FAIRFIELD COUNTY – Fairfield County council has hired Victor J. ‘Vic’ Carpenter as the County’s new administrator.
Carpenter, 61, a native of Summerville, has more than 25 years of experience working in local government. He has served as county administrator for Goochland County, Virginia since June, 2022. Prior to that, he served 11 years as the county administrator for Kershaw County where he led the county to receive the All-American City Award, oversaw the construction of a number of buildings and managed record fund balances as well as effectively used excess fund balances to provide needed capital upgrades for Kershaw County.
He has served as President of the South Carolina Managers, Administrators, and Supervisors Association and has been actively involved in civic organizations including Rotary International, Kiwanis and he has served as President of the Boys and Girls Club.
Carpenter’s three-year, $180,000 employee agreement becomes effective on March 1. The agreement allows him a six-month period to establish residence in Fairfield County.
Carpenter says an immediate priority in Fairfield is to look at the county’s finances.
“Open, transparent finances are the critical, fundamental, underlying foundation of good government,” he said. “I want to get the county where it needs to be financially – audits done on time, fund balances that are adequate and appropriate, and budgets that live within our means. That’s critical to me – to come in and work toward that.
“I’m a very transparent guy. I believe very much in the critical role government plays in listening to our citizens and being out there, being part of the community and getting to know people and learn what’s important to them,” he said.
Long term, Carpenter said he believes in following what God has planned for him.
“I had a great stay here in Virginia, but I believe God has called me back to South Carolina,” he said. “I’m eager to get back home to South Carolina where my kids live. I’m not looking to go anywhere else.
“Fairfield County has so much potential and so much opportunity in front of it,” Carpenter said. “With Scout Motors coming, the megasite, I-77, the nuclear plant and all that, then creating what we have the ability to do in guiding and managing growth and development, Fairfield should not be losing population. It should be growing in population. It has everything going in its favor.
“In the long term, I just see opportunity and will try to bring that opportunity to fruition,” he said.
