The Catch-Up: Mayor touts strong state of Lexington in video address

Posted 2/9/23

Lexington’s Feb. 6 Town Council meeting featured Mayor Steve MacDougall’s annual “State of the Town” address, delivered to the audience as a pre-taped video.

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The Catch-Up: Mayor touts strong state of Lexington in video address

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In addition to revealing the resignation of one of its members, Lexington’s Feb. 6 Town Council meeting featured Mayor Steve MacDougall’s annual “State of the Town” address, delivered to the audience as a pre-taped video.

The address highlighted ongoing projects:

  • The ongoing renovation and expansion (to more than 15 acres) of the downtown-adjacent Virginia Hylton Park, which MacDougall said is expected to last throughout the year
  • The private project to repair the Old Mill Pond Dam, ruptured in the historic flooding of 2015, which is nearly complete, the mayor said, with the town following behind to install a walking trail around the pond

The video also spotlighted traffic projects (such as the recently completed widening of North Lake Drive near Lexington Elementary School and the forthcoming second phase of the project, which will widen North Lake from the intersection with Columbia Avenue to the area in front of Herndon Chevrolet) and the installation of new wayfinding signs around town.

In addition to praising Lexington Police officers who won statewide awards, the mayor lauded efforts to drain three large sewage lagoons, which “eliminates any possibility that raw sewage could contaminate water in the area.”

“We have a lot to be proud of here in the Town of Lexington, as you can see,” MacDougall said after the video played. “There's a lot of things that are coming up in the future for this town and we feel like we're in a very good place. “

Batesburg-Leesville leader named to national council

A member of one of Batesburg-Leesville’ governing body has been elected to a nationwide council.

Town Council Member Steve Cain was recently appointed to the National League of Cities’ 2023 University Communities Council. He was elected to a one-year term to “develop and guide programs among local elected officials from similar communities,” with the appointment being announced by Mayor Victoria Woodards of Tacoma, Wash., who is currently serving as the eleagues president, according to a release.

The council also includes members from Maryland, Minnesota and Georgia and will look to “encourage collaboration, networking and the development of resources and programs beneficial to communities that share demographics, size or location that can be replicated across the country.”

“My heart is overflowing with gratitude being appointed to the NLC's University Communities Council; to be appointed by my peers from across the country is sincerely humbling," Cain is quoted. “Everything I do in this role will be geared towards helping the Council to achieve its strategic vision. I am deeply touched and inspired by this generous appointment.”

On a more local level, a leadership change has taken place at the Lexington County  Municipal Association.

Irmo mayor to lead county municipal association

Irmo Mayor Barry Walker was elected president of the association at a meeting in late-January. A release notes that the vote was unanimous.

“The LCMA represents 16 municipalities in Lexington County and serves as a collective voice to the County Council and S.C. State Legislature,” the release states.”Mayor Walker has previously served as president of the organization. His previous leadership helped navigate the Lexington municipalities through receiving ARPA allocations from the Federal Government.”

The mayor of Irmo neighbor Chapin is quoted in the release:

“I’m thrilled that Mayor Walker has accepted the role of President of LCMA for another year. In his past term as president, he has devoted an exceptional amount of time and effort in leading this organization!”

Walker’s term ends in January 2024.

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