Berkeley County receives top recognition at SCAC Fall Advocacy Meeting
October 22, 2024
Recipient of Golden Palmetto Award, Honorable Mention for Multi-County 911 Initiative
At the SC Association of Counties’ Fall Advocacy Meeting Awards Luncheon in Columbia on October 17, 2024, Berkeley County was recognized for more than one quality of life project. First, the county received the Golden Palmetto Award for Outstanding County Service for People with Disabilities —the top annual honor from the SC Department of Disabilities and Special Needs’ (DDSN).
“We have wonderful, dedicated partners in Berkeley County who really understand the importance of meeting the needs for our constituents. We can’t thank them enough for their support and the programs that will benefit the amazing people we serve.” -DDSN Chairman Ed Miller, whose district includes Berkeley County
The award specifically recognized Berkeley County’s work earlier this year with local nonprofit Community Options, Inc. The organization received $64,650 in funds from the county’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program to provide upgraded wheelchair-accessible flooring and a generator for a housing facility for people with disabilities. Together with Community Options, the county celebrated a special ribbon-cutting ceremony for the project in June 2024. The home, located in Goose Creek, serves as the first handicap-accessible Community Options home in the Lowcountry.
“Berkeley County government staff were professional, passionate, and thorough throughout this whole process. I am honored to work for Community Options as we provide services to improve the lives of people with disabilities. I am also proud to be a Berkeley County resident and to see first-hand their commitment to helping all the citizens of Berkeley County.” -Alan Rose, Director, Community Options Summerville Office
Secondly, Berkeley County received Honorable Mention—together with three other counties: Horry, Beaufort, and Charleston—for the SCAC’s Barrett Lawrimore Memorial Regional Cooperation Award, which highlights the growing need for regional partnerships, strategies, and solutions. It is annually awarded for projects collaborated on by two or more political subdivisions (i.e. counties or county partnerships formed with city, town, district, or regional government organizations).
Specifically, this honor recognized the multi-county partnership for the SC Area Cooperative initiative, established in 2018 and amended in 2023 under a Master Cooperative Agreement to ensure reliable and consistent 9-1-1 service and emergency response across the region. The agreement also included the City of Goose Creek and the Town of Summerville. The agreement includes automatic and mutual aid, disaster recovery, resource coordination, information sharing, and technology integration. The program has provided backup call-taking and dispatching during emergencies.
“Public service through partnership is key to Berkeley County’s mission, and we are proud to be recognized, through these statewide honors, for such exemplary and proven partnerships. Our Council, administration, and staff work hard every day to improve the lives of all our community members, and while we don’t do it for recognition, it’s nice to see certain efforts highlighted and applauded. While we champion all our departments, our Grants Department and 911 Center are exceptional in their service. Specifically, the county’s CDBG Program benefits many local organizations’ initiatives that would otherwise not exist without financial assistance. Additionally, through our 911 department’s cooperative agreement with other counties and municipalities, we see the life-saving impact of successful partnerships. Going forward, we will continue to seek out collaborative opportunities to better our county and her people.” -Johnny Cribb, Berkeley County Supervisor
