Clemson City Council Choose 3
Clemson City Council: City Council is composed of seven elected officials: six council members and one mayor. Members of council are elected by the community at-large for a term of four years, with terms staggered so that one half of the membership is elected every two years. Members take their seats and the Oath of Office at the first January council meeting. Also at this meeting, members will also elect a Mayor Pro tempore to a two year term. The mayor pro tem will be vested with all powers of the mayor in the event of his / her temporary absence or disability or unexpected vacancy of the seat.City Council holds the power to may make, ordain, and establish rules, bylaws, regulations, and ordinances – not inconsistent with the laws of the state – respecting the roads, streets, markets, police, health, and order of the city or respecting any subject deemed necessary and proper for the security, welfare, and convenience of the city or for preserving health, peace, order, and good government within the city. Council may fix fines and penalties for the violation thereof, as authorized by law. Council does not hold the authority to repeal the laws, rules, and regulations established by the state or county.
Biographical Information
Campaign Phone
(908)721-6664
Qualifications for Office
My primary qualifications are based in both personal experiences (as a resident) and professional experiences (as a banker). My 35 years of "public finance" banking has provided me with a broad and diverse range of studying and underwriting large and small credit facilities and public bond issues to municipalities, state governments, and governmental agencies across the country. Throughout my career, I have participated or led tens of billions of dollars of debt structures to finance general government needs, water, sewer, gas and electric utilities, airports, stadiums and entertainment venues, and other infrastructure projects. I have also financed projects for public and private universities. I understand the structure and motivations of government and higher education and will bring a unique perspective to the issues facing the City of Clemson which in part are driven by the University's growth.
Why are you running for Clemson City Council and what do you hope to accomplish?
1-Strong desire to bring a fresh and thoughtful approach to drive smart growth within the City by promoting accountability and collaboration with the University, with local businesses, and with City leaders.
2-I want to lead the Council in addressing the student housing crunch by utilizing my background in financing government and higher education. I will promote creative and real solutions that result in positive outcomes for City residents (push for on-campus housing).
3-Introduce strategies and solutions to enhance City infrastructure and bring traffic relief and safety for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists.
4-Provide fiscal oversight and promote responsibility for spending tax dollars and other governmental revenues.
What is your position on the increase in large student apartments adjacent to single family neighborhoods? Are there any ordinances and/or zoning that would you change?
Every proposed housing project has to be judged on its own merits. While the downtown projects (The Hub and Rambler) have attracted attention, there are SOME benefits to the City residents such as a substantial increase in public parking and the reduction in traffic as these sites are walkable to the University and downtown.
The City’s intent for zoning should be to limit commercial development and student housing to parcels along major roads such as Highway 93, Tiger Blvd, and College Ave. I opposed Pine St. because its’ footprint was far off Highway 93 (too close to residences) and lacked necessary infrastructure.
I will drive collaboration with the Univ. to hold them accountable for building adequate on-campus housing inventory.
How should council provide information and opportunity to the public to respond on city projects at the initial stages before significant commitments have been made?
I am not aware of commitments being made prior to public input. But regardless, that will not be my approach, The City has a formalized vetting process for review of the large volume of requests from developers. If a project makes it to the application stage and consideration for Council approval, State law requires disclosure to the public a minimum of 24 hours before the 1st hearing (via website, mailers, etc). There are 3 official hearings (1 every 2 weeks) where the public can comment. For re-zoning or high-impact projects, there are often recommended neighborhood outreach meetings with developers and interested parties. I will commit to push for longer advance communication notices and improved transparency before stated minimums.
What is your position on making the application and selection process for filling seats on boards and commissions public? Please explain.
There are too many possible negative effects resulting from a public approach including potentially discouraging qualified individuals from applying and opening themselves up to public scrutiny.
I am supportive of maintaining strong policies and procedures (and transparency) in the City’s practices that result in fair and equitable hiring or appointment of qualified individuals for City boards or commissions.
If there are concerns of favoritism or unjust hiring or appointment practices, residents have the right to voice their opinions at any City Council meeting and elevate any issues they deem worthy. The Council and City government officials are always subject to criticism, fairly or unfairly, and therefore should be held accountable for its’ hiring or appointment practices. Government has to be able to function and making this process public would be counter-productive.
What other issues would you like to address?
