2000 Annual Report Executive Summary
Allendale County ALIVE EC
Allendale County ALIVE (ACA) continued to thrive in 2000. After establishing a contract with the Lower Savannah Council of Governments to serve as ACA's fiscal agent, the Enterprise Community employed staff (Administrative Assistant in June, Assistant Director in July, and Executive Director in October) and completed furnishing the office. Continuing to occupy office space provided by the Allendale County Historical Society, ACA has become highly visible in and accessible to the community. In 2000, ACA: purchased computer equipment; leased a copier; expanded telephone and fax access; and established Internet access and an e-mail account.
ACA works on projects through its six task forces: Human Relations, Leadership, Health, Education/Untrained Workforce, Infrastructure, and Revitalization. The task forces work in partnership with business, industry, agencies, schools, government entities, community organizations, faith organizations, health entities, and individuals to develop and implement projects.
The Infrastructure Task Force has been involved in development of an infrastructure map of existing services (water, sewer, waste disposal). EXCEL (leadership task force) developed a partnership with Clariant Corporation, a local industry, to publish the Ready Reference for Allendale County Government. EXCEL has also partnered with the Salkehatchie Leadership Class of 2000 to produce a county resource book. The Health Task force has established Me and My Sugar, a diabetes support group. Revitalization has pressed the Town of Allendale to pass an ordinance against junk cars within the town limits and will see the first citations served in early 2001. Education/Untrained Workforce has received a grant for a Communities in Schools middle school after school program, as well as partnering with the SC Rural Crossroads Institute to develop a Workforce Literacy Program in the next year. Human Relations completed training to facilitate study circles to discuss racial differences in a workshop at Penn Center in Beaufort.
ACA has begun implementation of many of its benchmark projects, some of which are multi-year activities. Now that ACA has hired staff and contracted with a fiscal agent, ACA has the means to seek and leverage funding commensurate to our needs and expectations.
Allendale County ALIVE has spent its second year expanding its visibility and working on turning its written strategic plan into reality. The members of the board and task forces are learning how much commitment it will take to implement the plan. As it has been from the inception of the process to apply for EC status, the strength of ACA's course of action has been its willingness to partner and share responsibility without losing identity. The commitment of Allendale County ALIVE is to continue to strive to meet its goal to make Allendale County the place in which everyone will want to live and work.
Allendale County ALIVE EC Summary Page Allendale County ALIVE EC Funding Page