Whose voices will be heard in this election? Below are more letters received from Aiken City residents hoping their voices — their votes — will be the ones heard in tomorrow’s mayoral runoff.

Updated 8/21/23 at 11:42 a.m. to add a fourth letter.

Jack Wetzel: Why I am Voting for Teddy Milner on August 22

It is no surprise that Aiken’s Association of Realtors endorsed Mayor Rick Osbon for re-election. Under his leadership, Aiken has seen flurries of developments approved, choking major roads and streets cutting across our burgeoning city. Realtors can hardly be expected to vote against the hand that feeds them their commissions.

The city infrastructure is increasingly unable to handle the growing lines of vehicles that accompany new housing construction, but Rick Osbon’s leadership has not resulted in solutions to the predictable traffic congestion. The Powderhouse feeder has slipped schedule and exploded in cost. The agonizing traffic disruption at the intersection of Silver Bluff Road and 118 bypass is another example.

At one point, work ceased there because of yet another contract given out by the Osbon administration to a company that did not deliver what their contract called for (shades of the trees destroyed along Williamsburg Street and behind the farmers market.) The Dougherty Road and Parker’s Kitchens are also examples of Osbon administration poor leadership.

It is not surprising that clusters of local, state and national politicians endorse Osbon’s re-election. Birds of a feather flock together.

For decades, Aiken has taken pride in and enjoyed its heritage of Winter Colony homes mixed with quaint cottages, a charming downtown ambiance, and a Southern lifestyle of quality along streets cut by wide green parkways.

Mayor Osbon has approved plan after plan that would change all that and convert our downtown into a metropolis of slick new buildings and organizations with no interest in what the taxpayers and residents want. Planning meetings discouraged public input. As an example, the Pascalis project would have demolished charming downtown historic structures and replace them with a large apartment building requiring an equally large parking facility and alteration of Newberry street where many of Aiken’s unique events are attended by thousands of residents and visitors to the city. That failed plan left the city with a debt exceeding $9 million.

Osbon also endorsed building a Savannah River National Laboratory downtown, again replacing old historic structures which add to the area’s leisurely ambiance. It would also result in traffic congestion nightmares. He has been a strong proponent of additional programs at the Savannah River Site which provides a portion of jobs in the city, but also places everyone in and around Aiken with health and safety risks.

In recent years, SRS cleanup of deadly radioactive waste, housed and leaking since the 1950s, was a Department of Energy priority. Incomplete, the cleanup priority moved aside for a dangerous program making Aiken a major target for any nuclear attack on the U.S. (pit production, or triggers for nuclear warheads). Aiken could be incinerated beyond the speed of Hiroshima. Mayor Osbon has not objected.

Teddy Milner opposes all that and supports growth stemming from public input and concerns; a community where progress and people are compatible. I am voting for Teddy Milner on Aug. 22.

Jack Wetzel
Aiken

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Bill Reichardt: Aiken Evolving Toward “Anytown, USA”

Do you see Aiken as a special place and want to halt its headlong march toward mediocrity? If so, please vote for Teddy Milner. 

Ms. Milner sees Aiken as a community where the distinctive qualities of the City merit respect. She appears to believe that all of the City’s neighborhoods have standing and deserve recognition and not just the immediate downtown area. She favors a moratorium on selected developments so that the City can take a long-overdue reassessment of its future as a place for all of Aiken’s constituents – in contrast to indiscriminate, nonstop, commercial sprawl. 

Mr. Osbon, an obvious favorite of Aiken’s realtors, appears to favor virtually unchecked commercial growth, with Aiken’s character and future shaped largely by developers – rather than by the community.

In recent years, Aiken has been evolving toward “Anytown, USA”. During the April 24, 2023, City Council meeting Mayor Osbon said, in essence, that the City does not determine which developments take place and where; it is up to developers. At the first Republican mayoral candidates forum in July, Mayor Osbon rejected any notion that there should be a moratorium on development at the south end of Aiken – a truly reckless stance.

