WINNSBORO – The unemployment rate for Fairfield County has
dropped dramatically in the last year from 5.3 percent in September, 2018 to
4.4 percent in August, 2019 and even lower this last month (September) to 3.3
percent. That is lower than the national rate of 3.5 percent and just slightly
above the state’s rate of 2.9 percent
The announcement was made this week by the Employers
Association of South Carolina.
County Administrator Jason Taylor said that’s good news for
Fairfield.
“That our unemployment rate is going down is one of the things I’m most proud of,” Taylor said. “The flip concern of that, however, is that we’ve got a lot of new industries in the county that are about to announce or are hoping to announce shortly, that will be bringing in 500 – 600 jobs in the next 12 – 14 months. With an unemployment rate that low, we need to be sure we have the labor to support it.”
Taylor said he wants to draw that labor out of Fairfield,
not out of Blythewood and other areas surrounding the county.
“We’ve got to work on some quality of life issues and
residential development to keep them here,” he said. “We’ve been losing
population and we want to reverse that. We’d like people to come to work and
live here and invest their money here. We don’t want people coming in to take
the jobs and then take their earnings back to other towns,” Taylor said. “So we
need a labor pool and we need places for that labor pool to live here in
Fairfield County. We need that balance.”
“To have a dependable
labor force, we have to have a residential housing stock – which we don’t yet.
Building up our labor pool is a two to three year fix,” Taylor said.
“However, the need for labor for industry is a good problem
to have, and I think we’re doing really well.”
While Taylor acknowledged that there is some concern in the
community that Element is currently laying off a number of workers, he said
that layoff is cyclical.
“This is the slow season for Element. Their Christmas
production is slowing down now, but I understand they’ll be re-hiring their
workers after the first of the year,” Taylor said.
The State’s unemployment rate, according to the report, is
doing equally as well. The number of working South Carolinians moved
substantially higher, establishing a new record of 1,311,379.
Homeowner William Sanders and his surviving dog Molly. | Photo: Barbara Ball
WINNSBORO – A historic Winnsboro home built in the 1800’s
was destroyed in an early morning fire in downtown Winnsboro on Monday, Oct 29.
The home, located at 225 S. Congress Street, is owned by William Sanders, 72,
who said he has lived in the home for 19 years.
One of Mr. Sanders’ two dogs, an 11-year-old Pit Bull, was
found dead in his igloo dog house on the front porch. A smaller dog survived
the fire by crawling under a bed in an upstairs bedroom.
Sanders said no one was at the home except the dogs at the
time of the fire.
An incident report stated that the fire, which was reported
at 5 a.m., started on the front porch and spread to the second floor and attic
of the two-story home. It was contained by 8 a.m., the report stated. There is
no information on how the fire stated.
Fire department officials said the home, which Sanders said
was built in 1842, is a total loss.
WINNSBORO – In a special called meeting Monday evening,
county council passed second reading on two economic development incentive
agreements.
With a vote of 6-1, with Councilman Mikel Trapp against,
council authorized a fee in lieu of tax agreement with Mekra Lang for the
expansion of the truck-mirror manufacturer’s facility which is located in the
Walter Brown Industrial Park.
“This is an existing company effected by the tariff
increase,” the county’s Economic Development Director Ty Davenport explained.
Some of the parts they use in making truck mirrors are under the tariff and
since they have a facility in Mexico that they could move to, we are offering
them a tax incentive for them to stay here. We will be keeping the employees
here and Mekra Lang will be adding 15 more plus they will be making a $7.7M
investment instead of us losing them.”
The vote unanimous, however, for a second ordinance
authorizing the execution and delivery of a fee in lieu of tax agreement for a
company code-named New Nightingale, LLC. Because the county was required to
sign a non-disclosure agreement, neither the company nor the project will be
identified until after the third and final vote, according to County Administrator
Jason Taylor. That vote is expected to be taken Monday, Nov. 11.
