| Current County News |
| |
| Holiday Notice |
 Lexington County Administrative Offices will be closed Monday, February 15 in observance of Presidents' Day. |
| |
Register to Receive Emergency Warnings |
 Help Lexington County Emergency Services get vital information to you. Lexington County now has the ability to do mass notifications during an emergency event in the County. Most Lexington County business and residential telephone landlines have been registered in the system. Citizens are urged to register any additional contact information such as cell phone numbers, pager numbers and email addresses to ensure that they receive emergency notifications ---- regardless of where they are at the moment. Register your information here.
|
| |
| Upcoming Energy Expo |
 The County of Lexington and the Irmo Chapin Recreation Commission will sponsor an “Energy Expo” to educate citizens on how to make their homes and lifestyles more energy efficient. On Friday, March 5, 2010 at the Saluda Shoals Park River Center The Expo will feature energy exhibits and demonstrations, mini-workshops, guest speakers, hybrid vehicle displays, onsite paper shredding services, drawings, giveaways and much more. It’s free and open to the public. Click Here for more information. You don’t want to miss it!
|
| |
| Phonebook Recycling |
 From February 1 through March 15, phone books will be accepted at all 11 Collection and Recycling Centers for recycling. For more information, contact the Lexington County Recycling Coordinator at mweidner@lex-co.com. |
| |
Free 6’ x 8’ Tarps Available from Lexington County Solid Waste Management |
 In Lexington County and in South Carolina it is illegal to operate a truck from which debris is blowing, falling, dropping, sifting, leaking or otherwise escaping. Violation of this law is a crime punishable by a maximum fine of $1,087 and a minimum of 15 hours of litter pick-up. According to PalmettoPride (the state’s anti-litter organization), unsecured loads are the number one source of litter in South Carolina. For more information on how you can obtain a free tarp from Solid Waste Management and PalmettoPride, to secure your loads, click here.
|
| |
| Metts and Tyndall Receive Strom Thurmond Excellence in Law Enforcement |
The Strom Thurmond Excellence in Law Enforcement Awards recognizes law enforcement officers whose performance demonstrate the highest ideals of excellence in professional law enforcement. For 2009, Lexington County Sheriff James R. Metts received the County Officer Award and Chief Dennis Tyndall, City of West Columbia Police Department, received the Municipal Officer Award.
The awards are sponsored by the Strom Thurmond Foundation. A six member pane l reviews nominations received from across the state to choose the recipients of the annual awards.
The awards were presented at the County Council meeting of January 12 by Sheriff Lee Foster, Newberry County Sheriff, and member of the review panel.
Photo, left to right: Sheriff James Metts with Sheriff Lee Foster and Chief Dennis Tyndall.
|
| |
Commander's Award for Public Service |
 Army Lieutenant Colonel Mark Stevens, Unit 360 Civil Affairs Brigade presented the Commander's Award for Public Service to a group of officers from the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department at Council on January 12. The award was given in recognition of outstanding support involving assistance with an exercise conducted on Lake Murray.
Photo: A group of officers from the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department receive the Commander's Award for Public Service from Army Lieutenant Colonel Mark Stevens, Unit 360 Civil Affairs Brigade.
|
| |
Lexington County Receives S.C. Wildlife Federation Award |
Lexington County revised both its Outdoor Burn Ordinance and its Stormwater Management Ordinance in 2007. Befor e revising the Outdoor Burn Ordinance, Lexington Country accounted for 10% of all outdoor burns reported to the SC Forestry Commission, the largest in the state. As a result of the new ordinance, reported outdoor burns decreased by 51% in fiscal year 2007/2008. The new Stormwater Ordinance prohibits illegal dumping into drains, requires water quality improvements from new developments, limits clear cutting for development, supports low impact development standards and requires buffers along streams, wetlands and shorelines. In acknowledgement of these two ordinance revisions, Lexington County recently was honored by receiving the South Carolina Wildlife Federation’s Government Award.
