Georgetown County swept the awards portion of this year’s S.C. American Public Works Association conference, taking home three prestigious honors.

Georgetown County won Project of the Year for Phase 1 of its Brick Chimney Road project, GIS-Centric Asset Management System of the Year, and received a special recognition from the Association’s Lowcountry Branch for serving as host for the regional Backhoe Rodeo for the last 20 years.

“These accolades are a testament to the dedication, hard work and excellence of our entire team,” said Ray Funnye, director of the Georgetown County Public Services Department, which houses Public Works. “These awards would not have been possible without the unwavering support and collaboration of staff in our Public Services Department and county government in general. Their dedication to public service and commitment to excellence have been instrumental in our achievements. I am immensely proud of these accomplishments and look forward to continuing our work together to achieve even greater milestones.”

Brick Chimney Road Project

The Brick Chimney Road project was designed with three phases and the goal of connecting Highway 701 with Highway 17 Alt. to alleviate traffic in downtown Georgetown and surrounding residential areas. Phase 1 was completed last summer and included paving Brick Chimney Road, which was previously a gravel road and in constant need of grading, no matter how often work was performed. The first hard rain would undo all staff’s efforts.

“Before the project began, everyday drivers had a long, slow and dusty ride with loose rock on Brick Chimney Road,” Funnye said. “In addressing multiple problems, Brick Chimney road improvements serve as a gateway project to the overall goal of connecting US Route 701 to US Route 17 Alt. by turning Brick Chimney Road into a four-lane road that will have trucks and travelers bypass downtown Georgetown, residential areas and a railroad.”

Phase 1 of the project consisted of paving 2.4 miles of roadway from Johnson Road to Browns Ferry Road, along with realigning the intersection of Brick Chimney and Browns Ferry roads. The intersection now has a 90-degree angle and allows for safer crossing with the additional improvement of new right- and left-turn lanes. The intersection was also designed to avoid disruption to Santee Cooper’s utility poles and minimize wetland impacts.

Davis & Floyd was selected to engineer and design the project. Coastal Asphalt was contracted for construction. Georgetown County Public Works served as project manager.

The project progressed well until about 10 months from expected completion when it was discovered that there were utility conflicts near the intersection. This caused delays as it involved coordination of numerous agencies. The project also involved a unique environmental challenge as Brick Chimney crosses IP Canal, a waterway that supplies International Paper company and Georgetown County. Water flow could not be disrupted during construction and water quality had to be maintained.

There were no injuries or accidents during the project. The county has also acquired the necessary right-of-way to allow for widening of the roadway to four lanes at some point in the future when warranted.

Georgetown County was also awarded the 2023 S.C. Asphalt Pavement Association Quality Pavement Award for design and construction administration for this project.

GIS-Centric Asset Management System

Residents requesting assistance from the Georgetown County Public Services Department are likely familiar with this system, though they may not realize it. Whether requesting road repairs, drainage work, mosquito control or one of the many other issues the department handles, online requests are now all submitted through the county’s GIS-centric Asset Management System.

Georgetown County Public Services recently took on the task implementing the system as way of improving its level of service and as a replacement for an outdated work order system that hadn’t kept up with advances in technology. The county’s previous asset management system was cache of spreadsheets, data systems and Geographic Information System (GIS) data that was not centralized.

The new system encompasses strategic planning and activity monitoring aimed at optimizing asset performance.

Georgetown County’s equipment – or assets – continue to increase along with the county’s population and staff workloads. Personnel, however, have not increased, which means the county needed to find a way to increase efficiency to maintain its level of service. Its new GIS-centric Asset Management System achieves that. The system expanded the existing GIS system and leveraged it to incorporate geospatial technology within asset management. Essentially, the system uses mapping and technology to help the county prioritize activities, and allocate staffing and equipment more efficiently.

Members of the public can request service from the department via the county’s website and a platform that connects to the asset management system. Residents can easily report issues and request services – including exact coordinates and photos – and provide feedback, as well as track the status of requests they have submitted and receive updates on the resolution of reported issues.

The system has allowed the county to achieve substantial cost savings, estimated at $110,000 annually.

“Each of these awards is a remarkable achievement and serve as proof of the dedication, innovative spirit and exceptional commitment to customer service of our incredible team,” said County Administrator Angela Christian. “Their achievement is a direct reflection of the passion and professionalism our staff brings to their work every day. I am immensely proud of each team member and their relentless pursuit of excellence in serving our community."

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