BLYTHEWOOD – It was a busy night for the Blythewood Board of
Architectural Review Monday evening. Board members approved Certificates of
Appropriateness for construction of a Zaxby’s restaurant, construction of a
State Farm Insurance Office and alteration of the Blythewood Depot Building.
All three projects flew through the BAR with no major
adjustments to the COA requests.
Zaxby’s
The proposed opening for the Blythewood Zaxby’s is March of 2020.
The request for the new Zaxby’s fast food restaurant to be
constructed at 221 Blythewood Road was submitted by the MRP Design Group. The
restaurant will sit on a 1-1/2 acre site next to the Sharpe Shoppe BP service
station.
The restaurant is expected to open in March of 2020.
A site development plan will be considered at a later time
to include all improvements, including plantings, buffer yards, landscaping,
signs, lighting, parking, garbage enclosures, curb cuts and pedestrian and
vehicular circulation paths.
State Farm
Blythewood State Farm agent Sandy Khan, who owns the
property at 152 Blythewood Road, requested and received approval of a COA for
the construction of a one-story, 3,951 square-foot insurance office building on
the property.
Khan is in the process of removing her previous buildings on
the same lot to make way for the new construction.
The proposed building is comprised of three offices. Construction
is expected to begin soon.
Doko Depot
Blythewood Depot Property, LLC requested and received
approval of the BAR for a COA to permit the alteration of the Depot Building.
The 3,800 square-foot building is currently being renovated
to accommodate two businesses – Freeway Music and Doko Station Pub &
Eatery.
Don Russo, owner of Freeway Music, will occupy a larger
portion of the building with 14 rooms for private music lessons and rock band
classes plus other spaces. The Doko Station Pub is owned by Lexington’s Old
Mill Brewpub owners John and Kelly Clinger.
Signage will be reviewed by the BAR or in consultation with
staff.
Green: School Board will revote Promise funding issue next month
WINNSBORO – All Fairfield County high school graduates are
not currently able to receive free college tuition funds contributed by the
Fairfield County School District as promised last summer under the newly minted
Promise Program.
A school board vote last week left Promise Program tuition
funding for private, charter and home schoolers to the county.
As initially conceived, the Promise Program called for the
school district and county council each to pledge $75,000 annually, or $150,000
altogether, to the program administrated by Midlands Technical College.
In September, Green announced that the district moved
forward with its version of the Promise Program, noting that 24 students made
up the initial group of students receiving free tuition.
While the school district opted for lump sum payments to
Midlands Tech, some council members, saying they desired greater
accountability, preferred to be billed after qualifying students successfully
met eligibility requirements.
Thus, the school district and county ended up signing
separate Memorandums of Understanding agreements with Midlands Tech. There was
no indication in either agreement, however, that any of the designated
graduates would not be allowed to draw funds from both contributors.
Last week, during its regular monthly board meeting, the
Fairfield County School District board of trustees voted 6-1, with trustee
Paula Hartman against, to revise its Memorandum of Understanding. One of the
revisions eliminated previously eligible graduates of private schools, charter
schools and home schools from receiving tuition from the portion of the Promise
Program funded by the Fairfield County School District.
The revised agreement states, under Student Eligibility:
“Must be a Fairfield County resident with a valid high school diploma (or GED)
from Fairfield County School District,” with no mention of funding for the
private, charter and homeschooled students.
The change in the district’s funding contradicts initial
promises from District Superintendent Dr. J. R. Green that graduates of
private, public and home schools as well as Fairfield County School District
graduates (and with GEDs) would be eligible for free tuition to attend Midlands
Technical College.
Asked by The Voice why the district had decided to reserve
its funds for Fairfield County School District students, Green replied via
email, “The Promise Initiative still accommodates charter school, home school,
and private school students in the county.
As you know there are now two separate agreements with MTC. One with the county and one with the school
district. Funding for those students is
covered in the county MOU.”
While those students would be eligible for funds contributed
to the program by county council, the contract signed by the county and
submitted in July to Midlands Tech has not yet been ratified by Midlands Tech.
Without that ratification the county’s agreement is invalid, essentially
leaving the private, charter and home schooled graduates currently with no
Promise funding.
