By Paul Gable
Blaine Garren announced his candidacy for the open Horry County Council seat in District 6 during a press conference Friday.
The press conference was held at 3 p.m. at the Socastee Library on Hwy 707.
A special election will be held to select a new member to fill the unexpired term of recently deceased council member Bob Grabowski.
Filing for the special election opens Friday April 17, 2015 and runs for 10 days until it closes April 27, 2015. Candidates file with the political party of their choice.
A special primary election will be held June 16, 2015 with a primary runoff election two weeks later, if necessary. The special general election will be held August 4, 2015.
A native of Horry County and resident of District 6 for over 30 years, Garren will file for the Republican nomination. Garren was a close friend of Grabowski. He said he wanted to continue representation of the district and the long term goals Grabowski established.
“I was a close friend of Bob Grabowski and worked with him on each of his three campaigns for the District 6 seat,” Garren said. “It’s important that the people of District 6 have a strong voice on council, one that will protect the heritage of the Socastee area as Horry County continues to grow.”
In addition to maintaining the historical character of Socastee, Garren said he will be a strong supporter of law enforcement efforts in the community and a supporter of small businesses throughout the county.
“I want to maintain an atmosphere where business can grow without a lot of government interference and red tape,” Garren said. “Government should support the people, not the other way around.”
Garren currently serves on the Horry County Accommodations Tax Committee. He previously served two terms on the Horry County Airport Advisory Board including five and one-half years as chairman. Garren is a reserve deputy with the Horry County Sheriff’s office, a position he has held for over 20 years.
“I am familiar with Horry County Government through my membership on several committees,” Garren said. “I believe those experiences will be helpful in representing the citizens of District 6 and making decisions on issues that affect the citizens throughout Horry County.”
Garren will make some introductory remarks, then, be available to answer questions from the public and members of the press.
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