Administration
The Home Rule Act, Title 4, Chapter 9 of the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, created the four forms of county government for South Carolina. Lancaster County is a Council-Administrator form of government, whereas County Council appoints the County Administrator to assure administrative responsibility for county government. The County Administrator is responsible for carrying out the policies and ordinances of the County Council, overseeing the county's day-to-day operations, and appointing all non-elected county department heads. The Clerk to Council supports the County Administrator.
Dennis E. Marstall, County Administrator
Dennis Marstall was appointed County Administrator for Lancaster County in October 2021, building on his work to promote responsive local government, tackle tough community issues, and deliver quality services for the past 20 years. He began his career in county management with Kent County, Mich., then moved to the City of Charlotte, starting on the Budget and Evaluation staff. He then worked for nearly a decade in the Mayor’s Office as the Chief of Staff, establishing key working relationships that spanned business, neighborhood, nonprofit, and faith communities. His last assignment with the City was in the Economic Development Office working on business retention and growth issues and overseeing the Mayor’s Youth Employment initiative.
In 2012, he joined the staff of United Way of Central Carolinas, serving as Vice President for Community Investment and Impact to oversee the annual funding process for more than 90 area non-profits in the five county, Charlotte-region. During his tenure, more than $16 million was distributed annually to local non-profits, helping to serve over 300,000 people in need.
In 2019, he returned to local government, serving as Assistant City Manager in his hometown of Manhattan, Kan. He had a broad range of duties in Manhattan, covering everything from supervising the City Clerk’s Office to providing general leadership for city departments and city initiatives and overseeing the City’s legislative, communications, and safety functions. He served as a liaison to Kansas State University and the stand alone, consolidated city-county police agency.
His leadership and community involvement includes Leadership Charlotte -- Class 23 and the Flint Hills Regional Leadership Program, Crisis Assistance Ministry Board, CharlotteWORKS Board, Konza United Way Board, Junior Achievement teacher, Civics 101 presenter, and St. Matthew Catholic Church parishioner. He is a graduate of Kansas State University and earned a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree from the University of Louisville. He served on the Board and was National President of his collegiate Fraternity, Theta Xi. Dennis is married and has one daughter.
Stephany Snowden, Deputy County Administrator
Stephany Snowden was named the Deputy County Administrator of Lancaster County in September 2023 and brings a wealth of executive level local government leadership experience to the County, to include government communications, public safety, grant management, and crisis management.
Stephany most recently served as the Deputy Chief of 911 Communications for the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, where she played an integral role in the future transfer of management oversight of the Columbia -Richland 911 Center from the City of Columbia to that of the Richland County Sheriff. During her tenure at the sheriff’s department, Stephany was also part of the project management team in charge of the construction of a new forty-six-million-dollar emergency communications center.
Prior to her role with the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, Stephany served as the city administrator for the City of Lake City, South Carolina from February of 2018 through March of 2021. During her tenure in Lake City, Stephany was responsible for putting the city’s fiscal house in order and improving auditing procedures. Additionally, she was able to secure more than fifteen million dollars in water, sewer, and public facility grants, however she believes that her greatest achievement was improving government transparency, citizen engagement and facilitating the community’s trust in their local government.
Stephany began her government career in August of 2000 when she was named the Director of Public Information for Richland County Government. She was part of the administrator’s executive management team and in her position established a robust civic engagement program, which included county television and radio programming, an increased social media presence and a variety of award-winning civic engagements programs, to include “Richand 101 for Kids.’ She also implemented a National Associations of Counties sponsored discount prescription drug card program which saved residents more than $500,000 in its first three years of implementation.
She has been a guest lecturer on government communications and administration for the South Carolina Association of Counties, the South Carolina Hospital Association, SC DHEC, and the South Carolina Local Government Leadership Institute.
Stephany earned a Master of Public Administration from Clemson University and holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Old Dominion University. Above all she is a woman of service and is a tireless advocate for abused and neglected children, as well as homeless families. Stephany has served on a variety of advocacy boards to include the America Red Cross, Sistercare of the Midlands, the United Way of the Midlands, and Homeless No More. She has been a foster parent and is certified Volunteer Guardian Ad Litem through the State of South Carolina. She often appears in court as the voice for children experiencing displacement, duress, and abuse.
Stephany is married and she and her husband Wesley are pleased with the opportunity that she has been given to serve the citizens of Lancaster County.
Ginny L. Merck-Dupont, County Attorney Ginny L. Merck-Dupont was appointed County Attorney on January 3, 2023, by County Administrator Dennis Marstall to provide in-house legal service for Lancaster County Council, Administration, Departments and Boards and Commissions.
Ginny has served in many roles, including time as a Judicial Law Clerk, Assistant Municipal Attorney, Associate Attorney, Solicitor, Associate Judge and County Attorney. She served as County Attorney for Spartanburg County from 2011 to 2021, where she was involved in many major initiatives, including the construction of a new County Courthouse, Emergency Management Center and City/County Administrative Complex, as well as litigation relative to the opioid epidemic. She additionally served as legal counsel to the Fire Prevention and Protection Advisory Committee and was involved in an independent study of fire services in the County which led to the development of strategic initiatives for improving the County Fire Service.
She has been a contributor to the South Carolina Association of Counties (SCAC) Handbook on the Freedom of Information Act and has served as a speaker and panelist for the SCAC, South Carolina Bar, and South Carolina Special Purpose District.
A native of Greenville, SC, Ginny has been regularly practicing law in both private and government practice since 2000. She is a graduate of the University of South Carolina and the Loyola University College of Law in New Orleans, LA. Ginny is additionally licensed to practice in the Federal District Court for the District of South Carolina and the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Ginny is a member of the South Carolina Bar, the Louisiana Bar, the South Carolina Women Lawyers Association and the University of South Carolina Alumni Association, as well as the South Carolina Association of County Attorneys, where she served as Vice-President, President and Immediate Past President. Ginny has also served as a member of the SCAC Policy Steering Committee for Counties and Intergovernmental Relations and currently holds a position as a Councilmember for the Government Law Section of the South Carolina Bar. Ginny is the proud mother of one son.
Administration Staff:
| Sherrie Simpson, Clerk to Council Phone: (803) 416-9307 |
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Sherrie Simpson was appointed by the Lancaster County Council to serve as the Clerk to County Council in January of 2017. She is a member of the South Carolina Clerks to Council Association and became a Certified Clerk to Council in August of 2018. She is currently working toward her Advanced Clerk to Council Certification. Sherrie graduated from the University of South Carolina with a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice. She has previous work experience as a Judiciary Clerk for the Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County in Annapolis, Maryland, and as a Judicial Assistant in the Lancaster County Probate Court in Lancaster, South Carolina. Sherrie is married to Al Simpson, and they have three children and two grandchildren. |
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Lauren Hill, Deputy Clerk to Council/Administrative Assistant
Phone: 803-416-9508
VISION
Lancaster County will be a network of thriving communities offering the highest quality of life in the Carolinas.
MISSION
Our mission is to enhance our community's quality of life by enabling people to live, learn, work, worship, play, and grow - both personally and professionally.
To deliver this mission, we listen to our community and leverage strategic partnerships which serve our citizens and visitors in ways that they find to be timely, high-quality, and efficient.
VALUES
Service
Respect
Teamwork
Productivity
Safety & Security
STRATEGIC THEMES
Public Safety
Infrastructure
Quality Development
Resource Optimization
High Performance
