SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (WCSC) - After four years, Summerville has welcomed a new mayor.
Mayor Ricky Waring and three council members were sworn in on Thursday.
Town officials have been working on the unique challenges that come with a growing town like Summerville, but in the past they’ve hit road blocks when it came to agreements between the mayor and town council.
Waring says one of his top goals is to reunify the council. He plans on using more communication to solve problems.
"I don't think I'll have any trouble with that. It's just a matter of talking and just communicating," Waring said. "[We need to] let one another know what we want, as far as what's best for the town."
Incumbent council members Bob Jackson and Bill McIntosh were sworn in. Both of them were present during council meetings where conflicts rose with former Mayor Wiley Johnson.
Terry Jenkins is the newest council member to be sworn in, although he served previous terms.
He believes town council will be able to work together to solve issues.
"Some of the bad publicity that we've got of discord on council is not really who we are," Jenkins said. "We're going to be a unified body that builds consensus."
The first town council meeting with Waring as Mayor will take place on Monday, Jan. 6.
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