BLYTHEWOOD – Blythewood Town Council voted 4-1 Thursday, May 5, to authorize Mayor Bryan Franklin, Town Administrator Carroll Williamson, and the Town’s outside attorneys David Black and Shannon Burnett to take legal action against The Voice and its publisher. While the Town has already sued MPA Strategies owner Ashley Hunter and threatened to sue Councilman […]
In searing public speech, BW mayor confuses conspiracy with routine journalism
May 5, 2022 By
BLYTHEWOOD – Mayor Bryan Franklin delivered his most chilling verbal attack to date on The Voice’s publisher and Councilman Donald Brock at the end of a joint town council/planning commission meeting Monday night. The subject matter was rambling, with multiple undocumented claims. Explaining that his speech was in response to The Voice’s editorial in the […]
Brock blasts lawsuit for not being authorized by council
April 28, 2022 By
BLYTHEWOOD – Just before Blythewood town council went into executive session April 20, for an update on the MPA lawsuit and countersuit from two of the Town’s outside attorneys, Councilman Donald Brock read a prepared statement that he did not recognize one of those attorneys, Nexsen Pruet Attorney David Black, as representing the Town in […]
Editorial: This newspaper won’t sell its soul for $29,400
April 28, 2022 By
Following an hour-long executive session on April 20, in which Nexsen Pruet attorney David Black and attorney Shannon Burnett updated council on two lawsuits the Town of Blythewood is involved in with MPA Strategies, Mr. Black told council that The Voice’s publisher has cost the Town almost $70,000 for FOIA requests submitted in regard to […]
Attorney: MPA to sue Town of Blythewood, Franklin for defamation, breach of contract
February 24, 2022 By
BLYTHEWOOD – Attempts to settle an ongoing lawsuit between the Town of Blythewood and its former marketing firm appear to have fizzled. Now MPA Strategies LLC, which filed a Freedom of Information complaint stating the Town violated public record laws, plans to sue the Town for defamation and breach of contract, according to recent court […]
Blythewood council to increase legal budget to $140K
February 3, 2022 By
Baughman: I could care less if it (the lawsuit) adds up to $100K per month. We brought it on ourselves. BLYTHEWOOD – Town Administrator Carroll Williamson informed council during a budget meeting Friday morning that the Town’s outside legal team has advised increasing the Town’s budget for outside legal expenses from $60,000 to $140,000 through […]
Blythewood’s legal expenses skyrocket as MPA lawsuit simmers
January 27, 2022 By
Bender: Meeting In Which MPA Contract Was Terminated May Have Been Illegal BLYTHEWOOD – After Blythewood Mayor Bryan Franklin failed to timely turn over documents including texts and emails to MPA Strategies’ attorney Joseph Dickey that Dickey had asked for through a Freedom of Information (FOIA) request, MPA’s owner and CEO Ashley Hunter filed a […]
Blythewood reverses decision to release FOIA’d documents
September 2, 2021 By
BLYTHEWOOD – On Monday, Aug. 30, the town reversed its refusal to release responsive documents sought by The Voice from Town Administrator Carroll Williamson through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request 41 days earlier. The Voice requested the following documents: 1) a copy of the contract or letter of engagement that secured the outside […]
MPA files motion for dismissal of counterclaim
August 26, 2021 By
BLYTHEWOOD – MPA Strategies, LLC has filed a reply to the Town’s counterclaims filed July 20, 2021, in response to a lawsuit filed by MPA Strategies against the town government on June 28, 2021. All the claims and responses were filed in the Court of Common Pleas Fifth Judicial Circuit in Richland County. MPA also […]
MPA files lawsuit against Town after mayor fails to comply with FOI law
July 8, 2021 By
BLYTHEWOOD – The Town of Blythewood has been at risk of a legal action for almost two months after Mayor Bryan Franklin failed to submit responsive documents to a Freedom of Information request from MPA Strategies, the town’s newly contracted marketing and grant writing firm. On Tuesday, June 28, MPA filed that legal action against […]
