Come November, Lexington could have three new Town Council Members.

Three at-large seats are on the Nov. 7 ballot, with only one current council member having filed for re-election and Mayor Pro-Tem Hazel Livingston running for mayor. Mayor Steve MacDougall has announced he won't seek re-election.

So far, four challengers and current Council Member Todd Lyle have filed for the election.

Council Member Kathy Maness, whose term will expire this year, told the Chronicle she won’t seek re-election and would speak on the decision further next week when she returns from vacation.

Maness ran unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination for state superintendent of education in 2022, falling to Ellen Weaver, who ultimately won the position. She is the executive director of the Palmetto State Teachers Association and was the first person from South Carolina to serve as president of the National League of Cities.

While Maness isn't running, Lyle quickly filed quickly to maintain his seat. Lyle, a real estate business owner and law partner at Reeves and Lyle in Columbia, has held a spot on council since 2018.

The Chronicle took a deeper look into the new candidates.

Will Allen

Will Allen, co-owner of local restaurant Mama Rabbits Nibbles and Sips, announced this run Aug. 23. He has been a resident in the town for 10 years.

Allen told the Chronicle that the way Smallwood Cove, a failed 93.53-acre lakeside development proposed earlier this year, was handled was a deciding factor in his decision to run. He said that he along with members of the community he has spoken to don’t want the town to become a tourist destination, mentioning that there is no need to artificially inflate population when the town is already bursting at the seams.

The restaurant owner said he is also a born-again Christian who would like to share the gospel, saying that the council would give him a platform to talk and give his testimony. Allen said that from a more managerial standpoint, he would like to preserve liberty and freedom and limit government as much as possible, with one goal being to rid the town of its current 2% hospitality tax.

When it comes to what he would bring to council, Allen said he is a different type of person than what the council currently has, adding that he is not a white collar professional and has no interest in terms of real estate.

He said due to his experience with his restaurant, where he often serves as the front-of-house manager/cashier, he has a firm grasp on what the people in the town are looking for.

“I will be honest, I'm not a politician. I've never wanted to be a politician. I have no ego when it comes to that world,” he said. “I'm running because I want to be a servant and I know that the people who don't seek power are the people who should fill those roles.”

Greg Brewer

Greg Brewer was among the more vocal residents when it came to speaking out against Smallwood Cove, even founding Save Lexington SC in response. He told the Chronicle that he was approached by Livingston and asked to think about running.

Part of why he wants to run includes limiting government and preventing overreach.

When asked what his priorities are, Brewer shared that he has five priorities; balance, openbook, teamwork, development, and community improvement.

With these priorities Brewer wants to focus on concerns brought by citizens which are often traffic congestion, infrastructure and road related, telling the Chronicle that less congestion raises the residents' quality of life.

“The residents and businesses deserve better,” he said. “We need depper, regular cooperation across the town and county leadership teams, residents, local businesses and schools.”

“More teamwork means the best ideas, results and cost saving,” he added, having previously mentioned that a greater sense of community will bring forth these ideas. 

Brewer said there are a lot of people who have good ideas but feel as though their voices don’t matter or won’t be heard. He added that this covers a large demographic from young to older, long-term retired residents.

He said that you can’t keep pounding everything into the town center and congesting the major arteries, mentioning that Smallwood Cove would have created total gridlock between U.S. Highway 378/Sunset Boulevard and Harbison.

“I think you have to begin to look at, you know, where are the other hubs of growth and look at facilitating and incentivizing businesses, people entrepreneurially minded to open up businesses in those areas, versus having everything right here,” he said.

Brewer said Lexington’s Main Street needs to continue to be stabilized and developed, adding that one side of the street looks strong while the under is under-developed in comparison.

“It could be just a crowning achievement and really be wonderful,” he said.

Matthew Graham

Mathew Graham is running for Town Council for a second time this year.

He made his first run for a council seat in the May special election to fill the seat vacated by Steve Baker, who moved out of state. That election installed Gavin Smith as the body’s newest member.

Graham told the Chronicle that his priorities are still the same – focusing on citizen safety, transparency, communication and traffic.

According to Graham, the May election was a good opportunity to get his feet wet and get a feel for the process and how everything is conducted.

“I think I have a better understanding of the process and the actual system of how the council was set up,” he said. “I've met with every city council person. I've also met with the mayor, some multiple times, and you're definitely talking with them to get a better understanding of what they deal with day in and day out. ”

“Definitely provides me some more clarity that I couldn't gain until I talked to the ones that deal with it,” he added.

During the May election, Graham and Smith displayed some tension, going back and forth during public forums. When asked about how he would approach disagreements on council, Graham said that communication and transparency will play an important role.

“I think it's important that we can have a difference of opinion on anything really but it's not personal. It's politics,” Graham said. “We both have an idea of how to push the ball forward, but at the end of the day, it's not just me versus somebody or somebody versus me. It’s a matter of how collaboratively anybody can work together for a common goal.”

Jeannie Michaels

On Aug. 16, Jeannie Michaels announced her campaign for council, with the slogan “Our Town - Your Voice”.

According to a press release, Michaels has been a Lexington resident for more than 15 years and has been on the Lexington Planning Commission for 13 years. Michaels has indicated she would like to use the knowledge that she has gained in that role to continue her mission to develop the town responsibly. 

“Jeannie wants to promote and help foster the idea that Lexington is a great place to raise a family and grow a business,” the release states. “Jeannie also wants to strengthen the ties between the residents and the town, to promote the growth of greater relationships. As a small business owner herself, she would like to be a resource to the residents and business owners of all things Lexington.”

The release adds that she believes that there is an opportunity for more transparency between the town and its residents. Other priorities listed include promoting and helping small businesses, supporting law enforcement, and expanding on green spaces and walking/biking trails.