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COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - There are several municipal elections across the Midlands. Voters will cast their ballot on Nov. 4, but early voting began on Oct. 20. Blythewood Town Council Five candidates are competing for two Town Council seats in Blythewood’s municipal election, with each hoping to influence how the town manages growth and development. Current Town Councilwoman Erica Page is not seeking re-election. She won her seat in a special election last year, filling the remainder of Sloan Griffin’s term when he became mayor. Councilman Rich McKenrick’s four-year term is up. He’s running for re-election against candidates Corey Mitchell, Ja’maal Mosely, Patricia Hovis, and Marcus Taylor. All five candidates say their priorities center around economic development and safety. Rich McKenrick McKenrick has served for the past four years on the Blythewood Town Council. He’s lived in the Blythewood area for eight years. McKenrick says that within the last four years, he’s had many accomplishments, including passing a significant rewrite of the H tax policies and paying down a significant portion of the town’s debt. If re-elected, he said he plans to focus on the comprehensive plan while focusing on smart growth strategies to inspire more growth. “I think it’s important to continue the continuity of the growth aspects we have for Blythewood,” McKenrick said. “Scout Motors is new since I ran last time, so just continuing the smart growth approach that we have.” Corey Mitchell Mitchell is a former Columbia Police Officer, but in 2020, he was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, placing him in a wheelchair. He went on to create the Corey Mitchell Multiple Sclerosis Foundation to support others facing the same diagnosis. Mitchell discussed bringing Americans with Disabilities Act compliance development considerations to the forefront. “My plan for the developers is to bring ADA to the forefront because at the end of the day, it’s coming, it’s how it’s coming,” Mitchell said. “So, I would like to be a voice for the voiceless to help bring that in.” Ja’Maal Mosely Mosely is an Air Force veteran and currently serves as the Chairman of the Blythewood Planning Commission. He’s lived in the Blyethwood community for the past five years. When it comes to development, Mosely emphasized responsible development approaches. “Development is inevitable, growth is inevitable; however, there is a way to do it responsibly, and in order to do it responsibly, we need to tackle our infrastructure needs,” he said. Patricia Hovis Hovis is an educator, former public safety professional, and community volunteer with more than 20 combined years of experience in law enforcement and higher education. She has called Blythewood her home for the past 20 years. She says her campaign slogan is fact, safety, and service, which highlights each of the key issues she’s focusing on. She discussed in depth how she plans to tackle safety concerns linked to the new development, Scout Motors. “Safety, when you think about Blythewood and all the changes with the introduction of Scout Motors, you might think about the traffic hazards that occur, and so that’s also one of my main focuses,” Mosely said. Marcus Taylor Taylor is an army veteran and a native of Columbia, South Carolina. He is hoping to strengthen infrastructure, enhance community amenities, and has other goals that will support community safety. “The sheriff’s department is doing a really good job in Blythewood, so give them the resources they need to help them do their job better,” He said. “So, whatever I can do to fund them, we can do that.” Arcadia Lakes Mayor Election Two candidates are competing for the Arcadia Lakes Town Council. Current mayor Mark Hugley is not seeking re-election. Each candidate is offering different approaches to improving communication with residents and building community connections. Janet Holland Holland currently serves on the Arcadia Lakes Town Council and is a communications and resolution writer for the state legislature. She was born and raised in Forest Acres and moved to Arcadia Lakes over 8 years ago. She is focused on upholding the values and standards of Arcadia Lakes while also improving town communication. “I feel I want the residents to reach out to me directly,” Holland said. “They can call the town hall with problems, but I also want them to either text or call me directly so that we can jump on things and take care of them immediately. I’m not one to wait to get things done.” Christine Simmons Simmons has decades of experience in workforce development and organizational strategy. Simmons said her vision for Arcadia Lakes is to improve the aging infrastructure, promote community beautification, and revive civic pride and connection. She also emphasized plans to improve communication throughout the community by looking into a neighborhood app. “Having a neighborhood communication app where we can very quickly communicate with our residents about events and emergencies, I think, is very important,” Simmons said. “When residents feel informed and connected, they feel safe, and that will definitely be a priority in my campaign.” Arcadia Lakes Town Council Election Peter Chesney Chesney currently serves on the Arcadia Lakes Town Council. He has lived in the area for 25 years. During his time on the town council, he said he’s been able to obtain grants for beautification. He’s anticipating more funding to be allocated for beautification projects and will select new contractors for beautification maintenance and street cleaning. Wrenn Barrett Barrett has lived in Arcadia Lakes for 31 years. He is a professional engineer and has 40 years of experience in civic engineering. He has 40 years’ experience in civil engineering and has worked in both the public and private sectors, including municipal, county, and state agencies. George Floyd Floyd grew up in the Lake Katherine area, just a few miles from his present home in Arcadia Lakes. He has spent most of his 35-year-long career in the hospitality industry as a business owner and general manager. He is currently serving as the Business Liaison for the City of Columbia Parking Services. Feel more informed, prepared, and connected with WIS. For more free content like this, subscribe to our email newsletter, and download our apps. Have feedback that can help us improve? Click here.
