Richland Co. Council re-elects leader after criticism levied by fellow council member
Paul Livingston was re-elected Tuesday by Richland County Council members to lead the council for the upcoming year.
The council’s annual chairperson vote came one day after Councilwoman Dalhi Myers shared a letter with her colleagues criticizing Livingston’s leadership. Livingston is the longest-serving member of council, with nearly three decades of experience.
It is council tradition for a chairperson to serve two consecutive one-year terms, though it has broken that tradition at times. Livingston will be serving his second year as chairman.
The 13-minute meeting steered mostly clear of Myers’ letter, sent Monday, in which she criticized Livingston for his role in council’s 2018 vote to award a $1 million settlement to former county administrator Gerald Seals.
“Let me say quite candidly that I think the vote taken tonight reflects the concerns of the council, and because we have to have a chair, I voted for nominee,” said Councilman Chip Jackson, who was one of six members who voted for Livingston. “I think the chair is fully aware of the issues facing him and this council.”
Livingston was supported by Jackson, Bill Malinowski, Yvonne McBride, Gwen Kennedy, Jim Manning and himself. Four council members voted against Livingston: Myers, Joe Walker, Allison Terracio and Chakisse Newton. Councilwoman Joyce Dickerson did not cast a vote for the chairman because, she said, no one on council had called her to ask for their support.
Myers was re-elected as the vice-chair. She was supported by Walker, Terracio, Newton, Dickerson, Jackson, McBride and herself. Livingston, Manning and Malinowski voted against Myers. Kennedy did not vote for vice-chair; her non-vote is officially counted as a “yes,” according to council rules. Kennedy did not give a reason for not voting.
Livingston will maintain the helm of the council at a time when Richland County government is wading through an extended period of controversy and occasional dysfunction.
The past few years have seen have seen massive turnover in high-level staff — including the highly public departure of former administrator Gerald Seals — as well as controversies surrounding the $1 billion penny sales tax transportation program, the fumbled Richland Renaissance development plan and suspect transactions concerning Pinewood Lake Park in Lower Richland.
Recently, Walker called on the state attorney general to open a criminal investigation into council members’ behavior.
Myers’ letter criticizing Livingston centered on the 2018 departure of Seals, which splintered the council and involved a $1 million settlement paid to protect the county from potential legal action by Seals. Myers wrote that Livingston had acted deceptively and had failed to show “courage of his ... convictions.”
Livingston disputed claims Myers made and said her letter was an attempt at “character assassination, for whatever reason.”
This story was originally published January 7, 2020 at 6:47 PM.
