May 2026 Newsletter

Upcoming Neighborhood Meeting on Wednesday, May 20th.

Mark you calendars - the next Haynie-Sirrine Neighborhood Association meeting is Wednesday, May 20th at the NEXT Innovation Center. The meeting will last 90 minutes - from 6:00 to 7:30 pm to allow time for our special guest speakers.

Greenville County Council District 23 Candidates

We are pleased to announce that the three Democratic candidates for Greenville County Council District 23, Angela Aiken, Alan Mitchell, and David Mitchell, will attend our May 20th Neighborhood Association meeting. There are no Republican candidates for District 23. The Democratic primary election for District 23 is June 9th. At the May 20th meeting, each of the three candidates will have 20 minutes to speak about their campaign priorities and answer questions. Nearly all of the Haynie-Sirrine neighborhood is represented in County Council District 23.

Greenville County Council is comprised of 12 District representatives, with each District representative serving a four-year term. The County Council terms are staggered. In this election year, the District 23 race is one of five County Council seats being contested. Greenville County is facing many issues - managing rapid population growth and development, significant infrastructure challenges, public safety concerns, land management and zoning, and competing resource demands. Many of these issues directly or indirectly impact our neighborhood. Consequently, this is a very important election cycle.

Primary Elections Matter

Primary elections are how political parties choose the candidates who will be on the ballot in the November general elections. This year in South Carolina, primary elections will be conducted on June 9th, including those for Greenville County Council. Some of these primary races will determine the winner in the November general election because there are no opposition party candidates who have filed to run for the public office. For these races, the June 9th primary is, for practical purposes, the election.

This is the case in the County Council District 23 race. The three Democratic candidates will compete in the Democratic primary election on June 9th. Since there are no Republican candidates who have filed for the District 23 election, the winner of the June 9th primary will be unopposed in the general election on November 3rd. In short, the County Council Representative for District 23 will be determined in the June 9th primary, with the elected candidate beginning a new four-year term in January 2027.

It is important to note that in South Carolina voters do not register to vote by party affiliation. Primary elections are considered to be open elections, meaning that voters are free to vote in either the Democratic or Republican primary elections.

The Candidates

The Haynie-Sirrine Neighborhood Association, as well as the NEXT Innovation Center, does not endorse or support any candidates for elected office. We have invited Angela, Alan and David to our May 20th meeting to provide a forum for the neighborhood to meet the three candidates ahead of the June 9th primary election. We hope to see you at the meeting. Below is more information about the three candidates:

Angela Aiken - Angela was born in Greenville and raised in the New Washington Heights community, and has served the Washington Heights neighborhood for decades as a long-serving member of the New Washington Heights Neighborhood Association, and as administor for the Happy Hearts Community Center. She is a healthcare professional specializing in home health, and has spent her career caring for people at their most vulnerable. Her campaign website can be accessed at angelaaiken.com.

Alan Mitchell - Alan is the current County Council District 23 incumbent. He is a long-time resident of Greenville and resides in the Nicholtown neighborhood. He was elected in November 2022 to represent Greenville County Council District 23. Prior to being elected to County Council, Alan served as President of the Nicholtown Neighborhood Association. He also worked for several years at the Greenville Health System (now PRISMA Health) as a construction/purchasing agent.

David Mitchell - David is a lifelong resident of Greenville and resides in the Overbrook neighborhood, and was past president of the Overbrook Neighborhood Association. He is president of Talent Management Solutions, a full-service professional placement and staffing firm. David currently serves on the board of the Greenville Transit Authority. He is also the former chair of the Greenville Housing Authority Board of Commissioners. His campaign website can be accessed at vote4davidcmitchell.com.

You can also listen to a Simple Civics interview with the three District 23 candidates that was posted on April 28th at simplecivicsgreenvillecounty.org

County Square Redevelopment Project Update

Also at the May 20th meeting, the Haynie-Sirrine Neighborhood Association will provide a brief update on the County Square Redevelopment Project based on recent information from RocaPoint Partners, the lead development firm for the project.

Additional Information Item

City Council Begins Review of the Fiscal Year 2026/27 Budget - Greenville City Council has conducted two workshops to review the city's proposed budget for fiscal year 2026/27, which begins July 1st. The proposed budget has no tax increases or changes to business license rates. The FY26/27 general fund revenue budget - the city's core operating fund - is projected to be approximately $161 million. The budget also includes nearly $29 million for the capital improvement program to support City Council's five priorities: recreation, open space, and resilience; neighborhoods and affordable housing; mobility and transportation; economic development; and public safety. A public hearing and first reading of the proposed 2026/27 budget will be May 11th, with a second reading scheduled for May 18th. The FY26/27 budget workshop presentation can be accessed at the city's website at greenvillesc.gov