Given the dangerous Whiskey/Powderhouse/Stratford intersection (including numerous Whiskey Road problems cited by City staff twenty years ago), Mr. Osbon’s view of Aiken’s future is worrisome at the very least.

Certainly, Aiken must grow. It’s a matter of how.

Bill Reichardt
Aiken, SC

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Jean Greenwald: It’s Time for New Leadership in Aiken

I voted for Teddy Milner because Aiken officials have gone off the rails — rails that they just earmarked $900K for, instead of spending that money on something more essential like, for instance, clean tap-water for city residents.  The train-wreck of failed Project Pascalis has cost taxpayers millions. There has been no accountability for killing public trust and no accountability for killing the Farmers Market trees. 

My first city council meeting under the leadership of Mayor Osbon was when, despite three neighborhoods of opposition, they approved a car wash in my backyard. They did not give notice to the public in accordance with their own rules, nor did they acknowledge the conditions that the parcel was zoned with, which included no car washes. Until recently it appears this council had become quite accustomed to running roughshod over their citizenry. I have attended many meetings since they saddled us with Lulu’s Car Wash, and I have seen other citizens cry out for things as simple as clean water, or for the police to show up when called, which appears to have fallen on deaf ears.

The current push to expand the city limits is really just a nice name for costly and often ugly sprawl, yet it appears the Mayor has not been successful in taking care of the city’s current backyard. He was successful at becoming the government landlord of his only downtown competitor’s business which is poor form at best.

It’s time for new leadership in Aiken.

Jean Greenwald
Aiken, SC

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Lee S. Thornton: Towards a better city for all with renewed energy and collaboration

On the eve of tomorrow’s Mayoral election for the city of Aiken, I find I am increasingly feeling the need to make a plea to those able to vote that they realize the importance of their vote.

Hanging in the balance, teetering precariously, is a city under siege from within. While I am not sure exactly when this began I know that it is time for a new mayor, and thankfully Teddy Milner is up to the task and has the support of a great many of us who believe the incumbent is no longer working on behalf of the citizens to be a worthy custodian and steward of all of Aiken. 

These concerned people include small business owners whose livelihoods depend on the city not allowing nearly an entire city block to become a lab/office for a government agency that could build elsewhere in town. Citizens, as well as tourists, who visit Aiken to experience the unique shops and restaurants, and who appreciate the overarching entrepreneurial spirit will be met with a town forever lost if the current mayor continues to be at the helm. His administration’s $9 million investment, which intended to demolish half a block of downtown buildings, now lies virtually idle, with surrounding rents continuing to become inflated, driving out more of what makes Aiken unique and possessive of the “best small southern downtown” distinction. 

The drive to partner with SRNL and give the green light to an office/lab would move forward despite much objection. Gone would be the ambiance of a tree-lined, cared-for cityscape with a parkway and free on-street parking (rather than building a huge, unneeded parking garage). The cascade of dominoes would have the city folk wondering what happened. Joni Mitchell’s words would ring true, and it would then be too late. 

This is what just happened at the Farmer’s Market. Plans were made behind closed doors to pave over and destroy all but a few trees. Barely any shade remains because nobody was given notice, and opposition could only happen after the fact, when it was too late. The city and current mayor lied by saying the contractor got the wrong set of plans, when there was only ever one set! 

The current mayor is approving sewer extension to the outskirts north of Aiken and past Wire Rd to appease developers, when inside of Aiken proper the water is brown and reportedly making residents sick. The bridges remain in disrepair, and the hotel Aiken remains vacant and crumbling. 

The list goes on, but thankfully Teddy Milner, a small business owner who has raised her family and helped to cultivate community with her restaurant on Hayne Avenue has stepped up to the plate to help at this critical time. If elected mayor she will open the doors again for dialogue, discussion, inclusion and renewed revitalization of Aiken to move into the next stage of her growth while maintaining the qualities that drew many of us to make it our hometown. 

