BLYTHEWOOD – During a special called budget workshop meeting on March 5, council first reviewed the fiscal year 2024-25 budget, then heard from department heads regarding what their budget needs are looking like for the coming year.
As that wrapped up, Councilman Donald Brock asked about items on a separate, loose spreadsheet that included budgeted allocation of ‘miscellaneous expenses’ in the amount of $31,500.
The biggest item listed under ‘miscellaneous expenses’ was the employee Christmas party.
“So the Christmas party [for employees] cost $17,789.18,” Brock said, looking at the spreadsheet, then paused. “That’s a pretty expensive Christmas party. How many would you say attended? Does anyone know?” he asked. “How many invitations were sent out?
After not hearing an answer, Brock continued.
“The reason I asked is because there’s a line item here for $137.15 for invitations for the Christmas party. I know that a particular councilman asked for an invitations list and was told he couldn’t have it. So, how can we say we don’t have an invitation’s list, when there were invitations sent out to the tune of $137.15? That doesn’t match,” Brock said.
The room was quiet.
“I’d love to have an answer on that, because I’d like to know how many people attended the $18,000 Christmas party,” he said, addressing Griffin.
He asked around the room if any employees received one. One employee spoke up but was not near a microphone and the answer was inaudible. Councilwoman Erica Page said she didn’t get one. She made several comments but was not using her microphone and her comments were inaudible.
Mayor Sloan Griffin’s comments were not clear either.
“Is there a way we can find out who was invited to the Christmas party?” Councilman Rich McKenrick asked. “It was budgeted as a staff Christmas party. But it was a whole lot more than a staff Christmas party. How many people were invited to the $18,000 Christmas party,” McKenrick asked, “and can we find out who they were?”
“You can find out who they were,” Griffin said. “I contacted state legislatures and those kinds of people that I reached out to and said, ‘Hey, come out. We having a Christmas party. Come meet staff. Anytime that we’re doing anything, I want to be sure we’re reaching out to those partners that we need in our corner.”
Some attendees included members of the Fairfield County School Board, Richland Two School District staff, the Mayor of Lake City, S.C., and other elected officials from around the state.
Griffin said emails, not invitations, were sent out to town hall staff about the party.
Council members said that they learned the invitations stated the Christmas party was hosted by Mayor Sloan Griffin, and that town council members were not included as hosts.
Other Christmas expenses under ‘miscellaneous expenses’ included $5,672 for Santa and Santa Land decorations.
There were also staff birthday and Thanksgiving bonuses in the amount of $1,870 under the ‘miscellaneous expense list.’ Also included were employee health and welfare bonuses in the amount of $500 each that can be used for gym memberships, childcare services and other things. Expenses of $296.95 went to funeral flowers for aunts of two employees.
Because the budget allocations for ‘miscellaneous expenses’ were almost totaled out at $29,709.81, Griffin created a new line item for $8,250 for Christmas bonuses for all employees. Besides the Christmas party, full-time employees each received $500, and part-time employees each received $250. Council members said they were not notified about the employee Christmas bonuses prior to their issuance.
The next council meeting will be held March 24, and the next budget workshop will be held in April.
