Richland County Council Chair Emphasizes Importance of Small Businesses

COLUMBIA, SC – Richland County Council Chair Norman Jackson joined other local officials Tuesday to herald the importance of small businesses in the community.

In celebration of National Small Business Week 2014, the County is taking part with the city of Columbia in the Greater Columbia Chamber of Commerce’s series of programs to educate and promote small business. Representatives from the County’s recently created Small Local Business Enterprise (SLBE) Program will provide information at a session informing small business owners how they can become eligible to participate in projects and secure contracts with Richland County.

“The development of the SLBE program is in part to stimulate our economy,” said Jackson, District 11, before reading a proclamation in honor of the Chamber event. He urged small businesses to take advantage of the educational opportunities the weeklong observation offers.

Richland County will participate in the “Doing Business” session at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, May 15 at the Chamber, 930 Richland St. in Columbia.

In September, Richland County Council approved an ordinance to establish the SLBE initiative. The program will begin accepting applications this summer to increase the number of certified small and local businesses eligible to participate in the County’s competitive process for projects included in the Transportation Penny Tax program, as well as countywide projects that do not receive federal funding.

Jackson emphasized that participation in the SLBE program is open to any small business and the requirements are race and gender neutral.

For more information about the SLBE program, email [email protected].