by Mayor Barbara Blain-Bellamy, City of Conway, President, Municipal Association of SC
At its Annual Meeting in Greenville, I was elected president of the Municipal Association of South Carolina’s board of directors. This 19-member board represents cities and towns from all over the state, sets policy for the Association, advocates for good public policy and offers education and training for municipal elected officials. I’ve served on the board of directors for six years and served as president of the Association of SC Mayors, an affiliate of the Municipal Association.
I wear a lot of hats in my life. I’m the mayor of the great City of Conway. I’m an attorney. I’m a wife and a proud grandmother. I’ve been a social worker, a councilmember and a deputy city administrator. And like all of you, I’ve been a problem solver, a negotiator, a compromiser, a visionary, a referee and a friend.
But really what I want you to know about me is my love of learning and my willingness to listen. I constantly learn from people around me. I listen and I learn from residents, local business owners, the incredible staff of the City of Conway, fellow councilmembers, our youth, church members, friends, and colleagues in the Municipal Association. Listening and learning have served us well in Conway, helping us achieve one success after another.
I didn’t go to law school until I was 46 years old. I was afraid of all things unfamiliar, dark and alone until, at the age of 55, I completed a five-day hike in the Blue Ridge Mountains, 24 hours of which time I spent in solitude. I learned to swim when I was 60 years old, and at 65 or so, I became an ax-thrower. A few weeks ago, at age 70, I suited up to locate and disarm bombs. This is important because I’m not afraid to step out of my comfort zone to learn more about myself and others. I’m not afraid to take a risk if it means that I can help someone or make a difference.
This past year at the Association we have expanded our civility campaign nationwide and began statewide partnerships to bring civility and respect back into our council chambers and in our hometowns. We have had great success at the State House supporting and passing legislation to ensure our elected officials have the tools necessary to govern our cities and towns and provide the best services to our residents, visitors and business owners.
I’m proud of the work we’ve done and the goals we’ve accomplished. We stepped out and we took risks. The reward is the payoff in dividends with our message of civility in city and town council chambers, and other public meeting spaces across this state and beyond!
I invite you to visit our welcoming, appealing Conway anytime. If you can, spend time in downtown Conway during the month of October, the time when we transform into the “City of Halloween, SC.” You’ll be certain to make Conway — minimally — an annual destination. Imagine thousands of pumpkins hanging in trees lining our beautiful downtown.
Thank you for trusting me as your president this upcoming year. I look forward to working with our mayors and councilmembers and staff members from cities across South Carolina, and Municipal Association staff, to help move our state forward. I am truly honored to have been elected by my colleagues for this position.