Summerville, S.C. - Former Summerville Fire Chief Richard G. Waring IV has taken a step towards a run for the Summerville Town Council in the upcoming November 2023 election cycle. According to his first ethics report filed in April, he has received $11,600 in contributions from several notable figures in the community, including former State Representative Con Chellis, State Representative Gary Brewer, Knights Companies INC, and Messervy Service Corporation. Waring, the son of current Mayor Ricky Waring is rumored to have raised more contributions since his April ethics filling.
In recent weeks, stickers with Waring's name and the office he intends to run for have been spotted around town. Waring is said to be eyeing the Town Council District 4 seat, which is currently held by Bill McIntosh, encompassing Pine Forest, White Gables, Summerville Country Club, the adjacent Tea Farm, and other neighborhoods throughout Summerville.
Although widely-rumored to be a candidate for Mayor this election cycle, McIntosh has yet to announce his intentions for 2023. With Waring's recent moves towards a run, it remains to be seen if McIntosh will indeed run for mayor or seek re-election to his Town Council seat.
Waring announced his retirement as the Summerville Fire & Rescue Fire Chief in March after over 30 years of community service, his official date of retirement is June 23rd. He started his career as a volunteer firefighter in Summerville, eventually moving to the Charleston Fire Department, where he was promoted to Battalion Chief. He was appointed as the Fire Chief in Summerville in 2011, where he led efforts to keep up with the demands of the growing community.
Under Waring's leadership, Summerville Fire & Rescue earned national recognition as a Class 1 Fire Department by the Insurance Services Office. He oversaw several accomplishments during his tenure, including the construction of four fire stations, the rebuild of the department's training facility, and the establishment of an in-house recruit school to better train and retain Summerville firefighters. Waring was also an active community member, serving on the South Carolina Firefighters Association and the Rotary Club of Summerville, where he was once president.
Waring's decision to run for the Summerville Town Council is expected to generate significant interest among the residents of Summerville, as he brings with him a wealth of experience and a strong reputation for community service.
SummervilleNews.net reached out to both Waring and Mcintosh for comment. Waring declined to comment, but we did receive a statement from current District 4 Town Councilman Bill Mcintosh:
“I am thrilled that Chief Waring has offered to continue serving our town. Bringing Richard in as Fire Chief has been our strongest appointment since I began my service on Council in 2011. When Richard applied to be Fire Chief early in my tenure, a majority of Council to include the mayor was opposed to his appointment. It wasn’t easy, but former Councilman Walter Bailey and I were able to swing the vote from 3-4 against to 5-2 for appointing Richard as Fire Chief. Today, that vote would be 7-0 because he has been an exemplary Fire Chief, and has made fans of even his biggest detractors. If elected, Richard would serve ably on Council from the perspective of a lifelong town resident. He will be missed as a member of our senior administrative team, however, as he is our only Division or Department Head who actually lives in town, pays town taxes, and is himself subject to often-onerous town regulations. That perspective will be sorely missed in Town Hall during senior administrative team meetings.”
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