Candidate Profile: Michael Reynolds Incumbent for Mauldin City Council Seat 6

Anyone who has attended a Mauldin City Council meeting in the past four years can’t help but notice that the council member seated to the far left is—no disrespect intended—a bit younger than his colleagues. That council member would be Michael Reynolds, who is seeking re-election for Council Seat 6.

Since he last ran for office in 2007 a lot has changed in Reynolds’ life. He became a father, turned 30, and watched the industries he works in—construction and real estate—be slammed by the recession.

He candidly admits that six months ago he wasn’t sure he would run again, but ultimately decided to because of his commitment to public service.

Reynolds, who was raised by a father who was a firefighter, said his youth is one of the biggest assets he brings to the council. “When I consider something that comes before the council I know it affects a lot of people like me in Mauldin because the median age is 35,” he said.

Having come into office narrowly—by five votes—Reynolds believes he has made the most of the opportunity and wants to continue. “There’s a tremendous amount of growth and a lot of positive things happening and I enjoy so much of what we’re doing in the city right now,” he said.

Reynolds pointed to the Cultural Center as a success in terms of making it more citizen-run than government-run. “It’s hard to remember that four years ago the Cultural Center was directed by the city council,” he said. “Now it’s driven by a board of directors made up of citizens.”

He’s also proud of how the city weathered the financial crisis, doing so while keeping the lowest tax rate in Greenville County.

If re-elected, Reynolds said he wants to make sure the city keeps the momentum that it’s picked up in the last two years, but he has a couple of other items on his to-do list. He’d like to see the city continue to make information more transparent and available to the public, making financial data accessible in real time as much as possible.

His other main goal is somewhat less tangible. “We need to do a better job of engaging people in the process,” Reynolds said.  “I want to do a better job of getting people involved.”

Reynolds is being challenged by Larry Goodson and Nantamba Calhoun. His campaign website is michaelformauldin.com

Election Day is November 8 and the candidates debate is tomorrow at 7 at City Hall.