BLYTHEWOOD – Blythewood Town Administrator Brian Cook
announced Tuesday he will be leaving his post on December 23, for Goose Creek
S.C., where he will serve as the Assistant City Administrator.
Cook
Cook has served Blythewood since January 2018 after working for the City of Columbia and prior to that for Richland County Planning and Zoning.
Besides overseeing Blythewood’s planning, zoning and budget
for the last two years, Cook launched a major beautification project for the
town shortly after being hired.
“Obviously, we’ve still got a lot of work to do, but we’ve
started down that path with the area around the town hall, where you can
definitely see a change – re-sodding, new shrubbery, flowering plants and
trees,” Cook said. “To make sure that the town can continue down that path,
we’ve planned in the budget, each year, for certain projects, not only around
town hall, but everywhere around the town.”
One of the things he had planned for the town moving forward
is improved signage.
“You can already see some of the utility boxes around town
with new town signage. The plan is there for other aspects of beautification as
well,” Cook said.
As for the town’s finances, Cook said the town is in good
shape and continues to be more and more so every year.
“Even with COVID, I think we will still be okay with our
hospitality and accommodation tax revenue where we’ve taken a little bit of a
hit. But we’ve not been hit as hard as some of the larger cities that heavily
depend on tourism,” he said.
Cook said the upcoming scheduled rewriting of the town’s
comprehensive land use plan is a big deal for Blythewood.
“The town is kind of at a crossroads where it could go one
of two ways – maintain its small town feel and focus on building that or continue
to grow.” Cook said. “Managing that growth will be super important with our
comprehensive plan and our land development code. I hope they’ll continue on
that after I leave, because that was one of the things that was pretty top on
my list.
“Those are the things that pop out the most,” he said. “The
beautification plan is so important, especially as Blythewood’s bread and
butter comes from hospitality and accommodation taxes and business licenses
fees. We need to create an area that stands out from other places.
“We need to continue marketing Blythewood for what it wants
to be or doesn’t want to be. That, obviously, kind of works hand in hand with
how it looks, so I would say that what we’ve done around town hall in the way
of beautification is just kind of the tip of the iceberg that needs to be done
for the downtown,” he said. “The town probably needs to be rebranded with a
look at how the accommodation and hospitality tax should be spent to enhance
the town, you know, to use that money for advertising and promotions,” Cook
said. “That’s a pretty big source of marketing money for us, equal to a
fulltime marketing position. The town leaders are going to be looking, sooner
or later, at how better to spend the accommodation and hospitality tax revenue.”
Mayor Bryan Franklin said the Town appreciates the work Cook
has done for the community.
“He’s an outstanding administrator and we will miss him.
He’s brought a lot to the town in many areas and we hate to lose him,” Franklin
said. “Nevertheless, we also wish him
well in his future position with Goose Creek and in all his endeavors.”
Franklin said the town is advertising for a new
administrator to fill Cook’s vacancy.
CHESTER – Agents from the S.C. Law Enforcement Division Thursday arrested a Union County man in connection with the 1976 murder of Elizabeth Ann Howell Wilson of Chester.
Ann Wilson
Charles Ugvine Coleman, 65, was charged with Murder and Rape. On March 20, 1976, Ann Wilson, 45, went missing during her shift while working as a spinner at the Eureka Plant of Spring Mills in Chester. Her body and stolen vehicle were located later in Fairfield County near the intersection of Ashford Ferry Road and Dave Jenkins Road in Blair. She had been sexually assaulted, strangled and beaten.
SLED, in partnership with the Chester County Sheriff’s
Office and the Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office, continued to work the case
for years in hopes of solving the case and bringing closure for the Wilson
family. A recent forensics breakthrough identified through DNA that Coleman was
involved in the crime.
According to a SLED spokesman, Coleman was arrested on a
more recent charge and his DNA was uploaded into the CODIS (Combined DNA Index
System) national DNA database maintained by the FBI and the DNA came back with
a match with evidence from this crime from 1976.
Found Murdered
The March 22, 1976 edition of The News & Reporter
detailed Wilson’s disappearance and the discovery of her body. According to the
story, Wilson was working third shift at the Eureka plant and was seen in the
cafeteria at approximately 3:45 a.m. She was said to have resumed work at about
4 a.m. and was last seen in a green and white Chevrolet as it left the parking
lot of the plant. The gatekeeper did not question the persons in the car
because it was recognized as belonging to “the plant boss.” An anonymous source
told the paper it was not uncommon for the supervisor’s car to be used to
transport employees home in the event of sickness or emergency. The vehicle was
registered to James Porter, the overseer of the department where Wilson worked.
It was not until later that he discovered the car was missing from the mill
parking lot and reported it as stolen to law enforcement.
The car was found abandoned near the Chester County line in
Fairfield County. Officials there said it was spotted by a motorist at 5:45 the
following morning. That motorist drove to the home of a Fairfield County
sheriff’s deputy to report what they’d seen. They reported that there appeared
to be someone under the vehicle. That officer found a partially clothed body
under the car (of Wilson) that was “mutilated.” There was actually thought at
some point that Wilson had been struck by the car. The body was sent to
Charleston for an autopsy. Wilson’s murder was the second within a week in
Chester and there were many similarities in the two deaths. Another woman was
found, partially clothed, strangled in an alleyway just days before, but there
was apparently no connection, with a city sanitation employee having been
arrested in that killing shortly thereafter.
