WINNSBORO – After a primary, a runoff and in the midst of an ongoing SLED investigation, voters in Fairfield County made it official Tuesday with the special election of Will Montgomery as Sheriff.
Montgomery, who sealed the deal with 1,970 votes Tuesday, will fill out the remaining two years on the term of Herman Young, who stepped down in July because of health reasons.
Montgomery comes from a long line of Fairfield County lawmen. His father, Bubba Montgomery, and his grandfather, S. Leroy Montgomery, both served as Fairfield County Sheriff for 12 years each. Montgomery is a shift supervisor with the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, where he has worked for the last 13 years.
Montgomery defeated Chief Deputy Keith Lewis in a special Democratic primary runoff on Oct. 14 with 56.25 percent of the vote. As the only name on Tuesday’s ballot, Montgomery got much more than that in the special election, with 125 write-in ballots cast.
Just days after the runoff, the S.C. Law Enforcement Division (SLED) confirmed reports that their agency had launched a preliminary investigation into allegations of vote-buying leading up to the runoff. SLED would not reveal details of the investigation, specifically who was allegedly paying who to vote for which candidate, but independent sources have since told The Voice that as much as $5,000 in cash was allegedly paid for votes.
Tuesday afternoon, a SLED spokesperson confirmed that the investigation was still open and ongoing.
Phone calls to Montgomery were not returned at press time.
Winnsboro attorney Debra Matthews (right) celebrates as District 3 challenger Walter Larry Stewart (second from right) receives congratulations from Vernon Plyant following the Election Commission’s ruling Monday that a new election would be necessary between Stewart and incumbent Mikel Trapp for the District 3 County Council seat. (Photo/James Denton)
Battle for District 3 Seat Rages on
WINNSBORO – The proverbial Fat Lady who has been waiting in the wings since Nov. 4 to perform her closing aria for the District 3 County Council race will have to go back to her dressing room, at least for the time being. Monday afternoon, the Fairfield County Election Commission unanimously upheld two of the three grounds for protest presented last week by challenger Walter Larry Stewart and ordered a new election between Stewart and incumbent Mikel Trapp.
In results certified by the Election Commission following a recount on Nov. 7, Trapp edged out Stewart in the hotly contested race, 489-485. But irregularities found on absentee ballot envelopes by Stewart supporters, as well as reports of voters in District 3 receiving the incorrect ballot style at their polling places, prompted Stewart to file an official protest of the results last week.
While the Election Commission overruled Stewart’s protest on the absentee envelopes, it agreed with the Stewart camp that five voters – two in Mitford and three in Monticello – had been presented with the wrong ballot style on election day and therefore were unable to cast a vote in the District 3 race for County Council.
“This is democracy at its best,” Debra Matthews, a Winnsboro attorney representing Stewart at the hearing, said. “It’s a great day in South Carolina.”
Trapp did not make an appearance at Monday’s hearing, instead sending as his representative Winnsboro resident Kadena Woodard. Woodard’s participation in the proceedings, however, was limited.
As Woodard prepared to read a statement from Trapp to the Commission and offer two attached documents as evidence, Matthews objected.
“There is a notary spot at the bottom of this which is not filled in,” Matthews said. “This is a hearsay statement and I’m going to object.”
Liz Crumb, an attorney with the McNair Law Firm, retained by the Commission for the hearing, advised against Woodard making a case for Trapp at all.
“She’s not counsel and that would be practicing law without a license,” Crumb told Commission Vice Chairwoman Carolyn Y. Prioleau.
Prioleau chaired the hearing in place of Commission Chairwoman Betty M. Trapp, who recused herself from the proceedings and was not present Monday in the County Council chambers. She is related to Mikel Trapp by marriage to a Mikel Trapp cousin. Betty Trapp did chair the Nov. 7 recount and certification.
“I am not counsel, but I do have the right to read a statement that (Trapp) sent to the (commission),” Woodard said. “I would be treated so unfairly not to be able to read it.”
Woodard said she had in her possession a letter from Trapp apologizing for not being able to attend the hearing, but Matthews again objected.
“This is a hearsay statement and I’m going to object to the entry of this statement,” Matthews said. “I hadn’t seen it previously. It is directed to the board. I don’t know if the board has seen it previously.”
Both of Matthews’s objections were sustained. The Commission did eventually accept Woodard’s documents as an “offer of proof.” The documents were not reviewed by the Commission, but were instead sealed in an envelope and left to the State Election Commission to determine, in the event of an appeal, “whether or not the (commission) wrongfully kept you from making a statement,” Crumb explained to Woodard.
The Arguments
Matthews successfully argued that five voters had received the incorrect ballot style in the Nov. 4 elections, and therefore were prevented from casting a ballot for the District 3 Council race. Two of those voters were in the Mitford precinct and live at 202 Peay Ridge Road.
According to the 9-1-1 maps, which Debbie Stidham, Director of Fairfield County Voter Registration and Elections, testified were the means by which her office verifies voting districts, all even-numbered addresses on Peay Ridge Road lie on the south side of the road. That orientation places the even-numbered addresses in District 2. But through the testimony of Randy Roberts, of the Fairfield County Assessor’s Office, who on the witness stand reviewed the County’s aerial map of the road, 202 is an anomaly. It is the only even-numbered address among a host of odd-numbers lying on the north side of the road. And, according to Stidham’s testimony, addresses on the north side of Peay Ridge Road are in District 3.
Affidavits of the two voters living at 202 affirmed that they had both been given ballots for District 2 instead of District 3 on Nov. 4.
Three voters in the St. Peters Church precinct in Monticello were also given the incorrect ballot style on Nov. 4, Stidham’s testimony confirmed. Voters from both districts 3 and 4 vote at the church, and based on the records from the voting machines, the three District 3 voters who cast ballots there on Nov. 4 had their votes counted in District 4.
Trapp has until Nov. 24 to file an appeal, at which time the State Election Commission will make its ruling. A new election will not be scheduled until the State Commission sends their findings to the Governor’s Office and the election is ordered by Gov. Nikki Haley.
Efforts to reach Trapp by telephone for comment for this story were unsuccessful.
“We’re moving forward,” Stewart said after the hearing. “I’m going to need everybody’s support for this next step, in this next election. I need everybody’s support in this next election to make it a new day in Fairfield County, because we’re going to have to work hard to get there.”
