Who does what in Greenville’s government? | Photo by James Simpson

It’s been a while since our last high school civics class, so we’ve decided to share a refresher course focused on Greenville’s City Council. It’s an election year and the City just redistricted, so what better time to study up on our local government?

What form of Government does Greenville have?

The City of Greenville has a Council-Manager form of government.

The Mayor and City Council members are elected, and the City Manager is hired by City Council. Think of the City Manager as the CEO of the City’s Administration, because the mayor and council do not have administrative powers.

GVL_City_Council_MAR2023 — Greenville’s current City Council | Photo by The City of Greenville

How is City Council structured?

The mayor (elected at-large)

Knox White | Election November 2023

Two at-large council members

Dorothy Dowe | Election in November 2023
Russell Stall | Election in November 2025

Four district council members

District 1 | John Deworken | Election in November 2023
District 2 | Lillian Brock Flemming | Election in November 2025
District 3 | Ken Gibson | Election in November 2023
District 4 | Wil Braisington | Election in November 2025

GVL_Greenville_District_map_MAR2023 — Greenville just adopted new district lines. | Map by The City of Greenville

How can I get involved at meetings?

Follow these steps to speak about an item that is up for discussion at a City Council meeting — held the second and fourth Monday of each month:

View the agenda that is posted by 3:00 p.m. on Friday before the meeting.
Call 864-467-4431 or email cpitman@greenvillesc.gov by 12 p.m. on the day of the meeting with your contact info and which agenda item you would like to speak about.
Show up to the meeting and wait to be called upon — you’ll have three minutes to speak.

Minutes will be posted after the meeting, or you can watch recordings of previous meetings on the City’s YouTube channel.

Click the button below for a breakdown of City Council’s powers and the City Manager’s responsibilities.

GVL GOVERNMENT 101

QUIZ

Which of the following is one of Greenville City Council’s priorities?

A. Neighborhoods and affordable housing
B. Economic development
C. Recreation, open space, and environmental sustainability
D. Public safety and engagement
E. Mobility
F. All of the above

See the answer in the Wrap.

EVENTS

Click here to have your event featured.

Thursday, March 16

Business After Hours | Thursday, Mar. 16 | 5:30-7:30 p.m. | Smokestack at Events at Judson Mill, 701 Easley Bridge Rd., Greenville | $10-$20 | Network with local investor businesses in a relaxed, social atmosphere.
Five Forks Flicks | Thursday, Mar. 16 | 6-8:30 p.m. | Five Forks Branch, 104 Sunnydale Dr., Simpsonville | Free | Watch “Where the Crawdads Sing” while enjoying complimentary refreshments.
Acoustic Thursdaze | Thursday, Mar. 16 | 7-9 p.m. | Warehouse at Vaughn’s, 109 W. Trade St., Simpsonville | Free entry | Snag a spot in front of The Backyard Stage to see live music every Thursday and enjoy food specials.

Friday, March 17

St. Patrick’s Day Party | Friday, Mar. 17 | 11 a.m.-11:59 p.m. | Southernside Brewing Co., 25 Delano Dr., Greenville | Free entry | Sip on drink specials while you listen to live music — 21+ after 8:30 p.m.
Glow Golf | Friday, Mar. 17-Saturday, Mar. 18 | 5:30-9:30 p.m. | Takeoff Mini Golf, 28 Airport Rd. Ext., Greenville | $0-$15 | Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with a round of miniature golf, plus giveaways on the prize wheel.

Saturday, March 18

Craft Pop-Up | Saturday, Mar. 18 | 9 a.m.-1 p.m. | Greenville State Farmers Market, 1354 Rutherford Rd., Greenville | Free entry | Shop a variety of handmade crafts, home and garden decor, baked goods, plants, and produce.
St. Patrick’s Day Weekend | Saturday, Mar. 18 | 1 p.m. | The People’s Tap, 250 Riverplace, Ste. B, Greenville | Free entry | Sip on a glittery green beer and snack on Scout’s Doughnuts.

We have a calendar filled with events and activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

100+ MORE EVENTS

COMING SOON

It’s go play time

McMillan Pazdan Smith designed the play structures. | Post by @kidaroundsc

A couple of local dads wanted to create a fun, safe, and affordable indoor play area for kids and parents to both enjoy, and after studying the best play areas in the world, they’re bringing a new concept to Greenville.

Enter: The Play Cafe at Judson Mill opening this fall.

