Hair Salon inCottageville, SC

Some polling locations in Walterboro have temporarily changed for the upcoming municipal election.

Two former precincts in Walterboro – Walterboro No. 4 and Walterboro No. 5 – have combined, sending voters from these two precincts to the Colleton County School District headquarters to cast their ballots on the Nov. 2nd.

Formerly, voters from Walterboro No. 4 used Forest Hills Elementary School as a precinct location and voters in Walterboro No. 5 used Colleton County Middle School. Now, the school district headquarters is the go-to spot for voters from Walterboro Precincts 4 and 5.

Because of a miscommunication with the school district regarding this year’s election, schools are open on this year’s election date. Next year, local voting officials anticipate that schools will be closed for the November election, allowing schools to once again be used as a poll site.

Absentee in person begins Monday, October 4.

On this election-day ballot is current and longtime Mayor Bill Young, who is being opposed by mayoral candidates Chrissy Johnson and Alex Cavazzori.

Voters will also be choosing city council candidates in the Nov. 2nd Walterboro municipal election. City council candidates are incumbents Carl Brown, Greg Pryor and James Broderick.

Walterboro is one of several municipalities in Colleton County that are holding elections on Nov. 2nd. Please see below for the full list of formal candidates that have filed to run in each of these towns.

Each of these municipalities will hold their respective elections on November 2nd. The elections are non-partisan, meaning there is no political affiliation on the ballot.

Any run-off elections for these municipalities will be held two weeks after the election on Tuesday, November 16, 2021.

Cottageville

In Cottageville, two candidates have officially filed to run for town council - Elizabeth A. Green and Jay W. McGrew. Only one candidate – Walter “Will” Williams, Jr. – has filed to run for an unexpired council term.

Election Day voting will be held at the Cottageville Elementary School, located at 648 Peirce Road in Cottageville.

Lodge

In Lodge, two people have filed to run for the town’s mayoral seat: Larry M. Carter, Sr. and Richard C. Smith. Candidates who have filed to run for Lodge Town Council are Brenda Connelly, E. Richard “Bo” Ryan, Rose S. Varnadoe and Christy C. Terry.

Election Day voting will be held at the Colleton County Fire-Rescue Station No. 3, located at 8667 Lodge Highway in Lodge. The poll opens at 7:00 a.m. at this location on election day and will remain open until 7:00 p.m.

Smoaks

In Smoaks, two people have filed to seek a seat on town council: James C. “Jimmy” Avant, Jr. and William “Ty” Barnes.

Election Day voting in Smoaks will be held at the Colleton County Fire-Rescue Station No. 7, located at 27250 Lowcountry Highway in Smoaks.

The poll opens at 7:00 a.m. and will remain open until 7:00 p.m.

Only people who live within the town limits of Smoaks can run for office.

Edisto Beach

Edisto Beach has two open seats for its town council. Filing for these council seats has ended, and the candidates who have filed to run for these two council seats are James “Jay” R. Watts II and Robert “Bob” N. Renner.

Only one candidate has filed to run for the town’s mayoral seat and that is current interim mayor Crawford Moore, who was appointed to fill the term of longtime Mayor Jane Darby, who resigned mid-term earlier this year on August 5th.

The Edisto election will happen at Edisto Beach Town Hall, located at 2414 Murray Street at Edisto Beach. The polls will be opened at 7:00 a.m. and will close at 7 p.m. This is a non-partisan election and no party affiliation shall be placed on the ballot.

Registering to Vote

Any resident who wants to vote in an upcoming election and who is not yet registered to vote can do so now. The voter registration deadline for these elections Oct. 3rd.

To register, visit the Voter Registration & Elections Office at 2471 Jefferies Hwy, Walterboro, SC 29488 or register online at www.scVotes.gov.

Voter registration by mail applications will be accepted if postmarked by Monday, October 4.

Absentee ballots may be requested now from the Colleton County Voter Registration and Elections Office by calling 843-549-2842. Anyone wanting to cast their absentee ballot in person can do this beginning Monday, Oct. 4th by going to local Voter Registration & Elections Office, which is located at 2471 Jefferies Highway in Walterboro. Absentee ballots done in person will continue from October 4 until 5:00 p.m. on the day before the election.

