 years to complete the construction of a nuclear facility. Although the upfront capital costs are significant, nuclear is ultimately the most cost effective for the customer.

While stressing that we need to build more nuclear now, Ruff said that the U.S. must get in cue with other countries to buy the equipment that is necessary to construct a nuclear facility. 

What is Happening in Westminster and Seneca?

Derek Hodgin, Mayor of Westminster, and Greg Dietterick, Seneca's City Administrator, were guest speakers at the September 10 Oconee Alliance educational meeting.

Hodgin opened the meeting by announcing that the restoration of the Depot in Westminster is finished and that they were able to preserve much of its historical significance. He discussed other highlights: they are the best rural water supplier in S.C., they will have a new restaurant in October,the Emergency Operations Center is moving forward,  and they have recently erected a dog park at Anderson Park. He stated that the re-opening of the race track has added to the local economy. Some business owners are reporting increased sales on Friday night race nights and some have extended their hours of operation. There is a plan to establish a disc golf course at Chau Ram Park.

Dietterick, who followed Hodgin,said that there are lots of projects underway in Seneca, and that he has to wear lots of hats to keep everything moving forward. His overall goal is to help make Seneca better than they found it.

He described the enhancements to the downtown park. Seneca is "now in the events business" and these events are resulting in the park being packed. In fact, the park is becoming a centerpiece for downtown Seneca.

Seneca is about partnering. Included are Duke Energy (water and sewer) and the School District of Oconee County (athletic fields). In addition, the CATS bus system was created to help people. To date CATS has created 24 jobs, has brought millions of dollars of Federal tax money into the County, and reports "ridership is through the roof".

The Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism has sponsored 11 - 12 tournaments this year and has generated economic activity in the County. The girls softball tournament, for example, generated over $500,000. The city is working with the School District to add fields at the new Blue Ridge Elementary school. This would enable Seneca to attract more and potentially larger tournaments.

Mr. Dietterick discussed the quality of the city's infrastructure. The water system is very good today and easily expandable for growth. Similarly, the sewer system is being engineered for growth.

Dietterick concluded his presentation by showing a video of Seneca. He said that they are recruiting new citizens from across the US, targeting people who plan to retire within 3 years. He said that "the future is so bright".

Nine representatives of the Arts in Oconee County addressed over 60 people at the March 12 meeting of the Oconee Alliance.

Highlights were as follows:

The Blue Ridge Arts Council is "Bringing Arts to the People and People to the Arts". They are advocates for the artists and they educate all ages so that they will enjoy the arts. They partner with festivals, promote cultural heritage, participate in special events like Downtown Go 'Round, and support multi-county arts tours.

The Historic Ballentine House promotes tourism and offers cultural classes through the heritage lecture series. They exhibit art, host traveling art exhibits, host special events such as weddings, receptions, and fund raising. They are a designated site of the S.C. National Heritage Corridor.

Started in September, 1971, the Oconee Community Theater brings fine arts to the upstate and Oconee County. They will offer Nightwatch beginning April 10 and the First Baptist Church of Ivy Gap beginning May 29. There will be a Youth drama camp July 20 - 31 and the 2009 childrens production will be The Childrens Nutcracker. There are volunteer opportunities available.

The Artists Loft was established in September, 2007 and is all about the artists. They currently have 17 artists with diverse talents. They offer art education programs and opportunities to interact with the artists. Meeting space is available in the gallery.

The Oconee Conservatory of Fine Arts offers ability level training and individual instruction. In their recent talent competition, 75-80% of the participants were from outside Oconee County.

Described as the "grand lady", the Walhalla Civic Auditorium opened in 2003 and remains dedicated to providing and enhancing the arts in Oconee County and the extended area. It is on the national register of historic places and plays host to concerts, comedy, and the Walhalla Civic Players (see below). A reception hall is available.

