WINNSBORO – After Fairfield County Council Chairman Clarence Gilbert refused after three weeks to appoint council’s only female member, Peggy Swearingen (Dist. 3), to any one of five council standing committees, Councilman Don Goldbach offered an amendment to the bylaws at Monday night’s county council meeting that would guarantee that all members of the council […]
Carpenter welcomed during council meeting
March 13, 2025 By
WINNSBORO –Fairfield County’s new Administrator Vic Carpenter introduced himself to the community during Monday night’s county council meeting, and received a warm welcome in return from council members. After spending 13 years at various management levels for Boy Scouts of America, Carpenter said he settled into a career in county government Giving a short review […]
Court ruling grants Blythewood town council’s motion for injunction against mayor’s hiring practices
March 6, 2025 By
COLUMBIA – A court ruling handed down March 2 granted Town of Blythewood council members a temporary and permanent injunction that prohibits Blythewood Mayor Sloan Griffin from enforcing an executive order issued by him that would allow him to hire town hall employees without town council authorizing funding for those positions. The injunction was filed […]
Ruff, Gilbert accuse newspaper of not reporting standing committee changes
March 6, 2025 By
Gilbert Says Two Councilmembers are Trying to Undermine Him WINNSBORO – Fairfield Council Chairman Clarence Gilbert and Councilman Dan Ruff tried to put a pretty face on Gilbert’s selection last month of only certain councilmen to the council’s five standing committee, shutting out three council district representatives: Ruff (Dist. 1), Don Goldbach (Dist. 2), and […]
H & T tax committee to hear funding requests March 10
March 6, 2025 By
WINNSBORO – Requests from non-profit organizations in Fairfield County for accommodations and hospitality tax grants will be considered by the A & H tax advisory committee on Monday, March 10, at 9 a.m. The meeting will be held at the county government complex at 350 N. Walnut Street in Winnsboro. The following requests for funding […]
Update: IRS refunding or waiving $1.4M in penalties, fines for Fairfield County
March 6, 2025 By
WINNSBORO – It was announced in December, 2023, by former Interim Administrator Laura Johnson that Fairfield County had been assessed IRS tax penalties and interest in the amount of $1.4 million and that she had paid most of that amount. The charges were tied to the Affordable Care Act and the requirement to provide proof […]
Town Council meeting turns into donnybrook
February 27, 2025 By
BLYTHEWOOD – Monday night’s town council meeting began with Councilman Donald Brock making a motion to add an item to the agenda calling for several special called meetings. It ended three hours later with Councilman Rich McKenrick calling for a vote of no confidence in Mayor Sloan Griffin. A good thirty minutes of the meeting […]
Hensley: Fairfield property sales, valuations up
February 27, 2025 By
WINNSBORO – There’s good news about property values in Fairfield County. Most properties in the county have increased in value since the last reassessment in 2020, according to Fairfield County Tax Assessor Guerry Hensley. The bad news is, Hensley estimates that because of that increase in property values, most if not all properties in Fairfield […]
Blythewood Mayor’s injunction hearing continued
February 27, 2025 By
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, […]
Richland County Council to vote on multiple Blythewood developments Feb. 25
February 20, 2025 By
BLYTHEWOOD – A number of rezoning requests for both commercial and single and multi-family residential development in Blythewood 29016 are scheduled to come before Richland County Council for a public hearing Tuesday, Feb. 25. The first of three required votes on the rezoning requests will be taken at that meeting. Of the three required meetings, […]
