Is the Great Recession in the Rear View Mirror?

According to Dr. Raymond Sauer, Dean of Business and Behavioral Science at Clemson, the answer is "Yes". He told an Oconee Alliance audience on January 12, 2012, that the car is moving very slowly, the view to the rear is not pretty, and big policy challenges lie ahead.

He said that economic activity has continued to strengthen, according to a Fedaral Reserve statement in April 2010, and that the labor market is continuing to improve. In November, 2011, the Federal Reserve said that economic growth strengthened in the third quarter, but indicators "point to continuing weakness in overall labor market conditions".

Other observations from Dr. Sauer:

Nationally, the number of employees is 6,500,000 fewer that at the beginning of the recession.

S.C. umemployment was worse than most states, but we have improved to 9.9%. Job growth is not sufficient to sharply reduce unemployment.

Unemployment is high internationally

The economy is growing slowly, steadily.

There are four key Policy Headwinds:

Fiscal policy cannot be sustained

Monetary Policy is unsustainable

Interventions in health and finance sectors

Vulnerability to oil price spikes

Dr. Sauer said that 2012 will be a good year, but that the entitlement and the fiscal scenarios must be fixed. Congress is not uninformed, but they cannot reach agreement. He expects that the housing slide will reverse itself.

(END)

Enhancing Healthcare in Oconee County and the  Greater Clemson Area

Cortni Nations, Executive Director of Mountain Lakes AccessHealth, discussed a new approach to health care for uninsured persons in Oconee County and the greater Clemson area. She said that 1 out of 6 South Carolinians do not have health care insurance because they cannot afford it. During 2010, charity healthcare, which results in no payment to the healthcare provider, reached one billion dollars in S.C. and $28M in Oconee County. The uninsured stop seeking  preventive care and go to emergency rooms whenever they need care. The goal of AccessHealth is to provide the right care at the right place at the right time.

A grant from the Duke endowment in August, 2010 has helped initiate this program. They have learned that mental healthcare, dental care, and access to medications are required. Of the 21,000 uninsured adults in the Mountain Lakes region, 66% are low income and 14,000 will qualify for AccessHealth.

In order to meet the needs of the medically underserved, Cortni and her team will work to strengthen community partnerships to benefit those 18 - 64 year old persons who need care and cannot afford care or insurance. Medical professionals will be asked to work with about five people per year who have passed the screening process. These people will have to re-qualify every six months.

When the services become available in February, 2012, there will hopefully be improved health outcomes by shifting from crisis care to early prevention and early intervention.

(END)

Economic Development Update

At the end of the November 10, 2011 Oconee Alliance meeting, Jim Alexander and Russell Johnson discussed how they market sites in Oconee County to prospects. They work through the state's Commerce Department, the Upstate Alliance, and consultants. In addition, they do some magazine advertising, have an excellent website, and travel to prospect meetings arranged by Upstate Alliance.

They also shared some important statistics that reflect annual totals:

2007: $72M investments, 340 jobs created

2008: $67.5M investments, 290 jobs created

2009: $48M investments, 385 jobs created

2010: $28M investments, 10 jobs created

2011: $5.75M investments, 55 jobs created

Totals: $221.25 investments, 1080 jobs created

NOTE: A week after this meeting, an announcement was made that BASF will have the county's single largest industrial investment. Their investment will be $60M and 25 jobs over the next five years.

(END)

Rep. Bill Whitmire was the first official to address the Oconee Alliance audience on September 8, 2011. He is chairman of the K-12 sub-committee and he talked about possible changes in education in S.C. Pending in the legislature is an education funding bill. At this time, education has a $6B annual fund or $1880.00 per child. He said that charter schools serve a need and many are doing good work, but others have some problems. A request to allow charter school students to play in public school athletics is meeting some opposition. Paying teachers based on classroom performance, not years of service, is being debated. The legislators are also discussing student class time being based on hours rather than days. If adopted, administrators could implement 4 day school weeks.

Next, Sen. Alexander took the floor and stated that the budget must be balanced. They passed a bill to increase the reserve funds from 3% to 5%, growing 1/2% per year until 5% is achieved. Sales tax and personal income tax are stable, but corporate income tax is down a little this year.

