Chairman
Steve MacDougall, Mayor of Lexington
Steve MacDougall has represented the Town of Lexington on the Commission since he was appointed by Town Council, in December of 2013. He was elected Chairman in January 2018. Mr. MacDougall was elected the Mayor of Lexington in November of 2013. Prior to being elected Mayor, Steve served on Town Council for two years. Mr. MacDougall is a long-time resident of the Town of Lexington, growing up on the shores of Lake Murray. He is married to his wife of seventeen years (Jamie) and has three daughters. Steve is a graduate of Lexington High School as well as the University of South Carolina with a BA in Interdisciplinary Studies. Before graduating from college, Mr. MacDougall was employed by the South Carolina Senate Sergeant at Arms office where he was the Agent in Charge of Security.
Mr. MacDougall is currently the Vice Chairman of the Central Midlands Council of Governments and is a member of the Planning and Development Advisory, Transportation and Executive committees. He serves on the board of directors for the Municipal Association of SC and is President of its affiliate organization, the SC Association of Mayors and is President of the Saxe Gotha-Lexington Public Facilities Corporation. Additionally, he has been named to Columbia Business Monthly 50 Most Influential People.
Town of Lexington Website
Vice-Chairman
Joseph T. Hardee, Gilbert-Summit Rural Water District
Joseph Hardee has represented Gilbert-Summit Rural Water District on the Commission since September 2015. He has served on the Gilbert-Summit Rural Water District since 1999. Mr. Hardee was elected Chairman of the Gilbert- Summit Rural Water District in August 2015.
Mr. Hardee graduated from Lexington High School and attended the University of South Carolina. Currently, he is employed with Pascon in Lexington. He has been married to his wife Devona for nineteen years and they have five children. Additionally, Mr. and Mrs. Hardee are owners of Joey’s Sandwich Shop in Gilbert which opened in 1985.
Gilbert-Summit Rural Water District Website
Troy Bivens, Mayor of Gaston
Troy Bivens has represented the Town of Gaston on the Commission since March 2008. He has served as Mayor of Gaston since January 2009. Prior to serving as Mayor, Mr. Bivens served on Gaston Town Council since 2003.
Mr. Bivens was born in Prosperity, South Carolina. He graduated from Airport High School and attended Greenville Technical College majoring in engineering. After working for Michelin for 12 years as a system tech, he joined the staff of Prysmian Cable in Lexington. Additionally, Mr. Bivens is a member of First Baptist Church of Gaston and a member of Gaston Lodge 382.
Town of Gaston Website
Bobby Keisler, Lexington County Council
Bobby Keisler has represented Lexington County Council on the Commission since February 2006. He has been a member of Lexington County Council serving District #5 since 2003.
Mr. Keisler is native of Gilbert, South Carolina and has been a resident of Red Bank since 1965. He has been a small business owner for over thirty years. He has served on numerous boards including the Red Bank United Methodist Church Trustees where he served as Vice-Chairman and Chairman of the Cemetery Committee. Additionally, Mr. Keisler served Lexington County as a reserve police officer and state constable for four years.
Lexington County Website
Viola "Frances" McDaniel, Mayor of Swansea
Mayor Viola McDaniel has represented the town of Swansea on the commission since January of 2022. She has served as the Mayor of Swansea since November 2021. Educated in the public school system Swansea attending Monroe Pinckney Elementary and Monroe Pinckney High until 1968 and graduated in 1970 from Swansea High. She is also a graduate of Midlands Technical college.
She worked for the State of South Carolina at DHEC for 32 years until her retirement in 2013.
In 1999 she helped organized the nonprofit organization Swansea Community Improvement Organization. She has served as president since 2016.
She was one of the first from Swansea to take part in and graduate from Leadership Lexington County in 1995 and was a First Step board member for the Swansea area under Governor Jim Hodges in 1999.
Mayor McDaniel is the mother of three and a grandmother of 7 granddaughters.
She is the second female Mayor of Swansea.
Town of Swansea Website
Temus "Tem" Miles, Jr., City of West Columbia
Temus “Tem” Miles, Jr. has represented the City of West Columbia on the Commission since April 2017. He has served on the City of West Columbia Council since 2013.
