Blythewood Online 691

Category: Government

  • Council offers FMH $1.6M

    WINNSBORO – Fairfield Memorial Hospital has accepted Fairfield County’s offer of $1.3 million to buy three parcels, with an option to acquire a fourth for an additional $285,000.

    The vote came at the end of a special meeting of the hospital’s board of trustees Tuesday, one day after Fairfield County Council approved presenting the deal to the board.

    Hospital board members were very complimentary of the county’s work in assembling the proposed deal.

    “They really did a good job to pull this off in a timely manner like they did,” said board member James McGraw. “Hats off to Fairfield County.”

    Board member Randy Bright agreed.

    “That’s a continuation of the great job they did working with the state, Providence [Health] and us in pulling Providence into here so that we have a continuation of medical care in the county,” Bright said. “This council has done a great job in moving us forward.”

    The motion the hospital board approved states the hospital “agrees to accept the county’s draft offer, including purchase price, pending legal review by the hospital’s attorneys.”

    Billy Smith, chairman of Fairfield County Council, was pleased to see such a quick turnaround.

    Smith noted the council thought it was important to release details of the deal after first reading, even though deals of this nature are typically kept confidential until third reading.

    “It is a big deal and a big number,” Smith said. “We wanted folks to look at that and give any feedback.”

    Fairfield County is offering $1.3 million to buy three parcels from Fairfield Memorial Hospital, with an option to buy a fourth for $285,000, according to a proposed contract the county released Monday.

    Two parcels consist of medical office buildings. Portables occupy the third parcel, though Smith said the county was interest in that piece of property to improve access to the office buildings.

    The property with the option is the rehabilitation center.

    Smith has said the intent behind purchasing the properties is to preserve the general practitioner offices and rehabilitation center. He still hopes a private provider can step in and operate the rehab center.

    “The purpose was not to be a real estate baron,” Smith said. “It’s to provide services in the county. We’re hoping we can get a user in there, a good provider for the citizens.”

    At Monday night’s council meeting, the council approved a motion authorizing Smith to present terms of the deal to the hospital.

    The council also approved first reading of an ordinance authorizing the purchase of hospital property “for public use or other uses deemed fit by the council and other related matters,” according to the measure approved Monday night.

    Two more readings, as well as acceptance by the hospital, are required to finalize the deal.

    Terms of the deal have been hashed out over the past several months in executive session. Monday night’s presentation of the proposed contract was the first public disclosure of the deal.

    Both votes were unanimous. Council members Mikel Trapp and Douglas Pauley were absent.

    Fairfield County has been discussing for months the possible purchase of property from Fairfield Memorial Hospital, which has been struggling financially. The hospital is in the process of closing.

    In addition to listing a purchase price and option, the proposed deal also contains a stipulation that the county pay $250,000 to Fairfield Memorial Hospital within 10 days of execution of the agreement.

    Funds would be credited toward the purchase price and used by the hospital to cover day-to-day operational expenses, the document states.

    Fairfield County would pay an additional $10,000 upfront, with the money going into an escrow account. The county would pay the remaining balance to the hospital by the closing date, though that date isn’t specified in the proposed document.

    In May, Fairfield County voted to begin negotiations with the hospital to purchase some of its properties. At the time the parcels appraised for about $1.6 million, and $1.9 million with the rehab center included, Smith said.

    County Council approved a memorandum of understanding a month later. In that document, the council voted to purchase some or all of the property. It added a stipulation that a $400,000 lien against the hospital be satisfied before any sale could take place.

  • RW vote may have violated FOIA

    RIDGEWAY – A recent vote authorizing Ridgeway Police Chief Christopher Culp to take school resource officer refresher courses may have violated state open meeting laws because the public never received notice of the impending vote, according to Freedom of Information Act experts.

    At its July 12 meeting, the Ridgeway Town Council voted 3-0 for Culp to receive SRO recertification training. Council members Rufus Jones and Angela Harrison were absent.

    Councilman Don Prioleau introduced the motion, which authorizes Culp to receive the training either through a police major at the Columbia Police Department or the S.C. Criminal Justice Academy.

    Ridgeway would incur no cost through Columbia police, Priolieau said.

    The council’s vote may not have been legal, though, because the agenda didn’t list any items concerning SRO training.

