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VIEWPOINTPage 3Easley Adopts Land Development Regulationsn April 8, 2002, the City ofEasley adopted a Land Development Regulations Ordinance at a second readingby the City Council. The adoption ofthis ordinance is a culmination of over ayear’s effort by the Planning Commis-quirements. Subdivision plans are reviewed by the Planning Commissionand administered by city staff.The Land Development Regulations Ordinance will guide large-scaledevelopments like this project locatedon U.S. Highway 123 in Easley.(Training continued from page 2)for successful completion. The Terrorism Awareness Course fulfills the prerequisite requirement for the Department of Justice Incident Commandtraining at Ft. McClellan, Alabama.sion, staff and City Council of Easley.The Appalachian Council of Governments assisted the City of Easley withthe development of the Land Development Regulations Ordinance. The newordinance, which updates the existingSubdivision Ordinance, was in responseto changing conditions within the cityand to address concerns voiced by citizens over the past few years. The Planning Commission and City Councilhave done well in addressing these issues and have adopted an ordinance thatis sensitive to the needs of the City ofEasley.The purpose of the Land Development Regulations Ordinance is to establish standards, procedures, and minimum requirements in accordance withthe comprehensive plan; to regulate andcontrol the location, design, subdivisionand assemblage of land and buildings;to define the procedures for administration of subdivision review; and to guidethe general development of real estatein the city. Unlike a land use plan, theland development ordinance is a regulatory document addressing the generaland supplementary regulations, administrative mechanisms, code compliance,street and sidewalk layout and composition, and other items, including the location of infrastructure and parking re-Terrorism Awareness for EmergencyFirst RespondersFrom the smallest pipe bomb tothe horror of the Oklahoma City bombing, terrorism presents added concernsto those involved in emergency response. This course addresses theunique requirements of those incidentsand provides an overview of terrorism,weapons of mass destruction, and incident command and control.EMS Concepts for WMD IncidentsOn most calls, EMS first responders are initially concerned with victimsin need of medical attention. However,the unique nature of a terrorist incidentinvolving Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) calls for a different protocol. While the focus of this course isprimarily on the treatment of patients atmass causality sites, responders mustalso be aware of unique considerationsassociated with terrorist events.For additional information concerning interactive WMD training,contact Joe Newton at ACOG, or goo n l i n et Corporation Loanshe ADC Board approved aloan to Innovative Container Systems (ICS) in theamount of 100,000 toassist Carolina First in funding equipment for a new cleaning line projectthat will cost 250,000. ICS recyclesand cleans plastic 55-gallon drums foruse throughout the Southeast. ICSemploys almost 30 people and will beexpanding with the additional equipment.The ADC Board also approved aloan of 20,000 for Celestial NailBoutique, a new business to be located in the Golden Strip area inGreenville County. The owner, KathyArmstrong, has put together a projectto open the new service business providing professional nail care. Thebusiness plans on employing up toeight people.The ADC has had an SBA 504loan approved by the Small BusinessAdministration to provide permanentfunding for Palmetto Graphics. Palmetto Graphics is a locally ownedprinting company that is moving fromleased quarters to a building they arepurchasing near Pelham Road inGreenville County. Palmetto Graphics is owned by the Neal family andhas been in business for over 15 years.The business is also purchasing a fivecolor printing press to expand theircapabilities.The Appalachian DevelopmentCorporation has now closed andfunded over 1 million in revolvingloans since the start of its fiscal year,October 1, 2001.(Major Siegfried continued from page 1)conducted terrorism awareness trainingfor local elected officials in the region,provided a briefing for local administrators on security precautions at theOconee Nuclear Facility, and hosted aseminar on water system security measures.

