Congaree Riverkeeper board blasts ex-employee, denies racism as dispute simmers
The Congaree Riverkeeper board chairman is defending the organization’s decision to fire a former fundraiser who had accused the non-profit group of racism.
In an email Friday afternoon to members and supporters, Congaree Riverkeeper board chairman Steve de Kozlowski said the board had looked into charges of racism and found them to be untrue.
The letter said fired development director Brittany Kilpatrick made a series of mean-spirited and inaccurate statements about the organization and others. Incidents she cited as racist were “taken entirely out of context,’’ his letter said.
The letter noted the toxic relationship between Kilpatrick and Bill Stangler, the riverkeeper organization’s director. But the board says it backs Stangler as a fair-minded person who has done a good job as director.
“The reason for Ms. Kilpatrick’s dismissal was because of her unprofessional behavior and her animosity toward our executive director/riverkeeper and the board,’’ the letter said, noting that “it was apparent she would not be able to work amicably with the organization.’’
Kilpatrick, a former Department of Revenue lawyer hired by the group in late 2017, declined to say much in response, referring The State back to a June 14 letter she sent to the board. The State wrote about the letter and her firing this past week.
Her letter said she got into trouble for speaking her mind about racism. It cited racist language involving board members and staff against Muslims and Asians — charges the board says were distortions and untrue.
Her June 14 letter called for more diversity on the board, which has only one African American. But she said one board member, in 2018, said the organization should not “give up on white men yet’’ when an email was circulated seeking more board diversity. Kilpatrick also asked that Stangler be replaced.
On Friday, Kilpatrick made Facebook posts urging businesses to remove themselves as listed supporters of the Congaree Riverkeeper organization.
“I stand by everything in my highly-detailed original statement,’’ she said in an email. “Beyond what is contained in the letter, I have nothing further to add at this time. I shared this information so that friends can make informed decisions about the organizations they choose to support with their patronage and money.’’
Her charges come at a time of racial tensions across the country following the death of an African American man, George Floyd, while in police custody in Minnesota. The charges are the second set of accusations made against a non-profit organization in the Columbia area since protests began following Floyd’s death. Former employees of the popular Nickelodeon theatre charged racism earlier this month. The theater is looking into the charges.
The Congaree Riverkeeper group has generally enjoyed a reputation as a progressive organization dedicated to environmental protection, although de Kozlowski’s letter agreed the board needs more diversity.
“This was not a novel idea presented by Ms. Kilpatrick and we have been working toward that goal,’’ his letter said.
The group advocates for protection of the three main rivers that flow through Columbia: the Congaree, the Broad and the Saluda. Since Stangler became director in 2011, the organization has taken an active role in protecting the rivers. It was founded in 2008.
Under Stangler, the group has conducted regular tests of rivers to make sure they are safe for swimming, has filed lawsuits against utilities that discharged poorly treated sewage, and has fought to get toxic coal tar removed from the bottom of the Congaree River. The group also has advocated for more environmental study of a nuclear fuel plant with a history of environmental problems near the Congaree River.
De Kozlowski’s letter noted Stangler’s accomplishments, saying Columbia is “fortunate’’ to have Stangler as riverkeeper.
Debbie Parker, the lone African American on the riverkeeper’s 10-member board, said in a text to The State newspaper that Stangler, who is white, has shown “incredible empathy, open-mindedness and intelligence in his role as Congaree Riverkeeper.
“He could easily have chosen to work in a corporate job making significantly more money but chose instead to be a public servant, protecting clean water for people of all communities in the Midlands.’’
De Kozlowski’s letter said, however, that Kilpatrick was difficult to work with. It said the board met with her about some of her Facebook posts that the board thought showed poor professional judgment.
Among those were Facebook posts she made criticizing the director of another non-profit group, Serve and Connect. The director of that group, Kassy Alia Ray, founded the organization to help bring police and communities together. Alia-Ray’s husband, a Forest Acres police officer, was slain in the line of duty in September 2015.
Kilpatrick accused Alia-Ray of “attempting to dodge hard questions by using her deceased husband as a shield.’’ Kilpatrick’s Facebook post also said Alia-Ray should “quit using our community as your personal therapy,’’ according to the Congaree Riverkeeper letter.
The riverkeeper’s letter said Kilpatrick was fired after it met with her.
“She dismissed our concerns, did not acknowledge the hurtfulness of her comments, made it clear of her disdain for her supervisor and the board — calling us all racists, and threatened retaliation against the organization,’’ Friday’s letter said.’
Alia-Ray told The State she has never met Kilpatrick, but understood tensions are high these days. She said she would welcome a discussion with Kilpatrick.
This story has been updated
This story was originally published June 27, 2020 at 12:07 PM.