When contacted on Monday, County Council Chairman Neil
Robinson, County Administrator Jason Taylor, Headmaster of Richard Winn Academy
(Kristen Chaison) and Midlands STEM Institute Principal Cynthia Prince said
they were unaware of the revision in the district’s agreement.
“I have not discussed that specific change with Dr. Green,”
Taylor said. “I wasn’t aware that a change had occurred, but that’s the school
district’s choice.”
In addition, the county is still waiting on feedback and
final signoff from Midlands Tech, Taylor said.
Over the course of several email exchanges on Monday between
The Voice and Green, he did not change his position on the revision.
By Tuesday, however, Green told The Voice via email that the
school district would revisit the MOU at the board’s next meeting which is set
for Nov. 19, according to the district’s website.
“I will present the Fairfield County School Board of
Trustees with a revised MOU that includes home school, charter school and
private school students from Fairfield County,” Green wrote.
Endowment Option
In addition to restricting who is eligible for free tuition,
the district inserted verbiage into the MOU that alters the Fairfield Promise
from a pure scholarship program to an endowment.
Green said doing so creates tax benefits for businesses that
may wish to contribute. It also allows the district to use interest earned to
further subsidize the program.
“We would use interest to help fund the program. Therefore
you don’t need to count on a line item in the budget on a year-to-year basis,”
he said.
Under the new MOU, the district can make annual
contributions of $75,000 for five years up to $350,000.
“We have the option to continue contributing up to $75,000 a
year. Or if the district decides somewhere between now and the conclusion of
those five years, that they want to pay the balance of the $375,000, they have
the option as well,” Green said. “That just gives the district flexibility to
fund it differently.”
The deal commits Midlands Tech to raising at least $125,000
over five years to augment the endowment. Midlands Tech is designated as the
fiscal agent for the endowment.
“An endowment provides for long-term sustainability as we
strive to establish the Promise initiative to students who are in kindergarten
now,” Green said. “We need to provide long term funding for those programs.”
Midlands Tech must submit a report at the end of each
academic term stating the name and number of recipients and “other reportable
information (in compliance of applicable laws) that is agreed to by the
district and the college,” the MOU states.
WINNSBORO – They actually did vote for the $521,000 before
they voted against it.
At its Oct. 14 meeting, the Fairfield County Council
inadvertently voted to award $521,000 in matching funds for the Fairfield
County library in Ridgeway.
Later in the meeting, the council voted to reconsider the library vote, meaning the county now is not awarding any funds. The do-over vote passed 5-2, with council members Moses Bell and Mikel Trapp opposing.
The library vote paradox unfolded when council members
considered a proposal to spend $521,000 to match a Community Development Block
Grant, or CDBG, for the “purchase, renovation and future operations” of the
Ridgeway library.
The county’s administration and finance committee had
recommended disapproval of spending the money.
When Council Chairman Neil Robinson asked for a motion,
Councilman Jimmy Ray Douglas promptly stated, “I make a motion that we don’t do
it.”
A few minutes of discussion followed.
In calling for the vote, Robinson simply asked “all those in
favor?” Nobody replied.
“Opposed?” Robinson asked.
“Nay,” all seven council members answered, a majority of
them believing they were voting against the money. In reality, they voted for
it.
“That’s a win,” Trapp stated.
“That’s a win,” Bell affirmed. “It makes no difference,
we’ve taken that vote.”
“The nay was a winner,” Trapp added.
A period of confusion followed before the meeting continued.
Councilman Douglas Pauley introduced the motion to reconsider later in the
meeting.
Pauley’s motion came following a legal opinion from Tommy
Morgan, the county’s attorney, who said any council member was entitled to
bring the matter up for reconsideration.
“There was a double negative that was used, ergo the seven
nay votes that all voted against not taking action ended up voting to take
action,” Morgan said.
As it stands, the money is not being awarded.
County Administrator Jason Taylor said conditions of the
CDBG match would have required the county to keep the library open 40 hours a
week, which is not currently the case. Taylor said finances proved problematic
as well.
