Heemsoth declares intention to run for Fort Mill Town Council
The first candidate has announced her intention to run for the Fort Mill Town Council seat that will become available early in the new year.
Longtime resident and former Fort Mill school board member Trudie Heemsoth said she plans to be a candidate when filing opens for the at-large seat now held by mayor-elect Guynn Savage. Heemsoth said there’s no particular issue driving her to seek the seat.
“I don’t have any ax to grind or any special agenda. Just a need to serve,” Heemsoth said. “I want to participate, again, in our town.”
Although she didn’t mention any one issue, Heemsoth acknowledged that Fort Mill’s rapid growth presents various challenges.
“Our small town is not a small town anymore, and I realize that,” she said.
“There’s nothing we’re going to be able to do to change that and I’m not advocating any changes, but I would just like to be a part of whatever is happening in the future.”
A native of Rock Hill who moved to Fort Mill at age 12 and graduated from Fort Mill High in 1966, Heemsoth served on the Fort Mill school board from 1980 to 1994. Since then, she remained active in the community in various capacities, including 11 years as director of the Fort Mill area of the York County Regional Chamber of Commerce before stepping down in 2013.
Once Savage is sworn in as mayor sometime after Dec. 31, the council is required to notify elections officials and the public about the vacant seat. Candidates can officially file to run for the seat beginning the third Friday after elections officials are notified. Filing will be open for 10 days after that.
If the notification, including the publication of a legal notice in a local newspaper, is complete in early January, a special election to fill the seat can be held in late March or early April, according to Alan Helms, deputy director of Voting and Elections for York County.
Michael Harrison: 803-547-2353, @MikeHarrisonFMT
This story was originally published December 13, 2015 at 6:49 PM with the headline "Heemsoth declares intention to run for Fort Mill Town Council."