It’s time for Lexington County to make some decisions.

According to Lexington County Commission of Registration and Elections Interim Director Beth Henrick, there are 13 municipal election being held Tuesday, Nov. 2.

These range from mayor and council contests with several candidates to seats being decided by write-in votes only.

The Chronicle reached out to many of the candidates in key races to ask about what they feel are the big issues and why they’re the person to tackle them. Cropping up often throughout the responses were managing growth and municipal revenue, keeping up with needed infrastructure improvements and stimulating economic development.

CAYCE

In Cayce, both District 1 Councilman Tim James and District 3 Councilwoman Ann Baily Robinson are up for re-election and facing challenges. Karen Dawkins is running for the seat in District 1. Hunter Sox and Kelly Wuest are going after the District 3 seat.

James keyed on managing growth in explaining what is at stake in this election to the Chronicle.

“While growth will occur, we must proactively manage that growth so that it does not negatively impact the reasons we love to call Cayce home,” he said. “Managing through proper zoning and infrastructure guidelines will help to mitigate heavy traffic and overcrowding while maintaining our great quality of life.”

He emphasized elements that will attract young families, like parks, walking areas and safety and said managing budgets to provide necessary services with no tax increases is essential.

Dawkins didn’t respond to the Chronicle’s request for a statement, but told The State earlier this year she believes her more than 30 years as a nurse have “given me the experience to effectively listen to others and provide solutions that are practical as well as reasonable.”

“Right now, information on the everyday workings of the city may be difficult for some residents to obtain,” she told the paper. “One of my goals would be to make information regarding our community easily accessible for everyone.”

Robinson didn’t respond to the Chronicle, but told The State she will continue to push for transparency and citizen engagement with the city’s government if re-elected.

“I would like to enhance the relationships and communication among small businesses, the city administration, and staff,” she told the paper. “Preserving small business benefits and opportunities to help our city continue to grow is very important as well.”

Like James, Sox, legislative initiatives coordinator at the S.C. Institute of Medicine and Public Health, keyed the importance of managing growth responsibly as well as the need for improvements in her area of Cayce in his statement to the Chronicle. He said spending the estimated $7 million the city will receive from the American Rescue Plan effectively is essential.

“District 3 is in dire need of infrastructure investments that will serve as beautification projects, and better connect the city, increase pedestrian and cyclist safety, and add proper lighting and signage,” he said.

Kelly Wuest, a program direc tor for the nonprofit organization Homeless No More, emphasized balancing progress and preservation as well as increasing communication between the city government and its citizens.

“A major issue for our area is trying to find a balance between progress and preservation,” she said. “Peaceful neighborhoods and their history are part of Cayce’s charm, but the demand for diverse housing and growth is increasing. The needs of current and future residents are unique, and both need to [be] evaluated to meet needs.”

WEST COLUMBIA

West Columbia has four City Council seats on the ballot, but no challengers have filed to run against Casey Hallman in District 3, Mickey Pringle in District 5 or Erin Porter in District 7.

Hallman told the Chronicle “logical, steady and responsible” growth will be her emphasis in the next term.

Facing a challenge is Mike Green in District 1. Pete Fisher, a project manager for facilities, design and construction at the University of South Carolina, has filed to run against him.

Green pointed to bolstering infrastructure, including beautifying entry points to West Columbia, as a priority.

“The state of our infrastructure is not acceptable,” he told the Chronicle. “Storm drains are flooding, sewer doesn’t flush, and potholes damage your car. We must continue to create a welcoming city of economic development and continue to grow, change, and adapt to the growth we are experiencing.”

Fisher pointed to some infrastructure issues, too, including parking and roads, as well as supporting the internal operations expansion of the city’s police department. He keyed on the need to strengthen economic development in West Columbia.

“District 1 needs small business incentives to beautify businesses to increase cohesiveness and grow business,” he told the Chronicle.

SPRINGDALE

In Springdale, two sitting Town Council members — Viki Fecas and Mayor Pro Tempore Juston Ricard — have filed to run for mayor with Michael Bishop leaving office.

Fecas emphasized the need to make sure two development projects — the Cottages at Roof’s Pond and the relocating Lexington School District 2 administrative offices — honor ordinance related to the town’s design overlay district, as well as reprioritizing the creation of a new Town Center. She also wants to ensure the town’s $1.3 million in American Rescue Plan funding gets spent on authorized uses and to get a “true picture of the housing market” to ensure compliance with local codes.

“I am passionate about the Town of Springdale,” she told the Chronicle, claiming that she’s only missed one council meeting due to a knee replacement during her time in office. “I am retired and have the time to devote to being mayor. I have an earned doctorate in administration which will help in areas of governance and advocacy. I value integrity and a code of ethical conduct.”

Ricard said his experience, 20 years on council and six years as mayor pro tem, make him the best person for the job.

He listed doing studies to target new areas of improvement as the town wraps up ongoing infrastructure projects, taking advantage of the growth and development opportunities presented by the Lexington School District 2 move and to ensure that older homes don’t diminish in value as new construction continues.

