Betty Montgomery
Public Trust, Infrastructure, and Managing Growth are three focuses that Campobello resident Betty Montgomery intends to fight for if elected to the Spartanburg County Council District 5 seat on Nov. 3.
Montgomery, owner of Fairforest Southern warehouse company, is seeking elected office for the first time, having previously served on five area boards.
“That experience taught me how to listen, build consensus, and manage budgets responsibly,” Montgomery said. “I believe it will help me serve District 5 well on County Council.”
To this end, she offered these specifics:
• Managing Growth. In 2026, Spartanburg County reached an estimated population of 391,000. https://worldpopulationreview.com/us-counties/south-carolina
This number, while lower than other state counties, such as Greenville, Charleston, and Horry, represents a growth of approximately 63,000 in the past six years.
https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/spartanburgcountysouthcarolina/PST045225
A drive along Hwy. 296, stretching from the far side of Reidville to the edge of Anglewood near I-26, is indicative of neighborhoods that can’t be built fast enough to accommodate demand.
“We are growing faster than we are planning for it,” Montgomery said. “New development has outpaced the roads, sheriff’s services, schools, and emergency services that have to support it. I want the county to manage growth instead of chasing it.”
• Infrastructure. Since approval of the Spartanburg Penny Project in November 2023, county engineers and work crews have made unprecedented progress toward fixing or replacing 577 county roads and bridges by the year 2030.
But Montgomery said roads, water and sewer, and emergency services still have not kept pace with new development.
“Infrastructure should be in place as growth is approved, not years afterward,” she said.
• Public Trust. At best, trust in local elected leaders is minimal among many Spartanburg County voters.
“Residents want to know how Council decisions are made, and to feel that their voices are heard,” she said. “I will be accessible, show up in the communities of District 5, and work for a Council that is open about its decisions.”
When asked what she would bring to the Council, Montgomery said it would be “a fresh set of eyes and a commitment to doing my homework.”
“Since filing for this seat, I have been attending town and city council meetings across District 5, and I have spent a great deal of time with county employees and community leaders, learning how the county is run and where the needs are,” she said. “I want to arrive on day one understanding the issues, not learning them on the job. The people of District 5 are living with the effects of rapid growth every day, and they deserve a representative who shows up in their communities, hears their concerns, and carries them to the Council. I intend to be a council member who listens first.”
Montgomery also wants the county to do more to protect trees and green space as it grows.
“Trees, parks, and open land add so much to a community’s health, beauty, and property values, and once they are gone, they are very hard to get back,” she said. “I would like the county to make preserving tree canopy and green space a regular part of how we plan new development.”
