Having been on County Council since 1978, Isaiah Odom, council member for District Seat #5, had his fair share of experiences. His experiences before '78 were what he believes gave him the knowledge needed to keep citizens of Bamberg County satisfied with his position(s).

Odom, born in Govan and raised throughout Bamberg County, was drafted into the military while working at the Savannah River Site (SRS). After his deployments were served and he was married, he continued working at SRS, where he worked in construction, production and operations. He believes his previous careers, in different trades, taught him how to understand a variety of view points, which in return helped him with situations faced by county council.

Throughout his life, the involvement in his churches has led to a position as interim pastor at St. Peter Church in Elko. Not only does he make time for his new church home, but he also is able to visit with his 10 children, who are spread over the country with their own families. He is also able to visit with the men and women at the nursing home in Bamberg, where he plays the piano monthly. Odom's roots in Bamberg County extend far past some of the citizen's memories. He has always been an involved member with the ever present goal of having Bamberg continue its growth and expand the economy.

During an interview, he explained how important it was for the young people of the community to stay in the area. He said resources for a greater education were here, but due to the lack of industry, those individuals had to move away in order to find jobs suitable to their knowledge and degrees.

To correct this issue Odom suggested citizens to vote yes for the projects listed on the capital sales tax referendum. Odom stated if citizens vote for the penny sales tax, millage would not have to be increased. By having the penny sales tax, people from other counties would help pay for the projects. "Bamberg County is a very rural area, and we need to get these projects started and on the way, so that we can attract industry to the area," and keep our citizens in the county.

The use of news media, churches and word of mouth will be used to make sure citizens are doing their part to become informed of what voting yes or no means for the county. Staying informed means citizens need to become more involved with the county council meetings, a place where they are encouraged to speak their minds and ask questions concerning issues at hand.

Odom is very thankful to Bamberg County citizens for supporting his position as a county council member for all these years, and hopes they all continue to support him in his position as a county council member.