During their meeting Tuesday, Anderson County Council approved a resolution to commission code enforcement officers, heard a presentation on human trafficking and increased fees for marriage ceremonies in government offices.
Council unanimously approved a resolution to commission code enforcement officers.
Before the vote, County Attorney Jordan Thayer said in the past code enforcement for violations was done by Anderson County Sheriff’s Deputies. Thayer said that having commissioned codes enforcement officers would be a better way to handle violations, which can have civil and criminal penalties. “We are hoping to have a more effective codes department,” he said. “The purpose is to focus on a balance of rights to own property and the need to enforce our ordinances.”
District 7 Councilwoman Cindy Wilson said “This is very desperately needed”, a sentiment echoed by Council Chairman Tommy Dunn.
Following the vote, David Hendrix and Matthew Stipe were sworn in to serve as code enforcement officers responsible for the enforcement of the code ordinances of Anderson County.
Council heard a presentation on human trafficking in South Carolina and Anderson County.
Foothills Human Trafficking Task Force Chairman Maria Torres-Green said the Foothills Task Force was founded in 2018 and is one of the Regional Task Forces under the SC Human Trafficking Task Force.
“We work directly with Kathryn Moorehead, the Director of the South Carolina Human Trafficking Task Force, VAWA, and Human Trafficking Programs for the South Carolina Office of the Attorney General” she said.
Torres-Green said, “Human Trafficking is the use of force, fraud, or coercion to compel a person into commercial sex acts, labor, or services against their will. Enticing a minor into commercial sex is considered human trafficking regardless of the presence of force, fraud, or coercion. This is a multi-billion-dollar criminal industry that denies freedom to nearly 50 million people around the world.”
According to Torres-Green, the National Human Trafficking Hotline reported Anderson County as one of the top counties for reported human trafficking in addition to Horry County, Richland County, Greenville County, Charleston County, Spartanburg County, York County, Dorchester County, and Greenwood County.
Torres-Green said that human trafficking is often associated with kidnapping children but looks different in America and in SC. Most of the victims in SC are not kidnapped physically. “The leading tactic traffickers use here is manipulation/fraud. This can look like a promise of a relationship, job offer/ modeling careers, and familial trafficking, which involves a family member trafficking an individual. My concern is the increase of runaways that we are seeing throughout our state.”
SLED reported 416 human trafficking victims in 440 cases in SC, with 399 of those being minors.
The Foothills Task Force is working on several initiatives to help support Anti Human Trafficking efforts in Anderson County. They have eight committees including Direct Services, Interfaith, Labor Trafficking, Prevention Education Committee, Community Outreach, Legal Innovations, Health Care and Law Enforcement.
Projects include identifying and training victim service providers, identifying church resources and training staff and volunteers, training and educating students, staff, and community, formalizing a network of volunteer attorneys to serve varying legal needs of human trafficking victims, determining and implementing consistent protocol for healthcare providers to screen trafficking survivors and deliver trauma-informed care and referrals to resources, and establish a clear law enforcement response within local partner agencies and provide state protocol assistance in the form of manpower and technical expertise that is in line with all other protocols, standards, and guidelines provided by other partners within the Multidisciplinary Response Model.
Torres-Green said in partnership with SC ETV and Public Radio (SCETV), the State Task Force developed TraffickProofSC, a series of free, age-appropriate, educational videos and curricula catered to middle and high school students. This initiative serves as the first statewide human trafficking prevention education curricula highlighting the importance of educating youth and their families on the realities of human trafficking.
District 6 Councilman Jimmy Davis said he has talked with Sheriff Chad McBride about the issue. “It is a terrible problem the nation faces,” he said. Davis asked if Torres-Green was available to talk to organizations or churches about the problem, to which she responded yes.
Torres-Green is also the founder of the Blue Dragonfly, a nonprofit that helps victims of Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation in Anderson County.
In the business portion of the meeting, Council unanimously approved second reading on an increase in the fee associated with use of county offices and personnel for personal marriage ceremonies from $20 to $100.
Council also unanimously approved second reading on a fee-in-lieu ordinance for project “Asteroid”. Economic Development Head Burris Nelson said the local company has been in business for 38 yars and will have an investment of $6.6 million. The project will provide 49 new fulltime jobs with an average pay of $30.11 per hour.
Council approved first reading on an ordinance to sell property on Hwy. 28. The property is at the site of the old animal shelter. The current deed provides that the conveyance is made for the use of an animal shelter and that if the use is discontinued the title shall revert back to the City.
The County acquired an adjacent piece of property from Duke Energy of the Carolinas in 2007 on which a portion of the prior Animal Shelter was located. The County has been leasing a portion of the site to America Tower Corporation who is interested in purchasing both tracts of land. In order to convey a fee simple title, it will be necessary that both the City and County will execute deeds conveying their interest in the property.
Council unanimously approved the abandonment and closure of Forrester Road in Council District 3. The asphalt road is a dead end with only adjacent property owners having a need to use it.
Council approved a $7,051,957 contract for improvements to Taxiway A at the Anderson Regional Airport. The bid was awarded to Roger’s Group of Greer. The
County will have a match of funds which was included in the budget.
Council approved a $60,000 transfer needed to pay for calibration of equipment. District 4 Councilman Brett Sanders said the item was not included in the recent budget and funds will come out of the contingency fund.
