I attended the May 4 budget meeting where the department heads told council what money they needed for the coming fiscal year, the majority of which were increases from the current fiscal year. There were a few things I expected to see during this meeting but didn’t. First, I expected to see all seven council […]
Fairfield County Council blasts complaints
April 27, 2023 By
WINNSBORO – Fairfield County Council members are pushing back against criticisms that little progress is being made on routine fiscal, administrative and other county matters. Specifically, residents have railed against the council over thin agendas, tardy audits, lack of transparency, not working toward filling the vacant County Administrator post and failure to move forward in […]
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 […]
Bell votes for funding that both he and his wife could receive
December 22, 2022 By
WINNSBORO – Fairfield County Council finished some last minute Christmas shopping Monday night, voting at a special called meeting to spend $1.2 million in taxpayer money, including $922,000 in one-time, non-itemized employee bonuses. The vote passed 5-0, with Councilman Doug Pauley abstaining, while Councilman Neil Robinson was absent. The ordinance as originally crafted provided $286,000 […]
Bell’s farewell address touts feats, prejudges new council
December 1, 2022 By
WINNSBORO – Moses Bell’s farewell address read more like a manifesto, praising his own leadership and what he saw as his many accomplishments. He also aired his personal grievances and cast aspersions on those he perceived as as detrimental to his success. Bell, the outgoing Fairfield County Council chairman, who recently lost a reelection bid […]
Election tilts council’s balance of power
November 10, 2022 By
WINNSBORO – Voters sent a clear message to the Fairfield County Council Tuesday night as they turned out County Council Chairman Moses Bell (Dist.1) and long-time Councilman and Vice Chairman Mikel Trapp (Dist. 3), leaving council with a new majority vote. Voters returned Dist. 5 representative Douglas Pauley and Dist. 7 representative Clarence Gilbert to […]
Bright: New raises, hires are Bell’s ‘Election Miracle’
September 29, 2022 By
WINNSBORO – When Fairfield County approved the current budget this past spring, Fairfield County administration determined there wasn’t enough money for employee raises or additional hires to help alleviate severe staff shortages. Instead, county administration initiated 10 percent cuts in the budgets for all departments, resulting in the loss of many county employees who went […]
Council OKs 95% tax break for ‘village’
September 29, 2022 By
WINNSBORO – The majority five Fairfield Council members gave final approval Sept.12 for generous tax breaks to the “Teacher Village” a controversial housing project still lacking final approval from the Town of Winnsboro. The vote passed 5-2, with council members Doug Pauley and Clarence Gilbert opposing. Pauley noted Teacher Village plans have not been submitted […]
Gilbert debunks misleading info about Town, RW line
August 11, 2022 By
WINNSBORO – Moses Bell grew visibly upset with fellow Councilman Clarence Gilbert when Gilbert picked apart what he said was misinformation regarding the Town’s participation with the proposed Ridgeway sewer line. Bell, the county chairman, chastised Gilbert for disclosing what Bell said were private negotiations. However, most of what Gilbert talked about had already been […]
Fairfield County pays $50,000 to wife of county councilman in unorthodox settlement
July 28, 2022 By
Gilbert: Council Was Never Notified of Complaint WINNSBORO – Fairfield County Council has settled a complaint filed by a former county employee who is the wife of a sitting county councilman. The county signed an agreement on July 12 to pay $50,000 to Diana Robinson, former Director of the county’s Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act […]
