$2,700 Ethic Fine - paid

Hilton Head Island's current deputy town manager found himself in the crosshairs of the S.C. Ethics Commission and settled with them, including paying a $2,700 fine.

According to an article in the Island Packet (2/18/2022), in 2018 he set up a $24,000 consulting contract with himself (two violations) and received an $820 gift that he failed to disclose on his 2017 Statement of Economic Interests Report (SEI). 

Why am I writing about something like this? Because he PAID the fines and administrative costs.

Source: https://www.islandpacket.com/news/politics-government/article258519878.html

His example should be followed by some local folks. 

Write to your S.C. Representatives and Senators and ask them stop cooling their heels on S.188, a bill that has been languishing in the S.C. Senate for over a year. You can write to the full Senate Judiciary Committee with one click.

This bill, when it passes and becomes law, would prohibit a person from filing a statement of intention to run for office, is s/he owed outstanding debt to the state Ethics Commission. It would apply to public officials, including school board trustees, and to S.C. Representatives and Senators.

What would it mean locally? Amelia McKie would be unable to run for re-election in November 2022. Of course, she might win the Lottery and pay off her debt to the Ethics Commission. Is she buying Lottery tickets instead of making payments on her fines?

The bill is sitting in the S.C. Senate Judiciary Committee and not getting any attention at all. One of the members of that committee is Mia McLeod, State Senator for our area here in Richland 2 and a good friend of McKie.

Contact McLeod. Urge her to push for passage to move S.188 to the full Senate for a vote. Ask her where she stands. Will she put her friendship with McKie above her duty to her state office? Email: mia@scsenate.gov and 803.212.6016   Do it now.

I hope she replies to your email or return your phone call. She doesn't to mine.

Will the Board Apologize?

Will the Richland 2 School Board apologize to the public for allowing Craig Khanwell to rant and rave, yell, shout and threaten the audience in the room and online during Public Participation on February 8, 2022?

In case you missed it, his rant is on livestream.com/richland2   Feb. 8, 2022    Starting at 1:46:30

People are still telling me that they felt threatened by Khanwell.

Don't just tell me. Tell the Board. Email them. Their email addresses can be found at   https://www.richland2.org/School-Board/Members

Or, for your conveience, just copy-and-paste:

ameliamckie@richland2.org, cherylcautionparker@richland2.org, docholmesschoolboard2@gmail.com, jamesmanning@richland2.org, lashondamcfadden@richland2.org, lindsayagostini@richland2.org, puttingstudentsfirst2012@gmail.com, 

Plus write your Letters to the Editor at The Voice of Blythewood & Fairfield County, The State, Post and Courier, and any other local newspapers. Write to your favorite reporters at the TV channels.

And if it ever happens again, don't just sit there quietly. Even if you are in shock, stand up. Say, "Stop this." If they don't, walk out.

Teresa Holmes violated Board Policy is a huge way by not interrupting Khanwell and shutting him down.

Philpott Grievance on 2/22/2022 Agenda

My appeal of the Trespass Notice was denied by the Superintendent of Richland 2 School District, through his designee. I had requested that the Notice be rescinded as of the issue date (January 25) and that all documentation be removed from District records.

The next step is to exercise my rights under Board Policy KE. KE is listed under Board Policy K - School-Community-Home Relations.

Policy KE Public Concerns and Complaints reads,

"Complaints to one or more board members against any action of any employee of the district or against any administrative rule or board policy will be referred to the superintendent.

"If the matter cannot be resolved satisfactorily by the superintendent, the complainant may register the complaint in writing with the board chair, setting forth the facts on which the complaint is based.

"The Board, at its next regular meeting or at a special meeting, will then consider the grievance of the complainant and dispose of the matter according to its best judgment."

After I received the denial by the superintendent's designee, I emailed my complaint to the Board Chair to register it.

"Grievance" appears on the Agenda for the February 22, 2022 board meeting. It is listed as Item 2.4 in the executive session and as Item 8.2 in the regular, open session.

Today I shall submit my Witness List, which will include Pamela Davis, Baron Davis, Marq Claxton, Security Officers Stinney and Brown, and at least four others. All will need to be available to testify during the executive session and during the open session. I will ask that their statements be given under Oath.

The next step is to secure Access Authorization from Marq Claxton, Director of Security and Safety, so that I can be present at R2i2 for the hearing on my Grievance.

I requested the grievance be heard only by the five legitimate members of the board. These are Trustees Agostini, Caution-Parker, Manning, McFadden, and Scott. Holmes and McKie are not legitimate members of the Board, because they have never taken the oath-of-office legally. (If they take the oath before the February 22nd meeting starts at 5:30PM, they will become legitimate board members.) 

Any board member who has made disparaging comments toward me should recuse himself (herself) from the consideration of my grievance and from the vote during Item 8.2

The vote on my grievance will be taken at Item 8.2 on the Agenda. No decision can be made in the executive decision. No agreement can be made in the executive session on how they will vote. Will the Board be fair in "its best judgment"?  

Supt. Davis should be excluded from the grievance hearing, because he played a material role in the events of the evening.