Lower Savannah Council of Governments:
Working for You and Your Community

Since 1969, the Lower Savannah Council of Governments has been assisting local governments in meeting the needs of our citizens by providing a wide array of planning, administrative, and technical services to all local governments in the Lower Savannah region. On this page, you'll find articles and newsletters showcasing what we are doing to improve the quality of life in the region.

LSCOG Spring 2024 Newsletter - COGnizance

April 30, 2019

LSCOG hosts public meetings for Long-Range Transportation Plan

April 30, 2019/ Guest User

NOTE: The May 23 meeting in Aiken has been rescheduled to May 30.

LSCOG hosts public kick-off meetings for Long-Range Transportation Plan

Discussions regarding the region’s transportation systems to be held at three locations in the month of May.

The Lower Savannah Council of Governments (LSCOG) will host three public meetings in the month of May to discuss the 2040 Long-Range Transportation Plan. The meetings will be open to the public between 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. and include a brief presentation at 5:30 p.m. All three meetings are identical in content. The dates and meeting locations are as follows:

Thursday, May 16

Barnwell County Public Library, Conference Room

40 Burr Street, Barnwell, SC 29812

Wednesday, May 22

Mellichamp Elementary School, Cafeteria

350 Murray Road SW, Orangeburg, SC 29115

Thursday, May 23

Aiken County Government Center, Sandlapper Room

1930 University Parkway, Aiken, SC 29801

During the meetings, the LSCOG and study team members will provide information on the 2040 Long-Range Transportation Plan study process, existing conditions and ways to stay informed about the plan process. Attendees will also be able to provide input on traffic flow, safety, bicycle and pedestrian systems, transit services and more. Exhibits will be on display and study team representatives will be available to answer questions. Comment cards will be distributed at the meetings and the public will be encouraged to participate in an online survey available at www.lscog.org following the events.

In addition to the public meetings in May, comments can be e-mailed to acoffey@lscog.org. Comments can also be mailed to: LSCOG, Attn: Anna Coffey, PO Box 850, Aiken, SC 29802.

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About Lower Savannah Council of Governments: Lower Savannah Council of Governments is a regional quasi-governmental organization serving Aiken, Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell, Calhoun and Orangeburg counties. The organization strives to improve the quality of life for residents and create a sustainable future for the Lower Savannah Region.

April 15, 2019

LSWDA hosts annual Youth Forum

April 15, 2019/ Guest User

Above, high school seniors work together on a critical thinking activity.

Lower Savannah Council of Governments, Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act and Department of Commerce sponsored the Aiken Youth Forum at Aiken Technical College on March 7, 2019, from 9:00 am – 1:00 pm. This annual event gives high school seniors a hands on look at careers and the opportunities to meet their career goals when they graduate.

Dr. Forest E. Mahan, President of Aiken Technical College, and André Anderson, Workforce Development Administrator at Lower Savannah Council of Governments, welcomed 223 high school students and chaperones.

The guest speaker was Brooks Harper, author, speaker and career expert. His books, Why Should We Hire You and 7 Skills to Make Mills, are tremendous resources for students and educators. Brooks aspires to the belief that every day is an interview and an opportunity to turn learning into earning and your passion into your paycheck.

SRNS, Aiken Regional Medical Center and Aiken Technical College had displays set up in the ATC gymnasium for students to view and offered hands on activities to assist students with their career choices.

The students were divided into breakout sessions that included #Build Your Best Life Fair and #Build Your Best Life Skillshops and Critical Thinking Activity.

April 01, 2019

Avenues for Advocacy: April 2019

April 01, 2019/ Guest User

The January 2019 issue of the newly revised Lower Savannah Regional Long-Term Care Ombudsman newsletter is now available. Avenues for Advocacy is a newsletter to communicate news and information to advocates for residents in long-term care.

You can check out the newsletter here. This issue features:

Dates to remember
Information about new posters
and more!

February 25, 2019

SC Works sponsors team at Border Bowl VI

February 25, 2019/ Guest User

[AIKEN, SC] SC Works was the official sponsor of Team South Carolina at the annual Border Bowl VI between Georgia and South Carolina.

Border Bowl VI was held Saturday, January 12, 2019 at the Lucy C. Laney Memorial Stadium in Augusta, GA. The teams were comprised of the area’s top senior football players. Proceeds from the game benefitted Ronald McDonald House Charities of Augusta.

Team South Carolina had a 27-18 win, which marks the third straight win for SC in the Border Bowl series. SC Works was there to celebrate with the team.