WINNSBORO – Friday’s recount in the race for the District 3 County Council seat unearthed one additional vote for challenger Walter Larry Stewart’s bid to unseat incumbent Mikel Trapp. The absentee ballot raised Stewart’s total to 485 votes – still 4 votes shy of Trapp’s 489 total from election night.
But members of Stewart’s campaign, combing over absentee envelopes at the Fairfield County Voter Registration office Friday, found enough discrepancies to prompt further research. The Stewart camp obtained through the S.C. Freedom of Information Act a laundry lists of information from the elections office, including a complete list of voters, precinct breakdowns and copies of the write-in votes and the optical scans. After reviewing material virtually non-stop Monday and Tuesday, Debra Matthews, a Winnsboro attorney representing the Stewart campaign, announced Tuesday evening that Stewart planned to file an official protest of the results with the Fairfield County Election Commission.
The deadline to file such a protest was Wednesday at noon. A date for hearing the protest had not been confirmed at press time.
“We have some absentee ballots that do not conform to the state statute,” Matthews said Tuesday night, “and we found three voters who were given the wrong ballot style at their polling place, so they did not have the opportunity to vote for their County Council member.”
A pair of eyewitness accounts were reported to The Voice newspaper on election day of voters also being given the wrong ballot style at their polling places in districts 2 and 5.
The Fairfield County Election Commission certified the Nov. 4 results following the recount last Friday afternoon, but an examination of the envelopes containing the absentee ballots by the Commission did not occur. State law requires voters to sign and date an oath, printed on the outside of the envelope containing the absentee ballot. The oath must also bear the signature and address of a witness.
Of the 12 absentee ballots recounted by the Commission Friday, three envelopes contained questionable information. One oath was not dated, while two others had missing or incomplete addresses for the witnesses.
Matthews said the Stewart camp plans also to examine the list of voters to cross-check names with a list of convicted felons as well as the recently deceased.
BLYTHEWOOD – The Richland 2 School District will see some significant turnover as a result of Tuesday night’s election, with only one of the three incumbents seeking re-election holding onto his seat.
While results were still unofficial at press time, but with 90 percent of precincts reporting, incumbent James Manning will return to the School Board for another term. Manning was the top vote-getter in a race that rewarded the top four candidates Tuesday night. Manning earned 13,354 votes (15.47 percent), followed by challengers Cheryl Caution-Parker with 11,584 (13.42 percent), Amelia McKie with 10,336 (11.97 percent) and Craig Plank with 10,072 votes (11.67 percent).
Incumbents Melinda Anderson and Barbara R. Specter finished near the bottom of the 12-person race, with Anderson garnering 8,174 votes (9.47 percent) and Specter 6,464 votes (7.49 percent).
Incumbent William R. Flemming Jr., who was first elected to the Board in 1994, did not seek a sixth term.
U.S. Senate
In the statewide race for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Republican Tim Scott, Richland County’s District 2 Councilwoman Joyce Dickerson came up short, falling to Scott 725,217 votes (61.75 percent) to 427,966 (36.44 percent).
District 5 Councilman Elect Marion Robinson (left) gets the call with the results Tuesday night as his wife Vickie listens in. (Photo/Barbara Ball)
Recount Triggered in District 3
WINNSBORO – The winds of change swept through the voting booths in Fairfield County Tuesday night, leaving in their wake a pair of County Council incumbents with a third teetering on the edge of a recount. Those same winds, meanwhile, also blew into office a 24-year-old reform-minded candidate who says he is ready to roll up his sleeves and get to work changing the way Council does business.
“There are a lot of things I want to get done, but the first thing is to fix our County Council,” Billy Smith, the District 7 Councilman Elect said late Tuesday. “I think we need some changes to our bylaws. We’ve got to get our County Council in order before we can get our county in order.”
Smith beat out a pair of challengers for the seat being vacated by David Brown, who announced his retirement last June. Smith earned a whopping 590 votes in District 7 (60.64 percent) over Winnsboro Town Councilman Clyde Sanders’s 204 (20.97 percent) and David Brandenburg’s 173 (17.78 percent).
Smith said he would like to see the Council put in a paid-by-attendance policy, while also reducing Council’s salaries, eliminating paid mileage for travel to and from regular meetings and eliminating County-paid home internet service and cell phones, which he called “perks and benefits.”
“If you eliminate those perks and benefits, you might get a better group of people who are in it to serve the County and not themselves,” Smith said.
Smith was by far the biggest winner in Tuesday night’s shakeup of County Council, but he won’t be the only new face come January, when the new members are sworn into office.
In District 1, Ridgeway businessman Dan Ruff ousted incumbent and Vice Chairman Dwayne Perry, hauling in 468 votes (41.09 percent) over Perry’s 366 votes (32.13 percent). Michael Squirewell also made the race competitive, garnering 305 votes (26.78 percent).
“I want to thank everyone who voted, and especially those who voted for me,” Ruff said. “And I want to congratulate Dwayne and Michael on a good campaign. They were both good friends of mine and still are. It was a good, clean campaign.”
County Council’s long-standing Chairman, David Ferguson, was also unseated Tuesday night by challenger Marion Robinson. Robinson took home 471 votes (47.96 percent) to Ferguson’s 302 (30.75 percent). Eugene Holmes, meanwhile, earned 207 votes (21.08 percent).
Late Tuesday night Robinson said that he was still in shock after the win.
“I was hoping to win, of course, but I didn’t expect to win like this,” Robinson said. “This change couldn’t have been made without the people.”
Robinson said he plans to meet with the other new Council members before the January inauguration to plan an agenda for the new administration.
“There are so many things that need to be changed,” Robinson said, “but we have to start out slow. We have to study them.”
One race was still too close to call late Tuesday, so close that it triggered an automatic recount.
In District 3, incumbent Mikel Trapp edged out challenger Walter Larry Stewart, 489 votes (43.58 percent) to 484 (43.14 percent). Tangee Brice Jacobs took in 147 votes (13.10 percent). The less than 1 percent margin of victory between Trapp and Stewart, according to state law, means a mandatory recount Friday morning. The recount will include, according to law, “voting machine, absentee, provisional, emergency and failsafe votes.”