The elections office is open Monday-Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Filing is open for candidates who want to run for elected seats for several different towns in Colleton County. Four towns in Colleton County are each holding their own municipal elections on Tuesday, Nov. 2nd: The towns of Smoaks, Cottageville, Lodge and Edisto Beach. Filing for candidates in each of these elections begins on noon on Monday, August 9th and runs through noon until Monday, August 23rd.

Smoaks The Smoaks General Election will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 2nd for electing two town council members. This is a non-partisan election, meaning there is no political affiliation on the ballot. Filing for candidates opens at noon on Monday, August 9th and runs until noon on Monday, August 23rd. There is no filing fee. Anyone wanting to file for a seat should go to the Voter Registration and Elections Office, located at 2471 Jefferies Highway in Walterboro. Election Day voting in Smoaks will be held at the Colleton County Fire-Rescue Station No. 7, located at 27250 Lowcountry Highway in Smoaks. The poll opens at 7:00 a.m. and will remain open until 7:00 p.m. Only people who live within the town limits of Smoaks can run for office.

Lodge In Lodge, the town’s election for a mayor and two council members will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 2nd. This is a non-partisan election. Interested candidates should go to the county’s Voter Registration and Elections Office, located at 2471 Jefferies Highway in Walterboro. Filing for candidates opens at noon on Monday, August 9th and run through noon on Monday, August. 23rd. There is a $15 filing fee for this election. Election Day voting will be held at the Colleton County Fire-Rescue Station No. 3, located at 8667 Lodge Highway in Lodge. The poll opens at 7:00 a.m. at this location on election day and will remain open until 7:00 p.m.

Edisto Beach The Town of Edisto Beach will hold its election on Tuesday, Nov. 2nd to elect two new council members. Each council member will serve a four-year term. This election will also be for a mayor to finish two years on a current four-year term: current Mayor Jane Darby resigned from her post on August 5th. (See related story in this issue). Candidates in the Edisto Beach election are nominated by petition. Each council candidate wanting to run for a council seat must complete a petition: a petition must contain the signature of at least five percent of the qualified registered voters in the town. Information on the mayoral special election is not yet available, as of press deadline. Filing for Edisto Beach Town Council candidates opened on August 2nd. The petition must be filed with the Town Clerk by noon on August 19th. Petition forms may be acquired from Town Hall or online at scvotes.gov. Also, candidates must file Statement of Economic Interest forms, which are also found online at www.ethics.sc.gov. The Edisto election will happen at Edisto Beach Town Hall, located at 2414 Murray Street at Edisto Beach. The polls will be opened at 7:00 a.m. and will close at 7 p.m. This is a non-partisan election and no party affiliation shall be placed on the ballot.

Cottageville The non-partisan Cottageville municipal election will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 2nd and is for the election of two council members: one council member has a term ending in 2025 and the other is for an unexpired term that ends in 2023. Anyone desiring to be a candidate for Cottageville Town Council may file at the Cottageville Town Hall, located at 72 Salley Ackerman Drive in Cottageville. Filing opens at noon Monday, August 9, 2021 until noon Monday, August 23, 2021. There is a $50 filing fee for the Cottageville election. Election Day voting will be held at the Cottageville Elementary School, located at 648 Peirce Road in Cottageville. The poll opens at 7:00 a.m. on election day and will remain open until 7:00 p.m.

Any run-off elections for these municipalities will be held two weeks after the election on Tuesday, November 16, 2021.

Candidate Information Candidates wanting to run in any of these municipal elections should begin filing their required state forms. These forms are required, in addition to any filing fees that might be required by the individual municipalities. To obtain the ‘Nonpartisan Statement of Intention of Candidacy’ form, candidates should go to www.scVotes.gov/candidate_information then select ‘Filing for Municipal or other Nonpartisan Offices’. Copies of this form are also at the county’s voter registration office. All candidates must also file the ‘Statement of Economic Interest’ and ‘Campaign Disclosure’ forms with the State Ethics Commission. These forms must be completed online at www.ethics.sc.gov.

