Update from Bamberg County Council

As promised, I write as County Council Chairman to update the public about the activities of Bamberg County Council. I hope this will help people know and understand what is happening and encourage people to stay informed and stay involved in their County.

As was reported in the Advertizer Herald last week, Bamberg County has been working with GTI (Governmental Training Institute) to locate in the NIBCO Building in Denmark. As you may recall, NIBCO closed its Denmark operations last year. Bamberg County got an opportunity to locate another economic project in the County in this vacant building. Bamberg County Council, the Bamberg County Development Board, Southern Carolina Regional Alliance and the City of Denmark moved quickly to do so. GTI trains law enforcement, safety and homeland security personnel from all over the world. They will invest in Bamberg County and be a good corporate employer and taxpayer for Bamberg County. We continue to make positive strides to locate and attract investment and jobs to our County and reap some rewards from groundwork laid in the past.

Bamberg County Council and the Bamberg County Hospital Board have been working extremely hard and very closely in the last several months concerning the hospital’s financial situation and future. We all know and agree that the survival of the Bamberg County Hospital is vital to Bamberg County’s future medically, socially, and economically. We all know and agree that Bamberg County must have a new, viable hospital facility located in Bamberg County.

County Council and the Hospital Board are taking positive steps toward returning the Hospital to financial stability and profitability so we can move forward to build a new, state-of-the-art hospital in Bamberg County. Some changes have already been made and other changes must and will be made, but the Council and the Hospital Board are committed to the continued existence of the Hospital and the building of a new facility in Bamberg County. The Times and Democrat reported last week that the Bamberg County Hospital Board and Bamberg County Council were considering alternatives to the current management arrangement with Palmetto Health Alliance. Rest assured that any decisions made will be with the best interests of Bamberg County, its citizens and its Hospital at the heart of the decision.

As Council Chairman for this year, I encourage each of you to stay informed and get involved in your County. We meet regularly the first Monday of each month at 6 p.m. and will have special called meetings each month as necessary.