For Immediate Release: August 7, 2009
CONTACT: Casey Fields
803.933.1256 (w) or 803.800.7225 (c) or cfields@masc.sc

 
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Municipal Association elects Mayor Carol Burdette as 2009-2010 president

Delegates at the Municipal Association of South Carolina’s 69th Annual Meeting unanimously elected Carol Burdette, mayor of the Town of Pendleton, as the Association’s president for 2009 – 2010 on Friday, August 7.

Burdette is the president and chief professional officer of United Way of Anderson County. Last year, Burdette served as the Rotary District 7750 Governor. She volunteers on a number of boards and commissions both local and statewide in the education, business and public health communities. She has served on Pendleton Town Council since 1987 and as mayor since 1997.

When asked about her vision for South Carolina hometowns, here is what Mayor Burdette had to say:

Three questions with Pendleton Mayor Carol Burdette, incoming president of the Municipal Association of SC

What is your vision for the next year as you take over the leadership of the Municipal Association?

The state of the current global economy requires local and state leaders to work together to ensure our state’s future economic success. Now more than ever before, we must put aside our parochial differences and work collaboratively and regionally. I look forward to continuing the work the Municipal Association has done to bring together local elected officials with leaders in the business community as we all work toward making South Carolina more competitive.

Also in the coming year, we must work together to ensure that all cities and towns have the tools and opportunity to thrive and prosper. I’m pleased to be chairing a Municipal Association task force looking at how we can better identify and help cities and towns that may be in financial distress. Fiscal accountability and stability are more important than ever during these challenging economic times.

What do you see as the biggest challenge cities and towns face?

Our greatest challenge today obviously comes from weathering the economic challenges we face. More importantly, however, is the long-term challenge of our state’s economic future and the issues posed by continued piecemeal changes to our state’s tax policy. Stop-gap proposals such as changes to the state’s point of sale provision in our tax law have long-term implications for local governments but more importantly affect our businesses and our residents who live in lower income areas. This will be a very important issue in the 2010 legislative session.

 

How can cities and towns in the state take a leadership role in the state’s competitiveness efforts?

Cities and towns have to be strong, vibrant communities. As local elected leaders, we are striving to build our cities and towns as hubs of business and industry that provide the services our residents expect and demand. We are all ready to work together on positive ways to contribute to the success of the state.

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The Municipal Association of South Carolina is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit Association of incorporated cities and towns dedicated to raising the standards of municipal government through a broad range of services.