Photo left to right: Synithia Williams, Lexington County Public Works Stormwater Division; Sheri Armstrong, Lexington County Public Works Stormwater Division; and Ben Gregg, Executive Director, Wildlife Federation.
|
| |
| Effective January 1, 2010 – Lexington County Smoking Ban |
 On August 25, 2009, Lexington County Council voted to adopt Ordinance 09-06 - An Ordinance to Amend the Lexington County Code of Ordinances, Chapter 14, Building and Building Regulations; by Adding a New Article Therein for the Purpose of Establishing Regulations and Requirements Related to Smoking in the Unincorporated Areas of Lexington County effective January 1, 2010. (Click here to view the full ordinance). This only applies to the unincorporated areas of Lexington County. Please contact your local town or city office for information on their smoking ban ordinances.
To report smoking ordinance violations, please call the Sheriff’s Office at 785-8230 (Option #6) to report the incident. All smoking violations will handled by the Sheriff’s Department.
|
| |
| Green Tip of the Week |
 Fix broken and leaky faucets. Did you know that a leaking faucet can waste 300 gallons of water a month and a leaky toilet can waste more than 50 gallons of water per day!
|
| |
| New! Pay Traffic Tickets and Fines Online |
 Lexington County Central Traffic Court, Lexington Magistrate, Irmo Magistrate, Batesburg Magistrate, Swansea Magistrate, Oak Grove Magistrate and Cayce-West Columbia Magistrate are now accepting online payments. If you have been issued a roadside citation (blue ticket) for a non-jailable driving offense or a fine then you may click the link above to make your payment. Please make note that payments are officially posted to our system within 72 hours of your online payment. The payment amount indicated on the citation does not affect your right to appear in court as scheduled for trial or to request a jury trial on or before your court date.
It is your responsibility to contact the Court regarding payment errors, continuances, or suspensions. |
| |
| Animal Services Webpages - Now Includes Adoption Information |
Adoptable Pet of
the Week
|
|
Check out the NEW Animal Services webpages! You can find information from adoptable pets to helpful forms and frequently asked questions. Visit the new pages today!
A great new feature is the adoptions page. The page is updated frequently, and you're sure to find your new best friend there today!
|
| County Receives Stimulus Funds |
 Lexington County is receiving funds through the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), also referred to as the stimulus bill. The County is one of many local jurisdictions throughout the state and country that is receiving stimulus funds. A new webpage is available to provide information, updates, and detailed information about County projects funded through the ARRA. Click here for details.
|
| |
| Job Opportunities with the 2010 Census |
 In Lexington County, the U.S. Census Bureau will be opening a 2010 Census Office, and many job opportunities will be coming to the area. The new office is scheduled to open in late summer/early fall 2009. The U.S. Department of Commerce is seeking qualified applicants for management positions, along with supervisors and support staff which will be hired this fall to staff the Local Census Office. This link gives more information about the Census Office, job opportunities and how to apply.
|
| |
| Accepting Applications for Home Repair Grants |
  The Lexington County Community Development Department is accepting applications for its Home Rehabilitation Program. Through this program, eligible homeowners can obtain assistance in the form of loans and deferred forgivable loans for repairs of up to approximately $20,000 for their primary residence. This program is funded through the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Click here to learn more information about the program. You may also call the Community Development Department at 785-8121 or e-mail CDCustomerService@lex-co.com for more information.
|
| |
| Alive at 25 |
The Alive at 25 safe-driver program is sponsored by the South Carolina chapter of the National Safety Council. The Lexington County Sheriff’s Department coordinates implementation of the program across South Carolina under a contract with the state chapter of the National Safety Council.
Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teen-agers in the nation. Unlike traditional driver education classes that focus on the mechanics of driving, Alive at 25 addresses drivers’ behavior.
Alive at 25 promotes good decision-making. It also provides teen-agers with the tools they need to drive safely in an environment shaped by peer pressure.
In a recent study by the Colorado State Patrol, 93 percent of participants in the Alive at 25 program report that they will change their driving behavior as a result of completing the course. Citizens can obtain information about the Alive at 25 program and other safety information by accessing the web site for the state chapter of the National Safety Council at www.scnsc.org.
Check out how Lexington County Sheriff’s Department is involved with Alive at 25…
|
The Lexington County Emergency Management Division emphasizes the importance of having a Tone-Alert Weather/All-Hazards Radio in your home. The SAME programming code for receiving Lexington County specific alerts is: 045063. 
Click here for 
