SC councilors told not to put people in danger by forwarding emails to opponents

Greenville County approved a policy asking council members to consider constituents’ privacy before forwarding emails Tuesday night, but first they turned down an amendment to require councilors to post the content of all their emails on the county’s website.

The proposed amendment came from Councilman Joe Dill, whose treatment of constituents’ emails prompted the new policy. Several county residents have complained that Dill sent their emails to other private citizens, including some who were mentioned in the emails. They said their privacy was invaded and they felt threatened.

The council members’ lengthy discussion came during a committee of the whole meeting before the formal council meeting.

“Emails are owned by taxpayers of Greenville County,” Dill said before suggesting that there’s no reason for people to have to pay to get their emails under the Freedom of Information Act.

The committee voted 8-4 against Dill’s amendment to post all emails online.

The council’s new resolution says the way emails are handled by elected officials reflects on the county’s public image.

“Council members should be mindful that information contained in citizen emails may contain identifying information which, if widely disseminated, could unintentionally be used by others to directly contact citizens regarding their opinions and beliefs,” the policy states.

It encourages members to use discretion.

Councilor Willis Meadows questioned the need for such a policy, saying it would not change anything. Council members already use their own judgment in deciding what to do with emails.

Council Chairman Butch Kirven said the policy boiled down to the Golden Rule: treating people as you would want to be treated. Also, it was not a new idea, he said. Many businesses and schools have had such policies in place for years.

Councilor Dan Tripp said he wasn’t against the policy but believed it was unclear.

“It’s subpar legal wording,” he said, adding he didn’t want to spend time on “Mr. Fant’s political agenda.” The reference was to Councilor Ennis Fant, who proposed the resolution at a meeting in November, but Tuesday night the policy was put forward by Councilor Xanthene Norris.

Councilor Rick Roberts grew heated in response, saying, “It is common sense.”

He added, “People are amazed we’re having this discussion.”

Roberts said the emails were forwarded in the first place as part of a political agenda and the act was “malicious and hateful.”

He did not call out Dill but name, but Dill responded, “I’ve been attacked repeatedly. You said it was malicious. It’s a lie. You have made a libelous statement.”

Dill has forwarded emails on a variety of subjects, including rescinding Greenville County’s anti-LGBT resolution from the 1990s and contentious zoning issues.

Dill’s actions came to light after resident Jeremy Krober sent a Freedom of Information Act request for five councilors’ emails, including Dill’s, on the subject of the county’s 1996 resolution against the LGBT community.

Krober’s FOIA request garnered hundreds of emails, including many Dill had forwarded to people opposed to the LGBT community.

Another was an email from a woman to two council members saying a man who spoke to them about guns had a criminal record. Dill sent it to the man.

The policy passed 7-4, with Dill voting for it. Councilor Bob Taylor was absent, although he voted for the policy during the committee of the whole meeting.