By Betsy Finklea
A court hearing was held on Tuesday to follow up on whether or not the Dillon County Council was in compliance with an order issued by Judge Paul Burch.
An attorney from the S.C. Attorney General’s Office said they had subpoenaed people who could shed some light on the county allegedly working on a private road and a cemetery with recent burials.
County Attorney Ken Dubose said the county had fully cooperated with the Attorney General and SLED’s investigation into these matters and that the judge’s order was being taken seriously and being obeyed by the Dillon County Council, the Dillon County employees, and County Administrator Clay Young.
Bennett Bethea, Dillon County Roads and Bridges supervisor, was the first called to the stand. He said they were working around the trailer park in September.
A letter was presented from 1987 showing that the council agreed to work that road and another road. He said this was a county road he was on and not a private road, and in his mind, they were not doing anything wrong that day.
It was noted that County Administrator Clay Young has issued a memo saying it was their policy not to work on private property.
Young was the next called to the stand. He said he read the paper about the county working the road and looked into it.
Young said when they looked into it further that it was in the system and had been placed there in 1987.
(Note: The Herald had called the Dillon County Council office prior to the publication of the story and sent over photographs and two Herald employees were told that this was not a county road. The Herald allowed the county one month to dispute that fact before publishing the story. As of the day of that article’s publication, The Herald was told that it was not a county road.)
Young said the county is working to properly document all county roads to make sure they are in compliance. The council also passed a road ordinance.
Young said when it came to his attention that the county had worked a cemetery with recent burials that he suspended all working of cemeteries until it could be further researched. He also sent out a memo regarding this and met with employees.
He said that working that cemetery was a mistake.
Roger Meekins testified that he was familiar with the road and the work and they were not trying to get something for which they were not entitled.
The Attorney General rep said he didn’t think that the county was doing anything but trying to comply with the judge’s order. He said he hopes that this clears this up. He said he thinks that the county is in compliance with the judge’s order at this time.
Judge Burch again stated that if anyone files an affidavit with the court that shows that the council is not in compliance with the order, he will take it from there.