Cayce Mayor Elise Partin will seek another term in November.

The first woman to serve in the office, she has been mayor for the city of nearly 14,000 since 2008.

In a release announcing her re-election campaign, she claims to have “a strong campaign start in fundraising support from Cayce residents as well as local and regional businesses.”

“Due to Partin’s work, Cayce now has some of the lowest taxes and fees in the entire region, if not the lowest,” the release posits. “The City provides a high quality of life because of the culture of customer service she and her team have created, and she is responsible for bringing more jobs and more choices to Cayce citizens by making smart economic development a priority. She ensures investment in infrastructure, most recently winning a $10 million grant from the State of S.C. for stormwater improvements.”

Partin’s seat won’t be the only mayoral post up for grabs in Lexington County on Nov. 7.

Current terms for Lexington’s Steve MacDougall, West Columbia’s Tem Miles, Irmo’s Barry Walker and Summit’s David Reese come to an end this year. 

Filing for the November election is open Aug. 16-30.

Dooley and Company redeveloping building on Lexington’s Main Street

A public accounting and wealth management practice operating on Old Cherokee Road and in Columbia’s Five Points will consolidate into one location along Lexington’s Main Street.

Dooley and Company recently announced plans to redevelop the building at 330 W Main St. to become its new office.

“Construction began last month to redevelop the site which was formerly occupied by Thomson Equipment Rentals,” a release states. “The expansion will provide space needed with the recent acquisition of the practices of Russell Shealy & Associates and Haynes and Company. Dooley and Company provides full accounting advisory, tax and audit services along with its wealth advisory firm Carolina Wealth Management.”

Jewitte Dooley Law, helmed by the wife of Dooley and Company President Rod Dooley, will also move into the building, with the space being expanded to fit her office. Her firm currently works out of a space on North Lake Drive.

The expectation is for both firms to relocate to the West Main Street building before the end of the year.

Lake Murray has SC’s fourth-largest lake real estate market

Lake Murray is the fourth-largest lake real estate market in South Carolina, according to the latest Lake Real Estate Market Report from LakeHomes.com.

The report is based on real estate property for sale according to listing data collected in May 2023, including home value and volume of listings. The report covers 33 states.

Lake Murray’s market value was assessed at more than $200 million, accounting for 14.2% of the state’s overall lake real estate market, assessed at $1.4 billion.

Lake Wylie, located in York County, topped the list, with its market assessed at $330 million.

Lake Murray’s home market ($158 million) and land market ($43 million) both ranked No. 4 in the state. Lake Murray accounted for 15.1% of the state’s total market for lake homes ($1.04 billion) and 11.7% of the state’s total market for lake land ($43 million). Lake Wylie ($254 million) topped the list for home markets in the state, while Oconee/Pickens County’s Lake Keowee ($84 million) topped the list for land markets.

Lake Murray had the second most expensive lake homes in the state, with its average price of $772,000 surpassed by only Lake Keowee ($1.58 million).

Lake Murray had the fourth-most listings (333), the third-most home listings (212) and the fifth-most land listings (121, tied with Lake Marion).

Lake Murray had the fourth-most expensive land ($250,000).

Fleet Feet getting ready to go in Lexington

Fleet Feet is about to be up and running in Lexington, with its new store in town having a soft opening July 13.

The running store, which offers a wide range of apparel, accessories and, most crucially, shoes (for which they provide personalized fittings), has franchised locations nationwide. 

The Lexington location in a small shopping center at 5594 Sunset Blvd. is the third location for Fleet Feet - Columbia, joining stores in Forest Acres (4525 Forest Dr.) and Irmo (945 Lake Murray Blvd.)

The shopping center along Sunset Boulevard also houses a Krispy Kreme, a Chipotle and a Jersey Mike's.