COUNTY CONNECTIONS
At our July 16th County Council meeting, we proudly honored the exceptional dedication and hard work of our First-Half Employees of 2024. These outstanding individuals go above and beyond daily to make Greenwood County a better place for all. Their commitment and service truly embody the spirit of excellence that drives our County forward.
A special recognition goes to Tonya Hodges, who has been named the Overall First-Half Employee of 2024, and Tina Rodgers, who is our Overall First-Half Rookie of 2024. Their exceptional performance and dedication set a high standard for all of us, and we are proud to celebrate their achievements.
Additionally, we congratulate Rett Templeton and Jamey Smith, the Department Heads of the First-Half of 2024. Their leadership has played a crucial role in guiding us through our upcoming renovation project.
Thank you to all our honorees for your outstanding service and commitment to our community. Greenwood County is a better place because of your hard work and dedication.
Tonya Hodges earned Overall FirstHalf Employee of 2024.
Tina Rodgers earned Overall First-Half Rookie of 2024.
Phase 4: January 2026
Office Realignment:
Congratulations to Our First-Half Employees of 2024:
Departments from the Airport Annex will begin moving to their permanent locations. Building Inspection, Planning, Engineering, and Lake Management will move to the first floor of Park Plaza. In addition, the Assessor, Tax Collector, and Auditor will move to the first floor of Park Plaza.
Josh Skinner from Administration
Meredith Ward from the Auditor’s Office
Karen Heery from the Clerk of Court
Tonya Hodges from E-911
John Cagle from IT/GIS
Kelsey Holley from Magistrate
DJ Day from Parks and Recreation
Delinda Daniel from Probate
Mary Bright from Public Works Administration
Tracy McKellar from Public Works Garage
Robbie Wood from Public Works Road
Brian Gilbert from Public Works Solid Waste Disposal
Congratulations to Our First-Half Rookies of 2024:
Tina Rodgers from the Clerk of Court
Michael Quilty from Public Works Recycling
Sarah Adams from the Treasurer's Department
Congratulations to Our First-Half Retirees of 2024:
Sharon Belcher from E-911
Deborah Boatwright from Probate
Katie Gilmore from the Detention Center
Robert Grogan from the Sheriff's Office
Eric Inks from the Sheriff's Office
Greenwood County Government
Litter Prevention Coordinator
Amber Nappier made a "vintage" discovery, this 40-year-old beer can floating in Lake Greenwood!
PREPARE TO VOTE EARLY
CELEBRATING PUBLIC WORKS
Our Public Works Department recently gathered for an appreciation luncheon. Employees brought their favorite dishes, creating a delicious potluck spread. It was a wonderful opportunity for everyone to relax, enjoy great food, and celebrate the hard work and dedication that keeps our county running smoothly. Thank you to everyone who contributed and made the day special!
Early voting offers convenience and flexibility, allowing you to avoid the potential rush on Election Day. Here's what you need to know to make your early voting experience smooth and stress-free.
Early Voting Dates: October 21-26 & October 28-November 2
Time: 8:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Early Voting Locations:
Voter Registration & Elections Office: : 600 Monument Street, Suite 13, Greenwood 1. Greenwood County Public Library: 600 Main Street South, Greenwood 2. Little River Multicultural Center: 415 Riley Road North, Hodges 3. Ninety Six Visitor’s Center: Address: 97 Main Street East, Ninety Six 4.
LET’S TALK TECH WITH TOM
Let me start by giving kudos to Abby for doing this County “family” newsletter. I have been wanting to do one for years and never had the time. It’s the cat’s pajamas. Nicely done and super fun. Please send your ideas and submissions to her for content.
Today’s tech tip is fairly simple and straightforward.
Don’t save important documents on your PC desktop!
The main reason is that nothing on your desktop is backed up and if your hard drive dies the files are likely unretrievable.
Seriously. Always save important documents in the Documents folder (Used to be My Documents). This folder and the Pictures folder get backed up to our servers and if something catastrophic happens, like, I don’t know, you thought it would be a good idea to plug your coffee cup warmer into the computer because it has a USB plug on it (please for the love of all that is holy don’t do this!) and fried your motherboard and hard drive, your files are safe and secure, all nestled in cute little data packets in the cozy confines of the Park Plaza building, and elsewhere. If you are saving things to the desktop for convenience, do this instead. Put the original in the Documents folder, Rightclick on the document’s icon and select Send to… or Show More Options (in Windows 11) then Send to… and select Desktop (create shortcut) and then an adorable little shortcut icon (not the original) will be showing on your desktop (it will have a little arrow in the corner of it to show it’s a shortcut). Remember though if you ever have to make a copy of your document, copy the original and not the shortcut.
Well, hopefully your eyes didn’t glaze over during all that tech speak. If you have questions or need help, holla.
Oh, and if you have a tech question or tip idea, you can send them to me tbishop@greenwoodsc.gov.