    Bill Rogers, Executive Director of the S.C. Press Association, called the vote “sneaky” because the SRO training issue was never publicized in advance.

    “It’s a sneaky move to slip something by without the public knowing about it,” Rogers said. “And the council might have voted differently if it was on the agenda and the two council members [who missed the meeting] were present.”

    In 2015, the state Supreme Court ruled that meeting agendas, once posted, cannot be amended without an additional 24-hour notice to the public.

    This provision can only be suspended in two circumstances, according to the S.C. Municipal Association:

    • A two-thirds vote of members present and voting
    • A finding that an emergency or exigent circumstance exists.

    “An exigent circumstances would be considered an urgent or time-sensitive issue,” the municipal association website states.

    Council members didn’t vote at all to amend the agenda and there was no indication from council that sending Culp to receive SRO training constituted an urgent or time sensitive issue.

    For information only?

    Prioleau made his motion during the “Police Report” portion of the meeting, typically reserved for information-only items about arrest statistics and day-to-day police activity.

    Mayor Heath Cookendorfer said Prioleau’s motion during the “Police Report” segment was unprecedented.

    “I don’t mind seconding the motion to send him [Culp] to SRO training, but we’ve never approved the Police Report before,” Cookendorfer said. “We’ve always used it as ‘for information.’”

    Prior to the motion, Cookendorfer also wouldn’t allow an NAACP representative to speak during the first public comments session, saying that period is reserved only for agenda (action) items.

    Remarks about non-agenda items, he said, are reserved for the second public comments section, which occurs toward the end of the meeting, which is when the NAACP representative spoke.

    Culp escaped an effort to fire him during the June council meeting.

    Instead, council members voted to work with Culp in addressing complaints against him.

    Among the complaints was an assertion that Culp, who is not certified to work as an SRO, spends a disproportionate time doubling as a de facto SRO at Geiger Elementary School at the expense of policing the town, according to public records.

    State law states that SRO’s “have a primary duty the responsibility to act as a law enforcement officer, advisor and teacher for that school district.”

    A common problem

    As recently as June 28, the S.C. Attorney General’s Office opined that the Town of Mount Pleasant likely violated FOIA over a recent vote that resembled how the Ridgeway vote was conducted.

    The Mount Pleasant council discussed a lawsuit settlement agreement in executive session. No votes were initially taken, prompting numerous residents in attendance to leave.

    Later, though, the council held another executive session to discuss items other than the litigation.

    After the closed door meeting, the Mount Pleasant council voted to approve the lawsuit settlement without the required two-thirds vote to amend the agenda. That action likely violated FOIA, the attorney general’s office said.

    “It does not appear that either a two-thirds vote to take up the settlement again at the end of the meeting was taken,” the opinion, written by Solicitor General Robert D. Cook, said.

    “Nor was there a determination by Council that this was an emergency situation or exigent circumstance, thereby allowing a bypass of the two-thirds requirement of [state law] for amendment of the agenda,” the opinion continues.

    Jay Bender, an attorney with the press association, noted that in Mount Pleasant’s case, several council members didn’t participate in the executive session, and earlier votes resulted in 4-4 or 4-3 margins.

    In Ridgeway, two council members missed the vote altogether. And neither council voted to amend the agenda before voting. “Given the division on [the Mount Pleasant council], it seems unlikely that a motion to amend the agenda a second time to bring the settlement agreement for a vote could have obtained the necessary two-thirds vote,” Bender wrote in a recent op-ed piece that appears on page 2 of The Voice (read here).

    “Those who believe in open government in South Carolina should say thanks to Mr. Cook for this thoughtful and well-reasoned opinion,” Bender said.

    Prioleau backs Culp

    At Thursday’s meeting in Ridgeway, Prioleau vigorously supported sending Culp to receive SRO training, and criticized some council members and media reports for publicizing community complaints aimed at the chief.

    Documents The Voice obtained through a public records request show that at least 15 formal complaints had been filed against Culp in the previous 12 months. Culp was hired in 2016.

    Prioleau stated as many or more emails complimentary of the chief were submitted to the town over a six-day period. He hand delivered those emails to The Voice’s office and called for their publication.

    “This young man has been working here right at two years. We’ve had nothing but good reports for him,” Prioleau said. “The 5 percent, the negative stuff, makes us all looks so bad.”