Live theater using local talent is what the Walhalla Civic Players is about according to Doug Lucas. Their goal is to be entertaining and of quality. Snow White will debut April 3, 2009. Over 500 people attended their first performance: "It's a Wonderful Life". They are working with Walhalla High School.

The Westminster Chamber of Commerce supports events year 'round that add to the quality of life in the Westminster community. Some of the events that they promote are the Apple Festival, Christmas Parade, Music on Main (beginning in May at 6:00),the Oconee Bale Trail, "Boo on Main" at Halloween, Westminster Pride Day, and the Christmas Tour of Homes. They anticipate that they will be back in the Depot this Fall.

Duke Energy and the World of Energy attract 10,000 visitors from throughout the world to its shows. They offer art exhibits about four times each year, hands on demonstrations, a quilt show, metal work, and woodwork. They attempt to provide opportunities for people of all ages. The World of Energy will celebrate its 40th Birthday in July, 2009.

Yes, Oconee County is very fortunate to have such a wide variety of arts to offer its citizens and visitors. You are encouraged to support these groups who promise to offer high quality fun.

Economist Dr. Bruce Yandle says to expect little good news before 2010

Dr. Bruce Yandle told an Oconee Alliance on January 8 that we are facing a recession similar to the one that was experienced in 1981-1982. We will likely experience zero economic growth in 2009. Yandle said that some indices might show some positive movement, but that the recovery will not appear until late 1st quarter 2010.

Yandle, Dean Emeritus of the College of Business and Behavioral Science at Clemson, said that there is some good news. Lower gas prices equate to a $200 billion annual gain for American consumers. Lower mortgage rates equate to approximately an $800 billion gain for American homeowners. 91% of the people in Oconee County who are looking for work have a job. Credit card/mortgage delinquencies in this region are in the safe range. Housing prices are hold up, on average, in the upstate. Although the unemployment rate is high and will go higher, there is some good news in that people are moving to this area and the labor force is growing.

Dr. Yandle, who served as director of the Federal Trade Commission, said that as of October, 2008, all states in the U.S. were in a recession or were at risk for a recession. He showed that Industrial Production Growth in the U.S. has been on a steady decline since June, 2005. Slow growth will extend to February, 2010 in the extreme case, to June, 2009 in the mild case. From 1981 until June, 2001, the unemployment rate in South Carolina tracked that of the U.S. Our S.C. unemployment has exceeded the nation's rate since that time. Also in 2001, the unemployment rate in Oconee County began to exceed that rate in S.C. The per capita personal income (PCPI) in Anderson, Greenville/Mauldin/Easley, Spartanburg,Charlotte/Gastonia/Concord continues to decline. At the same time, the PCPI in Columbia and Florence is holding steady at a fairly high level.

In summary, Dr. Yandle said:

1.The U.S. is in a recession that will be deeper and longer lasting than the 2001-2002 recession. Slowdown about like 1982-1983, 18 months in duration.

2. GDP growth will be weak through 2009, with the pulse beat getting stronger toward the end of 2009, but with slow growth going into early 2010.

3. Sale of new houses, autos, and other large ticket items will suffer during the recession. Sale of existing houses should pick-up.

4. South Carolina's economy is weaker overall than the U.S. economy, but there are bright spots.

5. The brighter spots are generally found in association with the new knowledge economy, with brains and human capital.

Seneca Madrigal Singers and Dr. Jim Rex

People attending the December 11, 2008 Oconee Alliance meeting were treated to two programs in one. First, the Madrigal Singers from Seneca High School performed several songs of the season. Diane McFarline, who directs these 14 talented students, invited the audience to tonight's performance by five Seneca H.S. choirs at Seneca First Baptist Church at 8:00 PM.

