Category: News Releases

SCDEW today released the monthly employment situation report for September 2020.  Here are the reported numbers for Anderson County:

The unemployment rate showed an encouraging decline from 6.0% in August to 4.1% now, driven by the addition of 1,070 jobs for county residents over the month.   Please note also, though, that the total labor force declined by 702 during the month as well.

What we’re seeing here (increased employment, decrease in labor force) generally agrees in principle with what we usually observe from August to September; however, in this case the changes are a bit more extreme than what we would see under what might pass for normal conditions.  All things being equal, I would have expected an increase in employment of between 600 and 700 accompanied by a decline in labor force of about 200.

Using the comparison against last year method, total employment in Anderson County is up by 571 versus September 2019, so that seems to indicate we are still on our way towards getting “caught up” from the COVID-induced strains on the economy; however, we are not there yet and still have some ways to go. 

To put in practical terms—things are still rather unsettled out there. 

Our community’s numbers seem to mirror what is going on throughout the Upstate.  Our regional numbers are, in general, on par with or better than those observed statewide and in other regions across the Palmetto State.  The state’s full report can be accessed here: https://www.dew.sc.gov/docs/default-source/press-releases/september-2020-press-release-final.pdf?sfvrsn=95e64888_0.

Today, Anderson County received a Duke Energy Foundation Nature Grant Program, which awards South Carolina organizations funding for environmental projects, wildlife conservation efforts, and environmental educational programs. Anderson County is one of 11 awardees (and the only county or municipal entity) to receive the 2020 Duke Nature Grant program.

Anderson County was awarded a $50,000 grant that will support the installation of an ADA-accessible kayak launch and landing at Dolly Cooper Park, located on the Saluda River in Powdersville. The new kayak launch will provide a secondary river access point at the park and will be supported by a 1,200-foot long shared-use “River Walk” path. In combination with an existing kayak launch located upriver on the park grounds, this improvement will allow convenient point-to-point access to a ¼ mile length of the Saluda for kayakers, rafters, tubers, and swimmers— all without users having to leave the facility grounds.

“We cannot thank our friends at the Duke Energy Foundation enough for their support. The Foundation’s assistance has been a key part of Anderson County’s efforts to establish recreational facilities that serve the heart of the Saluda River Blue Trail, and I am proud to have them as our partner.” – Councilman Jimmy Davis

Anderson County is seeking public comment on the redevelopment of the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) campground, formerly known as Asbury Park. Comment period will close on September 9, 2020. A public presentation will be held on August 27, 2020 form 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM at the Anderson Civic Center, 3027 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Anderson, SC 29625.

For many years Anderson County Council has received community requests for quality development on Lake Hartwell. In an effort to foster development Anderson County approached the USACE Hartwell Project Office in January 2019 concerning recreational development on Hartwell Lake. The specific request concerned the possibility of redeveloping the long closed Asbury Park and Campground. In April 2019 Anderson County issued a request for proposal (RFP) using the process as described in the Anderson County procurement ordinance seeking a third party development group (developer) that would work with Anderson County in the redevelopment of Asbury Park and Campground, a USACE property. In June 2019 Lake Hartwell Development Group, LLC was selected by the County to be the development partner with Anderson County.

The RFP indicated that Anderson County would request a lease agreement from USACE for the purpose of creating a sub-lease with a developer. The County and the developer are required to meet all USACE rules and regulations for development of facilities on USACE owned property.

In June 2019 Anderson County began the request process to USACE through the USACE Hartwell Project Office. There are multiple USACE requirements that must be checked, verified and approved. These requirements include environmental testing, threatened and endangered species, historical and archeological surveys and a market feasibility study; this has been done in collaboration with the USACE Hartwell Project and Savannah District team.

We look forward to your comments. To submit comments, please call (864)260-4386 or email, economicprojects@andersoncountysc.org.