“I want to kind of come up with some ways to maintain property values to help folks out,” he told the Chronicle. “They may need some additional help with, you know, with any projects around their house, just to help, help the community out.”

SWANSEA

Swansea, which often sees hopefuls for mayor and town council run unopposed, will choose between four candidates to replace its top elect ed official on Nov. 2. The previous mayor, Jerald Sanders, was removed in July as a result of being indicted for alleged misconduct in office and siphoning more than $4,500 from town coffers to his personal charity.

The Lexington County Chronicle and Fish Wrapper moderated a debate between the candidates last month.

Hunter Hackett — 21 now, 20 the night of the debate — is running to become one of the youngest mayors in state history. His mother will also be on the ballot, vying for a seat on council. He admitted there would be situations where he might not immediately know what to do, but he cited Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott and Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon and the citizen advisory groups they lean on as something he would emulate to help him make decisions.

“We voted for age and experience every time in the past. And where’s that gotten us?” Hackett asked the audience, staking out his youthful perspective.

Michael Luongo emphasized his role on Town Council representing District 3, the 21 years he’s spent living in Swansea and his marriage to a third generation Swansea native, and his experience in the construction industry as well as running a manufacturing business and a farm.

He stressed the need for council’s actions to be more visible to the town and for its members to be held accountable.

“We do need to change this town. We do need to make it where it’s transparent,” he said. “And it’s accountable for every action it actually does. We haven’t had that at all.”

Viola McDaniel worked as an administrative supervisor for the state health department before retiring. She now runs a small cleaning business in Swansea. Throughout the debate, she talked about how her decades of administrative experience would help her sift through Swansea’s problems.

While all candidates pushed the need for greater transparency from Town Hall and to rethink how duties are divided among mayor and council, McDaniel hit it the hardest. She put special emphasis on the need for a town administrator to take over many of the responsibilities that have been ceded over the years to the mayor.

“We need to separate the duties of the mayor and the town administrator, separated duties, because so far when the mayor has been the administrator, it hadn’t worked out and council hadn’t did their job,” she said. “Sometimes I wonder if the council know the duties that they supposed to have.”

Ray Spires sought to shine a positive light on the previous 17-year stint he served as mayor. His tenure saw two investigations from the State Law Enforcement Division, but no convictions.

“There were some ups and downs,” he said of his time on the job. “But it was a great experience. During this time, I’ve been able to serve on the [Joint Municipal Water and Sewer Commission] for 16 years. I worked with the other local municipalities, Lexington County government and state agencies, to try to find better means and ways of doing things here in Swansea.”

The town also has two seats up for election on council in Districts 1 and 2. Incumbent Linda Butler faces a challenge from Thomas Dease Jr. in the former, while Susanne Hacket, Hunter’s mother, and Jerome Williams are vying for the latter. The Chronicle did not reach any of the council candidates for comment.

GILBERT

Gilbert has a three-way race for mayor as the incumbent Donnie Cason faces challengers John Reeder III, a current Town Councilman, and Fred Taylor, the retired town zoning administrator and former commissioner of the Lexington County Planning Commission.

Cason said planning for the growth that is coming to Gilbert is top priority, as his understanding is the area could gain several thousand people across the next 10 to 20 years. He said he has the experience to provide the needed oversight.

“I’ve worked with our planning commission, and also I’ve done a lot of training, you know, attended a lot of meetings for the town,” he told the Chronicle. “And worked very closely with the Municipal Association and our Lexington County Council member. And whenever I need to reach out to our legislators, like senator and house members, I’ll reach out to them.”

Reeder, a lifelong resident of the town who owns a remodeling and repair company, said he has no issue with Cason, but he wants to make sure Gilbert’s growth doesn’t disrupt the lives of people who like it as a small town. He feels he’s an approachable person who can take in their feedback and address their concerns.

“It’s not like Lexington or Columbia,” he told the Chronicle. “People have animals in their yard. A big thing people have a problem with now, and this may sound trivial to a lot of people, but some people have chickens and they have roosters, and they’re wanting to put that where people can’t have roosters, so they won’t be able to have baby chickens, and I know that sounds kind of crazy, but there’s maybe a handful of people complaining about the roosters crowing.”

Taylor pointed to improving walkability and managing the town’s growth as priorities, emphasizing that his many years of experience with zoning and planning make him the person to help the town move forward correctly.

“I want to see that it’s a positive growth, and that it’s sustainable growth,” he told the Chronicle. “And has a sustainable economic impact on not only the town but our area. And I believe, I’m quite certain that I have the knowledge and capability to help the town deal with that.”

In addition to the mayoral race, two council seats are on the ballot, but since no one filed to run, they will be write-in only.

BATESBURG-LEESVILLE

There’s a mayor race in Batesburg-Leesville, as District 3 Councilman Steve Cain is challenging incumbent Lancer Shull.

Shull said that the big issues in the municipality “continue to be managed growth, infrastructure, and quality of life. These issues are increasingly important to us since Lexington County is one of the fastest-growing counties in South Carolina.”

