The Voice of Blythewood & Fairfield County

Letter: Bell’s Memory is Selective

Over the past 5 months I have been reviewing the videos of the Fairfield County Council meetings. The pattern of this group is obvious to any viewer.

They begin with a blessing asking for guidance to make the right decisions for the community. Apparently, this is not working at all. They continue to rush through the agenda for the meeting like a race to see how much they can get done and checked off their list. There is almost always a majority vote on any topics discussed. (This is very suspicious)!

In more than one video, Mr. Bell has bashed the last group on the poor planning and building contract for the old Mount Zion School Building. Has he forgotten how they rushed ordinance 778 and cheated 58 ex-employees out of ARP funds in October 2021? I call this selective memory. We keep bringing up the past of another group’s judgement to hide the fact that this group is no better when it comes to taking care of the community. I am sure the next County Council will be more professional, leave the past behind, and prove their worth by doing good.

In the past months, they have decided to spend millions. Yes, I said millions of taxpayers’ monies on new Recreation Centers. Now, I have relocated many times in my life due my work, and never was recreation locations a priority in my move. I wanted a good paying job, a place to worship, fair housing, a police presence, fire protection, medical services (we now have no hospital!!!), shopping, and restaurants. Never ever did I relocate based on baseball fields and basketball courts in the area. These were a bonus, not a necessity for my family. What planet are they living on?

Finally, I am asking the present Fairfield County Council to amend Ordinance 778 to include the Forgotten 58 to receive ARP funds due to them (both full-time and part-time employees in that group), to make up for their poor decision in 2021. (If all of the Forgotten 58 were full-time employees, the total monies due would amount to approximately $69,600)

If you “can’t” amend 778 or “won’t” amend 778, then just tell the new County administrator to send out checks out of the public county funds, the same way you paid the “Volunteer Poll Watchers”($200.00 each for 21 volunteers) and there will be no vote necessary. You have already set a precedent.

We really don’t care how you take care of this, just do it.

Joe Novaro

Winnsboro