Town of Ridgeland

What Town of Ridgeland does

The Town of Ridgeland is an incorporated municipal government operating under South Carolina Code Section 5-11-20 in a Council form of government with five elected members and an appointed Town Administrator. Founded in 1894 (originally as Gopher Hill), the Town serves approximately 4,000 residents in Jasper County, South Carolina, positioned at the I-95 corridor between Savannah and Charleston. Its service portfolio spans police, fire (ISO Class 3), water and sewer utilities, planning and zoning, building inspections, municipal court, parks and trails, a seasonal farmers market, and youth civic programs. Residents and businesses access services through Town Hall at One Town Square plus digital channels including Xpress Bill Pay for utilities, CommunityCore for online permitting, SC Courts for traffic fines, and Vimeo for Council meeting archives.

The Town's revenue model is a diversified municipal mix: recurring property and accommodations taxes, monthly water and sewer utility charges with a $125 connection deposit, one-time business license and building permit fees, municipal court fines, and event-rental income from the Lakeside at Blue Heron venue. The core technology stack is conventional government SaaS rather than proprietary platforms — there is no in-house developed software, and operational improvements have come through adoption of vendor tools (new interactive voice payment system at 1-855-546-7600, CommunityCore permitting, Xpress Bill Pay).

The customer base is essentially captive within town limits: ~4,000 residents as the primary tax- and utility-paying segment, plus a smaller cohort of local SMBs (business license and permit payers), hospitality businesses (accommodations tax), and transient visitors. Distribution is direct — in-person at Town Hall or department offices (Police, Fire, Water & Sewer) and via self-serve online portals. Leadership is anchored by Mayor Joseph N. (Joey) Malphrus Jr. and Town Administrator Dennis E. Averkin, with separate department heads for Police (Chief R.V. Woods), Fire (Chief Bradley Bonds), Water/Sewer (Ty Shaffer), Planning (Aaron C. Rucker), and Finance (Chance Rountree).

Name

Town of Ridgeland

Legal name

Town of Ridgeland

Website

https://ridgelandsc.gov

Company type

Private

Founded year

1894

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Town of Ridgeland is a municipal government in Jasper County, South Carolina, serving about 4,000 residents with public safety, water and sewer utilities, planning, permitting, municipal court, and community amenities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Municipal Government Services

NAICS

Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Administration of Urban Planning and Community and Rural Development (92512), Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (925), Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (9251)

SIC

Sanitary Services (4950), Services-To Dwellings & Other Buildings (7340)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Works & Municipal Infrastructure (Streets, Stormwater, Facilities) (BPAIACAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC), Local Public Health & Human Services Administration (BPAIACAK)

Keywords

• Municipal government services
• Public safety services
• Water and sewer utilities
• Planning and permitting
• Municipal court services

Headquarters

HQ city

Ridgeland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Property and Local Taxes: Property taxes and local accommodations tax (2% state accommodations tax distributed to town) collected from residents and hospitality businesses
2. Utility Fees (Water and Sewer): Monthly water and sewer service charges billed to residents and businesses. Deposits of $125 required for new accounts.
3. Business Licenses and Permits: Business license fees, building permits, planning and zoning fees, food truck permits, and occupancy permits collected from businesses operating within town limits
4. Municipal Court Fines: Traffic citations and municipal court fines collected from violators within town jurisdiction
5. Rental Fees: Facility rentals including Lakeside at Blue Heron event venue

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Town of Ridgeland provides municipal government services to approximately 4,000 residents through operating departments covering public safety (Police and Fire), water and sewer utilities, planning and community development (zoning, building permits, code enforcement), municipal court, parks and trails, and community amenities. Core services are supported by digital channels including online utility bill payment via Xpress Bill Pay, online permit applications via CommunityCore, online court fine payment, and a Vimeo-hosted archive of Town Council meetings.

Product overview

The Town of Ridgeland operates as a traditional municipal government providing essential public services to approximately 4,000 residents. The town's service portfolio includes public safety (police and fire departments), utilities (water distribution and sewer collection through the Water & Sewer Department), planning and development services (permits, zoning, code enforcement via Planning & Community Development), municipal court, and community amenities (parks, trails, farmers market, Youth Council). The town provides digital access to services through its website with integrations for online utility payments (Xpress Bill Pay), traffic fine payments (SC Courts), video streaming (Vimeo), and online permitting (CommunityCore). The Police Department offers patrol, investigations, traffic enforcement, and victim services. The Fire Department provides suppression, rescue, and prevention services with an ISO class 3 rating.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Police Department Services Municipal law enforcement services for the Town of Ridgeland, including uniform patrol, criminal investigations, traffic enforcement, victim advocacy, records, and community policing programs.
• Fire Department Services Fire suppression, rescue, fire prevention education, annual business inspections, and emergency medical response at EMR level, delivered by the Ridgeland Fire Department (ISO Class 3 rated).
• Water and Sewer Utility Services Municipal water and sewer utility services, including safe drinking water distribution and sewer collection, treatment, and management operated on a 24/7 basis with monthly billing and online payment options.
• Planning and Community Development Services Urban planning, zoning administration, building inspections, code enforcement, and development review services delivered by the Planning and Community Development Department, with online permits via CommunityCore.
• Municipal Court Services Local court system handling traffic violations, misdemeanors, and minor criminal matters, with online fine payment through the SC Courts online payment system.
• Parks and Trails System Network of municipal parks and trails including Ralph Tuten Memorial Park, Harold Turpin Park, Malphrus Park, Veterans Memorial Park, and the Blue Heron Nature Trail.
• Town of Ridgeland Farmers Market Seasonal farmers market operating Fridays (11:30am-5pm) and Saturdays (8am-1:30pm) from April through December, featuring local produce, meats, crafts, and food vendors.
• Lakeside at Blue Heron Event Venue Event rental facility available for community gatherings, meetings, and celebrations; located at 153 James L. Taylor Drive, adjacent to the Blue Heron Nature Trail.
• Youth Council Program Civic leadership program for local high school students providing legislative experience and opportunities to participate in local government through the Town Council structure.
• Business Licensing and Permitting Issuance of business licenses, building permits, planning and zoning approvals, occupancy permits, and food truck permits through the Town Clerk and Planning and Community Development Department.

