Country Chronicle Publishing Company Sued for Negligence BLYTHEWOOD – Blythewood leaders falsely alleged that the CEO of a local marketing firm had a romantic relationship with a sitting councilman in order to land a marketing contract with the town, according to a recently filed lawsuit. The suit also accuses a Camden news organization of publishing […]
Audit late, expected in March
January 26, 2023 By
WINNBSORO – Insufficient staff and a last minute data dump by the finance department onto the auditor contributed to Fairfield County missing its annual audit deadline for the second year in a row. Now the county’s auditing firm won’t be able to present its findings to County Council until sometime in March, said interim county […]
Dinkins challenges Blythewood Town Council’s transparency
January 26, 2023 By
BLYTHEWOOD – During Monday night’s town council meeting, town officials and town center property owner Byron Dinkins had their say about the approval process for a 50-foot natural gas tank for Dominion Energy that was placed next to Dinkins’ property on Blythewood Road in early December. Dinkins said Monday night that the tank did not […]
Swearingen: County’s finances in a bad spot
January 26, 2023 By
WINNSBORO – In addition to bad news about the county’s audit during Monday night’s county council meeting, council members received disappointing and conflicting news about the county’s fund balance. In December, the previous council leadership claimed Fairfield had been regularly depositing money into the fund balance since mid-summer and that the finances were in good […]
County’s audit overdue; state withholding funds
January 19, 2023 By
WINNSBORO – The SC Comptroller General’s office notified the county’s financial department on Jan. 3, 2023, that the county’s audit was overdue and that the state would begin withholding funds from the county that day. While they were aware the audit was late, Council Chair Douglas Pauley, Vice Chair Clarence Gilbert and council members Peggy […]
Pauley to lead new council; Gilbert elected vice chair
January 12, 2023 By
WINNSBORO – Four county council members were sworn into office Monday evening during the regular council meeting. Douglas Pauley (District 5) and Clarence Gilbert (District 7) were re-elected to office, both serving their second full four-year terms. Also sworn in were newcomers Dan Ruff (District 1) and Peggy Swearingen (District 3). The four newly elected […]
Council votes 4-1 to adopt new policy for SAT, LAT, and H-Tax allocations
January 12, 2023 By
BLYTHEWOOD – On Jan, 6, 2023, town council voted 4-1 to adopt a new policy for administering the $1 million or so revenue the Town receives from state accommodations tax (SAT), local accommodations tax (LAT) and hospitality tax (HTAX) – taxes that are largely paid by visitors to the town who eat in the town’s […]
Council sets goals for 23-24
January 12, 2023 By
BLYTHEWOOD – Blythewood Town Council held a special called meeting Friday morning, Jan. 6, to discuss goals for the upcoming budget year and beyond. Charlie Barrineau, a field services manager with the South Carolina Municipal Association, coached the group on communication and cooperation in order to properly and effectively set goals. “The challenge is that […]
MPA attorney withdraws from case
January 12, 2023 By
BLYTHEWOOD – The attorney representing Ashley Hunter and her marketing firm MPA Strategies in a lawsuit against the Town of Blythewood and a countersuit filed by the Town, is withdrawing from the case. During a non-jury trial roster meeting in Richland County Common Pleas Court Monday morning, no attorneys were present to represent either the […]
Boykin resigns; council taps Morgan
January 12, 2023 By
WINNSBORO – Fairfield County Attorney Charles J. Boykin emailed a notice to council members on Monday, Jan. 9, of his intentions to “withdraw my firm’s representation of the county as the county attorney, effective upon notification to us that the county has hired new council.” “We will take all steps reasonably practicable to protect the […]
