DILLON — Dillon County Council held a special meeting Friday afternoon to clarify and announce the date of the public hearing for ousted Dillon County Administrator Charles Curry.
A state statute requires a public hearing be held before Curry’s June 16 termination from the post can be final.
During the meeting, Dillon County Council Chairman Harold Moody said there had been a discrepancy between Curry’s understanding of when the meeting would be held and Council’s understanding of the same matter.
Moody said he and Curry spoke about the date of the public hearing about a week ago and Curry indicated he understood the meeting would be held July 27.
Meanwhile, Greenville attorney Carl Muller, who is representing council in the termination matter, said in a letter written to Curry on Tuesday the public hearing would be July 22.
Council voted 4-3 on Friday to conduct the public hearing July 22.
Some in the crowd of spectators seated in the Dillon County Courtroom, where Friday’s meeting was held, voiced their discontent with the public hearing date. Some groaned, while someone shouted, “It’s those same four,” apparently referring to the four council members who voted to dismiss Curry in June.
Before voting on the matter, Moody expressed how he felt about the case.
“I hate that all this has come about,” he said.
Moody said he’s known Curry for 30 years or more and said he considers him a personal friend. Moreover, Curry had been the county attorney for several years, had given sound advice and “has tried to keep this council out of trouble,” Moody said.
After Moody spoke, Dillon County Councilman Andrew “Deboy” Graves said he doesn’t doubt Curry was doing a good job as administrator.
“We voted against him because of the attitude he showed toward council ...” Graves said.
Curry is a person “you cannot talk to,” with the mindset he should do all the talking and the other person should do the listening, Graves said.
That’s not the way it’s supposed to be with a county council and its administrator, Graves said.
Dillon County Councilman Robert Archie Scott said it was “a tug-o-war” between Curry and council.
All of them should have sat down and talked about their differences “like adults,” Scott said.
Muller told Curry in a letter Tuesday that Council had suspended him from his duties as administrator and said he wasn’t allowed in his office.
Curry told Muller in a rebuttal letter that neither he nor council had the authority to suspend him. Curry went on to report to work the next day just before 8:30 a.m.
Moody said after Friday’s meeting he’s uncertain whether Muller is going to be paid by council for his legal guidance.
If the majority of Council votes to pay Muller, he surmises it will come out of the county’s general fund, Moody said.
Moody also said he’s unaware of any legal action taken by Curry against Council thus far.
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