Push to oust Cain ends in Batesburg-Leesville

Conflict among Batesburg-Leesville leaders on Councilman Steve Cain’s residency is over after he won re-election following ouster from office, his fellow council members say.

The other eight Town Council members won’t pursue the matter further, they said, after voters decided Nov. 3 to retain Cain rather than elect a challenger.

“That’s what we will abide by,” Mayor Rita Crapps said.

Other town leaders agree the fuss was settled at the polls.

“If he does the job, I’m not interested in kicking anyone out,” said new Councilman James Wiszowaty, a former mayor. “We want to move forward.”

Cain said he’s “not interested” in talking about his political comeback.

But he promised to continue questioning plans to build a new town water plant on Lake Murray.

That project is under way after state environmental officials said the pond on which the Lexington County town of 5,500 residents has relied for 82 years no longer is adequate.

Cain, often at odds with other town leaders, was removed from the post he held for 10 years in a 4-3 council decision June 15.

His ouster came after 15 residents complained about his prolonged absence from council meetings and council members raised questions about where he was living.

Cain declines to explain his eight-month absence but insists he did not move away from the community.

Other council members say he was evasive on his whereabouts in a period during which law enforcement authorities searched for him to face charges of failure to pay child support.

An investigation that cost taxpayers $4,800 concluded it was impossible to tell where Cain was then.