Tomorrow we have the opportunity to make the change and I stand strongly in favor of Teddy to help us turn the tide towards a better city for all with renewed energy and collaboration.

Respectfully submitted,
Lee S Thornton
Aiken, SC 

According to this week’s Wednesday news, the incumbent in Aiken’s mayoral race boasts endorsements from politicians, including four of his fellows on City Council. His challenger, Teddy Milner, enjoys the support of everyday people, including some of the hard-working Aiken residents who have spend the past 18 months pushing back against destructive overdevelopment, money squandering, and a City leadership that has grown tone-deaf to hearing the concerns brought to them by the public. Whose voices will be heard this Election Day? Below are a few letters from local people hoping their voices — their votes — might be the ones heard this Election Day.:

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Vote for Teddy Milner

Folks, it seems really clear to us what this election for Aiken Mayor is about: overdevelopment for greed and cronyism, versus the understanding and support of Aiken‘s special qualities of ethical and community-based governance in the interest of the common good. The current group of Aiken leaders has sold their souls for personal gain at our expense. Vote for Teddy, knowing she gets Aiken‘s worth in history, horses, and a haven for artists, musicians, and small businesses. We have known her for decades, and she is honest, forthright, and loves Aiken. We need a real change, and she can do it!

Connie and Jesse Young
Aiken, SC

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To Preserve “The Best Small Town in the South” Before it’s Too Late

Over the course of the last year, I have attended many city council meetings to save Aiken — the Aiken that I fell in love with, which includes her historic charm, her small-town vibe, and, of course, the love and celebration of all things equine. We still have horses on our city street signs and lamp posts. Horses are what draw visitors to Aiken, who often become part-time residents, then full-time residents.

The “bomb plant” might pay the mortgage (and the farrier bill) for some residents, but it’s not in the City, nor is it the heart and soul of what makes Aiken so special. Sadly our current officials appear to be blind to this as they push for a bomb plant lab on our beloved Newberry Street and at a huge cost to taxpayers. It should go without saying, but it’s the small, unique shops and restaurants downtown that everyone enjoys. “I want to go downtown to see the bomb plant lab,” said nobody, ever.

Who have I and other concerned citizens been fighting for the very soul of Aiken? Homegrown officials who seem unable to see the soul of Aiken as many of us on the other side of the City Council dias see her. Officials who seem to ignore South Carolina ethics rules, open meeting rules, and who often can’t even muster up enough political savvy to feign being respectful to citizens during public comment.

Under the leadership of Mayor Osbon, City of Aiken officials gave away part of Newberry Street to the City attorney’s law partner for now-failed Project Pascalis. Luckily, citizens clawed the street back. Officials have ignored the pleas of downtown residents for clean water — opting to leave the issue of brown tap-water unaddressed, while squandering the plutonium money windfall on things like paying for the failed Project Pascalis properties.

These same officials have shoved under the rug who was responsible for the “mistake” of the parkway tree murders at the Farmers Market. To date, not a single one of our Tree City “team members” has been held accountable.

In the last year, instead of spending my time enjoying Aiken — which is how I’d prefer to spend my time — I filed a lawsuit to appeal their Newberry Street decision. I have filed an ethics complaint with the South Carolina Commission on Ethics. I have written articles for the Aiken Chronicles and spoken at more meetings than I can count.

If you don’t read the Chronicles or read the meeting minutes of City Council, Aiken Corp, and AMDC meetings, you should.. That would tell you who NOT to vote for.

My decision on the best candidate in this race is a no-brainer, I support Teddy Milner for Mayor. Ms. Milner is a true stakeholder in our downtown, as she owns a small business, and has pledged to listen to all citizens before casting her vote on issues.

Aiken, as we know herm is under siege. Proposals to build “structured parking solutions” continue to get top priority, while the city-owned historic hotel continues to rot. No proposals on how to resolve the City’s brown-water issues have made the agenda to my knowledge. The executive sessions (secret meetings) will continue until the leadership is changed.