The 14,500-sqft space features multiple quiet structures for the kids (read: no arcade games, noisemakers, or inflatables) and comfortable tables and chairs for the parents caretakers.

Designed for children 12 and under, the netted play areas will rise up to three stories and feature slides, climbing structures, tunnels, ladders, and other surprises.

See more renderings and designs in Kidding Around Greenville’s full preview by clicking below.

SLIDE IN

NEWS NOTES

Weather

68º | Partly cloudy | 0% chance of rain

Civic

Greenville County Council may raise property taxes for the first time in 28 years. As demand for county services increases along with operating costs, the County Administrator is advocating for more money to continue offering the level of services residents expect. (The Post and Courier Greenville)
Bon Secours St. Francis Downtown Hospital is now in the city limits after City Council annexed its property. The hospital will have lower property taxes, reduced water rates, and receive city services. 🏥

Watch

Time for the Big Dance. The No. 13 seed Furman Paladins tip off against the No. 4 seed Virginia Cavaliers today, Thursday, March 16, at 12:40 p.m. Tune in to truTV or stream on March Madness Live. A win would be the Dins’ second NCAA tournament win in history (it won its first in 1974). 🏀

Development

A 100,000-sqft design center for the luxury residential market will open in early 2025. The Greenville Design Center at Plush Mills (141 Traction St.) by M. Peters Group will feature product showrooms, interior design and architectural studios, offices for contractors, and coworking space, along with on-site parking and a restaurant. (Upstate Business Journal)

Ranked

No. 3. That’s where Greenville ranked on Good Housekeeping’s list “10 Best Spring Break Destinations for Families.” From our parks to our walkable downtown, the publication promises “a low-key getaway with a variety of things to do for all ages.”

Kids

Go wild this summer at the Greenville Zoo. Registration is now open for Zoo Camp, featuring games, experiments, animal encounters, and behind-the-scenes adventures. 🦁

DYK

Did you know our online store Six & Main features Sourhouse, a company that creates simple tools for sourdough bakers to care for their starters? The Goldie by Sourhouse + Cooling Puck is one of the most popular items. Let’s start baking. 🍞

Family

The YMCA of Greenville’s Spring Sports registration is now open. Each of the Y’s four family branches specializes in a variety of youth sports, including flag football, volleyball, t-ball and cross country. Register here. 🏐 *

Travel

Surrounded by Blue Ridge Mountain views (and a ~1.5-hour drive away) the The Omni Grove Park Inn boasts a stunning spa, gourmet dining, an indoor pool + a golf course. Bonus: The resort lets you choose your own adventure from exciting outdoor experiences to an easy-going staycation. Scope out special spring rates between April 5-11.*

Finance

Refinance rates are skyrocketing. But home equity rates remain relatively low — which means that now is a great time to borrow against your home. Calculate your payment.*

Tech

Looking for a new laptop that checks all the boxes without breaking the bank? Enter: the Acer Chromebook 311. This lightweight laptop is decked out with all the essential Google apps — like Google Chrome and Google Calendar — it’s quiet, and it has up to 10 hours of battery life.*

Content marked with an * is brought to you by our advertising partners and helps make this newsletter free.

DYK

A-peach-iate the cold 🍑

Peach trees in bloom at the Musser Fruit Research Center. | Photo by Clemson University

Our longtime subscribers know SC is “The Tastier Peach State,” but did you know this winter’s unseasonably warm temperatures could affect our peach crop?

Experts at Clemson University say in order for peach trees to blossom, they need the cold.

Peaches require a certain number of chill hours (read: below 45 degrees) to grow. How long a peach needs to chill depends on the variety.

We can relate: Chill time helps us blossom, too.

Click the button below for more peachy analysis from the experts at Clemson.

IT'S JUICY

THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Danielle.

Answer: F. All of the above. Greenville City Council adopted these priorities for 2022 and renewed them in the fiscal year 2023 budget.

Editor’s pick: I am so excited for the return of outdoor concerts tonight. It’s how we know spring is just around the corner, which means I’m counting down to Artisphere and the return of Upstate farmers markets. Let me know your favorite seasonal event.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Bookmark our guide to Greenville’s parks.

Connect with us.

Editorial: Kyle Steadings, Danielle Johnson, Erin McPherson, Emily Shea, Jessalin Heins-Nagamoto, Dayten Rose, Sarah Leonhardt, Katie Smith | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

Sales: Anne Hazard | Advertise with us.

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P.O. Box 2505, Greenville, SC 29602