Summerville Town Councilman Russ Touchberry announced today his intention to file for Mayor of Summerville. Filing opens in August with the election set for November 7. Current Mayor Ricky Waring has said he is not seeking reelection.

“The town needs leadership now more than ever. We need to ensure we have a collaborative person at the helm who will guide this town in the right direction,” said Touchberry.

Touchberry was elected to represent District 3 on Town Council in 2021.

“Jamie and I have made it our passion to improve our community, and this is a natural extension to help guide the town’s future. We have big problems to solve – and I feel my background and personal experience put me in a unique position to provide the leadership needed,” Touchberry added.

Touchberry is an accomplished transportation engineer, who has spent time as an engineer for the South Carolina Department of Transportation and in the private sector working on projects such as the Cooper River Bridge and the Nexton Parkway Interchange.

Touchberry listed his priorities, if elected:

  • Getting the town’s fiscal house in order
  • Providing leadership on investing in the town’s infrastructure, including roads, trails, and bike and pedestrian safety;
  • Creating top notch recreational activities to benefit residents and use it as an economic driver;
  • Reinvesting in our core areas of town – downtown, Highway 78, Oakbrook, and Knightsville to keep Summerville a great place to live.

“Our town is big and diverse. A one size fits approach will not work, so we have to spend time everywhere and develop plans that work for each area of town,” said Touchberry.

“Our mayor must be someone who is collaborative and sees the bigger picture. We need a mayor who understands how to get along with others and realizes what happens outside of the town directly affects our quality of life inside of the town,” added Touchberry.

Touchberry has served as chairman of both the Greater Summerville/Dorchester Chamber of Commerce and the Dorchester Children’s Advocacy Center. He is a graduate of The Citadel with a degree in civil engineering.

Touchberry and his wife Jamie Beckham Touchberry live in Downtown Summerville with their two children, Sage and Beckham.