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Stephen Steese was picked by Bluffton Town Council as the town’s new manager. In late April, Council unanimously selected Steese, who is the Easley city administrator.
A news release said council held an “an all-day executive session” in which council members planned to interview four final candidates. The town planned to release the names of the final three candidates but decided to select Steese at the end of executive session.
Dominion Energy began removing about 30 palm trees in Bluffton’s Historic District.
The project, which began in April, was necessary because the palm trees were touching electrical wires and posed a threat to safety and uninterrupted power, the town of Bluffton said.
Veronica Gutierrez has become the first female officer for the Bluffton Township Fire District. She was promoted to the rank of lieutenant, according to the fire district.
Lt. Gutierrez started her career as a firefighter with the Bluffton Township Fire District in 2018.
The Martin family was honored by the town of Bluffton with a ribbon cutting for Martin Family Park. Jake and Ida Martin were recognized for being “exemplary” community leaders, the town said. At 60 years old, Ida founded Bluffton Self Help, Inc. in 1987. President Barack Obama awarded Ida the Presidential Citizens Medal in 2011. In 2012, she founded the Bluffton Community Soup Kitchen. Jacob Martin was a police officer in Michigan and Illinois. He was a teacher at McCracken High School in Bluffton and retired as a district office administrator after 23 years of service.
The Beaufort County Library Bluffton Branch is beginning renovations that are estimated to last several months. The library will be open with the same hours, but the main portion of the library will be closed. The library’s entryway and large meeting room will serve as a “miniature pop-up” library for the coming months as the renovation project begins. Updates will be posted on the library system’s Bluffton Renovation page and Facebook page. For more information, call 843-255-6497.
The Rotary Club of Bluffton canceled 2021 Mayfest due to the COVID-19 concerns. This would have been the event’s 43rd year.
“We look forward to better days ahead and to hosting Mayfest in 2022,” a news release said.
The rehabilitation of the Garvin-Garvey House in Bluffton was recognized with a statewide award.
The South Carolina chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIASC) awarded Charleston historic preservation firm Meadors Inc. a Citation Award for Adaptive Reuse and Preservation for the project, the Town of Bluffton said.
The Town contracted Meadors Inc. and its architects and historic preservationists for research and the blueprint for the Garvin-Garvey House’s preservation and rehabilitation.
Scott Marshall was named the Town of Bluffton’s interim manager. Marshall, who has been deputy town manager since 2015, was appointed after Marc Orlando resigned from the position Jan. 4. According to the town’s website, Marshall began working for Beaufort County in 2009. He was executive director of the Board of Elections and Registration until June 2013 when he was hired as Parks and Leisure Services director.
Bluffton has been cited as the safest place to live in South Carolina according to safety.com. Ranked No. 1 on the list that was revealed in December, Bluffton is recognized for “exceptional” public safety statistics.
Safety.com used comprehensive ranking factors that included public safety and financial security metrics to determine a complete view of community safety, it said.
This year’s Christmas parade in Bluffton will be a socially distanced celebration. The town of Bluffton plans to host a “reverse” Christmas Parade on Dec. 5. The parade’s entrants will be stationary on May River Road as spectators drive by. Entrants will be positioned a minimum of 10 feet from each other and a safe distance from the traveling vehicles, the town said. No candy or promotional items may be distributed. The parade begins at 10 a.m.