    The emails delivered to The Voice, state Culp exudes professionalism and sensitivity. Some were anonymous, though most were attributed to an author or authors.

    “I am writing to express my salutation, appreciation and gratitude to Chief Culp for his concerted effort and endeavors in maintaining the stability and order in the Town of Ridgeway, especially working in a risky environment because he doesn’t have an officer to back him up,” one writer stated.

    Another writer stated Culp came to her aid when her vehicle broke down.

    “I want to compliment Deputy Culp, who came to my assistance when my truck had stopped alongside Highway 34 a few miles past the town of Ridgeway,” the email said.

    Several emails criticized council members over how Culp has been treated. At least one letter suggested criticisms of the chief were racially motivated.

    Priolieau became defensive to questions about his SRO training request.

    Councilman Dan Martin noted the Fairfield County Board of Trustees recently approved funding for five SROs, including one at Geiger Elementary.

    “The funds are all there for the county to hire new five new SRO officers. I feel pretty sure that they’ll have those officers in place,” Martin said. “I have a hard time thinking that they’re not going to find them for all five schools.”

    Martin also asked how long Culp would be absent if he attended the training. Prioleau answered by saying one to two weeks, and that the sheriff’s office would patrol Ridgeway in the interim.

    “I can’t believe we’re going down this road, I’m getting really upset over this,” Prioleau said. “The man has had his training, all he needs is a refresher course.”

    However, Prioleau did not present any documentation that Culp had ever been certified as an SRO officer.

    Martin also asked for a more detailed breakdown of Culp’s day-to-day activities. He said the monthly police report in its current form is vague.

    “How much time is he assisting other entities … as opposed to what he’s doing here?” Martin asked. “I’m just asking a simple question. How much time on average do you think he spends a month assisting these other entities (such as the Department of Natural Resources)? We don’t know what he did or anything.”

    Prioleau said it’s common for police agencies to provide mutual assistance. He said the lack of specificity in the monthly report was to not bog the chief down with excessive paperwork.

  • Council sweetens Taylor’s contract

    WINNSBORO – Fairfield County’s administrator and clerk to council are getting raises.

    Following a lengthy executive session that included six discussion items, Fairfield County Council voted unanimously to extend County Administrator Jason Taylor’s contract for another year.

    The council also voted to increase the period of compensation in the event of termination without cause to two years.

    Lastly, council members approved a 3.44 percent pay raise, increasing Taylor’s salary from $123,997.60 to $129,297.52.

    “Jason, I think you do a great job,” said Billy Smith, the council’s chairman.

    Smith announced in June that he wouldn’t seek re-election when his seat expires in December.

    “I’m going to miss you when I’m gone,” Smith said.

    Smith had similar words of praise for Clerk to Council Patti Locklair. She received a pay raise of 4 percent by unanimous vote of the council.

    “I’m going to miss working with you,” Smith said.

    Both Taylor and Locklair received similar pay raises last year, with Taylor receiving a contract extension last year as well.

    Taylor was hired as the county administrator in May 2016. He came to Fairfield County from Jasper County, where he was previously the town administrator for Ridgeland since 2002.

    He also spent eight years with the S.C. Department of Social Services and four years as Saluda County’s economic development director.

    Also discussed in executive session were items relating to the purchase of property at the Fairfield Memorial Hospital site.

    In addition, council members discussed a contractual matter concerning “Discussion of Funding in Accordance with the County’s Contract on Emergency Room Services with Providence/LifePoint and Fairfield Memorial Hospital.”

    No action, however, was taken on either item.

    At the June 25 meeting, council members voted to present a memorandum of understanding to Fairfield Memorial to purchase “some or all” of the property. The council voted in May to open negotiations leading to a possible purchase agreement for two medical offices and the rehab facility.

    The hospital property must be unencumbered by liens or other attachments to the title, according to the motion approved in June.

    Hospital officials said following the board’s June meeting that those talks have been positive.

    As to Providence Health, Fairfield County and the Columbia-based health provider have partnered to build a new emergency room, which is being built off U.S. 321 bypass across from Bi-Lo.

    County Council has pledged $1 million annually for 10 years to Providence Health in support of the new ER.

    At the Fairfield Memorial Hospital board meeting in June, Joseph Bernard with Providence Health told trustees the facility should be completed in November, with a grand opening of the ER possible by mid-December.