He pointed to the town’s development of a master plan during his first plan as mayor and the completion of a geographic information system mapping of the water and sewer systems as proof he’s getting things done along these lines. He said he would continue to cultivate relationships with small businesses while also developing opportunities with larger companies to bring in new jobs and revenue.

Cain did not respond to the Chronicle’s request for a statement. According to The State, Cain was arrested in 2019 in Washington, D.C. (on a family court bench warrant) and in 2015 (on charges of not paying child support). That story also reports Cain was found not guilty in 2009 of assaulting a fellow councilman and was removed from council in 2015 “after refusing to say why he did not attend council meetings for eight months.”

There are four council seats on the ballot as well, with Cain in District 3 joining Barbara Brown in District 1 and Jason Prouse in District 7 in running unopposed.

District 5 Councilwoman Shirley Mitchel is facing a challenge from Kevin Duggins. Neither replied to the Chronicle’s request for a statement.

IRMO

In Irmo, four candidates are vying for two available at-large seats on Town Council, with incumbent William Danielson facing Jenne Bennett, Brent Chitwood and Barb Waldman.

Danielson didn’t respond to the Chronicle’s request for a statement, but he did fill out a questionnaire for the online vote411 Voter Guide.

“As an incumbent I would like to finish what I started,” he said when responding about his motivation for running. “My goal is to continue to build Irmo in an efficient way. To include a Main Street project, improved sewer service and utilities as well as building out the new Rawls Creek Park along with the continued growth of the Irmo Future Growth Corporation and negotiations with Richland County and SCDOT over road improvements. Specifically, Broad River Road.”

Bennett emphasized accountability in her statement to the Chronicle.

“What’s at stake in the Nov. 2 Irmo Town Council Election is transparency and we need to hold all of our elected officials accountable, especially when they decide how our money is spent,” she said. “Officials need to ensure funds allocated to services are directed correctly, and to support members of council who have plans in place to facilitate ground-level services to the people of Irmo.”

Like Danielson, Chitwood didn’t respond to the Chronicle, but did file responses to vote411.

“Using my time and knowledge to give back to my community is my primary motivation to run for Irmo Town Council,” he responded there. “My 40-plus years of financial analysis, marketing, administration and real estate experience help me to be uniquely qualified to work together with council to improve the quality of life for the citizens of Irmo. Zoning and budgeting are two of the primary responsibilities of the council. Being a commercial real estate broker with four years of Irmo Planning Commission experience brings a strong understanding of the challenges of managing the growth of Irmo through zoning.”

Waldman said her priorities include developing appropriate plans for Irmo’s American Rescue Plan funding to improve the town’s quality of life and supporting current and future plans for parks and walking/biking trails. She also emphasized making sure Irmo has a consistent revenue stream.

“My diverse experiences have given me an understanding of the needs in Irmo and our greater community,” she said, pointing to her 29 years living in the town and her service on the Irmo Okra Strut Commission and as chair of the local Zoning Board of Appeals. “My experience as a biochemical research scientist has taught me to look at all the data and critically evaluate it before drawing conclusions. My combination of leadership experiences, training as a critical-thinking scientist, connections with the school district, and thoughtful, open-minded consideration of issues will bring a new and unique voice to council which will complement the existing council members’ areas of expertise.”

PINE RIDGE

After former Mayor Robert Wells resigned in March citing complications after a COVID-19 diagnosis, Daniel Davis won the June special election to replace him. He will run unopposed to keep the job on Nov. 2.

Wells said the key tasks in front of him are continuing to build up the police department and redeveloping the former Town Hall in a “manner that creates a family-centric atmosphere.”

“My years of experience on council and the ability to listen and respond to ideas from others makes me uniquely qualified to move the Town forward during the next four years,” he told the Chronicle.

The town has three open at-large seats on council, two with four-year terms and one Thursday, October 7, 2021 | with a two-year term vacated by Davis when he was elected mayor. Only two candidates, incumbents Mayor Pro Tem Scott Simms, Davis’ successor as mayor pro tem, and Floyd Dinkins have filed, so the two-year term will be write-in only. The Chronicle did not reach the council candidates for comment.

CHAPIN

The outcomes are pretty set in Chapin, as Mayor Al Koon is running unopposed for re-election, and incumbent Leland Teal and Gregg White are alone in seeking the two atlarge council seats on the ballot.

Koon referred the Chronicle to his responses on vote411 when asked for a statement.

“Managing the development of our town is certainly at the top of the list,” he responded to a question about the challenges facing Chapin, also mentioning improving roads (with help from a hospitality tax passed last year), walkability and upgrading the town’s appearance. “That starts with the newly developed Comprehensive Plan which provides the roadmap to address community needs. A Strategic Plan will need to be developed to implement that plan.”

The Chronicle did not reach the council candidates for comment.

PELION

Pelion has Mayor Frank Shumpert running unopposed, and incumbent Larry Sossamon joining Charles Ingle in running for the two at-large council seats on the ballot. The Chronicle did not reach the candidates for comment.

SUMMIT

In Summit, three are running for two available at-large seats on Town Council, with incumbent Henry Hartley facing Valerie Reese and Jennifer Seawright. The Chronicle could not reach any of them for comment.