BLYTHEWOOD – A candidate forum featuring candidates running for two seats on Blythewood Town Council, will be held on Thursday, Oct. 25, at Trinity United Methodist Church’s Youth Building which is located behind the church facing McNulty Road.
Councilman Rich McKenrick is running for re-election, and the other seat is vacant after Councilwoman Erica Page chose not to run for re-election.
In addition to McKenrick, four other candidates have filed: Patricia (Trish) Hovis, Corey Mitchell; Ja’maal Mosley; and Marcus Taylor. Roberta (Bobbi) Young filed for office but dropped out of the race last week, according to town hall.
Patricia (Trish) Hovis is an Ashley Oaks resident and has lived in Blythewood for 19 years. She is married to former Town Councilman Roger Hovis who is retired from the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. The couple has a daughter in college. Hovis holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration, a Master’s degree in Criminal Justice, and a graduate certificate in Gerontology from the University of South Carolina. She is the Department Chair of the Criminal Justice program at York Technical College
Richard (Rich) McKenrick, also a resident of Ashley Oaks, has lived in Blythewood for nine years. He is currently serving his first term on town council, and is past Chair of the Blythewood Planning Commission. He is a past president of his Ashley Oaks HOA. He is Blythewood’s representative on the Richland County TPAC (Transportation Penny Advisory Committee), and is seeking his second term on town council. He serves as General Manager of CMH Homes.
Corey Mitchell is a resident of the Blythe Creek neighborhood, and has lived in Blythewood for 11 years. A former police officer with the Columbia Police Department, he is now a police associate with the department.
Ja’maal Mosely is a resident of Cobblestone Park, and has lived in Blythewood for five years. He is a past Vice Chair and is currently Chair of the Blythewood Planning Commission. Mosely is a military veteran. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Homeland Security Studies from American Military University and an Associate degree in applied science. He is married with two veteran sons and a daughter who attends Coastal Carolina.
Marcus Taylor is a resident of Dawson’s Creek, and has lived in Blythewood for 20 years. He is currently serving his sixth term on the Blythewood Planning Commission. Taylor is self-employed and the owner of Blythewood Surveillance Service.
The forum will provide candidates the opportunity to answer questions and talk about their candidacies. Each candidate will have two minutes to introduce themselves and then two minutes to answer each question. Each candidate will also be given three minutes for a closing statement at the end of the forum.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m.; the forum will begin at 7 p.m. An emcee will read questions submitted from the audience. The forum is being hosted by The Voice.
Cards and pens will be available for submitting questions.