“We also had a situation where the library had committed to
a portion [one half] of the purchase,” Taylor said. “We’d have to purchase the
building for $180,000, and they withdrew that support of $90,000, or half. That
left us with a situation where we had to pay $521,000.”
Robinson said he reconsidered approving the money until the
library backed off its commitment to pledge $90,000 toward the project.
“When the library withdrew their $90,000, it kind of led me
to a little hesitation as far as, ‘do we need to go through this project?’” he
said.
Taylor said the Ridgeway area has great potential, but noted
that infrastructure remains the county’s top priority.
“Water and sewer is one of those things we have to
concentrate on. Growth follows water and sewer,” Taylor said. “The library is
something we hoped we could do. It is an area we need to concentrate on.”
S.C. 215 – Total project length: 29.46 miles
Oct. 15, 2019, Cody Crouch/SCDOT
FAIRFIELD COUNTY – There are many active work zones along
the streets and roads of Fairfield County. As part of SCDOT’s Strategic 10-Year
Plan, crews are out in full force working to make roadways smoother and safer
for the traveling public. The plan is funded by an annual two-cent increase in
the state’s gas tax for six years. The tax increase began on July 1, 2017, and
SCDOT marked the beginning of the third year of the plan on July 1, 2019.
The four programs in the Strategic 10-Year Plan include
Paving, Rural Road Safety, Bridge Replacements, and Interstates. All four
programs are progressing on schedule.
Several highly traveled roadways have recently been repaved
in Fairfield County. S.C. 200 has been repaved from the I-77 overpass to U.S.
21 in Great Falls. Zion Street in Winnsboro has also been recently repaved.
These are just two examples of the numerous completed projects in Fairfield
County under SCDOT’s Strategic 10-Year Plan.
Crews are currently working to rehabilitate the S.C. 213
bridges over the Broad River, and many more rehabilitation projects will begin
soon. Crews will mill and replace S.C. 215 from Glenns Bridge Road to St.
Barnabas Church Road. Additionally, S.C. 34 will be repaved from mile point
17.84 to 19.41, just west of the U.S. 321 Bypass. Crews will also soon replace
the bridge on Bellefield Road over Sawney’s Creek.
To see the specifics on projects planned for the area, use
the Interactive Project Viewer on SCDOT.org.
As SCDOT’s Strategic 10-Year Plan progresses, you will see more work
zones along your commute, so please remember to drive with caution.
BLYTHEWOOD – The Voice of Blythewood will host the 2019 Blythewood Candidate Forum at Doko Manor Thursday, Oct. 24 from 7 – 9 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
The forum will feature four of five candidates for town council and three candidates for mayor. Council candidate Barry Belville will not be in attendance.
Town Hall Format
In a departure from formats used for candidate forums in
years past, this year’s forum will follow a town hall format that will include
questions for candidates asked by members of the audience. Those in the
audience who plan to ask questions will need to submit them between 6:30 and 7
p.m.
Council and mayoral candidates will answer questions in two
rounds. Candidates for council will answer questions first, followed by the
mayoral candidates.
Candidates for mayor are former Blythewood Mayor Keith
Bailey and Town Councilmen Bryan S. Franklin and Malcolm P. Gordge. Candidates
for council are incumbent Town Councilman Eddie Baughman, Barry J. Belville,
Planning Commission Chairman Donald Beaton Brock, Jr., Planning Commissioner
Sloan Jarvis Griffin, III and former Planning Commissioner Marcus Taylor.
Door Prizes
An added feature this year will be drawings for six door
prizes to be awarded to members of the audience. Each door prize will be a $100
gift certificate provided by the following six merchants: Blythewood Oil (fuel
from a Blythewood Sharpe Shoppe), IGA/Food Lion (groceries), Papa John’s (a
pizza party), Reese’s Plants (plants), Laura’s Tea Room (High Tea for four) and
Pope Tire Company (products or service).
