journal news
Simpsonville official responds to ousted chief’s grievance By JEANNE putNAm | contributor
The saga over the firing of ousted Simpsonville Police Chief Keith Grounsell took another turn this week as City Administrator Russell Hawes released a statement on Jan. 22 addressing Grounsell’s 50-page grievance letter. In his response, the city administrator said Grounsell is not entitled to file a grievance since the former chief was still in his probationary period when he was let go. Nonetheless, Hawes chose to address several issues raised in the 24page letter. Howell said Grounsell acknowledged in his grievance letter that Grounsell had a conversation with a person not employed by the city regarding a confi-
dential meeting at City Hall. This conversation constituted “a violation on the confidence placed in you by the City of Simpsonville,” Hawes wrote. In addition, Hawes asserted that Grounsell recognized that a vital part of his job was the ability to work with the City Council, city administrator and human resources director. However, upon reviewing Grounsell’s grievance, “even a cursory review of your Jan. 7 document reveals where you complain bitterly about the actions of the city administrator, the incompetence of the HR director, and question the intelligence of City Council members,” Hawes wrote. In conclusion, Hawes wrote that despite the fact Grounsell was ineligible for the grievance process as a probationary employee, “even if you were en-
titled to file a grievance, it would have been denied.” Following another packed Simpsonville City Council meeting Jan. 22, Grounsell said he was told by letter shortly after his termination that he was allowed to file a grievance, even in his probationary period. “The Termination Action form the city signed and sent me three days after my termination clearly said you have rights under the Employee Grievance and Appeal Procedure,” he said. Grounsell said he followed the instructions provided in the letter and now is being told the opposite. Grounsell said he firmly believes he would be reinstated if he could have a public hearing and present “all of the facts.” He said his top two objectives
now are “to clean the city up” and get his job back. Grounsell was sworn in as chief on Sept. 18, replacing Charles Reece. He completed the Criminal Justice Academy on Dec. 21 before being fired on Dec. 28. Grounsell claimed he was not allowed to discipline former Assistant Police Chief Colleen O’Neil over an alleged relationship with Fire Chief Wesley Williams and stated this was the reason behind his firing. Simpsonville City Council said Grounsell was “not a good fit” for the town. O’Neil stepped down earlier this month and Williams was reinstated by City Council. Contact Jeanne Putnam at jputnam@communityjournals.com.
SC House District 17 seat candidates headed for a runoff Feb. 5 Mike Burns and Chris Sullivan emerge as frontrunners By April A. morris | staff
In a field of five candidates for the South Carolina House of Representatives seat representing District 17, two candidates emerged as front-runners following Tuesday’s primary election: restaurant owner and businessman Mike Burns will face off against Chris Sullivan, owner of Burns a public relations firm. The two will be on the ballot for a runoff election on Tuesday, Feb. 5. In unofficial results, Burns came away from the contest with 49.96 percent of the vote, just narrowly missing winning the primary outright by eight votes, said Conway Belangia, Greenville County’s director of elections and voter registration. Chris Sullivan captured Sullivan 39.19 percent of the vote. Mike Burns said he was pleased with the turnout on Tuesday and will continue to gain more votes before the runoff. “We’re going to continue door-to-door visits –
14 THE Journal | JANUARY 25, 2013
we’ve burned a lot of shoe leather and will keep going.” He said he appreciated the constructive tone of the campaign and candidates. “There was a lot of energy in the campaign – all positive.” Sullivan could not be reached for comment. The primary slate also included third-year law student Roy Harmon, chiropractor Tom Kolarik and retired farmer Randall Young. In unofficial results, Harmon came away with 6.41 percent of the vote, Kolarik with 3.36 percent and Young with 1.08 percent, according to Belangia. A total of 2,242 voters cast ballots in the special election primary – a roughly 10 percent turnout – which Belangia called “a decent turnout for a special primary.” He said there are approximately 20,000 voters in district 17, which encompasses much of northern Greenville County, including Tigerville, SlaterMarietta and Travelers Rest. Several polling places typically located at school sites were moved because school was in session. School administrators, parents and poll workers had requested the change because of security concerns, Belangia said. Despite the relocation, voters did not have difficulty, he said. One issue was that the new Tigerville polling place listed on the voters’ notification letters had an incorrect ZIP code: Taylors instead of Travelers Rest. Several voters reported that when they searched the address on the Internet, it gave them directions to the far side of Taylors instead of to the Tigerville Fire Station, Belangia said. The special election is a result of S.C. Representative Tom Corbin relinquishing the seat after winning both reelection and an S.C. Senate seat in the Nov. 2012 election.
SC House of Representatives District 17 Special Election unoffiCial RESultS fRom gREEnvillE County ElECtion CommiSSion
Mike Burns
1,114
49.96%
Chris Sullivan
874
39.19%
Roy Harmon
143
6.41%
Tom Kolarik
75
3.36%
Randall Young
24
1.08%
This is the first election in the Upstate and the first state contest that was subject to the new state voter ID law, said Belangia. Voters were required to show a driver’s license, S.C. Department of Motor Vehicles ID card, S.C. voter registration card with photo, federal military ID or U.S. passport in order to cast a ballot. The first contest under the new law was a municipal special election in the town of Branchville in Orangeburg County on Jan. 8. There were a total of five provisional ballots cast in the district 17 special election; three were the result of ID issues, said Belangia. One was a 100-year-old resident who did not have correct ID. Two other provisional ballots were cast because of issues with confirming the voters’ registration. The provisional ballots were reviewed on Thursday, he said. Contact April A. Morris at amorris@communityjournals.com.