Other county races produced far less drama. In the race for the District 1 School Board seat, incumbent Andrea Harrison fended off Marvin Robinson, 535 votes (53.23 percent) to 468 (46.57 percent). She was the only Board member facing a challenge Tuesday. Henry Miller returns to District 3 with 797 votes, Beth Reid to District 7 with 793 votes and Carl E. Jackson Jr. will fill the District 5 seat being vacated by Bobby Cunningham with 843 votes.
State Rep. MaryGail Douglas (D-41) was also unopposed Tuesday. At press time, Douglas was on her way back to Columbia with 9,049 votes.
In the race for the Sixth Circuit Solicitor’s Office, being vacated by Doug Barfield, unofficial results at press time had Randy Newman Jr. (R) beating out William Frick (D) 16,938 votes to 15,646 in a race that comprised Fairfield, Chester and Lancaster counties.
Other County Results at Press Time
County Treasurer (no challenger) – Norma Branham, 7,427.
County Auditor (no challenger) – Peggy Hensley, 7,156.
Probate Judge (no challenger) – Pam Renwick, 7,228.
Soil & Water District Commission (no challenger) – Eric F. Cathcart, 4,738.
Rocky Creek Watershed (2) – Claudia F. Dean, 42; William F. Wishert, 46.
Jackson Mill Watershed & Wateree Creek Watershed – Write-in results not available at press time.
All results are unofficial until certified by the County Election Commission Friday morning.
William Frick: Candidate for 6th Circuit Solicitor
Note: In the County Council Candidate Question & Answer section on pages 1, 11 and 14 of the print Edition, The Voice left out the candidates’ answers to Question 2. Also, Marion Robinson’s (Dist. 5) answer to Question No. 4 was also left out. The complete answers to all the candidates’ questions appear below. The Voice apologies to the candidates for these omissions. .
WINNSBORO – With the 2014 general election coming up this Tuesday, The Voice presents a question and answer session with candidates for Fairfield County Council and the Sixth Circuit Solicitor’s Office. Each candidate was given the same opportunity to answer, and the majority of them did. Two, however, chose not to respond – County Council incumbents Dwayne Perry (District 1) and Mikel Trapp (District 3). For those who did respond, their answers are presented here unedited.
For our County Council candidates, we asked:
Please provide a brief history of your education, training and employment.
If you are an incumbent, please tell us how long you have served, and briefly describe your accomplishments as a Council member. If you are a challenger, briefly describe any leadership roles you have taken in the community, initiatives implemented, challenges faced, goals accomplished; and tell us what has motivated you to seek office.
What do you see as the greatest challenge facing Fairfield County and describe how you would meet that challenge?
What do you see as the economic future of Fairfield County, and how can Council best position the County to meet that future?
How would you classify the current direction of Fairfield County? Is it moving in the right direction? The wrong direction? And if it is, in your opinion, moving in the wrong direction, how would you correct that course?
County Council has recently come under some criticism for a perceived lack of transparency, for not adequately presenting comprehensive information to the public for their input. If you agree with this criticism, tell us how you would do things differently. If you disagree, tell us why.
They said:
District 1
Dwayne Perry (incumbent)
Did not respond
Dan Ruff
1. I am a Fairfield County native, and I have the privilege of owning and operating one of the oldest businesses in the county – Ruff Hardware. I am a 1978 graduate of Erskine College with a bachelor’s degree in Business Finance. As a business owner, I have faced many challenges that have taught me the importance of making sound decisions and focusing on customers − two important principles that we desperately need in county government.
2. I have served eight years on the Ridgeway Town Council, also serving as Mayor Pro Tem. I have also served on the board of directors of the Bank of Ridgeway, Community Resource Bank and Fairfield County Chamber of Commerce. I have served as Deacon or Elder of Aimwell Presbyterian Church for more than 30 years. I am an active member of the Ridgeway Merchants Association and have volunteered with the Ridgeway Fire Department. I was named the 2010 Ridgeway Citizen of the Year. I have always been a strong supporter of local government, but in recent years, I have been disappointed to see the adversarial relationship between the County Council and our citizens. I am seeking office to create an open dialogue with citizens for positive change.
3. First and foremost, our county government must rein in our high property tax rates. If we are to bring high-quality manufacturing and other industries to our county and generally improve our quality of life, we must have a workable and working plan to that end. We need tight procurement controls, full bid contracts and common-sense business decisions. Our County government can do more with less by partnering with our school board, town councils, the Chamber and citizens by being cooperative rather than contentious
4. It’s good that we are bringing in manufacturing, but we must become more diversified if we are to minimize risks and provide more and better jobs for our citizens. With the proximity to the I-77 corridor, we need to be looking at attracting call centers, retail distribution centers, retirement communities, outlet malls and more tourism. And why aren’t we looking at the timber industry? We need to seek long-term prosperity for our citizens.
5. We have an ineffective and inefficient government, exorbitantly high taxes and, in many cases, underperforming services, yet we spend 90% more per capita than the average rural South Carolina county. This sitting council has had years to set a meaningful, successful course for the county, and it has failed to do so. There is no reason to think they will do any better with $80 million in revenue per year than they did with $24 million. It’s time for a change. We need a new government and hopefully this election will provide that.
6. We need transparency to restore trust in government. The council is elected to serve the people. We need a council that won’t keep secrets from the citizens. With true transparency, we can move forward together.
Michael Squirewell
I’m a graduate of Winthrop University with a BS in Business Administration-Production and Operations Management My experience stems 8 years in Corporate America and 20 years in the Private Sector.
I’ve held numerous positions on different boards, to include Church, volunteered as an AAU Travel Basketball Coach and mentor, and spearheaded the Boys and Girls Club in the Fairfield County School District. I’m most proud of the involvement with kids as it has allowed me to help groom productive young men and women who will contribute added value to our society and the decision making that will lead our future. I’ve been motivated by listening to the needs of the community and responding accordingly.
Quality of Life- A community needs availability of resourceful libraries, safe living environments roads that don’t cause additional expenses to vehicle maintenance, water parks, indoor pools for aerobics and swimming, and indoor walking tracks for elderly. I would include the community in the planning process to get these things done. High Taxes and Economic Development does not go hand in hand. Property taxes must be lowered to convince potential home seekers that Fairfield County is the place to relocate. Lowering Business taxes must remain an option to recruit new industry. Jobs must remain in the county to establish a strong cash flow back into the county. I will advocate a “Hiring Fairfield First” initiative to raise awareness on importance of companies in county hiring in county.