Registering to Vote Any resident who wants to vote in an upcoming election and who is not yet registered to vote can do so now. The voter registration deadline for these elections Oct. 3rd. To register, visit the Voter Registration & Elections Office at 2471 Jefferies Hwy, Walterboro, SC 29488 or register online at www.scVotes.gov. Voter registration by mail applications will be accepted if postmarked by Monday, October 4. Absentee ballots may be requested now from the Colleton County Voter Registration and Elections Office by calling 843-549-2842. Anyone wanting to cast their absentee ballot in person can do this beginning Monday, Oct. 4th by going to local Voter Registration & Elections Office, which is located at 2471 Jefferies Highway in Walterboro. Absentee ballots done in person will continue from October 4 until 5:00 p.m. on the day before the election. The elections office is open Monday-Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

It’s hard to believe that anything good could come from the pandemic, but for one couple, something good did come out of it - a thriving business.Florida natives April and Aaron Williamson moved to Summerville, SC after they married 16 years ago. Finding the town “drastically changing,” they moved to Cottageville near the Edisto River. The family visited it the same day they saw the ad and bought it just weeks later.Aaron is a SC Dual Licensed Optician, but has a background in financial services. He also worked in sales, served as a regional sales trainer, recruiter and was eventually vice president of Branch Development. Now, he writes children’s books. April is vice president of marketing for Cornerstone Advisory Group in Summerville, but she has a background in web design, writing and business consultation. In their professional lives, they have worked for fortune 100 businesses with big problems to solve, as well as small, upstart family-owned businesses. Those experiences taught them the value of effective communication, solid branding and creativity.“After years of sharing our experience with our employers, we decided it was time to go directly to our customers with our talent, to make ourselves more accessible, more effective and to allow us to work together as a husband-and-wife team to grow our business,” said Aaron.Aaron and April decided to go into business for themselves and meet the needs of Colleton County businesses, as well as online business that need help to expand and have a better online presence.For new businesses, timing is everything.Ironically, the Williamsons found themselves opening the doors of Blue Collar Marketing, only to find the pandemic spreading out of control across the nation before they could even cut the ribbon. Worried that this might affect their business goals, the Williamsons pushed harder and focused on creating close relationships with customers and helping them develop new ways to generate revenue and become more competitive.Because so many employers and employees were working from home during the pandemic, the computer became a vital tool for everyone. Employers were eager to find other ways to do business rather than owning a storefront.This desire for finding alternative business plans drove many customers to Aaron and April who readily assisted them in finding new pathways to market themselves.Surprisingly, the Williamsons found themselves flooded with work, even during Covid.During the pandemic, Blue Collar Marketing has now added three remote designers and two writers who assist with larger projects.“Frankly, we aren’t interested in growing Blue Collar to the point where we can’t put eyes on everything that goes out the door,” Aaron said. “What we enjoy the most is meeting new business owners, learning their industry, and figuring out how to place them to be competitive. Helping owners either grow their businesses or bring them to life is the fun part,” he added.The Williamsons were eventually able to meet their next-door neighbors in Cottageville and found to their amazement that the property owners were needing assistance marketing their new project… an alpaca farm.Aaron and April worked with Herd it Here Farm on Sullivans Ferry Rd. in Cottageville to prepare for their grand opening. That project included creating a website, marketing materials and consultations. Then, they showed the owners how to take charge of the project and continue the marketing strategy themselves.“Once we learn your business and what makes you different, we plug you into our protocols and execute what we’ve designed. We also teach our customers as much as we can about what we do, so they can be more confident in marketing for themselves instead of being locked into a never-ending contract,” said Aaron.The Williamsons say they have a simple goal for Blue Collar Marketing. “We want to make the path to a solution as easy and affordable as possible and ensure that businesses move on with tools and confidence to keep going and growing. “We want to leave them more profitable and optimistic than when we met,” said Aaron.“I think a lot of people don’t know there is a specialty marketing company right here in their backyard. We want to help businesses grow while remaining a small, family owned, and local business right here in Colleton County.”

Other items that may interest you

Voters in multiple towns and cities are going to the polls next week to choose new leaders, as several towns and cities are holding individual municipal elections.

Perhaps the biggest seat up for grabs among these contests is that of mayor for the City of Walterboro: longtime incumbent Walterboro Mayor Bill Young is facing challengers Chrissy Johnson and Alex Cavazzoni in the upcoming Nov. 2nd election.

(Please see separate section on these candidates inside this week’s issue).

Besides time served in public office, the largest differences among the candidates is what they would do if elected as mayor.

Johnson says she wants to focus in increasing homeless shelters, drug assistance programs and overall economic development in the city.

Young said he wants to complete ongoing projects happening in the city, which include water and sewer expansions and updates, improving drainage in and around Ireland Creek and finishing the more than decade-long beautification project, which has improved signage, lighting and the overall aesthetics of the city’s downtown area and its exits from Interstate 95.