I will be a strong voice for residents who feel the City has succumbed to development. I see this response from cities around the country. Clemson is not unlike other college towns that are strained by the growth of a large university. But the City is comparatively small and we have geographical challenges out of our control (lake, railroad, no bypass, University-owned land, etc). These facts highlight the importance of managing smart growth in the future.
Although there is a need for infrastructure improvements and to execute on other enhancements (bike paths, sidewalks, turn lanes, and transportation (CAT / Tiger transit), the biggest issue remains student housing. The University's fiscal situation creates challenges, but I will utilize my professional background to propose real and creative housing solutions that benefit the City and its' residents.
Our City. Our Council !!
Biographical Information
Campaign Phone
(864)508-7153
Website
http://www.joeburgett.com
Qualifications for Office
I’m a Clemson University professor and licensed general contractor with experience in the public and private sectors. My work has focused on applying technology and data to improve government operations, including projects with the South Carolina Department of Transportation. I have hands-on experience in construction, infrastructure, and project management, as well as teaching and workforce development. I’ve lived in Clemson since 2013 with my wife and three daughters. We have been very involved in foster care, welcoming 10 children into our home over the past 9 years.
Why are you running for Clemson City Council and what do you hope to accomplish?
I’m running to protect what makes Clemson a wonderful place to call home and bring practical, fact-based leadership to City Council. As a contractor-turned-professor, I bring a problem-solving approach to the challenges we face. I want development decisions to follow our Comprehensive Plan, protect established neighborhoods, and ensure infrastructure is ready before major projects move forward. I’ll support local businesses that serve residents year-round and strengthen coordination with Clemson University on housing, traffic, and community impacts. Above all, I’ll listen, explain my decisions, and work to earn residents’ trust so we can keep Clemson a place we all enjoy.
What is your position on the increase in large student apartments adjacent to single family neighborhoods? Are there any ordinances and/or zoning that would you change?
I’m concerned about large student apartments changing the character and quality of life of established neighborhoods. Student housing belongs in appropriate locations, with thoughtful protections for nearby residents. I would support updating zoning ordinances to implement the Comprehensive Plan’s recommendations for transition areas, appropriate buffers, and directing student housing toward suitable locations. I would also encourage more on-campus housing to reduce pressure on neighborhoods. Development decisions should reflect the community’s adopted vision, not individual preferences or reactions to a particular proposal.
How should council provide information and opportunity to the public to respond on city projects at the initial stages before significant commitments have been made?
Council should explain proposed projects early, outline options and tradeoffs, and invite public input before significant commitments are made. As an educator, I know communication requires both explaining clearly and listening carefully. My role is to represent the community to the City. I plan to meet quarterly with local churches, host informal gatherings, and stay active on social media to reach residents beyond formal hearings. I’ll share my own perspective, ask for feedback while decisions can still be shaped, and explain how that feedback influences my thinking. Residents deserve to be heard and understand why I vote the way I do.
What is your position on making the application and selection process for filling seats on boards and commissions public? Please explain.
I’m grateful to everyone who volunteers to serve on our boards and commissions. As a member of the PC Emergency Services Board, I understand the commitment. My first responsibility would be to do no harm to these volunteers. Recruiting qualified applicants can be challenging, so the process should be fair and respectful, not burdensome or political. Residents can request the applicants’ names from the City, but I would not support proactively publishing them online or making Council deliberations public. Council should carefully consider each applicant’s qualifications and experience. Publicly debating their strengths and weaknesses could embarrass volunteers and discourage others from serving.
What other issues would you like to address?
I’m a contractor-turned-professor who brings a level head, practical experience, and a problem-solving mindset to the table. My approach is straightforward: listen carefully, understand the facts, weigh the options, and work toward solutions that serve our community. As an educator, I know how to make complex issues understandable and create room for thoughtful discussion. I’ll bring that same patience and clarity to City Council, explain my votes, and treat people respectfully when we disagree. My family and I have built our lives in Clemson, and I’m committed to protecting what makes it special. I would be honored to earn your vote. Learn more at www.joeburgett.com or contact me at joe@joeburgett.com.
Biographical Information
Campaign Phone
(443)570-3973
Qualifications for Office
I have excellent listening skills, and understand human nature. I always try to understand the person behind the words. I'm an excellent researcher, I'm very thorough. I'm honest, and accountable for my actions, and hold others accountable for theirs. I'm an outside of the box thinker, a leader, not follower. I cannot be manipulated.