Health and Human Services will experience a $175M cut in state funds next year.

In order to make our state attractive to future employers, we must present an attractive business environment. The tax incentive that was granted to Amazon was already in place for QVC and been promised to Amazon. We stood by our word, but according to Alexander, the incentive will be "unlikely in the future".

Discussing the state retirement system, Sen. Alexander will co-chair a committee to study the system and recommend necessary changes that would be in the best interests of taxpayers and retirees, and would protect the sustainability of the plan.

A member of the audience asked if there will be a modest gasoline tax increase. Whitmire stated that there is no sentiment for a tax increase in the House, so he predicts there will not be a tax increase recommendation coming from the House. They are, however, reviewing the Dept. of Transportation.

With regard to year-round schools, Whitmire said that there is not a bill, yet. If there is a decision to go to a 9 week in class and 3 weeks out of class structure, Whitmire wants the structure to be statewide, not local choice.

The speakers say they think that unemployment has bottomed out in S.C. and that they have seen growth in the energy sector. 

(END)

Barker's Thoughts and Plans

Clemson University President Jim Barker addressed the Oconee Alliance audience on August 11, 2011. A leader who is positioning Clemson to be a top university in educating and graduating its students, was upbeat about a greater Clemson presence in Oconee County.

When asked about whether or not some of Clemson's land holdings in Oconee County could be used for economic development in the county, he responded that there are federal covenants that tie much of the use of this land to forestry research. However, he said it is worth it to explore different uses of the land.

Barker foresees increasing use of Clemson students in Oconee businesses and more joint ventures between the university and Oconee.

When Clemson's current $600M capital campaign concludes in 2012, the university will conduct more research, add more faculty, and increase the number of internal student internships.

(END)

Planning for our Energy Future

Preston Gillespie, Site VP at the Oconee Nuclear Station, was the featured speaker at the October 13, 2011 Oconee Alliance meeting.

Gillespie described electricity as a great value. Whereas the consumer price index rose 82% between 1988 and 2008, the price of electricity increased by only 54%. Other increases for that period were regular gasoline(243%), healthcare(163%), natural gas(162%), housing(83%), food and beverages(81%), and transportation(80%).

He said that Duke Energy is producing electricity by using hydro, coal, and nuclear . They are adding wind to their mix.

Their challenges are: aging generating facilities and infrastructure, increased environmental regulations, and projected growth and demand.

Following the earthquake and the tsunami in Japan, they have verified their ability to respond to major challenges at the Oconee Nuclear station. They have reverified their back-up power systems and their ability to manage the loss of off-site power. They have also reverified their ability to mitigate the impact of flooding on systems inside and outside the plant. Finally, they have inspected important equipment that would be needed to respond to extreme events. Gillespie continued by saying that their operators are in training 2 weeks out of every 10 weeks. They have also added a new maintenance training facility and new state of the art digital controls in their control room, a first in the U.S.

The 3 nuclear sites are fully operational 95.88% of the time, a new record.

Locally, Duke has an annual payroll of approximately $100M, pays approximately $29M in property taxes, hires about 1,000 contractors per major project, and supports local non-profits and schools with employee time and corporate financial support.

They hope to close merger with Progress Energy in early 2012. They are in the process of relicensing the Keowee and Jocassee hydro stations. The application for a new licence will be filed in 2014. Their current license will expire in 2016.

Duke Energy contiues to invest to insure that they provide customers with clean, affordable, reliable energy in the years to come.

(END)

The theme of the July 14 Oconee Alliance meeting was entrepreneurs and small business

The first speaker was Ms. Stephanie Enders, Founder and Director of Ripple of One (RoO). She works closely with people who live in poverty and who need a reason for being here. Many of them believe that this cycle of poverty and abuse will never end, that life will never be better. Ms. Enders said that it's all about the children, giving them an opportunity to live in a home and family environment that enables them to hope for a good future. With South Carolina having so much domestic abuse and a very high poverty level, family stability and good relationships are a must if there is hope for a "new life". She shows people that they can work, become financially stable, and live in a good environment. She does this work "one family at a time". For more information, search: Rippleofone.org.