Tem is a native of Lake City, South Carolina and a graduate of The Citadel and Thomas M. Cooley School of Law. He is an attorney with the McKay Firm. Tem worked as Legislative Counsel to the South Carolina Office of Senate Research. He was also a Law Clerk to the Honorable Paul E. Short at the South Carolina Court of Appeals.
Tem and his wife Cassie, along with their three daughters, Emma, Cate and Charlotte reside in West Columbia.
City of West Columbia Website
Elise Partin, Mayor of Cayce
Elise Partin, a native South Carolinian, became the first female Mayor of Cayce in 2008. She has been a resident of the City of Cayce for nearly fifteen years. Currently she is an adjunct instructor in the Norman J. Arnold School of Public Health at the University of South Carolina. After earning her Bachelor's and Master's degrees from Carolina, she went on to work at the university in different capacities since 1994. Throughout this time Ms. Partin has published numerous articles and frequently presented at conferences concerning her area of specialty in health and wellness. As a recognized and award-winning leader, she has served in various local organizations including the Chamber of Commerce's Leadership Columbia program, the Columbia Museum of Art, the March of Dimes, and at USC. Elise and her husband Gene Partin have two children and are active members at Trenholm Road United Methodist Church.
City of Cayce Website
Bobby Porter, Town of South Congaree
Bobby L. Porter has represented the Town of South Congaree on the Commission since November 2020. He has served on South Congaree Town Council since 2017.
Mr. Porter is a cum laude graduate of Campbell University and has an MBA from East Carolina University. He has been owner of Premier One Construction for 15 years and owner of Porter- Bell Development for 10 years. Mr. Porter is a licensed unlimited general contractor in both South Carolina and North Carolina. He has been married to Dr. Jennifer Porter for 16 years.
Mr. Porter has been a resident of South Congaree for the past 16 years and is a member of Southside Baptist Church and the Baptist Men’s Association. Additionally, Mr. Porter has been a youth mentor for the YMCA for 14 years.
Town of South Congaree Website
Juston Ricard, Mayor of Springdale
Juston Ricard has represented the Town of Springdale on the Commission since February of 2022, when he was appointed by Town Council. He was elected as Mayor of the Town of Springdale in November 2021. Prior to serving as Mayor, Mr. Ricard served on Town Council for 20 years, several of which he was elected as Mayor Pro Tem.
Mr. Ricard is a lifelong resident of Springdale, and graduated from Airport High School. He has been married to his wife Tammy for 23 years, and they have two daughters, Josie and Jayne. Mr. Ricard’s career focus is heavy equipment operations, and he has been employed with Dominion (formerly SCE&G) for 20 years. Mr. Ricard and his family have been active members of Dunn’s Chapel in West Columbia for over 25 years.
Town of Springdale Website
Lancer Shull, Mayor Town of Batesburg-Leesville
Lancer Shull has represented the Town of Batesburg-Leesville since January 2018. He was elected Mayor in November 2017. Prior to being elected Mayor, Mr. Shull served as the Secretary for Lexington County School District 3 Board of Trustees from 2015 until 2017.
Mr. Shull is also very active in the community and has held a number of positions of trust including Batesburg-Leesville Chamber of Commerce Chairman, President of Batesburg-Leesville Rotary Club, and member of the Lexington County Accommodations Committee. In addition, Mayor Shull is a husband and father, committed to managing growth, protecting our history, improving infrastructure, enhancing quality of life, and ensuring transparency in government.
Town of Batesburg-Leesville Website
Frank Shumpert, Mayor of Town of Pelion
Frank Shumpert has represented the Town of Pelion on the Commission since November 2017. He has served as Mayor of Pelion since November 2017. Prior to serving as Mayor, Mr. Shumpert served on Pelion Town Council from 1989-1999. Additionally, he served on the Lexington District One School Board from 1999-2012.
Mr. Shumpert was born in Pelion and is a graduate of Newberry College. He is owner of Shumpert’s IGA Grocery Store which is the oldest family owned business in Lexington County. In 2011, Mr. Shumpert was named 2011 USA International IGA Retailer of the Year.
He was also President of the SC Petroleum Marketers Association in 2010. He and his wife Elizabeth have been married for over 35 years and are members of the Holy Trinity Lutheran Church. Mr. and Mrs. Shumpert have 4 children and 1 grandchild.
Town of Pelion Website