Florence’s newest city leaders sworn in
Angela E. Kershner/MORNING NEWS
Mayor Stephen J. Wukela laughs with Judge Ralph King Anderson Jr. Monday as they try to decide how to position the children William, left, Stephen, and Thomas with Laura Wukela during the swearing in ceremony for Florence City Council at the Florence City-County Complex.
Published: November 17, 2008
Updated: November 19, 2008
“Historic” was the adjective of the evening, and hope for a better Florence was the key message as the city’s new mayor and council members took the oath of office.
Before a standing-room-only crowd on Monday, Stephen J. Wukela was installed as mayor and Steve Powers and Octavia-Williams Blake became the city’s newest council members.
“A historic struggle has brought us to this critical time and place, and it is a time and place of troubles and division, but also of possibilities and hope,” Wukela told the crowd.
Wukela became the Democratic mayoral nominee after defeating outgoing Mayor Frank Willis by one vote in the primary. He then faced independent petition candidate and former Mayor Rocky Pearce in the general election.
The new mayor said the city’s divisions and other problems, however, “are man made.”
“And what man has made, man can change,” he said.
S.C. Court of Appeals Judge Ralph King Anderson administered the oath of office to Wukela, who was accompanied by his wife, Laura, and their three sons.
“You want me to hold one of the babies?” Anderson joked before administering the oath.
Anderson described the occasion as a “historic, momentous time” in Florence’s history as Wukela joins the ranks of the city’s previous mayors.
“I encapsulate his career to this point as a stalwart warrior for progress in the city of Florence,” Anderson said.
Anderson also gave a special recognition to Florence County Council Chairman K.G. Rusty Smith during the ceremony, which took place in the 11th floor courtroom in the Florence City-County Complex.
“Chairman, welcome — and I look forward to the day when we build a judicial center,” he said to laughter from the crowd, including Smith.
Williams-Blake was sworn into office by her campaign manager, Ken Jackson. She was joined by her husband, Charlie Blake, and the couple’s 3-year-old daughter, Hannah.
She said the evening was historic also because she is the first African-American woman to take the oath of office as a Florence city councilwoman.
Williams-Blake thanked her family and the many members of her church family who attended the ceremony.
“I know they’ve done a lot of praying for me because this has been a long and difficult campaign,” she said.
Powers said he looks forward to working “100 percent” with Wukela and told Williams-Blake that she will be a great addition to council.
Powers was joined by his wife, Susan, and his son and daughter-in-law, Jason and Jennifer, as his oath of office was administered by Florence attorney George Jebaily.
He recalled to the crowd a promise he’d made to a Florence resident: “I will do what’s right, not what’s popular.”
Powers and Williams-Blake, both Democrats, defeated Glynn Willis and outgoing councilman Bobby Holland, both Republicans, in the general election.
Frank Willis, Holland and outgoing councilman Rick Woodard had served 13 years on city council.
The three men attended their final special called meeting with council at 1 p.m. Monday, five hours before the installation ceremony. Council held a 50-minute executive session to consider a personnel matter related to city court, but took no action.
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Reader Reactions
Work Hard:
You say you earn six figures. It’s probably more like 7 figures.
I’m guessing that is $18,000.00
I’m guessing Hardees or McDonald’s (Mickey D’s as you call it.
Wow! What turned this into a racist sound-fest? Counvilman Robinson (is not black) he’s a criminal. City Manager Williams (is not white) he’s an incompetent without vision. “Judge” Scott (is not black) he’s a proven “good ole-boy of a different color”. And Mrs. Stankus (is not white) he just has her own selfish agenda.
WOW!! I’m gone for a few days and this forum for discussion has been reduced to a haven for hate. Mr Hard you are exactly why the city is at a stand still in so many ways.
Barack Obama was voted into office by a majority of white voters. He won states that had traditionally been Republican. Obama stirred the people to action. He wasn’t given to “black folk.“ The man earned it 100%
How dare you call his mother white mama, or call Mr Obama a “half breed?“ There are few more hateful things than to reduce a US senator/president elect to what you might call a dog. You question his blackness as if that is more important than the content of his charachter. If you really believe that Al Sharpton would be a more suitable commander-in-chief, then you really are living in a world unto yourself. A strange hateful world. We are all “folk.“ Not “black folk” and not “white folk”, just folk.
I find it disgusting for you to question Mayor Wukela’s faith too. Simply because he showed more tact and class during his campaign and did not send out religious literature to try to have Jesus win some votes for him, does not give you the right to speculate on his beliefs. Rocky had no problem exploiting God in order to win votes while Wukela took the high road and stuck to issues. Faith, beliefs, and a person’s selected congregation are to many deeply personal, Mayor Wukela knows this.
I’m certain that Mayor Wukela is in fact going to go to his father for guidance and direction. Men have done this throughout history. From rulers of empires, presidents, sons, school teachers, Superman, regular Joe’s, and Jesus himself, men have trusted and sought wisdom from their fathers.
Thanks for the laughs Mr Hard. Join us here in 2008 and watch the change that people have demanded.