Second, Dr. Jim Rex, Superintendent of Education in South Carolina, spoke to the group and answered questions. He stated that he campaigned on five initiatives:

His first initiative is innovation in education, how to better meet the needs of the students. Second is greater public school choice. He stated that Americans want choices in all areas of life, including education. Areas of choice mentioned were: magnet schools, single gender schools/classes, and montessori.  He does not support school vouchers. He believes that vouchers will harm public schools. The third initiative is Accountability. All that is done in schools and school systems must lead to improvement. We have about 700,000 students in South Carolina. History reveals that a high percentage of them will never leave the state. Addressing No Child Left Behind, he said that he would not throw it out, but he said that it needs major modifications. His fourth initiative is: Elevate and Rejuvinate the teaching profession. Many teachers will retire in the next 3 - 5 years and S.C. will face a teacher shortage, especially in math, science, and special education. Serious teacher shortages already exist in parts of the state where systems are finding it difficult to attract teachers to their area. He said that, in the past, females and minorities found teaching to be attractive. This is much less true today and several reasons are: working conditions, pay, and lack of status. Finally, funding of education in the state is initiative number five. He reiterated that all geographic areas of education in the state are not equal and that we need to take action to reduce disparity. He said we must use available funding to assure that every child receives a quality education so that each person can live the American dream.

Additional thoughts that he presented were: another 6% budget cut is anticipated this year, there is work being done to exclude or re-phrase and strengthen the S.C. constitutional language which only requires a "minimally adequate education for all students", he suggests that local citizens and businesses get involved with local education and its leaders, he recommends that we contact our Senate and House members to share our recommendations about education, and that S.C. educators are aggressively addressing the issue of dropouts.

TriCounty Technical College Update

Dr. Ronnie Booth, President of TriCounty Tech, presented a look at the current educational environment at TriCounty and in the state of South Carolina. Booth stated that everyday is a challenge, but they are committed to their Mission: economic and lifelong development, making things better for the people who live in the three counties of Oconee, Pickens, and Anderson. Their goal is to be a role model for community college education. He said they are here to make the community better.

Last year, TriCounty faculty taught 110,000 credit students and 150,000 non-credit students. Enrollment has increased 30% since 2000.They anticipate 450 TriCounty to Clemson Bridge students next year. They have 55% female students and 45% male students and 58% of their students attend as full time students.

They are receiving less money from the state and are lookinfg for other sources of income via their Foundation.They have experienced budget cuts of 17.8% this year and anticipate another 5%. He said that the S.C. Education Lottery is essential today. Student fees will cover only 50.9% of the fiscal year 2009 budget. Even with these cuts, they are not reducing faculty slots because these positions are critical to the mission. In summary, enrollment is up, state funding is down, and tuition is up.

TriCounty will soon have a campus in each of the three counties. Programs discussed were the LPN, Bridge, University Transfer, and Dual enrollment.

(END)

The Mysteries of Economic Development

September 11, 2008

Wesley Crum, an attorney who specializes in economic development and fee-in-lieu, talked about property taxes as well as local incentives. He stated that the tax rates in our area are higher over a 10 year period than those in neighboring areas such as Hart County, Georgia and Burke County, North Carolina. These counties are competing for the same businesses that consider relocating to or expanding within Oconee County. These property taxes are an operational expense for the businesses and thus place us in a competitive disadvantage. We, therefore, have to offer fee-in-lieu to have a chance to attract the businesses. Our industrial tax rate, per the S.C. constitution, is 10.5% (owner occupied homes and agriculture are taxed at 4% and commercial at 6%). This rate can be reduced to 6% with fee-in-lieu.

One issue that Crum discussed was the impact of new business  on the local economy. If we attract new business, more is required of the education system. Employers often require additional training for their new employees. Other county services are also required to support new industrial businesses. With fee-in-lieu, property taxes are actually reduced and these property taxes are the funds that support education. More is required of education, but fewer funds are available. He said that the county decision makers must understand what they are chasing, i.e. new industry. For instance, does the ultimate value of the project justify the cost of new infrastructure.

Crum stated that the expansion of existing industries is smart growth because less infrastructure is required. They also normally hire more local people and thus there is less need for new subdivisions and schools.

In conclusion, the current property tax structure for industry is not competitive. For this reason, we must have fee-in-lieu.