This election is an opportunity to preserve what others have rightfully crowned “The Best Small Town in the South” before it’s too late.

Kelly Cornelius

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What a Huge Difference Teddy Milner Would Make

As the election is upon us, I hope everyone sees what a huge difference Teddy Milner would make. She loves Aiken & wants to see many things, like the Aiken Hotel, stay the same. Teddy loves our trees and is opposed to cutting them down. She sees new projects arise that are not suitable for the area, mainly due to the ordinances. She acknowledges the homeless issues, which she will work on. She speaks to citizens with their concerns and sees areas that need to be addressed. I see a lot of reasons why Teddy Milner should be our Mayor. Vote for Teddy Milner!

Mary Camlet-Agresta
Aiken, SC

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Wrong Way Rick

I am an Aiken native and have been a resident for most of the past 65 years, so I can claim a fairly grounded perspective on where we’ve been as a city — and where we’re going.

Where we’re going, at present, is a direction humorously portrayed in the 1987 movie, “Planes, Trains and Automobiles.” Some of us who have been vocal in trying to get City leadership to change course over the past 18 months can no doubt relate to this clip from the memorable “You’re going the wrong way!” scene.

How many hours have I, myself, spent over the past 18 months researching and following the stories, attending the meetings, drafting statements for City Council, and pushing back against one wrong-way plan after another? Multiply my hours times countless more hours spent by others — each one of us playing a part in rejecting the secrecy and the mendacity and demanding an end to the destruction and the wasteful money-squandering by the current City administration.

We’re the ones who helped bring down the ill-conceived $100 million-plus Project Pascalis endeavor-turned-boondoggle. It was everyday people who spent hours upon hours, for weeks and months on end, carrying the petitions, planting the signs, writing the letters and articles, attending the meetings, and waging the lawsuits to put a stop to the illegitimate processes that created this costly boondoggle. 

We’re the ones who mourned the reckless, “accidental” destruction of a parkway full of trees at the Farmer Market this June. We’re the ones who have been pushing back against the disregard and destruction of small businesses in the downtown. We’re the ones pushing back against the incessant drive for yet more overdevelopment and sprawl on the southside. We’re the ones complaining over the raw sewage from the City’s chronically leaking, long-neglected infrastructure, and asking, “Why are you building new lines out to I-20 and beyond to draw residents into the system, when you won’t even take care of the lines for Aiken’s existing residents?” 

We’re the ones raising our glasses of brown tap-water to our tone-deaf City Council and saying, “Really?” 

We’re the ones who have spent the past 18 months riding along side our mayor and City Council as they barreled the wrong way down the road, pleading for them to simply follow the rules of the road, calling out to them, “You’re going the wrong way!”

Who are we to deign be so critical of City officials?

We’re the people who were born here. We’re the people who visited Aiken and loved it so much, we decided to stay and make it our home. We’re the people who work here, sleep here, shop here, play here, go to school here. We’re the people who open small businesses. We’re the people who pay the taxes. We’re your neighbors and friends. We’re the people who attend City Council meetings to make our concerns and needs — and your concerns and needs — known to our elected officials.

What we’ve received in answer to our concerns over the past 18 months has not been shared concern by local leadership, nor openness or accountability, or any of the other things that get promised during campaign season. We seen no end to the secrecy and the rule by fiat. What we’ve received, instead, are the suggestions we’re the sort of people who are opposed to everything, that we’re engaging in “unfounded negativity,” and simply have nothing nice to say.

My hope this election day is that the ballot boxes across town will be filled, not with official endorsements for more of the same, but with endorsements for Teddy Milner — a candidate who entered this contest at the specific behest of the people who live here, so that we may have leadership willing to work together with us to correct the wrong course the current leadership has set for us.

Laura Lance
Aiken, SC