SLED Chief speaks about resources at LSCOG Annual Meeting

[AIKEN, SC] South Carolina Law Enforcement Division Chief Mark Keel was the featured speaker at Lower Savannah Council of Governments’ (LSCOG) 2018 Annual Banquet.

The Annual Banquet was held Thursday, December 13, 2018 at Clemson University’s Edisto Research and Education Center in Blackville, SC. LSCOG’s Executive Director William Molnar presented the “Year in Review” to showcase accomplishments from the 2017-2018 fiscal year, which can be viewed in the 2018 Annual Report on our website www.lscog.org.

“The Lower Savannah COG had a strong year serving the citizens and local governments within the region,” said Molnar. “We are especially pleased to have received two national NADO awards. The Jump Start program provides summer jobs for rising high school seniors. Within the program, students learn “soft-skills” like showing up on time, dressing appropriately for work, money management, and get a glimpse into jobs they may want and those that they may not want in their future. The Dementia Dialogue® program trained service providers and family members on how to better care for individuals living with dementia. We will be offering both award-winning programs in 2019.”

The featured speaker, SLED Chief Mark Keel, is a Barnwell county native. He is also the son of former Board of Directors member Jack Keel, who served on the LSCOG Board from 1971 to 1982, and was chairman for fiscal year 1976. Chief Keel spoke to event attendees about the nationwide problem with recruiting law enforcement officers, school safety and the importance of school resource officers, and the ongoing opioid epidemic. He also shared available resources for municipalities dealing with these issues.

Board of Directors Chairman Larry Haynes recognized several board members and LSCOG staff for their years of service. Board members recognized were Roger Hill and David Kenner for 15 years and James Haigler for 25 years; staff recognized were Mary Beth Fields for 15 years, Mary Ann Keisler for 20 years, Frances Owens for 25 years and Nora Sanders for 30 years.

Lower Savannah Council of Governments (LSCOG) is a regional quasi-governmental organization serving Aiken, Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell, Calhoun and Orangeburg counties.

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