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
My Fellow Citizens of Florence:
And the award for “Can’t Do Nuttin For Ya” goes to .... the newly elected ____________ (the choice is yours)
in the City of Florence…. Their promises spilled into the abandoned houses and other issues that willtake time, forgetting the needs of the actual tax paying citizens. It was a good election ...(let’s see what happened afterwards) QVC changed and started outsourcing, subsewuently changed it’s corporate mind due to union pressure and decided to move, Heinz couldn’t find enough people to work without being under a union, FEDEX moved to Mexico to avoid a union. Unions are good in there perspective places, not here irregardless of promises. You can only imagine how pised off the Gambino’s and Columbo’s might get if this were their turf. Yet, we’re left with demolishing abandoned building and erasing an imaginery racial line which split black folks from white folks. Frank Willis, one question Sir? did you have this problem, or was this a was out usually used by a non-black tryin to get into office? Better hire Frank Willis as a consultant, need to keep an open line of communcation with Glynn Willis, why boot Ed Robinson, he might not kiss but, but he will work for the betterment of his people as will Billy Williams. David Williams is a strong asset, and Judge Scott, has nothing to do with slighted mentalities…. The brother is Strong with character and intergrity!. Like James Brown (God Rest His Soul) It Is “Said Loud”——Don’t Mess Up, Before You Grow Up!“ This is not a daddy’s play toy, this is real people. Bigger than putting together a train set at christmas. Florence has serious power in the business community please do not disrespect these people. Let’s put everybody under a mirror… How did you handle your business before you got elected? Was anybody sold out? Did you cross anybody? How does your Church family feel about you being elected? Did they support you? (God only knows…...
Work Hard
The thing worse than rebellion is the thing that causes rebellion.
Fredrick Douglass
We could only take so much of the Willis regime!
It is because of people like you that Florence is failing. Us “white” and “black” folk voted for Wukela! You say that Wukela is riding the coat tail…GET REAL. Nobody forced anyone to vote for him. Us “white folk” didn’t give you Obama to keep you quiet…you are sadley mistaken, buddy! WE (as in the entire country) voted him in to make a change like Wukela will be doing in the next few weeks! The last time I checked Ed Robinson is a criminal! If your so blind to see this, visit the sheriffs office website. Thats just what hes been caught doing wrong. He needs to be voted out. What has he done for anyone of Florence? Besides give a numerous laughs! Oh, and please don’t get me started with downtown. We must pray that most of the “minority store owners” leave downtown! They are the reason why downtown is the way it is. It is not the responsiblity of the city to paint your building or fix broken windows. It is the owners of the property. Why would any normal person send their families downtown to shop? They would have to step over the local drunks, step over the active dice games, and be panhandled by the local vagrants. Sounds like a booming commercial district to me! Wukela needs to remove the city manager, and everyone else who brings this city down! Change is coming!!!!
“Can’t we all just get along”
The great Rodney King
Hey Folks, amid the Wukela Celebration please remember….....
McFadden & Whitehead had the song, Ain’t No Stoppin Us Now ... Nice Melody, nice Instrumentation….. They can now change it too.. “We Got Stopped, Ain’t Nothin We Can Do, but Hold On, Let’s Hope the Ride Gets Smoother” not a chance just wait and try after the next four years, when we have the chance again to vote, let’s begin ow to get a good black man ready to run for Mayor, by that time Obama hopefully wiil come to Florence and set up the way things need to be run by Black folk. Not withstanding the facy that by then with the anticipated actions, they’ll be appointing the Mayor of Florence, by the select few! Voting in the Municipal from what we have experienced is a waste of time and effort….................! DEon’t get caught with you boot straps down, Master would not like that. We back in Slavery…...... Wake Up! Wise Up!
Work Hard :
How ironic that someone who goes by the screen name “Work Hard” is either getting paid by his/her employer to post on the scnow.com website OR is at home collecting unemployment milking off the government #$%!
My guess is the later!
Finally to all:
Find out what any people wil quietly submit to and you have the exact measure of the injustice and wrong which will be imposed on them ...
Fredrick Douglass
Wake up Black Folks in Florence,S.C. we been jacked…... The people you turned away from based on emotions are the same people you will nood to overcome. We have not overcame nothing we just moved up a notch in Washington,D.C. we still have home to deal with. Think about this .... They gave us Obama, but “At what cost”? under circumstances I’d let you have a black president just to keep you quiet!