Coleman was booked at the Fairfield County Detention Center.
The case will be prosecuted by the 6th Circuit Solicitor’s Office. He did make
a brief appearance in front of a magistrate, but a magistrate is not able to
set a bond on a murder case.
History of Arrests
Coleman had a long record of arrests dating back to 1976
(just six months after Wilson’s murder) for incidents ranging from drunk
driving and shoplifting to more serious crimes including assault and battery
with intent to kill.
“Our Agents and forensics experts work hard and are
dedicated to bringing justice to those who commit crimes against our citizens,”
said SLED Chief Mark Keel.
“Whether the crime was recent or happened more than 40 years
ago, we will not stop in trying to solve the case. I appreciate the teamwork
showed by everyone in helping bring closure for the Wilson family.”
Chester County Sheriff Max Dorsey said breaking this cold
case involved cooperation from multiple agencies.
“We would like to thank SLED for their invaluable assistance
in solving this case. Their investigative and forensic resources were
absolutely essential in identifying Ms. Wilson’s killer” Dorsey said.
The foundation of the case starting being built eight years
ago. In 2012, then-Chester County Sheriff Richard Smith began taking a look at
some unsolved murders in Chester County, including that of Wilson. In the
department evidence room there was some DNA evidence collected in relation to
the case.
“But DNA evidence wasn’t even a thing back then when it
happened,” Smith said. “With modern technology, though, you’ve got a lot of new
ways of solving stuff.”
Even with the advent of DNA being used in criminal
investigations, for whatever reason, the evidence in the Wilson case continued
to sit in the evidence room for 36 years. Smith submitted it to the State Law
Enforcement Division (SLED) in hopes for “a hit.” At the time he did so, he
discussed his decision with a member of Wilson’s family. He said he is thinking
about that family now on a couple of levels.
“I’m pleased for the family that they have some closure and
know what happened, but I also pray for the family because now they have to
re-live what happened,” he said.
Anyone who has information that can further assist in this
investigation should contact SLED at (803) 896-2605.
GREENBRIER – Christopher Rontavious Martin, 32, has been identified as the person who died after his car crashed into a tree on Hinnants Store Road in the Greenbrier area of Fairfield County, according to Fairfield County Coroner Chris Hill.
Martin was traveling north on Hinnants Store Road in a 2000 Honda when his car went off the right side of the road, over corrected, then went off the left side of the road and hit the tree.
The crash occurred at about 11:48 p.m., Nov. 11. Martin was
not wearing a seatbelt according to the S.C. Highway Patrol, and was pronounced
deceased at the scene.
The crash is under investigation by the Fairfield County
Coroner’s Office and the S.C. Highway Patrol.
This a developing story that will be updated as information
is available.
WINNSBORO – A Fairfield county motorcyclist, Benaiah Lawson, 23, was killed in a two-vehicle crash on Sunday at about 4:30 p.m., according to Fairfield County Coroner Chris Hill.
The crash occurred at the intersection of 9th Street and
U.S. Highway 321, according to Hill in Winnsboro, across the street from
Fairfield Central High School.
Lawson was heading north on U.S. 321 when he crashed into a
vehicle that was turning off 9th Street onto the bypass, Hill said.
Lawson was taken to a Prisma Health hospital in Richland
County, where he died.
The crash is being investigated by the Winnsboro Department
of Public Safety, South Carolina Highway Patrol, and the coroner’s office.
This is a developing story and will be updated as
information is available.
COLUMBIA – Richland Two School Board Chairman James Shadd, lost not only his board chairmanship Tuesday night, but his seat on the board as well. Newcomer Lashonda McFadden bested Shadd with 2,831 votes to his 2,404.
The two other incumbents, Monica Elkins with 3,454 votes and
Lindsay Agostini with 3,148 votes retained their seats. Shadd finished fourth
in the race for the three open seats.
A strong supporter of Richland 2 Superintendent Baron Davis,
Shadd was admonished publicly last week and given an NI (Needs Improvement)
score by the Black Parents’ Association (BPA) in their annual Richland School
District Two Report Card review of the three school board incumbents running
for office.
The BPA give Agostini high praise and an A+ for her service
to the district, Elkins a B+ and asked what Shadd stood for.
“Mr. Shadd seems to exalt himself as a community leader and
he’s actively involved in many community activities which led us to question if
he was actually going to seek office again. Mr. Shadd’s ‘mission’ work seems to
be more important to him than guiding and really leading a premier school
district like Richland Two,” the BPA wrote. “It’s our opinion that Mr. Shadd
should exert more of a voice that challenges the district rather than rubber
stamp all its actions.”
The Association left it to the voters to decide if they felt
Shadd deserved to be re-elected to the board.
In contrast, the BPA lauded Lindsay Agostini for, “boldly
and rightfully questioning the policies of the administration,” saying that,
“she undoubtedly deserves four more years” on the board.
