State of the Community Recap: Seizing Opportunity and Managing Growth

Last Thursday, the Georgetown County Chamber of Commerce hosted its annual State of the Community breakfast, gathering over 120 attendees to hear from elected officials and key executives from the Towns of Andrews and Pawleys Island, the City of Georgetown, and Georgetown County.

The core themes across all jurisdictions were seizing economic opportunities, managing rapid growth, and increasing governmental collaboration.

Key Takeaways by Jurisdiction

City of Georgetown:

Carol Jayroe, Mayor, City of Georgetown Scott Whitter, City Administrator, Georgetown

• Redevelopment: Mayor Jayroe and Administrator Whittier shared updates on the demolition of the Liberty Steel mill, which is actively underway. The City is working with a developer to transform the iconic waterfront property into a mixed-use development with housing and shops. The former steel mill HQ will become an expanded City Hall with hopes it will also spur redevelopment in Georgetown’s West End.
• Challenges: Addressing drainage/coastal flooding (citing an $8M Front Street infrastructure project) and balancing resident needs with the influx of visitors.

Town of Andrews:

Frank McClary, Mayor, Town of Andrews Mauretta Wilson, Town Administrator, Andrews

• Economic Driver: Mayor McClary touted the new Black River State Park as the main economic driver, sparking new business growth. The park is envisioned as a 70-mile linear water trail—the first of its kind in the state—that will offer kayaking, hiking, camping, and cultural history focusing on the Indigenous and Gullah Geechee communities.
• Challenges: Preparing a trained workforce to support this new growth through updated comprehensive plans, using secured infrastructure grants for the town and park, and focusing on workforce development with partners.

Daniel Newquist, Town Administrator, Pawleys Island

Town of Pawleys Island:

• Challenges: Coastal resiliency and tidal flooding are the biggest concerns. The town is focused on ongoing beach renourishment and flood mitigation efforts.
• Growth Management: The planning commission has updated its architectural review standards to balance historic charm with the need to withstand increasingly intense storms.

Georgetown County:

Clint Elliott, Chairman, Georgetown County Council Angela Christian, Georgetown County Administrator

• Priorities: Managing $60M in grants and $120M in budgeted funds for infrastructure and recreation, with initial Capital Sales Tax funds going to upgrade the Emergency Operations Center.
• Economic Development: Touting the Browns Ferry water project, port redevelopment, and its work with Liberty Steel and International Paper to find new property owners that will attract jobs. The County is focused on preparing more shovel-ready sites for economic development prospects.
• Workforce: Partnering with Coastal Carolina and Horry Georgetown Tech to add new programs to retain local students.

Shared Challenges & Collaboration

All participants agreed that increased communication and collaboration between local governments is vital.

• Workforce/Affordable Housing: This was cited as a critical, shared challenge—essential for teachers, law enforcement, and service industry workers—noting that the issue has become politicized, leading to opposition of “affordable” developments.
• Aging Infrastructure: A common challenge is replacing 1970s-era water lines and other aging systems, along with ensuring the canal that provides drinking water to the city is secured for the future.
• Managing Growth: All agreed on the importance of preserving greenspace, proactively updating future land use maps, and revamping the wetlands ordinance to mitigate challenges posed by the Lowcountry environment.