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 August 10 – 14, 2026
Public Works
Special thanks to Eden Gibbs and her mother Ashley for providing a new Little Library to the Town. We have placed the library at the Playground, replacing the older, damaged library.
Following the new maintenance contract with National Alert, crews have been repairing cameras at Doko Meadows Park this week. We have installed a second fiber internet line to allow all the cameras to be on a separate server. This will allow for wireless camera viewing from Staff cell phones and for Manor Staff to monitor the cameras in addition to the main viewing station in Town Hall.
The damaged fences at McDonald’s and Hardee’s have been repaired.
The water heater at Town Hall needed emergency repairs this week and all work is complete.
The HVAC work at Doko Manor is also complete and the Manor is maintaining temperature correctly even in the August heat.
A new park bench has been installed at the multi-use field.
The pond behind the Manor has been dyed.
Marketing and Events
Jordan Langland, Marketing & Events Director, has begun advertising for The Big Grab 50-Mile Yard Sale, to be held September 11 and 12. The Town is offering seller space this year on the Palmetto Citizens Amphitheater side of the parking lot.
Jordan has also been busy working on final reporting for the State Accommodation Tax grants to the Blythewood Historical Society & Museum and Capital City/Lake Murray Country.
Planning & Zoning
Kirk Wilson, Planning & Zoning Analyst, and I met with our first Comprehensive Planning finalist this week. We are excited about the upcoming planning process and the opportunity to develop a strong, actionable plan for Blythewood’s next ten years, including a future land use plan, implementation strategies for Council’s beautification priorities, and an actionable plan for improvements at Doko Meadows Park.
The Board of Architectural Review is meeting on Monday, August 17 to discuss the exterior of an Advance Auto Parts proposed for 113 Main Street, just north of the Whistle Express Car Wash.
Administration
Jennifer Edwards, Human Resources and Finance Director, and I will begin interviews next week for the Town’s new part-time bookkeeper position.
I spent two days this week in the S.C. Certified Public Manager Supervisory Practices Course, and will be attending the class again next Wednesday and Thursday. After this pre-requisite class I will be in class one to two days per month for the next eighteen months.