Dee Williams received the fifth highest number of votes
(1,889) followed by Maryann Wright (1,820) and James Mobley (1,716).
Rhonda Meisner of Blythewood, a frequent critic of the school’s administration and a first-time candidate received 1,300 votes; Deon Jacobs received 987 and Lawrence Terry, 640.
Rene Green defeats 2-term school board incumbent Paula Hartman.
WINNSBORO – Fairfield County voters changed the balance of power of the county government Tuesday night, turning out two of three county council incumbents.
Voters also narrowly rejected the capital project sales tax referendum (Penny Tax) with a 4,758 to 4,438 vote. The tax had been placed on the ballot to raise additional funds to pay for a proposed $32 million wastewater treatment plant.
With a razor thin margin of 6 votes, challenger Shirley
Greene, with 956 votes, defeated District 2 County Councilman Jimmy Ray Douglas
with 950 votes. Director of Fairfield County Voter Registration Debby Stidham
said the less than one percent difference in the two vote totals will trigger
an automatic recount which will be conducted on Friday. There are also 30
provisional votes that will be looked at by the county’s election commission on
Friday as well.
In County Council District 4, former county employee Tim Roseborough
defeated District 4 Councilwoman Bertha Goins with 796 votes to Goins’ 539.
Cynthia Parnell-Rivers received 401 votes, and there were 19 write-in votes.
County Council Chairman Neil Robinson (District 6) easily retained his seat by defeating challenger Bob Prather in a landslide vote of 836 to 297. There were 89 write-in votes.
Senator Mike Fanning (D), with 7,550 votes defeated
challenger Erin Mosley (R) with 4,472 votes.
Annie McDaniel (D) retained her seat in House District 41
with 7,458 votes to challenger Jennifer Brecheisen (R) with 4,566. Eleven
write-in votes were cast.
School board trustee incumbent Joe Seibles fended off
challenger Carrie Suber-O’Neal in a 1,112 to 600 vote. There were five
write-ins votes.
Two-term school board trustee incumbent representing
District 2, Paula Hartman was defeated by challenger Rene Green 1,045 to 716.
There were 8 write-in votes.
In other local races, Fairfield County Sheriff Will
Montgomery (D), with 9,830 votes, defeated Ed Eddie Jenkins with 1,854. There
were 42 write-in votes.
Fairfield Clerk of Court Judy Bonds (D), unchallenged, took
10,905 votes over 114 write-in votes.
Fairfield County Coroner Chris Hill (D) was unchallenged and
received 10,891 votes. There were 101 write-in votes.
According to voter registrations officials, there was an
unprecedented 70+ percent turnout for all county races.
The results are preliminary and will be certified on Friday
at 10 a.m. in the Voter Registration office.
An updated story will appear in the Thursday issue of The
Voice.
The Voice has provided space for each of the local candidates to talk about their candidacy, and here is what they had to say. These comments are unedited.
Erin Mosley, SC Senate Dist. 17 Candidate
Mosely
My name is Erin Mosley and I am the Republican candidate for SC Senate District 17. I am a lifelong conservative Republican and believe in accountability, transparency, trust and integrity in all elected officials. I believe in limited government, less taxation, school choice and being a voice you can trust for all citizens of District 17.
I am pro life, pro law enforcement, pro education, and pro
veterans issues. We need representation
at the state level to defend life. We
should always support the precious gift of life and continue to be a voice for
the voiceless.
Law enforcement officers are vitally important to the
preservation of our communities in maintaining safety and building
relationships with citizens. I would not
support defunding the police. I will
always support our law enforcement across South Carolina.
I believe in all avenues of the education system. I believe that parents should always be able
to decide where their child should attend school. Parents should always have the choice to
ensure their child’s educational success no matter if it is a virtual, private,
charter or public school. I am the
daughter of a Vietnam Veteran, my dad served 2 tours in Vietnam and was a
Purple Heart recipient. We owe every
liberty and freedom we have to our veterans. They will always have my
attention, support and I look forward to better meeting the needs of our
veterans.
I am a resident of Chester County and graduated from
Lewisville High School in 1994. I went
directly into the workforce from high school and soon after graduated from
Cosmetology school. I worked as a hair
stylist until my husband and I started a family. I am founding member of the Progressive
Association of Chester County Communities a non-profit 501 (c)3 that serves all
of Chester County communities. There I
served as secretary, board member, and now the current president until
2021. In 2016, I became Chairman of the
Chester County Republican Party. In
2018, I was appointed to the Chester County Zoning Board of Appeals. One of my favorite quotes is, “If we ever
forget that we are One Nation Under God, then we will be a nation gone under,”
by Ronald Reagan.
I would appreciate your vote and I look forward to serving
District 17.
Senator Mike Fanning, District 17 Incumbent, did not submit any comments.
Annie E. McDaniel, SC House Dist. 41 Incumbent
McDaniel
I know District 41 and will fight tirelessly for it because I have lived here virtually all of my life. I am a lifelong resident of Fairfield County and have been educated by our public schools. I am a proud alumna of the University of South Carolina (UofSC) where I earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration, major in Accounting. I later returned to UofSC and graduated with a Master’s Degree in Public Administration and completed two Ph.D. level education administration courses in Finance.