    Advertising for jobs should begin sometime this month, Bernard said.

  • County ups fees on dumping, loose pets

    WINNSBORO – Fairfield County is one vote away from imposing higher fees for some animal control and dumping services.

    But as county officials note, the extra charges are user fees, meaning only people using those services will pay more money.

    At Monday night’s meeting, council members voted unanimously on second reading of the revised fee schedule, which requires a third reading to become law.

    County Administrator Jason Taylor said the fees are part of a broader effort to streamline the county’s fee system for simplicity.

    “We have tried to restructure how we do fees in general as far as the way they’re included in our budget,” Taylor said. “It also makes it easier to understand if they’re all in one place.”

    As it relates to animal control and dumping services fees, Taylor noted they were strictly user fees to offset costs of providing county services.

    “They’re not blanket fees, they’re not fees charged to everyone,” he said. “They’re only fees charged to those who use those services.”

    According to the proposed ordinance, animal owners would be assessed $25 anytime Fairfield County Animal Control is called to lasso their loose pet. Revenues collected would cover the cost of animal control officer response, the ordinance states.

    Commercial and non-residential haulers are also targeted in the second fee structure.

    Taylor said there’s been an uptick in commercial haulers using the county’s wood chipping facility, prompting the new fee.

    “We have a lot of commercial people who are coming in dumping. We think they should pay,” he said. “They are making money off the service that we provide, so it’s fair for them to have to pay a fee.”

    Fees proposed in the ordinance use the following structure:

    • Permit fee | $15 (required annually),
    • Single axle truck load | $20 per load,
    • Dump truck or single axle truck with trailer | $30 per load,
    • Tandem dump truck or larger | $40 per load.

    Revenues from the dumping fee “shall be used for the cost associated with the disposal of some of the solid waste collected at its waste collection sites in Fairfield County,” according to the ordinance.

    Only one person spoke during a public hearing that preceded the vote.

    Randy Bright of Ridgeway pressed council members to provide specifics of the fee, as well as the justification for it.

    “Anytime you hear new fees, new taxes, you get a little leery and you become very inquisitive because that impacts our lives as much as anything when the government or anybody takes money away from us,” Bright said. “Who does that impact the most? Those who can afford it the least, the lower income.”

    Councilman Cornelius Robinson asked about recreation fees.

    Though not part of the ordinance approved Monday night, Robinson said the recreation rental fee deserves a second look.

    “My concern is … you have some citizens who want to utilize recreation for actual recreation,” he said. “Some are concerned the fee isn’t high enough due to tying up the ability to play basketball.”

    Council Chairman Billy Smith said he thought the $25 per hour fee was fair.

    “I wouldn’t disagree with the assessment personally,” Smith said.

    Robinson said he’d still like to revisit recreation rental fees.

    “I know we still are in the beginning stages of revamping our [recreation] department, which is better than it was, I would say,” Robinson said. “It’s just something we should think about down the road.”

    In related business, the council approved a companion ordinance that amends the budget and authorizes the supplemental appropriation of funds.

    Taylor said the ordinance essentially adds the loose animal and wood chipping fees into the budget as revenues and expenditures. That ordinance also passed unanimously.

  • Council opens door to vendors

    Vendor Johnny Dial runs a vegetable stand across from the Food Lion on Blythewood Road. | Barbara Ball

    BLYTHEWOOD – Town Council passed a temporary vending ordinance last week that opens the door for vendors to set up shop in the Town Center District (TCD).

    The ordinance, which took more than a year to pass, is a City of Columbia ordinance knockoff that basically allows street vendors to begin operating in the town if they are permitted by a property owner to locate on their property, leave the premises every evening and acquire the proper temporary vendor permitting from Town Hall. There are a few specific regulations for different types of vendors.

    Food trucks must locate more than 250 feet from the door of a lawfully established eating place unless the owner of that eating place provides a letter of consent.  Seasonal vendors and food trucks must obtain a zoning permit prior to operating in the town and must locate within a district that otherwise permits that type of business. Vendors located within 400 feet of a parcel zoned residential are not allowed to operate between 9 p.m. and 9 a.m., and vendors cannot operate more than a total of 10 hours within a calendar day.

    Vendors are generally allowed to operate at the same time the other businesses in town are open.

