BLYTHEWOOD – The South Carolina Attorney General’s office issued an opinion on Aug. 11, stating that neither the mayor nor any member of a town council can exercise the authority of council without the council’s approval.
It is the second adverse opinion handed down in the last two years by the Attorney General’s office regarding Blythewood Mayor Sloan Griffin’s actions in his capacity as mayor.
The Aug. 11 opinion referred to a letter from the Blythewood town attorney questioning the mayor’s authority, under the council/manager form of government, to issue proclamations and bestow a ‘Community Champion Award’ on behalf of the Town, without the approval of town council.
The issue came up at the June town council meeting after council voted to go into executive session to discuss “receipt of legal advice regarding an internal governance matter involving elected officials and discussion of legal and procedural options available to town council.”
After coming out of executive session, Councilman Donald Brock moved to, among other things, “direct the town attorney to seek an Attorney General’s opinion as to whether proclamations or awards are a function of the mayor under the council-manager form of government and provide an example to the attorney general as discussed in executive session.”
Council voted 4-0 to approve the motion. Griffin did not re-enter public session for the vote.
In his letter to the Attorney General, the town’s attorney stated that “it has come to the Town’s attention that the mayor has issued one or more proclamations in his capacity as mayor of the Town.”
The letter went on to describe how Griffin, on or about May 27, 2026, issued a ‘special proclamation’ to a deserving citizen on behalf of himself and ‘members of Blythewood Town Council.’
“The four other members of Town Council did not have any knowledge this proclamation was being issued,” the town attorney wrote. “Also, in May, 2026, the mayor issued a ‘Community Champion’ award to a deserving citizen. The award states it is sponsored by Blythewood Economic Development and Tourism. The Town has not established such a department.”
Griffin posted photos and videos of these and other presentations on his personal Facebook page. One video showed Griffin walking into the Waffle House in Blythewood, then presenting awards to two Waffle House employees as diners looked on.
“In short,” wrote Assistant Attorney General David Leggett, “the mayor or any member of the town council may not independently exercise the authority of council absent specific delegation.”
Leggett further wrote that the court would likely conclude that issuing proclamations, bestowing awards, and speaking on behalf of town council all constitute adopting positions or policies of approval on behalf of the Town.
“As a result,” Leggett wrote, “a court would likely conclude these should all be conducted by resolution approved by the entire town council, not through the actions of a single member.”
Leggett suggested that the Town could, if council members so desired, adopt a policy outlining a procedure for applying for and granting various forms of recognition, and that such procedures could delegate some of the decision-making authority to the mayor.
“However, in the absence of such delegation, we believe the mayor should not undertake these actions without the consent of town council,” Leggett wrote.
He further suggested that the mayor’s action to give an award that is sponsored by a department not authorized by town council is likely in violation of state law.
“Declaring that an award is sponsored by a department, such as ‘Blythewood Economic Development and Tourism,’ which has not been established by the town council likely violates Section 5-1-30(2) which gives town council the authority to “[establish other administrative departments and assign and distribute the work thereof,”] Legget wrote.
“The Attorney General’s opinion only reaffirms what council already knew,” Brock told The Voice following receipt of the opinion. “The mayor is simply one member of council and has no authority beyond that position. It further reaffirms that the rules and laws apply to everyone equally; no one on council is granted additional powers or responsibilities.
“As for enforcement, that’s something the mayor will simply need to do himself,” Brock added. “If he respects the Attorney General and the rule of law, then he will govern himself accordingly.”
In his response to The Voice for a comment, Griffin did not address the issue of his making a proclamation on behalf of the Town, but as an individual to honor citizens on his own behalf.
He said that while he respected the Attorney General’s opinion, he will continue to “recognize the people who make Blythewood great.”
“If Councilman Brock or any other member of Council believes that my lawful ability as the elected Mayor to recognize citizens must ultimately be resolved by a court, I am prepared to have that question resolved through the appropriate legal process,” Griffin said. His complete statement is posted with the story online.