I served 18 years on the Fairfield County School Board which
provided awesome preparation for my next journey.
In November of 2018, I was elected to the SC General Assembly
to represent District 41. My 2018 bid was historic because I became the first
African American since reconstruction, and the only African American woman to
ever hold this seat and represent District 41. Our destiny as a State and
District are truly tied together as one and I am committed to ensuring that our
destiny is bright!
Noteworthy accomplishments include: first freshman
legislator to get a bill passed (E-Rate expansion) and my appointment as the SC
State Director for the National Women in Government Organization. I proudly serve on the Medical, Military,
Public, and Municipal Affairs Committee and COVID-19 Employment, Workforce and
Business Recovery Committee. Endorsements
include: SC Education PAC Council, Planned Parenthood, AFL-CIO, Realtors
Association and Care in Action. I have
written several press releases, the latest was published in The State Newspaper
“On Health Care Training” which emphasizes the need for the state to offer free
or reduced education cost for Health Care New Hires and Health Care
Education. I assisted constituents with
various matters due to the Pandemic. I
awarded scholarships to assist students with pursing their educational goals. I was the first to expose House District 41
to the Food Boxes. Please contact me to
discuss additional accomplishments or other issues.
I assisted with exposing House District 41 in many ways, to
include representation and state and national conferences and conventions and
ensuring that several of the Presidential Candidates visited SC. The Lt. Governor and I have worked on several
projects to benefit House District 41 and the State.
I am proud of the work I have accomplished thus far and am
dedicated to continuing to fight for you and your families. I would be honored to receive your support on
November 3rd.
Jennifer Brecheisen, House Dist. 41 Candidate
Jennifer Brecheisen
I am an artist, a mother, and a Christian-not a politician. I am running, because in this time of uncertainty we need people in office that know the needs, fears, and struggles of the working class in SC. I believe a Congresswoman should be humble but also assertive and bold to be able to fight for her constituents. My slogan is Progress the Right Way – that means we need a foundation as a starting point from which to progress. That foundation is our Constitution. I believe taxes should be low, we should feel safe, our children should have good educations, and we should have the infrastructure in place to be able to live our very own American Dream right here in SC.
I would like to lead District 41 and South Carolina to
freedom. My plan to achieve this is very
specific. Here are just a few points
within that plan.
Introduce legislation to ban all city and statewide mask
mandates. As a person with Lupus, RA,
and Sjogren’s Syndrome, I understand the fears of those with compromised immune
systems. I believe anyone that feels they need a mask for protection should be
able to wear them. I also know there are
people with health issues that prevent them from wearing masks; therefore, I
believe South Carolinians should have medical freedom to choose what’s best for
them.
Reduce Crime by restoring Constitutional Carry to SC. Our 2nd amendment is paramount to being able
to protect ourselves not only from criminals, but also from any dictatorial
regime and even our own government. In
SC the violent crime rate is 4.9 which is much higher than the national average
of 3.7. By definition, a criminal won’t follow the law, but they WILL practice
self-preservation. They will be less
likely to offend if they know their own life is at stake.
Work to ensure each school district has an in person 5 day
per week option and introduce legislation to let you put your child’s
educational money where you want it. You
do not need any group indoctrinating your children with values you don’t agree
with no matter what side of the political spectrum you are on.
Liberty can ONLY be protected by we the people. No one
should be dictating to us whether we can breathe or protect ourselves. We don’t want the government in our lives,
our wallets, or our children’s minds.
Will Montgomery, Sheriff Incumbent
Will Montgomery
In the time that I’ve served as the Sheriff of Fairfield County we’ve made many positive changes to improve the quality of life for the citizens of Fairfield County. Some of our accomplishments from the past 6 years are listed below.
Crime rate is down.
Drug arrest are up.
We’re more involved with our communities.
We’ve added 6 new School Resource Officers.
More training available to all employees.
More deputies on patrol in our communities.
Updated technology.
Added a Gang Task Force.
Added a K-9 position.
We’ve built stronger relationships with other agencies. (Local, State and Federal)
A complete fitness gym to help keep employees in good physical shape.
We reorganized our rank structure to improve order in our chain of command.
We reorganized all call signs to improve communications.
We improved our communications with our citizens with social media and the use of Reverse 911.
We’re one of the first law enforcement agencies in the United States to issue body cameras to all of the deputies on patrol.
We’ve improved the way we investigate all internal complaints.
We’ve built a good relationship with all media outlets.
Open door policy in place to improve availability.
More community meetings conducted across the county.
A good working relationship with our County Council.
We’ve received over $1.5 million dollars from grants. (Equipment and training)
Pay increases and added benefits for all employees.
Church security program.
Citizen’s Advisory Committee.
Security check program.
New evidence room.
We’ve never gone over budget to make these changes.
These are just a few of our accomplishments in the past 6
years, and I look forward to continuing our progress in the right direction for
the future of our County.
Thanks to all of my supporters for making this possible
.Please Vote November 3, for proven leadership and a Sheriff that is familiar
with our County.
