Community residents have been wondering, what has the Fairfield Community Development Corporation (Fairfield CDC) been doing lately? Last week, they got a chance to find out.

The Fairfield CDC, which as formed out of an initiative spearheaded by the fairfield Chamber of Commerce and evolved into a discussion group taking on the issue of community relations, held a meeting last week to bring members of the public and interested government and organization officials on what the CDC has been doing.

In her opening remarks, Terry Vickers, chamber executive director and CDC board member said, “we’re ready to move forward with ideas that were on the table for a while.”

Several high-level officials, including representatives from the state Human Affairs Commission and the SC Department of Commerce and the SC State Housing Authority, were present at the meeting.

Sam Selfe, with the Human Affairs Commission, told the group, “we (the Human Affairs Commission) started out with your group almost two years ago, and we’re pleased to see the progress that you’ve made.”

CDC vice chairman Todd Rainwater gave a brief historical overview that traced the community relations group/CDC from its inception in April of 2005 to today, an incorporated organization with a 501(c) (3) non-profit designation poised to begin their first project, a project in partnership with the local school district and the USC College of Education, called ACCESS House.

Rainwater pointed out that the aims and goals of the community relations group have not been forgotten in all the organizational activity, but that the goals and aims of that group as well as groups addressing other community issues will come under the umbrella of the Fairfield CDC.

“One of our purposes as we (the Fairfield CDC) have moved forward is to get the community relations back up and running,” he said.

Fairfield CDC chair Dr. Sharon Williams briefed the audience on the 501c3 status and said some of the areas the Fairfield CDC want on their agenda for the coming year are affordable housing, affordable day care for the community and meeting some educational goals.

“Basically, the goals of the Fairfield CDC are whatever the community wants to work on. It’s what the community thinks that counts.

“That’s why we need the community involved and invested in what we’re doing,” she said.

Fairfield CDC treasurer Vernon Kennedy Sr. discussed the search for an executive director for the CDC, as well as staff members and new board members.

“What we need, for the CDC to continue and get the attention that it needs on a day-to-day basis, is staff. You’ve heard that we’ve just gotten our 501c3 status, but we don’t have any funds to hire an executive director or any other administrative support. What we’re asking is if there is anyone in the community who has administrative skills and is willing to volunteer their time, we would welcome them.

“We have a great opportunity in the CDC because we’re trying to grow. We need community residents to become board members; this CDC has to have community residents as part of the board if we are to continue to operate,” he said.

“As community residents, how else can you help? You can help when we have projects and activities. We need projects and activities that will bring us all together.”

Kennedy’s own Fairfield Behavioral Health Services believes in the Fairfield CDC and he said he was willing to commit to providing office space for the CDC offices.

Part 2 of this story will discuss ACCESS House and report on the comments about the Fairfield CDC and their work from the local and state officials when the floor was opened up for comments