Quantifiable outcome

• ISO Class 3 fire suppression rating indicates excellent fire protection capabilities
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SouthernCarolina Alliance (SCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of eight regional economic development alliances in South Carolina representing the most rural region including Jasper County. SCA markets multi-county industrial parks and sites (14,000+ acres) nationally and internationally, assists with expansions and new industry startups, and serves as liaison to state government including SC Department of Commerce, SC Department of Revenue, and SC DHEC.
• Jasper CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty government partnership for coordinated services and transportation programs. Jasper County Transportation Program 1% Sales and Use Tax funds key transportation infrastructure connecting communities.
• Jasper County Chamber of CommerceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional chamber supporting local businesses and tourism promotion in the Jasper County area.
• Lowcountry Council of GovernmentsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional planning and governance coordination for the Lowcountry region of South Carolina.
• Dominion EnergyminorOthersElectric utility provider serving the Ridgeland area (contact: 1-800-251-7234)
• Palmetto Electric CooperativeminorOthersElectric cooperative serving the area (contact: 843-726-5551)
• Waste ManagementminorOthersTrash collection service provider for residential and commercial customers (contact: 866-964-9730)
• Pratt Memorial LibraryminorOthersPublic library resource at 451A Wilson St, Ridgeland, SC 29936 (843-726-7744) providing community education services
• Jasper Animal Rescue MissionminorOthersAnimal rescue organization partnered with Town for animal control services (contact: Kelly Payne 843-321-0795)
• South Carolina Department of CommercecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState economic development agency; SCA serves as liaison for industry recruitment, permitting, and licensing support
• South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState health and environmental regulatory agency; involved in water system oversight and development approvals
• SCORE Business MentoringminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSmall business mentoring organization providing counseling services through the Lowcountry chapter (score.org/sclowcountry)

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Town of Hilton Head Island, SC: Larger Lowcountry municipal peer; provides a benchmark for a more developed tourism/services economy in the same region, including fire (Sea Pines Forest Beach FD provides comparable staff), planning, and water-sewer.

Others

• Lowcountry Council of Governments: Regional COG providing planning and coordination services across the same Lowcountry municipalities; relevant ecosystem/peer for intergovernmental coordination and grant administration.
• SouthernCarolina Alliance: Regional economic development alliance of which Ridgeland is a member; markets 14,000+ acres of industrial parks and coordinates with SC Departments of Commerce, Revenue, and DHEC. Comparable as an enabling/ecosystem partner rather than a direct municipal competitor.

Direct peers

• Town of Port Royal, SC: Small Beaufort County municipality delivering the same core services (police, fire, water/sewer, planning, court) to a comparable population scale; useful peer for utility rate benchmarking.
• Jasper County, SC: County government overlaying Ridgeland; shares transportation, public safety coordination, and economic development functions, and is a direct partner via the 1% Transportation Sales and Use Tax.
• Town of Hardeeville, SC: Adjacent Jasper County municipality; same Lowcountry / I-95 corridor context and directly comparable service portfolio (police, fire, water/sewer, planning). Town Administrator Dennis Averkin previously served as Finance Director and Interim City Manager here.
• City of Walterboro, SC: Small South Carolina city with comparable Council form of government and full municipal service mix (public safety, utilities, court, planning). Dennis Averkin previously served as Director of Finance & Administration here.
• City of Beaufort, SC: Historic Lowcountry municipality with full-service police, fire, water/sewer, planning, and municipal court; comparable governance structure and brand-driven tourism positioning.
• Town of Bluffton, SC: Lowcountry municipality in Beaufort County providing the same core municipal services with strong growth profile; useful comp for Ridgeland's tourism/amenity strategy and water-sewer utility operations.

Regional players

• Colleton County, SC: Neighboring rural South Carolina county where Dennis Averkin served as CFO/Director of Administration; comparable scale, demographics, and municipal service delivery model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubevimeo.com/user9997016
• Xx.com/TownofRidgeland
• Facebookfacebook.com/TownofRidgelandSC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ridgeland-town-of

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Town of Ridgeland