Why are you running for Clemson City Council and what do you hope to accomplish?
I'm running for City Council because I want to bridge the gap that currently exists between Residents and City Leadership. We must rebuild trust. We have of alot work to do, fix things that can still be fixed. The best way to do that is to work together as ONE. I want to be a constant, relentless voice for my fellow Residents. #wereinthistogether
What is your position on the increase in large student apartments adjacent to single family neighborhoods? Are there any ordinances and/or zoning that would you change?
I don't believe that large student apartments belong in single family neighborhoods. I would love to see existing ordinances and zoning that don't currently represent single family neighborhoods to be tweeked so they do. Neighborhoods first! Besides the fact that there are currently 92 existing student housing options within a 5 mile radius of Clemson University that never fill to capacity, I would say we don't need any more student housing. If the University fisagrees with that, they can certainly build it on their land.
How should council provide information and opportunity to the public to respond on city projects at the initial stages before significant commitments have been made?
Be transparent, and keep the lines of communication flowing. Reinstate Conversation with Council and continue with Public Hearings. Use social media.
What is your position on making the application and selection process for filling seats on boards and commissions public? Please explain.
I think it would make sense if City Council would make applicants' information public via their Website and Socials so Residents are aware of who t applicants are. Then hold a Public Hearing for Resident input, then vote on each applicant publicly at a Council Meeting, not in Executive Session. If applicants don't feel comfortable with their information being public, they would have the option to withdraw.
What other issues would you like to address?
I would like to forge a true Town & Gown Partnership because currently it's very one sided.
Biographical Information
Qualifications for Office
I previously served on the Clemson City Council, Chaired the Clemson Planning Commission, and was a member of the Clemson City Parks, Recreation, Arts, Culture &, Tourism Advisory Committee. I have also held many relevant positions at Clemson University including President of the Faculty Senate, Faculty Representative to the CU Board of Trustees, Interim Chair of the Department Parks, Recreation & Tourism Management, Interim Chair of the Department of Public Health Sciences, and Co-Founder and Interim Director of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI).
Why are you running for Clemson City Council and what do you hope to accomplish?
I am running because I believe Clemson deserves a City Council that is accessible, transparent, and willing to listen. Although growth is negotiable, losing what makes Clemson special is not. Leadership must develop processes and policies that ensure growth never takes precedence over the characteristics and qualities of Clemson that define our community. It should strengthen our community—not diminish it.
Clemson doesn’t have to choose between growth and the qualities that make this community special. Residents deserve leadership that believes growth is possible, but responsible growth requires a Council that makes decisions that are focused on public welfare, anchored in resident input, and committed to transparency.
What is your position on the increase in large student apartments adjacent to single family neighborhoods? Are there any ordinances and/or zoning that would you change?
I am concerned not only about the increase in high-density housing but also the processes used to make such decisions. If land is already zoned for high-density housing, all building requirements should be met, with no variances. Environmental impacts should be subjected to public scrutiny. Residents’ vigilance at the Board of Architectural Review, Planning Commission, and City Council is crucial. Where zoning does not permit high-density housing, residents should have ample opportunity, beyond what currently exists, to speak at Planning Commission and City Council meetings. The bar for upzoning should be high, and the developers should be required to document the citywide benefits of projects requiring zoning changes.
How should council provide information and opportunity to the public to respond on city projects at the initial stages before significant commitments have been made?
I propose two mechanisms to ensure citizen input early in the process to approve city projects. The first is reestablishment of Conversation with Council, or a similar structure, to provide regular opportunities for resident/Council interaction in a format that welcomes dialogue and discussion. The second suggestion relates specifically to decisions related to zoning. The city should create a standing committee of residents to gather input on any proposed zoning change before the proposal advances to the Planning Commission. The committee would organize community meetings, solicit resident feedback, and assess benefits and drawbacks prior to making a nonbinding recommendation to the Planning Commission and City Council.
What is your position on making the application and selection process for filling seats on boards and commissions public? Please explain.
There are five components of the current process for filling seats on boards and commissions that I believe should be followed so that the selection process is completely transparent to eliminate any perception of inappropriate or unfair selections: first, clearly state and disseminate the criteria used to evaluate applicants; second, those criteria should be the sole metrics for selection; third, the process should require public disclosure of the names of applicants unless an applicant opts to not publicize their name; fourth, the announcement of those selected should include a description of how they met the criteria; fifth, candidates not selected should have the opportunity to find out why not.
