The governing bodies of the counties are authorized to create regional councils of government by means of an agreement approved by the governing bodies of the participating counties and approved by the Governor. The regional councils of government, including more than one county, shall be grouped in accordance with the following geographic areas:

1-Anderson, Cherokee, Greenville, Oconee, Pickens and Spartanburg;

2-Abbeville, Edgefield, Greenwood, Laurens, McCormick and Saluda;

3-Chester, Lancaster, Union and York;

4-Fairfield, Lexington, Newberry and Richland;

5-Allendale, Aiken, Bamberg, Barnwell, Calhoun and Orangeburg;

6-Clarendon, Kershaw, Lee and Sumter;

7-Chesterfield, Darlington, Dillon, Florence, Marion and Marlboro;

8-Georgetown, Horry and Williamsburg;

9-Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester; and

10-Beaufort, Colleton, Hampton and Jasper.

At least two counties within the foregoing geographic groupings shall be necessary participants in order to form such regional councils of government, and no county shall belong to more than one such regional council of government. The governing bodies of municipalities lying within a county which is a part of one of the foregoing geographic areas may participate as a member of such regional council of government, irrespective of whether the county within which such municipality lies is or is not a member, by approval of the agreement creating the regional council of government, and no municipality shall belong to more than one such council of government. In those municipalities which may be bisected by county lines, the municipality shall participate in the geographic grouping, as set forth above, within which the major portion of its population lies.

In Georgetown County, appointments made pursuant to this section are governed by the provisions of Act 515 of 1996.

HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 14-343; 1971 (57) 485.