Meet the Town Manager

Q&A WITH BLUFFTON TOWN MANAGER:

STEPHEN STEESE

BY BARRY KAUFMAN PHOTO BY ROB KAUFMAN

Stephen Steese has served as manager of the Town of Bluffton since June. Steese, who previously served as Easley’s city manager, has more than 18 years of experience in local government.

1. What’s Easley like and how did it prepare you for

Bluffton? It’s in the foothills between Greenville and Clemson, so it’s still close to a high tourism area. On game days it gets pretty hectic. And similarly, we had a lot of growth, homes under construction and economic development.

2. As a fellow Clemson die-hard, Mayor Sulka must have been very welcoming.

It gave us something in common, definitely. That’s where my undergraduate and graduate degrees come from, and I grew up a fan, so it’s hard not to root for them. At least in football.

3. What are your favorite spots so far?

Wright Family Park right there. It’s a great place to watch the sunset. I haven’t been able to explore much outside of Bluffton. My family followed me down here three weeks ago so it’s been busy, but we’re looking forward to exploring the whole area.

4. How do you take your oysters?

I gotta have ‘em cooked. Steamed, fried… raw is a little too much for me. I don’t fault people for eating them raw, though. Everyone has their own way.