Mr. Carl Cliche was the second speaker. He is Chairman of the recently incorporated Mountain Lakes Business Development Corp. (MLBDC) which will find ways to help entrepreneurs start-up new businesses. This incubator concept will primarily work in Oconee, Pickens, and Anderson counties. It will be supported with an academic program developed by Tri-County Technical College, mentoring from SCORE (retired business leaders), and the Small business development centers associated with Clemson University. During the last nine months, there have been five start-ups and they have created 37 jobs.

The third speaker was Ms. Chris Wafer who has established Blue Ridge Geriatric Care Mgt. She serves as an advocate for seniors and their families. She anticipates that the need for her service will grow as the population ages. By tailoring her care to the older generation, she enables people to live safely in their homes for as long as possible. It also is a terrific service for families who live great distances from their loved ones and who need an advocate where the older family member lives. She provides personal service and a single point of contact.

Susan Nunamaker, creator and owner of Money Cents for Kids, LLC, was the final speaker. She teaches her 3rd grade students how to make and save money. They receive weekly wages, apply for credit, and pay taxes and rent. If they need an attorney, they have to hire one. If they have a discipline issue, they must go before a court of their peers. This program has significantly improved student attendance and it has reduced discipline issues to near zero. Money Cents meets all national core common standards.

(END)

Local Leaders discuss Local Opportunities and accomplishments

Mr. Todd Bennington, Plant Manager of Borg Warner, told an Oconee Alliance audience that auto industry recovery is in place. His company will likely have a 10-20% increase in transmission housing production this year. He also discussed the impact that the tsunami in Japan had on the auto industry. Among components lost in Japan were red and black paint pigments. diodes, and computer chips.

Bennington also expressed his excitement about the September 20 - 22, 2011 Industrial Showcase at Littlejohn Coliseum. Approximately 6,000 eighth grade students from Oconee, Anderson, and Pickens counties will attend and will be exposed to the business world, especially manufacturing. The goal is to educate students and teachers and to improve workforce preparedness. The hope is that if students know the job skills that are required for success, they will stay in school, graduate, and earn wages that will lead to financial success.

Ms. Amy Twitty, development director of the Tamassee DAR School, said that their mission is to give children an opportunity to be successful. Their students come equally from Social Services and from individual homes. Their goal is to see families reunited. While they address educational and emotional needs, they assure each child that "somebody cares about them". She quoted DAR Executive Director Dean Bare who says that "children may hurt, but not alone". The length of stay for their children varies, based on the needs of the children or the families.

Mr. Ken Sloan provided a tourism update. He said that his job with the Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) is that of a marketing agency. His website has received inquiries from every state and from six countries. His efforts are focused on areas that are an easy drive to our county. In three years, the CVB has made about a $5,000,000 direct economic impact on the county. There have been major regional fishing tournaments. This year alone, there have been seven bus tours. Each bus tour participant adds about $100 per day to the county during their visit.

Ms. Sandra Magee, Duke Energy's World of Energy, invited the audience members to attend the June 15 relicensing public meetings and the upcoming movie by the lake.

Ms. Alice Wald invited everyone to attend the June 21 movie that will focus on plastic recycling.

Mr. Riley Johnson, City of Seneca, said that events in Seneca have increased from 3 to 40+ per year. Seneca Fest attracted over 20,000 people. Major plans are underway for the weekend of July 4 and for an artist, Cory Smith, in the fall who will appeal to college students. This concert will require the purchase of a ticket. Finally, Seneca will host the Dixie Youth World Series. Teams will come from thirteen states.

The next Oconee Alliance Educational Meeting will be July 14.

Dr. John Martin, Director and Curator of the Lunney Museum, described the museum and its offerings.

(END)

Healthcare Reform

Mr. Thornton Kirby, President of the South Carolina Hospital Association, was the guest speaker at the May 12, 2011 educational meeting of Oconee Alliance. He stated that healthcare reform is a political debate.

