BLYTHEWOOD – Four town residents have filed to run for two at-large seats on town council in the upcoming Nov. 2 municipal elections. The filing period ended Tuesday at 5 p.m. Filing to run for the four-year term on council are: incumbents Larry Griffin and Sloan Griffin, Planning Commission Chairman Rich McKenrick and Cobblestone Park […]
Blythewood reverses decision to release FOIA’d documents
September 2, 2021 By
BLYTHEWOOD – On Monday, Aug. 30, the town reversed its refusal to release responsive documents sought by The Voice from Town Administrator Carroll Williamson through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request 41 days earlier. The Voice requested the following documents: 1) a copy of the contract or letter of engagement that secured the outside […]
MPA files motion for dismissal of counterclaim
August 26, 2021 By
BLYTHEWOOD – MPA Strategies, LLC has filed a reply to the Town’s counterclaims filed July 20, 2021, in response to a lawsuit filed by MPA Strategies against the town government on June 28, 2021. All the claims and responses were filed in the Court of Common Pleas Fifth Judicial Circuit in Richland County. MPA also […]
Town Hall mum on attorney contract, fees
August 19, 2021 By
BLYTHEWOOD – Since filing a countersuit against MPA Strategies marketing firm, its owner Ashley Hunter and the nonprofit State and Frink Foundation, the Town of Blythewood government has been less than open concerning its arrangements with outside counsel David Black, an attorney with Nexsen Pruet LLC out of Columbia, who is representing the Town in […]
Council OKs funding for outside agencies
July 29, 2021 By
BLYTHEWOOD – During the FY2021-22 budget work session and discussions during Blythewood Town Council meetings, council identified specific outside agencies to receive funding. However, Town Administrator Carroll Williamson noted in a memo that council members approved the budget without a specific amount allocated to each agency. The total amount allocated for all the agencies was […]
MPA files lawsuit against Town after mayor fails to comply with FOI law
July 8, 2021 By
BLYTHEWOOD – The Town of Blythewood has been at risk of a legal action for almost two months after Mayor Bryan Franklin failed to submit responsive documents to a Freedom of Information request from MPA Strategies, the town’s newly contracted marketing and grant writing firm. On Tuesday, June 28, MPA filed that legal action against […]
Attorney: Franklin has not complied with MPA Strategies’ FOIA request
June 3, 2021 By
BLYTHEWOOD – Mayor Bryan Franklin has continued to publicly criticize two town council members for, according to Franklin, not complying with an FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) request submitted by The County Chronicle. The request is for documents from all council members and the mayor that pertain to MPA Strategies dating back to Oct. 1, […]
Mayor Franklin says he’s besieged by council/media conspiracy
May 27, 2021 By
BLYTHEWOOD – When an article in the April 29 issue of The Voice reported that Mayor Bryan Franklin unilaterally hired outside counsel – without town council’s consent – to represent the Town concerning MPA Strategies, Franklin, in a 19+ minute tirade against the newspaper’s account, said it was “absolutely fabricated and false.” He insisted that […]
Time change for May 24 Blythewood town council meeting
May 20, 2021 By
BLYTHEWOOD – The Blythewood town council meeting that was scheduled to meet at 7 p.m. on Monday, May 24, at the Manor, has been rescheduled to meet at 6 p.m. at the same location. Contact town hall at 803-754-0501 for information or with questions.