Ed “Eddie” Jenkins, Sheriff Candidate
Ed Jenkins
Our communities deserve to have the best minds and manpower as well as equipment to protect and serve Fairfield County, and to take back our communities from crime! As your Sheriff, I will see to it that this becomes a reality.
Sheriff William Montgomery recently stated on social media
that crime in Fairfield County is low, but I beg to differ. Since that statement, we all know that many
of our communities have experienced shootings and have been terrorized by violent
individuals who are taking over and destroying what Fairfield County truly
stands for.
In fact, over the course of six (6) years, Fairfield County
has been heavy plagued with multiple gun violence incidents in which people
were wounded and/or killed: Within the
last few months, there was a shooting at the Deerwood Apartments, which lead to
another gun victim, threats of gun violence occurred at the Element Industrial
Plant and two recent shootings caused mayhem in the Greenbrier and Ridgeway
areas. In addition, in speaking with
concerned citizens, I found that there have been several gun violence incidents
that resulted in unsolved murder cases and did not make it through Grand Jury
because of the lack of evidence.
As your sheriff, I will provide swift response and thorough
investigations of all crimes. We need a
sheriff who is assertive and will always exert strong leadership!
In speaking with many individuals and through close
observations, I discovered that there are no programs in place in Fairfield
County to prevent rising gun violence.
Therefore, my goal is to formulate an effective plan to reduce gun
violence throughout our county.
Sheriff William Montgomery has failed us! He has not
established a partnership with our communities and that is why violent
encounters have occurred rapidly during his six years as Sheriff of Fairfield
County. Community policing tactics are not effective because many of the
citizens, particularly our youths, either fear or have no respect for the
deputies. I want to remind the Fairfield
County citizens that we did not have all these acts of gun violence during
former Sheriff Herman Young’s era.
Sheriff Montgomery stated that he added a Gang Task Force,
but citizens feel that our youths are heavily involved in gang activities and
recent shootings are gang related. Local
news sources and citizens insist that no arrest has occurred.
As your Sheriff, I will partnership with the community to
implement an effective plan that will focus on youth violence prevention.
Vote for ED “Eddie” Jenkins for Sheriff of Fairfield County
on Nov. 3, 2020
Paula Meisner Hartman, FCSD District 2 Trustee Incumbent
Paula Hartman
It has been my privilege to serve on the Fairfield County School District Board of Trustees for eight years. It has been a challenging, fulfilling experience. I first ran for the board in 2012, out of my love for children and this county and to help the school district be the best it can be.
Today, I am running for a third term with those same goals
but with a broader understanding of my role and responsibilities as a member of
the board.
The ultimate job of the school district, of course, is to
provide a quality education for our children, to provide the rigorous
instruction that will give them the tools to be successful – to be college, job
or military ready.
It has been my personal goal as a board member to make
careful suggestions that are right for the students, the district and the
community – suggestions that will guide the district in the right direction,
even when I stand alone.
While I have a degree in child development from the
University of South Carolina and have continued my education in dyslexia, ADD
and ADHD, I am not an educational expert. But my education, my willingness to
learn, my experience on the board and as a parent and grandparent gives me the
ability to research and draw on knowledgeable sources to reach sound decisions.
I have lived in Ridgeway most of my life and enjoy serving
my community. I know my constituents, and I know they expect not only a
well-run school district, but one that is also transparent and responsive to
the community. Our school district is one of the most financially blessed
school districts in all of South Carolina. But we must always strive to make
the most of our financial blessings in order to help our students succeed.
While my basic role on the board is to help set the school’s
vision, implement policy, oversee the budget and hire and evaluate the
superintendent, my overall goal is our students’ success, real success, now and
for the rest of their lives – that’s what every parent wants for their child.
As a board member,
honesty, openness and ensuring our students’ success have been a hallmark of my
service. I ask for your vote on or before Nov. 3 so that I might continue to
represent District 2 on the FCSD Board of Trustees.
J. Renee Green, FCSD District 2 Trustee Candidate
J. Renee Green
My name is J. Renee Green. I am running for the School Board of Fairfield County. I am a lifelong educator, with over 35 years of classroom teaching experience; the majority of that teaching experience has been within Fairfield County School District. Education is, without question, my passion and purpose. It is my goal to bring this passion and knowledge to the Fairfield County School Board.
I have been blessed to walk in my purpose as a Special
Education teacher here in Fairfield County. For over 30 years, I have educated,
embraced, and advocated for every child entrusted to my care. I understand what
educators and school personnel need to be successful. I also understand the
importance experience plays in making sound decisions that will help grow every
child that walks through the doors of Fairfield County Schools. My experience
will also play an important role in making sound decisions that help educators
teach, help alleviate some of the stress they may feel, and help promote love
walking into our school buildings every day!
As a classroom teacher, I realize the importance of
representation. Not only will I represent and speak for educators, I will also
represent and speak for parents. Both of my children are products of Fairfield
County Schools, so I have the unique experience of being both a teacher and
parent in Fairfield County Schools. This knowledge and experience will serve as
a guiding light for practices that are in the best interest of our children,
parents, educators, and staff.
