1. Lynn Kennedy wins Sumter City Council Ward 4 seat
On Tuesday, Nov. 18, Lynn Kennedy won the Sumter City Council Ward 4 seat after a narrow runoff race, overtaking opponent Gene Weston by 11 votes. In total, Kennedy obtained 238 votes or 51.18%, and Weston obtained 227 or 48.82% of the votes.
On Tuesday, Nov. 5, Weston was ahead of Kennedy at the polls, but because none of the five Ward 4 candidates secured a majority of the votes to win outright, a runoff between the two front-runners - Kennedy and Weston - was necessary.
In that initial election, Weston secured 24.69%, or 584 votes, followed by Kennedy, who got 22.37%, or 529 votes.
In the runoff, 465 Ward 4 residents voted, a considerably lower number than the 2,366 voters who voted in the Nov. 5 election.
Kennedy has since been sworn into office and has participated in her first city council meeting.
2. Veterans housing development is approved
to come to Sumter
The Sumter City-County Planning Commission approved the first reading for a project that will make life a little easier for our veterans. A 12-unit residential apartment to be used solely by veterans was approved by the committee at a scheduled meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 20.
The planned units will be at 22-24 S. Washington St. and will have four total buildings: three buildings each containing four one-bedroom apartments and a community building.
A joint effort between VALanthropy - a nonprofit that "works to relieve homeless veterans by increasing the inventory of permanent veteran housing," according to its website - and the Hidden Wounds Project, the veteran community would be known as Hidden Wounds Village.
3. Two from Sumter County retire
Combined, Sumter County Councilman Eugene Baten and Clerk to Sumter County Council Mary Blanding have more than half a century of experience working in their respective county council positions. But now, they have both made the decision to retire.
In the November Sumter County Council election, Baten did not seek reelection. Having joined county council in 2004, Baten's last night on council took place on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024 - culminating in 20 years of service on council alone.
Baten's successor will be Democratic councilwoman-elect Tasha Gardner-Greene, who will be sworn into office in January.
During her 34 years with the county, Blanding served as clerk for 12 different chairmen and about 25 members of council.
Blanding is working part-time for the county as she trains her successor, Sterling Winn-Mitchum.
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