Page 4VIEWPOINTFive-Year Reauthorization Approved for ARCLong-Term CareOmbudsman Programn March 12, President Bushsigned a five-year reauthorization bill for the AppalachianRegionalCommission(ARC). The bill authorizes 446 millionoverthefiveyear periodfor area development(non-highway) programs; 88 millionannually for FY 2002 through 2004, 90 million for FY 2005, and 92 forFY 2006.The measure passed on a voicevote in the House and Senate in lateFebruary. This is in contrast to the lastreauthorization three years ago, whichwas marked by much debate and manyproposed amendments. Some of thekey provisions of the reauthorizationbill are: Maintains support for the region’smulti-county planning and development agencies (Councils of Governments or Local DevelopmentDistricts) Establishes an Interagency Coordinating Council on Appalachia Authorizes a new telecommunications program Authorizes an entrepreneurial initiative Authorizes a new Regional SkillsPartnership program.he Long Term Care Ombudsman Program is designed to improve thequality of care and service to residents (vulnerable adults overage 18) residing in long term care facilities. The Program was begun in 1972through initiatives of the Nixon Administration as a result of a public outcry against conditions in nursing homesin the late 1960's and early 1970's. Jurisdiction of the Program currently extends to nursing homes, residential carehomes (retirement centers, assisted living facilities, etc.), psychiatric hospitals,community training homes for the mentally retarded and other facilities operated by or licensed for operation by theDepartments of Mental Health and Disabilities and Special Needs. The enabling legislation for the Program includes the Older Americans Act, StateOmbudsman's Act, and The OmnibusAdult Protection Act. Facilities arerequired to provide full access, including records, to the Ombudsman Program as needed to carry out its duties.The Ombudsman wears two hats “complaintinvestigator”and“advocate.”As COMPLAINT INVESTIGATOR, the Ombudsman receives andinvestigates any complaint filed by, oron behalf of, a resident. The complaintmay include anything that adverselyaffects the quality of care and life, i.e.,quality of food, untimely service, staffunresponsiveness, transfer/discharges,staffing, abuse, neglect, and exploitation.First and foremost, the residentcontrols the complaint process. He/shedetermines the extent to which the ombudsman becomes involved in solvingtheir problem.When a resident cannot speak onhis/her behalf, the ombudsman mayassist the legal representative, familymember, or sponsor on behalf of theresident.The ombudsman works with theresident to identify the problem or toARC States’ Co-Chairman DonSundquist, Governor of Tennessee,stated “I want to commend Congress aswell as President Bush for the strongsupport they’ve given the AppalachianRegional Commission. Thanks to ARCand the support of Congress, thousandsof Americans throughout Appalachiatoday have opportunities for a better lifethat were hardly imaginable a generation ago.”South Carolina receives approximately 2.3 million in ARC funding annually for area development activities inthe six-county Appalachian region.Greenville County, however, is cur-rently classified as an AttainmentCounty and is not eligible for ARC assistance.For more information about theARC program, contact Dirk Reis at theACOG.Older AmericansMonth — May 2002“America: ACommunity for AllAges” — http://www/AOA.GOV/may2002/default.htmAccording to Josefina G. Carbonell, Assistant Secretary for Aging,this year’s theme, “America: A Community for All Ages,” was selected inrecognition of the national communityin which we live, and in tribute to theelders of our families who represent thestrength of our nation. Older Americans provide us with love and guidance, and they set the standards bywhich our families and our children’sfamilies live their lives as responsiblecitizens of our great nation. In essence,older Americans are the heartbeat ofour communities, and they give us theenergy and motivation to move forwardand contribute to our nation’s strength,success and prosperity.Celebrate these May and OlderAmericans Month activities: National Senior Travel Month National Physical Fitness andSports Month National Arthritis AwarenessMonth National Allergy AwarenessMonth National Senior Center Week National Intergenerational Week National Osteoporosis PreventionMonth(LTC continued on page 5)

VIEWPOINTPage 52001 Year-End Reviewouth Carolina’s economysputtered throughout theyear due to the effects of anational recession and significant job losses in manufacturing.The non-agricultural count tumbled 1.3 percent to 1.8 million in 2001,losing 24,200 jobs. Manufacturing lost15,100 over the year. Not all of thelosses were due solely to the nationalrecession. The state has been losingtextile and apparel jobs for three decades, independent of overall economicrecessions and expansions.Withinmanufacturing, employment in textilemills fell by 6,000. Trade lost 8,700jobs, led by a decline of 6,700 jobs inretail trade. Construction shed 1,600over the year.Industries postinghealthy employment gains over the yearwere finance, insurance and real estate( 2,100); service ( 1,500); and transportation and public utilities ( 500).A production worker in SouthCarolina’s manufacturing industriesearned on average 11.19 an hour in2001, up .22 from 2000. Averageweekly earnings in manufacturing increased 1.51 over the year to 467.74.Workers in paper and allied productswere the highest hourly wage earners, at 14.65 per hour, followed by chemicalsand allied products ( 13.65 per hour)and stone, clay and glass products( 11.80 per hour).In 2001, a total of 5.28 billionwas invested in South