Springdale council member faces mayor pro tempore to lead SC city in 2021 election
On Nov. 3, the South Carolina town of Springdale will have a new mayor.
The election race is between Springdale Town Council member Viki Sox Fecas and Mayor Pro Tempore Juston Ricard. Some of the major issues facing the town of 2,700 include managing growth and recovering from COVID-19.
The State sent questionnaires to each candidate, but only Fecas responded. The State has reached out to Ricard multiple times seeking responses to the candidate questionnaire.
The Springdale election will be held Nov. 2, according to the S.C. Election Commission.
Viki Sox Fecas
Age: 59
Occupation: University of South Carolina adjunct professor
Education: Ph.D. in administration (Higher Education)
Political or civic experience: I have served the Town of Springdale for the past 15 years, first on the Zoning Board of Appeals and now on Town Council for the past six. I’m also active in the Lexington County Municipal Association.
Campaign website: www.vikisoxfecas.com
Why are you running for this office?
I have completed both the basic and advanced tracks of the Municipal Association’s Elected Officials Institute as well as training and annual professional development required by the State of S.C. for Local Government Planning & Zoning Officials. I see the investment of this knowledge as essential to the understanding of and making informed decisions about the Town.
If elected, what would your two or three priorities be during your first year in office?
My top priorities would be:
- Managed Growth: Both a new housing development and relocation of our school district’s administrative offices/new performing arts center are being built in our Design Overlay district; we also need to ensure future development follows our Platt Springs Road Master Plan.
- New Administrative Complex: We have outgrown our ability to house our administrative staff and are limited in the number of court cases we can hear. We have purchased a vacant building next door to our current Town Hall, and plan to retrofit it for our administrative staff; we will renovate our former Town Hall for our Police Department and then turn our former Police Department building into a Community Center, adjacent to our Town Park/Splash Pad.
- Budget: Hospitality and Accommodations taxes were impacted by COVID, but the $1.3 million the town has been allotted through the American Rescue Plan will help us to have a strong and equitable economic recovery.
What unique skills or life perspective would you bring to city governance?
Though I am currently an elected official, I see myself as a public servant and not a politician. I grew up where service to community was stressed and modeled by my parents; both my father and grandfather served as former Mayors of Springdale. Since I am retired, I have the time to devote to being mayor. I also enjoy teaching as an adjunct professor at the University of South Carolina.
What current practice or policy of the city would you preserve or enhance? Why?
I would enhance the practice of investing in each staff and council member by encouraging them to take advantage of the training offered by the Municipal Association of South Carolina.
This story was originally published October 12, 2021 at 10:08 AM.