BLYTHEWOOD – An injunction filed by the Town of Blythewood against Blythewood Mayor Sloan Griffin was heard Monday, Feb. 24 in the Richland County Court of Common Pleas, and was continued until later this week, giving time for each side to submit affidavits defending their positions. Judge Daniel Coble is presiding.
Council members Donald Brock, Rich McKenrick, Andrea Fripp, and Erica Page were present for the hearing. Mayor Sloan Griffin was not present because of extenuating family circumstances, his attorney said.
Attorney Austin Nichols of The Rutherford law firm, representing Griffin, had until Tuesday end of day to file an affidavit providing evidence that council’s failure to approve funds for two employees recently hired by Griffin, would impair Griffin’s ability to carry out the duties of his position as mayor and chief executive administrator for the Town of Blythewood.
The Town [the four council members] are being represented by Attorney James Edward Bradley, with the Moore, Bradley, Myers law firm in West Columbia.
The Town had until end of day Wednesday, Feb. 26, to submit an affidavit as to why Griffin would be compelled to maintain the status quo and not hire additional employees whose positions have not been funded.
The Town is asking the Court to move for a temporary and permanent injunction against Griffin.
In a letter to Judge Coble, Bradley stated that the dispute regards the municipal authority of the mayor in ultra vires acts – acts that require legal authority but are done without it. Bradley seeks a declaration of the powers of the mayor and the council in regard to the mayor’s attempt to hire employees whose positions have not been funded by town council.
In December, 2024, Griffin announced that he had hired two employees for whom he had created two positions – a deputy administrator and a social media specialist – without discussing either position or either hire with any members of council. Neither position had been funded by council.
After it was made public by The Voice that the newly hired deputy administrator was under criminal investigation by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, Griffin announced that the new hire decided not to pursue the job.
Council removed funding in the budget for all unfilled positions, stipulating that funding for new positions would have to be approved by council. Griffin requested a S.C. Attorney General’s opinion concerning the mayor’s authority to hire employees without council’s consent. The AG responded that while the mayor in a mayor/council form of government has the authority to hire employees without permission from council, section 5-9-40 of state law places the responsibility of adopting a municipal budget with the council, and that the mayor is prohibited from expending funds not appropriated by council.
