Rancor Still Surrounds Simpsonville City Council

The boisterous and capacity crowds that have marked Simpsonville City Council meetings in recent weeks have died down, but the pointed rhetoric aimed at Mayor Perry Eichor and many Council members since the controversial Dec. 28 firing of police chief Keith Grounsell continues.

As Grounsell, his wife, and a contingent of supporters watched, a handful of local residents sprang forth during the public comment portion of an otherwise mostly mundane meeting to excoriate Eichor and fellow Council members.

Taylor Graham, an 18-year resident of the city, said that recent events have persuaded him to run for Council when Council member Brown Garrett's Ward II seat is up for grabs in November.

"In light of recent events that have taken place, we've kind of gotten in a spotlight that I as a city resident don't really like," Graham said. 

"You represent us. We put you where you are," he added. "And, to paraphrase you Mr. [Council member George] Curtis, if we didn't like it, come November we can change that. Well, you're term is not up till 2015. So Mr. Garrett I'd like to tell you, one way or another come November, hopefully my name is going to be against yours for that seat."

City resident Joan Davidson said, "I've been sitting back and watching everything that's been going on. Based on the fact of the current EEOC and SLED investigations, why was it necessary to appoint a permanent chief of police so quickly, especially without a full Council and [Council member Julius] Wellborn not being present? 

"On Feb. 4, when the Mayor held a press conference, he misled the public, everybody, to believe that Keith Grounsell and Geneva Lawrence were under investigation by SLED, but in actuality it's the city that is under a SLED investigation, not Geneva and not Keith," Davidson said. "Now it is time for you guys to right a wrong and listen to the people and start telling the truth. We would like some answers."

Another city resident, Cathy Jacobson, said she like many others campaigned and voted for Eichor, and said she believed him when he campaigned for transparency in city government.

"I take full responsibility for not doing my homework on you as a candidate. I made a terrible mistake," she said.

Though Eichor has remained relatively mum as he has come under fire in recent Council meetings, Jacobson attacked Eichor on his general demeanor towards his opponents, calling him elitist and dismissive.

"We all deserve the same amount of respect, attention and gratitude from you and the Council no matter what we are saying," she said. "You should all be grateful that we citizens actually give a damn about our city. You sir are the mayor of Simpsonville. We have expectations of you and all of our city officials to act in a measured, professional, intelligent and considerate manner. There is no room for ego, selfish agendas, payback or any other egregious deeds or behavior. The most egregious behavior Mr. Eichor is when you take on your elitist posture and attitude."

Jacobson, however, wasn't finished. She then delved into Eichor's past as administrator of the Greenville County Detention Center in the late 1990s when Eichor was named in two highly publicized lawsuits — one involving the taping of judges' phone calls at the GCDC, and the death of an inmate who had been hogtied during an altercation and later died from asphyxiation when guards there attempted to restrain him. 

"Now that I've done my homework Mr. Eichor I know that acts of hogtying and recording judges' phone conversations is apparently acceptable to you," Jacobson said. 

"I also know from listening to your press conference last month that you are not averse to lawsuits, since you have a history of being named in both state and federal litigation. This fact is alarming, because it's ripe to happen if you don't curb your stance," she added. "That would be very costly to our city and be tarnishing of our reputation. We expect you to be the leader you professed to be in your campaign, the leader we thought we elected, for all the citizens. You can be that leader if you want. If you don't, then resign and let us find someone who will."

Not one to normally rise to the bait, Eichor nonetheless shot back at Jacobson: "It's obvious you didn't do very much background investigation of those things you just said. If you looked, you'd find I was dismissed from all those lawsuits. I was never found culpable in any of them. I can name anybody in a lawsuit. You can spread all the rumors you want to. You made an accusation. It's not fact. All you did was read some report. The fact is, I didn't do those things."

"But it happened on your watch," Jacobson retorted. "And the buck stops with you and that position — and it stops with you here. And you just don't get it."