In addition to being a public school educator for over 30
years in Fairfield County, I am also highly active in the community. A few of
the community and school-based activities I am or have been involved in
include, but are not limited to, coordinator for the Special Olympics (10+
years), advisor for the Fairfield County Youth Council of the NAACP (5+ years),
volunteer at Lake Wateree Dutchman Creek Fire Department, coordinator for the
Recycling Initiative, trainer for Fairfield County School-Wide Discipline
Initiative, advisor for the Teen Institute, and job coach for students with
disabilities.
As a Fairfield County School Board Trustee, I will help
ensure all students are prepared to transition to their next level of learning.
I will be accessible to the public and continue to bring first-hand experience,
positivity, and teamwork to our district! Together WE succeed!
Joe Seibles, FCSD District 4 Trustee Candidate
Joe Seibles
As a lifelong resident of Fairfield County, a product of Fairfield County School District schools, and a retired educator and school administrator, I love my community. I am also a parent of three Fairfield County graduates and a grandparent of three current students in the district. I will provide relevance to the board from an educator and a parental perspective. I am running for Fairfield County School District School Board because I care about our students, teachers, bus drivers, custodians, food service workers, resource officers and all the people who make up our schools in Fairfield. I want to give them the support they deserve, and I want our community to have a voice in our schools.
I want to let each voter know that their vote matters. I would like to have your vote because I believe
that I can help improve the quality of education for our residents. My primary focus would be to work on programs
that would benefit all students.
I would greatly appreciate your vote on or before November
3rd.
Carrie Suber, FCSD District 4 Candidate, did not submit any comments.
WINNSBORO – A murder suspect is being sought by the Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office after a fatal shooting that took place at Hwy 215 and Clarks Bridge Road in the Blair Community on Saturday, Oct. 24.
WINNSBORO – A murder suspect is being sought by the Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office after a fatal shooting that took place at Hwy 215 and Clarks Bridge Road in the Blair Community on Saturday, Oct. 24.
The victim, who was pronounced dead at the scene, has been identified by the Fairfield County Coroner’s Office as Trevis Quincy Boyd, Jr., 17. He was a student at Richard Winn Academy and had recently transferred from Fairfield Central High School.
Deputies responded to the location about 9 p.m., Saturday in reference to a person lying on the ground near a vehicle. Upon arrival, deputies found the victim lying next to his vehicle with what appeared to be a gunshot wound in his upper left leg, according to Sheriff Will Montgomery.
A 9mm handgun was discovered laying on the ground on the right side of the victim, and several gun shell cassings were located in the area, according to the incident report.
Sheriff’s deputies said the victim’s car was still running and inside the car, deputies found a dog which was turned over to the Fairfield County Animal Shelter.
Fairfield Coroner Coroner Chris Hill announced on Monday that the shooting occurred about 8:30 p.m., and that the victim had not just one gunshot wound, but multiple gunshot wounds.
Investigators are currently following up on leads to identify the shooter(s) involved in the incident. Sheriff Montgomery extended his deepest sympathy to the family and encouraged anyone with any information about the shooting to contact the Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office at 803-635-4141 or Crime Stoppers at 1-888-CRIMESC (888-274-6372) or visit www.midlandscrimestoppers.com to email a tip. The identity of tipsters will be kept anonymous and, a tip leading to an arrest could be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1,000.
WINNSBORO – A Fairfield County student was found shot to
death about 9 p.m. Saturday night, at the corner of Clark Bridge Road and
Highway 215, according to Fairfield County Sheriff Will Montgomery. The teen
has not yet been publicly identified by the Fairfield County Coroner’s office.
“The victim was lying on the ground, deceased, next to his
car when deputies arrived,” Montgomery said. He said the victim had been shot
in the leg, but did not know when the shooting occurred or how long the victim
had been dead when deputies arrived.
Montgomery said his office is investigating the incident as
a possible homicide.
The victim was a senior at Richard Winn Academy where he had
recently transferred from Fairfield Central High School, according to sources.
RWA headmaster Kristen Chaisson said she was notified of the
death Saturday night and sent an email to staff and teachers. Chaisson told The
Voice Sunday morning that she has scheduled a meeting with teachers for Sunday
afternoon to discuss a crisis response and will be sending more information out
to the school’s families following that meeting.
“It is a tragedy that is going to affect both Richard Winn
and Fairfield Central High School,” Chaisson said. “We need to talk about how
both schools are going to support each other and the student’s family and
friends through this because he was our kid. He belonged to both schools.”
This is a developing story and more information will be
posted as it is released.
WINNSBORO – The Voice has received several letters from
readers in regard to the penny tax and the wastewater treatment plant that ask
some of the same questions that have also been posed on Facebook pages by
citizens in both Fairfield County and Blythewood (Cedar Creek area.) The Voice
asked county officials s to answer these questions and clarify any
misinformation. While county officials can provide information about the penny
tax, they cannot advocate for or against it. Questions that might be construed
as advocating were answered by Gene Stevens, President of the Fairfield Chamber
of Commerce or Neil Robinson, County Council Chairman.
Q: Since Chamber is on the taxpayer’s payroll and it is illegal for County taxes to be used to promote the penny tax…there appears to be a serious conflict of interest.
