While we’re not sure if there’s a Guinness world record for “Most Municipal Scandals,” we’re confident that the last week or so would have propelled Columbia somewhere close to that lofty achievement.
Four (yes, four) separate incidents from within the last week and a half are still making waves through city and county government, assuring that, if our representatives make mistakes, at least they do them in a big way.
Here’s a taste:
First, there’s Tameika Isaac Devine, a city councilwoman whose procedural mistake concerning federally funded loans could cost taxpayers close to $158,000. While drawing up a loan in 2004, she apparently forgot to notarize the mortgage.
Her claim that such mistakes are relatively common is wrong on its face. Despite appearances, taxpayers are not usually forced to shell out hundreds of thousands of dollars because of an official’s mistake.
Second, Howard Jackson, the now-former Richland County election director, was fired this week after more than 1,000 absentee ballots for the Columbia mayoral race and Richland County library tax referendum were not counted. He succeeded a director who was fired over the county’s 2012 presidential election debacle.
Jackson is accusing the county elections board, which oversees the office, of obstructing elections; he has said he plans to take evidence to state police.
Safe to say, everything is looking fantastic on our way into the midterm elections.
Third, Interim Columbia Police Chief Ruben Santiago has been cleared of charges that he was involved in a “black ops” scheme to plant drugs and a weapon in the car of a colleague, although the prosecutor said he wasn’t completely compliant with the investigation. This, in itself, is a relatively good sign.
Less of a good sign: a recently released taped phone conversation between Santiago and former Capt. David Navarro. The profanity-laced and gossipy conversation talks about the alleged drinking problems of former Police Chief Randy Scott. The two were very concerned about who “snitched” — that is, who brought a potential issue to light.
You know you’re in bad shape when the police, rather than the criminals, are the ones concerned about “snitching.”
Additionally, if the former police chief truly had a drinking problem, the public deserves to know that such a high-ranking official isn’t operating at his highest capacity.
Last, City Council is split about Columbia’s process of finding the next police chief after the head of a search committee was accused of being biased against internal candidates. Seeing as this will be the eighth chief in the last seven years, this squabbling is far from auspicious.
There are many conclusions you can make from this month’s series of scandals.
You might conclude, for example, that the elections board is in need of significant change to overcome its significant issues. Or you might decide that the search for a police chief needs a fresh look and fresh leadership. Or, better still, that the police department should concern itself with becoming transparent, not outing “snitches.”
In each case, you wouldn’t be alone.
But perhaps we can all agree on this: This month’s string of issues is unacceptable. Not for a city that wants to be world-class. Not for any city, period.
Simply put, Columbia and Richland County deserve better. It’s time for our elected representatives to deliver that.