It’s time to think and know what’s really going on…....
What happened to Glynn Willis,
If there was not a time we needed balance, the time is now. Glynn Willis, might have been a Republican and honestly said so. This was one time, black folk need to step up and move away from being told to vote for a straight democratic ticket. Balance, substance, and most of all common sense is needed on Florence City Council. Glynn Willis is a man that could move within the community for all. It’s ashame that we stuck to party politics. You can never get a true commitment from folk that have republican views, but run as democrats.Problems their true views are held back because they have to make moves which seem to be of a democratic veiw. When oh when will these people stop the madness… Quite foolin folks. We need real representation. At least with Glynn Will, he would speak his true mind. The guy was one value we will miss from bing on council.
By the way Demon Dog,
Rocky Pearce was the best choice for Mayor, people like you kicked him when he was down, but failed to see the bright Shining Star he became with a closer understanding of God and his ability to help a man get up and move foward… I was wondering, what church does Wukela go to. Never heard mention of him attending any in Florence other than to send his children to a private school, when we have the best public schools. Maybe he is Muslim and goes to Juma on Friday when no one knows, haven’t seen him there so that’s out, doesn’t attend mass, Catholic friends would have said so, not a Methodist, Baptist or Interdenominational. What will he do when it’s time for pray before council meeting. Step out and come back in…...........!
Where does it end with you people. You claimEd Robinson is a criminaal, now you have the balls to name Councilman Williams, Judge Scott, and David Williams in some sort of a coup. “Get a Life”. Let discuss white folk that runs as democrats know they can coattail on Obama to win, and did win! With no intention of doing anything for blacks similar to their actual normal working! Let’s open up the fact that Florence has been a growing city with similar problems to other larger cities, with a substantive police force that has been handling business with no problems. It is people like you that bring about the “fungus among us”... It is no hiden secret that the Elder Wukela will be the driving force behind the running of Florence, let’s prepare the welcome the Union in most of our work places…. Union Supported Wukela Well, lets prepare for the breakdown of racial relations, he is no Obama ... Not that Obama is good for race relation “he’s not an actual black person”. Give us John Lewis from Georgia and then you’ll get a Black President. Right now we are facing puppet politicians, and in Florence we must prepare for straight up puppet politic, not excluding those Cotton Candy Politics we will have to face. No disrespect, but the Florida analogy was way off. By facts,Wukela didn’t have a snowballs chance against Sen. Hugh Leatherman,and didn’t have a hair wink chance against Frank Willis, he won that election by a frosted flake manuver. When all is said and done you “his people will see” an empty wagon makes a lot of noise…....
Work Hard,
How can you seriously justify your glowing remarks of a known criminal in councilman Robinson? For that matter, David Williams, Judge Scott, and also councilman Williams? Robinson repeatedly resorts to calling ideas and/or people racist, or he’ll just get violent and push them around if they don’t agree with him. Please back up your claims for David Williams, Billy D, Judge Scott, and Ed with facts. I don’t think that feeding on peoples fears and insecurities makes one a good councilman.
And your veiled claim that the elections were rigged also needs to be backed up with facts. In 2008 most things are computer based, remember the election fiasco in Florida in 2000? That was caused by paper ballots. The election commision is a system with checks and balances and it works.
I look forward to Mayor Wukela’s leadership and belief in his ability to get this city back where it needs to be. Some house cleaning is in order.
Let us always remember that:
“Slaves were expected to sing as well as work. A silent slave was not liked by masters or overseers.“
The wisdom of Frederick Douglass.
Those of us who were silent during the election process are marked, we think that we are not known, but, in this modern error, the master and his overseers sees all and knows all even if we think they do not. We must pray for the Minority Store Owners Downtown that they will hold during hard time and not be subjected to being pushed out with vague promises, we must pray for our undivided communities which are be targeted to be divided in word. We must keep our Faithful Public Servants Councilman Billy Williams and Councilman Ed Robinson before the thrown of God, to place a shield of protection around them, so that the planned persecution which is set to come to them will sheilded in such a way that they will withstand and hold firmly to the Principals and Integrity that has sustained the in being our Strongest Leaders.
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