Richland County Council

Find your Richland County Council representative.
 

Richland County Council meetings

Richland County Council generally meets the first and third Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. All meetings are open to the public. Council meetings are held inside Council Chambers, located on the second floor of the Richland County Administration Building, 2020 Hampton St., Columbia.

County Council has resumed in-person meetings at limited capacity, and residents can also view meetings online. Links to virtual meetings are posted on the County's website and social media platforms. 

Click here to watch Richland County Council meetings live online.

Click here to watch archived Richland County Council meetings.

About Richland County Council

County Council consists of 11 members who are elected in the November general elections from single member districts for four-year terms beginning Jan. 1 of the year following their election. Council elects a chair and vice chair for a one-year term at its first meeting in January following the general election. 

Council conducts its business first through the standing committees, the Administration and Finance Committee and the Development and Services Committee, as well as ad hoc committees formed to address more specific concerns. The committee meetings, held on the fourth Tuesday of every month, serve as a forum for discussion of issues in order for a recommendation to be made to the full Council. Council's regular session meetings typically take place on the first and third Tuesdays of every month. On the second Tuesday, Council generally holds a work session to discuss large and complex issues that require more deliberation before any formal Council action is taken. The meeting dates and times for the committee and Council meetings are subject to change; however, proper notice is given to the public of meetings through the news media. 

County Council enacts legislation in one of three ways: general ordinances, emergency ordinances and resolutions. General ordinances are the most formal and binding type of Council legislation. An ordinance may be introduced by a member of Council. General ordinances apply to tax levies, property disposition, leases, contracts, large purchases and other significant undertakings. Each ordinance requires three readings of the legislation that occur during three separate Council meetings prior to adoption. The first reading is done by title only with no opportunity to amend. The second reading may include a public hearing on the matter, and any Councilmember may propose amendments at this time. Third reading of an ordinance cannot be given until at least seven days after the second reading, and it may also be designated as a public hearing. If adopted by the majority of Council, the proposed ordinance becomes official. 

The functions of County Council are to:

• Adopt and amend ordinances and resolutions
• Determine how much money is to be spent for what purposes, according to the needs and priorities set by Council
• Determine what County taxes are to be levied
• Approve contracts, agreements and bids
• Appoint residents to various boards and committees

**Click here to view Richland County Council Rules

Interested in serving on one of Richland County's various committees, commissions and boards?
Click here to learn more, view vacancies, download the application or complete the online application.