Free door prize tickets will be available at the door,
beginning at 6:30 p.m. Three door prizes will be drawn following the council
candidate forum and three will be drawn following the mayoral candidate forum.
Mayor J. Michael Ross will serve as master of ceremonies,
and Vance Sharpe will provide sound. Blythewood High School student Abhimanyu
Sailesh will be the time keeper.
Refreshments will be provided. The Manor is located at 100
Alvina Hagood Circle adjacent to Town Hall.
For information about the forum, contact The Voice at
803-767-5711 or email voice@blythewoodonline.com.
BLYTHEWOOD – There’s no clear plan in place for new
ballfields in Blythewood, but town and community recreation leaders say there’s
a desperate need. Meanwhile, changes to county maintenance plans for the
existing fields have raised additional concerns.
According to the Richland County Recreation Commission, in
an emailed response to questions from The Voice, the county reviewed its ball
field contracts with community leagues in 2018, prompting a review of its
processes for leasing facilities, and made the following changes.
They decided on a maintenance schedule of dragging
ballfields three times a week, transferred responsibility for state inspection
of the concession stands to the leagues, and decreased the facility lease
amount from 10 percent of league registration fees to 5 percent.
“This was an intentional decrease to provide the leagues
with funds for concessions and field preparation,” according to commission
officials. “We are currently working with a couple of the leagues that have
faced issues with securing permits for concessions. We recognize that
concessions are a large revenue stream for the community leagues.”
Kevin Allen, President of the Blythewood Youth Baseball
Softball League (BYBSL), says this has created a challenging situation for the
league, which he says is not equipped to do the maintenance that used to be
handled by the county, which included more frequent dragging and lining of the
fields.
Now the league is looking for a solution. Due to current
limitations on equipment and storage, Allen said, that would require someone to
drag and line fields at both the Blythewood and North Springs Park locations several
days a week, transporting the equipment each time.
“I would’ve rather paid them double their lease fee, and
them do the work, than us have to do it as volunteers,” he said. “Every parent
would rather pay $5 extra per kid to play and know the facilities are taken
care of – and pay the county 15 or 20 percent.”
The maintenance changes, he said, aren’t the only curve ball
that was thrown to the league this season; they were originally going to play
at the Kelly Mill Sports Complex but were moved to North Springs Park at the
last minute.
According to the county recreation commission, the Kelly
Mill complex was leased to the Dentsville Baseball League because site
improvements at Polo Road Park were not complete.
Blythewood league and town officials say the big-picture
issue is the need for more ballfields. Allen said there’s a lack of information
about county plans for recreation, but – when it comes to fields for Blythewood
– perhaps the league could help.
“Maybe we’re unique as a league, but we want it to be a
partnership,” he said. “We’re willing to take on some of the work to help them.
We’re willing to fund some of the things if we need to. If I need to go out and
fundraise…to build stuff or help, we’ll do it.”
What he’d like to see is for the Town of Blythewood to
develop a plan for a ballfield complex with four or five fields – a project
that would require 40-50 acres and cost $3.5-$5 million – which he says could
help pay for itself over time with revenue from tournaments, corporate
sponsorships, and recreational league fees.
The way he sees it, a combination of town, county, and
private contributions – in the form of land and money – could help get such a
project off the ground. Fields could also be developed for other sports that
are growing in popularity, such as lacrosse and soccer.
Town officials say they have met with county officials many
times over the years about the need for ballfields. More immediate than a big
sports complex, they say, is the need for more fields to use for recreational game
play.
“Blythewood Park – that opened in the 70’s. It’s the same
baseball fields that I played on as a boy, and we’ve never done anything with
them. Never expanded them, never tried to add to them – and our population has
grown,” said Brian Franklin who pledged two years ago when he ran for council,
to do something about getting more fields. But so far, no progress has been
made.
“Blythewood has been overlooked, and our population has
grown faster than pretty much anywhere else in the county.”
Back then, he said, the town would have maybe a dozen ball
teams in a good year. Now there are more than three times that many – and teams
are practicing anywhere they can find an open lot. The program has experienced
exponential growth in the last few years, and with hundreds of new homes
planned for construction in Blythewood, the growth is expected to continue.