Kirby refelcted on how employer sponsored healthcare was implemented during the 1940s when the government implemented wage controls to stop wage increases. Companies were allowed, however, to be creative with benefits.

Medicare was implemented as government sponsored coverage for the elderly. Medicaid was government sponsored coverage for poor women and children. Both were inacted in the mid-60s when men often had military benefits.

On February 18, 1971, President Nixon made a proposal that would require employers to provide basic health insurance for their employees. In the 1980s, the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act was passed to require hospitals to screen and stabilize/treat every patient who comes to the hospital Emergency Department seeking care, regardless of the patient's ability to pay and regardless of what it costs the hospital to provide the care.

Strategic directions in healthcare begin with coverage of more people. Employers must offer coverage and individuals must have insurance. Medicaid continues to be based on the poverty level. Delivery system reforms are being developed and implemented. There are payment reforms designed to force providers to do their work right the first time. Other directions are transparency and health IT.

When looking at operational vs. political, there is no way today to get good data about hospital quality. That information is coming.

Mr. Kirby said that he expects little reform until after the 2012 elections. This topic is too political and will be a major item for the political races.

In South Carolina, the focus is on improving care. For instance, it has been documented that a patient has a much greater chance to survive a heart attack if he/she receives PCI within 90 minutes of the first heart attack symptons. Performance in SC reached 90% in Q4 2008 and met or exceeded 90% during each quarter of 2009. Meanwhile, the national average was 77%, 79%, 81%, 82%, and 84% in the same quarters (Q4 2008 - Q4 2009). During 2010, SC exceeded 90%. SC ranks 6th in the nation for heart attack patients given PCI within 90 minutes of arrival.

South Carolina has also progressed in the area of reducing infections. Whereas hospitals throughout the US have reduced infections by 21%, we have experienced a 36% reduction in SC.

(END)

Mason talks Tourism and In-migration

Patrick Mason shared the results of 25 years of in-migration research with the attendees at the April 14, 2011 educational meeting of the Oconee Alliance. Mason stated that there were 28.5M visitors to S.C. last year. The tourism industry in S.C. employs 200,000 people, has an annual payroll of $5B, and pays $1.2B in state and local taxes.

Mason suggested that the best way for us to grow reasonably is to attract tourists who are upwardly mobile, affluent, and educated. If we target ages 24-64 with median household income of $119,000, we will attract retirees, who dump $8M into the local economy, and talent, people who will start businesses. According to Mason, history reveals that people, in the past, did not move when they retired. Today, 26% say they will move, 50% will move across state lines, and 75% say they will want to work in the new location. Ideally, we would attract people who have a net worth of at least $950,000. During 2010, S.C. had 155,000 gross move-ins. He projects that number will continue to increase each year.

Why do people visit our area? They appreciate the scenic beauty, climate, recreation, cultural amenities, modest taxes, housing costs, cost of living, and healthcare. If they visit multiple times, they are more likely to retire here. Mason suggests that we build amenities that will be  attractive to our residents. These amenities, in turn, will attract visitors

The audience members were encouraged to go after businesses that will relocate to this area.

Mr. Mason is the Co-Founder of the Center for Carolina Living, which produces the CarolinaLiving Guide To Relocation & Retirement. Their consumer resource tools that include CarolinaLiving.com, will be used by 500,000 people and will generate about 35,000 visitor and relocation leads for N.C. and S.C. in 2011.

(THE END)

Zoning: What You Need to Know

Zoning is used to minimize land use conflicts and to guide future growth. According to Oconee Alliance guest speaker Mark Tollison, an attorney for Greenville County and a recognized zoning expert in South Carolina, zoning began in the 1920s. It has been most commonly used as a local tool to implement a county/city land use plan. In its beginning, certain uses of land was excluded in certain areas.

The South Carolina Zoning Code is written to "guide developmant in accordance with existing and future needs and promoting the public health, safety, morals, convenience, order, appearance, prosperity, and general welfare".

Why Zone? It is a tool that can be used to affect the future character of the community and to stabilize property and address nuances.