    Unlike brick and mortar businesses in the town, vendors are not required to adhere to architectural review standards. A business owner in the TCD who is prohibited from painting his building garish colors could come in with those same colors as a vendor without penalty. There are no architectural review requirements or restrictions for temporary vendors.

    Still, vendor Johnny Dial, who has manned a vegetable stand across from the Food Lion on Blythewood Road for most of the past three years, says the rules are too tough on vendors.

    “Having to move out every night, pull up stakes and come back the next day and set up is a lot of work.”

    But Dial also says it is too expensive to lease a building.

    “People don’t like to buy produce in a store. They like to buy vegetables in open air markets,” Dial said.

    Dial purchases most of his vegetables from producers in Lexington County – Moneta, Mr. Rawl’s and William’s Produce – who deliver the products to him.

    The ordinance defines ‘temporary vendors’ “as a person who sells merchandise, goods, services or forms of amusement from a tent, awning, canopy, umbrella, stand, booth, cart or trailer, from a vehicle, from his person or other temporary structure.”

    A food truck is defined as a licensed, motorized vehicle that includes a self-contained or attached trailer kitchen and the vehicle is used to sell and dispense food to the general public.

    Grace Coffee, although it looks like a vendor, does not have to pull up stakes and leave every evening like the other vendors. It is allowed to stay on premises 24/7/365 like brick and mortar businesses, but is not bound by architectural review restrictions and regulations that brick and mortar businesses are bound by. Grace Coffee has been declared by Town Hall to be a ‘business in good standing.

    Cook said the term ‘temporary vending’ has to do with venders who are only in town for the day, but leave after business hours.

    The temporary vending ordinance was recommended for approval by the Planning Commission on April 4. It was also shown to the Board of Architectural Review (BAR). While BAR members were not given any authority to make changes or vote on the ordinance, they asked that there be some criteria addressed for standards dealing with the architectural appropriateness of vendors.

    “I really have a struggle with the fairness of this,” Jim McLean, co-chair of the BAR said. “Are the brick and mortar stores being undercut? They have made a hard investment in the town and have to abide by the BAR regulations and restrictions. The caveat of unfair competition needs to be addressed.”

    Appearance of the vendors was not addressed by Council when it passed the ordinance last week.

  • Town hires CPA to right its financials

    BLYTHEWOOD – Town Council passed final reading last week on the Town’s 2018-19 budget set at $1,565,114.

    Town administrator Brian Cook said there were only a few changes in the budget since the first reading in May. Of note, however, is a transfer of $25,000 from the contingency fund into accounting services.

    “That accounts partly for the cost of a review of our accounting records that we need moving forward,” Cook said.

    He was referencing an announcement made by Mayor J. Michael Ross at the May council meeting that the town’s accounting and financial record keeping was not in proper order and that town hall “has not even commenced the annual audit process for last year’s (2016-17) audit.”

    Ross said, however, that he believed the town’s finances to be in solid shape.

    “It appears this situation has resulted from management’s failure to properly transition to the new accounting software system which was recommended to this council by professional public administrators who then failed to attain implementation,” Ross said.

    Ross thanked Cook publicly for detecting this deficiency very early in his service to Blythewood. Cook was hired last February to replace Gary Parker who retired. Assistant administrator Chris Keefer left her position last month.

    “Mr. Cook and the town’s staff are working diligently to correct this issue, and we hope to have the books ready for external independent audit within the next 45-60 days,” Ross said at the May meeting.

    In an interview with The Voice on Monday, Cook reported that Love Bailey, an auditor hired by the Town, has completed the audit for 2016 and that he expects it to be presented at the July town council meeting. Cook said Love Bailey is also organizing the Town’s books for the 2017-18 audit which he said he expects to be presented on schedule in the late fall.

    Budget Highlights

    The proposed 2018-19 budget reflects $202,111 in building permits and fees, an increase of $17,111 over last year. Council also sees business licenses inside the town increasing from $94,871 to $113,351 and business license outside the town increasing from $80,188 to $92,491.

    Town Hall salaries include a three percent cost of living and a three percent merit based pot. A sum of $9,250 is set aside in the budget for boardwalk security cameras in the park and $3,500 for supplies for the amphitheater.

    Cook said that due to pending development projects under consideration, it is anticipated to have an increase in state accommodation tax and hospitality tax of $6,513 and $6,255 respectively.

