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OPINION VOICES FROM YOUR COMMUNITY, HEARD HERE
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Every spring, we at the Greenville County Department of Social Services seek to recognize and thank all of the wonderful and gifted foster parents in the Upstate. These families provide so much unconditional love to the most vulnerable children in our community. Imagine a 10-year-old little boy coming to your home with nothing but the clothes on his back, which are dirty and too small. You do not personally know this child, however, as a foster parent, you invite him into your family and life. Furthermore, you provide him with the basic needs, educational needs, and unconditional love, despite whatever comes to the surface in his daily life. It is amazing all of the great things the foster parents in Greenville County are doing every day. We would like to thank each
IN MY OWN WORDS by KEITH FRAZIER
of them for that heartfelt love that they provide to the children of Greenville County. We would also like to recognize and thank our staff at Greenville DSS for all of the relentless work they do every day for the citizens of Greenville County. Our workers and leadership take our mission statement very seriously and consider it an honor to serve our community. Our staff understands that it is more than a job at DSS; it is a life style to care for our community. The Mission Statement for our agency and our staff is: “To efficiently and effectively serve the citizens of South Carolina by ensuring the safety of children and adults who cannot protect themselves and assist-
City Council steps backward At its May 12 meeting, by approving the ordinance providing for nonpartisan municipal elections, Greenville City Council took a step back from its record of making good and reasoned decisions. Council members could have tabled the issue for further study, as many others and I requested. Or, Council could have done the right thing and voted it down altogether. In recent years, many cities have turned to non-partisan elections. Online research may reveal some valid reasons why non-partisan municipal elections might be practical and sensible, but there are also many reasons why they are unwise. Although supporters claim that non-partisan elections increase voter turnout, level the playing field, and enhance cooperation between the parties, there is just as much empirical evidence that they do none of those things, and worse, there is extensive evidence that they are just as likely to do the opposite. And, among other injurious consequences of nonpartisan elections, they are more divisive, they invite spoiler
SPEAK YOUR MIND The Journal welcomes letters to the editor and guest columns on timely public issues. Letters
6 THE JOURNAL | JUNE 6, 2014
IN MY OWN WORDS by VIC ROSENTHAL
candidates, they make financial oversight more difficult, and they increase the likelihood of corruption. Furthermore, the language in the new ordinance is confusing. The following paragraph is taken directly from the ordinance: Sec. 14 -2. - Method of nomination. The methods method of nomination for municipal elections shall be partisan [nonpartisan plurality/ nonpartisan run off,] as provided in this chapter and in S.C. Code 1976, § 5 – 15 - 10 et seq. and S.C. Code 1976, tit. 7. The words with the strike through are what is being deleted from the old ordinance. What is double underlined is being added to the ordinance. The brackets contain nothing but those words, not a complete sentence, and with no explanation. This should invite speculation about the conduct of the election: Is the outcome based on a simple plurality
should include name, city, phone number and email address for verification purposes and should not exceed 300 words. Columns should include a photo and short
ing families to achieve stability through child support, child care, financial and other temporary benefits while transitioning into employment.” The Human Services division of Greenville DSS is charged with identifying children who are or may be in danger of abuse or neglect, and to promote their safety and well being. In order to support this goal, we have embraced procedures that are “best practices” in human services organizations. A “best practice” is defined as “a method or technique that has consistently shown results superior to those achieved with other means, and that is used as a benchmark.” A significant best practice that Human Services uses regularly is “Signs of Safety.” This technique has several practice principles. Among them: Always search for detail. Focus on creating small change. Recognize that all families have signs of safety. Offer choices. Cooperate with the person, not the abuse. Don’t convote, or is a run-off required? Before the vote, I asked Council to explain the meaning of the brackets, but received no answer. I suspect this will eventually be just one of the issues which will bring legal challenges to the new ordinance. The city will likely be required to spend funds defending a law they should have left alone. Besides it being a bad decision, Council went against expressed popular opinion. Prior to this vote, there were several community meetings called specifically to discuss the proposed change. While only a fraction of the Greenville electorate attended those meetings, opposition to non-partisan municipal elections was nearly unanimous in all of them. Then, there were two Council “readings” of the proposed ordinance. The opposition to the change was abundant, articulate and well reasoned. In the first reading, six people spoke against it; in the second reading, 10 people presented statements in opposition. At neither reading, did one person speak in favor of the change. Zero. At both readings, Mayor White asked for a standing vote on the issue. An overwhelming majority of attendees stood in opposition. Twice, four members of Council apparently had their eyes closed.
bio of the author and should not exceed 600 words. Writers should demonstrate relevant expertise and make balanced, fact-based arguments.
fuse case details with judgments. We would like to encourage our community to get involved with child welfare in Greenville County. There are several ways for you to get involved. You can become a foster parent or adopt a child who is legally free for adoption. Become a Guardian ad Litem or a member of the Foster Care Review Board. Mentor a teenager who has no one to give him or her positive reinforcement. Consider becoming a part of the DSS staff and help us find permanency for children faster. If any of these opportunities interest you, please feel free to contact me at keith.frazier@dss.sc.gov. Become a part of the solution in Greenville County and stand up for our children and families. Keith Frazier is director of the Greenville County Department of Social Services. In their prepared explanations, those four Council members stated that they listened to the people, that they respected the people, that they heard the people, and understood their opinions. Then they voted exactly the way the people did not want. It appears their definitions of listening, hearing and respecting are substantially flawed, and quite different from mine. In my mind, to vote in direct opposition of publicly stated opinion demonstrates an arrogant and disdainful Council representative. Shame on them. Greenville deserves better. On the other hand, Mayor White and Council members Littlejohn and Flemming did the right thing. They merit commendations for doing what they were elected to do – represent the citizens of Greenville. Vic Rosenthal is a retired medical case manager and 26-year resident of Greenville. He was the chair of the steering committee that established the Augusta Road Neighborhood Association, and is acting chairman of the association’s zoning committee.
All submissions will be edited and become the property of the Journal. We do not guarantee publication or accept letters or columns that are part of
organized campaigns. We prefer electronic submissions. Contact Executive Editor Susan Clary Simmons at ssimmons@ communityjournals.com.