It’s obvious that Work Hard is a spamming racist idiot. I won’t waste my time replying to any more of his posts. It wouldn’t surprise me if this wasn’t Ed Robinson himself, or at the very least one of his minions. The use of the word “folk” speaks volumes; not to mention that Ed uses it every council meeting. Ed didn’t have the guts to show up at the swearing in for longer than it took to run away (coward) probably to immediately begin posting. Time is short, Mr. Robinson (or minion thereof), and your career in public life is almost at an end. I look forward to seeing you only in the booking reports. The Sheriff’s office is used to working with SLED & the US Attorneys to stamp out public corruption, and I’ll wager you are on their “short” list. I hope you saved some of that bus fare you gave to the guy who murdered his girlfriend on Dargan Street back in 1989-90 to skip town with; you might just have a need for it yourself once the skeletons start popping out of your closets! Or, have you spent it all on crack like you did at Mt. Zion “just to prove how easy it was to get?“
Tick tock…the clock is ticking, you filth.
Work Hard are you ok? You seem very confused. I was quoting your own post when I said “minority store owners”. You can say this but I guess us “white” folk can’t…right? You back Pierce who is a Republican and running as an “independent”. And you say Wukela is a republican running as a Democrat (riding the “coat tail” of Obama). My friend, you are really confused! Have you went past the Republican and Democrat headquarters to see who they support? The sad thing is people like you and Mr. Ed are a part of the Florence Zoo! You are an extremely racist person. Why does it need to be a 100% black man running for office. If thats what swings your vote…WE ARE IN TROUBLE! How about the best man for the job, and the issues they support! Not just because they are 100% black. WIth Wukela in office…Florence will be a much safer place once a little house keeping is done! The police are going to take control of this zoo for a city. Take your six figure salary and go buy you some common sense!
Spend the wheel, no my friend this is no wheel of fortune. This is life. We await the formal direction of the Master of Equity. We’ve been calling everyone up north and out west to let them know to get their taxes paid up, and to send money to get their properties cleaned up. Otherwise, we face, a situation of folk who have been positioned to get property in East Florence, North Florence and West Florence. See friends the election is over with, it’s time to collect back on the money spent on you selling out. Always a manner of reimbursement.
Get real…..... Sold Out! no Recovery!
The Heart of the Matter…. Gotta, make a way for the heirs of the thrown.
Florence was the Crown….
Be Careful Sen. Alexander, Sen. Williams, and Rep. Williams, they need your seats to gain total power, it is anticipated that sell outs and cut throats who worked the election will be put on your trail. You have to have a total packaged to make it.
It’s got cold,it’s time to turn up the Music…....! Blam!!
Let’s get history straight,
Obama was not the first black president, Obama is the first President of Color. A Black President would be someone like John Lewis from Georgia, Charles Rangel from New York, Jessie Jackson, Al Sharpton. Obama is a mix breed person of color, black daddy white mother, he is a white baby dependent on the state and the time he was born. Obama was accepted by white folk based on his mixed breed, whites would not accept a real black man like John Lewis from Georgia, they made it easy for him to get in. They knew that not putting him on top would cause trouble with the blacks, so the word went out and the whites banned together to make the numbers work. The deal worked and he got in. Now, the question is who will actually be the President. Obama is no more than a Puppet. He sounded good, got a lot of white republicans posing as democrats in, it appears that the Republicans are still in power. It’s about business, once people realize that they will be able to understand the processes of politics. Smile Black Folk, you got a black man with the name of president, you elected a bunch of republican on the local level posing as democrats… You still in the same place.
Read the hand writing on the wall…...! You got jack!
Lisa, I do not need an employer to post a response on scnow. I have a mind of my own. I make 6 figures and enjoy expressing myself when time permits. The thing is, are you ready for the hard freeze? You sound like someone responding from the public library. Have a nice evening.
Florencezoo,
Obama was the ram in the bush,to keep black folks settled. White folk like you were apart of the game. What you said about “minority store owners” shows your racism is kicking in earlier that expected. Actually, we didn’t expect people like you to come out until after Obama was took his oath of office. By the way, what change are you speaking Of? Good to know your kind! While Willis was in, you guys stayed quiet, now that Wukela is in, the sheets come out in force.
It is no more than we expected. It isn’t about business to people like your kind it is about keeping disruption alive and well. Similar to the “Florence is Divided Deal” with people like you we need to stay divided.
To Steve Powers,
Ya’ll normall see black flok issues as a popular thing… If you do what’s right will this clear you from helping black Folk? Another question, how did you help the black merchants in downtown florenc during your tenure as Merchant association president? Did you exclude them because they could not afford to afford the membership fee? As you know not everyone has money as you do. Please don;tlist black that you selectively helped. The question is related to regular blacks folk, that were purposefully overlooked when Mr. Jebailey walked passed during his walks downtown and sometime visitors were with him. Do you feel, blacks have a place? This question will hit you on council as you vote for changes downtown, and will mroe than likely face making decisions about stores you guys feel are in the way of progress….
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