List of County Challenges Moving Ahead to Summer a Long One
Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer
Anderson County faces a series of challenges moving toward summer.
The Electrolux shutdown, and resulting loss of 1,200 jobs, council crafting a fiscal year 2027 budget, working to find more funding for roads, and continued economic development are among the top items on the agenda, according to Administrator Rusty Burns.
Burns hopes the Electrolux announcement will be offset by expansion from other companies, most notably Vertiv and Arthrex, but in the meantime said the county is concerned about the human toll of such developments.
"We don't look at that as 1,200 jobs. Those are 1,200 people," Burns emphasized, noting that many of the affected workers have families to support, with some having dedicated two decades of their lives to the company and climbing into higher management levels. "Is it going to be a strain on them? Yes. Is it going to be a strain on the county? Yes."
According to the timeline laid out by Burns, the facility will first fulfill its current standing orders, which is likely to be done in July. Once complete, severance packages will be provided to the outgoing workforce. From there, the plant will go dark for roughly six months to undergo a massive retooling effort, shifting its manufacturing capabilities from refrigeration equipment to washers and dryers.
Despite the "sad situation" for both the county and the state, Burns said there is some solace knowing that Anderson County's diversified economy is positioned to absorb the shock.
"Thankfully, because of our diversified economy, there are opportunities for people to go to work today," Burns said. He revealed that through various projects currently in the pipeline—comprising both new companies moving in and existing companies expanding—the county is expecting an influx of between 1,700 and 1,800 new jobs "coming online here pretty quick."
Beyond the shifting economic landscape, Anderson County is also preparing to honor its deep historical roots as it celebrates its 200th anniversary. To mark the bicentennial, a new historical marker will be erected in front of the county courthouse to commemorate the original name of the city's primary thoroughfare.
"That road, Main Street, used to be called the General's Road," said Burns, referencing the work of noted legendary historian Louise Ayer Vandiver in her 1928 book “Traditions and History of Anderson County, South Carolina.”. Quoting her writings, Burns said: "'Every city has a main street, but we had the General's Road, and we could have stood out as someplace different because of that.' We're going to put a marker up there at the historic courthouse, noting that it once was the General's Road."
In more immediate updates, Burns noted that the county is utilizing its infrastructure to raise awareness for public health initiatives. Because May is recognized as Adolescent Mental Health Month, the newly installed lights on the courthouse clock tower will glow green for the duration of the month. (Though, Burns joked, the county has still not managed to get a "bat signal" installed on the building).
The finishing touches are also being put on the historic courthouse, with the brass nearly complete and plans for landscaping in place set to be done within a month.
Festivals and other music events were also a part of this discussion with The Anderson Observer.
Finally, looking ahead to the holiday season—which Wilson noted is just over 200 days away—the administrator confirmed a highly anticipated detail for the downtown festivities. When asked if the downtown Christmas tree would be taller this year, Burns didn't hesitate.
"Oh, it will be," he promised.