A: The Chamber is not
on the County’s payroll. The County grants the Chamber funds every budget year
for various purposes, mostly to promote tourism and business activity such as
the Ag & Art Tour. Rock Around the Clock, etc. The County’s funds are not
being used to promote the Penny sales Tax. The Fairfield Chamber of Commerce is
a 501 C6 organization which gives them the right to advocate on any issue they
view fit. “501 C6 tax status is that it allows organizations to engage in
unlimited amounts of lobbying.” No Chamber dues, County or Town funds were used
in funding this effort. It was all raised by outside sources. No employees at
the Fairfield Chamber of Commerce are County employees.
Q: Shouldn’t a potential industry pay for the WWTP it needs?
A: They do through
impact fees. However, the waste water treatment plant must be in place first.
Without proper infrastructure, companies will not establish
job creating, tax paying facilities.
Industries pay impact fees to connect to the system along
with usage rates. Impact Fees or tap fees based on volume and are similar to
what residential customers pay when they build a new house and connect to a
municipal system.
Q: Now, the county is asking Fairfield County residents, and me when I shop there, to pay a 14 percent tax on nearly everything that we buy in the county or you order on line.
A: This is not true.
This is an extremely misleading tactic used repeatedly by people opposed to
sales tax increases across the country. Claiming the county’s penny tax brings
the sales tax in Fairfield County to a 14% sales tax increase is disingenuous
and not at all accurate.
The following explanation we think gives a good
understanding of how the tax works.
“Though 14 percent is the mathematical rise in the rate of
fractional rate charged, it does not accurately convey the impact of the tax
because it is a comparison of fractional rates and includes no whole numbers.
To determine the true percentage increase, the formula used must include the
real-world cost of goods involved. For example, the current sales tax on a
qualifying $10 purchase [in Fairfield County] is .70 cents. If the referendum
is approved, the same item would cost $10.80. To calculate the increase,
subtract the current cost from the proposed cost ($10.80- $10.70 = 0.1) and
divide the difference by the current cost (0.1 ÷ 10.70 = 0.009345). To convert
the answer to a percentage, multiply the quotient by 100 (0.009345 x 100 =
0.93), and the product is rounded to 1 percent.” – Larry Wood, Post and Courier
Put simply, assume you choose to visit Laura’s Tea Room in
Ridgeway and you spend $10.00 on great sandwich plate and a cup of tea, your
additional cost due to the penny sales tax is ten cents. If you add the
existing 6% state sales tax and the 1% road tax, your total cost would be
$10.80, not $11.40 which is what you would pay if a 14% sales tax were imposed,
which is not the case.
That’s why the 14% increase statement is a misleading
tactic.
Now assume you spent $10.00 on a sandwich in Blythewood at
Scotties. In Richland County, your total costs would be $11.00…twenty cents
more than Fairfield County. Richland County charges 2% more on every dollar
spent which you can see from our above response is not a 28% increase.
Another thing important to note is that this 1% sales tax
isn’t applied to non-prepared food (groceries) or any medicine, so to say “a 14
percent tax on nearly everything that we buy” is not true on two levels.
The real issue is not the additional minimal impact of a 1%
increase on local citizens but the significant burden of high unemployment,
lack of amenities, and a dismal future for our kids without the 1% increase.
Remember, for the last twenty years, we have been burdened with the highest
unemployment in the state. Just prior to Covid, as a result of our commitment
to economic development efforts, our unemployment rate plummeted and there were
at least nine other counties with higher rates. In the last 18 months, we have
announced more jobs than in the previous 15 years combined. We have momentum
and sewer capacity is absolutely foundational to the future that our citizens
and our children deserve. Neil Robinson, Chair Fairfield County Council.
Q: [The county has] 16 properties on the I-77 Corridor internet site for sale or lease. Two spec. buildings built in 2014 that have never been used. They have 600 acres on Cook road in industrial Park sitting there empty.
A: This is not true.
To begin, the first spec building that was built in Walter B. Brown Industrial
Park was sold to a company called CTG. They currently use the facility as a
distribution warehouse. The second Spec Building you are referring to has been
sold to Oldcastle APG who plans to invest $28.9 million and begin operating out
of the facility by Q1 of 2021. They will hire around 100 employees and pay
hundreds of thousands of dollars per year in property taxes.
The Fairfield County Commerce Center is still in the process
of being developed. The first tenant was Bomag. Currently we have other
prospects considering the park. Incidentally, they initially looked at
Fairfield County because of the speculative building. We recently received
grant funding to pre-grade sites for prospective industry. Even during Covid,
we are experiencing significant interest.
Q: No Fairfield residents are receiving new sewer from this 50 million dollar spec. plant
A: The plant is
estimated to cost $32 million. Most of which will be offset by grant funding.
Initially, we will extend collection lines along major arteries to allow
residents to connect. We are pursuing new residential and commercial
development as aggressively as industrial activity.
Q: Not a SINGLE WWTF in SC has contained spills. NOT ONE!
A: This is
misleading. The MBR system, which is the proposed facility, has recorded no
leaks in the wwtp located in Isle of Palms. We propose to build the same kind
of state-of-the-art all enclosed wastewater treatment plant.
