- June 23, 2021
- Posted by: Stratford Team
- Category: Business
Ashland is facing a pace of growth it has never seen before.
From 2000 to 2010, the small town south of Columbia saw its population increase by 98.3% to 3,707 people. The 2019 estimate from the U.S. Census Bureau put the population at nearly 4,000. Mayor Richard Sullivan and City Administrator Tony St. Romaine expect to see that number at more than 5,000 when the 2020 census results come in.
That pleases both the mayor and the city administrator. Sullivan said he thinks the rise in population means more businesses will be attracted to town. And, since being appointed as city administrator in 2019, St. Romaine already has played a large part in bringing commercial development to Ashland.
Other residents worry the community will lose the charm that drew them there.
“You know, if it grows too much, I don’t know how it will be,” said Don Cochran, manager of Dreamy Nails, one of Ashland’s newer businesses, “because we…
