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 Oct. 19 – 23, 2026
Public Works
Public Works staff continued routine maintenance throughout Town, including landscaping at Doko Meadows Park and the Manor, trimming shrubs, collecting litter, and servicing lawn equipment. Staff also repaired the playground’s Little Free Library, replacing the damaged glass with metal to prevent recurring damage.
Staff met with a playground equipment company to review options for new equipment, as approved in the 2027 budget. Staff is focusing on new equipment for toddlers that can fit in the right corner of the playground, which is currently vacant.
Staff met with TruGreen regarding the spring landscape maintenance program.
Public Works Staff and Jordan Langland, Marketing & Special Projects Manager, have been working with the Torres Family on the Rainbow Bridge Project. The Torres family has secured materials from Lowe’s, and staff has pressure washed the bridge behind the playground. Painting is scheduled for October 30, weather permitting.
Holiday lighting installation is underway, with additional adjustments planned for the trees between the Manor and McLean Road entrance.
Marketing & Events
The inaugural Town Trunk or Treat is scheduled for Thursday, October 29, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Doko Meadows Park. Twenty participants have registered to provide decorated trunks. Two sheriff’s deputies will be present, and the roadway around the amphitheater will be closed to vehicles during the event to provide a pedestrian-only area. Parking will be available at Town Hall and the Manor.
WLTX visited the Manor this week to film video for a commercial, which was offered in exchange for letting WLTX use the Manor for its Athlete and Teacher of the Year awards banquets.
Planning continues for the annual Christmas Tree Lighting and Christmas Parade, with preparations progressing as scheduled.
Planning & Zoning
The Blythewood Road widening project is scheduled to be completed by the end of November, with a ribbon cutting to be scheduled around December 1.
The chain-link fencing recently installed along Blythewood Road as part of the Richland County Penny Tax-funded widening project has generated considerable public concern. The fencing was installed around a stormwater retention pond in accordance with SCDOT requirements. However, the fencing appears inconsistent with the Town’s zoning standards. I have asked Town Attorney Pete Balthazor to review the matter and identify potential options for addressing the Town’s concerns.
The Blythewood-area projects of the Richland County Penny Tax are still on schedule, with the widening and improvements to McNulty Street and widening, improvements, and extension of Creech Road from Blythewood Road to Main Street scheduled for completion in 2027.
Administration
Jennifer Edwards, Finance and Human Resources Director, is finalizing changes to the budget software, creating new budget line items and transferring funds to new linked bank accounts. This will leave approximately $2 million in local bank accounts with the remainder of our assets in the Local Government Investment Pool.
The Town’s annual financial audit is nearing completion. Foster Hammond of Love Bailey is scheduled to present the audit findings at the November Council meeting.
Ms. Edwards and Sharon Durst, Town Clerk, will be attending the Municipal Finance Officers, Clerks and Treasurers Association and Business License Officials Joint Academy next week in Summerville for their annual training.
I met this week with Anna Leieritz of Lake Shore Consulting to discuss potential federal lobbying services for the Town. Ms. Leieritz is a former Capitol Hill staffer who was instrumental in securing $4.5 million in federal funding for a new Town Hall during my tenure in Irmo. She has already had preliminary discussions with Senator Graham’s office and believes there may be federal funding opportunities for Blythewood, particularly for transportation and beautification projects. I anticipate inviting Ms. Leieritz to a future Council meeting to discuss these opportunities and her firm’s services.