Agency out of money for energy bills; chairman says help is on the way

SUMMERVILLE — The embattled agency responsible for doling out federal Head Start funds has run out of state money meant to help low-income residents pay their power bills and weatherize their homes.

Employees at the Berkeley-Dorchester Counties Economic Development Corporation's outreach centers in Summerville and Moncks Corner on Tuesday referred people to the United Way and the Salvation Army for help Tuesday because, they said, there's no money to assist anyone.

EDC Board Chairman Levy Berry confirmed Tuesday that the situation is a result of the agency's $1.2 million deficit in non-federal money, but said "help will be on the way." When asked where the money would come from, Berry replied "the state."

"We are in negotiations to make sure that these programs will continue to be served," Berry said.

Joel Sawyer, communications director for Gov. Mark Sanford, said the ball is in the EDC's court. In the meantime, he said, the state is continuing with its "de-funding" process, which gives the EDC until early next month to pay the state back $283,000 and address a laundry list of concerns about how it has spent the grant money.

At the end of the process, the state could decide to terminate its grant contract with the EDC and give it to another agency.

Read more in tomorrow's Post and Courier.