With more business friendly minds being voted on council, I think the economic future for Fairfield County is promising. The council must work to change the image of the county and focus more on understanding needs of larger companies. More jobs will come and a stronger economy will exist.
Reluctantly, I would have to say the County is moving in the wrong direction. Council spends too much time putting out fires and not enough time solving issues and concerns of citizens. I think the smoke has blinded some members from making good decisions. To correct, I would facilitate relationships with the community rather than against and be a little more transparent about what decisions are being made.
Most of the criticism surrounds the approval of the 24 million dollars in an Obligation Bond. While I would like to think the Council had the right intentions, the concerns are that the intentions were not shared with the citizens of the county. And when spending taxpayer money, we must understand that the taxpayer wants to know two things… 1) Why and 2) How Much. Again, I just think it is imperative to keep the taxpayer aware of where their tax dollars are being spent. Taxpayer permission is not a bad thing. This was a substantial amount of money. In the future, Council must make better attempts to make less decisions behind closed doors. Taxpayers in the county just want to be more involved and should be more involved.
District 3
Mikel Trapp (incumbent)
Did not respond.
Tangee Brice Jacobs
McCrorey-Liston High School; Columbia Commercial School of Business; Brown’s School of Real Estate; USC; Certified Health Coordinator (1988); Administrative Coordinator, Palmetto Health (40 years).
Chair FFC Democratic Party; 1st Vice Chair NAACP FFC Branch; Board Member Jenkinsville Water; Member Coalition of Churches; State Appointed Co Chair Democratic Rural Caucus. Two successful Men’s Prostate and Health Screenings. Prepared and disseminated a first time ever Survey Re: VC Summer with permission granted by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in Washington, D.C. Requested and received from Washington, D.C. Justice Department agents visit FFC to observe the voting and hear concerns of our voting practices. Challenges faced: Lack of Community Unity. Goals accomplished: Revitalization of the FFC Democratic Party. Re-Organization of the FFC Branch of the NAACP. Successful implementation of Health Care Initiatives. Motivation to seek office: My love of my county, my passion and our people. I want to make a difference in Fairfield thru Unity, Service and Integrity.
Lack of Community Unity. I will meet this challenge by continuing to communicate with Civic-Minded, Cultural and Religious Groups and Organizations while maintaining due diligence for all our citizens.
Without citizens involvement, without strong and sound integrity by our leaders, without better fire, water, and sewer services, without identifying the essential need for support of small local business, without continuing to improve our educational system, without providing transportation and recreational opportunities for our youth and our elderly, our economic future will continue to move slowly.
Change is good. Current County Council members have expressed that certain areas of our great county look as if it is a 3rd world country. If 12 years of leadership and millions of dollars spent in our county and current council has identified the sad but true realization then we must make change.
The Voice of the people is the most powerful tool and privilege that we as Americans have today. We must engage our citizens, We must share information. We must remember the wisdom of the people that formed this country. They recognized that WE THE PEOPLE is the success factor that built and continue to build this country.
Walter Larry Stewart
I was born in Mitford and have been a legal resident of Fairfield County for 65 Years. I grew up on my Family’s cotton farm in Mitford. I spent 22 years in the Army and retired with a permanent rank of Lt. Colonel. My degrees include a Bachelors’ Degree in Business Management to a Ph.D. in Organizational Management; all of which were earned during my tenure in the Army. I have held numerous positions throughout the world; to include a five year tour in Pentagon. During my tour in Panama, I served as the Director of Personnel and Community Activities for the Atlantic side of the Panama Canal Zone. This position was equivalent to a County/City Administrator’s Position.
I am the founder and CEO of the CMC Foundation which works with local young men and women while they are incarcerated. 36 individuals have participated in this program and are leading productive lives. Also, the foundation has provided scholarships and financial support to 44 local students to attend college. The foundation receives no government monies, but is internally funded by CMC, LLC.
The greatest challenge facing Fairfield County is the lack of a high quality sustainable job base. I will focus on attracting companies with high and medium paying jobs that will match the employment base in Fairfield County. We need to work with Midland Tech, Fairfield Central High School and Richard Winn to graduate students with the skills mix required to support companies locating to Fairfield County.
Fairfield County can have a bright economic future, if we work together to develop a long range comprehensive plan which can develop the utility infrastructure to support industry. We need to improve water, sewer and fire protection in the key areas of the county that are most suited for industry. The companies that we recruit should blend with the various environments in Fairfield County.
Fairfield County is stuck in park. In comparison to the surrounding counties, we are going nowhere. It is the responsibility to the County Council to consult with the citizens: to establish a vision. From the vision, the County Council would develop long range plans for the entire county. From the long range plans, detailed/specific plans would be developed for each geographical area that would support the needs of the citizens.
Fairfield County does not have an effective system or procedure for the citizenry to provide timely input concerning county matters. There is no effective communication and dialogue between the County Leadership and the citizenry. The first step in improving communications and transparency is to change the County Council Meeting format to allow all the citizens to give immediate input when an item is presented during council meetings.
District 5
David Ferguson (incumbent)
Graduated from Winnsboro High School. I completed courses at USC, Clemson, Winthrop, and College of Charleston. I taught welding and Machine Tool Technology 35 years at Fairfield County Career Center. I taught for Midland Technical College and the State Board for Technical and Comprehensive Education 26 years in the evenings and summers. Graduated Levels I and II of the Institute of Government for County Officials and the S.C. Economic Developers’ School.
I have served 16 years on Council and 10 years as chairman. I worked with water providers to expand potable and fire water lines in parts of the county. Negotiated with Midland Technical College to establish a campus in the county. Worked with County Transportation Committee to pave dirt roads. Worked with numerous partners to secure jobs for the county and lowered unemployment from 14% to 7%. Worked for citizens to have services they need and deserve and keeping taxes low as possible.
The most pressing need is the recruitment of even more jobs and Council and the Economic Development Department will continue working with appropriate agencies for this purpose. Everyone deserves to have water to their homes and $100,000 has been earmarked yearly to assist water providers with these projects.
With experienced leadership the economic future will become even stronger. We secured 877 jobs in the last 16 months with the great possibility of more on the horizon. The economic future will prosper even more if the County delegation, Council, School Board, and municipalities pull together in unison for this purpose. I have faith this can happen – it must for the sake of the citizens.