    The annual economic development grant for the Greater Blythewood Chamber of Commerce will increase from $15,000 to $17,500, and is funded out of the general fund.  Council continued to fund the visitor center at $18,500 even though it voted to only fund it for 6 months at $9,250. It increased the Historical Society’s funding from $20,500 to $21,500.

    Council also proposes to fund $10,000 of accommodation tax revenue for The Big Grab in September, an increase of $1,250 over last year, but it has not been determined whether that funding will be allocated for the Chamber this year. The Chamber has received the funding the last two years.

  • County leases facility for RW library

    The old Ridgeway Post Office is being renovated for the temporary library.

    RIDGEWAY – During a special meeting last week, county council voted unanimously to execute a two-year lease on the old Ridgeway post office property at Palmer and Jones streets for a temporary library site in the town.

    The deal includes an option to renew for another two years and possibly purchase the property. Rent would cost $850 a month the first year and $892 a month in year two.

    Fairfield County Administrator Jason Taylor said at its previous location, the library had already been paying $600 a month out of its millage for operations. The county would pick up the difference, he said.

    “[The property owner] wanted to go up in the other two years, and we pushed back on that,” Taylor said. “We looked at a number of locations and did determine this was the best. Others would need a lot more upfitting, or had no parking or would be much more expensive.”

    When the time comes to build a permanent site, the county will consider pursuing a Community Development Block Grant, or CDBG, to help pay for it.

    Eric Robinson, director of the Fairfield County Library has told Council that the library board wants the permanent site to be in the town.

    Ridgeway resident Moses Bell, who has announced he is running for the Ridgeway District 1 seat on county council, voiced concerns at the June 25 council meeting that the proposed temporary site is near what Bell said is a liquor store.

    Bell told council members he was contacted by a woman who called him, hysterical about the temporary site at Palmer and Jones street.

    “She had stated that in many municipalities, they have ordinances stating that liquor stores and bars cannot be located next to a public building,” he said. Bell did not identify those municipalities or the ordinances.

    Bell said he wants a library built outside the town next to the county waste and recycle center.

    Councilman Dan Ruff, who represents District 1 on county council, said the Palmer and Jones site is only temporary, noting the long-term plan is to build a permanent library elsewhere.

    “We’ve looked and looked. I’ve been looking for months for a good location,” Ruff said. “This one became available.”

    “We’ve been without a library for a year now,” Ruff continued. “We don’t want to wait two to four years until we can get another permanent site.”

    As for the library’s surroundings, Ruff didn’t see any issues.

    “Actually there’s a road and a cyclone fence before you get to the convenience store (City Gas) which has a liquor store attached,” Ruff said. “There’s also a church behind the liquor store, directly behind it. We have not had any issues with the store and I just don’t think that would be an issue.”

    County administrator Jason Taylor said the county will take over the leased property on July 1, and that renovations should be completed before the start of the school year in August.

    The Ridgeway branch of the Fairfield County Library closed in September 2017. It shut down after the building experienced leaks and mold issues.

    On June 15, the Ridgeway Town Council considered five proposed sites for the permanent library location.

    “[The county] asked us as a council to review some options that have been floating around for a while,” Ridgeway Mayor Heath Cookendorfer said.

    Those sites included:

    • Old Fire Department, Palmer Street
    • Teacherage, Means Street
    • First Citizens Bank property, Palmer and East Church streets
    • Charm Parking Lot, Means and Church streets
    • Fork of U.S. 21 and S.C. 34.

    Ridgeway Council members identified the Teacherage location as the preferred site, with the Charm Parking lot location as the runner-up.

    The Town of Ridgeway owns the Teacherage site. Fairfield County would have to purchase the Charm Parking lot site, though Cookendorfer said that when the county leaves a location, the property typically reverts back to the town.

  • Kennedy files for District 41

    WINNSBORO – Fred Kennedy, 65, of Winnsboro has filed to run for the House of Representatives, District 41, the seat currently held by MaryGail Douglas.

    A member of the United Citizens Party, Kennedy said his platform for the office is aimed at building up the Fairfield community, to improve housing and help people get jobs. He said that is also his goal in his work through his church, Man Up Ministries.

    “One of the problems is there is not a father leader in many of our families here in Fairfield. I believe if we can get to the man of the house, we can save the family,” Kennedy said.