“When you only have three fields and you have 36 [or more]
teams and you’re trying to give each team an opportunity to practice twice a
week and play two games a week, it just becomes physically impossible to be
able to do that with that many children and only three fields,” Franklin said.
“Let Blythewood take charge of our own destiny and buy us
some property and put some fields out there to expand the capacity of what
we’re doing.”
But after years of discussion, the impasse appears to be
largely financial. County recreation officials recognize the need for
additional fields in the northeast part of the county but say they don’t have
the funding. Town officials say the county should be doing more.
Mayor J. Michael Ross put it pointedly at a recent meeting
of the Blythewood Town Council: “We feel like the stepchild of Richland
County.”
The town has floated a lot of ideas – incorporating
ballfields into a larger economic development project, building fields on a
county-owned parcel adjacent to the town, using the soon-to-be-former site of
Bethel-Hanberry Elementary School, developing two more fields on the vacant
land at Blythewood Park.
A decade ago, a volunteer drafted a site plan to add two
fields at Blythewood Park. This project – for which no one offered a current
cost estimate – would increase the total number of fields at the county-owned
park from 3 to 5.
The county recreation commission said it doesn’t have the
funding. However, according to the county’s e-mailed response, “If the Town of
Blythewood wanted to invest in the development of new fields and/or a potential
complex, the Commission would be happy to work with the town to do so.”
As it stands, the county says it’s a willing partner but
lacks the funds. Town and league officials have expressed a willingness and
ability to raise money for ballfields, but they have not coalesced around a
unified plan or goal.
Everyone seems to like the idea of more ballfields for
Blythewood, but it’s hung up in the details: Who will pay for it? Who will own
it? Who will maintain it? Who will step up and take leadership on the issue,
and transform it from talk into action? When will someone start making plans?
I am a retired battalion chief. I am married to the former
Donna Miller, and we have 2 grown children and 4 grandchildren. My son and his family also live in
Blythewood.
I graduated from Spring Valley High School, class of
1977. I continued my education
throughout my Naval and Fire service careers, attending Midlands Technical
College.
I was first elected to town council in 2014 to fill an
unexpired term, and re-elected in 2016.
These last 6 years have been rewarding and challenging.
It’s been my pleasure to serve the residents of Blythewood
these last 6 years.
I started my service career in 1977 enlisting in the United
States Navy serving as a petty officer assigned to Fighter Squadron 101, a
fleet replacement squadron responsible for the training of naval aviators and
ground crews for the F14 Tomcat, Naval Air Station in Oceana Beach VA.
After my honorable discharge, I continued my service with
the City of Columbia as a firefighter attaining the rank of Battalion Chief. As
command officer I directed the daily activities of 9 fire stations and 60
firefighters. For 26 years I served the citizens of Columbia and Richland
County.
After retirement I continued my service with the South
Carolina Baptist Convention at the White Oak Conference Center in Winnsboro SC,
where I assist with the booking of church groups and nonprofit originations and
all their conference and retreat needs.
I hold membership in the International Association of
Firefighters, AMVETS post 33 and the VFW. I am a board member of the Doko
Meadows Park Foundation which has been very rewarding bringing to life the
Palmetto Citizens Federal Credit Union Amphitheater.
Many accomplishments have been achieved while I served on
council these last few years such as passing zoning ordinances on lot size,
reducing some new neighborhoods from high density too low to medium density
thus maintaining the beauty we have all come to expect here in our small
community.
Addressing the traffic issues we continue to face, economic
development that benefits our businesses and residents alike. A resident of Blythewood for 35 years, I’ve
seen and felt the burden of uncontrolled growth.
We have many issues to address to maintain balance here in
Blythewood. If re-elected I will continue to push for better emergency response
by continuing to pressure Richland county for upgrades to our fire station,
adding six more full time firefighters to bring Blythewood in line with other
northeast neighborhoods.
Blythewood is still the premier northeast location to raise
a family, and we need to continue to welcome new residents while lessening the
burden on our infrastructure.
