Copyright Charleston Post and Courier
SPARTANBURG — Incumbent Jamie Fulmer faces challenger Dawn Maddux in the race for the Spartanburg City Council District 4 seat. Both candidates told The Post and Courier they expect turnout to be high as voters look to the future with hopes that the city will manage growth with their interests in mind and work harder to fight crime. On Nov. 4, voters will decide who will represent them in District 4 for the next four years. Fulmer, 55, won a special election for the seat in November 2018 after then-Councilmember Max Hyde stepped down to run for state House. Fulmer won reelection in 2021. He’s asking voters to give him another term. “I am proud of my service on council,” Fulmer said. “In the last seven years, we have seen some great things happen in our community and weathered our fair share of challenges.” Fulmer said he left Loop Recruiting, where he was a partner, and is looking for his next work opportunity. He’s a graduate of Wofford College. Maddux, 43, has spent much of her campaign canvassing neighborhoods and listening to concerns. She’s a former employee of the Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System who recently left to start her own lactation consulting business for young moms. She also teaches nursing at Spartanburg Community College and was hired by the YMCA to teach prenatal care as part of fitness. With less than a week until Election Day, Maddux said she thinks voters are looking for a change in leadership. “The biggest thing that I am hearing from people is that they are feeling disconnected with the decisions being made by city council and not being informed well enough about decisions before they are being made,” Maddux said. Fulmer said much progress has been made on several fronts in the city, including the return of minor league baseball, pledged investments in downtown, and advances in offering affordable housing. There’s much more to be done, he said. “We are poised to build on that momentum going forward, and we need strong, steady leadership to keep that going,” Fulmer said. For Maddux, there’s a need for the city to better fight crime. She’s open to more community engagement in fostering solutions to make neighborhoods safer. “My whole thing is that I am trained to listen to people to give valuable information so they can make informed decisions about their community,” Maddux said. “People are feeling disconnected about the choices being made in the city in which we are going to see a lot of change.” Downtown growth, Project Core and moving the clock tower Both candidates believe a Morgan Square redesign is inevitable. Fulmer supports the redesign of Morgan Square. He thinks it will help boost business downtown and draw in more visitors. Fulmer said more recruitment is needed to bring new jobs to the city. Balanced growth is also key, he said. “We need to continue to grow our economy as a city and need to be smart about our growth and remain fiscally responsible to keep the city’s budget strong,” Fulmer said. Maddux said she believes the city didn’t consider most of what was provided by the public in early surveys asking about the future of Morgan Square. She said the proposed redesign does not have enough green space for public use. Fulmer added that he supports the more than $500 million transformation of downtown Spartanburg anchored by the new baseball stadium, which he said will further revitalize an area that for far too long had seemed forgotten. “Project Core is going to shape our community in a positive way going forward and we should all be celebrating that and the future of the clock tower once we decide where it is going to go.” The project also includes building a hotel, retail space, apartments and office space within blocks of Fifth Third Park. Fulmer said areas around West Main Street near the stadium are about to experience a significant transformation due in part to new development. Fulmer was among those who supported not tearing down the clock tower in Morgan Square to make way for a redesign and new development. Spartanburg City Council voted 4-2 on Sept. 22 to tear it down. After a lawsuit was filed, an agreement was reached to dismantle the clock tower and move it to another location. Workers have already removed the clock and bell from the tower. A new location for the clock tower has not been established. “I am excited about the future of the clock tower and where it will be relocated,” Fulmer said. “It’s an important icon for our community and so many people have loved it and thought it should have a continued presence in our community.” Maddux questioned Fulmer’s vote on keeping the clock tower in place. “A vast majority are really disappointed it is coming down,” she said. “The vote happened so fast, and most did not know it was coming. I know how the votes went down, and the incumbent in my district voted to keep the clock tower, but I don’t see how that fits with Project Core, which he supports. I feel like he voted that way to get more votes.” District 4 includes areas along the city’s East Main Street, Pine Street, Union Street and Southport Road.