    “There are some crucial issues that must be addressed in this community,” Kennedy said. “And you have to be a part of the community, to really know what people need, if you are going to help them. I grew up in this community. I live here, and I believe I can help my fellow community members.”

    A retired truck driver, Kennedy works for a construction company under the South Carolina Housing Authority that provides home maintenance and equipment (new roofs, floor repairs, heating and air conditioning units, etc.) for homeowners who make less than $20,000 annually and who can’t otherwise afford them.

    “We help provide those things,” Kennedy said. “That’s what I want to do for the people of Fairfield County who need a helping hand. Help them get what they need.” He said he wants to see the county and its people prosper.

    Kennedy is the father of two adult children. His daughter Chrishonda Baker is a computer science teacher at Fairfield Central High School. His son, Kenard, is a truck driver.

    Kennedy is running against Annie McDaniel who won the Democratic primary last month over Douglas.

  • Garvin takes House 77 seat runoff

    Garvin

    COLUMBIA – Political newcomer Kambrell Garvin with 2112 (69.22%) votes won the House District 77 seat in Tuesday’s runoff election over incumbent Joe McEachern who had 939 (30.78%) votes.

    Garvin, a third year law student at the University of South Carolina, took every precinct in the district except the Keels 2 precinct on the southern tip of the district where McEachern edged Garvin by a little over 2 percentage points.

    McEachern served 9 years in the House, 11 years on County Council where he also served as Chairman and he served 13 years as a Richland County Deputy.

     

  • Blythewood Town Council increases Chamber funding

    BLYTHEWOOD – After months of threatening to withhold funds from the chamber of commerce and visitor center until the chamber’s executive director Mike Switzer produced the two organizations’ complete financials by June 12, council did just the opposite on Monday night.

    After being presented financials that one former council member described as little more than a difficult-to-follow profit and loss statement that took more than a month to produce, Council increased funding for the chamber Monday evening from $15,000 to $17,500 for the 2018-19 fiscal year and continued full funding for the visitor center at $18,500 annually, with $9,250 awarded up front along with the promise that it will pull the plug on the visitor center at the end of six months, on Dec. 31, 2018.

    Council also raised the allocation in the budget for accommodation tax funding for the Big Grab (which has been given to the chamber for the last two years) from $8,500 to $10,000 for fiscal year 2018-19.

    Council asked in return only that the chamber give it a premier sponsorship valued at $2,500. The sponsorship is given at no cost to the chamber, and for council to have a voting member on the chamber board. That member will be Ed Parler, the town’s economic development director and council’s current liaison to the chamber.

    Mayor pro tem Eddie Baughman, who led the discussion and the fight to keep the visitor center funded until the end of the year, expressed concern several times about the council being fair to the chamber.  Council offered no criticism of the chamber’s financials which, chamber member Phil Frye characterized Monday night as “an abomination.”

    “The [chamber’s] profit and loss statements were difficult to understand,” Ed Parler, council’s liaison to the chamber said Monday evening. Council had no questions about the chamber/visitor center’s past financial inconsistencies and while some council members suggested the chamber got off track because there of a lack of expectations from both sides, council offered no specific stipulations or expectations regarding the chamber and visitor center financials going forward. No reference was made to the chamber’s lack of financial disclosure, reporting and questionable distribution of funds as reported in The Voice.

    The vote to fund was unanimous with Mayor J. Michael Ross not voting, but not recusing himself either. Ross remained at the table, participating in the discussion of the funding and, when both Councilmen Malcolm Gordge and Larry Griffin suggested pulling the plug immediately on the visitor center, Ross intervened to encourage chamber members in the audience to come forward to present the chamber’s side.

    Ross announced on Monday night that his decision to no longer vote on chamber or visitor center funding is due to his several-year business relationship with the chamber, which rents office space in McNulty Plaza that is owned by Ross and a business partner. Ross did recuse himself from a vote last year on $7,000 that council awarded to the chamber to renovate the McNulty office space. Ross has not recused himself on other votes providing funding that was used to pay rent.

    During a budget workshop on April 24, Switzer requested a $4,000 increase in funding – $2,500 for the chamber, which was approved by Council Monday night, and $2,000 for the visitor center, which was not approved.