Cavazzoni said that instead of focusing on specific projects or goals in the city, he wants to focus on a movement that encourages residents and newcomers to focus on life in Walterboro: “live here, work here, play here.”

This movement, as he calls it in his campaign, would increase recreational opportunities, including the construction of a public pool and create a swim class program; offer incentives for new businesses to locate in Walterboro; and provide more affordable housing and educational opportunities for residents.

In addition to the mayoral ballot, registered voters can also vote for city council: Walterboro City Council candidates are incumbents Carl Brown, Greg Pryor and James Broderick.

There were no new candidates who filed for city council.

In other election news:

Cottageville

Three people will be running for open seats on Cottageville Town Council. These candidates are Walter “Will” Williams, who is running to fill an unexpired term on council; Elizabeth Green, who is running for town council; and Jay McGrew, who is also running for town council.

This is a non-partisan election, meaning there is no political affiliation for any candidate.

The Cottageville Town Council election will be held on Nov. 2nd.

Smoaks

In Smoaks, the filing deadline has passed and there are two people running for Smoaks Town Council – Jimmy Avant and William Ty Barnes.

This is a non-partisan election. The Smoaks election will be held on Nov. 2nd.

Lodge

In Lodge, two people are running against each other in hopes of becoming the town’s next mayor. Candidates Larry Carter, Sr. and Richard Christopher Smith have both filed to run for mayor. Candidates who have filed to run for Lodge Town Council are Brenda Connelly, E. Richard “Bo” Ryan, Rose S. Varnadoe and Christy C. Terry.

The Lodge election for mayor and for town council will be held on Nov. 2nd.

Edisto Beach

Only one person in Edisto Beach will be on the ballot for the town’s upcoming special mayoral election. Crawford Moore is the sole candidate seeking the town’s mayoral spot.

Moore, who is also the town’s current interim mayor, will fill a two-year spot left on the seat’s four-year term. The current two-year vacancy was created when former Mayor Jane Darby resigned on August 5th, leaving two years into the four-year term.

Additionally, Edisto Beach has two open seats for its town council. Filing for these council seats has ended, and the candidates who have filed to run for these two council seats are James “Jay” R. Watts II and Robert “Bob” N. Renner.

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COTTAGEVILLE, SC (WCIV) — A lot of confusion and unanswered questions stemmed from Tuesday night's public hearing on gun ordinances in the town of Cottageville.

Mayor Tim Grimsley said he called the emergency meeting because of possible gun ordinance changes that he said were causing confusion in the town.

The mayor said the meeting was held to address rumors he felt were causing confusion in the town. Even though that was the goal of the night, many people left with concerns about the wording of their gun laws.

There was only standing room by the start of the meeting at Cottageville Town Hall. The Mayor said the town could change the language of the current ordinance.

“Pellet rifles, slingshots, or other devices — we changed the word other device to other firearms. Somehow that got misconstrued,” said Grimsley.

He said this word change would only clarify the current laws that are in place.

“It got all turned around that we are trying to infringe on people’s Second Amendment rights,” said Grimsley.

Grimsley explained that there is no need for an open carry on town property, including the park next door.

“We are not trying to limit or take anything away. We just want you to be safe and use commons sense. Unfortunately, common sense is out of the window nowadays.”

However, some people in the crowd don’t think a word swap will do the job. Gerald Grenier said he owns a gun for protection and wants better protection from town leaders.

“It’s not that I am against what they are trying to do. It’s just that they need to incorporate the laws that exist to do it,” said Grenier.

John Dodson said he isn’t a gun owner but still wants more transparency from officials.

“I think it’s a step forward to something else. Or else they wouldn’t change it in the first place,” said Dodson.

It’s a change some believe could be the difference between life or death.

“When you are dead it’s too late. People can smile and say well at least you weren’t carrying a firearm. But you’re dead. You are dead because you couldn’t defend yourself,” said Grenier.

The Mayor clarified that the potential changes would only apply to the town's property such as town hall, not everywhere in town limits.

Grimsley wasn’t able to give a timeline on when any changes to the ordinance could happen. Grimsley explained that he doesn’t expect any changes to be made.

The emergency meeting comes on the heels of the last Cottageville Town Meeting where the proposed ordinance was announced.