Georgetown County
Council chairman seeking seat on Public Service Commission
Georgetown County Council Chairman Clint Elliott is one of three candidates seeking a seat on the state board that regulates public utilities. If successful, he would have to step down from the council in the middle of next year.
If not, Elliott said he will seek a second term on the council.
“I’ve always known I wanted to be on there at least two terms,” he said.
But his first run for local office in 2022 followed an unsuccessful bid for a seat on the S.C. Public Service Commission.
“It was an eye-opening experience,” he said.
The commission oversees investor-owned public utilities, regulating electric, gas, water, wastewater and transportation companies. Santee Cooper, the state-owned utility that serves parts of Georgetown, Horry and Berkeley counties, is also subject to the commission’s review, although not for its rates.
“I’ve always kind of watched them,” Elliott said. “The PSC looks out for the public. It makes sure everybody’s interest is looked out for.”
The growing demand for electricity in the state makes this a critical time for the commission, particularly with the advent of data centers.
“They suck up huge amounts of resources,” Elliott said. “I know we need them, but we don’t necessarily need them in the middle of Georgetown.”
He likened the decisions on power to the ones that Georgetown County faces with the redevelopment of the former state port and shuttered paper and steel mills in Georgetown.
“You’re trying to get in on the ground floor,” he said. “The decisions made now are going to impact generations.”
Serving on the Public Service Commission “is an opportunity to do the greater good. It’s a more impactful position,” he said.
Elliott has worked for Grand Strand Water and Sewer Authority for 27 years. He is its laboratory supervisor. The work with water and wastewater checks one of the boxes for commission candidates.
The seven commission members represent each of the state’s congressional districts. The applicants are screened by a review committee of six legislators and two members of the public. The commissioners are voted on by the General Assembly and serve four-year terms.
There is also a written exam.
“The test is pretty rough,” focusing on the commission and legislation, Elliott said. He scored a 71 on the exam in 2020, one point higher than Delton Powers, a Florence attorney who was elected to the 7th District seat. Tee Miller, a Georgetown business man with a background in economic development, was the other candidate.
Elliott said he was told Powers didn’t plan to seek re-election and didn’t plan to run against an incumbent commissioner. But Powers and Kenneth R. Moss of Little River are also in the running. Moss is an attorney who previously worked for Santee Cooper as an engineer.
The candidates will face a public hearing in December. The review committee will issue its report in January and the legislature will vote on the candidates 10 days later. Until the report is released, the candidates are barred from campaigning for support.
“Once you get to that point, it’s all about political friendships,” Elliott said.
His nearly three years on County Council and his role as chairman since January will help with the PSC process, he said.
“Being chairman has made me more comfortable speaking in front of crowds,” Elliott said.
The role has also expanded his engagement with state lawmakers. Getting access to lawmakers was a challenge in 2020, Elliott said.
He recalled trying to lobby the late Sen. Hugh Leatherman of Florence for support. “Son, let me stop you right there,” the senator said. He wanted to know how much support Elliott had among the 7th District delegation. Elliott said he had some. “Call back when you have a majority,” Leatherman told him.
Correction: This article was corrected from the print edition to reflect that Elliott ran for County Council in 2022, not 2020. He first ran for the Public Service Commission in 2020.