    “The $4,500 increase that you have in the budget for us will cover one-fourth of our rent increase of $6,000,” Switzer told council. That increase goes into effect on July 1, Ross told The Voice.

    “My partner and I basically gave the building to the chamber the first year they were there,” Ross said. “But you can only do that for so long if you’re in business. So we charge them $1,500 a month. That’s 45 percent less than what other people pay in our building. We’re just trying to help the chamber.”

    According to Chamber documents acquired by The Voice, annual rent for the chamber/visitor center space increased over $23,000 annually over three years. It was $600 in 2015-16, increased to $12,000 for 2016-17 and to $18,000 for 2017-18. The $6,000 increase in July will bring the chamber’s annual rental fee to $24,000 or $2,000 per month. A third of that amount is charged to the visitor center which is housed in the Chamber office space.

    The usefulness of the visitor center to the town was also questioned in relation to the $18,500 annual funding. During a meeting at the chamber offices recently, Baughman said he viewed only 67 names on the visitor’s register since the first of the year and that half of them were from Blythewood, not visitors to the town.

    “That’s expensive for 30 people,” audience member Tom Greer of Cobblestone commented during the meeting.

    Rich McKendrick, a town planning commissioner and resident of Ashley Oaks, expressed criticism of how the chamber is run and questioned why the town funds a visitor center that opened a gift shop that poses competition to small businesses in town.

    “We’re members of the chamber, but a couple of curve balls have been thrown at us by the chamber which relate to the visitor center which is in direct competition with what my wife sells in her shop. She pushes hard to offer local venders, local crafts, honey, eggs, needlepoint – those are drivers in our business. Then the chamber, which is funded by the town, pops up with the visitor’s center. We are trying to see how that visitor center works on behalf of the local businesses since it’s not open on weekends,” McKendrick said. “Then the gift shop pops up. If you’re a chamber, you’re a chamber. Then you open a gift shop. What if you open a coffee shop next? I cannot connect these dots.

    “Then they come to council and ask for money which helps the gift shop,” McKendrick said. “The chamber doesn’t do anything for us for free. We pay a membership, then when the Big Grab came along, they asked us to pay a sponsorship, then they spell our name wrong and then they make excuses. And it was the same thing with the Eclipse event. We have to pay again for what the town is already paying them for. And then they open a gift shop. It’s mind-numbing when you’re on the outside looking in. I’m telling you from a business owner’s standpoint, this plan makes no sense. We are a business here. But the chamber places itself in control of events that we have to pay extra for,” McKendrick said.

    McKendrick suggested the town pull the plug on the visitor center and use the money to otherwise help the merchants.

    “The chamber was already paying the rent [for its office space] before there was a visitor’s center,” McKendrick said.

    “According to a presentation [to council] by Mr. Switzer, the chamber’s expenses have not changed because of the visitor’s center. It [the funding for the visitor center] is just an additional revenue stream to what you are already giving the chamber,” McKendrick told council. “You’re supplementing a chamber that has not had any increase in expenses due to the visitor center. “

    “That makes sense,” Baughman said, “but we’re trying to do the fair thing for the chamber, to keep it [the visitor center] going for six months, then pull the plug. I’m trying to be fair.”

    In the end, there was no suggestion from council that the town should or would look into the chamber and visitor center financials, or hold them accountable for a number of financial discrepancies in the past that make it difficult to track funding.

    An examination of the chamber’s financial documents obtained by The Voice show amounts differed from report to report and there was little breakdown of revenue and expenses to know if the numbers shown on the profit and loss statement were accurate. In one instance, Switzer submitted a final report to the A-tax committee for The Big Grab listing chamber expenses as $12,114.23 but the chamber’s profit and loss statement for July 1, 2017 – June 22, 2017 lists total expenses for The Big Grab as $7,402.12. There is no explanation for the $4,712.11 discrepancy. This and other questions were emailed to Ross with only one response at this time. In that response, Ross only said that he did not approve of the chamber staff receiving payment for working on events funded by the town.

    Mayor pro tem Eddie Baughman led the fight to fund the chamber and visitor center until Dec. 31, 2018, in order to “be fair” to the chamber. But while some effort was made to set down expectations for what council wanted to see accomplished by the chamber and, particularly, the visitor center in exchange for the funding, no consensus was ever reached and no expectations were identified.