Celebrating Recent Employee Promotions
We’re thrilled to recognize several well-deserved promotions within Greenwood County! These dedicated individuals have demonstrated exceptional commitment and skill, and we’re excited to see them advance in their careers
From the Planning Department:
Tracey Goldman-Busbee has been promoted to Planner.
From the Treasurer’s Office:
Louis Sligh has been promoted to Deputy Treasurer.
Debbie Seymour has been promoted to Financial Analyst.
From Public Works:
Brian Gilbert (Solid Waste Disposal) has been promoted to Landfill Supervisor.
Josh Cleveland (Road Department) has been promoted to Lead Equipment Operator.
Patrick McMahan (Leaf and Limb Department) has been promoted to Equipment Operator.
Andy Sorrow (Fleet Garage) has been promoted to Shop Foreman.
Congratulations to all our newly promoted employees! Your hard work and dedication are truly appreciated We look forward to your continued success in these new roles
Update: District 6 Cleanup Rescheduled
The District 6 Cleanup originally set for September 14 has been moved to November 9. Be sure to update your calendars and make plans to join District 6 Councilman Robbie Templeton on November 9 at 9 a.m. at the Greenwood YMCA to help keep our community beautiful.
For more information or to plan your own cleanup event, contact Amber Nappier, at anappier@greenwoodsc.gov.
Girl Scouts Explore EMS
Greenwood County EMS had a blast participating in a special day for area Girl Scouts at the Burton Center! The girls spent the morning visiting local charities and learning about the important role our EMS team plays in keeping the community safe. They got hands-on experience exploring an ambulance and had their curious questions answered by our team. What a fun and educational day for everyone involved! Thank you to our EMS team for taking time to teach the next generation.
Lights on Main: Honoring Our First Responders
The Hodges-Cokesbury Volunteer Fire Department invites you to a special event, Lights on Main, on Saturday, September 14th, to honor our first responders and commemorate 9/11.
The day will be packed with fun, including: 14 food trucks offering delicious foods and drinks
Over 40 craft vendors Kids' activities
Don’t miss out on this exciting day at 4410 Main Street in Hodges. Let’s honor our heroes and keep their memory alive.
There will also be a 5K Color Run at Hodges Park beginning at 9 a.m. followed by a parade at 10 a.m.
CELEBRATING OUR AUGUST RETIREES:
THANK YOU FOR
We are proud to honor and congratulate our August retirees, Melissa Duff and Jeff Griffin, for their remarkable years of service to Greenwood County.
Melissa Duff, a dedicated Human Resources Analyst, retired after 26 years of exceptional service. Her contributions to our team have been invaluable, and her commitment to the well-being of our employees will be greatly missed.
Jeff Griffin, who served as a Road Supervisor, retired after an impressive 25 years of service. His leadership and dedication have played a significant role in maintaining and improving our county's infrastructure. Jeff's wife, Kathy, pictured above, retired from our County Garage in July 2023 after 20 years of service.
We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Melissa and Jeff. Thank you for your dedication and hard work, which have made Greenwood County a better place to live and work. Enjoy your well-deserved retirement!
Melissa Duff celebrates 26 years of service at her retirement celebration on August 15, 2024
Jeff Griffin, along with his wife Kathy, celebrate Jeff’s 25 years of outstanding years of service.
Help Combat Fraud with FraudSleuth
The Greenwood County Register of Deeds is excited to offer residents a convenient method for monitoring property transactions in Greenwood County with FraudSleuth.
FraudSleuth provides an expanded property fraud profile feature with automatic alerts. Property Owners can set-up their profile(s) online and receive alerts if a document is recorded against the information included in their profile at the Greenwood County Register of Deeds Office. This tool allows property owners to be proactive in combating faud.
For more information or to sign-up with FraudSleuth, visit: FraudSleuth information.
Recognizing Excellence: David Calhoun
Congratulations to site attendant David Calhoun who received an employee commendation for his excellent service. A resident called and said, “David is always so friendly and helpful. It makes me happy to see him when I come to take my trash.”
To submit a commendation, simply visit Greenwood County's website and follow the instructions. Your commendation not only acknowledges their hard work but also inspires a culture of appreciation and excellence within our team.
Clerk of Court Chastity Copeland's dog, Ruger, staying cool and comfy on the couch.
Pets Beating the Heat
Appraiser Trainee Elizabeth Heinlein’s rat, Alan, cools off with frozen peas.
Auditor Ashley Henderson’s dog, Tucker, beats the heat with a swim.
Clerk of Court Chastity Copeland's dog, Ace, chills in the LoveSac.
GCSO Finance Manager Gwen Darby’s dog, Bella, intently patrols from her golf cart.
Litter Prevention Coordinator Amber Nappier recently adopted a new family member from the Humane Society. This happy guy still needs the perfect name. Help Amber decide and e-mail your name suggestions to her at anappier@greenwoodsc.gov.