The county is positively moving in the right direction. Jobs are finally becoming available. We have Midland Technical College to train our citizens. More water lines and fire hydrants are being made available to outlying areas by our water providers. Dirt roads are being paved. Upgrades have been made to many of the services.
Council has proven itself to be transparent in every way possible. Issues have been discussed and explained in open meetings and special meetings were held to discuss and explain items even further. Attendees at meetings were given time to ask questions and express concerns and encouraged to communicate with administrator or council member for any needed information. Items pertaining to contracts, personnel or legal issues must be discussed in closed session. County expenditures are available on county’s website.
Eugene Holmes
Federal Government career started at the GS-4 level, and retired from the US Department of Labor at a GS-13, Program Analyst. Educational courses above high school were from Prince Georges Community College, Temple School of Business, US Departments of Labor, Agriculture and the Civil Service Commission. These courses were instrumental in developing skills in evaluating and negotiating with Federal Contractors. Post retirement: I’ve completed paraprofessional certification at Midland Tech; 21.0 Contact Hours at The Law School for Non-Lawyers, Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College; and Certified by the US Office of Personnel Management as a Security Background Investigator.
Since moving to Fairfield County, I was appointed to serve on the County Planning Commission. While serving on this Board, I became Chairman . I’m currently a Notary Public for SC (pro bono). My appointment will expire, 12/10/2018. Currently, I’m a member of the Nominating Committee for the NAACP; a Committee member with the Red Cross; a member of the Lions Club; and a past County Substitute Teacher.
The debt the County Council obligated the County for, the high tax rate and how the problem will be solved. My desire is to unite the 7 Districts to better serve the Citizens of Fairfield County as a whole. Focus on economic development, and reducing property taxes. When I am elected, I’ll make Citizens aware of county business, and respect their input regarding “ALL” financial matters prior to final decisions.
I’m seeking District 5’s County Council position because of the many problems the citizens are experiencing with our present Council. In attending County Council meetings, all indications are that the current Council is being conducted as a dictatorship, without any chance of dialog from the Citizens. There’s no transparency with the present Council. This has to change.
I’ll recommend implementing a Citizens Advisory Committee to assure all vacancies will be announced; applicants will be interviewed and evaluated by an impartial panel to assure the best candidate is being considered by qualifications, no nepotism or cronyism.
Marion Robinson
I was educated in the Fairfield County Public Schools, University of South Carolina, and Richland Technical College. My working career has been in the Corporate Business Community in Computer Technology. For the past 20+ years I have traveled as a Consultant and retired in May of this year. Also, I was owner of North Congress Exxon, co-owner of Mister Hawg BBQ, and co-owner of RSVP Consulting.
I am a member of First United Methodist Church in Winnsboro and served as a volunteer firefighter for Greenbrier-Bethel Fire Department for many years. The county needs a new direction and honest, common-sense government for all the citizens. My goal will be to help make that happen.
The greatest challenge facing Fairfield County is high property taxes and the lack of accountability and transparency in our government. We need a government that will listen to the citizens and work to reduce costs and improve services. It is our government’s number one responsibility to bring economic growth, peace, and financial stability to our county. Without that, our quality of life will not improve. And this government has clearly not done that.
Situated as we are on the I-77 corridor with much available land, our county is in a prime location for an economic explosion. But the manufacturing industry alone will not get us there. We need to diversify and explore what can be done with our two historic towns, our working Railroad Museum, and our historical society which brings people from all over the state for ancestral records, our lakes, Carolina Adventure World, and other tourism draws. We need to encourage retirement communities and outlet malls. We need to attract new business and industry as well as identify and address the needs of our current businesses.
The county has not moved in the right direction for many years. The citizens are burdened with debt that could prove difficult to repay. I will work to assure that spending is reduced and justified. We need a plan in place, and this government has never provided that plan. We need a government that will.
Money being spent by Council belongs to the citizens of Fairfield County. Large items such as risky Bonds secretly issued through a shell corporation, other Bonds to repay the first, a recreation Plan with only one solution brought forward, votes taken with no discussion, hiring without advertising jobs, part-time hiring that turns into full time jobs, keeping the citizens in the dark on important issues, etc. justify the criticism this county council receives. We need a government that is open, honest, and not self-interested.
District 7
David Brandenburg
I attended USC for two years, have served in the National Guard, and completed multiple courses at both the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy and the South Carolina Fire Academy. I was employed at the Town of Winnsboro water plant prior to serving as a Public Safety Officer. I am currently retired.
I worked my way up to Shift Sergeant at the Department of Public Safety and have first hand knowledge of the issues facing our community. I work well with others and have a talent for resolving issues in positive ways. I bring understanding of the water crisis facing our community and would like to work towards building the infrastructure required for job development and to secure brighter futures for our citizens. I was motivated to seek office due to the lack of transparency and wasteful spending of our tax dollars.
The greatest challenge facing Fairfield County is the lack of economic growth. One of the greatest problems hindering economic development is the lack of water and sewer infrastructure in Fairfield County. The county leadership has not attracted enough new businesses. We need to develop a plan of action that can be successfully implemented and then evaluated, with individuals held accountable when goals have not been reached.
I see our economic future as relatively stagnate. Without more companies moving in and creating more jobs, there is not much reasonable expectation that our local businesses or the economy will grow. Council must ensure that the infrastructure is put into place to attract and retain business and industry allowing our young people the opportunity to remain in Fairfield County and prosper. A prosperous community will bring in a host of entertainment venues for all citizens. This will retain our dollars in Fairfield allowing all businesses to grow and break the stagnation pattern we are currently experiencing. We have the resources to accomplish these great things, but we need change to make it happen.
As we welcome Element and Enor we are taking a step in the right direction, but only a step. We need to continue on this path, bringing in more and more industries. See question three for the problems that will arise.
If elected to represent District 7 I will not operate in secrecy. The public will be informed of all actions to the extent that is legal. I will continue to travel through District 7 listening to concerns and working to resolve these issues.
Clyde Sanders
I grew up in Winnsboro and my parents were lifelong residents of Winnsboro. I graduated from Winnsboro High in 1967. I attended Midlands Technical College and took some courses at USC. I am retired from Chrysler Financial in Columbia. I held the position of Customer Service Supervisor, Credit Analyst, Credit Supervisor, Office Manager and Assistant Branch Manager. After retiring from Chrysler I worked for WFS Financial as Assistant Branch Manager and Credit Supervisor. I worked there until they closed their offices in S.C.
