Individuals Benefiting Financially from Business with County Agencies may now legally serve on their Governing Boards

After several months of maneuvering and one vote of disapproval, seven members of Greenville County Council voted Tuesday, May 7 to repeal important ethical requirements for serving on county boards and commissions. The ordinance was repealed that prohibited individuals who themselves, their employer or family members benefit financially, through contracts or other arrangements with Greenville County government entities from serving on the boards or commissions that govern those taxpayer supported organizations.

Seth Powell, president of the Greenville County Taxpayers Association reacted immediately to the irrational decision by a governing body with a previous conservative reputation.

“The Greenville County Taxpayers Association strongly disagrees with this action taken by county council.

“Have we such a shortage of good people in this county that we must allow the foxes to guard the hen house?

“Have we separated the government process so far from ordinary people that now the only ones who wish to participate are those that can profit from it? And is this the remedy – to let them profit?

“Greenville County is made up of wonderful, respectful, law-abiding citizens. We deserve to be served by men and women who have no problem adhering to the strictest Ethics laws in the country! Unfortunately, County Council has let us down.”

Reportedly the pressure on council began when it was discovered that a member of the board governing the Bi-Lo Center was receiving a large portion of the center’s advertising revenue for the board member’s media outlet in violation of the ethics ordinance and was forced to resign. That individual and others benefiting from being an “insider” will be allowed to legally serve with a few, mostly meaningless restrictions, such as not voting on their own contract awards.

Harry Kibler, Founder of RINO Hunt and Host of the Conservative Voice talk show on WORD Radio, 106.3 FM at 6 p.m. on Saturdays, said he is saddened that Greenville County elected officials have decided to stoop to the level of politicians in Columbia and Washington, D.C.

“Do they not understand that by their actions, they are encouraging corruption? This situation has a very bad smell. I have invited Council Chairman Dr. Bob Taylor to appear on my radio program and explain the justification for this action. It will be a topic of discussion this Saturday at 6 p.m.,” Kibler said.

One of the reasons used by councilman Fred Payne during an early discussion for supporting the change to ethics rules was

that council should not require members of boards and commissions to meet higher standards than those required for council members.

Payne’s discussion revealed knowledge of and touched upon a serious shortcoming in county procurement practices. The fair and ethical means for awarding contracts involving public taxpayer funds is the competitive bid. The Greenville County Administration does not use competitive bids for advertising and many other services. They either arbitrarily award contracts or allow vendors to submit “proposals.” The proposal method allows decision-makers to arbitrarily award contracts or refer business to whomever they desire. It is unethical, unfair to other businesses, often more costly to taxpayers, but lawful under South Carolina’s weak procurement laws. Therefore unethical practices have become a way of life from the statehouse to the council chambers, school boards, and other government entities in the Palmetto State where the South Carolina Policy Council has recently stated emphatically that ethics and corruption are serious problems.

The vote was 7 to 5 in favor of repealing the ethical requirement. Those voting in favor of the measure were Jim Burns, Liz Seman, Butch Kirven, Fred Payne, Dan Rawls, Xanthene Norris and Dr. Bob Taylor.

The five council members opposed to lowering ethical requirements for members of boards and commissions, and voting “no” were Willis Meadows, Joe Dill, Joe Baldwin, Dr. Sid Cates and Lottie Gibson.

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