If elected to town council I will continue to work
diligently for our residents and business community alike, striving to maintain
a balance to control growth and bring the infrastructure in our town to a level
that will lessen the burden on our commute times, allowing us quality time with
our families.
Barry Belville, 38
Belville
My name is Barry Belville, and I am running for Town
Council. My wife and I have lived in Blythewood for the past 5 years. We live
in Cobblestone Park with our 3 children.
I am the current Assistant Athletic Director for the
Lexington County Recreation & Aging Commission. I have served in this role the past 7 years,
overseeing one of the largest Athletic Programs in the state. Before working in Lexington County, I worked
with the Richland County Recreation Commission for 6 years as an Athletic
Coordinator and Park Manager at our local Blythewood Park. These jobs have
given me the opportunity to work and serve the public on various projects and
events. I have gained valuable experience that will be very helpful as I serve
as your Town Council member.
In addition to my work experience, I also serve on the HOA
advisory board for Cobblestone Park. I have served in this role for 3 years.
This role has given me insight into the growth that is coming to Blythewood in
the next decade. It has showed me the importance of planning for growth so our
current community can handle the changes it will bring.
There are three main issues for Blythewood that I believe
are important to focus on in the coming years.
Dealing with the expected growth and development over the next 5-10 years.
There is no doubt that Blythewood is a growing town. Growth
is a great thing for the community and the surrounding area. However, I believe
we need a plan in place to handle this growth. Right now the infrastructure we
have in the Town of Blythewood will not be able to handle the amount of
projected growth. Even with the planned
projects from the Penny Tax, our roads and infrastructure in Blythewood are not
capable of handling 2-3 more massive subdivisions and 1,300 acres of industrial
development. We need to address our infrastructure before we move forward with
the growth that is planned.
Renewal of the water contract with Winnsboro.
The Town of Blythewood’s current water contract is coming up
for renegotiation with the Winnsboro Water Department. This current contract
was signed about twenty years ago. I would love to see Blythewood review what
we currently pay and research to see if there are other water sources
available. We currently pay out of
county rates to the Winnsboro Water Department. I believe we should look for a
way to lower our fees for water with our next contract.
Hospitality Tax and Accommodation Tax and the events they support
Blythewood has a Hospitality and an Accommodations Tax to
help support our town and community events.
I want to see these used to continue to provide new events to meet the
needs of our growing community. I would
like to have committees to review the support for events and make necessary
changes. By celebrating old traditions
and creating new lasting memories we will make Blythewood strong as we move
into the future.
As your town Council Member, I will work hard for the Town
of Blythewood.
Donald Brock, 39
Brock
When my family moved to Blythewood a few years ago, we moved
to a community. We moved into a
community that takes pride in their town, one where people are friendly and
helpful; a community that welcomed us with open arms and has given me an
opportunity to serve the common good. As
a father of three, my children are being raised in Blythewood, establishing
their roots in a community that appreciates integrity, hard-work and family
values, and for me, there are no better qualities for a community to have. I was fortunate enough to be appointed to the
Blythewood Planning Commission in September 2016 and in December 2017, I was
elected Chairman. While I truly love
this opportunity to serve the town, I would like to take the next step and
serve as a member of Town Council.
As a member of Town Council, it is without question my duty
to protect this community. It is my duty
to protect Blythewood from those who would seek to profit at the community’s
expense. Whether it’s national builders
who want to develop high density neighborhoods or County Council looking to rob
Blythewood of the qualities that make it wonderful, we all need leaders who are
willing to draw a line in the sand and say “No, this will not happen in our
town!” The last two years as Planning
Commission Chairman show that I am willing and able to draw that line. Blythewood has a charm and elegance that we
must not allow to be lost to overdevelopment.