I am currently a member of Winnsboro Town Council I feel that my life experiences, professionally and personally, and my time on Town Council help qualify me for this position. I, like most people, have had my ups and downs in life, both personally and financially. I have been on Town Council for almost 4 years. I have been instrumental on Town Council in getting ordinances passed that will benefit the town. I have yet to miss a meeting of any sort in my time on council and I have a good working relationship with other council members and our Mayor, as well as our county council and other municipalities within the county. I have attended and have been certified in all the classes that have been offered to council members through the MASC. I consider myself a public servant who is sworn to perform certain duties. I dearly love being on town council and doing what I can to improve our town. I see the things that the county is faced with and I would like to be a part of County Council so that I can help implement positive change and growth in our county.
There are several challenges that our county is faced with. One is jobs. Not just jobs but good paying jobs in our county. We have to make sure that our workforce is educated and trained in order to attract businesses and skilled so that they can demand better paying jobs. Otis Rawl, President and CEO of the SC Chamber of Commerce said that in order to attract businesses to Fairfield, we needed an educated, skilled workforce and we also needed a sustainable water source that would attract and accommodate businesses. Those same points were reiterated by Mr. Bobby Hitt, a Fairfield resident and also Secretary of Commerce for the state of S.C.
I feel that the future of Fairfield County is very bright. I know that with the money that will be coming in from the Nuclear plant, SCE&G, Fairfield will be what I consider a wealthy county. It is going to be up to the County Council to handle the monies responsibly. The council cannot be the voice of one member. They have to find common ground where they can work together and do so in the best interest of the county. Just because we have the money, doesn’t mean we have to spend it. Hopefully we will be able to reduce our property taxes substantially.
I think that over the last year, contrary to belief of some others, that the county has been moving in the right direction. We have had over the last year several businesses choose to locate in Fairfield, and there are more on the horizon. That would not have happened without the efforts of County and Town councils as well as state agencies. There is still a lot of improvements to be made. Again, we have to find common ground to work together with the same goals in mind, “Improve Fairfield County”.
I agree and I disagree concerning transparency. I have learned being on Town Council that I am privileged to certain information that citizens of the town are not privileged to. I am able to study these items and talk with other council members about these things and we do not make them public until we are ready to make a decision on them. I feel that we elect our council members for a period of 4 years to be our voice and we need to put our trust in them to be that voice. I realize that being a council member, I am not going to please everyone, because we all do not think alike. I do think that certain items such as the large bond should have been advertised differently concerning the public meeting.
Billy Smith
I’m a graduate of the University of South Carolina. I worked my way through college and am currently a Project Coordinator for a software company, where I’ve held service, training, and managerial roles.
My desire to help our County and its people led me to my decision to run for Council. We need a new type of voice and perspective on our County Council, and I want to provide that. I want to move our County forward, and I’m working to do it.
Our greatest challenge is mismanagement and the continued reliance on the bad, self-serving ideas of our current Council. We will never catch up with the rest of our state and the 21st century doing things like issuing $24m secret bonds and deceiving the public at every turn. If I’m elected, I’ll help us meet this challenge by providing open, honest, competent and cooperative leadership.
The economic future of Fairfield County lies within its people, and our business environment. If I’m elected, I’ll work to bring advance training, professional development and opportunities to our citizens to help them improve their marketability to employers. I’ll also work to reduce our property tax rate and assist businesses, both large and small, in setting up shop within our County. If our workforce and business environment are properly prepared, businesses will want to come to our County, and our citizens will reap the rewards.
We’re not moving in any direction, and that’s a burden on our people. It’s true that we’ve enjoyed some economic development recently, brought to us by our State Commerce Department, but we haven’t done anything to greatly improve the quality of life for our citizens, which should be goal number one. We’ve got to do more than give a few industries the farm to get them here. To move our County forward, we must recruit more technology and manufacturing jobs, improve our services, lower our property tax rate, bring transparency and honesty to our Council, and plan for the coming nuclear revenues in a way that will benefit all citizens. To accomplish these things, we must bring a new dynamic and new ways of thinking to Council.
Absolutely, I agree. If I’m elected, I’ll keep our citizens informed, I’ll always answer their questions, and I’ll do so honestly. We will not move forward if our Council continues to in the shadows. I will bring light to the actions of our County government if I’m elected.
For our candidates for the job of Sixth Circuit Solicitor we asked:
Please provide a brief history of your education, training and employment.
Briefly describe any leadership roles you have taken in the legal field, initiatives implemented, challenges faced, goals accomplished.
How do you plan to address the backlog of cases in the Sixth Circuit?
What is your opinion of the nationwide movement to decriminalize marijuana? Should S.C. consider a similar course of action?
Should licensed gun owners be permitted to carry concealed weapons into an establishment that serves alcohol?
They said:
William Frick
I graduated from the University of South Carolina (BA in International Relations), University of South Carolina School of Law, and an International MBA from the University of South Carolina Moore School of Business. I have practiced law for over 12 years serving as a prosecutor for the 4th Circuit, 6th Circuit and SC Attorney General, an attorney in general practice, and as a public defender in Aiken, Fairfield, and Lancaster Counties. I completed training for and am certified to handle death penalty cases.
I was the Gun Crimes Prosecutor for Darlington and Dillon Counties, Chief Juvenile Prosecutor for Darlington County, Assistant Attorney General for South Carolina, Chief Prosecutor for Fairfield County and Violent Crime Prosecutor for the 6th Circuit. I have managed a law firm and served as Deputy Public Defender for the 6th Circuit.
As Chief Prosecutor for Fairfield County, I reduced a backlog of some 600 cases to less than 400 within 12 months. It is simply a matter of evaluating cases, setting deadlines, enforcing deadlines, and getting those cases into to court. We must stop letting defendants decide when their case will come to court.
It is the job of the Solicitor to fairly and equally enforce the laws of the State. The laws are determined by the people and the legislature makes the law based on the will of the people. If the people of South Carolina want these laws changed, they need to let their legislators know.
Again, that is an issue that people need to address to their legislators who write the law. In my over a dozen years of experience with criminal law, alcohol and firearms do not mix well. However, the law only allows persons with Concealed Weapons Permits (CWP) to do so and people with CWP’s must be trained in firearms use and safety before they receive a permit. Hopefully that training combines with common sense and a sense of discretion.
