1/10/08
Three-Peat?
Stewart announces re-election bid for council chair
By Cathy Gilbert

Dwight Stewart announced last week that he would seek a third term as County Council Chairman for Clarendon County. Stewart is currently serving his second term as chairman.

“We have seen much progress in Clarendon County over the past seven years,” Stewart said, “The next several years will be an exciting time to live in our area. We have a blend of things that bring people to Clarendon County, and we are one of the few rural counties who increased in population over the last several years. Lake Marion is a tremendous asset for us, not only for tourism but also for many folks who have grown up in Clarendon County.”

Stewart said among his goals is the continued promotion of Clarendon County as an attractive prospect for new and expanding business enterprises.

“Our Development Board is working hard to bring in industry and businesses that are compatible with our lifestyle,” he said. “Clarendon ranks near the top in agricultural and forest products. Our challenge for the next decade will be to find the balance for our county between increased growth and quality of life.”

Stewart said that one of the County Council’s long term goals was to make sewer and water available throughout the county as soon as is feasible.

“Thanks to the cooperation among Summerton, Manning, Turbeville, Paxville and both Sumter City and County, we’re beginning to see this goal go from planning to implementation,” he said. “In rural counties with limited resources, cooperation is a key to maximizing the assets that are available. The Council has worked hard along with the other elected officials to provide the citizens with an efficient county government. We are working with Lee and Sumter Counties to develop a joint industrial site near Turbeville. Our staff and employees are good stewards of the citizens’ tax dollars, and we are fiscally sound. As a small business owner, I understand the need to provide service to clients. The role of government is to provide the best services possible to our citizens.”

Stewart is a native of Florence and has lived in Summerton since 1973. He is a 1970 graduate of Clemson University with a bachelor’s degree in forestry. He is married to the former Sherry Martin and they have three married children and two grand children. In 1985, he founded Dwight L. Stewart, Jr. and Associates, LLC, a consulting forestry firm, located in Manning.

Stewart served on the town council of the Town of Summerton for 20 years. He currently represents Clarendon County on the Lake Marion Regional Water Agency and the Central South Carolina Alliance, where he is vice-chair. He is also member of the Santee Lynches Council of Governments and serves as the chair of the infrastructure committee and the Environmental Planning Advisory committee. He also serves on the advisory board for the Natural Resources Curriculum at Central Carolina Technical College. He also represents Clarendon County at the Association of Counties.

Stewart is an elder in the Summerton Presbyterian Church and serves on the Property Committee of the New Harmony Presbytery. He is a charter member of the Summerton Rotary and is on the board of directors. He is a member of the Clarendon County Chamber of Commerce, the Society of American Foresters and the Association of Consulting Foresters. He is the immediate past chair of the South Carolina Forestry Association. He is a licensed real estate broker, registered forester and state certified general real estate appraiser in South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia.

Stewart will run for re-election in the June 10 Democratic primary. At present, no other candidate has come forward to offer his or her name in contest. Filing for the seat opens at noon on March 17 and closes at noon on March 31.