As a member of Town Council, it’s imperative that we
maximize the use of one of our finest assets:
Doko Meadows. We have an amazing
park, amphitheater, and one of the best facilities in the northeast, Doko
Manor. Doko Meadows can be a key piece
in the growth and prosperity of the town, hosting world-class concerts,
festivals and family-friendly events that will attract visitors from beyond the
greater Blythewood area. I look forward
to working with local event promoters, such as Bravo Blythewood and the
Blythewood Chamber of Commerce, to increase visibility of current events and
bring new and exciting events to our town.
As a member of Town Council, I feel it is my responsibility
to advocate for a top-notch health, recreation and wellness facility, one
that’s owned and controlled by the Town.
I envision an all-in-one complex, one that includes sports and recreational
activities that will be beneficial for all residents, not just our youth.
As One Blythewood, we need to oversee our town and our
town’s future, not relinquish control to outsiders who would simply use us as a
profit engine. We have to develop a
top-notch health, recreation and wellness complex to serve the greater
community. Finally, we must continue to
enhance the resources we have by supporting the current events at Doko Meadows
and promoting new events and opportunities that can truly showcase Blythewood’s
true charm. I am asking for your support
to make these visions a reality.
As One Blythewood, we need to oversee our town and our town’s future, not relinquish control to outsiders who would simply use us as a profit engine. We have to develop a top-notch health, recreation and wellness complex to serve the greater community. Finally, we must continue to enhance the resources we have by supporting the current events at Doko Meadows and promoting new events and opportunities that can truly showcase Blythewood’s true charm. I am asking for your support to make these visions a reality.
Sloan Griffin, 33
Hello, my name is Sloan J. Griffin III, and I’m seeking your
support for Blythewood Town Council. My wife, our Pomeranian and I are
residents of Cobblestone and we attend church at The Brook. I worked in
Blythewood during the 2015 floods while deployed with FEMA and ate every day at
Lizards Thicket, Carolina Wings and Scotties. I said after returning home, one
day I’ll move to Blythewood buy my first home and start a family. Here I am
today a proud resident of Blythewood, married, expecting our first child and
serving you all as a member of the Blythewood Planning Commission.
I started my professional career in public service as a
firefighter in June of 2005. I hold a Bachelor of Science in Fire and Emergency
Management (Magna Cum Laude) from Kaplan University. Currently employed by
South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control as an Emergency
Preparedness Coordinator II and currently serving on the Town of Blythewood
Planning Commission.
September, 2016 I was awarded the SCDHEC’s highest
operations award for “Excellence in Leadership and Service” and honored by
Governor Nikki Haley during a private luncheon at the Governor’s Mansion. The
award wa for training and designing an emergency management system for our
federal and state-recognized Native American tribal nations.
In addition, throughout my career I have served our great
citizens in other capacities as a Firefighter, Fire Marshal, Fire Captain, Operation
Chief, Public safety officer, and with the Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA) as a Planning Section Chief Reservist, Since 2005 I’ve responded to
thousands of emergency calls, trained hundreds, deployed over 10 times with the
state of South Carolina (Latest one Hurricane Dorian) and over 6 times
nationally with FEMA (most recent deployment to Hurricane Harvey to lead
strategic operational planning as Planning Section Chief for Houston, TX)
I hope to continue to serve you by taking the next step and,
with your vote on November 5, OUR goals are:
Public Safety Improvements
Environmental & Clean Energy Policies
Arts & Culture
Smart Growth & Jobs Creation
Open Transparency
It’s time for a better and smarter Blythewood, a Blythewood
that listens and delivers. Let’s make Blythewood safe and environmentally
friendly, let’s celebrate our history of arts and culture, let’s create jobs
that provide growth in our homes, and let’s have a local government that
responds to your needs. With my willingness to not only listen but to get
results and my outlook to drive for a smarter future puts me in the perfect
position to serve you all as your next Town Council member.
I invite everyone to visit www.SloanGriffin.org and like my
Facebook page. Vote for Sloan J Griffin III “Blythewood Town Council” or
contact me at (864) 377-2120 and email at sloanjarvisgriffin@yahoo.com.
Thank you for your support.
Taylor
Blythewood Town Council candidate Marcus Taylor did not respond to The Voice’s request for comments for this issue.