Randy Newman
I was born and raised in Lancaster, attended our Public Schools, and received my Associate’s Degree from USC-Lancaster where I met my wife. I next went to Columbia to pursue my Bachelor’s degree and commuted from Lancaster for two years while working full time. Then it was on to Florida Coastal School of Law where I received my Juris Doctor with Pro Bono Honors. During Law school I interned in Lancaster with the Solicitor’s Office. I then began my legal career as Law clerk to the Honorable Judge Brooks P. Goldsmith, also of the Sixth Judicial Circuit.
Since joining the Solicitor’s Office, I have been lead prosecutor for the Lancaster Police Department. I have resolved hundreds of cases both violent and non-violent and have concurrently held the position of Juvenile Prosecutor for the Department of Juvenile Justice. For a short period of time I was DUI prosecutor for the South Carolina Highway Patrol.
I have a four-point plan to reduce the backlog. First, we must improve the efficiency of the solicitor’s office and implement a time limit on plea offers. If the offer is not accepted we go to trial and ask for maximum sentencing. Second, we should strengthen our relationship with law enforcement in order to reduce the time from arrest to trial. Third, I will use our limited court time to focus on repeat offenders and violent criminals. Lastly, I will establish alternative courts such as an adult drug court and check court. If we do those four things the backlog goes down, local jails are no longer at capacity, repeat offenders are behind bars where they belong, we no longer have to wait years for justice, and all three counties are safer and saving money.
As Solicitor, I must prosecute those that break the law. Our state legislators make the laws and I must enforce them. I will enforce the law as written. Right now Marijuana is illegal, and I will continue to prosecute Marijuana cases until our state legislature or Supreme Court changes that law.
As Solicitor I will enforce the laws and prosecute those that break them. Our law makers have decided that it is legal for CWP holders to carry a concealed weapon into an establishment that serves alcohol so long as he/she does not consume any alcohol. That is the law, and that is what I have to go by. I will continue to protect the laws and the constitution of this state.
WINNSBORO – Candidates running in the Nov. 4 election for Fairfield County Council districts 3, 5, and 7 participated in a forum sponsored by the Fairfield Chamber of Commerce at the Winnsboro Women’s Club on Nov. 11. Mikel Trapp, incumbent for District 3, did not attend and current councilman for District 7, David Brown, did not participate since he is not running.
Participants included retired Col. Walter Larry Stewart and Tangee Brice Jacobs (District 3), David Ferguson, Eugene Holmes and Marion Robinson (District 5) and David Brandenburg, Clyde Sanders and Billy Smith (District 7). Due to health issues, Brandenburg had to leave, assisted by his wife, about half way through the forum. Candidates answered prepared questions as well as questions submitted by citizens in attendance.
The moderator, Ron Smith, first asked the candidates to share information about their background, education and training. All but Brandenburg and Holmes said they were raised in Fairfield County.
At one time or another during the forum all of the candidates, except Ferguson, called high taxes the County’s number one problem and the biggest impediment to growth and an improved quality of life in the County. In most of her answers, Jacobs reiterated her desire that Council listen to the community.
Asked if they thought Council did the right thing by issuing the $24 million bond and if they thought the bond should have been put to a vote by the citizens, all of the candidates, except Ferguson, agreed that the $24 million bond was a bad idea and that it should have been put before the public for a vote. Smith added that the issuance of general obligation bonds (to pay off the $24 million bond) could drive the ultimate cost of the $24 million bonds to $50 million. Sanders at first said he could see both sides of the issue, but concluded that the bond should have been voted on by the public. Ferguson defended the $24 million bond saying “it was borrowed for infrastructure. The folks who do economic development said Fairfield County lacked an industrial park and that type stuff.” But he said the industrial park had to have sewer and water to make it grow. Robinson criticized the $24 million bond, saying, “All these years we’ve been getting money from the nuclear plant and we should have been putting some money aside. The County has not been smart in spending.”
Asked how they thought the $3.5 million in recreational funds should have been spent and distributed in the County, again, all but Ferguson objected to how Council disbursed these funds.
Stewart said, “I went to the County Council meeting, and I heard only one (recreation) plan presented for a vote. There should have been more than one. There are many organizations out there, like the YMCA, that already have programs on the shelves that they could put in place here, probably at less cost.”
Robinson said he was “not in favor of (the newly approved) mini parks that have no water, no restrooms and not enough parking space. Many of the mini parks we have now have no maintenance.” Robinson, Stewart and Sanders said they favor three or four nice community centers distributed throughout the county. Both Robinson and Sanders also called for better utilization of the county’s transit system in transporting residents to those centers. Robinson also noted that J. R. Green, Superintendent of Fairfield County Schools, had opened up the school gyms for youth recreation and he called on the County to better staff those recreation opportunities.
Holmes criticized Council members for “not touching the rec center still in the box.” He also said the Council’s presentation for its new recreation plan was “a sole source presentation, not applicable to what we need in Fairfield County.”
Asked about their long-range goals for the County, Smith said, “Simply to move it forward, to get it to a place where good businesses and good people want to come here and where they can afford to come here. We need to improve the quality of life for our citizens and assure positive opportunities. We need good paying jobs.” He said to accomplish this, the citizens will have to make changes on County Council.
For his long-range goal, Ferguson said, “We must work together in a civil manner. Seeing everyone trust and work together is my prayer and vision for Fairfield County.”
Jacobs called for “a sustainable water supply to attract businesses and improve quality of life for our residents. Our leadership has to be held accountable.”
Robinson said his long-range goal is to lower property taxes. He also wants a detailed plan for how the V.C. Summer money will be used as well as a contingency plan for essential county services should the nuclear reactor revenue not materialize.
Holmes also wants to see property taxes lowered and wants to see a better recreation plan and more input from citizens.
Sanders said his long-term goal for Fairfield County is to establish an educated, skilled and trained workforce. “We’re working toward that but we can do better.”
Stewart said he would like to streamline government, improve the county’s infrastructure and quality of life and create a system that produces sustainable jobs for the community. “We can do that by effectively using the resources we have now,” he said. “We have to operate more like a business, and when we offer a company incentives, those incentives need to be commensurate with what we expect to get back in return.”