As the official sponsor of Team South Carolina, SC Works staff were on hand to promote the SC Works Centers and the services offered throughout the Lower Savannah Region. The centers provide information, assistance and opportunities to workers, job seekers and employers. Their services include helping business with hiring events, hosting resume and interview workshops, finding training opportunities for job seekers and much more.

“We were honored to participate in Border Bowl VI and showcase the many resources we have available to assist local Youth and their families with their workforce and training needs,” said André Anderson, LSCOG’s workforce development administrator.

For more information on the SC Works centers, visit www.lowersavannahwda.org or call André Anderson at 803-649-7981.

About Lower Savannah Council of Governments: Lower Savannah Council of Governments is a regional quasi-governmental organization serving Aiken, Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell, Calhoun and Orangeburg counties. The organization strives to improve the quality of life for residents and create a sustainable future for the Lower Savannah Region.

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January 03, 2019

SLED Chief speaks about resources at LSCOG Annual Meeting

January 03, 2019/ Guest User

[AIKEN, SC] South Carolina Law Enforcement Division Chief Mark Keel was the featured speaker at Lower Savannah Council of Governments’ (LSCOG) 2018 Annual Banquet.

The Annual Banquet was held Thursday, December 13, 2018 at Clemson University’s Edisto Research and Education Center in Blackville, SC. LSCOG’s Executive Director William Molnar presented the “Year in Review” to showcase accomplishments from the 2017-2018 fiscal year, which can be viewed in the 2018 Annual Report on our website www.lscog.org.

“The Lower Savannah COG had a strong year serving the citizens and local governments within the region,” said Molnar. “We are especially pleased to have received two national NADO awards. The Jump Start program provides summer jobs for rising high school seniors. Within the program, students learn “soft-skills” like showing up on time, dressing appropriately for work, money management, and get a glimpse into jobs they may want and those that they may not want in their future. The Dementia Dialogue® program trained service providers and family members on how to better care for individuals living with dementia. We will be offering both award-winning programs in 2019.”

The featured speaker, SLED Chief Mark Keel, is a Barnwell county native. He is also the son of former Board of Directors member Jack Keel, who served on the LSCOG Board from 1971 to 1982, and was chairman for fiscal year 1976. Chief Keel spoke to event attendees about the nationwide problem with recruiting law enforcement officers, school safety and the importance of school resource officers, and the ongoing opioid epidemic. He also shared available resources for municipalities dealing with these issues.

Board of Directors Chairman Larry Haynes recognized several board members and LSCOG staff for their years of service. Board members recognized were Roger Hill and David Kenner for 15 years and James Haigler for 25 years; staff recognized were Mary Beth Fields for 15 years, Mary Ann Keisler for 20 years, Frances Owens for 25 years and Nora Sanders for 30 years.

Lower Savannah Council of Governments (LSCOG) is a regional quasi-governmental organization serving Aiken, Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell, Calhoun and Orangeburg counties.

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October 30, 2018

LSCOG receives innovation awards

October 30, 2018/ Guest User

[AIKEN, SC] Lower Savannah Council of Governments received two 2018 Innovation Awards from the National Association of Development Organizations (NADO). The programs awarded were Dementia Dialogues® and the Summer Youth Jumpstart Program.

LSCOG’s Aging, Disability and Transportation Resource Center hosted two Dementia Dialogues® classes to provide caregivers with practical caregiving skills training. One of LSCOG’s Ombudsman Specialist became a certified trainer of the Dementia Dialogues® program, which was created in 2002 by the Office of the Study of Aging within the University Of South Carolina Arnold School Of Public Health. The classes used Dementia Dialogues® standardized materials, including handouts, PowerPoints, scenario discussions and specially-designed role play activity to provide free comprehensive training in the Lower Savannah region.

The Summer Youth Jumpstart Program provides summer employment for rising seniors in the Lower Savannah region. The program began in 2015 and has been expanded to all K-12 school districts in the region. Students enrolled in the program attend two soft-skills training sessions. After the sessions, they are placed on a job site for 240 hours at $9.25 an hour. The students then continue as participants of the WIOA Youth program which ends with placement in full-time employment or enrollment into a post-secondary educational environment.

NADO is a national association that promotes programs and policies that strengthen local governments, communities, and economies through regional cooperation, program delivery and comprehensive strategies. The association’s Innovation Awards program recognizes regional development organizations and their partners for improving the economic and community competitiveness of our nation’s regions and local communities. NADO presented the awards at their Annual Training Conference October 13-16, 2018.

For more information about these award-winning projects, contact Susan Garen, Regional Ombudsman or André Anderson, Workforce Development Administrator at 803-649-7981.

Lower Savannah Council of Governments is a regional quasi-governmental organization serving Aiken, Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell, Calhoun and Orangeburg counties.

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