BLYTHEWOOD – During a special called meeting at noon on Monday, Nov. 10, Blythewood Town Council members unanimously voted for final approval of Ord. 2025.008 to amend the Town’s code of ordinances to reflect the change in the form of government from a mayor-council form to a council-manager form.
A ‘whereas’ clause was added to clarify that while the ordinance took effect on second reading (at the Nov. 10 special called meeting), the change in the form of government will not take place until midnight, Nov. 24.
Council will hold its regular Nov. council meeting later that same day at 6:30 p.m. at the Manor when Councilwoman Trish Hovis and Councilman Rich McKenrick will be sworn into office.
In the amended ordinance, the mayor is the default presiding officer at a council meeting, according to Blythewood’s town attorney, but a provision was added to Sec. 30.01(A) of the ordinance to allow the council to elect a presiding member for a meeting that would be someone other than the mayor. The state law does not require that the mayor shall preside at meetings of council.
In that same section, ‘for that question only’ was added to the following sentence: A member present but disqualified from voting on a question by state law due to a conflict of interest shall not be counted for purposes of a quorum for that question only.
Sec. 32.03 (A)(1) of the ordinance was amended to allow the town manager to “appoint and remove any officer or employees of the town and fix the salaries of such officers and employees …” other than those that are specifically provided in state law for council to appoint.”
The word ‘town’ was also included with the word manager where it appeared in the ordinance.
According to the Municipal Association of SC’s guide to forms of government, the Council-Manager form (SC Code Title 5, Chapter 13) must have four, six, or eight council members plus the mayor. Council holds all legislative and policy power and employs the town manager, town attorney, and municipal judge. Council also adopts a balanced budget, which is prepared for council by the manager.
Under the Council-Manager form, the mayor has no additional power compared to other council members, and has no administrative responsibilities. He/she presides at council meetings by tradition, not by statutory authority. The mayor may exercise informal authority as leader of council and staff as spokesperson for the council.
The manager, under the Council-Manager form, serves as chief executive and head of the administrative branch, appointing and removing employees, including the clerk. The manager also sets salaries, prepares and administers the annual budget and makes financial reports. The manager also advises council on departments and appointments.
