A firing, an investigation and a Renaissance fuel Richland County Council elections

The election campaigns for Richland County Council hinge on controversy and conflict.

From the firing of polarizing administrator Gerald Seals to the deferred dreams of the Richland Renaissance development program, County County has been a body divided, often angrily, sometimes chaotically.

District 1 incumbent Bill Malinowski, the council vice chair, has a primary challenger. Two candidates have filed for the vacated District 5 seat of Seth Rose, who is running for the S.C. House of Representatives. And businessman and decorated Iraq and Afghanistan combat veteran Joe Walker III will be taking the District 6 seat of Greg Pearce, who is retiring after two decades in office.

Among the most controversial council members recently has been Norman Jackson, who represents District 11, which includes parts of the Lower Richland area.

Jackson, 62, a Democrat who has served on council since 2007, is being challenged in the primary by newcomer Chakisse Newton, who is attempting to leverage that controversy.

"It seems we've had more investigations per square mile than any other district in the county," Newton said.

▪ Jackson was one of the driving forces behind Seals' dismissal. He made the motion to fire him and accused the administrator of running off able employees, acting outside of County Council's approval and even sleeping during council meetings. (Seals denies those accusations.) The council later voted to give Seals of severance package of nearly $1 million.

▪ Jackson also has been the driving force behind the controversial Pinewood Lake Park in Lower Richland. Questions have been raised about the county's purchase of land at the park and what role, if any, Jackson played in the purchase. Jackson also has been accused recently of trying to pressure county staff to pay invoices submitted by a nonprofit connected to the park. Staff members have raised concerns about the expenditures or the invoices.

▪ Jackson's fellow council members have asked the State Law Enforcement Division to investigate him after Seals' interim replacement, assistant county administrator Sandra Yudice, said he tried to bully and intimidate her to approve the payments.

Jackson didn't respond to repeated requests for comments for this story. But in recent interviews and other communications with The State, Jackson has said that much of the controversy, particularly the SLED investigation into bullying, was Seals striking back through the media and other avenues.

Jackson called the allegations "a slander campaign by a disgruntled employee."

As for the controversial Pinewood Lake project and his forceful efforts to fund it, Jackson said he was battling to bring investment to a community that has been neglected.

"Be fair to all," he has said. "And I'll stand up for anyone who's not being treated right."

Jackson, a retired highway design engineer for the S.C. Department of Transportation, has been a crusader for county money to be spent outside of the Columbia city limits in unincorporated areas of the county.

"What's happening is that money goes to the city of Columbia," he said. "None of it's going to Lower Richland and the unincorporated area, and some people don't like it. . . . I'll continue to fight for what's right."

Newton, 43, a marketing and public relations professional and the owner of Cardinal Consulting, is in her first run for office. She said Jackson's brusque approach to government was inappropriate and, in the case of Seals' $1 million settlement, costly.

"His style of governance has cost Richland County taxpayers, it's cost District 11, and it's not what we need now," she said.

Newton called Seals' firing "illegal" and "an ambush" — words used by Seals and his council supporters — and said she would have voted to retain him. Seals was fired by the narrowest of margins, 6-5.

"It is absolutely Richland County Council's prerogative to fire the administrator, but they should follow the law when they do and treat people with dignity and respect," she said. "It is outrageous that because his firing was handled inappropriately that county taxpayers are paying a $1 million settlement. When officials do things the wrong way, it's always the people who pay."

On one issue, both candidates agree.

"There needs to be more accountability and transparency, and sunshine is a beautiful thing," Newton said.

"I'm always for transparency," Jackson has said. "I'm the one who made the motion to have (council meetings) televised. . . . I've been consistent in being transparent, in being upfront and telling it like it is. That's not popular with some council members. They like to be secretive or have access or special privilege."

The winner of next month's primary faces off against Zoe Pruitt Owen, 47, a Republican teacher and businesswoman from Lower Richland who volunteered for the campaigns of former Gov. Nikki Haley.

Here are the other races in the June 12 primary:

Distict 1 (Irmo-Dutch Fork)

Bill Malinowski, 69, a Republican from Chapin who has served since 2007, is seeking re-election. He is a retired FBI agent. He is being challenged by Stan Smith, 37, a Republican real estate company owner from Chapin who is making his first run for public office.

District 4 (Downtown Columbia, parts of St. Andrews)

Paul Livingston, 67, who has served on council since 1990, is running unopposed. He is director of community development for Midlands Technical College.

District 5 (Downtown Columbia)

Will Brennan, 37, a Democrat who is making his first run for public office, is the owner of Brennan Works, a design and construction company. One of his most recent projects was the renovation of the historic Curtiss-Wright Hangar at Jim Hamilton-L.B. Owens Airport into a craft brewery. He is being opposed by Allison Terracio, 40, a Democrat who works in banking. She is making her first bid for public office.

District 6 (East Columbia)

Joe Walker III, 36, a combat veteran in Iraq and Afghanistan, is running unopposed in his first bid for public office. He owns numerous businesses in the Midlands, including several Marco's Pizza franchises. A Republican, he is running unopposed in his first bid for public office. Incumbent Greg Pearce, a Republican, is not seeking re-election.

This story was originally published May 25, 2018 at 6:19 PM with the headline "A firing, an investigation and a Renaissance fuel Richland County Council elections."