County council’s recent county website posting of an exclusive list of Select Committee assignments was unprecedented in a number of ways. It was an unprecedented county council low because the appointments ignored 42 percent of the sitting council members. What followed the initial appointments was an unprecedented citizen firestorm against the egregious slighting of three […]
Letter: Fairfield County Needs Better Governance
March 13, 2025 By
I’m writing in reference to The Voice editorial concerning Mr. Gilbert’s treatment of Ms. Swearingen not being appointed to even one standing committee of Fairfield County Council. I follow the council meetings primarily via YouTube. As a homeowner in District Two, I am extremely disappointed in Mr. Gilbert’s appalling lack of good governance judgment in […]
Editorial: Swearingen deserves a seat at the table
March 6, 2025 By
EDITORIAL – After Fairfield County Council Chairman Clarence Gilbert appointed every member of council except Peggy Swearingen, council’s only female member, to council’s five standing committees last month, Ms. Swearingen asked Gilbert at the Feb. 24 meeting why she had been left out. “Is it because I’m a woman?” she asked. Gilbert was dismissive, saying […]
Letter: Thank You Clay Killian
March 6, 2025 By
For your leadership in resolving the IRS fines mishap, thus, saving the county perhaps $1million in net final IRS fines. Bringing in outside experts to handle the IRS fine issue was the missing link between not paying and paying $1million dollars to the IRS. For your guidance ensuring the courthouse remodel/transition went as smoothly as […]
Letter: Mail Theft from Blythewood Post Office isn’t New
February 27, 2025 By
I read with great interest and great anger the article in last week’s Voice about postal thefts at the Blythewood Post Office. These mail thefts have been going on for quite a while. I had an AT&T check payment for $99.60 stolen from one of the blue drop boxes in July. The thief washed it, […]
Letter: Monday Night’s Good, Bad, & Ugly
February 27, 2025 By
The Good – The county may be able to recoup up to nearly $1 million in IRS fines thanks to Clay Killian bring In experts to help. Thanks, also, to Killian for facilitating what appears to be an excellent County Administrator hire. The Bad – It’s reassessment year and property assessments will likely rise, perhaps […]
Guest Editorial: An Atom of Doubt Should Mean Life, Not Death
February 20, 2025 By
The story of my great-great-uncles, Thomas and Meeks Griffin, is more than a family tragedy, it’s a sobering reminder of the irreversible failures of our justice system. These two Black brothers were executed by the state of South Carolina in 1915 for the murder of a white man they did not know and who they […]
Guest Editorial: Concerns About Renewing V.C. Summer License
February 20, 2025 By
Amid ongoing concerns about safety, environmental risks, and financial accountability, I have submitted a formal statement to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) opposing the proposed license renewal for the V.C. Summer nuclear power plant. The NRC is currently reviewing a Subsequent License Renewal (SLR) request from Dominion Energy to extend the V.C. Summer plant’s operation […]
Guest Editorial: Smith Escaped Lynching Only to be Gunned Down on Courthouse Steps
February 6, 2025 By
It’s June 14, 1915. The night air is thick with the scent of blood and burning tobacco. The Courthouse steps in Winnsboro are still slick from the morning’s carnage. Somewhere beyond the gaslight’s flicker, a man in a dark suit smirks, leans back in his chair, and exhales; satisfied. The mob has done what mobs […]
Letter: Job One – Hire Top Administrator
January 16, 2025 By
It’s the new year and I want start off by thanking county council members for all their efforts for Fairfield residents. But I also want to remind you what Job One is for the coming year. You must hire the very best county administrator – a new, smart, experienced, hard-working administrator with a heart for […]
