Blythewood Town Manager Doug Polen sends a weekly update to council members every Friday. It is not only a window into the world of Town Hall but a regular update on projects and plans that the public will be able to follow from week to week.
Week of Sept. 7 – Sept. 11, 2026
Public Works
Two of our major facility projects continued to make good progress this week. The roof replacement at the Public Works office is now complete. At Town Hall, all affected drywall has been removed and the exposed framing is currently being dried. Drying is expected to be complete by September 15, after which new drywall will be installed and the affected areas painted and finished. Staff hopes to return to Town Hall by the end of September.
Public Works reported damaged Blythewood High School signs this week and has coordinated repairs. Crews also prepared portions of Doko Meadows Park for this weekend’s Big Grab 50-Mile Yard Sale.
Marketing & Events
Jordan Langland, Communications and Marketing Manager, Jason Mosely, Public Works Director, and I met with representatives from Live Healthy Richland County, Prisma Health, and the South Carolina Department of Public Health this week to discuss bringing the Kids in Parks TRACK Trail program to Doko Meadows Park. The program would add a kiosk and educational materials along the park trail, providing children and families with interactive activities focused on nature, health, and recreation. Staff is exploring the program and potential implementation at Doko Meadows.
Jordan continues preparations for several upcoming Town events, including Trunk or Treat, the Christmas Tree Lighting, and the Christmas Parade. Other projects underway include an event recognizing the two young residents who donated Little Libraries to Doko Meadows Park and implementation of the new Doko Manor scheduling software. Jordan is also working with a local Girl Scout troop on a proposed kiosk at Doko Meadows where residents could scan the microchips of lost pets and help reunite them with their owners.
Administration
Councilwoman Tricia Hovis and I met with Mary Resch of the South Carolina Office of Resilience this week to discuss grant opportunities and emergency preparedness concerns. Ms. Resch connected us with Glenn Remsen, Director of the Richland County Sheriff’s Department CIPU, which works with organizations to assess public facilities and identify opportunities to improve safety and resiliency. Staff will meet with Mr. Remsen on September 15 to discuss assessments of Town facilities.
Several ongoing projects continued to move forward this week, including work on the Town’s code enforcement program, the Comprehensive Plan, a potential community shredding and electronic waste event, and a proposed annexation. I expect to have more substantive updates on several of these projects in the coming weeks.
Beverly James has accepted the Town’s new part-time bookkeeper position, which was included in the FY 2026-27 budget, and will begin work on September 21. We look forward to welcoming Beverly to the Town team.