SUMTER, S.C. — After 20 years in office, Sumter's Mayor Joe McElveen will not seek reelection in 2020.
Instead, he plans to retire when his term ends in November.
McElveen is a native of Sumter and has been the city's longest serving mayor.
Since 2000, he has led a number of initiatives to push the city forward including efforts to improve many city parks and the downtown area.
In a statement to News 19, the city lists the following as some of McElveen's accomplishments during his tenure:
- Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification in new construction and renovations to public buildings, promoting sustainability in construction and operations;
- Construction of three HOPE (Harvest Opportunity and Promoting Empowerment) Centers in federally-designated “empowerment zones,” bringing community programs and opportunities to these areas;
- The rebirth of Sumter’s historic downtown and the Sumter Opera House as a center for entertainment;
- Expanded sports and recreational opportunities, with the City of Sumter Aquatics Center and Palmetto Tennis Center becoming widely known and respected competition venues. The award-winning Palmetto Tennis Center hosts several major tournaments and generates millions of dollars per year in tourism revenue;
- Improvements to many city parks, including a revitalized Memorial Park, a completely rebuilt and upgraded Palmetto Park, and construction of North HOPE, Birnie, and Crosswell parks. The city’s flagship park, Swan Lake Iris Gardens, has been continuously improved and boasts many added features, including important sculptures throughout with the latest, Grainger McKoy’s Seven Swans, scheduled for unveiling in February 2020;
- Sumter has experienced a 22.5% decrease in vacant properties and the PRIDE program has partnered with 564 property owners to clean up blighted properties;
- Upgrades to public safety systems, including a new Public Safety Complex and 911 system, and receipt of a Class 1 ISO rating by the Sumter Fire Department;
- Sumter’s recognition as a Top 20 finalist in the 2019 All-America City competition hosted by the National Civic League, and more than 65 additional local, state and national awards;
Prior to being elected as mayor, McElveen spent 10 years in the South Carolina House of Representatives where he chaired a variety of committees and served a term as majority leader.
His decades of experience made him like a mentor to some city council members like Steve Corley and Calvin Hastie who spoke to News19 about his retirement.
"I just appreciate him as a human being. I mean, he's one of these men that once you get to know and listen to...it's nice to be around him," Corley said. "What he says, very appropriate and does come through as a man that cares about Sumter."
"I just thought he has been an excellent mayor. I've been on the council for 10 years and he has been always just politicking and always trying to do what's best for the city of Sumter and I really appreciate him for that," Hastie said. "He helps us who represent our different areas; he helps us in so many ways."
McElveen said in a statement that serving the Sumter community has been one of his "most rewarding experiences."
He added that he is still mayor for the next nine months with plans to get a lot of work done and will touch more on retirement when it is closer to that time.