Why not zone? It is controversial and affects private property rights. It is a new source of conflict and has potential liability.

Referring to the Comprehensive Plan, Tollison said that it has no zoning power, but it must exist. The Zoning ordinance describes what happens within each district and an accompanying map shows the district boundaries.

In order to implement zoning, there must be public notice and a public hearing.

Itron: "Knowledge to shape your future"

Mr. Michael Higgins told an Oconee Alliance Educational Meeting on February 10, 2011 that Itron is the market leader in the U.S. for Electricity Metering. Higgins, who was named General Manager of Operations for Electricity Metering in May, 2008, has 10 years experience in the utility industry. This West Union product line accounts for approximately $660M in company revenue.

The Plant, located in West Union, S.C., opened in 1961and was designed to manufacture electromechanical meters. Today, the company is known by Kiplinger as the "Microsoft of Metering". Of the 2.6B meters throughout the world, only 9% are smart meters. Higgins said that Asia, North America, and Europe are areas for growth opportunities. The industry has experienced a 32% compound annual growth rate. The 317,000 square foot facility in West Union, has added 450 jobs in the last 12 - 24 months. Of these employees, approximately 150 are permanent employees.

Locally, Itron provides 30% of the corporation's revenue with only 11% of the corporation's work force. During 2010, 30% of their 992 Oconee employees had pefect attendance. The average employee has 15 years of service. They pride themselves on bringing products to market quickly.

Our Itron plant is focused on deploying smarter management technology. Success in this area of the business could make Oconee County the corporation's Knowledge Center. Although much R&D is performed in the local plant,  Mr Higgins desires  to attract more R&D expertise to this area.

Mr. Higgins concluded by saying that the people of Itron who work in Oconee County are committed and loyal.

(END)

"Great Recession will turn corners in 2011".

Dr. Bruce Yandle was the guest speaker at the January 13, 2011 educational meeting of the Oconee Alliance. He said real news will be heard whenever part time work becomes full time work and whenever many more houses are under contract.

This was a recession that took longer to reach the bottom and  longer to end. The recession began in December, 2007 and ended in January, 2010. Manufacturing output has been expanding for a year. Another noticeable turnaround has been firms with 50 employees. They are hiring, but doing so cautiously. Work hours are increasing, more part-time people are being hired, and there is evidence of some permanent hiring. Talk of a double dip recession has ceased.

As for consumers, they are placing more money into personal savings and they are paying off credit card debt.

New vehicle sales are showing significant increases.

Dr. Yandle expects us to achieve by second quarter 2013 the same employment rate that existed when the recession began in December, 2007.

Other observations:

- Income in S.C is rising

-Oconee County has experienced the fastest growing unemployment reduction in this area.

-The most growth in Oconee County has been leisure and hospitality, the destination economy.

-Wages are up 10.4% in manufacturing.

- Personnel with a bachelor's degree are experiencing 4.8% unemployment.

- The unemployment rate for high school grads is 15.3%

- Persons with an associates degree are facing 8.1% unemployment.

- Staying in high school is the key to success.

- GDP growth in 2010 was 2.7%. The projection for 2011 is 3.5%

- We likely will have $4.00/gallon gas prices the 1st quarter of 2011.

- Inflation prospects are greater in 2012.

- S.C. has the higest business property taxes in USA. We are 10X greater in Rock Hill than in Charlotte.

(END)

Good News Meeting

The December meeting of the Oconee Alliance acknowledged high unemployment, fewer pay increases, and failing businesses during 2010, but focused on good things that occured in our county during the year.

Musical entertainment for the meeting was provided by the Seneca Middle School 8th grade honors chorus.

Cathy Rogers of the American Red Cross was the first speaker. She shared how they had provided assistance to victims of house fires and service to military personnel. They have written to many service personnel, have taught CPR classes, and have recruited holiday heroes who contribute at least $100.00 to the Red Cross.

Todd Bennington, Vice President-Operations for Borg Warner, enthusiastically reported that they enjoyed record sales and employment ($83,000,000 and 270) in the 1st quarter of 2010. He reported that the auto industry is manufacturing fewer vehicles but is making money. He saluted local industry for its success and assured the audience that things are coming back. Part of his recovery message dealt with work force development, specifically partnering with schools. In closing he again discussed hope when he said 21% of the world's goods are produced in the U.S.