Other areas touched on: Smith said if he is elected he will call for a reduction in Council’s salaries. Both Jacobs and Stewart said it was time for members of County Council to stop playing the race card. “I went through the ‘50s and ‘60s and the civil unrest and being sprayed with a fire hose, etc.,” Stewart said. “I lived that. But it’s time to move on and start working together. It’s time to put away the race card.”
A report on the forum held for candidates for District 1 – Dwayne Perry, Dan Ruff and Michael Squirewell – will appear in the Oct. 10 issue of The Voice.
Candidates for Fairfield County Sheriff at a recent Chamber of Commerce forum: Will Montgomery, Ricky Gibson, Odell Glenn, Keith Lewis and John Seibles.
WINNSBORO – All five candidates running for Fairfield County Sheriff answered questions in a forum at the Winnsboro Woman’s Club on Sept. 18. Participating were Ricky Gibson, a Fairfield County school resource officer; Odell Glenn, a Richland County investigator; Keith Lewis, the Chief Deputy of Fairfield County; Will Montgomery, a Richland County deputy; and John Seibles, a Major in the Town of Winnsboro Department of Public Safety. Although a set of questions had been sent to the candidates in advance by the event’s sponsor, the Fairfield County Chamber of Commerce, moderator Tyler Cup, after asking the candidates to introduce themselves, began with a question from a member of the audience.
What is the one thing that will change in the Sheriff’s office if you are elected Sheriff?
Seibles said the Sheriff’s office would better connect with the residents. “People need to trust us,” he said, and talked about ways to gain their trust, something he said he does in his job and in his neighborhood.
Lewis agreed that communication “is one of the biggest issues in every sheriff’s office in the country. If I do become Sheriff,” Lewis said, “I plan to meet at least every quarter with residents in one of the seven county districts and ask that district’s Council representative to go with me. We need to work together with the community.”
Glenn said he would fully invest in the community and families and put programs in place to assist families. He said that when kids get in trouble, families don’t always know what to look for or how to deal with their kids’ problems.
Gibson said resource allocation would change. “Management of our manpower is insufficient.” He suggested split shifts, “so there is a minimum of four people covering an area at all times.”
Montgomery said he would put more manpower on the roads by cutting the county into three areas (east, middle and west) and assign deputies to each of those districts and hold them accountable to each district.
Asked their thoughts on spousal abuse and what they could do about it, Lewis said his department currently works closely with Sistercare to give victims of domestic abuse a way out. “It often gets back to economics,” Lewis said. “They are locked in and don’t have any place to go. We need to open up the doors to help them.” Lewis also said that while his deputies make domestic violence arrests every day, about 75 percent of the cases are dropped to a simple assault charge or end up in a lower court where nothing is done.
Glenn agreed that victims of domestic abuse are often trapped and don’t have the financial ability to get out. He called for more victim services outlets and a better way to report domestic abuse.
Gibson, a pastor, called for better education for women and, “We need to tap into the church with this issue,” he said. He also said business and industry are sometimes reluctant to come in when the crime rate is high.
Montgomery said he would train deputies to know how to handle a domestic abuse case. “You must have the evidence to make a case.” He said it is also important to educate the public to report domestic abuse.
Seibles said South Carolina is No. 2 in domestic violence and that, if elected Sheriff, he would connect with pastors in the community. “That would make our job a lot easier. We need community leaders with a spiritual side.”
Fairfield County has been open and transparent with the public in the past. If you become Sheriff, will you continue this openness?
Glenn stressed the importance of transparency in the Sheriff’s office. “There is no reason for (the public) to not know what we’re doing. Transparency will be my Job No. 1,” Glenn said.
Gibson, too, said transparency would be the order of the day if he is elected Sheriff. “I believe there are times, such as an ongoing investigation, when we cannot be open about something,” Gibson said. “But after it’s over, we must open up. Transparency is better served when we realize we should be held to a higher level.”
Seibles agreed with Glenn and Gibson on the importance of transparency in the Sheriff’s office and said, “If the citizens trust you enough, I think they will know that we will let every bit of information out that we can.”
Lewis also championed transparency, saying, “When you’re using taxpayers’ money, they have a right to know what’s going on.” He also said when (law enforcement) makes a mistake, they must admit it openly. “A Sheriff’s only as good as his Indians,” Lewis said, adding that the Sheriff must lead by example. “If the Sheriff treats the public right, his men are going to see that and treat the public right.”
Montgomery said he thought transparency was important, but side-stepped the transparency question, and instead referenced his boss, Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott, saying he had watched Lott gain the trust of the community and was part of that. “We have to have unity in the community. Without that we don’t have nothing.”
Why do you think you are the best man for the job of Fairfield County Sheriff?
Gibson said he would bring common sense to the job. “I will be open, no hidden agendas. I can motivate the workers to do better. I will come out and talk to the people and address their concerns. We must hold ourselves above reproach. I want this job because I know what I can do,” Gibson said.
Montgomery said this is his third time to run for the office. “I really want it,” he said. “It’s my life-long goal. I’m a proven leader. My education speaks for itself. I was there for my people (in Richland County) and I’ll be there for you. I’m a hard worker.”
Seibles said he is not looking for a job or a career. “I have a heart to serve and this is a way of life for me.” He referenced his spiritual faith, his closeness to the community and his ability to build trust. He expressed confidence in his ability to carry out the duties of the office of Sheriff and rested his trust in God. “It’s truly an honor to serve the community. I’m very thankful for that opportunity.”
Glenn said he was the best choice for Sheriff because of his 20 years of leadership experience, management skills, being in charge of large organizations and making decisions that can mean life or death. “Being a crime victim myself made me want to go into law enforcement,” Glenn said. “I will be the Sheriff you can depend on to be in your community and in your neighborhood. I will bring energy and advanced skills. I know how to make the tough decisions.”
Lewis said, “It’s hard for me to stand up here and say I’m a better candidate than these men. They are all good people. But let me tell you what I can about me.” He said there’s more to being Sheriff than the duties of the office. “It’s the responsibility of the Sheriff to help assure that the County is a productive, healthy, safe place to live,” and he said Fairfield County is on the doorstep of economic growth and that the crime rate plays a big role in economic development. “Our crime rate is 34 percent, one of the lowest in the state and better than some of the surrounding counties. In the next two years we could become one of the best law enforcement agencies in the state.”
A second forum for the Sheriff candidates was held last evening in Ridgeway. The special election for Sheriff will be held this Tuesday, Sept. 30.
