South-Carolina
SC freezes state funding to Hampton County until audit is submitted. What to know.
For the second time in two years, the state of South Carolina has frozen state funding to Hampton County government after the county failed to file financial reports as required by law.
The South Carolina Treasurer’s Office confirmed to The Hampton County Guardian Wednesday that Hampton County has not submitted its Fiscal Year 2023 external audit to the State Treasurer’s Office as required by law, and as a result, there will be financial and possibly legal consequences.
“As a result of not submitting their audit, their funds are being withheld,” stated Karen Ingram, Communications Director with the S.C. Treasurer’s Office, in an email to The Guardian. “The state treasurer will withhold state aid to subdivision funds until the audit is submitted.”
Ingram added that the state treasurer will hold all the distributions they normally send to Hampton County, but wouldn’t stop all payments from other agencies.
Counties required to conduct annual audits
Counties in South Carolina are required to engage external firms to conduct annual financial audits. These audit reports are due Jan. 1 for the previous fiscal year (ending June 30).
Counties may request a 90-day extension. Hampton County applied for and received the 90-day extension, which ended March 31 and still has not filed the report.
Council member, SC Rep. Hager respond
Administrator Lavar Youmans, Treasurer Jennifer Ginn Youmans, and the majority of the Council members did not return emails seeking comment. However, one councilperson, Camille Welch, offered a statement.
“I can not comment or share any information concerning the status of the audit because I have been provided no information,” Welch said. “Due to some health issues, I have been unable to attend recent meetings, however, I have requested to be included and provided with information via multiple emails and asked for clarification concerning decisions taken and agreements entered into with consultants but they have not been answered. Council, the county attorney and the administrator have been copied on all emails.”
S.C. Representative William Hager (House District 122) also issued a statement:
“It is unfortunate that Hampton County has had more than one instance of a late annual audit. Theseaudits are required by the State of South Carolina, and the fact that we are now once again past boththe deadline and the grace period is unconscionable. It is almost certain that the state will cut offfunding to the county as a result. When this happened last time, the former Comptroller Generalreleased those funds on his way out of office. We will not have that good fortune this time. I hope thatthe county council, treasurer, and administrator handle this situation with the seriousness itrequires.”
Treasurer’s Office froze funding in 2023
The S.C. Treasurer’s Office also froze state funding over the same issue in March 2023. This freeze impacted money for Hampton County EMS, the Council on Aging, and other departments and services.
S.C. state law mandates that “municipalities and counties perform annual audits to ensure the proper collection, reporting and distribution of fines and assessments from the point of collection to the point of distribution. Audits should include a supplementary schedule detailing all fines and assessments collected at the court level, the amount remitted to the municipal or county treasurer and the amount remitted to the State Treasurer,” states the S.C. Treasurer’s website.
“Effective June 7, 2023, SC Code Section 4-9-150 was amended to transition the responsibility of collection of county annual audits and management of related withholding from the Comptroller General’s Office to the State Treasurer’s Office. The State Treasurer’s Office is required to withhold certain funding if local governments do not submit their completed audit within the time parameters prescribed in state law.”
Local governments can submit their audits online by emailing them. Counties may request an extension of up to 90 days using an online form.
Six SC counties ‘failed to submit their annual audit’
As of April 10, Hampton County was one of six counties that “failed to submit their annual financial audit to the State Treasurer’s Office within the parameters prescribed in state law,” added the website. Those counties include Allendale, Calhoun, Hampton, Marion, Orangeburg, and Williamsburg.
To learn more about this issue, go to the S.C. Treasurer’s Audit Information webpage.
This story may be updated if additional information develops, or public officials respond with comment.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WACH) — Advocates, caregivers, patients, and community leaders gathered at the South Carolina State House on Friday for the inaugural South Carolina Sickle Cell Day.
Organizers said the event focused on raising awareness of sickle cell disease.
The South Carolina CBO Collective Caucus hosted the event at 10 a.m., coinciding with World Sickle Cell Day and Juneteenth.
Organizers said the gathering brought together healthcare professionals, legislators, advocates, and supporters from across the state to discuss education, support, and action related to sickle cell disease.
The program is designed to amplify the voices of individuals and families impacted by the disease and encourage conversations about healthcare access, advocacy, research, and community support, organizers said.
Attendees heard personal stories and learned about challenges faced by those living with sickle cell disease.
“World Sickle Cell Day is a powerful call to action for all of us,” said founder and CEO of The B Strong Group Brenda Green. She said the collaboration expands support, strengthens community response, and stands with affected families.
The B Strong Group, founded in 2017 and based in Columbia, is a nonprofit organization focused on sickle cell awareness, advocacy, and caregiver support.
The group organizes blood drives, caregiver workshops, and awareness campaigns under the motto “Educate, Advocate, Empower.”
An 87-year-old businessman in Columbia, South Carolina says he has no plans to retire.
Leonard Fabrizio works as a retailer at Brittons of Columbia, a locally-owned men’s clothing store.
“I’m not the type of person who can sit around by myself,” said Fabrizio. “I just enjoy the interaction and that’s the big thing, is the interaction with people. It’s always been the drive in this business for me, said Fabrizio.
Fabrizio’s retail career began as a college student when he worked at J.C. Penney. He has watched Columbia grow and has owned a store and managed several others.
His advice is to “Be patient. It takes time to build a business. It doesn’t happen overnight, but it’s rewarding. It’s fun. But you have to have compassion for the business.”
Fabrizio recently celebrated another birthday alongside those who have supported his career.
(WPDE) — June 9 marked International Batten Disease Awareness Day, shining a light on a rare, inherited neurodegenerative disorder.
It primarily affects children and causes harmful waste material to build up inside the cells of the brain and nervous system.
One South Carolina family used the day to raise awareness as their 2-year-old son, Sam Stockton, lives with CLN2 Batten disease.
Sam was diagnosed at 16 weeks old, and his family says they travel every other week for enzyme-replacement therapy while also searching for clinical research opportunities.
Through Hope for Sam, the family is working to spread information about Batten disease and support other families facing rare diseases.
“Just the more you know about rare diseases, I never knew that over 300 million people worldwide live with rare diseases. And that means there’s less access to care because people aren’t researching it and not as many people have it. So the more information that’s out there, we feel is the better,” Jordan Stockton said.
There are 13 known types of Batten disease, and there is no cure. Researchers estimate the disease affects about two to four out of every 100,000 births in the United States.
The Stockton family says they have found support through the Batten Disease Support, Research and Advocacy Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to helping families navigate the disease while providing resources.
More information and donation details are available at this link.
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