Q: There has been NO CONSIDERATION on the impact on animals like deer, turkey, raccoons, possums and thousands of birds that will consume the effluent and eventually get sick and die
A: This is not true.
Studies have been conducted on the impacts to the area and the creek. DHEC has
approved Cedar Creek as capable for accepting the discharge. Cedar Creek
already accepts effluent from the Ridgeway Waste Water Facility and we are
unaware of any adverse impact on wildlife. As has been stated multiple times,
the MBR system generates a very clean effluent. In fact, it is near potable.
Q: How many think that locating sports areas near a wastewater plant is a fun place to play?!
A: First, the plant
itself will not be located directly by the fields. The proposed exhibit you a
referencing has the plant at the southern end of the property. Between the
plant and the fields, there will be significant vegetative buffer, meaning that
the plant itself will not be visible. The grading work that will be done on site
will make it so the plant will be lower than the ball fields. In addition the
plant itself is a relatively small MBR (Membrane Bio Reactor) system. The
entire facility will be enclosed.
Also, the Columbia Waste Water Facility is located adjacent
to the exclusive private Heathwood Hall Episcopal School which has numerous
outdoor recreational activities including sports fields.
Camden recently opened their Riverfront Environmental Park.
This was a former sewer facility pond site and is also located by the existing
waste water facility. Camden received a Municipal Association of South Carolina
(MASC) Achievement Award for this park. 30 cities and towns submitted projects
and initiatives for consideration in the annual award.
Q: Had they [county] set aside the money that they have spent on this [Penny Sales Tax] PR campaign and design, how much closer would they be in getting the wastewater where it needs to go – into the Broad River.
A: The county is not
participating in any advocacy campaign. The Fairfield Chamber of Commerce is
running an advocacy campaign that has been paid for by donations from private
organizations. As previously stated, the Fairfield Chamber of Commerce is an
501 C6 organization. 501 C6 organizations can participate in advocacy work. 501
C6 tax status allows organizations to engage in unlimited amounts of lobbying.
Executive advocacy comprises a significant portion of the activities of many
business leagues. Zero county dollars have been spent on any PR campaign for
the Penny Sales Tax.
Fairfield County has only hosted an educational Zoom
meeting.
Q: The effluent will contaminate the water wells along Cedar Creek.
A: No. And to be
clear, Ridgeway’s existing facility already discharges effluent into Cedar
Creek now and has for years. Out of concern for the wells, the county requested
a hydrologist study the potential impacts on groundwater. The study concluded that there were no
ramifications. If you have interest in looking at the study please reach out to
the Economic Development office. We can make that available for anyone who
wants to read through it.
Conclusions of the study are as follows:
In the South Carolina Piedmont, water does not flow across
topographic divides. Instead it flows within the watershed via relatively short
distances from topographic divides toward stream channels.
Streams in the Piedmont Province are characteristically
referred to as “gaining” streams because the streams gain water from
discharging groundwater along their length; thus. The Piedmont aquifer feeds
flow to streams rather than streams feeding the aquifer.
Although there are rare instances of “losing” streams
(streams that discharge water to groundwater) in the Piedmont Province, they
are usually associated with specific rock types like limestone or dolomite,
which are not mapped within the Big Cedar Creek watershed.
Water in Piedmont watersheds invariably flows from high
elevations to low elevations, and toward the stream network. This flow pattern
includes subsurface groundwater flow.
The chance of recovered well water being influenced by
surface water is remote, because the volume of water pumped for domestic water
supply needs is miniscule compare to the volume of water traveling within the
watershed from stream divides toward streams.
Q: Why can’t the wastewater treatment plant wait till a later time?
A: Fairfield County
will be unable to attract any new industry without an expansion of sewer
capacity.
We are almost out of capacity now. We must continue to lure
investment and add jobs as well as curb the trend of population decline in
Fairfield County.
Q: Did the county pay the newspaper or a PR firm to write the story on the wastewater plant/sports complex?
A: No
Q: If the penny tax passes, how much total sales tax will residents be paying?
A: One penny on every
dollar spent, ten cents on every ten dollars spent and one dollar on every
hundred dollars spent.
Q: In The Voice article, county officials said there is only 34,000 gallons per day of sewer capacity available. The Town of Winnsboro has an available capacity of 287,000 gallons per day, and capacity from closed industries would contribute another 255,000 gallons per day.
A: Officials have
said there is only 34,000 gpd available at the mega site, Fairfield Commerce
Center, Exits 32 and 34. The existing
collection lines and pump stations are inadequate, undersized, out dated and in
need of upgrading. In order for the growth areas to access Winnsboro’s excess
capacity, we would have to spend $10M-$12M on collection lines. Conservatively, we can build a plant to
initially handle 2 mgd and easily expand to 4 mgd for $8-16 per gallon.
Economically, it makes no sense to spend $12M to upgrade sewer collection lines
and not create any new sewer capacity.
The Winnsboro engineers did identify 255,000 gpd that can be
potentially “reclaimed,“ but DHEC has not yet signed off on this request.
Until they do, there is only 287,000 gpd available, but not accessible.
