The following are highlights from Richland County Government in October:    

Richland R.U.N.S., a 10K run and 5K run/walk organized by Richland County Government, took place Oct. 4 at the County’s Jim Hamilton–L.B. Owens Airport (CUB). The course started and ended at the airport and wove through the historic Rosewood community. Richland R.U.N.S. benefitted United Way of the Midlands charities and was a special event to celebrate the County’s many communities – Rural, Urban, Neighborhoods, Suburbs. 

Nearly 100 residents attended Richland County’s Neighborhood Planning Conference on Oct.11, an annual event that provides the stepping stones for improving the quality of life in local communities. With the theme “Striving for Happiness,” the event focused on the ways a built environment can impact residents’ health and happiness.

Donny Phipps, Richland County Director of Building Codes and Inspections, was elected to the International Code Council (ICC) Board of Directors during the association’s 2014 Annual Conference. A certified building official and floodplain manager, Phipps has been active with code enforcement organizations throughout South Carolina for more than 30 years.

Richland County received a 2014 Local Government Energy Leadership Award from the South Carolina Energy Office and the Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation. The award is based on a local government’s efforts in the reduction of emissions, energy consumption and improved environmental health resulting from the project; the initiative’s effect on public knowledge or understanding; and the continuing evaluation of the project’s effect on the community.

After receiving a grant from the Richland County Conservation Commission, the Committee for the Restoration and Beautification of Randolph Cemetery announced its plans to rehabilitate the Thompson Cottage, a historic 1870s home located at 1632 Richland St.

More than a dozen permit technicians and building inspectors gathered at the Richland County Administration Building to attend the daylong training class organized by the South Carolina Permit Technicians Association. The class provided an opportunity for people involved in the building industry to receive updates on requirements for all areas of construction and inspections. Employees from Richland County Development Services assisted with the class.