Carolina, addingan announced 21,937 new jobs. Existing industries accounted for over 70percent of the job creation total. Overthe past 10 years, nearly 51 billion hasbeen invested in the state, creating morethan 252,000 new jobs. The leadingmanufacturing sectors in terms of capital investment activity were metals andcapital equipment ( 966 million),chemicals ( 593 million), and rubberand plastics ( 343 million).Greenville County led the state ininvestment, recording 1.3 billion, followed by York ( 652.7 million), Jasper( 451.7 million) Cherokee ( 351.4 million) and Lexington ( 310.4 million)counties. York County ranked first inthe number of announced jobs created,with 3,844, with Greenville (2,936),Richland (1,591), Spartanburg (1,368)and Lexington (1,234) counties next onthe list.The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for 2001 was 5.4 percent, up from 3.9 percent in 2000. Ninecounties averaged double-digit unemployment rates, led by Marion Countyat 17.3 percent. Conversely, 15 counties averaged unemployment rates below 5.4 percent. Beaufort County hadthe state’s lowest unemployment rate, at2.6 percent. The unemployment rate forColumbia MSA averaged 3.2 percentfor the year. The Charleston andGreenville-Spartanburg MSA’s unemployment rates averaged 3.7 percent and4.6 percent, respectively. Nationally,the seasonally adjusted unemploymentrate was 4.8 percent in 2001.For 2002, economists predict thecurrent recession to end by the spring,since recession tens to average 11months. The state’s unemployment ratewill peak slightly over 6.0 percent. Bycomparison, during the recession of theearly 1980’s, he state’s unemploymentrate climbed to nearly 12 percent. Inthe early 1990’s, unemployment rose ashigh as 8 percent.The 30-year trend of declining textile employment is expected to continue. Based on 1998-2002 employment projections, the fastest-growingsectors will continue to be services,construction, and wholesale and retailtrade. Services will provide 1 out ofevery 2 new jobs in the state; trade willaccount for 29 percent of an overall jobgrowth, while nearly 15,000 construction jobs are anticipated to be added by2008. Non-residential construction activity should continue to surge as SouthCarolina firms continue to invest incapital expansion.Reprint of an article by Mike Daniels, Supervisor, LMI Research Unit, Labor Market Information, South Carolina Employment SecurityCommission, appearing in the January 2002 issueof the South Carolina Workforce Trends.(LTC continued from page 4)break a big problem down into smaller,more manageable pieces. The ombudsman also tries to determine whether thisis a problem throughout the facility.The ombudsman first investigatesthe complaint to determine whether it isvalid. If valid, the ombudsman workswith the complainant to resolve thecomplaint. If not valid, the ombudsmanwill explain his findings.The ombudsman will then followup to ensure that any agreement reachedto solve the problem is actually carriedout.In all cases, complaints are handled confidentially. The ombudsmandoes not disclose the complainant’sidentity without his/her permission,unless ordered to do so by a court oflaw. Even if the ombudsman cannotresolve the complaint without revealingthe complainant’s identity, he/shemakes the choice as to whether the ombudsman proceeds.As ADVOCATE, the Ombudsman protects Residents’ Rights andworks to ensure the highest quality ofcare for vulnerable adults who mostoften feel powerless and are too illand/or too frail to stand up for their ownrights.The Ombudsman identifies andseeks to remedy gaps in facility, government, or community services, advocates for improvements in state andfederal laws and regulations to improvequality of care, educates residents, family, and staff about residents’ rights,provides technical assistance in establishing Resident and Family Councils,and provides information and referralregarding long-term care programs andservices to any interested party.WHO TO CONTACT — Callthe Appalachian Council of Governments’ Long Term Care Ombudsmantoll free:Anderson CountyCherokee CountyGreenville CountyOconee CountyPickens CountySpartanburg 1403

Page 6VIEWPOINTSE4A Scholarshipnce again, the Southeastern Association of Area Agencies on Aging has established a scholarship to be awarded to astudent interested in pursuing a career in Gerontology or Geriatrics. Two 1,000 scholarships will be awarded in thefall of 2002.To apply for the scholarship, a student must be a junior, senior or graduate student presently enrolled in an accredited university within the eight Southeastern states of Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Florida, Tennessee, Kentucky, NorthCarolina and South Carolina.If you, or someone you know, would be interested, please contact Michael Stogner at the ACOG office for a copy of the application and a list of the criteria. Completed applications must be returned before May 31, 2002.(Alliance continued from page 1)successful economic development in Upstate South Carolina. Please visit WWW.UPSTATEALLIANCE.COM to learn moreabout the Upstate Alliance.For more information about InfoMentum, please contact Carol Andersen at ACOG(andersen@scacog.org).VIEWPOINTAppalachian Council of GovernmentsP. O. Drawer 6668Greenville, South Carolina 29606PRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGEPAIDGREENVILLE, SCPERMIT NO. 1604

LSU offers two courses of instruction, Emergency Response to Biological In-cidents and the Law Enforcement Re-sponse to WMD Incidents course. For additional information on LSU courses, contact LSU at www.ace.lsu.edu Texas A&M University (National Emergency Response and Rescue Training Center): Texas A&M delivers a set of courses to prepare pub-