What other issues would you like to address?
1. Strengthen resident trust in City Council. Trust has multiple meanings. I use it here to describe a belief that our municipal system is transparent rather than opaque; communal rather than closed; participatory rather than paternalistic; and inclusive rather than exclusive.
2. Continue to work with Clemson University to create synergies while also finding ways to reduce conflict. CU is the heartbeat of our city and both entities have worked hard to optimize town/gown relationships. However, there will always be some conflicts and it is essential that processes for identifying and addressing those are available.
3. Continue to support the various departments in the City that consistently provide the highest quality service to our residents. All the City Departments contribute to our quality of life and it is crucial they have the resources needed to operate at the highest level.
Biographical Information
Campaign Phone
(864)985-2746
Qualifications for Office
I have been a member of City Council for seven years and gained a wealth of knowledge and experience. I also took advanced courses offered by the Municipal Elected Officials Institute of Government in the areas of budgeting and finance, municipal utility policy and administration, and leadership and governance. I have 35 years’ of experience as a college administrator managing policy and budget development, personnel matters, educational training and compliance with university policies, federal, state and local laws. My experiences demonstrate my ability to serve.
Why are you running for Clemson City Council and what do you hope to accomplish?
I am running for re-election to ensure every resident's voice is heard and to keep seeking solutions that benefit our whole community.
If re-elected, I will continue supporting strategies that protect our single-family neighborhoods from the encroachment of high-density mixed-use development while working with staff and community leaders to attract dining, entertainment, and gathering spaces that residents desire. I hope to expand affordable housing options, complete Abernathy Park as a space residents will enjoy, finish the new Arts Center, and renovate the Clemson Area African American Museum.
Most of all, I want to restore residents' faith and trust in their City leaders through open communication and follow-through.
What is your position on the increase in large student apartments adjacent to single family neighborhoods? Are there any ordinances and/or zoning that would you change?
I am concerned about large student apartments being built next to single-family neighborhoods. Many developers rely on University enrollment projections rather than our actual housing needs, and their priorities are not always those of long-term residents.
Guided by our Comprehensive Plan, I evaluate every development on whether it enhances residents' quality of life and protects our single-family neighborhoods. Yes, I would change our zoning. I support creating a student housing district in areas not adjacent to single-family neighborhoods and setting by-right height limits for mixed-use developments in non-residential districts. These changes would give the Council better tools and reduce reliance on planned developments.
How should council provide information and opportunity to the public to respond on city projects at the initial stages before significant commitments have been made?
Residents should have a voice before major decisions are made. Today, the public has several ways to weigh in on city projects: attending Planning Commission and City Council meetings, speaking during public comment, and checking the City's website and social media for announcements about major initiatives and opportunities to provide input. Building on these, Council should share project information as early as possible, hold community meetings or workshops before designs and budgets are finalized, and offer online surveys for residents who can't attend in person. Most importantly, we should show residents how their input shaped the final outcome, so they know their participation truly makes a difference.
What is your position on making the application and selection process for filling seats on boards and commissions public? Please explain.
I support a transparent application and selection process. It builds trust, and residents deserve to know how board and commission members are chosen. The City's code of ordinances defines each board's purpose, composition, appointment process, terms, and vacancy procedures. When seats open, the City notifies residents and posts the requirements and selection process on social media.
If residents feel the process could be communicated more clearly, I want to hear from them. I'm open to working with residents, staff, and Council colleagues to make qualifications, timelines, and review procedures easier to find. A transparent process encourages more residents to apply, assures applicants of fair treatment, and builds public trust.
What other issues would you like to address?
I want to focus on supporting our small and locally owned businesses. They give Clemson its character, create local jobs, and keep dollars in our community. As we grow, we must ensure they can thrive rather than be pushed out by rising costs or large chains.
I also want to expand opportunities for new businesses, particularly minority-owned and culturally diverse businesses, to join our community. Their presence enriches Clemson for residents, students, and visitors alike. I will work with staff, the Chamber of Commerce, and local partners to streamline permitting, connect entrepreneurs with resources and mentorship, and promote shopping local so that both established and new businesses can succeed here.