Graduation coaches at West Oak and Walhalla High Schools, Jessica Freeman and James Powell respectively, said there is plenty of bad news in the schools, but they focused on the positive results they have experienced with students who turned their education experience from poor to excellent because of support that they received. One student who accepted personal accountability for school results, progressed from being homeless to almost making the Principal's List. This student plans to attend Tri-County and enter the medical field.

Steve Smith, Our Daily Rest, said they provide safety and hope to the homeless. They teach job search skills and work with clients to develop a personal transition plan. In 14 months, 60% of their 275 clients have joined the work force.

John Powell closed the program with a plea for audience members to help others. He said that the true spirit of Christmas is experienced when you give and expect nothing in return. In closing, he said: get involved, put the Merry in Christmas.

(END)

Weathers talks Agribusiness

Hugh Weathers, Commissioner of Agriculture for S.C., was the guest speaker at the November 11, 2010 educational meeting of the Oconee Alliance. Many representatives of the agriculture community attended and spoke with Mr. Weathers, who said that we need to market the agriculture industry. He told the audience that a study conducted by Dr. Harry Miley showed that the industry has a  $34 billion annual impact on the S.C. economy. Weathers believes that the impact should have an annual growth rate of 4% and reach $50 billion by 2020.

Covering several topics, he said:

- One focus is alternative energy production. The desire is to have a crop with higher energy yield than corn.

-They are working closely with the S.C. Ports Authority to export S.C. crops to the world.

- Agriculture is the only S.C. industry with positive trade value per year. There are greater sales opportunities in the northeastern U.S. and overseas.

- There are equine pockets across the state. Development of an equine trail will boost tourism.

-We need to add members to the Future Farmers of America because the average age of a farmer in S.C. is 58.

- Cultivated, tillable acres stabilized between 2002 and 2007. Of the 139 new farms, many are part-time.

- Organic production is less than 5% of the market, with much potential to grow.

- We have 120,000 acres of cotton. We should have 250,000 to 400,000 acres.

- Our production of tobacco is 3rd in the U.S., but is less than 20,000 acres. There is a large international market.

- Today, cotton and tobacco land is planted with peanuts.

- Our largest crop in terms of acreage is soy beans.

(END)

County Administrator Shares His Thoughts

Scott Moulder, Oconee County Administrator since June, 2010, was the guest speaker at the October 14 meeting of the Oconee Alliance. He began his remarks by saying that he had decided to change his talk and he proceeded to discuss leadership. Moulder said that county government is a service organization and that it is difficult to determine its success.

He said a leader must build teams, earn trust, be enthusiastic, listen, and look for solutions. A leader must be willing to look forward, always do what is right, and be willing to make tough decisions.

He said that leaders must bring people together, must realize that in government most ideas come from the bottom-up, and that decisions are made slowly. Leaders in government must expect criticism of their decisions.

He said that he will try to communicate the positives and that he will engage others to find tomorrow's solutions. His philosophy is that you should look forward to tomorrow because it is the only thing that you can change.

During 2011, Moulder will work with Council to define goals and to set direction. He will encourage open communications with the public and he will look at the budget process. His senior executive assistant will have some responsibility to distribute information to the public and the media.

During the question and answer session, Moulder said that the broadband plan will generate development. He said that he will have to study material more in-depth in order to have a plan to increase recycling.The proposed rural fire district development plan will be finalized after a couple more meetings and will be available to Council before the end of the year.

(THE END)

Hybl talks Growth and What Really Matters

Dean Hybl, Executive Director of Ten at the Top, was the guest speaker at  the September 9, 2010 meeting of the Oconee Alliance. Hybl is currently leading an effort to share what growth is anticipated in the 10 Upstate counties during the next 20 years and to determine what matters most to the people of the Upstate.

Hybl said that by 2030, Upstate S.C. is expected to add 118,000 households, 203,000 jobs, and 270,000 residents.

