BLYTHEWOOD – Blythewood town council members and their attorney, Pete Balthazar, who advises them, participated in an executive session at the end of Monday night’s council meeting that Media Attorney Jay Bender says may have been improper.
At issue is whether or not council members discussed issues behind closed doors that were outside what state law allows, including an order to move Mayor Sloan Griffin out of his current office into another office in town hall.
Reacting to the order the next day, Tuesday, Mayor Griffin posted an AI graphic of himself moving boxes out of his office, saying that the council had voted to put him out of town hall.
In an email later that same day to The Voice, Mayor Pro Tem Andrea Fripp said the motion that was passed established policy for all members of council, not just the mayor.
“All council members must abide by certain rules,” Fripp wrote. “Under the new council-manager form of government, the Town Manager is the Chief Executive Officer and now assumes many of the duties that were once held by the mayor under the mayor-council (strong mayor) form of government.
“The fact is, the mayor walked out of executive session and left the regularly scheduled meeting. He was never asked to vacate Town Hall nor was that discussed.”
The meeting’s agenda listed an executive session for the purpose of “receipt of legal advice regarding an internal governance matter involving elected officials and discussion of legal and procedural options available to town council.”
During approval of the agenda, at the beginning of the meeting, Councilman Donald Brock made a motion to add the following information to the executive session purpose:
“Items addressed in executive session may involve unauthorized access and use of town assets and unauthorized spending of town resources.”
That motion was approved unanimously by council.
However, prior to going into executive session, Griffin, the chair, did not include Brock’s addition in the purpose of the session.
The five council members (including the mayor) and Attorney Pete Balthazar were the only people in the executive session.
The Voice was told by sources in the executive meeting that Griffin abruptly left the room early in the meeting, telling council members that he would see them in court.
When council voted to return to public session, Griffin did not join them. Brock made the following motion pertaining to what was discussed in executive session:
“I move that it is the policy of the Town of Blythewood that no council member shall have access to any and all town facilities other than during normal business hours; that the council directs the town manager to occupy the office currently occupied by the mayor; that the town manager can determine the location and utilization of all spaces in the town hall; that no council member shall possess a P-card, also known as a purchase card; and that the council directs the town attorney to seek an Attorney General’s opinion as to whether proclamations or awards are a function of the mayor under council-manager form of government and provide an example to the attorney general as discussed in executive session.”
Without discussion following the motion, council voted 4-0 to approve the motion.
Media Attorney Jay Bender, who represents members of the S.C. Press Association, including The Voice, said the purpose of the executive session – “receipt of legal advice” – was within the law, but the actual discussion in the closed meeting was far broader than the stated purpose as reflected in the motion following the executive session.
“If the matters incorporated in the motion [following executive session] were discussed in executive session. the discussion was improper,” Bender said. “This appears to be a situation where the council is hiding behind the “legal advice” exception to the requirement of open meetings to discuss a matter not allowed in executive session.”
Bender also took issue with council’s failure to discuss the executive session items when they returned to public session.
“If the motion was adopted without public discussion, it would seem to be confirmation that the merits of the motion were improperly discussed outside of public view,” Bender said. “The Supreme Court of South Carolina has said forcefully that the law requiring open meetings and open records exists to prevent secret government activity. This town council doesn’t seem to understand the point.”
Mayor Griffin responded in an email to The Voice Wednesday evening:
“Thank you for reaching out,” the statement said.
“Regarding the motion passed Monday night, I continue to have serious concerns about any action that affects the Office of the Mayor and its ability to serve the residents of Blythewood effectively. This is not about a room, a credit card, a title, proclamations, or The Mayor’s Community Champion Awards. It is about respect for the office, transparency in government, and making sure residents continue to have accessible leadership.
As a Council, our focus should be on moving Blythewood forward: building the Farmers Market pavilion, investing in Doko Meadows Park, supporting local farmers, small businesses, and entrepreneurs, improving infrastructure, and bringing community events like Rockin’ Red, White & Blue, Juneteenth, and Movies in the Park back to Doko.
As it relates to any comments regarding court or potential legal action, I will continue to review the situation carefully and handle any concerns through the appropriate channels.
Regardless of where I physically sit, I remain the Mayor of the Town of Blythewood. My focus remains on serving residents and moving Blythewood forward.”
Griffin’s comment was received after The Voice’s press deadline and does not appear in the print edition.