It started with a simple closure notice. A branch of the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles, long operating in the heart of Blythewood, announced it would be shutting its doors on July 3rd. Residents were blindsided. No vote. No hearing. No consultation. Just a press release and a new reality.
To most, this might seem like a minor inconvenience. Drive to Columbia. Go to Winnsboro. What’s the big deal?
But if you look closer, the DMV closure is not just a parking issue. It’s not even just a state-level decision. It’s a warning.
A Symbol of What Happens When Decisions Leave the People Behind
The DMV didn’t close because the town wanted it gone. It closed because a decision was made—somewhere in Columbia, somewhere in a back office—without the voice of Blythewood at the table. And that’s exactly what some are proposing we replicate permanently with a change to our town’s form of government.
Today, if Blythewood’s mayor makes a decision residents disagree with, we can vote them out. In fact, several mayors have only served one term. That’s what democracy looks like: accountability through the ballot box.
But under the proposed council-manager form of government, that power shifts. Decisions about daily life—services, contracts, development priorities—will be made not by someone the people elect, but by an unelected manager hired by the council. A professional bureaucrat. Accountable only to a few. And far removed from the voters.
What Happens When No One Is Listening?
When the DMV shut down, residents had no recourse. The decision had already been made. That’s the model some are trying to install here in Blythewood.
Do we really want a town where essential services can be shifted, scaled back, or removed without the people ever getting a say? Do we want to trade voter control for administrative convenience?
Because once we do, we can’t vote out a manager. We can’t recall a bureaucrat. We can’t fix what we don’t like.
This Is Not Just About the DMV
This is about the next service. The next decision. The next moment when something we depend on is changed or taken from us without input. Zoning changes. Utility contracts. Economic development deals. Do you want those choices made by someone who doesn’t have to look you in the eye on Election Day?
The DMV closure was just the first domino.
A Final Word: Keep Blythewood Accountable to the People
Blythewood isn’t a corporation. It isn’t a subdivision. It’s a town. A community. A democracy. And in a democracy, the people—not hired hands—hold the ultimate power.
We don’t need less accountability. We need more transparency, more civic engagement, and more respect for the people who call Blythewood home.
If the DMV closure upset you, if it felt like something important was taken without your consent, then think long and hard about what comes next.
Because the next decision might be even bigger.
And next time, we might not have any say at all.