His question is: Will this growth shape the Upstate, or will the Upstate shape this growth? He said that we should work together in the Upstate because sprawl doesn't recognize political and geographical boundaries, we are part of a regional workforce, we can save resources, and together we are much stronger! We need have a shared regional vision that will enhance the quality of life for residents and businesses within the Upstate region.

According to Hybl, there are four observed patterns of growth: dispersed (trend), corridor, compact, and rural village. According to input from citizens in the Upstate, they would like to see compact (33%), corridor (31%), rural village (25%), and dispersed (11%).

In a community survey, 6,000 people said "What Matters Most" to them in how we grow, economic vitality, natural and cultural resources, education, and quality of life. Oconee Couunty was well represented: we are 5.34% of the Upstate population, but we had 9.88% of the total responses.

The respondents said the Upstate is a very good (46.8%) or an excellent (28.6%) place to live. 85% of the Oconee participants said it is a very good or excellent place to live.

Respondents said that they have noticed  an increase in traffic and are concerned that it will get worse. 45% of Oconee respondents agreed.

50.4% of those who responded said that property owners have responsibility for building consistent with the local community. 37.6% said it should be up to the city/county to make sure buildings are consistent with surroundings. The remaining 12.1% said property owners should be able to build anything without concern for areas around them.

With regard to land use, nearly 35% of Oconee respondents said that land use should be reduced by 40%. Only 21% said that the current use is appropriate.

71.4% of Oconee respondents said that we need to create a culture that values learning. 67% said that we need to increase the effectiveness of K-12 public schools.

The percent of Oconee residents who regularly participate in recreational activities is 89.2%. This is the highest % in the 10 county region.

The Top 5 Priorities to ensure quality of life for Oconee residents are: clean air and water (63.9%), public health (61.5%), job creation (51.4%), K-12 education (44.9%), crime prevention (39.5%), and infrastructure (33.9%).

In 2030, 37.3% of Oconee respondents said that they want to be able to say that our area has maintained its natural beauty. 28.6% want to say that it is a great place to raise a family.

Hybl concluded by inviting everyone to an Oconee County community meeting on October 11 at Gignilliat at 5:30 PM. (END)

Why is the S.C. Port important?

Founded by the General Assembly in 1942, the S.C. Port is the 9th largest U.S. seaport and has a statewide economic impact of $44.8 Billion annually. Jim Newsome, President and CEO of the S.C. Ports Authority, told an audience at the August educational meeting of the Oconee Alliance that the Upstate has significant connections to the port. There are 112,700 port-related jobs in the Upstate region and workers earn $5.3B in annual wages. The total economic impact is $21.4 Billion. In fact, 60% of the S.C.-based cargo is from the Upstate.

There are 5 public terminals in Charleston. An advantage is that the port is near open water and has 47 feet of water at mean low water. He hopes that the port will be deepened to 50 feet in order to better compete with ports in New York and Norfolk. Newsome says that another advantage is that they have excellent access to interstate highways.

Within 500 miles of Charleston there are 91 metropolitan areas. Their base is from Raleigh-Durham, N.C. to Atlanta, an area rich in automotive, chemical, aviation, furniture, and apparel/textile clients. Although they also have a good share of the South American market, they need a greater presence in Asia. Competition is everywhere. For instance, the S.C. ports were larger than the Georgia ports through 2005. In 2006, Georgia grew larger than S.C. Today, Georgia's port is twice as large as the S.C. port. S.C. must work to return to 2005 and 2006 business volume. To do that, they are working to attract new services, especially those with large ships. In addition to increasing container cargo, they are seeking more non-container cargo. They will spend $1.3B in the next 10 years to expand. Also, they have the Carnival Fantasy cruise ship to provide cruises out of the Charleston port.

The strategic priorities of the port are: Navy Base terminal, Harbor deepening, stakeholder relationships, financial sustainability, and rail access and service. At buildout, the construction of the Navy base terminal will boost container capacity by 50%.

Yes, whether you want to take a cruise or ship a container, service and capacity are available in the Charleston area.

(END)

"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