New Darlington Mayor transition team meets for first time
Darlington’s Mayor-elect Gloria Hines’ transition team met for the first time at the Darlington Country Club on Wednesday, December 9.
Hines created the team made up of diverse individuals to help her transition into the new Mayor’s position, which she will take in January 2016.
Darlington has not had a new Mayor in 12 years, and Hines is the first African American female to ever hold the seat.
“I’ve got a well diverse group, and I want them to tell me how they want Darlington to go,” Hines said. “I’m ready for Darlington to grow- and I know you are, too.”
Team members in attendance at the meeting included Rev. Dr. Cecil Bromell, Rev. Coleman Cannon, John Isgett, Will Isgett, James Jackson, Jannie Lathan, Denny Neilson, Willie Pearson, Elaine Reed, Charlie Weatherford, Chip Wile and Hines’ campaign manager, Donald Gilliard.
Latham explained to the team that the primary objective of the was to pull key leaders from the community together with diverse backgrounds, diverse levels of expertise, and those with a vested interest in making sure Darlington continues to grow and prosper.
The team met with key department heads this past Monday and Tuesday, and gave them a chance to discuss: a brief overview of the their roles and responsibilities; their current budget; year-to date performance to their budget; their strengths and major accomplishments; their areas for improvement; and 2016 budget projections, goals and objectives.
The team will then take their notes back to Hines in mid January, so she can walk away with 3-5 key focus areas that she can take and share with council and department heads with hopes of creating some synergy and focus at the beginning of her term.
The term for the team would be 30 days according to Gilliard; however, the team may be asked to get together three times in 2016.
“I want to be the kind of Mayor that wants Darlington to bond together,” Hines said. “Not only rally when we have bad times, but all the time.”