August 14, 2008

New Development in Oconee County

Developer Tom Winkopp and local businessman and commercial builder Neal Workman (Trehel Corporation) were speakers at the August Oconee Alliance meeting. They used aeriel photos to show and to describe an exciting new lakefront development on Lake Hartwell. Highpointe and Pointe West will eventually be home to students, individuals, families, and retirees. In addition, there will be retail establishments and restaurants, open to the public.

The project is designed and being built in an environmentally friendly manner. Mr. Winkopp stated that 85% of the material that has been removed from the former JP Stevens site is being recycled. There will be 7 parks, up to 3 acres in size, and a 7 acre green space. The entire project will be walkable. The green space may be used for intramural activities and/or college soccer.

Currently, 108 4 bedroom, 4 bath student condos are complete and students will begin moving in on August 16.Ultimately, they plan to have 750 units for students. This site will also be home for the Clemson - Tri-County Tech Bridge Program for the next 5 years. To accomodate the Bridge Program, there will be 4 classrooms and a large meeting room. Within 7 years, 3,000 students will reside in Highpointe. The student area will be gated with 24X7 security.

Phase 1 of Pointe West (off Cherry Road) will be complete in the late spring or early summer of 2009. This development of single family residences, with 80 waterfront lots and 230+ interior lots, will not be gated. The entry level price point will be about $300,000. There will be a 10-12 acre interior lake, many view corridors, a wellness center, CAT bus service, a 10 acre continuing care retirement center.

This development will create new job opportunities and will ultimately create a tax base of $350,000,000. The 2009 tax base will be $60,000,000.

Michelle McCollum, President of the S.C. National Heritage Corridor, told an Oconee Alliance audience that Oconeee County is on the cutting edge of growth in the tourism industry. She said that tourism is South Carolina's largest industry and that Heritage Tourism is the fastest growing segment of tourism. Heritage tourists, according to McCollum, are the best educated and they spend more money. They like to shop in small shops, to participate in outdoor activities, and to visit cultural and historical sites.

In order for us to grow tourism in our area, we need to protect our heritage resources, be pedestrian friendly, have arts and culture, have aesthetically pleasing downtowns, and present an overall pleasing quality of life.

The Heritage Corridor, which was started by the National Parks Service but is managed by local communities, is in 40 areas across the U.S. The South Carolina Corridor, the third largest in the U.S., goes through 17 S.C. counties and covers over 300 miles from Charleston to Oconee. Services offered are Product Development, Marketing and Public Relations, Group Tours, and Hospitality Training. Niche trails that have begun are: Military Heritage, Agriculture Tourism, Arts, Garden Trails, and Kids Trails. 

Strom Thurmond Institute Director Looks at Change

Bob Becker was the guest speaker at the May 8, 2008 educational meeting of the Oconee Alliance.

Becker said that the Oconee County area is poised for "neat things" in the future. We have experienced nice population growth, not explosive growth, that is close to the state average. He said that our poverty rate is 6th from the bottom of all counties in S.C., making it one of the lowest in the state. Our median household income is about the state average and ranks Oconee 12th in the state.

Our area took off as a retiree location in the 90s. This results in lower income growth because retirees bring wealth but no wage increases. Being sound in its wealth, Oconee County will find it easier to recover from economic downturns. S.C. ranks 5th in the U.S. in retiree relocation. Why? We have good medical facilities, lakes, and quality of water.

Housing is basically sound. Our median home values are sustainable.

College students have migrated to S.C. since 1970. We were at 11 grads per 100 population. We are now at 24 per 100 with a reasonable distribution of talent throughout the state. There has been flight from rural areas to urban areas.

Business, in addition to retirees, will be looking at this area because of our mountains, water, temperature, and elevation change.

In the current economic clamate, S.C. will likely be last in and first out. No sectors in Oconee County are showing a real weakness and we have assets.

Dr. Bruce Yandle addresses the Oconee Alliance