The People Who Run Gifford, S.C.’s Tiny Government
The small, rural town of Gifford, S.C., survives with help from just 12 enthusiastic public employees -- most of whom aren't even paid.
In tiny towns like Gifford, S.C., the municipal government consists of very few people. A dozen employees, most of whom are unpaid and work part-time, see to the needs of the town’s 289 citizens. Here, the entire city council -- Alvin Murdaugh, Lindsay Strong, Leon Blake and Horney Mitchell -- stands in front of the town hall, a former family home that was donated to the city.