SC Rural Summit highlights needs of struggling counties

NORTH AUGUSTA, SC (WOLO) — Between the 2010 and 2020 census, 24 of South Carolina’s 46 counties lost residents.

This week, the South Carolina Department of Commerce hosted its rural summit to find out how to help these areas.

“All the counties above them are continuing to get better. Everybody is moving up the ladder. They are not moving as quickly up the ladder,” said Maceo Nance, South Carolina Department of Commerce senior advisor.

Governor Henry McMaster says rural counties need infrastructure in order to keep up with the larger counties. 

“We have to be sure all the opportunities are available. A lot of that comes through the internet,” said Gov. McMaster. “If we can get broadband internet everywhere, that will take healthcare with it. We need rural healthcare centers. We also have to have water, sewers and infrastructure to help people live.”  

Initiatives such as the Main Street Program or opportunity zones can help rural communities, but Nance says strong local leadership is necessary as well.

“The vision may not necessarily be there. The me and mine syndrome. It’s always been that way, we don’t need it to change. We are rural. We are poor,” Nance said. “Those are the things you have to get out of people’s mindsets.”

He believes that struggling areas can look to examples of places that have transformed their downtowns, such as Hartsville and Greer. 

“There are multiple municipalities out there that can show you how to do it and how to do it right,” Nance said.

For those living in rural areas, the governor believes that education is the best way forward.

“Without education, we’ll never reach our full potential,” McMaster said. “That’s one reason our technical college system is such an asset. There are new technologies and innovations that are fantastic. If we can show that to the young people… they’ll want to get in there and do that. They can go right to the top.”